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Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bach on 9 October (WA 67), whether at any time since the 1990–91 Gulf conflict a research study of veterans with medically unexplained illnesses has been suggested for grant applications to help in identifying markers of immune system deficits and aberrations; and whether any such study has been funded.[HL78]
Lord Bach: The independent Medical Research Council (MRC) has received two applications for immunological research relating to Gulf veterans' illnesses. One was approved by the MRC. The resulting study was carried out by researchers at Guy's, King's and St Thomas' School of Medicine & Institute of Psychiatry, London, into Th 1 and Th 2 cytokines. The results are expected to be published in 2004.
Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bach on 9 October (WA 67), whether they will now publish the findings of research already completed by the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control relating to their studies of vaccine combinations, in particular anthrax with pertussis, administered to troops involved in the 1990–91 Gulf conflict.[HL79]
Lord Bach: The National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC), as the UK's Official Medicines Control Laboratory for biological medicines, does not publish routinely results of tests on medical products as these are commercially confidential. In 1990, preliminary findings of NIBSC's work on anthrax vaccine and pertussis were made available to the user, MoD, as set out in the MoD paper, Background to the Use of Medical Countermeasures to Protect British Forces during the Gulf War, dated October 1997, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. This paper is also available on the Internet at: http://www.mod.uk/issues/gulfwar/info/medical/mcm.htm and in hard copy as set out in my Answer of 20 November 2003 (Official Report, col. 341). An outline of the findings from the first phase of the anthrax vaccine and pertussis vaccine work undertaken by NIBSC as part of the Vaccines Interactions Research Programme is available on the Internet at: http://www.mod.uk/issues/gulfwar/research/anthrax-pertussis.htm.
All of the work carried out by NIBSC as part of this research progamme is complete. The findings are being prepared by NIBSC in a format suitable for publication in the peer-reviewed scientific literature.
To preserve independence, maintain scientific credibility and in common with normal scientific and medical practice, responsibility for publishing research findings lies with researchers.
Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
- Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bach on 9 October (WA 67), what, at any one time in the marmoset study at Porton Down, was the maximum number of vaccines administered to a single animal from among those used for immunising troops involved in the 1990–91 Gulf conflict.[HL80]
Lord Bach: In all, 48 marmosets were monitored for 18 months during the vaccines interactions research programme undertaken by the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Porton Down. Of the 48 marmosets, 24 received vaccinations. The maximum number of vaccinations administered to each of these 24 animals at any one time was four on the first day of a 51-day vaccination schedule. Another three vaccines were administered three days later and each animal subsequently received a further seven vaccinations, making 14 vaccinations of 10 different vaccines in total. Of the 24 marmosets who received these vaccinations, 12 animals also received pyridostigmine bromide for 28 days during the 51-day schedule.
Cambridge University:Primate Research Centre
Lord Jenkin of Roding asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What support they are giving to the proposal by Cambridge University to build a primate research centre either in Cambridge or in a guarded military facility elsewhere.[HL13]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Sainsbury of Turville): The Department of Experimental Psychology at the University of Cambridge won an open competition for a share of the £750 million joint infrastructure fund (JIF).
An international panel of experts reviewed all bids to the fund on the basis of scientific excellence. The JIF funders supported the Cambridge neuroscience project because it was judged to be one of the best in the biosciences field. The university was awarded £24 million towards the cost of the project.
Renewable Energy: Tidal Power
Earl Attlee asked Her Majesty's Government:
- How the feasibility of offshore tidal lagoons compares to the feasibility of other renewable energy sources such as wind turbines.[HL19]
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Tidal lagoons as with other forms of large-scale barrage are technically feasible. The economics of tidal lagoons are not as well established as for wind power.
Earl Attlee asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What support and encouragement they are giving to the research and development of offshore tidal lagoons.[HL20]
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Government have a research and development programme for renewable energy currently funded at around £19 million per annum.
To be successful under this scheme, any application for research and development into tidal lagoon technology would need to demonstrate potential for significant innovation relative to other proposals considered. Proposals for the application of conventional technology would be unlikely to be successful.
Earl Attlee asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What they consider to be the main advantages and disadvantages of offshore tidal lagoons as sources of renewable energy.[HL21]
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Tidal lagoons as with other forms of large-scale barrage have the potential to contribute to the UK's renewable energy targets and are eligible for support through the renewables obligation.
The environmental impacts and economies of any proposed schemes would need to be assessed by developers and planning authorities on a case-by-case basis.
Earl Attlee asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What contribution they expect from tidal power in reaching their target of 10 per cent of electricity to be provided from renewable sources by the year 2010.[HL22]
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Government have set a target of 10 per cent of electricity in the UK to come from renewables by 2010. However, we have not specified what level of contribution should come from individual technologies. That is left to industry, being consistent with the Government's policy of an open and competitive energy market.
UK Energy Reserves: EU Competence
Lord Hoyle: asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What powers the draft European Union constitution gives the European Union over British oil and gas reserves and the United Kingdom's ability to licence exploration, security of supply, and negotiations with third countries.[HL31]
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: Article III–157 of the draft EU Treaty would provide EU competence in energy matters, including natural resources, with
voting by qualified majority. Under the treaty establishing the European Community, there is already Union activity in energy matters and we believe there is a strong case for making the legal base for policy in this area more transparent. The UK has proposed amendments which would make it clear that member states retain control of their natural resources.Accountancy and Audit: Regulation
Lord Taylor of Warwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What steps they will take to introduce independent regulation of accountancy firms.[HL34]
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Accountancy Foundation and its associated bodies were set up in 2000 to provide non-statutory independent regulation of the accountancy profession. In response to the interim report of the Co-ordinating Group on Accounting and Auditing Issues, the Government announced in July 2002 that there would be an immediate review of the way the accountancy and audit professions were regulated. The main recommendation was that the Financial Reporting Council should take over the functions of the Accountancy Foundation to create a new independent regulator.
I announced on 29 January 2003 that the Government accepted all the recommendations of the review. The aim is to bring the new Financial Reporting Council formally into being early in 2004. To complement these non-legislative reforms, the Government will be introducing a Bill in this Session that will include provisions to strengthen the independence of the system of audit regulation.
Debt Consolidation Products
Lord Taylor of Warwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
- What steps they are taking to monitor the activities of personal loan and debt consolidation companies, which are now being advertised on daytime television.[HL35]
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) launched a fact-finding study into debt consolidation on 17 June 2003, under Section 5 of the Enterprise Act 2002. The study is examining the activities of a range of companies which offer debt consolidation products. It is focusing on how much consumers know about what they are committing themselves to and seeking to assess whether lenders are being responsible in their dealings with borrowers. The study is due to report early in 2004 and will help to inform the OFT's enforcement of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 (CCA).
The review of the CCA has been looking at strengthening the consumer credit licensing system.
We will shortly be publishing a White Paper setting out the conclusions of the review.
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