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The amnesty was one part of our wider strategy to tackle knife crime. Provisions have also been introduced in the Violent Crime Reduction Bill to tighten legislation, including raising the age at which someone can be sold a knife to 18, introducing a new offence of using someone to mind a weapon and new powers for head teachers to search pupils for knives.
The Home Secretary announced on 19 June that he was giving very serious consideration to the suggestion that the maximum sentence for having a knife or blade in a public place should be increased from the current sentence of two years. We are also supporting education and prevention projects aimed at highlighting to young people the risks of carrying knives. Following on from the amnesty, many forces will now focus enforcement effort on knife possession to ensure that those carrying knives are brought to justice.
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Baroness Anelay of St Johns asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their assessment of the research by the Press Association which showed that there were 91 serious knife attacks in England and Wales from 24 May to 30 June, 19 of which were fatal stabbings.[HL6738]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The Government are aware that there have been a number of knife-related incidents during the period of the knife amnesty—some of which have been fatal. The knife amnesty is one element in our overall strategy to tackle knife crime and has served to highlight the importance of this issue as well as removing dangerous weapons from circulation.
We are also tightening legislation. Provisions have been introduced in the Violent Crime Reduction Bill to tighten legislation, including raising the age at which someone can be sold a knife to 18, introducing a new offence of using someone to mind a weapon, and new powers for head teachers to search pupils for knives. The Home Secretary announced on 19 June that he was giving very serious consideration to the suggestion that the maximum sentence for having a knife or blade in a public place should be increased from the current sentence of two years.
We are also supporting education and prevention projects aimed at highlighting to young people the risks of carrying knives. Following on from the amnesty, many forces will focus enforcement effort on knife possession to ensure that those carrying knives are brought to justice.
Exports: Northern Ireland
Lord Rana asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will consider the creation of an enterprise zone for export-focused companies in Northern Ireland with special rates and tax incentives.[HL6715]
Lord Rooker: Two enterprise zones were established in Belfast and Londonderry in the 1980s as a possible solution to economic decline.
However, an evaluation of enterprise zones in 1987 concluded that they were only a partial success, resulting in some cases in displacement of economic activity from one area to another without necessarily increasing economic activity. It was therefore decided by the UK Government that enterprise zones should be created or extended only in exceptional circumstances and there are no plans to revive them.
It is the role of Invest NI to increase the wealth and prosperity of Northern Ireland by delivering expertise and resources to accelerate the creation and growth of businesses. Through this portfolio, known as Business Development Solutions, the agency focuses on businesses from the manufacturing or international tradeable services sectors that have the commitment and capability to grow in export markets.
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Support is provided through six core areas; namely, strategic development, people development, technology and process development, export focus, research and development, and technical and sustainable development.
Extradition
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will suspend the operation of the United Kingdom/United States extradition treaty until the United States Senate approves the treaty so as to ensure reciprocity and equality of treatment; and, if not, what are their reasons for not doing so.[HL6651]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): Extradition to the United States is governed by Statutory Instrument 2003, No. 3334, which designates the US as a territory not required to provide prima facie evidence in support of extradition requests made to the UK. The Government have no intention of removing the US from this order. The decision to remove the prima facie requirement from the US addressed a previous imbalance in that the UK required a higher standard of evidence than the US.
The US was required to present a prima facie evidential case in support of extradition requests made to the UK, whereas the UK only had to demonstrate “probable cause”. Probable cause is a requirement of the US Bill of Rights, which it cannot amend. The Government are happy to respect that requirement. Total reciprocity in extradition relations is not possible because of the differences between separate legal systems, rules of evidence and case law. However, the new treaty and the Extradition Act 2003 have improved the balance in extradition relations between the UK and the US.
The “probable cause” test is broadly comparable to the requirement under Section 71 of the Extradition Act 2003 for,
- “information that would justify the issue of a warrant for the arrest of a person accused (or convicted) of the offence within the judge's jurisdiction”,
that the UK requires of the US. To reintroduce the prima facie test would be to recreate an unequal relationship.
Fire Service: Bin Burning
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
On how many occasions the Lisburn Road fire station in Belfast has been called to deal with bin burning and related arson incidents in alleys in the past 12 months; and whether the local police have consequently been involved in investigations relating to such arson and in developing an approach to curb the number of these fires and to deal with those responsible.[HL6746]
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Lord Rooker: During the period from 1 July 2005 to 30 June 2006, the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service (NIFRS) dealt with 866 arson-related incidents in the Cadogan fire station area on Belfast's Lisburn Road, of which 388 involved deliberate ignition of rubbish, skips and bins. The NIFRS has an ongoing arson reduction programme as part of an educational package for primary and secondary schools.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland has advised that figures are not available on the numbers of recorded incidents of arson, as these are recorded against the owner’s address rather than as an “alleyway incident”. “Alleygating”, whereby locked gates are placed at both ends of an alley, thus making it a private space to which residents have a key, is being rolled out across Belfast. This citywide initiative is being co-ordinated by Belfast City Council Community Safety Unit. Initial pilots have seen a remarkable reduction in levels of anti-social behaviour in those areas. The community safety wardens scheme in the Holylands area has improved the local environment and should reduce bin burning in the area.
Gulf War: Pensions
Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their response to the statement by the president of the Pensions Appeal Tribunal in his letter to the Ministry of Defence of 4 April that, following the hope expressed by the Minister for veterans' affairs in October 2005 that the tribunal's decision in the Martin case had achieved closure of the Gulf War syndrome issue, the subsequent decisions of the agency and the ministry in the McGreevy case appeared “designed to undermine any such closure”.[HL6603]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): Copies of the president's letter and the response from the Ministry of Defence were placed in the Library of the House in response to an earlier Question from the noble Lord on 26 June (Official Report, col. WA 126).
Immigration: Hunger Strikes
Lord Ouseley asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many incidents of hunger strikes have been recorded during the past 12 months at immigration detention centres; how many individuals have been involved; how long such incidents have lasted on average; and where those incidents have occurred.[HL6596]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): We record detainees who refuse to eat the meals provided after three days. Since 1 May 2006, from when numbers were fully recorded, the number of detainees refusing food for three days or more by removal centre was as follows.
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Manufacturing: Northern Ireland
Lord Rana asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will ensure that manufacturing in Northern Ireland has access to the expertise and practical support provided by the Department for Trade and Industry's Manufacturing Advisory Service.[HL6717]
Lord Rooker: Government, through Invest NI, provide the broad range of manufacturing sectors within Northern Ireland with access to both expertise and practical support similar to that provided by the DTI's Manufacturing Advisory Service (MAS). The agency encourages manufacturing businesses, through its Technical Advisory Unit (TAU), to make technological improvements in their business processes through increasing collaboration with universities and research establishments. The TAU follows similar delivery criteria to the MAS.
In addition, Invest NI's Business Improvement Services and Innovation, Research and Technology Division offer a wide range of services to manufacturers. These include programmes such as Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP), Lean Manufacturing, Supply Chain Development, Interim Manager (often used by manufacturers implementing new manufacturing processes), and process development support under both Compete and Product/Process Development schemes.
Other national R&D programmes, such as Smart and Smart Micro, are also promoted within Northern Ireland by Invest NI. These also encourage Northern Ireland companies to develop innovative efficient processes (and products).
These support measures are integral parts of Invest NI’s objectives of helping companies to become more innovative, entrepreneurial and internationally focused.
Lord Rana asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will ensure that the interests of manufacturing industry in Northern Ireland are considered in any plan to establish a National Manufacturing Skills Academy.[HL6718]
Lord Rooker: SEMTA, the sector skills council for the science, engineering and manufacturing technologies sector, is progressing plans for a National Manufacturing
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Northern Ireland Assembly
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 13 June (WA 17) concerning the Belfast agreement, how it can be actively developed across its structures and functions without an Assembly.[HL6376]
Lord Rooker: I refer the noble Lord to my Answer on 13 June (WA 17) and would draw his attention to paragraph 4 of the joint statement made on 29 June 2006 by the Prime Minister and the Taoiseach, which referred to continuing work on new partnership arrangements that would need to be put in place to ensure effective joint stewardship of the Belfast agreement in the event that devolution does not take place by 24 November.
Northern Ireland Events Company
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they propose to provide the Northern Ireland Events Company with more funding for community festivals; if so, how much; and when.[HL6690]
Lord Rooker: Government have no proposals to provide more funding to the Northern Ireland Events Company for the Community Festivals Fund.
Having reviewed the funding decrease experienced by a specific number of festivals as a result of the new arrangements for funding community festivals, Government have decided to award further transitional funding to three community festivals. This funding will be processed by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure.
Northern Ireland National Stadium
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether senior civil servants in the Northern Ireland Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure and the Strategic Investment Board are lobbying for a national stadium based on the site of the Maze prison. [HL6540]
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Lord Rooker: No. The decision is one for Ministers. On the basis of a site selection exercise undertaken by the Strategic Investment Board (SIB) on behalf of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure (DCAL) between 2004 and 2005, Ministers decided in March 2005 that the Maze/Long Kesh was the only suitable location in Northern Ireland for a proposed multi-sports stadium. DCAL and SIB officials are, as a consequence, currently considering a range of issues in relation to the construction of the stadium at the Maze/Long Kesh.
Lord Maginnis of Drumglass asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 22 June (WA 107), whether they intend to retain the Bobby Sands hospital block as an integral part of plans for a sports stadium at the former Maze prison site; and, if so, which department, agency or Minister is responsible for this decision.[HL6580]
Lord Rooker: The Environment and Heritage Service of the Department of the Environment listed or scheduled a number of buildings and structures at the Maze/Long Kesh site including the former prison hospital. No decisions have been taken by the Government regarding their potential future use.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the funding for a national stadium for Northern Ireland will come from the Northern Ireland block grant; and, if not, from where.[HL6689]
Lord Rooker: A final decision has not yet been made to proceed with this project, and accordingly no public expenditure allocations have been made in the current Budget period. In the event that the project does proceed, the level and source of funding will be an issue for future Budget processes.
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