| Previous Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |
EU: Vineyards
Lord Stoddart of Swindon asked Her Majesty's Government:
What effect the European Union's policy of grubbing out vineyards and destroying or reconstituting nearly 1 billion bottles of wine will have on the growing British winemaking industry.[HL6275]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): The European Union has a structural surplus of wine production which needs to be addressed to provide a sustainable future for the sector. A number of options for achieving this are set out in the Commission's communication, Towards a sustainable European wine sector, but detailed legislative proposals for reform of the current regime are not expected until early in 2007. A successful reform should allow dynamic and competitive industries to prosper in a restructured market.
20 July 2006 : Column WA200
Extradition
The Earl of Onslow asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 4 July, what are their reasons for stating that the case of the three NatWest Bank employees, awaiting extradition, is still sub judice.[HL6769]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): I refer the noble Earl to my personal statement to the House of 5 July 2006 (Official Report, vol. 684, col. 134).
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 12 July (WA 123), whether the requirement that “warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause” in the United States Bill of Rights is also a requirement under the British constitution and laws of the United Kingdom. [HL6972]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: “Probable cause” does not form part of UK law, but, as I explained in my Written Answer of 12 July, this requirement is broadly comparable to the criteria for “information” set out in Section 71 of the Extradition Act 2003.
Freedom of Information
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
For each month from January 2005 to June 2006 (a) how many applications for decision were received by the Information Commissioner's Office under Section 50 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000; (b) how many information notices were issued by the Information Commissioner's Office under Section 51 of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 for the applications received under Section 50 in that month; and (c) how many decisions or enforcement notices were issued by the Information Commissioner's Office for the applications received under Section 50 in that month.[HL6899]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (Baroness Ashton of Upholland): The information requested has been provided by the Information Commissioner and is set out in the table below.
Freud Communications: Government Contracts
Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay asked Her Majesty's Government:
For each of the past three years, what contracts have been awarded and what payments have been made to Freud Communications by the Cabinet Office; and [HL6858]
For each of the past three years, what contracts have been awarded and what payments have been made to Freud Communications by the Prime Minister's Office.[HL6859]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Prime Minister's Office forms an integral part of the Cabinet Office.
The Cabinet Office has not entered into any contracts with Freud Communications in the past three financial years.
Gambling: Casino Licences
Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay asked Her Majesty's Government:
On how many occasions Ministers or officials have met each of the potential applicants for regional casino licences since 1 January 2003.[HL6757]
Lord Davies of Oldham: Under the Gambling Act 2005, local authorities acting in their capacity as licensing authorities will be responsible for issuing the one regional, eight large and eight small new casino licences permitted by the Act. Licensing authorities will be required to run the competitions for these licences in a fair and open way. These competitions are not expected to begin until mid-2007, and the identities of the bidding companies will not be known until then.
DCMS Ministers and officials have met frequently with casino and other companies that may be interested in bidding, and their representative bodies. These meetings have covered all aspects of the implementation of the Gambling Act and wider gambling policy, and are part of our regular and ongoing consultation with the gambling industry, local authorities and other stakeholders. Those meetings that have been identified to have taken place since 1 January 2006 are listed in the table, and all these meetings took place in the UK.
| Next Section | Back to Table of Contents | Lords Hansard Home Page |