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.
TUESDAY 24TH JANUARY
At half-past two o’clock
*The Lord Ackner—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the likely consequences to the Western Circuit, and in particular to the County of Hampshire, of their proposals to merge police authorities, and in particular any merger of the Hampshire police force with a police force other than Dorset or Wiltshire.
*The Lord Faulkner of Worcester—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to secure payment of unpaid congestion charge penalties, and parking and speeding fines incurred by diplomatic staff in London.
*The Baroness Byford—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how well prepared the Rural Payments Agency is for ensuring that single farm payments will be made at the end of February.
*The Lord Skelmersdale—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what changes they intend to make to the operation of the Child Support Agency.
European Union (Accessions) Bill—Report [The Lord Triesman]
Racial and Religious Hatred Bill—Third Reading [The Baroness Scotland of Asthal]
Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill—Committee [The Lord Bach]
‡Artist’s Resale Right Regulations 2006—The Lord Sainsbury of Turville to move, That the draft Regulations laid before the House on 15th December be approved. [20th Report from the Merits Committee and 14th Report from the Joint Committee]
The Lord Brooke of Sutton Mandeville—To move, as an amendment to the above motion, at end to insert “but this House regrets that the Regulations go beyond the requirements of the European Union Directive implementing the regime for the payment of artists and calls for the Regulations to be replaced within six months by Regulations in accordance with the Directive”.
WEDNESDAY 25TH JANUARY
The Lord Archbishop of York
*The Lord Dykes—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the proposals of the Austrian Presidency of the European Union to open exploratory discussions on the European Union Constitution.
*The Lord Phillips of Sudbury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they propose to review the law entitling the police to store and use DNA samples of citizens who have no criminal record.
*The Lord Pearson of Rannoch—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have studied the recent analyses of the costs and benefits of the United Kingdom’s membership of the European Union.
†*The Baroness Seccombe—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what measures are taken to check health service staff for any involvement in sexual offences against minors before such staff are employed in positions which may bring them into proximity with children and young people.
†Standing Orders (Public Business)—The Lord President (Baroness Amos) to move, That the Standing Orders relating to public business be amended as follows:
Standing Order 65 (Sessional Committees)
Leave out Standing Order 65 and insert:
“65. The orders of appointment of the following Committees and any of their Sub-Committees shall remain in force and effect, notwithstanding the prorogation of Parliament, until such time as the House or Committee makes further orders of appointment in the next succeeding session:
Administration and Works Committee
Consolidation Bills Committee
Delegated Powers and Regulatory Reform Committee
Economic Affairs Committee
Hybrid Instruments Committee
Merits of Statutory Instruments Committee
Science and Technology Committee
Standing Orders (Private Bills) Committee
Statutory Instruments Committee
Terrorism Bill—Further consideration on Report [The Baroness Scotland of Asthal]
‡Disability Discrimination (Northern Ireland) Order 2005—The Lord Rooker to move, That the draft Order laid before the House on 7th December 2005 be approved.
‡Scotland Act 1998 (Transfer of Functions to the Scottish Ministers etc.) Order 2006—The Lord Evans of Temple Guiting to move, That the draft Order laid before the House on 6th December 2005 be approved. [13th Report from the Joint Committee]
‡Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005 (Consequential Modifications) Order 2006—The Lord Evans of Temple Guiting to move, That the draft Order laid before the House on 6th December 2005 be approved. [13th Report from the Joint Committee]
‡Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005 (Consequential Provisions and Modifications) Order 2006—The Lord Evans of Temple Guiting to move, That the draft Order laid before the House on 6th December 2005 be approved. [13th Report from the Joint Committee]
In the Moses Room
At 3.45 pm
†Compensation Bill [HL]—Further consideration in Grand Committee [The Lord Falconer of Thoroton] [7th Report from the Delegated Powers Committee]
THURSDAY 26TH JANUARY
[At eleven o’clock]
[Prayers will have been read]
*The Lord Quinton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will take steps to ensure that bicycle users abide by the Highway Code.
*The Baroness Williams of Crosby—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in view of the decision by the government of the United States to seek no further funds for the reconstruction of Iraq, what funds they have committed so far for that purpose and what funds already committed remain unspent.
*The Lord Sheldon—To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will make a statement on the Draft Civil Service Bill.
The Lord Harrison—To call attention to health and safety at work, especially with regard to preventing deaths and accidents in the workplace; and to move for papers.
The Baroness Jay of Paddington—To call attention to the commitments made by the G8 on development aid and the case for fulfilling these commitments in 2006; and to move for papers.
The Viscount Montgomery of Alamein—To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will consider adopting Central European Time.
In the Moses Room
At 2 pm
National Insurance Contributions Bill—Grand Committee [The Lord McKenzie of Luton]
MONDAY 30TH JANUARY
*The Lord Jenkin of Roding—To ask Her Majesty’s Government why, when the Energy Review has been set up to consider, among other matters, the case for new nuclear build, they support the proposal by British Nuclear Fuels Limited to sell Westinghouse Electric Company.
*The Lord Renton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether it is the case, as recently reported, that 20 per cent of all births in England and Wales in 2004 were to foreign born mothers.
*The Lord Bradshaw—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the past performance of a prospective franchisee plays any part in the evaluation of bids for railway franchises.
*The Lord Blaker—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the resolution criticising the human rights situation in Zimbabwe, adopted by the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights’ recent meeting in Banjul, Gambia.
Terrorism (Northern Ireland) Bill—Report [The Lord Rooker]
†Identity Cards Bill—Further consideration on Report [The Baroness Scotland of Asthal]
[It is expected that the Committee stage of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill will continue]
In the Moses Room
At 3.30 pm
Company Law Reform Bill [HL]—Grand Committee [The Lord Sainsbury of Turville] [9th Report from the Delegated Powers Committee]
TUESDAY 31ST JANUARY
*The Lord Willoughby de Broke—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will permit rendering plants to continue to use tallow as boiler fuel.
*The Baroness Massey of Darwen—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what improvements they have recently made to the arrangements for transfer from primary to secondary schools.
*The Lord Barnett—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the European Union Commission Report on the United Kingdom Budget deficit.
Speakership of the House—The Lord President (Baroness Amos) to move, further to the resolution of the House of 12th July 2005, that the Report of the Select Committee on the Speakership of the House of Lords (HL Paper 92) be approved; and that an election be held no later than 30th June 2006.
The Lord Strathclyde—To move, as an amendment to the above motion, in line 3, after “approved” to insert “except that the office of Speaker should be combined with that of Chairman of Committees”.
Fraud Bill [HL]—House to be again in Committee [The Lord Goldsmith]
In the Moses Room
At 3.30 pm
London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Bill—Consideration in Grand Committee [The Lord Davies of Oldham] [11th Report from the Delegated Powers Committee]
WEDNESDAY 1ST FEBRUARY
[At three o’clock]
*The Lord Ezra—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what role they envisage for coal in future energy supplies for the United Kingdom.
*The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what arrangements they are making under the Licensing Act 2003 to restrict the sale of alcohol at designated sporting stadiums.
*The Lord Astor of Hever—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that other NATO allies provide full support during the United Kingdom command of the Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.
London Local Authorities and Transport for London Bill—Second Reading
[It is expected that the Committee stage of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill will continue]
[It is expected that the Grand Committee on the Company Law Reform Bill will continue at 3.45 pm in the Moses Room]
THURSDAY 2ND FEBRUARY
[At eleven o’clock]
*The Lord Kimball—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will seek a derogation from the appropriate European Directive to permit the use of strychnine for the control of moles after 6th September 2006.
*The Lord Trefgarne—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are their short and long-term plans for management of water supplies in the South of England, in the light of low reservoir levels in the region.
†*The Lord Roberts of Llandudno—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what access arrangements are being made to enable all passport applicants to attend obligatory personal interviews from the end of 2006.
The Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer—To call attention to the state of the rural economy; and to move for papers.
The Lord Wallace of Saltaire—To call attention to the role of Government in promoting citizenship, and in defining British identity and British history; and to move for papers.
Community Benefit Societies (Restriction on Use of Assets) Regulations 2006—The Lord McKenzie of Luton to move, That the draft Regulations laid before the House on 12th December 2005 be approved. [14th Report from the Joint Committee]
Friendly and Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1968 (Audit Exemption) (Amendment) Order 2006—The Lord McKenzie of Luton to move, That the draft Order laid before the House on 12th December 2005 be approved. [14th Report from the Joint Committee]
European Communities (Definition of Treaties) (Cooperation Agreement between the European Community and its Member States and the Swiss Confederation to Combat Fraud) Order 2006—The Lord McKenzie of Luton to move, That the draft Order laid before the House on 19th December 2005 be approved. [14th Report from the Joint Committee]
The Lord Craig of Radley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken in response to the Independent Public Inquiry on Gulf War Illness (the Lloyd Inquiry) and the Pensions Appeal Tribunal decision of 31st October.
[It is expected that the Grand Committee on the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Bill will continue at 2pm in the Moses Room]
MONDAY 6TH FEBRUARY
*The Lord Berkeley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will ensure that any revised Financial Memorandum of Understanding agreed between the Department for Transport and the Royal Household on travel funded by the grant-in-aid includes guidance on the use of helicopters for short journeys.
*The Lord Alton of Liverpool—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress is being made in bringing to justice those responsible for the violence in Darfur.
*The Lord Ashley of Stoke—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what further steps they propose to take about the deaths of soldiers at Deepcut Barracks.
[It is expected that the Grand Committee on the Company Law Reform Bill will continue at 3.30 pm in the Moses Room]
TUESDAY 7TH FEBRUARY
*The Lord Waddington—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they propose to ensure local accountability of policing if current police authorities merge.
*The Lord Renton of Mount Harry—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what effect the reduction in funding for Pillar II of the Common Agricultural Policy over the period 2007-13 will have on new agri-environmental schemes in the United Kingdom.
*The Baroness Pitkeathley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they will ensure that Government departments coordinate their initiatives to improve carers’ health, well-being and opportunities for work and leisure.
Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Bill—Report [The Lord Falconer of Thoroton]
The Lord Lyell of Markyate—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will introduce Charitable Remainder Trusts.
In the Moses Room
At 3.30 pm
Council Tax (New Valuation Lists for England) Bill—Grand Committee [The Baroness Andrews]
WEDNESDAY 8TH FEBRUARY
*The Lord Harrison—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to improve the care of children with diabetes.
*The Baroness Lockwood—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress has been made towards increasing financial support for part-time students in higher education institutions.
*The Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what developments there have been since 2004 in tidal and wave energy production; and what research and development funding they have allocated to these renewable sources of energy.
[It is expected that the Committee stage of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Bill will continue]
THURSDAY 9TH FEBRUARY
[At eleven o’clock]
*The Lord Peyton of Yeovil—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have for reconsidering and changing the role of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.
†*The Lord Fowler—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what changes they are making to the judicial pension scheme.
†*The Baroness Gardner of Parkes—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what research is being undertaken to design and develop workplaces to meet the needs of the older worker and address the associated issues of commuting and travel to work.
Industrial Training Levy (Construction Board) Order 2006—The Lord Adonis to move, That the draft Order laid before the House on 9th January be approved. [14th Report from the Joint Committee]
Industrial Training Levy (Engineering Construction Board) Order 2006—The Lord Adonis to move, That the draft Order laid before the House on 9th January be approved. [14th Report from the Joint Committee]
National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts (Increase of Endowment) Order 2006—The Lord Davies of Oldham to move, That the draft Order laid before the House on 9th January be approved. [14th Report from the Joint Committee]
Pensions Act 2004 (PPF Payments and FAS Payments) (Consequential Provisions) Order 2006—The Lord Hunt of Kings Heath to move, That the draft Order laid before the House on 9th January be approved. [14th Report from the Joint Committee]
Pension Protection Fund (Pension Compensation Cap) Order 2006—The Lord Hunt of Kings Heath to move, That the draft Order laid before the House on 11th January be approved. [14th Report from the Joint Committee]
Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes (Consultation by Employers and Miscellaneous Amendment) Regulations 2006—The Lord Hunt of Kings Heath to move, That the draft Regulations laid before the House on 12th January be approved. [14th Report from the Joint Committee]
[It is expected that the Grand Committee on the Company Law Reform Bill will continue at 2 pm in the Moses Room]
FRIDAY 10TH FEBRUARY
[At eleven o’clock]
Parliament (Participation of Members of the House of Commons) Bill [HL]—Second Reading [The Lord Baker of Dorking]
MONDAY 13TH FEBRUARY
†*The Earl Attlee—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they plan to provide medical support to British troops deployed on forthcoming operations in Afghanistan.
†*The Baroness Thomas of Walliswood—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to amend the law on reasonable chastisement of children in the light of the recent statement from the Commissioners for Children and Young People for England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
TUESDAY 14TH FEBRUARY
*The Lord Rotherwick—To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the planned home information packs do not inform house buyers if their new home has been built on a contaminated land site.
†*The Lord Judd—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what preparations they are making for the drafting of an Arms Trade Treaty; and whether they propose that negotiations should take place at the United Nations General Assembly in October.
THURSDAY 16TH FEBRUARY
[At eleven o’clock]
*The Lord Selsdon—To ask Her Majesty’s Government for how long it is planned that British troops should remain at military bases in Germany.
†*The Lord Hunt of Chesterton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that the training of specialist civil servants is sufficiently broad to enable them to relate their work effectively to Government policies in general.
NO DAY NAMED
PART I
The Lord Dykes—To call attention to the case for United Kingdom-European Union policy co-ordination to assist in future stabilisation policies in the Balkans, with particular regard to Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia; and to move for papers.
The Lord Dykes—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they intend to develop their relations with Spain.
The Baroness Northover—To call attention to the case for further aid to assist the reconstruction of Afghanistan; and to move for papers.
The Lord Bradshaw—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proposals they have to stimulate the bus industry outside London.
The Lord Northbourne—To call attention to the causes of family dysfunction and breakdown and to their cost to the nation; and to move for papers.
The Lord Northbourne—To call attention to the role and responsibilities of fathers; and to move for papers.
The Lord Pearson of Rannoch—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they agree with the First Report from the Committee for Privileges, Code of Conduct and Members’ Interests, (Session 2003-04, HL Paper 69) in particular its recommendation that Members of the House in receipt of pensions from the European Union do not normally need to declare such pensions as a financial interest when taking part in debates on European Union matters; and, if so, why.
The Lord Ackner—To move to resolve, That this House regrets the Government’s insistence that civil justice costs be recovered in their entirety from those who become suitors before the courts.
The Baroness Neuberger—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to recent reports by the Royal College of Psychiatrists for the Healthcare Commission and the Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health on in-patient care in acute mental health wards.
The Lord Maclennan of Rogart—To call attention to the Report of the Independent Commission on the Voting System (the Jenkins Commission); and to move for papers.
The Lord Rotherwick—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are their proposals for increasing charges for general aviation.
The Lord Willoughby de Broke—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they consider continuing United Kingdom membership of the European Union to be in the national interest.
The Viscount Falkland—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the changing habits of television viewers could influence Government broadcasting policy on the switchover from analogue to digital and the funding of public service broadcasting.
The Baroness Hooper—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what developments they envisage in policies on education and cultural heritage for the Overseas Territories.
The Baroness Cox—To call attention to the security, humanitarian and human rights situation in North Korea; and to move for papers.
The Lord Norton of Louth—To call attention to the case for establishing a fixed date for Easter; and to move for papers.
The Lord Hoyle—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to persuade the owners of sports stadiums to make those stadiums non-smoking areas.
The Lord Campbell-Savours—To call attention to equipment used in the treatment of cancer in National Health Service hospitals; and to move for papers.
The Baroness Noakes—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the administration and management of H M Revenue and Customs are satisfactory.
The Baroness Noakes—To call attention to the use of mixed sex wards in the National Health Service; and to move for papers.
The Lord Dykes—To call attention to the Wim Kok Lisbon Mark 2 economic competitiveness programme and the case for specific policy input from the United Kingdom and other European Union member states; and to move for papers.
The Lord Kirkwood of Kirkhope—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to improve the effectiveness of the Child Support Agency.
The Lord Moynihan—To call attention to the 2012 Olympic Games in London; and to move for papers.
The Baroness Shephard of Northwold—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have for the production of bio-fuels in the United Kingdom.
The Viscount Waverley—To call attention to initiatives for the resolution of global terrorism; and to move for papers.
The Lord Luke—To call attention to the role of speed cameras and the number of traffic police; and to move for papers.
The Lord Dykes—To call attention to present security problems in Afghanistan; and to move for papers.
The Viscount Bridgeman—To call attention to the problem of hospital acquired infection; and to move for papers.
The Baroness Northover—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what coordination there is through the international community to resolve the conflict in northern Uganda.
The Earl of Listowel—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their strategy for children’s homes.
The Viscount Astor—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they will take to promote the art market in light of the proposed implementation of the European Union Directive on the resale right for the benefit of the author of an original work of art.
The Baroness Williams of Crosby—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they have taken to counter the dangers of nuclear proliferation.
The Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what progress they have made in implementing the Water Framework Directive.
The Viscount Montgomery of Alamein—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the new European regime for the import of bananas is in the best interests of the United Kingdom.
The Baroness Tonge—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of the social and economic progress made in Botswana since independence.
The Lord Blaker—To call attention to the situation in Zimbabwe; and to move for papers.
The Baroness Whitaker—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to respond to the condition of children with HIV/AIDS in developing countries.
The Baroness Hooper—To call attention to the situation in Paraguay; and to move for papers.
The Lord Taverne—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have for the extension of faith schools.
The Baroness Linklater of Butterstone—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the role and purpose of Secure Training Centres in the appropriate management and rehabilitation of young people in trouble.
The Lord Pearson of Rannoch—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they propose to honour their commitment that family carers of people with lifelong severe intellectual impairment should be at the heart of decision-making about their relatives’ accommodation, health care and support.
The Lord Bishop of Rochester—To call attention to the issue of integration and multi-culturalism in a plural society; and to move for papers.
The Lord Harrison—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether in their follow up to the Commission for Africa’s report they will assess the human and economic cost of road traffic damage, injuries and deaths in developing countries.
The Viscount Waverley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how they intend to develop their relations with Kazakhstan.
The Baroness Hanham—To call attention to the role of county and district councils; and to move for papers.
The Lord Beaumont of Whitley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they propose to take to abate noise pollution caused by piped music.
The Lord Dholakia—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will bring forward legislation to reform the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
The Lord Lea of Crondall—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether globalisation will reverse the long term trend towards greater equality in the distribution of income and wealth in the United Kingdom.
The Lord Naseby—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what analysis has been undertaken of the results achieved and lessons learned in Sri Lanka and the Maldives from the aid monies donated by private and public sources for Tsunami relief and reconstruction since the disaster on 26th December 2004.
The Lord Pearson of Rannoch—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will make representations to the government of Botswana about its treatment of the bushmen of the Central Kalahari Game Reserve.
The Lord Hanningfield—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what guidance they are giving to local authorities regarding municipal waste disposal.
The Baroness Knight of Collingtree—To call attention to recent developments affecting freedom of speech; and to move for papers.
The Earl of Dundee—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to develop the role of non-governmental organisations in establishing policies for social cohesion throughout Europe.
The Baroness Northover—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to combat AIDS across the world and its effect on children.
The Baroness Harris of Richmond—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what effect the plans to merge the 43 police forces in England and Wales will have on the fight against crime.
The Lord Dubs—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will now introduce legislation to grant pardons to the troops in the British Armed Forces who were shot for alleged cowardice and desertion during the First World War.
The Lord Trefgarne—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the expected in-service date for the first of the planned new Royal Navy aircraft carriers.
Renewable Energy Zone (Designation of Area) (Scottish Ministers) Order 2005—The Duke of Montrose to move to resolve, That this House calls upon the Government to revoke the Order laid before the House on 14th November 2005 (S.I. 2005/3153).
The Viscount Montgomery of Alamein—To call attention to recent developments in Latin America; and to move for papers.
The Lord Rosser—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to address the long working hours culture.
The Lord Hanningfield—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the environmental impacts of a second runway at Stansted airport.
The Baroness Gale—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what further measures they are taking to assist people with Parkinson’s disease and their carers.
The Lord Hogg of Cumbernauld—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the Commission on Boundary Differences and Voting Systems’ report, Putting Citizens First: Boundaries, Voting and Representation in Scotland.
†Family Proceedings Fees (Amendment No. 2) Order 2005—The Lord Goodhart to move, That an Humble Address be presented to Her Majesty praying that the Order, laid before the House on 20th December 2005, be annulled (S.I. 2005/3443).
†Magistrates’ Courts Fees Order 2005—The Lord Goodhart to move, That an Humble Address be presented to Her Majesty praying that the Order, laid before the House on 20th December 2005, be annulled (S.I. 2005/3444).
PART II
MOTIONS FOR BALLOTED DEBATE
[Ballot on 25th January for debate on 16th February]
The Baroness Williams of Crosby—To call attention to the reconstruction of Iraq; and to move for papers.
The Lord Giddens—To call attention to the future of the European social model; and to move for papers.
The Lord Harrison—To call attention to the development of alternatives to fox hunting in the light of the Hunting Act 2004; and to move for papers.
The Lord Tombs—To call attention to the problems in the electricity supply industry created by the absence of a strategic decision mechanism; and to move for papers.
The Lord Dubs—To call attention to the case for affordable housing to accommodate families and those living in overcrowded conditions; and to move for papers.
The Lord Sheldon—To call attention to the case for a Civil Service Act; and to move for papers.
The Lord Jenkin of Roding—To call attention to the role of nuclear power in energy policy; and to move for papers.
The Baroness O’Cathain—To call attention to the rise in gas prices and the implications for energy policy; and to move for papers.
The Lord Campbell of Alloway—To call attention to the advice and guidance given to the Army Prosecuting Authority by the Attorney General under his supervisory function; and to move for papers.
The Lord Lucas—To call attention to the school curriculum in England; and to move for papers.
The Earl Peel—To call attention to the decline in numbers of the red squirrel in Britain and Europe; and to move for papers.
The Lord Beaumont of Whitley—To call attention to the disposal of allotment land in England in 2004 and 2005; and to move for papers.
The Lord Bishop of Rochester—To call attention to the case for better cooperation between Christianity and Islam in international affairs; and to move for papers.
The Baroness Perry of Southwark—To call attention to the role of non-departmental public bodies in the conduct of Government; and to move for papers.
†The Lord Ashley of Stoke—To call attention to the deaths of soldiers at the Deepcut Army barracks; and to move for papers.
QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN ANSWER
[Tabled on the dates shown, or unanswered after 14 days]
[The Government department responsible for answering each Question is shown in brackets]
3rd November
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the role of the Human Rights Commission for Pakistan as an authority for the purposes of the Home Office’s Country of Origin Information Service. [HO] (HL2117)
9th November
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have designated tallow as waste rather than a by-product; if so, why; and what effect the banning of this carbon-neutral fuel and its replacement by oil as a fuel in waste plants will have on United Kingdom carbon emissions. [DEFRA] (HL2213)
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the financial implications for farmers of their designation of tallow as waste rather than as a by-product. [DEFRA] (HL2214)
The Lord Stoddart of Swindon—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Prime Minister intends to reply to letters sent to him in his capacity as President of the European Council and Prime Minister by the Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 24th June and 1st July 2005. [FCO] (HL2225)
24th November
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 10th November (WA 106) on victims groups in Northern Ireland in receipt of funding, whether they will place in the Library of the House the business cases for the successful groups concerned. [NIO] (HL2571)
5th December
The Lord Tebbit—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they refuse to receive or use intelligence gained from Central Intelligence Agency prisoners subject to rendition where it relates to the prevention of terrorism in the United Kingdom. [HO] (HL2775)
6th December
The Lord Naseby—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will consider allowing more time for consultation on the proposed amalgamation of police forces in England, in view of the major reform of the police service involved. [HO] (HL2796)
The Lord Naseby—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have calculated the setting up costs of the proposed new police authorities. [HO] (HL2797)
The Lord Naseby—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have undertaken any analysis of the information technology costs of amalgamating existing police authorities, which use different systems. [HO] (HL2798)
The Lord Naseby—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what will be the governance structure of the proposed new amalgamated police forces. [HO] (HL2799)
The Lord Naseby—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the proposed timetable for the implementation of the new amalgamated police forces. [HO] (HL2800)
The Lord Naseby—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what financial resources they will provide to implement the proposed restructuring of police forces; and what percentage of the total final costs this will represent. [HO] (HL2801)
The Lord Hanningfield—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the likely increase in the Essex police precept to the council tax arising from a possible merger of the Essex constabulary (a) with the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire forces; (b) with the Norfolk and Suffolk forces; and (c) into one eastern force. [HO] (HL2819)
The Lord Hanningfield—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the potential start-up costs of (a) a Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Essex combined police force; (b) a Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex combined police force; and (c) one eastern police force. [HO] (HL2820)
The Lord Hanningfield—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what would be the annual cost savings of (a) a Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Essex combined police force; (b) a Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex combined police force; and (c) one eastern police force, in comparison to existing budgets; and from where they expect such savings would accrue. [HO] (HL2821)
The Lord Hanningfield—To ask Her Majesty’s Government why, given that the Secretary of State for the Home Department’s plans for police reorganisation stated that any force below 4,000 police officers would be unviable, the option of a stand-alone force for Kent with 3,600 police officers, Hampshire with 3,400 and Devon and Cornwall with 3,000 was put forward as part of the consultation. [HO] (HL2823)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in each of the last five years, how many people in Northern Ireland have failed to keep the terms of their bail; and how much was forfeited in each case. [NIO] (HL2852)
7th December
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many immigrant workers are registered employed in Northern Ireland; what is the estimate of illegal immigrants working there; and how many people have been convicted of exploiting those workers during each year since 2001. [HO] (HL2885)
12th December
The Lord Roberts of Llandudno—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the expenditure on health per person in each of the English, Scottish and Welsh local health authority areas. [DoH] (HL2997)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proposals they have to preserve the monuments and their surroundings on Devenish Island on Lower Lough Erne. [NIO] (HL3006)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government in each of the last ten years how much funding has been provided to—
(b) Association Football; and
at all levels in Northern Ireland. [NIO] (HL3007)
13th December
The Lord Hanningfield—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will reconsider their decision not to put forward the Essex police constabulary as a stand-alone force under its plans for police reorganisation. [HO] (HL3025)
The Lord Hanningfield—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many representations they have received to date in favour of abolishing the Essex police constabulary as a stand-alone force. [HO] (HL3026)
The Lord Hanningfield—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much Number 10 Downing Street has spent on media and voice training in each of the last eight years. [CO] (HL3028)
The Baroness Barker—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what (a) cost-related and (b) financial targets they expect the NHS Litigation Authority to meet each year; and how successful the Authority has been in meeting these targets in each of the last five years. [DoH] (HL3029)
14th December
The Lord Wedderburn of Charlton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to consult further on the Mental Health Bill before it is introduced into Parliament. [DoH] (HL3062)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure accepted the 2005 Ardoyne Nationalist Festival business plan when it is almost identical to the 2004 plan. [NIO] (HL3065)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure has required changes to the business cases for—
(a) the West Belfast Festival;
(b) the Ardoyne Festival;
(c) the New Lodge Festival; and
(d) the Ulster Scots Agency,
in each of the last three years; if so, how many changes were requested in each case per year; and, in each case, what percentage of the amount first requested was funded. [NIO] (HL3066)
15th December
The Lord Rogan—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many points of entry there are on the United Kingdom mainland for passengers travelling from Northern Ireland. [HMT] (HL3076)
The Lord Rogan—To ask Her Majesty’s Government which United Kingdom mainland points of entry require passengers travelling to and from Northern Ireland to produce photographic identification. [HMT] (HL3077)
The Lord Tyler—To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will reply to the Question for Written Answer (HL1837) tabled by the Lord Tyler on 19th October 2005. [HO] (HL3080)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Questions for Written Answer since 1st January 2005 have been answered by the Northern Ireland Office within—
(d) four to five weeks; and
and how many have been answered after more than six weeks. [NIO] (HL3099)
19th December
The Lord Brightman—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made an assessment of the extent to which new markets are being sought for the sale of cigarettes to adults where there was previously no market. [DTI] (HL3101)
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many instances there have been since 2001 where the child of a suspected terrorist has been detained and questioned by the Police Service for Northern Ireland in relation to an investigation involving a senior relative of the child. [NIO] (HL3124)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in each of the last five years, what amount of funding has been given to which groups and organisations and for what purpose from the Urban Development Grants Scheme and the Neighbourhood Renewal Schemes in Northern Ireland. [NIO] (HL3130)
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, subject to local requirements, priority is given to particular types of crime when allocating police time and resources, in particular to crime prevention; and, if so, to which. [HO] (HL3147)
The Lord Campbell-Savours—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the total management and administrative cost of the National Health Service in North Cumbria as a proportion of North Cumbria’s National Health Service expenditure, in each year since 1997. [DoH] (HL3153)
The Lord Hanningfield—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 19th December (WA 216), whether they have made an estimate of the cost of a merger of the Essex police constabulary into (a) one Eastern force; (b) a combined force of Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Essex constabularies; and (c) a combined force of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex constabularies. [HO] (HL3157)
20th December
The Lord Pearson of Rannoch—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the European Union institutions have had any input into the Government’s proposals for regional police forces. [HO] (HL3166)
The Lord Hanningfield—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any contracts exist between the Department for Transport and BAA; and, if so, what the subjects of these contracts are. [DfT] (HL3174)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what grade is held by the six members of staff for whom the Annual Report of Waterways Ireland for 2004 indicates earnings in excess of £393,353 in that year. [NIO] (HL3190)
The Lord Campbell-Savours—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the names of the members of the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation; what were their qualifications for appointment; what was the date of their appointment; and when their appointments are to be renewed. [DoH] (HL3195)
9th January
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, when persons are repatriated from the United Kingdom and there is evidence they have been trafficked, they will ensure that (a) the government of the home country is informed; and (b) the individuals concerned are given details of available support and reintegration services and advised of the implications of renewed trafficking. [HO] (HL3211)
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have held or intend to hold with the International Organization for Migration concerning the rehabilitation and reintegration of trafficked persons in countries of origin and settlement. [HO] (HL3212)
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have assessed the costs which local authorities will incur in changing or updating their information technology equipment so that it is compatible with the proposed system of identity cards and the proposed national identity register; and, if so, what is their assessment. [HO] (HL3214)
The Lord Morris of Manchester—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the average time taken from the date of the making of a claim for a war pension by veterans of the 1991 Gulf War to determination by the Pensions Appeal Tribunal in each of the past three years. [MoD] (HL3218)
The Lord Morris of Manchester—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Warner on 19th December 2005 (WA 202), when they expect to place in the Library of the House the findings of the report on self-sufficiency in blood products; and what steps they propose to take to draw it to the attention of Members of the House concerned with this matter. [DoH] (HL3219)
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 20th December 2005 (WA 268), which specific individuals and organisations were involved in the peace negotiations at Weston Park about the return of on-the-run terrorists to Northern Ireland. [NIO] (HL3223)
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether their document entitled Proposals in Relation to On the Runs (OTRs), published in May 2003, reflected Sinn Fein’s position on the subject at that time. [NIO] (HL3224)
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by the Lord Rooker on 20th December 2005 (WA 268) and (WA 269), whether Sinn Fein have changed their position regarding on-the-run terrorists returning to Northern Ireland as stated at the peace negotiations at Weston Park in 2001. [NIO] (HL3225)
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by the Lord Rooker on 8th June 2005 (WA 90), 14th June 2005 (WA 119) and 30th June 2005 (WA 43), whether Education and Library Boards in Northern Ireland have put in place multidisciplinary diagnostic and assessment teams to diagnose children with autism spectrum disorder; and what added financial support has been made available to each Board for this purpose in the past six months. [NIO] (HL3226)
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 14th June 2005 (WA 119), what is their current estimate of the number of people with autism spectrum disorder in Northern Ireland; and how many children and young people with the disorder will not benefit from the establishment of multidisciplinary teams. [NIO] (HL3227)
The Lord Dykes—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the estimated dates for entry into the European Union of Croatia and Macedonia; and what support they will give to the entry negotiations. [FCO] (HL3231)
The Baroness David—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what they have done since 1997 to ensure that there are fair admission arrangements to primary and secondary schools for children of all abilities and circumstances. [DfES] (HL3248)
The Baroness David—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many foundation primary schools there were in 1999; for each subsequent year how many applications have been made; whether those applications were approved or otherwise by the school organisation committee; and how many applications were approved on appeal to the adjudicator. [DfES] (HL3249)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether accommodation consisting of a pitch on a caravan site, provided by a non-metropolitan council in England within the meaning of the Local Government Act 1972, is exempt from rent regulation by virtue of paragraphs 10(1)(b) and (6) (“exempt accommodation” head (ii)) of the Housing Benefit (General) Amendment Regulations 1995 (S.I. 1644/1995), as amended by paragraph 17 of the Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 363/2003); and, if so, whether they will circularise county councils to ensure that Gypsies and Travellers who qualify under these provisions are not subject to rent regulation. [ODPM] (HL3250)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 17th November 2005 (WA 168), how the proposed abolition of the licensing surrender provision would be phased in; over what time frame; and how soon they envisage the first grant of drinks licences not requiring surrender of an existing licence would be permitted. [NIO] (HL3251)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in each of the last five years, what funding was provided from Making Belfast Work and Londonderry Regeneration Initiative; to which groups and organisations; and for what purpose. [NIO] (HL3252)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have held with the government of the Irish Republic and political parties in Northern Ireland concerning the Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill. [NIO] (HL3253)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the opposition of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission to the Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill. [NIO] (HL3255)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proposals they have to increase funding to the Northern Ireland Memorial Fund. [NIO] (HL3256)
The Lord Ouseley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what specific, tangible benefits have resulted from the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 since its implementation. [HO] (HL3258)
The Lord Ouseley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government which departments are not conducting comprehensive equality impact assessments into their activities; and what are the implications of publicising the monitoring and audit results of race equality schemes. [HO] (HL3259)
The Lord Ouseley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 18th December 2005 (WA 248), whether the Commission for Racial Equality now regards all Government departments as meeting their obligations under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. [HO] (HL3260)
23rd January
The Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Triesman on 9th January (WA 11), whether ministers or officials in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have held meetings with United Nations officials since 1st November at which Extraordinary Rendition was discussed; on which date or dates such meetings took place; and what representations were made by United Nations officials. (HL3581)
The Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Drayson on 9th January (WA 28), (a) whether they have the right to know the names of passengers on all aircraft owned by, operated on behalf of, or operated at the request of the United States government or any of their agencies which land at United Kingdom military airbases, whether for refuelling, transit or any other purposes; (b) whether, if they have such a right, it has been exercised in the last five years and, if so, in respect of how many passengers; (c) whether they will request the names of such passengers who have landed in the United Kingdom in 2005; and (d) whether, if they have no such right to request names, they will take steps to acquire it. (HL3582)
The Lord Morris of Manchester—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they propose to accept or reject the revised guidelines on Alzheimer drugs, proposed by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence on 22nd January, which would repeal its earlier cost-based blanket ban on National Health Service drugs that can delay the progress of the disease; and when a decision can be expected. (HL3583)
The Lord Morris of Manchester—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what representations they have received from Ms Carol Grayson concerning the death of her husband, a haemophilia patient, from HIV infection by contaminated National Health Service blood donors at Arkansas State Penitentiary; and what response they propose to make to these representations. (HL3584)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government by what prescribed criteria those responsible for admission arrangements for maintained schools, and the proposed academies and independent trust schools, should be able to make provision for selection by aptitude as distinct from selection by ability. (HL3585)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether those responsible for admission arrangements for maintained schools, and the proposed academies and independent trust schools, should be able to make provision for selection by ability duly authorised in relation to pupil banding. (HL3586)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether those responsible for admission arrangements for maintained schools, and the proposed academies and independent trust schools, should be able to make provision for a test to be carried out in relation to an applicant for admission which is either a test of ability or one designed to elicit any aptitude other than for the subject or subjects in question. (HL3587)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the academies and the independent trust schools envisaged in the White Paper, Higher Standards, Better Schools for All (Cm 6677), are intended to be public authorities within the meaning of the Human Rights Act 1998 with a duty to act compatibly with the relevant Convention rights. (HL3588)
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many days the Northern Ireland Education Minister spent in Northern Ireland from 1st January to 31st December 2005. (HL3589)
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much public money has been spent on matters related to the process of consultation on post-primary education in Northern Ireland, including (a) the cost of publications; (b) the cost of their distribution; and (c) labour costs. (HL3590)
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking in Northern Ireland to implement the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s comments about flying the Union Flag in every garden. (HL3591)
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have begun consultations with Sinn Fein in respect of the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s comments about flying the Union Flag in every garden; and when similar consultations will follow with other Northern Ireland parties. (HL3592)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 24th November 2005 (WA 237), whether the European Union has decided whether to monitor the Peruvian Presidential and Congressional elections in April 2006; and whether any requests have been made to them by non-governmental organisations in Peru concerned with democracy, good governance and human rights issues, for assistance for election monitoring. . (HL3593)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the four reasons for measuring the costs of alcohol misuse given in the introduction to the Cabinet Office paper of September 2003, Alcohol misuse: how much does it cost, still apply; and when, having solved the methodological challenge of estimating these costs, they will undertake a further study to enable policy-makers to assess the trends since 2001 and 2002, the years to which most of the statistics in the paper relate. (HL3594)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government which people and organisations the European Union troika will meet during the mission to Bangladesh starting 23rd January; what topics are to be discussed, and whether a report on the visit will be published. (HL3595)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to ensure that secure residential services for persons with serious mental health or substance misuse problems are properly resourced; and whether courts have the power to send offenders to institutions providing those services instead of sending them to prison. (HL3596)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in calculating the length of time a prisoner has waited to be seen by a hospital consultant for a mental health problem, they will start the clock from the point where the patient has been identified as needing referral, so that if the first referral fails and a subsequent one is necessary, the clock is not restarted. (HL3597)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many prisoners are occupying beds in prison in-patient units for psychiatric assessment purposes; and whether they consider that prisons are the right environment for such assessments. (HL3598)
The Lord Astor of Hever—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how Parliament will be informed of the progress of the Defence Industrial Strategy. (HL3599)
The Lord Astor of Hever—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have assessed the need to improve real-time cooperation between civil and military air traffic controllers in the United Kingdom and European airspace; and, if so, what action they propose to take, and by whom such action will be taken. (HL3600)
The Lord Astor of Hever—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in connection with the anticipated deployment of further United Kingdom troops to Afghanistan, they have had discussions with the government of Pakistan about the security situation in the adjacent tribal areas. (HL3601)
The Lord Greaves—To ask Her Majesty’s Government with which railway companies or organisations (if any) they have had recent discussions about the possible abolition of saver fares; and whether they intend to make or agree to any proposals which would result in the reduction or loss of such tickets. (HL3602)
The Lord Greaves—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have proposals to change the rules to give the Standards Board for England or Standards Adjudication Panels the power to award costs to councillors who are cleared of charges against them. (HL3603)
The Lord Greaves—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what were the reasons for the length of time (3½ years) taken by the recent Standards Board for England case against five Liberal Democrat councillors in Islington (case references APE 0211, 0212, 0213, 0214 and 0215) between the events which were the subject of the complaint and the decision of the Adjudication Panel for England. (HL3604)
The Lord Greaves—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the rules (“the Wilson Rules”) that the telephones of Members of Parliament should not be intercepted have also applied to the interception of e-mails; and whether they are applied to members of the House of Lords. (HL3605)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how William Mackessy was appointed to a post in the Northern Ireland Office in Belfast; what that post was; when he was appointed; and whether any attempts, including positive or negative vetting, were made to ascertain his security status. (HL3606)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how and when they learned that William Mackessy was performing duties in the Northern Ireland Office over and above those he was required to perform by his employers. (HL3607)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether William Mackessy was disciplined by the Northern Ireland Office; if so, which officials or Ministers were involved in that process; what the alleged offences were; and what was the outcome of the disciplinary process. (HL3608)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have any plans to make the school holiday arrangements in Northern Ireland consistent. (HL3609)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to restrict or ban the sale and use of four-wheeled motorised vehicles used by people under the driving age. (HL3610)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have plans to change the policy of civil servants receiving honours for doing their jobs. (HL3611)
The Countess of Mar—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the statement by the Parliamentary Under-secretary (Disabled People), Department for Work and Pensions, Anne McGuire MP in a letter to Mark Harper MP that “The classification [of chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis] is confusing since there are five different WHO categories that could be chosen by a doctor to describe the illness.” represents government policy; and whether the diagnosis of CFS/ME can have different WHO definitions other than that categorised as ICD 93.3. (HL3612)
The Earl Attlee—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many excise or bonded warehouses are registered with H M Revenue and Customs. (HL3613)
The Earl Attlee—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their estimate of the number of excise warehouses that are registered with H M Revenue and Customs that mainly or exclusively hold and manage stocks for a third party. (HL3614)
The Earl Attlee—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether excise warehouses that are registered with H M Revenue and Customs and mainly or exclusively hold and manage stocks for a third party are required to be licensed under the Licensing Act 2003, and, if so, in what circumstances. (HL3615)
QUESTIONS FOR WRITTEN ANSWER AWAITING ANSWER
23rd JANUARY 2006
[Tabled on the dates shown]
[The Government department responsible for answering each Question is shown in brackets]
3rd November
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the role of the Human Rights Commission for Pakistan as an authority for the purposes of the Home Office’s Country of Origin Information Service. [HO] (HL2117)
9th November
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have designated tallow as waste rather than a by-product; if so, why; and what effect the banning of this carbon-neutral fuel and its replacement by oil as a fuel in waste plants will have on United Kingdom carbon emissions. [DEFRA] (HL2213)
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the financial implications for farmers of their designation of tallow as waste rather than as a by-product. [DEFRA] (HL2214)
The Lord Stoddart of Swindon—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Prime Minister intends to reply to letters sent to him in his capacity as President of the European Council and Prime Minister by the Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 24th June and 1st July 2005. [FCO] (HL2225)
24th November
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 10th November (WA 106) on victims groups in Northern Ireland in receipt of funding, whether they will place in the Library of the House the business cases for the successful groups concerned. [NIO] (HL2571)
5th December
The Lord Tebbit—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they refuse to receive or use intelligence gained from Central Intelligence Agency prisoners subject to rendition where it relates to the prevention of terrorism in the United Kingdom. [HO] (HL2775)
6th December
The Lord Naseby—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will consider allowing more time for consultation on the proposed amalgamation of police forces in England, in view of the major reform of the police service involved. [HO] (HL2796)
The Lord Naseby—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have calculated the setting up costs of the proposed new police authorities. [HO] (HL2797)
The Lord Naseby—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have undertaken any analysis of the information technology costs of amalgamating existing police authorities, which use different systems. [HO] (HL2798)
The Lord Naseby—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what will be the governance structure of the proposed new amalgamated police forces. [HO] (HL2799)
The Lord Naseby—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the proposed timetable for the implementation of the new amalgamated police forces. [HO] (HL2800)
The Lord Naseby—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what financial resources they will provide to implement the proposed restructuring of police forces; and what percentage of the total final costs this will represent. [HO] (HL2801)
The Lord Hanningfield—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what estimate they have made of the likely increase in the Essex police precept to the council tax arising from a possible merger of the Essex constabulary (a) with the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire forces; (b) with the Norfolk and Suffolk forces; and (c) into one eastern force. [HO] (HL2819)
The Lord Hanningfield—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the potential start-up costs of (a) a Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Essex combined police force; (b) a Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex combined police force; and (c) one eastern police force. [HO] (HL2820)
The Lord Hanningfield—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what would be the annual cost savings of (a) a Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Essex combined police force; (b) a Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex combined police force; and (c) one eastern police force, in comparison to existing budgets; and from where they expect such savings would accrue. [HO] (HL2821)
The Lord Hanningfield—To ask Her Majesty’s Government why, given that the Secretary of State for the Home Department’s plans for police reorganisation stated that any force below 4,000 police officers would be unviable, the option of a stand-alone force for Kent with 3,600 police officers, Hampshire with 3,400 and Devon and Cornwall with 3,000 was put forward as part of the consultation. [HO] (HL2823)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in each of the last five years, how many people in Northern Ireland have failed to keep the terms of their bail; and how much was forfeited in each case. [NIO] (HL2852)
7th December
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many immigrant workers are registered employed in Northern Ireland; what is the estimate of illegal immigrants working there; and how many people have been convicted of exploiting those workers during each year since 2001. [NIO] (HL2885)
12th December
The Lord Roberts of Llandudno—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the expenditure on health per person in each of the English, Scottish and Welsh local health authority areas. [DoH] (HL2997)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proposals they have to preserve the monuments and their surroundings on Devenish Island on Lower Lough Erne. [NIO] (HL3006)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government in each of the last ten years how much funding has been provided to—
(b) Association Football; and
at all levels in Northern Ireland. [NIO] (HL3007)
13th December
The Lord Hanningfield—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will reconsider their decision not to put forward the Essex police constabulary as a stand-alone force under its plans for police reorganisation. [HO] (HL3025)
The Lord Hanningfield—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many representations they have received to date in favour of abolishing the Essex police constabulary as a stand-alone force. [HO] (HL3026)
The Lord Hanningfield—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much Number 10 Downing Street has spent on media and voice training in each of the last eight years. [CO] (HL3028)
The Baroness Barker—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what (a) cost-related and (b) financial targets they expect the NHS Litigation Authority to meet each year; and how successful the Authority has been in meeting these targets in each of the last five years. [DoH] (HL3029)
14th December
The Lord Wedderburn of Charlton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they intend to consult further on the Mental Health Bill before it is introduced into Parliament. [DoH] (HL3062)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure accepted the 2005 Ardoyne Nationalist Festival business plan when it is almost identical to the 2004 plan. [NIO] (HL3065)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure has required changes to the business cases for—
(a) the West Belfast Festival;
(b) the Ardoyne Festival;
(c) the New Lodge Festival; and
(d) the Ulster Scots Agency,
in each of the last three years; if so, how many changes were requested in each case per year; and, in each case, what percentage of the amount first requested was funded. [NIO] (HL3066)
15th December
The Lord Rogan—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many points of entry there are on the United Kingdom mainland for passengers travelling from Northern Ireland. [HMT] (HL3076)
The Lord Rogan—To ask Her Majesty’s Government which United Kingdom mainland points of entry require passengers travelling to and from Northern Ireland to produce photographic identification. [HMT] (HL3077)
The Lord Tyler—To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they will reply to the Question for Written Answer (HL1837) tabled by the Lord Tyler on 19th October 2005. [HO] (HL3080)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many Questions for Written Answer since 1st January 2005 have been answered by the Northern Ireland Office within—
(d) four to five weeks; and
and how many have been answered after more than six weeks. [NIO] (HL3099)
19th December
The Lord Brightman—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have made an assessment of the extent to which new markets are being sought for the sale of cigarettes to adults where there was previously no market. [DTI] (HL3101)
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many instances there have been since 2001 where the child of a suspected terrorist has been detained and questioned by the Police Service for Northern Ireland in relation to an investigation involving a senior relative of the child. [NIO] (HL3124)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in each of the last five years, what amount of funding has been given to which groups and organisations and for what purpose from the Urban Development Grants Scheme and the Neighbourhood Renewal Schemes in Northern Ireland. [NIO] (HL3130)
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, subject to local requirements, priority is given to particular types of crime when allocating police time and resources, in particular to crime prevention; and, if so, to which. [HO] (HL3147)
The Lord Campbell-Savours—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the total management and administrative cost of the National Health Service in North Cumbria as a proportion of North Cumbria’s National Health Service expenditure, in each year since 1997. [DoH] (HL3153)
The Lord Hanningfield—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 19th December (WA 216), whether they have made an estimate of the cost of a merger of the Essex police constabulary into (a) one Eastern force; (b) a combined force of Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Essex constabularies; and (c) a combined force of Norfolk, Suffolk and Essex constabularies. [HO] (HL3157)
20th December
The Lord Pearson of Rannoch—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the European Union institutions have had any input into the Government’s proposals for regional police forces. [HO] (HL3166)
The Lord Hanningfield—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any contracts exist between the Department for Transport and BAA; and, if so, what the subjects of these contracts are. [DfT] (HL3174)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what grade is held by the six members of staff for whom the Annual Report of Waterways Ireland for 2004 indicates earnings in excess of £393,353 in that year. [NIO] (HL3190)
The Lord Campbell-Savours—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the names of the members of the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation; what were their qualifications for appointment; what was the date of their appointment; and when their appointments are to be renewed. [DoH] (HL3195)
9th January
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, when persons are repatriated from the United Kingdom and there is evidence they have been trafficked, they will ensure that (a) the government of the home country is informed; and (b) the individuals concerned are given details of available support and reintegration services and advised of the implications of renewed trafficking. [HO] (HL3211)
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have held or intend to hold with the International Organization for Migration concerning the rehabilitation and reintegration of trafficked persons in countries of origin and settlement. [HO] (HL3212)
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have assessed the costs which local authorities will incur in changing or updating their information technology equipment so that it is compatible with the proposed system of identity cards and the proposed national identity register; and, if so, what is their assessment. [HO] (HL3214)
The Lord Morris of Manchester—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the average time taken from the date of the making of a claim for a war pension by veterans of the 1991 Gulf War to determination by the Pensions Appeal Tribunal in each of the past three years. [MoD] (HL3218)
The Lord Morris of Manchester—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Warner on 19th December 2005 (WA 202), when they expect to place in the Library of the House the findings of the report on self-sufficiency in blood products; and what steps they propose to take to draw it to the attention of Members of the House concerned with this matter. [DoH] (HL3219)
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 20th December 2005 (WA 268), which specific individuals and organisations were involved in the peace negotiations at Weston Park about the return of on-the-run terrorists to Northern Ireland. [NIO] (HL3223)
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether their document entitled Proposals in Relation to On the Runs (OTRs), published in May 2003, reflected Sinn Fein’s position on the subject at that time. [NIO] (HL3224)
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by the Lord Rooker on 20th December 2005 (WA 268) and (WA 269), whether Sinn Fein have changed their position regarding on-the-run terrorists returning to Northern Ireland as stated at the peace negotiations at Weston Park in 2001. [HO] (HL3225)
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answers by the Lord Rooker on 8th June 2005 (WA 90), 14th June 2005 (WA 119) and 30th June 2005 (WA 43), whether Education and Library Boards in Northern Ireland have put in place multidisciplinary diagnostic and assessment teams to diagnose children with autism spectrum disorder; and what added financial support has been made available to each Board for this purpose in the past six months. [NIO] (HL3226)
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 14th June 2005 (WA 119), what is their current estimate of the number of people with autism spectrum disorder in Northern Ireland; and how many children and young people with the disorder will not benefit from the establishment of multidisciplinary teams. [NIO] (HL3227)
The Lord Dykes—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the estimated dates for entry into the European Union of Croatia and Macedonia; and what support they will give to the entry negotiations. [FCO] (HL3231)
The Baroness David—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what they have done since 1997 to ensure that there are fair admission arrangements to primary and secondary schools for children of all abilities and circumstances. [DfES] (HL3248)
The Baroness David—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many foundation primary schools there were in 1999; for each subsequent year how many applications have been made; whether those applications were approved or otherwise by the school organisation committee; and how many applications were approved on appeal to the adjudicator. [DfES] (HL3249)
The Lord Avebury—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether accommodation consisting of a pitch on a caravan site, provided by a non-metropolitan council in England within the meaning of the Local Government Act 1972, is exempt from rent regulation by virtue of paragraphs 10(1)(b) and (6) (“exempt accommodation” head (ii)) of the Housing Benefit (General) Amendment Regulations 1995 (S.I. 1644/1995), as amended by paragraph 17 of the Social Security (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2003 (S.I. 363/2003); and, if so, whether they will circularise county councils to ensure that Gypsies and Travellers who qualify under these provisions are not subject to rent regulation. [ODPM] (HL3250)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 17th November 2005 (WA 168), how the proposed abolition of the licensing surrender provision would be phased in; over what time frame; and how soon they envisage the first grant of drinks licences not requiring surrender of an existing licence would be permitted. [NIO] (HL3251)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in each of the last five years, what funding was provided from Making Belfast Work and Londonderry Regeneration Initiative; to which groups and organisations; and for what purpose. [NIO] (HL3252)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have held with the government of the Irish Republic and political parties in Northern Ireland concerning the Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill. [NIO] (HL3253)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the opposition of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission to the Northern Ireland (Offences) Bill. [NIO] (HL3255)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what proposals they have to increase funding to the Northern Ireland Memorial Fund. [NIO] (HL3256)
The Lord Ouseley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what specific, tangible benefits have resulted from the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000 since its implementation. [HO] (HL3258)
The Lord Ouseley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government which departments are not conducting comprehensive equality impact assessments into their activities; and what are the implications of publicising the monitoring and audit results of race equality schemes. [HO] (HL3259)
The Lord Ouseley—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 18th December 2005 (WA 248), whether the Commission for Racial Equality now regards all Government departments as meeting their obligations under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. [HO] (HL3260)
10th January
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will place in the Library of the House the business case or cases for the location of a national stadium for Northern Ireland at the site of the former prison at the Maze. [NIO] (HL3264)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the levels of fitness required for recruits to the Police Service of Northern Ireland have changed since 1st January 2000; if so, how; for what reason; and when. [NIO] (HL3265)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what amount of assets, in financial terms, from criminal activity have been recovered in South Armagh in each year since 1998. [NIO] (HL3266)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government in each year since 1998 how many people from South Armagh have been prosecuted for (a) smuggling, and (b) fraud. [NIO] (HL3267)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, since 1st January 2005, any complaints have been lodged with the Northern Ireland Equality Commission concerning Waterways Ireland; if so, when; by whom; and for what reasons. [NIO] (HL3268)
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 19th December 2005 (WA 207), under what legislative provision the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland is empowered (a) to recommend formal misconduct proceedings; and (b) to direct a formal misconduct hearing subsequent to a judicial ruling on the same issue. [NIO] (HL3269)
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Lord Rooker on 19th December 2005 (WA 207), whether decisions of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (a) to recommend formal misconduct proceedings; and (b) to direct a formal misconduct hearing, are subject to judicial review. [NIO] (HL3270)
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government where and when the consultation document, Liquor Licensing—the Way Forward, containing proposals for reform in Northern Ireland was made available to the public; who leads the Liquor Review Team; who are its members; and what are the qualifications for the membership of the Team. [NIO] (HL3271)
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will review the deadline for public consultation on the document Liquor Licensing—the Way Forward of 31st January 2006; and which major social and welfare organisations were consulted before 31st December 2005. [NIO] (HL3272)
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Assets Recovery Agency in Northern Ireland has been consulted about the proposed abolition of the surrender provision for liquor licences in Northern Ireland; and whether they have made any assessment of the impact of the abolition on the level of criminal activity. [NIO] (HL3273)
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they plan to introduce specific autism-awareness training for classroom assistants in Northern Ireland. [NIO] (HL3274)
The Lord Steinberg—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their response to the report of Civitas concerning political correctness. [CO] (HL3277)
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any of the former British residents still held at Guantanamo Bay are taking part in a hunger strike. [FCO] (HL3280)
The Lord Hylton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are making representations to the United States government about the force-feeding of some detainees at the Guantanamo Bay camp. [FCO] (HL3281)
The Lord Fearn—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many accidents have occurred in the Channel Tunnel since its opening in 1994. [DfT] (HL3282)
The Lord Stoddart of Swindon—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in connection with their Respect Agenda, they plan to have discussions with the BBC, commercial television companies and video production companies with a view to securing a reduction in the incidence of bad language and gratuitous violence contained in television programmes and commercial videos. [DCMS] (HL3285)
The Lord Stoddart of Swindon—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Sir Gus O’Donnell, Secretary to the Cabinet, is patron and ambassador to any religious society within the civil service other than the Civil Service Islamic Society; and, if so, to which societies. [CO] (HL3288)
The Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they are considering issuing new planning guidance on the use of polytunnels. [DEFRA] (HL3297)
The Baroness Miller of Chilthorne Domer—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what financial savings will be gained from the closure of the three stations of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology at Monk’s Wood, Winfrith and Banchory as proposed by the Natural Environment Research Council; what will be the cost of implementing the closures; and whether the closures will affect the Government’s ability to fulfil their duties under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. [DEFRA] (HL3300)
11th January
The Lord Taylor of Warwick—To ask Her Majesty’s Government why the Housing Corporation’s attempts to make social housing grants available to the private sector have resulted in only four private firms becoming involved with the project. [ODPM] (HL3303)
The Lord Taylor of Warwick—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether those seeking information about local councils, schools and hospitals under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 will continue to be provided with such information free of charge. [DTI] (HL3305)
The Lord Hoyle—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether it remains their policy to direct Primary Care Trusts to invest in primary care services. [DoH] (HL3306)
The Lord Hoyle—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any court martial of British prisoners of war took place in prisoner of war camps. [MoD] (HL3307)
The Baroness Hollis of Heigham—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what additional national insurance revenues would be generated if the upper earnings limit was raised to (a) £50,000 per annum; (b) £100,000 per annum; and (c) £210,000 per annum. [HMT] (HL3313)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government who carried out an economic impact study for the Department of Social Development in the year 2000 into the West Belfast Irish Festival; how much did the study cost; whether any more studies have been undertaken; if so, when; and whether a copy of the 2000 study will be placed in the Library of the House. [NIO] (HL3315)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what they understand by the concept of Neighbourhood Renewal Areas in Northern Ireland; who made the designation; when and on what basis; and where are the areas. [NIO] (HL3316)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether, in the application for 2005 funding for the New Lodge Irish Festival where £23,500 was budgeted for artist participants’ costs, a detailed breakdown was sought; and, if so, what was that breakdown. [NIO] (HL3317)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether in the application for 2005 funding for the New Lodge Irish Festival the person who signed on behalf of the organisers was the chairman of the Festival; and, if not, who was the chairman; and why did the chairman not sign the agreement. [NIO] (HL3318)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, in the application for funding for the 2005 Irish Festival at Ardoyne in Belfast, why the signature for the organisation was not that of a director; and why was the signee’s title not included as required by Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure regulations. [NIO] (HL3319)
The Lord Laird—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the basis on which the Department for Culture, Arts and Leisure, in a letter of 22nd July 2005 to the Ardoyne Irish Festival Project, expressed satisfaction with the application to receive funding. [NIO] (HL3320)
The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will support the attempt by the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus to resolve the Taskent incident when 83 Turkish Cypriot civilians were killed by Greek Cypriots in 1974; and whether they will make representations regarding the return of the remains of victims to Northern Cyprus. [FCO] (HL3321)
The Lord Steel of Aikwood—To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the governing body of the World Health Organisation (WHO) is next due to meet; who will be their representative at the meeting; and whether they will support the admission of Taiwan as an observer member of the WHO. [DoH] (HL3322)
The Viscount Goschen—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will provide a precise chronology of events concerning the receipt of a letter written by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights dated 28th November 2005 including—
(a) the date on which the letter was first received by a representative of the Government;
(b) to which branches of Government that letter was subsequently transmitted, on which dates, and on which dates it was received;
(c) when any Government Minister or private office first became aware of the existence of that letter; and
(d) why the Government did not take immediate action to transmit the letter to opposition Members of the House of Lords, as the letter requested. [HO] (HL3323)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will appoint an independent adviser to provide Ministers with an additional source of advice on the Ministerial Code, as envisaged by the ninth report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life; and, if so, when. [CO] (HL3324)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will appoint two or three senior individuals who will be available to investigate allegations of breaches of the Ministerial Code, as recommended by the ninth report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life. [CO] (HL3325)
The Lord Lester of Herne Hill—To ask Her Majesty’s Government why they abolished the Operating and Financial Review reporting requirements for United Kingdom quoted companies. [DTI] (HL3326)
The Lord Dubs—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to increase the proportion of three and four bedroom properties in the Housing Corporation’s investment programme for new social housing in London. [ODPM] (HL3330)
The Lord Dubs—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what action they are taking to encourage local authorities in London to adopt more effective strategies to free up under-occupied council and housing association homes. [ODPM] (HL3331)
The Lord Dubs—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many council homes have been sold under the Right to Buy scheme in each local authority in London in each quarter since 2003-04. [ODPM] (HL3332)
The Lord Campbell-Savours—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether any member of the Electoral Commission has been associated in any way with any political party. [DCA] (HL3333)
The Lord Campbell-Savours—To ask Her Majesty’s Government to what extent pound per head of population calculations determine the allocation of resources by Strategic Health Authorities. [DoH] (HL3337)
The Lord Campbell-Savours—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment has been made of additional costs since 1997 in Cumbria on National Health Service expenditure arising from—
(a) targets to reduce waiting time;
(b) centrally fixed staff pay;
(c) centrally fixed nurses pay;
(d) centrally fixed general practitioner contracts; and
(e) drugs purchases, as agreed under the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme. [DoH] (HL3338)
The Baroness Byford—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Rural Affairs, Landscape and Biodiversity, Mr Jim Knight, on 14th December (HC Deb, 2009W), what refurbishment is incorporated into the estimated cost of £33.9 million for Nobel House; whether the work has commenced; and, if so, whether the work is running to the planned timetable. [DEFRA] (HL3340)
The Lord Hanningfield—To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much have air fares increased on average in comparison to the average increase for bus and train fares in the last ten years. [DfT] (HL3347)
The Lord Hanningfield—To ask Her Majesty’s Government, what proportion of air passengers they anticipate will be (a) business users, and (b) social users, in 2030; and what are the proportions of business and social air passengers at present. [DfT] (HL3350)
The Lord Dykes—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they will support any proposal from the European Union Commission to offer the Palestinian territories short-term most favoured nation status. [FCO] (HL3351)
12th January
The Baroness Masham of Ilton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment has been made of the potential effect on some elderly patients with disabilities of the proposals published by the Department of Health in its consultation document Arrangements for the Provision of Dressings, Incontinence Appliances, Stoma Appliances, Chemical Reagents and Other Appliances to Primary and Secondary Care. [DoH] (HL3352)
The Baroness Masham of Ilton—To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether patients will be offered a guarantee that the current quality of care will be maintained or improved under the proposals published by the Department of Health in its c | 
