Lords Hansard text for 13 Dec 200613 Dec 2006 (pt 0002)

Democratic Republic of Congo: Family Planning

Lord Jones of Cheltenham asked Her Majesty's Government:

What assistance they provide to the Democratic Republic of Congo regarding family planning.[HL507]

The Lord President of the Council (Baroness Amos): The British Government are not currently funding any programmes specifically focused on providing family planning services to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). However, family planning receives UK funding as part of our broader financing for the health sector. This is mostly channelled through NGO or UN programmes providing support at the level of health zones or hospitals, under either development or humanitarian budget lines. All implementing partners work as closely as possible with local health authorities and, as far as feasible under the circumstances, implement the Government's basic minimum package of services for each health facility. This package includes family planning services as part of the care available for mothers and infants.

The Department for International Development is also currently co-funding a comprehensive demographic and health survey in the DRC, which will provide up-to-date information on the availability, demand for and uptake of family planning services throughout the country. This should enable more effective planning and delivery of services in the future.

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Disabled People: Housing

Lord Maginnis of Drumglass asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the Northern Ireland draft planning policy statement of 16 March (PPS 14), Sustainable Development in the Countryside, defines any exception to the presumption against development in the countryside, particularly with regard to the needs of the severely mentally or physically handicapped. [HL550]

Lord Rooker: Draft PPS14 contains a number of policies that set out exceptions to the presumption against development. There is no exception in draft PPS14 to specifically meet the needs of persons with severe mental or physical impairment. However, Policy HOU 16 (House Extensions) of A Planning Strategy for Rural Northern Ireland has not been superseded by draft PPS14. This policy facilitates the provision of partially self-contained accommodation for elderly or dependent relatives as an alternative to a separate house in the countryside. It was felt that that was a more appropriate approach than building a new, separate dwelling.

Dyslexia: Northern Ireland

Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:

What proposals they will make to provide further assistance to adult dyslexics in Northern Ireland.[HL503]

Lord Rooker: The Department for Employment and Learning's Disablement Advisory Service provides services for people with dyslexia, including funding and support to meet their education and employment needs. Ongoing programmes and services enable those with dyslexia to find and keep employment. Colleges and universities are required to make their premises and courses available to students with dyslexia, who can claim the disabled student’s allowance. Technical aids and support workers are available to help them in their studies.

Elections: Postal Voting

Lord Greaves asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether the 20 per cent minimum random check on postal votes must include a 20 per cent sample in each contested ward or division at a particular election in a local authority; and, if not, what advice or instructions will be given on how the wards to be sampled will be chosen and on the level of sampling in each. [HL542]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (Baroness Ashton of Upholland): The Representation of the People (England and Wales) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2006 require that, on each occasion that a postal voters’ ballot box containing returned postal

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votes is opened, the returning officer must set aside at least 20 per cent of the returned postal votes in the ballot box for checking the voters’ personal identifiers. As it is the practice of returning officers to have separate postal voters’ ballot boxes for the wards or divisions being contested, and to place returned postal votes into the relevant ballot box, this will ensure consistency in the level of checking, for each ward or division.