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14 Dec 2006 : Column WS191
Written Statements
Thursday 14 December 2006
Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department (Joan Ryan) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
I am pleased to inform the House that I have today placed in the Library the annual report of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate for the year 2005. This is the second annual report published by the inspectorate.
Publication of the report honours a commitment given by the Government in response to a recommendation of the House of Lords Select Committee on Animals in Scientific Procedures in July 2002 that more information should be made available about the work of the inspectorate.
In the Government's response, published in January 2003, we welcomed the Select Committee's endorsement of the integrity of the inspectorate and of the important contribution that it has made to the welfare of animals in designated establishments. We also recognised that public awareness of the valuable job done by the inspectorate needed to be improved and concluded that this could be remedied, at least in part, by the publication of an annual report on its work.
The inspectorate's second annual report published today provides an account of how the inspectorate has carried out its main tasks and other work in 2005, and contains a particular focus on two important areas.
First, it gives a brief introduction to the issue of the acquisition of non-human primates for use in scientific procedures and details the acceptance process and criteria used to determine the suitability of overseas centres that propose to supply UK laboratories with such animals.
Secondly, it addresses in detail the growing use of fish in scientific procedures and explains their major uses during the year. This focus on fish includes information on the role of genetically altered fish, the types of housing required, water quality and other general issues to explain handling, methods of identification and how behaviour is judged as well as environmental enrichment.
The report explains what the inspectors do and how they do it, and provides details of the inspectorate's staffing and structure, ways of working, professional background and skills, and training and development.
The report also explains the inspectorate's key role in assessing and advising Home Office Ministers and officials on applications for personal and project licences and certificates of designation under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. It also
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I commend the report to the attention of Members.
Aviation
Lord Davies of Oldham: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Transport (Douglas Alexander) has made the following Ministerial Statement.
I am today publishing a progress report on The Future of Air Transport White Paper of 2003. Copies are available in the Libraries of the House and the Printed Paper Office. This document fulfils a commitment to report on progress made in implementing the White Paper by the end of 2006.
The progress report confirms the detailed strategy set out in 2003 for the sustainable development of air travel to 2030, balancing the growing aspirations to travel and the economic benefits that it brings with the need to protect the environment. The progress report confirms our earlier assessment that demand for air travel will continue to grow strongly. In line with the conclusions of Sir Rod Eddington's recent study on transport infrastructure, it acknowledges the benefits that meeting this demand brings to business and to individuals across the UK.
The Government reaffirm their commitment to the development of the aviation sector, predominantly through making the best use of existing capacity, and ensuring that where new capacity is required its provision is in line with our environmental obligations.
In 2003, the White Paper made clear the importance of taking effective international action to tackle aviation's contribution to the global challenge of climate change. The report demonstrates the action that we are taking to ensure that the aviation sector meets its external climate change costs. The Government intend to introduce a new emissions cost assessment, which will be an assessment of whether the aviation sector is meeting its external costs of climate change. This will inform Ministers' decisions on major increases in aviation capacity. We intend to consult on this proposal next year.
The report confirms our continued strong support for the inclusion of aviation in the EU emissions trading scheme. We are committed to achieving this as soon as practicable. Since aviation is excluded from the Kyoto protocol we will push hard for the modernisation of the Chicago convention and the International Civil Aviation Organisation, to make it easier for negotiations there to deliver international progress on this issue.
The document clearly sets out our intended next steps in delivering the Government’s aviation policy. We are committed to reporting again on our progress in implementing these policies in three to five years’ time.
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Benefit Fraud Inspectorate
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): On behalf of my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate (BFI) has today announced its phase 18 programme of work.
The authorities that will be inspected are Amber Valley Borough Council, Basildon District Council, Broadland District Council, Colchester Borough Council, London Borough of Haringey, North Shropshire District Council and South Lakeland District Council.
The BFI is an independent unit within the Department for Work and Pensions that inspects and reports directly to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on the standard of benefit administration and counter-fraud activity in local authorities and the department itself.
Cabinet Committees
The Lord President of the Council (Baroness Amos): My right honourable friend the Prime Minister has placed a copy of the current list of Cabinet committees, their full membership and their terms of reference in the Libraries of both Houses. My right honourable friend has also placed the membership of the policy review working groups in the Libraries of both Houses. Details are also available on the Cabinet Office website.
Department for Work and Pensions: Autumn Performance Report
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): I am publishing today the autumn performance report of the Department for Work and Pensions. The report is intended to supplement the department’s annual report published in May 2006 (Cm 6829). The report provides the latest account of how the department is performing against its public service agreement targets and its efficiency challenge.
For the first time, this publication has been specifically designed to be accessed online and is available on the department’s website. For the convenience of Members, some printed copies have been placed in the Library. Copies are also available from the Vote Office and Printed Paper Office.
EU: Economic and Financial Affairs Council
Lord McKenzie of Luton: My right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown, has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
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At its meeting of 28 November 2006, the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) adopted a 104(8) council decision regarding Poland's excessive deficit procedure. ECOFIN adopted conclusions on multilateral surveillance of the first progress reports on the Lisbon national reform programmes and on global factor flows, in preparation for the European Council on 14 and 15 December.
Ministers adopted conclusions on reducing the administrative burdens caused by statistics in the EU. ECOFIN adopted conclusions on the review of the Facility for Euro-Mediterranean Investment Partnership and agreed a general approach on the future of the European Investment Bank external lending mandates. ECOFIN agreed conclusions on future work to combat tax fraud.
Ministers discussed further issues relating to the minimum excise rates on alcoholic beverages. ECOFIN reached agreement on the travellers' allowance directive, providing for an increase in duty-free allowances.
Ministers agreed on a general approach to extend the 2003 e-commerce arrangements and agreed council conclusions on continuing work to modernise and simplify the VAT system.
ECOFIN took note of a progress report from the Code of Conduct Group on Business Taxation and adopted conclusions on the future work of the group. Ministers heard an oral progress report from the Commission on company tax obstacles hindering the function of the internal market. ECOFIN took note of a progress report from the Finnish presidency on the directive on payment services in the internal market.
Ministers received a presentation from the Commission on its approach to tackling barriers in the clearing and settlement industry and adopted conclusions on this approach. The Paymaster-General, Dawn Primarolo MP, represented the UK.
EU: General Affairs and External Relations Council
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): My right honourable friend the Minister for Europe (Geoff Hoon) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary (Mrs Margaret Beckett), Sir John Grant (UK Permanent Representative to the EU) and I represented the UK at the General Affairs and External Relations Council (GAERC) in Brussels.
The agenda items covered were as follows:
Council’s 18-month Programme, January 2007 to June 2008
Ministers took note of a presentation by the incoming German and future Portuguese and Slovenian presidencies on the council’s draft operational programme for the next 18 months. The priorities include: the future of the Union; the Lisbon
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Preparation of the European Council on 14 and 15 December 2006
Ministers discussed the draft European Council conclusions covering EU enlargement; justice and home affairs; innovation, energy and climate change; and external relations with Africa, Afghanistan and the Middle East.
The council agreed conclusions on Turkey such that eight chapters of the negotiations would not be opened and no chapter would be provisionally closed until the Commission verifies that Turkey has fulfilled its commitments related to the additional protocol to the association agreement. It also invited the Commission to report on this in its forthcoming annual reports—in particular, in 2007, 2008 and 2009—as appropriate.
The council also adopted conclusions on Bulgaria and Romania welcoming their accession on 1 January 2007 and on Croatia welcoming the recommendations contained in the Commission’s report of 8 November 2006.
Civil Protection Financial Instrument
The council agreed a draft regulation to establish an instrument for the financing of Community action in the field of civil protection for 2007-13.
High Representative Solana briefed the Council on his recent visit to the region. External Relations Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner noted the three-month extension of the temporary international mechanism for aid to the Palestinian people.
High Representative Solana briefed the council on his visit.
The council agreed conclusions on the Commission’s progress reports on the western Balkans and reaffirmed the EU’s policy based on conditionality as set out in the stabilisation and association process. This includes full co-operation with the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.
High Representative Solana briefed the council on recent discussions between the E3+3 (France, Germany, UK plus China, Russia, US) on Iran’s nuclear programme.
The council discussed a draft common position defining common rules governing the control of exports of military technology and equipment. The draft common position builds on the EU code of conduct on arms exports introduced in 1998.
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The council exchanged views on the China arms embargo.
The Foreign Secretary gave a brief readout of developments in the Alexander Litvinenko case, including related public health issues.
High Representative Solana noted that a joint Council Secretariat/Commission fact-finding mission was in Afghanistan to consider possible future EU activities in the rule of law sector. The Commission reaffirmed its long-term commitment to reconstruction: it would pledge €150 million per year for 2007-13. The council adopted conclusions reaffirming the EU’s ongoing support for Afghan reform and encouraging the Government of Afghanistan to fulfil their commitments under the Afghanistan compact.
The Commission welcomed the council’s endorsement of the recent communication on negotiations with China on a partnership and co-operation agreement would start in January 2007. The council adopted conclusions on the EU’s strategic partnership with China including collaboration on climate change and non-proliferation.
The council agreed a draft decision amending Athena, the mechanism administering common costs of EU operations with military or defence implications.
The council exchanged views under AoB, at Lithuania's request, on the proposal to temporarily withdraw generalised system of preferences from Belarus.
Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2007
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (Baroness Ashton of Upholland): The Government are today publishing for consultation the draft Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees) Regulations 2007, which give effect to the changes the Government announced that they were minded to make on 16 October 2006.
The draft regulations will extend the existing provisions by allowing public authorities to:
include reading time, consideration time, and consultation time in the calculation of the appropriate limit, above which requests could be refused on cost grounds; andaggregate all requests made by a person or persons who appear to be acting in concert or pursuance of a campaign to each public authority within a period of 60 working days for the purposes of calculating the appropriate limit.14 Dec 2006 : Column WS197
An independent economic review of the operation of the Freedom of Information Act commissioned by my department and published on 16 October 2006 found that a small percentage of requests and requestors were placing disproportionately large burdens on public authorities in terms of the costs of officials’ time.
While the Government believe they are entirely right that a reasonable amount of resource is spent dealing with requests for information we believe, in light of experience, that the existing provisions need to be amended in order to provide the right balance between access to information for all and the delivery of other public services. The draft regulations will allow public authorities to take into account more accurately the work involved in dealing with an FoI request.
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