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17 Jan 2007 : Column WA151
Written Answers
Wednesday 17 January 2007
Armed Forces: Eurofighter Typhoon
Lord Garden asked Her Majesty's Government:
What action is proposed for restructuring the Eurofighter/Typhoon four-nation partnership; and what effect such changes will have on the date of introduction into service of a variant optimised in the air-to-ground role. [HL379]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): The four Typhoon partner nations are at the final stages of agreeing a future capability programme with industry which will introduce a full air-to-surface capability. The contractual terms and conditions for this programme will drive improvements to the Typhoon programme through:
greater empowerment of Eurofighter GmbH;risk sharing across the four Eurofighter partner companies; and incentivised performance objectives.We are also working with our partner nations to establish a new through-life capability management model across all nations to assist industry's future planning.
Armed Forces: Procurement
Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty's Government:
In light of the Enabling Acquisition Change study and the decision by the Defence Academy Policy Board to develop the role of the Defence College of Management and Technology, what progress has been made towards ensuring the coherent delivery of acquisition training across the Ministry of Defence. [HL1129]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): In response to the Enabling Acquisition Change study and the Defence industrial strategy, the Defence College of Management of Technology (DCMT), within the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, has been designated as the lead establishment for acquisition education and training. Accordingly, the DCMT is taking an active role in helping to develop new training and education as part of the people skills and behaviours workstream of the defence acquisition change programme.
In order to bring greater coherence to acquisition training and education delivery, the Defence Procurement Agency and Defence Logistics Organisation training delivery organisations, to be known together as Defence Acquisition Learning, will join the DCMT with effect from 1 April 2007. Governance arrangements are being established, including an acquisition learning customer board,
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Armed Forces: Steven Roberts Inquiry
Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the recommendations in the published findings of the board of inquiry into the death of Sergeant Steven Roberts in March 2003, whether changes have now been made in the annual individual training of members of the Armed Forces to ensure that they are aware of the ballistic qualities of high-velocity ballistic plates issued as part of enhanced combat body armour; and [HL1011]
Further to the recommendations in the published findings of the board of inquiry into the death of Sergeant Steven Roberts in March 2003, what steps have been taken to ensure that training establishments and units of the Armed Forces are educated in the importance of issuing to troops correctly fitting enhanced combat body armour. [HL1016]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): Service personnel and those manning unit quartermasters' departments are frequently reminded of the need to ensure that that all issued equipment and clothing is correctly fitted, sized and serviceable in order to maintain the operational effectiveness of the individual wearing it, including enhanced combat body armour (ECBA) and other forms of body armour.
All soldiers deploying on operations to Iraq and Afghanistan are provided with ECBA, as a minimum level of protection. As a consequence, all Army personnel will utilise ECBA during the various phases of their pre-operational training, a part of which ensures that soldiers are educated in the ballistic capability of the high-velocity plates as well as the importance of the correct sizing and fitting of ECBA.
In addition, it is mandated that ECBA is worn by all personnel undertaking live fire tactical training exercises. During this training the ballistic capabilities of ECBA and requirement for its correct fitting are again emphasised.
Benefits: Incapacity Benefit and Disability Living Allowance
Baroness Hollis of Heigham asked Her Majesty's Government:
What number and percentage of those in receipt of incapacity benefit, but not middle or higher rate disability living allowance, are estimated to receive
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What number and percentage of those on lower rate disability living allowance are estimated to receive care for more than 20 hours a week; and what is the estimated net annual cost of awarding a credit to the carers of such people in (a) 2020, and (b) 2030; and [HL605]
What number and percentage of those in receipt of incapacity benefit and lower rate disability living allowance, but not middle or higher rate disability living allowance, and who receive care for 20 hours or more a week receive those benefits because they suffer from mental ill health. [HL606]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord McKenzie of Luton): The information is not available in the format requested. The information available is set out below.
Estimates from the Family Resources Survey (FRS) 2004-05 indicate that approximately 100,000 people are in receipt of incapacity benefit, but not the middle or higher rate care component of disability living allowance, and are receiving care for 20 hours or more a week.
These data also suggest that approximately 300,000 people are receiving the lower rate of disability living allowance and are receiving care for 20 hours or more a week.
The FRS does not allow all these people to be matched to the people providing care, some of whom will qualify for the basic state pension and state second pension.
Further, the FRS does not allow us to identify reasons for the receipt of benefits.
Information from the Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study (WPLS) shows the number and proportion of people who are receiving incapacity benefit and the lower rate of disability living allowance because they suffer from mental ill health. There are around 366,000 people in receipt of incapacity benefits with the lower rate of disability living allowance. Of these, around 108,000 are receiving incapacity benefits due to mental and behavioural disorders (at May 2006). The WPLS does not hold information about people receiving care for 20 hours or more a week.
(The Pensions Bill, introduced on 28 November 2006, will help more people build up better state pensions. Around three-quarters of women reaching state pension age in 2010 will get full basic state pension under the Bill, rising to over 90 per cent by 2025. The Bill will also allow around 1 million extra people (over 90 per cent of whom are women) to accrue entitlement to the state second pension.)
Notes for information from the Family Resources Survey
1. Estimates are rounded to the nearest 100,000, and are based on self-reported information.17 Jan 2007 : Column WA154
Notes for information from the Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study
1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. Totals may not sum due to rounding.2. DLA cases are defined as cases in payment.3. Causes of incapacity are based on the International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision, published by the World Health Organisation.British Citizenship
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 8 January (WA 13—14) concerning British overseas citizens of Nepalese origin, why the British consulate-general in Hong Kong requires each applicant to obtain an individual letter stating whether the person has ever held Nepalese nationality when (i) they are aware that the Nepalese consul-general in Hong Kong is unwilling or unable to issue such letters, and (ii) the Home Office and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have already had discussions and correspondence with the Nepalese authorities in Kathmandu, the outcome of which would enable them to determine, to the standard of proof required for civil matters, whether or not a person was a citizen of Nepal. [HL1168]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): Regardless of ethnicity, an individual applying for their first British overseas citizen passport, or to register as a British citizen under Section 4B of the British Nationality Act 1981, must prove that they are otherwise stateless. At a recent informal meeting between British consular staff and their Nepalese counterparts in Hong Kong, the Nepalese took the view that those with Nepalese passports and holding Nepalese citizenship cards were Nepalese citizens. Letters stating otherwise could not, therefore, be issued. However, once the provisions of the British Nationality Act and their implications under Nepalese law in relation to dual nationality were explained further, the Nepalese undertook to revert to Kathmandu for further advice.
We are still awaiting confirmation from the Nepalese authorities that a note of the recent meeting in Kathmandu prepared by us accurately records the Nepalese position.
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Climate Change
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will make available to United Kingdom secondary schools copies of the audio-visual presentations made by former United States Vice-President Al Gore on climate change. [HL1187]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills (Lord Adonis): Al Gore's audio-visual presentation on climate change is available to all secondary schools via the sustainable schools area of the Teachernet website (www.teachernet.gov.uk/sustainableschools).
The department's aim is for all schools in England to be sustainable schools by 2020. One of the aims of the sustainable schools programme is to embed sustainable development and associated issues like climate change throughout the curriculum. This academic year is a year of action to help schools become sustainable. The department is working with partners to develop a range of resources such as a pupil detective kit and teacher resource pack. This follows on from the sustainable schools consultation of May 2005 and the government response published in December 2005.
Energy: Renewables
Lord Beaumont of Whitley asked Her Majesty's Government:
What increase they expect in the production of renewable electricity as a result of paragraph 8 of their Planning Policy Statement 22: Renewable Energy. [HL1020]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): The Written Ministerial Statement of 8 June 2006 on planning policy statement 22 (PPS22) encouraged local planning authorities to take account fully of the positive approach to renewables set out in PPS22, including in paragraph 8. In doing so, the Government made clear that all planning authorities are expected to include policies in their development plans that require a percentage of the energy in new developments to come from on-site renewables where it is viable. Appropriate technologies and their potential will, however, vary from place to place and with the type and scale of development envisaged. Actual production of renewable energy will vary according to the level of energy need arsing in the developments in question. It is, therefore, extremely hard to forecast with any accuracy the production of renewable energy to be expected from paragraph 8of PPS22.
Euro
Lord Tebbit asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether there is within the public sector continuing expenditure in respect of the Outline National Changeover Plan in preparation for entry into European monetary union. [HL1198]
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Lord Davies of Oldham: The third Outline National Changeover Plan (oNCP3) was published in June 2003 and provides a comprehensive statement of how the Government would manage a UK changeover. This document and other central planning documents for a possible euro changeover are available on the Treasury's euro website (www.euro.gov.uk). The Euro Preparations Unit in the Treasury focuses on maintaining these documents and a network of expert stakeholders from all sectors. Costs are met from within the Treasury's departmental expenditure limit.
Flooding: Enniskillen
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What proposals they have to alleviate flooding in Queen Elizabeth Road, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh. [HL1142]
Lord Rooker: The chief executive of Roads Service (Dr Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the noble Lord in response to this question.
Letter from Dr Malcolm McKibbin to Lord Laird dated January 2007.
You recently asked Her Majesty's Government a Parliamentary Question about what proposals they have to alleviate flooding in Queen Elizabeth Road, Enniskillen, County Fermanagh. As this issue falls within my responsibility as chief executive of Roads Service, I have been asked to reply.
As you may be aware, the Department for Social Development funded a scheme to provide a new boulevard along Queen Elizabeth Road in 2006. During construction, improved drainage was incorporated into the scheme and a new surface on the road was provided by Roads Service at the conclusion of the works.
I am advised that since completion of the scheme, there have been some isolated incidents of water ponding on the roadway caused by leaves covering gulley gratings. However, I have been informed that the problem was resolved by clearing the obstructing leaves and that no further remedial measures are considered necessary.
Gulf War Illnesses
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Truscott on 30 November (WA 79), whether they propose to withdraw the statement that the minutes of the Royal British Legion's Gulf group meeting held on 5 September misrecorded the group's discussion and were in error, given that the group's members have confirmed that the minutes were a correct record; and whether they will now respond to the original Question; and [HL836]
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Lord Tyler asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Truscott on 30 November (WA 79), what precedents there are for a Minister of the Crown to inform the Royal British Legion (RBL) of an error in the minutes of a meeting of the RBL, or that of another voluntary organisation, without having consulted the organisation, when the minutes were confirmed as a correct record by those who attended; and whether they intend to apologise to the Royal British Legion in this instance. [HL1061]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): Officials did not consider that the minutes accurately reflected their statement at the 5 September meeting of the Gulf War Group, but this was remedied under matters arising at the subsequent meeting on 7 December when a further statement was made clarifying any misunderstanding.
Health: Doctors
Lord Steinberg asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The department is not aware that any graduates from English medical schools in 2006 who applied for a place on a foundation programme have not been offered training at that level.
Health: Premature Births
Lord Jones of Cheltenham asked Her Majesty's Government:
What assessment has been made of birth rate trends in London, including the proportion of premature births; and what provision (a) exists, and (b) is planned for improving access to treatment for premature births.[HL509]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): It is for primary care trusts and specialised service commissioners to assess the current and likely future health needs of premature babies in their local area and commission appropriate services to meet those needs.
There has been additional investment in neonatal care over the last few years. In London, five neonatal managed clinical networks have been established to provide safe and effective services for mothers and babies. This investment has also helped increase capacity, with the opening of 77 additional neonatal intensive care cots since 2002, and establish a neonatal transfer service.
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