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22 Jan 2007 : Column WA204

Whether the provisions of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 are being followed in full; and, if so, why changes to the Act are necessary. [HL1046]

The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The Command Paper, Review of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act: Proposals for Revised Legislation (including establishment of the Regulatory Authority for Tissue and Embryos), published on 14 December, sets out the Government’s proposals for revision of the law on assisted reproduction and embryology. The Government’s decision to review the law was based on, in particular, the rise of new technologies and probable changes in attitude since the passage of the original Act in 1990. Copies have been placed in the Library (Cm 6989). The proposals will go on to form a draft Bill to be published for pre-legislative scrutiny.

A wide range of factors were taken into consideration in bringing forward the proposals, preceded by public consultation in 2005. With regard to embryo research, these factors included, inter alia, recommendations from the House Of Lords Stem Cell Research Committee (Session 2001-02, HL Paper 83(i)) and the House Of Commons Science and Technology Committee (Session 2004-05, HC 7-I), relevant legislation enacted since 1990 and the scope of delegated powers already within the 1990 Act itself.

The proposals include revisions both to the purposes for which research projects using embryos may be licensed and to the scope of activities that may be authorised by a licence. These include the proposal to make clear that basic embryo research is permissible, subject to controls. Basic research, in this context, refers to research that underpins or enables applied research into, for example, serious diseases.

The Command Paper makes clear that, because of the considerable advances made in medicine and technology since the Act came into force in 1990, there are some areas within the remit of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 where greater clarity may be helpful. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has performed its duties well, working within the legal framework set out in the 1990 Act, and the Government remain confident that the authority will continue to do so, as will any successor body.

House of Lords: Fair Trade Products

Lord Hoyle asked the Chairman of Committees:

Further to his Written Answer on 18 December 2006 (WA 248), whether bananas are among the fresh fruit being examined in relation to the provision of fair trade products by the House of Lords Refreshment Department. [HL1348]

The Chairman of Committees (Lord Brabazon of Tara): Fair trade bananas from the Windward Isles have previously been sold in refreshment outlets when they were available from the market. However, the increased uptake of fair trade bananas by

22 Jan 2007 : Column WA205

supermarkets has reduced their availability to small-scale purchasers. As a result, the supply of fair trade bananas to the Refreshment Department has become unpredictable and the refreshment outlets have been unable to provide the fruit as a regular product. The supply situation will be kept under review.

Official Documents: Twelvetrees Crescent Warehouse

Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether any files relating to the Millennium Dome were destroyed in the fire at the paper records warehouse in Twelvetrees Crescent, London, in July 2006. [HL1308]

Lord Davies of Oldham: I understand that 10 Millennium Commission documents destroyed in the Iron Mountain fire in July 2006 are likely to have contained references to the Millennium Dome. No duplicates of these documents were held by the Millennium Commission.

Passports

Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many applications the British embassy in Dublin has received for British passports in each of the past few years; and how many were successful. [HL1340]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): The number of passports issued, withdrawn, refused and lapsed at our embassy in Dublin in each of the past three financial years is as follows.

Financial year	Total number of passports issued	Number withdrawn	Number refused	Number lapsed	Total applications received
2003-04	10,024	16	26	0	10,042
2004-05	10,893	0	0	72	10,972
2005-06	10,817	10	0	15	10,825
Withdrawn applications are those that were withdrawn by the applicant subsequent to initially making the application.
Refused applications are those made by ineligible applicants.
Lapsed applications are those that are awaiting further documentary evidence of nationality or identity or awaiting unpaid fees.

Pay

Lord Lea of Crondall asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many people shared (a) the £10 billion employment-related income increases in the past year at the bottom of the income distribution; and (b) the £10 billion employment-related income increases in the past year at the top of the income distribution. [HL1307]

22 Jan 2007 : Column WA206

Lord Davies of Oldham: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician, who has been asked to reply.

Letter to Lord Lea of Crondall from the National Statistician, dated January 2007.

The figure of £10 billion is an estimate of the level of bonuses paid in the financial intermediation sector during the period December 2005 to April 2006. The source of the data does not enable a further breakdown by income of the recipient as this information is not collected.

Pensions

Baroness Hollis of Heigham asked Her Majesty's Government:

What would be the likely size of the final pot in today's terms, including tax relief, with prudent assumptions about investment growth, for a woman on median earnings if she and her employer have contributed 8 per cent for (a) 10 years; (b) 20 years; (c) 30 years; and (d) 40 years into (i) a contracted-in money purchase scheme, and (ii) a contracted-out money purchase scheme; and what would be the calculation for a woman on half median earnings. [HL1306]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord McKenzie of Luton): The information is in the tables.

Contracted-in Money Purchase Scheme
Amount of contribution	Number of years of contribution
	10 years	20 years	30 years	40 years
8 per cent of median earnings	£20,825	£54,359	£106,750	£186,700
16 per cent of median earnings	£41,650	£108,718	£213,499	£373,400
8 per cent of half median earnings	£10,413	£27,180	£53,375	£93,350
16 per cent of half median earnings	£20,825	£54,359	£106,750	£186,700

Contracted-out Money Purchase Scheme
Amount of contribution	Number of years of contribution
	10 years	20 years	30 years	40 years
8 per cent of median earnings	£29,390	£80,561	£167,021	£302,309
16 per cent of median earnings	£50,215	£134,920	£273,770	£489,009
8 per cent of half median earnings	£13,610	£37,323	£77,518	£143,188
16 per cent of half median earnings	£24,023	£64,503	£130,893	£236,538
All figures are in 2006-07 prices.
Total contributions are split equally between employee and employer; thus the rows marked 16 per cent illustrate the case where both the woman and her employer each contribute 8 per cent.
Contributions are assumed to begin in 2006-07 for an individual aged 25.
Assumes a real investment return of 3.5 per cent a year for 40 years.
Figures are for women on median and half median earnings in 2006-07.
The figures already include the impact of tax relief since contributions are made on gross earnings.
The size of the contracted-in and contracted-out pension pots is not strictly comparable. This is because contracted-out individuals on both median and half median earnings also build up a reduced entitlement to state second pension (S2P). So their S2P should be taken into account along with their private pension when comparing to contracted-in individuals.

22 Jan 2007 : Column WA207

Railways: Freight

Lord Bradshaw asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether, in developing their contribution to the European Commission communication Freight Logistics in Europe—Key to Sustainable Mobility, they will ensure that paragraph 4.2.8 concerning loading standards includes specific provision for nine-foot six-inch containers to be conveyed by train from major ports in Great Britain. [HL1213]

Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Commission proposal to develop an action plan to enhance the efficiency of freight logistics is supported by the UK Government. Freight logistics is a global industry and it is recognised that the industry is best positioned to select the type and size of container used to transport freight and that such containers should be able to move freely. The nine-foot six-inch-high container has been widely used throughout the world for many years and can already be transported inland by rail from the major ports in the UK using appropriate low-floor wagons where necessary.

We are currently considering a number of rail freight schemes for funding from the first round of the productivity strand of the Transport Innovation Fund. These include gauge enhancement that would allow such containers to be transported on standard rail wagons.

Royal Navy: Destroyers and Frigates

Lord Steinberg asked Her Majesty's Government:

How many destroyers and frigates have been put into mothballs; and what is the total number of fighting ships of different types in service. [HL1076]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): “Mothball” is not a term used by the MoD. I have interpreted it as referring to ships capable of being returned to operational service but for which there is no requirement to do so at this time. The only Royal Navy ship in this category is the aircraft carrier HMS “Invincible”.

The total number of each type of surface ship in the Royal Navy excluding Royal Fleet Auxiliaries is as follows.

Aircraft Carriers	3
Amphibious Assault Ship	1
Landing Platform Dock Ships	2
Type 42 Destroyers Batch 2	4
Type 42 Destroyers Batch 3	4
Type 23 Frigates	13
Type 22 Frigates Batch 3	4
Antarctic Patrol Ship	1
Castle Class Patrol Vessel	1
River Class Patrol Vessels	3
Survey Vessels	5
Sandown Class Minehunters	8
Hunt Class Minehunters	8
Archer Class Fast Training Boats (University Royal Navy Units)	14
Cyprus and Gibraltar Squadrons	4

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