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25 Jan 2007 : Column WA250
Imports of birds are not recorded as “wild-caught”, “captive bred” or “ranched”. There is no requirement to do so.
Lord Rotherwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
With reference to the releases of the following species of avian raptors—(a) red kite; (b) white tailed eagle; (c) common buzzard; (d) goshawk; (e) golden eagle; (f) lanner; (g) merlin; (h) peregrine; and (i) Harris hawk, whether there was consultation, both with the landowner of the release point, and other land managers in the area ; and [HL1430]
Whether responsibilities for release programmes were sub-contracted to non-governmental organisations in respect of the following species of avian raptors—(a) red kite; (b) white tailed eagle; (c) common buzzard; (d) goshawk; (e) golden eagle; (f) lanner; (g) merlin; (h) peregrine; and (i) Harris hawk; and, if so, which non-governmental organisations; and [HL1431]
With reference to the licensing of the following species of artificially bred raptors—(a) red kite; (b) white tailed eagle; (c) common buzzard; (d) goshawk; (e) golden eagle; (f) lanner; (g) merlin; (h) peregrine; and (i) Harris hawk, whether surveys are conducted to establish that adequate supplies of prey or wild food are available; under what authorised conditions artificial feeding is allowed; and for how long after release; and [HL1432]
With reference to the licensing of the following species of artificially bred raptors—(a) red kite; (b) white tailed eagle; (c) common buzzard; (d) goshawk; (e) golden eagle; (f) lanner; (g) merlin; (h) peregrine; and (i) Harris hawk, whether vulnerable prey species are taken into account during the preparation of an environmental impact assessment.[HL1433]
Lord Rooker: Releases of red kites as part of the Natural England (formerly English Nature)—RSPB Reintroduction Programme (1989 to present) have been carried out in accordance with the internationally agreed IUCN (World Conservation Union) guidelines. These include a requirement to consult local landowners, as well as other interested individuals and organisations, before birds are released.
Licences would not be required for the release of the red kite, common buzzard, goshawk, golden eagle, merlin, and peregrine falcon, as they are species which are ordinarily resident in Great Britain. Releases of some of the species listed (for example, the goshawk) have been carried out by individuals or private organisations. My department has no records about consultation with local landowners in these cases.
The release of the white tailed eagle (also native to Great Britain), Harris hawk and lanner falcon would require a licence. To release these species without a licence would be an offence under Section 14 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
The department has no records of licences having been issued in England for the release of artificially-bred specimens of the white tailed eagle, Harris hawk
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Non-governmental organisations are at liberty to propose, conduct and participate in release programmes. For example, the red kite reintroduction programme is a joint RSPB and Natural England endeavour. Natural England, as the licensing authority, would need to be satisfied that it was proper to license any such releases.
Any conditions imposed on a licence, including any conditions relating to artificial feeding, would be specific to that licence.
Lord Bradley asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many (a) wild-caught; (b) captive bred; and (c) ranched birds were imported into the United Kingdom in 2006 from (i) within, and (ii) outside the European Union.[HL1426]
Lord Rooker: The information requested is set out in the table below:
| Birds imported into the UK from within the European Union | Birds imported into the UK from outside the European Union | |
| Source: TRACES EU-wide system for recording imports | ||
The birds imported from countries outside the EU were for conservation purposes.
Imports of birds are not recorded as “wild-caught”, “captive bred” or “ranched”. There is no requirement to do so.
Armed Forces: Food
Baroness Byford asked Her Majesty's Government:
For each year since January 2000 and for each of the Armed Forces, what has been the proportion of United Kingdom-grown fresh food purchased for consumption by United Kingdom-based personnel in the following categories (a) meat; (b) poultry; (c) dairy products; and (d) vegetables. [HL1262]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): The MoD's new food supply contract commenced in October 2006. The transition between contractors means that information on the country of origin of different foods prior to this date could not be obtained without disproportionate effort.
The food supply contractor procures approximately 1,200 different products for the UK Armed Forces. The percentage of UK-produced goods changes regularly as a result of seasonality, value for money incentives, changes to the product specification and supplier. The country of origin of some products is indeterminate because they are manufactured using a number of ingredients, and other products, such as fresh fruit and vegetables, are sourced seasonally from a variety of
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Armed Forces: Special Investigation Branches
Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps have been taken to develop further and increase the tri-service working of service special investigation branches; and [HL1268]
What measures they have introduced to ensure that the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch is properly notified by other agencies and police forces of relevant information; and [HL1269]
What steps the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch has taken to establish protocols with all jurisdictions with which it has interfaces, including foreign jurisdictions, to ensure appropriate sharing of investigative and criminal justice DNA samples and fingerprints; and [HL1270]
What consideration the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch has given to accrediting officers engaged in forensic tasks to the Council for the Registration of Forensic Practitioners; and [HL1271]
What steps the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch has taken to develop a forensic science delivery plan for the next five years; and [HL1272]
What progress the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch has made in developing guidance on information sharing with the police national computer; and [HL1273]
Whether the Royal Military Police has considered introducing a system of specialist advisers or direct recruitment into the Special Investigation Branch; and [HL1297]
What were the outcomes of the most recent defence training review for military police officer training; and [HL1298]
When a review of the assessment criteria for the vocational phase of the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch level 3 investigators course is expected to take place; and [HL1299]
What steps the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch (SIB) has taken to implement a major crime case review policy; and whether the SIB has taken steps in liaison with the Association of Chief Police Officers Homicide Working Group; and [HL1300]
What progress the Office of the Provost Marshal (Army) has made in developing an internal communication strategy to increase knowledge and awareness of the benefits of the national intelligence model; and [HL1301]
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Whether they have considered introducing statutory instruments to allow service police access to the investigative benefits provided by the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002; and [HL1302]
What review the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch has undertaken of capturing and submitting criminal justice DNA and fingerprint samples; and [HL1367]
What consideration has been given to providing support services for Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch staff; and what reviews have been undertaken to assess the need for more structured support services for those staff deployed in high-risk areas; and [HL1368]
Whether the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch has reviewed the frequency of structured refresher training provided during peacetime home duties for crime scene investigations; and [HL1369]
Why the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch does not have full primacy over investigations in Iraq and Afghanistan; and [HL1370]
What additional resources the Ministry of Defence is providing to meet the increases in investigative activity by the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch (SIB) anticipated in the report of HM Inspectors of Constabulary into the SIB; and [HL1371]
What system of performance measurements the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch (SIB) currently uses; and whether they intend to develop further such systems; and [HL1372]
Whether the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch intends to collect statistical data on the rate of conversion of investigations to convictions and to use this information as a performance measure; and [HL1455]
What liaison arrangements are now in place between the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch (SIB) and the Association of Chief Police Officers Homicide Working Group to identify exchange opportunities for less experienced SIB senior investigation officers; and [HL1456]
What consideration they have given to making the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch subject to the national witness arrangements set out by the Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005; and [HL1457]
What use the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch currently makes of the Home Office Large Major Inquiry System major incident room; and whether there are any plans to use the system in all suitable major crime investigations; and [HL1458]
What steps the Royal Military Police Special Investigation Branch and the Office of the Provost Marshal (Army) have taken to (a) formally adopt the national intelligence model; and (b) develop a
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What progress the Office of the Provost Marshal (Army) has made in establishing a fully planned and resourced implementation programme for the adoption of the national intelligence model; and what liaison the Ministry of Defence has had with the National Centre for Police Excellence in this regard.[HL1460]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): These questions all relate to a formal inspection of the Royal Military Police (Special Investigation Branch) (RMP(SIB)) conducted in March 2006 at the MoD's request by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC). This was the first time that any part of the service police had been subjected to such a rigorous and in-depth independent examination, applying national bench-marking for police investigations. HMIC identified a number of areas where it felt that improvements could be made and these questions are linked to the report's recommendations. This important work is ongoing, including an assessment of resource implications. The report also identified several opportunities for developing tri-service working and we intend to examine how the lessons learnt can be implemented across the RN and RAF SIBs.
HMIC is due to receive a progress report from Provost Marshal (Army) on 1 April 2007. A copy of this report will be placed in the Library of the House. Pending the release of this progress report, I am withholding information as it relates to the formulation of government policy.
Benefits: Housing
Baroness Thomas of Winchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
When they will inform housing benefit offices how much extra funding they are being allocated to implement the national rollout of local housing allowance. [HL1281]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord McKenzie of Luton): Local authorities will receive funding towards the cost of implementing the national rollout of the local housing allowance. We intend to inform authorities of their individual allocation in summer 2007.
Benefits: Incapacity Benefit
Baroness Hollis of Heigham asked Her Majesty's Government:
What percentage and numbers of those on incapacity benefit who are not in receipt of middle or higher disability living allowance (a) are
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord McKenzie of Luton): The information is not available in the format requested. For the available information, I refer the noble Baroness to the reply I gave her on 17 January 2007, Official Report, cols. WA 152-54.
25 Jan 2007 : Column WA256
Lord Bradley asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many people received incapacity benefit in each local authority ward in the city of Manchester since its introduction.[HL1424]
Lord McKenzie of Luton: The information is not available in the format requested. Ward level data are not available prior to November 1999. The available information is in the table.
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