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31 Jan 2007 : Column WA47
Written Answers
Wednesday 31 January 2007
Alcohol: Harm
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will update the Cabinet Office Strategy Unit's £20 billion estimate of the cost of alcohol harm in 2001, published as an interim analytical report in September 2003.[HL1401]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: There are currently no plans to update this figure. The Cabinet Office's interim analytical report involved detailed analysis which would not be practical or useful to replicate on an annual basis. Analysis of local harm-related data is of more practical value in helping local services to determine priorities and develop an effective strategic response. The Government are committed to reviewing the alcohol harm reduction strategy in 2007.
Armed Forces: Procurement
Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have undertaken any assessment of the likely impact of changes brought about as a result of the Defence Industrial Strategy on current procurement programmes; and what measures have been put in place to reduce any identified impacts. [HL1128]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): The aim of the defence industrial strategy (DIS) is to improve the MoD's procurement activity and ensure that the capability requirements of our Armed Forces are met. We continue to monitor the implementation of the DIS and are confident that it will have a positive impact on current procurement programmes as well as future programmes.
Examples of where the DIS is already having a positive impact include: a strategic partnership with AgustaWestland which will ensure greater availability of helicopters; the formation of the Defence Equipment & Support organisation which will deliver through-life capability management within the MoD's acquisition community; and the appointment of the defence commercial director, who will shape MoD relationships with industry.
Children: UN Conventions
Lord Roberts of Llandudno asked Her Majesty's Government:
When they will withdraw their reservation to Article 22 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child affecting immigration and nationality law. [HL1562]
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Lord Bassam of Brighton: As the Government have said on previous occasions, we believe that without this reservation the interpretation of the UNCRC might come into conflict with the UK's own domestic legislation on immigration. For this reason we think that it is right to retain the reservation as presently worded. The retention of the reservation, however, does not mean that vulnerable children do not have the protection of the UK's own laws. We are satisfied that asylum-seeking children in the UK receive adequate care, protection and support. In addition, domestic legislation also provides protection under the Human Rights Act and the Children Act.
Cluster Munitions
Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have received an invitation from the Government of Norway to a meeting in Oslo on 22 and 23 February to discuss the prohibition of cluster munitions; and, if so, what is their response to the invitation.[HL1416]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): The UK has received an invitation from the Norwegian Government to a meeting in Oslo on cluster munitions and we will participate. The UK's permanent representative to the Conference on Disarmament will lead a team of senior officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Ministry of Defence and Department for International Development.
Constitution
The Duke of Montrose asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Scottish Executive have the power to require Scottish civil servants to draw up a White Paper on any change of the current constitutional arrangements within the United Kingdom; and, if so, under what statutory provision.[HL1447]
Lord Evans of Temple Guiting: Scottish Ministers may act only in accordance with the powers devolved to them by the Scotland Act 1998. Any matter affecting the constitutional framework of the United Kingdom is a reserved policy area in terms of paragraph 1 in Part 1 of Schedule 5 to the 1998 Act.
Crime: Assets Recovery Agency
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether Sinn Fein was consulted about the decision to disband the Asset Recovery Agency in Northern Ireland; if so; when and what was the result. [HL1382]
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Lord Bassam of Brighton: No political party was consulted about the Government's plans to merge the Assets Recovery Agency and the Serious Organised Crime Agency in advance of the Written Statement on 11 January (Official Report, Commons 11/01/07, col. 21WS).
Crime: Repeat Offenders
Lord Tebbit asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many people have died since 1963 at the hands of persons previously convicted of homicide. [HL1197]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: Between 1963 and 2004-05 a total of 111 persons in England and Wales are known to have been killed by persons who have been previously convicted of homicide.
Cyprus: 1960 Treaty of Guarantee
Lord Maginnis of Drumglass asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answers by Lord Triesman on 8 January (WA 17—8), whether, in light of the continued isolation of the Turkish Cypriot community, the United Kingdom is meeting its obligations as a signatory of the 1960 Treaty of Guarantee. [HL1582]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): As a guarantor power, an EU partner, and UN Security Council member, the UK continues to work for progress towards a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus which would be of benefit to all Cypriots. We continue to support the EU initiatives aimed at ending the isolation described in the reply I gave to the noble Lord on 4 December 2006 (Official Report, cols. WA92-93). Our efforts in support of a settlement and those in pursuit of lifting the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots are mutually reinforcing.
Cyprus: Economic Migrants
Lord Maginnis of Drumglass asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have made an assessment of the number of Turkish Cypriots who have been forced from their home as economic migrants since 1974. [HL1581]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): We have not made such an assessment. The economic situation of ordinary Turkish Cypriots has improved significantly over the past five years. However, as the World Bank report on north Cyprus recognises, the economy of
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EU: Armed Forces
Lord Pearson of Rannoch asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): EU battlegroups have been on standby since January 2005. Since January 2007, EU battlegroups have been at full operational capability. This means that two battlegroups will be on standby for each six-month period of the battlegroup roster, which currently runs until 2010. Offers are already being received for the period beyond the current roster.
EU: Westminster Scrutiny Reserve
Lord Pearson of Rannoch asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many times they have over-ridden the scrutiny reserve of (a) the House of Commons European Scrutiny Select Committee; and (b) the House of Lords European Union Select Committee; and whether they will provide a list of the proposals thus enacted in each case.[HL1409]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): The table below provides information on the number of over-rides in each House since the Government began sending twice-yearly lists to the chairmen of the House of Lords European Union Committee and the House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee. The House of Lords European Union Committee has commented on the lists in each of its three annual reports since 2004. Figures for the second half of 2006 are currently being compiled and will be sent to the committees shortly.
I am unable to provide a list of the proposals enacted in each case as this would incur disproportionate cost because officials would need to consult the correspondence between the lead Minister and the chairman of the committee to supply the noble Lord with this information.
Housing: Shared Ownership
Lord Corbett of Castle Vale asked Her Majesty's Government:
What assistance is available to people wishing to buy homes on the basis of shared ownership.[HL1438]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): The Government expect more than 160,000 households to access home ownership through private or public shared equity schemes by 2010—doubling original plans.
There are currently three shared equity ownership products:
Open Market HomeBuy—allows the purchaser to choose a home on the open market, which they purchase with the help of an equity loan, alongside a conventional mortgage. Half of the equity loan is provided by their mortgage provider and half by Government. Both equity loans are free from all charges for the first five years;New Build HomeBuy (including the first time buyers initiative)—helps the purchaser to buy a share in a new build property, while paying rent on the unowned share; andSocial HomeBuy—enabling local authority and housing association tenants to buy a share in the property in which they currently live, starting at 25 per cent.New Build and Open Market HomeBuy are open to social tenants, those on housing waiting lists, key workers, and other first time buyers identified as priorities by regional housing boards (RHBs).
Since October 2006, four mortgage lenders (Halifax, Nationwide and Yorkshire Building Societies and Advantage) have jointly funded equity loans for Open Market HomeBuy. This will enable government funding to help twice as many households.
Across the country, 23 new “HomeBuy Agents” are providing a one-stop shop on low-cost home ownership opportunities in their area.
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Immigration: Detainees
Lord Ouseley asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many detainees at immigration detention centres have been moved more than once between centres since 2004. [HL1573]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only by examination of individual records at disproportionate cost.
Immigration: Mental Illness
Lord Ouseley asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many cases of mental illnesses have been diagnosed among detainees at the Immigration Service removal centres since 2002. [HL1572]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: Records of cases where mental illness has been diagnosed are not held centrally. Under the terms of the detention centre rules 2001, detainees are required to be assessed by a doctor with a view to identifying significant mental and physical health needs. The doctor is required to bring to the attention of the centre manager those cases where the doctor's view is that detention should not continue. Such information is brought to the attention of the relevant case holder, who would make a decision on whether detention should cease.
Iraq: Visas
Lord Clement-Jones asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they plan to review their visa policy for business people and students with S1 visas for entry to Iraq. [HL388]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: There are no plans to review the policy on acceptance of Iraqi S-series passports for travel to the United Kingdom, including where these are held by business people or students.
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