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Department for International Development: NGO Funding
Lord Lea of Crondall asked Her Majesty's Government:
What proportion of the funding of United Kingdom development-related non-governmental organisations comes from the Department for International Development. [HL1583]
The Lord President of the Council (Baroness Amos): DfID does not hold information on what proportion of the funding of UK development-related non-governmental organisations comes from DfID. However, in 2005-06, DfID provided grants to UK civil society organisations (CSO) for international development purposes amounting to £261 million.
Embryology
Lord Alton of Liverpool asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 22 January (WA 203-04), why human embryos rather than those of other species are used for basic research; whether such basic research necessarily requires the creation of additional human embryos; and whether they will now provide an Answer to the Question for Written Answer tabled by Lord Alton of Liverpool (HL1046). [HL1646]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The Government have proposed, as part of their review of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act, that the law will make clear that basic research involving human embryos is permissible, subject to controls.
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Schedule 2 to the Act sets out the activities for which licences may be granted. As specified in paragraph 3 of that schedule, licences for the purposes of a project of research involving human embryos cannot authorise any activity unless it appears to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority to be research necessary or desirable for one or more of the purposes specified. Further, the law makes clear that no licence shall be granted unless the authority is satisfied that any proposed use of the embryos is necessary for the purposes of the particular research project.
The Question for Written Answer tabled by Lord Alton of Liverpool (HL1046) was answered on 22 January (WA 203-04), together with HL1043, 1044 and 1045.
Firearms: Airsoft
Baroness Anelay of St Johns asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the commitment by the Minister for Policing, Security and Community Safety, Mr Tony McNulty, on 30 October 2006 (HC Deb, cols 49-50) that the Government would provide a defence from prosecution to those taking part in airsoft activities, and that the defence would be provided within regulations to be issued as a consequence of the provisions of the Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006, what progress has been made in drafting those regulations; and what meetings they have had with organisations representing airsoft since October 2006 so that they may assist with the drafting of the regulations. [HL1718]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): Officials are working closely with representatives of airsoft organisations on the drafting of the regulations and met with them most recently on 10 January. Good progress is being made in defining the defence in such a way that it will apply only to bona fide airsoft activities.
Firearms: Licensing
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
Which police forces have now migrated to the National Firearms Licensing Management System, indicating the date on which each force went live and the dates on which the remaining forces are expected to join the system. [HL1791]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The information requested is given in the attached list.
| Force | GoLive Date |
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
When they expect to link the National Firearms Licensing Management System to the police national computer. [HL1792]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: A data-cleansing exercise is needed before an interface with PNC can be successfully made. This is being carried out on a force by force basis after each has been migrated to NFLMS. Technical and financial assistance is being given. All forces expect to have completed this work by June 2007.
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
What arrangements are in place to link police forces in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to the National Firearms Licensing Management System. [HL1794]
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Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The current NFLMS implementation programme covers all forces in England and Wales. So far, Scotland has not opted to join NFLMS but has augmented the existing firearms field on its criminal history system to include all the categories of information required by Section 39 of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997. They are considering how best to facilitate the exchange of information. Northern Ireland has its own separate firearms legislation and is not covered by these provisions.
Lord Marlesford asked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the main operational-use problems which have emerged with the roll-out of the National Firearms Licensing Management System. [HL1795]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Of the 31 forces so far implementing NFLMS, six have reported intermittent slow running of the system. Each of these forces is being assisted in investigating the problem and identifying a permanent solution. At the local level, work is going on in each force after migration to NFLMS to ensure that locally held data are cleansed. Technical and financial assistance is being given for this.
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