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Health and Safety Executive: Furniture
Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:
Why the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has a notice in its meeting rooms warning of the risks of moving furniture and requesting 48 hours’ notice before furniture is moved; and whether the HSE will require other government offices to issue the same notice. [HL2058]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord McKenzie of Luton): The HSE's approach to moving furniture in its offices is based on its own assessment of the risks from manual handling—one of the main causes of work-related absence among its staff. Where furniture needs to be moved regularly, it is mounted on lockable wheels so that any staff can move it easily. For other, bulky and cumbersome furniture, arrangements have been made with porters to move it safely; signs have therefore been posted in some meeting rooms advising staff of this arrangement.
The relevant legislation, the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, is goal-setting and requires organisations to find and implement arrangements that are appropriate to their particular circumstances. There is no intention that the solution adopted by HSE should be imposed inflexibly on other government offices.
Health and Safety: Workplace Accidents
Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the accident rate for workplace accidents per 100,000 people in 2005-06 in relation to (a) each industry subject to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Rules; and (b) the Health and Safety Executive head office. [HL2059]
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord McKenzie of Luton): The information requested is set out below.
For 2005-06, the rate of RIDDOR reportable injuries to HSE staff members in HSE head offices was 107 per 100,000. In the HSE there is a high level of reporting of injuries, particularly of RIDDOR reportable incidents, so these figures are likely to be as close to reality as practicable.
Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether HSE guidelines on workplace risks place an onus on workers to take reasonable care of themselves. [HL2060]
Lord McKenzie of Luton: Section 7 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 imposes a general duty on every employee while at work to take reasonable care for his own health and safety and that of other people who may be affected by his acts or omissions at work. This general duty is supplemented by Regulation 14 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, which requires employees to use work equipment properly and to inform their employer of any serious danger to health and safety in the workplace. HSE guidance aimed at employees reminds them of their responsibilities.
Health: Therapy
Baroness Turner of Camden asked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they are taking to ensure that therapy is available, particularly for the elderly, following hospital treatment. [HL2081]
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The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): Through the provision of intermediate care services, patients who would otherwise be required to remain in hospital for long periods have access to a short period of community-based intensive rehabilitation and treatment or intensive care. The NHS Plan set clear targets for the expansion of intermediate care services and since 1999-2000 the National Health Service has delivered an extra 18,253 beds and places in intermediate care.
Housing: Mobile Homes
Baroness Scott of Needham Market asked Her Majesty's Government:
When they will bring forward amendments to the Mobile Homes Act 1983 to eliminate the incompatibility of the present arrangements with the European Convention on Human Rights as found by the European Court of Human Rights in Connors v UK. [HL2161]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): Following the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in the case of Connors v United Kingdom, the Government are seeking a legislative opportunity to improve the security of tenure of Gypsies and Travellers on local authority sites, to prevent residents on these sites from being evicted without good cause.
Iraq: Militias
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have been consulted by the United States authorities in Baghdad on what response should be given by the allied coalition to the offer of negotiations by militant resistance groups leading to peace talks and the end of fighting. [HL2118]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): We are working in close consultation with the Iraqi and US Governments and with coalition military authorities in planning how best to encourage national reconciliation and the demobilisation of militant forces.
Iraq: Smuggling of Explosives
Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Government of Iraq have provided the Government with an update on their initiatives to press Iran to cut off links with armed groups operating in Iraq, and to improve border security to help to stem the smuggling of improvised explosive devices. [HL2135]
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): The multinational force in Iraq co-operates closely with the Iraqi security forces in their efforts to stem the flow of weapons entering the country. On 15 February 2007, the Government of Iraq closed their border crossing points with Iran. This pause in operations was used to improve search facilities and crossing procedures at six of these crossing points, all of which have now reopened. The remaining crossing points will be closed indefinitely. In parallel, the Government of Iraq have engaged politically with the Iranian Government, to urge Iran to help to prevent the smuggling of material that might be used to attack Iraqi or multinational forces.
Lebanon: Reconstruction
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
How much money pledged by the Government and their international partners for reconstruction in Lebanon has so far been made available; how much has been spent; whether there is a timetable for the balance of contributions; and whether soft loans included in the total will be used to reduce existing debt. [HL2191]
The Lord President of the Council (Baroness Amos): The international community pledged collectively US$7.6 billion in loans and grants to Lebanon at the Paris III conference on 25 January. The commitments span several years. Precise figures for the sums already spent by donors in Lebanon do not yet exist and there is no single timetable. The Government of Lebanon announced last week that they intended to form a committee of major donor countries and other organisations in March to help to monitor the spending of funds pledged at the Paris III conference.
The soft loans will not reduce the overall debt, but some of the loans are intended to help to ease Lebanon's debt service obligations; for example, a US$300 million loan from United Arab Emirates was issued on 20 February and will be used to pay annual debt service. The Government of Lebanon intend to reduce the overall amount of debt by implementing their economic reform programme.
NHS: GP Earnings
Lord Oakeshott of Seagrove Bay asked Her Majesty's Government:
By how much the increase in earnings of general practitioners from the National Health Service over the past three years has increased the capital value of their pension entitlements. [HL1964]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): Under the general practitioner dynamisation settlement decided by the Secretary of State for 2003-08, it is estimated that the increase in the overall scheme liability has been limited to £1.5 billion, of which approximately £1 billion is
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Planning: Canatxx and Byley
Lord De Mauley asked Her Majesty's Government:
Why there was a delay in the ministerial decisions following the planning inquiries in respect of Canatxx and Byley. [HL2238]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): The Canatxx inquiry closed on 5 May 2006, and the timetable set for the decision to be issued is on or before 19 October 2007. The Byley inquiry closed on 19 December 2002, with a joint DTI/ODPM decision being issued on 19 May 2004. The timetables in both cases reflect the fact that these are extremely unusual, technical and complex cases.
Police: Northern Ireland
Lord Maginnis of Drumglass asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many complaints have been made by members of the public or serving police officers against the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland since the office was established; who investigated these complaints; and what was the outcome of each. [HL1489]
Lord Rooker: The chief executive of the Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland is responsible for addressing all complaints coming to the office and ensures that all such matters are examined within the satisfaction policy and procedures in place. In matters relating to investigations, managers or directors who have had no involvement in the case in question will review or reinvestigate complaints. A total of 44 complaints have been received over the past six years, 30 of these from members of the public and 14 from police officers. Six complaints are still under examination, nine were resolved to the complainant's satisfaction, two apologies were accepted by complainants, one apology was not accepted by the complainant, one member of staff resigned following complaint, one member of staff was dismissed following proceedings, 21 complaints were closed following explanation or clarification given, and three were found to be vexatious complaints.
Trade
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
What special measures they will take to reduce the United Kingdom trade deficit of £56 billion in 2006. [HL2116]
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Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government's strategy continues to be to ensure that there is strong competition in every UK market by promoting openness to free trade, minimising product market regulation and ensuring that the UK's competition enforcement authorities are world class. Similarly, the Government actively engage trading partners to
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The economy is very different from when the deficit last peaked in 1989. The current account deficit was 5.1 per cent in 1989, whereas it was just 2.4 per cent of GDP in 2005. Moreover, the current account can be readily financed.
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