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6 Mar 2007 : Column WA23
Written Answers
Tuesday 6 March 2007
Animal Welfare: Moles
Lord Willoughby de Broke asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they support the European Union ban on the use of strychnine to control moles; and, if so, what more humane and effective alternatives they recommend. [HL2240]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord McKenzie of Luton): The use of strychnine to control moles falls under the remit of the EC biocidal products directive (BPD). The UK Government worked hard with industry for an “essential use” derogation from the directive. This request was declined. While disappointed by the outcome, we are bound by the European Commission's decision.
It is not the responsibility of the Government to recommend alternatives to the use of strychnine. However, there are other proven methods available.
Armed Forces: Nicosia Accommodation
Lord Kilclooney asked Her Majesty's Government:
On what date a government Minister last inspected the accommodation for United Kingdom servicemen in the Ledra Palace, Nicosia; and, if so, whether on that occasion these living conditions were satisfactory. [HL2183]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): It is acknowledged that conditions for our personnel living at Ledra Palace are not satisfactory, and this was confirmed when my right honourable friend the Minister for the Armed Forces visited on 29 September last year. Every effort is being made, through representations to the Government of the Republic of Cyprus and to the United Nations, to improve living conditions there.
Armed Forces: US Missile Defence
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
When they will discuss suggestions for a new United States anti-missile missile system with the United Kingdom's European Security and Defence Policy partners in the European Union; and what contents will feature in such discussions. [HL2298]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): The European Security and Defence Policy gives the European Union the capability to undertake civilian and military crisis management operations. It does not provide collective defence capability and therefore has no competence to consider ballistic missile defence.
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Aviation: Eurocontrol
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
How they will respond to suggestions by Eurocontrol, the air navigation safety agency, for eventual unification of national air control systems; and what practical problems they would anticipate in such unification. [HL2297]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Government are fully committed to the European Commission's initiative to create a single European sky and, in particular, the project to develop the new generation European air traffic management system (SESAR). The initial phase of SESAR, which is being led by Eurocontrol, will finish in 2008 and will result in a master plan for the delivery of the new system.
Until the master plan is finalised, it is not possible to quantify the practical problems that may arise.
Aviation: Staff Rest Periods
Lord Bradshaw asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 20 February (WA 216), whether the Irish Aviation Authority is able to lay down safety standards, including adequate rest periods for staff, for aeroplanes using United Kingdom airports. [HL2177]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Irish Government have given the Irish Aviation Authority primary responsibility for the discharge of their responsibilities under the Chicago Convention. The annexes to the convention set out the international safety standards to be applied by all signatory states and include those governing duty and rest periods for aircrew.
The powers of the Irish Aviation Authority are contained in Irish legislation. That legislation enables the IAA to make regulations to establish appropriate safety standards for domestic and international flights by Irish airlines and aircraft.
Her Majesty's Government have no reason to doubt that the IAA has the capability to lay down such regulations. The Irish Aviation Authority was audited in 2001 by the International Civil Aviation Organisation as part of its universal safety oversight audit programme, and a follow-up audit took place in 2003. The audit report states that the primary legislation and civil aviation regulations were found to be comprehensive.
Banks: Charges
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their response to the public campaign to secure lower bank charges to individual customers of United Kingdom banks. [HL2273]
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Lord Davies of Oldham: The Office of Fair Trading, which is an independent body, is currently carrying out an inquiry into these charges under the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations (1999). It would not be appropriate for Government to comment on an independent inquiry.
Bloody Sunday Inquiry
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the £139.48 million spent by the Northern Ireland Office on the Bloody Sunday Inquiry has come out of the Northern Ireland Office block grant; and, if not, what was the source of the funding.[HL1343]
Lord Rooker: Expenditure by the Northern Ireland Office on the Bloody Sunday Inquiry is made from the NIO’s departmental expenditure limit (DEL), which is the department's annual budget allocated by HM Treasury during each spending review process.
British Citizenship
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Under what circumstances a person would have failed to become a British overseas citizen on 1 July 1997 if he (a) ceased to be a British Dependent Territories citizen immediately after 30 June 1997 by operation of the Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order 1986; (b) did not register, for whatever reason, as a British National (Overseas); and (c) did not hold any other form of nationality or citizenship immediately after 30 June 1997. [HL2105]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): Section 6 of the Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order 1986 provides for the automatic acquisition of British overseas citizenship for those who might otherwise be stateless through the loss of British Dependent Territories citizenship for those who held that status through qualifying connection with Hong Kong. Her Majesty's Government would not envisage that anyone would have failed to become a British overseas citizen if they did not hold some other form of nationality.
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Why the Home Office Nationality Policy Directorate's nationality instructions state that a person of Nepali ethnic origin, who is British by birth in Hong Kong and who held British National (Overseas) status, loses citizenship of Nepal automatically when he reaches the age of 21, whereas a person who held British Dependent Territories citizenship retains citizenship of Nepal on reaching that age; what is the basis in Nepalese law for this differentiation between British National (Overseas) status and British Dependent Territories citizenship; and whether they will place any relevant information in the Library of the House. [HL2289]
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Baroness Scotland of Asthal: There are currently no formal instructions issued to nationality caseworkers about the provisions of Nepalese nationality law. We are waiting for clarification on this from the Nepalese authorities. Once this is received, it will be placed in the House Library.
Cameroon: Elections
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
What information they have received about complaints by opposition parties concerning the registration of electors in Cameroon, about progress towards implementing the law creating an autonomous electoral body, Elections Cameroon, in Cameroon ahead of this year's parliamentary and municipal elections and about the publication of the results of the 2006 general population and housing census. [HL2292]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): The UK has not received any specific complaints from opposition parties concerning the registration of electors in Cameroon, although we are aware that in previous elections there have been complaints that many who wished to vote were unable to register to do so. The Government of Cameroon are making good progress to fulfil a pledge made to computerise the electoral roll. When completed, this should greatly assist transparency, since voters and political parties should have access to it and be able to see who is registered to vote in individual constituencies.
The independent electoral body ELECAM was voted into law by the National Assembly at the end of 2006. The law provides for a transitional period of up to 18 months, during which ELECAM will assume the functions now carried out by the Interior Ministry and the National Elections Observatory. We are aware of the preference among some opposition politicians for a postponement of the forthcoming elections until ELECAM is in a position to run them. There is no sign that the Government will pursue the option of a postponement, which would present problems under the constitution. The international community, in Yaoundé, including the UK, is urging the Government of Cameroon to press on with the implementation of ELECAM as quickly as possible.
We are aware of a general level of dissatisfaction among the opposition and others that the results of the latest census are yet to be published and have pressed the Government of Cameroon to expedite this.
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the United Kingdom or the Commonwealth is providing any technical or financial assistance to support the creation of the electoral body, Elections Cameroon, or the publication of the results of the 2006 general population and housing census in Cameroon. [HL2293]
6 Mar 2007 : Column WA27
Lord Triesman: The UK is not currently providing any technical or financial assistance to support the creation of ELECAM, although officials and Ministers from Cameroon visited the UK in 2006 to examine our electoral arrangements.
The Commonwealth has been Cameroon's partner in developing a blueprint for ELECAM. It sent expert groups twice to Cameroon to assist in drafting legislation and paid for key Ministers to visit a sample of countries to review election commissions. It is currently encouraging them to appoint ELECAM members before the legislative/municipal elections scheduled for this year. If they do so, the Commonwealth will offer technical assistance.
As far as we are aware, neither the UK nor the Commonwealth has received any requests in connection with assistance to publish the results of the 2006 census.
Compensation
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 2 November 2006 (WA52), how much the Home Office has paid out in compensation to (a) current and (b) former employees in each of the past five years. [HL1783]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The department maintains records of compensation payments, but to determine the amounts that were paid specifically to current or former employees could be done only at disproportionate cost.
Construction Industry: Skills Shortages
Lord Jones of Cheltenham asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will (a) add quantity surveyors and construction project managers to the United Kingdom skills shortage list; and (b) relax the rules on granting extended work permits to suitably qualified quantity surveyors and construction project managers. [HL2172]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The Home Office has recently received representations from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors requesting that quantity surveyors be added to the shortage occupation list. The supporting research is currently being assessed, in consultation with appropriate stakeholders, and a decision will be made shortly. No representation has been made for the addition of construction project managers to the shortage occupation list.
There are no plans to revise the rules on granting extended work permits to suitably qualified quantity surveyors and construction project managers.
6 Mar 2007 : Column WA28
Crime: Double Effect
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their understanding of the doctrine of “double effect” and its place in the common law relating to homicide. [HL2304]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The Government understand the “double effect” doctrine to be the idea that doing something harmful may be permissible if it is the unintended consequence of a good action. We believe that there is no single agreed approach to the doctrine by philosophers, lawyers or academics.
The Government's understanding of the doctrine's place in the law of homicide is informed by the Law Commission's recent analysis in its consultation paper A New Homicide Act for England and Wales? A Consultation Paper, a copy of which is available in the Library. The relevant paragraphs are 4.72 to 4.91.
Crime: Rape
Lord Campbell-Savours asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Filkin on 17 February 2003 (WA150-51) and the Written Answer by Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 29 November 2006 (WA56), why the given numbers of awards by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority to victims of rape in 2001-02 differ. [HL1856]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The information given in both Answers was in fact correct but relates to different data. The 2003 Answer gave information about the number of awards made for “non-consensual vaginal and/or anal intercourse”, while the 2006 Answer gave information about the number of awards made when the “incident type” was initially recorded as rape. I will write to the noble Lord with a fuller explanation.
Crime: Reoffending
Lord Dholakia asked Her Majesty's Government:
What proportion of crimes in England and Wales they estimate to be committed by (a) released prisoners and (b) offenders who have received community sentences. [HL2084]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The information requested is not collected centrally.
6 Mar 2007 : Column WA29
Criminal Records Bureau
Lord Morris of Manchester asked Her Majesty's Government:
What representations they have received on the Halle Orchestra's concerns in relation to the risks involved for children and vulnerable adults in the Criminal Records Bureau's current procedures; what reply they will send; and whether there is any action they will be taking. [HL2050]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): No representations have been received regarding the Halle Orchestra's concerns in relation to risks involved for children and vulnerable adults in the Criminal Records Bureau's current procedures and no reply has therefore been issued. If the Halle Orchestra has any concerns about risks to children and vulnerable adults arising from CRB procedures, it should contact the bureau immediately.
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