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Iraq: Removals
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 11 January (WA63) on enforced removals to Iraq, on what dates charter flights to Iraq have been undertaken since that date, or are scheduled for the future; and, in each case, how many passengers were carried or are expected to be carried. [HL1541]
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The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): A charter flight took place on 5 September 2006 on which 32 Iraqi nationals were removed. A further charter flight is planned for February 2007 with a view to removing up to 38 Iraqi nationals.
Iraq: Smuggling of Explosives
Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty's Government:
What progress United Kingdom Armed Forces deployed in south-east Iraq have made in developing and supporting the capabilities of the Iraqi navy and border force to control the smuggling of improvised explosive devices. [HL2132]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): Multi-National Division (South-East) conducts training of the Iraqi navy and the Coastguard and Inland Waterways Department (CGIWD). We have a naval training team in Umm Qasr port, which works with the Iraqi navy, and we have elements of MND(SE) actively operating in the port to counter smuggling of all types. We have also conducted a number of joint operations with the Iraqi navy and CGIWD to counter smuggling along the Shaat Al Arab waterway.
The Maysan battlegroup continues to operate in the border regions of Maysan province with elements of the Department of Border Enforcement (DBE). This has also included deployments that have operated with the DBE in the southern marshland areas of the province.
MND(SE) has also recently carried out a joint operation with the DBE and Iraqi security forces that involved the temporary closures of border crossing points between Iraq and Iran. This was aimed at disrupting the flow of illegal imports into Iraq. This also allowed the facilities at crossings to be improved and allowed for further training opportunities for the DBE.
Israel and Palestine: Movement Restrictions
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their response to the report by Mr John Dugard, the United Nations human rights investigator in the occupied Palestinian territories, on Israel's restrictions on movements of non-Jews. [HL2271]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): We are very concerned by the ongoing movement restrictions highlighted in the report of John Dugard, UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967. These restrictions include checkpoints, roadblocks and the barrier.
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We call on both parties to implement the 15 November 2005 agreement on movement and access. We have repeatedly raised our concerns about movement and access with the Government of Israel. My right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary raised the issue of movement and access with Israeli Defence Minister Peretz on 6 February. We last raised our concerns about this with the Israeli Government on 19 February.
Israel and Palestine: Prisoners
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
What representations they will make to the Government of Israel about the future of approximately 7,000 Palestinian detainees held without due process in Israeli prisons. [HL2272]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): We continue to monitor the situation with regard to all Palestinian prisoners. Most Palestinian prisoners have been tried by Israeli courts and have the right of appeal. However, we have concerns about Palestinian prisoners who are being held in administrative detention. All Palestinian prisoners should have access to a fair trial and we call on Israel to comply with international law. We will continue to raise our concerns with the Israeli authorities.
Local Government: Public Holidays
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will allow individual local authorities to designate specific days as public holidays within their own areas of responsibility. [HL2337]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Truscott): The present pattern of bank and public holidays is well established and accepted. Therefore the Government have no plans to change the arrangements.
Official Meetings: Mr Philip Anschutz
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport or any official within her office has had contact with Mr Philip Anschutz or any of his associates since 1 January 2006; if so, on what date the contact occurred; and what was the nature of such contact. [HL2139]
Lord Davies of Oldham: We have no record of any such contact involving the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport or her private office since 1 January 2006.
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Olympic Games 2012: Costs
Lord Luke asked Her Majesty's Government:
Why, as stated in the Times on 20 December 2006, the Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not consider the expense of relocating businesses in order to vacate the Olympic Park as part of the core costs of the 2012 Olympic Games; and for what purpose the businesses are being located. [HL2128]
Lord Davies of Oldham: I refer the noble Lord to my Answer to him of 20 February 2007 (Official Report, col. WA 232).
Olympic Games 2012: Transportation of Materials
Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:
What proportion of construction materials for the Stratford Olympics site are planned to be brought to the site by rail or water; and with which organisations in these industries the Olympic Delivery Authority is in active discussions in order to develop the necessary plans and facilities to achieve this. [HL2269]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The ODA's sustainable development strategy, published on 23 January, sets out its aim to maximise the environmental and health benefits of its transportation and logistics planning for materials during the enabling works and construction phases of the Olympic programme. It aspires for at least 50 per cent of materials, by weight, to be transported to the Olympic Park by water or rail during construction, minimising the impact on the surrounding community and road networks. Where road transportation is used, the ODA will facilitate full journeys, palletised deliveries and routine road shipments, and this will be managed through a mandatory delivery management programme.
The ODA is working closely with British Waterways, Transport for London, the Department for Transport, Network Rail and the Port of London Authority to find ways to transport materials by water and rail. This will be facilitated by water level control of the waterways through the new lock and water control structure on Prescott Channel announced by British Waterways on 28 February.
Passports: Interviews
Lord Roberts of Llandudno asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 12 October 2006 (Official Report, col. 360), how many of the 605 staff for passport interview offices have been recruited; and what has been the staff cost since recruitment to February 2007. [HL2267]
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The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): Of the staff needed to work in the interview offices, 55 have been recruited and have started work. The salary costs of these staff to the end of January total £607,127. A further 539 persons have been offered jobs.
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Under what circumstances a British consular post can refuse to accept an application for a passport where the applicant submits a properly completed application form and supporting documents evidencing that, on the normal balance of probabilities, he is eligible to hold a British passport, and pays the relevant fee; whether, in those cases, the post can decline to give written reasons for the refusal; and under what circumstances the post is authorised to discourage a person from applying. [HL2288]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): Passports overseas are issued at the discretion of the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, exercising the royal prerogative. The eligibility for British nationality and the subsequent issue of a British passport are decided by applying the relevant nationality law.
Posts overseas are advised to accept all applications for British passports, but can refuse to issue passports to certain clearly defined categories of individual. Posts are encouraged to give written reasons for the refusal and may discourage an individual from applying if it is clear that the person is not eligible for British nationality and therefore a British passport.
Police: Northern Ireland
Lord Maginnis of Drumglass asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 6 February (WA129-30), what requirements were stipulated in the job specification for the post of Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland in 2001; and whether they propose to make any changes when the post is re-advertised in 2007. [HL2067]
Lord Rooker: The requirements for the post of Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland were stated in the application form for the post and included the competences: leadership and teamwork, organisation awareness/knowledge, developing and maintaining networks, managing financial and physical resources, judgment and decision-making, and customer service. The appointment process for the next Police Ombudsman will begin shortly. In line with the practice for all public appointments, this will begin with consideration of the job specification.
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Lord Maginnis of Drumglass asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answers by Lord Rooker on 5 February (WA98-101), what assessment they have made of the work output and value for money of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (PONI); whether they will review the number of investigating officers employed by the PONI; and whether they have any proposals to reduce the PONI's budget. [HL2113]
Lord Rooker: Evaluation of the work output and value for money of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland is an ongoing process through assessment of annual budgetary estimates and programmes submitted by the office and in-year monitoring of expenditure in keeping with public expenditure accountability processes and requirements. The ombudsman is responsible for determining staffing levels, including investigating officers, within allocated budgets. There are no plans to reduce the budget allocated to the Office of the Police Ombudsman.
Police: Reorganisation
Lord Jopling asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answers by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 26 January (WA26) and 1 February (WA79) on the proposed police reorganisation, why the payment made to the Lincolnshire authority exceeded the upper limit of £100,000 set by the Government. [HL2042]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): Lincolnshire Police Authority had committed to a contract for programme office premises on behalf of all five east Midlands region authorities on advice from the Home Office, prior to their merger plans being halted. Given that this cost substantially raised the amount of this authority's additional expenditure, and the total claimed by the other authorities in the region had been reduced as a consequence, we agreed that this additional commitment should be reimbursed in isolation from considering Lincolnshire's other additional costs.
Lord Jopling asked Her Majesty's Government:
How they arrived at the figure of £100,000 as the upper limit for compensation to police authorities for expenditure on merger plans; and what consultation was held with the authorities before the figure was decided. [HL2043]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: The police authorities were invited to submit claims for their additional expenditure on merger plans. An upper limit of £100,000 was set to ensure that the total amount paid to police authorities was affordable from available funds and that it would provide a threshold under which the majority of forces could expect to be fully reimbursed for their additional costs on this work.
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Lord Jopling asked Her Majesty's Government:
Why the Cumbria and Lancashire police authorities, which had undertaken a voluntary pilot merger, were compensated in full for the work carried out when an upper limit of £100,000 was applied to other authorities. [HL2044]
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: Cumbria and Lancashire were an exceptional case in the preparations for mergers as they formed the pilot for the merger process and had advanced further in their preparations for amalgamation than the other police authorities. It had been agreed before the national plans for mergers were halted that the Home Office would reimburse Lancashire and Cumbria for the cost of their joint programme office and would further fund their pioneer work towards developing lessons learnt by undergoing the merger process on an accelerated timetable.
Prisoners: Absconds
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many prisoners absconded from open prisons in the east of England region in each of the last 10 years, broken down by each institution; how many absconded for more than six months; and how many were not recaptured. [HL2187]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): In the east of England region, there is one open prison, Hollesley Bay, and another that has an open element, Norwich prison. The total number of absconds from each establishment is set out in the following table. Accurate data on recaptures are not currently available.
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