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PSNI records charges by republican and loyalist grouping. The figures are not broken down by specific paramilitary groups; this would incur a disproportionate cost. In relation to the religion of the victims I would refer the noble Lord to the book Lost Lives.
Lord Maginnis of Drumglass asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the proportion of persons charged with terrorist murder in Northern Ireland set against the nature of the group responsible for those killings between 30 June 1983 and 30 June 1996 indicates any bias by the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. [HL1681]
Lord Rooker: The table below provides a breakdown of security force, civilian and total murders by loyalist and republican groups.
Railways: Virgin Trains
Lord Bradshaw asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their response to reports that negotiations with Virgin Trains about providing extra carriages for the west coast railway line have collapsed; and, if they have collapsed, how they propose to deal with the likely overcrowding. [HL1949]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: Negotiations still continue with Virgin Trains and their partners over the provision of additional cars for Pendolino trains.
Roads: Road Pricing Petition
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many of the e-mail addresses on the Downing Street online road pricing petition are registered Department for Transport accounts or from any of its agencies; and [HL2280]
How many of the e-mail addresses on the Downing Street online road pricing petition are registered Cabinet Office accounts or from any of its agencies; and [HL2281]
How many of the e-mail addresses on the Downing Street online road pricing petition are registered HM Treasury accounts or from any of its agencies; and [HL2282]
How many of the e-mail addresses on the Downing Street online road pricing petition are registered Home Office accounts or from any of its agencies; and [HL2283]
How many of the e-mail addresses on the Downing Street online road pricing petition are registered Department for Work and Pensions accounts or from any of its agencies. [HL2284]
Lord Davies of Oldham: I refer the noble Lord to the Answer given by my right honourable friend the Prime Minister to the honourable Member for North East Hertfordshire (Oliver Heald), in the other place, on Monday 5 March, (Official Report, col. 1668W).
Schools: Northern Ireland
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether there will be sufficient places in Northern Ireland in integrated schools at secondary level, to meet the needs of pupils now attending integrated primary schools, and of increased parental demand in future years; if not, what plans they have for increasing provision of places at integrated secondary schools; and what assessment they have made of the impact on such provision of possible devolution and the recommendations in the Bain Report.[HL2287]
Lord Rooker: The Department of Education has a duty to encourage and facilitate the development of integrated education and also a duty to ensure that parental choice is balanced against the provision of efficient instruction and training, and the avoidance of unreasonable public expenditure. Proposals to increase enrolments at integrated secondary schools either through expansion of intakes at existing schools, or the establishment of new grant-maintained schools are the subject of a formal development proposal consultation process. The Minister for Education considers carefully all relevant factors before deciding on such proposals.
The Bain report advocated not a single approach to integration but a more pervasive and inclusive strategy focused on a dynamic approach of integrating education across the schools system. The report contains a number of recommendations on integration and collaboration and the Government have announced that they have accepted the report's recommendations.
The provision of places under devolution would be a matter for the local administration.
Sport: Windsor Park Football Ground
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What proposals they have to assist in the repair of Windsor Park Football Ground, Belfast, in preparation for Northern Ireland home international matches. [HL2357]
Lord Rooker: Responsibility for bringing forward proposals to assist in the repair of Windsor Park Football Ground, Belfast, in preparation for Northern Ireland international matches rests with Linfield Football Club and the Irish Football Association (IFA).
The IFA is currently developing a programme to help improve football grounds in Northern Ireland, including Windsor Park. The Sports Council for Northern Ireland, which is responsible for the development of sport in NI including the distribution of funding, is assisting the IFA with the development of this programme.
Statutory Instruments: Defra
Baroness Byford asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs statutory instruments that were passed in 2006 were new; and how many were upgraded pieces of regulation. [HL2397]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): Defra made 90 new statutory instruments in 2006. Defra revoked and re-made another 64 statutory instruments.
Vehicles: End-of-Life Directive
Earl Attlee asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the relevant trade associations will have an opportunity to study the wording of the Environment Agency's guidance on end-of-life vehicles before it is implemented. [HL2384]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): Draft guidance on end-of-life vehicles, which the Environment Agency (EA) plans to issue shortly, has already been shared and discussed with trade and other relevant bodies. The EA also plans to allow further review of the final document prior to its release. This will not be a formal consultation but will allow any issues of clarity to be picked up.
Waste Management: Boreholes
The Countess of Mar asked Her Majesty's Government:
What scientific studies have been conducted on the effects on human health, animal health and the environment of leaching of chemicals into land and water supplies and of dust from the deposits of toxic chemical wastes in the localities of (a) Brofiskin; (b) Maendy; (c) Penrhos; (d) Ruabon; (e) Wrexham; (f) Dalton; (g) Rayleigh; and (h) Newport. [HL2353]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker):Brofiscin, Rhondda Cynon Taf: The Environment Agency (EA) advises that this quarry has been the subject of several studies, two by the Water Research Centre following closure of the site, and the others since 2001 following implementation pf Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. A summary of the reports can be found in the table below.
Studies have included: assessment of the waste mass; human health studies, to assess the potential impact through direct exposure or via any vapour or dust generated from the site; and surveys to assess the impact on groundwater and surface water.
Current studies relate to the significant pollutant linkages on the Record of Determination (ground and surface waters), and an assessment of appropriate remedial options for the site.
Maendy, Rhondda Cynon Taf: I understand from Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council that no health studies have been conducted at this site. However, in 1975, the Department of the Environment carried out a study on possible water contamination by leachates. The site has been identified as warranting further investigation.
Penrhos, Caerphilly: According to Caerphilly county borough council, risk assessments and other studies were carried out in 1996, 1997, 2001, 2003 and 2005, by various consultants.
Ruabon and Wrexham: I assume the noble Countess refers to the Monsanto chemical waste tip to the north of Rhosllanerchrugog, and the adjacent Llwyneinion acid tar lagoon. The regulator, Wrexham county borough council, has advised that it has records only for the first of these sites.
Investigations in 1995 into the first site's potential impacts on groundwater, surface water and human health resulted in remedial work being carried out. Following new legislation and guidance, further studies are under way. All relevant pathways are being considered, such as inhalation, dermal contact, ingestion, and leaching through permeable ground strata. No scientific studies are known to have been carried out at the second site.
Newport, South Wales: I assume the noble Countess refers to the Solutia site at this location. Solutia UK has conducted environmental risk assessment of Polychlorobiphenyl (PCB) releases to the Severn Estuary. These are fugitive releases to water from historic contamination (spillage at the site rather than any waste deposits) underneath the site. It included assessment of the opportunities for bio-accumulation within the food chain and the potential for human health risks. The Food Standards Agency reviewed the assessment and concluded that “the operation is unlikely to have any unacceptable effects on the human food chain”.
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