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15 Mar 2007 : Column WA145
Written Answers
Thursday 15 March 2007
Abortion
Lord Patten asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have any plans to commission further research into the causes and treatment of the post traumatic stress disorder, post-abortion syndrome. [HL2468]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The safety and psychological effects of abortion were considered by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) in its updated evidence-based guideline, The Care of Women Requesting Induced Abortion (2004). In updating the guidance, the RCOG took account of the most recent national and international evidence. This is taken into account in the recommendations concerning information for women and abortion aftercare. The guideline recommends that referral for further counselling should be available for the small minority of women who experience long-term post-abortion distress.
The department has no current plans to commission an independent study of the long-term effects of abortion on the health of women, but keeps all new and emerging evidence under review.
Agriculture: Wages
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many complaints they have received from migrant workers about non-payment or delayed payment of wages; of these, how many referred to payments lower than the national minimum wage or the levels set by the agricultural wages order; and whether they have received complaints of abuses relating to accommodation and other matters.[HL2556]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The information requested is not available.
Aviation: Engine Lubricants
Lord Tyler asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, in light of Lord Rooker's comments on 26 October 2006 (HL Deb, cols. 1283—84), they have commissioned research, independent of airlines and aircraft, engine and lubricant manufacturers, into the possible health risks from the use of organophosphates in aircraft engine lubricants. [HL2512]
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The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): No research has been commissioned.
The Department for Transport has asked the department to undertake an independent scientific review of data submitted by the British Airline Pilots Association (BALPA). BALPA submitted data relating to organophosphates, the cabin air environment, ill-health in aircraft crews and the possible relationship to smoke/fume events in aircraft. The discussions are still ongoing by the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT). The next meeting of the COT is on 20 March 2007. The relevant papers can be found on its website at: www.advisorybodies.doh.gov.uk/cotnonfood/index.htm and www.food.gov.uk/science/ouradvisors/toxicity/
British Citizenship
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 18 January (WA 172) on discussions with Nepal on citizenship law, whether they will include in the list of matters to be raised by the Minister for International Development during his visit to Nepal next week, a request to the Nepalese authorities to confirm that the record of the meeting on 22 November 2006 prepared by the United Kingdom accurately sets out the Nepalese position. [HL2433]
The Lord President of the Council (Baroness Amos): My honourable friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for International Development was unfortunately unable to visit Nepal.
Officials at the British Embassy in Kathmandu continue to seek confirmation from relevant officials at the Ministry of Home Affairs, that our record of the meeting on 22 November 2006 accurately sets out the Nepalese position.
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether it is a requirement that a person must hold a valid British National (Overseas) passport to register as a British citizen under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1997; and if not, why the Ethnic Minorities Citizenship Unit of the British Consulate-General in Hong Kong advises callers that they are ineligible to apply for British citizenship if they do not hold a British National (Overseas) passport. [HL2549]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): It is not a requirement to hold a valid British National (Overseas) passport and callers are not advised they are ineligible to apply for any reason. However, potential applicants will be advised if British Consulate-General officials in Hong Kong consider that an application will not be successful.
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Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
What information needs to be provided when requesting an appointment to register as a British citizen at the Ethnic Minorities Citizenship Unit of the British Consulate-General in Hong Kong; under what circumstances it is lawful for a caller to be denied a request for such an appointment; and whether an appointment may be requested by sending the unit a written request by post, e-mail or fax. [HL2550]
Lord Triesman: An appointment may be made by post, e-mail, fax or phone call. A request for an appointment is never denied. Name and contact details are the only information needed to make an appointment.
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Baroness Scotland of Asthal on 26 June 2006 (WA 120), whether passport officers at British consular posts abroad are issued with guidance that the standard of proof for establishing an ipso jure claim to British citizenship, British Overseas Territories citizenship, British Overseas citizenship, British National (Overseas), British subject and British protected person status is the normal balance of probabilities; and, if not, whether they will issue such guidance to British consular posts and place a copy in the Library of the House. [HL2551]
Lord Triesman: Guidance to Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff on issuing passports overseas is centred upon the provisions of the various British Nationality Acts which establish how a claim to British nationality can be derived. There is no provision in any of the Acts for determining a claim to British nationality on the balance of probabilities.
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Why certain applicants for British citizenship at the British Consulate-General in Hong Kong are being asked by officers at that unit to sign a declaration stating that they do not hold British nationality when it is a requirement under the relevant legislation that they are solely a British national on certain dates; and whether they will explain under what circumstances such a declaration is needed. [HL2552]
Lord Triesman: The British Consulate-General in Hong Kong uses no such declaration.
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether a person who became a British Overseas citizen on 1 July 1997 by virtue of Article 6(1) of the Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order 1986 may lose that citizenship without lawfully making a declaration of renunciation on form RN1 and paying the relevant fee; and whether any person has ceased to be a British Overseas citizen without making such a declaration. [HL2553]
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Lord Triesman: Once an individual becomes a British Overseas citizen, they retain this status until they successfully renounce or register as a British citizen.
British Coal Compensation
Lord Lofthouse of Pontefract asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have conducted any investigation into the Miners and General Workers Compensation Recovery Unit which trades in miners' industrial disease claims. [HL2563]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Truscott): No such investigation has been undertaken.
Lord Lofthouse of Pontefract asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their response to the recent announcement by the chairman of the Solicitors Regulation Authority of a further investigation into solicitors involved in the improper referral of personal injury and industry disease cases. [HL2564]
Lord Truscott: The Government are pleased to note that progress is being made, but it is important that the Law Society continues to explore ways to improve the service that is offered to these claimants.
Lord Lofthouse of Pontefract asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their response to the recent statement by the chairman of the Solicitors Regulation Authority about the progress in the disciplinary cases being pursued against solicitors involved in the British Coal litigation. [HL2565]
Lord Truscott: Progress is being made though not as quickly as the Government would like. It is important that these investigations are pursued thoroughly to conclusion so that both claimants and solicitors can be assured that justice has been served and processes going forward meet the required standards.
Lord Lofthouse of Pontefract asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have made an assessment of the legal representation available to retired miners, their widows and families in pursuing complaints against their former solicitors in the British Coal litigation; whether they will provide the names of solicitors who have provided such legal service; and whether those solicitors have acted pro bono. [HL2566]
Lord Truscott: No such assessment has been made.
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Lord Lofthouse of Pontefract asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will make an assessment of the report by Lord Lofthouse of Pontefract into the British Coal vibration white finger litigation, British Coal respiratory disease litigation and British Coal industrial deafness litigation, which will be placed in the Library of the House on 18 April. [HL2567]
Lord Truscott: The Government will consider this request once the forthcoming report is available.
British Overseas Territories
Lord Hoyle asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the rights of those who live in British Overseas Territories can be taken away from them. [HL2469]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): In general, rights of the individual established under the constitution of an Overseas Territory, or provided for in other legislation, can only be taken away by passing amending legislation. Rights of the individual established by a treaty, which has been extended to an Overseas Territory, can only be removed by extending an amending treaty to the territory, or by denunciation of the treaty. A view would have to be taken at the time as to whether it was appropriate and legal to remove any right.
Cyprus
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the accession chapters being negotiated between the European Union and Turkey include the issue of Turkish settlers in Northern Cyprus and their possible repatriation; and how they assess this issue in comparison with other confidence-building measures which all parties could adopt so as to improve the climate for a final settlement.[HL2555]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): The accession chapters being negotiated between the EU and Turkey are aimed at aligning Turkey with EU norms. The chapters do not include the question of Turkish settlers in Northern Cyprus. This issue is likely to be resolved only through a comprehensive settlement supported by both communities on the island.
Confidence-building measures have an important role to play in creating a favourable environment for a final settlement. For example, the opening of a crossing point at Ledra Street would be an important and symbolic confidence-building measure. In this context, we have welcomed the removal of both the bridge and the wall at Ledra Street, and hope that these moves will lead to an agreement on the opening of the crossing as soon as possible and reunification of the centre of Nicosia. We have encouraged the two communities to build upon the recent demolition of the wall and to commit themselves in good faith and without delay to making early substantive progress on solving the Cyprus problem.
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Diplomatic Service List
Viscount Montgomery of Alamein asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): The Diplomatic Service List was previously published by the Stationery Office and had a print run of approximately 2,200 copies. The process of maintaining and collating details of staff movements and biographical data was a year-round task and labour intensive. A review of the Diplomatic Service List in 2006 concluded that the cost of its publication outweighed the benefits and it was decided that the 2006 edition would be the last.
Information on our diplomatic posts is available at: www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?pagename=Open Market/Xcelerate/ShowPage&c=Page&cid=1007029395231.
Energy: Microgeneration
Lord Beaumont of Whitley asked Her Majesty's Government:
What assessment they have made of the annual revenue loss of not taxing householders on income from energy generated through microgeneration and fed back into the grid. [HL2482]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The announcement made at Pre-Budget Report 2006 that the Government will not tax householders on income from the sale of microgenerated electricity constitutes a clarification of the tax position for those householders. The Government do not currently collect tax on the income covered by the announcement and so there is no revenue loss to the Exchequer.
Energy: Renewables Obligation Scheme
Lord Beaumont of Whitley asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their estimate of the total revenue received through the sale of renewable obligation certificates (ROCs) during each year of the operation of the Renewables Obligation Scheme by (a) renewable energy producers; (b) traders of ROCs; and (c) HM Treasury. [HL2484]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Truscott): The Renewables Obligation Scheme is a market-based mechanism. It requires suppliers to source an increasing percentage of their sales from eligible sources of renewable energy.
Suppliers meet their obligation either by presenting renewables obligation certificates (ROCS); paying a
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(a) As this price is determined by the market and is a private contractual matter between the companies, government do not hold data on it.
(b) The Non Fossil Purchasing Agency (NFPA) trades ROCs. It purchases the output (and associated ROCs) from the generators subject to the Non Fossil Fuel Obligation at the contract price. It then sells this to electricity suppliers via on-line auctions, with any surplus being paid into the Fossil Fuel Levy. For the period in question, the surplus paid in was:
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