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20 Jun 2007 : Column WA51
20 Jun 2007 : Column WA51
20 Jun 2007 : Column WA51
Wednesday 20 June 2007
Afghanistan: Rules of Engagement
Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty's Government:
What progress has been made in standardising rules of engagement among coalition partners in Afghanistan. [HL4227]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): All NATO forces operate under agreed rules of engagement (ROE) but will have their own national ROEs that may contain specific caveats or restrictions on their actions. It is UK policy not to go into detail on our ROEs.
Armed Forces: Airbridges
Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the Ministry of Defence has appointed, intends to appoint, or will consider appointing a senior officer with overall responsibility, as his primary duty, for the efficiency of airbridges to and from operational theatres and to co-ordinate the activities of stakeholders from the Ministry of Defence, permanent joint headquarters, front-line command and defence supply chain operations and movements involved in the airbridges. [HL4185]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Drayson): The Assistant Chief of Defence Staff Logistics (Operations) has responsibility for oversight of the operational airbridges.
Armed Forces: Coroners' Inquests
Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Statement by the Minister of State for the Department for Constitutional Affairs, Ms Harriet Harman, on 29 March (Official Report, 121—30WS), how many inquests into the deaths of members of the Armed Forces which occurred after 15 May 2006 remain outstanding; and what additional resources, if any, have been provided to assist coroners to deal with these inquests. [HL4186]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Baroness Ashton of Upholland): I would refer the noble Lord to the further Written Statement published today, which includes the information requested as regards inquests into deaths of members of the Armed Forces on operations and exercises overseas.
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Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Answer by the Minister of State for the Armed Forces, Adam Ingram, on 14 May (Official Report, col. 381), when they expect outstanding inquests into the deaths of members of the Armed Forces in operations prior to 1 January 2006 to be completed. [HL4187]
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Four inquests into military deaths before 1 January 2006 are outstanding in the Oxfordshire coroner's jurisdiction. The latest of these inquests is expected to begin on 29 October 2007.
In addition, the High Court has ordered a fresh inquest into the death of Private Jason Smith. The location and date for the new inquest are yet to be established. A pre-inquest review concerning 10 deaths in a Hercules crash in January 2005 is expected to be held in July 2007 in the Swindon and Wiltshire jurisdiction. It is expected that, following this, the coroner will set the date and timeframe for the inquests.
Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many inquests into the deaths of members of the Armed Forces have been transferred to the next of kin's local coroner to date. [HL4188]
Baroness Ashton of Upholland: Between late December 2006 and 31 March 2007, 16 inquests of members of the Armed Forces on operations overseas whose bodies were repatriated via RAF Brize Norton were transferred by the Oxfordshire coroner to the next of kin's local coroner. On 1 April 2007, RAF Lyneham in the Swindon and Wiltshire coroner's jurisdiction became the location for military repatriations. Between 1 April 2007 and 11 June 2007, 11 inquests had been transferred or proposed for transfer by the Swindon and Wiltshire coroner to the next of kin's coroner.
British Citizenship
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
Why Home Office nationality caseworkers now require solely British nationals who ceased to be Indian citizens as set out in Section 65 of Chapter 14 Annex H of the Nationality Instructions to obtain letters confirming that they are not citizens of India, when the instructions already contain information that is sufficient to determine an applicant's eligibility for British nationality where this depends on his possession of Indian citizenship, and when written advice on this point was obtained from the Government of India in January 2006. [HL4307]
The Minister of State, Home Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): I refer the noble Lord to my previous Answer to him on 26 October 2005 (Official Report, col. WA 186). There is no legal requirement
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Where, however, an applicant has presented a passport or other official document indicating possession of another citizenship at the relevant date, it will be appropriate to ask him or her to obtain further clarification of status from the issuing authority.
Crime: Prison Officers
Earl Attlee asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answers by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 21 May (WA 83) and 4 June (WA 152—3 and WA 171—4), how many prison officers have been arrested and convicted of corruption or other offences in each of the past four years in connection with their duties as prison officers at HM Prison Foston Hall; and [HL4239]
Further to the Written Answers by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 21 May (WA 83) and 4 June (WA 152—3 and WA 171—4), how many prison officers have been arrested and convicted of corruption or other offences in each of the past four years in connection with their duties as prison officers at HM Prison Gartree; and [HL4240]
Further to the Written Answers by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 21 May (WA 83) and 4 June (WA 152—3 and WA 171—4), how many prison officers have been arrested and convicted of corruption or other offences in each of the past four years in connection with their duties as prison officers at HM Prison Leicester; and [HL4241]
Further to the Written Answers by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 21 May (WA 83) and 4 June (WA 152—3 and WA 171—4), how many prison officers have been arrested and convicted of corruption or other offences in each of the past four years in connection with their duties as prison officers at HM Prison Lincoln. [HL4242]
The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Lord Falconer of Thoroton): No prison officers from HM Prisons Foston Hall, Gartree, Leicester or Lincoln have been convicted of offences in connection with their duties in the past four years. I indicated in a previous Answer that the Prison Service does not routinely record this kind of information. However, I have asked the Prison Service to collate the information to cover all the prison establishments in England and Wales for each of the past four years. Once collated, I will write to the noble Earl.
Earl Attlee asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answers by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 21 May (WA 83) and 4 June (WA 152—3 and WA 171—4), how many
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The Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice (Lord Falconer of Thoroton): The NOMS contract with the operator of HMP Lowdham Grange sets out the data required from it and this does not include the information relating to the Question asked. The NOMS is, however, conducting a review of data required from contractors with a view to extending the information made available.
Earl Attlee asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Falconer of Thoroton on 6 June (WA 195), for each of the years 2001 to 2005 inclusive, how many prosecutions or convictions for corruption (or related offences) involved prison officers. [HL4244]
Lord Falconer of Thoroton: The court proceedings database, which supplied the statistics for my Answer on 6 June (WA 195), does not divide the figures by occupation. I therefore refer the noble Earl to my Answer on 21 May (Official Report, col. WA 83).
Energy: Light Bulbs
Baroness Byford asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Statement by Lord Truscott on 23 May on the Energy White Paper, whether they will introduce measures to require lower wattage bulbs to be fitted in office buildings and street lights in order to reduce energy consumption. [HL4008]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Truscott): The energy White Paper announced that the Government would work with retailers and manufacturers to phase out energy-inefficient light bulbs by 2011.
In addition, the Energy End-Use Efficiency and Energy Services Directive places an obligation on member states to fulfil an exemplary role within the public sector to help meet the overall directive target of 9 per cent energy savings by 2017. The Government are currently considering options for implementing this directive, which needs to be transposed by 17 May 2008.
Energy: Magnox Decommissioning
Lord Jenkin of Roding asked Her Majesty's Government:
Why it was thought right to award the contract for the decommissioning of all 10 Magnox nuclear sites, with 22 reactors, to a single company, Energy Solutions of Salt Lake City, Utah; what is the estimated number of years for which this contract
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Truscott): In buying Reactor Sites Management Company Ltd from BNFL, after a competitive and rigorous process of pre-qualification against a testing set of criteria, Energy Solutions has also acquired the remainder of the subsidiary's contract with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to operate and clean up the 10 Magnox sites. The contracts were signed by Magnox Electric Ltd and are one year in duration with an option to extend. We believe the sale to be in the best interests of the business, its staff and its customer—the NDA.
As stated in the NDA's strategy, the Magnox sites will be split into two regions (north and south) and competed for. The competition for the southern region is already under way; the one for the northern region will commence in 2010. Other decommissioning providers will indeed be able to bid in these competitions.
Lord Jenkin of Roding asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the decision to award the contract for the decommissioning of all 10 Magnox nuclear sites, with 22 reactors, was approved by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, by the Department of Trade and Industry, and by the relevant regulators; and, if so, how such approval was given and publicised. [HL4229]
Lord Truscott: The contracts with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority to operate and clean up the 10 Magnox sites remain with the Reactor Sites Management Company Ltd through its subsidiary Magnox Electric Ltd. BNFL reached agreement on 6 June to sell the business to Energy Solutions, complete with these contracts with one year's duration with an option to extend. As stated in the NDA's strategy, the Magnox sites will be competed for in two bundles (northern region and southern region). The competition for the southern region is already under way; the one for the northern region will commence in 2010.
My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry announced BNFL's intentions to sell the business in a Statement to the House on 24 October 2006 (Official Report, col. WS85). The sale was undertaken through a competitive process in full discussion with the DTI, as well as with the NDA and the regulators. The DTI approved the sale, as required in BNFL's articles of association, while the NDA is expected formally to approve the change of ownership before the sale is completed later this month.
Energy: Office and Street Lighting
Baroness Byford asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Statement by Lord Truscott on 23 May on the energy White Paper, whether they
20 Jun 2007 : Column WA56
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Truscott): The Government have no plans to restrict the amount of energy consumed, but announced in the energy White Paper that they would work with a range of interested parties to consider how they can improve the wider sustainability of our existing building stock. The Government are also working to identify other measures that will reduce the carbon emissions of existing non-domestic buildings by raising awareness of the ways to improve energy efficiency and by encouraging the take-up of energy efficiency measures in workplaces.
Baroness Byford asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Statement by Lord Truscott on 23 May on the Energy White Paper, whether they will introduce measures to require unnecessary office building and street lighting to be turned off in order to reduce energy consumption. [HL4007]
Lord Truscott: The Government have no plans at present to introduce specific measures on office lighting or street lighting. The Government also announced in the energy White Paper that in respect of business premises in England and Wales, they will consult on the requirement to display energy performance certificates alongside other means of encouraging energy efficiency.
Provision of street lighting on local roads in England is a matter for individual local highway authorities. Street lights already use energy-efficient lighting. Most is provided by gas discharge light sources. These produce higher light intensities than domestic light sources and are also more efficient in terms of their light output for electrical power consumed.
On the government estate, each department has agreed to meet sustainable operation targets in terms of energy efficiency and carbon emissions. Departments are responsible for determining how they can best be achieved within their offices. Departments are required to work with the Carbon Trust to identify energy savings and to purchase electrical equipment which includes requirements on power consumption in sleep-mode and energy efficient light bulbs.
EU Committee: Correspondence
Lord Jopling asked Her Majesty's Government:
What correspondence they have received in the past year from the chairman of the Select Committee on the European Union; what were the dates of the correspondence and the ministerial replies, excluding holding replies; how many weeks passed between receipt of each letter and the issuing of the ministerial reply; and which department was responsible in each case. [HL4316]
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Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government correspond extensively with the committee on EU matters. The Government take their scrutiny obligations seriously and will always aim to reply to letters from the chairman promptly to enable the committee to carry out its scrutiny responsibilities effectively before Ministers are required to take decisions in the Council of Ministers. The Government note that the committee publishes a progress of scrutiny report fortnightly when the House is sitting, which provides a record of all occasions on which the chairman writes to Ministers and the Government’s replies. They also note that the committee publishes a compendium report from time to time, reproducing all the correspondence between the chairman and Ministers. The committee’s most recent report (45th report, 2005-06, HL243) covering correspondence between March 2005 and January 2006 recorded that there were 367 issues on which there were exchanges of correspondence, with many being the subject of more than a single exchange.
EU: Citizens Agenda
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
What specific inputs they intend to present to the European Union Commission for the Citizens Agenda single market review launched on 10 May. [HL4097]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry (Lord Truscott): The Government have been actively involved in the single market review. They produced a paper outlining the UK’s vision for the future of the single market, which has been sent to the Commission. The document is called The Single Market: A Vision for the 21st Century and is available on the DTI’s website: www.dti.gov.uk/files/file37083.pdf.
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