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26 July 2007 : Column WA105
Written Answers
Thursday 26 July 2007
Abortion
Lord Alton of Liverpool asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will resist any proposal to extend the scope of the Abortion Act 1967 to Northern Ireland. [HL5024]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): We are aware of a body of opinion in Northern Ireland that considers the current law on abortion to be either unsatisfactory or unclear, but we also recognise the strength of feeling for not changing the existing legislative provision. In such circumstances, the Government believe that any change to the law should only come about at the request of a broad cross-section of the people who live there.
Agriculture: Artificial Insemination
Baroness Byford asked Her Majesty's Government:
Why Scottish Ministers have been removed from the list contained in the Veterinary Surgery (Artificial Insemination) (Amendment) Order 2007 (SI 2007/1767) of persons who may approve training courses in the artificial insemination of cows. [HL4996]
The Minister of State, Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Lord Rooker): The Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, under which this order was made, is not devolved in the case of Scotland. The Veterinary Surgery (Artificial Insemination) Order 2007 (SI 2007/1315) included a reference to the Scottish Ministers because when the order was made the Artificial Insemination of Cattle (Animal Health) (Scotland) Regulations 1985 were still in force and included a provision for the Scottish Ministers to approve training courses. These regulations were made under the Animal Health and Welfare Act 1984, which is devolved.
The Artificial Insemination of Cattle (Animal Health) (Scotland) Regulations 1985 have now been revoked and replaced by the Bovine Semen (Scotland) Regulations 2007 (SI 2007/330), which do not include provisions as to who may carry out the artificial insemination of cows or training. Therefore, the Veterinary Surgery (Artificial Insemination) (Amendment) Order 2007 (SI 2007/1767) amends the Veterinary Surgery (Artificial Insemination) Order 2007 (SI 2007/1315) accordingly.
Airports: Heathrow
Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Bassam of Brighton on 19 June (WA 25) concerning the time taken for passengers to pass through security control at Heathrow airport, at what frequency and times of day when the airport is open the queue is measured. [HL5038]
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Lord Bassam of Brighton: Following my answer of 19 June, I understand the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) receives data on maximum recorded security times during peak hours at all terminals at Heathrow.
Alcohol
Lord Avebury asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their response to the report in the Emergency Medical Journal of a significant rise in the number of attendances at the accident and emergency department of St Thomas's Hospital related to alcohol between March 2005 and March 2006; and whether they will commission similar research on other accident and emergency departments. [HL4978]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): The St Thomas’s study, which relates to alcohol-related attendances in one hospital, highlights a local problem that clearly needs further investigation.
But studies in other parts of the country have found a different picture: a Cardiff University study of 33 accident and emergency (A&E) departments in England and Wales found that, since the introduction of the Licensing Act, the number of A&E attendances linked to violence has gone down; and a study by Liverpool John Moores University has found a similar trend.
The Home Office-led national evaluation of the impact of the Licensing Act 2003 on levels of crime and disorder will provide a detailed assessment of the impact of the Act on violent crime and criminal damage, and will include a one-off review of data from five specific A&E departments. Findings are planned to be published at the end of 2007.
Armed Forces: Arms and Hardware
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will draw up long-term plans to reduce United Kingdom total spending on arms and military hardware, to bring this spending closer to the levels found in the recent budgets of Italy and Germany. [HL4787]
The Minister of State, Ministry of Defence & Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (Lord Drayson): Her Majesty’s Government make funds available for defence based on the capabilities needed by the UK’s Armed Forces now and in the future, not on comparisons with other nations.
Arms Trade: Al Yamamah
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the decision to discontinue the investigation into BAE Systems plc, in relation to the Al Yamamah defence contracts with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,
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The Attorney-General (Baroness Scotland of Asthal): The director of the Serious Fraud Office and the Government believe that the director's decision to discontinue the investigation was compatible with the OECD convention. This view is borne out by the finding of Mr Justice Collins, in refusing permission to seek judicial review of the decision, that the challenge was “bound to fail” and that “there can be no doubt that national security does trump other issues”. Further, the director's view was that the threat to national and international security from continuing the investigation was so compelling that he would have taken the same decision even if consideration of those matters had been contrary to the convention.
Army: Chaplains
Lord Astor of Hever asked Her Majesty’s Government:
What are the current manning levels of Royal Army chaplains for (a) the regular Army, and (b) the Territorial Army; and what are the required manning levels of the Royal Army Chaplains Department for (i) the regular Army, and (ii) the Territorial Army; and [HL4906]
How many Army chaplains are currently deployed, broken down by operational theatre; and what is the ratio of Army chaplains to deployed operational forces, broken down by theatre. [HL4907]
There are 154 regular Royal Army chaplains in post, against an establishment of 161. The Territorial Army is established for 109 chaplains, of which 68 are filled.
As at 20 July, there are nine Army chaplains and one RAF chaplain in Iraq, providing pastoral care to 5,500 UK military personnel. This represents a ratio of one chaplain to 550 personnel.
In Afghanistan, there are also nine Army chaplains and one RAF chaplain, ministering to 7,100 UK military personnel, representing a ratio of one chaplain to 710 personnel.
Aviation: Air Quality
Lord Tyler asked Her Majesty's Government:
What plans they have for new research into the contamination of cabin air on commercial aircraft; what is the budget for such research; and on what basis it will be commissioned; and [HL4950]
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What aircraft monitoring studies are currently being undertaken on behalf of the Department for Transport; who is undertaking such studies; on what basis were they commissioned; and what are the (a) past, and (b) projected costs. [HL4951]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Department for Transport is not currently conducting aircraft monitoring studies; it is testing equipment for a future aircraft monitoring study. The budget and the specification for that future research work will be developed once the current testing of equipment is completed. The equipment being tested includes solid phase micro-extraction devices (SPMEs), photo-ionisation detectors (PIDs) and a grab sampler being developed by BRE (former Building Research Establishment). The tests may also determine where best to place sampling equipment on aircraft.
Once we have identified effective equipment it is intended to sample around 1,000 flights using more than one sampling device; more than one laboratory to analyse the results; and an independent project manager from the academic world. Crew will be asked to record whether they detected any smells. Sampling will take place on the BAe 146, the Boeing 757 and specific aircraft where fume events have been reported in the past.
Benefits: Child Benefit
Baroness Corston asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the estimated United Kingdom revenue that could be raised in 2008-09 if a hypothecated government tax for child benefit of (a) 0.25 per cent, and (b) 0.5 per cent were to be applied to every currency transfer. [HL5106]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: No estimates are available for such a tax.
Buses
Lord Bradshaw asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by the Lord Bassam of Brighton on 25 July (WA 97), whether the environmental targets set for prospective railway franchisees amount to a minimum standard that must be achieved. [HL5191]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: Bidders on the Midlands franchises were required to set out their approach to the environment, including how they would plan to measure and reduce the environmental impact of the rail activities of the franchise including carbon emissions, air quality and noise, but also taking account of the need to conserve resources and to reduce waste and water/land contamination.
The Department for Transport (DfT) contractualised initiatives that had a positive environmental impact as committed obligations. If a franchisee fails to deliver,
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For future franchises the DfT is seeking to set environmental targets that would be contractualised.
Children
Baroness Corston asked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the United Kingdom total government expenditure, as a percentage of gross domestic product, in 1997, 2001 and 2006, or the latest year for which there is information available on (a) child benefit; (b) children (estimated) within child tax credit and/or working families tax credit and/or family credit; (c) children (estimated) within income support expenditure for households; (d) children (estimated) within disability tax credit; and (e) other social security benefits specifically for children; and what is the total of (a) to (e) for the same years; and [HL5075]
What was the total cost in £billion and as a percentage of gross domestic product in 2006 of (a) child benefit, and (b) child tax credit; and what was the corresponding cost in 1997 of (i) child benefit, and (ii) family credit. [HL5080]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: The UK child benefit expenditure, as a percentage of gross domestic product, for 1997-98, 2001-02 and 2006-07 was just under 1 per cent in each year.
Information on child tax credit expenditure in 2006-07 is published in the HMRC departmental annual accounts 2006-07, which is available on the HMRC website at:.www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/hmrc-accounts2007.htm. This will also include expenditure on the disabled child element, which is not available separately.
Information on expenditure on children within working families tax credit and family credit is not available.
Information on expenditure on children within income support is not available. Income support is the only DWP-administered benefit specifically for children.
Baroness Corston asked Her Majesty’s Government:
What was the total number of children in the United Kingdom estimated to be in households in poverty, according to the European Union standard of less than 60 per cent of median household income, in 1997; 2001; and 2006, or the latest year for which there is information available. [HL5077]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord McKenzie of Luton): The available information is in the following table.
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Source: Households Below Average Income 1994/95-2005/06 (Revised) | |
Crime: Drugs
Lord Jones of Cheltenham asked Her Majesty’s Government:
What assessment has been made of the quantity of illegal drugs entering the United Kingdom from Guinea-Bissau. [HL4936]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): Over the past two years, there has been a reported increase in cocaine trafficking from South America to west Africa, including Guinea-Bissau. It is not possible to estimate the quantity of cocaine entering the United Kingdom which has passed through Guinea-Bissau.
Embryology
Lord Alton of Liverpool asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 26 June (WA 129-30), whether definitions in the Human Tissue and Embryos (Draft) Bill only apply in the context of that Bill; whether they apply to either the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 or the decision taken by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority appeals committee regarding licence R0153; from where the definitions employed in the Human Tissue and Embryos (Draft) Bill derive; and how definitions of relevant terms from comparable sources differ; and [HL4957]
Further to the Written Answer by Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 11 July (WA 222-23), whether the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is required only to consider research purposes; and whether it is able to license activities which are explicitly prohibited by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990; and [HL4958]
Further to the Written Answers by Lord Hunt of Kings Heath on 26 June (WA 129-30) and Baroness Royall of Blaisdon on 11 July (WA 222-23), whether they will provide a fuller account of the reasoning
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) is an independent statutory body established by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. The HFEA has the responsibility for licensing research projects under this Act. A licence committee of the HFEA can only grant a research licence if it is shown to be necessary or desirable for one of the research purposes in the 1990 Act as amended by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (Research Purposes) Regulations 2001.
The HFEA issued a research licence to the Newcastle Fertility Centre at LIFE (RO153) following appeal. A summary of the decision-making process is available on the HFEA website at www.hfea.gov.uk. This includes how it defined genetic structure of an embryo and its reasoning for issuing a licence for this specific project.
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