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Railways: Ebbsfleet International
Lord Berkeley asked Her Majesty's Government:
What public transport connections are possible with Ebbsfleet International station by domestic passenger train or scheduled bus services. [HL520]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: Connections to Southeastern train services are possible today at Dartford, Greenhithe and Gravesend via the local Fastrack rapid bus transit service from Ebbsfleet International. Local feeder bus routes augment the Fastrack link and there is a taxi rank at the new station. Additionally, from December 2009, most Southeastern high-speed domestic trains will stop at Ebbsfleet International.
Revenue and Customs: Loss of CDs
Viscount Astor asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the compact disc lost by HM Revenue and Customs en route from Newcastle to Edinburgh containing information on 15,000 Standard Life customers was encrypted; and [HL198]
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What steps HM Revenue and Customs have taken to prevent the loss of compact discs in transit in the future. [HL201]
Lord Davies of Oldham: On 13 November HMRC initiated immediate increased security with a new process:
transfers will now take place only if they are absolutely necessary;written authorisation for the transfer has to be given by a senior HMRC manager; anda clear instruction has been given regarding the appropriate standard of protection for the transfer.Where directors decide that a data transfer by disc is unavoidable such media must, in every case, be securely encrypted at the appropriate level.
On 20 November the Chancellor announced an independent review of HMRC's data-handling procedures to be conducted by Kieran Poynter, the chair of PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Viscount Astor asked Her Majesty's Government:
Why Standard Life customers whose data was on the compact disc lost by HM Revenue and Customs were not notified until a month after the loss was reported.[HL200]
Lord Davies of Oldham: It was reported to HMRC in late September that the CD had not been received. Action was taken immediately to establish with the external courier and the data production/dispatch areas within HMRC whether the discs were still in their possession. The courier was also requested to make extensive searches throughout all its depots. Once it was established from the courier that the data were definitely lost, steps were taken to issue letters to customers.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
With regard to the two information discs which went missing during transportation between their offices, and which were the subject of a Statement in the House, whether passwords were written on the discs or available in the packaging; and, if so, whether this is current government procedure. [HL489]
Lord Davies of Oldham: It would be inappropriate for me to provide information relating to this issue at this stage, as there is an ongoing Metropolitan Police Service investigation.
On 20 November the Chancellor also announced an independent review of HMRC's data-handling procedures to be conducted by Kieran Poynter, the chair of PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they have taken to improve security for discs carrying confidential government information during transportation between departments. [HL490]
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Lord Davies of Oldham: Government policy requires that departments,
- “handle personal data in ways which incorporate appropriate technical and organisational measures against unauthorised or unlawful processing and against accidental loss or destruction of or damage to such data”.
Procedures for the security of discs carrying sensitive data, along with all other relevant procedures, will be examined as part of the reviews announced by the Prime Minister on 21 November (Official Report, col. 1179.)
Risks: Insurance
Lord Rotherwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have made an assessment of (a) the costs, and (b) the benefits of establishing one government insurance scheme for exceptional risks (as operated in Spain) to cover the costs of those (i) uninsured, or (ii) unable to obtain insurance from the private sector; and [HL570]
What discussions they have had with the Association of Insurance and Risk Managers in Industry and Commerce on the establishment of a government insurance scheme for exceptional risks. [HL571]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The Government have made no recent assessment of the costs and benefits of establishing a general scheme to cover “exceptional” insurance risks and have not discussed this issue with the Association of Insurance and Risk Managers in Industry and Commerce.
Where cover is available in the market, the Government's approach is that it is for individuals and businesses to make an assessment—based on their own circumstances—on whether to take out insurance.
The Government are working, in partnership with the industry, to ensure that people are not excluded from the appropriate financial services, including insurance.
Shipping
Earl Attlee asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the resources of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency have mirrored the increase in the size of the United Kingdom flagged fleet or the number of shipping movements in United Kingdom waters. [HL568]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Government have consistently increased the financial resources available to the Maritime and Coastguard Agency—rising, for example, from £122.5 million in 2003-04 to £130.5 million in 2006-07. The deployment of resources within the agency is a matter for the chief executive, taking account of risks and priorities. Technical and human resources assigned directly to dealing with the safety of UK-registered ships have increased steadily over the same period.
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Sri Lanka: Humanitarian Access
Baroness Northover asked Her Majesty's Government:
What assessment they have made of humanitarian access to resettlement areas in Sri Lanka where nearly 100,000 internally displaced persons have been resettled since June 2007. [HL511]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): Officials from our high commission in Colombo and from the Department for International Development regularly travel to conflict-affected areas in eastern Sri Lanka. Most recently they visited Batticaloa in mid-November. During the most intense periods of fighting in eastern Sri Lanka in the summer, humanitarian access was extremely difficult. It has improved, but there remain significant obstacles in terms of physical access and bureaucracy.
In its role as local presidency of the EU, our high commission in Colombo participates with the Sri Lankan Government in the high-level committee that co-ordinates humanitarian affairs and that is tasked with resolving issues around access and security. The Government are a signatory to Guiding Principles for Humanitarian and Development Assistance to Sri Lanka, which seeks to ensure a consistent treatment of the humanitarian community, and our high commission regularly meets British non-governmental organisations operating in Sri Lanka to discuss security and access issues.
Terrorism
Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Statement by the Lord President (Baroness Ashton of Upholland) on 14 November (Official Report, cols. 477-95), what will be their criteria to define radicalisation in their action to root out terrorism; whether they will distinguish between radicals who do not embrace terrorism and those who do; and what steps they will take to develop contact and dialogue with the former. [HL346]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): It is not the Government's intention to in any way curtail the fundamental democratic right for individuals and organisations to seek to represent their views or impinge on lawful freedom of expression.
However, the Government have made clear that they are fundamentally rebalancing their engagement with Muslim organisations towards those organisations which take a leadership role in rejecting and condemning violent extremism and upholding shared values. A key government objective in engaging with organisations or individuals claiming to represent or work on behalf of Muslim communities is to counter violent extremism and foster community cohesion.
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Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Statement by the Lord President (Baroness Ashton of Upholland) on 14 November (Official Report, cols. 477-95), whether they will clarify the terms “deal with” and “tackle” in relationship to radicalisation in their action to root out terrorism and to win hearts and minds. [HL347]
Lord West of Spithead: The Prime Minister's Statement of 14 November set out the Government’s approach to countering radicalisation. This will be delivered by working with communities and individuals to:
challenge extremist propaganda and support alternative voices;disrupt the promoters of violent extremism by strengthening our institutions and supporting individuals who may be being targeted;increase the capacity of communities to resist and reject violent extremism; and,address issues of concern exploited by ideologues and where, by emphasising our shared values across communities, we can both celebrate and act on what unites us.5 Dec 2007 : Column WA208
Lord Judd asked Her Majesty's Government:
Further to the Statement by the Lord President (Baroness Ashton of Upholland) on 14 November (Official Report, cols. 477-95), how they will define “extremist” in their determination to act against extremist influences on the internet and in institutions, including prisons, universities and some places of worship; and how they will avoid counterproductivity and ensure not playing into the hands of dangerous extremists by too loose a definition. [HL350]
Lord West of Spithead: In this context extremist influences are those that can increase the risk of people becoming violent extremists. In the context of international terrorism, the main extremist influence is a narrative that manipulates political and humanitarian issues and distorts legitimate theology to support the violent extremists’ violent and divisive agenda, which justifies terrorism.
Challenging this, and providing a positive alternative, is a key element of our strategy. We will work with communities to deliver this, building consensus and isolating the terrorists.
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