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Northern Ireland: Bill of Rights
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they gave an undertaking to the chief commissioner of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission that parliamentary time would be made available for a Rights Bill for Northern Ireland in 2009. [HL2996]
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Lord Rooker: No decision will be taken on the scope for a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland until the Government have considered the advice that the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission is tasked with providing under the Northern Ireland Act 1998. That advice is expected in December 2008. Therefore no commitment has been given to legislate in 2009.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether it was the role of the Northern Ireland Bill of Rights Forum to advise the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission on a potential Bill of Rights; and whether it is the role of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission to advise the Government on a potential Bill of Rights; and if so, why the two bodies have the same function. [HL3280]
Lord Rooker: I refer the noble Lord to the Written Answer given to him on 19 February 2008 (Official Report, col. WA 40), setting out the terms of reference of the Bill of Rights Forum; and to the Written Answer given to him on 18 March 2008 (Official Report, col. WA 30), in relation to the functions of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. The functions of the two bodies are not the same.
Official Transport: Speed Limits
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether escort cars for VIPs in Northern Ireland are subject to the national speed limits; and if so, whether drivers of such cars have been informed. [HL3146]
Lord Rooker: The chief constable has provided the following Answer.
Police officers driving police vehicles for purposes such as escorting VIPs are subject to the national speed limits. These police officers are trained to a national advanced police driving standard and the responsibility to drive safely is communicated to them on this course and is reinforced at frequent management briefings.
Official Visits: Irish President
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many official visits the President of the Republic of Ireland has made to Northern Ireland in each of the past five years; and what they estimate to be the total cost to the United Kingdom of those visits. [HL2798]
Lord Rooker: There have been no official visits made by President McAleese over the past five years. However she has made a number of private working visits to Northern Ireland during this period.
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Police: Northern Ireland
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What proposals there are to restart the police service in County Fermanagh, including providing accommodation for its employees; whether any decision has been taken and if so, by whom; whether there was a consultation period and if so, who was consulted, who expressed opinions, and what is the timetable. [HL3142]
Lord Rooker: The chief constable has provided the following Answer.
The PSNI is currently carrying out a review of its estate strategy which includes County Fermanagh. The review will consider potential station closures. A six-week consultation period commenced on 21 April 2008.
The stations being considered for closure are Kesh, Belleek, Belcoo and Newtownbutler. Public consultation meetings were held in each of these localities during the week commencing 28 April 2008. Written responses will also be accepted. No final decision has been taken in relation to any of the station closures.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What proposals there are to reshape the police service in County Tyrone including reducing the number of police stations; whether any decisions have been taken; if so, by whom; whether a consultation period was involved; if so, who was consulted and who expressed opinions; and what is the timetable. [HL3204]
Lord Rooker: The chief constable has provided the following Answer.
The PSNI is currently carrying out a review of its estate strategy which includes County Tyrone. The area of County Tyrone includes areas from G (Strabane, Limavady, Foyle, Magherafelt) and F (Omagh, Cookstown, Dungannon & South Tyrone, Fermanagh) Command Units. The review will consider potential station closures.
A review of the police estate in G district is under way and details of a similar review for Dungannon and South Tyrone and Cookstown Command Units in F district will commence shortly. Public consultation meetings will be held and written responses will also be accepted. No final decision has been taken in relation to any of the station closures in both districts.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What proposals there are to reshape the police service in County Londonderry including the number of police stations; whether any decisions have been taken; if so, by whom; whether a consultation period was involved; if so, who was consulted and who expressed opinions; and what the timetable is. [HL3273]
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Lord Rooker: The chief constable has provided the following Answer.
The PSNI is currently carrying out a review of its estate strategy which includes County Londonderry. County Londonderry covers the police estate in Foyle and Magherafelt Command Units. The review will consider potential station closures.
A six-week consultation period has commenced in relation to a review of Bellaghy PSNI Station and details of a similar consultation for Foyle will be circulated in due course. Public consultation meetings will be held and written responses will also be accepted. No final decision has been taken in relation to any of the station closures in either Foyle and Magherafelt Command Units.
Pollution: Airborne Particles
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
What plans they have to promote further scientific research into the quantities of pollutant airborne particles per cubic centimetre of air in different parts of the United Kingdom and their effects on average life expectancy. [HL3151]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health (Lord Darzi of Denham): The department has recently published a £1.2 million call for proposals on the health effects of air pollution. The areas highlighted under the call include: the effects of long term exposure to air pollutants on cardiovascular and respiratory morbidity; the population groups most susceptible to the effects of air pollution on diseases such as heart disease; and linking potential mechanisms for toxicity and measurement metrics with epidemiological effects of fine particles on life expectancy.
In addition, the department's committee on the medical effects of air pollutants advises the UK health departments on the effects on health of both outdoor and indoor air pollutants on the basis of data currently available. It also assesses the need for further research and liaises as necessary with other government bodies to assess the effects of exposure and associated risks to human health.
We also understand that the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology and the National Centre for Atmospheric Science, both of which are research centres under the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), are especially involved in particulates research and their effects on human health.
In addition, a joint environment and human health programme will strengthen the UK's capacity for multidisciplinary studies into environment and human health issues. This three-year programme is supported by NERC, the Environment Agency, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Ministry of Defence, the Medical Research Council, the Wellcome Trust, the Economic and Social Research Council, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the Health Protection Agency.
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Prisoners: Voting Rights
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
What information they have provided to the Committee of Ministers on the implementation of the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in Hirst v United Kingdom on prisoners' voting rights; and [HL3176]
What is the Government's current action plan to implement the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights of 6 October 2005 in Hirst v United Kingdom; and [HL3177]
Whether, and if so when, they intend to introduce draft legislation to implement the judgment on Hirst v United Kingdom. [HL3180]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The Government have previously submitted to the Committee of Ministers a timetable based on a two-stage consultation process aimed at establishing the views of the public, electoral administrators and others on how the franchise should be extended and on the wealth of detailed questions about how this would be achieved in practical terms. The first consultation exercise concluded in March 2007. However, since that point the context for the debate about the rights and responsibilities of citizenship, and in particular the exercise of the franchise, in the United Kingdom has changed very significantly.
In July 2007 the Government published The Governance of Britain, a Green Paper setting out a range of proposals to reinvigorate democracy and rebuild public trust and engagement in politics. At the core of the Green Paper is a proposal for a national debate on citizenship, and the rights and responsibilities that attach to the concept of being a citizen. The Government committed to taking action to ensure a clearer definition and understanding of the rights and responsibilities that attach to British citizenship. In addition, the Goldsmith review published on 11 March 2008 made recommendations about the right to vote being linked to citizenship.
The Government remain committed to carrying out a second, more detailed public consultation on how voting rights might be granted to serving prisoners, and how far those rights should be extended. In light of The Governance of Britain Green Paper and the Goldsmith review, the Government consider it essential that changes to the law to extend the franchise to those held in custody are considered in the context of the wider development of policy on the franchise and the rights that attach to British citizenship, in order that reform in this fundamental area can proceed in a holistic way.
The Committee of Ministers is next due to sit from 4 to 6 June 2008 and the Government have submitted details of our intended course of action. We intended to submit further information to the Committee of Ministers in due course on the form and timing of a further consultation in the light of the wider debate which is now taking place. Following consideration of
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Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the reasons for the delay in publishing the responses to the Government's consultation process on the implementation of the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights in Hirst v United Kingdom; and [HL3178]
Whether the judgment in Hirst v United Kingdom can be implemented without amending Section 3 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 either by primary legislation or remedial order. [HL3179]
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights found that in the case of Hirst the UK's current policy of a blanket ban on all sentenced prisoners from voting is in contravention of Article 3 of Protocol No.1 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Therefore it is anticipated that Section 3 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 will need to be amended either by primary legislation or remedial order to comply with the judgment.
The Government are currently considering how to take forward the implementation of the Hirst judgment in light of the first stage consultation on this issue and will publish the responses in due course. We also remain committed to carrying out a second, more detailed public consultation on how voting rights might be granted to serving prisoners, and how far those rights should be extended. This is a sensitive and complex issue, we need to look very carefully at what the right approach should be; ultimately it will be a matter for Parliament to decide
Qualifications
Lord Rix asked Her Majesty's Government:
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (Baroness Morgan of Drefelin): No. The purpose of the ELQ policy is to incentivise institutions to recruit more adults without a higher education qualification, especially those from non-traditional backgrounds. It needs to be set alongside our other policies to unlock talent. While the arrangements could be fine-tuned over time if we are convinced by new evidence that changes are needed, no one has put forward a convincing argument that the principles behind the policy are the wrong ones.
Russia: Human Rights
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
How the 19,300 cases outstanding against Russia before the European Court of Human Rights on 1 January 2007 will be dealt with; and whether new procedures are needed to prevent further delays. [HL3307]
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The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): The Government fully support the work of the European Court of Human Rights and are a strong advocate of reform measures to improve its effectiveness. An efficient court is essential for the promotion and protection of human rights.
Both the UK and Russia agree on the need for reform of the court to ensure it functions more effectively and can address the backlog of cases. The UK believes that Protocol 14 to the European Convention on Human Rights must be implemented to achieve this goal and allow the court to address its increasing backlog. We are disappointed that Russia is the only Council of Europe member state not to have ratified the protocol. We, in concert with the majority of Council of Europe member states, the EU presidency and other EU member states, have called on Russia to ratify Protocol 14 swiftly.
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether any British citizens are charged in Russia with offences in connection with the Yukos oil company; whether any have been found guilty; and whether the Government have joined the requests of the European Court of Human Rights for full access for his family and lawyer to Mr V Aleksanyan, now in custody. [HL3308]
Lord Malloch-Brown: We are not aware of any British citizens having been charged in Russia in connection to the Yukos oil company.
We have not raised the case of Mr Aleksanyan with the Russian authorities since the Russian Federal Penal Service agreed to the Russian Human Rights Ombudsman's demands that he should be moved out of prison to a specialised clinic where he can receive vital treatment for his condition. However we support the calls for his family and lawyer to have full access to Mr Aleksanyan and continue to monitor the situation closely.
Taxation: Flights
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
When the consultation period ends for the changes to air taxation to charge aircraft rather than passengers; and when a decision is expected. [HL3143]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The consultation period on the Government's proposed duty payable per plane—aviation duty—ended on 24 April. The Government expect to make a decision on taking aviation duty forward in the autumn.
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