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UNRWA is a regional institution, covering the West Bank and Gaza, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria. Country allocations vary on an annual basis. In 2008, UNRWA has allocated approximately 13 per cent of its assistance to Lebanon, 16 per cent to the West Bank and 31 per cent to the Gaza Strip. Just over 7 per cent is set aside for its headquarters in Gaza.
In 2007-08, DfID spent £55.3 million on the West Bank and Gaza, including the share for the West Bank and Gaza of its support of £15.6 million to UNRWA. Another £8.3 million was provided to UNRWA for its support to Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.
London Underground
Baroness Valentine asked Her Majesty's Government:
What outputs were expected to be delivered in the second phase of the London Underground Public Private Partnership when contracts were signed; and whether there is funding for these to be achieved. [HL4004]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: The PPP contracts were signed in December 2002 (Tube Lines JNP contract) and April 2003 (Metronet BCV and SSL contracts). The PPP contracts are for 30 years, but provide for a periodic review every seven-and-a-half years that gives London Underground and the PPP companies the opportunity to review the specification and price for the remainder of the contracts.
For Tube lines, the second period commences in July 2010. Contract deliverables due in the second period include completion of the Northern line upgrade and delivery of the Piccadilly line upgrade. Work is already well underway for the Northern line upgrade, which is programmed to be completed by the end of 2011 against a contract requirement of January 2012. Tube lines have also started the procurement process for the Piccadilly line upgrade that is due to be completed by 2014. In January 2007, contracts for the new signalling system were awarded, and the process for procuring the new rolling stock was also commenced.
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Following the PPP administration of Metronet on 18 July 2007, both Metronet companies transferred to Transport for London on 27 May 2008. Transport for London, together with London Underground and the Government, are currently considering the future structure for the lines previously the responsibility of Metronet. A key consideration is to ensure that the major upgrades due to be completed on the Victoria, Metropolitan, Circle, District and Hammersmith and City lines during the second PPP period are not significantly affected by Metronet's failure.
The Comprehensive Spending Review 2007 settlement sets out the expected levels of Transport for London's grant and borrowing to 2017-18. This makes provision for the continued modernisation of the Underground and Government will continue to work with London Underground and Transport for London to ensure that these upgrades can be delivered.
North Korea: Food Shortages
Lord Alton of Liverpool asked Her Majesty's Government:
What assessment they have made of the report by the Peterson Institute for International Economics on food shortages in North Korea. [HL4129]
Lord Tunnicliffe: The Department for International Development (DfID) has not made an assessment of the report by the Peterson Institute. We are waiting for the result from the independent assessment currently being carried out by the World Food Programme. The results of this should be available in early July.
Parents: Birth Registration
Lord Northbourne asked Her Majesty's Government:
What definition of “parental responsibility” they intend to use in developing their policies in the White Paper, Joint birth registration: recording responsibility (Cm 7293) and in the proposed Bill on joint birth registration. [HL4307]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord McKenzie of Luton): We intend to use the meaning of parental responsibility set out in Section 3(1) of the Children Act 1989.
Parents: Duties and Responsibilities
Lord Northbourne asked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority which, by law, a parent of a child has in relation to the child and the child's property, referred to in footnote 3 on page 5 of the White Paper, Joint birth registration: recording responsibility (Cm 7293); and where these duties and responsibilities are set out for parents and prospective parents. [HL4308]
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord McKenzie of Luton): Footnote 3 on page 5 of the White Paper, Joint birth registration: recording responsibility (Cm 7293), refers to the meaning of parental responsibility set out in Section 3(1) of the Children Act 1989, which describes it as, “all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority which by law a parent of a child has in relation to the child and his property”. It includes the responsibility to care for a child and to make decisions about his or her upbringing.
Passports
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many passports the British embassy in Dublin issued during the financial year 2006—07; and how that differed in percentage terms from 2002—03. [HL4315]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): To set the figures requested in context, the table below shows the number of passports issued by our embassy in Dublin in each financial year from 2002-03 to 2007-08.
| Financial Year | Passports Issued | Percentage change from 2002-03 (rounded to two decimal places) |
The pattern of demand is broadly in line with the total demand for passports provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office around the world.
Planning: Eco-towns
Lord Wade of Chorlton asked Her Majesty's Government:
What mechanisms are being used to consult members of the public about the establishment of eco-towns. [HL4171]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local Government (Baroness Andrews): The Government have identified the areas with potential to become eco-towns in the consultation document, Eco-towns—living a greener future, and copies of the document are available in the House Library and on the department's website. These locations are now going forward for further assessment and consultation.
Bidders are publicising further details of schemes and holding consultation events, as are local authorities. The arrangements vary according to the location and the status of the schemes being developed. The
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Only after this second consultation will the Government decide which sites have potential and which schemes they will support as they go forward into the local planning process, where they will undergo further testing and consultation.
Prisoners: Muslims
Lord Sheikh asked Her Majesty's Government:
On the most recent date for which figures are available, how many Muslim inmates were (a) on remand, and (b) serving a prison sentence; and what percentages of the prison population they represent. [HL4205]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): At the end of April 2008, in prisons in England and Wales, the number of Muslim prisoners on remand (untried or convicted unsentenced) was 1,662, and the number of Muslim prisoners under immediate custodial sentence was 7,340. These represent 2 per cent and 9 per cent respectively of the total prison population (82,319).
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
Lord Sheikh asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many Muslim inmates are serving prison sentences for (a) violent crimes, (b) robbery, (c) sexual offences, (d) theft, and (e) terrorist offences; and what percentages of the Muslim prison population they represent. [HL4206]
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: The table below shows, at the end of April 2008, for prisons in England and Wales, the total number of immediate custodial sentenced Muslim prisoners by offence group, and the corresponding proportions of the total Muslim prison population that these represent.
| Muslims | Percentage of total Muslim prison population | |
These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large-scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
The Home Office, Ministry of Justice and Attorney-General's Office are currently working with the National Co-ordinator for Terrorist Investigations to improve the quality of data relating to those convicted under terrorist legislation and those convicted under other legislation but following a terrorist investigation. As soon as this is complete, a statistical bulletin to cover information on arrests and convictions will be published. For this reason, it is not possible to provide the specific data to answer part (e) of this Question.
Lord Sheikh asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether there is evidence that radicalisation is occurring among Muslim prisoners and, if so, what action has been taken to reduce its incidence. [HL4208]
Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: We recognise the risk of radicalisation in prisons, just as there are risks in the wider community. The National Offender Management Service is working closely with partner agencies to tackle all forms of extremism. Its programme of work includes gathering intelligence and establishing a clear national picture of the risk; training and awareness-raising for staff; support for Muslim chaplains in their work with those vulnerable to radicalisation; and work to research and develop appropriate interventions.
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