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English Partnerships standards include a 50 per cent minimum target for developing affordable homes on surplus public sector sites. This target will help maintain the pace of housing delivery. On sites where it is not possible to deliver 50 per cent affordable homes, English Partnerships will seek to maximise the potential for these sites to deliver affordable housing in accordance with local need.
The creation of the new Homes and Communities Agency will take forward and build on the successful housing programmes currently being delivered by the Housing Corporation and English Partnerships. The agency will play a key role in helping to increase the supply of affordable housing and will work with local authorities and other public sector partners to bring forward development on brownfield sites.
Judicial Appointments
Lord Maginnis of Drumglass asked Her Majesty's Government:
What are the names of members appointed to the Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission who are (a) working within the legal profession, and (b) lay members; and who is responsible for each appointment. [HL4363]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath): The members of the Northern Ireland Judicial Appointments Commission who are working within the legal profession are Mr Peter Cush, Barrister-at-Law and Mr John Gordon, solicitor. The lay members of the commission are: Mr Donal Flanagan OBE, Dame Joan Harbison CBE DBE, Ms Ruth Laird, Professor John Morison and Dr Raymond Mullan OBE. The General Council of the Bar of Northern Ireland nominates a barrister to be a legal profession member of the commission and the Law Society of Northern Ireland nominates a solicitor. The Northern Ireland Court Service administers the lay member appointment process in compliance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments code of practice. The Lord Chancellor makes all these appointments. The arrangements are governed by the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2002, as amended by the Justice (Northern Ireland) Act 2004.
Money Laundering and Counterterrorism
Lord Davies of Coity asked Her Majesty’s Government:
When they will publish the United Kingdom’s revised third country equivalence list in relation to anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist financing systems; [HL4442]
What the criteria will be for inclusion in the United Kingdom’s revised third country equivalence list in relation to anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist financing systems; [HL4443]
Whether they plan to publish a consultation paper on the criteria for inclusion in the United Kingdom’s third country equivalence list in relation to anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist financing systems; [HL4444]
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What the criteria are for inclusion in the European Union list of non-European Union countries whose anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist financing systems are to be treated as equivalent to those of European Union members; and [HL4445]
Whether discussions have taken place between HM Treasury and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in relation to anti-money-laundering and counter-terrorist financing systems to be regarded as equivalent to those of European Union members. [HL4446]
Lord Davies of Oldham: Member states participating in the EU Committee for the Prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing agreed a list of equivalent third countries—that is, countries with anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) systems considered equivalent to those of the European Union—in April 2008. HM Treasury published this list on its website on 12 May 2008.
The criteria for inclusion on the list are based primarily on performance against the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) 40 + 9 recommendations for anti-money laundering and counterterrorist financing. A range of information was taken into account, including assessments made through the mutual evaluation process conducted by the Financial Action Task Force, the IMF and the World Bank.
The EU list of equivalent third countries represents the common understanding of member states and will be subject to periodic review. Individual member states may, at their discretion, supplement the EU list at a domestic level. HM Treasury is currently considering whether such a supplement is desirable.
There are no current plans to issue a consultation paper on this matter. HM Treasury officials are in discussions with officials from other government departments, including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, business representatives and a number of interested jurisdictions.
Parades: Northern Ireland
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Which consultants received the £16,187 allocated for consultants’ fees in section 3 of the annual report of the Northern Ireland Parades Commission; how much they each received, how they were selected; and what services they provided. [HL3924]
Lord Rooker: The expenditure on consultants’ fees was in relation to Biznet Solutions, which was paid approximately £7,800 for website design, development and maintenance; and Parity Training Ltd, which was paid approximately £8,350 for consultancy in relation to the recruitment of the secretary to the Parades Commission.
The selection process by which Biznet Solutions was engaged was handled by the NIO Procurement Unit and was subject to the unit’s procurement process. The selection process by which Parity Solutions was engaged was handled by the Parades Commission in accordance with the NIO Procurement Unit recruitment process.
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Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Who is the accounting officer for the Northern Ireland Parades Commission; and when the accounting officer was first aware that income tax and national insurance contributions for the commissioners may not have been paid for five years. [HL4242]
Lord Rooker: The secretary to the Parades Commission serves as the accounting officer. He was formally notified on 10 January 2005 by the department that the Inland Revenue had decided that the commissioners should be treated as office holders for tax purposes.
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty’s Government:
Further to the Written Answer by Lord Rooker on 19 June (WA 192—3), whether the amount owed by the Northern Ireland parades commissioners was paid twice; and, if so, whether the money has been returned to either party. [HL4436]
Lord Rooker: Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs will not disclose information to a third party concerning an individual’s tax position; therefore, the NIO is not in a position to comment on the parades commissioners.
However, as a result of an audit, HM Revenue and Customs determined that the NIO was liable to make a payment in respect of tax and national insurance, irrespective of moneys paid by individuals. This payment has been made and no part of it has been, or will be, returned to the department.
Police: Budgets
Lord Dear asked Her Majesty’s Government:
Whether they have issued guidance to any police force which does not yet know its financial budget for the current financial year; and [HL4419]
What is their response to the budgetary proposal by Surrey Police Authority for the financial year 2008-09, set within its overall proposal for the financial years 2008-11. [HL4420]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office (Lord West of Spithead): The Government announced their decisions on council tax capping on 26 June. All police authorities and forces know their budgetary position for 2008-09.
We have cancelled the designation of Surrey Police Authority and nominated it with a proposed notional budget requirement of £189,622,000 for 2008-09.
Police: Northern Ireland
Lord Morrow asked Her Majesty's Government:
What have been the annual promotional advances within the grades of Police Service of Northern Ireland personnel by (a) gender and (b) community background, since the introduction of the 50:50 recruitment policy. [HL4368]
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Lord Rooker: The chief constable has provided the following figures:
| Promotional Advances of Police Officers by Gender | |||
| Year | Male | Female | Total |
| Promotional Advances of Police Officers by Community Background | ||||
| Year | Protestant | Catholic | Not Determined | Total |
| Promotional Advances of Civilian Staff by Gender | |||
| Year | Male | Female | Total |
| Promotional Advances of Civilian staff by Community Background | ||||
| Year | Protestant | Catholic | Not Determined | Total |
Lord Morrow asked Her Majesty's Government:
What have been the community backgrounds of those police officers who have availed themselves of the Patten severance scheme, by rank within the Police Service of Northern Ireland and Royal Ulster Constabulary. [HL4369]
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