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Northern Ireland: Lay Magistrates
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
How many lay magistrates there are in Northern Ireland; what is the average salary for these posts; and what are the comparable figures for England. [HL1014]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (Baroness Ashton of Upholland): The Lord Chancellor recently appointed 272 people to the new judicial office of lay magistrate in Northern Ireland. They are paid £80 per half day for court sittings and have each committed to an estimated 10 court sittings per year. In England, justices of the peace may claim a loss of
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earnings allowance, subject to a maximum daily amount, and travel and subsistence expenses resulting from the discharge of their judicial responsibilities.
Olympic Games 2012
Lord Paul asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is their response to the achievement of London 2012 and the London Development Agency in bringing the Olympic Games to London in 2012; and what support for the Games they will offer. [HL1069]
Lord Davies of Oldham: Securing the 2012 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games is a huge honour and the whole Government are delighted with this momentous achievement.
London 2012 and all of the bid's partners, including the London Development Agency, have demonstrated extraordinary dedication and should be congratulated on their success.
London's bid for the 2012 Games received unequivocal Government support and commitment, as noted in the IOC Evaluation Commission's report in June 2005. The Government will continue to work closely with other stakeholders in the coming years to ensure that the best Games ever are delivered in London in 2012.
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they propose to increase the funding for British Gymnastics by UK Sport to ensure that British gymnasts have a securely-funded seven-year performance plan to prepare for the London Olympic Games in 2012. [HL1076]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The level of funding to be provided to British Gymnastics by UK Sport for the four-year Beijing Olympic cycle has already been agreed based on a "no compromise" investment strategy to deliver increased medal success at these Games.
The level of funding for gymnastics beyond Beijing to London, as with all other sports, will be considered in light of the ability of the sport to deliver medal success and the available financial resources.
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they propose to increase the funding for England Hockey to ensure that British hockey players have a securely-funded seven-year performance plan to prepare for the London Olympic Games in 2012. [HL1077]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The level of funding to be provided to England Hockey by Sport England for the four-year Beijing Olympic cycle has already been determined based upon the Whole Sport Plan submitted by the governing body. England Hockey has appealed against the funding decision, but the process and decision was upheld by independent audit.
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The level of funding for hockey beyond Beijing to London, as with all other sports, will be considered in light of the ability of the sport to deliver medal success and the available financial resources.
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will revoke the ban which prevents licensed and supervised .22 pistol shooters from training in the United Kingdom so that British sport shooters will be able to prepare for the London Olympic Games in 2012 without having to travel abroad. [HL1078]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The Home Office does not propose to repeat the ban on the private possession of handguns. Special arrangements will be put in place to allow pistol shooting events at the 2012 Olympics as happened at the 2002 Commonwealth Games. These arrangements will include a warm up event if this is deemed necessary.
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
When they intend to review the financial package to fund the London Olympic Games in 2012; and whether they now intend to provide direct Treasury funding. [HL1081]
Lord Davies of Oldham: We have no plans to review the public financial support package for the Games.
Lord Moynihan asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether the proposed changes to the sports facilities at Crystal Palace will be reviewed; and whether these facilities will become a state-of-the-art Olympic training venue in preparation for the London Olympic Games in 2012. [HL1079]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The United Kingdom's well-developed sporting infrastructure will be a vital resource for athletes in preparing for the 2012 Olympic Games.
The London Development Agency will be submitting its planning framework for the future of the Crystal Palace park and sports centre to the London Borough of Bromley later this year. A major public consultation about the plans will also take place.
Decisions on the future use of Crystal Palace as an Olympic training venue will be taken by the Crystal Palace management team and the National Olympic Committees.
Prevention of Terrorism Act 2005: Report to Parliament
Baroness Anelay of St Johns asked Her Majesty's Government:
Baroness Scotland of Asthal: I refer the noble Baroness to the Written Ministerial Statement which I made on the 16 June (WS 59), which is the first three-monthly report on the exercise of the control order powers.
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Research and Development
Lord Taylor of Warwick asked Her Majesty's Government:
What plans they have to increase investment in research and development from its current level of 1.8 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) to the European Union average of 2 per cent of GDP. [HL1066]
Lord Sainsbury of Turville: The Science and Innovation Investment Framework 2004–14 sets out the Government's long-term objective for the UK economy to increase the level of knowledge intensity in the UK from its current level of around 1.9 per cent to 2.5 per cent by around 2014, and the actions being taken to achieve it.
The first annual report on the 10-year framework outlines progress towards achieving this target. The annual report will be published on 20 July.
Richmond Park: Robin Hood Gate
Baroness Hanham asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will publish the evidence that led the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to approve the permanent closure of the Robin Hood Gate of Richmond Park by the Royal Parks Agency; and [HL467]
What representations were received from the three elected local authorities which surround Richmond Park in respect of the closure of the Robin Hood Gate of Richmond Park; and whether those representations were for or against the closure of the gate; and [HL468]
How many meetings the Minister for Culture had with the representatives of local authorities surrounding Richmond Park before agreeing to the permanent closure of Robin Hood Gate of Richmond Park; and whether they will place copies of the minutes of any such meetings in the Library of the House. [HL469]
Lord Davies of Oldham: The decision to approve the permanent closure of Robin Hood Gate was based on the final report of the trial closure, produced by the Royal Parks Agency's traffic consultants Peter Brett Associates. It was published in December 2004 and is available on the agency's website at www.royalparks.gov.uk. I am arranging for copies of the report to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.
Following the publication of the report we received representations from Wandsworth and Kingston borough councils opposing the continued closure of Robin Hood Gate because of the effect they claimed it was having on local traffic. Although the closure had a negligible effect on their roads, Richmond council also opposed the continued closure of the gate.
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The then Minister for Media and Heritage, my right honourable friend the noble Lord, Lord McIntosh, met elected representatives of the three local boroughs in question on 1 February 2005. A range of issues were discussed surrounding traffic management in the park. The minutes of the meetings are not being placed in the Library because to do so might inhibit the free and frank discussion at future meetings between Ministers and representatives of local authorities and prejudice the effective conduct of public affairs.
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