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19 May 2009 : Column WA294
Lord Adonis: Details of the gender pay gap can be found at the Civil Service Statistics (Table 27) on the following website at www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_labour/CivilService_tables_2008.xls.
These gaps are caused by the varying gender distribution within the grades in the Department for Transport.
Government Departments: Bottled Water
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much the Department for Transport spent on bottled water in each of the past five years. [HL3461]
The Minister of State, Department for Transport (Lord Adonis): The information requested can only be provided at disproportionate cost. All expenditure was incurred in accordance with the principles of Managing Public Money and the Treasury handbook on regularity and propriety.
The Cabinet Secretary announced on 6 March 2008 that the use of bottled water for meetings and other official business is to be phased out across the whole government estate.
To ask Her Majesty's Government how much the Ministry of Defence spent on bottled water in each of the past five years. [HL3522]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Baroness Taylor of Bolton): Expenditure on bottled water used within the Ministry of Defence is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. Bottled water is supplied through multiactivity, private finance initiative and public/private partnership contracts. In accordance with government policy on sustainable procurement, the supply of bottled water is to be removed from such contracts, where drinkable tap water is available.
Separately, bottled water is supplied to service personnel in theatres of operations. Expenditure against the current contract is shown in the table below. Expenditure prior to October 2006 could only be provided at disproportionate cost.
| EXPENDITURE ON BOTTLED WATER TO THEATRE | |
Government Departments: Staff Absence
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what the rates of staff (a) absence, and (b) sickness absence, were at (1) the Department for Culture, Media and
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Communications, Technology and Broadcasting (Lord Carter of Barnes): (a) The rate of unauthorised staff absence for the DCMS and the Royal Parks Agency (the DCMS's executive agency) is zero.
(b) The below table shows the average days lost per person due to sickness absence for the DCMS and the Royal Parks Agency in the past three years.
| AWDL | ||
| Reporting Year | DCMS | Royal Parks |
The department does not have targets set for sickness absence.
- The information in relation to the non-departmental public bodies could only be provided at disproportionate costs.
Government: Ministerial Salaries
Question
Asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon
Lord Patel of Bradford: Ministerial salaries are governed by legislation. The principal Acts are the Ministerial and other Salaries Act 1975 (MOSA) and the Ministerial and other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991 (MOPSA).
Information on the total salary of each Secretary of State can therefore be found in the public domain, specifically in the Library.
Given the importance of public sector pay restraint at a time of economic uncertainty, salaried Ministers will not be accepting any pay rise in 2009-10 in their ministerial pay.
Gulf War Illnesses
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the answers by Lord Tunnicliffe on 27 April (Official Report, House of Lords, cols 8-10), whether his statement that the United States Institute of Medicine (IOM) was then reviewing the findings of the Congressionally-mandated US Research Advisory Committee's inquiry into Gulf War Illnesses and that he expected the IOM to report in February 2010 took account of all information readily available;
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The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Baroness Taylor of Bolton): The US Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA) issued a press release on 1 December 2008 which states:
“The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has sent the October 2008 report from the VA Research Advisory Committee on Gulf War Veterans' Illnesses to the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Medicine (IOM) for review and recommendations".
At this time the MoD is not aware of any plans by the DVA to reissue or update its statement on this matter.
Gurkhas
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Nepalese citizens are serving in the Gurkhas; and how many in other branches of Her Majesty's armed forces. [HL3555]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Baroness Taylor of Bolton): As at 1 March 2009 there were a total of 3,880 Gurkhas in the Army who were Nepalese citizens. Of these, 130 were Gurkha officers and 3,760 were Gurkha soldiers. In addition, there were 280 Nepalese citizens serving in the wider British Army. There are no Nepalese citizens serving in the Navy or the RAF.
It should be noted that figures cited have been rounded to 10 and due to ongoing validation of data from the Joint Personnel Administration System, figures are provisional and subject to review.
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many Gurkhas are expected to be recruited in the financial year 2009—10. [HL3557]
Baroness Taylor of Bolton: Under current plans, the Army expects to recruit 230 Gurkhas in 2009-10.
Higher Education: Student Accommodation
Question
Asked by Baroness Sharp of Guildford
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether university-managed student accommodation is required to hold first-aid medical supplies for staff to give to residents who seek their help in dealing with non-emergency medical situations; and, if so, what advice they have issued on that matter. [HL3431]
The Minister of State, Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (Lord Drayson): Universities hold the responsibility for ensuring that health and safety requirements are met in their institutions, including
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The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require employers, including universities, to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to offer first-aid cover to their employees. Universities do not have legal responsibilities for non-employees, but in terms of good practice institutions may include visitors and students in their first-aid risk assessments. The UUK code of practice on student accommodation, which the majority of universities are signed up to, specifies that:
- “students should be given clear advice on what action is to be taken in the event of an emergency e.g. first aid provision, means of calling an ambulance. They should be provided with contact details for emergencies and informed of procedures for reporting accidents or safety defects”.
Institutions also have access to the expertise of the Universities Safety and Health Association, which is a sector organisation dedicated to promoting heath and safety in higher education.
Housing: Private Landlords
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether HM Revenue and Customs have access to details of councils' payments to private landlords whose properties are the subject of the payment of housing benefit. [HL3503]
The Financial Services Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Myners): HMRC is able to obtain a return of housing benefits paid to private landlords by serving a statutory notice on a local authority. HMRC would seek this information only to service specific tax compliance projects. Where HMRC issues such notices it would seek the information from all local authorities in the UK.
Human Rights
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Lord Malloch-Brown on 5 May (WA 102) which indicated that United Kingdom missions overseas regularly report on human rights in foreign countries, what is the purpose of such reporting. [HL3623]
The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Malloch-Brown): Our diplomatic missions overseas—including high commissions, embassies and consulates—report events, activities and other information relevant to our policy goals back to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), and to other government departments. Reporting on human rights issues can be requested directly by the FCO or government departments; for example, when preparing the FCO’s annual human
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Human Rights: Northern Ireland
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the human rights which should be recognised in Northern Ireland and not in the rest of the United Kingdom referred to by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland at the House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Committee on 1 April. [HL3377]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The Government will consult on the rights that might be included in a potential Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland in due course.
IRA
Question
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of whether in the last ten years the IRA has sold its expertise in bomb making and planting to other terrorist groups; if so, to who; and when. [HL3542]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The Government concur with the IMC's assessment, in its 21st report, that the Provisional IRA is following an exclusively peaceful path. It also notes that the IMC, which is responsible for monitoring levels of paramilitary activity, has not raised this matter as a concern previously.
Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
Questions
To ask Her Majesty's Government what the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Shaun Woodward, meant when he said at the House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Committee on 1 April that in advising on a bill of rights the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission “has gone so well beyond the brief they were given”; whether that point has been made to the chief commissioner; if so, when; and what assessment they have made of whether it was appropriate for the Commission and the Northern Ireland Office to spend funding on issues not in the brief. [HL3410]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's advice on a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland was presented to Northern Ireland Office Ministers by the commission on 10 December 2008.
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The uncorrected transcript of the Secretary of State's full response to questions from members of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee about the advice on lApril 2009, which makes clear his meaning, can be found at www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200809/cmselect/cmniaf/uc404-i/uc40402.htm. This transcript is publicly available and I understand that the chief commissioner is aware of it.
The statutory functions of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission are set out in Section 69 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and provision for its funding in Schedule 7 to that Act. The Government have no reason to believe that the commission has exceeded its statutory remit and no plans to take any action in this respect.
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has studied the minority reports from the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission; and, if so, whether he will consult all parties about those reports. [HL3411]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: There is nothing further I can add to the Answer given on 30 March 2009 (Official Report, col. WA 200).
To ask Her Majesty's Government in view of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission producing three reports on proposed rights for Northern Ireland, whether the process of considering human rights has built confidence in Northern Ireland. [HL3412]
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The process of considering the scope for a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland stems from commitments made in the Belfast agreement. The presentation of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's report to the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on 10 December 2008 was an important part of that process. The commission acknowledged in that report the dissent of two commissioners. The provision of the advice contained in the report fulfilled the commission's statutory duty, stemming from the Belfast agreement, to provide such advice.
To ask Her Majesty's Government with reference to the oral evidence given by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Shaun Woodward, before the House of Commons Northern Ireland Affairs Committee on 1 April, when the Northern Ireland Office first discovered that in providing it with advice on human rights the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission had gone beyond its brief; what action they took; and what steps they are taking now. [HL3415]
19 May 2009 : Column WA300
Baroness Royall of Blaisdon: The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission's advice on a Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland was presented to Northern Ireland Office Ministers by the commission on 10 December 2008.
The uncorrected transcript of the Secretary of State's full response to questions from members of the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee about the advice on 1April 2009, which makes clear his meaning, can be found at www.parliament.the-stationery-office.co.uk/pa/cm200809/cmselect/cmniaf/uc404-i/uc40402.htm. This transcript is publicly available and I understand that the chief commissioner is aware of it.
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