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16 Jun 2010 : Column WS85
16 Jun 2010 : Column WS85
Wednesday 16 June 2010
Crime: Drink-driving
Statement
Earl Attlee: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Transport (Philip Hammond) has made the following Ministerial Statement.
A review of drink and drug driving regulation was commissioned by the then Secretary of State on 3 December 2009, to be undertaken by Sir Peter North. Sir Peter's final report has been published today. This report covers a wide range of issues and makes 51 detailed recommendations, which we need to consider carefully with other government departments. In doing so, it is important that we fully investigate the economic and public service resource impact of any suggested changes to the law, taking account of the current financial and economic situation.
Copies of the report have been placed in the Libraries of the House.
MEPs: Passes
Statement
The Chairman of Committees (Lord Brabazon of Tara): On 10 November 2009, the House debated the House Committee's fourth report of the 2008-09 Session on parliamentary passes for UK Members of the European Parliament (HL Paper 170).1 It was clear that the House was not willing to agree to the report's recommendation that the right of UK MEPs to hold parliamentary passes should be withdrawn and, accordingly, Lord Tomlinson's amendment inviting the committee to reconsider the matter was accepted without a vote.
The committee has now reconsidered the issue. It was clear, not least for administrative and security reasons, that it would be preferable for the two Houses to operate identical rules in respect of parliamentary passes for UK MEPs. The Lord Speaker therefore wrote to the then chairman of the House of Commons Administration Committee, Frank Doran MP, to ask that that committee reconsider its decision to withdraw
16 Jun 2010 : Column WS86
Notwithstanding this reply, the House Committee has agreed that this House should retain its existing resolution which entitles UK MEPs to a parliamentary pass. However, because of the decision taken by the House of Commons, it will be necessary to alter the appearance of UK MEPs' parliamentary passes to make it clear that they grant access only to the House of Lords areas of the Parliamentary Estate. In addition, the new passes will operate pass readers only in the Lords areas. This work is already under way and the new style of pass will soon be issued to UK MEPs who have requested one.
In the mean time, officials of both Houses are working together closely to ensure that the new arrangements bed in as smoothly and effectively as possible.
1Official Report, cols. 682-87.
Overseas Aid
Statement
Baroness Verma: My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for International Development (Andrew Mitchell) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
The Government will honour the commitment to spend 0.7 per cent of GNI on overseas aid from 2013. We are determined to ensure that this vital and important aid budget is used effectively and delivers value for money for the world's poorest people. In this context, I would like to inform the House that I have commissioned a review of the DfID bilateral aid programme to ensure that we target UK aid where it is needed most and will make the most significant impact on poverty reduction.
The review will consider which countries should receive British aid, how much they should receive and which countries should stop receiving British aid. It will also consider which aid instruments are most effective at delivering poverty reduction in different contexts. Any savings generated will be redirected to more effective programmes in other poor countries.
I look forward to sharing the full results of the review with the House when it is completed.
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