You are here: Parliament home page > Parliamentary business > Publications and Records > Lords Publications > Lords Hansard > Lords Hansard by Date > Daily Hansard
Previous Section Back to Table of Contents Lords Hansard Home Page


31 Jan 2012 : Column WA301

Written Answers

Tuesday 31 January 2012

Armed Forces: Medals

Question

Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool

Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals has not considered whether holders of the Merchant Navy Medal may wear this decoration alongside United Kingdom decorations. The committee will only do so if any such recommendation is put forward by the sponsoring department.

Bangladesh

Question

Asked by Lord Avebury

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Howell of Guildford): We follow developments in the Chittagong Hill Tracts closely, both through our High Commission in Dhaka and through the European Union. Difficulties encountered by some non-governmental organisations (NGO) and international NGOs with regard to specific project activities in Bangladesh were discussed during a European Commission-Bangladesh sub-group meeting in late November, which also discussed progress towards the full implementation of the peace accord.

Banking: Bonuses

Question

Asked by Lord Myners

The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Sassoon): The Chancellor of the Exchequer meets senior members of UK banking institutions on a range of issues. It is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings and discussions.



31 Jan 2012 : Column WA302

Banking: Bradford and Bingley

Questions

Asked by Lord Hoyle

The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Sassoon): Following the transfer of Bradford and Bingley into public ownership, the previous Government made the Bradford and Bingley plc Compensation Scheme Order 2008.

The order provided that each shareholder should receive compensation equal to the value of his shares immediately before they were taken into public ownership. The amount of compensation would be assessed by an independent valuer.

Peter Clokey was appointed as the independent valuer. On 5 July 2010, he published his report, setting out his determination that, as the shares had a nil value at the relevant time, no compensation is payable by the Government to former shareholders of Bradford and Bingley.

Subsequently, shareholders referred Mr Clokey's decision to the upper tribunal. The tribunal has yet to decide that appeal.

Benefits: Disability

Question

Asked by Lord Morris of Manchester

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Freud): The Chancellor announced in June 2010 that he anticipated that the overall impact of reform will result in savings equivalent to 20 per cent of forecast working age DLA expenditure.

Our proposals will help to ensure that expenditure on personal independence payment is sustainable and focused on those most in need of support. A more objective assessment will improve consistency in decisions and through regular reviews ensure that awards remain correct. The department published an impact assessment with the Welfare Reform Bill which included estimated savings to the exchequer. This can be found at: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/dla-reform-wr2011-ia.pdf. We intend to update this following Royal Assent of the Welfare Reform Bill.



31 Jan 2012 : Column WA303

Civil Service: Retirement

Questions

Asked by Lord Laird

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Baroness Wilcox): BIS was formed through a Machinery of Government change that occurred in June 2009. The department was created by merging The Department for Business Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS). We have provided details of the average age of SCS staff who have retired from the department since it was created below:

DatesAverage age of Retirement

01 Jun 2009 to 31 Dec 2009

59.07

01 Jan 2010 to 31 Dec 2010

56.15

01 Jan 2011 to 31 Dec 2011

57.35

Providing this information for our predecessor departments would incur disproportionate cost.

Information about the average pension paid to retired senior civil servants is not held and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. However, the department's annual resource accounts (2009-10 and 2010-11) contain remuneration reports which include information about the pension benefits of senior management (the department's Permanent Secretary and Management Board).

Asked by Lord Laird

The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Henley): The average age of retirement from the senior Civil Service in the Home Office in the period 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2011 is 62 years of age. We are unable to provide details of the average pension paid to those retired senior civil servants in each year since 2001. Obtaining the data requested would incur disproportionate cost.

Drugs: Trafficking

Question

Asked by Lord Jones of Cheltenham



31 Jan 2012 : Column WA304

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Howell of Guildford): Co-operation on drugs and international crime was a major focus of the UK-Caribbean Ministerial Forum held in Grenada earlier this month. The Foreign Secretary, my right honourable friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), led a high-level delegation of Ministers and officials, including the Minister for Crime and Security. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office also supports the projects designed to tackle organised crime and drug trafficking in the Caribbean using project funds to facilitate judicial and police reform. In this and all our work we co-ordinate closely with the Home Office, Ministry of Defence, Department for International Development and the Serious Organised Crime Agency, all of which have a productive relationship with their Caribbean counterparts.

Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel Wave Ruler, deployed in the Caribbean in 2011, has had significant success in maritime security patrols, with confirmed disruptions of over 6.4 metric tonnes of drugs and an estimated $12 million of bulk cash since July.

Egypt, Tunisia and Libya: Frozen Funds

Question

Asked by Lord Hylton

The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Sassoon): The Treasury is responsible for the implementation of international financial sanctions. The sanctions regimes for Tunisia, Libya and Egypt impose an asset freeze against a list of targets, both individuals and entities, a full list of which is available from the Treasury website (http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/fin_sanctions_index.htm).

The approximate aggregate value of funds in UK jurisdictions currently frozen under the Tunisia, Libya and Egypt sanctions regimes is £2 billion. The figure is provided on an aggregate basis so as not to disclose indirectly the value of funds held by particular individuals or entities.

HM Treasury may authorise by licence the release of frozen funds. A number of licences have been, and continue to be, issued under the regimes referred to above for a range of reasons, such as to allow third-party access to funds that are owed to them by a frozen entity.

The lifting of a sanctions regime would follow agreement to do so at UN or EU level (or both), depending on which body agreed the original designation. For example, on 16 December 2011 the relevant UN Sanctions Committee agreed to lift the asset freeze against the Central Bank of Libya and the Libya Arab Foreign Bank. Agreement to lift the corresponding EU sanctions was made on 20 December 2011.



31 Jan 2012 : Column WA305

Employment Tribunals

Question

Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark

The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord McNally): It is not possible to estimate whether there will be any impact on the number of claims made to the employment tribunal as a result of the introduction of fees. However, the Government consider that the introduction of a fee will improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the system by encouraging parties to think through whether a formal claim needs to be lodged at an employment tribunal, or whether it can be settled informally outside the system (e.g. within the workplace, via mediation or conciliation). A consequence of this effect may be to change the number of cases brought to the tribunal but assessing the degree of that change is extremely difficult.

Given that the introduction of fees may have an impact on the number of claims made, the accompanying impact assessment to the consultation modelled two scenarios to reflect two different levels of reductions in the number of claims.

Employment: Migrant Workers

Question

Asked by Lord Laird

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions (Lord Freud): The Government took the view, before the decision was adopted in Council, that the measures fell within Title V of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU, notwithstanding the absence of an expressly cited Title V legal base. We concluded that we did not want to opt in.

On 16 August 2011 the Government submitted an application to the Court of Justice of the European Union to annul the Council Decision of 6 June 2011 on the amendment to Annex VI (Social Security) and Protocol 37 to the European Economic Area Agreement (8900/11), on the grounds that the legal base is incorrect.

The number of people involved is expected to be low and so the financial effect is similarly small. The

31 Jan 2012 : Column WA306

legal challenge protects a point of principle by not extending EU competence in the area of social security or setting a precedent for future agreements.

Energy: Suppliers

Question

Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Energy and Climate Change (Lord Marland): The Government support work being undertaken by Ofgem in its retail market review in relation to energy tariffs. Ofgem's proposals, published in December 2011, include a range of measures that will require suppliers to simplify tariff structures and billing information. The proposals should make tariffs easier to compare and help customers make better informed choices.

EU: Association Agreements

Question

Asked by Lord Janner of Braunstone

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Howell of Guildford): The Middle East peace process and implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 were discussed at the 13 December 2011 meeting of the European Union-Lebanese Association Committee. However, the specific question of Lebanese recognition of Israel was not discussed.

Finance: UK Financial Investments Ltd

Question

Asked by Lord Myners

The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Sassoon): UK Financial Investments (UKFI) continues to be responsible for managing the Government's investments in Royal Bank of Scotland, Lloyds Banking Group, Bradford & Bingley and Northern Rock Asset

31 Jan 2012 : Column WA307

Management on an arm's-length and commercial basis; and for developing and executing a strategy for disposing of the investments in an orderly and active way.

UKFI will continue to look at the full range of alternatives for disposing of the investments.

Gaza

Questions

Asked by Lord Judd

Baroness Northover: According to the latest analysis by the strategic foresight group in May 2011, at the current rate of depletion, the Gaza aquifer will become unusable by 2016, and the damage will be irreversible by 2020. The UK Government continue to press the Israeli Government, bilaterally and by working with others such as the EU, on the need to ensure adequate access to water in Gaza.

Asked by Lord Judd

Baroness Northover: The most recent assessment of healthcare provision in Gaza by the World Health Organisation concludes that there is a deterioration in the quality of care, as a result of Israeli movement and access restrictions, and political and institutional separation between the West Bank and Gaza.

Access to education for the people of Gaza has been seriously undermined by continuing movement and access restrictions. Repair and construction of schools to meet the needs of a growing student population have been significantly delayed, resulting in severe overcrowding in schools. Many schools have been forced to operate on double and triple shifts, leading to reduced class times.

The UK Government continue to press the Israeli Government, bilaterally and by working with others such as the EU, to ease movement and access restrictions to enable the construction of schools and uninterrupted access for medical supplies into Gaza. In addition to our core funding to the Palestinian Authority and UN Relief and Works Agency to deliver essential services in Gaza, in December 2011 we announced further support to construct 12 new UNRWA schools in Gaza, supporting 24,000 refugee children to attend school.

Asked by Lord Judd



31 Jan 2012 : Column WA308

Baroness Northover: According to the latest report from the emergency water, sanitation and hygiene group in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, residents of Gaza use an average of 91 litres of water per day. This is less than the World Health Organisation's recommended minimum of 100 litres of water a day to meet all health needs. The UK Government continue to press the Israeli Government, bilaterally and by working with others such as the EU, on the need to ensure adequate access to water for Palestinians in both Gaza and the West Bank.

Asked by Baroness Tonge

Baroness Northover: The UK regularly makes representations at both ministerial and official level to the Government of Israel on the need to ease movement and access restriction into and out of Gaza. Most recently, my right honourable friend the Secretary of State for International Development Andrew Mitchell and my right honourable friend the Minister for the Middle East, Alastair Burt, discussed these issues during visits to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories in December 2011 and January 2012. As part of these discussions, we frequently emphasised the impact restrictions have had on industry in Gaza, including in fishing and agriculture. We continue to express our deep concern that in Gaza, which should have a thriving economy, over 75 per cent of the population are dependent to some extent on aid.

Asked by Baroness Tonge

Baroness Northover: Reports by the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs show that since June 2010 there has been a sufficient flow of foodstuffs into Gaza, with poverty being the main driver of ongoing food instability. We have consistently lobbied the Israeli Government at ministerial and official level, in close co-ordination with the Office of the Quartet Representative and European Union partners, on the need to ease movement and access restrictions into and out of Gaza, including the urgent need to address the current high level of food insecurity. Most recently, Andrew Mitchell, Secretary of State for International Development, and Alastair Burt, Minister for the Middle East, raised these issues as part of visits to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories in December 2011 and January 2012.



31 Jan 2012 : Column WA309

Asked by Baroness Tonge

Baroness Northover: I refer my noble friend to my answer to her previous question on 11 January 2012 (Official Report (WA93).

Government Departments: Bonuses

Questions

Asked by Lord Laird

The Commercial Secretary to the Treasury (Lord Sassoon): All Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) staff (AA to SCS3) are eligible to receive non-consolidated performance awards. The number of staff eligible for consideration for a performance award in 2012-13 (for performance related to 2011-12) is 75,335, of whom 358 are senior civil servants. In addition, all AA to Grade 6 are eligible to receive recognition bonuses. The cost of these awards is funded by a proportion of the departmental pay bill.

It is estimated that up to 15 per cent of AA to Grade 6 and up to 25 per cent of SCS will receive a performance award. The value of AA to Grade 6 awards is dependent on affordability and will not be known until budgets have been allocated for 2012-13.

The maximum level of SCS awards is set by Cabinet Office, following the Senior Salary Review Body reporting its findings.

HMRC cannot comment on future years, due to ongoing reward reform following the Chancellor's 2011 Autumn Statement.

Asked by Lord Laird

Lord Sassoon: All HM Treasury staff (Range B (AO) to SCS3) are eligible to receive non-consolidated performance awards. The number of HM Treasury

31 Jan 2012 : Column WA310

staff eligible for consideration for a performance award in 2012-13 (for performance related to 2011-12) is 1,154, of whom 101 are senior civil servants (SCS). In addition, all Range B to SCS are eligible to receive recognition awards. The cost of these awards is funded by a proportion of the departmental pay bill.

It is estimated that up to 25 per cent of staff of Range B to SCS will receive a performance award. The value of Range B to Range E (Grade 7/6) is dependent on affordability and will not be known until budgets have been allocated for 2012-13.

The maximum level of SCS awards is set by Cabinet Office, following the Senior Salary Review Body reporting its findings. HM Treasury cannot comment on future years, due to ongoing reward reform following the Chancellor's 2011 Autumn Statement.

Government Departments: Expenditure

Question

Asked by Viscount Waverley

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Howell of Guildford): Details of the Foreign and Commonwealth's (FCO) spend are given in our annual resource accounts which are laid before Parliament each year and available on the FCO website (www.fco.gov.uk). The figures for 2011-12 will be published this summer.

The FCO aims to spend within 1 per cent of its parliamentary control total each year and routinely reprioritises its spending between different directorates in the UK and its network of nearly 270 posts in order to meet the Government's foreign policy priorities while obtaining best value for the UK taxpayer. This process allows the FCO to direct resources as and where they are required. Examples of this in 2011-12 would include extra resources devoted to the Arab spring and in the aftermath of the Japanese earthquake.

Based on current forecasts, the FCO is on course to outturn within 1 per cent of its parliamentary control total this financial year.

Government Departments: Freedom of Information

Question

Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool



31 Jan 2012 : Column WA311

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (Baroness Wilcox): A list of freedom of information requests made to the Department for Business Innovation and Skills will be placed in the Library of the House. Personal information relating to members of the public will be removed.

I have approached the chief executives of the Insolvency Service, Companies House, the National Measurement Office, the Intellectual Property Office, UK Space Agency, Ordnance Survey, Met Office, Land Registry and the Skills Funding Agency and they will respond to the noble Lord directly, copies of which will be placed in the Library of the House.

Government Departments: Staff

Question

Asked by Lord Laird

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Hill of Oareford): In each of the years from 2007 to 2011 the Department for Education had fewer than five civil servants who were either prosecuted or convicted of a criminal offence and therefore fewer than five who were suspended or dismissed.

Higher Education: Quality Standards

Questions

Asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough

Baroness Verma: Higher education institutions have responsibility for the quality and standards of their provision and awards. The role of the Quality Assurance

31 Jan 2012 : Column WA312

Agency for Higher Education (QAA), under contract to the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE), and to the other UK higher education funding bodies, is to review how well institutions meet their responsibilities. To underpin this work, all institutions use the academic infrastructure, which is developed and maintained by the QAA. This is a set of common reference points for setting, describing and assuring the quality of the learning experience, for example subject benchmark statements and programme specifications. The QAA is currently working with the UK higher education sector to develop the UK Quality Code for Higher Education, which will replace the Academic Infrastructure.

The QAA publishes reports of its institutional reviews, highlighting good practice and detailing any areas identified as needing attention and recommending appropriate action. The QAA follows up action plans to ensure that institutions take satisfactory steps to address any shortcomings, and provides information on the results of its reviews to HEFCE. The Government do not respond to individual review reports. Between 2005 and 2011 QAA carried out 181 institutional and collaborative provision audits of higher education institutions in England. Of these 16 resulted in a limited confidence judgment and one in a no confidence judgment.

Asked by Lord Willis of Knaresborough

Baroness Verma: The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA), under contract to HEFCE, reviews how institutions meet their responsibilities for maintaining and enhancing the quality of their provision and awards for both undergraduate and postgraduate students. The QAA publishes specific guidance on the academic standards and quality expected of postgraduate research programmes. It is currently consulting the sector on a draft chapter that will address postgraduate research students in the UK Quality Code for Higher Education which the QAA is developing. The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) is gathering evidence on the purpose and characteristics of, and outcomes from, postgraduate study. HEFCE is also investigating what further information might usefully be provided to prospective postgraduate students to help them make informed choices about what and where to study.

House of Lords: Catering

Question

Asked by Lord Kennedy of Southwark



31 Jan 2012 : Column WA313

The Chairman of Committees (Lord Brabazon of Tara): Chefs in every catering outlet are tasked with ensuring that the ingredients they use and cooking techniques they employ are as healthy as possible, and the River Restaurant now indicates "healthy eating options" on its menus. However, the House does not have any plans to promote healthy eating and it is a personal choice for Members and staff as to whether they select the healthy options.

Houses of Parliament: Legislation

Question

Asked by Lord Butler of Brockwell

The Minister of State, Ministry of Justice (Lord McNally): The information requested is provided below by department. We have not included provisions that are partially in force, provisions which have been implemented in certain areas of the United Kingdom only or provisions that have since been repealed.

The following departments have confirmed that all the legislation for which they are responsible has been commenced in full:

the Scotland Office;the Wales Office;the Attorney General's Office; andForeign and Commonwealth Office.
Cabinet Office
ActProvisions not yet in force

Charities Act 2006

Sections 48-66

Electoral Administration Act 2006

Sections 1(2), (5), 2(2), (4)-(9), (12), 3A 5(10), 7

Schedule 1 (paragraphs 75 (parts of)

Political Parties and Elections Act 2009

Sections 9, 10(1)-(7), 11, 27-30, 32(1)-(5), (7)-(11), 33-34

Schedules 3; 4;

Constitutional Reform and Governance Act 2010

Sections 40, 45, 46

Schedule 6(paragraphs 35(3), 38-41, 47(parts of)); Schedule 7 (paragraphs 4, 5 (parts of))

Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
ActProvisions not yet in force

Consumer Credit Act 2006

Schedule 3 (paragraphs 17)

Companies Act 2006

Section 22(2), 327(2)(c), 330(6)(c)

Schedule 9 (Part 2)

Consumers, Estate Agents and Redress Act 2007

Section 54

Schedule 7 (paragraph 3)



31 Jan 2012 : Column WA314

Department for Communities and Local Government
ActProvisions not yet in force

Planning Act 2008

Sections 27-28, 193

Schedules 8, 9 (partially), 10 (partially), 13 (partially)

Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007

216 (1)

Schedule 6; 14; Schedule 18 (partially)

The Housing and Regeneration Act 2008

Sections 279-293,

Schedule 10; Schedule 16 (partially)

Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009

Sections 1-9, 34-54

Schedule 7 (Parts 2 and 5)

Business Rate Supplements Act 2009

Section 16(5)

Schedule 2

Department for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport
ActProvisions not yet in force

Gambling Act 2005

Sections 7(5)(a), 159-165, 175 (1)(2)-(8), 204

Schedule 9

National Lottery Act 2006

Schedule 1

London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Act 2006

Section 39(1)

Schedule 3 (paragraph 13)

Digital Economy Act 2010

Sections 19-21, 28(1)-(7), 40(2)-(3), (5), (6), 41(1)(2), 43

Schedule 1 (paragraphs 2-4, 6-9, 10(2); Schedule 2 (Parts of)

Department for Education
ActProvisions not yet in force

Childcare Act 2006

Section 5

Education and Inspections Act 2006

Sections 74(1)-(3),(5), 169-171

Schedule 2 (paragraph 17)

Children's and Young Persons Act 2008

Sections 4, 11-14,

Education and Skills Act 2008

Sections 1-67, 155, 157-158

Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act 2009

Sections 45, 91-99, 145-146, 148(1)(c), 155, 158(3),246-248, 249(1)(2), 250

Children, Schools and Families Act 2010

Sections 4(1), 7, 8-10, 11-21, 22

Department for Energy and Climate Change
ActProvisions not yet in force

Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Act 2006

Section 3A

Climate Change Act 2008

Section 81

Schedule 5 (parts of)

Energy Act 2008

Sections 99

Schedule 1 (parts of); Schedule 6 (parts of)

Energy Act 2010

Sections 18-23,

Schedule 1 (paragraphs 7, 8)



31 Jan 2012 : Column WA315

Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
ActProvisions not yet in force

Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005

Section 49(5), (7)

Commons Act 2006 c.26

Section 25, 50,

Schedule 6 (parts of)

Animal Welfare Act 2006

Section 8(3)-(5),

Schedule 3 (parts of); Schedule 4 (parts of)

Flood and Water Management Act 2010

Schedules 1(parts of); 2(parts of); 3; 4(parts of) 5(parts of)

Department for Health
ActProvisions not yet in force

Health Act 2006

Section 36(2)

NHS Redress Act 2006

Sections 1-16

Mental Health Act 2007

Sections 38(3)(a)(d), 38(6), 38(7)(a), 38(9)

Health and Social Care Act 2008

Sections 98(2), 99-106, 107(2)-(3) 107(5), 109, 118(2)(b)(d), 128, 141

Schedule 6 (paragraphs 15-16); Schedule 7 (paragraphs 1-10, 12-45, 47-51); Schedule 8 (paragraph 10); Schedule 10 (paragraphs 7, 9, 14-15, 18, 27); Schedule 14 (paragraphs 1, 8)

Health Act 2009

Sections 14, 26-32,

Schedule 4 (paragraphs 7(1), (3)-(4), 8, 9(1))

Personal Care at Home Act 2010

Sections 1, 2

Department for Transport
ActProvisions not yet in force

Railways Act 2005

Schedule 13 (parts of Part I):

Civil Aviation Act 2006

Section 9

Road Safety Act 2006

Sections 2, 10, 13, 15-19, 22, 34-35, 37-39, 42, 47-48, 56-57

Schedules 3; 6; 7 (paragraphs (4), (6)-(8), (10)-(11), (14)-(15), (17)-(18))

Local Transport Act 2008

Sections 2, 4-5

Driving Instruction (Suspension and Exemption Powers) Act 2009

Sections 1-4

Schedules 1; 2



31 Jan 2012 : Column WA316

Department for Work and Pensions
ActProvisions not yet in force

Pensions Act 2007

Section 15(1)

Schedule 4 (Part 2)(parts of); Schedule 7 (Part 7)(parts of)

Welfare Reform Act 2007

Sections 29, 37, 40, 56-57, 61(1)(a), 63, 67

Schedule 3 (paragraphs 5, 7(2)-(6), 9(5), (12), 21); Schedule 4 (paragraphs 3(a), 4-6, 9); Schedule 5 (paragraph 13); Schedule 7 (paragraph 1); Schedule 8 (parts of)

Child Maintenance and Other Payments Act 2008

Sections 16-19, 21, 25-30, 32-34, 37, 39-42, 60(2)

Schedules 4; 5; Schedule 7 (paragraphs 1(1)-(6), (8), (11)-(18), (22)(b), (23)-(24) (25)(b), (27)-(31), (5)-(6); Schedule 8 (parts of)

Pensions Act 2008

Sections 1, 6, 19, 30-31, 33-36, 39, 42, 44-48, 50-51, 53, 55-57, 59, 61, 66, 87-95, 102-104, 106 122, 124(4)-(5), 127, 129 137

Schedules 3; 4(paragraphs 6(3), 7(a), 8(a) 9(2)(c), 10,13-22); Schedule 8 (paragraphs 10-12, 15); Schedule 10 (paragraphs 1, 3, 6-9); Schedule 11 (parts of)

Welfare Reform Act 2009

Sections 3(1)(4), 4-7, 9, 13(5)(c), 16-22, 25, 30-31, 32(3)-(5) 36, 51-54, 55(1)(2), 56

Schedules 1; 2; 5; 6; Schedule 7 (Parts 1, 4 and 5)

Equality Act 2010

Sections 1-3, 14, 36(1)(d),(5),(6), 78, 106, 160, 162-164, 197-201, 211

Schedule 4 (paragraphs 5-7); Schedule 20

HM Treasury
ActProvisions not yet in force

Building Societies (Funding) and Mutual Societies (Transfers) Act 2007

Sections 1, 2

National Insurance Contributions Act 2008

Schedule 1 (paragraph 6(3)); Schedule 2 (parts of)

Corporation Tax Act 2009

Schedule 2 (paragraphs 71, 99); Schedule 3 (Part 2)

Banking Act 2009

Sections 170, 172, 255-256

Corporation Tax Act 2009

Schedule 2 (paragraphs 71, 99); Schedule 3 (Part 2)

Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies and Credit Unions Act 2010

Sections 1-7

Financial Services Act 2010

Sections 15,

Schedule 2 (paragraph 36)



31 Jan 2012 : Column WA317

Home Office
ActProvisions not yet in force

Borders Citizen and Immigration Act 2009

Sections 39-41, 52

Schedule (part 3)

Counter-Terrorism Act 2008

Sections 1-18a, 22-27

Schedule 9 Part 1

Crime and Security Act 2010

Sections 8-32, 34-45, 55, 56

Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008

Sections 130-137

Immigration Asylum and Nationality Act 2006

Sections 12-13, 44, 50(3)(b) (6)

Schedule 1 (paragraph 11)

Police and Crime Act 2009

Sections 52-60, 63, 65-66, 82, 85-87 89-90, 92-96, 102,

Police and Justice Act 2006

Sections 14, 34, 42, 43(1)

Schedule 13 (paragraph 4,5); Schedule 14; Schedule 15 (partially)

Serious Crime Act 2007

Sections 91,

Schedule 13 (paragraph 7); Schedule 14 (partially)

Serious Organised Crime and Police Act 2005

Sections 114(9), 117(3) (4)(b), 162(3)

Schedule 17 part 2

UK Borders Act 2007

Sections 57

Coroners and Justice Act 2009

Section 117

Equality Act 2010

Sections 1-3, 14, 36(1)(d), 36(5)-(6), 78, 106, 160, 162-164, 197, 198-201,

Schedules 2-4 (partially); Schedule 13 (partially); Schedule 16 (partially); Schedule 20; Schedules 22-23 (partially); Schedule 26 (partially); Schedule 27 (partially)

Violent Crime Reduction Act 2006

Sections 61,

Schedule 5 (partially)

Ministry of Justice
ActProvisions not yet in force

Police and Justice Act 2006

Sections 14, 34, 43(1)

Schedule 13 (paragraphs 4, 5); Schedule 14 (Paragraphs 7, 15, 36, 38, 41)

Forced Marriage (Civil Protection) Act 2007

Schedule 1 (paragraphs 3(2)(b), (8), 9, 14(1)); Schedule 2 (paragraph 3(3))

Legal Services Act 2007

Sections 73(2)(a), (3), 83(1)-(2) 86 (2), 103, 105-108, 112(5), 161, 175(1)(e)-(f), 176(3), 191

Schedules 12 (paragraphs 1, 2(1)-(3), 3, 5-7); Schedules 18 (paragraphs 18-23; 19 (paragraphs 2-4, 6(3), 7, 10, 11(2)-(5)); Schedule 22 (paragraphs 10, 11(2), 12)

Serious Crime Act 2007

Schedule 13 (paragraph 7)

Tribunals, Courts and Enforcement Act 2007

Sections 62(2), (4), 63-85, 87-105, 106(1), (3), 107, 109-133, 143, 144(2)-(4), (6), (8)-(10)

Schedule 8 (paragraphs 13, 24, 29, 34, 64(a)); Schedules 12; 13; 14; 15; 16; 21; 23 (paragraphs 3-6)

Criminal Justice and Immigration Act 2008

Sections 9, 11(2)-(8), 19, 33(2), (4), (7)-(8), 34(2), (4)(b), (10), 39, 46(2), 78, 130-137

Schedule 4 (paragraphs 3(3), (5), 25, 59(c), 92(a), (c)); Schedules 7; Schedule 26 (paragraphs 1, 2(3), 50); Schedule 27 (paragraphs 13(1), 28, 36)

Coroners and Justice Act 2009

Sections 1-10, 12-21, 26-31, 34, 36-37, 39-40, 42-46, 49(1) 50-51, 104, 117, 148

Schedules 1; 2; 3; 4; 5; 6; 7; 9; 10; 11; 14; 16; 17(paragraphs 4-5, 8-9); 20 (paragraph 4) Schedule 21 (paragraphs 1-51, 90-93); Schedule 22 (paragraphs 29-36), 41-42); Schedule 23 (parts of)

Third Parties (Rights against Insurers) Act 2010

The entire Act is currently unimplemented



31 Jan 2012 : Column WA318

Ministry of Defence
ActProvisions not yet in force

Armed Forces Act 2006

Sections 212(2), 351

Schedule 12; Schedule 16

Northern Ireland Office
ActProvisions not yet in force

Northern Ireland (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2006

Sections 13B(4)(e), 14(4)(d), 60 (1)(b), (5)(b)

Schedule 1 (paragraph 110); Schedule 2 (paragraph 3(a)); Schedule 3 (paragraph 9(f)); Schedule 4 (paragraph 15); Schedule 5 (parts of)

Independent Commission for Aid Impact

Question

Asked by Lord Forsyth of Drumlean

Baroness Northover: The budget for the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) is made up of two elements: the cost of the commission itself and the payment to the contractors undertaking the evaluation work.

In 2011-12, the total cost of the commission will be £409,000. This budget is currently allocated as follows:

cost of the four commissioners £101,500;cost of the small secretariat £280,200; andother costs, including office accommodation £27,300.

The cost of the previous Independent Advisory Committee on Development Impact (IACDI) in 2009-10-the last full year of operation-was £133,100 (including its secretariat function which was provided by Department for International Development staff). IACDI provided advice but, unlike ICAI, it relied on DfID staff to commission evaluation reports. It was not therefore independent in the sense that ICAI is.

The payment to ICAI contractors will depend on the amount and nature of work commissioned from the contractors by ICAI. The total cost of this contract up to the end of December 2011 was £545,410. More information on ICAI costs can be found on DfID's published database (http://projects.dfid.gov.uk/).

Iran

Question

Asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool



31 Jan 2012 : Column WA319

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Howell of Guildford): I am deeply concerned by the increased rate of executions in Iran. In the past three years, credible information indicates that over 1,500 people have been executed in Iran and according to recent reports over 50 executions have already taken place in 2012, mostly on drugs-related charges. The UK is opposed to the death penalty in all circumstances and works closely with the European Union to promote the abolition of the death penalty around the world. At a time when the global trend is towards the abolition of the death penalty, it is disturbing that Iran is choosing to move in the opposite direction, and in a manner contrary to international minimum standards on the use of the death penalty. These matters are subject to scrutiny in the United Nations (UN) General Assembly and UN Human Rights Council through widely supported resolutions criticising Iran's human rights record. In the coming months and at the Human Rights Council in March, we shall continue to draw attention to Iran's appalling record of violations.

Israel and Palestine

Questions

Asked by Lord Hylton

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Howell of Guildford): The UK, along with European Union (EU) partners, regularly raises our concerns with the Israeli Government about the application of due process and the treatment of Palestinian detainees.

We have instructed our embassy in Tel Aviv to raise this issue with the Israeli authorities. They have discussed it with the Israeli police. Together with our EU partners, we are considering what further action might be taken.

We continue to monitor the situation closely.

Asked by Lord Jones of Cheltenham

Lord Howell of Guildford: The UK, along with European Union (EU) partners, regularly raises our concerns with the Israeli Government about the application of due process and the treatment of Palestinian detainees.

We have instructed our embassy in Tel Aviv to raise this issue with the Israeli authorities. They have discussed it with the Israeli police. Together with our EU partners are considering what further action might be taken.

We continue to monitor the situation closely.



31 Jan 2012 : Column WA320

Asked by Baroness Tonge

Lord Howell of Guildford: The UK, along with European Union (EU) partners, regularly raises our concerns with the Israeli Government about the application of due process and the treatment of Palestinian detainees.

We have instructed our embassy in Tel Aviv to raise these arrests and detentions with the Israeli authorities. Together with our EU partners we are considering what further action might be taken.

We continue to monitor the situation closely.

Israel and Palestine: West Bank

Question

Asked by Lord Hylton

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Howell of Guildford): We have raised our concerns about these various issues with the Israeli co-ordinator of government activities in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and with the Israeli Defence Force on a number of occasions. Staff at our consulate-general in Jerusalem and our embassy in Tel Aviv continue to raise these issues as appropriate.

We view any attempts to change the facts on the ground as a serious provocation likely to raise tensions and cause unnecessary suffering to ordinary Palestinians, as well as being harmful to the peace process and in contravention of international law. We continue to monitor the situation closely.

Middle East and North Africa

Question

Asked by Lord Hylton

Baroness Northover: The UK is continuing to press hard to deliver enhanced trade and appropriate aid to the Middle East and north Africa region, in particular to help secure a substantial response from multi-laterals and the international community. For example the European Council in December 2011 agreed negotiating

31 Jan 2012 : Column WA321

mandates for deep and comprehensive free trade agreements with Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia. These have the potential to lead to substantially liberalised trade between the UK and the countries concerned. In addition, my colleagues at UK Trade and Investment are assisting a broad range of British companies to develop business in the region. A roadshow around the UK to highlight business opportunities is planned in March as well as a conference on 8 March entitled Arab Spring One Year On: Business Opportunities in North Africa.

Since the establishment of the £110 million UK Arab Partnership Fund, we have been programming targeted UK assistance over the next four years to support political and economic reform and transition. For example, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Arab Partnership Participation Fund has approved 46 projects in nine countries worth over £5 million. My department's Arab partnership economic facility is encouraging greater assistance from international financial institutions to the region. We are exploring proposals with the African Development Bank, the World Bank and the International Financial Corporation. In addition UK funding to the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development helped to kick-start its programme of technical assistance on enterprise development, access to finance, agribusiness and infrastructure development in the region.

People Trafficking

Question

Asked by Lord McColl of Dulwich

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Schools (Lord Hill of Oareford): While information on the number of children who go missing from their care placements for more than 24 hours is collected, information on whether a looked-after child has been the victim of human trafficking and gone missing from care is not collected centrally.

Local authorities have an overall statutory duty for the safeguarding of children. This includes preventing and mitigating the risk of them going missing from care. Local authorities work in close co-operation with the police and the UK Border Agency to support, and provide protection for, potentially trafficked children. This will involve assessing their needs and putting in place support packages. Where a child does become looked after, local authorities must allocate that child a social worker. They will then draw up a care plan which sets out how the authority intends to respond to the full range of the child's needs, including the need to safeguard them from contact with traffickers.



31 Jan 2012 : Column WA322

The plan will also include arrangements to be followed if the young person goes missing. The National Minimum Standards for Children's Homes and Fostering Services require all homes and fostering services to have explicit procedures to be followed when looked after children are missing or absent. Statutory Guidance on Children who Runaway and Go Missing from Home and Care issued in July 2009 requires local authorities to collect information on missing from care incidents. Local authorities should make regular reports to council members with responsibility for corporate parenting on patterns of children going missing from care.

Republic of Ireland: Foreign Nationals

Question

Asked by Lord Laird

The Minister of State, Home Office (Lord Henley): The UK Border Agency works in partnership with its counterparts in the Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) in Ireland to strengthen border security while preserving the right of free movement within the common travel area for those who are lawfully present. Foreign nationals refused entry to Ireland and who opt to leave voluntarily may return via a UK airport if:

they had originally travelled to Ireland by that route, orthere is no direct flight from Ireland to their final destination.

They may enter the UK if they had previously been in the UK lawfully and their leave was still extant. In other cases GNIB officials will either notify the UK Border Agency of the intended travel arrangements, so that UK Border Agency officials can ensure that they board their onward flight, or will escort the foreign national on to the aircraft at the UK port of departure for their final destination.

Scotland: Referendum

Questions

Asked by Lord Inglewood

The Advocate-General for Scotland (Lord Wallace of Tankerness): As set out in the Government's consultation paper, Scotland's Constitutional Future, published on 10 January 2012, the Government's view is that the devolved legislature and local government franchise would be most suitable in any referendum on Scottish independence.



31 Jan 2012 : Column WA323

Asked by Lord Kilclooney

Lord Wallace of Tankerness: The Government are not making plans for independence as we are confident that people in Scotland will continue to support Scotland's place within the United Kingdom.

Syria

Question

Asked by Lord Hylton

The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Howell of Guildford): The Government are working closely with a wide range of international

31 Jan 2012 : Column WA324

partners, including the governments of Qatar and Turkey to bring an end to violence and repression in Syria.

The UK supports the Arab League's leadership in seeking to resolve the crisis in Syria. It welcomes the Arab League ministers' decision to engage with the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, key regional players and members of the Security Council to gain the UN's support for its efforts to resolve the crisis.

Our ambassador to Doha has regular contact with the Government of Qatar to discuss the situation in Syria. The Prime Minister, my right honourable friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), spoke to the Qatari Prime Minister His Excellency Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani on 27 January where they discussed the situation in Syria. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right honourable friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), held extensive discussions on Syria with the Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoglu during the visit by the President of Turkey last November, and most recently on 17 January.

We continue to believe that the Security Council must act in response to the ongoing violence in Syria. We call on those members of the Security Council who have blocked an international response to allow the UN to act in support of the Arab League.

Back to Table of Contents Lords Hansard Home Page