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Local Government Finance
Lord Greaves asked Her Majesty's Government:
For each principal local authority in England, what is (a) the level of financial balances held by that authority at 31 March 2005; (b) the extent of any contractual commitments identified by the authority against its balances; (c) the extent to which the balances have been formally identified by the authority for particular purposes; and (d) the total value of the authority's general fund budget for 2005–06 as determined at the time of setting its council tax or precept for that year. [HL3451]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (Baroness Andrews):
(a) A table has been made available in the Library of the House showing the estimated level of cash backed reserves split by schools, other earmarked and unallocated (revenue) reserves in each local authority in England at 31 March 2005.
(b) The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
(c) The balances have been identified as described in part (a) ie schools, other earmarked and unallocated (revenue) reserves.
(d) A table has been made available in the Library of the House showing the budget requirement for each local authority in England for 2005–06.
Notes: The data have been taken from Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) Revenue Outturn (RO) returns 2004–05 and ODPM Revenue Account (RA) Budget returns 2005–06.
Lough Erne: Devenish Island
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What proposals they have to preserve the monuments and their surroundings on Devenish Island on Lower Lough Erne. [HL3006]
The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Lord Rooker): We propose to continue with our existing, long-established (ie, since 1800) and well refined, approach of preservation in accordance with best current internationally agreed principles.
We have no immediate (ie, three to five year) plans for direct intervention, having recently completed essential conservation work on the tower of St Mary's Priory.
The physical condition of the monuments on Devenish will continue to be monitored on a regular basis and any essential repairs will be carried out.
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We propose to continue to use the existing statutory provisions of guardianship and scheduling, plus planning policy in PPS6 and the Fermanagh Area Plan 2007—which designated an area of significant archaeological interest at Lower Lough Erne—to preserve the setting of this locally, nationally and internationally important archaeological site.
Middle East Peace Process
Lord Dykes asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they propose to hold meetings with representatives of the Israeli Government after the Palestinian elections to discuss moves to revive the Middle East peace process. [HL3389]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): We regularly hold meetings with the Israeli Government to discuss progress on their road map commitments and ways in which the peace process can move forward. We will continue to discuss this with the Israeli Government after the elections.
Ministerial Code
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will appoint an independent adviser to provide Ministers with an additional source of advice on the Ministerial Code, as envisaged by the ninth report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life; and, if so, when. [HL3324]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: The Government have done much to strengthen the handling of Ministers' financial interests, including the requirement for Ministers on appointment to each new office to provide their permanent secretary with a full list in writing of all interests which might be thought to give rise to a conflict.
The Public Administration Committee is currently undertaking an inquiry into the role and independence of the ethical regulators. The Government will want to consider the committee's conclusions and recommendations in the context of this appointment.
Lord Lester of Herne Hill asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they will appoint two or three senior individuals who will be available to investigate allegations of breaches of the Ministerial Code, as recommended by the ninth report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life. [HL3325]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: As the Government made clear in their response to the ninth report of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, the Prime Minister is the ultimate judge of the standards of behaviour expected of a Minister, and it is for the Prime Minister to decide whether a specific allegation
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needs to be investigated and the means by which any such investigation should be conducted.
The Government do not believe it is practical to identify an individual or individuals to investigate allegations of breaches of the Ministerial Code without knowing the expertise required or the time commitment for the case in question.
Moldova: EU Border Assistance
Lord Hylton asked Her Majesty's Government:
What is the estimated annual cost of the European Union Border Assistance Mission for Moldova; and what success the mission has had in reducing the trafficking of people, drugs and weapons through the Moldovan border. [HL3394]
The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Lord Triesman): The estimated cost of the EU Border Assistance Mission (BAM) is €4 million for six months, funded by the European Commission's rapid reaction mechanism. As the BAM was officially launched only on 30 November 2005, there has not yet been an assessment of its success. A formal comprehensive review of the mission will take place after six months.
National Insurance: Entertainers Contributions
Baroness Noakes asked Her Majesty's Government:
What evidence they have for the statement by the Lord McKenzie of Luton on 19 December 2005 (Official Report, col. 1613) that the Musicians Union requested that entertainers be subject to national insurance as employees. [HL3499]
Lord McKenzie of Luton: The changes to the legislation were introduced in July 1998. The Musicians Union made written representations and had meetings with Ministers and officials in the former Department of Social Security, which was responsible at the time for policy on national insurance, asking for musicians to be accorded the same treatment as actors.
Baroness Noakes asked Her Majesty's Government:
What specific steps they took to make orchestras and their managers aware of the impact of the changes to national insurance law as it affected members of the Musicians Union. [HL3500]
Lord McKenzie of Luton: The Department of Social Security was responsible for the policy on national insurance contributions when the changes were made. It issued a press release on 15 July 1998 to announce the revised national insurance arrangements for actors and musicians and changes to legislation from 17 July 1998.
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NHS: North Cumbria
Lord Campbell-Savours asked Her Majesty's Government:
25 Jan 2006 : Column WA180- Cumbria as a proportion of North Cumbria's National Health Service expenditure in each year since 1997. [HL3153]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Warner): The information requested has been set out in the following table.
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Note:
North Cumbria Health Authority was dissolved in 2002 and became part of the Cumbria and Lancashire Strategic Health Authority; therefore figures are available by the health authority area only up to 2001–02. Administration expenditure has not always been reported on a consistent basis, hence the variations above.
Sources:
Audited health authority accounts for North Cumbria HA 1997–98
Audited health authority summarisation forms for North Cumbria HA 1998–99 to 2001–02
Audited primary care trust summarisation schedules 2001–02 and audited NHS trust summarisation schedules 1997–98 to 2001–02 for the bodies within the health authority area.
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25 Jan 2006 : Column WA179
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