1. No category

Tuesday
3 March 2015
Vol. 760
No. 111
PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES
(HANSARD)
HOUSE OF LORDS
OFFICIAL REPORT
WRITTEN STATEMENTS AND
WRITTEN ANSWERS
Written Statements .................................................1
Written Answers .....................................................8
[I] indicates that the member concerned has a relevant registered interest. The full register of interests can be found at
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Members who want a printed copy of Written Answers and Written Statements should notify the Printed Paper Office.
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review.
Ministers and others who make Statements or answer Questions are referred to only by name, not their ministerial or
other title. The current list of ministerial and other responsibilities is as follows.
Minister
Baroness Stowell of Beeston
Lord Wallace of Tankerness
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Baroness Anelay of St Johns
Lord Ashton of Hyde
Lord Astor of Hever
Lord Bates
Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth
Lord De Mauley
Lord Deighton
Lord Faulks
Lord Freud
Baroness Garden of Frognal
Lord Gardiner of Kimble
Earl Howe
Baroness Jolly
Baroness Kramer
Lord Livingston of Parkhead
Lord Nash
Baroness Neville-Rolfe
Lord Newby
Baroness Northover
Lord Popat
Baroness Randerson
Lord Taylor of Holbeach
Baroness Verma
Lord Wallace of Saltaire
Baroness Williams of Trafford
Responsibilities
Leader of the House of Lords and Lord Privy Seal
Advocate-General for Scotland and Deputy Leader of the House
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Communities and Local
Government
Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Whip
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office
Whip
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Environment, Food and
Rural Affairs
Commercial Secretary to the Treasury
Minister of State, Ministry of Justice
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions
Whip
Whip
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health
Whip
Minister of State, Department for Transport
Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Business, Innovation
and Skills
Deputy Chief Whip
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for International
Development
Whip
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Wales Office
Chief Whip
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Energy and Climate
Change
Whip
Whip
© Parliamentary Copyright House of Lords 2015
This publication may be reproduced under the terms of the Open Parliament licence,
which is published at www.parliament.uk/site-information/copyright/
Written Statements
3 March 2015
Written Statements
Tuesday, 3 March 2015
Banking Reform
[HLWS311]
Lord Deighton: My honourable friend the Economic
Secretary to the Treasury (Andrea Leadsom) has today
made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
This Government has taken significant steps to reform
the UK’s system of financial regulation.
In the Financial Services (Banking Reform) Act 2013
(“the Act”), we legislated to strengthen the accountability
of bank senior management and to raise standards of
individual conduct in the banking sector. I am now
announcing the timetable for bringing the Senior
Managers and Certification Regime (SM&CR) created by
these reforms into operation. I am also announcing the
Government’s plans for applying the SM&CR to foreign
banks operating through branches in the UK.
The introduction of the SM&CR will be a major reform
with significant implications for the firms concerned
(banks, building societies, credit unions and investment
firms regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority
(PRA)) and for the individuals, particularly senior
managers, who work in those firms. The Government has
therefore decided, following discussions with the
Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the PRA, that the
SM&CR will come into operation on 7 March 2016. In
order to facilitate an orderly transition from the existing
approved persons regime, firms will be required to notify
the regulators by 8 February 2016 of the approved
persons who are to be senior managers under the
SM&CR.
The Treasury will make the necessary commencement
Order (under section 148 of the Act) and a transitional
provisions Order (under section 146 of the Act) shortly.
The Government issued a consultation on whether to
extend the SM&CR to UK branches of foreign
institutions on 17 November 2014. The consultation
closed on 30 January 2015 and the Government has been
considering the responses received.
The Government has now decided to proceed with this
measure. It will come into operation on the same date (7
March 2016) as the SM&CR applying to UK firms and
foreign institutions will also have until 8 February 2016 to
notify the regulators of the approved persons who are to
be senior managers in their UK branches.
The Treasury must now make an Order (subject to the
affirmative procedure) under section 71A of the Financial
Services and Markets Act 2000 to implement the
measure. The Government intends to arrange the debates
as early as possible in the next Parliament.
The PRA and FCA will shortly be consulting on
additional SM&CR rules. These rules will help ensure
that the SM&CR is applied in an appropriate and
Page 1
proportionate way to foreign institutions operating
through branches in the UK.
The commencement order will also bring sections 36 to
38 of the Act into force from 7 March 2016. This means
that the new criminal offence relating to decisions causing
a financial institution to fail could apply to decisions
taken by senior managers in UK banks, building societies
and PRA-regulated investment firms (but not credit
unions or any foreign institution) on or after that date.
Child Sexual Exploitation
[HLWS309]
Lord Bates: My rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for
the Home Department (Theresa May) has today made the
following Written Ministerial Statement:
Professor Alexis Jay’s report into child sexual
exploitation in Rotherham and Louise Casey’s follow up
report on the performance of Rotherham Council both
provide a terrible account of the appalling failures by the
Council, the police and other agencies to protect
vulnerable children. The culture of complete denial that
was uncovered by Professor Jay persists today. That is
why immediate action has been taken to protect the
children of Rotherham through the appointment of five
commissioners to take on the full range of the authority’s
executive functions and begin a rapid improvement
programme; and the launch of an independent two-stage
investigation into child sexual exploitation and abuse in
Rotherham (Operation Stovewood run by the National
Crime Agency).
I have been clear that the situation in Rotherham is only
the tip of the iceberg. We need to confront these failures
at a national level which is why in September last year I
announced that I would chair a series of meetings with
other responsible Secretaries of State to look at the
failures highlighted in Professor Jay’s inquiry at the Prime
Minister’s request.
I have chaired a number of these meetings with the
Secretaries of State for Communities, Education, Health,
Justice and the Solicitor General. Today the Government
publishes a report setting out the actions we are taking in
response to Professor Jay’s and Louise Casey’s findings.
The actions will strengthen accountability and
leadership in professions and local government; address
the culture of inaction and denial that led to victims being
dismissed and ignored; improve joint working and
information sharing so that agencies intervene early;
strengthen the protection of children who are at risk;
reinforce law enforcement efforts to stop offenders; and
provide greater support for victims and survivors. Among
these actions are:
- The establishment of a new independent taskforce,
bringing together specialists in social care, law
enforcement and health, which will be deployed in local
authorities where child abuse is a concern. Linked to the
taskforce, will be a new centre of professional expertise,
which will develop better approaches to tackling sexual
abuse.
Page 2
3 March 2015
- The launch of a £1 million communications campaign,
to promote a wider understanding of what people should
do when they suspect a child is being abused. This will be
accompanied with revised guidance, What to do if you’re
worried a child is being abused, for professionals, the
public, and children.
- The creation of a new single point of contact for child
abuse related whistleblowing, which will monitor patterns
of failure across the country. We will make clear that all
organisations with safeguarding responsibilities should
have internal whistleblowing policies.
- A new system of multi-agency inspections, to examine
whether local agencies are working in a co-ordinated
manner, sharing information and taking joint decisions to
protect children.
Failure of agencies to share information about children
at risk was a critical element of what happened in
Rotherham. Today, my ministerial colleagues and I have
written to the leaders of every local authority, Directors of
Children’s Services, Police and Crime Commissioners,
Local Safeguarding Children’s Boards, Health and
Wellbeing Boards and GPs, making clear that there can be
no justification for failing to share personal information
about a child when that information could be used to
protect that child’s life.
The Government is clear that child sexual exploitation
must be stopped. Work is already underway to put into
practice these and other proposals.
A copy of the Government’s response will be placed in
the House Library.
I would also like to give an update on Home Office
work in response to allegations in Professor Jay’s report
that the department had been made aware of the problems
in Rotherham in 2002, but had failed to take action on this
information. I gave an assurance that the Home Office
would conduct an internal investigation to ascertain what
happened, which Peter Wanless and Richard Whittam QC
would then review to ensure it had been undertaken
absolutely properly. My department has been undertaking
detailed searches of Home Office files and records of the
time – and potentially relevant files and records across
Government – to establish what information was passed
to the department about child sexual abuse in Rotherham
and what action was taken as a result. Searches of the
department’s digital holdings are still ongoing and we
expect to be able to provide the completed investigation
to Peter Wanless and Richard Whittam QC in the next
three months, subject to their availability.
Cluster Munitions (Prohibitions) Act 2010
[HLWS308]
Baroness Anelay of St Johns: My Right Honourable
Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and
Commonwealth Affairs (Mr Philip Hammond) has made
the following written Ministerial statement:
The Government has today published a memorandum to
the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Committees on
Written Statements
Arms Export Controls on post-legislative scrutiny of the
Cluster Munitions (Prohibitions) Act 2010.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has carried out
the post-legislative scrutiny, which includes a preliminary
assessment of how the Cluster Munitions (Prohibitions)
Act 2010 has worked in practice, and has set out its
findings in a Command Paper (Cm 9021) to the
Committees.
Copies of the Command Paper are available from the
Vote Office and Printed Paper Office.
ECOFIN: 17 February 2015
[HLWS304]
Lord Deighton: My right honourable friend the
Chancellor of the Exchequer (George Osborne) has today
made the following Written Ministerial Statement.
A meeting of the Economic and Financial Affairs
Council was held in Brussels on 17 February 2015.
Ministers discussed the following items:
Investment Plan for Europe
The Presidency gave a state of play update on the
Commission’s proposal for a regulation on the European
Fund for Strategic Investments.
Current Legislative Proposals
The Presidency gave an update on current legislative
proposals.
Annual Growth Survey 2015 and Alert Mechanism
Report
The Council adopted conclusions on the Annual
Growth Survey and the Alert Mechanism Report.
Follow-up to the G20 Meeting of Finance Ministers and
Central Bank Governors on 9-10 February 2015 in
Istanbul
The Presidency and the Commission debriefed the
Council on the G20 meeting of Finance Ministers and
Central Bank Governors in Istanbul.
Discharge procedure in respect of the implementation
of the budget for 2013
The Council, on the basis of a report from the Court of
Auditors, approved draft recommendations on the
discharge to be given to the Commission in respect of the
implementation of the general budget of the European
Union for the financial year 2013. The UK, along with
Sweden and the Netherlands, voted against the Council
recommendations and submitted a joint statement
expressing there had not been an improvement to the
Court of Auditor’s error rate assessment.
Budget guidelines for 2016
The Council endorsed guidelines concerning the 2016
budget of the EU, which will be its overall reference for
the budget year.
High Level Group on Own Resources – First
assessment report
The Chairman of the High Level Group on Own
Resources presented the Group's First Assessment report
Written Statements
3 March 2015
on the system of financing the EU budget, followed by an
exchange of views.
Fuel Poverty Strategy
[HLWS300]
Baroness Verma: My right honourable friend the
Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change
(Edward Davey) has made the following Written
Ministerial Statement.
Today I will be publishing the fuel poverty strategy for
England as required under the Warm Homes and Energy
Conservation Act 2000 following extensive consultation
held from July to October 2014.[1]
This new fuel poverty strategy, the first in nearly 14
years, aims to set a durable framework for future fuel
poverty policies with an ambitious new legal target,
accompanying milestones and a strong accountability
system.
Tackling fuel poverty has been a major priority during
this government. While the numbers of fuel poor
households rose rapidly from 2004 to 2010, they are now
falling. In terms of energy efficiency, we have delivered
over 1.8 million heating and energy efficiency measures
in low income areas and households. In terms of incomes,
we have permanently increased Cold Weather Payments
and continued support worth around £2 billion per year
through Winter Fuel Payments. And in terms of energy
prices, we have ensured a downward pressure through
retail market and tariff reforms.
The new fuel poverty strategy builds on this success.
The independent review of fuel poverty conducted by
Professor Sir John Hills of the London School of
Economics, held in 2011/12, demonstrated that the
traditional way of measuring fuel poverty had been
flawed. It under-estimated the scale of the problem when
energy prices were low and over-estimated the scale of
the problem when energy prices were high. The Hills
Review recommended a new approach– the Low Income
High Costs approach. That has been adopted and helps to
ensure we prioritise people living in the deepest fuel
poverty, above all by making their homes warmer through
energy efficiency investments
Over 320,000 fuel poor households in England live in
properties rated below band an “E” level EPC rating
needing to spend on average £1,000 a year more on
energy to heat their home compared to a typical home.
Through the Energy Act 2013, we established a new duty
to adopt a fuel poverty target. The new fuel poverty target
for England sets an ambition that as many fuel poor
homes as reasonably practicable achieve a Band C energy
efficiency standard by 2030 and became law in December
2014.[2]
Today’s strategy is our roadmap for meeting that target.
It confirms the following interim objectives in the new
fuel poverty strategy:
· as many fuel poor homes in England as is reasonably
practicable to Band E by 2020;
Page 3
· as many fuel poor homes in England as is reasonably
practicable to Band D by 2025.
The new fuel poverty strategy sets out a number of
recent and new initiatives that are being taken forward.
With almost a fifth of our housing stock in the private
rented sector, and a third of the fuel poor living in rental
accommodation, a new minimum energy efficiency
standard for the private rented sector is in the process of
being introduced. DECC are partnering with the NHS to
focus on the links between health and fuel poverty. A
major focus is on fuel poverty in non-gas homes, with
new data, new working groups and our new central
heating fund. DECC is also looking at data sources to
better identify of people in fuel poverty and new types of
housing that appear to be badly affected such as park
homes.
Today is an important milestone. With this new strategy
now in place, DECC will continue to work with partners
in central and local Government, industry and the third
sector to maintain a sustainable path towards cutting the
cost of keeping warm for fuel poor homes.
I will today lay before Parliament and place copies of
the strategy in the Libraries of the House. You will also
be
able
to
find
it
on-line
here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/cutting-thecost-of-keeping-warm
[1]
We
published
a
consultation
at:
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/cutting-the-cost-ofkeeping-warm-a-new-fuel-poverty-strategy-for-england We also held a
number of consultation events alongside our regular engagement and
partnership activity.
[2] See http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2014/3220/made. Note
there is also a specific methodology – the Fuel Poverty Energy
Efficiency Rating (FPEER) methodology – for measuring energy
efficiency
in
relation
the
target.
See
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fuel-poverty-englandregulations-2014-and-methodology
Gifting of Equipment: Free Syrian Police
[HLWS306]
Baroness Anelay of St Johns: My Right Honourable
Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and
Commonwealth Affairs (Mr Philip Hammond) has made
the following written Ministerial statement:
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has today laid
a departmental Minute proposing the gifting of equipment
to the Free Syrian Police.
The conflict in Syria remains catastrophic, with an
estimated 200,000 people killed and more than half the
Syrian population in need of humanitarian assistance. The
UK will continue to do all it can to end the conflict
through a political settlement, while also alleviating
humanitarian suffering and protecting UK national
security.
The UK is committed to working with the moderate
opposition to help develop their capacity to meet needs on
the ground and to reduce suffering and to save lives,
thereby also helping reduce the space for extremists to
operate. In line with this approach, on 6 February 2014,
Page 4
3 March 2015
my predecessor, the Rt Hon Member for Richmond
(Yorks) (Mr William Hague), laid before the House of
Commons a departmental Minute which set out our plans
to expand a UK-funded pilot project to train and equip
Free Syrian Police officers, enabling them to provide
community policing. I am pleased to present a further UK
contribution of practical support to the Free Syrian Police,
aimed at furthering their work.
The UK is working with international donors to provide
training, technical assistance, maintenance funds, and
basic equipment to the Free Syrian Police operating in
opposition-controlled areas of Syria. The UK is also
supporting the development of greater community
oversight and monitoring of the police to help ensure that
they are responsive to local needs. Through this support
the UK is aiming to build community resilience and
moderate governance to help counter the threat from
extremist groups. Following the success of an initial pilot
and subsequent phases, developing the capacity of
community policing has become a core aspect of the
UK’s ongoing support to the moderate opposition in
Syria.
The departmental Minute laid today sets out in more
detail our plans to gift office and communications
equipment, uniforms, non-armoured vehicles and other
operational equipment to the Free Syrian Police. Subject
to assessment under the Consolidated EU and National
Arms Export Licensing Criteria, it is proposed that this
will include a limited amount of controlled equipment,
namely body armour and helmets (for conducting vehicle
checks outside towns), CS spray (small canisters for
individual personal protection), handcuffs (for making
arrests), and night-vision goggles (early warning system
for approaching regime helicopters).
The goods will be procured, distributed and delivered
by an implementing partner carefully selected through
competitive tender. The total cost of the proposed gift is
up to £750,000, which will be met by the Government’s
Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF). The UK’s
assistance forms part of an approach coordinated with
other donors that will help deliver the best value for
money. Other donors, including the US, Denmark and the
Netherlands, are also contributing on a similar scale.
The gift forms part of a renewed comprehensive UK
programme of training and technical assistance worth
approximately £2.5 million in the current financial year,
which will be delivered by implementing partners. The
training aims to build the capacity of the Free Syrian
Police including through developing their strategy,
planning and management mechanisms and enhancing
coordination between Free Syrian Police units, as well as
strengthening the relationship between police actors and
local communities.
The Free Syrian Police are responsible for providing
basic civilian policing in large areas of oppositioncontrolled territory. Police actors, local administrative
councils and the National Coalition’s Interim Ministers
have all underlined to us the need to improve policing and
security, and we have worked closely with Syrian partners
Written Statements
and other donors to design a comprehensive programme
of support.
The gift is being scrutinised to ensure that it is
consistent with export controls and complies with our
international obligations. Recipients have been carefully
selected to prevent equipment being given to those
involved in extremist activities or human rights
violations. All our assistance is carefully calibrated and
legal, is aimed at alleviating human suffering and
supporting moderate groups and is regularly monitored
and evaluated. We have assessed the project for human
rights risks, using the Overseas Security and Justice
Assistance guidelines established by the Foreign
Secretary in 2011 as part of ensuring these risks are
effectively mitigated.
The Treasury has approved the proposal in principle. If,
during the period of fourteen parliamentary sitting days
beginning on the date on which the departmental minute
was laid before the House of Commons, a Member
signifies an objection by giving notice of a Parliamentary
Question or a Motion relating to the minute, or by
otherwise raising the matter in the House, final approval
of the gift will be withheld pending an examination of the
objection.
Gifting of Search and Rescue Equipment:
Syria
[HLWS307]
Baroness Anelay of St Johns: My Right Honourable
Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and
Commonwealth Affairs (Mr Philip Hammond) has made
the following written Ministerial statement:
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has today laid
a departmental Minute proposing the gifting of search and
rescue equipment to Syrian civil defence teams.
The situation in Syria continues to deteriorate. An
estimated 200,000 people have been killed since the war
began four years ago, many of them innocent civilians.
The Assad regime continues to use the most barbaric
military methods and tactics available, including the use
of indiscriminate artillery fire, chemical weapons and
barrel bombs. The UK remains committed to doing all it
can to promote a political settlement to end the conflict, to
alleviate the humanitarian suffering, and to protect UK
national security through countering terrorist and
extremist threats.
In January and May 2014, my predecessor, the Rt Hon
Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr William Hague), laid
departmental Minutes before the House of Commons and
issued Written Ministerial Statements setting out our
plans to gift equipment to civil defence teams operating in
opposition-controlled areas of Syria. No objections were
received to either gift and the UK distributed the
equipment to civil defence teams along with
comprehensive training packages. These defence teams
have now saved over 10,000 lives by rescuing civilians
trapped in damaged buildings, fighting fires and by
providing emergency first aid. Our assistance has helped
Written Statements
3 March 2015
increase the legitimacy and capacity of local councils and
supported communities in dealing with the aftermath of
attacks. Other donors, including the US, Denmark and
Japan, have also contributed to the civil defence initiative.
The UK intends to continue its support to this
programme by increasing the communications capability
and mobility of the teams, providing more mediumweight rescue equipment and equipping further
emergency medical teams. The departmental Minute laid
today set out our proposal to gift £3.5 million in
equipment to Syrian beneficiaries operating within civil
defence. The proposed list of equipment includes cutting
and rescue tools, personal protective gear including
helmets and goggles, stretchers, medicines and medical
supplies, radios, firefighting equipment and 4x4 vehicles.
The programme will also increase coordination between
the Syrian Interim Government and civil defence teams,
and provide civilian outreach for the civil defence teams,
improving the resilience of local communities. The
programme is expected to cost £10 million and will be
funded through the Government’s Conflict, Security and
Stability Fund (CSSF).
The use of CSSF funds to cover the costs of the gift has
been approved by members of the Middle East and North
Africa Strategic Programme Board from the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office, Department for International
Development and Ministry of Defence. The gift has been
scrutinised to ensure that the provision of this equipment
is consistent with export controls and complies with our
international obligations. Recipients have been carefully
selected to prevent equipment being given to those
involved in extremist activities or human rights
violations. All our assistance is carefully calibrated and
legal, is aimed at alleviating human suffering and
supporting moderate groups and is regularly monitored
and evaluated.
The Treasury has approved the proposal in principle. If,
during the period of fourteen parliamentary sitting days
beginning on the date on which the departmental minute
was laid before the House of Commons, a Member
signifies an objection by giving notice of a Parliamentary
Question or a Motion relating to the minute, or by
otherwise raising the matter in the House, final approval
of the gift will be withheld pending an examination of the
objection.
Insolvency (Practitioner Fees and Court
Cases)
[HLWS302]
Baroness Neville-Rolfe: My hon Friend the
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Employment
Relations and Consumer Affairs (Jo Swinson) has today
made the following statement.
I am today laying regulations requiring insolvency
practitioners to provide additional information to creditors
about their fees and expenses. Insolvency practitioners are
given strong powers by legislation to administer
insolvencies. They take decisions and actions that can
Page 5
have a significant financial impact on those affected.
Their fees are paid out of the assets in cases. It is
important that there is confidence in the way that they
charge fees.
After commissioning an independent review by
Professor Elaine Kempson, we consulted with interested
parties on what measures should be put in place to address
shortcomings in the current fee regime. Where insolvency
practitioners’ fees are based upon time costs, they will be
required to provide an upfront estimate of their fees for
creditor approval, before they can take their fees.
Insolvency practitioners will not be permitted to draw fees
in excess of the approved estimate unless creditors give
further approval. This will therefore act as a cap on fees.
These measures will increase transparency for creditors
as they will have a much clearer indication of what the
likely fees and costs of dealing with an insolvency will
be. The provision of clear information, setting out what
work will de done and what it will cost to undertake that
work, will also give creditors more knowledge when
agreeing fees and better equip them to challenge fees
where they appear unreasonable.
The measures will give insolvency practitioners the
opportunity to demonstrate to creditors what they do and
the value they deliver in return for their fees.
Together with the measures contained in the Small
Business, Enterprise and Employment Bill currently
before Parliament strengthening the oversight regulation
of insolvency practitioners, these steps should provide
creditors with greater confidence in the insolvency regime
through increased transparency and accountability.
The statutory instrument that will be laid today also
amends how courts deal with insolvency cases. The new
provisions will allow the High Court to transfer simple
cases to the County Court at Central London so that the
High Court can focus on more difficult complex cases.
This will improve efficiency in the system.
Marchwood Sea Mounting Centre (Preferred
Bidder)
[HLWS305]
Lord Astor of Hever: My hon. Friend the Minister for
Defence Equipment, Support and Technology (Mr Philip
Dunne) has made the following Written Ministerial
Statement.
The House will be aware that in May 2014 I launched
the process to grant a concession to manage, and exploit
the commercial potential of, the Marchwood Sea
Mounting Centre. Following a strong competition, I am
pleased to announce that Solent Gateway Limited has
been selected as the preferred bidder. This will be a joint
venture between David MacBrayne Limited and GBA
(Holdings) Limited.
The concession is expected to generate significant value
for Defence, in terms of both a share in the profits from
commercial exploitation of the spare capacity at the port
and a reduction in the cost of sea-mounting. The
commercial arrangement secures the delivery of Ministry
Page 6
3 March 2015
of Defence’s routine and, importantly, surge
requirements. The new port operator will also be
providing a deployable Reserve capability as part of the
Army’s Total Support Force.
We expect to conclude the transaction and sign a
contract with the new operator over the coming month.
The concession will commence in the autumn. At that
time, around 40 civil service employees, subject to TUPE
consultation, will transfer to employment under the
winning bidder. As is normal, their existing employment
rights will be preserved.
Regulatory Policy Committee
[HLWS301]
Baroness Neville-Rolfe: My Rt hon Friend the
Minister of State for Business and Enterprise and Energy
(Matthew Hancock) has today made the following
statement.
I am pleased to announce that I have appointed
Jonathan Cave, Alexander Ehmann, Nicole Kar and
Jeremy Mayhew to the Regulatory Policy Committee,
commencing on 16 March 2015. Term end dates of
between three and four years have been set in order to
ensure that knowledge is maintained by the Committee in
future.
Dr Jonathan Cave has been Senior Teaching Fellow in
Economics at the University of Warwick since 1994. For
more than 30 years, he also worked for the RAND
Corporation most recently as Senior Research Fellow at
RAND Europe. He has previously been a visiting
professor, research fellow and lecturer at several
universities in the US, including UC Los Angeles. Before
entering academia, he was an economist at the Bank of
England and later the US Federal Trade Commission.
Jonathan is a Member of Defra’s Science Advisory
Council Exotic Disease Subgroup. Jonathan holds no
other public appointments and has not undertaken any
party political activity.
Nicole Kar is a partner at Linklaters LLP, where she is
a specialist in EC and UK competition law. Before joining
Linklaters in 2001, Nicole was a Solicitor of the Supreme
Court of Queensland and a Solicitor and Barrister of the
Supreme Court of Victoria. Nicole is also Vice Chair of
the Competition Committee of the City of London
Solicitors’ Company a trustee of the Mary Ward
Settlement and a committee member of the Peace
Brigades International’s Alliance for Lawyers at Risk.
Nicole holds no other public appointments and has not
undertaken any party political activity.
Jeremy Mayhew is a Senior Adviser at PwC
Consulting. His professional career has mainly been in the
media and broadcasting industry, both at the BBC and as
a consultant. Jeremy has served on the Regulatory Policy
Committee since 2012 and holds a number of other
appointments; since 1996, he has been an independent
Common Councilman on the City of London Corporation,
where he is now Chairman of the City Bridge Trust
Committee and a Deputy Chairman of the City’s Policy &
Written Statements
Resources and Finances Committees. He is a former
Chairman of the Barbican Centre Board and has,
previously, served on the Boards of BBC Worldwide, the
Strategic Rail Authority, and the London Development
Agency and as a non-executive adviser to the Mayor of
London’s Office for Policing & Crime. He is a Member
of the Conservative Party.
Alexander Ehmann is Head of UK Public Affairs at
Tata Limited, and represents the Tata business presence in
the UK. This includes large businesses, such as Jaguar
Land Rover, Tata Consultancy Services and Tata Steel as
well as a number of UK based small and medium-sized
businesses. Previously, Alexander was Deputy Director of
Policy and Public Affairs at the Institute of Directors
(2006-2014), and External Affairs Adviser at
PhonePayPlus, a telecommunications regulator (20042006).
Alexander has been a member of Regulatory Policy
since 2012 and holds no other public appointments. He is
a Member of the Liberal Democrat Party and since May
2014 has been a Councillor for St Margaret’s and North
Twickenham Ward in the Borough of Richmond upon
Thames, London.
These appointments have been made in accordance with
the Commissioner for Public Appointments Code of
Practice (April 2012).
Royal Borough of Greenwich
[HLWS312]
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: My hon Friend the
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Communities
and Local Government (Kris Hopkins) has made the
following Written Ministerial Statement.
On 29 January 2015 I explained to the House (Official
Report, Column 28WS) the Coalition Government’s
commitment to protecting an independent free local press,
and how the Government was seeking to take action on
the practice by a small number of local authorities to
publish local authority newspapers, which given their
frequency of publication, can push out and undermine that
independent press. I also explained that each case would
be considered on its merits, and that on this basis the
Secretary of State had given the Royal Borough of
Greenwich notice of a direction that he proposed to give
requiring that Council to comply with the provisions in
the March 2011 Code of Recommended Practice on Local
Authority Publicity which restrict the frequency of
publication of the Council’s newspaper.
Within the period of 14 days following the notice, as
statute provides, Greenwich Council has made a number
of representations. These included that in the Council’s
view there is no evidence that its weekly newspaper has
an impact on the local independent press in the area, that
the proposed direction would be ultra vires, irrational, and
procedurally unfair, and that in any event the Council
would not be able to comply with such a direction by the
proposed date of 31 March 2015.
Written Statements
3 March 2015
I can now tell the House that the Secretary of State has
carefully considered these representations, together with
other information available about the Council’s publicity,
the responses received to the Government’s 2013
consultation ‘Protecting the Independent Press from
Unfair Competition’, and the Government’s response to
that consultation. He has also had careful regard to the
Department’s Equality Statement on enforcing the Code
of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity,
and has considered afresh earlier representations that the
Council had made about proposals to direct its
compliance with the Code to restrict the frequency of
publication of its newspaper. The Secretary of State has
concluded that it would be lawful and appropriate in all
the circumstances of Greenwich for him now to issue the
direction as he had proposed.
Accordingly, the Secretary of State, in accordance with
his powers under section 4A(1), (2) and (3) of the Local
Government Act 1986, has today directed the Royal
Borough of Greenwich Council, in order to secure the
Council’s compliance with the requirements of the Code,
as follows:
· to commission or publish no more than four issues of
“Greenwich Time”, or any equivalent newsletter,
newssheet or similar communication, in the period of one
year commencing 31 March 2015, and in subsequent
years; and
· to ensure that the executive of the Council within 14
days of the date of the direction will take the necessary
decisions in order that the Council will be in a position to
comply with the requirement on publication from 31
March 2015 onwards.
With this direction not only must the Council cease to
publish its weekly newspaper, ‘Greenwich Time’, but it is
also barred from outsourcing or contracting for the
publication of any weekly newsletter, newssheet or
similar communication by a third party to whom the
Council may make payment.
I will be placing in the Library of the House copies of
the direction, a letter to the Council setting out the
Secretary of State’s reasons, the Equality Statement, and
the representations of the Council.
UK-Senegal Double Taxation Convention
[HLWS303]
Lord Deighton: My honourable friend the Financial
Secretary to the Treasury (David Gauke) has today made
the following Written Ministerial Statement.
A Double Taxation Convention with the Republic of
Senegal was signed on 26 February 2015. The text of the
Convention has been deposited in the Libraries of both
Houses and made available on the GOV.UK website. The
text will be scheduled to a draft Order in Council and laid
before the House of Commons in due course.
The Statement includes the following attached material:
UK Senegal Double Taxation Convention [150226 UK
Senegal.pdf]
Page 7
The material can be viewed online at:
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questionsanswers-statements/written-statement/Lords/2015-03-03/HLWS303/
Strategic Policing Requirement Refresh
[HLWS310]
Lord Bates: My rt hon Friend the Secretary of State for
the Home Department (Theresa May) has today made the
following Written Ministerial Statement:
The Strategic Policing Requirement (SPR) sets out my
view, as Home Secretary, of the national threats that the
police must address and the national policing capabilities
required to counter those threats. The national threats
currently in the SPR are terrorism, civil emergencies,
public disorder, cyber security incidents and serious and
organised crime. The SPR supports police and crime
commissioners (PCCs) and chief constables in balancing
local and national priorities effectively, and in driving
improvements to their force’s response to serious and
cross-boundary threats.
I am today issuing a revised and updated SPR which
confirms the validity of the existing threats and, for the
first time, makes Child Sexual Abuse an additional
national threat.
This will ensure that PCCs and chief constables
prioritise an issue of growing national importance. It will
encourage a collaborative approach to building the
capability needed to tackle child sexual abuse, including
efficient sharing of resources, intelligence and best
practice, and deliver a more effective and integrated
policing response.
The other changes in the revised SPR include:
- adopting the definition of a ‘national’ (rather than
‘large-scale’) cyber security incident, as set out in the
Cabinet Office National Cyber Security Incident
Management Policy, to achieve greater clarity and
consistency in the articulation of the cyber threat,
- updating the definition of ‘cyber crime’ in line with
the definition provided in the Serious and Organised
Crime Strategy,
- including references to Regional and Organised Crime
Units (ROCUs) in recognition of the important role they
play in tackling serious and organised crime; providing a
national network of regional capabilities, and
- widening the scope of the civil emergency threat to
ensure that it is not limited to coastal flooding and
includes all those contingencies that require an aggregated
response across force boundaries.
My officials have had extensive engagement with
police leaders and other partners to review and revise the
SPR. PCCs and forces will be expected to have regard to
the refreshed SPR when exercising their responsibilities
to deliver the changes that have been introduced.
I have placed copies of the SPR in the House of
Commons Library and an electronic copy can be found at
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/strategic-policingrequirement
Page 8
3 March 2015
Written Answers
Tuesday, 3 March 2015
Asylum: LGBT People
Asked by Lord Scriven
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many people
claimed asylum in the United Kingdom due to their
sexuality in each of the years from 2008 to 2014; from
which countries they came by number; and how many
cases were granted or refused. [HL5244]
Lord Bates: It is not possible to provide the
information requested about people who have claimed
asylum on the basis of their sexuality, as information on
the basis of a claim for asylum is not readily accessible.
The information requested could only be obtained through
a manual search of individual case files, which would
only be achievable at a disproportionate cost.
Entry Clearances
Asked by Lord Hylton
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have
any plans to transfer control of the issuing of visitor
visas from the Home Office to the Foreign and
Commonwealth Office. [HL5209]
Lord Bates: There are no plans to transfer the issuing
of visitor visa nor any entry clearance from the Home
Office to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
European Union
Asked by Lord Boswell of Aynho
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the total
cost of the Review of the Balance of Competences
between the United Kingdom and the European Union
to the UK Statistics Authority and its associated
agencies, broken down by (1) staff time, (2) printing
costs, (3) running of engagement events, (4) witness
expenses, (5) publicity of the reports, and (6) any and
all other associated costs. [HL4827]
Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The statistics element of the
Balance of Competences Review was included within the
cross-cutting report on Voting, Consular and Statistics,
which was led by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
The following information relates to the UK Statistics
Authority's costs associated with contributing to the
report. (1) A full breakdown of staff time and associated
travel/subsistence costs could only be obtained at
disproportionate cost, but the staff cost of the Review was
borne within existing budgets
(2) The UK Statistics Authority contributed £1385.00
towards printing and publication costs
(3) The UK Statistics Authority did not run any
engagement events. (4) Across the whole of the Balance
Written Answers
of Competences Review witness expenses amounted to
approximately £2,255.00, which were borne by the FCO
(5) The UK Statistics Authority did not incur any costs
publicising the reports
(6) There were no other associated costs.
Gaelic Athletic Association
Asked by Lord Empey
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they
intend to recognise the Gaelic Athletic Association in
England as a body to which grants could be paid.
[HL5179]
Asked by Lord Empey
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have
paid any grants to the Gaelic Athletic Association in
England. [HL5180]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Sport England can only
award grants to the Gaelic Athletic Association if it is
recognised as a governing body for Gaelic sports in
England. Sport England is currently working with the
Gaelic Athletic Association to explore how an English
body can be established to seek recognition and be
eligible to apply for Sport England grants.
Lake District National Park
Asked by Lord Greaves
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the area of
land that is owned by the Lake District National Park
Authority; and whether they will list the sites that it
owns. [HL5221]
Lord De Mauley: Defra’s asset register lists assets
within Defra ownership. National park assets are outside
of the Government estate and as such are not listed. The
Lake District National Park Authority has voluntarily
provided the following information regarding properties
they currently own or manage:
The Lake District National Park Authority own nearly
9,000 hectares of land which is 3.92 per cent of the total
land area (229,200 hectares) of the national park.
As at 27 February 2015 the Lake District National Park
Authority owns 168 properties, contained within 118
sites, as follows:
1 Ambleside Depot
2 Banerigg and Lady Woods
3 Banks Point
4 Barf Common
5 Barnes Land
6 Bassenthwaite Lake
7 Beck Wythop
8 Beech Hill access land
9 Beech Hill car park
10 Beech Hill public toilets
Written Answers
3 March 2015
11 Blackstock Point
12 Blawith Common
13 Blea Brows
14 Blue Hill & Red Bank Woods
15 Bowness Bay Information Centre
16 Brathay Riverside (north bank)
17 Brathay Riverside (south bank)
18 Brathay Riverside car park
19 Broadgate Meadow car park
20 Broadness Meadow
21 Brockhole car parks
22 Brockhole Lodge
23 Brockhole public toilets
24 Brockhole Tree Top Treks office
25 Brockhole Visitor Centre
26 Bronwen Nixon Bridge (Ambleside)
27 Broughton Depot
28 Brown Howe access land
29 Brown Howe car park
30 Brown Howe public toilets
31 Buttermere village car park
32 Buttermere village public toilets
33 Caldbeck Common
34 Caldbeck village car park
35 Caldbeck village green fragments
36 Calder Valley woods
37 Calder Valley woods car park
38 Calfclose and Needlelee Woods
39 Chapel Bridge car park
40 Coniston Boating Centre
41 Coniston Boating Centre - Bluebird Café
42 Coniston Boating Centre car park
43 Coniston Boating Centre public toilets
44 Coniston Old Station car park
45 Coniston, Ruskin Avenue car park
46 Coniston, Ruskin Avenue former Information Centre
47 Coniston, Ruskin Avenue land opposite The Crown
48 Coniston, Ruskin Avenue public toilets
49 Copper House / Mealy Gill bridge
50 Cow Bridge car park
51 Craggy Wood
52 Derwent Foot
53 Duddon Iron Furnace
54 Duddon Iron Furnace car park
55 Dungeon Ghyll car park
56 Elterwater toilets
57 Eskdale Green toilets
58 Eusemere car park
Page 9
59 Fell Dyke car park
60 Glenridding Common Area shared with National
Trust
61 Glenridding Common Main area - sole ownership
62 Glenridding village car park
63 Glenridding village Information Centre
64 Glenridding village public toilets
65 Gowbarrow lakeshore access land
66 Gowbarrow lakeshore lay-bys
67 Grange Crags car park
68 Greenside Mines
69 Greenside Mines - Helvellyn Hostel YHA
70 Greenside Mines - Striding Edge Hostel
71 Hammarbank car park
72 Hassness estate
73 Hassness estate - Dalegarth House
74 Hassness estate - Hassness House
75 Haverthwaite Heights
76 Hawkshead village car park
77 Hawkshead village former info centre
78 Hawkshead village public toilets
79 Hesket Newmarket car park
80 Hesket Newmarket Village Green
81 High Dam & Bell Intake car park
82 High Dam & Bell Intake Woods
83 Howk (The)
84 Hursthole Point
85 Keswick Information Centre
86 Keswick railway line footpath
87 Kirkstone Pass car park
88 Land at Brackenbarrow, Torver
89 Land at Keswick Rly Station
90 Lingy Fell shooting hut
91 Long Bridge NE parcel
92 Long Bridge SW parcel
93 Longsleddale toilets
94 Ludderburn
95 Machell Coppice
96 Monk Coniston public toilets
97 Monk Coniston car park
98 Murley Moss
99 Ouse Bridge access land
100 Ouse Bridge car park
101 Paddock Wray Woods
102 Peel Wyke car park
103 Peel Wyke harbour lakeshore
104 Penny Rock and White Moss Woods
105 Powter How car park
Page 10
3 March 2015
106 Powter How woods
107 Ravenglass Roman Fort
108 Ravenglass village car park
109 Ravenglass village public toilets
110 Rawlinson Nab
111 Red Pit car park
112 Rough Mire & Green Mire
113 Rusland Moss
114 Rusland Tannery
115 Rusland Woods (Border Moss Wood)
116 Rusland Woods (Glass Knott)
117 Rusland Woods (Hall Brow Woods)
118 Rusland Woods (Round Close Wood)
119 Rusland Woods (Stony Hazel Woods)
120 Rusland Woods (Thwaite Head Woods)
121 Rusland Woods (Waterside Knott)
122 Rusland Woods (Yew Barrow Woods)
123 Scout Scar access land
124 Scout Scar car park
125 Seathwaite car park
126 Silecroft car park
127 Silecroft Heath
128 Silecroft Heath Caravan site
129 Silecroft public toilets
130 Stanley Ghyll
131 Station Coppice car park
132 Stickle Tarn
133 Stock Lane car park
134 Stock Lane public toilets
135 Stockdale Wood
136 Storms Estate
137 The Parks (Haverthwaite)
138 Threlkeld old station - Northern Office
139 Threlkeld old station car park
140 Tilberthwaite Ghyll access land
141 Tilberthwaite Ghyll car park
142 Torver Back Common
143 Torver Common Wood
144 Torver High Common
145 Torver Low Common
146 Trough House Bridge access land
147 Trough House Bridge car park
148 Troutbeck Station
149 Uldale Common
150 Uldale Village Green
151 Ullswater
152 Waterhead (Ambleside) car park
153 Waterhead (Ambleside) former information centre
Written Answers
154 Waterhead (Ambleside) public toilets
155 Whitbarrow Scar
156 Windermere islands - Crow Holme
157 Windermere islands - Grass Holme
158 Windermere islands - Haws Holme
159 Windermere islands - Lilies of the Valley E
160 Windermere islands - Lilies of the Valley W
161 Windermere islands - Ling Holme
162 Windermere islands - Maiden Holme
163 Windermere islands - Silver Holme
164 Windermere islands - Thompson Holme
165 Woodend Brow car park
166 Woodend Brow Wood
167 Woodend Farm
168 Yewbarrow Woods (Longsleddale)
Asked by Lord Greaves
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when, for what
stated purposes and in what circumstances (including
whether gifted or purchased) the following sites were
acquired by the Lake District National Park Authority:
Stickle Tarn (Great Langdale), Yewbarrow Woods
(Longsleddale), Blue Hill and Red Bank Wood, Blea
Brows (Coniston Water), Lady Wood (White Moss),
Banerigg Wood (White Moss), and the amenity land
with river frontage at Portinscale that is currently being
offered for sale; and what is the current predominant
land use in each case. [HL5223]
Lord De Mauley: National Park Authorities are
independent bodies and the information requested is not
held centrally by Her Majesty’s Government. The Lake
District National Park Authority has voluntarily provided
the following information regarding the properties being
sold by it:
Stickle Tarn (Great Langdale)
Purchased in 1960 to secure it as open space for
recreation. This is the predominant land use, protected
under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.
Yewbarrow Woods (Longsleddale)
Purchased in 1983 to maintain and secure its condition.
The predominant land use is woodland and SSSI.
Blue Hill and Red Bank Wood, Ambleside
Purchased in 1977 and 2000 for woodland creation,
improvement and public access. The predominant use is
as accessible woodland.
Blea Brows, Coniston Water
Leased from 1975 and then purchased in 2000 for the
purpose of securing public access. This is the
predominant land use, protected under the Countryside
and Rights of Way Act 2000.
Lady Wood (White Moss),Grasmere
Purchased in 1972 to secure public access. The
predominant use is accessible woodland.
Written Answers
3 March 2015
Banerigg Wood (White Moss), Grasmere
Purchased in 1972 to secure public access. The
predominant use is accessible woodland.
Amenity land with river frontage at Portinscale
Purchased in 1981 for public amenity and public access.
This is the predominant land use, protected under the
Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.
Asked by Lord Greaves
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, for each of the
following sites owned by the Lake District National
Park Authority, what is the current public access
situation, what will be the public access situation
following a sale, and how any access is guaranteed and
for how long: Stickle Tarn (Great Langdale),
Yewbarrow Woods (Longsleddale), Blue Hill and Red
Bank Wood, Blea Brows (Coniston Water), Lady Wood
(White Moss), Banerigg Wood (White Moss), and the
amenity land with river frontage at Portinscale that is
currently being offered for sale. [HL5224]
Lord De Mauley: All but one of the sites has rights of
access on foot under Part 1 of the Countryside and Rights
of Way Act 2000. These rights are not affected as a result
of sale of the land.
In terms of the specific sites, the following access rights
apply:
· Stickle Tarn (Great Langdale) - The land around the
tarn is open-access land (although the water-body of the
tarn itself is not).
· Yewbarrow Woods (Longsleddale) – No pre-existing
public rights of access.
· Blue Hill and Red Bank Wood - This land is openaccess land.
· Blea Brows (Coniston Water) - This land is openaccess land.
· Lady Wood (White Moss) - This land is open-access
land.
· Banerigg Wood (White Moss) - This land is openaccess land.
· Land at Portinscale - No pre-existing public rights of
open access. As part of the sale process, the Lake District
National Park Authority has dedicated the land in
perpetuity as open access land under the Countryside and
Rights of Way Act 2000.
Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint
Asked by Lord Myners
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when the Prime
Minister appointed Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint as a
trustee and chair of the Natural History Museum; and
from whom advice was taken on that appointment.
[HL5074]
Lord Gardiner of Kimble: The Prime Minister
appointed Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint as Trustee of the
Natural History Museum on 1st April 2014; Lord Green's
Page 11
appointment as Chair was made by the Board of Trustees.
The appointment of Lord Green was made following an
open competition and in making this decision the Prime
Minister took advice from the Secretary of State of
Culture, Media and Sport.
Motor Vehicles: Rights of Way
Asked by Lord Bradshaw
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the
Written Answer by Lord De Mauley on 23 February
(HL4993), whether (1) National Trails and (2) the
National Association for Areas of Outstanding Natural
Beauty, which are both directly affected, will be invited
to join as full members of the stakeholder working
group when established . [HL5173]
Lord De Mauley: Defra will work with Natural
England to invite stakeholders with the relevant
experience and expertise to join the motor vehicle
stakeholder working group. The composition of the group
is yet to be decided, but the intention is that members will
be invited to join the group based on their expertise and
ability to work constructively with others, rather than
simply on whom they represent.
We will invite interested organisations to put forward
their suggestions for suitable members. The group will
contain a balance of interests from across all sectors and
we plan to have members who can represent the interests
of Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and National
Trails.
National Income
Asked by Lord Patten
To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the
Written Answer by Lord Wallace of Saltaire on 11
December 2014 (HL3588), whether they will list the
Gross Domestic Product data inputs that do include a
nationality-based question in their survey responses;
and why in each of those cases a nationality question is
included. [HL5100]
Lord Wallace of Saltaire: The information requested
falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics
Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
The Answer includes the following attached material:
UK Statistics Authority Reply [HL5100 Lord Patten ONS
Letter.pdf]
The material can be viewed online at:
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questionsanswers-statements/written-question/Lords/2015-02-23/HL5100
National Parks
Asked by Lord Greaves
To ask Her Majesty’s Government which sites have
been disposed of by National Park Authorities in
England in the past 10 years; when, to whom and for
Page 12
3 March 2015
what consideration the disposal took place in each case;
and which sites have been advertised for sale but
retained by the relevant Authority. [HL5225]
Lord De Mauley: National Park Authorities are
independent bodies and the information requested is not
held centrally by Her Majesty’s Government. The Lake
District National Park Authority has voluntarily provided
the following information regarding those properties it
has sold:
2007
Beckside Farm
Private Landowner
£1,518,593
2007
Woodlands at
Meathop
Private Landowner
£18,000
2007
Woodlands at
Summerhouse
Knot
Charitable Trust
£18,700
2007
Woodlands at
Bank Wood,
Bassenthwaite
Private Landowner
£28,500
2008
Ghyll Head &
Great Canclestick
Moss
Private Landowner
£57,500
2008
Seatoller Barn
Private Landowner
£205,000
2009
Coniston Station
Industrial Units
Government
Organisation
£24,000
2009
Troutbeck Station
Land
Private Landowner
£31,165
2009
Park Holme
Private
Landowners
£16,223
2010
Land swap –
Hawkshead
Commercial body
2011
Banana Field
Private Landowner
£36,000
2011
Winder Intake
Private Landowner
£22,400
2011
Haverthwaite
Heights
Commercial Body
£25,000
2011
Fieldfoot Woods
Private Landowner
£100,000
2011
Outfield Meadow
Community Group
£5,000
2013
Land at Craggy
Wood
Statutory
Undertaker
£5,000
2013
Pool Wood,
Hawkshead
Private Landowner
£22,500
2013
Fox Ghyll Woods
Private Landowner
£150,000
2014
Blencathra
Education Charity
- Sitting Tenant
£1,475,000
£0
National Probation Service for England and
Wales
Asked by Lord Beecham
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many
vacancies for qualified staff there are in each National
Probation Service region. [HL5018]
Lord Faulks: Staffing levels are kept under constant
review to ensure public safety is maintained. A new
reporting tool for the National Probation Service is being
Written Answers
implemented which will provide functionality to capture
vacancies centrally as part of the ongoing development of
workforce planning processes and capability.
We continue to invest in a qualified workforce. Last
autumn, we made over 270 training places available for
new probation officers. A similar number were made
available in January this year, and a further intake is
planned for April. Recruits undertake on-the-job training
and study, and graduate in 15 months as qualified
probation officers. This represents the biggest investment
in the professionalism of the probation workforce for
some considerable time.
Asked by Lord Beecham
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the
current sickness rates for practitioners in the National
Probation Service; and what were the rates for 2013 and
2014. [HL5019]
Lord Faulks: Information on sickness absence rates
among National Probation Service (NPS) staff for the
period 1 June – 30 September 2014 was published on 17
November in a Management Information Release. The
annualised rate of absence for this period in the NPS was
10.6 working days lost per staff year. Information for the
whole of 2014-15 will be published in the Management
Information Addendum to the National Offender
Management Service Annual Report 2014-15.
Information on sickness absence rates in the former
Probation Trusts is published annually in the Management
Information Addendum to the National Offender
Management Service Annual Report. The sickness
absence rate for Probation Trusts for April 2013 to March
2014, published on 30 July 2014 was 9.8 working days
lost per person.
The NPS statistics are not directly comparable to the
annual Probation Trust data, as they relate to different
timescales.
We take the health and wellbeing of probation staff
extremely seriously and have worked closely with the
NPS to support staff. We recognise this has been a
challenging time for them and they can be extremely
proud of how they have maintained standards throughout
the transition period.
NHS: Finance
Asked by Lord Tyler
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what was the final
outturn for each hospital trust in England for each of the
last five years; and how much the surplus or deficit was
as a proportion of each trust’s total budget. [HL5092]
Earl Howe: Data by individual National Health Service
trust and foundation trust is attached.
NHS trusts and foundation trusts do not receive budgets
directly from the Department. They receive income for
the provision of services from NHS commissioners. We
have therefore provided details in the attached annex of
operating income by NHS trust and foundation trust.
Written Answers
3 March 2015
The Answer includes the following attached material:
Provider Surplus Deficit Income tables [HL5092 Annex Providers Surplus Deficit Income tables.xlsx]
The material can be viewed online at:
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publications/written-questionsanswers-statements/written-question/Lords/2015-02-23/HL5092
Page 13
or business name requires prior approval by the Secretary
of State. No approval has yet been given to the Retail
Ombudsman to use this word.
Companies House and BIS are updating their
procedures to ensure that the approval process deals with
private sector applications to use this word.
Tickets: Touting
Asked by Baroness Cumberlege
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what are the terms
of reference for the forthcoming consultation on the
National Tariff. [HL5101]
Asked by Baroness Hayter of Kentish Town
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether Mr Ajay
Chowdhury, as a Non-Executive Director at the
Department for Culture, Media and Sport, has had any
involvement in the current discussions on ticket touting
relating to the Consumer Rights Bill. [HL5079]
Earl Howe: Section 118 of the Health and Social Care
Act sets out the terms of reference under which
consultation for Tariff proposals should be undertaken. As
the consultation is statutory it has to be undertaken as
stated in the Act. In addition, the proposals were subject
to consultation by virtue of section 69(7) of that Act.
Lord Gardiner of Kimble: Non-executive directors
have not been involved in discussions relating to the
secondary ticket market and the Consumer Rights Bill.
Primary Education: Free School Meals
Veterans: Northern Ireland
Asked by Lord Ashcroft
Asked by Lord Browne of Belmont
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their
assessment of the success of the free school lunch
programme for the under-sevens. [HL5068]
Lord Nash: The universal infant free school meals
(UIFSM) programme is a great success. Evidence
collected from local authorities and multi-academy trusts
in August 2014 suggested that 98.5% of schools would be
providing hot meals from the start of the autumn term;
and the Department for Education is not aware of any
schools which are not offering free meals to all their
infant pupils. Over 1.6 million infant pupils (85.2% of all
infant pupils) took a free school meal on autumn census
day in October 2014 – 1.3 million more than were
estimated to have taken a free school meal in the January
2014 school census, prior to the introduction of UIFSM.
We know from pilots run between 2009 and 2011 that the
introduction of universal free school meals helps to
improve social skills, increase attainment and encourage
healthy choices, as well as saving hard-working families
money.
Retail Ombudsman
Asked by Baroness McIntosh of Hudnall
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether the Retail
Ombudsman was given Cabinet Office approval to use
the word "ombudsman" in their title; on what date any
such approval was given; and whether the Cabinet
Office guidance on ombudsman schemes was followed.
[HL4944]
Baroness Neville-Rolfe: The Retail Ombudsman has
been set up independently of Government and is a nonstatutory organisation aiming to provide alternative
dispute resolution (ADR) in the retail sector. While
anyone is free to set up a business providing ADR,
‘ombudsman’ is a sensitive word whose use in a company
To ask Her Majesty’s Government how much has
been spent to help members of the armed forces living
in Northern Ireland with their transition back to civilian
life in each of the last three years; and how much of that
sum was spent on housing. [HL5005]
Lord Astor of Hever: Assisting our former Service
personnel transition to civilian life is of major importance,
as indeed is having in place a robust and effective
resettlement system that helps our Service personnel on a
number of levels.
While the Ministry of Defence (MOD) does not
centrally record how much is spent on transitioning
Service personnel to civilian life, the following table
shows the number of individuals with a Northern Ireland
postcode who have taken advantage of the services
offered by the Career Transition Partnership (CTP) and
are in employment.
CTP
Programme
Year
BT Postcodes
Placements
in Northern Ireland
BT Postcodes
Placements
Outside Northern Ireland
or unknown location
2012
2013
2014
2012
2013
2014
Employment
Support
Programme
6
3
5
4
4
5
Full Support
Programme
95
130
112
76
74
89
BT postcodes placements outside NI or ‘unknown
location’ – means individuals have recorded a NI address
but their work location is outside NI (i.e. they may have a
permanent residence in NI which they return to at
weekends or holidays or they have not informed CTP of a
permanent change of address)
The Employment Support Programme is for those who
have served more than four but less than six years. These
Page 14
3 March 2015
individuals do not receive the Individual Resettlement
Training Costs Grant nor do they have an entitlement to
Graduated Resettlement Time (i.e. paid time off for
vocational training). However, they can take advantage of
the many briefings available and they are supported in
their search for employment by the CTP consultants and
Job Finding Service, including access to the online jobs
portal ‘RightJob’. They can also take advantage of
resettlement training courses on a ‘standby’ basis in their
own time.
Service personnel who have served for six years or
more are entitled to the Full Support Programme. This
entitles them to the Individual Resettlement Training
Costs Grant (IRTC) which is worth £534 per person.
In addition, Service Leavers may claim Travel and
Subsistence costs during their training; the amount of
Written Answers
training is dependent on length of service up to a
maximum of 35 days for those who have served for 16
years or more.
The Joint Service Housing Advice Office (JSHAO) is
the MOD’s tri-Service focal point set up to provide
Service personnel and their families with civilian housing
information for those wishing to move to civilian
accommodation at any point in their career, and to those
during Armed Forces Resettlement to assist the transition
to civilian life. Delivered through briefings, Housing
Matters magazine publication, and one to one discussions
where necessary. JSHAO also manages the MOD Referral
Scheme supporting social housing in conjunction with
Local Authorities and Housing Associations. The cost for
providing advice is not held centrally and could be
provided only at disproportionate cost.
Index to Statements and Answers
Written Statements................................................. 1
Banking Reform ................................................... 1
Child Sexual Exploitation..................................... 1
Cluster Munitions (Prohibitions) Act 2010 .......... 2
ECOFIN: 17 February 2015 ................................. 2
Fuel Poverty Strategy ........................................... 3
Gifting of Equipment: Free Syrian Police ............ 3
Gifting of Search and Rescue Equipment: Syria .. 4
Insolvency (Practitioner Fees and Court Cases) ... 5
Marchwood Sea Mounting Centre (Preferred
Bidder) .................................................................. 5
Regulatory Policy Committee .............................. 6
Royal Borough of Greenwich ............................... 6
UK-Senegal Double Taxation Convention ........... 7
Strategic Policing Requirement Refresh............... 7
Written Answers ..................................................... 8
Asylum: LGBT People ......................................... 8
Entry Clearances................................................... 8
European Union .................................................... 8
Gaelic Athletic Association .................................. 8
Lake District National Park .................................. 8
Lord Green of Hurstpierpoint ............................. 11
Motor Vehicles: Rights of Way .......................... 11
National Income ................................................. 11
National Parks .................................................... 11
National Probation Service for England and
Wales .................................................................. 12
NHS: Finance ..................................................... 12
Primary Education: Free School Meals .............. 13
Retail Ombudsman ............................................. 13
Tickets: Touting ................................................. 13
Veterans: Northern Ireland ................................. 13