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  • Lord Bradshaw – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Bradshaw – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradshaw on 2015-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to define national standards for the creation of Low Emission Zones so that in future most vehicles are able to enter such zones.

    Baroness Kramer

    Low Emission Zones (LEZs) are one of a number of measures that can help improve air quality, particularly in urban areas. Introducing LEZs is a decision for local authorities. Government has already provided guidance to local authorities on the design of LEZs, such as which vehicles should be covered and what emissions standards they should meet. The Department for Environment and Rural Affairs is currently working with a small number of local authorities who are examining the value of introducing such schemes.

    Government is revising its air quality plans in relation to compliance with EU air quality standards. As part of this we are reviewing all feasible measures including the role of a national framework for LEZs. We will be consulting on revised air quality plans later in the year.

  • Lord Bradshaw – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Bradshaw – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradshaw on 2015-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Kramer on 9 February (HL4678), whether the rise in suicides on the railway has been analysed by area, age group, sex and ethnicity of those who died.

    Baroness Kramer

    Details of suicides by area (route), age group and sex are recorded by the rail industry but not ethnicity.

    The relevant information is held by RSSB (formerly the Rail Safety & Standards Board) and is analysed to provide evidence to support the development and implementation of the industry’s suicide reduction programme.

  • Lord Bradshaw – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Bradshaw – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradshaw on 2015-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Kramer on 10 February (HL4677), in the light of the change in franchisee and the expectation of more changes, what steps they are taking to ensure that there are sufficient luggage space and catering facilities for the anticipated use of those trains.

    Baroness Kramer

    The interior of the Intercity Express Programme is designed flexibly so that it can be adapted to meet different traffic conditions in the future. Operators have been fully engaged in this process. We continue to work very closely with them on the train, including catering provision.

  • Lord Bradshaw – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    Lord Bradshaw – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department for Transport

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Bradshaw on 2015-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether road safety targets are at present set for local authorities; and, if not, whether they have considered reinstating them.

    Baroness Kramer

    The Government has not set road safety targets for local authorities, and is not considering reinstating them. However, local authorities are free to set their own targets if they find this useful.

    The fact that the Government has not set a target does not mean that it does not consider road safety to be a high priority. The strategic framework includes forecasts of the casualty numbers that we might expect to see through to 2030 from the measures implemented by Government, and the actions of local authorities.

    While we believe that previous road safety targets have been useful we do not consider that over-arching national targets are necessary for road safety in Great Britain. This is because we do not believe that further persuasion is needed on the importance of road safety. We expect central and local government to continue to prioritise road safety and continue to seek improvements.

  • Lord Laird – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Laird – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Randerson on 10 February (HL4725) relating to invitations to a briefing on 3 February about Northern Ireland, if such invitations were delivered why Lord Laird did not receive such communication; and why Lord Maginnis of Drumglass was invited only when he complained to the Northern Ireland Office; and whether they will supply a complete answer to the original question and list those Members of the House of Lords who were invited and explain why the question was not answered in full.

    Lord Wallace of Saltaire

    Invitations to the briefing for Peers on 3 February were delivered to the House of Lords by a Northern Ireland Office official on 23rd January.

    Invitations were issued to the following Peers, including Lord Laird and Lord Maginnis of Drumglass:

    The Lord Alderdice

    Rt Rev the Lord Bishop of Bath and Wells

    The Lord Bew

    The Baroness Blood MBE

    Rt Hon the Lord Brooke of Sutton Mandeville CH

    The Viscount Brookeborough DL

    The Lord Browne of Belmont

    Rt Hon the Lord Browne of Ladyton

    Rt Hon the Lord Carswell

    Rt Hon the Lord Cope of Berkeley

    The Baroness Crawley

    The Lord Dubs

    Rt Rev the Lord Eames OM

    The Lord Empey

    The Lord Feldman of Frognal

    The Lord German OBE

    The Lord Glentoran CBE DL

    The Baroness Harris of Richmond DL

    The Lord Hay of Ballyore

    The Baroness Healy of Primrose Hill

    The Lord Hylton

    Rt Hon the Lord Kilclooney

    The Lord King of Bridgwater

    The Lord Laird

    The Lord Lester of Herne Hill QC

    The Lord Lexden

    The Lord Lyell DL

    The Lord Maginnis of Drumglass

    The Lord McAvoy

    Rt Hon the Lord Mawhinney

    Rt Hon the Lord Mayhew of Twysden QC DL

    The Lord Morrow

    The Baroness O’Cathain OBE

    The Baroness O’Loan DBE

    The Baroness O’Neill of Bengarve CBE FBA

    The Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale

    General the Lord Ramsbotham GCB CBE

    Rt Hon the Lord Reid of Cardowan

    The Lord Rogan

    Rt Hon the Baroness Royall of Blaisdon

    The Lord Shutt of Greetland

    Rt Hon the Baroness Smith of Basildon

    Professor the Lord Smith of Clifton

    Rt Hon the Lord Tebbit CH

    The Lord Temple-Morris

    Rt Hon the Lord Trimble

    The Lord Willis of Knaresborough

    The list has been compiled of Peers known to be from Northern Ireland or who have shown an interest in its affairs, primarily through Parliamentary business or correspondence.

    Any Peers not included on this list who have an interest in Northern Ireland Affairs are invited to contact the Northern Ireland Office to be added to future invitations.

  • Lord Laird – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Laird – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government how many officials work in each section of the Northern Ireland Office.

    Baroness Randerson

    The number of staff working in each business group of the Northern Ireland Office in January 2015, the latest period for which figures are available, is shown below:

    Business Group

    Number of Staff

    Senior Management

    6

    Business Delivery

    40

    Security and Protection

    31

    Legacy

    23

    Community Engagement

    15

    Economic Constitutional and Political

    19

  • Lord Laird – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    Lord Laird – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Northern Ireland Office

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Laird on 2015-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Randerson on 10 February (HL4487), concerning the state of human rights in the Republic of Ireland, what steps they have taken to ascertain that the government of the Republic of Ireland is and has been carrying out those sections of the Belfast Agreement to which it agreed in 1998.

    Baroness Randerson

    I have nothing to add to my previous answer of 10 February to the Noble Lord.

  • Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2015-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government, further to the Written Answer by Earl Howe on 10 February (HL4473) concerning meetings with Action on Smoking and Health, whether they have had meetings with the Freedom Organisation for the Right to Enjoy Smoking Tobacco; and whether they continue to uphold an embargo on closed meetings with the tobacco industry.

    Earl Howe

    Ministers and officials meet a range of organisations on a regular basis to discuss tobacco control. Details of Ministerial meetings with external stakeholders are published quarterly in arrears on the Gov.UK website:

    https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-overseas-travel-and-meetings

    No meetings were held by the Department over the period 1 January 2012 and 27 January 2015 with the Freedom Organisation for the Right to Enjoy Smoking Tobacco.

    The Department does not have an embargo on meeting any business or organisation.

    “

  • Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    Lord Stoddart of Swindon – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Department of Health

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Stoddart of Swindon on 2015-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they take into account the volume of smuggled cigarettes and other tobacco products when calculating the percentage of the United Kingdom’s population who smoke.

    Earl Howe

    The Government’s national ambition to reduce smoking prevalence among adults in England is measured using data from the Office for National Statistics “Integrated Household Survey”.

    This survey asks the following two questions relating to smoking: “Have you ever smoked a cigarette, a cigar, or a pipe?” and “Do you smoke cigarettes at all nowadays?”

    Background, methodology and other information relevant to this survey is available online at:

    http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/method-quality/specific/social-and-welfare-methodology/integrated-household-survey/index.html

  • Lord Rogan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    Lord Rogan – 2015 Parliamentary Question to the Ministry of Justice

    The below Parliamentary question was asked by Lord Rogan on 2015-02-11.

    To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether current staffing levels of HM Prison Service meet the standard complement.

    Lord Faulks

    Staffing levels have been reviewed prison by prison as part of a ‘benchmarking approach’. Benchmark staffing requirements for each establishment have been agreed with the unions and the NAO has commented that the wider strategy for the prison estate is the most coherent and comprehensive for many years. It delivers efficiencies while ensuring that public sector prisons operate safely, decently and securely Benchmarking optimises the skills of staff by introducing new ways of working and puts all prison officers in prisoner facing role.

    Benchmark staffing levels have been agreed in 85 public sector prisons. Amongst prison officers, the shortfall of staff in post against benchmarks for these establishments at 30 September 2014 was 4%.

    Staffing levels have improved, but there remains a geographical variation and detached duty has been used to manage temporary shortages in particular locations. Such measures are always needed in such a large, widely spread organisation.

    In addition HM Prison Service Reserve, consisting of former prison officers, has been established to support capacity changes and unplanned shortfalls in officer numbers.

    The Prison Service has been returning to large scale recruitment levels as the period of closures and benchmarking has been coming to an end. As well as prison officers, we are also recruiting Operational Support Grades (uniformed staff who undertake a wide range of security based work) and instructors (who manage prisoners in workshop activities and training).