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To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what use his Department is making of biometric facial recognition technology; and if he will make a statement.

Asked by

Mark Oaten (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Ministry of Defence

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

7 April 2005

Reference

432 c1727W;432 c1723W; 207690

House

House of Commons

Ministry of Defence

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what technical sources the Department used for impartial advice on the Government's (a) science and technology projects and (b) equipment procurement spending in addition to DSTL in each of the last five years.

Asked by

Gerald Howarth (Conservative)

Answering body

Ministry of Defence

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

7 April 2005

Reference

432 c1735W;432 c1730-1W; 219034

House

House of Commons

Ministry of Defence

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what the (a) science, (b) technology projects and (c) equipment procurement budgets were for 2001-04; and what the value was of projects that overspent or overran by more than 10 per cent.

Asked by

Gerald Howarth (Conservative)

Answering body

Ministry of Defence

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

7 April 2005

Reference

432 c1735-6W;432 c1731W; 219035

House

House of Commons

Dept of Trade and Industry

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment she has made of the case for continuing funding to companies who are developing photovoltaic cells; and if she will make a statement on the contribution which the photovoltaic industry can make to reduction in carbon emissions.

Asked by

Tony McWalter (Labour; Co-operative Party)

Answering body

Department of Trade and Industry

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

7 April 2005

Reference

432 c1632W;432 c1628W; 221637

House

House of Commons

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of whether there is a need to strengthen the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to ensure that signatory states are not able to exploit the treaty by obtaining nuclear technology under the guise of a peaceful...

Asked by

Mark Simmonds (Conservative)

Answering body

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

7 April 2005

Reference

432 c1777W;432 c1772W; 223321

House

House of Commons

Home Office

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of the impact of the changeover from signature to chip-and-pin credit and debit cards and its effect on consumers; what discussions his Department has had with the banking and credit card industries on this matter;...

Asked by

Mark Oaten (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

22 March 2005

For answer on

7 April 2005

Answered on

7 April 2005

Mr. Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment he has made of the impact of the changeover from signature to chip and PIN credit and debit cards and its effect on consumers; what discussions his Department has had with the banking and credit card industries on this matter; and if he will make a statement; [223873] (2) what assessment he has made of the effects on the (a) banking and (b) retail industries of the changeover from signature to chip and pin debit and credit cards. [223874] Ms Blears: [holding answer 4 April 2005]: Chip and PIN is a major finance and retail industry anti fraud initiative. The introduction of chip and PIN has been managed by the chip and PIN Programme Management Organisation, and actively supported by Government. Following a successful public trial, national roll out of the scheme began in October 2003 with the aim that by 2005 a majority of plastic card transactions should be chip and PIN. The chip and PIN programme announced earlier this year that it reached all its 2004 targets for the roll out with customer research demonstrating that 71 per cent. of cardholders expect their next transaction to be chip and PIN and 45 per cent. now using it for all or most of their card payments.1 I last met with representatives from the programme in November 2003 and Home Office officials maintain regular contact with the finance and retail industry. It is currently too early to assess the effects of chip and PIN in preventing credit card fraud. The impact of chip and PIN on card fraud is expected to be seen early in 2005 and hence will first be reflected in the APACS mid- year card fraud figures to June 2005, which will be available in the summer. 1 Source: chip and PIN programme

Date

7 April 2005

Reference

432 c1794-5W;432 c1789-90W; 223873;223874

House

House of Commons

Ministry of Defence

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, through what methods DSTL scientists acquire hands-on research expertise in the (a) science and technology projects and (b) equipment procurement areas of the technical projects upon which they are required to advise.

Asked by

Gerald Howarth (Conservative)

Answering body

Ministry of Defence

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

24 February 2005

For answer on

7 April 2005

Answered on

7 April 2005

Mr. Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence through what methods DSTL scientists acquire hands-on research expertise in the (a) science and technology projects and (b) equipment procurement areas of the technical projects upon which they are required to advise. [219031] Mr. Ingram: The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, Dstl, has a range of approaches to ensure that its scientists and engineers acquire and retain the knowledge and expertise required to discharge its roles within the Ministry of Defence (MOD). Hands-on practical research expertise is only one element, and Dstl is tasked to undertake part of the MOD's Research Building Block itself in a range of systems areas and a sub-set of sensitive defence technologies. In addition, Dstl undertakes the knowledge integration role for the Research customers which requires it to work closely with the other organisations in industry and academia engaged in hands-on research. Dstl encourages its staff to undertake research based MSc and PhD activities as well as having a commitment to their continuous professional development through membership of the appropriate professional institutes. To strengthen engagement in underlying technical areas where Dstl has limited hands-on work of its own, it has set up Co-operative Research Centres with academia to facilitate the exchange of staff and resources between Dstl and partner Universities. This allows Dstl staff to work within the partner University alongside external researchers who are engaged in MOD funded work, for example through the Joint Grant Scheme. Dstl has also entered into arrangements with industry to encourage staff secondment and established opportunities for staff interchange with other national and international laboratories. Dstl staff are also involved in oversight of the MOD Defence Technology Centres which are formal collaborative arrangements between industry and academic experts in particular technologies. These kinds of arrangement enable Dstl scientists to develop and extend their knowledge networks and improve the quality and context of its advice.

Date

7 April 2005

Reference

432 c1734-5W;432 c1729-30W; 219031

House

House of Commons

Ministry of Defence

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what percentage of the Government's science and technology projects and equipment procurement spending in each of the last five years occured without advice from (a) DSTL and (b) other technical sources.

Asked by

Gerald Howarth (Conservative)

Answering body

Ministry of Defence

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

7 April 2005

Reference

432 c1735W;432 c1730W; 219033

House

House of Commons

Dept of Trade and Industry

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, for what reasons the Government plans to phase out grant support for photo-voltaic energy systems; and what further plans the Government has to (a) promote and (b) support PV development.

Asked by

Alan Simpson (Labour)

Answering body

Department of Trade and Industry

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

7 April 2005

Reference

432 c1633W;432 c1628W; 220937

House

House of Commons

Dept for International Development

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, if he will list the technology transfers effected by his Department in each of the last three years.

Asked by

Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department for International Development

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

4 April 2005

Reference

432 c1208W; 215315

House

House of Commons

Dept for International Development

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what channels are available for the exchange of (a) technical and (b) logistical expertise between his Department and UK non-governmental organisations active in the field of international development; what fora his Department has (i) initiated, (ii) funded and (iii) run for...

Asked by

Angus Robertson (Scottish National Party)

Answering body

Department for International Development

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

4 April 2005

Reference

432 c1207W; 224576

House

House of Commons

Strategic science provision in English universities. Science and Technology Select Committee eighth report, in two volumes, with proceedings, evidence (HC 220 i-iv not printed separately) and appendices.

Type

Select Committee reports; House of Commons papers; Parliamentary committees

Committee

Science and Technology Committee

Date

4 April 2005

Reference

HC 220 2004/05

House

House of Commons

Untitled Written question

Further to the speech by the Lord Luke on 1 March 2005 (670 c83GC), whether the suggestion that the Government's lorry road user charging scheme would require 1,000 new Civil Service positions is accurate; and, if not, what is the best estimate to the nearest 250 positions; and Further to...

Asked by

Earl Attlee (Conservative)

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

23 March 2005

Reference

671 c38-9WA; HL 1743

House

House of Lords

Procurement of Innovative Technologies and Research Bill.

Member

Anne Campbell (Labour)

Type

Presentation bills

Date

22 March 2005

Reference

Bill 93 2004/05

House

House of Commons

Cabinet Office

To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, what plans he has to reform the methodology of regulatory impact assessments in order to reflect more accurately the social and economic benefits of new environmental technologies; and if he will make a statement.

Asked by

David Chaytor (Labour)

Answering body

Cabinet Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Date

21 March 2005

Reference

432 c525W; 221730

House

House of Commons

Dept of Health

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what assessment has been made of the need for the individual coding of surgical instruments under contract requirements for the new regional super centres being established for the decontamination of surgical instruments; how many NHS hospital trusts have a bar code system...

Asked by

Paul Burstow (Liberal Democrat)

Answering body

Department of Health

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

2 March 2005

For answer on

21 March 2005

Answered on

21 March 2005

Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment has been made of the need for the individual coding of surgical instruments under contract requirements for the new regional super centres being established for the decontamination of surgical instruments; [220579] (2) how many NHS hospital trusts have a bar code system in place for the management of surgical instruments; [220580] (3) what assessment has been made of the likely effect on patient safety of adopting bar coding for individual surgical instruments; [220581] (4) what assessment has been made of the merits of adopting a system of individual surgical instrument traceability in NHS trusts; [220582] (5) what assessment has been made of the implementation of the guidance in Health Service Circular 2000/32 regarding systems for the tracing of surgical instrument sets to patients on whom they have been used; [220588] (6) if he will require the use of bar coding for surgical instruments in those areas where sterile service super centres are to be introduced; [220634] (7) how many NHS trusts have the capacity to identify individual surgical instruments used after a high risk patient has been identified. [220635] Ms Rosie Winterton: The Department's guidance on the tracking of surgical instruments is contained in Health Service Circular (HSC) 2000/032 (Decontamination of Surgical Instruments). This asked chief executives of national health service trusts to have taken steps, by April 2002, towards having systems in place to enable the tracing of surgical instrument sets to patients on whom they have been used. The presence (or absence) of such a system was taken into account in assessing each NHS trust's compliance with the Department's guidance made as part of the "Review of the decontamination of surgical instruments in the NHS in England", published in December 2001. NHS trusts are not required to report to the Department which tracing system they use. Compliance with the provisions of the Medical Devices Directive (93/42 EEC)--compulsory for commercial reprocessing centres providing a service to the NHS-- implies the ability to track surgical instruments through the system. It does not--and nor does Departmental guidance--require any particular form of marking, such as bar codes, to be used. The detailed contents of contracts between NHS organisations and private sector providers of decontamination services are a matter for the parties concerned. The Department's guidance on handling instruments used on suspected CJD patients or in certain brain biopsies recommends that such instruments should be quarantined pending confirmation of a diagnosis. All hospitals that have implemented the guidance in HSC 2000/032 will have the capacity to do this. Other than the review published in 2001, no complete survey of their compliance has been undertaken. The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (NHS PASA) has commissioned a survey that includes tracking and tracing systems in use in NHS trusts. NHS PASA is also discussing with the NHS the technologies presently available for marking instruments, such as laser etching; and those being developed, such as the implantation of radio frequency identification chips in individual instruments.

Date

21 March 2005

Reference

432 c625-6W; 220579;220580;220581;220582;220588;220634;220635

House

House of Commons

Home Office

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what assessment he has made of (a) the effectiveness of Radio Frequency Identification projects and (b) their implications for (i) privacy and (ii) civil liberties.

Asked by

Parmjit Dhanda (Labour)

Answering body

Home Office

Type

Written questions

Status

Answered

Tabled on

3 March 2005

For answer on

21 March 2005

Answered on

21 March 2005

Mr. Dhanda: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of (a) the effectiveness of Radio Frequency Identification projects and (b) their implications for (i) privacy and (ii) civil liberties. [220770] Mr. Browne: The Home Office invested £5.5 million in launching the Chipping of Goods Initiative in March 2000. The UK was the first country in the world to embrace the use of Radio Frequency Identification Devices (RFID) or `electronic tagging' to deal with property crime. The programme was led by the Police Scientific Development Branch and the Business Crime Team and was established as a result of the need to reduce the incidence and cost of property crime and to reduce the burden on police resources in tracing the ownership of stolen goods. It was also established to show the clear business benefits that can be gained from adopting such technology. Case studies for each of eight demonstrator projects were carried out, each one showing how the business benefited from the use of RFID. Manufacturers, retailers, consumers, the police and other enforcement agencies will all benefit from the wider adoption of this technology. The eight demonstrator projects are world class implementations and have already received five awards for technical excellence and outstanding achievement, including `Retail Technology Team of the Year' and the `European Supply Chain Solution of the Year'. Within the Identity Cards programme there has been investigation of the capabilities of contactless smartcard interfaces. However there has been no investigation of Radio Frequency Identification technologies which imply the ability to communicate with devices at much greater distances, nor it is envisaged that this would ever form part of the requirements for the Identity Cards scheme.

Date

21 March 2005

Reference

432 c586-7W; 220770

House

House of Commons

Untitled Debate on bill

Identity Cards Bill. Lords second reading debate. Agreed to on question and committed to a Committee of the Whole House.

Lead member

Baroness Scotland of Asthal

Answering member

Baroness Anelay of St Johns

Department

Home Office

Type

Debates on bills

Date

21 March 2005

Reference

671 c46-106

House

House of Lords

Road pricing: the next steps. Transport Select Committee seventh report, in 2 volumes, with proceedings, evidence (HC 218 i-iv not printed separately) and appendices.

Type

Select Committee reports; House of Commons papers; Parliamentary committees

Committee

Transport Committee

Notes

Received 24.03.05

Date

16 March 2005

Reference

HC 218 2004/05

House

House of Commons

Office of Science and Technology scrutiny report 2004. Science and Technology Select Committee sixth special report - government response to the Committee's third report of session 2004/05 (HC 8).

Type

Select Committee reports (Government responses); House of Commons papers; Parliamentary committees

Committee

Science and Technology Committee

Date

16 March 2005

Reference

HC 453 2004/05

House

House of Commons

Librarians' tools

Type

House

Session

Year

Department

Member

Primary member

Answering member

Legislative stage

Legislation

Subject

Publisher