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The Criminal Evidence (Witness Anonymity) Bill. (Bill 134 of 2007-08). House of Commons Library Research Paper 08/60.

Type
Commons Briefing papers
Date
4 July 2008
Reference
RP08-60

My right hon. Friend the Attorney-General has made the following written ministerial statement: ““I am today publishing a report from Peter Lewis, the Chief Executive of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), of his inquiry into the CPS handling of a disk containing 2,159 Dutch DNA serious crime scene profiles that...

Member
Vera Baird (Labour)
Department
Solicitor General
Type
Written statements
Date
21 May 2008
Reference
476 c28-30WS
House
House of Commons

I am today publishing a report from Peter Lewis, the chief executive of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), of his inquiry into the CPS handling of a disk containing 2,159 Dutch DNA serious crime scene profiles that had been sent to the CPS by the Dutch authorities in January 2007....

Member
Baroness Scotland of Asthal (Labour)
Department
Attorney General
Type
Written statements
Date
21 May 2008
Reference
701 c89-91WS
House
House of Lords

DNA profiles disk inquiry. 20 p.

Deposited by
Attorney General
Type
Deposited papers
Date
21 May 2008
Reference
DEP2008-1344
House
House of Commons; House of Lords

asked the Chairman of Committees:Further to his Written Answer of 22 April (WA 284), what price is paid by the House of Lords Refreshment Department for English back bacon; what price is paid for its Dutch equivalent; and what is the price of a bacon sandwich, or other comparable bacon...

Asked by
Lord Hoyle (Labour)
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Date
29 April 2008
Reference
701 c18WA; 3213
House
House of Lords
The Dutch authorities submitted 2,159 crime scene profiles from unsolved crimes. When my noble and learned Friend the Attorney-General became aware of issues surrounding the disk, she ordered the Crown Prosecution Service to conduct an urgent inquiry into what had happened. The inquiry has three strands, two of which will be concluded by the end of this month. I shall not be able to comment on numbers of DNA matches, or anything like that, because of ongoing operations.
Answered by
Vera Baird (Labour)
Answering body
Solicitor General
Type
Oral answers to questions
Date
20 March 2008
Reference
473 c1068-9
House
House of Commons
The Solicitor-General has said in the past that, unlike recent cases of official negligence, the data have not actually been lost, but how does she know? If the CPS did not know it had the disk in the first place, how can it possibly reassure us that the disk was never copied illegitimately, or that something similar did not occur?
Asked by
Sandra Gidley (Liberal Democrat)
Answering body
Solicitor General
Oral questions - 1st Supplementary
Status
Answered
Date
20 March 2008
Reference
473 c1069
House
House of Commons
Is not the real lesson that the Government cannot be trusted with sensitive data? They do not know the value of such data and cannot keep them safe. How will the Solicitor-General achieve a real cultural change in the way the Government handle data?
Asked by
Tom Brake (Liberal Democrat)
Answering body
Solicitor General
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Date
20 March 2008
Reference
473 c1069
House
House of Commons
Does that incident not illustrate a more important point about the use of the DNA database? If reports are to be believed, the incident came about because the Crown Prosecution Service could not cover the absence of a prosecutor. Does that not show that resources would be better spent on using the data that we already have more efficiently and effectively, than on endlessly expanding the DNA database to include more and more innocent people, who have less and less likelihood of being involved in crime?
Asked by
David Howarth (Liberal Democrat)
Answering body
Solicitor General
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Date
20 March 2008
Reference
473 c1070
House
House of Commons
I am a little troubled by the length of time the inquiry is taking. On the face of it, if some of the background facts that have already come into the public domain are correct, it would seem that the answers to the inquiry are probably fairly simple, yet as the Solicitor-General will appreciate, particularly from the question she has just received, some of the disquiet centres on the fact that we still do not have the inquiry report. Will she assure the House that it will be brought forward as quickly as possible? I am a little troubled about the length of time it is taking given that the facts seem fairly simple.
Asked by
Dominic Grieve (Conservative)
Answering body
Solicitor General
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Date
20 March 2008
Reference
473 c1069-70
House
House of Commons
The full facts about where the disk was and how it was handled will become clear from the outcome of inquiry. The hon. Lady should not overlook the fact that this was an excellent example of international co-operation between UK law enforcement offices and those abroad, which is capable of taking a lot of criminals off the streets who would not have been taken off the streets if we did not have our strong DNA database and excellent international relationships with our European partners.
Answered by
Vera Baird (Labour)
Answering body
Solicitor General
Type
Oral answers to questions
Date
20 March 2008
Reference
473 c1069
House
House of Commons
I remind the hon. Gentleman that no data have been lost in this case, so he really should take a calming pill. He should set his feet slightly more firmly on the ground and take his head slightly further out of the clouds. There is an inquiry and it will produce outcomes in due course. It should take only a moment's thought to appreciate that when we delivered our DNA data disk to the Dutch, it was taken by an Association of Chief Police Officers officer. It was handcuffed to him and he was escorted by another officer. When the data came to the CPS, which is—as again a moment's thought would have told the hon. Gentleman—remote from ownership of our database and not the appropriate recipient, it came with no destination except ““CPS, Ludgate Hill””. The hon. Gentleman is going too far in his criticisms; he needs to wait until he knows a few facts—a little knowledge is a terribly dangerous thing.
Answered by
Vera Baird (Labour)
Answering body
Solicitor General
Type
Oral answers to questions
Date
20 March 2008
Reference
473 c1069
House
House of Commons
Probably the most important fact for me to confirm is that the results of the matching process have been returned to the Dutch. We have completed the inquiry into where the disk was at any given time, and by the end of the month it is expected that the CPS will have looked at responsibility for that. The third strand, to which I have just alluded, is the one on which our ACPO officers and the Dutch police are now able to take matters forward. We will produce the results as soon as we can.
Answered by
Vera Baird (Labour)
Answering body
Solicitor General
Type
Oral answers to questions
Date
20 March 2008
Reference
473 c1069-70
House
House of Commons
We are determined to use the DNA database in the most effective way, so that it can stamp out crime that would otherwise not be detected. If that is not how the Liberal Democrats see an appropriate criminal justice policy going forward, so be it. The hon. Gentleman's factual basis for his question is wrong. He, too, must wait until he has a little bit more knowledge than the tiny amount that he has at present.
Answered by
Vera Baird (Labour)
Answering body
Solicitor General
Type
Oral answers to questions
Date
20 March 2008
Reference
473 c1070
House
House of Commons

Consultation on INTERREG IVa programme on cross-border cooperation. 92 p.

Deposited by
European Regional Development Fund; Department for Communities and Local Government
Type
Deposited papers
Date
20 March 2008
Reference
DEP2008-0799
House
House of Commons
What assessment she has made of the Crown Prosecution Service's response to information on crime scene profiles received from the Dutch authorities in January 2007.
Asked by
Sandra Gidley (Liberal Democrat)
Answering body
Solicitor General
Oral questions - Lead
Status
Answered
Date
20 March 2008
Reference
473 c1068-9; 195477
House
House of Commons

asked Her Majesty's Government:What, in absolute and percentage terms, is the planned reduction in locally engaged embassy staff in The Hague between mid-2007 and the end of 2008.

Asked by
Lord Wallace of Saltaire (Liberal Democrat)
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Date
21 February 2008
Reference
1763; 699 c79-80WA
House
House of Lords
As ever, the Prime Minister is completely wrong. The first DNA legislation was passed when my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Howard) was Home Secretary and I was working for him. I seem to remember—[Interruption.] Let us be clear: if the Government had acted on the information, crimes could have been prevented. As the Prime Minister said, some of those crimes were serious violent assaults. Why are the Government so incompetent when it comes to processing information about criminals? They failed to deport the foreign criminals; they failed to process the details of 30,000 British citizens who committed crimes overseas; and now we know that information about serious crimes sat on a desk in Whitehall for a year and nothing was done. Should not people conclude that this incompetent Government simply cannot keep them safe?
Asked by
Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton (Conservative)
Answering body
Prime Minister
Prime Minister's questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Date
20 February 2008
Reference
472 c341
House
House of Commons
First, may I join the Prime Minister in paying tribute to Corporal Damian Lawrence, who was killed in Afghanistan on Sunday? He died serving our country. May I also take the opportunity to wish the Prime Minister a happy 57th birthday? [Interruption.] Enough of that. In January last year, the Government were sent details of 4,000 dangerous foreign criminals and for an entire year they did absolutely nothing with that information. Can the Prime Minister explain how such a catastrophic failure to protect the public took place?
Asked by
Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton (Conservative)
Answering body
Prime Minister
Prime Minister's questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Date
20 February 2008
Reference
472 c340
House
House of Commons
The Prime Minister tells us that there is an inquiry, but there always is an inquiry with this Government—frequently it is a police inquiry. The Prime Minister is somehow pretending that the fact that 4,000 details were left on a civil servant's desk for a year was a triumph of Government policy. I must ask some simple questions. He has told us about 11 criminals who have committed crimes in Britain this year. Can he tell us what crimes they committed?
Asked by
Lord Cameron of Chipping Norton (Conservative)
Answering body
Prime Minister
Prime Minister's questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Date
20 February 2008
Reference
472 c340-1
House
House of Commons
Next year, the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, the hon. Member for Gedling (Mr. Coaker), will visit Sweden and the Netherlands to look at measures introduced to tackle the demand side of the prostitution equation. Will the Solicitor-General consider accompanying him?
Asked by
Philip Hollobone (Conservative)
Answering body
Solicitor General
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Date
13 December 2007
Reference
469 c447
House
House of Commons
In Germany, in four of the main Länder that are prone to flooding, local authorities have the powers to insist that planning applications will not even be looked at unless they contain flood protection provision. The Netherlands, a country with the highest level of flood protection anywhere, is now talking about surrendering 1 million acres of land back to the sea and having buildings that must be flood compatible. In each case, developers are made liable for the flood damage to which their buildings are prone. Is the Minister seeking to deliver any similar powers to local authorities in the forthcoming Planning Bill?
Asked by
Alan Simpson (Labour)
Answering body
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Date
6 December 2007
Reference
468 c942
House
House of Commons

To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how much milk was (a) exported to and (b) imported from the Netherlands in each of the last 10 years.

Asked by
Michael Meacher (Labour)
Answering body
Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Date
29 October 2007
Reference
465 c704W; 161134
House
House of Commons

That this House, recognising that freedom of speech within the law and freedom from violence and intimidation are indispensable preconditions of a free society, deeply regrets the decision of the Dutch Parliament and Government to withdraw protection abroad from Ayaan Hirsi Ali, the author, film-maker and former politician; and urges...

Primary sponsor
Lord Goodman of Wycombe (Conservative)
Type
Early day motions
Date
25 October 2007
Reference
2188
House
House of Commons

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether Royal Navy ships undertake fisheries protection duties in the territorial waters of (a) France; (b) the Republic of Ireland; or (c) the Netherlands; and what is the cost of any such patrolling of these foreign waters, and what charges are levied for this service on the...

Asked by
Lord Berkeley (Labour)
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Date
25 October 2007
Reference
5450; 695 c127WA
House
House of Lords

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether UK armed forces personnel will be taking part in the Nijmegen Marches in 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Asked by
Lindsay Hoyle (Labour)
Answering body
Ministry of Defence
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Date
17 July 2007
Reference
148130; 463 c193W
House
House of Commons
Notes
Entered into force on 7 August 2006.
Date
21 June 2007
Reference
Cm 7148; Treaty 14 (2007)
House
House of Lords; House of Commons
Date
12 June 2007
Reference
Cm 7136;Treaty 12 (2007)
House
House of Commons
The Foreign Secretary will know that a group of countries within the EU—most notably the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and, to a certain extent, Poland—still have deep reservations about any revived form of the EU constitution. Of course. Those countries look to Great Britain for strong leadership. I very much hope that the Foreign Secretary can give them some assurance from the Chamber today.
Asked by
Daniel Kawczynski (Conservative)
Answering body
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Oral questions - 1st Supplementary
Status
Answered
Date
5 June 2007
Reference
461 c117-8
House
House of Commons
Date
25 April 2007
Reference
Cm 7089;Treaties 8 (2007)
House
House of Commons

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the implications for the UK field trials of BASF genetically-modified blight-resistant potatoes of the Dutch Court ruling requiring field trials in the Netherlands of the same GM variety to be destroyed...

Asked by
Graham Stuart (Conservative)
Answering body
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Date
16 April 2007
Reference
130308; 459 c86W
House
House of Commons
Date
26 March 2007
Reference
Cm 7064;Miscellaneous 4 (2007)
House
House of Commons
Naturally, I am disappointed by the Minister’s reply. The only country in Europe that has such a commissioner is the Netherlands. I am always keen to learn from good things in Europe, and as a result of the Netherlands experiment and the commissioner there, we have learned much more about human trafficking and the evils going on in that country. If we only had such a commissioner in this country, we could start to tackle the problem.
Asked by
Peter Bone (Conservative)
Answering body
Minister for Women
Oral questions - 1st Supplementary
Status
Answered
Date
22 March 2007
Reference
458 c943-4
House
House of Commons
I completely support all that goes on with regard to apprenticeship schemes for those aged 16 and above, but I wish to draw the Secretary of State’s attention to something that is still a big problem in this country: how to tie-in young boys aged about 12 and upwards who do not believe that academic routes are the routes for them but who find that schools so specialise in academic subjects that they are left out—so they truant or leave school early. That is one of the major issues that we have found as we go around communities. I ask the Secretary of State to visit Holland, if he has not already done so. I deeply admire the Dutch for embedding their vocational training in schools, and their truancy levels are much lower than ours. A Dutch educationalist said to me that the difference between them and the United Kingdom is that they are just as intelligent, computer-literate and educated, but they also believe that people have to build the houses that they live in, carry out the plumbing work and do the wiring as well, and that they celebrate that rather than make it a second-class occupation.
Asked by
Iain Duncan Smith (Conservative)
Answering body
Department for Education and Skills
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Date
15 March 2007
Reference
458 c430-1
House
House of Commons
Date
26 February 2007
Reference
Cm 7046;Treaty 1 (2007)
House
House of Commons
Date
6 February 2007
Reference
Cm 7033;Miscellaneous 1(2007)
House
House of Commons
Date
15 January 2007
Reference
Cm 7012;Netherlands 1 (2007)
House
House of Commons

Memorandum of understanding among the ... UK and the USA concerning the production, sustainment and follow-on development of the joint strike fighter. 112 p.

Deposited by
Ministry of Defence
Type
Deposited papers
Date
8 January 2007
Reference
DEP 07/101
House
House of Commons; House of Lords

The UK has a continuing obligation under the United Nations Charter to promote the well-being of the inhabitants of its Overseas Territories, and we are committed under the White Paper ““Partnership for Progress and Prosperity—Britain and the Overseas Territories”” to ensuring their social and economic development. I am therefore pleased...

Member
Bill Rammell (Labour)
Department
Department for Education and Skills
Type
Written statements
Date
21 November 2006
Reference
453 c32-3WS
House
House of Commons

My honourable friend the Minister of State (Bill Rammell) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. The UK has a continuing obligation under the United Nations charter to promote the well-being of the inhabitants of its overseas territories, and we are committed under the White Paper Partnership for Progress and...

Member
Lord Adonis (Labour)
Department
Department for Education and Skills
Type
Written statements
Date
21 November 2006
Reference
687 c41-3WS
House
House of Lords

Series of letters dated from 06/07/2006 to 11/10/2006 between Baroness Amos, Lord Carlile of Berriew (and others) and Count J.M.V.A. de Marchant et d'Ansembourg, Dutch Ambassador, regarding the debate on the Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill Bill.

Deposited by
Leader of the House of Lords
Type
Deposited papers
Date
27 October 2006
Reference
DEP 06/1930
House
House of Lords; House of Commons
Date
25 October 2006
Reference
CM 6952; Netherlands 2 (2006)
House
House of Commons
Type
House of Commons papers
Notes
Study carried out by RAND Europe on behalf of the National Audit Office.
Date
17 July 2006
Reference
HC 1387 2005-06
House
House of Commons

Letter dated 13/07/2006 from Baroness Amos to Count J.M.V.A. de Marchant et d'Ansembourg, Dutch Ambassador, regarding the debate on the Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill Bill. Incl. previous letter dated 06/07/2006 from the Ambassador to Baroness Amos.

Deposited by
Leader of the House of Lords
Type
Deposited papers
Date
13 July 2006
Reference
HDEP 2006/521
House
House of Lords

Whether they will make representations to the Government of the Netherlands to ensure that British and other non-Dutch speaking persons in the Netherlands, charged or under investigation for crimes, receive proper translation and interpretation services, access to lawyers and reasonable facilities in prison.

Asked by
Lord Hylton (Crossbench)
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Date
28 June 2006
Reference
6492; 683 c167WA
House
House of Lords

European Union document No 14775/05, Commission Communication: The Commission's contribution to the period of reflection and beyond: Plan D for Democracy, Dialogue and Debate. Considered by Standing Committee. Agreed to on division (8 for 2 against).

Department
European Standing Committee
Type
European Committee proceedings
Date
23 May 2006
Reference
European SC
House
House of Commons

Tables showing GCSE attempts in foreign languages of 15 year old pupils by the end of 2004/05, broken down by local authority and language studied. 3 p.

Deposited by
Department for Education and Skills
Type
Deposited papers
Date
23 May 2006
Reference
DEP 06/1022
House
House of Commons

What representations they have made to the Dutch Government following the outbreak of ring rot in 2005 in Wales on the farm of John Morgan, owner of Morgrow Seed Potatoes.

Asked by
Baroness Byford (Conservative)
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Date
15 May 2006
Reference
5491; 682 c1WA
House
House of Lords

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will list the (a) correspondence and (b) meetings the Department has had with representatives from the Royal Netherlands embassy in connection with the outbreak of ring rot of potatoes in 2003 in Wales.

Asked by
Roger Williams (Liberal Democrat)
Answering body
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Date
25 April 2006
Reference
63183; 445 c984-6W;445 c984-6W
House
House of Commons
Date
17 March 2006
Reference
Cm 6765;Netherlands 1 (2006)
House
House of Commons
Type
Select Committee reports; House of Commons papers; Parliamentary committees
Committee
European Scrutiny Committee
Date
15 March 2006
Reference
HC 34-xxii 2005-06
House
House of Commons

Whether the Governments of France and the Netherlands have confirmed to the Government their support for the programmes of the Austrian presidency of the European Union to re-launch the treaty for a constitution for the European Union.

Asked by
Lord Kilclooney (Crossbench)
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Date
27 February 2006
Reference
3960; 679 c13WA
House
House of Lords
Date
27 February 2006
Reference
Cm 6749; Treaty 2 (2006)
House
House of Commons

The Secretary of State rightly complains about the damage that can be done by speculation about announcements about deployments, particularly in terms of unsettling the troops and their families, but is it not the case that the Government were prepared to make a statement on deployment in early November, which...

Member
Marquess of Lothian (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
25 January 2006
Reference
441 c1439
House
House of Commons

The Secretary of State has always been entirely straightforward with the House, and I fully accept what he has said today. Will he accept the apologies of many members of the Defence Committee who, tomorrow, will be visiting the Defence Procurement Agency in Abbey Wood, and may not be able...

Member
Lord Arbuthnot of Edrom (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
25 January 2006
Reference
441 c1437-8
House
House of Commons

First, I accept the right hon. Gentleman’s apology. I thank him for his kind words about trying to be open. As he knows, I believe that the defence of the realm should be well above party politics. That does not mean that it is above criticism. It is the job...

Member
Lord Reid of Cardowan (Labour)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
25 January 2006
Reference
441 c1437-8
House
House of Commons

Yes.

Member
Lord Reid of Cardowan (Labour)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
25 January 2006
Reference
441 c1439
House
House of Commons

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his Dutch counterpart on future deployments to Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Asked by
Liam Fox (Conservative)
Answering body
Ministry of Defence
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Date
24 January 2006
Reference
441 c1978W; 42995
House
House of Commons

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last had discussions with his Dutch counterpart about the possible deployment of Dutch troops to southern Afghanistan; and what the outcome was of such discussions.

Asked by
Marquess of Lothian (Conservative)
Answering body
Ministry of Defence
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Date
15 December 2005
Reference
440 c2189W; 37127
House
House of Commons
What discussions has the Minister had with his counterparts in Germany, given that Chancellor Merkel has said that she wants to press ahead with the constitution, but the British public clearly do not want it?
Asked by
James Duddridge (Conservative)
Answering body
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Oral questions - 1st Supplementary
Status
Answered
Date
29 November 2005
Reference
440 c121
House
House of Commons
Given the reality that the constitution is as dead as the Monty Python parrot, would it not be better for Britain to propose a more sensible alternative—the idea that, in future, Europe should be an association of independent, democratic states responsible for their own internal affairs—[Hon. Members: ““Hear, hear.””]—co-operating only where there is mutual benefit to be gained?
Asked by
Kelvin Hopkins (Labour)
Answering body
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Date
29 November 2005
Reference
440 c122
House
House of Commons
Does the Minister agree that, rather than concentrate on what people might view as abstract issues of constitutional detail, there should be an emphasis on bringing home to the British people the benefits of EU membership?
Asked by
Wayne David (Labour)
Answering body
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Date
29 November 2005
Reference
440 c122
House
House of Commons
Following the rejection of the treaty in the French and Dutch referendums, the June European Council agreed unanimously on the need for a period for reflection to consider the right way forward for Europe. The position remains that the Council will return to the issue of the draft constitutional treaty at the June Council in 2006.
Answered by
Douglas Alexander (Labour)
Answering body
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Type
Oral answers to questions
Date
29 November 2005
Reference
440 c120-1
House
House of Commons
Clearly a period of reflection is in the interests of the whole of the European Union. However, there are elements of the constitution that match Britain's reform agenda. Is my right hon. Friend confident that during our presidency we have achieved what we set out to achieve in connection with reforming the structure of the EU? Will he assure the House that if we do not get those agreements by the end of the presidency, he and the Foreign Secretary will pursue this agenda until the EU is made more efficient and effective, irrespective of what happens to the constitution?
Asked by
Keith Vaz (Labour)
Answering body
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Date
29 November 2005
Reference
440 c121
House
House of Commons
I certainly agree that people in both France and the Netherlands were voting on the text, and we need to respect the judgment that they reached. The broader context of how Europe can meet the challenges of globalisation explains the broader conversation in which European leaders engaged when they met at Hampton Court in October.
Answered by
Douglas Alexander (Labour)
Answering body
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Type
Oral answers to questions
Date
29 November 2005
Reference
440 c122
House
House of Commons
As the EU presses on with the defence agency, criminal law code and the strengthening of foreign policy in many other crucial elements of the constitution, should not the Prime Minister keep his word to this House and the British people by holding a referendum in this country before the constitution returns to the EU agenda next year? The promise was unequivocal: we were told that we would have a referendum irrespective of what other countries did.
Asked by
Lord Redwood (Conservative)
Answering body
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Date
29 November 2005
Reference
440 c122
House
House of Commons
That was a worthy attempt, but the position of the British Government has been set out several times in the House and elsewhere. The draft constitutional treaty would be ratified by means of a referendum in the United Kingdom, but the right hon. Gentleman is right to recognise that there needs to be a legal basis for decisions taken by the European Commission and, indeed, by the other institutions of the EU. That continues to be the case, notwithstanding the period of reflection for the constitutional treaty.
Answered by
Douglas Alexander (Labour)
Answering body
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Type
Oral answers to questions
Date
29 November 2005
Reference
440 c122
House
House of Commons
Will the Minister confirm that existing treaties and EU rules remain in force, including guarantees on the rule of law, democracy and human rights? What is the UK presidency doing to clarify the serious allegations about detention camps and rendition flights, which are surely against all decent standards?
Asked by
Angus Robertson (Scottish National Party)
Answering body
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Oral questions - Supplementary
Status
Answered
Date
29 November 2005
Reference
440 c121
House
House of Commons
The hon. Gentleman may be aware that my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has, on behalf of the European Union, written to the United States Secretary of State on exactly that matter.
Answered by
Douglas Alexander (Labour)
Answering body
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Type
Oral answers to questions
Date
29 November 2005
Reference
440 c121
House
House of Commons
My hon. Friend's question contains a number of points. First, the judgment that the British Government reached, in the light of the decisive rejection in France and the Netherlands, was that the best use of the time during the British presidency was to engage in a broader conversation about the future of Europe. That explains the agenda that we set for the Hampton Court meeting in October in relation to specific future reforms of the European Union. Of course we have made substantive reforms in policy areas—for example, on the sugar regime, as was mentioned earlier—but in the coming six months further reflection is needed on the correct way forward, not least given the disparate range of opinions now being expressed in Europe on the future of the constitutional treaty.
Answered by
Douglas Alexander (Labour)
Answering body
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Type
Oral answers to questions
Date
29 November 2005
Reference
440 c121
House
House of Commons
The Prime Minister has now met the incoming Chancellor of Germany, but it is to state the obvious to say that it is ultimately for the Germans to reach a decision on the ratification of the draft constitutional treaty on behalf of the German people, just as it is the perfect entitlement of the British Government, and ultimately the British Parliament, to reach a judgment on the right response of the United Kingdom to the decisive rejection of that treaty last spring by the French and the Dutch.
Answered by
Douglas Alexander (Labour)
Answering body
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Type
Oral answers to questions
Date
29 November 2005
Reference
440 c121
House
House of Commons
I think that the cheers of Conservative Members reflect the candour with which my hon. Friend has revealed his true agenda, which underlies so many of the questions that he asks—not only in Foreign Office questions but in wider debates on the issue. It is, however, continually the case and remains the case that the draft constitutional treaty was agreed by 25 member states, so it is not the role of any one member state to declare it dead. That explains the unanimous decision that was reached back in June, which will be the basis of further conversations in the European Council next spring.
Answered by
Douglas Alexander (Labour)
Answering body
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Type
Oral answers to questions
Date
29 November 2005
Reference
440 c122
House
House of Commons
If he will make a statement on the future of the European constitution.
Asked by
James Duddridge (Conservative)
Answering body
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Oral questions - Lead
Status
Answered
Date
29 November 2005
Reference
440 c120-1; 32391
House
House of Commons

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the plans to sell off Holland Park Secondary School; and whether the governors of Holland Park Secondary School had apprised her Department of their proposal to sell off the school.

Asked by
Derek Wyatt (Labour)
Answering body
Department for Education and Skills
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Date
14 November 2005
Reference
439 c944W;439 c944W; 27248
House
House of Commons

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British nationals have been convicted and been given life sentences for drug smuggling in (a) Thailand, (b) Singapore, (c) Turkey, (d) Morocco, (e) Tunisia and (f) the Netherlands in the last five years.

Asked by
Andrew Rosindell (Conservative)
Answering body
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Date
11 November 2005
Reference
439 c858W;439 c858W; 25275
House
House of Commons

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans there are to support Holland Park Secondary School through the Building Schools for the Future initiative.

Asked by
Derek Wyatt (Labour)
Answering body
Department for Education and Skills
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Date
10 November 2005
Reference
27249; 439 c730W;439 c730W
House
House of Commons
Date
11 October 2005
Reference
Cm 6675;Netherlands 2 (2005)
House
House of Commons
Date
24 August 2005
Reference
Cm 6658; Netherlands 1 (2005)
House
House of Lords; House of Commons

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of whether all the potatoes identified as being infected with ring rot in this country were processed in the same grading station in Holland.

Asked by
Roger Williams (Liberal Democrat)
Answering body
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Type
Written questions
Status
Answered
Date
21 July 2005
Reference
11315; 436 c1966-7W;436 c1966-7W
House
House of Commons

On 12 July I chaired the first meeting of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) under the UK presidency. The Economic Secretary to the Treasury, my hon. Friend the Member for Bury, South (Mr. Lewis) represented the UK. I set out the UK presidency's work programme, copies of which...

Member
Gordon Brown (Labour)
Department
Treasury
Type
Written statements
Date
21 July 2005
Reference
436 c109-10WS;436 c107-8WS
House
House of Commons

My right honourable friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. On 12 July I chaired the first meeting of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) under the UK presidency. The Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Ivan Lewis, represented the UK. I set out...

Member
Lord McKenzie of Luton (Labour)
Department
Treasury
Type
Written statements
Date
21 July 2005
Reference
673 c126-7WS
House
House of Lords

Lords debate on motion to call attention to current trends and developments in the euro. Motion withdrawn.

Lead member
Lord Roper
Answering member
Lord McKenzie of Luton
Department
Treasury
Type
Parliamentary proceedings
Date
23 June 2005
Reference
672 c1729-59
House
House of Lords

My Lords, I welcome the opportunity to speak for the first time in the House. I understand that it is customary in one’s maiden speech to say how warm and welcoming the House is. However, I think I took that reputation a little too literally. Soon after I was introduced...

Member
Baroness McDonagh (Labour)
Type
Maiden speeches
Date
23 June 2005
Reference
672 c1738-40
House
House of Lords

My Lords, before the noble Lord sits down, will he reiterate his point about criticising ““widely divergent”” economic activity? I thought that was the mark of a dynamic market, not a failure of a market.

Member
Lord Harrison (Labour)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
23 June 2005
Reference
672 c1752
House
House of Lords

My Lords, like other noble Lords, I am extremely sorry to hear about the illness of the noble Lord, Lord Dykes. I hope that he recovers soon. I am very grateful to the noble Lord, Lord Roper, for giving us the chance for this short debate. I would go further...

Member
Lord Howell of Guildford (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
23 June 2005
Reference
672 c1749-52
House
House of Lords

My Lords, I begin by expressing my gratitude for the good wishes to my noble friend Lord   Dykes expressed by so many participants in the debate. I go on to congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady   McDonagh, on what, I thought, was an outstanding maiden speech. She spoke about her background but also...

Member
Lord Roper (Liberal Democrat)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
23 June 2005
Reference
672 c1758-9
House
House of Lords

rose to call attention to current trends and developments in the euro; and to move for Papers. The noble Lord said: My Lords, I am moving this Motion on behalf of my noble friend Lord Dykes, and at his request. My noble friend’s Motion calls attention to current   trends and developments...

Member
Lord Roper (Liberal Democrat)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
23 June 2005
Reference
672 c1729-32
House
House of Lords

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Roper, for that excellent introduction to the debate. I send our very best wishes to the noble Lord, Lord Dykes, whom I know will very much regret not being here today. I, too, look forward to the maiden speech of my noble...

Member
Lord Harrison (Labour)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
23 June 2005
Reference
672 c1732-5
House
House of Lords

My Lords, setting up the European monetary system is the greatest economic achievement of the European Union. As a currency union comprising 12   countries and a population of 300 million, and in the process of becoming larger still, it represents a remarkable step forward in economic integration. Much to my regret,...

Member
Lord Peston (Labour)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
23 June 2005
Reference
672 c1742-5
House
House of Lords

My Lords, I echo the remarks made by others who have referred to the great pleasure of listening to the maiden speech of the noble Baroness, Lady McDonagh. It was a charming speech and she made a number of extremely important points. I also echo the regret that my noble...

Member
Lord Taverne (Liberal Democrat)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
23 June 2005
Reference
672 c1746-9
House
House of Lords

My Lords, I start by thanking the noble Lord, Lord Dykes, for initiating this debate and wish him, like other noble Lords, a speedy recovery. I thank the noble Lord, Lord Roper, for stepping in at short notice and so expertly. I also thank all noble Lords who have participated...

Member
Lord McKenzie of Luton (Labour)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
23 June 2005
Reference
672 c1752-8
House
House of Lords

My Lords, I think that the noble Lord has missed the point. What the OECD is worried about—it was its remark, not mine—is that the German economy is doing extremely badly and the French economy is in a coma, whereas Ireland is booming ahead. Some of the new accession countries...

Member
Lord Howell of Guildford (Conservative)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
23 June 2005
Reference
672 c1752
House
House of Lords

My Lords, it is a great pleasure to have the opportunity to congratulate the noble Baroness, Lady McDonagh, on a distinguished maiden speech. She was careful in managing to avoid undue controversy. She   quite properly paid tribute to her past work for the Labour Party, which has been a devotion of...

Member
Lord Rees-Mogg (Crossbench)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
23 June 2005
Reference
672 c1740
House
House of Lords

My Lords, the noble Baroness also had a distinguished career in Fleet Street, and there perhaps I feel rather closer to her. I notice that the lawyers in this House often hang together, and I   think that the newspaper people ought to hang together as well. At any rate, we look...

Member
Lord Rees-Mogg (Crossbench)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
23 June 2005
Reference
672 c1740-2
House
House of Lords

My Lords, this debate is the third this week on Europe, and there is a seamless thread that connects them all. It is greatly to our advantage that we are discussing Europe to the extent that we have devoted ourselves to doing this week, and in a spirit which on...

Member
House of Lords chamber
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
23 June 2005
Reference
672 c1735-8
House
House of Lords

Letter dated 30/06/2005 from Baroness Amos to Earl Ferrers regarding points made in the debate on Developments in the European Union. 2 p.

Deposited by
Leader of the House of Lords
Type
Deposited papers
Date
21 June 2005
Reference
HDEP 2005/329
House
House of Lords

Lords statement on the European Council meeting in Brussels on 16-17 June 2005.

Lead member
Baroness Amos
Department
Lord President of the Council
Type
Ministerial statements
Date
20 June 2005
Reference
672 c1442-55
House
House of Lords

My Lords, as ever, the noble Lord, Lord Kerr, is right—there is no single economic model. We in the United Kingdom are not on our own and I agree with the noble Lord that the tone of this debate is very important, which is why I stressed that this issue...

Member
Baroness Amos (Labour)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
20 June 2005
Reference
672 c1455
House
House of Lords

My Lords—

Member
Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean (Labour)
Type
Oral question time interventions
Date
20 June 2005
Reference
672 c1453
House
House of Lords

My Lords, I accept that the noble Earl tends to ask commonsense questions that deserve an answer, but it is a pity that he did not draw those concerns to the attention of the government whom he supported when they were in power.

Member
Baroness Amos (Labour)
Type
Proceeding contributions
Date
20 June 2005
Reference
672 c1453
House
House of Lords