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NHS: Barts and the Royal London National Health Service Trust
Lord MacKenzie of Culkein asked Her Majesty's Government:
When a decision will be made on the private finance initiative project for the Barts and the Royal London National Health Service Trust. [HL4296]
The Minister of State, Department of Health (Lord Warner): The Secretary of State for Health gave approval for the scheme which includes state-of-the-art cancer and cardiac facilities and up to 1,248 beds on 8 March.
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Northern Ireland: Government Advertising
Lord Kilclooney asked Her Majesty's Government:
When the result of the review of government advertising in Northern Ireland will be announced. [HL4450]
The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Lord Rooker): A report on the review of government advertising in Northern Ireland is due to be published in April 2006.
Lord Kilclooney asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether government advertising in newspapers will be restricted to newspapers registered with the Audit Bureau of Circulations (ABC); and whether this will create a monopoly for the ABC. [HL4451]
Lord Rooker: The draft report published for public consultation in August 2005 proposed that government will advertise only in publications with independently audited circulation figures such as ABC. The final report will confirm this approach but will widen it to include the option of statistically reliable, independent, readership figures.
Weekly papers will be given 12 months from the date of the final report to discuss with government and put either of these options in place.
Northern Ireland: Peace Funding
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
What was the allocation of spending under Peace I and Peace II in both cash and percentage terms in each of Northern Ireland's parliamentary constituencies; and which organisations or recipients received moneys distributed under Peace II funding. [HL4271]
The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Lord Rooker): All EU PEACE funding is awarded to projects that best fit the relevant programme and measure level selection criteria and is allocated by parliamentary constituency.
The table below details Peace I funding awarded in Northern Ireland by parliamentary constituency. Projects are allocated to a particular parliamentary constituency based on the postcode of the applicant. It is important to note that the project may or may not be situated within the same geographical areas as the applicant organisation.
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The table below details Peace II funding awarded in Northern Ireland by parliamentary constituency. Where possible, project address information was used to allocate each project to a particular postcode and subsequently a parliamentary constituency. However, if the project address was insufficient to allocate postcode, applicant address details were used.
It is important to note that the scope or impacts of the project may extend beyond the geographical location of the project itself. In addition, where organisation address is used, it is important to note that a project may or may not be situated within the same geographical area as the applicant organisation.
A list of organisations awarded funding under the Peace II Programme has been placed in the House of Lords Library. In addition to this, 272 individuals have been awarded funding. Due to data protection considerations these names have not been included in the list.
Official Gifts
Lord Hanningfield asked Her Majesty's Government:
Which gifts received by the Prime Minister while overseas and which were over the normal travellers' allowance, have been declared to HM Revenue and Customs since June 2001 in accordance with chapter 5 of the Ministerial Code; and [HL4439]
How many gifts received by Ministers while overseas, which were worth more than the normal travellers' allowance, HM Revenue and Customs has advised on in regard to any duty and tax liability since June 2001 in accordance with section 5 of the Ministerial Code; and [HL4442]
How much HM Revenue and Customs has received in duty or tax arising from ministerial gifts received while overseas which were over the normal travellers' allowance in each year since 1997. [HL4443]
Lord Bassam of Brighton: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportional cost.
Roads: A5, Northern Ireland
Lord Laird asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether there any plans for dualling any sections of the A5 road between Ballygawley and Londonderry; and, if so, what those plans are. [HL4274]
The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office (Lord Rooker): The chief executive of Roads Service (Dr Malcolm McKibbin) has been asked to write to the noble Lord in response to this Question.
Letter from Dr Malcolm McKibbin to Lord Laird dated 13 March 2006.
You recently asked Her Majesty's Government a Parliamentary Question about whether there are any plans for dualling any sections of the A5 road between Ballygawley and Londonderry; and, if so, what those plans are.
I have been asked to reply as this issue falls within my responsibility as chief executive of Roads Service.
I can advise that, in accordance with the Regional Strategic Transport Network Transport Plan 2015, published in March 2005, there are currently no proposed plans for dualling any sections of the A5 road between Ballygawley and Londonderry.
A number of wide single (2+1) improvement schemes, together with the completion of the Omagh through pass, are planned for the A5 and this approach reflects the relatively low traffic levels on the A5 when compared to other sections of the regional strategic transport network which it is intended to dual in the plan period.
I hope this information is helpful.
Roads: Reading
Lord Stoddart of Swindon asked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether they have agreed to bear the whole cost of the proposal by Reading Borough Council to convert the two-way dual carriageway inner distribution road to a three-lane one-way system; and, if so, what is the estimated cost; and [HL4487]
Whether they have made financial support for the conversion of the inner distribution road in Reading conditional on a road charging scheme being introduced when the work is completed; and [HL4488]
Whether they have considered alternative schemes to the conversion of the inner distribution road in Reading such as improvement of the Cow Lane railway bridges bottleneck and the resuscitation of the cross-town route scheme between Vastern Road and the A329; and [HL4489]
Whether they have made an assessment of the traffic disruption that may occur during the construction works for the conversion of the inner distribution road in Reading; and [HL4490]
Whether they have made an assessment of the environmental impact and additional fuel consumption which may result from the conversion of the inner distribution road in Reading. [HL4491]
Lord Davies of Oldham: It is for Reading Borough Council, as local highways authority, to determine its priorities for local transport schemes, and bring them forward through its local transport plan (LTP). LTPs are funded via the Government's local transport capital settlement and it is for the highways authority to set out its expenditure programme within the confines of that funding. That funding is not conditional on the introduction of charging schemes.
Proposals to improve the inner distribution road are covered in Reading's second round LTP and expected expenditure on the scheme is set out in that document. It is for Reading to assess the environmental and traffic consequences of the proposals, including consideration of alternative means of achieving their objectives.
I understand that the borough held a public consultation last year to explain its proposals and how they fit within the wider transport strategy for Reading. I further understand that the local authority has recently published traffic orders which will give the public the opportunity to consider the traffic changes and formally raise any associated concerns with the council.
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