Lord Swinfen: My Lords, the Minister has said that Sinn Fein has agreed that the IRA will decommission. However, has the IRA itself said that it will decommission because, in the past, Sinn Fein has disassociated itself from the IRA and said that it is a totally separate body? I should have thought that it would be essential to have someone from the IRA to say that the IRA will decommission.
Lord Swinfen: My Lords, I am not sure that the noble and learned Lord answered the final part of the supplementary question of my noble friend Lord Campbell of Alloway. Does he consider that this House has abrogated its power to reject secondary legislation, even though it has not used that power for some time?
Lord Swinfen: My Lords, can the Minister assure the House that this residential development will be in areas where there is work? If not, the amount of traffic engendered will considerably increase congestion on the roads in the south east.
Lord Swinfen: My Lords, the noble Lord says that 36 medical consultants have left or have given notice of leaving. What is the establishment of medical consultants? The House would then know the proportion of those leaving. Is the Minister satisfied that we have sufficient medical consultants in battlefield surgery to make certain, should the need arise, that our servicemen are properly catered for if...
Lord Swinfen: My Lords, following on from four such distinguished speakers, most of what I originally intended to say has, as is inevitable, already been said. However, there are one or two points that I should like to make. I should declare an interest in that I have used a hearing aid since 1971. At that time, when it was prescribed for me, I was told that at some stage I would become totally deaf and...
Lord Swinfen: My Lords, can the Minister tell the House whether there is any increase in birth defects in children born to servicemen who have been in the area of the depleted uranium, as compared with the number of birth defects in the rest of the population?
Lord Swinfen: My Lords, can the Minister tell the House what proportion of funds collected in the United Kingdom in the way of taxes and transferred to the EU actually comes back to the United Kingdom in the way of grants or other benevolent manner?
Lord Swinfen: My Lords, I was very disturbed to hear on at least two occasions in this short debate that there should be differences between the treatment of the elder sons of life Peers and hereditary Peers. All Peers in this House are equal and should remain so. I would be extremely sorry if the right of elder sons of life Peers to sit on the Steps of the Throne was curtailed or done away with and it...
Lord Swinfen: Perhaps I may press the noble Baroness a little further. What is the availability of live televisual links at the moment? Are not most of the links just by e-mail, with the messages being typed out and read at either end?
Lord Swinfen: My Lords, does the certificate taken with the pet have to be issued abroad or can the preparatory treatment and the issue of the certificate take place in this country? That would be of particular use to those who need guide dogs and who have to go abroad for a day's business.
Lord Swinfen: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many members of the Army had applied for Premature Voluntary Retirement at 1 January or the nearest convenient date.
Lord Swinfen: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many members of the Royal Navy had applied for Premature Voluntary Retirement at 1 January or the nearest convenient date.
Lord Swinfen: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many members of the Royal Marines had applied for Premature Voluntary Retirement at 1 January or the nearest convenient date.
Lord Swinfen: asked Her Majesty's Government: What was the establishment of medical consultants in the Defence Medical Services on 1 January or on the nearest convenient date; and how many consultants were actually serving.
Lord Swinfen: My Lords, like other noble Lords, I am extremely pleased that my noble friend has asked this Question this evening, for those serving in the Defence Medical Services are very concerned that they will not be able to cope in the event of conflict. They are concerned also that not enough is being done to put that right. It is an appalling situation. At Question Time on 2nd December, I asked the...
Lord Swinfen: My Lords, I was not specific as to the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force; I was asking about the Defence Medical Services as a whole.
Lord Swinfen: My Lords, can the Minister say how many disabled people are adversely affected by the exemption?
Lord Swinfen: asked Her Majesty's Government: How many members of the Royal Air Force had applied for Premature Voluntary Retirement at 1 January or the nearest convenient date.
Lord Swinfen: asked Her Majesty's Government: How much the United Kingdom has contributed to the European Union each year since joining in 1972; how much the European Union has returned to the United Kingdom; and what was the net total of both sums.
Lord Swinfen: My Lords, will the Minister confirm that, if the EU directive comes into force, the quality of silver and other precious metal products will be diminished because a lower quantity of silver will be allowable in such products than is allowable at present?
