Lord Taylor of Gryfe: asked Her Majesty's Government: What targets were set for the Forestry Commission Research Agency for 2000-01; and what targets have been set for 2001-02.
Lord Taylor of Gryfe: My Lords, I welcome the White Paper and the commitment of the Labour Party to govern on behalf of rural and urban communities. For too long the Labour Party has been regarded as a representative party only of city and urban communities. I welcome the commitment to a vibrant and working countryside. There is no point in talking about improving the post office facilities here and there unless...
Lord Taylor of Gryfe: My Lords, I would have welcomed some reference to the opportunities for a developing forestry policy and the sustaining of this natural resource.
Lord Taylor of Gryfe: My Lords, has the noble Lord seen in today's newspaper the severe criticism of Railtrack by the chief executive of GNER? Will he pay attention to that? Like the noble Lord, Lord Monro of Langholm, last week I limped home at 2 a.m. on GNER, the last 60 miles on a clapped-out bus. This week I was told by my local railway company that I could get as far as York and after that I would be on my...
Lord Taylor of Gryfe: A number of years ago I was chairman of the Forestry Commission. In my day, and indeed to this day, the Forestry Commission operates a policy of open access. That leads me to the belief that some of the fears, apprehensions and terrors that have been expressed in this debate may be somewhat exaggerated. It has been stated that no research has been undertaken on this subject. The Forestry...
Lord Taylor of Gryfe: I apologise to the noble Baroness. I addressed this side of the Committee because I gather that I may have some allies here. I wished only to state that the argument that no research has been undertaken on this matter is not quite true. The research is in place and may be read, gathered after 60 years of good and sensible land management. The Forestry Commission is concerned not only with...
Lord Taylor of Gryfe: As regards the rights of ramblers and public access, when I read the terms of the Bill I do not see that a great deal of difference exists between the rights of people to wander through the vast estates of the Forestry Commission--estates that are not exclusively covered by trees--and the right of access to open country. As I have said, the commission is concerned with good land management,...
Lord Taylor of Gryfe: Perhaps I may confirm again to the noble Lord that I telephoned the Forestry Commission only a few minutes before we commenced our proceedings today. I asked whether any restrictions have been imposed on Forestry Commission land. I was assured that there are no such restrictions.
Lord Taylor of Gryfe: asked Her Majesty's Government: What advice they have received from the Enviroment Agency on a possible extension of the salmon netting season in North East England.
Lord Taylor of Gryfe: My Lords, does the Minister believe that, in addition to the impact of this excellent report on business and education, he could encourage politicians to give a lead in making such learning more widely known and accepted? Is he aware that for Members of this House the German Embassy sponsors a language class Thursday lunchtimes and that the average attendance is two? Could he encourage some...
Lord Taylor of Gryfe: I hope that the Committee will be able to come up with a consensus and a clear definition in this matter. I should like the Minister to say a few words about our international obligations in connection with the definition of terrorism with regard to both the European Court and any other international court which deals with these matters. I ask that because I am reasonably familiar with a...
Lord Taylor of Gryfe: My Lords, the Minister has produced a considerable shopping list. Some of the figures that she mentioned give us an indication of what we are about to spend. Having made the calculations, inexact as they must be, perhaps I may ask whether she assumes that the overall defence budget of this country and of the Government will be substantially increased as a result of the shopping list that has...
Lord Taylor of Gryfe: My Lords, is the Minister aware that those of us who live in Scotland were ashamed by the spectacle of the refugees being returned on a 400-mile bus journey to London after only a few days in Glasgow? It was entirely due to a lack of communication and understanding on the part of both local authorities in Glasgow and London. Can I have some assurance that there will be no further instances of...
Lord Taylor of Gryfe: My Lords, is the Minister aware--
Lord Taylor of Gryfe: My Lords, is the Minister aware that a somewhat confusing picture is emerging in Scotland in relation to this matter? Following the vote in this House, the Scottish Parliament decided that Section 28 should be withdrawn. That is complicated enough. It is a properly devolved subject. However, several local authorities in Scotland have now made decisions by majority vote to retain Section 28....
Lord Taylor of Gryfe: asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they are taking to encourage a further strengthening of co-operation with Hungary in the joint fight to combat organised crime.
Lord Taylor of Gryfe: My Lords, I want to follow up the question in relation to the measures which will be robustly pursued. Does the Minister agree that the Russian economy is sustained to some extent by the assistance received from the International Monetary Fund and other aid agencies? Is it within her armoury of a "robust response" to use that power to exercise some influence over the terrible events in Chechnya?
Lord Taylor of Gryfe: My Lords, is the Minister aware that there has been a good deal of criticism about the expansion of the North Sea oil industry from so-called environmental lobbies, including Greenpeace? Does he accept that any restrictions that may be imposed from that source will severely damage the facilities we are now discussing?
