Lord Faulkner of Worcester: asked Her Majesty's Government: What they consider to be a reasonable length of time before replies are sent by train operating companies to letters from Members of either House of Parliament.
Lord Faulkner of Worcester: asked Her Majesty's Government: What redress members of the public have when harassed by unlicensed taxi drivers in London; and what steps they are taking to eliminate unlawful touting for custom by such drivers.
Lord Faulkner of Worcester: asked Her Majesty's Government: What steps they are taking to discourage the anti-social use of mobile telephones on public transport.
Lord Faulkner of Worcester: asked Her Majesty's Government: What plans they have to modernise the tax treatment of investment clubs in the light of the growth in the number of such clubs from 350 in 1997 to 5,318 now.
Lord Faulkner of Worcester: My Lords, does my noble friend agree that there is a considerable difference between a penalty fare and a fine imposed by a court for deliberately attempting to evade payment, and that no criminal stigma whatever is attached to the many distinguished public figures who cheerfully pay up when they find that, because of an honest mistake, they do not have a ticket? However, will my noble friend...
Lord Faulkner of Worcester: asked Her Majesty's Government: Whether they will place in the Library of the House a copy of the Lottery Agreement between the English Sports Council and the English National Stadium Development Company Limited and the Football Association Limited.
Lord Faulkner of Worcester: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they expect to announce which company has been chosen to operate the new voucher scheme for asylum seekers.
Lord Faulkner of Worcester: asked Her Majesty's Government What advice they offer to British tourists planning to visit Burma.
Lord Faulkner of Worcester: My Lords, I thank my noble friend very much for that reply. I am not sure how often the tabling of a Question in your Lordships' House makes an immediate difference to what a government department does, but it seems to have happened in this case. Is my noble friend aware that I tabled my Question because I was concerned that, when I looked at it in December, the travel advice on Burma issued...
Lord Faulkner of Worcester: asked Her Majesty's Government: When they expect to respond to the Report of the Football Task Force on Commercial Issues.
Lord Faulkner of Worcester: My Lords, for two and a half years I had the honour of serving as the vice-chairman of a government task force which completed its work just before Christmas. The chairman of that task force was a Conservative former Secretary of State. In the Football Task Force our experience was exactly as my noble and learned friend has described. We undertook a worthwhile examination of the subject and...
Lord Faulkner of Worcester: My Lords, can my noble friend say what progress has been made in finding a suitable athletics arena in London for world and European outdoor championships? Is he aware that there is very great public support for the decision taken by the Secretary of State and the Minister for Sport to remove athletics from the new Wembley stadium and to seek repayment of part of the lottery grant from the...
Lord Faulkner of Worcester: My Lords, does my noble friend agree that the PricewaterhouseCoopers report should be required reading for all candidates who aspire to be mayor of London, particularly in view of the misleading comments that some of them have made on the issue? This morning I had a brief opportunity to read the report. It is evident that the Jubilee Line extension would have cost £1.5 billion more had we...
Lord Faulkner of Worcester: My Lords, does this particular provision relate to people who work in relatively small companies? I agree wholeheartedly that parental leave should be encouraged, but I am aware that many small firms find it difficult to provide it. It would, however, be desirable if parental leave could be extended.
Lord Faulkner of Worcester: asked Her Majesty's Government: What progress they have made in discouraging the promotion of tobacco products, and in protecting non-smokers from the effects of passive smoking.
Lord Faulkner of Worcester: My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that positive reply. As he takes these matters forward, will he bear in mind the work of the World Bank on the subject? It has carried out research into the effects of a complete ban on tobacco promotion and advertising which shows that it is the one measure that would have a real effect. It is estimated that it would lead to a fall in consumption of 7...
Lord Faulkner of Worcester: My Lords, as someone who very recently went through the ordeal of making a maiden speech, it gives me enormous pleasure to congratulate my noble friend Lady McIntosh of Hudnall and the noble Lord, Lord Stevenson of Coddenham, on their contributions to the debate this afternoon. Like all noble Lords, I was struck by the fluency and the content of both their speeches. I look forward to hearing...
Lord Faulkner of Worcester: My Lords, the situation as regards London Underground is obviously difficult. My feeling is that if Railtrack is able to change and adapt to the new circumstances which the regulator is imposing on it, it can certainly be considered for the sub-surface lines. In the last years of public ownership a new management culture was developed on the railway. It was instigated by the last chairman but...
