HL Deb 26 January 2005 vol 668 cc158-60WA
Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What plans, if any, they have to change the number of battalions of the Royal Irish Regiment. [HL679]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence (Lord Bach)

The Government have no plans to change the number of battalions of The Royal Irish Regiment.

Northern Ireland: Liquor Licence Fees Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

How much was paid to the Northern Ireland Court Service in each of the past five years for liquor licence fees; how many licences were issued in these years; and what is the estimated annual average cost of processing such licences. [HL800]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Constitutional Affairs (Baroness Ashton of Upholland)

During the past five years, the total of the fees received by the Northern Ireland Court Service in respect of liquor licensing proceedings was:

Year Fees
1999–2000 £161,600
2000–01 £151,447
2001–02 £142,930
2002–03 £498,090
2003–04 £181,095

Liquor licences for public houses, restaurants, clubs and other relevant premises are renewed every five years; the last renewal period was in 2002. This explains the increase in fees revenue for the period 2002–03.

Information on the number of licences issued could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

The number of applications processed by the department for the granting of licences, renewal of licences and occasional licences was:

Applications for granting of licence Applications for licence renewal Applications for occasional licences
1999–2000 159 3 1,262
2000–01 152 4 1,296
2001–02 126 1 1,126
2002–03 110 2,286 1,302
2003–04 134 50 1,130

As the Northern Ireland Court Service records civil court business costs by tier of court and by location, the costs for processing applications for liquor licences could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Working-age Poverty Lord Morris of Manchester

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What representations the Chancellor of the Exchequer has received from the Reverend Paul Nicolson of the Zacchaeus Trust on working-age poverty; and what reply is being sent. [HL821]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Lord McIntosh of Haringey)

The Chancellor of the Exchequer and Her Majesty's Treasury have received a number of letters on poverty-related issues from the Reverend Paul Nicolson of the Zacchaeus 2000 Trust, the most recent of which specifically focused on working-age poverty and was sent on 10 January 2005. A reply to Reverend Nicolson's letter was sent from officials on 21 January 2005.

Forward to