Written Answers of 10 November 1997

PRIME MINISTER

  Yemen
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Prime Minister what progress was made at the Commonwealth Conference on Yemen's application to join the Commonwealth; and when he estimates that Yemen will join the Commonwealth. [14985]

  The Prime Minister
  I refer my hon. Friend to the statement that I made to the House on 28 October,Official Report, column 714.

  Former Prime Ministers (Private Offices)
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish the annual cost to public funds of maintaining the private offices of former Prime Ministers. [14986]

  The Prime Minister
  All former Prime Ministers are eligible to receive an allowance to assist them with the continuing heavy burden of office and secretarial costs arising from their special position in public life. The allowance is similar in purpose and amount to the parliamentary office costs allowance, but is paid in respect of public not parliamentary duties.

  The maximum amount of the allowance available to former Prime Ministers during the current financial year is £47,568 plus £4,757 for contributions to pension schemes of members of staff whose salaries are paid from the allowance.

  I do not think it right to disclose the amounts of this allowance claimed by individual former Prime Ministers, any more than the House discloses details of claims by Members under the office costs allowance.

  European Council
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Ministers if he will ensure that Ministers make available to Parliament details of United Kingdom proposals for European Council meeting discussion in advance of council meetings held under the British presidency. [14710]

  The Prime Minister
  My right hon. and hon. Friends will keep the House properly informed of their activities during the UK's presidency. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will shortly be giving evidence before the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs on the UK's priorities and objectives for the presidency.

  Focus Groups
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Prime Minister what use he makes of information from focus groups. [14835]

  The Prime Minister
  The Government, like their predecessor, monitor public opinion in a number of ways.
  386
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the organisations or persons who supply him with information collated from focus groups. [14836]

  The Prime Minister
  The Government monitor public opinion in a number of ways, using a number of different organisations.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Prime Minister when he will reply to the letters dated 12 June, 12 August and 20 October from Mr. Nicholas Bennett concerning a Labour member of Reading Borough Council and Berkshire County Council; and if he will publish his reply in the Official Report. [14749]

  The Prime Minister
  My office have replied.

TREASURY

  Computers (Century Date Change)
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had or plans to have with his EU counterparts on the problems facing computer systems through the century date change; and if he will make a statement. [13153]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Chancellor has had no contacts with his EU colleagues directly about the problems facing computer systems thanks to the century date change.

  Government Expenditure
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate in cash terms in 1995–96 prices the reduction in central Government expenditure for 1997–98 and 1998–99 between the assumptions made in(a) the November 1996 Budget, (b) the July 1997 Budget and (c) the most recent assumption. [13190]

  Mr. Darling
  [holding answer 30 October 1997]: The provision made in the last two Budgets for Central Government within the Control Total programmes in 1997–98 and 1998–99 in cash and in 1995–96 prices are set out below:

  £ billions

  1996 FSBR

  1997 FSBR

  1995–96

  1995–96

  Cash terms

  prices

  Cash terms

  prices

  1997–98

  187·2

  179·0

  187·4

  177·5

  1998–99

  191·4

  179·5

  192·6

  177·5

  The Government have not revised their economic assumptions since the July 1997 Budget.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of general Government expenditure in cash terms for(a) 1997–98 and (b) 1998–99, using (i) current estimates, (ii) the estimates at the time of the July 1997 Budget and (ii) the estimates at the time of the November 1996 Budget. [13644]
  387
  Mr. Darling
  [holding answer 5 November 1997]: The Government's estimates in cash terms of general government expenditure for 1997–98 and 1998–99 are set out in the table below:

  Budget

  £ billion

  1997–98

  1998–99

  July 1997

  319

  331

  November 1996

  319

  327

  The July 1997 figures are the current estimates for general government expenditure.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is his estimate for the number of people who would cease to pay income tax if the personal income tax allowance were raised to £10,000 per annum; [13247]

  (2) what is his estimate of the cost of raising the personal income tax allowance to £10,000 per annum. [13248]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 5 November 1997]: The estimated cost at 1997–98 income levels of increasing both the non-aged personal allowance and the aged personal allowance to £10,000 is £29 billion. This would take 9.8 million taxpayers out of income tax.

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is the policy of the Government to adhere to the existing control total for public expenditure for 1998–99; and if he will make a statement. [13287]

  Mr. Darling
  [holding answer 6 November 1997]: The Government are firmly committed to the Control Total for 1998–99.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Visas (Correspondence)
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what, at 1 October, was the average time it took for the migration and visas correspondence unit to deal with an hon. Member's inquiry; and how many outstanding cases there were on 1 October. [14222]

  Mr. Fatchett
  I refer my hon. Friend to the replies that I gave to him on 4 November,Official Report, columns 166–67, and to my hon. Friend the Member for Bradford, North (Mr. Rooney) on 3 November, Official Report, column 11.

  Iraq
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the United Nations Security Council Presidential Statement of 29 October on Iraq. [14711]
  388
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  A copy of the United Nations Security Council Presidential Statement on 29 October on Iraq has been placed in the libraries of the House.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library copies of the five most recent reports to the United Nations Security Council of the UNISCOM inspection and verification mission in Iraq. [14713]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  A copy of the five most recent reports submitted by the Executive Chairman of the UN Special Commission to the UN has been placed in the libraries of the House.

  Bananas
  Ms Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the Government have to encourage(a) the World Trade Organisation members and (b) EU members states to accommodate the interests of the ACP banana producers and facilitate the diversification of their economies; over what time scale; and if he will make a statement. [14997]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  We are working actively on the implication of the WTO findings on the EC banana regime. We are in close touch with the Commission in Brussels, which has responsibility for devising a WTO compatible response on behalf of the Community. They will be discussing the implications with our traditional banana suppliers and other interested parties such as the US. At the CHOGM in Edinburgh last month, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary made clear to Caribbean leaders that the UK will play a major role in devising new banana import arrangements. We want to ensure Commonwealth and other ACP banana producers have continuing access to the EU banana market. New arrangements are likely to come into effect in early 1999.

  Ms Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what transitional arrangements the Government plan to make to reduce the impact of the recent World Trade Organisation ruling on Commonwealth banana producers; and if he will make a
  statement. [14996]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  In the Edinburgh Economic Declaration agreed at CHOGM last month, Heads of Government resolved to encourage the EU and WTO members to accommodate the legitimate interests of the ACP banana producers and facilitate the diversification of their economies. The UK has for a number of years been promoting good commercial practice and competitiveness among those Commonwealth banana producers likely to be most affected by the WTO ruling, principally the Windward Islands. The UK-funded Cargill report outlined the steps necessary to restructure and modernise their banana industries and was agreed with the Windwards Governments in 1995. Caribbean Governments also receive large allocations of EC aid to improve competitiveness, assist economic diversification and develop social safety nets.

  We are also liaising with the Commission in Brussels, which has the principal responsibility for the Community's response to the WTO ruling. As leading advocates of Caribbean interests we want to ensure the

  389
  new regime is both WTO compatible and meets our obligations to our traditional banana suppliers in the Caribbean.

  EU Presidency
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the statements he has made outside Parliament on the proposed priorities for the United Kingdom presidency of the European Union since 1 May; and if he will place copies of each in the Library.
  [14719]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  On 3 November, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary spoke to the Institute for European Affairs in Dublin about the Government's priorities for the UK's forthcoming Presidency of the European Union. A copy has been placed in the libraries of the House. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary looks forward to giving evidence on this same subject to the Select Committee on Foreign Affairs on 1 December—in advance of which he will be submitting a Memorandum-and to the House's debate on European Affairs later that month which may also choose to cover the subject.

  Kenya
  Mr. McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 29 October,Official Report, column 824, on human rights in Kenya, what action he plans to take to follow up his meeting with the Kenyan Foreign Minister. [15021]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  We shall maintain a vigorous dialogue with the Kenyan Government on human rights issues through our High Commissioner in Nairobi and at Ministerial level when the occasion arises.

  Chechnya
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the actions taken by his Department to obtain the release of Camilla Carr and Jon James, presently held by kidnappers in Chechnya. [14800]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  Since 3 July, when Jon James and Camilla Can were kidnapped, their employers and we have sought to establish the facts and are working hard for their release. As their families know, the Prime Minister spoke to President Yeltsin about the couple last month. We are also in touch with the Chechen authorities, but the ability of the Russian or, indeed, any government to help in this troubled region is limited. There has been a spate of kidnappings in and around Chechnya in recent months, which may be criminally inspired: one reason why our strong consular advice is that British citizens should not travel to Chechnya.

  Algeria
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department will take steps to persuade the Government of Algeria to allow an investigation of events in their country by the United Nations rapporteur on extrajudicial summary and arbitrary executions. [14765]
  390
  Mr. Fatchett
  While a solution to the serious problems in Algeria must come from the Algerians themselves, we condemn unreservedly the violence which has prevailed there. In our regular contact with the Algeria authorities, we encourage Algeria's democratisation process. As part of our discussions, we have encouraged them to accept the proposed visit by the United Nations Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Summary and Arbitrary Executions and will continue to do so.

  European Courts
  Mr. McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what challenges the United Kingdom Government have made to other member states' nominations to judicial positions within(a) the European Court of Justice and (b) the European Court of Human Rights in the last five years. [15023]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  (a) None. Judicial appointments to the European Court of Justice are made by common accord of the governments of the Member States.

  (b) Judges are elected to the European Court of Human Rights by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. We have not previously challenged judicial nominations, nor is there any formal procedure for doing so. An informal procedure has now been agreed, at our suggestion, for the examination of prospective candidatures for the new Protocol 11 Court of Human Rights.

  Bosnia
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what actions the Government propose to take to effect the arrest of war criminals in Bosnia before the withdrawal of IFOR. [14768]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  We demand that the responsible authorities surrender indictees to The Hague. We are not prepared to speculate on possible alternative action.

  GCHQ
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to announce a decision on the possible relocation of GCHQ facilities; and if he will make a statement. [14905]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  The invitation to tender for GCHQ's accommodation Private Finance Initiative (PFI) project has been issued to four private sector consortia. The tender responses are expected in Spring 1998 and will be subject to a process of detailed evaluation and post-tender negotiations. The complexities of this process make it difficult to predict when an announcement will be made relating to the possible relocation of GCHQ facilities, but it is not expected that it will be before summer 1998.

  International Criminal Court
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the proceedings at the Preparatory Committee for the International Criminal Court held in August indicating the issues remaining to be decided at the Plenary Conference in 1998. [14769]
  391
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  The August 1997 session of the Preparatory Committee considered mechanisms for triggering action by the Court, the Court's procedures, and the relationship between the Court and national criminal justice systems. Progress was made towards producing an agreed text on all these issues and in particular on the last. Further discussion will be possible at the two remaining sessions of the Preparatory Committee, but many matters will be left for decision at the Diplomatic Conference next year.

  Refugees and Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the concept of burden sharing in relation to refugees and asylum seekers as introduced by the Amsterdam treaty. [14746]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  Under Article 73k(2)(b) of the Treaty establishing the European Community as introduced by the Treaty of Amsterdam, the Council is to adopt measures promoting a balance of effort between Member States in receiving and bearing the consequences of receiving refugees and displaced persons. Decisions will be by unanimity. These measures will not be binding on the UK unless it opts in to them.

  EU Legislation (Gibraltar)
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all EU legislation agreed within the last 15 years as a result of Her Majesty's Government agreeing to Spanish requests to exclude Gibraltar. [14676]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  This information is not readily available. But the main legislative items falling within the category to which my hon. Friend refers are five EC Measures relating to the Single Market in aviation, which have been agreed by the EU since 1987 subject to the suspension of their application to Gibraltar airport.

  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all current EU proposals that are blocked because of Spanish insistence that Gibraltar be excluded. [14671]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  The main recent items on which no agreement has been reached are the draft External Frontiers Convention, the draft Winding-Up Directive and the draft Airport Statistics Regulation.

  EU (Police and Judiciary)
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what provisions of the Amsterdam treaty apply to the operations of police and judicial authorities from one member state in the territory of another; and if he will make a statement. [14743]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  New Article K.4 of the Treaty on European Union, as introduced by the Treaty of Amsterdam, provides that the Council shall lay down the conditions and limitations under which the competent authorities referred to in Articles K.2 and K.3 may operate in the territory of another Member State in liaison and in agreement with the authorities of that state. By virtue of Article K.6, the Council must act by unanimity.

  EU Territory
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the territorial definition of the European Union. [14750]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  As the European Union is not a State it has, itself, no territory, as distinct from the Member States.

  EU Commissioners
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the President of the European Commission is required, under the Amsterdam treaty, to give reasons for rejecting the nomination for Commissioner of any member state; and if he will make a statement. [14745]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  There is no such requirement under the Treaty of Amsterdam. Article 158(2) of the Treaty establishing the European Community as amended by the Treaty of Amsterdam provides for future members of the European Commission to be nominated by the Governments of the member states "by common accord" with the nominee for President. This will inevitably entail dialogue between the nominee for President and the Governments of the member states.

  Amsterdam Treaty (Visas)
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if decisions on the issuing procedures in respect of short-term visas will be made by co-decision under the treaty of Amsterdam; and if he will make a statement; [14744]

  (2) if proposals to tighten the procedures for issuing visas would be subject to a veto in the European Parliament under the Amsterdam treaty. [14747]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  Under new Articles 73j(2)(b)(ii) and 730 of the treaty establishing the European Community as introduced by the Treaty of Amsterdam, for a period of five years after the entry into force of the Treaty of Amsterdam the Council is to adopt measures, by unanimity, having consulted the European Parliament on the crossing of external borders. This will include procedures and conditions for issuing visas by Member States for intended stays of no more than three months. After a period of five years after the entry into force of the Treaty of Amsterdam, such measures are to be adopted by the council in accordance with the codecision procedure. Such measures will not be binding on the UK unless it opts in to them.

  BBC World
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the total receipts, and for how many programmes or hours of television broadcasting, that the BBC World Service received from BBC World in each year since BBC World's inception. [14740]
  393
  Mr. Fatchett
  The following sums were paid by BBC Worldwide (the BBC's commercial arm) to the World Service to fund the cost of provision of news output for BBC World:

  Financial year

  Payment£

  World Service Output (hours per day)

  1991–92

  6,089,979

  12

  1992–93

  7,133,000

  12

  1993–94

  9,130,000

  12

  1994–95

  15,646,715

  115

  1995–96

  210,704,074

  15

  1996–97

  10,650,000

  15

  1Average.

  2The annual payment was reduced from 1995–96 onwards when BBC Worldwide took on the provision of the technical resource requirements (studios etc) for BBC World news directly: previously the cost of these had been reflected in the sums paid to the World Service.

WALES

  Bathing Beaches
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many beaches in Wales currently have been designated Blue Flag beaches; and if he will make a statement. [14091]

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  Nine Welsh beaches are currently in receipt of the prestigious Blue Flag awards. This is more than twice as many as Wales has received before. As part of the Green Sea Initiative there is a target of achieving 50 Blue Flags in Wales by the year 2000.

  Health Care Providers
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list, by health care provider, for each of the last four years, the number of contracts each health authority had in place, indicating how many of these had been referred for arbitration within the NHS region; and how many were left unsigned by(a) the provider and (b) the purchaser at the end of the year to which they applied, and, for 1997–98, by the end of October 1997. [14610]

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  Information on the number of contracts between health authorities and trusts or on their status is not held centrally.

  During the period 1 April 1993 to 30 March 1997 only one contract between a Welsh Health Authority and NHS trust went to arbitration. None are expected to go to arbitration in 1997–98.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Charles Haughey
  Mr. Robert McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps her Department is taking to investigate the propriety of the payment made by Dunnes Stores, Bangor, through the late John Furze, to the former Taoiseach Charles Haughey; and if she will provide evidence to the tribunal of inquiry investigating such payments. [13022]
  394
  Mr. Ingram
  The circumstances surrounding various payments allegedly made to Mr. Charles Haughey are at the centre of investigations being conducted by a Tribunal of Inquiry in the Republic of Ireland. No similar or other investigations have been instituted in Northern Ireland, neither has there been received any request for assistance to that Tribunal of Inquiry.

  Environmental Protection Agency
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to establish an independent Environmental Protection Agency in Northern Ireland. [14074]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  No steps have been taken to establish an Environmental Protection Agency in Northern Ireland.

  The Environmental and Heritage Service, a Next Steps Agency within the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland was set up on 1 April 1996 to assume operational responsibility for environmental issues.

  Electricity Prices
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make a statement on the progress of discussions about the level of electricity prices in Northern Ireland.[14283]

  Mr. Ingram
  Electricity prices are coming down. Northern Ireland Electricity reduced tariffs form 1 April 1997 by an average 8 per cent. for domestic and up to 3 per cent. for industrial and commercial customers. The MMC review of NIE's price controls will have retrospective effect from 1 April 1997 and will lead to further tariff reductions of at least 6 per cent. for domestic and 2 per cent. for industrial and commercial customers. The precise details of the revised price controls are currently the subject of legal action. In addition, the Director General of Electricity Supply has secured voluntary agreements on lower generation costs at both Coolkeeragh and Belfast West power stations. He has announced his intention to refer the Ballylumford and Kilroot contracts to the MMC and, in the absence of voluntary agreement on these contracts, is likely to do so very shortly.

  The Government are discussing with the Director General and NIE how best to use the £45 million balance of the £60 million support package for the future benefit of all electricity consumers.

  Stormont
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans she has to(a) remove and (b) relocate (i) statues and (ii) memorials in Parliament Buildings, Stormont. [14052]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  Some items were removed from Parliament Buildings during refurbishment to a secure store for their protection. Consideration will be given to the appropriate relocation of these items in due course.

  Telecommunication Masts
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will commission research into potential harmful effects of microwave radiation emitted from telecommunication masts. [14053]

  Mr. Worthington
  No. The National Radiological Protection Board advises Government on the risks to health of exposure to electromagnetic fields. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 3 November,Official Report, column 7, which details research in this area.

  Delegated Legislation
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list all(a) secondary, (b) other delegated legislation and (c) all deregulation orders her Department made during the summer adjournment. [14386]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 5 November,Official Report, column 216, by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

  Cattle
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the numbers of cows(a) exported from Northern Ireland (b) slaughtered in Northern Ireland and sold for human consumption and (c) slaughtered and incinerated in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years and in the current year to date. [14051]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The information requested is as follows:

  A. Export1 of cows from Northern Ireland

  Number

  1992

  456

  1993

  68

  1994

  112

  1995

  222

  1996

  25,261

  1997 (to date)

  25,295

  1Includes exports to GB

  2Animals exported to GB for cull under the Over Thirty Months Scheme.

  B. Cows slaughtered in Northern Ireland and sold for human consumption

  Number

  1992

  64,116

  1993

  60,686

  1994

  66,206

  1995

  69,523

  1996

  16,774

  1997 (to date)

  1193

  1From 29 March no animals over 30 months of age were slaughtered and used for human consumption on /SEAC advice. The 1997 figure represents animals which calved and were later slaughtered before reaching 30 months of age.

  C. Cows slaughtered and incinerated1 in Northern Ireland

  Number

  1992

  392

  396

  C. Cows slaughtered and incinerated1 in Northern Ireland

  Number

  1993

  587

  1994

  456

  1995

  222

  1996

  127

  1997 (to date)

  42

  1Totals include heifers.

  For sake of completeness, the number of cows slaughtered and their carcasses rendered (but not yet incinerated) under the Over-Thirty-Months' Scheme:

  Number

  1996

  86,381

  1997 (to date)

  66,827

  Monitor Consultancy
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of Stare for Northern Ireland if she will list(a) the nature and value of contracts her Department has entered into and (b) discussions ministers or officials have held with the Monitor Consultancy since 1990. [14948]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  [holding answer 7 November 1997]: The Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Departments have had no contract with Monitor Consultancy.

  Beef Cattle
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans she has for the introduction of a beef cattle subsidy to be paid at slaughter. [14772]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  [holding answer 7 November 1997]: A beef deseasonalisation premium will be paid in Northern Ireland in 1998, as in 1997, on eligible steer cattle which are slaughtered between 1 January and 10 June 1998.

  Mr. Andy Wood
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions she had with the Minister without Portfolio(a) in respect of her Office's information officer Mr. Andy Wood before he was replaced at his post and (b) in respect of identifying his replacement; and if she will make a statement. [14524]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  Before asking for Mr. Wood to be removed from the post of Director of the Northern Ireland Information Service I did not discuss his removal with my right hon. Friend the Minister without Portfolio. After Mr. Wood's removal, my right hon. Friend was one of a number of colleagues that I consulted about Mr. Wood's replacement.

  On foot of those consultations I put in hand a review of the structures and working practices of the Northern Ireland Information Service. I have just received the report of that review, one consequence of which is that the Northern Ireland Office will shortly be advertising an open competition of the post of Director of the Northern Ireland Information Service.

SCOTLAND

  Student Awards Agency
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will set up an inquiry into the administration of the Student Awards Agency for Scotland. [14292]

  Mr. Wilson
  I have asked the Chief Executive of the Student Awards Agency for Scotland to provide a full report on the difficulties encountered by the Agency in processing student award applications timeously this year so that we can determine what measures need to be implemented to prevent a recurrence.

  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what factors underlie the delays in the payment of grants by the Student Awards Agency for the current academic year; and what steps he is taking to address the problem. [14291]

  Mr. Wilson
  A number of factors have combined to affect adversely the ability of the Student Awards Agency for Scotland to process awards within its normal timescale in the current academic year. Most of these flow from the introduction of a new awards processing system in April of this year. There were a larger number of initial problems encountered than had been anticipated and these, together with delays in converting data from the previous system, unfamiliarity with the new system, and the need to enter large volumes of 'standing' data in its first year of operation, resulted in a backlog of applications building up. The profile of receipt of applications is heavily concentrated into the months from May to September and it is extremely difficult for the Agency to recover from a backlog once one has developed. The new awards system has, however, performed well after the initial problems were overcome. It has proved resilient under intensive use and significant improvements in efficiency are expected to be realised in future years.

  Scottish higher and further education institutions were provided with an advance of their block grant in recognition of the fact that their income from tuition fees in October would be less than they had reason to expect. This was also designed to enable institutions to offer short term assistance to those students in financial difficulties because of delays in receiving their grant cheques, and was in addition to the Access Funds which are normally used for this purpose. Meanwhile, the Agency was set a demanding target to clear the vast majority of the backlog by the end of October, which has largely been achieved. It is expected to be up to date with processing applications by the end of November.

  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications for grants by students from Scotland to study at Scottish universities and colleges for the Session 1997–98 were received by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland(a) before the normal closing date and (b) after it; how many were processed and paid (i) by the beginning of the student term, (ii) by four weeks after the beginning of the term and (iii) at the latest count; and how many remain unpaid. [14293]

  Mr. Wilson
  The closing date for the receipt of undergraduate applications by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland in academic year 1997–98 is 31 January 1998 and it is not therefore a factor in the present 398
  situation. Students continuing a period of full-time education were, however, advised to apply by 15 May 1997 in order to ensure that any grant payable would be available at the start of the first term. New students are encouraged to apply as soon as they receive an unconditional offer of a place on a course.

  Of the 71,436 applications received from continuing students up to 3 November 1997, 20,656 were received by 15 May. At the same date 40,434 applications had been received from new students. Applications are not attributed to a specific course at the point of receipt and term dates vary between institutions. The best estimate is that about 27,750 applications had been received four or more weeks before the start of the term, which is the normal period allowed for processing fully completed applications.

  As at 3 November, 42,884 awards had been processed in sufficient time to allow any payment to be made at the beginning of the students' terms and a further 22,721 had been processed in time to allow any payment to be made by 4 weeks after the beginning of the term. A total of 90,217 applications had been processed and 28,927 had yet to be processed; many of the latter are likely to be "fees only" cases with no payment due to the student.

  These figures cover all Scottish domiciled students eligible for support under the Students' Allowances Scheme and the Student Nursing and Midwifery Bursary Scheme rather than only those attending Scottish institutions. Detailed figures split by institutional location are not readily available.

  EU Students (Tuition Fees)
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements he proposes to put in place to discover the incomes of the parents of EU students at Scottish universities so that they can be assessed for the students' contribution to their tuition fees. [14294]

  Mr. Wilson
  The student award application forms already have facilities for the collection of information on parental, spouse and student income, as required, and these will in future be used to collect the necessary information from EU students.

  We are currently considering the nature of the documentation which will be required to support the information provided, and the most appropriate means of dealing with currency differences, to enable EU students' contributions to tuition costs to be assessed on the same basis as those of Scottish domiciled students. Detailed guidance on how this will work in practice will be available early in 1998.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Animal Welfare
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what criteria he plans to use in determining whether to suspend or revoke an authorisation issued under the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997; and if he will make a statement. [13914]
  399
  Mr. Morley
  A transporter can be removed from operating under a General Authorisation or a Specific Authorisation can be revoked or suspended in the event of repeated infringements against the Order or any one infringement which involves serious suffering to animals. These sanctions apply whether or not the infringement leads to a criminal conviction.

  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in how many cases he is currently considering suspension or revocation of an authorisation issued under the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997; and if he will make a statement. [13915]

  Mr. Morley
  The Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997 came into force on 1 July this year, with the Specific Authorisation Scheme operational from 1 October. We have not yet had cause to revoke or suspend any authorisations, but we have made it clear we will not hesitate to use these powers wherever appropriate.

  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has to alter the minimum values system under which horses, donkeys and ponies are prevented from being sent for slaughter abroad; and if he will make a statement. [13916]

  Mr. Morley
  I have no plans to alter the legislation which requires a minimum valuation to be provided for specified categories of equines before a welfare export licence is issued.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure that exported animals receive(a) a mid-journey break and (b) a 24-hour break once they have left the UK when such breaks are required by directive 95/29/EC; and if he will make a statement. [13920]

  Mr. Morley
  Enforcement of the rest period requirements of EU Directive 95/29 is the responsibility of the authorities of the member state in which a rest is required to take place. For their part, the Government ensure that exporters plan journeys in accordance with the EU rules, making such arrangements for rest periods as are required. We will not hesitate to use the sanctions provided by the Directive against transporters who are shown to have made false declarations about the journeys they have undertaken.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the costs to his Department of monitoring and enforcing the terms of the common agricultural policy. [14429]

  Mr. Rooker
  Separate figures for the costs of monitoring and enforcing the Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) are not available. Such costs form part of the overall administration costs of seeking to implement CAP obligations efficiently. These costs are set out in the Departmental Report 1997 (CM3604) of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Intervention Board.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Human Rights
  Mr. Stinchcombe
  To ask the President of the Council what her timetable will be for establishing a Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights. [14759]

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  The Government intend to take into account what is said during the passage of the Human Rights Bill before deciding what form of parliamentary committee and terms of reference to recommend.

  Mail Services
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee what was the amount of money paid to the management consultants for their study and advice on trying to improve the flow of mail(a) internally and (b) through the Royal Mail to hon. Members. [15075]

  Mrs. Roe
  The consultancy was let following a competitive tender. The cost is commercially confidential.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee what problems have been identified in the delivery of internal and external mail to, and within, the Palace of Westminster since the recent changes; and if she will make a statement on measures that will be taken to improve the system. [15074]

  Mrs. Roe
  At its meeting on 4 November the Administration Committee raised with the Serjeant at Arms certain problems with the new postal arrangements that had been brought to its attention by hon. Members. It was agreed that there had been some initial difficulties, but my Committee does support the new initiative, and considers that once the identified problems are remedied a more efficient service should result. It was reported to the Committee that there had been some industrial action by Royal Mail staff in Essex, and this may well have affected deliveries adversely in my hon. Friend's and other hon. Members' constituencies in this region.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee what was the total cost of implementing the recent changes to the internal and external mail systems in the Palace of Westminster. [15076]

  Mrs. Roe
  The total works and equipment costs to date borne by the House Authorities are £45,096 excluding VAT. Costs borne by Royal Mail are not available.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee what plans the Committee has to seek an assessment of the changes to the mail system made by the Department of the Serjeant at Arms; and if she will make a statement. [15077]

  Mrs. Roe
  A review of the changes will be carried out once the new system has been successfully settled in, and the result will be reported to the Committee for its consideration.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Hawk Aircraft (Indonesia)
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will state the value of the export credits extended as part of the 1996 deal to supply Hawk aircraft to Indonesia,(a) in absolute terms and (b) as a percentage of the value of the arms deal with Indonesia. [12584]

  Mrs. Beckett
  The ECGD loan in support of the supply of Hawk aircraft amounted to £280 million. ECGD's support for this transaction amounted to 87 per cent. of the total support it provided for defence business with Indonesia in 1995–96.

  Delegated Legislation
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list all(a) secondary, (b) other delegated legislation and (c) all deregulation orders her Department made during the summer adjournment. [14388]

  Mrs. Beckett
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the right hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood) on 3 November,Official Report, columns 43–44, and also to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 5 November, Official Report column 216.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the average time taken by her Department to give full answers to letters received from hon. Members. [13960]

  Mrs. Beckett
  [holding answer 4 November 1997]: My Department has a target of answering 90 per cent. of correspondence from hon. Members within 10 working days. In addition I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 3 November 1997, Official Report, column 5. Figures for handling DTI correspondence will be published in due course.

  India
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade which representatives of British industry are to accompany her on her forthcoming tour of India. [14691]

  Mrs. Beckett
  I will be accompanied by a delegation drawn from the consultancy, infrastructure, power, oil and gas, Scotch Whisky, financial, insurance and education and training sectors.

  Cabinet 2000
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what response she has made to the proposal of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux for a public-private partnership to support its Cabinet 2000 project; and if she will make a statement. [14475]

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  NACAB has put proposals to the DTI for additional funding as part of the grant-in-aid we provide each year to finance part of the Cabinet 2000 project. It is itself seeking separate funding from the corporate sector, from its member bureaux and from other 402
  potential sponsors such as the National Lotteries Charities Board. The bid for additional funds from my Department is being considered as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review.

  Holocaust (Confiscated Funds)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when she expects the work identifying confiscated funds deposited by victims of the holocaust to be completed; and if she will make a statement. [14485]

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  I have announced, 31 July,Official Report, column 641, that the Government have set in train a research project to examine papers relevant to the Trading with the Enemy legislation under which the property of residents of enemy countries was confiscated during the Second World War. The project, which has been co-ordinated by the FCO in close partnership with the DTI is making good progress, but is not yet complete. As previously announced, a report of the findings will be published as soon as possible.

  River Wear (Quays)
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many deep water quays on the River Wear are currently leased to(a) NESL/British Shipbuilders and (b) Tyne and Wear Development corporation; what is the present state of repair of each quay; what is the remaining term of each lease; and if she will make a statement. [14682]

  Mr. Battle
  This Department does not lease any land or quays to either British Shipbuilders or the Tyne and Wear Development Corporation.

  Tax Advice
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the policy of her Department on the purchase of tax avoidance advice; and if she will make a statement. [13264]

  Mrs. Roche
  [holding answer 5 November 1997]: The Department has sought external advice on tax matters in order properly to carry out its role (e.g. in relation to privatisation) but not for tax avoidance purposes.

  Lookalike Products
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when the Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs will meet the British Brands Group to discuss lookalike products. [14618]

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  [holding answer 6 November 1997]: The British Brands Group has made its views clear to me in writing on the question of lookalike products. I have no plans to meet representatives of the group at this time.

  Cable Television (West Midlands)
  Ms Jenny Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list those towns in the west midlands region which have undergone street trenching by cable television companies. [14727]
  403
  Mrs. Roche
  The information is not available in the form requested. However the figures below show the number of homes passed by cable companies operating in the west midlands.

  Construction of cable networks in the west midlands area (Latest available figures)

  Franchise

  Homes in franchise area

  Homes passed to date

  Percentage of homes passed

  Wolverhampton, Walsall, Dudley, Sandwell, Cannock

  508,900

  325,406

  63·9

  Telford

  56,939

  52,554

  92·2

  Shrewsbury

  58,000

  —

  —

  Stoke and Newcastle Under Lyme

  175,000

  68,141

  38·9

  Stafford and Stone

  37,271

  33,488

  27·9

  Lichfield/Burntwood/Rugeley

  39,290

  Tamworth/North Warwicks/Meriden

  43,315

  Birmingham/Solihull

  460,000

  404,392

  87·9

  Wythall

  4,000

  —

  —

  Coventry

  119,000

  112,983

  94·9

  Stratford/Warwick/Leamington

  50,000

  57,509

  100

  Rugby

  24,000

  11,362

  47·3

  Daventry

  8,710

  —

  —

  Nuneaton/Bedworth

  43,000

  —

  —

  Figures provided by the Independent Television Commission. Overall figures for the west midlands area (where construction has started).

  Total homes in franchise areas: 1,513,715.

  Total homes passed in franchise areas: 1,065,835.

  Total percentage of homes passed in franchise areas: 70.4 per cent.

  Mr. Roger Levitt
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade (1) if she will make a statement on the application to extradite Mr. Roger Levitt from the United States of America; [14741]

  (2) if she will make a statement on the advice given by her Department to the New York judge considering the application to extradite Mr. Roger Levitt; and if she will make a statement [14742]

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  Mr. Roger Levitt is charged with an offence of making a false statement contrary to Section 451 of the Companies Act 1985. Acting on advice from independent counsel my Department submitted an extradition request to the United States of America in June 1997 through the Home Office.

  It was for the District Attorney in New York to make representations to the New York judge considering the application. In doing so he made reference to advice from my Department about the facts of the case, about submissions made on Mr. Levitt's behalf to that judge and about the likely position in relation to bail in the UK in the event of Mr. Levitt's return.

  The Divisional Court granted leave on 31 October from Mr. Levitt to apply for Judicial Review of the decision to request Mr. Levitt's extradition, and the request for such extradition.

  In the light of arguments presented on behalf of Mr. Levitt my Department has reviewed the decision to request Mr. Levitt's extradition and has concluded that the extradition request should not be maintained. Accordingly it will be withdrawn. Warrants remain open in the UK for Mr. Levitt's arrest in connection both with the Section 451 offence and on a charge of breaching a company director disqualification order.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Radio Stations (West Midlands)
  Ms Jenny Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many broadcasting licences have been granted by the Radio Authority to radio stations in the west midlands since September 1996; and how many of these were granted to community radio stations. [13438]

  Mr. Fisher
  Since September 1996 the Radio Authority has granted one independent local radio licence in the West Midlands. The winning application, from 107.7 the Wolf, proposes a programme format dedicated to the specific needs of the community.

  National Lottery
  Mr. Truswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will review the accessibility of lottery funding to bids for children's play initiatives; and if he will make a statement. [13439]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  In the White Paper, "The People's Lottery", I made it clear that we are particularly committed to the development of children's play. I am currently discussing with the Lottery distributors how we can best ensure that Lottery funding for it is more easily accessible.

  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what criteria will be applied to consideration of lottery bids which include an estimate of revenue funding to ensure that successful existing institutions remain viable. [13442]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  It is for distributors to determine the detailed criteria for awards. For capital schemes, they may provide a revenue grant or an endowment to cover the costs of a project or to ensure its completion. We are looking at this area as part of the review of distribution announced in the White Paper, "The People's Lottery".

  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has for allocating national lottery money to health-related projects. [13444]

  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Secretary of Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has for allocating lottery money to health-related projects. [13446]

  Dr. Stoate
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has for allocating national lottery money to health-related projects. [13452]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  In the White Paper, "The People's Lottery", I announced the creation of a new good cause encompassing health, education and the environment. We want to enable people to improve their health and well-being, especially in the most deprived areas of the country. We therefore aim to establish a core network of healthy living centres, supported by the lottery, by 2001.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he takes to ensure a reasonable balance of lottery grants for national, regional and local projects; and if he will make a statement. [13450]
  405
  Mr. Chris Smith
  In the White Paper, "The People's Lottery", I announced our intention to ensure that Lottery money is spent according to a strategy drawn up in the light of need across all regions and parts of the country and between different groups in society. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has already announced a pilot scheme where some distributors will work together on small community grants in Scotland. We hope to see this kind of approach extended where appropriate as soon as possible.

  Eastern Arts Board
  Gillian Merron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to meet the Chair and Director of the Eastern Arts Board to discuss the development of the arts in their region. [13440]

  Mr. Fisher
  I met the Chairman and Chief Executive of the Eastern Arts Board during my visit to Cambridge on 7 October. I was delighted to learn of the high quality of artistic activity in the region and was impressed with the commitment of Eastern Arts Board to the arts in the area.

  Industrial Heritage
  Mr. Burgon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the importance he attaches to the role of museums in preserving the country's industrial heritage. [13443]

  Mr. Fisher
  The industrial heritage is of immense importance to our understanding both of the past and the present. Museums have a crucial role to play in its preservation and interpretation.

  UEFA Cup
  Mr. Godsiff
  To ask the Secretary of State of Culture, Media and Sport if he has raised with the European Commission the issue of UEFA debarring the winner of the Coca-Cola cup from participating in the UEFA Cup. [13445]

  Mr. Banks
  This is a matter for the Football Authorities and I understand the Football League is pursuing it with the European Commission. I share some of the concerns expressed and will be following developments with interest.

  Film Industry
  Mr. Dennis Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress he is making in increasing the figures of British cinema audiences watching British films. [13447]

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  British films are enjoying a very successful year and we hope to build on that success. We have established an all-industry working group, headed by myself, and Mr. Stewart Till, Head of PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, with the aim of doubling the domestic market share for British films. I expect the working group to report in February 1998.

  Jazz
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what role he plans for the Arts Council of England in developing audiences for jazz. [13448]

  Mr. Fisher
  Jazz is an art form without boundaries and with very many ardent supporters, including myself. The Arts Council of England published a jazz policy document last November. All the Council's funding for jazz is designed to develop and build new audiences; the Government agree that the development of audiences in all art forms is a high priority.

  Millennium Projects
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been allocated to date by the Millennium Commission to projects to mark the millennium. [13449]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  Since its first grant announcement two years ago, the Millennium Commission has awarded a total of £1.015 billion to 114 projects on 2,720 sites, £19 million to 13 Award partners benefiting 8,000 individuals and £449 million to the New Millennium Experience at Greenwich.

  Operetta
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is his policy toward promoting provincial touring light operetta. [13451]

  Mr. Fisher
  My Department attaches a high priority to encouraging the widest possible range of touring artistic activity. The Arts Council of England is responsible for devising specific touring policies across artforms and by particular organisations. National companies, regional organisations and a range of specific bodies tour productions of light operetta around the country.

  Arts (Accessibility)
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture. Media and Sport what plans he has to make the arts more accessible to a wider range of people. [13453]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  Access is at the heart of my policies. I believe strongly that the public has a right to better access in return for the public funding which goes into the arts. I have made a number of specific proposals aimed at increasing access to the arts. These include plans to pilot open theatre nights and an Artscard scheme for young people. I will be announcing the results of our review of access to national museums and galleries within the next few weeks.

  World Cup
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps the Government are taking to promote England's bid to host the World Cup in 2006. [14981]

  Mr. Banks
  I have just returned from accompanying an FA delegation to North and Central America to promote the World Cup bid. The trip was very successful and the Government will continue to offer all the support
  407
  they can to the FA. I will shortly be writing to hon. Members giving full details and exhorting them to use every opportunity to back the bid.

  British Academy of Sport
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recommendations he has received from the English Sports Council, the British Olympic Association and other sporting organisations about the location of the British Academy of Sport. [13737]

  Mr. Banks
  We have received a number of representations from sporting organisations about the location of the British Academy of Sport. We are currently considering the United Kingdom Sports Council's recommendations on the location and will make an announcement shortly.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Irish Republic (British Subjects)
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the number of British(a) subjects and (b) passport holders presently resident in the Irish Republic. [14050]

  Mr. Fatchett
  [holding answer 3 November 1997]: There is no requirement for British subjects or those persons deemed never to have ceased to be British subjects to register or make themselves known to the British Embassy in Dublin. It is therefore impossible to estimate the number of British subjects resident in the Republic of Ireland. According to the Office for National Statistics, in 1995 there were approximately 50,000 British passport holders resident in the Republic of Ireland.

  Surveillance Systems
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals have been made to his Department governing the use of evidence from CCTV cameras alone in securing criminal convictions; and if he will make a statement. [13762]

  Mr. Michael
  We have received no proposals which would affect the admissibility of evidence gathered by closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras. I have written to the hon. Member in response to this Question and his Question of 27 October,Official Report, column 568, to confirm that rumours earlier this year were based on a spurious press report that a European Directive on Data Protection could affect the admissibility of CCTV evidence. It will not have any such effect. I have placed a copy of my letter in the Library, together with a copy of information provided by the European Commission.

  Immigration
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications by persons of independent means had been dealt with by the immigration and nationality department in 1997, as at 1 October. [14240]
  408
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The information requested is given in the table.

  Persons of independent means1 1 January to 30 September 1997

  Number of persons2

  Given leave to enter the country

  50

  After-entry application for an extension of stay dealt with3

  220

  1The requirement restricting persons of independent means to those who are at least 60 years old was introduced on 1 October 1994, but extant cases were not affected.

  2Figures are provisional.

  3Including persons of independent means seeking an extension of stay in another category or seeking settlement, and other persons seeking an extension of stay as a retired person of independent means.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the backlog of cases for each of the immigration and nationality directorate's divisions on 1 October. [14242]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The information requested is given in the table.

  Cases outstanding1 in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate at 1 October 1997

  Number2 of cases

  After Entry and Appeals Directorate3

  17,000

  Asylum Directorate4

  52,500

  European Directorate

  3,900

  Nationality Directorate

  73,000

  Immigration Service Enforcement Directorate5

  24,000

  Finance and Services Directorate6

  6,100

  1Includes unactioned cases and work in progress.

  2Rounded to the nearest hundred.

  3Includes referred entry clearance applications and appeals awaiting preparation of statements.

  4Cases awaiting an initial decision and asylum appeals awaiting validation and preparation.

  5Excluding cases where illegal entry papers have been served but there is an outstanding asylum application/appeal; these cases are included in the Asylum Directorate figure.

  6Items of correspondence (mainly passports, letters and new applications being sorted and allocated to caseworkers).

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what, at 1 October, was the average waiting time for consideration of applications for each of the divisions of the immigration and nationality directorate. [14223]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The available information is given in the table.

  Average waiting time from receipt of application to decision for applications decided in the immigration and nationality directorate on 1 October 1997

  Months

  After entry and appeals directorate1

  4

  Asylum directorate2:

  Pre-1993 Act applications

  55

  Post-1993 Act applications

  13

  European directorate3:

  Residence permits:

  11 per cent. within

  1

  35 per cent. within

  2

  67 per cent. within

  6

  409

  Average waiting time from receipt of application to decision for applications decided in the immigration and nationality directorate on 1 October 1997

  Months

  Residence documents:

  6 per cent. within

  1

  19 per cent. within

  2

  43 per cent. within

  6

  Nationality directorate:

  Naturalisations

  17

  Independent registrations4

  6

  Right of abode

  5

  1Data relate to the third quarter of 1997.

  2Data relate to the six months March to August 1997.

  3Data relate to cases dealt with in September 1997.

  4Registration not dependent upon a parent's application for naturalisation.

  Prisoners
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were held at each prison on 1 October; what is the design capacity of each prison; and what were the occupancy levels at 1 October as a percentage of that capacity. [14247]

  Ms Quin
  The number of prisoners held at each establishment in England and Wales on 1 October 1997 is listed in column one of the following table.

  The Prison Service uses the concept of Certified Normal Accommodation (CNA) to define the uncrowded capacity of each establishment. For prisons built in recent years, this is equivalent to design capacity. The CNA measure can also be applied to older prisons, particularly those built in the last century, whose design capacity is no longer relevant because of significant building and/or modernisation work.

  The CNA of each establishment is listed in column two of table 1. The occupancy level at each establishment is expressed as a percentage of CNA and can be found in column three of table 1.

  Table 1—Population and CNA by Prison on 1 October 1997

  Prison name

  Population

  CNA

  Population to CNA (per cent.)

  Acklington

  652

  662

  98

  Albany

  434

  436

  100

  Aldington

  127

  145

  88

  Ashwell

  453

  444

  102

  Askham Grange

  126

  130

  97

  Aylesbury

  313

  318

  98

  Bedford

  393

  347

  113

  Belmarsh

  863

  822

  105

  Birmingham

  1,027

  719

  143

  Blakenhurst

  842

  647

  130

  Blantyre House

  120

  120

  100

  Blundeston

  402

  424

  95

  Brinsford

  535

  477

  112

  Bristol

  590

  487

  121

  Brixton

  579

  483

  120

  Brockhill

  121

  159

  76

  Buckley Hall

  382

  350

  109

  Bullingdon

  691

  770

  90

  Bullwood Hall

  126

  126

  100

  Camphill

  522

  470

  111

  Canterbury

  264

  158

  167

  Cardiff

  730

  531

  137

  Castington

  320

  330

  97

  Channings Wood

  608

  482

  126

  410

  Table 1—Population and CNA by Prison on 1 October 1997

  Prison name

  Population

  CNA

  Population to CNA (per cent.)

  Chelmsford

  465

  448

  104

  Colchester

  32

  32

  100

  Coldingley

  295

  298

  99

  Cookham Wood

  147

  120

  123

  Dartmoor

  622

  578

  108

  Deerbolt

  424

  434

  98

  Doncaster

  1,108

  771

  144

  Dorchester

  244

  147

  166

  Dover

  306

  316

  97

  Downview

  342

  327

  105

  Drake Hall

  277

  281

  99

  Durham

  937

  667

  140

  East Sutton Park

  99

  94

  105

  Eastwood Park

  136

  135

  101

  Elmley

  843

  760

  111

  Erlestoke

  305

  310

  98

  Everthorpe

  459

  433

  106

  Exeter

  465

  267

  174

  Featherstone

  595

  599

  99

  Feltham

  905

  849

  107

  Ford

  439

  486

  90

  Foston

  119

  150

  79

  Frankland

  455

  447

  102

  Full Sutton

  533

  576

  93

  Garth

  641

  633

  101

  Gartree

  370

  364

  102

  Glen Parva

  875

  720

  122

  Gloucester

  281

  219

  128

  Grendon

  438

  461

  95

  Guys Marsh

  322

  300

  107

  Haslar

  157

  158

  99

  Hatfield

  135

  180

  75

  Haverigg

  553

  530

  104

  Hewell Grange

  198

  203

  98

  Highdown

  719

  649

  111

  Highpoint

  698

  679

  103

  Hindley

  532

  527

  101

  Hollesley Bay

  445

  458

  97

  Holloway

  529

  517

  102

  Holme House

  871

  971

  90

  Hull

  491

  519

  95

  Huntercombe

  261

  256

  102

  Kingston

  117

  129

  91

  Kirkham

  666

  702

  95

  Kirklevington

  180

  180

  100

  Lancaster

  217

  218

  100

  Lancaster Farms

  492

  496

  99

  Latchmere House

  188

  193

  97

  Leeds

  914

  800

  114

  Leicester

  351

  219

  160

  Lewes

  490

  485

  101

  Leyhill

  366

  410

  89

  Lincoln

  638

  434

  147

  Lindholme

  693

  686

  101

  Littlehey

  643

  624

  103

  Liverpool

  1,502

  1,216

  124

  Long Lartin

  391

  379

  103

  Low Newton

  289

  189

  153

  Maidstone

  552

  541

  102

  Manchester

  1,029

  852

  121

  Moorland

  658

  620

  106

  Morton Hall

  203

  208

  98

  Mount

  629

  588

  107

  New Hall

  336

  327

  103

  North Sea Camp

  202

  213

  95

  Northallerton

  245

  152

  161

  Norwich

  746

  570

  131

  Nottingham

  413

  401

  103

  Onley

  611

  550

  111

  Parkhurst

  359

  349

  103

  Pentonville

  929

  726

  128

  Portland

  536

  526

  102

  Preston

  668

  414

  161

  Ranby

  581

  518

  112

  Reading

  240

  203

  118

  411

  Table 1—Population and CNA by Prison on 1 October 1997

  Prison name

  Population

  CNA

  Population to CNA (per cent.)

  Risley

  882

  851

  104

  Rochester

  398

  433

  92

  Send

  231

  231

  100

  Shepton Mallet

  216

  158

  137

  Shrewsbury

  332

  181

  183

  Stafford

  627

  568

  110

  Standford Hill

  300

  384

  78

  Stocken

  464

  436

  106

  Stoke Heath

  424

  454

  93

  Styal

  267

  262

  102

  Sudbury

  499

  511

  98

  Swaleside

  571

  512

  112

  Swansea

  348

  260

  134

  Swinfen Hall

  197

  208

  95

  Thorn Cross

  223

  316

  71

  Usk

  290

  246

  118

  Verne

  572

  552

  104

  Wakefield

  609

  522

  117

  Wandsworth

  907

  811

  112

  Wayland

  642

  620

  104

  Wealstun

  580

  591

  98

  Weare

  358

  400

  90

  Wellingborough

  321

  352

  91

  Werrington

  157

  220

  71

  Wetherby

  324

  360

  90

  Whatton

  222

  226

  98

  Whitemoor

  521

  522

  100

  Winchester

  612

  463

  132

  Wolds

  399

  360

  111

  Woodhill

  687

  616

  112

  Wormwood Scrubs

  1,363

  1,171

  116

  Wymott

  801

  809

  99

  Total

  62,706

  57,630

  109

  Hampshire Police Authority
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what criteria he has used to determine which of the applications to be independent members of the Hampshire Police Authority he will approve; [14454]

  (2) when the Hampshire Police Authority will receive confirmation of the Home Office's selections for new independent members of the Authority. [14455]

  Mr. Michael
  I have selected a shortlist of candidates to fill the vacancies for two independent members on the Hampshire Police Authority. My officials are writing to the Clerk to the Authority to inform him of the shortlisted candidates. The councillor and magistrate members of the Authority will then decide who from the shortlist should be appointed to the Authority.

  The following criteria apply to the selection of all independent members:

  As well as being of good character, independent members of police authorities should:
  possess good communication skills;
  be able to demonstrate the ability to challenge accepted views in a constructive way;
  be able to represent a wide range of people in the community; have an understanding of their policing needs, and of the pressures and challenges which face the police themselves;
  have skills and experience which would broaden the expertise available to the authority.

  412
  Applications for appointment as an independent member of a police authority are invited from all eligible persons irrespective of ethnic origin, religious belief, gender, sexual orientation, disability or any other irrelevant factor.

  CS Spray
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Chief of West Mercia Police on the incident at a house in Bicton Heath, Shrewsbury on Sunday 26 October which led to a five month old baby being taken to hospital as a result of the effects of CS spray; and if he will make a statement. [14489]

  Mr. Michael
  West Mercia Police are unaware of an infant being exposed to CS during this incident, in which a man was sprayed, and no complaint has been received in respect of any such allegation.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis indicating the amount of CS spray which the Commissioner has(a) purchased and (b) distributed; if all police officers receiving the spray will be trained in its use and in official guidelines relating to its use; what arrangements he has made for its storage, and inventory; and if he will make a statement. [14482]

  Mr. Michael
  The Commissioner tells me that the Metropolitan Police has made an initial purchase of 28,200 operational CS incapacitant sprays which have been distributed to all Operational Command Units. Prior to being issued with CS spray, officers will undertake an initial four hour training course. Additionally, they will receive refresher training at least once a year which emphasises the importance of after care for persons sprayed.

  CS sprays will be stored in specifically designed secure cabinets at the Operational Command Units. These cabinets are marked in accordance with fire and chemical storage regulations. A detailed record is maintained in relation to all devices. Each device is individually serial numbered and is issued against signature. The record of issue is then updated following discharge or disposal of the device.

  Deaths in Police Custody
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish the report on the circumstances of deaths in police custody; and if he will make a statement. [14484]

  Mr. Michael
  The report of the research by the Home Office Police Research Group into deaths in police custody from 1990 onwards is expected to be published at the turn of the year.

  Elections (European Parliament)
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will change the polling day for the next election for the European Parliament from a Thursday to a Sunday. [14677]
  413
  Mr. George Howarth
  We do not think it would be right to change the polling day for the 1999 elections to the European Parliament, which will be held under a new regional list system.

  Remand Prisoners
  Mr. Bayley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current number of prisoners in England and Wales held on remand for a period(a) up to three months, (b) over three months and up to six months, (c) over six months and up to 12 months and (d) over 12 months. [14546]

  Ms Quin
  The latest available provisional information for England and Wales is for 30 June 1997 and is given in the table. This information is also published in successive volumes of "Prison Statistics, England and Wales" (tables 2.3 and 2.4 of the 1996 edition, Cm 3732), copies of which are in the Library.

  Remand prisoners in prisons in England and Wales by length of time since first reception1 on 30 June 1997

  Time since first remand

  30 June 19972

  Up to and including three months

  8,100

  More than three months, up to and including six months

  2,300

  More than six months, up to and including 12 months

  1,400

  Over 12 months

  300

  Total

  12,100

  1Awaiting trial or sentence. Time since first reception on remand into a Prison Service establishment. This includes any intervening time spent on bail, but excludes time spent in police cells beforehand.

  2Rounded provisional estimates.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the potential effects on remand prisoners' rights to a fair trial of arbitrary restrictions in the period leading up to and during their court appearances; what steps he has taken to ensure that the Prison Service is aware of this problem; and what special measures exist for the supervision monitoring of the treatment of prisoners in these circumstances. [13091]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 6 November 1997]: It is our policy that detention must not affect a person's right to a fair trial. In recognition of their special status, all unconvicted prisoners have extra privileges such as: the right to wear their own clothing; the right not to work; the right to extra visits, telephone calls and letters; and the right to continue their (legitimate) business activities. In addition, all prisons have legal aid officers and access to unlimited visits with their legal representative. Nearly all local prisons and remand centres have bail information schemes which assist prisoners to obtain bail if appropriate.

  Both Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Prisons and the Prison Service Standards Audit, on their visits to local prisons, seek to ensure that the rights and privileges of unconvicted prisons are observed.

  Mr. Ronnie Clark
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in the investigation of the death of Mr. Ronnie Clark in Wellingborough prison on 1 March; and if he will make a statement. [14486]

  Ms Quin
  The inquest into the death of Mr. Clarke was held on 9 October 1997 at Kettering Coroner's Court. The jury returned a unanimous open verdict. The Coroner made no criticism of either the actions of staff or Prison Service policy and procedure.

  The Prison Service will consider the findings of the Coroner's investigation, together with its own inquiries, to examine carefully whether there are any lessons to be learned.

  Prison Medical Staff
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison establishments in England and Wales provide an induction programme for staff joining the Prison Service from the national health service. [14505]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 6 November 1997]: All Prison Service establishments are expected to arrange a two-week induction programme under the guidance of a senior medical officer for all new entrant medical staff whether they are from the National Health Service or elsewhere.

  In addition, new entrant doctors are expected to attend a week long centrally organised course within six months of joining the Prison Service.

  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison establishments in England and Wales are currently without a full or part-time medical officer. [14507]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 6 November 1997]: Fourteen establishments currently have vacancies for either full or part-time permanently appointed medical officers. Where appropriate medical cover at these establishments is augmented by the use of locum doctors. The Prison Service holds periodic recruitment drives to fill such vacancies, and the next one will be held shortly.

  Danny McNamee
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the security classification of Gilbert (Danny) McNamee; and if this prisoner will be returned to a special secure unit prior to or during his forthcoming hearing at the Court of Appeal. [13090]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 6 November 1997]: Decisions concerning the security categorisation of Gilbert (Danny) McNamee, who is located in a Northern Ireland prison, are a matter for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Should Mr. McNamee return to this jurisdiction for any reason, an assessment of his security category will be made in the light of security information available at the time.

  Special Secure Units
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are presently detained in each special secure unit stating(a) the nature of the crimes for which they were convicted and (b) their security category status. [13089]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 6 November 1997]: There are seven prisoners, all Category A Exceptional Escape Risk prisoners, held in Whitemoor Special Secure Unit. Two were convicted of importation of drugs; two of customs evasion; and the remaining three prisoners of murder, conspiracy to murder and armed robbery, respectively. Full Sutton Special Secure Unit is temporarily closed and the accommodation which formed the Unit at Belmarsh now only holds Category A High Escape Risk prisoners and is not run as a Special Secure Unit.

  Prisons (Drug Misuse)
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of(a) doctors and (b) other staff, currently working in the Prison Service, have received any recognised training in dealing with drug misusers. [14506]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 6 November 1997]: Forty-eight out of 197 (25 per cent.) doctors working in the Prison Service have either a Diploma in Addictive Behaviour or Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists which will have included training in substance misuse. A further 26 doctors have started diploma level training during 1996–97.

  Information is not centrally available in the form requested for other Prison Service staff. However, during 1996–97 over 230 health care staff attended a two day substance awareness course specifically designed for that purpose. In addition, 44 staff started diploma level training on substance misuse.

  Life Sentences
  Mr. Wood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in England and Wales are presently serving a life sentence; and what is the total annual cost of keeping these prisoners in custody. [14909]

  Ms Quin
  The latest available information is for 30 September 1997. On that date there were 3,794 life sentence prisoners in England and Wales. Information on life sentence prisoners is also published in "Prison Statistics, England and Wales" (Chapter 8 of the 1996 edition, Cm 3732), a copy of which is in the Library.

  Information on the cost of prisoners by their type of sentence is not collected centrally. The average annual net operating cost of a prison place in 1996–97 was £24,775.

  Human Rights
  Mr. Stinchcombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further consideration he plans to give to the possible establishment of a Human Rights Commission. [14761]
  416
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I have nothing to add at this stage to what we said about this in paragraph 3.8–3.12 of the White Paper "Rights Brought Home: The Human Rights Bill" (Cm 3782), which we published on 24 October, and during the Second Reading debate in Another Place on 3 November.

  Mr. Stinchcombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what functions a Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights would perform; and what powers would be vested in it. [14760]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I have nothing to add at this stage to what we said about this in paragraph 3.6–3.7 of the White Paper "Rights Brought Home: The Human Rights Bill" (Cm 3782), which we published on 24 October, and during the Second Reading debate in Another Place on 3 November.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Allan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what statistical monitoring is undertaken in relation to the detention and imprisonment of asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement. [15174]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Statistical information on persons who had sought asylum and were detained as at specific points in time is available. A copy of the most recent statistics is attached.

  Table 1: Number of people recorded as being detained1,2 on 31 October 1997 who had sought asylum at some stage, by gender and immigration status

  Gender

  Port

  Illegal entrants

  Subject to deportation action

  Total

  Male

  283

  352

  56

  691

  Female

  33

  14

  2

  49

  Total

  316

  366

  58

  740

  1Persons detained solely under the powers contained in Schedule 2 or 3 of the Immigration Act 1971.

  2These figures include people who have been in detention for less than a month. Because of the delay in recording receptions into and releases from, detention and the large number of persons detained for a short period, the figures should be used with caution.

  Table 2: Number of people recorded as being detained on1,2 31 October 1997 who had sought asylum at some stage, by stage of application and immigration status

  Stage of application

  Port

  Illegal entrants

  Subject to deportation action

  Total

  Awaiting initial decision

  158

  166

  8

  332

  Awaiting result of appeal

  104

  90

  28

  222

  Awaiting result of further challenge or documentation for removal3

  54

  110

  22

  186

  Total

  316

  366

  58

  740

  1Persons detained solely under the powers contained in Schedule 2 or 3 of the Immigration Act 1971.

  2These figures include people who have been in detention for less than a month. Because of the delay in recording receptions into, and releases from, detention and the large number of persons detained for a short period, the figures should be used with caution.

  3Includes those persons awaiting the result of a further appeal/other challenge or awaiting removal pending documentation.

  417

  Table 3: Number of people recorded as being detained1,2 on 31 October 1997 who had sought asylum at some stage, by length of detention3 and immigration status.

  Length

  Port

  Illegal entrants

  Subject to deportation action

  Total

  0-1 Month1

  109

  109

  10

  228

  1-2 Months

  83

  87

  8

  178

  2-6 Months

  85

  118

  24

  227

  6-12 Months

  28

  47

  12

  87

  12 Months +

  11

  5

  4

  20

  Total

  316

  366

  58

  740

  1Persons detained solely under the powers contained in Schedule 2 or 3 of the Immigration Act 1971.

  2These figures include people who have been in detention for less than a month. Because of the delay in recording receptions into, and releases from, detention and the large number of persons detained for a short period, the figures should be used with caution.

  3In some cases the date a person enters detention may be understated due to the method of recording.

  Table 4: Number of people recorded as being detained1,2 on 31 October 1997 who had sought asylum at some stage, by nationality and immigration status

  Nationality

  Port

  Illegal entrants

  Subject to deportation action

  Total

  India

  15

  79

  2

  96

  Nigeria

  40

  34

  14

  88

  Pakistan

  19

  30

  7

  56

  Algeria

  13

  28

  6

  47

  China People's Republic of

  14

  21

  0

  35

  Ghana

  12

  12

  3

  27

  Turkey

  10

  16

  0

  26

  Romania

  2

  23

  0

  25

  Czech Republic

  22

  2

  0

  24

  Yugoslavia

  9

  15

  0

  24

  Bangladesh

  6

  13

  3

  22

  Kenya

  19

  2

  1

  22

  Sri Lanka

  9

  9

  3

  21

  Albania

  3

  15

  0

  18

  Cyprus

  13

  2

  0

  15

  Slovakia

  15

  0

  0

  15

  Angola

  7

  4

  2

  13

  Bulgaria

  9

  1

  2

  12

  Gambia

  6

  1

  2

  9

  Ivory Coast

  5

  3

  0

  8

  Jamaica

  1

  3

  4

  8

  Lithuania

  4

  2

  1

  7

  Poland

  1

  6

  0

  7

  Russia

  1

  6

  0

  7

  Sudan

  4

  3

  0

  7

  South Africa

  5

  1

  1

  7

  Uganda

  7

  0

  0

  7

  Ecuador

  6

  0

  0

  6

  Colombia

  5

  0

  0

  5

  Iran

  4

  1

  0

  5

  Morocco

  2

  2

  0

  4

  Ukraine (Ukrainian SS)

  0

  3

  1

  4

  Afghanistan

  1

  2

  0

  3

  Lebanon

  2

  1

  0

  3

  Somalia

  3

  0

  0

  3

  Tanzania

  2

  0

  1

  3

  Armenia

  0

  2

  0

  2

  Guinea

  2

  0

  0

  2

  Kazakhstan

  0

  2

  0

  2

  Liberia

  2

  0

  0

  2

  Libya (Arab Republic)

  0

  2

  0

  2

  Nepal

  0

  2

  0

  2

  Philippines

  1

  1

  0

  2

  Palestine

  1

  1

  0

  2

  418

  Table 4: Number of people recorded as being detained1,2 on 31 October 1997 who had sought asylum at some stage, by nationality and immigration status

  Nationality

  Port

  Illegal entrants

  Subject to deportation action

  Total

  Sierra Leone

  1

  1

  0

  2

  Tunisia

  0

  1

  1

  2

  Ukraine

  2

  0

  0

  2

  Zaire

  2

  0

  0

  2

  Zimbabwe

  1

  1

  0

  2

  Nationality doubtful

  2

  8

  0

  10

  Others

  6

  5

  4

  15

  Total

  316

  366

  58

  740

  1Persons detained solely under the powers contained in Schedule 2 or 3 of the Immigration Act 1971.

  2Those figures include people who have been in detention for less than a month. Because of the delay in recording receptions into, and releases from, detention and the large number of persons detained for a short period, the figures should be used with caution.

  Freemasonry (Police and Judiciary)
  Mr. McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Government have to implement the Home Affairs Committee's recommendations on freemasonry in the police and judiciary (Third report, Session 1996–97, HC 192). [15283]

  Mr. Michael
  I will be writing to the Chairman of the Home Affairs Committee later this month with the Government's response to the Committee's recommendation on freemasonry in the police and judiciary. A copy of my letter will be placed in the Library.

  Firearms
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what estimate he has made of(a) the likely total cost of the compensation scheme under the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997 and (b) the number of claims still to be made; [14811]

  (2) what is the average time taken to settle claims for compensation under options (i) A and (ii) B under the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997; and in each case, how many claims have been settled and what is the total value of the compensation paid to date. [14810]

  Mr. Michael
  Our estimate of the total cost of the compensation scheme remains £166 million. All claims had to have been made by the end of the surrender period on 30 September. Over 38,000 claims have been received in the Firearms Compensation Section from police forces. The average time to settle claims under both options A and B is currently 13 weeks.

  To date, 15,000 payments have been made at a cost of over £20 million.

  "The Mail on Sunday"
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he plans to apply for the lifting of the injunction presently in force against The Mail on Sunday. [14696]
  419
  Mr. Straw
  No. The injunction remains necessary in order to prevent the publication of any further material which could damage national security. I would also refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Bury, South (Mr. Lewis),6 November 1997, Official Report, column 215.

  Proposed Prisons
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment exercises his Department has conducted into the possibility of establishing an extra prison in the(a) West Chelmsford constituency and (b) mid Essex area during the past five years. [15072]

  Ms Quin
  During the last five years, the Prison Service has had brought to its attention a number of sites in Essex for the possible construction of new prisons. None of these were in the West Chelmsford constituency and, without exception, to date all have been considered unsuitable.

  House of Lords Judgments
  Ms Jenny Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he intends to implement the House of Lords judgment in Regina v Secretary of State for the Home Department ex parte Pierson given on 24 July. [15640]

  Mr. Straw
  This judgment concerned the discretion of any holder of my office to increase a tariff once set for an adult convicted of murder. The majority of the House found that it is lawful for the Secretary of State to increase a tariff previously set, as set out in a reply given by my predecessor, the right hon. and learned Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Howard) on 27 July 1993,Official Report, columns 863–65. However, one of that majority found that that statement did not purport to apply to a decision to increase a tariff set before 27 July 1993, and so a different majority found that the increase of the tariff in the Pierson case was unlawful.

  So far as the procedures for setting and reviewing tariffs of adult murderers are concerned, I am continuing the practice of my predecessor, as described in his answers of 27 July 1993, Official Report, columns 861–64 and 7 December 1994, Official Report, columns 234–35. In particular, before setting tariff, I am continuing to take the advice of the trial judge and the Lord Chief Justice, informing the prisoner of the substance of that advice and inviting representations about it, and giving reasons for any departure on my part from the judicial review.

  With regard to the discretion to alter tariff, I reiterate that the view which I take (or a Minister acting under my authority takes) at the beginning of a mandatory life sentence, of the period necessary to satisfy the requirements of retribution and deterrence is an initial view of the minimum period necessary to satisfy those requirements. It therefore remains possible for me, or a future Secretary of State, exceptionally to revise that view of the minimum period, either by reducing it, or by increasing it where I, or a successor in my office, conclude that, putting aside questions of risk, the minimum requirements of retribution and deterrence will not have been satisfied at the expiry of the period which had previously been determined. The procedure for
  420
  considering any increase of a tariff once set will include the opportunity for the prisoner to make representations after being informed that the Secretary of State is minded to increase tariff, and to be given reasons for any subsequent decision to increase it.

  So far as the potential for a reduction in tariff is concerned, I shall be open to the possibility that, in exceptional circumstances, including for example, exceptional progress by the prisoner whilst in custody, a review and reduction of the tariff may be appropriate. I shall have this possibility in mind when reviewing at the 25 year point the cases of prisoners given a whole life tariff and in that respect will consider issues beyond the sole criteria of retribution and deterrence described in the answer given on 7 December 1994. Prisoners will continue to be given the opportunity to make representations and to have access to the material before me.

  I intend to apply these policies in respect of all tariffs for adult murderers, whether or not they were originally set before 27 July 1993 and whether or not they were originally fixed by me personally, or a Minister acting on my behalf, or by or on behalf of a previous holder of my office. In the Pierson case, where the tariff has now been quashed, I intend to invite representations from the prisoner before re-setting tariff at a level which I consider appropriate.

  I take the opportunity to confirm that my approach on the release of adults convicted of murder once tariff has expired will reflect the policy set out in the answer given 27 July 1993. In particular, the release of such a person will continue to depend not only on the expiry of tariff and on my being satisfied that the level of risk of his committing further imprisonable offences presented by his release is acceptably low, but also on the need to maintain public confidence in the system of criminal justice. The position of a prisoner subject to a mandatory life sentence continues to be distinct from that of a prisoner serving a discretionary life sentence, a decision on whose final release is a matter for the Parole Board alone.

  Everything in this answer about my practice in relation to mandatory life sentence prisoners applies equally to persons who are, or will be, sentenced, to custody for life under section 8 of the Criminal Justice Act 1982. For present purposes, a life sentence imposed under section 2 of the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 is treated as a discretionary life sentence.

  Ms Jenny Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he intends to implement the House of Lords judgment in Regina V Secretary of State for the Home Department ex parte V and T given on 12 June. [15641]

  Mr. Straw
  This judgment was concerned with the periods of imprisonment, known as the tariff, set by my predecessor, the right hon. and learned Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Howard) as being necessary to reflect the requirements of retribution and deterrence in the cases of the two boys convicted of the murder of James Bulger. The House of Lords concluded that the current arrangements for reviewing tariff in the cases of offenders under the age of eighteen, convicted of murder and sentenced to detention at Her Majesty's pleasure under section 53(1) of the Children and Young Persons
  421
  Act 1933, failed adequately to reflect the distinctive nature of that sentence. In particular, the judgment requires that the initial view of what is necessary by way of retribution and deterrence should be capable of reduction in the light of the offender's personal development while in custody, and that the offender's personal development should therefore be considered alongside the public interest in retribution and deterrence in keeping the tariff period under review.

  The House of Lords did not conclude, however, that the sentence of detention at Her Majesty's pleasure was purely reformative in character, nor that the Secretary of State's declaration of an initial view of what was necessary by way of retribution and deterrence was unlawful. The public properly expects the unique crime of murder to attract an appropriate punishment, regardless of the age or circumstances of the offender. It is in the interests of victims' families, public confidence, and of the individual offender that a clear indication should be given, relatively quickly following conviction, of the Secretary of State's initial view of the minimum period of imprisonment necessary to reflect the seriousness of the particular offence. I intend to continue to provide that initial view as at present, taking into account the advice of the trial judge and the Lord Chief Justice, any representations made on the offender's behalf and the overarching requirements of public confidence in the sentence of detention at Her Majesty's pleasure. That initial view will continue also to reflect an awareness of the offender's age and personal circumstances at the time of conviction.

  Public confidence in the sentence will not be maintained if that initial tariff is curtailed lightly or as a matter of course. Rather, it should be reduced only where the balance between the public interest in punishment on the one hand, and the public interest in the offender's welfare on the other, has clearly shifted so as to justify such a reduction. Moreover, the more serious the circumstances of the offence, as reflected in the length of the initial tariff, the higher will be the threshold at which the public interest in the offender's welfare may outweigh the public interest in the offender's punishment.

  However, I have also to act on the House of Lords' conclusion that the law requires the sentence's effect upon the offender to be kept under review and that there may be circumstances in which the desirability of promoting the child's eventual re-integration into society may justify a revision of the initial view on tariff.

  Taking these considerations into account, this is the new procedure which I shall adopt. I shall continue to seek the advice of the trial judge and of the Lord Chief Justice in deciding what punishment is required in any individual case of a person convicted under section 53(1) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933. I shall then set an initial tariff with that advice, and the offender's personal circumstances, in mind. I shall continue to invite representations on the prisoner's behalf and give reasons for decisions.

  Officials in my Department will receive annual reports on the progress and development of young people sentenced under section 53(1) whose initial tariff has yet to expire. Where there appears to be a case for considering a reduction in tariff, that will be brought to the attention of Ministers.
  422
  When half of the initial tariff period has expired, I, or a Minister acting on my behalf, will consider a report on the prisoner's progress and development, and invite representations on the question of tariff, with a view to determining whether the tariff period originally set is still appropriate. In complex and difficult cases, I shall seek the assistance of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health in securing independent professional advice (that is to say, independent of those already charged with the care of the offender) on the young offender's condition and development.

  Any request for a review of tariff before it expires will be considered on its merits, whether that request is made by or on behalf of the offender or by one of the agencies or individuals responsible for his or her care.

  In considering requests, inviting representations, and in conducting reviews, I will look for evidence of:
  significant alteration in the offender's maturity and outlook since the commission of the offence;
  risks to the offender's continued development that cannot be sufficiently mitigated or removed in the custodial environment;
  any matter that calls into question the basis of the original decision to set tariff at a particular level (for example, about the circumstances of the offence itself or the offender's state of mind at the time);
  together with any other matter which appears relevant.

  So far as the offender's age is concerned. I shall take into account the Government's international and domestic obligations to children under the age of 18 in deciding where the balance between the public interest in punishment and the public interest in the offender's welfare lies. That balance will also have been at the heart of the decision on the proper length of the initial tariff.

  Where I consider that the offender's welfare may be seriously prejudiced by his or her continued imprisonment, and that the public interest in the offender's welfare outweighs the public interest in a further period of imprisonment lasting at least until the expiry of the provisionally set tariff, I will decide to reduce the tariff. In these circumstances, release on or after tariff expiry will be dependent on the question of risk, decided in the same way as at present.

  There are currently 106 such offenders whose tariffs have been set but have not yet expired. My officials will write to each of them with the text of this statement asking if they wish to have their tariff reviewed in the way I have described, and, if so, on what grounds. I will, in any event, undertake reviews in each of the 74 cases where the halfway point of the tariff has been passed but where there are still two years or more to serve before tariff expires. The cases of those closest to tariff expiry will be considered first.

  I believe the procedure I have described fully meets the requirement to keep the imprisonment of offenders sentenced to detention at Her Majesty's pleasure under review, and to treat such cases in a distinct way, having regard to the public interest in the welfare of children alongside the public interest in the proper and proportionate punishment of offenders. No one who has committed murder and is sentenced to detention at Her Majesty's pleasure will be released unless two conditions are satisfied: first, the tariff period necessary for

  423
  punishment must have been served; and, secondly, the Parole Board must be satisfied that the risk posed to the public by the offender's release would be acceptably low.

  The tariffs set by my predecessor in the two particular cases considered by the House of Lords have been quashed. I intend to consider reports, invite representations on behalf of those offenders, and seek independent professional advice, before resetting an initial tariff within the terms of this statement, taking into account also the criticism contained in the judgement of the reasons given by my predecessor.

  Prison Service Management and Organisation
  Ms Jenny Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Director General's review of management and organisation of the Prison Service. [15642]

  Mr. Straw
  The Director General has now completed an internal review of the management and organisation of the Prison Service.

  The review has recommended, and I have endorsed, a programme of action with the following key elements:

  (i) measures to assert and reinforce Ministerial responsibility for the Prison Service. The Government have already made clear their commitment to taking proper Ministerial responsibility for the Prison Service. Parliamentary Questions are now answered by Ministers and not by the Director General. Further measures to be taken in the light of this review are as follows:
  from 1 January Ministers will chair quarterly meetings to review formally the performance and plans of the Prison Service. The report concludes, and I agree, that in the circumstances of the Prison Service such an arrangement better supports the Government's approach to Ministerial oversight than any form of separate Advisory Board;
  the Agency Framework Document will be updated and reissued with a new Ministerial preface when the Comprehensive Spending Review is further advanced;
  the Prison Service will take action to develop a greater sensitivity to the nature and demands of Ministerial responsibility for the Service at all levels in the Agency. This will be reflected in specific training programmes and in key documentation.

  (ii) a new focus on the delivery of effective prison regimes and preparation for the release of prisoners. The Government are committed to the development of constructive prison regimes which address offending behaviour. Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons has drawn attention to, and been critical of, the wide variation in standard levels of performance between prisons of the same type. The review concludes that an improvement
  424
  in performance in this area is required; and that the top management of the Prison Service is not, at present, organised in such a way as to deliver the necessary leadership and direction required to secure an improvement. The Prison Service will, therefore:
  plan for and seek substantial improvements in the effectiveness of regimes and the preparation of prisoners for release, while continuing to maintain its performance in relation to security and control; and
  create a stronger capacity within Headquarters to develop regime standards and polices for all prisoner groups and to support the operational line in monitoring performance and spreading best practice. This will be provided by a Director of Regimes at Prisons Board level, supported by Assistant Directors with separate, specific responsibility for: young offenders; women; adult males, lifers and parole; and prisoner administration.

  (iii) a major programme of change to improve the managerial effectiveness of the organisation. This reflects the need for:
  the Prisons Board itself to operate more strategically and effectively. Responsibilities will be clarified at Board level, with separate policy Directors of Regimes, Security and Healthcare. One policy Director will be designated as Deputy Director General and will deputise for the Director General in his absence and ensure effective co-ordination of the day day to work of the Service;
  more effective standard-setting and performance management systems. A clear set of core standards will be formulated, supported by a set of functional standards for different types of prisoner and prison. The contact between the Governor and the Area Manager will be used as the key business management tool of the Prison Service; and in the longer term the Service will move towards the replacement of contracts with more formal service level agreements, providing a form of internal purchaser/provider arrangement;
  a major investment in management development and training will be taken forward when the Prison Service can identify efficiency savings. The net for recruiting managers to all levels in the Prison Service will also be widened.

  I welcome the outcome of this review—not least because it is the product of an internal, rather than externally imposed, analysis. None of the proposals to be implemented is intended to pre-empt the outcome of the wider review of the Prison and Probation Services which I announced in reply to a Question from the hon. Member for Bristol, North-West (Dr. Naysmith). Official Report, column 172, or the Comprehensive Spending Review, which are proceeding in parallel. The action proposed will, however, help to position the Prison Service for whatever changes may emerge from these reviews and make improvements which are needed in their own right. The Review will be taken forward within existing Prison Services resources.

  I am placing copies of the Review in the Library.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Immigration Appeals
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals he has to clear the backlog of cases in the Immigration Tribunal. [13464]

  Mr. Hoon
  The backlog of outstanding adjudicator appeals is starting to come down. It has fallen by 1,721 appeals since the end of July. We are appointing more adjudicators and giving them the help they need to deal with more cases.

  Secret Societies
  Mr. Mullin
  to ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has for requiring members of the judiciary to disclose membership of secret societies; and if he will make a statement. [13467]

  Mr. Hoon
  The Home Affairs Committee, of which my hon. Friend is now the Chairman, recommended shortly before the election that police officers, magistrates, judges and crown prosecutors should be required to register membership of any secret society. The Government are considering the recommendations contained in that report and will respond to the Committee in due course.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what primary legislation his Department intends to introduce in relation to legal aid. [13465]

  Mr. Hoon
  Extending conditional fees to all civil, but not family, cases, and withdrawing legal aid from most civil claims for money or damages, can be done under existing legislation. Subject to consultation, we expect to bring in the necessary regulations soon. Making contracting the only way to provide legal aid services, and changing the merits test to reflect the availability of resources, will need primary legislation. I hope to be able to bring forward a new Legal Aid Bill in due course.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what is his policy toward controlling the legal aid budget. [13469]

  Mr. Hoon
  I propose to control the legal aid budget by ensuring that legal aid is targeted to where it can do most good and is used only where no appropriate alternative method of funding is available. For the longer term I wish to see legal aid being delivered under contracts that will define the price quality and quantity of service to be provided tailored to the local needs of the community.

  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what measures his Department is taking to ensure consistency in decisions relating to the granting of legal aid. [14930]
  426
  Mr. Hoon
  Civil legal aid is granted by the Legal Aid Board in accordance with the statutory merits test. The Board use a number of procedures to ensure the test is applied consistently. There is a programme of work to improve the decision making process in the Legal Aid Board Area Offices, through the revision of existing guidance and the production of new guidance. My officials are also reviewing the operation of the merits test with the Legal Aid Board.

  In addition the Lord Chancellor recently announced plans to tighten the merits test so that a case would generally need a 75 per cent. chance of success in order to receive legal aid unless there were other compelling reasons for granting it. It is also proposed that the decision to grant should also take account of the available resources. However it would require primary legislation to give effect to these proposals.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the cost of legal aid in each of the last three years(a) exclusive and (b) inclusive of VAT. [15069]

  Mr. Hoon
  Net expenditure on legal aid for the last three years is as follows:

  1994–95: £1,298.7 million

  1995–96: £1,390.5 million

  1996–97: £1,475.7 million

  Information on VAT is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Since not all disbursements attract VAT, and not all solicitors and counsel have always been registered for VAT, it is not possible to calculate the total VAT that is paid out of the Legal Aid Fund.

  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list(a) the amount of expenditure on the Green Form scheme for 1996–97 and (b) the percentage of that expenditure which relates to (i) immigration, (ii) welfare benefits, (iii) debt, (iv) consumer and (v) other. [14931]

  Mr. Hoon
  Net expenditure on the Green Form scheme, in 1996–97, was £151 million. Expenditure, as a percentage and by category of advice given, was as follows:

  Immigration and Nationality1 17 per cent.

  Welfare Benefits 9 per cent.

  Debt 4 per cent.

  Consumer 2 per cent.

  Other 68 per cent.

  1It is not possible to identify separately the cost of advice given in respect of immigration matters.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) what percentage of the statutory charge was recovered by the Legal Aid Board in each of the last three years; [15070]
  427
  (2) what is the total value of the statutory charge currently owed to the Legal Aid Board. [15068]

  Mr. Hoon
  Moneys recovered by way of the statutory charge relate to cases where charges have been outstanding over a number of years, and therefore there is no annual total statutory charge against which the moneys recovered in the same year could be measured as a percentage.

  The total value of quantified statutory charges outstanding at the end of the 1996–97 financial year was £185.9 million.

  Mr. Greenway
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on his plans to reform legal aid. [13468]

  43. Mr. John M. Taylor
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement about his future plans for legal aid. [13471]

  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the proposed reforms of the legal aid system. [13472]

  Mr. Hoon
  Our plans for legal aid reform were announced by my right hon. and noble Friend the Lord Chancellor in his recent speech to the Law Society Annual Conference. Subject to consultation, we intend to make conditional fees available for all civil non-family cases; to withdraw legal aid from most claims for money or damages; and to make contracting the universal way of procuring legal aid services. These changes will allow us to target scarce resources on the people who need them most, and will bring the cost of legal aid under better control and improve quality and value for money.

  Civil Cases (Conditional Fees)
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the impact on poor litigants of a system of conditional fees in respect of civil cases. [13470]

  Mr. Hoon
  My officials are currently talking to interested parties to ensure that all can benefit from the extension of conditional fees that I propose.

  Statute of Limitations
  Mrs. Ballard
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when the review of the Statute of Limitations will be published. [13466]

  Mr. Hoon
  The Law Commission is in the process of carrying out a review of the complex law of limitation periods and expects to publish a consultation paper by the end of this year or very early in 1998. Following the consultation period, which is likely to end in April 1998, responses will be analysed and final recommendations 428
  will be drawn up for publication in a Law Commission Report. It is too early yet to say when that report will be ready for publication.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what measures he is taking to ensure that those claiming compensation for injuries incurred at work are not obliged to prove that their injury was caused by another. [14569]

  Mr. Hoon
  The arguments on whether or not the burden of proof should be reversed in respect of accidents occurring in the workplace are finely balanced and the Government have no plans to disturb the existing arrangements. In a report recently presented to the Lord Chancellor by Sir Peter Middleton, a recommendation was made that the possible advantages of no-fault compensation schemes be examined. The Government are considering this together with Sir Peter's other recommendations.

  Delegated Legislation
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list all(a) secondary, (b) other delegated legislation and (c) all deregulation orders his Department made during the summer adjournment. [14385]

  Mr. Hoon
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 5 November,Official Report, column 216.

  Magistrates Courts
  Mr. Burnett
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations he has received in respect of proposals to close the magistrates court in Tavistock; and if he will make a statement. [14041]

  Mr. Hoon
  I have received one representation in respect of Devon Magistrates' Courts Committee's proposals to close the Tavistock Magistrates' Court.

  Magistrates' courts are provided by the local paying authority for the use of magistrates' court committees (MCC). Decisions concerning the future of any magistrates' court are for the relevant MCC to determine, in consultation with the local paying authority.

  Under section 56 of the Justices of the Peace Act 1997, the Lord Chancellor's responsibility in relation to magistrates' courts is limited to that of an appellate court in a dispute between the MCC and its paying authority over a proposed court closure.

  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he will consult on the future of magistrates courts. [14033]
  429
  Mr. Hoon
  Magistrates' courts are provided by the local paying authority for the use of the magistrates' courts committee (MCC). Decisions concerning the future of individual magistrates' courts are for the relevant magistrates' courts committee to determine, in consultation with the local paying authority. The paying authority may appeal to the Lord Chancellor against a proposed closure. That is the only time my Department becomes involved. I have, therefore no plans to consult on the future of magistrates' courts.

  More generally, I refer the hon. Member for Tiverton and Honiton to the statement that I made in the House on 29 October, Official Report, columns 901–14, a copy of which is in the library.

  Conditional Fees
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many representations he has received in support of the proposals set out in the recent statement about the extension of conditional fees; and if he will make a statement. [14085]

  Mr. Hoon
  My Department has had in the region of thirty inquiries from individual members of the public. The overwhelming message is that the proposed extension of conditional fees will be a real answer to the real problem they face of being denied access to justice through unaffordable lawyers' fees.

HEALTH

  Winter Mortality Rates
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list winter death rates(a) for the whole population, (b) for those over pensionable age, (c) for those aged over 65 years and (d) per 1,000 population for those EU countries for which statistics are available. [14257]

  Mrs. Liddell
  I have been asked to reply.

  The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from John Fox to Mr. Nigel Evans, dated November 1997:
  The Director of the Office for National Statistics has been asked to answer your recent question on excess winter deaths. In his absence, I am replying as the Director of the Census, Population and Health Group.
  Based on the latest available data, the estimated numbers of excess deaths in England and Wales during the 1996–97 winter, are given in the table below.
  Excess winter deaths are defined as the number of deaths in the four months from December to March less the average of the numbers during the preceding autumn (August to November) and the following summer (April to July).
  430
  There were 0.9 excess winter deaths per 1,000 population in 1996/97 in England and Wales. The Office for National Statistics does not compile comparable figures for other EU countries.

  Excess winter deaths

  Whole population

  48,600

  Over pensionable age

  45,600

  65 years and over

  44,800

  Mental Health (Extra-contractual Referrals)
  Mr. Hurst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much of the national health service budget was spent in the last financial year in the private sector in order to treat mental health extra-contractual referrals. [13124]

  Mr. Boateng
  The provisional figure of total expenditure by health authorities, general practitioner fundholders and National Health Service trusts on the purchase of health care from the private sector amounted to £594 million in 1996–97, the latest year available. This cannot be broken down into the type of services purchased from the private sector.

  Dental Services
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average list size of dentists with NHS patients in(a) North Staffordshire, (b) West Midlands and (c) nationally; and if he will make a statement. [14254]

  Mr. Milburn
  At June 1997, the average number of adults and children registered for each General Dental Service dentist was 2,044 in North Staffordshire, 1,913 in West Midlands and 1,622 in England.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on standards of dental health in(a) North Staffordshire, (b) West Midlands and (c) nationally. [14255]

  Mr. Milburn
  One clear measure of the standards of oral health is the incidence of dental caries. The British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry co-ordinates annual surveys of dental caries prevalence in different aged children. The attached tables show the most recent data for the mean number of decayed, missing and filled in deciduous teeth only of five-year-old children, and in the permanent teeth only of twelve and fourteen-year-old children in North Staffordshire, West Midlands and England. Similar data for adults are published every ten years. However, since the most recent data are based on a survey in 1988 and are therefore not particularly up-to-date, they are not presented here.

  By tradition the acronym for decayed, missing and filled teeth is shown in upper case for permanent teeth—DMFT—and in lower case for deciduous teeth—dmft.

  431

  Mean number of dmft of five-year-olds1 in 1995–96

  Number

  North Staffordshire

  1.81

  West Midlands

  1.08

  England

  1.63

  1Deciduous teeth only.

  Mean number of DMFT of five-year-olds1 in 1992–93

  Number

  North Staffordshire

  1.17

  West Midlands

  0.85

  England

  1.15

  1Permanent teeth only.

  Mean number of DMFT of fourteen-year-olds1 in 1994–95

  Number

  North Staffordshire

  1.99

  West Midlands

  1.24

  England

  1.67

  1Permanent teeth only.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the revenue consequences of capital investments undertaken to date under the private finance initiative, listing all such schemes and the financing costs excluding any ongoing staffing costs; and if he will compare these costs with those pertaining under traditional public borrowing. [14031]

  Mr. Milburn
  The amount paid to the private sector under Private Finance Initiative contracts will vary depending on the level and quality of service.

  The annual unitary payments for the two major acute sector PH schemes that have reached financial close are expected to be:

  Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust: £18.6 million

  Carlisle NHS Trust: £10.9 million

  The unitary payment is the cost of providing a fully serviced hospital facility. It includes elements of cost for the provision and maintenance of assets, the management of facilities, and financing. To be approved a PFI contract must offer better, or comparable, value for money to the publicly funded alternative.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the capital investment by the NHS in health care projects(a) in total and (b) within the Birmingham local authority area in each of the last five years up to and including 1996–97, and in each five year period since 1972–73 at actual and constant 1996–97 prices, separately identifying expenditure under the private finance initiative. [14030]

  Mr. Milburn
  The table shows the total amount of publicly financed capital expenditure within the Hospital and Community Health Services in England and within NHS trusts and hospitals in the Birmingham area.432

  £ million

  Year

  Gross HCHS capital expenditure (cash)

  Gross HCHS capital expenditure (real terms1)

  Capital expenditure within the Birmingham area (cash)

  Capital expenditure within the Birmingham area (real terms)

  1973–74

  265

  1,754

  n/a

  n/a

  1977–78

  353

  1,207

  n/a

  n/a

  1982–83

  778

  1,475

  n/a

  n/a

  1987–88

  1,112

  1,676

  n/a

  n/a

  1992–93

  1,815

  2,002

  n/a

  n/a

  1993–94

  1,783

  1,911

  93

  100

  1994–95

  2,049

  2,162

  58

  61

  1995–96

  1,996

  2,052

  76

  78

  1996–97

  1,683

  1,683

  65

  65

  1A consistent run of figures for HCHS Capital Expenditure for the period 1972–73 to 1977–78 is not available.

  1. Figures for capital expenditure within the Birmingham area are taken from NHS Executive Regional Office records and are not directly comparable with the England figures. Figures prior to 1993–94 are not readily available.

  2. Real terms figures have been calculated using the GDP deflator of 2 July 1997.

  In addition the Private Finance Initiative has contributed an estimated further £55 million in each of the years 1995–96 and 1996–97. There are no completed PFI deals in the Birmingham local authority area.

  National Blood Service
  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the redundancy and pensions costs of personnel taking redundancy or early retirement from the National Blood Service have been since 1 April 1995,(a) nationally and (b) in each zone. [14457]

  Mr. Boateng
  The information requested is given in the table.

  £000

  London and South East zone

  1,372

  Midlands and South West zone

  987

  Northern zone

  1,067

  Total

  3,426

  The total costs, including the full lifetime costs of early retirement according to National Health Service Accounting Treatment, will be £5.694 million.

  Social Services (Winter Funding)
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list for each Social Services Department his estimate of the additional funding which will be made available this winter; [14592]

  (2) if he will list by health authority the dates at which the social services departments within each authority were invited to make applications for additional funding to assist with managing pressures over this winter, indicating the deadlines they were given for completing their funding applications. [14597]

  Mr. Boateng
  An additional £300 million has been made available for the health service in the United Kingdom this winter. Details of the allocations process in
  433
  England were set out in Executive Letter EL(97)64, copies of which have been placed in the Library. This letter asked health authorities to draw up plans for using the additional resources to improve services, in consultation with trusts, general practitioners and social services departments, by 31 October. These plans were to be agreed by the regional offices of the National Health Service Executive by 7 November. Details of the allocations to health authorities will be made public once they are available.

  National Care Council
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the Rowntree Commission's proposals for a National Care Council. [14589]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Rowntree report is a significant and thoughtful contribution to the debate about long-term care arrangements, and its proposals will no doubt be looked at carefully in the context of the Government's intention to take forward their programme of work in this area.

  Hospital and Community Health Services
  Mr. Ottaway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each health authority(a) the integrated allocation for hospital and community health services and (b) the funding per capita for (i) 1996–97 and (ii) 1997–98. [14600]

  Mr. Milburn
  A table detailing the information requested has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Ottaway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what interim weighting was used for community health services for the 1997–98 integrated allocation for hospital and community health services. [14599]

  Mr. Milburn
  An interim needs weighting was introduced into the main weighted capitation formula in 1997–98. This formula is used to inform general allocations to health authorities.

  The needs weighting took the form of a number of indices which reflect the specific pattern of need for community health services, based on indicators of health and socioeconomic status from the Census and other sources.

  Full details are given in the booklet "HCHS Revenue Resource Allocation to Health Authorities: Weighted Capitation Formulas", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Adhesive Arachnoiditis
  Mr. Collins
  To ask the Secretary of state for Health for what reasons the Department of Health was not represented at the conference held in London in 1995 by Dr. Burton on the subject of adhesive arachnoiditis. [14602]

  Ms Jowell
  The Chief Medical Officer was unable to attend this conference because of previous commitments. His deputy was unable to attend the conference at short notice.

  NHS Pay Awards
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) NHS trusts in the Northern and Yorkshire region, (b) community trusts nationally and (c) trusts nationally have reached agreement with their staff over the local element of the national NHS pay awards for 1996–97; and what percentage of (i) trusts and (ii) NHS staff are covered by these agreements in each case. [14236]

  Mr. Milburn
  We are not aware of any ongoing negotiations on the local element of the National Health Service Pay award for 1996–97.

  Nottingham Health Authority
  Mr. Tipping
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage level of capitation funding the Nottingham health authority has received for each of the last five years; and what is the planned figure for 1997–98. [14419]

  Mr. Milburn
  The general allocations for Nottingham Health Authority for 1993–94 to 1998–99 and the percentage of the health authority's weighted capitation target they represent are shown in the attached table.

  In 1998–99 formula changes have increased Nottingham Health Authority's weighted capitation target. As a result they have received 2.39 per cent. real terms growth. This is the eleventh highest real terms growth in percentage terms of all health authorities in England.

  Nottingham Health Authority

  Year

  General allocation (£ million)

  Weighted capitation target (per cent.)

  1998–99

  286.6

  96.5

  1997–98

  272.2

  97.6

  1996–97

  262.2

  97.4

  1995–96

  253.4

  96.7

  1994–95

  232.2

  99.9

  1993–94

  224.6

  101.4

  The figures are not directly comparable year-on-year because of the following changes to the way allocations have been made:

  1993–94, 1994–95 and 1995–96—these figures were collected centrally and adjusted to allow for the different ways in which the regional health authorities made allocations to district health authorities.

  Since 1996–97 General Allocations have been made direct to health authorities.

  Mentally Ill Patients
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking to protect mentally ill patients from harassment and intimidation in their communities. [14563]

  Mr. Boateng
  The appropriate statutory authorities have a responsibility to ensure that mentally ill patients are cared for in the community in a safe and therapeutic environment. Clearly, mental health services need to proceed with sensitivity and adopt an informative, open approach in handling their plans for community developments. However, we recognise that the stigmatisation of mental illness is a serious problem. We therefore attach great importance to the need to
  435
  increase knowledge and understanding about mental health among the general public, thereby promoting a positive image of mental health and combatting stigma. Through our Impact Mental Illness Public Information Strategy, we are working closely with the voluntary sector, the media and other groups to take forward such work.

  Refugees and Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons refugees and asylum seekers are not included in the formula for allocating funding to individual health authorities, with specific reference to health authorities in London; and if he will amend the funding formula to take account of the health needs of refugees and asylum seekers. [14622]

  Mr. Milburn
  Refugees and asylum seekers are already included in the population data which are used in the weighted capitation formula to allocate funds to health authorities.

  We are however asking the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation (ACRA) to look at all aspects of population statistics used for resource allocation. ACRA will also consider whether there are any extra unavoidable costs associated with ethnicity.

  Basildon and Thurrock General Hospitals NHS Trust
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 3 November,Official Report, columns 76–77(1) if one of the two vacant posts of non-executive director only required specific skills; and if he will make a statement; [15003]

  (2) how many of the shortlisted applicants for the post of non-executive director of the Basildon and Thurrock General Hospitals NHS Trust had audit skills; [15004]

  (3) how many candidates shortlisted for interviews for the post of non-executive director at the Basildon and Thurrock General Hospitals NHS Trust had theappropriate skills and capacity to chair the Trust's Audit Committee and met the requirements of the job description; [15007]

  Real growth in National Health Service total expenditure (England)

  Year1

  Gross expenditure

  Net expenditure

  Cash growth(£ million)

  Real growth2 (1996–97 prices) (£ million)

  Real growth2 (per cent.)

  Cash growth (£ million)

  Real growth2 (1996–97 prices) (£ million)

  Real growth2 (per cent.)

  1979–80

  1,230

  368

  1·8

  1,174

  332

  1·7

  1980–81

  2,348

  2,065

  10·1

  2,253

  1,979

  10·1

  1981–82

  1,226

  505

  2·2

  1,154

  437

  2·0

  1982–83

  1,024

  412

  1·8

  965

  364

  1·7

  1983–84

  761

  341

  1·5

  675

  230

  1·0

  1984–85

  988

  567

  2·4

  913

  492

  2·2

  1985–86

  809

  59

  0·2

  769

  56

  0·2

  1986–87

  1,123

  1,068

  4·4

  997

  903

  3·9

  1987–88

  1,608

  1,138

  4·5

  1,495

  1,036

  4·3

  1988–89

  1,974

  1,121

  4·2

  1,745

  890

  3·5

  1989–90

  1,516

  193

  0·7

  1,442

  206

  0·8

  1990–91

  2,522

  1,016

  3·6

  2,471

  1,078

  4·1

  1991–92

  3,132

  1,864

  6·4

  3,027

  1,841

  6·7

  436
  (4) for what reasons candidates for interview were not advised of detailed job descriptions relating to the need to have appropriate skills and to be able to chair the Trust's Audit Committee. [15005]

  Mr. Milburn
  The interview panel were looking for one candidate capable of chairing the trust's audit committee, and another to have responsibility for patient relations and act as a complaints convenor. Four of the eleven shortlisted applicants, ten of whom were subsequently interviewed by the panel, were judged to have the appropriate skills to chair the audit committee. All applicants received the standard job description for non-executive directors which states that non-executives may be asked to sit on the audit committee or oversee the trust's response to complaints from the public. The local advertisement for the vacancies also made it clear that one of those appointed would be expected to chair the audit committee.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 3 November,Official Report, columns 76–77, by whom and on what basis were (a) Mr. Ian MacDonald, (b) Mr. Ian Robertson and (c) Mr. Geoff Jennings selected to serve on the selection/interviewing panel for the vacant non-executive director's post at the Basildon and Thurrock General Hospitals NHS Trust. [15006]

  Mr. Milburn
  The interview panel was recommended by the current chairman of the Basildon and Thurrock General Hospitals National Health Service Trust and approved by the National Health Service Executive Regional Office.

  NHS Funding
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the annual change in funding for the national health service for each year from 1979–80 to 1998–99 in(a) cash terms, (b) 1996–97 prices and (c) percentage real terms; and if he will make a statement. [14751]

  Mr. Milburn
  The information requested is set out in the attached table.
  437

  Real growth in National Health Service total expenditure (England)

  Year1

  Gross expenditure

  Net expenditure

  Cash growth (£ million)

  Real growth2 (1996–97 prices)(£ million)

  Real growth2 (per cent.)

  Cash growth (£ million)

  Real growth2 (1996–97 prices)(£ million)

  Real growth2 (per cent.)

  1992–93

  2,585

  1,611

  5·2

  2,617

  1,712

  5·9

  1993–94

  1,022

  181

  0·6

  971

  170

  0·6

  1994–95

  1,580

  1,184

  3·6

  1,629

  1,259

  4·1

  1995–96

  1,500

  639

  1·9

  1,388

  564

  1·7

  1996–97

  1,149

  224

  0·7

  1,086

  203

  0·6

  1997–983

  1,552

  584

  1·7

  1,541

  615

  1·9

  1998–994

  1,419

  402

  1·1

  1,529

  547

  1·6

  11978–79 to 1996–97 are outturn figures, 1997–98 is forecast outturn and 1998–99 is planned expenditure.

  2Using GDP deflator of 2 July 1997.

  3Forecast outturn for 1997–98 includes the extra resources announced for this winter on 14 October.

  4Planned expenditure for 1998–99 includes the extra £1 billion announced at the 2 July Budget.

  Suicides
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary for Health what action he is taking to reduce the incidence of suicide. [14564]

  Mr. Boateng
  Latest figures show an encouraging downward trend in the overall suicide rate–9.8 per cent. since 1990 (based on a three-year average) but there is no room for complacency. As there is no single reason why people take their own lives, action needs to be taken on a number of fronts. Measures include: reducing access to means, for example, we recently announced restrictions on paracetamol and aspirin pack sizes and improvements in warnings about the effect of overdose; increasing public awareness and understanding about mental illness; focusing on high risk groups, for example, the development of a telephone helpline for young men; educating health and social care professionals about depression; audit of serious incidents and the dissemination of findings; and improving primary and secondary mental health services.

  Monitor Consultancy
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list(a) the nature and value of contracts

  Passengers in excess of capacity: London terminals

  1995 AM

  1996 AM

  Change

  1995 PM

  1996 PM

  Change

  1995 total

  1996 total

  Change

  Chiltern (per cent.)

  5·5

  0·2

  -5·3

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  3·0

  0·1

  -2·9

  Connex South Central

  South London (Inner) (per cent.)

  2·2

  3·2

  1·0

  2·2

  1·2

  -1·0

  2·2

  2·3

  0·1

  Sussex Coast (Outer) (per cent.)

  2·2

  5·8

  3·6

  2·5

  2·2

  -0·3

  2·3

  4·1

  1·8

  Total (per cent.)

  2·2

  4·0

  1·8

  2·3

  1·6

  -0·7

  2·2

  2·9

  0·7

  Connex South Eastern

  Kent Link (Inner) (per cent.)

  2·2

  2·2

  0·0

  0·1

  0·3

  0·2

  1·2

  1·3

  0·1

  Kent Coast (Outer) (per cent.)

  3·8

  2·9

  -0·9

  0·7

  2·5

  1·8

  2·2

  2·7

  0·5

  Total (per cent.)

  2·5

  2·3

  -0·2

  0·3

  0·9

  0·6

  1·5

  1·7

  0·2

  Great Eastern

  Inner (per cent.)

  5·2

  5·6

  0·4

  1·0

  1·9

  0·9

  3·2

  3·8

  0·6

  Outer (per cent.)

  2·5

  2·8

  0·3

  2·0

  1·5

  -0·5

  2·2

  2·2

  0·0

  Total (per cent.)

  3·7

  4·1

  0·4

  1·6

  1·7

  0·1

  2·7

  2·9

  0·2

  438
  his Department has entered into and (b) discussions ministers or officials have held with the Monitor Consultancy since 1990. [14951]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 7 November 1997]The Department has no record of placing any contracts with Monitor Consultancy in the period 1 April 1992 to the present time. Information about the period 1 April 1990 to 31 March 1992 is not readily available and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Train Passengers
  Mr. Austin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, if he will list the percentage of passengers in excess of capacity carried by each train operating company during(a) the morning peak hours and (b) the evening peak hours and the number of standing passengers that this represents in each case; and if he will make a statement. [13051]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Figures for 1995 and 1996 are in the table. The trend shows that the number of peak passengers into and out of London has increased but the levels of crowding have reduced. Certain ScotRail services are also subject to Passengers in Excess of Capacity (PIXC) monitoring, but figures are not yet available.
  439

  Passengers in excess of capacity: London terminals

  1995 AM

  1996 AM

  Change

  1995 PM

  1996 PM

  Change

  1995 total

  1996 total

  Change

  London, Tilbury and Southend(per cent.)

  0·3

  0·5

  0·2

  0·0

  0·4

  0·4

  0·2

  0·5

  0·3

  North London

  Watford Local (Inner) (per cent.)

  0·0

  2·1

  2·1

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  1·3

  1·3

  Northampton (Outer) (per cent.)

  0·6

  1·3

  0·7

  0·0

  1·3

  1·3

  0·3

  1·3

  1·0

  Total (per cent.)

  0·5

  1·4

  0·9

  0·0

  1·1

  1·1

  0·3

  1·3

  1·0

  South West Trains

  Inner (per cent.)

  7·1

  3·4

  -3·7

  0·3

  1·2

  0·9

  4·2

  2·4

  -1·8

  Outer (per cent.)

  3·5

  2·2

  -1·3

  0·2

  0·3

  0·1

  1·9

  1·3

  -0·6

  Total (per cent.)

  5·9

  3·0

  -2·9

  0·3

  0·9

  0·6

  3·4

  2·0

  -1·4

  Thames (per cent.)

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·1

  0·0

  -0·1

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Thameslink

  Inner (NSC) (per cent.)

  7·5

  4·6

  -2·9

  0·0

  6·4

  6·4

  4·3

  5·5

  1·2

  Outer (North/South) (per cent.)

  1·6

  1·4

  -0·2

  3·0

  2·1

  -0·9

  2·3

  1·7

  -0·6

  Total (per cent.)

  2·6

  2·0

  -0·6

  2·6

  2·9

  0·3

  2·6

  2·4

  -0·2

  West Anglia and Great Northern

  Inner (per cent.)

  4·8

  1·7

  -3·1

  2·3

  0·4

  -1·9

  3·6

  1·1

  -2·5

  Outer (per cent.)

  0·1

  0·5

  0·4

  0·9

  2·1

  1·2

  0·5

  1·3

  0·8

  Total (per cent.)

  2·7

  1·1

  -1·6

  1·6

  1·3

  -0·3

  2·2

  1·2

  -1·0

  London PIXC total (per cent.)

  3·0

  2·6

  -0·4

  1·0

  1·2

  0·2

  2·1

  1·9

  -0·2

  Passenger numbers

  382,244

  387,488

  5,244

  328,836

  336,972

  8,136

  711,080

  724,460

  13,380

  Passenger numbers (per cent.)

  100

  101·37

  1·37

  100

  102·47

  2·47

  100

  101·88

  1·88

  Number of passengers in excess of capacity

  11,532

  9,948

  -1,584

  3,222

  3,962

  740

  14,754

  13,910

  -844

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Pollution (South-East Asia)
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department has taken in respect of the recent pollution incident in the Malaysian Peninsula, Borneo and Sumatra. [15047]

  Mr. Foulkes
  We reacted swiftly to the environmental emergency in South East Asia with a grant of £62,066 to the United Nations Department of Humanitarian Affairs to provide relief goods to those affected. We offered to send aircraft with infra-red reconnaissance capability to pin-point the location of fires but these were no longer required. We have also provided two experts to support the United Nations' disaster assessment and co-ordination role and a fire-fighting and logistics expert to lead the Technical Co-ordination Group established to co-ordinate international assistance for the provision of ground fire-fighting equipment and training.

  UNESCO
  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development from where savings have been found in her Department's budget to fund membership of UNESCO. [14824]
  440
  Mr. Foulkes
  Our contribution of £5 million for the period 1 July to 31 December 1997 has been met from DFID's in-year contingency reserve. Future annual contributions are being considered in the current resources round.

  Delegated Legislation
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list all(a) secondary, (b) other delegated legislation and (c) all deregulation orders her Department made during the summer adjournment. [14383]

  Mr. Foulkes
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 5 November,Official Report, column 216.

  Windward Islands
  Ms Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what technical assistance has been provided to St. Lucia, Dominica and Grenada to help diversify their economies; and if he will make a statement. [14995]

  Mr. Foulkes
  Current UK Technical Assistance aims to strengthen exportable food crop research, macro economic policy and public sector development. This
  441
  complements substantial EC resources, to which Britain contributes, to promote agricultural and broader economic diversification initiatives in these islands.

  Montserrat
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the UK's aid to Montserrat. [14989]

  Mr. Foulkes
  Since the start of the volcanic crisis some £45.8 million of emergency aid, development assistance and budgetary aid has been committed by Her Majesty's Government to the needs of Montserrat. We are currently working with the Government of Montserrat to develop a sustainable development plan for the north of the island and doing all we can to improve the services provided by Government of Montserrat for the people and the Island. We are also providing assistance to those who wish to leave Montserrat.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  E-Mail
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will place in the Library a list of the e-mail addresses of all Ministers; and if he will make a statement on whether Ministers are accessible by e-mail. [13767]

  Dr. David Clark
  A list of Ministers' e-mail addresses is not held centrally. However, if Ministers would like a central list set up then I would be happy to take this forward. Individual departments are responsible for providing their Ministers with e-mail addresses.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Employment
  Mr. Colman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has for maximising(a) employment levels and (b) employability across the European Union. [14421]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  Unemployment is Europe's most acute problem. A special European Council (the "Jobs Summit") is to take place in Luxembourg on 20/21 of this month, and my right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary will attend for the UK. The main challenge for the Jobs Summit is to produce agreement on the areas where Member States should be taking measures to tackle unemployment and to promote a high and sustainable level of employment. The Summit will discuss draft Employment Guidelines, which are required under the provisions of the Amsterdam Treaty. The Guidelines are central to the efforts of Member States and the EU in the field of employment. We shall want the agreed Guidelines to reflect the paramount importance of employability and job creation. The Commission's draft, published on 1 October, provides a good basis for discussion in it's key themes of adaptability, employability, entrepreneurship, and equal opportunities. We shall want the Summit to commit Member States to take positive action which can be realised during our Presidency and carried forward in the Presidencies that follow.
  442
  The UK Presidency of the Council in the first half of next year gives us a real opportunity to shift the European agenda in a new direction. Our intention is for the Presidency in the Social Affairs and Education fields to have employability as a key, shared theme. There will be a joint informal Council meeting in London next March of next year, formal Councils later in the Presidency and a range of key conferences. Education and Social Affairs Ministers across Europe will be working together and we will be looking to engage many people in our discussions and in taking work forward.

  The Presidency will encompass work on lifelong learning and on innovative ways of tackling unemployment and combating social exclusion. Following the Jobs Summit we intend to set the framework for the Community's new education and training programmes and to focus on the role of the member states and the Community in improving skill levels. During our Presidency we intend to shift the European agenda decisively and to make a concrete start in giving people the skills and adaptability needed for successful careers in the flexible labour markets which are a key part of ensuring the competitiveness of Europe.

  Welfare to Work
  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he will take to ensure that black and Asian young people benefit from the Government's welfare to work proposals. [14402]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The Government are committed to ensuring that the New Deal will actively promote equality of opportunity for young people of all ethnic and racial groups. Delivery arrangements for each element of the programme—the Gateway, the four options and follow-through support—will promote racial equality and are based on detailed consideration of how best to deliver provision for young people from ethnic minorities, including consultation with the Commission for Racial Equality and encouragement to Race Equality Councils to be involved in local arrangements. Further details of the arrangements particularly relating to ethnic minority participants are set out in the New Deal Design document which has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what sanctions he proposes to impose on those aged under 25 years who are unemployed who refuse to take up any of the options offered to them under the Welfare to Work scheme. [14683]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  [holding answer 7 November 1997]We intend that young people who are judged by an Adjudication Officer to have refused a New Deal place without good cause will lose their Jobseeker's Allowance for two weeks. If they refuse a further offer at any time in the following twelve months they will lose JSA for four weeks.

  Delegated Legislation
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list all(a) secondary, (b) other delegated legislation and (c) all deregulation orders his Department made during the summer adjournment. [14380]
  443
  Dr. Howells
  The following items of secondary legislation were made during the period in question:The Education (School Leaving Date) Order 1997;
  The Education (School Inspection) Regulations 1997;
  The Education (Fees and Awards) Regulations 1997;
  The Education (Grants) (Music, Ballet and Choir Schools) (Amendment) Regulations 1997;
  The Education (Assisted Places) Regulations 1997;
  The Education (Assisted Places) (Incidental Expenses) Regulations 1997;
  The Nursery Education (Amendment) Regulations 1997;
  The Nursery Education (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1997;
  The Education (School Performance Information) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 1997;
  The Education (School Performance Information) (England) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1997;
  The Education (London Residuary Body) (Suspense Account Properties) Order 1997;
  The Education (Grants for Education Support and Training) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 1997;
  The Education (Further Education Institutions Information) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 1997;
  The Education (Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and Qualifications and Curriculum Authority for Wales) (Transfer of Property and Designation of Staff) Order 1997;
  The Education (Grant-Maintained Special Schools) (Amendment) Regulations 1997;
  The Education (National Curriculum) (Assessment Arrangements for Key Stages 1, 2 and 3) (England) (Amendment) Order 1997;
  The Education (Funding for Teacher Training) (Designation) (No. 3) Order 1997;
  The Education (Individual Performance Information) (Prescribed Bodies and Persons) Regulations 1997.

  No other delegated legislation or deregulation orders were made.

  Discretionary Grants
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is his Department's estimate of the number of applicants for discretionary grants who have been refused by their local education authority in each of the last five years. [14561]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 6 November 1997]The information requested is not available centrally.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what is his Department's estimate of the number of graduates who(a) earn too little to repay loans and (b) have defaulted on repayment; and if he will make a statement. [14560]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 6 November 1997]At 31 March 1997,(a) 314,378 (49 per cent.) borrowers due to repay were deferring repayment because their income was below 85 per cent. of national average earnings and (b) 34,109 (9.3 per cent.) borrowers due to repay but not in deferment were in default.

  Home Education
  Sir Michael Spicer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many children are currently being educated at home. [14921]
  444
  Ms Estelle Morris
  In January 1997 local education authorities in England were providing home tuition to 10,800 children under their duty to arrange suitable education for pupils who cannot attend school. It has been estimated that a further 10,000 children are educated outside the school system, under arrangements made by their parents.

  School Places
  Mr. Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to review the allocation of school places which prevents a local education authority giving children from its own area priority in admissions to its own schools, when pupils from other authorities live closer to the school. [14758]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  We have no plans to reverse the "Greenwich judgment", under which LEAs may not give preference to children living in their administrative area over children living elsewhere. We do, however, believe that there should be greater co-operation and co-ordination between neighbouring authorities, and we shall encourage this in our proposed new Code of Practice on admissions.

  University Applications
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what assessment he has made of university applications for 1997–98 and the levels of parental income of applicants compared with previous years; and if he will make a statement. [14559]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 6 November 1997]The latest information from the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service indicates that, allowing for the extra Art and Design Admissions Registry applicants new to the UCAS scheme for 1997–98, the number of home and overseas accepted applicants is some 7 to 8 per cent. higher in 1997–98, than in the previous years. Information on the levels of parental income of applicants is not centrally available; nor have we yet received local authorities' annual returns showing the numbers of award-holding students for 1997–98 and the levels of assessed parental contributions, which reflect their income.

  Overseas Students
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary for Education and Employment, how many students who did not hold a British passport enrolled at United Kingdom universities from(a) other EU countries and (b) South East Asia for each of the last five years; and what are the projected enrolment figures for (i) the current academic year and (ii) the next two academic years. [14695]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 6 November 1997]The available data based on domicile rather than passport nationality are given in the table.

  Figures for 1997–98 are not yet available.

  445

  Higher education full-time and part-time student enrolments in Great Britain

  Academic year

  EU domicile

  South East Asia domicile

  1992–93

  36,128

  29,110

  1993–94

  43,850

  35,210

  1994–95

  61,090

  42,487

  1995–96

  76,794

  49,384

  1996–97

  79,904

  46,475

  The Department's forecasts for EU students are confined to those students who receive mandatory awards to cover the cost of their tuition fees. The Department's spending plans allow for a 1 per cent. per annum increase in these numbers. The Department does not make forecasts of the numbers of students from South East Asia who choose to study HE in the UK.

  Higher Education Grants
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, what is his estimate of the annual cost of returning to the full grant system for higher education. [14562]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 6 November 1997]The cost of returning to a full grant system would be about £29 million in academic year 1998–99 and £180 million in 1999–2000, at 1997–98 prices. This assumes that both student numbers and the levels of parental contribution remain unchanged; that the new arrangements would be introduced for all students; and that the existing loan entitlement would be replaced by a means-tested grant. The savings generated by the new higher education funding arrangements we have announced would also be foregone.

  Grammar Schools
  Mr. Norman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how the ballots of parents on the future of grammar schools will be triggered; [14938]

  (2) if a minimum turnout threshold will be set for ballots on the future of grammar schools; [14966]

  (3) how eligible parents will be defined in respect of ballots on the future of grammar schools. [14968]

  Mr. Byers
  The Department issued on 1 August a consultation letter setting out the principles of the government's approach in relation to ballots of parents on future admission arrangements for grammar schools, and inviting views on the issues arising and the procedures which might be adopted. The letter made clear that parental ballots will be triggered only where a petition seeking a ballot has been put forward by local parents. It sought views on which parents should be eligible to vote in ballots, and on the mechanism for conducting ballots. We have received some 1,100 responses to the consultation letter. These are currently being analysed. We shall announce as soon as possible our conclusions on the best way of carrying our proposals forward.

  Teachers
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, how many teachers other than those in further or higher education or independent 446
  schools (a) were made redundant and (b) did not have their contracts renewed for each month from September 1996 to September 1997. [14694]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 6 November 1997]The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his Answer of 29 October,Official Report, column 819, what proportion of teachers, other than those in further and higher education or independent schools, who retired under the age of 60 years in the period October 1996 to September 1997 retired (a) on the grounds of (i) ill-health, (ii) efficiency or (iii) redundancy and (b) aged (1) under 30, (2) 30 to 34, (3) 35 to 39, (4) 40 to 44, (5) 45 to 49, (6) 50 to 54 and (7) 55 to 59 years. [14702]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 6 November 1997]There were 19,310 retirements aged under 60 from the maintained schools sector in England and Wales between October 1996 and September 1997 on the grounds of ill-health, efficiency or redundancy. The number of retirements is provisional. The percentage breakdown by age group and type of retirement is given below.

  Percentages

  Age at retirement

  Ill-health1

  Premature

  Total retirements

  Redundancy

  Efficiency

  Under 30

  —

  n/a

  n/a

  —

  30 to 34

  —

  n/a

  n/a

  —

  35 to 39

  1

  n/a

  n/a

  1

  40 to 44

  2

  n/a

  n/a

  2

  45 to 49

  6

  n/a

  n/a

  6

  50 to 54

  9

  9

  41

  59

  55 to 59

  5

  4

  23

  32

  All ages

  23

  14

  63

  100

  —= less than 0.5 per cent.

  n/a = not applicable.

  1Provisional. Figures are likely to change because of late notifications.

  Tennis
  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the number of schools and sixth-form colleges which have staff qualified to provide tuition in tennis. [15146]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  This information is not collected by the Department.

  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the number of schools and sixth-form colleges which provide tuition in tennis, indicating the number of children receiving such tuition. [15145]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  None. This information is not collected or held centrally.

  Monitor Consultancy
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list(a) the nature and value of contracts his Department has entered into and (b) discussions ministers or officials have held with the Monitor Consultancy since 1990. [14945]
  447
  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 7 November 1997]There is no record of the Department having entered into any contract with Monitor Consultancy nor have any discussions been held with such a company.

  University Students
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the ratio of undergraduate students to teaching staff at(a) Oxford, (b) Cambridge, (c) Durham and (d) all universities in England and Wales. [14629]

  Dr. Howells
  The latest available information which relates to 1993–94 and covers all students (undergraduates and postgraduates) in all higher education institutions in England shows a student: staff ratio of 16·5.

  Because of changes in data sources in 1994–95 more recent figures have not so far been published. It is intended that the next Departmental Annual Report due to be published in March 1998 will contain more up to date figures.

  Student:staff ratios for individual institutions are not compiled by the Department. Figures for former University Funding Council universities were published up to 1993–94, by cost centre, in the University Management Statistics and Performance Indicators in the UK publication.

  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many mature students are currently studying at(a) Oxford, (b) Cambridge and (c) Durham Universities; if he will express that figure as a percentage of the total undergraduate student body of each university; and what is the average for all British universities. [14627]

  Dr. Howells
  The information is given in the following table:

  Mature1 home and overseas undergraduates in higher education 1996–97

  Mature undergraduates (thousands)

  Percentage of all undergraduates

  University

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Oxford

  2·7

  2·7

  24

  100

  Cambridge

  3·0

  2·0

  28

  99

  Durham

  2·0

  0·6

  26

  93

  All higher education institutions in the UK2

  446·3

  346·4

  45

  97

  1Those aged 21 and over in the current academic year.2 Including the Open University.

  Oxford, Cambridge and Durham Colleges
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will estimate the cost to his Department arising from the duplication of administrative functions at the constituent colleges of(a) Oxford, (b) Cambridge and (c) Durham universities. [14628]

  Dr. Howells
  The organisation of their administrative functions is a matter for the colleges concerned, having 448
  regard to the resources available to them. The Department does not have information about the cost of those functions, but has asked the Higher Education Funding Council for England to review college fees. We expect soon to receive the Council's advice on the mechanisms for setting future funding for universities and colleges at Oxford and Cambridge and on any implications for the three independent colleges at Durham, which also receive funding through reimbursement of college fees.

  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will establish the total assets of each constituent college of(a) Oxford, (b) Cambridge and (c) Durham universities. [14625]

  Dr. Howells
  The constituent colleges of Oxford, Cambridge and Durham universities are private sector institutions. The Further and Higher Education Act 1992 specifically debars Government, through the Higher Education Funding Council for England, from having regard to private income in distributing public funds.

  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of his Department's budget in each of the last five years went towards college fees for undergraduates studying at colleges within(a) Oxford, (b) Cambridge and (c) Durham universities. [14623]

  Dr. Howells
  In 1997–98 the net cost of college fees (taking account of the amount of grant clawed back in compensation from Oxford and Cambridge universities by the Funding Council) was –19 million for Oxford, –17 million for Cambridge and –0.6 million for Durham, representing just under 1 per cent. of the Department's budget of –4.4 billion for higher education institutions. The proportion was similar in previous years.

  Undergraduates (Private School Background)
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of the last five years' undergraduate intake at(a) Oxford, (b) Cambridge and (c) Durham universities were from the private school sector. [14624]

  Dr. Howells
  The information is not available in the form requested. The latest information available shows that 52 per cent. of students accepted for entry to undergraduate courses at Oxford in Autumn 1996 came from private schools as did 48 per cent. of Cambridge's intake. Comparable information is not available for Durham.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the budget for 1997–98 for each grant-maintained school in England and Wales as funded by the Funding Agency for Schools. [14669]

  Mr. Byers
  The calculation of grants to individual grant-maintained schools in England is a matter for the Funding Agency for Schools. I have therefore written to Sir Anthony Tippet, Chairman of the Funding Agency, to ask him to provide the figures requested. Responsibility for education in Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

DEFENCE

  Racism
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to combat racism in the armed forces. [14699]

  Dr. Reid
  As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have made clear on a number of occasions, it is our aim fully to embrace diversity in the Armed Forces and that they should better reflect the society they defend. We are determined both to provide a working environment that is free from any form of racial harassment or discrimination and to encourage more people from the ethnic minorities to join the Armed Forces. It has been made absolutely clear to all personnel, from all three Services, that we will not tolerate racism in the Armed forces and will be unremitting in our efforts to remove any racist attitudes, racially discriminatory practice, behaviour or language.

  Changes in attitudes within the Services and perceptions outside will, of course, take time, but we are determined to make real progress in this area. The recent public launch by the Chief of the General Staff of the Army's revised Equal Opportunities Directive gave an unequivocal commitment to upholding the principle of Equality of Opportunity for all Army personnel.

  Examples of the initiatives being pursued by the Army include:
  a booklet setting out a revised, and greatly simplified, complaints procedure designed to assist those exposed to harassment/discrimination, which will be issued to every soldier. The Naval Service and RAF plan to have similar booklets.
  a confidential support helpline service, effective from
  1 December, which will be outside the chain of command;
  an independent Investigation Team to investigate complaints of harassment/discrimination;
  a new Ethnic Minorities Recruiting Team to help increase proportions of ethnic minorities serving.

  The Chiefs of Staff in the Naval Service and the RAF are equally committed to ensuring equality of opportunity in their respective Services, a commitment exemplified by the success of The Royal Navy in being shortlisted by the British Diversity panel in recognition of its efforts to improve equal opportunities.

  All three Services have introduced many initiatives to help combat and eliminate all forms of racism in, and to improve ethnic recruiting to the Armed Forces. Each Service has issued Equal Opportunities Directives and leaflets, which are issued to all servicing and new personnel, spelling out clearly what equal opportunities means, harassment and complaints procedures and their rights and responsibilities. These are supported by individual Service Equal Opportunities Action Plans which allow us to monitor our policies and practice to ensure there is no discrimination. They will also ensure that awareness of both ethnic origin and gender issues are considered when forming new policy and initiatives.

  Each of the Services provide equal opportunities training for all new entrants, officers and NCOs promotion and management courses, Commanding
  450
  Officers, recruiters and equal opportunities advisers. We are looking at what more might be done on a tri-Service basis.

  The Chief of Defence Staff, and the individual Service Chiefs have accepted the CRE's Leadership Challenge and have given their personal commitment to promote racial equality, together with taking practical steps to promote change within their own Services. In addition, each of the Services is a member of the Race for Opportunity scheme.

  UFOs
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's investigations into alleged sightings of unidentified flying objects intruding into British air space. [14907]

  Mr. Spellar
  My Department examines any reports of "unexplained" aerial sightings that are sent to us solely to establish whether what was seen might have some defence significance, namely, whether there was any evidence that the UK Air Defence Region might have been breached by hostile or unauthorised foreign military activity. Unless there is evidence of a potential military threat, and to date no "unidentified flying object" sighting has revealed such evidence, we do not attempt to identify the precise nature of each reported incident.

  RAF Menwith Hill
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the information collected at RAF Menwith Hill is available to the British Security Services. [14513]

  Dr. Reid
  I am withholding information on the operations of the intelligence and security agencies under exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information on the grounds of national security.

  Trident
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons consideration of the Trident system has been excluded from the defence review. [15026]

  Mr. George Robertson
  The retention of Trident was a specific commitment in the Government's election manifesto. The review is however examining all aspects of our deterrence requirements to ensure they reflect changing strategic circumstances. The Government will also press for multi-lateral negotiations towards mutual, balanced and verifiable reductions in nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what strategic factors underlay his decisions to spend an extra £100 million on the Trident system. [15002]

  Mr. George Robertson
  The recent decision on a long standing element of the nearly completed Trident procurement programme is in line with the Government's manifesto commitment to retain Trident to provide a minimum credible nuclear deterrent.

  Hunting
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria his Department has set for the registration of packs of fox hounds which hunt on their land; if such packs must also be recognised by the Master of Fox Hounds Association; and if he will make a statement. [14442]

  Mr. Spellar
  Foxhunting on the Defence Estate is regulated by the licensing of hunts which are officially recognised and accepted by the Committee of the Master of Foxhounds Association. The licence is issued to a hunt representative who must be a member of the Master of Foxhounds Association.

  The registration of packs of foxhounds in the foxhound kennel stud book is a matter for the Master of the Hunt.

CABINET OFFICE

  Millennium Dome
  28. Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio what will be the total cost of constructing the millennium dome at Greenwich. [13455]

  Mr. Mandelson
  The overall cash budget for the Millennium Experience and associated national programme is £758 million. For that the Nation will get: the catalyst for the long-term physical and economic regeneration of a site that has lain derelict for over 20 years; the most famous new building of the year 2000; an Experience that will be the most original and inspiring Millennium event anywhere in the world; and a National Programme of events and activities that will extend right across the Country.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio what monitoring he has undertaken of employees contracted to work on the dome. [13456]

  Mr. Mandelson
  It is for the individual contractors to monitor their own employees. NMEC's work contracts meet all relevant legal requirements.

  Contracts also reflect best practice in matters such as Considerate Contractor Scheme. All aspects of the contracts are regularly monitored by the company to ensure compliance.

  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio what plans he has to move the millennium dome from Greenwich in 2001. [13457]

  Mr. Mandelson
  The Government are currently considering a range of possible, self-financing, uses for the Millennium Experience Dome at Greenwich or possibly elsewhere after 2000.

  Mr. Keith Simpson
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio how long the millennium experience will be maintained at Greenwich. [13458]

  Mr. Mandelson
  The Experience will, as presently planned, run on the Greenwich site for 367 days from 31 December 1999 to 31 December 2000.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio, pursuant to his answer of 28 July,Official Report, column 25, for what reasons he is unable to list the journeys he has undertaken since 2 May at public expense. [14509]

  Mr. Mandelson
  I have nothing to add to the reply that I gave on 28 July,Official Report, column 25.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio, pursuant to his answer of 31 July,Official Report, column 426, for what reasons he does not propose to disclose details of conversations, meetings or other engagements undertaken in pursuance of his duties as Minister without Portfolio. [14510]

  Mr. Mandelson
  Even if it were possible to keep universally detailed records of the kind the hon. Member appears to envisage, the cost of so doing would be quite disproportionate.

  Media Reporting
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio if he will list the occasions since 2 May on which he or persons within his Office have complained to the media about the reporting of the Government's activities. [14516]

  Mr. Mandelson
  I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Mr. Hawkins) on 25 June,Official Report, column 524.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Welfare-to-Work Programme
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much of the £195 million mentioned in her Department's press release of 29 October will be made available exclusively for the needs of disabled people within the welfare-to-work programme. [14680]

  Mr. Denham
  [holding answer 6 November]The Government strongly believe that, for people of working age, work is the best form of welfare. We are committed to improving opportunities for sick and disabled people to work, up to £195 million has been set aside from the Windfall Tax to fund this important programme.

  Many people with disabilities or long-term health problems want to work and the aim of the Welfare to Work programme is to allow them to do so. We wish to develop ways to give each sick and disabled person the advice, help and support they need to achieve their aspirations and to move towards financial independence.

  The money set aside from the Windfall Tax will be used to actively explore a range of approaches, covering various illnesses and disabilities, to identify and pursue

  453
  the best ways to help people with disabilities and long-term health problems move into work or remain in work.

  Mr. Steve Reardon
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if she will publish the level of salary paid to Government information officers on the same grade as Mr. Steve Reardon; and what plans she has for a successor to be paid more; [15060]

  (2) for what reasons Mr. Steve Reardon ceased to work as Director of Information at her Department on 16 September; [15061]

  (3) if she requested Mr. Steve Reardon to leave his post; and if she will make a statement; [15062]

  (4) if she is seeking a replacement to the Director of Information at her Department from outside the Civil Service; and what is the maximum salary that her Department is prepared to pay an individual accepting that post or a post to replace Mr. Reardon; [15063]

  (5) if she will list the advertisements and internal memoranda relating to the vacancy to replace Mr. Reardon at her Department; and if she will publish the job description and duties of the post; [15064]

  (6) if the position of Director of Information at her Department as it existed up to 16 September has been abolished; and if she will make a statement; [15065]

  (7) if the successor to Mr. Steve Reardon at her Department will be of the same grade as Mr. Reardon; [15066]

  (8) if she will publish the job description and duties of the Director of Information at her Department prior to 16 September. [15067]

  Ms Harman
  The former Director of Information at the DSS left his post on 16 September. I did not request him to leave; he stepped aside after agreeing with the Department the need for a different style and approach in his Directorate. An advertisement for a new Director of Information was placed in The Guardian newspaper on 20 October and, shortly afterwards, was circulated to members of the Government Information Service. The job is open to people with the appropriate skills and experience whether or not they are existing civil servants.

  The level of responsibility, the pay range and duties of the post are unaltered. It is a Senior Civil Service post and the appropriate remuneration lies in the range £52,020 to £86,700 per annum. The job description is as follows:
  "The Director of Information is Press Secretary to the Secretary of State for Social Security and is responsible for advice to the Department on media handling and presentation across the full range of its responsibilities, including supporting the Secretary of State in her role as Minister for Women.
  The Director is Head of Profession for all Government Information Service staff with the department and provides advice to Agency Chief Executives on issues such as information standards, staff recruitment and propriety. He/she manages a team of around 40 professional and administrative staff and is responsible for expenditure of around £5 million a year.
  The postholder reports to the Head of Policy Group and is directly accountable to the Secretary of State".

  454
  The advertisement offers a salary of up to £70,000 per annum depending upon the experience of the successful candidate. The pay of other senior Information Officers is a matter for individual departments but is determined in the same way and by reference to rules laid down for appointments to the Senior Civil Service.

  The selection of a new Director of Information will be conducted under the Civil Service Commissioners' rules which ensure fair and open competition. The selection process will be chaired by a Commissioner.

  Benefits Fraud Inspectorate
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much money the Government are allocating to the Benefits Fraud Inspectorate; and how much money she estimates will be saved through tighter surveillance of benefit fraud. [15179]

  Mr. Denham
  The Benefit Fraud Inspectorate (BFI) will play a vital role in driving up operational standards to maximise counter-fraud performance and minimise the risk of fraud throughout the Social Security system. This will be achieved by forward looking inspection reports with recommendations on how performance can be improved and by identifying and encouraging good practice.

  Under the spending plans of the previous Government, BFI was allocated an annual running costs budget of £2 million for 1997–98. We are now considering whether this is adequate for the BFI to carry out an effective inspection programme for local authorities and DSS Agencies.

  It is not possible to quantify precisely the impact of more secure systems and improvements in standards of counter-fraud activity in preventing and detecting fraud. Much will depend on the nature of the problems identified by the BFI inspections. We expect BFI, along with a range of other work, to deliver in due course permanent reductions in the amount lost to benefit fraud, although it may not be possible to isolate completely the effects of each initiative.

  Press Conferences
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in what circumstances Government press conferences are shared with pressure groups. [15173]

  Mr. Field
  This Department invites Pressure Groups to attend press conferences when it is appropriate.

  National Insurance Contributions
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are her estimates of the yield to the Exchequer from extending(a) employee and (b) employer national insurance contributions to all taxable benefits in kind; and if she will make a statement. [14522]

  Mr. Denham
  It is estimated that the extension of Class 1A paid by employers to other taxable benefits at the current 10.0 per cent. rate would raise approximately £300 million. Extending Class 1 paid by both employers and employees to taxable benefits in kind, assuming that all contributions are paid at the main 10 per cent. rate, is estimated to result in revenue of around £850 million in
  455
  secondary contributions and £250 million in primary. However this would have to be offset against the loss of around £550 million Class 1A, giving a net gain of around £550 million.

  We have already announced measures to bring non-cash vouchers into liability for National Insurance. We will continue to keep pay practices and the case for extending contributions to other benefits in kind under review.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is her estimate of the effects on employment of a 1 per cent. reduction in the rates of employers' national insurance contributions; and if she will make a statement. [14518]

  Mr. Denham
  It is not possible to produce an estimate.

  The effect of changes on employers' National Insurance contributions cannot be isolated from other factors affecting the level of employment.

  Appeals Backlog
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment she has made of the extent to which the backlog of appeals will be reduced by the provisions of the Social Security Bill. [15172]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  The Social Security Bill contains measures which will address the backlog of appeals. For example, the powers for the Commissioners to return supported appeals. In addition, tribunals and the Commissioners will not have to revise cases following a decision of the Commissioners and Courts in a lead case as they will be processed by the Agency.

  Other measures will reduce the potential for backlogs to occur in the future. For example, the new disputes process will allow errors to be corrected quickly by the Department's Agencies and will reduce the number of cases that go to appeal. New powers to deal with meritless appeals and the more responsive composition of tribunals will speed up the handling of appeals as well.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will take personal responsibility for the administration of the appeals system, set and publish demanding targets to shorten the time it takes for appeals to be heard, and report on the results.

  Mortgage Interest Payments
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many income support recipients with a mortgage are currently building up arrears because of the use of a standard interest rate; [15171]

  (2) what estimate she has made of the total mortgage arrears run up to date by income support recipients with mortgages as a result of the use of a standard rate. [15170]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  The information is not available.

  Incapacity Benefit
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans the Government have for encouraging those currently claiming incapacity benefit to gain employment. [15175]
  456
  Mr. Denham
  The Government strongly believes that work is the best form of welfare for people of working age. We are committed to improving opportunities for sick and disabled people who want to work, including those receiving incapacity benefits, and have set aside some £195 million from the Windfall Tax to fund this important programme. We will use this money to explore a range of approaches to identify and pursue the best ways of helping people with disabilities and long-term health problems to move into work, and to avoid becoming dependent on long-term incapacity benefits.

  We are consulting with disability organisations and employers on our proposals. These include funding a number of innovative schemes to explore how best to help people move into work or stay in work; introducing personal advisers to help sick and disabled people to overcome barriers to work; an information campaign to improve knowledge of the existing help available to help people into work and to change attitudes of benefit recipients, employers and the public; and a programme of research and evaluation to develop our understanding of the client group and to determine the effect of our initiatives.

  Cold Weather Payments
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total spent on cold weather payments during the winter of 1996–97. [15178]

  Mr. Denham
  In the winter of 1996–97 almost five million Cold Weather Payments were made at a cost of £42 million.

  Supported Housing
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has for consultation on the long term funding arrangements for supported housing; and if she will make a statement. [14901]

  Ms Harman
  [pursuant to her reply, 5 November 1997, Official Report, c. 246]Securing stable, sustainable long term funding arrangements for supported housing will take time. The Government are keen to take the views of those working in the field before making any decision. I am therefore setting out our objectives for the long term.

  These are:
  A Government-wide approach;
  Clarifying responsibilities for controlling, targeting, and prioritising public expenditure on services supporting people in their homes—avoiding gaps and overlaps between budgets;
  Ensuring the funding system can respond to individuals' needs and enable support to be provided in different types of accommodation and tenures;
  Avoiding the possibility that accommodation choices may be distorted by the availability and interaction of different funding (this may result from the inter action of demand-led and cash-limited funding streams);
  Encouraging coherent and transparent planning, funding and accountability arrangements—at the appropriate level—for support services in the context of wider community care and related programmes;
  Compatibility with the Government's wider social policy objectives;

  457
  Encouraging the most cost effective approach across all sectors which takes account of all public expenditure costs; group and wider funding responsibilities, and links with other changes that authorities face;
  Giving landlords confidence to make accommodation available to vulnerable people and to develop new provision;
  Practicality—identifying solutions that are workable at central and local levels which could be implemented reasonably simply, considering what transitional arrangements might be necessary.

  458
  Departmental Officials will be contacting over two hundred individuals and organisations who responded to last year's Social Security Advisory Committee consultation. The Committee's report was published last week. We shall now ask respondents for their views on how best to translate these objectives into a modern, practical and sustainable funding system for this valuable social provision. Others who may wish to contribute to the debate are welcome to do so. Representations will be taken up to 5 December 1997.

  Montserrat
  Montserrat
  Bosnia: US Train and Equip Programme
  Bosnia: US Train and Equip Programme
  Pocklington Canal
  Pocklington Canal
  PLA Pilotage Direction No. 5
  PLA Pilotage Direction No. 5
  Mine Closure Areas: Economic Support
  Mine Closure Areas: Economic Support
  Benefits Agency: Performance Related Pay
  Benefits Agency: Performance Related Pay
  Mine Safety
  Mine Safety
  Hammersmith Bridge: Traffic Data
  Hammersmith Bridge: Traffic Data
  All Work Test for Incapacity Benefit
  All Work Test for Incapacity Benefit
  NHS Trust Board Appointments
  NHS Trust Board Appointments
  Psychotherapists
  Psychotherapists
  University Funding
  University Funding
  Self-assessment and Farmers' Expenses
  Self-assessment and Farmers' Expenses
  Listed Houses
  Listed Houses
  Abortion Statistics
  Abortion Statistics
  Prison Service: Director General's Review
  Prison Service: Director General's Review
  R v Secretary of State for the Home
  R v Secretary of State for the Home
  R v Secretary of State for the Home
  R v Secretary of State for the Home
  Turkish Nationals: Asylum Application Data
  Turkish Nationals: Asylum Application Data
  Wales: Higher Education Funding
  Wales: Higher Education Funding