Written Answers of 27 April 1998

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  New Opportunities Fund
  Mr. Linton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will give estimates of the cash allocations for each of the New Opportunities Fund's initiatives for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, according to the methodologies announced at Second Reading of the National Lottery Bill in the House of Lords; and if he will make a statement. [40120]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  I have today published preliminary drafts of Policy Directions which I intend to give to the New Opportunities Fund. Copies have been placed in the Library. These set out the proportion of money from that fund to be allocated between each of the four

  £ million

  NOF initiative

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  N. Ireland

  Unallocated

  Total

  Healthy living centres

  232.5

  34.5

  19.5

  13.5

  —

  300

  ICT training and content creation

  199.4

  25.6

  13.6

  11.4

  50

  300

  of which:

  Teacher training

  183.3

  23.2

  12.7

  10.8

  —

  230

  Librarian training

  16.1

  2.4

  0.9

  0.6

  —

  20

  Content creation

  —

  —

  —

  —

  50

  50

  Out of school hours activities

  310

  46

  26

  18

  —

  400

  of which:

  Learning activities

  139.5

  20.7

  11.7

  8.1

  —

  180

  Childcare

  155

  23

  13

  9

  —

  200

  Integrated childcare and learning

  15.5

  2.3

  1.3

  0.9

  —

  20

  Total

  741.9

  106.1

  59.1

  42.9

  50

  1,000

  Mr. Linton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will publish drafts of policy directions which he intends to give to the New Opportunities Fund under Section 26(1) of the National Lottery etc. Act 1993 and Section 43C(1), to be inserted into the 1993 Act by the National Lottery Bill[Lords]. [40121]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  I am publishing today preliminary drafts of the Policy Directions for the New Opportunities Fund, with accompanying explanatory notes. As drafts, these will, of course, be subject to further refinement and consultation with the Board of the New Opportunities Fund when it is established, before they are formally issued.

  The Directions will ensure the New Opportunities Fund will deliver the objectives of the three initiatives set out in the White Paper (health, education and the environment) and overwhelmingly supported in the subsequent consultation exercise; set up a framework for the New Opportunities Fund's operation as an efficient,
  2
  countries of the UK for each of its first initiatives. The National Lottery is proving more successful and raising more money than anyone anticipated. I am determined that this extra money should be spent on projects which bring wider benefits to more people across the whole of the UK.

  I have decided that the money from the New Opportunities Fund should be allocated between each of the four countries of the UK on a basis appropriate to each of the different initiatives it will support. So: the £300 million for healthy living centres will be allocated on the basis of population size, weighted by deprivation factors; the £400 million for out of school hours activities will also be allocated on the basis of population size, weighted by deprivation factors; the £250 million for information and communications technology training for teachers and librarians will be divided by the number of teachers and librarians in each country. Decisions have not yet been taken on the allocation of the £50 million for content creation.

  The Lottery is played by the majority of adults across the UK and I want to ensure that as far as possible every area benefits from the money it raises for good causes.

  Current estimates of what this will mean in cash terms for the next five years are shown in the table.

  accountable, independent public body like the other Lottery distributors; require the New Opportunities Fund, like other distributors, to take account of important government policies and strategies relevant to its work.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Waste Recycling
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what action he is taking to help local authorities to meet the waste recycling targets of(a) 60 per cent. reduction of wastes going to landfill by 2005, (b) recovery of 40 per cent. of municipal waste by 2005, (c) 25 per cent. household waste recycled by 2000 and (d) 75 per cent. of local authorities actively promoting composting by 2000. [38616]
  3
  Angela Eagle
  Our prime aim is to move waste management up the waste hierarchy—reduction, re-use, recovery (which includes composting, recycling and energy from waste), and finally disposal—having regard to the Best Practicable Environmental Option (BPEO). On the national targets mentioned by the hon. Gentleman, we have taken the actions set out below.

  (a) The target in the previous Government's White Paper "Making Waste Work" is to reduce the proportion of controlled waste going to landfill to 60 per cent. by 2005. The landfill tax is the main tool we have for reducing the amount of waste going to landfill and the increase in the standard rate of tax (for active waste) from £7 to £10 per tonne, which takes effect from April 1999, will build on the reduction that has already taken place since the introduction of the tax. The same proportion£20 per cent.£of additional revenue generated by this increase will be available for distribution to environmental bodies as is the case for funds under the current scheme. The Government will also be considering whether the environmental bodies scheme could be enhanced, and in particular examining how it could be used to encourage more recycling.

  Under the United Kingdom's presidency of the European Union, a Council Common Position has been agreed on the draft landfill directive, which would entail substantial reductions in the landfill of biodegradable municipal waste.

  (b) "Making Waste Work" also set a target of 40 per cent. recovery of municipal waste by 2005. We have accepted all of the recommendations of the cross-sectoral Review Group on the Role of Local Authorities in Recycling, one of which was that Waste Disposal Authorities and Waste Collection Authorities should work together to formulate integrated municipal waste management strategies. Such a strategy would bring into play all the various ways of dealing with waste—composting, recycling, energy from waste and final disposal. With the increasing cost of final disposal to landfill, I would expect waste management options further up the hierarchy to play a more important role in an integrated waste management strategy than they do at present. Composting, recycling and energy from waste all count towards this national recovery target.

  The Department has recently issued guidance to local authorities on revising their recycling plans and strategies. The emphasis in the guidance is very much on authorities working together towards integrated municipal waste strategies, of which we expect waste collection authorities' recycling plans to form an integral part.

  The Packaging Regulations will also have an important role to play in meeting this target. The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 were introduced by the previous Government and reflect a shared approach agreement between business sectors as a means of implementing the EC Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste. These Regulations are a first step towards changing attitudes in industry and in society more generally towards consumption, disposal and recycling. The targets in the Regulations are staggered in such a way that will allow the UK to meet the Directive targets as required in 2001,
  4
  that is that at least 50 per cent. of packaging waste be recovered each year from 2001 and thereafter, and at least 15 per cent. of each material be recycled.

  The Regulations are currently being reviewed by the Advisory Committee on Packaging. Among the matters under consideration is the scope for strengthening the local authority role. The Committee is to report at the end of May. Consultation on any proposed changes to the Regulations will take place in the summer.

  (c) As far as the target of recycling 25 per cent. of household waste is concerned, we do not now expect it to be met. However, it needs to be recognised that some local authorities are already recycling 25 per cent. of their household waste, although others only manage less than 3 per cent. The important thing is for those authorities with lower recycling rates to benefit from the experience of those achieving higher rates, and to this end the Department is currently undertaking a Good Practice project, which will disseminate to all authorities the good practice of, and lessons learnt by, about forty authorities.

  (d) "Making Waste Work" contains targets on composting, including for 1 million tonnes of organic household waste a year to be composted by 2001. This administration is keen to increase the quality and quantity of municipal waste which is composted. One of the main barriers to centralised composting is the lack of markets for the end product. In November last year we issued guidance to local authorities on designing and marketing their compost to large-scale users, mainly in the horticultural and landscaping industries. At the same time, we issued guidance to a wide range of prospective users in those sectors on the benefits of specifying waste-derived compost.

  We have also set up a Composting Development Group to identify the problems and obstacles of marketing waste-derived composts to the agricultural, land restoration, landscaping and horticultural sectors, and to develop proposals to help overcome them. The Group is due to report in the summer.

  Tenancy Relations Officers
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many local authorities employ tenancy relations officers, pursuant to the Protection from Eviction Act 1977. [39335]

  Mr. Raynsford
  A survey commissioned by the Department of the Environment in 1995 to explore how local authorities work with the private rented sector found that about 30 per cent. of local authorities employed tenancy relations officers. However, about 80 per cent. of London Boroughs and over half of the metropolitan authorities employed tenancy relations officers.

  Shorthold Tenancies
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans his Department has to commission research into matters relating to private tenancies, with particular reference to six-month assured shorthold tenancies. [39336]
  5
  Mr. Raynsford
  Information on matters relating to private tenancies, including assured shorthold tenancies, is collected on a continuous basis by the Survey of English Housing, and reports are published annually.

  The Department is currently commissioning research to investigate harassment and illegal eviction in the private rented sector and is planning, later this year, to commission research into private renters' attitudes to, and experiences of, the private rented sector. Both studies will cover private renters with assured shorthold tenancies.

  Cause

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  6

  7

  8

  9

  10

  11

  12

  13

  Total1

  Antisocial behaviour

  362

  408

  472

  428

  449

  394

  377

  365

  382

  339

  359

  350

  452

  5,137

  Passenger ill/injured

  38

  42

  50

  54

  54

  29

  48

  54

  65

  53

  48

  41

  34

  610

  Person on track

  23

  22

  28

  45

  20

  28

  31

  17

  22

  33

  26

  34

  24

  353

  Driving technique

  64

  58

  63

  63

  57

  63

  47

  58

  53

  31

  43

  40

  62

  702

  Rolling stock

  1,056

  1,185

  1,101

  1,187

  1,430

  1,049

  1,102

  1,141

  1,084

  927

  1,101

  1,014

  1,166

  14,543

  Possession overrun

  11

  5

  5

  8

  4

  5

  5

  8

  14

  3

  5

  5

  10

  88

  Signals/point

  206

  220

  187

  190

  210

  193

  239

  294

  268

  183

  156

  148

  170

  2,664

  Terminus management

  339

  368

  315

  382

  494

  437

  428

  510

  468

  451

  419

  475

  477

  5,563

  Track

  45

  68

  67

  74

  60

  60

  48

  62

  70

  68

  77

  74

  60

  833

  Unattended luggage

  72

  58

  41

  40

  41

  29

  29

  22

  36

  26

  22

  26

  37

  479

  All other

  92

  96

  104

  107

  124

  112

  105

  113

  99

  80

  131

  95

  126

  1,384

  Total

  2,308

  2,530

  2,433

  2,578

  2,943

  2,399

  2,459

  2,644

  2.561

  2,194

  2,387

  2,302

  2,618

  32,356

  1London Transport calculates statistics on the basis of four week 'periods'. The figures in the table relate to the 13 periods in the financial year 1997–98.

  Our Public/Private Partnership proposals will ensure that London Underground has the resources it needs to replace the worn out equipment that leads to rolling stock, signalling, and control failures.

  We will also be working with London Underground to see how best to tackle the other causes of delays.

  Local Government Pensions
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many applications for dispensation(a) have been approved and (b) were not approved in each year since the coming into force of (i) the Local Government Compensation for Redundancy Regulations 1994 (SI 3025) and (ii) the Local Government Pension Scheme (Pensionable Remuneration Amendment) Regulations 1995 (SI 2249). [39683]

  Mr. Raynsford
  This information is not held centrally because the discretion whether to award a one-off compensation payment or to reinstate a reduced pension at its former level under these regulations lay entirely with local authorities. In both cases they had six months to decide whether to exercise it. The time limit for the 1994 regulations expired on 27 June 1995 and for the 1995 regulations on 27 March 1996.

  A27, Glynde
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the cost of the recent works to improve junction safety on the A27 at Ranscombe Lane, Glynde; and what assessment his Department has made of the advantages of installing simultaneously a cycle path between Lewes and Beddingham. [39584]

  London Underground
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the causes of delays to London Underground passenger journeys in 1997, broken down into specified time periods and indicating for each category the ways in which the proposed new funding arrangements will reduce those delays. [39428]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  I understand from London Transport that figures for the number of train delays for the year 1997–98 are as follows:

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  [holding answer 24 April 1998]: The current estimate of the cost of the works to improve Ranscombe Lane junction is £155,000. There has been no assessment to establish the merits of combining this scheme with the Highways Agency's future scheme to install a cycle path between Lewes and Beddingham. It would not have been practicable to carry them out simultaneously, Ranscombe Lane junction was a high priority safety project and improvement was essential to reduce the number of accidents there. The proposal for a cycle path between Lewes and Beddingham is still at an early stage of preparation, for possible implementation in this financial year.

  Carbon Dioxide Emissions
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the relationship between growth in gross domestic product and changes in carbon dioxide emissions. [39726]

  Angela Eagle
  There is a complex relationship between changes in gross domestic product and carbon dioxide emissions because the types of fuel used, the structure of the economy, and energy efficiency are all changing over time. We estimate that under present conditions every 1% increase in GDP would increase emissions of carbon dioxide by about 0.5%, other things being equal. But changes in the other factors mentioned mean that the trend in UK emissions of carbon dioxide is falling at present, whilst gross domestic product is increasing.

  Civic Amenity Sites
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will give guidance to local authorities on the extent to which civic
  7
  amenity sites are made available in rural areas, and on the maximum travel distance required to convey material to such sites. [39655]

  Angela Eagle
  No. Under the Environment Protection Act 1990, each Waste Disposal Authority has a duty to arrange for
  "places to be provided at which persons resident in its area may deposit their household waste"
  and to ensure that these civic amenity sites are "reasonably accessible". The Act does not stipulate what is reasonable and my Department has no power to intervene. We have no plans to issue guidance. However, as far as recycling facilities are concerned, we do have a national target of ensuring that 80% of households have easily accessible facilities by 2000 and the Environment Agency has been asked to consider the possibility of licensing unmanned civic amenity sites where appropriate with a view to assisting their provision in rural areas.

  New Road Projects
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what has been the total cost of new road projects authorised by him since 1 May 1997. [39861]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Since 1 May 1997 new trunk road projects worth £294.5m have been authorised following the Accelerated Roads Review. Of that figure, some £4.2m has been spent to date.

  Neighbour Disputes
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures he is considering as part of his review of those powers which are available to local planning authorities, to intervene in neighbour disputes caused by excessively high garden boundaries; and when he expects the review to be complete. [39494]

  Angela Eagle
  There is no general review of the powers available to local planning authorities to control excessively high garden boundaries.

  We are, however, considering whether Government intervention in relation to leylandii and other high hedges is necessary.

  Housing Benefit
  Maria Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has for curbing the cost of housing benefit by introducing rent controls; and if he will make a statement. [38476]

  Mr. Raynsford
  We are considering rent levels and their interaction with Housing Benefit in the context of our overall housing policy as part of our Comprehensive Spending Review. Conclusions from the Review are due to be announced in the summer.

  Rail Travel (Disabled Access)
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Disability Discrimination Act Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations will be published. [39879]
  8
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  We are planning to publish shortly a consultation document which will contain draft Rail Vehicle Accessibility Regulations. The final regulations will be published later this year when they have been approved by Parliament and will apply to all new rail vehicles entering service from 1 January 1999.

  Safety at Work
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures the Government are taking to reduce industrial injuries and promote safety at work. [39878]

  Angela Eagle
  The Health and Safety Commission's Plans of Work set out what the Commission and the Health and Safety Executive are doing to promote health and safety at work and reduce occupational injury. The Plan for 1998–99 is expected to be published at the end of May. This Government take health and safety at work very seriously and have allocated additional funding of £4.5 million for 1998–99. This will enable the Commission to reinforce its field activity and take forward its key priorities, which will include the improvement of occupational health and cutting injury rates, particularly in the agriculture, construction and manufacturing sectors.

  Play Resource Warehouse, Belfast
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will allocate capital funding for the provision of accommodation for the Play Resource Warehouse, Belfast. [39306]

  Mr. Worthington
  An application from the Play Resource Warehouse for funding for a specific capital project is being considered in the light of available resources.

  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what applications the Department of Education, Northern Ireland has received from the Play Resource Warehouse in Belfast for capital funding for new premises. [39305]

  Mr. Worthington
  One application for part funding was received in 1997 under the Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation.

  Businesses
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many businesses employ 10 or more people in Northern Ireland; how many businesses that employ 10 or more people are members of the CBI in Northern Ireland; on what basis she has assessed that the CBI in Northern Ireland is representative of business opinion on Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement. [39196]

  Mr. Ingram
  At 22 April 1998 there were 6,185 private sector businesses employing 10 or more people in Northern Ireland. Total employment in these firms is some 300,000. I understand the CBI in Northern Ireland has about 300 member firms employing approximately 100,000 people and representing a wide spectrum of
  9
  business activity. I welcome views from the CBI and other business organisations in Northern Ireland on a broad range of economic and commercial topics.

  Ministerial Group on the Family
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times the Ministerial Group on the Family has met since 1 January; and when it will hold its next meeting. [39383]

  Mr. Michael
  The Ministerial Group on the Family has met once since 1 January. Its next meeting is planned for 11 May 1998.

  Drugs
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the cautioning rates by police force area for(a) the supply of class A drugs, (b) the possession of class A drugs and (c) the supply of class B drugs. [39385]

  Year

  Armed with a replica gun

  Armed with a knife

  Armed with a gun

  Unarmed

  Still under investigation

  1989

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  1990

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  1991

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1 starting pistol

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1992

  1

  0

  2

  0

  0

  1993

  0

  0

  3

  0

  0

  1994

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1995

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  1996

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  1997

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  The Police Complaints Authority have kept the relevant records only since 1991. They have supervised investigations into 14 fatal shootings between 1991 and 1997. In every case they have issued a certificate under section 89(7) of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, recording their satisfaction with the way in which the investigation was conducted. They are still investigating one case of a fatal shooting during that period.

  Millennium Compliance
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if all the computer systems used by the emergency services in England will be millennium compliant by 31 December 1998. [39894]

  Mr. Straw
  No. It is the responsibility of each police force and fire authority to ensure that their local information technology (IT) and communications systems are millennium compliant. In prioritising the remedial actions necessary to resolve millennium problems, forces and brigades will take into account the date by which particular systems need to be compliant. Priority will be given to those key systems which will need to be compliant by the start of 1999. For other systems, the end of 1999 will be the target date for compliance.
  10
  Mr. George Howarth
  The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Some information on cautioning rates in 1996 for all drug offences taken together by police force area has recently been published (see table A2.4 in Statistics of Drug Seizures and Offenders dealt with, United Kingdom, 1996—Area Tables), copies of which are in the Library.

  Police (Fatal Shootings)
  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people were shot dead by police officers in 1997; and of those, how many were(a) unarmed, (b) armed with a replica gun and (c) armed with a gun; [38463]

  (2) how many of those people who were shot dead by police officers in each of the years 1989 to 1996 were (a) armed with a replica gun, (b) armed with a knife and (c) armed with a gun; [38464]

  (3) in how many cases of fatal shootings by the police in each year since 1981 the Police Complaints Authority has issued a certificate of satisfaction in connection with its inquiry. [38466]

  Mr. Michael
  The information is given in the table.

  Ambulance Trusts and Acute Trusts providing accident and emergency services, in line with other National Health Service organisations, are making every effort to ensure their computer systems are millennium compliant by 31 December 1998. In particular, ambulance command and control systems have been given a very high priority in determining their compliance status and in undertaking the necessary replacements or upgrades. However, in some cases, it may not be possible to complete the latter until the first quarter of 1999.

  MISC4, the Ministerial Group on the Millennium Date Change, is continuing to give priority to preparing the national infrastructure, including the emergency services, for the new millennium. I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Swansea, East (Mr. Anderson) on 30 March 1998, Official Report, columns 374–76.

  Handguns
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Michael Wellum, of Wrenwell Farm, Denbury, Devon, will receive compensation for the pistols he handed in 1997; and what factors underlie the length of time taken to handle the claim. [39779]
  11
  Mr. Michael
  The claim was received in the Firearms Compensation Section on 28 August 1997. The Option A and B elements of the claim, and of an accompanying ex gratia application under the voluntary surrender scheme for small-calibre pistols, were processed on 23 January 1998 and payment made. The remaining Option C elements, which will require individual consideration of the evidence of value provided, will be dealt with later in the year. As I have said to the House on many occasions, the number and complexity of these compensation claims, and the need for careful examination to counter fraud and ensure payment at the correct rates, are all factors contributing to the processing time.

  Cornish Language
  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will support the nomination of the Cornish language for inclusion in the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. [39700]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Ceredigion, (Mr. Dafis) on 9 March 1998,Official Report, column 56.

  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment the Government have made of the advantages to(a) Britain and (b) Cornwall and Scilly of the proposal to incorporate the Cornish language in the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. [39701]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave today to his previous question (39700). The advantages to Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly will form part of the assessment of the relevant Government Departments.

  Refugee Legal Group
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Refugee Legal Group will receive a reply to their letter of 17 July, concerning entry clearance officers in Columbo. [39484]

  Mr. Fatchett
  My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs wrote to the hon. Member on 22 April 1998 replying to the points raised in the Refugee Legal Group's letter.

  Consular Offices (South Africa)
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens have sought advice and assistance from the British High Commission in South Africa in each of the last three years. [39703]

  Mr. Fatchett
  The total number of telephone/postal and personal requests for assistance and advice recorded in our Consular statistics for South Africa are:

  1995: 173,300

  1996: 303,850

  1997: 306,400.

  12
  The number of services provided to British Citizens in the last three years by the Consular Offices in South Africa are as follows:

  Passport Applications:

  1995: 27,000

  1996: 28,000

  1997: 31,800.

  Number of British Citizens provided with financial assistance:

  1995: 242

  1996: 582

  1997: 366.

  Number of protection cases related to accidents, deaths, arrests, prison and hospital visits involving British citizens:

  1995: 242

  1996: 130

  1997: 287.

  Indian Prime Minister
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to meet the Prime Minister of India. [39704]

  Mr. Fatchett
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no plans to meet the Indian Prime Minister in the near future. I hope to visit India and have discussions with the new Government there soon.

  Ambassadors
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the ambassadors he has appointed since 1 May 1997. [39705]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  The following Ambassadors have been appointed and announced since 1 May 1997:

  Name

  Country or International Organisation

  Sir A. Allen

  Australia

  Mr. G. Baker

  Barbados

  Mr. J. Wilde

  Botswana

  Mr. J. S. Laing

  Brunei

  Mr. J. Jenkins

  Burma

  Mr. P. Boon

  Cameroon

  Mr. J. Thorp

  Colombia

  Mr. A. Green

  Costa Rica

  Mr. T. Millson

  Gambia

  Sir P. Lever

  Germany

  Mr. A. Caie

  Guatemala

  Mr. M. Pellew

  Holy See

  Mr. M. Williams

  New Zealand

  Mr. J. Yapp

  Seychelles

  Mr. B. Dinwiddy

  Tanzania

  Sir C. Meyer

  United States of America

  Mr. T. Young

  Zambia

  Mr. P. Longworth

  Zimbabwe

  Governors

  Mr. F. Savage

  British Virgin Islands

  International Organisations

  Mr. J. Greenstock

  United Nations

  Mr. I. Soutar

  UK Delegation to the Conference on Disarmament

  13
  It is not possible to give details of appointments which have not yet been formally announced.

  EU Common Foreign and Security Policy
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 27 March 1998,Official Report, column 311, if he will make it his policy to seek agreement with other member states so that the subjects discussed at the EU Common Foreign and Security Policy working groups can be disclosed. [38918]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  [holding answer 24 April 1998]: Several Member States have consistently made clear their objection to publication of documents that reveal details of their negotiating position.
  As my answer of 27 March 1998, Official Report, column 311 stated, the Government are committed to ensuring more effective parliamentary scrutiny of CFSP business, and have published proposals to that effect.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 27 March 1998,Official Report, column 311, if he will publish in advance the dates on which EU Common Foreign and Security Policy working groups meet. [38919]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  [holding answer 24 April 1998]: The calendar of Common Foreign and Security Policy working groups for the remainder of the UK Presidency of the European Union is as follows:

  Date

  Working groups

  April 1998

  Wednesday 22

  Security, Asia, Middle East/ Gulf

  Friday 24

  Planners, Global Disarmament

  Wednesday 29

  Central Europe, Conventional Arms Exports

  Thursday 30

  Africa

  May 1998

  Tuesday 5

  Euro-Mediterranean

  Wednesday 6

  Mashraq/Maghreb, Eastern Europe/Central Asia, Terrorism

  Thursday 7

  Western Balkans Region, Asia, Middle East Peace Process

  Friday 8

  Armaments Policy, South East Europe

  Monday 11

  OSCE

  Wednesday 13

  Human Rights

  Thursday 14

  Human Rights

  Tuesday 19

  Latin America, Drugs

  Wednesday 27

  United Nations, Euro-Mediterranean

  Thursday 28

  Euro-Mediterranean

  Thursday 28

  Euro-Mediterranean, Non-Proliferation

  Friday 29

  Communications

  June 1998

  Wednesday 3

  Central Europe, Middle East/Gulf, Africa, Armaments Policy

  Thursday 4

  Western Balkans Region, Middle East Peace Process, Africa, Global Disarmament

  Wednesday 10

  Security

  Thursday 11

  Conventional Arms Exports, Asia, Eastern Europe/Central Asia, Public International Law

  Friday 12

  Law of the Sea

  Wednesday 17

  OSCE

  Thursday 18

  Administrative Affairs

  Wednesday 24

  Consular Affairs

  14
  Austria, the next holder of the EU Presidency, have not yet circulated their calendar of Common Foreign and Security working group meetings. This will be placed in the Libraries when finalised.

  PRIME MINISTER

    Reviews
    Sir Raymond Powell
    To ask the Prime Minister what is the cost to date of the reviews set up by the Government since 1 May 1997; and if he will list each review. [38078]

    The Prime Minister
    Information on the cost of reviews is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, in many cases reviews have been carried out as part of normal departmental business. A list of the reviews announced by the Government since 1 May has been placed in the Library.

    List of Reviews announced by the Government since 1 May 1998

    Review of the Crown Prosecution Service

    Review of International Development policy leading to the publication of a White Paper

    Review of civil justice and legal aid

    Review of welfare services to the courts

    Review of enforcement of civil court judgments Study and evaluation of current tax appeals systems

    Review of Lord Chancellor's Department funding for marriage support and research services

    Review of the UK legislation controlling the disposal of animal waste

    Review of the public analyst service in England and Wales

    Review of salmon and freshwater fisheries

    Review of the future funding of regulatory arrangements for pesticides

    Review of the current rules on quarantine of imported pet animals

    Review of the Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowance Scheme Review of the Home Grown Cereals Authority

    Review of the rates and structure of aid to farmers under the Organic Aid Scheme

    Review of arrangements for enforcing the rules on the welfare of animals exported live to the Continent

    Review of the Milk Development Council Review of fishing vessel licensing

    Review of the threshold exempting employers with fewer than 20 employees from the employment provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995

    Review of the Qualifications Appeals Systems

    Review of the Bureaucratic Burden on Teachers

    Review of Pensions

    Review of Welfare

    Review of the Women's National Commission

    Review of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information

    Review of Quangos

    Review of the Charter Programme

    Review of the existing Drugs Strategy

    Review of the United Kingdom's position under various international human rights instruments

    Review of policy towards the remaining UK Overseas Territories

    Review of the criteria used in considering licence applications for the export of conventional arms

    15

    Strategic Defence Review

    Review of the arrangements for compensating service personnel (or their dependants) and for the payment of Death and Invaliding Benefit

    Review of Information Services: Northern Ireland Office

    Review of Trust Ports in Northern Ireland

    Review of the 1993 Strategy for the Support of the Voluntary Sector and for Development in Northern Ireland

    Review of the District Councils' Community Services Programme

    Review of Training Centres and Further Education Colleges in Northern Ireland

    Fundamental Review of the Economic Development Strategy in Northern Ireland

    Review of the Industrial Development Support Services: Northern Ireland

    Policy review of the Youth Service: Northern Ireland Review of the law relating to surrogacy

    Review of the evidence relating to silicon breast implants

    Review of the breast cancer screening programme in Devon and the implications for the breast cancer screening programme as a whole

    Strategic review of health services in London

    Review of the latest information available on inequalities in health

    Independent review of proposals for the transfer of bulk blood processing and testing from Liverpool to Manchester

    NHS Charter Advisory Group (Review of NHS Charter) Review of the National Curriculum in Wales

    Strategic review of the Welsh Trunk Road Programme

    Review of the role of the Welsh Language Board in Welsh Education

    Review of the number and shape of NHS Trusts in Wales

    Review of economic regeneration Wales

    Welsh Office Review of planning policy for opencast coal mining
    Comprehensive Spending review

    Review of the North Sea Fiscal Regime

    Review of capital gains taxation

    Review of charities' taxation

    Review of leakage and avoidance of direct taxes

    Review of alcohol and tobacco duties

    Review of the Venture Capital Trust Scheme and Enterprise
    Investment Scheme

    Review of tax and benefits Review of landfill tax

    Review on the revenue effect of a reduced rate of VAT for energy efficient materials and alternative options for targeted relief to help those on low incomes to save energy

    Review of Private Finance machinery

    Review of research and development

    Review of the calculation of Vehicle Excise Duty for lorries

    Further review of the capital gains of companies

    Home Office and Northern Ireland Office Review to consider

    Permanent UK-wide counter-terrorism legislation

    Review of the law relating to bribery and corruption

    Strategic review of National Police Training

    Interdepartmental review of police pensions

    Review of arrangements for confiscation of criminal assets

    Review of fire-fighters pension scheme

    Review of community fire safety

    Review of prison nursing services

    16

    Review of long-term future of Prison Service health care

    Review of Prison Service Drug Strategy

    Review of Prisons Investigation Strategy

    Review of the operation of release of prisoners on temporary licence

    Review of Government proposals for youth justice

    Review of measures to deal with anti-social behaviour

    Review of measures to deal with protection of communities from
    known sex offenders who pose a continuing risk

    Review of measures on community safety

    Inter-Departmental review of the treatment of vulnerable and intimidated witnesses

    Review of the future role of local civil protection in England and Wales

    Review of the control of unscrupulous immigration advisers Review of immigration and asylum appeals

    Working Party on Electoral Procedures

    Comprehensive Review of the food-related scientific services in Scotland

    Review into the system of land ownership and management in Scotland

    Review of transport policy in Scotland

    Review of the Scottish roads programme

    Review of Skye Bridge tolls

    Review of countryside access legislation in Scotland

    Review to identify areas of Scotland appropriate for designation as National Parks

    Review of the Scottish water industry

    Review of rural water and sewerage grant scheme

    Review of Gaelic broadcasting

    Scottish Enterprise Strategy review

    Review of the Scottish Awards Agency for Scotland

    Review of Scottish Homes' Support for Owner Occupation

    Review of Scottish Homes' support for rented housing

    Commission on Local Government and Scottish Parliament

    Review of the Post Office

    Audit of the Foresight Programme (a programme to bring together businesses, Government and academia to identify market and technology opportunities for the future)

    Review of new and renewable energy

    Review of clean coal technology

    Review of utilities regulation

    Review of electricity trading arrangements

    Review of energy sources for power regeneration

    Review of company law

    Review of film policy

    Review of arrangements for celebrating the Millennium

    Review of the National Lottery, leading to the publication of a White Paper

    Review of policy on admission charging by national museums. (Now subsumed within the Comprehensive Spending Review)

    Review of the list of nationally important sporting events which must be made available on free-to-air terrestrial TV channels

    Independent review of the future of the Royal Opera House companies and the English National Opera

    Review of rolling stock leasing market

    Review of policy on chemicals in environment

    Review of the National Air Quality Strategy

    Review of the Pilotage Act

    Review of the water charging system and the water abstraction
    licensing system

    17

    Review of UK sustainable development strategy

    Fundamental review of transport policy

    Review of compulsory competitive tendering regulations and guidance

    Financial management and policy review of the Local Government Commission

    Review of political restrictions on local government officers

    Review of the conveyancy process

    Libya
    Mr. Dalyell
    To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the oral answer of the Secretary of State for the Home Department of 30 March 1998,Official Report, columns 887–88, if he will discuss with each of the host countries during his forthcoming Middle East visit the extent to which (a) Lockerbie and (b) the case of WPC Yvonne Fletcher underlie United Nations sanctions against Libya. [38213]

    The Prime Minister
    [holding answer 7 April 1998]: Lockerbie is an issue of the greatest importance to this Government. During my visit to the Middle East I stressed the need for progress in implementing the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions. They relate to Lockerbie, not to the murder of WPC Fletcher. That tragic case, with Lockerbie, is a major obstacle in our bilateral relations with Libya.

    Question Time
    Mr. Gummer
    To ask the Prime Minister if he will initiate a review of his decision to change Prime Minister's Question Time to one session a week. [38425]

    The Prime Minister
    As my right hon. Friend the President of the Council made clear when the changes to Prime Minister's Questions were made, the Modernisation Committee will be able to review the new arrangements as time progresses as part of their wide-ranging programme which is looking at many aspects of the machinery of Parliament. That remains the case.

    China
    Mr. Vaz
    To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his discussions with Premier Zhu Rongji; and if he will review the mechanisms by which UK-China relations are conducted. [38822]

    The Prime Minister
    On 2 April I held constructive discussions with Premier Zhu on a wide range of topics of bilateral and international interest. We value dialogue with China and aim to hold high-level discussions on a regular basis.

    EMU
    Mr. Cash
    To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the criteria for determining the success of economic and monetary union in the context of determining a future United Kingdom application to join; and for how long that union must have been in operation in order so to judge. [39742]

    The Prime Minister
    The economic tests were set out in the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the House on 27 October 1997,Official Report, column 583.
    18
    Mr. Cash
    To ask the Prime Minister what measures he is taking to ensure that the United Kingdom meets the five economic tests for participation in economic and monetary union. [39753]

    The Prime Minister
    The Government's reforms to the Bank of England and the Code for Fiscal Stability will help to deliver the macroeconomic stability the UK economy needs to demonstrate sustainable and settled convergence.

    In addition, the Government's programme of investing in education and training, helping people from welfare into work and improving the functioning of markets will deliver the flexibility the UK economy needs.

    Crown Office, Scotland
    Mr. John M. Taylor
    To ask the Prime Minister which Government Minister is answerable to the House for the performance of the Crown Office in Scotland. [39582]

    The Prime Minister
    [holding answer 24 April 1998]: The Government Minister answerable for the performance of the Crown Office in Scotland is my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate. Questions in this House will be answered on his behalf by the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

    Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator
    Mr. Clappison
    To ask the President of the Council what is her most recent estimate of when the strategy of the United Kingdom Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator will be published; and if she will make a statement. [39375]

    Mrs. Ann Taylor
    1 announced to the House on 23 April 1998,Official Report, column 974 that it would be launched today.

    Mr. Clappison
    To ask the President of the Council what estimates she has made of how much will be spent by the United Kingdom Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator in each of the three years of his term. [39381]

    Mrs. Ann Taylor
    The UK Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator, Keith Hellawell, is a special adviser to the Government, and as such has no budget to spend. He has been tasked with overseeing a Comprehensive Spending Review of existing drug resources, which has informed the Government's new anti-drugs strategy, to be launched today. This shows that the Government currently spend about £1.4 billion a year on anti-drugs activity. An announcement on funding from 1999–2000 will be made later in the year, following the outcome of the Comprehensive Spending Review.

  DEFENCE

    Reserves
    Mr. Key
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the numbers of regular reserve forces in the Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force in each year since 1988. [39634]
    19
    Dr. Reid
    The information requested is given in the table.

    UK regular reserve forces at 1 April each year

    Year

    Royal Fleet reserve

    Army reserve

    Royal Air Force reserve

    1988

    12,113

    58,082

    5,553

    1989

    12,717

    62,197

    7,394

    1990

    13,630

    65,751

    10,091

    1991

    13,944

    65,214

    12,607

    1992

    13,369

    63,145

    14,450

    1993

    8,792

    57,423

    15,919

    1994

    8,763

    54,939

    16,329

    1995

    8,603

    53,425

    15,877

    1996

    9,012

    48,521

    16,018

    1997

    9,974

    41,195

    16,349

    Note:

    Definitions of the regular reserve forces are taken from Reserve Forces Act 1996. Figures for 1 April 1998 are not yet available.

    Mr. Key
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RAF reservist role support squadrons have been established; for which aircraft; and what are their missions. [39623]

    Dr. Reid
    Four role support squadrons have been formed.

    The Helicopter Support Squadron, based at RAF Benson, formed on 1 October 1996. The Squadron provides manpower for augmentation and operational support for the Support Helicopter Force during contingency force, peacekeeping, humanitarian and disaster relief operations.

    The Offensive Support Role Support Squadron formed on 1 January 1998, and is based at RAF Cottesmore. The Squadron provides manpower for augmentation and operational support of the Harrier and Jaguar Force.

    The Strike Attack Support Squadron based at RAF Marham, formed on 1 April 1998. The Squadron provides a pool of manpower for augmentation and operational support of the Tornado GR 1/4 Force.

    The Air Transport and Air-to-Air Refuelling Support Squadron with an HQ based at RAF Brize Norton, and a detachment at RAF Lyneham, formed on 1 April 1998. The Squadron provides manpower to augment and support Air Transport at RAF Lyneham and Brize Norton and Air-to-Air Refuelling at RAF Brize Norton.

    A further Squadron, the Air Defence Support Squadron, is due to be established at RAF Leeming on 1 July 1998. The Squadron will provide manpower to augment and support the Air Defence Force.

    Mr. Key
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the findings of the 1996 study into the demographic and geographical distribution profile of potential recruits to the reserves which was announced in the Government response to the Twelfth report of the Defence Committee in January 1996 (HC 188). [39636]

    Dr. Reid
    In 1996 my Department employed an independent consultant to conduct a detailed study into recruitment to the Territorial Army (TA). This study suggested that the approach to TA recruitment was insufficiently nationally co-ordinated, and that it was not therefore possible to make a proper assessment of the 20
    demographic and geographical distribution profile of recruits and potential recruits to the Reserves. Following the study's conclusions, my Department is developing a management information system which will allow analysis of geographic and demographic trends, and in turn enable us greater focus in TA marketing and recruitment.

    Mr. Key
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is(a) the establishment and (b) the strength of the Royal Marines Reserve. [39632]

    Dr. Reid
    The total establishment of the Royal Marines Reserve is presently 1,000, of which some 600 billets are for fully trained personnel. As at 1 March their total strength was 871, of which 525 were fully trained.

    Mr. Key
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what new roles for RAF reservists have been(a) identified and (b) established since the enactment of the Reserve Forces Act 1996. [39630]

    Dr. Reid
    As the Reserve Forces Act 1996 focused primarily on terms of employment rather than types, no new roles have been identified or established as a direct consequence of the Act. However, since the enactment in April 1997, 3 further Role Support Squadrons have been formed to complement the first, the Helicopter Support Squadron, which formed in October 1996; a fifth squadron is to be formed in July 1998. Their roles reflect a new concept of operations which requires them to supply manpower to augment regular RAF units deployed on contingency force, peacekeeping, and humanitarian and disaster relief operations. Use has already been made of the new categories of reserve service introduced within the Act. All Reservist Aircrew have volunteered to serve as High Readiness Reservists, and some 17 officers and 18 other ranks are currently employed under the new Full Time Reserve Service terms in a range of posts.

    Mr. Key
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the(a) actual strength and (b) establishment of the Merchant Navy Reserve; what is the recruiting target; and what is the annual bounty payable. [39631]

    Dr. Reid
    At the end of March 1998 the actual strength of the Merchant Navy Reserve was 978 against an establishment of 1,000. There is no specific recruitment target at the present time. Members of the MNR receive an annual taxable bounty of £200.

    Mr. Key
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the strength in(a) June 1997 and (b) March 1998 of the RAuxAF training and standardisation squadrons at RAF Halton and RAF Shawbury. [39625]

    Dr. Reid
    The strength of the Royal Auxiliary Training and Standardisation Squadrons at RAF Halton and RAF Shawbury in June 1997 and March 1998 were as follows:

    June 1997

    March 1998

    TSS Halton

    2

    14

    TSS Shawbury

    1

    7

    Mr. Key
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was(a) the establishment and (b) the actual strength of the Royal Naval Reserve in (i) 1994, (ii) 1995, (iii) 1996, (iv) 1997 and (v) 1998. [39628]
    21
    Dr. Reid
    The establishment and actual strength of the Royal Naval Reserve for each year since 1994 are shown in the following table:

    Establishment

    Actual strength

    1 April 1994

    3,500

    3,566

    1 April 1995

    3,500

    2,808

    1 April 1996

    3,500

    2,632

    1 April 1997

    3,500

    2,671

    1 April 1998

    3,500

    2,838

    Mr. Key
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the strength in(a) April 1997 and (b) April 1998 of the RAuxAF Air Transportable Surgical Squadron at RAF Leuchars. [39624]

    Dr. Reid
    The RAuxAF Air Transportable Surgical Squadron which formed on 1 April 1997 had on 1 April 1998 a strength of 39 personnel which includes three regular members of the RAF.

    Mr. Key
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on trials being conducted on the feasibility of recruiting and training volunteer reservist aircrew for Tornado F3 fighter aircraft. [39622]

    Dr. Reid
    The trial into the feasibility of recruiting and training volunteer reservist aircrew for Tornado F3 aircraft is under way, with two pilots and one navigator currently undergoing refresher training.

    Mr. Key
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Auxiliary Air Force aircrew have been recruited to fly Puma helicopters in each month since February; and if he will make a statement. [39621]

    Dr. Reid
    Since February 1997 no Royal Auxiliary Air Force aircrew have been recruited to fly Puma helicopters, although one pilot who was part of the earlier trial on the Wessex helicopter is currently undergoing Puma simulator training. Three further pilots are to be recruited by September this year, and two further applications are pending.

    Chemical Defence Programme
    Mr. Sedgemore
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the United Kingdom chemical defence programme is in compliance with the terms of the Chemical Weapons Convention; and if he will make a statement. [40119]

    Dr. Reid
    The Chemical Weapons Convention, with which the United Kingdom is fully compliant, permits activities which protect against the use of chemical weapons. The UK chemical defence programme has been constructed to meet that need. In order to re-emphasise our commitment to openness, a copy of the 1997 summary outlining the UK chemical defence programme, which has been forwarded to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons in the Hague, has been placed in the library of the House.

    Astra Group
    Mr. Browne
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the quantity and content of files relating to the Astra Group taken by Ministry of Defence Police from RAF Weathersfield and returned to 22
    the Receiver subsequent to the conclusion of the Scott Inquiry; and what assessment the Government have made of the relevance of this material to the conclusions of the Scott Inquiry. [38780]

    Mr. Spellar
    [holding answer 20 April 1998]: MOD Police Fraud Squad Officers seized documentation, between 1990 and 1992, from the Astra group of companies during the course of an investigation into corruption involving those companies. All the seized documentation that belonged to the Astra group of companies was returned to their Receivers in June 1993 and June 1995.

    Documentation held by the Astra Group's Receivers was examined by Sir Richard Scott's Inquiry and is catalogued at Appendix A Part C of the Inquiry Report; which is available in the Library of the House. Sir Richard Scott dealt with the relevance of the documentation to his Inquiry at paragraph D7.59 of his Report.

    Mr. Browne
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to ensure that files relating to the Astra Group taken by Ministry of Defence Police from RAF Weathersfield and returned to the Receiver subsequent to the conclusion of the Scott Inquiry are made available for scrutiny by interested parties. [38781]

    Mr. Spellar
    [holding answer 20 April 1998]: MOD Police Fraud Squad Officers seized documentation, between 1990 and 1992, from the Astra group of companies during the course of an investigation into corruption involving those companies. All the seized documentation that belonged to the Astra group of companies was returned to their Receivers in June 1993 and June 1995.

    The availability of that documentation for scrutiny is a matter for the Receiver.

    Gulf War Syndrome
    Mr. Matthew Taylor
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down drew up its strategy and proposed work programme for its research into Gulf War Syndrome; if this document has been approved by his Department; and if he will place a copy of this document in the Library. [38929]

    Dr. Reid
    Outline proposals were drawn up at MOD's request by CBD Porton Down in May—July 1997 for a research programme into the possible health effects of the combination of vaccines and tablets given to troops in the Gulf to protect them against the threat of biological and chemical warfare. The proposals were described in the policy statement "Gulf Veterans Illnesses: A New Beginning" published on 14 July 1997.

    The proposals were subsequently developed into a programme document and detailed protocols which were submitted to an Independent Panel established to oversee the programme, prior to its first meeting on 18 December 1997. Some modifications have been made to the research proposals in the light of advice received from the Panel and further advice is expected in due course on other aspects of the programme. The programme documentation is, therefore, evolving. Our intention is to agree with the

    23
    Panel a document summarising the revised programme and to place a copy in the Library of the House as soon as this has been done.

    C-17 Aircraft
    Mr. Hoyle
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the cost of the C-17 aircraft; what tendering rules have been drawn up for the C-17; and what assessment he has made of the benefits to British industry of the project. [39565]

    Mr. Spellar
    I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave on 5 November 1997,Official Report, column 255 and 19 January 1998, Official Report, column 415. We are still considering with partners how a competition involving other aircraft might be organised. I can assure my hon. Friend that any decision on future airlift will be subject to normal procurement rules and will take account of industrial issues as well as other relevant factors.

    Mr. Stephen Kock
    Mr. Campbell-Savours
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contact Mr. Stephen Kock had with DESO between 1985 and 1991. [38862]

    Mr. Spellar
    [holding answer 20 April 1998]: DESO may have had contact with Mr. Kock during this period in the course of its normal function of providing advice and support for defence exporters. However, DESO is not aware of any record of these contacts.

    Challenger II
    Ann Clwyd
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the current expected cost to completion of the Challenger II programme and the change which represents in real terms over the original estimated cost of the programme. [39269]

    Mr. Spellar
    The current estimate of the cost of completion of the Challenger II programme is £2,156 million, compared with the original estimated cost of £2,162 million, both at 1996–97 prices. A detailed breakdown of these figures is contained in Appendix 1 of "Major Projects Report 1996", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

    Territorial Army
    Mr. Blunt
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many TA centres are also used by the cadet forces. [39498]

    Dr. Reid
    As at 1 April 1998, there were 376 TA Centres that are also used by the cadet forces. I have arranged for a detailed list to be placed in the Library of the House.

    Mr. Key
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what evidence he has obtained of the effectiveness of the fifth year rate of bounty in improving the rate of turnover in the Territorial Army. [39627]

    Dr. Reid
    The Fifth year bounty for the Territorial Army was introduced in April 1996 and turnover figures since then are available only for the year 1997. It is too early to draw any meaningful conclusions on the impact of this bounty on retention.

    Hercules Squadrons
    Mr. Key
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Royal Auxiliary Air Force aircrew for Hercules squadrons have been recruited in each month since February 1997; and if he will make a statement. [39620]

    Dr. Reid
    30 reservist aircrew have so far been recruited for the Hercules aircraft since February 1997 as follows:

    Hercules reserve aircrew recruited since February 1997

    Year

    Month

    Number

    1997

    February

    0

    March

    0

    April

    0

    May

    8

    June

    1

    July

    3

    August

    2

    September

    2

    October

    3

    November

    5

    December

    2

    1998

    January

    1

    February

    1

    March

    1

    April

    1

    Air Refuelling Tanker Fleet
    Mr. Hoyle
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the date for replacement of the air refuelling tanker fleet. [39771]

    Mr. Spellar
    Plans to replace the RAF's air refuelling tanker fleet are at an early stage. Current planning assumptions, however, are that we will start to replace the fleet early next century.

  EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

    Sick Children
    M
    Mr. Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what guidance is issued by his Department to local education authorities concerning the management of children with ME/CFS. [39864]

    Ms Estelle Morris
    Guidance on good practice in arranging provision for sick children is contained in DfEE Circular 12/94, "The Education of Sick Children". Circular 14/96, "Supporting Pupils with Medical Needs in School", sets out schools' legal responsibilities for pupils with medical needs. Good practice guidance was also made available in October 1996 to help schools put policies and procedures in place.

    New Deal (Chesham and Amersham)
    Mrs. Gillan
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people are eligible in Chesham and Amersham for the New Deal. [39893]

    Mr. Andrew Smith
    I have placed in the Library a list of the client planning assumptions for each New Deal unit of delivery which the Employment Service is using to plan provision for young unemployed people aged 18–24.
    25
    The table shows that the planning assumption for the Slough unit of delivery, which includes the Chesham and Amersham constituency, is that 1,042 young people could be eligible to join the New Deal in 1998–99.

    Mrs. Gillan
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many companies in Chesham and Amersham have signed up for the New Deal. [39904]

    Mr. Andrew Smith
    Since the national launch of New Deal for 18–24 year olds on 6 April, three companies in the Chesham and Amersham constituency have signed formal agreements for the employment option. There has been positive interest from other employers in the area who are expected to sign up for New Deal shortly.

    Young unemployed people in the constituency will also have New Deal employment opportunities through local branches of companies which have signed up to New Deal at the national level and also through vacancies notified at the local Jobcentres. Ten employers have currently signed Employers Agreements at Aylesbury Jobcentre and 14 at High Wycombe Jobcentre. Across the Slough unit of delivery, which includes the hon. Member's constituency, 65 firms have signed up.

    Child Care
    Fiona Mactaggart
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has for improved child care for school-aged children during half-term and school holiday breaks. [38492]

    Mr. Alan Howarth
    Our national child care strategy will help parents, especially women, to balance work and family life. The aim is to have a range of good quality, affordable child care provision in every neighbourhood, meeting the year-round needs of children and parents. More than £300 million from public funds and from the New Opportunities Fund will be invested in developing child care over the next five years.

  TRADE AND INDUSTRY

    Offshore Wind Generation
    Mr. Boswell
    To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has to introduce a unified consent system for offshore wind generation installations. [39587]

    Mr. Battle
    Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 provides the legislative basis for an existing system for the construction, extension and operation of electricity generating stations exceeding 50 Megawatts of installed capacity. Offshore wind energy stations exceeding 50 Megawatts of installed capacity are embraced by these arrangements and separate arrangements exist under the Coastal Protection, Food and Environmental Protection, and Transport and Works Acts for offshore wind energy generating stations which do not exceed 50 Megawatts. I am currently considering representations I have received from the British Wind Energy Association on these arrangements.
    26

    Parental Leave
    Mr. Cohen
    To ask the President of the Board of Trade what plans she has in respect of increasing the provision of parental leave. [38511]

    Mr. Ian McCartney
    The Government are committed to implementing the EC Parental Leave Directive by December 1999. The Directive will provide employees, both mothers and fathers, with a basic entitlement to three months unpaid leave on grounds of the birth or adoption of a child. It will also provide employees with the right to time off for urgent family reasons. We intend to consult fully on how we implement the Directive, in particular on the matters on which it provides options and flexibilities.

    Electronic Commerce
    Dr. Ladyman
    To ask the President of the Board of Trade how the Government intend to encourage electronic commerce; and if she will make a statement. [40083]

    Mrs. Roche
    The Information Age strategy launched by the Prime Minister on 16 April 1998 demonstrates the Government' s commitment to electronic commerce. Electronic commerce is crucial to the future prosperity of our economy and to the competitive position of our industries, and the UK is well placed to play a leading role. Building on the success of the Programme for Business, the Government are now putting in place the policy and legal framework in which electronic commerce can flourish. From schools to high finance in the City the Government are committed to ensuring everyone benefits from advanced electronic communications.

    It is also important to make electronic commerce more secure. Users cannot afford to let the information they transmit across the Internet (or any other network) be compromised. They must have confidence that both the integrity and confidentiality of their information will be protected. At the same time, users must be able to trust both the technologies which allow such security and the commercial organisations providing it. To that end, I am announcing today proposals for legislation to introduce voluntary licensing arrangements for bodies offering cryptographic services to the public to ensure that minimum standards of quality and service are met. They will apply to both Certification Authorities (providing electronic signature services) and other bodies providing encryption services. The arrangements will set minimum technical and competence standards for bodies that wish to seek licences. The legislation will also enable users to place greater reliance on digital signatures, through a presumption of legal recognition for those signatures generated by licensed Certification Authorities. Fuller details of this policy are set out in a Statement which is being lodged in the Libraries of both Houses.

    It is not, however, in the interests of business or the public for criminals and terrorists to be able to exploit these new technologies to disguise or conceal their activities. To meet these concerns, the Government will also introduce legislation making provision for law enforcement agencies to gain legal access, under a properly authorised warrant and on a case by case basis, to encryption keys or other information protecting the secrecy of stored or transmitted information. The purpose

    27
    of these new powers will be to maintain the effectiveness of the existing legislation designed to protect the public from crime and terrorism.

    Defence Exports
    Ms Drown
    To ask the President of the Board of Trade what amount of export credits for each of the years between 1994 and 1997 was granted for defence-related business with(a) India, (b) Indonesia, (c) Jordan, (d) Kenya, (e) Malaysia, (f) Nigeria, (g) Pakistan, (h) Saudi Arabia, (i) Thailand and (j) Turkey. [39665]

    Mrs. Beckett
    From information readily available, the figures requested are as follows:

    £ million

    1994

    1995

    1996

    1997

    India

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Indonesia

    114

    412

    143

    9

    Jordan

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Kenya

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Malaysia

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Nigeria

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Pakistan

    7

    0

    0

    0

    Saudi Arabia

    225

    225

    225

    225

    Thailand

    22

    0

    0

    25

    Turkey

    90

    265

    2

    36

    These figures include all ECGD-covered business with defence buyers, including the sale of non-lethal equipment.

    Regional Development Funding
    Mrs. Ellman
    To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the allocation of Objective 1 Funding per head in Merseyside for the current funding period; and what is the average figure for all European Objective 1 areas. [38989]

    Mrs. Beckett
    Structural Funds allocations per head to Merseyside for the period 1994–99 amount to some 615 ecu (in 1998 prices), £410 using current exchange rates. The equivalent figure for all European Objective 1 areas is 1,170 ecu (£780).

    European Business Round Table
    Mr. Mitchell
    To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent representations she has received from the European Business Round Table. [39327]

    Mrs. Beckett
    None. But the Chairman of the ERT has been invited to a dinner I am hosting in Brussels on 6 May for EU Industry Ministers and representatives of EU Industry to discuss competitiveness. In addition, my noble Friend Lord Simon, the Minister for Trade and Competitiveness in Europe, will be speaking at their colloquium on Innovation and Competitiveness.

    Grey Cloth Imports
    Mr. Mitchell
    To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations she has received about the duty imposed by the European Commission on grey cloth imports; what steps she will take to enforce this duty; and what consultations she has had with the Commission on this matter. [39320]
    28
    Mrs. Beckett
    I have received a number of representations from the UK textile industry and others about the provisional anti-dumping duty that the Commission, against the wishes of a clear majority of member States, has decided to impose on imports of grey cloth. When consulted by the Commission, we made clear our firm opposition to such a step, which we believe to be against the interests of both the Community textile industry and EU consumers and will cost jobs. Collection of the duty is a matter for HM Customs and Excise.

    Overseas Trade Board
    Mr. Sheerman
    To ask the President of the Board of Trade what contribution her Department made to the budget of the Overseas Trade Board in the last financial year. [38880]

    Mrs. Beckett
    My Department's expenditure on the British Overseas Trade Board during financial year 1997/98 was £229,000. This includes the salary of Sir Martin Laing CBE, Chairman of the BOTB, and the cost of visits both in the UK and overseas by Sir Martin and by the Vice-Chairman, HRH The Duke of Kent.

    National Engineering Laboratory
    Mr. Sheerman
    To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is the present value of her Department's contracts with the National Engineering Laboratory. [38876]

    Mr. Battle
    The Department currently has contracts with the National Engineering Laboratory which, over financial years 1998/99, 1999/2000 and 2000/01, have a total outstanding value of £10.6 million.

    Ex Gratia Payments
    Mr. Wills
    To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many ex gratia payments have been made by her Department to individuals or organisations in each of the last three years. [39425]

    Mr. Ian McCartney
    The number of ex gratia payments made by the Department of Trade and Industry is as follows:

    Financial year

    Individuals

    Organisations

    1994–95

    71

    8

    1995–96

    51

    10

    1996–97

    41

    12

    Details of payments made in financial year 1997–98 will be made available on publication of the Department's Appropriation Accounts in the autumn.

    Uniformed Police
    Mr. Baker
    To ask the President of the Council what is the establishment of uniformed police officers assigned to Parliament; and what was the cost of this for 1997–98. [39728]
    29
    Mrs. Ann Taylor
    It is not the practice to state the numerical strength of the Parliamentary Security Force. However, the security costs for the House of Commons for the year 1997–98 were £12.64 million.

    Opposition Parties (Benefits)
    Mr. Tyler
    To ask the President of the Council if she will list the benefits and the monetary value of benefits granted to each opposition party, including details for both Houses of Parliament and both Short Money funding and other allocations, with special reference to(a) salaries of the Official Opposition Leader and whips, (b) salaries and costs of civil servants attached to the Official Opposition Whips' Office, (c) the provision of a car and driver to the Leader of the Opposition and (d) the supply of newspapers and other services to the Official Opposition Whips' Office for (i) 1996–97, (ii) 1997–98 and (iii) 1998–99. [38950]

    Mrs. Ann Taylor
    [pursuant to the reply, 24 April 1998, c. 725]: The financial assistance to Opposition Parties in the House of Lords are as follows:

    £

    £

    1996–97

    Labour

    50,000

    Liberal Democrats

    15,000

    1997–98

    Conservative

    102,600

    Liberal Democrats

    30,780

    1998–99

    Conservative

    106,191

    Liberal Democrats

    31,857

    Pesticide Residues
    Mr. Ben Chapman
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the review of the arrangements for reporting surveys on pesticide residues in food has been completed; and if he will make a statement. [40011]

    Mr. Rooker
    The Government are committed to informing the public about all food safety matters. Following the changes announced last year, and the new arrangements announced for veterinary drug surveys on 6 April 1998, I have now agreed to further improvements in the reporting of surveillance results for pesticide residues surveys. To continue to improve openness and information to consumers, the brand names of products tested in future pesticide residue surveillance exercises will, subject to some minor exceptions, be published on a regular basis.

    The UK has in place a pesticide residues surveillance programme to fulfil its Community obligations to monitor pesticide residues in fruit and vegetables, cereals and products of animal origin. This programme is undertaken each year under the auspices of the Working Party on Pesticide Residues. The results are published in the Working Party's annual report although any results of public interest are published earlier together with any necessary advice to consumers.

    The publication of brand names will require some restructuring of the pesticides surveillance programme to ensure that surveys are representative of particular produce on the market. The new arrangements will, therefore, apply for surveys conducted from 1998 onwards. As with the other programmes there will be
    30
    certain minor exceptions, such as surveys whose sample are pooled, where publicising brand information would be inappropriate.

    Planned surveys for residues of pesticides will continue to be announced in advance, as has been practice for some years. However, the sheer scale of this programme precludes releasing the brands to be sampled in advance.

    We are committed to giving consumers the maximum possible information on the presence of pesticide residues in food and will ensure that this is provided with appropriate advice on the public health significance of any results. Of course, we will make every effort to ensure the fairness of any tests and not seek to select one manufacturer or source over another. I believe the new arrangements will allow consumers to make a more informed choice about the food that they buy.

    Organophosphate Pesticides
    Mr. Tyler
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if all the proposals relating to the use of organophosphate pesticides, announced by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on 17 February 1997 have been implemented. [39651]

    Mr. Rooker
    Following a review of the Certificate of Competence Scheme for the purchase of organophosphorus (OP) sheep dips in February 1997, the Veterinary Products Committee (VPC) concluded that the marketing of OP sheep dips should continue. A revised guidance leaflet, AS 29 Sheep dipping, produced jointly with the Health and Safety Executive and the environment agencies, emphasises the importance of the Certificate of Competence Scheme for the users of dips. The leaflet has been sent to known sheep farmers.

    The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons has agreed to ensure that veterinarians are aware that clients hold the necessary certificate and will amend the Guide to Professional Conduct when next reprinting it.

    There is no change in the legal classification of sheep dips, which continue to be available from pharmacists and registered merchants.

    The VPC is currently reviewing the labelling of sheep dips with a view to simplifying labels where possible.

    The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions has circulated proposals for new Groundwater Regulations which would require the environment agencies to be notified of sheep dipping activities and would apply new controls on disposal of spent dip.

    Research is underway to look at the nature and mechanisms of the toxicity of OPs. The Health and Safety Executive is conducting work on the measurement of urinary metabolites and on new forms of protective clothing. We are awaiting a report from a working party of the Royal College of Physicians of London and the Royal Colleges of Psychiatrists which will include advice on how clinical studies might be undertaken.

    A review by the VPC of non-OP sheep dips has been completed and the results were published with the Government's response on 29 January 1998. Legislation, which comes into effect on 6 May, will apply the certification Scheme to the purchase of all sheep dips from 31 December 1998.
    31
    Mr. Tyler
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to publish the report of the inter-departmental committee on organophosphate pesticides. [39653]

    Mr. Rooker
    The report of the interdepartmental committee of officials on organophosphates (OPs) has been submitted to Ministers in the group chaired by my right hon. Friend. It will be published when Ministers have considered its recommendations and reached their conclusions.

    Beef Sales (Retail Profits)
    Mr. Tyler
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received following the March 1998 inquiry by the BBC Radio 4 programme, "Farming Today", into retail profits on beef sales; and if he will make a statement. [39652]

    Mr. Rooker
    Although we have had representations from beef producers, who consider that the fall in producer prices has not been reflected in retail prices for beef, no one has raised specific concerns about the inquiry by the BBC Radio 4 programme, "Farming Today". We will continue to monitor movements in beef producer prices and in meat prices at retail level.

    Russian Fish Imports
    Mr. Mitchell
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received in respect of Denmark's policy towards imports of Russian fish from unregistered freezer trawlers; and what is his Department's policy towards such imports. [39319]

    Mr. Rooker
    I have received a small number of representations alleging that Denmark has allowed imports of Russian fish from unregistered freezer trawlers in contravention of a European Commission Decision. In view of this substantiated allegation, uncertainty over the operation of the Decision by other Member States, and following discussions with the European Commission, we have recently decided to allow imports of Russian fish from unregistered freezer trawlers. This has been done as an interim measure, with enhanced checks at UK ports, until the European Commission can propose a satisfactory solution.

  WALES

    Beef Exports
    Mr. Barry Jones
    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects the restriction on the export of Welsh beef to be lifted; and if he will make a statement. [39278]

    Mr. Win Griffiths
    We are doing everything possible to bring about the resumption of our exports from the UK as a whole. On 16 March the Agriculture Council adopted a Decision which would lift the export ban from beef from export certified herds in Northern Ireland.

    The Export Certified Herd Scheme is available only to animals whose history can be traced by computer—so it is only applicable in Northern Ireland initially, until the GB Cattle tracing system is fully functional.
    32
    Proposals for a UK Date Based Export Scheme for the export of animals born after 1 August 1996 (when we believe the feed risk was eliminated from the supply chain) have been considered by the Scientific Steering Committee (SSC), which gave a positive Opinion. The SSC commented on our formal response to their initial Opinion in a further Opinion on 20 February. We await reaction from the Commission to the UK response and to the SSC's further Opinion

    Council House Sales Receipts
    Mr. Barry Jones
    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the extra amount of council house sales receipts made available for the current and the next financial year; and if he will make a statement. [39279]

    Mr. Win Griffiths
    Provision of £33.38 million has been made under the Capital Receipts Initiative this year. Capital expenditure provision in future years is being considered in the Comprehensive Spending Review.

    Bovine TB
    Mr. Barry Jones
    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many cases of bovine TB were recorded in Wales in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement; [39434]

    (2) if he will make a statement on bovine TB in Wales. [39433]

    Mr. Win Griffiths
    The number of confirmed outbreaks of bovine TB in Wales is as follows:

    1995: 102

    1996: 102

    1997: 62.

    The Government are minded to accept Professor Krebs' recommendation. Implementing this report will require the Government, the farming industry and those interested in badger conservation to work together to build a better scientific basis for policy in this area.

    NHS Bureaucracy
    Mr. Barry Jones
    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the savings to date from his policy of reducing bureaucracy in the NHS; and if he will make a statement. [39438]

    Mr. Win Griffiths
    I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 17 December 1997,Official Report, column 209. I can confirm that I expect to be able to establish what savings have been made when the audited accounts of health authorities and trusts for 1997–98 are available in August.

    Chernobyl Accident
    Mr. Llew Smith
    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the cost to(a) Welsh farmers and (b) his Department of the radioactive fall-out from the Chernobyl accident; and what are the figures for each year since the accident for the area determined as restricted in Wales as a result of the accident. [39674]

    Mr. Win Griffiths
    The main economic effect of the Chernobyl accident in 1986 has been on the sheep farming industry in North Wales. The direct cost to Welsh farmers,
    33
    measured in terms of disruption to their enterprises and for which compensation has been paid since 1986, is over £8.9 million. Information on the specific costs to the Welsh Office arising from the Chernobyl accident is not available because staff and effort allocated to this work varies according to the circumstances.

    Figures for each year of the area determined as restricted in Wales as a consequence of the accident are as follows:

    Year

    Restricted area (square kilometres)

    1986

    4,100

    October 1986—December 1990

    848

    1991

    839

    1992

    832

    1993

    734

    1994

    677

    1995

    647

    1996

    580

    1997

    580

    1998

    530

    Millennium Compliance
    Mrs. Gillan
    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if the computer systems used by the emergency services in Wales will be millennium compliant by 31 December 1998. [39895]

    Mr. Win Griffiths
    I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to her today by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary who has responsibility for some of the emergency services on an England and Wales basis. I will reply on the NHS Ambulance Trust and acute trusts in Wales.

    The Ambulance Trust and acute trusts providing accident and emergency services, in line with other NHS organisations, are making every effort to ensure their computer systems are millennium compliant by 31 December 1998. In particular, ambulance command and control systems have been given a very high priority in determining their compliance status and in undertaking the necessary replacements or upgrades. However, in some cases, it may not be possible to complete the latter until the first quarter of 1999.

    Quarries
    Dr. Marek
    To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to reform planning law relating to quarries and quarrying. [39357]

    Mr. Win Griffiths
    My right hon. Friend and I currently have no plans to reform planning law relating to quarries and quarrying in Wales.

  INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

    Global Environment Conference
    Sir Alastair Goodlad
    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development who will represent her 34
    Department at the Global Environment Conference in New Delhi; what new initiatives will be proposed; and if she will make a statement. [39577]

    Mr. Foulkes
    The first Global Environment Facility (GEF) Assembly took place from 1–3 April in New Delhi. It was preceded by a meeting of the GEF Council which formally concluded the second replenishment of the Facility of US dollars 2.75 billion and endorsed policy recommendations to improve further GEF activities.

    The policy recommendations cover: improved country ownership of GEF financed projects; better mainstreaming of global environmental objectives into the regular policies and programmes of the three Implementing Agencies, UNEP, UNDP and the World Bank; better involvement of the private sector and partnerships with them; enhanced monitoring and evaluation and the development of performance indicators; greater participation by other international and regional organisations, including the Regional Development Banks; further clarification of the application of incremental costs, that is, the costs to achieve global, as opposed to national, environmental benefits which the GEF is designed to meet.

    The UK has committed £85.25 million to the second replenishment, being the UK's full share of the replenishment plus an additional voluntary contribution of £2 million. The UK has offered to provide a further £4.25 million during the replenishment period to help fill the replenishment funding gap of some US$70 million if other donors make additional efforts to meet their shares. The UK is the fifth largest contributor to the Facility.

    DFID was represented at the Assembly by the head of Environment Policy Department (EPD) and other officials from EPD, the UK Mission to the World Bank and DFID's office in India. The British High Commissioner and a DETR official also participated.

    Representatives from 119 of the GEF's 164 countries were represented in the Assembly which was opened by the Indian Prime Minister and concluded with the New Delhi Statement. This reaffirmed the Facility's role as the multilateral funding mechanism dedicated to promoting global environmental protection and actions to improve the Facility's operations. Copies of the New Delhi Statement are being placed in the Libraries of the House.

    Departmental Management
    Sir Alastair Goodlad
    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what operational and management improvements her Department will implement during the current financial year. [39749]

    Mr. Foulkes
    On the operational and aid management side, improvements will include: refocusing bilateral and multilateral strategies on White Paper objectives; further promotion of consistency of policies affecting development; improved aid management arrangements for Asia, Pacific and Caribbean programmes; enhancement of our systems for performance assessments; development of closer partnerships with the private sector and not for profit organisations; improvement of procedures and systems for aid delivery.

    On the personnel management side a range of initiatives will be carried forward, many of which are linked to my Department's commitment to achieve

    35
    Investor in People accreditation. These will include: action to ensure that the Department is properly staffed and trained, at home and overseas, to meet the objectives set out in the White Paper; the introduction of management development programmes for all senior civil service members and other staff groups; comprehensive induction training; improvements to promotion systems; initiatives to enhance communication within the Department; ongoing action to underline and ensure fair and equal opportunities within the Department; the transfer of certain posts to the Department's office in East Kilbride to improve staff opportunities there; action to improve the development of DFID's locally engaged staff overseas; an ongoing programme to ensure value for money, proper structures and best management practice within the Department through management and efficiency reviews.

    Sir Alastair Goodlad
    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development in which departments and development divisions of her Department the Performance Reporting Information Systems for Management will be piloted in 1998–99. [39761]

    Mr. Foulkes
    The Performance Reporting Information Systems for Management system will be piloted in West and North Africa Department in London and in the Department for International Development overseas offices for Southern and Eastern Africa, located in Pretoria and Nairobi respectively.

    Committee on Economic and Social Research Overseas
    Sir Alastair Goodlad
    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development who are the current members of her Department's Advisory Committee on Economic and Social Research Overseas; and when were they first appointed. [39746]

    Mr. Foulkes
    The current members of the Advisory Committee on Economic and Social Research Overseas with the dates they were appointed are:

    Member

    Date of appointment

    Professor Graham Chapman

    1 October 1993

    Professor Tony Killick

    1 February 1994

    Dr. George Kolankiewicz

    15 June 1994

    Professor Pat Caplan

    1 April 1998

    Professor Anne Booth

    1 April 1998

    Professor Jan William Gunning

    1 April 1998

    Ms Caroline Harper

    1 April 1998

    Professor Athar Hussein

    1 April 1998

    Professor Carole Rakodi

    1 April 1998

    Professor David Hulme

    1 April 1998

    Dr. Frank Ellis

    1 April 1998

    Professor Anil Markandya

    1 April 1998

    Publications
    Sir Alastair Goodlad
    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the material issued by her Department(a) through its own publications and (b) through The Stationery Office and the parliamentary publishing programme in 1997–98. [39873]
    36
    Mr. Foulkes
    The following material was issued through the Department for International Development's (DFID) own publications programme in the financial year 1997–98:

    White Paper Summary

    Eliminating World Poverty: A Summary—24 pages.

    Versions also available in Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Chinese.

    Country Strategies

    British aid to Ecuador: Working to improve the quality of life for Ecuadorean people—24 pages.

    Development Partners: Britain and Pakistan—14 pages.

    Support for Transition Countries: A new strategy—16 pages.

    Issues

    Developments: The International Development magazine (issue 1 first quarter 1998)—36 pages.

    UK@earth.People: Poverty and the Environment—64 pages.

    Forests Matter: The DFID approach to forests—5 pages.

    Time for Action: Reducing the dangers of pregnancy in poor societies—18 pages.

    Banking on the Poor: DFID and Microfinance—16 pages.

    Towards 2015 Together: How the UK will use its Presidency of

    the European Union to work for a fairer world—4 pages.

    Water Matters: DFID's role in water for development—5 pages.

    Participatory monitoring and evaluation guidelines: experiences in the field—St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

    Better water services in developing countries: public-private partnership—the way ahead—13 pages.

    Six monthly newsletters on Water, Energy Efficiency,

    Urbanisation, Transport and Earthworks—8 to 12 pages.

    Reports

    Gender and school achievement in the Caribbean (serial no. 21)—126 pages.

    Good practice in developing sustainable information systems—74 pages.

    Integrated Coastal Management: South Asia—95 pages.

    The Know How Fund: Annual Report 1996–97—51 pages.

    British Aid Statistics 1996–97—144 pages.

    School based understanding of human rights in four countries: a commonwealth study (serial no. 22)—62 pages.

    Girls and basic education: a cultural enquiry (serial no. 23)—160 pages.

    Investigating bilingual literacy: evidence from Malawi and Zambia (serial no. 24)—99 pages.

    Activity in environmental management in Chile: donor agencies, non-governmental organisations and research organisations—54 pages (English/Spanish).

    A guide to the regional environmental action plan for the

    Antofagasta region of Chile—56 pages English/Spanish).

    Social development policies, results and learning: experiences from European agencies—34 pages.

    Social development policies, results and learning: a multi agency review—71 pages.

    Human Rights 1998—56 pages. Issued through The Stationery Office and published jointly with the Foreign Office.

    Eliminating World Poverty: a challenge for the 21st Century (White Paper on International Development presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for International Development by Command of Her Majesty November 1997 Cm 3789).

    DFID Departmental Report 1998–99: the Government's expenditure plans 1998–99—93 pages.

    Projects
    Sir Alastair Goodlad
    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list those projects funded by her Department which were the subject

    Sector

    Project

    Publication

    Privatisation:

    Assistance to components of the Russian privatisation programme

    Already published

    Population:

    Kenya Population III project

    Already published

    Higher Education:

    Final Synthesis Study

    Already published

    Emergency Aid:

    Final Synthesis Study

    Already published

    Primary Education:

    Primary Education Project in Kenya

    Due for publication in June 1998

    Indonesia Active Learning and Professional Support Project

    Publication date June 1998

    Andhra Pradesh Primary Education Project

    Publication date October 1998

    Final Synthesis Study

    Publication date October 1998

    Small Enterprise Development

    British Assistance to Small Enterprises Programme in Kenya: Enterprise Education in Slovakia; Russian Agency; and Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee

    All are due for publication around July 1998

    Police Projects

    Assistance programmes to Namibia, Indonesia and Uganda

    All are due for publication around July 1998

    Sir Alastair Goodlad
    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many copies of reports by her Department's Evaluating Department on Project Completion were requested by outside bodies in 1997–98. [39758]

    Mr. Foulkes
    The Evaluation Department very seldom receives external requests for individual Department for International Development Project Completion Reports, none of which is publicly available since, unlike ex post evaluation reports, they are not cleared with the recipient governments. But we do make publicly available our periodic synthesis analyses of the broad findings of the most recent batches of Project Completion Reports. In 1997–98 a total of 158 copies of our ex post evaluation reports were sent out in response to external requests.

    Sir Alastair Goodlad
    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which projects funded by her Department will be subject to full retrospective impact evaluations in 1998–99. [39762]

    Mr. Foulkes
    We are still in the process of identifying individual projects for full retrospective impact evaluation in 1998–99 once residual work on the previous programme is complete. Initially the new work will focus predominantly on two broad themes: sustainable rural livelihoods; and the strengthening of revenue collection systems. Subsequently we shall turn our attention to three additional themes: gender; the public sector and the role of the state; and participatory approaches. Work from the previous programme due for completion and publication in 1998–99 includes the following:
    Natural Resources Research: final Synthesis Study.Small Enterprise Development: final Synthesis Study.Police Projects: final Synthesis Study.Environment: country studies covering a range of projects in India, China, Brazil, Kenya and Tanzania; and final Synthesis Study.Poverty Reduction: country studies covering a range of projects in India, Uganda, Zambia, and Mozambique; and the final Synthesis Study.38
    of full retrospective impact evaluations in 1997–98; and when she will publish the results. [39760]

    Mr. Foulkes
    Projects subject to full retrospective impact evaluations in 1997–98 included the following:

    Gender Discrimination
    Sir Alastair Goodlad
    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development in which countries her Department launched new women's empowerment programmes in 1997–98; and at what cost. [39449]

    Mr. Foulkes
    During 1997–98 we approved 124 projects and programmes which include support to women's empowerment, spread across the broad range of developing countries where we work. New spending commitments to projects and programmes, across all sectors, which take account of women's concerns, added up to £266 million in 1997–98.

    Sir Alastair Goodlad
    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which initiatives relating to women's empowerment her Department is supporting in the current financial year; and at what cost to public funds. [39447]

    Mr. Foulkes
    We seek to support women's empowerment across the board in our international development assistance programme. The Department for International Development expenditure commitments which include an explicit consideration of gender concerns and which seek to promote gender equality have been steadily rising, a trend which we expect to continue. During 1997–98 new funding commitments across all sectors explicitly taking account of gender concerns add up to about £266 million, representing more than 35% of total bilateral commitments for the year.

    Sir Alastair Goodlad
    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what mechanisms her Department will employ to evaluate its work in respect of the removal of gender discrimination in developing and transitional countries; and if she will publish such evaluations. [39448]

    Mr. Foulkes
    A major evaluation study of our work in tackling gender discrimination will be undertaken by the Department for International Development's (DFID) Evaluation Department, commencing during the course of the current financial year. A report of the evaluation will be published.
    39
    Sir Alastair Goodlad
    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she will publish the study on the gender dimensions to international trade commissioned by her Department. [39451]

    Mr. Foulkes
    The study commissioned by the Department entitled "Global trade expansion and liberalisation: gender issues and impacts" was published in January this year. I will arrange for a copy to be laid in the Library of the House and for a separate copy to be sent to the right hon. Gentleman.

    Afghanistan
    Sir Alastair Goodlad
    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures her Department is taking to increase access education for girls in Afghanistan. [39450]

    NGO

    Project

    1996–97

    1997–98

    Support for Afghan Education (SAFE)

    Kandahar Education Project

    £34,808

    —

    Save the Children (SCF)

    Support to Lower Primary Education, Balkh Province

    —

    £245,000 (over 2 years)

    CARE

    Community Organisation for Primary Education

    —

    £316,356 (over 2 years)

    Fresh Water Management
    Sir Alastair Goodlad
    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development who will represent her Department at the UN's Commission on Sustainable Development meeting on freshwater management; and what new policy initiatives her Department will promote. [39453]

    Mr. Foulkes
    The UK delegation to the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) will be led by my colleague the Minister for the Environment. He will be accompanied by the Department for International Development's (DFID) Chief Natural Resources Adviser who will provide support in relation to DFID issues.

    A key theme of this year's session of the CSD, which began on 20 April in New York, is freshwater.

    The UK will promote a clear objective of securing access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation for all, the reduction of water related diseases and greater food security through sustainable management of water contributing to the elimination of poverty.

    We are supporting this objective by increasing our assistance in the water sector and ensuring that this support is used more effectively. To this end, we are continuing to promote the importance of meeting international targets in this area and the need to develop appropriate indicators to monitor progress.

    Official Development Assistance can meet part but not all of the funding requirements. It can be focused on priority areas of meeting basic human needs and building capacity. It can also be used to help developing states to establish appropriate policy frameworks and to mobilise finance from other sources.
    40
    Mr. Foulkes
    We remain seriously concerned about human rights in Afghanistan, especially the rights of women and girls. The UK continues to advocate respect for these rights in the relevant international fora and in direct contacts with the Taliban and other groups inside Afghanistan.

    At the start of our EU Presidency the UK proposed and gained agreement for a new Common Position on Afghanistan. The Common Position commits the EU to work for the protection and promotion of equal rights for men and women in Afghanistan, including access to education and health facilities. In addition the United Nations Strategic Framework for Afghanistan, which has the full support of the UK, includes as one of its four main strategies the protection and advancement of human rights, with particular emphasis on gender issues.

    DFID directly supports a number of UK NGOs who provide education services within Afghanistan. The projects are aimed at both boys and girls but pay particular attention to providing education for female students. The details are:

    We aim to encourage development of a broad range of partnerships, in particular with the private sector, which can better generate and manage the additional funds required. We recognise the importance of recovering all the costs for water systems to be viable and sustainable, but this must be linked to transparent and well targeted subsidies to protect the poorest who cannot pay full costs. This can lead to the mobilisation of resources and greater access to basic water and sanitation services for poor people—essential if we are to meet goals of universal access to these services.

    Commonwealth of Independent States
    Sir Alastair Goodlad
    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance her Department is giving to the International Committee of the Red Cross in the Commonwealth of Independent States to disseminate international humanitarian law through local institutions; and what will be the cost to public funds of such assistance. [39446]

    Mr. Foulkes
    Since April 1996, we have supported the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in its development of international humanitarian law (IHL) materials appropriate for use in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and the promotion of IHL courses within public and private higher academic institutions in the Russian Federation and the CIS. The activities are continuing and has involved a commitment to date of £127,000.

    We also provided a contribution of £15 million to the ICRC in February 1998, of which £4 million was provided specifically for the dissemination of humanitarian law within the ICRC's global programmes.

    Children and Armed Conflict
    Sir Alastair Goodlad
    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what financial support her Department will give to the UN Secretary General's Special Representative on Children and Armed Conflict; and in which countries it will work with him. [39452]

    Mr. Foulkes
    We provided £200,000 in January 1998 to enable the UN Secretary General's Special Representative on Children and Armed Conflict to begin his important work of co-ordinating international action to ensure the protection, healing and rehabilitation of war affected children. We will host a ministerial meeting in London on 23 June to give exposure to Mr. Otunnu's work programme and priorities to our European partners and NGOs. We will also explore opportunities for working together in countries which are particularly affected by children serving as soldiers, such as Sierra Leone and Liberia.

    Human Rights
    Sir Alastair Goodlad
    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has held with her EC counterparts about regulations to guide the use of development funds for human rights promotion and protection; what will be the status of those regulations; and if she will make a statement. [39455]

    Mr. Foulkes
    Two regulations governing the use of development funds for human rights promotion and protection are currently under discussion at working group level in the Council. Once agreed, the Regulations will provide a legal base and policy framework for projects financed from relevant EC external assistance budget lines. We have been pressing for the inclusion of references to social and economic rights, as well as civil and political ones, in the negotiations.

    Sir John Stanley
    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which aspects of the Government's human rights policy are her Department's responsibility. [39679]

    Mr. Foulkes
    The Department for International Development's contribution to the UK Government's objective of achieving human rights for all will be to focus on the rights which are essential for eliminating poverty and for achieving sustainable livelihoods and dignity for disadvantages people in poorer countries. This encompasses economic, social, cultural, civil and political rights of poor and disadvantaged peoples in poorer countries.

    Regional Organisations
    Sir Alastair Goodlad
    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to strengthen the conflict-management capacity of regional organisations. [39445]

    Mr. Foulkes
    We are committed to supporting the creation of a stronger peace-building and conflict management capacity for regional organisations and are working within the European Union (EU) and United Nations to achieve this. The EU agreed a Common Position on Conflict Prevention and Resolution in Africa in 1997, and is pursuing practical proposals with the Organisation for African Unity (OAU) and working to 42
    enhance its dialogue with other sub-regional organisations such as the Intergovernmental Authority for Development (IGAD) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

    In 1998 the Department is providing financial support for a sub-regional seminar for Central Africa on practical disarmament, the Mali Government's initiative of a West African moratorium on the import, export and manufacture of light weapons, and a conference in South Africa to develop national, regional and international measures to address illicit trafficking in conventional arms. We will continue to look for ways to provide practical support to regional conflict management initiatives.

    Good Governance Assessment Framework
    Sir Alastair Goodlad
    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will publish the Good Governance Assessment Framework. [39454]

    Mr. Foulkes
    I will place a copy in the Library of the House. Copies will continue to be available through the Department for International Development. The Framework should be regarded as work in progress and is being adapted to the Government's priorities.

    Open Government
    Sir Alastair Goodlad
    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what was the cost to her Department of meeting the 16 requests for information under the Open Government Code of Practice in 1997. [39748]

    Mr. Foulkes
    The cost of meeting the requests received by the Department for International Development in 1997 under the Open Government Code of Practice is estimated at £630. This is made up principally of staff time.

    Departmental Reviews
    Sir Alastair Goodlad
    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what market tests and efficiency reviews she plans for her Department in the current financial year. [39750]

    Mr. Foulkes
    The Department's programme of efficiency reviews for 1998–99 comprises: training services; personnel services; aid management in Asia, the Caribbean and the Pacific. There are no plans for market tests.

    Policy Information Marker System
    Sir Alastair Goodlad
    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what changes to the policy information marker system her Department is putting into effect in the current financial year. [39759]

    Mr. Foulkes
    The Policy Information Marker System (PIMS) has been used since 1993 to track the targeting of bilateral commitments and expenditure on priority policy objectives of the aid programme.

    PIMS was reviewed at the end of 1997 following the publication of the White Paper on International Development. It was agreed that the system needed to be revised to reflect better the Department for International Development's (DFID) new agenda and Statement of

    43
    Purpose. This has been achieved through the introduction of a three-tiered approach whereby projects and programmes are marked against DFID's aim of poverty elimination (Poverty Aim Marker); DFID's three new Objectives (Policy Objective Marker); sub-elements of the Objectives, other policy areas and international reporting requirements (new PIMS markers of which there are now 33).

    The former Direct Assistance to Poor People marker has been replaced by the over-arching Poverty Aim Marker (PAM) to address the aim in DFID's Statement of Purpose, considering both "direct" and "indirect" means of assisting poverty elimination. The PAM has three categories:
    Enabling—actions which are necessary to establish or strengthen the preconditions for poverty reduction and elimination Inclusive—broad based actions which will improve conditions and services generally, and also address issues of equity and barriers to participation of poor people Focused—actions which will bring benefits predominantly to poor people and specifically improve their conditions and remove barriers to their participation.
    The Policy Objective Marker allows commitments and expenditure to be scored against the ONE Objective which they primarily target such that they sum to 100 per cent. of the total.

    The PIMS marker set has been extended to cover all of the White Paper sub-objectives (20 markers), other important and cross-cutting policy areas (8 markers) and the Rio reporting requirements (5 markers).

    The new system came into effect on 1 April 1998.

    Further details and full guidance on using the system are given in the PIMS Pink Book, a copy of which will be sent to the right hon. Gentleman.

    Investment
    Sir Alastair Goodlad
    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations she plans to make to the OECD in connection with its forthcoming review of the OECD Guidelines on Multinational Investment; and if she will make a statement. [39342]

    Mr. Foulkes
    The OECD has asked member countries to put forward initial thoughts on issues that might be addressed in the review of the Guidelines. The Government's initial thoughts were submitted to the OECD in December. Our key areas of interest relate to the core labour standards, environmental protection and application of the Guidelines beyond OECD member countries. In particular, the Department is currently looking at the experience of voluntary codes of conduct. The Government are working on a more detailed contribution, consulting with trade unions, business and NGOs, in readiness for the beginning of the review process in June.

    Sir Alastair Goodlad
    To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations she has made to the World Trade Organisation preparatory to a WTO Agreement on Investment; and if she will make a statement. [39355]
    44
    Mr. Foulkes
    The Government are pleased with the progress being made by the WTO Working Group on the relationship between trade and investment, which is looking at important issues surrounding foreign investment and existing international investment instruments and activities. We will work towards the eventual establishment of a WTO agreement on investment, and hope that through the confidence-building nature of the current discussions a consensus can be reached to begin negotiations in due course.

  MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO

    Millennium Dome
    Mr. Vaz
    To ask the Minister without Portfolio what assessment he has made of the total economic impact of the Millennium Dome on the greater Greenwich area. [37246]

    Mr. Mandelson
    I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle) on 27 March 1998,Official Report, column 321. In addition the British Tourist Authority (BTA) have estimated £300m-500m will be spent by overseas visitors in Britain in the year 2000 as a result of the New Millennium Experience.

  SCOTLAND

    Rented Housing
    Mr. Webb
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the answer of 27 October 1997, Official Report, column 726, on rented housing, what would be the gross cost to the public sector if all local authority rents in Scotland were to be cut by 10 per cent; and what would be the cost net of savings in housing benefits. [37199]

    Mr. Macdonald
    [holding answer 6 April 1998]: Scottish local authorities determine their rents according to local needs and circumstances. In England, guideline rents are set by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and, in certain circumstances, rental income is used to offset the cost of rent rebates. Because of these and other differences in the systems of local authority housing finance, it is not possible to give estimates for Scotland which are directly comparable with those for England given on 27 October 1997, Official Report, column 726.

    A 10 per cent. reduction in Scottish local authorities estimated rented income for 1997–98 would, however, have resulted in an estimated reduction in housing benefit in that year of around £79 million. And local authorities' housing expenditure in the same year would have been reduced by £107 million. As a result, authorities would have had this amount less to invest in repairs and maintenance and for other housing related expenditure. That, in turn, could have led to an increase in Housing Support Grant and pressure also to increase Housing Revenue Account allocations, although it is not possible to be precise about the size of such increases. The net effect on overall public expenditure cannot therefore be reliably estimated.

    Cairngorm Funicular Railway
    Mr. Randall
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much expenditure was incurred by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Moray, Badenoch, and Strathspey Enterprise to support the Cairngorm Chairlift Company's study by Arthur Andersen and L & R Leisure of development options; and if he will ask them to publish it. [39418]

    Mr. Wilson
    The level of the financial contributions made by Highlands and Island Enterprise and by Moray Bedenoch and Strathspey Enterprise to the costs of the study referred to in the question is an operational matter for Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I will ask the Chairman of that organisation to write to the hon. Member.

    With regard to the publication of the study, I understand that it was commissioned by the Cairngorm Chairlift Company. Decisions on publication are therefore a matter for that company.

    Dental Services
    Mrs. Ballard
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications received for funding under the Investing in Dentistry Scotland scheme have been successful; and what was the amount of each grant. [39694]

    Mr. Galbraith
    Eight applications have been approved under the Scottish Dental Access Initiative. Three grants of £50,000, four of £25,000 and one of £4,000 have been offered.

    Local Government Finance
    Mr. Gorrie
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the totals for Scottish councils collectively in 1998–99 and in each of the last 10 years for(a) grant-aided expenditure, (b) aggregate external finance and (c) actual expenditure, or budgeted expenditure where the actual expenditure is not yet known; and what were the totals expressed at constant prices. [38157]

    Mr. Macdonald
    [holding answer 21 April 1998]: The levels of GAE, AEF and actual spending for 1998–99 and each of the previous 10 years, where available, in cash terms are given in the table.

    £ million

    Year

    Total GAE

    Total AEF

    Total capped expenditure

    1988–89

    3,640

    3,689

    3,742

    1989–90

    3,873

    3,716

    4,126

    1990–91

    4,293

    3,937

    4,495

    1991–92

    4,792

    4,651

    4,912

    1992–93

    5,103

    5,123

    5,166

    1993–94

    5,086

    5,165

    5,133

    1994–95

    5,260

    5,272

    5,309

    1995–96

    5,318

    5,306

    5,437

    1996–97

    5,391

    5,369

    5,616

    1997–98

    5,316

    5,345

    5,579

    1998–99

    5,495

    5,366

    5,755

    46
    The same figures at constant (1997–98) prices are as follows:

    £ million

    Year

    Total GAE

    Total AEF

    Total capped expenditure

    1988–89

    5,291

    5,362

    5,439

    1989–90

    5,262

    5,049

    5,606

    1990–91

    5,400

    4,953

    5,655

    1991–92

    5,666

    5,500

    5,808

    1992–93

    5,791

    5,814

    5,863

    1993–94

    5,609

    5,696

    5,661

    1994–95

    5,715

    5,728

    5,768

    1995–96

    5,622

    5,609

    5,747

    1996–97

    5,537

    5,514

    5,768

    1997–98

    5,316

    5,345

    5,579

    1998–99

    5,340

    5,215

    5,593

    Notes:

    1. The above AEF figures are as announced and do not include any subsequent redeterminations. In particular, the 1998–99 figures for GAE and AEF do not include the additional £19 million for education authorities announced in the March Budget.

    2. No adjustments have been made for changes in local authority responsibility over the period in question apart from Note 3 below.

    3. The 1997–98 AEF figure includes £105.6 million which was paid to local authorities as a special grant (outside AEF) in respect of Strathclyde Passenger Transport. £95 million has also been included in the 1998–99 AEF figure for the same purpose.

    4. Grand Aided Expenditure (GAE) does not include expenditure on loan and leasing charges.

    5. Prior to 1991 Grant Aided Expenditure (GAE) was known as Assessments of Relative Expenditure Need.

    6. Prior to 1991–92 Aggregate External Finance (AEF) was known as Aggregate Exchequer Grant.

    7. Aggregate Exchequer Grant consisted of Rate Support Grant and Specific Grants only. The Non-Domestic Rate Income (NDRI) figures have therefore been added to these years for comparison purposes.

    8. The total capped expenditure figures represent total relevant non-housing net current expenditure (excluding loan and leasing charges). For the years 1988–89 to 1997–98 the figures are actual budgeted expenditure figures. For 1998–99 the figure is the maximum capped expenditure permitted under the Secretary of State's capping principles.

    9. The numbers in the second table have all been converted to 1997–98 prices using the latest HM Treasury's GDP deflators dated 13 March 1998.

    Nuclear Waste
    Ms Roseanna Cunningham
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Prime Minister regarding the transfer of radioactive material from Georgia to Dounreay; what is his policy on(a) public consultation and (b) public information with regard to the importing of radioactive material into Dounreay; and if he will make a statement. [39916]

    Mr. Macdonald
    The normal process of consultation by exchanges of minutes among appropriate Cabinet Ministers took place.

    Policy on public consultation and information on the importing of radioactive material into the UK is a matter for my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade. I understand that in the interests of security no prior notice is given about such movements of radioactive material. However once such movements have been completed there is no such restriction. Details of this particular movement were confirmed in the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Dartford (Dr. Stoate) on 24 April 1998, Official Report, column 721.
    47
    A summary of all of Dounreay's activities is presented to the local liaison committee which meets twice a year. These meetings are open to the public. All activities at Dounreay are subject to strict independent regulation by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

    Special Advisers
    Dr. Fox
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total annual cost of employing special advisers in his Department. [39882]

    Mr. Dewar
    Aggregate salary costs of Special Advisers in individual Departments are not provided in order to protect the privacy of the individuals concerned.

    Dr. Fox
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the annual cost of employing Mr. David Whitton as a special adviser in his Department. [39881]

    Mr. Dewar
    Special Advisers are paid within a range of £24,349 to £73,484. Their salaries are negotiated individually and are confidential within this range. Details are not revealed in order to protect the privacy of the individual concerned.

    Nurses
    Mr. Moore
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many vacant NHS posts for qualified nurses there were in Scotland by health board as at 31 March. [39657]

    Mr. Galbraith
    The information available centrally is shown in the table.

    Qualified nursing staff vacancies' by health board area and qualification whole time equivalent: at 31 March 1997

    Total

    Registered

    Vacancies Enrolled

    Total

    1,225

    1,108

    117

    Ayrshire & Arran

    31

    29

    3

    Borders

    6

    6

    —

    Argyll & Clyde

    128

    118

    11

    State Hospital

    1

    1

    —

    Fife

    20

    19

    1

    Greater Glasgow

    316

    295

    22

    Highland

    34

    32

    1

    Lanarkshire

    58

    52

    6

    Grampian

    103

    100

    3

    Orkney

    1

    —

    1

    Lothian

    288

    276

    13

    Tayside

    75

    50

    25

    Forth Valley

    134

    103

    31

    Western Isles

    5

    5

    0

    Dumfries & Galloway

    19

    19

    —

    Shetland

    7

    7

    —

    1 The vacancy figures relate to vacant posts at 31 March, irrespective of when the vacancy arose.

    Source:

    ISD(M)36, ISD Scotland

    Scottish Business Forum
    Mr. Moore
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the terms of reference for the Government's Scottish Business Forum announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 14 April; and what selection criteria will be used to determine who will be appointed to the Forum.
    [39659]
    48
    Mr. Dewar
    The Scottish Business Forum has been established to enable a regular exchange of views between the Scottish business community and Government. It will provide direct access for its members to Treasury Ministers who will attend meetings of the Forum as a matter of course. I have made appointments to the Forum on a personal basis, in consultation with the Chancellor of the Exchequer. A copy of the press notice which announced the appointment of members has been placed in the House library.

    Hospital Medical Staff
    Mr. Moore
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many vacant NHS posts for hospital medical staff there were in Scotland by health board as at 31 March. [39656]

    Mr. Galbraith
    Provisional figures were given to the hon. Member in reply to his written question of 16 December 1997,Official Report, columns 100–01. These figures have now been finalised and are provided in the table.

    Hospital medical consultant and staff grade vacancies1; by health board areas: at 30 September 1997

    Area

    Total number

    Consultant

    Staff

    Scotland

    161

    132

    29

    Argyll and Clyde

    19

    14

    5

    Ayrshire and Arran

    15

    14

    5

    Borders

    2

    2

    —

    Dumfries and Galloway

    7

    7

    —

    Fife

    10

    8

    2

    Forth Valley

    5

    5

    —

    Grampian

    21

    15

    6

    Greater Glasgow

    20

    14

    6

    Highland

    6

    6

    —

    Lanarkshire

    27

    22

    5

    Lothian

    14

    10

    4

    Orkney

    —

    —

    —

    Shetland

    4

    4

    —

    Tayside

    7

    7

    —

    Western Isles

    2

    2

    —

    Common Services Agency

    2

    2

    —

    1Information on vacant posts is collected centrally for consultant and staff grades only.

    Source:

    From ISD(M)4, ISD Scotland

    Community Pharmacies
    Mr. Moore
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many community pharmacies in Scotland have closed since 1 May 1997. [39658]

    Mr. Galbraith
    The information is not available in the form requested.

    Since 1 May 1997, 169 pharmacist contractors have been deleted from Health Board lists and 177 have been added.

    These figures do not differentiate between pharmacies opening or closing, and pharmacies changing hands.

    Highlands and Islands Airports
    Mr. Wallace
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when Ministers last met the Chairman of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd; and what subjects were discussed. [39493]

    Mr. Dewar
    Ministers meet the Chairman of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd. from time to time to discuss a variety of issues. The last meeting was on 22 September 1997 when operational and financial matters were discussed.

    Mr. Wallace
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list(a) the date of appointment of each member of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd. and (b) the expiry date of each member's appointment. [39492]

    Mr. Dewar
    The appointment dates of the Board Members of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd. are as follows:

    Date first appointed

    Date appointed expires

    Peter J. Grant CBE, Chairman (part-time)

    17 March 1993

    28 February 2001

    Robert Macleod, Managing Director (full-time)

    9 June 1997

    8 June 2000

    W. Francis Hamilton, Member (part-time)

    1 June 1995

    31 July 1998

    William K. Semple, Member (part-time)

    17 April 1991

    31 March 1999

  HEALTH

    "Abortion Provision in Britain"
    Mr. Martyn Jones
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the Birth Control Trust publication, "Abortion Provision in Britain"; and if he will make a statement. [38231]

    Ms Jowell
    This publication which has just been received, is being studied with interest. The White Paper "The New NHS" outlines a number of steps which we will be taking to improve the consistency of service provision throughout the National Health Service. We will challenge and address variations not based on health needs and wishes of local people. We will aim for maximum consistency while still allowing appropriate local and individual responsiveness.

    Birth Control Advice
    Mr. Trickett
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what proportion of teenagers seek birth control advice on matters for which advice is available only from the family general practitioner; [38282]

    (2) what guidance the Government have given on the availability of birth control advice to teenagers. [38322]

    Ms Jowell
    There are no aspects of birth control advice available only from general practitioners.

    In 1996–97, the number of first contacts by females under 16 for family planning services at family planning clinics was 60,390. The number of females under 16 receiving ordinary contraceptive services who are registered with general medical practitioners was 26,521.
    50
    The Department provides funding to Brook Advisory Centres, the major source of advice for young people and also sponsors the Sexwise phoneline which provides confidential advice to enable young people to make informed and responsible decisions about sex and personal relationships. The service is complementary to that provided by Brook.

    Confidentiality is of particular importance to young people. Existing guidance to regions (HC(86)1) is contained in Guidelines for reviewing family planning services issued in January 1992. In addition we are funding a Brook project which will include work on the dissemination of good practice information.

    We are developing a practical programme of action which will lead to the launch of a National Programme on Reducing the Rate of Teenage Conceptions later this year. Part of the programme will involve the further development of information, advice, counselling and contraception services to meet the needs of young people.

    Mr. Trickett
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance the Government give to district health authorities on the availability of birth control advice; and if it is the Government's policy that such advice should be available from a number of sources in addition to the family GP. [38298]

    Ms Jowell
    The Department's guidance on family planning services is set out in HSG(92)6 "Guidelines for reviewing family planning services: Guidance for Regions", copies of which are in the Library. The guidance states that specialist family planning clinic services should complement those provided by general practitioners and asks health authorities to consider the best way to integrate the two to ensure a comprehensive and effective range of family planning service is provided to local populations.

    Early Pregnancy Units
    Jane Griffiths
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his plans for early pregnancy units. [39201]

    Mr. Boateng
    The establishment of early pregnancy units, which provide treatment and counselling for women with problems early in their pregnancy, is a relatively new initiative and the numbers are increasing. It is the responsibility of health authorities and National Health Service trusts, taking into account the health needs of the local population.

    Antibiotics
    Mr. Levitt
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment the Government have made of the seriousness of the risk to health posed by increased bacterial resistance to antibiotics; and what measures are being taken to minimise this risk. [38972]

    Ms Jowell
    Antimicrobial resistance is an issue that we take extremely seriously. A number of initiatives have been undertaken or are underway to help tackle the problem. These include enhancing the systems of surveillance and infection control measures, reviewing the clinical use of antimicrobials and the use of antimicrobials in the food chain.

    CR Gas Sprays
    Mr. Livingstone
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment of the health effects of CR gas sprays has been made by the medical officers of his Department since 1991; how many published and internal papers have been written by his Department's medical officers on this subject since 1991; and what are the current security classifications of the internal reports. [38614]

    Ms Jowell
    No scientific assessments of the health effects of CR gas sprays have been made by medical officers of the Department in the period since 1991. No papers have been published by the Department's medical officers on the subject. However, in the book "Chemical Warfare Agents: Toxicology and Treatments" published by Wiley in 1992 (ISBN 0–471–95994–4), a chapter authored by a medical officer of the Department made reference to the subject.

    Head Lice
    Ms Walley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has issued in respect of organophosphate-based treatments for head lice; and if he will make a statement. [39332]

    Ms Jowell
    Guidance on the safe use of organophosphate containing treatments for head lice is made available for health professionals and patients by the manufacturer through the product information, which is authorised by the licensing authority.

    Ms Walley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the incidence of head lice amongst children in Staffordshire. [39331]

    Ms Jowell
    Head lice infections are not notifiable and are often managed within the privacy of people's own homes, making accurate counting difficult. A study1 in the south of England suggests that in a year on average 10 per cent. of children catch lice. The health authorities in Staffordshire believe incidence in Staffordshire to be similar to that experienced in other parts of the country. The Public Health Departments and School Health Services in both North and South Staffordshire are active in providing support and advice to health care professionals, schools and parents about managing head lice.

    Source:

    1Public Health Laboratory—Communicable Disease Report: Head Lice 10 October 1997.

    Multiple Sclerosis
    Mr. Gordon Prentice
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 19 March 1998,Official Report, columns 701–03, if he will make it his policy to require health authorities to collect information on the number of persons in their areas with relapsing/remitting MS and the number of persons prescribed Beta Interferon. [39906]

    Mr. Boateng
    There are no current plans to make it policy to require health authorities to collect this information. However, the information that health authorities are required to provide is continuously reviewed.

    Secure Units
    Dr. Cable
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the capacity of each local authority secure unit in London and the home counties. [39474]

    Mr. Boateng
    The table gives the location of secure units and the number of approved places as at 24 April 1998, in England.

    Secure accommodation: Current national provision (England)

    Unit

    Local authority

    Approved places

    London:

    1. Stamford House

    Hammersmith & Fulham

    16

    2. Orchard Lodge

    Southwark

    24

    Rest of England:

    1. Clare Lodge

    Peterborough City Council

    16

    2. Barton Moss

    Salford City Council

    20

    3. Watling House

    Staffordshire County Council

    12

    4. Thornbury

    Oxfordshire County Council

    3

    5. Stoke House

    Coventry City Council

    16

    6. Swanwick Lodge

    Hampshire County Council

    16

    7. Atkinson Unit

    New Devon County Council

    16

    8. Eastmoor

    Leeds City Council

    27

    9. Lincolnshire

    Lincolnshire County Council

    8

    10. Leverton Hall

    Essex County Council

    16

    11. Clayfields House

    Nottinghamshire County Council

    18

    12. Aldine House

    Sheffield City Council

    8

    13. Dales House

    Lancashire County Council

    8

    14. Briers Hey

    Lancashire County Council

    8

    15. Redbank SU

    St. Helens Met Borough Council

    26

    16. Redbank (Vardy)

    St. Helens Met Borough Council

    6

    17. St. Catherine's

    St. Helens/Nugent Care Society

    5

    18. Sutton Place

    Hull City Council

    10

    19. Redsands

    Cheshire County Council

    8

    20. Beechfield

    West Sussex County Council

    6

    21. St. John Earlswood

    Birmingham City Council

    8

    22. Dyson Hall

    Liverpool City Council

    8

    23. Vinney Green

    South Gloucestershire County Council

    22

    24. Brunel

    Derbyshire County Council

    8

    25. St. John's Tiffield

    Northamptonshire County Council

    16

    26. Aycliffe

    Durham County Council

    43

    27. Lansdowne

    East Sussex County Council

    5

    28. Kyloe House

    Northumberland County Council

    12

    Total number of places:

    415

    Dr. Cable
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many females are currently accommodated in each local authority secure unit in London and the home counties; and if he will provide a breakdown by age. [39475]

    Mr. Boateng
    The table gives the current female occupancy levels in secure accommodation as at
    24 April 1998, in England.
    53

    Females in secure accommodation as at 24 April 1998 (England)

    Age at 24 April

    Unit

    Local authority

    Total females

    Under 12

    12

    13

    14

    15

    16

    17

    18 and over

    London

    Stamford House

    Hammersmith and Fulham

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Orchard Lodge

    Southwark

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Rest of England

    Clare Lodge

    Peterborough City Council

    8

    0

    0

    0

    4

    2

    2

    0

    0

    Barton Moss

    Salford City Council

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Watling House

    Staffordshire County Council

    1

    0

    0

    0

    1

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Thornbury

    Oxfordshire County Council

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Stoke House

    Coventry City Council

    5

    0

    0

    0

    1

    3

    0

    1

    0

    Swanwick Lodge

    Hampshire County Council

    2

    0

    0

    0

    2

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Atkinson Unit

    New Devon County Council

    2

    0

    0

    0

    1

    0

    1

    0

    0

    Eastmoor

    Leeds City Council

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Lincolnshire

    Lincolnshire County Council

    1

    0

    0

    0

    1

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Leverton Hall

    Essex County Council

    4

    0

    0

    0

    2

    2

    0

    0

    0

    Clayfields House

    Nottinghamshire County Council

    3

    0

    0

    0

    1

    1

    1

    0

    0

    Aldine House

    Sheffield City Council

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Dales House

    Lancashire County Council

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Briers Hey

    Lancashire County Council

    5

    0

    0

    3

    0

    1

    1

    0

    0

    Redbank SU

    St. Helens Metropolitan Borough Council

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Redbank (Vardy)

    St. Helens Metropolitan Borough Council

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    St. Catherine's

    St. Helens/Nugent Care Society

    5

    0

    0

    0

    3

    1

    1

    0

    0

    Sutton Place

    Hull City Council

    1

    0

    0

    1

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Redsands

    Cheshire County Council

    3

    0

    0

    0

    1

    2

    0

    0

    0

    Beechfield

    West Sussex County Council

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    St. John's Earlswood

    Birmingham City Council

    4

    0

    0

    0

    2

    1

    0

    1

    0

    Dyson Hall

    Liverpool City Council

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Vinney Green

    South Gloucestershire County Council

    2

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    2

    0

    0

    Brunel

    Derbyshire County Council

    3

    0

    0

    1

    1

    0

    0

    1

    0

    St. John's Tiffield

    Northamptonshire County Council

    2

    0

    0

    0

    0

    1

    1

    0

    0

    Aycliffe

    Durham County Council

    5

    0

    0

    3

    1

    1

    0

    0

    0

    Lansdowne

    East Sussex County Council

    2

    0

    0

    1

    1

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Kyloe House

    Northumberland County Council

    6

    0

    2

    1

    1

    1

    1

    0

    0

    Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
    Mr. Burstow
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has funded into ME/CFS in the last five years. [39863]

    Ms Jowell
    A number of research projects into myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) have been carried out or are currently underway. These are:
    "The role of noradrenaline in the neuropsychological pathogenesis of the chronic fatigue syndrome (ME)", funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and costing £37,000, is being undertaken by Dr. R. K. Morriss at the University of Manchester."Rehabilitation in the chronic fatigue syndrome (ME)—a controlled trial of cognitive-behavioural therapy", now completed and funded by the Department of Health for £59,034."Should General Practitioners manage chronic fatigue syndrome (ME)? A controlled trial", an ongoing research project funded by the National Health Service research and development programme for £64,433.The Department has also funded a £65,000 project which considered whether a particular type of psychological treatment was effective in reducing disability in CFS/ME Patients and a £60,000 project which is looking at whether general practitioners are best placed to manage CFS/ME patients.54
    In addition, the NHS Standing Group on Health Technology has recently identified the latest series of priority areas for which it anticipates commissioning primary research or systematic reviews. One of the topics identified is management strategies for chronic fatigue syndrome/ME.

    Mr. Burstow
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has issued to health authorities concerning ME/CFS. [39860]

    Ms Jowell
    There is no single effective treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME). The condition varies significantly from one patient to another and therefore individual patients benefit from different treatment regimes. Therefore, we consider that it is more appropriate for clinical guidelines to be produced by clinicians themselves or through their representative professional bodies. Furthermore, the Medical Royal Colleges point out that, whilst CFS/ME should be managed by general practitioners, it is inappropriate at present to issue clinical guidelines given the lack of methodologically sound research.

    Special Educational Needs
    Mr. Burstow
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultations his Department has had with the DFEE on their Green Paper on Special Education Needs. [39862]
    55
    Mr. Boateng
    The Department was represented on the group, chaired by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Education and Employment, my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Yardley (Ms Morris), which produced the Green Paper "Excellence for all Children—Meeting Special Educational Needs", and continues to contribute to consultations following its publication last October.

    Long-term Care
    Mr. Flight
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the Royal Commission to publish its findings on funding long-term care for elderly people; and if he will make a statement. [38482]

    Mr. Boateng
    I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 4 December 1997,Official Report, column 489.

    Housing Benefit
    Mr. Gerrard
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has for reform of the housing benefit system. [38500]

    Mr. Kidney
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make a statement about her plans for the reform of housing benefit. [38504]

    Mr. Keith Bradley
    Tackling benefit fraud and encouraging people of working age to work are two important principles of welfare reform. In the immediate term, we are taking steps to tackle Housing Benefit fraud, and the Working Families Tax credit and other changes announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor in the Budget will reduce the work disincentive effects caused by the combination of housing benefit and Family Credit.

    For the longer term, as the Welfare Reform Green paper made clear, we are reviewing Housing Benefit. The review will consider and seek to address the underlying relationship between housing policy and housing benefit. We aim to develop stable and sustainable policies, in line with the overall objectives of welfare reform, striking a better balance between tenants' right and responsibilities.

    Mr. Chope
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make a statement on the future role of local authorities in the payment and administration of housing benefit. [38505]

    Mr. Keith Bradley
    The Welfare Reform Green Paper made clear we are reviewing the underlying relationship between housing policy and housing benefit. We aim to develop stable and sustainable policies, in line with the overall objectives of welfare reform, striking a balance between tenants' rights and responsibilities. We will be aiming to develop a simpler benefit system that will be more easily administered.

    Mr. Hood
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the(a) numbers and (b) amounts of rent rebate allowance overpayments and (c) the amount as a percentage of the authority's overall housing benefit
    56
    expenditure for (i) each district and island council in Scotland, in each available year from 1993–94 and (ii) each unitary authority for 1996–97. [37818]

    Mr. Keith Bradley
    The information has been placed in the library.

    Mr. Hood
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will provide(a) a breakdown of the number of housing benefits claimants, split into rent rebate and rent allowance categories, with the total amounts paid under each heading, (b) the numbers and amounts of housing benefit backdated payments under Regulation 72 (15), and the amount paid as a percentage of each local authority's housing benefit expenditure and (c) the numbers and amounts of discretionary payments under Regulation 69 (8) and the percentage they form of each local authority's total housing benefit expenditure, in the most recent available year. [37823]

    Mr. Keith Bradley
    The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available has been placed in the library.

    Child Support Agency
    Mr. Baldry
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make a statement on the number of staff employed by the Child Support Agency. [38502]

    Mr. Keith Bradley
    The Child Support Agency currently employs 9,109 full time and part time staff. Over 8,000 are permanent with the remainder made up of fixed term contract and casual staff.

    Currently fewer than 1 in 20 of the Agency's field staff have face to face contact with the public. However, the Agency is reorganising itself over the next year to make more staff available for front-line work; to improve telephone contact with customers; and to increase face to face contact.

    Disability Benefits
    24. Mr. Wilkinson
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations she has received on the level of benefits paid to those with disabilities. [38503]

    Mr. Denham
    We have received many representations on a range of issues relating to people with disabilities. Some of these may have concerned the level of benefits.

    Income-related Benefits
    Mr. Ruffley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is her policy towards reducing dependency on income-related benefits; and if she will make a statement. [38506]

    Mr. Field
    Income-related benefits will continue to offer a mechanism for getting resources to the most needy. As our plans for New Deals for people of working age, measures to make work pay, lifelong learning and pension reform take hold, people will have new opportunities to provide for themselves. Over time this will reduce the need for widespread reliance on income-related benefits.

    United Nations Commission on the Status of Women
    Helen Jackson
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when she expects to respond to the report of United Nations Commission on the Status of Women. [38507]

    Ms Ruddock
    I am pleased to announce that in June the Ministers for Women will be publishing a response to the twelve critical areas of concern to women which make up the UN Global Platform for action on women.

    The areas on which progress will be reported include education and training, women's health and violent crime against women. The United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) holds an annual conference to follow up on commitments to the UN Platform for Action on women.

    At the meeting of the CSW in February 1998 the UK Government, in our role of Presidency of the EU, succeeded in securing agreement to the main points of concern to the EU in the final texts. As soon as the final texts are available to the Government a copy will be placed in the Library.

    Pensioners
    Mr. Barry Jones
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what measures she has implemented to improve the living standards of pensioners. [38508]

    Siobhain McDonagh
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make a statement on the Government's policies towards the poorest pensioners during the last 12 months. [38480]

    Mr. Denham
    I refer my hon. Friends to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Conwy (Mrs. Williams).

    Mr. Etherington
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps she is taking to ensure that pensioners in Sunderland are in receipt of the benefits to which they are entitled; and if she will make a statement. [37972]

    Mr. Denham
    The local office of the Benefits Agency in Sunderland has a number of initiatives in place to assist pensioners in claiming Income Support. These include the issue of form IS1 (an initial claim form for income support) to pensioners on being awarded Retirement Pension, and monthly meetings with Age Concern where appointments are arranged to deal with individual pensioners' inquiries. They also attend a twice yearly forum run by Social Services, who are targeting pensioners.

    On a national scale, the Government are committed to examining the means of delivering more automatic help to the poorest pensioners, around one million of whom do not take up their Income Support entitlement. We have commissioned independent research into the barriers to pensioners claiming their entitlement. We have also started pilot projects in nine areas of Great Britain (Glasgow, East Renfrewshire, York, Preston, Stroud, Torbay, South Staffordshire, Torfaen and Lambeth) to test the most effective methods of identifying potential pensioner recipients and of encouraging them to claim.
    58
    We should have the results of both the research and the pilots early next year when we will consider the best way to proceed nationally.

    Mr. Webb
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the effect on public expenditure of raising the state pension age to 67 years for both men and women. [38200]

    Mr. Denham
    The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is set out in the table.

    Benefit effects of raising State pension age to 67 in 1998–99

    £billion

    Benefits

    Cost/saving

    Retirement pension (RP) savings

    5

    Income related benefits (IRB) offset to RP savings

    —1

    Other benefit offsets

    —2

    Notes:

    1. Estimates assume an immediate change in State pension age in 1998–99 with no transitional protection and Audit Dependancy Increases (ADIs) extended in line with current policy.

    2. Estimates are rounded to the nearest £ billion (-) represents a cost, (+) represents a saving.

    3. RP effects include moves onto Widows Benefits (WB) and the extension of ADIs.

    4. IRB offsets are provided for the RP and WB costs only. Information on the IRB effects of moves onto other benefits is not available.

    5. "Other benefits" cover Incapacity Benefit, Jobseeker' s Allowance (Contributory), Severe Disablement Allowance and Invalid Care Allowance.

    6. No behavioural effects have been assumed, apart from moves onto other contributory benefits.

    7. Contributory benefit effects have been provided by the Government Actuary's Department.

    Lone Parents
    Miss McIntosh
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has to introduce elements of compulsion into the New Deal for lone parents. [38509]

    Mr. Keith Bradley
    I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr. Duncan Smith) on 25 November 1997,Official Report column 540.

    Pensions
    Mr. Viggers
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans she has to reform the system of occupational pensions. [38510]

    Mr. Denham
    The pensions review is looking at ways to meet the Government's commitment to strengthen and support occupational pensions because we recognise the importance of occupational pensions in providing income for retirement.

    There are three strands to this work. First, we are taking steps to get the regulation of pensions right. Secondly, we want to find ways of acknowledging the best in occupational pension provision and of encouraging others to meet the standards of the best. Thirdly, we are seeking to raise the level of pensions education and awareness so that people can take informed choices about their own provision.
    59
    The Government have signalled their willingness to look at the weight and appropriateness of the current regulatory system. We have also raised a series of issues on which we want to encourage a wider debate. Over the next few months we will be consulting widely on proposals for making the provisions of the Pensions Act easier to operate by simplifying a number of requirements.

    Sir Teddy Taylor
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many representations she has had from members of the public about her proposals for retirement pensions. [38512]

    Mr. Denham
    A key objective of our review of pensions is to ensure that pensioners should have an adequate income in retirement, that they should share fairly in rising national prosperity and that public finances should be both sustainable and affordable.

    We received over 2,000 responses to the pensions review from pensions providers, employers, employees, consumers, pensions experts and pensioners themselves. We are considering the responses and we will be publishing a Green Paper later this year.

    34. Mr. Lansley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when she proposes to publish her proposals for stakeholder pensions. [38514]

    Mr. Denham
    Details of the proposed framework for Stakeholder Pension schemes will be included in the Green Paper on pensions which we will publish later this year.

    Child Care
    Mr. Burgon
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make a statement on Government initiatives to help parents pay for child care during the last year. [38513]

    Ms Ruddock
    Child care is a priority for the Ministers for Women and we have worked with colleagues across government in the last year on initiatives to help parents, particularly women, with paying for childcare.

    The Government announced in March that a new Child care Tax Credit will be introduced from October 1999, as part of Working Families Tax Credit. This will cover 70 per cent. of all weekly childcare costs up to an overall limit of £100 for families with a single child and £150 for multi-child families. The tax credit will replace the child care disregard in Family Credit and other income-related benefits.

    In addition, the Chancellor announced a major boost to child care in the Pre-Budget statement in November. £300 million is being made available to set up 30,000 out of school projects, which will provide places for up to one million children. Out of school clubs for children before and after school, and in the holidays. This is a tenfold

    Number of tribunals attended and unattended by the appellant and/or a representative

    Appeals heard

    All attendances

    Not attended

    Quarter ending

    (Total number)

    (Total number)

    (Per cent.)

    (Total number)

    (Per cent.)

    31 December

    28,048

    17,470

    62.29

    10,578

    37.71

    31 March

    25,586

    15,907

    62.17

    9,679

    37.83

    30 June 1997

    31,507

    17,092

    54.25

    14,415

    45.75

    30 September

    36,053

    15,962

    44.27

    20,091

    55.73

    60
    increase on existing provision, and will mean that every child in Britain will have access to out of school child care in their community.

    In the meantime, from June 1998, the Family Credit child care disregard will be enhanced by increasing the maximum child care costs allowed to £100 for families who incur child care costs for two or more children of qualifying age and extending the age limit by one year to the September following the child's 12th birthday.

    Since July 1997, lone parents participating in the New Deal for Lone Parents programme have also been eligible for help with childcare costs of up to £60 per week (or £100 per week for two or more children from June 1998) while undertaking various activities helping them secure a job, for example attending job interviews; attending an interview with the Personal Adviser and attending certain kinds of training courses or programmes.

    Part-time Employed
    Mr. Sheerman
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what new steps she is taking to protect the benefit payments to the part-time employed. [38501]

    Mr. Keith Bradley
    The changes we are making to National Insurance from April next year will reduce the amount all employees' pay, but will not affect their benefit entitlements. Our longer term aim is to align the starting point at which employees pay National Insurance with the single person's income tax allowance. When we do so we will ensure that benefit rights are protected. We shall be considering how best to provide this protection and will bring forward proposals in due course.

    National Insurance
    Mr. Hoyle
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations she has received from lawyers on proposals to remove actors from Class 1 national insurance contributions. [38932]

    Mr. Denham
    We have had no such representations from lawyers. We have announced that we are reviewing, with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, the position of performers for National Insurance purposes. No decision has yet been taken. An announcement will be made in due course.

    Appeals
    Mr. Levitt
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of social security appeals tribunals were(a) attended by the appellant and/or a representative and (b) unattended; and what was the success rate for (i) attended and (ii) unattended appeals in each of the last four quarters. [38973]

    Mr. Keith Bradley
    The information is set out in the tables.
    61

    Success rate of attended and unattended tribunals

    All attendances In appellant's favour

    Not attended In appellant's favour

    Quarter ending

    (Total number)

    (Number)

    (Per cent.)

    (Total number)

    (Number)

    (Per cent.)

    31 December 1996

    17,470

    9,561

    54.73

    10,578

    1,249

    11.81

    31 March 1997

    15,907

    8,766

    55.11

    9,679

    1,192

    12.32

    30 June 1997

    17,092

    9,535

    55.79

    14,415

    1,820

    12.63

    30 September 1997

    15,962

    8,813

    55.21

    20,091

    2,523

    12.56

    Source:

    The quarterly Social Security Appeal Tribunal statistics published by DSS Analytical Services Division.

    Mr. Gibb
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many paper appeals made against decisions following an all-work-test were processed in the last four quarters for which figures are available; and what proportion of these were decided in the appellant's favour. [39775]

    Mr. Keith Bradley
    The information is not available.

    Lung Function Test
    Mr. Clapham
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if she will commission a comparison between her Department's predicted values in the lung function test and the European Community for Steel and Coal study undertaken in 1993; [39921]

    (2) when the survey of the general population, which is the basis of the predicted performance used in the lung function test was undertaken; how many males were included in the survey; what proportion of those taking part smoked; and when it was last updated; [39920]

    (3) what is the basis of the predicted performance used in the lung function test; how it is calculated; and when it was first devised; [39918]

    (4) if the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council has re-evaluated J. E. Cotes' Lung Function Assessment in Medicine used by her Department, since the European Respiratory Society recommended the use of ECSC values; and what was the outcome. [39919]

    Mr. Denham
    The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council provides Ministers with expert independent advice on matters relating to the Industrial Injuries Benefit Scheme. The Council re-evaluated the use of the Cotes equation for the lung function test in their review of the prescription of chronic bronchitis and emphysema. That re-evaluation included consideration of the European Community for Coal and Steel study published in 1993. The Council concluded that the Cotes equation remained as appropriate as any other available equations, including that published in the latter study. A copy of the Council's report of their review entitled "Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema" (Cm 3240) which was published in May 1996 is in the Library. Particulars of the Cotes equation and the reference populations used in Cotes are set out in detail in "Lung Function: Assessment and Application in Medicine" by J. E. Cotes (ISBN 0–632–00033–3).

    Benefit Integrity Project
    Mr. Oaten
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans her Department has to set target times for processing appeals under the Benefit Integrity Project. [39912]

    Mr. Denham
    We are committed to looking at various ways of improving the way in which the Benefit Integrity Project operates. For example, from 1 May all review requests will be subject to new faster processes. The aim is to reduce the time taken to process review requests from 10 to 11 weeks to 4 to 5 weeks in the majority of cases. We are also examining ways of speeding up the processing of appeals against decisions made under the Project and discussions have begun with the Independent Tribunal Service.

    Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
    Mr. Oaten
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims of industrial injuries disablement benefit were made in 1996–97; and how many he estimates will be made in 1997–98. [39899]

    Mr. Denham
    There were 70,640 claims to Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit in 1996–97. No estimates are made of the number of claims expected in future years. However, in the 9 months from April 1997 to December 1997 73,820 claims were made.

    Note:

    The data are based on a 10 per cent. sample of claims made.

    Disability Living Allowance
    Mr. Oaten
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people whose main disabling condition is deafness were awarded disability living allowance(a) between June 1996 and May 1997 and (b) since June 1997 (i) on their initial application, (ii) at review and (iii) at appeal. [39897]

    Mr. Denham
    The information is set out in the table.

    People whose main disabling condition is deafness awarded disability living allowance.

    Type of award

    1 June 1996 to 31 May 1997

    1 June 1997 to 28 February 1998

    All types of award

    3,000

    3,580

    on initial application

    1,720

    1,880

    on review

    680

    940

    on appeal

    600

    760

    Source:

    Analytical Services Division: 5 per cent. data.

  House of Lords: Members' Ages
  House of Lords: Members' Ages
  Chemical Defence Programme
  Chemical Defence Programme
  US Department of Defence: Transformation Proposals
  US Department of Defence: Transformation Proposals
  EU Law and the British Parliament
  EU Law and the British Parliament
  Falkland Islands
  Falkland Islands
  President of the Commission: Mode of Address
  President of the Commission: Mode of Address
  Further European Integration: Electoral Support
  Further European Integration: Electoral Support
  Burma: Human Rights
  Burma: Human Rights
  European Commission: Corpus Juris Paper
  European Commission: Corpus Juris Paper
  Burma: Unilateral Sanctions and EU Law
  Burma: Unilateral Sanctions and EU Law
  Burma: Attitude of Member States towards Sanctions
  Burma: Attitude of Member States towards Sanctions
  Commonwealth Business Council
  Commonwealth Business Council
  Federal Republic of Yugoslavia: Arms Embargo
  Federal Republic of Yugoslavia: Arms Embargo
  Dounreay Shaft: Radioactive Debris
  Dounreay Shaft: Radioactive Debris
  Questions for Written Answer: e-mail
  Questions for Written Answer: e-mail
  Genetic Modification of Food
  Genetic Modification of Food
  Cattle Tracing System
  Cattle Tracing System
  CAP Reform
  CAP Reform
  Common Fisheries Policy
  Common Fisheries Policy
  Animal Health and Welfare
  Animal Health and Welfare
  Agriculture Council, 20 and 21 April
  Agriculture Council, 20 and 21 April
  Car Part Imports: Safety-critical Standards
  Car Part Imports: Safety-critical Standards
  Millennium Dome Site: Landfill Tax
  Millennium Dome Site: Landfill Tax
  Jubilee Line Extension: Westminster Station
  Jubilee Line Extension: Westminster Station
  Smoking-related Illnesses
  Smoking-related Illnesses
  Abortion Act Criteria
  Abortion Act Criteria