Written Answers of 10 December 1998

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Korean War Veterans
  Mr. Pond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the incidence of rheumatoid arthritis is amongst veterans of the Korean War; and how this compares with the incidence amongst the population as a whole. [62977]

  Mr. Timms
  The information is not available.

  Devolution
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the programmes which it will be ultra vires for his Department to fund or have sole responsibility for after devolution; if he will list these programmes; and if he will make a statement. [63298]

  Mr. Timms
  Social Security, Child Support and pension matters are reserved to the Westminster Parliament by virtue of Head F of Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security will therefore remain responsible for these matters in Scotland after devolution.

  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much is spent annually by his Department on research programmes in Scotland; and what proportion of this funding will be transferred to the Scottish Parliament after devolution. [63296]

  Mr. Timms
  Social Security, Child Support and Pensions are reserved matters, and the research associated with them will also remain this Department's responsibility after devolution. Therefore none of the funding attributable to research in this Department will be transferred to the Scottish Parliament.

  The cost of collecting data in relation to Scotland is an integral part of the cost of collecting data for Great Britain. The overhead costs of conducting the research are incurred on a Great Britain basis. It is not therefore possible to disaggregate the spending on research in Scotland from the total spending in Great Britain.

  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list(a) by programme over £50,000 and (b) the total of spending by his Department in Scotland on the identifiable spending areas detailed in Table 7.6A of the Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 1997–98 (Cmnd 3601); which of these programmes will fall solely or jointly under the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament; and what arrangements are in place to transfer control of funds for these projects to the Scottish Executive or Parliament. [63297]
  244
  Mr. Timms
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for Tayside, North (Mr. Swinney) on 4 November 1998,Official Report, column 615, which sets out identifiable expenditure on Social Security benefits in Scotland. It does not include the costs of administration in or in respect of Scotland, or certain elements, e.g. benefits paid overseas which cannot be attributed separately.

  Social Security is a reserved matter and expenditure on it will not therefore be the responsibility of the Scottish Executive or Parliament.

  Supported Accommodation
  Ms Stuart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the future of the funding arrangements for supported accommodation. [63667]

  Mr. Darling
  We are publishing today a consultation document "Supporting People" proposing new funding arrangements for support services. The proposals arise from the Inter-Departmental review of funding for supported accommodation.

  Over the years Housing Benefit, which was designed to meet housing costs, has been used to meet other costs over which the Government have no control. As a result, Housing Benefit became the primary funding stream for support services that varied in standard from the very good to the very bad. There was no proper consideration of quality or standards.

  Nor has there been an effective over-arching strategy of the work of the various government departments involved, or ownership of responsibility for ensuring that vulnerable people receive the support they require. This has resulted in a focus on dealing with problems once they emerge, sometimes pushing people into more acute services than they might have originally needed.

  The new arrangements will enable many thousands of vulnerable people to get the cost-effective and high-quality services which they need.

  We propose to replace the current complicated arrangements with one single budget targeted specifically at support services. This will ensure that the Government meet people's basic housing costs and at the same time that vulnerable people get the quality help they need to meet their requirements. This will be administered at the local level by Local Authorities. The new single budget will be preceded by a new, time-limited, transitional Housing Benefit scheme which will be implemented when current regulations expire; these regulations were introduced to protect many thousands of vulnerable people whose support services were jeopardised by a Court ruling in July 1997.

  Our new proposals for delivering support to vulnerable people will operate in combination with community care, housing, and other existing policies to support vulnerable people in the community. Funding for support services will, for the first time, be clear and practical. This means that many vulnerable people—such as frail elderly people, people with mental health problems, and victims of domestic violence—will be able to remain independent within the community.
  245
  The proposals demonstrate the benefits of Inter-Departmental working, bringing together expertise across Government to develop policies that meet the needs of individuals. In carrying this work forward, the Government are keen to involve local government, the Housing Corporation, the providers and other stakeholders throughout the consultation process and beyond.

  Copies will be placed in the Library.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Devolution
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much is spent annually by his Department on research programmes in Scotland; and what proportion of this funding will be transferred to the Scottish Parliament after devolution. [63287]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  Nil.

  Television Education Channel
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education and Employment over the establishment of a new television education channel. [63316]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  My Department is in regular contact with the Department for Education and Employment on a wide range of issues including broadcast educational material, and the Department for Education and Employment is discussing direct with broadcasters the development and broadcast of new specific digital educational services to support the GCSE National Curriculum.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will write in response to the questions tabled on 4 November by the hon. Member for East Surrey. [63325]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  I replied to the hon. Member in a letter dated 30 November and delivered to the House on 4 December 1998.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Ministerial E-mail Address
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what is his e-mail address. [62560]

  Mr. Hoon
  Hon. Members can e-mail the Lord Chancellor's Department's Ministerial Correspondence Unit at:mcu.lcd@gtnet.gov.uk. Members of the public can e-mail the Department at: enquiries.lcdhq@gtnet.gov.uk.

  Maintenance Orders
  Mr. Truswell
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of reciprocal enforcement of maintenance orders; and if he will make a statement. [62357]

  Mr. Hoon
  Officials from my Department frequently review the effectiveness of internal procedures for transmitting applications for the enforcement of maintenance orders between the UK and overseas authorities to discuss improvements to these reciprocal arrangements.

  Environmental Courts
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will establish designated courts to deal with environmental issues. [62537]

  Mr. Hoon
  There are no plans to establish separate environmental courts. However, cases involving environmental issues will benefit, along with all other cases, from the regime of judicial case management to be introduced in April.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Road Traffic Law
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress has been made over the last five years(a) within his Department, (b) in conjunction with other Government departments and (c) in conjunction with European bodies towards developing systems involving the use of new technology for safety-related road traffic law enforcement and the administration of penalties. [62544]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Road traffic law enforcement and the administration of penalties are mainly matters for my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary. However, my department, in conjunction with his, is interested in the potential of new technology to support its road safety and environmental objectives. To that end it has an extensive research programme and is also supportive of a wide range of research in the UK and in Europe which seeks to develop practical applications of new technology for road traffic law enforcement and the administration of penalties. Examples of this are the research projects on vehicle speed control being conducted on behalf of the Department by the Motor Industry Research Association and the Institute for Transport Studies at the University of Leeds, and the field trials conducted in Sweden and the Netherlands evaluating different systems and technologies to control vehicle speeds externally.

  Donaldson Report
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he plans to publish Lord Donaldson's report on command and control of major pollution incidents; and if he will make a statement. [62937]
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  Ms Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the report by Lord Donaldson relating to the 'Sea Empress' incident will be published. [63044]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  We received Lord Donaldson's report on his review of marine salvage and intervention and their command and control on 20 November. Consideration is being given to the publication of the report.

  Housing Benefits
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much housing benefit was paid to council tenants(a) in the UK and (b) of Portsmouth City Council in each of the last three years; and in each case, what proportion of that amount was funded from council rents. [63026]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The information requested is shown in the following table.

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  UK

  HB paid to council tenants (£ million)

  4,421

  4,535

  4,441

  Percentage funded through rental surpluses

  23.7

  25.9

  27.4

  Portsmouth

  HB paid to council tenants (£ million)

  25.0

  26.6

  26.5

  Percentage funded through rental surpluses

  16.0

  18.3

  19.3

  Housing Development (North-West)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will estimate the percentage and area of brownfield sites in the North West where the cost of reclamation is likely to make the site uneconomic for housing development. [63047]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The information requested is not currently available. Phase 1 of the National Land Use Database project, which we launched in May 1998, covers vacant and derelict sites and other previously developed land which may be available for redevelopment. Officials are currently working with English Partnerships, local authorities and the Ordnance Survey to collect the information for this first phase. Initial results should be available by the end of March 1999.

  Railtrack
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the levels of capital investment by Railtrack for each year since it was established; what the figures were for comparable capital investment by British Rail in the five years before privatisation; and if he will make a statement. [62600]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Railtrack was established on 1 April 1994 and privatised on 20 May 1996. The table shows annual total rail infrastructure investment between 1989–90 and 1997–98.
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  year

  Annual total rail infrastructure investment (£ million cash)

  1989–90

  1603

  1990–91

  625

  1991–92

  769

  1992–93

  843

  1993–94

  708

  1994–95

  2661

  1995–96

  744

  1996–97

  961

  1997–98

  1,250

  1 Investment figures for 1989–90 to 1993–94 cover BR investment on infrastructure, on buildings, and on new routes and new electrification. This approximates, but is not identical to, the types of investment now undertaken by Railtrack.

  2In addition, investment figures from 1994–95 onwards, based on information provided by Railtrack and as reported in the company's Annual Reports and Accounts, are not directly comparable with figures for rail infrastructure investment in previous years due to changes in accounting definitions and the adoption of a new accounting practice by Railtrack.

  Seat Belts and Child Restraints
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what steps he is taking to encourage motorists to use appropriate safety measures for child passengers; [62933]

  (2) what plans he has to encourage motorists (a) to use seat belts and (b) to ensure that their passengers wear seat belts. [62984]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The Department's leaflet "Seat Belts and Child Restraints" which provides advice on the law, on selecting the right child restraint and on wearing by pregnant women is widely available. Advice is also provided in the 1996 version of the Department of Transport publication "Choosing Safety", published by the Stationery Office. Copies of both documents are in the Library of the House.

  In the longer term, a standard method of attaching child restraints to cars will make fitting more straightforward. The UK has taken a leading role in the development of the ISOFIX system, which would provide standard attachment points on both child restraints and cars. We are keen for this system to be adopted as the European norm.

  Following the successful campaign last July to encourage rear seat belt wearing we are considering further advertising in 1999. Surveys by the Transport Research Laboratory show an increase in rear seat belt wearing (children and adults) from 67 per cent. in April 1998 to 72 per cent. in October 1998, the highest figure yet reported by these regular surveys.

  Great North Eastern Railway
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to encourage GNER to increase the speed and regularity of its services. [62983]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The franchise agreement, which governs the provision of services, includes a Passenger Service Requirement (PSR) which specifies a minimum level of service which GNER must plan to provide. The PSR includes maximum acceptable intervals between services and maximum acceptable end-to-end journey
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  times. What services operate over and above the PSR is a matter for GNER. Ministers are considering recommendations from the Franchising Director about the future provision of capacity for East Coast Main Line services, and will make a statement about that in due course.

  School Playing Fields (Redevelopment)
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what monitoring his Department has carried out regarding redevelopments of school playing fields called in under the statutory consultee process. [62972]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Planning applications to develop school playing fields which are called in for the Secretary of State's determination are handled in the first instance by the Government Offices for the Regions. Four applications have been called in since June 1997.

  Waste Transportation
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what percentage of(a) road, (b) rail and (c) water traffic can be attributed to the transportation of waste; and if he will make a statement. [62428]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  [holding answer 8 December 1998]: Waste accounted for some 7 per cent. of the total tonnage of domestic waterborne freight in 1997. No information is currently available for the percentage of road and rail traffic accounted for by waste. This limited information will be taken into account in the follow up to the Department's consultation paper "Less Waste, More Value".

  Devolution
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how much is spent annually by his Department on research programmes in Scotland; and what proportion of this funding will be transferred to the Scottish Parliament after devolution; [63278]

  (2) if he will list (a) by programme over £50,000 and (b) the total spending by his Department in Scotland on the identifiable spending areas detailed in Table 7.6A of the Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 1997–98 (Cmnd 3601); which of these programmes will fall solely or jointly under the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament; and what arrangements are in place to transfer control of funds for these projects to the Scottish Executive or Parliament; [63279]

  (3) what assessment he has made of the programmes which it will be ultra vires his Department to fund or have sole responsibility for after devolution; if he will list these programmes; and if he will make a statement. [63280]

  Mr. Meale
  Under the terms of the Scotland Act 1998, the Scottish Ministers will assume responsibility for a range of devolved functions which will in part depend on secondary legislation which has yet to be passed. My Department is reviewing its programmes, including the research components, in the light of the Scotland Act. It is too early to say to what extent programme expenditure which is currently administered by the Department may 250
  relate to functions which will transfer to Scottish Ministers. Work is taking place to establish the extent of any such expenditure and to assess the needs for any consequential transfer of funds to the Scottish Ministers. For the total spending by the Department in Scotland I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for North Tayside (Mr. Swinney) on 4 November 1998, Official Report, column 615.

  Pesticide Tax
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the(a) environmental benefits and (b) costs to rural businesses of a pesticide tax. [63450]

  Mr. Meale
  The Department has commissioned extensive research work on the feasibility of an economic instrument to assist in delivering the Government's pesticide minimisation policy. This has included assessment of the potential environmental benefits of such an instrument, of the impacts on and costs to relevant agricultural sectors and on the manufacturers and distributors of pesticides.

  Greater London Authority Bill
  Mr. Ottaway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he intends to publish the explanatory notes to the Greater London Authority Bill. [63305]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Copies of the Explanatory note were published, today.

  Sea Stores, Yate
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what current use is made of the sea stores property at Yate, owned by the Property Services Agency; and what plans he has for its future use. [63256]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  This property is in fact owned by the Highways Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Lawrie Haynes, to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from H. Parker-Brown to Mr. Steve Webb, dated 10 December 1998:
  The Transport Minister, Glenda Jackson, has asked Lawrie Haynes, the Chief Executive, to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the sea stores at Yate. I am replying in Lawrie's absence from the office.
  The stores are owned by the Highways Agency and are used to store mainly electrical equipment needed for the National Motorway Communications Network. There are no plans to change this use.

  UK Safety Oversight System
  Mr. Quinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to announce the results of the audit of the UK safety oversight system carried out by the International Civil Aviation Safety Organisation in April 1998; and if he will make a statement. [63665]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The United Kingdom was one of the leading nations in pressing the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to set up, in 1995, a
  251
  programme of voluntary safety assessments of its member states. The objective of this programme was to seek to ensure that ICAO Contracting States are adequately discharging their responsibilities for safety oversight in certain specific areas: aircraft operations, the licensing and training of personnel and aircraft airworthiness.

  This Government took the initiative in December 1997—the first major aviation state to do so—of asking ICAO to assess the UK safety oversight system. The audit took place from 14–24 April, this year, and focused to a large extent on the role of the Civil Aviation Authority. The final Report, which was agreed with ICAO on 30 October, finds that the
  'CAA is an appropriately organised and funded organisation … very effective and efficient for its purpose'.

  There are 28 recommendations, relatively few compared with audits of other, smaller authorities, and none questions the performance of the Authority's fundamental safety work. The Government have accepted all but two of the recommendations, which could not have been met within the current legislative structure. We have agreed an Action Plan, drawn up by the CAA, to meet the recommendations; the Plan is included in the Report.

  We have also been firm advocates of the need to make the results of ICAO audits more transparent and widely available to the international aviation community and to the public at large. Today, we are happy to make the full ICAO report available on the Internet at the DETR web-site. Printed copies have been placed in the House Libraries.

  The UK is one of the leaders in safety oversight, with an excellent reputation world wide. But aviation safety needs constant vigilance; that is why both the Government and the Authority were keen to open its doors to ICAO. The Government welcome the audit results and the CAA's positive response, and will be following closely the implementation of the Action Plan. I am confident that the CAA, and the UK aviation industry as a whole, has benefited from this audit.

  Roads Review
  Mr. Fitzpatrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on progress since the Roads Review on the Targeted Programme of Improvements and the programme studies. [63666]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  My noble Friend the Minister for Roads and Road Safety announced today that we are able to provide further details of the construction programme for the schemes included in our Targeted Programme of Improvements listed in A New Deal for Trunk Roads in England.

  As previously stated by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Transport, on 31 July 1998, Official Report, columns 653–75, all the schemes listed in the TPI will definitely start within the next seven years, subject only to the completion of any outstanding statutory procedures.

  For those schemes where all the statutory procedures have been completed, the following are the planned start of works dates. Final confirmation of individual start dates within each year will be subject to the satisfactory completion of the necessary contract process.
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  2000–01

  Al: Willowburn—Denwick

  A6: Great Glen Bypass

  A27: Polegate Bypass

  A41: Aston Clinton Bypass

  A43: Silverstone Bypass

  A43: Whitfield Turn—Brackley Hatch Improvement

  A1033: Hedon Road, Hull Improvement

  2001–02

  A5: Nesscliffe Bypass

  A6: Clapham Bypass

  A6: Rothwell—Desborough Bypass

  A6: Rushden and Higham Ferrers Bypass

  A10: Wadesmill-Colliers End Bypass

  A1l: Roudham Heath to Attleborough

  A21: Lamberhurst Bypass

  A23: Coulsdon Relief Road

  A43: M40-B4031 Improvement

  A46: Newark-Lincoln Improvement

  A63: Selby Bypass

  A66: Stainburn and Great Clifton Bypass

  Al20: Stansted-Braintree

  A500: Basford/Hough/Shavington Bypass

  A650: Bingley Relief Road

  2002–03

  M25: J 12–15 Widening

  2003–04

  M60: J 5–8 (formerly M63 J 6–9 Widening).

  We propose to take forward the following five schemes under Design, Build, Finance and Operate (DBFO) contracts. These provide bidders with the flexibility to decide their own start dates as a means of producing better value for money. In line with our new objectives for Trunk Roads the proposed payment mechanisms for these schemes will incentivise efficient road operation and will include rewarding improved safety and good service to buses and lorries. We will further keep under review the scope for additional public private partnerships to implement the TPI.

  The DBFO Schemes are:

  Contract Award Date

  2002–03

  A1(M): Ferrybridge to Hook Moor

  Al(M): Wetherby to Walshford.

  The following three schemes, which we propose taking forward under DBFO contracts, are still subject to statutory procedures. The next statutory procedures for these schemes, together with the planned dates, are:

  1999–2000

  A249: Iwade-Queenborough Improvement (Public Inquiry)

  2000–01

  A2: Bean-Cobham Widening Phase 2 (Public Consultation)

  A2: A2/A282 Dartford Improvement (Order Publication).

  I am not yet in a position to announce the final start of works dates for the remaining schemes listed in the TPI. I am however able to announce the next statutory procedure for the remaining schemes where applicable.
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  1998–99

  A303: Stonehenge (Public Consultation)

  1999–2000

  A6: Alvaston (Order Publication)

  A34: Chieveley/M4 J 13 Improvement (Order Publication—revised CPO)

  2000–01

  A2: Bean-Cobham Widening Phase 1 (Public Consultation)

  A500: City Road/Stoke Road Junctions (Order Publication)

  2001–02

  A5: Weeford-Fazeley Improvement (Order Publication)

  A14: Rookery Crossroads Grade Separated Junction (Order Publication)

  A421: Great Barford Bypass (Order Publication).

  At the same time as the TPI was published, a further seven schemes were listed which were not sufficiently advanced to be considered for the TPI but which are to be progressed through their statutory procedures and, if endorsed as a result of the Regional Planning Guidance procedure process, will be taken forward without delay, subject only to the availability of funds. They are, with dates of the next statutory procedure:

  1999–2000

  A30: Bodmin-Indian Queens Improvement (Public Consultation)

  2000–01

  A11: Attleborough Bypass (Public Consultation)

  A11: Fiveways-Thetford Improvement (Public Consultation)

  A63: Melton Grade Separated Junction (Order Publication)

  2001–02

  A45/A46: Tollbar End Improvement (Public Consultation)

  A57/A628: Mottram-Tintwistle Bypass (Order Publication)

  A66: Temple Sowerby Bypass and Improvement at Winderwath (Order Publication).

  In A New Deal for Trunk Roads in England we also proposed a programme of studies to address the most urgent problems on the Trunk Road Network not addressed by schemes in the TPI. My Department is today beginning a consultation exercise with Regional Planning Bodies to agree the study programme and to seek views in particular on the timing of the studies. The provisional programme of studies is as follows:
  Tranche one multi-modal studies: West Midlands to North West Conurbation; London Orbital; South West Yorkshire Motorway box; Tyneside; West Midlands Area; Access to Hastings; London to South West and South Wales; North-South Movements in East Midlands; and South East Manchester.
  Work to begin in spring 1999.
  Tranche two multi-modal studies: Cambridge to Huntingdon, A453 (MI-Nottingham); Southampton to Folkestone; Hull; London to South Midlands; West Midlands to Nottingham; London to Reading.
  The start date for these studies will depend on the progress of tranche one studies in each region.
  Roads-based studies: Al Bramham to Barton; Norwich to Great Yarmouth; A5 Shrewsbury to Welsh Border; A38 Derby Junctions; M1 Junction 19; A3 Hindhead; Deeside Park Junctions; M40/A46 Longbridge roundabout; A419 Blunsdon; A66 Safety study.
  We intend to begin these within the next two years.

  A copy of the consultation document will be placed in the Library.

  Right to Buy
  Ms Blears
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will announce the results of the consultation exercise on the changes to the right to buy maximum discount. [63772]

  Mr. Fitzpatrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will announce the results of the consultation exercise on the changes to the right to buy maximum discount. [63807]

  Ms Armstrong
  We intend the Right to Buy scheme to continue, and that eligible tenants should continue to buy at substantial discounts. The annual cost of the scheme to the taxpayer is currently around £400 million a year at net present value. Tenants are, and will continue to be, eligible to claim up to 60 per cent. discount on a house and 70 per cent. discount on a flat, but we want to provide value for money to the taxpayer so the maximum cash limit of £50,000 will be reduced.

  We announced plans on 28 July 1998, Official Report, columns 124–25, to reduce the limit to a fairer level which reflected more closely the actual cost of buying a local authority home in each of the nine English regions. The consultation period ended on 30 September. We had 197 responses. The great majority of these welcomed the proposal to reduce the level of discount.

  Today the Housing (Right to Buy) (Maximum Discount) Order 1998, SI 1998 2997 has been laid before Parliament for approval.

  Subject to Parliamentary approval, the change will come into force on 11 February 1999. For anyone applying to buy on or after that date, the maximum cash limits on discounts available under the Right to Buy, the preserved Right to Buy and voluntary sales of council housing will range from £38,000 in London and the South East to £22,000 in the North East.

  The limits are based on 70 per cent. of the average value of local authority houses and flats in each region, and 65 per cent. in London where pressure on social housing is currently greatest.

  The Right to Buy scheme was reviewed as part of the Housing Comprehensive Spending Review. We are strongly committed to promoting sustainable home ownership so the Right to Buy scheme will still provide tenants with the opportunity to buy at generous discounts.

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Robert Jackson
  To ask the President of the Council how many people in her Department are currently on secondment from private companies; and if she will list them, their companies and their current responsibilities within Government. [62825]

  Mrs. Beckett
  None of the current staff of my department is on secondment from a private company.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  To ask the President of the Council if she will list the special advisers in her Department and the issues on which they specialise; and to what level they have been security cleared. [62834]
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  Mrs. Beckett
  The Special Advisers in my Department are Ms Sheila Watson and Ms Nicci Russell. They support me on the full range of issues for which I am responsible. It would be inappropriate to give details about their individual levels of security clearance.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  To ask the President of the Council if she will list(a) the (i) task forces, (ii) review panels and (iii) advisory groups her Office has, (b) the remit of each and (c) the members of each together with their principal employment and their level of remuneration. [62807]

  Mrs. Beckett
  My department has no task forces, review panels, or advisory groups.

HEALTH

  Ritalin
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide figures for the last five years relating to the prescribing on the NHS of the drug Ritalin to treat children with attention deficit disorder. [62975]

  Mr. Milburn
  The number of National Health Service prescription items dispensed in the community and the net ingredient cost for methylphenidate hydrochloride are given in the table. Information about prescriptions dispensed in hospitals are not available centrally.

  Methylphenidate hydrochloride NHS prescription items and net ingredient cost dispensed in the community England 1993 to 1997

  year

  Prescription items (thousands)

  Net ingredient cost (£000)

  1993

  3.5

  25.7

  1994

  6.0

  52.3

  1995

  14.7

  253.0

  1996

  47.7

  811.7

  1997

  92.1

  1,636.5

  Notes:

  1. The data are from the Prescription Cost Analysis system and cover all NHS prescriptions for methylphenidate hydrochloride dispensed by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors in England. Methylphenidate hydrochloride is the approved non-proprietary name for Ritalin.

  2. The net ingredient cost (NIC) is the basic cost of a drug. This cost does not take account of discounts, dispensing costs, fees or prescription charges income.

  3. Total NHS prescriptions include prescriptions originating not only from general practitioners but also from hospital doctors where these are dispensed in the community. Also included are prescriptions written in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man but dispensed in England.

  4. It is assumed that the majority of prescriptions for methylphenidate hydrochloride relate to the treatment of children with attention deficit disorder, which is currently the only licensed indication of this drug. However, a small number of prescriptions may relate to the treatment of patients with narcolepsy (a licensed indication of the drug in the 1980s).

  Operating Theatre Practitioners
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received concerning a compulsory registration system for operating theatre practitioners; and if he will make a statement. [62115]
  256
  Mr. Milburn
  [holding answer 3 December 1998]: We have received a representation from the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland concerning a proposed compulsory registration system for operating theatre practitioners. The representation is now being considered.

  Hospital Discharges
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which UK health authorities are meeting their target levels for the number of delayed discharges. [62976]

  Mr. Milburn
  There are no national targets levels for the number of delayed discharges for health authorities. Health authorities may set targets, but these are locally managed.

  Established good practice in hospital discharge seeks to balance the needs and wishes of patients and their carers with the requirement to make the most effective use of available resources. It is in no-one's interest for patients to stay in hospital for longer than they need to and hospital discharge procedures need to be sensitive to individual needs. Delays in discharge can reflect a variety of factors and these will vary between health authorities, depending on a variety of factors.

  Children's Homes (East Sussex)
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many private sector children's homes in East Sussex have been visited by social services inspectors in the last six months. [63032]

  Mr. Hutton
  In the last six months East Sussex County Council Inspection Unit has visited the two private children's homes in East Sussex registered under the Children Act 1989.

  Widowers' Pensions
  Mr. Prior
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the cost of backdating the pension arrangements for widowers of female doctors so that they are in line with the pension arrangements for widows of male doctors. [62509]

  Mr. Milburn
  The capitalised cost of backdating widowers' pensions to 1972 based on 1994–95 salaries has been estimated at around £350 million.

  Mr. Prior
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will amend the pension rights of the widowers of female doctors to make them equivalent to the pension arrangements made for widows of male doctors. [62510]

  Mr. Milburn
  The National Health Service pension scheme provides the widowers of female doctors with the same pension rights as widows of male doctors.

  Harefield Hospital
  Mr. Wilkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he met Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub to discuss the future of Harefield Hospital; and if he will make a statement. [63267]

  Mr. Milburn
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub on Tuesday 1 December 1998 to talk about services in West London
  257
  and the regulation of clinical perfusionists. The Department recognises and pays tribute to the work undertaken by Professor Sir Magdi Yacoub and his colleagues at Harefield Hospital. My right hon. Friend gave Sir Magdi his assurance of the Government's determination not to allow planning blight to set in while the longer term reconfiguration of services was considered. The consequences of any reconfiguration of services would be properly explored. Any service changes at Harefield Hospital will be subject to full public consultation.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter dated 2 November concerning constituents: reference POH(2)5608/16. [63177]

  Mr. Milburn
  I replied to my hon. Friend today.

  Councillors
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the local authorities which have informed him about the number and percentage of men and women councillors; if he will give the number and percentage of men and women councillors in each case; and if he will list those local authorities which have not informed him. [63254]

  Ms Jowell
  Copies of the information requested have been placed in the Library.

DEFENCE

  Service Women (Compensation)
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the costs of compensating servicewomen who left the services as a consequence of pregnancy(a) in each year since 1990 and (b) in the coming financial year. [62180]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  Compensation payments to Servicewomen who left the Armed Forces because of pregnancy began in August 1992. Payments followed applications to industrial tribunals after the High Court ruled that to discharge women from the Armed Forces on the grounds of pregnancy was in breach of the European Equal Treatment Directive. The following amounts in compensation were awarded in each of the financial years shown:

  Financial Year

  Amount (£)

  1992–1993

  1,653,931

  1993–1994

  6,980,274

  1994–1995

  35,611,282

  1995–1996

  11,762,089

  1996–1997

  2,803,571

  1997–1998

  948,572

  1998–1999 (to 30 November 1998)

  520,063

  No further compensation will be paid in the remainder of 1998–1999 or in 1999–2000, as all claims have now been settled.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Robert Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the special advisers in his Department and the issues on which they specialise; and to what level they have been security cleared. [62842]

  Mr. George Robertson
  The two Special Advisers employed by my Department are Alasdair McGowan and Bernard Gray.

  They advise me on the full range of issues for which I am responsible. They are subject to the usual security clearance arrangements.

  Gulf War Veterans
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information is made available to doctors treating Gulf War veterans in relation to any exposure they may have had to materials which may have been toxic or hazardous, with particular reference to depleted uranium. [63033]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  Any Gulf veteran who is concerned that his or her health has been adversely affected by Service during the Gulf conflict, including possible exposure to depleted uranium (DU), is entitled to seek a referral to the MOD's Medical Assessment Programme (MAP) for a full medical assessment. During this assessment, MAP patients receive a standard set of tests and are asked by the examining MAP physician to provide detailed information about possible factors, including DU, to which they may have been exposed during the Gulf conflict. Following the assessment, the examining physician will write to the doctor who referred the patient to the programme, to provide diagnostic information and recommend any appropriate treatment. It is then that doctor's responsibility to take forward and monitor the treatment as he or she would for any other patient. For veterans who have left the Armed Forces, their doctor will normally be a GP and any recommended treatment will therefore be carried out within the NHS.

  In consultation with the Department of Health and the health departments of the Welsh, Scottish and Northern Ireland Offices, the Ministry of Defence has produced an information pack with the intention of providing General Practitioners and other health professionals with information which they may find useful in dealing with Gulf veterans' health concerns. This pack includes summaries of what is known about a number of possible factors to which veterans may have been exposed during their service in the Gulf, including DU. It also includes an overview of research which has been carried out in areas related to Gulf veterans' illnesses, together with a bibliography of key papers. The information pack has been placed on the MOD's internet site and is available in hard copy on request. My Department is currently considering how best to ensure further than this information reaches its target audience. A copy of the pack has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Scammel Commander Tank Transporters
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if Scammel Commander tank transporters loaded with Challenger I and Challenger II tanks meet the regulatory
  259
  requirements in (a) Holland and (b) Germany; how many infringements have been reported in 1998; and if he will make a statement. [62072]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  [holding answer 8 December 1998]: Formal clearance is sought from both the Dutch and German authorities when moving these vehicles along specified routes and at agreed times. There have been no infringements of the requirements.

  Sennybridge Army Field Training Centre
  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the(a) chemicals used (i) for ground maintenance and (ii) in the training of troops in chemical warfare and (b) training activities that took place on each day between 1 and 9 September at Sennybridge Army Field Training Centre. [62654]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  [holding answer 9 December 1998]: A number of non-toxic chemicals are used at Sennybridge Army Field Training Centre (AFTC) for the purposes of ground maintenance and training troops in chemical defence.

  The approved chemicals used for ground maintenance are ROUNDUP, GARALON, and occasionally ASULOX.

  During exercises to train troops for defence against chemical warfare, white smoke, CS Gas (Orthoclorobenzlidenmalononitrile), Chemical Agent Training Mixture Polyethyleneglycol 300, and Amyl Acetate are used, the latter to prove respirators prior to use.

  The Nuclear Biological and Chemical Battle Run, the area of Sennybridge Training Area used for training in chemical defence, was used by 3 Commando Brigade, the Royal Marines for training on 2, 3, 4, 5 and 8 September 1998. The remainder of the training centre was used for a number of infantry patrolling, live firing, and other tactical training exercises over the period in question.

  Missiles (China)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the acquisition by China of land-mobile intercontinental ballistic missiles and long-range cruise missiles was taken into account in the Strategic Defence Review. [62921]

  Mr. George Robertson
  Yes. These issues were fully considered in the Strategic Defence Review (Cm 3999) published in July 1998.

  Regiments and Bands
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which regiments will be available to participate in the ceremonies for the opening of the Scottish Parliament; and what plans he has to ensure prominence is given to Scottish regiments and bands based in Scotland in the procession and ceremonies. [63304]

  Mr. George Robertson
  Initial planning has only recently begun for the ceremonies to mark the opening of the Scottish Parliament and it is not yet possible to confirm which regiments will participate. However, the 1st Battalion The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and the 1st Battalion The Black Watch will be assigned to public duties in Scotland during the summer of 1999 and it is likely that the soldiers who take part in the opening 260
  ceremony will be drawn from these regiments. It is anticipated that music for the occasion will be provided by Scottish military bands.

  Armed Forces Pay Review Body
  Mr. Borrow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the terms of reference for the Armed Forces Pay Review Body. [63669]

  Mr. George Robertson
  The Terms of Reference for the Armed Forces Pay Review Body have been revised, as follows, to reflect the key considerations of the Comprehensive Spending Review White Paper.

  The role of the Armed Forces Pay Review Body is to provide independent advice to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Defence on the remuneration and charges for members of the Naval, Military and Air Forces of the Crown.

  In reaching its recommendations, the Review Body is to have regard to the following considerations:
  the need to recruit, retain and motivate suitably able and qualified people taking account of the particular circumstances of service life;
  Government policies for improving the public services, including the requirement on the Ministry of Defence to meet the output targets for the delivery of departmental services;
  the funds available to the Ministry of Defence as set out in the Government's departmental expenditure limits;
  the Government's inflation target.

  The Review Body shall have regard for the need for the pay of the Armed Forces to be broadly comparable with pay levels in civilian life.

  The Review Body shall, in reaching its recommendations, take account of the evidence submitted to it by the Government and others. The Review Body may also consider other specific issues as the occasion arises.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Hinduja Group
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what grant applications his Department has received from the Hinduja group of companies since 1 May 1997; and what grants have been paid. [62239]

  Mrs. Roche
  [holding answer 3 December 1998]: We have no record of the Department receiving any application for grant from the Hinduja group.

  Ministerial Travel
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon (Mr. Maples) of 7 December 1998,Official Report, columns 70–71, for what reasons the Minister of State was required to return from Liverpool to London for an urgent meeting. [63308]

  Mr. Mandelson
  The Minister of State was required to attend an unscheduled meeting with the Prime Minister and the then President of the Board of Trade.
  261
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the occasions since 1 May 1997 on which Ministers in his Department have taken flights in chartered private aircraft; what were the relevant origins and destinations; what was the cost to public funds on each occasion; and what were the reasons such a mode of travel was authorised. [63336]

  Mr. Mandelson
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon (Mr. Maples) on 19 November 1998,Official Report, columns 889–90.

  EU Structural Funds
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money allocated to the United Kingdom for specific Objective I projects since 1994, has been(a) returned and (b) renegotiated for later use, because of the failure of agreed projects to materialise in the agreed time. [63154]

  Mrs. Roche
  All structural funds money allocated to the United Kingdom under Objective 1 since 1994 has been to programmes which cover the period 1994–99. No money from these programmes has been returned or renegotiated for later use.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on(a) the definition of the conditions laid down by the European Union in respect of Objective I structural funding, requiring an undertaking by the recipient member state Government to a substantial commitment to substantial spending over the whole period in delivering an agreed programme within the Community Support Framework and (b) the United Kingdom Government's interpretation of that definition. [63156]

  Mrs. Roche
  The European Union structural funds contribute only a proportion of the costs of individual projects. It is for Member States to ensure that matching funding is in place. In the United Kingdom, this responsibility lies with the end beneficiary.

  Additionality is also a requirement of the structural funds regulations, and must be verified in respect of the whole territory covered by each Objective within each Member State. This means that UK expenditure on activities eligible for co-financing from the structural funds has to be maintained at least at the same level during the current programming period of 1994–99 as in the previous programming period. The United Kingdom has been able to demonstrate this to the Commission's satisfaction on an annual basis.

  Gas-fired Power Stations
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will announce further decisions on outstanding applications to build new gas-fired power stations. [63809]

  Mr. Battle
  I have today announced the following decisions:

  Coryton Energy Company Limited (InterGen (UK) Ltd.)

  A direction has been given under section 14(3) of the Energy Act 1976 that the proposed 750 MW gas-fired generating station at Coryton in Essex may only proceed subject to a condition limiting the use of gas to
  262
  10,668 million kilowatt hours (364 million therms) a year. The station already has consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 and deemed planning permission.

  Medway Power Limited (AES Electric Ltd.)

  Consent has been given under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 for a 20 MW oil-fired black start facility at the Medway power station in Kent. The facility has also today been given deemed planning permission and (as an oil-fired station) clearance under section 14 of the Energy Act 1976.

  Keadby Developments Limited (Scottish Hydro-Electric plc.)

  A direction has been given under section 14(3) of the Energy Act 1976 to prevent the building of a 770 MW generating station to be fuelled by natural gas, at Keadby in Lincolnshire.

  Barking Power Ltd. (Thames Power Ltd.)

  Section 36 consent has not been granted for an open cycle gas turbine generating station (130 MW) and black start facility (24 MW) at the Barking power station. The application will be put on hold unless an interested party satisfies the Secretary of State that it should be determined at this stage.

  AES Partington Ltd. (AES Electric Ltd.)

  Section 36 consent has not been granted for a 380 MW combined cycle gas turbine generating station at Partington, Old Trafford, Greater Manchester. The application will be put on hold unless an interested party satisfies the Secretary of State that it should be determined at this stage.

  InterGen (UK) Ltd.

  Section 36 consent has not been granted for a 800 MW combined gas turbine generating station at Spalding in Lincolnshire. The application will be put on hold unless an interested party satisfies the Secretary of State that it should be determined at this stage.

  These decisions have been taken in accordance with the policy set out in the White Paper entitled "Conclusions of The Review of Energy Sources for Power Generation and Government response to fourth and fifth Reports of the Trade and Industry Committee" (Cm 4071). In the case of the decision on Coryton, the partial clearance arose from the unique circumstances and their impact on the interests of the developer.

  In cases where section 36 consent has not been granted or a section 14(3) direction given, the Secretary of State would be prepared to review the position, if requested, when the stricter consents policy announced in the White Paper is relaxed.

  Decisions on other applications under consideration will be announced in due course.

  Copies of the relevant Press Notices and letters are being placed in the Library of the House.

  Pesticides
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what studies his Department carried out into the impact of a pesticides tax on the costs of small and medium-sized distributors of such products. [63268]

  Mr. Battle
  My Department has been closely involved with the extensive research work which DETR has
  263
  commissioned on the feasibility of an economic instrument to assist in delivering the Government's pesticides minimisation policy. The research has included assessment of the effects of such an instrument on the competitiveness of distributors.

  My Department has not carried out any separate studies, but has asked the British Agrochemicals Association to work with the UK Agricultural Supply Trade Association, to provide information on the structure of the industry in order to further assess the impact on distributors and manufacturers.

  Devolution
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will list(a) by programme over £50,000 and (b) the total spending by his Department in Scotland on the identifiable spending areas detailed in Table 7.6A of the Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 1997–98 (Cmnd 3601); which of these programmes will fall solely or jointly under the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament; and what arrangements are in place to transfer control of funds for these projects to the Scottish Executive or Parliament; [63282]

  (2) how much is spent annually by his Department on research programmes in Scotland; and what proportion of this funding will be transferred to the Scottish Parliament after devolution; [63281]

  (3) what assessment he has made of the programmes which it will be ultra vires for his Department to fund or have sole responsibility for after devolution; if he will list these programmes; and if he will make a statement. [63283]

  Mr. Mandelson
  Under the terms of the Scotland Act 1998, the Scottish Ministers will assume responsibility for a range of devolved functions which will in part depend on secondary legislation which has yet to be passed. My Department is reviewing its programmes, including the research components, in the light of the Scotland Act. It is too early to say to what extent programme expenditure which is currently administered by the Department may relate to functions which will transfer to Scottish Ministers. Work is taking place to establish the extent of any such expenditure and to assess the need for any consequential transfer of funds to the Scottish Ministers. For the total spending by the Department in Scotland, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for North Tayside (Mr. Swinney) on 4 November 1998,Official Report, column 615.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Women's Prisons
  Dr. Vis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what new guidelines he plans to issue in respect of women prisoners applying for admission to the mother and baby unit in Holloway Prison; [63171]

  (2) what are the current guidelines for women prisoners to apply for admission to the mother and baby units in (a) Styal, (b) New Hall and (c) Askham Grange prisons. [63170]
  264
  Mr. George Howarth
  The women's policy group of the Prison Service are conducting a review of principles, policies and procedures for mothers and babies in prison. The review will be completed by 31 March 1999. The review, with recommendations for a future strategy, will be submitted to the Director General by 31 March 1999. This review will be published. A copy of the current guidance is available in the Library.

  Prisoners (Repatriation)
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to review procedures for the repatriation of prisoners serving a sentence in England and Wales to their country of origin; and if he will make a statement; [63050]

  (2) how many foreign prisoners were repatriated to their country of origin in (a) 1995, (b) 1996, (c) 1997 and (d) the first nine months of 1998; and how many in each case were repatriated to the Republic of Ireland. [63051]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Details of prisoners who have been transferred from England and Wales to foreign jurisdictions under the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons over the period in question, and, of these, the numbers transferred to the Republic of Ireland, are set out in the table.

  No prisoners were transferred from England and Wales under the Commonwealth Scheme for the transfer of Convicted Offenders or the United Kingdom's bilateral prisoner transfer agreements with Egypt, Thailand and Hong Kong.

  Procedures for handling applications from prisoners in England and Wales who wish to serve out their sentence in their own country, including the criteria and arrangements for their removal, are kept under regular review.

  Year

  Number

  Prisoners transferred to foreign jurisdictions

  1995

  12

  1996

  21

  1997

  17

  19981

  44

  Prisoners transferred to the Republic of Ireland

  1995

  0

  1996

  7

  1997

  12

  19981

  27

  1 up to and including 7 December

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prisoners serving sentences of imprisonment in England and Wales were transferred under the Council of Europe Convention on the transfer of sentenced prisoners during(a) 1995, (b) 1996, (c) 1997 and (d) 1998 to date; and how many of these prisoners emanated from the Irish Republic; [63039]

  (2) how many foreign nationals serving sentences of imprisonment in England and Wales are nationals of countries to which repatriation of prisoners from the United Kingdom may take place under the terms of the Council of Europe Convention on the transfer of sentenced prisoners. [63037]
  265
  Mr. George Howarth
  The numbers of prisoners transferred from England and Wales to foreign jurisdictions under the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons, over the period in question, and of those, the numbers transferred to the Republic of Ireland, are set out in the table.

  No prisoners were transferred from England and Wales under the Commonwealth Scheme for the Transfer of Convicted Offenders or the United Kingdom's bilateral prisoner transfer agreements with Egypt, Thailand and Hong Kong.

  On 30 September 1998, the number of sentenced prisoners held in establishments in England and Wales recorded as being nationals of the 41 countries to which repatriation from the United Kingdom is possible under the terms of the Council of Europe Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons was 1,424.

  Year

  Number

  Prisoners transferred to foreign jurisdictions

  1995

  12

  1996

  21

  1997

  17

  19981

  44

  Prisoners transferred to the Republic of Ireland

  1995

  0

  1996

  7

  1997

  12

  19981

  27

  1Up to and including 7 December

  Prison Offences
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 9 November 1998,Official Report, column 41, if the figures for the total number of offences referred to the police for prosecution by prison governors in each year contained in table 2 are directly comparable; for what reason no figures are available for 1993; what assessment he has made of the increase in the number of offences in prison; and if he will make a statement. [63084]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The figures quoted in my response of 9 November are not directly comparable, as information for 1992–95 relates to cases referred by prison governors to the police which resulted in a prosecution, while figures for 1996 and 1997 relate to the number of cases referred to the police for prosecution but where the outcome is not known.

  Comparable, revised figures regarding the number of cases referred to the police by prison governors but where it is not known if a prosecution resulted are given in the table.

  Estimated number of offences referred to the police for prosecution by prison governors

  Year

  Amount

  1992

  580

  1993

  780

  1994

  910

  1995

  1,240

  1996

  1,600

  1997

  1,500

  Prisons (Costs)
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the net operating cost figure for contracted out prisons per place per annum which is contained in the HM Prison Service Annual report for the last financial year was calculated; and if he will make a statement. [63049]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The statistical information about contracted-out prison costs shown on page 56 of the Prison Service Annual Report for 1997–98 was calculated by dividing the "net operating costs" by either the "average baseline certified normal accommodation" or the "average prisoner population". The data shown for individual prisons listed—Blakenhurst, Buckley Hall, Doncaster, and The Wolds—are correct. Unfortunately, the summary figures shown have been distorted by including the average Certified Normal Accommodation and average prisoner population data for the contracted prisons—Altcourse, Parc, and Lowdham Grange—which opened towards the end of the operational year. This error has also carried forward into the summary table shown on page 55 of the Report. I have arranged for corrected copies of these tables to be placed in the Library.

  Despite these errors, the contracted-out prisons continue to provide good value for money. But, perhaps more importantly, the figures shown that the gap between the contracted-out prisons' costs and public sector prisons' costs continues to reduce.

  Former Secretary of State for Wales
  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much police time was expended investigating the complaint of the right hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) of assault and robbery in Brixton on the evening of 26 October, broken down by rank of officer involved. [62875]

  Kate Hoey
  The Commissioner tells me that some 656 hours of local officers' time were spent on the investigation, as set out in the table:

  Hours

  Detective Constable/Police Constable

  402

  Detective Inspector

  160

  Inspector

  14

  Detective Chief Inspector

  80

  Total

  656

  Other, senior officers were also involved with the case from time to time, but it is not practicable to calculate the duration of their involvement.

  Coldingley
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what loans Wackenhut has received from HM Prison Service in connection with prison workshops at HMP Coldingley; and if such loans have been repaid; [62928]

  (2) what plans there are for the repayment of loans and debts owed to the Prison Service in respect of workshops at HMP Coldingley; [62925]
  267
  (3) if Wackenhut have paid HM Prison Service for public utilities they have used at HMP Coldingley since November 1997. [62929]

  Mr. George Howarth
  A loan of £105,000 was made to Wackenhut (UK) Ltd. in April 1998, of which £52,500 has been repaid. The Prison Service has asked for immediate repayment of the outstanding amount, together with amounts relating to utilities costs, which are payable by Wackenhut under the terms of the contract.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the efficiency of operation of laundry, metal workshop and sign-making facilities at HMP Coldingley since 1997. [62926]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The Prison Service is awaiting the production of audited accounts by the contractor, Wackenhut (UK) Ltd. to enable a full assessment to be made.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if Wackenhut have paid HM Prison Service for plant and machinery used by them at workshops at HM Prison Coldingley since November 1997. [62930]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The contract with Wackenhut (UK) Ltd. for the management of the Coldingley Prison industries does not require a payment from the company for industrial plant and machinery.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what requests Wackenhut have made for renegotiation of the contract for providing workshops at HMP Coldingley. [62927]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Wackenhut (UK) Ltd. have expressed interest in re-negotiating the terms of the contract. The Prison Service is considering this.

  Foreign Prisoners
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign nationals were serving sentences of imprisonment in England and Wales at the most recent available date. [63038]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The latest available provisional information is for 30 September 1998. On that date, there were 3,545 sentenced foreign nationals (3,206 males and 339 females) in prisons in England and Wales.

  Information on the number of sentenced foreign nationals in prisons in England and Wales is published in "Prison statistics England and Wales" (Table 6.4 of the 1997 edition, cm 4017), a copy of which is in the Library.

  Common Criminal Justice System (European Union)
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the steps taken within the European Union to promote a common criminal justice system; and if he will make a statement. [62639]

  Kate Hoey
  Neither the Commission nor any of the member states has tabled formal legislative proposals for a common criminal justice system in the European Union. The proposals which have been made are contained in a268
  research study entitled "Corpus Juris", published in 1997 under the aegis of the European Commission, which recommends common penal rules and procedures to protect the financial interests of the European Community, and also the creation of an office of European Public Prosecutor. A further study is now being carried out for the Commission on the feasibility of these proposals.

  Although the Government fully share the objective of fighting fraud against the Community budget, we disagree with many of the recommendations of the "Corpus Juris" study. None of the recommendations have been submitted to the Council of the European Union, but if this were to happen, unanimous agreement would be needed for them to be adopted and come into effect. The Government see no prospect that it could support proposals for a common criminal justice system.

  Local Crime Strategies
  Mr. Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what letters or circulars have been issued by his Department to police authorities, chief constables or local police partnerships recommending what should be included in local crime and disorder strategies. [62876]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 does not specify what should be included in the crime and disorder reduction strategies. This is a matter for local decision by the local authority and police, in partnership with a wide range of other bodies and in consultation with the community as a whole, based upon the priorities to emerge from local crime and disorder audits. The Home Office has, therefore, made no recommendation in this respect, although guidance dealing inter alia with the process of strategy development was issued to partnerships and other interested parties in July 1998.

  Gaming Act 1968
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received in response to the consultation paper on modernisation of the Gaming Act 1968. [63027]

  Mr. George Howarth
  We went out to consultation on 5 August on proposals to relax certain controls imposed by the Gaming Act 1968 on casino membership, advertising and jackpot machines. The consultation period ended on 21 October.

  We received 37 responses, mostly in support of the proposals. We are discussing matters of detail with the industry and aim to make our intentions known in the New Year.

  Crime and Disorder Act 1998
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will consult the National Association of Local Councils about the implementation of the provisions of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 as they affect town, parish and community councils in England and Wales. [62931]

  Mr. Boateng
  Home Office officials corresponded with, and talked to, representatives of the National Association of Local Councils during the early Parliamentary stages of the Crime and Disorder Act.
  269
  I would, of course, welcome the opportunity to further discuss the implications of the Act with representatives from the National Association of Local Councils, if they so wish.

  Prison Visits
  Mr. Dawson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the assisted prison visits scheme. [63768]

  Mr. Straw
  The assisted prison visits scheme exists to help prisoners maintain contact with their close relatives and partners. The scheme was established in 1988. To qualify for assistance in meeting the costs of travel to and from the prison, the visitor must be in receipt of a low income benefit as administered by the Benefits Agency.

  The scheme does not distinguish between married and non-married partners, but financial assistance is extended to same-sex partners only at the expense of support for a prisoner's family members. In consequence, some prisoners, including young offenders, do not receive visits from parents or close relatives.

  The Government are keen to encourage all prisoners to maintain family ties, and believe that same-sex partners should be treated fairly by the Prison Service. Therefore, both partners and relatives will, in future, be able to receive assistance with the cost of visiting, within the qualifying conditions of the scheme.

  Devolution
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much is spent annually by his Department on research programmes in Scotland; and what proportion of this funding will be transferred to the Scottish Parliament after devolution. [63290]

  Mr. Straw
  The principal responsibilities of the Home Office in respect of the police, probation, fire and prison services, and in respect of the criminal justice system, relate only to England and Wales. Almost all the research conducted by the Home Office concerns, in one way or another, the operation in future of these services and systems in England and Wales. In view of the separate Scottish legal system, research in these areas has been the responsibility of the Scottish Office and the question of a transfer does not arise.

  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list(a) by programme over £50,000 and (b) the total spending by his Department in Scotland on the identifiable spending areas detailed in Table 7.6A of the Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 1997–98 (Cmnd 3601); which of these programmes will fall solely or jointly under the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament; and what arrangements are in place to transfer control of funds for these projects to the Scottish Executive or Parliament. [63291]

  Mr. Straw
  Work is in train to identify areas in which it might be appropriate to effect a transfer of funds. I will make a statement in the Official Report when this work has been completed.

  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the programmes which it will be ultra vires for 270
  his Department to fund or have sole responsibility for after devolution; if he will list these programmes; and if he will make a statement. [63292]

  Mr. Straw
  The position is being examined in the light of the Scotland Act 1998 and work is in train to identify cases where it may be appropriate to transfer functions. I will make a statement in the Official Report when the work reaches a conclusion.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Minimum Wage
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate she has made of the number of people in Northern Ireland who will benefit from the introduction of the minimum wage. [62261]

  Mr. Ingram
  Current estimates indicate that some 57,000 employees in employment in Northern Ireland will benefit directly from the introduction of the national minimum wage in April 1999.

  Floyd and Palmer (Judicial Review)
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will place a copy of the judgment in the judicial review case of Floyd and Palmer in the Library; and if she will ensure that the provision of reading and writing materials for suspects held under counter or anti-terrorist legislation is dealt with in the review of legislation presently in progress. [62264]

  Mr. Ingram
  I have made arrangements for the Lord Chief Justice's Judgment in the Judicial Review case of Damien Floyd and Pauline Palmer to be placed in the Library of the House today. There is no statutory requirement for the provision of reading and writing materials for detainees held under the emergency legislation. However, the consultation paper on new counter-terrorism legislation will open for discussion the general regime for the detention of terrorist suspects, and interested parties will have an opportunity to comment.

  Compensation (Wrongful Convictions)
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much has been paid during each of the last 10 years in compensation to persons wrongly convicted; and what was(a) the highest, (b) the lowest and (c) the average sum awarded. [62267]

  Mr. Ingram
  During the relevant period, the total amounts of compensation paid to persons whose convictions have been quashed were, by year:

  year

  Amount awarded(£)

  1993

  75,000.00

  1994

  25,000.00

  1995

  650,000.00

  1997

  263,969.50

  1998

  82,936.21

  271
  Only one application for compensation has been paid in full, amounting to £456,905.71. It is not possible, therefore, to provide information about the highest, lowest and average amounts awarded.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps she has taken to make available the published guidelines on compensation for miscarriages of justice to interested parties. [62268]

  Mr. Ingram
  The guidelines on compensation for miscarriages of justice are automatically made available to the legal representatives of all persons the Secretary of State has determined to be eligible for such compensation. They are also available on request to other interested parties.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people whose convictions have been quashed over each of the last 10 years have(a) applied for and (b) received compensation. [62266]

  Mr. Ingram
  (a) The numbers of persons who have applied for statutory compensation after their convictions had been quashed during the relevant period were, by year:

  Year

  Applicants

  1992

  3

  1997

  1

  (b) All of these persons have been paid compensation in full or have been paid interim amounts.

  Designated Police Stations
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will(a) list designated police stations and their approximate location, (b) indicate the number of interview rooms currently available in each and (c) estimate and break down the cost of fitting one room in each station with video recording equipment, indicating capital costs for equipment, building works (alterations), installation and running costs for the first year and subsequent years. [62262]

  Mr. Ingram
  Designated police stations and the number of interview rooms available in each are shown.

  Division

  Station

  Numbre Interview Rooms

  A

  Musgrave Street, Belfast

  2

  B

  Grosvenor Road, Belfast

  3

  Lisburn, Co. Antrim

  2

  D

  Antrim Road, Belfast

  2

  Antrim

  2

  E

  Strandtown, Belfast

  2

  G

  Newtownards, Co. Down

  2

  Downpatrick Co. Down

  2

  H

  Armagh

  1

  J

  Lurgan, Co. Armagh

  2

  Banbridge, Co. Down

  2

  K

  Cookstown, Co. Tyrone

  2

  Dungannon, Co. Tyrone

  2

  L

  Enniskillen, Co. Fermanagh

  2

  Omagh, Co. Tyrone

  3

  N

  Strand Road, Londonderry

  5

  Waterside, Londonderry

  2

  Strabane, Co. Tyrone

  2

  272

  Division

  Station

  Numbre Interview Rooms

  O

  Coleraine, Co. Londonderry

  2

  Limavady, Co. Londonderry

  2

  P

  Ballymena, Co. Antrim

  2

  Larne, Co. Antrim

  2

  Total

  48

  The cost of fitting out one room is broken down as follows:

  £

  Capital costs for equipment:

  1 x video interview recording system

  4,400

  2 x fixed colour cameras

  700

  Building works (alterations):

  Electrical work

  3,000

  Building work

  1,550

  Contingencies @ 10 per cent.

  450

  Installation:

  16 hours labour @ £24.30 per hour

  389

  Cabling, brackets, domes

  300

  Estimated total:

  10,789

  Note:

  Maintenance is estimated at £400 per annum together with the cost of video tapes at £6.00 each.

  Judicial Review (Holding Centres)
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what response has been made by the RUC Chief Constable to the request of the Independent Commissioner for the Holding Centres that he be given copies of court papers served in the course of judicial review cases involving the holding centres. [62265]

  Mr. Ingram
  This matter was raised in the Independent Commissioner's fifth Annual Report, with the recommendation that the applicant be ordered to serve the Independent Commissioner with the appropriate Court papers. As there is no provision in the Rules of the Supreme Court to allow for this, it was suggested that the Commissioner take the matter up directly with the Chief Constable. I am advised that the Chief Constable has not received any request from the Commissioner to be given copies of court papers in the circumstances described.

  Millennium (Emergency Cover)
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans her Department has to contract with the armed services to provide emergency cover over the millennium period; and what estimate she has made of the cost of that cover. [62571]

  Mr. Ingram
  At present no Government Department can have firm plans involving military support over the millennium period because these will need to be considered in a co-ordinated manner and priorities identified if the demand is too great. The Ministry of Defence have invited Departments to identify by Easter
  273
  1999 predictable demands. By then most Departmental plans should be advanced enough to enable potential problems, which may require military aid, to be identified.

  At this stage no estimate can be made of likely costs.

  Ministerial E-mail Address
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is her e-mail address. [62877]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The E-mail address for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland is mm@nics.gov.uk.

  Lagan Valley Regional Park
  Mr. Donaldson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many planning applications of a residential and commercial nature have been made in the

  Type of Application

  No. of Applications

  No. Approved

  No. Refused

  No. Pending

  Industrial-Commercial

  15

  14

  —

  1

  Housing development (more than one dwelling)

  8

  5

  1

  2

  Single dwellings

  9

  6

  3

  —

  Extensions to dwellings

  29

  27

  2

  —

  You may wish to note that the vast majority of those applications approved are located within the Belfast Urban Area of the Park or in existing settlements.

  I do hope this provides all the information you require.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Robert Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the special advisers in her Department and the issues on which they specialise; and to what level they have been security cleared. [62848]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  My Special Advisers are Nigel Warner and Andrew Lappin and they advise me on the full range of issues for which I am responsible.

  Special Advisers are subject to the usual security clearance arrangements. It is not appropriate to give details about particular individuals level of security clearance.

  Police Complaints Procedures
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list(a) the steps she is taking to increase public confidence in police complaints procedures, (b) the measures taken to assure complainants that they may supply information confidentially and without fear of intimidation and (c) in cases where an interview is required to obtain further information, what choices are offered to a complainant with regard to (i) the time, date and location of interview, (ii) the gender of interviewer and (iii) whether a non-uniformed or civilian interviewer is preferred. [61970]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 9 December 1998]: (a) The Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998 provides for the establishment of a new office of Police Ombudsman to handle complaints against the police. The Ombudsman will have complete control of the complaints process. The Ombudsman will independently investigate all serious complaints against the police and will decide how others
  274
  Lagan Valley Regional Park, within the Borough of Lisburn, since the commencement of the Lagan Valley Regional Park Local Plan; and how many of these applications have received planning permission. [62904]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Planning Service under its Chief Executive, Mr. T. W. Stewart. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from T. W. Stewart to Mr. Jeffrey Donaldson, dated 10 December 1998:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Question about planning permissions granted for residential and commercial developments in the Lagan Valley Regional Park, within the Borough of Lisburn, since the commencement of the Lagan Valley Regional Park Local Plan.
  Details of the number of applications submitted since the Plan was adopted on 13 March 1995 are set out in the table below.

  are to be investigated. The new system is designed to secure the confidence of both the public and the police. The Ombudsman will be appointed on 1 March 1999 and the new body will be functioning by summer 1999.

  (b) Information and statements provided by complainants are confidential documents. They are disclosed only in circumstances considered necessary to the investigation and in accordance with:

  (i) the RUC (Discipline and Disciplinary Appeals) Regulations 1988;

  (ii) NIO Guidance to the Chief Constable on Police Complaints and Discipline Procedures;

  (iii) the code and legislation dealing with disclosure in respect of criminal prosecutions;

  (iv) rules relating to disclosure in civil proceedings.

  If, of course, there was intimidation, then this would be grounds for a complaint.

  (cl) The initial letter forwarded to the complainant by the RUC Investigating Officer usually offers an interview, at a specified date and time, at the most suitable and convenient Police Station. The letter also invites the complainant to telephone, or reply by returning a proforma in an addressed and prepaid envelope.

  Should a complainant, or their solicitor, wish the interview to take place elsewhere, every effort is made to accommodate their request. Interviews can take place at the offices of the Independent Commission for Police Complaints and at other mutually acceptable locations, including solicitors' offices, homes of complainants and third parties and Church or Community Halls.

  (c2) Whilst no choice is offered on gender of the interviewer, the RUC do ensure that the most appropriate Investigating Officer is appointed having regard to the circumstances of the case. In supervised cases, it is open to the Independent Commission for Police Complaints, to approve, or otherwise, the appointment of a particular officer.
  275
  (c3) The 1998 regulations require that Investigating Officers are police officers. These officers operate in plain clothes.

  In future, under the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998, there will be greater opportunity for interviews at neutral venues, and by the independent investigators of the Police Ombudsman.

  Fair Employment
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many certificates have been issued under section 42 of the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1989 in each year since its enactment. [61971]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 9 December 1998]: This information is not recorded centrally but a check of our records shows that 43 certificates have been issued, in respect of 39 individuals, under section 42 of the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1976. The table gives a breakdown by year.

  Year

  Number

  1977

  1

  1978

  3

  1980

  2

  1981

  4

  1982

  1

  1983

  1

  1984

  3

  1985

  15

  1986

  1

  1987

  2

  1988

  7

  1989

  1

  1990

  3

  1991

  4

  1993

  4

  1994

  11

  1 Of the certificates issued in 1984 and 1994, 4 were reissues.

  Benefit Fraud
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate she has made of the level of benefit fraud within the social security system; and what plans she has to tackle it. [63176]

  Mr. McFall
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Social Security Agency under its Chief Executive, Mr. Chris Thompson, and I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Chris Thompson to Mr. Nigel Evans, dated 10 December 1998:
  I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the estimated levels of fraud within the social security system and plans to tackle such fraud.
  The Social Security Agency is in the process of estimating the levels of fraud in the benefit system. The Agency is using a methodology, known as Benefit Review, which as been successfully used by the Benefits Agency to estimate the levels of fraud in Great Britain.
  As regards its plans to tackle fraud the Agency is committed to minimising opportunities for fraud and abuse within the social security system. In recent years the Agency has been working even more closely with a wide range of colleagues and other parties to provide a coherent and focused effort in combating fraud and abuse. These include the Benefits Agency in Great Britain, Child Support
  276
  Agency and Housing Executive in Northern Ireland as well as counterparts in the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs in the Republic of Ireland.
  The Agency is undertaking a wide range of initiatives, which mirror similar work in the Benefits Agency, designed to provide an estimate of the level of fraud within benefit systems, to secure the gateway to benefit systems and to detect and prosecute those who seek to defraud the system. This programme of initiatives is being closely monitored and updated on a regular basis to take account of new developments which may emanate from the Benefits Agency or from new Ministerial objectives. I have recently set up a new Benefit Security Directorate to provide a greater focus and to co-ordinate the programme of work.
  I can assure you that the Agency will continue to seek new ways of ensuring that resources are targeted effectively at known areas of risk and that expenditure loss through fraud is kept to a minimum.
  I hope this explains the position for you but I would be happy to provide any further information you require.

SCOTLAND

  Millennium (Emergency Cover)
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans his Department has to contract with the armed services to provide emergency cover over the millennium period; and what estimate he has made of the cost of that cover. [62574]

  Mr. McLeish
  The Scottish Office has no specific plans for involving the military over the millennium period. There are procedures in place, however, through the standing military aid arrangements, which would be invoked in the event of any requirement for assistance.

  It is quite normal for military aid to be sought by local authorities, particularly over the winter, but as yet it is too early to identify any specific requirements which they or other bodies may have over the millennium period.

  HIV-AIDS
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the cost of treatments for Aids-related conditions over the next financial year. [62529]

  Mr. Galbraith
  Health Boards in Scotland are expected to meet the cost of such treatments from within the general allocations of funds provided to them each year. In order to assist Boards in planning services for HIV/AIDS patients, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State recently set up an expert group to recommend treatment protocols and to estimate the numbers of HIV/AIDS patients likely to be eligible for treatment with the new anti-retroviral drugs in the next few years. The group's report should be available shortly.

  Forestry
  Mr. Russell Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he intends to prepare a strategy for forestry in Scotland. [63808]

  Mr. Macdonald
  Forestry is an important part of the rural scene in Scotland. Its importance will grow as timber production doubles over the next 15 years and Scotland's forests and woodlands become more valuable for recreation and wildlife. We believe that it is important to have a strategy for forestry in Scotland which will provide
  277
  a context for forestry policies and programmes. This will ensure that forestry integrates well with other aspects of the rural economy and plays its full part in the future well-being of Scotland.

  Clearly, the Scottish Executive will want to determine the form and content of a Scottish Forestry Strategy. Nevertheless, we consider that it would be helpful to prepare an issues paper which could form the basis for consultation on a strategy.

  We have therefore asked the Forestry Commission to set this work in hand, in liaison with other relevant Government Departments and Agencies, with a view to publishing an issues paper early next year.

  Devolution
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with his ministerial colleagues regarding the transfer of funding for United Kingdom programmes operating in Scotland where sole or joint responsibility transfers to the Scottish Parliament or Executive; if he will list the projects he has identified as being within the sole or joint competence of the Scottish Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [63302]

  Mr. McLeish
  Under the Scotland Act 1998, Scottish Ministers will take over the delivery of public services that currently fall within the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Scotland. In addition, devolution will bring extra responsibilities to Scotland in areas such as transport and environment. Officials are currently discussing the details, including the issue of additional transfers of funding. There may also be cases where it is agreed by all concerned that the best course is a shared programme, which continues to be funded on a UK or GB basis.

  Regiments and Bands
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has made to the Secretary of State for Defence concerning requests for regiments to participate in the ceremonies for the opening of the Scottish Parliament; and what steps he is taking to ensure prominence is given to Scottish regiments and bands based in Scotland. [63303]

  Mr. Dewar
  I have made no such representations to the Secretary of State for Defence. However, the Services are represented on The Scottish Parliament Opening Ceremony Working Group which is taking forward the detailed planning of the event. In its deliberations, the Group will be considering to what extent military personnel, including Scottish regiments and bands based in Scotland, should be involved.

PRIME MINISTER

  Performance and Innovation Unit
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Prime Minister what progress has been made with the establishment of the Performance and Innovation Unit. [63769]
  278
  The Prime Minister
  The Performance and Innovation Unit (PIU) is now firmly established as an integral part of the new structure for the Cabinet Office that I announced on 28 July 1998,Official Report, columns 132–34.

  The Unit is beginning its work to improve the capacity of Government to identify and address strategic, crosscutting issues and promote innovation in the development of policy and in the delivery of the Government's objectives. Its first five projects will focus on:

  Developing Electronic Commerce in the UK
  How to achieve the Government's goal of making the UK the world's best environment for electronic commerce, ensuring that the UK benefits fully from the single fastest growing market place in the global economy;

  Active Aging
  How to improve the well-being and quality of life of older people by helping them to remain active. The study will identify ways of increasing the employment opportunities for older people, by examining the incentives for businesses to employ and retain older people and for individuals to remain in paid or voluntary work;

  Central Government's Role at Regional and Local Level
  Getting the right arrangements in place for joined-up delivery of central Government policies in regions and communities;

  Accountability and Incentives for Joined-Up Government
  Examining whether current accountability arrangements and incentive systems can be reformed to facilitate joined-up policy-making and delivery, for example by promoting the achievement of joint objectives which require co-operation between departments; and

  Objectives for rural economies
  Examining the differing needs of local rural economies, and the key factors affecting performance, so as to establish clear objectives for Government policies influencing the future development of rural economies.

  The PIU's review teams will be drawn from both inside and outside Government, to ensure that we bring new thinking and a wide range of experience to bear on the issues. The aim is to complete most of these reviews by next summer. Decisions flowing from the PIU's work will be announced in the normal way.

  House of Lords
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Prime Minister what proposals he has to set up a committee of both Houses of Parliament charged with undertaking a wide-ranging review of the House of Lords and to bring forward proposals for reform. [63257]

  The Prime Minister
  The Government have decided to build on their Manifesto proposal for a committee of both Houses of Parliament to consider further reform of the House of Lords, by first appointing a Royal Commission to undertake a wide-ranging review and to bring forward recommendations. A joint committee would be set up after the Royal Commission had reported.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Robert Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list(a) the (i) task forces, (ii) review panels and (iii) advisory groups her

  279
  Department has, (b) the remit of each and (c) the members of each together with their principal employment and their level of remuneration. [62814]

  Mr. Foulkes
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Eastleigh (Mr. Chidgey) on 30 July 1998,Official Report, column 462.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  BSE (Offspring Cull)
  Mr. Rhodri Morgan
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will report on the progress of the BSE offspring cull. [63771]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  Before exports of British beef can resume under the Date Based Export Scheme (DBES) the UK must slaughter all offspring born after 1 August 1996 to BSE cases confirmed before 25 November 1998 (the date of the Commission Decision on the DBES). When new cases of BSE occur any offspring born after 1 August 1996 must be slaughtered without delay.

  We have known for some time that this cull would be necessary and started it on a voluntary basis in August. We have been waiting for formal adoption of the Commission Decision in order to make it compulsory and ensure that the cull is properly carried out. Regulations are being laid before the House today for this purpose.

  Since the cull started on a voluntary basis in August we have, with the co-operation of the farming community, culled over 1,000 animals. The compulsory cull, which will come into force in January, will ensure that all remaining offspring animals are slaughtered and clear the way for the resumption of beef exports.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Lety Concentration Camp
  Mr. Grogan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Government of the Czech Republic concerning the building of a pig farm on the site of the Lety Concentration Camp in contravention of the Helsinki Accord. [62692]

  Ms Quin
  We are aware of the ongoing discussions concerning an appropriate future for the site at Lety and hope that the Czech Government will soon reach a decision that is acceptable to all parties.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Robert Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list(a) the(i) task forces, (ii) review panels and (iii) advisory groups his Department has, (b) the remit of each and (c) the members of each together with their principal employment and their level of remuneration. [62803]

  Mr. Fatchett
  The information is as follows:

  Task Forces: Nil

  Review Panels: Nil

  280
  Advisory Groups:

  1. Panel 2000

  Panel 1000 was established on 1 April 1998 to:
  produce a strategy to improve the way Britain is seen overseas;
  look at the methods and tools available to do this;
  make sure that the public and private sectors are working together to do this; and
  modernise the way the Foreign and Commonwealth Office communicates with the public.

  Panel members:

  Chairman: Derek Fatchett MP

  Members (Private Sector):

  Lord Alli—Plant 24

  Zeinab Badawi—Journalist

  Martin Bell MP

  Baroness Chalker

  Lord Clinton-Davies

  Dr. Francis D'Souza—Article 19

  Mark Fisher MP

  David John—British Oxygen Company

  Mark Leonard—Foreign Policy Centre

  Lord Levy

  Ruth Mackenzie—Scottish Opera

  Lord Marshall—British Airways

  Lord Paul—Caparo

  Shahwar Sadeque—Consultant IT/education

  Judy Simpson—Athlete

  Martin Sorrell—WPP

  John Sorrell—Newell & Sorrell/Design Council;

  Harriet Ware-Austin—Amnesty International

  Members (Public Sector):

  Baroness Blackstone—Department for Education and Employment

  Dr. David Drewry—British Council

  Andrew Fraser—Invest in Britain Bureau

  Tom Harris—Department of Trade and Industry

  Roger Liddle—No. 10 Policy Unit

  Peter Mandelson MP—Secretary of State for Trade and Industry

  David Quarmby—British Tourist Authority

  FCO

  Baroness Symons—Parliamentary Under-Secretary

  Sir John Kerr—Permanent Under-Secretary

  Sir Michael Jay—HM Ambassador Paris

  Claire Fulton

  Priya Guha

  Vivien Life

  Panel members do not receive remuneration, although expenses are payable.

  2. Diplomatic Service Appeal Board

  The Board aims to advise the Secretary of State whether premature retirement, or termination of an appointment on grounds of failed probation, or on dismissal grounds is fair.

  Panel members

  Sir Keith Morris (Chairman)—Retired

  Peter Fowler (Vice Chairman)—Retired

  Juliet Campbell—Mistress of Girton College, Cambridge

  281

  Rodney Bedford—Retired

  Sally Bull—Retired

  Lady Jacqueline Dyson—Lecturer in Law

  Kamlesh Bahl—Legal Adviser and Chair of the Equal Opportunities Commission

  No appointments are full time. Remuneration is only paid per diem when the Board meets. It did not meet in 1997–98.

  3. Wilton Park Academic Council

  The Council aims to ensure that Wilton Park retains full academic independence; it oversees Wilton Park's programme with this objective.

  Panel members

  Liliana Archibald—(Chairman)

  Anthony Bruce—Chairman, Marconi Overseas Ltd.

  Juliet Campbell—Mistress of Girton College, Cambridge

  Robin Corbett MP

  Lord Holme

  Tony Young—Joint General Secretary Commonwealth Workers Union

  Gael Ramsay—Chief Executive, British Executive Services Overseas

  Andrew Rowe MP

  Helen Wallace—Director, Sussex European Institute, University of Sussex

  Michael Walsh—Secretary, International Department, TUC

  Lady Suzanne Warner—Deputy Chair, Broadcasting Standards Commission

  Nik Gowing

  Panel members do not receive any remuneration, but expenses are payable.

  4. Government Hospitality Fund Advisory Committee for the Purchase of Wine

  The aim of the Committee is to advise on the purchasing of wine for government hospitality.

  Committee members

  Sir Ewen Fergusson (Chairman)—Company Chairman

  Anthony Hanson—wine consultant

  Sebastian Payne—wine buyer

  Mark Savage—wine merchant

  John Avery—wine merchant

  Committee members receive no remuneration, although expenses are payable.

  Edgar Fernandez Case
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department has taken to encourage the Maltese and Turkish authorities to pursue and bring to a conclusion extradition proceedings relating to Mohammed Abdel Abbas Ali. [62599]

  Mr. Fatchett
  I refer my hon. Friend to my answers of 29 October 1998,Official Report, column 271. Our staff in Valletta and Ankara continue to remind the Turkish and Maltese Governments of the importance we attach to this extradition being processed as quickly as possible. My noble Friend the Under-Secretary raised the matter with the Turkish Ambassador on 2 December and the Vice-Consul in Valletta spoke to the Maltese Attorney General's office on 3 December.

  China
  Dr. Desmond Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what 282
  representations he has made to China regarding the deaths of prisoners at Drapchi Prison in May who had chanted slogans during a visit by EU ambassadors. [63137]

  Mr. Fatchett
  When EU Ambassadors visited Drapchi prison on 4 May there was no evidence of any disturbances having occurred. Prisoners did not chant slogans. News of disturbances reached the Ambassadors only after their return to Beijing. We are very concerned about the reported deaths of prisoners and we have raised the incident with the Chinese authorities, both bilaterally and in conjunction with EU partners.

  Angola
  Mr. Ian Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department has contacted UNITA in order to obtain information about Jason Pope, a missing British citizen in Angola. [63770]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  As an exception, and for the humanitarian purpose of obtaining information about the whereabouts and welfare of Jason Pope, we have sought and obtained an exception to paragraph 12(a) of Security Council resolution 1173. The United Nations Angola Sanctions Committee has granted this exemption to enable our Embassy in Luanda to contact UNITA in areas of Angola not under state administration. A full report of these contacts will be supplied to the Committee.

  Our Embassy in Luanda are already in contact with UNITA representatives in Luanda for the same purpose. We have also authorised our Embassy in Washington to approach the UNITA representative in Washington for assistance. Such contacts are not prohibited under UNSCR 1173.

  Sierra Leone
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if any officials in his Department saw a copy of Peter Penfold's letter of 30 December 1997 to Miss Grant prior to 6 April 1997. [63269]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  Sir Thomas Legg's Report (paragraph 5.29) states that"in spite of searches there, it [Mr. Penfold's letter of 30 December 1997] cannot be traced at the FCO, and seems never to have arrived".

  Legg records (paragraph 6.59) that the FCO (Equatorial Africa Department) finally obtained a copy from Freetown on 6 April.

  Overseas Price Mechanism
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to review the overseas price mechanism; and if he will make a statement. [63082]

  Mr. Fatchett
  Officials in the FCO and HM Treasury are conducting a review into the operation of the OPM calculation. It is expected that this will be concluded shortly.

  Belarus
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's relations with Belarus. [63134]

  Ms Quin
  Ministerial contacts with Belarus were suspended in 1997 by HMG and EU Partners following concerns about a constitutional referendum which failed to meet democratic norms, human rights abuses and lack of press freedom. EU member states have also withdrawn their Ambassadors from Minsk in response to the Belarusian Government's effective exclusion of certain Ambassadors from their residences. HMG are keen not to isolate Belarus. We continue to support the OSCE's Advisory and Monitoring Group's efforts to promote democracy in the country.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received about the freedom of individual Belarus MPs to conduct their duties and about their parliamentary immunity; and what representations have been made in this regard to(a) the Belarus President and (b) the OSCE. [63133]

  Ms Quin
  We and the EU regard the 13th Supreme Soviet as the legitimate parliament. It was disbanded following the 1996 constitutional referendum which failed to meet democratic standards. In its place, the National Assembly was appointed which is not genuinely representative. However, National Assembly members are free to conduct their parliamentary duties. Together with our EU partners, HMG have regularly raised their concerns with Belarusian Ministers about the flawed constitutional situation and human rights abuses. The OSCE Advisory and Monitoring Group was set up in Minsk in February 1998. It helps Belarus to promote democracy and comply with OSCE commitments. HMG support its work and receive regular reports from the OSCE and the British Embassy in Minsk on the situation.

CABINET OFFICE

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Robert Jackson
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people in his Department are currently on secondment from private companies; and if he will list them, their companies and their current responsibilities within Government. [62824]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  At 30 November 1998, the Cabinet Office employed three secondees from private companies, details as follows:Mr. H. S. Rolfe of Marks and Spencers PLC working in the Efficiency Unit;
  Ms A. Jordan of the NatWest bank PLC working in the Social Exclusion Unit; and
  Mrs M. Pye of BT working in the Office of the Civil Service Commissioners.
  284
  No secondees from private companies are currently employed in any of the Cabinet Office agencies, or in the Central Office of Information which is a separate Department reporting to me.

WALES

  Farming
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the amount of Government funding given to the farming industry in each of the last three years. [62912]

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  Government expenditure on agriculture in Wales was £225.8 million, £265.3 million and £198.5 million in 1995–96, 1996–97 and 1997–98 respectively. The fall during 1997–98 is mainly accounted for by the reduction in expenditure on the EU' s Sheep Annual Premium Scheme. This scheme provides for annual deficiency payments, measured in ECUs, on eligible breeding ewes. The reduced expenditure reflects both a strengthening of European sheep prices and the revaluation of the green pound.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the sum currently allocated to the farming industry for each of the next three financial years, including extra moneys announced this autumn; and if he will make a statement. [62913]

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales will announce his spending plans for agriculture for the next three years shortly.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many farms there are in Wales. [62915]

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  There are currently 35,500 farm holdings registered in Wales; 27,900 main farm holdings and 7,600 minor holdings.

  NHS Waiting Lists
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on NHS waiting lists in Wales. [62696]

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  I am pleased to announce that the inpatient waiting list has fallen for 2 consecutive months and currently stands at 73,037—the lowest figure since February 1998. The numbers waiting over 12 months and over 18 months have also fallen, by 309 and 86 respectively.

  Outpatient lists to end-October also fell, by 1.6 per cent. to 133,210, the first fall in outpatient lists since January 1998. Although the number waiting over 6 months for an appointment rose by 487, this was a smaller increase than the 1,535 reported in September.

  Sheep
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the size of the sheep flock of Wales in(a) 1993, (b) 1996 and (c) currently. [62916]
  285
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  The information required has been taken from the annual June Agricultural and Horticultural Census and is shown as follows:

  Total sheep and lambs in Wales1

  Year

  Number

  1993

  11,256,200

  1996

  10,874,000

  19982

  11,609,300

  1Includes estimates for minor holdings

  2 Provisional estimate

  GP Fundholding
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to abolish GP fundholding; and if he will make a statement on his proposed alternative arrangements. [62698]

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  We shall include provisions to abolish the GP fundholding scheme in the Bill to modernise the NHS. Although a fundholding scheme must remain available until that Bill reaches Royal Assent, this need not take the form of the existing standard and community fundholding schemes. The Department is therefore about to consult the GP representative bodies on proposals to bring these existing arrangements to an end on 31 March 1999 and substitute a residual scheme. This residual scheme would meet the requirements of the current primary legislation, should that still be in force on 1 April 1999, while minimising any disruption to the development of Local Health Groups. No new primary legislation is needed to implement our plans to establish Local Health Groups as Committees of Health Authorities from 1 April 1999.

  Welsh Development Agency
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are employed by the Welsh Development Agency. [62914]

  Mr. Hain
  The Welsh Development Agency currently employs 424 permanent staff.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the allocation of funds to grant-maintained schools in Wales in 1999–2000. [62981]

  Mr. Hain
  Grant-maintained schools in Wales will be funded in 1999–2000 in accordance with the Financing of Maintained Schools Regulations 1998 which were laid before Parliament on 3 December.

  Welsh Arts Council
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on his plans for the appointment of a new chair to the Welsh Arts Council. [63155]

  Mr. Michael
  The selection process for a new chair of the Arts Council of Wales began in July with an advertisement in the national press. A shortlist of candidates has been drawn up and interviews will take place as early as possible in the New Year.

  A487
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take steps to avoid the closure of the A487 across the Cob at Porthmadog, during rebuilding of the retaining walls; and what arrangements he has made for the alternative routing of trunk road traffic during the rebuilding. [63175]

  Mr. Hain
  The Department is presently in discussion with The Rebecca Trust concerning the condition of the retaining walls on either side of the cob at Porthmadog. Ownership of the walls above the A487 rests with the Trust. The Department's Agents, the North West Wales Trunk Road Agency, have been instructed to inspect the walls and consider possible strengthening schemes, which need to minimise traffic disruption. Some temporary closures may, however, be inevitable due to the narrowness of the A487 across the cob. Only on receipt of the strengthening proposals will the need for alternative routes be developed.

  Disability Wales
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made in addressing the issues raised in the report of the Welsh Office Social Services Inspectorate in August 1998 on the problems of Disability Wales; and what plans he has for the future funding of Disability Wales. [63149]

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  The final report of the Management Review of Disability Wales was published on 19 November and I have sent a copy to the right hon. Member. I am now awaiting a formal response to the report from the Trustees of Disability Wales.

  The Government have a very positive agenda for disabled people, including the establishment of a Disability Right Commission. It is therefore essential that Disability Wales can play a strong and cohesive role during this important period. I hope that the report's recommendations will provide a sound foundation from which the organisation can develop. Welsh Office funding for Disability Wales is secured until 31 March 1999 and I will consider funding for the 1999–2000 financial year in the light of the response from the Trustees to the report by the Social Services Inspectorate for Wales.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Robert Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people in his Department are currently on secondment from private companies; and if he will list them, their companies and their current responsibilities within Government. [62826]

  Mr. Mudie
  The Department for Education and Employment currently has 8 centrally managed staff seconded from the private sector. The details are as follows:
  287

  Secondee

  Seconded from

  Current position

  Prof. Michael Barber

  Institute of Education

  Head of Standards and Effectiveness Unit

  Ms Juliette Brown

  Aqument Services

  Private Finance Division

  Mr. Richard Edwards

  The Next Company

  National Disability Council Secretariat

  Mr. Anil Kumar

  Glaxo Wellcome PLC

  Higher Education Funding and Organisation Division

  Ms Lindsay Oliver

  Institute of Education

  Effectiveness Division

  Mr. Steve Pollock

  British Broadcasting Corporation

  University for Industry Transition Team

  Mr. Europe Singh

  British Broadcasting Corporation

  University for Industry Transition Team

  Mr. Alun Thomas

  Royal National Institute for the Blind

  National Disability Council Secretariat

  Asian Women (Employment Rights)
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps the Government are taking to increase the amount of advice and information available to women from the Pakistani and Bangladeshi communities on employment rights and opportunities. [62282]

  Ms Hodge
  [holding answer 8 December 1998]: First and foremost, the Government fund the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Commission for Racial Equality to advise all individuals on employment rights. More specifically, the DfEE has adopted a Race Equality Strategy committing it, in all its policies and programmes, actively to promote equality between all ethnic and racial groups. The key principles of the strategy are built into all Employment Service programmes, notably the New Deal. This programme is designed to take account of the particular needs of ethnic minorities, including Pakistani and Bangladeshi women, to ensure that ethnic minority young people have advice and support that meets their particular needs. The Employment Service issues multi-lingual publicity leaflets to publicise its programmes.

  We also require Government-funded Training and Enterprise Councils to ensure that all sections (ie by ethnic group, gender and disability) of the eligible local population are fully represented on the programmes they run and the services they deliver. If not, the TEC must increase its participation by identifying and tackling whatever barriers exist to recruitment.

  Following a recent Social Exclusion Unit report, the Government have set up an Action Team on jobs to look at the particular difficulties facing people from ethnic minorities looking for work and to identify better ways of helping into jobs people like Pakistani and Bangladeshi women, who face some of the toughest barriers to work. It will report to the SEU in July 1999.

  Careers Services are also developing imaginative schemes to support ethnic minority women and prepare them to find suitable work. In Bradford, for example, Pakistani and Bangladeshi women are helped by the local Careers Service with information and advice, providing both reassurance and practical assistance, eg with language, to support entry for daughters onto work experience schemes. The local Careers Service also operates a mentoring scheme which draws upon the skills of experienced Pakistani and Bangladeshi community members to train and support young people into jobs.

  I recognise that people from ethnic minorities face particular difficulties in moving from education into work. It is because we must find ways of overcoming them that
  288
  I have made this an early priority for my advisory group, the Race Employment and Education Forum, which met for the first time on 20 October.

  Education Council
  Mr. Rammell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the outcome of the Education Council held in Brussels on 4 December; and if he will make a statement. [63164]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Enfield, Southgate (Mr. Twigg), on 8 December 1998,Official Report, column 181.

  Performance League Tables
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what research he has commissioned on the impact of socio-economic factors on school performance tables. [62584]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  [holding answer 9 December 1998]: No research has been commissioned on the impact of such factors specifically on performance tables, but in its internal analyses of performance information for school improvement purposes the Department does undertake investigations of the relationship between socio-economic factors and school performance.

  Teachers' Pensions
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the review of teachers' pension arrangements and its impact on opportunities for early retirement. [63230]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Working Group on the Review of the Teachers' Pension Scheme has considered all of its terms of reference. These included whether teachers should be allowed to retire early with an actuarially reduced pension at their own request. The Working Group will cover this in its report which I expect to receive in January.

  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will report on progress being made by the Working Group on the Review of the Teachers' Pension Scheme; and when he expects it to report. [62923]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Working Group on the Review of the Teachers' Pension Scheme has considered all of its terms of reference. I expect to receive its report in January.

  Job Creation
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to increase local powers(a) over job creation and training programmes and (b) to co-ordinate different publicly funded regeneration and employment projects. [62344]

  Mr. Mudie
  [holding answer 9 December 1998]: (a)We are committed to the principle that local partnerships should be able to develop solutions to identified local needs. Initiatives such as the Single Regeneration Budget and New Deal for Communities offer vehicles for this, and people, jobs and skills are at their heart. It is crucial that all partners involved in activities focused employability work closely together to ensure that local programmes fit as effectively as possible with national programmes such as New Deal.

  The Government support the Local Government Association New Commitment to Regeneration Initiative which is seeking a more co-ordinated and flexible approach to regeneration in 22 pathfinder areas. The Government will work wholeheartedly with the pathfinder areas as they seek new and effective ways of meeting the needs and priorities of their localities.

  (b) Helping people in deprived communities to obtain jobs is a high priority in all regeneration initiatives. The 17 New Deal for Communities Pathfinders have been asked to put this at the centre of their plans. Guidelines for Round 5 of the Single Regeneration Budget emphasised the importance of employability.

  I also refer my hon. Friend to the reply my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister gave on 28 October 1998, Official Report, columns 168–69, which gives detailed information on steps taken by this Government to improve the co-ordination of area-based initiatives.

  Devolution
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how much is spent annually by his Department on research programmes in Scotland; and what proportion of this funding will be transferred to the Scottish Parliament after devolution; [63299]

  (2) if he will list (a) by programme over £50,000 and (b) the total of spending by his Department in Scotland on the identifiable spending areas detailed in Table 7.6A of the Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 1997–98 (Cmnd 3601); which of these programmes will fall solely or jointly under the responsibility of the Scottish Parliament; and what arrangements are in place to transfer control of funds for these projects to the Scottish Executive or Parliament. [63300]

  (3) what assessment he has made of the programmes which it will be ultra vires for his Department to fund or have sole responsibility for after devolution; if he will list these programmes; and if he will make a statement. [63301]

  Mr. Mudie
  Under the terms of the Scotland Act 1998, the Scottish Ministers will assume responsibility for a range of devolved functions which will in part depend on secondary legislation which has yet to be passed. My Department is reviewing its programmes, including the research components, in the light of the Scotland Act. It 290
  is too early to say to what extent programme expenditure which is currently administered by the Department may relate to functions which will transfer to Scottish Ministers. Work is taking place to establish the extent of any such expenditure and to assess the need for any consequential transfer of funds to the Scottish Ministers. For the total spending by the Department in Scotland I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for North Tayside (Mr. Swinney) on 4 November 1998, Official Report, column 615.

  Education Channel
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the cost(a) in total and (b) to public funds of establishing a new broadcast education channel. [63322]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Department has no plans to establish a new broadcast education channel and no estimate of possible costs has accordingly been made.

  Funding
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much money has been allocated in each of the next three financial years for(a) the Standards Fund, (b) the New Opportunities Fund, (c) the Service Development Fund and (d) the Small School Support Fund. [63250]

  Mr. Blunkett
  The Standards Fund programme will be over £900 million in 1999–2000. This includes the DfEE grant and the local education authority contribution. Announcements of the size of the programme in future years will be made in due course.

  The Service Development Fund will be £750 million in 2000–01 and £1,000 million in 2001–02.

  Details for the Small School Support Fund will be announced in due course. Questions on the New Opportunities Fund are for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

  Headteachers
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he expects to publish details of the proposed resources which are to be made available within the school improvement grant element of the Standards Fund for the replacement of headteachers in underperforming schools. [63248]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The Green Paper "Teachers—Meeting the Challenge of Change" (Cm 4164) indicates that additional resources will be made available within the Standards Fund to help underperforming schools to get the strong leadership they need. Details of this allocation will be announced in due course.

  Virtual Staff College
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the Virtual Staff College for Senior Education Officers. [63251]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The Virtual Staff College is a project, led by the Society of Education Officers with support from my Department, for the training and
  291
  development of local education authority officers. The project includes a competence framework which forms the basis for several newly developed Master's degree courses. Students can mix and match modules from difference universities and combine on-site tuition with distance learning. The project leader is on secondment from the Department. The DfEE is also providing £30,000 for the development of the competence framework, training materials and information.

  Teachers
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the recurrent cost of providing funding to guarantee all new teachers the reduced teaching load and programme of support referred to in the Green Paper, "Teachers Meeting the Challenge of Change". [63249]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  In 1999–2000 my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will make available £251.5 million in the School Improvement Standards Fund grant to support activity designed to improve standards of pupil performance in order to meet school, LEA and national targets.

  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many advanced skills teachers have been appointed to date to each salary band. [63246]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information is not available.

  Pupils (Spending)
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the standard spending assessments for education per pupil for each English local authority for 1999–2000. [63255]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The following table shows, for each local education authority,

  (a) its Primary education SSA per primary pupil;

  (b) its Secondary education SSA per secondary pupil; and

  (c) its total education SSA.

  LEA

  (a) Primary SSA per 5–10 pupil £

  (b) Secondary SSA per 11–15 pupil £

  (c) Total education SSA £ million

  City of London

  3,341

  9,841

  0.823

  Camden

  3,323

  4,135

  87.405

  Greenwich

  3,148

  4,034

  126.198

  Hackney

  3,514

  4,720

  103.657

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  3,305

  4,266

  63.226

  Islington

  3,364

  4,429

  91.734

  Kensington and Chelsea

  3,315

  4,130

  40.216

  Lambeth

  3,521

  4,883

  111.411

  Lewisham

  3,293

  4,276

  127.517

  Southwark

  3,396

  4,381

  124.188

  Tower Hamlets

  3,584

  4,624

  145.646

  Wandsworth

  3,082

  3,950

  98.179

  Westminster

  3,203

  3,915

  66.840

  Barking and Dagenham

  2,693

  3,500

  84.362

  Barnet

  2,556

  3,221

  135.917

  Bexley

  2,448

  3,130

  105.895

  Brent

  2,952

  3,846

  123.122

  Bromley

  2,416

  3,064

  125.844

  Croydon

  2,625

  3,416

  140.458

  Ealing

  2,762

  3,619

  129.439

  292

  LEA

  (a) Primary SSA per 5–10 pupil £

  (b) Secondary SSA per 11–15 pupil £

  (c) Total education SSA £ million

  Enfield

  2,661

  3,372

  139.354

  Haringey

  3,049

  3,990

  110.180

  Harrow

  2,512

  3,268

  81.160

  Havering

  2,406

  3,101

  99.018

  Hillingdon

  2,521

  3,232

  107.889

  Hounslow

  2,708

  3,415

  107.140

  Kingston upon Thames

  2,416

  3,071

  53.379

  Merton

  2,576

  3,314

  66.341

  Newham

  3,072

  3,943

  156.662

  Redbridge

  2,577

  3,284

  118.381

  Richmond upon Thames

  2,372

  2,989

  52.474

  Sutton

  2,468

  3,096

  78.844

  Waltham Forest

  2,845

  3,653

  111.079

  Birmingham

  2,509

  3,248

  506.054

  Coventry

  2,374

  3,053

  136.125

  Dudley

  2,176

  2,784

  120.419

  Sandwell

  2,392

  3,081

  136.000

  Solihull

  2,169

  2,759

  88.014

  Walsall

  2,300

  2,936

  124.674

  Wolverhampton

  2,403

  3,103

  111.897

  Knowsley

  2,631

  3,465

  85.254

  Liverpool

  2,582

  3,317

  238.351

  St. Helens

  2,282

  2,943

  76.521

  Sefton

  2,274

  2,904

  122.220

  Wirral

  2,343

  3,028

  148.745

  Bolton

  2,281

  2,921

  117.547

  Bury

  2,198

  2,800

  71.500

  Manchester

  2,663

  3,494

  207.706

  Oldham

  2,342

  2,991

  108.596

  Rochdale

  2,363

  3,052

  96.905

  Salford

  2,387

  3,097

  95.263

  Stockport

  2,155

  2,782

  104.481

  Tameside

  2,259

  2,885

  95.650

  Trafford

  2,222

  2,858

  91.122

  Wigan

  2,195

  2,801

  125.385

  Barnsley

  2,278

  2,943

  87.395

  Doncaster

  2,359

  3,055

  136.244

  Rotherham

  2,274

  2,898

  116.237

  Sheffield

  2,314

  2,972

  195.022

  Bradford

  2,404

  3,114

  233.854

  Calderdale

  2,281

  2,935

  88.234

  Kirklees

  2,310

  2,964

  164.385

  Leeds

  2,283

  2,925

  292.500

  Wakefield

  2,216

  2,846

  129.015

  Gateshead

  2,315

  2,979

  78.279

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  2,431

  3,128

  111.057

  North Tyneside

  2,245

  2,909

  77.634

  South Tyneside

  2,360

  3,024

  68.784

  Sunderland

  2,330

  2,992

  129.129

  Isles of Scilly

  4,136

  5,277

  1.206

  Cambridgeshire

  2,224

  2,846

  190.955

  Cheshire

  2,173

  2,774

  263.888

  Cornwall

  2,283

  2,937

  189.872

  Cumbria

  2,255

  2,889

  195.864

  Devon

  2,258

  2,914

  243.787

  Essex

  2,337

  3,003

  524.217

  Gloucestershire

  2,199

  2,818

  214.838

  Herefordshire

  2,270

  2,927

  61.120

  Worcestershire

  2,168

  2,774

  198.216

  Hertfordshire

  2,370

  3,029

  444.698

  Kent

  2,337

  2,997

  553.625

  Lancashire

  2,259

  2,898

  468.619

  Lincolnshire

  2,269

  2,916

  250.567

  Norfolk

  2,276

  2,912

  286.604

  Northamptonshire

  2,222

  2,852

  257.805

  Northumberland

  2,240

  2,879

  129.290

  Nottinghamshire

  2,196

  2,820

  296.082

  Oxfordshire

  2,291

  2,918

  217.420

  Shropshire

  2,220

  2,839

  100.824

  Somerset

  2,226

  2,863

  175.412

  Suffolk

  2,222

  2,836

  250.346

  Surrey

  2,337

  2,991

  358.271

  Warwickshire

  2,182

  2,796

  187.617

  West Sussex

  2,267

  2,905

  269.226

  293

  LEA

  (a) Primary SSA per 5–10 pupil £

  (b) Secondary SSA per 11–15 pupil £

  (c) Total education SSA £ million

  North Yorkshire

  2,235

  2,843

  219.711

  Bedfordshire

  2,285

  2,935

  160.984

  Buckinghamshire

  2,286

  2,944

  193.629

  Derbyshire

  2,173

  2,791

  272.411

  Dorset

  2,191

  2,800

  135.276

  Durham

  2,283

  2,943

  203.417

  East Sussex

  2,336

  3,009

  174.297

  Hampshire

  2,229

  2,871

  446.888

  Leicestershire

  2,119

  2,726

  228.231

  Staffordshire

  2,151

  2,761

  323.123

  Wiltshire

  2,209

  2,847

  159.098

  Isle of Wight Council

  2,397

  3,082

  52.955

  Bath and North East Somerset

  2,158

  2,717

  62.354

  City of Bristol

  2,338

  3,031

  134.265

  North Somerset

  2,170

  2,800

  68.008

  South Gloucestershire

  2,115

  2,728

  93.824

  Hartlepool

  2,331

  2,991

  42.580

  Middlesbrough

  2,451

  3,190

  68.493

  Redcar and Cleveland

  2,343

  2,988

  66.222

  Stockton-on-Tees

  2,295

  2,953

  82.138

  City of Kingston-upon-Hull

  2,412

  3,096

  114.854

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  2,186

  2,798

  121.284

  North East Lincolnshire

  2,312

  2,975

  72.999

  North Lincolnshire

  2,278

  2,928

  64.980

  York

  2,172

  2,810

  60.335

  Luton

  2,498

  3,217

  87.649

  Milton Keynes

  2,365

  3,057

  92.715

  Derby

  2,323

  2,983

  96.869

  Poole

  2,161

  2,766

  50.010

  Bournemouth

  2,271

  2,886

  55.817

  Darlington

  2,265

  2,925

  39.683

  Brighton and Hove

  2,418

  3,103

  82.786

  Portsmouth

  2,410

  3,084

  72.774

  Southampton

  2,424

  3,136

  87.402

  Leicester

  2,470

  3,171

  134.753

  Rutland

  2,190

  2,707

  11.642

  Stoke on Trent

  2,281

  2,943

  99.514

  Bracknell Forest

  2,340

  3,018

  41.567

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  2,343

  2,957

  51.147

  Newbury

  2,220

  2,822

  60.950

  Reading

  2,392

  3,131

  48.071

  Slough

  2,739

  3,607

  59.011

  Wokingham

  2,129

  2,745

  58.507

  Peterborough

  2,356

  3,022

  78.899

  Halton

  2,369

  3,070

  59.307

  Warrington

  2,151

  2,767

  78.552

  Plymouth

  2,274

  2,893

  107.756

  Torbay

  2,285

  2,929

  49.958

  Southend

  2,378

  3,047

  68.888

  Thurrock

  2,488

  3,194

  60.506

  Rochester and Gillingham

  2,313

  2,972

  117.985

  Blackburn

  2,442

  3,127

  70.696

  Blackpool

  2,289

  2,984

  52.823

  Nottingham City

  2,522

  3,281

  115.257

  The Wrekin

  2,288

  2,939

  66.230

  Thamesdown

  2,200

  2,830

  73.313

  England

  2,372

  3,033

  20,414.000

  Sixth Forms
  Mr. Prior
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what guidance his Department has issued on the optimum size of sixth form classes; [62506]

  (2) if he will make a statement on the average size of sixth form classes in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) Norfolk. [62507]
  294
  Ms Estelle Morris
  The average size of sixth form classes in England is 10.7 and in Norfolk is 10.2. The size of classes in the rest of the United Kingdom is a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales.

  The Department has issued no guidance on the optimum size of sixth form classes. In deciding what courses to offer in their sixth forms, schools must weigh up issues such as quality of provision, demand for particular courses, breadth of curricular choices accessible to students across the area, cost effectiveness and financial implications for the school as a whole.

  Mr. Prior
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what guidance his Department has issued on the optimum size of a sixth form college so that it is able to provide an appropriate choice of subjects. [62508]

  Mr. Mudie
  The Department has not issued guidance on the optimum size of sixth form colleges.

TREASURY

  Tax Harmonisation
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how he proposes to ensure that Britain's taxation will not be harmonised with that of the rest of the EU when Britain joins European Monetary Union. [61760]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Decisions in this area are subject to unanimity. This would not be affected if the UK joined EMU.

  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his use of the veto in respect of EU tax harmonisation measures relating to(a) corporate and company taxation, (b) VAT, (c) income tax, (d) taxes on investment and (e) capital taxes. [61775]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Decisions in all these areas are subject to unanimity. The Government will not support any action at European level that will threaten jobs or the competitive position of British business.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the Government's policy on proposals for tax harmonisation in Europe. [61782]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Government will not support any action at European level that will threaten jobs or the competitive position of British business. Tax harmonisation is not the way forward for Europe. The priority for Europe is the promotion of employment reforms and competitive markets to achieve higher levels of employment and prosperity.

  37. Sir Michael Spicer
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he intends to take to prevent tax harmonisation in the European Union. [61784]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Decisions in this area are subject to unanimity. The Government will not support any action at European level that will threaten jobs or the competitive position of British business.

  Debt Relief (Developing Countries)
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to accelerate debt relief programmes for developing countries. [61761]

  Ms Hewitt
  At the annual meetings of the IMF and World Bank the Chancellor maintained momentum towards his Mauritius Mandate targets and has subsequently taken initiatives to help post-catastrophe countries.

  NHS Expenditure
  Mr. McNulty
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his public expenditure plans for the NHS for the next three years. [61764]

  Mr. Byers
  In the Comprehensive Spending Review on 14 July 1998,Official Report, columns 187–211, we announced an extra £21 billion for health in the UK for the next three years.

  This is the biggest cash increase in the history of the NHS and, combined with our programme of reform, will provide the stable funding base needed to deliver the Government's commitment to modernise the NHS.

  Coupled with the £250 million for the UK this year, which my right hon. Friend the Chancellor announced in the House on 3 November 1998, Official Report, column 688, of which £209 million is for England, this means health spending in England will rise by 3.8 per cent. a year over the lifetime of this Parliament. Figures for other countries of the United Kingdom are a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland, for Wales and for Northern Ireland.

  Public Spending
  Mr. Plaskitt
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about his priorities for public spending for the next three years, with particular reference to the balancing of budgets across the economic cycle. [61765]

  Mr. Byers
  The Government are committed to spend an extra £40 billion on health and education over the next three years, and will double net public investment.

  The Government's prudent approach to managing the public finances ensures that these commitments will be honoured while meeting the Government's two strict fiscal rules.

  Public Services Expenditure
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his plans to increase non-capital expenditure on public services over the next three years. [61766]

  Mr. Byers
  Spending plans for the next three years were set out in the Comprehensive Spending Review White Paper, published in July.

  Work Incentives
  Ms Ward
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about his policy to increase the incentive to work. [61768]
  296
  Dawn Primarolo
  The Budget contained a number of measures to help ensure that work pays, including the Working Families Tax Credit and reform to National Insurance Contributions. These changes will ensure a guaranteed minimum income of at least £190 a week for working families. And, as the Pre-Budget Report stated, we will also introduce a 10p starting rate of income tax, when it is economically right to do so. In addition, the Welfare to Work programme will, through the New Deal, help people to make the move from welfare into work.

  Tax Revenue Statistics
  23. Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest estimate of total annual tax revenue per person in the United Kingdom; and what was the total(a) five and (b) 10 years ago. [61769]

  Mr. Byers
  Figures for the total annual tax revenue per person in the United Kingdom were £2,812 in 1987–88; £3,574 in 1992–93; and £5,023 in 1997–98.

  Pensioners (Taxation)
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the taxation of dividends paid to non-taxpaying low-income pensioners. [61770]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Having listened carefully to all interested parties, the Government confirm the arrangements set out in the July 1997 Budget for phasing out payable credits in order to correct a bias in the tax system against the retention of profits for investment. Individuals have time to consider their investments before the new rules take effect—for example, they can move to tax-favoured investments should they wish to do so.

  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he is proposing to improve the tax position of pensioners. [61778]

  Ms Hewitt
  In his statement to the House on the Comprehensive Spending Review, 14 July 1998,Official Report, columns 187–211, the Chancellor announced that, as part of a £2.5 billion package of support for pensioners, the Government would set a minimum tax guarantee, so that no pensioner would pay income tax unless their income rose above a specified level. The pre-Budget report confirmed that this level would be determined in the next Budget.

  Duty-free Sales
  25. Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the continuation of duty-free sales after 30 June 1999; what transitional measures he proposes to introduce; and if he will make a statement. [61771]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I have received a number of representations on the continuation of duty-free sales after 30 June 1999. This matter was discussed at the ECOFIN Council meeting on 1 December where a minority of Member States, supported by the UK, called for a fresh look at the decision to end intra-EU duty free sales on 30 June 1999. However, unanimity amongst Member States is required and there was no consensus for change. The Government are continuing to consider the arrangements which should apply after 30 June 1999.

  Euro
  Mr. Townend
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the United Kingdom Government of conversion from sterling to the euro. [61772]

  Ms Hewitt
  The cost of the changeover should the UK decide to join the euro would depend on the manner in which businesses and other organisations were to approach the changeover and the extent to which organisations had incorporated euro compatibility into investment decisions before joining.

  ECOFIN
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent consultations he has had with his European Union counterparts on the co-ordination of taxation policies. [61774]

  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with EU finance ministers on the subject of EU tax harmonisation. [61776]

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the outcome of the ECOFIN Council held in Brussels on 1 December; and if he will make a statement. [62329]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Chancellor attended the Economic and Finance Council—ECOFIN—of the European Union in Brussels on 1 December. I accompanied him. ECOFIN was followed by a joint meeting of ECOFIN and the Social Affairs Council.

  I, as Chair of the Code of Conduct Group, presented the Group's first interim report to ECOFIN. The Council took note of the report, endorsed the further work and asked the Group to endeavour to complete its work as rapidly as possible. Commissioner Monti gave a brief presentation of the Commission's combined first annual report on the implementation of the Code of Conduct for Business Taxation and fiscal state aid and a progress report on the work concerning the taxation of income from savings and a common system of taxation from interest and royalty payments between associated companies.

  The Council noted a presentation by Commissioner Van Miert on the Commission's Communication on the application of state aid rules to direct tax measures.

  The Commission put forward a draft mandate for a study on company taxation which was not agreed.

  Commissioner Monti requested that ECOFIN consent to the Commission and the Presidency Troika initiating exploratory talks with third countries on the external dimension of the taxation of savings. ECOFIN agreed the mandate.

  The Presidency proposed that the Financial Questions Group continue its discussions on a framework for energy taxation based on the Commission's draft Energy Products Directive. This was agreed by the Council, with a view to the Council being able to assess the prospects for such a framework by May 1999.

  The Presidency put forward a draft progress report entitled "Reinforced tax policy co-operation". The agreed report will be submitted to the Vienna European Council.
  298
  The Council agreed a report to the Vienna European Council on Agenda 2000.

  ECOFIN discussed the Stability Programme of the Netherlands and the Convergence Programme of Denmark. The Council adopted opinions on these programmes.

  ECOFIN agreed that the Commission would adopt on 9 December a proposal that allowed for only very limited access for credit institutions in Monaco to the French payments system. France is to discuss this measure further with the European Central Bank and the Commission.

  The Council agreed a report to the European Council on the external representation of the euro area. The Council also agreed a report taking forward initiatives to reform the international financial institutions.

  The composition and statutes of the Economic and Financial Committee were agreed.

  ECOFIN agreed a statement on facilitating the reconstruction efforts in Central America following Hurricane Mitch.

  The abolition of intra-EU duty free shopping on 30 June 1999 was raised. Several Member States asked that this decision be looked at again. The request did not achieve the necessary unanimous support of Member States. The Presidency concluded that no further action would be taken.

  At the joint meeting of ECOFIN and the Social Affairs Council, agreement was reached on the Joint Employment Report and on amendments to the 1999 Employment Guidelines. Both texts will be sent to the Vienna European Council. The Chairman of the European Investment Bank gave a report on the progress made in implementing the programme agreed at the Luxembourg jobs summit.

  European Economy
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on progress toward the co-ordinated expansion of the European economy. [61777]

  Ms Hewitt
  Articles 103 and 104c of the Maastricht Treaty provide a basis for coordination and surveillance of budgetary and economic policies in EMU. The Government believe that growth and high employment in the EU will be best served by policies which promote economic stability and improve the performance of labour, product and capital markets. As part of this process, Member States are currently submitting Progress Reports on Product and Capital Markets which will be discussed in the new year.

  Balance of Payments
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the balance of payments. [61779]

  Ms Hewitt
  A small current account deficit is expected this year, and the Pre-Budget Report shows that, as a proportion of GDP, it is forecast to remain modest by historical standards over the next few years.

  VAT Village Halls
  Mr. David Heath
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy with regard to VAT reclamation by parish councils on building projects undertaken by village hall committees. [61780]

  Dawn Primarolo
  A parish council is not entitled to recover VAT incurred by a village hall committee. However, where a parish council owns, or is the sole trustee of, a hall and it incurs VAT in respect of works to the hall, this is normally recoverable. In addition, VAT may be recoverable where a parish council uses its own resources to undertake work to other halls.

  Economic Stability
  Dr. Desmond Turner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he has taken to ensure economic stability. [61781]

  Ms Hewitt
  We have put in place new frameworks for monetary and fiscal policy, and have taken tough action to deliver low inflation and sound public finances. These are essential for economic stability and sustainable growth.

  Pension Mis-selling
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the role of independent financial advisers in respect of pension mis-selling. [61783]

  Ms Hewitt
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to my statement of 5 November 1998,Official Report, column 685.

  Monetary Policy Committee
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Monetary Policy Committee. [61767]

  Ms Hewitt
  The task of the Monetary Policy Committee is to set short-term interest rates to meet the Government's inflation target. The success of the new monetary framework is demonstrated by the fact that inflation is at its target, long-term interest rates are currently at their lowest level for over 35 years and inflation expectations have fallen.

  Debt Relief (Honduras and Nicaragua)
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Governments of Honduras and Nicaragua regarding debt relief; what steps he has taken to secure debt relief for those countries; and if he will make a statement. [61773]

  Ms Hewitt
  The UK has already written off all of its aid loans to Honduras and Nicaragua. Last month, the Chancellor and Secretary of State for International Development called on the International Financial Institutions to look at mechanisms that could mitigate the debt service burdens on Honduras and Nicaragua and announced a £10 million contribution to a multilateral Trust Fund to help meet debt service payments to the IMF and World Bank.

  Employment Statistics
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the quarterly levels and changes in the United Kingdom employed labour force since 1990, identifying separately(a) employees in employment, (b) armed forces and (c) self-employment, with a breakdown of these categories by (i) full-time and part-time and (ii) sex. [62308]

  Ms Hewitt
  The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.

  Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 10 December 1998:
  As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question on the labour force.
  The statistics you have requested (where available) can be accessed via the Central Shared Database (CSDB) in the House of Commons Library.
  Figures for males and females are available for Employee jobs (the new name for employees-in-employment), Self-employment jobs and HM Forces in the United Kingdom. However, a full-time and part-time breakdown is only available for the Employee jobs component, and only from December 1992.
  When accessing the database you will need to know the CSDB `identifiers' for each of the series of figures sought. These are as follows:

  Male Full-time Employee jobs: YEJN

  Male Part-time Employee jobs: YEJO

  Female Full-time Employee jobs: YEJP

  Female Part-time Employee jobs: YEJQ

  Male Self-employment jobs: YEJR

  Female Self-employment jobs: YEJS

  Male HM Forces: YEJT

  Female HM Forces: YEJU

  These estimates are subject to revision after 16th December 1998, when the short-term estimates will be benchmarked against the Annual Employment Survey (AES) results for September 1997. You may also wish to know that these figures are published in table B.11 of Labour Market Trends each month—copies of which are placed in the House Library.

  Registration (Births, Deaths and Marriages)
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the options paper on registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages will be presented by the Registrar General to Ministers, as stated in his written answer to the hon. Member for Tewkesbury (Mr. Robertson) of 30 June 1998,Official Report, column 175, and when he expects to publish proposals for reform. [62552]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Registrar General expects to present the options paper to Ministers shortly.

  Proposals for reform will be included in the consultation document arising from the Civil Registration review announced in the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire (Ms Lawrence) on 7 December 1998, Official Report, columns 27–28.

  Working Families Tax Credit
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average weekly gains from the introduction of the working families tax credit will be by decile of(a) benefit unit income and (b) household income. [62244]
  301
  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 3 December 1998]: The table shows estimated average gains arising from the introduction of Working Families Tax Credit for those eligible for the credit. The overall average gain including childcare costs is estimated to be £17.20 per week. Individual decile gains do not include gains arising from the changes to the treatment of childcare costs in Working Families Tax Credit or other behavioural changes arising from the introduction of the credit, as they can not be reliably apportioned across deciles.

  Average gain of gainers from introduction of Working Families Tax Credit by decile

  £ per week

  Declie

  Benefit unit income

  Household income

  Lowest

  1—

  14.40

  2nd

  17.40

  18.60

  3rd

  16.10

  12.40

  4th

  12.20

  15.20

  5th

  14.90

  12.60

  6th

  12.00

  1—

  7th

  1—

  1—

  8th

  1—

  1—

  9th

  1—

  1—

  Highest

  1—

  1—

  1 No gainers or number of gainers too few to calculate reliable estimate of average gain

  Note:

  Deciles are defined in terms of equivalised income on a benefit unit and household income basis using the McClements scale; decile boundaries are higher for households than benefit units.

  Source:

  These estimates have been derived from projections of Family Expenditure Survey data to 1999–2000

  Revised Earnings Index
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which sectors of the workforce were re-allocated between the public and private sectors of the economy in the now suspended revised earnings index. [62905]

  Ms Hewitt
  The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.

  Details of private sector firms currently seconding staff to HM Treasury and staffs' responsibilities as at 1 December 1998

  Seconding organization

  Responsibilities

  Barclays Capital

  Export and export credits policy and oversight of the Export Credits Guarantee Department.

  Midland Bank

  Provision of advice and guidance on small and medium sized enterprises; business associations and representative bodies; business links and other intermediaries.

  Tarmac plc

  Private Finance Initiative (PFI) Adviser in the Procurement Group with responsibility for: links between PFI and mainstream procurement; support to departmental Procurement Units on PFI issues; and support to Treasury led Taskforce on procurement issues.

  Pannell Kerr Forster Associates

  Provision of commercial, financial and accounting advice on private sector companies, and public and private sector commercial undertakings. Support to other work areas in the Treasury, as well as support to OFGAS, OFFER, OFTEL and OFT.

  Ernst & Young

  Developing policy on aspects of public private partnerships, including the guidance on selling services into wider markets and on parts of the Treasury's on-going work on productivity.

  Manpower plc

  Provision of advice and guidance on strategic issues relating to supply chain management, electronic commerce and procurement business plans, to central Government Departments and Treasury officials.

  Securities Investment Board

  Deals with money laundering, financial crime and subjects in the wider area of regulatory policy.

  PricewaterhouseCoopers

  Provision of economic advice on housing and urban regeneration planning policies and programmes. Works on social exclusion.

  302
  Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 10 December 1998:
  As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question on the public and private sectors of the economy in the now suspended revised earnings index.
  Reclassification mainly affected privatised parts of public transport. The introduction of legal status rather than nature of business led to a very small number of reclassifications of individual enterprises. Confidentiality restrictions prevent me from naming these.

  Vehicle Excise Duty
  Mr. Grogan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many vehicles qualified for the exemption from vehicle excise duty for historic and classic cars in each of the last 10 years. [62691]

  Ms Hewitt
  The exemption for vehicles over 25 years of age dates from November 1995.

  Thousand

  Year

  Exempt: Tax class 88 vehicles

  All vehicles

  Cars

  19951

  over 25 years of age

  120.0

  90.8

  19961

  over 25 years of age

  278.4

  173.3

  19971

  built before 1 January 1973

  325.7

  203.4

  19982

  built before 1 January 1973

  337.7

  208.8

  1 At year end

  2 At end of June 1998

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Robert Jackson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people in his Department are currently on secondment from private companies; and if he will list them, their companies and their current responsibilities within Government. [62830]

  Ms Hewitt
  At present, 13 staff in the Treasury and the Debt Management Office are on secondment from private companies. Details of the seconding authorities and the secondees' Departmental responsibilities are shown in the table. It is our normal policy not to disclose the names of individual officials.
  303

  Details of private sector firms currently seconding staff to HM Treasury and staffs' responsibilities as at 1 December 1998

  Seconding organization

  Responsibilities

  Arthur Andersen

  Provides policy support where necessary to the leading Department on the Public-Private Partnerships for National Air Traffic Services (NATS) and the London Underground. Maintains Treasury interests on the completion of the Jubilee Line extension and oversees progress on the Belfast Port Public/Private Partnership.

  PricewaterhouseCoopers

  Monitoring and control of expenditure commitments in relation to PFI; assurances of funding and other expenditure issues; value for money/public sector comparators; management and measurement of risk; payment mechanisms; tax and accounting matters; reduction of bid costs; international interest including liaison with international financial institutions.

  Arthur Andersen

  Provides advice and guidance on corporation and capital tax policy issues.

  Arthur Andersen

  Encourages enterprise and economic growth in industry.

  PricewaterhouseCoopers

  Provision of accountancy advice and guidance to the Treasury, including accounting implications of PFI projects.

  Charity Tax Review
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Government expect to conclude their review of charity taxation; and if he will make a statement. [62907]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Government received over 3,000 replies in the first phase of the Review and are determined to consider carefully all the options before launching the next phase. We intend to publish a Consultation Document as soon as possible.

  EU Budget
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what(a) amount and (b) proportion of revenues raised by VAT have been earmarked for financing the EU budget. [63099]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The latest estimate for the gross UK VAT contribution to the EU budget is £4,034 million in 1998–99. The amount paid is related to a notional harmonised VAT base, covering the same goods and services in all EU member states, and is not directly proportional to VAT revenues raised in the UK. UK VAT revenues are forecast to be £52.6 billion in 1998–99.

  Informal Economy
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the size as a proportion of gross domestic product of the informal economy(a) in the United Kingdom, (b) in each region and (c) in each nation; and what assessment he has made of trends in the size of the informal economy. [62906]

  Ms Hewitt
  The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.

  Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 10 December 1998:
  As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question on the informal economy.
  Definitions of what is included in the informal economy are not entirely clear, and therefore no official estimates are available for the UK. However, the ONS has done work based on the following three definitions:
  The UN System of National Accounts 1993 (SNA93) defines the informal sector as comprising own-account enterprises (household enterprises owned and operated by own-account workers, which may employ contributing family workers and employees on an
  304
  occasional basis) and enterprises of informal employers (who operate below a certain size or are unregistered). The SNA says that the concept of informal sector activities should be distinguished from the concept of activities of the hidden or underground economy.
  In the context of household satellite accounts, 'movement between the formal and informal economy' is movement between the economy measured by GDP and unpaid household production.
  Illegal economic activities are also sometimes described as 'informal'.
  The activity of informal own-account enterprises, who are registered with the Inland Revenue, are included in National Accounts estimates of mixed income. Adjustments are made in the National Accounts to allow for the incomes of those who are not registered for income tax. However, this evasion adjustment does not claim to measure the total size of the 'hidden economy'. Section 14.20–24 from the 1998 National Accounts Concepts, Sources and Methods describes these adjustments, and I enclose a copy of this. Estimates for the value of household production were published in October 1997, based on Time Use data from 1995—a copy of the article is enclosed. The results of some research into the illegal economy were published in Economic Trends in July 1998—a copy of that article is also enclosed.
  There is no regional or sub-national breakdown for any of these data. Because much of the work is developmental, there are no time series, so it is not possible to assess the rate and direction of any change.

  Euro Preparations Committee
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those members of the House who have been nominated to date for membership of the new Euro Preparations Committee; and if he will make a statement. [62281]

  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 7 December 1998]: My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer wrote to the Treasury spokesmen of each Parliamentary Party on 10 November inviting nominations for representatives for the new Cross-Party Advisory Group on preparations for the euro.

  To date, the right hon. Member for Haltemprice and Howden (Mr. Davis) and the hon. Members for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) and for North Tayside (Mr. Swinney) have been nominated for membership.

  Given the importance of preparations for the euro, I hope that every Parliamentary Party will wish to be represented on the Group.

  Company Cars
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to reform company car taxation so as to remove the incentive to increase business mileage. [62423]

  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 8 December 1998]: The Chancellor announced in the March Budget that he would be considering, in relation to income tax charged on company cars, the case for replacing the existing business mileage discounts with discounts for driving fewer private miles. People were invited (Budget 98 Press Release Inland Revenue 6) to send comments to the Inland Revenue. As stated in the Pre-Budget Report (paragraphs 5.52 to 5.54), in the light of the views expressed, we are continuing to review how the company car tax regime might be altered to send better environmental signals.

  Community Finance Initiatives
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans his Department has(a) to encourage the growth of community finance initiatives to promote regeneration in poorer areas and (b) to ask banks to disclose information on their servicing of poorer areas. [62284]

  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 9 December 1998]: As part of the Government's Social Exclusion agenda, I have established two Policy Action Teams looking at 1) Business and 2) Access to Financial Services in
  306
  poorer neighbourhoods, which are due to report in July 1999. As part of its remit, the team looking at Business will consider a wide range of methods to improve the availability of finance for small and start-up businesses in deprived areas. The Access to Financial Services team will also consider the service banks provide to customers in poorer areas and consider with the Banks possible measures for improvement.

  Tax Receipts
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the taxes in respect of which he receives monthly estimates of receipts from the Inland Revenue. [61762]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Monthly receipts of taxes collected by the Inland Revenue are published in the monthly "Public Sector Finances First Release". Forecasts of receipts are published in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" and in the "Pre-Budget Report".

  VAT (Tourism)
  Mr. Gordon Marsden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress HM Customs and Excise has made on its assessment of the recent British Tourist Authority report on the implication of a reduced VAT rate on hotel accommodation and other tourism-related services. [61757]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Customs have just completed their analysis of this detailed report and will shortly report to me with their findings.

  China: Human Rights
  China: Human Rights
  Argentina: Arms Embargo
  Argentina: Arms Embargo
  State Visits and Extradition Proceedings
  State Visits and Extradition Proceedings
  Sudan
  Sudan
  Iraq: Kurdish Detainees
  Iraq: Kurdish Detainees
  OSCE Summit Conference, Turkey
  OSCE Summit Conference, Turkey
  Algeria: Detentions
  Algeria: Detentions
  Kosovo
  Kosovo
  Burmese Foreign Minister's Visit
  Burmese Foreign Minister's Visit
  Estonia
  Estonia
  Chevening Scholarships: Baltic States
  Chevening Scholarships: Baltic States
  Mr. Jason Pope
  Mr. Jason Pope
  Human Rights Declaration: Fiftieth Anniversary Commemoration
  Human Rights Declaration: Fiftieth Anniversary Commemoration
  Independent Schools: Registration and Inspection
  Independent Schools: Registration and Inspection
  Lord Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Legal Education and Conduct: Annual Report
  Lord Chancellor's Advisory Committee on Legal Education and Conduct: Annual Report
  Roads Review: Targeted Programme of Improvements
  Roads Review: Targeted Programme of Improvements
  Forestry in Scotland
  Forestry in Scotland
  Sudan: Humanitarian Situation
  Sudan: Humanitarian Situation
  Assisted Prison Visits Scheme
  Assisted Prison Visits Scheme
  Human Rights Convention: Compatibility of Bills
  Human Rights Convention: Compatibility of Bills
  Prison Health Services: Review
  Prison Health Services: Review