Written Answers of 10 July 1998

PRIME MINISTER

  Council of the Isles
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will ensure that the Council of the Isles includes representation from all the English regions. [49750]

  The Prime Minister
  The Good Friday Agreement provides for the establishment of a British-Irish Council which reflects an earlier proposal for a Council of the Isles.

  The Agreement specifies that membership of the British-Irish Council will comprise representatives of the British and Irish Governments, devolved institutions in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, when established, and, if appropriate, elsewhere in the United Kingdom, together with representatives of the Isle of Man and Channel Islands.

  The Government are currently working to establish the Council later in the year, in transitional form, as the Agreement requires, and will be consulting interested parties as and when appropriate.

  Welsh Assembly
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Prime Minister what proposals he has to vary the number of Welsh Office Ministers, and the remuneration of these Ministers, to reflect their reduced responsibilities when the Welsh Assembly is established. [50000]

  The Prime Minister
  This will be a matter for further consideration once the National Assembly has been established.

  Lobbyists
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list those individuals who are not hon. Members or civil servants currently serving on review bodies and taskforces set up since May 1997 whose appointment was promoted or canvassed for by(a) GPC Market Access, (b) LLM, (c) GJW and (d) other professional lobbying organisations. [49768]

  The Prime Minister
  Any individual or group may suggest names for appointment to a non-departmental public body (NDPB), review body or task force. The Public Appointments Unit maintains a central list to which nominations can also be made.

  Appointments to NDPBs are made in line with the principles established by the Committee on Standards in Public Life. These require selection on merit and an independent element in the selection process. The Government have recently announced the extension of the remit of the Commissioner for Public Appointments to cover all advisory NDPBs as well as executive NDPBs.
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  Ministers appoint to review bodies and task forces individuals—whether Members of Parliament, civil servants or others—on the basis of their expertise and the contribution they will make to the particular review or task. In making appointments, Ministers' decisions are not improperly influenced by the views of any outside organisations. No systematic record is kept of the origin of nominations since it is usually not relevant to such decisions.

  Derek Draper
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Prime Minister on how many occasions his Press Secretary has briefed Mr. Derek Draper on the Government's position on matters of current concern. [49961]

  The Prime Minister
  The role of Press Officers at No. 10 is to answer all calls from journalists and to explain Government policy to them in accordance with the rules that apply to the GICS. Mr. Draper has had no briefing from any Press Officer that was not available to any journalist calling the Press Office. No systematic record is kept of the details of the thousands of calls received each week, but any call from Mr. Draper would be dealt with routinely by a Press Officer, rather than the Chief Press Secretary.

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Office Staff
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the President of the Council how staff numbers in her Office have varied between 1 May 1997 and 31 March 1998. [48881]

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  The number of permanent staff in the Privy Council Office on both dates was 34.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Official Report
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee what plans there are to publish the daily parts of the Official Report in formats amenable to people with sensory impairments. [50033]

  Mrs. Roe
  There are no plans to publish the Official Report in the way in which the hon. Gentleman has described. The Official Report is published free on the Internet and this service can be used by refreshable braille display or through speech synthesis, in order to provide access to visually impaired people.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Taxis (London)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will introduce incentives to London taxi drivers to convert their vehicles to use natural gas or LPG as fuel. [48688]
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  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The Government recognise the important air quality advantages of cleaner taxis, such as those using road fuel gases. We already provide an incentive for drivers to use gas fuel because the tax on LPG and natural gas is already much lower than the tax on diesel. The Energy Saving Trust Powershift Programme provides grants to support the purchases of alternatively fuelled vehicles. One such grant under consideration could include gas fuelled London taxis. The Public Carriage Office are working with manufacturers to encourage the development of alternative "greener" engines and fuels.

  Local Authority Transport Schemes
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the total amount of money made available in each of the past five years to local authorities under the Transport Policies and Programmes system. [48913]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The information is as follows:

  Year

  £ million

  1993–94

  1,047

  1994–95

  894

  1995–96

  960

  1996–97

  830

  1997–98

  746

  Figures in all years include grant under the Industrial Development Act 1982. Figures for the latter four years include credit approvals available to match European Regional Development Fund grant.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the proportion of total TPP money made available to local authorities in each year for the past five years that was spent on on-going road building schemes; and if he will list the schemes. [48915]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  I have placed this information in the Libraries of the House.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much money has been allocated in each of the past five years to(a) road schemes and (b) other transport schemes under the Single Regeneration Budget; and which schemes have benefited. [48918]

  Angela Eagle
  The Single Regeneration Budget Challenge Fund offers support to Partnerships to help them to carry out comprehensive regeneration of their local areas. Partnerships decide local priorities and road and other transport projects may be an element of their schemes. Funding is normally provided for a package of activities and is not allocated by individual elements. Funding commenced on 1 April 1995 and is available for the lifetime of schemes (up to seven years).

  I have placed in the Library a list of the names of the schemes and the total lifetime Challenge Fund grant allocated which includes grant for road and other transport related activities.

  Flood Defences (Brentwood)
  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list for each of the financial years since 1983–84(a) the expenditure submitted by Brentwood Borough Council under the heading flood defences, for use in the Department's settlement SSA indicator data, (b) the increase in the SSA due to the inclusion of the flood defences estimates in these calculations, (c) the amount of additional Government grant received in that year by the Council solely as a result of the inclusion of the flood defences figures, if any, and (d) the increase in capping limits in each year solely as a result of the inclusion of the flood defence estimates in the calculations; [49012]

  (2) if he will calculate the effect on (a) the standard spending assessment, (b) the amount of Government grant and (c) the capping limit for Brentwood Borough Council for 1998–99 if the flood defence estimates had been nil for each year since 1983–84. [49013]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The following table shows(a) the expenditure submitted by Brentwood Borough Council for use in the calculation of the Flood Defence element of standard spending assessments (SSAs) for each year since 1990–91; and (b) the resulting increase in the SSA for Brentwood Borough Council:

  Year for which expenditure was budgeted1

  Year for which budgeted expenditure was used in the SSA calculation

  Budgeted expenditure (£000)2

  Increase in SSA due to use of budgeted flood defence expenditure in the calculation (£000)3

  1990–91

  1991–92

  27

  30

  1991–92

  1992–93

  84

  94

  1992–93

  1993–94

  29

  30

  1993–94

  1994–95

  923

  944

  1994–95

  1995–96

  911

  915

  1995–96

  1996–97

  933

  975

  1996–97

  1997–98

  957

  1,014

  1997–98

  1998–99

  955

  1,004

  1Figures submitted and used in earlier years are not readily available

  2Budgeted net current expenditure on flood defence

  3The figures given are for the Flood Defence SSA element for Brentwood Borough Council in each year. The overall increase in SSA due to the inclusion of figures for flood defence expenditure would have been slightly greater than the amounts quoted due to a consequent small decrease in the size of the reduction for interest receipts. The figures quoted do not take account of any indirect effect of changes in spending patterns which may have taken place as a result of not budgeting for expenditure on flood defence.

  Note:

  The reported budgeted expenditure for 1998–99 is £961,000.

  (c) The amount of additional Government grant received in each year by the Council solely as a result of the inclusion of the flood defence figures is approximately equal to the increase in SSA quoted in the table.

  (d) It is impossible to calculate the increase in capping limits for Brentwood Borough Council in each year solely as a result of the inclusion of the flood defence estimates in the calculations because they are likely to have been affected by any changes in budgeting decisions as a result of not budgeting to spend on flood defence.

  If the flood defence estimates for Brentwood Borough Council had been nil for each year since 1983–84, the SSA and the amount of Government grant received by the

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  Council for 1998–99 would have been reduced by approximately the size of the increases indicated previously. It is impossible to know what the Council's capping limit in 1998–99 would have been, since it would depend upon the budget it would have set in 1997–98 and earlier years.

  Gender Impact Assessments
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 24 June 1998,Official Report, columns 557–58, prior to 18 May, what mechanisms were used to determine how legislation passed in the current session would affect women; what consultation he had with women's organisations; and if he will make a statement. [49086]

  Angela Eagle
  Guidance on policy appraisal has been available since 1992. DETR relaunched the initiative in May 1998.

  Within this Department we are making use of consultation, research projects and disaggregated statistics to identify the impact of policy on women.

  Birmingham Northern Relief Road
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what provision has been made in respect of payment of debts owed by Midland Expressway Ltd. in relation to the construction of the BNRR in the event that the company becomes bankrupt. [49349]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  No financial provision has been made by the Government, since we do not consider it likely that the company will become bankrupt or that if it did liabilities would pass to the Government.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the report by Transport Planning Associates commissioned by his Department into the bids to construct the Birmingham Northern Relief Road submitted by BNRR Ltd., MEL and MPC. [49348]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  None, since the document appears to be part of the material that previous ministers used in reaching their decision to award the BNRR concession. I understand MEL developed their traffic modelling very substantially during and after the bidding process so as to provide a sound basis for putting their scheme to the public inquiry.

  Dr. Tony Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the total projected yearly cost of the operation and maintenance of the widened section of the M42 included in the Birmingham Northern Relief Road scheme which would be paid for by the Government if the scheme went ahead. [49287]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Reliable maintenance estimates will not be available until, following the resolution of the current High Court challenges, MEL have undertaken the detailed design of the carriageway. The reconstruction of the M42 to provide an entirely new carriageway should mean that, for the foreseeable future, maintenance costs should be very much lower than for the existing carriageway.
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  Tony Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what percentage of the operation and maintenance cost of the section of the M42 included in the BNRR scheme would be paid for by the Government to MEL if the scheme went ahead; [49289]

  (2) what percentage of the construction cost of widening the section of the M42 included in the BNRR scheme is to be paid for by the Government if the MEL scheme goes ahead. [49288]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Forty per cent.

  Empty Government Properties
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will provide a regional breakdown of the number of empty residential properties owned by Her Majesty's Government, indicating where those properties are located. [49244]

  Mr. Raynsford
  As requested, the following table shows the location of empty residential properties owned by those Departments from which my Department collects figures, using their own regional definitions. Figures for other Government Departments are not collected centrally.

  Location

  Number of properties

  Highways Agency:

  Northumberland, Cumbria, Durham, Tyne & Wear, Cleveland, North Yorkshire, North Humberside, Lancashire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cheshire

  112

  West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, West Midlands, Warwickshire and Hereford and Worcester

  126

  Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Gloucestershire and South Humberside

  148

  Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Avon and Wiltshire

  35

  Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Surrey, Berkshire and Hampshire

  56

  London

  215

  Home Office:

  North Region

  59

  Midland Region

  50

  South East/West and Wales

  145

  Ministry of Defence:

  South West

  2,712

  South East North

  2,262

  South East South

  1,502

  London/Aldershot

  1,507

  Eastern

  3,023

  Western

  1,466

  Scotland

  1,252

  Northern Ireland

  302

  Second Homes
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 17 June 1998, Official Report, column 204, how many second homes are owned and rented in Gloucestershire by households having their main

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  residence in England, excluding second homes which are the main residence of another household and those which the owners are intending to sell. [49247]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The information is not available at the county level.

  Rented Housing
  Mr. McNulty
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the average weekly rent during 1997 in(a) council, (b) housing association and (c) private rented housing. [49436]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Figures for England are set out in the table. The latest average weekly rents available for the private rented sector cover 1996–97 and therefore rents used for the council and housing association sectors are for as close to that date as possible.

  Average weekly rent—1996–97

  £

  Council

  40.17

  Housing association1

  46.74

  Privately rented

  76

  1At 31 March 1997

  Source:

  Council: DETR Housing Subsidy Claim Forms

  Housing association: annual Housing Corporation HAR10/1 return Privately rented: DETR Survey of English Housing

  House Prices
  Mr. McNulty
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what data his Department collates on average house prices for(a) London and (b) other regions. [49415]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Department produces two sets of statistics on regional house prices: a regional house price index and average house prices by region. The statistics are available for Government Office Regions and Standard Statistical Regions.

  Average house prices by region and the regional house price index are published in the annual volume of Housing and Construction Statistics. In addition, part 1 of the quarterly Housing and Construction Statistics contains regional average house prices and Economic Trends features the regional house price index. All are published by The Stationery Office and are available in the Library.

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link
  Mr. Ottaway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 15 June 1998,Official Report, column 46, what contractual penalties will apply in the event of LCR failing to build the entire railway from the Channel Tunnel to St. Pancras. [49345]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The existing Development Agreement between the Government and London and Continental Railways (LCR), which will be updated to reflect the deal outlined by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister on 3 June 1998,Official Report, columns 367–70, is legally binding on LCR. It requires LCR to build all of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) as detailed in the CTRL Act 1996. Should LCR fail to
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  fulfil its obligation to provide the link in accordance with the Act, it would be in breach of that contract. This would allow the Secretary of State to terminate the Development Agreement.

  Moreover, under the revised arrangements, the bulk of the £1.8 billion (NPV) Public Sector Support will be reserved for Phase 2 and would start to be paid only when the majority of the construction costs of that phase had already been incurred.

  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will review the time scale of phase two of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link between Ebbsfleet and King's Cross to assess ways in which it might be advanced. [49468]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  A review would serve no useful purpose. As my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister made clear on 3 June 1998,Official Report, columns 367–70, the revised arrangements are specifically designed to incentivise Railtrack to commit to acquire Section 2 as early as possible. Railtrack will have a lesser financial return on Section 1 than for Sections 1 and 2 combined. The sooner Railtrack commits to the second phase, the sooner it can expect to earn the higher return.

  Valuation Tribunals
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what savings are forecast from the proposed reduction in the number of administrative units for valuation tribunals. [49470]

  Mr. Raynsford
  We estimate that over a three to five year period the move to the new administrative structure should give net savings on current complements of around £1.3 million per annum or 12 per cent. of the VT budget for a one-off cost (spread over several years and financed out of savings) of around £2 million.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what savings were(a) projected and (b) achieved from the previous amalgamation of the administration of neighbouring valuation tribunals. [49471]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Four office mergers have taken place in recent years (as well as a collocation of two administrations earlier this year). Full savings can take a few years to come through because of initial one-off accommodation and staffing costs.

  It is difficult to quantify precisely savings due solely to rationalisation, because of changes in other circumstances. However, a comparison of the changes in costs of merged and non-merged offices between 1995–96 and 1997–98 indicate savings of over £240,000 (or 17 per cent.) per annum. This compares with projected savings of £220,000.

  Gipsies
  Mr. Lepper
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment his Department has made of the response by local authorities to the guidance given in Department of the Environment Circular 1/94 requiring local planning authorities to assess the need for gipsy accommodation in their areas; and if he will make a statement. [49469]
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  Mr. Raynsford
  My Department part funded research by the Advisory Council for the Education of Romany and other Travellers (ACERT) which examined local authority development plans to assess the adequacy of Gipsy policies. Their report,A directory of planning for Gypsy site provisions in England, revealed some gaps in local authorities' compliance with Circular 1/94. My officials have written to all chief planning officers, on 27 May, reminding local planning authorities of the advice in Circular 1/94. Their attention was particularly drawn to the requirement to assess the need for Gipsy accommodation in their areas and to ensure that adequate Gipsy site provision was made in their development plans. A copy of the letter will be placed in the House Library.

  Lobbyists
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on what occasions(a) he, (b) ministers in his Department and (c) his special advisers have met representatives of (i) GPC Market Access, (ii) Lawson Lucas Mendelsohn and (iii) GJW Government Relations since 1 May 1997; who these representatives were; and what was discussed at these meetings. [49550]

  Mr. Prescott
  [holding answer 9 July 1998]: Ministers, and their Special Advisers and other civil servants meet many people in the course of their work. This properly includes meetings with interest groups outside Government; indeed one of the specific functions of Special Advisers is to liaise with such interest groups. This liaison is intended to help Ministers draw upon outside contributions—from academics, think-tanks, trade and industry associations, trade unions, lobby groups and others, as well as relevant experience from other countries—during the process of policy analysis and development. By convention it is not the practice of governments to make information on such meetings or their content publicly available—a principle reflected in the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information published in January 1997. Special advisers and other civil servants must observe the requirements of propriety; for instance, they must not provide confidential information without authorisation or allow improper influence on policy. Any breach of these requirements could be a disciplinary offence.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list those individuals who are not hon. Members or civil servants currently serving on review bodies and taskforces set up since May 1997 whose appointment was promoted or canvassed for by(a) GPC Market Access, (b) LLM, (c) GJW and (d) other professional lobbying organisations. [49771]

  Mr. Prescott
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister today,Official Report, columns 641–42.

  Vehicle Number Plates
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will carry out a compliance cost assessment in respect of the proposed change in the format of vehicle number plates; and if he will make a statement. [49960]
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  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The proposed change to the vehicle registration format is not due to be implemented until 2001. Interested parties, including industry, will be consulted on the draft regulation to effect the change before it is laid before Parliament nearer that time. It is Government policy that all such changes are accompanied by a Regulatory Impact Assessment.

  Building Regulations
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 10 June 1998,Official Report, column 575, regarding building regulations, what measures his Department has taken to identify building control notices which may have been obtained to circumvent the new requirements for access and facilities for disabled people. [49762]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Officials are in contact with the NHBC, which is the only approved inspector currently able to give Building Act initial notices for new housing, to identify any cases similar to those in the hon. Member's constituency and to ensure that NHBC have measures in place to avoid any more such cases. I am considering what additional steps are needed to ensure an effective transfer to the new Building Regulation requirements, and I will make a further announcement as soon as possible.

  Water and Fire Services
  Mr. Wood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what will be the status of the code of practice produced by the National Liaison Group to improve water industry and Fire Service co-operation; and by whom it will be enforced. [50109]

  Angela Eagle
  The Code will provide guidance to water companies and Fire Authorities on issues relating to water for firefighting. It will not have direct enforcement provisions, but water companies and Fire Authorities will be expected to comply with its provisions. Its implementation will be monitored by my Department.

  National Stadium
  Mr. Stringer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what community use is planned for the National Stadium at Wembley; and if he will make a statement. [49652]

  Mr. Banks
  I have been asked to reply.

  There is an agreement in principle that the stadium will be used for community use. The precise arrangements will be required by the English Sports Council, and will be considered as the design brief is prepared and finished.

WALES

  Lobbyists
  Mr. Letwin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions (i) he, (ii) his special adviser and (iii) his Ministers have held with representatives of(a) GPC Market Access, (b) Lawson Lucas Mendelsohn and (c) GJW Government Relations since 1 May 1997; and if he will make a statement. [49699]
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  Mr. Ron Davies
  [holding answer 9 July 1998]: Ministers, their Special Advisers and other civil servants meet many people in the course of their work. This properly includes meetings with interest groups outside Government; indeed, one of the specific functions of Special Advisers is to liaise with such interest groups. This liaison is intended to help Ministers draw upon outside contributions—from academics, think-tanks, trade and industry associations, trade unions, lobby groups and others, as well as relevant experience from other countries—during the process of policy analysis and development. By convention it is not the practice of governments to make information on such meetings or their content publicly available—a principle reflected in the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information published in January 1997. Special Advisers and other civil servants must observe the requirements of propriety: for instance, they must not provide confidential information without authorisation or allow improper influence on policy. Any breach of these requirements could be a disciplinary offence.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those individuals who are not hon. Members or civil servants currently serving on review bodies and task forces set up since May 1997 whose appointment was promoted or canvassed for by(a) GPC Market Access, (b) LLM, (c) GJW and (d) other professional lobbying organisations. [49781]

  Mr. Ron Davies
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him today,Official Report, columns 641–42, by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

  Integrated Transport Policy
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when the Government's proposals relating to an integrated transport policy in Wales will be published. [49788]

  Mr. Hain
  The Welsh Transport Policy Statement is expected to be published later this month.

  Millennium Compliance
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many innovation and technology counsellors there are in Wales offering free guidance to firms on the Year 2000 problem; and how they may be contacted. [49789]

  Mr. Hain
  There are currently 8 Innovation and Technology Counsellors employed across Wales who are addressing the year 2000 problem as part of their portfolio of providing wide-ranging advice and guidance to Welsh businesses.

  A recruitment exercise is, however, currently being undertaken to appoint a further 8 counsellors who will have specific responsibility for addressing the "Year 2000" issue.

  Existing ITCs can be contacted via Business Connect Wales on 0345 96 97 98.

  Exports
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the value of(a) all exports and (b) manufactured goods exported from Wales to the rest of the EU in (i) 1995, (ii) 1996, (iii) 1997 and (iv) 1998. [49795]
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  Mr. Hain
  Export statistics are collected only on a UK basis and cannot be disaggregated.

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people he estimates were employed in manufacturing in Wales in each year since 1992. [49794]

  Mr. Hain
  The latest estimates of the number of employee jobs in manufacturing in each year since 1992 are given in the table.

  Number of employee jobs in manufacturing1

  Year

  Thousand

  1992

  200

  1993

  199

  1994

  207

  1995

  212

  1996

  209

  1997

  208

  1998

  214

  1 Excludes the self employed, but data from the Labour Force Survey indicate that, on average since 1992, there have been around 10,000 self employed people in the manufacturing sector in Wales

  Source:

  Employer Survey ONS, at March each year

  Strikes
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many days were lost through strikes in Wales in each year since 1992. [49790]

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

  Number of working days lost due to labour disputes, Wales 1992–19971

  Year

  Working days lost

  1992

  10,000

  1993

  20,100

  1994

  13,300

  1995

  14,700

  1996

  60,400

  1997

  3,200

  1Labour disputes statistics cover all stoppages of work connected with terms and conditions of employment, except those involving fewer than ten workers or lasting less than one working day. These are excluded unless the total number of working days lost in the dispute is greater than 100

  Source:

  Office for National Statistics

  Inland Investment
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many new jobs he estimates were created by inward investment to Wales in 1997–98. [49793]

  Mr. Hain
  In 1997–98, the Welsh Development Agency recorded inward investment projects which promise the creation of a total of 8,961 new jobs. Not all of the jobs will have been created last year; the majority of the projects will need time gradually to build up to full operating capacity.

  New Deal
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are currently on the New Deal in Wales, by travel-to-work area. [49787]

  Mr. Hain
  The figures are not available by travel-to-work area. However, over 5,000 young people in Wales have already joined the New Deal for 18 to 24-year-olds and are receiving the support, training and experience they need to secure lasting employment.

  "Pathway to Prosperity"
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the cost to public funds of the publication of "Pathway to Prosperity". [49796]

  Mr. Hain
  The charge to the Department for designing, printing, and distributing the document and related materials is expected to be in the region of £16,000.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Export Credits
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is her latest estimate of likely ECGD losses on its portfolio in(a) Indonesia, (b) Thailand, (c) South Korea and (d) Malaysia. [49193]

  Mrs. Beckett
  [holding answer 6 July 1998]: ECGD does not expect to make any losses on sovereign risk business in these markets. Payment delays have occurred in relation to a small element of commercial risk debts in Thailand and Indonesia, but it is too early to say how much loss (if any) these might lead to.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what recent assessment she has made of Indonesian risk under ECGD. [49197]

  Mrs. Beckett
  [holding answer 6 July 1998]: ECGD completed its last formal market review of Indonesia in January 1998. The changing circumstances in the region have meant that ECGD has monitored the situation closely since then. A further formal review will commence shortly.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list the country risks reviewed by ECGD in the last six months, along with the changes of terms which resulted. [49196]

  Mrs. Beckett
  [holding answer 6 July 1998]: Since January 1998 ECGD has reviewed the risks on the following countries:

  Month/country

  Change of terms

  January

  Bangladesh

  Cover increased. Premium reduced

  February

  Pakistan

  Premium increased

  Indonesia

  Premium increased

  Thailand

  Cover reduced. Premium increased

  March

  Argentina

  No Changes

  China

  Cover increased. Premium reduced

  654

  Month/country

  Change of terms

  Dominican Republic

  Cover increased. Premium increased

  Hong Kong

  No changes

  April

  Bolivia

  Resumption of medium-term cover

  Brazil

  Cover increased

  Croatia

  Cover increased. Premium decreased

  Israel

  No changes

  Laos

  No medium-term cover

  May

  Turkey

  Cover increased

  Greece

  Cover increased. Premium reduced

  June

  Chile

  Cover increased

  South Korea

  Premium increased

  July

  Ghana

  Review not complete

  Malaysia

  Review not complete

  Structural Funds
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if he will list the moneys that have been made available to each of the regions of the United Kingdom from each of the European Union's structural funds in each of the last three years. [49482]

  Mrs. Roche
  Structural Funds allocations under Objectives 1, 2 and 5b (excluding the Community Initiatives) are given in the table. Allocations for the Community Initiatives (which represent approximately 9 per cent of the UK's overall Objectives 1, 2 and 5b allocations) and under Objectives 3, 4 and 5a have not been given, since not all of these are regionally allocated. The decline in allocations under Objective 2 between 1996 and 1997 will be fully offset by higher allocations in 1998 and 1999.

  UK SPD Allocations: 1995–97million ecu, 1998 prices

  1995

  1996

  1997

  Objective 1

  Merseyside

  ERDF

  75

  80

  86

  ESF

  53

  57

  61

  EAGGF

  0

  1

  1

  Total

  129

  138

  148

  Highlands and Islands

  ERDF

  29

  30

  33

  ESF

  9

  10

  10

  EAGGF

  8

  9

  10

  FIFG

  4

  4

  3

  Total

  50

  53

  56

  Northern Ireland

  ERDF

  109

  117

  126

  ESF

  53

  58

  62

  EAGGF

  29

  32

  33

  FIFG

  2

  2

  3

  Total

  194

  209

  223

  Total UK Objective 1

  ERDR

  213

  227

  245

  ESF

  116

  125

  133

  EAGGF

  38

  41

  43

  FIFG

  6

  6

  6

  Total

  372

  400

  427

  655

  UK SPD Allocations: 1995–97million ecu, 1998 prices

  1995

  1996

  1997

  Objective 2

  North East England

  ERDF

  81

  86

  46

  ESF

  27

  29

  18

  Total

  109

  115

  65

  West Cumbria

  ERDF

  7

  7

  2

  ESF

  2

  2

  2

  Total

  9

  9

  4

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  ERDF

  83

  86

  94

  ESF

  28

  29

  28

  Total

  110

  115

  122

  East Midlands

  ERDF

  21

  22

  25

  ESF

  7

  7

  8

  Total

  28

  29

  33

  West Midlands

  ERDF

  98

  104

  68

  ESF

  33

  35

  27

  Total

  131

  138

  95

  North West

  ERDF

  81

  86

  30

  ESF

  35

  37

  29

  Total

  116

  123

  59

  East London and Lea Valley

  ERDF

  20

  21

  16

  ESF

  7

  7

  6

  Total

  26

  28

  22

  Thanet

  ERDF

  4

  4

  5

  ESF

  1

  1

  1

  Total

  5

  5

  6

  Plymouth

  ERDF

  8

  9

  9

  ESF

  2

  2

  2

  Total

  10

  11

  11

  Industrial South Wales

  ERDF

  50

  53

  35

  ESF

  17

  18

  15

  Total

  66

  70

  50

  Eastern Scotland

  ERDF

  34

  36

  38

  ESF

  9

  9

  9

  Total

  43

  45

  47

  Western Scotland

  ERDF

  79

  83

  50

  ESF

  22

  24

  20

  Total

  101

  107

  70

  Total United Kingdom Objective 2

  ERDF

  565

  597

  417

  ESF

  188

  199

  166

  Total

  753

  796

  584

  Objective 5b

  South West England

  ERDF

  24

  28

  28

  ESF

  5

  6

  6

  EAGGF

  7

  8

  8

  Total

  36

  42

  42

  The Marches

  ERDF

  4

  4

  4

  ESF

  1

  2

  2

  EAGGF

  1

  1

  1

  Total

  7

  7

  7

  Midlands Uplands

  ERDF

  1

  2

  2

  ESF

  0

  0

  0

  EAGGF

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  2

  2

  2

  Northern Uplands

  ERDF

  11

  12

  12

  ESF

  4

  3

  5

  EAGGF

  3

  5

  3

  656

  UK SPD Allocations: 1995–97million ecu, 1998 prices

  1995

  1996

  1997

  Total

  18

  21

  21

  Lincolnshire

  ERDF

  6

  7

  7

  ESF

  1

  2

  2

  EAGGF

  2

  2

  2

  Total

  9

  10

  10

  East Anglia

  ERDF

  7

  8

  8

  ESF

  1

  1

  2

  EAGGF

  2

  2

  2

  Total

  10

  11

  12

  Rural Wales

  ERDF

  19

  22

  22

  ESF

  6

  6

  6

  EAGGF

  6

  7

  7

  Total

  30

  35

  35

  Borders of Scotland

  ERDF

  3

  4

  4

  ESF

  1

  1

  1

  EAGGF

  1

  1

  1

  Total

  5

  6

  6

  Dumfries and Galloway

  ERDF

  6

  7

  7

  ESF

  1

  1

  1

  EAGGF

  1

  1

  1

  Total

  8

  9

  9

  Central Scotland/Tayside

  ERDF

  3

  3

  3

  ESF

  1

  1

  1

  EAGGF

  1

  1

  1

  Total

  4

  5

  5

  Grampian

  ERDF

  5

  5

  6

  ESF

  1

  1

  1

  EAGGF

  1

  1

  1

  Total

  7

  8

  8

  Total United Kingdom Objective 5b

  ERDF

  88

  102

  103

  ESF

  24

  25

  28

  EAGGF

  23

  29

  27

  Total

  136

  156

  157

  Lobbyists
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade on what occasions(a) Ministers and (b) special advisers in her Department have met representatives of (i) GPC Market Access, (ii) Lawson Lucas Mendelsohn and (iii) GJW Government Relations since 1 May 1997; who their representatives were; and what were the topics of discussions. [49659]

  Mrs. Beckett
  [holding answer 9 July 1998]: Ministers, their Special Advisers and other civil servants meet many people in the course of their work. This properly includes meetings with interest groups outside Government; indeed, one of the specific functions of Special Advisers is to liaise with such interest groups. This liaison is intended to help Ministers draw upon outside contributions—from academics, think-tanks, trade and industry associations, trade unions, lobby groups and others, as well as relevant experience from other countries—during the process of policy analysis and development. By convention it is not the practice of governments to make information on such meetings or their content publicly available—a principle reflected in the Code of Practice on Access to Government

  657
  Information published in January 1997. Special Advisers and other civil servants must observe the requirements of propriety: for instance, they must not provide confidential information without authorisation or allow improper influence on policy. Any breach of these requirements could be a disciplinary offence.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list those individuals who are not hon. Members or civil servants currently serving on review bodies and task forces set up since May 1997 whose appointment was promoted or canvassed for by(a) GPC Market Access, (b) LLM, (c) GJW and (d) other professional lobbying organisations. [49773]

  Mrs. Beckett
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given today,Official Report, columns 641–42, by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

  Hawk Jet Contract (Indonesia)
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what assessment she has made of the likelihood of full payments being made by the customer for Hawk jets supplied to Indonesia. [49195]

  Mrs. Beckett
  [holding answer 6 July 1998]: No specific assessment has been made in relation to the Hawk contracts. It is not usual practice to re-assess risk on individual contracts once the ECGD guarantee has been issued. Payments under the loans guaranteed by ECGD are up to date.

  Millennium Compliance
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the cost of the audit for millennium compliance purposes of the computer systems used in container ships, and at container ports and freight depots. [49449]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  [holding answer 7 July 1998]: I have been asked to reply.

  The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions is very concerned about the issue of millennium compliance and has brought it to the attention of the UK shipping and ports industries through their respective trade associations.

  I am aware that the Chamber of Shipping has issued advice to its members, and that the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has also published guidance on the need to identify and test critical equipment and systems. Operators are also being advised to develop operational arrangements to mitigate the effect of any system failure.

  Of course, any audit of computer systems for millennium compliance purposes would be a matter for individual companies. We therefore do not have any information on the likely costs of such an exercise.

DEFENCE

  Nerve Agent Pre-treatment Sets
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 16 June 1998,Official Report,
  658
  columns 164–65, on nerve agent pre-treatment sets, how many of the tablets manufactured by Roche Products Ltd were used during Operation Granby. [48332]

  Dr. Reid
  The Ministry of Defence has no information on the quantity, if any, of Nerve Agent Pre-treatment Set (NAPS) tablets manufactured by Roche Products Ltd. which were used by UK forces during the 1990–91 Gulf conflict. However, as my written answer of 16 June 1998,Official Report, columns 164–65, explained, MOD let a contract to Duphar BV in July 1988 to replace MOD's holding of Roche tablets; the Duphar tablets were delivered to MOD in February 1989 and distributed to units by August 1989. We therefore believe that the NAPS tablets used during the Gulf conflict were drawn principally, possibly exclusively, from stocks of the Duphar tablets.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 16 June 1998,Official Report, columns 164–65, on nerve agent pre-treatment sets, if samples of the tablets manufactured by (a) Roche Products Ltd. and (b) Duphar BV, were tested again to determine suitability for use between 1990 and 1995. [48331]

  Dr. Reid
  Samples from the batch of Nerve Agent Pre-treatment Sets (NAPS) tablets manufactured by Duphar BV in January 1989 were analysed at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment (CBDE) (now known as the Chemical and Biological Defence (CBD) Sector of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency) at Porton Down in September 1994 and October 1995. In addition, samples from the batch of tablets produced by Duphar BV in February 1991 were tested by CBDE in December 1992. All of these tests found the tablets' mean Pyridostigmine Bromide content to be within the limits set by the United States and British Pharmacopoeiae (USP and BP).

  Other than the tests conducted by CBD (then the Chemical Defence Establishment (CDE)) in October 1990, to which I referred in my written answer of 16 June 1998, Official Report, columns 164–65, the Ministry of Defence is not aware of any other occasion on which the tablets produced by Roche in 1982 and 1983 were tested.

  Gulf War Syndrome
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 29 June 1998,Official Report, columns 7–8, (1) how many staff are currently signed off work for sickness at Porton Down; how many have been signed off for more than a month; and how these figures compare to the average for the last 15 years; [49142]

  (2) what health monitoring of staff has taken place at Porton Down in the last 15 years; and what are the results of the monitoring; [49138]

  (3) how many staff have left employment at Porton Down for health reasons in the last 15 years; [49140]

  (4) how many staff at Porton Down have received inoculations and vaccinations as part of their normal safety regime in the last 15 years; what were the inoculations and vaccinations; and for what specific purpose; [49141]
  659
  (5) how many people have retired on health grounds from employment at Porton Down in the last 15 years; [49139]

  (6) how many people have been employed at Porton Down in each of the last 15 years; and of these how many were employed on work which required such vaccination. [49143]

  Mr. Spellar
  These are matters for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Michael Hancock, dated 10 July 1998:
  I have been asked by the Secretary of State for Defence to reply to your questions about the health monitoring and vaccination programmes of staff employed in the Chemical and Biological Defence (CBD) Sector of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) based at Porton Down. The following paragraphs address the areas raised in your six questions.
  CBD has an occupational health service on site which routinely monitors the health of its staff. The results of such monitoring are "Restricted—Medical in Confidence".
  A proportion of staff, because of the nature of their research work, receive inoculations and vaccinations in accordance with the guidelines recommended by the Advisory Committee for Dangerous Pathogens. Members of staff at CBD only receive such vaccinations if they are working or are intending to work with a pathogenic organism, or to meet recommendations/requirements for overseas travel in connection with their work.
  Last year, 130 members of staff received such vaccinations. The research at CBD includes the development of protective measures for the UK Armed Forces against potential biological warfare agents, and I will not disclose full details of the vaccinations under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. However, I can confirm that these vaccinations include those against plague and anthrax. Details of the numbers of staff who have received vaccinations and the numbers employed on work which has required vaccinations in each of the last fifteen years could only be obtained by examining the individual medical records of all members of staff for that period and would involve disproportionate effort.
  Members of the occupational health team are vaccinated in accordance with Department of Health guidelines.
  You also asked about staff on sick leave and those who have retired or left for health reasons. There are currently some 600 staff in CBD Sector at Porton Down. On Monday 29 June 1998 eleven staff were on sick leave and, of those, six have been "signed off" for more than one month. Records show that twenty seven members of staff have retired from or left employment at CBD on health grounds over the last ten years. The format of our records is such that I am unable to readily provide the information as requested.
  I hope that this information is helpful.

  Bilderberg Meeting, Turnberry
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what mode of transport he used to attend the recent Bilderberg meeting at Turnberry; and what was the cost to public funds. [46988]

  Mr. George Robertson
  I flew to Scotland on Friday 14 May in an aircraft of the RAF Communications Fleet, accompanied by the Secretary General of NATO, Snr. Solana. I left the following day in an Army helicopter for a further official engagement. The estimated value of the use of Departmental assets for these flights is £3,840.

  Lobbyists
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those individuals who are not hon. Members or civil servants currently serving on review bodies and taskforces set up since May 1997 whose appointment was promoted or canvassed for by(a) GPC Market Access, (b) LLM, (c) GJW and (d) other professional lobbying organisations. [49774]

  Mr. Spellar
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister today,Official Report, columns 641–42.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  One-estate Election
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures he will implement to safeguard the interests of those who maintain historic houses open to the public against the effect of the withdrawal of one-estate election. [47225]

  Mr. Banks
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to introduce any specific measures in respect of those privately owned historic houses that may be subject to the withdrawal of One-Estate Election (OEE) in April 2001. Treasury Ministers are aware of the concerns about the repeal of OEE. Such matters of taxation policy are for Treasury Ministers.

  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the Paymaster General concerning the ending of one-estate election; and if he will make a statement. [47202]

  Mr. Banks
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has exchanged views on One-Estate Election with the Paymaster General and the Financial Secretary to the Treasury.

  Lobbyists
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when (i) he, (ii) his Ministers and (iii) his special advisers have met representatives of(a) GPC Market Access, (b) Lawson Lucas Mendelsohn and (c) GJW Government Relations since 1 May 1997; who these representatives were; and what was discussed at these meetings. [49661]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  [holding answer 9 July 1998]: Ministers, the Special Advisers and other civil servants meet many people in the course of their work. This properly includes meetings with interest groups outside Government; indeed, one of the specific functions of Special Advisers is to liaise with such interest groups. This liaison is intended to help Ministers draw upon outside contributions—from academics, think-tanks, trade and industry associations, trade unions, lobby groups and others, as well as relevant experience from other countries—during the process of policy analysis and development. By convention it is not the practice of governments to make information on such meetings or their content publicly available—a principle reflected in the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information published in January 1997. Special Advisers and other civil servants must observe the requirements of

  661
  propriety: for instance, they must not provide confidential information without authorisation or allow improper influence on policy. Any breach of these requirements could be a disciplinary offence.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list those individuals who are not hon. Members or civil servants currently serving on review bodies and taskforces set up since May 1997 whose appointment was promoted or canvassed for by(a) GPC Market Access, (b) LLM, (c) GJW and (d) other professional lobbying organisations. [49778]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given today,Official Report, columns 641–42, by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

  UK Sports Institute
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans have been developed to date for the provision of services for disabled sportsmen and women within the UK Sports Institute; and what representations he has received from disability organisations on the UK Sports Institute. [49207]

  Mr. Banks
  [holding answer 8 July 1998]: The UK Sports Institute will provide first class facilities for a range of Olympic and other non-commercial sports for our best disabled sportsmen and women, alongside those for the able bodies.

  A briefing meeting was recently held with the British Paralympic Association (BPA) to discuss their requirements for facilities and services at the Institute. The BPA Technical Director, and a seconded UK Sports Council project officer for disability sport, are members of the technical services team with responsibility for taking these issues forward.

  Lyric Theatre
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what support was provided to Sir Richard Eyre by his Department for the preparation of his report on lyric theatre in London; [49528]

  (2) how many officials from his Department worked on Sir Richard Eyre's report on lyric theatre in London; and what assistance they gave. [49529]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  [holding answer 9 July 1998]: Sir Richard Eyre and his working group were provided with secretariat support by three officials from my Department. In addition, one official and my special adviser were members of the working group. My Department also made arrangements for the report to be published and launched. The contents of the report were entirely Sir Richard's.

  Wembley Stadium
  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions have taken place between representatives of the Sports Council and the British Athletics Federation about the need for an athletics track as part of the new English National Stadium at Wembley. [49801]
  662
  Mr. Banks
  The British Athletics Federation were fully involved in the selection process for the National Stadium and in defining the requirements for the project. Further discussions with the athletics governing body will take place as the design brief is prepared to discuss proposals for athletics facilities.

  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the Adjournment debate of 29 June 1998,Official Report, columns 126–30, on Wembley Stadium, when he plans to respond to the questions raised by the hon. Members for Brent, North and Bradford, South (Mr. Sutcliffe). [49800]

  Mr. Banks
  I am pleased to confirm that I wrote to my hon. Friends the Members for Brent, North and for Bradford, South on 9 July.

  Copies of my replies have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Sporting Achievement
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support he will give to outstanding sportsmen and sportswomen from the Eastern Region. [49634]

  Mr. Banks
  [holding answer 9 July 1998]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 16 December 1997, Official Report, column 77, that Sheffield was the successful consortium chosen to run and manage the United Kingdom Sports Institute Headquarters. Alongside the HQ there will be a regional network which will provide first class facilities for a range of Olympic and other non-commercial sports for our very best sportsmen and women.

  The Home Country Sports Councils have been tasked by Ministers to identify prospective regional centres. The English Sports Council (ESC) have looked very carefully at the siting of the Centres in England and have taken into account many factors including existing facilities, population and transport. They are aware that there are a couple of areas where the location of the Regional Centre is not so obvious or easy; however, that does not mean that the question of a Centre in that area is to be shelved. The ESC have therefore concentrated on finding a solution so that all our elite athletes, wherever they live, will have access to the best training and support services.

  I have received the ESC's recommendations, but they will need careful consideration and discussion before any decision and announcement are made.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Asylum and Immigration Appeals
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the results of the review of asylum and immigration appeals. [50528]

  Mr. Straw
  I will publish a consultation paper on the review of asylum and immigration appeals at 10.00 am on Monday 13 July. A copy of the consultation paper will be placed in the Library.

  Police (Entry and Seizure Powers)
  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has given to the Metropolitan Police Commissioner on the exercise in London of the powers available under Section 61 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. [49495]

  Mr. Michael
  The decision whether or not to use the powers available under section 61 is an operational one for the Commissioner.

  No guidance has been given specifically to the Commissioner. However, Home Office Circular 45/1994, was issued to all Chief Officers. This draws their attention to an undertaking made, by the then Government, during the passage of the Bill through Parliament:
  "The decision whether or not to issue a direction to leave is an operational one for the police alone to take in the light of all the circumstances of the particular case. But in making his decision, the senior officer at the scene may wish to take account of the personal circumstances of the trespassers; for example, the presence of elderly persons, invalids, pregnant women, children and other persons whose well-being may be jeopardised by a precipitate move".

  The Metropolitan Police issued guidance to their officers in a written notice on 11 August 1995 which contains the following points:
  "The powers under section 61 are discretionary.
  The type of land. It may be more appropriate to use the powers where trespassers "invade" a person's front garden than if they are camping on derelict land.
  The length of time that the trespassers have been on the land. It will be much less appropriate to use the powers if the trespassers have been on the land for several weeks than if they have just arrived.
  Policing problems which arise from the presence of the trespassers on the land, namely public disorder, crime or obstruction of the highway (bearing in mind that the offence does not relate to the highway). Good policing reasons for moving the trespassers may well be valid.
  It should be borne in mind that the use of the power under the Act may have the effect only of moving the problem to a different site. Indeed it could make matters worse.
  The police should not usurp the functions of the civil course. The use of the powers under section 61 are not appropriate where there may be a genuine dispute as to the right to the possession of the land. In such a case, the matter should be left to the civil courts to determine in the normal way.
  The officers should certainly consider the effect of a direction to leave land. If the trespassers comply with the direction, the use of it may well be successful. However, if they do not comply the officer should consider what steps it is proposed to take.
  It may not be practical to arrest all the trespassers, there may well be children or animals involved. Arresting adults may mean that provision will have to be made for the care of children or animals. Furthermore, arresting large numbers could lead to major disorder with the resulting problems that that would cause.
  If it is decided to arrest some or a large number of the trespassers, consideration should be given as to what will happen to vehicles and other property. It must be remembered that some of these vehicles will be used as homes by the trespassers.
  Even though section 62 provides a power to remove the vehicles, they have to be put somewhere. It would seem undesirable that police stations yards or car pounds should be turned into encampments for travellers or gipsies".

  Lobbyists
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those individuals who are not hon. Members or civil servants currently serving on review bodies and taskforces set up since May 1997 whose appointment was promoted or canvassed for by(a) GPC Market Access, (b) LLM, (c) GJW and (d) other professional lobbying organisations. [49770]

  Mr. Straw
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him today,Official Report, columns 641–42, by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Lobbyists
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those individuals who are not hon. Members or civil servants currently serving on review bodies and task forces set up since May 1997 whose appointment was promoted or canvassed for by(a) GPC Market Access, (b) LLM, (c) GJW and (d) other professional lobbying organisations. [49783]

  Mr. Rooker
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him today,Official Report, columns 641–42, by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what meetings or other contacts (i) he, (ii) his Ministers and (iii) his special advisers and officials have had with representatives of(a) GPC Market Access, (b) Lawson Lucas Mendelsohn and (c) GJW Government Relations since 1 May 1997; and what were the dates of such meetings or contacts, the names of the people involved and the subject matter of such exchanges. [49735]

  Dr. John Cunningham
  [holding answer 9 July 1998]: Ministers, their Special Advisers and other civil servants meet many people in the course of their work. This properly includes meetings with interest groups outside Government; indeed, one of the specific functions of Special Advisers is to liaise with such interest groups. This liaison is intended to help Ministers draw upon outside contributions—from academics, think-tanks, trade and industry associations, trade unions, lobby groups and others, as well as relevant experience from other countries—during the process of policy analysis and development. By convention it is not the practice of governments to make information on such meetings or their content publicly available—a principle reflected in the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information published in January 1997. Special advisers and other civil servants must observe the requirements of propriety: for instance, they must not provide confidential information without authorisation or allow improper influence on policy. Any breach of these requirements could be a disciplinary offence.

  Genetically Modified Crops
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has to reduce the chances of cross-pollination between genetically modified crops and organic crops. [49434]
  665
  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 8 July 1998]: There are no specific requirements under the current legislation controlling the release of genetically modified organisms to consider organic farming when field testing genetically modified crops. However, where needed, release consents have specific measures attached that are designed to limit the cross-pollination of neighbouring crops whether they are organic or not.

  I am aware of the concerns raised by organic farmers in connection with the planting of GM crops and I have asked my officials to explore with DETR, the farming community and organic standards representatives how these can be addressed.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Lobbyists
  Mr. MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when (i) she, (ii) her Ministers and (iii) her special advisers met representatives of(a) GPC Market Access, (b) Lawson Lucas Mendelsohn and (c) GJW Government Relations since 1 May 1997; who these representatives were; and what was discussed at these meetings. [49662]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  [holding answer 9 July 1998]: Ministers, their Special Advisers and other civil servants meet many people in the course of their work. This properly includes meetings with interest groups outside Government; indeed; one of the specific functions of Special Advisers is to liaise with such interest groups. This liaison is intended to help Ministers draw upon outside contributions—from academics, think-tanks, trade and industry associations, trade unions, lobby groups and others, as well as relevant experience from other countries—during the process of policy analysis and development. By convention it is not the practice of governments to make information on such meetings or their content publicly available—a principle reflected in the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information published in January 1997. Special Advisers and other civil servants must observe the requirements of propriety: for instance, they must not provide confidential information without authorisation or allow improper influence on policy. Any breach of these requirements could be a disciplinary offence.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list those individuals who are not hon. Members or civil servants currently serving on review bodies and task forces set up since May 1997 whose appointment was promoted or canvassed for by(a) GPC Market Access, (b) LLM, (c) GJW and (d) other professional lobbying organisations. [49776]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him today,Official Report, columns 641–42, by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

  "Partnership for Equality"
  Mr. Salter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she has come to a decision on any of the proposals in the White Paper "Partnership for Equality" on which views were invited. [50527]
  666
  Mr. Worthington
  When the White Paper was published, written comments were invited by 12 June on issues where the Government had not yet made a final decision, or where there were detailed matters to be decided, consequent on a decision in principle. The Government have given urgent consideration to two of these issues—a proposal to create a statutory obligation on the public sector to promote equality of opportunity and the proposal to create a unified Equality Commission. In response to comments received on the proposed statutory equality obligation, it is proposed to set out the requirements on public bodies in more detail in forthcoming legislation, particularly in terms of consultation with outside bodies and the provision of information. The Government have also considered carefully the concerns expressed by a number of respondents on the proposal to bring together the existing statutory equality bodies in a unified Commission. They have decided to proceed with this proposal, while taking steps to ensure that the ethos of the current bodies and the advances which they have made are protected within the new framework, and that all dimensions of equality are given due attention in the new Commission's work. Discussions will take place with the existing statutory equality bodies on the structures of a new Commission. A briefing document, giving further details of changes made to the original proposals, has been placed in the Parliamentary Libraries.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Lobbyists
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list those individuals who are not hon. Members or civil servants currently serving on review bodies and task forces set up since May 1997 whose appointment was promoted or canvassed for by(a) GPC Market Access, (b) LLM, (c) GJW and (d) other professional lobbying organisations. [49767]

  Clare Short
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him today,Official Report, columns 641–42, by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on what dates (i) she,(ii) her Ministers and (iii) her special advisers have met representatives of(a) GPC Market Access, (b) Lawson Lucas Mendelsohn and (c) GJW Government Relations since 1 May 1997; who these representatives were; and what was discussed at these meetings. [49569]

  Clare Short
  Ministers, their Special Advisers and other civil servants meet many people in the course of their work. This properly includes meetings with interest groups outside Government; indeed, one of the specific functions of Special Advisers is to liaise with such interest groups. This liaison is intended to help Ministers draw upon outside contributions—from academics, think-tanks, trade and industry associations, trade unions, lobby groups and others, as well as relevant experience from other countries—during the process of policy analysis and development. By convention it is not the practice of governments to make information on such meetings or their content publicly available—a principle reflected in
  667
  the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information published in January 1997. Special advisers and other civil servants must observe the requirements of propriety: for instance, they must not provide confidential information without authorisation or allow improper influence on policy. Any breach of these requirements could be a disciplinary offence.

SCOTLAND

  Gender Impact Assessments
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the answer of 24 June 1998,Official Report, columns 557–58, prior to 18 May, what mechanisms were used to determine how legislation passed in the current session would affect women; what consultation he had with women's organisations; and if he will make a statement. [49082]

  Mr. McLeish
  Guidance on policy appraisal for equal treatment has been available since 1992. Guidelines were last issued to Scottish Office staff in January 1997. The implementation of the guidelines is monitored by Departmental Management Boards.

  The Scottish Office is making full use of consultation and research projects to identify the impact of policies on women. In October 1997 I published a consultation document entitled "Reaching Women in Scotland" which I followed up with a conference on 24 April 1998 to which all responding organisations were invited. The outcome of the consultation is the establishment of the Women in Scotland Consultative Forum which will meet with me at least twice a year. The first meeting will take place on 20 November.

  I have also spoken individually to a number of women's organisations and groups and intend to continue to do so.

  The Scottish Office appointed a Women's Issues Research Consultant in April 1998. Her remit is to prepare a database of women's organisations and to advise on the best ways of keeping women informed and enabling them to express their views about the development of policy in Scotland. She will also advise on policy priorities and identify opportunities for further research.

  Lobbyists
  Mr. Letwin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what meetings (i) he and (ii) his Ministers have held since 1 May 1997 with representatives of(a) GPC Market Access, (b) Lawson Lucas Mendelsohn and (c) GJW Government Relations; and if he will make a statement. [49700]

  Mr. Dewar
  [holding answer 9 July 1998]: Ministers, their Special Advisers and other civil servants meet many people in the course of their work. This properly includes meetings with interest groups outside Government; indeed, one of the specific functions of Special Advisers is to liaise with such interest groups. This liaison is intended to help Ministers draw upon outside contributions—from academics, think-tanks, trade and industry associations, trade unions, lobby groups and others, as well as relevant experience from other
  668
  countries—during the process of policy analysis and development. By convention it is not the practice of governments to make information on such meeting or their content publicly available—a principle reflected in the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information published in January 1997. Special Advisers and other civil servants must observe the requirements of propriety: for instance, they must not provide confidential information without authorisation or allow improper influence on policy. Any breach of these requirements could be a disciplinary offence.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those individuals who are not hon. Members or civil servants currently serving on review bodies and task forces set up since May 1997 whose appointment was promoted or canvassed for by(a) GPC Market Access, (b) LLM, (c) GJW and (d) other professional lobbying organisations. [49779]

  Mr. Dewar
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given today,Official Report, columns 641–42, by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many new jobs he estimates were created by inward investment into Scotland in 1997–98. [49791]

  Mr. Wilson
  Many of the inward investment projects attracted to Scotland in 1997–98 will be implemented over a period of years and the creation of the new jobs associated with them will be phased accordingly. Figures published in the Locate in Scotland Annual Review for 1997–98 show that during that year Locate in Scotland and The Scottish Office helped to attract to Scotland 87 inward investment projects which, if fully implemented, will lead to the creation of 14,524 new jobs and the safeguarding of 3,423 existing jobs. Additionally, we are aware of a further 18 projects involving the planned creation of 850 jobs but in which neither Locate in Scotland nor The Scottish Office had any direct involvement.

  The figures are based on the employment forecasts made by companies at the time of the decision to invest. Some projects may subsequently be reduced in scale as a result of changes in the commercial environment. Equally, however, some projects may lead to more investment and more jobs than originally anticipated; and the figures take no account of the substantial number of new jobs created indirectly in supplier companies. Experience over a number of years indicates that, on average, around two-thirds of planned direct jobs are created.

TREASURY

  Lobbyists
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those individuals who are not hon. Members or civil servants currently serving on review bodies and taskforces set up since May 1997 whose appointment was promoted or canvassed for by(a) GPC Market Access, (b) LLM, (c) GJW and (d) other professional lobbying organisations. [49777]
  669
  Mrs. Liddell
  I refer to the answer given to my hon. Friend today, Official Report, columns 641–42, by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what occasions(a) he, (b) his Ministers and (c) his special advisers have met representatives of (i) GPC Market Access, (ii) Lawson Lucas Mendelsohn or (iii) GJW Government Relations since 1 May 1997; who these representatives were; and what was discussed at the meetings. [49670]

  Mrs. Liddell
  [holding answer 9 July 1998]: Ministers, their Special Advisers and other civil servants meet many people in the course of their work. This properly includes meetings with interest groups outside Government; indeed, one of the specific functions of Special Advisers is to liaise with such interest groups. This liaison is intended to help Ministers draw upon outside contributions—from academics, think-tanks, trade and industry associations, trade unions, lobby groups and others, as well as relevant experience from other countries—during the process of policy analysis and development. By convention it is not the practice of governments to make information on such meetings or their content publicly available—a principle reflected in the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information published in January 1997. Special advisers and other civil servants must observe the requirements of propriety: for instance, they must not provide confidential information without authorisation or allow improper influence on policy. Any breach of these requirements could be a disciplinary offence.

  Inflation
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the current sterling exchange rate on inflation in the United Kingdom. [49615]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer agrees with comments made by the Monetary Policy Committee in its May Inflation Report that"the lagged effect of sterling's rise on import prices is exerting downward pressure on UK inflation".

  Interest Rates
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effect of the increase in short-term interest rates since May 1997 on(a) the RPI, (b) wages and salary negotiations and (c) house prices.[49626]

  Mrs. Liddell
  Increases in short-term interest rates since May 1997 will return underlying retail price inflation towards target. Rising interest rates will temporarily boost headline RPI inflation because the headline measure includes mortgage interest payments, but this effect unwinds after a year.

  Gender Impact Assessments
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 24 June 1998, Official Report, columns 557–58, prior to 18 May, what mechanisms were used to determine how legislation
  670
  passed in the current session would affect women; what consultation he had with women's organisations; and if he will make a statement. [49095]

  Mrs. Liddell
  Guidance on policy appraisal for equal treatment has been available since 1992. Application of the guidance has been the responsibility of individual Departments.

  Within the Treasury use has been made of consultation and micro-simulation modelling in order to identify the impact of policy upon women. Officials had a number of meetings with members of the Women's Budget Group in the run-up to the March 1998 Budget.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Millennium Compliance
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what contingency plans her Department is making in the event of the failure of computer systems to recognise the year 2000; when she expects them to be in place, and tested; and if she will make a statement. [48838]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  All compliance activity on Departmental systems has been phased to ensure that they are dealt with in priority order relative to their importance to the Department's business.

  The major systems (which are key to the payment of benefits and pensions) are designed to hold dates in a format unaffected by the turn of the century. The Department is on target against its published plans to achieve year 2000 compliance of these systems, and expects all will be confirmed as compliant before the end of 1998. The first part of our contingency is that this allows for a full year's running before 2000.

  The Department expects to complete the programme of work to upgrade or replace business critical desktop computer systems by the end of March 1999. This target allows adequate contingency before the dates these systems might otherwise fail.

  We have a range of plans to support the continuity of Social Security operations and are working closely with the Central IT Unit, other departments and Action 2000 to identify and if necessary deal with specific Year 2000 related threats. It is anticipated that all work on business continuity will be complete by March 1999. However, even beyond this date, we will continue to assess the potential impact of residual risks arising from external factors, over which we have no direct control e.g. electricity supply: for Year 2000 we will continue to update plans and if necessary to take action as more and better intelligence becomes available.

  Elderly People
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of retired households in Gloucestershire, by district, rely on social security for 50 per cent. or more of their income. [49256]

  Mr. Denham
  The information requested is not available as neither the Family Expenditure Survey nor the Family Resources Survey provides specific information for the geographical area requested.

  Lobbyists
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on what occasions(a) she, (b) her Ministers and (c) her Department's special advisers have met representatives of (i) GPC Market Access, (ii) Lawson Lucas Mendelsohn and (iii) GJW Government Relations since 1 May 1997; who these representatives were; and what was discussed. [49674]

  Mr. Field
  [holding answer 9 July 1998]: Ministers, their Special Advisers and other civil servants meet many people in the course of their work. This properly includes meetings with interest groups outside Government; indeed, one of the specific functions of the Special Advisers is to liaise with such interest groups. This liaison is intended to help Ministers draw upon outside contributions—from academics, think-tanks, trade and industry associations, trade unions, lobby groups and others, as well as relevant experience from other countries—during the process of policy analysis and development. By convention it is not the practice of governments to make information on such meetings or their content publicly available—a principle reflected in the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information published in January 1997. Special Advisers and other civil servants must observe the requirements of propriety: for instance, they must not provide confidential information without authorisation or allow improper influence on policy. Any breach of these requirements could be a disciplinary offence.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will list those individuals who are not hon. Members or civil servants currently serving on review bodies and task forces set up since May 1997 whose appointment was promoted or canvassed for by(a) GPC Market Access, (b) LLM, (c) GJW and (d) other professional lobbying organisations. [49765]

  Mr. Denham
  I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer from the Prime Minister today,Official Report, columns 641–42.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when she proposes to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside of 10 April originally sent to the Chancellor of the Exchequer and transferred to her on 1 May. [49764]

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when she expects to reply to the letter of 9 June from the hon. Member for Totnes, providing further information about Malcolm Boyd of Thornhill, Ashburton, South Devon, with regard to his eligibility for jobseeker' s allowance. [49799]

  Mr. Field
  A reply was sent to my hon. Friend and to the hon. Member on Thursday 9 July 1998.

  Ministerial Engagements
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will list her engagements and those of the Under-Secretary of State for Women for 29 June. [50003]
  672
  Ms Harman
  I was undertaking Departmental business in Richmond House.

  My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Women had Departmental engagements in Bristol and Taunton all day.

  Departmental Environmental Policies
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what measures she is taking to discourage car use on departmental business by his Department's employees. [50045]

  Mr. Denham
  Departmental instructions permit the use of cars only when all other forms of transport have been considered and they deliver the best value for money solution.

  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current annual energy consumption of her Department; what targets have been set to reduce this level; and what plans she has to include energy efficiency performance figures in her Department's annual report. [50029]

  Mr. Denham
  The energy consumption for the Department in 1996–97 was 574 million kWh. Figures for 1997–98 will be finalised in September.

  Following the PRIME initiative, which transferred the ownership of the Department's estate on 1 April 1998, all building related services are now provided to the Department by the private sector consortium PPM. These services include energy management.

  PPM have appointed a National Utilities Efficiency Manager. They are working with the Department to devise initiatives, and to implement innovative techniques, to optimise energy consumption and are acting on our behalf to procure energy supplies cost effectively. PPM are expected to invest in spend to save projects and are currently re-tendering electricity contracts to maximise the opportunities available from the expanded and deregulated utilities market. Consumption targets are to be agreed with the Department and both sides will be incentivised to make savings by reducing energy usage. All energy consumption will be monitored and site specific monthly, quarterly and annual reports will help to identify trends and good practice.

  The Social Security Departmental Report 1998–99, Cm 3913, includes a section on Environmental Issues, which details the Department's contribution to the programme to reduce government impact on the environment. The section includes the results of a six-month pilot to introduce an in-line fuel catalyst to the Department's fleet of 3,500 vehicles. The results showed improvements of more than 60 per cent. overall in toxic emissions and a 7 per cent. increase in miles per gallon due to the more efficient combustion.

  We will consider including further details of energy efficiency initiatives and performance in future Reports.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many(a) disabled people and (b) people whose main disabling condition is deafness were awarded

  673
  disability living allowance (i) between 1 June 1996 and 31 May 1997 and (ii) since June 1997 (1) on their initial application, (2) at review and (3) at appeal. [49797]

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

  Awards of Disability Living Allowance

  1 June 1996 to 31 May 1997

  1 June 1997 to 31 May 1998

  Awards

  All disabilities

  Deafness

  All disabilities

  Deafness

  On initial application

  234,000

  1,700

  198,400

  2,300

  At review

  39,700

  700

  36,400

  1,200

  At appeal

  13,800

  600

  13,200

  1,000

  Notes:

  1. Numbers rounded to nearest hundred

  2. Figures for deafness relate to cases where this is the main disabling condition

  Source:

  Analytical Services Division: 5 per cent. data

HEALTH

  Avon Health Authority
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his oral answer of 30 June 1998, Official Report, column 139, if he will set out the conclusions of his officials' examination of Avon Health Authority's policy on beta interferon; and if he will make a statement on the action which follows from that examination. [49273]

  Mr. Milburn
  [holding answer 7 July 1998]: Health authorities determine their priorities in the light of evidence about the clinical and cost-effectiveness of treatments, but there must be flexibility for them to consider individual exceptional cases on their merits. The Government want to see fairer access to quality services.

  Avon Health Authority most recently considered the issue of beta interferon at its meeting on 30 April 1998. The authority decided, after reviewing relevant evidence, that it would not provide specific funding for the drug on the ground that there is insufficient evidence to support such a decision. Clinicians and trusts are however free to prescribe the drug within existing resources. The decision was widely publicised and the authority indicated its intention to review the position on receipt of further evidence.

  Officials are following up the matter with Avon Health Authority to ensure that their most recent decision conforms with Government policy.

  Health Authorities (Legal Direction)
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 6 July 1998, Official Report, column 386, if he will give the date prior to 1998 on which a Secretary of State for Health last issued a legal direction to a health authority to withdraw a public consultation document. [50044]

  Mr. Milburn
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Salford and Trafford Health Authority
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations he has received from Trafford CHC relating to his decision to direct the Salford and Trafford Health Authority to withdraw its consultation on children's services; [50007]

  (2) what plans he has to provide additional funding to safeguard the future of the children's ward at Trafford General Hospital. [50006]

  Mr. Milburn
  Salford and Trafford Health Authority is already funding the children's services at Trafford General Hospital and will continue to do so. We have received no such representations from Trafford Community Health Council.

  Infertility Services
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to issue guidelines on infertility services. [50071]

  Ms Jowell
  Clinical guidelines on infertility are currently being revised by the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. The first two sets of clinical guidelines, which deal with primary care and local specialist services, should be available in August. The final set, which deals with the most specialised tertiary-level infertility services, will be available in early 1999.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he proposes to reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside of 27 March and 22 May. [49763]

  Ms Jowell
  I regret there is no trace of these letters having been received in the Department. If my hon. Friend will arrange for copies to be sent to me I shall ensure they receive urgent attention.

  Lobbyists
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those individuals who are not hon. Members or civil servants currently serving on review bodies and taskforces set up since May 1997 whose appointment was promoted or canvassed for by(a) GPC Market Access, (b) LLM, (c) GJW and (d) other professional lobbying organisations. [49766]

  Ms Jowell
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister today, Official Report, columns 641–42.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what occasions(a) he, (b) his Ministers and (c) his special advisers have met representatives of (i) GPC Market Access, (ii) Lawson Lucas Mendelsohn and (iii) GJW Government Relations since 1 May 1997; who these representatives were; and what was discussed at these meetings. [49761]

  Ms Jowell
  Ministers, their special advisers and other civil servants meet many people in the course of their work. This properly includes meetings with interest groups outside Government; indeed, one of the specific
  675
  functions of special advisers is to liaise with such interest groups. This liaison is intended to help Ministers draw upon outside contributions—from academics, think-tanks, trade and industry associations, trade unions, lobby groups and others, as well as relevant experience from other countries—during the process of policy analysis and development. By convention it is not the practice of governments to make information on such meetings or their content publicly available—a principle reflected in the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information published in January 1997. Special advisers and other civil servants must observe the requirements of propriety; for instance, they must not provide confidential information without authorisation or allow improper influence on policy. Any breach of these requirements could be a disciplinary offence.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Magistrates
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what responses have been received to the consultation paper, Unification of the Stipendiary Bench, published on 1 April. [50428]

  Mr. Hoon
  54 responses have been received. I have today placed a summary of the responses in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Official Residence
  Mr. Woodward
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many nights the Lord Chancellor has spent in his official residence since the refurbishments were completed. [49786]

  Mr. Hoon
  The Lord Chancellor and Lady Irvine moved into the Official Residence on 27 April 1998. They usually stay in the Residence on weekday evenings, returning to their home in London for weekends.

  Asylum Appeals
  Mr. Burnett
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will provide a breakdown of the number of full-time and part-time special adjudicators employed by the Immigration Appellate Authority to hear and determine asylum appeals(a) currently, (b) on 1 January 1997, (c) on 1 January 1995 and (d) at the time the Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993 came into force. [49165]

  Mr. Hoon
  The number of special adjudicators are as follows:

  (a) currently there are 37 full-time and 118 part-time adjudicators, (b) on 1 January 1997 there were 32 full-time and 85 part-time adjudicators, (c) on 1 January 1995 there were 21 full-time and 23 part-time adjudicators and (d) at the time the Act came into force there were 9 full-time and 6 part-time adjudicators.

  Bar Pupillages
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps his Department is planning to ensure that there is an increase in the number of pupillages available at the private bar. [49074]
  676
  Mr. Hoon
  Barristers are part of an independent and self-regulating profession. The number of pupillages available at the private Bar is a matter for the profession itself.

  Contact Orders
  Mr. Levitt
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many women were sent to prison in each of the last three years for refusing to allow an estranged partner access to their children under a contact order. [48941]

  Mr. Hoon
  The information requested is not held centrally. Although there is provision for either party to be committed for non compliance with a contact order, no historical data are kept. Each individual case record would need to be searched and the information could, therefore, be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Levitt
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proportion of applications for contact orders from estranged fathers were(a) turned down and (b) turned down on grounds of a history of physical or sexual abuse in the last year for which figures are available. [48942]

  Mr. Hoon
  The information requested is not held centrally. Although details of the number of refused contact applications can be obtained, the information is not broken down. Each individual case record would need to be searched and the information could, therefore be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Levitt
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what sanctions the courts may impose on(a) a parent with care and (b) an estranged parent who breaks the terms of a contact order. [48940]

  Mr. Hoon
  In cases where a parent with care or an estranged parent breaks the terms of a contact order, the court may enforce the order by an injunction. Where an undertaking by a party is incorporated in an order of the court that may also be enforced in the same way. Ultimately, the failure to comply with a defined contact order can amount to contempt of court, for which the penalty can be a fine or committal to prison. Imprisonment is a last resort, although in some cases the threat of it can be as effective.

  Mr. Levitt
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what training is available for judges and magistrates to assist them in their understanding of cases involving(a) domestic violence and (b) contact orders. [48971]

  Mr. Hoon
  Judicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board (JSB) which is a non-departmental government body. The JSB also sets the syllabuses for and monitors and evaluates the training of lay magistrates.

  In 1997 all District Judges attended a seminar on their new powers in relation to domestic violence under Part IV of the Family Law Act 1996. Domestic violence is included in JSB Continuation Seminars for Circuit Judges, Recorders and Assistant Recorders, private Family Law Induction and Continuation seminars attended by judiciary nominated to hear private family law cases and District Judges Continuation seminars. Domestic violence

  677
  is covered in the training for lay magistrates who sit in family panels. It is also included in the Equal Treatment Training Pack recently produced by the JSB.

  Contact orders are addressed at JSB Private Family Law Induction and Continuation seminars, and at Public Law Continuation Seminars attended by Circuit Judges nominated for private and public family law proceedings, Deputy High Court Judges, District Judges of the Principal Registry of the Family Division and District Judges nominated for Public Family Law Proceedings. Lay magistrates on family panels also receive training on contact orders.

  Lobbyists
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the meetings(a) Ministers and (b) special advisers in his Department have had with lobbying companies since 1 May 1997. [49667]

  Mr. Hoon
  Ministers, their Special Advisers and other civil servants meet many people in the course of their work. This properly includes meetings with interest groups outside Government; indeed, one of the specific functions of Special Advisers is to liaise with such interest groups. This liaison is intended to help Ministers draw upon outside contributions—from academics, think-tanks, trade and industry associations, trade unions, lobby groups and others, as well as relevant experience from other countries—during the process of policy analysis and development. By convention it is not the practice of government to make information on such meetings or their content publicly available—a principle reflected in the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information published in January 1997. Special advisers and other civil servants must observe the requirements of propriety: for instance, they must not provide confidential information without authorisation or allow improper influence on policy. Any breach of these requirements could be a disciplinary offence.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list those individuals who are not hon. Members or civil servants currently serving on review bodies and task forces set up since May 1997 whose appointment was promoted or canvassed for by(a) GPC Market Access, (b) LLM, (c) GJW and (d) other professional lobbying organisations. [49780]

  Mr. Hoon
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him today,Official Report, columns 641–42, by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

  Gender Impact Assessments
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to the answer of 24 June 1998,Official Report, columns 557–58, prior to 18 May, what mechanisms were used to determine how legislation passed in the current session would affect women; what consultation he had with women's organisations; and if he will make a statement. [49097]

  Mr. Hoon
  The Lord Chancellor's Department has not had any major policy legislation in the current session. More generally, guidance on policy appraisal for equal treatment has been available since 1992. Within this 678
  Department we are increasingly using consultation and research to identify the impact of our policies generally, and are working to secure more disaggregated statistics as our information systems are developed further.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Nuclear Industry (Commercial Confidentiality)
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the impact of the proposals contained in his Freedom of Information White Paper on commercial confidentiality within the nuclear industry. [48973]

  Dr. David Clark
  The Freedom of Information White Paper, Your Right to Know, set out our approach to freedom of information across a wide range of public authorities, including nationalised industries, public corporations and non-departmental public bodies. The White Paper also made it clear that commercial confidentiality is one of the proposed specified interests to which the substantial harm test will be applied in determining whether information should be disclosed. I intend to publish a draft FOI Bill by the end of September which will make clearer the exact coverage of the regime and its operation. However, at this stage it is not possible to predict the effect that the proposals will have on one of the specified interests within a particular industry.

  Lobbyists
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list those individuals who are not hon. Members or civil servants currently serving on review bodies and taskforces set up since May 1997 whose appointment was promoted or canvassed for by(a) GPC Market Access, (b) LLM, (c) GJW and (d) other professional lobbying organisations. [49772]

  Dr. David Clark
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him today,Official Report, columns 641–42, by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

CABINET OFFICE

  Lobbyists
  Mr. Letwin
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio on what dates since 1 May 1997 he has met representatives of(a) GPC Market Access, (b) Lawson Lucas Mendelsohn and (c) GJW Government Relations; and if he will make a statement. [49675]

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio (1) when (i) he and (ii) his special advisers have met representatives of(a) GPC Market Access, (b) Lawson Lucas Mendelsohn and (c) GJW Government Relations since 1 May 1997; who these representatives were; and what was discussed at these meetings; [49660]

  (2) what discussions he had with representatives of Lawson, Lucas Mendelsohn in respect of Tesco's involvement in the Millennium Dome. [49962]
  679
  Mr. Ruffley
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio what dealings, in pursuance of his ministerial responsibilities, he has had with lobbying organisations over the last 6 months; and if he will make a statement. [49878]

  Mr. Mandelson
  [holding answer 9 July 1998]Ministers, their Special Advisers and other civil servants meet many people in the course of their work. This properly includes meetings with interest groups outside Government; indeed, one of the specific functions of Special Advisers is to liaise with such interest groups. This liaison is intended to help Ministers draw upon outside contributions—from academics, think-tanks, trade and industry associations, trade unions, lobby groups and others, as well as relevant experience from other countries—during the process of policy analysis and development. By convention it is not the practice of governments to make information on such meetings or their content publicly available—a principle reflected in the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information published in January 1997. Special advisers and other civil servants must observe the requirements of propriety: for instance, they must not provide confidential information without authorisation or allow improper influence on policy. Any breach of these requirements could be a disciplinary offence.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio if he will list those individuals who are not hon. Members or civil servants currently serving on review bodies and task forces set up since May 1997 whose appointment was promoted or canvassed for by(a) GPC Market Access, (b) LLM, (c) GJW and (d) other professional lobbying organisations. [49784]

  Mr. Mandelson
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him today by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

  Derek Draper
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio on how many occasions he has received draft articles written by Mr. Derek Draper for scrutiny prior to their publication in the press since 1 May 1997. [50070]

  Mr. Mandelson
  None.

  Mr. Ancram
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio when, in pursuance of his ministerial responsibilities, he last met Mr. Derek Draper. [49879]

  Mr. Mandelson
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave today,Official Report, columns 641–42, to the hon. Member for West Dorset (Mr. Letwin).

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Lobbyists
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment on what occasions(a) he, (b) his Ministers and (c) his special advisers have met representatives of (i) GPC Market Access, (ii) Lawson Lucas Mendelsohn and (iii) GJW Government Relations since 1 May 1997; who attended such meetings; and what was discussed at them. [49632]
  680
  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 9 July 1998]: Ministers, their Special Advisers and other civil servants meet many people in the course of their work. This properly includes meetings with interest groups outside of Government; indeed, one of the specific functions of Special Advisers is to liaise with such interest groups. This liaison is intended to help Ministers draw upon outside contributions—from academics, think-tanks, trade and industry associations, trade unions, lobby groups and others, as well as relevant experience from other countries—during the process of policy analysis and development. By convention it is not the practice of governments to make information on such meetings or their content publicly available—a principle reflected in the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information published in January 1997. Special advisers and other civil servants must observe the requirements of propriety: for instance, they must not provide confidential information with authorisation or allow improper influence on policy. Any breach of these requirements could be a disciplinary offence.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list those individuals who are not hon. Members or civil servants currently serving on review bodies and taskforces set up since May 1997 whose appointment was promoted or canvassed for by(a) GPC Market Access, (b) LLM, (c) GJW and (d) other professional lobbying organisations. [49769]

  Dr. Howells
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him today,Official Report, columns 641–42, by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

  Disability Discrimination Act 1995
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the timetable for the review of the exemption of small employers under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. [50026]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Section 7 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 requires that a review of the effects of the small employer exemption threshold must be completed within 9 months. I announced such a review on 3 December 1997,Official Report, column 243. We have been analysing the responses to the public consultation exercise which ended on 2 March 1998 and hope to announce a decision shortly. Any change to the threshold has to be made within one year of the review commencing.

  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if he will list by Government department the timetables for the auditing activity undertaken in connection with Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995; [50027]

  (2) if he will publish the areas covered by disability access audits of Government department buildings. [50028]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Disability Discrimination Act does not place a specific duty on service providers to conduct disability access audits of their premises. Access audits are, however, in many cases highly effective means of helping service providers to ensure that their premises comply with the requirements of the Act. Government departments have been made aware of the benefits of
  681
  conducting audits and future guidance to them on implementing the remaining provisions of Part III of the Act will re-emphasise this advice.

  The specific information requested is not held centrally and, since Government departments and agencies occupy many tens of thousands of premises, could be collected only at disproportionate cost. However, as I described in my reply to the hon. Member on 6 July 1998, Official Report, columns 391–99, departments are well aware of their duties under the legislation and are pressing ahead, in a variety of ways reflecting their particular circumstances, to ensure that they meet the provisions of the Act including those on premises.

  School Records
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to allow parents to appeal in respect of information held on their child's record by a school. [49798]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The Education (School Records) Regulations 1989 provide for parents to appeal to the governing body if a teacher refuses to amend any part of the child's record which the parent regards as inaccurate.

  Schools (Essex)
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment which schools in Essex are to be funded as beacon schools. [49957]

  Mr. Byers
  Subject to the agreement of contracts with DfEE, the following schools in Essex will be funded as beacon schools from September 1998:

  Davenant Foundation School, Loughton;

  Parkland Junior School, Romford; and

  William Ford C. of E. School, Dagenham.

  Education Standard Spending Assessments
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what(a) percentage and (b) amount was allocated to education through the standard spending assessment for area cost adjustment, in each of those authorities that received it in (i) 1997–98, (ii) 1996–97 and (iii) 1995–96. [49113]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 6 July 1998]: The information is not available in the form in which it has been requested.

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what is the current percentage of education standing spending assessment allocated to additional educational needs; [49114]

  (2) what sum would be released if the additional educational needs expenditure was reduced by 4.7 per cent. for those authorities coming above the national county average per pupil allocation under standing spending assessment; [49115]

  (3) what would be the impact on each local education authority if the additional educational needs expenditure was reduced by 4.7 per cent. for all those authorities above the national county average for per pupil allocation
  682
  under standard spending assessment, and redistributed to those below the national county average, on the basis of a per pupil funding; [49116]

  (4) by what percentage the additional educational needs expenditure would have to be reduced for authorities above the present average if those authorities below were to be brought up to the existing average for pupil allocations. [49117]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 6 July 1998]: Table 1 sets out the percentage of each of the five education SSA sub-blocks which is allocated on the basis of additional educational needs (AEN). The other information is not available in the form in which it has been requested.

  Table 1

  SSA sub-block

  AEN cash (£ billion)

  AEN (per cent.)

  Primary

  1.291

  15.7

  Secondary

  1.277

  15.7

  Post-16

  0.188

  16.5

  Under fives

  0.427

  36.4

  Other

  0.417

  58.3

  Total

  3.601

  18.6

  Schools (Parents' Meetings)
  Mr. Love
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many(a) grant maintained and (b) local education authority secondary schools have held (i) compulsory annual parents' meetings and (ii) parents' evenings during OFSTED inspections at which the attendance was (1) zero, (2) zero to five, (3) five to 10, (4) 11 to 20, (5) 21 to 50 and (6) 51 and over. [49687]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Teachers (Status)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to improve the status of teachers. [48165]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The support of well-motivated and talented teachers is central to our drive to raise standards in schools. We must, and do, take every opportunity to acknowledge the professionalism of good teachers and the contribution they make to schools.

  The measures we set out in our January response to the Select Committee report on teacher supply will raise the status of teachers: the General Teaching Council will provide a unified voice for the profession; and new curricula for initial teacher training courses, national professional standards, a mandatory induction year, and a new grade of Advanced Skills Teachers will enhance professionalism.

  The Teacher Training Agency's campaign, No-one Forgets a Good Teacher, aims to raise public awareness of the vital contribution that teachers make to the continued prosperity and success of the nation. Since the launch of the campaign, the TTA's inquiry line has received some 76,000 calls, an average of 2,066 a week.

  683
  The National Teaching Awards, which were launched last month under the Chairmanship of The Lord Puttnam, will also help raise the status of teaching.

  Schools (Gloucestershire)
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much money local education authority schools in Gloucestershire have held in reserves(a) as a total amount and (b) as a percentage of the total available to be spent on schools, for the most recent five years for which records are available. [50067]

  Mr. Byers
  The table shows the amount held as balances by LEA schools in Gloucestershire for each of the financial years 1993–94, 1994–95, 1995–96 and 1996–97 both in cash terms and as a percentage of the General Schools Budget. Information on the position at the end of the financial year 1997–98 will not be available centrally until local education authorities publish their outturn statements in the Autumn. I will write to the hon. Member when those figures are available, and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library.

  Gloucestershire LEA—net school balances

  Balances (£000)

  GSB (£000)

  Balances as percentage of GSB

  1993–94

  6,240

  117,285

  5.32

  1994–95

  6,743

  117,023

  5.76

  1995–96

  4,990

  111,503

  4.48

  1996–97

  4,626

  115,309

  4.01

  Foreign Language Teaching
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the proportion of primary schools that offer foreign language teaching. [49276]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The Department does not collect this information, but a survey conducted in 1995 by the Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research suggested that about 20 per cent. of primary schools offered foreign language teaching. The Centre intends to conduct a further survey later this year.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Diplomats
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list diplomatic posts abroad together with the number of his Department's staff in each on(a) 1 May 1997 and (b) 24 June 1998. [48203]

  Mr. Fatchett
  [holding answer 30 June 1998]: The following is the list of FCO Posts overseas giving the number of UK-based staff on the FCO establishment for the dates requested. FCO staff in the Department Territories are listed separately.

  Number of staff at post

  Post

  1997

  1998

  Abidjan

  8.00

  8.00

  Abu Dhabi

  11.00

  10.00

  Addis Ababa

  12.00

  11.00

  684

  Number of staff at post

  Post

  1997

  1998

  Al Khobar

  2.00

  2.00

  Alexandria

  1.00

  1.00

  Algiers

  4.00

  4.00

  Almaty

  4.00

  4.00

  Amman

  16.00

  15.00

  Amsterdam

  3.00

  2.00

  Ankara

  16.00

  14.00

  Antananarivo

  3.00

  2.00

  Ashgabat

  2.00

  3.00

  Asuncion

  2.00

  2.00

  Athens

  17.00

  15.00

  Atlanta

  3.00

  2.00

  Auckland

  2.00

  2.00

  Bahrain

  9.00

  8.00

  Baku

  3.00

  4.00

  Bandar Seri Begawan

  6.00

  7.00

  Bangkok

  28.00

  23.00

  Banjul

  8.00

  6.00

  Barcelona

  2.00

  2.00

  Beirut

  7.00

  7.00

  Belgrade

  16.00

  15.00

  Belmopan

  5.00

  4.00

  Berlin

  15.00

  15.00

  Berne

  7.00

  8.00

  Bilbao

  1.00

  1.00

  Bogota

  11.00

  12.00

  Bombay

  19.00

  19.00

  Bonn

  33.00

  30.00

  Bordeaux

  1.00

  1.00

  Boston

  2.00

  2.00

  Brasilia

  12.00

  12.00

  Bratislava

  7.00

  5.00

  Bridgetown

  14.00

  13.00

  Brisbane

  2.00

  2.00

  Brussels (Embassy)

  14.00

  13.00

  Brussels (Joint Mangage)

  4.00

  4.00

  Brussels (UK rep)

  70.00

  76.00

  Brussels UK Del NATO)

  36.00

  38.00

  Bucharest

  18.00

  17.00

  Budapest

  18.00

  16.00

  Buenos Aires

  14.00

  15.00

  Cairo

  26.00

  24.00

  Calcutta

  4.00

  3.00

  Canberra

  18.00

  16.00

  Cape Town

  5.00

  3.00

  Caracas

  11.00

  9.00

  Casablanca

  4.00

  4.00

  Castries

  1.00

  1.00

  Chiang Mai

  1.00

  1.00

  Chicago

  4.00

  3.00

  Cleveland

  1.00

  1.00

  Colombo

  16.00

  15.00

  Copenhagen

  12.00

  11.00

  Dakar

  6.00

  5.00

  Dallas

  1.00

  1.00

  Damascus

  12.00

  10.00

  Dhaka

  30.00

  28.00

  Doha

  6.00

  7.00

  Dubai

  13.00

  11.00

  Dublin

  20.00

  18.00

  Durban

  2.00

  2.00

  Dusseldorf

  9.00

  10.00

  Frankfurt

  2.00

  2.00

  Freetown

  5.00

  5.00

  Gaborone

  5.00

  5.00

  Geneva (CG)

  1.00

  1.00

  Geneva (UK Del)

  5.50

  5.50

  Geneva (UK Mis)

  22.00

  22.50

  Georgetown

  6.00

  5.00

  Guangzhou

  3.00

  5.00

  Guatemala City

  4.00

  4.00

  Hamburg

  3.00

  3.00

  Hanoi

  9.00

  9.00

  685

  Number of staff at post

  Post

  1997

  1998

  Harare

  15.00

  13.00

  Havana

  10.00

  8.00

  Helsinki

  12.00

  11.00

  Ho Chi Minh City

  4.00

  3.00

  Holy See (Vatican)

  2.00

  2.00

  Hong Kong (BCG)

  38.00

  42.00

  Hong Kong (JLG)

  5.00

  4.00

  Honiara

  2.00

  2.00

  Houston

  3.00

  3.00

  Islamabad

  60.00

  61.00

  Istanbul

  17.00

  16.00

  Jakarta

  21.00

  22.00

  Jedda

  8.00

  7.00

  Jerusalem

  6.00

  7.00

  Johannesburg

  6.00

  5.00

  Kampala

  10.00

  10.00

  Karachi

  13.00

  15.00

  Kathmandu

  8.00

  8.00

  Khartoum

  9.00

  9.00

  Kiev

  13.00

  14.00

  Kigali

  3.00

  3.00

  Kingston

  13.00

  13.00

  Kingstown, St. Vincent

  1.00

  1.00

  Kinshasa

  3.00

  5.00

  Kuala Lumpur

  18.00

  17.00

  Kuching

  1.00

  1.00

  Kuwait

  11.00

  11.00

  La Paz

  4.00

  4.00

  Lagos

  49.00

  47.00

  Lille

  1.00

  1.00

  Lilongwe

  10.00

  8.00

  Lima

  9.00

  8.00

  Lisbon

  13.00

  13.00

  Ljubljana

  3.00

  4.00

  Los Angeles

  4.00

  4.00

  Luanda

  7.00

  6.00

  Lusaka

  11.00

  8.00

  Luxembourg

  6.00

  6.00

  Lyon

  1.00

  1.00

  Madras

  5.00

  8.00

  Madrid (Embassy)

  21.00

  21.00

  Managua

  2.00

  2.00

  Manila

  16.00

  16.00

  Maputo

  9.00

  8.00

  Marseilles

  1.00

  1.00

  Maseru

  3.00

  3.00

  Mbabane

  3.00

  3.00

  Melbourne

  2.00

  2.00

  Mexico City

  17.00

  15.00

  Miami

  1.00

  1.00

  Milan

  4.00

  4.00

  Minsk

  3.00

  3.00

  Montevideo

  4.00

  3.00

  Montreal

  3.00

  3.00

  Moscow

  83.00

  84.00

  Munich

  3.00

  2.00

  Muscat

  11.00

  11.00

  Nairobi

  27.00

  20.00

  Naples

  2.00

  2.00

  Nassau

  3.00

  2.00

  New Delhi

  47.00

  47.00

  New York (Bis)

  3.00

  3.00

  New York (CG)

  9.00

  7.00

  New York (JMO)

  2.00

  2.00

  New York (UK Mis)

  35.00

  35.00

  Nicosia

  16.00

  14.00

  Nuku'alofa

  1.00

  1.00

  Oporto

  1.00

  1.00

  Osaka

  5.00

  5.00

  Oslo

  9.00

  10.00

  Ottawa

  15.00

  15.00

  Palma

  1.00

  1.00

  Panama City

  2.00

  2.00

  686

  Number of staff at post

  Post

  1997

  1998

  Paris (Embassy)

  48.00

  46.00

  Paris (UK Del OECD)

  6.00

  7.00

  Peking

  46.00

  46.00

  Perth

  2.00

  2.00

  Phnom Penh

  2.00

  3.00

  Port Louis

  6.00

  7.00

  Port Moresby

  6.00

  4.00

  Port of Spain

  7.00

  7.00

  Prague

  12.00

  13.00

  Pretoria

  26.00

  24.00

  Quito

  5.00

  6.00

  Rabat

  7.00

  7.00

  Rangoon

  5.00

  5.00

  Reykjavik

  3.00

  3.00

  Riga

  22.00

  5.00

  Rome

  22.00

  20.00

  San Francisco

  2.00

  3.00

  San Jose

  4.00

  2.00

  San Salvador

  2.00

  2.00

  Sana'a

  10.00

  9.00

  Santiago

  8.00

  9.00

  Santo Domingo

  1.00

  1.00

  Sao Paulo

  5.00

  5.00

  Sarajevo

  11.00

  10.00

  Seattle

  1.00

  1.00

  Seoul

  16.00

  16.00

  Shanghai

  6.00

  6.00

  Singapore

  16.00

  16.00

  Skopje

  2.00

  2.00

  Sofia

  13.00

  12.00

  St. George's, Grenada

  1.00

  1.00

  St. Johns

  1.00

  1.00

  St. Petersburg

  4.00

  6.00

  Stockholm

  12.00

  12.00

  Strasbourg

  4.00

  4.00

  Stuttgart

  1.00

  1.00

  Suva

  5.00

  5.00

  Sydney

  4.00

  4.00

  Taipei

  6.00

  7.00

  Tallinn

  3.00

  4.00

  Tashkent

  5.00

  5.00

  Tbilisi

  4.00

  4.00

  Tegucigalpa

  2.00

  2.00

  Tehran

  10.00

  13.00

  Tel Aviv

  17.00

  16.00

  The Hague

  17.00

  16.00

  Tirana

  3.00

  4.00

  Tokyo

  38.00

  37.00

  Toronto

  4.00

  4.00

  Tripoli

  2.00

  2.00

  Tunis

  11.00

  12.00

  Ulaanbaatar

  2.00

  2.00

  Valletta

  9.00

  8.00

  Vancouver

  2.00

  2.00

  Victoria

  2.00

  2.00

  Vienna (UK Mis)

  3.00

  7.00

  Vienna Embassy

  12.00

  12.00

  Vienna OSCE

  10.00

  9.00

  Vila

  2.00

  2.00

  Vilnius

  3.00

  4.00

  Warsaw

  21.00

  16.00

  Washington (Embassy)

  70.00

  55.00

  Wellington

  10.00

  10.00

  Windhoek

  4.00

  4.00

  Yaounde

  4.00

  5.00

  Yekaterinburg

  1.00

  3.00

  Yerevan

  2.00

  3.00

  Zagreb (Embassy)

  8.00

  7.00

  Zurich

  3.00

  0.00 (closed)

  Total

  2,198.50

  2,112.00

  FCO staff in Dependent Territories
  687

  Number of staff at post

  Post

  1997

  1998

  Anguilla

  4.00

  4.00

  Ascension

  1.00

  1.00

  Gibraltar

  8.00

  9.00

  Grand Cayman

  2.00

  2.00

  Grand Turk

  2.00

  2.00

  Plymouth, Montserrat

  4.00

  4.00

  St. Helena

  1.00

  1.00

  Stanley

  5.00

  5.00

  Tortola

  3.00

  3.00

  Tristan da Cunha

  1.00

  1.00

  Total

  31.00

  32.00

  Gender Impact Assessments
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 24 June 1998,Official Report, columns 557–58, prior to 18 May, what mechanisms were used to determine how legislation passed in this session would affect women; what consultation he had with women's organisations; and if he will make a statement. [49096]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  The FCO has introduced three pieces of legislation in the current session: to implement the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, the Treaty of Amsterdam and the Ottawa Convention on Landmines. These implement internationally negotiated treaties in the United Kingdom.

  Women's groups were not consulted in the preparation of the UK legislation.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had, and with whom, on the negotiations for Cyprus's accession to the European Union; and if he will make a statement. [49489]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is in regular contact with our EU partners, the Government of Cyprus and the European Commission on the negotiations for Cyprus's accession to the European Union.

  Nuclear Industry
  Dr. Ladyman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, following the recent Indian and Pakistan nuclear tests, there has been a change of policy on nuclear-related exports to India and Pakistan, and on contacts between British nuclear industry officials and their Indian and Pakistani counterparts. [50568]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  The UK already has in place strict controls on the export of nuclear-related goods to India and Pakistan, and we do not believe there is a loophole in the existing controls. The UK also exercises caution over contacts between personnel from the British nuclear industry and their Indian and Pakistani counterparts.688
  However, following the recent Indian and Pakistani nuclear tests we have decided that it is appropriate to introduce some additional measures.

  All export licence applications (ELAs) for items listed on the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) Dual-Use List will be denied to nuclear and nuclear-related end-users in India and Pakistan, as will all other goods to these end-users which could contribute to the Indian and Pakistani nuclear programmes. This will mean that some amendments will be required to existing open general export licences, which will be made in due course.

  All contacts by British nuclear scientists or nuclear industry personnel with Indian and Pakistani counterparts will be discouraged, and all visits by Indians or Pakistanis to UK nuclear facilities will be prevented.

  As the recent actions by both countries have demonstrated a lack of commitment to the principles of non-proliferation, and have adversely affected regional stability, we will consider all export licence applications concerning either country with particular vigilance.

  Lobbyists
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those individuals who are not hon. Members or civil servants currently serving on review bodies and taskforces set up since May 1997 whose appointment was promoted or canvassed for by(a) GPC Market Access, (b) LLM, (c) GJW and (d) other professional lobbying organisations. [49775]

  Mr. Fatchett
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given today,Official Report, columns 641–42, by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

  Mr. Howard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what occasions(a) he, (b) his Ministers and (c) his special advisers have met representatives of (i) GPC Market Access, (ii) Lawson Lucas Mendelsohn and (iii) GJW Government Relations since 1 May 1997; who these representatives were; and what was discussed. [49672]

  Mr. Fatchett
  Ministers, their Special Advisers and other civil servants meet many people in the course of their work. This properly includes meetings with interest groups outside Government; indeed, one of the specific functions of Special Advisers is to liaise with such interest groups. This liaison is intended to help Ministers draw upon outside contributions—from academics, think-tanks, trade and industry associations, trade unions, lobby groups and others, as well as relevant experience from other countries—during the process of policy analysis and development. By convention it is not the practice of governments to make information on such meetings or their content publicly available—a principle reflected in the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information published in January 1997. Special advisers and other civil servants must observe the requirements of propriety: for instance, they must not provide confidential information without authorisation or allow improper influence on policy. Any breach of these requirements could be a disciplinary offence.

  Clean Coal Technology
  Clean Coal Technology
  TUPE Regulations and Acquired Rights Directive
  TUPE Regulations and Acquired Rights Directive
  TUPE Regulations: Amendment
  TUPE Regulations: Amendment
  Organophosphates: Review of Evidence
  Organophosphates: Review of Evidence
  Stipendiary Bench
  Stipendiary Bench
  European Classification of UK Geographic Areas
  European Classification of UK Geographic Areas
  Savings Tax: Proposed Directive
  Savings Tax: Proposed Directive