Written Answers of 21 May 1998

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Dilapidated Housing
  Mr. Ennis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions hat steps he is taking to assist with the renovation of dilapidated housing stock in(a) Barnsley and (b) Doncaster. [42655]

  Mr. Raynsford
  It is for local authorities to decide how best to apply the resources available to them for investment in housing to meet local needs and priorities. The table shows resources allocated by the Government for housing in 1998–99 to the Metropolitan Borough Councils of Barnsley and Doncaster:

  £ million

  Barnsley

  Doncaster

  (i) Housing Annual Capital Guidelines

  2,905

  3,137

  (ii) Private Sector Renewal support grant

  700

  775

  (iii) Disabled Facilities Grant

  284

  345

  (iv) Capital Receipts Initiative

  3,035

  3,424

  In Doncaster, we are supporting ongoing Estate Action work to renovate housing in Stainforth and Dunscroft villages and SRB Challenge Fund projects which include renovation of housing in the Balby and Northern Corridor areas.

  Thames River Crossings
  Mr. Fitzpatrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received from(a) local hon. Members, (b) local authorities, (c) private sector businesses and (d) other organisations on Thames river crossings. [42797]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Between 1 May 1997 and 1 May 1998, a total of 176 written representations about new East Thames River Crossings were received. They can be categorised as follows:(a) 15 from local hon. Members, (b) 61 from local authorities, (c) 107 from private sector businesses and (d) 93 from other organisations.

  East Thames Appraisal Framework
  Mr. Fitzpatrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the East Thames Appraisal Framework results and the Secretary of State's consequent decision will be published. [42796]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  We are currently considering the case for new river crossings east of Tower Bridge following an assessment of options using the East Thames 438
  Appraisal Framework (ETAF). No decisions have yet been taken. The ETAF results will be made available in due course.

  Planning Applications
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions in each of the years from 1992 to 1997 how many planning applications in England were referred to his Department(a) because they were applications raising issues of more than local significance, (b) following referral by the local planning authority as proposals which depart from the local development plan and (c) following voluntary referral by the local planning authority; and how many in each category were called in. [42153]

  Mr. Raynsford
  [holding answer 18 May 1998]: Information is readily available only in the form set out as follows from 1995 onwards. The approximate total number of planning applications referred to this Department as departures from the local development plan, and the total number of planning applications called in, in each of the years from 1995/96 to 1997/98 are as shown. The figures for departure applications include applications referred under the "Shopping" Directions in the West Midlands and South West Regions. Information on departures for 1992 to 1994 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Year

  Departures

  Call-ins

  1995–96

  1,010

  144

  1996–97

  985

  139

  1997–98

  1,088

  147

  London Assembly
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if an environmental appraisal was produced for the 'A Mayor and Assembly for London' White Paper. [42665]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Our Green Paper, "New Leadership for London" (Cm 3724), invited views on a range of proposals for an environmental role for the new Greater London Authority. Our White Paper, "A Mayor and Assembly for London" (Cm 3897), sets out our detailed proposals, taking into account consultation responses.

  Under our proposals, the Greater London Authority will have extensive environmental responsibilities. It will be placed under a duty to promote the environmental, economic and social well being of Londoners. It will also be placed under a duty to promote sustainable development. The Mayor will also be placed under a duty to produce an air quality management strategic plan and an integrated municipal waste strategy for London, and to take action to promote efforts to reduce the impact of noise. The Mayor will have power to promote Local Agenda 21 and biodiversity within London. The Mayor will produce a report every four years on the state of the environment in London and, in consultation with the boroughs, will produce a further report every four years on the contribution made by London towards the Government's national programme for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

  Park and Ride
  Sir Raymond Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 13 May 1998,Official Report, column 118, if he will list the Park and Ride schemes initiatives, by local authority funded by his Department. [42792]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The table shows the single scheme referred to in the answer of 13 March 1998,Official Report, column 362–64, for which a local authority has received a specific allocation, and lists those which authorities could pursue using their block allocation from the Department.

  Authority

  Scheme

  Specifically funded scheme

  Cheshire

  Chester: Park and Ride Phase 2

  Fundable from block allocation

  Allocation

  Bedfordshire

  Cardington Cross Park and Ride Phase I

  Bedfordshire

  Elstow Park and Ride

  Birmingham

  Maypole Park and Ride—King's Heath

  Blackburn

  Whitebirk Park and Ride

  Bournemouth

  Riverside Avenue Park and Ride

  Bradford

  Shipley Rail Park and Ride Extension

  Bradford

  Menston Rail Park and Ride

  Cambridgeshire

  Cambridge: Newmarket Road Park and Ride

  Cambridgeshire

  Cambridge: Babraham Road Park and Ride

  Cornwall

  Ponsharden Park and Ride

  Coventry

  Park and Ride: North of City

  Derby

  Wyvern Park and Ride

  Devon

  Park and Ride: Dartmoor

  Devon

  Honiton Road Park and Ride

  Devon

  Digby Park and Ride: Security Improvements

  Devon

  Digby Park and Ride: Facilities

  Devon

  Matford Park and Ride: Promotional Signs

  Devon

  Matford Park and Ride: Facilities

  Devon

  Balls Corner Park and Ride

  Gloucestershire

  Arle Court Park and Ride Stage 1

  Gtr Manchester PTE

  Cycle Parking at Rail Stations (unspecified)

  Hampshire

  Winchester Park and Ride Stage 2

  Kent

  New Dover Road Park and Ride

  Kent

  Bus Priority for A249 Park and Ride Site

  Knowsley

  Unspecified Park and Ride proposals

  Lancashire

  Chorley Railway Station Park and Ride

  Leeds

  Horsforth Park and Ride

  Lincolnshire

  North Lincoln Park and Ride

  Norfolk

  Norwich: Eastern Corridor Park and Ride Route—Traffic Management

  North Yorkshire

  Harrogate Park and Ride: Land Acquisition

  North Yorkshire

  Scarborough Park and Ride: Weoponess and Other Sites

  North Yorkshire

  CCTV Surveillance Equipment at Various Sites

  Nottingham

  Queens Drive Park and Ride Site

  Nottingham

  Racecourse Park and Ride Site

  Nottingham

  Park and Ride Sites—Block Provision

  Nottinghamshire

  Gamston Park and Ride Site

  Oldham

  Park and Ride: Shaw, Hollinwood.and Mumps

  440

  Authority

  Scheme

  Oxfordshire

  Oxford City Park and Ride: Parking Management

  Plymouth City

  Carkeel Park and Ride

  Poole

  Creekmoor Park and Ride

  Rochdale

  Milkstone Road/Fishdock Park and Ride

  Rotherham

  Area-wide Park and Ride Facilities

  Sefton

  Southport Park and Ride

  Sheffield

  Hillsborough Corridor Park and Ride Sites

  Shropshire

  Shrewsbury: Development of Existing Sites

  Surrey

  Guildford: Park and Ride

  Surrey

  Stains: Park and Ride

  Swindon

  Copse Site Park and Ride Cricklade Road A4311

  Swindon

  Junction 16 Park and Ride—M4

  Tyne and Wear PTE

  New Park and Ride Car Park—Pelaw

  West Midlands PTE

  Midland Metro Line 1: Park and Ride—Leabrook Road

  West Midlands PTE

  Medland Metro Line 1: Park and Ride—Loxdale Street

  West Midlands PTE

  Midland Metro Line 1 Park and Ride—Swan Lane

  West Midlands PTE

  Rail Park and Ride: Sandwell and Dudley—Refurbishment

  West Midlands PTE

  Rail Park and Ride: Marston Green—Refurbishment/Expansion

  West Midlands PTE

  Rail Park and Ride: Hall Green—Expansion

  West Midlands PTE

  Rail Park and Ride: Olton—Refurbishment

  West Midlands PTE

  Rail Park and Ride: Selly Oak—Expansion

  West Midlands PTE

  Rail Park and Ride: Kings Norton—Expansion

  Wiltshire

  Salisbury: Beehive Park and Ride Scheme

  Wirral

  Grove Road Rail Station Park and Ride

  Wolverhampton

  South Bilston Park and Ride

  Wolverhampton

  Town Centre Park and Ride

  Worcestershire

  Bromsgrove Station Car Park

  Worcestershire

  Barnt Green Station Car Park

  Worcestershire

  Worcester Park and Ride

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link
  Mr. Paul Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what assessment his Department has made of the impact of a fast rail link from the Channel Tunnel to the north via Ebbsfleet, Stratford and St. Pancras on levels of road freight transport; [43096]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the impact on investment of a fast rail link from the Channel Tunnel to the north via Ebbsfleet, Stratford and St. Pancras; [43094]

  (3) what estimate he has made of the total cost to the Government of (a) continuing the Channel Tunnel rail link as proposed under the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Act 1996, including the incorporation of the Ebbsfleet and Stratford international stations, (b) opting for an upgraded link to Waterloo and (c) delaying the project. [43028]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  On 27 March 1998,Official Report, columns 295–96, my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister said that the cure period under the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) Development Agreement within which London and Continental Railways (LCR)

  441
  could bring forward any improved proposals to the Government had been extended to 29 May 1998. Proposals have now been received and we are discussing them with the company. The economic and transport implications (including freight) of decisions on the CTRL will be a key consideration for my right hon. Friend in assessing the proposals put to him by LCR.

  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 27 March 1998,Official Report, column 295, if he has received revised proposals from London and Continental Railways; and if he will make a statement. [43546]

  Mr. Prescott
  I have received revised proposals from London and Continental Railways which are being discussed with the company. I will make a statement to the House as soon as I can after the Whitsun recess.

  Greater London Authority
  Mr. Ottaway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to announce the date of the elections to the Greater London Authority. [42977]

  Mr. Raynsford
  We hope to announce the proposed date of the elections to the Greater London Authority later this year.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Collins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what proposals he has to grant local authorities discretion to vary the level of council tax imposed upon the owners of second homes; [42996]

  (2) if his review of the council tax system has included the issue of varying the level of council tax imposed upon the owners of second homes from the present mandatory 50 per cent; and if he will make a statement; [42997]

  (3) what representations he has received from (a) South Lakeland District Council, (b) South Lakeland residents and (c) others on the subject of the level of council tax imposed per owner of second homes. [42995]

  Ms Armstrong
  The consultation paper "Improving local financial accountability" invited views on whether there is a case for change to the council tax. We have received a number of representations about discounts given on second homes including from the South Lakeland District Council and from other local bodies, and individuals. Our proposals will be set out in a White paper which we shall publish in the summer.

  Agrochemical Levy
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will define the terms of reference of the inquiry into the feasibility of an agrochemical levy. [42713]

  Angela Eagle
  Work has recently been commissioned by the DETR into whether a tax or charge on pesticides would be an effective way to reduce water pollution and negative impacts on the terrestrial environment, and to consider how such a tax or charge might work. The terms of reference for the study, to be carried out by ECOTEC 442
  research consulting limited cover inter alia detailed design issues; potential distributional impacts; and assessment of the issues affecting competitive positions of sectors of the UK economy.

  Motor Cycles
  Mr. McWalter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the relative risks of(a) cycling and walking and (b) powered two-wheel vehicle use; and if he will ensure that the latter is not excluded from the Integrated Transport Policy on the grounds of safety. [42330]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Table 1.6 of Transport Statistics Great Britain 1997 shows that, for every billion passenger kilometres travelled in 1995 (latest figures), there were 1,507 two-wheeled motor vehicle users killed or seriously injured. The comparable figures for pedal cyclists were 881 and 611 for pedestrians. Motorcycle use, like other modes of transport, will be addressed in the Integrated Transport Policy White Paper.

  Mr. McWalter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to end the requirement that provisional motorcycle licence holders who fail to pass their driving test within two years are subject to a one year ban. [42331]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  We are preparing a consultation paper that will consider the options for amending the current rule, whilst ensuring that any alternative arrangements provide that learner riders are properly trained and tested.

  Drink-driving
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what percentage of drivers randomly tested were found to be over the legal alcohol limit in the last year for which figures are available. [42714]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The police do not have powers to take breath samples from motorists on a random basis. Motorists may be breath tested following an accident, when they appear to have committed a moving traffic offence or where there is a suspicion of alcohol use.

  In 1996, the latest year for which figures are available, 781,100 breath tests were administered in England and Wales and in 13 per cent. of those, either the test showed a positive (over the limit) reading or the driver refused to provide a sample.

  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his Department's policy on the amount of alcohol which may be safely consumed by those intending to drive; and if he will make a statement. [42715]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The limit up to which a person can legally drive after consuming alcohol is 80mg of alcohol in 100ml of blood. However, alcohol affects people in different ways according to factors such as the person's sex, body weight and whether food has been consumed. Even a small amount of alcohol can impair performance. The Department's advice, which is endorsed by its current drink-drive publicity campaign, is therefore not to drink and drive.

  School Transport
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list(a) the average number of school children in England travelling by school transport each day and (b) the number of (i) fatalities and (ii) injuries of school children involved in road accidents associated with school transport in each of the last five years. [42423]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The average number of children (aged 4–16) resident in Great Britain in 1992–96 who travelled to school by bus each day was about 1.7 million. Of these, about 0.5 million used a school bus.

  The number of road accident casualties in England who were school pupils going to or from school by bus or coach is as shown for each of the last five years for which figures are available. It is not, however, possible to identify how many of these were travelling in a school bus.

  School child casualties (aged 4–16) travelling to or from school by bus, coach or minibus in England

  Year

  Killed

  Injured

  1992

  1

  530

  1993

  1

  708

  1994

  1

  536

  1995

  0

  568

  1996

  1

  761

  Motorway Service Areas
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to allow local planning authorities fully to determine applications for motorway service areas. [42924]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  We have no plans to change the existing arrangements under which motorway service area planning applications are dealt with in the same way as those for any other development. Applications which are called in for determination by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, or are the subject of an appeal by the intending developer, will normally be considered at a public inquiry before an independent Inspector. In such cases, the Inspector reports to my right hon. Friend who takes the final decision. In all other circumstances, the decision rests with the local planning authority.

  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to take direct responsibility for the location of motorway service areas; and if he will make a statement. [42923]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Planning Policy Guidance Note 13 ("Transport") and Roads Circular 1/94 give advice to intending developers and local planning authorities on the spacing of motorway service areas (MSAs). We are considering whether there is any need to amend that advice but we have no plans to review the underlying policy that, within the constraints set by the spacing guidance, identification of specific sites for proposed new MSAs is a matter for the private sector.

  Planning Inspectorate
  Mr. Ennis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will publish a revised Framework Document for the Planning Inspectorate. [43344]

  Mr. Caborn
  I have today arranged for copies of the Planning Inspectorate's revised Framework Document to be published and for copies to be placed in the Library.

  It is part of the usual arrangements for Next Steps Agencies to review their operation and revise their Framework Document every three to five years. The revised Framework Document will set out the relationship between the Planning Inspectorate executive agency and its parent Departments (the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Welsh Office).

  Rents
  Dan Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress he has made in drawing up proposals to address the problem of fair rent increases affecting tenants under the Rent (Agriculture) Act 1967 and the Rent Act 1977; and if he will make a statement. [43437]

  Ms Armstrong
  The Government are very concerned that private tenants with regulated tenancies and secure tenants of registered social landlords have faced exceptional rent increases in recent years. After market rents were introduced in 1989 for all new lettings, these tenants continued to have the protection of the fair rent system. However, they could never have anticipated the high level rent increases that some of them have faced. Many of them are elderly and on fixed incomes. They have planned their affairs on the basis that they would be able to remain in their present homes and are now faced with real financial difficulties. My Department is today issuing a public consultation paper setting out how we propose to tackle this problem.

  The proposals would apply to those private tenants and secure tenants of Registered Social Landlords who have a fair rent registered under the Rent (Agriculture) Act 1976 or the Rent Act 1977. Increases would be limited by an Order made under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. The limits would be RPI plus 10% for the first re-registration after the Order comes into effect and RPI plus 5% for subsequent re-registrations. The limits would not apply if the rent had not previously been registered or a substantial increase in rent was due as a result of repairs or improvements by the landlord to the property. The limits would not apply to rent increases for assured and assured shorthold tenancies.

  Comments on the proposals are invited by 24 July. Copies of the consultation paper have been placed in the Library. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales is issuing a similar consultation paper in Wales.

  Passenger Ferries
  Mr. Prosser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on recent developments in the safety of roll-on roll-off passenger ferries. [43438]
  445
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  I am pleased to announce the publication of an updated list of ferries operating to and from UK ports detailing the dates by which they must comply with the higher survivability standard specified in the Stockholm Agreement. We believe that it is important to continue to provide public information on ferry safety and will publish further lists when there are significant changes.

  Officials from my Department recently attended a conference hosted by the Swedish Government in Stockholm to consider the Report of the Joint Accident Investigation Commission of Estonia, Finland and Sweden into the loss of the ESTONIA in September 1994. The conference was a welcome initiative from the Swedish Government and I thank them for it. It considered whether or not international action since the ESTONIA tragedy had sufficiently addressed the Report's recommendations. It was agreed that most issues, particularly the potential problem of capsize due to water entering the car deck, had been satisfactorily addressed, confirming the significant progress which has been made in recent years. The conference also agreed that there were areas where research might identify further potential safety enhancements. We will look closely at these to establish whether there are any further measures we can take to enhance the already very high safety standard of ferries operating to and from UK ports.

  Trains
  Ms Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the HSC will make proposals on Mark 1 rolling stock and on train protection. [43439]

  Dr. Strang
  I am pleased that the Commission has today launched a consultative document proposing regulations on the installation of train protection systems (to all trains and at key signals) and on Mark 1 rolling stock. Copies of the consultative document have been placed in the Library. Rail is already one of the safest forms of transport but I welcome the Commission's proposals for making the network even safer.

  Building Regulations Advisory Committee
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has for the future of the Building Regulations Advisory Committee. [43176]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Building Regulations Advisory Committee is a statutory advisory non-departmental public body constituted under Section 14(1) of the Building Act 1984. The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions is statutorily obliged to consult the Committee on Building Regulations and other subjects connected with those regulations. The regulations apply in England and Wales. Appointments to the Committee are made jointly by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions and by the Secretary of State for Wales.
  446
  The Government are continuing a programme of regular "Financial Management and Policy Reviews" of non-departmental public bodies. Under that programme, I have now received and accepted a Financial Management and Policy Review report relating to the Building Regulations Advisory Committee for the period 1992–96.

  The report traces the history and policy development since the establishment of the Committee in 1962. In particular, it traces the evolution of the early Building Regulations—which provided a very prescriptive regime of building control—to a far more flexible process based on functional requirements. The report also highlights some of the more important procedural and technical areas which have evolved over the years—for example, providing for private sector involvement in the building control process at the election of applicants, and the rise in concern within the regulations for energy conservation and access and facilities for disabled people.

  Financial Management and Policy Reviews are essentially concerned with assessing and reviewing the policy relevance and the cost-effectiveness of the body concerned. I am happy to say that BRAC scores high on both counts. I have no doubt that its experience with examining the core relevance of regulations will be of great value to this Government's policy of "better regulation".

  As the report illustrates, the fact that members of BRAC are unsalaried, and that many willingly put in many hours in working parties, means that the cost effectiveness of the Committee is excellent compared with what could be achieved by contracting out to consultants for the provision of expert advice. As the report also indicates, consultants in this context would not necessarily provide the full breadth of expertise I have to hand on BRAC and could also not necessarily provide the continuity of knowledge which is so essential.

  Members are appointed to the Committee usually for terms of two or three years. The Committee's numbers had dwindled over the last year or so and, in addition, some appointments came to an end at the turn of the year. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I therefore had the opportunity of appointing fresh blood to the Committee—thirteen members in total. We have also within the discipline of the Nolan recommendations considered it right for the benefit of continuity and the excellent public service which has been offered, to re-appoint five existing members. Details of the new Committee membership were released in a letter dated 20 April 1998 to Editors of the Construction and Property Press.

  I had the opportunity to meet the new Committee in February and was able to say in person how much the Government valued the work of BRAC. I was also able to thank all those members who had served, or who were continuing to serve, on the Committee. In giving a particular welcome to the new members I expressed the view that they should find the Committee an interesting one to serve on. Having now studied the FMPR, I have no doubt about the on-going importance and relevance of the Committee.
  447
  I have arranged for a copy of the FMPR report and the letter to Editors to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Dounreay
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place in the Library copies of(a) The Hydrogeology of Dounreay Nuclear Power Development Establishment (1978), prepared by the Institute of Geological Sciences, (b) Environmental Radioactivity in Caithness and Sutherland, AERE-R17999 (1988), (c) the annual health and safety reports for Dounreay since 1956 and (d) the earliest report made by the UK Atomic Energy Authority to the Government on the accident at its waste shaft, D1225, at Dounreay in May 1977. [39673]

  Mr. Macdonald
  [holding answer 30 April 1998]: I have been asked to reply.

  I have arranged to place in the Library a copy of the Hydrogeology Report, the Report on Radioactivity in Caithness and Sutherland and the UKAEA's report on the 1977 incident at the Intermediate Level Waste Shaft at Dounreay. The Library already holds copies of the Health and Safety Executive's Reports covering the period 1987–94.

  Consultation paper

  Date published

  Closing date for submissions

  Number of respondents

  Judicial Case Management: the fast-track and multi-track

  2 July 1997

  26 September 1997

  91

  Civil Procedure Rules about Costs

  August 1997

  31 October 1997

  90

  Restoration of 'Price Paid' to the Land Register

  23 October 1997

  12 February 1998

  over 450

  New procedures for Clinical Negligence

  31 October 1997

  31 December 1997

  53

  New Procedures for Multi-Party Actions

  31 October 1997

  31 December 1997

  46

  Civil Procedure Rules—Security for Costs

  November 1997

  31 December 1997

  40

  The amalgamation of Knowsley, Liverpool, St. Helens, Sefton and Wirral magistrates' courts committees

  November 1997

  6 February 1998

  32

  Procedures for the Specialist Jurisdictions of the High Court

  31 November 1997

  30 January 1998

  66

  Small Claims Procedure

  1 December 1997

  31 January 1998

  113

  Civil Procedure Rules—Judgments and Order

  December 1997

  27 February 1998

  25

  Civil Procedure Rules—Service of Court Process Abroad

  December 1997

  27 February 1998

  25

  The amalgamation of Birmingham, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton magistrates' courts committees

  December 1997

  28 February 1998

  49

  Who Decides? Making Decisions on behalf of Mentally Incapacitated Adults

  10 December 1997

  31 March 1998

  over 4,000

  Interest on County Court Judgment Debts under £5,000 which include a Claim for Interest under the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Legislation

  22 December 1997

  16 February 1998

  75

  New guidance on appointment of justices' chief executives and justices' Clerks (amendments only)

  8 January 1998

  27 February 1998

  7

  Control of Unscrupulous Immigration Advisors (joint LCD and Home Office paper)

  22 January 1998

  23 March 1998

  60

  Increase to Bailiff Fees

  23 January 1998

  13 March 1998

  9

  Civil Procedure Rules—Transitional Arrangements

  5 February 1998

  3 April 1998

  47

  Access to Justice: Civil Court Fees

  20 February 1998

  1 May 1998

  58

  Access to Justice with Conditional Fees

  4 March 1998

  30 April 1998

  233

  Determination of Paternity & Parental Responsibility for Unmarried Fathers

  6 March 1998

  5 May 1998

  102

  The Professionalisation of Court Clerks in the Magistrates' Courts

  13 March 1998

  15 May 1998

  80

  Simplification of Transfer Procedure

  31 March 1998

  15 May 1998

  39

  Creation of a Unified Stipendiary Bench

  1 April 1998

  13 May 1998

  43

  The Next Phase of HM Magistrates' Courts Service Inspectorate Inspections

  15 April 1998

  22 June 1998

  consultation period open

  Special Immigration Appeals Commission (Procedure) Rules

  20 April 1998

  15 May 1998

  17

  Recovery of Social Security Benefits and Payments into Court

  5 May 1998

  29 May 1998

  consultation period open

  More Group
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received in respect of the takeover bid by J. C. Decaux for the More Group; and how many of these were from local authorities. [43042]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  My right hon. Friend has received correspondence from J. C. Decaux, and the company has outlined its proposals to officials in this Department. I have received no specific representations from local authorities or other bodies. Mergers are a matter for the competition authorities.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Consultation Papers
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the consultation papers published since 1 May 1997 giving the date of publication, closing date for submissions and the number of respondents. [42248]

  Mr. Hoon
  The information requested is set out in the table.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Montserration Evacuees
  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to the future status of Montserration evacuees in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [43586]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  We have decided that Montserration evacuees in the United Kingdom should be allowed to remain here indefinitely if they wish. This offer will also apply to Montserratians still on the island and those who moved elsewhere in the Caribbean because of volcanic activity, should they wish to come to the United Kingdom.

  Forensic Practitioners
  Ms Keeble
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy on proposals from the forensic science community for the creation of a Registration Council for Forensic Practitioners; and if he will make a statement. [43620]

  Mr. Straw
  I am pleased to announce the Government's support for the creation of a Forensic Science Registration Council, in line with the central recommendations made by the industry's own Working Group in December 1997. The Working Group, which was chaired by Lord Lewis, was established following an initiative by the Forensic Science Service.

  The Council's aim will be to promote and maintain high standards of competence, practice, discipline and ethics amongst forensic science practitioners. It will be non-statutory, self-financing, self-regulating and independent, with input from users. The Council will operate on a three tier basis, comprising:

  a Council, to include legal, lay and expert members, and incorporating a disciplinary panel;

  an Executive/Registration Board, which would set the criteria for registration and operate the register; and

  Assessment Panels, which would assess qualifications and competence for each specialism within the forensic science community.

  The Council will build on and incorporate existing expertise and infrastructure using the experience of a wide range of professional bodies which already operate in this field.

  While considering the Working Group's recommendations on this issue, the Government also looked at the other outstanding proposals for the oversight of forensic science put forward by the Royal Commission on Criminal Justice (which reported in 1993) and by Professor Caddy in his report of December 1996 into the contamination incident at the Forensic Explosives Laboratory. The Royal Commission and Professor Caddy recommended the establishment of a Forensic Science Advisory Board and an Inspectorate of Forensic Science Services respectively.

  The Government considered all three sets of proposals very carefully. In light of the progress made in recent years by the forensic science industry to promote quality and standards, including the external accreditation of laboratories by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service and the British Standards Institute, we believe that the
  450
  Registration Council offers the most practical way forward. The Registration Council would undertake a number of the tasks proposed for the Advisory Board and Inspectorate, but would do so in a way which complemented existing structures for maintaining standards in the industry. We share the view of the previous Administration, as set out in their final response to the Royal Commission (published in June 1996), that there is no need for the far wider remit envisaged for the two alternative oversight bodies. Many of the functions identified for the Advisory Board and Inspectorate could be fulfilled effectively only with some form of statutory regulation which the Royal Commission itself did not see as justified. The Government concur with this view.

  It is important that any new arrangements for oversight command the support, not only of forensic practitioners, but the end users of their services. I am pleased that the proposals to establish the Registration Council for Forensic Practitioners have received the overwhelming support of the forensic science community, as well as considerable backing from those in the wider criminal justice system.

  Once fully established, the aim would be for registration with the Council to become expected of those presenting expert forensic evidence in court. This would not preclude those who are unregistered from giving such evidence, although I believe such instances will become rare. It will also remain open to the courts to hear evidence from non-registered persons whose expertise is in a field outside the normal range of forensic science. As now, such decisions will remain a matter for the court to determine.

  Although it is the intention that, once fully established, the Registration Council will be self-funded, the Government have agreed that it will provide financial support to help with the start-up costs. Such funding will be for an initial period of two years.

  The setting up of the Registration Council will be a significant step forward in further raising quality and standards in the forensic science industry. Taken together with the other measures already taken by the industry, the Council will do much to enhance the standing of forensic science in the criminal justice process.

  Race Relations Forum
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 13 May 1998,Official Report, column 125, if he will list the persons appointed to the Race Relations Forum. [40841]

  Mr. Straw
  I am pleased to announce that the first meeting of the Race Relations Forum will be held on 23 June. The following have confirmed that they are willing to serve as members of the Forum:Mr. Rumman Ahmed; Ms Yasmin Alibhai-Brown; Mr. Michael Boye-Anawomah JP; Ms Rachel Campbell; Mr. Thomas Chan; Ms Gobnait NÍ ChrualoaoÍ; Mr. Lincoln Crawford QC; Mr. Mohammed Dhalech; Lord Navnit Dholakia OBE JP; Mrs Zerbanoo Gifford; Mr. Bernie Grant MP; Ms Ros Howells OBE; Mr. Lee Jasper; Mr. Makbool Javaid; Dr. Gus John; Ms Mukami McCrum; Mr. Norman McLean; Dr. Dwain Neil; Sir Herman Ouseley; Mr. Adam Hafejee Patel; Ms Shushila Patel; Mr. Trevor Phillips; Ms Rachel Pickavance; Mr. Iqbal A. K. M. Sacranie; Mr. Gurbux Singh; Mr. Ranjit Sondhi; Dr. Richard Stone; The Rt. Revd Wilfred Wood.

  Sexual Abuse
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) teachers and (b) care staff are currently under investigation for retrospective allegations of sexual abuse of former pupils. [41132]

  Mr. Michael
  It is difficult to answer my hon. Friend's question with any precision because it refers to investigations rather than convictions and it is difficult to see how such information could be collected centrally. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary is undertaking a thematic inspection on child protection, which will look at how records and intelligence are collated and shared across agencies, and what good practice can be promoted on how to conduct major abuse inquiries.

  The Department for Education and Employment maintains a list of individuals who are barred from working in schools: (List 99), while the Department of Health consultancy index also contains information about individuals who are considered to be unsuitable to work with children and young people.

  A Ministerial group chaired by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health is following-up work across Government arising from Sir William Utting's report 'People Like Us'. Among the issues arising from that report is the need to strengthen recruitment and vetting procedures for adults who work with children living away from home.

  Young Offenders
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Hinchliffe), of 30 March 1998,Official Report, column 391, of the two young men held in adult prison accommodation which was not separate from adult prisoners, if he will list (a) their ages, (b) the prison or prisons in which they were held, (c) the reasons they were held in accommodation not separate from adult prisoners, (d) the period for which they were held in such accommodation and (e) the number of other young men held in accommodation not separate from that of adult prisoners since 1 May 1997. [38578]

  Ms Quin
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Parc Prison
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a breakdown of the staff, transport and subsistence costs incurred on each occasion other prisons had to provide staff to support Parc Prison, Bridgend; what effect this had on staffing levels at the prisons which provided staff; how many prison officers are employed at Parc and at each of the prisons which provide staff in proportion to the number of prisoners; and if Parc' s staffing level was at full complement at the time of each occasion when other prisons provided staff. [42070]

  Ms Quin
  Parc Prison has requested assistance from neighbouring prisons for help with disturbances on three occasions since it opened on 17 November 1997.

  On 20 February 1998, a total of 43 staff from Swansea, Cardiff and Usk prisons provided assistance to Parc. The staffing costs were £1,788.00, and the travel and
  452
  subsistence costs were £708.26. Swansea reports no effect on its staffing levels and Cardiff and Usk report minor disruption to regimes and association.

  On 18 April, a total of 43 staff from Swansea, Cardiff and Bristol prisons provided assistance to Parc. The staffing costs were £1,806.00, and the travel and subsistence costs were £560.58. Swansea and Bristol prisons report no effect on their staffing levels and Cardiff reports minor disruption to regimes.

  On 6 May, a total of 119 staff from Swansea, Cardiff, Bristol, Usk, Long Lartin, Gloucester and Erlestoke prisons provided assistance to Parc. The staffing costs were £11,199.00, and the travel and subsistence costs were £2,338.28. Usk and Erlestoke prisons report no significant effect on their staffing levels. Swansea, Cardiff, Bristol, Long Lartin and Gloucester prisons report minor disruption to regimes.

  The number of staff and prisoners at Parc prison, and the establishments which assisted them on 6 May, is set out in the table (The staffing figures are for all unified staff):

  Establishment

  Number of staff

  Number of prisoners

  Parc

  193

  738

  Bristol

  334

  599

  Cardiff

  258

  700

  Erlestoke

  102

  301

  Gloucester

  137

  305

  Long Lartin

  634

  379

  Swansea

  136

  330

  Usk

  90

  334

  Parc Prison's staffing complement for the three occasions when assistance was provided was: on 20 February 1998, 211 staff in post against a target staff figure of 225; on 18 April 1998, 204 staff in post against a target staff figure of 225; and on 6 May 1998, 193 staff in post against a target staff figure of 225.

  Hillsborough and Stephen Lawrence Inquiries
  Maria Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of public money disbursed to assist families and relatives of victims was provided(a) to individual victims and families, (b) family support groups and (c) collectively in respect of (i) the Hillsborough disaster and (ii) Stephen Lawrence's murder; and by what method the allocations were determined. [42983]

  Mr. Michael
  The Criminal Injuries Compensation Board advise that injuries sustained in the Hillsborough disaster were not regarded as the result of a crime of violence for the purposes of the criminal injuries compensation scheme, and that, accordingly, no compensation in respect of that disaster was awarded under the scheme.

  As regards the Stephen Lawrence murder, in accordance with the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, it is not the practice of the Board, or the new Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (which deals with applications lodged on or

  453
  after 1 April 1996), to disclose details about individual applications, including whether applications have been made.

  Maria Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provisions were made out of public funds in respect of costs to(a) commission expert evidence and (b) challenge expert evidence put by another party at the public inquiries into (i) the Hillsborough disaster and (ii) Stephen Lawrence's murder; what was the outturn cost to public funds of such assistance for each inquiry; and how costs were agreed, verified and disbursed. [42981]

  Mr. Michael
  The original papers relating to the Taylor inquiry into the Hillsborough Stadium disaster are being examined to see what information was kept on costs. I will reply to my hon. Friend when that has been done.

  The Stephen Lawrence inquiry is still in progress. The Chairman of the inquiry, Sir William Macpherson of Cluny, has been asked to recommend how the costs of the inquiry should be met. The inquiry was called under section 49 of the Police Act 1996. There is power under section 49 to defray any costs of the inquiry out of the police fund.

  Drink-driving
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drivers have been banned from driving for one year for drink-related offences in the last year. [43081]

  Mr. Michael
  Information is not available in precisely the form requested because the published motoring offences are based on offences rather than offenders, and offences involving drugs cannot be separated from those involving drink. There were 35,287 disqualifications imposed for 'Driving etc after consuming alcohol or taking drugs' in England and Wales in 1996, the latest year for which figures are available.

  Such figures are published annually in "Offences relating to motor vehicles. England and Wales 1996. Supplementary tables", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Operation Charlie
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 14 May 1998,Official Report, column 181, how many children involved in Operation Charlie (a) received the specific tuition and (b) were used for comparison; and how many hours tuition the children received. [42901]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The number of children involved in Project Charlie that(a) received the intervention was 44; (b) the number of comparison children was 233; the Project Charlie children received a lesson of at least 30 minutes each week for 39 weeks.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 14 May 1998,Official Report, column 181, if the review of the value of Operation Charlie recommended further investigation. [42902]
  454
  Mr. George Howarth
  The report on the follow up evaluation of Project Charlie strongly suggested that primary school drugs education programmes can have a delaying effect for the onset of drug use. It also recommended that further research be carried out. The Government's anti-drugs strategy signifies clearly the value of drugs education in schools from age 5 upwards, and identifies the commissioning of long-term evaluation's of the effectiveness of prevention and education programmes as a priority.

  Firearms
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences involving a loaded antique firearm have been committed in the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [42800]

  Mr. Michael
  It is not possible, from the statistics held centrally, to determine how many offences are committed with antique firearms.

  Drivers (Drugs)
  Mr. Ennis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of people driving under the influence of drugs have been reported by South Yorkshire Police in each of the last five years. [42656]

  Mr. Michael
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  There is no information collected centrally that distinguishes between driving under the influence of drugs and driving under the influence of alcohol.

  The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions have in the past produced an estimate of the number of drug/driving cases based on information supplied by the Forensic Science Service, but this does not enable a police force breakdown to be made. Neither do South Yorkshire police themselves have any local information.

  Police (Training)
  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the training courses offered to Metropolitan Police officers in 1997 and 1998 to date. [42805]

  Mr. Michael
  The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis has provided a copy of the Metropolitan Police's Training Prospectus for courses held centrally at Hendon's Training Schools under the Director of Training and Development. I have placed a copy of the prospectus in the Library.

  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total training budget of the Metropolitan Police for the current financial year. [42807]

  Mr. Michael
  The Commissioner tells me that training in the Metropolitan Police is delivered on three levels: centrally; by area; and by divisions.

  In addition, some training is purchased from outside trainers through the use of external budgets. As a consequence, the information requested is not readily available and can be obtained only at disproportionate

  455
  cost. However, the Commissioner tells me that the total resource budget for centrally-delivered training is £24 million. Centrally based training under the Director of Training and Development is responsible for approximately 40 per cent. of all training delivery in the Metropolitan Police Service.

  Association of Chief Police Officers
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the funds and assistance provided in each year since 1994–95 to the Association of Chief Police Officers of England, Wales and Northern Ireland from(a) the Home Office, (b) other Government Departments and (c) each police authority or board; [42410]

  (2) if he will list the grades within the uniformed police or civilian police service which make up the membership of the Association of Chief Police Officers of England and Wales and Northern Ireland. [42406]

  Mr. Michael
  The membership of the Association of Chief Police Officers of England, Wales and Northern Ireland comprises:the chief constables, and assistant chief constables, including assistant chief constables (designated), of the forces in the police areas listed in Schedule 1 of the Police Act 1996 (full members)
  the commissioners, assistant commissioners and commanders of the Metropolitan Police Service and the City of London Police (full members)
  the chief constable, deputy chief constable and assistant chief constables of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (full members)
  the chief police officers appointed/seconded to the National Criminal Intelligence Service and National Crime Squad (full members)
  senior civilian staff of the forces and organisations listed above who are deemed by the Association to hold a post equivalent to that at least of an assistant chief constable (associate members)
  those chief police officers of other police forces who accept the Association's invitation to become members (associate members).

  In respect of the Association of Chief Police Officers of England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the Home Office contributed £466,000 in 1994–95, £470,000 in 1995–96 and £458,000 in 1996–97 towards staff salaries and administrative costs of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) Secretariat under the common police service arrangements. In 1997–98, under different arrangements, the Home Office contributed a further £458,000 towards these costs.

  Contributions from police authorities in 1997–98 are listed in the following table. Before 1996–97, ACPO was organised differently with a limited central function. Work undertaken in the ACPO cental office from part-way through 1996–97 was previously carried out in forces for which no specific costs are available. Police authorities contributed £330,000 as a part-year cost for setting up the reorganised ACPO in 1996–97. In 1994–95, the police authorities' contribution was 49 per cent. of the total net cost of all common police services, of which the contribution to the costs of ACPO was a small part. This was apportioned between police authorities on the basis of a per capita charge based on the authorised establishment of each force. From 1995–96 to 1997–98, the costs of
  456
  common police services were taken into account when the level of police grant was set for police authorities. These arrangements followed detailed discussions and agreement between the parties involved.

  Contributions made by police authorities to the Association of Chief Police Officers of England, Wales and Northern Ireland in 1997–98

  £

  Force

  Police authority contribution

  Avon and Somerset

  14,792.22

  Bedfordshire

  5,456.95

  Cambridgeshire

  6,353.12

  Cheshire

  9,451.31

  City of London

  5,284.64

  Cleveland

  7,109.47

  Cumbria

  5,393.29

  Derbyshire

  8,808.48

  Devon and Cornwall

  15,014.00

  Dorset

  6,151.13

  Durham

  6,922.83

  Dyfed Powys

  4,563.41

  Essex

  14,287.26

  Gloucestershire

  5,567.67

  Greater Manchester

  33,020.60

  Gwent

  5,962.97

  Hampshire

  16,876.94

  Hertfordshire

  8,478.17

  Humberside

  9,943.65

  Kent

  12,689.32

  Lancashire

  15,800.42

  Leicestershire

  8,971.59

  Lincolnshire

  5,441.39

  Merseyside

  21,382.39

  Metropolitan

  139,033.22

  Norfolk

  7,370.29

  North Wales

  6,640.81

  North Yorkshire

  6,792.39

  Northamptonshire

  5,608.91

  Northumbria

  18,271.40

  Nottinghamshire

  11,252.53

  Royal Ulster Constabulary

  54,322.10

  South Wales

  14,339.69

  South Yorkshire

  14,942.69

  Staffordshire

  10,267.55

  Suffolk

  5,962.47

  Surrey

  7,486.28

  Sussex

  14,429.38

  Thames Valley

  19,481.84

  Warwickshire

  4,656.28

  West Mercia

  9,831.60

  West Midlands

  33,486.12

  West Yorkshire

  25,293.17

  Wiltshire

  5,857.04

  Total

  669,048.98

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Malawi
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she expects to announce the results of her review of the aid programme to Malawi; and if she will make a statement. [41952]

  Clare Short
  I expect to complete the review in July. I am optimistic that we can build partnerships with the Government and others aimed at systematically reducing poverty in Malawi.

  Debt
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what initiatives her Department is taking to relieve developing countries' debt during the United Kingdom presidency of the European Union; and if she will made a statement on how she is taking these forward. [43092]

  Clare Short
  We work with the Treasury to seek to mobilise increasing international commitment to assist heavily indebted poor countries. In addition, we have contributed $10.5 million to help the African development bank meet its costs of providing debt relief under the heavily indebted poor countries debt initiative, and are encouraging other donors to do likewise. We have signalled our readiness to contribute $10 million to an international fund for Mozambique, an action which helped break the impasse among creditors earlier this year.

  I convened an informal meeting of donors to Rwanda in Brussels on 19 May, which considered among other matters ways of helping resolve that country's debt problems. At the donors' meeting in Stockholm on 2–3 June, Britain will announce a significant contribution to the multi-donor debt trust fund, which will provide debt relief to Rwanda over the next few years. We are providing nearly £500,000 in the form of technical assistance to help developing countries improve the management of their debt portfolios. We are continuing to urge other donors to follow the UK's example and write off their aid loans to the poorest developing countries.

  Trauma Counselling
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance her Department gives to agencies providing trauma counselling in post-conflict situations. [42873]

  Clare Short
  We recognise that trauma counselling is an important component of health care in post-conflict situations. We support a number of projects which provide direct assistance to children affected by conflict, including after-care for traumatised children. In the past, we have supported a major social rehabilitation programme with World Vision for children abducted by the Lord's Resistance Army in Uganda. More recently, we have provided assistance to non-governmental and UN agencies working in Liberia.

  Strategic Exports
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her Department's contribution to the drawing up of the Government's annual report of strategic exports. [42872]

  Clare Short
  My Department does not lead on the Government's annual report of strategic exports. We take part in interdepartmental discussions and will be consulted on the report before it is published.

  Arms Exports
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions her Department has had with other Government departments on arrangements for the monitoring of arms export licences to less developed countries. [42877]

  Clare Short
  The Export Control Organisation of the Department of Trade and Industry is the licensing authority. All relevant individual licence applications are circulated by the DTI to other Government Departments with an interest, in line with their policy responsibilities. These include the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Ministry of Defence and my Department.

  Indonesia
  Sir Alastair Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development who represented her Department at the World bank meeting in Washington on 1 April on international humanitarian aid efforts for Indonesia; what was discussed; and if she will make a statement. [42762]

  Clare Short
  The purpose of the meeting, which was attended by a member of the Department for International Development's Asia division, was to discuss the social consequences for Indonesia of the Asian financial crisis and prospects for mobilising additional support from multilateral and bilateral sources. Copies of a press release issued by the bank after the meeting have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The conclusions of the meeting has been largely overtaken by current developments in Indonesia. As circumstances permit, we shall continue to explore opportunities of working with civil society, non-governmental organisations and other donors to bring effective help to poor people, including those affected by the crisis.

  Public Bodies
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what is the average salary of(a) male and (b) female members of boards of non-departmental public bodies responsible to her Department; [42814]

  (2) what is the average attendance fee of (a) male and (b) female members of boards of non-departmental public bodies responsible to her Department. [42815]

  Clare Short
  The majority of board members of non-departmental public bodies give their time and services voluntarily and receive no payment other than normal travel and subsistence expenses. Where members do receive remuneration, this can vary between an annual salary, an honorarium or an attendance fee (which itself can be a daily rate or a half-daily rate, or calculated on a per meeting or per case basis). Individuals' remuneration therefore is not directly comparable. Full details of all payments to board members of non-departmental bodies,
  459
  by gender, are given in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies". Copies of "Public Bodies 1997" are available in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Weapons
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her policy towards providing aid to countries with extensive military programmes, including the development of weapons of mass destruction. [42390]

  Clare Short
  My Department seeks to develop long-term partnerships with countries that are committed to the elimination of poverty and are pursuing appropriate economic, social, environmental and political policies. In considering the opportunities for partnership, we take into account a wide range of factors. These would certainly include the impact on the poor of excessive military expenditure and the development of weapons of mass destruction.

  Zimbabwe
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has further to fund Zimbabwean police and army training at United Kingdom establishments. [41583]

  Clare Short
  The Department for International Development is supporting an organisational development project with the Zimbabwe Republic police, to reduce crime and the costs of policing through improved management and operational efficiency. Under this project, we have agreed to fund 12 curriculum development officers to attend training programmes at the Scottish police college over the next 12 months. The Department for International Development does not provide assistance for military personnel.

  Sudan
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has made of the type of food and levels of supplies available for(a) adults and (b) children in Sudan. [42871]

  Clare Short
  Last week, my officials visited some of the seriously affected areas. Food supplies are adequate at present. Bulk grain (sorghum) and pulses are being provided to vulnerable communities. Children are also receiving Unimix and other specialised food mixtures. Access remains the major constraint, together with freedom for relief agencies to operate unhindered. Unless a ceasefire is implemented and people can plant their crops, food needs will continue throughout the year.

  Sir Alastair Goodlad
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations she has received about the resources available to Operation Lifeline Sudan; and if she will make a statement. [42761]

  Clare Short
  In February, the UN inter-agency consolidated appeal sought US$109 million for Operation Lifeline Sudan in 1998. To date, some US$33 million has 460
  been committed to the appeal. A number of donors, including the UK, announced additional contributions at a meeting held on 18 May. Since February, Britain has committed £10.23 million to OLS.

  Debt Relief
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions her Department has had with the IMF and World bank concerning debt relief to Rwanda; and if she will make a statement. [42878]

  Clare Short
  Rwanda's debt burden is severe, and one of a number of constraints on the Government's capacity to make progress towards achieving the poverty reduction targets. On 19 May, I convened an informal meeting in Brussels to discuss how external assistance could help relieve these constraints. The IMF and World bank were represented. These discussions will continue at a donars' meeting that the Government of Rwanda and the World bank will hold in Stockholm on 2–3 June. At that meeting, Britain will announce a significant contribution to a new multi-donor debt trust fund designed to ease Rwanda's debt burden in the period leading up to eligibility under the heavily indebted poor countries initiative become available.

  Leaders at the G8 Summit in Birmingham recognised the need to respond to the exceptional needs of poor post-conflict countries such as Rwanda as they rebuild their political, economic and social systems, and agreed that, particularly for those countries with arrears to the international financial institutions, there was a need for debt relief mechanisms to be used to release more resources, and more quickly, for essential rehabilitation. We shall be pressing for this work to be taken forward urgently.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate she has made of the cost to her Department of the accelerated programme of debt relief proposed under the Mauritius mandate. [42879]

  Clare Short
  The main element of the Mauritius mandate is to press for faster implementation of the heavily indebted poor countries debt initiative. To help achieve this aim, the Department for International Development is prepared to contribute to international efforts to ensure speedy debt relief to HIPC countries. We have contributed $10.5 million to help Uganda, have pledged $10 million to help Mozambique, and may contribute to others, but at this stage it is not possible to quantify the total likely cost.

  As part of the mandate, I indicated that I was willing to cancel the remaining aid debts owed to the UK Government by lower-income Commonwealth countries, provided the poor benefited from this action. The potential cost of this is up to £132 million. The mandate also signalled our readiness to finance through the aid programme technical assistance to poor countries, particularly those in the Commonwealth, to assist in debt management. We are providing over £750,000-worth of

  461
  technical assistance to the Governments of Tanzania and Nepal for this purpose. We have also agreed to contribute £400,000 to the core costs of Debt Relief International, an organisation that provides technical assistance in debt management to HIPC countries.

  Public Appointments
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when her Department's action plan for increasing the number of women holding public appointments will be published; and if she will place a copy in the Library. [42816]

  Clare Short
  My Department's action plan will be published shortly. Copies will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

SCOTLAND

  Examinations (Continuous Assessment)
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to implement the recommendation of the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association for a review of the continuous assessment part of standard grade and higher examinations; what advice he has given to teachers in dealing with suspected plagiarism in internal assessment reports; and if he will make a statement. [40252]

  Mr. Wilson
  [holding answer 30 April 1998]: Responsibility for the setting and marking of both standard grade and higher grade examinations rests with the Scottish Qualifications Authority. To ensure the quality and rigour of its qualifications, the authority works closely with experts in the education and training fields; it provides schools with clear guidance on internal assessment, including advice on suspected plagiarism; and it closely monitors assessment arrangements in schools.

  Independent research has recently confirmed the successful maintenance of standards in higher grade examinations. In relation to standard grade examinations,

  £

  Year

  Dounreay

  Hunterston A

  Hunterston B

  Torness

  Chapelcross

  Year total

  1995–96

  65,223

  22,048

  1—

  19,425

  24,629

  131,325

  1996–97

  175,297

  18,791

  65,554

  37,095

  24,016

  320,753

  Totals

  240,520

  40,839

  65,554

  56,520

  48,645

  452,078

  1 Charges relating to Hunterston for 1995–96 were not site specific between A and B

  £

  Year

  Dounreay

  Hunterston A

  Hunterston B

  Torness

  Chapelcross

  Year total

  1989–90

  326,817

  179,412

  303,481

  452,218

  427,341

  1,689,269

  1990–91

  858,403

  92,339

  262,917

  354,151

  350,458

  1,918,268

  1991–92

  732,124

  134,135

  484,053

  382,480

  376,212

  2,109,004

  1992–93

  676,245

  91,730

  310,901

  283,845

  232,206

  1,594,927

  1993–94

  427,784

  182,368

  334,895

  453,121

  292,288

  1,690,456

  1994–95

  426,858

  246,784

  369,096

  446,393

  327,061

  1,816,192

  1995–96

  566,086

  305,263

  604,169

  530,251

  344,368

  2,350,137

  1996–97

  673,569

  176,740

  1,258,656

  373,330

  297,647

  2,779,942

  Totals

  4,687,886

  1,408,771

  3,928,168

  3,275,789

  2,647,581

  15,948,195

  462
  the Scottish Qualifications Authority decided, having consulted the teaching profession about the continuous assessment aspect and in order to address concerns about work load, that the investigating element should be withdrawn for some subjects from 1999.

  These matters are kept under constant review, as befits their importance, and the Scottish Qualifications Authority will continue to take careful account of the views of the teaching profession in relation to future developments.

  Agriculture Grants
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost to his Department of administering grants to agriculture in the last year; and how many(a) full-time and (b) part-time staff were involved. [42437]

  Mr. Macdonald
  This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Nuclear Safety
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the annual cost to his Department or public bodies responsible to his Department, since May 1979, of the oversight and implementation of environmental safety at(a) Dounreay nuclear power establishment, (b) Hunterston nuclear plant, (c) Torness nuclear plant and (d) Chapelcross nuclear materials production plant. [39671]

  Mr. Macdonald
  [holding answer 30 April 1998]: Such information as is readily available is shown in the tables. The first table comprises information relating to charges raised in connection with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency's inspection and monitoring duties at nuclear sites. The site operators are liable for payment of these charges, which are intended to cover the cost to the Agency of undertaking such duties. The second table shows the costs incurred by the Health and Safety Executive in connection with regulation safety at nuclear sites. Nuclear operators pay the HSE charges, which are broadly designed to meet these costs.

  Fire Service
  Mr. Moore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list by fire service board in Scotland,(a) the level of the capital expenditure budget and (b) the number and capital cost of fire appliances expected to be acquired for the current financial year; [41814]

  Fire brigade1

  Central Scotland

  Dumfries and Galloway3

  Fife

  Grampian3

  Highlands and Islands

  Lothian and Borders

  Strathclyde

  Tayside

  1995–96

  Capital expenditure budget (£000)

  945

  300

  469

  1,362

  1,460

  1,520

  4,450

  717

  Fire appliances2 acquired:

  number

  2

  0

  3

  0

  4

  4

  15

  2

  cost (£000)

  210

  —

  1—

  —

  384

  480

  1,613

  235

  Average age of fleet (years)

  6.6

  7.5

  7.6

  7

  8.5

  8

  7.3

  6.5

  1996–97

  Capital expenditure budget (£000)

  885

  585

  852

  2,290

  1,575

  1,732

  6,490

  1,571

  Fire appliances2 acquired:

  number

  2

  50

  2

  0

  4

  6

  13

  2

  cost (£000)

  217

  158

  229

  —

  400

  770

  1,115

  216

  Average age of fleet (years)

  7

  8.5

  6.8

  8

  8.3

  7.5

  6.0

  7.1

  1997–98

  Capital expenditure budget (£000)

  1,058

  515

  826

  1,457

  1,696

  2,421

  6,365

  1,232

  Fire appliances2 acquired:

  number

  3

  4

  3

  8

  5

  5

  4

  4

  cost (£000)

  330

  350

  353

  837

  436

  670

  5966

  446

  Average age of fleet (years)

  6.7

  7.5

  7.1

  7

  7.1

  7.5

  4.6

  7

  1998–99

  Capital expenditure budget (£000)

  2,175

  479

  777

  1,361

  1,576

  2,457

  5,734

  1,134

  Fire appliances2 acquired:

  number

  2

  1+1 chassis

  2

  6

  5

  4

  4

  4

  cost (£000)

  220

  160

  240

  650

  472

  450

  435

  430

  1 The information is given for all 8 Scottish Fire Brigades: Dumfries and Galloway Fire Brigade and Fife Fire and Rescue Service are directly administered by the Councils for those areas, not by joint boards

  2 The information relates to operational fire appliances of the conventional type. Aerial and other special appliances, and light fire appliances, have been excluded

  3 Vehicle purchase to some extent funded from revenue

  4 Up to 1996–97 Fife Fire and Rescue Service's appliances were all leased

  5 Expenditure is shown, here and elsewhere in the table, in the year in which it was incurred. Brigades frequently purchase chassis in one year and take delivery of completed fire appliances in the following year

  Source:

  Returns from brigades

  Pensions Agency
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the key performance targets he has set for the Scottish Office Pensions Agency for 1998–99. [43588]

  Mr. Dewar
  I have set the Scottish Office Pensions Agency the following key performance targets for 1998–99:

  To ensure that 99.5% of awards and transfer payments are accurate.

  To pay on time 99.5% of all pensions and lumps sums where the target date for receipt of claims is met.

  To make transfer payments within 12 working days of members' final instructions to transfer pensions rights.

  To ensure that 97% of contributions due from employers of teachers are received within 15 days of the end of the month to which they relate.

  To reduce total identified operating costs per member/beneficiary by 5% in real terms.

  464
  (2) if he will list by fire service board in Scotland, (a) the level of the capital expenditure budget, (b) the number and capital cost of fire appliances acquired and (c) the average age of the fleet of fire appliances for financial years (i) 1995–96, (ii) 1996–97 and (iii) 1997–98. [41815]

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

  Criminals (Repatriation to UK)
  Mr. Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many United Kingdom citizens convicted of criminal offences abroad and deported back to the United Kingdom in the years 1990 to 1997 have re-offended in Scotland; [41738]

  (2) how many criminals convicted of murder or homicide abroad and deported back to the United Kingdom in the years 1990 to 1997 have re-offended in Scotland; [41739]

  (3) how many United Kingdom citizens, convicted of murder or homicide abroad have been deported back to the United Kingdom and have come to reside in Scotland in each year since 1990; [41740]

  (4) how many United Kingdom citizens convicted of criminal offences abroad have been deported back to the United Kingdom and have come to reside in Scotland in each year since 1990. [41741]
  465
  Mr. McLeish
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answers he received today from the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Neither the information relating to re-offending nor that on place of residence is held centrally.

  Forest Enterprise
  Mr. Russell Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what changes have been made to the previously reported targets for Forest Enterprise for 1997–98 and 1998–99. [43587]

  Mr. Dewar
  The targets for Forest Enterprise in 1997/98 and 1998/99 were changed to take account of the fall in timber prices and our moratorium on large scale sales of forest land. The original and the amended targets are as follows:

  £ million

  Original target

  Amended target

  1997–98

  Cash Surplus

  28.7

  24.7

  1998–99

  Cash Surplus

  33.7

  29.8

  Operating Profit

  18.6

  12.4

  Cubic Metres of Wood Harvested

  5.0

  5.1

  Income from Disposals of Buildings and Land

  25.0

  10.0

  Copies of the agency's corporate plan, which contains more detail about the agency's targets, will be placed in the Library of the House when it is published in June.

  Performance measures

  Key targets

  The number of prisoners unlawfully at large

  No A category prisoners should escape

  The number of escapes by B category prisoners should be no higher than 1.00 per 1,000 prisoners

  The number of escapes by C category prisoners should be no higher than 1.6 per 1,000 prisoners

  The number of serious assaults on staff and prisoners

  The number of serious assaults on staff should be no higher than 3 per 1,000 staff

  The number of serious assaults on other prisoners should be less than the 1997–98 outturn

  Basic quality of life for prisoners

  By end March 1999, 71 per cent. of prisoners will have access to forms of night sanitation

  The amount of available opportunities for prisoners' self-development

  To ensure that 600 prisoners have completed a cognitive skills programme and 60 prisoners have completed a sex offender programme during 1998–99

  Average annual cost per prisoner place

  To keep costs within £27,904 per place available for use

  The level of absence through staff sickness

  To reduce the average number of days lost per person per year through staff sickness to 14

  Dounreay
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the remit of the safety review currently being conducted of the fuel cycle area at Dounreay. [43068]

  Mr. Macdonald
  The review was announced on 15 May and is being carried out by the Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate and the

  Forestry Commission Research Agency
  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what targets have been set for the Forestry Commission Research Agency for the current financial year. [43590]

  Mr. Dewar
  The Forestry Commission Research Agency has been set the following targets:

  To achieve at least 92 per cent. customer satisfaction by value and by customer numbers.

  To have the entomology research programme reviewed by a Visiting Group during the financial year and have confirmation that the research does meet current quality standards.

  To increase the output of peer-reviewed scientific papers submitted and subsequently accepted for publication by 5 per cent. on the 1997–98 figure.

  To achieve a 2 per cent. real cost reduction in the weighted average unit cost of chargeable staff days in 1998–99 compared with 1997–98.

  To achieve full cost recovery from customers.

  Copies of the agency's corporate plan, which contains more detail about these targets, will be placed in the Library when it is published in June.

  Prison Service
  Mr. Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what targets he has set for the Scottish Prison Service, as an executive agency for 1998–99. [43589]

  Mr. Dewar
  I have set the chief executive of the Scottish Prison Service the following targets:

  Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The terms of reference are to carry out a detailed audit of the management of safety at Dounreay, including: the effects of contractorisation; the management of reprocessing operations; the management of radioactive waste; the management of decommissioning; the arrangements for dealing with incidents; the interface between Dounreay and UKAEA's corporate management; and to make recommendations and publish a report.

  Nurse Prescribing
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what further plans he has to extend prescribing powers to district nurses and health visitors in the two demonstration sites to the whole of Scotland; and what further expenditure has been planned in order to facilitate this process. [42570]

  Mr. Galbraith
  There is a commitment to continue with the phased roll-out of the nurse prescribing scheme across Scotland.

  We have been proactively extending the scheme from the original two demonstration sites in May 1997, and by the end of May 1998 there will be 550 nurse prescribers in Scotland.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list(a) the number of (i) district nurses and (ii) health visitors who are currently able to prescribe from the nurse formulary in Scotland, (b) the locations in which they are currently working, (c) the total public expenditure involved to date and (d) the level of public expenditure per location. [42571]

  Mr. Galbraith
  (a) By the end of May 1998, there will be 550 nurse prescribers in Scotland. A breakdown of this figure into district nurses and health visitors is not held centrally.

  (b) The locations currently covered by those nurse prescribers are:

  Location

  Number

  Ayrshire and Arran

  80

  Borders

  30

  Grampian

  90

  Glasgow

  100

  Highland

  40

  Lanarkshire

  40

  Lothian

  90

  Tayside

  80

  Total

  550

  Table 1: Education authority school pupils receiving free transport 1992–97; number of pupils by sector

  Year (at September)

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  19972

  Number:

  Total1

  153,114

  155,949

  156,976

  156,953

  145,107

  147,133

  Primary

  46,529

  47,834

  48,003

  47,505

  44,499

  46,458

  Secondary

  94,569

  95,729

  97,910

  98,136

  89,001

  88,040

  1 Includes pupils in special schools and departments and self-governing schools

  2 Provisional

  Table 2: Education authority school pupils receiving free transport 1992–97; number of pupil journeys by type of transport

  Year (at September)

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  19972

  Number:1,3

  Total

  153,692

  156,587

  157,609

  157,921

  145,543

  148,687

  Bus:

  Public

  45,314

  45,239

  39,857

  40,022

  25,822

  39,835

  EA

  6,017

  4,932

  5,130

  5,217

  4,714

  4,848

  468
  A further 25 nurses each from Argyll and Clyde, Dumfries and Galloway, Fife and Forth Valley Health Boards began training in April 1998 with an anticipated completion date of September 1998. Training for the 100 nurses eligible to prescribe in the three Island Boards will begin in June with an anticipated completion date of December 1998/January 1999.

  (c) The expenditure to end of March 1998 is £123,601.

  (d) Each health board is allocated £100 per capita to help support the cost of staff replacement for nurses undertaking nurse prescribing training. The academic institutions providing the training are paid £85 per capita.

  Local Government Boundaries
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to publish the Scottish Local Government Boundary Commission proposals for the new local government boundaries in the Scottish Borders council area. [42572]

  Mr. Macdonald
  The Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland has not yet submitted its report on the electoral boundaries for the Scottish Borders council, although it is expected by the end of June.

  School Transport
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list(a) the average number of school children in Scotland travelling by school transport each day and (b) the number of (i) fatalities and (ii) injuries of school children involved in road accidents associated with school transport in each of the last five years. [42421]

  Mr. Wilson
  Tables 1 and 2 show the number of schoolchildren in Scotland provided with free transport. The figures are derived from a survey of school transport provided by education authorities in September each year.

  Table 3 shows the number of road accident casualties in Scotland who were school pupils going to or from school by minibus, bus or coach for each of the last five years for which figures are available. It is not possible to identify how many of these were travelling in school transport provided by education authorities.
  469

  Table 2: Education authority school pupils receiving free transport 1992–97; number of pupil journeys by type of transport

  Year (at September)

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  19972

  Contract:

  Bus

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  71,334

  Minibus

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  13,289

  Taxi or hire cars

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  16,938

  Total Contract

  91,046

  94,064

  98,023

  98,348

  98,009

  101,561

  Train

  1,719

  1,691

  1,855

  2,855

  2,193

  1,726

  Other

  9,596

  10,661

  12,744

  12,141

  15,549

  717

  1 Number of pupils

  2 Provisional

  3 Pupils are counted once for each method of transport used

  Note:

  A revised classification of school transport was introduced for the 1997 survey; figures are therefore not fully comparable with those for earlier years.

  Table 3: School child casualties (age 4–16) travelling to or from school by minibus, bus or coach in Scotland

  Year

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  Killed

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  Injured

  49

  48

  116

  48

  82

  Local Government Boundaries
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to publish the Scottish Local Government Boundary Commission proposals for the new local government boundaries in the Scottish Borders council area. [42572]

  Mr. Macdonald
  The Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland has not yet submitted its report on the electoral boundaries for the Scottish Borders council, although it is expected by the end of June.

  Dounreay
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the remit of the safety review currently being conducted of the fuel cycle area at Dounreay. [43068]

  Mr. Macdonald
  The review was announced on 15 May and is being carried out by the Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. The terms of reference are to carry out a detailed audit of the management of safety at Dounreay, including: the effects of contractorisation; the management of reprocessing operations; the management of radioactive waste; the management of decommissioning; the arrangements for dealing with incidents; the interface between Dounreay and UKAEA' s corporate management; and to make recommendations and publish a report.

WALES

  New Deal Funding
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total estimated amount of new deal funding to be provided in Wales for (i) young people and (ii) disabled people. [42672]
  470
  Mr. Hain
  The new deal is about meeting individual needs, and therefore expenditure will be determined by the number of eligible people taking-up the opportunities and the nature of their requirements.

  On the basis of the planning assumptions for 1998–99, we anticipate expenditure in Wales on the new deal for 18–24 year olds to be around £20 million to £25 million.

  Expenditure on people with disabilities is more difficult to estimate at this stage because the new deal for disabled people includes a number of initiatives which are currently under development. I am delighted that we have recently secured for Wales one of the first six personal adviser service pilots, which will be in the eastern valleys.

  In addition to this, both the new deal for 18–24 year olds and the new deal for those aged 25 and over will provide assistance to people with disabilities who are in receipt of the job seekers' allowance and who join these programmes.

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the competitiveness of manufacturing industry in Wales, with particular reference to the steel production centres in Wales. [42447]

  Mr. Hain
  According to the annual census of production 1996, figures indicate that manufacturing productivity in Wales was around eight per cent. higher than in the UK and around 48 per cent. higher for metals manufacturing compared to the UK. Figures relating to the competitiveness of the steel production centres in Wales are not available.

  Redundancies
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action his Department has taken following the recent redundancies announced at Assi Doran Buckley, and Kimberley Clark, Deeside; and if he will make a statement. [42455]

  Mr. Hain
  The training and enterprise council (CELTEC) and the Employment Service in North Wales are liaising with both companies' consultants to see what help can be given to the staff who are to be made redundant. As a "significant redundancy", employees from both companies can be considered for training for work immediately rather than having to wait six months.

  Competitiveness
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how he encourages competitiveness in small businesses in Wales, with particular reference to export-dependent manufacturing businesses. [42450]

  Mr. Hain
  Improving the competitiveness of small firms will be one of the key issues addressed by the economic strategy for Wales which will be published shortly.

  Export-dependent small manufacturing businesses have access to a wide range of overseas trade services provided by the Welsh Office and others. This includes subsidised trade missions, export market advice, and help in identifying potential new customers; and I am keen to see full use made of these important services.

  Automotive Industry
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement as to how he assists the automotive industry in Wales, with particular reference to the Toyota Engine Plant, Deeside, North East Wales. [42448]

  Mr. Hain
  There is a wide range of assistance available to the automotive industry in Wales including, amongst other things, grant aid under the regional selective assistance, regional innovation grant, SMART, SPUR schemes; business advice; export advice; help with training; help with sourcing components; identifying land, property etc. Some of the support mechanisms are restricted to smaller enterprises but the Toyota engine plant at Deeside could avail itself of many of the above sources of assistance.

  Further Education
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those further education colleges which are currently in deficit; and by how much. [42613]

  Mr. Hain
  The further education institutions in Wales that reported historic cost deficits in their audited financial statements for the academic year ending 31 July 1997 are set out in the table.

  £000

  FE Institution

  Deficit

  Deeside College

  982

  Coleg Glan Hafren

  11

  Gorseinon College

  124

  Gwent Tertiary College

  2,418

  Merthyr Tydfil College

  800

  Pontypridd College

  114

  WEA North

  44

  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many students were in further education in Wales at the time of incorporation of the further education colleges; and what have been the annual changes in numbers since incorporation. [42647]
  472
  Mr. Hain
  The numbers of full-time equivalent students in further education in Wales for the period 1992–98 are set out in the table:

  Financial year

  Full-time equivalent students

  1992–93

  41,860

  1993–94

  47,068

  1994–95

  50,409

  1995–96

  54,631

  1996–97

  59,228

  1997–98

  61,112

  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the budget for further education in each year since incorporation and what the budget will be for 1998–99; and what percentage change has occurred since incorporation. [42646]

  Mr. Hain
  The total resources made available to the Further Education Funding Council for Wales (FEFCW) on an annual cash basis for the period 1993–99 are set out in the table:

  Financial Year

  Total resources to FEFCW (£m)

  Percentage change

  1993–94

  143.0

  —

  1994–95

  169.7

  18.7

  1995–96

  175.9

  3.7

  1996–97

  177.7

  1.0

  1997–98

  180.5

  1.6

  1998–99

  176.0

  (-2.5)

  European Structural Funds
  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the nature and scope of his responsibilities in relation to the review of European structural funds in respect of Wales, indicating the timetable for action by his Department. [42473]

  Mr. Hain
  We are fully involved in the formulation of UK Government policy on structural fund reform, and our primary interests are to safeguard the position of Wales. Welsh Office officials form part of the UK delegation, co-ordinated by the DTI, negotiating the draft regulations with the Commission in Brussels. No deadline has been set for the conclusion of the negotiations, but the new funding period (2000–2006) commences on 1 January 2000.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many(a) temporary, (b) part-time and (c) seasonal staff worked in (i) the agricultural department and (ii) other departments of the Welsh Office in (1) 1997–98 and (2) 1998–99. [42435]
  473
  Mr. Ron Davies
  (a) The number of temporary/ seasonal staff who worked in the Agricultural Department and in the other Departments of the Welsh Office as at 1 April 1997 and 1 April 1998 is as follows:

  Date

  Temporary/seasonal staff in Agriculture

  Other departments of the WO

  1 April 1997

  74

  120

  1 April 1998

  95

  125

  (b) The number of permanent part-time staff who worked in the Agricultural Department and in the other Departments of the Welsh Office as at 1 April 1997 and 1 April 1998 is as follows:

  Date

  Temporary/seasonal staff in Agriculture

  Other departments of the WO

  1 April 1997

  37

  240

  1 April 1998

  34

  235

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to notify the economic development non-departmental public bodies in Wales of his strategic guidance and targets for 1998–99; and if he will make a statement. [43545]

  Mr. Ron Davies
  I have today written to the chairmen of the Welsh Development Agency (WDA), the Development Board for Rural Wales (DBRW), Cardiff Bay Development Corporation (CBDC), the Land Authority for Wales (LAW) and the Wales Tourist Board (WTB), to inform them of my strategic targets and priorities for 1998–99. Copies of the letters have been placed in the Library of the House.

  With the forthcoming establishment of the economic powerhouse, I will need to reconsider the priorities and targets for the enlarged agency later in the year. I have therefore set targets for the WDA, DBRW and LAW for only the first six months of the current financial year. However, the targets I have set are demanding and include private sector investment of over £400 million and the creation or safeguarding of over 8,000 jobs.

  National Assembly
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the responsibilities in respect of the(a) regulation of and (b) payment of subsidy to the railways to be transferred to the National Assembly for Wales. [43131]

  Mr. Ron Davies
  The Government's policy on devolution is that the National Assembly will take over virtually all of my functions as Secretary of State for Wales. This means that responsibility for the regulation and financial support of the railways will remain with the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions. The National Assembly will, however, assume responsibility for the payment of freight facilities grant under sections 139 and 140 of the Railways Act 1993.

  Rugby League
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what initiatives he is taking with regard to the introduction of professional Rugby League in Wales. [43086]

  Mr. Ron Davies
  None.

  School Transport
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list(a) the average number of school children in Wales travelling by school transport each day and (b) the number of (i) fatalities and (ii) injuries of school children involved in road accidents associated with school transport in each of the last five years. [42422]

  Mr. Hain
  The average number of children (aged four to 16) resident in Great Britain in 1992–96 who travelled to school by bus each day was about 1.7 million. Of these, about 0.5 million used a school bus. This centrally available information is from the national travel survey. Reliable estimates are not available separately for Wales.

  Details of reported accidents to 4 to 16 year olds in Wales on their way to or from school as passengers on buses, coaches or minibuses for the period requested are set out in the following table.

  Reported casualties of school children travelling to or from school by bus, coach or minibus (includes motor caravans) in Wales

  Year

  Fatalities

  Injuries

  1992

  0

  65

  1993

  1

  106

  1994

  0

  170

  1995

  0

  99

  1996

  0

  98

  19971

  0

  63

  1 Provisional.

DEFENCE

  Equipment Exhibition
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when and where the next Royal Navy and British Army Equipment Exhibition will be held. [41945]

  Mr. Spellar
  We are currently considering the future of the Royal Navy and British Army Equipment Exhibition. I hope to be able to make an announcement shortly.

  Sierra Leone
  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates(a) employees of and (b) personnel connected with Sandline International boarded HMS 'Monmouth' during her recent deployment to West Africa. [42558]

  Mr. George Robertson
  [holding answer 18 May 1998]: So far as we have been able to establish, at no time did any person identified to be an employee of, or known to be connected with, Sandline International board HMS Monmouth during her recent deployment to West Africa.

  Bulldog Trainer Aircraft
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will make an announcement on the award of the contract to replace Bulldog trainer aircraft. [43022]

  Dr. Reid
  "Best and final offers" have been sought from the bidders in this competition. I hope to be in a position to make an announcement of preferred bidder and choice of aircraft as soon as possible after their evaluation.

  Royal Tournament
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what are the dates and locations for the Royal Tournament in(a) 1999 and (b) 2000; [43040]

  (2) if he will make a statement on the future of the Royal Tournament. [43041]

  Mr. George Robertson
  The Royal Tournament will be held at Earl's Court between 20 July and 1 August in 1999.

  For the next Century, the Royal Tournament will need to attract audiences and present the Armed Forces in a modern and effective manner which will assist recruiting. I have therefore commissioned a study to identify the options to meet that requirement for 2000 and beyond. It will report in the summer.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Rivers Agency
  Mr. Salter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what performance targets have been set for the Rivers Agency for the financial year 1998–99. [43345]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  The following Key Targets have been set for the Rivers Agency for 1998–99.

  To construct or refurbish 0.59 km of urban flood defences.

  To increase the length of designated sea defences having appropriate standards of protection to 30.25%.

  To accommodate increased storm run-off from 390 hectares of development land.

  To replace/refurbish 2.0 km of dangerous culverts.

  To complete maintenance works on 265 km of urban watercourses and 1,360 km of rural watercourses.

  To construct 17 new water recreation projects throughout Northern Ireland.

  To issue substantive replies to 80% of written inquiries within 15 working days of receipt.

  To respond to 98% of Schedule 6 applications within 3 months.

  To aim to have all navigation locks operable for at least 90% of the year.

  To control programme expenditure to within 0.5% shortfall of the final control total.

  To control DRC expenditure to within 1% shortfall of the final control total.

  To achieve 3% efficiency savings in the 1998–99 financial year.

  The Rivers Agency Business Plan for 1998–99 will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament at a later date.

  Health and Social Services Estates Agency
  Mr. Pond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what changes were made to the performance targets for 1997–98 announced on 17 June 1997 for the Northern Ireland Health and Social Services Estates Agency; and what performance targets have been set for 1998–99. [43346]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  Modifications to some of the 1997/98 targets for the Northern Ireland Health and Social Services Estates agency were deemed appropriate after due consideration of the changes to clients' specifications for services. The modified targets are as follows:

  Deliver to the Health and Social Services Executive (HSSE) the annual Fire Report on the Health and Personal Social Services (HPSS) estate by March 1998.

  Complete for HSS Trust clients 8 Outline Business Cases of total estimated capital value £29m.

  Complete tender process and move to construction stage 4 schemes of estimated capital value £99.24m.

  Project Manage to completion on site, 11 schemes of estimated total capital value £4.435m.

  Provide lead Clerks of Works Inspection Services on Craigavon Hospital, Causeway Hospital, Altnagelvin Hospital and the Royal Group of Hospitals on projects valued at £126.35m.

  Complete an Electricity at Work Regulation compliance survey, and tender a compliance works contract for one Trust hospital site.

  The targets which have been set for 1998/99 are in line with the Government's policy of seeking to improve the services provided to clients in terms of both quality and value for money. I am satisfied that the targets present a demanding challenge for the agency. They are as follows:

  Delivery of Services
  Provide the Agency's services in accordance with the requirements of the Service Level Agreements with clients.
  Review the Department's fire safety policy documentation for the Health and Personal Social Services and deliver to the HSSE the annual Fire Report on the HPSS estates by March 1999.
  Assess and advise the HSSE on 60% of capital investment business case submissions within 20 working days, subject to a maximum of 15 business cases per annum.
  provide a report on progress towards meeting Government targets on green issues by March 1999.
  Provide the HSSE with a Defects Centre in relation to the HPSS Estate. Investigate and clear 60% of all adverse incidents within 6 months of notification to Health Estates subject to a maximum of 120 adverse incidents per annum.
  Complete for HSS Trust clients 5 Outline Business Cases of capital value £11.0m approximately.
  Project manage the PFI process for one scheme with estimated capital value £9m.
  Complete planning and design team briefing for 3 schemes with estimated capital value £33m.
  Complete the tendering process and move to on-site construction stage for 2 schemes with total value £1.2m.
  Project manage to completion 6 schemes with total capital value £9m approximately.
  Project manage during construction 4 schemes for which final completion dates fall outside the year (total capital value £126m approximately).
  Complete architectural design or manage clients contracts to achieve Practical Completion of up to 15 schemes (value £4.5m approximately).

  477
  Issue Completion of Defects Certificates for 65% of clients schemes within 6 months of Defects Lists being provided to contractor, and for 90% within a further 6 months.
  Issue Final Certificates within 3 months of the issue of Making Good Defects Certificates on 60% of architect led contracts, the remaining certificates to be issued within a further 12 months (except where there are outstanding contact matters or other legal process).
  Complete 80% of periodic specialist sterilise equipment tests and environmental tests by the programmed dates and the remainder within 7 weeks of that date subject to a maximum client request for this service of 465 man days.
  Complete 75% of diagnostic equipment and laboratory equipment acceptance tests, and other tests within 6 weeks of receipt of written request and the remainder within 10 weeks.
  Complete 75% of the initial evaluations for Electro-medical Equipment Projects within 6 weeks of receipt of written request and the remainder within 10 weeks. Complete Electro-medical Equipment Projects within 10 months of clients providing their instruction to proceed.
  Undertake a review of one third of the plans in place for High Voltage, Low Voltage and Medical Gas Pipelines Systems in the HPSS.

  Financial Management and Efficiency
  To operate the Agency within its 1998/99 funding allocation and in doing so ensure its 3 year rolling efficiency programme delivers average annual savings at least equivalent to pay and price increases.
  Ensure that the Agency's financial accounting and information systems are adequate to support the preparation of auditable accounts for 1998/99.

  A copy of the targets is being placed in the Library of the House.

  Child Support Agency
  Ms Rosie Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans she has to publish details of the targets for the Child Support Agency; and if she will make a statement. 43347]

  Mr. Worthington
  The Child Support Agency will publish its 1998–99 Business Plan and Strategic Plan 1998–2001 today. Copies will be placed in the Library.

  The targets that I have set for the Child Support Agency for 1998–99 are as follows:
  15.8 million of maintenance to be collected or arranged for direct payment from absent parents to parents with care.
  97 per cent. of payments made to parents with care to be made within 10 working days of receipt from the absent parent.
  The cash value of all assessments checked in the year to be correct in at least 75 per cent. of cases.
  Where a client is dissatisfied with a child support officer's decision and requests a review; 80 per cent. to be cleared in 13 weeks.
  65 per cent. of new maintenance applications to be cleared within 22 weeks and as at 31 March 1999 no more than 0.5 per cent. of work outstanding to be over 52 weeks.
  To manage the Agency's resources so as to deliver its Business Plan within the gross budget allocation as adjusted during the course of the year, this includes the administration of the Belfast CSAC.

  The targets in the Business Plan present the Agency with a challenging but attainable objective which should lead to improvements both in client service and in the maintenance flowing between parents.

  Roads Service
  Mr. Salter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps are being taken to improve the competitiveness of the Roads Service; and what performance targets have been set for the agency in 1998–99. [43348]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  Following a re-examination of the Roads Service market testing commitments in the light of the Best Value principles, it has been agreed that the Roads Service should adopt a Best Value approach to the delivery of its services, based on performance measurement and the benchmarking of costs and quality of service with other organisations. This is now being developed in conjunction with the restructuring of the Agency. If internal costs prove to be uncompetitive and cannot be improved sufficiently then market testing and contracting out remain as options.

  For 1998/99, the following performance targets have been set for Roads Service:

  Finance

  1. To maintain expenditure within cash limits and to approved budget plans.

  2. Within the provision allocated, deliver an overall efficiency saving of 3 per cent. in running costs.

  Output/Effectiveness

  3. To maintain the Motorway network so that at least 85 per cent. has a residual life' of more than 5 years.

  4. To maintain the Trunk Road Network so that at least 75 per cent. has a residual life of more than 5 years.

  5. To maintain the condition of other roads so that the overall Road Condition Index' does not exceed 85.

  6. To reduce by 40 per cent. the total number of injury accidents occurring at treated sites over the 3 years following the works.

  Quality of Customer Services
  7. To achieve consistently the key standards of service set out in the Road User's Charter Statement.

  Efficiency
  8. The unit cost of managing the road network to be 2 per cent. lower, in real terms, than the 1997–98 outturn figure.

  1 The maximum period remaining before the road will require major reconstruction. The higher the residual life figure, the better the condition.

  2 Obtained from analysing the results of inspection surveys covering a sample of the network. The lower the condition index figure, the better the condition.

  Water Service
  Ms Moran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what key performance targets have been set for the Water Service in 1998–99. [43349]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  For 1998–99, the following key performance targets have been set for the Water Service:

  1. To achieve 98.2 per cent. compliance with drinking water standards set in the Water Quality Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1994.

  2. To achieve 67 per cent. compliance with the wastewater treatment works discharge standards set by the Environment and Heritage Service.

  3. To ensure that fewer than 0.8 per cent. of properties experience unplanned interruptions to water supplies lasting greater than 12 hours.

  4. To issue substantive replies to 90 per cent. of written complaints within 15 working days of receipt.

  5. To deliver water at a unit cost of 62 p per cubic metre.

  479

  6. To treat wastewater at a unit cost of 55 p per cubic metre.

  7. To maintain expenditure within cash limits and to approved budget plans.

  8. To achieve efficiency gains of 3 per cent. on running costs expenditure.

  The targets are included in the Water Service's 1998–99 Business Plan, a copy of which will be placed in the Library.

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing
  Ms Moran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what performance targets have been set for Driver and Vehicle Licensing Northern Ireland in 1998–99. [43350]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  For 1998–99 the following key performance targets have been set for the Agency:Output

  1. To dispatch 96 per cent. of registration books for new vehicles in 16 working days from receipt.

  2. To dispatch 95 per cent. of refunds of vehicle excise duty in 10 working days from receipt.

  3. To dispatch 95 per cent. of vehicle excise licences in 5 working days from receipt of postal application.

  4. To dispatch 95 per cent. of duplicate vehicle registration books in 6 working days from receipt of applications.

  5. To dispatch 91 per cent. of ordinary driving licences in 9 working days from receipt of applications.

  6. To dispatch 91 per cent. of vocational driving licences in 9 working days from receipt of applications.

  7. To dispatch 91 per cent. of provisional driving licences in 9 working days from receipt of application.

  8. To dispatch substantive replies to 96 per cent. of written inquiries for information from the drivers and vehicles registers in 3 working days from receipt.

  Efficiency

  9. To limit maximum waiting time at Local Vehicle Licensing Offices so that 95 per cent. of customers are attended to within 22 minutes during peak periods (the first 8 and the last 2 working days of each months) and within 10 minutes at other periods.

  10. To meet an overall efficiency gain of 2.5 per cent.

  Financial

  11. To reduce the unit cost per vehicle excise enforcement case by 0.5 per cent. in real terms compared with 1997–98.

  Quality

  12. To limit the error rate (errors on any item sent out by the Agency) to a maximum of 0.5 per cent. of total Agency output.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  National Lottery
  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how many(a) retail outlets in total and (b) public houses, sell National Lottery scratchcards; [34158]

  (2) how many (a) retail outlets in total and (b) public houses sell National Lottery tickets. [34159]

  Mr. Banks
  [holding answer 12 March 1998]: The type and number of outlets selling National Lottery tickets and scratchcards ("Instants") is an operational matter for Camelot Group plc. I have therefore asked the Acting Director-General of the National Lottery, who is
  480
  responsible for regulating the operation of the Lottery, to write to the hon. Member and copies of his response will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Public Appointments
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when his Department's action plan for increasing the number of women holding public appointments will be published; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [42825]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  My Department's action plan will be published shortly. Copies will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Public Bodies
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what is the average attendance fee of(a) male and (b) female members of boards of non-departmental public bodies responsible to his Department; [42824]

  (2) what is the average salary of (a) male and (b) female members of boards of non-departmental public bodies responsible to his Department. [42823]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  Most board members of non-departmental public bodies given their time and services voluntarily and receive no payment other than normal travel and subsistence expenses. Where remuneration is payable, it can take the form of an annual salary, an honorarium or an attendance fee (which itself can be a daily or a half-daily rate, or calculated on a per meeting or per case basis). Individuals' remuneration therefore is not directly comparable. Full details of all payments to board members of non-departmental bodies, by gender, are, however, given in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies". Copies of "Public Bodies 1997" are available in the Libraries of the House.

  Information
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if his Department operates a monitoring exercise of persistent inquirers for information. [42637]

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  [holding answer 19 May 1998]: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport does not operate a monitoring exercise of persistent inquiries for information.

  Swimming
  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will launch a national media campaign(a) to make children aware of water safety and (b) to encourage them to learn to swim. [41452]

  Mr. Banks
  Swimming has my full support, as it is one of our healthiest recreational pursuits. I am keen to see children participate at the earliest possible opportunity and through the English Sports Council, the Government are encouraging the Amateur Swimming Association (ASA) to provide an opportunity for everyone to learn to swim. The ASA receives £215,000 grant-in-aid from the English Sports Council, and a proportion of this money helps to fund this initiative.

  Indemnity Scheme
  Caroline Flint
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many indemnity undertakings were given by departments under section 16 of the National Heritage Act 1980 for the six-month period ended 31 March; and what was the value of(a) any contingent liabilities in respect of such undertakings given at any time under that section which remain outstanding as at 31 March, (b) non-statutory Government indemnities in respect of loans handled by the Government Art Collection which remain outstanding as at 31 March and (c) non-statutory undertakings to Her Majesty in respect of loans from the Royal Collection which remain outstanding at 31 March. [43579]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  The provision for the Government Indemnity Scheme is made by the National Heritage Act 1980. The scheme facilitates public access to loans of works of art and other objects for public display made to museums, galleries and other such institutions by private owners and non rational institutions. It does this by indemnifying lenders against loss or damage to their loan. Loans covered by the scheme must be for public benefit. The scheme also covers loans of such objects for study purposes within borrowing institutions where this would contribute materially to the public's understanding or appreciation of the loan. Examples of this are enhancing interpretation or explanation to the public of objects or bringing into the public domain the conclusions of any study.

  In the six-month period ended 31 March 1998, the following undertakings to indemnify were given under section 16 by the relevant Departments for objects on loan to national and non-national institutions.

  The value of contingent liabilities in respect of undertakings given at any time under section 16 and which remained outstanding as at 31 March 1998 is:

  £

  Department for Culture, Media and Sport

  1,568,106,674

  Scottish Office Education and Industry Department

  34,704,728

  Welsh Office Education Department

  39,141,000

  Department of Education for Northern Ireland

  9,123,490

  The value of non-statutory Government indemnities to cover loans handled by the Government Art Collection and which remained outstanding as at 31 March 1998 is £9,000,000.

  The value of non-statutory Undertakings given to Her Majesty in respect of loans from the Royal Collection and which remained outstanding as at 31 March 1998 is £155,667,655.

  Sports Clubs (Rate Relief)
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what was the cost in 1997–98 of the discretionary rate relief for voluntary sports clubs in England and Wales. [42911]

  Mr. Raynsford
  I have been asked to reply.

  The information requested is not available.
  482
  The most reliable figures that are available are estimates for 1998–99, when we expect about £35 million of relief to be granted to non-profit organisations in England and Wales. We do not have any breakdown of this figure between sports clubs and other non-profit making bodies.

  Some sports clubs have charitable status and are entitled to relief under the separate mandatory relief provisions.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Food Standards Agency
  Mr. Hill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the responses to the public consultation on the White Paper, "The Food Standards Agency: A Force for Change". [43436]

  Dr. John Cunningham
  The Government have received over a thousand responses to public consultation on the Food Standards Agency White Paper, reflecting the considerable importance that the British public attaches to issues of food safety and standards. The responses show widespread support for the general thrust of our proposals.

  The many useful comments we have received will inform the preparation of draft legislation, which will be published later in the summer for a final round of public consultation. We will also issue a detailed paper for separate consultation on the proposal to charge the food industry for a greater proportion of food safety costs. The Government are considering, alongside the White Paper responses, the comments made by the Agriculture Select Committee in its recent report on food safety, and will publish its response in due course.

  I have today placed in the Library of the House copies of those responses to the White Paper for which confidentiality was not requested by the respondent. These are accompanied by an alphabetical index and a summary of comments on individual parts of the Government's proposals. All will be available in the Library for the next six months.

  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will set criteria to govern the priorities of the research programme of the proposed Food Standards Agency. [42620]

  Mr. Rooker
  The proposed Food Standards Agency will have a substantial research budget to support its work on food safety and standards. It will be for the Agency to establish its research priorities, although it will no doubt wish to consult a wide range of interested parties.

  Genetically Modified Plant Varieties
  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will publish his response to the discussion paper Weed Control of the Farm: Management of Genetically Modified Herbicide Tolerant Crops. [42971]
  483
  Mr. Rooker
  We expect to make an announcement in the near future.

  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which are the first five applications he has received for National Seed Listing of genetically modified varieties for which his Department will make a proposed listing decision; and when such decisions will be taken. [42970]

  Mr. Rooker
  The timing of applications for addition of plant varieties to the National List depends on crop species. Applications for the addition of two genetically modified spring oilseed rape varieties were submitted in December 1995, under the names "Socrates" and "Archimedes". At the same time, applications for plant breeders' rights were submitted for these two varieties. Applications for plant breeders' rights were also submitted for a further three varieties of spring oilseed rape in December 1995 (reference numbers AFP 35/853,

  AFP number

  Species

  National list applicant

  Trait of genetic modification

  45/798

  Sugar beet

  Kleinwanzlebener Saatzucht AG. Germany

  Glufosinate resistance

  45/822

  Sugar beet

  Novartis Seeds AB. Sweden

  Glyphosate resistance

  45/813

  Sugar beet

  Danisco Seeds, UK

  Glyphosate resistance

  45/774

  Sugar beet

  Hilleshog AB. Sweden

  Glyphosate resistance

  45/749

  Sugar beet

  Kleinwanzlebener Saatzucht AG. Germany

  Glufosinate resistance

  51/833

  Maize

  Van Der Have, Netherlands

  Glufosinate resistance

  35/959

  Oilseed rape

  Plant Genetic Systems, Belgium

  Glufosinate resistance

  35/960

  Oilseed rape

  Plant Genetic Systems, Belgium

  Glufosinate resistance

  35/1016

  Oilseed rape

  Deutsche Saatveredelung GmbH, Germany

  Glufosinate resistance

  35/1062

  Oilseed rape

  Monsanto Crop Protection, UK

  Glyphosate resistance

  35/1174

  Oilseed rape

  Plant Genetic Systems, Belgium

  Glufosinate resistance

  35/1175

  Oilseed rape

  Plant Genetic Systems, Belgium

  Glufosinate resistance

  35/1176

  Oilseed rape

  Plant Genetic Systems, Belgium

  Glufosinate resistance

  35/1184

  Oilseed rape

  Monsanto Crop Protection, UK

  Glufosinate resistance

  35/1185

  Oilseed rape

  Monsanto Crop Protection, UK

  Glyphosate resistance

  35/1205

  Oilseed rape

  Calgene Inc. USA

  High laurate

  35/1206

  Oilseed rape

  Calgene Inc. USA

  High laurate

  35/1210

  Oilseed rape

  Plant Genetic Systems, Belgium

  Glufosinate resistance

  35/1211

  Oilseed rape

  Plant Genetic Systems, Belgium

  Glufosinate resistance

  35/1222

  Oilseed rape

  Pioneer Hi-Bred International Inc. USA

  Glyphosate resistance

  Whaling
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Governments of Norway and Japan to bring about an end to the whaling activities of these countries within the designated whale sanctuary in Antarctic waters. [43090]

  Mr. Morley
  My Government colleagues and I take every opportunity to draw the attention of the Japanese and Norwegian Governments to our continuing opposition to the former' s whaling activities in the Southern Ocean Sanctuary and to the latter's commercial whaling in the North Atlantic. The United Kingdom delegation will be making our views very clear at the meeting of the International Whaling Commission that is currently taking place in Oman.

  Pesticides
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to publish the report of the inter-departmental committee on organophosphate pesticides; and if he will make a statement. [42615]
  484
  35/957 and 35/958), but no applications for addition to the National List were submitted in respect of these three varieties.

  Addition of a genetically modified plant variety to the National List does not, on its own, permit marketing. Appropriate consents must also be obtained in accordance with Council Directive 90/220/EEC on the release of genetically modified organisms into the environment. A decision about whether to add the varieties "Socrates" and "Archimedes" to the National List will not be taken until the necessary marketing consents have been promulgated by the French Competent Authority, to whom the marketing application was submitted.

  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list each application received for National Seed Listing of genetically modified varieties indicating the application number, the company name and the modified trait. [42972]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information requested is as follows:

  Mr. Rooker
  The report of the interdepartmental committee of officials on organophosphates is being considered by all relevant Ministers. The report and Ministers' conclusions on it will be published in due course.

  Quarantine
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received concerning changes to quarantine regulations for domestic animals returning from EU countries. [42669]

  Mr. Rooker
  The Department has received numerous representations from members of the public and various organisations with an interest in the future of rabies control policy. I expect to receive the report of the Advisory Group on Quarantine in June. It will then be published and a full public consultation held.

  Agriculture Council
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many environmental
  485
  appraisals were produced by the European Commission to accompany proposals presented to the EU Agriculture Council on 16 and 17 February. [42663]

  Mr. Rooker
  None.

  Public Appointments
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when his Department's action plan for increasing the number of women holding public appointments will be published; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [42834]

  Mr. Morley
  The Department's action plan will be published shortly. Copies will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Salt (Labelling)
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to ensure that consumers are informed of salt levels in processed foods. [42925]

  Mr. Rooker
  The United Kingdom has proposed that EC legislation on nutrition labelling should be amended in order to require most processed food labels to carry quantitative information about sodium content.

  Central Science Laboratory
  Mr. Charles Clarke
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the decision on the building of the Central Science Laboratory at Sand Hutton, York, relied upon the closure of the CSC Laboratories at Tony or at Norwich. [42998]

  Mr. Rooker
  No. The decision in 1991 to build the Central Science Laboratory at Sand Hutton, York took no account of the activities at either the Tony or Norwich Food Science Laboratories.

  Hospitality
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list planned expenditure on hospitality for April and May, indicating the date, location and purpose of each event. [35123]

  Dr. John Cunningham
  At this stage, it is not possible to provide detailed figures for total expenditure on hospitality; engagements will obviously continue to arise up to the end of this month.

  However, the major events to take place during April and May have resulted from the UK's Presidency of the European Union. I hosted the Informal Council of EU Agriculture Ministers in Newcastle on 10–12 May, and there have been a number of related meetings at official level. Estimated hospitality expenditure for all these events is in the region of £275,000.

  Payments
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the deadlines for all payments to be made by his Department where annual claims are required; and if he will give the timescale for payment after receipt of claim for all other schemes. [41608]
  486
  Mr. Rooker
  The statutory payment deadlines for schemes administered by the Department, which require annual claims to be made, are as set out. (These do not include scheme payments by the Intervention Board).

  Arable Area Payments Scheme for cereals, linseed, proteins and set-aside (other than set-aside used for the production of non-food crops): by 31 December of the year of harvest. Payments on oilseeds are made in two instalments; an advance payment by 30 September of the year of harvest followed by a final payment within 60 days of the date of publication of the Regulation fixing the final regional reference amounts in the Official Journal of the European Communities (generally in February or March of the year following harvest). For set-aside land on which non-food crops are grown, the final date for payment is 31 March in the year following harvest.

  Grain Legumes Scheme: 60 days after the date of publication of the final amount of aid, which generally takes place during December of the marketing year in question.

  Suckler Cow Premium Scheme and the Beef Special Premium Scheme: except in duly justified exceptional circumstances, by 30 June of the year following the calendar year in respect of which the premium is applied for.

  Sheep Annual Premium Scheme: by 15 October following the end of the marketing year in respect of which the premium has been granted.

  Agri-environment Schemes: no later than 4 months after the end of the period to which the payment relates. In England, the schemes covered by this provision are: Countryside Stewardship, Environmentally Sensitive Areas, Nitrate Sensitive Areas, the Organic Aid Scheme, the Habitat Scheme, the Countryside Access Scheme and the Moorland Scheme. Payment periods vary both within and between these schemes.

  Apple and Pear Orchard Grubbing Up Grant Scheme 1998: not later than 4 months after the land has been inspected by MAFF officials to establish that grubbing up of the trees has taken place.

  There are two schemes operated by the Ministry for which statutory payment deadlines apply but for which there is no requirement for annual claims. These are, firstly, the Farm Woodland Premium Scheme, for which the first annual payment is made during the twelve months following the payment of the first instalment of grant under the Forestry Commission's Woodland Grant Scheme, and for which subsequent annual payments are made on 16 October in each year or on such other date as my right hon. Friend may decide; and, secondly, the Farm Woodland Scheme, for which annual payments are made on 1 October in each year or on such other date as my right hon. Friend may decide.

  The Department also administers a number of other schemes for which statutory payment deadlines have not been laid down.

  Green-top Milk
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will ban the sale of green-top milk. [43186]
  487
  Mr. Rooker
  I will make an announcement in due course, when we have reviewed the public consultation responses in the light of scientific advice.

  Fur Breeders (Compensation)
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his plans to ban fur breeding; and what estimate he has made of the cost of compensation to fur breeders. [42968]

  Mr. Morley
  The Government remain firmly committed to implementing their pre-election pledge to prohibit fur farming as soon as practicable. Such a ban must be implemented in accordance with national and international law and I am currently considering how our intention can best be implemented. An announcement will be made once I have decided how to proceed and there will be public consultation on any proposals for legislation to ban fur farming.

  Agricultural Grants
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the cost to his Department of administering grants to agriculture in the last year; and how many(a) full-time and (b) part-time staff were involved. [42438]

  Mr. Morley
  The information could be provided in the form requested only at disproportionate cost. However, comprehensive information about the Department's activities, including details of the administration costs associated with each of its principal spending programmes for the year ending March 1998, is contained within the 1998 Departmental Report (Cm 3904), copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Consultation Papers
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the consultation papers published since 1 May 1997 giving the date of publication, closing date for submissions and the number of respondents. [42252]

  Mr. Morley
  As the list is lengthy, the information has been placed in the Library.

  Tuberculosis
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list by county the total number of herds affected by tuberculosis outbreaks in 1997, separately identifying those where no previous outbreak had been recorded for 10 years. [28029]

  Mr. Rooker
  [pursuant to his reply, 6 February 1998, c. 818]: I regret that some of the information given in my earlier reply was inaccurate. I am now able to give corrected, final data showing the number of herds confirmed by MAFF Divisional Veterinary Managers to have been affected by tuberculosis in 1997.

  The figures include those herds which continued to be affected with confirmed disease from previous years (ie those to which herd restrictions continued to apply during at least part of 1997) and those newly affected in 1997.
  488
  I have written to the hon. Member with the additional information which he requested, and copies of this letter have been placed in the Library of the House.

  County

  1997 total confirmed TB herd breakdowns

  Avon

  24

  Bedfordshire

  0

  Berkshire

  0

  Buckinghamshire

  0

  Cambridgeshire

  0

  Cheshire

  1

  Cleveland

  0

  Cornwall

  122

  Cumbria

  0

  Derbyshire

  3

  Devon

  114

  Dorset

  15

  Durham

  0

  East Sussex

  4

  Essex

  1

  Gloucestershire

  103

  Greater London

  0

  Greater Manchester

  0

  Hampshire

  0

  Hereford and Worcester

  126

  Hertford

  0

  Humberside

  0

  Isle of Wight

  0

  Isles of Scilly

  0

  Kent

  0

  Lancashire

  0

  Leicestershire

  Lincolnshire

  0

  Merseyside

  0

  Norfolk

  0

  North Yorkshire

  0

  Northamptonshire

  Northumberland

  0

  Nottinghamshire

  0

  Oxfordshire

  0

  Shropshire

  7

  Somerset

  32

  South Yorkshire

  0

  Staffordshire

  29

  Suffolk

  0

  Surrey

  0

  Tyne and Wear

  0

  Warwickshire

  0

  West Midlands

  0

  West Sussex

  0

  West Yorkshire

  0

  Wiltshire

  34

  England total

  617

  Clwyd

  0

  Dyfed

  40

  Gwent

  48

  Gwynedd

  0

  Mid Glamorgan

  2

  Powys

  4

  South Glamorgan

  0

  West Glamorgan

  3

  Wales total

  97

  Aberdeenshire

  2

  Angus

  0

  Argyll

  0

  Ayrshire

  0

  Banffshire

  0

  Berwickshire

  0

  Bute

  0

  Caithness

  2

  489

  County

  1997 total confirmed TB herd breakdowns

  Clackmannan

  0

  Dumbartonshire

  1

  Dumfriesshire

  0

  East Lothian

  0

  Fife

  0

  Inverness-shire

  0

  Kincardine

  1

  Kinross

  0

  Kirkcudbright

  4

  Lanarkshire

  1

  Midlothian

  0

  Moray

  0

  Nairn

  0

  Orkney

  0

  Peebles

  0

  Perthshire

  1

  Renfrew

  0

  Ross and Cromarty

  0

  Roxburgh

  0

  Selkirk

  0

  Shetland

  0

  Stirling

  0

  Sutherland

  0

  West Lothian

  0

  Wigtown

  3

  Scotland total

  15

  Food (Salt Levels)
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research he is(a) commissioning and (b) evaluating on the link between high blood pressure and salt levels in food. [42621]

  Ms Jowell
  I have been asked to reply.

  At the request of the Department, the Faculty of Public Health Medicine, in collaboration with the British Heart Foundation, hosted a seminar to bring together a wide range of scientific opinion from academia and industry to review the link between high blood pressure and salt consumption, and to consider whether a reduction in salt consumption for the general population is advisable. A report is expected later this year.

  The Department has not commissioned research on the links between high blood pressure and salt levels in food.

MINISTER WITHOUT PORTFOLIO

  Millennium Dome
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio what percentage of the construction workers at the Millennium Dome site in Greenwich have suffered from(a) dermatological and (b) pulmonary, including asthmatic, dysfunctions over the last six months; and how many working days have been lost as a result of (a) and (b). [38214]

  Mr. Mandelson
  [holding answer 7 April 1998]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker) on 6 April 1998, Official Report, column 78.
  490
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio what plans he has to exhibit United Kingdom engineering excellence in the Millennium Dome; and if he will make a statement. [41103]

  Mr. Mandelson
  The structure of the Dome is already a clear demonstration of the United Kingdom's excellence in architecture, engineering and design, and stands as an impressive new landmark on London's skyline. The exhibits in, and construction of the content of, the Dome will also provide many opportunities to demonstrate the UK's engineering excellence. In addition, a number of state-of-the art designs from the Millennium products award scheme will be featured inside the Dome.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio if the Guidance on Policy Appraisal and the Environment produced by DETR was fully applied in respect of the choice of the air-conditioning system for the Dome. [41775]

  Mr. Mandelson
  [holding answer 14 May 1998): The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" guidance concerns appraisal of the environmental effects of policies or programmes, not projects. DETR have issued other guidance and advice on green issues that are more relevant to projects. In particular, DETR's "Green Guide for Buyers" recognises that HFCs have a high total equivalent warming impact if they are allowed to escape into the atmosphere and, as a consequence, their use is discouraged where there is a risk of high emissions. High emissions are defined in the voluntary agreement between the refrigeration industry and the Government as those in excess of 10 per cent. loss of initial charge annually from service and/or breakdown. The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) has set a target of 1 per cent. for the chiller units which they have procured for the Dome. Regular independent audits will be carried out to ensure that the target is met.

  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio in what ways the Millennium Dome will demonstrate environmentally friendly British technology. [41930]

  Mr. Mandelson
  The exhibit in the Dome currently entitled "Living Island" will explore ways in which individuals can protect and enhance their environment. The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) is in regular touch with DTI and DETR on science and technology and environmental matters, and is consulting and seeking advice from a number of environmental groups about the content and nature of this zone. The NMEC aims to include a range of features on the Dome site which demonstrate applications of environmental technology. The Millennium Experience will also feature a number of environmental state of the art products and services from the Millennium products award scheme.

  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio (1) what fire prevention measures will be installed in the Millennium Dome; [42654]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the risk of release of toxic gases from the structure of the Millennium Dome in the event of a fire. [42616]

  Mr. Mandelson
  The New Millennium Experience Company's (NMEC) first concern is with the safety of people visiting and working in the Dome. The Company
  491
  has been liaising closely with Greenwich Council and the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority (LFCDA) on fire prevention and safety issues. It has carried out detailed investigations into the potential effects of fire on the Dome's structure, with particular attention to the cladding material. The use of PTFE coated glass fibre cladding has been accepted both by Greenwich Council and by the LFCDA.

  A number of fire prevention and detection measures will be adopted within the Millennium Dome both to minimise the risk of fire and to ensure early warning and the safety of the public in the event of a fire. Sprinkler systems and smoke extractors will be installed to minimise the impact of fire. Detailed studies have been carried out to ensure effective evacuation should this prove necessary.

  Millennium Projects
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Minister without Portfolio what steps he is taking to encourage cheap and concessionary travel to major millennium projects and events. [41480]

  Mr. Mandelson
  [holding answer 13 May 1998]: The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) is discussing with transport providers ways of enabling them to sell Dome entrance and travel tickets in attractive packages for visitors travelling from all parts of the United Kingdom.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Focus Groups
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what guidance has been issued to Government departments and executive agencies on the criteria to be employed in the(a) designing, (b) commissioning and (c) interpretation of the findings of focus groups; [43077]

  (2) if he will list the (a) companies, (b) organisations and (c) individuals who have supplied Government departments and executive agencies with information from focus groups and the fees paid in each case. [43076]

  Dr. David Clark
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton (Mr. Gibb) on 20 April 1998,Official Report, column 536.

  Information on which companies, organisations or individuals have supplied Departments and Executive Agencies with information from focus groups, and the fees paid in each case is not held centrally.

TREASURY

  Inflation
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the latest figures for inflation; and if he will make a statement. [41690]
  492
  Mrs. Liddell
  The latest figures are in line with the Government's forecasts for inflation which were published in the Financial Statement and Budget Report (March 1998).

  Work (Financial Reward)
  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he has put in place to increase the financial reward from work. [41691]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Budget contained a number of measures to help ensure that work pays, including the Working Families Tax Credit and reform to National Insurance Contributions.

  Finance Bills (Draft Regulations)
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when draft regulations will be published in respect of each Finance Bill provision specifying the need for Treasury regulations. [41692]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Where appropriate, draft regulations will be published throughout the year.

  EU Programmes (Administrative Currency)
  Mr. David Heath
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the administrative currency for the purposes of the common agricultural policy and other European Union programmes following the introduction of the euro. [41693]

  Mrs. Liddell
  From 1 January 1999, the euro will replace the ecu as the currency of denomination of the EC budget. The Commission has not yet put forward proposals for how currency transactions with the Member States not participating in the single currency should be handled following the introduction of the euro. The Government understand the Commission still has the matter under consideration but that it proposes to set out its views in the Summer.

  Tourism Industry (VAT)
  Mr. Quinn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the imposition of VAT on the United Kingdom tourism industry. [41695]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Hotel and tourist accommodation has been taxed at the standard rate since VAT started in 1973, in line with other forms of discretionary expenditure.

  Euro
  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest assessment of the preparedness of British companies for the introduction of the euro. [41696]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The introduction of the euro in 11 European countries on 1 January 1999 will impact upon many UK businesses. We are committed to ensuring that all businesses are made aware of the need to examine their own position, and that those firms which will be affected are fully equipped to respond. This is a major task. A recent Treasury survey of over 1,300 small and medium firms revealed that only 11 per cent. knew that the euro
  493
  will start operating in the participating Member States on 1 January next year. Only 5 per cent. had made any specific preparations for this.

  This survey will provide a benchmark to help gauge the success of future efforts to increase business preparedness. The Euro Preparations Unit within HM Treasury will play a key role in helping to co-ordinate private and public sector activities to this end.

  Individual Savings Accounts
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of potential charges made by insurance companies to existing PEP holders for transferring to ISAs. [41697]

  Mr. Geoffrey Robinson
  There are no proposals to allow existing PEP investments to be transferred to individual savings accounts. PEPs in existence at 5 April 1999 can remain tax free, outside the ISA, under the existing rules.

  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the finance industry regarding the new proposals for ISAs and the use of benchmarking for financial products. [41709]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Treasury published a consultation document on 18 May. The document invites contributions from all interested parties. During the pre-consultation period, the Treasury sought the views of a number of firms and organisations on certain aspects of the proposals.

  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Paymaster General expects to reply to the letter of 9 December 1997 from the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed on behalf of Mr. D. N. Peck of Swallhook, 19 Mariners View, Amble, about individual savings accounts. [42868]

  Mr. Geoffrey Robinson
  I have done so today. I very much regret that the right hon. Gentleman's letter was mislaid by the Inland Revenue.

  Pensioners' Fuel Bills
  Mr. Sutcliffe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he has introduced to reduce pensioners' fuel bills. [41698]

  Dawn Primarolo
  In his July 1997 Budget, the Chancellor announced the reduction in VAT on fuel and power for domestic users from 8 per cent. to 5 per cent. This cut took effect from 1 September 1997. VAT on the costs of installing energy saving insulation materials where those costs are funded by certain grant schemes reduced from 17½ per cent. to 5 per cent. This will allow more pensioner and low-income households to improve the insulation of their homes and helps to reduce their fuel bills. This tax cut will take effect from 1 July. The Chancellor also announced that the Gas Levy would be cut to zero with effect from April 1998. The levy distorted the energy market and meant higher prices for consumers.

  In his November 1997 Pre-Budget report, the Chancellor announced the introduction of a new Winter Fuel Payment giving additional help for all pensioners with their fuel bills. Last winter, every pensioner household received £20, with
  494
  the poorest pensioner households receiving £50, to help with their fuel bills. Nearly ten million payments have been made to pensioners in seven million households.

  Windfall Levy
  Mr. Russell Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on his policy of spending the windfall levy on an extension of the welfare-to-work programme. [41699]

  Mr. Geoffrey Robinson
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor announced a major extension of the Welfare to Work initiative in his recent Budget. We will provide additional help to young people, the long-term unemployed, lone parents, people with disabilities and partners of the unemployed. This commitment has been welcomed by employers, unemployed people, the voluntary sector and the wider public. The Chancellor's and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland's initiative to expand the New Deal for the long-term unemployed in Northern Ireland, as part of a wider strategy for investment and enterprise, has been particularly welcomed in the Province.

  EMU
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of economic and monetary union on the interest rates in participating states. [41700]

  Mrs. Liddell
  Official interest rates in the euro area will be a matter for the European Central Bank (ECB). The primary objective of the ECB is to achieve price stability in the euro area.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the early entry of the United Kingdom into the economic and monetary union. [41701]

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  I regularly receive representations from business and other organisations about economic and monetary union.

  Capital Gains Tax
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the yield from the capital gains tax changes resulting from his recent Budget. [41702]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The structural changes to capital gains tax are broadly revenue neutral. They are expected to have a negligible effect in 1998–99; to cost £25 million 1999–2000; and to yield £25 million in 2000–01.

  Saving
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken to encourage individuals to save. [41703]

  Mr. Darling
  It is this Government's policy to encourage individuals to save. We have given the Bank of England responsibility for setting interest rates to achieve the Government's inflation target. This, together with the Code For Fiscal Stability, will ensure economic stability and the right conditions in which individuals will be encouraged to save with confidence.
  495
  In addition, we have introduced plans for the Individual Savings Account specifically to develop and extend the savings habit. We re also consulting on the introduction of voluntary CAT standards for ISAs to help ordinary people save with confidence. CAT standards will focus on reasonable cost, easy access and fair terms.

  Mr. Prior
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his forecast for the savings ratio over the next two years. [41710]

  Mrs. Liddell
  A modest cyclical fall in the saving ratio is expected over the next two years. Over the longer term, the introduction of ISAs and our policies to promote economic growth and stability will increase the incentive to save for investment.

  Working Families Tax Credit
  Ms Lawrence
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the working families tax credit. [41704]

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  The Working Families Tax Credit has been welcomed by a wide range of individuals and organisations.

  Charity Taxation
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Government intend to publish their consultation document in respect of the review of charity taxation. [41705]

  Dawn Primarolo
  We are planning to publish the consultation document for the Review of Charities' Taxation in the next few weeks.

  Knowledge-based Industries
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received regarding the introduction of new tax incentives to stimulate knowledge-based industries. [41706]

  Mr. Geoffrey Robinson
  The Government are currently consulting on how the UK can improve its research and development performance. The period of consultation runs until 30 June. The results of the consultation will inform preparations for the next Budget and the DTI's Competitiveness White Paper to be published later in the year.

  Banks (Supervision)
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has to improve the supervision of banks. [41707]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The regime for prudential supervision of banks is kept under constant review, both at home and internationally, in fora such as the European Union and the Basle Committee on Banking Supervision. When changes are needed, to reflect the nature of the markets in which banks operate, they are made. As my hon. Friend will be aware, we have announced major reforms to the structure of financial supervision in the UK. On 1 June, responsibility for the supervision of banks will transfer from the Bank of England to the Financial Services Authority.

  Third-world Debt
  Mr. Rhodri Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to reduce the debt burden of the poorest countries. [41708]

  Mrs. Liddell
  Debt relief was discussed at the G8 foreign and finance ministers meeting on 9 May and the G8 Summit in Birmingham last weekend. The G8 agreed to encourage all eligible countries to adopt the policy measures necessary to embark on the process of securing a sustainable exit to their debt burdens by the year 2000, and agreed that their export credit agencies would seek to ensure their export credits to Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPCs) would be used only for productive expenditure.

  The Chancellor's latest initiative has concerned the debt burden of countries that have recently emerged from conflict. The communiqué issued after the Birmingham summit recognised that the present framework of the HIPC initiative was not able to provide debt relief quickly enough to post-conflict countries. These countries have large arrears to the International Financial Institutions (IFIs) and require special assistance in the wake of long conflicts. The G8 urged the IMF and World Bank to look at the possibilities of helping these post-conflict countries—which include Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Liberia and Rwanda—by finding mechanisms for dealing with their arrears payments to the IFIs.

  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has received about third-world debt; and how much money has been sent to him by people making such representations. [41677]

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  Since 1 January 1997, the Treasury has received over 12,000 letters and postcards on the subject of third-world debt. To date, more than £7,000 has been sent in as part of these campaigns.

  Motor Fuels (Northern Ireland)
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons the Financial Secretary to the Treasury declined to meet the officers of the Petrol Retailers Association to discuss the illegal importation of petroleum products into Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [42885]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Both the Chancellor and I have received representations from the Petrol Retailers Association via Northern Ireland MPs. These representations cover both the difference in the selling price of petrol and diesel in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and the illegal importations which are taking place as a result. The letters have received replies explaining the measures which are being taken to counter the threat posed by this illegal trade.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the amounts of motor fuels by type sold in Northern Ireland in each quarter of 1997 and the first quarter of 1998. [42883]
  497
  Dawn Primarolo
  The information is given in the table:

  Deliveries tonnes

  Year

  Leaded petrol

  Unleaded petrol

  Diesel

  1997

  Quarter 1

  35,515

  88,670

  91,479

  Quarter 2

  33,446

  92,730

  96,101

  Quarter 3

  25,181

  82,349

  76,361

  Quarter 4

  22,570

  85,791

  73,975

  1998

  Quarter 1

  18,749

  78,641

  66,827

  Note:

  Figures supplied by Department of Trade and Industry

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what investigations his Department has carried out into illegal importing of petroleum products from the Irish Republic into Great Britain in recent months. [42886]

  Dawn Primarolo
  HM Customs and Excise are deploying resources and actively mounting investigations against those involved in the illegal importation of petroleum products into Northern Ireland to counter the threat posed to the revenue and to the Northern Ireland business community. HM Customs and Excise are taking the lead on this issue but are acting in conjunction with other authorities, including the Royal Ulster Constabulary, to make seizures of oil tankers and vehicles carrying oil tanks filled with illegally imported fuel for resale. Wherever possible, cases are progressed with a view to criminal prosecution of the individuals concerned.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he plans to raise the issue of the illegal importation of petroleum products into Northern Ireland at the ECOFIN meeting on 19 May; and if he will make a statement. [42882]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Chancellor did not raise the issue of the illegal importation of petroleum products into Northern Ireland at the Ecofin meeting on 19 May.

  Both the Government and HM Customs and Excise are aware of the situation with the illegal importation of petroleum products into Northern Ireland for resale and recognise that it is a serious problem which disadvantages legitimate traders. HM Customs and Excise are deploying resources and actively mounting investigations against those involved to counter the threat posed to the revenue and to the Northern Ireland business community.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Government of the Irish Republic on the illegal importation of petroleum products into Northern Ireland. [42884]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The illegal importation of petroleum products into Northern Ireland for resale is a problem of which the Government are aware. No offences are taking place within the Republic of Ireland where the fuel is sold legally and purchased duty paid. HM Customs and Excise are deploying resources and actively mounting investigations against those involved to counter the threat posed to the revenue and to the Northern Ireland business community. HM Customs and Excise are taking the lead on this issue but are acting in conjunction with other authorities, including the Royal Ulster Constabulary, to 498
  make seizures of oil tankers and vehicles carrying oil tanks filled with illegally imported fuel for resale. Wherever possible, cases are progressed with a view to criminal prosecution of the individuals concerned. Where inquiries have extended to the Republic of Ireland jurisdiction requests have been made by HM Customs and Excise under the Convention for Mutual Assistance between Member States of the EC to the Irish Customs Investigation Branch for discovery of documentation at premises of oils suppliers in the Republic of Ireland to support intended criminal proceedings in Northern Ireland.

  Ministerial Meetings
  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the meetings of the IMF Interim Committee and World Bank/IMF Development Committee he attended in Washington in April. [43585]

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  On 16 April, I attended the IMF's Interim Committee meeting. I also attended the IMF/World Bank Development Committee meeting with the Secretary of State for Development on 17 April.

  One of the key issues we discussed was how to strengthen the architecture of the international system in the light of the Asian crisis. In my speech to the Interim Committee, I placed particular emphasis on the importance of greater openness and transparency to long-term economic stability, and I identified six themes.

  First, enhancing transparency of data. I noted that we need to tighten up and enforce the IMF's Special Data Dissemination Standards (SDDS).

  Secondly, promoting openness in policy making. I welcomed the progress made in agreeing the Code of Good Practice on Fiscal Transparency and recommended that it be supplemented by a manual to provide more guidance on how to construct and present fiscal policies. I also proposed that the IMF should, in consultation with the World Bank and the BIS, prepare a code of Good Practice on Financial and Monetary policy.

  Thirdly, greater transparency by the IMF in providing advice on member countries. I proposed that we should do more to encourage countries to publish the outcome of their Article IV's through Press Information Notices (PINS).

  Fourthly, exploring ways to improve the IMF's own accountability. I noted that it is essential for the IMF to perform its responsibilities in an open and transparent way that enhances public confidence. I proposed that we should look again at the option of establishing a new full-time evaluation unit which would report on the IMF's performance both to the Fund's shareholders and to the public.

  Fifthly, strengthening surveillance of national financial systems. I noted that the IMF's surveillance function should extend beyond its traditional role of looking at macro-economic policy and in particular it should look at the vulnerability of national financial systems. This will involve looking at financial sector regulation, corporate governance and legal issues. The Fund will need to cooperate closely with the World Bank, the Regional Development Banks and the Basle Committee in this area.
  499
  Sixthly, enhancing the role of the International Financial Institutions and cooperation between them. I proposed that consideration should be given to the creation of a new joint department of the IMF and World Bank to deal with financial sector issues in all member countries. This Department would need to work closely with other international agencies and groups. Its tasks would be to help the IMF in its regular surveillance, to support the Bank in its analyses of countries' structural policies and to support both the Fund and the Bank in the advice they give to countries on financial sector restructuring.

  We also discussed Capital Account Liberalisation. I noted that free capital flows can bring benefits to all countries in terms of increased productivity and growth. However, capital account liberalisation needs to be backed by measures designed to put the appropriate supervisory and regulatory practices in place. It must also be properly sequenced.

  I noted that the IMF is the organisation best placed to oversee orderly and sustainable capital account liberalisation and that we should press ahead with the Amendment to the IMF's Articles of Agreement to give it jurisdiction over the capital account.

  The discussions in Washington at the Interim and Development Committees on these themes contributed to the G7 report on Strengthening the Architecture of the Global Financial System, which was published at the Birmingham Summit.

  Additionally, we discussed at the Interim Committee the need to take action at an international level to promote fairness and relieve poverty. I stressed that we should not allow our discussion of Asia to obscure the important work that is still needed in the poorer countries. I welcomed the Fund's recognition of the need to promote high quality growth that results in a permanent reduction in poverty, greater equality of economic opportunity, and respects the environment. In this context, I welcomed the completion of the external evaluators' review of the Fund's ESAF programme and agreed with the external evaluator's view that IMF programmes cannot be viewed in isolation from the rest of the development process.

  There has been some significant and commendable progress with the Mauritius Mandate for the HIPC Debt Initiative which I launched a year ago. I emphasised to the international community the importance of ensuring that progress is maintained so that the Mauritius Mandate targets are met and we have met our objectives by the millennium.

  Copies of my speeches and the Communiques of these meetings have been put in the Library of the House.

  The issues discussed at the Development Committee meeting were outlined in a Parliamentary Question answered by the Secretary of State for International Development, on 29 April 1998, Official Report, column 153.

  Married Couples
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the impact measures contained in his March Budget Statement will have on married couples. [41689]
  500
  Dawn Primarolo
  Married couples will, on average, see an increase in their disposable income of about £100 a year by October 1999 from the direct tax and benefit changes in the March 1998 Budget.

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Bendel
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the receipts generated by taxing child benefit at the higher rate where(a) one parent pays tax at the higher rate and (b) both parents pay tax at the higher rate and both pay tax on the child benefit. [42703]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 19 May 1998]: Information for 1998–99 is given in the table.

  £ million

  Yield in a full year

  Lone parents or couples with children, receiving Child Benefit, where:

  (a) one parent (but not both) is liable at the higher rate of tax

  425

  (b) both parents are liable at the higher rate of tax and both pay higher rate tax on the full amount of child benefit

  35

  Mr. Bendel
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households receive child benefit where(a) one parent pays tax at the higher rate and (b) both parents pay tax at the higher rate. [42702]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 19 May 1998]: Under the current system in 1998–99, there are estimated to be about 1 million lone parents and couples with children who receive Child Benefit and where only one parent is liable at the higher rate of income tax. There are an estimated 50,000 couples with children who receive Child Benefit and where both parents are liable at the higher rate of income tax.

  UK Debt Management Office
  Mr. Derek Twigg
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the UK Debt Management Office will be publishing its business plan for 1998–99. [43583]

  Mrs. Liddell
  I have today placed copies of the Debt Management Office's (DMO) Corporate Overview and Business Plan in the Libraries of both Houses. Copies are also available from the DMO.

  Pensions Mis-selling
  Mr. Timms
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the progress by pensions firms in providing redress to the victims of mis-selling. [43584]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The table shows the progress made in the period up to the end of April 1998 by the 41 firms whose results I have been publishing in the public interest. Most of these firms have continued to make good progress.

  Last May, the regulators published figures showing by 31 March 1997 only 15 per cent. of cases had been resolved. I am pleased to say that the latest reports suggest

  501
  that the largest firms, which together account for almost 85 per cent. of cases, have now dealt with about 74 per cent. of cases.

  When I met the Chairmen and senior executives of pensions firms a year ago, I made clear that I would publish information monthly about the progress being made by each firm toward resolving their cases. In my statement in the House on 18 November 1997, Official Report, columns 155–57, I said that I would remove from this list the name of any firm which achieved its target for resolving priority cases.

  Progress by pensions firms in resolving cases of personal pensions mis-selling in the period to the end of April 1998

  A

  B

  C

  D

  E

  F

  G

  H

  Under 25 per cent. of cases resolved

  DBS

  3,945

  122

  364

  196

  168

  115

  3

  11

  25–50 per cent. of cases resolved

  Burns Anderson

  1,132

  279

  200

  114

  86

  73

  6

  41

  Financial options

  362

  116

  39

  20

  19

  17

  5

  42

  Gan

  11,485

  1,147

  4,999

  608

  4,391

  3,423

  30

  45

  Countrywide

  4,821

  2,090

  266

  166

  100

  76

  2

  48

  50–75 per cent. of cases resolved

  Lincoln National

  13,388

  1,579

  6,435

  1,074

  5,361

  4,105

  31

  50

  Windsor Life

  9,503

  3,129

  2,291

  284

  2,007

  1,634

  17

  53

  Abbey Life

  17,426

  4,381

  6,424

  959

  5,465

  4,491

  26

  56

  IFA Network

  316

  74

  109

  77

  32

  30

  9

  57

  Standard Life

  7,006

  715

  3,804

  939

  2,865

  2,465

  35

  59

  London and Manchester

  8,317

  1,227

  4,291

  519

  3,772

  3,407

  41

  62

  Friends Provident

  6,924

  1,021

  3,642

  547

  3,095

  2,731

  39

  62

  Colonial

  8,337

  2,423

  3,415

  391

  3,024

  2,481

  30

  64

  Hill Samuel

  6,069

  798

  3,501

  642

  2,859

  2,452

  40

  64

  Canada Life

  5,555

  327

  3,822

  584

  3,238

  2,660

  48

  64

  CIS

  43,356

  3,929

  29,336

  13,079

  16,257

  11,013

  25

  65

  Royal & Sun Alliance

  15,904

  2,744

  8,718

  1,043

  7,675

  6,532

  41

  65

  NatWest

  14,971

  4,369

  6,831

  1,076

  5,755

  4,575

  31

  67

  Sun Life of Canada

  27,158

  8,935

  11,130

  2,104

  9,026

  7,499

  28

  68

  Berkeley Independent

  163

  96

  20

  16

  4

  4

  2

  71

  Albany Life

  2,931

  607

  1,879

  177

  1,702

  1,337

  46

  72

  Allied Dunbar

  19,037

  3,914

  11,440

  3,318

  8,122

  6,697

  35

  73

  Sedgwick

  15,663

  7,917

  3,805

  1,460

  2,345

  2,128

  14

  73

  Equitable Life

  7,500

  1,764

  4,068

  1,545

  2,523

  2,243

  30

  74

  Over 75 per cent. of cases resolved

  Britannic

  19,424

  5,119

  11,928

  2,875

  9,053

  6,622

  34

  75

  Guardian

  9,076

  1,192

  6,282

  949

  5,333

  4,779

  53

  76

  M&E Network

  311

  173

  73

  25

  48

  42

  14

  77

  Legal & General

  36,679

  14,667

  17,538

  1,662

  15,876

  12,480

  34

  79

  Lloyd's TSB

  49,678

  11,774

  30,439

  6,259

  24,180

  22,125

  45

  81

  Commercial Union

  7,814

  1,277

  5,433

  787

  4,646

  4,306

  55

  82

  Wesleyan

  4,175

  265

  3,315

  962

  2,353

  2,192

  53

  82

  United Assurance

  13,093

  1,237

  10,846

  1,983

  8,863

  7,707

  59

  83

  Royal London

  12,564

  1,117

  10,479

  1,457

  9,022

  7,975

  63

  84

  Hogg Robinson

  2,145

  804

  1,142

  392

  750

  626

  29

  85

  Pearl

  46,551

  3,871

  39,043

  5,647

  33,396

  30,262

  65

  85

  Prudential

  72,118

  19,429

  52,637

  3,866

  48,771

  39,755

  55

  87

  Barclays

  17,007

  6,126

  9,805

  2,219

  7,586

  6,604

  39

  88

  AXA Equity and Law

  3,969

  774

  2,941

  609

  2,332

  2,174

  55

  90

  Norwich Union

  7,423

  2,248

  4,717

  726

  3,991

  3,719

  50

  90

  Godwins

  1,478

  113

  1,351

  456

  895

  778

  53

  91

  Midland

  4,844

  534

  4,154

  489

  3,665

  3,512

  73

  94

  A: cases identified as requiring review

  B: of A, cases where investor was informed that information gained during assessment excluded cases from review

  C: number of assessments completed

  D: cases where the investor has been informed that no redress is due

  E: cases where redress has been offered

  F: cases where redress has been accepted

  G: cases where redress has been accepted as a percentage of cases identified for review ((F/A)×100)

  H: cases completed, including exclusions, as a percentage of cases identified for review (((B+D+F)/A)×100)
  502
  Information provided by firms to PIA indicates that several firms are close to achieving the targets set for them. If subsequent PIA inspections show that these initial indications are correct, then the firms' names will be removed from the list.

  However, this does not mean that their work will be over. The regulators will continue to monitor firms, even after their targets have been met, to ensure that they follow through on offers of redress in a timely manner and establish the arrangements necessary to honour guarantees. I am asking the regulators to keep me informed.

HEALTH

  Nurses
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had about retaining the title nurse; and if he will make a statement. [42994]

  Mr. Milburn
  In August 1997, we commissioned an independent review of the Nurses, Midwives and Health Visitors Act 1979, which is due to report this year. This is one of the issues the review team has raised during their consultation, and we await their recommendations with interest.

  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to commission research on the effect of changes in(a) staffing levels and (b) staffing mix in NHS trusts on nursing standards. [43008]

  Mr. Milburn
  In 1996 the Department commissioned a programme of research which focused particularly on skill mix with an overall spend of £3 million. This includes research on new roles and new responsibilities in nursing and medicine, and explores the implications of developments within the clinical team, as well as skill mix in primary care, diagnostic imaging centres and hospital teams. Many of these projects are now close to completion.

  In addition to this research, there are plans for a major new research programme on human resources. Proposed themes for this research programme include skill mix as one of the five key areas. The tendering process is likely to begin in September and precise details are still under discussion.

  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 11 May 1998,Official Report, column 41, if he will list those NHS trusts which have not yet designated a named officer responsible for checking registration before applicants take up a post. [43013]

  Mr. Milburn
  This information is not available centrally. The Department has recently issued guidance on this matter, but it is for employers to ensure that suitable arrangements are in place.

  Health Care Assistants
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has given to NHS trusts on the types of work to be carried out by health care assistants and on which of their duties should be supervised by a registered nurse. [43011]

  Mr. Milburn
  It is the responsibility of employers to determine the duties that staff carry out. The United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting gives guidance to registered practitioners on their professional responsibilities for supervision.

  NHS Research and Development Funds
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to introduce greater accountability into the distribution of NHS research and development funds; and if he will make a statement. [43012]
  504
  Ms Jowell
  The new system for allocating National Health Service research and development (R&D) funds has introduced greater accountability. R&D support funding for NHS providers is now distributed through a competitive process with bids assessed against published criteria, and successful providers obliged to account regularly to the NHS Executive for the use of these funds. The NHS Executive has in place, and will continue to develop, mechanisms for identifying and prioritising R&D activity which is best funded directly by the Executive itself. The new system will be the subject of evaluation. The Department's Director of Research and Development plans to publish an annual report on Department of Health and NHS R&D later in the year.

  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list, for each NHS region, the proportion of NHS research and development funding spent on primary care research for each of the past five years. [43009]

  Ms Jowell
  The research and development (R&D) support funding allocated to primary care led providers in each National Health Service region during 1998–99 is set out in the table. This is the first year under the new R&D funding system that allocations have been made directly to primary care practices. In addition to research carried out by primary care providers, other providers within each NHS region spend some of their R&D support funding on primary care research, and the Department and NHS Executive also centrally commission primary care research projects for the benefit of the NHS as a whole. The total such R&D spending was estimated for 1996–97 at £31 million. Information on the total R&D spend on primary care by NHS region is not currently available.

  NHS region

  1998–99 primary care led allocations (£)

  1998–99 total allocation of R&D support funding (£)

  Percentage of total allocation that is primary care led

  Anglia and Oxford

  161,229

  18,287,835

  0.9

  North Thames

  848,194

  196,391,466

  0.4

  Northern and Yorkshire

  68,584

  15,984,781

  0.4

  South Thames

  372,410

  50,910,686

  0.7

  South and West

  471,279

  15,599,377

  3.0

  Trent

  110,456

  20,500,326

  0.5

  West Midlands

  270,149

  9,637,214

  2.8

  North West

  0

  20,384,272

  0.0

  Total

  2,302,301

  349,370,957

  0.7

  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ensure that more research and development funding is spent on primary care research; and if he will make a statement. [43010]

  Ms Jowell
  We gave a commitment in November 1997 to increase spending on primary care research and development (R&D) to around £50 million within five years, and the recommendations of the National Working Group Report on R&D in Primary Care, published at that time, are now being implemented. A Regional Director of Research and Development within the National Health Service Executive has been identified to lead the development of primary care research in the NHS. Primary care practices now have access to R&D funding on the same basis as NHS trusts. Primary care practices and other providers are being actively encouraged to bid
  505
  for funding for primary care research, and the NHS Executive is promoting primary care research and developing capacity through new research programmes, the establishment of new national training awards, and through nationally commissioned research programmes.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letters from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton dated 12 February, 18 March and 16 April with regard to Darren Stott of 35 Wisteria Road. [42898]

  Mr. Boateng
  I replied to my right hon. Friend today following receipt of the original letter on 12 May 1998.

  Non-career Civil Servants
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many non-career civil servants have been appointed to his Department since 1 May 1997. [25853]

  Ms Jowell
  Since 1 May 1997, 137 staff on fixed term contracts have been and are still employed by the Department. In addition, we have employed 123 casuals who are still employed, and 85 casuals who have left. These figures do not include the National Health Service Estates Agency. We have also employed two special advisers.

  Hepatitis C
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people with haemophilia in the United Kingdom infected with the hepatitis C virus; and if he will make a statement. [29003]

  Ms Jowell
  The Department estimates that around 4,000 people with haemophilia were infected with hepatitis C through blood products prior to the introduction of viral inactivation processes in 1985.

  The latest figure quoted by the Haemophilia Society shows that they now assess the total number of haemophiliacs infected with hepatitis C at 4,800.

  Ministerial Meetings
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many meetings have been requested with his Department's Ministers by(a) Labour and (b) Conservative hon. Members; and how many meetings have been granted in each category. [31288]

  Ms Jowell
  All members of the Department's Ministerial team regularly meet hon. Members from all sides of the House. Records of Ministerial engagements are not kept in the format requested and the detailed information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Faulty Hip Replacements
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on how many faulty hip replacements have been identified in the North West in each of the last 10 years. [31029]
  506
  Mr. Milburn
  The information requested is not held centrally. The successful outcome of a hip replacement operation is likely to be based on an interaction between the surgeon's skill, the artificial joint and the patient's medical condition. Figures showing the number of revision operations carried out in the North West Region between 1991–92 and 1995–96 are shown in the table, but because we do not know when the original hip was implanted, the figures are not an indication of early failure.

  Year

  Revision operations

  1991–92

  507

  1992–93

  515

  1993–94

  513

  1994–95

  505

  1995–96

  529

  Source:

  Hospital Episode Statistics

  Revision Operation Codes

  37.0, 38.0, 39.0, 46.0, 47.0, 48.0

  37.2, 38.2, 39.2, 46.2, 47.2, 48.2

  37.3, 38.3, 39.3, 46.3, 47.3, 48.3

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to establish a national register of patients who have received hip and other joint replacements implants; and if he will make a statement. [31375]

  Mr. Milburn
  We are considering various options for monitoring orthopaedic implants and systems for controlling the introduction of new implants. A national register is one option under consideration.

  Contraception Devices
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines his Department has issued to ensure that contraception devices have clear information on their use and rate of success. [32434]

  Ms Jowell
  Contraceptive devices which fall under the remit of the Medicines Control Agency are subject to European Directive 92/27/EEC. This Directive details medicine labelling and patient information leaflet regulations. Mention of efficacy levels in these patient information leaflets or licensed product information is considered promotional material and not permitted.

  It is not generally appropriate for the Government to guide industry on how to communicate about its products. We would, however, expect manufacturers to follow the general principles of ensuring communication is clear, comprehensive and explicit to ensure potential users can make appropriate choices.

  Diabetes
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list by region the number of NHS bed days taken up by patients with diabetic foot complications in each of the last three years for which figures are available; [41139]

  (2) if he will list by region the number of (a) major and (b) below the knee amputations carried out in the NHS as a consequence of diabetes in each of the last three years for which figures are available; [41135]
  507
  (3) if he will list by region the number of acute medical admissions as a result of diabetic foot complications in each of the last three years for which figures are available; [41138]

  (4) what progress his Department has made in meeting the 1989 St. Vincent's Declaration target in respect of half-limb amputations due to diabetic gangrene; [41137]

  (5) if he will list by region the number of NHS specialist diabetic foot clinics; [41136]

  (6) if he will list by region the number of recorded diabetic foot ulcers treated by the NHS in each of the last three years for which figures are available. [41140]

  Mr. Milburn
  We are committed to improving health services for people with diabetes. The 1995 report of the St. Vincent Joint Task Force for Diabetes made recommendations about good clinical and management practice in eleven key areas. The Department issued service guidance to the National Health Service in November 1997 on "Key features of a good diabetes service" (Health Service Guidelines HSG(97)45). We have also commissioned clinical guidelines and other clinical effectiveness materials for diabetes, which we expect to be completed by the end of 1999. These will cover prevention and treatment of diabetic foot complications.

  The Department welcomes the recent launch of the "Focus on Feet" campaign by the British Diabetic Association, the Royal College of Nursing and the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists. We hope that it will be successful in raising awareness of the importance of preventative foot care for people with diabetes.

  Information is not collected centrally on the number of NHS specialist diabetic foot clinics. The available information on NHS in-patient treatment has been placed in the Library. It is based on episodes of individual treatment by consultants.

  Asthma
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each local authority the total cost and the cost per head of treating asthma and other breathing-related illnesses for each year since 1992. [41946]

  Mr. Boateng
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply to the right hon. Member for East Devon (Sir Peter Emery) on 22 July 1997,Official Report, column 569. This gave the available information on the costs of drugs dispensed for the treatment of asthma in England by family health services authority for the years 1993 to 1995 and by health authority for 1996 (the most recent year for which data are available). Some of the drugs in question may be used for the treatment of other conditions.

  Information on the other costs to the National Health Service is not available centrally for individual conditions. However, a discussion document "Burdens of Disease" was issued in October 1996 which illustrated one approach to estimating the burdens of particular diseases on the NHS. This suggested that in 1992–93 the total of other, non-prescribing costs of the NHS services for treating asthma was of the order of £150 million.

  Arachnoiditis
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the risk of myelography causing arachnoiditis; and if he will make a statement. [42391]

  Ms Jowell
  Any injury to the arachnoid membrane carries a risk of arachnoiditis. However, all medicinal products, such as the contrast agents used in myelography, are subject to stringent assessment of safety, quality and efficacy prior to being licensed. They are closely monitored by the Medicines Control Agency after licensing to detect any previously unrecognised adverse effects or any change in the balance of risks and benefits.

  National Blood Authority
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that the present terms and conditions of staff employed by the National Blood Authority remain in place. [42678]

  Mr. Boateng
  The terms and conditions of National Blood Authority (NBA) staff are a matter for negotiation between the NBA, their staff and their staff representatives. The new chairman of the NBA, Mr. Fogden, will ensure that negotiations are taken forward with staff and their representatives.

  NHS Premises (Safety)
  Laura Moffatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are taken to ensure that National Health Service trusts have adequate arrangements for recording accidents on National Health Service premises; what encouragement is given to staff to report accidents; and what steps the National Health Service Executive takes to monitor the safety performance of National Health Service trusts. [42461]

  Mr. Milburn
  The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 require certain types of accidents to be reported to the Health and Safety Executive. The National Health Service Executive has issued guidance emphasising the importance of effective accident and incident reporting systems for NHS employers, and outlining the characteristics of a good incident reporting system. Ensuring staff are encouraged to report incidents is a matter for NHS trusts. The safety performance of NHS trusts is the responsibility of NHS trust chief executives and their boards.

  Laura Moffatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list his duties in respect of ensuring the safety of(a) staff employed in the National Health Service, and (b) patients and visitors to National Health Service premises. [42464]

  Mr. Milburn
  We place a very high priority on the safety of National Health Service staff and of patients and visitors to NHS premises. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992 place duties on all employers to assess systematically all workplace risks, and to take all reasonably practicable action to minimise those risks. Chief executives and their boards are statutorily responsible for ensuring the safety of staff, patients and visitors.
  509
  The NHS Security Manual gives advice to all trusts on the use of security measures and the NHS Executive continues to support this guidance by regularly publishing best practice on specific aspects of security.

  Laura Moffatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if National Health Service trusts are required to include reports on their health and safety record in their annual reports. [42463]

  Mr. Milburn
  The National Health Service Trust Manual for Accounts recommends that trusts should include information on health and safety performance and occupational health in their annual reports. Guidance to trusts on health and safety also commends the inclusion of information on health and safety performance in their annual reports.

  NHS Staff
  Laura Moffatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many working days were lost through sickness, ill health or injury by National Health Service staff in the last year for which figures are available; and at what estimated total cost. [42459]

  Mr. Milburn
  The numbers of working days lost through sickness, ill health or injury in the National Health Service are not currently collected centrally.

  Occupational Health
  Laura Moffatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of National Health Service staff in each region have access to an occupational health service. [42462]

  Mr. Milburn
  The information requested is not collected centrally. National Health Service trusts and health authorities are responsible for ensuring that their staff have access to an occupational health service.

  EU Health Council
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many environmental appraisals were produced by the European Commission to accompany proposals presented to the EU Health Council on 1 May. [42668]

  Ms Jowell
  None. These are not normally required for proposals for action in the field of public health.

  Health Improvement Programmes
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if health authorities will be obliged to consult voluntary sector service providers as partner agencies in the formation of health improvement programmes; and if he will make a statement. [42892]

  Mr. Milburn
  We shall expect health authorities to involve the full range of local partner organisations, including voluntary sector organisations, in the development of health improvement programmes.

  Coeliac Disease
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce legislation to improve food labelling to assist sufferers of coeliac disease in identifying which processed foods are gluten free. [29921]
  510
  Mr. Rooker
  I have been asked to reply.

  Yes. The Food Labelling Regulations 1996 will be amended on 1 July this year to require ingredients of foods identified as "starch" and "modified starch" to indicate their specific vegetable origin where they may contain gluten.

  We are also promoting agreement at international level on food labelling rules which will identify gluten containing ingredients whenever they are used in processed foodstuffs.

  Blood Products
  Mr. Maples
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths have occurred in each of the last five years as a result of blood transfusions and faulty blood products; and if he will list the causes of death. [42864]

  Mrs. Liddell
  [holding answer 19 May 1998]: I have been asked to reply.

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

  Letter from John Fox to Mr. John Maples, dated 20 May 1998:
  In the absence of the Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent question on deaths which have occurred as a result of blood transfusions and faulty blood products.
  The table below shows the numbers of deaths registered in England and Wales with either (a) an underlying cause of blood transfusion or contaminated blood products or (b) where blood transfusion or contaminated blood products were mentioned on the death certificate as contributing to the death.

  Blood transfusion

  Contaminated blood products

  Underlying Cause

  Othe mentions

  Underlying cause

  Other mentions

  1993

  0

  0

  1

  2

  1994

  3

  1

  3

  4

  1995

  1

  1

  1

  3

  1996

  2

  13

  0

  1

  1997

  2

  6

  1

  8

  Note:

  The figures for 1993–96 are the deaths that occurred in these years, whereas the figures for 1997 are the deaths registered in 1997

  Water Fluoridation
  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish and place in the Library the detailed statistical basis for the statement by the Minister for Public Health on 6 May 1998,Official Report, column 700, that more than two-thirds of the public support the fluoridation of water; and if he will publish the particulars of all the areas where consultation has taken place, the identity of the sponsors of the consultation, details of the questions asked, including information as to whether there was any public education of those interviewed, details of the representations received and precise information as to sample sizes. [41982]
  511
  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 18 May 1998]: Since 1980, 5 nationwide opinion polls have been undertaken which included the question "Do you think fluoride should be added to water if it can reduce tooth decay?"

  The results are shown in the table.

  Percentages

  Year

  Research organisation

  Yes

  No

  Don't know

  1980

  NOP

  66

  16

  18

  1985

  Gallup

  71

  17

  11

  1987

  Gallup

  76

  15

  9

  1992

  NOP

  79

  15

  6

  1997

  NOP

  69

  18

  13

  As is the usual practice, the respondents to the surveys were selected according to a systematic probability sample designed to be representative of all adults in Great Britain.

  Millennium Compliance
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress being made towards equipment in the(a) Mid-Essex Hospital Trust, (b) Mid-Essex Community and Mental Health Trust and (c) Essex Health Authority areas being millennium compliant; and when he expects the work to be completed. [42895]

  Mr. Milburn
  All health authorities and National Health Service trusts are working in line with national policy and guidelines set out in Executive Letters EL(96)80 and EL(97)59 and their accompanying guidelines Health Service Guidelines (97)40, and Health Service Circular 1998/091 to address the Year 2000 problem. Copies of the guidelines are available in the Library.

  HSC 1998/091 is the latest guidance and states that all chief executives of health authorities and NHS trusts should submit new interim returns to the NHS Executive's Regional Offices on 30 June and 30 September 1998, and quarterly reports throughout 1999; ensure that by 31 December 1998 they have identified and resourced effective solutions for all Year 2000 problems that would otherwise compromise the safety of patients and staff, and the continuity of services; and to ensure that by 30 September 1999 all parts of the NHS are fully prepared with compliant equipment or effective contingency plans in place.

  Such information as is available on specific trusts will be placed in the Library shortly. I shall arrange for a copy to be sent to the hon. Member.

  Hip Replacements
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to seek reimbursement from manufacturers for those hip replacement prostheses which have been subject to early failures. [31378]

  Mr. Milburn
  The question of whether to seek reimbursement would depend on the particular circumstances. In respect of the early loosening associated with the Capital Hip implant, the manufacturer, 3M Health Care, has agreed to bear the full costs of identifying, assessing and treating individual patients.
  512
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what research he has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the relationship between the reliability of hip replacement prostheses and their purchase prices; [31374]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the reliability record of currently available hip replacement prostheses; and what plans he has to issue guidance to the general public on this issue. [31377]

  Mr. Milburn
  Copies of an Effective Health Care Bulletin on total hip replacement are available in the Library. This review found that some of the cheaper established implants had the lowest long-term failure rates over 10–20 years follow-up.

  Two further systematic reviews have been commissioned through our health technology assessment programme: one to review the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of total hip replacement prostheses, and the other to review the factors influencing outcomes and costs of hip replacement surgery. Reports are expected later this year.

  Interstitial Cystitis
  Miss Begg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to raise awareness amongst health professionals of interstitial cystitis, with particular reference to problems in diagnosis. [28113]

  Ms Jowell
  This is a matter for the professions; we have no current plans to do so. Interstitial cystitis is a rare chronic inflammatory disease of the bladder affecting mainly women. Diagnosis is often difficult and little is known about its cause or the most effective treatment. There are already a number of reviews and articles on the subject which have been published in the professional journals.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Consultation Papers
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the consultation papers published since 1 May 1997 giving the date of publication, closing date for submissions and the number of respondents. [42250]

  Dr. Howells
  I have placed in the Library a table showing the consultation papers produced by the Department of Education and Employment since 1 May 1997.

  Key State Results
  Mr. Dorrell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many schools did not submit(a) papers and (b) results for (i) the key stage 2 tests and (ii) the key stage 3 tests in 1997. [40940]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  [holding answer 7 May 19981: Twenty-three maintained mainstream schools did not submit 1997 key stage 2 national curriculum assessment results, and two maintained mainstream schools did not submit 1997 key stage 3 national curriculum assessment results. It is not possible to determine the number of

  513
  special schools which did not submit results, as it is impossible to differentiate between those schools whose pupils were all disapplied from the national curriculum assessments, and therefore had no results to return, and those schools which chose not to return results. Participation by independent schools in the national curriculum assessment test is voluntary, so they have not been included in this analysis. It is not possible to differentiate between results and papers.

  Braille Certificates
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will require examination boards to produce certificates in Braille for blind candidates. [42056]

  Dr. Howells
  The Department has no powers to require awarding bodies to produce certificates in Braille at present. However, I would expect awarding bodies to consider sympathetically requests for such certificates from blind candidates.

  Special Education Provision
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the Teacher Training Agency-funded higher education providers that deal with special education needs in the south west; and if he will make a statement. [42173]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The Teacher Training Agency does not hold information about the higher education institutions that currently deal with special educational needs in the south west. The following are the providers in the south-west which submitted bids to the Teacher Training Agency for in-service training provision which included elements of provision relating to SEN and who will receive funding for 1998–99:

  The University of Bath;

  Bath College of Higher Education;

  Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education;

  University College of St. Mark and St. John;

  The University of Plymouth;

  The University of the West of England.

  I understand that the Teacher Training Agency reached its decisions on the allocation of the relevant funding on the basis of competitive bids from providers to deliver in-service training for teachers judged according to their quality in meeting identified national priorities. The Agency has issued contracts for the academic year 1998–99. It will be considering shortly the basis of the interim bidding rounds in respect of 1999–2000 and 2000–01.

  Autism
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the number of schoolchildren with autism in each year since 1992. [42798]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  It is for local education authorities to identify children with special educational needs and plan provision to meet expected demand. The national figures which the Department collects on the number of children with SEN are not disaggregated by type of special need. The National Autistic Society has estimated 514
  that 5,200 school aged children have Kanner's or classic autism; other children will have autistic spectrum disorders, often in association with other types of SEN.

  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what assessment he has made of the Lovaas intensive behaviour therapy; [42793]

  (2) what research his Department has commissioned into the (i) causes of autism, (ii) the treatment methods offered by local education authorities and (iii) the effectiveness of different treatments. [42795]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The Department has commissioned a review of the research findings on educational programmes for children with autism. A report will be published in the near future. It will cover research into the Lovaas programme. The report will inform the design of research the Local Government Association is commissioning, following discussion with DfEE, into the comparative outcomes from a number of these educational interventions.

  Higher Education (Rural Areas)
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to improve the availability of higher and further education to residents in rural areas. [42581]

  Dr. Howells
  Our proposals for encouraging lifelong learning for people throughout the UK, including rural communities, are set out in the consultation paper "The Learning Age". Higher education is available in England from over 100 higher education institutions, including the Open University, and from many further education colleges. The Further Education Funding Council has a duty to secure the provision of adequate and sufficient facilities for further education.

  Higher Education Students
  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the maximum grant and loan available to higher education students in 1998–99 will be; what the maximum loan available in future years will be; and if he will make a statement. [42374]

  Dr. Howells
  Students living away from home and studying outside London will normally be entitled to a maximum of £3,545 by way of grant and loan in 1998–99. New entrants to higher education in 1998–99 will be eligible for £810 grant and £2,735 loan. This reflects the transitional arrangements for student support that have been put in place for 1998–99 in preparation for the new student support system, based on 100 per cent. income-contingent loans, being introduced for 1999–2000 and beyond.

  Students who are already receiving mandatory awards in 1997–98, together with those new entrants who are exceptionally being treated as continuing students in 1998–99, will be eligible for £1,810 grant and £1,735 loan. The amount of grant available can be enhanced by certain additional allowances, such as the disabled students allowance or the dependants allowance. The rates for 1998–99 were announced in December, and a memorandum giving full details of these rate was placed in the Library.
  515
  The maximum loan rates for 1999–2000 will be announced later in the year, in line with normal practice.

  Mr. Ainger
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many(a) mature and (b) regular students took up higher education places in (i) 1996 and (ii) 1997; and how many in each case are predicted to do so in 1998, in (1) England, (2) Wales and (3) the UK. [42417]

  Dr. Howells
  The information for 1996 and 1997 is given in the table:

  Home entrants (thousands) to HE courses in higher education institutions

  1996–97

  1997–981

  Country of study

  Young

  Mature

  Young

  Mature

  England

  222.1

  290.5

  234.1

  293.1

  Wales

  17.7

  18.5

  17.6

  16.8

  UK

  276.2

  339.1

  290.1

  342.9

  1 Provisional.

  Mature students are defined as postgraduates aged 25 and over, and undergraduates aged 21 and over. The figures include both full-time and part-time students. Figures do not include those entering to study for a higher education qualification in further education colleges.

  The Department does not publish forecasts of entrants by age or by country of study.

  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage change has taken place in the numbers of(a) mature students applying for courses of higher education and (b) lone parents applying for courses of higher education as mature students in each of the last three years. [42403]

  Dr. Howells
  The available data are given in the table.

  Mature1 home applicants to full-time and sandwich undergraduate courses in the UK applying via UCAS

  Year of entry:

  1995

  1996

  1997

  Numbers

  97,643

  90,687

  97,401

  Percentage change compared to previous year

  +2.9

  -7.1

  +7.4

  1 Defined as applicants aged 21 or over

  The latest figures from UCAS on applicants for autumn 1998 entry show that, as at 20 March, the numbers of mature applicants are down by 14 per cent. compared with the previous year, though this indicates a recovery from the position earlier in the cycle. This fall in part reflects trends in demographics and the numbers of potential entrants with the relevant entry qualifications. However, these figures are not a particularly good guide to final numbers for mature applicants as mature students tend typically to apply later in the applications cycle. Moreover, the UCAS figures do not cover applicants to part-time or postgraduate courses. Information on the numbers of lone parents who applied as mature students is not held centrally.

  Jobseeker's Allowance
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many claims have been(a) terminated in each year since the implementation
  516
  of the jobseeker's allowance because of a breach of the jobseeker's agreement and (b) subsequently reinstated following their referral to an adjudication officer; [42386]

  (2) what was the average time between termination of a jobseeker's allowance claim because of a breach of the Jobseeker's Agreement and reinstatement following referral to an adjudicator in each year since the implementation of the jobseeker' s allowance. [42387]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Failure to comply with the terms set out in the jobseeker' s agreement does not, in itself, result in the loss or termination of jobseeker's allowance. It may, however, give rise to a doubt as to whether the jobseeker is available for, and actively seeking, employment. If this is the case, then it is those questions that will be referred for adjudication.

  The Employment Service's quarterly analysis of adjudication officers' decisions is available in the Library.

  Employment Service (Toilets)
  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment for what reasons it is the official policy of the Employment Service not to provide public toilets in its buildings. [42768]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its chief executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Leigh Lewis to Dr. Brian Iddon, dated 21 May 1998:
  The Secretary of State for Education and Employment has asked me to reply to your question regarding the reasons why the Employment Service does not provide public toilets in its buildings. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Employment Service.
  Historically, the Employment Service has not provided public toilets in its buildings largely because of the high cost of provision and maintenance which would be needed in our 1,000 plus Jobcentres. The majority of Jobcentres are in fact located in town centres where public toilet provision is available. I would also expect staff to by sympathetic to anyone with an urgent need to use a toilet, especially children, if they were made aware of the difficulty and public toilets were not to hand.
  In addition, in response to the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act, we are installing toilet facilities for disabled clients on a rolling basis, where it is feasible to do so. More generally, with the introduction of the New Deal programmes including the impending extension of the New Deal programme for Lone Parents later this year, we are reviewing our current policy on the provision of public toilets. The recommendations arising from the review should be available within the next month.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Euro
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to monitor the content of teaching and information materials about the euro currency funded by the European Commission supplied to schools in England and to ensure its compliance with the terms of the Education Act 1996. [42679]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  We cannot, and would not wish to, prevent information from being used in schools in a spirit of healthy debate. Under section 407 of the Education Act 1996, however, schools must present political issues to
  517
  pupils in a balanced way. Any complaint of political bias should be made to the school's governing body in the first instance. We can also consider such a complaint, once the local procedure has been exhausted and if the complainant remains dissatisfied.

  Public Bodies
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what is the average salary of(a) male and (b) female members of boards of non-departmental public bodies responsible to his Department; [42838]

  (2) what is the average attendance fee of (a) male and (b) female members of boards of non-departmental public bodies responsible to his Department. [42839]

  Dr. Howells
  The majority of board members of non-governmental public bodies give their time and services voluntarily, and receive no payment other than normal travel and subsistence expenses. Where members do receive remuneration, this can vary between an annual salary, an honorarium or an attendance fee (which itself can be a daily rate or a half-daily rate, or calculated on a per meeting or per case basis). Individuals' remuneration therefore is not directly comparable.

  Full details of all payments to board members of non-departmental bodies, by gender, are given in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies". Copies of "Public Bodies 1997" are available in the Library.

  Public Appointments
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when his Department's action plan for increasing the number of women holding public appointments will be published; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [42840]

  Dr. Howells
  The Department's action plan will be published shortly. Copies will be placed in the Library.

  Class Sizes
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the impact of compliance with the Government's target for reducing class sizes to 30 or fewer on the extra funding attracted by class sizes of 30-plus in circumstances where it is used to support specialist staff; and how schools will be compensated for the loss of this funding. [43099]

  Mr. Byers
  The Government will provide the funding required for schools to implement our pledge to reduce infant class sizes to 30 or below. We intend to bring forward the date of implementation to September 2001 at the latest. We have already allocated £22 million in revenue funding for 1998–99 and are now considering applications for the allocation of a further £40 million for capital work.

  New Deal (Disabled People)
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what will be the minimum population size eligible for a bid for funding under the new deal for disabled people. [43098]
  518
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  There is no minimum population size required for a bid for funding under the new deal for disabled people programme.

  The personal adviser service of the programme will be piloted in 12 areas linked to Benefits Agency districts. In those six areas which are open to competitive tender, the client groups range in size from 11,380 to 22,780.

  Innovative schemes are being developed within this new deal programme to learn more about the most effective approaches for helping disabled people into work. In order to draw valid conclusions about them, we will need about 100 participants in each scheme, although we will consider bids for projects with a minimum of 50 participants.

  Beacon Schools
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many schools have been awarded beacon status; what representations he has received on the decision to award schools beacon status; and by what means his Department will inform hon. Members of proposals to award beacon status to schools in their constituencies. [43103]

  Mr. Byers
  There are no beacon schools at present. I have invited those 177 schools recently identified by HMCI as "best performing" to consider beacon school status and to respond by 1 June. A number of other schools have also expressed interest in becoming beacon schools. A list of schools awarded beacon status will be published before the end of the summer term.

  Pre-schools
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps his Department is taking to ensure that pre-schools are not disadvantaged by changes to LEA admission procedures for four-year-olds. [42115]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  We expect proposals to change admission policies for maintained schools in respect of 3 and 4-year-olds to be discussed in the newly established early years development partnerships which include the private and voluntary sectors as partners in the planning and delivery of good-quality early education. We will consider whether any other measures are necessary to sustain co-operation, collaboration and partnership between sectors.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what measures his Department is taking to reduce the amount of administrative work having to be undertaken by pre-schools. [42116]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Through abolition of the nursery education voucher scheme, we have substantially reduced the administrative work of pre-schools and other providers.

  Teachers (In-service Training)
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is his policy regarding training of in-service teachers. [42172]
  519
  Ms Estelle Morris
  The Government are clear that their targets and agenda for raising standards can be achieved only if there is a substantial programme of re-skilling and updating the knowledge and techniques available to serving teachers.

  For this reason, we are investing heavily in in-service teacher training. The Government are supporting £505 million for 1998–99 through the standards fund, at least a third of which is available for teacher training. Most of this is ring-fenced for specific priorities including the training for raising standards in literacy and numeracy and training for head teachers.

  The Teacher Training Agency also provides approximately £21 million annually to providers of INSET. For the first time this year, this funding was allocated on the basis of competitive bids from providers to deliver in-service training for teachers. The bids were judged according to their capacity to meet identified national priorities.

  Additionally we are investing £230 million from the national lottery between 1999 and 2002 in information and communications technology teacher training. We expect these resources to come on stream from spring 1999.

  Higher Education Provision
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many Teacher Training Agency-funded higher education providers there are in each Government office region; and how many will remain in each Government office region following decisions to re-direct in-service funding from some higher education providers. [42134]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The table shows the number of HE providers currently in receipt of TTA INSET funding in each Government Office region.

  Government Office region

  Numbers of HE providers with TTA INSET funds 1997–98

  South West

  7

  South East

  1

  London

  10

  West Midlands

  8

  Eastern

  6

  East Midland

  8

  North West

  4

  Merseyside

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  12

  North East

  5

  Other (the Open University)

  1

  The number which will be in receipt of TTA funds in three years' time, at the end of the current allocations cycle, cannot be estimated because there will be interim bidding rounds relating to 1999–2000 and 2000–01.

  Higher Education (South-west)
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the locations of the Teacher Training Agency-funded higher education providers in the south-west region. [42171]
  520
  Ms Estelle Morris
  The providers in 1997–98 are as follows:

  The University of Bath, Bath;

  Bath College of Higher Education, Bath;

  The University of Bristol, Bristol;

  Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education, Cheltenham;

  University College of St. Mark and St. John, Plymouth;

  The University of Plymouth, Plymouth;

  The University of the West of England, Bristol.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Police and Military Forces (Support)
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the support currently provided by his Department for(a) police and (b) military forces, broken down by country. [40613]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  FCO support for the police and the military in FY 1997/98 under the United Kingdom Military Training Assistance Scheme (UKMTAS) and through other programme budgets is as listed. The list shows support for personnel of other countries attending training courses in the UK and countries to which UK training teams or loan service personnel were deployed.

  For 1998/99, the UKMTAS programme has been replaced by Assistance to Support Stability with In-Service Training (ASSIST), on which I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave to my hon. Friend Member for Chorley (Mr. Hoyle) on 26 March 1998, Official Report, columns 235–36.

  1997/98 FCO spending in support of the police

  Country

  £

  Albania

  750,000

  Anguilla

  2,245

  Antigua

  8,614

  Bahamas

  2,617

  Bangladesh

  6,483

  Barbados

  18,016

  Belize

  12,161

  Bosnia

  9,627

  Botswana

  41,457

  British Virgin Islands

  1,604

  Bulgaria

  9,589

  Chile

  43,555

  China

  13,379

  Colombia

  42,240

  Costa Rica

  14,448

  Croatia

  91

  Cyprus

  37,449

  Czech Republic

  3,950

  Estonia

  400

  Fiji

  26,181

  Ghana

  4,953

  Gibraltar

  86,451

  Grenada

  7,386

  Guyana

  121

  Hungary

  1,319

  India

  21,948

  Jamaica

  10,860

  Kenya

  1,604

  Lebanon

  25,644

  Lesotho

  14,445

  Malaysia

  7,717

  Malta

  11,196

  521

  1997/98 FCO spending in support of the police

  Country

  £

  Mauritius

  15,536

  Mongolia

  715

  Montserrat

  2,180

  Morocco

  23,120

  Mozambique

  502

  Namibia

  1,604

  Pakistan

  2,949

  Papua New Guinea

  28,089

  Paraguay

  27,267

  Peru

  4,255

  Philippines

  43,258

  Poland

  7,860

  St. Kitts

  1,604

  St. Vincent

  1,604

  Seychelles

  8,774

  Sierra Leone

  3,426

  Singapore

  6,698

  Solomon Islands

  17,851

  South Africa

  25,209

  Sri Lanka

  11,251

  Tanzania

  6,870

  Trinidad

  18,449

  Turks and Caicos Islands

  8,212

  Uganda

  22,461

  Uruguay

  16,170

  Vanuatu

  14,236

  Zambia

  14,153

  Zimbabwe

  7,902

  1997/98: FCO spending in support of the military

  Country

  £

  Angola

  207,650

  Antigua

  34,409

  Argentina

  18,344

  Bahamas

  52,528

  Bangladesh

  268,090

  Barbados + BMATT E. Caribbean1

  1,145,316

  Belarus

  26,170

  Belize + BELDA2

  665,365

  Botswana

  176,174

  Brazil

  36,438

  British Virgin Islands

  236,122

  Bulgaria

  89,541

  Chile

  41,365

  China

  52,353

  Colombia

  719,814

  Costa Rica

  1,276

  Croatia

  2,351

  Czech Republic

  222,961

  Ecuador

  5,188

  Egypt

  56,186

  El Salvador

  1,324

  Estonia

  16,232

  Ethiopia

  115,488

  Fiji

  107,104

  Ghana

  1,100,497

  Georgia

  61,741

  Grenada

  28,681

  Guatemala

  97,200

  Guyana

  96,647

  Honduras

  734

  Hungary

  341,016

  India

  306,416

  Indonesia

  225,612

  Ireland

  180,907

  Israel

  1,302

  Jamaica

  218,757

  Jordan

  329,425

  Kazakhstan

  904

  Kenya

  157,108

  522

  1997/98: FCO spending in support of the military

  Country

  £

  Latvia

  86,954

  Lebanon

  30,880

  Lesotho

  31,998

  Lithuania

  63,259

  Macedonia

  34,894

  Malawi

  186,011

  Malaysia

  373,796

  Malta

  80,032

  Mauritius

  212,339

  Moldova

  21,259

  Montserrat

  567

  Morocco

  84,211

  Mozambique

  93,410

  Namibia

  216,182

  Nepal

  98,364

  Pakistan

  826,730

  Papua New Guinea

  49,432

  Paraguay

  37,309

  Philippines

  74,075

  Poland

  336,323

  Romania

  149,335

  Russia

  33,544

  Senegal

  14,661

  Seychelles

  47,990

  Sierra Leone

  114,523

  Singapore

  47,140

  Slovakia

  147,374

  Slovenia

  110,175

  South Africa

  1,369,126

  Sri Lanka

  90,216

  St. Lucia

  7,839

  St. Vincent

  2,725

  Tanzania

  118,592

  Thailand

  268,249

  Trinidad and Tobago

  117,331

  Turks and Caicos Islands

  279,963

  Uganda

  2,462

  Ukraine

  358,814

  Uruguay

  33,571

  Yemen

  18,331

  Zambia

  25,736

  Zimbabwe inc. MBATT

  2,235,784

  1 BMATT = British Military Assistance and Training Team

  2 BELDA = Belize Defence Assistance

  1997/98: Contributions to international organisations

  £

  UN International Police Task Force (Bosnia)

  2,200,000

  UN Trust Fund for the Police Assistance Programme in Bosnia and Herzegovina

  2,000,000

  EU Caribbean Drugs Initiative

  430,000

  South Pacific Police Adviser's Budget

  51,710

  Sierra Leone
  Mr. Howard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) when Lord Avebury's letter reporting allegations that arms had been flown from Bulgaria was(a) received at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, (b) seen by officials in the Private Office of the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd), (c) seen by officials in the private office of the Secretary of State, (d) seen by the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Manchester, Central and (e) seen by the Secretary of State; [41723]
  523
  (2) when Lord Avebury's letter reporting allegations that arms had been flown in from Bulgaria was drawn to the attention of the Foreign Office's legal advisers; and who recommended this course of action; [41728]

  (3) pursuant to his oral answer of 6 May 1998, Official Report, column 722, on arms sales to Sierra Leone, what the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd), was told on 1 May that he had not been told in mid-April relating to Sandline's involvement in Sierra Leone; [41759]

  (4) if he will publish details of the information received from Britain's High Commissioner to Sierra Leone relating to Sandline, indicating (a) the dates when information was received and (b) if the information was seen by (i) the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd), and (ii) the Secretary of State; [41730]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  I refer the right hon. and learned Member to my statement in the House during the debate on 18 May 1998,Official Report, columns 604–11, in which I announced the investigation by Sir Thomas Legg KCB QC into allegations about Government involvement with the supply of arms to Sierra Leone by UK citizens and firms, and said that the Terms of Reference would be placed in the Library of the House. I intend to publish the report of the investigation.

  Mr. Howard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the oral statement of the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd), of 12 March 1998,Official Report, column 841, on the tribute paid by President Kabbah to the role of the British Government, if he will list the acts of support and assistance to which he understood President Kabbah to be referring. [41760]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  [holding answer 12 May 1998]: I refer to the statement by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, during the debate on 12 March 1998, Official Report, column 840, and the statement I made during the debate on 18 May 1998, Official Report, columns 604–11.

  Mr. Howard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates in 1998(a) the issue of Sandline's involvement in Sierra Leone was discussed by ministers and (b) officials raised that issue with ministers. [41725]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  [holding answer 12 May 1998]: I refer the right hon. and learned Member to my statement in the House in the debate on 18 May 1998, Official Report, columns 604–11, in which I announced the investigation by Sir Thomas Legg KCB QC into allegations about Government involvement with the supply of arms to Sierra Leone by UK citizens and firms, and said that the Terms of Reference would be placed in the Library of the House. I intend to publish the report of the investigation.

  Mr. Keith Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what departmental oral and written briefing material was submitted directly to him before 28 April concerning Sandline's involvement with arms sales to Sierra Leone; [41600]
  524
  (2) what oral or written submissions he received from his Minister of State, the hon. Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd) before 28 April concerning Sandline's involvement with arms sales to Sierra Leone. [41598]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  [holding answer 12 May 1998]: None.

  Mr. Keith Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) which member of his private office is responsible for policy relating to arms sales to Sierra Leone; [41609]

  (2) which member of his private office was responsible for the safekeeping of the letter from Sandline's solicitors to the Foreign Secretary, noted by his special adviser on 28 April. [41597]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  [holding answer 12 May 1998]: The Principal Private Secretary, assisted by two Private Secretaries and the other staff of the Private Office oversees the handling of all papers received in Private Office.

  Mr. Keith Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the letter from Sandline's solicitors concerning arms sales to Sierra Leone, first noted by his special adviser on 28 April, was contained in a departmental file within a ministerial box. [41599]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  I refer the hon. Member to my statement in the House during the debate on 18 May 1998,Official Report, columns 604–11, in which I announced the investigation by Sir Thomas Legg KCB QC into allegations about Government involvement with the supply of arms to Sierra Leone by UK citizens and firms, and said that the Terms of Reference would be placed in the Library of the House. I intend to publish the report of the investigation.

  Mr. Howard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance was offered by the Government to President Kabbah of Sierra Leone during his period of exile. [41801]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  [holding answer 13 May 1998]: I refer to the statement by my hon. Friend the Minister of State in the debate on 12 March 1998, Official Report, column 840, and the statement I made in the debate on 18 May 1998, Official Report, columns, 604–11.

  Mr. Howard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if helicopters supplied by United Kingdom firms were used to assist military intervention in Sierra Leone. [41964]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  [holding answer 14 May 1998]: I am aware of reports that the helicopter used by the local commander of the ECOMOG troops in Sierra Leone was operated by Sandline International.

  Mr. Keith Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date he first consulted Treasury Ministers concerning arms sales to Sierra Leone contrary to UN resolutions. [41823]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  [holding answer 14 May 1998]: I did not consult Treasury Ministers on this matter.
  525
  Mr. Keith Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date he first consulted the President of the Board of Trade and officials from the Department of Trade and Industry concerning arms sales to Sierra Leone contrary to UN resolutions. [41824]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  [holding answer 14 May 1998]: I did not consult my right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade, or other DTI Ministers or officials on this matter.

  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what way official telegrams are recorded in(a) his Department and (b) British missions overseas. [42457]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  [holding answer 18 May 1998]: All FCO telegrams are numbered sequentially in annual series to and from each post. The FCO's communications centre generates and records the numbers for outgoing telegrams and records the numbers on incoming telegrams from each post. Posts do likewise for telegrams they receive from the FCO.

  Some small Posts are not connected to the telegram network. These rely on facsimile for their communications.

  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd), met representatives of Sandline International in Sierra Leone on 31 March. [42287]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  [holding answer 18 May 1998]: No.

  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions he has(a) met (b) spoken to Mr. John Flynn, his special representative to Sierra Leone since 9 January; and what was discussed on each occasion. [42285]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  [holding answer 18 May 1998]: I have not met or spoken to Mr. Flynn since my last meeting with him on 9 January. He has kept in regular contact with the FCO and met my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd) on 19 March 1998.

  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd), discussed the activities of Sandline International with representatives of NGOs at their meeting on 1 April [42283]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  [holding answer 18 May 1998]: No.

  Mr. Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral answer of 12 May 1998,Official Report, column 164, if the telegram of 6 February was copied to (a) his Private Office and (b) other ministerial private offices. [42311]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  [holding answer 18 May 1998]: It was copied to my office and to that of the Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd).
  526
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Minister in his Department approved the terms of the Sierra Leone (United Nations Sanctions) Order 1997 before it was laid before Parliament. [42601]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  [holding answer 20 May 1998]: The Minister of State my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd).

  Engagements
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list his engagements for(a) 28 January, (b) 21 February, (c) 30 March and (d) 23 to 30 April. [42126]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  The information is as follows:List of Secretary of State's engagements for the following dates:

  Wednesday 28 January 1998
  am: attended Parliamentary Labour Party Meeting in House of Commons
  Lunch with Sun Editorial Board
  pm: Meeting with Bahraini Foreign Minister and Crown Prince
  Office Meeting concerning the forthcoming meeting with Gibraltar Chief Minister Caruana
  Drinks with Will Hutton of the Observer
  Dinner with Gibraltar Chief Minister Caruana

  Saturday 21 February 1998
  No official engagements

  Monday 30 March 1998
  Attending General Affairs Council in Brussels

  Thursday 23 April 1998
  am: Cabinet meeting at No. 10
  Meet the families of Chechen hostages
  pm: Office meeting on Gibraltar
  Preparation/telephone calls for General Affairs Council in Luxembourg on Monday 27 April
  Attend Lord Mayor's Banquet

  Friday 24 April 1998
  am: Office meeting to discuss possible visit to Copenhagen
  Interview with New Statesman
  Prepare speech for opening of "In Flanders Fields" Museum in Ypres
  pm: Office meeting on G7/G8
  Interview with Mike Rawthorne, BBC TV News
  Interview with John Kampfner

  Saturday 25 April 1998
  am: Travel to Belgium to attend the opening of "In Flanders Fields" Museum and deliver speech
  Attend lunch with Belgian Foreign Minister Derycke
  pm: Travel to Luxembourg for the General Affairs Council

  Sunday 26 April 1998
  pm: Council briefing
  Dinner with Finnish and Swedish Foreign Ministers

  Monday 27 April 1998—Tuesday 28 April 1998
  Attend General Affairs Council, Luxembourg

  Wednesday 29 April 1998
  am: Briefing session for EU/GCC Ministerial meeting with officials
  Bilaterals with Kuwaiti and Saudi Foreign Ministers
  Host EU/GCC Ministerial Meeting in Lancaster House
  pm: EU/GCC Reception
  527
  Thursday 30 April 1998
  am: Presidency meeting
  Cabinet meet at No. 10
  Launch of Lisbon Expo
  pm: Preparation/meetings/telephone calls for forthcoming meetings with US Secretary of State Mrs. Albright, and Prime Minister's meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Palestinian President Arafat
  Interview with Robin Oakley, BBC
  Attend Reception for 50th Anniversary of the Independence of Israel
  Travel to Edinburgh for Constituency programme.

  Sandline International
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs at what time and on what date the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd), first saw a copy of the letter addressed to the Foreign Secretary from S. J. Berwin & Co. on behalf of Sandline International dated 24 April. [42131]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  Friday 1 May.

  UNSCR
  Mr. Howard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the report to the UN Secretary-General requested by paragraph 13 of UNSCR 1132 about the steps taken to implement the measures set out in paragraphs 5 and 6 of UNSCR 1132. [41965]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  [holding answer 14 May 1998]: I have placed a copy in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Howard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the 30-day reports of ECOWAS to the Committee of the UN Security Council established by paragraph 10 of UNSCR 1132. [41966]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  [holding answer 14 May 1998]: ECOWAS reports to the Committee of the UN Security Council are not public documents. I do not have the authority to publish them.

  Rwanda
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been Her Majesty's Government's contribution to the United Nations Special Commission on Rwanda in each of the last three years. [42389]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  The UK's annual contribution to the UN Regular Budget in 1996–97 was 5.32%. Expenditure on the United Nations Commission of Inquiry into Arms Flows to Rwanda from the UN Regular Budget in the biennium 1996–97 was $520–506. The Commission completed the first phase of its work in November 1996. It was reactivated by Security Council Resolution 1161 of 9 April which encouraged UN Member States to make voluntary contributions to finance the work of the Commission. In response, the Government have announced a contribution of £100,000.

  Mr. Gerald Bull
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he or his officials have had with the Belgian authorities concerning the investigation into the murder of Mr. Gerald Bull; and if he will make a statement. [42608]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  The Belgian magistrate who is investigating the death of Gerald Bull has recently been informed on official channels that a visit to Brussels by a team of British scientific and technical officials had been planned for 19–21 March 1990 but did not in fact take place.

  Kashmir
  Ms Moran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he intends to take to encourage the international community to broker a resolution of the Kashmir issue. [42764]

  Mr. Fatchett
  I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer I gave to her on 19 May 1998,Official Report, column 363.

  Departmental Energy Use
  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of his Department's energy usage was from(a) renewable energy and (b) combined heating in each year since 1989–90. [42552]

  Mr. Fatchett
  None.

  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the quantity of(a) oil, (b) gas and (c) electricity purchased for the heating, lighting and powering of all accommodation occupied by his Department within the UK in each year since 1989–90; and what was the total cost in real terms of (a) to (c) in each year. [42549]

  Mr. Fatchett
  The quantities and costs of oil, gas and electricity purchased by my Department since 1990–91 are as follows:

  Year

  £

  kWh

  Electricity

  1990–91

  704,368

  11,901,826

  1991–92

  926,380

  12,624,474

  1992–93

  817,900

  12,638,949

  1993–94

  543,310

  8,007,072

  1994–95

  841,154

  13,127,261

  1995–96

  720,091

  13,825,100

  1996–97

  774,350

  17,205,125

  1997–98

  833,213

  17,881,626

  Gas

  1990–91

  28,201

  2,338,322

  1991–92

  38,895

  2,711,615

  1992–93

  36,000

  2,398,471

  1993–94

  40,280

  2,599,388

  1994–95

  28,631

  2,656,756

  1995–96

  22,006

  2,966,406

  1996–97

  35,683

  5,028,945

  1997–98

  52,015

  6,717,265

  529

  Year

  £

  kWh

  Fuel Oil

  1990–91

  69,304

  5,226,871

  1991–92

  78,285

  5,207,250

  1992–93

  72,400

  5,514,067

  1993–94

  1,240

  101,760

  1994–95

  49,487

  375,808

  1995–96

  27,287

  2,457,552

  1996–97

  65,033

  4,514,612

  1997–98

  56,059

  4,524,791

  Note:

  No figures available for 1989–90

  India
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his Indian counterparts on India's defence policies. [42564]

  Mr. Fatchett
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no recent discussions with Mr. Vajpayee on India's defence policies. I summoned the Acting Indian High Commissioner on 13 May to register our dismay and concern at the nuclear tests in India. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary made clear in his statement to the House on 14 May 1998,Official Report, column 312, that the UK condemns the tests. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister spoke to Mr. Vajpayee in similar terms during a telephone conversation on 15 May.

  Sudan
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on relations with Sudan; and if he will facilitate discussions between the Khartoum Government and the SPLM/SPLA. [42346]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  The Sudanese Government and the Sudan Peoples Liberation Army meet at the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) peace talks, the last session of which was held in Nairobi on 2–6 May. We support these talks. To maintain their momentum, we are presently discussing with members of the IGAD Partners Forum, the convening of an urgent meeting of the Forum. The intention will be to follow up on the outcome of the 2–6 May talks.

  GCHQ
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what factors his Department is taking into account in the relocation of GCHQ. [42491]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  [holding answer 20 May 1998]: GCHQ' s PFI project is being operated in accordance with standard public sector procurement practice in order to ensure value for money. The main factors taken into account are operational flexibility, the requirement for a single site within 10 miles of Cheltenham town centre, environmental considerations and the impact of planning restrictions. The results of the evaluation process are expected to be announced later this year.

  Deportations
  Mr. Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Kingdom citizens convicted of murder or homicide abroad have been deported back to the United Kingdom in each year since 1990. [41737]

  Mr. Fatchett
  [holding answer 19 May 1998]: Foreign jurisdictions are not required to inform us of the deportation of a British citizen. The information in the following table on the number of British citizens deported to the UK after completing a sentence for murder or homicide is therefore incomplete and relates only to those cases where we have become directly involved.

  Year

  Number

  1990

  4

  1991

  1

  1992

  1

  1993

  1

  1994

  2

  1995

  3

  1996

  1

  1997

  2

  Mr. Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Kingdom citizens, convicted of criminal offences abroad, have been deported back to the United Kingdom in each year since 1990. [41734]

  Mr. Fatchett
  [holding answer 19 May 1998]: Foreign jurisdictions are not required to inform us of the deportation of a British citizen. The information in the following table on the number of British citizens deported to the UK after completing a sentence for a criminal offence is therefore incomplete and relates only to those cases where we have become directly involved:

  Year

  Number

  1990

  245

  1991

  213

  1992

  256

  1993

  345

  1994

  270

  1995

  293

  1996

  237

  1997

  293

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the file of Mr. Sanjiv Kumar Nandra, ref IMM/ECR/98/S, whose wife resides in Burfield Street, Leicester will be passed to London. [43082]

  Mr. Fatchett
  We have asked our High Commission in New Delhi for a detailed account of the position. The Migration and Visa Correspondence Unit will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

  BBC World Service
  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on future funding for the BBC World Service. [42899]

  Mr. Fatchett
  We are examining with the Treasury how we deploy all our resources, including those dedicated to the World Service, as part of the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review.

  Indonesia
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make a statement on the safety and security measures being taken to move UK nationals from their homes in Jakarta to the airport for evacuation; [42921]

  (2) if he will make a statement on the evacuation of British citizens from Jakarta. [42920]

  Mr. Fatchett
  I refer my hon. Friend to the Statement I made in the House on 19 May 1998,Official Report, columns 731–32.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the safety of Clare Brooks, a constituent, currently in Jakarta. [42922]

  Mr. Fatchett
  We understand Clare Louise Brooks left Jakarta for the United Kingdom on 19 May.

  Falkland Islands
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will request the Argentinian Government to provide compensation to fund the clearance of mines laid in the Falkland Islands. [43044]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  The Argentine Government offered in 1993 to assist with demining and to meet the cost. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has asked them if, as a first step, they would be willing to help fund a British-led study to assess the feasibility and cost of demining the Falklands.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will request compensation for the Falkland Islands from the Argentinian Government for devastation caused during the Falklands conflict. [43043]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  We have no plans to ask the Argentines for compensation for the damage done during the Falklands conflict.

  Argentina
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new exceptions there have been to the arms embargo on Argentina. [43580]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  This Department has recently granted two exceptions to the embargo, one in respect of the sale of two hunting rifle barrels to a private individual in Argentina, another in respect of the sale of twenty deactivated weapons to an Argentine importer. These represent exceptions but not changes to the embargo.

  UN Register of Conventional Arms
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the United Kingdom submitted its 1997 return to the UN Register of Conventional Arms; and if copies of the return will be placed in the Library. [43581]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  This Department submitted its return to the UN Register covering conventional arms transfers in calendar year 1997 on the 7 May. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Our return includes information on types of weapons transferred, details of procurement from national production and details of military holdings which, for the first time, include the types of weapons held in six of the seven categories of weapons included on the Register.

  We attach great importance to the Register as a confidence building and transparency measure. We will continue to work with our EU partners to encourage as many countries as possible to make a return to the Register.

  Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the approval of a licence for the temporary export of aeroengine parts to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. [43582]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  This Department has approved a licence for the temporary export of aero-engine parts to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia for machining and assembling into more complete units. These units will be returned to the UK for inclusion in engine kits for export to Italy. As the export of the goods concerned is controlled under Part III of Schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994, this licence was an exception to our interpretation of the EU arms embargo on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. This decision does not affect the Government's continued support of the EU common position on arms exports to Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

  European Structural Funds
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the President of the European Commission concerning the future size of European structural funds; and if he will make a statement. [42430]

  Mrs. Roche
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Government believe that the Structural Funds need to be fair, affordable, durable, simpler, and more efficient. The overall budget should be well below the 0.46 per cent. of Community GNP proposed by the Commission, before and after enlargement.

  Representations by UK Ministers and Officials have been made to the Commission, outlining our support for containing the cost of the Funds.

  Discussions on finance are likely to take place towards the end of the year and will continue into early 1999. It is too early in the negotiations to comment on the size of the European Structural and Cohesion Funds.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Low Pay Commission
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade when she will publish the recommendations of the Low Pay Commission and announce her response to its recommendations. [43102]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  The Low Pay Commission was asked to make its recommendations by the end of this month and it is on course to do so. We will publish its report and the Government's response as soon as possible once we have considered the recommendations.

  More Group
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what representations she has received in respect of the takeover bid by J. C. Decaux for the More Group; and how many of these were from local authorities. (43039]

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  My right hon. Friend the President of the Board of Trade and the Director General of Fair Trading have received a considerable number of representations, for or against the merger, from competitors, customers, and others. Many of the representations from customers have been from local authorities.

  Secondments
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what is her policy on the secondment of individuals from private companies to her Department. [41069]

  Mrs. Beckett
  [holding answer 12 May 1998]: It is DTI policy to encourage the use of temporary secondments to bring into the Department specialist expertise or experience to assist the Department in achieving its objectives.

  All inward secondments from industry are arranged in accordance with the Civil Service Commissioner's recruitment code. Secondees fulfil roles within the Department's management structure and report to Civil Servants. Our agreements with their employers set terms and conditions which closely mirror those of Civil Servants.

  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what role individuals on secondment from private companies to her Department have in advising Ministers; and what access such individuals have to Ministers on issues concerning their company. [41070]

  Mrs. Beckett
  [holding answer 12 May 1998]: A secondee may, from time to time, contribute to advice put to Ministers by Civil Servants and meet Ministers during the course of their work. Measures are in place to ensure that there is no conflict of interest.

  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many individuals are currently on secondment from private companies to her Department; and if she will list them, indicating their responsibilities. [41071]

  Mrs. Beckett
  [holding answer 12 May 1998]: There are, at present, 138 individuals on temporary secondment into the DTI from private companies. I have two lists; the first lists those working under the Department's Export
  534
  Promoter Scheme, the second lists those seconded elsewhere into the Department and includes the Directorates within which they are working. Details of precise responsibilities are not held centrally.

  Company

  Title

  Export promoter

  Alan Paine Knitwear Ltd

  Mr.

  Turley

  Anglian Water International UK

  Mr.

  Martin

  Bank of Ireland

  Mr.

  Jordan

  Barclays Bank plc

  Mr.

  Bristow

  Barclays Bank plc

  Mr.

  Watford

  Barclays Bank plc

  Mr.

  Speirs

  Beaumont Colson Ltd

  Mr.

  Williams

  British Nuclear Fuels

  Mr.

  Slawson

  Cable & Wireless plc

  Mr.

  Wilson

  Cookstown Enterprise Centre Ltd

  Mr.

  Parke

  CRL

  Mr.

  Ross

  Crosrol Ltd

  Mr.

  Banfield

  Crown Agents for Overseas Governments & Administration

  Mr.

  Lidderdale

  Delamore Associates Ltd

  Mr.

  Wotton

  Drinks Marketing Consortium

  Mr.

  Hall

  Drinks Marketing Consortium

  Mr.

  Warren

  Epinet Communications plc

  Mr.

  Gazeley

  Eschmann Bros & Walsh Ltd

  Mr.

  Jones

  Etrl Europe Ltd

  Mr.

  Steer

  European Gas Turbines (GEC Alstrom)

  Mr.

  McClafferty

  Ferryfast Produce Ltd

  Mr.

  Gorin

  Frank Roberts & Sons Ltd

  Mr.

  Roberts

  GEC Marconi Avionics Ltd

  Mr.

  Sharp

  General Accident

  Miss

  Forbes

  General Traffic Ltd

  Mr.

  Suleiman

  Genesis Communications

  Mr.

  Eadie

  Glaxco Wellcome plc

  Mr.

  Blythe

  Guinness Brewing Worldwide Ltd

  Mr.

  Salmon

  Hong Kong & Shanghai Banking Corporation Holdings

  Mr.

  Cooke

  Hyder plc

  Mr.

  Rosser

  Hydro Technologies Ltd

  Mr.

  Seaton

  ICI Chemicals & Polymers Ltd

  Ms

  Lynch

  ICI plc

  Mr.

  Twist

  Institute of Export

  Mr.

  Manning

  John Laing International Ltd

  Mr.

  Bayne

  John Laing International Ltd

  Mr.

  Blackwood

  John Swire & Sons Ltd

  Mr.

  Nightingale

  Jones Cranes Limited

  Mr.

  Burton

  Lancashire Enterprises plc

  Mr.

  Rathwell

  LG Mouchel & Partners

  Mr.

  Sproston

  M.A.I.D. plc

  Mr.

  Thacker

  Madge & Hoyle Ltd

  Mr.

  Taylor

  Marks and Spencer plc

  Mr.

  Cohen

  Matheson & Co Ltd

  Mr.

  Reid

  Meggitt plc

  Mr.

  Mather

  Morris Singer Limited

  Mr.

  Pearson

  NatWest Markets

  Mr.

  Smith

  NatWest Markets

  Mr.

  Smeaton

  Natural Animal Feeds Ltd

  Miss

  Moore

  NHS Supplies

  Mr.

  Johnson

  North Cape (Scotland) Limited

  Mr.

  Burnham

  Ove Arup & Partners

  Mr.

  Marsh

  Ove Arup & Partners

  Mr.

  Khosla

  Pirelli Cables Limited

  Mr.

  Pape

  Prince Associates

  Mr.

  Scott

  Reyrolle Projects Ltd

  Mr.

  Grew

  River Don Castings Ltd

  Mr.

  Cookson

  Rover Group Limited

  Mr.

  Simmons

  Russo-British Chamber of Commerce

  Mr.

  Simpson

  Russo-British Chamber of Commerce

  Ms

  Fitzgerald

  Siemens ATM

  Mr.

  Flaxman

  Sonic Communications (International) Ltd

  Mr.

  Bunting

  Texaco Ltd

  Ms

  Lapczynska

  The British Petroleum Company plc

  Mr.

  Wood

  The British Petroleum Company plc

  Mr.

  Haymes

  535

  Company

  Title

  Export promoter

  The British-Israel Chamber of Commerce

  Mr.

  Cohen

  The Export Association

  Mr.

  Fuga

  The Export Association

  Ms

  Fairbanks

  The Hosiery Manufacturing Co Ltd

  Mr.

  Layden

  The Hosiery Manufacturing Co Ltd

  Mrs.

  Ritchie

  The Institute of Export

  Mr.

  Evans

  Company

  Secondee

  Directorate

  Matra Marconi Space

  Mr. Christopher Lee

  British National Space Centre

  Matra Marconi Space

  Dr. David H. Parker

  British National Space Centre

  Unilever

  Mr. Richard Bartholomew

  Chemicals and Biotechnology

  EPSRC

  Mr. Mark Claydon-Smith

  Chemicals and Biotechnology

  Ericsson Ltd

  Mr. Trevor Baker

  Communications & Information Industries

  BT plc

  Mr. David Steward Baxter

  Communications & Information Industries

  Reuters Limited

  Mr. Peter S. Williams

  Communications & Information Industries

  Herbert Smith

  Mr. James Quinney

  Consumer Affairs & Competition Policy

  MITI

  Mr. Hideo Suzuki

  Engineering Industries

  Rover Group Ltd

  Mr. Keith Jordan

  Engineering Industries

  GEC Marconi Avionics

  Mr. Kevin Moore

  Engineering Industries

  Lockstair Ltd

  Mr. Michael Hyatt

  Engineering Industries

  Westcountry Development Corporation

  Ms Suzanne Bond

  Government Office—South West

  Tensator Ltd

  Terry Green

  Innovation Unit

  Duggan Creative

  Richard Duggan

  Innovation Unit

  The Oxis Partnership

  Richard Bahu

  Innovation Unit

  Richard M. Excell

  Richard Excell

  Innovation Unit

  Cameron & Cameron

  Jim Cameron

  Innovation Unit

  Raybould Price

  Norman Price

  Innovation Unit

  Northern Quest

  Tony Capewell

  Innovation Unit

  NCL Ltd

  Nigel Crouch

  Innovation Unit

  IMH Ltd

  Ian Handley

  Innovation Unit

  Artel Rubber Co Ltd

  Graham Telling

  Innovation Unit

  Shawnee Associates Ltd

  Bob Duncan

  Innovation Unit

  Reginald Maude Ltd

  Michale Maude

  Innovation Unit

  Zeneca

  Brian Lever

  Innovation Unit

  IC1

  Stephen Aitken

  Innovation Unit

  Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering

  Martin Print

  Innovation Unit

  Nuclear Electric

  Ed Brown

  Innovation Unit

  Anglian Water

  David Revitt

  Innovation Unit

  NatWest Bank plc

  Tim Hoad

  Innovation Unit

  Sunalex

  Alex Pratt

  Innovation Unit

  Arthur Andersen

  Mr. Stephen Goodlud

  Insurance

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Mrs. Simone J. Finn

  Insurance

  British Telecom plc

  Mr. Colin Thompson

  Invest in Britain Bureau

  BT International Business

  Ms Debra Blundell

  Invest in Britain Bureau

  Arthur Andersen

  Miss Melissa Jane Bartlett

  Invest in Britain Bureau

  Price Waterhouse

  Miss Sarah Gibbins

  Investigations and Enforcement

  Silver Altman

  Mr. Andrew Marks

  Investigations and Enforcement

  Lee & Allen Consulting plc

  Mr. Luke Steadman

  Investigations and Enforcement

  Nuclear Electric plc

  Mr. Richard Szczepura

  Nuclear Industries

  AWE plc

  Mrs. Pauline M. Macdonald

  Nuclear Industries

  British Computer Society

  Mrs. Peta Walmisley

  Office of Science and Technology

  ICI Chemicals & Polymers Ltd

  Mr. Christopher Hamlin

  Office of Science and Technology

  FINA plc

  Mr. David Morgan

  Oil and Gas

  Price Waterhouse

  Mrs. Julia Culshaw

  Regional Assistance Directorate A

  Deloitte & Touche

  Mr. Nick Sharman

  Regional Assistance Directorate A

  Hambros Bank Ltd

  Mr. Stuart N. Robins

  Regional Assistance Directorate A

  CERN

  Mr. Michael Anthony Doran

  SITPRO

  Grant Thornton

  Mr. James Austin

  Small and Medium Enterprise Policy

  Lloyds TSB Group plc

  Mr. Guy Herrington

  Small and Medium Enterprise Policy

  Ernst & Young Services Ltd

  Miss Jean Quinney

  The Insolvency Service

  Kidsons Impey

  Mr. Stewart Wright

  The Insolvency Service

  Alexander Blackford Communications

  Mr. A. Hicks

  Government Office West Midlands

  DTZ Debenham Thorpe

  Mr. R. Greenwood

  Government Office West Midlands

  Heart of England Tourist Board

  Mr. L. Charlton

  Government Office West Midlands

  The National Grid

  Mr. S. Drummond

  Government Office West Midlands

  Unilever plc

  Dr. A. Price

  Government Office Merseyside

  Latag

  Mr. David Cadwallader

  Government Office East Midlands

  Waters Company Ltd

  Mr. S. McKenna

  Government Office Yorks & Humberside

  Calderdale and Kirklees TEC

  Ms A. Eastwood

  Government Office Yorks & Humberside

  536

  Company

  Title

  Export promoter

  The West India Committee

  Mr.

  Burckhardt

  Thomas Chislett

  Mr.

  Chislett

  Toyoboshi UK Ltd

  Mr.

  d'Aronville

  Turner & Newell plc

  Dr.

  Sabberwal

  Unipart International

  Mr.

  Thorning

  World Trade Development Limited

  Mr.

  Mitson

  Astra
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what matters were covered by the public interest immunity certificates used in connection with the disqualification proceedings against Mr. Gerald James and the directors of Astra Holdings. [41874]

  Mrs. Beckett
  No public interest immunity certificates were sought by my Department or were issued in connection with the disqualification proceedings against former directors of Astra Holding plc. Despite press reports that it was intended to use a PII to suppress the 'Moulsdale letter' in that case, the letter was in fact brought to the attention of the court by my Department.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade what advice DTI inspectors have given on the prosecution of Mr. Gerald James. [38920]

  Mrs. Beckett
  DTI inspectors appointed to investigate the affairs of Astra plc offered views on disqualification but not on prosecution.

  EU Industry Council
  Mrs. Humble
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the outcome of the EU Industry Council held in Brussels on 7 May. [43434]

  Mrs. Beckett
  I chaired a meeting of the EU Industry Council on 7 May.

  The Council adopted a Regulation on new rules on aid to shipbuilding. Operating aid will be eliminated from end 2000 and remaining forms of support will be re-focused to improve the industry's competitiveness. There will be new aid for innovation and the opening up of regional aid. A strict limit will be placed on restructuring aid and strengthened monitoring provisions will be introduced. These measures will lead to an overall reduction in the level of European shipbuilding subsidies. The new aid regime is an achievement for our Presidency and meets the interests of UK shipyards.

  The main outstanding questions before the Council were the date when operating aid should be abolished and the restrictions that should be placed on the existing system of regional aid to reduce distortion in competition. After a long and thorough discussion, a compromise was finally agreed with the abolition of operating aid at the end of 2000 and regional aid ceilings of 22.5 per cent for "A" regions and 12.5 per cent. for "C" regions (the so called "A" regions are Europe's poorest and "C" regions are less poor). The regulation does not affect the treatment of FPSOs. There will also be Commission declarations on the following: the strict application of the regional aid rules; the aid cumulation rule; and the viability criterion for restructuring aid, and a Council statement that the agreement on regional aid is without prejudice to the Community regional state aid policy.
  538
  The Council had an in-depth discussion on a proposed Regulation laying down detailed rules for the application of state aid rules in general. The Presidency put forward a compromise text and the debate focused on the three main issues still to be settled, namely; time limits for Commission action; Commission powers in respect of recovery of unlawful aid and a period of limitation on Commission action.

  Good progress was made with a clear political will in favour of a Regulation and the Presidency concluded that further work should be undertaken by officials to enable the Council to reach a political agreement.

  As a new initiative, I invited Industry Ministers to have dinner with representatives of industry, on the eve of the Council to discuss competitiveness. I see this as an important step in developing a real dialogue between industry and the Council of Ministers. The Council meeting held a debate on the competitiveness of European Industry, mainly focusing on the key factors at national and supra-national level influencing competitiveness of EU industry and how they can be achieved. The meeting also discussed one of the key factors, namely the availability of appropriate finance for innovative companies.

  I concluded that there had been agreement on the importance of competitiveness and on the key factor as identified by the dinner and confirmed by the Council's discussion, namely: encouraging competition, efficient functioning of the Internal Market, a framework for innovation, continuous development of skills and labour adaptability, efficient markets for risk capital, improved environment for business start-up and entrepreneurship. There was strong support for continuing the Council's work on competitiveness with Austria and Finland pledging to do so in their forthcoming Presidencies.

  The Council took note of a progress report by the Commission on the Business Environment Simplification Task Force (BEST) and a Commission communication on Fostering Entrepreneurship in Europe. The Presidency noted that there was agreement on the importance of entrepreneurship for competitiveness, growth and jobs.

  The Council also agreed conclusions on the competitiveness of the Construction Industry and a plan of action to increase the competitiveness of the European Textile and Clothing Industry.

  There were Commission presentations on a proposed directive on late payment, the year 2000 computer problem, delocalisation, restructuring of the steel industry in Central and Eastern Europe, Six-monthly report on the monitoring of steel aid cases and a report on the work of the high level group dealing with the implications of industrial change.

  Civil Service
  Helen Jones
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the Department of Trade and Industry recruitment for calendar year 1997, with particular reference to the use of permitted exceptions to the principles of fair and open competition
  539
  and selection on merit, as required by the Civil Service Commissioner's Recruitment Code. [43433]

  Mrs. Beckett
  It is DTI policy that recruitment is carried out on the basis of fair and open competition and selection on merit, subject to the exceptions permitted by the Civil Service Commissioners. My Department has systems in place which ensure that the principles of fair and open competition are understood and followed, in

  Recruitment information Number of staff recruited 1 January 1997 to 31 December 1997

  Gender

  Ethical background

  Grade

  Permanent

  FTA

  Recurring temp

  Standby

  Short notice

  Other

  Male

  Female

  White

  Ethnic minority

  Not stated

  Disability

  Grade 6

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1—

  1—

  1—

  —

  Grade 7

  4

  1

  —

  2

  —

  —

  5

  2

  7

  —

  —

  —

  Higher Executive Officer

  8

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5

  5

  8

  —

  2

  1

  Executive Officer

  4

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  4

  4

  8

  —

  —

  1

  Administrative Officer

  11

  2

  2

  —

  —

  31

  22

  24

  34

  7

  5

  1

  Administrative Assistant

  4

  8

  —

  —

  —

  12

  12

  12

  17

  4

  3

  1

  HEO D

  6

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5

  1

  6

  —

  —

  —

  HSO D

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1—

  Legal Trainee

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1—

  1—

  1—

  —

  Legal Officer

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1—

  1—

  1—

  —

  Assistant Librarian

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1—

  1—

  1—

  —

  Support Grade Band 2

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  1—

  1—

  1—

  —

  Assistant Economists

  6

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  6

  2

  8

  —

  —

  1

  Assistant Statisticians

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  3

  1

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1

  Senior Research Officer

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1—

  1—

  1—

  —

  1 includes numbers of casuals and sandwich course students

  Notes:

  1. ethnic data have been suppressed for those grades where numbers recruited are 5 or less, to avoid the possibility of identifying individuals

  2. from 1 August 1997, the department's grades became expressed as pay ranges. For consistency, we have used grades for this exercise. Information will be presented as Ranges next year

  The number of occasions on which the permitted exceptions to fair and open competition and selection on merit have been used at each level (except for appointments of up to 12 months), are categorised as below. Please include details of any exceptions underneath the relevant category:
  extensions of appointments of up to 12 months up to a maximum of 24 months: none
  recurrent short term appointments

  1 EO former civil servant brought in for a few weeks at a time when needed

  2 AOs and 1 EO in Queens Award Office where the work is seasonal

  short term appointments where highly specialised skills are required:
  2 Grade 7s and 1 Grade 6 on standby appointments, I Grade 7 on a fixed term contract. All were for specialist posts that would have been difficult to recruit from industry and it was regarded as too expensive to employ consultants
  extensions of short term appointments beyond the initially publicised period, including conversions to permanency:
  1 EO on a fixed term contract and 1 AO casual appointment converted to permanency
  secondments: none
  extensions to secondments: none
  re-appointment of former civil servants:

  1 Grade 7 previously employed by Crown Prosecution Service

  1 AO now employed on a fixed term contract

  2 EOs and 2 AOs on recurrent temporary appointments

  transfers of staff with their work (not under TUPE):
  1 AA, 3 AOs, 4 HEOs transferred from Cabinet Office with their work
  540
  accordance with the provisions of the Civil Service Commissioner's Recruitment Code. These systems are subject to internal check by The DTI's Internal Audit and to external check by the Commissioner's approved auditors.

  The DTI's Executive Agencies and the Government Office network make separate arrangements for publishing recruitment data, and the following table and narratives describe only Headquarters recruitment:

  transfers of staff from other public services without work (unless from a public body staff exclusively by civil servants): None
  appointments of disabled candidates under modified selection arrangements any use of the exceptions reserved for the Commissioners: None.

  Export Licences
  Mr. Paterson
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how many export contracts she estimates have been cancelled because of the withholding of export licences as a result of the ethical foreign policy; and if he will estimate the number of jobs lost in consequence. [42578]

  Mrs. Roche
  [holding answer 18 May 1998]: Where an application for an export licence is refused, applicants do not routinely inform the Department whether such decisions have resulted in the cancellation of contracts. I am not therefore in a position to make the estimate requested. As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary said when announcing the new export licence assessment criteria on 28 July 1997, Official Report, columns 26–29, we are committed to the maintenance of a strong defence industry which is a strategic part of our industrial base as well as our defence effort. Defence exports can also contribute to international stability by strengthening bilateral and collective defence relationships in accordance with the right of self-defence recognised by the UN Charter, but arms transfers must be managed responsibly, in particular so as to avoid their use for internal repression and international aggression.

  European Structural and Cohesion Funds
  Mr. Sawford
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the recently published proposals by the European Commission for reform of the European Structural and Cohesion Funds. [43435]

  Mrs. Roche
  The draft regulations for the Structural and Cohesion Funds covering the operation of the Funds from the years 2000 to 2006 were published on 18 March as part of a wider Agenda 2000 package.

  It is important that the Structural and Cohesion Funds be reformed to make them more effective and to provide better value for money. The Funds' procedures are in need of substantial simplification and the prospect of enlargement of the EU to include Central and Eastern European countries makes this reform vital in any event.

  During the long negotiations ahead we will be striving to achieve three main aims for the UK and its regions—these are fairness, affordability and durability.

  Fairness means that no Member State should receive more than at present. Regions which continue to be eligible under the reformed criteria should not see an increase in per capita receipts while others face cuts. The cost of enlargement must be shared fairly between all Member States. It is not clear that the Commission's proposals achieve fairness. The UK is willing to take its fair share of cuts but could not accept an obviously unfair allocation.

  In order to achieve affordability and durability, the total budget for the Funds should be well below the 0.46 per cent. of GNP proposed by the Commission. It will be vitally important to reduce the cost and per capita receipts before accession in order to make enlargement of the EU affordable and therefore long lasting and durable.

  The Commission has proposed that the current 7 Objectives be reduced to 3 new ones. The proposed Objective 1 eligibility criterion is 75 per cent. of average EU GDP. The Government agree that a cut off is needed. There should, however, be flexibility around this level to allow for statistical margins of error. We also feel that any special cases should be translated across the EU. For example, the Scottish Highlands and Islands Objective 1 area, with a population density of about 9 people per sq km, should receive the same treatment as similar areas in northern Sweden and Finland.

  The special circumstances of Northern Ireland and the ongoing political developments there should be recognised. Northern Ireland should certainly receive treatment at least as good as the richer Republic of Ireland.

  For the new Objective 2, the Commission is proposing using unemployment as the main eligibility criterion. The last-minute concession of safety net limiting the reduction of population coverage to one third is an improvement on the initial proposals. But in our view GDP would be the most equitable and transparent basis for distributing Funds between Member States and determining total eligibility in each Member State.

  Regional unemployment and other factors are better used to allocate money within Member States. There is a far greater range and quality of deprivation indicators for
  542
  local areas available nationally than at EU level. The length of reference period is important; measures of unemployment should take account of business cycles.

  Transition periods for those areas losing eligibility under the new regime should be of equal length for all Objectives—six years for Objective 2 and 5b, the same as for Objective 1.

  The new Objective 3 would apply only outside Objective 1 and 2 areas. It would provide a policy framework for the development of human resources across the UK. We believe that Objective 3 must support Member States' employment strategies as set out in their National Employment Action Plans.

  We support the objective of simplifying the Funds and making them more effective and better value for money. The Commission proposals are a good starting point. Administration must be improved, ensuring adequate appraisal monitoring and evaluation, and more subsidiarity should be introduced.

  The Funds make an important contribution to economic development in the UK regions. The Government are consulting widely and will be working to ensure that the detailed arrangements for the allocation of the Funds take account of the UK's regional interests, and that they are fair to the UK as a whole. It is, however, too early to estimate the impact on individual UK regions. Publication of the Regulations marks the start of a long negotiation initially under the UK Presidency and continuing possibly into 1999. The Regulations will have to be agreed in the Council of Ministers and approved by the European Parliament.

  Dounreay
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will list(a) the number of safeguards visits made, (b) the reports made and (c) the duration of each visit by (i) Euratom and (ii) International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards inspectors, to (1) D1202, fuel fabrication facility, (2) D1203, highly enriched uranium recovery plant, (3) D1204, research reactor reprocessing unit and (4) D2700, radioactive materials cementation plant, at the UK Atomic Energy Authority establishment at Dounreay since 1980. [40671]

  Mrs. Roche
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply of 19 December 1997,Official Report, column 342.

  The safeguards reports made by all UK nuclear operators, including Dounreay, are in accordance with the procedures set out in Commission Regulation (Euratom) No. 3227/76. Copies of the Regulations are available in the Library of the House.

  No facilities at Dounreay are currently designated for inspection by the IAEA.

  The detailed information sought on safeguards inspection visits could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Radioactive Isotopes
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade how much material was available in the United Kingdom on 23 April to make medical radioactive isotope
  543
  targets for use in cancer treatment; and how many such targets could be manufactured from that quantity of materials. [40752]

  Mr. Battle
  On 23 April, the UKAEA held sufficient Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) of the necessary enrichment, greater than 90 per cent. to produce 7,800 targets which will then be used to produce 39 million doses of Technetium-99m for use in the treatment of cancer and other diseases. This inventory comprised 39 km of HEU in a number of different forms; only 7 km was available as stock material for immediate target manufacture. The use of Technetium-99m continues to grow, currently some 30,000 procedures per day are carried out in Western Europe using this isotope. A wide range of other radioisotopes are used in the treatment of cancer, however the UKAEA play no part in their manufacture. The Government do not have central records of the overall amounts of radioisotopes used for medical purposes.

  European Structural Funds (Wales)
  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  To ask the President of the Board of Trade if she will make a statement on the scope and nature of her responsibilities in relation to the review of European structural funds in respect of Wales, indicating the timetable for action by her Department. [42470]

  Mrs. Roche
  The Department of Trade and Industry is the lead Department on the reform of European Structural and Cohesion Funds. Our responsibility is to co-ordinate UK policy on the reform for all Government Departments including Welsh, Scottish, and Northern Ireland offices.

  Administration of Structural Funds programmes within Wales is the responsibility of the Welsh office. The Department of Trade and Industry has responsibility for co-ordination of issues affecting the UK as a whole.

  During our Presidency, we intend to take the negotiations forward as efficiently and effectively as possible, focusing on the general regulations which deal with administrative simplification of the Funds. Discussions have started on the proposed regulations by

  Consultation paper

  Start date for consultation exercise

  End date for consultation exercise

  Number of responses to completed exercises

  First stage of Pensions Review

  17 July 1997

  31 October 1997

  over 2,000

  Stakeholder Pensions: A Consultation Document

  19 November 1997

  31 January 1998

  over 200

  Green Paper, "New Ambitions for our Country: a New Contract for Welfare"

  26 March 1998

  31 July 1998

  —

  Joint Green Paper with the Department for Education and Employment, "Meeting the Childcare Challenge"

  19 May 1998

  28 July 1998

  —

  In addition, the Department has undertaken a number of consultations with interested organisations and people on specific technical issues.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when she expects to reply to the letter of 7 January from the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed on behalf of Mr. M. Gee of 38 Gloster Park, Amble, about benefits for disabled people. [42867]
  544
  Member States at working group level. These will then need to be negotiated in the Council of the Ministers and approved by the European Parliament.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Lone Parents
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if she will make it her policy to ensure that home visits remain a major feature of the New Deal for lone parents when it becomes a nationwide scheme; and if she will make a statement; [40206]

  (2) what estimate she has made of the effect on the number of home visits under the New Deal for lone parents of the move to a nationwide scheme under the primary responsibility of the Employment Service. [40210]

  Mr. Keith Bradley
  The Government intend that the quality of the nationwide service will be at least as good as that currently available in the prototypes, within a service tailor-made to individuals' needs. Home visits are currently a feature of New Deal for Lone Parents and will continue to be so.

  Pension Review
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when she intends to announce the conclusions of the current pension review. [43087]

  Mr. Denham
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for West Dorset (Mr. Letwin) on 24 April 1998,Official Report, column 731.

  Consultation Papers
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will list the consultation papers published since 1 May 1997 giving the date of publication, closing date for submissions and the number of respondents. [42255]

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

  Mr. Field
  A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 18 May 1998.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Plaskitt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps she is taking to reform employers' national insurance contributions. [41711]

  Mr. Denham
  In his Budget statement on 17 March, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced the most radical reforms of National Insurance
  545
  contributions for over 20 years; reforms which support the Government's welfare to work policies and cut red tape for employers.

  From April 1999, the level of earnings at which employers' contributions become payable will be increased from the lower earnings limit (£64 a week for 1998/99) to an amount equivalent to the single personal tax allowance (currently £81 a week). Employers' contributions on earnings below this new threshold will be abolished, and the four different rates of contributions they currently pay for employees not contracted-out of the State earnings-related pension scheme will be replaced by a single 12.2 per cent rate. Contribution rebates for employers with contracted-out schemes will not be affected. They will continue to be entitled to contribution rebates on earnings between the lower earnings limit and the single personal tax allowance. These changes, which are revenue neutral for employers as a whole, are contained in the Social Security Bill for which we will be seeking Royal Assent today.

  Public Appointments
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when her Department's action plan for increasing the number of women holding public appointments will be published; and if she will place a copy in the Library. [42813]

  Mr. Field
  This Government are committed to widening the range of candidates applying for public appointments and encouraging more women and members of the ethnic minorities to put themselves forward for public office. This Department is currently drawing up an action plan which will set robust targets for increasing the number of women and members of the ethnic minorities holding public appointments. This will be published shortly and copies will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Benefit Integrity Project
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she will make a statement on the progress of the DLA/Benefit Integrity Project in the Hereford constituency. [40775]

  Mr. Denham
  The Benefit Integrity Project aims to ensure that those in receipt of DLA are entitled to it. While it is right to check that people are receiving the correct amount of benefit, we are determined that those checks should be undertaken as sensitively as possible. Also, we should ensure all decisions taken as a result of the project are right. We have, therefore, acted to 546
  introduce an extra safeguard to improve the quality of, and the confidence in, benefit decisions made by the project.

  The administration of the Benefit Integrity Project is a matter for Peter Mathison, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Paul Keetch, dated 21 May 1998.
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking for a statement on the progress of the Disability Living Allowance Benefit Integrity Project (BIP) in the Hereford constituency.
  Information on the BIP is not available in the format requested. To provide geographical information routinely would incur high costs and disrupt the processing of ongoing casework.
  As at 31 March 1998, a total of 172,026 cases, including 27,991 renewal cases, have been selected for action under the BIP. A total of 72,470 cases have been examined. Of the total cases dealt with 1,699 have resulted in an increase in benefit, 56,272 have remained unchanged, 9,168 have resulted in a reduction in benefit and 5,331 have resulted in benefit being stopped.
  The total includes 14,815 renewal cases, of which 462 have resulted in an increase in benefit, 7,633 have remained unchanged, 3,992 have resulted in a reduction in benefit and 2,728 have resulted in benefit being stopped.
  A monthly statistical report can be found in the House of Commons Library.
  I hope that this is helpful.

  Social Fund Commissioner
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if she has appointed a new Social Fund Commissioner to succeed Mr. John Scampion when his appointment ends on 31 May. [43578]

  Ms Harman
  I am pleased to announce that Mr. John Scampion has agreed to serve as Social Fund Commissioner for Great Britain and Northern Ireland for a further period of three years from 1 June 1998.

  Since taking up the post of Social Fund Commissioner in June 1995, Mr. Scampion has successfully developed the Independent Review Service (IRS) into a customer focused organisation which aims to get the decision right first time. An important step for the IRS in this new approach has been the development of staff to realise their full potential, leading to the award of the Investors in People accreditation in July 1997.

  Mr. Scampion has also agreed to take part in the general monitoring of the effectiveness of the new Budgeting Loan scheme.

  I am confident that I can rely on Mr. Scampion to maintain and even improve upon his excellent record to date.

  CJD Deaths
  CJD Deaths
  Gibraltar: Trade Figures
  Gibraltar: Trade Figures
  Romania, Moldova and Ukraine: Trade Figures
  Romania, Moldova and Ukraine: Trade Figures
  Boards of Visitors: Annual Reports
  Boards of Visitors: Annual Reports
  Treaty on European Union: K4 Committee
  Treaty on European Union: K4 Committee
  ACPO Ltd
  ACPO Ltd
  ACPO: Funding
  ACPO: Funding
  Police Bodies: Funding
  Police Bodies: Funding
  Race Relations Forum
  Race Relations Forum
  Montserratian Evacuees in the UK
  Montserratian Evacuees in the UK
  Forensic Science Registration Council
  Forensic Science Registration Council
  Asylum Control: Designated Countries
  Asylum Control: Designated Countries
  Successful Asylum Applications
  Successful Asylum Applications
  Turkish Nurses: NHS Employment
  Turkish Nurses: NHS Employment
  Planning Inspectorate Executive Agency
  Planning Inspectorate Executive Agency
  Building Regulations Advisory Committee
  Building Regulations Advisory Committee
  Fair Rent Increases
  Fair Rent Increases
  Train Safety Proposals
  Train Safety Proposals
  London & Continental Railways: Revised Proposals
  London & Continental Railways: Revised Proposals
  Ferry Safety
  Ferry Safety
  Scotland: Education Expenditure
  Scotland: Education Expenditure
  Northern Ireland: Independence of Judiciary and Magistracy
  Northern Ireland: Independence of Judiciary and Magistracy
  Northern Ireland: Terrorist Arms
  Northern Ireland: Terrorist Arms
  Maghaberry Prison: Mental Health Unit
  Maghaberry Prison: Mental Health Unit
  Northern Ireland: Medium Secure Unit
  Northern Ireland: Medium Secure Unit
  Northern Ireland Education and Library Boards: Administration Costs
  Northern Ireland Education and Library Boards: Administration Costs
  Beef Bones Regulations 1997: Enforcement Costs
  Beef Bones Regulations 1997: Enforcement Costs
  Beef Bones Regulations 1997
  Beef Bones Regulations 1997
  Scottish Legal Decisions
  Scottish Legal Decisions
  Beef Bones: Purchase for Dogs
  Beef Bones: Purchase for Dogs
  Oxtails: Conditions of Sale
  Oxtails: Conditions of Sale
  Imported Oxtail Soup
  Imported Oxtail Soup
  Varroa Mite: Control
  Varroa Mite: Control
  Fishing Industry: Decommissioning Costs
  Fishing Industry: Decommissioning Costs
  Bosnia: Train and Equip Programme
  Bosnia: Train and Equip Programme
  Mr. Rupert Bowen
  Mr. Rupert Bowen
  Federal Republic of Yugoslavia: Aero-engine Parts
  Federal Republic of Yugoslavia: Aero-engine Parts
  Argentina: Arms Embargo
  Argentina: Arms Embargo
  Conventional Arms Transfers: UN Register Return
  Conventional Arms Transfers: UN Register Return
  Landmine Deployment on UK-Controlled Territory
  Landmine Deployment on UK-Controlled Territory
  Army Technical Support Agency: Publication Distribution
  Army Technical Support Agency: Publication Distribution