Written Answers of 30 November 1998

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Environment Agency
  Mr. Flight
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list (i) the new duties which he plans to give the Environment Agency in England and Wales and (ii) the resources which the Government will provide to the Agency to carry them out; and if he will make a statement. [61194]

  Mr. Meale
  The Environment Agency will undertake new duties, shortly, under the COMAH and Groundwater Regulations. Other legislation in preparation, such as the Pollution Prevention and Control Bill and regulations on Polychlorinated Biphenyls and Terphenyls, may also place new obligations on the Agency.

  In common with the Agency's other regulatory expenditure it is proposed that the annual cost of work on the (CIMAH) Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1984 (£1.3m) and on the Groundwater Regulations 1998 (£3m), and the cost of other new obligations will be recovered largely through charges on those regulated. For preparatory work and other costs for which charging is not feasible the Agency may draw on its annual block allocation of grant-in-aid which will be increased to over £106 million in 1999–2000 following this year's Comprehensive Spending Review.

  Special Areas of Conservation
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the list of candidate special areas of conservation proposed under the European Council Directive 92/43/EEC on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora will be reviewed to take account of the new research by the World Wide Fund for Nature. [61005]

  Mr. Meale
  No. The list of candidate sites was selected using a rigorous, iterative scientific process which applied the Directive's site selection criteria. There has also been extensive consultation on the proposals and additions made in the light of earlier comments from WWF and others.

  Service Personnel (Council Tax)
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to allow service personnel to have their council tax demand waived during periods when they are posted on tours(a) abroad and (b) in Northern Ireland. [60861]

  Mr. Raynsford
  A person is counted towards the council tax bill at whichever dwelling is considered to be their "sole or main residence". The council tax is 48
  essentially a means of contributing towards the cost of providing a range of local services throughout a local area. These services include, for example, education, police and fire services, and highways maintenance. Whether people work in this country or abroad, it is reasonable that they should make a contribution towards the cost of local services where they maintain their sole or main residence. Members of the Armed Forces are treated in the same way as anyone else in determining sole or main residence and we do not have any plans to change this.

  Cop-4 Talks
  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the Cop-4 talks held in Buenos Aires. [61010]

  Mr. Prescott
  I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Enfield, North (Ms Ryan) and to the hon. Member for West Chelmsford (Mr. Bums) on Thursday 19 November,Official Report, columns 837–38.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the Government's policy is on the shipment of United Kingdom nuclear waste to Australia for final disposal and storage. [61009]

  Mr. Meale
  I am not aware of any proposal to ship United Kingdom nuclear waste to Australia. Under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993, any such proposal would be subject to approval by the competent regulatory authorities in both countries.

  Garden Hedges
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received about the growing of high hedges adjacent to the boundaries of residential property; and what policy initiatives he is planning to address the issues raised in the representations. [61663]

  Mr. Meale
  We have received numerous representations about the growing of hedges adjacent to the boundaries of residential property. Our current policy regarding the problems caused by such hedges was set out in my previous reply to the hon. Member on 28 October 1998,Official Report, columns 164–65.

  Train Arrival Times
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will publish, for each train operating company, the percentage of trains arriving at their destination more than three minutes early. [61656]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  This information is not readily available. Such trains would be recorded as having arrived on time according to the definition of "punctual" for the relevant route group in the Franchising Director's performance bulletins, copies of which are in the House Library.
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  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will publish, for each train operating company, the percentage of(a) London commuter trains, Gatwick Express trains and short distance ex-regional railway trains, arriving at their destination between three minutes and four minutes 59 seconds late, (b) ex-InterCity trains and ex-Regional Railways long distance trains arriving at their destination between five minutes and nine minutes 59 seconds late and (c) ScotRail sleepers arriving at their destination between 10 and 30 minutes late for the latest available period. [61657]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  This information is not readily available. Such trains are recorded as having arrived on time according to the definition of "punctual" for the relevant route group in the Franchising Director's performance bulletins, copies of which are in the House Library.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make it his policy to reduce the maximum time trains can be late whilst still being classified as punctual within the criteria set for the Passenger's Charter performance statistics. [61658]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The immediate priority is for train operators and Railtrack to improve the punctuality of services within its current, reasonable definition.

  Highway Authorities (Speed Limits)
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to be able to release highway authorities from the requirement to seek his Department's approval prior to introducing 20 mph limits on roads for which they have responsibility. [60933]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  I shall be introducing secondary legislation shortly in order to remove the consent requirement. I expect the new system to be in operation in the new year.

  Connex South Central
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he or his Ministers held with(a) OPRAF and (b) Connex South Central before the decision was taken not to extend the latter's franchise. [61654]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  None. However, as required by his Objectives, Instructions and Guidance, the Franchising Director notified the Deputy Prime Minister prior to announcing his decision not to extend Connex South Central's franchise.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for what reasons the application by Connex South Central to extend its franchise was refused; if he is prepared to consider an amended offer from the company; and if he will make a statement. [61653]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The Franchising Director announced in July that he considered that he could obtain better value for money by competitively retendering the franchise on its expiry after seven years. The company cannot make a further offer under the option that was in 50
  their original contract. However, we have said that we are prepared in principle to consider proposals to renegotiate franchises to secure additional passenger benefits and commitments to more demanding performance targets.

  Road Traffic
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will estimate(a) the rate of road traffic growth which could be expected to occur between 1997 and 2002 if no action was taken to reduce this and (b) the rate of road traffic growth which is now expected to occur following Government action to reduce road traffic growth. [60927]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The 1997 National Road Traffic Forecasts were based on previous policies. The increase in total traffic between 1997 and 2002 implicit in the 1997 central forecasts is 9 per cent.

  The Department has begun working on a revised set of forecasts which will reflect the new direction for transport provided by the New Deal. This work involves developing new approaches to forecasting traffic and its environmental and economic effects. Once the Commission for Integrated Transport is established next year, it will be advising the Department on our revised forecasts. One of the first things we will be consulting the Commission on is the alternative forecasting approaches we could use. Once we have the Commission's advice on this question, we will be able to complete our plans and announce a target date for publication.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if it is his policy to set targets for reductions in traffic levels(a) nationally and (b) for particular areas; and if he will make a statement. [60928]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 3 November 1998,Official Report, column 458.

  Aircraft Emissions
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the emissions of NOx, from aircraft operating within United Kingdom airspace in each year since 1980. [60930]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  No such estimates are produced for the whole of United Kingdom airspace. An annual estimate is made of the NOx produced by civil aircraft, on domestic or international flights at UK airports, during ground movements and in the landing and take-off cycle, up to 1,000 metres. This is published in the Digest of Environmental Statistics. Information from the Digest for the period 1980 to 1996 (the latest year for which figures are available) is given in the table:

  NOx Emissions 1980–1996

  Thousand tones

  1980

  10

  1981

  9

  1982

  10

  1983

  10

  1984

  11

  1985

  11

  1986

  11

  51

  NOx Emissions 1980–1996

  Thousand tones

  1987

  12

  1988

  13

  1989

  14

  1990

  12

  1991

  14

  1992

  14

  1993

  15

  1994

  15

  1995

  16

  1996

  17

  The UK has played a major part in securing reductions in NOx emissions in standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation and will continue to do so.

  National Rail Inquiries
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will publish, for each month since its inception, the average time taken by National Rail Inquiries to answer a call; and if he will make a statement. [61509]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Information on the average time taken to answer a call is not recorded by the National Rail Enquiry Scheme (NRES). NRES is required by the Rail Regulator to answer 90 per cent. of all calls and to record the percentage of calls answered within 30 seconds. The Rail Regulator monitors performance against both targets but his priority has been to ensure that NRES meets its 90 per cent. target. He is currently considering formal enforcement action following recent disappointing performance by NRES.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent assessment he has made of the accuracy of the information provided by National Rail Inquiries in respect of(a) timetable information and (b) price options. [61508]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Following the Rail Regulator's mystery shopping survey into accurate and impartial retailing last year, the Association of Train Operation Companies (ATOC) agreed to carry out further similar surveys. ATOC is currently carrying out surveys into the accuracy of information provided by both the National Rail Enquiry Scheme and station ticket offices. The results are expected to be published early next year.

  French Nuclear Reactors
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the recent Greenpeace report on the impact on the United Kingdom of emissions from French nuclear reactors; and if he will make a statement. [60942]

  Mr. Meale
  My Department has not received a copy of the report referred to, but it is understood from the Greenpeace press release that it relates to computer modelling of the dispersal of aerial discharges from the La Hague nuclear reprocessing plant.

  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on Thursday 17 November 1998, Official Report, columns 487–88.
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  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what percentage of measurable radioactivity recorded in southern England is attributable to emissions from French nuclear reactors. [60943]

  Mr. Meale
  Measured levels of radioactivity in air, rainwater, lakes and reservoirs, and radiation levels over beaches in southern England are indistinguishable from levels of both natural origin and from atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons and the Chernobyl reactor accident. The low levels of man-made radioactivity found in marine foodstuffs and sediments sampled from the coastal waters of Southern England cannot be attributed to particular sources.

  Cyclists and Pedestrians
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will introduce targets for reductions in casualties among(a) cyclists and (b) pedestrians expressed in terms of casualties per mile travelled. [60932]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  On 15 October 1997 the Government announced that they will be setting new road safety targets for Great Britain for the year 2010. There will be one target figure for the reduction in road accident deaths and serious injuries, and another for slight injuries. We are still considering the details of the target.

  Rail Electrification
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list, for each EU country, the percentage of rail track operated for passenger purposes which was electrified in(a) 1977, (b)1987 and (c) 1997. [61655]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The Department does not collect statistics separately for electrified passenger track. However, for the years for which statistics are available, the percentage of electrified track in each EU Member State is:

  Percentage

  Country

  1975

  1987

  1996

  Austria

  46

  54

  60

  Belgium

  32

  61

  73

  Denmark

  4

  8

  17

  Finland

  7

  25

  35

  France

  27

  34

  45

  Germany

  25

  34

  45

  Greece

  0

  0

  0

  Irish Republic

  0

  0

  2

  Italy1

  49

  57

  64

  Luxembourg

  33

  67

  95

  Netherlands

  61

  68

  73

  Portugal

  11

  14

  22

  Spain

  27

  44

  56

  Sweden

  62

  64

  68

  United Kingdom

  20

  25

  30

  1 National Railways only

  Sources:

  International Comparisons of Transport Statistics 1970–94 (DOT) EU Transport in Figures Statistical Pocket Book 1998 (European Commission)

  Dangerous Driving
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the charge of dangerous driving and the appropriateness of the criteria which must be met before such a charge can successfully be brought. [60935]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The Transport Research Laboratory is undertaking a research project to discover more about the process whereby charges are brought and prosecuted for dangerous driving, including the application of the criterion in section 2A of the Road Traffic Act 1988, or for the lesser charge of careless driving.

  Shadow Strategic Rail Authority
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for what reason the Chair of the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority will be required to work only two and a half days a week. [61652]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  We have advertised this appointment of approximately 2.5 days a week because we judge this to be the right time commitment for the job of leading the British Railways Board as part of the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority and, subject to legislation, the SRA proper with its full-time Chief Executive.

  Packaging Waste
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the current review of packaging regulations will cover the benefits for supermarkets from their back of store waste and the effects of such benefits on others in the packaging chain. [61499]

  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans his Department has to increase retailers' obligations under the packaging and waste regulations. [61636]

  Mr. Meale
  The review of the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 covered a range of issues as set out by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment (Mr. Meacher) in his answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Normanton (Mr. O'Brien) on 17 December 1997,Official Report, columns 193–94.

  Each of the four main sectors may have back-door waste to some extent. Those businesses that do have such waste are likely to use it towards the discharge of their obligations. Retailers are likely to have larger quantities of back-door waste than other businesses, but will incur costs in making that material available. They also carry a higher share of the burden. A share-out of the burden between industry sectors was agreed on the 15 December 1995, and that industry agreement is the basis of the present Regulations. Each sector's "activity" obligations in the regulations are:

  Sector

  15 December 1995 Agreed share of the burden %

  Activity obligation in the Regulations %

  Raw Material Manufacturer

  5.5

  6

  Convertor

  14.5

  11

  54

  Sector

  15 December 1995 Agreed share of the burden %

  Activity obligation in the Regulations %

  Packer/Filler

  35

  36

  Sellers/Retailers

  45

  47

  Proposed Golf Course (Buckinghamshire)
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will announce the decision on the application to develop a golf course on the ancient woodland site at Penn, Buckinghamshire. [61498]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Inspector's Report following his site visit is currently being considered. It is anticipated that the decision will be issued by the end of the year.

  Building Regulations
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what account was taken of the accessibility of blocks of flats in the decision to extend part M of the building regulations to housing in October; and if he will make a statement. [61651]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Building Regulations (Amendment) Regulations 1998 (SI 1998 No. 2561) made on 26 October 1998 modified Part M in Schedule 1 to the Building Regulations 1991 (SI 1991 No. 2768) to apply requirements on access and facilities for disabled people to the design and construction of dwellings. The definition of dwelling in the 1991 regulations includes dwelling houses and flats.

  The revised Approved Document published to provide practical guidance on satisfying the amended requirements applies to all dwellings, including flats, and also includes guidance on passenger lifts and common stairs in blocks of flats.

  Four Star Petrol
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to ban the use of four star petrol. [61505]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Four star leaded petrol will be banned from general sale from 1 January 2000 under regulations currently being prepared. The regulations will allow the continuance of a very limited supply of leaded petrol for use by historic vehicles. The Department is well advanced in preparing publicity material for motorists that currently use leaded petrol and further details will be announced very shortly.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Flooding (Brindley Ford)
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on recent flooding at Brindley Ford arising from the Coal Authority's maintenance of the nearby opencast coal site. [61191]
  55
  Mr. Battle
  Following heavy rain in late October, flooding occurred at Brindley Ford to the south of the former Brownlees opencast site, part of which is owned by the Coal Authority.

  The authority is currently investigating, in association with the Environment Agency, Staffordshire county council, and Stoke-on-Trent city council, the water management at the locality to identify the cause of the flooding and ways of dealing with it.

  Textiles Industry
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the role of London Fashion Week in promoting the United Kingdom textile industry; and if he will make a statement. [61646]

  Mr. Battle
  My Department is one of the supporters of London Fashion Week and we therefore assess its effectiveness in promoting the UK textiles and clothing sector each time it takes place.

  London Fashion Week is an important showcase for British design talent. Many of the designers whose profiles were initially raised by London Fashion Week are now working closely with UK producers of textiles and clothing, as well as with UK retailers, to provide a competitive design edge to existing ranges, and to help develop new and innovative products. London Fashion Week also plays an important role in projecting the image of British fashion and textiles world-wide.

  Strategic Export Controls (White Paper)
  Mr. Gareth R. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what were the results of the public consultation following publication of the White Paper on Strategic Export Controls; and if he will make a statement. [61814]

  Mr. Mandelson
  The Department has received 54 responses to the White Paper on Strategic Export Controls. I am placing copies of the responses, except two for which complete confidentiality has been requested, in the Libraries of both Houses and in the Library of the Department. I have also arranged for copies of the responses to be made available on request from the Department's Export Control Organisation.

  We are currently reviewing our proposals in the light of the responses received, and will make a further announcement in due course.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Women's Boxing
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to(a) ban or (b) place restrictions on women's boxing. [61008]

  Mr. Banks
  The Department has no plans either to ban or to place any restrictions on women's boxing.

  I appreciate the strength of feeling on this issue, but I should stress that the Government do not control boxing—or, indeed, any other sport in this country. We are, of course, keen to see that the proper medical
  56
  safeguards and regulations are in place for all sports, especially those which may carry a higher level of physical contact, and believe that the sport's governing bodies should remain primarily responsible for this.

  Grade II Listed Sites
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what responsibilities attach to owners of Grade II listed sites. [61133]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  [holding answer 27 November 1998]: Grade II listed buildings form an important part of the nation's historic environment, for which we all share responsibility. The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 requires the owner of any listed building to obtain listed building consent for any works of demolition or for any works of alteration or extension which would affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The carrying out of such works without prior consent is a criminal offence.

  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what grants are available to the owners of Grade II listed sites. [61134]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  [holding answer 27 November 1998]: Grade II listed buildings in conservation areas are eligible for grant funding from English Heritage. The Heritage Lottery Fund can also provide funding for any grade of listed building provided that the application meets their assessment criteria.

  Local authorities have powers to give grants for any buildings of special architectural or historic interest. They can give grants up to 50 per cent. of costs, and authorities may also make interest-free loans rather than grants, using the same criteria.

  Further information on other sources of funding may be found in the Directory of Grant Making Trusts published by the Charities Aid Foundation, available from public libraries, and Funds for Historic Buildings published by the Architectural Heritage Fund, Clareville House, 26–27 Oxendon Street, London SW1Y 4EL.

  New Opportunities Fund (Scotland)
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what changes he proposes to make to the operation of the New Opportunities Fund's three operational themes in Scotland after the establishment of the Scottish Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [61029]

  Mr. Banks
  [holding answer 27 November 1998]: The framework for the New Opportunities Fund's first three initiatives (healthy living centres, out of school hours activities and childcare, and ICT training for teachers and librarians) already reflects the particular circumstances in Scotland, and each initiative has a specific funding allocation which must be spent on projects in Scotland. Any further initiatives established before the creation of the Scottish Parliament will also take into account the differing needs of each part of the United Kingdom, including Scotland.
  57
  After the establishment of the Scottish Parliament, Scottish Ministers will be able to make Orders or Directions in relation to initiatives applying in Scotland only, and as appropriate make Directions in relation to the application in Scotland of UK wide initiatives, after consultation with and, where necessary, the consent of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. My right hon. Friend will remain responsible for Orders or Directions relating to UK wide initiatives, after consultation with Scottish Ministers. The details of these arrangements are still under consideration.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Telephone Lines
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Chairman of the Information Committee what plans he has to ensure that hon. Members have access to ISDN telephone lines. [61438]

  Mr. Richard Allan
  An hon. Member who has a specific communications requirement concerning his Parliamentary duties should raise the matter with the Director of Communications. The provision of communications, including ISDN, at locations outside the Parliamentary Estate is currently being considered, and the Information Committee will be discussing this in the new year.

DEFENCE

  Territorial Army
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many vacancies there were for the Territorial Army and Voluntary Reserve(a) in May 1997 and (b) at the latest date for which figures are available. [60860]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  The Territorial Army establishment in May 1997 was 59,000 posts, of which 55,900 were filled. In October 1998, the latest date for which figures are available, the establishment was also 59,000 posts, of which 53,847 were filled.

  Service Personnel (Electoral Roll)
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedures exist for service personnel to be registered on the electoral roll; and what proposals he has to increase the number of registrations. [60862]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  Service personnel may vote only when they are registered as Service Voters. The Representation of the People Act 1993 obliges my Department to ensure that all eligible members of the Armed Forces and their spouses are given the opportunity and adequate assistance to register as Service voters. To register, personnel make a Service declaration to the electoral registration officer for the area in which the applicant's qualifying address is situated, and this single registration remains valid throughout a Service career. Spouses may register as either Service or civilian voters.
  58
  Queen's Regulations for all three Services contain detailed information on the timetable for submitting declarations to ensure inclusion in the register of electors for Parliamentary, European Parliament and local government elections.

  Instructions on the action required to make initial Service declarations or to make new ones on any change of address are also included in the Regulations. In addition, each Service issues formal reminders annually describing the registration procedures and listing the relevant forms to be completed. The reminders draw attention in particular to the need to re-register or to amend qualifying addresses where necessary. Commanding Officers are made personally responsible for ensuring that unit administrative arrangements are efficient and that units hold sufficient forms, and are regularly formally reminded of their responsibilities.

  We will continue to employ these measures to encourage Service personnel to register and to vote, but doing so is, of course, a matter of personal choice.

  Soldiers (New Entrants)
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what financial assistance is available to new entrant soldiers who are themselves on income support, or whose parents are, towards the cost of equipment and supplies which they are required to purchase and to meet obligatory insurance costs. [60921]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  [holding answer 27 November 1998]: All new entrant soldiers are given an advance of pay, equivalent to one day's pay, when they are attested at a recruiting office, regardless of whether they, or their parents, are in receipt of income support. This advance is intended to cover the purchase of small personal items a new soldier may require. Any equipment a soldier needs to perform his or her duties is provided by the Army.

  My Department places no obligation on new entrants to the Army to take out insurance cover, but applicants are advised to insure their personal belongings, and any military equipment they are issued with against loss or damage for which the holder would be held responsible. New entrants are also advised to consider the purchase of personal accident or life insurance.

  Freedom of Information
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the changes in departmental practices which would be required to comply with the planned Freedom of Information Act. [61512]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Ministry of Defence is already committed to greater openness in its work and currently operates in accordance with the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. The Department's policy is that staff should take a positive approach towards the release of information. Details of MOD's policy and guidance to staff can be found on the Department's internet site at http://www.mod.uk/policy/opengovt/index.htm. Once the details of the draft FoI Bill have been finalised, instructions, advice and training will be available for staff in order to ensure that they are able to implement the Act and to foster an open culture.

SCOTLAND

  Kincardine Bridge
  Ms Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he plans to make an announcement on the replacement of the Kincardine Bridge. [61162]

  Mr. Macdonald
  I am announcing today my decision on a preferred line for a new crossing of the Forth in the vicinity of Kincardine. I have decided that, subject to the necessary statutory procedures, a new crossing should be built on an alignment approximately 2 kilometres upstream from the existing crossing at Kincardine. The new crossing will be used in conjunction with the existing bridge which will be refurbished. A new short Kincardine Eastern Link Road will also be constructed to link with the existing bridge and divert traffic travelling to and from Fife away from the centre of Kincardine village. My decision has taken full account of the five criteria—economy, environmental impact, safety, accessibility and integration—which the Government use to appraise trunk road investment. The sensitive ecology of the Forth Estuary meant that environmental considerations were particularly important. I am aware that the new crossing will potentially have an adverse visual impact on the village of Airth and every effort will be made to mitigate this.

  My decision means that the further preparatory work which is required before construction can begin can now be commissioned and the Comprehensive Spending Review has provided resources for this. I am not able, at this stage, to give a firm indication of when construction will begin. The time needed to complete the preparatory work means that, in all probability, construction could not begin before 2003.

  I have written to my hon. Friend giving her further details of my decision and I shall arrange for a copy of my letter to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Dounreay
  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the UKAEA has yet responded to the HSE/SEPA report on the management of safety at Dounreay; and if he will make a statement. [62010]

  Mr. Dewar
  Safety at Dounreay remains paramount and I am keeping closely in touch with developments there. The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority has today published an action plan in response to the audit of the management of safety at Dounreay carried out earlier this year by the Health and Safety Executive and Scottish Environment Protection Agency. I have arranged for the action plan to be placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Management and staff at Dounreay have worked very hard to produce this response to the many recommendations contained in the audit report. They have shown that they are taking the audit very seriously indeed. There are a number of points of detail which need to be discussed further, and there are issues of timing which need to be refined. Nonetheless this is an encouraging first step on what will be a long journey to bring the plant up to the standards expected of a modern nuclear licensee.
  60
  I expect UKAEA management to press ahead with implementation of the action plan as soon as it has been agreed by the plant's regulators. This will build on the actions already underway.

CABINET OFFICE

  Minister's Severance Payments
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what has been the total amount spent on severance payments to those who have resigned, retired or been dismissed from ministerial office since 1 May 1997, broken down by ministry. [61516]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  The Ministerial and Other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991 entitles Ministers (except the Prime Minister and the Lord Chancellor) to a severance payment of one quarter of their ministerial salary on leaving office.

  The information requested is set out in the table.

  Department

  Amount (£)

  Cabinet Office

  11,300.25

  Culture, Media and Sport

  14,063.50

  Environment, Transport and the Regions

  11,300.25

  HM Treasury

  15,281.75

  Northern Ireland Office

  6,068.25

  Social Security

  19,295.50

  Scottish Office

  5,905.75

  Trade and Industry

  6,068.25

  Welsh Office

  17,368.50

  Total

  106,652.00

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Schools (Absenteeism)
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will commission research into staff absenteeism rates in schools(a) prior to and (b) following OFSTED inspections. [60880]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Department's research programme is considered as a whole so that research priorities can be weighed against each other. The programme for 1999–2000 is under consideration and such research can be considered in that context, alongside other research priorities.

  Key Stage 3
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what representations he has received on this year's Key Stage 3 tests in English, Maths and Science; and if he will make a statement; [61001]

  (2) what representations he has received on the percentage increases in the achievement of levels 6 and 7 in English in 14 year olds and over since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [61002]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Forty letters have been received about Key Stage 3 English, mathematics and science; no letters have been received specifically about the percentage increase in the overall attainment in levels 6
  61
  and 7 in Key Stage 3 English since 1997 and 1998. Pupils and teachers are congratulated on the improvement in English performance this year. The mathematics and science results demonstrate the need to maintain our focus on raising levels of attainment. The Government are fully committed to raising standards in schools. This is why we have asked schools to set themselves challenging targets for pupil attainment, and why we are investing an additional £16 billion in education in England over the next three years.

  New Start Partnerships
  Mr. Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he will take to ensure that the training provided by the expanded New Start programme will target the needs of industry. [61173]

  Mr. Mudie
  We are encouraging employers to play a full part in all New Start partnerships, which aim to re-engage young people in learning, often through work related activities.

  They will also have opportunities to influence the local strategic Lifelong Learning Partnerships to be established next year.

  Jobseeker's Allowance
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the numbers of claimants on jobseeker's allowance who were called in to attend interviews whilst taking their holiday entitlement in the United Kingdom in each year since 1996. [61195]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  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 Mr. Richard Burden, dated November 1998:
  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to reply direct to your question regarding the number of claimants on Jobseeker's Allowance who were called in to attend interviews whilst taking their holiday entitlement in the United Kingdom in each year since 1996. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
  I regret that the Employment Service does not collect statistics of the number of jobseekers who are called in to the Jobcentre to attend interviews during their holiday. In practice, this situation should not occur frequently as interviews can be rearranged if Jobcentre staff are aware in advance that a jobseeker is away from home.
  I am sorry that I cannot be more helpful.

  Employment Service
  Ms Buck
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will establish website pages for each Employment Service region setting out the names and addresses of each contractor and sub-contractor supplying New Deal service contracts in each district. [61624]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  We have no present plans to include this level of local detail on the New Deal website but I am examining how we can best use the internet for the New Deals and Employment Services more generally, and will include this suggestion in the examination. For 62
  now, those who wish to find out more about local provision should initially contact either the appropriate Jobcentre or the Employment Service District Manager.

  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the reasons for the Employment Service's failure to meet its target for 1997–98 for placing people on Training for Work. [61075]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The Employment Service (ES) placed 130,600 people on training for work in 1997–98, against a target of 150,000 placings.

  The assumptions on which the target was based proved mistaken in two respects. Training for Work employed status starts (which did not count towards the ES target) and direct recruitment by TECs/LECs were both higher than planned. This reduced the ability of the ES to meet its target. However, the ES share of non-employed Training for Work starts, as 81 per cent., met the Government's expectations.

  Overall, the Government's target of 180,000 Training for Work starts in England was exceeded, with over 183,000 starts being achieved. This achievement would not have been possible without the strong support given to TECs/LECs by the ES.

  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list by region the number of staff employed by the Employment Service in(a) 1997–98, (b) 1996–97, (c) 1995–96 and (d) 1994–95. [61076]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  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 Mr. Don Foster, dated November 1998:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your question regarding the number of staff who are employed by the Employment Service, listed by region, in (a) 1997–98, (b) 1996–97, (c) 1995–96 and (d) 1994–95. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Employment Service.
  I have recorded below a breakdown by region and by Scotland and Wales of the number of staff in post as at 1 April for 1998, 1997, 1996 and 1995. These figures include temporary and fixed term appointees as well as permanent staff. People who are on career breaks or absent for any reason beyond three months are excluded from these figures.

  Employment Service—staff in post—1 April 1995–98

  Staff in post as at 1 April

  Region/country

  1998

  1997

  1996

  1995

  Scotland

  3,552

  3,479

  4,098

  3,884

  Northern

  1,877

  1,938

  2,443

  2,438

  Yorkshire and the Humber

  3,108

  3,000

  3,736

  3,754

  North West

  4,606

  4,071

  5,150

  4,360

  East Midlands and Eastern

  2,963

  3,061

  3,640

  3,800

  West Midlands

  2,811

  2,913

  3,535

  5,158

  Wales

  1,895

  1,803

  2,151

  2,296

  London and South East

  8,163

  9,530

  11,326

  12,304

  South West

  2,398

  2,638

  3,094

  3,358

  Head Office

  2,155

  1,741

  1,983

  2,027

  Total

  33,528

  34,174

  41,156

  43,379

  I hope this is helpful.

  Work-based Training
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he has set a target for the number of people to be placed on Work-based Training for Adults in 1998–99. [61073]

  Mr. Mudie
  The target for the number of people to be placed on work-based training for adults in 1998–99 is 120,000.

  Dyslexia
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many primary schools provide computers with voice-driven software for dyslexic students; [60961]

  (2) how many secondary schools provide an audio tape library for dyslexic pupils; [60962]

  (3) how many secondary schools provide computers with voice-driven software for dyslexic pupils; [60963]

  (4) how many primary schools provide an audio tape library for dyslexic pupils. [60964]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information requested is not held centrally. Schools are expected to explore the possible benefits of and, where practicable, secure access for a child to appropriate information communications technology. Where such equipment is identified as educational provision and it appears in Part 3 of a statement of special educational needs the local education authority has a duty to see that the equipment is provided.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the cost of screening all rising fives for dyslexia. [60953]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  This information is not held centrally. The Education Act 1996 states that those responsible for a nursery school's governance shall use their best endeavours to secure that appropriate special educational provision is made for all their registered pupils with learning difficulties. Local education authorities expect that they will follow broadly the same procedures for identifying and meeting these needs as the Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs recommends for children of compulsory school age.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what representations he has received on the ring fencing of special education funds for dyslexia. [60957]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Government's plans for the further development of financial delegation to schools will require local education authorities to inform schools what part of their budgets are set with reference to pupils' special educational needs, but will continue to give governing bodies flexibility to decide their actual spending on special needs within the total budgets available to them. The majority of consultation responses on this proposal welcomed the clarity it would bring but were opposed to ring fencing an element of school budgets for special needs.
  64
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what advice is offered by his Department to selective entry schools on making special provision for the needs of dyslexic children in entrance tests. [61197]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Children with special educational needs but without statements must be treated as fairly as other applicants. Admission authorities may not refuse to admit a pupil because they consider themselves unable to cater for his or her special educational needs. Admission authorities must consider applications from children who have special educational needs but no statement, on the basis of the school's published admission criteria. They cannot refuse to admit a pupil on the grounds that he or she does not have a statement of special educational needs, or is currently being assessed for one. Where admission authorities give some priority to children with special educational needs but without a statement, their published admission arrangements should state in what way their arrangements differ for such children.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many children in each local education authority area are identified as being dyslexic in the most recently available figures. [60952]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Provisions in the Education Act 1981, now consolidated into the Education Act 1996, require schools to submit information on numbers of pupils with special educational needs. There is no requirement for them to record the nature of the disability or learning difficulty. The Statistical Bulletin Special Educational Needs in England published annually summarises the information available on special educational needs. This includes details of pupils with statements by local education authority area and region, and details of pupils, with and without statements, in maintained primary and secondary schools by local education authority area and region.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the methods used by local education authorities to identify children with dyslexia; and if he will publish the guidelines. [60949]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Guidance to help schools and local education authorities identify and assess children with specific learning difficulties, which includes dyslexia, is contained in the Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs. The Code was published in May 1994.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what information he has on the number of unemployed people who are identified as dyslexic during a jobseeker's allowance interview. [60965]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  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 Mr. Jeremy Corbyn, dated November 1998:
  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to reply direct to your question concerning the number of people who are identified as dyslexic

  65
  during a Jobseeker's Allowance interview. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
  The Employment Service does not keep statistics on the number of unemployed people identified as having dyslexia. Where an individual is identified as having dyslexia they can be referred to a Disability Employment Adviser for specialist support to help them find employment.
  I am sorry that I cannot be more helpful on this occasion.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if he will publish the amount spent per local education authority on(a) identifying children with dyslexia and (b) educational support for such children in the last year for which figures are available; [60954]

  (2) what is his estimate of the amount of specialist help in terms of (a) cost and (b) time given to each dyslexic child through stages one to five; [60955]

  (3) what monitoring of expenditure by local education authorities on dyslexia is undertaken by his Department; and if he will make a statement; [60956]

  (4) what estimate he has made of the time allotted by each local education authority to dyslexic children for special help for each of stages one to five in the last year for which figures are available. [60958]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Department does not collect information on time spent or cost of education provision made by type of special educational need per local education authority or school. The Education Act 1996 and Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs recognises that every child has individual needs, including those children with dyslexia, and requires that local education authorities shall have regard to their duty to meet those needs. Similarly, school governing bodies shall use their best endeavours to see that they provide for pupils with special educational needs. This implies that children whose dyslexia requires special provision should have their educational needs identified and provided for appropriately.

  Teachers (Flu Injections)
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to offer teachers free flu injections; what estimate he has of the number of days off work which would be saved if such injections were available; and if he will make a statement. [60929]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  My right hon. Friend is advised on this issue by the Department of Health which has issued specific recommendations about the risk groups who are offered annual influenza immunisation. He has no plans to offer teachers free flu injections outside the Department of Health recommendations and has made no estimate of the number of days off work that would be saved. He has asked the Local Government Association to survey Local Education Authorities on the extent of teacher sickness absence as part of the wider initiative on managing sickness absence in the public sector.

  Special Needs
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what factors are taken into account when classifying children as having 66
  moderate learning difficulties; what plans he has to review the statementing system; and if he will make a statement. [61502]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Code of Practice on the identification and assessment of special educational needs includes guidance on the factors to be taken into account in deciding whether a child with learning difficulties should be given a statement. These include whether the child is working at a level significantly below his contemporaries in any of the core subjects of the National Curriculum; whether there is evidence that the child is falling progressively behind the majority of children of his or her age in academic attainment; whether there is evidence of impaired social interaction or communication; and whether the child has a significantly restricted repertoire of activities, interests and imaginative development. The recent publication "Meeting Special Educational Needs: A programme of action" makes it clear that the Government have no intention of removing the legal protection offered by statements or of constraining parents' access to a statutory assessment where they believe it is necessary. There are however wide variations between LEAs in making statements. The Government therefore propose to publish non-statutory guidance on criteria for statements drawing on a range of examples of current practice.

  Disabled Students
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he intends to respond to the findings of the Snowdon Survey on financial considerations relating to students with disabilities. [61511]

  Ms Hodge
  The Government will respond to the Snowdon Survey recommendations in due course, after the results of the Scheme's consultation on the survey have been received.

  New Deal (Planning Assumptions)
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the planning assumptions on which the New Deal pilots for over 25s are based, indicating the proportion of each part of the client group that the Government would usually expect, in the absence of the New Deal, to leave jobseeker's allowance within six months of reaching(a) 12 months, (b) 18 months and (c) 24 months unemployment and the indicative information the Government have about the proportion of jobseeker's allowance leavers who, in the absence of the New Deal, would go into jobs. [61081]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The specification, including off-flow rates from JSA, is in the Library.

  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the planning assumptions on which each New Deal model, excluding the New Deal pilots for over 25s, are based, indicating the proportion of each client group that the Government would usually expect, in the absence of the New Deal, to leave jobseeker's allowance within six months of reaching(a) six months, (b) 12 months, (c) 18 months and (d) 24 months unemployment and the indicative information the Government have about the proportion of jobseeker's allowance leavers in each client group who, in the absence of the New Deal, would go into jobs. [61079]
  67
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  I have placed the individual New Deal planning assumptions for each of the 143 Units of Delivery in the Libraries.

  A-levels
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list, for the most recent year for which survey information is available, the percentage of A level grades which are forecast(a) correctly, (b) too low, (c) too high and (d) too high by two grades or more; and if he will list each by school type. [61077]

  Mr. Mudie
  This information is not collected by the Department.

  Construction Industry Training Boards
  Mr. Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the percentage increase in pay settlements awarded by the CITB and ECITB for the next financial year. [61631]

  Mr. Mudie
  On 1 August 1998 the CITB awarded a 3.75% pay increase to its staff and the ECITB awarded an increase of 5%. In each case the awards are applicable to 31 July 1999.

  Mr. Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the percentage increase in the levy charged to their in-scope companies by the CITB and ECITB for the next financial year. [61632]

  Mr. Mudie
  CITB proposes to raise a two-part levy in the next financial year with an increase of 0.09% in the percentage rate of payroll, from 0.29% to 0.38% for direct employees and no increase in the percentage rate for net payments to labour only subcontractors. ECITB is not proposing any increase in the next financial year.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Crown Prosecution Service
  Mr. Donald Anderson
  To ask the Attorney-General what steps have been taken to implement the recommendations of the report of the Review of the Crown Prosecution Service by the Right Hon. Sir kin Glidewell. [62017]

  The Attorney-General
  My statement to the House on publication of the Glidewell Report on 1 June 1998,Official Report, column 42, undertook to publish a formal response setting out the Government response to each recommendation, whether it would be implemented and, if so, how. I then said that a plan of action would be drawn up and published.

  A programme of change based on recommendations made by the Glidewell Report and our prior decision to restructure the Crown Prosecution Service into 42 areas is being taken forward briskly under the leadership of Mr. David Calvert-Smith QC, whose appointment as Director of Public Prosecutions took effect on 1 November, and Mr. Mark Addison, who was appointed Chief Executive on 5 June. They expect to take decisions in the near future about the senior management structure within CPS headquarters and an open competition for the
  68
  appointment of Chief Crown Prosecutors for each of the 42 new areas commenced with the placing of advertisements on 16 November. The selection process for the Area Business Managers recommended by the Glidewell Report is currently under way.

  All this will be taken forward within the framework of the Government's overall strategy for developing a properly co-ordinated criminal justice system working to a common set of overarching aims and objectives. The emphasis will be on clear central policies for the criminal justice system delivered locally.

  The objectives set for the change programme are:
  The organisation should be taken as an opportunity for a fresh start for the CPS, building on the achievements of the past 12 years;
  The development of a form of CPS management at both national and local levels which reflects the new structure and the demands of a decentralised national service;
  CPS priorities should be reordered to focus more on the core business of prosecuting, placing greater emphasis on the more serious cases and providing greater separation of management from legal work, greater autonomy for the areas and better prospects for staff;
  The agencies which make up the criminal justice system should have shared and mutually reinforcing objectives, and should co-operate together to achieve better results across the system as a whole, in accordance with the Government's decisions on the outcome of the cross-cutting spending review of the criminal justice system;
  Decisions on the Glidewell recommendations should be reached as soon as possible and implementation of those decisions should be rapid and purposeful taking account of the need for phasing to provide a smooth transition and to contain costs.

  Detailed consideration of the recommendations contained in the Glidewell Report has taken one of two forms. First, the Chief Executive has been energetically pursuing recommendations specific to the CPS with the support of an internal steering group and working parties to consider specific issues. He as also put in place mechanisms for obtaining the views of CPS staff at all levels. This has included work on internal structures, training, career prospects, central and special casework and the development of an independent element for the CPS Inspectorate.

  Secondly, those recommendations which also affect other criminal justice agencies have been the subject of consideration within existing or specially established inter-departmental groups. The work is being carried forward under the auspices of the Strategic Planning Group which the Home Secretary, myself and the Lord Chancellor established earlier this year to co-ordinate planning within the criminal justice system. I have today placed in the Library of the House a chart setting out the present position in relation to each of the recommendations in the Glidewell Report. It shows those which have been accepted, in whole or in part, and the manner in which consideration of the remaining recommendations is being progressed, together with the anticipated timetable. Of the recommendations internal to the CPS, it is proposed that 39 should be accepted, in whole or in part, with 13 under consideration,

  69
  considered or noted. Of the 23 inter-agency recommendations, 7 have been accepted, wholly or in part, with 16 remaining under consideration or considered.

  My statement to the House on 1 June contained an invitation to interested parties to comment on the recommendations made in the Glidewell Report. I am grateful to all those who took the trouble to respond for the care and effort which went into their responses. These have been carefully considered and will continue to inform decisions about those recommendations still under consideration.

  I draw the attention of my hon. Friend to three specific aspects of the work so far undertaken. First, the recommendations in respect of Criminal Justice Units (recommendations 13–16 and 20) contain some of the most important and sensitive proposals in the Report. It recommended greater priority for all casework and sees the working arrangements between the CPS and the police service as crucial to successful handling of casework and therefore to achieving that priority. Acceptance would lead to major changes in the way in which CPS officers and the police operate. They are being considered by a newly formed Criminal Justice Units Project Group, which is chaired jointly by the CPS and the Association of Chief Police Officers. The issues raised will inevitably take some time to address, but it is hoped conclusions can be reached in the Spring of 1999 so as to provide the new Chief Crown Prosecutors with a firm basis for planning the operations in their areas. The proposal for the establishment of Trial Units (recommendation 18) is so closely linked to the question of Criminal Justice Units that it must remain under consideration until the position in that respect is clearer.

  Secondly, the Report contains a number of recommendations (recommendations 21, 22 and 26) concerning the CPS's relationship with the courts, and suggests that the CPS should play a greater part in the listing of cases in both the Magistrates' Courts and the Crown Court. These recommendations are accepted.

  Listing is ultimately the sole responsibility of the courts. The CPS, however, should play a close part in co-operative arrangements among all relevant agencies, necessary to ensure effective listing by the courts. The text of the report makes clear that greater involvement of the CPS in Magistrates' Courts listing would come about only by agreement, at local level, between the courts and the CPS. Although it should not inhibit CPS liaison and closer involvement in the overall listing process, any such agreement must recognise that the courts are the neutral and independent arbiters of the cases brought before them, and that a decision concerning the listing of an individual case is ultimately a judicial function.

  Co-operation is needed at a local level to ensure that listing practices are effective and bring about significant improvements in, for example, the level of cracked and ineffective trials. In the Crown Court, improved case preparation and inter-agency moves towards better case management should lead to more effective listing practices, ensuring that cases are prepared and listed for trial more quickly.
  70
  Thirdly, the Glidewell Report made recommendations (68 to 72) for changes to the structure and remit of the CPS Inspectorate to incorporate a greater independent element. Those recommendations are being accepted in principle but with some modifications as to the detail. I propose that in future the CPS Inspectorate should be headed by a Chief Inspector appointed by me who would report to me. I also propose that there should be a non-executive Advisory Board which would include a lay member and that Inspectorate staff would include as well as CPS staff on secondment some individuals from outside the CPS. In addition, I propose that the remit of the Inspectorate should be widened to include performance efficiency and effectiveness so that it examines not only the quality of casework decisions and casework decision-making processes (as it does now), but also any other areas of CPS performance where they impact on issues surrounding casework, excluding financial audit. Consideration will be given to whether these arrangements should be placed on a statutory footing.

  I take this opportunity to commend all those who have participated in the work so far undertaken, whether within the CPS or in other criminal justice agencies, on the progress made. I am confident that the position we have reached provides a sound basis for the CPS to go forward as a national but decentralised service with effect from April 1999 and so obtain maximum benefit from the "fresh start" which the Glidewell Report advocated.

  I shall provide the House with a further report in the first half of 1999.

  Mr. Donald Anderson
  To ask the Attorney-General how many wasted costs orders have been made by courts against the Crown Prosecution Service in (i) 1996–97, (ii) 1997–98 and (iii) 1998–99 to date, with the breakdown of each Crown Prosecution Service Area and the total sums for such areas and further broken down by the Crown courts and the magistrates courts. [61161]

  The Attorney-General
  Wasted cost orders are usually understood to be orders against individuals pursuant to section 19A of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985. These are extremely rare in relation to representatives of the Crown Prosecution Service.

  My hon. Friend's question is taken to refer to orders made under section 19(1) of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985, and regulation 3 of the Costs in Criminal Cases (General) Regulations 1986, these being orders based on an unnecessary or improper act or omission for which the prosecution is held responsible. The numbers of such orders made against the Crown Prosecution Service are set out for each year in the tables, with the totals for each Area, broken down to show awards made in the Crown Court and those made in magistrates courts. The final column of each table shows the amounts actually paid out by the Crown Prosecution Service, but it is not possible to divide this into sums paid in respect of orders made in the Crown Court and orders made in magistrates courts.
  71
  The number of orders made does not necessarily equate with the numbers of orders paid. No central record is kept of the amounts ordered to be made, although the Crown Prosecution Service accounting system records the payments actually made in the relevant accounting year.

  Costs awarded against CPS—1998–99 (figures for April-September 1998 only)

  Number of costs awards against CPS

  Crown Court

  Magistrates Courts

  Amount paid (£)

  North

  1

  1

  3,497.16

  Yorkshire

  0

  6

  2,859.10

  Mersey/Lancashire

  4

  30

  245.00

  Humber

  0

  0

  3,180.55

  North West

  3

  7

  11,602.38

  East Midlands

  0

  2

  10,787.52

  Wales

  4

  8

  3,212.03

  Midlands

  3

  6

  2,871.16

  Anglia

  1

  5

  3,510.04

  Severn/Thames

  0

  7

  6,117.83

  South West

  4

  4

  1,549.68

  South East

  12

  40

  28,681.58

  London

  11

  12

  62,262.10

  Central Casework

  3

  1

  21,773.14

  Total

  46

  129

  162,149.27

  Costs awarded against CPS—1996–97

  Number of costs awards against CPS

  Crown Court

  Magistrates Courts

  Amount paid (£)

  North

  5

  13

  10,231.05

  Yorkshire

  12

  10

  10,623.21

  Mersey/Lancashire

  8

  13

  889.53

  Humber

  10

  5

  16,712.45

  North West

  9

  25

  5,874.16

  East Midlands

  11

  8

  18,164.41

  Wales

  4

  2

  5,863.78

  Midlands

  0

  11

  9,351.70

  Anglia

  8

  8

  53,847.27

  Severn/Thames

  13

  4

  8,768.53

  South West

  0

  14

  4,319.44

  South East

  11

  41

  15,039.59

  London

  95

  35

  67,876.30

  Central Casework

  5

  —

  49,948.01

  Total

  191

  189

  277,509.43

  Costs awarded against CPS—1997–98

  Number of costs awards against CPS

  Crown Court

  Magistrates Courts

  Amount paid (£)

  North

  1

  2

  448.60

  Yorkshire

  0

  4

  14,459.22

  Mersey/Lancashire

  6

  9

  2,957.47

  Humber

  2

  1

  8,800.04

  North West

  5

  11

  6,495.46

  East Midlands

  0

  1

  10,867.38

  Wales

  7

  11

  15,034.97

  Midlands

  3

  23

  8,899.79

  Anglia

  16

  5

  27,693.63

  Severn/Thames

  7

  8

  9,942.23

  South West

  5

  4

  18,142.06

  72

  Costs awarded against CPS—1997–98

  Number of costs awards against CPS

  Crown Court

  Magistrates Courts

  Amount paid (£)

  South East

  16

  104

  18,344.32

  London

  37

  39

  76,150.34

  Central Casework

  7

  1

  125,203.08

  Total

  112

  223

  343,478.59

  Notes:

  1. Information is not available to establish the enactment under which the orders were made and awards of costs made otherwise than in accordance with the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985 may be included.

  2. The information in relation to the number of awards is limited to Crown Court and Magistrates Courts cases. It does not include costs awards made in the Higher Court.

  3. Information about the amounts paid includes payments in respect of orders made in the Higher Courts, but the amounts cannot be broken down by the type of court.

HEALTH

  Mental Illness
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the population aged between 16 and 65 years have(a) suffered from mental illness, (b) been under the care of a psychiatrist and (c) attempted suicide. [60993]

  Mr. Hutton
  A survey conducted in Great Britain in 1993 established that about one in six adults between the ages of 16 and 64 suffered from a neurotic disorder in the week before interview and about four per thousand had suffered from a psychotic disorder in the previous twelve months. There was no significant difference in the rates for England. Not all of those with neurotic symptoms would need medical care and in most cases this could be provided by the patient's general practitioner.

  Only a small proportion of mentally ill people will need in-patient care. Those patients with finished consultant episodes following admissions to hospitals are shown in the table.

  Information on attempted suicides is not collected centrally. The nearest data relating to attempted suicides are on self-inflicted injury resulting in admission to hospital, for which data are collected centrally. This information is included in the table.

  National Health Service hospital facilities 1995–96

  End age 16–65

  FCEs

  Percentage based on 1995 population estimate

  Mental illness

  154,560

  0.5

  Self-inflicted injury

  56,200

  0.2

  Note:

  FCE are Finished Concultant Episodes

  Figure have been rounded to the whole number

  Source:

  HES:ONS

  Abortion
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the accuracy of British abortion statistics; and if he will make a statement on how they are compiled. [61673]

  Ms Jowell
  Abortion statistics are compiled from the information provided on the notification form which medical practitioners are obliged by the Abortion Act 1967 to submit to the Chief Medical Officer within 7 days of each abortion. Incomplete or unclear forms are returned to practitioners for clarification and resubmission. Any evidence of non-reporting is investigated and would be referred to the Crown Prosecution Service if appropriate.

  The Department's Chief Medical Officer recently wrote to all obstetricians and gynaecologists in England and Wales to remind them of their legal obligations with regard to completion of notification forms.

  Cervical Cancer
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the use of hydrolysed DNA assay testing for the early detection of cervical cancer in tandem with the present smear test. [61530]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Department is aware of a number of new technologies being developed which might be used to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the National Health Service cervical screening programme. Any changes to the programme will be introduced only after assessments have proven they are both clinically and cost-effective. The Advisory Committee on Cervical Screening is currently considering the potential role of new technologies in the cervical screening programme.

  Child Labour
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when he expects to be able to announce proposals to alter child labour legislation in the United Kingdom; [60950]

  (2) if he will publish the representations received on the future of child labour legislation in the United Kingdom. [60951]

  Mr. Milburn
  We expect the report of the group currently reviewing child employment legislation to be available in the early part of next year. The timing of any alterations to child employment law will depend on the findings of that review. We expect the review's report to contain details of any representations they received.

  Dyslexia
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what departmental funding is made available for research programmes into the causes of dyslexia; and what expenditure is planned for 1999–2000; [60966]

  (2) what research information is held by his Department on the causes of childhood dyslexia; and if he will make a statement. [60960]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Department does not hold, nor does it plan to commission, any research into the possible causes of dyslexia.
  74
  We are collaborating with the Department for Education and Employment on a small project to investigate whether the use of coloured overlays in schools could help the development of children's reading skills. The cost of this research has not yet been fully estimated.

  Children's Health (Income during Pregnancy)
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the relationship between income during pregnancy and a child's(a) health in early years and (b) long-term health prospects. [61735]

  Ms Jowell
  The recent independent inquiry into inequalities in health, chaired by Sir Donald Acheson, examined, among other things, inequalities in women of childbearing age, expectant mothers and young children. More generally, the inquiry report drew attention to improvements in health and life expectancy associated with income and living standards.

  We are firmly committed to improving the living standards of the poorest households and are already taking a number of measures that will help to achieve this. We shall be considering Sir Donald's recommendations as a whole in the development of our new health strategy, about which we shall publish a White Paper early next year.

  Councillors
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the local authorities in(a) England and Wales and (b) Scotland showing the number of councillors on each who are (i) men and (ii) women. [61729]

  Ms Jowell
  The information requested has been the subject of a survey of local authorities conducted by the Women's Unit. It is in the process of being analysed. Not all the responses have been received as yet. The results are being examined and an analysis will be placed in the Library.

  Care Services (Gloucester)
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what standard spending assessment has been allocated to Gloucester County Council for the provision of care services in(a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99 and (d) 1999–2000. [61506]

  Mr. Hutton
  Details of the standard spending assessments allocated to Gloucestershire County Council for the provision of social services up to 1998–99 are shown in the table. Indicative standard spending assessment figures for 1999–2000 by local authority will be announced shortly.

  Year

  £ million

  1996–97

  61.579

  1997–98

  66.678

  1998–99

  70.932

  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what care services local authorities are required to provide; what assessment he has made of the
  75
  level of care services provided by Gloucestershire County Council; what steps he is taking to improve care facilities; and if he will make a statement. [61507]

  Mr. Hutton
  Social services authorities' powers and duties to provide care services for adults are set out in various pieces of legislation, including the National Assistance Act 1948, the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968, the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970, the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986, the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990, the Carers (Recognition and Services) Act 1995, and the Community Care (Direct Payments) Act 1996.

  Local authorities' responsibilities for providing care services for children are set out in the Children Act 1989, part III of which deals with support to children in need and their families including the provision of accommodation for children; part IV, with ensuring care and supervision through the courts; part V, with the protection of children from abuse and neglect; and part X concerns child minding and day care for young children.

  In recent years Gloucestershire has been inspected by the Social Services Inspectorate as follows:

  Year

  Report

  1998

  Care management/care programme approach (mental health)

  1997

  Hospital discharge (care management)

  1996

  Children leaving care

  1995

  Information Strategies and systems in community care

  1995

  Foster care

  1995

  Inspection units

  1994

  Complaints procedures

  Copies of all these reports are available in the Library.

  We are today publishing our White Paper, Modernising Social Services. This sets out a wide range of proposals to improve standards in all social services.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Police (Early Retirement)
  Mr. McNulty
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to reduce the rate of early retirement in the police. [61112]

  Mr. Boateng
  Following our consultation document earlier this year on police pension arrangements, work is in hand on specific proposals to improve practice in managing ill-health retirement and to support good management practice with changes to the Police Pensions Regulations where necessary. Any proposals we make will be published in advance to allow for full consultation with the interested parties.

  Departmental Research
  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the priorities for research in his Department. [61113]

  Mr. Boateng
  My Department is carrying out social and scientific research and evaluation across the range of Home Office policy and programmes, in particular,76
  formulating a new Crime Reduction Programme and evaluating the key proposals in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, a new programme of drugs research, carrying out repeat surveys of both Local Voluntary Activity and Youth Lifestyles and a £700,000 programme of police research. This year's external research programme of the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics Directorate was published in June and copies are available in the Library. The details of the police research programme will soon be available on the Internet.

  Prisoners
  Mr. Borrow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress being made in reducing the prison population. [61114]

  Mr. Boateng
  The prison population peaked at 66,500 at the end of July and, taking seasonal factors into account, there has been no substantial growth in the population since April this year.

  The Government believe that prison must be the right response for those who pose a danger to the public, such as violent or sexual offenders and for persistent offenders. It is, however, for the courts to decide the appropriate sentence in any individual case, within the statutory limits set by Parliament. The Prison Service has a duty to keep in custody those sentenced to prison and the Government's duty is to provide the resources to enable this to happen. The Comprehensive Spending Review took full account of this.

  Liquor Licensing Laws
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on reform of the liquor licensing laws. [61115]

  Mr. George Howarth
  On 5 May, I announced that we were starting a general review of the liquor licensing laws. This is underway; we need to look at the full range of issues before announcing our conclusions.

  Prisons (Drug Tests)
  Mr. Goggins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his assessment is of the impact of random drug tests in prison. [61116]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Drug testing is an integral part of the Prison Service's drug strategy. It provides an indication of the level of drug misuse in prisons and a deterrent to those who may be tempted to use drugs. It is a valuable part of a package of measures to combat drug misuse. In May, I announced a new strategy for testing which provides for a more targeted approach.

  Prison Service
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the proportion of Prison Service expenditure derived from the Prison Service's trading activities. [61117]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Although the Prison Service is not set up as a trading organisation, it does derive income from commercial activities. Gross expenditure by the Prison Service in 1997–98 was £1,760.9 million.
  77
  This expenditure was offset by receipts of £23.3 million in the classes authorised for use as appropriations in aid, of which £8.4 million were from sales of capital assets. £7.7 million (33 per cent. of all receipts; 52 per cent. of current receipts) of those receipts arose from external sales from prison industries and farms.

  Police (Effectiveness)
  Mr. Derek Twigg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what performance indicators are used to measure the effectiveness of police forces. [61118]

  Mr. Boateng
  The effectiveness of police forces is measured against performance indicators identified by the Home Office, the Audit Commission and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) and the Association of Chief Police Officers. The indicators are designed to cover the most important aspects of service delivery. Detailed comparative analysis of performance based on the indicators is included in the published HMIC inspection reports.

  Channel Islands
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what deadlines he will be giving to the Channel Islands for the completion of the proposals set out in the Edwards report. [61119]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The Minister of State, my noble Friend the Lord Williams of Mostyn, is to chair a group made up of representatives of the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man and the United Kingdom to examine the conclusions of the Edwards Report and the plans of action being drawn up in response to those conclusions, including timetables.

  Community Sentences
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out the steps he is taking to increase public awareness of the value of community sentences. [61120]

  Mr. George Howarth
  My Ministerial colleagues and I try to publicise good work undertaken by the probation service, of which there are many examples. We are also considering, in the light of responses to the consultation document "Joining Forces to Protect the Public", renaming community sentences to help the public to understand better what they involve and the important responsibilities which the probation service has in punishing offenders, reducing crime and protecting the public.

  Crime and Disorder Act 1998
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the implementation of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. [61121]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Crime and Disorder Act received Royal Assent on 31 July 1998. Of the 121 sections in it, 87 have now been brought into force, some on a pilot basis. The majority of other sections will be introduced within the next 12 months. Sex offender orders will come into force on 1 December. Anti-social behaviour orders will come into force on 1 April next year.
  78
  Crime and disorder reduction partnerships, which are central to the Act, are being established throughout England and Wales. Many areas have already undertaken significant work towards their crime and disorder audits. Up to date information on the implementation of the Act is available on the Internet at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/cdact/index.htm.

  Crime Victims
  Mr. Pearson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to give increased rights to the victims of crime. [61122]

  Mr. Boateng
  We believe that the needs of victims and witnesses should be at the heart of the criminal justice system. We shall be introducing in the current parliamentary session the Youth Sentencing and Witnesses Bill, which will give increased rights to victims of crime. Other measures in the Bill, while not conferring rights on victims as such, will nonetheless make a further significant contribution towards improving the position of victims.

  Dr. Tony Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what advice is given by his Department to the police about the need to inform the victims of crime about the outcome of their case. [61124]

  Mr. Boateng
  Under the Victim's Charter the police have a responsibility for informing victims if someone has been caught, cautioned or charged: victims who want to receive further information should additionally be told of any decision to drop or alter the charges substantially, the date of any trial and the final result. Most police forces have now established arrangements for keeping victims informed of more significant developments in their case, though practice varies across the country. Ways in which this Charter standard might be achieved more readily and more consistently have been the subject of pilot studies over the past two years. An interim evaluation report has just been published—a copy has been lodged in the Library—and the final evaluation should be available next Spring. Our intention is then to issue good practice guidelines to all police forces.

  Crime Reduction
  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what resources he has made available to help reduce crime in areas with high offending rates. [61123]

  Mr. Boateng
  On 21 July 1998,Official Report, columns 914–24, the Government announced a new crime reduction programme supported by £250 million over the next three years. As part of that programme, we will be spending at least £50 million over the next three years on tackling domestic burglary in areas with a high burglary problem.

  Crime (Essex)
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received about the level of crime in Essex. [61125]

  Mr. Boateng
  I have received a number of representations from members of the public about crime issues in Essex.
  79
  The crime rate statistics for 1997–1998 recently presented to the Audit Commission for its annual review of police performance, confirmed that the crime rate in Essex decreased by 9.8 per cent. against the previous 12 months. The total number of offences falling to 89,380—the lowest since 1990.

  Young Offenders
  Mr. Ruffley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding the punishment of young offenders. [61126]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Government have set out their policy on the punishment of young offenders in three consultation documents (Tackling Youth Crime, New National and Local Focus on Youth Crime and Tackling Delays in the Youth Justice System). By 8 December 1997, 297 responses had been received to "Tackling Youth Crime", 250 responses to "New National and Local Focus", and 177 responses to "Tackling Delays". Summaries of the responses to each of the three papers have been placed in the Library.

  The White Paper "No More Excuses—A New Approach to Tackling Youth Crime in England and Wales" was published in November 1997. Many of the policies contained in the White Paper were made by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, which received Royal Assent on 31 July 1998.

  Detainees
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his current estimate of the number of people detained under immigration legislation. [61100]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  As at 31 October, approximately 970 people were held in detention solely under Immigration Act powers.

  Psychiatric Care
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were clinically assessed as requiring medium secure psychiatric care in each of the last five years; how many of those assessed were transferred to psychiatric hospitals; and if he will make a statement. [61157]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The number of transfers to hospital by direction of the Home Secretary under section 47 and 48 of the Mental Health Act 1983 in each of the last five years was as follows:

  Year

  Number of Prisoners transferred

  1993

  767

  1994

  785

  1995

  723

  1996

  745

  1997

  745

  Some 50–60 per cent. of such transfers are to medium secure or equivalent conditions of security. Information about the number of clinical assessments for psychiatric care is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Medway Secure Training Centre
  Dr. Vis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the ministerial visits to the Medway Secure Training Centre since 1 May 1997. [61018]

  Mr. Boateng
  Medway Secure Training Centre opened on 17 April 1998. The then Minister of State, my right hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Mr. Michael), visited the centre on 26 August, as did I on 17 November 1998.

  Sara Barhandi
  Mr. Woolas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made in ascertaining the whereabouts of Sara Barhandi, abducted from her home on 15 August. [60997]

  Mr. Boateng
  Since being notified of the disappearance of Sara Barhandi, the police have made extensive inquiries, both within the United Kingdom and abroad, in an effort to locate her. This included issuing an All Ports Bulletin in an effort to prevent her from being removed from this country. To date, no information has yet been received to confirm her whereabouts, although inquiries are ongoing.

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will take steps to regulate the destruction of unwanted animals bred for use in experiments; [60936]

  (2) what steps he is taking to reduce the numbers of animals bred for use in experimentation but subsequently discarded without being so used; [60938]

  (3) if he will make it a requirement for those holding project licences under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 to publish details of the number of surplus animals killed each year; [60937]

  (4) if he will estimate the number of animals bred each year for possible use in experimentation but subsequently discarded without being so used. [60939]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Under the terms of section 10 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, animals bred in designated establishments for use in scientific procedures but which are surplus to requirement must be killed by a method which is appropriate under Schedule 1 to the Act or otherwise approved by the Secretary of State. We have already accepted recommendations made by the Animal Procedures Committee, in its interim report on the review of the 1986 Act, that those killing animals by Schedule 1 methods should be trained and that a register of competent persons should be maintained in designated establishments. We have no plans, at this stage, to introduce further controls.

  The production of genetically modified animals is a regulated procedure under the terms of the 1986 Act and must, therefore, have project licence authority. Details of all such animals are already included in the annual statistics. Project licence holders are not, however, responsible for the breeding of non-genetically modified animals and it would not, therefore, be possible for them

  81
  to provide details of the number of surplus animals killed each year. All establishments are, however, required to keep records of the source, use and disposal of animals.

  The Animals Procedures Committee has been looking at overbreeding and wastage of laboratory animals as part of its review of the operation of the 1986 Act. The Committee's report on the review was published as appendix F to the Committee's annual report, which was laid before Parliament on 26 November. The Committee notes that some overbreeding is unavoidable, but it can be minimised and the Committee has identified six principles of good practice which will be refined in collaboration with the Laboratory Animal Science Association. We accept the Committee's recommendation that we should issue these as guidelines for breeding establishments.

  The Committee also suggests that establishments be required to report to the Home Office figures for overbreeding of those animals listed in Schedule 2 to the 1986 Act. We will consider this.

  Driving Offences
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average penalty applied to a person convicted of accidentally killing another whilst in charge of a motor vehicle. [61501]

  Mr. Boateng
  The readily available information relates to the average length of custodial sentences (unsuspended imprisonment and young offender institution) in England and Wales in 1996 for the three offences involving causing death and is as follows:

  Offence

  Average sentence length (months)

  Causing death by dangerous driving

  33.7

  Causing death by careless driving under influence of drink or drugs

  34.5

  Causing death by aggravated vehicle taking

  22.6

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were(a) charged with and (b) convicted of dangerous driving in the last year for which figures are available. [60934]

  Mr. Boateng
  The readily available information relates to the number of proceedings and findings of guilt for offences of dangerous driving, which, in England and Wales in 1996, the latest year for which figures are available, were 10,017 and 5,750 respectively.

  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he gives to the police regarding decisions on whether to prosecute offending motorists or to require them to undertake driver improvement schemes; what percentage of offending motorists(a) were prosecuted and (b) took part in these schemes in (i) Gloucestershire and (ii) the United Kingdom in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [61504]

  Mr. Boateng
  None. Decisions on whether to prosecute drivers or offer them a place on a driver improvement scheme are for the police to take in consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, as appropriate. The figures requested are not available centrally.

  Policing (Greater Manchester)
  Ms Blears
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the funding to be made available for policing in Greater Manchester in 1999–2000. [61107]

  Mr. Boateng
  My right hon. Friend announced on 21 July 1998,Official Report, column 915, that the police service in England and Wales will receive an additional £1.24 billion over the next three years from 1999–2000. Our plans allow for police expenditure to increase by 2.65 per cent. in 1999–2000. Funding will be allocated to individual police authorities by means of a needs-based formula next year. We will announce provisional allocations later this week.

  Sex Trafficking
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information his Department (i) collects and (ii) publishes on the trafficking in women for sexual purposes in(a) the United Kingdom, (b) the rest of the EU and (c) wider Europe. [61533]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Government do not collect statistical information specific to women who are trafficked for sexual purposes.

  The Home Office Policing and Reducing Crime Unit of the Research, Development and Statistics Directorate is currently considering commissioning a small research study on trafficking in women. This will draw together any information which exists on the extent and forms of trafficking in women in England and Wales.

  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what involvement his Department has in the efforts to combat the trafficking in women for sexual purposes in(a) the EU and (b) wider Europe. [61531]

  Mr. Boateng
  The United Kingdom is fully committed to opposing trafficking in women and its associated activities. We are taking steps to implement the European Union Joint Action of December 1996 to combat trafficking in human beings and sexual exploitation of children, and we support and participate in the European Union STOP programme, which provides for incentives and exchanges for persons responsible for combating trafficking in human beings and the sexual exploitation of children. In addition, we recently adopted The Hague Ministerial declaration on a European Code of Conduct to prevent and combat trafficking in women for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

  Among other initiatives, this year the United Kingdom took part in an European Union/United States information campaign to address the problem of trafficking in women from Poland and the Ukraine. We are also working on the problem, together with other European Union member states and countries of Central and Eastern Europe, within the European Conference. At the meeting of the European Conference on 6 October 1998, the conference tasked its expert group on drugs and organised crime to examine how the measures in the Joint Action to combat trafficking in human beings and the sexual exploitation of children could be extended to all States participating in the group's work.

  The Government also support action to combat illegal immigration, including that of women for sexual purposes, in both European Union and international fora, and have

  83
  supported information campaigns aimed at alerting women to the risks involved in such illegal immigration.

  European Network of Policewomen
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contribution his Department makes to the work of the European Network of Policewomen; what is the composition and role of the network; and what is the estimated annual cost to public funds of United Kingdom participation in it. [61532]

  Mr. Boateng
  The organisation is based in the Netherlands and the majority of its funds are provided by the Dutch Ministries of the Interior and Justice. This Department does not make any contribution to the work of the European Network of Policewomen centrally. However, a small number of police forces and National Police Training at Bramshill, who are supporting members, have made small annual contributions.

  I understand that the main objective of this organisation is
  "to optimise the position of policewomen in the European police service".

  It promotes the exchange of information, research and training between organisations and individuals who endorse the ideal that the police organisation should be a place where women and men can work together as equals.

  Dyslexia
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the percentage of the(a) female and (b) male prison population who are dyslexic in each of the past 10 years. [60946]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The Prison Service does not currently undertake separate screening tests for dyslexia so the information requested is not available. However, dyslexia screening on induction for prisoners in the dispersal estate is to be introduced from 1 January 1999. In addition, the Prison Service is looking at a number of options to identify dyslexia needs among prisoners and will issue guidance on screening tests to providers of prison education when the research which it has commissioned is complete, at the end of February 1999.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his Department's estimate of the number of current young offenders who are dyslexic; and what estimate he has made of the number in each of the last five years. [60947]

  Mr. Boateng
  No information is available about the number of young offenders who are dyslexic. However, results from Prison Service skills screening tests for literacy and numeracy amongst prisoners in general suggest that 60 per cent. have poor literacy and communication skills and 75 per cent. have poor numeracy skills.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what specialist help is available to dyslexic prisoners by the Prisons Education Department; and if he will make a statement. [60948]

  Mr. George Howarth
  All education departments in prisons try to identify the individual learning needs of prisoners. Where there is an indication that there are 84
  dyslexia needs, specialist advice and guidance is sought and appropriate learning can be made available. Specialist advice is sought from the British Dyslexia Association which provides a full diagnostic assessment, or, within some education departments, from teachers who have undertaken specialist training leading to nationally recognised accreditation.

  WPC Fletcher
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to make a statement on Scotland Yard's continuing investigation into the case of WPC Fletcher. [61088]

  Mr. Straw
  As I said to my hon. Friend in my answer of 26 October 1998,Official Report, column 47, I understand from the Metropolitan Police that their review of the evidence surrounding the murder of Woman Police Constable Fletcher is nearing completion. I expect to receive a report as soon as is practicable after the police inquiries are completed.

  Firearms Compensation Scheme
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total cost of all the options of(a) the high calibre handgun compensation scheme and (b) the low calibre handgun compensation scheme; and what were the associated staff costs in each case. [61633]

  Mr. Boateng
  The information is as follows:

  Cost of payments under the large-calibre handgun compensation scheme: £57,160,0797

  Cost of payments under the ex gratia payment scheme for small-calibre pistols: £4,671,200

  Cost of payments under the statutory compensation scheme for small-calibre pistols: £1,452,958

  Firearms Compensation Section staff costs (including Agency staff) at end October 1998: £1,704,339.

  Immigration Advisers
  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he proposes to bring forward measures to regulate immigration advisers. [61092]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  We hope to bring forward legislation to regulate unscrupulous immigration advisers in the next few months.

TREASURY

  Pensions Mis-selling
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps the FSA has taken to investigate the possibility of general mis-selling of(a) free-standing additional voluntary contributions and (b) other pension top-up policies since their introduction. [61186]

  Ms Hewitt
  This is a matter for the Financial Services Authority. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the FSA's statement of 19 October.

  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the uncertainties involved in estimating the ultimate cost to firms of the mis-selling pensions review;
  85
  and what steps he will take to produce an estimate of the split of the likely cost of the pension review between with profits and unit linked policies. [61182]

  Ms Hewitt
  This is a matter for the Financial Services Authority.

  VAT (Dried Fruit)
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will estimate the revenue from VAT on sweetened dried fruit sold as confectionery in(a) 1998–99 and (b) 1999–2000 as a result of HM Customs updating of VAT Notice 701/14 Food; [60878]

  (2) how much revenue was raised from VAT charged on sweetened dried fruit sold as confectionery in (a) 1996–97 and (b) 1997–98. [60877]

  Dawn Primarolo
  There are no actual figures on VAT receipts from dried fruits available. Using information on sales of dried fruit, HM Customs and Excise estimate the VAT on sweetened dried fruit sold as confectionery to be no more than £5 million for each year.

  The updating of VAT Notice 701/14 Food has no effect on the VAT treatment of sweetened dried fruit sold specifically as confectionery.

  Individual Savings Accounts
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the advantages of including the savings-related share option scheme within the proposed system of ISA accounts. [61187]

  Ms Hewitt
  The facility to transfer shares emerging from Inland Revenue approved all-employee savings related share option and profit sharing schemes to ISAs continues a facility already available with single company PEPs. The facility has been retained for ISAs following responses to the original ISA consultation by companies operating these schemes. We are persuaded that this facility is a significant incentive to employees in these schemes to hold onto their shares and can help to achieve our objective of boosting employee share ownership.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is his latest estimate of the number of additional savers expected as a result of the introduction of the individual savings account; and if he will make a statement; [61070]

  (2) how many extra savers he expects as a result of the introduction of the individual savings account. [60945]

  Ms Hewitt
  I refer the hon. Gentlemen to the answer given by the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton (Mr. Gibb) on 17 November 1998,Official Report, column 496.

  Financial Services
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he intends to take to collect information on the proportions of financial services products sold(a) on commission and (b) by advisers taking a fixed fee. [61185]

  Ms Hewitt
  None.

  Double Tax Relief
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to publish a consultation document on his review into double tax relief. [61041]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 27 November 1998]: No date has been set for publication of the consultation document. Informal consultations with business and with representative bodies are still continuing.

  European Community VAT
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions have taken place in the Council of Ministers (ECOFIN) in respect of the proposals of the European Commission in Com (96) 328 Final concerning a revised system of VAT. [61727]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The European Commission's proposals for a Common VAT System were presented to member states at the 14 October 1996 ECOFIN by Commissioner Monti, but they were not endorsed or debated at that meeting. A Commission proposal to reform the VAT Committee, which forms part of the Common VAT System proposals, is on the agenda for the ECOFIN meeting on 1 December 1998.

  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what memoranda have been made available to(a) hon. Members and (b) others, signed by Ministers, concerning the proposals of the European Commission for a revised system of community value added tax, as contained in their Document 9466/96 Com (96) 328 Final; and on what dates they were made available. [61726]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The following Explanatory Memoranda have been made available to hon. Members:Document 9466/96 of 25 September 1996 on the Commission's overall work programme for a Common VAT System;
  Document 7478/97 of 16 June 1997 and Supplementary Document 12805/97 of 17 December 1997 on a proposal for enhanced arrangements for co-operation between tax authorities;
  Document 9118/97 of 29 July 1997 on a proposal for reform of the VAT Committee;
  Document 9741/98 of 21 July 1998 on a proposal concerning the rules governing the right to deduct VAT; and
  Document 9877/98 of 24 July 1998 on a proposal on mutual assistance in the recovery of debts.

  EC Monetary Committee
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals have been placed before the Council of Ministers (ECOFIN) of the European Community for the formation of the Monetary Committee required under Article 109c of the Treaty of Maastricht and Article 114 of the proposed consolidated Treaty of that community; and if he will make a statement. [61725]

  Ms Hewitt
  In accordance with Article 109c(2) of the Treaty, the present Monetary Committee will be dissolved at the beginning of stage 3 of EMU (1 January 1999). The same Article requires that an Economic and Financial Committee (EFC) be set up as its successor.

  On 25 February 1998 the European Commission presented its proposal for the formation of the EFC. This was circulated to Member States on 27 March 1998 (7189/98 COM(1998)110 final).
  87
  The proposal was deposited in Parliament on 7 April 1998 and an explanatory memorandum was submitted to Parliament on 22 April 1998. This cleared scrutiny on 27 April 1998 through the Lords Select Committee on the European Communities (the Chairman's 954th Sift) and on 29 April 1998 through the Commons Select Committee on European Legislation (26th Report Session—1997–98).

  The tasks of the EFC are set out in the Treaty.

  EU Convergence Programme
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has submitted a new convergence programme revising that of September 1997 to the EU Council following the downward revision of his growth projections. [61718]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Government intend to submit a new Convergence Programme in the near future.

  Drugs
  Mr. Singh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what quantity of heroin has been imported into the United Kingdom through controlled deliveries since 1985; from which countries it came; and in(a) how many instances and (b) what quantity some of those imports have gone missing. [61717]

  Dawn Primarolo
  It is not Customs and Excise policy to disclose detailed information relating to operational activity.

  Mr. Singh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will publish the result of the Customs National Investigation Service inquiry into the practice of the controlled delivery of drugs by drugs liaison officers attached to the British High Commission in Islamabad. [61486]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Customs are conducting an internal review of procedures used in controlled deliveries. It is not practice to publish such reviews.

  Mr. Singh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action was taken in respect of the senior British Drugs Liaison Officer who was caught in possession of heroin in his official vehicle in mid-1997. [61627]

  Dawn Primarolo
  No such incident took place.

  European Central Bank
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is his policy to promote increased transparency in the decision-making processes of the European Central Bank; and if he will make a statement. [61063]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Government believe that it is vital that the European Central Bank (ECB) is as open and transparent as possible. Transparency is an important factor in ensuring that the ECB gains the trust of the European public and financial markets. Ultimately it will provide the credibility needed to deliver a more effective monetary policy. The Government welcomed the announcement by the ECB on 13 October on elements of their monetary policy strategy which was a useful first step. The Government hope to see further evidence from the ECB of a genuine commitment to openness.
  88
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is his policy that the European Central Bank should adopt an inflation target; and if he will make a statement. [61064]

  Ms Hewitt
  In accordance with the Treaty, the primary objective of the ECB is to achieve price stability. The ECB announced on 13 October its intention to base monetary policy decisions on a wide range of economic and financial variables, including a monetary aggregate. This is typical of most central banks, including the Bank of England. The important issue is that the ECB meets it Treaty objective.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the full-year revenue yield of introducing a new 50 per cent. rate of income tax on taxable income of over £100,000 per annum. [61196]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The estimated full year yield at 1998–99 income levels of introducing a 50 per cent. rate of income tax on taxable incomes over £100,000 per year is £2.0 billion.

  Working Families Tax Credit
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the number of people likely to benefit from the working families tax credit in each parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom. [61803]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I regret that estimates for individual constituencies are not available.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Visa Applications
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for visit visas have been refused at the high commissions in(a) Colombo, (b) Islamabad, (c) Delhi, (d) Accra and (e) Istanbul, and what proportion of total applications this represents, in each of the last four years, and in the current year to date. [61000]

  Mr. Fatchett
  The numbers of visit visas refused so far this year in(a) Colombo, (b) Islamabad, (c) Delhi, (d) Accra and (e) Istanbul are as follows:

  January to October 1998

  Issued

  Refused

  Percentage of total visit applications processed

  Colombo

  11,950

  427

  3.4

  Islamabad

  32,429

  6,249

  16.2

  Delhi

  52,925

  4,665

  8.1

  Accra

  17,944

  4,136

  18.7

  Istanbul

  49,597

  2,222

  4.2

  Global Entry Clearance Statistics for the years 1994–97 inclusive have recently been made available to the House of Commons Library. These contain the other information requested in respect of previous years.

  Pakistan
  Mr. Andy King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government plans to make to the Pakistan Government following the murder of a family of nine Christians in Nowshera Peshawar. [61003]

  Mr. Fatchett
  We were deeply shocked by the murder of nine members of a Christian family near Peshawar. The murders have been condemned by the Government of Pakistan. We and our European Union partners regularly urge the Government of Pakistan to protect the rights of religious minorities in their country, most recently at a meeting between Pakistan and the EU Troika on 25 November.

  Sara Barhandi
  Mr. Woolas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress he has made in ascertaining the whereabouts of Sara Barhandi, who was abducted from her home on 15 August. [60996]

  Mr. Fatchett
  The precise whereabouts of Sara Barhandi remain unknown. Our Vice Consul has contacted Sara's relatives in Morocco but they did not disclose here whereabouts.

  Sara is a dual British/Moroccan national. While she is in Morocco our Embassy has no formal locus to intervene. Consular staff will, however, continue to offer as much support to Sara's mother as they properly can and make informal inquiries with the Moroccan authorities.

  Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
  Mr. Bradshaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the export of armoured vehicles for use by the US and British embassies in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the export of armoured vehicles and other non-lethal military equipment to the Kosovo Diplomatic Observers Mission in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. [62007]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  The Government has allowed the export to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) of eight armoured Land Rovers, for use by the US Embassy in Belgrade, and a further two armoured Land Rovers and an armoured Rover saloon for use by the British Embassy in Belgrade. We attach the highest priority to ensuring the safety of staff and personnel at our Embassy in Belgrade, and we rightly recognise that other diplomatic missions, like the US Embassy in Belgrade, attach high priority to the protection of their staff. We were therefore glad to be able to allow these exports, which are not caught by arms embargoes against the FRY.

  In advance of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe's establishment of the Kosovo Verification Mission (KVM), the Government have allowed also the export of up to 30 armoured Land Rovers and other essential and non-lethal military equipment for use by observers at the British Embassy in Belgrade (known as the Kosovo Diplomatic Observers Mission, or KDOM). It is clearly important that British and other staff at KDOM should be protected in the course of their duties which include monitoring the enforcement of the arms
  90
  embargo against the FRY. These personnel will, in due course, become members of KVM. The UN Sanctions Committee has raised no objection to these exports.

  Argentina
  Mrs. Gilroy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new exceptions there have been to the arms embargo on Argentina. [62008]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  Licences have recently been issued to allow the following exports:

  (a) two firearms (deactivated to Argentina specification) to a private individual in Argentina;

  (b) nine sets of gun rings and smoke grenade launchers to be mounted on armoured personnel carriers in service with the Argentine contingent of the UN forces in Cyprus;

  (c) re-export of radio equipment for the Argentine Gendarmeria after repair by the manufacturer in the United Kingdom;

  (d) supply of radio equipment for the Argentina Gendarmeria.

  These decisions represent exceptions but not changes to the arms embargo on Argentina, which remains in place unchanged.

  Council of the European Union
  Mrs. Gilroy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the forthcoming business in the Council of the European Union for December and the major European Union events for the next six months. [62009]

  Ms Quin
  The information is as follows:

  Forecast of business

  Business

  December 1998

  1

  Brussels

  Transport Council (continuation from 30 November)

  1

  Brussels

  ECOFIN Council

  1–2

  Brussels

  Social Affairs Council

  1

  Brussels

  Joint meeting of the ESA and ECOFIN Councils

  3–4

  Brussels

  Justice and Home Affairs Council

  4

  Brussels

  Education Council

  7

  Brussels

  Internal Market Council

  7–8

  Brussels

  General Affairs Council

  10

  Brussels

  Research Council

  11–12

  Vienna

  European Council

  14–16

  Brussels

  Agriculture Council

  17–18

  Brussels

  Fisheries Council

  21

  Brussels

  Environment Council

  The following subjects are likely to be discussed:

  December 1: ECOFIN Council

  Employment

  Preparation for Stage 3 of EMU

  Follow-up to the declaration of 2 May

  Stability and convergence programmes

  Agenda 2000

  Taxes

  December 1: Joint meeting of the Social Affairs and ECOFIN Councils

  Report from the Presidency

  Commission first draft of the 1999 Employment Guidelines (debate)

  Joint report on Employment 1998 (adoption)

  91
  December 1 and 2: Social Affairs Council

  Report from the Presidency on the preparation of the European Council (Vienna)

  Commission first draft of the 1999 Employment Guidelines

  Joint Report on Employment 1998 (debate)

  Employment Rates Report

  Draft Council Directive on employee involvement within the European Company—political agreement

  Follow-up to the Beijing Conference on Women (the Council will take note of the annual Report)

  Second phase of the Community vocational training programme Leonardo Da Vinci (legal basis: Article 127) (oral report from the Presidency)

  Extension of 1408/71 (students and other insured persons) (political agreement)

  Amended proposal for a Directive on the protection of workers potentially at risk from explosive atmospheres (legal basis: Article 118 A) (political agreement)

  Proposal for a Council Decision relating to the Conclusion of an agreement between the EC and the Council of Europe (European Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia) (legal basis: Article 7(3) of Council Regulation No. 1035/97) (political agreement)

  Amended proposal for a Council Directive amending for the second time Directive 90/394/EEC on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to carcinogens at work (legal basis: Article 118 A TEC) (political agreement)

  Mid-term report on the Community programme concerning safety, hygiene and health at work (1996–2000) (debate)

  Amended proposal for a decision on the promotion of European pathways for work-linked training, inc apprenticeships (legal basis: Article 127) (political agreement)

  December 3 and 4: Justice and Home Affairs Council

  Convention and protocol

  Action plan to create an area of liberty, security and justice

  Preparations for the entry into force of Amsterdam

  Legal action on European solidarity

  European migration strategy

  Regulation on countries subject to visas

  Enlargement: evaluation

  Determination and classification of the Schengen legal situation

  Incorporation of the Schengen information system in the EU legal framework

  Progress report on work on the Convention on the admission of third-country nationals

  Council Decision on monitoring the implementation of the instruments adopted in the field of asylum

  Joint action on the approximation of legislation to combat counterfeiting (adoption)

  Explanatory report on the Second Protocol to the Convention on the protection of financial interests (adoption)

  Joint action on money laundering and confiscation

  Joint action on combating corruption in the private sector (if not adopted in September)

  Convention on mutual assistance in criminal matters

  Revision of the Brussels and Lugano Conventions (progress report)

  Rome II: Convention on the law applicable to non-contractual obligations (progress report)

  Implementation of the CIS Convention

  Driving disqualifications: explanatory report

  Implementation of the joint action on synthetic drugs

  Implementation of the joint action on the approximation of drug laws

  92

  Ratification of previous conventions (appeal to the Member States in line with recommendations 13 and 14 of the Action Plan and Cardiff follow-up)

  Start-up report

  Decision extending the mandate to terrorism

  Document on the threat posed by terrorism

  IRAQ: final report

  Expert working party report on best practice

  Report on measures to combat counterfeiting of the EURO

  Council Resolution on the prevention of organised crime with reference to the establishment of a comprehensive strategy for combating it: adoption

  OC annual report

  Report to the European Council on implementation of the action plan to combat OC

  Report on implementation of the Resolution on hooligans

  Report on implementation of the Resolution of 18 December 1997 on priorities in the fields of justice and home affairs from 1 January 1998 until the entry into force of the Amsterdam Treaty

  Article 18—Committee meeting (possible)

  December 4: Education Council

  Proposal for a European Parliament and Council decision establishing the second phase of the Community action programme "Socrates" (poss. common position)

  Second phase of the Community vocational training programme Leonardo Da Vinci (legal basis: Article 127) (poss.) (common position)

  Proposal for a Council decision adopting the third phase of the trans-European co-operation scheme for higher education (Tempus III) (poss. adoption)

  (poss.) Action plan for the implementation of the Green Paper "Education, vocational training, research: obstacles to transnational mobility" (presentation by the Commission)

  (poss.) Proposal for a Council recommendation on the statute of mobile students (included the transfer of Scholarships) (presentation by the Commission)

  Report by the Commission on the implementation of pilot projects in the context of the objectives of the White Paper on education and training, "teaching and learning: towards the learning society" (presentation by the Commission and debate)

  1999 National Employment Action Plans (debate)

  December 7: Internal Market Council

  European Company Statute

  Free Movement of Goods—Intervention Mechanism

  Proposal for an amending Directive concerning liability for defective products

  Internal Market and Cardiff process of economic reform—presidency report

  Proposal for a directive on certain legal aspects of electronic commerce (presentation by the Commission)

  December 7–8: General Affairs Council

  Agenda 2000

  Enlargement

  Preparation of Amsterdam Treaty Implementation

  Russia

  Human Rights: 50th Anniversary Celebration 10 December (poss.)

  Preparation of the Vienna European Council

  Asylum and Immigration Task Force

  Council Working Methods

  Western Balkans

  Middle East Peace Process

  Cuba

  93

  South Africa

  Switzerland

  Draft Regulation GSP for 1999–2000

  Transatlantic Relations

  December 10: Research Council

  (poss.) Fifth EC RTD Framework programme (final adoption)

  (poss.) Fifth Euratom Research Framework programme (final adoption)

  (poss.) Fifth EC and Euratom Framework programmes—Specific programmes (final adoption)

  (poss.) International Cooperation (poss. signature/conclusion of agreements with pre-accession CEECs and Cyprus, and other third countries)

  December 11–12: European Council

  No agenda yet available

  December 14–16: Agriculture Council

  No agenda yet available

  December 17–18: Fisheries Council

  Proposal for a Regulation setting TACs and Quotas for 1999 and related legislation (adoption)

  (poss.) The Future of the Common Fisheries Policy (2002) (oral report by the Commission)

  Council Regulation on the common organisation of the markets in the fisheries sector (presentation by the Commission)

  (poss.) Funding of the collection of data of the common fisheries policy (presentation by the Commission)

  Modification of Regulation 3699 on Structural Funds for Fisheries (IFOP) (presentation by the Commission)

  December 21: Environment Council

  (poss.) Draft proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and the Council amending directive 88/77/EEC on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to the measures to be taken against the emission of gaseous and particulate pollutants from diesel engines for use in vehicles (heavy goods vehicles) (common position)

  Proposal for a European Parliament and Council Directive amending Directive 90/220/EEC on the deliberate release into the environment of genetically modified organisms (political agreement: EP Opinion expected in February)

  (poss.) Proposal for a Council Directive on ozone-depleting substances (common position)

  Proposal for a Council Decision on the monitoring of CO, emissions from passenger cars in the Community (common position)

  Proposal for a Council Directive on the labelling of fuel consumption of passenger cars (common position)

  Community strategy on climate change: follow-up to Buenos Aires (Council conclusions)

  Proposal for a Council Directive on "end-of-life vehicles" (common position)

  European calendar: December 1998-May 1999

  Month

  December 1998

  1

  Brussels

  ECOFIN Council

  1

  Brussels

  Transport Council

  1

  Brussels

  Social Affairs and ECOFIN Council

  1

  Vienna

  Parliamentary Heads

  2

  Brussels

  Social Affairs Council

  2–3

  Brussels

  European Parliament Plenary

  3–4

  Brussels

  Justice and Home Affairs Council

  4

  Brussels

  Education Council

  7

  Brussels

  Political Committee

  7

  Brussels

  Internal Market Council

  7–8

  Brussels

  General Affairs Council

  10

  Brussels

  Research Council

  11

  Vienna

  Political Committee

  11–12

  Vienna

  European Council

  94

  European calendar: December 1998-May 1999

  Month

  14–16

  Brussels

  Agriculture Council

  14–18

  Strasbourg

  European Parliament Plenary

  17–18

  Brussels

  Fisheries Council

  21

  Brussels

  Environment Council

  January 1999

  1

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  11–15

  Strasbourg

  European Parliament Plenary

  14

  Brussels

  Fisheries Council (possible)

  18–19

  Brussels

  Agriculture Council

  18

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  19

  Brussels

  Agriculture Council

  25

  Brussels

  Political Committee

  25–26

  Brussels

  General Affairs Council

  27–28

  Brussels

  European Parliament Plenary

  February 1999

  4–6

  Bonn

  Ministers for Labour & Social Affairs (Informal)

  8

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  8–12

  Strasbourg

  European Parliament Plenary

  11–12

  Berlin

  Ministers for Justice & Home Affairs (Informal)

  18

  Brussels

  Research Council (possible)

  22

  Brussels

  Political Committee

  22–23

  Brussels

  General Affairs Council

  22–23

  Brussels

  Agriculture Council

  24–25

  Brussels

  European Parliament Plenary

  25

  Brussels

  Internal Market

  March 1999

  9

  Brussels

  Social Affairs Council

  11–12

  Brussels

  Environment Council

  12

  Brussels

  Justice & Home Affairs Council (possible)

  13–14

  Reinhartshausen

  Foreign Ministers (Informal)

  15

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  15–16

  Brussels

  Agriculture Council

  18

  Brussels

  Education Council

  22

  Brussels

  Political Committee

  22–23

  Brussels

  General Affairs Council

  24–25

  Brussels

  Special European Council

  24–25

  Frankfurt

  Asia-Europe Finance Ministers

  25

  Brussels

  Fisheries Council

  29

  Brussels

  Transport Council

  29–30

  Berlin

  Asia-Europe Foreign Ministers

  April 1999

  13

  Luxembourg

  Consumer Affairs Council

  15–16

  Stuttgart

  Barcelona III

  16–18

  Dresden

  ECOFIN (Informal)

  19–20

  Luxembourg

  Agriculture Council

  22

  Luxembourg

  Telecommunications Council

  23–25

  Mecklenburg

  Environment Ministers (Informal)

  24–25

  Luxembourg

  NATO Summit

  26–27

  Luxembourg

  General Affairs Council

  29

  Luxembourg

  Industry Council

  May 1999

  6

  Brussels

  EU-ACP Ministerial meeting

  10

  Brussels

  ECOFIN

  10

  Brussels

  Social Affairs Council

  10

  Bremen

  WEU Council

  10–11

  Berlin

  Trade Ministers (Informal)

  11

  Brussels

  Energy Council

  17–18

  Brussels

  General Affairs Council

  17–18

  Brussels

  Agriculture Council

  18–19

  Weimar

  Culture Ministers (Informal)

  20

  Brussels

  Research Council

  21

  Brussels

  Development Council

  25

  Brussels

  Joint ECOFIN and Labour & Social Affairs Council

  27

  Brussels

  Youth Council

  27–28

  Brussels

  Justice & Home Affairs Council

  31

  Brussels

  General Affairs Council

  30 May-1 June

  Dresden

  Agriculture Ministers (Informal)

  Note:

  This calendar is primarily concerned with European Union matters, but certain other relevant events are also included. Events and dates quoted are based on the information available on the date of issue.

  International Criminal Court
  Mr. Bradshaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the United Kingdom will sign the Statute of the International Criminal Court. [620111]s

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  Our Permanent Representative to the United Nations in New York will sign the Statute of the Court today on behalf of the UK.

  Official Hospitality (Wine)
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the total expenditure of the Government Hospitality Fund Advisory Committee for the Purchase of Wine since 1 May 1997; what is the average cost of each bottle purchased; and what percentage of wine purchased is of United Kingdom origin. [60940]

  Mr. Fatchett
  There has been no expenditure by the Government Hospitality Fund Advisory Committee for the Purchase of Wine. The Committee makes recommendations on quality only and is not involved with the purchase of wine.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what is the oldest bottle of wine held for Government hospitality purposes; [61517]

  (2) what has been the most expensive bottle purchased on the recommendation of the Government Hospitality Fund Advisory Committee for the Purchase of Wine since 1 May 1997. [61515]

  Mr. Fatchett
  The purchasing policy for wines bought for the Government Hospitality cellar are the same as those that applied under previous Administrations. Wines are purchased to ensure availability at reasonable cost of appropriate wines suitable for the wide variety of functions organised by Government Hospitality.

  The oldest wine in the cellar is a top grade Claret, Château Latour 1955. The most expensive bought since 1 May 1997, a Claret of equal quality, is Château La Fleur Petrus 1995, which cost £37.60 a bottle inclusive of VAT.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the members of the Government Hospitality Fund Advisory Committee for the Purchase of Wine; how many times the committee has met since 1 May 1997; if its deliberations are a matter of public record; and if he will make a statement. [60941]

  Mr. Fatchett
  The Chairman of the Government Hospitality Fund Advisory Committee for the Purchase of Wine is Sir Ewen Fergusson; the four members are Mr. Anthony Hanson MW, Mr. Mark Savage MW, Mr. Sebastian Payne MW and Mr. John Avery MW. The Committee has met six times since 1 May 1997 and produced an Annual Report recording its work for 1997 which was published on 28 January 1998.

  Pitcairn Island (Asbestos)
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library 96
  a copy of the report from the Government of Pitcairn Island on the disposal of asbestos waste near the island. [61674]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  An urgent investigation into the circumstances of the incident is being carried out. When the information is available a report will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Office Automation
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the replacement programme for office automation and telecommunications infrastructure will be completed. [61677]

  Mr. Fatchett
  The FCO's office automation replacement programme will be completed in 2000. The implementation schedule ensures that all FCO business critical computer systems will be millennium compliant, either by correction or replacement, before the end of 1999.

  A private finance initiative contract that will provide a managed voice and massaging service between the FC and its overseas missions is in the final stages of negotiation. The contract, which is expected to be signed by mid February 1999, states that implementation of the full service will take 25 months from contract signature. But implementation has already started, under an Instruction to Proceed, in order to replace all non-millennium compliant telephone switchboards.

  Sudan
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reply he has given to the invitation from the Sudanese Government for a United Kingdom verification mission to examine the Al-Shifa factory site. [61500]

  Mr. Fatchett
  A revised draft resolution on this issue has recently been submitted to the UN Security Council. We believe that this is the appropriate place for such suggestions to be considered.

  We will continue to urge Sudan to become a party to the Chemical Weapons Convention, which prohibits the acquisition, development, production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons. It is supported by a verification regime consisting of data declarations and on-site inspections.

  Iraq
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the legal authority on which the Government plan to take military action against Iraq are based. [61676]

  Mr. Fatchett
  The precise legal basis for any future military action will depend on the circumstances at the time, but any action taken by the Government will be lawful.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the Iraqi opposition groups that ministers have met over the past four weeks. [61675]
  97
  Mr. Fatchett
  I met representatives of the following Iraqi opposition groups on 23 November: Constitutional Monarchy Movement; Iraqi Democratic Party; Association of Iraqi Democrats; Assyrian Democratic Movement; Patriotic Union of Kurdistan; Turkoman National Democratic Movement; Islamic Accord Party; Kurdish Democratic Party; Ahl al-Bayt; Iraqi Reform Movement; Iraqi National Movement; Mr. al-Rubaie (Independent); Iraqi National Congress; Supreme Council for the Islamic Revolution in Iraq; Iraqi National Accord (Wifaq).

  St. Helena
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to introduce freedom of information legislation on St. Helena. [61466]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  This is a matter for the St. Helena Government which have no plans to introduce such legislation.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  National Insurance
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has yet completed his review of National Insurance contributions for 1999–2000. [62006]

  Mr. Darling
  We have completed the annual review under Section 141 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992. Proposals will take effect from 6 April 1999 alongside the structural changes to National Insurance contributions announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Budget on 17 March 1998,Official Report, columns 1097–112, and re-affirmed in his Pre-Budget report on 3 November 1998, Official Report, columns 681–702.

  Full details of the changes to the structure of employees and employers National Insurance contributions (NICs) from April 1999 are as follows:

  (i) the NICs "entry fee" currently payable by employees once earnings reach the lower earnings limit (currently £64 a week) will be abolished, so that employees will not pay NICs on the portion of earnings at or below the lower earning limit;

  (ii) employers will also no longer pay NICs on the portion of earnings at or below the lower earnings limit once earnings reach that level. The point at which employers start to pay NICs will be further increased to the level of the personal tax allowance. In practice, this will mean no employers' contributions will be payable on earnings up to and including £83 a week;

  (iii) the 3 per cent., 5 per cent., 7 per cent. and 10 per cent. rates of employers' NICs for different levels of employees' earnings will be abolished and replaced with a single 12.2 per cent. rate of employer NICs payable on earnings above the level of the personal tax allowance;

  (iv) to ensure employers with Contracted-out Salary Related Pension Schemes (COSRS) or Contracted-out Money Purchase Pension Schemes (COMPS) are entitled to the same level of NIC rebate, they will continue to be entitled to a rebate on earnings between the lower earnings limit and the personal tax allowance.

  98
  Employers and Employees
  In line with the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992, the lower earnings limits for Class 1 contributions is to be raised to £66 a week. It is set at the level of the basic Retirement Pension rate for a single person from April 1999, rounded down to the nearest pound.
  The upper earnings limit is to be raised to £500 a week which is slightly less than 7½ times the new basic pension rate as provided by the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act. These new earnings limits will replace the current ones of £64 and £485 respectively.
  Employees will pay a standard rate contribution of 10 per cent. on that portion of their earnings which exceeds the lower but not the upper earnings limit.
  As announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his 3 November Pre-Budget Report, the Earnings Threshold from which employers will start to pay secondary Class 1 contributions will be £83 a week.
  The multiple contribution rates for employers will be replaced by a standard contribution rate of 12.2 per cent. on all earnings which exceed the earnings threshold.

  Not Contracted Out Employees and their Employers
  Employees will not have to pay any contributions on earnings at or below £66 a week. Employees whose earnings do not exceed £485 (the former upper earnings limit) will pay £1.48 a week less in contributions than at present. This is because the 2 per cent. entry fee on earnings up to the LEL has been removed and a further £2 of their weekly earnings will not be subject to any contributions rather than 10 per cent. For employees with earnings above £485 the maximum possible increase will be £0.02 a week.
  Employers will not have to pay contributions on earnings below £83 a week.

  Contracted Out Employees and their Employers
  Employees whose earnings do not exceed £485 (the former upper earnings limit) will pay £1.44 a week less in contributions than at present. This is because the 2 per cent. entry fee on earnings up to the LEL has been removed and a further £2 of their weekly earnings will not be subject to any contributions rather than 8.4 per cent. For employees with earnings above £485 there will be no increase in contributions and the minimum possible reduction will be 18p a week.

  Employers who operate a Contracted-Out Salary Related Scheme (COSR)
  Where earnings are between £66 and £83 employers contributions will be reduced by £1.92 a week. This is due removal of the entry fee. Employers will pay a reduced rate of 9.2 per cent. on employee's earnings which exceed the Earnings Threshold.

  Employers who operate a Contracted-Out Money Purchase Scheme (COMP)
  Where earnings are between £66 and £83 employers contributions will be reduced by between £1.95 and £2.20 a week. This is due to the removal of the entry fee and the introduction of the Earnings Threshold which means that a further £19 of earnings is not subject to any contributions. Employers will pay a reduced rate of 11.6 per cent. on all earnings which exceed the Earnings Threshold.
  99
  Self-Employed People
  The flat rate Class 2 contribution will be raised by 20p to £6.55 a week.
  Self-employed people with profits less than a specified amount, known as the small earnings exception limit, can apply to be excepted from paying Class 2 contributions. This limit will be raised by £180 to £3,770.
  There will be no change to the rate of Class 4 contributions which will remain at 6 per cent. The annual limits of profits between Class 4 contributions are paid will be raised to £7,530 and £26,000 from £7,310 and £25,220 respectively.
  Self-employed people who pay only Class 2 contributions will pay an extra £10.40 a year in 1999–2000.
  For people with profits between £7,530 and £25,220 (the former upper profits limit) Class 4 contributions will be reduced by £13.20 a year assuming an unaltered level of profits. For those self-employed people with profits at or above the new upper profits limit the annual charge for Class 4 contributions will be £33.60 higher.

  Class 3 (Voluntary) Contributions
  The rate of Class 3 contributions will be raised by 20p to £6.45 a week.

  National Health Service Allocation
  The allocation to the National Health Service is unchanged at 1.05 per cent. from employees and 0.9 per cent. from employers.

  Treasury Grant
  Although benefit expenditure from the National Insurance Fund will broadly match income, we need to ensure that the Fund can maintain a prudent working balance throughout the coming year. In accordance with Section 2(2) of the Social Security Act 1993, we propose to do so by prescribing that the maximum Treasury Grant which may be available to the Fund in 1999–2000 shall not exceed 2 per cent. of the estimated benefit expenditure from the Fund for that year.

  NIC Holiday Scheme
  Finally, we also propose to restrict the employers' NIC Holiday scheme to employments which begin on or before 31 March 1999. This will effectively close down the scheme from 1 April 1999, except for Holidays which are already in place and may therefore run on for up to a year after that date.
  The NIC Holiday was introduced by the previous administration to encourage employers to take on long-term unemployed people. It has had no appreciable effect on employers' recruitment practices. Our New Deal for the long-term unemployed now provides employers with better and more substantial incentives to recruit long-term employed people. This, together with the reduction that employers will see in their National Insurance contributions for almost all employees earning up to about £450 a week from April 1999, means that it is time for the NIC Holiday to go.
  Regulations to give effect to this proposal will be laid before Parliament in due course. We shall be laying a Draft Re-rating Order before Parliament together with a report by the Government Actuary describing the effects of the re-rating proposals on the National Insurance Fund.

  Benefit Integrity Project
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many life awards have been found to be unjustified by the Benefit Integrity Project; and how many were later upheld on appeal. [60916]

  Mr. Timms
  The administration of the Benefit Integrity Project is a matter for Peter Mathison, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to my hon. Friend.
  100
  Letter from Peter Mathison to Mrs. Maria Fyfe, dated 27 November 1998:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many life awards have been found to be unjustified by the Benefit Integrity Project (BIP); and how many were later upheld on appeal.
  Such information as is available regarding the changes made to life awards following BIP action is shown in the table. The data includes changes to the rate of benefit in addition to changes to the length of the award.
  Where evidence of change does become available, as it may well do through BIP enquiries, a life award is reviewed in the normal way and benefit may increase or decrease. People do, of course, have full rights of review and appeal as they do with any change to benefit entitlement.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Changes made to life awards

  Total

  Life award changed to:

  Award still for life but rate changed

  7,191

  Awarded for a limited period and rate changed

  316

  Award remains at same rate but for a limited period

  233

  Benefit disallowed altogether

  14,987

  Total

  22,727

  Decision maintained on review

  9,118

  Decision not maintained on review

  6,517

  Decision maintained on appeal

  483

  Decision not maintained on appeal

  816

  Notes:

  1. Figures are up to and including 30 September 1998

  2. The figures are provisional and subject to change

  Source:

  Benefit Integrity Project database

  Lone Parents
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether sanctions will be imposed on lone parents if, under the proposed single gateway to benefit, they agree to have an interview in order to qualify for benefit, but then fail to attend that interview; and what form those sanctions will take. [61693]

  Angela Eagle
  As part of the process for claiming Social Security benefits, people of working age will be required to attend a Single Gateway interview. A person who does not attend the interview will not have completed the claim process, and benefit will not be payable. For certain categories of people the requirement to attend an interview will be deferred, and benefit will be awarded in the normal way.

  Widows' Benefits
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what savings the Government expects as a result of the transfer of the SERPS element of the widow's pension to payment under the widowed parent's allowance. [61457]

  Angela Eagle
  Under our proposals, there would be no transfer of SERPS additional Pension between different categories of widows.

  Mr. Bendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if his Department will provide a breakdown of the savings expected as a result of the changes to widows' benefits. [61456]
  101
  Angela Eagle
  The information is in the table.

  Breakdown of the estimated costs and savings associated with the proposed reforms of bereavement benefits

  £ million (1998–99 benefit rates)

  2001–2

  2002–3

  2003–4

  2020

  Increase widow's payment to £2,000 and extend to men

  70

  70

  70

  50

  Introduce Bereavement Allowance and extend to men

  *

  -50

  -100

  -600

  Extend Widowed Parent's Allowance to new widowers

  *

  10

  20

  50

  Extend Widowed Parent's Allowance to existing widowers

  50

  40

  40

  0

  £10 disregard of Widowed Parent's Allowance in means-tested benefits

  10

  10

  10

  **

  Premium for older widows in means-tested benefits

  *

  10

  10

  0

  Total

  140

  100

  50

  -500

  Notes:

  1. +cost; - saving

  2. Estimates are presented net of means-tested benefit offsets, in line with those in "A new contract for welfare: support in bereavement". Means-tested benefit offsets were estimated using the 1995–96 Family Resources Survey and the Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiries. They assume a constant offset ratio in order to provide illustrative estimates for 2020.

  3. The underlying contributory benefit effects have been provided by the Government Actuary's Department.

  4. Estimates for the first three years are rounded to the nearest £10 million. * denotes negligible i.e. less than +/- £5 million.

  5. Estimates for 2020 provide broad orders of magnitude and are rounded to the nearest £50 million. ** denotes less than £25 million.

  6. Total may not sum due to rounding.

  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the total payment in widow's benefits to a woman, without dependent children, widowed at the age of 45 years who claims the benefits until she becomes eligible for the state pension, including the widow's payment, the graduated widow's pension between 45 and 54 years and the full widow's pension. [61691]

  Angela Eagle
  A 45 year old woman without children who was widowed in 1998–99 would receive a one-off Widow's Payment of £1,000 and an age-related Widow's Pension of £19.41 a week (1998–99 benefit rates) for 18 years until she reached State pension age in 2016. The total would be £19,200. In addition, she may be entitled to SERPS which would be based on her late husband's NI contribution record.

  Notes:

  1. The estimate assumes that the contribution record of the husband meets the relevant contribution conditions, and that the woman continues to meet the qualifying conditions for receipt of Widow's Pension.

  2. The estimate is in 1998–99 benefit rates and is rounded to the nearest £100.

  3. Between 2010 and 2020 female State pension age will be raised until it is in line with male State pension age.

  Benefits (Expenditure)
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what factors underlie the forecast reduction in social security spending in the pre-Budget report. [61455]
  102
  Mr. Darling
  The forecasts of Social Security expenditure published in the Pre-Budget Report were revised to reflect new economic assumptions and the effects of more active management of the caseload.

  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what account he has taken of any rise in unemployment in forecasting expenditure on social security benefits over the next three years. [61454]

  Mr. Darling
  Forecasts of Social Security benefit expenditure in the Pre-Budget Report take into account a number of relevant economic assumptions provided by the Treasury, including the level of unemployment set out in paragraph B9 of the Report.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many parents with care on means tested benefits are currently subject to a reduced benefit direction of 40 per cent. as a result of a non co-operation with the Child Support Agency. [61444]

  Angela Eagle
  All children have the right to the support of both their parents wherever they may live. Where the taxpayer is providing substantial support for children who live in lone parent families, it is right that the parent with care should normally seek child support.

  Parents with care in receipt of a relevant benefit who fail to co-operate with the Child Support Agency without good cause are subject to a benefit penalty, known as a reduced benefit direction, worth 40 per cent. of the adult Income Support personal allowance. This penalty lasts initially for three years and it may be renewed immediately if the parent with care continues to fail to co-operate.

  The latest available information is from the May 1998 Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiries which show that 7,000 parents with care on Income Support were subject to a 40 per cent. reduction.

  Figures for parents with care in receipt of Family Credit or Disability Working Allowance who are subject to a benefit reduction are not available.

  The number of parents with care in receipt of Jobseeker's Allowance who have a reduced benefit direction is too small to measure accurately.

  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many children in families where the parent with care receives means tested benefits are in receipt of maintenance from the non-resident parent, for each region. [61451]

  Angela Eagle
  The information is in the table.

  On 31 August 1998 we estimated that 491,400 parents with care with a full child support assessment were receiving a means tested benefit. Of these cases 108,920 received maintenance paid through the Child Support Agency (CSA) in the quarter ending 31 August 1998 and a further 71,160 had maintenance arranged for payment direct from the non-resident parent.

  103

  Parents with care by region of residence

  Payment through CSA

  Direct payment arrangement

  Region of residence

  Estimated number of PWCs

  Estimated number of children1

  Estimated number of PWCs

  Estimated number of children

  Unknown

  980

  1,640

  1,040

  1,380

  North East

  8,080

  12,600

  4,340

  6,660

  North West

  13,720

  20,560

  8,040

  12,540

  Merseyside

  2,760

  3,900

  2,380

  3,960

  Yorks and Humberside

  10,280

  15,680

  5,760

  9,060

  East Midlands

  7,140

  11,280

  4,080

  6,340

  West Midlands

  10,780

  16,020

  6,640

  10,720

  Eastern

  7,540

  12,020

  5.160

  8,400

  London

  7,280

  11,280

  4,600

  7,540

  South East

  12,500

  20,820

  8,640

  13,960

  South West

  9,500

  15,600

  8,000

  13,300

  Wales

  8,520

  12,560

  5,940

  9,000

  Scotland

  9,840

  15,200

  6,540

  10,120

  Total

  108,920

  169,160

  71,160

  112,980

  1 The estimate of the number of children is based on the average of 1.6 children per family

  Source:

  CSA Quarterly Summary of Statistics, August 1998

  Income Support
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate what the lower and upper capital limits for income support would be in April 1999 if they had been uprated by(a) prices and (b) the higher of earnings or prices since introduction. [61460]

  Angela Eagle
  The value of the lower capital limit was set at £3,000 in April 1988. In April 1999 it would be £4,825 if it had been uprated by the RPI and £4,610 if it had been uprated by the ROSSI.

  The value of the upper capital limit was set at £8,000 in April 1990. In April 1999 it would be £11,291 if it had been uprated by the RPI and f11,160 if it had been uprated by the ROSSI1.

  If the limits had been uprated by the higher of prices and earnings, in April 19982 the lower capital limit would be £5,426 and the upper capital limit would be £12,124.
  1 This uprating has been carried out from the respective start dates of the capital limit rates up to September 1998 (which corresponds with April 1999 benefit rates).
  2 The publication of the Average Earnings Index for September 1998 has been delayed by ONS while they conduct a review of the Index. Uprating has therefore been calculated up to April 1998.

  Notes:

  1. The figures have been rounded to the nearest pound.

  2.The figures exclude residential care and nursing home cases, for which the capital limits are £10,000 and £16,000.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the average payment is per week for a lone parent on income support with(a) one child. (b) two children and (c) three children. [61730]

  Angela Eagle
  The information is in the table.

  Average weekly amount of Income Support to lone parents on Income Support by number of dependants—May 1998

  Family size

  Number

  Average amount £ per week

  All families

  961,000

  79.67

  1 dependant

  434,000

  69.63

  104

  Average weekly amount of Income Support to lone parents on Income Support by number of dependants—May 1998

  Family size

  Number

  Average amount £ per week

  2 dependants

  318,000

  81.85

  3 dependants

  143,000

  92.48

  Notes:

  1. Lone parents are defined as those single people with dependants who are not in receipt of a disability or pensioner premium

  2. Includes dependants aged 16–18

  3. Figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample and as such are subject to a degree of sampling error

  4. Numbers of lone parents are rounded to the nearest thousand

  5. Families with 1 to 3 dependants do not sum to the total for all families as there are also families with 4 or more dependants in receipt of Family Credit

  Disability Benefits
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many new claims for disability living allowance and attendance allowance were made in each month between September 1996 and September 1998. [61692]

  Mr. Timms
  The information is in the table.

  New claims for disability benefits

  Disability Living Allowance

  Attendance Allowance

  1996

  September

  43,190

  37,315

  October

  48,468

  41,467

  November

  42,545

  36,637

  December

  33,541

  30,093

  1997

  January

  39,699

  36,568

  February

  42,420

  40,669

  March

  42,162

  37,692

  April

  45,988

  42,078

  May

  42,617

  37,127

  June

  43,487

  36,129

  July

  44,434

  36,593

  August

  36,435

  31,449

  September

  40,198

  33,035

  105

  New claims for disability benefits

  Disability Living Allowance

  Attendance Allowance

  October

  42,612

  36,793

  November

  37,022

  33,084

  December

  31,179

  28,235

  1998

  January

  29,764

  29,610

  February

  31,634

  32,320

  March

  35,989

  35,797

  April

  32,181

  34,657

  May

  29,747

  32,444

  June

  34,197

  35.145

  July

  36,890

  37,234

  August

  31,180

  32,440

  September

  34,991

  34,737

  Source:

  Analytical Services Division: 100 per cent. data

  Family Credit
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many families are in receipt of family credit with(a) one child, (b) two children and (c) three children. [61734]

  Angela Eagle
  The information is in the table.

  Family Credit families by number of children

  Number receiving Family Credit

  All families

  767,000

  1 child

  292,000

  2 children

  271,000

  3 children

  135,000

  Notes:

  1. Figures based on a 5 per cent. sample of Family Credit awards and as such are subject to a degree of sampling error.

  2. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand and may not sum due to totals.

  3. Figures include dependants aged 16–18 who are included in the calculation of the Family Credit award.

  4. Families with 1 to 3 children do not sum to the total for all families as there are also families with 4 or more children in receipt of Family Credit.

  Source:

  Family Credit Quarterly Statistical Enquiry May 1998

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many babies were born in families which were(a) already in receipt of family credit and (b) qualified for family credit as a result of the baby's birth in each of the last three years. [61732]

  Angela Eagle
  Information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.

  Children born into families with Family Credit 1995–98

  Children born into families in receipt of Family Credit

  New Family Credit claimants with a child aged under one

  1995–96

  23,000

  70,000

  1996–97

  28,000

  75,000

  1997–98

  29,000

  71,000

  Notes:

  1. It is not possible to identify families who qualify for Family Credit as the result of the birth of a baby; however, information is available on the number of families who make a new claim to Family Credit and who have a child aged under one.

  106

  2. The number of children born into families may include a number who are adopted. It is not possible to identify whether a child entering a benefit unit is the natural child of the parents, or an adopted child.

  3. Estimates of the number of children born into families whilst they are in receipt of Family Credit may be subject to an undercount as it has not been possible to accurately identify the number of multiple births children. It is not anticipated that this would greatly increase the estimates.

  4. Numbers are rounded to the nearest thousand and may not sum due to totals.

  5. Each year is representative of the period June to May inclusive.

  Source:

  Family Credit Quarterly Statistical Enquiry May 1998

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the average weekly income is for families in receipt of family credit broken down between the amount received in (i) pay and (ii) family credit for a two-parent family with(a) one child, (b) two children and (c) three children. [61728]

  Angela Eagle
  The information is in the table.

  Average weekly income of two-parent Family Credit recipientssplit by number of children, net earnings and weekly Family Credit

  Number of children

  Number of cases

  Total average income from net earnings and weekly Family Credit (£)

  Average net earnings (£)

  Average weekly Family Credit (£)

  All couples

  390,000

  167.33

  108.41

  58.93

  1 child

  98,000

  145.82

  101.86

  43.96

  2 children

  142,000

  161.23

  107.01

  54.22

  3 children

  92,000

  178.42

  113.47

  64.95

  Notes:

  1. Figures based on a 5 per cent. sample of Family Credit awards and as such are subject to a degree of sampling error.

  2. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand and may not sum due to totals.

  3. Figures do not include income from other benefits, e.g. Child Benefit, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

  4. Figures include dependants aged 16–18 who are included in the calculation of the Family Credit award.

  5. Couples with 1 to 3 children do not sum to the total for all couples as there are also couples with 4 or more children in receipt of Family Credit.

  Source:

  May 1998 Family Credit Quarterly Statistical Enquiry.

  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many(a) men and (b) women are in receipt of family credit with (i) one child, (ii) two children, and(c) three children. [61733]

  Angela Eagle
  The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.

  Family Credit families by gender of main earner and number of children

  Status

  Number in receipt of Family Credit

  All families

  767,000

  Male main earner

  1 child

  80,000

  2 children

  110,000

  3 children

  75,000

  107

  Family Credit families by gender of main earner and number of children

  Status

  Number in receipt of Family Credit

  Female main earner

  1 child

  212,000

  2 children

  160,000

  3 children

  60,000

  Notes:

  1. Main earner is either the Family Credit claimant, or the partner.

  2. Figures based on a 5 per cent. sample of Family Credit awards and as such are subject to a degree of sampling error.

  3. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand and may not sum due to totals.

  4. Figures include dependants aged 16–18 who are included in the calculation of the Family Credit award.

  5. Families with 1 to 3 children do not sum to the total for all families as there are also families with 4 or more children in receipt of Family Credit.

  Source:

  Family Credit Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, May 1998.

  Social Fund Maternity Grant
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the total amount paid out in social fund maternity grant was in the last year for which figures are available; and how many people received the social fund maternity grant. [61731]

  Angela Eagle
  During the year ending March 1998, 197,000 Maternity Payments were made at a total cost of £20 million.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Pork Products
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received calling for pork and pork products sold in United Kingdom stores from 1 January 1999 to conform to UK standards set by his Department, with particular reference to(a) bacon, (b) ham, (c) gammon, (d) pork pies, (e) sausages and (f) other cooked and processed meats. [61160]

  Mr. Rooker
  We have received a number of representations, both from representative organisations and from individual pig producers. At a meeting earlier this month, the major retailers voluntarily gave the following assurances on sourcing to my right hon. Friend the Minister:own label fresh pork, bacon, ham, sausages and pork pies will come from stall and tether and MBM free systems. This assurance already applies to fresh pork and bacon, and is in the process of being extended to cover ham, sausages and pork pies; and,
  they will not sell imported fresh meat processed or packaged in the UK under a British label.

  The major retailers also told my right hon. Friend that they were doing further work to develop their policies.

  I am sure that these undertaking will be welcomed by the British pigmeat industry.

  Pesticides
  Mr. Flight
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the 108
  comparative costs of achieving label approval and registration of pesticides in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) other EU countries; and what assessment he has made of the factors underlying the differences. [61181]

  Mr. Rooker
  All European Union countries regulate the safety and efficacy of agricultural pesticides on the basis of scientific data. For the most part, these data are provided by the companies concerned. The cost of generating data will therefore differ between countries according to the standards of safety and efficacy applied in each. EU countries also differ in their policy on charging companies for the costs of the work done by the regulatory authorities. Of the two sources of costs to industry, the cost of generating the data will normally be much greater than the fee.

  The UK is thorough in its evaluation and recovers its full costs, mostly by means of fees which vary from £10 to £65,700 depending upon the type of application. Where regimes are less rigorous or do not recover the full costs of evaluation, the total cost to companies may be lower.

  Under the framework of Council Directive 91/414, regulatory standards are being harmonised at a high level very similar to that presently applying in the UK. At present, Directive 91/414 does not require countries to recover their costs but the UK has pressed for such a requirement to be introduced.

  Dairy Products
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects the ban on dairy products to be lifted by the Saudi Arabian Government; and if he will make a statement. [61422]

  Mr. Rooker
  The Saudi Arabian ban on United Kingdom dairy products was introduced in June 1996. The Government are making strenuous efforts to get the ban lifted.

  Artificial Inseminators
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has to regulate unqualified artificial inseminators. [60919]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 27 November 1998]:

  Discussions are continuing with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons about a number of issues in relation to veterinary surgery, including the insemination of livestock by unqualified lay people.

  Oilseed Rape
  Mr. Purchase
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce guidelines on the cultivation of oilseed rape in relation to its proximity to domestic dwellings. [61510]

  Mr. Rooker
  A report by the Institute for Environment and Health in 1997, based on the most recent scientific research, found that oilseed rape may cause respiratory problems in certain people who already suffer from other allergy and respiratory problems. Currently available data suggest that allergic responses to oilseed rape make very little contribution to the burden of allergy in the United Kingdom. On the basis of its size and very limited distribution into the air, oilseed rape pollen does not
  109
  contribute greatly to the total amount of pollen present in the general environment at the time oilseed rape flowers. We are, however, considering areas for further research suggested by the report but at present have no plans to introduce guidelines on the cultivation of the crop.

  Beef Bones
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to receive further scientific advice on the public health risk from beef bones from the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee. [61834]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  The Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC) reviewed its assessment of the risk of bovine spongiform encephalopathy infectivity in the dorsal root ganglia and bone marrow of cattle when it met on 9 November. I have now received the Committee's scientific report, which is being published today.

  The report is now being considered within Government and in particular by the Chief Medical Officer who will advise Ministers shortly. In addition, we need to take account of the potential effects of the EU Commission's recent proposal for Community-wide controls on Specified Risk Materials. Once this process of consideration is complete, there will be a further announcement about UK controls on bone in beef.

  Copies of SEAC's scientific assessment are being placed in the Libraries of the House and are being made widely available, including on the Ministry's Internet website, with the purpose of informing debate.

  Agricultural Wages Board
  Mr. Flight
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what effect the introduction of(a) the Working Time Directive and (b) the minimum wage will have on the role of the Agricultural Wages Board, Horticultural Growers. [61178]

  Mr. Rooker
  The Agricultural Wages Board cannot set wage rates or terms and conditions of employment that are less generous than provided for in wider employment law such as the Working Time Regulations and the National Minimum Wage Act 1998. The changes from these two new pieces of legislation will impact on all employers of agricultural workers but are likely to be of most significance to those sectors, such as horticulture, which employ large numbers of casual workers.

  Equine Dentists
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has to regulate equine dentists. [60920]
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  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 27 November 1998]: Those equine dental procedures that are considered to be acts of veterinary surgery may be undertaken only by a registered veterinary surgeon or by a registered dentist at the request of a veterinary surgeon.

  Sir Sydney Chapman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to protect horses from unqualified people acting as equine dentists and supervising artificial insemination; and if he will make a statement on the regulation of this area. [60970]

  Mr. Rooker
  Discussions are continuing with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons about a number of issues in relation to veterinary surgery, including the insemination of livestock and the practise of equine dentistry, by unqualified lay people.

  Genetically Modified Food
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the activities of the United States Government in promoting the interests of the genetically modified food industry based in the United States of America; what pressure has been applied by the United States Government to his Department directly or indirectly in this respect; and if he will make a statement. [60931]

  Mr. Rooker
  No specific assessment of the United States' trade promotion activities relating to genetically modified (GM) foods has been made by this Department. However, the US is a major exporter of agricultural commodities and food, which include GM crops and foods containing ingredients derived from genetically modified organisms, and it is known that the US Government, like all governments, engage in trade promotion activity.

  Any organisation which wishes to market GM crops or foods in the EU must meet the rigorous safety assessment requirements established under EC regulatory frameworks governing market approval for such crops and food. No pressure of any sort has been applied by the US Government on this Department in respect of GM crops or foods.

  Kent and Essex Sea Fisheries Committee
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food what support he will give to the Kent and Essex Sea Fisheries Committee to replace their sea fisheries protection vessel; and if he will support their application for EU funding. [61630]

  Mr. Morley
  Council Decision 95/527/EC provides for Community funding of certain expenditure incurred by Member States in monitoring the application of the Common Fisheries Policy. Applications for funding are routed through the Ministry but decisions on eligible expenditure, the rate of Community financial contribution, and the conditions to which contributions may be subject are determined by the Commission in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 18 of Council Regulation (EEC) No. 3760/92.

  Yugoslavia: Exceptions to Arms Embargo
  Yugoslavia: Exceptions to Arms Embargo
  EU: Forthcoming Council Business
  EU: Forthcoming Council Business
  International Criminal Court
  International Criminal Court
  Argentina: Arms Embargo
  Argentina: Arms Embargo
  Rural Areas: Policy
  Rural Areas: Policy
  Cycling in Royal Parks
  Cycling in Royal Parks
  Bull Bars
  Bull Bars
  Road Safety Strategy and Targets
  Road Safety Strategy and Targets