Written Answers of 15 April 1999

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Fuel Duty Increases
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the actual impact of increased fuel duties since 1996 on the generation of pollutants against the estimates made. [78321]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The fuel duty escalator is a long-term strategy whose impact on transport emissions can be expected to build up over time.

  The escalator is also part of a package of measures to reduce emissions, particularly of CO2, through the promotion of fuel efficiency and reduced congestion. Taken on its own, increasing fuel duty by six per cent. per annum in real terms between 1996 and 2002 is currently estimated to reduce 2010 road traffic CO2 emissions by between 2 million and 5 million tonnes of carbon as set out in the Climate Change Consultation Paper.

  However, it is too early to provide an accurate assessment to date of the actual environmental impact of fuel duty increases since 1996, to compare with this estimate.

  Transport Statistics
  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what revisions have been made to his Department's forecasts of road traffic and numbers of vehicles as set out in Table 4.8 of Transport Statistics Great Britain 1998 Edition as a result of changes to road fuel duty and vehicle excise duty set out in the Budget. [79346]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  [holding answer 30 March 1999]: The Department's 1997 National Road Traffic Forecasts already take into account the expected impact of 6 per cent. per annum real increases in fuel duty to 2002 on car use and commercial traffic.

  The changes to Vehicle Excise Duty announced in the Budget are designed to influence the fuel efficiency of vehicles purchased, rather than the total number of vehicles on the road or how much they are used.

  European Scrutiny Committee
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will give details of the occasions since 1 May 1997 when his Department has made available to the European Scrutiny Committee unofficial text of draft European legislation. [80501]
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  Mr. Meale
  [holding answer 13 April 1999]: The Department receives a large volume of both official and unofficial working texts during the course of negotiations on EU legislation. In order to facilitate the work of the European Scrutiny Committee and to keep it informed of the progress of negotiations, the Department regularly submits Explanatory Memoranda to the Committee. It would involve disproportionate cost to provide a definitive list of the unofficial documents made available to the Committee since 1 May.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on how many occasions since 1 May 1997 his Department has made available to the European Scrutiny Committee council working documents. [80543]

  Mr. Meale
  [holding answer 13 April 1999]: The Department receives a large volume of both official and unofficial working texts during the course of negotiations on EU legislation. In order to facilitate the work of the European Scrutiny Committee and to keep it informed of the progress of negotiations, the Department regularly submits Explanatory Memoranda to the Committee. It would involve disproportionate cost to provide a definitive list of the working documents made available to the Committee since 1 May.

  Lead Replacement Petrol
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what advice will the Government provide to the motoring public on the purchase of lead replacement petrol. [80465]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  In December 1998, the Government announced the start of an information campaign to reassure those motorists concerned about the implications of the general withdrawal of leaded petrol by 1 January 2000, in line with EU Directive 98/70/EC, and to inform them of alternatives, such as lead replacement petrol, that will be available. Some 3.5 million information leaflets have been distributed to petrol retailers and MOT garages to date.

  The oil companies are developing their plans for informing and advertising to their customers the availability of lead replacement petrol products well in advance of January 1 and we are consulting with them on the appropriate information to provide to motorists. The Government are aware that there are still many concerned motorists who are unaware of the information that is already available and, therefore, a renewed publicity campaign to raise awareness further is being planned for this summer.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the public appointments for which his Department is responsible and which carry a fee or salary, indicating for each type of appointment the fee or salary band which applies.[80744]

  Mr. Meale
  "Public Bodies 1998", copies of which are available in the Library of the House, provides information on the levels of remuneration paid, if any, to those serving on the boards of public bodies for which my Department is responsible.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many parliamentary questions have been tabled to his Department for written answer on a named day since May 1997; and what percentage of them received a substantive reply on that day.[80741]

  Mr. Meale
  Since May 1997, 3,539 questions have to date been tabled for answer on a named day. 81 per cent. have received a substantive answer on that day.

  City Noise Maps
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress he has made on the introduction of city noise maps; what estimate he has made of the costs of such maps; who will be responsible for meeting such costs; and if he will make a statement. [80668]

  Mr. Meale
  My Department has been working with Birmingham City Council, which is mapping the City of Birmingham, to evaluate the usefulness and effectiveness of noise mapping as a tool in action. We expect the report of this work, which will assist in estimating the costs of such maps, to be published this summer. The work carried out in Birmingham will help to inform the European Commission's future proposals on ways in which to tackle noise.

  Car Engines
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which models of new car currently on sale in the United Kingdom have under 1100cc engines. [78997]

  Ms Hewitt
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his Budget statement that, from June 1 this year, all new and existing cars of 1100cc or less will be eligible for a £55 reduction in vehicle excise duty. Manufacturers currently producing cars of 1100cc or less include Citroen, Daewoo, Daihatsu, Fiat, Hyundai, Seat, Suzuki, Vauxhall and Volkswagen. Popular cars within this range include the Citroen Saxo, Vauxhall Corsa, Nissan Micra and Volkswagen Polo.

  GM Crops
  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the monitoring arrangements for each of the currently agreed field test sites for genetically modified crops, specifying(a) which sites were subject to pre-planting environmental audits, (b) what sub-surface soil changes are being monitored, (c) what criteria for above-ground environmental impact form part of the field test monitoring and (d) which Government office conducts the monitoring. [78049]

  Mr. Meacher
  The monitoring arrangements for releases of genetically modified organisms are decided on a case by case basis for each consent application. This year, some sites will be used for the farm-scale 302
  evaluations which will compare the effects of the management of genetically modified crops on farmland wildlife with the effects of managing conventional crops.

  The Government have awarded three contracts to study the effects of the management of GM crops on wildlife to a consortium led by the Natural Environment Research Council's (NERC) Institute of Terrestrial Ecology. The consortium also includes the Institute of Arable Crop Research and the Scottish Crop Research Institute. Each contract is worth £1.1m; funding is provided wholly by my Department, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) and the Scottish Office.

  The evaluations, which will take four years, will ensure that the managed development of the introduction of genetically modified crops announced at the House of Lords European Communities Sub-Committee on Agriculture, Fisheries and Food last October, will take place safely. The evaluation programme will help address the concerns which have been raised by English Nature and the Royal Society of the Protection of Birds. We need to get reliable evidence to help us decide whether the management of generically modified herbicide tolerant crops could have the potential to accelerate the decline in farmland wildlife which has taken place over the last 50 years.

  In order to make comparisons between the GM and non-GM crops, the sites identified for the research in 2000 will be subject to pre-planting sampling and analysis. The research will look at the effects of the management of GM and non-GM crops on the soil; for example earthworm population monitoring provides a good indicator of the structure and fertility of the soil. Above ground environmental impact will be studied, again by carrying out surveys of plant populations and invertebrates.

  This research will not only address issues relating to genetically modified crops. This is an extremely important opportunity to contribute towards a more detailed understanding of the effects of agricultural management practices on farmland wildlife generally.

  This research will be monitored by an independent steering committee of experts which is currently being set up and will report to the Secretary of State; the results will be made widely available.

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the President of the Council how many parliamentary questions have been tabled to her Department for written answer on a named day since May 1997; and what percentage of them received a substantive reply on that day. [80735]

  Mrs. Beckett
  Of the 85 questions answered since May 1997, which were tabled for a named day answer, 85 per cent. (72) received an answer on that day.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the President of the Council if she will list the public appointments for which her
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  Department is responsible and which carry a fee or salary, indicating for each type of appointment the fee or salary band which applies. [80750]

  Appointment

  Remuneration

  Royal Pharmaceutical Society

  Chairman of the Statutory Committee

  £322per day

  Inspectors

  £26,357—£32,942p.a.

  Examiners (non-pharmacists)

  £150 per day

  British Broadcasting Corporation

  Chairman

  £67,780 p.a.

  Vice-Chairman

  £17,910 p.a.

  National Governor

  £17,910 p.a.

  Governor

  £8,913 p.a.

  Independent Schools Tribunal

  Education Panel Members

  No remuneration as member—fee for hearing appeals to be decided

  Registered Homes Tribunal

  Panel of Experts Member

  No remuneration as member—fee for hearing appeals is £162 per day.

  HM Chief Inspector of Schools for England

  £115,000 p.a.

  HM Inspector of Schools for England

  £32,000—£50,200(national)

  £34,000—£52,600 (London)

  HM Senior Chief Inspector for Scotland

  £61,110—£98,400 p.a.

  HM Deputy Senior Chief Inspector for Scotland

  £50,510—£82,650 p.a.

  HM Chief Inspectors for Scotland

  £45,810—£73,470 p.a.

  HM Inspector for Scotland

  £34,452—£52,383 p.a.

  HM Chief Inspector of Schools for Wales

  £55,750–92,930 p.a.

  HM Staff Inspector of Schools for Wales

  £41,550—£65,270 p.a

  HM Inspector of Schools for Wales

  £33,661—£51,522 p.a.

  Study of Parliament Group
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the President of the Council if she will set out the remarks by the Parliamentary Secretary, Privy Council Office, in respect of the performance of parliamentary Select Committees and members of the Liaison Committee at his recent meeting with the Study of Parliament Group; and if she will make a statement. [80382]

  Mr. Tipping
  I met members of the Study of Parliament Group recently for an informal discussion about modernisation of the House of Commons. The discussion was wide ranging and involved all participants. No detailed note was made. Among the subjects covered were pre-legislative scrutiny of draft Bills, the proposal to revive and adapt the Standing Committee on Regional Affairs and the possibility of a second forum or Main Committee.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Millennium Experience
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1)What proposals have been received by the new Millennium Experience Company for the sale of books and the promotion of reading and
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  Mrs. Beckett
  The information requested is listed for all appointments made by Her Majesty in Council, the Privy Council or I myself as President of the Council, for which there is provision for remuneration.

  literature as part of the Millennium Experience: and what response the company has made;[77561]

  (2) what provision will be made for the sale of books in the Millennium Dome; and how much space has been allocated for this purpose. [77560]

  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the British books, other than those covering the Millennium Experience, which will be on sale at the Millennium Experience. [79403]

  Janet Anderson
  There will be a bookshop area within the New Millennium Experience Company's (NMEC) own retailing arrangements at the Millennium Dome where a wide range of books and other printed material relevant to the Millennium and the Millennium Experience will be on sale. It is not the NMEC's policy to seek to replicate in the Dome, or to compete with, the retailing experience which people can enjoy in their high streets and local town centres. The NMEC is not therefore, planning to provide outlets for hight street book sellers or other retailers. The final decision on the amount of retailing space which will be allocated to book sales will be taken by the NMEC at the appropriate time.

  NMEC has received inquiries from two Members of this House and one inquiry from a member of the public about opportunities for retailing books and the promotion of reading and literature in the Dome.

  Millennium Dome (School Visits)
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what plans have been made to offer free travel for school parties visiting the Dome; at what cost; and who will be liable for the cost; [78177]

  (2) what discussions he has had with (a) rail companies, (b) coach and bus operators and (c) other travel operators regarding discounted or free travel arrangements for school parties visiting the Millennium Dome. [78036]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 22 March 1999]: The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) is not responsible for providing travel arrangements to the Dome but it has been concerned, in its negotiations with the travel industry, including coach and rail operators, to encourage and facilitate affordable package deals which combine travel and Dome admission costs. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced to this House on 17 March 1999, Official Report, column 1117, that NMEC's ticketing strategy would provide for up to one million free admissions for school children on the Education Tours Scheme. Whilst it is not part of the NMEC's remit to provide or fund free travel for school children it is in negotiations with the travel industry to encourage economic and affordable arrangements for them. Additionally, many schools are well placed to negotiate favourable deals through their established relationships with local travel operators. NMEC announced on 18 March that a number of the coach and rail operators are already indicating that attractive packages from around the UK will be available.

  Departmental Staff (Ethnic Origin)
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will provide a breakdown, in numerical and percentage terms, of the ethnic origin, at 1 March, of(a) his private office, (b) Government special advisers, (c) his Policy Unit and (d) staff in total. [78514]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  (a) As at 1 March 1999, there were 29 employees in the private offices of Ministers in my Department and other Ministerial support offices, a percentage being from ethnic minorities. In order to protect the privacy of individuals, it is not possible to provide a breakdown of ethnic origin. (b) I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 22 February 1999, Official Report, column 39. (c) My Department does not have a policy unit. (d) I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office on 31 March 1999, Official Report, column 710–11.

PRIME MINISTER

  Anglo-Spanish Summit
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the Anglo-Spanish Summit on 10 and 11 April. [81160]
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  The Prime Minister
  The summit was the first of its kind. It marked the recent step-change in Britain's bilateral relationship with Spain. The two Prime Ministers discussed the way forward in Europe. They underlined their interest in developing a competitive, prosperous Europe, and agreed a joint declaration on Employment and Economic reform and that a working group would take forward work in this area. Kosovo was inevitably discussed at length. The two Prime Ministers reiterated their shared support for continued military activity until Milosovic complied unreservedly to the five conditions set by NATO.

  Strategic Communications Unit
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on staffing levels in the Strategic Communications Unit. [80060]

  The Prime Minister
  The Strategic Communications Unit has 9 members, 2 of whom are special advisers.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many parliamentary questions have been tabled to her Department for written answer on a named day since May 1997; and what percentage of them received a substantive reply on that day. [80729]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  Between 1 May 1997 and 1 April 1999 this Department was asked 783 named day questions of which 411, or 53.4 per cent. received a substantive reply on the named day.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Greenbury Report
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to introduce legislation to implement the recommendations of the Greenbury report; and if he will make a statement. [79537]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  The Greenbury report made recommendations to a number of groups and organisations. Some organisations, such as the Government and the London Stock Exchange, have implemented their recommendations in full.

  The Government have noted, however, that some listed companies have not yet adopted sufficient transparency in their Reports such that shareholders have access to the information they may reasonably require to enable them to assess the company's general policy on executive remuneration. The Government also wish to see clearer evidence that boards are complying with the Greenbury recommendation that they
  "should consider each year whether the circumstances are such that shareholders should be invited to approve the policy set out in their remuneration report".
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  In addition, the Government would like to see institutional investors using their power and influence to ensure the implementation of best practice as set out in the Greenbury Code.

  I have asked my officials to monitor the current round of annual general meetings for evidence of a more positive approach to the Greenbury Code from companies and institutional investors. I will consider the case for legislation to amend the Companies Act 1985 in the light of the results of this monitoring.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many parliamentary questions have been tabled to his Department for written answer on a named day since May 1997; and what percentage of them received a substantive reply on that day. [80743]

  Mr. Byers
  According to our records, since May 1997, 2,510 questions for answer on a named day have been tabled to this Department, 31 per cent. of these received a substantive reply on the named day.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the public appointments for which his Department is responsible and which carry a fee or salary, indicating for each type of appointment the fee or salary band which applies. [80760]

  Mr. Byers
  The publication "Public Bodies 1998", copies of which are available in the Library of the House, provides information on the levels of remuneration paid to those serving on the boards of non-departmental public bodies for which my Department is responsible. The majority of public appointments, however, are unpaid as most of those who accept a public appointment do so on a voluntary, unpaid basis.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Noise-induced Sensorineural Hearing Loss
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his letter ref. POS (3) 3019/18 of 26 January, what reports she has had on scientific evidence relating to noise-induced sensorineural hearing loss. [80586]

  Mr. Bayley
  [holding answer 13 April 1999]: When we were elected, we were determined to be satisfied that the Department's approach to the assessment of hearing loss on war pensions was seen to be in line with current scientific understanding. We immediately ordered a review of the scientific evidence behind the Department's approach. The review was conducted by four independent hearing loss experts chaired by the Government's then Chief Medical Officer.

  The report of the expert team received in March 1998 confirmed that hearing loss due to noise, such as that
  308
  experienced in service, does not increase after one is removed from it or as subsequent age-related hearing loss is added to it. These conclusions confirmed that the Department's approach to the assessment of hearing loss under the War Pension Scheme is in line with the current scientific understanding.

  The review also recommended that the matter be looked at again in one years time. The Under-Secretary, my noble Friend, Baroness Hollis of Heigham, therefore, asked the war pensions medical policy adviser to report to her by the end of February 1999 on any relevant developments. The report of this further review was placed in the Libraries of House of Commons and the House of Lords on 2 March 1999. It confirms that there is no new scientific evidence to raise a reasonable doubt that noise-induced sensorineural hearing loss progressively deteriorates once a person is removed from the source of the noise which caused it; or that the combination of noise-induced sensorineural hearing loss and subsequent hearing loss due to age is not more than additive.

  These are assumptions which have gained general acceptance and have formed the basis of an International Standard which has been in place for nearly 20 years and which have successfully provided the basis for medico-legal work world wide.

  The conclusions of this further review again confirm that the Department's current approach to the assessment of hearing loss is in line with current scientific evidence. This in turn, means that War Disablement Pensions cannot be increased in respect of hearing loss due to ageing. They can only be paid for disablement which is due to service.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many parliamentary questions have been tabled to his Department for written answer on a named day since May 1997; and what percentage of them received a substantive reply on that day. [80727]

  Mr. Timms
  Since May 1997, we have received 2,304 parliamentary questions for answer on a named day, of these, 2,090 (91 per cent.) were given a substantive answer on the day requested.

  This Department aims to give a holding reply to no more than 10 per cent. of all parliamentary questions for answer on a named day. However, where, for example, detailed work has to be carried out by the Department's analytical branches or the Government's Actuary Department, a full response cannot always be provided in the time allowed.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the public appointments for which his Department is responsible and which carry a fee or salary, indicating for each type of appointment the fee or salary band which applies. [80758]
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  Mr. Timms
  "Public Bodies 1998", copies of which are available in the Library of the House, provides information on the levels of remuneration paid to those serving on the boards of public bodies for which the Department is responsible. Many of these appointments are unpaid volunteers.

SCOTLAND

  Treaty of Amsterdam
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list each of the new responsibilities which he will assume when the signed Treaty of Amsterdam takes effect and for each(a) the likely effect on departmental staffing, (b) the bodies or persons in the European Union principally concerned and (c) the relevant section of that treaty and the consolidated treaties of the European Union and European Community. [80410]

  Mr. Macdonald
  The Treaty of Amsterdam will have minimal impact on the responsibilities of the Department.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many parliamentary questions have been tabled to his Department for written answer on a named day since May 1997; and what percentage of them received a substantive reply on that day. [80733]

  Mr. Dewar
  The information for the period May 1997—February 1998 is not held centrally and could be collected only at disproportionate cost. The information for the period March 1998—March 1999 is as follows:

  Nominated questions tabled 1 March 1998–31 March 1999

  % answered substantively on date nominated

  1,021

  62

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the public appointments for which his Department is responsible and which carry a fee or salary, indicating for each type of appointment the fee or salary band which applies. [80752]

  Mr. Dewar
  "Public Bodies 1998"—copies of which are available in the Library of the House—provides information on the levels of remuneration paid to those

  Name of review/task force

  Date of establishment

  If final report published, date of publication

  If terminated, date of termination

  Expected report date

  Expected termination date

  Human Rights Task Force

  28 January 1999

  —

  —

  No date set

  NO date set

  Review of Prison Service Health Care

  Autumn 1997

  29 March 1999

  —

  —

  No date set

  Review of Prison Service Mother and Baby Units

  3 December 1998

  —

  —

  Summer 1999

  No date set

  Inter-departmental Review of Vulnerable or Intimidated Witnesses

  13 June 1997

  10 June 1998

  Last meeting on 13 March 1998

  —

  —

  Review of the Tote

  14 July 1998

  —

  —

  May 1999

  No date set

  Sex Offences Review

  25 January 1999

  —

  —

  December 1999

  December 1999

  Working Group on the Giving Age

  January 1999

  —

  —

  Not due to publish a report

  No date set

  Working Party on Electoral Procedures

  21 January 1998

  —

  —

  Summer 1999

  No date set

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  serving on the boards of public bodies for which my Department is responsible. The majority of public appointments, however, are unpaid as most of those who accept a public appointment do so on a voluntary basis.

  From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

  Capital Modernisation Fund
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the Government's plans for allocating the Unallocated Capital Modernisation Fund moneys as set out in Table 1.4, page 16, of the Scottish Office Departmental report, CM 4215, March 1999. [80291]

  Mr. Dewar
  Of the £75m unallocated from the Capital Modernisation Fund, I have decided to allocate £4.2m to the elimination of mixed sex accommodation from the NHS in Scotland, and £0.3m to the Highlands and Island Fire Board. The allocation of the balance will be for the Scottish Executive to determine.

  From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

  Primary Education Funding
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list which local authority areas in Scotland are providing a lower level of education funding per primary school pupil in real terms in 1999–2000 than in 1998–1999. [80677]

  Mrs. Liddell
  This information is not available centrally.

  From 1 July 1999, this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Task Forces
  Dr. Tony Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for all task forces and policy reviews with external members established by his Department since May 1997(a) their dates of establishment, (b) those which have issued final reports and their dates of publication, (c) those which have been terminated and their dates of termination and (d) for those bodies still in existence, expected reporting and termination dates. [79275]

  Mr Straw
  The information is set out in the table.
  311
  Dr. Tony Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all those task forces and policy reviews with external members established by his Department since May 1997 which have set up

  Name of task force/policy review

  Sub-group

  Working parties

  Other subsidiary committees

  Human Rights Task Force

  This has a subsidiary group which receives copies of papers and minutes and can attend Task Force meetings when there are items of specific interest

  Review of Prison Service Mother and Baby Units

  A working group has been set up which comprises senior prison staff, Representatives of external Agencies, Specialists in the Field of maternal and child care and Representatives from key interest Groups

  Review of the Tote

  This review had a Working group to inform the operations of External Consultants

  Sex Offences Review

  The steering group of the Review has an external reference group to advise it

  Working Group on the Giving Age

  Set up to advise the Ad Hoc Ministerial Group on the Giving Age

  Working Party on Electoral Procedures

  A working group on Rolling Registration has delivered an has an external reference group to internal report to the Working party

  An electoral forms and equipment group is considering in detail electoral forms management

  A returning officers' fees and charges group will consider the scope for simplifying the Returning Officers' Charges Order

  Senator Pinochet
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will decide whether to issue a second authority to proceed in response to the Spanish extradition request for Senator Pinochet. [80227]

  Mr. Straw
  I signed a second Authority to Proceed in respect of Senator Pinochet yesterday evening. The Spanish request for his extradition will now be considered by the courts. The reasons for my decision were sent to all the parties concerned in a letter from one of my officials as set out:"I am writing to inform you that the Secretary of State yesterday evening signed a second Authority to Proceed ("ATP") in respect of Senator Pinochet. The original ATP is being transmitted to Bow Street and a copy, through the Crown Office, to the Divisional Court. I am notifying the Chief Clerk and the head of the Crown Office of this decision by fax. I enclose a copy of the ATP, signed on 14 April 1999, for your information.

  2. The Secretary of State is not under an obligation to provide reasons for his decision to sign an ATP. However, in this case, and in the light of the matters raised by the representations, he has agreed to give his reasons at this stage.

  3. In deciding to issue the new ATP, the Secretary of State has proceeded as if no previous ATP was in existence, and has considered the matter entirely afresh. He has limited
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  (a) sub-groups, (b) working parties and (c) other subsidiary committees.[79252]

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

  himself to taking account only of considerations which are relevant to the question whether the new ATP should be issued or not.

  Representations

  4. Although there is no provision in the Extradition Act ("the Act") for representations at this stage in extradition proceedings, the Secretary of State has taken careful account of these in making his decision: in particular, representations made to him by legal representatives of Senator Pinochet; the Spanish Government; the Chilean Government; and legal representatives for "the Interveners" before the House of Lords. He also received material from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence. To the extent that he has considered previously submitted representations, he has done so having regard to the latest judgment of the House of Lords and only in so far as they had relevance to the question whether a new ATP should be issued.

  5. The decision to issue the new Authority to Proceed was taken personally by the Secretary of State, who was satisfied that he took this decision with an open mind.

  The House of Lords ruling, 24 March 1999

  6. Six of the seven members of the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords stated their view that the Secretary of State should reconsider his decision of 9 December 1998 in the light of the very considerable reduction in the number of extraditable charges from those identified by their ruling on 25 November.
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  7. The Secretary of State invited the assistance of the Divisional Court in finding a means to quash the first ATP of 9 December 1998, in order to comply with the recommendation of the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords in their latest decision. The Divisional Court indicated on Monday 29 March 1999 that the court could quash the first ATP with the consent of all parties to the proceedings at a hearing shortly after the Secretary of State had taken his decision whether a new ATP should be issued. The necessary procedural steps will be taken in consultation with Senator Pinochet's legal representatives and the Crown Prosecution Service on behalf of Spain.

  The Secretary of State's approach to his decision

  8. The Secretary of State has taken a fresh decision whether to issue a new ATP under section 7(4) of the Act, which provides:

  "On receipt of any such request the Secretary of State may issue an authority to proceed unless it appears to him that an order of the return of the person concerned could not lawfully be made, or would not in fact be made, in accordance with the provisions of this Act."

  9. The Secretary of State has taken the approach that if it appears to him at this stage that no order for the return of Senator Pinochet to Spain could lawfully be made, or would in fact be made, then he should not issue a new ATP. If those conditions do not exist, he has a discretion whether or not to issue a new ATP.

  10. He has had regard to the relevant extradition arrangement, namely the European Convention on Extradition ("ECE"). The United Kingdom's obligation is to extradite Senator Pinochet to Spain consistently with the ECE. That is a consideration to which the Secretary of State gives particular weight.

  11. The Secretary of State has taken his decision having taken account of, in particular, the judgment of the House of Lords of 24 March, and the appropriate and separate roles of the courts and himself in the scheme of the Act. There are various matters which the Secretary of State has considered at this stage which can be the subject of far closer and more satisfactory examination during the court stages of the extradition process (committal and habeas corpus) than is possible at this preliminary stage. In relation to such matters, the Secretary of State considers that it is appropriate for them to be explored in full detail in the court proceedings, after notice of all points has been given to each party to permit argument by that party and (as necessary) the adducing of formal evidence and evidence in answer.

  12. In reaching his decision, the Secretary of State has considered the application of the Act to the Spanish request and all the general restrictions on surrender in sections 6 and 12 of the Act.

  Extradition crimes

  13. The Secretary of State has had well in mind the latest ruling of the House of Lords, to the effect that under United Kingdom law the only extraditable offences referred to in the Spanish request are offences after 8 December 1988.

  14. Section 1 of the Act provides that where, as in the case of Spain, extradition procedures under Part III of the Act are available, a person in the United Kingdom who: "is accused in that state of the commission of an extradition crime" may be arrested and returned to that state in accordance with those procedures.

  15. The Secretary of State considers that Senator Pinochet is accused, in Spain, of offences in the relevant period equivalent to United Kingdom offences of conspiracy to torture and torture, and that these are extradition crimes.

  16. The Secretary of State has taken account of section 9(8) of the Act, and the terms of paragraph 3 of the European Convention on Extradition Order 1990, which provides:

  "Where an extradition request is made by a Convention State in respect of a person accused of an offence, it shall not be necessary:

  (a) for that State to furnish the court of committal with evidence sufficient to warrant the trial of that person if the extradition crime had taken place within the jurisdiction of that court; or
  314
  (b) for the court of committal to be satisfied that there is evidence sufficient to warrant the trial of that person.".

  17. The Secretary of State has proceeded on the basis that he is entitled, at this stage of the extradition proceedings against Senator Pinochet, to treat the Spanish request as well-founded as a matter of Spanish law.

  Sovereign or diplomatic immunity

  18. In light of the latest decision of the House of Lords, the Secretary of State has proceeded on the basis that, in relation to extraditable offences, Senator Pinochet does not enjoy any immunity, save in respect of offences of murder and conspiracy to murder of which he is accused. Senator Pinochet does not enjoy immunity in relation to the extradition crimes of conspiracy to torture and torture referred to above.

  19. The Secretary of State has had regard to what is alleged in the request to have happened before 8 December 1988, but only in so far as it is relevant to the criminality of what is alleged to have happened after that date—i.e. in relation to the question whether acts of torture after that date were done in the course of a conspiracy begun before, such as to amount to an accusation of a conspiracy to torture continuing after that date for the purposes of section 7(5) of the Act.

  20. The Secretary of State does not accept the argument, put on behalf of Senator Pinochet, that he should be treated as immune unless there is evidence before him to show that Senator Pinochet had actually committed the relevant offences of which he is accused. Nor does the Secretary of State understand the majority of the House of Lords to have ruled (as Senator Pinochet contends) that immunity in respect of torture or conspiracy to torture only ceases to apply where torture is widespread or systematic.

  21. It does not appear to the Secretary of State that Senator Pinochet is entitled to diplomatic immunity as the head of a special mission.

  Additional Spanish material

  22. The Secretary of State was invited, by the Crown Prosecution Service on behalf of Spain, to consider fresh material issued by the fifth Central Magistrate's Court of Madrid, dated 10 December 1998, 24 December 1998, 26 March 1999 and 5 April 1999, subsequent to the formal request received in the Home Office on 11 November 1998. He does not regard the material to be "supplementary material" under Article 13 of the ECE since, as the requested Party in that article, he has not considered it necessary to request such material from Spain in order to make his decision. The Secretary of State has, however, had regard to this material as part of the representations put before him in the context of considering whether (as Senator Pinochet contends) the Spanish accusations are not made and maintained in good faith.

  General restrictions

  23. The Secretary of State has considered all the general restrictions on surrender in sections 6 and 12 of the Act. In particular, he has had regard to:
  Political Offences (section 6(1)(a))

  24. Section 24 of the Act provides that no offence to which section 1 of the Suppression of Terrorism Act applies can be regarded as an offence of a political character. Since Spain is a designated country for the purposes of section 24, the Secretary of State considers that all the offences that are to be included in the ATP fall within this provision. In any event, it does not appear to him that the offences charged are of a political character.

  Punishment for political opinions (sections 6(1)(c) and (d))

  25. The Secretary of State does not consider that there are good grounds for concluding that the request has been issued for this purpose.
  315
  The passage of time (section 12(2)(a)(ii))

  26. The Secretary of State has not been notified by the Spanish Government that any of the offences for which extradition is sought are time barred from prosecution, and considers that it is reasonable to proceed at this stage on the footing that no relevant time bar appears to apply.

  27. Nor does the Secretary of State consider that the passage of time would render it unjust or oppressive to issue an ATP in this case. It does not appear that Senator Pinochet is unfit to stand trial. Although the Secretary of State has had regard to the effect of the latest House of Lords judgment in reducing the number and extent of potential charges, the remaining offences for which return has been sought are serious, and in the nature of those for which, domestically, passage of time would not be regarded as restricting prosecution. The case is an accusation case and, ordinarily, the reliability of witnesses' memories may properly be regarded as a matter for the court of prosecution.

  Accusation not made in good faith in the interests of justice (section 12(2)(a)(iii))

  28. The Secretary of State does not believe that there are sufficient grounds for concluding the surviving accusations have been made other than in good faith in the interests of justice. The Secretary of State has in mind that this issue can be addressed by the courts under section 11(3)(c) of the Act, and that it is a question, among others, which can be re-examined in the light of any developments at the stage when he comes to exercise his final discretion at the end of the extradition process, under section 12 of the Act.

  The Secretary of State's discretion

  29. The Secretary of State has considered the ambit of his discretion under section 7(4) and his residual general discretion under section 12 of the Act, which would apply in relation to the return of Senator Pinochet were he to be committed by the Bow Street magistrate under section 9 of the Act. The Secretary of State has been advised that the discretion conferred upon him is wide, and he has, therefore, taken a range of factors into consideration.

  30. A large number of points were raised in representations concerning the Secretary of State's discretion, including aspects of issues that fall to be considered under the general restrictions on return contained in the Act. In particular, the Secretary of Sate has had regard to the following:

  The change in the ambit of the case against Senator Pinochet

  31. The Secretary of State has considered the latest judgment of the House of Lords, and its impact upon the number and extent of the offences for which extradition may be sought, and concluded that the formal request from Spain appears to him to disclose the extradition crimes of torture and conspiracy to torture. He has considered the representations made on behalf of Senator Pinochet alleging that the manner in which the Senator's extradition has been sought constitutes an abuse of the extradition process. The Secretary of State does not consider that at this stage these allegations amount to a sufficient ground not to issue an ATP.

  Pending proceedings in Chile

  32. Senator Pinochet's legal representatives, and the Chilean Government, argued that the Senator should be returned to Chile where he could stand trial, and that it was artificial to require an extradition request from Chile where such return would be voluntary. However, in the absence of such a request, there is no extradition request from the Chilean Government which the Secretary of State could consider under section 12(5) of the Act. Moreover, there is no provision of international law which excludes Spain's jurisdiction in this matter. The Secretary of State does not consider the possibility of a trial in Chile to be a factor that outweighs the United Kingdom's obligations under the ECE to extradite Senator Pinochet to Spain.
  316
  Humanitarian considerations

  33. Representations were made on behalf of the Senator that his age and health would render it unjust or oppressive to issue an Authority to Proceed. The Secretary of State has considered these carefully, but concluded that it does not appear that the Senator is unfit to stand trial and concluded that in all the circumstances it would not be unjust or oppressive for him to stand trial in relation to the remaining extraditable offences with which he is charged. The Secretary of State also has in mind that this question, among others, can be re-examined in the light of any developments, at the stage when he comes to exercise his final discretion at the end of the extradition process, under section 12 of the Act.

  Other factors

  34. The Secretary of State has also considered other factors under his general discretion including:

  (i) the possible effect of extradition proceedings on the stability of Chile, and its future democracy; and]

  (ii) the possible effect of extradition proceedings on the United Kingdom national interest.

  35. He has concluded that the material and representations put before him do not amount to sufficient grounds not to issue an ATP.

  Conclusion

  36. In the event that Senator Pinochet is committed to await the Secretary of State's decision on his return, the Secretary of State will consider the extradition request afresh under section 12 of the Act. At that stage, he will be able to take into account any findings in the committal proceedings and any habeas corpus proceedings as well as any representations which Senator Pinochet may wish to make against return.

  37. If Senator Pinochet decides to apply for leave to move for judicial review of the Secretary of State's decision, he reserves the right to expand upon the reasons given in this letter in an affidavit to be sworn by one of his officials."

  Women's Prison (Ashford)
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the timetable for building a women's prison at Ashford, Middlesex. [80426]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The cost of construction and management of the proposed new prison at Ashford will fall outside the period of the current comprehensive spending review. The timetable for its construction will depend upon funding and other priorities within the Prison Service estate.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many parliamentary questions have been tabled to his Department for written answer on a named day since May 1997; and what percentage of them received a substantive reply on that day. [80737]

  Mr. Straw
  Between 1 May 1997 and 12 April 1999, a total of 2,269 Named Day parliamentary questions were tabled for answer by my Department. Of these, 75.4 per cent. (2,012) received a substantive reply on the day requested.

  Prisoners (Hepatitis)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people currently detained in prison are suffering from hepatitis; and what proportion of the prison population this figure represents. [80209]
  317
  Mr. George Howarth
  The number of prisoners reported by Prison Service establishments as suffering from various forms of hepatitis at 30 September 1998 (the last date for which a complete set of figures is currently available) was:

  Number

  Hepatitis A

  3

  Acute hepatitis B

  25

  Chronic hepatitis B

  75

  Chronic hepatitis C

  463

  Total

  566

  Prison population

  65,913

  Proportion of population

  0.86%

  Prison Sites (Essex)
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is examining potential sites for a prison(a) in Colchester and (b) elsewhere in Essex.[80517]

  Mr. George Howarth
  No.

  Europol
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Penrith and The Border (Mr. Maclean) of 18 March 1999,Official Report, columns 721–22, on Europol, if he will provide a breakdown by category of the types of request submitted by the United Kingdom for information from Europol.[80456]

  Kate Hoey
  There was a total of 394 requests made by United Kingdom law enforcement agencies during 1998 of which 82.5 per cent. were drug related; 5.6 per cent. were linked to immigration; 8.1 per cent. covered money laundering activities; 3 per cent. were related to trafficking in stolen vehicles and 0.8 per cent. concerned trafficking in human beings.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many parliamentary questions have been tabled to her Department for written answer on a named day since May 1997; and what percentage of them received a substantive reply on that day. [80728]

  Clare Short
  Since May 1997, 454 questions were tabled to my Department for a written answer on a named day; 95 per cent. received an answer on that day.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the public appointments for which her Department is responsible and which carry a fee or salary, indicating for each type of appointment the fee or salary band which applies. [80757]
  318
  Clare Short
  The only public appointments for which my Department is responsible and for which remuneration is provided are to the Board of the Commonwealth Development Corporation. The information is as follows:

  £

  Board Member

  Remuneration (per annum)

  Earl Cairns (Chair)

  30,000

  Ms J. Almond (Deputy Chair)

  10,000

  Mr. H. Singhania

  7,500

  Dr. J. Kydd

  7,500

  Mr. R. Murray

  7,500

  Professor D. Pearce

  7,500

  Ms C. Hayman

  7,500

  Mr. R. Seal

  7,500

  Mr. P. Kent

  7,500

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  IACS Maps
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what cost benefit analysis he has carried out on IACS map checks. [73343]

  Mr. Rooker
  The programme of map checks was introduced following evaluations undertaken by the European Commission of the Department's arrangements for developing a central IACS database recording details of field areas included in Area Aid Applications in accordance with the requirements of Community legislation. There would have been a risk of significant disallowance of reimbursement of Exchequer expenditure from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund on the schemes to which IACS applies if such checks had not been instituted.

  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the administrative cost to date to his Department of carrying out IACS map checks. [73290]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is not available. A number of checks are undertaken to meet the requirements laid down in Community legislation governing IACS and administrative costs of carrying out IACS map checks between 1994–1998 were not separately recorded.

  Pig and Poultry Bonemeal
  Mr. Sawford
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to, allow the use of pig and poultry bonemeal. [75843]

  Mr. Rooker
  The existing bans on the use of mammalian meat and bone meal (MBM) in feed for farmed animals and as fertiliser on agricultural land do not extend to MBM derived from poultry.

  Representations have been made by the pig industry and the Meat and Livestock Commission (MLC) to allow porcine MBM to be fed to poultry on the condition that processing takes place in rendering plants dedicated to pig waste. The existing ban was put in place on the

  319
  recommendation of SEAC, and the Government continue to base their handling of BSE on the advice on the Committee.

  Before we would be prepared to ask SEAC to look at the use of porcine MBM for export or poultry feed purposes the industry itself will need to address the key issues of how monitoring at all stages of production and distribution would be carried out to avoid the possibility of cross contamination.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Tyrie
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the total number of occasions when(a) departmental and (b) non-departmental Special Advisers have travelled abroad in an official capacity since 2 May 1997. [76819]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  Between 2 May 1997 and 28 February 1999, Special Advisers in this Department have made visits overseas on 12 occasions in an official capacity. All travel complied with the requirements of the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code. Costs are accounted for within the total costs for any overseas trips by Ministers. I have 2 departmental operational advisers and no non-departmental special advisers.

  There have been no occasions since 2 May 1997 when Special Advisers in this Department have travelled abroad in an official capacity unaccompanied by Ministers.

  Operational Licences
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list for(a) farms and (b) other agriculture-related industries (i) all licences and permits issued by his Department and its agencies to farms or companies enabling them to carry out their business, (ii) the cost of each such licence or permit in (A) 1997–98 and (B) 1999–2000 and (iii) current number of farms or companies which are in receipt of each such licence or permit. [76873]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 16 March 1999]: The 106 authorisations, including those relating to approval or registration of premises enabling farms and other agriculture-related industries to carry out their businesses, have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Banana Import Regime
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the basis for maintaining the European Union banana import regime; and when he expects the publication of the arbitrator's report on the matter. [79159]

  Mr. Rooker
  The EU's banana regime is designed to meet both our commitments to African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries under the Lomé Convention, Protocol 5 in particular, and our World Trade Organisation (WTO) obligations.

  Reports from both the WTO arbitrator and the Dispute Settlement Panel were published on 12 April and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Vitamins and Minerals Advisory Group
  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure that his ad hoc expert advisory group on vitamins and minerals takes note of the recommendations of the Agriculture Committee's report on vitamin B6 in relation to(a) the quality of scientific advice and (b) the use of safety factors. [79484]

  Mr. Rooker
  Members of the Expert Group on Vitamins and Minerals are aware of the conclusions and recommendations of the Agriculture Select Committee's report on vitamin B6 and will take these into account in carrying out its remit. The Group will, as a matter of course, give consideration to the use of safety factors and the quality of the available scientific evidence, and I am satisfied they are capable of reaching their own conclusions on these matters.

  Genetically Modified Soya
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions(a) he has had and (b) he plans to have with Brazil's Agriculture Minister in respect of genetically modified free soya supplies to the UK; and if he will make a statement. [80557]

  Mr. Rooker
  I have not met, or have plans to meet, the Brazilian Agriculture Minister to discuss GM soya supplies. This Department has published a list of suppliers of GM free soya for anyone wanting to obtain such material.

  Badgers
  Mr. Syms
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects his Department's study into the links between TB in cattle and badgers to be published. [80288]

  Mr. Rooker
  Under the TB strategy I announced on 17 August last year, the links between TB in cattle and badgers will be examined through research and the randomised badger culling trial. The trial is planned to run for five or more years. The research projects, whose details I announced on 10 March 1999,Official Report, columns 301–02, will take between two and five years to complete, and some may provide the basis for further projects. Subject to the need to ensure that premature publication does not jeopardise future work, I envisage that the results will be published as they become available.

  Food Safety
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on schemes which promote industry-wide production systems in(a) agriculture and (b) horticulture to demonstrate the safety and traceability of the food produced. [80244]

  Mr. Rooker
  Industry-wide assurance schemes which go beyond statutory requirements are for the industry to take forward in light of their assessment of prevailing market conditions. I welcome the development of these assurance schemes because they can help provide the consumer with confidence in the integrity of the product.

  Genetically Modified Maize
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the suppliers of genetically modified free maize. [80558]

  Mr. Rooker
  GM maize is not grown commercially in the EU, except for a small amount in Spain and France last year, all of which was used within Spain. Supplies of non-GM maize are thus widely available within Europe and a list of such suppliers is therefore unnecessary.

  Honey
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement in respect of measures to prevent contamination of honey by genetically modified material.[80556]

  Mr. Rooker
  The Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes hosted a workshop in 1991 to consider the safety of pollen from GM plants in honey. The workshop's conclusion was that the consumption of gene products from pollen in honey was likely to be negligible. The results from three research projects commissioned by MAFF to investigate this further subsequently confirmed this conclusion.

  Vitamin and Mineral Supplements
  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has obtained regarding regulations affecting the sale of higher-dose vitamin and mineral supplements in other European Union member states. [80222]

  Mr. Rooker
  Legislation on vitamin and mineral supplements varies from member state to member state. In most cases the rules relating to supplements sold under food law are more restrictive than those applying in the United Kingdom and typically limit the permitted level of vitamins and minerals in supplements to the Recommended Daily Amount or a multiple thereof.

  Beef Exports (Northern Ireland)
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much beef has been exported from Northern Ireland since the ban was lifted on 16 March 1998. [80180]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 13 April 1999]: There has only been one company involved in the export of beef from Northern Ireland since the lifting of the ban. In these circumstances, I cannot provide the information requested as it is commercial in confidence.

  Milk Imports
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the share of the domestic retail milk market currently accounted for by imports; and if he will provide corresponding figures for each of the last 10 years. [79939]
  322
  Mr. Rooker
  In 1998, it is estimated that imports accounted for 0.8 per cent. of the domestic retail liquid drinking milk market. The corresponding figures for each of the last ten years are shown in the table.

  Liquid drinking milk in the United Kingdom (thousand tonnes unless otherwise specified)

  Year

  Production1

  Imports2

  Exports2

  Total domestic use

  Imports as a percentage of total domestic use

  1988

  6,965

  11

  4

  6,973

  0.2

  1989

  6,921

  17

  3

  6,935

  0.3

  1990

  6,927

  21

  3

  6,945

  0.3

  1991

  6,903

  37

  3

  6,938

  0.5

  1992

  6,980

  67

  3

  7,044

  1.0

  1993

  7,008

  54

  3

  7,059

  0.8

  1994

  6,966

  68

  4

  7,029

  1.0

  1995

  7,128

  89

  5

  7,212

  1.2

  1996

  7,041

  68

  5

  7,104

  1.0

  1997

  6,955

  63

  6

  7,013

  0.9

  1998

  6,942

  56

  10

  6,988

  0.8

  1Production includes liquid drinking milk manufactured in the UK by dairy companies and farms for retail sale. It is not possible to identify separately the products for which imported raw milk is used by dairy companies. It is therefore possible that a small proportion of liquid drinking milk produced in the United Kingdom is manufactured from such imported raw milk.

  2 Overseas trade in liquid milk in immediate packings of a net content not exceeding two litres as shown in the Overseas Trade Statistics. Liquid milk in larger packings -is excluded as such trade could be for manufacturing use rather than for retail sale.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many parliamentary questions have been tabled to his Department for written answer on a named day since May 1997; and what percentage of them received a substantive reply on that day. [80726]

  Mr. Morley
  In the period from 1 of May 1997 to 31 March 1999, 1,884 parliamentary questions were tabled to this Department for written answer on a named day. Of these, 53 per cent. received a substantive reply on that day.

  Genetically Modified Food
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to publish the paper requested by the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Biotechnology from the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Scientific Adviser on the human health implications of genetically-modified foods. [75419]

  Dr. Jack Cunningham
  1 have been asked to reply.

  The Chief Medical Officer and the Chief Scientific Adviser have been asked to advise Ministers on the public health implications of the genetic modification of food. Their work will be conducted in accordance with the Government's Guidelines on "The Use of Scientific Advice in Policy Making", which sets out a framework for ensuring that Government policy is made on the basis of the best scientific advice. Advice from officials to Ministers is not normally published but the possibility of publication in this case will be considered when the advice has been received.

DEFENCE

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many overseas homes are owned by his Department; what proportion are occupied; and what plans he has to improve the quality of overseas service homes. [77450]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 18 March 1999]: I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  No-fly Zones (Iraq)
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many times Iraqi aircraft have violated the no-fly zones(a) in the five years preceding Operation Desert Fox and (b) since the conclusion of Operation Desert Fox; [77229]

  (2) how many times allied aircraft have fired at Iraqi aircraft and installations in the no-fly zones when allied aircraft have been initially locked on by Iraqi forces (a) in the five years preceding Operation Desert Fox and (b) since the conclusion of Operation Desert Fox; [77230]

  (3) how many times allied aircraft have fired at Iraqi aircraft and installations in the no-fly zones without being initially locked on by Iraqi forces (a) in the five years preceding Operation Desert Fox and (b) since the conclusion of Operation Desert Fox. [77231]

  Mr. George Robertson
  [holding answer 22 March 1999]: In the five years preceding Operation Desert Fox (16–19 December 1998), Iraqi aircraft violated the no-fly zones on over 80 occasions. RAF aircraft did not fire on any Iraqi aircraft or installations during this time. Since Operation Desert Fox there have been some 120 violations of the no-fly zones, in which Iraqi aircraft have frequently tried to lure our aircraft within range of surface-to-air missile traps.

  Our aircraft are routinely illuminated by Iraqi air defence network radars when patrolling the no-fly zones, but radar lock-on is a relatively rare occurrence as it exposes the initiator to the risk of an armed response. The Iraqis more commonly employ other means, including optical guidance, to direct their surface-to-air missiles. Statistics of lock-on occurrences have not been kept. RAF aircraft have attacked Iraqi targets on 15 occasions since Operation Desert Fox, in direct response to sustained attempts to shoot down coalition aircraft and kill aircrew.

  Departmental Costs
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost to his Department in each of the last five years of(a) public ceremonial duties and (b) VIP transport. [80710]

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

  Kosovo
  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the costs to the United Kingdom of current international action relating to the situation in Kosovo. [79917]
  324
  Mr. George Robertson
  The total cost of military operations relating to Kosovo is impossible to estimate at this stage, given we do not know what Milosevic's next moves will be, and how we will need to respond. The costs will, however, be substantial. Our assessment of costs incurred as of 8 April is some £17 million; this does not include the costs of replenishing stock of ordnance expended.

  Service Injuries
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what records are kept by his Department of allegations concerning(a) physical and (b) mental health injuries suffered by former members of the armed forces as a result of their service. [80724]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  My Department does not keep records of allegations of physical or mental health injuries suffered by former members of the Armed Forces attributable to their service. However, reported cases of injury are kept on personal medical records of serving members of the HM Forces. My Department also maintains records of common law claims for compensation from existing and former members of the Armed Forces concerning allegations of physical and mental injuries attributable to their Service.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the public appointments for which his Department is responsible and which carry a fee or salary, indicating for each type of appointment the fee or salary band which applies. [80753]

  Mr. Spellar
  "Public Bodies 1998"—copies of which are available in the Library of the House—provides information on the levels of remuneration paid to those serving on the boards of public bodies for which the MOD is responsible.

  Since that report was written, the Nuclear Weapons Safety Committee and the Nuclear Powered Warships Safety Committee, which shared the same membership, have amalgamated in 1998, to form the Defence Nuclear Safety Committee, DNSC. The remuneration of DNSC members is identical to that of members of the previous Committees.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many parliamentary questions have been tabled to his Department for written answer on a named day since May 1997; and what percentage of them received a substantive reply on that day. [80732]

  Mr. Spellar
  According to our records 2,026 Named Day Questions have been tabled to my Department. Information on what percentage of them received a substantive reply could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Our database cannot currently provide that information, however, we are looking at ways to refine it which may enable us to provide such information in the future.

  Macpherson Inquiry
  Mr. Efford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department of the Macpherson inquiry recommendations; and if he will make a statement. [80535)

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer the Minister for the Cabinet Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for Copeland (Dr. Cunningham), gave him on 14 April 1999,Official Report, columns 239–40.

TREASURY

  Road Haulage Industry
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of the increases in diesel duty and vehicle excise duty on the future operations of the road haulage industry. [79460]

  Ms Hewitt
  In making his Budget judgment, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer took a wide range of factors into account.

  Small Firms
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement concerning his Budget measures to help small firms. [79461]

  Mrs. Roche
  The Budget introduced a substantial package of measures for smaller businesses which will stimulate greater investment, innovation and growth within the small business sector and which will ensure that the sector is an important source of dynamism, innovation and competition for the economy as a whole.

  Debt Relief
  Ms Drown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to press for higher levels of debt cancellation at the forthcoming meetings of the IMF and the World Bank. [79462]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Chancellor intends to take the opportunity at the Spring Meetings of the IMF/World Bank later this month to take forward his recent initiative on poverty reduction in the developing world, calling for faster, deeper and wider debt relief.

  National Insurance Fund
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for the future of the Treasury supplement to the national insurance fund. [79463]

  Mr. Milburn
  In 1999–2000, we expect benefit expenditure from the National Insurance Fund broadly to match income, in which case the Fund will not need a substantial Treasury Grant. The maximum Treasury Grant which may be made available to the Fund in this financial year shall not exceed 2 per cent. of the estimated benefit expenditure from the Fund. For subsequent years, we will decide on the level of Treasury Grant in light of advice from the Government Actuary.

  Withholding Tax
  Mr. Flight
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy on the use of the British veto in respect of EC proposals for a common withholding tax.[79464]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) on 2 March 1999,Official Report, column 640.

  Working Families Tax Credit
  Mr. Stringer
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the working families tax credit. [79465]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Chancellor has received a number of very helpful and constructive representations which have informed the development of WFTC and DPTC. And I have also had useful meetings with representative groups. In addition, the Inland Revenue continue to consult on a regular basis with a wide range of interested parties, on the details of the scheme and its administration.

  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to evaluate the impact of the working families tax credit. [79474]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Government believe that the WFTC will create a strong new incentive for people with children to move into work and up the earnings scale, and provide a welcome boost to the incomes of low and middle income families with children. We naturally want to assess the effects of the new policy and ensure that it is achieved in the most effective way. We will therefore be carrying out a full evaluation of the impact of the WFTC.

  Public Sector Debt
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy towards net public sector debt. [79466]

  Mr. Milburn
  The Government's Sustainable Investment Rule requires that public sector net debt as a proportion of GDP be held over the economic cycle at a stable and prudent level. The projections contained in Budget '99 show net public debt falling below 40 per cent. of GDP this year and to around 35 per cent. of GDP by 2003–04.

  Family-friendly Policies
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he has put in place to help make work pay for parents balancing work and home responsibilities. [79467]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Government place a high priority on policies designed to enable parents balance work and family life. The reforms to income tax and National Insurance Contributions, the National Minimum Wage and the introduction of Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC) from October 1999 with the generous child care tax credit will make work pay for parents and tackle the unemployment trap. At the same time the
  327
  increased generosity of the WFTC will mean that parents, whether single or a couple, have greater choice in deciding who works and how much.

  Tax Revenue
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the amount of tax revenue to be received between 1997–98 and 2001–02 from measures introduced since May 1997. [79468]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Table B9 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report shows forecasts of taxes and social security contributions, net of tax credits, as a per cent. of GDP, after taking into account measures introduced since May 1997. Forecasts of taxes and social security contributions, net of tax credits, in cash terms are published in Table B10. Forecasts of money GDP are published in Table B4.

  Economic and Monetary Union
  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for discussions with the Governor of the European Central Bank and the Commission about the Maastricht conditions on currency stability and how they apply to the UK's adoption of the euro. [79469]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer has regular discussions on a range of economic issues with Central Bank Governors from other countries, including representatives from the euro-area, and the European Commission.

  The Government's new framework for macroeconomic policy provides the best platform to deliver greater exchange rate stability.

  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the United Kingdom Government of conversion from sterling to the euro. [79473]

  Ms Hewitt
  The cost to the Government of conversion to the euro would depend on the detailed approach that the public sector took to the changeover. The outline National Changeover Plan is a first step in planning how the UK would make the changeover to the single currency. A further plan will be published in around a year's time.

  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the timing of any referendum on British entry into economic and monetary union. [79476]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Government's Outline National Changeover Plan published on 23 February 1999 explained that, if the Government decide to recommend joining the single currency and Parliament agrees, the speed at which the UK could move to a referendum would depend on how quickly the practical arrangements for a referendum could be put in place. The minimum period in which the UK could move from a decision by Government to a referendum is about 4 months.

  National Changeover Plan
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to support small businesses in connection with the national changeover plan. [79470]
  328
  Ms Hewitt
  In developing the changeover plan, the Government have consulted extensively with key representatives from the SME sector, such as the British Chambers of Commerce, the Forum of Private Business, and the Federation of Small Business. We are very grateful for the constructive help and support they have given to the planning process.

  The Treasury's Euro Preparations Unit will continue to provide practical help and training via the many business intermediaries, such as Business Link, who have been assisting SMEs to prepare for the euro's introduction.

  Employer-provided Transport (Taxation)
  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will review the Inland Revenue's policy in respect of current tax demands to employers providing public transport for their work force. [79471]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I am sure my hon. Friend welcomes the tax reliefs for green transport benefits announced in the Budget; these include exemptions for employer provided large works buses, and for subsidies to local public bus services, to get employees to and from work. These reliefs take effect from 6 April 1999. I am afraid there are no grounds for ignoring tax payable under the law applying to benefits for previous years.

  Pesticide Tax
  Mr. Sawford
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the Government's proposals for a pesticide tax. [79472]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Government have received a number of representations on the subject of a possible tax or charge on the use of pesticides.

  A research report commissioned by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions on the possible design and impact of a tax or charge on pesticides was published on 24 March, with a list of consultative questions. The Government will consider carefully the views expressed on a number of issues raised in the report in deciding how best to proceed.

  Income and Wealth Disparities
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to use the tax system and other measures to reduce disparities of income and wealth. [79475]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Government are committed to building a fairer society in which everyone has the opportunity to fulfil their potential and enjoy the benefits of high and stable levels of economic growth. The Working Families Tax Credit, the 10p tax rate, increased support for children and changes to the National Insurance system, among others, will increase the fairness of the tax system and encourage work incentives.

  The Government's strategy for tackling poverty and social exclusion, which will be set out in detail in a report later this year, is based around investment in prevention, work as the best way out of poverty, help for those who cannot work, and regeneration of the poorest communities.

  Women (Impact of Budget)
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of the Budget on women. [79477]

  Dawn Primarolo
  This Budget builds on the series of measures of particular benefit to women already implemented since we came to office. Women gain from this Budget right across the income distribution. This Budget demonstrates this Government's commitment to ensuring that women get a fair deal out of the tax and benefits system.

  Pensioners
  Ms Ward
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from pensioner organisations on his Budget announcements on(a) the winter fuel allowance and (b) the minimum pension guarantee; and if he will make a statement. [79478]

  Ms Hewitt
  The announcement of the fivefold increase in the winter fuel allowance, which will give £100 to every eligible pensioner household this coming winter, and the decision to uprate the minimum income guarantee for pensioners by earnings rather than prices in April 2000, have been generally welcomed.

  Cider Duties
  Mr. Wilkinson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on his policy regarding duties on cider. [79480]

  Mrs. Roche
  I have received a number of representations about cider duties including letters from members of the public. In the run up to the Budget I received a formal submission from the National Association of Cider Markers and subsequently met them on 24 February to hear their case.

  Child Maintenance Payments
  Mr. McCabe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the impact of the Budget on those who claim tax relief on child maintenance payments. [79481]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The tax relief for maintenance payments introduced by the last Government in 1988 is not a relief for child maintenance. It is a relief for payments made to a former husband or wife following separation or divorce. The former husband or wife may use the payments they receive to maintain a child, but equally the relief applies where there is no child in the family.

  The Inland Revenue estimate that the tax relief will be worth an average of £220 in the tax year 1999–2000, before it is withdrawn from 2000–01. This includes the transitional relief for those paying under maintenance arrangements set up before 15 March 1988.

  Taxes
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effect on the level of taxes which will be paid in 1999–2000 of the measures in the three Budgets since July 1997. [79482]
  330
  Dawn Primarolo
  Table B9 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report shows forecasts of taxes and social security contributions, net of tax credits, as a per cent. of GDP, after taking into account measures introduced since May 1997. Forecasts of taxes and social security contributions, net of tax credits, in cash terms are published in Table B10. Forecasts of money GDP are published in Table B4.

  Income Tax Credits
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the level of taxation in 2001–02 if income tax credits are accounted for as expenditure rather than as negative taxation. [79451]

  Mr. Milburn
  On any definition, taxes are expected to be lower in 2001–02 than planned by the previous Government in their last Budget.

  Financial Services and Markets Bill
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 22 March 1999,Official Report, column 97, for what reasons his answer did not list the jurisdictions referred to in paragraph 2–2 of the Financial Services and Markets Bill Progress report, published by Her Majesty's Treasury in March. [78973]

  Ms Hewitt
  Treasury officials discuss many matters of common interest with colleagues from overseas administrations regularly, but generally on the basis that these are private discussions.

  Income Tax (Pensioners)
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number and proportion of pensioners who would pay(a) no income tax and (b) income tax at (i) 10 per cent., (ii) 20 per cent., (iii) 23 per cent. and (iv) 40 per cent. in 1999–2000 or the latest year for which figures are available if people aged over 65 years received only the basic personal tax allowance. [78974]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Estimates for 1999–2000 are given in the table.

  Excluding age related personal allowance

  Including age related personal allowance as enhanced in the Budget

  Marginal rate of tax

  Number of pensioners1(thousands)

  Proportion (percentage)

  Number of pensioners1 (thousands)

  Proportion (percentage)

  Non-taxpayer

  6,100

  57

  7,000

  65

  10 per cent.

  550

  5

  450

  4

  20 per cent.

  750

  7

  750

  7

  23 per cent.

  3,150

  29

  2,350

  22

  40 per cent.

  150

  1

  150

  1

  Total

  10,700

  10,700

  1Women aged 60 and over and men aged 65 and over

  Renewable Energy
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with colleagues at the DTI and DETR about the potential economic benefits of renewable energy in connection with the preparation of the Government review. [79546]
  331
  Ms Hewitt
  As Minister responsible for environmental issues including renewable energy in the Treasury, I have had a number of discussions with colleagues in the run up to the publication of the Renewables Review consultation document.

  Road Fuel Duty
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the amount of extra revenue arising from the increase in road fuel duty in his Budget statement, including the added effects of VAT, which will come from Scotland. [79321]

  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 30 March 1999]: The Revenue consequence of the road fuel duty changes in the 1999 Budget is set out in Table 1.11 of the FSBR. The share of oil deliveries made in Scotland is set out in the 1998 Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics.

  Widow's Bereavement Allowance
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many widows bereaved in each of the five years after 5 April 2000 he estimates will no longer be able to claim widow's bereavement allowance; and what total amount they will lose in relation to previous entitlement as a result; [79438]

  (2) what estimate he has made of the savings to be achieved as a result of the abolition of the widow's bereavement allowance. [79437]

  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 30 March 1999]: It is estimated that around 220,000 widows claim the widow's bereavement allowance each year, in respect of a bereavement in that or the previous year. In 1999–2000, the allowance is £1,970, given at the rate of 10 per cent., but only three quarters of claimants–170,000—have sufficient income to use the allowance. The full year revenue effects of withdrawing the allowance is estimated to be £30 million in 2001–02. Separate estimates are not available for subsequent years.

  Medical Insurance (Age Discrimination)
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will seek to reduce age discrimination by private medical insurance providers. [80202]

  Ms Hewitt
  It is for insurers to decide which factors to take into account in assessing risk and pricing insurance products.

  Official Statistics
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to publish a White Paper on the future framework for official statistics. [79903]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Government produced a Green Paper "Statistics: A Matter of Trust" last year which set out options for achieving its goal of enhancing the integrity, both actual and perceived, of official status.

  We will be bringing forward plans in this area as soon as they are finalised.

  Employment
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 23 March 1999,Official Report, column 205, on employment, what is the impact on employment of a 1 per cent. increase in employment costs stemming from Government legislative requirements, unmatched by productivity changes. [79915]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Government have introduced a comprehensive set of policies aimed at promoting employment and incentives to work. Government legislative requirements have been designed with these aims in mind and, taken together, are not expected to raise employment costs.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 23 March 1999,Official Report, column 205, on employment, if he will estimate the impact of a 1 per cent. increase in wages on employment levels from supply side pressures, where there is no compensatory increase in productivity. [79914]

  Ms Hewitt
  Reductions in labour supply would tend to be associated with higher wage rates and lower employment. In contrast, Government policies are aimed at increasing labour supply and employment by promoting work incentives.

  Energy Tax
  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to exempt renewable energy from an energy tax levied on business. [79863]

  Ms Hewitt
  Customs and Excise issued a consultation document on 9 March on the design and administration issues relating to the climate change levy. The consultation document asks for views on whether and, if so, how it might be possible to offer tax relief to electricity generated from renewable sources of energy.

  As made clear in the consultation document, there are a number of technical difficulties that would have to be overcome, including identifying the amount of electricity supplied from renewable sources under current electricity pool arrangements. The Government would welcome views on these issues.

  As indicated in the Financial Statement and Budget Report, the Government also intend to provide an additional £50 million a year from 2001–02 for schemes aimed at promoting energy efficiency and support for renewable sources of energy, like solar and wind power.

  Gift Aid Scheme
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will ensure that telephone inquiries in respect of the gift aid scheme are given information about smaller and regional charities.[R] [80029]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Gift Aid 2000 campaign is designed to raise awareness of the Millennium Gift Aid scheme, which provides tax relief for donations to UK charities to support education and anti-poverty projects in the world's
  333
  80 poorest countries. It is proposed to extend the scheme to provide also for the relief of poverty of refugees from designated countries and to designate Kosovo.

  People who ring the Gift Aid 2000 telephone number can choose up to three charities to benefit from their donation. If a donor requires assistance in choosing a charity, the operator will suggest some for the donor's approval. These are randomly selected by computer, either from a list of charities working in a part of the world or on a charitable activity nominated by the donor, or from the complete list of participating charities. All participating charities have an equal chance.

  UK Abatement
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the effect on the UK abatement of the exclusion of annual pre-accession expenditure for each of the next eight years. [80014]

  Number of live and stillbirths by birthweight and percentages of live and stillbirths with a stated birthweight, for the residents of United Kingdom 1993–97

  Number

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  Live and stillbirths (total births)

  Total stated

  742,579

  736,015

  732,819

  733,287

  727,095

  Under 2,500 grams

  52, 837

  53,362

  55,549

  55,167

  55,785

  Under 3,000 grams

  173,709

  173,544

  178,408

  177,097

  177,097

  Birthweight not stated

  22,558

  17,949

  2,573

  1,605

  1,193

  Live births

  Total stated

  738,482

  731,842

  728,773

  729,299

  723,298

  Under 2,500 grams

  50,038

  52,548

  52,761

  52,408

  53,165

  Under 3,000 grams

  170,393

  170,209

  175,129

  173,838

  174,012

  Birthweight not stated

  22,280

  17,797

  2,498

  1,543

  1,113

  Stillbirths

  Total stated

  4,097

  4,173

  4,046

  3,988

  3,797

  Under 2,500 grams

  2,799

  2,814

  2,788

  2,759

  2,620

  Under 3,000 grams

  3,316

  3,335

  3,279

  3,259

  3,085

  Birthweight not stated

  278

  152

  75

  62

  80

  Number of live and stillbirths by birthweight and percentages of live and stillbirths with a stated birthweight, for the residents of United Kingdom 1993–97

  Percentages

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  Live and stillbirths (total births)

  Under 2,500 grams

  7.1

  7.3

  7.6

  7.5

  7.7

  Under 3,000 grams

  23.4

  23.6

  24.3

  24.2

  24.4

  Live births

  Under 2,500 grams

  6.8

  6.9

  7.2

  7.2

  7.4

  Under 3,000 grams

  23.1

  23.3

  24.0

  23.8

  24.1

  Stillbirths

  Under 2,500 grams

  66.3

  67.4

  68.9

  69.2

  69.0

  Under 3,000 grams

  80.9

  79.9

  81.0

  81.7

  81.2

  Note

  The number of births without a stated birthweight are shown in this table, but have been excluded from any calculations.

  Sources

  Office for National Statistics

  Information and Statistics Division, Scotland

  DHSS, Northern Ireland
  334
  Ms Hewitt
  I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Prime Minister on 29 March 1999,Official Report, columns 731–47.

  Birth Weights
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the percentage of live and stillborn births in the United Kingdom, where birth weight was(a) under 2,500 grammes and (b) under 3,000 grammes in each of the past five years. [80392]

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

  Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Frank Field, dated 15 April 1999

  As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question on births.

  The information requested is shown in the attached table.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the number of(a) men and (b) women, living in England and Wales who are at present unemployed and are aged (i) 50 to 55 years, (ii) 55 to 60 years and (iii) 60 to 65 years. [80643]

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

  Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Tom Cox, dated 15 April 1999 As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question on unemployment in England and Wales.
  The table below shows the latest estimates from the Autumn 1998 (September-November) Labour Force Survey (LFS), the ONS measure of unemployment. This is defined on a consistent and internationally recognised basis set out by the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and counts as unemployed people who are: a) without a paid job; b) available to start work within the next two weeks and c) have either looked for work in the last four weeks or are waiting to start a job already obtained. Estimates are not seasonally adjusted.

  ILO unemployment totals1 and rates by age group and sex, England and Wales, Autumn 1998

  Thousand

  Age

  All persons

  Men

  Women

  50 to 54

  99

  64

  35

  55 to 59

  80

  50

  30

  60 to 64

  40

  35

  2—

  1Total ILO unemployed as a percentage of all economically active persons in the relevant age group

  2 Sample size too small for reliable estimate

  Source

  Labour Force Survey, ONS

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many parliamentary questions have been tabled to his Department for written answer on a named day since May 1997; and what percentage of them received a substantive reply on that day. [80740]

  Ms Hewitt
  Of the 2,320 questions tabled for answer on a named day, 733 (32 per cent.) were answered substantively on that day. Approximately 60 per cent. of all named day questions were answered within two days of the due day.

  Vehicle Excise Duty
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the level of vehicle excise duty for a 40 tonne lorry in the United Kingdom in 1998–99. [79445]

  Ms Hewitt
  Vehicles plated to operate at 40 tonnes on 5 axles were first allowed on UK roads on 1 January 1999. They cause over 30 per cent. more road damage than 5 axle vehicles operating at 38 tonnes, the previous maximum weight. Therefore, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his March Budget statement that vehicle excise duty for such lorries plated at 40 tonnes would be set at £5,750 strongly to discourage their use at this weight.
  336
  In light of the environmental impact the Chancellor also announced in his Budget Statement that vehicle excise duty for 41 tonne, 6 axle lorries, which cause considerably less road damage, has been set at £2,500.

WALES

  Rainfall Statistics
  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list the daily rainfall figures since 1 January 1998 at(a) the Clywedog Dam, (b) Lake Vyrnwy and (c) the Welshpool measurement centre; and if he will make a statement; [80715]

  (2) what the flow measurements were from 1 January 1998 to 1 April 1999 on (a) the Clywedog Dam, (b) the dam at Lake Vyrnwy and (c) the River Severn below the Nescliffe Brook; and if he will make a statement; [80688]

  (3) what the daily water levels were from 1 January 1998 to 1 April 1999 at (a) the Clywedog Dam and (b) the dam at Lake Vyrnwy; and if he will make a statement. [80716]

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  These data are collected by the Environment Agency. I have asked the Environment Agency Wales' General Manager to send this information to the hon. Member. A copy of his reply will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the public appointments for which his Department is responsible and which carry a fee or salary, indicating for each type of appointment the fee or salary band which applies. [80761]

  Mr. Michael
  "Public Bodies 1998", copies of which are available in the Library of the House, provides information on the levels of remuneration paid to those serving on the boards of public bodies for which my Department is responsible. In addition my Department publishes a quarterly report containing details of public appointments for which I have responsibility. A copy of this report is also available in the Library of the House. The majority of public appointments are unpaid, as most of those who accept a public appointment do so on a voluntary basis.

  Responsibility for making public appointments in Wales will transfer to the National Assembly.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many parliamentary questions have been tabled to his Department for written answer on a named day since May 1997; and what percentage of them received a substantive reply on that day. [80742]

  Mr. Michael
  The number of Named Day parliamentary questions tabled since 1 May 1997 is 824, of which 91.5% received a substantive reply on that day.

HEALTH

  Ambulance Visits (Bedfordshire)
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the(a) frequency of visits and (b) costs of visits, by ambulance personnel to nursing homes and residential homes in Mid-Bedfordshire in cases where an elderly person fell and staff were unable to assist in the last year for which figures are available. [80488]

  Mr. Hutton
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Frail Elderly (Bedfordshire)
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many frail elderly Mid-Bedfordshire residents are currently accommodated in acute hospitals. [80482]

  Mr. Hutton
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Residential Care (Bedfordshire)
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the occupancy levels in nursing homes and residential homes within Mid-Bedfordshire in the last year for which figures are available. [80462]

  Mr. Hutton
  The information requested is readily available only at local social services authority/health authority level. The latest average occupancy rate for nursing homes in Bedfordshire health authority is 80 per cent. at 31 March 1997. The most recent estimated average occupancy rate for Bedfordshire local authority is 90 per cent. over the period 1 April 1997 to 31 March 1998.

  Tobacco Control
  Mr. Singh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what level of financial and human resources has the Government committed in support of the work of the International Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. [80484]

  Ms Jowell
  We are committed to co-operating with other Governments in the establishment of an international framework convention on tobacco control. The White Paper "Smoking Kills" indicated our support for the World Health Organisation's work on the convention and we are discussing with WHO how we can most effectively help them.

  It is too early to say what resources will be necessary or will be made available.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many parliamentary questions have been tabled to his Department for written answer on a named day since May 1997; and what percentage of them received a substantive reply on that day. [80731]

  Ms Jowell
  2,543 Parliamentary Questions have been tabled to this Department on a Named Day since May 1997. Of these 2,185, or 86 per cent., have been answered substantively on that day.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the public appointments for which his Department is responsible and which carry a fee or salary, indicating for each type of appointment the fee or salary band which applies. [80754]

  Mr. Denham
  Information on the public appointments for which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is responsible, and the levels of remuneration payable, is contained in the Department of Health Public Appointments Annual Report. The Report is currently being prepared for all those in post at 1 March 1999 and will be published in June. Copies of last year's report, giving details of those appointed at 1 March 1998 and the levels of remuneration then payable, is in the Library.

CABINET OFFICE

  Civil Servants (Wales)
  Ms Julie Morgan
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many black and other ethnic minority people are employed in the Civil Service in Wales; what percentage they are of all civil servants in Wales; how many are in each grade; and what percentage they are of each grade. [80197]

  Dr. Jack Cunningham
  At least 290 civil servants of ethnic minority origin were employed in Wales on 1 April 1998, 1.4 per cent. of staff whose ethnic origin is known. The table shows the breakdown by responsibility level.

  Ethnic minority staff1,2 in post in Wales at 1 April 1998

  Responsibility level3

  Ethnic minority staff in post

  % of staff with known ethnic origin4

  Senior Civil Service

  0

  0.0

  Grade 6

  5—

  1.9

  Grade 7

  6

  1.0

  SEO

  5

  0.9

  HEO

  11

  0.6

  EO

  42

  0.9

  AO

  157

  1.8

  AA

  64

  1.5

  1Non-industrial staff

  2Excludes 2 per cent. of staff in Departments who do not provide data to Mandate, the Cabinet Office's database of Civil Service personnel

  3 Responsibility levels are an approximate assignment of staff to a level of seniority broadly equivalent to the former service wide grades

  4 Staff who responded to departmental surveys on ethnic origin

  5In order to preserve confidentiality number withheld and the total rounded to nearest 10 as there are less than five staff at this level

  Source

  Cabinet Office, Mandate

  Public Inquiries
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proposals the Government have to introduce changes to speed up the process of public inquiries. [79888]

  Dr. Jack Cunningham
  On 31 March, my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Regions, Regeneration and Planning announced how the Government proposed to proceed with their proposals to improve the efficiency of planning appeal procedures, whether handled by written
  339
  representations, hearings or public inquiries. He also announced challenging new targets for the Planning Inspectorate for handling planning appeals by written representations, hearings and inquiries.

  The Government will be issuing shortly a consultation paper on ways in which the handling of major infrastructure projects of national importance might be improved. The Government have also published a Consultation Document on Transport Safety, as announced on 31 March 1999, Official Report, columns 759–63, which notes the tensions there can sometimes be in the relationship between accident investigations and inquiries, and the pursuit of legal proceedings, and invites views on the right balance to be struck.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many parliamentary questions have been tabled to his Department for written answer on a named day since May 1997; and what percentage of them received a substantive reply on that day. [80734]

  Dr. Jack Cunningham
  For the purpose of this answer, questions tabled to me as the Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and to my predecessor my right hon. Friend the Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) have been aggregated. Details relating to my right hon. Friend the Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Mandelson) for his period as Minister without Portfolio have been recorded separately.

  The figures for the number of named day parliamentary questions tabled to this Department and the percentage which received a substantive reply on the due date from 1 May 1997 to 31 March 1999 are as follows:

  Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster

  Total named day parliamentary questions tabled: 317

  Percentage receiving a substantive answer on the due date: 74

  Minister without Portfolio

  Total named day parliamentary questions tabled: 223

  Percentage receiving a substantive answer on the due date: 56.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will list the public appointments for which his Department is responsible and which carry a fee or salary, indicating for each type of appointment the fee or salary band which applies. [80751]

  Dr. Jack Cunningham
  "Public Bodies 1998"—copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House—provides information on the levels of remuneration paid to those serving on the boards of public bodies for which my Department is responsible. The majority of public appointments, however, are unpaid as most of those who accept a public appointment do so on a voluntary basis.

  Political Advisers
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will list the numbers of, and salary bill for, political advisers on the latest date for which information is available; and if he will make a statement. [80114]
  340
  Dr. Jack Cunningham
  There are currently 67 Special Advisers in post. The total pay bill for Special Advisers in 1998–99, including pension contributions, was £3.5 million.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department how many parliamentary questions have been tabled to his Department for written answer on a named day since May 1997; and what percentage of them received a substantive reply on that day. [80738]

  Mr. Hoon
  According to Departmental records, 454 parliamentary questions for written answer on a named day were tabled to the Lord Chancellor's Department between May 1997 and the end of March 1999; of these, 409, or 90 per cent. received a substantive reply on that day.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the public appointments for which his Department is responsible and which carry a fee or salary, indicating for each type of appointment the fee or salary band which applies. [80747]

  Mr. Hoon
  "Public Bodies 1998"—copies of which are available in the Library of the House—provides information on the levels of remuneration paid to those serving on the boards of the non-departmental public bodies for which my Department is responsible. The majority of public appointments, however, are unpaid as most of those who accept a public appointment do so on a voluntary basis.

  Uninsured Driving
  Mr. Caplin
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will consult on allowing magistrates to impose a wider range of sentences on people convicted of driving without insurance. [80472]

  Mr. Boateng
  I have been asked to reply.

  Driving without insurance is a summary only offence which currently attracts a maximum penalty of a Level 5 (£5,000) fine and an automatic endorsement of the offender's driving licence of between 6 and 8 points. The court may also disqualify the offender from driving.

  The Government are aware of concern about both the maximum penalty available and the sentences which are imposed in practice. The Home Office has therefore sought the views of the Magistrates' Association on this issue. The Association's response is currently under consideration.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Joint Consultative Committee
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to
  341
  the right hon. Member for Penrith and The Border (Mr. Maclean) of 22 February 1999, Official Report, column 197, if he will list the range of common foreign and security policy issues covered by the proposed extension of the remit of the Joint Consultative Committee; and what documents will be available to members of the Committee.[80179]

  Ms Quin
  Under its revised remit, the Joint Consultative Committee will discuss, in the light of the Maastricht and Amsterdam Treaties, the most effective means of realising a Common Foreign and Security Policy. It will examine the development of policy through the adoption of EU Common Strategies, Common Positions and Joint Actions, and the need for greater co-ordination and co-operation in European Defence, with particular reference to the relationship between the EU, NATO and the WEU. The Joint Consultative Committee will make proposals as appropriate.

  Documents are prepared as required for meetings of the Joint Consultative Committee.

  Senator Pinochet
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the content of the reports received between 16 and 20 October from the British Embassy at Madrid, on the investigations into Senator Pinochet in Spain; and if he will make a statement. [80406]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  For details of the report from our Embassy in Madrid on 16 October, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the right hon. Member for Penrith and The Border (Mr. Maclean) on 2 February 1999,Official Report, columns 597–98. On 19 October 1998, the Embassy dispatched two reports, commenting on Spanish reactions to the arrest of Senator Pinochet and on Judge Garzon's intentions as regards making an early visit to London to interview him.

  South Africa
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to assist in the conduct of free and fair elections in South Africa in June 1999. [80217]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  In response to an invitation from the South African Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), the FCO will send a small team of observers to the South African elections on 2 June.

  Economic Community of West African States
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support his Department is giving to the moratorium on the import, export and manufacture of light weapons adopted by the Economic Community of West African States in October 1998. [80503]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  The Government fully support the ECOWAS moratorium on light weapons.
  342
  The moratorium applies to the import, export and manufacture of pistols, rifles, submachine guns, carbines, machine guns, anti-tank missiles, mortars and howitzers up to a calibre of 85mm and ammunition and spare parts for the above.

  A Code of Conduct was agreed by ECOWAS Member States on 24 March 1999 regarding the implementation of the moratorium. If an ECOWAS Member State believes it has a valid reason for an exemption to the moratorium, the Code states that the ECOWAS Executive Secretariat should be involved in the consultation process. Similarly for proposed imports of weapons for peacekeeping operations, the Code states that the ECOWAS Secretariat should be notified.

  The Government will take the provisions of the moratorium and the ECOWAS Code of Conduct fully into account when assessing relevant export licence applications.

  The summary of Government Commitments on the application of Strategic Export Controls has been updated to reflect the moratorium and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

  The UK will brief participating states to the Wassenaar Arrangement on the moratorium, and our policy towards it, at the next Wassenaar Arrangement General Working Group meeting.

  The UK is also financially supporting the moratorium. The Department for International Development has pledged $500,000 over three years to assist the UNDP in the implementation of the moratorium. We are also considering how the UK might help ECOWAS administer the moratorium.

  General Affairs Council
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to announce in advance the agenda for the General Affairs Council where an agenda has been prepared in draft form. [80018]

  Ms Quin
  I refer the right hon. Member to the answers I gave him on 3 March 1999,Official Report, column 773, and on 26 March 1999, Official Report, column 427. Every month, I give the House details of the items expected on the agendas of the Council of Ministers during the following month. For example, I outlined the draft agenda of the March General Affairs Council on 25 February 1999, Official Report, column 440–46.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many parliamentary questions have been tabled to his Department for written answer on a named day since May 1997; and what percentage of them received a substantive reply on that day. [80739]

  Ms Quin
  Our existing database does not allow us to compile the information requested without incurring disproportionate cost in its retrieval; however, its replacement will.

  Since 1 May 1997, we have issued 436 holding replies.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Education Funding
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much was spent per pupil in (i) Derbyshire, (ii) Nottinghamshire, (iii) Staffordshire, (iv) Surrey and (v) Hertfordshire in(a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in each of the last five years at constant prices from all public sources of funds. [79363]

  Net institutional expenditure per pupil in primary and secondary schools in LEA-maintained schools 1993–94 to 1997

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  Primary

  Derbyshire1

  1,783

  1,734

  1,673

  1,640

  1,578

  1,616

  1,665

  Derby City

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,661

  1,703

  1,743

  Nottinghamshire

  1,829

  1,840

  1,774

  1,765

  1,732

  1,762

  1,812

  Staffordshire1

  1,718

  1,701

  1,617

  1,628

  1,575

  1,625

  1,673

  Stoke on Trent

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,596

  1,645

  1,663

  Surrey

  1,882

  1,896

  1,946

  1,816

  1,776

  1,822

  1,881

  Hertfordshire

  1,855

  1,867

  1,856

  1,827

  1,754

  1,815

  1,863

  Secondary

  Derbyshire1

  2,659

  2,489

  2,362

  2,319

  2,287

  2,342

  2,414

  Derby City

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2,595

  2,660

  2,723

  Nottinghamshire

  2,630

  2,604

  2,466

  2,417

  2,362

  2,403

  2,471

  Staffordshire1

  2,319

  2,287

  2,179

  2,190

  2,115

  2,182

  2,247

  Stoke on Trent

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2,306

  2,377

  2,403

  Surrey

  2,360

  2,428

  2,389

  2,317

  2,321

  2,381

  2,459

  Hertfordshire

  2,661

  2,461

  2,502

  2,481

  2,516

  2,603

  2,673

  1 LEA reorganised in 1997–98

  Note

  Figures for 1998–99 and 1999–2000 are notional estimates

  Book Allowance
  Mr. David Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many state schools will not receive the full £2,000 book allowance announced in the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Budget statement on 9 March, because they have fewer than 100 pupils on roll; and what estimate he has made of the extra cost of granting such schools the fixed £2,000 rather than the £20 per pupil currently allocated. [79887]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  [holding answer 13 April 1999]: Around 20,000 schools will receive £2,000. There are around 4,000 schools with fewer than 100 pupils which will receive £20 per pupil. It would cost a further £3.1 million to allocate £2,000 each to these schools.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many parliamentary questions have been tabled to his Department for written answer on a named day since May 1997; and what percentage of them received a substantive reply on that day. [80736]

  Mr. Mudie
  Between 1 May 1997 and 13 April, 2,002 parliamentary question have been tabled to the Department for Written answer on a named day, 75 per cent. received a substantive reply on that day.
  344
  Ms Estelle Morris
  [holding answer 30 March 1999]: The following table shows net institutional expenditure on LEA maintained schools for the years 1993–94 to 1997–98, the latest year for which figures are available. Figures have been calculated using December 1998 Gross Domestic Product deflators. The table also shows notional figures for 1998–99 and 1999–2000, based on an assumption that the expenditure of the authorities in question in 1997–98 escalates at the same rate as their respective SSA increases for those years.

  Teachers' Pay Awards
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the cost of(a) the 3.5 per cent. pay award for all teachers and (b) the higher awards for head teachers announced in February 1999 will be in 1999–2000; and if he will list for the current year the pay increases due to head teachers and the dates on which they will become payable. [80675]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The cost in 1999–2000 of the general teachers' pay award in England will be £397 million, and the estimated additional cost of headteacher pay restructuring will be £14 million.

  All headteachers received a pay increase of 3.5 per cent. on 1 April. Pay increases due to individual headteachers on 1 September 1999 will vary, but average percentage increases according to current school size group are estimated to be as follows:

  Percentage

  Group

  Nursery/primary

  Secondary

  1

  5

  —

  of which fewer than 100 pupils

  6

  —

  2

  2

  3

  3

  2

  3

  4

  2

  1

  5

  —

  1

  6

  —

  1

  Single Teacher Classes
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what was the average size of single teacher classes in primary schools in January 1999(a) in each local education authority and (b) in total; and what were the corresponding figures in January 1998; [80681]

  Average class size of single teacher classes in maintained primary and secondary schools Local Education Authority areas, January 1998 and 1999

  Primary

  Secondary

  1998

  19991

  19981

  19991

  England

  27.2

  27.5

  21.7

  21.8

  North East

  27.3

  26.7

  22.2

  22.3

  Hartlepool

  28.0

  27.1

  22.9

  22.9

  Middlesbrough

  27.2

  26.9

  21.5

  22.4

  Redcar and Cleveland

  27.1

  26.6

  22.5

  22.5

  Stockton-on-Tees

  27.4

  26.7

  22.1

  22.8

  Darlington

  29.3

  27.2

  23.0

  22.6

  Durham

  28.1

  29.9

  22.3

  22.9

  Northumberland

  27.3

  26.4

  23.0

  23.0

  Gateshead

  26.0

  26.2

  21.6

  21.0

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  27.6

  26.7

  21.8

  21.7

  North Tyneside

  27.5

  27.1

  21.8

  22.2

  South Tyneside

  26.9

  26.2

  22.5

  22.8

  Sunderland

  25.9

  25.7

  21.5

  21.7

  North West and Merseyside

  28.0

  27.6

  21.8

  21.8

  North West

  28.2

  27.8

  22.1

  22.1

  Cheshire2

  27.2

  —

  21.4

  —

  Cheshire3

  —

  27.4

  —

  21.3

  Halton

  —

  26.3

  —

  20.4

  Warrington

  —

  27.9

  —

  21.8

  Cumbria

  26.2

  25.8

  21.1

  20.9

  Bolton

  29.0

  29.0

  22.0

  21.7

  Bury

  29.2

  27.4

  23.5

  23.6

  Manchester

  27.7

  27.6

  22.4

  22.7

  Oldham

  29.6

  29.0

  22.2

  22.2

  Rochdale

  29.5

  29.1

  22.7

  22.4

  Salford

  27.3

  27.3

  22.3

  22.1

  Stockport

  28.3

  28.0

  23.9

  23.7

  Tameside

  29.5

  28.3

  23.2

  23.3

  Trafford

  28.7

  28.4

  21.1

  21.1

  Wigan

  28.2

  27.3

  21.8

  21.7

  Lancashire2

  28.9

  —

  22.5

  —

  Lancashire3

  —

  28.2

  —

  22.4

  Blackburn and Darwen

  —

  29.0

  —

  22.2

  Blackpool

  —

  30.0

  —

  24.1

  Merseyside

  27.2

  27.0

  20.9

  21.0

  Knowsley

  28.1

  27.7

  22.6

  21.7

  Liverpool

  27.0

  26.6

  20.9

  21.4

  St. Helens

  27.6

  27.6

  20.1

  20.0

  Sefton

  27.9

  27.8

  21.1

  21.4

  Wirral

  26.4

  26.2

  20.7

  20.6

  Yorkshire and Humber

  28.2

  27.7

  22.1

  22.2

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  28.7

  28.3

  21.6

  22.1

  City of Kingston-Upon-Hull

  29.4

  28.8

  24.7

  24.7

  North East Lincolnshire

  29.3

  28.5

  23.5

  23.6

  North Lincolnshire

  28.6

  26.5

  23.3

  23.0

  York

  27.8

  26.9

  21.2

  21.1

  North Yorkshire

  26.8

  26.6

  21.0

  21.2

  Barnsley

  29.1

  28.6

  23.4

  23.8

  Doncaster

  28.2

  28.1

  21.5

  21.6

  Rotherham

  27.9

  27.2

  21.9

  22.0

  Sheffield

  26.9

  26.5

  23.0

  22.8

  Bradford

  28.7

  27.8

  23.2

  23.1

  Calderdale

  28.0

  27.5

  21.1

  20.4

  Kirklees

  29.3

  28.5

  22.3

  22.8

  Leeds

  28.2

  27.9

  20.7

  20.7

  Wakefield

  28.7

  28.3

  22.5

  23.1

  346
  (2) what was the average size of single teacher classes in secondary schools in January 1999 (a) in each local education authority and (b) in total; and what were the corresponding figures in January 1998. [80682]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The information requested is shown in the following table.
  347

  Average class size of single teacher classes in maintained primary and secondary schools Local Education Authority areas, January 1998 and 1999

  Primary

  Secondary

  1998

  19991

  1998

  19991

  East Midlands

  28.0

  27.6

  21.7

  21.8

  Derby

  29.8

  28.1

  21.8

  21.9

  Derbyshire

  29.4

  28.2

  22.2

  22.4

  Leicester City

  27.4

  26.6

  23.1

  22.7

  Rutland

  25.6

  25.8

  23.8

  23.3

  Leicestershire

  26.9

  26.7

  22.3

  22.4

  Lincolnshire

  27.0

  27.3

  20.3

  20.6

  Nottinghamshire

  27.3

  27.3

  21.4

  21.5

  Nottinghamshire2

  28.8

  —

  21.7

  —

  Nottinghamshire3

  —

  28.4

  —

  21.8

  City of Nottingham

  —

  27.6

  —

  21.8

  West Midlands

  27.4

  27.0

  22.0

  21.9

  Hereford and Worcester

  26.7

  —

  22.1

  —

  Herefordshire

  —

  25.4

  —

  25.1

  Worcestershire

  —

  27.0

  —

  22.3

  Shropshire2

  27.3

  —

  22.0

  —

  Shropshire3

  —

  26.9

  —

  21.6

  Telford and Wrekin

  —

  28.1

  —

  21.9

  Stoke

  27.1

  26.9

  22.9

  23.2

  Staffordshire

  27.1

  26.7

  22.3

  22.3

  Warwickshire

  28.5

  27.6

  21.9

  21.6

  Birmingham

  27.6

  27.4

  21.6

  21.5

  Coventry

  27.8

  26.6

  22.1

  22.2

  Dudley

  26.7

  26.6

  22.8

  22.5

  Sandwell

  28.5

  27.5

  21.6

  21.4

  Solihull

  28.3

  27.3

  22.8

  22.9

  Walsall

  26.6

  26.1

  21.4

  21.2

  Wolverhampton

  27.1

  27.3

  20.9

  21.1

  Eastern

  27.1

  27.0

  21.2

  21.4

  Luton

  27.8

  27.7

  23.7

  23.4

  Bedfordshire

  26.9

  26.7

  22.4

  22.3

  Cambridgeshire2

  28.5

  —

  22.0

  —

  Cambridgeshire3

  —

  28.7

  —

  22.8

  City of Peterborough

  —

  28.3

  —

  20.8

  Essex2

  27.6

  —

  21.7

  —

  Essex3

  —

  27.7

  —

  21.6

  Southend

  —

  28.4

  —

  20.9

  Thurrock

  —

  27.5

  —

  23.7

  Hertfordshire

  27.2

  27.1

  20.2

  20.6

  Norfolk

  26.4

  25.9

  20.2

  20.5

  Suffolk

  25.0

  24.9

  20.8

  20.9

  London

  27.2

  27.3

  21.7

  21.8

  Inner London

  26.5

  26.7

  22.3

  22.5

  City of London

  24.8

  24.7

  0

  0.0

  Camden

  27.0

  26.8

  19.5

  20.2

  Hackney

  25.7

  26.4

  23.6

  23.5

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  25.9

  26.1

  22.8

  22.4

  Haringey

  27.3

  27.3

  21.6

  21.0

  Islington

  27.1

  26.9

  23.9

  23.6

  Kensington and Chelsea

  25.5

  25.8

  21.0

  21.5

  Lambeth

  25.9

  26.0

  22.4

  22.3

  Lewisham

  26.1

  26.4

  20.6

  21.6

  Newham

  28.3

  28.3

  24.5

  24.4

  Southwark

  26.6

  26.8

  22.4

  23.2

  Tower Hamlets

  26.6

  26.7

  24.0

  24.1

  Wandsworth

  25.6

  26.0

  22.4

  23.2

  Westminster

  24.5

  25.4

  21.6

  22.3

  Outer London

  27.6

  27.5

  21.4

  21.5

  Barking and Degenham

  27.0

  27.2

  21.9

  21.9

  Barnet

  26.7

  26.9

  20.5

  20.2

  Baxley

  29.1

  28.3

  21.9

  21.4

  Brent

  26.5

  27.1

  20.2

  20.0

  Bromely

  28.6

  27.8

  20.6

  21.1

  348 349

  Average class size of single teacher classes in maintained primary and secondary schools Local Education Authority areas, January 1998 and 1999

  Primary

  Secondary

  1998

  19991

  1998

  19991

  Croydon

  28.2

  28.0

  22.0

  22.6

  Ealing

  27.3

  27.1

  22.2

  22.4

  Enfield

  29.0

  28.9

  20.6

  20.9

  Greenwich

  25.8

  26.2

  21.6

  21.8

  Harrow

  27.5

  27.3

  23.5

  23.4

  Havering

  28.0

  28.2

  21.7

  22.7

  Hillingdon

  27.3

  26.7

  20.3

  20.7

  Hounslow

  26.9

  27.0

  21.6

  21.6

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  29.0

  29.3

  21.0

  21.0

  Merton

  27.8

  27.2

  22.9

  22.4

  Redbridge

  28.6

  28.5

  20.9

  20.9

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  27.0

  27.3

  24.1

  23.4

  Sutton

  27.8

  27.9

  20.7

  21.2

  Waltham Forest

  26.8

  27.0

  22.9

  23.5

  South East

  27.8

  27.7

  21.4

  21.7

  Berkshire

  27.6

  —

  20.4

  —

  Bracknell Forest

  —

  27.8

  —

  20.7

  Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

  —

  26.6

  —

  21.3

  West Berkshire

  —

  26.1

  —

  20.2

  Reading

  —

  27.1

  —

  20.1

  Slough

  —

  27.9

  —

  21.0

  Wokingham

  —

  28.0

  —

  20.9

  Milton Keynes

  27.7

  27.5

  22.2

  22.6

  Buckinghamshire

  28.1

  27.9

  21.0

  21.6

  Brighton and Hove

  28.6

  28.5

  22.3

  22.0

  East Sussex

  28.3

  28.7

  21.4

  22.0

  Portsmouth

  27.9

  28.2

  22.8

  23.2

  Southampton

  27.9

  27.6

  22.0

  22.6

  Hampshire

  28.3

  28.2

  22.4

  22.7

  Isle of Wight

  26.5

  25.6

  22.4

  22.4

  Kent2

  28.2

  —

  20.4

  —

  Kent3

  —

  28.1

  —

  20.8

  Medway

  —

  28.1

  —

  21.0

  Oxfordshire

  27.5

  27.1

  22.0

  22.1

  Surrey

  26.7

  26.9

  21.6

  22.2

  West Sussex

  27.0

  27.2

  21.6

  21.4

  South West

  27.9

  27.7

  22.0

  22.0

  Bath and North East Somerset

  26.8

  27.4

  20.8

  21.0

  City of Bristol

  27.8

  27.7

  21.3

  21.8

  North Somerset

  28.4

  28.5

  21.7

  21.9

  South Gloucestershire

  28.7

  28.0

  21.7

  21.5

  Cornwall

  27.6

  27.9

  22.4

  22.3

  Isles of Scilly

  17.6

  17.3

  14.0

  20.0

  Devon2

  28.0

  —

  21.7

  —

  Devon3

  —

  26.7

  —

  21.9

  City of Plymouth

  —

  27.6

  —

  21.9

  Torbay

  —

  28.6

  —

  21.2

  Bournemouth

  29.7

  29.3

  22.5

  22.1

  Poole

  28.7

  29.4

  20.5

  20.5

  Dorset

  27.5

  27.0

  22.5

  22.0

  Gloucestershire

  27.5

  27.5

  21.7

  21.2

  Somerset

  27.8

  27.9

  23.9

  23.9

  Swindon

  29.4

  28.9

  23.6

  23.6

  Wiltshire

  27.2

  27.3

  21.3

  22.0

  1Provisional

  2Before Local Government re-organisation of April 1998

  3After Local Government re-organisation of April 1998

  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the average size of single teacher reception classes in primary schools in January 1999(a) in each local education authority and
  350
  (b) in total; and what were the corresponding figures in January 1998. [80683]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The information requested is shown in the following table.
  351

  Size of reception classes taught by one teacher in maintained primary schools by local education authority area in England, January 1998 and 1999

  1998

  1999(provisional)

  Pupils

  Classes

  Average class size

  Pupils

  Classes

  Average class size

  England

  484,530

  18,763

  25.8

  485,925

  19,096

  25.4

  North East

  29,623

  1,151

  25.7

  28,202

  1,126

  25.0

  Hartlepool

  868

  35

  24.8

  938

  39

  24.1

  Middlesbrough

  2,015

  79

  25.5

  1,952

  74

  26.4

  Redcar and Cleveland

  1,738

  69

  25.2

  1,784

  68

  26.2

  Stockton-on-Tees

  2,522

  94

  26.8

  1,918

  78

  24.6

  Darlington

  1,070

  39

  27.4

  1,231

  43

  28.6

  Durham

  5,185

  203

  25.5

  5,467

  218

  25.1

  Northumberland

  2,971

  113

  26.3

  2,624

  107

  24.5

  Gateshead

  2,457

  98

  25.1

  2,298

  94

  24.4

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  3,042

  112

  27.2

  2,615

  105

  24.9

  North Tyneside

  2,315

  90

  25.7

  2,138

  84

  25.5

  South Tyneside

  1,787

  67

  26.7

  1,792

  71

  25.2

  Sunderland

  3,653

  152

  24.0

  3,445

  145

  23.8

  North West and Merseyside

  78,305

  2,933

  26.7

  75,598

  2,934

  25.8

  North West

  60,892

  2,259

  27.0

  59,136

  2,279

  25.9

  Cheshire1

  9,814

  385

  25.5

  —

  —

  —

  Cheshire2

  —

  —

  —

  6,073

  236

  25.7

  Halton

  —

  —

  —

  1,461

  60

  24.4

  Warrington

  —

  —

  —

  2,346

  91

  25.8

  Cumbria

  4,153

  162

  25.6

  4,288

  174

  24.6

  Bolton

  2,697

  101

  26.7

  2,868

  105

  27.3

  Bury

  1,863

  66

  28.2

  1,770

  74

  23.9

  Manchester

  5,668

  217

  26.1

  5,791

  223

  26.0

  Oldham

  3,107

  107

  29.0

  2,751

  101

  27.2

  Rochdale

  2,197

  80

  27.5

  2,184

  82

  26.6

  Salford

  2,855

  110

  26.0

  2,755

  110

  25.0

  Stockport

  3,413

  127

  26.9

  3,312

  130

  25.5

  Tameside

  2,891

  102

  28.3

  2,621

  96

  27.3

  Trafford

  2,745

  100

  27.5

  2,583

  99

  26.1

  Wigan

  4,014

  145

  27.7

  3,497

  148

  23.6

  Lancashire1

  15,475

  557

  27.8

  —

  —

  —

  Lancashire2

  —

  —

  —

  11,369

  428

  26.6

  Blackburn and Darwen

  —

  —

  —

  1,845

  66

  28.0

  Blackpool

  —

  —

  —

  1,622

  56

  29.0

  Merseyside

  17,413

  674

  25.8

  16,462

  655

  25.1

  Knowsley

  2,240

  86

  26.0

  2,102

  80

  26.3

  Liverpool

  5,971

  231

  25.8

  5,465

  220

  24.8

  St. Helens

  2,188

  85

  25.7

  2,216

  84

  26.4

  Sefton

  3,379

  130

  26.0

  3,495

  137

  25.5

  Wirral

  3,635

  142

  25.6

  3,184

  134

  23.8

  Yorkshire and Humber

  46,691

  1,805

  25.9

  45,794

  1,814

  25.2

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  2,641

  97

  27.2

  2,523

  91

  27.7

  City of Kingston-Upon-Hull

  2,745

  103

  26.7

  2,366

  93

  25.4

  North East Lincolnshire

  1,611

  58

  27.8

  1,534

  62

  24.7

  North Lincolnshire

  1,441

  51

  28.3

  1,366

  60

  22.8

  York

  1,194

  52

  23.0

  1,497

  62

  24.1

  North Yorkshire

  3,905

  154

  25.4

  3,722

  148

  25.1

  Barnsley

  2,110

  87

  24.3

  1,741

  75

  23.2

  Doncaster

  3,266

  120

  27.2

  3,311

  123

  26.9

  Rotherham

  1,915

  90

  21.3

  2,168

  99

  21.9

  Sheffield

  3,640

  160

  22.8

  3,765

  172

  21.9

  Bradford

  5,857

  206

  28.4

  5,990

  222

  27.0

  Calderdale

  2,084

  80

  26.1

  2,149

  82

  26.2

  Kirklees

  3,826

  142

  26.9

  3,437

  130

  26.4

  Leeds

  8,216

  306

  26.8

  7,870

  294

  26.8

  Wakefield

  2,240

  99

  22.6

  2,355

  101

  23.3

  East Midlands

  29,491

  1,190

  24.8

  29,964

  1,244

  24.1

  Derby

  1,789

  71

  25.2

  1,935

  85

  22.8

  Derbyshire

  4,071

  164

  24.8

  4,689

  197

  23.8

  Leicester City

  2,543

  94

  27.1

  2,221

  88

  25.2

  Rutland

  145

  7

  20.7

  150

  6

  25.0

  Leicestershire

  5,302

  220

  24.1

  5,073

  213

  23.8

  Lincolnshire

  5,183

  203

  25.5

  5,219

  211

  24.7

  Northamptonshire

  6,698

  258

  26.0

  6,243

  243

  25.7

  352 353

  Size of reception classes taught by one teacher in maintained primary schools by local education authority area in England, January 1998 and 1999

  1998

  1999(provisional)

  Pupils

  Classes

  Average class size

  Pupils

  Classes

  Average class size

  Nottinghamshire1

  3,760

  173

  21.7

  —

  —

  —

  Nottinghamshire2

  —

  —

  —

  3,352

  151

  22.2

  City of Nottingham

  —

  —

  —

  1,082

  50

  21.6

  West Midlands

  64,119

  2,462

  26.0

  63,050

  2,490

  25.3

  Hereford and Worcester

  6,747

  270

  25.0

  —

  —

  —

  Herefordshire

  —

  —

  —

  1,405

  58

  24.2

  Worcestershire

  —

  —

  —

  5,633

  222

  25.4

  Shropshire1

  2,692

  120

  22.4

  —

  —

  —

  Shropshire2

  —

  —

  —

  1,358

  64

  21.2

  Telford and Wrekin

  —

  —

  —

  1,371

  60

  22.9

  Stoke

  3,165

  121

  26.2

  3,029

  121

  25.0

  Staffordshire

  10,425

  418

  24.9

  10,323

  437

  23.6

  Warwickshire

  5,352

  201

  26.6

  5,147

  204

  25.2

  Birmingham

  14,676

  550

  26.7

  14,924

  551

  27.1

  Coventry

  3,921

  150

  26.1

  4,085

  167

  24.5

  Dudley

  3,453

  128

  27.0

  3,462

  130

  26.6

  Sandwell

  4,581

  164

  27.9

  3,395

  132

  25.7

  Solihull

  2,887

  99

  29.2

  2,709

  107

  25.3

  Walsall

  3,393

  137

  24.8

  3,275

  130

  25.2

  Wolverhampton

  2,827

  104

  27.2

  2,934

  107

  27.4

  Eastern

  44,328

  1,808

  24.5

  46,996

  1,916

  24.5

  Luton

  1,291

  46

  28.1

  1,593

  48

  33.2

  Bedfordshire

  3,269

  121

  27.0

  2,848

  111

  25.7

  Cambridgeshire1

  6,805

  255

  26.7

  —

  —

  —

  Cambridgeshire2

  —

  —

  —

  5,166

  194

  26.6

  City of Peterborough

  —

  —

  —

  1,868

  72

  25.9

  Essex1

  15,389

  630

  24.4

  —

  —

  —

  Essex2

  —

  —

  —

  13,203

  540

  24.5

  Southend

  —

  —

  —

  1,935

  75

  25.8

  Thurrock

  —

  —

  —

  1,601

  67

  23.9

  Hertfordshire

  7,934

  343

  23.1

  8,666

  379

  22.9

  Norfolk

  5,832

  234

  24.9

  6,038

  241

  25.1

  Suffolk

  3,808

  179

  21.3

  4,078

  189

  21.6

  Greater London

  67,971

  2,613

  26.0

  72,661

  2,750

  26.4

  Inner London

  23,641

  940

  25.2

  26,285

  1,014

  25.9

  City of London

  0

  0

  0.0

  0

  0

  0.0

  Camden

  1,168

  43

  27.2

  1,283

  48

  26.7

  Hackney

  1,904

  76

  25.1

  1,865

  72

  25.9

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  910

  39

  23.3

  936

  41

  22.8

  Haringey

  2,449

  87

  28.1

  2,463

  90

  27.4

  Islington

  1,726

  64

  27.0

  1,782

  69

  25.8

  Kensington and Chelsea

  527

  24

  22.0

  648

  28

  23.1

  Lambeth

  2,370

  90

  26.3

  2,408

  91

  26.5

  Lewisham

  1,554

  73

  21.3

  2,620

  104

  25.2

  Newham

  3,138

  124

  25.3

  4,241

  155

  27.4

  Southwark

  2,943

  115

  25.6

  3,017

  119

  25.4

  Tower Hamlets

  1,731

  69

  25.1

  1,716

  63

  27.2

  Wandsworth

  2,313

  91

  25.4

  2,320

  91

  25.5

  Westminster

  908

  45

  20.2

  986

  43

  22.9

  Outer London

  44,330

  1,673

  26.5

  46,376

  1,736

  26.7

  Barking and Dagenham

  2,285

  85

  26.9

  2,275

  82

  27.7

  Barnet

  2,602

  98

  26.6

  3,147

  118

  26.7

  Bexley

  2,803

  100

  28.0

  2,915

  109

  26.7

  Brent

  2,722

  101

  27.0

  2,941

  105

  28.0

  Bromley

  3,405

  121

  28.1

  3,304

  118

  28.0

  Croydon

  4,178

  150

  27.9

  4,078

  147

  27.7

  Ealing

  3,599

  131

  27.5

  3,937

  146

  27.0

  Enfield

  3,133

  108

  29.0

  3,214

  111

  29.0

  Greenwich

  1,767

  85

  20.8

  1,797

  83

  21.7

  Harrow

  2,326

  85

  27.4

  2,236

  81

  27.6

  Havering

  2,820

  104

  27.1

  2,895

  107

  27.1

  Hillingdon

  1,390

  61

  22.8

  1,076

  52

  20.7

  Hounslow

  2,363

  87

  27.2

  2,640

  92

  28.7

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  1,257

  46

  27.3

  1,386

  47

  29.5

  Merton

  1,424

  58

  24.6

  1,397

  59

  23.7

  Redbridge

  2,102

  85

  24.7

  2,446

  93

  26.3

  354 355

  Size of reception classes taught by one teacher in maintained primary schools by local education authority area in England, January 1998 and 1999

  1998

  1999(provisional)

  Pupils

  Classes

  Average class size

  Pupils

  Classes

  Average class size

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  1,412

  49

  28.8

  1,365

  48

  28.4

  Sutton

  782

  32

  24.4

  975

  38

  25.7

  Waltham Forest

  1,960

  87

  22.5

  2,352

  100

  23.5

  South East

  75,423

  2,926

  25.8

  76,059

  2,951

  25.8

  Berkshire

  4,266

  180

  23.7

  —

  —

  —

  Bracknell Forest

  —

  —

  —

  642

  27

  23.8

  Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

  —

  —

  —

  439

  22

  20.02

  West Berkshire

  —

  —

  —

  813

  41

  19.8

  Reading

  —

  —

  —

  529

  24

  22.0

  Slough

  —

  —

  —

  1,031

  39

  26.4

  Wokingham

  —

  —

  —

  838

  37

  22.6

  Milton Keynes

  2,439

  90

  27.1

  2,110

  84

  25.1

  Buckinghamshire

  5,196

  206

  25.2

  5,009

  198

  25.3

  Brighton and Hove

  2,277

  81

  28.1

  2,547

  92

  27.7

  East Sussex

  4,353

  171

  25.5

  4,832

  185

  26.1

  Portsmouth

  2,252

  85

  26.5

  2,390

  90

  26.6

  Southampton

  2,844

  109

  26.1

  2,232

  87

  25.7

  Hampshire

  13,999

  516

  27.1

  13,616

  499

  27.3

  Isle of Wight

  1,373

  57

  24.1

  1,308

  57

  22.9

  Kent1

  15,979

  604

  26.5

  —

  —

  —

  Kent2

  —

  —

  —

  12,946

  493

  26.3

  Medway

  —

  —

  —

  3,045

  113

  26.9

  Oxfordshire

  2,829

  120

  23.6

  2,820

  127

  22.2

  Surrey

  9,792

  384

  25.5

  10,925

  413

  26.5

  West Sussex

  7,824

  323

  24.2

  7,987

  323

  24.7

  South West

  48,579

  1,875

  25.9

  47,601

  1,871

  25.4

  Bath and North East Somerset

  1,447

  55

  26.3

  1,507

  58

  26.0

  City of Bristol

  4,004

  149

  26.9

  4,105

  152

  27.0

  North Somerset

  1,795

  69

  26.0

  1,758

  68

  25.9

  South Gloucestershire

  2,764

  101

  27.4

  2,794

  106

  26.4

  Cornwall

  4,642

  190

  24.4

  4,197

  170

  24.7

  Isles of Scilly

  0

  0

  0.0

  0

  0

  0.0

  Devon1

  11,034

  423

  26.1

  —

  —

  —

  Devon2

  —

  —

  —

  6,542

  279

  23.4

  City of Plymouth

  —

  —

  —

  3,122

  123

  25.4

  Torbay

  —

  —

  —

  1,247

  48

  26.0

  Bournemouth

  1,389

  51

  27.2

  1,252

  44

  28.5

  Poole

  1,671

  57

  29.3

  1,266

  43

  29.4

  Dorset

  2,912

  123

  23.7

  3,033

  130

  23.3

  Gloucestershire

  5,489

  213

  25.8

  5,821

  222

  26.2

  Somerset

  5,144

  197

  26.1

  5,499

  215

  25.6

  Swindon

  2,094

  77

  27.2

  2,356

  87

  27.1

  Wiltshire

  4,194

  170

  24.7

  3,102

  126

  24.6

  1Before Local Government re-organisation of April 1998.

  2After Local Government re-organisation of April 1998.

  New Deal (Young People)
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much of the windfall tax allocation for the New Deal for 18 to 24-year-olds was spent in 1998–99 in total; and what percentage of that total was spent on(a) administration of the scheme, (b) Gateway provision and (c) provision of options. [80679]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  Final expenditure on the New Deal for 18 to 24-year-olds in 1998–99 is not yet available. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as the information is available and will place a copy of my letter in the Library.

  School Budgets
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the local education authorities(a) in England and (b) in Wales whose aggregate schools budget will provide less funding in real terms per pupil in 1999–2000 than 1998–1999. [80678]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Local education authorities are currently in the process of submitting details of their budget proposals for the financial year 1999–2000 to the Department. I will write to the hon. Member when the figures he requests are available, and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library. These figures will also be published in the next few months, alongside tables showing the level of each local education authority's
  357
  expenditure on its schools. Responsibility for schools in Wales rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when were the deadlines for(a) the preparation of budgets under the fair funding system for their submission to his Department and (b) notifying schools of their budget share; and if he will list each local education authority in England that has failed to meet either of these deadlines. [80674]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Local eduction authorities are required to publish their budget statements and to notify schools of their budget shares before the beginning of the financial year to which they relate. The following local authorities published their budget statements for the 1999–2000 financial year by the appointed time:

  Barnet

  Brent

  Brighton and Hove

  Kingston-upon-Hull

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  Redbridge

  Southend

  South Gloucestershire

  Trafford.

  Information about the dates on which local education authorities notify their schools of their budget shares is not collected centrally.
  358
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list for each local education authority in England for the most recent year for which information is available the total budgeted expenditure(a) within the local schools' budget and (b) within the individual school's budget. [80673]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The local schools budget and individual schools budget are being introduced for the financial year 1999–2000. Local education authorities are currently in the process of submitting details of their budget proposals for 1999–2000 to the Department. I will write to the hon. Member when the figures he requests are available, and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library. These figures will also be published in the next few months, alongside tables showing the level of each local education authority's expenditure on its schools.

  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will state for each local education authority in England for the financial year 1999–2000 the budgeted expenditure per pupil(a) within the local schools' budget and (b) within the individual school's budget. [80672]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Local education authorities are currently in the process of submitting details of their budget proposals for the financial year 1999–2000 to the Department. I will write to the hon. Member when the figures he requests are available, and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library.

  Regional Development Agencies: Strategies
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  Reservists: Attributable Benefits Scheme
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  Miss Lindis Percy
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  Transsexuals: Legal Status
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  General Pinochet
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  Extradition Refusals
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  Pinochet Case: Lord Lamont's Questions
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  "Sandwich" Students: Pay
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