Written Answers of 9 December 1999

DEFENCE

  Concordat (Scotland and Wales)
  Mr. Ian Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will agree his concordat with the Scottish Executive and National Assembly for Wales. [102474]

  Mr. Hoon
  I have today agreed concordats with the Scottish Executive and the Welsh Assembly, which set out the principles governing our bilateral relationships. A copy of these has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Missiles
  Ms Dan Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he plans to procure additional high velocity missiles from Shorts Missile Systems of Belfast. [102475]

  Type of aircraft

  Main locations

  Date first entered service

  Life expectancy(approximate figures in years)

  Bulldog

  University Air Squadrons

  1972

  30

  Dominie

  Cranwell

  1965

  50

  Jetstream

  Cranwell/Culdrose/Yeovilton

  1972

  50

  Hercules

  Lyneham

  1966

  45

  Hawk

  Valley/Leeming/Boscombe Down

  1976

  35

  Nimrod

  Kinloss

  1969

  40

  VC10

  Brize Norton

  1966

  45

  Canberra

  Marham

  1951

  55

  Sea King

  Yeovilton/Prestwick/Culdrose/and on RN ships, RAF Search and Rescue Units

  1969

  45

  Chinook

  Odiham

  1980

  35

  Puma

  Benson and Aldergrove

  1971

  40

  Gazelle

  Wattisham/Disforth/Middle Wallop/Odiham/and other Army units

  1974

  45

  Note:

  Chinook are wired with a mixture of PVC/Nylon and PTFE (Poly Tetra Fluoro Ethylene).

  (b) Poly-X wiring. No RAF aircraft contain Poly-X wiring. However, a small number of early Army and Royal Navy Lynx helicopters were delivered with Poly-X wiring. Few of these aircraft are now in service and much of the wiring on these will have been replaced during upgrades.

  Type of aircraft

  Main locations

  Date first entered service

  Life expectancy (approximate figures in years)

  Tornado

  Marham/Bruggen/Lossiemouth/Leeming/Coningsby/Leuchars/Mount Pleasant

  1980

  40

  Tucano

  Linton-on-Ouse

  1989

  20

  Harrier

  Wittering/Cottesmere

  1987

  30

  Sentry

  Waddington

  1991

  35

  Tristar

  Brize Norton

  1984

  30

  Lynx

  Yeovilton

  1976

  45

  BAe125

  Northolt

  1983

  35

  BAe146

  Northolt

  1986

  30

  592W
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  I am pleased to announce that the Defence Procurement Agency has now signed a contract with Shorts Missile Systems for additional High Velocity Missiles for the Army. The contract is valued at around £200 million and will sustain around 550 jobs at Shorts Missile Systems, with a further 170 jobs also sustained across their sub-contractors in the United Kingdom.

  Aircraft Wiring
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what aircraft have been delivered for the use of British forces containing(a) PVC/Nylon wiring, (b) Poly-X wiring and (c) Kapton wiring; when the aircraft were delivered; and what is their life expectancy; [100926]

  (2) how many British military aircraft contain (a) PVC/ Nylon wiring, (b) Poly-X wiring and (c) Kapton wiring; and if he will list the types and locations of the aircraft concerned. [101041]

  Mr. Spellar
  Listed are details of how many British military aircraft contain PVC/Nylon, Poly-X or Kapton wiring, together with the type and location of the aircraft concerned. Details are also provided about when the aircraft first entered service and their approximate life expectancy:

  (a) PVC/Nylon wiring. Some 580 military aircraft contain PVC/Nylon wiring.

  (c) Kapton wiring. Kapton is a trademarked material. It is one of a range of polyimide coverings used to insulate aircraft wires. Some 740 British military aircraft contain wiring of this type.

  Ferry Subsidies
  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what account he will take of allegations about unfair subsidies to South Korean shipyards using IMF loans when determining the outcome of the MOD competition for roll-on, roll-off ferries; and if he will make a statement. [100573]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  Bids from four consortia to provide a strategic Sealift service are currently being assessed. The ships will be commercial standard roll-on, roll-off ferries, owned by the service provider. We have specifically asked bidders proposing overseas build to demonstrate that UK build would not be competitive on similar terms. If there is evidence of subsidies, this will be fully taken into account in our evaluation.

  Inspector of Kilts
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to appoint a new Inspector of Kilts. [100903]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  The Ministry of Defence has no such appointment and there are no plans to create one.

  Anti-submarine Capability
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has made a re-assessment of the United Kingdom's anti-submarine requirements since the publication of the Strategic Defence Review. [101669]

  Mr. Hoon
  The United Kingdom's anti-submarine warfare capabilities are kept under constant review in order to ensure that we maintain appropriate and balanced maritime forces. Since its publication, there has been no reason to revise the conclusion of the Strategic Defence Review, which confirmed a continuing decline in the likelihood of an open-ocean anti-submarine threat on the scale previously envisaged.

  Peacekeeping
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the conditions under which the United Kingdom stands ready to provide destroyers and frigates for peacekeeping operations, as agreed in the Memorandum of Understanding signed with the United Nations; and if he will make a statement. [101672]

  Mr. Hoon
  The decision to commit any of the forces declared to the UN in the Memorandum of Understanding remains a national one taken on a case-by-case basis. Factors that will be taken into consideration when deciding whether to contribute to a specific UN peacekeeping operation include the aim of the operation, a clear exit strategy, the safety of UK personnel, and the level of other commitments.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of low level flying training in the United Kingdom in the light of experience in Kosovo. [101502]
  594W
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  Low flying remains an important military tactic. While the circumstances in Kosovo were such that there was no requirement for fast jets to fly at low level, that might not be the case in future operations elsewhere. Regularly carrying out practice sorties within the UK Low Flying System remains the most effective way to ensure aircrew have the high levels of readiness necessary to take part in operations at low level, should the need arise.

  Arms Brokers
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to maintain an arms broker company list; and if he will make a statement. [101926]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  We have no plans at present to maintain a list of arms broker companies.

  Ballistic Missile Programme
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies he is undertaking of theatre ballistic missile defence against land mobile missiles; and what is his target date for putting a theatre ballistic missile defence system into service. [102139]

  Mr. Hoon
  The Strategic Defence Review concluded that the technologies related to ballistic missile defence are changing rapidly and it would be premature to decide on acquiring such a capability. This remains our policy. We continue, however, to monitor developments in the risks posed by ballistic missiles and in the technology to counter them, and we are contributing to NATO preparations for studies into the feasibility of theatre ballistic missile defence. The terms of reference for our national programme of studies were announced by my predecessor, now Lord Robertson, on 27 July 1999,Official Report, column 203W. These studies include issues concerned with defending against land-based, mobile, theatre ballistic missiles, as will the studies to be undertaken by NATO.

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Millennium Compliance
  Mr. Alan Keen
  To ask the President of the Council when she will publish the latest results of the market research tracking public perception of the millennium bug. [102535]

  Mrs. Beckett
  I have placed copies of the Executive Summary of the October tracking research in the Libraries of the House.

  The latest results are broadly consistent with those for previous months, showing that anxiety among the public on this issue remains low.

  The results of the November tracking research will be published in the next few weeks and I will place copies of the Executive Summary in the Libraries of the House as soon as they are available.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Line of Route
  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee when she expects the Committee to publish its revised proposals for re-opening the Line of Route during the Summer Adjournment. [102143]

  Mrs. Roe
  I am pleased to advise the hon. Member that the Committee has now agreed new proposals, which will be published in the Committee's First Report of Session 1999–2000, entitled "Revised Framework for Re-opening the Line of Route during the Summer Adjournment". The Report, HC(1999–2000)98, will be published at 11.00 am on 13 December, and will be available to hon. Members in the Vote Office at that time.

  In view of his interest in this matter, I have arranged for a copy of the Report to be sent to the hon. Member.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Pension Funds
  Ms Atherton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will introduce legislation to prohibit companies from using existing pension funds to fund future pension responsibilities. [100599]

  Mr. Rooker
  Decisions relating to the present and future management of occupational pension schemes are matters for the sponsoring employers and the trustees of the schemes, taking into account the requirements of the law and the trust deed and rules of the schemes. We will continue to monitor developments, but we have no plans to change legislation in this area.

  Bilateral Concordat (Scotland)
  Mr. Russell Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will publish the bilateral concordat between his Department and the Scottish Executive. [102473]

  Mr. Darling
  I am pleased to announce that the First Minister and I have agreed the text of the concordat between the Department of Social Security and the Scottish Executive. Copies of the concordat have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses and the text will be available on the departmental website.

  Income Thresholds
  Mr. Borrow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the rates from April 2000 of income thresholds used for non-dependant deductions in housing benefit, income support and jobseeker's allowance, the earnings limit for dependants living with claimants of retirement pension, long-term incapacity benefits, severe disablement allowance and unemployability supplement, and the personal expenses allowance for claimants of jobseeker's allowance resident in local authority part III accommodation. [102742]
  596W
  Mr. Darling
  The income thresholds proposed for non-dependant deductions is as follows:

  Income threshold

  Up to £81.00

  £81.00 to £119.99

  £120.00 to £156.99

  £157.00 to £206.99

  £207.00 to £258.99

  £259 and above.

  The earnings limit proposed for dependants living with claimants of Retirement Pension, long-term incapacity benefits, severe disablement allowance and unemployability supplement is £52.20.

  The proposed personal expenses allowance for claimants of Jobseeker's Allowance resident in local authority part III accommodation is £15.45.

  Note:
  This answer corrects errors in the original schedule of benefit rates, 10 November 1999, Official Report, columns 564–78W.

  Means-tested Benefits
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Havant (Mr. Willetts) on 29 November 1999,Official Report, column 13, by how much below 3.5 million he expects the number of pensioners on means-tested benefits will be reduced by 2050 as a result of the proposals in the Green Paper on the stakeholder pension and the second state pension. [102064]

  Mr. Rooker
  By 2050, it is estimated that there will be around 15.8 million pensioners. Without a change to current policies it is estimated that approximately one in three pensioner units (which could be either a single person or a couple) would retire onto the means-tested minimum income guarantee. This would include some people who had worked or cared for someone throughout their working life.

  The proposals in the Government's Green Paper "Partnership in Pensions" are designed to ensure that someone with a full working life, or years covered by credits, will receive a pension on retirement above the minimum income guarantee.

  The impact of the proposals will depend on a variety of factors, including employment records and additional voluntary savings. Our proposals seek to promote behavioural changes through the spread of low cost funded second pensions, improved pensions education, and the greater reward in retirement from helping people under pension age move from benefits to work.

  For instance, with additional voluntary savings of 5 per cent., the figure of one in three pensioner units retiring onto the minimum income guarantee would fall to approximately one in five in 2050.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Canterbury (Mr. Brazier) of 29 November 1999,Official Report, column 7W, on means-tested benefits, if he will break down respectively the 8 million on means-tested benefits in 1997 and the 7.9 million expected to be on

  597W
  means-tested benefits (a) by those above or below pensionable age and (b) of those below pensionable age, the proportion in receipt of in-work benefits. [102062]

  Mr. Bayley
  The information is in the tables.

  The proportion of people above and below age 60, in receipt of one or more means-tested benefits as at May 1997

  Number

  Proportion under age 60

  60% (4.8 million)

  Proportion age 60 and over

  40% (3.2 million)

  Proportion under age 60 in receipt of in-work benefits

  16%

  The estimated proportion of people in receipt of one or more means tested benefits or tax credits as for 2001–02

  Number

  Proportion under age 60

  64% (5.0 million)

  Proportion age 60 and over

  36% (2.9 million)

  Proportion under age 60 in receipt of in-work benefits

  26%

  Notes:

  1. Means-tested benefits are Income Support, Income Based Jobseeker's Allowance, Family Credit, Disability Working Allowance, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit. Working Families Tax Credit is included for the 2001–02 estimates.

  2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100,000.

  3. Figures refer to benefit units which may be a single person or couple.

  4. Overlap between benefits have been taken into account.

  5. Council Tax Benefit cases do not include second adult rebate cases.

  6. Sample sizes:

  Income Support: 5 per cent.

  Family Credit: 5 per cent.

  Disability Working Allowance: 100 per cent.

  Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit: 1 per cent.

  7. Proportion under age 60 in receipt of in-work benefits is based on numbers receiving Family Credit and Disability Working Allowance for 1997 and Working Families Tax Credit and Disabled Persons Tax Credit for 2001–02. In order to compare the years on the same basis, it excludes those in work receiving Housing Benefit and/or Council Tax Benefit only, as forecasts isolating this particular group are not available for 2001–02 figures (such recipients are included in the overall totals).

  Sources:

  1. Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry, May 1997.

  2. Jobseeker's Allowance Statistics Quarterly Enquiry, May 1997.

  3. Family Credit 5 per cent. sample of awards.

  5. Disability Working Allowance 100 per cent. count of claims.

  5. Housing Benefit Management Information System, annual 1 per cent. sample of claimants without Income Support/JSA(IB), taken at the end of May 1997.

  Benefits (Automated Credit Transfer)
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 29 November 1999,Official Report, column 54W, in each of the last 12 months, how many (a) existing beneficiaries have chosen to switch to automated credit transfer (ACT) as a proportion of those claiming each of the benefits payable by ACT and (b) new claimants as a proportion of those claiming each of the benefits payable by ACT have chosen to use ACT. [101938]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
  598W
  Information on the number of existing claimants who have chosen to switch to Automated Credit Transfer (ACT) is not currently available. Overall growth in the number of claimants choosing ACT increases by approximately 3 per cent. annually.

  The proportion of new claimants choosing ACT for the year ending 30 August 1999

  Benefit

  ACT take-up percentage

  Attendance Allowance

  26

  Child Benefit

  54

  Disability Living Allowance

  33

  Income Support

  10

  Incapacity Benefit

  39

  Retirement Pension and Widows Pension

  48

  War Pensions

  50

  Note:

  Figures are not currently available for Jobseeker's Allowance and Invalid Care Allowance

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Housing
  Mr. Reed
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact of high concentrations of houses in multiple occupation on local communities. [101050]

  Mr. Mullin
  I am aware of concerns that have arisen in a few town and city neighbourhoods and am considering how these might be tackled. The Government are committed to introducing mandatory licensing of houses in multiple occupation when parliamentary time allows.

  London Airports (Passengers)
  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will estimate the effect on the number of passengers passing through London airports in 2015, based on the recent studies of the European Commission and assuming all EU countries applied a similar rate of tax, if a fuel tax on all airlines were imposed(a) at a rate of ecu 245 per 1,000 litres and (b) at the same rate as motor fuel excise (excise duty and VAT) in the UK. [101807]

  Mr. Mullin
  We are currently reviewing the Commission's recent Communication and related study. We are also working, through the International Civil Aviation Organisation, to examine a range of market based options to limit or reduce emissions from aviation. It would be premature to focus on the effects of specific rates of tax on numbers of passengers at the London airports: no such proposals have been made.

  Education Standard Spending Assessment
  Mrs. Dean
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the expected SSA per pupil is for(a) primary and (b) secondary pupils for each shire county education authority for the year 2000–01. [101829]
  599W
  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The information requested is in the table.

  2000–01 Consultation SSA for primary and secondary education

  £/pupil

  Consultation SSA 2000–01

  County Council

  Primary

  Secondary

  Bedfordshire

  2,390

  3,081

  Buckinghamshire

  2,390

  3,093

  Cambridgeshire

  2,313

  2,964

  Cheshire

  2,257

  2,897

  Cornwall

  2,369

  3,058

  Cumbria

  2,357

  3,031

  Derbyshire

  2,266

  2,923

  Devon

  2,345

  3,038

  Dorset

  2,282

  2,926

  Durham

  2,390

  3,095

  East Sussex

  2,445

  3,166

  Essex

  2,441

  3,147

  Gloucestershire

  2,282

  2,935

  Hampshire

  2,327

  3,014

  Hertfordshire

  2,474

  3,170

  Kent

  2,443

  3,149

  Lancaster

  2,361

  3,043

  Leicestershire

  2,202

  2,848

  Lincolnshire

  2,359

  3,041

  Norfolk

  2,378

  3,052

  North Yorkshire

  2,332

  2,983

  Northamptonshire

  2,308

  2,974

  Northumberland

  2,332

  3,014

  Nottinghamshire

  2,291

  2,962

  Oxfordshire

  2,397

  3,070

  Shropshire

  2,304

  2,960

  Somerset

  2,310

  2,984

  Staffordshire

  2,237

  2,884

  Suffolk

  2,313

  2,960

  Surrey

  2,436

  3,127

  Warwickshire

  2,267

  2,918

  West Sussex

  2,366

  3,044

  Wiltshire

  2,292

  2,971

  Worcestershire

  2,256

  2,902

  Farm-based Waste Recycling
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what planning guidance he gives to local authorities on the development of sites for deep clamp processing in farm-based waste recycling. [101673]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  There is no planning guidance relating specifically to the development of sites for deep clamp processing of farm-based waste recycling. General guidance on planning control over waste management facilities, including composting sites, is contained in PPG10. Guidance on development related to agriculture and to farm diversification is contained in PPG7.

  Community Sports Clubs
  Dr. Palmer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what encouragement he gives to local authorities to give rate relief to community sports clubs; what statistics he collects in this regard; and if he will make a statement. [101721]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  Local authorities have full discretion to award up to 100 per cent. rate relief to non-profit making organisations, including sports clubs that meet the qualifying criteria. The Central Council of 600W
  Physical Recreation estimates that there are 150,000 voluntary sports clubs affiliated to the national governing bodies of sport in the United Kingdom. However, we do not hold centrally information on the number of clubs subject to non-domestic rates, their rateable values or their rates bills reflecting discretionary relief awarded by local authorities.

  We have been reviewing the arrangements under which local authorities may grant this relief to non-profit making sports clubs and expect to issue a consultation paper early next year.

  Homelessness
  Mr. White
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for each district and unitary authority in (i) the South East Region and (ii) the Eastern Region, how many people were(a) registered homeless and (b) on the local authority waiting list for the last and current financial years. [101826]

  Mr. Mullin
  Homeless households accepted by local authorities are those which, after investigation, were found to be eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need under part VII of the Housing Act 1996. The latest available information is given in the table, covering 1998–99 and the first quarter of 1999–2000 for homeless households.

  Homeless households accepted and in priority need

  1998–99

  1999–20001

  Number of households on the housing register at 1 April 1999

  South East Region

  Adur

  294

  79

  1,162

  Arun

  192

  58

  689

  Ashford

  89

  20

  2,201

  Aylesbury Vale

  219

  65

  841

  Basingstoke and Deane

  146

  2n/a

  4,245

  Bracknell Forest

  73

  21

  1,308

  Brighton and Hove

  868

  234

  3,610

  Canterbury

  214

  57

  1,920

  Cherwell

  138

  50

  2,422

  Chichester

  88

  24

  2,148

  Chiltern

  124

  34

  667

  Crawley

  191

  51

  465

  Dartford

  86

  26

  1,575

  Dover

  107

  31

  2,231

  East Hampshire

  116

  26

  1,828

  Eastbourne

  466

  99

  1,753

  Eastleigh

  128

  26

  1,200

  Elmbridge

  188

  35

  1,976

  Epsom and Ewell

  72

  14

  537

  Fareham

  120

  21

  929

  Gosport

  254

  61

  1,167

  Gravesham

  84

  21

  1,847

  Guildford

  118

  38

  1,603

  Hart

  58

  36

  588

  Hastings

  140

  30

  1,490

  Havant

  324

  71

  2,714

  Horsham

  221

  60

  710

  Isle of Wight

  270

  69

  1,122

  Lewes

  189

  42

  818

  Maidstone

  114

  39

  959

  Mid Sussex

  205

  31

  1,418

  Milton Keynes

  537

  185

  2,835

  Mole Valley

  83

  21

  1,177

  New Forest

  293

  66

  1,383

  Oxford

  382

  2n/a

  3,099

  Portsmouth

  670

  134

  4,759

  Reading

  464

  123

  3,343

  Reigate and Banstead

  156

  28

  1,155

  Rother

  52

  10

  1,176

  Runnymede

  58

  23

  694

  Rushmoor

  188

  2n/a

  2,221

  Sevenoaks

  201

  42

  1,444

  601W

  Homeless households accepted and in priority need

  1998–99

  1999–20001

  Number of households on the housing register at 1 April 1999

  Shepway

  128

  24

  2,595

  Slough

  213

  0

  1,739

  South Bucks

  34

  6

  1,064

  South Oxfordshire

  140

  43

  1,488

  Southampton

  663

  159

  3,699

  Spelthorne

  59

  19

  2,284

  Surrey Heath

  111

  31

  436

  Swale

  55

  22

  1,815

  Tandridge

  97

  26

  1,077

  Test Valley

  125

  30

  1,723

  Thanet

  42

  13

  1,528

  The Medway Towns

  113

  38

  3,708

  Tonbridge and Mailing

  150

  45

  658

  Tunbridge Wells

  242

  55

  674

  Vale of White Horse

  126

  27

  1,919

  Waverley

  91

  14

  1,288

  Wealden

  185

  2n/a

  1,066

  West Berkshire

  209

  41

  887

  West Oxfordshire

  38

  9

  1,453

  Winchester

  55

  22

  1,129

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  42

  7

  2,419

  Woking

  120

  35

  1,547

  Wokingham

  122

  24

  1,359

  Worthing

  218

  2n/a

  1,361

  Wycombe

  268

  37

  996

  East of England Region

  Babergh

  106

  2n/a

  1,074

  Basildon

  429

  72

  2,878

  Bedford

  283

  84

  2,449

  Braintree

  167

  45

  2,503

  Breckland

  156

  41

  1,477

  Brentwood

  89

  22

  513

  Broadland

  209

  43

  1,066

  Broxbourne

  376

  50

  1,668

  Cambridge

  200

  48

  4,319

  Castle Point

  153

  40

  662

  Chelmsford

  316

  83

  3,733

  Colchester

  588

  169

  3,237

  Dacorum

  223

  2n/a

  3,479

  East Cambridgeshire

  167

  32

  1,042

  East Hertfordshire

  132

  31

  1,502

  Epping Forest

  119

  23

  1,914

  Fenland

  130

  31

  1,839

  Forest Heath

  66

  7

  1,063

  Great Yarmouth

  118

  30

  1,915

  Harlow

  252

  61

  1,933

  Hertsmere

  64

  10

  657

  Huntingdonshire

  113

  19

  1,791

  Ipswich

  182

  46

  2,764

  Kings Lynn and West Norfolk

  95

  33

  1,390

  Luton

  209

  41

  5,622

  Maldon

  84

  27

  511

  Mid Bedfordshire

  73

  8

  1,648

  Mid Suffolk

  89

  22

  1,545

  North Hertfordshire

  179

  65

  1,955

  North Norfolk

  187

  51

  860

  Norwich

  459

  119

  2,909

  Peterborough

  95

  25

  3,129

  Rochford

  60

  11

  873

  South Bedfordshire

  282

  66

  2,649

  South Cambridgeshire

  67

  17

  2,293

  South Norfolk

  130

  35

  1,524

  Southend-on-Sea

  83

  2n/a

  1,070

  St. Albans

  154

  2n/a

  1,603

  St. Edmundsbury

  93

  27

  1,801

  Stevenage

  102

  22

  3,249

  Suffolk Coastal

  121

  38

  955

  Tendring

  425

  106

  1,960

  Three Rivers

  134

  2n/a

  818

  Thurrock

  163

  38

  1,795

  Uttlesford

  73

  2n/a

  963

  Watford

  176

  60

  1,472

  Waveney

  182

  45

  1,675

  Welwyn Hatfield

  262

  49

  2,201

  1 April-June 1999

  2 n/a denotes that the authority has not yet reported

  Source:

  Housing Investment Programme returns 1999 and Quarterly P1E (Homelessness Activity) returns 1999 Q1
  602W
  Local authorities have different practices for compiling and managing housing register/waiting lists which mean that simple comparisons between authorities can be misleading.

  Vehicle Removal
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will consult police and local authorities about amending paragraph 10 of the Removal and Disposal of Vehicles Regulations 1986 (SI 1986/183) so as to reduce the period before which notice must be affixed to vehicles about to be removed for destruction from seven to three days. [101719]

  Mr. Mullin
  We have no plans to consult the police or local authorities on changing the period of notice they must give before removing abandoned vehicles. The existing regulations are intended to provide owners with safeguards against a local authority prematurely assuming a vehicle is abandoned and having it towed away for scrap. They also ensure that local authorities do not have to go to the unnecessary expense of removing and storing vehicles that may not, in the event, have been abandoned.

  We believe that the current legislation provides a good balance between the powers of the police and local authorities to deal with abandoned vehicles and the rights of vehicle owners.

  Shropshire RSG
  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions in which years between 1979 and 1999 the Government's revenue support grant for Shropshire County Council increased by double the rate of inflation or more. [102137]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  Revenue Support Grant (RSG) was introduced in 1990. Between 1990–91 and 1992–93, Shropshire County Council received no RSG directly; the grant was paid into the collection funds operated by billing authorities, and thus supported expenditure by all tiers of authorities.

  Only in 1994–95 was the increase in RSG of 11.06 per cent. more than twice the rate of inflation of 1.43 per cent., as measured by the GDP deflator. The increase in 1999–2000 in RSG and the county's share of national non-domestic rates of 6.01 per cent. was also more than twice the rate of inflation of 2.25 per cent. The change in RSG was affected in 1995–96 by the transfer of the RSG for police service to West Mercia Police Authority and in 1998–99 by the creation of Telford and the Wrekin as a separate unitary authority, thus precluding meaningful comparisons for those years.

  Thameslink 2000 Project
  Mr. Fitzpatrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on Railtrack's applications for Orders under the Transport and Works Act 1992 in respect of the Thameslink 2000 Project. [102136]

  Mr. Hill
  Railtrack applied in September 1999 for an Order under the Transport and Works Act 1992 to revise the proposals contained in the November 1997 application
  603W
  for powers to improve and extend the Thameslink network. The Secretary of State has received a total of about 1,000 objections to both applications. In view of the range and nature of the objections he has decided that it would be appropriate to hold a public inquiry into this scheme. This will probably start in the spring of 2000.

  Foreign Aircraft (Millennium)
  Mr. Woolas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what action he is taking relating to foreign aircraft operating to the UK over the Millennium period. [102448]

  Mr. Hill
  My Department has issued foreign airlines with their normal operating permits for providing services to and from the UK. These permits are granted to airlines only if they comply with international safety standards. In view of the Y2K problem, my Department has taken the exceptional step of asking airlines to provide information confirming that flights would be free from any Y2K safety related risk. The airlines have been advised that, in the event of such information not being provided, the Department reserves the right to suspend their permits over the critical period.

  National non-domestic rates—calculations of distributable amount for 2000–01

  £ million

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  Final outturn

  Provisional outturn

  Provisional outturn

  Estimated in-year contribution

  1. Income from Local lists

  Multiplier (p)

  45.8

  47.4

  48.9

  41.6

  Gross Rate Yield

  13,493

  13,839

  14,158

  15,067

  (i) Reliefs

  (a) Net Transitional Relief

  -430

  -482

  -460

  -737

  (b) Empty properties

  -934

  -961

  -944

  -987

  (c) Charitable

  -495

  -504

  -520

  -544

  (d) Rural Shops and Post Offices

  —

  -2

  -2

  -2

  (e) Discretionary

  -17

  -18

  -32

  -33

  Net Yield after reliefs

  11,617

  11,872

  12,200

  12,764

  (ii) Collection costs/reductions to contributions

  (a) Costs of collection

  -78

  -79

  -83

  -83

  (b) Losses on collection

  -112

  -109

  -115

  -120

  (c) City of London offset

  -7

  -7

  -7

  -7

  Total contribution in respect of year

  11,420

  11,677

  11,995

  12,554

  (iii) Repayments/interest payments

  Total adjustments

  -291

  -486

  -270

  -367

  Net Local Yield

  11,129

  11,191

  11,725

  12,187

  2. Income from Central list

  Net Central List Yield

  1,207

  1,273

  1,320

  1,330

  3. Income from Crown

  Contributions in Aid

  Net Crown Yield

  469

  440

  396

  410

  Total NDR Yield

  12,805

  12,904

  13,441

  13,927

  4. Exchequer Contributions

  Total Exchequer contributions

  400

  360

  310

  415

  Total NNDR pool payments (1+2+3+4)

  13,205

  13,264

  13,751

  14,342

  604W
  Two airlines have yet to provide confirmation that their flights will be free from any Y2K safety related risk. These are Gulf Air; and Southern Aviation (Zambia). These airlines have therefore been advised that, unless such confirmation is received, their permits to operate to the UK over the Millennium period will be suspended.

  Non-domestic Rates
  Mr. Gordon Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will set out the basis of his calculations of the distributable amount of non-domestic rates for 2000–01. [102548]

  Ms Armstrong
  The amount of non-domestic rates in England for 2000–01 to be redistributed to Local Authorities will be £15,400 million, although estimated payments into the pool in 2000–01 will be £14,342 million. The non-domestic rate poundage (multiplier) will be 41.6 pence. The Distributable Amount includes an allowance of £415 million for an Exchequer payment to the non-domestic rates pool, to compensate for the shortfall which would otherwise occur as a result of the regulations under section 58 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 and the transitional relief scheme, announced on 25 November 1999,Official Report, column 770.

  The calculation for 2000–01, and the prior-year figures on which this is based, are set out in the following table.
  605W

  National non-domestic rates-calculations of distributable amount for 2000–01

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  Final outturn

  Provisional outturn

  Provisional outturn

  Estimated in-year contribution

  5. Adjustments

  Surplus brought forward

  -1,000

  178

  919

  1,058

  Combined total

  12,205

  13,442

  14,670

  15,400

  Distributable amount

  12,027

  12,524

  13,612

  15,400

  Surplus carried forward

  178

  919

  1,058

  0

  Notes:

  The amounts shown are those recorded in the post end-year (NNDR3) returns. For 1999–2000 the amounts shown are the estimated outturn for the year based mainly upon authorities' provisional contributions to the non-domestic rating pool.

  1. Item 1: The gross calculated rate yield represents the total value of non-domestic hereditaments on local rating lists times the multiplier.

  2. Item 1(i)(a): The Transitional decrease adjustment includes the estimated amount of rates that will not be recouped from local list ratepayers under the transitional arrangements made by regulations under section 58 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 and the transitional relief scheme, announced by written PQ on 25 November 1999, Official Report, column 770W.

  3. Item 1(i)(b): The empty property relief adjustments include voids and partially occupied hereditaments. The 2000–01 figure includes an allowance for the increase in the gross rates yield.

  4. Item 1(i)(c): Charitable rate relief. The 2000–01 figure includes an allowance for the increase in the gross rates yield.

  5. Item 1(i)(d): Rural Shops and Post Office relief. Figures for 1998–99 onwards include mandatory relief for village shops and post offices under the Local Government and Rating Act 1997. The 2000–01 figure includes an allowance for the increase in the gross rates yield.

  6. Item 1(i)(e): Discretionary relief granted to charities, non-profit making organisations and for other reasons including, for 1998–99 onwards, discretionary relief for village shops and post offices under the Local Government and Rating Act 1997. The 2000–01 figure includes an allowance for the increase in the gross rates yield.

  7. Item 1(ii)(a) and (b): The allowances for the costs and losses incurred by authorities in collecting non-domestic rates from ratepayers.

  8. Item 1(ii)(c): City Offset—the amount which the City of London will not be required to pay into the non-domestic rating pool. It is the amount which will be retained by the City to meet its own expenditure.

  9. Item 1(iii): net adjustment in respect of appeals and other amendments to the rating list affecting liability for previous years rates settled in that year.

  10. Item 2: the rateable value of non-domestic hereditaments on the central rating list times the multiplier, less the net effect of transitional arrangements, and adjusted for appeals and other changes in respect of previous years.

  11. Item 3: the 2000–01 figure for Crown properties includes an allowance for the effect of transitional arrangements.

  12. Item 4: the contribution from central government to offset the amount of the Secretary of State's estimate of income forgone as a result of transitional arrangements established by regulations under section 58 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 and the transitional relief scheme, announced by written PQ on 25 November 1999, Official Report, column 770W.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  GCSE Passes
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list by local education authority the number and percentage of 18-year-olds with five GCSE passes or equivalent in(a) 1997, (b) 1998 and (c) 1999. [101519]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  [holding answer 8 December 1999]: The numbers of 18-year-olds with five GCSE passes or equivalent in 1997 and 1998 for local education authorities in England are shown in the following table. Figures for 1999, other than those released last month in performance tables, are not yet available. It is not possible to provide percentages as these may be misleading—population estimates for local education authorities are based on the resident population, and the GCSE data are institution based. Percentages for individual local education authorities would therefore be distorted by students who are resident in one authority but who took their GCSEs in another.

  Number of 18-year-olds with 5+A*-G GCSE/GNVQ

  LEA

  1997

  1998

  City of London

  213

  203

  Camden

  1,823

  1,989

  Greenwich

  1,862

  1,810

  Hackney

  860

  924

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  1,060

  1,224

  606W

  Number of 18-year-olds with 5+A*-G GCSE/GNVQ

  LEA

  1997

  1998

  Islington

  1,139

  1,141

  Kensington and Chelsea

  1,107

  1,153

  Lambeth

  608

  626

  Lewisham

  1,806

  1,949

  Southwark

  1,284

  1,395

  Tower Hamlets

  1,281

  1,425

  Wandsworth

  1,828

  1,807

  City of Westminster

  1,282

  1,410

  Barking and Dagenham

  1,422

  1,436

  Barnet

  3,371

  3,544

  Bexley

  2,081

  2,136

  Brent

  1,334

  1,566

  Bromley

  3,312

  3,391

  Croydon

  3,533

  3,524

  Ealing

  1,901

  2,174

  Enfield

  2,504

  2,645

  Haringey

  1,056

  1,105

  Harrow

  2,635

  2,540

  Havering

  2,820

  2,811

  Hillingdon

  2,387

  2,529

  Hounslow

  1,965

  2,036

  Kingston upon Thames

  1,776

  1,803

  Merton

  1,260

  1,295

  Newham

  1,630

  1,949

  Redbridge

  2,373

  2,515

  Richmond upon Thames

  2,051

  2,150

  Sutton

  1,639

  1,777

  Waltham Forest

  2,098

  2,283

  Birmingham

  9,438

  10,007

  Coventry

  3,053

  3,147

  Dudley

  3,529

  3,738

  Sandwell

  2,469

  2,577

  607W

  Number of 18-year-olds with 5+A*-G GCSE/GNVQ

  LEA

  1997

  1998

  Solihull

  3,038

  3,068

  Walsall

  2,639

  2,688

  Wolverhampton

  2,474

  2,587

  Knowsley

  1,205

  1,233

  Liverpool

  4,082

  4,188

  St. Helens

  2,045

  2,034

  Sefton

  3,498

  3,565

  Wirral

  3,642

  3,697

  Bolton

  2,781

  2,878

  Bury

  2,331

  2,353

  Manchester

  3,523

  3,634

  Oldham

  2,749

  2,932

  Rochdale

  1,798

  1,980

  Salford

  1,928

  2,046

  Stockport

  3,487

  3,682

  Tameside

  2,203

  2,363

  Trafford

  2,128

  2,215

  Wigan

  4,065

  4,215

  Barnsley

  2,009

  2,019

  Doncaster

  2,704

  2,908

  Rotherham

  2,857

  3,056

  Sheffield

  4,372

  4,543

  Bradford

  4,884

  5,179

  Calderdale

  1,888

  1,978

  Kirklees

  4,277

  4,396

  Leeds

  6,699

  7,069

  Wakefield

  3,464

  3,544

  Gateshead

  1,927

  1,936

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  2,673

  2,827

  North Tyneside

  2,202

  2,204

  South Tyneside

  1,599

  1,678

  Sunderland

  3,242

  3,280

  Isles of Scilly

  8

  13

  Bath and North East Somerset

  2,192

  2,174

  City of Bristol

  3,458

  3,633

  North Somerset

  1,841

  1,914

  South Gloucestershire

  2,591

  2,676

  Hartlepool

  978

  976

  Middlesbrough

  1,663

  1,812

  Redcar and Cleveland

  1,695

  1,688

  Stockton on Tees

  1,979

  1,993

  City of Kingston upon Hull

  2,773

  2,720

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  2,951

  2,959

  North East Lincolnshire

  1,835

  1,969

  North Lincolnshire

  1,837

  1,913

  North Yorkshire

  5,963

  6,207

  City of York

  2,221

  2,109

  Bedfordshire

  4,401

  4,528

  Luton

  2,024

  2,063

  Buckinghamshire

  5,220

  5,303

  Milton Keynes

  2,237

  2,229

  Derbyshire

  7,322

  7,498

  City of Derby

  2,264

  2,399

  Dorset

  3,729

  3,848

  Poole

  1,944

  2,034

  Bournemouth

  1,273

  1,280

  Durham

  5,110

  5,118

  Darlington

  1,268

  1,314

  East Sussex

  4,491

  4,687

  Brighton and Hove

  2,289

  2,276

  Hampshire

  13,570

  14,290

  Portsmouth

  1,383

  1,465

  Southampton

  2,197

  2,227

  Leicestershire

  6,140

  6,432

  City of Leicester

  2,921

  3,162

  Rutland

  666

  685

  Staffordshire

  8,671

  9,137

  Stoke-on-Trent

  2,347

  2,306

  Wiltshire

  4,297

  4,271

  Swindon

  1,881

  1,946

  Berkshire

  8,991

  —

  Bracknell Forest

  —

  1,271

  Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead

  —

  1,645

  608W

  Number of 18-year-olds with5+A*-G GCSE/GNVQ

  LEA

  1997

  1998

  West Berkshire

  —

  2,033

  Reading

  —

  1,216

  Slough

  —

  1,359

  Wokingham

  —

  1,636

  Cambridgeshire

  7,544

  —

  Cambridgeshire

  —

  5,856

  City of Peterborough

  —

  2,114

  Cheshire

  11,059

  —

  Cheshire

  —

  7,802

  Halton

  —

  1,432

  Warrington

  —

  2,028

  Devon

  10,855

  —

  Devon

  —

  6,740

  City of Plymouth

  —

  2,885

  Torbay

  —

  1,419

  Essex

  16,759

  —

  Essex

  —

  13,943

  Southend

  —

  1,852

  Thurrock

  —

  1,423

  Hereford and Worcester

  7,829

  —

  Herefordshire

  —

  1,666

  Worcestershire

  —

  6,342

  Kent

  17,251

  —

  Kent

  —

  14,568

  Medway

  —

  3,211

  Lancashire

  14,352

  —

  Lancashire

  —

  10,869

  Blackburn with Darwen

  —

  2,173

  Blackpool

  —

  1,861

  Nottinghamshire

  10,038

  —

  Nottinghamshire

  —

  7,725

  City of Nottingham

  —

  2,924

  Shropshire

  5,145

  —

  Shropshire

  —

  3,161

  Telford and Wrekin

  —

  1,876

  Cornwall

  5,149

  5,376

  Cumbria

  5,058

  5,352

  Gloucestershire

  6,136

  6,271

  Hertfordshire

  12,273

  12,646

  Isle of Wight

  1,308

  1,403

  Lincolnshire

  6,356

  6,482

  Norfolk

  7,737

  8,002

  Northamptonshire

  6,782

  7,162

  Northumberland

  3,529

  3,412

  Oxfordshire

  6,722

  6,904

  Somerset

  5,624

  5,846

  Suffolk

  7,191

  7,298

  Surrey

  11,369

  11,521

  Warwickshire

  5,761

  5,936

  West Sussex

  7,719

  7,794

  All LEAs

  502,370

  519,398

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Darlington
  Mr. Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what assessment he has made of employment agencies compliance with the Working Time Directive. [100527]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  It is too soon to assess the level of compliance. Our revised employment agency regulations will help prevent bureaux acting in a way which denies workers their working time rights.

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which EU member states have exempted small Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead businesses from the Working Time Regulations. [100546]
  609W
  Mr. Alan Johnson
  The Working Time Directive which has been implemented in Great Britain by the Working Time Regulations, requires member states to extend its provisions to all businesses regardless of size. Only workers in the excluded sectors (transport, doctors in training and offshore) are exempt.

  Miners Compensation
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his estimate is of the number of miners compensation claims which have been agreed. [100541]

  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the number of compensation claims from retired miners that have been settled. [100561]

  Mrs. Liddell
  As at the end of November, the Department had made 4,186 full and final payments and 5,523 part payments to ex-miners suffering from Vibration White Finger. A further 584 full and final payments and 15,460 part payments have been made to ex-miners and their families suffering from respiratory diseases. To date the Department has made payments totalling some £89 million.

  Inward Investment (Merseyside)
  Maria Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on inward investment to Merseyside. [100542]

  Mr. Caborn
  Since May 1997 my Department has made 255 offers of Regional Selective Assistance in the Merseyside area, including 31 offers to overseas companies, creating or safeguarding nearly 18,000 jobs. Major inward investment successes have included Capital Bank and the new Jaguar X400 saloon.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many rules and regulations have been repealed since May 1997 by his Department to assist small businesses. [100543]

  Ms Hewitt
  Between May 1997 and October 1999 my Department made 25 regulations that reduced costs on business, including small business.
  We have taken many other actions to assist small businesses. For example, we have introduced legislation on late payment, we are setting up the Small Business Service, and we are consulting on proposals to raise the thresholds below which small companies are exempt from requirements to file full accounts and to have those accounts audited.

  Mr. Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to encourage technical innovation in small businesses. [100560]

  Ms Hewitt
  As indicated in the consultation document, "The Small Business Service—A Public Consultation" (URN 99/815), I intend to improve the coherence and customer-focus of my Department's support for small businesses by making most such support accessible through the Small Business Service. In addition, I have already announced that the Smart scheme has been 610W
  expanded to a commitment of over £100 million over the period 1999–2000 to 2001–02 and its scope enlarged so that now even more small businesses will benefit from cash support for technology development and acquisition. The new Enterprise Fund will provide regional and high-tech venture capital funds for start-ups and small companies with growth potential. Also, my Department's funding for the TCS scheme is being doubled and we are creating a national network of Faraday Partnerships designed to support knowledge transfer to small businesses in particular.

  Energy Policy
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the Government's energy policy. [100544]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Government's overall energy policy objective, as set out in last year's White Paper, "Conclusions of the Review of Energy Sources for Power Generation and Government Response to fourth and fifth Reports of the Trade and Industry Committee" (Cm 4071), is"to ensure secure diverse, and sustainable supplies of energy at competitive prices".

  British Coal (Equal Pay)
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action his Department is taking to achieve a settlement of the equal value pay case for British Coal canteen workers. [100545]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  This litigation is a matter for British Coal.

  Bankruptcy
  Mr. Beard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has for reviewing the charges to small businesses and individuals arising from bankruptcy proceedings. [100547]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Working Party on the remuneration of insolvency office holders, chaired by Mr. Justice Ferris, submitted an initial report in July 1998 and, subsequently, the Society of Practitioners of Insolvency issued interim guidance on the information to be provided to creditors on applications for remuneration. A final report from Mr. Justice Ferris's Working Party is expected to be published in the new year.

  Balance of Trade
  Mr. St. Aubyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the latest announcement on the balance of trade. [100549]

  Mr. Caborn
  In the three months to September, the deficit on trade in goods and services was at its narrowest for almost a year. The volume of goods and services exported grew by over 6 per cent., the fastest rate of growth for 20 years.

  EH101 Helicopter
  Mr. Wilkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the royalties to be received by his Department as a result of Launch Aid upon sales of the EH101 helicopter. [100550]
  611W
  Mr. Alan Johnson
  Launch investment returns depend on the level of sales of each product in which the Government have invested. Information about possible levies arising from individual projects is commercially confidential.

  Levies have not yet been received on the civil version of the EH101 helicopter.

  Recruitment Industry
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress he has made in his discussions with the Treasury over proposals to regulate the private recruitment industry. [100551]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  Discussions with HM Treasury and other Departments on the proposed revision of the regulations governing agency conduct are continuing. We will make an announcement in due course.

  Manufacturing
  Mrs. Organ
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about the prospects for profitability and volume of exports of the manufacturing sector. [100552]

  Mr. Caborn
  In 1998 the profitability of manufacturing companies was at the highest level for 30 years and surveys by British Chambers of Commerce show confidence in manufacturing profitability at its highest level for over two years. Export growth has picked up sharply, with the latest figures showing that export volumes in the third quarter rose by 9.6 per cent., the fastest rate of growth for 20 years. Most economic forecasters expect this improvement to continue into next year.

  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met the Staffordshire chamber of commerce and industry to discuss the manufacturing industry. [100557]

  Ms Hewitt
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry had a very useful meeting on 15 November 1999 with the North Staffordshire Chamber of Commerce, of which the Staffordshire Chamber is a division.

  During his visit he had wide-ranging discussions covering manufacturing industry and also visited two manufacturing businesses in the county.

  Home Safety (Children)
  Mrs. Betty Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he is taking to improve child safety in the home. [100554]

  Dr. Howells
  The safety of toys and other articles used by children feature prominently in product safety standards, and the regulations which my Department administers.

  In addition, the DTI produces and distributes safety awareness materials free of charge to local authorities and other safety professionals on a wide range of home safety topics, many of which are designed to help to reduce accidents to children.
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  I launched the first in a series of child safety magazines on 24 November, jointly produced by Government, business and the voluntary sector, for expectant parents and parents of babies and young children and strongly featuring child safety in the home.

  I also launched Child Safety Week in June 1999, an initiative aimed at reducing accidents to children which DTI helped fund, run by the Child Accident Prevention Trust.

  Cluster Development
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to ensure that cluster development is evenly distributed across the UK. [100556]

  Ms Hewitt
  None. The Government attach considerable importance to clusters and recently announced new mechanisms for taking forward the development of their clusters policy. These include a new Clusters Policy Steering Group to be chaired by my noble Friend Lord Sainsbury, the Minister for Science; a full mapping study of cluster activity in the UK and the identification and promotion of emerging clusters in the RDA's regional economic strategies. The Government believe that clusters are market driven. As such, the Governments's key role is to create the conditions, in all parts of the UK, which encourage the formation and sustainable growth of clusters and enable and nurture progress.

  EU Directives
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to monitor implementation of EU directives relating to trade and industry matters in other member states. [100558]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Department monitors the implementation of EU Single Directives in other member states through the European Commission's publication "The Single Market Scoreboard" and through contacts with UK industry and the Commission. The Scoreboard is published twice a year and is a very useful monitoring mechanism on the health of the Single Market. The Scoreboard, which is available in the House of Commons Library, includes a section covering rates of transposition of Directives in all EU states. The Scoreboard is regularly discussed at the Internal Market Council. We also, through our action Single Market unit, pursue individual complaints from UK industry with the member state in question and with the Commission.

  Recruitment Costs
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what evidence he has assessed that temporary to permanent fees discourage employers from offering a permanent job to a temporary worker. [100562]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  The Department has received representations from work-seekers, unions, employment agencies and employers that these fees can discourage employers from taking on temporary workers permanently.

  National Minimum Wage
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will review the level of the national minimum wage. [100563]
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  Mr. Alan Johnson
  I am keeping the operation of the national minimum wage legislation under review with the help of the independent Low Pay Commission. As with its introduction, any future change to the level of the minimum wage will be made sensibly, taking account of the economic circumstances prevailing at the time.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many anonymous calls have been made to the minimum wage hotline giving information relating to breaches of the minimum wage legislation. [101479]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  The National Minimum Wage Helpline does not disaggregate calls between anonymous and non-anonymous calls. All calls are followed up. In addition, a number of employers are phoning the helpline to tell us about their competitors who are paying below the national minimum wage. These calls are also followed up.

  International Postal Services
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future of international postal services. [100553]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  With increased globalisation, the international market in postal services is forecast to grow much faster than domestic markets. Success in these areas will depend on ability to develop and sustain high quality, competitively priced products and services in response to changing and fast-moving customer demand, developments in new technology and ever-increasing competition. That is why this Government have made it a priority to give the Post Office the greater commercial freedom it needs to be a world-class service provider in the twenty first century.

  EU Company Law Directive (Takeover Bids)
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the progress of the 13th company law directive concerning takeover bids. [101605]

  Mr. Byers
  Political agreement was reached on the proposed 13th Company Law Directive at the Internal Market Council in June this year, with the exception of one point, a Spanish objection concerning the application of the directive to Gibraltar. Since then Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Spain have been negotiating a solution to this question.

  Energy Council
  Mr. Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the outcome of the Energy Council held in Brussels on 2 December; and if he will make a statement. [101691]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Council considered several matters of interest to the United Kingdom.

  The Commission made two presentations on the Internal electricity market. The first concerned progress on implementation of the electricity directive and the second harmonisation measures in electricity which look at cross border trading issues in respect of transmission pricing and congestion. As regards the implementation
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  report, I expressed disappointment that the Directive had not been implemented in all member states and stressed the importance of a level playing field which ensured fairness for everyone. I also congratulated the Commission on taking prompt action against those which had not implemented the directive. I said that fully open energy markets in Europe was a high priority for the UK because this would increase the competitiveness of European companies and reduce prices for consumers. I also called for progress far beyond the market opening levels set out in the Directive. On the harmonisation of cross border trading mechanisms the Council agreed conclusions which note the work of the transmission system operators to develop transmission pricing mechanisms and procedures for managing congestion; encourage them to come forward with early proposals for a resolution of outstanding issues and invite the Commission to monitor progress and to come forward with its own proposals if the system operators are unable to reach a final agreement. I announced that the UK and the Netherlands are working on competition indicators to show how well competition is developing and where barriers persist. The results of this work will be shared with the Commission and other member states.

  In the absence of a proposal from the Commission on the access for renewables to the internal electricity market, the Council was unable to have a full exchange of views. I expressed disappointment at the continued delay and urged the Commission to come forward with a proposal as soon as possible. I said such a proposal should minimise distortions, ensure transparency, provide flexibility to distinguish between different kinds of renewables and promote cost-effectiveness and price competitiveness and that we supported the Commission in its objectives of promoting renewables as part of the response to Kyoto and the progressive inclusion of renewables in the internal electricity market. I was among a number of ministers who counselled against the inclusion of binding targets for renewables in the directive, this being a matter best left to member states, thereby respecting the principle of subsidiary.

  The Council agreed a report to the Helsinki European Council on integration of environmental and sustainable development into energy policy which focused on priority areas for action, which include the development of the internal energy market and the promotion of renewables and energy efficiency measures.

  In addition, the Energy Council held an orientation debate on a proposal for a directive on energy efficiency requirements of ballasts for fluorescent lighting aimed at raising product standards in Europe. Council conclusions were approved on strengthening the northern dimension of European energy policy with a view to improving co-ordination of actions between countries bordering the Baltic Sea and on the North West Region of Russia and to help provide greater focus for EU support mechanisms.

  The Council also note reports on gas harmonisation, gas security of supply, a progress report on the energy Charter Treaty including a negotiating directive for a transit protocol and information from the Commission on the millennium bug and a Community energy efficiency action plan.

  Energy Suppliers
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures are being taken to prevent energy suppliers taking over the electricity and gas contracts of customers without their authority; and what penalties are proposed for those companies that do so. [101908]

  Mrs. Liddell
  These matters are the responsibility of the Director General of Gas and Electricity Supply. I am aware that Ofgem is continuing to work hard with the industry to tighten up the transfer process.

  My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State has recently announced a research study to look at consumer motivations for and against switching supplier.

  Pirate Radio Stations
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people and organisations have been prosecuted in each of the last three years for(a) advertising on and (b) sponsoring pirate radio stations. [102033]

  Ms Hewitt
  So far this year three people have been prosecuted for managing the operation of pirate radio stations. In 1998 one person was similarly convicted and a further three in 1997. One of those convicted this year and one of those in 1997 were also convicted for advertising.

  Regulatory Impact Assessments
  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has undertaken of the effect of regulations affecting businesses operating costs. [100537]

  Mr. Byers
  The Government require an assessment to be carried out on all proposed regulations that might affect business before they are introduced.

  British Sugar (Gas-fired Power Station)
  Dr. George Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will announce his decision on British Sugar plc's application to build a new gas-fired power station at the British Sugar factory at Cantley, Norfolk. [102573]

  Mrs. Liddell
  I have today granted consent under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 to British Sugar plc for the construction of a 70 MW gas-fired combined heat and power station at the British Sugar factory at Cantley, near Norwich in Norfolk. The station has also today been given clearance as a gas-fired station under Section 14 of the Energy Act 1976 and planning permission for the Development has been deemed to be granted, subject to 37 planning conditions agreed with the Broads Authority, Broadland District Council and Norfolk County Council. The decisions have been taken in accordance with the policy set out in the White Paper entitled "Conclusions of 616W
  the Review of Energy Sources for Power Generation and Government response to fourth and fifth Reports of the Trade and Industry Committee" (Cm 4071).

  Copies of the Press Notice and decision letters are being placed in the Library of the House.

  EU Structural Funds
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to publish the bilateral Concordat between UK Government Departments and the Scottish Executive on EU Structural Funds. [102574]

  Mr. Byers
  The First Minister and I have today agreed the text of a Concordat on the EU Structural Funds between the UK Government Departments DTI, DETR, DfEE, MAFF and DCMS and the Scottish Executive. Copies of the Concordat have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Research and Development
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of Britain's gross domestic product was devoted to research and development on the latest available figures; and what the equivalent figure was for other G7 countries. [100530]

  Ms Hewitt
  In 1997, the latest year for which figures are available, the UK's gross expenditure on research and development (GERD) was £14.6 billion. This represented 1.87 per cent. of GDP.

  The table shows comparative G7 figures.

  1997 GERD as a percentage of GDP

  Country

  Percentage

  Canada

  1.60

  France

  2.23

  Germany

  2.31

  Italy

  1.08

  Japan

  2.89

  UK

  1.87

  USA

  2.71

  Source:

  OECD Online-Main Science and Technology Indicators, 3 August 1999

  Young Business People
  Mr. Hope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he is taking to encourage young business people to become world-class entrepreneurs. [100548]

  Ms Hewitt
  The creation of the Small Business Service will ensure world-class support for developing small business. The Enterprise Fund improves access to finance and the recently announced Phoenix Fund will stimulate the development of enterprise in deprived areas.

  The DTI supports Young Enterprise and is committed to work with YE and private sector companies to develop the Company Programme model into Higher Education with a view to encouraging young people to consider setting up their own business.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Firearms
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will lay before Parliament the tenth annual report of the Firearms Consultative Committee. [102606]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I have placed a copy of the annual report of the Firearms Consultative Committee in the Library.

  Terrorism Legislation
  Mr. Darvill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish a summary of the responses to the consultation paper, "Legislation against Terrorism". [102607]

  Mr. Straw
  I have today published a summary analysis of the responses to the consultation paper "Legislation against Terrorism". Copies of this have been placed in the Library and the Vote Office.

  Scottish Devolution
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish the bilateral concordat between his Department and the Scottish Executive. [102609]

  Mr. Straw
  I am pleased to announce that my officials have agreed the text of a bilateral concordat with their counterparts in the Scottish Executive. A copy has been placed in the Library.

  Hunting with Dogs
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will announce the full membership and terms of reference of the inquiry into hunting with dogs in England and Wales. [102608]

  Mr. Straw
  The full membership of the Committee of Inquiry into Hunting with Dogs in England and Wales will be as follows:The Chairman will be the noble Lord Burns, as already announced. Dr. Victoria Edwards, Professor Sir John Marsh, the noble Lord, Lord Soulsby of Swaftham Prior and Professor Michael Winter have agreed to serve as members.

  The Terms of Reference are:

  To inquire into:
  the practical aspects of different types of hunting with dogs and its impact on the rural economy, agriculture and pest control, the social and cultural life of the countryside, the management and conservation of wildlife, and animal welfare in particular areas of England and Wales;
  the consequences for these issues of any ban on hunting with dogs;
  how any ban might be implemented; and
  to report the findings to the Secretary of State for the Home Department.

  Biographical Details of Members are:
  Lord Burns—formerly Permanent Secretary to Her Majesty's Treasury (1991–98), and Chief Economic Adviser to the Treasury and Head of the Government Economic Service (1980–91).
  Dr. Victoria Edwards FRICS FAAV—Principal lecturer in Land Management and Departmental Research Director, University of Portsmouth (since 1989); Non-executive Board Member:
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  Countryside Agency (since 1998) and Forestry Commission (1999) and Member, Advisory Councils of, School of Rural Economy and Land Management, Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester (since 1996).
  Professor Sir John Marsh CBE—Emeritus Professor of Agricultural Economics, University of Reading, Department of Agricultural and Food Economics (since 1997); Member of Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Minister's Independent Advisory Group (since 1997); Chairman, Agricultural Wages Board (1991–99) and Director of the Centre for Agricultural Strategy (1990–97).
  Lord Soulsby of Swaftham Prior MA (Cantab) PhD DSc DVM DVSM FAMS FRCVS—Emeritus Professor of Animal Pathology, University of Cambridge; President, Royal Society of Medicine; Chairman: Veterinary Advisory Committee, Horserace Betting Levy Board (1985–97); Chairman, Animal Research Grants Board (1986–89); and President, Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (1984–85).
  Professor Michael Winter—Professor of Rural Economy and Society, Cheltenham and Gloucester College of Higher Education (since 1993), Member, Policy Committee, Council for Protection of Rural England (since 1998); Member, two Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Regional Agri-Environmental Forums (since 1996) and Director, Centre for Rural Studies, Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester (1987–93).

  Jury Trial
  Mr. Marshall-Andrews
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many and what percentage of defendants who opted for trial by jury in either-way offences and pleaded guilty at the Crown court were committed together with co-defendants who contested indictments at the Crown court, in the most recent year for which figures are available; [99562]

  (2) how many and what percentage of defendants who opted for trial by jury in either-way offences and pleaded guilty in the Crown Court pleaded guilty to (a) charges or (b) counts different from those upon which they were committed, in the most recent year for which figures are available; [99563]

  (3) how many and what percentage of defendants who opted for trial by jury in either-way offences and pleaded guilty at the Crown court received sentences at the Crown court which could not have been passed by the committing magistrates court, in the most recent year for which figures are available. [99561]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  In 1998, 42 per cent. of the 40,000 defendants who pleaded guilty to either-way offences in the Crown court received sentences which could not have been passed by the committing magistrates courts. These figures relate both to cases directed by the magistrates and to those where the defendant has elected; it is not possible to separate them.

  The other information requested is not collected centrally.

  Departmental Estate
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his estimate is of the value of land and buildings, both leasehold and freehold, held by his core Department (i) in Scotland, (ii) in the United Kingdom, (iii) overseas and (iv) in total; and what is the value of(a) plant, machinery and vehicles, (b) IT and communications equipment and systems and (c) other taxable fixed assets. [99821]
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  Mr. Straw
  [holding answer 26 November 1999]: Currently, the core Home Office holds land and buildings, both leasehold and freehold, valued at £92,462,000, all of which are in England and Wales.

  Plant, machinery and vehicles are valued at £12,077,000; Information Technology and communications systems and equipment are valued at £12,633,000; and other tangible fixed assets are valued at £7,368,000.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his estimate is of the value of land and buildings (i) in Scotland, (ii) in the United Kingdom, (iii) overseas and (iv) in total held by(a) the UK Passport Agency, (b) the Forensic Science Service, (c) the Fire Service College, (d) the Prison Service and (e) each of the non-departmental public bodies within his Department's responsibility; and what is the value of other assets held by these bodies. [99822]

  Mr. Straw
  [holding answer 26 November 1999]As of 31 March 1999, the estimates of the value of land and buildings and other assets held by the United Kingdom Passport Agency, the Forensic Science Service, the Fire Service College and the Prison Service are set out in the table. All land and buildings are held in England and Wales.

  £000

  Land and buildings

  Other assets

  United Kingdom Passport Agency

  —

  1,646

  Forensic Service College

  16,227

  12,207

  Fire Service College

  10,591

  8,065

  Prison Service

  4,225,200

  90,500

  Unfortunately, information on assets held by the Home Office's non-departmental public bodies is not centrally available and will need to be collected. I will write to the hon. Member when the information is available to me.

  Detention Centre, Oakington
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when planning permission was obtained for the proposed detention centre at Oakington; what conditions were attached to the permission by the planning authority; and which of those conditions his Department does not intend to accept. [101340]

  Mrs. Roche
  Planning permission was obtained from South Cambridgeshire District Council on 10 November 1999. The Council proposed the following "conditions":After three years, the use will be discontinued unless in the third year the Secretary of State notifies to the Local Planning Authority the need for a further year (and so on on a yearly basis) and shall take account of representations made by the Local Planning Authority when any such extensions are proposed;
  There shall not be accommodated at the Centre any persons known to have committed within the last five years any criminal offence which if committed in England and Wales would be an imprisonable offence;
  There shall not be accommodated at the Centre any persons known to have an infectious, notifiable disease;
  No detainee shall be allowed to leave the Centre other than under escort;
  The site of the Centre shall not be extended nor anything built thereon without further consultation under Circular 18/84; Crown land and Crown development;
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  Detainees not deported will not be placed in South Cambridgeshire District;
  The number of detainees shall not materially exceed 400; and
  For so long as the Centre is in use, the Secretary of State shall cause to be set up a Local Liaison Committee consisting of Home Office representation, a representative of the operators, the Local Planning Authority and the local communities. The Local Liaison Committee shall meet as often as is requisite but at least annually to discuss, avoid and resolve any local community problems arising out of the use of the site as an immigration reception centre.
  My officials will shortly be writing to South Cambridgeshire District Council to confirm Home Office acceptance of the planning issues and to indicate that we broadly agree with the other points.

  Police Recruitment (Graduate Scheme)
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the ethnic balance of successful candidates in the police accelerated scheme for graduates. [101600]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Graduate Liaison Office of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary makes strenuous efforts to attract applications to the Accelerated Promotion Scheme for Graduates (APS(G)) from high calibre graduates, irrespective of background. However, there is still some way to go to improve the numbers and quality of ethnic minority candidates and their subsequent success at the various stages of the selection process.

  The ethnic balance of the APS(G) was examined in the context of an ongoing review of the Scheme. A number of recommendations are under consideration including the way in which the Scheme is marketed, the possible appointment of a Graduate Liaison Officer with a specific responsibility for ethnic minority candidates, and the setting of targets for ethnic minority recruitment.

  The Assessment and Consultancy Unit (ACU), which designs and monitors the final assessment centre selection for the scheme, has already let a contract for an Equal Opportunities audit of this part of the process. ACU is also committed to conducting follow-up research on candidates who do join the scheme, with a view to validating the selection process and informing the qualities which should be sought in good applicants from any background.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ensure that cultural questions facing Police Accelerated Scheme for Graduates candidates are not discriminatory. [101601]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Selection for the APS(G) involves several stages, with preliminary selection taking place in police forces. The Home Office issues guidance to all forces on the conduct of their Force Boards, with specific reference to ensuring fairness to all applicants.

  The final assessment centre (known as the Extended Interview) involves a wide range of tests and exercises, designed to give every candidate maximum opportunity to demonstrate his or her competencies and also to promote maximum objectivity in assessment. All assessors receive training from the Assessment and Consultancy Unit for

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  this task, and the Director and Co-Directors of Police Extended Interviews monitor the process to ensure consistent standards and fairness. Every effort is made to ensure that the questions and tests used are not unfair to any group of candidates. Before being used at assessment centres, new exercises are trialled with typical samples of the candidate population, including ethnic minority candidates.

  A contract for an equal opportunities audit of the extended interview process has recently been let in order to obtain an independent assessment of the fairness of the process and to identify areas for further improvement.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letters to him dated 9 August, 16 September and 14 October from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Briken Qinami. [101806]

  Mrs. Roche
  I am very sorry my right hon. Friend has not received a reply to his letters. I will be writing to him shortly.

  National Black Police Association
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what message he sent to the inaugural meeting of the National Black Police Association. [101598]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I sent two messages of support to the inaugural meeting of the National Black Police Association. One was a written message that was printed in the conference programme. The other was a short video message, which was shown at the conference.

  In both messages, I set out the Government's continued commitment to tackling racism and promoting equality of opportunity, as well as my support for the work and aims of the National Black Police Association.

  I thanked the police service as a whole for the way in which they have responded quickly, not only to the message of the Lawrence report, but to the recommendations. I also sent my congratulations to the National Black Police Association for all they have achieved during the past 12 months. I made it clear that, if we are to achieve our shared vision; not only of a police service that is representative of the community it serves, but also one that positively celebrates within its ranks and attitudes the diversity of society, then we must all work together.

  Road Accidents
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the contribution that modern technology can make to speedier on-the-scene accident analysis to reduce congestion after road collisions. [101683]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Work in this field, particularly on the use of precision photographic techniques from which precise accident measurements can be derived, is being taken forward by the police service.

  Criminal Justice (Mentally Disordered People)
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the National Schizophrenia Fellowship's reports "Picking up the Pieces: Mental Illness and the Criminal Justice System" and "The National Diversion/Liaison Scheme Register"; and if he will implement the recommendation that mental health awareness skills should be part of a minimum training package for all police officers. [100808]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Government welcome the publication of these reports, which discuss important aspects of managing the response to mentally disordered people who come into contact with the criminal justice system. Effective local inter-agency arrangements around the country are essential if their needs are to be addressed properly. The Home Office and Department of Health are working together to encourage local agencies and services to develop the most suitable arrangements in the light of local circumstances. I understand that police officers in both the Metropolitan Police and other forces in England and Wales receive formal training on mental illness as part of their probationer training. It is open to chief officers to provide additional training on this subject if there is a particular need for it.

  City Status
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects an announcement on which towns have been granted city status. [101967]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Her Majesty the Queen has said that she intends to mark the Millennium by a grant of city status and a competition was announced in May of this year with a closing date of 1 September. No date has yet been set for the announcement of the result.

  Asylum Seekers
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the Scottish local authorities which have responded to his Department's request, for the purposes of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1999, to identify accommodation that they regard as suitable for asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement. [101707]

  Mrs: Roche
  Discussions are ongoing with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, with regard to identifying accommodation for asylum seekers in connection with the new arrangements for support under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. Responses from individual local authorities are being treated as confidential at this stage.

  Police Disciplinary Notices
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many senior police officers in Cleveland have been served with Regulation 6 disciplinary notices in connection with Operation Dollar; and if he will make a statement. [102090]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 6 December 1999,Official Report, column 392W.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Football
  Mr. Grogan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the football matches which are in category A under Part IV of the Broadcasting Act 1996 as amended. [102096]

  Janet Anderson
  All matches in the finals tournament of the FIFA World Cup and the European Football Championships, the FA Cup Final and the Scottish FA Cup Final (in Scotland) were included as Group A events in the list of events maintained under Part IV of the Broadcasting Act 1996 which was announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 25 June 1998,Official Report, column 601W. The revised list had effect from that day.

  Lottery Terminals
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what discussions he had with the National Lottery Commission prior to the announcement that existing lottery terminals will be required to be replaced in the event of a new operator being appointed to run the national lottery; [102142]

  (2) what estimate he has made of the cost of replacing all existing lottery terminals; [102141]

  (3) what estimate he has made of the cost to the Good Causes Fund of writing off the value of existing lottery terminals. [102140]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  The decision to require the successful applicant for the new National Lottery licence to install new terminals was taken by the National Lottery Commission. I had a meeting with the National Lottery Commissioners on 29 November 1999 at which they briefed me on the contents of the announcement made the following day. The Commission is independent of Government and neither I, nor any other Minister, had any say in this decision.

  The National Lottery Commission has a statutory responsibility to ensure that the National Lottery is run with all due propriety, to protect the interests of players, and subject to satisfying those two criteria, to maximise the amount the Lottery raises for good causes. The Commission took the view that a competition is the best way to ensure that the amount raised for good causes is maximised, and therefore insisted on new technology for National Lottery terminals to remove an obstacle to competition.

  I have made no estimate of the cost of replacing the existing National Lottery terminals.

HEALTH

  General Medical Council
  Mr. Caton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to improve Governmental supervision of the work of the General Medical Council. [100738]
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  Ms Stuart
  We have stated our commitment to professional self-regulation of the healthcare professions, provided such arrangements can be modernised to offer patients appropriate protection.

  We will work with the professions, the regulatory bodies, the National Health Service and patient representative groups to strengthen the existing systems of professional self-regulation by ensuring that they are open, responsive and publicly accountable.

  The General Medical Council is making good progress in its proposals to introduce arrangements for the revalidation of doctors' registration. These will be underpinned in the NHS by arrangements for continued professional development announced in "A First Class Service" and the Chief Medical Officer's proposals for the annual appraisal of all NHS doctors announced in "Supporting doctors, protecting patients". The same document set out the modern principles of professional self-regulation against which the General Medical Council and other bodies will be judged.

  Children in Care
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures the Government are taking to strengthen the role of the corporate parent to ensure that looked-after children reach their full potential. [100735]

  Mr. Hutton
  On 21 September 1998, we launched the £375 million three-year Quality Protects Programme which is designed to improve the management and delivery of children's social services. There is a particular emphasis on improving the life chances of children looked after by local authorities.

  Chief executives have an important responsibility for ensuring that their council acts as corporate parents to the children in their care and that all council departments play their part in the implementation of Quality Protects. Chief executives are required to approve the Quality Protects Management action plan and to ensure that it is not seen solely as a Social Services document.

  As part of the Quality Protects programme the Department for Education and Employment and the Department of Health have jointly drafted guidance on the education of children looked after by local authorities. This is specifically aimed at assisting local authorities in their role of corporate parent to promote and support the education of their looked-after children.

  Elected councillors have a vital role to play in ensuring that Quality Protects has the corporate commitment needed to deliver good life chances for vulnerable children. The Government in partnership with the Local Government Association have recently sent a Guide on Quality Protects to all councillors reminding them of their corporate parent responsibilities and giving guidance on their role in implementing Quality Protects.

  We believe that local authorities' responsibilities towards young people in and leaving care should correspond more closely to those of responsible parents. That means providing more support and assistance for children beyond the age of 16. The Children (Leaving Care) Bill, which had its Second Reading in the House of Lords on 7 December, will change the system to give young people the support they need and deserve in

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  preparing for and leaving care. Young people in and leaving care should be able to expect this from their corporate parent.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what resources the Government are planning to set aside to provide training for foster carers and residential care staff about the education system and on ensuring that children in their care are in appropriate education. [100721]

  Mr. Hutton
  We are providing £2 million funding through a sub-programme in the training support programme (TSP) in 1999–2000 for training foster carers, with emphasis being put on the attainment of level 3 of the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) Award "Caring for Children and Young People". This award contains a unit of competence entitled "Promote and Maximise Educational Opportunities and Achievements for Individual Children and Young People", which describes best practice in supporting children and young people to sustain and/or access educational or learning opportunities, or return to education. It is intended to continue this sub-programme for the next two years at the same rate.

  The TSP also includes a £2.5 million sub-programme for residential child care staff to attain their level 3 NVQ in the "Caring for Children and Young People" award. This programme will also continue for the following two years but will rise to £3 million next year.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of this year's school leavers who are looked after by local authorities are in(a) further or continuing education, (b) employment and (c) training. [100737]

  Mr. Hutton
  Information on the education of looked-after children is not currently collected centrally. The Department has established a new statistical collection to obtain information of this kind from local authorities in England. The first figures will be published during 2001.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many looked-after children(a) have statements, (b) are placed in day special schools, (c) are placed in residential schools and (d) are in schools for children with educational and behavioural difficulties. [100733]

  Mr. Hutton
  At 31 March 1999, about 1,000 looked-after children were placed in residential schools. Information on the numbers of looked after children attending day special schools or schools for educationally and behaviourally difficult children is not collected centrally. The Department has established a new statistical collection to obtain information on outcome indicators for looked-after children, including the numbers with statements of special educational needs. The first figures will be published during 2001.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many local authorities have a designated post with responsibility for the education of looked-after children. [100736]

  Mr. Hutton
  The information requested is not available centrally.
  626W
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what targets, including GCSE targets, the Government are setting for looked-after children. [100619]

  Mr. Hutton
  We have set National Priority Performance Target no. xiii:"Improve the educational attainment of children looked after by local authorities, by increasing to at least 50 per cent. by 2001 the proportion of children leaving care at 16 or later with at least a General Certificate of Secondary Education or General National Vocational Qualification; and to 75 per cent. by 2003".
  The Quality Protects programme sets out national objectives for improving children's services. Objective 4 focuses on improving the educational outcomes for children looked after
  "to ensure that children looked after gain maximum life chance benefits from educational opportunities, health care and social care".
  There are a number of sub-objectives towards bringing the overall performance of looked-after children in National Curriculum tests closer into line with local children generally.

  The Department has established three new statistical collections to obtain information about the education, training and employment of looked-after children, both while they are in care and after they have left care. The first figures on educational attainment will be published in the autumn of 2000.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government plan to take to reduce the number of moves in care for looked-after children. [100732]

  Mr. Hutton
  We are committed to ensuring that children should have as stable an experience as possible while looked after by local authorities. Stability of carer is essential for a child to have a successful outcome from care. The three-year Quality Protects programme, launched in September 1998, has as one of its key objectives to increase the choice of adoption, foster and residential placements for looked-after children because, without a good choice, inappropriate placements are made, which result in placement breakdown. Placement choice is a priority area for expenditure of the children's social services special grant in 1999–2000 and remains a priority for 2000–01. A significant target which we set out in the National Priorities Guidance is for local authorities to ensure that the number of children looked after who have three or more placements does not exceed 16 per cent. by 2001.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government are taking to ensure that local authorities have adequate data on the educational achievements attained and choices post-16 of looked-after children. [100734]

  Mr. Hutton
  One of the projects within the Quality Protects programme is working with local authorities to determine their basic information requirements for managing and planning children's services. This is exploring both the specification of the data requirements and the systems used to collect and analyse them. Information on the educational attainment of children looked after, and indeed children in need more generally, will certainly be included along with other outcome
  627W
  measures of children's welfare. The improvement of management information is one of the priorities for expenditure of the children's social services special grant.

  Children in Care (Kent)
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children were placed for foster care in Kent by each London borough in the last year for which figures are available; and what the equivalent figures were for the last three years. [101720]

  Mr. Hutton
  The information requested is not available centrally. The Department is aware, however, that Kent county council is reporting difficulties with the availability of sufficient foster placements, and one possible factor is the number of looked-after children being placed in Kent by London boroughs. The social services inspectorate is currently discussing this issue with directors of social services in London.

  The Department has introduced a range of initiatives to improve the recruitment and retention of foster carers nationally. Through the Quality Protects programme a key objective is to increase the choice of adoption, foster and residential placements for children in care. Significant additional moneys have been made available to local authorities to increase the level of training for foster carers, and we have also recently announced the development of a national advertising campaign to recruit more foster carers.

  Mental Health Act Detainees (Deaths)
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Mental Health Act Commission will publish data on the deaths of detained patients; and if he will make a statement. [101065]

  Mr. Hutton
  Validation of the data for the first two years of systematic collection—February 1997 to January 1999—has taken longer than expected and is still ongoing. The numbers involved in this study are very small for statistical purposes. A preliminary review of the data has indicated that adding a third year's data—February 1999 to January 2000—will increase the strength of the data considerably and increase the possibility that general conclusions may be drawn from the overall study. The Mental Health Act Commission aims to publish a report on the deaths of detained patients by May 2000.

  Strokes
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many individuals were treated by each specialist stroke unit in each of the last five years; and what is the average cost for treating an individual in a specialist unit; [100868]

  (2) what percentage of those who are registered disabled are disabled as a result of a stroke. [100871]

  Mr. Denham
  The information is not available in the format requested.

  The Effective Health Care Bulletin of March 1992 on stroke rehabilitation shows that 100,000 first strokes occur in Britain each year. We do not collect figures for the numbers of strokes which cause disability but not death; however, in broad terms there are around 120,000 people
  628W
  in the United Kingdom each year who have a stroke, there are about 56,000 deaths, and of those who survive beyond four weeks about half are left with a significant disability.

  NHS Dentistry (Bolton)
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will pilot the phone and go National Health Service dental access centres in Bolton. [101318]

  Mr. Hutton
  Expressions of interest for the third wave of phone and go dental access centres are currently being considered. There are no plans at present to pilot a centre in Bolton.

  Care Homes
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans he has to ensure that registration authorities for care homes will be required to(a) list staff registered with the General Social Care Council and (b) list staff not registered with the General Social Care Council, in annual inspection reports published by registration authorities; [101899]

  (2) when he proposes to place proposed legislation for his General Social Care Council before the House; and when he plans for it to become operational; [101901]

  (3) if he will create a new quality standard mark that care homes can display in their promotional material to indicate that all staff are registered with a national organisation; [101898]

  (4) what duty will be imposed on managers of care homes to register their staff with his planned General Social Care Council. [101900]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Care Standards Bill, which includes legislative proposals for the General Social Care Council, was introduced into another place on 2 December 1999. We intend to establish the General Social Care Council on 1 April 2001.

  We intend that the General Social Care Council will have the power to open a register for social care staff. In order to register with the Council an individual worker will need to have completed satisfactorily a period of training approved by the Council and to have satisfied the Council as to his or her being otherwise competent and safe to practice in social care.

  When the Government believe that it will be a further safeguard to the public to restrict certain jobs to workers who are registered with the Council my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will seek to make regulations for that purpose. Meanwhile there are no plans to offer a logo that can be displayed by care homes to indicate that staff are registered with the Council. The Care Standards Bill also contains proposals to create the National Care Standards Commission to register and regulate care homes. Registration with the Commission will be an appropriate indication that standards of quality are being monitored in a care home by a Government-sponsored body.

  There are no plans to include information about staff registered with the General Social Care Council in inspection reports by the National Care Standards Commission.

  Agency Nurses
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the NHS paid for agency nurses in 1998–99, broken down by NHS region. [101968]

  Mr. Denham
  The information requested is not available centrally.

SCOTLAND

  GM Food
  Mr. David Heath
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the research funded by his Department into genetically modified food and crops giving(a) the research project title, (b) the project reference number, (c) the research contractors, (d) the date on which the research was completed or is due to be completed and (e) the date on which the results will be published. [101754]

  Dr. Reid
  The specific matters raised are devolved and are now for the Scottish Parliament.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Primary Education
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when she plans to meet Government leaders of developing countries to discuss their commitment to improving primary education. [100872]

  Clare Short
  We are committed to the International Development Targets of achieving universal primary education by 2015 and gender equality in primary and secondary schooling by 2005. In my meetings with representatives of developing country governments, I take every opportunity to discuss their commitment to, and progress in, achieving these targets.

  I will participate in the World Forum on Education in Dakar next April and will try to ensure that we make the most of this opportunity to reaffirm the commitment to the world community to the educational vision and principles of Jomtien. At Dakar we will assess the progress that has been made since Jomtien and will pay particular attention to analysing why some countries, including some of the poorest, have managed to achieve considerably more than others. We hope to achieve a strong commitment from the North and the South to the implementation of strategies for achieving effective education for all by 2015.

  EC Reconstruction Programmes
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what is her policy on the establishment of an agency charged with the implementation of European Community reconstruction programmes, as set out in the Cologne Presidency Conclusions. [101106]

  Clare Short
  My Department's policy is to encourage the EC to devolve more authority from Brussels to its overseas delegations. This should improve the EC's630W
  responsiveness to beneficiary countries and its co-ordination with other donors. I therefore fully support the establishment of an EC agency responsible for the delivery of long-term reconstruction assistance to Kosovo. This agency will have its operational centre in Pristina and administrative headquarters in Thessaloniki. We will monitor the agency to ensure that it is effective and based on sound economic principles.

  Southern Africa
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding her Department has provided to the regional action programme on small arms in southern Africa. [101928]

  Clare Short
  Last year we funded a seminar which drafted the regional action programme on small arms, subsequently endorsed by US/SADC Ministers in Vienna.

  We have also made a grant of up to £80,000 available to Saferworld and the South African Institute for Security Studies to enable them to help all interested parties in taking this programme forward.

  We will continue to support the effort to reduce the number of small arms in Southern Africa.

  Commonwealth Development Corporation
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on progress towards creation of the Commonwealth Development Corporation public private partnership. [102476]

  Clare Short
  CDC was transformed into a public limited company (with the name "CDC Group plc") on 8 December. I will place copies of the company's memorandum and articles of association, and of its investment policy and statement of business principles, in the Library of the House.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Entry Clearance Officers
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what audit is done on the performance and operation of entry clearance officers in British embassies and consulates. [101910]

  Mr. Vaz
  The performance and operation of individual entry clearance officers (ECOs) in overseas Posts is assessed in the first instance by their Entry Clearance Managers (ECMs). ECMs are required to review all refusal decisions taken by ECOs within 24 hours, and to review a percentage of visas issued within a defined timescale.

  In common with all FCO staff, ECOs, both UK based and locally engaged, receive annual appraisals of performance which are carried out by Line Managers.

  As part of the overall management of the entry clearance operation overseas, the FC0's Migration and Visa Division (MVD) monitors key performance indicators from data sent by overseas posts in monthly and annual statistical returns.
  631W
  The data allow the Division to monitor and analyse Posts' and ECO's performance to ensure that best use is being made of available resources.

  In addition, MVD carries out operational reviews of Entry Clearance Sections. These, together with Reviews carried out by Internal Audit teams and the Management Consultancy Service of the FCO, provide a further means of monitoring the performance of Entry Clearance staff and Posts.

  The Independent Monitor (Asylum and Appeals Act 1993), Dame Elizabeth Anson DBE, JP, DL, also carries out independent checks of applications refused which do not carry a right of appeal. Her Annual Report is laid before Parliament.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what training is made available to foreign nationals working in the entry clearance offices of British embassies and consulates. [101911]

  Mr. Vaz
  All entry clearance officers, regardless of nationality, attend an initial three week training course in London.

  Locally engaged clerical staff and other support staff receive desk training in their overseas Posts supplemented by distance learning packages supplied by the FCO. Many also benefit from attendance on our three day regional training courses conducted in all regions of the world on a three year cycle by visiting training staff from London. Where numbers merit it, separate training is provided for interpreters.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Tony Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of whether investing in the National Ignition Facility is consistent with Britain's obligations under(a) the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and (b) the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty; and if he will make a statement. [102130]

  Mr. Hain
  HMG are fully committed to fulfilling our obligations under the NPT and the CTBT. This investment is fully consistent with those obligations and will ensure that the United Kingdom has the capability to underwrite the integrity of our nuclear warheads without recourse to nuclear testing.

  Mr. Tony Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had with colleagues prior to the Government's decision to invest in the National Ignition Facility; and if he will make a statement. [102129]

  Mr. Hain
  None. The decision to invest in the National Ignition Facility was taken by the Secretary of State for Defence.

  Ghana
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made on human rights issues to the Government of Ghana in the last two years; and if he will make a statement. [101974]
  632W
  Mr. Hain
  Over the last two years, we have regularly raised our concerns over the Trokosi system with the Ghanaian Government and with the Ghanaian High Commissioner in the UK. We maintain contact with the Commissioner for Human Rights and Administrative Justice in Ghana and have supported projects promoting human rights. We continue to monitor the human rights situation and welcome information from NGOs on human rights in Ghana.

  Departmental Salaries
  Mr. Grieve
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what currency the total of each salary paid to employees of his Department is expressed on his Department's computer systems. [102066]

  Mr. Hain
  Details of salaries paid to UK based staff are not held on the FCO's computer systems. Salary calculations are carried out by use of a private sector bureau. Employee pay slips show net salaries in sterling and the equivalent Euro amount.

  Arms Brokers
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Ministry of Defence on the establishment of an arms broker company list; and if he will make a statement. [101925]

  Mr. Hain
  The Government are considering the question of controls on the involvement of UK persons in the trafficking or brokering of arms and other goods controlled for strategic reasons as part of the review of the proposals in the White Paper on Strategic Export Controls of July 1998, in the light of comments made by respondents to the White Paper. The Government will announce proposals for new export control legislation following conclusion of the review.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement concerning last month's meeting of the Working Group on Arms Exports on the issue of the control of arms brokers. [101927]

  Mr. Hain
  The CFSP Working Group on Conventional Arms Exports met on 25 November and discussed a range of issues relating to arms transfers, including possible controls on trafficking and brokering. There was widespread recognition of the need for EU member states to give serious attention to the problem of trafficking and brokering. Member states also acknowledged, however, the potential difficulties of uniform EU-wide action, given their different national approaches to regulation of the arms trade and to the question of extraterritorial legislation, as well as the need to consider the inter-pillar implications of any new controls. The Working Group agreed to exchange further views on how to take forward discussion of this issue under the Portuguese Presidency. The UK will continue to play a constructive role.

  Indonesia
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Indonesian Government regarding West Papua and Aceh. [101924]
  633W
  Mr. Battle
  We maintain a regular dialogue with the Indonesian Government through which we discuss a range of issues, including the situations in Irian Jaya and Aceh. Our Embassy in Jakarta monitors closely events in Irian Jaya and Aceh, including by periodic visits to the provinces. Teams from the Embassy last visited Irian Jaya and Aceh on 25 November-2 December and 22–24 November respectively, where they met senior officials, opposition leaders, non-governmental organisations and human rights groups. I last met the Ambassador on 25 November and discussed these matters with him.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  General Commissioners of Income Tax
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department for what reasons the Acton and Kensington Advisory Committee on Appointment of General Commissioners of Income Tax has been without a chairman since 1997. [101724]

  Jane Kennedy
  The Acton and Kensington Advisory Committee on General Commissioners of Income Tax has been without a chairman since 1997 following the failure of the Committee to recommend a successor. The work of the Committee is being undertaken by the Lord Chancellor's Department while arrangements for the future are being considered.

  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many general commissioners of income tax there were in the Acton and Kensington area on(a) 1 April 1996, (b) 1 April 1997, (c) 1 April 1998 and (d) 1 April 1999. [101725]

  Jane Kennedy
  The number of general commissioners of income tax in the Acton and Kensington area on the dates specified were:

  1 April 1996–40

  1 April 1997–40

  1 April 1998–40

  1 April 1999–39.

  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many of the advisory committees on appointment of general commissioners of income tax in England and Wales are without chairmen. [101726]

  Jane Kennedy
  There are three without chairmen: Dyfed Ceredigion Advisory Committee, Acton and Kensington Advisory Committee and Westminster and Southwark Advisory Committee.

  Bilateral Concordat (Scotland)
  Mr. Sarwar
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he expects to publish the bilateral concordat between the Lord Chancellor's Department and the Scottish Executive. [102478]

  Jane Kennedy
  I am pleased to announce that my noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor and the Deputy First Minister and Minister for Justice have agreed the text of the Concordat between the Lord Chancellor's Department and the Scottish Executive. Copies of the 634W
  Concordat have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses, and the text is available on the Lord Chancellor's Department website (www.open.gov.uk/lcd—see 'What's New?').

  I hope that the Concordat will mark the beginning of a fruitful and co-operative working relationship between the Department and the Executive.

PRIME MINISTER

  Rural Economies
  Mr. Woolas
  To ask the Prime Minister when he will publish the Performance and Innovation Unit's report on rural economies. [102550]

  The Prime Minister
  The Performance and Innovation Unit report "Rural Economies" will be published tomorrow and copies will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

CABINET OFFICE

  Task Forces
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what rules apply to the selection and conduct of appointees to Government Task Forces. [100893]

  Mr. Stringer
  Task Forces are set up to report on a specific issue within a specified timescale. There are no formal rules relating to the selection and conduct of appointees. Members are drawn from the public and private sectors, and are appointed for their particular knowledge, hands-on experience and/or expertise.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what has been the cost of setting up and servicing the Task Forces established by the Government since 2 May 1997. [100895]

  Mr. Stringer
  The information requested is not held centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Individual Ministers are responsible for decisions to establish Task Forces within their area of responsibility. In most cases, members of Task Forces are unpaid with Departments meeting out-of-pocket expenses only.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) how many Task Forces have been set up since 2 May 1997; [100896]

  (2) if she will list by department the names of people appointed to sit on Task Forces established since 2 May 1997. [100894]

  Mr. Stringer
  Details of Task Forces established since May 1997 have been deposited in the Library. Those Task Forces which are classified as Non-Departmental Public Bodies are excluded from the table as information on them is published in the annual "Public Bodies" publication. The table provides the name of the Chairman of individual Task Forces as well as a breakdown of membership between the private, public and voluntary sectors. More detailed information on the individuals appointed to each Task Force is not held centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

TREASURY

  Financial Services (Self-regulation)
  Mr. Love
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many financial services company staff have been disciplined by the regulator in each of the last 10 years; how many of those staff lost their employment as a result; and if he will make a statement. [99640]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The number of individuals disciplined by the self-regulatory organisations since 1990 are as follows:

  Calendar year

  Number

  1990

  3

  1991

  5

  1992

  13

  1993

  10

  1994

  34

  1995

  22

  1996

  38

  1997

  35

  1998

  24

  1999 (to date)

  17

  Total

  201

  Formal disciplinary action against individuals by the self-regulatory organisations can take several forms. These include public reprimand, fine, imposition of conditions on employment or termination or suspension of an individual's personal registration.

  These numbers do not include instances of shortcomings among other staff which have been dealt with by other internal corrective procedures within their employer firms. Such action can, for instance, include retraining or even dismissal. The regulators do not monitor the number of staff dismissed as a result of their disciplinary action.

  Minimum Wage
  Mr. Jim Murphy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the impact on tax revenues of the national minimum wage. [101304]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 6 December 1999]: The Government have provided evidence to the Low Pay Commission, which is due to report by the end of the year on the initial impact of the National Minimum Wage. A copy of this evidence is available in the House of Commons Library.

  Mr. Jim Murphy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many people he estimates have benefited from the national minimum wage in(a) Scotland, (b) Wales, (c) Bristol, (d) Greater London, (e) Cornwall, (f) the West Country and (g) Cumbria; [101302]:

  (2) how many public sector workers have benefited from the national minimum wage. [101303]

  (3) how many unskilled workers he estimates have benefited from the national minimum wage. [101306]

  (4) how many families he estimates have benefited from the national minimum wage. [101305]
  636W
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answers 6 December 1999]The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.

  Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Jim Murphy, dated 9 December 1999:
  The Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been asked to reply to your four recent parliamentary questions about people who have benefited from the national minimum wage. I am replying in Dr. Holt's absence.
  Definitive estimates on the number of people that have benefited from the national minimum wage are not yet available. Currently available estimates for assessing the effect take data from both the New Earnings Survey and the Labour Force Survey and adjust them for known limitations in each. However, the latest adjusted estimates are based on data for the spring (March—May) 1999 Labour Force Survey and this period spans the introduction date for the national minimum wage legislation. As a result, the adjusted estimates may be giving a misleading picture of the effect of the minimum wage legislation since employees might legitimately have been earning below the minimum wage rates in March 1999.

  The currently available estimates were published in an ONS First Release on 14 October and show that the number of people earning below the minimum wage rates fell significantly between 1998 and 1999. A copy of this first release will be available in the House of Commons Library.

  Funerals
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to regulate the pre-payment of funerals. [102122]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Treasury is still considering the responses to the consultation it held earlier this year and will announce its decision in due course.

  Public Interest Immunity Certificates
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many public interest immunity certificates each Treasury Minister has signed since May 1997(a) in respect of and (b) at the request of, which Department, board and agency; and on what dates. [101812]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Treasury Ministers have signed no public interest immunity certificates since May 1997.

  Working Families Tax Credit
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many top rate taxpayers will be eligible to receive the Working Families Tax Credit in the next financial year; [101810]

  (2) how many households with an income of over £25,000 will be eligible to receive the Working Families Tax Credit in the next financial year. [101813]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 5 July 1999,Official Report, column 419W.

  Taxation (Administrative Costs)
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the administration costs associated with collecting VAT in each of the last five years. [101906]
  637W
  Dawn Primarolo
  The administrative costs of collecting VAT are shown in the published Annual Report of the Commissioners of Customs and Excise, at Table B, and are described as the "Cost of Collection of VAT". The costs given include running and non running costs and are net of Appropriations in Aid.

  The figures for 1994–95 are shown in the Annual Report for the year ending March 1996. 1995–96 and 1996–97 figures are shown in the Annual Report for the year ending March 1997. 1997–98 and 1998–99 figures are shown in the Annual Report for the year ending March 1999.

  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the administration costs to the Inland Revenue, incurred in assessing eligibility for each(a) income tax and (b) corporation tax (i) relief, (ii) threshold and (iii) allowance in each of the last five years. [101907]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Breakdowns of the administrative costs are not readily available in the detail requested.

  Details of the total costs of administering the Inland Revenue Department can be found on p.53 of the Board of Inland Revenue's Annual Report and the costs of administering each of Income Tax and Corporation Tax, expressed as a ratio of the tax collected can be found in Table 1 (p.33) of the Report.

  A copy of the Annual Report can be found in the Library.

  Tax Allowances
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the Treasury in the(a) 1996–97 and (b) 1997–98 tax years of the individual basic tax allowance. [101904]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The costs of the income tax personal allowance in 1996–97 and 1997–98 were published in table 1.6 of the 1997 and 1998 editions of "Inland Revenue Statistics", copies of which are available in the Library. These figures exclude the costs of the extra element for those aged 65 and over and do not cover individuals who are not on Inland Revenue records because their income is below the personal allowance.

  Bilateral Concordats
  Mrs. Lawrence
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to publish the bilateral concordats between his Department, the Scottish Executive and the Cabinet of the National Assembly for Wales. [102477]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  I am pleased to announce that the texts of the Concordats between the Treasury and the Scottish Executive, and the Treasury and the Cabinet of the National Assembly for Wales, have been agreed 638W
  between the parties. Copies have today been placed in the Libraries of both Houses, and the texts will be available on the Treasury's website.

  Economic and Monetary Union
  Mrs. Lawrence
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the outcome of the most recent meeting of the Standing Committee on Preparations for EMU. [102549]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The most recent meeting of the Standing Committee took place on 18 November 1999. I have arranged for copies of the minutes to be placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Ghana
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the level of(a) bilateral, (b) private sector and (c) multi-lateral debts with Ghana for each of the past five years; and of this what proportion has been (i) written off and (ii) repaid. [101975]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The World Bank publication "Global Development Finance: Country Tables 1999" gives the following figures on Ghanaian debt for 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997. The latest available year data are not provided on debt write off.

  Figures US$ million

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  Level of debt

  Bilateral

  916

  1,060

  1,140

  1,121

  1,075

  Private Sector

  308

  387

  450

  430

  437

  Multi-lateral

  2,404

  2,700

  2,971

  3,118

  3,179

  Amount US$ million

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  Principal repayments

  Bilateral

  27

  50

  43

  46

  34

  Private Sector

  47

  61

  80

  98

  108

  Multi-lateral

  41

  51

  73

  54

  51

  Interest repayments

  Bilateral

  28

  27

  12

  35

  27

  Private Sector

  14

  19

  6

  27

  26

  Multi-lateral

  41

  35

  40

  42

  40

  Small Businesses
  Helen Jackson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the impact of recent tax announcements on small businesses. [100539]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The effects of the tax announcements are shown in the relevant tables of the Red Book. A number of these measures are of particular benefit to small businesses.

  Lord Chancellor's Department and Scottish xecutive Concordat
  Lord Chancellor's Department and Scottish xecutive Concordat
  Northern Ireland: Small Firms Capital Allowance
  Northern Ireland: Small Firms Capital Allowance
  Kosovo
  Kosovo
  East Timor
  East Timor
  Universal Primary Education
  Universal Primary Education
  WTO Negotiations: Poorest Developing Countries
  WTO Negotiations: Poorest Developing Countries
  Sierra Leone
  Sierra Leone
  General Pinochet
  General Pinochet
  Female Circumcision
  Female Circumcision
  Police Vehicle Recovery
  Police Vehicle Recovery
  Emergency Services
  Emergency Services
  Wheel Clamping on Private Land
  Wheel Clamping on Private Land
  Criminal Justice (Mode of Trial) Bill
  Criminal Justice (Mode of Trial) Bill
  Attorney-General: Role as Government Spokesman on Bills
  Attorney-General: Role as Government Spokesman on Bills
  Kensington and Chelsea Voters Register
  Kensington and Chelsea Voters Register
  Gaming Legislation
  Gaming Legislation
  Firearms Consultative Committee: Annual Report
  Firearms Consultative Committee: Annual Report
  Legislation against Terrorism: Consultation Paper
  Legislation against Terrorism: Consultation Paper
  Home Office and Scottish Executive Concordat
  Home Office and Scottish Executive Concordat
  Hunting with Dogs Inquiry
  Hunting with Dogs Inquiry
  MoD and Scottish Executive and Welsh Assembly Concordats
  MoD and Scottish Executive and Welsh Assembly Concordats
  Eighteen year-olds in Full-time Education
  Eighteen year-olds in Full-time Education
  Ian Brady
  Ian Brady