Written Answers of 14 December 1999

DEFENCE

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy in respect of the storage on private land of nuclear weapons by companies involved in their manufacture. [102524]

  Mr. Hoon
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 7 December 1999,Official Report, column 457W. Nuclear weapons are constructed on Ministry of Defence land and remain in the ownership of the Ministry of Defence at all times.

  Mr. Tony Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what briefing the United Kingdom Government have received from the US Government on their sub-critical nuclear test programme. [102128]

  Mr. Hoon
  Under the auspices of the 1958 UK/US Mutual Defence Agreement the UK and the US have regular exchanges on aspects of nuclear warhead stockpile stewardship. These have included briefings on the scope and outcome of US sub-critical experiments carried out at the nevada Test Site. Precise details of these exchanges are being withheld under exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  Apache Helicopter
  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects(a) the first Apache helicopter to be flying in the United Kingdom and (b) the first squadron to be available for deployment on operations. [101861]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: The first WAH-64 Apache helicopter flew in the UK on 26 August 1999. Several trial flights have been conducted since. The nine aircraft required to equip the first squadron are expected to be delivered by December 2000. There will then follow a period of training after which the squadron will be ready for deployment.

  Kosovo
  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which NATO multiple-role aircraft took part in both combat air patrols and ground attack missions over Kosovo. [102248]

  Mr. Hoon
  No Royal Navy or Royal Air Force aircraft were dual-roled for combat air patrols and ground attack missions during the Kosovo air campaign.

  Although I can confirm that a number of NATO aircraft committed to Op Allied Force did have a multi-role capability, given the size and complexity of the operation it is not possible to provide details of which NATO multiple role aircraft took part in both combat air patrols and ground attack missions over Kosovo.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Leisure and Tourism (River Thames)
  Mr. Darvill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what qualifications or experience each of the senior managers of London River Services have relating to the provision of leisure and tourism services on the River Thames; [102117]

  (2) what independent economic studies have been undertaken to assess the impact on the leisure and tourism industry of the reintroduction of river bus services on the River Thames. [102120]

  Mr. Hill
  The promotion of the River Thames for tourism and leisure purposes is an important part of our objective of improving and enhancing the use of the river. London Transport's subsidiary, London River Services Ltd. (LRS), has done excellent work in taking forward this objective and I am confident that it fully shares our appreciation of the role of the importance of continuing to provide high quality services for tourists. In this context my hon. Friend may wish to note that LRS is now seeking membership of the London Tourist Board in its own right.

  The management team of LRS has extensive experience and expertise in the tourism and leisure markets and LRS is also able to draw on London Transport's experience and specialist staff.

  It is for LRS to decide whether it needs independent advice on the implications of individual licence applications for new services. However, I understand that it has in place measures to evaluate the impact on existing operations before new licences are awarded.

  Housing Green Paper
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will publish the Housing Green Paper. [102030]

  Mr. Mullin
  We intend to publish a Housing Policy Green Paper in due course. The Green Paper will build on our achievements in housing to ensure that everyone is offered the opportunity of a decent home and so promote social cohesion, well-being and self-dependence.

  Council Leaders (Criminal Offences)
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list by(a) name, (b) local authority and (c) political party those local council leaders who have been (i) charged with and (ii) convicted of criminal offences since 1997. [101966]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  This information is not held centrally. We have introduced in the other place a Bill to set up a new tough ethical regime, complimenting the criminal justice system, which will ensure the highest standards of conduct in local government in England and Wales.

  Ghana
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what
  95W
  (a) ministerial and (b) official visits to Ghana have been undertaken by his Department in each of the last five years. [101973]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 9 December 1999]: There have been four such visits:

  In May 1995, two officials visited Ghana for Air Services Talks;

  In 1996, one official undertook a visit to assess how the host state was assisting UK carriers in meeting their security obligations;

  In May 1997, two officials visited Ghana for Air Services Talks;

  In September 1999 the Minister for the Environment and two officials attended the North-South Environment Ministers meeting at Elmina.

  Solar Heating Panels
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the number of houses constructed in the last five years which contain solar heating panels; and if he will make a statement. [102353]

  Mr. Mullin
  Detailed information of this kind is not held centrally. We understand that, in total, around 2,000 solar heating systems per year are typically being installed throughout the UK. My Department's Energy Efficiency Best Practice Programme, in encouraging good building design, advocates the incorporation of solar heating in appropriate cases. And the Department of Trade and Industry is working closely with the Solar Trade Association and others to promote good practice, to disseminate well-informed advice about solar heating and to support appropriate training.

  Bus Services
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what powers he has to require bus companies to run services on public holidays; and if he will make a statement. [102178]

  Mr. Hill
  The Secretary of State has no such powers. The majority of bus services outside London are operated commercially by private bus operators. Levels of service are partly a matter for operators, subject to the requirement that local bus services must be registered in advance with the Traffic Commissioner; he can take action against any operators who fail to run their services as registered. However, local authorities have the powers to let subsidy contracts for the provision of services which are not being provided commercially (on public holidays or otherwise) but which they judge to be socially necessary.

  Singapore Airlines
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the reason is for the length of time taken to respond to Singapore Airlines' request for fifth freedom rights from London Heathrow airport; and if he will make a statement. [102686]
  96W
  Mr. Mullin
  At the bilateral negotiations which took place in February 1999 my officials confirmed that we would review Singapore's request for transatlantic fifth freedom rights either when we had liberalised the air services arrangements between the UK and the United States or in January 2000, whichever was the sooner. Bilateral negotiations concerning air services are scheduled to take place with Singapore next month when their request for transatlantic fifth freedom rights will be discussed.

  Hedges
  Mr. Tony Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Government will introduce legislation to restrict the height to which(a) leylandii trees and (b) hedges will be allowed to grow next to the boundaries of properties. [102705]

  Mr. Mullin
  We are currently consulting on possible solutions to the problems caused by leylandii and other high hedges. These include both voluntary and statutory action. We hope as many people as possible will let us have their views, to help us decide whether more should be done to relieve this source of long-running and distressing neighbourhood disputes.

  Sewage Sludge
  Charlotte Atkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what guidelines and regulations are in place to regulate the disposal of sewage sludge; [102571]

  (2) what advice he has given to water companies on the disposal of sewage sludge since the banning of such waste disposal at sea. [102572]

  Mr. Mullin
  Government guidance in "Raising the Quality", which was published in September 1998 as part of the Periodic Review of water industry price limits in England and Wales between 2000–05, stated that recovering value from sewage sludge through spreading on agricultural land is the best practicable environmental option for sludge in most circumstances.

  It is for individual water companies to decide their strategy for sewage sludge recycling, recovery and disposal, taking account of the costs and environmental requirements and benefits, in discussion with the Department, the Environment Agency and the Director General of Water Services. The Director General's final determinations of water company prices for the period 2000–05, issued on 25 November 1999, take account of the environmental requirements agreed with the Government. The final determinations expect improvements in the disposal of sewage sludge, including the disposal of additional sludge due to the ban on disposal at sea in December 1998. This will cost a total of £800 million between 2000–105.

  The following regulations and guidelines are in place in England and Wales to regulate the disposal of sewage sludge:

  (i) the spreading of sewage sludge on agricultural land is regulated by the Environment Agency under the Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations 1989, which are complemented by the "Code of Practice for Agricultural Use of Sewage Sludge 1996." The Government support "The Safe Sludge Matrix" agreed in December 1998 by the water industry and major food

  97W
  retailers which introduces a range of precautionary changes in the requirements for the use of sewage sludge on agricultural land. Subject to consultation and Parliamentary approval, the Government intend to revise the Regulations and the associated Code of Practice during 2000 to place the provisions of the "Safe Sludge Matrix" on a statutory footing.

  (ii) the disposal of sewage sludge to landfill and the recovery of sewage sludge for the ecological improvement of non-agricultural land is controlled under Part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Waste Management Licensing Regulations 1994.

  (iii) the disposal of sewage sludge by incineration is regulated by the Environment Agency through the Integrated Pollution Control system under Part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Further guidance is contained in the "Chief Inspector's Integrated Pollution Control Guidance Notes 1996." The proposed EC Waste Incineration Directive, currently under negotiation, will apply to sewage sludge incinerators and is likely to be implemented through powers under the Pollution Prevention and Control Act 1999, which will shortly supersede Part I of the 1990 Act.

  Wild Birds
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what plans he has to strengthen legislation protecting wild bird species(a) in general and (b) with particular reference to the species hard hit by the illegal trade to Malta; [102250]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the effect of the illegal wild caught bird trade on British bird species; what steps are currently being taken to protect British species; and if he will make a statement. [102251]

  Mr. Mullin
  The UK's obligations to conserve wild birds under the EC Wild Birds Directive are fulfilled by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Section 1 of the Act makes it an offence to take birds from the wild and to possess a native species of bird unless it can be shown to be legally acquired. Furthermore, section 6 of the Act strengthens these controls making it an offence to sell, offer for sale, possess or transport for sale, any wild bird.

  All illegal trade in wildlife is a matter of concern. The Countryside Amenity and Conservation Bill will give extra powers for the prosecution of all wildlife criminals and wildlife law enforcement will be boosted by tougher measures such as custodial sentences. In addition, we are actively discussing with the Joint Nature Conservation Committee what further measures might be appropriate to protect threatened species, including points arising from the review of the schedules affording protection to species under the Act.

  The most recent information on levels of bird-related crime is the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds' report "Birdcrime 1998". This report shows that incidents reported to the RSPB of illegal trapping, sale and possession of both bird of prey species and other bird species have declined in the last five years. Of the incidents concerning non-bird of prey species, the majority concerned finches.

  In view of reports of illegal trade in wild birds, namely finches, to Malta the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, which is responsible for providing export health certificates, has introduced new inspection procedures to help prevent future smuggling of "caught" wild birds.

  Aquatic Animals
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make it his policy for the forthcoming wildlife and countryside Bill to cover aquatic animals; and if he will make a statement. [102253]

  Mr. Mullin
  The Countryside Amenity and Conservation Bill will include provisions to protect Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and on Wildlife Enforcement, both of which will significantly improve species protection, although not aimed specifically at aquatic species. Wildlife crime, including crime relating to aquatic species, will be punishable by tougher measures such as custodial sentences.

  In addition to these provisions we are actively discussing with the Joint Nature Conservation Committee what further measures might be appropriate to protect threatened species including aquatic species. Work is under way on proposals, including points arising from the review of the schedules affording protection to species under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, with a view to issuing a consultation document next year.

  Small Cetaceans
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to assess the impact of small, fast, personal watercraft on the behaviour and welfare of small cetaceans; and if he will make a statement. [102254]

  Mr. Mullin
  The issue of the use of personal watercraft was covered in the report of the Inter-Departmental Working Party on the Review of Byelaw Powers for the Coast, published by DETR in October 1998. This discussion paper highlighted a number of gaps in the coverage of existing byelaw powers, most notably with regard to protecting the environment. The working party recommended that local authorities should be given a general power to regulate coastal recreation activities which are outside the responsibility of other relevant authorities, for the purpose of protecting the wider environment. In addition, harbour authorities are able to seek harbour revision orders for environmental purposes. We have given a long-term commitment to introduce legislation to take forward those recommendations in the review which require changes to the law.

  Since 1990 the UK has funded the UK Cetaceans Strandings Investigation Project, under which post mortems are carried out on stranded cetaceans to determine cause of death. There is no indication that collision with personal watercraft is a significant cause of death of cetaceans. However the Government are aware that recreational activities, including the use of personal watercraft, has the potential for disturbing cetaceans. As a result of this the Government published in March 1999 the guidelines "Minimising disturbance to cetaceans from recreation at sea". As highlighted in the species action plans for the harbour porpoise and for small dolphins, these guidelines are scheduled for review next year, and account will be taken of the increased use of personal watercraft.

  Standard Spending Assessments
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list the changes made each year in determining Standard Spending Assessments for shire district councils since their inception, including changes made in the weighting given to different factors; [102426]

  (2)if he will list the changes made each year in determining Standard Spending Assessments for shire counties since their inception, including changes made in the weighting given to different factors. [102427]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  Changes in the method of determining Standard Spending Assessments are summarised in the relevant editions of the "Standard Spending Assessments Handbook", "Standard Spending Assessments Authority by Authority", and "Standard Spending Assessments Guide to Methodology", copies of which are in the Library. For the most recent years, the information is contained in circular letters to local authorities, dated 2 December 1997, 2 December 1998 and 25 November 1999, copies of which are in the Library. For convenience, copies of the relevant extracts have been placed in the Library. The Standard Spending Assessments formulae, including the weightings given to the factors, are set out in the relevant "Revenue Support Grant Distribution (Amendment) Report (England)" or "The Local Government Finance Report (England)".

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the Standard Spending Assessment per head of population in(a) the local authority area containing the constituency of North-East Derbyshire and (b) the City of Westminster; and what are the estimated figures for 2000–01. [102431]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  (a) The Standard Spending Assessment per head of population figures for authorities which fall partly or wholly within the constituency of North-East Derbyshire are as follows:

  £

  1999–2000

  Provisional 2000–01

  Chesterfield

  95

  99

  North East Derbyshire

  76

  79

  Derbyshire CC

  640

  673

  Derbyshire Police

  53

  54

  It is not possible to calculate an area figure for any parliamentary constituency unless its boundary corresponds exactly with a local authority district boundary.

  (b) The revenue support grant per head of population figures for Westminster are as follows:

  £

  Westminster

  1999–2000

  1,153

  Provisional 2000–01

  1,162

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list the percentage changes in(a) standard spending
  100W
  assessments and (b) revenue support grant for (i) shire counties and (ii) shire districts between the settlement for 1999–2000 and his proposed settlement for 2000–01, ranked and numbered in descending order; [102428]

  (2) if he will list for 2000–01 the value per head of population of the proposed (a) revenue support grant and (b) standard spending assessments for (i) shire district councils and (ii) shire counties, ranked and numbered in descending order. [102429]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  Tables showing these figures have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the revenue support grant per head of population in(a) the local authority area containing the constituency of North East Derbyshire and (b) the City of Westminster; and what are the estimated figures for 2000–01. [102430]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  (a) The revenue support grant per head of population figures for authorities which fall partly or wholly within the constituency of North East Derbyshire are as follows:

  £

  1999–2000

  2000–011

  Chesterfield

  35

  34

  North East Derbyshire

  15

  13

  Derbyshire CC

  247

  241

  Derbyshire Police

  16

  14

  1Provisional

  It is not possible to calculate an area figure for any parliamentary constituency unless its boundary corresponds exactly with a local authority district boundary.

  (b)The revenue support grant per head of population figures for Westminister are as follows.

  £

  1999–2000

  2000–011

  Westminster

  601

  575

  1Provisional

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what changes will be made to the standard spending assessments of each shire district council in 2000–01 as a result of their enhanced population figures; and if he will rank and number the changes in descending order. [102387]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The information requested will be calculated and placed in the Library of the House shortly.

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the standard spending assessment for 2000–01 for each shire county local education authority divided by the number of pupils and ranked and numbered in descending order. [102721]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The following table shows the ranked education standard spending assessment per pupil figures for shire counties.
  101W

  Provisional 2000–01 Education Standard Spending Assessment per pupil—shire counties (in descending order)

  Local authority

  Education SSA (£/pupil)

  Ranking

  Hertfordshire

  2,864

  1

  East Sussex

  2,848

  2

  Essex

  2,831

  3

  Kent

  2,831

  4

  Surrey

  2,810

  5

  Oxfordshire

  2,794

  6

  Buckinghamshire

  2,787

  7

  Durham

  2,778

  8

  Bedfordshire

  2,768

  9

  Cornwall

  2,758

  10

  Norfolk

  2,746

  11

  West Sussex

  2,740

  12

  Lancashire

  2,730

  13

  Lincolnshire

  2,724

  14

  Cumbria

  2,715

  15

  Devon

  2,714

  16

  Northumberland

  2,713

  17

  North Yorkshire

  2,683

  18

  Nottinghamshire

  2,680

  19

  Suffolk

  2,676

  20

  Shropshire

  2,665

  21

  Hampshire

  2,664

  22

  Northamptonshire

  2,657

  23

  Somerset

  2,646

  24

  Cambridgeshire

  2,644

  25

  Dorset

  2,642

  26

  Wiltshire

  2,634

  27

  Gloucestershire

  2,631

  28

  Derbyshire

  2,613

  29

  Warwickshire

  2,610

  30

  Cheshire

  2,602

  31

  Worcestershire

  2,599

  32

  Staffordshire

  2,580

  33

  Leicestershire

  2,556

  34

  Pupils are the sum of Pupils aged 4, 5–10, 11–15, and 16† as defined in the Draft Local Government Finance Report.

  Privatised Ports Police
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what responsibilities private police forces in(a) ports and (b) airports have under airports and aviation security laws. [102435]

  Mr. Mullin
  In the main, airport authorities employ either their own staff or, more usually, contract security companies to carry out security duties at airports required by the Department under the Aviation Security Act 1982, as amended by the Aviation and Maritime Security Act 1990 (AMSA). However, Belfast International Airport employs its own police force, numbering about 50. Police officers' duties include perimeter security, patrolling the airport restricted zone and controlling access at one staff checkpoint to the restricted zone. In addition, they will respond to any incidents.

  The ports of Belfast, Larne, Liverpool, Bristol, Dover and Tilbury, covered by the AMSA legislation, have private police forces. Each port makes its own arrangements for the use of Ports police, and these vary between the ports.

  In addition, Felixstowe, which is not covered by the AMSA legislation, employs private ports police to carry out its own security functions.

  London Underground
  Mr. Moore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the letter of engagement was signed and when the completed work was delivered for the PricewaterhouseCoopers report, "London Underground: Bond Financing vs The PPP". [102644]

  Mr. Hill
  PricewaterhouseCoopers was formally appointed by London Transport to provide financial advice to LT and Government with respect to the London Underground Public Private Partnership on 18 August 1998. Its report, "London Underground: Bond Financing vs The PPP", was completed in December 1999.

  Mr. Moore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what fee is payable to PricewaterhouseCoopers for its report, "London Underground: Bond Financing vs The PPP", which was deposited in the Library on 8 December; [102673]

  (2) how many chargeable hours were incurred by PricewaterhouseCoopers in the preparation of its report, "London Underground: Bond Financing vs The PPP", which was deposited in the Library on 8 December. [102672]

  Mr. Hill
  PricewaterhouseCoopers generated this report as a small part of its standard advisory work on the Public Private Partnership. It is not possible to identify separately the costs involved, but they can accordingly be expected to be small.

  Mr. Moore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will provide the detailed assumptions and calculations used by PricewaterhouseCoopers in the preparation of its report, "London Underground: Bond Financing vs The PPP", which was deposited in the Library on 8 December. [102671]

  Mr. Hill
  The PricewaterhouseCoopers report already includes notes explaining the basis for its assumptions and calculations.

  Bus Employees' Pension
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how much has been spent on legal fees relating to the Bus Employees Superannuation Trust and National Bus Pension Fund by(a) his Department and (b) the Government as a whole; [102645]

  (2) when the members of the Bus Employees Superannuation Trust and National Bus Pension Fund are likely to receive the £356 million which he announced on 15 June would be returned to them; what the reasons are for the delay in making the payments; and if he will make a statement; [102646]

  (3) when the £356 million which the Government are returning to the members of the Bus Employees Superannuation Trust and National Bus Pension Fund was handed over to the trustees for eventual distribution. [102647]

  Mr. Hill
  The previous Government decided to fund litigation by the National Bus Company pension trustees following a decision by the Pensions Ombudsman. This litigation was concluded with the approval by the High Court on 30 July of the terms of a negotiated settlement. Expenditure by my Department on legal and other costs related to the litigation has been £1,965,000. Of this,
  103W
  costs incurred by the trustees were £1,723,000 and the Department's costs were £242,000. These figures cover the costs of the litigation. I do not have information on any costs incurred by other Government Departments in connection with the NBC issue.

  The Government paid the settlement sum—£355.7 million—over to the trustees on the day of the High Court's decision.

  Responsibility for deciding on, and implementing, the distribution of the settlement amongst those eligible to receive a share of it must remain entirely with the NBC pension trustees. This is a substantial and complex task. However I am sure the trustees will be seeking to complete it as quickly as possible.

  Organophosphates (Aircrew)
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans his Department has to identify potential health hazards to civilian aircraft flight officers, cabin crews and passengers from exposure to organophosphate lubricants, in relation to the incident involving a BAe 146 aircraft in Sweden on 12 November; what steps have been taken by the Health and Safety Executive to improve precautions against such exposure since August; and if he will make a statement. [102802]

  Mr. Mullin
  The incident referred to involved an American manufactured engine on a Swedish registered aircraft. The UK authorities are not therefore involved in the investigation of the incident. A fault was identified with the engine which has now been returned to the United States for examination by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) in conjunction with the manufacturer and British Aerospace. It is far too early to say whether this incident involved an oil leak or any exposure to organophosphate contamination.

  I have nothing further to add to the statement on Organophosphates in aircraft engine lubricants made by my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Environment, Transport and the Regions, the hon. Member for Hampstead and Highgate (Ms Jackson) on 6 May 1999, Official Report, column 434W.

  Rates Revaluation
  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to announce the decapitalisation rates to be used in non-domestic rates for the 2000 revaluation. [102849]

  Ms Armstrong
  In August we published in a consultation paper our proposals on the decapitalisation rates to be used in non-domestic rates for the 2000 revaluation. The proposal to prescribe the rates was widely supported and, after considering the points made to us, we have decided to retain the current rates of 5.5 per cent. for most properties and 3.67 per cent. for educational, health care and Ministry of Defence properties.

  However, many respondents felt that the proposal to prescribe rates for only certain types of properties could lead to increased uncertainty. As a result, the benefits of the prescribed rates could be lost. Therefore, after reconsidering this, we have decided that the prescribed
  104W
  rates should apply to all properties assessed on the contractors basis of valuation. This continues the arrangements currently in force for the 1995 rating list.

  Regulations implementing this decision will be made shortly.

  Local Government Act 1999
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to publish guidance to best value authorities on how they might meet the requirements of Part I of the Local Government Act 1999; and if he will make a statement. [102850]

  Ms Armstrong
  I am publishing today statutory guidance under the provisions of sections 5 and 6 of the Local Government Act 1999 and other guidance on how authorities should carry out their responsibilities under part I of the Act.

  Best Value has a key role to play in modernising local government. It will drive up standards, encourage innovation and promote competition. It will make a vital difference to the quality and effectiveness of local services and put local people first. The guidance will help local authorities implement Best Value, beginning with the publication of their Best Value Performance Plans on 31 March 2000. It follows widespread consultation with local government, the Trades Union Congress, the Confederation of British Industry and other key partners.

  Copies of this guidance, DETR Circular 10–99, are being placed in the Libraries of both Houses, together with a list of the respondents.

  Housing Standards
  Angela Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to replace the housing fitness standard with a health and safety based rating system. [102881]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Government remain committed to developing a rating system as a replacement for the current housing fitness standard. The basic principles of the system are now well established and have received widespread support. Additional piloting with local authorities is being carried out and the consultants' report is now expected in February or March. If we are satisfied that the system will be both robust and practical we will aim to roll it out from next Spring. This would allow time for a training programme for environmental health officers to be set up and enable local authorities to adopt the principles of the new system in parallel with the existing fitness regime. Enforcement action based on the new system would require primary legislation. I hope to bring forward legislation at the earliest opportunity.

  Development Plans
  Angela Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to publish new guidance on the preparation of development plans. [102904]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Following the public consultation on a draft earlier this year, I have today published a revision of Planning Policy Guidance note 12—Development
  105W
  Plans (PPG12). This sets out new procedures to improve the delivery of development plans in England. PPG12 provides a strategic overview of the role and importance of development plans within the planning system. It stresses the need for plans to be prepared and up-dated more quickly and efficiently; emphasises that plans should be clear and succinct; and highlights the importance of integrating sustainable development and transport with land-use policies in development plans.

  As a further measure to improve the delivery of development plans, Town and Country Planning (Development Plan) (England) Regulations 1999 have been laid before Parliament today, and are due to come into force on 4 January. These regulations will provide a statutory framework for the new development plan procedures. In addition, my Department has published two new codes of practice for the public explaining the procedures for both structure plans, and for local plans and Unitary Development Plans.

  This package of measures to improve the delivery of development plans confirms the Government's commitment to the plan led system and is an important step towards our objective of modernising planning. I have arranged for copies of PPG12 and the codes of practice to be placed in the House Libraries.

  Housing Corporation
  Dr. Palmer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement about the forthcoming Finance Management and Policy Review of the Housing Corporation. [102973]

  Mr. Raynsford
  As part of the Government's programme of regular five-yearly finance, management and policy reviews of non-departmental public bodies my Department will conduct a thorough review of the Housing Corporation beginning today. The first stage of the review will take the form of a "prior options" study. This will assess the extent to which the Housing Corporation's functions are necessary for the achievement of the Government's policies, and whether there is scope for contracting out or transferring all or part of its functions to another body.

  The progress made by the Housing Corporation since the previous review in 1995 will be examined and the results of that examination and of the prior options study will inform a detailed review of the Housing Corporation's policy and financial management systems. The review will look particularly at the effectiveness of the Corporation's regulatory framework for registered social landlords, its arrangements for making informed decisions on investment in social housing and ways of stimulating improved performance in the registered social landlord sector.

  To minimise the uncertainty the prior options study will cause, I expect that study will be completed in April 2000 and the conclusions published shortly afterwards. The time required for the more detailed review cannot be foreseen, but I would expect it to be complete by autumn 2000 followed by publication of the conclusions.
  106W
  An advisory group including members from bodies with an interest in the Housing Corporation's work has been set up and the Department will be seeking the views of a wide range of bodies which deal with the Housing Corporation.

  Drink Driving
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will make a statement on the number of reported incidents there were of drink driving in the last 12 months, broken down by region; [101916]

  (2) what recent assessment he has made of the increased incidence of drink driving over recent Christmas and new year holiday periods. [101917]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I have been asked to reply.

  Statistics of screening breath tests and the number positive or refused are published annually in "British Test Statistics, England and Wales", a Home Office Statistical Bulletin. The 1998 edition, Issue 16/99, was published on 9 September 1999, and contains figures for each police force area. Figures for each month of the year are also shown, December being the nearest to the Christmas and the new year period in the statistics held centrally. (The Association of Chief Police Officers has continued to monitor this period, but in recent years only in terms of tests given after collisions).

  Figures for 1999 are not yet available.

  A copy of the bulletin referred to is in the Library.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Council Tax Benefit
  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) when the consultants' review on the impact of the introduction of the changes to Council Tax Benefit Regulations will be published; and if he will make a statement; [101040]

  (2) if he will list the local authorities which have taken part in the consultants' review of the impact of the changes to Council Tax Benefit Regulations. [101039]

  Angela Eagle
  In March 1999 we commissioned independent researchers to monitor the effects of the Council Tax Benefit (CTB) restriction introduced in April 1998. Because of the complexities of the research involving a small, tightly specified group of CTB claims and their corresponding council tax accounts and the interrogation of two IT systems, we began with a feasibility study. In July 1999 we decided that there was just enough evidence to suggest that local authorities (LAs) would be able to provide us with the required information to assess whether the research was practical.

  We originally approached 55 local authorities with a view of obtaining data from 40. However, so far we have only received data from 22 authorities, and in some cases these are partial data. On the whole, participating LAs have sought to co-operate but have encountered difficulties and delays in extracting usable data. Currently we do not have enough data of sufficient quality to carry out reliable analyses. Therefore, we are planning to write

  107W
  again to the 33 local authorities who have not yet provided data to ask them to help us. At this stage, therefore, we cannot be precise about the research and publication details.

  Participation in social research conducted on behalf of the Department is entirely voluntary; this applies to individuals and organisations. In order to encourage involvement and ensure as representative a picture as possible, we protect the confidentiality of respondents. As we provide a contractual assurance that participants, including local authorities in this case, will not be identified, we cannot list the names of authorities which have taken part in the review of the impact of changes to the Council Tax Benefit Regulations. However, individual local authorities may choose to indicate they have participated.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on his proposals to reform Housing Benefit. [102094]

  Angela Eagle
  We are committed to driving forward improvements in the benefit services authorities provide, so that they are faster, more accurate and more secure, while also achieving value for money and taking account of the views and needs of local people.

  We are already working towards this aim. For example we have introduced a regime which requires more rigorous verification and checking, (including a legal requirement which involves establishing a person's identity). In addition, over 200 local authorities have already joined the Royal Mail "Do Not Redirect" scheme, to prevent fraudulent claimants submitting benefit claims from false addresses.

  From next April the Best Value regime will be introduced. This will drive up standards of service delivery in local authorities through a series of challenging targets against key areas of performance.

  We will present further proposals for reform of the Housing Benefit scheme in a Green Paper in due course. This will further tackle the weaknesses of the system we inherited.

  Pensions
  Miss Kirkbride
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to allow personal pension fund holders to purchase fixed-term annuities as an alternative to life annuities. [102188]

  Mr. Rooker
  There are no plans to allow personal pension fund holders to purchase fixed term annuities as an alternative to life annuities. An essential feature of a pension is that it provides a guaranteed income for the rest of the pensioner's life. A fixed term annuity would not achieve this and would run the risk of leaving pensioners without any source of income in their later years.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the entitlement period for family credit payments; and if payments are made (i) in arrears or (ii) in advance of an entitlement period. [102493]
  108W
  Angela Eagle
  Family Credit benefit weeks run from Tuesday to Monday. If the date of the claim is a Tuesday, entitlement begins then. Otherwise, entitlement begins on the first Tuesday following the date of claim. The entitlement period is for 26 weeks. There are two main methods of payment, Automated Credit Transfer (ACT) and order book.

  ACT payment is made in arrears on the last working day in each four-week period for the duration of the 26 week period. Payment by order book payment is made weekly in arrears each Tuesday.

  Working Families Tax Credit, which is administered by the Inland Revenue, replaced Family Credit from 5 October 1999. It has the same entitlement period.

  Benefit Agency Standards Committee
  Barbara Follett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the appointment of members of the Benefits Agency Standards Committee has been completed. [102907]

  Angela Eagle
  I am pleased to announce that membership of the Committee under the chairmanship of Dr. Peter Lehmann has been agreed.

  The Committee's independence has been assured by the appointment of seven independent non-executive members alongside two operational executives from the Benefits Agency. The membership reflects a diversity of background and experience. The full list of members together with short pen pictures of each has been placed in the Library.

  The Committee will report directly to the Benefits Agency Chief Executive providing him with independent assurance on standards of decision making in the Agency, as well as making recommendations for continuous improvement in the quality of that decision making.

  Asbestos-related Disease
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 29 November 1999,Official Report, column 58W, on asbestos-related disease, if he will publish the advice he received from the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council on awards for bilateral diffuse pleural thickening. [101621]

  Mr. Bayley
  The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council Report "Asbestos Related Diseases" (Cm 3467), was published in November 1996. A copy is in the Library.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Airport Police
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what responsibilities he retains in relation to the oversight of(a) security of airports in Northern Ireland and (b) management of the Northern Ireland Airport Police; and what responsibilities are devolved. [102440]

  Mr. Ingram
  As policing and security are reserved matters for administration by this Government, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
  109W
  has retained all of his current responsibilities for the oversight of security at Northern Ireland airports and management of the Northern Ireland Airport Police. None of these responsibilities are being devolved at this time to the new Northern Ireland Assembly.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what undertakings were given by the purchasers at the time of the privatisation of the Northern Ireland International Airport in relation to the future management and independence of the Northern Ireland Airport Police; and what scrutiny has been conducted since as to the performance of these undertakings. [102441]

  Mr. Mandelson
  Responsibility for this subject has been devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly and is therefore no longer a matter for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  British Diplomatic Posts (Costs)
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the annual running costs in the last year for which figures are available of(a) the United Kingdom's embassies in the EU, (b) the British Embassy in Washington DC, (c) the British Consulate General in San Francisco and (d) the British embassies and consulates in the USA in total. [102444]

  Mr. Hain
  The running costs (in pounds sterling) for 1998–99 are as follows:

  Countries

  £

  (a) Embassies in the EU

  Austria

  1,624,989

  Belgium

  1,613,336

  Denmark

  1,979,145

  Eire

  2,021,151

  Finland

  1,622,182

  France

  8,311,896

  Germany

  5,334,710

  Greece

  3,020,542

  Italy

  5,689,673

  Luxembourg

  904,600

  Netherlands

  2,377,494

  Portugal

  2,223,375

  Spain

  5,850,231

  Sweden

  1,917,642

  Total

  44,490,966

  (b) British Embassy Washington DC

  14,288,628

  (c) Consulate General San Francisco

  634,434

  (d) USA in Total USA Total

  20,720,979

  The costs of the Embassies include spend, incurred at post, on behalf of their subordinate posts.The figures given are purely the cash element charged to the posts in question.

  No support costs have been included.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Under-Secretary of State for Home Department, the hon. Member for North Warwickshire (Mr. O'Brien) will reply to the hon. Member for New Forest, West's letter of 7 October regarding Mr. Dahunsi. [102423]

  Mr. Vaz
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: The hon. Member for New Forest, West's letter of 7 October, addressed to Mr. O'Brien at the Home Office, was forwarded to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for reply and was received in the Visa Correspondence Unit on 25 October. The Unit replied to the hon. Member on 8 December.

  Hong Kong
  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what will be the status of the 1984 Sino-British Joint Declaration on the question of Hong Kong after the Joint Liaison Group ceases to meet on 1 January; and if he will make a statement. [102905]

  Mr. Battle
  The Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong is a treaty registered at the United Nations which creates international rights and obligations for both parties to it. The Joint Declaration has no termination date, although China has made an explicit commitment that its basic policies on Hong Kong, which include maintaining Hong Kong's capitalist system and way of life, will remain unchanged for 50 years from 1 July 1997. Under paragraph 7 of the Joint Declaration, China committed herself to abide by all her commitments in the Joint Declaration.

  Her Majesty's Government will continue to take a close interest in developments in Hong Kong and to report to Parliament on the implementation of the Joint Declaration.

  Kosovo
  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the proposed export of electrical firing cable to the HALO Trust in Kosovo. [102906]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Government have granted a licence for the export to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) of 7 x 500m lengths of electrical firing cable for use by the HALO Trust, an organisation engaged in humanitarian demining activities in Kosovo on behalf of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). These goods are on the UK's Military List.

  UN Security Council resolution (UNSCR) 1160 imposed an arms embargo on the FRY. The only exception to this embargo is that in UNSCR 1244, which provides that prohibitions imposed by UNSCR 1160 shall not apply to the sale or supply of arms and related material for use by the international civil and security presence in Kosovo. We have notified the UN Sanctions Committee of this export and they have raised no objection. The export of the equipment required for demining purposes is not prohibited by the EU arms embargo.

  Chechnya
  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is his policy to encourage the Government of Russia to negotiate with the Government of Chechnya; and if he will list the names of those who are able to represent Chechnya. [102258]

  Mr. Vaz
  In all our contacts with the Russian Government we have pressed them to pursue a negotiated solution with the elected Chechen authorities, including Chechen President Maskhadov, and to use the good offices of the OSCE.

  Gibraltar
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to Spain about the incident on 29 November when a Gibraltarian was prevented entry into Spain on the basis that as a British passport holder he could not drive a Gibraltar-registered car; what undertakings have been received from Spain that similar actions will not occur again; and if he will make a statement. [102434]

  Mr. Vaz
  We are aware of the incident at the border on 29 November and understand that a report was made to the Royal Gibraltar Police. We understand that the individual concerned was able to cross the border into Spain.

  We regularly make clear to the Spanish authorities their obligations to operate the border in a way consistent with their EC obligations on free movement of persons.

  Orphans' Visas
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the changes in charges since 1997 for visas for orphans visiting the UK for holidays from the former Republic of Yugoslavia; and if he will make a statement. [102464]

  Mr. Vaz
  The fee for a single entry visitor's visa has remained unchanged since 1995 when it was set at its current level of £33.

  There are no special charging arrangements for visitors from the former Republic of Yugoslavia.

PRIME MINISTER

  Performance and Innovation Unit
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the current work programme of the Performance and Innovation Unit including(a) the titles of all reports in preparation and their expected publication dates and (b) any further subjects due to be examined by the unit during the period 2000 to 2002. [101180]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 6 December 1999]: The Performance and Innovation Unit (PIU) is currently undertaking the following studies:
  Accountability and incentives for joined-up Government.The role of central Government at the regional and local level.Objectives for rural economies.Active ageing.The use of analysis and modelling in central Government.112W Longer term strategic challenges facing the Government.The pursuit and seizure of criminal assets.The Post Office network.Social, health, environmental and trade objectives on the global stage.Strategic options for the electronic delivery of Government services.
  The PIU aims to publish reports from the first five projects over the next two months. Decisions arising from the further projects will be made public in due course.

  Further PIU projects have not been decided.

  Institute of Public Policy Research
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the research work carried out or being carried out since 1 May 1997 on behalf of the Government by the Institute of Public Policy Research. [101730]

  The Prime Minister
  The information requested is not held centrally. However, it is a requirement that all such contracts are let in accordance with the Treasury procurement guidelines.

  Ministerial Meetings
  Mr. David Davis
  To ask the Prime Minister what arrangements he has put in place for the taking and keeping of minutes of meetings with people outside his Office. [102368]

  The Prime Minister
  Decisions on the format of records of meetings normally depend on the nature of the discussion.

  Policy Unit
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the role and responsibilities of Geoffrey Norris in his Office's Policy Unit. [102480]

  The Prime Minister
  Mr. Norris has responsibility for Trade and Industry, and Regional and Planning Policy.

  State Visits
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Prime Minister for what reasons governors general of Commonwealth states of which Her Majesty the Queen is Head of State are not invited to make State Visits to the United Kingdom. [101406]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: Inward State Visits are made only by foreign and commonwealth Heads of State. It would not be appropriate for the Queen's representative in one of Her Majesty's other Realms to pay a State Visit to the United Kingdom.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Direct Access Government Internet Service
  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he intends to upgrade the Direct Access Government Internet Service which provides business with a one-stop shop for regulatory guidance and forms. [102967]
  113W
  Ms Hewitt
  I am pleased to announce that an improved version of the service is being launched today. As well as providing business with easier access to regulatory information they will be able to register which areas of regulation they are interested in and receive e-mailed links to the latest document releases on a daily basis. The new service can be accessed at http://www.dag-business.gov.uk and will be incorporated as part of the Small Business Service from next April.

  Exports
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made by his Department towards a binding commitment on tariff-free and quota-free access for exports from the poorest 48 countries in the world. [102301]

  Mr. Caborn
  Under the UK Presidency of the European Union in 1998, the EU agreed to provide duty free access for essentially all products from the Least Developed Countries by 2005. We will be pressing the EU to fulfil this commitment as soon as possible. More generally, we will continue to call for zero tariffs to be applied to all goods from the Least Developed Countries, as my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister promised in his speech at Mansion House on 22 November.

  In addition, and notwithstanding the fact that the WTO Seattle Ministerial conference was suspended without agreement between member Governments on a new multilateral market access initiative for the Least Developed Countries, we will continue to urge other developed countries to match the EU's commitment.

  Rover
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the European Commission's response to the proposal for state aid to Rover; and if a revised proposal is being considered. [102204]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: The UK officially notified its intention to provide aid for Longbridge at the end of August 1999. A number of questions were raised by the European Commission and these questions have been fully answered. We now anticipate that the Commission may open an Article 88(2) procedure on this case. An announcement is expected shortly. Such a procedure is normal practice and allows the European Commission to consider the views of third parties. We remain hopeful of a positive outcome to the investigation.

  We are not considering a revised proposal.

  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his latest estimate of the cost of the proposed state aid to Rover. [102205]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: The offer of aid to Rover/BMW remains the same as that announced by the Secretary of State on 23 June 1999: a support package of £152 million, made up of £129 million Regional Selective Assistance (RSA), with the balance being made up by the local partners. The offer remains subject to clearance by the European Union.

  Ghana
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what export credit guarantees were made in respect of exports to Ghana in each of the last five years; how many of the guarantees have now lapsed; and how many payments have been made by the ECGD in respect of these guarantees. [101971]

  Mr. Caborn
  [holding answer 9 December 1999]: The number and value of ECGD guarantees made in respect of exports to Ghana in each of the last five years are detailed in the following table along with the payments made by ECGD in respect of these guarantees:

  Year

  Number of guarantees issued

  Value of guarantees £ million

  Payments made in each year £ million

  1994–95

  9

  132.48

  0

  1995–96

  4

  71.43

  0

  1996–97

  9

  108.92

  0

  1997–98

  2

  20.17

  2.32

  1998–99

  3

  17.65

  0.059

  1999–20001

  1

  1.01

  3.85

  1To 30 November

  Of the total value of claims paid of £6.23 million, £3.84 remains outstanding. Five of these guarantees have now lapsed.

  Horizon Project
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will place in the Library the documentation on the(a) business objectives, (b) rollout timetable, (c) costs and (d) partners of the Horizon project; and if the costs of implementation will be met by Her Majesty's Treasury or the Post Office. [101379]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  The information requested is as follows.

  (a) The objective of the revised Horizon project announced on 24 May this year, which will equip all post offices with a modem on-line electronic IT platform, is to enable Post Office Counters Ltd. to modernise existing services and attract new business to secure a viable future for the network as a whole.

  (b) The Post Office plans to complete the rollout of the Horizon platform to all post offices throughout the UK by the spring of 2001. 1,856 offices have so far been automated.

  (c) The revised Horizon project is expected to cost around £1 billion over the five year period to 2005.

  (d) The contract is between Post Office Counters Ltd. and ICL Pathway.

  (e) The Government have agreed to contribute £480 million towards the capital costs of the project. The remainder will be funded by the Post Office.

  Internal Market Council
  Mr. Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the outcome of the Internal Market Council held in Brussels on 7 December; and if he will make a statement. [102348]

  Mrs. Liddell
  I represented the UK at the Internal Market Council in Brussels on 7 December.

  There were discussions on the new Single Market Strategy, the Joint Presidency Work Programme and the Commission's Single Market Scoreboard. There was

  115W
  general support from the Council, although some member states, including the UK, were unable to endorse all the Target Actions in the Single Market Strategy. The Council agreed Conclusions on Distance Marketing of Financial Services and on the Community Customs Code.

  The Council reached political agreement on Electronic Commerce (with Belgium abstaining). The Directive sets out a legal framework for electronic commerce in the internal market, based on the principle that the legislation of the service provider's home state applies. The Council reached unanimous political agreement on amendments to a number of directives concerning mutual recognition of qualifications, and political agreement on three food Directives harmonising labelling and compositional requirements for sugar, preserved milk and fruit juice (sugar agreed by unanimity, milk by qualified majority with Belgium against, and fruit juices by qualified majority with Belgium against and Netherlands abstaining).

  The UK reported in the context of a discussion on the Takeovers Directive that talks with Spain on a general settlement of the issue of communications between Gibraltar competent authorities and counterparts in other member states were making progress.

  The Commission reported progress on public procurement, Simpler Legislation in the Internal Market (SLIM) and exhaustion of trademark rights. The Council took note of reports on the Copyright Directive, the EU Data Protection Directive, the review of chemical policy and the follow-up to the Council Resolution on standardisation.

  There was no decision on the proposed Directive on Artists' Resale Rights; although a large majority supported the Presidency proposal there was a willingness to consider alternative solutions. The Presidency, the Commission and most member states are now pressing for agreement before the end of the year.

  Food Standards
  Ms Drown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will publish the guidance he has given to the Food Standards Agency regarding the impact on its work of the World Trade Organisation Seattle round; [101650]

  (2) what representations he has received from the Food Standards Agency concerning the implications for its remit of the World Trade Organisation Seattle round. [101651]

  Mr. Caborn
  The Food Standards Agency will be formally established in spring 2000. It will be fully consulted on any changes which may be proposed to the WTO SPS Agreement (which sets out rules for trade measures to protect food safety, animal and plant health), or other WTO agreements which may have a bearing on its responsibilities.

  Parcelforce
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many parking fines were incurred by Parcelforce vehicles in(a) 1995, (b) 1996, (c) 1997 and (d) 1998; and how many Parcelforce vehicles there are currently. [101680]
  116W
  Mr. Alan Johnson
  Parcelforce does not keep records of parking fines centrally, and this information could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

  The Road Traffic Act Regulation 1984 gives local authorities the power to make traffic regulation orders to restrict parking. The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions issue guidance to local authorities to give exemptions to the Post Office when carrying out statutory duties using licensed Royal Mail liveried vehicles engaged in the collection and delivery of letters in accordance with the statutory duty of the Post Office for the conveyance of letters. There is no similar guidance for Parcelforce vehicles.
  Parking fines are being incurred by Parcelforce drivers while on delivery as a result of vehicles which are parked illegally.

  Parcelforce Worldwide currently operates a total fleet of around 7,000 operational vehicles, the main types are:

  Quantity

  Vehicle type

  500

  Articulated motive units

  600

  Trailers

  3,000

  35 tonne vans

  1,000

  75 tonne trucks

  120

  Car derived vans

  Post Office Network
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact of significant numbers of child benefit claimants switching from cash to direct bank account payments on the rural post office network; and if he will make a statement. [101328]

  Mr. John Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what estimate he has made of the impact on(a) post office incomes and (b) the viability of post offices of paying social security benefits directly into claimants' bank accounts; and if he will make a statement; [101373]

  (2) what estimate he has made of the number of post offices which would close in (a) the Vale of Glamorgan, (b) Wales and (c) the United Kingdom if social security benefits were to be paid directly into claimants' bank accounts. [101375]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  There will be no change before 2003 to existing methods of paying social security benefits, under which recipients can choose between payment by order book at a post office and payment direct to a bank account using the automated credit transfer system (ACT). Some 54 per cent. of new child benefit recipients and 47 per cent. of new pensioners currently choose to have their benefits/pensions paid by ACT. The Horizon counters automation project will equip all post offices with a modern, on-line IT platform by 2001, and will enable the Post Office to extend its existing arrangements with the high street banks under which customers of those banks—including benefit recipients—can access their accounts at post offices. This project, to which the Government have made a significant financial contribution, represents a major investment in the future of the post office network to which the Government
  117W
  remain fully committed. It will ensure that all benefit recipients who wish to do so will be able to access their benefits in cash at post offices. It will also offer other bank customers the benefits of wider availability of banking services, especially in rural areas.

  For the longer-term future, the Prime Minister has asked the Performance and Innovation Unit within the Cabinet Office to undertake a study of the contribution which post offices make to their local communities, and how the network can best contribute to Government objectives.

  Concessionary Fuel
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the cost per tonne of fuel delivered of the retired miners' concessionary fuel scheme. [102394]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The cost per tonne of fuel delivered under the retired miners' concessionary fuel scheme varies considerably between different types of fuel and different parts of the country. The weighted average cost per tonne of fuel delivered between April 1999 and November 1999, including VAT at 5 per cent., was £160.00.

  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the(a) total cost of the retired miners' concessionary fuel scheme and (b) the total number of retired miners eligible for it, in the last quarter for which figures are available. [102400]

  Mrs. Liddell
  British Coal's former employees and their dependants are eligible to benefits under the retired miners' concessionary fuel scheme in two forms, solid fuel and cash in lieu of solid fuel. In the three months September to November 1999 the total cost of the scheme was:

  (a)

  £million

  Fuel

  14.7

  Cash in lieu

  5.4

  Total

  20.1

  The number of beneficiaries eligible was:

  (b)

  Number

  Fuel

  79,752

  Cash in lieu

  78,701

  Total

  158,453

  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the level of entitlement to retired miners concessionary fuel for each of the client groups entitled to receive it. [102402]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The level of entitlement is set out in Fuel Agreements which were negotiated between British Coal (BC) and the various mining unions. The entitlements can be taken in either solid fuel or cash in lieu. The amount of solid fuel a former employee of BC, or their dependant, can receive each year varies according to the types of solid fuel, the householder status, age and location of the beneficiary.
  118W
  Typical entitlements for former industrial and clerical workers who are full householders are in the following ranges:

  Tonnes

  Housecoal

  5,000–5,100

  Anthracites

  4,100–5,000

  Manufactures smokeless fuels

  3,350–4,800

  The cash-in-lieu rates for these former grades is either £267 or £360 a year.

  ECGD
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has for the involvement of private finance in the Export Credits Guarantee Department. [102236]

  Mr. Caborn
  The Review of the Mission and Status of ECGD, which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry announced in the House on 27 July 1999,Official Report, columns 305–06W, is still in progress and it is important not to pre-judge the outcome. Once Ministers have decided what ECGD's future functions and direction should be, we will start to consider how ECGD's services can best be delivered and whether any change in its status would be required. This will include an assessment of whether all, or any part, of ECGD's operations should be privatised or contracted out. ECGD does, of course, already work closely with the private sector by issuing guarantees to banks providing finance to UK
  exporters.

  Clothing Industry
  Mr. Jim Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people were employed in Britain's clothing industry(a) in each of the past 20 years, (b) in June 1997 and (c) at the most recent date for which figures are available. [102425]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: The information is available in the table.

  Great Britain employee jobs—annual (June of each year)

  SIC(92)18 Wearing apparel

  1979

  297.0

  1980

  270.3

  1981

  234.7

  1982

  220.4

  1983

  212.7

  1984

  216.2

  1985

  218.3

  1986

  219.9

  1987

  217.1

  1988

  218.6

  1989

  210.3

  1990

  193.4

  1991

  159.1

  1992

  152.2

  1993

  154.1

  1994

  148.4

  1995

  144.5

  1996

  139.5

  1997

  138.3

  1998

  129.4

  1999

  107.7

  Notes

  1. Rounded to thousands

  2. Not seasonally adjusted
  119W

  Monthly data

  SIC(92)18

  Month and year

  Wearing apparel

  June 1997

  138.3

  September 1999

  104.3

  Source:

  Office for National Statistics

  Diamond Project
  Ms Southworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which staff grades at the(a) Daresbury Laboratory and (b) Rutherford Appleton Laboratory have been directly involved in the design of the Diamond project. [102717]

  Ms Hewitt
  It is not possible to define staff positions at the Daresbury Laboratory who will have a key role in the design and construction of the synchrotron facility. The project is a partnership involving the Wellcome Trust and the French Government and the deployment of staff has not been agreed. We recognise the expertise of the CCLRC staff and they will be involved in all stages of the project as appropriate.

  Ms Southworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will define those staff positions at the Daresbury Laboratory which will have a key role in the design and construction of the Diamond project. [102718]

  Ms Hewitt
  It is not practical to break down the effort by staff grades at the laboratories. The majority (greater than 99 per cent.) of the staff involved to date in the Diamond project are mobile grades based at the Daresbury Laboratory.

ADVOCATE-GENERAL

  Starrs Case
  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Advocate-General what estimate she has made of the additional costs expected for the legal system in Scotland as a result of the decision in the Starrs case. [101244]

  The Advocate-General for Scotland
  I have not made an estimate of these costs, as the matter does not fall within my responsibility. Administration of justice in Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Executive.

  Temporary Sheriffs
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Advocate-General when she last met the Scottish Executive's Law Officers to discuss the implications of the European Court on human rights judgment relating to temporary sheriffs. [101246]

  The Advocate-General for Scotland
  The Question of temporary sheriffs has not been the subject of a judgment by the European Court of Human Rights. It has been the 120W
  subject of a judgment by the High Court of Justiciary in Scotland. The matter is sub judice and it would not be appropriate to comment further.

  Devolution
  Ms Squire
  To ask the Advocate-General if she will make a statement on her functions and responsibilities relating to devolution issues under the Scotland Act 1998. [101247]

  The Advocate-General for Scotland
  Under the Scotland Act devolution issues are defined in Schedule 6. They relate to questions about the competence of Acts of the Scottish Parliament or things done by the Scottish Executive. For example they may be about compatibility with the Scotland Act itself, or with European Community Law or rights under the European Convention on Human Rights.

  I have powers to bring or defend proceedings raising devolution issues in the Scottish Courts or the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. If other people raise devolution issues in court proceedings in Scotland they must give notice to the Advocate-General.

  The Advocate-General also, like the Lord Advocate and the Attorney-General, has the right to refer Bills of the Scottish Parliament, before they are finally enacted, to the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council so that they can decide whether a Bill or any provision of it is competent. The main provisions are set out in Section 32, 33 and 34 of the Scotland Act 1998.

  Mr. Browne
  To ask the Advocate-General on how many occasions devolution issues have been raised with her since her appointment; and what matters were covered. [101248]

  The Advocate-General for Scotland
  I have received over 200 notices of devolution issues. All have concerned alleged incompatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights.

  Tuition Fees
  Mr. Swinney
  To ask the Advocate-General what role she has had in assessing the legal implications of moves by the Scottish Parliament to abolish tuition fees in relation to the position of non-Scottish domiciled students. [101249]

  The Advocate-General for Scotland
  There is a long standing convention, followed by successive Governments, that neither the substance of Law Officers' advice, nor the fact that they have been consulted is disclosed outside Government. I see no reason for departure from that Convention on this occasion.

  Immigration and Asylum
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Advocate-General what recent discussions she has had with the Lord Advocate concerning matters relating to the implementation in Scotland of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. [101250]

  The Advocate-General for Scotland
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I have given to the question by my hon. Friend the Member for Inverness, East, Nairn and Lochaber (Mr. Stewart),Official Report, column 138.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Westminster Hall
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the President of the Council what assessment she has made of the experiment of the House sitting in Westminster Hall. [101271]

  Mrs. Beckett
  The experiment began on 30 November, and it is too early to make a firm assessment. However, debates in Westminster Hall have been as lively and well attended as those in the Chamber, and the new forum already appears to offer Members increased opportunities for debate. The Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons has agreed to"evaluate the experiment as a whole before the end of the session"
  as well as keeping a "watching brief' on proceedings.

  Modernisation
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the President of the Council if she will make a statement on the modernisation of the procedures of the House which have been introduced since 1997. [101273]

  Dr. Tony Wright
  To ask the President of the Council if she will make a statement on her plans to implement the recommendations of the Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons. [101276]

  Mrs. Beckett
  Forty-seven of the 54 recommendations of the Modernisation Committee directed at Government have already been implemented. The House has adopted a range of measures to improve the scrutiny of legislation; Thursday sittings have been brought forward; the scrutiny of European business has been reformed and sittings in Westminster Hall have begun.

  Judy Mallaber
  To ask the President of the Council what further plans she has for modernising the legislative process. [101278]

  Mrs. Beckett
  As the Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons recommended, the Government are using a variety of procedures for legislation. We have had the first carryover of a public Bill and the use of a Special Standing Committee for the Asylum and Immigration Bill, we have published six Bills in draft and set up ad hoc Committees of this House and ad hoc joint Committees to conduct pre-legislative scrutiny.

  Iraq
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the President of the Council if she will take steps to establish a Select Committee on Iraq. [101274]

  Mr. Tipping
  We have no plans to do so. The Foreign Affairs Committee is already able to conduct inquiries into this.

  Nursery
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what plans the Commission has to develop a workplace nursery in the Palace of Westminster. [101275]

  Mr. Kirkwood
  None.
  122W
  The principal recommendations of the Administration Committee which commissioned the 1998 Childcare Facilities Survey of the House, have all been implemented. These include the running of a highly popular voucher scheme (£7 per day for a child under five) and advice to Members that they can use the Office Cost Allowance to help their employees with the costs of child care.

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Millennium Holiday
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the President of the Council what arrangements she has made for the functioning of Government over the millennium holiday period. [101277]

  Mr. Tipping
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for South Thanet (Dr. Ladyman),Official Report, columns 148–49.

  Privy Council
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the President of the Council what plans she has to establish a system of parliamentary debate on the exercise of executive functions by the Privy Council. [101279]

  Mr. Tipping
  There are no plans to introduce such a system.

  Millennium Compliance
  Dr. George Turner
  To ask the President of the Council what assessment she has made of the impact of the United Kingdom's public information programme on the millennium bug. [101280]

  Mr. Tipping
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Riverside (Mrs. Ellman),Official Report, column 147.

  Palace of Westminster
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee what estimate he has made of the costs of maintaining and repairing the Palace of Westminster in the current financial year. [101266]

  Sir Sydney Chapman
  Repair and maintenance costs exclusively charged to the Palace of Westminster are forecast to be some £27 million this financial year.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Shrewsbury County Court
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the progress made in refurbishing the Shrewsbury county court. [101256]
  123W
  Jane Kennedy
  Plans to refurbish Shrewsbury county court are now well advanced. The only matter, which remains to be resolved, is the arrangements for payment of the agreed contribution of £40,000 to the Court Service by the local authorities.

  McKenzie Friends
  Mr. Ruffley
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what representations he has received regarding McKenzie friends. [101257]

  Mr. Lock
  I have received representations from Families Need Fathers, the Equal Parenting Party and from 10 Members of this House.

  Magistrates
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to increase the total number of magistrates in England and Wales. [101258]

  Jane Kennedy
  I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the oral answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Eastbourne (Mr. Waterson).

  Angela Smith
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what actions his Department is taking to ensure that the magistracy reflects the socio-economic balance of the community it serves. [101261]

  Jane Kennedy
  My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor requires his local Advisory Committees to do more than simply reflect the socio-economic balance of the community. He wishes to ensure that benches broadly reflect the communities they serve in terms of social background, gender, ethnic origin, geographical spread and occupation. Social background is currently defined in terms of political affiliation, which is unsatisfactory, and an alternative is being sought.

  E-commerce
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the Lord Chancellor's Department's role in representing the United Kingdom in discussions on e-commerce. [101259]

  Mr. Lock
  E-commerce falls within the area of ministerial responsibility of the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. Various Departments, including the Lord Chancellor's Department, have interests in the policy implications of e-commerce and there has been full consultation and co-ordination between them.

  Trial Venue Appeals
  Mr. Woodward
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much judicial time in the Crown court the Government estimate will be taken up hearing appeals on the venue of trials. [101260]

  Jane Kennedy
  If defendants wish to test magistrates' decisions to try a case instead of sending it for jury trial, they will be able to lodge a written appeal in the Crown court. The judicial time needed to deal with these appeals in the Crown court is estimated to be 148 days a year.
  124W

  Magistrates Courts
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many magistrates courts there were in 1979; what the current figure is; and if he will make a statement. [101263]

  Jane Kennedy
  There were 435 magistrates courthouses, containing a total of 1,570 courtrooms, at 30 September 1999. There were 516 courthouses containing 1,735 courtrooms in September 1995. There are no earlier figures held centrally. Under the Justices of the Peace Act 1979, the provision of magistrates courthouse accommodation is a matter for the courts committee for the area concerned to determine, in conjunction with the local paying authority.

  Judicial Resource Allocation
  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what account the Lord Chancellor takes of the views of the Council of Circuit Judges on proposed changes in the work of the courts. [101265]

  Jane Kennedy
  The views of Her Majesty's Council of Circuit Judges are sought on a wide range of policy and operational issues. Its responses receive the same careful consideration as those of other consultees.

  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what recent consultations he has had with the Council of Circuit Judges on efficient allocation of judicial resources. [101264]

  Jane Kennedy
  The Court Service meets regularly with representatives of the Council of Circuit Judges, most recently on 2 December. I understand that resources and allocations were discussed then.

  Criminal Courts
  Mr. Leslie
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans the Government have for a review of the criminal courts. [102975]

  Jane Kennedy
  My noble and learned Friend, the Lord Chancellor, has appointed the right hon. Lord Justice Auld to conduct a review of the criminal courts. The terms of reference of the review are as follows:
  "An inquiry into the practices and procedures of, and the rules of evidence applied by, the criminal courts at every level, with a view to ensuring that they deliver justice fairly, by streamlining all their processes, increasing their efficiency and strengthening the effectiveness of their relationships with others across the whole of the criminal justice system, and having regard to the interests of all parties including the victims and witnesses, thereby promoting public confidence in the law".
  The review is expected to last for twelve months. Copies of the terms of reference of the review have today been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Justices of the Peace
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many Justices of the Peace were appointed in England and Wales in the last 12 months; and how many were(a) from an ethnic minority background, (b) men and (c) women. [102404]
  125W
  Jane Kennedy
  In the 12 months ending 30 November 1999, 1,564 Justices of the Peace were appointed in England and Wales (including the Duchy of Lancaster) of whom 802 were men and 762 were women; 123 were from an ethnic minority background, 59 men and 64 women.

  Child Access
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will review the procedures for the enforcement of court orders relating to access by non-resident parents to their children; and if he will make a statement. [102242]

  Jane Kennedy
  We have no current plans to review the law in this area. The courts have their usual powers in relation to the enforcement of contact orders, including the powers to fine or imprison those who wilfully disobey or obstruct an order. However, in considering whether to use these powers in child contact cases, the courts rightly regard the best interests of the children as being their paramount concern. Consequently the courts are unlikely to fine or imprison a parent with whom a child is resident, for breaching a contact order, if they conclude that to do so would adversely affect the child concerned. Another possibility in cases where contact is denied would be for the non-resident parent to apply to the court for the residence of the child to be changed, but, again, the court would rightly regard the interests of the child as its paramount concern in determining such an application.

  Ministerial Meetings
  Mr. David Davis
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what arrangements(a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have put in place for the taking and keeping of minutes of meetings between Ministers and people outside his Department. [102361]

  Mr. Lock
  Decisions on the format of minutes of meetings will depend on the nature of the discussion.

  Departmental Buildings
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department for each of the buildings under his Department's control how many rooms are set aside for(a) ethnic minority religious use, (b) pregnant and nursing mothers and (c) smokers. [102325]

  Jane Kennedy
  This information is not collected or held centrally. If customers require specific facilities they can normally be supplied on a local basis.

  Office for the Supervision of Solicitors
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what discussions have taken place with the senior management of the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors concerning the need for communication to all hon. Members on the progress regarding the backlog of outstanding cases, following the report of the Legal Services Ombudsman. [102720]

  Mr. Lock
  I met the President of the Law Society on 20 October when we discussed the position at the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors. We also discussed the possibility of a meeting taking place at which all hon. Members could be advised as to the progress being made in respect of the timetable for improvements at the OSS. A meeting has now been arranged by my hon. Friend the 126W
  Member for Stafford (Mr. Kidney) and will take place on 26 January 2000. Representatives from the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors will be present at this meeting and will be able to discuss fully with Members the concerns about the progress being made with regard to the backlog of outstanding cases.

  Child Abduction
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proposals the Government have for changes to the laws preventing illegal abduction of children in tug-of-love cases, with reference to the Hague Convention and overseas courts' differing interpretation and with particular reference to decisions of the courts in Greece. [102719]

  Jane Kennedy
  The Government have no plans to amend the law in this way. The Government believe that the legal principles underlying the operation of the Hague Child Abduction Convention are generally satisfactory. It participates fully in the mechanisms for reviewing the operation of international conventions on child abduction, both internationally and bilaterally.

SCOTLAND

  Manufacturing Investment
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has held with the First Minister on prospects for inward investment for the manufacturing sector in Scotland. [101224]

  Dr. Reid
  I have regular discussions with the First Minister on a wide variety of topics. Inward investors have made an important contribution to the Scottish economy in recent years and I hope we will continue to attract them. It is an area in which Scotland benefits from both the UK effort and the distinctive Scottish dimension.

  Cabinet Sub-Committees
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement regarding proposals for the creation of Cabinet Sub-Committees with Ministers of the Scottish Executive and the UK Government. [101226]

  Dr. Reid
  I represent Scottish interests in the Cabinet and its Committees. The Scottish Executive are not members of Cabinet Committees which decide the policy of the UK Government, but can work alongside UK Ministers in joint committees or in groups set up to look at particular issues. That is the kind of partnership which this Government can create, in the best interests of the whole UK.

  Mr. Swinney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the operation and staffing of the proposed joint ministerial sub-committees between the Scottish Executive and UK Departments. [101230]

  Dr. Reid
  The Joint Action Committees on Poverty and the Knowledge Economy will operate as functional committees of the Joint Ministerial Committee, details of which were set out in the Memorandum of Understanding published in October. The Secretariat will be drawn from each of the devolved Administrations,
  127W
  including Northern Ireland, the Cabinet Office, Treasury and DSS and DTI as appropriate. The first meeting of the Joint Action Committee on Poverty took place on Thursday 9 December.

  Identity Cards
  Mr. Ottaway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on Government proposals to introduce a UK-wide identity card scheme. [101227]

  Mr. Wilson
  This is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has held with the Scottish Executive about the Memorandum of Understanding in relation to inward investment. [101228]

  Mr. Wilson
  The Memorandum of Understanding and the Concordat dealing with financial assistance for inward investment were discussed in detail with the Scottish Executive ahead of publication on 1 October.

  Rural Regional Assistance
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he proposes to take to help those rural regions that will no longer receive aid from European structural funds under the new Objective 2 but which still require some form of assistance. [101229]

  Mr. Wilson
  The United Kingdom proposals submitted to the Commission focus on the areas of greater need.

  Areas no longer eligible under Objective 2 will receive the benefit of the transitional funding arrangements agreed at the Berlin Summit.

  Support under Objective 3 for training and the Rural Development Regulation will also be available in these areas as will other national and local programmes.

  Oban Coastguard
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he had with the First Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister prior to the announcement of the closure of the Oban coastguard station. [101231]

  Mr. Wilson
  My right hon. Friend is in regular contact with the First Minister and the Deputy Prime Minister on a wide range of issues including matters relating to maritime safety and coastguard stations.

  Oil Fabrication
  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his liaison role in respect of the future of oil fabrication in the highlands and islands. [101232]

  Mr. Wilson
  I am, of course, extremely concerned about the impact of the job losses announced by Barmac, which I recently visited at the request of my hon. Friend, and the situation faced by all UK oil fabrication yards. These are issues being addressed by the Oil and Gas Industries Task Force, of which I am a member. As agreed at its meeting on 1 December, plans are already under 128W
  way for a group to meet as soon as possible to clarify how they can together best help the industry adapt to the changes in the market.

  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has held with the oil industry on the future of North sea oil fabrication contracts; and if he will make a statement. [101234]

  Mr. Wilson
  I am a member of the Oil and Gas Industries Task Force, which includes industry representatives. The Task Force last met on 1 December. I also met representatives of the management and unions at Barmac last week.

  I also refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply I have just given to my hon. Friend the Member for Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber (Mr. Stewart).

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Scottish Executive and the Treasury regarding future assistance for fabrication yards in the north of Scotland. [101241]

  Mr. Wilson
  I am a member of the Oil and Gas Industries Task Force which includes representatives from industry, trade unions, Government and the Scottish Executive. The Task Force is considering the issues being faced by all UK oil fabrication yards. I have recently visited the Barmac yard at Ardersier where I had useful discussions with the management and trade unions, along with Ministers from the Scottish Executive.

  Ministerial Briefing
  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland from which budgets briefing for Scottish Executive Ministers provided by United Kingdom Departments is paid for. [101233]

  Dr. Reid
  Extensive and balanced two-way exchange of information takes place continuously between the UK Government and the devolved Administrations under the provisions of the Memorandum of Understanding and the associated concordats. No reimbursements are sought for the limited costs associated with providing briefing for another Administration. The costs of setting up such a system would outweigh any minimal benefits.

  Electricity
  Mr. Eric Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the future regulation of the generation and supply of electricity in Scotland. [101235]

  Mr. Wilson
  Regulation of the electricity industry is a matter for the Director General of Gas and Electricity Supply. As part of the utility reform Bill, which was announced in the Queen's speech last month, the role of the regulator will be revised to put consumers at the heart of the regulatory process.

  Defence Procurement
  Mrs. McKenna
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the impact on the Scottish economy of the UK Government's defence procurement policies. [101236]
  129W
  Dr. Reid
  On the basis of the most recent figures available, defence expenditure in Scotland at approximately £1.9 billion supports, directly and indirectly, some 55,000 jobs. Clearly defence expenditure is both substantial and important to the Scottish
  economy.

  Pre-Budget Statement
  Mr. Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has made to the Chancellor of the Exchequer regarding the impact in Scotland of his pre-Budget statement. [101237]

  Dr. Reid
  My right hon. Friend's pre-Budget Report contained significant new measures which will further assist Scotland's economy and improve employment opportunities and social justice. I welcome the benefit for Scotland from these and other measures announced by my right hon. Friend, including proposals for changes to the fuel duty regime and for consultation on the Air Passenger Duty.

  New Deal
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to extend the new deal to the over-40s. [101238]

  Mr. Wilson
  New Deal 50 Plus pathfinders commenced in October and will be rolled out across the whole country in April 2000. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his pre-Budget Report announced a package of measures to improve significantly New Deal 25 Plus.

  Border Communities
  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the First Secretary about ensuring the establishment of procedures for the co-ordination of policy and its implementation affecting communities on the English/Scottish
  border. [101239]

  Dr. Reid
  I regularly discuss a range of matters with the First Minister. Liaison arrangements established under the Memorandum of Understanding apply to all matters where co-ordination between the Administrations is sensible.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has made to the Scottish Executive regarding its review of higher education policy. [101240]

  Dr. Reid
  The Scottish Executive is not reviewing higher education policy.

  Anti-drugs Strategy
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has held with the First Minister on co-ordination of the Government's anti-drugs strategy. [101242]

  Mr. Wilson
  My right hon. Friend meets regularly with the First Minister and discusses a range of topics. The Government's anti-drugs strategy is on the agenda for their next meeting.

  Working Families Tax Credit
  Mr. Jim Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with HM Treasury on the introduction of the Working Families Tax Credit in Scotland. [101225]

  Dr. Reid
  I congratulate my right hon. Friend the Chancellor on the introduction of the Working Families Tax Credit, which could benefit up to 140,000 families in Scotland.

  Barnett Formula
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Treasury about the operation of the Barnett formula; and if he will make a statement. [101218]

  Dr. Reid
  I have had no discussions with the Treasury about the Barnett formula. The formula continues to provide a fair deal for Scotland within a United Kingdom framework and I have no plans to re-visit the underlying principles.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

  Ministerial Meetings
  Mr. David Davis
  To ask the Solicitor-General what arrangements(a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have put in place for the taking and keeping of minutes of meetings between Ministers and people outside his Department. [102364]

  The Solicitor-General
  Decisions on the format of minutes of meetings will depend on the nature of the discussions.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Burundi
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on conditions in Burundi and the humanitarian response of the international community. [101523]

  Clare Short
  The UN estimates that over 800,000 people are currently internally displaced inside Burundi. This figure includes around 300,000 people forcibly regrouped into sites around the capital, Bujumbura, since September 1999. In addition, approximately 300,000 Burundians still live in neighbouring countries (mainly Tanzania) as refugees.

  UN humanitarian operations in Burundi have been suspended since the killing of UN staff on 12 October. It is intended that humanitarian activities will resume as soon as effective security measures are assured.

  Departmental Buildings
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development for each of the buildings under her Department's control how many rooms are set aside for(a) ethnic minority religious use, (b) pregnant and nursing mothers and (c) smokers. [102336]
  131W
  Clare Short
  One room in 94 Victoria Street and four rooms in Abercrombie House, East Kilbride are set aside for smokers. No rooms are allocated exclusively for religious or nursing mothers use although a rest room in 94 Victoria Street is available for these purposes as required.

  Ministerial Meetings
  Mr. David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what arrangements(a) she and (b) Ministers in her Department have put in place for the taking and keeping of minutes of meetings between Ministers and people outside her Department. [102371]

  Clare Short
  Decisions on the format of minutes of meetings will depend on the nature of the discussion.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Millennium Dome
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what guidelines determine the prominence or otherwise of sponsors branding within the Millennium Dome. [99319]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 24 November 1999]: On 17 December 1998, my right hon. Friend the then Minister without Portfolio placed in the House Libraries the New Millennium Experience Company's (NMEC) "Outline Approach to Official Sponsors of the Dome". This document made clear that the NMEC at all times retains the ultimate right of control over the design, content and format of the exhibit zones in order to protect and maintain the integrity of the Millennium Experience and the company. This underpins NMEC's approach to sponsor branding and to the branding guidelines adopted and applied by NMEC. I have placed in the Libraries today a copy of NMEC's summary pamphlet "Sponsor Identity and branding related to zones" as an example of the company's approach.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many sponsors of the Millennium Dome have yet to sign binding contracts in respect of their announced sponsorship. [99339]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 1 December 1999]: Final contractual documents for seven of the Millennium Experience's announced sponsors await signature. All issues of substance have been resolved and, subject to completion of formalities, the New Millennium Experience Company expects the documentation to be signed over the next couple of weeks. All remain fully committed at Board level. The sponsors concerned are BSkyB, which is a particularly complex agreement covering their sponsorship of Skyscape and a wide range of broadcast issues; Boots; Manpower; the Corporation of London (who as an indication of their commitment have made an advance payment of their sponsorship); Coca Cola; Mars Confectionary; and Thames Water.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much has been spent to date on promoting the sale of the Millennium Dome to potential purchasers; and what form these promotions are taking. [101617]
  132W
  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 7 December 1999]: The competition to find a sustainable use for the Dome beyond the Millennium Experience is being managed on behalf of the Government by English Partnerships, the urban regeneration agency for England, in co-operation with the New Millennium Experience Company. Total spend to date on all aspects of the competition is £474,000. Promotion has taken the form of initial advertising; detailed information for potential bidders; and the public display of outline proposals.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) how many overseas visitors his Department estimates will visit Britain in 2000 for the main purpose of visiting the Millennium Dome; [101626]

  (2) what estimate his Department has made of the number of overseas visitors who will visit the Millennium Dome in 2000. [101643]

  Janet Anderson
  The British Tourist Authority (BTA) has estimated the number of overseas visits to the UK in 2000 as 27.5 million. Of these NMEC foresee that 2.5 million will visit the Dome. The BTA has also suggested that as a direct result of the Millennium Experience an additional £300 million to £500 million of overseas tourist revenue will be brought into the UK economy. The "halo" effect could double this figure. The BTA have further estimated that 15,000–30,000 new tourism related jobs will be created.

  Digital Television
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what assessment he has made of the impact of a digital television licence fee on the take-up of digital television services; [102416]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the impact of a digital television licence fee on levels of commercial investment in digital television technology; [102415]

  (3) what assessment he has made of the effect of a digital television licence fee on the receipts from the sale of analogue broadcasting spectrum; [102410]

  (4) what assessment he has made of the effect of a digital television licence fee on levels of commercial investment in digital television technology; [102414]

  (5) what assessment he has made of the effect of a flat rate digital television licence fee on the effectiveness of Government policies to encourage social inclusion; [102413]

  (6) what assessment he has made of the effect of a digital television licence fee on the proposed date for analogue switch off; [102412]

  (7) what assessment he has made of the effect of a digital television licence fee on receipts from the sale of analogue broadcasting spectrum. [102411]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: The Government will consider all the arguments for and against a digital licence supplement, including the responses to the public consultation and the wider policy implications, before reaching any decision on the recommendation of the Davies report. We shall announce our conclusions in January.

  Departmental Employees (Disabled People)
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of the total workforce in his Department is registered as disabled; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of disabled people in his Department. [102046]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  Four per cent. of my Department's workforce have declared themselves as having a disability under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. My Department has taken a number of steps to encourage the employment of disabled people. All buildings occupied by DCMS staff are accessible to people with disabilities; all disabled job applicants who meet the necessary criteria are offered an interview; flexible working is available; guidance on working with disabled people has recently been issued to all staff; and hearing induction loops will shortly be installed in meeting rooms.

  Television Licences (Over-75s)
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if pensioners aged over 75 years who have already paid for a television licence will get a full refund of the unused part when the policy of free television licences for those aged over 75 years is implemented. [102123]

  Janet Anderson
  The Government anticipate that the scheme will incorporate arrangements for refunds in respect of unexpired licences. We intend to announce shortly full details of how the scheme will operate.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Probation Service
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to change the title of probation officers; and if he will make a statement; [102664]

  (2) what the reasons were for changing the name of the Probation Service; and if he will make a statement; [102663]

  (3) if he will list the organisations and individuals consulted on the name change of the Probation Service, and place their responses in the Library; [102666]

  (4) if he will list the options considered for the new name of the Probation Service; [102665]

  (5) if the Government evaluated the name, community justice service, as a replacement for the Probation Service. [102668]

  Mr. Boateng
  This Government are determined that punishment and rehabilitation of offenders in the community should be effective. We have embarked upon a major programme of modernisation that includes significant investment in programmes that are shown to work in reducing reoffending and revised National Standards for the Supervision of Offenders in the Community.

  Bringing together the 54 probation services in England and Wales into a unified service organised in 42 areas sharing police and Crown Prosecution Service boundaries,
  134W
  as we shall do through the Crime and Public Protection Bill, is another major part of that modernisation programme. It is right that the name of the new service should reflect its main purpose—punishment and rehabilitation of offenders in order to reduce reoffending and protect the public. The Community Punishment and Rehabilitation Service is, therefore, accurate and appropriate.

  The consultation paper "Joining Forces to Protect the Public" invited suggestions for the name of a unified service. A list of the suggestions received is in the second list. Community Justice Service was one of those suggestions. Details of those who were sent copies of the consultation paper (excluding in response to requests for it from members of the public) are in the first list. It would not be right to make the responses to the consultation paper public as some of these were submitted in confidence.

  We are currently considering new titles for probation officers and other staff. Changes will be made in the Crime and Public Protection Bill.

  Organisations and persons sent copies of "Joining Forces to Protect the Public"

  Association of Chief Officers of Probation

  Association of Chief Police Officers

  Central Probation Council

  Chief Constables

  Chief Metropolitan Stipendiary Magistrates

  Council of Circuit Judges

  Government Officers for the Regions

  HM Inspectorate of Probation

  Judicial Studies Board

  Justices' Clerks' Society

  Lord Chief Justice

  Magistrates' Association

  Magistrates' Courts' Committees

  NACRO

  National Association of Probation Officers

  Other Government Departments

  Parliament

  Probation Committees

  Probation Managers' Association

  Probation Services

  The Press

  UNISON

  Names suggested for a unified service

  Bureau of Community Punishment

  Community Corrections and Protection Service

  Community Corrections Service

  Community Justice Agency

  Community Justice Enforcement Agency

  Community Justice Enforcement Service/Agency

  Community Justice Service

  Community Offender Bureau for Rehabilitation Action

  Community Protection and Justice Service

  Community Punishment and Re-education Service

  Community Punishment and Rehabilitation Service

  135W

  Community Sanction Service

  Community Sentence Enforcement Agency

  Community Sentence Enforcement Service

  Community Sentence Supervisory Agency

  Correction Service

  Corrections Service

  Court Advice and Sentence Implementation Service

  Court Enforcement Service

  Court Order Enforcement Agency

  Department of Community Punishment

  Justice Enforcement Agency

  Justice Enforcement and Public Protection Service

  National Resettlement Service

  Offender Control and Supervision Service

  Offender Control Service

  Offender Correction Service

  Offender Management Service

  Offender Monitoring Service

  Offender Risk Management Service

  Offender Supervision and Control

  Offender Supervision Service

  Offending Behaviour Correction Service

  Probation Agency

  Probation and Public Protection Service

  Probation Service

  Public Protection Service

  Public Safety and Offender Management Service

  Punishment and Rehabilitation Service

  Remand Service

  Sentence Enforcement

  Sentence Enforcement Agency

  Sentence Enforcement and Rehabilitation Agency.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to change the restrictions on who can be employed in probation work; and if he will make a statement. [102667]

  Mr. Boateng
  At present there are no centrally laid down restrictions on who can be employed in probation work. This is a matter for individual probation areas and I have no plans to introduce any restrictions on employment in the forthcoming legislation.

  Prison Education Services
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the total amount spent on prison education services in each Prison Service establishment and in total in(a) 1999 to date, (b) 1998, (c) 1997 and (d) 1992; and if he will make a statement; [102660]

  (2) what was the total amount spent on prison education services in each young offender institution and in total in (a) 1999 to date, (b) 1998, (c) 1997 and (d) 1992; and if he will make a statement. [102657]

  Mr. Boateng
  Information is not available in the form requested. The tables set out actual annual expenditure for all prison establishments and for young offender institutions (including remand centres) on certain separately identifiable areas of education spend covering payments to education service providers and purchase of 136W
  education materials divided by the average population for each prison in that year. These cover the years 1999–2000 (to 31 October), 1998–99, and 1997–98. Information for 1992–93 is not readily available. Information on education costs at private sector prisons is also not readily available.

  £

  Establishment

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000 to end of October

  Acklington

  221,254

  229,400

  199,237

  Albany

  154,493

  172,037

  108,310

  Aldington

  131,901

  131,333

  51,158

  Ashwell

  333,097

  359,680

  224,277

  Askham Grange

  128,121

  142,894

  95,290

  Aylesbury

  414,477

  522,455

  385,827

  Bedford

  200,861

  204,989

  164,938

  Belmarsh

  416,002

  440,854

  313,102

  Birmingham

  198,933

  199,999

  167,562

  Blantyre House

  180,387

  159,433

  95,215

  Blundeston

  242,056

  244,169

  162,173

  Brinsford

  169,250

  242,237

  147,643

  Bristol

  163,168

  153,388

  108,675

  Brixton

  439,283

  312,580

  263,594

  Brockhill

  160,306

  174,391

  86,789

  Bullingdon

  484,710

  512,312

  359,718

  Bullwood Hall

  205,394

  233,355

  161,932

  Camp Hill

  358,715

  352,129

  183,083

  Canterbury

  150,460

  134,907

  86,726

  Cardiff

  183,070

  212,610

  125,973

  Castington

  241,468

  256,167

  206,893

  Channings Wood

  361,684

  361,226

  211,608

  Chelmsford

  166,412

  185,244

  138,894

  Coldingley

  160,373

  191,468

  114,155

  Cookham Wood

  132,886

  131,159

  83,003

  Dartmoor

  366,781

  426,377

  168,838

  Deerbolt

  326,118

  422,119

  310,883

  Dorchester

  97,718

  130,048

  95,483

  Dover

  151,139

  157,403

  148,926

  Downview

  219,615

  206,700

  109,652

  Drake Hall

  159,664

  156,929

  114,351

  Durham

  353,434

  355,476

  228,092

  East Sutton Park

  93,798

  85,966

  62,812

  Eastwood Park

  175,309

  226,694

  120,716

  Elmley

  255,479

  391,782

  312,174

  Erlestoke

  298,786

  309,072

  205,745

  Everthorpe

  437,524

  443,146

  194,167

  Exeter

  129,686

  154,440

  122,007

  Featherstone

  175,085

  181,350

  151,311

  Feltham

  467,272

  592,115

  358,133

  Ford

  275,237

  260,074

  159,879

  Foston Hall

  136,026

  230,688

  119,968

  Frankland

  272,614

  350,257

  216,084

  Full Sutton

  474,483

  467,432

  239,168

  Garth

  387,834

  423,618

  245,984

  Gartree

  216,308

  208,846

  122,052

  Glen Parva

  439,155

  553,878

  293,217

  Gloucester

  208,983

  252,051

  153,048

  Grendon

  347,897

  393,318

  270,834

  Guys Marsh

  258,675

  359,457

  210,523

  Haslar

  120,566

  136,942

  60,333

  Hatfield

  225,136

  224,478

  116,568

  Haverigg

  300,190

  275,718

  135,661

  Hewell Grange

  151,917

  153,081

  100,319

  High Down

  331,519

  407,265

  242,351

  Highpoint

  506,037

  578,123

  389,826

  Hindley

  727,324

  624,206

  413,931

  Hollesley Bay Colony

  355,017

  359,530

  235,191

  Holloway

  378,720

  433,770

  332,554

  Holme House

  572,000

  382,409

  186,966

  Hull

  339,918

  375,372

  164,391

  Huntercombe

  317,543

  402,591

  336,490

  137W

  £

  Establishment

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000 to end of October

  Kingston

  89,433

  106,748

  50,851

  Kirkham

  231,985

  242,505

  134,998

  Kirklevington Grange

  55,254

  36,554

  17,678

  Lancaster Castle

  164,931

  171,845

  106,153

  Lancaster Farms

  458,279

  564,437

  402,644

  Latchmere House

  19,200

  18,524

  8,428

  Leeds

  423,071

  551,235

  328,781

  Leicester

  196,154

  201,636

  172,787

  Lewes

  273,268

  276,099

  188,021

  Leyhill

  245,758

  241,674

  116,171

  Lincoln

  223,010

  220,840

  132,742

  Lindholme

  420,619

  445,630

  297,259

  Littlehey

  421,407

  395,780

  172,366

  Liverpool

  332,483

  365,870

  234,861

  Long Lartin

  231,556

  200,300

  138,474

  Low Newton

  344,571

  360,377

  135,473

  Maidstone

  203,762

  195,777

  138,528

  Manchester

  469,093

  557,039

  223,562

  Moorland

  690,263

  829,616

  468,568

  Morton Hall

  188,281

  191,851

  115,799

  Mount (The)

  363,039

  377,489

  279,844

  New Hall

  301,792

  376,651

  203,357

  North Sea Camp

  127,629

  126,023

  81,582

  Northallerton

  236,165

  279,352

  182,637

  Norwich

  394,551

  417,911

  316,118

  Nottingham

  257,487

  250,387

  177,782

  Onley

  455,448

  570,060

  306,998

  Parkhurst

  223,022

  253,595

  180,810

  Pentonville

  264,547

  318,295

  271,181

  Portland

  443,838

  500,700

  318,067

  Preston

  239,086

  265,367

  170,935

  Ranby

  371,069

  410,498

  263,056

  Reading

  142,489

  136,296

  124,992

  Risley

  570,694

  593,435

  337,621

  Rochester

  148,332

  190,179

  135,930

  Send

  140,706

  126,692

  89,383

  Shepton Mallet

  205,271

  184,749

  136,760

  Shrewsbury

  114,680

  121,260

  89,901

  Stafford

  281,778

  261,845

  230,618

  Standford Hill

  195,736

  204,993

  1262,884

  Stocken

  354,972

  393,849

  224,106

  Stoke Heath

  293,701

  482,394

  321,126

  Styal

  232,578

  277,910

  202,514

  Sudbury

  382,181

  399,954

  200,014

  Swaleside

  328,888

  351,168

  203,923

  Swansea

  143,054

  130,088

  106,189

  Swinfen Hall

  211,735

  331,556

  200,430

  Thorn Cross

  484,351

  511,470

  244,581

  Usk/Prescoed

  375,878

  362,278

  212,426

  Verne (The)

  218,575

  211,964

  125,213

  Wakefield

  341,074

  359,617

  210,409

  Wandsworth

  224,312

  226,969

  203,016

  Wayland

  424,069

  413,968

  273,951

  Wealstun

  373,096

  343,721

  204,275

  Weare (The)

  161,013

  318,446

  185,086

  Wellingborough

  221,572

  227,327

  184,518

  Werrington

  190,633

  201,345

  122,702

  Wetherby

  433,918

  497.377

  302,467

  Whatton

  304,132

  298,068

  225,381

  Whitemoor

  400,114

  432,700

  265,858

  Winchester

  306,592

  323,249

  186,364

  Woodhill

  490,961

  486,963

  367,588

  Wormwood Scrubs

  289,530

  280,952

  181,718

  Wymott

  405,685

  399,012

  259,746

  Total

  35,801,619

  38,755,594

  24,551,604

  138W

  £

  Young Offender Establishment

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999-2000 to end of October

  Aylesbury

  414,477

  522,455

  385,827

  Brinsford

  169,250

  242,237

  147,643

  Castington

  241,468

  256,167

  206,893

  Deerbolt

  326,118

  422,119

  310,883

  Dover

  151,139

  157,403

  148,926

  Feltham

  467,272

  592,115

  358,133

  Glen Parva

  439,155

  553,878

  293,217

  Guys Marsh

  258,675

  359,457

  210,523

  Hatfield

  225,136

  224,478

  116,568

  Hindley

  727,324

  624,206

  413,931

  Huntercombe

  317,543

  402,591

  336,490

  Lancaster Farms

  458,279

  564,437

  402,644

  Northallerton

  236,165

  279,352

  182,637

  Onley

  455,448

  570,060

  306,998

  Portland

  443,838

  500,700

  318,067

  Reading

  142,489

  136,296

  124,992

  Stoke Heath

  293,701

  482,394

  321,126

  Swinfen Hall

  211,735

  331,556

  200,430

  Thorn Cross

  484,351

  511,470

  244,581

  Werrington

  190,633

  201,345

  122,702

  Wetherby

  433,918

  497,377

  302,467

  Total

  7,088,114

  8,432,092

  5,455,678

  European Convention on Human Rights
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ensure that a statement of compatibility with the European Convention on Human Rights is made by Ministers in all secondary legislation; and if he will make a statement. [102654]

  Mr. Straw
  The Government have decided that, from the beginning of the current session, a Minister inviting Parliament to approve a draft statutory instrument or statutory instrument subject to affirmative resolution should always volunteer his or her view regarding its compatibility with the Convention rights. The Minister's view should also always be given regarding the incompatibility of any secondary legislation to the extent that it amends primary legislation; and that statement should be made in writing where the secondary legislation which amends primary legislation is not subject to affirmative resolution. The written statement should be made in whatever form seems appropriate, for example, in a letter to the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy for Departments to publish their assessments of the impact of the European Convention on Human Rights on all proposed new legislation; and if he will make a statement. [102670]

  Mr. Straw
  Under section 19 of the Human Rights Act 1998, the Minister responsible for a Bill must certify in full whether or not in his or her view the Bill is compatible with the provisions of the Act. This section is already in force. In addition, the Government now have decided that a Minister in charge of a Bill should be ready in debate to explain his or her thinking on the compatibility of particular provisions of the Bill with the Convention rights. The Minister should be ready to give a general outline of the arguments which led him or
  139W
  her to the conclusion reflected in the statement made under section 19 of the Human Rights Act 1998 in relation to the particular provision.

  Trial by Jury
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 24 November 1999,Official Report, column 125W, on trial by jury, if he will give a full breakdown of where the estimated savings to the criminal justice system from the Government's proposals to limit the right of defendants to elect for jury trial will be made, including savings to (a) the courts and (b) the Prison Service; and if he will make a statement. [102649]

  Mr. Straw
  For the courts, there would be annual resource savings of £12 million on committals and £36 million on Crown Court trials which would no longer take place. This would be offset by the cost of magistrates courts trials (£8 million, including the cost of any subsequent committals for sentence), and the cost (estimated at £0.5 million) of interlocutory appeals to the Crown Court. Resource savings for the Prison Service, estimated at £66 million annually, would result from the shorter custodial sentences imposed by magistrates courts.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 26 November 1999,Official Report, column 244W, concerning jury trials, if the material requested has been prepared; and if he will make a statement. [102650]

  Mr. Straw
  The available information, drawn from two sources, is given in the table:

  Defendants proceeded against for triable either way offences, 1989–98

  Year

  Number of defendants convicted or acquitted following summary trial1

  Number of defendants committals for trial1

  Percentage of committed for trial resulting from defendants' elections2

  1989

  270,695

  81,973

  42

  1990

  277,916

  82,026

  39

  1991

  277,407

  82,643

  36

  1992

  267,341

  74,902

  37

  1993

  257,955

  66,643

  35

  1994

  263,041

  69,528

  35

  1995

  244,877

  61,133

  33

  1996

  243,860

  61,215

  32

  1997

  258,393

  66,456

  28

  1998

  291,785

  51,952

  28

  1Source: Home Office Court Proceedings Database

  2CPS prosecutions only. Source: Crown Prosecution Service statistics.

  Quantum Project
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will announce the outcome of the Invitation to Tender for the Prison Service's Quantum Project. [102974]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Invitation to Tender for the Quantum Project, for an information technology infrastructure service, joint development of a strategy for information technology-based business change and an agreed mechanism for implementing business change on 140W
  a partnership basis, was issued on 25 September. The short-listed companies provided their submissions in response to the Invitation to Tender on 8 November.

  Following thorough evaluation against commercial and, separately, qualitative criteria, Martin Narey, Director General of the Prison Service, has selected the tender of Electronic Data Systems (EDS) as the one which is the most economically advantageous to the Prison Service based on the best combination of deliverability, quality, risk transfer and cost. The Prison Service and EDS will now commence preferred supplier negotiations with a view to award of contract.

  Kosovar Refugees
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Kosovar refugees are currently in the UK; and, of those, how many(a) are seeking and (b) have been granted asylum. [101961]

  Mrs. Roche
  It is estimated that as at the end of March 1999, the latest date for which detailed figures are available, the number of asylum applications awaiting an initial decision for nationals of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia was 9,540.

  In the period January 1997 to May 1999 a total of 5,190 nationals of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia were recognised as refugees and granted asylum. A further 905 were not recognised as refugees but granted exceptional leave to enter or remain.

  I regret that it is not possible to identify Kosovars separately within the available statistics for the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

  4,346 Kosovars arrived in the United Kingdom under the United Nations High Commission for Refugees Humanitarian Evacuation Programme (HEP) between 25 April and 25 June with a further 68 arrivals on subsequent medical flights. As at 2 December 1999, 1,319 Kosovars (including 25 per cent. of those evacuated under the HEP) had returned voluntarily.

  Drug Testing (Animals)
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the use of animals in drug testing, with particular reference to those used in anxiety models for drugs; and if he will make a statement. [102252]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The use of animals in drug testing Is kept under review and each project licence application is considered on its individual merits. Licences are issued only after the likely benefits (to man, animals or the environment) have been weighed against the costs to the animals involved and if there are no alternatives which replace animal use, reduce the number of animals needed or refine the experimental design to minimise suffering. The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate advises on whether, and on what terms, licences and certificates should be granted or amended.

  Various licences have been granted in the United Kingdom to assess the efficacy and safety of pharmaceutical agents or study the mechanisms of addiction but none can be described as models for lifestyle drugs.

  Prison Service Drug Strategy
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 26 November 1999,Official Report, column 239W, on the Prison Service drug strategy, if he will list those Prison Service establishments where CARAT services are available; if he will list the expected dates for the roll-out of services to those Prison Service establishments where roll-out is not complete; and if he will make a statement. [102651]

  Mr. Boateng
  The roll-out of Counselling Assessment Referral Advice Throughcare services in each prison will be completed by the end of January.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 26 November 1999,Official Report, column 239W, on the Prison Service drug strategy, how many staff have been recruited per Prison Service establishment and in total; how many vacancies there are to fill per establishment and in total; and if he will make a statement. [102652]

  Mr. Boateng
  Approximately 200 new members of staff have been recruited to support Counselling Assessment Referral Advice Throughcare services. Information on the number of workers recruited per establishment and on the number of vacancies to be filled per establishment is not held centrally.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate the Prison Service has made of the total cost over three years of the Prison Service CARAT drug strategy; what is the breakdown of the estimate; and if he will make a statement. [102653]

  Mr. Boateng
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 26 November 1999,Official Report, column 239W.

  Prisoners (Purposeful Activity)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average number of hours of purposeful activity by each prisoner in each week in each Prison Service establishment and in total in(a) 1999 to date, (b) 1998, (c) 1997 and (d) 1992; and if he will make a statement. [102659]

  Mr. Boateng
  The average weekly number of purposeful activity hours per prisoner for each establishment and in total for the financial years in question are given in the table.

  The table excludes establishments where data for the complete period are not available.

  Purposeful activity 1992–93,1997–98,1998–99, April 1999–October 1999

  Prison name

  1992–93

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  Acklington

  26.3

  25.5

  23.8

  23.9

  Albany

  —

  24.0

  23.8

  23.7

  Aldington

  33.0

  30.4

  28.1

  26.7

  Altcourse

  32.8

  —

  20.5

  24.8

  Ashwell

  —

  32.6

  33.3

  31.3

  Askham Grange

  22.4

  41.8

  42.0

  39.8

  Aylesbury

  20.3

  22.6

  20.9

  18.2

  Bedford

  14.0

  25.6

  22.7

  22.9

  Belmarsh

  16.3

  11.8

  13.2

  12.5

  Birmingham

  —

  10.9

  13.3

  14.7

  Blakenhurst

  29.9

  20.1

  21.8

  22.1

  142W

  Purposeful activity 1992–93, 1997–98, 1998–99, April 1999-October
  1999

  Prison name

  1992–93

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  Blantyre House

  21.2

  34.2

  39.6

  41.7

  Blundeston

  17.2

  23.2

  25.8

  24.9

  Brinsford

  20.2

  15.3

  16.3

  17.3

  Bristol

  10.6

  20.1

  21.3

  20.2

  Brixton

  —

  17.1

  15.7

  9.1

  Brockhill

  19.2

  30.7

  21.1

  16.5

  Buckley Hall

  —

  32.8

  26.6

  31.2

  Bullingdon

  19.5

  20.9

  21.2

  14.6

  Bullwood Hall

  25.6

  21.6

  19.1

  20.3

  Camp Hill

  24.8

  20.9

  19.3

  18.9

  Canterbury

  21.0

  17.5

  18.5

  18.8

  Cardiff

  22.8

  22.0

  21.3

  20.6

  Castington

  26.1

  23.4

  20.7

  19.8

  Channings Wood

  16.7

  29.6

  30.5

  34.0

  Chelmsford

  28.5

  16.0

  15.8

  16.2

  Coldingly

  26.2

  38.1

  40.7

  42.3

  Cookham Wood

  20.4

  23.6

  22.3

  24.5

  Dartmoor

  24.3

  18.8

  18.9

  20.8

  Deerbolt

  20.9

  21.7

  19.9

  20.8

  Doncaster

  —

  16.7

  17.0

  18.5

  Dorchester

  25.7

  16.2

  14.4

  14.6

  Dover

  25.3

  21.7

  21.2

  23.4

  Downview

  37.9

  31.5

  30.8

  29.8

  Drake Hall

  13.5

  35.1

  34.9

  35.8

  Durham

  36.2

  16.7

  20.2

  19.1

  East Sutton Park

  —

  38.4

  40.1

  41.4

  Eastwood Park

  —

  19.7

  21.6

  21.4

  Elmley

  26.6

  19.0

  20.2

  20.7

  Erlestoke

  23.8

  29.0

  27.2

  29.2

  Everthorpe

  —

  25.8

  27.0

  27.0

  Exeter

  30.2

  17.9

  13.6

  12.4

  Featherstone

  11.0

  23.7

  24.7

  26.1

  Feltham

  35.9

  19.6

  15.5

  15.2

  Ford

  21.8

  33.7

  35.6

  39.6

  Foston Hall

  —

  —

  23.4

  25.4

  Frankland

  20.4

  17.0

  18.4

  19.6

  Full Sutton

  20.8

  18.0

  17.6

  21.5

  Garth

  29.5

  21.0

  21.3

  21.3

  Gartree

  —

  26.5

  27.0

  28.1

  Glen Parva

  15.8

  16.5

  16.7

  16.8

  Gloucester

  25.3

  20.6

  26.4

  29.5

  Grendon

  39.9

  33.3

  34.2

  34.7

  Guys Marsh

  25.5

  30.9

  22.8

  26.8

  Haslar

  36.9

  21.4

  18.8

  19.0

  Hatfield

  34.2

  37.2

  32.5

  41.0

  Haverigg

  40.5

  33.8

  33.9

  34.1

  Hewell Grange

  24.5

  41.2

  42.7

  41.5

  Highdown

  —

  15.7

  13.9

  16.0

  Highpoint

  17.4

  17.7

  23.2

  21.8

  Hindley

  28.4

  20.1

  23.8

  23.2

  Hollesley Bay

  20.2

  28.1

  28.1

  33.8

  Holloway

  17.8

  18.7

  17.6

  10.2

  Holme House

  —

  16.0

  15.8

  16.4

  Hull

  21.4

  18.6

  20.0

  21.9

  Huntercombe

  25.7

  25.1

  23.8

  25.5

  Kingston

  44.7

  28.6

  23.9

  23.5

  Kirkham

  —

  54.8

  43.5

  43.8

  Kirklevington

  26.7

  48.8

  50.1

  52.1

  Lancaster

  21.9

  22.8

  20.7

  21.6

  Lancaster Farms

  —

  22.4

  20.5

  20.2

  Latchmere House

  16.4

  72.7

  70.2

  76.5

  Leeds

  18.2

  15.5

  14.8

  14.0

  Leicester

  14.1

  21.4

  20.5

  19.7

  Lewes

  41.0

  18.5

  18.5

  17.8

  Leyhill

  22.7

  38.6

  39.0

  38.5

  Lincoln

  23.6

  19.6

  22.9

  24.7

  Lindholme

  28.0

  25.3

  24.2

  26.7

  Littlehey

  18.2

  29.8

  26.0

  25.9

  Liverpool

  19.9

  16.5

  19.0

  22.5

  Long Lartin

  19.6

  15.6

  17.0

  16.4

  Low Newton

  19.1

  21.7

  20.2

  23.9

  Lowdham Grange

  —

  —

  25.2

  25.4

  143W

  Purposeful activity 1992–93,1997–98,1998–99, April 1999-October 1999

  Prison name

  1992–93

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  Maidstone

  17.6

  22.5

  21.3

  22.8

  Manchester

  19.6

  29.4

  26.7

  22.9

  Moorland

  41.8

  25.3

  24.0

  22.8

  Morton Hall

  27.1

  39.1

  37.9

  41.7

  Mount

  33.2

  18.4

  18.0

  19.1

  New Hall

  —

  22.9

  23.7

  23.1

  North Sea Camp

  25.8

  42.4

  45.0

  41.7

  Northallerton

  22.5

  14.7

  14.5

  14.9

  Norwich

  24.9

  18.1

  18.0

  18.2

  Nottingham

  24.3

  18.1

  15.3

  20.6

  Onley

  20.4

  20.0

  18.4

  17.5

  Parc

  —

  —

  30.0

  46.7

  Parkhurst

  20.7

  20.1

  19.5

  20.8

  Pentonville

  23.8

  19.6

  20.3

  19.9

  Portland

  19.1

  29.4

  23.1

  23.0

  Preston

  —

  17.4

  17.1

  15.9

  Ranby

  22.0

  30.2

  26.4

  25.7

  Reading

  26.5

  24.2

  23.8

  29.5

  Risley

  22.8

  22.7

  21.9

  22.5

  Rochester

  33.9

  18.7

  19.1

  17.8

  Send

  24.2

  35.1

  40.7

  33.5

  Shepton Mallet

  20.2

  23.7

  22.7

  20.7

  Shrewsbury

  17.8

  21.4

  22.7

  22.6

  Stafford

  38.0

  25.0

  22.4

  23.6

  Standford Hill

  29.6

  43.8

  44.1

  39.5

  Stocken

  27.7

  27.1

  23.2

  22.2

  Stoke Heath

  29.8

  21.6

  21.6

  22.2

  Styal

  46.0

  28.6

  28.7

  16.9

  Sudbury

  21.1

  47.2

  44.5

  43.9

  Swaleside

  18.8

  22.0

  22.3

  22.4

  Swansea

  31.2

  15.0

  20.0

  20.6

  Swinfen Hall

  41.2

  25.5

  28.9

  30.5

  Thorn Cross

  31.5

  50.3

  50.3

  46.2

  Usk

  28.4

  35.5

  34.9

  37.3

  Verne

  19.1

  30.9

  27.2

  32.7

  Wakefield

  17.0

  17.8

  18.2

  20.2

  Wandsworth

  26.3

  22.0

  18.9

  17.6

  Wayland

  36.7

  24.6

  24.0

  24.5

  Wealstun

  28.2

  33.7

  30.6

  33.4

  Weare

  —

  —

  20.8

  21.0

  Wellinborough

  41.4

  25.1

  24.9

  25.5

  Werrington

  33.0

  36.5

  24.0

  37.1

  Wetherby

  33.1

  29.5

  28.3

  27.7

  Whatton

  13.7

  30.6

  28.8

  30.1

  Whitemoor

  22.3

  18.5

  19.6

  21.5

  Winchester

  —

  17.2

  15.7

  15.6

  Wolds

  —

  31.0

  29.1

  29.4

  Woodhill

  14.8

  20.9

  19.8

  17.7

  Wormwood Scrubs

  28.6

  13.6

  14.2

  17.2

  Wymott

  —

  34.4

  28.7

  30.3

  Service purposeful activity

  Purposeful activity

  Target

  1992–93

  23.7

  —

  1997–98

  23.3

  22.5

  1998–99

  22.8

  24

  April-October 1999

  23.1

  24

  Clear-up Rates
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of cleared-up crime was committed by(a) males under 18, (b) males between 18 and 25, (c) males over 25, (d) females under 18, (e) females between 18 and 25 and (f) females over 25 in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [102655]
  144W
  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The statistics on cleared up crime are not collected centrally by age or sex. However, the Cautions and Court Proceedings Databases contain details of persons cautioned or convicted by age and sex from which the figures in the table have been derived.

  Persons cautioned or convicted for an indictable offence by age and sex in 1998 —England and Wales

  Total

  Expressed as a percentage of all persons cautioned or convicted

  Males

  Aged 10 to 17

  99,027

  19

  Aged 18 to 25

  166,795

  31

  Aged 26 or over

  170,034

  32

  All males

  435,856

  82

  Females

  Aged 10 to 17

  27,891

  5

  Aged 18 to 25

  29,992

  6

  Aged 26 or over

  38,253

  7

  All females

  96,136

  18

  All persons

  Aged 10 to 17

  126,918

  24

  Aged 18 to 25

  196,787

  37

  Aged 26 or over

  208,287

  39

  All persons

  531,992

  100

  Prisoner Behaviour
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of(a) incidents of concerted indiscipline, (b) incidents of self harm and (c) suicides in each Prison Service establishment and in total in (i) 1999 to date, (ii) 1998, (iii) 1997 and (iv) 1992; and if he will make a statement. [102658]

  Mr. Boateng
  The information requested is given in tables which have been placed in the Library.

  The Government are committed to doing everything possible to try to reduce the number of self-inflicted deaths and incidents of self-harm in prisons. The Prison Service is developing a whole range of additional measures to address this issue and to provide further help and protection to those considered to be at risk of self-harm; this work is being informed by the recommendations of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons' Thematic Review published in May of this year.

  The Prison Service is also increasing the involvement of external interest groups through a regular working group and in projects and research into suicides. There has been for some time a close working relationship with the Samaritans who have a great deal of expertise in this area. Listener schemes, whereby prisoners offer support to fellow prisoners in crisis, are now established in over 100 prisons in England and Wales, the majority of which are supported by the Samaritans.

  In addition, instructions and guidance to staff on caring for the suicidal are being re-examined and drawn together in a new Prison Service Order (PSO) which it is hoped will be ready for issue in April 2000. This will highlight good practice and strengthen strategies to provide care for those prisoners at risk.
  145W
  There has been a substantial decrease in the number of concerted acts of indiscipline since 1992 (other than a brief rise in 1998). The Prison Service routinely monitors trends to detect any increase in the seriousness and frequency of acts of indiscipline. In the meantime, it continues to develop control and restraint techniques to ensure that staff can respond effectively to these incidents when they occur.

  Police Officers
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to publish the figures for(a) the number of police officers per police force and in total on 30 September, (b) the change in the number of police officers per force and in total between September 1998 and September 1999 and (c) the change in the number of police officers per force and in total between March 1997 and September 1999; and if he will make a statement. [102669]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Information on the numbers of police officers in England and Wales as at 30 September 1999 is not yet available. We hope to release the information requested in January, once the data for September 1999 are complete and have been validated.

  Curfew Orders
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the rules are governing the employment of responsible officers for the monitoring of curfew orders; and if he will make a statement. [102656]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Three private sector contractors provide the electronic monitoring service in England and Wales. This includes the Home Detention Curfew scheme, the monitoring of curfew orders under the Criminal

  Police force net expenditure, and percentage change in cash terms 1997–98 to 1999–2000

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  £000

  (±%)

  £000

  (±%)

  £000

  (±%)

  Avon and Somerset

  152,673

  0.4

  167,417

  9.7

  174,424

  4.2

  Bedfordshire

  58,570

  3.4

  62,317

  6.4

  64,027

  2.7

  Cambridgeshire

  68,681

  5.6

  71,230

  3.7

  75,363

  5.8

  Cheshire

  104,005

  10.4

  106,523

  2.4

  111,094

  4.3

  City of London

  57,893

  1.0

  60,862

  5.1

  58,719

  —3.5

  Cleveland

  75,426

  3.2

  82,282

  9.1

  85,397

  3.8

  Cumbria

  61,709

  8.5

  63,000

  2.1

  64,693

  2.7

  Derbyshire

  95,641

  5.8

  100,894

  5.5

  107,035

  6.1

  Devon and Cornwall

  155,435

  3.4

  167,117

  7.5

  173,649

  3.9

  Dorset

  69,727

  2.8

  73,497

  5.4

  77,749

  5.8

  Durham

  75,166

  10.5

  78,103

  3.9

  80,712

  3.3

  Dyfed-Powys

  50,952

  6.4

  52,609

  3.3

  56,143

  6.7

  Essex

  157,487

  4.0

  168,889

  7.2

  171,590

  1.6

  Gloucestershire

  58,633

  0.4

  63,780

  8.8

  65,933

  3.4

  Greater Manchester

  353,319

  3.6

  371,497

  5.1

  387,256

  4.2

  Gwent

  64,598

  11.9

  67,919

  5.1

  71,414

  5.1

  Hampshire

  180,791

  4.6

  190,920

  5.6

  196,955

  3.2

  Hertfordshire

  93,011

  4.7

  97,589

  5.2

  102,361

  4.6

  Humberside

  106,220

  6.5

  111,587

  5.1

  114,306

  2.4

  Kent

  174,211

  7.8

  178,916

  2.7

  186,225

  4.1

  Lancashire

  169,275

  4.6

  178,051

  5.2

  182,679

  2.6

  Leicestershire

  98,789

  6.4

  102,707

  4.0

  106,279

  3.5

  Lincolnshire

  66,184

  7.6

  68,322

  3.2

  69,970

  2.4

  Merseyside

  224,327

  1.4

  245,277

  9.3

  249,522

  1.7

  Metropolitan Police

  1,676,617

  —0.4

  1,778,001

  6.0

  1,840,245

  3.5

  Norfolk

  80,222

  6.2

  82,339

  2.6

  86,870

  5.5

  Northamptonshire

  64,605

  9.0

  67,134

  3.9

  70,432

  4.9

  Northumbria

  195,092

  4.7

  205,380

  5.3

  213,010

  3.7

  146W
  Justice Act 1991, which became available throughout England and Wales on 1 December, and the existing trials of curfew orders under the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997.

  Responsible officers are employees of the electronic monitoring contractors. Approval is required from the Home Office prior to the appointment of any member of staff. Such approval is subject to security vetting by the National Information Service and, where appropriate, the Department of Health.

  For the purposes of curfew orders, each contractor designates employees who act as responsible officers for those offenders receiving a curfew order. More than one employee can be designated as a responsible officer. Responsible officers are responsible before the courts for the monitoring of those subject to a curfew order, and for attending court to make applications for summons, warrants, revocations and amendments to the order, to report violations, to present evidence for enforcement action and other matters as necessary.

  Police Force Expenditure
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what in(a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 1999–2000 and (d) as planned for 2000–01, was the (i) cash change, (ii) real terms change and (iii) real terms change from the previous year in each case after taking into account the cost of police pensions, in each case, for each police force and in total; and if he will make a statement. [102648]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information in respect of 1997–98, 1998–99 and 1999–2000, which has been compiled from the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy's Police Statistics, is set out in the tables. Information in respect of 2000–01 is not yet available as police authorities have not yet set their budgets for that year.
  147W

  Police force net expenditure, and percentage change in cash terms 1997–98 to 1999–2000

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  £000

  (±%)

  £000

  (±%)

  £000

  (±%)

  North Wales

  70,920

  3.9

  75,075

  5.9

  80,505

  7.2

  North Yorkshire

  71,840

  7.2

  75,638

  5.3

  78,085

  3.2

  Nottinghamshire

  120,556

  6.1

  124,828

  3.5

  130,173

  4.3

  South Wales

  159,411

  8.1

  163,430

  2.5

  169,968

  4.0

  South Yorkshire

  166,027

  10.0

  168,205

  1.3

  173,933

  3.4

  Staffordshire

  110,264

  2.3

  122,540

  11.1

  127,472

  4.0

  Suffolk

  63,676

  4.5

  65,785

  3.3

  70,538

  7.2

  Surrey

  90,976

  6.6

  90,738

  —0.3

  100,375

  10.6

  Sussex

  157,631

  4.7

  162,664

  3.2

  165,804

  1.9

  Thames Valley

  210,333

  4.4

  221,147

  5.1

  232,729

  5.2

  Warwickshire

  51,003

  7.0

  53,617

  5.1

  56,157

  4.7

  West Mercia

  107,788

  5.6

  112,879

  4.7

  116,490

  3.2

  West Midlands

  360,129

  6.5

  372,296

  3.4

  380,971

  2.3

  West Yorkshire

  281,745

  6.2

  280,739

  —0.4

  288,865

  2.9

  Wiltshire

  58,535

  —2.4

  66,666

  13.9

  69,715

  4.6

  Total

  6,870,093

  3.8

  7,220,676

  5.1

  7,485,832

  3.7

  Police force net expenditure, and percentage change in real terms 1997–98 to 1999–2000

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  £000

  (±%)

  £000

  (±%)

  £000

  (±%)

  Avon and Somerset

  152,673

  —2.3

  167,417

  6.9

  174,424

  1.9

  Bedfordshire

  58,570

  0.6

  62,317

  3.8

  64,027

  0.5

  Cambridgeshire

  68,681

  2.8

  71,230

  1.1

  75,363

  3.5

  Cheshire

  104,005

  7.4

  106,523

  —0.1

  111,094

  2.0

  City of London

  57,893

  —1.7

  60,862

  2.5

  58,719

  —5.6

  Cleveland

  75,426

  0.4

  82,282

  6.4

  85,397

  1.5

  Cumbria

  61,709

  5.6

  63,000

  —0.4

  64,693

  0.4

  Derbyshire

  95,641

  2.9

  100,894

  2.9

  107,035

  3.8

  Devon and Cornwall

  155,435

  0.6

  167,117

  4.9

  173,649

  1.6

  Dorset

  69,727

  0.0

  73,497

  2.8

  77,749

  3.5

  Durham

  75,166

  7.5

  78,103

  1.3

  80,712

  1.1

  Dyfed-Powys

  50,952

  3.6

  52,609

  0.7

  56,143

  4.4

  Essex

  157,487

  1.2

  168,889

  4.6

  171,590

  —0.6

  Gloucestershire

  58,633

  —2.4

  63,780

  6.1

  65,933

  1.1

  Greater Manchester

  353,319

  0.8

  371,497

  2.5

  387,256

  1.9

  Gwent

  64,598

  8.8

  67,919

  2.5

  71,414

  2.8

  Hampshire

  180,791

  1.8

  190,920

  3.0

  196,955

  0.9

  Hertfordshire

  93,011

  1.8

  97,859

  2.6

  102,361

  2.3

  Humberside

  106,220

  3.6

  111,587

  2.5

  114,306

  0.2

  Kent

  174,211

  4.9

  178,916

  0.2

  186,225

  1.8

  Lancashire

  169,275

  1.7

  178,051

  2.6

  182,679

  0.3

  Leicestershire

  98,789

  3.5

  102,707

  1.4

  106,279

  1.2

  Lincolnshire

  66,184

  4.7

  68,322

  0.7

  69,970

  0.2

  Merseyside

  224,327

  —1.3

  245,277

  6.6

  249,522

  —0.5

  Metropolitan Police

  1,676,617

  —3.1

  1,778,001

  3.4

  1,840,245

  1.2

  Norfolk

  80,222

  3.3

  82,339

  0.1

  86,870

  3.2

  Northamptonshire

  64,605

  6.1

  67,134

  1.3

  70,432

  2.6

  Northumbria

  195,092

  1.8

  205,380

  2.7

  213,010

  1.4

  North Wales

  70,920

  1.1

  75,075

  3.2

  80,505

  4.9

  North Yorkshire

  71,840

  4.3

  75,638

  2.7

  78,085

  1.0

  Nottinghamshire

  120,556

  3.3

  124,828

  1.0

  130,173

  2.0

  South Wales

  159,411

  5.2

  163,430

  0.0

  169,968

  1.7

  South Yorkshire

  166,027

  7.0

  168,205

  —1.2

  173,933

  1.1

  Staffordshire

  110,264

  —0.5

  122,540

  8.4

  127,472

  1.7

  Suffolk

  63,676

  1.6

  65,785

  0.8

  70,538

  4.9

  Surrey

  90,976

  3.7

  90,738

  —2.7

  375

  8.2

  Sussex

  157,631

  1.8

  162,664

  0.6

  165,804

  —0.3

  Thames Valley

  210,333

  1.6

  221,147

  2.5

  232,729

  2.9

  Warwickshire

  51,003

  4.1

  53,617

  2.5

  56,157

  2.4

  West Mercia

  107,788

  2.7

  112,879

  2.1

  116,490

  0.9

  West Midlands

  360,129

  3.7

  372,296

  0.8

  380,971

  0.1

  West Yorkshire

  281,745

  3.3

  280,739

  —2.8

  288,865

  0.6

  Wiltshire

  58,535

  —5.1

  66,666

  11.1

  69,715

  2.3

  Total

  6,870,093

  1.0

  7,220,676

  2.5

  7,485,832

  1.4

  Notes:

  1997–98—CIPFA Police Statistics Actuals

  1998–99 and 1999–2000 CIPFA Police Statistics Estimates
  148W 149W

  Police force net expenditure 1997–98 to 1999–2000: Percentage increase in real terms excluding pensions expenditure

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  Avon and Somerset

  —4.0

  6.8

  1.6

  Bedfordshire

  —1.6

  4.2

  —1.5

  Cambridgeshire

  1.7

  1.1

  1.8

  Cheshire

  4.0

  0.4

  0.3

  City of London

  —3.0

  1.5

  —6.3

  Cleveland

  1.5

  3.3

  —2.8

  Cumbria

  5.7

  —1.6

  —.06

  Derbyshire

  2.0

  2.1

  3.3

  Devon and Cornwall

  —0.5

  4.5

  1.0

  Dorset

  —2.0

  2.9

  1.5

  Durham

  1.6

  6.1

  3.4

  Dyfed-Powys

  4.0

  —0.5

  4.0

  Essex

  0.0

  3.9

  —0.9

  Gloucestershire

  —1.8

  4.7

  1.8

  Greater Manchester

  —2.3

  3.2

  1.2

  Gwent

  6.6

  3.1

  3.2

  Hampshire

  1.7

  1.9

  0.1

  Hertfordshire

  1.0

  2.5

  —0.6

  Humberside

  1.0

  3.6

  —1.6

  Kent

  2.1

  —0.1

  0.4

  Lancashire

  1.4

  2.9

  0.2

  Leicestershire

  n/a

  n/a

  1.2

  Lincolnshire

  3.1

  —0.2

  —1.5

  Merseyside

  —0.3

  6.3

  — 0.7

  Metropolitan Police

  —4.4

  2.9

  0.2

  Norfolk

  2.9

  1.3

  2.2

  Northamptonshire

  0.0

  2.1

  5.1

  Northumbria

  3.8

  0.9

  2.0

  North Wales

  2.7

  3.5

  1.0

  North Yorkshire

  0.8

  3.1

  1.2

  Nottinghamshire

  0.1

  2.2

  1.4

  South Wales

  0.6

  2.9

  2.8

  South Yorkshire

  2.8

  1.0

  0.4

  Staffordshire

  —3.9

  7.1

  3.7

  Suffolk

  1.5

  1.2

  4.0

  Surrey

  —0.9

  —0.7

  9.6

  Sussex

  1.2

  —1.3

  —1.1

  Thames Valley Police

  0.1

  3.4

  2.0

  Warwickshire

  —1.7

  5.3

  —0.9

  West Mercia

  1.8

  2.3

  —0.3

  West Midlands

  1.3

  1.7

  —0.5

  West Yorkshire

  1.6

  —3.0

  —0.5

  Wiltshire

  —2.3

  10.2

  2.0

  Total

  —0.5

  2.3

  0.6

  Applications for asylum in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, and decisions, 1995–99

  Cases considered under normal procedures

  Backlog clearance exercise

  Total applications

  Total decisions1,2

  Recognised as a refugee and granted asylum

  Not recognised as a refugee but granted exceptional leave

  Total refusals

  Granted exceptional leave under backlog criteria 3,4

  Refused on non compliance grounds under backlog criteria 3,5

  1995

  43,965

  27,005

  1,295

  4,410

  21,300

  n/a

  n/a

  1996

  29,640

  38,960

  2,240

  5,055

  31,670

  n/a

  n/a

  1997

  32,500

  36,045

  3,985

  3,115

  28,945

  n/a

  n/a

  1998

  46,015

  31,570

  5,345

  3,910

  22,315

  n/a

  n/a

  19996

  66,945

  30,940

  7.135

  2,150

  10,970

  9,595

  1,095

  1 Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same period.

  2Information is of initial decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.

  3 Cases decided under pragmatic measures aimed at reducing the pre 1996 asylum application backlog.

  4Includes a small number of cases where asylum has been granted.

  5Includes a small number of cases where the applications has been refused on substantive grounds.

  6Provisional figures for 12 months ending 31 October.

  Note:

  Figures rounded to the nearest 5. n/a = not applicable.

  Privatised Ports Police
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if HM Inspectorate of Constabulary will conduct an inspection into the proposals to revise the size and management of the Port of Tilbury Police and its implications for the independence of each officer in the fulfilment of his or her duties as a constable. [102437]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Inspection by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary of the Port of Tilbury Police—or indeed, any other non-Home Office police force—must be by the prior invitation of the force. There has been no such invitation from the force.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when HM Inspectorate of Constabulary last inspected the Northern Ireland Airport Police. [102439]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Inspection by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary of the Northern Ireland Airport Police—or indeed, any other non-Home Office police force—must be by the prior invitation of the force. No inspection has taken place as there has been no such invitation from the force.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if HM Inspectorate of Constabulary will conduct an inspection into the management of the Port of Liverpool Police in relation to the capacity of each officer in the fulfilment of his or her duties as a constable. [102438]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Inspection by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary of the Port of Liverpool Police—or indeed, any other non-Home Office police force—must be by the prior invitation of the force. There has been no such invitation from the Port of Liverpool Police since 1978.

  Asylum Seekers
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have applied for political asylum in the United Kingdom in each of the five most recent 12 month periods; how many of those applicants in each year have had their request rejected; and how many have been deported in consequence. [102626]

  Mrs. Roche
  The requested information is given in the tables.
  151W

  Removals and voluntary departures 12 under port or enforcement procedures of asylum applicants, excluding dependants, 1995–99

  Year

  Number

  1995

  3,180

  1996

  4,840

  1997

  7,160

  1998

  6,900

  19991

  7,740

  1Does not include persons who may leave the United Kingdom without informing the Immigration and Nationality Directorate.

  2 Includes persons departing voluntarily after enforcement action had been initiated against them.

  3Provisional figure for 12 months ending 31 October.

  Note:

  All figures are rounded to 10.

  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which organisation within his Department has the responsibility for arranging the deportation of asylum seekers whose applications are rejected; and what assessment has been made of the manner in which these responsibilities are undertaken. [102628]

  Mrs. Roche
  The Immigration Service is responsible for arranging for the removal from the United Kingdom of asylum seekers whose applications are refused. This includes those who are removed following deportation action. The Immigration Service is on target to meet the target of 8,000 removals in the current financial year. Targets for future years were set out in the annex to the White Paper "Fairer, Faster and Firmer—A Modern Approach to Immigration and Asylum" which was published in July 1998. These targets are currently being reviewed.

  The review of immigration procedures which preceded the White Paper's proposals identified a number of changes which we considered necessary to improve the enforcement of the immigration control. The Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 enables a number of these to be given effect. The performance of the Immigration Service is kept under constant review in order to encourage the adoption of best practice, ensure that priorities are dealt with and identify options for improving performance.

  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what records are kept of those persons who apply for political asylum and have their cases rejected; and how many such persons remain in the United Kingdom. [102627]

  Mrs. Roche
  Records are kept on all persons applying for asylum. These case files identify the initial decision, the outcome of any appeal, port or enforcement action taken subsequently and the removal of the person from the country. However, we do not have data available on how many asylum applicants have voluntarily left the country without the knowledge of the Home Office. Therefore, it is not possible to make a reliable estimate of the number of failed asylum seekers remaining in the country.

  Anti-drugs Strategy
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the research projects being undertaken as part of the Government's anti-drugs strategy announced following the Comprehensive Spending Review. [102661]
  152W
  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The programme of research, for which £6 million has been allocated over three years, is designed to improve research and information gathering in support of the Government's 10 year strategy for tracking drug misuse. At present, the programme includes the following projects:

  NEW-ADAM (New England and Wales Arrestee Drug Abuse Monitoring)—Voluntary drug testing and interviewing of arrestees in 16 custody suites across England and Wales (in progress);

  Drug use questionnaire survey of school pupils in England (in progress);

  Strategic review of regional drug misuse databases for treatment in England and Wales (in progress);

  Survey of drug availability based on the perceptions of local experts (in progress);

  Estimating the current capacity and future demands for drug treatment (complete); and

  A supply-side programme of research to develop a model of the United Kingdom drugs market (in progress).

  Prisons (Drug-free Units)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the drug-free units in prisons in England and Wales; and how many inmates are held in each of these units. [102403]

  Mr. Boateng
  The table shows the prisons with a designated voluntary testing unit or discrete area in prisons in England and Wales, and the number of places within each unit.

  Total number of drug-free units in prisons in England and Wales and the number of prisoners held in each of these units

  Establishment

  Number of places

  Aldington

  20

  Altcourse

  140

  Bedford

  28

  Belmarsh

  55

  Blundeston

  120

  Bristol

  115

  Brockhill

  20

  Buckley Hall

  66

  Bullingdon

  83

  Channings Wood

  149

  Dartmoor

  30

  Doncaster

  180

  Down View

  343

  Drake Hall

  19

  Elmley

  68

  Everthorpe

  134

  Featherstone

  116

  Frankland

  240

  Full Sutton

  116

  Haverigg

  112

  High Down

  55

  High Point

  32

  Hindley

  70

  Holme House

  129

  Hull

  106

  Lancaster

  16

  Leicester

  30

  Lewes

  1—

  Lindholme

  169

  Liverpool

  268

  Long Lartin

  72

  Maidstone

  68

  Manchester

  416

  Mount

  260

  New Hall

  67

  153W

  Total number of drug-free units in prisons in England and Wales and the number of prisoners held in each of these units

  Establishment

  Number of places

  North Sea Camp

  31

  Northallerton

  32

  Norwich

  143

  Parc

  180

  Parkhurst

  224

  Pentonville

  110

  Portland

  72

  Ranby

  72

  Reading

  20

  Risley

  77

  Send

  60

  Shrewsbury

  140

  Standford

  40

  Stocken

  160

  Styal

  57

  Sudbury

  120

  Swaleside

  72

  Swinfen Hall

  60

  Verne

  168

  Wandsworth

  68

  Wayland

  149

  Wealstun

  60

  Weare

  50

  Wellingborough

  180

  Whitemoor

  126

  Winchester

  24

  Wolds

  125

  Woodhill

  1—

  Total (63)

  6,632

  1Number of prisoners held not available

  Prisons (Girl Inmates)
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many girls aged 15 to 18 years, held in adult prisons, share(a) facilities and (b) accommodation with adults. [102235]

  Mr. Boateng
  At the end of October there was a total of 102 young women under the age of 18 in Prison Service custody, of whom 81 were sentenced. The remaining 21 were 17-year-olds remanded awaiting trial or sentence. All remanded young women aged 15 and 16 are held in local authority care.

  In the past, female young offenders and adult women were co-located, however, following the Flood judgment of August 1997, all female offenders under 21 years of age are held in designated young offender accommodation.

  On 8 March 1999, Official Report, columns 28–29W, my right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary, announced that from the introduction of the Detention and Training order in April 2000, sentenced 15 and 16-year-old girls will be placed in local authority care, not in prison. In the longer term, as places become available, sentenced young women aged 17 will also be placed outside Prison Service custody.

  The Prison Service is working closely with governors to ensure that female young offenders are kept in appropriate physically discrete accommodation and to develop specific regime provision for young women.

  Police Officers (Ranks)
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for each of(a) 1980, (b) 1985, (c) 1990, (d) 1995 and (e) the latest year for which figures are available, if he will list the total number of officers who held the rank of (i) Inspector or Chief Inspector, (ii) Superintendent or Chief Superintendent and (iii) Chief Constable, Deputy Chief Constable, Assistant Chief Constable or equivalent rank for each police force in England and Wales. [R] [102401]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Information in the form requested is readily available only for the years 1995 and 1999. This information is set out in the tables.

  I will write to the right hon. Member with information for the earlier years, as soon as it is available.

  Police Service in England and Wales—Strength1 for 31 March 1995

  Police force

  (i) Inspector or Chief Inspector

  (ii) Superintendent or Chief Superintendent

  (iii) Chief Constable, Deputy Chief Constable and Assistant Chief Constable

  Avon and Somerset

  207

  36

  5

  Bedfordshire

  75

  16

  3

  Cambridgeshire

  81

  14

  3

  Cheshire

  129

  21

  4

  City of London

  70

  9

  2

  Cleveland

  106

  14

  2

  Cumbria

  89

  16

  3

  Derbyshire

  129

  21

  4

  Devon and Cornwall

  185

  37

  4

  Dorset

  97

  20

  3

  Durham

  96

  20

  3

  Essex

  180

  31

  5

  Gloucestershire

  78

  16

  3

  Greater Manchester

  510

  83

  7

  Hampshire

  197

  45

  5

  Hertfordshire

  121

  23

  3

  Humberside

  140

  24

  4

  Kent

  236

  32

  5

  Lancashire

  232

  38

  5

  Leicestershire

  129

  20

  4

  Lincolnshire

  87

  15

  3

  Merseyside

  316

  67

  5

  Metropolitan police

  1,698

  212

  43

  Norfolk

  86

  17

  3

  Northamptonshire

  77

  12

  3

  Northumbria

  230

  43

  5

  North Yorkshire

  86

  16

  3

  Nottinghamshire

  151

  30

  4

  South Yorkshire

  203

  43

  5

  Staffordshire

  155

  31

  4

  Suffolk

  83

  18

  3

  Surrey

  119

  22

  4

  Sussex

  202

  29

  5

  Thames Valley

  253

  49

  5

  Warwickshire

  73

  10

  3

  West Mercia

  165

  26

  4

  West Midlands

  463

  89

  7

  West Yorkshire

  355

  46

  6

  Wiltshire

  90

  15

  2

  Dyfed-Powys

  63

  14

  3

  Gwent

  56

  14

  2

  North Wales

  98

  23

  3

  South Wales

  205

  37

  4

  Total all forces

  8,401

  1,414

  206

  1Full-time equivalents

  155W

  Police strength in England and Wales—Strength 1 for ordinary duty as at 31 March 1999

  Police force

  (i) Inspector or Chief Inspector

  (ii) Superitendent or Chief Superintendent

  (iii) Chief Constable or Assistant Chief Constable

  Avon and Somerset

  191

  23

  4

  Bedfordshire

  64

  13

  3

  Cambridgeshire

  75

  15

  3

  Cheshire

  132

  20

  4

  City of London

  57

  8

  3

  Cleveland

  67

  24

  3

  Cumbria

  68

  10

  3

  Derbyshire

  119

  24

  4

  Devon and Cornwall

  181

  26

  5

  Dorset

  85

  16

  2

  Durham

  101

  18

  3

  Dyfed Powys

  61

  16

  3

  Essex

  179

  28

  4

  Gloucestershire

  70

  10

  3

  Greater Manchester

  432

  78

  7

  Gwent

  75

  15

  2

  Hampshire

  202

  36

  4

  Hertfordshire

  116

  20

  4

  Humberside

  134

  19

  3

  Kent

  190

  27

  4

  Lancashire

  209

  33

  4

  Leicestershire

  117

  17

  4

  Lincolnshire

  82

  14

  3

  Merseyside

  231

  48

  5

  Metropolitan police

  1,507

  210

  40

  Norfolk

  99

  16

  3

  Northamptonshire

  66

  12

  3

  Northumbria

  243

  37

  5

  North Wales

  97

  16

  3

  North Yorkshire

  75

  13

  3

  Nottinghamshire

  135

  20

  4

  South Wales

  200

  27

  5

  South Yorkshire

  211

  35

  5

  Staffordshire

  147

  22

  4

  Suffolk

  69

  14

  3

  Surrey

  97

  17

  4

  Sussex

  190

  25

  5

  Thames Valley

  223

  48

  4

  Warwickshire

  58

  11

  3

  West Mercia

  135

  19

  4

  West Midlands

  356

  58

  6

  West Yorkshire

  320

  42

  6

  Wiltshire

  76

  13

  3

  Total all forces

  7,540

  1,213

  200

  1Full-time equivalents

  CS Spray
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been disciplined for the inappropriate use of CS spray in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [102355]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  For the period 1 April to 9 December 1999, 46 cases relating to the use of CS spray were investigated under the supervision of the Police Complaints Authority, of which one complaint led to charges being brought against an officer and one other led to disciplinary advice being given.

  138 further unsupervised cases were referred to the Authority's discipline section during this period. It is not possible at present to say how many of these complaints have been substantiated.

  Firearms
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents occurred in each of the last five years, broken down by police force area in England and Wales, where shots were discharged by persons engaged in criminal activity. [102165]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The first table shows for each year 1994 to 1998, the number of firearms (including air weapons) discharged in notifiable offences recorded by the police in each police force area in England and Wales. Information on air weapons discharged during the years 1995 to 1997 is not available centrally.

  The second table gives similar information for 1994 and 1998 for all firearms, excluding air weapons.

  Numbers of firearms discharged (including air weapons) in notifiable offences recorded by the police, England and Wales 1994 and 19981

  Police force

  1994

  1998

  Avon and Somerset

  154

  186

  Bedfordshire

  84

  107

  Cambridgeshire

  102

  113

  Cheshire

  61

  65

  Cleveland

  154

  191

  Cumbria

  51

  33

  Derbyshire

  230

  270

  Devon and Cornwall

  136

  91

  Dorset

  30

  35

  Durham

  94

  50

  Essex

  239

  279

  Gloucestershire

  61

  79

  Greater Manchester

  322

  558

  Hampshire

  176

  79

  Hertfordshire

  16

  36

  Humberside

  508

  460

  Kent

  409

  203

  Lancashire

  94

  132

  Leicestershire

  71

  71

  Lincolnshire

  86

  75

  London, City of

  —

  —

  Merseyside

  384

  586

  Metropolitan Police

  569

  1,305

  Norfolk

  54

  26

  Northamptonshire

  126

  139

  Northumbria

  321

  312

  North Yorkshire

  101

  66

  Nottinghamshire

  202

  538

  South Yorkshire

  383

  322

  Staffordshire

  210

  116

  Suffolk

  60

  12

  Surrey

  49

  25

  Sussex

  109

  206

  Thames Valley

  236

  346

  Warwickshire

  77

  44

  West Mercia

  110

  78

  West Midlands

  373

  531

  West Yorkshire

  810

  896

  Wiltshire

  11

  66

  Dyfed Powys

  22

  39

  Gwent

  35

  163

  North Wales

  67

  77

  South Wales

  255

  243

  Total

  7,642

  9,249

  1 Number of air weapons discharged for the years 1995–97 are not available centrally

  157W

  Numbers of firearms discharged (excluding air weapons) in notifiable offences recorded by the police, England and Wales 1994–98

  Police force

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  Avon and Somerset

  17

  16

  10

  8

  12

  Bedfordshire

  15

  12

  9

  6

  7

  Cambridgeshire

  5

  7

  5

  1

  3

  Cheshire

  7

  6

  4

  1

  5

  Cleveland

  14

  5

  9

  9

  4

  Cumbria

  3

  9

  2

  2

  —

  Derbyshire

  15

  11

  9

  17

  8

  Devon and Cornwall

  12

  4

  7

  4

  34

  Dorset

  2

  2

  6

  3

  4

  Durham

  1

  4

  10

  5

  5

  Essex

  23

  25

  14

  15

  10

  Gloucestershire

  4

  10

  7

  7

  5

  Greater Manchester

  59

  58

  55

  77

  96

  Hampshire

  17

  6

  9

  5

  11

  Hertfordshire

  5

  15

  19

  10

  9

  Humberside

  5

  4

  13

  11

  4

  Kent

  43

  18

  13

  19

  16

  Lancashire

  8

  19

  6

  15

  7

  Leicestershire

  15

  8

  12

  20

  16

  Lincolnshire

  6

  6

  2

  1

  3

  London, City of

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Merseyside

  17

  44

  60

  18

  27

  Metropolitan Police

  190

  157

  332

  412

  463

  Norfolk

  5

  8

  2

  4

  4

  Northamptonshire

  7

  9

  11

  8

  12

  Northumbria

  39

  20

  28

  9

  10

  North Yorkshire

  4

  2

  —

  5

  1

  Nottinghamshire

  13

  15

  24

  33

  42

  South Yorkshire

  52

  30

  23

  22

  22

  Staffordshire

  21

  11

  5

  2

  5

  Suffolk

  6

  3

  —

  2

  —

  Surrey

  5

  2

  3

  4

  1

  Sussex

  18

  13

  11

  20

  25

  Thames Valley

  19

  30

  38

  23

  13

  Warwickshire

  8

  2

  2

  —

  3

  West Mercia

  11 1

  3

  13

  7

  12

  West Midlan

  57

  132

  153

  73

  96

  West Yorkshire

  27

  34

  35

  16

  16

  Wiltshire

  —

  1

  3

  4

  2

  Dyfed Powys

  9

  4

  5

  4

  2

  Population in prisons in England and Wales by nationality, ethnicity and establishment, 31 October 19991

  White

  Black

  South Asian

  Prison

  British nationals

  Foreign nationals

  Not known

  British nationals

  Foreign nationals

  Not brown

  British nationals

  Foreign nationals

  Not known

  Acklington

  686

  5

  —

  4

  1

  —

  7

  5

  Albany

  381

  19

  —

  12

  7

  —

  4

  3

  Altcourse

  812

  10

  1

  14

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Ashwell

  380

  7

  —

  54

  4

  —

  22

  3

  —

  Askham Grange

  93

  —

  —

  22

  3

  —

  —

  4

  —

  Aylesbury

  199

  7

  —

  102

  14

  —

  12

  4

  —

  Bedford

  282

  15

  1

  31

  11

  —

  24

  12

  —

  Belmarsh

  480

  39

  —

  133

  44

  —

  8

  3

  —

  Birmingham

  751

  23

  —

  176

  20

  —

  18

  11

  —

  Blakenhurst

  664

  21

  2

  71

  16

  1

  19

  17

  —

  Blantyre House

  100

  2

  —

  6

  4

  —

  1

  2

  —

  Blundeston

  211

  12

  —

  67

  29

  —

  7

  1

  1

  —

  Brinsford

  371

  4

  1

  80

  7

  —

  27

  1

  —

  Bristol

  490

  10

  —

  54

  6

  —

  1

  1

  —

  Brixton

  347

  65

  —

  181

  102

  —

  6

  14

  —

  Brockhill

  121

  2

  1

  18

  4

  —

  4

  2

  —

  Buckley Hall

  314

  7

  —

  37

  4

  —

  12

  1

  —

  158W

  Numbers of firearms discharged (excluding air weapons) in notifiable offences recorded by the police, England and Wales 1994—

  Police force

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  Gwent

  5

  6

  4

  7

  2

  North Wales

  4

  6

  10

  2

  8

  South Wales

  10

  5

  9

  5

  5

  Total

  803

  782

  992

  916

  1,030

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in each of the last five years and the current year to date how many illegally held(a) shotguns, (b).22 rifles, (c) rifles of greater calibre than.22, (d) handguns and (e) other firearms were seized by the police in each police force area in England and Wales. [102162]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information requested is not collected centrally.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many homicides were committed using(a) shotguns, (b) rifles, (c) handguns and (d) other firearms, in each police force area in England and Wales in each of the last five years and the current year; and how many homicides were committed by the use of a legally held firearm used by the owner, shown by the type of weapon used. [102166]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Tables that have been placed in the Library give the requested information, including the legal status of the firearm where this was known.

  All the data for 1998, and the legally held data for 1995 to 1998 is provisional.

  No information is yet available for 1999.

  Prisoners (Ethnic Breakdown)
  Mr. Stinchcombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the ethnic breakdown of(a) prisoners of British nationality and (b) all prisoners in each prison in England and Wales. [102171]

  Mr. Boateng
  The information requested is given in the table.
  159W

  Population in prisons in England and Wales by nationality, ethnicity and establishment, 31 October 19991

  White

  Black

  South Asian

  Prison

  British nationals

  Foreign nationals

  Not known

  British nationals

  Foreign nationals

  Not known

  British nationals

  Foreign nationals

  Not known

  Bullingdon

  690

  27

  —

  80

  16

  —

  21

  7

  —

  Bullwood Hall

  92

  6

  —

  15

  13

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Camp Hill

  332

  24

  —

  69

  25

  —

  3

  2

  —

  Canterbury

  215

  51

  —

  3

  12

  —

  —

  3

  —

  Cardiff

  620

  4

  —

  43

  2

  —

  3

  1

  —

  Castington

  292

  1

  —

  9

  1

  —

  2

  1

  —

  Channings Wood

  543

  8

  —

  11

  4

  —

  3

  2

  —

  Chelmsford

  386

  17

  —

  25

  4

  —

  2

  1

  —

  Coldingly

  143

  6

  —

  71

  38

  —

  2

  3

  —

  Cookham Wood

  70

  9

  —

  17

  32

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Dartmoor

  561

  9

  —

  31

  8

  —

  2

  3

  —

  Deerbolt

  411

  1

  —

  8

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Doncaster

  942

  6

  2

  80

  3

  —

  7

  —

  —

  Dorchester

  233

  1

  —

  4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Dover

  199

  6

  —

  59

  11

  —

  5

  1

  —

  Downview

  192

  9

  —

  89

  16

  —

  5

  3

  —

  Drake Hall

  201

  7

  —

  16

  12

  —

  2

  1

  —

  Durham

  859

  6

  —

  8

  7

  —

  —

  2

  —

  East Sutton Park

  56

  5

  —

  13

  5

  —

  —

  3

  —

  Eastwood Park

  262

  12

  —

  12

  14

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Elmley

  699

  89

  —

  63

  23

  —

  7

  6

  —

  Erlestoke

  254

  7

  —

  24

  7

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Everthorpe

  426

  6

  —

  15

  1

  —

  7

  —

  —

  Exeter

  463

  6

  —

  6

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Featherstone

  444

  7

  —

  80

  3

  —

  30

  6

  —

  Feltham

  366

  24

  —

  263

  78

  —

  38

  9

  —

  Ford

  289

  12

  —

  26

  6

  —

  10

  8

  —

  Foston Hall

  112

  8

  —

  20

  24

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Frankland

  451

  13

  —

  30

  8

  —

  8

  6

  —

  Full Sutton

  455

  19

  —

  43

  15

  —

  13

  7

  —

  Garth

  504

  15

  —

  63

  10

  —

  22

  9

  —

  Gartree

  298

  9

  —

  25

  3

  —

  6

  9

  —

  Glen Parva

  724

  3

  —

  74

  1

  —

  29

  2

  —

  Gloucester

  283

  4

  —

  21

  2

  —

  2

  —

  —

  Grendon

  368

  12

  —

  48

  9

  —

  18

  3

  —

  Guys Marsh

  466

  5

  —

  25

  2

  —

  4

  4

  —

  Haslar

  —

  32

  —

  —

  41

  —

  —

  43

  2

  Hatfield

  92

  1

  —

  2

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Haverigg

  379

  —

  —

  7

  1

  —

  3

  —

  —

  Hewell Grange

  143

  3

  —

  10

  2

  —

  16

  5

  —

  Highdown

  456

  39

  —

  103

  63

  —

  8

  8

  —

  Highpoint

  488

  49

  —

  101

  75

  —

  8

  10

  —

  Hindley

  415

  1

  1

  42

  —

  —

  19

  4

  —

  Hollesley Bay

  203

  4

  —

  87

  13

  —

  6

  1

  —

  Holloway

  287

  37

  —

  64

  70

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Holme House

  923

  3

  —

  17

  2

  —

  3

  3

  —

  Hull

  485

  4

  —

  9

  —

  —

  3

  —

  —

  Huntercombe

  190

  8

  —

  79

  17

  —

  13

  3

  —

  Kingston

  159

  4

  —

  8

  4

  —

  —

  2

  —

  Kirkham

  430

  2

  —

  7

  4

  —

  16

  2

  —

  Kirklevington

  162

  1

  —

  9

  1

  —

  5

  —

  —

  Lancaster

  184

  —

  —

  5

  1

  —

  4

  —

  —

  Lancaster Farms

  465

  5

  —

  15

  —

  —

  10

  1

  —

  Latchmere House

  115

  3

  —

  34

  7

  —

  7

  7

  —

  Leeds

  1,064

  9

  1

  64

  7

  —

  65

  21

  —

  Leicester

  298

  2

  —

  25

  2

  —

  11

  17

  —

  Lewes

  383

  14

  —

  33

  9

  —

  3

  1

  —

  Leyhill

  356

  6

  —

  16

  2

  —

  5

  3

  —

  Lincoln

  459

  6

  —

  13

  3

  —

  3

  —

  —

  Lindholme

  547

  4

  1

  32

  —

  —

  14

  3

  —

  Littlehey

  515

  21

  —

  45

  12

  —

  13

  11

  —

  Livaerpool

  1,359

  11

  —

  54

  9

  —

  9

  4

  —

  Long Lartin

  280

  19

  —

  61

  17

  —

  9

  6

  —

  Low Newton

  143

  —

  —

  4

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Lowdham Grange

  350

  30

  —

  84

  18

  —

  8

  5

  —

  Maidstone

  359

  28

  —

  79

  39

  —

  2

  10

  —

  Manchester

  977

  22

  —

  87

  17

  —

  19

  11

  —

  Moorland

  652

  2

  —

  60

  —

  —

  23

  2

  —

  Morton Hall

  175

  3

  —

  5

  —

  —

  12

  2

  —

  Mount

  287

  50

  —

  172

  67

  —

  32

  14

  —

  160W 161W

  Population in prisons in England and Wales by nationality, ethnicity and establishment, 31 October 19991

  White

  Black

  South Asian

  Prison

  British nationals

  White Foreign nationals

  Not known

  British nationals

  Black Foreign nationals

  Not known

  British nationals

  South Asian Foreign nationals

  Not known

  New Hall

  335

  3

  —

  17

  1

  —

  3

  2

  —

  North Sea Camp

  170

  7

  —

  10

  2

  —

  11

  1

  —

  Northallerton

  256

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  Norwich

  621

  16

  —

  35

  3

  —

  3

  2

  —

  Nottingham

  352

  6

  —

  55

  5

  —

  6

  7

  —

  Onley

  440

  6

  1

  75

  15

  —

  31

  2

  —

  Parc

  771

  11

  1

  17

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Parkhurst

  236

  34

  1

  74

  31

  —

  6

  7

  —

  Pentonville

  522

  66

  1

  257

  82

  —

  24

  20

  —

  Portland

  479

  6

  —

  52

  9

  —

  10

  1

  —

  Preston

  637

  8

  —

  9

  2

  —

  11

  4

  —

  Ranby

  656

  6

  —

  41

  3

  —

  28

  4

  —

  Reading

  202

  6

  —

  15

  2

  —

  2

  —

  —

  Risley

  709

  14

  —

  43

  6

  —

  8

  3

  —

  Rochester

  150

  8

  —

  12

  36

  —

  1

  25

  —

  Send

  57

  11

  —

  37

  44

  —

  1

  1

  —

  Shepton Mallet

  166

  3

  —

  12

  3

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Shrewsbury

  305

  2

  —

  14

  2

  —

  9

  2

  —

  Stafford

  516

  12

  —

  60

  4

  —

  13

  5

  —

  Standford Hill

  181

  22

  —

  36

  18

  —

  10

  11

  —

  Stocken

  451

  10

  —

  69

  7

  —

  22

  6

  —

  Stple Heath

  540

  2

  —

  64

  1

  —

  9

  2

  —

  Styal

  392

  7

  —

  20

  20

  —

  2

  1

  —

  Sudbury

  377

  10

  —

  49

  6

  —

  17

  16

  —

  Swaleside

  340

  82

  —

  120

  56

  —

  12

  11

  —

  Swansea

  308

  5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  3

  —

  Swinfen Hall

  205

  2

  —

  52

  2

  —

  14

  1

  —

  Thorn Cross

  230

  1

  —

  14

  1

  —

  11

  2

  —

  Usk

  287

  5

  —

  2

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Verne

  266

  83

  —

  11

  133

  —

  3

  10

  —

  Wakefield

  480

  11

  —

  48

  3

  —

  6

  3

  —

  Wandsworth

  738

  80

  —

  239

  83

  —

  11

  9

  —

  Wayland

  445

  19

  —

  95

  26

  —

  13

  3

  —

  Wealstun

  509

  9

  —

  31

  1

  —

  41

  11

  —

  Weare

  208

  12

  —

  46

  14

  —

  3

  3

  —

  Wellingborough

  344

  18

  —

  54

  11

  —

  20

  7

  —

  Werrington

  91

  1

  —

  8

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  Wetherby

  318

  1

  1

  9

  —

  —

  8

  1

  —

  Whatton

  255

  5

  —

  3

  1

  —

  5

  1

  —

  Whitemoor

  233

  42

  —

  55

  13

  —

  4

  7

  —

  Winchester

  503

  19

  —

  28

  29

  —

  5

  4

  —

  Wolds

  371

  11

  —

  9

  3

  —

  3

  3

  —

  Woodhill

  571

  26

  —

  60

  9

  —

  15

  5

  —

  Wormwood Scrubs

  349

  55

  —

  102

  75

  —

  27

  15

  —

  Wymott

  725

  11

  —

  30

  2

  —

  14

  4

  —

  All

  51,732

  1,899

  16

  6,075

  1,963

  1

  1,227

  612

  2

  1 Provisional figures

  Population in prisons in England and Wales by nationality, ethnicity and establishment, 31 October 19991

  Chines & Other

  Not recorded

  Total

  Prison

  British nationals

  Foreign nationals

  Not known

  British nationals

  Foreign nationals

  Not known

  British nationals

  Foreign nationals

  Not known

  All

  Acklington

  3

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  700

  13

  —

  713

  Albany

  1

  4

  —

  1

  —

  —

  399

  33

  —

  432

  Altcourse

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  827

  14

  1

  842

  Ashwell

  13

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  470

  15

  —

  485

  Askham Grange

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  117

  7

  —

  124

  Aylesbury

  4

  5

  —

  1

  —

  —

  318

  30

  —

  348

  Bedford

  4

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  341

  39

  1

  381

  Belmarsh

  21

  49

  —

  —

  —

  —

  642

  135

  —

  777

  Birmingham

  84

  10

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,029

  64

  —

  1,093

  Blakenhurst

  12

  6

  —

  —

  —

  —

  766

  60

  3

  829

  Blantyre House

  3

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  110

  9

  1

  120

  Bludeston

  10

  12

  —

  1

  —

  —

  296

  54

  —

  350

  Brinsford

  18

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  496

  13

  1

  510

  Bristol

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  547

  19

  —

  566

  Brixton

  20

  57

  —

  —

  —

  —

  554

  238

  —

  —

  792

  Brockhill

  5

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  148

  9

  1

  158

  162W 163W

  Population in prisons in England and Wales by nationality, ethnicity and establishment, 31 October 19991

  Chines & Other

  Not recorded

  Total

  Prison

  British nationals

  Foreign nationals

  Not known

  British nationals

  Foreign nationals

  Not known

  British nationals

  Foreign nationals

  Not known

  All

  Brckley Hall

  7

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  370

  15

  —

  385

  Bullingdon

  8

  7

  —

  —

  —

  —

  799

  57

  —

  856

  Bullwood Hall

  3

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  111

  22

  —

  133

  Camp Hill

  11

  9

  —

  —

  —

  —

  415

  60

  —

  475

  Canterbury

  —

  14

  —

  —

  —

  —

  218

  80

  —

  298

  Cardiff

  6

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  672

  7

  —

  679

  Castington

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  306

  3

  —

  309

  Channings Wood

  3

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  560

  15

  —

  575

  Chelmsford

  8

  8

  —

  —

  —

  —

  421

  30

  —

  451

  Coldingly

  5

  8

  —

  —

  —

  —

  221

  55

  —

  276

  Cookham Wood

  6

  13

  —

  —

  —

  —

  94

  54

  —

  148

  Dartmoor

  3

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  597

  22

  —

  619

  Deerbolt

  11

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  430

  2

  —

  432

  Doncaster

  66

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,095

  10

  2

  1,107

  Dorchester

  1

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  238

  4

  —

  242

  Dover

  7

  7

  —

  —

  —

  —

  270

  25

  —

  295

  Downview

  8

  14

  —

  —

  4

  —

  294

  46

  —

  340

  Drake Hall

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  221

  22

  —

  243

  Durham

  2

  10

  —

  —

  —

  —

  869

  25

  —

  894

  East Sutton Park

  5

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  74

  15

  —

  89

  Eastwood Park

  2

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  276

  27

  —

  303

  Elmley

  7

  15

  —

  —

  1

  —

  776

  134

  —

  910

  Erlestoke

  5

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  283

  17

  —

  300

  Everthorpe

  8

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  456

  7

  —

  403

  Exeter

  3

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  472

  8

  —

  480

  Featherstone

  18

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  572

  19

  —

  591

  Feltham

  15

  26

  —

  —

  —

  —

  682

  137

  —

  819

  Ford

  18

  15

  —

  1

  —

  —

  344

  41

  —

  385

  Foston Hall

  4

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  137

  33

  —

  170

  Frankland

  4

  12

  —

  —

  —

  —

  493

  39

  —

  532

  Full Sutton

  5

  14

  —

  —

  —

  —

  516

  55

  —

  571

  Garth

  9

  4

  —

  1

  —

  —

  599

  38

  —

  637

  Gartree

  3

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  332

  24

  —

  356

  Glen Parva

  8

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  835

  6

  —

  841

  Gloucester

  1

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  307

  8

  —

  315

  Grendon

  7

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  441

  27

  —

  468

  Guys Marsh

  6

  4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  501

  15

  —

  516

  Haslar

  —

  37

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  153

  2

  155

  Hatfield

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  95

  1

  —

  96

  Haverigg

  4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  393

  1

  —

  394

  Hewell Grange

  8

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  177

  11

  —

  188

  Highdown

  7

  14

  —

  1

  —

  —

  575

  124

  —

  699

  Highpoint

  20

  15

  —

  —

  —

  —

  617

  149

  —

  766

  Hindley

  2

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  478

  6

  1

  485

  Hollesley Bay

  5

  5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  301

  23

  —

  324

  Holloway

  13

  24

  —

  —

  —

  —

  364

  132

  —

  496

  Holme House

  12

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  955

  11

  —

  966

  Hull

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  497

  5

  —

  502

  Huntercombe

  6

  6

  —

  —

  —

  —

  288

  34

  —

  322

  Kingston

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  169

  12

  —

  181

  Kirkham

  9

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  463

  11

  —

  474

  Kirklevington

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  176

  3

  —

  179

  Lancaster

  4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  197

  1

  —

  198

  Lancaster Farms

  11

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  501

  6

  —

  507

  Latchmere House

  6

  5

  —

  1

  —

  —

  163

  22

  —

  185

  Leeds

  14

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,207

  38

  —

  1,246

  Leicester

  7

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  341

  21

  —

  362

  Lewes

  3

  5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  422

  29

  —

  451

  Leyhill 3

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  380

  12

  —

  392

  Lincoln

  3

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  478

  12

  —

  490

  Lindholme

  10

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  603

  8

  1

  612

  Littlehey

  10

  10

  —

  —

  —

  —

  583

  54

  —

  637

  Liverpool

  11

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,433

  25

  —

  1,458

  Long Lartin

  8

  17

  —

  3

  —

  —

  361

  59

  —

  420

  Low Newton

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  150

  —

  —

  150

  Lowdham Grange

  6

  14

  —

  1

  —

  —

  449

  67

  —

  516

  Maidstone

  7

  24

  —

  1

  —

  —

  448

  101

  —

  549

  Manchester

  20

  8

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,103

  58

  —

  1,161

  Moorland

  24

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  759

  6

  —

  765

  Morton Hall

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  193

  5

  —

  198

  164W 165W

  Population in prisons in England and Wales by nationality, ethnicity and establishment, 31 October 19991

  Chines & Other

  Not recorded

  Total

  Prison

  British nationals

  Foreign nationals

  Not known

  British nationals

  Foreign nationals

  Not known

  British nationals

  Foreign nationals

  Not known

  All

  Mount

  13

  23

  —

  —

  —

  —

  504

  154

  —

  638

  New Hall

  5

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  360

  7

  —

  367

  North Sea Camp

  5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  196

  10

  —

  206

  Northallerton

  6

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  266

  1

  —

  267

  Norwich

  4

  6

  —

  —

  —

  —

  663

  27

  —

  690

  Nottingham

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  416

  18

  —

  434

  Onley

  16

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  563

  25

  1

  589

  Parc

  6

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  796

  15

  1

  812

  Parkhurst

  10

  53

  —

  1

  —

  —

  327

  125

  1

  453

  Pentonville

  53

  74

  —

  1

  —

  —

  857

  242

  1

  1,100

  Portland

  7

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  548

  17

  —

  565

  Preston

  6

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  664

  15

  —

  679

  Ranby

  7

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  732

  15

  —

  747

  Reading

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  221

  8

  —

  229

  Risley

  6

  4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  766

  27

  —

  763

  Rochester

  —

  136

  —

  —

  —

  —

  163

  205

  —

  368

  Send

  7

  7

  —

  1

  —

  —

  103

  63

  —

  166

  Shepton Mallet

  3

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  181

  9

  —

  190

  Shrewsbury

  4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  332

  6

  —

  338

  Stafford

  14

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  603

  21

  —

  624

  Standford Hill

  4

  12

  —

  —

  —

  1

  231

  63

  1

  295

  Stocken

  6

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  548

  25

  —

  573

  Stoke Heath

  12

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  625

  5

  —

  630

  Styal

  4

  6

  —

  1

  —

  —

  419

  34

  —

  453

  Sudbury

  18

  6

  —

  —

  —

  —

  461

  38

  —

  499

  Swaleside

  16

  49

  —

  —

  —

  —

  488

  198

  —

  686

  Swansea

  1

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  312

  11

  —

  323

  Swinfen Hall

  5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  276

  5

  —

  281

  Thorn Cross

  10

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  265

  4

  —

  269

  Usk

  2

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  292

  6

  —

  298

  Verne

  4

  52

  —

  —

  —

  —

  284

  278

  —

  562

  Wakefield

  11

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  545

  18

  —

  563

  Wandsworth

  43

  91

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1,031

  264

  —

  1,295

  Wayland

  12

  10

  —

  —

  —

  —

  565

  58

  —

  623

  Wealstun

  10

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  591

  23

  —

  614

  Weare

  4

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  333

  31

  —

  364

  Wellingborough

  11

  8

  —

  —

  —

  —

  429

  44

  —

  473

  Werrington

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  101

  1

  —

  102

  Wetherby

  6

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  341

  2

  1

  344

  Whatton

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  264

  7

  —

  271

  Whitemoor

  4

  22

  —

  —

  —

  —

  296

  84

  —

  380

  Winchester

  6

  7

  —

  —

  —

  —

  542

  59

  —

  601

  Wolds

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  383

  17

  —

  400

  Woodhill

  6

  7

  —

  2

  —

  —

  654

  47

  —

  701

  Wormwood Scrubs

  26

  34

  —

  1

  —

  —

  505

  179

  —

  684

  Wymott

  8

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  777

  17

  —

  794

  1,135

  1,204

  1

  26

  6

  1

  60,195

  5,684

  21

  65,900

  1Provisional figures

  Tariffs
  Mr. Woolas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to seek an amendment of the law to allow appeals against tariff lengths by victims or their next of kin. [102182]

  Mr. Boateng
  We have no such plans at present. But we are considering other measures to bring victims of crime closer to the heart of the criminal justice system. They include the possibility of allowing victims, or their next of kin, to make statements about the effect a crime has had on them. Such statements would travel with the case papers and be considered at every stage of proceedings.
  166W
  The Probation Service now routinely makes contact with the victims or their immediate family when those responsible for a serious sexual or violent offence are sentenced to four years or more imprisonment.

  Within two months of sentence, the Probation Service contacts the victim, or their immediate family, to ask if they would like to be informed in due course about any plans for the eventual release of the prisoner. If so, the Probation Service explains the custodial process and, in particular, how any decision to release such an offender will be made. Victims or their families are also asked whether they have any particular concerns about proposals for a prisoner's temporary or final release. These views will not affect whether a prisoner is released, but they can affect the conditions attached to the release.

  Police Officer Numbers
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of police officers in each police authority in Wales for 1999. [102617]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Information on police numbers is collected twice a year (March and September). The figures for September 1999 are not yet available. Information for 31 March 1999 is set out in the table.

  Welsh police forces

  Police numbers as at 31 March 1999

  Dyfed Powys

  1,026

  Gwent

  1,247

  North Wales

  1,391

  South Wales

  2,981

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Disability Rights
  Mrs. Gilroy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proposals he has to make regulations under the Disability Rights Commission Act 1999. [102848]

  Ms Hodge
  The Government have today launched a public consultation on draft Regulations. The Regulations would provide for a statutory time limit for the completion

  Employment service annual performance agreement targets 1999–2000

  April-June1999

  July-September 1999

  Cumulative

  End year target

  Total placings of unemployed jobseekers

  326,714

  374,469

  701,183

  1,250,000

  Variance against profiled target (%)

  0.3

  9.1

  4.8

  —

  Placings of Jobseeker Allowance (JSA) Claimants unemployed for 6 months or more

  51,108

  64,576

  115,684

  190,000

  Variance against profiled target (%)

  4.6

  23.5

  14.3

  —

  Placings of JSA Claimants unemployed for two years or more

  10,106

  13,396

  23,502

  38,000

  Variance against profiled target (%)

  4.6

  26.2

  15.9

  —

  Placings of Jobseekers on the New Deal for 18–24 year olds1

  25,541

  31,813

  57,354

  100,000

  Variance against profiled target (%)

  4.1

  15.7

  10.3

  —

  New Deal for Lone Parent Placings1

  4,002

  5,247

  9,249

  15,000

  Variance against profiled target (%)

  5.5

  47.8

  25.9

  —

  Placings of Unemployed People with Disabilities

  24,719

  26,449

  51,168

  85,000

  Variance against profiled target (%)

  7.0

  15.2

  11.1

  —

  To ensure the correct application of JSA processes by ES staff2 (%)

  81

  83

  82

  96

  Customer Service for jobseekers (%)

  86.3

  88

  87.2

  87

  1 Based on Employment Service (ES) performance information, which records New Deal for Young People and New Deal for Lone Parents job placings achieved directly by, or in partnership with the ES. This will vary from Government Statistical Services (GSS) statistics for New Deal which record the total number of New Deal participants who have found work through the New Deal.

  2 The ES aim to achieve 90 per cent., 92 per cent. and 94 per cent. in the first three Quarters of the year.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of the final costs of higher education delivery was accounted for by staffing costs in the most recent year for which information is available. [102462]

  Mr. Wicks
  The latest figures, covering the 1997–98, academic year, show that staffing costs in UK higher education institutions represented 57 per cent. of total institutional expenditure.
  168W
  of formal investigations undertaken by the Disability Rights Commission. They would also specify the time in which the DRC must consider, and reach a decision on, the adequacy of an action plan proposed to it by an organisation in receipt of a non-discrimination notice.

  A consultation pack is being sent to 150 organisations in England, Scotland and Wales. The pack will also be available on the DfEE Internet site and in a number of alternative formats.

  The consultation ends on 18 February 2000.

  Performance Targets
  Mrs. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what progress the Employment Service has made towards its Annual Performance Agreement targets over the period April to September. [102902]

  Ms Jowell
  I am pleased to announce that for the period from April to September 1999 the Employment Service has exceeded planned performance levels for seven of the eight Annual Performance Agreement targets. I set out in the following table the performance of the Agency for Quarters one and two and cumulative performance to September.

  As part of our commitment to modern and accessible public services, I have asked the Chief Executive of the Agency to publish the Employment Service's quarterly results on the Employment Service Internet website which can be found at www.employmentservice.gov.uk. The results will normally be made available within four weeks of the end of the statistical period.

  Standards and Effectiveness Unit
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the employment status of the Head of the Standards and Effectiveness Unit at the Department for Education and Employment. [102195]

  Mr. Wills
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: I am replying on behalf of my right hon. Friend. The Secretary of State appointed Professor Michael Barber as his Schools Standards and Effectiveness Adviser. He is employed on Special Adviser terms.

  Head Teachers
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many applications have been received from head teachers for early retirement under the Government's proposals; and if he will list the criteria under which these applications will be determined. [102613]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: Just under 300 applications have been received from Local Education Authorities for those Headteachers who they believe meet the criteria set down in the Standards Fund circular. The scheme's criteria are:
  aged 55–59 at proposed date of retirement;
  has served continuously as a Headteacher in one or more posts for at least five years and has provided satisfactory service;

  unlikely to adapt well to carrying forward the major changes envisaged in improving education.

  LEAs were asked to provide Ofsted reports and other evidence to confirm that the application met the criteria.

  UK domiciled entrants to undergraduate courses in England

  Year of entry1

  Total entrants

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Of which, those who were: Mature2

  Male

  Female

  1990

  329,183

  192,508

  136,675

  161,143

  178,427

  150,756

  1991

  377,744

  232,406

  145,338

  189,775

  202,654

  175,090

  1992

  415,568

  271,515

  144,053

  213,990

  218,156

  197,412

  1993

  437,206

  290,731

  146,493

  230,357

  227,326

  209,880

  1994

  460,814

  285,354

  175,460

  253,862

  229,215

  231,599

  1995

  477,556

  286,515

  191,041

  270,140

  227,155

  250,401

  1996

  476,245

  286,128

  190,117

  267,049

  221,976

  254,269

  1997

  484,070

  297,190

  186,880

  260,123

  221,159

  262,911

  19983

  481,705

  288,566

  193,139

  257,857

  216,935

  264,770

  1Figures for 1994 and later years were collected on a different basis to those in earlier years.

  2 Aged 21 and over.

  3 Provisional.

  Year of entry1

  Total undergraduate entrants with known ethnicity

  Of which: from ethnic minorities2

  1990

  277,748

  39,336

  1991

  319,427

  44,126

  1992

  342,121

  43,677

  1993

  364,575

  56,845

  1994

  380,376

  51,432

  1995

  394,886

  56,049

  1996

  415,763

  61,262

  1997

  426,734

  64,224

  19981

  428,631

  63,437

  1 Figures for 1994 and later years were collected on a different basis to those in earlier years.

  2 Covers the following ethnic groups: Black Caribbean, Black African, Black other, Asian Indian, Asian Pakistani, Asian Bangladeshi, Asian Chinese, Asian other, Other (non-white) ethnic origin.

  3 Provisional

  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment for the 1998–99 academic year, what (i) number and (ii) percentage of full-time students enrolled in higher education institutions in England were assessed as being required to pay(a) the full tuition fee, (b) no tuition fee and (c) some tuition fee. [101947]

  "The Rights of Teachers"
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he will publish the responses to the consultation paper, "The General Teaching Council for England: The Rights of Teachers" and the Government's conclusions. [102772]

  Jacqui Smith
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State expects to publish the results of the consultation on the register of teachers and the Government's response by the end of January 2000.

  Higher Education Students
  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list for students enrolling in higher education institutions in England in each year since 1990, the number of(a) full-time, (b) part-time, (c) mature, (d) male (e) female and (f) ethnic minority students; and what was the total enrolment. [101948]

  Mr. Wicks
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: The information is shown in the following table.

  Mr. Wicks
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: The first data on Local Education Authority financial support for the student tuition fees introduced in 1998–99 will be available in April 2000 from returns collected retrospectively from Local Education Authorities in England and Wales.

  These data will show the number of locally-domiciled students who, after income assessment, paid their own tuition fees in full; have had their fees paid (i) in full; and (ii) in part by their Local Education Authority.

  Education Spending
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much each local authority in England and Wales spent on education in 1998–99(a) in cash terms and (b) as a percentage of the authority's total budget. [102313]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Expenditure figures for each authority in England for 1998–99 are not yet available. I will write to the hon. Member when the figures he requests are available, and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library. Responsibility for education matters in Wales rests with the National Assembly for Wales.

  Class Sizes (Essex)
  Angela Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many pupils in infant classes in Essex schools were in classes of 30 or over in September 1999; what percentage of infant pupils this represents; and what the change in the percentage was from September 1998. [101958]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The available information shows that, in September 1999, there were 4,972 pupils in infant classes of 31 or more taught by one teacher in the Essex local education authority area. This figure represents 13 per cent. of all pupils in infant classes taught by one teacher in that area. Since September 1998, the number of pupils in infant classes of 31 or more in Essex has fallen by 39 per cent.

  Education Spending (Staffordshire)
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the(a) education standard spending assessment and (b) outturn education spending for Staffordshire local education authority for (i) 1997–98 and (ii) 1998–99, per (1) primary pupil and (2) secondary pupil. [101959]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The following table sets out, for Staffordshire local education authority, per primary pupil and secondary pupil, the education standard spending assessment and outturn education spending for 1997–98. Figures for 1998–99 are not yet available. I will write to my hon. Friend when the figures he requests are available and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library.

  £

  Per primary pupil

  Per secondary pupil

  Education SSA

  1997–98

  1,935

  2,533

  1998–99

  2,037

  2,653

  Net institutional expenditure

  1997–98

  1,575

  2,115

  Note:

  Net institutional outturn figures are derived from LEAs' returns of their spending to the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions on revenue outturn form R01. The ROI and SSA figures have a different coverage and are not directly comparable.

  Standards Fund
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to allow(a) individual schools and (b) groups of schools within a local education authority to bid for resources from the Standards Fund where the LEA has declined to do so. [101909]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The Standards Fund is paid under powers conferred upon the Secretary of State by the Education Act 1996. Section 484 of that Act enables the Secretary of State to pay education standards grants to local education authorities in respect of eligible expenditure incurred or to be incurred by them.

  Infant Class Sizes (Worcestershire)
  Mr. Michael J. Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many infant pupils were 172W
  in classes of over 30 taught by one teacher in maintained primary schools in Worcestershire in (a) September 1996 and (b) September 1997. [101503]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Information on infant class sizes in September has only been collected since 1998.

  Between September 1998 and September 1999 the number of infants in Worcestershire in classes of 31 or more fell from 3,156 (18 per cent. of total) to 1,962 (or 11 per cent. of total).

  Prior to local government re-organisation in April 1998 maintained primary schools in Worcestershire formed part of the local education authority of 'Hereford and Worcester'.

  New Deal
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many sustained unsubsidised jobs of 13 weeks or more employment have so far been found by participants on the New Deal for Lone Parents. [102105]

  Ms Hodge
  [holding answer 9 December 1999]: Latest figures to the end of September 1999 show that 23,000 lone parents have gained unsubsidised jobs through the New Deal for Lone Parents since the launch of the full national programme on 26 October 1998. The issue of sustained employment is being addressed as part of the quantitative evaluation of the New Deal for Lone Parents.

  English Teaching
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will take steps to require local councils to provide specialist schools to teach English to children who are unable to speak it and to prepare them for admission to state schools. [102629]

  Jacqui Smith
  No. The Government do not favour the introduction of such schools which would deny the children attending them access to the full National Curriculum, which is their entitlement.

  The Government are providing additional support to schools and local education authorities for children learning English as an additional language. For 2000–01, £162.5 million will be available from the Standards Fund.

  Pupil Numbers
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the percentage of nursery classes in primary schools with(a) 31 or more pupils and (b) 36 or more pupils in (i) January 1993 and (ii) January 1994. [102519]

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

  Percentage of nursery classes in maintained primary schools taught by one teacher by size: 1993–94—England

  Percentage of nursery classes

  Position as at January

  of size 31 or more

  of size 36 or more

  1994

  19

  13

  1993

  21

  16

  173W
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the percentage of classes at Key Stage Two with 31 or more pupils in(a) January 1993, (b) January 1994 and (c) January 1995. [102521]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Information on the size of key stage two classes is available only from 1996 onwards.

  The percentage of primary classes in England with 31 or more pupils taught by one teacher was as follows:
  Position as at January
  1995: 24.4 per cent.
  1994: 23.2 per cent.
  1993: 21.6 per cent.

  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the percentage of secondary school classes with(a) 31 or more pupils and (b) 36 or more pupils in January (i) 1990, (ii) 1991, (iii) 1992, (iv) 1993 and (v) 1994. [102520]

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

  Percentage of classes taught by one teacher in maintained secondary schools by size: 1990–1994 England

  Position as a January

  Percentage of classes with 31 or more pupils

  Percentage of classes with 36 or more pupils

  1994

  5.3

  0.1

  1995

  4.9

  0.1

  1996

  4.5

  0.1

  1997

  4.1

  0.1

  1998

  4.1

  0.1

  School Funding
  Charlotte Atkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer of 29 November 1999,Official Report, column 48W, what is the breakdown of funding by (a) LEA and (b) pupil, that comes through the (i) Standard Spending Assessment and (ii) Standards Fund for (1) 1997–98 and (2) 1998–99; and what are the projected figures for (x) 1999–2000 and (y) 2000–01. [101860]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  [holding answer 8 December 1999]: I will place tables in the Library that show the breakdown of funding by LEA and per pupil through the Standard Spending Assessment. SSA figures for 2000–01 are provisional. Standards Fund allocations by LEA are also given in the tables for the years 1997–98 to 1999–2000. Standards Fund allocations for 2000–01 will not be available until the new year. It is not possible to disaggregate Standards Fund allocations between different age groups. Standards Fund allocations are not made on a per pupil basis.

  Skills Improvement
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what measures he is taking to improve basic skill levels among the adult population, with particular reference to the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton. [102145]
  174W
  Mr. Wicks
  The Government announced the first steps of a national crusade to improve adult basic skills on 5 November in the light of the Moser Report, "A Fresh Start". Key measures include a national basic skills curriculum based on new standards, national testing, intensive training for basic skills teachers, an expansion of basic skills learning in the community and in the workplace, and improved screening and support for unemployed people. Further details of the Government's action to date are set out in the "Better Basic Skills" pamphlet available on the lifelong learning website—www.lifelonglearning.dfee.gov.uk. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment plans to announce the Government's full strategy to help adults with poor basic skills next year.

  Government support to improve adult basic skills in Sefton currently includes funding through the DfEE's Standards Fund for Family Literacy and Numeracy, and support for community-based basic skills projects through the Adult and Community Learning Fund. Further details about adult basic skills initiatives in Sefton and the pamphlet referred to are being sent to my hon. Friend.

  "Learning to Succeed"
  Mr. Salter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what response he has had to the consultation on post-16 learning, following the publication of the White Paper, "Learning to Succeed"; and if he will make a statement. [102745]

  Mr. Blunkett
  We have received over 1,000 responses to the consultation about "Learning to Succeed". These responses have shown overwhelming support for our proposals to establish a new system of post-16 learning which is coherent, accessible and responsive to the needs of individuals, companies and communities.

  The White Paper sets out our plans for introducing a new Learning and Skills Council for England. I am today publishing a Prospectus which sets out in more detail the way the new Council will work. The new Council will have a budget of around £6 billion and be responsible for almost six million learners. It will establish a strong national framework to lead the drive to meeting national targets, with substantial local flexibility for the 47 local Councils which I announced on 29 October. The local LSCs will ensure that the needs of local communities, including employers and individuals, are met. They will have significant resources to deliver these responsibilities including allocation of the great majority of the LSC's funds. This will include responsibility for a range of local discretionary budgets which will amount to around 10–15 per cent. of the LSC's total budget.

  The new Council will ensure that post-16 learning offers excellence with diversity, so that the highest possible standards of provision are consistently secured for the needs of individuals and businesses. In this way, the Learning and Skills Council will be at the centre of the Government's drive to raise skill levels, increase the employability of individuals, and secure the competitiveness of UK business.

  In the consultation paper on school sixth form funding that was published with "Learning to Succeed" we invited views on whether local education authorities should be funded by the Learning and Skills Council for school sixth

  175W
  form provision, or whether they should continue to be funded through the current local government finance system. In the light of the comments received, in particular from headteachers, we have decided that LEAs should in future receive their sixth form funds via the Learning and Skills Council, with schools continuing to receive the funds from their local education authority. For 16 to 19-year-olds, schools and colleges often deliver the same type of teaching, curriculum and qualifications. The LSC's involvement will ensure a coherent approach to post-16 provision, helping to support high national standards and greater local collaboration. There will be safeguards so that a school's sixth form budget will not reduce in real terms provided numbers are maintained. We do not expect to introduce this change in funding arrangements before 2002–03 and will be consulting LEAs, schools and others shortly on the timing, phasing and implementation of the change.

  Schools with sixth forms will play a vital role in the drive to increase success for all our young people. We also want to encourage new forms of provision to meet the needs of young people and to ensure that patterns of provision best serve local needs. We therefore intend to lift the legal bar on the creation of LEA-maintained 16–19 institutions imposed by the Further and Higher Education Act 1992. Subject to the passage of legislation, LEAs and other promoters will all be able to propose the creation of LEA-maintained 16–19 institutions. The LSC will also be able to propose the establishment of new LSC-maintained sixth form colleges. In addition, FE colleges will continue to be able to set up their own bespoke sixth form provision where there is a demand for this locally. These arrangements will put in the hands of local communities options for raising standards and providing the choices and curriculum breadth young people need and want as we enter the next century.

  Through the Learning and Skills Council and the complementary initiatives we are taking at other levels of education, we are determined to raise people's aspirations, improve standards and greatly extend opportunities for lifelong learning to all. The setting up of the Learning and Skills Council is also part of our wider efforts to prepare everyone in this country for their full participation in a knowledge-driven economy and modern, democratic society.

  Copies of the Prospectus are available in the Vote Office. A full analysis of the responses to the consultation will be published in the new year. The proposals in the White Paper and the Prospectus remain subject to the passage of legislation which was announced in the Queen's Speech.

HEALTH

  Drugs (Price Increases)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the level of increase in the price of drugs prescribed generically by the NHS in each of the last three years, indicating the 10 drugs which have shown the highest rate of increase and what that rate has been in each case. [100847]
  176W
  Ms Stuart
  The available information is set out in the tables:

  Level of increase in price of drugs prescribed generically by the National Health Service in each of the last three years

  Price index

  Annual increase in prices

  1996

  100

  n/a

  1997

  100.3

  0.3 per cent.

  1998

  96.8

  —3.5 per cent.

  1999

  105.2

  8.7 per cent.

  Note:

  The price index is based on those 90 drugs within the top 100 generic drugs by net ingredient cost in 1998 which were dispensed in each year between January 1996 and June 1999. Prices of individual drugs have been weighted using quantities dispensed in 1998. Data for 1999 is based on prescriptions dispensed in the first half of the year.

  Top 10 generic drugs with greatest increase in unit reimbursement price between 1996 and 1997

  Drug name

  Percentage change in unit price

  Warfarin Sod Tab 1 mg

  222.8

  Warfarin Sod Tab 3mg

  218.2

  Frusemide Tab 40mg

  34.8

  Diclofenac Sod Tab E/C 50mg

  31.7

  Glibenclamide Tab 5mg

  25.6

  Bendrofluazide Tab 2.5mg

  13.1

  Thyroxine Sod Tab 25mcg

  9.9

  Co-Codamol Eff Tab 8mg/500mg

  8.0

  Cimetidine Tab 400mg

  7.4

  Dihydrocodeine Tart Tab 30mg

  7.2

  Top 10 generic drugs with greatest increase in unit reimbursement price between 1997 and 1998

  Drug name

  Percentage change in unit price

  Erythromycin Tab E/C 250mg

  34.4

  Amoxycillin Cap 250mg

  24.1

  Hypromellose Eye Dps 0.3%

  17.6

  Oxytetracycline Tab 250mg

  16.9

  Co-Codamol Eff Tab 8mg/500mg

  8.8

  Ibuprofen Tab 400mg

  8.5

  Amoxycillin Oral Susp 250mg/5m1

  6.3

  Co-Amilofruse Tab 2.5mg/20mg

  6.1

  Hydroxocobalamin Inj lmg/lml Amp

  6.0

  Amoxycillin Oral Susp 125mg/5m1

  5.2

  Notes:

  1. The top 10 generic drugs with the greatest increase in each table were selected from the top 100 generic drugs in terms of net ingredient cost in the review period.

  2. The prescription information was obtained from the Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system and is based on a full analysis of all prescriptions dispensed in the community, i.e. by community pharmacists, and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors, and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered, in England.

  3. The unit prices are averages calculated for each preparation from the net ingredient cost and the quantity in each period.

  4. The net ingredient cost is the basic cost of a drug and does not take account of discounts, dispensing costs, fees or prescription charges income.

  177W

  Top 10 drugs (from top 100 generics in terms of net ingredient cost in 1998) with greatest per cent. increase in Drug Tariff price between January and December 1999

  Preparation

  Per cent. change in unit price1

  Bendrofluazide tablets 2.5mg

  988.2

  Frusemide tablets 40mg

  711.7

  Ibuprofen tablets 400mg

  315.4

  Tamoxifen tablets 20mg

  216.8

  Cimetidine tablets 400mg

  213.9

  Thyroxine tablets 25mcg

  175.2

  Captopri I tablets 12.5mg

  171.3

  Amoxycillin capsules 250mg

  143.1

  Warfarin tablets 3mg

  127.1

  Co-dydramol tablets 10/500

  125.9

  1 January-December 1999

  Note:

  Prices have been taken from the printed Drug Tariff (except December 1999 from PPA spreadsheet) and are therefore on a different basis to those quoted for earlier years which have been derived from prescriptions already dispensed and processed.

  HRT
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate his Department has made of the cost to the NHS of charging a single prescription charge for HRT prescriptions which specify more than one hormone replacement. [98763]

  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 29 November 1999]: It is estimated that around £6 million in charge income would be lost if a single prescription charge was paid when more than one hormone in hormone replacement therapy was supplied by community pharmacists in England.

TREASURY

  Pensions Annuities
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what statutory provisions govern the type of securities which underpin private pension annuities; and what plans he has to review those provisions. [102446]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: The Insurance Companies Act 1982 and associated regulations require insurance companies to maintain appropriate assets to match their liabilities. Companies base their decisions on asset allocation on advice from their appointed actuaries. In practice, this usually means that annuity liabilities are matched by high quality longer term and low-risk, near cash instruments, often gilt-edged securities.

  Citizens Panel
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the questions submitted by his Department for inclusion in the next wave of questions for the Cabinet Office's Citizens Panel. [102322]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: Questions to help judge the responsiveness of services to consumers are under consideration for the People's Panel. To ensure the representativeness of the survey, questions are not published in advance. However, my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office, will write to the hon. Member with
  178W
  the relevant questions once the fieldwork is complete. Questions are made public when the results are published and copies will be placed in the House of Commons Library at that point.

  Departmental Expenditure (Windfall Tax)
  Mrs. Lawrence
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to change the overall 1999–2000 Departmental Expenditure Limit for expenditure financed by the Windfall Tax. [102903]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The overall Departmental Expenditure Limit for expenditure financed by the Windfall tax will be increased by £43,454,000 from £1,491,839,000 to £1,535,293,000. The increase is the effect of the take up of end year flexibility entitlements announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 27 July 1999,Official Report, column 393W, by the Department for Education and Employment (£38,654,000); the Prison Service (£173,000); the Department of Social Security (£3,378,000); the Scottish Executive (–460,000) and the National Assembly for Wales (–789,000).

  The individual elements of the increase have already been announced but the impact on the overall limit has not. The increases will be charged to the Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  International Monetary Fund
  Mrs. Lawrence
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to publish a report on UK operations at the International Monetary Fund. [102986]

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  I am today publishing the first Annual Report to Parliament on UK operations at the IMF. Copies are available in the Library of the House.

  Beer Duty
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what analysis his Department has made of the potential impact on Government revenues of a reduction in the duty on beer. [102825]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The potential impact on Government revenues of a change in beer duty is shown in Table 6 of the Tax Ready Reckoner and Tax Reliefs, published by HM Treasury in November of this year.

  Ministerial Meetings
  Mr. David Davis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements(a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have put in place for the taking and keeping of minutes of meetings between Ministers and people outside his Department. [102375]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Records are kept of meetings attended by Treasury Ministers as the occasions demand.

  Professional Contractors Group
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will hold a further consultation with the Professional Contractors Group over the proposed change in the definition of employment status. [102764]
  179W
  Dawn Primarolo
  I met representatives of the Professional Contractors Group on 9 December. We have no plans to change the definition of employment status.

  Working Families Tax Credit
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families will benefit from the working families tax credit by constituency. [102591]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Reliable estimates for the numbers in receipt of the Working Families' Tax Credit by constituency are not yet available.

  Teenage Pregnancies
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many teenage pregnancies there were in each constituency in each of the past 10 years. [102616]

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

  Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Chris Ruane, dated 14 December 1999:
  As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question on teenage pregnancies by constituency.
  The information requested would only be available at a disproportionate cost. Figures for health authority areas are published annually.

  Financial Services Authority
  Sir Michael Spicer
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the projected costs of the Financial Services Authority for the financial years(a) 1999–2000 and (b) 2000–01. [102753]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Full details for 1999–2000 are available in the Plan and Budget published by the FSA in February, copies of which are available in the Library. The budget for 2000–2001, with revised estimates for costs for 1999–2000, will be published by the FSA early in February 2000.

  Departmental Buildings
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for each of the buildings under his Department's control how many rooms are set aside for(a) ethnic minority religious use, (b) pregnant and nursing mothers and (c) smokers. [102327]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  This information is not held centrally for the buildings under the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Departments. It could therefore be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Export Subsidies
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the expenditure by the EU and by member states of that organisation in subsidising the export of food to nations outwith the EU in the most recent year for which such figures are available. [102630]
  180W
  Ms Quin
  In the 1998 budget year expenditure on export refunds under the Common Agricultural Policy to non-EU countries was 4.8 billion ecu. This was from the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund, there being no expenditure by individual member states on export refunds.

  Beef on the Bone
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he plans to lift the beef on the bone ban. [101126]

  Ms Quin
  I refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend the Minister's statement to the House on 30 November 1999,Official Report, column 151W. Subject to the outcome of the statutory consultation now under way, and Parliamentary approval of the necessary legislative changes, it is the Government's intention to lift the retail ban on beef on the bone with effect from Friday 17 December. A copy of the consultation package is available in the Library of the House.

  Agricultural Support
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate how much will be paid to British farmers in 1999–2000 in support of their incomes by(a) the European Union and (b) the British Government; and if he will make a statement. [102223]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: Forecast figures for 1999–2000 are unavailable. "Agriculture in the UK 1999", which will show estimates of payments to farmers in 1999, will be published on 16 March 2000.

  Farm-assured Schemes
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with European Union agriculture ministers about the level of regulation of farm assured schemes; what assessment he has made of the extent to which rules governing such schemes are being followed in other EU member states; and if he will make a statement. [102221]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: None. Assurance schemes are framed by industry in the light of local circumstances.

  Food Labelling
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what regulations exist to ensure that food labelling is not misleading(a) generally and (b) regarding content and country of origin; and if he will make a statement. [102224]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: (a) The Food Safety Act 1990 makes it an offence for anyone selling a food product to describe it in a way which is false or likely to mislead the consumer as to its nature, substance or quality. It is also an offence under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 for a product to carry a false or misleading description.

  (b) The Food Labelling Regulations 1996 (as amended) require labels to contain quite detailed information about the product, including its name and a list of ingredients.

  181W
  Place of origin marking is required where failure to provide it may mislead the purchaser as to the product's true origin.

  We are consulting interested parties on draft guidelines which emphasises the need to ensure that, where origin markings are provided, they are accurate and do not mislead consumers.

  Over-thirty-months Scheme
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he plans to have with EU agriculture ministers about the Over-thirty-months Scheme; and if he will make a statement. [102219]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: No such discussions are planned. In due course it may be appropriate to discuss the Over-thirty-month Scheme with European partners following advice from the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee on the over-thirtymonth rule.

  Agricultural Wages Board
  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will publish the Government's consultation paper concerning the future of the Agricultural Wages Board. [102564]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: As part of the Government's quinquennial review programme, a Consultation Paper on the Future Rationale for statutory Wage and Other Controls in Agriculture and the Operation of the Agricultural Wages Board and the Agricultural Wages Committee was published on 6 December. Copies have been placed in the Library of both Houses. Comments are
  required by 31 March 2000.

  Departmental Meat Supplies
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the country of origin of meat sold in his Department's buildings in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [102457]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: All my Department's catering facilities are run by contractors. Where they source their purchases is a matter for them. We have urged them wherever possible to buy British meat which we and they know makes commercial sense.

  Plant Health Guide
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when his Department will publish a revised plant health guide for importers. [101733]

  Ms Quin
  The current edition of the Guide was published in October 1998. A revised edition will be published when required to reflect significant changes in plant health legislation.

  Thatching Reeds
  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assistance his Department gives to encourage the production and harvesting of the reeds required for thatching roofs. [101893]
  182W
  Ms Quin
  This Department provides some payments under its agri-environment schemes for the creation, restoration and management of reedbeds as a habitat. This is not confined to reeds used for thatching. The Countryside Stewardship Scheme, Avalon Marshes Special Project, however, specifically targets the creation of reedbeds to be used for thatching.

  MAFF, along with EU, The Broads Authority, English Nature, Anglian water and the RSPB, are involved in funding a research and development project aimed at establishing and demonstrating new machinery and techniques for managing wetland reedbeds and fens. The result of this work may provide techniques which benefit the production of reeds for thatching.

  The Rural Enterprise Scheme, part of the package of measures under the Rural Development regulation announced by the Minister on 7 December, will provide support for a range of rural activities including renovation and development of villages and protection and conservation of the rural heritage; and encouragement for tourism and craft activities. The detailed operation of this scheme has yet to be finalised but the support provided might include various aspects of the production, harvesting and use of reeds.

  Abattoirs
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many abattoirs are equipped to deal with the slaughter of organically reared animals; and what are their locations. [101146]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 7 December 1999]: 29 abattoirs in England are registered with approved organic inspection bodies to slaughter organically reared animals. They are distributed widely throughout the country.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many operating abattoirs there were in each year from 1 May 1969 to 1 May 1999 inclusive. [101148]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 4 December 1999]: At 1 May 1999 there were 477 licensed slaughterhouses in England (350 red meat and 127 poultry meat). The table gives end year figures of licensed red meat slaughterhouses for each year from 1975 to 1998. Also shown are the end year figures of licensed poultry meat slaughterhouses from 1983 to 1998. Prior to 1993, slaughterhouses in England were not licensed by MAFF, but by local authorities. The figures for 1975 to 1992 have therefore been derived from records of State Veterinary Service visits during each year and are approximate. No figures are available prior to 1975. For poultry meat slaughterhouses, no figures are available prior to 1983. It is not possible to identify how many of the licensed slaughterhouses detailed were operating at any given period.

  Year1

  Red meat

  Poultry meat

  1975

  1,385

  —

  1976

  1,320

  —

  1977

  1,280

  —

  1978

  1,145

  —

  1979

  975

  —

  1980

  960

  —

  1981

  910

  —

  183W

  Year1

  Red meat

  Poultry meat

  1982

  840

  —

  1983

  875

  111

  1984

  860

  108

  1985

  850

  108

  1986

  815

  102

  1987

  795

  104

  1988

  780

  104

  1989

  690

  107

  1990

  645

  98

  1991

  595

  98

  1992

  540

  93

  1993

  434

  98

  1994

  424

  137

  1995

  402

  144

  1996

  384

  144

  1997

  375

  131

  1998

  360

  131

  1999

  350

  127

  1 As at 31 December

  2 As at 31 May

  Petsmart
  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received on the trading practices of Petsmart; and what response he has made. [102759]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has to date not received any representations on the trading practices of Petsmart.

  Cardboard Egg Boxes
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy on the re-use of cardboard egg boxes; and if he will make a statement. [101701]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 7 December 1999]: EU egg marketing regulations cover the labelling and use of egg boxes. To ensure the consumer is not misled the regulations do not permit the re-use of small packs because of the difficulty of ensuring the obliteration and re-printing of the information they are required to carry.

  BSE
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the research into the causes of BSE in cattle that has been published by Professor Alan Ebringer and Professor John Pirt of King's College, London. [101700]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 7 December 1999]: Professors Ebringer, Pirt and others have published two papers postulating a possible alternative theory of autoimmunity for BSE in cattle and multiple sclerosis in man. In the third and latest paper, from a small study funded by MAFF, they report elevated levels of antibodies against brain components in the sera of BSE-affected cattle. Professor Ebringer claims that this supports his alternative theory for BSE. The work funded by MAFF should go some way to provide scientifically based information either to support or refute this theory.

  Farm Animal Welfare
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food if he will publish the recent reports he has received about welfare standards in the Dutch pig industry; and if he will make a statement. [101699]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 7 December 1999]: I am aware both of a survey report on the website of the Dutch Ministry of Agriculture about compliance levels with Dutch pig welfare rules and of a booklet setting out new Dutch welfare rules for pigs. Publication of both the booklet and the material on the website is a matter for the Dutch authorities. I have not formally been sent copies of these documents but both the Prime Minister and I have received letters from the Dutch Meat Board about their pork quality assurance scheme.

  Beef Sales
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the budget for the promotion campaign of British beef abroad being led by the Minister of State, the right hon. Member for Gateshead, East and Washington, West (Ms Quin). [102061]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 9 December 1999]: My right hon. Friend the Minister of State will lead a team to target several key markets to try to agree the export health certification necessary to allow imports of British beef. The cost of this will be met from existing budgets, as part of our ongoing activities to get import bans lifted around the world.

  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of the meat and meat offal of bovine animals exported in 1995 would be eligible for export under the Date-Based Export Scheme. [102060]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 9 December 1999]: None. It is a fundamental condition of the Date Based Export Scheme that among other things the animals from which beef for export is derived must have been born after 1 August 1996.

  GM Foods
  Mr. David Heath
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list research funded by his Department into GM 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. [101751]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 9 December 1999]: Research projects funded by my Department and relevant to genetic modification are listed in a table which has been placed in the Library. The research aims to further the understanding of the safety of genetically modified foods and of the risks genetically modified crops might pose to the agricultural environment. The research also underpins the science needed to understand gene function and to improve the technology of genetic modification, for example by limiting gene expression to specific plant

  185W
  tissues or improving stability of genes. Final reports of the projects are listed on the MAFF website usually within three months of the end of the project, the results of the research are also published in the scientific literature.

  Overproduction
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which items of food are subject to overproduction within the EU; what quantities are involved; and what the change in the situation has been in the last year. [102631]

  Ms Quin
  The figures for food put into EU public intervention together with the percentage change in intervention stocks over the last 12 months are shown in the following table.
  186W

  Changes in levels of major intervention stocks over the last 12 months in the EU

  Intervention stocks(thousand tonnes)

  Commodity

  1998

  1999

  Percentage change

  Reference date

  Beef

  477

  226

  —53

  July

  Cereals (Total)

  11,809

  12,737

  8

  October

  Barley

  6,707

  4,971

  —26

  October

  Durum

  0

  0

  0

  October

  Maize

  712

  44

  —94

  October

  Rye

  2,399

  3,104

  29

  October

  Wheat

  1,983

  4,569

  130

  October

  Dairy Products

  Butter

  4

  48

  1,100

  October

  Skimmed Milk Powder

  205

  226

  10

  October

  Olive Oil

  100

  25

  —75

  October

  Burundi
  Burundi
  United States Missile Defence System
  United States Missile Defence System
  European Defence Initiative
  European Defence Initiative
  Overseas Territories Citizens: British Citizenship
  Overseas Territories Citizens: British Citizenship
  Iran: Death Sentences
  Iran: Death Sentences
  Iran: Newspaper Closures
  Iran: Newspaper Closures
  Hong Kong
  Hong Kong
  Yugoslavia: Exception to Arms Embargo
  Yugoslavia: Exception to Arms Embargo
  Apex Rail Fares
  Apex Rail Fares
  Criminal Courts: Review
  Criminal Courts: Review
  Financial Services Industry and EMU Membership
  Financial Services Industry and EMU Membership
  Kerosene and LPG: Climate Change Levy
  Kerosene and LPG: Climate Change Levy
  Insurance and Genetic Testing
  Insurance and Genetic Testing
  Training Courses: VAT
  Training Courses: VAT
  European Union Petrol Taxes
  European Union Petrol Taxes
  Research Council, 2 December
  Research Council, 2 December
  Takeover Panel
  Takeover Panel
  Takeovers: Draft Directive
  Takeovers: Draft Directive
  Colombia: Displaced People
  Colombia: Displaced People
  Prison Service: Quantum Project
  Prison Service: Quantum Project
  Rough Sleepers and Hostel Bedspaces
  Rough Sleepers and Hostel Bedspaces
  Rural Poverty
  Rural Poverty
  Regional Policy
  Regional Policy
  Hedgerows
  Hedgerows
  Bypass Construction
  Bypass Construction
  Discrimination: Directive Proposal
  Discrimination: Directive Proposal
  MAFF: Environment Group
  MAFF: Environment Group
  Secondary School Pupils in Independent Schools
  Secondary School Pupils in Independent Schools