Written Answers of 21 December 1999

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Security
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the measures taken in

  Date

  Occurrence

  17 November 1998

  Drumadd Roulement Battalion Rear Based

  23 November 1998

  Demolition of 3 Bessbrook Permanent Vehicle Control Points (PVCP)

  November 1998

  Cessation of routine military patrolling in Newry

  November 1998

  Cessation of military patrolling on the City side and Waterside, Londonderry

  24–26 January 1999

  Vacation of Patrol Bases at Mullan Bridge, Roscor Bridge, Wattle Bridge, Clonratty Bridge, Gortmullan Bridge, Killyvilly and Annaghmartin

  3 February 1999

  Demolition of Aughnacloy PVCP

  8 February 1999

  Demolition of V3 PVCP (Hump)

  12 February 1999

  Demolition of V4 PVCP (Muff)

  26 February 1999

  Demolition of V1 PVCP (Letterkenny)

  21 May 1999

  Demolition of Fort Whiterock completed

  9 July 1999

  Plot 854 in Crossmaglen returned to the GAA

  4 August 1999

  Demolition of Gortmullan Patrol Base completed

  5 September 1999

  Vacation of Carrickfergus Base

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  E-commerce
  Mr. Austin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact on the development of e-commerce of separate charges made by banks for internet purchases; and if he will make a statement. [99879]

  Dr. Howells
  The Government are committed to the rapid development of e-commerce in the UK. Our policy is to make the UK the best place in the world for e-commerce by 2002. To help us achieve this, the Prime Minister commissioned the Cabinet Office Performance and Innovation Unit, in January this year, to undertake a project that would recommend how this can be achieved. Their report—"e-commerce@its.best.uk"—was launched by the Prime Minister on 13 September. All 60 recommendations have been accepted by the Government.

  In November 1998 the Chancellor of the Exchequer set up an independent review of the UK retail banking market, chaired by Don Cruickshank. In line with the recommendations in "e-commerce@its.best.uk", the issues under consideration by Don Cruickshank include the involvement of banks in payments made over the Internet. They expect to publish the results of their work in February 2000.

  Corporate Assets
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the value of land and property in (i) Scotland, (ii) the United Kingdom, (iii) overseas and (iv) total within the responsibility of the(a) Office of Fair Trading, (b) Office of
  450W
  each month since November 1998 (a) to reduce security activity and (b) to remove security installations. [101881]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 15 December 1999]: The following table lists the measures taken to reduce security activity and remove security installations since November 1998.

  Telecommunications, (c) Office of Gas Supply, (d) Office of Electricity Regulation and (e) Export Credits Guarantee Department. [99815]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 26 November 1999]: (a) The Office of Fair Trading does not own any land or property.

  (b) The Office of Telecommunications (0FTEL) does not own any land or property.

  (c) The Office of Gas Supply has land and property of estimated value of £1.7 million in Leicester—none in Scotland and none overseas.

  (d) The Office of Electricity Regulation does not own any land or property holdings.

  (e) The Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) does not own any land or property.

  Gas Cookers
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to assess the safety of gas cookers; and if he will make a statement. [101162]

  Dr. Howells
  The safety of new and second-hand gas cookers is controlled by the Gas Appliances (Safety) Regulations 1995 and the Gas Cooking Appliances (Safety) Regulations 1989.

  I have no plans to undertake any assessment at this time.

  Compliance Costs
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what evaluation he has made of the total
  451W
  compliance cost to British business of regulations introduced by Her Majesty's Government since May 1997. [101834]

  Mr. Byers
  Individual regulatory impact assessments contain such an evaluation.

  Explosives Acts
  Mrs. Dean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to receive the report from the Health and Safety Executive on its review of the Explosives Acts of 1875 and 1923. [101808]

  Dr. Howells
  I understand that the Health and Safety Executive intends to publish a consultative document on its review of explosives legislation next summer.

  Sri Lanka (Exports)
  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list those goods requiring an export licence which have been licensed for export to Sri Lanka since 1 May 1997.[102184]

  Dr. Howells
  For the period 2 May 1997 to 19 October 1999, 1 refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Mr. Colman) on 4 November 1999,Official Report, columns 281–82W.

  The entry in the relevant legislation under which the export of goods is controlled is known as their rating. The Export Control Organisation's computer databases have been interrogated and the following results were obtained. Between 20 October and 30 November 1999, seven Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) and no Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs) were issued covering the export to consignees or end-users in Sri Lanka of goods subject to export control by being listed in Part III of Schedule 1 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994, commonly known as the Military List. Individual licences may cover a range of goods with various ratings.

  Where this is so, the licence is included in the Table in the total for all of the relevant ratings.

  Individual Licences issued between 20 October 1999 and 30 November 1999 covering the export to Sri Lanka of goods on the Military List

  Rating

  Number of SIELs issued covering goods with this rating

  ML2

  2

  ML4

  1

  ML6

  1

  ML11

  1

  ML21

  1

  PL5017

  2

  This information should be considered in light of the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Kingswood (Mr. Berry) on 27 July 1999, Official Report, columns 307–08W.

  In addition, Sri Lanka is a permitted destination on certain Open General Export Licences covering the export
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  of goods on the Military List. Copies of all Open General Export Licences valid at any time during the period are in the Library of the House.

  Black Shaheen
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what date approval was given for the licence for export of the Black Shaheen missile to the United Arab Emirates; if an inter departmental Committee gave its approval to the licence; and if Ministers of(a) his own or (b) other Departments were consulted prior to licence approval. [102138]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 9 December 1999]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him by the then Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for North Swindon (Mr. Wills), on 12 January 1999, Official Report, column 149W. The position stated there remains unchanged.

  Consumer Advice
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will investigate the adequacy of the availability of consumer advice provided by local authorities to the public; and if he will make a statement. [102458]

  Dr. Howells
  The recent Audit Commission report: "Measure for Measure: the Best Value Agenda for Trading Standards Services" confirmed the Government's analysis, as set out in the White Paper: "Modern Markets: Confident Consumers" (Cmnd 4410), that the quality and availability of consumer advice varies across the country. The White Paper outlined our proposals to ensure that people have easier access to high quality advice. The Government will promote the development of a joined-up approach to the provision of advice through CABx, local authorities and independent advice agencies, linking with the Community Legal Service.

  Departmental Employees (Ethnic Minorities)
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the total work force in his Department is of ethnic minority origin; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of people from the ethnic minorities in his Department. [102727]

  Mr. Byers
  On 1 April 1999, the percentage of staff in the DTI of ethnic minority origin was 14.3 per cent. This includes staff in DTI Headquarters, but excludes casual staff and staff in Government Offices and Executive Agencies.

  My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office, set out in his reply of 16 December 1999, Official Report, column 264W, corporate action across the Civil Service to encourage the employment of people from ethnic minorities. This Department continues to raise awareness of the DTI through careers events focusing on ethnic minority groups. The Department consults advisers on diversity and racial awareness issues and constantly reviews its recruitment procedures.

  Labelling (Animal Testing)
  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to require manufacturers clearly to label any product which has been tested, or contains ingredients which have been tested, on animals; and if he will make a statement. [102992]

  Dr. Howells
  As far as cosmetic products are concerned, the European Commission are currently drafting labelling guidelines for manufacturers who wish to voluntarily label their products in respect of animal testing.

  I have no plans to make such labelling compulsory, beyond the provisions already set out in the Cosmetic Products (Safety) Regulations 1996.

  Departmental Computers
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on how many occasions in each of the past five years computer systems in his Department have been illegally accessed by computer hackers(a) within and (b) outside the Department. [102834]

  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 15 December 1999]: Over the past five years there have been two reported occasions on which my Department's computer systems have been illegally accessed by computer hackers. One incident reported in 1996 was external and the other in 1999 was internal and both were classified as minor incidents. There was also one minor incident reported in 1999 which, technically speaking, did not involve access by computer hackers but where one of my Department's systems was illegally used as a redistribution point for e-mail traffic. There have also been five reported unsuccessful hacking attempts over the past five years. These figures include next step agencies.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many cases of computer(a) hacking,(b) fraud, including fraudulent use of computer chips and (c) theft his Department has recorded in the last five years. [102835]

  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 15 December 1999]: Records of IT security incidents reported within my Department for the period in question show:

  Year

  Hacking incidents (excluding minor incidents of computer misuse)

  Fraud (all computer chip thefts)

  Theft (excluding computer chips)

  1995

  4

  14

  48

  1996

  1

  8

  30

  1997

  0

  2

  17

  1998

  1

  5

  20

  1999

  2

  4

  15

  Two of the hacking incidents were successful but of a minor nature.

  One of the 1999 hacking incidents, technically speaking did not involve the hacking into a computer. In this particular incident, an e-mail server was illegally used to
  454W
  redistribute e-mail messages. The incident was the result of a temporary configuration error which was then corrected.

  These figures include next step agencies.

  Manufacturing (Worcestershire)
  Mr. Michael J. Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the amount of EU subsidies paid to manufacturing industry within Worcestershire for(a) the calendar year 1998 and (b) the financial year 1998–99. [103308]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  There are no direct operating EU-funded subsidies available to Worcestershire businesses. However, a number of grant schemes, each with specific purposes, operate with EC approval and some are supported in part by EU funds. The most significant to firms in Worcestershire are: Regional Selective Assistance, which is available in the Redditch and Bromsgrove areas; local schemes delivered as part of the Marches Objective 5b programme, which covers some western parts of the county; and SMART, which operates throughout the county.

  Three offers of Regional Selective Assistance were made to firms in Worcestershire during the 1998 calendar year and the 1998–99 financial year. The total amount of grant aid offered in these cases was £137,000.

  It is estimated that Worcestershire companies benefited from ERDF funding of approximately £250,000 and ESF funding of approximately £75,000 through the Marches Objective 5b programme in 1998. These sums represent grants to individual companies through delegated grant schemes delivered through Business Links and co-financing measures. The ERDF and ESF totals for the financial year 1998–99 were of similar magnitude.

  SMART offers totalling £534,384 were made to Worcestershire firms in calendar year 1998 and £428,880 in financial year 1998–99.

  Manufacturing Job Losses
  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he plans to take to prevent further job losses in textile, clothing and footwear manufacture. [103643]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  Employment and output in the UK textiles and clothing industry depends upon its global competitiveness. The Department of Trade and Industry helps the industry achieve the necessary levels of competitiveness in a variety of ways, including through the provision of support to around 25 individual competitiveness projects.

  In addition, an industry-led group (the Textiles and Clothing Strategy Group) has been established to consider the strategic issues affecting the industry. My Department has been facilitating the work of this Group and I look forward to seeing the Group's final report in the New Year.

  White Zone
  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the timing of the next round of licensing in respect of the White Zone. [103479]

  Mrs. Liddell
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: I hope to be in a position to invite applications for licences in the White Zone by the middle of next year. In relation to future licensing we are committed to ensuring that our processes are consistent with the provisions of the Habitats Directive.

  Vaccine Exports (Iraq)
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his policy on the export of diphtheria, tetanus and yellow fever vaccines for Iraqi children.[103212]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: While the export from the United Kingdom of diphtheria, tetanus and yellow fever vaccines is not normally subject to control, the export from the UK to Iraq of any goods, unless under authority of an export licence, is prohibited by the Export of Goods (Control) (Iraq and Kuwait Sanctions) Order 1990 [SI 1990/1640], which came into force on 9 August 1990. All applications for a licence to export goods to Iraq are considered very carefully.

  Vaccines for yellow fever and diphtheria vaccines are also covered by the Import and Export (ImpEx) mechanism established under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1051. This mechanism requires certain goods, as specified in a UN agreed list, to be subject to special controls, including the monitoring of their end use in Iraq by UNSCOM because they are capable of being used in weapons of mass destruction programmes; tetanus vaccines are not covered by the ImpEx mechanism.

  Since UNSCOM officials left Iraq in December 1998, they have been unable to monitor the importation and end use of goods covered by the ImpEx mechanism. Applications for licences to export such goods to Iraq are therefore processed on a case-by-case basis and will be granted only if the Government is satisfied that the particular export would be subject to appropriate controls and monitoring in Iraq.

  TUPE Regulations
  Mr. Gordon Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many breaches of the TUPE Regulations there have been in the last 12 months. [103644]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  Employees or employee representatives who consider that their rights under these Regulations have been infringed may seek legal redress. In 1998–99, the most recent year for which statistics are available, 505 complaints were made to the Employment Tribunals alleging unfair dismissal by reason of a transfer of an undertaking, and 886 alleging breach of the requirements relating to information and consultation of employee representatives about a transfer of an 456W
  undertaking. Statistics are not available to show what proportion of these complaints were upheld; some of the cases are still ongoing. Redress for unlawful changes to terms and conditions by reason of a transfer of an undertaking may be sought either from the civil courts or, in certain circumstances, the Employment Tribunals. These are not identified separately from other breach of contract complaints in the available statistics.

  Mr. Gordon Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what mechanisms exist to monitor the observance of the TUPE Regulations by private sector employers. [103645]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  The TUPE Regulations, like other aspects of the employment rights legislation, provide for those who consider that their rights have been infringed to seek redress through the Employment Tribunals or, in appropriate cases, the civil courts. The number of cases brought gives an indication of the extent to which private sector employers are observing the Regulations.

  Mr. Gordon Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans she has to amend the TUPE Regulations. [103716]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  My Department intends to publish shortly a public consultation document setting out detailed proposals for the amendment of these Regulations. The Government's aim in putting forward the proposals will be to improve the Regulations operation and to implement requirements of a revised EC Acquired Rights Directive successfully negotiated last year as a social affairs priority under the UK Presidency. This will be to the benefit of employers, employees and the economy as a whole.

  Departmental Productivity
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he is taking to increase the productivity and reduce the running costs of his Department. [103856]

  Mr. Byers
  The Department's targets for increasing productivity and reducing running costs are set out in its Public Service Agreement, which is available in the Library of the House within "Public Services for the Future: Modernisation, Reform, Accountability" (CM 4181). Revised targets are being drawn up for new Public Service and Service delivery Agreements that will be published after the completion of the 2000 Spending Review.

  World Trade Organisation
  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish a timetable of action needed to re-establish the WTO talks. [103225]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: There is no formal timetable. The first step is for consultations between WTO member governments on the way forward. We would hope that the Round could be launched next year or in 2001. In the meantime, we need, as I have said, to press on urgently with reform of WTO processes so that WTO members are able to work more effectively in the preparation, launch and conduct of trade negotiations.
  457W
  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has made to(a) the EU and (b) the US Government about reinstating the WTO talks. [103224]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: I discussed these issues with my EU colleagues in the Council of Ministers on the eve of our departure from Seattle. Since Seattle I have been in touch with Commissioner Lamy and my other EU colleagues. We remain agreed on the need to launch a comprehensive Round and there is widespread recognition in the EU and WTO of the need for WTO reform. These matters have also been discussed in the context of the EU/US Summit on 17 December.

  Car Hire Companies (Petrol Charges)
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will investigate the petrol prices charged to customers by car hire companies. [103578]

  Dr. Howells
  I have no such plans.

  Blue Arrow Plc
  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the report concerning Blue Arrow plc to which his Department referred in its written answers of 30 June and 14 July 1992. [103557]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: The inspectors' report was published on 24 September 1992.

  Indonesia
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the licence granted in November 1996 for the export of Hawk aircraft to Indonesia will cease to be valid. [103554]

  Dr. Howells
  As I stated in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Cynon Valley (Ann Clwyd) on 29 October 1999,Official Report, column 1015W, all individual licences covering the export or transhipment to Indonesia of military goods or technology have been suspended in accordance with the Common Position, adopted on 16 September, by which EU member states decided to impose an arms embargo on Indonesia for four months. In that answer I also stated that, because the embargo is time restricted, the period of validity of the licences concerned has been extended by four months. Accordingly, the licence granted under the previous administration on 22 November 1996 for the export of sixteen 200 series Hawks has been suspended, and its period of validity extended by four months; it will now expire on 24 March 2001.

  Export Licences
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many licences for strategic exports have been refused or revoked since July 1997 for exports of goods and technologies in connection with licensed production agreements. [103761]

  Dr. Howells
  Information on decisions to refuse export licence applications and to revoke licences is set out in 458W
  the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls, published by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

  It would entail disproportionate cost to identify which, if any, of the goods covered by applications refused and licences revoked since 2 May 1997 are intended for use in connection with overseas manufacturing facilities operating under a commercial licence issued by a UK company.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many additional assurances have been sought in the last three years, in connection with the granting of export licences, that goods and technologies will not be re-exported from licensed production facilities to countries of concern; and what the legal status is of these assurances. [103762]

  Dr. Howells
  Licences to export arms or other goods controlled for strategic reasons are issued by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, acting through the Export Control Organisation of the Department of Trade and Industry. All relevant individual licence applications are circulated by the DTI to other Government Departments with an interest, as determined by their policy responsibilities. These include the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Ministry of Defence and the Department for International Development.

  If, when an application is being considered, the Export Control Organisation of my Department is advised that additional information is required, for example specific supplementary end use assurances, the applicant is informed and the decision on their application is taken in light of the information subsequently received. Where an application concerns goods intended for use in connection with an overseas facility in which particular goods will be manufactured under a commercial licence issued by a UK company, that fact is not recorded on the Export Control Organisation's computer databases.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what representations he has received concerning the use by United Kingdom companies of overseas licensed production facilities to supply weapons to countries in conflict; [103671]

  (2) what assessment he has made, during the consultation phases for new legislation on strategic export controls, of current US legislation regulating licensed production, with particular reference to the re-export of goods from licensed production factories; [103670]

  (3) what plans the Government have to introduce legislation for the control of exports of controlled goods from licensed production facilities abroad. [103672]

  Dr. Howells
  A number of non-governmental organisations raised the issue of licensed production overseas in their responses to the 1998 White Paper on Strategic Export Controls. All the written responses to the White Paper were published by the Government on 30 November 1998, except for two for which complete confidentiality was requested.
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  The Government are considering the question of controls on licensed production overseas as part of their review of the proposals contained in the White Paper. In the course of this review the Government are looking at United States legislation regulating licensed production overseas.

  The Government will announce proposals for new export control legislation, following conclusion of the review of the White Paper proposals.

  EU-US Banana Dispute
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what assessment his Department has made of the damage to British companies as a result of American retaliatory action in the banana dispute between the EU and the US; [103947]

  (2) what representations his Department has received from British companies whose business has been damaged by the banana dispute between the EU and the US. [103943]

  Mr. Caborn
  The United States has World Trade Organisation authority to retaliate up to an annual monetary value of $191.4 million against EU goods. The sectors that the US has chosen to include in this authorised retaliation, and the annual value of UK exports is as follows:

  US Imports from UK—1997

  US Tariff Code

  Description

  £ million

  85072080

  Batteries

  13.78

  33073050

  Bath oils

  7.29

  49119120

  Lithographs

  2.20

  63022190

  Bed linen

  1.48

  48192000

  Cartons

  1.42

  85167100

  Coffee makers

  0.37

  42023210

  Wallets

  9.13

  42022215

  Handbags

  0.09

  48055000

  Felt paper

  0.02

  Total

  26.8

  Source:

  European Commission

  The actual impact on UK companies in the targeted sectors will depend on a number of factors, including the length of time that the retaliatory measures remain in place and the ability of affected companies to find alternative customers for their goods. However, I have received many representations from UK companies affected by the US retaliation, and based upon these representations my assessment is that there is a real risk of damage to British companies in terms of lost trade and jobs. I take the risks very seriously, and this is why the Government and the European Commission are putting every possible effort into resolving this dispute once and for all.

  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action his Department has taken to resolve the banana dispute between the EU and the US. [103946]

  Mr. Caborn
  The UK strongly encouraged the Commission to come forward with a formal proposal for a revised banana regime which ends the banana dispute once and for all and which meets the needs of the 460W
  vulnerable banana producers. Since the Commission's proposal was tabled in November, we have been urging them to consult quickly with the relevant parties, including the US, so that a revised and acceptable banana regime is in place as soon as possible in 2000.

  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the number of jobs that(a) have been lost and (b) are at risk due to the increased tariff on certain British foods as a result of the banana dispute between the EU and the US.[103948]

  Mr. Caborn
  There are no British food exports on the list of products to which the United States has applied retaliatory duties as a result of the EU-US banana dispute.

  Oil and Gas Production
  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many fallow fields there are in the United Kingdom sector of the North sea and Atlantic ocean which have seen no development over the last ten years; and which company currently holds the licence to develop in each case. [103113]

  Mrs. Liddell
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: The 108 significant oil and gas discoveries on the UKCS which have not been brought to development and which have been discovered for more than 10 years, are listed in the following table.

  It is important to note that on many of them significant activity is taking place to bring discoveries to development.

  Licence operator at the end of 1998

  Well number

  Licence number

  Date discovered

  Amerada

  12/27–1

  P.981

  January 1983

  Amerada

  14/20–6Z

  P.324

  June 1976

  Amerada

  14/20b-18

  P.324

  October 1987

  Amerada

  15/21a-38Z

  P.218

  February 1989

  Amerada

  29/086-2

  P.227

  December 1983

  Amoco

  30/126-2

  P.185

  February 1981

  Amoco

  42/28a-3

  P.016

  April 1989

  Amoco

  43/18–1

  P.512

  November 1986

  Amoco

  43/19–1

  P.607

  January 1989

  Amoco

  43/20b-2

  P.608

  May 1989

  ARCO

  21/02–1

  P.244

  June 1975

  ARCO

  21/02–2

  P.244

  December 1975

  ARCO

  48/23–3

  P.467

  November 1987

  ARCO

  49/28–14

  P.037

  April 1987

  ARCO

  53/04–1

  P.039

  July 1967

  BG E & P

  214/30–1

  P.303

  August 1984

  BG E & P

  22/05b-3

  P.356

  May 1983

  BG E & P

  47/03b-4

  P.016

  July 1987

  BP

  30/01c-4

  P.363

  August 1986

  BP

  42/29–6

  P.001

  November 1989

  BP

  47/10–1

  P.001

  February 1985

  BP

  9/24b-1A

  P.338

  September 1983

  BP

  98/07–2

  P.534

  November 1987

  Britoil

  16/18–1

  P.312

  September 1983

  Britoil

  21/15a-2

  P.120

  August 1981

  Britoil

  211/18–9

  P.236

  September 1975

  Britoil

  48/07b-8

  P.138

  October 1989

  Burlington

  113/26–1

  P.287

  August 1982

  CalEnergy

  44/19–3

  P.610

  January 1989

  Chevron

  3/28a-2

  P.234

  September 1978

  Conoco

  16/23–4

  P.103

  July 1985

  Conoco

  21/03a-4

  P.118

  December 1985

  Conoco

  29/02a-2

  P.224

  June 1984

  Conoco

  48/09–2

  P.459

  May 1989

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  Licence operator at the end of 1998

  Well number

  Licence number

  Date discovered

  Conoco

  48/10b-3

  P.519

  December 1987

  Conoco

  49/12a-6

  P.033

  September 1974

  DNO

  2/05–10

  P.242

  September 1979

  Elf

  16/22–2

  P.240

  May 1977

  Elf

  16/22–5

  P.240

  October 1989

  Elf

  3/30–3

  P.229

  April 1986

  Elf

  4/26-1A

  P.229

  June 1985

  Elf Caledonia

  14/18–1

  P.263

  May 1978

  Elf Caledonia

  14/19b-23

  P.250

  June 1989

  Elf Caledonia

  22/19–1

  P.357

  August 1984

  Elf Caledonia

  29/06a-3

  P.244

  September 1987

  Enterprise

  15/13–2

  P.198

  October 1975

  Enterprise

  22/12a-1

  P.077

  December 1987

  Enterprise

  22/13a-1

  P.096

  February 1989

  Fina

  21/27-IA

  P.595

  April 1989

  Fina

  210/15–2

  P.226

  October 1977

  Fina

  30/14–1

  P.255

  August 1989

  Kerr McGee

  110/03b-4

  P.543

  December 1988

  Kerr McGee

  211/19a-6

  P.104

  January 1977

  Kerr McGee

  3/03–11

  P.202

  March 1989

  Kerr McGee

  9/14b-4

  P.277

  March 1989

  LASMO

  16/12a-5

  P.212

  December 1984

  LASMO

  49/04–1

  P.468

  October 1984

  Marathon

  16/03a-4

  P.108

  September 1984

  Mobil

  48/22–1

  P.697

  November 1966

  Mobil

  49/29b-5

  P.105

  July 1987

  Mobil

  53/02–8

  P.025

  September 1989

  Mobil

  9/19–3

  P.103

  December 1976

  Monument

  21/28a-2

  P.077

  December 1986

  Open

  2/10a-6

  P.234

  December 1983

  Open

  22/02–2

  P.354

  February 1984

  Open

  22/02–5

  P.354

  October 1986

  Open

  41/24a-1

  P.759

  September 1969

  Open

  41/25a-1

  P.759

  September 1969

  Open

  48/21–1

  P.047

  August 1967

  Open

  98/11–2

  P.406

  August 1984

  Petrobras

  16/13a-2Z

  P.219

  January 1984

  Petrobras

  16/13a-3

  P.219

  November 1985

  Petrobras

  20/02–1

  P.317

  April 1981

  Petrobras

  30/03a-1

  P.111

  November 1989

  Phillips

  16/29–4

  P.110

  February 1975

  Phillips

  30/13–2

  P.079

  September 1972

  Phillips

  48/30–3

  P.028

  June 1967

  Ranger

  22/27a-2

  P.114

  March 1986

  Ranger

  29/09b-2

  P.227

  September 1985

  Shell

  21/19-1A

  P.238

  April 1981

  Shell

  21/23b-1

  P.353

  January 1982

  Shell

  21/30–12

  P.013

  September 1984

  Shell

  211/13–1

  P.296

  November 1974

  Shell

  211/13–2

  P.296

  July 1975

  Shell

  211/13–3

  P.296

  December 1975

  Shell

  211/14–1

  P.296

  April 1986

  Shell

  22/30a-5

  P.012

  November 1989

  Shell

  29/03a-2

  P.012

  January 1979

  Shell

  29/05a-1

  P.188

  September 1981

  Shell

  29/09a-1

  P.012

  June 1983

  Shell

  30/02–1

  P.098

  June 1971

  Shell

  30/06–3Z

  P.011

  May 1984

  Shell

  44/28–3

  P.453

  October 1987

  Shell

  48/14–2

  P.008

  December 1985

  Shell

  48/19a-3

  P.008

  March 1983

  Shell

  49/19–4

  P.008

  March 1986

  Talisman

  13/30–3

  P.310

  March 1986

  Texaco

  15/29a-3

  P.119

  July 1988

  Texaco

  207/01–3

  P.183

  October 1977

  Texaco

  9/11–2

  P.335

  September 1982

  Total

  206/01–2

  P.911

  September 1986

  Total

  3/19–1

  P.239

  December 1988

  Total

  3/19b-2

  P.491

  June 1988

  Total

  42/15b-1

  P.137

  June 1984

  Total

  9/15a-1

  P.090

  June 1987

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  Licence operator at the end of 1998

  Well number

  Licence number

  Date discovered

  Veba

  15/18a-6

  P.233

  May 1986

  Veba

  211/22–1

  P.201

  May 1977

  Veba

  211/22a-3

  P.201

  March 1984

  Notes:

  1. The information in this table is frozen at 31 December 1998.

  2. Some of these Significant Discoveries2 may now be the subject of Development Plan discussions this year.

  Source:

  Fallow1 Significant2 Offshore Discoveries (extract from Appendix 3 of the DTI report: Development of the Oil and Gas Resources of the United Kingdom 1999)

  1 Fallow: Those Significant Discoveries that remain undeveloped for 10 years or more.

  2 Significant Discovery: The description "significant" generally refers to the flow rates achieved in well tests. It does not necessarily indicate the commercial potential of the discovery.

  Business (Social and Environmental Responsibility)
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures he is undertaking to promote social and environmental responsibility in business. [103302]

  Dr. Howells
  On support for environmentally responsible business, my Department is continuing to help business reduce waste in the most cost-effective way, with a five-year and £30 million extension to the joint DTI/DETR Environmental Technologies Best Practice Programme. We are helping to overcome market and technical barriers to increased use of recycled materials with an initial £1.4 million programme as the first stage of a planned bigger joint DTI/DETR initiative. We are also helping business develop the "know-how" to incorporate sustainability in products and processes from design stage through the Sustainable Technologies Initiative, worth £7.8 million over three years.

  The Joint Environmental Markets Unit is helping UK business win a bigger share of the rapidly growing market for environmental goods and services—$640 billion by 2010.

  My Department support socially responsible business in a variety of ways, including encouraging the spread of best practice on socially responsible business practice. Work in this area includes sponsorship of Business in the Community's Awards for Business Excellence which acknowledges examples of excellence among businesses engaged in work with community partnerships. We are also working with Business in the Community on a programme to engage business in work to spread the use of information and communication technologies in the community.

  On international trade, we have publicly declared our support for initiatives such as the Ethical Trading Initiative and the FairTrade Mark, and are participating in the current review of the OECD guidelines for Multinational Enterprises.

  We have also encouraged socially responsible business through a number of other activities, including improved protection for vulnerable workers and consumers and action to tackle fuel poverty. We have launched a fundamental review of company law which will consider

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  the proper purposes of a company and to whom and on what it should report publicly, including social and environmental issues.

  The report "Sharing the Nation's Prosperity" outlines the Government's policies on investment, enterprise and innovation to address regional differences in economic and social performance.

  Mortgages (Consumer Awareness)
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures he is taking to help to raise consumer understanding of mortgage products. [103238]

  Dr. Howells
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry raised the quality of information which consumers receive about mortgage products at the summit held with major lenders, consumer groups and regulators on 29 October. Officials will convene a working group next month to look at how mortgage information can be improved. We also published ten key questions consumers should ask to help them choose the best mortgage deal.

  Engineering
  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will set out the terms of reference, objectives and timing for the engineering review being conducted jointly by his Department and the Engineering Council. [103768]

  Mr. Byers
  The broad aim of the working group led by Dr. Robert Hawley, Chairman of the Engineering Council, the "Hawley Group", is to review the contribution the Engineering Council should make to add value to the engineering community by improving the effectiveness of existing activities in such areas as the promotion and standards of engineering, building on existing synergies with other organisations.

  The first stage of this work is intended to agree strategic objectives to be achieved over the next three years. It is hoped that the Hawley Group can complete this by the end of January 2000. The second stage will be the development of a strategy for achieving these objectives. The intention is to complete this second stage by the end of July 2000.

  A copy of the full Terms of Reference for the Review has been placed in the Library.

  Date

  Engineering companies visited

  Venue

  29 January

  Visit to AES Engineering

  Rotherham

  5 February

  Visit to Atlas Composites

  Ilkeston, Derby

  8 February

  Visit to Airbus

  Broughton, North Wales

  8 February

  Visit to Rover

  Longbridge, West Midlands

  19 February

  Amereda Hess 'Triton Project'

  Kvaemer, Port Clarence, Middlesbrough

  25 February

  Addressed the Institution of Electrical Engineers

  Grosvenor House Hotel, London

  19 March

  Visit to LDV Ltd.

  Birmingham

  22 April

  Opened the High Pressure Turbine Facility at Rolls Royce

  Derby

  27 April

  Visit to Motorola

  Bathgate, West Lothian

  29 April

  Addressed the Engineering Council Conference

  The Royal Society of Arts London

  464W
  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what initiatives he has taken since his appointment to support(a) the engineering profession and (b) engineering industries. [103769]

  Mr. Byers
  My Department continues to provide financial support for project work arising from the Action for Engineering initiative, which promoted co-ordinated action to increase substantially the influence, involvement and achievement of professional engineers for the benefit of British industry. The most notable of these is SETNET (Science Engineering Technology Mathematics Network) which aims to bring coherence to the delivery of the somewhat fragmented range of activities aimed at promoting science, engineering, technology and mathematics to school teachers and pupils. It offers a one-stop shop for independent advice to teachers and industry on a range of issues through its regional network of 28 SETPOINTs. DTI and DfEE have provided SETNET with funding of over half a million pounds over the last three years.

  We have also offered financial support of up to £175,000 p.a. for three years (possibly five depending on progress) for the Campaign to Promote Engineering (CPE).

  Initiatives specifically to support the engineering industries and major engineering sectors have included:

  Industry Forum Adaptation
  DTI has now embarked upon a £15 million programme to fund up to 10 proposals from sectors to improve their supply chains, adapting from the SMMT Industry Forum model. Two programmes have already been announced under this; the Leading Oil and Gas Competitiveness (LOGIC) project to promote best practice through the oil and gas industry supply chain, and the Lean Aerospace Initiative (LAI).

  Engineering Technicians Initiative
  This initiative announced on 10 September supports the growth of clusters for the training of engineering technicians in manufacturing SMEs.

  In addition, the Engineering Industries have benefited from a wide range of initiatives addressing the needs of manufacturing industry more generally. These are detailed in the publication "Manufacturing in the Knowledge Driven Economy" issued on 22 November.

  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list(a) the engineering institutions and (b) engineering industries he has visited, and on what dates, since his appointment. [103770]

  Mr. Byers
  I have undertaken the following engagements with engineering groups and visited the following engineering companies since my appointment:
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  Date

  Engineering Companies Visited

  Venue

  5 May

  Address to the Parliamentary Group for Engineering Development Annual Dinner

  House of Lords

  9 June

  Visit Tensator Ltd.

  Milton Keynes

  25 June

  Visit to 600 Lathes

  Heckmondwicke, Yorkshire

  6 July

  Ground Breaking Ceremony for Honda

  Swindon

  6 September

  Visit to Perlos

  Washington, Sunderland

  6 September

  Visit to NSK Bearings

  Peterlee, Durham

  21 September

  Visit to BT Advanced Communications Technology Centre

  Martlesham, Nr. Ipswich Suffolk

  21 September

  Opening of Granta Park, TWI

  Cambridge

  8 October

  Visit to British Steel

  Llanwern, South Wales

  15 November

  Visit to JCB

  Rocester, Staffs

  21 December

  Visit to Cammell Laird

  Newcastle

  Hollis Industries
  Mr. Pearson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress there has been in his Department's inquiries into Hollis Industries. [104001]

  Mr. Byers
  There have been thorough inquiries in line with the Department's normal procedures in these matters.

  These inquiries have now been completed and the solicitors acting for my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry North-West (Mr. Robinson) have been informed that the Department does not propose to take any further action.

  National Minimum Wage
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if supplementary evidence on the national minimum wage has been sent to the Low Pay Commission. [104065]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  I can confirm that the Low Pay Commission received copies of the Supplementary Evidence on 16 December. The evidence consists of further data provided by the Inland Revenue. Copies are available in the Library of the House alongside the original Government Evidence.

  Assisted Areas Map
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made in discussions with the Commission on the UK's proposals for a new assisted areas map; and what advice he can give to companies wishing to apply for regional selective assistance after 31 December. [104066]

  Mr. Byers
  In common with most Member States, the UK's new Assisted Areas have not yet been approved by the European Commission.

  Payments of financial assistance will continue where the aid has been agreed under current arrangements before the end of December. In England, the Government Offices will, as a temporary measure, continue considering applications from companies with projects located within the new Assisted Areas map proposed in July. The Government Offices and, where appropriate, the Industrial Development Unit will undertake a full appraisal of such cases, but any offers will be conditional on confirmation from the Commission that the location is within the approved map and that the project complies with the
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  appropriate European aid ceilings for that area. Potential applicants are strongly advised to contact the relevant Government Office before proceeding.

  I understand that similar arrangements are being put in place in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

  Post Office
  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry What his policy is on(a)a Sale and (b) an exchange of equity, relating to the Post Office. [103223]

  Mr. Byers
  I refer to the statement I made on the publication of the Post Office White Paper on 8 July 1999,Official Report, columns 1175–190.

  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what current valuation the Government places on the assets of(a) the Post Office, (b) the Royal Mail, (c) Post Office Counters and (d) Parcelforce. [103655]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  The most recent information is as set out in the Post Office Report and Accounts 1998–99, a copy of which is held in the Library of the House.

  Pensions (Part-time Workers)
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations he has received regarding his policy on pension entitlements for part-time workers. [101064]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has received no recent representations regarding his policy on pension entitlements for part-time workers.

  Sky Television
  Mr. Godsiff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the estimated cost of the Office of Fair Trading inquiry into the Sky television deal with the Premiership and Football League. [102634]

  Dr. Howells
  I understand from the OFT that, in the inquiry into the Sky television deal with the Premier League and the BBC, legal costs amounted to approximately £3 million and expert witness costs to about £900,000. No estimate for staff costs of the OFT has been made.

  Toyota
  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has made to the Bank of England in relation to Toyota. [103220]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: My Department routinely feeds information into the Bank of England.

  Post Office Network (Benefits Payments)
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the number of recipients of(a) family credit and (b) the working families tax credit who receive payment at a post office broken down to the smallest possible geographical level; and if he will estimate the value to the Post Office of that business in each case. [101609]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 6 December 1999]: I have been asked to reply.

  People being paid Family Credit and Working Families Tax Credit by order book cash their payable orders at post offices. Between 1 October and 12 December 1999, the number of awards made which resulted in an order book being issued was as follows:

  Family credit

  WFTC

  Great Britain

  18,138

  294,179

  Northern Ireland

  1,456

  12,910

  Total

  19,594

  307,089

  A further geographical breakdown is not available.

  The value to the Post Office of the business this represents is commercially confidential.

DEFENCE

  Royal Ordnance
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made with negotiating a partnering agreement between his Department and Royal Ordnance; and if he will make a statement. [104122]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  I am pleased to announce that, following successful negotiations between the Ministry of Defence and BAe Systems, the Ministry of Defence intends to enter into a ten year partnering arrangement with Royal Ordnance for the supply of a wide range of ammunition products produced by Royal Ordnance Weapons and Munitions Ltd. and Royal Ordnance Radway Green. The partnering arrangement will provide Royal Ordnance with a stable work load worth some £100 million per year, and will involve the Ministry of Defence and Royal Ordnance in sharing the costs, risks and benefits over the period of the arrangement.

  The agreement is the culmination of hard discussions over the last year. It represents value for money to the taxpayer, while preserving an indigenous ammunition manufacturing capability in the United Kingdom, which will enhance the future security of supply of ammunition for our armed forces. These advantages, which will be
  468W
  shared by both the Ministry of Defence and the company, are possible because partnering will provide Royal Ordnance with a stable basis from which it can invest, restructure, and reduce prices.

  BOWMAN Project
  Mrs. Gilroy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of the BOWMAN project. [104129]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  We have been reviewing the BOWMAN Tactical Communications System project. In accordance with Smart Procurement principles, it is now planned to deliver the system incrementally. As a consequence, initial deliveries of the stand-alone, Personal Role Radio element of BOWMAN should now be possible earlier than previously planned.

  The MOD's preferred supplier for BOWMAN is Archer Communications Systems Ltd. (ACSL). Management of ACSL is now vested in BAe Systems who have committed to a radical reinvigoration of the company. ACSL is working under a risk of reduction contract to deliver a viable solution to the BOWMAN requirement. The company's original proposal was too expensive and carried too much risk. Since June, we have, therefore, been working with ACSL to produce an acceptable solution. This will depend in part on efficiencies being achieved by the company.

  We now hope to place an implementation contract in late 2000. We cannot yet set a revised in service date, but would expect it to be in late 2003/early 2004.

  Imphal Barracks
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the undertaking given by his predecessor concerning the number of civilian staff to be employed at Imphal Barracks following the transfer of the tri-Service Defence Vetting Agency to York and the removal of the 2 Division Headquarters from York to Scotland. [99469]

  Mr. Spellar
  In his answer of 26 March 1999,Official Report, column 434W, my predecessor stated that the strength of the Defence Vetting Agency would be 310 when the Agency collocates at York. The revised position is that the Agency strength immediately following collocation (in early 2001) will be 311.

  Of those 311, a total of 130 will be Investigating Officers who currently work from their homes, and will continue to do so. Thus, the number of Defence Vetting Agency staff who will actually be working in Imphal Barracks immediately after collocation is 181.

  The total number of civilian staff (including those of the DVA) who will be working at Imphal Barracks in early 2001 will be 430. The balance of 249 are Imphal Barracks staff, employed in various (mainly Army) units.

  The Agency is introducing new vetting processes and IT systems at Imphal Barracks. It is therefore likely that the numbers of staff will vary slightly as these are tested and proved.

  Equipment Costs
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost of(a) a Hornet radar sensor and (b) the future anti-surface guided weapon. [103031]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Sir Robert Walmsley to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 21 December 1999:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the cost of a Hornet radar sensor and the Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
  The United Kingdom does not operate, nor has plans to procure, a sensor system called Hornet. You may be referring to the sensor system for the US F/A18 aircraft called the Hornet, but as you will appreciate, we have no visibility of the costs associated with this programme.
  The requirement for the Future Anti-Surface Guided Weapon has yet to be fully defined and it is therefore too early to indicate the cost.
  I am sorry that I cannot be more helpful.

  Type 45 Frigate
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the estimated cost is of the Royal Navy's Type 45 frigate project; and if he will make a statement. [103057]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Sir Robert Walmsley to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 21 December 1999:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the estimated cost of the UK Royal Navy's Type 45 Project. This matter falls to me to answer within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
  As I wrote in my letter to you of 15 December, the total programme cost for the 12 currently planned Type 45 warships (actually designated Destroyers rather than Frigates) including their missiles is approximately £6bn. This includes approximately £1.2bn for the development, design and build of the first of class ship and £lbn for the development and initial production of the Principal Anti Air Missile System (PAAMS). The balance of £3.8bn contains funding for further missile procurement, and allows for the incremental acquisition of the combat system. The ship design will incorporate significant growth margins to allow for this incremental capability development.

  Near Miss (Edinburgh)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the near miss involving an RAF Tornado and a British Midland plane near Edinburgh Airport earlier in December. [103545]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  Two aircraft proximity incidents (or airproxes) involving British Midland SAAB 340 aircraft and RAF Tornados were reported during the first week of December. One of these occurred in the Aberdeen area, the other, 12 nautical miles north east of St. Abb's Head. A further incident was reported by an Edinburgh air traffic controller and involved a Tornado and a British Airways 470W
  Embraer aircraft. All these reports are being investigated through the United Kingdom Airprox Board who will publish their findings next year.

  Deceased Aircrew (Gross Negligence)
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the occasions between 1987 and 1993 in which deceased aircrew were found guilty of gross negligence in accidents involving military aircraft which were not fitted with cockpit voice recorders or flight data recorders. [103546]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  There were none.

  Centre of Defence Medicine
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what personnel he plans to be located at the Centre of Defence Medicine in Birmingham on its planned opening by April 2001; and whence they will have been transferred. [103412]

  Mr. Spellar
  We envisage that the Centre for Defence Medicine will have a total of around 100 military and civilian staff when it opens in April 2001, and will then grow, in agreement with University Hospital Birmingham, to meet the requirements of the Defence Medical Services. Detailed planning to ensure the appropriate provision of manpower to the Centre for Defence Medicine and other Defence Medical Services commitments is currently in hand. Military medical personnel for the Centre will be drawn from Defence Secondary Care Agency, Defence Medical Training Organisation and other formations within the Defence Medical Services.

  Chemical Weapons
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many chemical weapon production facilities have yet to be destroyed under the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons regulations. [103054]

  Dr. Howells
  I have been asked to reply.

  The United Kingdom abandoned its offensive chemical weapons capability in the mid-1950s. In accordance with our obligations under the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) the UK has declared to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) eight former chemical weapons production facilities. Of these facilities, four have been destroyed, one is due to be destroyed, one has been approved by the OPCW to be used for purposes not prohibited by the CWC and the remaining two are awaiting similar approval from the OPCW.

  In its 1998 Annual Report, the OPCW reported that fifty-nine chemical weapons production facilities had been declared by States Parties as of 31 December 1998. All of these will have to be destroyed unless the States Parties concerned decide to seek approval to use any of the facilities for peaceful purposes under the provisions of the CWC.

  Concordat (Scotland and Wales)
  Mr. Ian Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will agree his concordat with the Scottish Executive and National Assembly for Wales. [102474]
  471W
  Mr. Hoon
  [pursuant to his reply, 9 December 1999, c. 591W]: The agreement on the Ministry of Defence's bilateral concordat with the Welsh Assembly was not reached on 9 December as I stated. However, we have subsequently agreed the Ministry of Defence's concordat with the Cabinet of the Welsh Assembly for Wales. The Concordat sets out the principles governing the bilateral relationship between the Ministry of Defence and the Welsh Assembly. A copy of the Concordat has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  C-17s
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what(a) geographical and (b) other constraints are placed on the three US Air Force C-17s which might be used by the RAF for the MOD's short-term lift requirement. [103107]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from John Howe, Deputy Chief Executive, on behalf of the Chief Executive, to Mr. Lindsay Hoyle, dated 21 December 1999:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence in which you asked what geographical, and other, constraints would be placed on the US Air Force C-17 aircraft if they were to be used by the RAF for the Short Term Strategic Airlift (STSA) requirement. This matter falls to me for answer within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
  We are considering a number of potential solutions to meet our requirement for strategic airlift, including the Boeing C-17. Any geographical or other constraints on aircraft operation form part of the Department's assessment. I am not able to disclose the details because it would prejudice the assessment of options that is currently under way and I am therefore withholding the information under Exemption 7 (Effective management and operations of the public sector) of the Code of Practice on access to Government Information.
  Ministers aim to announce a decision on this programme in the early part of next year.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the ability to provide logistic support for the three C-17s through the US supply system. [103109]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from John Howe, Deputy Chief Executive, on behalf of the Chief Executive, to Mr. Lindsay Hoyle, dated 21 December 1999:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence in which you asked what assessment has been made of the ability to provide logistic support to the C-17 aircraft through the USA supply system. This matter falls to me for answer within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
  We are considering a number of potential solutions to meet our requirement for strategic airlift in the short-term, including the Boeing C-17. Logistic support forms part of the Department's assessment. In the case of C-17, the assessment does include consideration of utilising the existing US supply chain. I am withholding the content of the assessment under Exemption 13 (third
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  party's commercial confidences) of the Code of Practice on access to Government Information because it constitutes commercially sensitive information.
  Ministers aim to announce a decision on this programme in the early part of next year.

  Antonov 124–100
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what(a) geographical and (b) other constraints are placed on the use of the Antonov 124–100. [103108]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from John Howe, Deputy Chief Executive, on behalf of the Chief Executive, to Mr. Lindsay Hoyle, dated 21 December 1999:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence in which you asked what geographical, and other, constraints are placed on the use of the Antonov AN 124–100. This matter falls to me for answer within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
  We are considering a number of potential solutions to meet our requirements for strategic airlift in the short-term, including the Antonov AN 124–100. Any geographical or other constraints on aircraft operation form part of the Department's assessment. I am not able to disclose the details because it would prejudice the assessment of options that is currently under way and I am therefore withholding the information under Exemption 7 (Effective management and operations of the public sector) of the Code of Practice on access to Government Information.
  Ministers aim to announce a decision on this programme in the early part of next year.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the prospects for short-term use of the Antonov 124–100. [103105]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from John Howe, Deputy Chief Executive, on behalf of the Chief Executive, to Mr. Lindsay Hoyle, dated 21 December 1999:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence in which you asked what assessment has been made of the prospects for the short-term use of the Antonov AN 124–100. This matter falls to me for answer within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
  We are considering a number of potential solutions to meet our requirement for strategic airlift in the short-term, including the Antonov AN 124–100. Options have been received from a number of companies and these are currently being assessed. I am therefore withholding commercially sensitive information under Exemption 13 (third party's commercial confidences) of the Code of Practice on access to Government Information.
  Ministers aim to announce a decision on this programme in the early part of next year.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what financial savings he has assessed can be gained on the current defence budget by the use of the Antonov 124–100 for the short-term strategic airlift role. [103106]
  473W
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from John Howe, Deputy Chief Executive, on behalf of the Chief Executive, to Mr. Lindsay Hoyle, dated 21 December 1999:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence in which you asked what savings can be gained on the current defence budget by the use of the Antonov AN 124–100 for the Short Term Strategic Airlift role. This matter falls to me for answer within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
  We are considering a number of potential solutions to meet our requirements for strategic airlift in the short-term, including the Antonov AN 124–100. Options have been received from a number of companies and these are currently being assessed. The costs and potential savings associated with each option are commercially sensitive and I am therefore withholding the information under Exemption 13 (third party's commercial confidences) of the Code of Practice on access to Government Information.
  Ministers aim to announce a decision on this programme in the early part of next year.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times the Antonov 124–100 aircraft has been used by the MoD-RAF in the last two years. [103102]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: The RAF has chartered the following Antonov 124–100s to date:

  Year

  Number

  1998

  16

  1999

  53

  Correspondence
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will write to the hon. Member for Salisbury about the competition for interim strategic lift capability. [103410]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  I have written to the hon. Member today and a copy of my letter has been placed in the Library of the House.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Departmental Employees (Disabled People)
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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. [102048]

  Mr. Straw
  The percentage of permanent staff in the Home Office, including the Prison Service, recorded as having a disability on 1 April 1999 was 0.6 per cent. More detailed figures are given in the table. Staff with disabilities in the main Home Office are no longer recorded as being "registered" or "unregistered". Information on staff with disabilities is gathered on a474W
  voluntary basis. The data include those who have indicated that they have a disability as defined in the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

  As part of our commitment to the employment of people with disabilities, we use the Employment Service's "Two Ticks" Disability Symbol for external recruitment and for internal selection and promotion boards. We operate a Guaranteed Interview Scheme which guarantees an interview to anyone with a disability as long as they meet the minimum criteria for the post. The recruitment brochure for the Home Office includes details of the scheme. An audio version of this brochure is in preparation for applicants with sight difficulties.

  The Home Office is signed up to New Deal. The Government aim to ensure that the particular needs of young people with disabilities who are claiming Job Seekers Allowance are met within the New Deal so that they are able to benefit fully from the opportunities it offers. We have been able on some occasions to offer placements to graduates with disabilities under the `Workable' scheme. We also provide a disability assessment service for staff to establish what reasonable adjustments can be made by, for example special aids or facilities, to help them participate fully in the work of the Department.

  We also take part in the Cabinet Office bursary scheme for staff with disabilities. Under this scheme, we award departmental bursaries, supported by mentoring, to those who are judged to have the potential to reach the feeder grade to the Senior Civil Service.

  Area of employment1

  Percentage of staff employed who are record as having a disability2

  Home Office (core areas)

  1.8

  Immigration and Nationality Department

  4.1

  HM Prison Service

  0.1

  Fire Service College

  0.7

  Forensic Science Service

  0.6

  United Kingdom Passport Agency

  2.5

  Home Office average excluding prison service

  2.6

  Home Office average including prison service

  0.6

  1Information given is for 1 April 1999

  2Percentage is of permanent non-industrial staff

  Peat
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his Department's policy is on the purchase and use of peat for its own operations and activities; and what performance targets his Department has set to reduce current peat use. [103017]

  Mr. Straw
  The Home Office Greening Operations Policy includes a statement that slow renewables such as peat should be replaced by organic wastes such as coir, manure, leaf mould and bark. The Home Office Procurement Manual also states that peat-free composts should be used. No specific targets have been set for reducing the use of peat.

  UK Passport
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce a new hardback UK passport incorporating the existing pages of national identification. [102915]

  Mrs. Roche
  There are no plans to introduce a new hardback United Kingdom passport. The burgundy style soft covered passport, introduced in 1988, is machine-readable and in a common format agreed in 1981 with other European Union countries. It also complies with international practice, in particular the International Standards and Recommended Practices of the International Civil Aviation Organisation Convention on International Civil Aviation. Most countries of the world produce passports with a flexible soft cover. The standard format for passports facilitates the passage of many millions of travellers worldwide, enabling speedier progress through passport controls.

  Moreover, it would not now be practical to produce a hardback version of the United Kingdom passport. In 1997 the United Kingdom Passport Agency let a 10-year contract for the Security Printing and Systems Ltd. for a more secure version of the soft covered machine readable passport. It would require substantial and expensive re-engineering of the passport manufacturing process to switch to a hardback cover.

  Nathan Graham
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Chief Constable of Nottingham about the circumstances, including the use of handcuffs, surrounding the death in custody of Nathan Graham. [103310]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  An investigation into Mr. Graham's death is being conducted by the Governor of Her Majesty's Prison Whatton. It will cover all the relevant circumstances, and the report will be made available to Mr. Graham's family. A separate investigation is being carried out by Nottinghamshire Police at the request of Her Majesty's Coroner.

  Confiscated Assets
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the value of confiscated assets of convicted criminals in each of the last three years. [103170]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Information is given in the table.

  The value1 of new confiscation orders made by type of offence, England and Wales

  £

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–992

  Drug offences

  131,410,000

  15,010,000

  22,264,000

  Other criminal offences

  6,070,000

  17,199,000

  12,683,000

  Total

  19,211,000

  32,209,000

  34,947,000

  1Taking from the annual Home Office data collection Receipts from Confiscation orders

  2 Provisional

  Prostitution
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women were convicted of soliciting for prostitution in the Greater London area in each month from January to November. [103172]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Available information, which is provisional, is given in the table.

  Number of females convicted for loitering or soliciting for the purposes of prostitution1 within the Metropolitan Police area (including City of London) by month (January to June), 19992

  Convictions

  January

  192

  February

  178

  March

  206

  April

  154

  May

  155

  June

  137

  1An offence under S 1 Street Offences Act 1959

  2Provisional

  Rape/Sexual Assault
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will assess the benefits of changing the definition of unreasonable belief in relation to(a) rape and (b) sexual assault; [103314]

  (2) what plans he has to introduce a new charge of assault in the course of sexual intercourse; [103343]

  (3) what plans he has to propose amendments to the law to redefine unreasonable belief in relation to rape and sexual assault; [103341]

  (4) if he will bring forward amendments to the law to re-define (a) consent and (b) coercion in relation to rape; [103319]

  (5) if he will assess the benefits of introducing a new legal definition of rape; [103313]

  (6) what plans he has to review the legal definition of rape. [103318]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The sex offences review is currently considering the law relating to rape and sexual assault as part of its remit to review sex offences. All of the issues mentioned form part of their consideration. The review is required to recommend clear and coherent new offences which protect the individual, especially children and the more vulnerable, from abuse and exploitation, enable abusers to be appropriately punished and be fair and non-discriminatory. I expect the review to report in the spring, and that its proposals will be published for consultation shortly after.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to place individuals on the Sexual Offenders Register who are found guilty of committing an assault in the course of sexual intercourse. [103344]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  There is at present no such offence. Anyone found guilty of rape is required to notify the police of their name and address and any changes of name and address. The review of sex offences has been asked to review the law and to recommend clear and coherent offences to protect victims. A number of
  477W
  proposals for change have been made, including one for an offence of an assault in the course of sexual intercourse by the Soroptimist International's United Kingdom Programme Action Committee's Working Party on Rape. When the review has completed its consideration of the law, it will also recommend which of the offences it proposes should carry the registration requirement under the Sex Offenders Act 1997.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action his Department has taken in response to the interim report, "The Processing of Rape Cases by the Criminal Justice System". [103320]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The interim report on the study on the attrition in rape cases was followed by the final report of the study "A Question of Evidence? Investigating and prosecuting rape in the 1990s", which was published on 1 July 1999. The recommendations of the report have contributed to the work of the sex offences review which is looking at the definition of rape and consent, and the "Speaking Up For Justice" programme to improve the treatment of vulnerable or intimidated witnesses.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many sentences imposed on those who commit rape and crimes involving sexual abuse

  Table A: Number of defendants prosecuted at the magistrates courts and convicted at all courts for offences of rape1 by age-group and police force area, 1995

  Prosecutions

  Convictions

  10–17

  18–20

  21†

  Total All ages

  10–17

  18–20

  21†

  Total All ages

  Avon and Somerset

  4

  3

  35

  42

  1

  0

  14

  15

  Bedfordshire

  0

  1

  17

  18

  0

  0

  5

  5

  Cambridgeshire

  1

  3

  16

  20

  0

  1

  11

  12

  Cheshire

  2

  1

  12

  15

  2

  2

  6

  10

  Cleveland

  1

  1

  12

  14

  2

  2

  6

  10

  Cumbria

  3

  3

  18

  24

  1

  0

  6

  7

  Derbyshire

  2

  3

  25

  30

  1

  1

  14

  16

  Devon and Cornwall

  4

  2

  23

  29

  2

  0

  10

  12

  Dorset

  0

  1

  15

  16

  0

  0

  3

  3

  Durham

  1

  1

  18

  20

  1

  1

  10

  12

  Essex

  1

  1

  33

  35

  0

  1

  9

  10

  Gloucestershire

  3

  1

  6

  10

  1

  0

  4

  5

  Greater Manchester

  10

  8

  106

  124

  2

  2

  44

  48

  Hampshire

  6

  3

  33

  42

  0

  0

  10

  10

  Hertfordshire

  2

  1

  15

  18

  0

  0

  4

  4

  Humberside

  1

  2

  15

  18

  1

  0

  10

  11

  Kent

  3

  4

  24

  31

  2

  0

  17

  19

  Lancashire

  5

  3

  24

  32

  1

  1

  14

  16

  Leicestershire

  3

  4

  27

  34

  1

  0

  3

  4

  Lincolnshire

  0

  1

  22

  23

  0

  1

  0

  1

  Merseyside

  4

  3

  53

  60

  2

  1

  12

  15

  Metropolitan

  22

  18

  253

  253

  10

  10

  79

  99

  Norfolk

  0

  0

  12

  12

  1

  0

  3

  4

  North yorkshire

  1

  0

  13

  14

  0

  0

  8

  8

  Northamptonshire

  1

  0

  16

  17

  0

  0

  6

  6

  Northumbria

  2

  9

  52

  63

  3

  1

  20

  24

  Nottinghamshire

  0

  3

  45

  48

  0

  0

  7

  7

  South Yorkshire

  3

  3

  32

  38

  1

  0

  12

  13

  Staffordshire

  4

  5

  26

  35

  4

  1

  2

  7

  Suffolk

  1

  0

  11

  12

  0

  1

  6

  7

  Surrey

  1

  0

  9

  10

  0

  0

  4

  4

  Sussex

  4

  1

  28

  33

  0

  1

  5

  6

  478W
  were conditional on the perpetrator participating in programmes for positive change in the last year for which figures are available. [103316]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  This information is not held on the Home Office Court Proceedings Database.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent reports he has received on the(a) psychological and (b) physical impact of rape on its victims. [103317]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I have recently received a copy of the report of the Working Party on Rape of Soroptomist International. The review of sex offences has also received this report, in addition to 38 submissions from both individuals and organisations which relate to the law on rape including the psychological and physical impact of rape on victims.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were(a) arrested for (b) charged with and (c) convicted of rape in each police authority area broken down by (i) age group and (ii) socio-economic class for each year since 1995. [103311]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Detailed information on the number of people arrested is not collected centrally.

  Information given in the table, taken from the Home Office Court Proceedings Database, shows the number of prosecutions and convictions for rape offences. The Database does not hold information on the socioeconomic class of defendants.
  479W

  Table A: Number of defendants prosecuted at the magistrates courts and convicted at all courts for offences of rape1 by age-group and police force area, 1995

  Prosecutions

  Convictions

  10–17

  18–20

  21†

  Total All ages

  10–17

  18–20

  21†

  Total All ages

  Thames Valley

  2

  6

  39

  47

  0

  0

  5

  5

  Warwickshire

  0

  0

  10

  10

  1

  0

  1

  2

  West Mercia

  3

  0

  21

  24

  0

  1

  4

  5

  West Midlands

  7

  9

  88

  104

  3

  6

  26

  35

  West Yorkshire

  13

  8

  66

  87

  2

  1

  27

  30

  Wiltshire

  1

  2

  19

  22

  1

  0

  8

  9

  Dyfed Powys

  1

  0

  7

  8

  0

  0

  4

  4

  Gwent

  3

  1

  12

  16

  0

  0

  1

  1

  North Wales

  1

  1

  22

  24

  0

  0

  13

  13

  South Wales

  5

  4

  54

  63

  1

  0

  34

  35

  England and Wales

  131

  120

  1,384

  1,635

  47

  33

  489

  569

  1Includes rape, attempted rape and offences under the Mental Health Act 1959

  2Including City of London

  Table B: Number of defendants prosecuted at the magistrates courts and convicted at all courts for offences of rape1 by age-group and police force area, 1996

  Prosecutions

  Convictions

  10–17

  18–20

  21†

  Total All ages

  10–17

  18–20

  21†

  Total All ages

  Avon and Somerset

  6

  6

  40

  52

  0

  0

  7

  7

  Bedfordshire

  2

  0

  23

  25

  0

  1

  6

  7

  Cambridgeshire

  1

  2

  27

  30

  1

  0

  5

  6

  Cheshire

  3

  0

  22

  25

  1

  1

  8

  10

  Cleveland

  0

  2

  13

  15

  0

  1

  8

  9

  Cumbria

  0

  1

  11

  12

  1

  0

  4

  5

  Derbyshire

  3

  1

  25

  29

  2

  1

  9

  12

  Devon and Cornwall

  1

  1

  26

  28

  1

  1

  13

  15

  Dorset

  0

  1

  16

  17

  0

  0

  7

  7

  Durham

  2

  1

  10

  13

  0

  0

  5

  5

  Essex

  2

  1

  38

  41

  0

  1

  10

  11

  Gloucestershire

  2

  1

  11

  14

  0

  0

  2

  2

  Greater Manchester

  9

  10

  108

  127

  5

  2

  26

  33

  Hampshire

  2

  4

  45

  51

  1

  0

  7

  8

  Hertfordshire

  1

  0

  14

  15

  0

  0

  8

  8

  Humberside

  1

  1

  21

  23

  2

  0

  11

  13

  Kent

  1

  0

  22

  23

  0

  0

  15

  15

  Lancashire

  3

  4

  42

  49

  0

  1

  12

  13

  Leicestershire

  2

  2

  35

  39

  0

  1

  8

  9

  Lincolnshire

  2

  0

  9

  11

  0

  0

  4

  4

  Merseyside

  2

  6

  40

  48

  1

  1

  15

  17

  Metropolitan Police2

  29

  22

  287

  338

  4

  0

  92

  116

  Norfolk

  2

  0

  9

  11

  0

  0

  1

  1

  North Yorkshire

  6

  4

  24

  34

  2

  0

  6

  7

  Northamptonshire

  0

  1

  8

  9

  0

  0

  2

  2

  Northumbria

  11

  10

  62

  83

  2

  1

  22

  25

  Nottinghamshire

  1

  3

  31

  35

  1

  1

  12

  14

  South Yorkshire

  2

  3

  40

  45

  2

  0

  8

  10

  Staffordshire

  3

  3

  38

  44

  1

  1

  10

  12

  Suffolk

  0

  0

  14

  14

  0

  0

  3

  3

  Surrey

  0

  4

  9

  13

  0

  0

  5

  5

  Sussex

  1

  4

  22

  27

  1

  0

  8

  9

  Thames Valley

  2

  4

  49

  55

  3

  0

  13

  16

  Warwickshire

  1

  0

  5

  6

  1

  0

  4

  5

  West Mercia

  3

  3

  12

  18

  0

  0

  8

  8

  West Midlands

  6

  9

  81

  96

  4

  3

  31

  38

  West Yorkshire

  13

  1

  80

  94

  2

  4

  31

  37

  Wiltshire

  0

  0

  18

  18

  0

  1

  6

  7

  Dyfed Powys

  1

  0

  11

  12

  1

  0

  3

  4

  Gwent

  3

  1

  28

  32

  0

  1

  8

  9

  North Wales

  1

  0

  26

  27

  1

  0

  6

  7

  South Wales

  5

  5

  49

  59

  4

  0

  20

  24

  England and Wales

  135

  121

  1,501

  1,757

  54

  33

  489

  576

  1Includes rape, attempted rape and offences under the Mental Health Act 1959

  2Including City of London

  480W 481W

  Table C: Number of defendants prosecuted at the magistrates courts and convicted at all courts for offences of rape1 by age-group and police force area, 1997

  Prosecutions

  Convictions

  10–17

  18–20

  21†

  Total All ages

  10–17

  18–20

  21†

  Total All ages

  Avon and Somerset

  4

  6

  61

  71

  0

  0

  10

  10

  Bedfordshire

  2

  2

  21

  25

  0

  0

  6

  6

  Cambridgeshire

  0

  0

  20

  20

  1

  0

  5

  6

  Cheshire

  1

  1

  23

  25

  2

  0

  10

  12

  Cleveland

  1

  0

  12

  13

  1

  0

  6

  7

  Cumbria

  0

  1

  11

  12

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Derbyshire

  4

  3

  30

  37

  0

  0

  9

  9

  Devon and Cornwall

  5

  1

  46

  52

  4

  0

  10

  14

  Dorset

  2

  1

  25

  28

  0

  0

  5

  5

  Durham

  1

  1

  15

  17

  0

  0

  8

  8

  Essex

  4

  3

  42

  49

  1

  2

  18

  21

  Gloucestershire

  0

  0

  10

  10

  1

  0

  1

  2

  Greater Manchester

  12

  13

  133

  158

  2

  3

  25

  30

  Hampshire

  4

  3

  65

  72

  3

  2

  23

  28

  Hertfordshire

  3

  3

  23

  29

  0

  3

  10

  13

  Humberside

  0

  2

  15

  17

  0

  2

  9

  11

  Kent

  3

  2

  27

  32

  0

  2

  14

  16

  Lancashire

  1

  8

  64

  73

  2

  1

  11

  14

  Leicestershire

  6

  6

  36

  48

  0

  1

  10

  11

  Lincolnshire

  4

  2

  21

  27

  1

  0

  7

  8

  Merseyside

  1

  0

  20

  21

  2

  1

  14

  17

  Metropolitan Police'

  16

  29

  272

  317

  6

  8

  92

  116

  Norfolk

  1

  2

  16

  19

  0

  0

  2

  2

  North Yorkshire

  1

  1

  14

  16

  0

  0

  4

  4

  Northamptonshire

  1

  0

  3

  4

  0

  0

  4

  4

  Northumbria

  13

  5

  74

  92

  7

  1

  18

  26

  Nottinghamshire

  2

  4

  55

  61

  0

  2

  12

  14

  South Yorkshire

  2

  4

  40

  46

  4

  0

  13

  17

  Staffordshire

  5

  3

  34

  42

  0

  1

  12

  13

  Suffolk

  1

  1

  17

  19

  1

  0

  5

  6

  Surrey

  0

  1

  11

  12

  0

  1

  2

  3

  Sussex

  0

  0

  20

  20

  0

  0

  15

  15

  Thames Valley

  0

  9

  55

  64

  1

  2

  13

  16

  Warwickshire

  1

  0

  5

  6

  1

  0

  0

  1

  West Mercia

  2

  0

  28

  30

  1

  1

  11

  13

  West Midlands

  11

  8

  89

  108

  5

  5

  28

  38

  West Yorkshire

  15

  5

  70

  90

  1

  0

  25

  26

  Wiltshire

  0

  1

  23

  24

  0

  0

  3

  3

  Dyfed Powys

  1

  1

  21

  23

  0

  0

  7

  7

  Gwent

  2

  6

  29

  37

  0

  1

  12

  13

  North Wales

  1

  2

  28

  31

  1

  0

  7

  8

  South Wales

  1

  5

  58

  64

  1

  3

  21

  25

  England and Wales

  134

  145

  1,682

  1,961

  59

  42

  517

  618

  1Includes rape, attempted rape and offences under the Mental Health Act 1959

  2Including City of London

  Table D: Number of defendants prosecuted at the magistrates courts and convicted at all courts for offences of rape1 by age-group and police force area, 1998

  Prosecutions

  Convictions

  10–17

  18–20

  21†

  Total All ages

  10–17

  18–20

  21†

  Total All ages

  Avon and Somerset

  7

  3

  66

  76

  0

  1

  14

  15

  Bedfordshire

  5

  1

  22

  28

  0

  0

  5

  5

  Cambridgeshire

  4

  1

  14

  19

  0

  0

  3

  3

  Cheshire

  0

  0

  32

  32

  1

  0

  11

  12

  Cleveland

  1

  1

  18

  20

  0

  0

  5

  5

  Cumbria

  1

  0

  10

  11

  0

  0

  5

  5

  Derbyshire

  2

  5

  30

  37

  0

  0

  7

  7

  Devon and Cornwall

  4

  4

  32

  40

  1

  2

  20

  23

  Dorset

  0

  0

  18

  18

  0

  0

  4

  4

  Durham

  2

  2

  24

  28

  0

  1

  8

  9

  Essex

  8

  3

  52

  63

  0

  0

  14

  14

  Gloucestershire

  1

  1

  10

  12

  0

  0

  2

  2

  Greater Manchester

  7

  16

  128

  151

  2

  4

  48

  54

  Hampshire

  4

  2

  66

  72

  1

  2

  20

  23

  Hertfordshire

  1

  0

  20

  21

  0

  0

  8

  8

  482W 483W

  Table D: Number of defendants prosecuted at the magistrates courts and convicted at all courts for offences of rape1 by age-group and police force area, 1998

  Prosecutions

  Convictions

  10–17

  18–20

  21†

  Total All ages

  10–17

  18–20

  21†

  Total All ages

  Humberside

  0

  1

  24

  25

  0

  1

  7

  8

  Kent

  2

  4

  41

  47

  0

  0

  11

  11

  Lancashire

  14

  7

  43

  64

  0

  1

  19

  20

  Leicestershire

  1

  3

  40

  44

  0

  2

  16

  18

  Lincolnshire

  3

  3

  21

  27

  0

  1

  7

  8

  Merseyside

  2

  5

  52

  59

  1

  1

  18

  20

  Metropolitan Police`

  25

  33

  272

  330

  7

  6

  98

  111

  Norfolk

  0

  0

  21

  21

  0

  0

  4

  4

  North Yorkshire

  1

  1

  13

  15

  2

  0

  6

  8

  Northamptonshire

  1

  1

  12

  14

  0

  0

  5

  5

  Northumbria

  11

  12

  116

  139

  3

  0

  20

  23

  Nottinghamshire

  4

  2

  53

  59

  0

  0

  19

  19

  South Yorkshire

  2

  3

  33

  38

  2

  2

  9

  13

  Staffordshire

  5

  1

  28

  34

  0

  0

  11

  11

  Suffolk

  0

  1

  27

  28

  0

  1

  6

  7

  Surrey

  0

  1

  15

  16

  0

  0

  4

  4

  Sussex

  1

  6

  38

  45

  0

  1

  14

  15

  Thames Valley

  3

  5

  45

  53

  0

  1

  8

  9

  Warwickshire

  3

  0

  6

  9

  1

  0

  2

  3

  West Mercia

  3

  2

  30

  35

  1

  1

  10

  12

  West Midlands

  14

  15

  122

  151

  5

  7

  39

  51

  West Yorkshire

  10

  6

  89

  105

  5

  2

  41

  48

  Wiltshire

  1

  3

  22

  26

  0

  0

  3

  3

  Dyfed Powys

  3

  1

  12

  16

  0

  0

  4

  4

  Gwent

  5

  5

  27

  37

  0

  0

  4

  4

  North Wales

  2

  1

  30

  33

  1

  0

  10

  11

  South Wales

  8

  5

  74

  87

  3

  2

  31

  36

  England and Wales

  171

  166

  1,848

  2,185

  36

  39

  600

  675

  1Includes rape, attempted rape and offences under the Mental Health Act 1959

  2Including City of London

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training programmes he has developed to enable the relevant authorities to support victims of sexual abuse and rape. [103321]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The deployment and training of police officers is an operational matter for the chief officer of each force. But it is recognised that victims of sexual abuse and rape need to be treated with special care, and officers chosen to support them have appropriate training and experience.

  Experienced Victim Support volunteers receive additional training to enable them to provide the kind of specialised help required by victims of sexual abuse and rape, both at the time the offence is reported and subsequently.

  Victim Support Budget
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the budget allocation for victim support in each year since 1995 per head of population in England. [103346]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Home Office grant to Victim Support is provided to deliver services to victims of crime and witnesses across England and Wales. An estimate of the grant allocation to Victim Support per head of population in England and Wales, since 1995, is given in the table.
  484W

  Year

  Total grant(£million)

  Population of England and Wales1

  Grant per head of population(£)

  1995–96

  10.8

  51,820,000

  0.21

  1996–97

  11.7

  52,010,000

  0.22

  1997–98

  12.7

  52,211,000

  0.24

  1998–99

  12.7

  52,428,000

  0.24

  1999–2000

  17.3

  52,428,000

  0.33

  1 Source of population data: Population Trends (autumn 1999), published by the Office for National Statistics

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what budget has been allocated to victim support each year since 1995 per police authority. [103315]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Home Office grant to Victim Support is allocated by the Local Funding Panel, a sub-committee of the organisation's National Council. Victim Support advise that they are unable, at present, to provide a breakdown of grant allocation by police authority area.

  Domestic Violence
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will record separately the incidence of sexual assault in cases of domestic assault. [103312]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Information on the number of domestic assaults is not recorded centrally, as the statistical systems do not record the relationship between
  485W
  the victim and assailant. Improvements to these systems are in hand. This will, in due course, allow better estimates of domestic assault and may allow different components of a main offence to be classified.

  The 1996 British Crime Survey collected information on the prevalence of domestic violence via a computerised self-completion questionnaire. Sexual assault was one component.

  Twenty-three per cent. of women aged 16 to 59 reported that they had experienced domestic assault at some time in their lives. Among the women who had been assaulted the percentage who had been forced to have sex at the last assault was eight per cent.

  Police Duties (Millennium)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many additional Metropolitan Police officers will be on duty on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day; and if he will make a statement. [103327]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that approximately 11,800 police officers will be on duty on New Year's Eve and approximately 10,300 on New Year's Day. Comparable information for last year was not collected centrally.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated additional cost to police forces for policing duties during the millennium celebrations; what additional funding has been allocated to police forces for the millennium period; and if he will make a statement. [103326]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The police service in England and Wales has estimated that the costs of policing the millennium celebrations could be £33 million out of total annual expenditure of over £7 billion. Police authorities are expected to meet this one-off additional expenditure item from within existing budgets and contingency reserves. Police budgets will increase on average by 3.1 per cent. this year. Police authorities will be able to increase their spending power by achieving the 2 per cent. efficiency target that has been set. In cash terms, this represents efficiency gains of around £140 million.

  Police Administrative Work
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what changes have been made since May 1997 to reduce the amount of administrative work undertaken by police officers; and if he will make a statement; [103325]

  (2) what is the estimated proportion of a police officer's working day which is spent on administrative duties; and if he will make a statement. [103324]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The deployment of police officers is the operational responsibility of Chief Constables. Information on the tasks undertaken by police officers during the course of their working day is not held centrally.

  For measures to reduce administrative burdens I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave the hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Mr. Hawkins) on 6 December 1999, Official Report, column 377W.

  Prison Overcrowding
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the funding which will be required in order to remove overcrowding in prisons over the next three years; and if he will make a statement. [103335]

  Mr. Boateng
  It is estimated that to avoid overcrowding would require an additional 6,000 places. If provided through new privately financed prisons the annual cost would be around £195 million.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those Prison Service establishments which are overcrowded and the level of overcrowding in each case; and if he will make a statement. [103334]

  Mr. Boateng
  Prison Service establishments which are overcrowded and the level of overcrowding are listed in the table, based on the definition of overcrowding as being the number of prisoners above the in-use certified normal accommodation (CNA) of the establishment. In-use CNA is the baseline CNA minus places temporarily unavailable, such as damaged cells or those being refurbished. The data are for the month of November and are provisional.

  Overcrowding by prison—November 1999

  Prison name

  In use CNA

  Population

  Number of Prisoners overcrowded

  Albany

  436

  437

  1

  Altcourse

  612

  853

  241

  Bedford

  352

  378

  26

  Birmingham

  734

  1,105

  371

  Blakehurst

  647

  843

  196

  Blundeston

  364

  372

  8

  Brinsford

  477

  509

  32

  Bristol

  487

  544

  57

  Brixton

  693

  729

  36

  Buckley Hall

  350

  386

  36

  Bullingdon

  767

  863

  96

  Camp Hill

  394

  476

  82

  Canterbury

  196

  283

  87

  Cardiff

  525

  580

  55

  Channings Wood

  482

  581

  99

  Cookham Wood

  120

  152

  32

  Doncaster

  771

  1,110

  339

  Dorchester

  164

  221

  57

  Downview

  327

  341

  14

  Durham

  670

  911

  241

  Eastwood Park

  295

  304

  9

  Elmley

  763

  917

  154

  Everthorpe

  438

  468

  30

  Exeter

  321

  468

  147

  Feltham

  802

  816

  14

  Garth

  633

  651

  18

  Glen Parva

  678

  847

  169

  Gloucester

  235

  281

  46

  Guys Marsh

  487

  518

  31

  Highdown

  649

  699

  50

  Lancaster Farms

  496

  504

  8

  Leeds

  786

  1,266

  480

  Leicester

  219

  357

  138

  Lincoln

  360

  480

  120

  Littlehey

  624

  632

  8

  Liverpool

  1,216

  1,497

  281

  Low Newton

  142

  156

  14

  Lowdham Grange

  504

  524

  20

  Maidstone

  549

  556

  7

  Manchester

  953

  1,158

  205

  487W

  Overcrowding by prison—November 1999

  Prison name

  In use CNA

  Population

  Number of Prisoners overcrowded

  Moorland

  740

  775

  35

  New Hall

  327

  376

  49

  Northallerton

  152

  261

  109

  Norwich

  564

  673

  109

  Parc

  800

  833

  33

  Pentonville

  897

  1,103

  206

  Portland

  516

  558

  42

  Preston

  398

  673

  275

  Ranby

  710

  739

  29

  Reading

  203

  219

  16

  Shepton Mallet

  159

  196

  37

  Shrewsbury

  323

  338

  15

  Stocken

  556

  577

  21

  Styal

  412

  451

  39

  Swansea

  251

  298

  47

  Swinfen Hall

  255

  300

  45

  Usk

  251

  300

  49

  Verne

  552

  570

  18

  Wandsworth

  1,102

  1,339

  237

  Winchester

  463

  598

  135

  Wolds

  360

  403

  43

  Woodhill

  672

  691

  19

  Projected Prison Population
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the Prison Service projections for the level of the prison population in each of the next five years; what is his estimate of the consequence for the level of prison service funding of the projections; and if he will make a statement. [103336]

  Mr. Boateng
  New short-term prison population projections as at October 1999, and revised long-term projections have been prepared by the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate. A summary is included in the September prison population brief available on the Home Office website http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/index.htm.

  The projections for the next five years are given in the table.

  The Prison Service plans to increase capacity from 67,800 in 1998–99 to 71,400 in 2001–02, the third year of the comprehensive spending review settlement, and expects to have sufficient capacity to manage the central variant projection over this period.

  We are considering the implications for the longer term or if the higher variant projection occurs. It is too soon to say what the consequences for funding might be but the Prison Service budget for 2002–03 and 2003–04 will be determined in the next spending review.

  Projected average prison population for 1999–2000 to 2004–05

  Variants

  Low

  Central

  Upper

  1999–2000

  65,200

  65,300

  65,400

  2000–01

  66,800

  68,100

  68,900

  2001–02

  68,200

  70,100

  71,900

  2002–03

  68,500

  70,800

  73,000

  2003–04

  68,600

  71,300

  74,000

  2004–05

  68,900

  71,900

  75.600

  Police Headgear
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had with the Association of Chief Police Officers concerning the adequacy of the traditional policeman's helmet as protective headgear. [103175]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  A Home Office Minister met a representative of the Association of Chief Police Officers' Uniform Project Group in October 1998. That project has been looking at the design of the police uniform, including headgear, to ensure that it is fit for purpose and affords adequate protection to the officer. The Police Scientific Development Branch of the Home Office is involved in this continuing work.

  Income Tax (Guernsey) Law 1975
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy on the(a) repeal and (b) amendment of section 201 of the Income Tax (Guernsey) Law 1975; and what representations he has received from the States of Guernsey on the repeal and amendment of the section. [103137]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I understand that the Guernsey authorities do not at present propose to repeal or amend section 201 of the Income Tax (Guernsey) Law 1975. I have received no representations on the matter from the States of Guernsey.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received on the(a) repeal and (b) amendment of section 201 of the Income Tax (Guernsey) Law 1975. [103136]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  My officials have had correspondence and discussions with Guernsey officials about this matter.

  Case Outcomes
  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for each of the years 1995, 1996, 1997 and 1998, what percentage of defendants appearing before magistrates' courts were found guilty, having pleaded not guilty. [101943]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: The Home Office Court Proceedings Database does not contain details of defendant plea in the magistrates' courts.
  However, I understand from the Attorney-General's Office that, in respect of proceedings handled by the Crown Prosecution Service, the proportion of convictions in contested hearings was as follows:

  Percentage

  1995

  77.3

  1996

  75.7

  1997

  74.4

  1998

  73.7

  489W
  Convictions following guilty pleas fell within this period because an increasing number of cases were proved in absence of the defendant rather than proceeding to a contested hearing. Proofs in absence rose from 92,251 in 1995 to 114,133 in 1998, an increase of 23.7 per cent.

  Sayyad Boland
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date exceptional leave to remain was withdrawn, and when he expects a final decision to be taken, in the case of Sayyad Ali Ghamety Boland. [102775]

  Mrs. Roche
  Our detailed records relating to individual overseas nationals are confidential and not particularly disclosable. A final decision has now been taken and the applicant will be informed shortly.

  Paedophiles
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for the last available 12 months for which figures are available, what percentage of the victims of convicted paedophiles in England and Wales were infant girls. [103384]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information is not held on the Home Office Court Proceedings Database.

  Gaming
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 8 December 1999,Official Report, column 534W, on Gaming, if he will make a statement on the composition of the Independent Review Body he intends to establish to review and advise on the law on gaming. [103867]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The members of the review body will bring a wide range of relevant expertise to bear, including business, law, accountancy, psychology and law enforcement. I shall announce the names of the Chairman and members as soon as possible.

  Mothers and Infants (Prisons)
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish the action plan in response to the review on mothers and babies and children in prison. [104125]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Prison Service announced earlier this year that it would publish an action plan setting out how it intended to respond to the 62 recommendations made in the 'Report of a Review of Principles, Policies and Procedures on Mothers and Babies/Children in Prison'. This has now been completed and I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library.

  I am pleased to say that the Service has accepted the majority of the recommendations in full. This will mean new procedures governing admission to the units and published standards for their management. More importantly, the Director General has reinforced his acceptance that the overriding principle guiding the provision and allocation of places in mother and baby units should be in the best interests of the child.
  490W
  I am grateful to the members of the working group who prepared the report, particularly those from outside the Service. Their expertise, and the commitment from the Prison Service to implement the recommendations will help ensure that the needs of children and mothers in custody are met.

  Sex and Drugs Markets
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish his Department's research on sex and drug markets. [104126]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Home Office Policing and Reducing Crime Unit (PRCU) commissioned researchers at South Bank University to examine the links between sex and drug markets. The report "Street Business: the links between sex and drug markets" (Police Research Series No. 118) is published today and a copy has been placed in the Library.

  The report findings will be considered carefully by the Government. However, the report is not a statement of Home Office policy or intention in this area.

  Metropolitan Police (C3i) Project
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if bidders for the Metropolitan Police Command, Control, Communications and Information (C3i) project will be reimbursed their bid costs if the project is terminated. [104127]

  Mr. Straw
  With my agreement, the Receiver for the Metropolitan Police District is prepared to reimburse the C3i bidders some of their bid costs solely in the event of cancellation by the Metropolitan Police Authority resulting from a change in policy following transition to the Metropolitan Police Authority. The bidders will be expected to continue to bear the normal commercial risks and costs associated with failing to secure a contract.

  Sex Offenders
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many sex offenders have registered under the Sex Offenders Act 1997 to date; and if he will make a statement. [104128]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  There are now over 10,000 sex offenders registered in England and Wales. This represents a compliance rate of 97 per cent. This compliance rate refers to the number of offenders who have registered their names and addresses with the police. There has been a steady improvement in compliance rates for registration from around 70 per cent. when the Act first came into force in September 1997. This is due to a large extent to the active approach adopted by the police in enforcing the registration system and following up those who have failed to register. The police are working with the Home Office to look at how compliance rates can be improved further.

  Neighbourhood Warden Schemes
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the current operation and effectiveness of neighbourhood warden schemes; and if he will make a statement. [103648]
  491W
  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The report of the Policy Action Team on Neighbourhood Wardens will be published in the New Year. My foreword to this report will outline in full the Government's response to its recommendations, including those relating to the current operation and effectiveness of neighbourhood warden schemes.

  Family Court Welfare Officers
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance is given to family court welfare officers; and if he will make a statement. [103245]

  Mr. Boateng
  Family Court Welfare officers are expected to comply with the National Standards for Probation Service Family Court Welfare work, published in 1994. The Standards, which set out basic standards of good practice, are issued in consultation with the Lord Chancellor's Department, the Department of Health and the Wales Office. Probation Services should ensure that local procedures are instituted to monitor whether the standards are being achieved. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation inspect service performance against the standards.

  Court welfare officers must ensure that their work is free from improper discrimination on any ground; chapter one of the standards includes guidance on equal opportunities.

  In addition, an induction manual produced by the Association of Chief Officers of Probation is given to members of staff on appointment as family court officers and is supported by a National Induction programme and two training resource packs, one of which includes an anti-discriminatory trigger training video.

  A copy of the National Standards has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Racial Equality
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to promote racial equality. [103246]

  Mr. Boateng
  We have introduced a Bill to extend further the Race Relations Act 1976 in relation to public authorities and to make chief officers of police vicariously liable for acts of racial discrimination by their police officers; we have responded positively to proposals made by the Commission for Racial Equality and the Better Regulation Task Force to amend the Race Relations Act 1976 and other anti-discrimination legislation; we are implementing an Action Plan published in response to the 70 recommendations made in the report on the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry; targets have been set for the recruitment, retention and career progression of ethnic minority staff in the Home Office and the fire, prison, police, probation and immigration services; and we are currently developing a basket of performance indicators which will be designed to measure improvements in race equality across a range of key public services.
  492W
  We have also published an equality statement that sets race equality within a wider strategy to ensure that the public sector promotes equality and leads by example.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce measures to enable group complaints to be made to courts in racial discrimination cases. [103247]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Lord Chancellor's Department (LCD), which has responsibility for the courts, is currently reviewing the position of group and representative actions to the courts in England and Wales. The Commission for Racial Equality proposed, in its Third Review of the Race Relations Act 1976, published in April 1998, that the Act be amended to enable a court (or tribunal) to consider a complaint where racial discrimination affects a number of people who wish to bring a group complaint, without the need for each person separately to bring proceedings. The Commission's recommendation is being taken into account as part of the LCD's review. The LCD will be undertaking a public consultation on the Government's proposals early in 2000.

  External Consultants
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number and value of contracts let by his Department since May 1997 to external consultants and advisers for the management of competitive tendering processes. [103609]

  Mr. Straw
  Details available of the number and value of contracts let by my Department since May 1997 to external consultants and advisers for the management of competitive tendering processes is given in the table.

  Year

  Number of contracts

  Value

  May 1997 to March 1998

  1

  549,376

  April 1999 to March 1999

  1

  910,261

  April 1999 to date

  2

  125,000

  Total

  4

  1,584,637

  Driving Offences
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Salisbury of 7 December 1999,Official Report, column 500W, on driving offences, if he will list, using common names, the drugs found in the blood samples analysed by the Forensic Science Service. [103404]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  According to the Forensic Science Service, the drugs found in the blood samples analysed by them in England and Wales in 1998–99 were Amphetamines (including Methyl Amphetamines and Ecstasy), Cannabis, Cocaine, Opiates, Methadone, Benzodiazepines (mainly Diazepam and Temazepam) and "other" drugs.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Torbay of 1 October 1999 regarding Dr. Charl Malherbe and his application for residency on 9 September. [103656]

  Mrs. Roche
  I am very sorry that the hon. Member has not received a reply. I will write to him early in the New Year.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

  Stephen and Julia Bowles
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Solicitor-General if he will appeal against the sentence passed on 10 December by Judge Hyam in relation to the conviction of Stephen and Julia Bowles for corporate manslaughter; and if he will make a statement. [103544]

  The Solicitor-General
  I have asked the Crown Prosecution Service to gather the necessary case papers so that either I or the Attorney-General can consider whether this is a case which should be referred to the Court of Appeal on the basis that the sentence passed was unduly lenient.

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Computers (Millennium)
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the President of the Council what actions she is taking to deal with the possibility of attacks of(a) viruses, (b) trojans and (c) worms on networked computer systems over the new year 2000 period. [100405]

  Mrs. Beckett
  Government Departments and private sector organisations owning computer systems of critical importance to the national infrastructure receive, as a matter of course, advice and guidance on preventing and handling computer security incidents, including virus attacks. To guard against any extra risk that might arise over the Millennium period, they have also been issued with specific guidance on precautionary measures and how to deal with a suspected attack during this time. The Government's Unified Incident Reporting and Alert Scheme, UNIRAS, will be on call throughout the Millennium period to give owners of critical systems emergency advice.

  For other organisations and the general public, advice on computer security and viruses is available from various sources including recognised computer security organisations, computer hardware and software manufacturers and, in particular, anti-virus software vendors.

  Private Members' Bills
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the President of the Council if she will put forward proposals for reform of the procedures for dealing with Private Members' Bills. [103173]

  Mrs. Beckett
  I have no immediate plans to do so, though these matters are kept under review.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Adjournment of the House
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the President of the Council what plans she has for the House to adjourn during February 2000. [101205]

  Mrs. Beckett
  I shall announce the dates of any future recesses as soon as I am in a position to do so, which, as always, are dependant on the progress of business.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Kosovo
  Ms Kelly
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment her Department has undertaken of the amount of humanitarian relief provided to shelter those Kosovars whose homes have been destroyed or damaged; and if all the shelter requirements for Kosovars this winter have been met. [103595]

  Clare Short
  The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees is responsible for co-ordinating the international humanitarian effort to support the people of Kosovo through the winter. Their view is that the effort to provide winter accommodation for those who need it is well on target. About 90 per cent. of the planned distribution of emergency repair kits has been completed by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) and the Office for Disaster Assistance/USAID. The agencies are also distributing firewood, stoves and additional roofing repair and insulating material. UNHCR have identified 19,800 places in community shelter to supplement the accommodation available with 40,000 host families. These measures, together with the provision of winterised tents and prefabricated shelters in some areas, should cover needs.

  Street Children
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development in which countries her Department is working on projects for the benefit of street children. [103730]

  Clare Short
  The Department for International Development (DFID) supports work in many countries which benefits the lives of street children, either strategically or through targeted interventions. This includes work in Brazil, Ecuador, Kenya, India, South Africa, Bangladesh, and Mozambique.

  The reality is that children cannot be separated from the wider communities in which they live. Projects that seek to supply services to children which are not part of a wider effort to improve economic development or the provision of basic services will not generate sustainable development and real improvements in the life of children. Street children in many countries benefit from

  495W
  our programmes for primary education and the elimination of child labour, either channelled bilaterally or through support for, for example, the united Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) and the ILO's International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour.

  Iran
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations she has received on women's human rights in Iran; and if she will make a statement. [103746]

  Clare Short
  I have received no recent representations on women's rights in Iran.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Ministerial Meetings
  Mr. David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 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. [102379]

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

  General Affairs Council
  Mr. Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the outcome of the General Affairs Council held in Brussels on 6 and 7 December; and if he will make a statement. [102349]

  Mr. Vaz
  1. The General Affairs Council on 6 and 7 December adopted 25 A points and noted the resolutions, decisions and opinions adopted by the European Parliament in its sessions of 3–4 November (listed in document no 12476/99) and 15–19 November (listed in document no 12791/99). Copies of the documents listing the A points and the resolutions will be placed in the House Libraries.

  European Defence Policy

  2. The Council agreed two reports by the Presidency for the Helsinki European Council on military and non-military crisis management, as the basis for further work leading to final decisions at the end of 2000. They build on agreement at the Cologne European Council, providing a strong focus on improving capabilities, making clear that the EU will act where the Alliance as a whole is not engaged, providing a solid basis for further development of EU-NATO relations and the involvement of non-EU European NATO Allies; and setting up interim arrangements to take forward detailed work on implementation.

  Common Strategies

  3. The Council agreed an EU Common Strategy on Ukraine, to be put to Heads of Government at the Helsinki European Council for adoption. It also took note of a Presidency report to the Helsinki European Council on the implementation of the Russia Common Strategy.
  496W
  Enlargement

  4. The Council had a wide-ranging discussion of enlargement in preparation for the Helsinki European Council. There was wide consensus that the EU should:
  invite all six further countries (Malta, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania) to open negotiations next year;
  enhance the principle of "differentiation" within negotiations, so that the best prepared candidates can make progress as fast as they can, based on merit;
  maintain the momentum of progress with countries already negotiating (Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Cyprus and Estonia), by opening all remaining chapters in negotiations as early as possible in 2000;
  have the institutional reforms necessary for enlargement in place in 2002.

  5. Ministers also discussed ideas for the development of EU/Turkey relations.

  IGC

  6. The Presidency set out the main elements of its preparatory report on the IGC.

  Council Reform

  7. The Council took note of the Presidency's draft report on reform of the Council of Ministers.

  Negotiations on a Development Partnership with ACPs

  8. The Council agreed that the volume of the ninth European Development Fund would increase to 13.8 billion Euros, shared among member states on the same basis as for the eighth Fund.

  Draft Statute for MEPs

  9. The Presidency reported to the Council that negotiations on a Statute for MEPs were moving slowly.

  European Parliament Electoral Procedure

  10. The Council discussed Common Electoral Principles. No agreement was reached on outstanding issues, notably the enfranchisement of Gibraltar, on which the UK made it clear its intention to comply with the European Court of Human Rights Ruling of 18 February 1999. Other outstanding issues are dates for the next European elections, and provisions to rule out dual mandates in member states.

  Chechnya

  11. The Council reiterated its deep concern over the intensifying military campaign in Chechnya, in particular the threat to citizens of Grozny. It urged the Russian Government to refrain from using excessive force and to respect the principles of international law.

  12. The Council welcomed the Istanbul Summit Declaration. It expected that the Russian Federation would honour fully its commitments there. The Council looked forward to the visit to the region by the OSCE Chairman-in-Office on 14–15 December. It recalled that a political solution was essential and that the OSCE could contribute to that goal. Ministers urged that a dialogue be established with the elected leaders of the North Caucasus, including Chechnya. The Council called upon the Russian government to provide security for humanitarian aid operations os that international aid agencies could help victims of the war.

  Western Balkans

  13. The Council decided to intensify co-operation with democratic forces in the FRY, including trilateral meetings involving the United States and in the form of task forces or other consultative mechanisms. The Union

  497W
  resolved to maintain or strengthen the sanctions targeted at the regime, while keeping the issue of sanctions under review; and to support measures aimed at alleviating the situation of the people of the FRY. The Council demanded that the blocked oil deliveries be allowed to go through, and denounced the Yugoslav authorities for imposing further suffering on the population. The Council recalled that, while legal responsibility lies with the FRY, it was prepared to examine a possible EU contribution to clearing the Danube on the basis of a concrete proposal by the Danube Commission and an analysis by the European Commission. An extension of the Visa Ban List was agreed.

  14. The Council anticipated an early assessment by the Commission of the situation in Montenegro and invited the Commission to submit concrete proposals as soon as possible to meet Montenegro's needs. The Council also welcomed the intention of the Commission to include the fight against organised crime in Kosovo in its year 2000 assistance programme and invited member states to provide bilateral assistance.

  15. The Council discussed the forthcoming elections in Croatia and expressed regret that these would not be held on a date corresponding to general European practices.

  16. The Council welcomed the positive developments in Bosnia and Herzegovina and looked forward to early implementation of commitments made by the Joint Presidency in New York on 15 December.

  17. The Council discussed the recent elections in Macedonia, including re-runs in certain constituencies, and took note of the OSCE/ODIHR assessment that the election process was generally carried out in a satisfactory manner although some irregularities were experienced.

  Transparency/Openness

  18. The Council welcomed the joint Swedish/Danish initiative to improve transparency and public access to documents into the EU.

  British Embassies
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs under what statutory authority staff at British embassies within the European Union are able to purchase alcohol duty-free. [102769]

  Mr. Hain
  Article 36(1) of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations obliges the receiving State to permit entry of, and grant exemption from all customs duties, taxes and related charges on, articles for the official use of the diplomatic mission and articles for the personal use of a diplomatic agent or members of his/her family forming part of the household. The matter in which that obligation is transposed into domestic law is a matter for each individual State Party to the Convention. In the UK Article 36 of the Convention has the force of law by virtue of the Diplomatic Privileges Act 1964.

  Peat
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's policy is on the purchase and use of peat for its own operations and activities; and what performance targets his Department has set to reduce current peat use. [103016]
  498W
  Mr. Hain
  Our policy is that the use of peat should be avoided and manures, coir, bark chippings and organic fertilizers used instead.

  Russia
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of current diplomatic relations with Russia; and if he will make a statement. [103189]

  Mr. Vaz
  The main focus on our current relations with Russia is Chechnya and our concerns about the human cost of military action there. The European Council on 10–11 December agreed to freeze some EU assistance to Russia as a signal that it cannot be business as usual while indiscriminate use of force continues. We are continuing to press the Russians to seek a political solution, making use of the good offices of the OSCE.

  The UK continues to seek a closer working relationship with Russia and to do all that we can to help it build a democratic and stable Russia that is engaged with the outside world. That must remain the right strategic policy goal.

  Qualified Majority Voting (EU)
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which articles of the treaties of the(a) European Union and (b) European Communities which require unanimity have been proposed for amendment in favour of qualified majority voting; in which cases Her Majesty's Government agrees with such a change; and where unanimity applies to change by the Council of Ministers of decisions already taken by another Institution established by those treaties. [103134]

  Mr. Vaz
  The IGC will not begin until early next year. As a result no formal proposals have yet been put forward for Treaty amendment. The Government have made its position clear on numerous occasions. We shall consider the extension of QMV on a case by case basis. Where it is in Britain's interests we shall support it. But where key national interests need to be protected, such as border controls, defence, Treaty change and taxation, we shall insist on retaining unanimity.

  EU Membership
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those countries seeking EU membership which will have to raise their external tariffs to qualify for membership. [103388]

  Mr. Vaz
  On accession to the EU, candidate countries will have to apply the same external tariff as the EC. In general, candidate countries currently have agricultural tariffs which are lower than those of the EU while their industrial tariffs are often higher. The Commission is presently studying the detailed implications including the potential impact on other WTO members and the Union's obligations under Article XXIV of GATT.

  Bonded Labour
  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will call for reports on how many people have been successfully
  499W
  prosecuted in Pakistan under the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act 1992 for employing bonded labour since this law was passed. [103872]

  Mr. Hain
  We share concerns about bonded labour in Pakistan. We have urged the Pakistani authorities to fully implement the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act 1992 which abolishes the practice. There are no reliable statistics about the number of people prosecuted under the Act. We are in contact, however, with human rights groups in Pakistan who monitor this issue.

  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will call for reports on how many people have been successfully prosecuted in India under(a) the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act 1976 and (b) the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989, for employing bonded labour since these laws were passed. [103873]

  Mr. Hain
  We are concerned about bonded labour. I raised the issue with my Indian interlocutors during my visit there last month. Our High Commissioner in New Delhi met the Secretary of the Indian National Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes on 8 October. We currently have no plans to ask the Indian Government to supply reports on the number of people prosecuted under the Bonded Labour System (Abolition) Act or the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

  Papal Visit (Tomb of Abraham)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made since 1 November to(a) the United Nations and (b) the Vatican about the proposed visit of His Holiness the Pope to the Tomb of Abraham.[103573]

  Mr. Hain
  None.

  Eddie Izzard
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what engagements the Minister for Europe held with Mr. Eddie Izzard on 1 December. [103034]

  Mr. Vaz
  In Paris, Mr. Izzard and I gave an interview to the "Today" programme and attended a meeting to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the Council of Europe. We then boarded the Eurostar and, during the journey, spoke to passengers about Europe. On arrival at Waterloo we held a press conference.

  Karen People
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received concerning the policies and actions of the Government of Burma in respect of the Karen people. [103123]

  Mr. Battle
  We continue to receive disturbing reports of human rights violations against the ethnic minorities, including Karen, in Burma. These violations include arbitrary killings, rape, torture, mass arrests, forced labour and forced relocations. These abuses have been highlighted in the UN General Assembly resolution 500W
  adopted on 19 November, which the UK co-sponsored. We make regular representations to the regime on this issue.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the conditions experienced by the Karen people in Thai camps. [103122]

  Mr. Battle
  The British Embassy in Bangkok is in close contact with the Thai authorities, UN agencies and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) giving assistance to the refugee camps, including regular meetings. Embassy officials have also visited the camps, most recently Mae La and Umpiam Mai camps on 22–23 November: this was an opportunity to see the results of the successful relocation of two camps (Mawker and Wangka) close to the border which had proved vulnerable to attacks in the past. The Thai authorities administer the camps in close co-operation with UNHCR and NGOs. The refugees themselves are actively involved in implementing the programmes of assistance provided by NGOs. The UK is an important contributor to the Burma Border Consortium, one of the leading NGOs providing food and shelter to refugees. We will continue to pay close attention to the plight of Burmese refugees in Thailand.

  Entry Appeals
  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many appeals against refusal to enter his Department has lost in the last 12 months, indicating how many were for overseas students wishing to study in the UK. [103405]

  Mr. Vaz
  The latest year for which we have statistics on the outcome of entry clearance appeals is the financial year 1998–99, for which we have figures based on estimates supplied by the Lord Chancellor's Department. These include figures for appeals against refusal of entry clearance for temporary purposes. Students are included in this category, but separate statistics are not kept on student appeals.

  Outcome of adjudicator appeals against refusal of entry clearance 1998–99

  Total dealt with

  Allowed

  Dismissed

  Withdrawn1

  1,700

  400

  1,200

  100

  1 Includes cases where the appellant withdrew the appeal because the Home Office had conceded the case, as well as those where the appellant decided not to pursue the appeal further.

  BBC World Service
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will publish his review of the funding arrangements for BBC World Service Monitoring since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [103541]

  Mr. Hain
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, as sponsor Department, is currently undertaking a two-year review with the other Stakeholder Departments (MOD, BBC World Service and Cabinet Office) of BBC Monitoring's Overall Operating Regime. This was provided for in the 1996 agreement between BBCM and the FCO which came into force in April 1997. A decision on publication will be taken when the review is complete.
  501W
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs since 1997, what has been the financial contribution to BBC World Service Monitoring of(a) his Department, (b) the MOD, (c) BBC World Service and (d) other sources, together with the names of those sources; and what are the forecast contributions for each of the next three years. [103542]

  Mr. Hain
  The financial contributions to BBC Monitoring for the years 1997–1998 to 1999–2000 are:

  £000

  1997–1998

  1998–1999

  1999–2000

  FCO

  17,181

  7,011

  7,457

  MOD

  7,165

  7,275

  7,404

  BBC World Service

  4,115

  4,162

  4,266

  Cabinet Office

  168

  172

  180

  Other

  1,595

  2,340

  2,952

  Total Income

  20,224

  20,960

  22,259

  1 This includes a £250k capital roll-over from 1996–1997.

  The "other sources" include other parts of the BBC and commercial revenue. Contributions for 2000–2001 are still under consideration; funding for 2001–2004 is subject to agreement on the 2000 Spending Round.

  Gibraltar
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 14 December 1999,Official Report, column 111W, on Gibraltar, for what reason no representations have been made to Spain specifically in relation to the border incident on 29 November; and if he will make a statement. [103543]

  Mr. Vaz
  To our knowledge, there has been no subsequent repetition of the incident on 29 November. We have also noted that the individual in question was not prevented from crossing the border. We have therefore seen no need to raise this specific case with the Spanish authorities but we will continue to monitor carefully the situation at the border.

PRIME MINISTER

  Performance and Innovation Unit
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will set out the title of each report published to date by the Performance and Innovation Unit, stating in each case the cost implications of the recommendations made. [101179]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 6 December 1999]: The Performance and Innovation Unit has published three reports to date:
  "Encryption and law enforcement", published in May 1999;
  "e-commerce@its.best.uk", published in September 1999; and
  "Rural economies", published in December 1999.

  For the e-commerce project, it was considered that most recommendations could be implemented within existing resources, although reprioritisation of resources would be
  502W
  needed in some areas. The project team recommended further work to look at the full resource implications and the scope for private/public sector partnerships.

  The encryption and law enforcement project recommended the setting up of a technical assistance centre to help law enforcement agencies. The detailed cost implications of this and other recommendations are being assessed by other Departments, in particular the Home Office and HM Treasury.

  The Rural Economies report raised a range of issues for discussion which are being taken forward by the Rural White Paper Team, in the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions.

  Copies of all three reports are available in the Library.

  Dr. Tony Wright
  To ask the Prime Minister what reports have been prepared by the Performance and Innovation Unit; and which of these have been published. [103130]

  The Prime Minister
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I have given to the hon. Member for Bath (Mr. Foster) today and to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Bath on 14 December 1999,Official Report, columns 111–12W.

  Parliamentary Oath
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will seek to introduce alternative versions of the oath taken by hon. Members to reflect republican views. [101957]

  The Prime Minister
  There are no plans to introduce alternative versions of the oath of allegiance.

  Departmental Buildings
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Prime Minister for each of the buildings under his office's control, how many rooms are set aside for(a) ethnic minority religious use, (b) pregnant and nursing mothers and (c) smokers. [102443]

  The Prime Minister
  For this purpose, my office is part of the Cabinet Office. I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given to him today by my right hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office,Official Report, column 574W.

  London Underground
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 8 December 1999,Official Report, column 820, if he will list the total Government-funded investment in the London Underground for each of the last six years and the projection of such funding up to 2001. [102620]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: The Government provide funding to London Transport (LT) for investment. LT allocates this grant to its businesses including London Underground Ltd.

  The previous Government planned to provide a grant of £161 million (cash) to London Transport for this year (1999–2000). We increased it by nearly £600 million to £740 million.
  503W
  The following table shows investment in the London Underground between 1979 and 2000–2001.

  Investment in LUL between 1979 and 2000–01

  (all figures £ million at 1998–99 prices)

  Year

  Underground core

  PFI

  Underground excl. JLE

  JLE

  Total incl. JLE

  1979

  178

  —

  178

  —

  178

  1980

  180

  —

  180

  —

  180

  1981

  192

  —

  192

  —

  192

  1982

  162

  —

  162

  —

  162

  1983

  208

  —

  208

  —

  208

  1984–85

  264

  —

  264

  —

  264

  1985–86

  244

  —

  244

  —

  244

  1986–87

  283

  —

  283

  —

  283

  1987–88

  334

  —

  334

  —

  334

  1988–89

  303

  —

  303

  —

  303

  1989–90

  421

  —

  421

  —

  421

  1990–91

  526

  —

  526

  52

  579

  1991–92

  357

  —

  357

  74

  431

  1992–93

  732

  —

  732

  78

  810

  1993–94

  548

  —

  548

  288

  835

  1994–95

  563

  —

  563

  413

  976

  1995–96

  525

  123

  648

  636

  1,284

  1996–97

  389

  145

  534

  689

  1,223

  1997–98

  332

  165

  497

  487

  984

  1998–99

  415

  53

  468

  283

  751

  1999–20001

  343

  175

  518

  265

  783

  2000–011

  366

  143

  509

  207

  717

  1 1999–2000 and 2000–01 figures are forecasts of investment in London Underground.

  Note:

  The PFI figures are not estimates of what the private sector is investing in London Transport. Includes London Transport's estimates of what investment in PH projects would have cost had LT done the investment themselves.

  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 8 December 1999,Official Report, column 820, what the factual basis was for his statement that the Government are investing more in the London Underground than the last Government. [102619]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: The Government provide funding to London Transport (LT) for investment. LT allocates this grant to its businesses including London Underground Ltd. (LUL).

  The previous Government planned to provide a grant of £161 million (cash) to London Transport for this year (1999–2000). We increased it by nearly £600 million to £740 million.

  The following table shows average investment during the periods 1979–1996/97 and between 1997–98 and 2000–01. This shows that on average, investment in the Underground, including or excluding JLE and PFI during the latter period was higher than between 1979 and 1996–97.

  Average investment in the Underground

  (all figures are £ million at 1998–99 prices)

  1979 to1996–97

  1997–98 to 2001–011

  Core Underground

  356

  364

  Core Underground plus PFI2 investment

  371

  498

  Core Underground plus PFI2 investment plus JLE

  495

  809

  1 1999–2000 and beyond include forecasts of investment in London Underground.

  1Includes London Transport's estimates of what investment in PFI projects would have cost had LT done the investment themselves.

  Cabinet Committees
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Prime Minister what is the membership of each Cabinet Committee.[101710]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 15 December 1999]: I have placed a copy of the current list of Cabinet Committees in the Library of the House. Details will also be updated on the Cabinet Office website.

  Leak Investigations
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will provide a breakdown by Department of(a) current leak investigations and (b) leak investigations since 1 May 1997. [103201]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 20 December]: Sixty leak investigations have been notified to the Cabinet Office by Departments since 1 May 1997. This compares with 70 in the last two full years of the last Administration.

  A breakdown by Department of leak investigations notified to the Cabinet Office since 1 May 1997 is given in the table:

  Department

  Number of leak investigations

  Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  2

  Cabinet Office

  4

  Directorate of Civil Nuclear Security

  2

  Crown Prosecution Service

  3

  HM Customs and Excise

  3

  Ministry of Defence

  5

  Department for Education and Employment

  1

  Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions

  4

  Office of Fair Trading

  1

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  1

  Department of Health

  7

  Home Office

  9

  Lord Chancellor's Department

  2

  Northern Ireland Office

  7

  Scottish Office

  1

  Department of Social Security

  5

  Department of Trade and Industry

  3

  Chinese Embassy Bombing (Belgrade)
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 13 December 1999,Official Report, column 60W, on the bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade, if he will list the circumstances to which he refers which led to the strike against the Chinese Embassy. [103202]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: The United States Government explained the circumstances to the Chinese Government on 17 June 1999. The text of the presentation made by the United States was made publicly available on 6 July via the US State Department website (www.state.gov/www/policy—remarks/1999).

  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received concerning allegations relating to the United States bombing of the Chinese Embassy in Belgrade; and what response his Government have made. [103203]
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  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: None.

  Downing Street Dinner
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 16 December (ref. 102121) if the dinner held on 21 October at No. 10 Downing Street was undertaken in an official capacity. [103749]

  The Prime Minister
  I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals. As with previous Administrations it is not my practice to provide details of all such meetings.

  Hans von Sponeck
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations Her Majesty's Government have made since 1 November to the United Nations about the position of Hans von Sponeck as United Nations Co-ordinator in Baghdad. [103574]

  The Prime Minister
  We expressed concern about some aspects of Mr. von Sponeck's performance to the UN Secretary-General on 5 November.

  Civil Nuclear Safety
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Prime Minister if, following the establishment of the devolved administrations, he will make a statement on the departmental responsibilities for civil nuclear safety. [104004]

  The Prime Minister
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry answers to the House on civil nuclear safety. Following devolution, his accountability for safety now extends to Scotland, as well as England and Wales. There are no licensed sites in Northern Ireland. Advice to Ministers on nuclear safety policy is given by the independent Health and Safety Commission, with day-to-day regulation at licensed nuclear sites a matter for the Health and Safety Executive through its Nuclear Installations Inspectorate.

  A summary of the responsibilities of Ministers and other organisations in this area has been placed in the Libraries of the House as well as on the DTI and HSE websites.

SCOTLAND

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of(a) non-departmental public bodies and (b) task forces in Scotland (i) on 1 May 1997, (ii) on 1 May 1998 and (iii) at the latest date for which figures are available. [102489]

  Dr. Reid
  The table sets out the number of non-departmental public bodies in Scotland:

  Number

  At 1 April 1997

  242

  At 1 April 1998

  208

  At 1 April 1999

  188

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  Details of task forces announced before 1 May 1997 are not held centrally. Since 1 May 1997, a total of six task forces have been announced.

  Beef Ban
  Mr. Grieve
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he was first informed of the offer made to the Prime Minister by the French Government to lift the ban on the import of grass-fed beef from Scotland. [103661]

  Dr. Reid
  The French Government did not make a formal offer to lift the ban on the import of grass-fed beef from Scotland.

HEALTH

  Ill Health (Incomes)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to measure the links between low incomes and ill health. [102273]

  Yvette Cooper
  One of our first actions in Government was to commission Sir Donald Acheson to undertake an "Independent Inquiry into Inequalities in Health". Sir Donald's report was published in November 1998. The report clearly identifies the significance of income as one of the wider determinants of health and recommends action to tackle this.

  The Government are taking measures to tackle low income. These include the Minimum Income Guarantee, Winter Fuel Payments for Pensioners, Working Families Tax Credit, National Minimum Wage, Sure Start and an increase in Child Benefit. A first annual report, "Opportunity for all—Tackling Poverty and Social Exclusion", was published in September.

  NHS Direct
  Ms Moran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was each monthly total for calls to NHS Direct. [102279]

  Ms Stuart
  In October 1999, NHS Direct handled 109,000 calls. I expect that by the end of this year, NHS Direct will have helped around 1 million callers since the service began. From December this year, NHS Direct has been extended to cover over 65 per cent. of the population of England. The scope of the service has also been extended by the publication in December of the NHS Direct Healthcare Guide and the launch of NHS Direct on-line. This means that a greater proportion of the population will have access to high quality health care information and advice.

  Organ Donation
  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on organ donation. [102280]

  Mr. Denham
  We are concerned about the shortages of organs for transplantation. That is why last year we launched our campaign to encourage people to join the NHS Organ Donor Register, to carry the Donor Card and, most importantly, make their wishes known to their family and friends. In February, this was reinforced by
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  action specifically targeted at the South Asian community where the shortage of donated organs is particularly marked. We are also planning a further campaign informing clinicians about best practice in requesting organ donation.

  We are looking at a range of options for increasing the supply of organs for transplantation. We have, however, always stated that any measure aimed at increasing donation must command public confidence.

  We are grateful to my hon. Friend for the proposal he is investigating with the British Bankers' Association to include an Organ Donation Logo on credit cards and are happy to offer him every encouragement.

  Eye Tests
  Dr. Ladyman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many eye tests have been carried out on people aged over 65 years since April. [102281]

  Mr. Hutton
  We estimate that, since April, some 50,000 more people have been receiving National Health Service sight tests each week following our decision to extend eligibility for NHS tests to everyone aged 60 or over. Most of these patients will have been aged over 65.

  Private Medical Services
  Ms Keeble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the protection of patients using private medical services. [102282]

  Ms Stuart
  We are determined to give the public proper protection and have set out our plans for improvements to the regulation of private and voluntary healthcare in the Care Standards Bill. Among other things we will:create a separate division within the National Care Standards Commission that will concentrate on private and voluntary healthcare;
  introduce national minimum standards with which registered establishments will have to comply;
  ensure that all establishments have proper complaints procedures as a condition of registration;
  widen the scope of regulation particularly to include private primary medical care.

  Local Authority Social Care
  Dr. Palmer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the standards of local authority social care. [102283]

  Mr. Gareth R. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the standards of local authority social care. [102285]

  Mr. Hutton
  We are taking a range of measures to drive up standards in social services. There will be a new independent regulation system for care homes, children's homes and other care services, including those directly provided by local authorities, based on national standards. The Fair Access to Care initiative will require local authorities to apply eligibility criteria consistently around the country. Our proposed Quality Strategy for Social Services will help raise local standards.
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  The implementation of these initiatives will be monitored closely. For the first time there is a comprehensive performance assessment system for social services, built around the Best Value regime.

  Mr. Hope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his guidance on the standards of local authority social care. [102299]

  Mr. Hutton
  On 8 September the Department issued the consultation document, "Fit for the Future?—National Required Standards for Residential and Nursing Homes for Older People", which sets out proposals to promote better quality care and help to prevent abuse by grounding practice on the principles of dignity, choice, privacy and respect. They will guarantee residents access to an effective complaints procedure. The standards will also ensure that residents are cared for by trustworthy and reliable staff who are properly trained for this difficult and sensitive job.

  "Fit for the Future?" contains over 250 proposed national standards and we look forward to receiving comments on the whole range of proposals. We will carefully consider all the comments we receive before finalising the standards and the timetable for implementing them. The standards will apply to all provision whether private, voluntary or statutory.

  Primary Health Care
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about raising standards of primary health care in the NHS. [102284]

  Mr. Denham
  Improving quality across the National Health Service, including in primary care, is at the heart of this Government's modernisation programme, as set out in "A First Class Service: Quality in the new NHS".

  Locally, all NHS bodies have a duty to put arrangements in place to assure and improve the quality of care they provide by establishing arrangements for clinical governance.

  Centrally, we have established the National Institute for Clinical Excellence; a programme of National Service Frameworks; and the Commission for Health Improvement.

  Cervical Cancer
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to incorporate the human papilloma test in cervical cancer screening. [102286]

  Yvette Cooper
  An outline proposal on pilot studies using HPV testing as triage for mild and borderline smears was discussed at the National Screening Committee's meeting in Belfast on 8 December 1999. The Health Departments are now considering their advice, and we hope to make a statement shortly.

  Community Hospital Services
  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has for developing community hospital services. [102287]
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  Mr. Denham
  Our vision for a faster, fairer, more convenient National Health Service includes an important role for community hospitals, provided they meet appropriate quality, fairness and efficiency tests, and they are in the right place to meet the needs of local people for modern services.

  In-patient Care
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the local provision of in-patient hospital care in(a) Lichfield and (b) Burntwood.[102288]

  Yvette Cooper
  The hon. Member will be aware that South Staffordshire Health Authority is currently undertaking a wide-ranging strategic review of services. I understand that the Health Authority is still working-up proposals, and as such it would not be possible for me to comment at this time on the likely impact for hospital services in the Lichfield and Burntwood area.

  NHS Abortions
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action his Department is taking to ensure equality of access to NHS abortion services. [102289]

  Yvette Cooper
  It is for local health authorities and Primary Care Groups to determine the appropriate level of abortion provision, in the light of the needs of their local population.

  The National Sexual Health Strategy, which is currently being developed, will look at all aspects of sexual health including access to services.

  Elderly Care
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of NHS provision for elderly patients. [102290]

  Mr. Hutton
  In 1997, the then Secretary of State my right hon. Friend the Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) commissioned the Health Advisory Service to undertake an independent inquiry into the care of older people on acute wards in general hospitals. The resulting report, "Not Because They Are Old" was sent under cover of a health service circular to health authorities and National Health Service trusts in November 1999.

  The circular required Chief Executives of health authorities, in partnership with colleagues in NHS trusts and social services, to ensure that the findings of the report are considered when preparing joint investment plans for older people. These joint investment plans are an integral part of local health improvement programmes (HImPs) which will include both national and local priorities. We are also developing a national service framework for older people which will set out, for the first time, national standards for the health care of older people. The national service framework will be published next year.

  We have also taken steps to address a number of areas to improve the care of older people. For example, we have introduced free sight tests for people over 60 and free
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  immunisation against influenza for people aged 75 and over. Our plans to expand cataract services from 170,000 a year to 250,000 will benefit thousands of older people.

  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he is holding with(a) hospitals, (b) nursing homes and (c) residential care homes about the treatment of elderly patients; and if he will make a statement. [103650]

  Mr. Hutton
  We are determined that elderly people, wherever they are being cared for, receive high quality services and are treated with dignity and respect. We are working in a number of areas to ensure this happens.

  Officials hold discussions with health and local authorities who have been working together and with a range of local stakeholders to produce joint investment plans for older people. Local stakeholders include representatives of patients or clients and their carers and those who provide care for the elderly in hospital or in a residential or nursing home setting. These plans consider service quality and effectiveness and identify key priorities for change.

  We will publish our national service framework for older people next year. This will set national standards, service models, and establish performance measures against which progress will be measured.

  We are also developing national standards for residential care homes and nursing homes. The consultation document "Fit for the Future? National Required Standards for Residential and Nursing Homes for Older People" sets out proposals aimed at promoting better quality care and helping prevent abuse. "Fit for the Future?" was sent to major provider organisations as well as regulatory and user interests. The consultation period ends on 21 January.

  Guidance for developing multi-agency codes of practice for dealing with incidents of abuse to vulnerable adults is being produced with the Home Office, the Wales Office, the police, social services, health and the voluntary sector. "No secrets" was launched for consultation in September. We plan to issue a final version of the guidance to authorities in the new year.

  Health Services (Oxfordshire)
  Mr. Woodward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on health service provision in Oxfordshire. [102291]

  Mr. Denham
  It is for individual health authorities and local National Health Service trusts to make decisions on local health service provision and priorities based on their specialised knowledge of the local community.

  All parties, including Oxfordshire Health Authority, local NHS trusts and primary care groups are working closely to ensure that patients in Oxfordshire receive high quality health care.

  Worcester Royal Infirmary
  Mr. Michael J. Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the morale of medical staff working at Worcester royal infirmary. [102292]
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  Mr. Denham
  We are aware of the hard work being put in by the front-line staff at Worcester Royal Infirmary, and indeed all hospitals throughout the county, this winter. I would like to take the opportunity to thank all those staff and assure them of our continuing and absolute support.

  I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Worcester Royal Infirmary on becoming a Beacon Site for its outpatient work on ophthalmology. 1 am pleased to report that the medical staff at the Worcester Royal Infirmary National Health Service Trust are able to look forward with confidence as their new hospital will be delivered on time by the Government. The promise made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the people of Worcester is now clearly visible and is part of the largest building programme in the history of the NHS, and a cornerstone of the modernisation of health services in Worcestershire.

  Out-patient Waiting Times
  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of out-patient waiting times in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly; and if he will make a statement. [102293]

  Mr. Denham
  Despite a combination of increased referrals and reductions in activity due to the eclipse, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Health Authority, working together with the local trusts, is taking action to address outpatient waiting times and will reduce the number of long waiters by the end of the year.

  Cardiology Services (East Lancashire)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to enhance cardiology services in east Lancashire. [102294]

  Yvette Cooper
  I shall write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible and place a copy of my answer in the Library.

  Primary Care Groups
  Sir Sydney Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will report progress on setting up primary care groups. [102295]

  Mr. Denham
  481 primary care groups have been successfully established. 83 per cent. have opted to take on a substantial commissioning role and are operating at level 2. PCGs have taken responsibility for £11 billion.

  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress of the primary care groups that cover Shrewsbury and Atcham in moving toward level 4 status. [103307]

  Mr. Denham
  Primary care group progression to primary care trust status at level 3 or 4 is a local decision driven on local views. After a public meeting the Shrewsbury and Atcham PCG Board have concluded that they are not ready to progress to primary care trust status at this time.

  Health Inequality
  Ms Blears
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress is being made in eradicating health inequality. [102296]
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  Yvette Cooper
  I shall write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible and a copy of my answer will be placed in the Library of the House.

  British American Tobacco (Records)
  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with representatives of British American Tobacco about increasing public access to the records held by it on deposit at Guildford. [102297]

  Yvette Cooper
  I shall write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible and a copy of my answer will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Ritalin
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has to investigate possible harmful side-effects of Ritalin. [102298]

  Yvette Cooper
  I shall write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible and a copy of my answer will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Waiting Times
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to achieve a reduction in waiting times. [102270]

  Mr. Denham
  We remain on track to achieve our manifesto commitment to reduce waiting lists by 100,000 from the level inherited.

  NHS Personnel (Violence)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to prevent violence against NHS personnel. [102276]

  Mr. Denham
  A cross-government campaign NHS zero tolerance zone was launched in October, underpinned by a national target to reduce violence against staff by 20 per cent. by 2001 and by 30 per cent. by 2003. By April 2000, all NHS trusts are required to have systems in place to record incidences of violence to staff, and also to have local reduction strategies in place.

  Smoking
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Government's proposals to reduce smoking in public places. [102277]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Government have supported the licensed hospitality trade's Public Places Charter to increase the provision of non-smoking facilities in pubs, hotels and restaurants. The Health and Safety Commission has consulted on introducing an Approved Code of Practice on smoking in the workplace. We look forward to the Commission's conclusions.

  Disablement Services
  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to introduce a national service framework on disablement services. [102345]
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  Mr. Hutton
  We have no plans to introduce a national service framework (NSF) on disablement services. The next two NSFs will be for older people, (2000), and diabetes, (2001). Ministers will consider the service area or care group for the NSF to follow diabetes against the criteria found in the document A First Class Service, which set out in detail how standards would be set, delivered and monitored.

  Hepatitis C
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many haemophiliacs there are infected by blood containing hepatitis C in each health authority area. [102594]

  Mr. Denham
  We do not hold this information centrally for individual health authorities. We estimate that 4,000 people with haemophilia were infected with hepatitis C before blood products were virally inactivated.

  Organ Removal
  Audrey Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the extent of the practice by which organs have been removed from deceased adult patients without consent, indicating the number of institutions involved in the last five years. [102826]

  Mr. Denham
  We have asked the Chief Medical Officer to conduct an investigation into the removal and retention of tissues and organs at post-mortem examination within the National Health Service. This is now under way and he will produce his report in September.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Health Services Directorate will reply to the letter dated 15 September from Mr. Trevor Mytton of the Shropshire Wheelchair Users Group regarding the Wheelchair Service and Voucher Scheme; and if he will make a statement. [102990]

  Mr. Hutton
  A senior official responded to Mr. Mytton's letter of 15 September by telephone. A letter has now been sent to him.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if membership of private health insurance schemes precludes appointment to the boards of(a) health trusts and (b) health authorities. [103065]

  Mr. Denham
  No. However, to be appointed to these posts, candidates must be able to demonstrate a strong personal commitment to the National Health Service.

  Royal Shrewsbury Hospital
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the elective waiting list total was for the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital on(a) 1 May 1997 and (b) the latest date for which data is available; and if he will make a statement. [103305]

  Mr. Denham
  Waiting list information for 1997 is available only on a quarterly and not a monthly basis. Figures are therefore not available for 1 May 1997. At 31 March 1997, there was a total of 4,245 people on the 514W
  in-patient elective waiting list at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, and at 31 October 1999 the number of patients waiting for elective in-patient treatment was 4,262.

  We are pleased to be able to commend the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital for maintaining in-patient waiting list standards and for achieving their contribution to the countywide in-patient target last year. I am also delighted to learn that the Trust is on track to meet its target again this year.

  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress made to modernise the accident and emergency unit at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital [103306]

  Ms Stuart
  We are committed to modernising and improving accident and emergency facilities for the benefit of both patients and staff. The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital National Health Service Trust has received £600,000 from the Government's accident and emergency modernisation fund for the development of an assessment unit, a decontamination facility and improved security.

  The new developments are progressing well; plans for the design and development of the assessment unit are currently under discussion, and this facility is due for completion in the new financial year. New equipment has already been ordered, which can be used prior to completion within the existing facilities. Security has already been improved, and this will be extended further on completion of the assessment unit with the installation of additional CCTV cameras. A decontamination unit has also been ordered.

  Telemedicine (Shropshire)
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what pilot schemes for telemedicine and test result links between general practitioner's and hospitals he has set up in(a) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (b) Shropshire; and if he will make a statement. [103304]

  Ms Stuart
  The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital National Health Service Trust is one of two hospitals in the country taking part in a major pilot into the use of telemedicine. The pilot aims to explore the benefits of using telemedicine, and when completed, which should be around June 2000, will report its findings to the NHS research body.

  The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital has also established a test results links service, linking the hospital with local general practitioner practices. This system, which has developed into a countywide service, enables hospitals to transmit test results electronically to those GP practices involved, so providing a faster, more efficient service for the benefit of both patients and staff.

  Telemedicine is a key part of the Government's plans for modernising and reconfiguring the NHS and the White Paper "The New NHS" stated our commitment to
  "developing telemedicine to ensure specialist skills are available to all parts of the country".

  The development of the NHSnet, which will be capable of connecting GP's and hospitals for the exchange of test requests and results, will enable rapid and accurate exchange of information within a modernised, more efficient NHS.

  Patient Confidentiality
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health under what circumstances a medical practitioner can be required to supply to a third party information given by a patient in confidence. [103741]

  Ms Stuart
  A medical practitioner may only be required to pass on confidential patient information to a third party, when this requirement is imposed by legislation or a court of law.

  Fraud Investigation Unit
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints he has received about the activities of the Fraud Investigation Unit of the Prescription Pricing Authority in each of the last three years. [R] [103100]

  Mr. Denham
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: In the time available, the Department has been able only to check records from April 1998 to the present. In that period, the Department received letters of complaint about the Fraud Investigation Unit's activities from four individual patients, two dispensing appliance contractors and one representative body.

  Wheelchairs
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued to health authorities to ensure that wheelchair voucher users are made aware of alternative providers of wheelchairs outside the NHS. [R] [103095]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: Health Service Guidance (96) 53 advised health authorities, National Health Service trusts and wheelchair service managers to negotiate arrangements with local wheelchair suppliers who were willing to participate in the voucher scheme. It proposed that minimum standards should reflect the supplier's ability to offer a choice of products, have demonstration stock, local showroom and repair capability, including adequate stocks of locally held spare parts. Membership of a trade association with minimum entry conditions which cover the above criteria would serve as an adequate indication of acceptability.

  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the York Economic Consortium Review of the wheelchair voucher scheme will be published; and if he will make a statement. [103662]

  Mr. Hutton
  We are currently considering the report's recommendations and hope to announce my response in the near future.

  Adoption
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what change there has been in the number of looked-after children adopted since his Department issued adoption guidance and launched Quality Protects in 1998; and if he will make a statement. [104123]

  Mr. Hutton
  For the year to 31 March 1999, the initial estimate from local authorities of looked-after children adopted was 2,200, an increase of 200 over 1998 which represents an increase of nearly 11 per cent. The number of looked-after children placed for adoption was 2,900, an increase of 500 over 1998.
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  These figures are encouraging: adoption is a priority within Government's Quality Protects programme to transform children's services. It is now essential to go further. As part of our Quality Protects programme, the Government will shortly publish the results of the Social Services Inspectorate's survey of all 150 local authority adoption services. SSI are also now undertaking in-depth inspections of selected adoption services. Additionally, we are developing rigorous performance indicators; improving statistical and management information; promoting the messages of recent research and undertaking new research on maximising adoption and minimising delay; considering with the Lord Chancellor's Department how court processes can best contribute to effective and timely decision-making; and supporting initiatives to increase the number of adopters, particularly from minority ethnic communities, including working with the Association of Directors of Social Services and the Commission for Racial Equality. The Department is supporting, with a grant of £50,000, the BBC series to promote interest in adoption and fostering to be broadcast in January.

  "Adoption Now—Messages from Research", published in October, covers the planning and management of adoption services, monitoring of looked-after children, avoiding delay in placing children with new families, more robust and targeted recruitment programmes, greater collaboration with the voluntary sector, adoption by single people, the needs of older children and those from ethnic minority communities and the importance of listening to children.

  The Government are determined that there will be lasting improvements in the adoption services. We must not fail these children.

  Spinal Injuries
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which(a) health boards and (b) NHS trusts have funded referrals to the Spinal Foundation in Rochdale of patients suffering from spinal injuries in the last five years. [103764]

  Mr. Denham
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has undertaken into the clinical effectiveness of endoscopic laser-assisted foraminoplasty in relation to patients suffering from spinal injuries. [103765]

  Mr. Denham
  Endoscopic laser foraminoplasty was referred to the Safety and Efficacy Register of New Interventional Procedures (SERNIP) in July 1999. SERNIP found that the evidence presently available did not demonstrate safety and efficacy, and categorised the procedure as one that should be used only as part of a primary research programme, using appropriate methodology and registered with SERNIP.

  Research Data
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if general practitioners and NHS establishments
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  are obliged to obtain patients' consent for the forwarding of anonymised computerised research data to the GPRO database at the Office for National Statistics; and if he will make a statement. [103480]

  Ms Stuart
  The Department is awaiting a Court of Appeal ruling on the existence and extent of any duty of confidentiality in respect of anonymised patient information. I will write to my hon. Friend once the ruling is known.

  Primary Care Trusts
  Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress he is making on the development of Primary Care Trusts. [102262]
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  Mr. Denham
  Excellent progress has been made towards Primary Care Trust development with 68 Primary Care Groups proposing to make applications to become 63 PCTs in the year 2000.

  Dispensing Appliance Contractors
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish new guidelines governing the remuneration of dispensing appliance contractors. [R] [103093]

  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: A consultation document will be published in due course. It will set out options for change to appliance contractor arrangements and will invite comments.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Wood Committee
  Mr. Geraint Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to make regulations implementing the report of the 2nd Wood Committee. [104067]

  Ms Armstrong
  In September we broadly accepted the recommendations of the 2nd Wood Committee on the rating of plant and machinery in the prescribed industries. I have today published draft regulations which will implement that decision. The Government would welcome views on the draft regulations by Friday 28 January 2000.

  We are considering whether the Committee's recommendation of a tools of the trade exemption for the power industry should be extended to generating plant and machinery in combined heat and power installations. We will make decisions on this shortly.

  Mobile Telephone Masts
  Angela Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what scope local planning authorities have to consider the proposed siting and appearance of mobile telephone masts. [104085]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Government planning policy for telecommunications is set out in Planning Policy Guidance note 8 (revised): Telecommunications, and the Department's Circular 4/99 "Planning for Telecommunications". These underline the importance of close consultation between operators and local planning authorities before an application is made to an authority to install a telecommunications mast.

  The installation of any telecommunications mast in protected areas, such as National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Sites of Special Scientific Interest and conservation areas, and of masts above 15 metres in height elsewhere, is subject to a planning application for determination by the local planning authority. In the case of masts up to 15 metres in height, local planning authorities are able to consider the siting and appearance of such development by licensed telecommunications code system operators in accordance with the "prior approval procedure" under Part 24 of Schedule 2 to the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 (as amended).

  Under the prior approval procedure for ground-based masts, a local planning authority has the opportunity to say whether it wishes to approve, within 42 days, details of the siting and appearance of the installation. Following recent amendments to the Order, the procedure includes a requirement that the operator should erect a site notice to publicise the development proposed, in order to provide the public with a clear opportunity to comment to the local planning authority on the siting and appearance of the proposed mast. If an authority considers that the development will pose a serious threat to amenity, it is
  520W
  able to refuse approval, although authorities are advised to explore the scope for modifying its siting and/or appearance before doing so.

  The Government's policy is to encourage mast and site sharing, where that is appropriate. Circular 4/99 makes clear our expectation that developers should provide evidence to local planning authorities that they have carefully considered the use of existing masts, buildings and other structures before seeking to erect any new mast, regardless of size. The authority may be justified in refusing prior approval or planning permission if it considers the evidence regarding the consideration of such alternative sites is not satisfactory.

  The Government are aware of public concern about mobile phone systems and health and have set up an independent expert group to advise on possible risk to health. The group, chaired by Sir William Stewart FRS FRSE, is currently holding open meetings around the UK to take views.

  The Government have consulted on a draft circular on land-use planning and electromagnetic fields and will finalise it as soon as practicable.

  Environment Agency
  Mr. Burgon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will announce the new Chairman of the Environment Agency. [104131]

  Mr. Meacher
  Sir John Harman will succeed Lord De Ramsey as Chairman on 1 January 2000. Sir John is currently Deputy Chairman of the Agency. The appointment will be for four years.

  I am delighted that he has accepted our offer. The Agency plays a central role in protecting and enhancing the environment in England and Wales, and the Chairman must lead in determining the strategic direction, inspire the staff and ensure that it discharges its statutory duties fully.

  I believe that in Sir John we have found someone who has the ability and vision which are needed to lead such a major public sector organisation, and to develop a successful relationship with the wide range of bodies that have dealings with the Agency.

  I would also like to thank Lord De Ramsey for his contribution in bringing the Agency into being, and for steering it through the early days when it has sought to develop a single corporate approach from the multiplicity of organisations from which it was constructed. The Agency has come a long way since it began work in 1996, and the next few years will set the course for its continuing development.

  Benson v. Boyce
  Mr. Woolas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to amend the law following the judgment in the case of Benson v. Boyce. [99514]
  521W
  Mr. Hill
  I am considering what approach it would be appropriate to adopt, in the light of consultation responses and legal advice.

  Road Safety
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what research his Department has conducted into the effectiveness of traffic(a) road humps, (b) speed cameras, (c) traffic lights, (d) coloured lines and (e) other safety devices in reducing road fatalities. [100655]

  Mr. Hill
  The Department has an extensive programme of road safety research covering a wide range of topics, including development and evaluation of various safety measures and devices designed to reduce road accidents. Full details of current research and summaries of results of completed research are provided in a Road Safety Research Compendium which is available on the Department's website (http://www.roads.detr.gov.uk/roadsafety/index.htm) and in the Library of the House. The compendium also gives full references of published research reports. The latest edition will be published shortly. Details of the Department's other research programmes are also available.

  London Underground
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) for each London Underground line, what is the nature of the planned principal improvement works to be funded under the public private partnership in each of the next 15 years; what is the cost of each of the works at current prices; and how much of the capital expenditure on each line can be attributed to past funding constraints on the London Underground network; [100929]

  (2) what provision the London Underground public private partnership includes for new rolling stock. [100930]

  Mr. Hill
  This information cannot be supplied in the form requested. PPP companies will be required to implement a combination of specific projects and performance enhancements specified in output terms. The

  London Underground Limited Investment and maintenance spend for rolling stock, signalling and track for the financial years 1994–95 to 1998–99

  £ million (in 1998–99 prices)

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  Business unit

  Investment

  Maintenance

  Investment

  Maintenance

  Investment

  Maintenance

  Investment

  Maintenance

  Investment

  Maintenance

  Bakerloo

  Rolling stock

  10.0

  4.7

  1.7

  4.4

  1.9

  4.3

  3.4

  4.7

  6.2

  4.6

  Track

  0.1

  3.6

  2.7

  3.4

  3.1

  3.0

  4.5

  1.9

  5.4

  1.8

  Signals

  0.5

  0.7

  0.9

  0.9

  0.1

  0.9

  0.0

  0.9

  0.3

  0.6

  Central

  Rolling stock

  90.5

  8.9

  3.4

  10.1

  4.5

  10.8

  1.4

  10.6

  4.8

  12.4

  Track

  11.5

  8.8

  20.2

  7.3

  18.1

  7.4

  17.6

  7.7

  16.3

  8.2

  Signals

  23.7

  3.0

  8.0

  3.4

  5.4

  4.5

  10.6

  4.9

  15.4

  4.8

  District

  Rolling stock

  3.5

  9.5

  8.2

  8.9

  4.2

  8.3

  1.9

  8.1

  4.3

  8.8

  Track

  1.8

  8.3

  11.3

  5.9

  5.5

  6.8

  7.1

  5.3

  4.2

  6.6

  Signals

  0.5

  2.4

  2.3

  2.5

  1.8

  2.7

  1.9

  2.7

  3.7

  3.1

  522W
  PPP will not, therefore, in general specify particular amounts of money to be spent, nor particular works to be carried out, nor rolling stock to be purchased.

  London Underground have made the following line-by-line estimates of how much it will cost to implement the performance regime being developed for the first 15 years of this proposed Public Private Partnership. They estimate that £1.2 billion of the total projected expenditure of £7.36 billion can be attributed to disinvestment due to past funding constraints on the Underground network.

  Indicative projection of 15 year investment expenditure

  Line

  £ million 1999–2000 prices

  Bakerloo

  390

  Central, Waterloo and City

  780

  Victoria

  900

  Northern1

  950

  Jubilee2

  280

  Piccadilly

  1,190

  Metropolitan, Circle, Hammersmith and City

  1,700

  District

  970

  East London3

  200

  Total

  7,360

  1 Northern Line train investment costs are contracted for under a separate PH scheme and are excluded from these figures.

  2 Excludes operating and maintenance costs for the Jubilee Line Extension project.

  3 Excludes costs from potential project for extending East London Line.

  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the maintenance and investment budget, in real terms, for rolling stock, signalling and track in each financial year since 1994–95 for(a) each line of the London Underground and (b) the London Underground as a whole. [100951]

  Mr. Hill
  [holding answer 6 December 1999]: This is an operational matter for London Underground which has provided the information in the following table.

  The figures for 1994–95 and 1995–96 reflect expenditure to modernise the Central Line.
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  London Underground Limited Investment and maintenance spend for rolling stock, signalling and track for the financial years 1994–95 to 1998–99

  £ million (in 1998–99 prices)

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  Business unit

  Investment

  Maintenance

  Investment

  Maintenance

  Investment

  Maintenance

  Investment

  Maintenance

  Investment

  Maintenance

  Jubilee/ELL

  Rolling stock

  0.1

  3.8

  0.0

  3.8

  0.0

  3.6

  0.0

  3.8

  00

  7.0

  Track

  1.1

  2.9

  5.6

  2.9

  7.7

  3.4

  7.6

  3.3

  1.0

  3.4

  Signals

  3.0

  1.0

  3.1

  1.0

  1.1

  1.0

  0.2

  1.1

  0.0

  1.9

  Metropolitan/Circle

  Rolling stock

  14.6

  15.5

  25.1

  13.5

  16.4

  13.1

  16.8

  12.7

  1.0

  14.6

  Track

  1.2

  9.9

  13.6

  8.2

  5.1

  6.5

  5.6

  7.0

  9.0

  8.2

  Signals

  1.2

  7.3

  2.9

  6.9

  5.9

  3.2

  5.1

  3.1

  3.6

  3.1

  Northern

  Rolling stock

  11.9

  10.3

  5.1

  11.5

  0.5

  11.6

  5.2

  14.5

  5.5

  14.1

  Track

  2.1

  6.8

  19.3

  6.9

  17.3

  6.4

  12.2

  5.8

  17.8

  6.7

  Signals

  0.0

  2.7

  2.5

  2.8

  1.3

  2.9

  0.6

  3.1

  1.6

  3.4

  Piccadilly

  Rolling stock

  7.8

  8.8

  14.6

  8.2

  22.8

  8.3

  22.5

  8.9

  22.9

  10.0

  Track

  2.3

  6.9

  9.8

  6.5

  2.8

  7.1

  3.8

  7.2

  9.4

  7.7

  Signals

  0.8

  2.4

  1.3

  2.4

  1.1

  2.2

  0.3

  2.5

  0.1

  2.4

  Victoria

  Rolling stock

  11.3

  7.0

  0.4

  7.0

  0.4

  6.9

  1.1

  6.5

  0.7

  6.7

  Track

  0.8

  2.6

  6.7

  1.9

  2.6

  2.3

  5.6

  2.6

  9.9

  3.1

  Signals

  0.0

  1.2

  0.2

  1.3

  0.1

  1.4

  0.1

  1.3

  0.2

  1.3

  Network

  Rolling stock

  4.1

  0.0

  5.9

  0.0

  3.7

  0.0

  0.5

  0.0

  5.8

  0.0

  Track

  38.1

  0.0

  16.5

  0.0

  6.0

  0.0

  1.1

  0.0

  14.5

  0.0

  Signals

  1.9

  0.0

  1.1

  0.0

  1.0

  4.0

  0.5

  3.6

  2.8

  3.5

  Asset Type

  Rolling stock

  253.8

  68.5

  64.5

  67.4

  54.4

  66.9

  52.8

  69.9

  51.2

  78.3

  Track

  59

  49.8

  105.7

  43

  68.1

  42.9

  65.2

  40.7

  87.5

  45.8

  Signalling

  31.5

  20.7

  22.3

  21.2

  17.7

  22.7

  19.2

  23.3

  27.7

  24.1

  Total

  244.4

  139.0

  192.5

  131.6

  140.2

  132.5

  137.1

  134.0

  166.4

  148.2

  Notes:

  1. Figures exclude investment undertaken under the Jubilee Line Extension Project

  2. Figures exclude ALSTOM PFI leasing charge

  3. Network figures are the projects which span more than one line

  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on(a) train, (b) signal and (c) track failures for each line of the London Underground since May 1997. [100948]

  Mr. Hill
  [holding answer 6 December 1999]: This is an operational matter for London Underground. However, I understand that the following numbers summarise the failures under the headings requested for passenger journeys (to provide the breakdown would incur disproportionate expense):

  Service disruption due to failures in:

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–20001

  Rolling stock

  14,873

  18,088

  20,159

  8,067

  Signal/points

  2,323

  2,827

  2,756

  1,111

  Other track

  1,007

  907

  869

  402

  1 24 weeks only

  London Underground Limited's data collection year covers 1 April to 31 March. The 1999–2000 figures represent 24 weeks to 18 September 1999 only.

  This is in a period when the general trend of train kilometres per year is increasing.
  524W

  Million

  1996–97

  58.6

  1997–98

  62.1

  1998–99

  61.2

  1999–20001

  29.5

  1 24 weeks only

  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will break down the £3 billion efficiency savings identified in the PricewaterhouseCoopers report about PPP and London Underground. [103564]

  Mr. Hill
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: The saving that PricewaterhouseCoopers identified in their briefing note—£4.5 billion in total over the first 15 years of the PPP, once financing costs are taken into account—assumes that the private sector PPP infrastructure companies will bring an efficiency improvement of 20 per cent.

  This is considered to be a conservative estimate, based on what London Underground and their advisers believe the PPP process could deliver, and the scale of efficiency savings that have been delivered previously when the

  525W
  financing and management of similar infrastructure programmes have been transferred from the public to private sectors.

  Mr. Gareth R. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the recent developments on the London underground public private partnership. [104003]

  Mr. Hill
  I am confident that the public-private partnership—publicly owned, publicly run, and properly financed—is the best way to deliver the improved underground system London needs.

  London Transport is today launching a public-private partnership for the sub-surface lines (Circle, District, Hammersmith and City, Metropolitan, East London lines). A notice inviting expressions of interest from prospective bidders will appear shortly in the "Official Journal of the European Communities".

  London Transport is also today inviting expressions of interest in a new public-private partnership for the future management of London Underground's non-operational property estate and for property which is surplus to the requirements of the operational railway.

  This public-private partnership comprises the disposal of some surplus, non-operational properties, allied to longterm contracts for the provision of property management services and for the future development of non-operational property. Non-operational property includes commercially let property outside the boundaries of the operational railway, car parks, railway arches, office buildings, development sites and areas made available for the generation of non-fare income (e.g. shops, commercial advertising, vending and cash machines) within the operational boundary.

  This partnership would enable London Underground to arrange for its non-operational property portfolio more efficiently and to concentrate on its core task of providing transport services throughout the capital. Together with the public private partnerships for the sub-surface and deep tube lines, it will deliver better station facilities and real improvements for passengers.

  It is envisaged that negotiations for the partnership will be concluded in line with the sub-surface and deep tube line public- private partnerships.

  Pursuant to the answers of 13 January 1999, Official Report, column 212W and 12 May 1999, Official Report, columns 154–55W, I understand from London Transport that their expenditure on external consultants from 20 March 1998 (the date of the Government's announcement) to 13 November 1999 for work on the PPP and restructuring London Underground was £48.06 million. The Underground PPP proposals are expected to generate £8 billion new investment in the Underground over the next 15 years.

  Mr. Pound
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to publish the public sector comparator that is being developed for the London Underground Public Private Partnership. [104064]

  Mr. Hill
  We are developing a Public Sector Comparator to show how much it would cost if a wholly public sector London Underground were to deliver the 526W
  outputs that will be specified under the public-private partnership contracts. We will only enter into the PPP if bids demonstrate best value when compared against this benchmark.

  We will publish the methodology underlying the Public Sector Comparator before contracts for the London Underground public-private partnership are signed. The comparative cash values of the Comparator will then be released after negotiations have been completed. To publish these results any earlier would expose the taxpayer's negotiating position and jeopardise our chances of getting best value.

  Foreign Aircraft (Millennium)
  Mr. Woolas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 9 December 1999,Official Report, columns 603–4W, if he will make a further statement relating to foreign aircraft operating to the United Kingdom over the millennium period. [104084]

  Mr. Hill
  My Department has now received confirmation that aircraft operated by Gulf Air will be free from any Y2K safety related risk. Information has also been received from Southern Aviation (Zambia) advising that the airline will not be operating to the UK over the millennium period. Accordingly, my Department will not be taking any action to suspend permits to either airline to operate to the UK over the millennium period.

  My Department will closely monitor the situation over the millennium period and, in the event of any unexpected Y2K safety related problems emerging, will take all necessary steps to ensure that safety is not compromised.

  Ladbroke Grove
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 13 December 1999,Official Report, column 63W, concerning Ladbroke Grove, what was the relevance of railway privatisation to the answer and to the question and to which sentences in the answer it related; and what references to the rail layout at Ladbroke Grove or the safety rules relevant to it or to its operational use were referred to Ministers' offices between May 1997 and the day of the Ladbroke Grove crash. [103009]

  Mr. Hill
  The privatisation reference was to make explicit the implicit point that a long process which started under British Rail ownership continued under other ownership. On the second point, there have been no references to Ministers. Ministers have no involvement in the statutory approval process for track layout or safety rules. They are the responsibility of the independent Health and Safety Commission and Executive and Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate.

  Al2 Link Road
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the fully staged incident involving all the emergency services was carried out on the A12 Hackney to M11 link road; what consideration was given to the possibility of such an incident being in a tunnel; what was the outcome; and if he will make a statement. [102972]
  527W
  Mr. Hill
  As the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State advised in her answer of 23 June 1999,Official Report, columns 401–05W, a successful incident exercise was held in the George Green tunnel on 28 May 1999 involving the Fire Brigade. It was intended to hold an incident exercise with all three emergency services before the tunnel was opened, but unfortunately this did not prove possible.

  Holding an exercise now that the road is opened could be highly disruptive. Discussions are continuing with the emergency services to agree the form and timing of a full exercise. I am pressing for this to be held at the earliest opportunity.

  Environment Council
  Mr. Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the outcome of the Environment Council held in Brussels on 13 and 14 December; and if he will make a statement. [103020]

  Mr. Meacher
  I represented the UK at the Environment Council in Brussels on 13 December 1999, accompanied by Sarah Boyack, Scottish Executive Minister for the Environment and Transport. Three common positions were agreed, along with one set of Council Conclusions.

  Agreement was achieved on a Recommendation on minimum standards for environmental inspections in member states, and will apply to environmental inspections of installations regulated under Community law. This will help improve standards of environmental protection and contribute to the effective implementation and enforcement of Community law. A common position was also reached on the Strategic Environmental Assessment Directive, which requires an assessment of the environmental effects of certain plans and programmes prepared and/or adopted by public authorities.

  Ministers discussed several air quality measures and reached agreement on one, establishing limit values for carbon monoxide and benzene in ambient air, to be achieved by 2005 and 2010 respectively. These will provide a high level of protection for public health and the environment and are in line with those adopted by the World Health Organisation in 1996. Agreement on an amendment of the 1998 Large Combustion Plant Directive was not reached. The Commission proposal sets limit values for emissions from new plant. Council could broadly agree to that proposal, but was divided over the suggestion from some member states of extending the directive's requirements to pre-1987 plants. Further negotiations on this, in parallel with those on the National Emission Ceilings Directive, are likely to be continued by the forthcoming Portuguese Presidency. The Presidency also reported on progress on the proposed National Emission Ceilings Directive and a related air quality directive setting target values for ozone in ambient air.

  Council Conclusions on the forthcoming negotiations on a proposed Biosafety Protocol set out the EU' s negotiating position for the extraordinary Conference of the Parties taking place in Montreal in January and emphasised the importance of reaching agreement. The recent World Trade Organisation talks in Seattle were
  528W
  discussed over lunch, along with the environmental consequences of the Kosovo conflict and the outcome of the Helsinki European Council.

  Further reports to Council were given by the Commission on their proposed work programme for 2000, the review of chemicals legislation initiated in 1998, and its Global Assessment of the 5th Environment Action Programme, on which there was a brief exchange of views.

  Fuel Poverty
  Mrs. Gilroy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the contribution of his Department towards eliminating fuel poverty. [103185]

  Mr. Meacher
  The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES) provides grants for energy efficiency improvements in the homes of people on benefits, the disabled and the over-60s. On 29 September 1999 the Deputy Prime Minister announced that the scheme is being radically improved. The New Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (New HEES) will provide complete packages of insulation and heating improvements up to a maximum grant of £2,000, compared to the current maximum of £315. Installations will start in June 2000. In the first two years New HEES is expected to help 460,000 households at a cost of £260 million. These households should be substantially moved away from fuel poverty.

  We have also released substantial additional funds to help improve our housing stock; in total some £5 billion is being made available over the lifetime of this Parliament for investment in housing. We estimate that around one third of the money is likely to lead directly or indirectly to improvements in energy efficiency.

  The Government have introduced a wide range of programmes to tackle low income and poor energy efficiency, which are the main causes of fuel poverty, as well as the liberalisation of the energy markets which has lead to significant falls in the cost of keeping warm. An inter-ministerial group, chaired jointly by the Minister for Energy and my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, has been set up to consider the impact of all these initiatives on fuel poverty. The group will seek to develop a more accurate picture of the extent of the problem, how quickly it can be addressed, and at what cost, so that a target date can be set for the elimination of fuel poverty in England.

  Some of the policy initiatives in this area, such as the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme, are devolved functions. Therefore a target date for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland would be a matter for the respective bodies.

  Bascule Bridge, Lowestoft
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what is the frequency of the maintenance regime for the bascule bridge on the A 12 at Lowestoft; and what is the annual cost; [103167]

  (2) how many times the bascule bridge on the A12 at Lowestoft has malfunctioned in the last 10 years; [103166]
  529W
  (3) what was the previous use of the bascule bridge on the Al2 at Lowestoft before it was installed in 1974. [103168]

  Mr. Hill
  This is an operational matter for the Highways Agency and I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Peter Nutt, to write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from Peter Nutt to Mr. Bob Blizzard, dated 21 December 1999:
  The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Keith Hill, has asked me to write in response to your recent written Parliamentary Questions relating to the Bascule Bridge on the Al2 in Lowestoft, Suffolk.Records kept by Associated British Ports, who are the Highways Agency's maintaining agents for the Bascule Bridge, show there have been 50 malfunctions in an estimated 24,000 operations in the last 10 years.Associated British Ports carry out weekly inspections of the Bascule Bridge. The Al2 is closed overnight on four occasions annually, once per quarter, to allow routine maintenance work to be carried out. The annual budget for operating and maintenance for 1999/2000 is £223,250.00 inclusive of VAT.The Bascule Bridge was a new structure, constructed in 1974 to replace a swing bridge owned and operated by the British Transport Docks Board.If you would like further information please contact Simon Amor, the Route Manager for the Al2, telephone 01234 796173.

  Old Vehicles
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the level of air pollution caused by emissions from vehicles which are more than 25 years old. [103156]

  Mr. Hill
  Vehicles over 25 years old, although manufactured to much less stringent emission standards than vehicles today, are estimated to make only a small contribution to total emissions from road transport, due to their low numbers and limited mileage. The table provides estimates of the contribution of cars in this category for three key pollutants, using the methodology employed in the National Atmospheric Emission Inventories.

  Pollutant

  Estimated contribution of cars over 25 years old to overall emissions from road transport in 1998

  NOx

  0.7%

  PM10

  0.4%

  CO

  1.3%

  Green Ministers Committee
  Judy Mallaber
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what issues will be on the agenda of the next meeting of the Green Ministers Committee. [103069]

  Mr. Meacher
  Three meetings of the Committee have been arranged for 2000, but the first is not until 16 March. The agenda has therefore not yet been agreed, but I am sure that, among other things, we will want to consider progress against the work programme set out in our 530W
  annual report "Greening Government—First Annual Report of the Green Ministers Committee 1998–99", published in July 1999.

  Judy Mallaber
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the Green Ministers Committee will discuss the progress of the New Deal Environment Task Force. [103068]

  Mr. Meacher
  The Committee has a programme of three meetings in 2000, but the first of these is not until 16 March. We do not therefore yet have agendas set for the meetings, although there are some issues, such as progress against our work programme, that I am sure we will want to discuss. The Committee takes one general cross-cutting theme at each of its meetings and has in the past considered issues such as biodiversity and green taxes. It is possible that the New Deal Environment Task Force might feature on a future agenda. The Government have taken steps to evaluate the impact of the Task Force, but the analysis is not yet available.

  MOT Testing Stations
  Dr. Tony Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) which MOT testing stations are on a final warning from the Vehicle Inspectorate; [103128]

  (2) which garages have lost their licence to carry out MOT tests in each of the past five years. [103129]

  Mr. Hill
  A warning is issued to Authorised Examiners for shortcomings in the testing requirements, but the standard of testing remains acceptable within the scheme. It would be inappropriate, therefore, to release details of warnings issued. When an Authorised Examiner is withdrawn from the MOT testing scheme, they are required to remove all signs and documentation connected with the MOT scheme which gives a clear indication that the garage is not authorised to carry out MOT tests. Authorised Examiners cannot normally reapply for authorisation within a period of five years. To publish the identities of Authorised Examiners withdrawn from the scheme could be prejudicial to any of their other business interests unconnected with the MOT testing scheme and therefore a list of those withdrawn from the scheme is not published. There are about 18,500 private garages authorised as MOT testing stations. The number of Authorised Examiners withdrawn from the scheme in each of the past five years and the number of warnings issued in the same period are shown in the table.

  Authorised examiners withdrawn

  Authorised examiners warned

  1998–99

  143

  1,058

  1997–98

  141

  1,401

  1996–97

  181

  1,571

  1995–96

  167

  1,333

  1994–95

  135

  1,338

  Water Industry Redundancies
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the total job losses(a) in England and Wales and (b) in Scotland arising from redundancies in the water industry; and if he will make a statement. 0[103138]
  531W
  Mr. Meacher
  In respect of England and Wales, I refer the right hon. Member to my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Sutton (Mrs. Gilroy) on 27 October 1999,Official Report, columns 871–72W.

  The water industry in Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Executive.

  Water Quality (Mersey Basin)
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to improve water quality in the Mersey Basin; and what guidance he has given to(a) the Water Regulator and (b)North-West Water on the sewage works at Bolton, Eccles, Ellesmere Port, Sale and Wigan. [103390]

  Mr. Meacher
  I refer my hon. Friend to the response I made to my hon. Friend the Member for Elmet (Mr. Burgon) on 25 November 1999,Official Report, columns 167–69W, in which I announced my final guidance to the Director General of Ofwat on the environmental objectives which the water industry would be required to meet between 2000 and 2005. North-West Water was one of the seven water and sewerage companies for which I confirmed that the entire agreed investment programme should be completed by March 2005. This will encompass substantial improvements to the quality of river and coastal sewage discharges and to combined sewer overflows in the Mersey Basin.

  In addition, improvement schemes for Bolton, Eccles, Ellesmere Port, Sale and Wigan sewage treatment works will receive further study in terms of their costs and benefits before they proceed, as recommended by the Director General. I have asked the Environment Agency to explore in more detail the benefits of the remaining schemes and to set them out in a way which will allow Ministers to judge these against improved information on costs from Ofwat and the companies concerned.

  Street Works
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 15 December 1999,Official Report, column 187W, on utilities' standards of compliance, if he will quantify the shortfall in utilities compliance with the statutory code of practice on reinstatement of highways and footways. [103579]

  Mr. Hill
  There are no central records of street works reinstatements or of inspections of works. So far as individual sites are concerned, it is for the undertaker concerned to put right any defects in reinstating the street that may have occurred. Such defects are likely to be discovered as the result of street works inspections by the local highway authority, who have powers under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 to require remedial works to be carried out at the undertaker's expense.

  The research project carried out by the Transport Research Laboratory, referred to in my answer of 15 December 1999, Official Report, column 187W, examined only a sample of reinstatements undertaken mostly during the mid-1990s. While this showed where improvements needed to be made, it is not possible to extrapolate from it reliable figures for reinstatement defects for the country as a whole.
  532W
  If there is any particular street works issue that has prompted this question, I suggest that my hon. Friend might care to write to me about it.

  Land Use Policies
  Mr. Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has for the further development of(a) regional and (b) local land use planning policies. [103618]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The report "Modernising Planning—A Progress Report", which was published earlier this year, summarised the Government's programme for improving the land use planning system, both as regards the processes involved and the policies which apply. A copy is available on the DETR website (http://www.detr.gov.uk). Good progress is being made. A draft revise of the Planning Policy Guidance note on Transport (PPG13) was published for consultation on 18 October. The revised version of PPG12 (Development Plans) was published on 14 December. The final revised versions of the PPGs on Regional Planning (PPG11) and on Housing (PPG3) are expected to be published in the new year.

  Manchester Metro
  Mr. Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has held with the Passenger Transport Authority on plans to extend the Manchester Metrolink throughout Greater Manchester. [103620]

  Mr. Hill
  My right hon. Friend has met members of the Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Authority on several occasions during the past year to discuss possible extensions to the Manchester Metrolink.

  Sea Sewage Outfalls
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the locations of the long sea sewage outfalls still in use around the shores of the United Kingdom. [103381]

  Mr. Mullin
  Long sea outfalls have generally been envisaged where sewage received no more than primary treatment before discharge to coastal waters. Some discharges to English coastal waters have been designed to incorporate long sea outfalls, but this is a matter for individual sewerage undertakers and there is no centrally held list. However, the Government's announcements on 23 September 1998 and 1 March 1999 on investment in the water industry introduced a requirement that all wastewater discharges from communities greater than 2,000 population would receive a minimum of secondary treatment. Within the context of this policy, wastewater long sea outfalls are less significant, since secondary treatment provides a high level of environmental protection, whatever the length of the outfall.

  Wastewater disposal in the remainder of the United Kingdom is a matter for devolved administrations.

  Wildlife
  Mr. Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the local Wildlife Sites Review Group will report; and if he will make a statement. [103859]
  533W
  Mr. Mullin
  My officials have set up the Local Sites Review Group, which comprises a wide range of interested bodies to consider the issues associated with the identification, protection and management of local wildlife sites. The Group is aiming to report its conclusions early next year.

  Leasehold
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he plans to include provisions relating to public sector leaseholders in his legislation to reform leasehold law. [103584]

  Mr. Mullin
  Many of the proposed reforms which my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning, announced on 20 December 1999,Official Report, column 345W, would apply to both public and private sector leaseholders. The proposals to require landlords to consult leaseholders on proposed improvements, and to allow leaseholders to challenge the cost of these at leasehold valuation tribunals would be of particular benefit to public sector leaseholders.

  We are also announcing this week two further measures to help public sector leaseholders with high service charges. We will extend the existing Directions requiring local authorities to reduce service charges to include works carried out under the Private Finance Initiative. We will consult local authorities on a proposal to allow them to charge lower interest rates on service charge debts. At present they have to charge a rate set by my Department, but several authorities have informed us they could charge lower rates and still cover their costs.

  These are in addition to other measures that we have already taken to help leaseholders of social landlords. They include issuing directions requiring landlords to reduce charges for some Government funded works which exceed £10,000 per leaseholder in any five year period, and providing financial assistance to social landlords to help them reduce charges or buy back flats which leaseholders want to sell.

  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the Leasehold Advisory Service is able to advise public sector leaseholders; and if it employs anyone with specific knowledge of public sector leaseholders' issue. [103585]

  Mr. Mullin
  The Leasehold Advisory Service is able to and does provide advice to public sector leaseholders. Two of its staff have considerable experience of the particular problems faced by public sector leaseholders.

  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidance he has given to local authorities concerning the funding of advice services for private sector leaseholders only. [103586]

  Mr. Mullin
  This Department has issued no specific guidance to local authorities concerning the funding of advice services for leaseholders. However, local authorities are well placed to decide local priorities for spending, and are accountable to the local electorate for their decisions.

  Housing Stock
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what his policy is towards indemnities underwriting unforeseen major works on the sale or transfer of local authority housing stock. [103583]

  Mr. Mullin
  The local authority and acquiring landlord are required to carry out a comprehensive stock condition survey before a housing transfer takes place. The Department would not therefore expect a local authority to underwrite unforeseen major works to the housing stock post-transfer.

  Housing Need (London)
  Mr. Love
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the current extent of housing need in London. [103613]

  Mr. Mullin
  The London Research Centre are currently undertaking a research project on this subject.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Love
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what account he will take of the effect of the judgment in Regina v. the London Borough of Newham ex parte Aurura Sacupima and Others in the measures he proposes to take to assist London boroughs to house homeless people within their boundaries. [103617]

  Mr. Mullin
  The judgment in the case of Aurura Sacupima and Others ex parte the London Borough of Newham is one of a number of issues that will be taken into account in considering what measures can be proposed to ease the current shortage of affordable accommodation in London.

  Mr. Love
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures he proposes to take to reduce the number of people living in temporary accommodation in London. [103615]

  Mr. Mullin
  The Government recently announced a £613 million package of capital resources for investment in housing by London boroughs in 2000–01. This represents a 54 per cent. increase over 1999–2000 and accords with spending plans arising from the Comprehensive Spending Review. The additional resources will enable London boroughs to reduce the number of people living in temporary accommodation by increasing the supply of affordable housing in their areas.

  In addition, the Government are supporting the Association of London Government's London Housing Partnership initiative to set aside £20 million of London borough's increased housing capital allocations to enable the problem of homelessness and temporary accommodation to be approached on a pan-London basis.

  Mr. Love
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the factors contributing to current shortages of low-cost accommodation in London. [103614]
  535W
  Mr. Mullin
  The current shortage of affordable housing in London is due to the combined effect of a number of factors including:
  Recent net increases in London's population, with those moving in tending to be younger and seeking economic opportunities;A reduction in the supply of privately rented accommodation as landlords opt to sell to take advantage of rising house prices in London;A fall in turnover of social housing as social tenants are less able to purchase in the private sector;A reduction in the amount of socially rented accommodation through the Right to Buy, less development by registered social landlords than in recent years and short-term reductions as a result of regeneration activity.
  Officials continue to monitor the situation closely.

  Mr. Love
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what resources he proposes to allocate to tackle shortages of affordable housing in London in addition to the funding currently allocated through the Housing Investment Programme. [103616]

  Mr. Mullin
  A total of £275 million will be provided through the Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme for the provision of additional accommodation by registered social landlords (RSLs) in London in 2000–01; the announcement of allocations to local authority areas will be made in February. Increases in the supply of affordable housing will also be funded through local authorities housing capital programmes and can be achieved in a variety of different ways. The 2000–01 Housing Investment Programme (HIP) allocations to London Boroughs announced earlier this month included an earmarked £20 million for an initiative mainly for purchase and repair of existing properties in and around London. The total HIP allocation for London for 2000–01 (£613 million) is over 50 per cent. more than in 1999–2000.

  Ms Moran
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on Government policies to combat homelessness. [103127]

  Mr. Mullin
  Shortly after taking office, the Government made secondary legislation to strengthen the position of households accepted as statutorily homeless. This ensures that accommodation must be available for all homeless acceptances for at least two years and that they must be given reasonable preference in the allocation of long-term social housing.

  The Government intend to meet their Manifesto commitment to impose a new duty on local authorities to protect those who are homeless through no fault of their own and are in priority need. My Department has set up an official-level sounding board with the local authority associations, Shelter, the Chartered Institute of Housing and other housing organisations, to discuss proposals for further changes to policy on homelessness and the allocation of permanent social housing. Our proposals are still at an early stage, but we shall consult on them widely, in due course.

  On 15 December, the Prime Minister launched "Coming in from the Cold", the Government's strategy for tackling rough sleeping. This sets out how the
  536W
  Government intend to meet their target of reducing rough sleeping by two thirds by 2002. Copies are available in the Library.

  Standard Spending Assessment
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the standard spending assessment per head of population in the areas covered by Derbyshire Dales District Council and Amber Valley Borough Council. [103726]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The provisional 2000–01 standard spending assessment per head of population figures are:

  £

  Amber Valley

  Derbyshire Dales

  District

  83

  91

  Derbyshire County

  674

  674

  Derbyshire Police

  54

  54

  Area

  811

  819

  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will estimate, per pupil, the standard spending assessment for each shire county local education authority, ranked and numbered in descending order, for each of the last five years. [103724]

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

  Dennis Dart Buses
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what reports he has received from the Vehicle Inspectorate on the safety of Dennis Dart buses; what response he has made; if he will establish a formal investigation of Dennis Dart buses; and if he will make a statement. [103751]

  Mr. Hill
  A report on alleged unintended acceleration in Public Service Vehicles was sent to the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions by the Vehicle Inspectorate on 23 August. The Department subsequently asked the Vehicle Inspectorate to provide additional information to widen the scope of the informal investigations. There are no plans to establish any formal investigation of Dennis Dart buses.

  Revenue Support Grant
  Mr. Stevenson
  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) Stoke-on-Trent, (b) Kensington and Chelsea, (c) Wandsworth, (d) Waltham Forest and (e) Redbridge. [103622]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The provisional 2000–01 revenue support grant per head of population figures are:

  Area

  £ per head

  (a) Stoke-on-Trent

  389

  (b) Kensington and Chelsea

  386

  (c) Wandsworth

  462

  (d) Waltham Forest

  592

  (e) Redbridge

  464

  Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998 will be fully implemented; and if he will make a statement. [103216]

  Mr. Hill
  We intend to implement the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998 as quickly as possible. We consulted earlier this year, jointly with the Public Carriage Office, on the licensing of private hire vehicle operators in London. Having carefully considered the responses, we intend to conduct a further consultation with draft regulations as early as possible next year. Further consultations, also jointly with the Public Carriage Office, will follow on proposals for regulating private hire drivers and vehicles.

  Transport Direct
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much public spending will be allocated to the Transport Direct telephone line; and where it will be based. [103373]

  Mr. Hill
  The national public transport information system—the Government's White Paper commitment to an integrated system giving journey planning and timetable information over the telephone—is being funded by transport operators and local authorities. Government have provided Supplementary Credit Approvals to local authorities of £1 million in 1998–99 and £3.3 million in 1999–2000 to assist with the capital requirements of the project.

  The public will be able to call a single telephone number for routes and timetables for bus, train, coach, metro, tram and ferry. The service is expected to be introduced progressively throughout Great Britain during 2000.

  A possible development for the longer term is the availability of tickets by telephone for multi-modal journeys. No decisions on that option have yet been taken.

  Business Rates
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the advantages and disadvantages of extending the 50 per cent. reduction in business rating available to environmentally friendly sources of electricity generation to the generation of electricity by pumped storage hydro techniques; and if he will make a statement. [103739]

  Ms Armstrong
  The current regulations prescribing the rateable value of wind and tidal power generators value these at less than other sources of electricity generation. There is no reduction in business rating for environmentally friendly sources of electricity generation.

  The next quinquennial revaluation of non-domestic rates will take effect from 1 April 2000. As part of this, the Government is considering the values which it will prescribe for certain industries, including electricity generators. There are no pumped storage schemes in England. Rating valuation in Wales is a matter for the National Assembly for Wales.

  Conveyancing
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures he is taking to help to speed up the house buying process. [103239]

  Mr. Mullin
  On 11 October we announced our intention to take forward a package of complementary measures aimed at speeding up and improving the home buying and selling process. The package is based on a detailed survey and consultation exercise and studies of experience in other countries. A key proposal is a requirement that before putting a home on the market, the seller or seller's agent should put together a pack of standard documents and information for prospective buyers. This should include copies of title documents, replies to standard buyers' preliminary inquiries, replies to local searches, copies of planning and other consents, copies of warranties and guarantees, a home condition report and a draft contract.

  In addition, we want buyers to be better prepared and will be encouraging the wider use of "in principle" mortgage offers. We also want faster mortgage offers and local authority searches and will be asking the service providers to adopt service targets on these. Mortgage lenders are also being asked to provide title deeds within five working days of request and to examine the scope for "chain-breaking" loans. Finally, all the professions and other bodies involved in the home buying and selling process are being encouraged to make better use of advances in information technology to speed up the process.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to reduce the council tax burden for the lowest bands. [103240]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  Help with council tax bills for people on low incomes is already provided through the means-tested council tax benefit system.

  We considered the need for changes to the council tax bands in the review which culminated in our 1998 White Paper, "Modern Local Government—In Touch with the People". We explained that the council tax was generally working well and that we did not plan to make any fundamental changes to it in the course of this Parliament.

  Hedgerows
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what his policy is on the control of hedgerows in residential areas; and if he will make a statement. [103241]

  Mr. Mullin
  We will be considering what more Government might usefully do to help solve the problems caused by nuisance hedges in the light of responses to the consultation paper "High hedges: possible solutions". The options identified there include both voluntary and statutory action.

  The consultation paper suggests, however, that adding residential hedges to the list of statutory nuisances in section 79 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (as proposed in the Control of Hedgerows in Residential

  539W
  Areas Bill) appears unlikely to be more effective than the existing statutory nuisance provisions in controlling residential hedges.

  Soil Strategy
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the reasons for delay in the consultation process on his Department's soil strategy; and when the formal consultation document will be published. [103121]

  Mr. Mullin
  We expect to be able to publish the draft soil strategy for consultation by Easter next year. This is later than we had previously planned. The additional time has been needed to develop the draft, particularly so that it fits within the wider family of sustainable development strategies.

  Regional Airports
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the value is of the investment planned over the next five years by the regional airports whose investments are not subject to PSBR restraint. [103906]

  Mr. Mullin
  The most recently available information relating to planned investment at the local authority airports recently removed from borrowing controls (Humberside, Leeds Bradford, Manchester, Newcastle and Norwich) is as follows:

  Year

  £ million

  1999–2000

  111

  2000–01

  66

  2001–02

  87

  2002–03

  93

  2003–04

  103

  National Air Traffic Service
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what would happen to the proceeds of sales of surplus land or buildings from the current NATS property portfolio after the implementation of a public private partnership. [103910]

  Mr. Mullin
  NATS currently owns minimal surplus land or buildings. A number of its key sites are leased. Any proceeds from property disposals after the implementation of the proposed public-private partnership would accrue to the company in which the Government will be a significant shareholder.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if his Department has prepared a valuation of the land and facilities currently owned by NATS. [103908]

  Mr. Mullin
  The majority of land and facilities owned by NATS are small infrastructure sites. No valuation of these has been prepared. A valuation of major sites is under consideration.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the current pension arrangements for NATS staff will be preserved under the proposed PPP.n [103904]
  540W
  Mr. Mullin
  NATS staff employed by the company at the time the PPP is established will be entitled to remain in the Civil Aviation Authority Pension Scheme.

  Lighting Column Replacement
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will amend the Standard Spending Assessment formula to make lighting column replacement eligible for capital funding under the transport policy programme; and if he will make a statement. [103766]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  Other than in exceptional circumstances, the replacement of lighting columns should be treated as revenue expenditure. Provision for this expenditure is made in Standard Spending Assessments and reflected in the distribution of Revenue Support Grant. Capital allocations made on the basis of local transport plans (replacement for the Transport Policies and Programme system) should not be used for the maintenance of lighting columns.

  Rail Safety
  Mr. Geraint Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he has received the November monthly report from the HSE on signals passed at danger for the national railway and the London Underground. [104002]

  Mr. Hill
  I have today placed in the Library the Health and Safety Executive's report for November on Signals Passed at Danger (SPADs) and London Underground's first monthly SPAD report. I propose to put all such future reports in the Library on a monthly basis.

  Greater London Authority
  Mr. Efford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much has been spent in the current financial year on preparing for the Greater London Authority. [104007]

  Mr. Hill
  At the end of September 1999, £2.2. million had been spent by my Department on preparing for the GLA. Further to my answer of 20 October 1999,Official Report, column 591W, the cost of arranging the elections for the Mayor and Assembly on 4 May 2000 and for publicity will fall mainly in the last three months of the current financial year.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Departmental Research Contracts
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the title of research studies, audits and surveys(a) undertaken and (b) commissioned by his Department for completion in (i) 1999 and (ii) 2000, stating in each case when the results are due to be published. [99629]

  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many research contracts have been let by his Department since May 1997; what is the value of each contract; and in each case whether the contract included(a) a departmental veto over publication of the research results, (b) departmental control over the date of

  541W
  publication of the research results and (c) a requirement that the final research results incorporate departmental amendments. [100153]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 6 December 1999]: Research and Surveys are commissioned by the Analytical Services Division of this Department.

  Details of all contracts let as part of the research programme are published in the Department's Research Yearbook; the relevant ones are Yearbooks 1996–97, 1997–98 and 1998–99. Other research studies which have been commissioned (but not yet listed in the yearbook) include:

  New Deal for Lone Parents—qualitative follow-up

  Secondary analysis of NDLP Phase One—Childcare

  BA Staff Attitudes to Security

  'ONE' Evaluation

  BA Better Government for Older people prototypes

  Monitoring Restrictions to Council Tax Benefit

  The Changing Role of the Trustee

  Evaluation of the Pensions Helpline

  Overpayments of HB and CTB

  Data and Literature review: ISMI State Provision and Private Insurance

  Local Authority Omnibus Survey

  Prospects of part-time work: the impact of BTWB.

  It is the Department's normal practice to publish all research commissioned as part of its research programme. Publication is governed by standard procedures which mean the research reports are published when they are ready. Contractors are required to submit draft reports on which officials (but not Ministers) provide comments; there is no contractual requirement to include these comments.

  Research for DSS Communications Directorate. Research Contracts and their value commissioned by DSS Communication Directorate since May 1997.

  Value

  1997–98

  Counter fraud publicity strategy development

  49,150

  Counter Fraud Tracking research

  27,412

  Family Credit Advisor Mailing Evaluation

  8,906

  Lone Parents Omnibus

  5,234

  Lone Parents Dipstick (Public Opinion)

  6,726

  Lone Parents Creative Development

  9,476

  Lone Parents Desk Research

  9,729

  NDLP Qualitative Research

  53,815

  Counter Fraud Change of Circumstances

  38,587

  Counter Fraud Publicity Development

  36,319

  Winter Fuel Payments Leaflet Omnibus

  3,720

  Pensions Leaflet Creative Development

  20,168

  Working Benefits campaign testing of audience reaction

  1—

  Working Benefits test mailshot qualitative research

  1—

  1998–99

  NDLP Strategy Research

  41,042

  Making Work Pay Pitch Research

  37,171

  Making Work Pay Tracking Research

  65,988

  NDLP Pitch Research

  41,242

  Winter Fuel Payments Pre-Post

  38,034

  Winter Fuel Leaflet Development

  22,731

  Pensions Tracking

  49,902

  NDLP Publicity Evaluation

  75,059

  Pensioners MIG Pitch Research

  66,651

  MIG Omnibus

  10,316

  NDLP Research into mailing

  22,006

  542W

  Research for DSS Communications Directorate. Research Contracts and their value commissioned by DSS Communication Directorate since May 1997.

  Value

  1999–2000

  Welfare Reform Strategic Communications

  35,908

  Winter Fuel Payments Pre-Post

  40,972

  Internal Communications Desk Research

  6,997

  Internal Communications Qualitative Research

  64,589

  1 Not available—It is not possible to separate out the value of these contracts from the overall work undertaken by the contractor.

  The research projects listed were commissioned to develop and evaluate publicity campaigns or to inform other presentational issues. Reports of this sort of research are not usually published but are made available on request. Officials have an opportunity to see reports in draft form in order to check for factual accuracy of information and quality of presentation of the report.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the size of the backlog in processing Disability Living Allowance appeals at Warbreck House, Blackpool. [102639]

  Mr. Bayley
  The administration of Disability Living Allowance is the responsibility of Peter Mathison, Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Marlyn Jones, dated 20 December 1999:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to respond to your recent Parliamentary Question in which you asked for a statement on the size of the backlog in processing Disability Living Allowance (DLA) appeals at Warbreck House, Blackpool.
  The Disability and Carer Benefits Directorate aims to clear 90% of DLA appeals within 60 days. The outstanding number of registered appeals awaiting preparation and issue of a submission of evidence to The Appeals Service (TAS) as at 30 November was 6,628. Of these, 6106 (92%) are within the normal processing period. The remaining 522 (8%) were over the 60 day target period.
  There have been delays in processing DLA cases, including appeals, over recent weeks and measures have been introduced to rectify the situation. Staff resources have been diverted from less critical areas of work, and newly recruited staff will have completed their training in January and March. The situation is being closely monitored on a weekly basis.
  I hope this is helpful.

  State Pension (Age Additions)
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate(a) the gross cost, (b) the savings in means-tested benefits and (c) the additional income tax revenue which would result from the introduction in April 2000 of age additions to the basic state pension of £10 for those aged 80 years and over and £5 for those aged 75 to 79 years. [103148]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is in the table.
  543W

  Full year expenditure and revenue effects of age additions in 2000–01

  £ million († costs/- savings)

  £10 age addition for over 80s and £5 age addition for 75–79s

  Expenditure on Retirement Pension

  1,800

  Means-tested benefit savings

  —600

  Additional Income tax

  —120

  Notes:

  1. Estimates for Retirement Pension have been provided by the Government Actuary's Department.

  2. Estimates for income tax revenues have been provided by Inland Revenue.

  3. Means-tested benefit offsets have been estimated using the 1999–2000 Income Support Simulation and Policy Simulation Models.

  4. Estimates are in 1999–2000 prices and are rounded to the nearest £10 million.

  Pensions Ombudsman
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what assessment he has made of the powers of the Pensions Ombudsman to deal with complaints; [103163]

  (2) if he will make a statement on the current powers and responsibilities of the Pensions Ombudsman; [103159]

  (3) what plans he has to seek amendment of the law to allow class actions by members of the same pension scheme; [103165]

  (4) if he will make it his policy to oblige the Pensions Ombudsman to hear oral evidence; [103161]

  (5) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the process by which complainants are reimbursed the costs of bringing their cases before the Pensions Ombudsman; [103164]

  (6) which areas of the powers and responsibilities of the Pensions Ombudsman he is reviewing; [103160]

  (7) if he will confer on the Pensions Ombudsman comparable powers concerning the admissibility of documents and evidence and standards of proof as employed in courts of law; [103158]

  (8) what recent representations he has received from the Pensions Ombudsman concerning additional powers. [103162]

  Mr. Rooker
  The Pensions Ombudsman provides an easily accessible service by which pension scheme members and those involved in the running of schemes can raise disputes of fact or law and make complaints of maladministration that have resulted in injustice. He can investigate complaints of injustice caused by maladministration and disputes of fact or law brought by members of pension schemes and their spouses and dependants against trustees managers or employers of those schemes. He can also investigate complaints made by employers against trustees or managers or vice versa, or made by the trustees or managers of one scheme against the trustees or managers of another. Further, he is able to investigate disputes of fact or law referred by employers and trustees or managers of the same scheme or disputes between the trustees or managers of different schemes.
  544W
  The consultation paper "Strengthening the Pensions Framework" contained proposals to clarify and extend the Ombudsman's remit in respect of certain types of complaint or dispute. These proposals were generally welcomed by those who responded to the consultation. It is intended to bring forward provisions to introduce these changes as soon as is practicable.

  A recent Court of Appeal ruling (Thomas Edge & Ors v. The Pensions Ombudsman & Anor) found the Pensions Ombudsman's power of investigation to be limited to those cases where the interests of others not party to the dispute are not affected.

  Compliance with the court's determination has the effect of removing certain cases from the Ombudsman's remit. For instance, if a death benefit has been paid to one person (for example a current partner) by the trustees and not to another (for example the legal spouse) the Pensions Ombudsman could not accept a complaint from the legal spouse as it affects the interests of the recipient of the death benefit (who currently cannot be a party) even though the complaint is about the actions of the trustees.

  It also means that if groups of members are affected, their cases cannot be considered. For instance, where a complaint relates to the treatment of surplus assets and concerns all the pensioners and all the active members it would be excluded.

  The Pensions Ombudsman raised this issue in the light of the potential impact it could have on the types of cases he can investigate. In order to ensure that the Pensions Ombudsman can continue to deal with the range of cases he had dealt with before the 'Edge' decision, changes are required to the procedures under which he conducts his investigations.

  These procedures are amended under provisions contained in the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Bill. These provisions address the restriction on the Pensions Ombudsman's power to investigate and determine a complaint or dispute that affects the interests of those not party to the original complaint or dispute. These will ensure an individual can raise an issue with the Pensions Ombudsman if it affects the interests of a group of members in the same scheme. It will also require that those members have the opportunity to put their point of view. In the case of a group of members, this will be via an appointed representative. In effect, therefore, the procedural changes will establish a mechanism for consideration of group or 'class actions'.

  Currently, complainants can have costs reimbursed only for attendance at an oral hearing. This process is adequate when an oral hearing is held to ascertain the facts in a case but might not be sufficient where a complaint or dispute raised intricate issues on which the complaining member might need specialist advice. Without the possibility of access to the resources of their scheme, members may be discouraged from taking valid complaints or disputes to the Pensions Ombudsman because of an inability to finance the required advice. There is, therefore, also provision in the Child Support,

  545W
  Pensions and Social Security Bill to order that legal costs be met from the resources of the scheme. It is anticipated that such orders will be made only for complex cases that involve a number of parties.

  The Pensions Ombudsman holds oral hearings where the facts of a case are in dispute or where there is an issue concerning the accuracy of evidence. To require mandatory oral hearings in all instances would lengthen the process, make it more costly and adversarial for those involved and, therefore, we do not propose to change the law in this way.

  We also do not propose to confer on the Pensions Ombudsman powers concerning the admissibility of documents and evidence and standards of proof comparable to those employed in courts of law. This would run counter to the principle that the Pensions Ombudsman provides an informal process by which individuals can seek to have their grievances addressed.

  Pensioner Households (Wandsworth)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioner households there are in the London Borough of Wandsworth. [103171]

  Mr. Rooker
  The number of pensioner households in the London Borough of Wandsworth in 1991 was 30,274.

  Notes:

  1. Figures shown are the number of households with one or more residents aged over state pension age.

  2. Figures are taken from the 1991 Census. Later figures are not available.

  Tribunal Appeals
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much his Department paid between(a) May 1997 and April 1998 and (b) May 1998 and April 1999, in backdated claims arising from successful independent tribunal appeals against DSS adjudication decisions. [103767]

  Angela Eagle
  The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Area

  Date of complaint

  Date of decision

  Outcome

  Complaints about anti-grammar school campaign literature

  Ripon

  26 October 1999

  2 November 1999

  Not upheld

  Trafford

  12 October 1999

  Ongoing

  —

  Complaints about pro-grammar school campaign literature

  Kent

  8 September 1999

  18 October 1999

  Not upheld

  Kent

  14 September 1999

  Ongoing

  —

  Kent

  14 September 1999

  2 November 1999

  Not upheld

  Kent

  18 October 1999

  19 October 1999

  Not upheld

  Kent

  20 October 1999

  2 November 1999

  Not upheld

  Kent

  20 October 1999

  2 November 1999

  Not upheld

  Kent

  22 October 1999

  2 November 1999

  Not upheld

  Ripon

  24 September 1999

  Ongoing

  Not upheld, but the Department is engaged in providing ongoing advice during the petition period

  Ripon

  25 October 1999

  29 October 1999

  Not upheld

  Ripon

  3 November 1999

  11 November 1999

  Not upheld, but the Department is engaged in providing ongoing advice during the petition period

  Ripon

  4 November 1999

  Ongoing

  —

  Sutton

  15 November 1999

  Ongoing

  —

  Tafford

  3 October 1999

  Ongoing

  —

  Tafford

  13 October 1999

  Ongoing

  —

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Secondary Class Sizes
  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many pupils of secondary age in England were in classes of 40 or above for the last year for which figures are available; and what percentage of the total number of secondary age pupils in England this figure represents. [101682]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  In January 1999, there were 1,900 pupils reported as being taught in one teacher classes of 40 or more in maintained secondary schools. This represents less than 0.07 per cent. of all pupils in these classes, and includes Physical Education lessons and classes where another adult was present.

  Grammar Schools
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many complaints have been received by his Department regarding campaigning literature(a) supporting the retention of grammar schools and (b) supporting the abolition of grammar schools, stating (i) the date when the complaint was first received,(ii) the date when a final decision was announced and (iii) whether the complaint was upheld. [101702]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  [holding answer 7 December 1999]: The information requested is shown in the following table.

  All complaints are considered by officials at the Department for Education and Employment. So far officials have investigated, or are investigating, 16 complaints about campaigns relating to the future of selective admissions to grammar schools. Details of these are included in the following table.

  Decisions made by Ministers on complaints about petitions and ballots are in accordance with Section 107 of the Standards and Framework Act 1998, the Ballot Information Code as set out in Schedule 4 to the Education (Grammar Schools Ballots) Regulations 1998, and the Guidance to Petitions and Ballots.

  New Deal
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the average total net cost or gain to the Exchequer of(a) an individual finding sustained unsubsidised employment of 13 weeks or more after leaving the gateway, (b) an individual finding sustained unsubsidised employment of 13 weeks or more after completing one of the options, (c) an individual on follow-through, (d) an individual leaving the gateway to be transferred to another benefit or to return to jobseeker's allowance and (e) an individual completing and leaving an option to be transferred to another benefit or to return to jobseeker' s allowance. [102115]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 9 December 1999]: There is a comprehensive evaluation programme in place for the new deal for young unemployed which will be addressing issues such as this. The impact of the new deal on an individual's employability at each stage is one of the evaluation answers. However, I am advised that precise weighting of the respective benefit of each stage is likely to be difficult. Most evaluation is still in progress and is yet to report. Early evidence suggests a positive effect on outflows of young people from unemployment into jobs. Further quantitative evaluation on the impact of new deal for young unemployed will be published shortly and will be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many young people have gained employment through the new deal in each constituency. [102589]

  Ms Jowell
  We plan to produce and publish summary statistics on the new deal for young people, for every Parliamentary constituency, in the new year. These will demonstrate our good progress towards meeting our Manifesto commitment of 250,000 young people into jobs under the new deal for young people.

  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people have joined the new deal in the (i) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, (ii) Middlesbrough, (iii) Redcar, (iv) Stockton North, (v) Stockton South and (vi) Hartlepool constituencies since the national launch. [102481]

  Ms Jowell
  To the end of September 1999 the numbers of people who have joined the new deals for young people and long-term unemployed people aged 25 or over for each constituency are as follows:

  New deal

  18–24

  25 plus

  Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland

  896

  572

  Middlesbrough

  1,632

  1,037

  Redcar

  1,114

  631

  Stockton North

  1,055

  292

  Stockton South

  712

  152

  Hartlepool

  1,007

  284

  It is encouraging that over 2,800 people have found jobs through these new deals and that we are well on target to meet our commitment of helping 250,000 young people into jobs.

  Co-operatives
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to encourage the growth of co-operatives. [102483]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: The Government welcome all types of business organisation, including co-operatives, which can meet the needs of employers, individuals and customers. This reflects the Government's key objectives of achieving high and stable levels of overall growth and employment, and a flexible and adaptable labour market.

  The UK's low inflation and stable macroeconomy, and its policies to promote competition, innovation and enterprise, aim to foster the conditions in which new jobs can be created, whether by co-operatives or by other types of organisation.

  Through the new deal, we are also forging partnerships with a wide range of non-government organisations, including community based organisations and other intermediaries who can co-operate in the task of helping jobless people back to work. A £5 million fund has also been established to support intermediary organisations in eleven cities, who can demonstrate they have effective links with employers and can help jobless people into work.

  Performance
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of school and college performance in 1999. [103195]

  Jacqui Smith
  Full information on the performance in 1999 of schools and FE sector colleges in England was published recently in this year's school and college performance tables. The results in the tables show a clear trend of continuing improvements in the GCSE and GNVQ results of pupils in secondary schools and in the achievements of students in schools and FE sector colleges in GCE A levels and other advanced qualifications. The tables also show substantial and very welcome increases in the proportion of pupils at the end of their primary schooling reaching the level expected of them in National Curriculum tests.

  The performance tables show what can be achieved by committed teachers and pupils, supported by effective national strategies. There is, of course, still much to do to reach our national targets for achievements in GCSEs and National Curriculum assessment by 2002, but we have the right foundations in place.

  Free School Meals
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will estimate the additional cost of extending access to free school meals to all primary school children. [103145]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Information on the cost of provision of free school meals is not collected separately and it is therefore not possible to provide the information requested.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will publish(a) the recommended

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  targets set and (b) the actual outcomes achieved by the Student Loans Company for processing loan claims in 1998. [102983]

  Mr. Wicks
  [holding answer 16 December 1999]: The target set for the Student Loans Company for processing loan claims in 1998–99 academic year under the new loans scheme was
  "to pay 100 per cent. of loan applications within 14 calendar days of receiving an application form excluding (a) any excess time (beyond two working days) that it takes HEIs to submit eligibility certificates; and (b) any time taken to receive additional information from borrowers or HEIs".

  For the old loans scheme, the target set for 1998–99 was
  "to pay 100 per cent of loans within 21 days of receiving an actionable application form, excluding (a) any excess time (beyond two working days) that it takes HEIs to submit eligibility certificates and borrowers to receive and return credit agreements and (b) to obtain additional or corrected information from borrowers or HEIs."

  The outturn figures for 1998–99 AY are not yet available. In 1997–98 AY, the Company achieved an outturn of 99.3 per cent. against a target of 98 per cent. of loans to be paid within 21 days.

  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will estimate the(a) number of students in receipt of student loans and (b) value of student loans to be paid, in (i) 1999–2000, (ii) 2000–2001 and (iii) 2001–02, [102878]

  Mr. Wicks
  [holding answer 16 December 1999]: On the basis of the number of students who have taken out loans this year, we estimate that in the region of 700,000 UK students will take out loans to a UK value of £1,400 million this financial year. Figures for future years are not yet available.

  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many students have not received in full their entitlement to student loans this autumn; how many have received partial advances; and if he will make a statement on the overall operation of the student support system. [103120]

  Mr. Wicks
  There have been 381,000 applications from students for a loan. 374,000 cheques have been issued to students to date, the remaining applications, which are nearly all from students who applied only recently, are being processed, half of these have failed validation checks. Students are able to borrow up to their full entitlement to support on two occasions during the academic year if they choose to do so. It is not possible to identify the number of applicants who have so far applied for less than their full entitlement.

  All parties involved in the provision of Student Support have worked well to implement the new arrangements effectively.

  ONE Service
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the first qualitative evaluation of the ONE service pilots will be available; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [103004]
  550W
  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 16 December 1999]: The first qualitative results from the ONE evaluation should be available in autumn 2000. Once received, final versions of the reports take around eight weeks to publish. Copies of the reports will be placed in the Library.

  Level 3 Qualifications
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on UCAS's proposals for a unified tariff of Level 3 qualifications. [102920]

  Mr. Wicks
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: The tariff of points for entry to higher education is constructed by UCAS, which is an independent organisation. The UCAS board recently announced changes to the tariff.

  My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, while welcoming some aspects of the Tariff which are expected to be supportive of the "Qualifying for Success" reforms, is not convinced of the need to change the ratio between the A and E grades from 5:1 to 3:1. He has said he will consider the issue further in discussions with UCAS.

  Home Teaching
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will provide a breakdown by local education authority of the number of children who are taught at home by their parents; and what plans he has to institute a national register and to make it a requirement that parents who plan to teach their children at home inform the local education authority. [103571]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 21 November 1999]: Information on the number of children educated at home by their parents is not held centrally. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no current plans to introduce a national register of home-educated children. Home educated pupils can be removed from a school roll only where the school has received written notification from the parent that the pupil is receiving education otherwise than at school. The relevant local education authority is under a duty to monitor the education provided to home-educated children and to enforce school attendance where it is inadequate.

  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what mechanisms exist for ensuring that the educational attainment and progress of children who are taught at home by their parents are adequately monitored to ensure that children are not educationally disadvantaged. [103572]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: Under the 1996 Education Act, parents can opt to educate their children otherwise than at school. In such circumstances, local education authorities have a duty to ensure that the education provided is suitable to age, aptitude and ability and any special educational needs the child may have. It is for education authorities to decide how to monitor these arrangements. In cases where the education being provided is deemed not suitable, LEAs can apply to the courts for an Education Supervision Order, which could allow home education to continue with supervision, or they can try to obtain a School Attendance Order.

  LEA Management
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list those consultants who have been engaged by his Department to advise on the management of individual local education authorities following Ofsted reports on them; how many companies have bid for each contract; what the criteria were against which the successful bidders were selected; and what is the total cost of these consultancy contracts. [103575]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: Six consultancy firms have been awarded framework contracts by the DfEE to undertake work in relation to LEA intervention. These are: PricewaterhouseCoopers; KPMG; The Office for Public Management; Lorien; Capita; and Arthur Andersen/ Birmingham LEA.

  Under European Union procurement rules, we conducted a rigorous competition to establish framework contracts with consultancy firms. Framework arrangements allow the Department to appoint consultants quickly following an Ofsted report, without the need for a separate procurement exercise for each intervention case. 97 consultancy firms originally expressed an interest in the work and, following the competition, frameworks were established with six of them. In order to ensure maximum value for money, we have also held mini-competitions to let particular contracts.

  The criteria for selecting the consultants included a proven track record in: understanding the nature of services provided by LEAs; working with service providers to improve service delivery standards; handling complex contract and project management arrangements; and preparing service related specifications.

  The estimated overall cost of ongoing consultancy in Hackney, Liverpool, Islington, Leicester City and Haringey is £2.7 million including VAT. The costs are generally split between DfEE and the LEA concerned.

  Barnet Schools
  Sir Sydney Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer of 1 December 1999,Official Report, column 227W, what was the proportion of out-of-borough pupils attending primary and secondary schools in Barnet in each of the last five years. [103008]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: Information on the number of out-of-borough pupils educated in schools in Barnet is not collected in the form requested.

  The numbers of pupils educated in Barnet by school type is derived from returns made by schools to the Department in January each year. A separate survey collects information on the overall number of out-of-borough pupils in schools but these figures are not collected by school type and are therefore not directly comparable with the January figures.

  Funding (Lancashire)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment which educational institutions will benefit from funding under the capital guidelines for Lancashire for 2000–01. [103229]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: It is for Lancashire County Council to decide how best to use the over £6.5 million of credit approvals, which was allocated to it under the 2000–01 Education Annual Capital Guideline to meet local need. That said, part of the allocation was made in recognition of the need for 536 additional secondary places in the Clithetoe and Poulton/Thornton Cleveleys area; part in recognition of improvement and replacement works that are needed at all maintained schools; and part in recognition of commitments arising from the projects supported under the Annual Capital Guideline.

  Sixth Formers
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many pupils in maintained schools sixth forms are unable to qualify either for(a) child benefit, (b) other social security benefits and (c) student support. [103235]

  Mr. Wicks
  The information asked for on child and social security benefits is not collected by the Department and cannot be supplied. This Department's School Access Fund is making £6 million available in 1999–2000 and will provide support to about 15,000 post-16 pupils in sixth forms. In addition, we would expect a similar number to be assisted through discretionary payments made by local authorities. In addition we have made £100 million available over the period 1999–2002 to pilot Education Maintenance Allowances to help young people in all forms of education, including sixth forms.

  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the annual average cost of full-time education of persons aged 16 to 19 years in(a) maintained school sixth forms, (b) sixth form colleges and (c) other further education colleges in each of the last five years together with his projections for the next two years. [103236]

  Mr. Wicks
  It is not possible to give average annual costs for 16 to 19-year-olds in school sixth forms, sixth form colleges and other further educational colleges because data on expenditure are not collected in a way that allows the calculation to be made.

  The table gives estimates of the public funding costs of a successful level 3 qualification package (i.e. A levels, Advanced GNVQs and Level 3 NVQs) in school sixth forms and colleges. These are for full-time courses and do not take account of any cross-subsidisation within institutions or other sources of funding (e.g. employers), but do take account of the retention and achievement variation across the two sectors.

  Sector

  Funding cost£2

  Index3

  1995–961

  LEA maintained schools

  7,060

  100

  Grant maintained schools

  7,110

  101

  General FE colleges

  6,580

  93

  Sixth form colleges

  6,360

  90

  553W

  Sector

  Funding cost£2

  Index3

  1996–97

  LEA maintained schools

  7,380

  100

  Grant maintained schools

  7,630

  103

  General FE colleges

  6,250

  85

  Sixth form colleges

  5,910

  80

  1 Methodology changed between 1995–96 and 1996–97; these estimates use the same methodology as for 1996–97

  2 Rounded to the nearest £10

  3 LEA maintained schools = 100

  Notes

  1. 1995–96 and 1996–97 are the only two years for which data are available on a comparable basis

  2. DfEE do not project unit output funding estimates

  The Government are committed to levelling up funding across post-16 routes over time, and have recently announced an additional £1.56 billion for further education over three years to begin to close the historical funding gap.

  Maintenance Allowances
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many educational maintenance allowances have been paid to date and at what total cost, in each of the pilot areas; and if he will make a statement. [103237]

  Mr. Wicks
  The information requested is in the table (figures refer to the period up to and including 26 November):

  Current EMA recipients

  Total cost to date (£)

  Bolton

  1,011

  109,434.82

  Cornwall

  1,574

  625,480.85

  Doncaster

  439

  107,103.50

  Gateshead

  925

  91,673.00

  Greenwich

  98

  15,383.20

  Lambeth

  182

  25,018.10

  Leeds

  728

  201,285.46

  Lewisham

  45

  6,485.30

  Middlesbrough

  871

  193,144.46

  Nottingham

  1,087

  223,324.50

  Oldham

  1,186

  145,969.33

  Southampton

  750

  159,076.20

  Southwark

  72

  7,716.48

  Stoke

  912

  108,961.08

  Walsall

  1,006

  243,533.58

  Total

  10,886

  2,805,769.48

  We are encouraged by the success so far in the overall take-up of EMAs. We have worked alongside our external partners in the 15 pilot areas to ensure the smoothest possible introduction of the pilot scheme. LEAs are still dealing with EMA applications, including a number of cases where additional information is required to complete the assessment. We therefore expect the number of EMA recipients to rise further in the coming months.

  An initial evaluation report is due in September 2000. However, early anecdotal evidence suggests that EMAs have helped young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to remain in education when they might otherwise would not have been able to afford to participate. In addition, a number of Institutions have reported improvements in attendance.
  554W
  EMAs have the potential to make a real difference to the life chances of young people and we are pleased that the pilots have made an encouraging start.

  Fee Collection
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the collection by higher education institutions this term of fee contributions from(a) students and (b) local authorities. [103119]

  Mr. Wicks
  Higher education institutions are responsible for making arrangements to collect tuition fees from all those students liable to pay them. We have asked institutions to be sensitive and flexible in their collection of the fee contribution and therefore in many cases students will be paying in instalments extending beyond the first term. Local authorities pay the fee contribution for students who fall under the previous arrangements; the Student Loans Company will pay the fee contribution due for students entitled to support from public funds under the current arrangements. In both cases, payment is due to an institution once the continued attendance of each student is confirmed three months after the beginning of the academic year. For the academic year beginning 1 September 1999, such payments from local authorities should in most cases be received by 9 February 2000.

  Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the number and value of contracts let by his Department since May 1997 to external consultants and advisers for the management of competitive tendering processes. [103608]

  Mr. Wills
  No contracts to manage competitive tendering processes have been let by the Department since 1997.

  Staff Secondments
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many staff were seconded from the private sector to his Department in(a) May 1997 to April 1998, (b) May 1998 to April 1999 and (c) May 1999 to the latest date for which figures are available, stating in each case the companies from which staff have been seconded. [103605]

  Mr. Wills
  Between May 1997 to April 1998, this Department had three secondees from the private sector. They came from Aquemen Services, Glaxo Wellcome and Pannell Kerr Forster Associates.

  Between May 1998 to April 1999, we had five secondees—one from Aquemen Services, one from IICL, one from Glaxo Wellcome and two from the BBC.

  From May 1999 to date, we have had two secondees—from the Link Group and from Glaxo Wellcome.

  Project Charlie
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the Government's plans are for a
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  further follow-up study of the drug-use attitudes of Project Charlie children; and if these plans include an increase in the size of the sample used previously. [103481]

  Jacqui Smith
  There are no current plans for a further specific study of Project Charlie. As part of our commitment to the anti-drugs strategy, from next year we will be commissioning the funding, in partnership with others, a longitudinal study on the effectiveness of drug education. The project will aim to establish evidence of the cost-effectiveness and effectiveness of drug education, within the wide PSHE context, in terms of changes in behaviour among young people to resist drug use.

  Higher Education Institutions
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the Government's policy is on the relative amounts of funding available for(a) single-discipline higher education institutions and (b) multi-discipline higher education institutions. [103364]

  Mr. Wicks
  The Government support diversity within the higher education sector. In its distribution of funding the Higher Education Funding Council for England takes into account the size and range of disciplines in institutions as well as factors directly related to teaching and research and keeps under review those institutions that specialise in a few subjects.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Millennium Experience
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what was the total cost of focus group research carried out by the New Millennium Experience Company; and if he will publish the names of the organisations which carried out the research, the questions put to participants and the results of the research. [98823]

  Janet Anderson
  Two focus group research projects have been carried out to inform the New Millennium Experience Company's considerations about the positioning and targeting of the Millennium Experience since the Government gave the go-ahead for the project in June 1997. A further two focus group research projects have been undertaken to test reactions of the public to proposals for advertising the Millennium Experience at the Dome. The companies involved in these projects are Hall and Partners, One World Research and Davey Bioletti. The cost of the research is covered within the company's marketing, communications and commercial budget as set out in the company's Annual Report and Financial Statements to 31 March 1999 and published in July 1999. The results of the research are commercially confidential.

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many tickets for the Millennium Experience had been sold in(a) Wales, (b) Scotland and (c) Northern Ireland by 1 November. [101431]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 6 December 1999]: NMEC is keen to encourage visitors, from all parts of the UK, to the Dome in 2000. Ticket sales and reservations are running ahead of NMEC's expectations and, at over
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  one million, are outstripping advance sales for other worldwide visitor attractions. The company is concerned not to affect the on-going success of ticket sales through publication of selected and piecemeal statistics at this stage. It is competing in the crowded and highly commercial marketplace of visitor attractions and its competitors do not publish detailed statistics of forward sales in the formats that have been requested. However, NMEC has informed the Select Committee for Culture, Media and Sport, on a commercially confidential basis, of progress on ticket sales and will provide, periodically, further progress reports as requested by the Committee. The company will release details in February 2000 of attendance at the Dome during January 2000, and on a monthly basis thereafter.

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many tickets for the Millennium Experience had been sold in(a) North East England, (b) North West England and (c) the East Midlands by 1 November. [101463]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 7 December 1999]: NMEC is keen to encourage visitors, from all parts of the UK, to the Dome in 2000. Ticket sales and reservations are running ahead of NMEC's expectations and, at over 1 million, are outstripping advance sales for other worldwide visitor attractions. The company is concerned not to affect the on-going success of ticket sales through publication of selected and piecemeal statistics at this stage. It is competing in the crowded and highly commercial marketplace of visitor attractions and its competitors do not publish detailed statistics of forward sales in the formats that have been requested. However, NMEC has informed the Select Committee for Culture, Media and Sport, on a commercially confidential basis, of progress on ticket sales and will provide, periodically, further progress reports as requested by the Committee. The company will release details in February 2000 of attendance at the Dome during January 2000, and on a monthly basis thereafter.

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many tickets for the Millennium Experience had been sold in(a) East Anglia, (b) the West Midlands, (c) the South West, (d) the South East and (e) London by 1 November. [101471]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 8 December 1999]: NMEC is keen to encourage visitors, from all parts of the UK, to the Dome in 2000. Ticket sales and reservations are running ahead of NMEC's expectations and, at over 1 million, are outstripping advance sales for other worldwide visitor attractions. The company is concerned not to affect the on-going success of ticket sales through publication of selected and piecemeal statistics at this stage. It is competing in the crowded and highly commercial marketplace of visitor attractions and its competitors do not publish detailed statistics of forward sales in the formats that have been requested. However, NMEC has informed the Select Committee for Culture, Media and Sport, on a commercially confidential basis, of progress on ticket sales and will provide, periodically, further progress reports as requested by the Committee. The company will release details in February 2000 of attendance at the Dome during January 2000, and on a monthly basis thereafter.
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  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many free tickets to the Millennium Dome have been made available to Dome sponsors. [99129]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 23 November 1999]: It is normal and established practice that sponsors of major events receive tickets to the sponsored event. The value of tickets is taken into account in calculating the sponsorship package. The New Millennium Experience Company's sponsorship arrangements mirror this approach and, consequently, sponsors of the Millennium Experience project receive a number of tickets in proportion to, and as a reflection of, the scale of their sponsorship.

  Mr. Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many applications there have been by region from schools for tickets to visit the Millennium Dome from January to May 2000 inclusive; and how many were granted for the same period by region. [100297]

  Janet Anderson
  So far over 560,000 children are booked to visit the Dome. The high level of enthusiasm among schoolchildren and teachers has, in part, been fired by the Learning Experience programme. This is a series of initiatives run by the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) to assist delivery of its "education" objective. Over the last 12 months in particular, NMEC has issued four Millennium Experience resource packs to all schools; finalised arrangements for the McDonald' s Our Town Stage event which enables every education authority and library board to have a day in the Dome; worked with Tesco on the SchoolNet2000 initiative through which children are compiling an electronic Domesday Book which will be completed this month; and worked with Marks and Spencer on Voices of Promise, which has encouraged and enabled children to compose songs for the millennium.

  The first of the ballots to allocate the one million free school tickets to the Dome was drawn on 15 November and covered the period February through to April 2000 inclusive. These free tickets are outside NMEC's 12 million visitor target and were not included in the recent announcement by the Shareholder, Lord Falconer, that over a million tickets had already been sold. A total of 226,408 free tickets have been allocated in this first ballot to over 2,600 schools. All schools who applied by the closing date received an allocation. The number of successful schools by region are:

  Region

  Number

  South East

  501

  London

  614

  East

  288

  South West

  284

  East Midlands

  246

  West Midlands

  186

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  135

  North West

  133

  Wales

  104

  North East

  42

  Scotland

  33

  Northern Ireland

  28

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  The closing date for the second ballot for free tickets, covering the period May to July, is 13 February; the closing date for the third ballot, covering the period September to November, is 11 June; and the closing date for the fourth ballot, covering December, is 10 September. Over 2,500 schools have chosen to apply for paid-for visits at £8 per child. So far, the total number of reservations from these schools is 340,000. NMEC, through the Education and Learning Experience Managers in its 12 offices countrywide (Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, the North East, Yorkshire and Humberside, the North West, the East Midlands, the West Midlands, the East, the South East, the South West and London), and through the regional media will continue to ensure that all schools are fully aware of the free ticket scheme and of the education visit arrangements.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the budgeted income was from ticket sales to the Millennium Dome for the first eight weeks for which tickets were on sale; and what the actual income from such sales was. [99333]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 30 November 1999]: NMEC is keen to encourage visitors, from all parts of the UK, to the Dome in 2000. Ticket sales and reservations are running ahead of NMEC' s expectations and, at over one million, are outstripping advance sales for other worldwide visitor attractions. The company is concerned not to affect the on-going success of ticket sales through publication of selected and piecemeal statistics at this stage. It is competing in the crowded and highly commercial marketplace of visitor attractions and its competitors do not publish detailed statistics of forward sales in the formats that have been requested. However, NMEC has informed the Select Committee for Culture, Media and Sport, on a commercially confidential basis, of progress on ticket sales and will provide, periodically, further progress reports as requested by the Committee. The company will release details in February 2000 of attendance at the Dome during January 2000, and on a monthly basis thereafter.

  Mr. Tony Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many tickets have been sold to date for entry to the Millennium Dome, broken down on a geographical basis.[100786]

  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people from North Yorkshire have bought tickets to visit the Millennium Dome in January 2000. [103838]

  Janet Anderson
  NMEC is keen to encourage visitors, from all parts of the UK, to the Dome in 2000. Ticket sales and reservations are running ahead of NMEC's expectations and, at over 1 million, are outstripping advance sales for other world-wide visitor attractions. The company is concerned not to affect the on-going success of ticket sales through publication of selected and piecemeal statistics at this stage. It is competing in the crowded and highly commercial market place of visitor attractions and its competitors do not publish detailed statistics of forward sales in the formats that have been requested. However, NMEC has informed the Select Committee for Culture, Media and Sport, on a commercially confidential basis, of progress on ticket sales and will provide, periodically, further progress reports as requested by the Committee. The company will
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  release details in February 2000 of attendance at the Dome during January 2000, and on a monthly basis thereafter.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the allocation of room in the Millennium Dome for primary school children to eat packed lunches. [103204]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: Children will be able to eat their packed lunches within the Dome. There are spaces available for visitors generally to use, for such purposes.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make provision to give primary school teachers free passes to the Millennium Dome to enable them to make preliminary visits before taking children in school parties. [103206]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: All education groups that have confirmed a visit to the Dome will receive, in advance of their visit, a Welcome Pack. This pack will provide all the information a teacher will need to plan their visit. As well as containing the group's tickets, the Welcome Pack will include an orientation leaflet designed to show the visitor the location of all the zones in the Dome as well as all the other major amenities on site. A video will also be included in the pack. This 10-minute video includes a computer generated fly-through of the Dome, covering each of the 14 zones, the Millennium Show and the Skyscape arena. Further, a brochure will also be included which contains a summary of the content and key messages contained within each zone. It is not possible for NMEC to offer reconnaissance visits to the site but their aim, with the material provided, is to ensure that teachers have sufficient information to plan their day at the Dome. Teachers should also be able to complete any risk assessment analysis that is required before visits can take place.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many free school tickets have been granted to primary schools in(a) England, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales for visits to the Millennium Dome. [103207]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: The one million free tickets available to schools are being allocated through four ballots—one in November 1999, one in February, one in June and one in September 2000. All schools have been given details of the scheme. The New Millennium Experience Company announced the outcome of the first ballot on 30 November when 226,498 free tickets were awarded to 2,600 schools. All those who applied by the cut-off date for the November ballot received an allocation of tickets. The company included, in its announcement, a regional breakdown. I have placed copies in the House Libraries. About 70 per cent. of the tickets applied for have been for children of primary school age.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on guide facilities for primary school parties visiting the Millennium Dome. [103205]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: There are some 800 Hosts on site at any one time available to help visitors, including school groups, enjoy
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  their day at the Dome to the full. It is not the New Millennium Experience Company's policy to allocate formal guides to particular groups of visitors; the Hosts' training programmes aim to ensure that they can deal with the requirements of all visitors. In addition, the individual exhibit zones have dedicated staff who are able to "guide" school and other groups through the zone.

  Lottery Terminals
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many Dome tickets have been sold through Lottery terminals. [101513]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 7 December 1999]: NMEC is keen to encourage visitors, from all parts of the UK, to the Dome in 2000. Ticket sales and reservations are running ahead of NMEC's expectations and, at over one million, are outstripping advance sales for other worldwide visitor attractions. The company is concerned not to affect the on-going success of ticket sales through publication of selected and piecemeal statistics at this stage. It is competing in the crowded and highly commercial marketplace of visitor attractions and its competitors do not publish detailed statistics of forward sales in the formats that have been requested. However, NMEC has informed the Select Committee for Culture, Media and Sport, on a commercially confidential basis, of progress on ticket sales and will provide, periodically, further progress reports as requested by the Committee. The company will release details in February 2000 of attendance at the Dome during January 2000, and on a monthly basis thereafter.

  Cinemas (Preservation Order)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the cinemas in England and Wales that have a preservation order on them. [103169]

  Janet Anderson
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has the power to list buildings in England; the responsibility for listing buildings in Wales rests with the Welsh National Assembly. Local planning authorities can serve Building Preservation Notices (BPNs) in respect of buildings which are not listed, but which they consider are of special architectural or historic interest and are under threat. BPNs remain in force for six months during which the Secretary of State must decide whether to list the building concerned. There are no such cases currently before him.

  There are 123 listed cinema buildings in England; English Heritage recently launched a public consultation in respect of a further 30 cinema buildings which it has identified as having the potential for listing. The consultation period lasts until 1 March next year, after which English Heritage will submit its recommendations to the Secretary of State for decision.

  London Art Market
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the impact of prospective taxes on the London art market. [103837]

  Dr. Howells
  I have been asked to reply.
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  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 26 November 1999, Official Report, columns 217–18W.

  Football
  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will estimate the expenditure on football ground improvements involving grant and loan aid from the Football Trust in each year from 1988, broken down by ground. [103756]

  Kate Hoey
  £250 million of grant aid has been awarded to clubs for ground development projects since the Government began to contribute to funding of the Football Trust in 1990 through a reduction in pool duty. The decisions by the Trust on payments have been placed in both Libraries of the House since that date. Information on Trust grant payments from 1988–90 is available from the Trust itself.

  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will estimate the amount of Government grants to the Football Trust in each year from 1988. [103757]

  Kate Hoey
  The Government have provided funding to the Football Trust through a reduction in pool betting duty since 1990. The Trust has received the following amounts:

  £million

  1990–91

  18.7

  1991–92

  20.4

  1992–93

  21.1

  1993–94

  22.6

  1994–95

  22.8

  1995–96

  15.9

  1996–97

  13.6

  1997–98

  10.1

  1998–99

  7.8

  Source

  The Football Trust

  Overseas Visitors
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received on the number of overseas visitors to the UK in each of the last three years.[102016]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: I am not aware of specific representations. The numbers were 25.2 million in 1996, 25.5 million in 1997 and 25.7 million in 1998.

  Lottery Funding
  Mr. Dawson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the successful bids from churches and other religious institutions for grants to assist capital works under the various lottery applications since May 1997. [103097]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: According to the latest information from the lottery distributors, to date 488 awards totalling £79,737,219 have gone to capital projects which are directly attributable to churches and other religious institutions. I have placed a full list in the Libraries of the House.

  Sports Funding
  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the Government grant support given to Sport England and its predecessor body for each of the years from 1994 to 1999. [103874]

  Kate Hoey
  Sport England was established by Royal Charter on 19 September 1996 and became fully operational on 1 January 1997. Since then its grant in aid has been:

  Year

  £ million

  1996–97

  115.7

  1997–98

  33.7

  1998–99

  33.5

  1999–2000

  234.5

  1From 1 January 1997

  2Allocation

  Prior to the establishment of Sport England funding for sport was channelled through the GB Sports Council. Grant in aid to the GB Sports Council for the relevant years was:

  Year

  £ million

  1993–94

  50.6

  1994–95

  49.4

  1995–96

  49.2

  1996–971

  27.7

  1Up to 31 December 1996

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the obstacles that have prevented his Department from answering any of the questions tabled by the hon. Member for Cardiff, Central since 8 November about ticket sales for the Millennium Experience. [103601]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: I have answered the questions tabled by my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, Central (Mr. Jones) about ticket sales for the Millennium Experience in as open a way as possible and I remain grateful for his interest in the project.

  NMEC is keen to encourage visitors, from all parts of the UK, to the Dome in 2000. Ticket sales and reservations are running ahead of NMEC's expectations and, at over 1 million, are outstripping advance sales for other worldwide visitor attractions. The company is concerned not to affect the on-going success of ticket sales through publication of selected and piecemeal statistics at this stage. It is competing in the crowded and highly commercial marketplace of visitor attractions and its competitors do not publish detailed statistics of forward sales in the formats that have been requested. However, NMEC has informed the Select Committee for Culture, Media and Sport, on a commercially confidential basis, of progress on ticket sales and will provide, periodically, further progress reports as requested by the Committee. The company will release details in February 2000 of attendance at the Dome during January 2000, and on a monthly basis thereafter.

  Free Television Licences (Over-75s)
  Kali Mountford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received about refunds for television licence stamps already purchased by people aged over 75 years. [103637]

  Kate Hoey
  The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has received 12 letters from Members of the House of Commons and seven from members of the public about refunds of television licence savings stamps purchased by people aged 75 or over. Any television licence savings stamps not required to purchase a licence can be redeemed, by post, from TV Licensing. We intend to announce full details of the scheme, including the precise starting date, early in the new year.

  World Cup Envoy
  Mr. Salter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the overseas visits made by my hon. Friend the Member for West Ham (Mr. Banks) in his capacity as the Prime Minister's Envoy to the 2006 World Cup campaign; and if he will list those members of the FIFA Executive the hon. Member for West Ham has met since taking on his new role. [103124]
  Kate Hoey: The information requested by my hon. Friend has been supplied by the FA 2006 bid team and is as follows:

  Country visited

  FIFA executive member(s) met

  Zurich

  Joseph S. Blatter (FIFA President)

  Kuala Lumpur

  Mohamed Bin Hammam (Qatar) Worawi Makudi (Thailand)

  Dr. Chung Mong-Joo (Korea)

  Saudi Arabia and Qatar

  Mohamed Bin Hammam (Qatar)

  Thailand

  Worawi Makudi (Thailand)

  New Zealand

  Charles Dempsey (New Zealand)

  Lennart Johansson (Sweden)

  Julio Grondona (Argentina)

  David Will (Scotland)

  Issa Hayatou (Cameroon)

  Dr. Joseph Mifsud (Malta)

  Senes Erzik (Turkey)

  Jack Warner (Trinidad and Tobago)

  Angel Maria Villar Llona (Spain)

  U.S.A.

  Chuck Blazer (U.S.A.)

  Shipwreck Amsterdam
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the management of the archaeological site of the shipwreck Amsterdam. [103036]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The wreck site of the Amsterdam was one of the first sites to be afforded legal protection under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973. Designation of a wreck site under the provisions of this Act makes it an offence for anyone to tamper with, damage or remove any part of a vessel without the authority of a licence granted by the Secretary of State. Recently concerns have been voiced over the state of steel girders left over the site following licensed archaeological excavations in the 1980s. I am pleased to be able to report that these girders were removed in October this year.

  Underwater Heritage
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will assess the benefits of transferring responsibility for underwater cultural heritage to English Heritage.[103037]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Government are fully committed to transferring responsibility for underwater cultural heritage to English Heritage as soon as a suitable legislative opportunity arises. This will put underwater archaeology on the same footing as land archaeology, allowing access to English Heritage grant funds which are currently not available to underwater projects.

  Stonehenge
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if the bids received by English Heritage in respect of the Stonehenge Visitors Centre project have been evaluated and by whom; what is the timescale for consequent decisions; whether the bids have been seen and considered by(a) the National Trust, (b) the Ministry of Defence, (c) the DETR and (d) Salisbury District Council; and when their comments will be (i) considered by him and (ii) published. [103408]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The preferred commercial operator of the new visitor centre will be chosen by a selection panel which is made up of commissioners and senior staff of English Heritage, council members and senior staff of the National Trust and a senior member of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. The panel have been provided with a wide range of professional and technical advice and the Highways Agency, English Nature, Salisbury District Council and Wiltshire County Council have all been consulted. The Ministry of Defence is not involved in the selection of the operator for the new visitor centre. The panel met with representatives of the short listed bidders on 16 December and hopes to make an announcement of the preferred bidder early in 2000. Salisbury District Council will, in due course, consider a planning application submitted by the preferred bidder. It is not possible at this stage to give an accurate estimate of the timescale for the consultations that will follow the selection of the bidder.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  High Court Judges
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the Lord Chancellor's disciplinary powers regarding the conduct of High Court judges. [103742]

  Jane Kennedy
  The Lord Chancellor has no power to remove High Court judges. They can be dismissed only by the Queen following a resolution of both Houses of Parliament. But the Lord Chancellor, as head of the judiciary, is able to guide, counsel, advise or rebuke with a view to ensuring that judges uphold the standards of conduct which the public expect of them.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many High Court judges have been censured by the Lord Chancellor since May 1997. [103811]
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  Jane Kennedy
  Since May 1997, the Lord Chancellor has seen fit to "censure" two High Court judges. In the first instance, he wrote to a judge who had used official paper for private purposes. In the second, he spoke to a judge who had re-assigned a case from one judge to another without a hearing in open court.

  IT Systems (Land Registry)
  Mr. Gordon Marsden
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what factors underlay the retention of business process re-engineering within the Land Registry when the recent decision over contracting out IT systems was taken. [103626]

  Jane Kennedy
  The recently awarded contract represents a key strategic partnership between HM Land Registry and COMPAQ, which seeks to make best use of private sector expertise in providing, maintaining and enhancing the Land Registry's IT infrastructure. This partnership will see the agency continuing to progress the work carried out so far in re-engineering its business processes, working alongside COMPAQ, which will ensure the IT infrastructure is capable of meeting the Land Registry's current and future needs.

  This partnership arrangement is the best option for ensuring that effective change is taken forward as quickly as possible with minimal risk.

  Departmental Productivity
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what action he is taking to increase the productivity and reduce the running costs of his Department. [103852]

  Mr. Lock
  Delivering efficient and modern public services is a key part of the Government's agenda for improving productivity. Greater efficiency is being sought therefore within the public sector to ensure that the most effective results are obtained from available resources. The Department's Public Service Agreement (PSA) includes a range of measures for taking this forward, both within the Department and in other public sector bodies.

  Those measures which will help raise the Department's own productivity are as follows:

  General productivity measures include:
  Better Quality Services—to review 60 per cent. of LCD services by March 2003.
  Sickness absence—to contribute towards a reduction in public sector sickness absence of 20 per cent. by 2001 and 30 per cent. by 2003.
  Procurement—to achieve an annual 5 per cent. reduction in general procurement expenditure.
  Specific LCD departmental targets include:
  To reduce the duration of civil cases by: increasing the proportion of administrative processes dealt with in target time from 92 per cent. to 95 per cent.; reducing the waiting times for asylum appeals at the Immigration Appellate Authorities from 36 to 17 weeks by 2000–01.
  To reduce the unit cost of civil cases in real terms by: reducing court room over-capacity; reducing unit costs of items of originating process in the civil courts by an average of 3 per cent. per annum; reducing the unit cost of asylum appeals by 3 per cent. per annum.
  To halve the time from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders from 142 to 61 days.
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  To reduce the average number of days taken for cases in magistrates courts from 31 to 29 days by March 2000.
  To achieve stability in real terms in the cost of legally aided criminal defence services by March 2002.
  To reduce in real terms the units cost of cases in the Crown court by an average of 3 per cent. per annum.

  Many of the targets listed are also Key Performance Indicators or supporting targets of the LCD's Court Service Agency.

  The Department's gross running costs provision for 1999–2000 to 2001–02 is set out in its PSA. The productivity measures listed will enable the Department to increase the quantity and quality of outputs delivered by its running cost expenditure over this period.

  Persistent Young Offenders
  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the average time taken from arrest to sentence of persistent young offenders in Nottinghamshire in the latest month for which figures are available; and what was the equivalent figure for the same month one year earlier. [103184]

  Jane Kennedy
  The Government's pledge to halve the average time from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders is monitored using data from the Police National Computer. The most recent figures by police force area refer to January 1999 to June 1999 when the average for Nottinghamshire was 126 days. Monthly figures for Nottinghamshire over this period are not available. Figures for January to June 1998 covering Nottinghamshire alone are not available: the previous figures cover 1998 as a whole, and the average for Nottinghamshire was 148 days. Further information about these figures is available in LCD Press Notices 154–99 and 368–99 copies of which have been placed in the House of Commons Library.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Growth Promoters
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which antibiotics are permitted for use in farming as growth promoters in(a) Thailand and (b) Brazil in products that may be imported into the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.[100402]

  Ms Quin
  The details as to which antibiotic growth promoters are used in Thailand and Brazil in the farming of food animals that are likely to be imported into the UK are not currently available. However, it is possible that some antibiotic growth promoters are used in the rearing of food-producing animals that are not permitted for such use in the EU. In adopting a temporary ban on four antibiotic growth promoters in December 1998, the Council of Agriculture Ministers asked the Commission to produce a report on the external dimension of the measure. In particular, the Council asked the Commission to consider how the EU' s trading partners might be encouraged to adopt equivalent measures. This report is expected by the end of this year.

  Poultry (Thailand)
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the occasions since 1 May 1997 when(a) poultry farms and (b) poultry processing plants in Thailand have been inspected by (i) MAFF officials alone, (ii) MAFF officials within an EU inspection team and (iii) an EU inspection team not including MAFF officials; and if he will place in the Library copies of the reports of those visits. [101100]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 2 December 1999]: Veterinary staff from the MAFF/Department of Health Joint Food Safety and Standards Group and the MAFF Veterinary International Trade team visited Thailand from 31 January to 12 February this year. They visited five poultry meat establishments, four of which were combined slaughterhouses, cutting plants, meat preparations and meat products premises. The fifth establishment was a stand-alone meat products premises. The central laboratory of the Department of Livestock Development, a hatchery and a broiler farm were visited. The report of the mission was sent to the Commission and placed in the Library on 24 June 1999. It can also be found on the Ministry's internet site, the address of which is http://maffweb/animalh/int-trde. A European Commission-led inspection of poultry or poultry meat premises in Thailand is currently under way, and I will ensure that the report is placed in the Libraries of the House as soon as it is available.

  Farm Animal Welfare
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce legislation to require pigmeat and other meat which has been produced by methods which would be illegal in the UK to be labelled as such; and if he will make a statement. [101637]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 7 December 1999]: Unilateral action of the kind suggested would be contrary to European law. However, MAFF is raising such labelling issues in EU and international discussions. We are also consulting all interested parties on guidance aimed at ensuring that country of origin markings on food labels provide accurate information about the true origin of ingredients used. In the meantime, we will continue to encourage retailers, caterers and public procurement authorities to source their supplies of pork and pork products to British standards.

  Beef on the Bone Ban
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what reasons the Government(a) decided to require that no beef with the bone in from cattle over six months old should be sold to consumers and (b) not to make public the research findings on the subject, together with SEAC's assessment of the risk. [101735]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 7 December 1999]: The ban on sales of bone-in beef from cattle over six months of age was introduced after the Government was advised by the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC) that BSE infectivity had been discovered in the dorsal root ganglia, and possibly bone marrow, of cattle infected experimentally with BSE. The Government's decision to introduce the controls was taken after consideration of SEAC's advice and in the
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  light of advice from the then CMO, Sir Kenneth Calman, that he would be very concerned if any tissues that had been shown to transmit BSE were knowingly allowed to remain in the human food chain.

  SEAC's advice to Ministers, including its assessment of the risk, was published on 3 December 1997 by means of a Ministry of Agriculture News Release. Sir Kenneth Caiman's advice was published on 5 December 1997 by means of a Department of Health News Release. Copies of both were placed in the Library of the House. Details of the research findings were published in a peer review journal "The Veterinary Record": GAH Wells et al, January 1998 (vol.142, pp.103-106), and March 1999 (vol.144, pp.292–294).

  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what new scientific evidence he received between 21 September and the date on which he announced the lifting of the ban on beef on the bone. [101737]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  On 30 November, I received joint advice from the 4 CMOs in the UK, based on the latest epidemiological estimates from the Oxford Group.

  A copy of this advice was placed in the Library of the House at the time.

  Pig Farming
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the cost to pig farmers in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) Cumbria of the banning of sow stalls and tethers. [102396]

  Ms Quin
  The stall and tether ban was introduced in 1991, with an eight-year phase-out period for existing stall and tether systems. No recent assessments have therefore been made of the costs to pig farmers in either the UK in general or Cumbria in particular.

  Bovine Somatropin
  Mr. David Heath
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will support the European Commission's proposal to ban bovine somatropin from January 2000. [101748]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 9 December 1999]: We have received clear advice from the Veterinary Products Committee (VPC) that the treatment of dairy cows with recombinant bovine somatropin (rBST) is associated with severe welfare problems. We announced on 11 October that we had accepted the VPC's advice to support a continuation of the moratorium or equivalent measures which prohibit the use of rBST. Accordingly, we support the ban proposed by the European Commission. A copy of the VPC's report is in the Library of the House.

  Over-30-months Scheme
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the findings of the SEAC review into the over-thirty-months scheme; and if he will make a statement. [102218]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: The Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC) is not undertaking a review of the over-thirty-months scheme, but of the over-thirty-month rule,

  569W
  which determines those bovines which may be slaughtered for human consumption. The Committee has been considering the issues involved at its meetings throughout 1999. Reports of its deliberations have been the subject of subsequent press briefings by the SEAC Chairman and published in SEAC News Releases. SEAC continued the review at its most recent meeting on 29 November. The normal press briefing will be held, and News Release issued, shortly.

  Hunting
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice his Ministry gives to(a) hunts and (b) hunt kennels on the implication for hunts of measures to deal with specified risk material. [102540]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: Hunts and hunt kennels are consulted on proposals to amend the statutory controls on specified risk material (SRM) through the Master of Foxhounds Association and the Master of Deerhounds Association. The operators of hunt kennels are advised as necessary on the SRM controls by Ministry veterinary officers during their monthly audit visits to these premises. Such advice will normally be confirmed in writing, particularly in respect of any deficiencies in the handling or control of SRM found. Advice is also given in response to specific requests by letter or telephone from individual hunts or hunt kennels.

  BSE Inquiry
  Mr. Paterson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much the Phillips Inquiry into BSE has cost to date; and what estimate he has made of its final cost. [102790]

  Ms Quin
  The cost to date of the BSE Inquiry, including the costs of liaison units and legal support for witnesses from the main Departments involved, is about £20 million. The present estimate of the final cost is about £26 million.

  Mr. Paterson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the Phillips Inquiry into BSE will report. [102789]

  List of CAP scheme payments

  Sector

  Legal base

  Notes

  Arable crops

  Articles 2 and 5, Regulation (EC) No 1251/1999

  Area payments including set-aside payments and including durum wheat and special aid

  Potato starch

  Article 8(2), Regulation (EEC) No 1766/92

  Payment

  Grain legumes

  Article 1, Regulation (EC) No 1577/96

  Area aid

  Flax

  Article 4, Regulation (EEC) No 1308/70

  Area aid (the portion paid to farmers)

  Hemp

  Article 4, Regulation (EEC) No 1308/70

  Area aid

  Silkworms

  Article 2, Regulation (EEC) No 845/72

  Aid to encourage rearing

  Tobacco

  Article 3, Regulation (EEC) No 2075/92

  Production aid

  Seeds

  Article 3, Regulation (EEC) No 2358/71

  Production aid

  Hops

  Article 12,

  Area aid

  Regulation (EEC) No 1696/71 Regulation (EC) No 1098/98

  Payments for temporary resting only

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  Ms Quin
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Tewkesbury (Mr. Robertson) on 8 November 1999,Official Report, column 459W.

  CAP Support Regimes
  Mr. Curry
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the CAP support regimes which will be subject to the modulation levy under the rural development regulation, together with the cash yield of a 1 per cent. levy for each regime, in respect of(a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland. [102465]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 15 December 1999]: The Government announced their intention on 7 December to introduce modulation of farm payments as from 2001 and to use the funds released, with Government match funding, towards the seven-year Rural Development programme. A list of the farm payments affected is given in the table.

  Levels of modulation receipts will vary each year. Indicative receipts from 1 per cent. modulation for the years 2001 to 2006 in England would be:

  £ million

  2001

  14

  2002

  15

  2003

  15

  2004

  15

  2005

  15

  2006

  16

  These receipts would refer to the calendar year in which the modulation was applied. Due to operational considerations, some receipts from modulation in one calendar year would not be available for spending until the following financial year.

  The National Assembly for Wales has recently announced its intention to apply modulation. The Scottish Executive and the Northern Ireland Assembly will be making announcements on funding the Rural Development Regulation shortly.
  571W

  List of CAP scheme payments

  Sector

  Legal base

  Notes

  Beef and veal

  Articles 4, 5, 6 and 10, 11, 13, Regulation (EC) No 1254/1999

  Special premium, deseasonalisation premium, suckler cow premium (including when paid for heifers and including the additional national suckler cow premium when co-financed), slaughter premium extensification payment, additional payments

  Milk and dairy products

  Articles 16 and 17, Regulation (EC) No 1256/1999

  Dairy premium and additional payments

  Sheep and goats

  Article 5, Regulation (EC) No 2467/98

  Ewe and she-goat premium and LFA supplements

  Agri-money

  Articles 4 and 5 of Regulation (EC) No 2799/98: Articles 2 and 3 of Regulation (EC) No 2800/98

  Payments to producers (including those under the transitional Regulation)

  Regional Offices
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if it is the Government's policy to reintegrate the Farming and Rural Conservation Agency into his Department; [103064]

  (2) if it is the Government's policy to reorganise his Department's regional offices to match the existing Government standard regions; and if his Department's regional offices are to be absorbed into the Government Offices for the Regions. [103063]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  The Department already works to Government Offices regional boundaries where appropriate, for example in drawing up the regional chapters of the England Rural Development Plan under the EU Rural Development Regulation and in administering the EU Structural Funds.

  As part of the Department's contribution to the Modernising Government initiative, we are currently reviewing the way MAFF's Regional Service Centres (RSCs) and the Intervention Board administer payments under the Common Agricultural Policy in England. In parallel with this review, and in the context of the Government's regional agenda, we are considering how best to achieve even closer integration of our regional policy activities with those of the Government Offices for the Regions.

  The Farming and Rural Conservation Agency's major task is to assist in delivering important parts of the Rural Development Regulation. One significant option which is being considered would be for most of the staff currently in the FRCA to form part of a future MAFF presence in the Government Offices for the Regions.

  The outcome of the review of MAFF's activities in the regions, including the future for FRCA, will be carefully considered.

  Pig Industry
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to introduce aid for the pig industry to cover the costs of offal disposal. [103242]

  Ms Quin
  Officials have explored the possibility of a pig offal disposal scheme with the European Commission. In principle, Community rules might permit the payment of a state aid in this area, but there appears to be no scope to frame a sensible and worthwhile scheme which satisfies 572W
  the strict EU guidelines and meets the requirements of industry. The Commission will certainly not sanction any scheme which fails to meet the rules; and we could not contemplate paying an illegal aid. The rules preclude the payment of operating aids, i.e. subsidies that are simply aimed at improving the producer's position in the market.

  Working Groups
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food when he expects to receive the report of the Intervention System Working Group. [104005]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  I have received the report of the Intervention System Red Tape Working Group and am immediately placing copies in the Library of the House.

  I am very grateful to the working Group for their hard work in completing their report so quickly. As with the other two red tape groups, I asked them to think radically and to suggest ways of doing things better. The Group points out that when there is a need for intervention, the system must work more effectively and enable UK producers to compete on a level playing field. Useful changes can be made, and many of the Group's recommendations concentrate on practical ideas for improvement which could be implemented quickly. I shall be considering the report very carefully with my colleagues and we will give our considered response in the New Year.

  Mrs. Lawrence
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to receive the report of the IACS and Inspections Working Group. [104006]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  I have received the report of the IACS (Integrated Administration and Control System) and Inspections Red Tape Working Group and am immediately placing copies in the Library of the House.

  I am very grateful to the Working Group for their hard work in completing their report so quickly. As with the other two red tape groups, I asked them to think radically and to suggest ways of doing things better. They have done this with recommendations which call for action both in Brussels and at home. They include challenging objectives for both Government and the industry in making maximum use of Information Technology. E-commerce offers farmers real opportunities to increase the effectiveness of their business operations. Our on-going programme for redeveloping our CAP processing IT systems is designed to offer real benefits to farmers in the way they interact with

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  us. The report makes a number of other recommendations, including further reducing the number of forms and of inspection visits and establishing an independent appeals mechanism. I shall be considering the report very carefully with my colleagues and we will give our considered response in the New Year.

CABINET OFFICE

  Independent Tribunals
  Mr. Woolas
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what procedures exist for resolving complaints by independent tribunals against Government Departments. [100301]

  Mr. Stringer
  Independent tribunals are excluded from making complaints to the Parliamentary Ombudsman about Government Departments under section 6(1) of the Parliamentary Commissioner Act 1967.

  Departmental Research Contracts
  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many research contracts have been let by her Department since May 1997; what is the value of each contract; and in each case whether the contract included(a) a departmental veto over publication of the research results, (b) departmental control over the date of publication of the research results and (c) a requirement that the final research results incorporate departmental amendments. [100161]

  Mr. Stringer
  This information is not held centrally and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Rural Affairs
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent discussions she has had with the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Deputy Prime Minister on rural affairs; and if she will make a statement. [102133]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  As was the practice of the previous Administration, details of internal meetings between Ministers are confidential.

  IT Initiatives
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will make a statement on the effectiveness of the initiatives based on the use of IT to improve public services set up by her Department since 1997. [101914]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  The Government have adopted a challenging programme to modernise public services using new technology. This ranges from accessing Government services from one's digital television set, accessing the Internet through a PC in the local library or phoning a call centre, such as NHS Direct, for health advice.

  We also want to improve the introduction of new technology. As part of our major review of the handling
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  of Government IT projects, we are looking to identify the pillars that support successful IT projects and to make sure that they are put in place in the future. These include:

  Full assessment of the risks involved in a project and clear plans for managing them.

  Strong contingency plans.

  Keeping the scale of a project to something manageable.

  Making sure that both the supplier and the purchaser clearly understand the aims of the project, and their respective responsibilities.

  We need to ensure that we learn lessons from past projects so that future systems run effectively and deliver value for money.

  Target Setting
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to her answer of 24 November 1999,Official Report, column 161W, on target setting, if she will list the Government's policy co-ordinators appointed since May 1997, giving in each case the number of targets they have set to date, excluding any targets listed in her previous answer. [102068]

  Mr. Stringer
  This information is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Departmental Buildings
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 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. [102331]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  For the 13 buildings under control of the Cabinet Office, the number of rooms set aside for the uses specified is as follows:

  (a) None

  (b) None

  (c) 16.

  2 Marsham Street
  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how long the former Department of the Environment buildings in Marsham Street have been empty; what is their square footage; and what is the commercial rent lost as a result of them being empty. [102866]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated under the terms of the Framework Document to the Property Advisers to the Civil Estate. I have asked its Chief Executive, Mr. John Locke, to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from John C. Locke to Mr. Edward Leigh, dated 16 December 1999:
  The Minister of State for the Cabinet Office, Ian McCartney, has asked me as Chief Executive of Property Advisers to the Civil Estate (PACE), to respond to your recent Parliamentary Question about 2 Marsham Street.
  The Department of the Environment, Transport and Regions finally vacated 2 Marsham Street at the end of April 1998. The existing building has a net internal area of 603,708 square feet or 56,084.5 square metres.
  2 Marsham Street, in its present condition, would not attract a commercial letting, as the existing buildings would require a substantial refurbishment before they could be re-occupied. At the

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  time Home Office were considering decant use, the cost of refurbishment was estimated to be in the region of £30 million. In the Agency's view refurbishment to attract a commercial rent is not a viable option.
  Until Home Office have reached a decision on the re-use of the site, in connection with their Headquarters PFI project, they have agreed to pay the holding costs of the property, including a rent which represents a return on the value of the site.
  Pending the commencement of demolition, part of the lower floors of the building are once again being used as an emergency winter shelter for the homeless.

  IT Projects
  Mr. Gordon Marsden
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps she has taken to ensure that the findings of the review by her Department of major Government IT projects will be taken into account in negotiations to which they may be relevant. [103627]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  One of the main strands of the work currently under-way is to examine pending and on-going IT projects to ensure that lessons are learned from our past problems and our successes. The review team is working closely with Departments to ensure that this happens.

  Particular attention is being paid to areas of weakness in past projects, to make sure that the pillars that support successful IT projects are in place before new contracts are signed. The team's early work has shown that these include:

  Making full assessment of the risks involved in a project, and having clear plans for managing them.

  Having strong contingency plans.

  Keeping the scale of the project manageable.

  Making sure that both the supplier and the purchaser clearly understand the aims of the project, and their respective responsibilities.

  Drugs
  Mr. Dobbin
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if her Department has set targets for reducing access to drugs by(a) young people and (b) school children. [103383]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  The Government's anti-drugs Strategy "Tackling Drugs To Build A Better Britain" has set, as one of its four Key Performance Targets, the target

  "to reduce access to all drugs amongst young people (under 25) significantly, and to reduce access to the drugs which cause the greatest harm, particularly heroin and cocaine, by 50 per cent. by 2008 and 25 per cent. by 2005".

  School children are, of course, included in this target, although no target relating specifically to school-age children has been set.

  Departmental Productivity
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what actions she is taking to increase the productivity and reduce the running costs of her Department. [103844]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  Delivering efficient and modern public services is a key part of the Government's agenda for improving productivity. Greater efficiency is being sought therefore within the public sector to ensure that the most effective results are obtained from available 576W
  resources. The Department's Public Service Agreement (PSA) is published within "The Public Service Agreements 1999–2002" [CM 4181] and includes a range of measures for taking this forward, both within the Department itself and in other public sector bodies.

  Those measures will help raise the Department's own productivity as follows:
  Creation of the Better Quality Services Review programme. The programme allows the Department to achieve its PSA target of reviewing 60 per cent. of its activities by March 2003.
  Managing and maintaining low sickness absence within the Department. A target reduction of 5 per cent. overall between 1998–2003 is planned.
  The Department's active involvement in promoting action on procurement across the service. It has prepared an action plan following the report on "Efficiency in Civil Government Procurement" and is working closely with the Treasury to ensure delivery across the service and with its own domestic procurement agencies to ensure their contribution. The Department is on track to meet its PSA target for increasing the proportion of electronic procurement transactions within 1999–2000.

  The Department's gross running costs provision for 1999–2000 to 2001–02 is set out in its PSA. The productivity measures listed above will enable the Department to increase the quantity and quality of outputs delivered by its running costs expenditure over this period.

TREASURY

  European Monetary Institute
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was repaid to the Bank of England by the European Monetary Institute when it went into liquidation upon the establishment of the European Central Bank. [103300]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: I refer the right hon. gentleman to page 75 of the Bank of England's 1999 Annual Report.

  Free Television Licences
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what factors underlay his decision to award free television licences to people aged 75 years and over; and if he will make a statement. [103602]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: The Government recognise that the television licence fee can be a source of concern for many elderly people. Older pensioner households are more likely to be on low incomes, which is why additional resources will be directed at the 75-plus group. Free television licences to people aged 75 years and over, nearly 50 per cent. of whom are in the lowest three income deciles, is a significant measure for poorer pensioners and will benefit over three million pensioner households.

  This measure builds on a number of significant improvements we have made in respect of provision for pensioners. Pensioners aged 75 and over now have a Minimum Income Guarantee of at least £77.30 plus housing costs for single pensioners and £119.85 plus housing costs for couples. The Government have committed to uprate the Minimum Income Guarantee by earnings growth during this Parliament. Pensioners also

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  benefit from £100 winter fuel payments, tax allowances which have been increased above the rate of inflation, free eye tests, greater support for concessionary fares and improved home insulation schemes.

  Unemployment Figures
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the date in each month on which the unemployment figures will be announced in 2000. [103365]

  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. Simon Burns, dated 21 December 1999 As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question asking for the date in each month on which the unemployment figures will be announced in 2000. The following table shows the first release date on Labour Market Statistics for 2000.

  Month

  National first release dates

  January

  119 January

  February

  16 February

  March

  15 March

  April

  219 April

  May

  17 May

  June

  14 June

  July

  12 July

  August

  16 August

  September

  13 September

  October

  18 October

  November

  15 November

  December

  13 December

  1 Release date delayed by one week to take account of the millennium.

  2 Release date delayed by one week to take account of Easter.

  Employee Sickness
  Mr. Hammond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate his Department has made of the number of working days lost through sickness per 1,000 employees in(a) the public sector and (b) the private sector in the last year for which data are available. [103539]

  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. Philip Hammond, dated 21 December 1999 As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question about working days lost due to sickness in the public and private sector.

  Table A: Estimated capital spending by the private sector

  £ million

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  Defence

  319.0

  315.0

  520.0

  199.0

  FCO and Overseas Development

  24.0

  29.0

  4.0

  2.0

  Agriculture1

  0.0

  0.0

  9.0

  12.0

  Trade and Industry

  51.0

  54.0

  32.0

  32.0

  Environment, Transport and the Regions2

  636.0

  917.0

  775.0

  740.0

  Education and Employment3

  11.0

  23.0

  27.0

  9.0

  Home Office

  73.0

  227.0

  195.0

  44.0

  Legal Departments

  16.0

  64.0

  66.0

  26.0

  Culture, Media and Sport

  1.0

  0.0

  3.0

  4.0

  Health

  310.0

  610.0

  740.0

  690.0

  Social Security

  87.0

  264.0

  166.0

  20.0

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  The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is the major source of labour market data on individuals. It can provide information on the number of days employees were unable to work in the week that they were surveyed. However, as this number of days can also include some when the respondent would not normally work, no accurate estimate of the total number of working days lost in a year can be calculated. No other official source can provide the information requested.
  The available information is shown in the table. The table is based on the average of the latest four quarters and shows the rate per 1000 employees.

  Employees absent for at least one day in the reference week due to sickness or injury, by whether working in the public or private sector1 (UK, average of autumn 1998 to summer 1999, not seasonally adjusted)

  1Rate per 1000 employees

  All employees2

  46.5

  Private sector

  44.1

  Public sector

  53.4

  1 Rates are based on totals that exclude people who did not state if they took a day off in the reference week due to sickness

  2 Includes some people who did not state if they worked in the public or private sector.

  3 Sector of employment is based on respondent's self-assessment.

  Source

  Labour Force Survey

  Economic and Monetary Union
  Mr. Russell Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to submit an updated annual Convergence Programme as required by the Stability and Growth Pact. [104120]

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  As required under the Stability and Growth Pact, an updated, annual Convergence Programme is being submitted to the European Commission today. Copies of the Programme are being placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Russell Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish figures showing(a) the total updated value of private sector investment in the period covered by the Financial Statement and Budget report, March 1999, resulting from PFI projects and (b) the public spending commitments from 1999–2000 onwards resulting from PFI projects signed or expected to be signed by the end of the Comprehensive Spending Review period. [104124]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The figures are set out in the tables:
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  Table A: Estimated capital spending by the private sector

  £ million

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  Scotland

  219.0

  404.0

  464.0

  120.0

  Wales

  53.0

  90.0

  87.0

  37.0

  Northern Ireland

  12.0

  36.0

  99.0

  78.0

  Chancellors' Departments

  98.0

  91.0

  34.0

  104.0

  Local Authorities4

  287.0

  603.0

  993.0

  886.0

  Total

  2,197.0

  3,727.0

  4,214.0

  3,003.0

  1Includes Forestry Commission.

  2Includes the private sector capital investment in CTRL.

  3 Excludes PF1/PPP activity in the further and higher education (FHE) sectors, which are classified to the private sector. For FHE, the total estimated capital value of major PFI/PPP projects which have been signed or expected to sign is £54 million in 1999–2000 and £152 million in 2000–01.

  4PF1 activity in local authority schools is included in the local authorities line.

  Table B: Estimated payments under PFI contracts— December 1999

  £ million

  1999–2000

  1,167

  2000–01

  1,787

  2001–02

  2,219

  2002–03

  2,624

  2003–04

  2,885

  2004–05

  2,940

  2005–06

  2,903

  2006–07

  2,920

  2007–08

  2,925

  2008–09

  2,816

  2009–10

  2,796

  2010–11

  2,736

  2011–12

  2,672

  2012–13

  2,557

  2013–14

  2,495

  2014–15

  2,376

  2015–16

  2,156

  2016–17

  2,118

  2017–18

  2,084

  2018–19

  2,000

  2019–20

  1,991

  2020–21

  2,006

  2021–22

  1,950

  2022–23

  1,959

  2023–24

  1,833

  2024–25

  1,808

  2025–26

  1,517

  2026–27

  1,236

  Note

  Table B shows a forecast of the estimated payments for services flowing from new private investment over the next twenty five years. Actual expenditure will depend on the details of the payment mechanism for each contract. Payments may be lower than estimated due to deductions from the service payments caused by either the supplier's failure to make the service available or a failure to meet the required performance standards. In addition variances may occur due to changes in the service requirements agreed during the course of the contracts. Payments may also vary as a result of the early termination of a contract triggering contractual arrangements for compensation on termination.

  Tax Credits
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what communications he has had with the OECD this year about the treatment of tax credits in the public accounts. [103658]

  Dawn Primarolo
  My officials are in regular contact with their counterparts at the OECD, concerning many issues to do with revenue statistics, including the treatment of tax credits.
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  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the costs to businesses of administering the working families tax credit; and by what mechanisms he proposes to reimburse businesses for these costs. [103660]

  Dawn Primarolo
  These figures are contained in the Regulatory Impact Assessment, published on 3 December.

  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what communications he has had this year with Eurostat about the treatment of tax credits in the public accounts. [103659]

  Dawn Primarolo
  My officials are in regular contact with their counterparts in Eurostat, concerning many issues to do with the national accounts, including the treatment of tax credits.

  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the OECD's guidelines on the treatment of tax credits in the public accounts. [103657]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The conventions underlying the OECD figures for international comparisons of tax revenues can be found in the 1999 edition of "Revenue Statistics", published by the OECD.

  Mrs. Ellman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the total amount of money that will be payable annually to eligible claimants for working families tax credit and child care credits in(a) Liverpool, Riverside and (b) Liverpool. [103931]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Reliable estimates of the amounts that will be paid to those eligible for Working Families' Tax Credit and child care tax credit in Liverpool, Riverside and Liverpool are not yet available.

  Working Families Tax Credit
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in Monmouthshire are currently in receipt of the working families tax credit. [102909]

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

  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many members of the armed forces at the Colchester Garrison he estimates are entitled to the working families tax credit; and if he will make a statement. [102853]
  581W
  Dawn Primarolo
  I regret that the information requested is not available.

  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the number of people who will be able to benefit from the working families tax credit in the Middlesbrough South and Cleveland, East constituency; and if he will make a statement. [102911]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Based on known Family Credit figures for Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East, and expected eligibility nationally for Working Families Tax Credit, the estimated number of families which may be eligible for Working Families Tax Credit on this basis in Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East is about 2,800.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to extend the working families tax credit(a) to absent parents supporting children financially and (b) to help families cover housing costs. [103188]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Currently there are no plans to extend the working families tax credit to absent parents who are financially supporting their children. The Government will set out their housing vision in a Housing Green Paper which they expect to publish next year. The Green Paper will also consider ways of improving the housing benefit scheme.

  Double Taxation Agreement
  Mr. Colman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what parliamentary scrutiny he proposes the UK's Double Taxation Agreement with the US will be subject. [102908]

  Dawn Primarolo
  New Double Taxation Conventions are laid before the House as a Schedule to a draft Order in Council. The usual procedure is that the draft Order is considered first by the Select Committee on Statutory Instruments and then by a Standing Committee on Delegated Legislation.

  New Taxes
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the new taxes introduced(a) between June 1992 and April 1997 and (b) from May 1997 to date. [102863]

  Dawn Primarolo
  This information can be found in the relevant Financial Statement and Budget Reports, which can be found in the House of Commons Library.

  Vintage and Veteran Vehicles
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will make a statement on taxation levels for vehicles over 25 years old; [103153]

  (2) what plans he has to seek an amendment to the taxation levels on vintage and veteran cars and motor-cycles. [103154]

  Mr. Timms
  Any tax changes will be announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the context of his Budget statement. In general, vehicles manufactured before 1 January 1973 are exempt from vehicle excise duty. Full 582W
  details of this scheme can be found in the DVLA publication "Exemption from vehicle excise duty for historic vehicles"

  Environmental Tax Revenue
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to reinvest environmental tax revenues. [103187]

  Mr. Timms
  The Government will consider, on a case by case basis, the use to which the revenues from additional environmental taxes should be put.

  The Pre Budget Report announced that, in future, the revenues from any further real terms increases in fuel duties will be spent on improving public transport and modernising the road network.

  The revenues from the Climate Change Levy will be used to pay for 0.3 percentage point cut in employers' National Insurance and £150 million of support for energy efficiency measures in 2001–02.

  The revenues from the Landfill Tax, introduced by the previous Government, were also used to reduce employers' National Insurance. The Government make 20 per cent. of the yield from the landfill tax available as credits to support environmental projects under the Environmental Bodies Credit Scheme.

  Land Settlement Tenants
  Mrs. Organ
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will meet the Chairman of the Inland Revenue and hon. Members representing former land settlement tenants to seek to establish a resolution of the tax issues relating to the compensation agreed with the Ministry of Agriculture in 1991. [103186]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr. Lansley) on 13 December 1999,Official Report, column 79W.

  VAT
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the French Government's decision to reduce VAT on energy-saving materials. [103474]

  Mr. Timms
  The French reduced rate is for the renovation and repair of private dwellings and has been introduced under the new Annex K of the Sixth VAT Directive. The French have not introduced a reduced rate for DIY energy saving materials, since the reduced rate in Annex K may be applied only to labour intensive services.

  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to reduce VAT on energy-saving materials. [103473]

  Mr. Timms
  This Government have already reduced to 5 per cent. the VAT rate applicable to grant-funded installation of energy saving materials in the homes of the less well off. EC VAT law does not allow the UK to apply a reduced VAT rate to sales of energy saving materials for DIY installation.

  E-commerce Taxation
  Mr. Colman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of(a) direct and (b) indirect taxation in relation to the tax treatment of e-commerce and its impact on any renegotiated double tax agreement. [103632]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Government's policy on the direct and indirect tax treatment of e-commerce is set out in the paper "Electronic Commerce: the UK's taxation agenda" which it published on 26 November.

  The outcome of the ongoing work on the tax implications of e-commerce will be taken into account as appropriate in future double taxation agreements.

  Double Taxation
  Mr. Colman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what economic evaluation his Department has(a) undertaken and (b) commissioned of the overall balance of advantage of existing double tax agreements. [103631]

  Dawn Primarolo
  It is widely recognised in the United Kingdom and other leading industrialised countries that double taxation agreements encourage international trade and investment by relieving double taxation and providing certainty of tax treatment. Investment and income flows are taken into account in negotiating double taxation agreements. The business community is invited regularly to give its views on the priorities for negotiating new agreements and renegotiating existing agreements. The many representations made by business during our annual review of our network of agreements show the considerable value of these agreements to the United Kingdom, and in particular to UK business.

  Mortgages and Pensions Website
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in establishing a web-site to provide advice on mortgages and pensions to the general public. [103745]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Financial Services Authority published a consultation document on 4 October setting out proposals for a comparative information scheme. This is available on their website. Included in this are individual personal pensions and mortgage endowment policies. In time, other products may be included. The Treasury has no separate plans to provide such information.

  EU Budget
  Mr. Paterson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will break down into the constituent items the figures included as the United Kingdom gross contribution to EU institutions in 1998 stated in Table(a)? 9.2 and (b) 9.7 of the 1999 Pink Book. [103385]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  A breakdown of Table 9.2 into its Balance of Payments current account is given in Tables 9.4 to 9.7 of the Pink Book. A detailed breakdown of Table 9.7 into its constituent items is given in Table 5.1 of the Pink Book. However, as I advised the hon. Member in my reply of 13 December 1999,Official Report, columns 77–78W, details of UK gross
  584W
  contributions to EU Institutions, including a breakdown by type of transaction, are presented in Tables 3.11, 5.1 and 6.1 of the Pink Book. A summary of all UK official Government transactions with EU Institutions is also given in Table 11.2 of the Blue Book.

  Public Investment Programmes (PSBR)
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the value is of the projected investment over the next five years by all those public enterprises and publicly owned companies whose investment programmes are not subject to PSBR restraint; [103907]

  (2) if he will list the public enterprises and publicly-owned companies whose investment programmes are not subject to PSBR restraint. [103909]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The Public Sector Net Cash Requirement (PSNCR-formerly the Public Sector Borrowing Requirement) is a measure of the public sector's need to borrow cash from other sectors of the economy. The transactions of all public sector bodies, including enterprises and companies in the public sector, contribute to the PSNCR.

  The PSNCR is not itself a control. Different budgetary controls are applied to different public enterprises according to their circumstances.

  The investment plans of public corporations from 1993-94 to 2001-02 are set out in table 7.3 of "Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 1999–2000" (Cm 4201).

  Resource Accounting
  Mrs. Lawrence
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to proceed with the introduction of resource budgeting. [104121]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The next spending review, in 2000, will be conducted on a resource basis. This will fulfil the Government's commitment in the Code for Fiscal Stability to adopt, as soon as reasonably practicable, a resource accounting and budgeting approach for planning and accounting for the costs of resources consumed by government.

  The decision to proceed with resource budgeting follows a successful "dry run" of the new procedures carried out by all Departments during the course of 1999. This confirmed that the procedures were workable. However, it also highlighted a transitional issue in relation to Departments' ability to forecast the large new non-cash elements of resource budgets (depreciation, capital charges and provisions) for three years ahead.

  To allow time for a track record in forecasting, monitoring and controlling these items to be established, resource budgeting will therefore be introduced in two stages. In the first stage, in the plans drawn up in the 2000 spending review, the big non-cash elements of resource budgets will be part of Annually Managed Expenditure rather than Departmental Expenditure Limits. The intention is that, in the light of experience, these items will be moved into Departmental Expenditure Limits following the 2002 spending review.

  Details of the new arrangements are being placed in the Libraries of the House.