Written Answers of 11 January 1999

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Robert Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list(a) the (i) task forces, (ii) review panels and (iii) advisory groups her Department has, (b) the remit of each and (c) the members of each together with their principal employment and their level of remuneration. [62813]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  This information has been placed in the Library.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the total expenditure and the breakdown of expenditure in her Department since May 1997 on(a) public opinion research, (b) television, radio and newspaper advertising and (c) direct mail. [63914]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The information for the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Department is as follows:

  (a) £447,837

  (b) £2,883,221

  (c) £966,887.

  All figures exclude the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland, and (c) also excludes the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland and the Department of Education for Northern Ireland, as information in the form requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Fair Employment
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what targets she has set for reducing the unemployment differential between Catholics and Protestants; and by what criteria she will measure the impact of fair employment legislation. [64209]

  Mr. Ingram
  Government alone cannot reduce the unemployment differential. It also requires practical action and attitudinal change on the part of employers, educators and the unemployed themselves. To assess the rate of progress, the Government propose to commission the Equality Commission to agree with the representatives of employers, employees, political parties and other interests, benchmark measures for the future reduction of the unemployment differential, informed by up-to-date professional analysis. Moreover, the Equality Commission 2
  will be given a role in advising the Government on measures which they might introduce to reduce the number of, or religious imbalance in, the unemployed.

  The impact of the legislation will continue to be measured by changes in the composition of the workforce and by the comparison of the Community composition of those appointed to jobs with that of those applying.

  Security
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list the measures taken in each month since February to reduce security activity. [64205]

  Mr. Ingram
  Since the reinstatement of the Provisional IRA ceasefire in July 1997, the Chief Constable has announced a progressive reduction in security measures in the Province. Each step has been fully consistent with the level of threat and taken after a review of the security situation.

  From February to the end of August, key factors which influenced the levels of security across the Province included the "tit for tat" killings following the murder of Billy Wright in 27 December 1997, devices in 5 town centres, attacks of security forces and the marching season.

  However, from September, the following measures have been taken:

  Base Reductions

  October

  Vacation of Letterkenny, Muff and Hemp vehicle checkpoints

  Demolition of Crumlin Road Sangar

  Demolition of R16 Road Sangar

  Announcement of closure of Fort Whiterock

  November

  Demolition of three PVCPs at Bessbrook

  Work started to demolish Muff vehicle checkpoint (Ongoing)

  Work started to demolish Letterkenny and Aughnacloy vehicle checkpoints (Ongoing)

  Work started to demolish Hump vehicle checkpoint (Ongoing)

  January 1999

  Work started to demolish Fort Whiterock Army Base (Ongoing)

  Troop Movements

  September

  The last remaining company of the Rural Reinforcement Battalion (RRB) returned to the Mainland

  October

  The last remaining company of the Urban Reinforcement Battalion (URB) returned to the Mainland

  November

  Drumadd Roulement Battalion (DRB) returned to the Mainland

  Military Patrol Support to RUC

  September

  Military patrols ceased in Belfast Region

  Military patrols ceased in South Derry

  3

  October

  Military patrols ceased in Waterside and City side, Londonderry

  Military patrols ceased in RUC G Division

  November

  Military patrols ceased in the Strabane Sub Division.

  Robberies
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was for each police division in Northern Ireland for(a) 1996, (b) 1997 and (c) 1998 up to the latest available date the number of incidents of robbery and attempted robbery from the dwellings of persons of pension age and above where violence was used or threatened, the number of persons who have been made

  The number of robberies in dwellings, recorded and cleared, by Division 1996, 1997 and 1998 to end November (where victim was aged 65 and over)

  Armed robbery

  Attempted armed robbery

  Robbery

  Attempted robbery

  Recorded

  Cleared

  Recorded

  Cleared

  Recorded

  Cleared

  Recorded

  Cleared

  1996

  A

  1

  0

  0

  0

  4

  1

  1

  1

  B

  0

  0

  1

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  D

  0

  0

  0

  0

  5

  1

  1

  0

  E

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  G

  1

  1

  0

  0

  7

  0

  0

  0

  H

  0

  0

  0

  0

  7

  0

  2

  0

  J

  3

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  K

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  L

  2

  0

  1

  0

  3

  0

  1

  0

  N

  3

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  O

  0

  0

  1

  0

  4

  0

  0

  0

  P

  1

  0

  0

  0

  4

  1

  0

  0

  Total

  13

  2

  3

  0

  38

  3

  6

  1

  1997

  A

  0

  0

  0

  0

  5

  0

  1

  1

  B

  0

  0

  0

  0

  4

  0

  0

  0

  D

  4

  0

  0

  0

  5

  2

  0

  0

  E

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  0

  0

  0

  G

  0

  0

  0

  0

  5

  0

  3

  0

  H

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  J

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  K

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  1

  0

  0

  L

  3

  1

  0

  0

  4

  0

  0

  0

  N

  1

  0

  0

  0

  2

  1

  0

  0

  O

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  P

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  1

  1

  0

  Total

  9

  1

  0

  0

  33

  5

  5

  1

  1998

  A

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  B

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  D

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  E

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  G

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  H

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  0

  0

  0

  J

  0

  0

  0

  0

  4

  0

  0

  0

  K

  2

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  L

  0

  0

  1

  0

  4

  0

  0

  0

  N

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  O

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  0

  0

  0

  P

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  3

  0

  1

  0

  18

  0

  1

  0

  4
  amenable in the courts, the number of cases pending, the sums stolen and the value of goods stolen and the number of persons injured by the robbers. [64763]

  Mr. Ingram
  Statistical data are not maintained in a manner to indicate, readily, the number of prosecutions pending for such offences or how many persons have been made amenable through the courts. The following tables record the available statistics including information in relation to robberies and attempted robberies which have been cleared up by the police. The figures for 1998 require end-year verification and are therefore quoted on a provisional basis. For statistical purposes, a case is said to be cleared if a person has been charged, summonsed, or cautioned for the offence; if the offence is taken into consideration by a court; if there is sufficient evidence to charge a person but it is not proceeded with because, for example, the suspect is under the age of criminal responsibility; or if the suspect has died.
  5

  The value of goods stolen (£), by Division, 1996, 1997 and 1998 to end November in respect of incidents recorded above

  1996

  1997

  1998

  A

  1,530

  7,430

  —

  B

  226

  1,565

  220

  D

  4,377

  21,394

  5,350

  E

  120

  1,150

  —

  G

  2,910

  5,420

  —

  H

  2,856

  —

  2,201

  J

  32,130

  23

  1,220

  K

  12,300

  6,040

  1,055

  Injuries sustained during robberies, by Division, 1996, 1997 and 1998 to end November in respect of incidents recorded above

  1996

  1997

  1998

  Serious

  Minor

  None

  Serious

  Minor

  None

  Serious

  Minor

  None

  A

  1

  0

  5

  1

  1

  4

  0

  0

  0

  B

  0

  1

  2

  0

  1

  3

  0

  0

  0

  D

  0

  3

  3

  0

  5

  4

  0

  2

  0

  E

  1

  0

  0

  0

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  G

  0

  2

  6

  1

  2

  5

  0

  1

  0

  H

  0

  4

  5

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  J

  1

  1

  2

  0

  1

  0

  1

  1

  2

  K

  0

  1

  2

  0

  2

  0

  0

  2

  1

  L

  0

  1

  6

  0

  2

  5

  0

  1

  4

  N

  0

  1

  2

  1

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  O

  0

  1

  4

  0

  1

  1

  0

  1

  2

  P

  1

  2

  2

  0

  1

  3

  0

  1

  0

  Total

  4

  17

  39

  3

  20

  26

  1

  9

  13

  Departmental Costs
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate she has made of(a) the cost of setting up a new department of Government in Northern Ireland and (b) the annual running costs of each such department. [64765]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  Work on the costings of those new departmental structures in Northern Ireland which were agreed between the First Minister Designate and Deputy First Minister Designate of the new Northern Ireland Assembly on 18 December is proceeding but detailed estimates are not yet available.

  Pigmeat Imports
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the cost of the pigmeat imported from outside the United Kingdom for consumption in schools, hospitals and prisons administered by her Department in each of the last three years. [65119]

  Mr. McFall
  None of the pigmeat consumed in Northern Ireland schools, hospitals and prisons over the last 3 years has been imported from outside the United Kingdom.

  Specified Organisations
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many occasions(a) the opinion of a senior police officer has been given in court as evidence of a person's membership of a specified organisation, (b) a court has been asked to draw an inference from the failure of a person suspected of belonging to a specified organisation to mention a
  6

  The value of goods stolen (£), by Division, 1996, 1997 and 1998 to end November in respect of incidents recorded above

  1996

  1997

  1998

  L

  10,280

  10,340

  730

  N

  40

  1,025

  —

  O

  2,860

  470

  8,850

  P

  1,957

  1,250

  3,100

  Total

  71,586

  56,107

  22,726

  Note:

  Where the value appears to be particularly high the amount may include the value of a car stolen during the same incident.

  relevant fact; how many persons have been (i) charged and (ii) convicted of belonging to a specified organisation since September and on how many occasions a court has ordered forfeiture of property following conviction for belonging to a specified organisation. [64206]

  The Attorney-General
  I have been asked to reply.

  To date there have been no proceedings under section 30 of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1996 in relation to specified organisations as defined by the Criminal Justice (Terrorism and Conspiracy) Act 1998 and so the answer to each of the questions is none.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the official visits which Ministers in his Department have paid to Buckinghamshire since 2 May 1997. [64132]

  Mr. Hoon
  Since 2 May 1997, there has been one official visit made by a Minister from this Department to Buckinghamshire. The Lord Chancellor attended the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association Conference in Chesham on 16 June 1998. Whilst I have made no official visits, I know the local area well.

  Ethnic Monitoring
  Mr. McDonnell
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to include Irish as a category in his Department's ethnic monitoring of staff recruitment. [63873]
  7
  Mr. Hoon
  The over-riding principle of Civil Service recruitment procedures is that they should be fair, and selection should be on merit at each stage. Monitoring in this area is based on ethnic origin, and not nationality. The nine ethnic minority categories monitored by the Lord Chancellor's Department are based on those used in the 1991 census which did not include an Irish category. They will be reviewed in the light of any suggested changes in the 2001 Population Census.

  Legal Aid
  Sir Nicholas Lyell
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what the failure rate is in legally aided personal injury cases; and what was the cost to the Legal Aid Fund of such cases in each of the past five years. [63942]

  Mr. Hoon
  It is not possible to provide the information in the form requested. In cases that settle out of court, the terms of the settlement are not recorded on the Legal Aid Board's computer system, and it is therefore not possible to determine whether, in these cases, the plaintiff's claim was met in full. Information is available only in respect of cases where no damages were awarded. The proportion of cases receiving no damages in each of the last five years, was as follows:

  Year

  Proportion of cases without damages (Percentage)

  Net cost of cases without damages (£)

  1996–97

  42

  60,823,987

  1995–96

  43

  54,642,081

  1994–95

  37

  44,102,253

  1993–94

  38

  37,482,163

  1992–93

  35

  22,079,048

  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department how long the Legal Aid Board takes to process non-urgent applications. [64676]

  Mr. Hoon
  In 1997–98, the Legal Aid Board processed 84 per cent. of civil legal aid applications within 2 weeks, and 94 per cent. within 4 weeks.

  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department if solicitors receive acknowledgment letters in response to legal aid applications, and are kept informed of progress in consideration of the applications. [64677]

  Mr. Hoon
  The Legal Aid Board does not acknowledge receipt of civil legal aid applications received, nor does it keep solicitors informed of the progress of the application. On average, the Board receives 450,000 applications for civil legal aid a year. In the majority of cases, a decision is made within one to four weeks. As the majority of applications are decided within a short period, sending acknowledgment letters would create additional costs and an unnecessary administrative burden.

  On request, the Board is able to inform the solicitor of the current status of any particular matter.

  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the Corporate Information System of the Legal Aid Board. [64675]
  8
  Mr. Hoon
  The Legal Aid Board's Corporate Information System (CIS) was implemented on a phased basis which began with the first office going live in November 1997 and the final office in November 1998. The system is now fully operational in all Board offices. CIS is a fully integrated case management system for all types of legal aid with a single database. It replaces systems which were supported by increasingly ancient software and hardware which were not Millennium compliant. CIS provides the Board with more effective control over the management of the Legal Aid Fund and is an essential part of the Board's strategy for preparing for contracting with suppliers of legal services.

  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the average level of debt write-off in(a) the Reading legal aid region and (b) nationally in the last year for which figures are available. [65100]

  Mr. Hoon
  It is the Board's policy to pursue recovery of all debts unless it is evident it would not be cost effective to do so. The average value of debt written off nationally and in the Reading legal aid region in 1997–98, which are the latest figures available, are as follows:

  £

  Reading

  637

  Nationally

  700

  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the average amount of legal aid granted for claims in(a) the Reading region and (b) nationally in the last year for which figures are available. [65099]

  Mr. Hoon
  In 1997–98, the average gross cost of legal aid claims paid in respect of civil and criminal legal aid and advice and assistance (green form) in(a) Reading and (b) nationally were:

  Reading legal aid region

  National

  Total number

  (£) average

  Total number

  (£) average

  Civil legal aid

  20,142

  3,420

  328,845

  3,018

  Criminal legal aid

  35,311

  470

  494,130

  496

  Advice and assistance (Green Form)

  84,611

  91

  1,586,764

  106

  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what protocols have been established(a) nationally and (b) in the Reading legal aid region on the length of time for which printouts showing the levels of client contribution should be kept. [65102]

  Mr. Hoon
  Since the introduction of the Legal Aid Board's Corporate Information System (CIS) records of all contribution payments received from assisted persons, for both live and closed cases are maintained on the database. The Board's current policy is to maintain these records indefinitely and information can be printed out at any time.
  9
  The Board's Reading area office moved onto CIS in April 1998. The above procedure applied from that date. Prior to the introduction of CIS, full records of contributions received for all live cases were maintained on a computer system (OLIFS). At the end of a case, the system would produce a Closing Financial Statement which is retained for six years from the date the case was closed.

  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the annual cost of the Legal Aid Service in the Reading legal aid region. [65241]

  Mr. Hoon
  In 1997–98, the gross cost of legal aid services paid for out of the Reading Legal Aid Area Office was £105 million. The figure includes payments on account, final bill payments, VAT and disbursements, where applicable. It excludes the amounts that the Board received in contributions, costs paid by other parties and damages, all of which are sent direct to the Legal Aid Board's Financial Services at its Headquarters in London. The amount of gross costs paid to the legal profession nationally in 1997–98 was £1,612 million.

  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what systems are in place(a) nationally and (b) in the Reading legal aid region to ensure that client overpayments of contribution are returned. [65103]

  Mr. Hoon
  Legal Aid contributions are paid by the assisted person by monthly instalments to the Legal Aid Board. Contributions are paid throughout the life of a case. Payments are normally sent direct to the Board's Financial Services at its Headquarters in London. All payments received are recorded centrally on the computer system. In the absence of information to the contrary, any excess contribution instalments received by the Legal Aid Board are treated as payments in advance of future instalments due. Repayments are not, therefore, made to the assisted person until the conclusion of a case unless specifically requested. Any overpayments made to the Legal Aid Board would be identified and accounted for at the end of the case.

  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department how many people are employed by the Legal Aid Service(a) nationally and (b) in the Reading legal aid region. [65248]

  Mr. Hoon
  The Legal Aid Board has 13 area offices and two offices in London housing its central function departments. The average number of permanent staff employed by the Board from April to November 1998 is 931 nationally, with 70 at the Reading area office.

  In addition, the Legal Aid Board employs temporary staff on either a contract basis or for a specified period and who are included on the Board's payroll. The average number of temporary staff employed for the same period is 237 nationally and 6 at the Reading area office.

  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what sums are spent on training in the Legal Aid Service(a) nationally and (b) in the Reading legal aid region. [65249]

  Mr. Hoon
  The Legal Aid Board provides a national training programme which ranges from the development of legal reference and training materials for caseworkers 10
  and quality auditors to senior management development programmes. During 1998–99, expenditure on the national training programme is expected to be £276,014.

  In addition, £158,000 is allocated to 23 area and central function offices to provide local training initiatives which fall outside the national training programme. In-house on-the-job training is also provided in each office, after which performance is assessed by staff trained as trainers to identify any further staff development needs. Expenditure on local training initiatives undertaken within the legal aid area office in Reading is expected to be £5,000 by the end of the 1998–99 financial year.

  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the average level of non-collection of client contribution towards legal aid payment in(a) the Reading region and (b) nationally in the last year for which figures are available. [65101]

  Mr. Hoon
  It is the Board's policy to pursue recovery of contributions in all cases unless it is evident that it would not be cost effective to do so. The average value of contributions written off during 1997–98, which are the latest figures available are:

  £

  Reading

  287

  Nationally

  245

  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what arrangements have been made to monitor franchised legal aid firms(a) nationally and (b) in the Reading legal aid region. [65104]

  Mr. Hoon
  The Legal Aid Board's arrangements for monitoring legal aid franchises apply nationally. Over a period of up to nine months, applicants for a legal aid franchise are subjected to two audits by the Board. A preliminary audit is carried out to ensure the applicants have developed appropriate procedures to meet the requirements set out in the Franchising Specification and to assess the effectiveness of implementation. If successful, a pre-contract audit will then be undertaken. The pre-contract audit will cover, in more detail, the requirements of the Franchising Specification, including the general and management requirements and transaction criteria, which are the Board's measure of the quality service process. Once a firm of solicitors has been awarded a legal aid franchise, the Board's liaison managers and franchise quality auditors will undertake regular audits of the firm's case files approximately every twelve months.

DEFENCE

  CR Gas
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons CR gas was selected from the available riot control gases to be stockpiled for the counter-terrorist response capability. [63844]

  Mr. Spellar
  CR gas was selected some decades ago as a potential counter-terrorist response capability and there are no surviving records of this decision. However,
  11
  stocks of CR gas continue to be held as tests have confirmed it to be effective as a potential counter-terrorist response capability.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much CR tear gas has been manufactured by his Department since 1968; and at which establishment it was manufactured. [63843]

  Mr. Spellar
  The riot control agent CR was only ever manufactured by the MOD at the Chemical Defence Establishment at Nancekuke, Cornwall, between 1962 and 1977. On the closure of Nancekuke and the subsequent return of the site to the RAF, the remaining stocks of CR were transferred to the Chemical and Biological Defence Sector of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency at Porton Down.

  It is not possible to determine from the remaining records exactly how much CR was manufactured after 1968.

  Territorial Army
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the recruitment totals from 1990 to the present for each TA centre in Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset. [64464]

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

  Defence Contracts (Oil)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the countries with which there are Government to Government Defence contracts paid for in oil in the last five years; and when the memoranda of understanding with those countries were signed; [64636]

  (2) if there are guide prices for oil established within the memoranda of understanding with states purchasing defence equipment from the United Kingdom with oil risings; and what measures are in place to protect defence contractors and public funds from variations in oil prices. [64640]

  Mr. Spellar
  There have been no Government to Government Defence contracts paid for in the last five years, which involve Her Majesty's Government taking oil as payment.

  Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre
  Ms Dari Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre for 1998–99. [65079]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  The role of the Joint Air Reconnaissance Intelligence Centre is to produce imagery intelligence and imagery products and services to meet MOD and operational command requirements. The Key Targets for the Agency for the 12 months from April 1998 are as set out.

  Key Target 1:
  To provide operational intelligence support as follows:

  98 per cent. of Priority 1 tasks to be completed within 24 hours of the receipt of appropriate imagery.

  92 per cent. of Priority 2 tasks to be completed within 48 hours of the receipt of appropriate imagery.

  12

  88 per cent. of Priority 3 tasks to be completed within 7 days of the receipt of appropriate imagery.

  Key Target 2:
  To provide detached Service personnel as required up to a total of 22 at any one time.
  Key Target 3:
  To complete Strategic, non-operational, intelligence requirements and other tasks as follows:

  92 per cent. of Priority 1 tasks to be completed within 24 hours of the receipt of appropriate imagery.

  88 per cent. of Priority 2 tasks to be completed within 48 hours of the receipt of appropriate imagery.

  80 per cent. of Priority 3 tasks to be completed within 7 days of the receipt of appropriate imagery.

  75 per cent. of Priority 4 tasks to be completed within 6 weeks of the receipt of appropriate imagery.

  Key Target 4:
  To revise the methodology of measuring the degree of customer satisfaction with the service provided.
  Key Target 5:
  To achieve a 2.5 per cent. improvement in efficiency.
  Key Target 6:
  To conduct evaluation of reconnaissance systems for MOD and other Governments within agreed times and allocated resources.

  Defence Animal Centre
  Ann Keen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the Chief Executive of the Defence Animal Centre for 1998–99. [64742]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  The Chief Executive of the Defence Animal Centre has been set the following Key Targets for 1998–1999.

  1. Meet 100 per cent. of the requirements for trained military personnel and trained military working animals for operations.

  2. To achieve a customer satisfaction rating of at least 95 per cent. for the quality of its trained output.

  3. To achieve a customer satisfaction rating of at least 95 per cent. of the quantity of its trained output.

  4. To achieve a customer satisfaction rating of at least 95 per cent. for the timeliness of delivery.

  5. Meet course specific training success rates for Military Working Animals of at least 95 per cent.

  6. Meet training success rates for personnel of at least 90 per cent.

  Trident
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on changes to the Strategic Defence Review decision to cancel the final tranche of Trident nuclear missiles; and what value of Trident missile components have been purchased from the USA since the Strategic Defence Review. [65042]

  Mr. George Robertson
  There has been no change to the Strategic Defence Review decision to cancel the planned final batch of Trident D5 missiles. Since the SDR, we have authorised $100.6m for US fiscal year 99 procurement of Trident missile components as announced in my written answer of 30 July 1998,Official Report, column 453. Some of these relate to the completion of earlier missile orders; of the remainder, some will be required as in service spares and the balance will be sold back to the US in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding that I announced on 30 July 1998, Official

  13
  Report, column 453. Overall, our decision to maintain our Trident missile inventory at 58 is expected to save in the region of £50 million.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to store the warhead component separately from the missile delivery vehicles of the Trident nuclear system. [65044]

  Mr. George Robertson
  We concluded in the SDR that storing Trident warheads separately from the missiles would be incompatible in current circumstances with maintaining a credible minimum deterrent with a submarine-based nuclear system.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the arrangements for the provision of spare and replacement parts for the Trident nuclear missile system, indicating in how many cases there is a single supplier of spare or replacement parts. [65041]

  Mr. George Robertson
  The Trident missile system was procured off the shelf from the United States under the provisions of the Polaris Sales Agreement of 1963, as amended for Trident. Missile system components, including spares and replacement parts, are procured on our behalf by the US Department of Defence (DoD). For most elements of the system, the DoD uses Prime Contractors (for example, for the missile itself the prime contractor is Lockheed Martin Missile Systems) who in turn employ numerous sub-contractors. Because of the nature of the procurement, we do not have detailed visibility of the sub-contractor network, but I can say that for most major components single suppliers are employed because of the high costs of supplier qualification and the low levels of production now remaining.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to rule out a first-strike use of the UK's Trident missiles. [65045]

  Mr. George Robertson
  In conducting the Strategic Defence Review, we concluded that such a policy of No First Use of Nuclear weapons would be incompatible with our and NATO's doctrine of deterrence, and that it would not further nuclear disarmament.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Maples
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon will receive a substantive reply to his question to which a holding answer was given on 2 December. [64733]

  Mr. Spellar
  I replied to the hon. Member on 16 December 1998,Official Report, column 520.

  UN Volunteer Force
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what forces Her Majesty's Government have on stand-by for United Nations duty; how rapidly they can be deployed in an emergency; and what consideration he has given to improving their(a) training and (b) readiness; [64956]

  (2) if he will make it his policy to support the creation of a permanent UN Volunteer Force. [64957]
  14
  Mr. Doug Henderson
  The Government do not support the concept of a permanent United Nations Volunteer Force because it would involve duplicating expensive capabilities that already exist among member states, and because it would be impractical to create a single force that could cater for every eventuality. We believe the most effective way to provide the UN with military support is through the Secretary-General's Standby Arrangements initiative. Since 1994, the United Kingdom has declared a range of forces to be potentially available under the United Nations' Standby Forces Planning Arrangement to facilitate the rapid deployment of forces once political decisions on their use have been made. Following last year's Strategic Defence Review, we have decided to strengthen our commitment by declaring the whole range of our rapidly deployable forces as potentially available to the United Nations. This will be formalised in a Memorandum of Understanding which we plan to have ready for signature by March this year.

  The forces declared in the Memorandum of Understanding will be drawn from the new Joint Rapid Reaction Forces, which will have an initial operational capability available by 1 April 1999 and be fully operational by 2001. Each of the elements of this force will be held at graduated states of readiness, ranging from 24 hours up to and including 30 days.

  We believe the training and readiness of the United Kingdom's Armed Forces to be the equal of the best in the world. Nevertheless, we remain committed to seeking improvements to these high standards. That is why we announced, also as part of the 1998 Strategic Defence Review, that the Chief of Joint Operations will have increased authority for enhancing the training and preparedness of the Joint Rapid Reaction Forces.

  Tony Geraghty
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons the computer files and research material of the author Tony Geraghty have been seized by Ministry of Defence Police. [65368]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  This is a matter for the Chief Constable of the Ministry of Defence Police Agency. I have asked the Chief Constable to write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from W. E. E. Boreham to Mr. Austin Mitchell, dated 11 January 1999:
  I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about property seized by the Ministry of Defence Police from Tony Geraghty, as this falls into my area of responsibility as Chief Constable/Chief Executive of the Ministry of Defence Police Agency.
  Computer files and research material were seized, under warrant, from the home address of Mr. Geraghty, as part of an investigation in connection with alleged offences against the Official Secrets Acts. The property seized is currently under evaluation.

  Armed Forces (Youth Recruitment)
  Mr. Stinchcombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list by age the numbers of men and women aged under 18 years in the armed forces. [65004]
  15
  Mr. Doug Henderson
  The number of men and women aged under 18 years in the armed forces is as follows:

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Naval Service

  16 year olds

  268

  49

  317

  17 year olds

  693

  128

  821

  Total

  961

  177

  1,138

  Army

  16 year olds

  1,083

  99

  1,182

  17 year olds

  3,449

  428

  3,877

  Total

  4,532

  527

  5,059

  Royal Air Force

  16 year olds

  37

  12

  49

  17 year olds

  364

  66

  430

  Total

  401

  78

  479

  AWE Committee
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates the Local Liaison Committee of the Atomic Weapons Establishment Committee(a) has met since 1 January 1997 and (b) plans to meet in 1999; and if the minutes of this committee are publicly available. [65056]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Atomic Weapons Establishment has two Local Liaison Committees, one covering the sites at Aldermaston and Burghfield, the other covering the site at Cardiff which is being decommissioned.

  The Local Liaison Committee for the Atomic Weapons Establishment Aldermaston and Burghfield met on the following dates:

  20 February 1997

  19 June 1997

  2 October 1997

  12 February 1998

  21 May 1998

  4 June 1998

  15 October 1998.

  The Local Liaison Committee for AWE Cardiff met on the following dates:

  19 June 1997

  28 November 1997

  26 June 1998

  23 November 1998.

  The next meeting of the AWE Aldermaston and Burghfield LLC is scheduled for 11 February 1999. It is expected that there will also be meetings in June and October 1999. The next meeting of the Cardiff LLC is scheduled for 17 May 1999 and it is expected that another one will be arranged for November.

  The minutes of the two committees are circulated to all members in order that they can disseminate the information or place it on local council files as appropriate.

  Ministerial Flights
  Mr. Wells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) for how many flight hours during 1997–98 Government Ministers have used the aircraft of 32 (The Royal) Squadron based at Northolt Airport; which Government officers used it the most; how much per hour the RAF charges ministers; and how much of this figure relates to Northolt Airport costs; [63696]

  (2) what estimate he has made of the cost of the Government chartering business jets when RAF jet aircraft of 32 (The Royal) Squadron Aircraft were unavailable in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will list the number of charters hired for that purpose; and the Ministers involved. [63695]

  Mr. Spellar
  I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave to the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon (Mr. Maples) on 19 November 1998,Official Report, column 711.

  Mr. Maples
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the term "average cost", with reference to flights taken by Ministers in his Department, refers to the average cost per passenger. [64726]

  Mr. Spellar
  The average cost refers to the average cost per trip and not the average cost per passenger.

  Mr. Maples
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will place in the Library a copy of a table listing ministerial flights on RAF aircraft. [64725]

  Mr. Spellar
  A copy of the table was placed in the Library of the House on 19 November.

  Turkey
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he and his NATO counterparts have taken to seek to ensure that civilian control over the military is maintained and enhanced in Turkey; and if he will make a statement. [62098]

  Mr. Spellar
  The European Commission has made clear, in its recent report on Turkey's progress towards EU accession, that the strengthening of democratic institutions and civilian control of the military are vital components in bringing Turkey closer to its aspirations for full membership. We will continue to work with Turkey on this issue.

  Harassment Policy (DERA)
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the harassment policy within DERA is applicable to other MOD employees; and if he will make a statement. [65031]

  Mr. Spellar
  I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  RAF Leeming
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions in the last year RAF Leeming has put up a tour of their base as a prize in a charity auction; and for each occasion which charity or organisation was involved. [64760]
  17
  Mr. Spellar
  A tour of the base has been offered on sixteen separate occasions since 1 January 1998. The organisations involved are as follows:

  Easingwold Hospice

  Richmond School

  Shepway CAB

  Brompon on Swale Primary School

  Linton on Ouse playing field project

  Yorkshire Cancer Research

  Friarage Hospital Breast Care Unit

  RAF Leeming Child Care Charities

  NSPCC (Yorkshire)

  Bedale County Primary School

  Dr. Bamados (Darlington)

  Ripon Grammar School

  Thornton Watlass Primary School

  RELATE (Scarborough/Bridlington)

  Highcliffe Primary School

  Allertonshire School.

  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was in staff time of the tour organised at RAF Leeming in January as a prize in a fund-raising auction for the British Field Sports Society. [64826]

  Mr. Spellar
  There were no extra costs associated with this tour. It was a standard station tour, organised and conducted in the normal way by the station Community Relations Officer, and lasted approximately 7 hours. The value of the staff time of the Community Relations Officer and all other personnel that the locally based visitors met will have amounted to less than £100.

  RAF Alconbury
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what(a) direct and (b) indirect costs to public funds were incurred as a result of the Sportsman's Bash held in February hosted by RAF Alconbury. [64829]

  Mr. Spellar
  No direct or indirect costs were incurred by public funds.

  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions in the last year RAF Alconbury has hosted events for charities or other organisations; and if he will list the organisations concerned. [64762]

  Mr. Spellar
  Five outside functions have been hosted at RAF Alconbury in the last year, all of which have been at no cost to UK public funds. They were:20 February 1998—Sportsman's Bash
  21 February 1998—Huntingdon Cromwell Rotary Club—International Evening
  21 March 1998—Friends of the 8th Air Force Dinner
  20 June 1998—Friends of the 8th Air Force Dinner
  13 November 1998—Cambridgeshire Constabulary Senior Officers Dining Club Function.

  Otterburn Ranges
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate(a) the cost and (b) planned training days lost resulting from the re-opening of the public inquiry
  18
  into his proposals for investment in improvements to the Otterburn ranges in Northumberland; and if he will make a statement. [65048]

  Mr. Spellar
  It was originally estimated that training on the new developments at Otterburn would commence in 2001. When training could now start depends on the length of the re-opened Public Inquiry. Until we know the length of the Inquiry, it is not possible to give an accurate estimate of the effect on training nor of any associated costs.

  Troop Deployment
  Mr. Stinchcombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he plans to take in respect of UK troop deployment following the announcement of the Under-Secretary General of Peacekeeping at the United Nations that under 18 year-olds will not be included on UN peacekeeping missions. [65010]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  We fully accept the UN's undertaking that personnel under the age of 18 will not be included on UN peacekeeping missions. When my Department responds to a UN request for the deployment of UK troops to a peacekeeping operation, the Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ) allocates tasks to the three Services as appropriate. UN requirements are of course complied with, including age restrictions. However, there may be occasions when Royal Navy units already deployed overseas, are called at short notice to such an operation. These units may contain small numbers of under 18 year-olds.

  Atomic Weapons Establishment (Technical Papers)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many reports in the two series of reports produced by the Mathematical Physics Division of the Atomic Weapons Establishment are currently unclassified. [65058]

  Mr. Spellar
  A total of 130 reports in the two series produced by the Mathematical Physics Division of the Atomic Weapons Establishment are currently unclassified.

  Pigmeat Consumption
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost of the pigmeat imported from outside the United Kingdom which was purchased for consumption by British service men and women in each of the last three years. [65121]

  Mr. Spellar
  The procurement of food for the Armed Forces is contracted to Booker Foodservice who were selected and took over the contract on 1 October 1997. In the first year of the contract Booker Foodservice imported some £1.45 million worth of pigmeat, representing 50 per cent. of the Armed Forces' requirement for bacon and gammon. The balance of the requirement for bacon and gammon and all of the requirement for pork were obtained from UK sources at a cost of £4.25 million. Unfortunately, the cost of imported pigmeat for the previous two years, when NAAFI held the contract, is not available. We believe, however, that the proportion of imported pigmeat will have been broadly similar to that advised by Booker Foodservice.

  Cruise Missiles (Iraq)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if British cruise missiles have been used in the attack on Iraq. [65160]

  Mr. George Robertson
  No British cruise missiles were used during Operation Desert Fox, the 16–19 December air campaign against Iraq.

  Nuclear Weapons (Gulf)
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will rule out the use of nuclear weapons by UK forces in the Gulf. [65043]

  Mr. George Robertson
  The United Kingdom would consider the use of nuclear weapons only in extreme circumstances of self-defence.

TREASURY

  VAT (Government Departments)
  Ms Lawrence
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes he proposes to make to the way in which Government departments account for VAT on contracted-out services. [65410]

  Mr. Milburn
  The 1984 Finance Act provided for Customs and Excise to make refunds to departments in respect of the VAT they pay on contracted out services. This was designed to remove a potential disincentive to contracting out services to the private sector, where this represented value for money for the taxpayer. Since 1996–97 these VAT refunds have been netted off against expenditure in departments' Estimates and Appropriation Accounts. The Government have reconsidered this approach and concluded that it is not consistent with the legislation governing the treatment of receipts, which requires most receipts of Government departments to be appropriated in aid or surrendered to the Consolidated Fund. We will therefore revert to the arrangements that applied prior to 1996–97. So long as cash based Estimates and Appropriation Accounts continue to exist refunds of VAT on contracted out services will be appropriated in aid, an approach which provides a greater degree of transparency.

  Convergence Programme
  Ms Lawrence
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to produce a Convergence Programme. [65411]

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  A Convergence Programme was submitted on 23 December 1998 to the European Commission. Copies of the Convergence Programme were placed in the Libraries of both Houses on that day.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has produced written guidance for the creation of new public private partnership capital schemes; and when he expects to produce final written guidance for potential project sponsors. [64678]

  Mr. Milburn
  Partnerships for Prosperity was published in November 1997. There is also a programme 20
  of guidance and technical notes for those engaged in the PFI in the public sector. Last year's publications were:
  General

  Private Finance and IT: A Practical Guide

  A Step-by-Step Guide to the PFI Procurement Process

  Policy Statements and Technical Notes

  Policy Statement No.2: Public Sector Comparators and Value for Money

  Policy Statement No.3: PFI and Public Expenditure Allocations for Non-Departmental Public Bodies

  Policy Statement No.4: Disclosure of Information and Consultation with Staff and other Interested Parties

  Technical Note No.2: How to follow EC Procurement Procedure and Advertise in the OJEC

  Technical Note No.3: How to Appoint and Manage Advisers.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if agreement has been reached with the Accounting Standards Board on the accounting presentation of PFI schemes in Government; and if he will make a statement. [64679]

  Mr. Milburn
  The Government welcomed the publication by the Accounting Standards Board on 10 September of Application Note F—Private Finance Initiative and similar contracts to Financial Reporting Standard 5. Officials are preparing detailed guidance reflecting this document to replace the Treasury's current guidance on this subject.

  Pre-Budget Report
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the changed assumption and calculation methods used in Table B9 of the Pre-Budget report (Cm 4076), compared with Table 4.5 in the July 1997 Red Book, HC 85. [64637]

  Mr. Milburn
  The conventions used in the July 1997 Red Book are set out in Annex B of Chapter 4. Those used in the Pre-Budget Report are described on pages 123–27 of that document.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what were the percentage increases in(a) the total expenditure of Department of Trade and Industry, Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, Department for Culture, Media and Sport and Department for Education and Employment in 1999–2000 and in the Welsh block for the same year, (b) each Department's expenditure relevant to the purposes of calculating the formula consequences for the Welsh block and (c) the expenditure within the Welsh block comparable to (b) above; [63613]

  (2) what changes he has made in the method of calculating the formula consequences for the Welsh block of expenditure by the DTI, DFEE, DETR and DCMS; [63550]

  (3) what comparability factor he used in calculating the formula consequences for the Welsh block of expenditure by the DTI, DETR, DCMS and DFEE in (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99 and (c) 1999–2000. [63549]
  21
  Mr. Milburn
  [holding answer 14 December 1998]: No changes have been made to the method of operating the Barnett formula. The Government have already set out a statement of principles to govern changes to the devolved administrations' budgets in a reply by the then Chief Secretary to the Treasury to my hon. Friend the Member for East Ham (Mr. Timms) on 9 December 1997, Official Report, columns 510–13.

  The Government maintained the 1997–98 and 1998–99 allocations to the Welsh Office determined by the previous Government in the 1996 Public Expenditure Survey.

  The percentage increases in the total Departmental Expenditure Limits can be derived from the tables in "Modern Public Services for Britain: Investing in Reform" (Cm 4011).

  Changes in the total departmental programme expenditure provide the basis for calculating formula consequentials for the Welsh Office budget. Each Departmental Expenditure Limit has a specific comparability determined by the coverage of Welsh Office services. In the Comprehensive Spending Review these are, for the Welsh Office:

  Percentage

  DTI

  27.0

  DETR—non-local government

  70.0

  DETR—local government

  100.0

  DCMS

  87.3

  DfEE

  75.8

  As the Secretary of State for Wales, and in turn the National Assembly for Wales, are free to allocate expenditure within the Welsh block as they see fit, the structure of programmes within the Welsh block does not exactly mirror the departmental structure in England. It is therefore not possible to calculate the percentage increases in expenditure within the Welsh budget which are comparable to each Department's expenditure.

  British Workers (EU)
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many British people moved to other parts of the EU in the last year for which figures are available; how many of them were of working age; and how many moved from the West Midlands. [64479]

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

  Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Jim Cunningham, dated 17 December 1998:
  As Director of the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking about estimates of British people moving to other parts of the EU.
  It is estimated that 52.2 thousand British citizens migrated from the United Kingdom to other EU countries in 1996. Of these, 34.1 thousand were of working age. A total of 5.6 thousand persons migrated from the West Midlands to the EU. Due to sample size it is not appropriate to disaggregate the estimate further to identify British citizens.
  A migrant from the United Kingdom is defined as a person who has resided in the UK for a year or more, and who states on departure the intention to reside abroad for a year or more.
  22
  Estimates of migrants are derived from the International Passenger Survey (IPS), a continuous voluntary survey which covers the principal air and sea routes between the United Kingdom (UK) and countries outside the British Isles. The routes between the UK and the Irish Republic are excluded, as is all movement of diplomats and armed forces personnel. Estimates derived from the IPS are subject to both sampling and non-sampling errors. As an approximate guide, the standard error for an estimate of five thousand migrants is around 35 per cent., whilst for an estimate of 40 thousand migrants this is reduced to around 10 per cent.

  Smoking (Death Certificates)
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of death certificates each year that refer to smoking as a cause of death. [64100]

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

  Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Peter Bottomley, dated 17 December 1997:
  As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary question on the estimated number of death certificates each year that refer to smoking as a cause of death.
  The table below gives the number of death certificates in each of the last five years that referred to smoking as an underlying or contributory cause of death.

  Number of deaths where smoking was mentioned on the death certificate as a cause of death, 1993–97, England and Wales

  Year

  Number of deaths

  1993

  2,038

  1994

  1,313

  1995

  1,080

  1996

  744

  1997

  686

  Smoking is only recorded as a cause of death on the death certificate for a small proportion of the deaths which are likely to be caused by smoking. According to the latest figures calculated by the Health Education Authority, there were an estimated 121,000 deaths due to smoking int he UK in 1995.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the official visits paid to Buckinghamshire by Ministers in his Department since 2 May 1997. [64133]

  The Attorney-General
  The Solicitor-General visited the Buckinghamshire branch of the Crown Prosecution Service on 13 August 1997.

PRIME MINISTER

  Council of Europe
  Ann Keen
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will announce the composition of the United Kingdom delegation for the January 1999 ordinary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. [64792]
  23
  The Prime Minister
  [pursuant to his reply, 17 December 1998, c. 646]: The right hon. Member for Strangford (Mr. Taylor) has been appointed as a full representative from the Minority Parties as a replacement for the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock), who becomes a substitute representative.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Ministerial Flights
  Mr. Maples
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if the term average cost, with reference to flights by Ministers in her Department, refers to average cost per passenger. [64724]

  Mr. Foulkes
  The average cost refers to the average cost per trip and not average cost per passenger.

  Misappropriated Aid
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate she has made of the amount of her Department's expenditure overseas which was misappropriated through corruption or fraud in recipient countries in each of the last three years; and what action her Department takes(a) to monitor such activities and (b) to ensure that consequent losses are minimised. [64800]

  Mr. Foulkes
  The figures requested are as follows: nil in 1995–96; £6,287 in 1996–97, and £58,293 in 1997–98. This Department gives a high priority to ensure regularity, propriety and value for money in the expenditure of aid funds. Departmental staff and aid recipients are required to follow detailed procedures and to keep comprehensive financial records. Where fraud is discovered, staff are expected to take action to recover the amounts lost, and to pursue prosecution wherever possible. Our control systems are under constant review by our internal auditors and are subject to examination by the National Audit Office. Full details of DFID' s procedures for authorising and accounting for expenditure are set out in the Department's Office Instructions, copies of which are in the Library of the House.

  Departmental Contracts
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations she has received concerning the number of her Department's contracts whose management is available for tender to UK based non-Governmental organisations; and if she will make a statement. [64797]

  Mr. Foulkes
  We have not received any such representations.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list, for the latest year for which figures are available, the names of UK based non-Governmental organisations who acted as contractors 24
  or managers of her Department's projects, programmes and activities and the (a) number and (b) total value of contracts for each manager or contractor. [64798]

  Mr. Foulkes
  The table lists, for 1997–98, the UK based organisations registered as charities which we have been able to identify as having acted as contractors or managers of my Department's projects; the number of contracts awarded to each; and the total value:

  NGO

  Number

  Total value (£)

  Accord

  2

  31,156

  Action for Disability

  1

  30,620

  ACTIONAID

  2

  2,294,840

  Active Learning Centre

  1

  44,775

  Association of Commonwealth Universities

  1

  4,919

  Bentham Moxon Trust

  2

  37,819

  British Executive Service Overseas

  1

  1,987

  British Overseas NGOs for Development

  1

  20,928

  Care International UK

  2

  10,927

  Charities Aid Foundation

  2

  98,150

  Childrens Aid Direct

  1

  98,332

  Christian Aid

  1

  45,484

  Education for Development

  1

  12,486

  Fauna and Flora International

  2

  202,525

  Hamlet Trust

  1

  76,936

  Henry Doubleday Research Association

  1

  22,650

  International Alert

  1

  12,973

  International Family Health

  25

  604,879

  International Planned Parenthood Federation

  1

  78,800

  International Records Management Trust

  8

  1,549,228

  International NGO Training and Research Centre

  1

  249,717

  Intermediate Technology Development Group

  1

  1,442

  Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine

  1

  6,000

  Living Earth Foundation

  1

  167,370

  London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

  34

  875,819

  Overseas Development Institute

  21

  1,254,506

  Oxfam

  3

  35,291

  Population Services International

  1

  1,587,019

  Royal Agricultural College

  1

  14,288

  Royal Botanic Gardens

  2

  168,867

  Save the Children Fund

  5

  199,343

  Scottish Council for Research in Education

  1

  25,654

  Traidcraft Exchange

  2

  24,000

  World Wide Fund for Nature

  1

  13,860

  Zoological Society of London

  1

  30,246

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the numbers of her Department' s contracts which were available for tender to UK based managers in each year since 1994. [64799]

  Mr. Foulkes
  The following table lists the number of contracts let in the UK, from 1994–95, for which we have sought proposals. These contracts cover a wide variety of skills including management. Disaggregated figures for contracts limited to management functions, contracts with management components and contracts not available to UK consultants could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Year

  Number of contracts

  1994–95

  1,068

  1995–96

  1,512

  1996–97

  2,003

  1997–98

  1,995

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Television Licence Evasion (Colchester)
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is the current estimated number of households which evade payment of a television licence in the Colchester constituency; and what plans he has to reduce the level of evasion. [62188]

  Janet Anderson
  The estimated national television licence fee evasion rate was 7.2 per cent. at the end of March 1998 and is expected to fall significantly by the end of the current financial year. Information below national level is not available in a comparable form. TV Licensing, which carries out the day to day administration and enforcement of the television licensing system as agent for the BBC, adopts all appropriate measures to minimise evasion throughout the United Kingdom.

  Sport (Girls)
  Mr. Michael J. Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the proportion of girls who give up sport upon leaving school. [63432]

  Mr. Banks
  This Department has not made any estimate of the proportion of girls who have given up sport upon leaving school.

  The 1994 Young People and Sport Survey, which focused on ages 6–16 and was carried out by the then GB Sports Council, showed that, at age 16, the participation rate for girls in sport was 77 per cent. The 1996 General Household Survey, which focused on age 16 and over, showed that the participation rate in the age group 16–19 was 79 per cent. The same surveys show that the participation rates were 81 per cent. at ages 14–15, but fell to 70 per cent. at ages 25–29. However, direct comparisons are not appropriate because of the different nature of the two surveys.

  The English Sports Council (ESC) will be undertaking its next Young People and Sport Survey next year. The survey is likely to focus on the participation rates of girls in sport in more detail.

  Mr. Michael J. Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what initiatives are planned by his Department to encourage more girls to become involved in sport. [63433]

  Mr. Banks
  I have made clear my determination to encourage more women and girls into sport at all levels and am working closely with my Ministerial colleagues and others to ensure this.

  The English Sports Council (ESC), through which this Department's funding for sport is channelled, had a range of activities designed to encourage and promote women and girls in sport. Initiatives aimed specifically at young people come under the umbrella of the National Junior Sports Programme which brings together education sectors and local communities to develop interest in sport at an early age and help young people develop basic sports skills. Specific initiatives include:
  Top Play: an initiative run in conjunction with the Youth Sport Trust, which teaches core sporting skills to 4–9 year olds;
  26
  Top Sport: also run in conjunction with the Youth Sport Trust, which introduces 7 –11 year olds to sports and games;
  Coaching for Teachers: run in conjunction with the National Coaching Foundation, which offers tailored sports training for teachers; and
  Sportsmark and Sportsmark Gold: which awards secondary and special schools for their work on sport in the curriculum.

  In addition, the ESC is piloting an initiative, 'Girl Sport', aimed specifically at promoting the benefits of sport for girls and encouraging more girls to participate in sport. Also, the ESC is aiming, next Spring, to publish a National Action Plan for Women which will encourage organisations to sign up to specific targets to increase the number of girls involved in sport by 2001, including:

  a 20 per cent. increase in the number of girls who are members of sports clubs;

  a 20 per cent. increase in the number of secondary school age girls who take part in at least 3 sports on a regular basis; and

  a 20 per cent. increase in the number of girls who participate in sport in their leisure time.

  A major force for helping more women and girls into sport is coming through the National Lottery. Organisations are required to include ways of encouraging the participation of women and girls when applying for monies from the Lottery Sports Fund. This is now helping to increase participation levels in a range of sports.

  Scotland Act 1998 (Schedule 5)
  Mr. Swinney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the offices or agencies under his control which will be subject to L.2 of Head L in Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998; how many people are currently employed in these offices; and what equal opportunities practices are adopted in these offices. [63793]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  [holding answer 15 December 1998]: All Non-Departmental Public Bodies falling under my Department are covered by the reserved matter of equal opportunities defined by Section L.2 of Head L of Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998 and by the first exception to that. The following bodies may be designated as cross-border public authorities and therefore be subject also to the second exception:

  Name of Body

  Current number of UK employees

  British Library

  2,413

  Theatre Trust

  6

  British Tourist Authority

  161.5

  Museums and Galleries Commission

  43

  National Heritage Memorial Fund

  152

  All these bodies are responsible for ensuring that they meet the equal opportunities requirements set out in law.

  World Heritage Sites
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the organisations in England involved in reviewing world heritage site nominations as a result of the Government's recent consultation. [64423]
  27
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Committee of experts set up at the request of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to recommend sites in England for inclusion in a new UK Tentative List of potential World Heritage Sites comprised representatives from the following organisations:

  English Heritage (Chair)

  The Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England

  The Joint Nature Conservation Committee

  The International Union for the Conservation of Nature

  The Local Authority World Heritage Forum

  The Cathedrals Advisory Commission for England

  The International Council on Monuments and Sites (UK)

  The Countryside Commission.

  Officials from the Department for Culture, Media and Sport also attended the meetings of the Committee.

  Healthy Living Centres
  Mr. David Heath
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to ensure that New Opportunities Fund support for healthy living centres addresses issues of social exclusion in rural areas. [64472]

  Mr. Banks
  [holding answer 17 December 1998]: The Policy Directions issued to the New Opportunities Fund make it clear that the primary aim of the healthy living centre initiative is that the centres should target people in communities with the worst health and greatest health inequalities, including those in pockets of deprivation within rural areas which may not be readily identifiable as deprived under the current criteria for determining deprivation. A particular emphasis is placed on ensuring that the centres are accessible to people who experience disadvantage, or who have difficulty accessing existing health facilities and services.

  The National Lottery Act 1998 requires the New Opportunities Fund to draw up a strategic plan containing its assessment of needs and its priorities in dealing with them, on which it must consult the Secretary of State. This ensures that there is a proper strategy for distributing Lottery proceeds. The Fund is currently consulting on its draft strategic plan and looking at ways it will focus on the most disadvantaged 20 per cent. of the population. The Fund proposes to give particular priority to, among others, deprived rural areas.

  In addition, the Fund may encourage applications of particular types, or in particular geographical areas, and use the new power of solicitation where sufficient applications are not forthcoming.

  Mr. David Heath
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what criteria are used to assess applications for funding of healthy living centres from the New Opportunities Fund. [64471]

  Mr. Banks
  [holding answer 17 December 1998]: The New Opportunities Fund is currently consulting on its application guidance and developing its assessment criteria, but for healthy living centres the criteria will include consideration of the benefit to deprived communities and groups; additionality to mainstream health provision; innovation and quality of provision; community and user involvement; equality and access to the project; links with local health improvement
  28
  programmes and targets, and relevant national health strategies; links with broader local strategic planning and programmes (including community plans and regeneration programmes); and sustainability beyond the life of the grant.

  John Boyd Textiles Ltd.
  Mr. David Heath
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent representations he has received on the future of John Boyd Textiles Ltd. of Castle Cary and the historic horsehair looms used by that company. [64474]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  [holding answer 17 December 1998]: None. However, I understand that an application for planning permission for the conversion of buildings at the site to residential units has been submitted to South Somerset District Council. Oversight of the development control system is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

  Industrial Machinery
  Mr. David Heath
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what protection is available for industrial machinery to ensure processes of historical and cultural importance can continue. [64473]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  [holding answer 17 December 1998]: Where a building is listed as being of special architectural or historic interest any alteration to it, including the removal of machinery, would require listed building consent from the local planning authority. However, the refusal of consent to remove machinery would not necessarily mean that the machinery would continue in use; this is a matter for the owners of the buildings and the machinery.

  Social Exclusion (Sport)
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on how the Government's objectives to eliminate social exclusion in sport are being realised. [63426]

  Mr. Banks
  [holding answer 14 December 1998]: This Government are committed to eliminating the barriers which prevent people from participating in sport. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to participate in and enjoy sport, regardless of class, gender, ethnic background, age or ability.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 14 December that as part of the Departmental Spending Review outcome sport will receive increased Government funding of almost £8 million over the next 3 years, some £2 million more than the £6 million already announced in July. The extra funding will not only help the UK Sports Council with the lead role we all want to see it play in UK sport, but will contribute to the existing range of provisions that the English Sports Council (ESC) makes in the field of social inclusion.

  The National Lottery is also making a major impact in addressing the needs of communities up and down the country, both in terms of sport and the other good causes. The Lottery Sports Fund has now provided grants totalling £900 million to over 4,000 capital projects.

  29
  Sports projects in economically deprived regions can apply for additional Lottery support under the ESC's 'Priority Areas Initiative'. The recent reforms to the National Lottery will help to encourage distributors to consider how their strategies for the lottery will contribute to better access, neighbourhood regeneration, and the reduction of economic and social deprivation.

  We are working towards the goal of social inclusion in a variety of other ways. I am the 'lead' Minister for a Policy Action Team which has been set up to examine best practice in the use of arts and sports projects in deprived areas. The Team draws together officials from a number of government departments with practitioners in the field of community sports provision, and will report in May 1999. My Department is also developing a new strategy for sport, which will set out some clear principles

  £

  Arts Council

  Chair

  8,751.99

  Arts Council

  Members

  18,346.69

  BBC

  Governors

  40,486.98

  DCMS

  2 posts

  4,701.00

  English Sports Council

  Chair and Members

  12,474.00

  General broadcasting covering:

  23,372.29

  BSC

  Chair and Members

  ITC

  Deputy Chair

  Radio Authority

  Members

  National Lottery Commission

  Chief Executive and Commissioners

  19,387.50

  National Lottery Charities Board

  Chair

  17,945.80

  National Heritage Memorial Fund

  Chair

  5,883.28

  New Opportunities Fund

  Chair and Members

  35,490.88

  National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts

  Chief Executive

  14,057.21

  Chair and Members

  23,536.00

  S4C

  Chair and Members

  4,712.00

  UK Sports Council

  Members

  28,972.29

  Recouped from Welsh Office

  -4,801.00

  Recouped from Scottish Office

  -7,039.00

  Recouped from Northern Ireland Office

  -3,132.00

  No expenditure has been made on television or radio advertising or direct mail.

  Regional Arts Councils
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the method and formula used to determine funding for the regional arts councils. [63984]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Arts Council expects the Regional Arts Boards to receive average increases in funding of 19 per cent. in 1999–2000, 11 per cent. in 2000–01 and 4 per cent. in 2001–02 in total. The Arts Council will fully fund the Regional Arts Board for each arts organisation that is delegated to them. They will also receive an element of flexible funding which will be related to factors such as deprivation, as well as population.

  Film Production (United Kingdom)
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what contribution United Kingdom produced films have made to the annual balance of trade for each of the last five years for which figures are available; [64913]
  30
  and targets for future developments in this area. I am especially keen to see the issue of equal opportunities in sport tackled more directly, and the strategy will demonstrate ways in which this can be achieved.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what has been the total expenditure and the breakdown of expenditure in his Department since May 1997 on(a) public opinion research, (b) television, radio and newspaper advertising and (c) direct mail. [63959]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  My Department has let one contract for public opinion research since May 1997. In order to preserve commercial confidentiality I am unable to provide details of the cost. A total of £243,146 has been spent on newspaper advertising for the following posts.

  (2) what contributions have been made to the annual balance of trade by overseas companies using film production services in the United Kingdom, for each of the last five years for which figures are available. [64914]

  Janet Anderson
  The contributions made to the UK balance of payments for each of the years 1993 to 1997 by(a) overseas sales of, royalties and rental payments for United Kingdom produced films and (b) the use of film production, processing, printing, editing etc. services in the United Kingdom by overseas companies are shown in the table.

  Export earnings of UK film companies

  £ million

  UK produced films

  Use of UK film production, printing, editing etc. facilities

  Total

  1993

  459

  128

  587

  1994

  516

  177

  693

  1995

  560

  227

  787

  1996

  686

  202

  888

  1997

  465

  207

  672

  Source:

  Office for National Statistics (news release ONS(98)359)

  Subtitling and Sign Language
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for High Peak (Mr. Levitt) and the hon. Member for Maidenhead of 8 December 1997,Official Report, column 468, what replies he received from cable and satellite broadcasters following his request that they state their plans to make their services more accessible to viewers with hearing difficulties. [65240]

  Janet Anderson
  I am placing a summary of the responses received in the Library of the House. My officials are holding a series of meetings with the broadcasters; the major groups representing viewers with hearing difficulties; and the subtitling providers to discuss what scope there is for improving the level of subtitling on cable and satellite channels and what impediments broadcasters face in increasing the current level of provision.

  Television Licences
  Mr. Love
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of(a) the number of premises with a television licence for (i) colour and (ii) black and white televisions where there is more than one receiver and (b) how many of these contain (A) one to 10, (B) 10 to 20, (C) 20 to 50 and (D) more than 50 sets; and if he will estimate the extra revenue gained by the BBC if each set required a licence. [65165]

  Janet Anderson
  Information is not held centrally on the numbers of television sets installed in non-domestic premises other than hotels, and even for hotels information is not held in the form requested. The available statistics on domestic television ownership show only the number of households without television, those with one set and those with more than one set, broken down into colour and black and white. Over 60 per cent. of households with colour television have more than one colour set; a further 7 per cent. of households with colour television have an additional black and white set and a similar proportion of households with only black and white television have more than one set. Charging all households with more than one television set an additional licence fee would raise an estimated £1,320 million in extra television licence fee revenue, assuming that levels of television ownership remained unchanged.

  QUEST
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the annual budget will be for the departmental body QUEST. [65236]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  The allocations for my Department which I published on 14 December 1998 included a sum of £500,000 in each of the financial years 1999–2000, 2000–2001 and 2001–2002 for the operation of Quality, Efficiency and Standards Team (QUEST).

  Museums and Galleries (Free Admission)
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to introduce universal free admission to museums and galleries by 2002. [64648]
  32
  Mr. Chris Smith
  I announced on 14 December 1998,Official Report, column 589, that funds had been allocated in two stages to allow Trustees of currently charging national museums in England to introduce free admission for children in 1999–2000 and pensioners in 2000–01. This reflects our expectation that they will endorse the first two stages of our programme to widen access.

  Funds have also been set aside to enable those national museums and galleries in England that wish to offer universal free access in 2001–02 to do so, and discussions about this will take place between my Department and the museums over the coming year.

  Decisions about free entry will continue to be a matter for the Trustees of individual museums.

  Broadcasting Licences (Religious Organisations)
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to allow religious organisations to obtain national broadcasting licences; and if he will make a statement. [64839]

  Janet Anderson
  I have no such plans. The Broadcasting Act 1990 disqualifies groups whose objectives are wholly or mainly of a religious nature from holding a terrestrial national radio licence issued by the Radio Authority.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Green State Scheme
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will assess the advantages of introducing a policy analogous to the Green State scheme established in Sweden and Norway. [62974]

  Mr. Meale
  We are not aware of such a scheme.

  National Air Traffic Services
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment the Government have made of the advantages and disadvantages of establishing NATS as a non-profit making organisation. [64570]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Ayr (Ms Osborne) on 22 June 1998,Official Report, column 366. The Government are consulting interested parties on their preferred option of a public/private partnership for NATS, and will take account of responses to the consultation in taking final decisions. The consultation period will end on 31 January 1999.

  London Underground
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what estimate he has made of the re-payment cost of the public/private partnership for London Underground; [64571]
  33
  (2) what proportion of the repayment costs of the public/private partnership for London Underground will be covered (a) by Government and (b) by the Greater London Authority from the revenues generated by congestion charges or parking levies. [64572]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Under the public/private partnership for the Underground, London Underground will pay to the private sector a fee based on availability and performance of infrastructure. The work to date, to develop the contract structure and model the financial relationships, which is still being refined, suggests that, over the life of the concession, this fee and all the Underground's operating costs could be covered from London Underground revenues. Details of the estimated payments cannot be divulged, as to do so might compromise the public sector's ability to achieve value for money in the competition for the infrastructure contracts.

  People's Question Time
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what procedures will be in place to ensure that the proposed People's Question Time for the London Mayor and the Assembly of the Greater London Authority will be(a) publicised by means accessible to people with sensory disabilities, (b) in buildings which are accessible to disabled people and (c) equipped to offer communication support to deaf and hard of hearing people who might attend. [64488]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The GLA will need to comply with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 when deciding how best to publicise People's Question Time and its other public meetings and whether to hold them in the GLA building or other suitable locations. The GLA's own building will be built to a specification which as a minimum meets the standards set out in current legislation. Specific requirements have yet to be finalised, but I would expect the building to be equipped to meet the needs of all disabled people. For example, I envisage that the chamber and committee rooms would be equipped with induction loops for the hard of hearing.

  Local Government (Church Representatives)
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if church representatives who serve on local education committees, will be able to retain an executive role in any of the new political structures proposed in "Modern local government: In Touch with the People", Cm 4014. [64489]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Our intention is that the new political structures will safeguard the present ability of church representatives to contribute to decision taking on the planning and provision of education services.

  Capital Receipts (Ipswich)
  Mr. Cann
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact of the capital receipts initiative in Ipswich. [64664]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Ipswich Borough Council received a total allocation of £1.570 million under the Capital Receipts Initiative (CRI) in 1997–98 and 1998–99 (£368,000 and £1,202,000 respectively). Returns from the 34
  authority show that two thirds of these resources are to be used to refurbish the authority's own stock. This will mean improvements mostly targeted at providing improved heating and insulation, to over 3,000 local authority properties. The remaining resources are being used to support RSL new build (14 per cent.), on renovation grants and home repair (8 per cent.) and for community safety and other improvements (10 per cent.). The Council's CRI allocation for 1999–2000 is £1.330 million.

  Merchant Fleet
  Mr. Cann
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what action his Department has taken to maintain the size of the United Kingdom's merchant fleet. [64528]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  A shipping policy paper—"British Shipping: Charting a new course"—was published by the Deputy Prime Minister on 16 December. This sets out the Government's strategy for revitalising the British merchant fleet.

  Properties (Newcastle upon Tyne)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many privately owned and rented properties were vacant in the City of Newcastle upon Tyne in each of the last five years; and if he will estimate a vacancy rate for privately owned and rented properties in those years. [64680]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The number of privately owned and rented properties that were vacant in the City of Newcastle in each of the last five years are as follows:

  Year

  Number

  Per cent.

  1994

  4,679

  6.4

  1995

  4,339

  5.9

  1996

  4,191

  5.6

  1997

  4,385

  5.8

  1998

  4,455

  5.8

  A1
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what(a) highway improvement and (b) major highway maintenance have been carried out along the A1 corridor from the Eighton Banks interchange north to the Scottish Border in the last three years; indicating the length in mileage and duration of the works involved. [64681]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Lawrie Haynes, to write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 11 January 1999:
  The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question. You asked "What highway improvement and major highway maintenance has been carried out along the A1 corridor from Eighton Banks interchange to the Scottish Border in the last three years".
  The tables attached set out the information you require.

  35
  The durations shown are the duration of the works, and do not reflect the extent of any lane closures, etc on the Al. For example, the Lobley Hill to River Derwent scheme was completed using night time only closures resulting in little or no delays to traffic throughout the 3 month contract period.
  I trust the above information meets your requirement.

  Highways Maintenance schemes carried out on the Al between Eighton Banks and the Scottish Border (over £50k) November 1995—November 1998

  Scheme

  Length in miles

  Duration

  A1 Scremeston Roundabout

  0.25

  2 weeks

  A1 Smearfield

  0.75

  2 weeks

  A1 Kingsway to Lobley Hill

  1.5

  2 months

  Al Lobley Hill to Blaydon Bridge

  0.2

  1 week

  A1 South of Alnwick

  0.8

  2 weeks

  Al Fenwick Stead to Granary

  0.5

  2 weeks

  Highway improvements carried out on the AI between Eighton Banks and the Scottish Border (over £50k) November 1995—November 1998

  Scheme

  Length in miles

  Duration

  A1 Seven Mile House to Stannington Bridge (Marginal Strips/Maintenance)

  2.1 miles

  3 months

  A1 Hitchcroft to Cawledge (Additional C/Way)

  1.7 miles

  6 months

  A1 Hitchcroft to Cawledge Southbound carriageway (Marginal Strips/Maintenance)

  1.4 miles

  1 month

  A1 Lobley Hill Junction (Partial Signal Control)

  Not applicable

  2 weeks

  A1 Loughend Farm (Diverge Taper)

  Not applicable

  3 weeks

  A1/C137 Burgham Farm Junction (Junction improvement)

  Not applicable

  1 month

  A1/B1342 Belford Junction (Diverge Taper)

  Not applicable

  1 month

  Other Minor Schemes

  Signing/Roadmarking

  11

  Red surfacing at junctions

  20

  Safety Fencing

  8

  Anti-skid treatment

  2

  Speed Cameras

  5

  Cycle Crossings

  3

  Central Reservation Hardening

  2

  Local Government Finance (North Yorkshire)
  Mr. Grogan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for what reasons the social services standard spending assessment for North Yorkshire has increased by 0.5 per cent. in the next financial year; and if he will make a statement. [64584]

  Ms Armstrong
  Calculations underlying the 1999–2000 social services standard spending assessment (SSA) for North Yorkshire are set out in the draft Local Government Finance Report (England) for 1999–2000. The 0.5 per cent. increase in the social services SSA reflects a 5.8 per cent. increase due to control totals, a 5.2 per cent. decrease due to changes in the method of calculation and a 0.1 per cent. decrease due to incorporating the latest data in the indicators used to calculate the SSA.

  Changes to the method of calculation for 1999–2000 have been made, following research and discussion with local government, where we are satisfied that they are justified and lead to a fairer system overall. The main changes affecting North Yorkshire are the new method of calculating the SSA for children's social services and the exclusion of residents of institutions from the elderly residential formula. I will shortly be meeting a delegation from North Yorkshire County Council to discuss the proposed settlement.
  36

  Highways Maintenance schemes carried out on the Al between Eighton Banks and the Scottish Border (over £50k) November 1995—November 1998

  Scheme

  Length in miles

  Duration

  A1 Hitchcroft to Cawledge

  1.4

  1 month

  A1 West Moor Felton

  0.4

  2 weeks

  A1 Scremeston Roundabout South

  0.8

  2 weeks

  A1 Warneford South

  0.5

  2 weeks

  A1 North of River Coquet

  0.4

  2 weeks

  A1 Detchart Junction

  0.3

  2 weeks

  A1 Fenwick North

  0.65

  2 weeks

  A1 Ancroft to Cat Inn

  0.65

  3 weeks

  A1 Lobley Hill to River Derwent

  1.83

  3 months

  A1 Warneford North

  0.6

  2 weeks

  A1 Buckton

  0.7

  2 weeks

  A1- A6105 Highfields Roundabout

  0.57

  3 weeks

  A1 Berwick Bypass

  1.5

  1 week

  Domiciliary Care
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what factors were considered in calculating the estimate of locally generated income from charges within the social services elderly domiciliary care standard spending assessment. [64577]

  Ms Armstrong
  Local authorities have complete discretion on whether to charge for non-residential social services provided for the elderly. They are also free to set the amount of any charge. The change was made because it is not fair to assume that each local authority can raise the same amount in charges irrespective of the ability of those receiving services to contribute towards their cost. This is supported by statistical evidence which shows that, the higher the proportion of pensioners receiving Income Support in an authority, the smaller the contribution that charges make to the cost of providing such services. In examining possible statistical evidence, the following indicators were also considered: pensioners living alone, pensioners in rented accommodation, elderly with a limiting long term illness and the needs index which was used in the Other Social Services standard spending assessment formula before 1998–99.

  Elderly Residential Care
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the reasons are for no longer including those in residential care, nursing homes and long-stay hospitals when counting the number of people aged 65 years or more for the purposes of calculating the social services elderly residential care standard spending assessment; what assessment he has made of the consequences of this change for local
  37
  authorities with large numbers of elderly people in residential care, nursing homes and long-stay hospitals; and if he will phase the change in over three years. [64579]

  Ms Armstrong
  The formula was changed in response to three concerns. First, the previous formula penalised local authorities which placed people in accommodation beyond their boundaries. Such placements counted towards the standard spending assessment for the receiving authority rather than the placing authority. Secondly, the previous formula included people who are funding their own care and are no financial burden on the local authority. Thirdly, the change to the method of calculation makes the formula more consistent with the research on which it was based. That research examined the characteristics of people in private households who were on the point of admission to residential care.

  We propose to make this change to standard spending assessments in 1999–2000. SSA Reduction grants will be provided to authorities whose total SSA is reduced substantially through changes in the method of calculation.

  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the councils for which the prediction under the standard spending assessment formula for the number of elderly people needing residential and nursing care in 1999–2000 is smaller than the prediction for 1998–99, indicating the difference in each case; and what steps he plans to take as a result. [64580]

  Ms Armstrong
  Standard Spending Assessments (SSAs) are measures of relative need rather than absolute need. The elderly residential services SSA involves estimating each authority's share of the national total of people requiring residential or nursing care. The change in the method of calculating SSAs and in the data used have led to changes in each authorities' share of the national total of potential elderly supported residents. A table showing these figures has been placed in the House Library.

  SSA Reduction grants are provided to authorities whose total SSA is reduced substantially as a result of changes to the method of calculation.

  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what assessment he has made of the impact on social services of meeting the cost of funding those persons who have taken up places in a private capacity in a residential or nursing home but whose capital subsequently falls below £16,000; [64582]

  (2) what research he has undertaken into the predicted increase in demand for residential and nursing care for elderly people in (a) urban, (b) rural and (c) seaside areas in the next year. [64581]

  Mr. Hutton
  I have been asked to reply.

  No such assessment has been made. Local authorities have the lead in arranging and funding social care and it is for them to determine the need for services in their area. They have a responsibility to obtain high quality of care for their clients and value for money,
  38
  taking into account local priorities and other sources of support available to individuals. The Community Care (Residential Accommodation) Act 1998 was enacted on 11 August and guidance was issued to local authorities concerning residents whose capital falls below £16,000. We are not aware of any major problems in this area.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the revised 1998–99 standard spending assessment base is for each local authority with responsibility for social services, taking into account the absorption of the special transitional grant for social services and the early years grant for education; what his policy is on publishing revised bases; and if he will recalculate for each such authority the published growth in standard spending assessment on the basis of the formula for carrying forward the special transitional grant for 1998–99 and previous years. [64574]

  Ms Armstrong
  When calculating growth in standard spending assessments for each authority, our policy has been to make adjustments to the base year where there are significant changes in responsibility and where funding amounts for changes in responsibility for each authority are available. To adjust in the manner requested for calculating growth between 1998/99 and 1999/2000, however, is not appropriate in the light of the Comprehensive Spending Review which started from a zero base, looking at expenditure needs afresh. The only fair comparison for social services is to look at total resources provided which, in aggregate, show a 6.1 per cent. cash increase or a 3.5 per cent. real terms increase between 1998/99 and 1999/2000. The increased resources we are making available will meet the costs of looking after existing and new community care clients, and enable local authorities to deliver real improvements in services.

  There has been no absorption of the Early Years Grant for Education into SSAs for 1999/2000. The same amount of Early Years Grant is available in 1999/2000 as in 1998/99.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will define the criteria under which local authorities will be capped for excessive spending. [65285]

  Ms Armstrong
  No.

  We have abolished crude and universal capping. My right hon. Friend will decide, after councils have set their budgets, whether capping is necessary in 1999/2000 and the principles for designation he will adopt if it is necessary.

  Youth Work
  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many youth work posts were funded by local authorities in(a) 1998, (b) 1993 and (c) 1990. [64513]

  Mr. Raynsford
  This information is not centrally available.

  Conservation Areas
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to designate additional locations as special areas of conservation; and if he will make a statement. [64718]

  Mr. Meale
  Apart from 10 sites which have already consulted upon but not yet submitted, the UK list of candidate SACs is now complete. We are confident that

  Name of candidate Special Area of Conservation (cSAC)

  Date site submitted to EC

  Date of submission of amended site

  Achmore Bog

  14 October 1996

  —

  Afon Teifi/River Teifi

  20 June 1998

  —

  Afon Tywi/River Tywi

  1 October 1998

  —

  Amat Woods

  15 June 1995

  —

  Ardgour Pinewoods

  26 March 1998

  —

  Ardmeanach

  15 June 1995

  —

  Asby Complex

  8 January 1996

  20 March 1998

  Avon Gorge Woodlands

  8 January 1996

  —

  Ballochbuie

  20 June 1998

  16 March 1998

  Ballynahone Bog

  15 June 1995

  —

  Bankhead Moss, Beith

  26 March 1998

  —

  Barnack Hills and Holes

  20 March 1998

  —

  Barry Links

  15 June 1995

  —

  Bath and Bradford-on-Avon Bats

  8 January 1996

  —

  Beer Quarry and Caves

  15 June 1995

  —

  Beinn a'Ghlo

  14 October 1996

  —

  Beinn Dearg

  14 October 1996

  —

  Beinn Iadain and Beinn na h'Uamha

  14 October 1996

  —

  Ben Alder and Aonach Beag

  14 October 1996

  26 March 1998

  Ben Heasgarnich

  14 October 1996

  —

  Ben Lawers

  14 October 1996

  Ben Lui

  14 October 1996

  —

  Ben Nevis

  17 October 1996

  —

  Ben Wyvis

  17 October 1996

  —

  Benacre to Easton Bavents Lagoons

  15 June 1995

  —

  Berwickshire and North Northumberland Coast

  14 October 1996

  16 March 1998

  Berwyn

  15 June 1995

  20 March 1998

  Birklands and Bilhaugh

  15 June 1995

  —

  Black Bog

  15 June 1995

  —

  Black Loch Moss

  26 March 1998

  —

  Black Wood of Rannoch

  15 June 1995

  —

  Blawhom Moss

  15 June 1995

  —

  Blean Complex

  15 June 1995

  20 March 1998

  Bollihope, Pikestone, Eggleston and Woodland Fells

  20 March 1998

  —

  Border Mines, Kielder—Betterbum

  14 October 1996

  20 March 1998

  Borrowdale Woodland Complex

  15 June 1995

  —

  Braehead Moss

  15 June 1995

  16 March 1998

  Braunton Burrows

  8 January 1996

  20 March 1998

  Breckland

  8 January 1996

  —

  Bredon Hill

  15 June 1995

  —

  Burnham Beeches

  20 June 1998

  —

  Burry Inlet: Dunes/Cilfach Burry: Twyni

  15 June 1995

  —

  Burry Inlet: Saltmarsh and Estuary/Cilfach Burry: Cors heli ac Aber

  8 January 1996

  —

  Caenlochan

  17 October 1996

  26 March 1998

  Cairngorms

  17 October 1996

  26 March 1998

  —

  1 October 1998

  Caithness and Sutherland Peatlands

  8 January 1996

  26 March 1998

  Cannock Extension Canal

  15 June 1995

  —

  Cardigan Bay/Bae Ceredigion

  8 January 1996

  —

  Cam nan Tri-Tighearnan

  8 January 1996

  —

  Carrine Common

  15 June 1995

  —

  Castle Eden Dene

  15 June 1995

  —

  Castle Hill

  15 June 1995

  —

  Chesil and the Fleet

  14 October 1996

  20 March 1998

  Chilmark Quarries

  15 June 1995

  —

  Chilterns Beechwoods

  15 June 1995

  —

  Claish Moss and Kentra Moss

  14 October 1996

  —

  Clints Quarry

  20 June 1998

  —

  Clyde Valley Woods

  8 January 1996

  —

  Coalburn Moss

  14 October 1996

  16 March 1998

  40
  our list is scientifically robust and in accordance with the requirements of the Habitats Directive.

  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the locations that he has designated as special areas of conservation since 1 May 1997. [64717]

  Mr. Meale
  A full list of all 333 areas which have been submitted to the European Commission as candidate Special Areas of Conservation by the United Kingdom is as follows:
  41

  Name of candidate- Special Area of Conservation (cSAC)

  Date site submitted to EC

  Date of submission of amended site

  Cockinhead Moss

  15 June 1995

  26 March 1998

  Coed y Cerrig

  15 June 1995

  —

  Coedydd a Cheunant Rheidol/Rheidol Woods

  15 June 1995

  —

  Coedydd Derw Meirion/Meirionnydd Oakwoods

  15 June 1995

  —

  Coladoir Bog

  26 March 1998

  —

  Coleg Glynllifon

  15 June 1995

  —

  Coll Machair

  8 January 1996

  1 October 1998

  Conon Islands

  8 January 1996

  26 March 1998

  Cors Caron

  15 June 1995

  —

  Cors Fochno

  15 June 1995

  —

  Corsydd M-n/Anglesey Fens

  15 June 1995

  —

  Cothill Fen

  15 June 1995

  —

  Cotswold Beechwoods

  8 January 1996

  —

  Craigengar

  15 June 1995

  —

  Cranley Moss

  15 June 1995

  26 March 1998

  Craven Limestone Complex

  20 June 1998

  —

  Creag Meagaidh

  14 October 1996

  —

  Creag nan Garnhainn

  15 June 1995

  —

  Crymlyn Bog/Cors Crymlyn

  15 June 1995

  —

  Cuilcagh Mountain

  15 June 1995

  —

  Culbin Bar

  15 June 1995

  —

  Culm Grasslands

  15 June 1995

  —

  Cwm Cadlan

  15 June 1995

  —

  Dartmoor

  8 January 1996

  20 March 1998

  Denby Grange Colliery Ponds

  20 June 1998

  —

  Derryleckagh

  15 June 1995

  —

  Devils Dyke

  20 March 1998

  —

  Domoch Firth and Morrich More

  8 January 1996

  —

  Dorset Heaths

  1 October 1998

  —

  Dorset Heaths (Purbeck and Wareham) and Studlands Dunes

  8 January 1998

  1 October 1998

  Downton Gorge

  8 January 1996

  —

  Drigg Coast

  8 January 1996

  —

  Drostre Bank

  15 June 1995

  —

  Drumochter Hills

  17 October 1996

  —

  Duddon Mosses

  8 January 1996

  —

  Dungeness

  8 January 1996

  20 March 1998

  Dunkeld-Blairgowrie Lochs

  8 January 1996

  —

  Durness

  14 October 1996

  —

  Dykeneuk Moss

  26 March 1998

  —

  East Devon Pebblebed Heaths

  20 June 1998

  —

  East Hampshire Hangers

  15 June 1995

  20 March 1998

  East Mires and Lubminster

  1 October 1998

  —

  Eastern Moumes

  15 June 1995

  —

  Ebernoe Common

  15 June 1995

  —

  Eilean na Muice Duibhe

  15 June 1995

  —

  Elenydd

  15 June 1995

  —

  Ellers Wood and Sand Dale

  20 March 1998

  —

  Endrick Water

  —

  16 March 1998

  Ensor's Pool

  8 January 1996

  —

  Epping Forest

  8 January 1996

  —

  Eryri/Snowdonia

  15 June 1995

  20 March 1998

  Essex Estuaries

  14 October 1996

  20 June 1998

  Exmoor Heaths

  20 March 1998

  —

  Fairy Water Bogs

  15 June 1995

  —

  Fal and Helford

  14 October 1996

  20 June 1998

  Faray and Holm of Faray

  1 October 1998

  —

  Fardrum and Roosky Turloughs

  1 October 1998

  —

  Fenland

  15 June 1995

  —

  Fenn's, Whixall, Bettisfield, Wern and Cadney Mosses

  8 January 1996

  —

  Feur Lochain

  15 June 1995

  —

  Flamborough Head

  8 January 1996

  —

  Flanders Mosses

  14 October 1996

  —

  Flow of Dergoals

  15 June 1995

  —

  Foinaven

  8 January 1996

  —

  Folkestone to Etchinghill Escarpment

  8 January 1996

  —

  Fontmell and Melbury Downs

  8 January 1996

  —

  Gang Mine

  15 June 1995

  —

  Garron Plateau

  15 June 1995

  20 March 1998

  Garry Bog

  15 June 1995

  —

  Glac na Criche

  15 June 1995

  —

  Glannau M—n: Cors heli/Anglesey Coast: Saltmarsh

  15 June 1995

  —

  Glannau M—n: Twyni/Anglesey Coast: Dunes

  15 June 1995

  —

  Glannau Ynys Gybi/Holy Island Coast

  15 June 1995

  —

  Glan-treath

  20 March 1998

  —

  42 43

  Name of candidate Special Area of Conservation (cSAC)

  Date site submitted to EC

  Date of submission of amended site

  Glen Coe

  15 June 1995

  —

  Godrevy Head to St Agnes

  15 June 1995

  —

  Gower Commons/Tiroedd Comin Gwyr

  8 January 1996

  —

  Great Orme's Head/Pen y Gogarth

  15 June 1995

  —

  Great Yews

  15 June 1995

  —

  Grimsthorpe

  20 March 1998

  —

  Hascosay

  15 June 1995

  —

  Helvellyn and Fairfield

  15 June 1995

  —

  Hill of Towanreef

  15 June 1995

  —

  Holme Moor and Clean Moor

  15 June 1995

  —

  Hoy

  15 June 1995

  —

  Inchnadamph

  15 June 1995

  —

  Ingleborough Complex

  20 June 1995

  —

  Insh Marshes

  26 March 1998

  —

  Invernaver

  15 June 1995

  26 March 1998

  Isle of Portland to Studland Cliffs

  20 June 1995

  —

  Isle of Wight Downs

  15 June 1995

  —

  Isles of Scilly Complex

  8 January 1996

  20 March 1998

  Keen of Hamar

  15 June 1995

  —

  Kenfig/Cynffig

  15 June 1995

  —

  Kennet and Lambourn Floodplain

  17 October 1996

  —

  Kilhern Moss

  15 June 1995

  —

  Kingley Vale

  15 June 1995

  —

  Kirkcowan Flow

  15 June 1995

  —

  Largalinny

  20 March 1998

  —

  Lendalfoot Hills Complex

  26 March 1998

  —

  Lewes Downs

  15 June 1995

  —

  Limestone Seacliffs of S. W. Wales/Clogwyni

  15 June 1995

  20 March 1998

  Calchfaen De-orllewin Cymru

  Lismore Lochs

  15 June 1995

  —

  Yell Sound Coast

  1 October 1998

  —

  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what criteria he used to select locations to be designated as special areas of conservation. [64716]

  Mr. Meale
  The criteria for the selection of Special Areas of Conservation are set out in Annexe III of the Habitats Directive. The Joint Nature Conservation Committee publication 'The Habitats Directive: Selection of Special Areas of Conservation in the UK' published last October sets out the way in which these criteria were applied in the UK. Copies of that document were placed in the Library of the House at that time.

  Water Charging
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what conditions will be imposed on water consumers who wish to change to a tariff-based system of charging. [64542]

  Mr. Meale
  Under present arrangements, the tariff and method of calculation of water charges and the choices offered to consumers are at the discretion of water undertakers.

  The Government propose to introduce increased choice and consumer protection for domestic water customers through the Water Industry Bill, now in Committee. The Bill proposes to give all household consumers the right to change to a measured basis of charging free of initial costs for meter installation. The only restriction on this right would be in cases where it was not reasonably practicable or would involve unreasonable expense. As a further
  44
  important consumer protection, customers exercising their new right to opt for a meter would have the option of reverting to unmeasured charging after a year.

  The Bill also proposes to introduce a new right for consumers currently paying on an unmeasured basis to stay on an unmeasured charge in their present homes, except where they are consuming water for non-essential purposes.

  It is proposed to use new powers under the Bill to protect vulnerable customers with high essential water use from measured bills that are higher than average.

  The Government also wish to see water companies go beyond these new legal requirements to develop tariffs that offer greater customer choice and have regard both to social and environmental objectives. It will be for companies to introduce new tariffs, which would, under the provisions of the Bill, require the approval of the Director General of Water Services.

  Solar Eclipse
  Ms Atherton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assistance his Department will offer to local authorities in Cornwall to deal with problems arising from the total eclipse of the sun on 11 August 1999. [65032]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Government expect the problems arising from the eclipse to be overcome through effective planning and co-ordination in accordance with the principles of Integrated Emergency Management. We are aware that relevant public bodies are working hard locally to ensure that effective arrangements are in place. The Government will be keeping a close watch on developments.

  Automatic Train Protection
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if it is his policy to require the provision of automatic train protection. [64668]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  We are currently considering formal proposals, submitted by the Health and Safety Commission just before Christmas, that would require train protection measures (to stop trains automatically in danger situations) to be fitted to all trains and to key signals by 1 January 2004.

  Railtrack
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the adequacy of track maintenance carried out by Railtrack. [64662]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Railtrack and its contractors are required under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974, to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that risks to people's health and safety from their work activity are properly controlled. This includes the maintenance of its railway infrastructure. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) monitors Railtrack's compliance with the law.

  HSE's Railway Inspectorate has identified some locations where track standards have fallen below an acceptable level. They have reminded Railtrack of its responsibilities and ensured that the appropriate action has been taken to maintain safety. HSE will not hesitate to take further action which they consider appropriate to ensure safety is not being compromised.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the numbers and locations of speed restrictions put in place by Railtrack for safety reasons at(a) 1 May 1996, (b) 1 May 1997 and (c) 1 May 1998 and those on the day responsibility was handed over from British Rail to Railtrack. [64663]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The information requested is not held by my Department or the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). There is no specific legislation which requires Railtrack to report details of speed restriction it imposes to the HSE.

  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what are the respective roles of the Secretary of State, Rail Regulator and Franchise Director in resolving failures of co-ordination between Railtrack and rail franchisees. [64929]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The general duties of the Secretary of State, the Rail Regulator and the Franchising Director are set out in sections 4 and 5 of the Railways Act 1993.

  The Rail Regulator has published a policy statement about the need for more effective consultation and better co-ordination between Railtrack and the train operating companies, and between train operators themselves, on timetable planning. Proposals to introduce a formal
  46
  consultation process to take place in advance of the timetabling bidding cycle are currently being considered by the rail industry.

  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what emergency powers he has to override Railtrack and rail franchisee managers where their activities pose a threat to safety and to the national economy. [64930]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The Health and Safety Executive have powers under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 to ensure that safety risks to people at work are properly controlled, including the power to take enforcement action. Under section 118 of the Railways Act 1993, in time of "great national emergency" the Secretary of State may give directions to the Rail Regulator, the Franchising Director, the owner or operator of a railway asset, and any provider of railway services.

  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what penalties have been imposed on(a) Railtrack, (b) South West Trains and (c) other franchisees as a result of failures of co-ordination between Railtrack and franchisees. [64928]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The Franchising Director does not have a contractual relationship with Railtrack. Railtrack has regulated commercial agreements with Train Operating Companies which include incentive arrangements. The Franchising Director's franchise agreement with South West Trains includes a performance regime that rewards and penalises improvements and deterioration in punctuality and reliability. Similar arrangements apply to other London commuter franchises and some regional and rural rail services. The cash flows under the regime are published in the OPRAF Quarterly Bulletins, which are in the Library of the House.

  Heathrow Express
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the powers available to(a) his Department and (b) the Rail Regulator to control (i) frequency of service and (ii) fare costs on the Heathrow Express. [64666]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Any changes to the frequency of service on the Heathrow Express would be a commercial matter for negotiation between the parties concerned, namely Heathrow Express Operating Company Limited (HEOCL) and Railtrack. Under current legislation, the Heathrow Express service is exempt from licence conditions relating to the level of fares that may be charged. Any modifications to the licence could be obtained only by agreement with HEOCL itself or by reference to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

  European Council
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the outcome of the European Council meeting in Vienna on 11 and 12 December in respect of the integration of environmental requirements into transport policy. [64661]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The Transport Council submitted a report on integrating the environment and sustainable development into the transport policy of the Community
  47
  to the Vienna European Council. The report, copies of which have been placed in the House Library, sets out details of the progress that has been made to date and of further action that is needed. The European Council welcomed the report and invited the Transport Council to continue its work with a view to submitting a comprehensive strategy, including a timetable for further measures and a set of indicators, to the Helsinki European Council at the end of 1999.

  West Coast Main Line
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the implications for fair competition arising out of arrangements entered into by Railtrack and Virgin in respect of the West Coast main line. [64667]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The access agreement between Railtrack and Virgin Trains was approved by the Rail Regulator in June 1998. The regulator considered many public interest duties when approving these access rights, including the development of rail services and the protection of the interests of customers of other train operating companies using the line, both passenger and freight. The proposed Strategic Rail Authority will, when established, set the longer-term framework for competition.

  Paddington Station
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the adequacy of track and platform space at Paddington station. [64665]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The adequacy of track and platform space at Paddington Station is a matter for the station operator, Railtrack. The number of platforms available for use at Paddington Station are stated in Railtrack's Railway Safety Case, under which the company is required to operate.

  The Health and Safety Executive's Railway Inspectorate is satisfied that adequate arrangements are in place for managing congestion at Paddington Station.

  Sewage Works (Isle of Wight)
  Dr. Brand
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the timing of the introduction of secondary sewage treatment at the new sewage works under construction at Yaverland, Sandown, Isle of Wight. [65273]

  Mr. Meale
  The Government announced in September that secondary sewage treatment would be required for all significant coastal outfalls in England and Wales. In cases which were formerly potential derogations to a lower level of treatment, such as Yaverland, we are encouraging water and sewage companies to make as rapid progress as possible with installation of secondary treatment. The timing of improvements to coastal discharges is being discussed between the Environment Agency and individual companies and will be agreed by Ministers early this year, as part of an approved company investment programme.

  Professional Drivers
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 in reducing risks to professional drivers and other road users arising from the use of vehicles on the road for work purposes. [64703]

  Mr. Meale
  There has been no such assessment. The road safety of professional drivers is comprehensively covered by road traffic and other relevant legislation.

  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to promote management by employers of occupational road risk; and if he will make a statement. [64706]

  Mr. Meale
  The Government believe that employers should foster working practices which encourage responsible driving. We have therefore supported the work of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, including the publication in 1998 of "Managing Occupational Road Risk", to help organisations develop an effective management approach to road safety.

  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has made to the Health and Safety Commission about managing the risks to which employees and other road users are exposed when vehicles are driven on the road for work purposes. [64705]

  Mr. Meale
  I have not made any such representations to the Health and Safety Commission.

  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to introduce regulations to reduce the risk of road accidents involving vehicles which are driven for work purposes. [64702]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  There are no plans to introduce regulations specifically to reduce the risk of road accidents involving vehicles driven for work purposes. Existing legislation (the Road Traffic Act 1988, related Acts, and associated regulations) already govern driving behaviour.

  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the proportion of fatal and serious injuries which occurred in road traffic accidents involving one or more vehicles being driven for work purposes. [64701]

  Mr. Meale
  I have made no such estimate. This information is not collected by the Police. There is no requirement to report traffic accidents involving work-related journeys to the health and safety enforcing authorities under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995.

  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the system of enforcement of safety regulations relating to the safer system of work for professional drivers. [64704]

  Mr. Meale
  There has been no such assessment because the road safety of professional drivers is comprehensively covered by road traffic and other
  49
  relevant legislation, where HSE has no enforcement role other than where the carriage of dangerous goods is concerned.

  Long-haul Flights (Health Hazards)
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of health hazards on long-haul flights; and if he will make a statement. [64744]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  There is no evidence to suggest that long-haul travel poses particular health hazards for most passengers. However, elderly passengers and those with an existing medical condition may be vulnerable to the environmental and physiological stresses of flight and should seek appropriate advice from both the airline and their general practitioner before flying.

  Groundwork
  Mr. Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement about the forthcoming financial management and policy review of Groundwork. [65312]

  Mr. Meale
  As part of the Government's programme of regular five-yearly financial, management and policy reviews of non-departmental public bodies, my Department will conduct a thorough review of Groundwork beginning on Tuesday 12 January. The first stage of the review will take the form of a "prior options" study. This will assess the extent to which Groundwork's functions are necessary for the achievement of the Department's policies, and whether there is scope for changing the relationship between the Department and Groundwork to reflect more appropriately the Department's policies for promoting environmental regeneration.

  The progress made by Groundwork since the previous review in 1994 will be examined and the results of that examination and of the prior options study will inform a detailed review of the possible mechanisms for funding Groundwork's outputs and, if appropriate, Groundwork's policy and financial management systems.

  In carrying out the study, my Department will consult widely with those organisations with an interest in Groundwork's activities. I aim to ensure that any uncertainty caused by the review is kept to a minimum and I therefore expect the FMPR Advisory Group to report by early summer 1999.

  Glass Recycling
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what targets the Government have set for glass recycling; what progress has been made in achieving them; what is the recent trend in the proportion of glass being recycled; and if he will make a statement. [64978]

  Mr. Meale
  In the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997, there are targets for the recovery and recycling of packaging waste. Currently, businesses obligated under the Regulations must each achieve a minimum recycling target of 7 per cent. per material, including glass.
  50
  The recycling rate for glass packaging presently stands at 22 per cent. Although there is no target for the recycling of all glass, ie container and flatglass, present rates stand at 26 per cent.

  Recycling rates for all glass have remained fairly constant since 1995. The capacity is available to increase these recycling rates further.

  Jubilee Line Extension
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 16 December 1998,Official Report, columns 535, on London Transport, if he will list the contribution to the cost of the Jubilee Line Extension from (a) the private sector and (b) London Transport; and when London Transport expects to complete the cost review of the rephased programme. [64952]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  As stated in my reply of 16 December 1998,Official Report, columns 535–36, some £2 billion of the total cost of the Jubilee Line Extension is being directly funded by Government grant.

  The developers of Canary Wharf agreed to make a £400 million contribution, spread over a period ending 25 years after line opening. Some £135 million has already been paid. In addition, contributions totalling £7.5 million have been received from British Gas (further amounts are to be paid, depending on the value of land sales).

  The balance of the costs of this project is being met from within LT's total resources. The results of London Transport's current Jubilee Line Extension cost review, which will take into account the change to three-phase opening, are expected shortly.

  Railway Board Staff
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many staff employed by the successor companies of the British Railways Board have been made redundant during each of the last three years. [65188]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Best Value
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received as a result of the consultation on best value from(a) local authorities, (b) contractors to local authorities, (c) trade unions and (d) others; if he will make a statement in respect of representations made by each of the above categories; and if he will place a copy of the representations received in the Library. [65246]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The consultation paper "Modernising local government—Improving services through best value" published on 3 March 1998 received 547 responses. A full list of those responding was placed in the House of Commons Library in July (refDEP 98/850), and the individual responses in the DETR Library. A summary of
  51
  the responses can be found on the Internet at: http://www/local.detr.gov.uk., and I have sent a paper copy to the hon. Member.

  Of those responding, 404 were from local authorities; 9 from contractors; 3 from trade unions; and 131 from others including professional bodies. The responses demonstrated widespread support for our best value proposals.

  A number of comments were also received following publication of the White Paper "Modern local government: In touch with the People" published on 30 July 1998 which included proposals on best value which were subsequently reflected in the Local Government Bill now before the House. These confirmed the broad range of support for best value from local authorities, the trade unions, and the private sector.

  Network

  Private sector partners

  ICE Best Value Taskforce

  Led by the Institution of Civil Engineers

  The main objective of the Taskforce is to draw on expertise in the private and public sectors to create a 'Definitive Guide to Best Practice in Advancing Best Value in the Built Environment'

  Amey Facilities Management

  Babtie

  Brophy Grounds Maintenance

  Brown and Root

  Buro Happolds

  Halcrow

  JDM Midlands Ltd.

  John Doyle Group

  Mills & Reeve

  Mott Macdonald Group

  Mouchel Consulting Ltd.

  Parkman

  Pell Frischmann Consulting Engineers

  Ringway Highways Services Ltd.

  Scott Wilson Kirkpatrick

  Tarmac Heavy Building Materials

  Thorburn Colqhoun

  TPS Consult

  WS Atkins

  Public Sector Plc.

  Led by BV Strategies

  The network will consider specific local authority projects to consider public

  Suppliers (private companies)

  private partnership options

  Bull Information Systems

  Onyx UK

  David Cross Leisure

  Manpower

  Thames Water Brophy

  Xerox

  Bank of Scotland

  Quintain

  Amec

  Associated Holdings Ltd.

  Professional and Advisory Group (private companies)

  Anthony Collins Solicitors

  KPMG

  Chelgate

  ABROS

  The Centre

  SCOTIA

  Payroll Partnership Network

  Led by Bristol City Council, Bath and North East

  Somerset Council and South Gloucestershire Council

  The proposal is to create a Pazrtnership Network with a private sector partner to

  KPMG

  secure best value in the operation of a combined payroll service

  The Hub

  Led by Barony Consulting and ICL

  The network plan to establish Local Franchise Partnerships with local

  Barony Consulting Ltd.

  authorities. One of the areas they will focus on is Housing Benefit

  ICL

  52
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what involvement private contractors have in the ongoing pilot schemes for the local authority best value programme; if he will list the contractors concerned; and if he will make a statement. [65247]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The involvement of the private sector in the Best Value pilot programme takes a number of different forms and is one of the factors being evaluated by the Warwick Business School in the two year monitoring programme to be completed in the spring of 2000.

  The private sector is more directly involved in the Best Value Partnership Network scheme announced in September 1998. Four involve private sector partners, two are led by the private sector, one by a professional body; and three by local authorities. The table lists the private contractors involved in each of these pilots.
  53
  Two additional networks are led by local authorities. The 'Crossing the Boundaries' network currently consists of five authorities in the West Midlands who are exploring cross boundary collaboration between trading standards departments. The 'North Yorkshire Audit Partnership' consists of three local authorities who are working in partnership for the provision of Internal Audit services through a consortiums approach.

  Integrated Transport Commission
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what powers he proposes to use in order to establish the proposed integrated transport commission; how many people he proposes to appoint to such a body; what interests will be represented; how he will make appointments to the body; when he proposes that it should first meet; and if he will make a statement. [65244]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The establishment of the Commission for Integrated Transport was announced in the White Paper, 'A New Deal for Transport' (Cm 3950). It will be a non-statutory, non-Departmental public body that will provide independent advice to Government on the progress of integrated transport policy. It will comprise up to 15 members, including a Chair and Vice-Chair, who will all be selected in accordance with guidance from the Commissioner for Public Appointments; the two senior posts have already been advertised in the national press. All the appointments will be made on merit, with members selected on the basis of their knowledge of and expertise from sectors affected by transport policy and its impacts. We expect the Commission to meet shortly after these appointments have been made.

  Bus Priority Schemes (Gloucestershire)
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what allocations his Department has made for bus priority schemes in Gloucestershire for each of the last five years for which figures are available. [64828]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  This department does not provide specific funds for bus priority measures. As part of the annual local transport capital settlements, local highway authorities in Gloucestershire were allocated the following capital resources which could have been used on bus priority measures:

  Year

  £000

  1995–96

  580

  1996–97

  1,614

  1997–98

  600

  1998–99

  700

  1999–2000

  1,925

  Disabled Parking Spaces
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what national guidelines are issued by his Department for the proper identification of disabled parking spaces. [64976]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The signs and road markings used to identify on-street spaces reserved for disabled badge holders are prescribed in the Traffic Signs Regulations and 54
  General Directions 1994 (SI 1994 No. 1519). There is no legislation covering the signing of spaces in off-street car parks, but the then Department of Transport published an advisory leaflet in 1995 which covered parking both on and off-street. TAL 5/95 is still available without charge from my Department's Mobility Unit.

  Former Railway Formations
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent research his Department has carried out into the commercial viability of re-opening former railway formations for public use; and what plans the Government have to carry out an audit into the potential for such schemes. [64915]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  It is the responsibility of individual local planning authorities to promote the re-opening of railway lines and stations when considering their future public transport needs. However, in view of the importance of ensuring that sites which have potential for transport use are identified, the British Railways Board has carried out an audit of its remaining sites.

  SSSIs
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many prosecutions for damage to sites of special scientific interest have been started under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [64827]

  Mr. Meale
  The figures requested are shown in the table.

  Year

  Number of prosecutions

  1994

  0

  1995

  0

  1996

  2

  1997

  1

  1998

  1

  Taxi Accessibility
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will delay implementing regulations on taxi accessibility until the Government have(a) considered the representations which it has received and (b) undertaken a study into the economic effects of the regulations and their timing; and if he will make a statement. [64975]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  We are committed to introducing the taxi provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

  We have completed a first round of consultation and we have considered the wide range of representations made by the taxi industry, local authorities and disabled people. There will be a further round of consultation later this year on the draft regulations. The consultation will include a Regulatory Impact Assessment, part of which is an assessment of the economic effects of compliance. This will be based on an independent study carried out by Cranfield University.

  Otterburn Ranges
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what military issues will be considered in the scope of the re-opened public inquiry into the Otterburn ranges in Northumberland. [65047]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The issues to be discussed at the re-opened public inquiry into proposals for the Otterburn Training Area in Northumberland are at the Inspector's discretion.

  The new issues identified are in the Government Office's letter to parties dated 17 December 1998. I am arranging for the hon. Member to receive a copy and for copies to be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will estimate(a) the duration of and (b) the cost to his Department of the re-opened public inquiry into the Otterburn military ranges in Northumberland. [65049]

  Mr. Raynsford
  I am unable to be precise about the duration of the re-opened inquiry, although, as the matters for discussion are restricted to new issues that have arisen since the closure of the original inquiry, an approximate estimate would be in the order of four to six weeks. Costs to my Department will involve only minor administrative sums: the larger portion of the costs being borne by the other parties.

  Building Materials (Flammability)
  Mr. Lock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what decisions have been made as to flammability requirements for the exit ways for floor coverings for public buildings within Euro class B of the draft European Construction Products Directive concerning flammability classifications. [65245]

  Mr. Raynsford
  No decision has yet been taken with regard to the classes (which include considerations of flammability) which categorise the fire performance of floorings under the Construction Products Directive. The proposal for Euroclass B which is to be considered by the Standing Committee for Construction in March 1999 has now been amended, reducing the critical flux (heat flow rate) of materials in this class.

  Piccadilly Line
  Mr. Love
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what work(a) is currently being undertaken and (b) is planned to upgrade the London Underground Piccadilly Line; what new trains will be provided in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement. [65065]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  London Underground are mid-way through a project to refurbish the entire fleet of 87 Piccadilly line trains. Refurbishment of 48 trains is already complete and London Underground expect that refurbishment of the whole fleet will be completed by December 2000.

  Although London Underground are not planning to procure any new trains in the next three years for use on the Piccadilly line, there are proposals to refurbish 15 ex-Jubilee line trains and bring these into service on
  56
  the Piccadilly line. These additional trains will make it possible to run a higher frequency 30 trains per hour (tph) service. London Underground expect that 4 ex-Jubilee line trains will be refurbished by December 2000 and refurbishment of 15 trains will be completed by December 2001.

  There are also proposals for the construction of additional platforms at Oakwood and Cockfosters stations and improved access for trains at Cockfosters Depot. This project will provide improved train reversing facilities at the east end of the line in order to enable the introduction of the increased 30 tph service and improve service recovery times following disruptions. London Underground expect the works to start in June 1999 and to be completed by the end of 2001.

  Housing
  Mr. Love
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will estimate the number of dwellings in(a) the United Kingdom, (b) Greater London and (c) the Edmonton constituency which are leasehold; how many of these in each case are former local authority accommodation; and how many of them are (i) houses and (ii) flats. [65064]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The different property laws of the countries within the United Kingdom prevent an estimate of leasehold dwellings for the UK. The table, from the Department's Survey of English Housing, provides estimates1 of the number of dwellings in Greater London and England which are leasehold; how many of them are houses and flats. The Survey of English Housing cannot produce estimates for parliamentary constituencies.

  SEH average for 1996–97 and 1997–98

  Thousand

  Houses

  Flats

  All

  Greater London

  Ex LA accommodation

  2

  82

  84

  Other accommodation

  25

  349

  374

  Total accommodation

  27

  431

  458

  England

  Ex LA accommodation

  36

  141

  177

  Other accommodation

  823

  806

  1,629

  Total accommodation

  859

  947

  1,806

  1Like all estimates from sample surveys, these figures are subject to sampling variability.

  West Midlands RDA
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for what reasons(a) Herefordshire and (b) Worcestershire are not represented on the board of the West Midlands Regional Development Agency; and if he will make a statement. [65111]

  Mr. Meale
  As was made clear in our White Paper "Building Partnerships for Prosperity", the success of RDAs will largely depend on their boards. Because of this, our primary concern has been to choose people who will make an effective contribution whatever their background. Consistent with this aim, we have also sought to reflect an appropriate balance of regional interests in the composition of boards. However, it should
  57
  be remembered Board Members are there to further the success of RDA, not as delegates of a particular area, but to take into account the interests of the region as a whole.

  Moths
  Mr. McWalter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the introduction of genetically modified crops on moth populations. [65107]

  Mr. Meale
  All applications for the release or marketing of genetically modified crops (GM crops) are reviewed in order to assess the potential effects of the GMOs on other species, before a decision is made whether or not to grant a consent. To date, no effects on non-target moths have been identified.

  The European Corn Borer, a moth which is an important pest of maize, is susceptible to genetically modified maize varieties which have been modified to be resistant to this pest. Some varieties have been granted approval and are being grown in some European Community countries but, because this species is not a pest in the UK, it is unlikely to be grown here. The evidence suggests that other moths which do not consume the maize would be unlikely to be affected by this product.

  The Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE), which advises the Government on releases and marketing of GMOs, has recently extended its remit to consider the wider biodiversity implications, so that any indirect effects of managing the GM crops on farmland wildlife would be assessed, as well as the effects of the GM crops themselves.

  The Institute of Arable Crops Research in Rothamsted is carrying out research for the Department to investigate possible non-target effects of GM insect resistant crops on non-target insect species, under closely controlled laboratory conditions. The purpose of this research is to underpin the assessment of risks of that these crops may pose to non-target species. This work is not yet completed and it is too early to give any indications of the results. The final report for this contract will be published when it is completed.

  Pesticides Tax
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimates he has made of the cost of implementing and operating a tax on pesticides. [65087]

  Mr. Meale
  The research commissioned by my Department into the scope for a pesticide tax or charge has considered the potential costs of implementation. The Government will take this work fully into account in reaching a decision on whether to introduce such an instrument.

  South West RDA
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what criteria he used to select people to serve on the South West Regional Development Agency; how many people 58
  representing organisations in Gloucestershire were considered as suitable applicants under this criteria; and if he will make a statement. [64813]

  Mr. Meale
  The criteria for selection were set out in the information pack for people expressing an interest in serving on the Agency's Board. Copies of the information pack are available in the Library.

  Of the 28 people interviewed for the Board, five came from Gloucestershire, although they were not, given the criteria for selection, "representing organisations in Gloucestershire". One of these five Gloucestershire candidates, Nigel Costley, has been appointed to the Board.

  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he has taken to ensure that the particular interests of Gloucestershire are represented on the South West Regional Development Agency; and if he will make a statement. [64848]

  Mr. Meale
  The role of the boards of regional development agencies is to consider the interests of the region as a whole. Appointments were therefore made on the basis of the expertise that each member brings to the board, rather than to provide representation for particular localities or organisations.

  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many people representing organisations in Gloucestershire expressed interest in serving on the South West Regional Development Agency; which organisations in Gloucestershire proposed people for membership; and if he will make a statement. [64812]

  Mr. Meale
  The role of the boards of regional development agencies is to consider the interests of the region as a whole. Appointments were therefore made on the basis of the expertise that each member brings to the board, rather than to provide representation for particular localities or organisations.

  336 people applied to be members of the Board of the South West Regional Development Agency. Thirty nine of these came from Gloucestershire.

  Two organisations in Gloucestershire supported particular applications for board membership.

  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he has taken to ensure that the appointments he has made to the South West Regional Development Agency reflect the geographical spread of the area covered. [64811]

  Mr. Meale
  The role of the boards of regional development agencies is to consider the interests of the region as a whole.

  In making appointments, the Government have sought to ensure that board members bring understanding of the range of conditions existing within their regions. This has resulted in a broadly even geographical spread.

  Rail Travel Costs
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the average cost per mile of rail travel based on standard return fares in each EU country. [64647]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  This information is not available.

  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the percentage price increase for(a) peak and (b) off peak journeys for each of the privatised rail company areas in each year since privatisation. [64651]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  This information is not held centrally in the form requested. Rail fares are set by individual Train Operating Companies (TOCs) subject only to limits on increases which the Franchising Director applies to the fares he regulates. The general limit on regulated fares from January 1999 is minus 1 per cent. on the movement in the Retail Prices Index (i.e. the maximum regulated fare increase is 2.5 per cent.). For London Commuter TOCs, the limit varies depending on performance and the average maximum regulated fare increase for 1999 for those is 1.9 per cent. (1.6 per cent. below inflation). There have been many instances of individual unregulated fares being increased above the rate of inflation. Nevertheless, research shows that the average price paid per mile by passengers in 1997–98 was 13.4 pence and this was an increase of 3 per cent. (1 per cent. below inflation) on 1996–97. The research is based on tickets actually sold so 1998–99 data are not yet available, but the Franchising Director will continue to monitor the situation.

  Houses in Multiple Occupation
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will consider exempting accommodation provided wholly or predominantly for tourists from Houses in Multiple Occupation registration schemes. [64833]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The current statutory definition of a house in multiple occupation may include some accommodation of this type. If so, it would be within the scope of our model registration schemes. Local housing authorities may seek approval for schemes which depart from the models, and we would consider any such request on its merits.

  We plan to issue a consultation document on proposals for a HMO licensing scheme early in the New Year. In this, we will also seek views on options for changes to the HMO definition.

  A proposal to exempt accommodation provided wholly or predominantly for tourists, in the context either of the existing registration arrangements or of the HMO definition and the proposed licensing scheme, would, however, require careful consideration. Such premises are sometimes let for extended periods outside the holiday season to people with no other home.

  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the Houses in Multiple Occupation registration scheme; and if he will make a statement. [64835]
  60
  Mr. Raynsford
  We have made no formal assessment, since we are committed to replacing housing authorities' discretionary powers to make HMO registration schemes with provisions for a compulsory licensing system. However, in the meantime we are encouraging authorities to adopt registration schemes in order to ease the transition to an eventual licensing regime.

  Second London Oceans Workshop
  Mr. Anthony D. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the outcome of the Second London Oceans Workshop. [65307]

  Mr. Meale
  With Dr. Bernardes, the Brazilian Deputy Minister of the Environment, I had the pleasure of chairing the Second London Oceans Workshop on 10–12 December. The Workshop was attended by representatives nominated by 40 national governments, 14 international agencies and 14 non-governmental organisations.

  The theme of the Workshop was the integration of the management of the oceans. The main conclusions started by emphasising the role of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Against this background, the two major problems for the conservation and sustainable use of the seas were seen as over-fishing and other unsustainable fishing practices together with pollution from land-based activities. Shipping, exploitation of sea-bed minerals (including oil and gas), coastal development, dumping of waste and climate change are also sources of problems that need to be addressed.

  At the national level, Governments were called on to consider the social economic and environmental values of coastal and marine ecosystems, how to achieve the integrated approach as called for by Programme Area A of Chapter 17 of Agenda 21 (including the involvement of all stakeholders), how to join in international agreements already negotiated and how to report on the status of their seas. International organisations were requested to analyse what is hindering the wider acceptance of international agreements and to consider what can be done to remove the obstacles.

  The workshop agreed that the regional level was where international co-operation was most needed. UNEP was called upon to revitalise the Regional Seas Programme and to ensure there was a clear focus for the related tasks. Regional fisheries organisations were requested to adopt clear targets for achieving sustainable catches and to develop indicators for over-fishing. Integrated coastal zone management needed support at the regional level. For shipping, more effective port-state control networks were needed, together with action on the regulation of fleets, alien species, anti-fouling agents and registers.

  In the global context, the workshop called for immediate action to implement recent UN fisheries agreements. The Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries was also crucial. Revitalising the Global Programme of Action on Land-Based Activities was essential. The environmental management of offshore oil and gas required further initiatives to follow up the success of the Noordwijk Workshop. Because of the range

  61
  of interests and organisations necessarily involved, improved coordination is needed. The UN General Assembly should consider how the annual debate on the oceans and the law of the sea can be broadened and better prepared.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Pensioners (Benefit Targeting)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how he plans to improve the accuracy of his targeting of benefits on the poorest pensioners. [63202]

  Social Security Appeal Tribunals

  Year

  New lodgements

  Total

  Appeals heard and decided Decided in appellant's favour

  Percentage in appellant's favour

  1993

  193,200

  77,900

  31,200

  40

  1994

  137,100

  74,000

  33,300

  45

  1995

  125,000

  83,400

  35,900

  43

  1996

  167,000

  111,700

  42,400

  38

  1997

  287,200

  135,100

  45,900

  34

  1998 (first half)

  133,000

  98,300

  28,500

  29

  Source:

  100 per cent. computer extract from Independent Tribunal Services (ITS) systems

  Disability Benefits
  Angela Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the impact of proposed changes in disability benefits on carers. [63205]

  Mr. Bayley
  Carers wishing to combine their caring role with employment will benefit from the new emphasis on helping those who can work to do so, whilst providing support for those who cannot. Carers in the same family as the disabled person for whom they provide care should also benefit from some of the proposed changes to the family income. The proposed changes to the contribution conditions for Incapacity Benefit will include specific protection for carers in receipt of Invalid Care Allowance.

  Mr. Levitt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what discussions he has had with disability organisations on his plans for disability benefit reform. [63217]

  Mr. Bayley
  My hon. Friend, the Minister of State, discussed the proposals for Disability Benefit reform with representative organisations at regular meetings of the Disability Benefits Forum, set up following the Welfare Reform Green Paper, "New Ambitions for our Country".

  We have also discussed Disability Benefit reform more generally with a wide range of organisations representing disabled people and their carers.

  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on his plans to ensure that expenditure on benefits for the disabled is reduced by £750 million. [63220]

  Mr. Bayley
  Our proposals for reforming benefits for disabled people are not designed to make savings in expenditure but are based on the key principle of work for
  62
  Mr. Timms
  From next April, we will introduce a new minimum income guarantee for pensioners of at least £75 per week for single people, and £116.60 for couples. In the Pensions Green Paper, we announced that, starting from April, we plan to implement changes to the way we deliver the minimum income guarantee so that the system can more accurately pinpoint those pensioners who are likely to be entitled to it.

  Social Security Appeals
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many appeals against decisions of social security officers(a) were made and (b) succeeded in each of the last five years. [63204]

  Angela Eagle
  The following is the information:

  those who can, security for those who cannot. They will help disabled people to take up and stay in employment, modernise the system and improve provision for severely disabled people with the greatest needs.

  Spending on benefits for sick and disabled people has reached almost £25 billion a year and will continue to rise in real terms as we meet increasing demand and seek to do more for those in greatest need.

  Stakeholder Pensions
  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the stakeholder pension proposals. [63207]

  Mr. Darling
  The Green Paper on pensions; "A new contract for welfare: Partnership in Pensions" clearly sets out our proposals for the framework for stakeholder pension schemes.

  Benefit Computer Systems
  Mr. Caplin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to modernise his Department's benefit computer systems. [63208]

  Mr. Timms
  As part of our transformation programme, we are already working closely with the private sector in designing and developing the next generation of computer systems fit to support the delivery of a modernised Welfare State.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to improve benefits for disabled people. [63209]
  63
  Mr. Bayley
  We will modernise the benefits system to help more disabled people take up and stay in work and provide extra help for severely disabled people with the greatest needs. We will shortly bring forward legislation to achieve these aims.

  Widows' Pensions
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the effect of his proposed changes to the widows' pension arrangements on widows who are currently not entitled to income support. [63210]

  Angela Eagle
  The proposals set out in the consultation document, "Support in Bereavement", would have no effect on current widows.

  Widows who are currently receiving a widow's pension would continue to do so for as long as they satisfy the current qualifying conditions.

  It is estimated that, in the first year, in the region of 20,000 widows widowed after implementation of the new scheme would receive Bereavement Allowance and of those around 15 per cent. would become entitled to Income Support after six months.

  Pensioners (Heating Bills)
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the assistance provided by his Department to pensioners with heating bills. [63211]

  Angela Eagle
  For a second year we are making Winter Fuel Payments to over seven million pensioner households. The poorest pensioners received their £50 payment before Christmas, and payments to the others are presently being issued.

  Late Retirement
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans the Government have to encourage later retirement and postponed pension entitlement. [63212]

  Mr. Timms
  On 10 December 1998,Official Report columns 278, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced that the Performance and Innovation Unit has now been established. One of its first projects will be to look at how we can improve the well-being and quality of life of older people by helping them to remain active. The Unit has been asked to deliver their conclusions in the summer.

  Benefit Expenditure
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received regarding the projected level of social security spending over the next five years. [63213]

  Mr. Darling
  Our approach to welfare reform is principle-driven and not cuts-driven. We are investing in providing extra help for pensioners, for families and for disabled people. Our commitment to prudent public finances and stable economic growth means we are achieving this with half the average annual rate of real growth in benefit expenditure than there was during the last Parliament.

  Pensions
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the progress of his Department's pensions review. [63214]

  Mr. Timms
  The Green Paper "A New Contract for Welfare: Partnership in Pensions", was published on 15 December and my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State made a statement to the House about it on 15 December 1998,Official Report, columns 761–80. It sets out our plans for radical reform of the pension system, with the objective that everyone can look forward to a secure retirement.

  Means-tested Benefits
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what public opinion survey work his Department carries out to assess the effectiveness of means-tested benefits in meeting their objectives. [63215]

  Angela Eagle
  A number of DSS-sponsored research studies have been carried out to measure public attitudes towards the principle of means-testing. Otherwise, public opinion surveys are used to provide background information rather than to evaluate benefit effectiveness.

  Children
  Mr. McWalter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals he has to improve the economic situation of children in families in the lowest 10 percentile of income. [63216]

  Angela Eagle
  We have already taken action to improve the financial position of children in the poorest families. The child personal allowance in the income-related benefits for children under 11 was increased by £2.50 on 9 November 1998. From this April the rate of Child Benefit for the eldest child will increase by £2.50 over the normal uprating for all families, and the Family Premium in the income-related benefits will be adjusted by a similar amount to ensure that the most vulnerable families receive this increase.

  Disability Benefits
  Mr. Levitt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what discussions he has had with disability organisations on his plans for disability benefit reform. [63217]

  Mr. Bayley
  Ministers have met disability organisations at the Disability Benefits Forum set up following the Welfare Reform Green Paper, "New Ambitions for our Country: A New Contract for Welfare", to discuss how disability benefits can be reformed. The Forum has met on seven occasions since June and has discussed the proposals for Disability Benefits reform contained in the discussion document "A New Contract for Welfare: Support for Disabled People" on two occasions.

  The Government have also discussed disability benefits more generally with a wide range of organisations representing disabled people and their carers.

  Benefit Fraud
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received on ways to tackle fraud. [63218]

  Mr. Darling
  Consultation on the Green Paper, "Beating Fraud is Everyone's Business: securing the future", ended on 30 September 1998, and 165 responses were received. Around two thirds of the responses came from public and private organisations (including around 50 from local authorities) and the remaining third came from individuals.

  The Green Paper set out details of the Government's strategy for tackling fraud and the principles behind it. The great majority of responses supported the strategy and its governing principles.

  I am placing in the Library a list of the organisations and academics who responded. Copies of the list and specific responses are available on request from the Department of Social Security, by contacting the Fraud Strategy Directorate, 6th Floor, The Adelphi, 1–11 John Adam Street, London WC2N 6HT.

  Benefits Agency (Training)
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he is taking to ensure that Benefits Agency staff are trained in dealing with clients with mental health problems; and if he will make a statement. [63219]

  Angela Eagle
  The programme of training, available to all BA staff, includes a range of customer service and interpersonal skills courses. They all include training on the needs of special groups within the community, including people with mental health problems.

  We are currently working in partnership with groups representing people with mental health problems. They hold workshops specifically geared to meet the needs of staff who have contact with the mentally ill. From April 1999 we intend to extend this partnership by jointly developing and delivering courses where this can add value to our training products.

  Tax and National Insurance
  Mr. Fabian Hamilton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he has taken to harmonise the arrangements for tax and national insurance contributions. [63221]

  Mr. Timms
  The Government are committed to modernising the National Insurance contributions system so that it is simpler and easier for employers to understand and operate, and to promoting greater alignment with the tax system in the longer term.

  From April 1999, the point at which employers start to pay secondary Class 1 contributions will be raised to a new "earnings threshold" set at the level of the personal tax allowance. The tax and contributions treatment of payments and benefits to employees included in PAYE settlement agreements will be aligned by the introduction of new Class 1B contributions for employers. Also from that date, under the provisions of the Social Security Contributions (Transfer of Functions, etc.) Bill the Contributions Agency will transfer from the Department
  66
  of Social Security to the Inland Revenue. This will reduce the burdens on businesses and individuals by enabling tax and National Insurance contributions to be processed through one organisation.

  Child Support
  Mr. Denis Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many individuals and organisations have responded to the consultation exercise on the Green Paper, "Children First: a New Approach to Child Support." [65037]

  Angela Eagle
  Written responses to the Green Paper have so far been received from 105 organisations and 1,435 individuals, including over 50 from hon. Members. In addition, my noble Friend Baroness Hollis of Heigham has held meetings with more than 40 organisations, academics and other groups.

  All Work Test
  Mr. Love
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what consultations are taking place regarding the replacement for the all work test for incapacity benefit; when the changes are planned to be introduced; and if he will make a statement. [65068]

  Mr. Timms
  Our proposals on benefits for those with a long-term illness or disability were published in the consultation document "A new contract for welfare: Support for Disabled People". We will give full consideration to the responses when the consultation period ends on Friday 8 January 1999. In addition a subgroup of the Disability Benefits Forum has been set up to consider proposals for reform of the All Work Test and in particular to examine ways in which the test may be used to provide information to help people claiming incapacity benefits who want to plan a return to work. One meeting has taken place and a further 2 or 3 meetings are planned before the subgroup report back to the Disability Benefits Forum at the end of March.

  We are aiming to introduce changes to the test from April 2000.

  Pensions
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assumptions he has made on the size of the rebates of those contracting out of SERPS for(a) a personal pension and (b) a stakeholder pension over the next five decades. [65171]

  Mr. Timms
  The assumptions used are those set out in the Government Actuary's report "Occupational and Personal Pension Schemes, Review of Certain Contracting-out Terms" (Cm 3888), presented to Parliament in March 1998.

  As explained in the Green Paper on pensions, "Partnership in Pensions", the structure of the contracting out rebates will be reviewed in the light of Stakeholder Pension schemes. For the purposes of the estimates in the Green Paper the level of contracting out rebates for Stakeholder Pension schemes and Personal Pensions were assumed to be the same.
  67
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate how many members of the second state pension scheme will gain more in retirement than they earned in work. [64945]

  Mr. Timms
  Information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is as follows.

  An individual who earned £4,250 per year throughout a full working life of 49 years would receive State Pension payments (basic Retirement Pension and the State Second Pension combined, assuming they do not contract-out) approximately equal to their gross earnings in the year before they reach state pension age. Any individual earning below this level in every year (but above the Lower Earnings Limit—£3,328 in 1998–99) would receive State Pension payments higher than their earnings in the year before reaching State pension age.

  Note:
  Assumed real earnings growth is 1.5 per cent per year.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the choice of the single nominated stakeholder pension scheme for whom employers will be compelled to pass employee contributions will be determined by a vote of all employees in the firm wishing to join a stakeholder pension scheme. [64819]

  Mr. Timms
  We proposed in the Green Paper on pensions, "A new contract for welfare: Partnership in Pensions", that employers should be required to consult their workforce or any organisations representing them before nominating a stakeholder pension scheme. The form this consultation takes will, however, be a matter for individual employers to decide.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the number of personal pension holders who will transfer to stakeholder pensions; and if he will present this figure as a proportion of all personal pension holders. [64951]

  Mr. Timms
  The Green Paper on pensions, "A new contract for welfare: Partnership in Pensions", makes clear that the decision to transfer from a personal pension to a stakeholder pension scheme will depend on individual circumstances, including the terms on which a transfer is offered. It is not possible to predict how many personal pension holders will in practice choose to transfer.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to bring forward proposals to help pensioners with incomes just above the income support level; and how many pensioners will be helped by such measures. [64947]

  Mr. Timms
  We said in the pensions Green Paper that we would welcome views on the most cost effective ways of reforming the rules governing the minimum income guarantee so as to better reward those who have saved for their retirement. We hope to bring forward proposals later in this Parliament. Any changes will depend upon the resources available. The numbers of pensioners affected will depend on the measures proposed.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the minimum payment under the state's second pension once the scheme becomes fully operative. [64944]
  68
  Mr. Timms
  An individual who worked for a full working life of 49 years from April 2002, earning above the Lower Earnings Limit (LEL) in every year (£3,328 in 1998/99), would receive a State Second Pension as described on page 45 of "A new contract for welfare: Partnership in Pensions" of approximately £51 per week, in today's earnings.

  This is the minimum amount payable to any individual who spends a full working life in employment (earning above the LEL), or who qualifies for caring or disability credits, under the State Second Pension scheme.

  Notes:

  1. Assumed real earnings growth is 1.5 per cent. per year.

  2. The estimate is given in constant earnings terms i.e. the amount received will be comparable to today's level of average earnings.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate for each of the next five decades the numbers of pensioners who will have incomes above the minimum income guarantee and still remain eligible for income-related benefits. [64950]

  Mr. Timms
  The information requested is not available.

  Projections forward to the year 2050 are subject to a high degree of uncertainty, given the number of assumptions that need to be made in making these estimates. Some of those who will be pensioners in 2050 have yet to begin work, and most are today in their 20s and 30s.

  Estimates of the number of pensioners receiving the minimum income guarantee have been made by extrapolating estimates from the PENSIM model, but these can give only a broad indication of the likely order of magnitude of figures so far into the future. The PENSIM projections can be applied only to estimates of pensioners on the minimum income guarantee. Estimates for other income related benefits (such as Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit) are not available, as projections for these benefits would require many more assumptions to be made and would be surrounded by an unacceptable level of uncertainty.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in what ways, other than its link to earnings rather than prices, the new minimum income guarantee will differ from income support for pensioners. [64938]

  Mr. Timms
  We have made it clear that we want to make delivery of the minimum income guarantee more automatic than has been the case with Income Support. To that end, we plan a number of improvements to the way we deliver services to pensioners. In addition we will examine how we might reform the rules to reward better those who have saved for their retirement.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects those people whom he has forecast to benefit from the proposed stakeholder pension scheme to receive those benefits. [64850]

  Mr. Timms
  The Green Paper on pensions; "A new contract for welfare: Partnership in Pensions", indicates that our aim is for the first stakeholder pension schemes to operate from April 2001. People joining a stakeholder pension scheme will begin to receive benefits when they retire.
  69
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to bring forward the reforms outlined in paragraph 20 of the fifth Chapter of "A new contract for welfare: Partnership in Pensions. [64946]

  Mr. Timms
  We have already started to improve services for pensioners and expect to continue to do so during the remainder of this Parliament.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people earning between £9,000 and £20,000 are contributing to a pension above the compulsory minimum; and what is the distribution of these sums measuring the value of pension savings per annum in blocks of £250. [64970]

  Mr. Timms
  Information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is as follows: Data drawn from the 1996 General Household Survey and Spring 1998 Labour Force Survey suggests that there are approximately 10.75 million employees and self-employed people earning between £9,000 and £20,000 per year. Of these, around 7 million are estimated to be making pension savings above the compulsory minimum.

  Industrial Deafness
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what specific areas relating to industrial deafness the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council is reviewing; what progress is being made; and what other possible areas of industrial disease are being considered at present by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council. [64974]

  Mr. Timms
  The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council is undertaking a review of the whole schedule of occupational diseases for which Industrial Injuries benefits are paid, except for a few diseases that they have recently examined. Their aim is to update and simplify the list of diseases, to ensure that they reflect current scientific knowledge.

  The Council has set up a dedicated sub-group—the Occupational Deafness Working Group to examine occupational deafness. This is to examine all the criteria for awarding benefit for occupational deafness. The group issued a consultation paper in August 1998 to obtain views on the jobs included for benefit purposes.

  When they have finished their consideration, the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council will report their conclusions and recommendations to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. Due to the number of prescribed diseases, there is likely to be more than one report. The timing of the Council's report is a matter for them.

  Unclaimed Benefits
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will estimate the amounts of unclaimed benefits in each Welsh constituency for each of the following(a) income support by (i) pensioners and (ii) non-pensioners, (b) housing benefit by (i) local authority and (ii) private tenants, (c) council tax benefit by (i) local authority tenants, (ii) private tenants and (iii) owner occupiers, (d) family credit by (i) couples and (ii) single parents, (e) disability living allowance and (f) attendance allowance; [64659]

  (2) if he will estimate the amount of unclaimed benefit by (a) local authority and (b) constituency in Wales in each of the past 10 years. [64655]
  70
  Angela Eagle
  The information is not available because reliable estimates of unclaimed benefit cannot be produced at this level of detail.

  Appeals
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of appeals submitted(a) for a paper hearing and (b) for an oral hearing to the Independent Tribunal Service were successful in each of the last three years; and in the case of paper hearings, if he will make it a duty of the Tribunal Service (i) to avail itself of the relevant information from the appellant's general practitioner and consultants or (ii) explain to the appellant that he should obtain this information for the tribunal. [64660]

  Angela Eagle
  The information is in the table.

  Proportion of oral and paper hearings

  Hearing type

  All

  Oral

  Paper

  1997

  All cases heard and decided

  22,571

  12,577

  9,994

  Percentage in appellant's favour

  30.0

  43.6

  12.9

  1998

  All cases heard and decided

  251,321

  170,332

  80,989

  Percentage in appellant's favour

  33.9

  43.1

  14.5

  Note:

  The figures for 1997 represent a small number of cases due to the introduction of GAPS. Most cases heard and decided during this year (and 1996) were cleared from the old ITS computer system which did not record the oral/paper split. The figures for 1998 contain details of all hearings recorded on GAPS up to the end of October.

  Source:

  100 per cent. download from the ITS Generic Appeals Processing System (GAPS).

  In the case of medical evidence for paper hearings, the Independent Tribunal Service (ITS) explains in a pre-hearing information leaflet sent to appellants that they are responsible for providing reports from general practitioners and consultants before the hearing. However, if further medical evidence is required by the tribunal, it is the tribunal's responsibility to obtain it. The new Appeals Service will give similar information in leaflets for appellants.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. Denis Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in how many cases disability living allowance has been awarded following an appeal to the Independent Tribunal Service(a) in respect of the care component of DLA, (b) in respect of the mobility component of DLA and (c) in respect of both the mobility and care components in the last three years for which figures are available. [65040]

  Angela Eagle
  The information is in the table.

  Year1

  Care

  Mobility

  Care and mobility

  1995–96

  9,160

  10,540

  11,840

  1996–97

  11,350

  12,270

  13,700

  1997–98

  10,660

  11,100

  13,140

  1Figures relate to 12 months ending February

  Source:

  Analytical Services Division: 5 per cent. data

  Pensioners (Christmas Bonuses)
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the level of payment of Christmas bonuses to recipients of the state pension in the various member states of the European Union. [65069]

  Mr. Timms
  Our legislation provides that a £10 Christmas Bonus is payable to people present or ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom or any other member State, who are entitled to receive a qualifying benefit, including State Pension, in the first week in December.

  No other European Union member country makes a similar lump sum payment to its pensioners. However, some member states, including Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain make an additional payment equal to the customer's monthly pension in the month of December.

  New Deal (Communities)
  Mrs. Ellman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals his Department has to work with other departments to support the New Deal for Communities. [63206]

  Angela Eagle
  We are already working with other Government Departments to progress the New Deal for Communities. We are part of the Ministerial network which oversees its development and participate in 10 out of 18 cross-Whitehall Policy Action Teams. Working together we will develop proposals for a long-term, unified strategy to tackle the problems of our poorest neighbourhoods.

HEALTH

  Pharmaceutical Packaging
  Mr. Hammond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what preparations his Department has made and what discussions it has held with the pharmaceutical industry to ensure that the European Union directives relating to pharmaceutical packaging which come into force on 1 January 1999 will be implemented in the United Kingdom; and what assessment he has made of the industry's ability to comply with the regulations. [64198]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 15 December 1998]: Numerous discussions have taken place with representatives of the pharmaceutical industry on compliance with Directive 92/27/EEC (on the labelling of medicines for human use and on package leaflets). The most recent meeting was held on 15 December 1998.

  The directive requires approval of a package leaflet and labelling when market authorisation is granted or renewed. Authorisation by the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) was completed on 1 January 1999.

  To facilitate effective compliance with the directive, the MCA recently consulted on proposals to require marketing authorisation holders to provide additional leaflets and labels so as to ensure that an approved label, and, where required, a leaflet would accompany every medicine dispensed to a consumer. This consultation exercise specifically sought details of the impact of these proposals on the pharmaceutical industry. The responses to this exercise are being considered.

  Aspirin
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the Medicines Control Agency to decide whether to exempt 75mg strength aspirin from restrictions on pack sizes; and if he will make a statement. [64441]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 17 December 1998]: A review of the status of 75 milligram aspirin regarding the recent pack size restrictions is currently being co-ordinated by the Medicines Control Agency.

  In line with statutory requirements, expert advice is being sought from the Committee on the Safety of Medicines (CSM) and public consultation will follow shortly after. An announcement will be made when the advice of CSM and the Medicines Commission and the responses to the public consultation have been considered.

  West Middlesex University Hospital
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will initiate an inquiry into the caseload of the accidents and emergency ward at West Middlesex, with particular reference to the circumstances surrounding the death of a patient in the ward on 6 December. [64931]

  Mr. Denham
  We do not believe that an inquiry into the caseload of the accident and emergency department at West Middlesex University Hospital National Health Service Trust is warranted. All hospitals face winter pressures of varying degrees and Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow Health Authority have been allocated £2.5 million winter pressures moneys which is being spent on relieving any pressure areas, including opening additional beds when required.

  It would not be possible to comment on the circumstances of an individual patient's care without breaking confidentiality. We would wish to extend our sympathies to the family concerned.

  Caverject
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to regulate the prescribing of Caverject and MUSE for NHS patients; and if he will make a statement. [65076]

  Mr. Denham
  We hope shortly to announce substantive policy proposals about the treatment of erectile dysfunction under the National Health Service.

  Diabetic Retinopathy
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are(a) the proportion of sight disorders attributable to diabetic retinopathy and (b) the annual Government expenditure on preventative and treatment facilities designed to alleviate this condition. [64971]

  Mr. Hutton
  New registrations for blindness in England and Wales (1990–1991) show that, among people of working age (16–64), diabetes is the most common cause of blindness (13.8 per cent.) with 11.9 per cent. of cases of blindness due to diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is also the cause of 8.2 per cent. of registrations for partial sight among this age group. For people over 65, diabetic retinopathy accounts for 2.2 per cent. of new registrations for partial sight.
  73
  The condition is treated by regular eye examinations of diabetics and, where there are signs of retinal deterioration, treatment by laser coagulation. Information is not available on the total expenditure on these facilities which span both hospital and community general ophthalmic services.

  Age Weighting
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the age weighting in respect of the elderly and its effect on revenue allocations for 1999–2000. [64834]

  Mr. Denham
  The formula used to inform allocations to health authorities for 1999–2000 comprises three components: hospital and community health services; general practitioner practice infrastructure; and prescribing.

  Each component includes an adjustment to reflect the age characteristics of the local population. For each component, the elderly gain a higher weighting than all other age bands.

  Consultation Document MLX 249
  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to instruct the Medicines Control Agency to extend the consultation period for consultation document MLX 249. [65177]

  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will extend the consultation period on the Medicines Control Agency's Document MLX 249; [65259]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the length of time available to the public to respond to the Medicines Control Agency's paper MLX 249. [65258]

  Ms Jowell
  The consultation letter MLX 249 was issued on 6 November asking for responses by 31 December 1998. The period of consultation was within the generally accepted range. Following representations, we have agreed however that responses received by 31 January 1999 will be considered in the normal way.

  Allergies
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about his plans to review the services available for the treatment of allergies under the NHS. [65257]

  Mr. Hutton
  Departmental officials will soon meet representatives of the British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology and other relevant professional and patient support bodies to discuss the future of allergy services. The society will be proposing an agenda for this meeting based on their preliminary discussions with the other interested parties.

  Also, later this month the Advisory Group on Medical Education and Training, chaired by the Chief Medical Officer, will be considering an application from the Royal College of Physicians' Joint Committee on Higher Medical Training for the recognition of allergy as a clinical specialty in its own right.

WALES

  Health Service Expenditure
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what his latest estimate is of(a) capital and (b) current expenditure in Wales in the current financial year on the National Health Service; what the planned figures are for 1999–2000; and what the figures were for actual spending in each of the last three years. [63446]

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  The information is as follows:

  £ million

  Outturn:

  Original plan

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  Current

  2,122.8

  2,242.9

  2,305.5

  2,445.3

  —

  Capital1

  55.5

  50.1

  44.6

  34.6

  —

  Total

  2,178.3

  2,293.0

  2,350.1

  2,479.9

  2,654.9

  1Includes capital provision for NHS Trusts within their External Financing Limits. Excludes the estimated cost of depreciation element of NHS Trust expenditure which does not score against the capital account but is included with the health authority revenue.

  The split between revenue and capital is not available for 1999–2000 as final spending decisions have not yet been taken.

  EU Structural Funds
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to the oral answer from the Under-Secretary, the hon. Member for Neath (Mr. Hain), of 9 December 1998,Official Report, column 306, if he will set out the basis of his calculation for the figures of £1.5 billion to £2 billion to which West Wales and the Valleys could be entitled. [64635]

  Mr. Hain
  This is our best rough estimate of the level of resources that might be available to Wales for economic investment. It is impossible to be specific about the level that European funding might contribute until the overall EU budget has been set.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations his Department has made to the European Commission regarding economic indicators other than unemployment being used when determining which areas qualify for Objective 2 status. [64749]

  Mr. Hain
  The UK government, in negotiations on the new Structural Funds programme, have proposed that Objective 2 status be based on a range of indicators which would allow Member States to use their own national and regional criteria to target funds at areas of greatest need. These indicators represent measures of deprivation, the degree of social cohesion, the level and type of unemployment and geographical issues. Negotiations are, however, continuing and the final criteria for Objective 2 status are unlikely to be agreed by Member States before March 1999.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the financial benefits to Wales of economic indicators other than unemployment being used to determine which areas qualify for Objective 2 status. [64750]
  75
  Mr. Hain
  Specific estimates of the benefits to be made to Wales of certain areas obtaining Objective 2 status have not been made yet. Any benefits depend not only on whether the indicators chosen secure Objective 2 status for any part of Wales, but on the total financial package for the Structural Funds agreed by Member States. Firm estimates will not be possible until Member States have agreed the Agenda 2000 proposals and the associated financial framework.

  Holywell High Street
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he signed the traffic order as part of the process of closing and pedestrianising Holywell High Street, Holywell, Flintshire. [64694]

  Mr. Hain
  My right hon. Friend has made no such order. The Highway Authority for Holywell High Street, part of a non-trunk road, is the appropriate local authority, and, in 1992, the former Clwyd County Council made the County Council of Clwyd (High Street and adjoining roads, Holywell) (Traffic Regulation) Order 1992.

  Schools
  Dr. Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on equalising capitation for all schools. [64487]

  Mr. Hain
  Existing funding arrangements give local education authorities the flexibility to address local needs, circumstances and priorities. I have no plans at the present time to restrict this by introducing measures to equalise capitation.

  Dr. Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what his policy is on the funding of foundation schools. [64530]

  Mr. Hain
  Foundation schools in Wales will be funded in accordance with the Financing of Maintained Schools Regulations 1998 which were laid before Parliament on 3 December.

  EU Budget
  Dr. Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate Wales's contribution to the EU budget during the next six year period. [64500]

  Mr. Hain
  It is the UK, as member state, which makes a contribution to the EU budget. Estimates of Wales's contribution would depend on exactly which of many hypothetical assumptions are made about which taxes, at UK level, are deemed to finance the EU contribution, because different taxes have different regional effects.

  Higher Education Funding Council
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many of the newly appointed members of the Higher Education Funding Council (Wales) are resident in Wales. [65070]

  Mr. Hain
  Five re-appointments to the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales were announced on 8 December 1998. Two of these re-appointed members, Dr. Brynley Roberts and Professor Brian Clarkson, are resident in Wales.
  76
  Of the remainder, Sir Philip Jones, the Chairman, was educated at Cowbridge Grammar School and Dr. Kenneth Gray is a graduate of the University of Wales, Bangor.

  Employment
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the numbers in employment in Wales in each year since 1979. [65092]

  Mr. Hain
  Labour Force Survey estimates of the numbers of people in employment in Wales in each available year since 1979 are shown in the table.

  Numbers in employment, Wales, 1979–98

  Thousand1

  Year

  Number in employment

  1979

  1,136

  1980

  2—

  1981

  1,097

  1982

  2—

  1983

  1,028

  1984

  1,073

  1985

  1,076

  1986

  1,085

  1987

  1,080

  1988

  1,135

  1989

  1,212

  1990

  1,232

  1991

  1,202

  1992

  1,192

  1993

  1,155

  1994

  1,177

  1995

  1,189

  1996

  1,195

  1997

  1,216

  1998

  1,204

  1Not seasonally adjusted.

  2Not available.

  Notes:

  1. Employment at spring each year.

  2. Data are not available for 1980 and 1982 as the Labour Force Survey was carried out every two years between 1973 and 1983.

  3. Numbers in employment include people aged 16 or over who did some paid work in the reference week (whether as employees or self employed), those who had a job they were temporarily away from, people on government employment and training programmes (from spring 1983), and unpaid family workers (from spring 1992). People in full-time education who also did some paid work in the reference week have been classified as in employment since spring 1983.

  Source:

  Office for National Statistics, Labour Force Survey.

  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the number of(a) manufacturing and (b) service jobs created in Wales since May 1997; and how many jobs have been lost in the same period. [65091]

  Mr. Hain
  According to the Welsh Register of Manufacturing Employment (WRME) there have been an estimated 15,400 jobs gained and 17,600 jobs lost in manufacturing in Wales since June 1997. These figures relate to manufacturing plants which employed 11 or more people.

  Corresponding data for service jobs are not available.

  National Vocational Qualifications
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate his Department has made of the
  77
  number of 16 and 17 year olds who are (a) in employment and (b) unemployed but have not qualified to NVQ level 2. [64746]

  Mr. Hain
  Estimates derived from the Labour Force Survey, for summer 1998, indicate that of the 34,000 16 and 17 year olds in employment, about 13,000 were not qualified to NVQ level 2 or equivalent. Figures on the numbers of unemployed 16 and 17 year olds not qualified to NVQ level 2 or equivalent cannot be reliably estimated.

  Investing in Young People
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the financing of the Government's Investing in Young People strategy. [64747]

  Mr. Hain
  Investing in Young People is a term used by the Department for Education and Employment to describe a range of education and training initiatives in England, which are designed to raise the achievements of young people to NVQ level 2 or equivalent. This term is not used within Wales, although most of the initiatives are contained within our policies which are set out in "Building Better Schools Together, Learning is for Everyone" and "Pathway to Prosperity: A New Economic Agenda for Wales".

  High-quality education and training which is accessible to all is essential to building a prosperous Welsh economy. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales announced on 14 December 1998 Official Report, column 3, that he was increasing total expenditure on education and training in Wales by £844 million over the next 3 years. This increase will provide a sound basis for the National Assembly for Wales when it assumes responsibility for education and training in Wales.

  Expenditure on Skill-Seekers and Skill-Build, our replacement programmes for Youth Training, is being increased by £9 million in 1999–2000, and by £12 million and £13.5 million respectively in 2000–01 and 2001–02. This will allow TECs to:
  maintain the current level of places for Modem Apprenticeships,
  National Traineeships and Skill-Build, a programme targeted at those young people who are not able to follow training to level 2;
  increase the basic level of training allowance to £40 per week;
  improve the quality of provision through the payment of higher unit prices to training providers.

  In order to help 14 and 15 year old young people who have been, or are at risk of being, excluded from education, and 16 to 17 year olds who have dropped out of education, training and employment, we are making available a further £0.4 million in 1999–2000, and £0.9 million in 2000–01 and 2001–02 to strengthen the Youth Access Initiative.

  To help ensure that young people leaving school embark upon the most appropriate training or education pathway, we have asked the Welsh TECs to collaborate with the careers companies to design and operation, on a pilot basis, a Youth Gateway. The Youth Gateway comprises an extended assessment, work sampling initiative which will enable young people to make better-informed decisions about their future. £3.75 million is being made available over three years for this purpose.
  78
  We will also be introducing in September 1999 the new statutory Right to Time Off to Study or Train programme. Targeting 16 and 17 year olds who are already in jobs but have not achieved a level 2 qualification, this programme will allow them reasonable paid time off work, to pursue a course of study or training leading to the achievement of a level 2 qualification.

  Our policies for further education (FE) are detailed in our lifelong learning Green Paper—"Learning is for Everyone" (LIFE).

  LIFE sets out a challenging vision of priorities for the future and in order to meet this challenge I was delighted to announce last month very significant increases in funding for further education. In 1999–2000, total expenditure on FE in Wales will for the first time exceed £200 million with more than £100 million of additional funding being ploughed into the sector over the next three years. This will support additional student enrolments of 28,000 by academic year 2001–2002, on top of the current 202,000 enrolments. Also, FE Access Funds will increase from £0.5 million per annum to a total of £13 million over the next three years, to support widening access and improved retention of students.

  These new and enhanced programmes demonstrate the commitment of the Government to investing in the young people of Wales.

  Welfare Rights
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list the counties that have independent welfare rights organisations; [64652]

  (2) if he will list the counties in Wales that operate welfare rights units; [64654]

  (3) if he will estimate the amount of public funds spent per 1,000 of population on welfare rights services for each local authority in Wales. [64656]

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Water Pollution
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to announce the outcome of the review of the adequacy of preventive controls over water pollution from oil and petrol storage installations in Wales. [64933]

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  The Groundwater Regulations 1998 (SI 1998, No. 2746), which I signed in November 1998, will give the Environment Agency additional new powers to help it prevent leaks and spillages from storage facilities, including from underground fuel storage in retail petrol stations. The Government are considering whether further controls to prevent water pollution from oil and petrol storage installations are needed and we expect to make an announcement about our conclusions later this year.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assistance he plans to provide to homeless people in Wales over winter. [64804]
  79
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  Last month, local authorities, working with the voluntary sector, were invited to submit bids for grants to provide further assistance to rough sleepers over the winter. Fourteen applications have been received and I will write to my hon. Friend shortly with details of successful bids and place a copy in the Library. During the current year, the Welsh Office has also allocated £350,000 for rough sleeping projects and £315,000 towards the running costs of 3 organisations concerned with preventing and alleviating homelessness.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Robert Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the special advisers in his Department and the issues on which they specialise; and to what level they have been security cleared. [62839]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  David Clark and Andrew Hood are currently employed as Special Advisers in my Department. They are employed under terms and conditions based on the Model Contract for Special Advisers, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.

  David Clark is advising me on European Affairs and Security Policy.

  Andrew Hood is advising me on policy related to Africa, the Middle East, the Americas, Asia, international trade policy, human rights, the global environment, the arms trade and the Commonwealth.

  Both work in accordance with Schedule 1 (Part 1) of the Model Contract.

  Special Advisers are subject to the usual security clearance arrangements. Both Mr. Clark and Mr. Hood have been cleared to the same level as senior FCO officials.

  MI6
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 8 December 1998,Official Report, column 167, concerning MI6 personnel taking up private sector posts, how many cases have been (a) referred to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments and (b) subject to consideration by himself; and of those he has considered, how many he has (i) approved, (ii) rejected and (iii) deferred. [63856]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  [holding answer 15 December 1998]: Since 1 May 1997 the case of one retiring SIS officer has been referred to the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, and another to the Cabinet Secretary. In both cases, recommendations were subsequently put to me to confirm approval, which I did.

  Cyprus (Landmines)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the number of active landmines which are buried in the(a) Republic of Cyprus and (b) occupied area of Northern Cyprus. [64296]
  80
  Ms Quin
  A UN Mine Action Service paper of November 1998 reported an estimated total of 16,942 landmines in Cyprus. In June 1998 the UN Secretary-General's report on the United Nations operation in Cyprus stated that there are 38 minefields and booby-trapped areas inside the UN buffer zone and a further 73 within 500m of it. It confirmed that UNFICYP continues to seek precise information about minefields from both sides.

  Telephone Records
  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 8 December 1998,Official Report, columns 167–68, if the telephone system in his Department has the capability to record external numbers dialled from particular telephone extensions. [64516]

  Mr. Fatchett
  We are in the process of acquiring, from CCTA, call logging equipment which will enable calls to be identified.

  Sri Lanka
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka last visited the Jaffna area; whom he met; and what report he has submitted on his discussions and views regarding that meeting. [64522]

  Mr. Fatchett
  Our High Commissioner last visited Jaffna on 20 and 21 August 1998. This was his third visit since 1996. Other officials from the High Commission have also made regular visits.

  The High Commissioner met the Government Agent, the Vicar General, the Acting Vice Chancellor of the University, members of the aid community, the Headmistress of a girl's school, and the Major and Municipal councillors.

  His report highlighted a number of areas where Britain might be able to offer some development assistance. These are being pursued.

  He also gave a short speech at the Municipal Council office when he observed that there had been much progress in the development of Jaffna since his first visit and appealed to Tamil communities outside Sri Lanka to contribute to the reconstruction of Jaffna.

  Mr. Love
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have made to the Government of Sri Lanka regarding a resolution of the continuing conflict with the Tamil community; and if he will make a statement. [65066]

  Mr. Fatchett
  We believe a lasting solution to the ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka can be reached only through a political settlement. During my visit to Colombo in November last year I made clear to the Sri Lankan Government that we remain ready to help in the resolution of the conflict if both sides ask us to play a role.

  Iraq (Missing Kuwaitis)
  Mr. Curry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he has taken to support Kuwait in pressing for the return home of Kuwaiti(a) missing persons and (b) prisoners of war, or of their remains, from Iraq following the Gulf conflict. [64583]
  81
  Mr. Fatchett
  We continue to play a leading role in the Tripartite Commission and Technical Sub-Committee meetings which work to resolve the cases of the 600 or more Kuwaitis missing since the Gulf War. We fully support the International Committee of the Red Cross which chairs these meetings in its attempts to seek the truth about the whereabouts of the missing. We have seen reports that Iraq has postponed indefinitely its participation in the Technical Sub-Committee meetings. We are discussing this further with the ICRC. We are concerned at this sign of a new level of Iraqi non-cooperation on the issue. It is appalling that Iraq has done so little to date to account for the Kuwaiti missing.

  Arms Transfers
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take measures to ensure that(a) all arms transfers require legally binding end-use certification, (b) British embassies are required to check end-user documentation relating to the recipient country and (c) details of end-users relating to the granting or refusal of export licences are included in annual reports of strategic exports to Parliament. [64535]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  All applications for Standard Individual Export Licences to export goods controlled for strategic reasons must be supported by appropriate End-User Undertakings, or, if the consignee is a government body, a copy of the relevant part of the official purchase order or contract. It would not be possible to make End-User Undertakings binding on the end-user or consignee in UK law without the assumption of extra-territorial powers by the Government.

  We regularly ask our overseas posts to carry out checks in cases where we wish to confirm the accuracy of the information contained in end-user documentation.

  On the content of the forthcoming annual report on strategic exports, I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Dr. Jones) on 14 July 1998, Official Report, column 149. Information on licences issued and refused will be broken down by country but will not include details of individual end-users.

  British Council
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the good governance work of the British Council and its contribution to an ethical dimension in foreign policy. [65183]

  Mr. Fatchett
  The promotion of good government worldwide is a priority for the Government and a central feature in building an ethical dimension in foreign policy. The British Council makes a valuable contribution to this policy in its work overseas in areas such as the promotion of democratic institutions and procedures, the reform of public sector institutions, the role of the media, legal systems and conflict resolution.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the(a) extent and (b) impact of reductions in the Government grant to the British Council between 1979 and 1996. [65185]
  82
  Mr. Fatchett
  From 1979 the British Council's grant-in-aid fluctuated considerably with reductions in 1979–80, 1980–81, 1986–87 and 1992–93. The most recent reduction was in 1996–97 when the grant-in-aid decreased by 6 per cent. in real terms. As a result the Council reduced its headquarters staff by 26 per cent., relocated its Manchester office and restructured overseas directorates. In spite of these fluctuations, the Council expanded its overseas network from 70 countries in 1979 to 109 in 1996 in response to changes in the international environment and the opportunities these opened up.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the progress being made by the British Council in appointing a new Director-General.[65184]

  Mr. Fatchett
  The British Council has received a good response to its recruitment campaign for a new Director General. The Nomination Sub-Committee of the Board of the British Council expects to draw up a short list of candidates this month and to conduct final interviews in February. Given normal notice periods the Council hopes to have a new Director General in place by June.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the benefit to Britain of the English language teaching and promotion undertaken by the British Council. [65186]

  Mr. Fatchett
  The FCO's annual survey of the work of the British Council demonstrates that the Council's English language work is making an increasingly important contribution to the objectives of British missions abroad. This work increases respect for British values and creates export opportunities for the UK, while being welcomed by host countries as a valued contribution to their communities.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his plans for the British Council over the next five years. [65182]

  Mr. Fatchett
  The British Council, as the UK's principal agency for cultural relations overseas, will continue to contribute to the achievement of the Government's foreign policy objectives for the foreseeable future. Working in close consultation with the FCO and through its skill and expertise, it will provide essential support to our overall diplomatic effort.

  Chechnya
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those UK companies known to be operating in Chechnya during 1998 with the goods and services which they have supplied to Chechnya. [64796]

  Ms Quin
  The only British company which we know to have operated in Chechnya during 1998 is Granger Telecom. We understand that this company was working on a local and satellite communications project in Grozny. The exact details are a matter for the company.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library copies of the written communications between Granger Telecom and his Department during 1998. [64794]
  83
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  In agreement with Granger Telecom, I have placed in the Library copies of the two written communications between the FCO and the company before the tragic kidnap of 3 October 1998. I am also placing in the Library a copy of my letter of 11 December and 8 January to the hon. Member, which set these communications in context.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when his Department was first informed of activities by Granger Telecom in Chechnya. [64795]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  In July 1998: Granger Telecom wrote to HM Ambassador, Moscow, on 9 July 1998 supporting visa applications for the UK by Chechens associated with Granger Telecom's activities in Chechnya.

  Committee on Human Rights
  Mr. Stinchcombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to set up a Committee on Human Rights to investigate human rights abuses abroad. [65003]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  We have no immediate plans to set up a Committee on Human Rights. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office receives full information on human rights violations abroad, including from UK official sources diplomatic reporting, international organisations and from non-governmental organisations, academic institutions and the media, including the BBC Monitoring Service from Caversham. The FCO also receives relevant human rights reports by other governments, including the State Department's Annual Report. All this information is routinely available to all FCO officials.

  Notes and Memoranda
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the series of notes and memoranda which are produced by the research analysts and economic advisers departments. [65080]

  Mr. Fatchett
  These papers cover politically and economically sensitive subjects and are not produced for use outside of government. Each note or memorandum is added to the public record and made available when no longer sensitive, in classes FO 972–3 at the Public Record Office, Kew.

  Arms Sales
  Mr. Woodward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to incorporate the EU Code of Conduct on arms sales into UK law. [64708]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  EU Member States adopted the Code of Conduct on Arms Exports as a political commitment rather than as a Joint Action or Common Position, which would have been legally binding. It would not therefore be appropriate to incorporate the Code of Conduct in UK law, especially as our national arms export licensing criteria, which are similar to those in the Code of Conduct, are not thus incorporated.
  84
  Mr. Woodward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to publish detailed annual reports on arms exports; and if he will make a statement. [64709]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  As to the content of the Government's first annual report on the UK's strategic export controls, I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 14 July 1998 to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Dr, Jones),Official Report, column 149. As to the timing of publication, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Ruislip-Northwood (Mr. Wilkinson) on 27 November 1998, Official Report, column 38.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Operation Angel
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what the cost was to his Department of its contributions towards Operation Angel in North West England; [64509]

  (2) what the total cost was of Operation Angel in the North West of England to (a) the Government and (b) public bodies financed through the council tax. [64508]

  Mr. Boateng
  Operation Angel was the name given to an investigation by Lancashire Constabulary into allegations of public sector corruption in the Preston area. The cost of the investigation was borne by the Lancashire Constabulary from within its normal budget. My Department has not incurred any direct costs for the investigation. Information on costs falling to other Departments or public bodies financed through the council tax is not collected by the Home Office.

  CS Sprays
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which UK police forces have had CS gas issued to them since 1968. [63929]

  Mr. Boateng
  All police forces in England and Wales have issued their officers with CS incapacitant spray except Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire and Sussex. An operational pilot has recently been completed in two forces in Scotland: Strathclyde and Tayside. CS incapacitant spray is not issued in Northern Ireland.

  CS dispersed in smoke for use in situations of public disorder has been available to all police forces since 1968 for use as a tactical option. It is a matter for individual chief officers of police to decide whether to hold CS for this purpose.

  Solar Eclipse
  Ms Atherton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assistance the Government will offer to Cornwall in dealing with problems arising from the total eclipse of the sun on 11 August 1999. [65033]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The Home Office is responsible for emergency planning in England and Wales and makes an annual grant to county level local authorities to make plans for emergencies. This grant complements the local authority's own commitment.
  85
  Under Integrated Emergency Management arrangements, local emergency planners develop non-specific and flexible plans designed to produce a multi-agency response to the effects of an incident irrespective of the cause. This approach is ideal for an incident such as the Eclipse which is not an unforeseen emergency, but is an event for which there has been sufficient time for local services to plan. There are arrangements to seek mutual aid, if required, from services in other areas and ultimately from the military.

  My officials have been involved in discussions with those responsible for planning the response to the Eclipse, including the Chief Executive of Cornwall County Council and the Chief Constable of Devon and Cornwall Constabulary and will continue to watch developments closely offering assistance where possible.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration has been given to introducing an independent licensing authority and regulatory framework for private security firms. [64538]

  Mr. Boateng
  We intend to introduce statutory regulation for the private security industry as soon as possible. We will not be able to bring forward early legislation, as we warned before the election, but we completed a consultation exercise with the industry and others last year on the best way to provide a comprehensive, effective and streamlined system. We are determined to develop practical proposals which protect the safety and rights of the public without introducing unnecessary bureaucracy. We hope to bring forward firm proposals shortly.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what role private security firms will undertake as part of Crime and Disorder Act 1998 partnerships; and if he will make a statement. [64539]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 does not specifically provide a role for the private security industry. However, the requirement for local authorities and police in every area to produce strategies to reduce crime and disorder gives all members of the community—including the private security industry—the opportunity to make a contribution to the development and implementation of those strategies.

  Young Offenders
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Government have taken to enable the youth justice system to prevent offending by children and young persons. [64537]

  Mr. Boateng
  Measures to enable the youth justice system to prevent offending by children and young persons are contained in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998; others are within the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Bill currently before Parliament.

  The Crime and Disorder Act introduces the final warning scheme in place of repeat cautioning of young offenders; new community-based court disposals to prevent or address youth offending and its causes; and multi-agency youth offending teams to turn young offenders away from crime. These measures are being piloted in ten areas of the country ahead of national implementation. The Act also contains measures to speed
  86
  up the youth justice system and establishes the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales to monitor the operation of the system and provide advice on how the aim of preventing offending might most effectively be achieved.

  The Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Bill will create a new form of sentencing disposal for first time defendants in the youth court who plead guilty. Except in cases in which the court decides that an absolute discharge or a custodial sentence would be more appropriate, there will be a referral to a youth offender panel, which will draw up a contract with the offender, aimed at tackling his or her offending behaviour and its causes.

  Illegal Immigrants
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the cost to East Sussex County Council of maintaining illegal immigrants who arrived at Newhaven Ferry Port in each of the last three years. [64755]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the question from the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock) on 17 December 1998,Official Report, column 747.

  Asylum and Immigration
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if asylum seekers who applied between 1 July 1993 and 31 December 1995 and who have convictions for offences resulting in a sentence of(a) imprisonment of less than 12 months and (b) a community service order will be eligible for the process of determining asylum applications set out in paragraph 8.30 of "Fairer, Faster and Firmer—A Modern Approach to Immigration and Asylum"; [64685]

  (2) what plans he has for the Immigration and Nationality Directorate to ascertain which asylum seekers whose applications were made before 31 December 1995 have convictions for offences resulting in a sentence of (a) imprisonment of less than 12 months and (b) a community service order. [64687]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Under the procedure set out in para. 8.30 of the White Paper CM4018, every undecided application for asylum made between 1 July 1993 and 31 December 1995 will be examined individually to see whether the applicant qualifies for asylum or for leave to remain on some other ground, both in relation to the usual criteria and in relation to the presence of factors associated with the delay in deciding the case. Where there is information suggesting that the applicant's presence in the United Kingdom would not be conducive to the public good, including any information about criminal convictions, this will be taken into account when considering the application.

  The arrangements by which the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) is notified of criminal convictions and recommendations for deportation made by a court are those set out in the answer I gave to the hon. Member on 8 December 1998, Official Report, column 117. Officials are examining these arrangements to consider whether IND should routinely be notified where someone subject to immigration control is convicted of an offence resulting in a sentence of

  87
  imprisonment of less than 12 months or a community service order. I have asked them to report their conclusions in due course.

  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the individuals and organisations that responded to the White Paper on Asylum and Immigration; and, for those who did not indicate that they did not wish their submissions to be published, when he intends to make those responses available. [65073]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter (Mr. Bradshaw) on 17 December 1998,Official Report, column 726.

  Fire and Rescue Services
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the(a) per capital funding and (b) the standard spending assessment for each local authority's fire and rescue services in 1999–2000. [64846]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The following table sets out the provisional fire standard spending assessment for 1999–2000 and the amount per head of population for local authorities responsible for fire service funding. Some of these are constituent authorities of combined fire authorities. For example, Stoke-on-Trent City Council, together with the continuing part of Staffordshire County Council, form a combined fire authority for the former county of Staffordshire.

  Table showing provisional 1999–2000 fire standard spending assessments for English authorities

  Local authority

  Fire SSA(£/head)

  Fire SSA £million

  England

  27

  1,346.000

  London area

  38

  270.534

  Metropolitan areas

  31

  342.853

  Shire areas

  24

  732.303

  Isles of Scilly

  158

  0.310

  London Fire

  38

  270.534

  Greater Manchester Fire

  31

  78.835

  Merseyside Fire

  37

  51.827

  South Yorkshire Fire

  27

  35.684

  Tyne and Wear Fire

  33

  36.870

  West Midlands Fire

  30

  78.365

  West Yorkshire Fire

  29

  61.273

  Metropolitan fire authorities

  31

  342.853

  Shire counties

  23

  534.574

  Shire unitary authorities

  24

  197.729

  Isle of Wight Council

  28

  3.584

  All purpose authorities

  Bath and North East Somerset

  28

  4.693

  Blackburn with Darwen

  24

  3.314

  Blackpool

  26

  3.902

  Bournemouth

  22

  3.499

  Bracknell Forest

  23

  2.541

  Brighton and Hove

  25

  6.218

  Bristol

  23

  9.410

  Darlington

  26

  2.645

  Derby

  22

  5.247

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  33

  10.221

  Halton

  19

  2.313

  Hartlepool

  37

  3.425

  Herefordshire

  21

  3.553

  Isle of Wight Council

  28

  3.584

  88

  Table showing provisional 1999–2000 fire standard spending assessments for English authorities

  Local authority

  Fire SSA(£/head)

  Fire SSA £million

  Kingston upon Hull

  25

  6.666

  Leicester

  18

  5.275

  Luton

  20

  3.564

  Medway

  21

  5.130

  Middlesbrough

  37

  5.337

  Milton Keynes

  19

  3.782

  North East Lincolnshire

  28

  4.439

  North Lincolnshire

  29

  4.436

  North Somerset

  28

  5.133

  Nottingham

  21

  5.891

  Peterborough

  20

  3.188

  Plymouth

  20

  5.116

  Poole

  22

  3.173

  Portsmouth

  19

  3.568

  Reading

  20

  2.980

  Redcar and Cleveland

  41

  5.680

  Rutland

  25

  0.896

  Slough

  21

  2.319

  South Gloucestershire

  26

  6.192

  Southampton

  18

  3.906

  Southend-on-Sea

  22

  3.825

  Stockton-on-Tees

  40

  7.204

  Stoke-on-Trent

  18

  4.573

  Swindon

  18

  3.255

  Telford and the Wrekin

  18

  2.677

  Thurrock

  22

  2.972

  Torbay

  26

  3.134

  Warrington

  22

  4.141

  West Berkshire

  24

  3.472

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  27

  3.826

  Wokingham

  26

  3.747

  York

  21

  3.666

  Isles of Scilly

  158

  0.310

  Shire Counties

  Bedfordshire

  24

  9.006

  Buckinghamshire

  23

  11.062

  Cambridgeshire

  22

  12.423

  Cheshire

  24

  16.255

  Cornwall

  26

  12.440

  Cumbria

  26

  12.667

  Derbyshire

  26

  18.665

  Devon

  26

  18.059

  Dorset

  24

  9.201

  Durham

  25

  12.478

  East Sussex

  27

  13.304

  Essex

  24

  31.499

  Gloucestershire

  21

  11.624

  Hampshire

  24

  29.163

  Hertfordshire

  23

  23.676

  Kent

  24

  31.418

  Lancashire

  28

  31.570

  Leicestershire

  24

  14.540

  Lincolnshire

  20

  12.097

  Norfolk

  21

  16.176

  North Yorkshire

  22

  12.561

  Northamptonshire

  21

  13.083

  Northumberland

  28

  8.506

  Nottinghamshire

  26

  19.013

  Oxfordshire

  22

  13.548

  Shropshire

  21

  5.801

  Somerset

  21

  10.213

  Staffordshire

  22

  17.895

  Suffolk

  20

  13.450

  Surrey

  24

  25.278

  Warwickshire

  22

  11.295

  West Sussex

  23

  17.201

  Wiltshire

  20

  8.551

  Worcestershire

  20

  10.858

  Speed Cameras (Gloucestershire)
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many speed cameras have been installed in Gloucestershire; and how many prosecutions resulted from them in each of the last five years for which records are available. [64817]

  Mr. Boateng
  I understand from the Chief Constable of Gloucestershire Constabulary that the force has 33 sites for automatic speed cameras and that the cameras were first brought into use during 1995. There were 526 prosecutions in 1995 and 3,705 in 1996. Figures for 1997 are not yet available.

  Ministerial Flights
  Mr. Maples
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 9 December 1998,Official Report, column 214, if the average cost of flights, with reference to flights by Ministers in his Department, refers to the average cost per passenger. [64720]

  Mr. Straw
  The average cost refers to the average cost per trip and not the average cost per passenger.

  Liquor Licensing
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) late licensed premises and (b) licensed premises there are per 1,000 head of population for each county in Wales. [64653]

  Name

  Date produced

  Voluntary After-Care

  1997

  Options for improved support for victims and other witnesses attending Magistrates' courts

  May 1997

  The processing of Rape Cases by the Criminal Justice System

  November 1997

  The effects of Video violence on Young Offenders

  1998

  Trends in Crime Revisited

  1998

  Reconviction after sentence: a six year follow up of people sentenced in the Crown Court in 1996

  January 1998

  A Survey of Custody Officers' Views on New Provisions of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994

  March 1998

  The Impact of the National Lottery on the Horserace Betting Levy: Technical Supplement

  July 1998

  The Impact of the National Lottery on the Horserace Betting Levy: Third Report

  July 1998

  Evolving Crack Cocaine Careers, New User, Quitters and Long Term Combination Drug Users in North West England

  September 1998

  Transfers from prison to hospital: the Operation of Section 48 of the Mental Health Act 1983

  October 1998

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a list of unclassified papers produced in the Briefing Notes series of papers by the Police and Reducing Crime Unit since January 1997, specifying the title of each paper and the date on which it was produced. [65059]

  Mr. Boateng
  All main series reports produced by the Home Office Policing and Reducing Crime Unit are circulated with a short briefing note summarising the main findings and points for action. Occasionally, the Unit prepares a stand alone briefing note which may be an extended summary of a piece of work which we do not justify a full report, or as an interim report on a project which is attracting interest. There have been two publications in this Briefing Note series since January 1997:

  1/98 Domestic Violence and Repeat Victimisation (August 1998)

  2/98 Planning Police Trainee Throughput: some good practice suggestions (August 1998).

  90
  Mr. George Howarth
  The number of(a) special hours certificates and (b) licensed premises per 1,000 persons for each county in Wales as at 30 June 1998 is given in the table.

  Special hours certificates per 1,000 population

  Licensed premises per 1,000 population

  Clwyd

  0.14

  3.09

  Dyfed

  0.19

  5.36

  Gwent

  0.12

  2.87

  Gwynedd

  0.21

  7.86

  Powys

  0.08

  6.17

  Mid-Glamorgan

  0.21

  2.57

  South Glamorgan

  0.31

  2.57

  West Glamorgan

  0.31

  2.92

  Note:

  Counties are those before the recent reorganisation of local government in Wales

  Unclassified Papers
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a list of unclassified papers produced in the made available series of papers by the Research, Development and Statistics Directorate since January 1997, specifying the title of each paper and the date on which it was produced. [65060]

  Mr. Boateng
  The information is as follows:

  Papers published in the Briefing Note series are included in the Unit's general publications list, which is published on the World Wide Internet and is also freely available from the Unit. An up-to-date list will be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Sandeep Bansall
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the prison placement of Mr. Sandeep Bansall. [65178]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The hon. Member wrote to my noble Friend, the Lord Williams of Mostyn, the Minister with responsibility for prisons and probation, and made representations over the telephone to the Director General of the Prison Service, requesting Mr. Bansal's transfer from Pentonville prison.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when Mr. Sandeep Bansall will be moved from Pentonville prison; [65180]
  91
  (2) what steps have been taken by the prison authorities to place Mr. Sandeep Bansall nearer his family. [65179]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Mr. Sandeep Bansall was temporarily transferred on 22 December 1998 from Pentonville prison to Leicester prison. As this is a local prison, whose primary purpose is to serve the courts, he was then allocated to Ashwell, a training prison near Leicester, and moved there on 30 December 1998.

  Pigmeat Imports
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost of the pigmeat imported from outside the United Kingdom which was purchased for consumption in prisons in each of the last three years. [65118]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Up to and including 31 March 1998, all pigmeat consumed in prisons in England and Wales was produced by the Prison Service's own farms. Since that date, all pigmeat has been purchased on contract.

  The contractors have advised that all pork supplied to the Prison Service has been of British origin, as has 80 per cent. of the bacon. The remaining 20 per cent. of bacon was imported, primarily from Holland, and cost approximately £60,000.

  Education Expenditure
  Ms Buck
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of section 11 funding was spent in each education authority area in England and Wales in 1997–98; and what percentage of pupils were covered by the grant in each case. [63694]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The table relates to the maximum grant payable to each local education authority (LEA) in respect of the 1997–98 financial year, expressed as a percentage of the total maximum grant payable to LEAs. The figures refer to projects for various educational purposes, in schools and in other sectors. The types of project vary between authorities.

  Information is not held centrally in the form requested in the second part of my hon. Friend's Question. Reports are received annually on each project, showing the numbers of pupils, or others, covered. But, because support provided to an individual may be separately counted under different headings, aggregation of the figures may produce a misleading result.

  LEA

  Percentage

  Barking & Dagenham

  0.34

  Barnet

  1.03

  Bedfordshire

  0.82

  Berkshire

  1.08

  Bexley

  0.15

  Birmingham

  4.35

  Bolton

  0.76

  Bradford

  4.73

  Brent

  1.47

  Brighton & Hove

  0.15

  Bristol1

  0.70

  Bromley

  0.03

  Buckinghamshire2

  1.16

  Bury

  0.39

  Calderdale

  0.93

  Cambridgeshire

  1.16

  92

  LEA

  Percentage

  Camden

  1.82

  Cardiff

  0.45

  Cheshire

  0.09

  Coventry

  2.57

  Croydon

  1.52

  Darlington3

  0.15

  Derby4

  1.41

  Devon

  0.08

  Doncaster

  0.11

  Dudley

  1.02

  Ealing

  1.51

  East Sussex

  0.09

  Enfield

  1.71

  Essex

  0.03

  Gateshead

  0.03

  Gloucestershire

  0.27

  Greenwich

  1.11

  Hackney

  2.92

  Hammersmith & Fulham

  0.55

  Hampshire

  0.13

  Haringey

  2.70

  Harrow

  0.69

  Havering

  0.05

  Hereford & Worcester

  0.23

  Hertfordshire

  1.79

  Hillingdon

  0.41

  Hounslow

  1.36

  Hull5

  0.04

  Islington

  1.57

  Kensington & Chelsea

  0.94

  Kent

  1.28

  Kingston

  0.11

  Kirklees

  2.57

  Lambeth

  2.10

  Lancashire

  5.02

  Leeds

  0.96

  Leicester

  2.63

  Leicestershire

  0.51

  Lewisham

  1.37

  Lincolnshire

  0.09

  Liverpool

  0.30

  Luton

  1.78

  Manchester

  2.40

  Merton

  0.65

  Middlesbrough6

  0.55

  Newcastle

  0.05

  Newham

  0.12

  Newport

  0.31

  Norfolk

  0.16

  North East Lincolnshire

  0.04

  North Lincolnshire

  0.23

  North Tyneside

  0.13

  North Yorkshire7

  0.06

  Northamptonshire

  0.58

  Nottinghamshire

  1.58

  Oldham

  1.96

  Oxfordshire

  0.56

  Poole8

  0.03

  Portsmouth

  0.18

  Redbridge

  1.24

  Richmond

  0.06

  Rochdale

  1.20

  Rotherham

  0.39

  Salford

  0.06

  Sheffield

  1.51

  Shropshire

  0.12

  Somerset

  0.05

  South Tyneside

  0.13

  Southampton

  0.39

  Southwark

  0.82

  St Helens

  0.02

  Staffordshire9

  0.89

  Stockport

  0.09

  Suffolk

  0.28

  93

  LEA

  Percentage

  Sunderland

  0.10

  Surrey

  0.33

  Sutton

  0.09

  Swansea

  0.32

  Swindon10

  0.14

  Tameside

  0.43

  Tower Hamlets

  6.61

  Trafford

  0.34

  Wakefield

  0.29

  Walsall

  1.46

  Waltham Forest

  1.66

  Wandsworth

  1.46

  Warwickshire

  0.98

  West Sussex

  0.25

  Westminster

  1.74

  Wigan

  0.08

  Wolverhampton

  1.55

  The following show the estimated approximate division of the grant allocated to the lead authority among the LEAs in question:

  1Bristol: 93%. Bath&North Somerset, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire: 7%

  2Buckinghamshire: 80%. Milton Keynes: 20%.

  3Darlington: 60%. Durham: 40 ℅.

  4Derby City: 95%. Derbyshire: 5%.

  5Hull: 80%. East Riding of Yorkshire: 20%.

  6Middlesbrough: 63%. Stockton: 27%. Redcar and Cleveland, and Hartlepool: 10%.

  7North Yorkshire: 34%. City of York: 66%.

  8Poole, Bournemouth and Dorset: about one third each.

  9Staffordshire: 40%. Stoke-on-Trent: 60%.

  10Swindon: 60%. Wiltshire: 40%.

  Note:

  In a number of cases, local education authorities had entered into agreements with neighbouring LEAs to act as the "lead authority" in a joint arrangement for administrative purposes. In these, grant allocations were made to the lead authority, which would distribute funding to each LEA.

CABINET OFFICE

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what has been the total expenditure and the breakdown of expenditure in the Cabinet Office since May 1997 on(a) public opinion research, (b) television, radio and newspaper advertising, (c) direct mail and (d) publicity. [64186]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  [holding answer 17 December 1998]: Since May 1997 the Cabinet Office expenditure on public opinion research totalled £481,200; on television, radio and newspaper advertising £220,164; on direct mail £794,319, and on publicity £1,158,469. All figures are net of recoverable VAT.

  Civil Servants (Industrial Tribunals)
  Mr. Prior
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which civil servants are not allowed to use the Industrial Tribunal Service as a last means of settling disputes. [64338]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  [holding answer 17 December 1998]: The only civil servants who do not have access to an Employment Tribunal are those employed as police constables in the Ministry of Defence Police. In common
  94
  with other persons in police service, their rights to bring proceedings in an Employment Tribunal are restricted by Section 200 of the Employment Rights Act 1996.

  Drugs Tsar
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make a statement on the selection procedure for(a) the Drug Tzar and (b) his Deputy. [64695]

  Dr. Jack Cunningham
  The UK Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator, Keith Hellawell, was appointed following a fair and open competition. The process was in line with the Nolan principles, including the involvement of an independent member on the interview panel. The post was advertised in the national press attracting a very strong field of over 200 applicants. Of these, seven demonstrating the strongest evidence of the core skills for the job, were selected for interview. The interview panel appointed Mike Trace as deputy because his background and expertise provided a valuable supporting role to the Co-ordinator.

  Cabinet Joint Consultative Committee (Security Passes)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if Liberal Democrat members of the Cabinet Joint Consultative Committee have been issued with security passes giving them access to secure areas in Government buildings. [64773]

  Dr. Jack Cunningham
  No.

  Cabinet Joint Consultative Committee (Pension Proposals)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what representations he has received from the right hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Mr. Beith) concerning the Government's pensions proposals; and if these will be discussed at the Cabinet Joint Consultative Committee. [64774]

  Dr. Jack Cunningham
  Representations on the Government's pensions proposals are a matter for my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Social Security.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Childcare
  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what plans he has to extend the registration of childcare workers to those providing childcare for the over-eights; [65052]

  (2) what plans he has to increase the quality of childcare provision for the over-eights and related health and safety aspects; [65055]

  (3) what estimate he has made of the cost of bringing childcare provision for the over-eights into the registration system; [65053]

  (4) what research his Department has commissioned on parents' views of the quality and registration of childcare provision. [65054]
  95
  Ms Hodge
  I refer my hon. Friend to the replies I gave to the hon. Member for Taunton (Jackie Ballard) on 17 December 1998,Official Report, columns 668–69.

  Free School Meals
  Ms Buck
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the estimated annual cost would be of extending free school meals(a) to all children, (b) to all children under 11 years, (c) to all children whose parents are in receipt of working families tax credit and (d) to children under 11 years whose parents are in receipt of working families tax credit. [64683]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  We have no plans to extend eligibility for free school meals and have not therefore made precise costings. We estimate the approximate cost in England of(a) to be £1.8 billion and of (b) to be £1 billion. On the basis of assumptions by the Inland Revenue on the numbers of children whose parents will be in receipt of Working Families Tax Credit, we estimate the approximate cost of (c) to be some £410 million and of (d) to be £210 million.

  GCSEs (Northern Ireland)
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will initiate research into the reasons why school pupils in Northern Ireland achieve better results in GCSEs and A Levels than pupils in England. [64525]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The Government have set in place a range of policies designed to raise standards in all schools in England, including the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies, Education Development Plans, measures to tackle school and LEA failure, Education Action Zones and target setting by schools. These approaches are backed by the significant additional resources for schools announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review and are based on a range of evidence about what raises standards drawn from across the UK and internationally. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no plans for research of the type suggested.

  School Reserves
  Mr. Michael J. Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what guidance his Department gives schools on the level of reserves which they should hold. [64954]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The Department does not issue detailed guidance on this matter. However, reserves held by schools should be used effectively, and to this end the Department has encouraged local education authorities to recycle reserves through loan schemes, while preserving the right of schools to draw on their reserves when needed. Authorities are also permitted to require schools to report on the intended use of reserves in excess of a certain level as determined by the authority, so as to encourage a planned approach to the holding of reserves.

  Autism
  Dr. Ladyman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what data he has collated with respect to the incidence of special educational needs 96
  related to autism among children; and if he will list the numbers and percentage of such children by education authority area and for each of the last 20 years. [64911]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  These figures are not available. Provisions in the Education Act 1981, now consolidated into the Education Act 1996, require schools to submit information on numbers of pupils with special educational needs. In accordance with the recommendation of the Warnock Committee, there is no requirement for them to record the nature of the disability or learning difficulty and we have no current intention to require them to do so.

  New Deal (Eastleigh)
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people have entered the New Deal gateway in the Eastleigh borough council area since its inception; and how many took up each New Deal option. [64753]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  It is not possible to provide separate figures for individual towns or council areas. The latest Government Statistical Service figures for the Southampton and South West Hampshire Unit of Delivery, which covers Eastleigh, show that, to the end of September 1998,(a) 751 young people had entered the Gateway and 97 had secured unsubsidised employment (b) 108 had joined one of the four options: 29 on the Employment option; 7 on the Voluntary Sector option; 1 on the Environment Task Force; and 71 on the Full-Time Education and Training option.

  Trade Unions (New Deal)
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the number of people taken on under the New Deal by the trade unions. [64748]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  Central records are not kept of the 52,800 young people who have found work under New Deal and the 35,400 employer agreements that have been signed. This information is not held centrally; however, we have worked closely with the TUC over the implementation of New Deal and are grateful for their support and we do know that a number of individual Trade Unions have taken on young people under the New Deal.

  League Tables
  Mr. Michael J. Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he has taken to assess the validity of league tables for state schools which include a value-added element. [65078]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Extensive development work has been done by the Department and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority on methods of calculating measures of value-added by schools for publication in performance tables. We have also conducted a pilot study, involving some 200 state and independent schools, to investigate a variety of options for presenting school value-added indicators based on information about individual pupil performance. The results of the pilot study were published on 1 December, as a supplement to the 1998 secondary school performance tables. A copy has been placed in the Library.

  Playgroups
  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he expects to announce the recipients of the DfEE/Pre-School Learning Alliance grants for playgroups. [65046]

  Ms Hodge
  A total of £407,000 has been paid to date in grants of up to £1,000 to 497 voluntary pre-schools and playgroups, including 5 in Oxfordshire. A few applications for which further information is required remain to be decided. A list of grant recipients will be placed in the Library in due course.

  I am grateful to the Pre-school Learning Alliance, Playgroup Network, Gloucestershire Parents and Toddlers Association and many Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships for their help in the administration of this scheme for assisting pre-schools and playgroups in financial difficulty.

  Astra Staff
  Mr. Dawson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment in what circumstances ex-Astra staff are eligible to apply for Civil Service vacancies. [64697]

  Mr. Mudie
  Those ex-Astra employees who were former civil servants can, like any other former civil servants, apply for reappointment into the Civil Service. Reappointment is not automatic and depends on there being suitable vacancies. Applicants must also meet the current competencies required for the job in question. Those ex-Astra staff who were not former civil servants can, like anyone else, apply for any advertised vacancies, subject to the provisions of the Civil Service Order in Council 1995.

  Mr. Dawson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on outstanding issues concerning ex-Astra employees. [64696]

  Mr. Mudie
  There are no outstanding issues but I am currently considering representations made on behalf of employees of the former Astra Training Services Ltd.

  This Government introduced a package of special measure, both financial and non-financial, that helped those who were potentially worse affected by this failed privatisation. The administrators of the Astra Pension Scheme, Fountain Trustee Ltd., have confirmed that all ex-Astra staff are getting their full accrued pensions as they reach the retirement age of 60.

  Disability Rights Commission
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will set out the basis of the estimated annual running cost of the proposed Disability Rights Commission. [65113]

  Ms Hodge
  The estimated budget for the Disability Rights Commission (DRC) was calculated by examining its proposed functions and assessing the associated costs using the best information available. This involved drawing on information about the running costs of the existing commissions where their functions are similar and taking account of issues arising specifically in the context of disability. We believe the estimate is realistic 98
  and reflects the important work the DRC will be expected to undertake. In due course, we will review the DRC's funding in the light of its operational experience.

  PFI Projects
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment which local education authorities have requested funding for PFI projects additional to their original estimates. [65189]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The local education authorities that have requested funding additional to their original estimates for PFI projects are as follows:

  Birmingham

  Cornwall

  Dorset

  Dudley

  Kingston upon Hull

  Leeds

  Manchester

  North Yorkshire

  Sheffield

  Staffordshire

  Stoke on Trent

  Tower Hamlets

  Westminster.

  Many of these projects are very early Pathfinders and the original estimates of costs were based on limited information. However, in all cases, local education authorities have been required to demonstrate that the projects continue to provide value for money at the increased level of funding. The initial assessment of PFI project costs has improved as greater experience of schools PFI has been gained.

  Schools (Temporary Classrooms)
  Mr. Michael J. Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the Government's policy towards the use of temporary classrooms in schools. [63444]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Temporary classrooms can provide a suitable solution to accommodation issues in schools. Whether they are appropriate in any particular instance is usually a matter for the local education authority or the grant-maintained school. However, we have made clear that, where additional accommodation is required to implement our class size pledge, LEAs should seek to provide permanent and not temporary classrooms.

  Teachers' Salaries
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the median salary of a secondary school teacher with 10 years' experience was as a percentage of(a) average industrial male earnings, (b) the salary of a police sergeant with 10 years service in that rank and (c) the salary of a middle-ranking member

  99
  of the professional, administrative and managerial grade in local authority service in 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995 and currently. [62084]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The median salary of a secondary school teacher with 10 years' experience is not available for the years before 1985. Since 1985, the median salary of secondary school teachers with 10 years' experience as a percentage of the other groups of workers was as follows:

  Percentage

  Year

  All occupations: full-time males paid on adult rates

  Police sergeant with 10 years' service1

  Local government officers: full-time staff on adult rates2

  1985

  96

  78

  n.a.

  1990

  101

  86

  78

  1995

  113

  89

  94

  1997

  111

  88

  89

  1The salary of a police sergeant excludes London weighting and allowances, housing emoluments, overtime payments and any other additions to basic salary.

  2Local government officers have been identified from the New Earnings Survey as SOC group 102. Information is not readily available for 1985. The small samples on which this group is based may make the data unreliable.

  Agricultural Colleges
  Judy Mallaber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will review the future structure and funding of the land-based and agricultural colleges. [63814]

  Mr. Mudie
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to do so. The Further Education Funding Council is due to publish soon a report reviewing the adequacy and sufficiency of facilities for further education provision for agriculture.

  New Deal (Hampshire)
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer of 7 December 1998,Official Report, column 82, on the New Deal in Portsmouth, if the figure for clients who secured unsubsidised jobs is included in the total figure of those who entered the Gateway; and what were the destinations for the people not accounted for under the four options. [64260]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The 143 young people who secured unsubsidised jobs are included in the figure of 1,094 young people who had entered the Gateway by the end of September 1998. 217 young people had joined one of the four options; 633 were in the Gateway; 18 had left New Deal to claim other benefits; 19 had left for other known destinations, including other training, travelling abroad, imprisonment; and 64 had left for unknown destinations.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people have entered the New Deal Gateway in the Rushmoor Borough Council area since its inception; and how many took up each New Deal option. [64255]
  100
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  It is not possible to provide separate figures for individual towns or council areas. The latest Government Statistical Service figures for the Guildford Unit of Delivery, which covers Rushmoor, show that, to the end of September 1998,(a) 416 young people had entered the Gateway and 82 secured unsubsidised employment; (b) 48 had joined one of the four options: 6 on the Employment option; 6 on the Voluntary Sector option; 1 on the Environment Task Force; and 35 on the Full-Time Education and Training option. 229 young people were on the Gateway, 16 had left New Deal to claim other benefits, 9 had gone to other known destinations, including other training, travelling abroad, imprisonment; and 32 had gone to unknown destinations.

  Education (Staffordshire)
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what measures his Department has taken since May 1997 to improve the provision of education in Staffordshire. [64506]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The table sets out details of the financial support that Staffordshire has received since May 1997, through the education SSA system, the Standards Fund, Schools Capital and the New Deal for Schools. Details of the Standards Fund allocations and support for capital funding for schools for 1999–2000 will be announced in due course.

  Staffordshire LEA

  £ million

  Education SSA increase

  17.6

  Standards fund

  8.5

  Capital support

  6.2

  New Deal for schools

  3.5

  Provisional education SSA 1999–2000

  18.3

  Total allocation

  54.1

  Notes:

  1. Capital Support includes both Annual Capital Guideline (ACG) and Supplementary Credit Approval (SCA).

  2. The Standards Fund figures include both the LEA and government grant contributions.

  Grammar Schools
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of children in(a) England and (b) Northern Ireland attend grammar schools. [64526]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  In January 1998, 4.5 per cent. of all pupils aged 11 and over in maintained schools in England attended grammar schools.

  Information for Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Norman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the cost implications of the restructuring of Kent's schooling system which would be required if grammar schools were to be abolished; and if he will place the breakdown of that estimate in the Library. [64497]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  None. It is for parents in Kent to decide whether or not they wish to retain selection by reference to high academic ability. If they voted to do so,
  101
  the law would require only the admission authorities of those schools to change their admission arrangements. Any other changes would be a matter for decision at local level.

  Physical Education
  Mr. Gareth R. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many places have been made available for specialist PE teachers on initial teacher training courses in each of the last five years. [64715]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The following table shows the target intake to physical education (PE) initial teacher training for the years 1994–95 to 1998–99.

  Target recruitment to initial teacher training (ITT) courses in England, 1994–95 to 1998–99

  Year

  Target intake

  1994–95

  1,255

  1995–96

  1,250

  1996–97

  1,300

  1997–98

  1,550

  1998–99

  1,450

  Source:

  DfEE

  Counter-drugs Strategy
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he has taken to ensure that those training to be teachers are fully equipped to present in schools the Government's counter-drugs strategy. [64517]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Curriculum for teacher training ensures that all teachers must be able to address pupils' personal, moral and social development. This will provide a focus for the full range of personal, social and health education work, including drug education. As certain aspects of drug education are a statutory requirement of National Curriculum science, all primary school teachers and secondary school science teachers are trained in drug education.

  We have made increased funding of £7 million available this year through the Department's Standards Fund programme for drug education and prevention work. Eligible expenditure includes direct and associated costs of training teachers in schools. Further support of £7.5 million is to be made available through the Standards Fund for each of the next three years, following the Comprehensive Spending Review.

  The DfEE has also recently issued new drug education guidance for teachers and youth workers, on the effective delivery of drug education in schools and youth service settings, and on dealing with drug-related incidents. The guidance encourages schools to take note of best practice and assist them in developing and implementing their own drug education programmes and policies.

  New Deal (Gateway)
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list by region and 102
  up to the latest date for which the figures are available the numbers of young people leaving the New Deal for unsubsidised employment who have subsequently re-entered the Gateway, indicating the average time such people have spent in employment before returning to the Gateway. [63272]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  [holding answer 14 December 1998]: This information is not currently available as individuals who return to New Deal within 13 weeks resume where they left off. Information on the length and time spent on unsubsidised jobs will be available at a later stage from the longer-term evaluation of New Deal. Destination information published in the monthly statistical press notice is subsequently revised to reflect those returning to the New Deal Gateway before 13 weeks of employment.

  Departmental Communications
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many communications were sent by his Department to(a) primary schools, (b) secondary schools and (c) local education authorities in each month of 1998 for which details are available; and if he will list them specifying the subjects they covered. [63961]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  [holding answer 16 December 1998]: The Department sent 70 communications to primary schools and 73 communications to secondary schools in 1998. Most items were for information only. Since June 1998, schools have received material in regular batches which clearly indicate the priority of items. From 1 December, batches contain only: guidance on legal changes, curriculum development material on key strategies such as literacy and numeracy, data collection and 2-page summaries of documents on key policy issues.

  All communications to schools are also copied to the local education authority—in some cases there is action in these for both school and local education authority. In addition, local education authorities received 179 communications that were not sent also to schools. A list has been placed in the Library.

SCOTLAND

  Government Funding (Competitive Bidding)
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the schemes for competitive bidding for central Government funding by local authorities and voluntary organisations run by his Department in(a) 1998; (b) 1997 and (c) 1996, and the amounts of money involved and the number of successful and unsuccessful bids in each scheme in each year. [63560]

  Mr. McLeish
  [holding answer 15 December 1998]: The information is contained in the table.
  103

  Scheme

  Succesful bids

  Unsuccessful bids

  1996 Amount involved (£ million)

  Succesful bids

  Unsuccesful bids

  1997 Amount involved (£ million)

  Succesful bids

  Unsuccesful bids

  1998 Amount involved (£ million)

  Education

  Alternatives to Exclusion Grant Scheme

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  18

  14

  3.0

  School Rationalisation 1998–99

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  8

  8

  15.0

  Transport

  Transport Challenge Fund

  5

  7

  28.5

  9

  10

  29.7

  —

  —

  —

  Cycle Challenge Fund

  —

  —

  —

  37

  43

  0.650

  —

  —

  —

  Rural Community Transport Grant Scheme

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10

  8

  0.340

  Urban Programme

  Programme for Partnership

  23

  27

  77.01

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Capital

  Central Challenge Fund2

  —

  —

  —

  19

  33

  16.1

  —

  —

  —

  PFI Level Playing Field Support

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10

  13

  660.1

  Housing

  Empty Homes Initiative

  —

  —

  —

  33

  56

  2.0

  102

  86

  7.0

  Rough Sleepers Initiative

  —

  —

  —

  35

  39

  4.0

  37

  26

  5.0

  New Housing Partnership

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  27

  5

  34.6

  Health Care

  Mental Health Development Fund

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  22

  56

  1.578

  Local Care Partnership Scheme

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  12

  36

  0.554

  Social Work

  Section 10(1) of Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968

  135

  3—

  7.6

  112

  3 —

  7.4

  97

  3—

  7.0

  Ethnic Minority Grant Scheme

  4

  36

  0.200

  9

  23

  0.225

  6

  29

  0.275

  Transitional Fund (1996 only)

  275

  133

  3.5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Asylum Seekers Grant

  —

  —

  —

  13

  1

  0.631

  3—

  3—

  —

  1Over 3 years

  2Funding for 1997 bids staged over 2 years

  3Figures not yet available

  Birthweights
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the percentage of low birthweight

  Percentage of all live births and singleton live births which are low birthweight (less than 2,500g) by health board of residence 1,2 for years ending 31 March

  1996

  1997

  1998

  All live births

  Single live births

  All live births

  Single live births

  All live births

  Single live births

  Scotland

  6.9

  5.6

  6.9

  5.5

  6.8

  5.5

  Argyll & Clyde

  6.8

  5.2

  6.5

  5.6

  7.0

  5.6

  Ayrshire & Arran

  6.8

  5.1

  6.5

  5.2

  7.0

  5.5

  Borders

  5.7

  5.2

  6.7

  5.3

  5.3

  4.6

  Dumfries & Galloway

  6.3

  5.1

  6.6

  4.7

  6.1

  4.6

  Fife

  7.3

  5.7

  6.6

  5.4

  6.1

  5.1

  Forth Valley

  7.0

  5.7

  7.2

  5.2

  7.1

  5.3

  Grampian

  5.6

  4.7

  6.0

  4.9

  6.3

  5.2

  Greater Glasgow

  8.3

  6.8

  8.0

  6.7

  8.1

  6.7

  Highland

  6.4

  5.1

  6.0

  4.8

  5.6

  4.0

  Lanarkshire

  6.5

  5.3

  7.0

  5.6

  6.9

  5.6

  Lothian

  6.7

  5.4

  7.3

  5.8

  6.5

  5.1

  Orkney

  3.6

  3.7

  2.8

  1.5

  3.1

  2.1

  Shetland

  1.8

  1.8

  4.4

  3.3

  4.8

  3.1

  Tayside

  7.3

  5.9

  6.2

  4.7

  6.6

  5.6

  Western Isles

  4.5

  2.9

  2.1

  1.3

  4.0

  2.8

  1Excludes cases resident outwith Scotland and those where the health board of residence is not known

  2Excludes home births

  104
  live births in each Scottish health board area broken down by (a) single and (b) all live births for the last three years. [64425]

  Mr. Galbraith
  The information is as follows:

  EU Funding (Mining Areas)
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list(a) in total and (b) by project over £50,000 the amount of EU funding given to mining or former mining areas in (i) Fife, (ii) Ayrshire and (iii) East Lothian over the past five years. [64456]

  Mr. Macdonald
  [holding answer 17 December 1998]: The information on total European Structural Fund assistance is provided in the table. The individual project lists are extensive. I have arranged for them to be placed in the Library.

  £

  Area

  European Structural Funds Assistance (1 January 1994 to 31 December 1998 inclusive)

  Fife

  166,935,119

  Ayrshire

  133,149,607

  East Lothian

  1,590,675

  1These figures include a small number of projects where activity extends outwith the coalfield areas

  World Heritage Sites
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Joint Nature Conservation Committee was consulted on the proposal to nominate the Atlantic Frontier Continental Shelf as a world heritage site. [64412]

  £

  July 1997–December 1998

  1999–2000

  Replacing

  Upgrading

  Maintaining

  Replacing

  Upgrading

  Maintaining

  Security

  —

  33,000

  10,000

  —

  30,000

  8,000

  Heating

  —

  3,600

  215,898

  —

  5,000

  129,000

  Ventilation

  —

  9,600

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Lighting

  10,000

  22,000

  28,450

  70,000

  41,000

  22,500

  Scottish Parliament
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of his Department's staff will be redeployed in the Scottish Parliament; and how many new staff are being recruited for the Scottish Parliament. [64454]

  Mr. McLeish
  [holding answer 17 December 1998]: Numbers have not yet been finalised. 172 posts in the Parliament have been advertised externally. 26 posts have been identified to be filled initially by Scottish Office staff on secondment to facilitate the transition from the set up to the operational phase.

  Ministerial Flights
  Mr. Maples
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his letter to the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon of 2 December 1998 concerning ministerial use of RAF flights, if the term "average cost" refers to the average cost per passenger. [64735]

  Mr. Dewar
  The "average cost" refers to the average cost per trip and not average cost per passenger.
  106
  Mr. Macdonald
  We have sought advice from Scottish Natural Heritage on the merits of the proposal to nominate the Atlantic Frontier Continental Shelf as a World Heritage Site. I understand that, in framing their advice, Scottish Natural Heritage had discussions with the Joint Nature Conservation Committee.

  Scottish Office Building, Victoria Quay
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the expected costs up to the end of the financial year 1999–2000 of replacing, upgrading and maintaining security, heating and ventilation and lighting control systems in the Scottish Office building at Victoria Quay; what changes there have been in those estimates over the last 18 months; and what has been the annual cost of these since the building opened. [64457]

  Mr. Dewar
  [holding answer 17 December 1998]: The maintenance of security, heating, ventilation and lighting systems at Victoria Quay is carried out by SERCo Ltd. under contract to The Scottish Office. The information sought is not held by The Scottish Office in the form requested. SERCo have, however, provided figures which relate to their categorisation of expenditure and financial year.

  The table shows the expenditure on replacing, upgrading and maintaining the security, heating, ventilation and lighting systems over the 18 months to December 1998 and estimated expenditure for the calendar year 1999. There has been no change to estimates over the previous 18 months.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Construction Industry
  Mr. Levitt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact on the construction industry of the rule that self-employed subcontractors in continual employment for 11 weeks must be regarded as employees. [64461]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  I am aware of no such rule.

  Redundancy Payments
  Liz Blackman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the average time taken by each Redundancy Pay Services Department office to process claims for redundancy payment in the last year for which figures are available. [64515]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  In the Financial Year 1998–99, to date, the average time taken by each Redundancy Payments Office to process claims for redundancy payments was nine weeks for the Birmingham Office and six weeks for both the Edinburgh and Watford Offices.
  107
  Judy Mallaber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will change the rules for compensatory payments in lieu of notice in cases where a firm becomes insolvent so that the ex-employee is paid the full amount to which they would have been entitled if they had been made redundant by a firm which was not insolvent. [64564]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  Payments in lieu of notice constitute damages for breach of an employee's contract, and the courts have established(Westwood -v- Secretary of State for Employment 1984) that they are subject to the common law principle of mitigation. This means that they may be reduced by income which the employee received, or could have received, during what should have been the notice period. Compensatory notice payments made on behalf of insolvent employers by my Department, under the Employment Rights Act 1996, are therefore calculated on the same basis. They are also subject to a statutory limit (currently £220 per week) which is reviewed annually. There are no plans to abolish the limit as the statutory scheme is intended to provide only a basic level of protection for former employees of insolvent companies. Amounts owed above the statutory limit stand as a debt in the insolvency proceedings.

  Judy Mallaber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the average time taken by the Edgbaston Redundancy Pay Services Department office to process claims for redundancy payment; and what is the equivalent time for each other office. [64568]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  In the Financial Year 1998/99, to date, the average time taken by the Redundancy Payments Office in Edgbaston, Birmingham, to process claims for redundancy payments was nine weeks. The equivalent time for both the Edinburgh and Watford Offices was six weeks.

  European Structural Funds
  Mr. Rhodri Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultations he has undertaken in relation to the criteria for restructuring assistance under the European Regional Development Fund, European Social Fund and other funds. [64988]

  Mr. Wills
  I and my officials have undertaken a series of consultations with National bodies on all issues relating to the reform of European Structural Funds during the course of the negotiations. Consultations with local and regional organisations are organised by the Scottish Office, Northern Ireland Office, Welsh Office, by the DETR and the Government Offices in England.

  The information received from all these consultations is used by the Department of Trade and Industry in developing the UK's policy on the reform of the European Structural Funds.

  Motor Industry
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the number of people employed in the United Kingdom motor vehicle and parts industry(a) on the last date for which figures are available, (b) 10 years ago and (c) 20 years ago. [64843]

  Mr. Battle
  The number of people employed in the UK motor vehicle and parts industry as of September 1998 was 223,900. The figure for June 1988 was 244,100 and for June 1978 427,200 (source ONS, Labour Market Trends).

  Ministerial Flights
  Mr. Maples
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the term "average cost", with reference to flights taken by Ministers in his Department, refers to the average cost per passenger. [64719]

  Mr. Byers
  The "average cost" refers to the average cost per trip and not average cost per passenger.

  Minimum Wage
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he plans to lay national minimum wage regulations before the House of Commons. [64766]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  I will present the national minimum wage regulations to the House for approval shortly.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received requesting an exemption for religious communities from the national minimum wage. [64767]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  The Government have received a number of representations requesting exemption for religious communities from the national minimum wage.

  Parental Leave
  Mr. Pond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the implications of the introduction of parental leave for families on low incomes. [63203]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  The introduction of a right to parental leave will provide more choice for employees with children in balancing work and family responsibilities. We will monitor the impact of the new provisions.

  British Activity Holiday Association
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if ministers in his Department will meet a deputation representing the British Activity Holiday Association. [65260]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  A deputation from the British Activity Holiday Association met my officials on 18 December.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Organophosphates
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the use of organophosphates in grain stores. [63993]

  Mr. Rooker
  All pesticides, including organophosphorus (OP) compounds for use in grain stores, are regulated under the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986 or the Plant Protection Products Regulations 1995. Applicants wishing to gain approval for the use, sale, supply, storage and advertisement of such products are required to submit a substantive data package which is then subject to a rigorous assessment for safety and efficacy.

  Pesticide active ingredients are subject to review either for routine purposes or because there is a specific concern. In May 1998, I announced a UK review of anticholinesterase compounds (including OPs) which will re-assess the risk that the use of such products present to consumers, workers and the environment.

  The regulatory process includes an assessment of the effectiveness for use against the target pests for which approval and thus use is sought. Approval is only recommended if effectiveness is demonstrated. MAFF funded R&D has provided useful data by providing information about resistance to specific pesticides in farm and commercial grain stores. In 1996 the Advisory Committee on Pesticides concluded that information on the prevalence and control of resistant strains should be added to the labels of pesticides used in, amongst other areas, grain stores. This recommendation has been accepted by Ministers and implemented.

  Ministerial Address
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his e-mail address. [62568]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  My e-mail address for correspondence is c.corres@sec.maff.gov.uk.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Robert Jackson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list(a) the (i) task forces, (ii) review panels and (iii) advisory groups his Department has, (b) the remit of each and (c) the members of each together with their principal employment and their level of remuneration. [62816]

  Mr. Morley
  The following sets out the remit, membership and members' remuneration of Advisory Groups whose members are appointed by MAFF Ministers, reflecting membership as at 31 December 1998. The remuneration figures include attendance payments and payments for preparatory work. Reasonable expenses are payable for members' travel and subsistence costs; these are specific to each member and have therefore not been included. Details of members' principal employment could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

  Neither the Ministry nor its Agencies have any Task Forces or Review Panels whose members are appointed by Ministers. However, there are several groups with flexible membership which have been formed either for a specific issue or on an on-going basis so that the Ministry may
  110
  involve industry and other interested parties in its processes. Attendance at meetings of these groups is voluntary and no remuneration or expenses are payable to those who attend. Attendance is apt to change from meeting to meeting, therefore details of these groups have not been given.

  Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes
  To advise Health and Agriculture Ministers of Great Britain and Heads of the Departments of Health and Social Services for Northern Ireland on matters relating to the irradiation of food or the manufacture of novel foods or foods produced by novel processes, having regard to the views of relevant expert bodies.

  £per meeting

  Prof. Peter John Aggett

  Member

  138

  Prof. Janet Mary Bainbridge

  Chairperson

  176

  Prof. Charles Brown

  Member

  138

  Dr. Philip John Dale

  Member

  138

  Dr. Michael J. Gasson

  Member

  138

  Dr. John Heritage

  Member

  138

  Prof. David Arthur Ledward

  Member

  138

  Reverend Dr. Michael Jonathan Reiss

  Member

  138

  Prof. Ian Rowland

  Member

  138

  Mrs. E. Russell

  Member

  138

  Prof. Thomas Andrew Bruce Sanders

  Member

  138

  Prof. Herbert Sewell

  Member

  138

  Dr. Norman Alan Simmons

  Member

  138

  Prof. Ronald Walker

  Member

  138

  Prof. H. F. Woods

  Member

  138

  Advisory Committee on Pesticides
  To advise Ministers, either when requested to do so or otherwise, on any matters relating to the control of pests including the safety of pesticides in respect of people, animals, crops and the environment.

  £ per meeting

  Prof. Sir Colin Leonard Berry

  Chairperson

  175

  Prof. Alan Boobis

  Member

  138

  Mrs. Elaine Prosser Brown

  Member

  138

  Prof. Peter Calow

  Member

  138

  Dr. Andree Denise Carter

  Member

  138

  Prof. David N. M. Coggon

  Member

  138

  Prof. Donald L. Lee

  Member

  138

  Mr. Jim Orson

  Member

  138

  Mrs. Sylvia Mary Owen

  Member

  138

  Dr. Alexander Thompson Proudfoot

  Member

  138

  Prof. Thomas Michael Roberts

  Member

  138

  Prof. Geoffrey Roger Sagar CBE

  Deputy Chairperson

  138

  Prof. Ian C. Shaw

  Member

  138

  Dr. Colin A. Soutar

  Member

  138

  Prof. Paul Webster

  Member

  138

  111
  Agricultural Dwelling House Advisory Committees
  To advise housing authorities on the agricultural need and urgency when a farmer asks the authority to re-house an ex-employee, because he needs the accommodation for an incoming worker. An ADHAC is formed to deal with each individual case. When an ADHAC is formed, a Chair is chosen from amongst the members.

  £ per day

  Anglia Region

  Mr. Christopher J. Barker

  Member

  86

  Mr. A. F. Felstead

  Member

  86

  Ms Jeanette Irene Firrell

  Member

  86

  Mr. C. Gillot

  Member

  86

  Mr. M. J. Harrison

  Member

  86

  Mr. Edward Thomas Kirby

  Member

  86

  Mr. A. W. J. Langford

  Member

  86

  Mr. Peter G. Scates

  Member

  86

  East Midlands Region

  Mr. B. J. Clayton

  Member

  86

  Miss Emma J. Huntsman

  Member

  86

  Mr. Thomas Anthony Twigg

  Member

  86

  Mr. A. R. Wylde

  Member

  86

  North Eastern Region

  Mr. Derek R. Gardner

  Member

  86

  Mr. Kenneth Graham

  Member

  86

  South Mercia Region

  Mr. Raymond Druett

  Member

  86

  Mr. C. Patrick Love

  Member

  85

  Mrs. Evelyn Mary Milton

  Member

  86

  Mr. Glyn Nicholas

  Member

  86

  Mrs. Joyce E. Thomas

  Member

  86

  Mr. Roger Bailey Weaver

  Member

  86

  Wessex Region

  Mr. George R. Bartaby

  Member

  86

  Mr. G. C. Clifton

  Member

  86

  Mr. K. A. Parsons

  Member

  86

  Committee of Investigation for Great Britain
  To consider and report to the Minister, if the Minister concerned with agriculture in the area effected directs, on; (i) any report made by the appropriate Consumers' Committee appointed under section 19 of the Agricultural Marketing Act 1958, (ii) any complaints made to the Minister as to the operation of a marketing scheme applicable to England and Wales, to Great Britain or to the United Kingdom which, in the opinion of the Minister, could not be considered by a Consumers' Committee, (iii) any question referred to the Minister under section 20(3) of the 1958 Act, which deals with directions that may be given by the Minister to Marketing Boards.

  £ per day

  Mr. Raymond Harris

  Member

  130

  Mr. Hugh Humphreys-Jones

  Member

  130

  Mrs. Rowena Lawrence-Mills Bsc

  Member

  130

  Dame Sheila Masters CBE

  Member

  130

  Mrs. Eileen Masterman

  Member

  130

  Mrs. Suzan Matthews QC

  Chairperson

  253

  Mr. Denis G. G. Moloney LLB

  Member

  130

  Consumers Committee for Great Britain
  To consider and report to the Minister on:

  (i) the effect of Agricultural Marketing Schemes (now only wool) on consumers.

  112

  (ii) any complaints made to the Committees, on the schemes by consumers.

  Name

  Mrs. Dorothy Cockerell

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mrs. Barbara L. M. Hawkins

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mrs. Janet Laurence

  Chairperson

  Expenses only

  Mr. John Murphy

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mrs. Joy Roberts

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mrs. Marjorie Snowden

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mr. Gilbert Tracy

  Member

  Expenses only

  Consumer Panel
  To bring to the attention of Ministers food issues of concern to consumers; to advise on the transparency for consumers of Ministers food policies; to advise on the transmission to consumers of advice and information relating to Ministers' policies.

  £ per meeting

  MAFF Minister of State, Mr. Rooker

  Chairperson

  Nil

  Mrs. Susan Baker

  Member

  139

  Dr. John Godfrey

  Member

  139

  Mr. John Keith Hosker

  Member

  139

  Miss Jane Lloyd Hughes

  Member

  139

  Mrs. Mary H. Kidd JP

  Member

  139

  Mrs. Janet Laurence

  Member

  139

  Ms Eva Lewis

  Member

  139

  Ms Jacqueline Salfield

  Member

  139

  Mrs. Phyllis M. Sluice

  Member

  139

  Dr. Jane Wilde

  Member

  139

  An additional fee of £28 is payable for writing papers which are discussed in meetings.

  Farm Animal Welfare Council
  To keep under review the welfare of farm animals on agricultural land, at markets, in transit and at place of slaughter, and to advise Agriculture Ministers of any legislative or other changes that may be necessary.

  £ per meeting

  Prof. Mike Baxter

  Member

  111

  Mrs. Rosemary Berry

  Member

  111

  Mr. Glenn Berry

  Member

  111

  Prof. Donald M. Broom

  Member

  111

  Prof. Stephen R. L. Clark

  Member

  111

  Mr. John A. C. Don

  Member

  111

  Dr. Peter Roderick English

  Member

  111

  Mr. Tim Charles Harris

  Member

  111

  Ms Vicki Hird

  Member

  111

  Mr. Gareth Jones Lloyd

  Member

  111

  Mr. Anthony Robin Lucas

  Member

  111

  Mrs. Judy Macarthur Clark

  Member

  111

  Mr. Richard Maunder

  Member

  111

  Prof. John Peter McInerney OBE

  Member

  111

  Miss Miriam Jane Parker

  Member

  111

  Dr. Mark Pattison

  Member

  111

  Dr. Martin James Potter

  Member

  111

  Mr. Francis Edward Shields OBE

  Member

  111

  Prof. Sir Colin Raymond William Speeding CBE

  Chairperson

  176

  Mr. Paul Staines MBE

  Member

  111

  Mrs. Josephine Margaret Turnbull

  Member

  111

  Mr. Mike Vaughan

  Member

  111

  Dr. Agnes Winter

  Member

  111

  113
  Food Advisory Committee
  To assess the risks to humans of chemicals which are used in or on food and to advise Ministers on the exercise of powers in the Food Safety Act 1990 relating to the labelling, composition and chemical safety of food. The Committee will also advise Ministers on general matters relating to food safety. In exercising its functions the Food Advisory Committee will take the advice and work of the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT), the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (ACNFP), the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food (ACMSF) and other relevant advisory committees into account.

  £ per meeting

  Mrs. Matti Alderson

  Member

  138

  Prof. Sir Colin Murray Campbell

  Chairperson

  176

  Mr. Neville Craddock

  Member

  138

  Mrs. Dorothy Craig

  Member

  138

  Dr. E. Maureen S. Edmonson

  Member

  138

  Prof. Catherine Geissler

  Member

  138

  Dr. Catherine Humphries

  Member

  138

  Dr. Christopher Llewelyn

  Member

  138

  Prof. Alan Malcolm

  Member

  138

  Mr. Roger Manley

  Deputy Chairperson

  138

  Dr. Charles McDonald

  Member

  138

  Mr. Thomas Miller

  Member

  138

  Prof. Christopher Ritson

  Member

  138

  Prof. Susan Shaw

  Member

  138

  Mr. Philip William Strachan

  Member

  138

  Prof. H. Frank Woods

  Member

  138

  Hill Fanning Advisory Committee for England, Wales and Northern Ireland
  To advise on any hill farming matters referred to them by the Minister and the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Name

  MAFF Parliamentary Secretary, Mr. Morley

  Chairperson

  Nil

  Mr. Edmund S. Bailey

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mr. Richard Betton

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mr. William John Cockbain

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mr. Philip Henry Cornelius

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mrs. Esther Baddeley Cummins

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mrs. Joyce Gilman

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Hayton

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mr. Patrick J. Kelly

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mr. Cyril Stobart Lewis

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mrs. Rosemary Ann Mudge

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mr. Colin Passmore

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mr. David Pearson

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mr. T. D. Prince

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mr. Hugh Robert Thomas

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mr. John Vaughan

  Deputy Chairperson

  Expenses only

  Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee
  To provide scientifically-based advice to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Department of Health and territorial departments on matters relating to spongiform encephalopathies, taking due account of the remit of other bodies with related responsibilities.

  £ per day

  Prof. Adriano Aguzzi

  Member

  186

  Prof. Jeffrey William Almond

  Member

  186

  Prof. Roy Anderson FRS

  Member

  186

  114

  £ per day

  Mr. Christopher Bostock

  Member

  186

  Mr. Raymond Bradley OBE

  Member

  186

  Prof. Fred Brown

  Member

  186

  Prof. John Collinge

  Member

  186

  Prof. Anne Ferguson

  Member

  186

  Dr. Peter N. Goodfellow FRS

  Member

  186

  Prof. William D. Hueston

  Member

  186

  Prof. Harriet Kimbell MBE

  Member

  186

  Dr. Richard Henry Kimberlin OBE

  Member

  186

  Dr. Michael John Painter

  Member

  186

  Prof. Sir John Ridley Pattison

  Chairperson

  218

  Mr. David Barton Pepper

  Member

  186

  Prof. Peter George Smith

  Member

  186

  Dr. William Albert Watson CB

  Member

  186

  Dr. Robert George Will

  Deputy Chairperson

  186

  Sugar Beet Research and Education Committee
  Under section 68 of the Food Act 1984, as amended by the Food Safety Act 1990.
  The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretary of State for Wales are required to prepare, each year after consultation with the sugar beet processors and growers, a programme for carrying out research and education in matters affecting the growing of home grown sugar beet.
  The Act also provides for the programme to be brought into effect by means of an order, and to be financed by a levy on the producers and growers.

  £ per meeting

  Dr. Michael J. Armstrong

  Member

  155

  Mr. Melvyn Frank Askew

  Member

  155

  Dr. David James Carmichael

  Member

  155

  Mr. Christopher Robert Arthur Carter

  Member

  155

  Mr. Hugh Roger Dyas

  Chairperson

  181

  Prof. John H. R. Hoyles

  Member

  155

  Prof. Roger Plumb

  Member

  155

  Veterinary Products Committee
  To give advice with respect to safety, quality and efficacy in relation to the veterinary use of any substance or article (not being an instrument, apparatus or appliance) to which any provision of the Medicines Act is applicable. To promote the collection of information relating to suspected adverse reactions for the purpose of enabling such advice to be given.

  £ per day

  Prof. Ian Douglas Aitken OBE

  Chairperson

  210

  Dr. David Nicholas Bateman

  Member

  165

  Dr. Arnold S. Cooke

  Member

  165

  Prof. Anthony Dayan

  Member

  165

  Prof. Rosalind Margaret Gaskell

  Member

  165

  Prof. George Gettinby

  Member

  165

  Mrs. S. Janet Graham

  Member

  165

  Prof. J. Harrington CBE

  Member

  165

  Prof. Charles Anthony Hart

  Member

  165

  Dr. R. J. Heitzman

  Member

  165

  Dr. Michael H. Jepson

  Member

  165

  Prof. Karl A. Linklater

  Member

  165

  Dr. W. J. McCaughey

  Member

  165

  Prof. Quentin McKellar

  Member

  165

  Prof. Andrea Mary Nolan

  Member

  165

  Dr. Mark Pattison

  Member

  165

  Mrs. Susan Pauline Payne

  Member

  165

  Dr. Christopher J. Powell

  Member

  165

  Prof. Randolph Harvey Richards

  Member

  165

  115

  £ per day

  Mr. David Skilton

  Member

  165

  Prof. Howard Norman Ernest Stevens

  Member

  165

  Mr. Richard Arthur Wickham

  Member

  165

  Dr. David Fergusson Wishart

  Member

  165

  Independent Scientific Group on Cattle Tuberculosis
  To advise Ministers on implementation of the Krebs Report on bovine TB in cattle and badgers by:
  overseeing the design and analysis of the randomised trial to test the effectiveness of badger culling as a means of controlling bovine TB;
  regularly monitoring the progress of, and outputs from, the experiment and assessing any important differences in results between treatments;
  monitoring the data on Bovine TB in areas and species outside the experiment;
  reporting to Ministers on progress; and
  advising, as requested, on related issues.

  £per hour

  Prof. John Bourne MRCVS, CBE

  Chairperson

  25.70

  Dr. Christi Donnelly

  Deputy Chairperson

  21.25

  Sir David Cox FBA, FRS

  Member

  21.25

  Prof. George Gettinby FRSE

  Member

  21.25

  Prof. Ivan Morrison FRSE

  Member

  21.25

  Institute for Animal Health

  Member

  21.25

  Dr. Rosie Woodroffe

  Member

  21.25

  Prof. John McInerney OBE, FRSA1

  Member

  21.25

  1Co-opted member

  The Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Review Group
  To review existing policies and legislation in England and Wales concerning the management and conservation of salmon, trout, eels and freshwater fish and make recommendations. The review and recommendations should take particular account of:
  the need to maintain, and where appropriate enhance, biodiversity;
  the need to maximise the economic, social and recreational benefits derived from salmon and freshwater fisheries, taking account both of the interests of local communities and local factors and traditions;
  the need for management of fisheries to be on a fully sustainable basis, taking account of the precautionary approach.
  The review should also consider other factors that may affect the development and sustainability of these fisheries.
  The review should examine the institutional arrangements for the regulation and management of these fisheries (including the role of the public sector, the need to involve all interested parties, and arrangements in tidal and coastal waters) and how best such arrangements can be funded.

  Name

  Prof. Lynda Warren

  Chairperson

  Expenses only

  Dr. Nick Giles

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mr. John Golding

  Member

  Expenses only

  Dr. Keith Hendry

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mr. Derek Heselton MBE

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mr. David Hodgkiss

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mrs. Jean Howman

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mrs Jane James

  Member

  Expenses only

  Dr. Mike Ladle

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mr. Frank Lythgoe

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mr. David Moore

  Member

  Expenses only

  116

  Name

  Mr. Mervyn Mountjoy

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mr. Pat O'Reilly

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mr. Stanley Payne

  Member

  Expenses only

  Dr. Anne Powell

  Member

  Expenses only

  Mr. John Williams

  Member

  Expenses only

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the principal changes which he will be seeking in his discussions with EU ministers on CAP reforms. [63340]

  Mr. Rooker
  We are seeking the gradual reduction and eventual phasing out of price and production-related agricultural support.

  We are also pushing for part of the savings from such a reduction in production support to be directed to measures which will protect and enhance the environment and help the rural economy adjust, particularly in more fragile rural areas.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the purpose of his visit to Welshpool on 7 December. [63407]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  To visit the market, and to meet with farmers, their representatives, and other members of the rural community.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many official visits(a) he and (b) the ministers in his Department have made to Buckinghamshire since 2 May 1997; and if he will list them. [64136]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  One. My hon. Friend the Minister of State gave an address at Buckinghamshire University on 26 June 1998.

  Comprehensive Spending Review
  Mr. Charles Kennedy
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much of the Comprehensive Spending Review moneys allocated to his Department has been allocated for the financial years (i) 1999–2000, (ii) 2000–01 and (iii) 2001–02. [63520]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 14 December 1998]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton, North (Ms Keeble) on 27 October 1998, Official Report, columns 156–58.

  Fisheries
  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to ensure an equality of fisheries monitoring and enforcement work across EU fishing nations. [64164]

  Mr. Morley
  Effective enforcement of measures to conserve fish stocks, applied consistently throughout the Community, is a high priority for this Government. It was one of the main issues we focused on during our Presidency and as a result of our initiative new measures
  117
  were adopted at the Fisheries Council in December 1998 which will improve fisheries control and enforcement in all Member States.

  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions British fisheries officers have visited fisheries enforcement officers of other EU nations in the last three years; and what reciprocal visits have taken place. [64163]

  Mr. Morley
  Since 1996 there have been some 20 occasions on which British Sea Fishery Officers employed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency and the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland have made official visits to other Member States. There have been 6 visits to the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has for future decommissioning schemes for the British fishing fleet. [64166]

  Mr. Morley
  I have already announced that, following our Comprehensive Spending Review, we will be making a total of £10.5 million available over the three years from 1999–2000 for a limited decommissioning scheme aimed primarily at those fleet segments where effort control is not an option under MAGP IV. I hope to be able to bring detailed proposals before the House early in the New Year.

  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment his Department has made of the impact of decommissioning schemes in the last three years on the British fleet in terms of its(a) average age, (b) numbers of vessels, (c) overall effort of fleet, (d) effort of fleet by sector and (e) number of vessels by port; and if he will make a statement. [64165]

  Mr. Morley
  In the last 3 years, decommissioning schemes have removed 385 vessels, representing 11,802.28 tonnes, or approximately 5.5 per cent. of the fleet in capacity terms.

  The effort of this on the average age of the fleet is difficult to determine because of other variables involved, for example vessels leaving the fleet through natural wastage, sales to third counties, licence aggregations resulting in replacement vessels entering the fleet etc.

  There are similar issues in relation to the effect of decommissioning on fishing effort (which is the product of capacity, measured as vessel tonnage and engine power, and time spent at sea). In the absence of controls on time at sea under MAGP III, vessels remaining in the fleet were free to adjust their fishing patterns in response to circumstances and total fleet effort showed only a small decline in this period. Under MAGP IV arrangements, effective from the beginning of 1998, the UK has explicit fishing effort targets for most of the major fleet segments and is currently conforming with these. Full details of these targets, and of UK outturn by segment and in total against MAGP III capacity targets are set out in Commission Decision 98/124/EC.

  Further information on the impact of the four decommissioning rounds in the period 1993–1996 is contained in the September 1997 Economic Evaluation of the Fishing Vessels (Decommissioning) Schemes commissioned by UK Fisheries Departments from
  118
  Nautilus Consultants, copies of which are available in the House Library and on the internet. This includes specific information on vessel numbers by port, age and type of vessels decommissioned etc.

  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment his Department has made of the merits of individual transferable quotas; and what plans he has to introduce such quotas to the United Kingdom fishing fleet. [64162]

  Mr. Morley
  Experience elsewhere has so far suggested that individual transferable quotas (ITQs) work best in single species fisheries or where stocks are under the jurisdiction of a single authority, though even in these cases they can lead to significant increases in enforcement costs, which are often passed on to the fishermen concerned in the form of licence charges. I am not currently aware of their successful use in the kinds of mixed fisheries typical of EU waters, or in situations where vessels of many countries fish the same stocks.

  I do not therefore have any plans to introduce ITQs for the UK fleet, but remain willing to consider any viable option for improving fisheries management.

  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what basis(a) he and (b) his Department's fisheries scientists calculated the effect of the precautionary principle for the purposes of negotiating the setting of the total allowable catches for 1999. [64157]

  Mr. Morley
  Over the last two years the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea (ICES) has been developing a new precautionary framework to its annual advice on total allowable catches (TACs) for fish stocks. UK fisheries scientists have contributed to this work. Reflecting progress made, this year's advice contains explicit suggested precautionary reference points in terms of spawning stock biomass and fishing mortality. Further work is needed to refine and develop the application of the precautionary approach but UK Ministers have taken account of ICES' suggested reference points in developing the United Kingdom's approach to the setting of 1999 TACs.

  BSE Inquiry
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many witnesses who have given evidence to the BSE Inquiry now work for(a) public sector agencies other than under his Department and (b) private sector employees. [64077]

  Mr. Rooker
  Of the 66 witnesses who are serving or former MAFF officials, two now work for non-MAFF public sector agencies and five are employed within the private sector.

  Ethnic Monitoring
  Mr. McDonnell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to include Irish as a category in his Department's ethnic monitoring of staff recruitment. [63883]

  Mr. Morley
  The over-riding principle of Civil Service recruitment procedures is that they should be fair and selection should be on merit at each stage.
  119
  Monitoring in this area is based on ethnic origin and not nationality. The ethnic origin categories monitored by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food are those used in the 1991 census, which did not include an Irish category. They will be reviewed in the light of any suggested changes for the 2001 Population Census.

  Antibiotics
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 7 December 1998,Official Report, column 103, what assessment he has made of the proposal from the European Commission to ban the use of four antibiotic growth promoters from 1 January 1999. [64123]

  Mr. Rooker
  The proposal was put to the Council of Agriculture Ministers on 14 December 1998. We supported the proposal, which is designed to reduce the risk of the build up of microbial resistance to antibiotics in animals and man. It was possible that the abrupt introduction of the ban would adversely affect animal health and welfare, leading to an unnecessary increase in the use of therapeutic antibiotics. The ban will not therefore come into effect until 1 July 1999, giving livestock producers time to adapt to the loss of the four growth promoters. The proposal, as agreed, is in line with advice the Government have received from the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on the Microbiological Safety of Food (ACMSF) and the Veterinary Products Committee that the use of antibiotics which may impair the efficacy of prescribed therapeutic antibiotics used in human medicine through the development of resistant strains of organisms should be phased out.

  Monsanto
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what matters were discussed at the meetings held between Ministers and Monsanto on(a) 29 June 1998 and (b) 15 July 1998. [63385]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 15 December 1998]: These were private meetings at which matters relevant to both MAFF and Monsanto were discussed.

  Growth Hormones
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received on the EU moratorium on the use of the BST growth hormone in dairy cattle; and if it is his policy to maintain the moratorium. [64224]

  Mr. Rooker
  Various representations have been made concerning the use of BST including some from members of the public in official correspondence. Also, new scientific information has been published which will be considered by a sub-group of the independent scientific Veterinary Products Committee (VPC). Once the information has been considered, we will be guided by the advice of the VPC in discussions on the future of the Community moratorium.

  American Sugar
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received 120
  concerning the level of import levy on American sugar; for what reasons it is set at its current level; and when the level was last changed. [64236]

  Mr. Rooker
  I have not received any representations about the level of the EU import tariff on American sugar. The current level was set as part of the EU's obligations agreed under the Uruguay Round of world trade negotiations concluded in 1994. Under these obligations the level of import tariff is reduced annually from 1995–2000 (a total reduction of 20 per cent.). In addition to this tariff the EU can, when the import price falls below an agreed level, apply an additional safeguard duty to protect EU producers. The most recent change in the safeguard duty for white sugar was on 2 December 1998.

  Kashmir Bee Virus
  Mr. David Heath
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the risk of import of Kashmir Bee virus through infected bee packages from New Zealand. [64250]

  Mr. Rooker
  The Central Science Laboratory's National Bee Unit is currently conducting a risk assessment exercise relating to the import of bees and specifically to the risk of introducing Kashmir Bee virus from New Zealand.

  A decision on whether to allow the import of bee packages will not be taken until the results of this assessment are available.

  Animal Products
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what powers the EU has under existing bilateral and multilateral trade agreements to enforce harmonised community rules in third countries. [64282]

  Mr. Rooker
  The World Trade Organisation (WTO) Agreement on the Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures gives members, including the European Community, the right to take measures necessary for the protection of human, animal or plant life or health which are based on scientific principles and which do not arbitrarily or unjustifiably discriminate between members where identical or similar conditions prevail. The Community's import requirements for animal products, which seek to ensure that imports are produced to at least the same standard as Community production, are an example of such measures.

  In accordance with the provisions on recognition of equivalence in the WTO Agreement, the Community has entered into specific bilateral agreements with certain third countries which formally recognise that their respective systems of sanitary measures are intended to provide similar health assurances. These agreements, such as the Agreement between the European Community and the USA on sanitary measures to protect public and animal health in trade in live animals and animal products, include provisions enabling both parties to verify compliance by way of on-site checks and inspections.

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the occasions in the last 10 years when a guarantee offered by a third country with
  121
  regard to compliance with Community rules regarding the importation of fresh meat or meat products subsequently proved ineffective. [64285]

  Mr. Rooker
  This information is not available. However, figures provided by the European Commission on the checks carried out at Border Inspection Posts in 10 Member States in the first half of 1997 show that 3.69 per cent. of consignments of fresh meat, including offal, and meat products and 2.00 per cent. of poultry meat and poultry meat products were rejected on arrival. In the period 1 January to 30 September 1998, 1.5 per cent. of consignments of animal products of all types were rejected at UK Border Inspection Posts. Not all rejections are due to non-compliance with standards of production in the country of origin.

  Meat Hygiene Service
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what reasons he has not abated the standard charge for Meat Hygiene Service services to abattoirs as provided for in the Council Directive 85/73/EEC (as amended). [64283]

  Mr. Rooker
  In appropriate cases, the Meat Hygiene Service abates the standard charge for hygiene inspections down to the level at which the actual costs of such inspections are recovered, subject to a maximum abatement of 55 per cent. in line with Directive 85/73/EEC (as amended).

  Farm Bankruptcies
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farmers in England and Wales have been declared bankrupt since 1 January. [64294]

  Mr. Rooker
  Figures for bankruptcies in the agricultural sector are available for the first six months of 1998. These, together with the corresponding figures for 1997, are given in the table.

  Bankruptcies in the agricultural and horticultural sectors (England and Wales)

  11998

  11997

  Bankruptcies of Self-employed Individuals

  71

  88

  Company Insolvencies (including partnerships)

  30

  23

  Total

  101

  111

  1January—June

  Source:

  Department of Trade and Industry

  Farm Subsidies
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the current arrangements for the payment in euros of CAP farm subsidies for those member states which are not adopting the single currency. [64634]

  Mr. Rooker
  The Agriculture Council held in Brussels on 14 and 15 December 1998 reached agreement on agrimonetary arrangements following the introduction of the Single Currency on 1 January 1999. As my right hon. Friend indicated in his answer of 26 October 1998, these arrangements include improved general provisions for those Member States not joining the Single Currency on 1 January 1999 to make CAP payments in euros. There 122
  are no detailed provisions; each Member State's proposed payment scheme would be subject to the European Commission's agreement.

  My right hon. Friend announced on 12 November 1998 his intention to make available an option for payments of market support measures, such as export refunds and intervention buying, in euros by autumn 2000. No other Member State outside the single currency has so far announced its intention to make this option available.

  My officials are now in the process of working out the detailed provisions for a euro payment scheme, which we will then discuss with the Commission.

  Export Scheme Agreement
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what procedures are in place to ensure that EU inspectors visit the United Kingdom to complete the Date Based Export Scheme Agreement. [64495]

  Mr. Rooker
  Commission Decision 98/692/EC on the Date-based Export Scheme (DBES) requires the European Commission to carry out an inspection of the UK's procedures for implementing the provisions of the Scheme and progress with the offspring cull. If they are satisfied they will then set a date from which exports under the Scheme can begin. The Decision requires us first to have slaughtered offspring of BSE cases confirmed before 25 November 1998 (the date of adoption of the Decision). We have laid before Parliament the necessary legislation for the offspring cull and aim to have fulfilled the Decision requirement by the end of March.

  Tallow
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in encouraging EU inspectors to visit rendering plants to inspect the production of tallow in accordance with the Florence Agreement of 1996. [64494]

  Mr. Rooker
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Ashford (Mr. Green) on 17 December 1998,Official Report, column 663.

  Dead Stock
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he was to improve traceability of dead stock, with particular reference to that(a) buried on farms, (b) sold to knackers' yards and (c) given to hunts. [64496]

  Mr. Rooker
  There is no legal requirement for records to be kept of on-farm burial although the Water Code issued by the Department and the Welsh Office recommends that farmers should keep a field plan of the burial site and records of the dates of burial and the number and type of livestock buried.

  Under the Animal By-Products Order 1992, as amended, anyone consigning fallen stock to a knacker's year or hunt kennel must keep a record of each consignment and ensure that identifying documentation accompanies it during transport. Knackers' yards and hunt kennels must also keep records of all incoming

  123
  consignments of carcases or parts of carcases and the use to which they were put. There are no proposals to alter these requirements.

  Agriculture Council
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Agriculture Council held in Brussels on 14 and 15 December; and if he will make a statement. [64491]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend for Scarborough and Whitby (Mr. Quinn) on 17 December 1998,Official Report, columns 661–62.

  Fisheries Council
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Fisheries Council held in Brussels on 17 and 18 December; and if he will make a statement. [65071]

  Mr. Morley
  I represented the United Kingdom at a meeting of the EU Fisheries Council in Brussels on 17 and 18 December. My noble Friends Lord Sewel, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Scottish Office, and Lord Dubs, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Northern Ireland Office, were also present.

  The Council agreed unanimously, with Italy abstaining, the total allowable catches (TACs) and quotas to apply in 1999 in Community waters. Details of the final TACs are in the following table. In some cases, there are significant reductions compared with 1998; in other cases, the final figures are higher than the Commission's proposals or the 1998 TACs; in all cases, the UK sought a balance between the need to be cautious in the management of stocks for their long-term benefit and the need to take account of the practical realities for fishermen and short-term socio-economic pressures on them. At the end of the negotiations, the total UK quotas agreed were some 57,000 tonnes higher in cod equivalent terms than the quotas being discussed at the start of the negotiations. This increase is worth some £30 million to the industry, although overall there has been a net year-on-year reduction in fishing opportunities in order to conserve stocks for the future.

  I invoked The Hague Preference on all the stocks where it was necessary to do so.

  A particularly welcome part of the package was the securing of additional quota to catch haddock in the Irish Sea, reflecting the upsurge of fish in this area. As a result of close co-operation with the Irish Republic, we secured an additional 2,400 tonnes of quota for UK Irish Sea fishermen which will be especially beneficial in Northern Ireland.

  We were also very pleased to secure as part of the package the separation of the small Shetland coastal sandeel fishery from the North Sea sandeel TAC and helpful Commission statements on two UK initiatives: a Commission commitment to propose the introduction of a new TAC for dogfish and a commitment to respond to concern about the effects of sandeel fishing on birds and other wildlife.
  124
  Separately from the main TACs package, the Council agreed by qualified majority, with Italy and Greece opposed, 1999 TACs for bluefin tuna and swordfish. These retain small unallocated quotas to cover incidental by-catches by the UK and other northern countries.

  The Council agreed unanimously to eighteen regulations covering 1999 international fisheries arrangements: between the Community and Norway, Faroes, Greenland, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland and Russia; and under the North West Atlantic Fisheries Organisation and the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission. These all reflected negotiations completed in the previous weeks and, in cases where the UK has a direct interest, safeguarded that interest.

  Following the substantial progress made at its last meeting, the Council unanimously adopted a regulation amending fisheries control and enforcement rules. These will strengthen control arrangements throughout the fisheries sector in line with UK objectives, including more effective monitoring of Third Country vessels, improved transparency of enforcement activity, increased co-operation among Member States and reinforcement of the UK's national rules on designated ports.

  The Council agreed by qualified majority, with Belgium, France and Spain voting against, some limited amendments to 1998 autonomous tariff quotas and tariff suspensions for 1999. These measures help to maintain the competitiveness of the processing industry by giving them access, at reduced rates of duty, to raw material that Community fishermen cannot supply.

  Stock

  1998 TAC (tonnes)

  1999 TAC (tonnes)

  Gain/loss %

  Sandeels IIa, IV

  1,000,000

  1,000,000

  0

  Herring I, II

  1,300,000

  1,300,000

  0

  Herring IVa, b

  229,000

  240,000

  5

  Herring IVc, VIId

  25,000

  25,000

  0

  Herring Vb, VIaN, VIb

  80,370

  68,000

  -15

  Herring VIa (Clyde)

  1,000

  1,000

  0

  Herring VIIa

  9,000

  6,600

  -27

  Herring VIIe, f

  1,000

  1,000

  0

  Herring VIIg-k

  22,200

  21,000

  -5

  Herring IIa, IV Ind. by-catch

  22,000

  30,000

  36

  Cod IIa, IV

  140,000

  132,400

  -5

  Cod Vb, VI, XII, XIV

  11,000

  11,800

  7

  Cod VIIa

  7,100

  5,500

  -23

  Cod VIIb-k, VIII, IX, X

  20,000

  19,000

  -5

  Megrim IIa, IV

  3,000

  3,000

  0

  Megrim Vb, VI, XII, XIV

  4,840

  4,840

  0

  Megrim VII

  22,400

  22,400

  0

  Dab&Flounder IIa, IV

  30,070

  30,070

  0

  Anglers IIa, IV

  22,070

  22,070

  0

  Anglers Vb, VI, XII, XIV

  8,600

  8,600

  0

  Anglers VII

  26,670

  26,670

  0

  Haddock IIa, IV

  115,000

  88,550

  -23

  Haddock Vb, VI, XII, XIV

  25,700

  19,000

  -26

  Haddock VII, VIII, IX, X

  20,000

  22,000

  10

  Haddock VIIa

  0

  5,000

  —

  Whiting IIa, IV

  60,000

  44,000

  -27

  Whiting Vb, VI, XII, XIV

  9,000

  6,300

  -30

  Whiting VIIa

  5,000

  4,400

  -12

  Whiting VIIb-k

  27,000

  25,000

  -7

  125

  Stock

  1998 TAC (tonnes)

  1999 TAC (tonnes)

  Gain/loss %

  Hake IIa, IV

  2,070

  1,930

  -7

  Hake Vb, VI, VII, XII, XIV

  33,160

  30,910

  -7

  Lemon sole & witch IIa, IV

  12,000

  12,000

  0

  Blue whiting IIa NS

  90,000

  90,000

  0

  Nephrops IIa, IV

  15,200

  15,200

  0

  Nephrops Vb, VI

  12,600

  12,600

  0

  Nephrops VII

  23,000

  23,000

  0

  Plaice IIa, IV

  87,000

  102,000

  17

  Plaice Vb, VI, XII, XIV

  2,400

  2,400

  0

  Plaice VIIa

  2,400

  2,400

  0

  Plaice VIId, e

  5,700

  7,400

  30

  Plaice VIIf, g

  1,100

  900

  -18

  Plaice VIIh,j,k

  1,350

  1,350

  0

  Pollack Vb, VI, XII, XIV

  1,100

  1,100

  0

  Pollack VII

  17,000

  17,000

  0

  Saithe IIa, IIIb,c,d, IV

  97,000

  110,000

  13

  Saithe Vb, VI, XII, XIV

  10,900

  7,500

  -31

  Saithe VII, VIII, IX, X

  8,800

  8,800

  0

  Turbot&brill IIa, IV

  9,000

  9,000

  0

  Skates&rays IIa, IV

  6,060

  6,060

  0

  Mackerel IIa(EC), III, IV

  62,455

  62,455

  0

  Mackerel IIa (non EC), Vb, VI, VII, VIIIabde, XII, XIV

  422,160

  422,160

  0

  Sole II, IV

  19,100

  22,000

  15

  Sole Vb, VI, XII XIV

  155

  155

  0

  Sole VIIa

  900

  900

  0

  Sole VIId

  5,230

  4,700

  -10

  Sole VIIe

  670

  700

  4

  Sole VIIf,g

  850

  960

  13

  Sole VIIh,j,k

  720

  720

  0

  Sprat IIa, IV

  150,000

  175,000

  17

  Sprat VIId,e

  12,000

  12,000

  0

  Horse mackerel IIa, IV

  60,000

  60,000

  0

  Horse mackerel Vb, VI, VII, VIIa,b,d,e, XII, XIV

  320,000

  265,000

  -17

  Meat and Livestock Commission
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the Meat and Livestock Commission budget was spent on promoting British pork and bacon in each of the last three years.[65120]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  As a percentage of total expenditure, the proportion spent by the Meat and Livestock Commission on promoting British pork and bacon in each of the last three financial years is as set out. These amounts are equivalent to the pork and bacon promotion levy collected from pig producers.

  Year

  Percentage

  1995–96

  18

  1996–97

  16

  1997–98 (prov.)

  18

  Mr. Ken James
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the Parliamentary Secretary last met Mr. Ken James; and if he will make a statement. [64669]

  Mr. Morley
  I have not met Mr. James since the election.

  New Forest Fox Hounds
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to send a substantive reply to the question from the hon. Member for New Forest, West of 30 November 1998 regarding New Forest fox hounds. [64740]

  Mr. Morley
  The Chief Executive wrote to the hon. Member on 16 December 1998.

  Forest Enterprise
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish a minute of the meeting between the Parliamentary Secretary, the hon. Member for Scunthorpe (Mr. Morley), and the Chief Executive of Forest Enterprise on 24 November 1998. [64979]

  Mr. Morley
  I often meet officials of the Forestry Commission, including the Chief Executive of Forest Enterprise, to discuss forestry matters. When I met the Chief Executive on 24 November he informed me, amongst other things, that Forest Enterprise had issued a formal warning to the New Forest Fox Hounds. It is not customary to publish the minutes of meetings between Ministers and their departmental officials.

  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the relationship between Forest Enterprise and the Parliamentary Secretary, the hon. Member for Scunthorpe (Mr. Morley). [65008]

  Mr. Morley
  My right hon. Friend the Minister has responsibility for forestry in England, but I act on his behalf on most forestry matters. Forest Enterprise is an agency of the Forestry Commission, which is the Government's Department for forestry.

  Maternal Transmissions
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of how many more animals will be included in the cull as a result of the addition of maternal transmissions. [64646]

  Mr. Rooker
  The selective cull, which removes cattle which have been exposed to BSE through contaminated feed, has been operating since January 1997. Since maternal transmission was confirmed as a possibility, a further cull has been initiated to slaughter offspring born after 1 August 1996 to confirmed BSE cases. This has operated on a voluntary basis since August 1998 and became compulsory on 4 January 1999. It has been estimated that, at most, 10,000 animals might need to be slaughtered under the arrangements. Inevitably, this estimate rests on assumptions about the future course of
  127
  the epidemic and the number of offspring found to be already dead. The final number may well be considerably less.

  Before beef exports can resume under the Date Based Export Scheme, the UK must slaughter all living offspring born between 1 August 1996 and the date of the EC Decision on the DBES (25 November 1998) to confirmed BSE cases. This is likely to be at least 3,500 animals.

  Agricultural Tenancies
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to reduce the disincentives to tenants from moving from Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 tenancies to farm business tenancies under the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995. [64731]

  Mr. Rooker
  There are no plans to re-visit the agricultural holdings legislation. The Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995 offers considerable flexibility for parties to negotiate farm business tenancies that best suit their respective interests.

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many tenancies have been negotiated, in each year, since the coming into force of the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995. [64727]

  Mr. Rooker
  Precise information is not available. The Annual Survey of Tenanted Land is a sample survey and does not allow a definitive overall number of tenancies to be given. However, the results of a policy evaluation, conducted by the University of Plymouth in 1996 and published in January 1998, indicated that some 5,000 new tenancies had been created in the first year since the Act came into force.

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what impact the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995 has had on encouraging new entrants into the agricultural industry. [64729]

  Mr. Rooker
  A policy evaluation was conducted by the University of Plymouth in 1996 and its findings published in January 1998. This showed that some 5,000 tenancies were created in the first year of the Act, covering about 200,000 hectares of land. A copy of the report was placed in the House Library.

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will amend the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995 to allow landlords and tenants to agree that the provisions of the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986 will apply to the agricultural holding. [64732]

  Mr. Rooker
  There are no plans to amend the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995. The flexibility available under the Act enables parties to tailor their tenancy agreements according to their respective needs. If they wish to do so, many features of a tenancy under the 1986 Act could be included.

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to review the operation of the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995. [64728]

  Mr. Rooker
  An independent policy evaluation was carried out in 1996 by the University of Plymouth. A copy of the report was placed in the Library of the House in January 1998. There are no immediate plans to carry out a further review.
  128
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what impact the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995 has had on tenancy progressions on tenanted estates. [64730]

  Mr. Rooker
  Any policy of progression by tenants within individual estates is a matter for landlords. The Ministry has not conducted any specific survey into this matter, and has no plans to do so.

  BSE
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many notifiable cases of BSE there have been per month in the last two years. [64644]

  Mr. Rooker
  Numbers of cattle notified as BSE suspects to Agriculture Departments in Great Britain during 1997 and 1998 are given by month in the following table. It should be noted that not all these cattle have subsequently been confirmed as having BSE.

  Month of restriction

  Number of suspect cases

  1997

  January

  538

  February

  501

  March

  521

  April

  523

  May

  447

  June

  432

  July

  450

  August

  454

  September

  412

  October

  460

  November

  427

  December

  442

  1998

  January

  459

  February

  403

  March

  436

  April

  384

  May

  325

  June

  334

  July

  343

  August

  307

  September

  322

  October

  372

  November

  314

  December

  288

  Note:

  Data as at 4 January 1998

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many prosecutions of farmers for breaches in BSE controls there have been; and if he will list the specific breaches. [64645]

  Mr. Rooker
  Since 1996, there have been 5 successful prosecutions of farmers for breaches of BSE controls brought by MAFF and the Intervention Board Executive Agency. In addition, we have been informed of a further 17 prosecutions undertaken by Local Authorities and by the Scottish Procurator Fiscal.

  Offences include failure to keep proper records, incorrect tagging, failure to record cattle movements, false declarations relating to the BSE status of holdings, altering the date of birth of calves on movement and identification documents, forgery of cattle birth documents, failure to stain sheep heads and specified

  129
  bovine material, selling meat contrary to the Fresh Meat (Beef Controls) (Nos. 2) Regulations 1996 and the Fresh Meat (Hygiene and Inspection) Regulations 1995, illegible cattle eartags, deception and false accounting under the Over 30 Month Scheme and various offences under the Animal by Products Order 1992, the Cattle Passports Order 1996 and the Trade Descriptions Act 1968.

  Details of legal action on breaches of BSE controls are published each month in the BSE Enforcement Bulletin, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

  Ministerial Flights
  Mr. Maples
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his letter to the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon of 30 November 1998 130
  listing details of ministerial flights, if the average cost of flights taken refers to the average cost per passenger. [64734]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  The average cost refers to the average cost per trip and not average cost per passenger.

  Hen Houses
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the research on the use of electric plates to purify air in hen houses; and what plans he has to introduce a similar system in the United Kingdom. [64844]

  Mr. Rooker
  The Ministry is aware of the research, most of which has been carried out in the United States over the last 15 years. The electric plate technique has some limitations and is not widely used in the UK. Other methods for controlling dust, such as misting systems, are beginning to be introduced into the UK broiler industry.

  Sudan: Diplomatic Relations
  Sudan: Diplomatic Relations
  Turkey: Human Rights
  Turkey: Human Rights
  Ottawa Convention: Ratification
  Ottawa Convention: Ratification
  General Pinochet
  General Pinochet
  Equine Insemination and Dentistry
  Equine Insemination and Dentistry
  MoD: Defence Intelligence IT System
  MoD: Defence Intelligence IT System
  RAF Heavy Lift Capability
  RAF Heavy Lift Capability
  Holy Loch: Removal of Debris
  Holy Loch: Removal of Debris
  General Pinochet
  General Pinochet
  Council Housing Debt, Scotland
  Council Housing Debt, Scotland
  Scottish Parliament: Costs
  Scottish Parliament: Costs
  Incapable Adults, Scotland: Family Role
  Incapable Adults, Scotland: Family Role
  Public Interest Immunity
  Public Interest Immunity
  War Crimes Act
  War Crimes Act
  Community Service Sentences: Litter Clearance
  Community Service Sentences: Litter Clearance
  Liability for Psychiatric Damage
  Liability for Psychiatric Damage
  Lords of Appeal: Outside Interests
  Lords of Appeal: Outside Interests
  Lords of Appeal: Appointments
  Lords of Appeal: Appointments
  Judicial Appointments
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  Judges: Declaration of Interests
  Judges: Declaration of Interests
  Conflicts of Interest
  Conflicts of Interest
  Treaty of Rome: Economic and Financial Sanctions
  Treaty of Rome: Economic and Financial Sanctions
  European Commission: Fraud Prosecutions
  European Commission: Fraud Prosecutions
  Museums and Galleries: Free Admission
  Museums and Galleries: Free Admission
  QUEST
  QUEST
  World Heritage Sites: Statutory Controls
  World Heritage Sites: Statutory Controls
  Environment Council, 20–21 December
  Environment Council, 20–21 December
  A.12: Fatal Accidents
  A.12: Fatal Accidents
  A.13 Completion
  A.13 Completion
  Lords of Appeal: Register of Interests
  Lords of Appeal: Register of Interests
  Parliamentary Data and Video Network
  Parliamentary Data and Video Network
  British-Irish Council
  British-Irish Council
  Bereavement Benefits
  Bereavement Benefits
  Actively Seeking Work Rules: Widows
  Actively Seeking Work Rules: Widows
  Benefits Integrity Project: Successor Scheme
  Benefits Integrity Project: Successor Scheme
  Health Inequalities and Benefits Policy
  Health Inequalities and Benefits Policy
  Non-departmental Public Bodies
  Non-departmental Public Bodies
  Merrywood and Pen Park Schools
  Merrywood and Pen Park Schools
  NVQ Take-up
  NVQ Take-up
  Class Sizes
  Class Sizes