Written Answers of 27 January 1999

HEALTH

  Multiple Sclerosis
  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice has been sought by the East Surrey Health Authority from his Department in respect of providing services and treatment for multiple sclerosis. [65481]

  Mr. Hutton
  No specific advice has been sought by East Surrey Health Authority. The organisation of health services and the manner in which they are delivered, including services for people suffering from multiple sclerosis, is a matter for health authorities.

  However, we are determined to challenge and address unacceptable variations in the provision of clinically and cost effective treatments, which are not based on the health needs of the local populations.

  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the Government's policy on the provision of Beta-interferon for the treatment of multiple sclerosis. [65488]

  Mr. Hutton
  Current guidance on Betaferon (Beta-Interferon-1b) recommends tht health authorities will have in place local arrangements with hospitals for purchasing and prescribing the drug in the light of medical evidence and local priorities.

  Appointed by voluntary organisations

  Name

  Organisation

  First appointed

  Terms

  Until 31 August 2000

  Ms Evelyn Brand

  League of Jewish Women

  1 September 1996

  First

  Ms Jean Coops

  Citizen's Advice Bureau

  1 September 1996

  First

  Ms Rhoda Flynn

  Barnet Mencap

  1 September 1996

  First

  Ms Mary Leigh

  Disablement Association

  1 September 1996

  First

  Until 31 August 2002

  Ms Ruth Rees

  Alzheimer's Disease Society

  1 October 1995

  First/Second

  Ms Jean McEvoy

  Barnet Borough Sight Impaired

  1 September 1998

  First

  Mr. John Chappell

  Barnet Carers Centre

  1 September 1998

  First

  Ms Suzanne Collins

  Mental Health Consultative Group

  1 May 1996

  First/Second

  Appointed by the Secretary of State for Health

  Name

  Date appointed

  Terms

  Until 31 August 2000

  Ms Sally Malin

  1 September 1996

  First

  Ms Elizabeth Manero

  5 February 1995

  Second

  Until 31 August 2002

  Helen Barget

  1 November 1998

  First

  Mrs. Janet Friend

  1 September 1998

  First

  Head Lice
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his policy for dealing with the spread of head lice among school pupils. [67033]

  Mr. Hutton
  Our policy is to encourage a "whole school approach" to the detection and treatment of head lice. This entails parents checking their children and other family members for head lice and arranging treatment where necessary, with such support from the local primary health care team as they may require. If this exercise is successfully undertaken on the same evening by all parents of children within a school, then the spread of head lice will be arrested.

  Barnet Community Health Council
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give(a) the names, (b) the terms of office and (c) the nominating body of the members of Barnet Community Health Council. [67035]

  Mr. Denham
  The information requested is shown in the tables.

  Appointed by Local Authorities (12) London Borough of Barnet

  Member name

  First appointed

  Terms

  Until 31 August 2000

  Ms Kate Brown

  1 September 1996

  First

  Ms Pam Coleman

  1 September 1992

  Second

  Mr. Raymond Mann

  1 September 1996

  First

  Ms Katherine Rounce

  1 September 1996

  First

  Until 31 August 2002

  Ms Fitzpatrick

  1 September 1998

  First

  Mr. Roger Chapman

  1 September 1994

  Second

  Mr. Alan Sloan

  1 July 1995

  First/Second

  Mr. Hooker

  1 September 1994

  First

  Ms Sandford

  1 September 1998

  First

  Mr. Stern

  1 September 1998

  First

  Ambulances
  Mrs. Ellman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he takes to assess value for money in the purchase of ambulances by health trusts; and if he will make a statement. [67219]

  Mr. Hutton
  The purchase of ambulance vehicles is the responsibility of individual National Health Service ambulance trusts. All NHS trusts are expected to adhere
  243
  to purchasing policies and procedures which ensure fitness for purpose, demonstrate best value for the NHS and maintain the highest standards of probity.

  Bone Marrow Transplants
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people had a bone marrow transplant in the UK in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [67107]

  Mr. Hutton
  Provisional hospital episode statistic figures for National Health Service trusts in England show that there were 695 finished consultant episodes with a primary operation of autograft or allograft bone marrow operations in the financial year 1997–98.

  Questions relating to residents who had bone marrow operations in NHS hospitals in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland, for Wales and for Northern Ireland respectively.

  Beta Interferon
  Miss Kirkbride
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the recommendations on beta interferon funding made by West Midlands Beta Interferon Management Group on 6 October 1998. [67049]

  Ms Jowell
  The West Midlands Beta Interferon Management Group's recommendation to chief executives of health authorities was to increase the region-wide budget for beta interferon to £1 million, to ensure continuation of treatment for existing patients and to facilitate the inclusion of more patients onto the programme in the West Midlands.

  The health authorities are currently considering how to implement this recommendation.

  Miss Kirkbride
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the waiting list for beta interferon treatment drawn up by the West Midlands health authorities. [67050]

  Ms Jowell
  The information is not collected centrally, nor is it held by the West Midlands health authorities.

  Aspirin and Paracetamol
  Dr. Naysmith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the health implications of variations in costs of the new aspirin and paracetamol pack sizes; and if he will make a statement. [67034]

  Ms Jowell
  The Department has made no specific assessment of the health implications of the variations in costs of the new analgesic pack sizes. However, variations in the prices of aspirin and paracetamol have always been a feature of this very competitive market and equivalent products continue to be available at a range of prices.

  The Medicines Control Agency is monitoring the impact of the new pack sizes on public health and will review the effectiveness of the measures once sufficient
  244
  data have been collected. They are currently consulting on a proposal to exempt low dose aspirin 75 milligramme from the new pack size restrictions.

  Stroke Care
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the differences in care and outcome for stroke victims, according to the postal code of their address. [66843]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 25 January 1999]: None. Evidence-based national service frameworks are being developed to ensure consistent access and quality of care right across the country. In December 1998 we announced that the national service framework for older people would include stroke services.

  Nurses
  Mr. Syms
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses worked for more than 48 hours a week in the last year, broken down by month. [67380]

  Mr. Denham
  The information requested is not available centrally. The General Whitley Council (the national negotiating body for National Health Service staff with Whitley contracts) has agreed that an employee will not be expected to work more than a maximum of 48 hours averaged over 17 weeks in accordance with the Working Time Regulations. An employee may however agree to work over the 48 hour limit and will have to do so in writing to his employer.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Abortion Legislation
  Mr. Donaldson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans she has to review the abortion legislation in Northern Ireland; and if she will make a statement. [63040]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  The suggestion that the law on abortion in Northern Ireland should be reviewed has been made on a number of occasions, most recently in the report of the All Party Group on Population, Development and Reproductive Health, launched on 10 December 1998. I am still considering what, if any, action, should be taken in response to these suggestions.

  I am, however, aware of the great strength of feeling on this issue, and the divergence of opinion that exists. I would want to reiterate most strongly the assurances already given by the Government, that we will not impose any change in Northern Ireland on this issue without consultation with elected representatives, including the Northern Ireland Assembly, and that any change would come about only with broad support from a cross-section of the people of Northern Ireland.

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how long it takes to process an application for grant aid under the Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme. [67030]
  245
  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The average time, based on claims dealt with in the first 9 months of the current financial year, is 10.15 weeks.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications were made for grant aid under the Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme(a) in each year from 1 April 1995 to 31 March 1998 and (b) from 1 April to 31 December 1998; of these (i) how many have been approved, (ii) what payments were made, (iii) how many were refused and (iv) how many are outstanding. [67031]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The figures are as follows:

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99 (to 31.12.98)

  Claims made

  1,107

  2,173

  2,655

  2,557

  Claims paid

  1,107

  2,173

  2,655

  1,492

  Approved

  All

  All

  All

  All

  Refused

  None

  None

  None

  None

  Outstanding

  None

  None

  None

  1,065

  Payment total (£m)

  1.619

  2.752

  4.921

  4.477

  "We Will Remember Them"
  Mr. McNulty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland with which groups she or other Ministers in her Department have had discussions as a consequence of the publication of Sir Kenneth Bloomfield's report, "We Will Remember Them". [68302]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  As part of the follow-up to Sir Kenneth Bloomfield's report, "We Will Remember Them", I, or one of my Northern Ireland Office Ministerial colleagues, have had discussions with representatives of the following groups:

  Damien Walsh Group

  Disabled Police Officers' Association

  Families Acting for Innocent Relatives

  Families Against Intimidation and Terror

  Families of the Disappeared

  Loughgall Truth and Justice Campaign

  Prison Officers Association

  Relatives for Justice

  Survivors of Trauma

  WAVE.

  The Minister of State, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Kilbride (Mr. Ingram), has established a 'Touchstone' Group, to enable a cross section of those representing victims interests to provide advice and support to him on the development of policy for victims. In this connection he has also met with representatives of the following organisations:

  An Crann/The Tree

  Cost of the Troubles Study

  Kairos

  Shankill Stress Group

  UDR Benevolent Fund

  Victim Support NI.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Burundi
  Mr. Tony Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to introduce change of funding strategy for Burundi, moving beyond emergency relief towards more rehabilitation work; and what timeframe exists for this change. [67744]

  Clare Short
  A twin-track approach to the resumption of development assistance to Burundi was agreed at a donor meeting convened by UNDP on 11 January and attended by representatives of the Government of Burundi and ex-President Nyerere.

  The international donor community agreed to provide immediate direct assistance to communities in Burundi focusing on local level reconciliation and rehabilitation. We already have the capacity to do this. It was also agreed that donors should prepare for the re-introduction of structural development assistance, which should follow the signature of a peace agreement. Burundi will need a substantial and well co-ordinated international effort to address its development constraints. Britain has not been a traditional bilateral donor to Burundi. But we will attempt to ensure that those multilateral organisations to which we are major contributors, including the EU and the World bank, are well prepared to make a major input when the political environment is right.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Magistrates Courts
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on progress on the Libra system for magistrates courts; and if he will make a statement. [67553]

  Mr. Hoon
  The Libra contract was awarded to International Computers Limited in December 1998. Libra will provide national standard computer services to magistrates' courts and offices with the first implementation planned for mid-2001 in Suffolk. The systems and services are expected to be implemented in all magistrates' courts by 2004, and will provide electronic links with other agencies in the criminal justice system.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department how many magistrates' courts committees have conducted formal access audits since his Department issued the Disabled Court Users Good Practice Guide for Magistrates' Courts Committees; and from what sources the funding for necessary changes will be provided. [67402]

  Mr. Hoon
  I issued a performance standard in December 1997 setting out the minimum standards of performance that magistrates' courts committees are required to achieve in relation to disabled court users. It is not a requirement that formal access audits be undertaken, however, the Good Practice Guide that accompanied this standard does recommend it.

  A survey, undertaken by this Department during May and June 1998, showed that 64 out of 96 magistrates' courts committees had undertaken internal audits during the previous twelve months and 32 had arranged for

  247
  independent inspections. It is always open to any magistrates' courts committee, in conjunction with its local authorities, to bid for additional resources from this Department towards the cost of improving disabled access, subject, of course, to there being funding available.

  Legal Aid (Mediation)
  Dr. Tony Wright
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department in how many cases, and at what cost, the Legal Aid Board has provided legal aid for dispute resolution by mediation. [67611]

  Mr. Hoon
  In the period December 1997 to December 1998, 1,962 mediations in family cases have been conducted as part of a pilot project. At this stage of the pilot project, it is not possible to provide exact cost per mediation as these costs include the cost of an initial information meeting with the clients, a contribution towards overheads and set up costs which enable mediation services to meet the requirements of the Legal Aid Board Family Mediation Franchise Specification. Legal aid has only been available for non-family cases since October 1998. It is at present not possible to provide information on the exact number or costs of non-family cases.

  Solicitors (Professional Misconduct)
  Dr. Tony Wright
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department how many solicitors were disciplined for professional misconduct in each of the last five years. [67606]

  Mr. Hoon
  The Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal hears and determines applications relating to allegations of unbefitting conduct or breaches of the rules of professional misconduct. Under Section 47 of the Solicitors Act 1974, the Tribunal can make orders to strike off, suspend from practice, fine and reprimand solicitors found guilty of professional misconduct.

  162 such orders were made from 1 May 1993 to 30 April 1994

  206 such orders were made from 1 May 1994 to 30 April 1995

  193 such orders were made from 1 May 1995 to 30 April 1996

  171 such orders were made from 1 May 1996 to 30 April 1997

  179 such orders were made from I May 1997 to 30 April 1998.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Home Detention
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the prisons from which prisoners are to be released on home detention curfew on 28 January 1999 and the number of prisoners to be released in each case. [67426]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The assessments for Home Detention Curfew are still ongoing. I will write to the hon. Member after 28 January 1999 when this information becomes available.

  Polling Stations (Access)
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for the 248
  establishment of an independent electoral commission which would have responsibility for the provision of practical assistance to the elderly and those with disabilities in using polling stations. [67257]

  Mr. George Howarth
  As my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced during the debate on the Neill Committee report on the funding of political parties on 9 November 1998,Official Report, column 55, provision for the establishment of an independent Electoral Commission will be included in the draft Bill, to implement the main findings of the Neill report, to be published before the summer recess. The Government are currently giving careful consideration to the Neill Committee's detailed proposals with regard to the precise role and remit of the Electoral Commission.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in improving access to polling stations for people with physical impairments. [67258]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Consolidated and enhanced guidance which includes advice on national access standards will be issued to all returning officers shortly. The Working Party on electoral procedures which I am chairing will continue to consider disability access to electoral services of all kinds.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if a person who has been refused political asylum but granted indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom has the right to appeal to a special adjudicator about the decision to refuse political asylum. [67109]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  There is no right of appeal against a refusal to grant asylum in these circumstances.

  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research has been carried out on the comparative costs of(a) current arrangements for funding asylum seekers and (b) restoring benefits for asylum seekers, during the period that his Department takes to process an application. [67043]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The evidence available suggests that the removal of access to benefits to those asylum seekers who do not make their claim at their port of entry leads to a significant reduction in the numbers of asylum seekers. The Government believe that cash is a strong factor in encouraging economic migrants and that the restoration of benefits would lead to a significantly higher number of asylum seekers thereby leading to a much greater cost than the current arrangements. These conclusions come from an examination of the publicly available data.

  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were granted(a) refugee status and (b) exceptional leave to remain following a successful appeal against refusal of that status in each year since 1993, broken down by country of origin. [67112]
  249
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I regret that this information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Information on the number of allowed asylum appeals over the period 1994 to 1998 is available and this is given in the table.

  Asylum appeals under the 1993 and 1996 Acts determined by adjudicators of the Immigration Appeals Authority, excluding dependants, 1994 to 1998

  Year

  Appeals determined 2

  Appeals allowed 3

  Percentage of appeals allowed

  1993

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1994

  2,440

  105

  4

  1995

  7,035

  230

  3

  1996

  13,792

  515

  4

  1997

  21,090

  1,180

  6

  19981

  25,320

  2,750

  11

  1 Provisional data

  2 Based on information collected by the Lord Chancellor's Department

  3 Estimates based on information collected by the Asylum Directorate

  Police Federation
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what central Government payments have been made to the Police Federation in each of the last five years in support of(a) conferences organised by the Federation and (b) other purposes; and if he will indicate the statutory authority under which such payments are made. [67028]

  Mr. Boateng
  The information requested is shown in the table. The only payments made in support of conferences are in respect of travel and subsistence expenses made for members of the Joint Central Committee and these cannot readily be shown separately from expenses paid for other purposes. Payments are made under sections 57(1) and 60(2)(d) of the Police Act 1996.

  (a) Home Office/common police service contribution towards the costs of the salaries and running costs of the Police Federation of England and Wales

  £

  Police Federation of England and Wales

  Salaries

  Running costs

  1994–95

  110,000

  57,000

  1995–96

  51,000

  57,000

  1996–97

  93,000

  54,900

  1997–98

  50,439

  48,259

  1998–991

  60,211

  54,500

  (b) Contribution received as a member of the staff side of the police negotiating board

  £

  Police Federations of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

  Administrative costs

  Travelling and subsistence expenses

  1994–95

  8,441

  54,627

  1995–96

  17,800

  62,914

  1996–97

  18,200

  64,300

  1997–98

  18,185

  32,602

  1998–991

  17,479

  33,262

  1 Estimate

  UN Convention on the Rights of the Child
  Mr. Stinchcombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Government have to remove the United Kingdom's reservation on Article 37 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. [67216]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  We do not propose to remove this reservation. We are establishing a separate juvenile estate, but there will continue to be occasions when the mixing of young offenders and adult prisoners is necessary. This may be due to a lack of suitable accommodation or adequate facilities for a particular young person.

  Mr. Stinchcombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many reservations and derogations the UK Government have entered under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. [67214]

  Mr. Hutton
  I have been asked to reply.

  Upon ratification in 1991 of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child, the United Kingdom Government entered four reservations and two declaratory interpretations.

  Police Manpower
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a breakdown, by rank, of the numbers of police officers(a) per police force and (b) in total, in each of the last 10 years. [67586]

  Mr. Boateng
  Information in the form requested is available from 1991. For earlier years, only information on the total number of officers in each force is available. The details for each year between 1989 and 1998 are set out in the tables, which I have placed in the Library.

  Jury Trials
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when he plans to publish the responses to his consultation paper on the right to trial by jury; [67582]

  (2) what research he has (a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the election of trial in the Crown Court by defendants charged with an either-way offence since 1 October 1997; [67580]

  (3) what steps he plans to take regarding the right to trial by jury following his consultation paper of July 1998; and if he will make a statement. [67583]

  Mr. Boateng
  No research has been conducted into the election of trial in the Crown Court by defendants charged with an either-way offence since 1 October 1997. The consultation paper on determining the mode of trial, considered whether defendants should be able to choose to be tried by a jury in cases which magistrates have indicated that they would be content to hear. We are currently considering the responses to this consultation exercise and will make a statement when we have reached a final decision.

  Firearms Certificates
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many section 5 firearms certificates he has issued in each of the last five years. [67767]
  251
  Mr. Boateng
  The authority of the Secretary of State to possess, purchase or acquire, manufacture, sell or transfer weapons and ammunition prohibited by section 5 of the Firearms Act 1968 (as amended) is granted only to those applicants who can demonstrate a genuine need to have such weapons and ammunition. The total number of such authorities issued in England and Wales in each of the last five years is as follows:

  Year

  Authorities issued

  1998

  540

  1997

  320

  1996

  304

  1995

  261

  1994

  214

  CS Spray
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to collect information on the number of times police officers and members of the public have started legal proceedings because of injuries caused by CS sprays. [67609]

  Mr. Boateng
  This information is not held centrally and there are no plans to collect it.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  A14
  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many(a) personal injury accidents and (b) fatalities were recorded on the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon in 1998. [66734]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The information requested will not be available until June 1999. The latest available full years data are shown in the table.

  Accidents/casualties on the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon: 1997

  Severity

  Number of accidents

  Number of casualties

  Fatal

  1

  1

  Serious

  10

  12

  Slight

  50

  79

  Total

  61

  92

  Vehicles Directive
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement about progress at the Environment Council meeting on 21 December 1998 on the proposed Directive on end of life vehicles. [67340]

  Mr. Meale
  At the Environment Council, Ministers reached a degree of common understanding on many of the important issues raised by this Directive. However, the views of the European Parliament will need to be carefully considered and final decisions on the Council's252
  Common Position will not be taken until the next Environmental Council in March, when the European Parliament's opinion should be ready.

  Whipps Cross-Redbridge Relief Road
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what representations his Department has received concerning the delay in opening the Whipps Cross-Redbridge relief road; [67458]

  (2) how much money has been spent on the Whipps Cross-Redbridge relief road; [67459]

  (3) when the Whipps Cross-Redbridge relief road will be completed; [67461]

  (4) what the projected opening date was for the Whipps Cross-Redbridge relief road on 1 May 1997. [67460]

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

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. David Amess, dated 27 January 1999:
  The Minister for Transport in London has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the Whipps Cross/ Redbridge Relief Road.
  I am assuming that you are referring to Contract 4 of the A12 Hackney to M11 Link Road which goes from Whipps Cross to the Redbridge roundabout on the A12.
  On 1 May 1997, we anticipated that the contract would be completed in the Spring of 1998.
  Several local people, including the local Member of Parliament, have asked about the cause of the delay and we have explained that there have been difficulties with the specialist equipment necessary for safety in the tunnel at George Green. We now expect the road to be open to traffic this Spring although finishing work could take a little longer. This does not affect the overall completion date of Autumn 1999.
  The cost to date of the works on Contract 4 is £53.2M (excluding VAT).

  Departmental Papers (Access for Visually Impaired)
  Mr. Michael J. Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has for departmental(a) White and (b) Green Papers to be made available on floppy disk format in a form which facilitates access for the visually impaired. [67852]

  Mr. Meale
  The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions currently publishes all White and Green Papers in HTML format on its Internet site. This ensures easy access by systems such as "screen readers, text-to-speech and text to Braille converters" making documents more accessible to the visually impaired.

  Where appropriate, publications are also made available on audio tape, in large print, Braille or on floppy disk.

  Water-borne Freight
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to achieve an increase in water-borne freight; if he will set targets; and if he will make a statement. [67618]
  253
  Ms Glenda Jackson
  [holding answer 25 January 1999]: The Government are keen to encourage increased movement of freight by water where that is a practical and economic option. The Department currently gives Freight Facilities Grants for inland waterways schemes where freight would otherwise have gone by road. The Department will be re-examining the rules of the scheme to encourage more applications for inland waterways projects; and as announced in the White Paper on the Future of Integrated Transport, we intend to bring forward legislation to extend the application of the freight grant scheme to include coastal and short-sea shipping. The scheme is demand-led and the Department aims, as far as possible, to meet all eligible demand from within its budget. Since May 1997 there have been 5 inland waterway grants made totalling almost £1.65m, which represents a maximum of 770,000 tonnes. In addition the total 1998–99 budget for both rail and inland waterway schemes has been increased from the previous year by one-third to £40 million.

  In addition, the Department is working to update planning guidance on transport which will encourage more freight to be carried by water. Local authorities in their development plans will be expected to consider opportunities for new development which are served by waterways; and to give better protection to sites and routes, both existing and potential, which could be critical in developing infrastructure to widen transport choices, including water transport.

  Water Pollution (Costs)
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will estimate the costs of agriculturally derived water pollution from(a) nitrates, (b) fertilisers generally, (c)pesticides and other biocides and (d) soil erosion; and if he will make a statement. [67714]

  Mr. Meale
  The environmental and economic costs of agriculturally derived water pollution are not available centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Classic and Vintage Vehicles (Leaded Petrol)
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what studies his Department has undertaken on the effect of the phasing out of leaded petrol on classic and vintage vehicles; how many vehicles currently run on leaded petrol; what is the statutory basis for the change; and if he will make a statement. [67632]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  In accordance with EU directive 98/70EC, leaded petrol will be banned from general sale from 1 January 2000 by regulations to be made under the Clean Air Act 1993. Of an estimated 6 million vehicles currently running on leaded petrol, about 5.3 million will still be doing so at the time the ban is introduced. Of these as many as 3 million could use unleaded petrol either directly or with simple engine adjustments. For a remaining 2.3 million, for which lead provides lubricant protection for soft valve seats and in some cases octane requirements, substitutes for lead, either in the form of additives incorporated in "lead replacement petrol" or provided separately for motorists' use will be made available by the oil companies. Such products will be 254
  suitable for classic and vintage vehicles as well as older vehicles generally. The Government are in addition exploring the possibilities for implementation of the provision in the directive which allows sales of leaded petrol to continue to a limit of 0.5 per cent. of total sales, though supply will ultimately be a commercial decision.

  Aircraft Emissions
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what research his Department has commissioned or carried out on the effect of emissions from aircraft with particular reference to the upper atmosphere; and if he will list such research. [67470]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Since May 1997 my Department has participated in the following research projects:AEROTRACE: identification and measurement of trace species in exhaust gases close to the combustor of a jet engine;
  UK TRACE: measurement of changes in trace species between the combustor and engine exhaust;
  AEROCERT: identification of possible revisions and extensions to engine certification procedures, and the effects of maintenance and operation on certified emission levels;
  POLINAT: measurement and modelling of aircraft emissions in the North Atlantic flight corridor.

  We also supported the development of the European inventory of emissions from aircraft worldwide, which was published last year.

  Maintenance Vehicles (Safety Belts)
  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the consequences of excluding maintenance vehicles from the laws enforcing the wearing of vehicle safety belts; and if he will make a statement. [67359]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  Maintenance vehicles are not exempt from the requirement that seat belts must be worn where they are available. There are specific exemptions for drivers in particular circumstances—these are listed in regulation 6 of The Motor Vehicles (Wearing of Seat Belts) Regulations 1993, SI 1993 No. 176.

  Building Stock
  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the increase in building stock over the next 10 years; and what plans he has to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from buildings by 2010. [67689]

  Mr. Meale
  The Government intend to develop a balanced and equitable strategy across all sectors to meet the UK's climate change targets. As a first step, on 26 October 1998, the Government published a consultation paper describing progress to date in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the UK and setting out a variety of policy options for further action. The consultation paper refers to a number of options which could be taken to reduce carbon dioxide emissions including improvements in emissions from buildings in the commercial, industrial and domestic sectors.

  Planning Applications
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which local authority headed his table which measured the speed with which planning applications were considered. [67875]

  Mr. Raynsford
  In the 12 months to September 1998, Worthing Borough Council headed the Planning Performance Checklist, determining 99.9 per cent. of planning applications within 8 weeks.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the average length of time taken by local authorities to process planning applications in 1997–98. [67877]

  Mr. Raynsford
  In 1997–98, district planning authorities in England decided 62 per cent. of all applications for planning permission and other related consents within 8 weeks and 84 per cent. within 13 weeks. Information is not available on the average length of time taken to determine a planning application.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidelines are issued to local authorities in respect of the processing of planning applications. [67878]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Government's policies on different aspects of planning are contained in Planning Policy Guidance notes (PPGs) and Circulars. PPG 1 on "General Policy and Principles" gives general advice on a number of issues bearing on the consideration of planning permission. Environment Circular 9/95, "General Development Order Consolidation 1995", covers permitted development and more detailed procedural matters, including consultations before the grant of planning permission. It also contains advice on best practice in handling planning applications.

  Health and Safety Executive (Workplace Deaths)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many incidents of death in the workplace were investigated by the Health and Safety Executive in each year since 1996. [67416]

  Mr. Meale
  The number of fatalities investigated by the Health and Safety Executive is set out in the table.

  Year

  Number of fatalities investigated

  1996–97

  397

  1997–98

  402

  1 April-30 September 19981

  213

  1 Provisional

  Dock Work
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the health and safety implications of increased casualisation of dock work. [67417]

  Mr. Meale
  It is not possible to assess how recent changes in the patterns of employment in the docks industry have affected health and safety. Such changes have included increasing mechanisation, bulk handling and containerisation at the same time as a substantial reduction in the numbers working in the docks. The 256
  Health and Safety Executive regularly meets docks industry representatives to review trends and consider any issues which might affect health and safety.

  Birmingham Northern Relief Road
  Dr. Tony Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact of the Birmingham northern relief road on the air quality levels as set out in the National Air Quality Strategy; and how he expects any breaches of the levels to be remedied. [67577]

  Mr. Meale
  The original air quality assessment for the Birmingham northern relief road was published within the environmental statement for the scheme in 1993. Additional evidence was submitted to the public inquiry in 1994.

  The United Kingdom National Air Quality Strategy, published in March 1997, post-dated both the original assessment and the public inquiry. However, the existence of the air quality objectives within the strategy was acknowledged in the decision letter for the scheme as a post-inquiry development which had to be taken into account, alongside the Inspector's report, in reaching a decision on whether or not to proceed. A judgment was made, based on an interpretation of the previous assessment work, on whether or not the objectives might be exceeded. It was concluded that all of the objectives, with the possible exception of that for PM10, would be met with the road in place.

  Under Part IV of the Environment Act 1995, local authorities must review and assess air quality within their areas. If a local authority decides that any of the air quality objectives are not likely to be met by 2005, it must designate an Air Quality Management Area covering the area of the predicted exceedance and produce an action plan for the achievement of the objectives. The Highways Agency would need to be closely involved in the development and implementation of any action plan which required measures to be taken in relation to a trunk road or motorway.

  Road Schemes
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will name the road schemes by each local authority which make up the existing commitments in the Local Transport Settlement 1999–2000; and if he will indicate for each(a) the money awarded in the 1999–2000 local transport settlement and (b) the total costs. [67021]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  [holding answer 26 January 1999]: The table shows allocations made to grant supported major road schemes as part of the 1999–2000 local transport capital settlement. These schemes were accepted for funding between the 1986–87 and 1997–98 settlements. The Government are committed to providing sufficient funding for their completion, provided they continue to make reasonable progress, although we do not commit to fund the full costs of a major local road scheme. The table does not include committed expenditure on non-road schemes or resources which cannot be identified to a single road scheme, such as resources to meet applications during 1999–00 for grant under the Industrial Development Act 1982.
  257

  Authority

  Scheme name

  Allocation (£000)

  Total gross cost (£000)

  Lincolnshire

  Market Deeping Bypass

  410

  11,378

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  West Central Route

  4,500

  21,709

  Redcar and Cleveland

  Skelton and Brotton Bypass

  2,500

  13,500

  Cheshire

  Chester Park and Ride Phase Two

  1,000

  7,858

  Cheshire

  Wheelock Bypass

  2,200

  11,600

  Lancashire

  South Ribble M65 Interface Improvements

  2,800

  12,847

  Oldham

  A62/A627 Oldham Way Improvements

  300

  6,981

  Trafford

  Trafford Road Improvement

  282

  23,952

  Buckinghamshire

  Tingewick Bypass

  282

  13,274

  East Sussex

  New Route (Dittons to Seaside) Eastbourne

  2,200

  29,370

  Kent

  Barracks Link Ashford

  250

  4,487

  Kent

  South Thames-Side Development Route Stage 4

  4,000

  14,480

  Kent

  Wainscott Northern Bypass

  24,250

  77,139

  Kent

  Thanet Way Dualling (Sections 1–7A)

  8,000

  191,405

  Medway Towns

  Gillingham Northern Bypass

  2,584

  44,685

  Surrey

  Runfold Diversion/Blackwater Valley Route A31-A323

  1,500

  50,059

  Dorset

  A37 Improvements

  120

  9,029

  Gloucestershire

  Gloucester South West Bypass

  2,654

  21,022

  Somerset

  Yeovil to Dorset Boundary Phase 1

  1,430

  5,842

  Somerset

  Wells Relief Road

  700

  14,422

  South Gloucestershire

  Avon Ring Road II: B4465 Shortwood—A420 Warmley

  9,700

  29,961

  Dudley

  Dudley Southern Bypass

  9,000

  57,000

  Solihull

  West Midlands Renaissance Area

  300

  18,878

  Wolverhampton

  Wednesfield Bypass and Industrial Access

  1,400

  23,819

  Barnsley

  Dearne Towns Link Road

  1,000

  40,422

  Leeds

  Leeds City Centre Loop Phase 3

  700

  6,989

  Leeds

  Leeds Inner Ring Road Stages 6 and 7

  3,800

  78,821

  North East Lincolnshire

  Grimsby, Peakes Parkway

  1,600

  25,991

  Hertfordshire

  Cheshunt Link Road

  220

  16,552

  Peterborough

  Werrington to Glinton Phase 2

  748

  1,752

  Bexley

  Erith-Thamesmead Spine Road (Phase IV)

  712

  34,499

  Greenwich

  Woolwich Road Improvement

  2,114

  24,828

  Harrow

  A409 Sheepcote Road Widening for two-way traffic

  524

  2,905

  Harrow

  A409 Wealdstone By Pass

  292

  16,517

  Hillingdon

  Uxbridge Town Centre

  350

  2,329

  Kensington and Chelsea

  Harrow Road Junction with Ladbrooke Grove

  516

  9,171

  Kingston upon Thames

  North—South Strategy—A240 Corridor

  800

  4,730

  Knowsley

  M57—A562 Link Road

  1,000

  47,607

  Sefton

  Aintree, Park Lane Improvement

  2,000

  3,936

  Total

  98,738

  1,037,489

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many local authorities have formally asked his Department for the routes of road schemes withdrawn in the National Roads Programme to be protected as advised in paragraph 96 of the draft guidance on Local Transport Plans. [67023]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  [holding answer 26 January 1999]: To date no local authorities have formally indicated whether they intend to seek route protection for any of the schemes on routes to be detrunked which were withdrawn from the National Roads Programme as a result of the Roads Review. But, two authorities have proposed that route protection should be retained beyond the end of July pending the outcome of further studies.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the number of major new road schemes for which each local authority bid for funding under the TPP system for 1999–2000. [67022]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  [holding answer 26 January 1999]: We received eighty bids for new major local road schemes from English local highway authorities requesting
  258
  capital funding in 1999–2000. The following authorities bid for one major scheme each: Lincolnshire, Northumberland, Stockton-on-Tees, Halton, Salford, West Yorkshire PTA, Buckinghamshire, Kent, Milton Keynes, Oxfordshire, West Sussex, Windsor and Maidenhead, Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol, Birmingham, Sandwell, Warwickshire, Barnsley, Kirklees, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Bexley, Enfield, Greenwich and St. Helens. Authorities bidding for two or more schemes are shown in the table:

  Authority

  Number of new major road scheme bids

  Leicestershire

  2

  Nottinghamshire

  5

  Surrey

  4

  Cornwall

  4

  Devon

  2

  Gloucestershire

  2

  Somerset

  2

  Staffordshire

  3

  Stoke-on-Trent

  2

  West Midlands Joint authorities1

  9

  Worcestershire

  2

  Doncaster

  3

  259

  Authority

  Number of new major road scheme bids

  Luton

  2

  Norfolk

  7

  Sutton

  2

  Westminster

  2

  Total

  80

  1 the bid from the West Midlands Joint authorities was submitted on behalf of Birmingham, Centro, Coventry, Dudley, Sandwell, Solihull, Walsall and Wolverhampton authorities.

  As announced in the local transport capital settlement for 1999–2000 on 17 December 1998, we accepted two of these schemes.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the mileage rates currently applicable to staff, indicating what changes have been made to encourage staff to switch from cars to public transport and other less polluting forms of travel. [67489]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  [holding answer 26 January 1999]: Staff are encouraged to use public transport where it is available and if they do not do so, a single flat rate of 23.8 pence per mile is payable. Where public transport is not available, would give rise to excessive journey times or where staff have equipment or bulky luggage to carry, there are currently two sets of mileage rates payable for cars used on official business:

  Pence per mile

  Ex-Department of the Environment staff

  Ex-Department of Transport staff

  Engine capacity

  Up to 4000 miles

  Over 4000 miles

  Up to 4000 miles

  Over 4000 miles

  Up to 1000 cc

  N/A

  27

  15

  1001 cc to 1500 cc

  34

  19

  35.7

  19

  1501 cc to 2000 cc

  43

  23

  42

  23

  Over 2000 cc

  47

  30

  46

  30

  The rates are currently under review not only to harmonise them but also as part of the Department's aim to encourage staff to minimise journeys by car and reduce the environmental impact of transport activity through Green Transport Plans. Consideration is being given to a single rate, regardless of engine size.

  London Underground
  Mr. Ottaway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he has received a Public/Private Partnership bid from Railtrack for the surface and sub-surface London Underground lines outside the criteria for the tender process. [67923]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The Government have not sought or received any bid from Railtrack in relation to the London Underground public/private partnership (PPP).

  Railtrack has made proposals to integrate London Underground's sub-surface lines (Circle, District, Metropolitan, and Hammersmith and City) with the main
  260
  line network. The Office of Passenger Rail Franchising (OPRAF) is carrying out a preliminary study of the feasibility, costs and benefits of these proposals and is assessing them in the same way that it would any other such proposals. This work does not in any way imply that the Government believe that a case has been established for Railtrack's proposal on cost-benefit or other grounds, or that London Transport is minded to handle the sub-surface lines differently from the deep tube lines in the PPP.

  The Government are continuing to develop the London Underground PPP along the lines announced to the House by the Deputy Prime Minister on 14 December 1998, Official Report, columns 629–30.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Death by Dangerous Driving (Sentences)
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Attorney-General how many cases of causing death by dangerous driving have been referred to him for reference to the Court of Appeal on the grounds of unduly lenient sentence in the last 18 months; how many he has referred to the Court of Appeal; and how many sentences have been increased as a result of such referrals. [67657]

  The Attorney-General
  Since 27 July 1997 19 cases of causing death by dangerous driving in England and Wales have been referred to the Law Officers. 12 were referred by members of the public (3 through their MPs); 7 were referred by the CPS.

  Of these 19, 1 case has not yet been considered; in 13 cases the sentence passed was not considered unduly lenient; 5 cases have been referred to the Court of Appeal. The sentence was increased by the Court of Appeal in 4 cases (although in one case the overall sentence, taking into account two other offences, was not increased). 1 case has yet to be heard.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Scottish Land Fund
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what powers the Scottish Parliament will have to(a) alter policy priorities in Scotland for the New Opportunities Fund and (b) increase the proportion of New Opportunities Fund money which goes to the Scottish Land Fund; [67421]

  (2) if he will make a statement on the powers of the (a) Scottish Parliament, (b) Welsh assembly and (c) Northern Ireland assembly to direct or alter the distribution of lottery funds by each of the lottery distribution bodies in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; [67419]

  (3) if he will make a statement outlining the mechanism under which payments will be made to the proposed Scottish Land Fund from the New Opportunities Fund; and who will decide the level of payments made from the New Opportunities Fund into the proposed Scottish Land Fund. [67420]
  261
  Mr. Banks
  [holding answer 26 January 1999]: The power currently held by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland to issue policy directions to Scottish sports and arts Lottery distributors will be transferred to Ministers of the Scottish Parliament. In relation to the Heritage Lottery Fund, the National Lottery Charities Board and the New Opportunities Fund (NOF), whose operations range across the UK, Scottish Ministers will be able to make directions which require distributors to take into account for their activities in Scotland the desirability of achieving particular objectives for devolved policy areas including giving priority to particular kinds of recipients, or recipients in particular parts of Scotland. In the case of a NOF initiative applying only in Scotland, Scottish Ministers will after consultation with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport be able to make the order specifying the initiative, and to issue directions on any matter except the amount of funding to be allocated to the initiative. Powers in relation to the Millennium Commission will remain unchanged since most of its work is now complete. Scottish Ministers will not be able to make directions relating to the allocation of resources between Scotland and other parts of the United Kingdom, or those relating to the administration of Lottery funding, regardless of the purposes to be achieved by particular projects. Scottish Ministers will however be consulted on these matters as they affect Scotland.

  Similar arrangements will apply to the National Assembly for Wales, although any order specifying a Wales only initiative of the New Opportunities Fund would be made by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with the agreement of the Assembly. The details of these arrangements, including their application to a Northern Ireland Assembly, are still under consideration. Concordats being drawn up between my department and home country departments will set out how the new arrangements will work.

  There has been widespread public consultation on the three new NOF initiatives, which include one on green spaces and sustainable communities which could in Scotland constitute a Scottish Land Fund. Consultation on this initiative closed on 15 January and no decisions have yet been made regarding the final form of the initiatives or the financial allocations. After consultation with Scottish Ministers, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport will decide the level of funding each initiative will receive and has the power to direct that a percentage of this amount be used in Scotland. NOF will administer the grant-giving process, taking into account the directions they have been given and decide which applicants should be supported.

  Foreign Broadcasters
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what plans he has to extend the jurisdiction of the ITC and the scope of the Broadcasting Acts to companies based abroad who, through cable, broadcast in the United Kingdom; [66257]
  262
  (2) how he intends to ensure that the political impartiality required by the Broadcasting Acts is maintained in respect of broadcasts being made in the United Kingdom by companies based abroad; and if he will make a statement. [66256]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 20 January 1999]: Transfrontier broadcasting in Europe is regulated, in the European Economic Area, by Council Directive 89/552/EEC, as amended by Council Directive 97/36/EC ("The Broadcasting Directive"). Outside this area it is regulated by the European Convention on Transfrontier Television of the Council of Europe. Both legal instruments enshrine the "home State" principle; where a broadcaster is under the jurisdiction of one State, and hence licensed by that State, it may transmit freely to all others, provided that the minimum standards of the Directive or Convention are complied with. The Independent Television Commission may not extend its jurisdiction over such broadcasters, whether they broadcast by means of cable or satellite in the United Kingdom. Conversely, an ITC licensed broadcaster cannot be under the jurisdiction of any other State. By these means, a free market in legitimately licensed broadcasting services has been created throughout Europe.

  European public service broadcasters are expected to observe principles of political impartiality and balance in their coverage of news and current affairs. This is regulated by the competent authorities in individual States. Any concern about political impartiality in a programme from abroad would need to be taken up on a bilateral basis either with the relevant regulatory authority or with the relevant Government.

  Tourism (Training and Accommodation)
  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proposals his Department has to raise the standards of(a) staff training and (b) accommodation in the tourist industry. [67357]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 25 January 1999]: National Training Organisations (NTOs) are already working to ensure that training and development products are of high quality with a strong emphasis on transferable skills.

  Current accommodation inspection schemes aim to identify and promote establishments to the public so that they can use them with confidence, through a system of facility classification and quality grading. The English Tourist Board, the AA and the RAC are now harmonising their accommodation schemes. The new harmonised accommodation rating scheme, being launched to consumers in September 1999, places far more emphasis on quality and will remove the confusion caused by the plethora of signs, and the lack of clarity about what to expect from each kind of serviced accommodation.

  Further, our new tourism strategy, which will be published soon, aims to create a competitive world class tourism industry which provides affordable quality, is open to all and makes wise use of resources. The strategy contains specific recommendations for action to develop a trained and motivated work force in the industry and to improve the quality of tourist accommodation.

  Tourism (Devon)
  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much Government money per head of population was spent on tourism and tourist attractions in Devon in the most recent year for which figures are available. [67317]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 25 January 1999]: Government funding for the national tourist boards supports tourism in Devon and every other county. In 1998–99, some £35 million will go to the British Tourist Authority (BTA) and £9.7 million to the English Tourist Board (ETB). The ETB in turn grants around £504,000 to the West Country Tourist Board (WCTB) which covers Devon and other counties in the South West of England. It is not possible to distinguish support for Devon from support for other counties.

  Tourism also benefits from Lottery awards and funds from European programmes. In 1998–99, lottery awards of over £8 million (just over £7.50 per head of population) and over £1.4 million (just over £1.30 per head of population) from various European programmes has so far been granted to projects in Devon from which tourism stands to benefit.

  In addition, the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy estimates that in 1997–98 local authority expenditure on tourism promotion in Devon was just over £2.8 million (over £2.60 per head of population).

  New Opportunities Fund (ICT Training)
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport by what date New Opportunities Fund moneys for information and communication technology skills training for teachers will be available to schools. [67384]

  Mr. Banks
  [holding answer 25 January 1999]: The New Opportunities Fund (NOF) will be sending information to schools, including details of how to apply for their funding entitlement and how to use it, in Spring 1999. The aim is that training for teachers and school librarians can begin—in schools—in Summer term 1999. Funding from NOF will be available to schools from mid-April.

  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list, for the delivery of information and communications technology skills training for teachers funded by the New Opportunities Fund, the organisations which(a) expressed interest in applying to become approved providers, (b) formally applied to become approved providers and (c) have been accepted as approved providers. [67391]

  Mr. Banks
  The New Opportunities Fund (NOF) is currently completing an approval process within which prospective providers have to demonstrate the skills and experience necessary to deliver high quality training in information and communication technology (ICT).

  Some 3,500 organisations applied for the specification for training providers. Of this number 194 (England), 38 (Scotland), 38 (Wales), and 21 (Northern Ireland) made formal applications. The names of successful applicants will be published when final decisions have been taken.

  Royal Society of Literature
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to meet the chairman of the Royal Society of Literature. [65574]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  I will be meeting the Chairman of the Royal Society of Literature on 18 February.

DEFENCE

  Millennium Compliance
  Mr. Keith Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the percentage of his Department's systems which might be affected by millennium compliance failure by other Departments, public or private companies and international Government and non-governmental systems. [66752]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 21 January 1999]: We are discussing this issue with our major suppliers, and are seeking assurances of continuity of supply from them and from their suppliers in turn.

  Defence systems have relatively little dependence on systems in other Departments. We are liaising closely with our allies to identify the many international inter-dependencies and are working with them to ensure that allied and joint operations will not be adversely affected by the millennium date-change. These dependencies range from individual components to linkage between systems. Information on the number of such dependencies is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Dounreay
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on steps taken recently at the Vulcan Naval Reactor Test Establishment at Dounreay to enhance protection measures against earthquakes; and if he will estimate the cost of this work. [66424]

  Mr. Spellar
  Work is taking place at the Vulcan Naval Reactor Test Establishment at Dounreay to enhance protection against a number of potential hazards, including earthquakes, while preparing the facility for a further period of operation. Modifications are required to enable the facility to meet standards directly equivalent to those required by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate for modern civil nuclear facilities. The cost of work related to enhanced protection measures against earthquakes is estimated to be about £9 million.

  Infra-red Technology
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of investment by other Government departments into infra-red technology for use in the defence industry. [66670]

  Mr. Spellar
  None. Government investment in technology specifically intended for defence purposes would, however, be expected to fall primarily to the MOD.

  Royal Navy Personnel
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel, of which ranks, are currently attached to each Royal Navy vessel(a) mothballed and (b) awaiting refit. [66702]

  Ship/current role

  Rank

  Manning levels

  HMS Ark Royal (Preservation by Dehumidification)

  Commander

  1

  Junior Officers

  6

  Senior Rates

  26

  Junior Rates

  33

  66

  HMS Intrepid

  Standby (Preservation by Operation)

  Commander

  1

  Junior Officers

  4

  Senior Rates including 1 Royal Marine

  31

  Junior Rates including 2 Royal Marines

  41

  77

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the annual cost of the service personnel currently attached to(a) HMS Ark Royal and (b) HMS Intrepid. [66701]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  The annual cost of the service personnel currently attached to HMS Ark Royal and HMS Intrepid is some £1.7 million and £1.9 million respectively.

  Trident
  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of the British equivalent of the US Department of the Navy SP10 Memo 4900 SP131522 relating to UK Trident purchases in the US from fiscal year 1984 to date. [67040]

  Mr. George Robertson
  I am assuming that the documents which my hon. Friend is seeking are the UK's responses to the US Department of the Navy's budget authorisation requests. Copies of UK budget authorisations going back to 1984 are not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost. I have, however, arranged for the authorisations for the last six US fiscal years to be placed in the Library.

  More comprehensive estimates of UK Trident acquisitions and running costs were included in the Strategic Defence Review Supporting Essay Five.

  Nuclear Fuel
  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions have taken place with United States Government officials concerning the possibility of Britain meeting future US tritium requirements. [67212]

  Mr. George Robertson
  There are regular contacts and exchanges of information between the United States and the United Kingdom on nuclear matters under the aegis of the 1958 Agreement between the Governments of the United Kingdom and the United States on "Co-operation in the Use of Atomic Energy for Mutual Defence Purposes" Command 537 as amended. These contacts have included discussions on tritium requirements.
  266
  Mr. Doug Henderson
  HMS Ark Royal is at present undergoing preservation by dehumidification and HMS Intrepid is currently on standby. Staffing levels of the two ships as at 1 January 1999 were as follows:

  Chapelcross Nuclear Reactors
  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department has had with the DETR regarding the implications of the OSPAR agreement for continued operation of the Chapelcross tritium production facility. [67211]

  Mr. Spellar
  The MOD has not yet held discussions with the Department of the Environment, Transport, and Regions (DETR) on this matter. However, nuclear operators are having to consider how to achieve the targets set by OSPAR in July 1998 for reductions in discharges. I understand that the DETR are shortly to start discussions with operators, including BNFL who operate Chapelcross, so that proposals and programmes can be produced for presentation to OSPAR in 2000.

SCOTLAND

  Children (Scotland) Act 1995
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to review the operation of the Children (Scotland) Act 1995. [66634]

  Mr. Galbraith
  [holding answer 26 January 1999]: The Children (Scotland) Act 1995 is already kept under review in a number of ways. It was identified as a research priority area in 1996 and a number of research studies have been commissioned across a wide range of the Act's provisions. Progress is reported through a series of research bulletins, copies of which are in the Library.

  The operation of the Act is also reviewed regularly through inspections by the Social Work Services Inspectorate, publication of statistical information and a joint Scottish Office/COSLA working group set up for that purpose. A further indication of the effectiveness of the 1995 Act will come from the regular review of local authority children's services plans, which were required

  267
  to be in place from April 1998. Taken together, the information from these sources allow effective oversight of the Act to be maintained.

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

  Adoption and Fostering
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to gather and publish information about adoption and fostering in Scotland to record the numbers of children being placed, their ages and their care history. [66635]

  Mr. Galbraith
  [holding answer 26 January 1999]: Information on adoptions in Scotland is collected and published regularly. The next publication, for the year ending December 1998, is planned for March 1999 and will contain information on numbers of children adopted, their age distributions and whether the local authority was involved in the adoption.

  Information on the numbers of children looked after by foster carers is collected annually at an aggregate level. The latest data, for the year to March 1998, were published in December 1998. It is planned to publish an annual information note on the background of children who cease to be looked after during the year but without specifically identifying those children who were in foster care. There are no plans to collect or publish care histories on individual children.

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

  Care in the Community
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what sums his Department currently allocates to councils for each person provided with residential accommodation under Care in the Community. [66636]

  Mr. Galbraith
  [holding answer 26 January 1999]: The allocations of resources to councils for their community care responsibilities are calculated with reference to a range of indicators, and not by allocating a sum per person. These indicators are agreed in consultation with COSLA.

  The resultant distribution forms part of each council's Grant Aided Expenditure assessment which individual authorities allocate to services on the basis of local need. The Grant Aided Expenditure allocations for councils' social work responsibilities announced in the recent local government settlement for 1999–2000 total £1.1 billion, an increase of £50 million on the current year.

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

  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people in each council area are provided with residential accommodation under Care in the Community. [66637]

  Mr. Galbraith
  [holding answer 26 January 1999]: The number of adults cared for in local authority residential homes and the number in private or voluntary homes who are wholly or partially funded by local authorities in Scotland at 31 March 1997, are provided for each local authority in the table.
  268

  Local authority

  Residents in LA establishments

  Private/voluntary residents wholly or partially LA funded

  Total

  Aberdeen

  418

  437

  855

  Aberdeenshire

  344

  335

  679

  Angus

  189

  121

  310

  Argyll & Bute

  164

  174

  338

  Clackmannanshire

  69

  26

  95

  Dumfries & Galloway

  278

  228

  506

  Dundee

  399

  84

  483

  East Ayrshire

  122

  130

  252

  East Dunbartonshire

  42

  36

  78

  East Lothian

  145

  131

  276

  East Renfrewshire

  43

  92

  135

  Edinburgh

  669

  623

  1,292

  Falkirk

  189

  187

  376

  Fife

  419

  269

  688

  Glasgow

  1,160

  978

  2,138

  Highland

  346

  416

  762

  Inverclyde

  73

  178

  251

  Midlothian

  148

  81

  229

  Moray

  148

  113

  261

  North Ayrshire

  126

  167

  293

  North Lanarkshire

  418

  305

  723

  Orkney Islands

  68

  9

  77

  Perth & Kinross

  177

  259

  436

  Renfrewshire

  243

  223

  466

  Scottish Borders

  213

  257

  470

  Shetland Islands

  64

  39

  103

  South Ayrshire

  165

  176

  341

  South Lanarkshire

  437

  179

  616

  Stirling

  108

  162

  270

  West Dunbartonshire

  228

  47

  275

  West Lothian

  214

  94

  308

  Western Isles

  177

  18

  195

  Scotland

  8,003

  6,574

  14,577

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

  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what figures his Department uses to determine the economic charge per room which housing associations and other providers under the Care in the Community scheme have to charge to meet the registration standards set for staffing, food and accommodation and their loan charges. [66638]

  Mr. Galbraith
  [holding answer 26 January 1999]: We do not calculate charges per room. Supported accommodation is only one of a large range of care options available to councils to meet their community care responsibilities. The distribution of funding—which is undertaken in consultation with COSLA—is not based on the cost of any one option.

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

  St. Patrick's Day Parades
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will collate and publish data from police authorities on(a) the number of towns in which St. Patrick's Day parades are held each year, (b) police estimates of the number of participants in parades of over 1,000 persons for each of the last 10 years and (c) the number of parades which raised public order concerns. [66962]

  Mr. McLeish
  [holding answer 26 January 1999]: The police have no record of any St. Patrick's Day parades taking place in Scotland.
  269
  There have been no parades involving more than 1,000 people in the Dumfries and Galloway, Fife, Grampian or Northern police force areas. The information in respect of the remaining areas is as follows:
  Central Scotland: One annual parade, of greatly variable size.
  Lothian and Borders: One annual parade averaging 1,000 participants.
  Strathclyde: (Information is available for the last 3 years only).
  1996–21 parades averaging 2,700 participants
  1997–28 parades averaging 3,530 participants
  1998–23 parades averaging 5,100 participants
  Tayside: One parade in 1993 involving approximately 7,500 participants.

  All large parades require to be effectively policed to ensure the safety of the participants involved and of the public. However, only the parade in Tayside gave rise to serious public order concerns.

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

  Saughton Prison
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the special segregation unit at Saughton prison was completed; how much it cost; how many prisoners it is designed to accommodate; how many staff will work there; when he expects it to be in operation; and if he will make a statement. [67497]

  Mr. McLeish
  The new Segregation Unit was completed in November 1998, at a cost of £1.3 million, excluding VAT. The Unit has been designed to hold a maximum of 14 prisoners. Staff on duty at any one time will comprise one Supervisor, 3 Residential Officers, and, when required, one Administrative Officer. The Unit will be brought into operation once current discussions with the Scottish Prison Officers' Association, about staffing levels for the establishment as a whole, have been satisfactorily concluded.

  From 1 July 1999, prison service issues will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

  Housing Partnership Funding
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the local authorities which have bid for new housing partnership funding for the period 1999–2002, detailing for each authority(a) if the bid is a feasibility study of stock transfers, how many dwellings are covered by the study and (b) if the bid is for actual transfers of homes, how many dwellings the authority plans to transfer, if funding requirements are met in full. [67499]

  Mr. Macdonald
  All local authorities except Angus Council have submitted bids for New Housing Partnership funding for the period 1999–2002. Bids are at present being assessed by the New Housing Partnerships Advisory Group which will be making recommendations to Ministers. An announcement on the successful bids, including those involving feasibility work for councils considering the possibility of housing transfer, is expected around the end of February.

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

  Scottish Office Documents
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the documents published by the Scottish Office since May 1997 indicating which were sent unsolicited(a) to all Scottish hon. Members and (b) to selected hon. Members. [67496]

  Mr. Dewar
  The Scottish Office produces a large number of publications of different kinds. A list of items published between May 1997 and January 1998 was placed in the House Library in February 1998. A further list of items published in the year to January 1999 will be placed in the Library as soon as possible.

  Information about which publications were sent to hon. Members is not held centrally, and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost. In general, The Scottish Office seeks to ensure that key publications are brought to the attention of hon. Members by sending copies to the hon. Member for each Scottish constituency. In addition, Scottish Office publications are available on the Department's web site: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/.

  Social Exclusion Projects
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the social exclusion projects currently in operation in Scotland indicating for each(a) the number of people benefiting, (b) the Government's financial contribution and (c) the total cost. [67498]

  Mr. Macdonald
  The Government are taking forward a wide range of programmes and projects to promote social inclusion in Scotland. Over the next three years, the Government will invest £48 million in the new Social Inclusion Partnerships; £49 million in the National Childcare Strategy; £26 million in New Community Schools; £49 million in Early Intervention schemes; £24 million in Alternatives to Exclusion from School; and an additional £278 million in New Housing Partnerships. The Government have also pledged around £350 million over the lifetime of this Parliament to support the New Deals in Scotland, another key element of the Government's programme to promote inclusion. The Government's programme to promote social inclusion in Scotland will be set out in detail in the context of its "social inclusion strategy", to be published shortly.

  From 1 July 1999, action taken forward under the social inclusion strategy will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

  Education White Paper
  Miss Begg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will publish the Government's Education White Paper; and if he will make a statement. [68124]

  Mr. Dewar
  I have today published our Education White Paper, entitled Targeting Excellence: Modernising Scotland's Schools. Copies have been sent to all Members with a Scottish constituency, and are also available in the Library of the House.

  It sets out a radical programme for improvement and an approach to modernisation to achieve our objective of a world class schools system founded on excellence. At its centre is a focus on the needs of the individual child.
  271
  The programme for improvement incorporates a wide range of proposals in the early years, throughout the work of schools and to support children in learning outside the classroom. Key policies include a strategy on literacy and numeracy, the National Grid for Learning, involvement of parents and the piloting of New Community Schools.

  Our approach to modernisation includes proposals on the teaching profession and organisation of schools to ensure that the framework within which schools and teachers operate empowers them to take responsibility for their own improvement. Many of these proposals are for further consideration and consultation.

  From 1 July 1999 education will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament, and it will be for them to consider how they wish to take forward the proposals outlined in the paper.

WALES

  National Assembly (EU Representation)
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he plans to establish representation for the National Assembly in Brussels which is separate from UK representation; and if he will make a statement. [66280]

  Mr. Michael
  Wales will continue to be represented formally in Brussels by the Office of the United Kingdom Permanent Representative. However, it will be for the Assembly itself to decide whether it wishes to establish a local presence in Brussels.

  Paediatric Heart Surgery
  Ms Julie Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to develop paediatric heart surgery in Wales. [66281]

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  The University Hospital of Wales is currently engaged in discussions with the Royal College of Surgeons over the best arrangements for delivering cardiac services for children following the departure of a key surgeon. The formal link between Cardiff's paediatric cardiac unit and Birmingham Children's Hospital ensures that children who need treatment are receiving it. The setting up of the associated paediatric intensive care unit at UHW, for which the Department is providing additional funding, will help to maintain and develop a viable high quality clinical service for the children of Wales.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  Employment (South Wales Valleys)
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of employment trends in the south Wales valleys. [66282]

  Mr. Michael
  The Welsh Office will be publishing "A Statistical Focus on Wales: Valleys" on 24 February 1999. It will contain a significant amount of information on the labour market in the Valleys, compared with the rest of Wales.
  272
  Addressing the needs of the Valleys and West Wales is one of my main priorities as set out in "Pathway to Prosperity".

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  Nurses and Midwives
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many(a) nurses and (b) midwives have undergone training in Wales in the current year. [66283]

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  In Wales there were 2,300 nurses undertaking three year diploma or degree courses during 1998 and 63 nurses undertaking a four year degree course. Eighty four nurses have taken the 18 month post basic midwifery diploma course and 36 students are undertaking the three year direct entry midwifery diploma course. In addition 140 nurses were undertaking the Diploma in Community Health studies course.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  Mr. Peter Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many whole-time equivalent nurses are currently employed in Wales. [66289]

  Mr. Michael
  The NHS in Wales reported that there were 23,691 whole time equivalent staff employed in the nursing, midwifery and health visiting group in September 1998.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  NHS Beds
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to encourage the more effective use of beds in the NHS. [66284]

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  It is important that all parts of the NHS operate effectively and efficiently. The decisions on trust reconfiguration will enable more effective use of facilities in co-operation with other organisations, and the work already underway on a Corporate Strategy for NHS Wales together with the performance framework set out in "Putting Patients First", will contribute to improved results.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  Gwynedd County Council (Employment Policies)
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Welsh Language Board regarding the employment policies of Gwynedd county council. [66285]

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  My right hon. Friend and I have held no such discussions with the Welsh Language Board.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received regarding employment discrimination against non-Welsh speakers by Gwynedd county council; and if he will make a statement. [66288]
  273
  Mr. Michael
  I have not personally received any representations since coming to office. My Department has received one representation. The Welsh Office has no power to investigate or intervene in local authority recruitment matters. Accordingly, the correspondent was advised to bring any concerns he might have to the attention of Gwynedd Council's Monitoring Officer.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  Livestock Industry
  Mr. Paterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the prospects for the Welsh livestock industry. [66286]

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  The Welsh Office is working with the Welsh Development Agency and the industry to develop an Action Plan for the lamb and beef sectors which will be published in the Spring. This, together with the promotional work being done by organisations such as Welsh Lamb and Beef Promotions to reopen our European markets, will provide a basis for the Welsh livestock industry to strengthen its competitiveness and adapt to meet the challenges facing it.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  Education Funding
  Mr. Touhig
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the funding for education in Wales for 1999–2000. [66287]

  Mr. Michael
  I have announced an extra £117 million spending for education in 1999–2000. The main elements are £70 million in the local government revenue settlement for education; an additional £23.5 million for further education; and an additional £38.2 million for higher education. Further details will be announced shortly.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  National Assembly
  Caroline Flint
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has in respect of the working hours of the Welsh Assembly and the provision of child care to support Welsh Assembly members and staff with children under 14 years of age. [66290]

  Mr. Michael
  It is for the Assembly itself to determine its working hours and its child care policy, having regard to the recommendations of the National Assembly Advisory Group (NAAG).

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much is planned to be spent on making ready a debating chamber for the National Assembly in Crickhowell House. [66291]

  Mr. Michael
  The estimated cost for providing a temporary chamber is £1 million.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.
  274
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what changes he is proposing for ministerial responsibilities within his Department consequent upon the establishment of the National Assembly. [66293]

  Mr. Michael
  This is a matter for consideration once the Assembly is established.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  Ms Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about how he proposes to handle appointments to public bodies which are due to be considered in the run-up to, and during the establishment of, the National Assembly for Wales. [68344]

  Mr. Michael
  In considering appointments which fall due in this period I have been mindful of the need to allow the Assembly to take over its responsibilities quickly and in an orderly way in relation to those public bodies for which it will be responsible. It has been necessary to give early consideration to such appointments because of the time required for the appointments process.

  I have now had the opportunity of considering appointments in detail and, generally, I propose to extend existing appointments for up to 12 months to allow the Assembly time to introduce its own policy and procedures. This is not suitable for all appointments and there is a need for some full term re-appointments and new appointments.

  Different public bodies have varying circumstances and each one has had to be considered individually. The factors which have been taken into account in each case have been the potential impact on the body concerned of short term extensions to existing appointments, the need for long term stability and continuity; the number of appointments becoming vacant at any one time; the need to retain specialist knowledge or a balance of skills on the body concerned; past difficulties in recruiting members; and the number of appointments held by candidates. In all cases, I have had full regard to the guidance and advice of the Commissioner for Public Appointments and I shall continue to do so.

  Decisions have now been taken on most of the appointments concerned and these will be announced in the coming weeks.

  EU Structural Funds
  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about reform of European structural funds in relation to Wales. [66292]

  Mr. Michael
  It is important that reform of the Structural Funds provides an outcome that is affordable, durable and fair and my Department is fully involved in discussions at the UK level and in Brussels to secure an outcome consistent with these principles. For Wales this should ensure that Structural Funds support is targeted at the most needy areas of the country and it remains very likely that West Wales and the Valleys will benefit from an Objective 1 programme starting next year.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  Road Safety, Croesyceiliog
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the danger to pedestrians crossing the A4042 at the pedestrian crossing at Croesyceiliog. [66294]

  Mr. Hain
  Pedestrian safety is of paramount importance to the Welsh Office. Since an at-grade crossing place was provided in late 1987, no reported injury accidents involving pedestrians have occurred at this point, and the situation is constantly monitored.

  During the design of the Llantarnam Bypass scheme and the subsequent Public Inquiry careful consideration was given to the issue of pedestrian safety.

  Additional signing was provided, advising pedestrians and motorists of the crossing point and to help encourage pedestrian use of the upgraded subway.

  Officials have recently agreed to meet with local residents for a discussion of their concerns in this matter.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  NHS Vacancies
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many vacancies for(a) nurses, (b) doctors and (c) midwives there are in the NHS in Wales. [66295]

  Mr. Michael
  Although this information is not collected centrally we do have some information regarding nurses and midwives but not doctors. The workforce plans produced by NHS Trusts identified at 30 September 1997, 442 vacancies for registered nurses in Wales out of 11,243 staff in post; 30 vacancies for community nurses out of a total 2,634 staff in post; and 24 vacancies for widwives out of 1,284 staff in post. The 1998 data will be available in May 1999. A nurse executive survey undertaken in June 1998, suggested that nursing vacancies had risen to 597.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  Welsh Development Agency
  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he is taking to ensure that the Welsh Development Agency supports indigenous Welsh businesses as fully as it supports foreign investors. [66415]

  Mr. Michael
  Yesterday, on 26 January 1999,Official Report, column 172, in response to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire (Ms Lawrence), I announced that I had written to the Chairman of the Welsh Development Agency setting out Strategic Guidance for the period to March 2000. A copy of this letter is available in the Library of the House. I made it clear that the Agency, in addition to attracting foreign direct investment, must concentrate on supporting new businesses and encouraging small businesses to grow in all parts of Wales.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  Schools (Funding)
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the funding for schools in Wales for 1999–2000. [66279]

  Mr. Hain
  We have allocated an additional £70 million for education in 1999–2000 and I have made it clear that the bulk of this money should go into delegated school budgets to support teachers and promote higher standards in the classroom.

  An extra £13 million for capital works at local authority schools is available in 1999–2000. This on top of capital provision for local authorities through Basic Credit Approvals (BCAs). The notional provision for education BCAs is £42.939m.

  Further announcements covering the Grants for Education Support and Training (GEST) programme and for infant class size reduction will be made shortly.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  Quangos
  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many quango posts in Wales have become vacant since May 1997; in which newspapers advertisements for these posts have been published; and which of these posts were filled without having been publicly advertised. [67272]

  Mr. Michael
  Seventy one Public Appointment vacancies in NDPBs in Wales have arisen. Of these;Sixty vacancies have been advertised in local and national press.
  Three vacancies were not filled due to merger or abolition of the body or transfer of powers, these being one member position on the Welsh Health Common Services Agency, one member position on the Health Promotion Authority for Wales and one member position on the Development Board for Rural Wales.
  One member vacancy on the Ancient Monuments Board was not advertised as the appointment is made from a nominated source as laid down in statute.
  Two member vacancies on the Tai Cymru Board falling in May 1997 were not advertised because the appointments process began under the previous administration. The board has now ceased to exist.
  The appointments process has yet to begin for the five remaining vacancies. These are one member position on the Court and Council of the Museum and Galleries of Wales, one member position on the Arts Council for Wales, one member position on the Sports Council for Wales, one member position on the Gwent Agriculture Wages Committee and one member position on the Gwynedd Agriculture Wages Committee.

  The local and national press used to advertise these vacancies in varying combinations were: the Western Mail, the Liverpool Daily Post, The Guardian, The Times, The Times Educational Supplement, The Times Higher Education Supplement, The Sunday Times, "Golwg", "Y Cymro", Water Bulletin and the Library Association Record.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  Teacher Training
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated cost, in each of the next three financial years, of the recently announced inducement
  277
  payments for students prepared to undertake teacher training courses; if these payments are to be made to students regardless of whether they are undertaking such courses in Wales or elsewhere; and if such grants will be made by his Department to students from outside Wales wishing to undertake such courses at colleges in Wales. [67104]

  Mr. Hain
  Payments of the bursaries for mathematics and science students will be made to those who undertake a PGCE course in mathematics or science in Wales, starting in September 1999. It will be paid as £2,500 during the PGCE course, and £2,500 to trainees entering the teaching profession. The full payment of the bursary will therefore be conditional on those students subsequently entering teaching within those subjects.

  It is estimated that based on current intake targets the scheme in Wales could cost £775,000 per annum in 1999–2000 and the following two financial years. Payments will be made to all students undertaking courses in Wales; similarly, payments will be made by the Department for Education and Employment to all students undertaking courses in England. The precise mechanism for making the payments will be finalised in the next few months.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  Government Residential Property
  Ms Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how his Department has performed against last year's targets for reducing empty Government residential property; and what new targets have been set for 1998–99. [68345]

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  I am pleased to announce that the Welsh Office was largely successful in meeting the target set for disposal of empty government homes in 1997–98.

  We are continuing to set challenging targets for disposal or bringing back into use those properties which become empty and hope to be able to maintain our success over the coming year.

  Details of achievements against targets for 1997–98 and new targets for 1998–99 are set as follows.

  Empty government residential property

  Number

  Welsh Office achievements 1997–98

  Total stock 1 April 1997

  114

  Empty stock 1 April 1997

  33

  1997–98 Target for disposal or bringing back into use

  33

  Achievement against target

  28

  Welsh Office targets 1998–99

  Total stock 1 April 1998

  136

  Empty stock 1 April 1998

  117

  Target for disposal or bringing back into use

  9

  1 Includes 8 properties vandalised/derelict held for future road schemes and considered unsuitable for bringing back into use

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  Concessionary Travel (Blind and Visually Impaired)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will introduce regulations to require local authorities in Wales to provide a mandatory concessionary travel scheme for blind and visually impaired people. [67448]

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  Under the Transport Act 1985 local authorities may provide travel concessions for people who are blind or partially sighted, although there is no requirement to do so. My priority with concessionary fares is to ensure that from April all authorities provide schemes for pensioners which meet the minimum standard of a £5 bus pass and half-fares, and then to move to free bus travel for pensioners over the next two to three years. This will of course benefit many blind and visually impaired people.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  Tir Gofal Agri-environmental Scheme
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received since the meeting of the Welsh Grand Committee on 16 December 1998 concerning the Tir Gofal agri-environmental scheme. [66269]

  Mr. Michael
  No representations have been received about Tir Gofal since the Welsh Grand Committee met on 16 December 1998.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

  Environmental Projects
  Mrs. Betty Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the funding of projects to improve the environment of Wales for 1999–2000. [66277]

  Mr. Michael
  I have announced that I will be making provision of £12.4 million for Tir Gofal over the next three years. Continuing support will be available from the Environment Wales grant scheme, CCW and others such as the WDA.

  I will be making an announcement shortly about the £3 million I have earmarked for an Environment Development Fund. I thank my hon. Friend for her interest.

  In future this will become the responsibility of the National Assembly.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Aerosol Sprays
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what mechanisms exist to assess the toxicity of, and to approve the use of, the ingredients of aerosol spray products used in the domestic environment. [67910]

  Dr. Howells
  A number of chemicals are banned from use in consumer products by Directives agreed by all European Union Member States. Chemicals prohibited under the 'Classification, Packaging And Labelling Dangerous Substances Directive 67/548/EEC' and the
  279
  'Restrictions On the Marketing And Use Of Certain Dangerous Substances And Preparations Directive 76/769/EEC', are not available for use by aerosol, or other manufacturers. Dangerous chemicals are regularly reviewed under these Directives. The safety of chemicals not prohibited under these Directives and intended for use in domestic products, including aerosols, is regulated by the Chemicals (Hazard Information And Packaging For Supply) Regulations 1994 as amended.

  These Regulations require, amongst other things, that manufacturers must assess a chemical product for its health effects (toxicity, irritancy etc.). If dangerous the product must then be labelled with a warning symbol and with phrases indicating the dangers. The particular chemical(s) which cause the product to be classified must also be named on the label. The Regulations also require that all potentially dangerous chemicals supplied to the public must be in packaging which is properly labelled and contains warnings about the potential hazards and giving brief advice on suitable precautions.

  Casalee
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what investigations Her Majesty's Government have carried out into the affairs of Casalee; [65127]

  (2) what dealings representatives of Her Majesty's Government have had with Casalee. [65128]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 18 January 1999]: As far as the DTI is concerned, a search of the most potentially relevant sources of information has produced no evidence of any DTI dealings with—or investigations into the affairs of Casalee.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the role of Her Majesty's Government official was in(a) sponsoring and (b) participating in discussions between Mr. John Bredenkamp and Brigadier Julius in connection with the affairs of (i) Allivane and (ii) Casalee. [65129]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 18 January 1999]: As far as the DTI is concerned, a search of the most potentially relevant sources of information has produced no evidence of any role played by DTI officials in these matters.

  Stephen Kock
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) in what role Mr. Stephen Kock represented Her Majesty's Government in his dealings with Mr. Gerald Bull and the Space Research Corporation; [65149]

  (2) in what role Mr. Stephen Kock represented Her Majesty's Government when advising Societe Generale de Belge, GECHEM and Warburgs during the negotiations by Astra to purchase PRB. [65150]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 18 January 1999]: As far as the DTI is concerned, I am not aware that Mr. Kock has ever represented the Department.
  280
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which civil servants in his Department met Mr. Stephen Kock to discuss matters relating to defence contracts with Malaysia in the period from January 1985 to the end of December 1988. [65138]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 18 January 1999]: A search of the most potentially relevant sources of information has produced no evidence of any such meetings between DTI officials and Mr. Kock.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions took place between his Department's officials and representatives of the Scott inquiry on the advisability of calling upon Mr. Stephen Kock to give evidence to that inquiry(a) before, (b) during and (c) after the inquiry. [65131]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 18 January 1999]: All issues relating to whom to call to give evidence to the Scott inquiry were solely a matter for Sir Richard Scott and his inquiry team.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions have taken place since 1992 between representatives of Her Majesty's Government and Mr. Stephen Kock over the dealings of Messrs Allivane in defence contracting between 1989 and 1992. [65124]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 18 January 1999]: As far as the DTI is concerned, a search of the potentially most relevant sources of information has produced no evidence of any DTI involvement in such discussions.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what role was played by his Department in sponsoring dealings in defence matters between Mr. Stephen Kock and Sir Thomas Legg. [65142]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 18 January 1999]: I am not aware of any role played by the DTI in relation to dealings in defence matters between Mr. Stephen Kock and Sir Thomas Legg.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which Government-sponsored delegations to Russia between 1990 and 1995 included Mr. Stephen Kock. [65157]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 18 January 1999]: I am not aware of any Government-sponsored delegations to Russia between 1990 and 1995 which included Mr. Kock.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what role has been played by Mr. Stephen Kock in conjunction with representatives of Her Majesty's Government in arranging, promoting or negotiating arms supply to China. [65139]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 18 January 1999]: As far as the DTI is concerned, a search of the most potentially relevant sources of information has produced no evidence of any collaboration between Mr. Stephen Kock and the DTI in arranging, promoting or negotiating arms supply to China.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in what role Mr. Stephen Kock represented Her Majesty's Government when he negotiated credit for Iraq. [65151]
  281
  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 18 January 1999]: Mr. Kock did not represent the Export Credits Guarantee Department when credit facilities were negotiated for Iraq.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what role was played by his Department in sponsoring dealings on defence contracting matters between Mr. Stephen Kock, Mr. Roy Barber and Mr. Dennis Robertson of Stoy Hayward. [65141]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 18 January 1999]: A search of the most potentially relevant sources of information has produced no evidence of a role played by the DTI in any such matters.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consideration was made by his Department's inspectors of the advisability of bringing legal proceedings against Mr. Stephen Kock as a director of Astra. [65132]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 18 January 1999]: The Companies Act inspectors were appointed to investigate and report on the affairs of Astra and in particular the circumstances surrounding the acquisition of a Belgian company, PRB. However, when asked for their views on directors disqualification, the inspectors did not identify Stephen Kock as a candidate for such proceedings.

  Companies House
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his estimate of the increased income which will accrue to Companies House in 1999–2000 as a result of proposed changes to the level of fees to take effect on 1 March 1999. [67913]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 26 January 1999]: The increased income expected in 1999–2000 as a result of proposed changes to fees from 1 March 1999 is approximately £2 million. This figure includes both the direct effect of changed fees and the forecast impact on sales revenue as volumes adjust to changed fees and other market-place parameters.

  End-of-life Vehicles
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what is his Department's current estimate of the cost of implementation of the draft EC Directive on end-of-life vehicles; [67341]

  (2) if he will publish the results of the consultation exercise by his Department to assess the implications of the draft EC Directive on end-of-life vehicles. [67342]

  Dr. Howells
  The Government estimate that the cost of implementing this Directive will be £312 million per annum in 2005 and £388 million per annum in 2015. My Department submitted an Explanatory Memorandum and Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) on the Directive to the European Scrutiny Committee in December 1998, and the RIA was then updated in January 1999. These documents summarise the results of our consultation exercise and give further details on the costs and benefits of this Directive. Copies of the Explanatory Memorandum and the RIA are available from the Vote Office, and copies of the updated RIA have been placed in the Library of the House.
  282
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the effect of the End of Vehicle Life directive on vintage and classic cars; what is his Department's current cost compliance assessment; what voting arrangements apply to the directive; and if he will make a statement. [67392]

  Dr. Howells
  Vintage and classic vehicles will only be affected by this Directive if they become 'waste' as defined under existing legislation—in other words, when the owners have decided to discard them. My Department submitted an Explanatory Memorandum and Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) on this Directive to the European Scrutiny Committee in December 1998, and the RIA was then updated in January 1999. Copies of the Explanatory Memorandum and RIA are available from the Vote Office, and copies of the updated RIA have been placed in the Libraries of the House. This Directive is a qualified majority voting Directive made under Article 130s(1) of the Treaty of Rome. It has still to be finalised and decisions on the Council's Common Position are not expected until the next Environment Council in March.

  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he plans to implement the European Union Directive on End-of-Life Vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [67154]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 26 January 1999]: This Directive has still to be finalised. Decisions on the Council's Common Position will not be taken until the next Environment Council in March, and the Directive is not presently expected to come into force until the year 2000. We would then envisage that Member States would be given an appropriate period in which to implement the Directive.

  Industrial Tribunals
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of(a) chairmen and (b) wing members of industrial tribunals are women. [67742]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  The Employment Rights (Dispute Resolution) Act 1998 renamed industrial tribunals as employment tribunals from 1 August 1998.

  The current percentage of women who are (a) employment tribunal chairmen (including the Presidents) is 15.4 per cent. and (b) lay members is 29.5 per cent.

  British Aviation
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future of British aviation. [66930]

  Mr. Battle
  The Prime Minister's statement with the Heads of Government of France and Germany of December 1997 made it clear that there is an urgent need to restructure the aerospace and defence industries in Europe, if our companies are to continue to compete successfully in world markets. That remains the case. However, as Ministers have made clear, it is for industry to make specific restructuring proposals.

  Any proposed merger would be considered by the relevant competition authorities. Each case would be considered on its own merits.

  Tourism
  Mr. Gordon Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of loans under the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme have been in the leisure, hospitality and tourism sectors; and what is the total value of such loans. [67400]

  Mr. Wills
  Loans under the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme are recorded under the Central Statistical Office's Standard Industrial Classification of economic activities. Leisure, hospitality and tourism are not recognised as separate sectors within this classification.

  Businesses in these areas are distributed within a range of industrial sectors and a manual collection of the data would incur disproportionate costs.

  Millennium Compliance
  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the percentage of electrical goods currently on sale in the United Kingdom which are not millennium compliant; what steps he is taking to ensure that goods which are not millennium compliant are clearly marked as such; and if he will make a statement. [66645]

  Mr. Wills
  [holding answer 20 January 1999]: Only a small percentage of electrical goods on sale in the United Kingdom depend on date changes to function correctly. The 'Millennium Bug Homecheck!' brochure available from Action 2000 and major high street retailers contains a list of domestic electrical and transport equipment not affected by the date change and a list of those which are, mainly home computers, video recorders, burglar alarms, fax machines, digital cameras, answerphones, camcorders, videophones and watches. The Government have sought to make sure that suppliers of electrical goods are fully aware of their responsibilities for ensuring compliance of any such goods on sale that are affected by the date change. Many of the large retailers have tested their electrical goods and given written guarantees that they are millennium compliant.

  The application of false or misleading statements to products is a criminal offence under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968. Any goods falsely described as millennium compliant would be subject to controls which already exist.

  Regional Aid
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give details of the proportion of EU structural funding proposed for rural areas under the European guidelines on regional aid published in March 1998. [66142]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 18 January 1999]: The Commission's draft regulation for the Structural and Cohesion Funds for post 1999 propose that rural areas could be eligible for funding under Objectives 1, 2 and 3. There is also a proposal for a Community Initiative for rural development. There are no details of proportions of funding available to rural or any other areas at a national level.
  284
  The Guidelines on Regional Aid, published by the Commission in March 1998, cover the review of Assisted Areas which is the subject of a separate exercise. No decisions have been yet made on areas which might be eligible after 1 January 2000.

  Unsolicited Faxes
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he plans to take to regulate the unsolicited sending of facsimile messages. [67456]

  Mr. Wills
  Further to my predecessor' s written answer on 16 November 1998,Official Report, column 434, the Government laid the Telecommunications (Data Protection and Privacy) (Direct Marketing) Regulations 1998 before Parliament on 17 December 1998. These Regulations will come into force on 1 May 1999.

  The Regulations will prohibit the sending of unsolicited direct marketing faxes to private individuals and sole traders in the UK, as well as to partnerships in England and Wales. The Regulations also establish an "opt-out" scheme for corporate subscribers who do not wish to receive such faxes. The Office of Telecommunications (OFTEL) is responsible for setting up the opt-out scheme. Details of how to register will be publicised in due course.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Al Shifa Factory, Khartoum
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response Her Majesty's Government gave to the letter of the Sudanese Minister of Foreign Affairs of 27 October 1998 asking for clarification of his comments, made on 23 October, to the effect that Her Majesty's Government had independent evidence that the Al Shifa factory in Khartoum was making chemical or biological weapons before the United States air strike. [67623]

  Mr. Fatchett
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary did not make the comments to which my hon. Friend refers.

  Departmental Papers (Access for Visually Impaired)
  Mr. Michael J. Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for departmental(a) White and (b) Green Papers to be made available on floppy disk format in a form which facilitates access for the visually impaired. [67839]

  Mr. Fatchett
  Under current publishing arrangements FCO would make any White or Green papers available on its Web site—www.fco.gov.uk. Standard Web browsing software allows documents to be viewed online in large fonts, or downloaded for use in specialised computer systems for the visually impaired. There are no plans to supplement this by floppy disk distribution.

  Departmental Publications
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list by title the publications produced by his Department since 1 February 1998. [67385]
  285
  Mr. Fatchett
  A list of departmental publications from February to December 1998 has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Departmental Recruits (Human Rights Course)
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the(a) instructors, (b) location and (c) subjects concerned in the one day human rights course for new Foreign Office recruits. [67368]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  Human rights training courses are held in the FCO and are organised by the Human Rights Policy Department. They cover international law and institutions, UK policy, projects and case studies, as well as presentations by NGOs. In human rights training courses over the last six months, presentations have been given by Amnesty International; Save the Children Fund; Article 19; Penal Reform International; Medical Foundation for the Victims of Torture; and Minority Rights Group.

  Joint Consultative Committee
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with Liberal Democrat Members using the Joint Consultative Committee mechanism. [67056]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  [holding answer 25 January 1999]: I have attended several meetings of the Joint Consultative Committee since its inception.

  I have also had one bilateral meeting with the Liberal Democrat spokesman on foreign affairs and defence.

  Biological Weapons Convention
  Ms McCafferty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how the Government will promote proposals for a strengthened Biological Weapons Convention by the year 2000 at the forthcoming negotiations in Geneva. [67158]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  Strengthening the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC) is a key Government objective in the field of arms control. The UK is playing a leading role in the negotiations on a legally-binding Protocol where we are chairing the sessions on compliance measures. This section will be at the heart of the future verification regime. With a total of 16 weeks of negotiations in 1999, the UK will be working closely with its EU partners, and all other countries actively seeking completion of a Protocol during 2000. Consistent with the importance we attach to this work, the UK has offered to host the Signing Ceremony of the Protocol in London.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times he or his junior ministers have paid official visits to(a) the Czech Republic, (b) Poland, (c) Hungary, (d) Slovenia, (e) Estonia and (f) Cyprus since May 1997; and what was the purpose of each visit. [67699]
  286
  Ms Quin
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary undertook visits to the Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary in November 1997 and to Slovenia in November 1998.

  My predecessor as Minister of State for Europe, my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, North (Mr. Henderson), also undertook the following visits:
  Slovenia—October 1997
  Estonia—November 1997
  Poland—April 1998
  Czech Republic—April 1998.

  The purpose of each visit was to discuss matters of bilateral interest.

  No FCO Ministerial visits have been made to Cyprus since 1 May 1997.

  European Young Consumer Competition
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the running of the fifth European Young Consumer Competition, on the Single Currency, in the United Kingdom. [67463]

  Dr. Howells
  I have been asked to reply.

  I fully support the competition's objective of encouraging young people to become more enlightened consumers and communicators so that they can take full advantage of the benefits of the Single Market. That said, involvement in the competition is a matter for individual schools and teachers to consider.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Income Support
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate on the basis of current policy how many(a) men and (b) women, aged (i) 65 to 69, (ii) 70 to 79 and (iii) 80 years or above in 2050, will receive income support by that date. [65425]

  Angela Eagle
  The information requested is not available. Such information as is available is as follows.

  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. Estimates of the number of pensioners receiving Income Support in 2050 have been made by extrapolating results from the PENSIM model. These estimates can only give a broad indication of the likely order of magnitude of figures so far into the future, and are heavily rounded. Estimates of sub-groups of this caseload are not available.

  On the basis of existing policies, estimates suggest that 1 in 3 (3.5 million) pensioners in 2050 could rely on Income Support. Even if no behavioural changes are assumed, our proposals in our new insurance contract for pensions will mean that these estimates are reduced to approximately 1 in 4 (2.5 million) pensioners receiving income from the Minimum Income Guarantee in 2050, and a lower proportion in years after 2050.
  287
  Mrs. Gilroy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how much it would cost to raise the upper threshold of income support for those in residential or nursing care to £40,000 with a lower limit of(a) £10,000, (b) £20,000, (c) £30,000 and (d) no lower limit; [67242]

  (2) how much it would cost to raise the upper threshold of income support for those in residential or nursing care to £50,000 with a lower limit of (a) £10,000, (b) £20,000, (c) £30,000, (d) £40,000 and (e) no lower limit; [67243]

  (3) how much it would cost to raise the upper threshold of income support for those in residential or nursing care to £60,000 with a lower limit of (a) £10,000, (b) £20,000, (c) £30,000, (d) £40,000, (e) £50,000 and (f) no lower limit; [67244]

  (4) how much it would cost to raise the upper threshold of income support for those in residential or nursing care to £70,000 with a lower limit of (a) £10,000, (b) £20,000, (c) £30,000, (d) £40,000, (e) £50,000, (f) £60,000 and (g) no lower limit. [67245]

  Angela Eagle
  The information is in the table.

  Estimated costs to income support of changes to the capital limits for residential care

  £ million

  Upper limit £40k

  Upper limit £50k

  Upper limit £60k

  Upper limit £70k

  Lower limit—£ 10k

  25

  25

  25

  25

  Lower limit—£20k

  50

  50

  75

  75

  Lower limit—£30k

  50

  75

  100

  100

  Lower limit—£40k

  —

  100

  125

  125

  Lower limit—£50k

  —

  —

  150

  175

  Lower limit—£60k

  —

  —

  —

  200

  Lower limit—none

  75

  125

  175

  200

  Notes:

  1. The estimates of the costs to income support of raising the capital limits for residential care should be regarded as orders of magnitude only. They are for Great Britain at 1997–98 prices, rounded to the nearest £25 million. The analysis uses information from the 1996–97 Family Resources Survey on the income and assets of single very elderly people as a proxy for information on the income and assets of residents.

  2. The estimates relate to the impact on income support expenditure only—not to any linked changes that might occur to capital limits for local support in residential care.

  3. If they were matched in this way, the majority of the costs of raising the capital limits for residential care would fall to local authority social services rather than income support and have significant implications for local authority charging.

  4. A minority of the privately funded residents who float on to income support would be eligible for the higher preserved rights rates, by virtue of admission before April 1993.

  5. The estimates assume for illustrative purposes that one in eight would receive the higher rates of income support. In practice the proportion would depend on the date of implementation of the raised capital limits.

  Severe Disablement Allowance
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what provisions are to be made to ensure that recipients of the proposed higher level of severe disablement allowance will not be worse off as a result of paying non-dependent deductions as a consequence of losing their entitlement to income support. [66969]

  Mr. Bayley
  At present people severely disabled from birth or at an early age who are unable to work cannot earn the right to Incapacity Benefit. Under the proposals 288
  for reform of Severe Disablement Allowance, set out in the Consultation Paper "Support for Disabled People", people who become disabled early in life and claim benefit before the age of 20 will be entitled to Incapacity Benefit without having to satisfy the contribution conditions.

  Where a person who is claiming Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit, Income Support Mortgage Interest or Jobseeker' s Allowance Mortgage Interest has a nondependent adult living in their household, a deduction is normally made from their relevant benefit in respect of that non-dependant to reflect a reasonable contribution towards household costs. These deductions are made at standard rates according to the non-dependant's age and circumstances. No special provisions apply to non-dependants who are in receipt of Incapacity Benefit. It is, of course, for the individuals concerned to decide how much, if anything, a non-dependant actually contributes.

  People who become entitled to Incapacity Benefit under the new proposals will not be worse off as a result of paying an amount equivalent to non-dependent deductions as a consequence of losing their entitlement to Income Support.

  As an example:
  A single man aged 19 with severe learning difficulties lives with his parents who are claiming Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit. As he currently receives Severe Disablement Allowance and Income Support of £61.30 a week no non-dependent deduction is made from his parents' Housing Benefit. Under our new proposals, he will receive Incapacity Benefit of £78.30 a week (at current rates) after a year on benefit which is £17.00 a week more than he currently gets. His parents will have a non-dependent deduction of £7.00 a week made from their Housing Benefit and a further deduction of £2.00 a week from their Council Tax Benefit. In this particular example, even if the young person contributes £9.00 a week towards his parents' household expenses he will still be better off by £8.00 a week.

  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate how much of the annual cost of implementing the proposed changes to severe disablement allowance will be offset as a result of taking claimants out of income support in respect of(a) nondependent deductions for claimants living with recipients of housing benefit, council tax benefit or housing costs allowance (b) claimants no longer receiving free prescriptions, dental or optical services and (c) claimants no longer being able to access Social Fund community care grants. [66997]

  Mr. Bayley
  The information on which to base an estimate is not available.

  Industrial Injury Benefit
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to extend industrial injury benefit to the self-employed; and if he will make a statement. [67122]

  Mr. Bayley
  There are no current plans to extend Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit to the self-employed. I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bury, South (Mr. Lewis) on 20 January 1999,Official Report, column 474.

  Pensioners
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate is provided by his Department's Family Resources Survey of the number of non-taxpaying pensioners who have some dividend income and who have capital in excess of £8,000. [67001]

  Mr. Timms
  The number of non-taxpaying pensioner benefit units who have some dividend income and capital in excess of £8,000 for 1998–99 is 240,000.

  Notes:

  1. The estimate is rounded to the nearest 10,000 pensioner benefit units, although it is not necessarily accurate to that degree.

  2. The estimate should be treated with caution since taxpaying status is not directly measured by the Family Resources Survey, but has been modelled to the 1998–99 tax system based on reported income, and uprated to 1998–99 levels.

  3. Pensioner benefit units are defined as single people over State pension age (men aged 65 and over, women aged 60 and over) and couples (married or cohabiting) where at least one partner is above State pension age.

  4. Non-taxpaying pensioner benefit units are defined as those where no individual in the benefit unit is liable to tax.

  5. Dividend income is defined as dividends or interest received from stocks, shares, bonds, debentures, other securities, unit trusts, investment trusts, Personal Equity Plans (PEPs) and government gilt-edged stock.

  Source:

  Family Resources Survey 1995–96.

  Benefits
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion and what amount of the total welfare benefit bill for the past five years has been paid as(a) contributory and (b) non-contributory benefit. [67732]

  Angela Eagle
  The information is in the tables.

  Social Security benefits expenditure

  £ billion

  Year

  Contributory benefits

  Non-contributory benefits

  Total benefits expenditure

  1993–94

  39.5

  42.9

  82.4

  1994–95

  39.8

  45.0

  84.8

  1995–96

  40.7

  48.1

  88.8

  1996–97

  42.2

  50.1

  92.3

  1997–98

  43.2

  50.5

  93.7

  Contributory and non-contributory benefits as a percentage of Social Security

  Percentage

  Year

  Contributory benefits

  Non contributory

  1993–94

  48.0

  52.0

  1994–95

  46.9

  53.1

  1995–96

  45.9

  54.1

  1996–97

  45.7

  54.3

  1997–98

  46.1

  53.9

  Notes:

  1. The figures for 1997–98 are consistent with those published in the Pre-Budget Report of November 1998. Figures for the earlier years are derived from the Departmental Report 1998 (Cm 3913).

  2. Social Security Benefits expenditure includes additional local authority expenditure on Housing, Community Charge and Council Tax Benefits.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is the total value of moneys collected from absent parents contributions to maintenance from prescribed social security benefits which have been retained by the Child Support Agency to cover the cost of assessment and collection fees in each year since the Child Support Agency was established; [66479]

  (2) what is the average time taken to recognise failure by a Child Support Agency enforcement officer to obtain payment of assessment from an absent parent and to issue court proceedings to recover outstanding arrears and establish regular payments. [66480]

  Angela Eagle
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mrs. Faith Boardman. She will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Mrs. Faith Boardman to Mr. Roy Beggs, dated 26 January 1999:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the collection of fees and enforcement in relation to child support.
  As there are elements of child support administration which cross the boundaries between the Northern Ireland Child Support Agency and the Great British Child Support Agency I have consulted with Mr. Gerry Keenan, the Chief Executive for the Child Support Agency (NI) and provided you with information on both Agencies. I am not able to provide all of the information in the precise format that you have requested, but have provided as much as is available.
  The Child Support Agency (GB) is divided into 6 front line Business Units; an application to maintenance is dealt with by the Business Unit dealing with the geographical area in which the parent with care lives. Where a parent with care resides in Northern Ireland the case is dealt with by the Child Support Agency (NI). Where the parent with care lives in Northern Ireland and the non-resident parent lives in Great Britain the case may be referred to one of the mainland Business Units to carry out a face to face interview or to take enforcement action.
  The Agencies charged fees until April 1995 when following a legislative change the charging of fees was suspended. Clients are liable to pay fees charged between April 1993 and April 1995 and they continue to be collected.
  Fees were charged for both the assessment and collection services, chargeable to both the non-resident parent and the parent with care. Various categories of non-resident parents and parents with care were exempt from the payment of fees.
  Contributions to maintenance are only collected from Income Support and Job Seekers Allowance (Income Based—introduced in October 1996); non-resident parents in receipt of Income Support were exempt from paying fees therefore neither the Child Support Agency (GB) or the Child Support Agency (NI) retain contributions to maintenance to cover the cost of fees.
  Where arrears of maintenance arise, the Agencies take a variety of actions to secure payments. If the non-resident parent cannot pay the full amount straightaway, we try to reach an agreement with them to pay the arrears in instalments, which is added to their weekly maintenance assessment amount.
  If a non-resident parent does not pay the agreed amount at the right time an Arrears Notice is sent; we will also try to contact the non-resident parent by telephone. If we reach an agreement, we would not ask the non-resident parent to pay more than 33% of their net income for child maintenance and arrears as long as they keep to the agreement. If a non-resident parent does not make or keep an agreement we can take up to 40% of their net income; if the non-resident parent is employed we will consider imposing a Deduction from Earnings Order. When a Deduction from Earnings Order is not suitable, for example where the non-resident parent is self employed and all voluntary methods have failed we then

  291
  consider legal action through the courts to secure payments of child maintenance. Very often the threat of such action is enough to ensure compliance.
  Throughout the debt management and enforcement process, non-resident parents are given every opportunity to make a voluntary arrangement to pay off their child maintenance debt. The majority do agree to make an arrangement and only in a very small minority of cases is legal action actually taken.
  The time taken between a breakdown in maintenance payments and taking legal proceedings is not measured. During 1997/98, the number of cases that were referred to Child Support Agency (GB) enforcement teams for litigation action was 17,833; it was only necessary to apply for 2,498 liability orders of which 1,353 were granted. In the first 9 months of this year the corresponding figures are 8,265, 2,911 and 1,424 respectively.
  The Child Support Agency (GB) measures its performance in securing maintenance against the target set by the Secretary of State; the target during 1997/98 was for £500 million of child maintenance to be collected or arranged for direct payment from the non-resident parent to the parent with care. The total achieved was £541 million—the portion that was collected by the Agency was £344 million.
  The Child Support Agency (NI) measures its performance in securing maintenance against the target set by the Minister for Northern Ireland; the target during 1997/98 was for £11.2 million of child maintenance to be collected or arranged for direct payment from the non-resident parent to the parent with care. The total achieved was £12.3 million—the portion that was collected by the Agency was £7.6 million.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Back to Work Bonus
  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if there is a target time limit for the payment of the Back to Work Bonus. [66824]

  Angela Eagle
  The administration of the Back To Work Bonus is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, Peter Mathison. He will write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from Peter Mathison to Miss Geraldine Smith, dated 26 January 1999:
  I am replying to your recent Parliamentary Question asking if there is a target time limit for the payment of the Back To Work Bonus (BTWB).
  The Back To Work Bonus scheme was implemented by the Benefits Agency with the introduction of Jobseeker's Allowance. There is an internal target relating to the timing of the payment of the BTWB. We aim to pay 65 per cent. of claims in 2 days and 95 per cent. in 10 days. However the emphasis is on the accuracy of payments.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

TREASURY

  Local Deprivation Indicators
  Mr. Rammell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which measures of local deprivation his Department and its agencies use in considering allocation of funds to local projects. [66722]

  Mr. Milburn
  The Departments for which the Chancellor is responsible are not in general involved in allocating funds to local projects.

  Exceptions to this are the funds allocated through the Invest to Save Budget and the Capital Modernisation Fund, announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review. These
  292
  funds are allocated by the Treasury on a competitive basis to projects proposed by departments, taking account of a range of published criteria. In addition, the Treasury Private Finance Initiative (PFI) Taskforce has a leading role in the Project Review Group that allocates support for local authority PFI projects.

  In each case, local deprivation is taken into account for appropriate types of project, but no specific measure of local deprivation is used.

  Building Societies
  Mr. Paterson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his Department's responsibilities in relation to building societies; and which Ministers have dealt with those responsibilities during the period since 1 May 1997. [67330]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Treasury is responsible for policy relating to the Building Societies Acts. I and my predecessor as Economic Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Member for Airdrie and Shotts (Mrs. Liddell), have dealt with this area since May 1997. Prudential supervision of societies is a matter for the Building Societies Commission.

  National Insurance Fund
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the size of the Treasury grant paid to the National Insurance Fund in each of the last five years. [67729]

  Mr. Timms
  I have been asked to reply.

  The information is in the table.

  Treasury grant payments into the National Insurance Fund 1993–94 to 1997–98

  £ million

  Year

  Amount

  1993–94

  7,589

  1994–95

  6,280

  1995–96

  3,575

  1996–97

  1,900

  1997–98

  940

  Source:

  Government Actuary Reports on the drafts of the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order and the Social Security (Contributions) (Re-rating and National Insurance Fund Payments) Order 1994 (Cm 2445), 1995 (Cm 2747), 1996 (Cm 3149), 1997 (Cm 3547), 1998 (Cm 3860).

  Estonia
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the Estonian contribution for participation in the(a) Kaleidoscope, (b) Ariane and (c) Raphael Programmes; what was the cost of negotiating the level of the contribution; and if he will make a statement on the nature of United Kingdom participation in these negotiations. [66348]

  Janet Anderson
  I have been asked to reply.

  I welcome the fact that Estonia will be participating in the EU' s cultural funding programmes for 1999 as part of its preparations for EU membership. Participation in these, and other, programmes is now open to the candidate countries in the context of the pre-accession strategy.
  293
  The precise level of Estonia's contribution for participation will be determined by the European Commission in consultation with the relevant programme management committees.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Local Management of Schools
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much was spent per student out of the Local Management of Schools allocations for primary and secondary students up to 16 years in each local education authority in the years(a) 1997–98 and (b) 1998–99. [67298]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  I have placed in the Library a table which gives, for each local education authority in England, for 1997–98 and 1998–99, the average of the budget share per pupil separately for primary, and for all pupils counted as being in secondary schools.

  Education Action Zones
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list those education action zones which have no school currently or previously in special measures. [67293]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  As of 20 January 1999, seven Education Action Zones have no school currently or previously in special measures. These are:

  Birmingham (Aston Nechells)

  Hereford

  Middlesbrough

  New Addington

  Newcastle

  North Somerset

  Leigh (Wigan).

  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list for each education action zone the resources provided from other Government initiatives. [67290]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  This information is not yet available. It will be provided in the audited financial statements which each zone is required to provide by the end of the year.

  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the total amount spent by his Department on central administration of education action zones; and what is this amount as a proportion of the total departmental expenditure on education action zones. [67292]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The running cost of the central administration team is budgeted at £500,000 for the financial year 1998–99. This represents 4 per cent. of the total Departmental programme budget over the same period for EAZs.

  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment which of the first round of 25 education action zones have applied to vary any of the details of their original bids; and if he will set out the details of such variations. [67469]
  294
  Ms Estelle Morris
  None so far. The detailed action plans of each EAZ must be submitted to the Secretary of State by 31 March 1999.

  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what each education action zone is proposing to spend as a proportion of its total budget on(a) administration, (b) project co-ordination and management not included in (a) and (c) salaries not included in (a) or (b). [67291]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  This information is not currently available. It will be included in the audited financial statement which each zone must produce by the end of the year.

  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list for each education action zone the amount of private sector contribution that has been given in(a) cash and (b) kind in each case, broken down (b) by type of help provided. [67294]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Each of the first 25 Education Action Zones must raise £250,000 from the private sector in the first year, whether in cash or kind. They are well on the way to achieving this. I will publish a complete set of information as soon as it is available.

  Literacy Hour
  Mr. Lock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what research he has(a) commissioned and (b) carried out on the effect of the literacy hour on reading standards amongst primary school pupils. [66978]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Recently published evaluations of the pilot National Literacy Project, by OFSTED and the NFER, show that the Literacy Hour is effective in raising standards. Children's reading test scores improved by about 8 to 12 months above what would normally be expected, in less than two years.

  Schools began implementing the National Literacy Strategy in September 1998. The DfEE's formal evaluation of the strategy consists of visits by OFSTED to a representative national sample of schools, literacy tests developed by QCA for pupils attending these schools, and an overview evaluation by an international team led by Michael Fullan of the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto.

  Millennium Volunteers Programme
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if he will make a statement on the millennium volunteers programme; [67236]

  (2) what plans he has to extend the millennium volunteers scheme to Leicester; [67237]

  (3) if he will list the (a) areas and (b) projects which have been involved in the millennium volunteers programme to date. [67238]

  Ms Hodge
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I launched Millennium Volunteers on 21 January. We announced that the programme will have a budget of £47.75 million; £12.75 from the windfall levy and an additional £35 million for the period 1999–2000 to
  295
  2001–02 which has been secured through the Comprehensive Spending Review. We have also published guidance inviting organisations to bid for funds to run Millennium Volunteers in England. It will be open to organisations in Leicester to make applications for

  Area

  Organisation

  Contracted/in discussion

  Inner city areas of Bradford and Shipley

  Bradford Council for Voluntary Service

  In discussion

  Cambridge

  Youth Action Cambridge

  Contracted

  Cambridgeshire

  Cambridgeshire Association of Youth Clubs

  Contracted

  Exeter

  British Trust for Conservation Volunteers

  Contracted

  Herefordshire

  Hereford and Worcester Rural Community Council

  Contracted

  Liverpool

  John Moores University

  Contracted

  London Borough of Southwark

  Community Service Volunteers

  Contracted

  London Borough of Tower Hamlets

  Voluntary Action Tower Hamlets

  Contracted

  Greater Manchester

  Prince's Trust Volunteers

  Contracted

  Newcastle

  The National Trust

  Contracted

  Nottingham

  City of Nottingham

  Contracted

  Sunderland

  Community Service Volunteers

  Contracted

  Hastings and Rother

  Sussex Police

  In discussion

  University Entrants
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what were the proportions of pupils from(a) comprehensive and (b) private schools who went on to university education in each of the last four years. [67141]

  Mr. Mudie
  [holding answer 25 January 1999]: The information is not available in the form requested. The table gives the prior educational establishment of students who accepted full-time and sandwich undergraduate places through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

  Students accepting places in higher education through UCAS by previous education establishment

  Year of entry

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  Previous establishment

  Independent

  29,441

  30,006

  31,342

  30,602

  Maintained

  90,074

  94,049

  100,226

  103,310

  Other/not known

  146,021

  144,234

  171,750

  164,308

  Total

  265,536

  268,289

  303,318

  298,220

  As percentage of total acceptances

  Independent

  11

  11

  10

  10

  Maintained

  34

  35

  33

  35

  Other/not known

  55

  54

  57

  55

  New Deal (Disabled People)
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people have found work as a result of the New Deal for the Disabled. [67259]

  Ms Hodge
  Early results indicate that so far over 100 people with disabilities have found work as a result of the New Deal for Disabled People.
  296
  funding if they wish to. They are thirteen Millennium Voluntrees demonstration projects; eleven have already contracted with us and we are in discussion with two more. The areas and organizations managing the projects are:

CABINET OFFICE

  Departmental Papers (Access for Visually Impaired)
  Mr. Michael J. Foster
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has for departmental(a) White and (b) Green Papers to be made available on floppy disk format in a form which facilitates access for the visually impaired. [67851]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  The Cabinet Office is about to issue revised guidance to departments on the arrangements for publishing White and Green Papers. This will highlight that, when considering the publishing arrangements for such documents, the information is accessible to people who might otherwise not be able to receive it in printed form. There are a number of options for making such documents available to those who are visually impaired, including braille, large print, audio formats and on floppy disk in plain text format. We will ensure that for all future White and Green Papers produced within the Cabinet Office that, when requested, we will be able to provide floppy disk versions to the visually impaired.

PRIME MINISTER

  Iraq
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will assess the impact of the statement of Archbishop O'Brien of the Archdiocese for US Military Services on moral law on the bombing of Iraq, a copy of which has been sent to him. [67624]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 25 January 1999]: I have read Archbishop O'Brien's statement with interest. I am satisfied that the military action against Iraq was necessary on this occasion, had a sound legal basis and achieved its objectives. I believe the region and the international community is safer as a result.

  Joint Cabinet Consultative Committee
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 20 January 1999,Official Report, columns 484–85, on the review of the work of the JCCC, when he expects the review to be completed. [67685]

  The Prime Minister
  No date has been set for completion of the review.

  European Commission (Censure Vote)
  Mr. Howard
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 20 January 1999,Official Report, columns 907–08, on what basis he stated that half the Tory Group in Europe voted with his party in the censure vote on the European Commission in the European Parliament. [67902]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 26 January 1999]: On the basis that over half of the European People's Party (the group with which the Conservatives associate themselves) in the European Parliament voted with the Socialist Group against the motion of censure on 14 January.

  Fraud Prosecutions
  Mr. Paterson
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the Government's policy with regard to the prosecution of those who commit business and personal fraud. [67319]

  The Prime Minister
  The Government have, for the first time, established overarching aims for the criminal justice system which include reducing crime and the fear of crime, and their social and economic costs. Individual Departments set their own aims and objectives within that framework, and that of the Serious Fraud Office is to contribute to the reduction of fraud and the cost of fraud and the maintenance of confidence in the United Kingdom's business and financial institutions. It seeks to achieve this through the investigation and prosecution of suitable cases as quickly as individual circumstances allow.

  Fraud takes many forms and other specialist agencies (e.g. Customs and Excise, Inland Revenue and the Benefits Agency) as well as the police devote a significant portion of their resources to combating it through investigation and prosecution.

  Ministerial Disputes
  Mr. Paterson
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the current procedures for resolving disputes between Ministers in his Government. [67321]

  The Prime Minister
  The Cabinet and its Committees provide a mechanism for reaching agreement between Ministers on issues which cannot otherwise be resolved.

  Engagements
  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 27 January. [66296]

  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 27 January. [67398]
  298
  The Prime Minister
  This morning I had meetings with Ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I will have further such meetings later today.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Prime Minister how many times he has paid official visits to Cyprus since May 1997; and what was the purpose of each visit. [67702]

  The Prime Minister
  I have not visited Cyprus since 1 May 1997.

  Chequers
  Mr. Paterson
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his policy on whom he invites to Chequers for official engagements. [67322]

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 30 October 1997,Official Report, column 858.

  Ministerial Conduct
  Mr. Paterson
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will make a statement on his policy towards Ministers who are found to have misled the public; [67328]

  (2) if he will make a statement on his policy towards Ministers who are found to have misled him. [67329]

  The Prime Minister
  My policy on the conduct of Ministers is set out clearly in the Ministerial Code.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Organic Produce
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the percentage of food consumed in the United Kingdom which is organically grown; and what percentage of this food is grown(a) in the United Kingdom, (b) in the rest of the European Union and (c) in the rest of the world; and if he will make a statement. [67255]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 26 January 1999]: Sales of organic food accounted for 2 per cent. of UK food sales in 1997, the latest year for which data are available. It is estimated that imported organic produce accounted for around 70 per cent. of sales, of which the majority originated in the European Union.

  My right hon. Friend the Minister recently re-affirmed this Government's support for the organic sector in a speech at the Royal Agricultural College, Cirencester. Funding for research and development is set to increase from £1.5 to £2.1 million in 1999–2000. More resources will be given to the Organic Conversion Information Service and payments to farmers wishing to convert to organic production methods will be almost doubled.

  Genetically Modified Organisms
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he plans to respond to the
  299
  second report of the House of Lords European Communities Committee on EC Regulations of Genetic Modification in Agriculture [HL11]; and if he will make a statement on measures to improve information on GM food for consumers. [67397]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 26 January 1999]: The Government will respond to the second report of the House of Lords European Communities Committee on EC Regulations of Genetic Modification in Agriculture within the two months prescribed limit.

  The Government remain committed to providing clear information so that consumers can make an informed choice about genetically modified (GM) foods. EC legislation agreed last year requiring all food containing ingredients derived from GM soya or maize to be clearly labelled sets an important precedent for the labelling of all GM foods.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the maximum detectable percentage of GM material allowed in finished food produced which permits that food to be labelled as free from GMOs. [67590]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 26 January 1999]: There is no legal requirement for foods containing GM material below a certain limit to be labelled as free from GMOs. However, the EC Regulation on labelling of GM soya and maize (1139/98) does recognise the need to consider a de-minimis threshold to avoid the situation where low levels of accidental mixing would require a consignment otherwise free of GM material to be labelled as genetically modified. The Government will continue to press the European Commission to reach a conclusion on this issue.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what estimate he has made of the percentage of crops under cultivation which are genetically modified; [67589]

  (2) what is the current acreage of GM crops under cultivation. [67596]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 26 January 1999]: There are currently no GM crops being grown commercially in the UK.

  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much genetically modified(a) maize, (b) soya and (c) canola was imported for (i) seed, (ii) animal feed and (iii) human consumption in the last year for which figures are available. [67208]

  Mr. Rooker
  Import figures for maize, soya and canola can be found in H.M. Customs and Excise Business Monitors in the Library of the House. They do not, however, contain any separate breakdown for genetically modified crops.

  Individual import consignments of maize, soya and canola may be used for a variety of purposes, including directly as animal feed, for human consumption or for industrial use. For example, when crushing oilseeds for human consumption, by-products can be used for animal feed.

  Climate Change
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the potential effects of climate change on British agriculture. [67280]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 25 January 1999]: My Ministry has funded a substantial programme of research on Climate Change Impacts on Agriculture, which between 1990 and 1997 cost a total of £4.4 million. This work has provided the basis for a booklet aimed at the agricultural industry, which will be published later this year. The booklet will give an indication of how climatic and market conditions may change, and the areas in which farmers may need to consider adapting their activities, as well as providing practical pointers on how farmers might chose to adapt.

  The Government have recently established the UK Climate Impacts Programme to take a broader, integrated approach to research on the effects of climate change. MAFF is the major funder of a project being developed under the programme to look simultaneously at the effects of climate change on water resources, agriculture, coastal resources and wildlife in two regions, East Anglia and the north-west. MAFF is also funding a study into the timescale of farm level response and adaptation to climate change in England and Wales.

  Trade Balances
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the agricultural and horticultural trade balances(a) in the last year for which figures are available and (b) in the previous five years. [67772]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 26 January 1999]: The table shows the UK balance of trade for agricultural goods (food, feed and drink) and horticultural products (fruit and vegetables) for each year from 1994 to 1998. The values shown are at 1998 prices (deflated by the Retail Prices Index).

  £million

  Food, feed and drink

  Fruit and vegetables

  1994

  -6,543

  3,444

  1995

  -6,865

  -3,817

  1996

  -8,221

  -4,111

  1997

  -7,494

  -3,747

  1998 (forecast)

  -7,805

  -3,758

  Egg Production (Salmonella)
  Dr. Tony Wright
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of egg production was contaminated with salmonella in the last year for which figures are available.[67608]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 25 January 1999]: A Department of Health funded survey undertaken in 1995–96 indicated that, at retail level, about 1 in 600 UK-produced eggs (0.17 per cent.) were contaminated with salmonella.

  Pesticides
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what procedures his Department has for monitoring the use of pesticides in food produce entering the UK. [67554]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 25 January 1999]: The Government run a surveillance programme for the presence of pesticide residues in food. This is overseen by the Working Party on Pesticide Residues. Around 2,000 to 3,000 samples of both UK produced and imported produce are analysed for a wide range of pesticides. The results of this analysis are published in full in an annual report.

  Pesticides Tax
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the report on the impact of a pesticides tax from which the Minister of State quoted during his oral statement on horticulture on 20 January 1999,Official Report, columns 863–65. [67454]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 25 January 1999]: The report on the potential impact of a pesticides tax to which I referred was undertaken by ADAS for the British Agrochemicals Association and the National Farmers' Union. Publication is therefore a matter for these organisations.

  Meat Inspectors
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the proposed strike by meat inspectors and its effects on butchers and catering outlets in the UK. [67555]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 25 January 1999]: The decision by UNISON to consider strike action by its Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) members at the present time is very disappointing. MHS staff have a vital role to play in ensuring the highest hygiene and animal welfare standards are applied within plants. The MHS pay offer is fair and equitable.

  After negotiations, the MHS formally offered UNISON a pay offer with a total value of 4 per cent. in August 1998. Negotiations continued and UNISON requested an offer of 4.55 per cent. citing the total package settlement to core-MAFF staff of 4.7 per cent.

  In fact the actual cost of the core-MAFF pay aware to staff was 4.2 per cent, with 0.5 per cent. included for one-off structural changes. The range of awards was from 0 per cent. to 6.2 per cent. depending on performance. Unlike the rest of MAFF, performance related pay (PRP) structures do not apply in the MHS. The MHS's total value offer is on par with the current average civil service settlement of 4 per cent. It would not be possible to justify a higher offer for MHS staff, particularly with no PRP element.

  UNISON commenced a formal ballot of its members on industrial action on 6 January. The ballot involved 579 responses, with 352 votes for industrial action and 225 against, with 2 returns invalid. UNISON are now required to give the MHS 7 days' written notice of any industrial action.
  302
  Contingency Plans have been drawn up to minimise the effect of any industrial action and MHS managers are in contact with plant operators to make all necessary arrangements. The action taken by the MHS to minimise disruption should help to ensure an adequate supply of meat for butchers and catering outlets. Plant operators are being reminded of their obligations under the Food Safety Act 1990 and Meat Hygiene/Specified Risk Material and Animal Welfare Regulations.

  Future of Agriculture (Conference)
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the proceedings of his recent conference on the future of agriculture. [67279]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 25 January 1999]: The texts of speaking notes and speeches from the recent conferences on proposals to reform the Common Agricultural Policy have been made available on the Internet at the following address: http://www.maff.gov. uk/farm/agendtwo/agendtwo.htm.

  Veterinary Standards
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will place a copy of the Bendixon/Dexter report on standards of veterinary services in the EU in the Library; and if he will make a statement on veterinary standards in the qualifying countries as proposed in the Kennedy report on quarantine and rabies. [67408]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 25 January 1999]: The Bendixon/Dexter report was produced for the European Commission between 1990 and 1992. A full report on the veterinary service in each Member State was produced, but sent only to the Member State concerned. A summary report was produced which presented a broad view of the findings and recommendations regarding the structure, resources and activities of veterinary services throughout the Community. Only a Synthesis Report was circulated to the Member States, and I will place photo-copies of this in the Libraries of the House, but it is, by now, out of date.

  Veterinary standards in EU and EEA countries have been assessed by the European Commission and found to be of an appropriate standard for the purposes of intra-Community trade in animals and animal products.

  My officials are examining which islands meet the definition of rabies freedom set by the Office International des Epizooties.

  Genetically Modified Material
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy on the traceability of GM material used in food production. [67481]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 25 January 1999]: Under World Trade Organisation rules it is not possible to require GM material used in food production to be segregated as a condition of import. However, the Government have encouraged the provision of consumer choice by publishing a list of 59 suppliers offering traceable non-GM material. All foods which contain GM ingredients must be clearly labelled under EC Regulations.

  Farm Incomes
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the relationship between agricultural incomes and incomes in the general economy. [67771]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 26 January 1999]: There is very little relationship in the short term between agricultural incomes and incomes in the rest of the UK economy. Although agriculture is subject to some of the influences which impact on the economy as a whole (eg productivity changes, world and domestic demand, and exchange rates), it is also subject to other influences which have a greater impact on the sector (eg the Common Agricultural Policy, weather and world commodity prices). As a single sector, agricultural income is more volatile than that of the UK economy as a whole. Agriculture currently accounts for about 1 per cent. of national GDP and about 2 per cent. of UK employment.

  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the present levels of income in(a) farming, (b) pig production and (c) other livestock production. [67770]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 26 January 1999]: Figures for 1998–99 will be published on 28 January. However, it is clear that net farm incomes for all farm types except general cropping are expected to fall substantially in 1998–99.

  Local Deprivation Indicator
  Mr. Rammell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which measures of local deprivation his Department and its agencies use in considering allocation of funds to local projects. [66715]

  Mr. Morley
  MAFF funds local projects through the English Objective 1 and 5b Structural Funds Programmes and the English LEADER II Community Initiative Programme. The socio-economic parameters taken into account in designating Objective 1 and 5b areas included low levels of agricultural income, low population density and location in less favoured areas. Measures of local deprivation are not used by this Department or its Agencies when considering the allocation of funds to specific local projects within the Objective 1 and 5b areas.

  Young Farmers (Assistance)
  Mr. Hurst
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assistance is provided to young farmers to obtain their own farm holding. [66871]

  Mr. Rooker
  The Government provide no specific assistance to help young farmers to obtain their own farm. However, in certain cases, loans can be guaranteed under the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme. In addition, the changes introduced by the Agricultural Tenancies Act 1995 will make it easier for young farmers to gain tenancies because landowners will be encouraged to enter the rented sector.

  Objective 5b Status
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the six areas designated to receive assistance under the English Objective 5b Structural Fund Programme. [66901]
  304
  Mr. Morley
  In England the six areas designated by the European Commission to receive assistance under the Objective 5b Structural Funds Programme are:The South West—Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly and parts of Devon and Somerset;
  The Marches—most of Shropshire and parts of Hereford and Worcester;
  The Northern Uplands—parts of Lancashire, North Yorks, Durham, Cumbria and Northumberland:
  Lincolnshire—excluding the City of Lincoln and other mainly urban areas;
  East Anglia—the Fens, rural Norfolk and the Waveney Valley; and
  Midlands Uplands—the Peak District of Staffordshire and Derbyshire.

  Tobacco (EU Subsidies)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much the total cost of the subsidy for tobacco producers is in the European Union in the current financial year. [66902]

  Mr. Rooker
  The amount provided for tobacco expenditure in the 1999 FEOGA budget year is 980 million euro (£687 million1).
  Note:
  1 Using an exchange rate of £1 = 1.4258 euro.?

  Distributed Food (Intervention Stocks)
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the categories of persons eligible for distributed food, by country of distribution, sourced from intervention stocks designated for most deprived persons in the community according to 98/657/EC. [66346]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information requested by the right hon. Member is not available.

  Quarantine
  Mr. Prosser
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list(a) the organisations that have responded to the Kennedy report on the reform of quarantine and (b) the organisations and individuals he will be consulting before he announces his decisions on the new regime. [67201]

  Mr. Rooker
  The organisations that responded are set out in the list. I have no plans to launch a further consultation at this stage, but I will involve those affected as appropriate.

  Report on the Advisory Group on quarantine: List of organisations that have submitted evidence.

  Alley Cat Allies

  American Veterinary Medical Association

  Angus Council

  Animal Behaviour Centre

  Animal Concern, Cumbria

  Animal Protection Centre

  Animalcare Ltd.

  Animals Asia Foundation, Hong Kong

  Animals in Almeria

  Aquithie Boarding and Quarantine Kennels and Cattery

  Ards Borough Council

  305

  Army Families Federation

  Army Families Federation, Germany

  Association of Circus Proprietors

  Association of Port Health Authorities

  BAA Air Cargo

  Ballymoney Borough Council

  Bamford J. C., Excavators Ltd.

  Barking and Havering Health Authority

  Barnet Association of Responsible Dog Owners

  Bat Conservation Trust

  Birmingham City Council, Environmental Services Department

  Blue Cross

  Bristol Zoo Gardens

  British Airways World Cargo

  British and Commonwealth Women's Club of Brussels

  British Forces Animal Rehoming Centre

  British Medical Association

  British Ports Association

  British Rabbit Council

  British Shipping

  British Tourist Authority

  British Veterinary Association

  British Veterinary Zoological Society

  Buckinghamshire Health Authority

  Camden and Islington Health Authority

  Canadian Veterinary Medical Association

  Canine and Owner Education Centres

  Canine Partners for Independence

  Cat Association of Britain

  Cats Protection League

  Celtic Travel Connections

  Central Science Laboratory

  Centre for Tropical Medicine, Oxford University

  Chartered Institute of Environmental Health

  Clackmannanshire County Council

  Clayton and Cox

  Coleraine Borough Council

  Conservative Countryside Forum

  Corporation of London

  Daily Mail and General Trust plc

  Dansk Kennel Klub, Denmark

  Derbyshire County Council

  Dog Action Working Group, Scotland

  Dorset Health Authority

  Dover and Folkestone Quarantine Kennels

  Dundee City Council

  Durham County Health Authority

  East Sussex, Brighton and Hove Health Authority

  École de Chiens Guides D'Aveugles de Paris

  Electric Veterinary Records Ltd.

  Equine DNA Register

  Eurocoils Ltd.

  European Blind Union

  Eurostar (UK) Ltd.

  Farmers Union of Wales

  Ferne Animal Sanctuary

  Fife Constabulary

  Firs International Quarantine

  306

  Foredown Kennels and Cattery

  Four in Hand Kennels

  Freight Transport Association

  Galley Hill International Kennels and Cattery

  German Shepherd Dog Club, Jersey

  Glasgow City Council

  Golden Retriever Breed Council

  Governing Council of the Cat Fancy

  Granda Group Plc

  Guernsey, States of, Agricultural and Milk Marketing Board

  Guide Dogs for the Blind Association

  Hampshire County Council

  Hearing Dogs for Deaf People

  Highland Council

  Home Office, Constitutional and Community Policy Directorate

  Constitutional Unit (replies for Jersey)

  Hull and Goole Port Health Authority

  Humane Society of the United States

  Independent Animal Health Alliance

  Institute of Trading Standards Administration

  International Zoo Veterinary Group

  Isle of Man Government

  Isle of Wight Council

  Jersey Animal's Shelter

  Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust

  Jersey, Health and Social Services

  Jersey, States of, Deputy Bailiff

  Joint Mobility Unit (service provided by RNIB and GDBA)

  Kennel Club

  Kennel Holckenhus

  Kent County Council, Strategic Planning

  Kingston Upon Hull City Council, Public Protection Division

  Knightwood Kennels

  Lambeth Southwark and Lewisham Health Authority

  Leeds Health Authority

  Local Authorities Coordinating Body on Food and Trading Standards

  Lothian and Borders Police

  Lowe Group

  Manchester City Council

  Merial Animal Health Ltd.

  Merton Sutton and Wandsworth Health Authority

  Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, New Zealand

  Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Finland

  Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Forestry, Bonn, Germany

  Moonwinds Quarantine and Boarding Kennels and Cattery

  National Canine Defence League

  National Dog Tattoo Register National Farmers Union of Scotland

  National Federation of the Blind of the United Kingdom

  National Gerbil Society

  National Institute of Mental Health, USA

  National Office of Animal Health Ltd.

  Netherlands Anti-Quarantine Action Group

  Norfolk County Council North Ayrshire Council

  North and East Devon Health Authority

  North Lanarkshire Council

  307

  North Lincolnshire Council

  North of Ireland Veterinary Association

  North Somerset Council

  North Yorkshire County Council

  North West Anglia Health Authority

  Northumberland Health Authority

  Oakenshaw Grange Kennels

  Old Golfhouse, Veterinary Hospital

  Orkney Islands Council

  Par Air Services (Livestock) Ltd.

  Passenger Shipping Association

  Passports for Pets

  Pembrokeshire County Council

  Pet Advisory Committee

  Pet Plan Group Ltd.

  Portland House Veterinary Group

  Public Health Laboratory Service

  Public Health Medicine Environmental Group

  Quarantine Abolition Fighting Fund

  Quarantine Association

  Quarantine Kennels Owners Association UK

  RAVC, Animal Defense Support Unit

  Royal College of General Practitioners

  Royal College of Pathologists

  Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons

  Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

  Royal Welsh Agricultural Society

  Scottish Consumer Council

  Scottish Landowners Federation

  Scottish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

  Smithkline Beecham

  Smokey Klinic, Veterinary Surgery

  Sociedad Protectora Para Animales De Torrevieja, Spain

  Somerset County Council, Trading Standards Department

  South Ayrshire Council

  Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  St. Andrews Farm Kennels

  Starpaws Maine Coons

  Suffolk Health Authority

  Summerfold Property Management

  Unichem

  United Kingdom Major Ports Group Ltd.

  Universities Federation for Animal Welfare

  University of Aberdeen

  University of Bristol

  University of Edinburgh

  University of Glasgow

  University of Liverpool

  Vets in Support of Change

  Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council

  West Pennine Health Authority

  West Sussex County Council, Directorate of Property and Trading Standards

  Westland Golden Retrievers

  Westland Helicopters GKN

  Zeneca Ltd., Central Toxicology Laboratory.

  308
  Mr. Prosser
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which countries will qualify for privileged entry arrangements under the Kennedy report on the reform of quarantine; and how many pet animals were imported from these countries in(a) 1998, (b) 1997, (c) 1996. [67202]

  Mr. Rooker
  The Kennedy Group recommended that cats, dogs and non-carnivores from EU and EEA Member States and rabies-free islands should qualify for exemption from quarantine, subject to their meeting the conditions for exemption. My officials are examining which islands meet the definition of rabies freedom set by the Office International des Epizooties.

  Import figures from EU and EEA Member States were:

  Year

  No. of domestic animals imported into quarantine 1

  1996

  3,274

  1997

  2,968

  1998

  2,342

  1 Includes all carnivores (e.g. ferrets). Figures are for Great Britain.

  Bovine TB
  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research his Department is currently funding into formulating a new TB vaccine for cattle. [67288]

  Mr. Rooker
  The Krebs report concluded that the development of a vaccine for cattle was the best long-term prospect for the control of bovine TB, but saw a badger vaccine as an alternative option if cattle vaccine requirements cannot be met. Following the publication of the report, we have reviewed our research requirements for bovine TB, and in April published a document inviting proposals. These included work to develop a cattle vaccine and to take forward work on a badger vaccine, which started in 1994. Contracts worth over £1.4 million per annum are being finalised on five projects relating to vaccine development. Nearly all of this expenditure is directed at projects relating to the development and testing of cattle vaccines.

  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce routine testing for TB in all cattle. [67271]

  Mr. Rooker
  Routine testing of the National Herd is undertaken in accordance with Directive 64/432, as amended, and normally exempts certain groups of cattle, mainly young stock or fattening herds in which no breeding takes place. When it is considered necessary, on animal or public health grounds, all cattle are included in routine tests.

  Food Standards
  Ms Keeble
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will publish(a) the draft Food Standards Bill and (b) his proposals for funding the Food Standards Agency. [68082]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  I have today published the draft Food Standards Bill for public consultation, along with a consultation paper setting out our proposals for meeting
  309
  by new costs of the Food Standards Agency through a levy on certain food premises. I have placed copies of both documents in the library of the House.

  The draft Bill moves us closer to fulfilling another important manifesto commitment—the setting up of an independent Food Standards Agency with the aim of protecting public health in relation to food. The Agency will play a major role in strengthening consumer confidence.

  It provides for a responsible, open and authoritative body charged with protecting public health in relation to food and with powers to act throughout the food chain. The Agency will work with all interested parties to develop soundly based, balanced policies that command the public's confidence. It will discharge a range of important functions in support of its goal, advising Ministers and the new devolved authorities in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and helping all its stakeholders to meet the challenge of safe food.

  The Bill provides for the Food Standards Agency to be a UK body. The Government will consult with the new devolved authorities to establish whether they are content to proceed with legislation on a UK basis in the way proposed in the draft Bill.
  310
  We want our proposals to be subject to full scrutiny, so that we can get it right from the start. The consultation that begins today seeks comments from all interested parties over the next eight weeks. The draft Bill will also be scrutinised by a Select Committee of Members of this House constituted for this purpose. We will refine our proposals in the light of the comments we have invited. If legislative time permits, we hope to be in a position to introduce the Bill during this session of Parliament.

  We have already made considerable progress in strengthening the present arrangements in preparation for the Agency. The challenge now is to ensure that the changes we propose meet the robust standard that consumers and businesses alike can expect.

  Organic Farming
  Mr. Stinchcombe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he will take to protect organic farming from possible effects of biotechnology. [66681]

  Mr. Rooker
  Our approach is to ensure that all justified concerns about genetically modified (GM) crops are properly addressed. This applies particularly to the concerns raised by the organic farming sector. We have made clear to the industry group SCIMAC, which is drawing up guidelines on the use of GM crops that they need to ensure that these contain adequate safeguards to protect organic farming.

  Western Sahara: Referendum
  Western Sahara: Referendum
  Nuclear Disarmament
  Nuclear Disarmament
  Iraq
  Iraq
  Turkey: Newspaper Ban
  Turkey: Newspaper Ban
  Sudan
  Sudan
  General Pinochet
  General Pinochet
  Arms Sales to Indonesia
  Arms Sales to Indonesia
  UK Consulate-General, Jerusalem: Staff's Cars
  UK Consulate-General, Jerusalem: Staff's Cars
  Public Interest Immunity
  Public Interest Immunity
  UN Human Rights Commission: EU Initiatives
  UN Human Rights Commission: EU Initiatives
  Home Detention Curfew Scheme
  Home Detention Curfew Scheme
  Channel Islands and Isle of Man: Payments to UK
  Channel Islands and Isle of Man: Payments to UK
  The Channel Islands: Financial Regulation
  The Channel Islands: Financial Regulation
  Wheelclamping
  Wheelclamping
  Carriers' Liability
  Carriers' Liability
  TWH Management Ltd
  TWH Management Ltd
  Equality of Economic Opportunity
  Equality of Economic Opportunity
  Territorial Army: All Arms Watchkeeper Pool
  Territorial Army: All Arms Watchkeeper Pool
  HMS "Intrepid"
  HMS "Intrepid"
  Scottish Courts: Human Rights Materials
  Scottish Courts: Human Rights Materials
  National Parks Authorities: Members' Qualifications
  National Parks Authorities: Members' Qualifications
  Deaths: Investigation Costs
  Deaths: Investigation Costs
  Disruptive Airline Passengers
  Disruptive Airline Passengers
  Parents' Rights and Responsibilities
  Parents' Rights and Responsibilities
  Health Action Zones: Evaluation
  Health Action Zones: Evaluation
  District Nurse Numbers
  District Nurse Numbers