Written Answers of 23 March 1999

DEFENCE

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Tyrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's estimate was of the cost of answering the question from the hon. Member for Chichester of 17 March 1999,Official Report, column 689, concerning the waiving of the working time directive (Ref. 76811); and if he will provide a breakdown. [78048]

  Mr. Spellar
  The cost to my Department's budget of answering individual parliamentary questions is not held centrally, however, the advisory cost of limit answering a parliamentary question is £500.

  Compensation Claims
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Mid-Norfolk (Mr. Simpson) of 21 January 1999,Official Report, column 529, on outstanding compensation cases, if he will indicate the year of submission of each claim for compensation on the grounds of (a) post-traumatic stress disorder and (b) physical injury; and if he will categorise them according to the geographical region where it is alleged the injuries were sustained. [78174]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 22 March 1999]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 8 February 1999, Official Report, column 17.

  Iraq
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer on Iraq of 18 March 1999,Official Report, column 810, what evidence he has received of Saddam Hussein attempting to use his air force in 1999 for repressing his own people; and to which people he is referring. [78367]

  Mr. George Robertson
  The no-fly-zones were established in April 1991 (north) and August 1992 (south) in support of UN Security Council Resolution 688 which condemned Saddam Hussein's brutal repression of his own people. This repression involved extensive use of helicopter gun ships against the Kurdish minority in the north as well as both fixed wing aircraft and helicopter gun ships against Sh'ia muslims in the south. Since the end of December 1998, over 170 Iraqi aircraft have violated the no-fly zones. Coalition patrols have successfully prevented any of these aircraft from attacking the Kurdish minority in the northern no-fly zone or the Sh'ia muslims in the southern no-fly zone. However, given the extensive history of brutality by Saddam's regime, there is no reason to believe that he would not resume these tactics were we to cease patrols.
  124
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 18 March 1999,Official Report, column 811, on no-fly zones, what agreement he has sought from the UN that Rules of Engagement should be entirely a national matter. [78364]

  Mr. George Robertson
  None.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the approximate weight of ordnance fired against targets in Iraq on Tuesday 16 March. [78249]

  Mr. George Robertson
  UK forces did not launch or drop any ordnance against Iraqi targets on 16 March.

  Military Exports (Private Flights)
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what records are kept regarding the export of military, police or security goods from RAF airfields by private companies. [77245]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I have been asked to reply.

  Customs declarations are lodged for exports from military airfields of goods originating in the UK on the same basis as exports from civil airports. They are retained for a minimum period of three years.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Departmental Report
  Mr. Gareth R. Thomas
  To ask the Attorney-General when he expects his 1999 departmental report to be published. [78497]

  The Attorney-General
  I can confirm that copies of my departmental report have been placed in the Libraries of the House today.

  Crown Prosecution Service
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Attorney-General what proportions of cases put by the police to the Crown Prosecution Service for prosecution are rejected. [76343]

  The Attorney-General
  The Crown Prosecution Service discontinued 12 per cent. of cases completed in magistrates courts in 1998, almost unchanged from the figure recorded for each of the four preceding years.

  More than half of discontinued cases are unable to proceed because witnesses fail to appear in court, refuse to give evidence, or change their evidence; defendants produce documents proving their innocence in motoring cases on the day of the trial; evidence is excluded because of irregularities in its collection; or there are gaps in the prosecution case which cannot be filled by the police. In these circumstances, the Crown Prosecution Service has no choice but to discontinue proceedings.

  The number of cases discontinued against the opinion of the police is very small; a survey conducted in 1994 showed that the police objected to discontinuance on only 4 per cent. of occasions when they were consulted.

  Hamilton v Al Fayed Case
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Attorney-General what factors underlay the decision of the Solicitor General to intervene in the Hamilton v Al Fayed case. [77739]
  125
  The Solicitor-General
  The Attorney-General intervened before the Court of Appeal in this case, on behalf of the Speaker and the Authorities of the House of Commons, as it raised fundamental constitutional issues as to the respective jurisdictions of Parliament and the Courts. It was important that such issues should not be decided by default. The Speaker and Authorities of the House of Commons have a direct interest in protecting the privileges of the House, which were directly in issue in the appeal.

  Before deciding whether to intervene, the Attorney-General took into account the judgment of Mr. Justice Popplewell in the High Court, together with representations made to him following that judgment by the Clerk of the House.

PRIME MINISTER

  Al Shifa
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 10 March 1999,Official Report, columns 364–65, on the Al Shifa factory, if he will identify the international terrorists to whom he refers. [77103]

  The Prime Minister
  The US Government have stated that they took action against international terrorist groups which had played a key role in the US embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania. They had reason to believe that these groups were planning further terrorist attacks against US and other citizens.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 10 March 1999,Official Report, columns 364–65, on Al Shifa, what discussions he has held with the US Administration since the strike on Al Shifa concerning the compelling evidence that the plant was being used for the production of chemical weapons materials. [77104]

  The Prime Minister
  It is established practice under section 1(c) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information not to disclose or discuss information received in confidence from foreign governments.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 10 March 1999,Official Report, column 364–65, on Al Shifa, to which places he was referring, as the bases for terrorist organisations. [77105]

  The Prime Minister
  The US Government have stated that their airstrikes last August against targets in Afghanistan and Sudan were against camps and facilities linked with groups who had played a key role in the US embassy bombings in Kenya and Tanzania killing over 200 innocent people.

WALES

  Green Transport Plan
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what involvement fleet managers have had in drawing up his Department's Green Transport Plan. [77964]
  126
  Mr. Hain
  [holding answer 22 March 1999]: The Welsh Office does not run a large fleet of vehicles and therefore does not have a Fleet Manager. However, the Department's car purchasing and hiring arrangements reflect a concern for the environment. Current practice is to replace petrol driven vehicles with those fitted with catalytic converters and run on unleaded petrol. All vehicles are regularly serviced and fuel consumption, mileage and maintenance costs are closely monitored. These policies will be reflected in the Department's Green Transport Plan.

  Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.

  SSA Formula
  Ms Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has received the final report of the independent review of the standard spending assessment formula; and if he will make a statement. [78532]

  Mr. Michael
  Yes, I have placed copies of the report in the Library of the House.

  The Welsh Consultative Council on Local Government Finance will meet on 29 March to consider how the report's recommendation should be taken forward, although final decisions on changes to the formula for 2000–01 and later years will be for the National Assembly for Wales and local government, through the Partnership Council.

  Driving Wales Forward
  Ms Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the cost of implementing the potential road programme identified in Driving Wales Forward; and if he will make a statement. [78573]

  Mr. Hain
  I am placing copies of tables in the Library of the House which give the requested information on a constant price base up to the year 2011–12.

  The tables cover maintenance expenditure, schemes for making better use of the network, safety schemes and small scale improvements, as well as the major schemes included in the "short term" programme set out in Driving Wales Forward. That document also announced the Government's intention of undertaking corridor studies in relation to several other major road schemes in the programme inherited from the previous administration. The cost of implementing those schemes has been included in order to show the full potential costs of the trunk road programme.

  Following the transfer of functions, decisions on whether these or any other schemes should proceed will be matters for the National Assembly.

  Road Noise
  Ms Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will adopt noise reduction criteria as they apply in England for road schemes in Wales. [78574]

  Mr. Hain
  A preliminary analysis of the criteria adopted to deal with the worst problems of noise on English trunk roads indicates that no trunk road sites in Wales currently suffer from noise levels sufficiently high to meet those criteria. We will be extending our analysis
  127
  of noise levels adjacent to the trunk road network in Wales and considering the scope for adapting the criteria to meet specific Welsh circumstances.

  Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  IT Services
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Chairman of the Information Committee what estimate he has made of the savings to public funds which could be generated by the central provision of information technology services and equipment for hon. Members' offices. [77932]

  Mr. Allan
  Last year, the Information Committee conducted an inquiry into options for provision of IT services and equipment for Members. The Committee's report (HC, 1998–99, 76) was published on 18 December 1998. The Committee did not find convincing evidence for savings to public funds from central provision of IT. It did receive evidence that more value could be gained from the same investment if there were more co-ordination of purchases. It therefore recommended that a catalogue of standard equipment should be negotiated with suppliers and made available to Members. This catalogue is now in preparation and is expected to be published before the summer recess.

  SCOTLAND

    Farm Support
    Mrs. Ann Winterton
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met representatives of the farming industry to discuss support for Scottish farms. [76317]

    Mr. Dewar
    I last met representatives of the farming industry on 4 March at the SNFU annual dinner at which I spoke.

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

    Beef Ban
    Mr. Lansley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Scottish Parliament will have the power to lift the beef-on-the-bone ban in Scotland. [76318]

    Mr. Galbraith
    Yes, from 1 July 1999 this will be a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

    Salmon Anaemia
    Mr. Swayne
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he has taken to tackle the spread of infective salmon anaemia in the salmon farming industry. [76319]

    Mr. Macdonald
    We are obliged by European law to eradicate the disease and we have put in place monitoring and control measures designed to that end. It is encouraging that the last confirmed outbreak was in 128
    September of last year but there are no grounds for complacency and we shall continue to monitor and maintain the control measures.

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

    Social Exclusion
    Mr. Savidge
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to tackle the problems of those who suffer social exclusion, despite living within areas of general affluence. [76320]

    Mr. Macdonald
    We are committed to tackling poverty and exclusion wherever it occurs. Initiatives like the New Deal, the Working Families Tax Credit, the National Minimum Wage and the highest ever increase in Child Benefit and the minimum income guarantee for all pensioners, index-linked to average earnings will help individuals and families in every community in Scotland.

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

    Mr. Gorrie
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to ensure that financial support is provided to enable voluntary organisations which provide community services relevant to social exclusion to continue to function and to plan ahead. [76327]

    Mr. Galbraith
    The importance of voluntary organisations in helping to deliver the range of policies aimed at tackling social exclusion in Scotland is already recognised in the high level of funding which is provided by the Government. Scottish Office funding for the sector totals nearly £283 million a year, with £23 million in direct aid and a further £260 million provided through other funded agencies. These funds support organisations working in the fields of social welfare, health promotion, homelessness, the provision of social housing, rural poverty and urban deprivation.

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

    National Grid for Learning
    Ms Osborne
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the national grid for learning. [76321]

    Mrs. Liddell
    Building the NGfL in Scotland began in 1998 and good progress is being made towards achieving the published targets by 2002.

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

    Sentences (Women)
    Mrs. Fyfe
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Association of Sheriffs in Scotland concerning sentencing policy for women. [76322]

    Mr. McLeish
    I meet Sheriffs regularly and discuss various matters. Of course, sentencing is a matter for the courts. The Government's role is to ensure that the courts have a range of effective disposals for offenders. We have set up a project in Glasgow under the chairmanship of
    129
    Professor Sheila McLean to tackle the particular issues related to female offenders. We have introduced Supervised Attendance Orders to all sheriff and district courts throughout Scotland, to ensure that an alternative to custody for fine default is always available.

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

    Low Pay
    Ms Squire
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the incidence of low pay in Scotland. [76323]

    Mr. Macdonald
    The Government's commitment to helping the low paid is reflected in the introduction of the National Minimum Wage on 1 April. It is estimated that the National Minimum Wage will benefit 157,000 employees in Scotland.

    Lockerbie
    Mr. Dalyell
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress he has made towards organising a trial in relation to the Lockerbie affair; and if he will make a statement. [76324]

    Mr. McLeish
    Construction work on the prison which will be used to house the accused temporarily after their arrival is now complete. Design work for the remainder of the site is well advanced.

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

    Empty Homes Initiative
    Mr. Hood
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met representatives of Scottish local government to discuss the empty homes initiative. [76325]

    Mr. Macdonald
    My officials have recently met on a number of occasions with other members of the Empty Homes Initiative Advisory Group to assess bids for funding under the Initiative. The Advisory Group includes two Scottish local government representatives nominated by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.

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

    Bed Blocking
    Dr. Godman
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has received anent the problem of bed blocking. [76326]

    Mr. Galbraith
    Since the beginning of this year I have dealt with 5 letters and 6 Parliamentary Questions relating in whole or in part to the question of delayed discharge from NHS continuing care.

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

    Poverty
    Mr. David Marshall
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his policies to reduce the number of people in Scotland who are living in poverty, as defined by his Department. [76328]
    130
    Mr. Macdonald
    The Government are taking forward a wide-ranging and well-resourced programme of action to tackle poverty and social exclusion in Scotland. Our programme is described in detail in the report "Social Inclusion: Opening the door to a better Scotland", published on 1 March. Further action will be taken forward under our social inclusion strategy, published on the same day.

    Manufacturing Industry
    Mr. McAllion
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish Trades Union Congress relating to the performance of the Scottish manufacturing industry. [76329]

    Mr. Macdonald
    My right hon. Friend's last formal meeting with the Scottish Trades Union Congress was on 18 January, during which a range of issues affecting the Scottish manufacturing industry were discussed. Ministers and officials are, of course, also in regular informal contact with the STUC.

    Genetically Modified Food
    Mr. St. Aubyn
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many local authorities have banned the use of genetically modified foods in schools. [76330]

    Mrs. Liddell
    The information requested is not collected centrally.

    Secretary of State for Scotland
    Sir Sydney Chapman
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the role of the Secretary of State for Scotland will be at Westminster following the establishment of the Scottish Parliament and Executive. [76331]

    Mr. Dewar
    The Government set out their proposals for the role of the Secretary of State for Scotland after devolution in the White Paper, "Scotland's Parliament" (cm 3658). The Secretary of State will focus on promoting communication between the Scottish Parliament and Ministers on the one hand and the UK Parliament and Government on the other on matters of mutual interest; and on representing Scottish interests in reserved areas.

    New Deal
    Mr. Jim Murphy
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the numbers of young people entering(a) full-time jobs and (b) further education, as a result of the new deal. [76332]

    Mr. Macdonald
    Figures to the end of December 1998 show that 5,700 young people had secured jobs, the vast majority of which were full-time and a further 2,549 had entered the full-time education or training option.

    Mrs. Laing
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people(a) entered and (b) completed the New Deal scheme in (i) 1997 and (ii) 1998. [77832]
    131
    Mr. Dewar
    The New Deal programmes for young people and those aged 25 and over began in 1998. Figures to the end of December 1998 show that 22,700 young people and 6,900 people aged 25 and over entered the programmes.

    By the end of December 1998, 8,500 young people and 1,200 people aged 25 and over had left the New Deal programme, 44 per cent. of whom had moved into jobs.

    Mrs. Laing
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people have obtained full-time employment as a result of the New Deal scheme. [77833]

    Mr. Dewar
    Figures to the end of December 1998 show that 5,700 young people and 470 long-term unemployed people aged 25 and over had secured jobs, the vast majority of which were full-time.

    EU Structural Funds
    Mr. Moore
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with ministerial colleagues on the next programme for European Union structural funds. [76333]

    Mr. Macdonald
    My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has been closely involved with ministerial colleagues developing and agreeing the UK negotiating priorities on Structural Funds reform. In addition, the Secretary of State has met with the German Minister responsible for Structural Funds reform in January. I have met with the appropriate Swedish Minister twice and the Finnish Minister once in recent months. The Secretary of State discussed Structural Funds reform with Commissioner Wulf-Mathies early last year and I have followed that up with a further meeting in January.

    Scottish Beef
    Mr. Brady
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the progress he has made in promoting Scottish beef. [76334]

    Mr. Macdonald
    The Government are making every effort in conjunction with the industry to re-establish the market for Scotch beef in Europe. My noble Friend the Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Fisheries in Scotland led a successful industry mission to Italy earlier this month. Italy was one of the best markets for Scotch beef before the export ban.

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

    Departmental Drinks
    Mr. Malcolm Bruce
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what stocks of(a) wine, (b) spirits and (c) beer and other alcoholic beverages are held by his Department; what is their value in each case; and if he will make a statement. [74244]

    Mr. Dewar
    [holding answer 3 March 1999]: The following represents the total stocks of wines, spirits and beers and other alcoholic beverages held in the hospitality cabinets of all 7 Scottish Office Ministers in St. Andrew's House, Victoria Quay, Meridian Court and Dover House:
    132

    Total purchase price (£)

    Ministerial drinks cabinets

    Stocks held centrally for dinners and receptions

    Wines

    27.75

    1,225.90

    Spirits

    265.28

    776.59

    Beers and other alcoholic beverages

    56.83

    286.34

    These costs are part of the provision of £75,000 made for hospitality in The Scottish Office for the current financial year. That provision, of course, also covers the other more significant costs associated with hospitality, i.e. food, catering staff costs, venue hire, flowers, etc., of all official receptions, lunches and dinners hosted by The Scottish Office during 1998–99. I consider this to be reasonable provision for maintaining acceptable standards of hospitality for official visitors and guests, including representatives of foreign Governments.

    Timber Industry
    Mr. Öpik
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures his Department has taken to assist the UK timber industry since May 1997; and if he will make a statement. [77202]

    Mr. Macdonald
    Scottish Office support to assist the timber industry in Scotland is channelled through the Enterprise Network. I have asked the Chairmen of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise to write to the hon. Member.

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

    Primary Class Sizes
    Mr. Nigel Griffiths
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has made of the number of children in primary 1 classrooms in Scotland who will benefit from the extra funding to reduce class sizes to 30 pupils or under from summer 1999. [76314]

    Mrs. Liddell
    This Government have already reduced by more than 5,000 the number of primary 1, 2 and 3 children educated in classes with more than 30 pupils. By working together with authorities and providing new money—£4 million this year and a further £48 million over the next three years—we will meet our commitment that no 5, 6 or 7 year old will be educated in a class of more than 30 by August 2001.

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

    Sentencing Policy
    Ms Osborne
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the members of the committee established under Lord MacLean to review the sentencing and treatment of serious violent and sexual offenders. [78296]

    Mr. McLeish
    [pursuant to his reply, 19 March 1999, c. 841]: The membership details in the previous reply were incorrectly reproduced.
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    The following have accepted my invitation to serve on Lord MacLean's Committee:

    Mr. Andrew Brown, Chief Constable, Grampian Police

    Mr. David Burns QC, Advocate

    Dr. Derek Chiswick, Consultant Psychiatrist, Edinburgh Healthcare NHS Trust

    Professor David Cooke, Professor of Forensic Psychology, Glasgow Caledonian University

    Mr. David Crawford, Head of Operations, Social Work Department, Renfrewshire Council

    Ms Jeane Freeman, Parole Board member, Chief Executive, APEX

    Professor Christopher Gane, Professor of Scots Law, University of Aberdeen

    Mr. William Gilchrist, Regional Procurator Fiscal, North Strathclyde

    Mr. Roger Houchin, Governor, Barlinnie Prison

    Mr. Murray Macara, Solicitor Advocate, Beltrami and Co.

    Mr. Jamie Malcolm, Nursing Officer, Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland

    Dr. Linda Treliving, Consultant Psychotherapist, Dundee Healthcare NHS Trust

    Sheriff Charles Stoddart, Director of Judicial Studies.

    Arrangements for taking evidence will be announced later.

  LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

    Law Centres (North Yorkshire)
    Mr. Grogan
    To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the provision of law centres in North Yorkshire. [76340]

    Mr. Hoon
    There are currently no law centres in North Yorkshire. The Lord Chancellor's Department is not directly responsible for the provision of law centres. They are not-for-profit organisations established within communities in response to particular needs, and funded from a number of different sources. The Department has provided grant support to a small number of law centres since the 1970s.

    Immigration Adjudicators
    Fiona Mactaggart
    To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to ensure the effective use of immigration adjudicators' time while explanatory statements from the Home Office are delayed. [76341]

    Mr. Hoon
    The adjudicators plan to use this opportunity to reduce the number of outstanding cases, to undertake training and to assist the Immigration Appeal Tribunal.

    Legal Aid
    Dr. Whitehead
    To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what measures he is taking to ensure that the proposed reduction in approved legal aid practices does not result in geographical inequality of access to legal aid. [76344]
    134
    Mr. Hoon
    We are intent on providing access to quality assured legal service providers for those who qualify for help from public funds. Over seven thousand firms have already applied to join the bid panel for the first round of contracts. We expect to let over five thousand for family work alone. Comprehensive coverage will be achieved by matching legal provision to community need. There will not be a shortage of providers and the needs of all geographical areas will be catered for.

    Immigration Appellate Authorities
    Mr. Corbett
    To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps he is taking to encourage more women to apply for appointment as regional adjudicators to the immigration appellate authorities. [76345]

    Mr. Hoon
    My right hon. and noble Friend the Lord Chancellor wishes to see more women appointed to all levels of the judiciary, including the Immigration Appellate Authority. His guiding principle remains that judicial appointments are made solely on merit. He has already announced a number of measures designed to encourage more applications from women practitioners, including more flexible arrangements for some part-time judicial sittings and the development of work-shadowing and mentoring schemes.

    Magistrates Court, Lichfield
    Mr. Fabricant
    To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will visit Lichfield to meet the Lichfield Magistrates Bench to discuss the dispensing of justice in Lichfield; and if he will make a statement. [76346]

    Mr. Hoon
    I am always willing to consider any invitation to meet magistrates.

    Magistrates courts are locally managed by magistrates courts committees under the provisions of the Justices of the Peace Act 1997. It is for each Magistrates Courts Committee to decide how best to deploy its resources in order to carry out its statutory responsibility to provide an efficient and effective service to court users. Decisions concerning the future and number of magistrates courts in their area are for the relevant MCC to determine. A local authority that contributes financially may appeal to the Lord Chancellor against a proposed closure. The procedure for such appeals is set out in section 56 of the Justices of the Peace Act 1997. In the absence of an appeal, however, the Lord Chancellor plays no part in the process.

    Young Offenders
    Mr. Ian Bruce
    To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the average time taken from charging to conviction for juveniles in(a) April 1997 and (b) at the latest date for which figures are available. [76347]

    Mr. Hoon
    The exact information requested is not available. Information on delay in Crown Court proceedings is not available broken down between juvenile and adult defendants, and therefore this answer includes only information on magistrates' courts.
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    The Lord Chancellor's Department Time Intervals Survey collects information on the duration of criminal cases completed in magistrates' courts in sample weeks of each February, June and October. The date of conviction is not available; instead the answer is based on the date of completion, which includes sentence, dismissal, committal, discontinuance and other final decisions in magistrates' courts.

    The accompanying table gives average times from charge to completion for defendants in indictable cases in the Youth Court. Seasonal variations in the figures mean that assessments of trends are best made between surveys conducted at the same time of year.

    Average number of days from charge to completion for charged defendants in indictable cases in the Youth Court, 1997 and 1998

    Year

    Survey

    Average number of days from charge to completion

    1997

    February

    101

    1997

    June

    93

    1997

    October

    90

    1998

    February

    91

    1998

    June

    81

    1998

    October

    80

    Notes:

    1. Excludes summonsed defendants.

    2. Cases where offence to charge was over 10 years, or where charge to first listing or first listing to completion was over 1 year, are excluded from the analysis.

    Source:

    Lord Chancellor's Department Time Intervals Survey.

    Public Appointments
    Mr. Canavan
    To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department for how many public appointments the Lord Chancellor is responsible; and how many such appointments he has made since he took office. [76348]

    Mr. Hoon
    The latest edition of the Cabinet Office publication, "Public Bodies", specifies that, as at 1 September 1998, there are 1,818 non-judicial positions in non-departmental public bodies for which the Lord Chancellor is responsible.

    The Lord Chancellor has made 496 appointments to NDPBs since he came to office on 2 May 1997. This number does not include other appointments, such as judicial appointments; or appointments the Lord Chancellor may make to bodies for which other Ministers are responsible.

    Dispute Resolution Arrangements
    Mr. Dismore
    To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to promote alternative dispute resolution; and if he will make a statement. [77872]

    Mr. Hoon
    This Government's radical programme of reform to modernise the civil justice system will encourage the use of alternative dispute resolution in appropriate cases through the exercise of the courts' new case management powers, the reform of civil legal aid, and the development of the Community Legal Service.136
    What further steps, if any, should be undertaken to promote alternative dispute resolution is a matter currently under consideration.

    Environmental Offences (Sentencing and Fines)
    Dr. Whitehead
    To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what guidelines have been issued to magistrates in respect of appropriate sentences and fines for those committing environmental offences. [77674]

    Mr. Hoon
    Guidelines for magistrates are in the form of judgments by the higher courts, or contained in the guidelines issued by the Magistrates Association. Local benches may also formulate guidelines for local use. I am not aware of any guidelines for magistrates on environmental offences other than those which have been issued in the Nottinghamshire Magistrates Courts Service.

    Judges
    Mr. Dismore
    To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans he has to review the retirement age of judges; and if he will make a statement. [77868]

    Mr. Hoon
    The Lord Chancellor has no plans to review the retirement age of judges. The retirement age was changed by the Judicial Pensions and Retirement Act 1993, which came into force on 31 March 1995. This Act established a normal compulsory retirement age of 70 (except where a lower age is specified in the statutory conditions of tenure for a particular office) for all judicial office holders initially appointed on or after that date, subject to a power given to the Lord Chancellor to extend or re-extend service for a year at a time up to a limit of 75. Under the transitional provisions, judges appointed before 31 March 1995 retain their pre-existing retirement age.

    Mr. Dismore
    To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department how many(a) House of Lords judges, (b) Court of Appeal judges, (c) High Court judges, (d) circuit judges, (e) District judges and High Court masters and (f) stipendiary magistrates are presently serving; and of those, how many and what percentage in each case (i) are women, (ii) are from ethnic minorities, (iii) have Oxbridge degrees, (iv) had public school education and (v) were Queen's Counsel before appointment. [77866]

    Mr. Hoon
    The available information is set out in the table.

    Figures showing the number of judicial officer holders who have Oxbridge degrees, had a public school education or were Queen's Counsel before appointment are not available. Information of this kind is held on individual person records and is not collated centrally. It could therefore be obtained only at disproportionate cost. In any event, the information would be incomplete as details of secondary education are no longer collected.
    137

    Women

    Ethnic Minorities 1

    In post 1 March 1999

    Number

    Percentage

    Number

    Percentage

    (a) House of Lords Judges

    12

    0

    0

    0

    0

    (b) Court of Appeal Judges

    35

    1

    2.9

    0

    0

    (c) High Court Judges

    98

    7

    7.1

    0

    0

    (d) Circuit Judges

    562

    36

    6.4

    4

    0.7

    (e) District Judges

    379

    52

    13.7

    5

    1.3

    & High Court Masters

    24

    0

    0

    0

    0

    403

    52

    12.9

    5

    1.2

    (f) Stipendiary Magistrates Metropolitan & Provincial

    93

    13

    14

    1

    1.1

    1 Details of ethnic origin are provided on a voluntary basis and have been collected only since October 1991.

    Mr. Dismore
    To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what is the average (i) age and (ii) length of professional experience on -appointment of(a) High Court and (b) circuit judges currently serving. [77867]

    Mr. Hoon
    There are currently 98 High Court judges. Their average age is 59 years and on appointment their average length of professional experience since they were called to the Bar or admitted as a solicitor was 28 years. There are currently 562 Circuit Judges. Their average age is 58 years and their average length of professional experience on appointment was 26 years.

    Mr. Dismore
    To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what formal training(a) House of Lords judges, (b) Court of Appeal judges, (c) High Court judges, (d) circuit judges, (e) district judges, (f) High Court masters and (g) part-time judges in categories (c) to (f) have in each case received on the new civil justice system to be introduced in April 1999. [77871]

    Mr. Hoon
    Judicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board (JSB), which is an independent non-departmental public body and is chaired by Lord Justice Henry.

    The JSB held a series of residential seminars on the new civil justice procedures during January and February 1999 which were attended by nearly all full-time judges exercising civil jurisdiction. Those attending comprised 29 Court of Appeal judges, 83 High Court judges, 352 circuit judges, 387 district judges and 20 High Court masters and registrars. A separate seminar was held on 15 March for judges of the technology and construction court.

    The JSB will hold a series of 22 one day seminars in April, May and June 1999 on the new civil justice procedures which will be attended by all 1,400 part-time judges exercising civil jurisdiction, and by those few full-time judges who were unable to attend the residential seminars.

    The JSB has not given training to House of Lords judges.

    Mr. Dismore
    To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what arrangements are in place to monitor judicial competence and performance; what plans he has to review these arrangements; and if he will make a statement. [77869]
    138
    Mr. Hoon
    The Lord Chancellor believes that any such arrangements must strike an appropriate balance between the obligations of the judiciary to the public and the overriding constitutional principle of judicial independence which means that judges must be able to determine each case fairly and on its merits, without fear of improper intervention. Almost all judicial decisions are subject to appeal or review enabling higher courts to comment on or redress judicial decisions or conduct. The work of part-time judges provides opportunities for their performance and, therefore, their suitability for appointment to full-time office to be assessed. The Lord Chancellor has decided to review the scope for refining and improving the arrangements for the appraisal of part-time judicial office holders, and in that context has endorsed a pilot scheme involving more structured arrangements for the performance appraisal of deputy District Judges which he hopes to extend in due course.

    Mr. Dismore
    To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what arrangements are in place to provide continuing education for judges; what plans he has to review those arrangements; and if he will make a statement. [77870]

    Mr. Hoon
    Judicial education is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board (JSB), which is an independent non-departmental public body and is chaired by Lord Justice Henry.

    The JSB provides continuing education for judges through a programme of seminars on criminal, civil and family law which are attended by Circuit Judges, District Judges, Stipendiary Magistrates, Recorders, Assistant Recorders, Deputy District Judges and acting Stipendiary Magistrates. In general, full- and part-time Judges attend training courses run by the JSB every three years.

    The JSB draws up a strategy, covering three years, which is reviewed annually. In the light of the strategy the JSB draws up an annual plan. Both the strategy and annual plan are sent to the Lord Chancellor, who considers the performance targets and allocates resources to the JSB in the light of the plans and the overall resources available to him.

    TRADE AND INDUSTRY

      Gene Patenting
      Mr. Baker
      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of gene patenting. [74830]
      139
      Mr. Battle
      [holding answer 5 March 1999]: The Patents Act 1977 lays down the requirements which must be met to obtain patents for inventions in all fields of technology. Patents may be obtained for inventions which are new, not obvious and have industrial applicability. However, the Act excludes certain matter from patent rights. This includes plant and animal varieties and discoveries where there is no accompanying technical step, such as the mere discovery that a gene exists in nature. Any patent can be challenged before the courts, on the grounds that it does not meet the requirements laid down by the Patents Act. In July 1998, an EC Directive on the Legal Protection of Biotechnological Inventions was adopted. This Directive clarifies and harmonises the patent legislation as it applies to biotechnological inventions in all Member States. However, the Directive will not change what is and what is not currently patentable in the United Kingdom.

      Genetically Modified Organisms
      Mr. Baker
      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list by title the unpublished reports into aspects of genetic modification which are held by his Department. [75099]

      Mr. Battle
      [holding answer 8 March 1999]: It is not the practice of Governments to release details of information relating to internal policy analysis, as is made clear in the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

      BMW
      Mr. Letwin
      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will ensure that, as a condition for any grant, BMW will sell cars in the UK at prices equal to or below the prices charged for the same cars elsewhere in the European Union. [76758]

      Mr. Battle
      [holding answer 15 March 1999]: The offer of support for Longbridge is based upon being satisfied that the project will meet a number of key criteria, including the improvement of skills levels, improvements in productivity and the securing of substantial investment by BMW. It would be inappropriate, however, to place individual competitive restraints on Rover/BMW as a condition of any aid package.

      A recent report by the European Commission on car prices in the European Union showed that price differences had significantly decreased since the previous report but that the UK continued to be the most expensive market for many models. We shall be encouraging the Commission, as part of the evaluation on the cars block exemption, to identify the reasons for these price differences.

      Packaging Proposals
      Mr. Gale
      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what assessment he has made of the impact on costs to industry of Post Office proposals for the packaging of veterinary, medical and other samples; [77224]

      (2) what clarification his Department has received from the Post Office of packaging requirements for pathological specimens; and if he will make a statement. [77225]
      140
      Mr. Byers
      [holding answer 17 March 1999]: This is an operational matter for the Post Office, which is proposing to introduce changes in transport and packaging requirements for diagnostic specimens and infectious substances in order to ensure compliance with national and international requirements on the safe transport of these substances. Discussions are continuing between officials of the Post Office, the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, the Health and Safety Executive and the Civil Aviation Authority to ensure both that the requirements for the safe transport of infectious and diagnostic substances are met and that costs to industry are minimised.

      Renewable Energy Sources
      Mr. Soley
      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department is preparing a White Paper on renewables; and if he will make a statement. [77901]

      Mr. Battle
      I plan to publish a consultation document on my review of renewable energy shortly, which will analyse the status and prospects for renewables, and present options for developing renewables further.

      Nuclear Waste
      Mr. Llew Smith
      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what reports he has received from British Nuclear Fuels in respect of its current collaboration with Pangea Resources to establish a repository for high level nuclear waste in Australia. [77979]

      Mr. Battle
      BNFL's involvement in the Pangea project is a matter for the company's management. They have kept my Department in touch with developments from time to time.

      European Scrutiny Committee
      Mr. Woodward
      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if(a) Ministers, (b) special advisers and (c) civil servants saw the European Scrutiny Committee questions brief in advance of the appearance of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for North Swindon (Mr. Wills), before the Committee on 16 February. [77847]

      Mr. Wills
      [holding answer 19 March 1999]: Neither Ministers, special advisers nor civil servants saw the European Scrutiny Committee questions brief in advance of my appearance. However, it has been a common but not universal practice over a long period for Committees to agree to give officials an indication of the broad areas they intend to cover at the hearing to ensure that the evidence session is as effective and productive as possible. I was informed of the likely broad areas of questioning in advance of the European Scrutiny Committee hearing on Tuesday 16 February.

      Clothing and Textile Industry
      Mr. Hoyle
      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what help his Department is providing to the United Kingdom textile industry to assist it to compete. [77470]
      141
      Mr. Battle
      [holding answer 18 March 1999]: The DTI is currently funding around twenty projects to encourage the growth and competitiveness of the UK textiles and clothing industry. These projects cover research into product innovation and development, design, education and training, benchmarking and the development of supply chain partnerships. In addition, 770 textiles, clothing and footwear companies benefited from trade fair support last year. My Department is also supporting the recently formed industry-led Textiles and Clothing Strategy Group, which aims to develop a strategy for the long term sustainable development of the industry.

      Mr. Woolas
      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many meetings there have been of the clothing and textile industry actions group; on what dates; who was in attendance; what progress has been made; and if he will make a statement; [77897]

      (2) what issues are being considered by the Textiles and Clothing Strategy Group. [77899]

      Mr. Battle
      The Textiles and Clothing Strategy Group (TCSG) is an industry-led body resulting from a joint management/union initiative. It is looking at long-term competitiveness issues affecting the UK textiles and clothing industry. In response to a request to the Chairman of the TCSG, James McAdam CBE (BATC), I am able to say that the TCSG meets on a monthly basis and, over the coming months, intends to look at a number of issues including: international productivity comparisons, supply chain relations, human resources (training, recruitment and skills), product development, investment, technological development, and design and marketing. As well as James McAdam, the membership of the TCSG includes Peter Aubusson (Courtaulds Textiles), Peter Booth (TGWU), Des Farrell (GMB), Paul Gates (KFAT), Professor Dick Horrocks (Bolton Institute), David Sutcliffe OBE DL (Benson Turner) and John Wilson (BATC). My Department is represented on the group by Brian Hopson, the Director of Consumer Goods and Business Services.

      Millennium Compliance
      Mr. Jim Cunningham
      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the number of(a) businesses and (b) British oil companies operating in the North Sea which have adequately dealt with the millennium bug to date. [77694]

      Mr. Battle
      [holding answer 22 March 1999]: The offshore oil industry together with the other key UK utilities and services are providing regular public reports on their state of Y2K compliance through the Action 2000-National Infrastructure Forum arrangements, and also via the Action 2000 and UKOOA Internet sites.

      DTI, acting through UKOOA, the trade body which represents UK offshore oil operators, has asked companies to provide assessments of their state of Y2K preparedness. All these assessments are either being carried out by peer group reviewers or by entirely independent organisations. In addition WS Atkins have been appointed by DTI to provide an independent
      142
      validation of the results of these assessments. WS Atkins aim to report their findings to DTI in early April, so they can be included in the presentation which the DTI will make to the National Infrastructure Forum meeting on 21 April.

      An analysis of the first completed assessments already shows the majority of the companies to be in the "blue" category (the assessment has not identified any risks of material disruption). The activities which remain in the "amber" category (the assessment indicates that there is some risk of material disruption, but that there is an agreed containment plan to rectify shortcomings) relate to outstanding work on external dependencies, staffing and contingency plans which are scheduled for completion by end October.

      Mr. Jim Cunningham
      To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the adequacy of measures taken to deal with the millennium bug in Britain's(a) nuclear and (b) conventional power stations. [77691]

      Mr. Battle
      [holding answer 22 March 1999]: The Office of Electricity Regulation announced the findings of an independent assessment of the whole electricity industry on 17 March. The results show that the sector is on course to beat the millennium bug.

      74 per cent. of generation plant is judged to already have Action 2000 "blue" status, meaning that the assessment has not identified any risks of material disruption. Most remaining compliance work is expected to be completed by the end of June, with a few systems programmed for later completion, by September. The assessors were satisfied that sufficient resources were available for this work to be completed in time for the millennium.

      The Nuclear Industries Inspectorate, the UK body responsible for regulating the safe operation of Nuclear Generating Stations, has carried out a full assessment of nuclear plant and is satisfied that this plant will function safely over the century date change period.

      My Department is closely monitoring the preparations being made in the electricity sector for the millennium.

    FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

      Government Codes and Cypher School
      Mr. John D. Taylor
      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the following documents relating to the Government Codes and Cypher School's work in the Second World War will be released to the Public Record Office: the history or histories of(a) Hut 8 or German naval machine systems by C. H. O. S. Alexander, (b) the organisation and evolution of British naval sigint, by F. L. Birch, (c) the organisation and uses of naval special sigint, (d) the handling of naval special intelligence, (e) German naval signals intelligence, by Miss M. E. Storey, (f) Hut 6 and (g) 15K cryptography (Abwehr machine cyphers); and if he will make a statement. [75133]

      Mr. Robin Cook
      GCHQ maintains a document review unit which handles the release to the Public Record Office of potentially sensitive material, including the work of the
      143
      Government Codes and Cypher School. GCHQ has been able to identify all the documents referred to except: "The organisation and uses of naval special sigint", "15K cryptography (Abwehr machine cyphers)" and "The German Navy's use of Special Intelligence by McMahon". The other documents referred to by the right hon. Member have been considered for release in the past but contained information the disclosure of which at the time would have been damaging to national security, and have, for that reason, not been released.

      A version of the "History of hut 8 by A. A. Mahon" has been released in the United States.

      Documents are reviewed in the light of the degree of public interest in their release, and of advice from the PRO. I have asked that the documents in question be reviewed before the end of the year. I will write to the right hon. Member when the review is complete.

      Foreign Media Articles
      Mrs. Gillan
      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he gave prior approval to the article by the hon. Member for Rotherham (Mr. MacShane) published in Le Monde on 3 March. [75478]

      Mr. Robin Cook
      [holding answer 8 March 1999]: The views expressed by my hon. Friend the Member for Rotherham (Mr. MacShane) in the article are his own.

      Sierra Leone
      Mr. Howard
      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when(a) telegram 277 regarding Sierra Leone, (b) his Department's daily bulletins regarding the scope of the arms embargo in Sierra Leone and (c) the text of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Conference communiqué were first brought to his attention. [75808]

      Mr. Robin Cook
      [holding answer 9 March 1999]: Telegram 277 contains guidance for media inquiries on UN Resolution 1132. This and FCO Daily Bulletins are not operational papers and would not have been drawn to my attention at the time they issued. I would not have seen these papers until some time after the arrival of the letter from S. J. Berwin and Co. dated 24 April 1998. In October 1997, I attended the CHOGM which produced the Communiqué in question.

      Government Communications Headquarters
      Mr. Maples
      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answers of 15 February 1999,Official Report, column 579, on Government communications headquarters, when he expects the final cost of the compensation packages to be established. [76301]

      Mr. Robin Cook
      [holding answer 15 March 1999]: I refer to my earlier answers to the hon. Member on 1 February 1999, Official Report, column 493 [66489] and 15 February 1999, Official Report, column 579 [69380].
      144

      Gibraltar
      Mr. Austin
      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications for his policy in respect of extending the franchise to the people of Gibraltar for elections to the European Parliament, of the determination of the European Court of Human Rights of 18 February; and if he will make a statement. [77188]

      Ms Quin
      [holding answer 17 March 1999]: I refer my hon. Friend to the replies I gave to the hon. Member for Romsey (Mr. Colvin) on 17 March 1999, Official Report, column 681 [76637] and 18 March 1999, Official Report, columns 760–61 [76638].

      EU Budget Contribution
      Dr. Marek
      To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will(a) list the funding from the EU affected by the UK's abatement and (b) state the amount of required matched funding and the adjustments which had been made as a result of the abatement, for the last year for which figures are available. [78335]

      Ms Quin
      The UK abatement is one year in arrears and is, broadly, two thirds of the difference between what the UK contributes to the EU budget and what is received. It is deducted from the resources side of the budget, so reduces contributions rather than receipts. There is no requirement for matched funding linked to the abatement.

    NORTHERN IRELAND

      Electronic Red Boxes
      Mr. Maclean
      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will name the Ministers in her Department who are regular users of electronic Red Boxes. [76182]

      Marjorie Mowlam
      None at present. I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 16 March 1999,Official Report, columns 651–52.

      Prisoners (Accelerated Release)
      Mr. McNamara
      To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will update her answer of 3 November 1998,Official Report, column 488, on prisoners to indicate how many prisoners applied to the Prison Sentence Review Commission for an accelerated release date by 31 December 1998; in how many cases the Commission made a determination; and for unsuccessful applications, what reasons were given. [78158]

      Mr. Ingram
      [holding answer 22 March 1999]: Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Sentence Review Commissioners. I have asked them to arrange for a reply to be given.
      145

    CABINET OFFICE

      People's Panel
      Dr. David Clark
      To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office on how many occasions members of the People's Panel have been used as a source of membership of focus groups; and if he will provide details of each occasion. [78339]

      Mr. Kilfoyle
      Members of the People's Panel have been used as a source of membership for focus groups on two occasions earlier this year. Details are as follows:The Women's Unit commissioned 24 focus groups as part of a wider programme of consultation with women—Listening to Women. The focus groups explored a broad range of priorities women felt important to their lives, and probed in-depth their opinion on specific topics, such as women's incomes. The Women's Unit has particular interest in teenage girls and this research included 6 focus groups with this age-group in order to inform the Unit's policy area with the views of girls themselves.
      The Department for Education and Employment commissioned six focus groups to investigate parents' attitudes towards value added information in school performance tables. The research will be used to inform the development of value added measures for publication in the performance tables.

      Gross class 1 contributions as a percentage of all employed earnings, by earnings decile

      Income decile

      1997–98

      2002–03

      2007–08

      2017–18

      2027–28

      2037–38

      2047–48

      1st

      Employee

      0.0

      0.0

      0.0

      0.0

      0.0

      0.0

      0.0

      Employer

      0.0

      0.0

      0.0

      0.0

      0.0

      0.0

      0.0

      Total

      0.0

      0.0

      0.0

      0.0

      0.0

      0.0

      0.0

      2nd

      Employee

      0.1

      0.0

      0.0

      0.0

      0.1

      0.1

      0.1

      Employer

      0.0

      0.0

      0.0

      0.0

      0.1

      0.1

      0.1

      Total

      0.1

      0.0

      0.0

      0.1

      0.1

      0.2

      0.2

      3rd

      Employee

      0.3

      0.2

      0.2

      0.2

      0.2

      0.3

      0.3

      Employer

      0.2

      0.2

      0.2

      0.3

      0.3

      0.3

      0.3

      Total

      0.5

      0.4

      0.4

      0.5

      0.5

      0.6

      0.6

      4th

      Employee

      0.4

      0.4

      0.4

      0.4

      0.4

      0.4

      0.5

      Employer

      0.4

      0.4

      0.4

      0.5

      0.5

      0.5

      0.6

      Total

      0.9

      0.8

      0.8

      0.9

      0.9

      1.0

      1.0

      5th

      Employee

      0.6

      0.5

      0.5

      0.6

      0.6

      0.6

      0.6

      Employer

      0.7

      0.6

      0.6

      0.7

      0.7

      0.7

      0.8

      Total

      1.3

      1.1

      1.1

      1.2

      1.3

      1.3

      1.4

      6th

      Employee

      0.8

      0.7

      0.7

      0.7

      0.8

      0.8

      0.7

      Employer

      0.9

      0.8

      0.8

      0.9

      0.9

      0.9

      0.9

      Total

      1.7

      1.5

      1.5

      1.6

      1.6

      1.7

      1.6

      7th

      Employee

      0.9

      0.9

      0.9

      0.9

      0.9

      0.8

      0.7

      Employer

      1.1

      1.0

      1.0

      1.1

      1.1

      1.1

      1.2

      Total

      2.1

      1.9

      1.9

      2.0

      2.0

      1.9

      1.9

      8th

      Employee

      1.2

      1.1

      1.1

      1.1

      0.9

      0.8

      0.7

      Employer

      1.4

      1.3

      1.3

      1.4

      1.4

      1.4

      1.4

      Total

      2.5

      2.4

      2.4

      2.4

      2.3

      2.2

      2.1

      9th

      Employee

      1.4

      1.3

      1.2

      1.1

      0.9

      0.8

      0.7

      Employer

      1.6

      1.6

      1.7

      1.7

      1.8

      1.8

      1.8

      Total

      3.0

      2.9

      2.9

      2.8

      2.7

      2.6

      2.5

      10th

      Employee

      1.5

      1.4

      1.3

      1.1

      0.9

      0.8

      0.7

      Employer

      2.7

      2.9

      3.0

      3.0

      3.0

      3.1

      3.1

      Total

      4.2

      4.3

      4.3

      4.1

      4.0

      3.9

      3.8

      Total

      Employee

      7.1

      6.4

      6.3

      6.1

      5.8

      5.4

      5.0

      Employer

      9.2

      8.9

      9.1

      9.4

      9.7

      10.0

      10.2

      Total

      16.3

      15.3

      15.4

      15.5

      15.5

      15.4

      15.2

      Notes:

      1. Class 1 Contributions, including the National Health Service Allowance, gross of contracted out rebates and permitted employers' recoveries on account of their Statutory Sick Pay and Statutory Maternity pay payments to employees, and expressed in terms of accruals rather than receipts.

      2. The 1st earnings decile covers the one tenth of the employed population with the lowest earnings. The other deciles are defined similarly.

      Source:

      Government Actuary's Department (GAD).
      146

    SOCIAL SECURITY

      National Insurance
      Mr. Love
      To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the amount paid in National Insurance, excluding contributions to SERPS, as a percentage of national income for each income decile of the working population for(a) 1997–98 (b) 2002–03 and (c) 2007–08 and (d) each 10 years to 2047–48; what impact he estimates the changes will have on the re-distributive nature of national insurance contributions; and if he will make a statement. [74176]

      Mr. Timms
      Information is not available in the form requested because Class 1 National Insurance contributions are not separable into elements for SERPS or for the other benefits paid out of the National Insurance Fund. The information that is available is in the table and relates to gross Class 1 contributions as a percentage of all employed earnings by earnings decile. This takes account of the changes to the structure of Class 1 contributions announced in the Chancellor's 1998 and 1999 Budgets.
      147

      Disability Living Allowance
      Mr. Coleman
      To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many residents in Hammersmith and Fulham are in receipt of disability living allowance; and of those how many have had their benefits(a) reduced and (b) removed by the Benefit Integrity Project. [77841]

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

      Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Iain Coleman, dated 22 March 1999:
      The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many residents in Hammersmith and Fulham are in receipt of Disability Living Allowance, and of those how many have had their benefits (a) reduced and (b) removed by the Benefit Integrity Project.
      The number of people in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham who are in receipt of Disability Living Allowance, as at 31 May 1998 is 4,338.
      The information concerning how many of these have had their benefits reduced or removed by the Benefit Integrity Project is not available. To provide geographical information routinely would incur high costs and disrupt the processing of ongoing case work.
      You may find it helpful to know that a monthly statistical report can be found in the House of Commons Library.

      Welfare Reform
      Dr. Lynne Jones
      To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list those respondents to the welfare reform Green Paper, "New Ambitions for our Country: A New Contract for Welfare", who(a) requested the abolition of means testing and (b) called for means testing to be extended to all benefits. [77540]

      Mr. Timms
      The Welfare Reform Green Paper, "New Ambitions for our Country: A New Contract for Welfare" (CM 3805), set out the framework for welfare reform, based on eight principles, together with a range of success measures. Views were invited on the contents of the Green Paper, specifically on those principles and success measures. The information gathered from the responses was categorised to reflect this. As views were not specifically sought on means testing and it did not feature in the guiding principles or success measures, a list of those who commented on it is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

      A list of those organisations and academics who responded to the exercise, excluding those who requested confidentiality, has been placed in the Library. Copies of these responses are available on request from the Department. We have also placed in the Library a summary of responses.

      Benefit Fraud
      Mrs. Laing
      To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost of benefit fraud in Scotland in each year since 1992 in(a) cash terms and (b) 1998–99 prices. [77769]

      Mr. Timms
      The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
      148
      The Green Paper "Beating Fraud is Everyone's Business: securing the future" set out the difficulties of measuring a covert activity such as fraud.

      Estimated fraud in Great Britain

      £ billion

      Amount

      Confirmed fraud

      2

      Strong suspicion of fraud

      3

      Low suspicion of fraud

      2

      Kali Mountford
      To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will publish his strategy for combating fraud in social security. [78576]

      Mr. Darling
      I am publishing today "A New Contract for Welfare—Safeguarding Social Security", which sets out the Government's strategy for reducing fraud and error in the Social Security system.

      When we came into office far too much money was being lost through fraud and error. Targets were set to find fraud but not to stop it happening, and safeguarding Social Security was too often an afterthought rather than an integral part of processing claims.

      We are determined to focus on a single goal—reducing the amount of fraud and error. We will achieve this by getting payments right in the first place, keeping them right throughout the claim and putting mistakes right when we find them. We will make sure that we have a suitable range of sanctions, including prosecutions, to make those who steal Social Security realise that crime does not pay.

      We have already made a good start and have set clear goals against which our success can be judged. By tightening the gateways to benefit and requiring more supporting evidence before benefit is paid we expect to save £1 billion in Income Support alone over this Parliament. We are providing an extra £100 million to local authorities so that they can make tougher checks on Housing Benefit. We are making greater use of new technology to share information between the agencies and councils paying benefits to improve service and to avoid duplication. We are helping local authorities to prosecute more cases of Housing Benefit fraud and have launched an independent review of how best to tackle the threats to Social Security from organised fraud.

      We shall keep checking that our plans are working and we will review local performance to trace how well we are doing in each area. We have set a challenging target to reduce by 30 per cent., losses from fraud and error in Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance, by 31 March 2007, with at least a 10 per cent. reduction by 31 March 2002. This will take sustained effort by all staff delivering Social Security. We know that they will rise to the challenge.

      Our strategy builds on the work set out in the Green Paper published last July "Beating Fraud Is Everyone's Business: securing the future" (Cm 4012). The responses we had to the Green Paper were largely supportive and I am placing a summary of these in the Library today.
      149
      We are determined to root out fraud and reduce error in the Social Security system. It will be a tough job, but for the first time we have a systematic and deliverable strategy to reduce the losses from fraud and error and safeguard Social Security.

      Housing Benefit (Scotland)
      Mr. Wallace
      To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of expenditure on housing benefit in Scotland in(a) 1997–98 and (b) 1998–99, for (i) public sector tenants, (ii) housing association tenants and (iii) other private sector tenants. [78213]

      Angela Eagle
      The information is not yet available. The information will be available after the publication of the Departmental Report on 30 March 1999. I will write to the hon. and learned Member when the information is available.

      Benefit Integrity Project
      Mr. Burstow
      To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what evaluation he has made of the effectiveness of the training undertaken by staff conducting Benefit Integrity Project interviews. [77890]

      Mr. Bayley
      The training of Benefits Agency Staff is a matter for Peter Mathison, Chief Executive of the Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

      Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Paul Burstow, dated 22 March 1999:
      The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what evaluation he has made of the effectiveness of the training undertaken by staff conducting Benefit Integrity Project interviews.
      The Benefits Agency is committed to high quality training and all training courses, including those delivered to Benefit Integrity Project staff, are evaluated on an ongoing basis with training needs under continual review.
      All training events, including refresher training undertaken with input from the Disablement Income Group (DIG), have been separately evaluated for their effectiveness. Post-course evaluation questionnaires are completed by all staff and post-training workshops have been carried out. This information has been used to further improve the training.

      The findings of the evaluation were that the training:

      sufficiently equipped the visiting staff to be able to carry out the visits

      focused on good practices

      reinforced the purpose of the project

      Managers accompany visiting staff on a number of visits each year to ensure that the training principles have been assimilated. There has been much positive feedback from customers on how the visits have been carried out.
      DIG has prepared a report for the Benefits Agency that summarises their input into the training. They have made valuable suggestions for the future. We will be using their findings and our own evaluation to develop training for staff who will be working on the new periodic enquiry process from April 1999.

      Jobseeker's Allowance
      Mr. Shepherd
      To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to amend regulation 81 of the Jobseeker's Allowance Regulations 1996; and if he will make a statement. [78244]
      150
      Angela Eagle
      We currently have no plans to amend regulation 81 of the Jobseeker's Allowance Regulations.

    ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

      Food Control
      Mr. Martyn Jones
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much money was provided in the standard spending assessment in each year between 1989–90 and 1998–99 for enforcement of the law in relation to food control. [77523]

      Ms Armstrong
      The information requested is not available.

      Standard spending assessments cover the whole range of local authority services. Specific amounts are not identified for enforcement in relation to the law on food control. The level of resources for enforcement of food control legislation is a matter for individual local authorities.

      Millennium Compliance
      Mr. Nigel Jones
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the preparedness of local authorities and emergency services in Gloucestershire for dealing with the millennium bug; and if he will make a statement. [77484]

      Ms Armstrong
      It is each authority's responsibility, for which they are accountable to their local people, to ensure they are adequately prepared for the Millennium Bug and have proper plans in place for the emergency services. Independent assessment of the state of preparedness is being carried out by auditors and the Audit Commission, which, in June, will be naming any council which is not making sufficient progress. We have also appointed teams in the Government Offices to help councils to prepare for the Millennium Bug, and to report on the state of preparedness of the local government sector to Action 2000's National Infrastructure Forum.

      Road Surfaces
      Mr. Gorrie
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to hold trials of the use of shredded tyres in new road surfaces. [77424]

      Ms Glenda Jackson
      There are no proposals for trials of surfacings incorporating shredded tyres within new road surfaces on the Department's trunk roads. New road surfaces are being developed with shredded tyres forming part of their composition. The Highways Agency is working closely with surfacing manufacturers and local authority associations to develop further the scope for using recycled tyres in road surfaces and in other highways applications. The materials will be subjected to trials when capable of meeting the required levels of performance for safety and durability.

      Mr. Gordon Prentice
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what use is made of recycled material from car tyres in road surfaces; and if he will make a statement. [77825]
      151
      Ms Glenda Jackson
      Recycled material from car tyres is not currently used in road surfaces specified for the Department's trunk roads. New road surfaces are being developed with shredded tyres forming part of their composition. The Highways Agency is working closely with surfacing manufacturers and local authority associations to develop further the scope for using recycled tyres in road surfaces and in other highways applications. The materials will be subjected to trials when capable of meeting the required levels of performance for safety and durability.

      Environmental Rights Convention
      Mr. Chaytor
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to ratify the Convention on Environmental Rights signed at the Aarhus Conference in Denmark on 25 June 1998. [77656]

      Mr. Alan Simpson
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on progress made following the signing of the Aarhus Convention on environmental rights in June 1998; and whether Britain will have ratified the Convention in time to be involved in the first meeting of signatories in Moldova in April. [78014]

      Mr. Meale
      We intend to ratify the Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (the Aarhus Convention) as soon as we have the necessary measures in place to implement its provisions. In particular, that requires new legislation on access to environmental information. We are considering including measures in the forthcoming Freedom of Information Bill to implement the access to information provisions of the Convention.

      The United Kingdom will play a full part in the first meeting of signatories to the Convention in Moldova in April, which will discuss a work programme on follow-up to the Convention. The United Kingdom has offered to host a workshop as part of that work programme.

      The Convention will come into force when sixteen countries have ratified it. That is not expected to be until 2000 at the earliest. The Convention Secretariat is not aware that any country has yet ratified.

      Residential Leasehold Reform
      Mr. Darvill
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Government plan to consult on the proposal contained in the consultation paper, "Residential Leasehold Reform in England and Wales", to give to leaseholders of houses a similar right of first refusal to that of qualifying tenants in blocks of flats. [77650]

      Mr. Raynsford
      We must first consider all the responses to the existing consultation paper, which are still being received. We expect to proceed with further consultation later in the year.
      152
      Mr. Darvill
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment. Transport and the Regions what form the consultation about the technical details of the Government's proposal to create a new right for a majority of the leaseholders in a block of flats to take over the management of the block will take; and when that consultation will take place. [77651]

      Mr. Raynsford
      We will issue a consultation paper on the new right to manage once we have decided on the main issues of principle in the light of the responses to our existing paper. I would expect that to be later this year.

      Mr. Darvill
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what research his Department has carried out on the numbers of former local authority tenants who have acquired leasehold flats under the right to buy legislation and are now unable to resell their homes on the open market; and if he will publish the results of that research. [77649]

      Mr. Raynsford
      My Department carried out two research studies which were published by HMSO in 1995 as Housing Research Reports, "The Resale of Former Council Homes" and "Leaseholders and Service Charges in Former Local Authority Flats". Copies of both reports and summaries are in the Library of the House.

      The Department has been carrying out further research into leaseholders of social landlords since 1996 as part of the Survey of English Housing. The Survey involves an annual sample of around 1 in 1,000 households and has collected data only on 256 leasehold properties which had been purchased from a local authority by a sitting tenant; and of these, only 18 had put their home on the market at some time since purchase. We shall publish results once we have statistically significant information.

      Rent Assessment Panels
      Mr. Darvill
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) when he plans to publish the result of the financial management and policy review of rent assessment panels in England; [77653]

      (2) when he expects to complete his consideration of the future of the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal following the financial management and policy review of rent assessment panels in England. [77652]

      Mr. Raynsford
      We intend to publish a report on the outcome of the first phase of the financial management and policy review of rent assessment panels in England by the summer. This phase will involve examining the role of the panels and their functions, assessing the extent to which these are necessary and considering options for achieving best value. We will, as part of the review, be considering all aspects of the operation of the leasehold valuation tribunals.

      RAF East Camp Site, Colindale
      Mr. Dismore
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to make a decision on the planning application for the RAF East Camp site, Colindale. [77865]

      Mr. Caborn
      Shortly.
      153

      Barnet Football Club
      Mr. Dismore
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to make a decision on the planning application for Barnet Football Club at Copthall Stadium. [77873]

      Mr. Caborn
      Shortly.

      Home Energy Efficiency Scheme
      Mrs. Ellman
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what criteria are used to assess bids for agencies seeking appointment to installerships under the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme with particular reference to(a) pricing of measures, (b) quality of work, (c) customer care provisions and (d) training opportunities; and if he will make a statement. [77657]

      Mr. Meale
      The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES) is managed for the Department under contract by Eaga Ltd. As part of the contract, Eaga is responsible for the appointment of installers to carry out work in designated areas under the scheme. Installers seeking appointment are required to demonstrate that they can meet the required standard of quality of work and customer care, and have the appropriately qualified and trained staff. Those meeting these criteria are then assessed on the basis of price.

      To maintain quality standards, Eaga inspect 5 per cent. of jobs done by installers. Additionally, there is an 8 month probationary period for newly appointed and re-appointed installers. The recent National Audit Office report on HEES confirmed the high quality of work achieved by the scheme.

      A51, Cheshire
      Sir Alastair Goodlad
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received about the need for by-passes around villages on the A51 in Cheshire; and if he will make a statement. [77608]

      Dr. Reid
      Since the Government's Roads Review, "A New Deal for Trunk Roads in England", was published last July, written representations have been received via the right hon. Member, from my hon. Friend the Member for City of Chester (Ms Russell), and from several local residents. In addition a report has been compiled by the A51 Environmental Group that also makes representations on this issue.

      Sir Alastair Goodlad
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received about the need for(a) reducing traffic volume, (b) lowering traffic speed and (c) decreasing the number of heavy goods vehicles on the A51 in Cheshire; and if he will make a statement. [77607]

      Dr. Reid
      I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Lawrie Haynes, to write to the right hon. Member.
      154
      Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Sir Alastair Goodlad, dated 23 March 1999:
      The Minister for Transport, Dr John Reid, has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning representations received about the need for reducing traffic volume, lowering traffic speed and decreasing the number of heavy goods vehicles on the A51 in Cheshire.
      We have received written representations covering all three issues from eight local residents. We have also received a copy of a report prepared by the A51 Environmental Group, which covers these points.
      As you know, the Highways Agency is carrying out two studies involving the A51. Firstly, a study of the full length of the road in Cheshire to identify where measures may be required to address safety problems either at specific locations or on the road as a whole. Secondly, a review of all villages on the Cheshire trunk roads to identify and place in order of priority, any locations that would benefit from new or improved traffic calming measures. We expect to have the results of both studies shortly.
      The A51 provides a direct link for traffic travelling between the M6 and Chester, North Wales and Merseyside. A number of residents have suggested that Heavy Goods Vehicles should be signed to use the longer route provided by the M6, M56 and M53 rather than using the A51. We have considered this carefully but have no plans to change the existing signing.
      The A51/A500 Chester to the M6 is one of the trunk routes identified as non-core and one which would be more appropriately managed by the local highway authority. Responsibility for non-core roads is to be transferred to local highway authorities by means of detrunking. I understand that the Government will be announcing a final decision on the split of the network into core and non-core routes as soon as possible.
      If the A51/A500 is confirmed as a non-core route to be detrunked, then from 1 April 2000 the Agency will only initiate further improvements that we consider necessary to keep the route in a safe and serviceable condition. It will be for the local highway authority, in this case Cheshire County Council, to consider the need for other improvements in the context of their Local Transport Plan. Provisional plans covering the period 2000/01–2004/05 are to be submitted by the end of July.

      Halon
      Mr. David Stewart
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what research his Department has commissioned to study the level of halon 1202 emissions to the atmosphere; [77595]

      (2) what action his Department will take to encourage the international community to include halon 1202 in the list of chemicals controlled by the Montreal protocol. [77594]

      Mr. Meale
      My Department commissions research at the University of East Anglia to analyse air samples from the archive at Cape Grim in Tasmania. They have made the first measurements of the atmospheric concentration of halon 1202 anywhere in the world. Although the concentration of halon 1202 is currently very low (0.05 parts per trillion), it is growing very rapidly, some 17 per cent. per year in 1998. We also commission routine measurements of the background concentrations of halons at Mace Head in the Republic of Ireland as part of the International Global Atmospheric Gases Experiment. Halon 1202 concentrations are currently below the limit of detectability of the instrumentation in place but instrument development is taking place to cover this substance.
      155
      As there is little information on the source of halon 1202 emissions, the United Kingdom and other Parties to the Montreal Protocol have requested the Protocol's Technical and Economic Assessment Panel and Science Assessment Panel to identify the source and availability of this substance and report back to the Parties by 2001. This information will enable Parties to take a decision to decide whether it is necessary to control this substance under the Protocol.

      Mr. David Stewart
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what action his Department is taking to help developing countries fulfil the Montreal Protocol ban on halon 1211 production by 2005; [77592]

      (2) what steps his Department is taking to help the Chinese Government fulfil the Montreal Protocol ban on halon 1211 production by 2005. [77593]

      Mr. Meale
      China, together with other developing countries, is committed under the Montreal Protocol to phasing out the production and consumption of halons by 2010. Assistance is available for developing countries under the Protocol's Multilateral Fund to meet their commitments. To this end, US$ 62 million has been provided from the Fund to enable China to phase out halon production, as a result of which China has given a commitment to stop production of halon 1211 by 2006, four years earlier than required under the Protocol. The United Kingdom currently contributes in the region of £6.5 million per year to the Multilateral Fund.

      Business Rates
      Dr. Whitehead
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what modelling he has done of local authority costs incurred in implementing the procedures for localising elements of the business rate as set out in the Local Government White Paper. [77677]

      Ms Armstrong
      Local authorities already have a statutory duty to consult businesses. The proposals in the White Paper, in respect of local authorities' responsibility to listen to their communities, require authorities to make such consultation arrangements effective. The partnership arrangements between business and local authorities needed for the localisation scheme will be based on these effective consultation arrangements. In addition, local authorities will be given the maximum flexibility to agree both suitable partnership arrangements for their areas, and the methods for securing the endorsement of these arrangements by business. The additional costs arising from the localisation scheme are expected to be small, but we will discuss with the Local Government Association any concerns it may have. A consultation paper is to be issued shortly.

      EU Fraud
      Mr. Grieve
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what(a) discussions he has had and (b) proposals his Department has put forward at Council of Ministers' meetings in respect of EU fraud; and if he will make a statement. [77779]
      156
      Mr. Meale
      [holding answer 19 March 1999]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary on 19 March 1999, Official Report, columns 858–59.

      Renewable Energy
      Mr. Martyn Jones
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to amend the planning regulations in order to help the UK to meet its targets for renewable energy generation. [77944]

      Mr. Raynsford
      None. I am satisfied that the existing regulatory framework is adequate.

      Ofwat
      Mr. Boswell
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what preparations are being made by Ofwat in respect of his responsibilities under the Competition Act 1998; what increase in staff is required; and what action is being taken to co-ordinate policy with the Director General of Fair Trading. [77687]

      Mr. Meale
      [holding answer 22 March 1999]: The Director General of Water Services is currently preparing guidelines on the application of the Competition Act 1998 to the water industry to be published later this year. I understand that he is considering, but has yet to determine, what increase in staff might be required in respect of his new responsibilities. The Office of Water Services (Ofwat) is a member of the Concurrency Working Party (CWP), comprising representatives from the Office of Fair Trading and those regulators having concurrent functions, which is working to ensure a co-ordinated approach to the application of the 1998 Act. Guidelines on the application and enforcement of the Act have been prepared by the CWP and issued by the Director General of Fair Trading (DGFT). In February, the Department of Trade and Industry issued a consultation document "Concurrency: consultation on the possible need and scope for regulations" on the Secretary of State's powers to make regulations for the purpose of co-ordinating the functions exercisable by the DGFT and the regulators.

      EC Transport Council
      Mr. Maclean
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will publish the agenda for the forthcoming EC Transport Council of 29 March. [78393]

      Dr. Reid
      The proposed agenda for the 29 March Transport Council comprises the following items:

      1. Adoption of the agenda

      2. Approval of "A" points

      Inland transport

      3. Railways policy

      4. Combined transport

      5. Working time in the road transport sector

      Air transport

      6. Modernisation of the Warsaw system on airline liability

      157
      Measures concerning all modes of transport

      7. Amendments to Trans-European Network guidelines

      8. Satellite navigation systems ("Galileo")

      9. Other business.

      Water Charges (Pensioners)
      Mr. Jim Cunningham
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what action the Government plans to take to assist pensioners with the payment of water charges, with particular reference to those who cannot have water meters installed for technical reasons. [77695]

      Mr. Meale
      Under proposals in the Water Industry Bill, currently before Parliament, household water customers would have a new entitlement to be charged on a measured basis without paying any initial costs for the installation of a meter. Customers using water only for basic domestic purposes who opted for a measured basis of charging and found that this did not suit their needs would have the opportunity within the first 12 months to revert to unmeasured charging. These proposals will benefit households using little water including many pensioners.

      In a small minority of cases it may not be possible to fit a meter because it would be not reasonably practicable or would involve unreasonable expense to do so. In such cases the Government would expect a water company to make an alternative charging arrangement for customers who asked to pay on a measured basis.

      The Government propose to consult later this year on what guidance should be issued and regulations made governing the provisions of companies' charges schemes.

      Leasehold Reform
      Mr. Gareth Thomas
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he has for reforming the law in respect of leaseholds. [76342]

      Mr. Raynsford
      We propose to make it easier and simpler for leaseholders of flats to exercise their right to collective enfranchisement, give leaseholders a new "no-fault" right to manage, improve the standards of residential leasehold management and stamp out specific abuses examples of which have been brought to our attention. Further details are set out in our consultation paper on residential leasehold reform, a copy of which is in the Library.

      Private Hire Vehicles
      Dr. Tonge
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects the consultation document on the implementation of the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998 to be published. [78362]
      158
      Ms Glenda Jackson
      We intend shortly to publish, jointly with the Public Carriage Office, a consultation document on the licensing of minicab operators in London.

      Bus Policy
      Jane Griffiths
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will publish his detailed proposals on bus policy following the White Paper, A New Deal for Transport, Better for Everyone. [78531]

      Mr. Prescott
      I have today published a bus policy document which sets out the Government's proposals for a comprehensive range of measures to ensure that the bus can play its full role in an integrated transport policy. The document invites comments on specific measures for implementation. Copies of the document are in the Library and are available in the Vote Office.

      Local Government
      Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he intends to publish the draft bill on political management structures and the new ethical framework for local government; and if he will make a statement. [78575]

      Mr. Prescott
      I intend tomorrow to lay before the House a paper describing new forms of local governance, and including a draft of a Bill making provision for them. If enacted, the Bill would transform local government's political management structures and ethical framework. Local people would be able to choose forms of local governance with strong leadership for communities, powerful roles for all councillors, and high standards of conduct.

      Trunk Roads
      Dr. Naysmith
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the outcome of consultation with Regional Planning Bodies on the study programme proposed in "A New Deal for Trunk Roads in England"; and if he will announce the final programme of studies. [78577]

      Dr. Reid
      The consultation exercise with Regional Planning Bodies, launched on 10 December 1998, is now complete and we have received representations from all the regions. We want to take the studies forward in partnership with Regional Planning Bodies in order to ensure that they are closely integrated with regional planning objectives. The study programme reflects regional priorities and will feed into the development of regional transport strategies as part of regional planning guidance. I am pleased that the responses we have received are generally in favour of our approach and, in particular, our determination to examine the contribution that all modes can make to the problems of congestion, environment and safety within the study areas.

      I am now able to announce the final study programme which takes into account many of the Regional Planning Bodies' proposals, and to give more details about the timing of the studies.
      159
      Tranche 1—to begin 1999–2000
      Multi-modal studies

      West Midlands to North West Conurbation

      London Orbital

      Access to Hastings

      Tyneside

      West Midlands Area

      South and West Yorkshire Motorway Box

      London to South West and South Wales

      North South Movements in East Midlands

      South East Manchester

      Cambridge to Huntingdon

      A453 (M1-Nottingham)

      Roads-based studies

      A1 Bramham to Barton

      A66 Safety

      M40/A46 Longbridge roundabout

      A3 Hindhead

      M1 Junction 19

      A419 Blunsdon

      Tranche 2—to begin 2000–01
      Multi-modal studies

      Southampton to Folkestone

      London to South Midlands

      West Midlands to Nottingham

      London to Reading

      Hull

      London to Ipswich

      Roads-based studies

      Deeside Park Junctions

      Norwich to Great Yarmouth

      A5/A483 Shrewsbury to Chester

      A38 Derby Junctions

      Provisional Tranche 3
      Multi-modal studies

      A34 North from Southampton

      A47 West of Norwich

      A1 North of Newcastle.

      The studies are divided into two categories—full multi-modal studies which will be taken forward by the Government Offices for the Regions in consultation with regional partners, and roads based studies which, although they will take account of the contributions which can be made by other modes, are primarily directed at specific points on individual roads, and which will be led by the Highways Agency.

      Work on most of the studies in Tranche 1 will begin this spring, with all of them commencing by the autumn. The length of time it will take to complete each study will vary depending on the complexity of the issues, but we expect that they will take, on average, 2 years to complete.
      160
      As a first step, steering groups will be established, chaired by the Government Offices and to include representatives from the Regional Planning Bodies, and other regional partners, to finalise the terms of reference for each study and the timescale for delivery. Tranche 2 studies need not wait for tranche 1 studies to be completed, and we expect to begin work on these in 2000–01.

      The multi-modal studies are not a one off exercise. As we described in the recently published draft planning policy guidance note II (PPGII) "Regional Planning", multi-modal studies of transport problems will be one of the major inputs to the development of Regional Transport Strategies. Therefore in the future we expect Regional Planning Bodies, rather than central Government, to commission and lead their own multi-modal studies. From some of the additional studies proposed by the Regional Planning Bodies, we have identified a provisional third tranche of studies which could be taken forward in this way. The case for a study of the A1 North of Newcastle will depend on the outcome of the current Highways Agency route management study.

      Planning Guidance (Housing)
      Dr. Whitehead
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when his Department will publish new planning policy guidelines on housing; and if he will make a statement. [78607]

      Mr. Caborn
      We have today published for public consultation a new version of Planning Policy Guidance note 3: Housing (PPG3). This is another major step in delivering our commitment to revitalise our towns and cities and to protect our countryside from unnecessary development. Our aim is to achieve nothing less than an urban renaissance. Copies of the new PPG3 have been placed in the Library and are available in the Vote Office.

      The guidance emphasises the importance of making the best use of previously developed urban land and existing buildings in order to achieve our 60 per cent. land recycling target. This will minimise the use of green-field sites, encourage urban regeneration and help create more sustainable patterns of development. Local planning authorities are also advised to provide a greater choice of housing to meet the nation's changing housing needs, and to promote mixed development.

      We propose to introduce a sequential approach to the choice of sites. Local planning authorities will be required to consider using previously developed land and buildings before releasing green-field sites for development.

      Local planning authorities are also required to consider the capacity of the urban area to accommodate additional development. The guidance proposes the use of higher densities, reduced car parking and the release for housing of excess land held for other types of development. The Government are also looking for an improved quality of development and are therefore looking for improved urban design, better layouts and wider choice of sizes and types of housing. They advise developers and local

      161
      authorities to place the needs of people before cars in designing the layout of residential developments. Creating a more attractive residential environment must be a central aim for new development.

      The Government recognise that not all additional housing development can be accommodated on previously developed sites. The next most sustainable option is to develop urban extensions, making use of existing infrastructure and public transport links.

      The new draft PPG3 represents a major departure in content and style from the previous planning guidance and is an essential toolkit for planning for housing in the new Millennium.
      162

      Public Rights of Way
      Mr. Paul Marsden
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what(a) percentage and (b) length of public rights of way are open to (i) horseriders and (ii) cyclists in each county in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement. [76882]

      Mr. Meacher
      [pursuant to his reply, 15 March 1999, c. 468–69]: The figures contained a miscalculation. The second part of the reply should have read:
      "England and Wales have an estimated total of 130,000 miles (209,000km) of rights of way, of which over 29,000 miles (47,000km) or 22 per cent. may be used lawfully by horseriders and cyclists".
      163

    HOME DEPARTMENT

      Police Stations
      Mr. Beith
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police stations there were in the Metropolitan Police force area in(a) 1980 and (b) each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [77289]

      Kate Hoey
      The Receiver for the Metropolitan Police District (MPD) tells me that there were 164 police stations in the MPD in 1980.

      There are 152 police stations and 38 police offices currently. In 1998, the numbers were the same. In 1997, there were 157 police stations and 39 police offices.

      Mr. Vaz
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many new police stations were built or are planned to be built in England in 1999. [77349]

      Mr. Boateng
      The information requested is not collected centrally and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The police estate, in England and Wales, consists of some 7,000 properties and includes around 2,000 police stations. Police authorities have local discretion to build police stations within the resources available to them.

      The Audit Commission Report "Action Stations—Improving the management of the Police Estate", published on 17 March, found that better estate management will deliver more effective policing, save money and better serve the public.

      Table 1: Police pensions and total expenditure 1994–95 to 1998–99

      1994–95 Net total expenditure £000

      1994–95 Net pensions costs £000

      1994–95 Net pensions as percentage of total expenditure

      1994–95 Percentage real terms increase in total expenditure, excluding pensions, over 1993–94

      Avon and Somerset

      141,283

      16,969

      12.0

      3.67

      Bedfordshire

      51,514

      4,252

      8.3

      1.57

      Cambridgeshire

      58,650

      5,407

      9.2

      0.06

      Cheshire

      82,804

      7,528

      9.1

      2.30

      City of London

      52,365

      4,971

      9.5

      -0.05

      Cleveland

      69,007

      7,978

      11.6

      4.36

      Cumbria

      54,281

      5,702

      10.5

      2.99

      Derbyshire

      84,362

      7,753

      9.2

      5.05

      Devon and Cornwall

      140,830

      13,930

      9.9

      1.27

      Dorset

      66,285

      5,972

      9.0

      9.23

      Durham

      59,237

      6,905

      11.7

      2.81

      Dyfed Powys

      45,595

      5,148

      11.3

      6.72

      Essex

      not available

      not available

      —

      —

      Gloucestershire

      55,180

      4,805

      8.7

      5.80

      Greater Manchester

      320,931

      35,158

      11.0

      3.16

      Gwent

      44,148

      4,739

      10.7

      1.53

      Hampshire

      155,257

      13,610

      8.8

      3.40

      Hertfordshire

      84,435

      5,850

      6.9

      12.31

      Humberside

      92,365

      9,189

      9.9

      2.12

      Kent

      153,757

      12,510

      8.1

      6.91

      Lancashire

      145,181

      16,771

      11.6

      1.73

      Leicestershire

      81,166

      10,129

      12.5

      0.50

      Lincolnshire

      not available

      not available

      —

      —

      Merseyside

      215,461

      26,041

      12.1

      1.60

      164

      Police Cameras
      Mr. Beith
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the total expenditure of police cameras per force in each of the last three years; what was the average number of fines issued per camera in each police force; and if he will make a statement; [77306]

      (2) how many police cameras were in use in each police force on the last date for which figures are available and in each of the previous three years; and if he will make a statement. [77290]

      Mr. Boateng
      The information requested is not available centrally. Road traffic law enforcement is an operational matter for individual chief officers of police and they decide whether to employ such technology in the light of their local conditions and policing priorities. The 1996 Police Research Group paper "Cost benefit analysis of traffic light and speed cameras" provides a snapshot of the numbers of sites and costs for such cameras in service with ten forces at that time. A copy is in the Library.

      Police Expenditure
      Mr. Beith
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total expenditure per police force in each of the last five years; what amount and proportion of that expenditure was spent on police pensions; what was the real terms change in total expenditure apart from police pensions per police force; what is the expected change in the proportion of total police spending which will be spent on pensions in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement. [77288]

      Mr. Boateng
      The information is set out in the tables.
      165

      Table 1: Police pensions and total expenditure 1994–95 to 1998–99

      1994–95 Net total expenditure £000

      1994–95 Net pensions costs £000

      1994–95 Net pensions as percentage of total expenditure

      1994–95 Percentage real terms increase in total expenditure, excluding pensions, over 1993–94

      Metropolitan Police

      1,588,001

      154,666

      9.7

      -1.31

      Norfolk

      68,546

      6,897

      10.1

      3.57

      North Wales

      62,647

      5,771

      9.2

      4.05

      North Yorkshire

      63,772

      8,946

      14.0

      1.74

      Northamptonshire

      60,306

      6,107

      10.1

      5.34

      Northumbria

      175,837

      19,933

      11.3

      8.38

      Nottinghamshire

      106,195

      11,397

      10.7

      5.59

      South Wales

      133,688

      14,513

      10.9

      -4.76

      South Yorkshire

      137,623

      11,121

      8.1

      6.00

      Staffordshire

      100,265

      11,610

      11.6

      3.83

      Suffolk

      56,828

      5,872

      10.3

      0.43

      Surrey

      84,371

      7,318

      8.7

      9.57

      Sussex

      130,382

      12,704

      9.7

      5.26

      Thames Valley Police

      192,080

      12,687

      6.6

      5.27

      Warwickshire

      50,000

      4,180

      8.4

      2.31

      West Mercia

      98,108

      9,489

      9.7

      3.65

      West Midlands

      313,518

      29,945

      9.6

      2.17

      West Yorkshire

      236,100

      27,367

      11.6

      2.42

      Wiltshire

      59,155

      4,143

      7.0

      6.94

      1995–96 Net total expenditure £000

      1995–96 Net pensions costs £000

      1995–96 Net pensions as percentage of total expenditure

      1995–96 Percentage real terms increase in total expenditure, excluding pensions, over 1994–95

      Avon and Somerset

      141,091

      17,780

      12.6

      -3.61

      Bedfordshire

      54,533

      4,890

      9.0

      2.06

      Cambridgeshire

      61,003

      5,871

      9.6

      0.62

      Cheshire

      87,315

      10,074

      11.5

      -0.29

      City of London

      56,042

      6,848

      12.2

      0.86

      Cleveland

      68,558

      7,950

      11.6

      -3.50

      Cumbria

      53,444

      6,145

      11.5

      -5.39

      Derbyshire

      86,015

      10,416

      12.1

      -4.11

      Devon and Cornwall

      144,513

      17,661

      12.2

      -2.87

      Dorset

      63,276

      6,947

      11.0

      -9.25

      Durham

      62,432

      7,218

      11.6

      2.52

      Dyfed Powys

      46,197

      7,036

      15.2

      -5.92

      Essex

      146,473

      14,045

      9.6

      —

      Gloucestershire

      53,977

      5,635

      10.4

      -6.75

      Greater Manchester

      331,304

      43,809

      13.2

      -2.25

      Gwent

      44,436

      3,695

      8.3

      0.45

      Hampshire

      163,193

      17,316

      10.6

      0.07

      Hertfordshire

      87,825

      6,060

      6.9

      1.10

      Humberside

      96,418

      11,228

      11.6

      -0.48

      Kent

      155,223

      15,046

      9.7

      -3.57

      Lancashire

      152,225

      19,662

      12.9

      0.31

      Leicestershire

      86,855

      10,888

      12.5

      3.91

      Lincolnshire

      59,022

      7,786

      13.2

      —

      Merseyside

      220,007

      29,934

      13.6

      -2.50

      Metropolitan Police

      1,639,392

      150,347

      9.2

      0.95

      Norfolk

      70,378

      8,489

      12.1

      -2.45

      North Wales

      65,933

      7,489

      11.4

      -0.15

      North Yorkshire

      63,096

      8,459

      13.4

      -3.17

      Northamptonshire

      57,075

      5,470

      9.6

      -7.48

      Northumbria

      178,820

      26,636

      14.9

      -5.15

      Nottinghamshire

      106,334

      11,732

      11.0

      -3.03

      South Wales

      144,452

      18,828

      13.0

      2.43

      South Yorkshire

      144,354

      12,700

      8.8

      1.13

      Staffordshire

      98,661

      11,377

      11.5

      -4.33

      Suffolk

      55,814

      7,137

      12.8

      -7.18

      166 167

      1995–96 Net total expenditure £000

      1995–96 Net pensions costs £000

      1995–96 Net pensions as percentage of total expenditure

      1995–96 Percentage real terms increase in total expenditure, excluding pensions, over 1994–95

      Surrey

      83,000

      7,803

      9.4

      -5.17

      Sussex

      137,785

      17,438

      12.7

      -0.63

      Thames Valley Police

      194,465

      15,992

      8.2

      -3.33

      Warwickshire

      47,760

      5,004

      10.5

      -9.33

      West Mercia

      95,886

      8,875

      9.3

      -4.59

      West Midlands

      331,075

      34,304

      10.4

      1.69

      West Yorkshire

      238,801

      25,775

      10.8

      -0.83

      Wiltshire

      54,448

      4,032

      7.4

      -10.95

      1996–97 Net total expenditure £000

      1996–97 Net pensions costs £000

      1996–97 Net pensions as percentage of total expenditure

      1996–97 Percentage real terms increase in total expenditure, excluding pensions, over 1995–96

      Avon and Somerset

      152,087

      22,122

      14.5

      2.25

      Bedfordshire

      56,627

      5,422

      9.6

      0.06

      Cambridgeshire

      65,024

      7,140

      11.0

      1.85

      Cheshire

      94,177

      7,917

      8.4

      8.34

      City of London

      57,317

      6,636

      11.6

      -0.06

      Cleveland

      73,108

      8,694

      11.9

      3.10

      Cumbria

      56,856

      7,307

      12.9

      1.63

      Derbyshire

      90,420

      11,075

      12.2

      1.82

      Devon and Cornwall

      150,392

      19,006

      12.6

      0.48

      Dorset

      67,831

      7,618

      11.2

      3.70

      Durham

      68,035

      8,233

      12.1

      5.07

      Dyfed Powys

      47,869

      5,979

      12.5

      3.77

      Essex

      151,412

      14,785

      9.8

      0.09

      Gloucestershire

      58,420

      7,978

      13.7

      1.23

      Greater Manchester

      341,170

      47,275

      13.9

      -0.83

      Gwent

      57,742

      5,735

      9.9

      23.84

      Hampshire

      172,845

      16,432

      9.5

      4.02

      Hertfordshire

      88,863

      7,930

      8.9

      -3.98

      Humberside

      99,719

      10,849

      10.9

      1.20

      Kent

      161,625

      14,601

      9.0

      1.75

      Lancashire

      161,865

      22,481

      13.9

      2.00

      Leicestershire

      92,853

      10,273

      11.1

      5.46

      Lincolnshire

      61,508

      7,792

      12.7

      1.71

      Merseyside

      221,172

      35,211

      15.9

      -5.09

      Metropolitan Police

      1,683,181

      170,677

      10.1

      -1.46

      Norfolk

      75,547

      9,832

      13.0

      3.01

      North Wales

      68,266

      8,829

      12.9

      -1.34

      North Yorkshire

      67,042

      9,515

      14.2

      2.14

      Northamptonshire

      59,252

      5,677

      9.6

      0.71

      Northumbria

      186,410

      27,649

      14.8

      1.20

      Nottinghamshire

      113,591

      12,912

      11.4

      3.24

      South Wales

      147,458

      20,376

      13.8

      -1.86

      South Yorkshire

      150,949

      13,065

      8.7

      1.60

      Staffordshire

      107,832

      15,465

      14.3

      2.66

      Suffolk

      60,963

      7,973

      13.1

      5.61

      Surrey

      85,345

      8,478

      9.9

      -0.83

      Sussex

      150,626

      19,702

      13.1

      5.54

      Thames Valley Police

      201,397

      17,256

      8.6

      0.09

      Warwickshire

      47,686

      4,252

      8.9

      -1.45

      West Mercia

      102,078

      10,567

      10.4

      2.03

      West Midlands

      337,992

      34,530

      10.2

      -0.80

      West Yorkshire

      265,233

      31,132

      11.7

      6.61

      Wiltshire

      59,993

      7,828

      13.0

      0.38

      168 169

      1997–98 Net total expenditure £000

      1997–98 Net pensions costs £000

      1997–98 Net pensions as percentage of total expenditure

      1997–98 Percentage real terms increase in total expenditure, excluding pensions, over 1996–97

      Avon and Somerset

      152,673

      24,389

      16.0

      -3.70

      Bedfordshire

      58,570

      6,764

      11.5

      -1.29

      Cambridgeshire

      68,681

      8,158

      11.9

      2.01

      Cheshire

      104,005

      11,778

      11.3

      4.31

      City of London

      57,893

      7,361

      12.7

      -2.73

      Cleveland

      75,426

      8,252

      10.9

      1.74

      Cumbria

      61,709

      7,881

      12.8

      5.99

      Derbyshire

      95,641

      12,430

      13.0

      2.31

      Devon and Cornwall

      155,435

      21,033

      13.5

      -0.20

      Dorset

      69,727

      9,087

      13.0

      -1.75

      Durham

      75,166

      12,697

      16.9

      1.91

      Dyfed Powys

      50,952

      6,191

      12.2

      4.25

      Essex

      157,487

      17,097

      10.9

      0.25

      Gloucestershire

      58,633

      7,721

      13.2

      -1.53

      Greater Manchester

      353,319

      58,292

      16.5

      -2.06

      Gwent

      64,598

      7,634

      11.8

      6.86

      Hampshire

      180,791

      17,272

      9.6

      1.99

      Hertfordshire

      93,011

      8,970

      9.6

      1.31

      Humberside

      106,220

      14,006

      13.2

      1.23

      Kent

      174,211

      19,914

      11.4

      2.39

      Lancashire

      169,275

      23,988

      14.2

      1.69

      Leicestershire

      98,789

      not available

      not available

      —

      Lincolnshire

      66,184

      9,266

      14.0

      3.38

      Merseyside

      224,327

      33,754

      15.0

      -0.02

      Metropolitan Police

      1,676,617

      191,041

      11.4

      -4.18

      Norfolk

      80,222

      10,719

      13.4

      3.18

      North Wales

      70,920

      9,825

      13.9

      0.28

      North Yorkshire

      71,840

      10,475

      14.6

      4.07

      Northamptonshire

      64,605

      8,030

      12.4

      3.02

      Northumbria

      195,092

      30,651

      15.7

      1.05

      Nottinghamshire

      120,556

      17,019

      14.1

      0.33

      South Wales

      159,411

      28,071

      17.6

      0.83

      South Yorkshire

      166,027

      20,321

      12.2

      3.10

      Staffordshire

      110,264

      19,077

      17.3

      -3.69

      Suffolk

      63,676

      8,374

      13.2

      1.82

      Surrey

      90,976

      12,646

      13.9

      -0.58

      Sussex

      157,631

      21,485

      13.6

      1.45

      Thames Valley Police

      210,333

      20,930

      10.0

      0.35

      Warwickshire

      51,003

      7,099

      13.9

      -1.38

      West Mercia

      107,788

      12,038

      11.2

      2.08

      West Midlands

      360,129

      44,073

      12.2

      1.61

      West Yorkshire

      281,745

      37,161

      13.2

      1.93

      Wiltshire

      58,535

      6,149

      10.5

      -2.03

      1998–99 Net total expenditure £000

      1998–99 Net pensions costs £000

      1998–99 Net pensions as percentage of total expenditure

      1998–99 Percentage real terms increase in total expenditure, excluding pensions, over 1997–98

      Avon and Somerset

      167,417

      26,877

      16.1

      6.88

      Bedfordshire

      62,317

      6,982

      11.2

      4.21

      Cambridgeshire

      71,230

      8,463

      11.9

      1.18

      Cheshire

      106,523

      11,580

      10.9

      0.43

      City of London

      60,862

      8,291

      13.6

      1.50

      Cleveland

      82,282

      11,108

      13.5

      3.37

      Cumbria

      63,000

      8,715

      13.8

      -1.61

      Derbyshire

      100,894

      13,788

      13.7

      2.13

      Devon and Cornwall

      167,117

      23,165

      13.9

      4.49

      Dorset

      73,497

      9,486

      12.9

      2.98

      Durham

      78,103

      10,166

      13.0

      6.10

      Dyfed Powys

      52,609

      6,926

      13.2

      -0.43

      170 171

      1998–99 Net total expenditure £000

      1998–99 Net pensions costs £000

      1998–99 Net pensions as percentage of total expenditure

      1998–99 Percentage real terms increase in total expenditure, excluding pensions, over 1997–98

      Essex

      168,889

      19,361

      11.5

      3.91

      Gloucestershire

      63,780

      9,138

      14.3

      4.71

      Greater Manchester

      371,497

      59,380

      16.0

      3.21

      Gwent

      67,919

      7,712

      11.4

      3.12

      Hampshire

      190,920

      20,009

      10.5

      1.97

      Hertfordshire

      97,859

      9,499

      9.7

      2.57

      Humberside

      111,587

      13,584

      12.2

      3.69

      Kent

      178,916

      20,867

      11.7

      -0.07

      Lancashire

      178,051

      24,802

      13.9

      2.91

      Leicestershire

      102,707

      12,566

      12.2

      —

      Lincolnshire

      68,322

      10,057

      14.7

      -0.13

      Merseyside

      245,277

      37,483

      15.3

      6.38

      Metropolitan Police

      1,778,001

      210,438

      11.8

      2.95

      Norfolk

      82,339

      10,148

      12.3

      1.33

      North Wales

      75,075

      11,138

      14.8

      2.10

      North Yorkshire

      75,638

      12,162

      16.1

      0.92

      Northamptonshire

      67,134

      7,067

      10.5

      3.58

      Northumbria

      205,380

      31,500

      15.3

      3.16

      Nottinghamshire

      124,828

      16,355

      13.1

      2.21

      South Wales

      163,430

      24,861

      15.2

      2.93

      South Yorkshire

      168,205

      17,248

      10.3

      1.08

      Staffordshire

      122,540

      22,383

      18.3

      7.16

      Suffolk

      65,785

      8,385

      12.7

      1.26

      Surrey

      90,738

      11,021

      12.1

      -0.71

      Sussex

      162,664

      24,846

      15.3

      -1.24

      Thames Valley Police

      221,147

      20,306

      9.2

      3.45

      Warwickshire

      53,617

      6,201

      11.6

      5.37

      West Mercia

      112,879

      12,458

      11.0

      2.32

      West Midlands

      372,296

      42,831

      11.5

      1.70

      West Yorkshire

      280,739

      37,555

      13.4

      -3.00

      Wiltshire

      66,666

      7,480

      11.2

      10.22

      Notes:

      1994/95–1997/98: Total expenditure and pensions costs taken from CIPFA Actuals

      1998/99: Estimated total expenditure and estimated pension costs taken from CIPFA Estimate

      Table 2: Estimated police pensions costs as proportion of police funding 1999–2000 to 2001–02

      £ million

      1999–2000

      2000–01

      2001–02

      Police Funding1

      7,142

      7,341

      7,631

      Police Pensions Costs2

      931

      993

      1,059

      Proportion of funding (per cent.)

      13.04

      13.53

      13.88

      1 Total Standard Spending

      2 Government Actuary's Department

      Policing (Human Rights)
      Mr. Beith
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the recommendations of the Justice report "Under Surveillance: Covert Policing and Human Rights Standards". [77292]

      Mr. Boateng
      I have invited members of Justice to meet me so that they can put directly to me their views on the present legal structures relating to police surveillance and how they believe it is affected by the European Convention on Human Rights. Their views will form part of the consideration which is currently being given to whether further changes are needed to the existing framework of controls.
      172

      Police (Cleveland)
      Dr. Kumar
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate by how much the Lancet Inquiry will increase the precept for policing payable by residents of Cleveland in the next year; on what calculation this is based; and if he will make a statement. [77270]

      Mr. Boateng
      I understand from the Chief Constable that the Cleveland Police Authority has set a budget for 1999–2000 of £83.3 million which is an increase of 3.6 per cent. over 1998–99. This will mean an increase in the police precept on the council tax of 29.2 per cent. or £14 per year in 1999–2000 for Band D properties.

      I understand that the increase in the precept for 1999–2000 is not as a result of Operation Lancer but is required to maintain an acceptable number of police officers and to meet other unavoidable expenditure for police pay increases and pensions.

      It is a matter for the Chief Constable to determine how to use the resources available. The Cleveland Constabulary achieved significant savings in 1998–99 of £2.7 million. This has made it possible for the force to absorb the costs of Operation Lancet within existing resources.
      173
      Dr. Kumar
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the cost of the Lancet Inquiry into alleged corruption in the Cleveland police force; and if he will make a statement. [77269]

      Mr. Boateng
      I understand from Cleveland Constabulary that the estimated cost of Operation Lancet up to 31 March 1999 is £1.24 million.

      The major part of the inquiry is being undertaken by officers from the Cleveland force, for whom provision has already been made in the budget. The costs arising from the involvement of the Northamptonshire Officers and Mr. Timpson, the Chief Constable of Warwickshire Constabulary who is in charge of the investigation, have also been found from within the Cleveland budget.

      Dr. Kumar
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects that Inspector Ray Mallon of the Cleveland Police will cease being suspended; and if he will make a statement. [77266]

      Mr. Boateng
      Matters involving the suspension of police officers are governed by The Police (Discipline) Regulations 1985. An officer may be suspended from the force by his chief officer where it appears that he may have committed a disciplinary offence. Unless the chief officer decides otherwise, the suspension will continue until either it is decided not to bring disciplinary charges or the case has been resolved.

      This is entirely a matter for the Chief Officer concerned—in this instance the Chief Constable of Cleveland Constabulary. It would be wrong of me to comment on this matter whilst the investigation is underway.

      Dr. Kumar
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress of the Lancet Inquiry into alleged police corruption in Cleveland; when he expects completion of its work; and if he will make a statement. [77268]

      Mr. Boateng
      This is a wide-ranging inquiry and is one of the largest supervised by the Police Complaints Authority (PCA). There has been close consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) throughout. A major file on drugs-related issues was delivered to the CPS on 4 December 1998 and is now with Treasury Counsel. I understand that a number of possible criminal and disciplinary matters are still being addressed and eight officers remained suspended from duty.

      The length of the investigation is a matter for the investigation officer and the PCA.

      Firearms (Compensation)
      Mr. Robathan
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many claims for compensation are still outstanding under the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997; what percentage of the total number of claims this represents. [77320]

      Mr. Boateng
      Payment offers have been made on all but around 420 claims which cannot yet be fully processed, mainly because the required evidence of value of the surrendered guns and ancillary equipment has not yet been provided. This represents less than 1 per cent. of the claims received. There are around 6,000 outstanding 174
      offers of payment awaiting a response from the claimant before a final payment can be made. The bulk of these should be cleared within the next few days.

      Association of Chief Police Officers
      Mr. Vaz
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans next to meet the officers of the Association of Chief Police Officers. [77347]

      Mr. Boateng
      My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary regularly meets officers of the Association of Chief Police Officers on both a formal and informal basis.

      Police Recruitment (Ethnic Minorities)
      Mr. Vaz
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to increase ethnic minority recruitment in the police service. [77348]

      Mr. Boateng
      Individual targets will be set for each force for the recruitment, retention and progression of ethnic minority officers. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is chairing a National Conference on the Recruitment, Retention and Progression of Black and Asian Officers in April for chief constables and police authority chairs. The Conference will be addressing issues such as: force recruitment; promotion schemes and personnel practice.

      Diarmuid O'Neill
      Mr. Coleman
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the investigation of the death of Diarmuid O'Neill in Hammersmith. [77794]

      Kate Hoey
      The Commissioner of the Metropolitan police tells me that the report of the police investigation into the death of Diarmuid O'Neill, which was supervised by the Police Complaints Authority, was sent to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) on 20 November 1998. As at 17 March 1999, no decisions had been taken by the CPS about whether criminal charges should be brought.

      Police Officers (Hammersmith and Fulham)
      Mr. Coleman
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were stationed at(a) Hammersmith and (b) Fulham police stations (i) on 1 May 1997 and (ii) at the latest available date. [77793]

      Kate Hoey
      The Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police tells me that the information is not available for the first date specified, but that it is available for 1 July 1997, and as at 18 March 1999, as follows:

      Number of officers as at

      Hammersmith

      Fulham

      1 July 1997

      333.52

      226.13

      18 March 1999

      301.22

      215.16

      Thai House and Siam Sauna
      Mr. Corbett
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Chief Constable of Northamptonshire into the release of the name
      175
      of a person who declined to assist with inquiries into suspected breaches of employment and immigration law at the Thai House and Sian Sauna in November. [77659]

      Mr. Boateng
      The Chief Constable of Northamptonshire Constabulary has taken steps to establish whether there is any basis for an inquiry into whether the release of the name of a person who declined to assist with inquiries. I am assured that should any member of his staff be shown to have been involved in leaking information to the media about the raid on a Northampton Thai massage parlour they will be severely dealt with.

      At the moment there is no evidence to suggest that this leak did come from within his force but, should this position change, the Chief Constable will immediately instigate an inquiry and do everything possible to find out who is responsible.

      Arson Prevention Bureau
      Mr. Fitzpatrick
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what support has been offered by his Department for the Arson Prevention Bureau for(a) the next financial year and (b) the last three financial years. [77609]

      Mr. George Howarth
      The Home Office has a strong working relationship with the Arson Prevention Bureau. Graham Meldrum, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Fire Services and I gave keynote addresses at two if its important events last year and officials are in regular contact with the Bureau to discuss its programme of activities. In addition, a Home Office official has been loaned to the Bureau since December 1996. The first year of that posting (December 1996-November 1997) was funded in full by the Home Office.

      My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced earlier this month his intention to publish shortly the outcome of a Home Office study which has reviewed current arrangements for combating arson. We expect to continue to work closely with the Arson Prevention Bureau to take that initiative forward.

      Persistent Offenders
      Mr. Maclean
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 2 March 1999,Official Report, column 637, what plans he has to make available to the public the data upon which the benchmark figure of 142 days from arrest to sentence for persistent young offenders was based. [77544]

      Mr. Boateng
      The methodology used to calculate the benchmark figure of 142 days, set out in my answer of 2 March 1999,Official Report, column 637, was set out in the Lord Chancellor's Department Information Bulletin 1/98, published by the Government Statistical Service in May 1998. At paragraph 13, the Bulletin states that:
      Persistent Young Offenders and sentence dates were identified using data from the Police National Computer. Details of arrest dates (or laying of information) for these offenders were obtained by means of a survey of Police Force records. The survey included around 1,500 occasions on which persistent young offenders were sentenced in 1996.176
      The Bulletin also provided a contact point for further information about the data on which the calculation was based and for requests for further analysis of the data. A copy of the Bulletin was placed in the Library at the time of publication.

      The methodology was also set out in a written answer to the hon. Member for Poole (Mr. Syms) on 2 November 1998, Official Report, column 389.

      Criminal Offences (EU)
      Mr. Maclean
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 12 March 1999,Official Report, columns 379–80, if he will make a statement on the nature of his Department's concerns about the provisions on interception of telecommunications in Council Document 13144/98. [77542]

      Mr. Straw
      The provisions relating to interception of communications in the draft Convention on Mutual Assistance in Criminal Matters between the member states of the European Union are currently under negotiation. The United Kingdom is negotiating on the basis that the Convention should apply to criminal investigations carried out by the Police Service and Her Majesty's Customs, and not to the operations of our security and intelligence agencies. We are also keen to ensure that the Convention does not impose unnecessary burdens on the operations of the United Kingdom's law enforcement agencies. A detailed explanation of the Government's concerns has been submitted to the European Scrutiny Committees.

      Schengen Agreement
      Mr. Mitchell
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those Schengen provisions which will be adopted by the United Kingdom, stating for each provision the reasons why it is considered necessary. [77640]

      Kate Hoey
      I refer my hon. Friend to my reply of 12 March 1999,Official Report, columns 380–81, to the right hon. Member for Penrith and The Border (Mr. Maclean).

      EU Conventions
      Mr. Mitchell
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the Conventions of the European Union(a) agreed and (b) in draft relating to (i) police co-operation and (ii) judicial and court procedures together with their Treaty base, their purpose and scope. [77613]

      Kate Hoey
      I would refer my hon. Friend to the answer given him by the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for Gateshead, East and Washington, West (Ms Quin), on 1 July 1997,Official Report, columns 74–76, and by me on 19 November 1998, Official Report, columns 729–31. All the conventions listed were based on Article K3 of the Treaty on European Union. He may also wish to be aware that political agreement was reached on the draft Eurodac Convention at the Justice and Home Affairs Council on 3–4 December 1998.
      177

      Gypsies
      Mr. Norman
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many instances have been reported to the police of gypsies trespassing on private property in the last year in England and Wales. [77828]

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

      Corruption Convention
      Mr. Cox
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason Her Majesty's Government have not ratified the Council of Europe Criminal law convention on corruption; and if he will make a statement. [77989]

      Mr. Boateng
      The United Kingdom signed the Convention on 27 January 1999 and was one of the first States to do so. We are currently considering, in the context of a review of our legislation dealing with corruption, whether, and if so what, changes to domestic criminal law will be needed to enable us to ratify the Convention.

      Metropolitan Police District
      Mr. Burstow
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what transitional arrangements he plans to make in respect of the costs arising from the realignment of the Metropolitan Police District boundary with the Greater London administrative boundary. [77814]

      Kate Hoey
      [holding answer 22 March 1999]: The allocation of police grant for 1999/2000 includes special payments of £2 million, £3 million and £7 million to Essex Police Authority, Hertfordshire Police Authority and Surrey Police Authority respectively for transitional costs arising from the changes to the Metropolitan Police District boundary. We would consider any transitional cost bids made for 2000–01.

      Women's Royal Voluntary Service
      Mr. Chope
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review funding for the WRVS in the light of Government policy not to assist charities' core activities. [77925]

      Mr. Boateng
      [holding answer 22 March 1999]: There is no Government-wide policy not to fund charities' core activities. During 1999, the Home Office will lead the preparation of a code of good practice on funding, to underpin the recent Compact with the voluntary sector. The code will be a vehicle for developing a cross-departmental approach to strategic funding. In the case of the Women's Royal Voluntary Service (WRVS), funding was formally reviewed in 1997. One of the review's conclusions was that, as a national exemplar for the involvement of volunteers, WRVS supported Home Office objectives and should continue to receive strategic funding.

      Freemasons
      Mr. Mullin
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in implementing the Government's proposals for registering membership of the freemasons in the police, prison and 178
      probation services in respect of (i) the establishment of the voluntary register, (ii) the introduction of compulsory registration for new appointments or appointments on promotion and (iii) the arrangements for making the information available to the public. [78052]

      Mr. Boateng
      [holding answer 22 March 1999]: Home Office officials are currently working with the Association of Chief Police Officers to set up voluntary registers for existing staff in line with my commitment to the Home Affairs Committee on 20 October 1998. Arrangements for the other categories of occupation affected by the policy, including the Prison and Probation Services, will be implemented once the internal registration arrangements for the Police Service have been set up and are in operation.

      Once voluntary registers are in place for existing office holders, we will move swiftly to make arrangements for new staff and existing staff transferring between posts.

      The disclosure of Freemasonry membership by office holders and employees in the categories of occupation affected by the policy is entirely voluntary at present. Lawful publication of information about Freemasonry membership disclosed voluntarily will require the informed consent of those who have disclosed that information which can be given only once the precise nature of the publication arrangements has been determined.

      Stephen Lawrence Inquiry Report
      Mr. Efford
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish the Government's response to the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry report; and if he will make a statement. [78580]

      Mr. Straw
      I am today publishing an Action Plan setting out how the Government propose that the Report's recommendations will be taken forward. For each of the areas covered by the recommendations of the Inquiry, the plan sets out the main programme of work, who will have the lead responsibility for taking the work forward, and how we will review and assess the outcomes of the work. This is the beginning of the process, and we will revise and develop the plan as the work proceeds. There will be a full day's debate in the House on these issues on Monday 29 March.

      Serious Crime Warrants
      Caroline Flint
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to implement the recommendation, in the report of the Interception of Communications Commissioner for 1997, that nominated officials in the law enforcement agencies be permitted to modify serious crime warrants on behalf of the Secretary of State where the warrants are specifically endorsed to permit it. [78581]

      Mr. Straw
      I intend to implement the change, as recommended by the Interception Commissioner, on 1 April. Thereafter, nominated senior officials in the intercepting agencies will be empowered to modify existing interception warrants by the insertion of new addresses in urgent cases. This is in accordance with section 5(4) of the Interception of Communications Act 1985.
      179
      The change will not enable officials to issue interception warrants against new targets. Interception warrants may only lawfully be issued by (or on the express authorisation of) the Secretary of State.

      WPC Fletcher
      Mr. Dalyell
      To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his oral statement of 16 March 1999,Official Report, column 1016, on the case of WPC Fletcher, for what reasons the inquiries by the Metropolitan Police have taken longer than anticipated. [78242]

      Mr. Straw
      The Metropolitan Police review of the evidence surrounding the murder of WPC Fletcher has involved a number of complex international lines of inquiry which have taken longer to resolve than was originally anticipated. The timetable has often been dependent on the contribution of overseas authorities. I am assured that the police have pursued their inquiries as quickly as is possible and that the final report on their review of the case will be ready in the near future.

    HEALTH

      Elderly People (Care)
      Mr. Sanders
      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many elderly people were accommodated in(a) private sector and (b) local authority care homes in each region in each of the last 30 years; [75918]

      (2) how many elderly people were accommodated in (a) private sector care homes and (b) local authority care homes in (i) Devon, (ii) Torbay and (iii) Plymouth in each of the last 30 years. [75921]

      Mr. Hutton
      Information on the number of people accommodated in homes for the elderly in England, for the period 1983 to 1996 in Devon, for the period 1987 to 1996, is given in the table. It is not possible to provide a consistent series for earlier years or by region because of changes in regional boundaries and changes in the methods of data collection.

      Elderly persons in residential care (England 1983–96 and Devon 1987–96)

      Number

      Year

      LA

      Voluntary

      Private

      England

      1983

      105,682

      24,917

      41,228

      1984

      98,752

      24,274

      51,810

      1985

      93,978

      22,475

      63,533

      1986

      93,247

      21,968

      75,732

      1987

      102,390

      24,719

      88,440

      1988

      99,680

      25,108

      98,640

      1989

      96,744

      25,602

      113,452

      1990

      90,827

      26,256

      122,250

      1991

      83,723

      27,315

      131,399

      1992

      72,635

      31,043

      134,712

      1993

      64,523

      33,546

      137,255

      1994

      59,536

      32,603

      131,037

      1995

      55,095

      32,633

      129,471

      1996

      53,025

      32,770

      129,452

      1997

      —

      —

      —

      180

      Elderly persons in residential care (England 1983–96 and Devon 1987–96)

      Number

      Year

      LA

      Voluntary

      Private

      Devon

      1983

      —

      —

      —

      1984

      —

      —

      —

      1985

      —

      —

      —

      1986

      —

      —

      —

      1987

      1,951

      736

      6,445

      1988

      1,943

      881

      7,577

      1989

      1,942

      857

      7,868

      1990

      1,803

      888

      8,193

      1991

      1,616

      969

      7,970

      1992

      1,374

      989

      8,268

      1993

      1,144

      1,005

      7,973

      1994

      1,089

      1,004

      7,862

      1995

      1,061

      1,001

      7,557

      1996

      777

      971

      7,393

      1997

      —

      —

      —

      Source:

      DH returns; RAC5 & RA

      Mr. Sanders
      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many(a) private sector and (b) local authority care homes for the elderly there were in each region for each of the last 30 years; [75916]

      (2) how many (a) private sector care homes and (b) local authority care homes for the elderly there were in (i) Devon, (ii) Torbay and (iii) Plymouth in each of the last 30 years. [75923]

      Mr. Hutton
      Information on the number of homes for the elderly in England, for the period 1985 to 1997 and in Devon, for the period 1987 to 1997, is given in the table. It is not possible to provide a consistent series for earlier years or by region because of changes in regional boundaries and changes in the methods of data collection.

      Homes for the elderly in residential care (England 1985–97 and Devon 1987–97)

      Number

      Year

      LA

      England Voluntary

      Private

      LA

      Devon Voluntary

      Private

      1985

      2,361

      829

      4,840

      —

      —

      —

      1986

      2,341

      787

      5,784

      —

      —

      —

      1987

      2,588

      879

      6,882

      54

      34

      577

      1988

      2,572

      895

      7,395

      55

      39

      615

      1989

      2,532

      897

      8,247

      55

      34

      595

      1990

      2,479

      930

      8,557

      51

      37

      614

      1991

      2,330

      968

      8,730

      50

      41

      599

      1992

      2,086

      1,075

      8,655

      46

      41

      603

      1993

      1,875

      1,156

      8,582

      40

      42

      584

      1994

      1,736

      1,215

      8,509

      38

      45

      573

      1995

      1,672

      1,233

      8,414

      38

      44

      544

      1996

      1,625

      1,242

      8,477

      39

      44

      542

      1997

      1,498

      1,320

      8,988

      38

      45

      633

      Source:

      DH returns; RA1, RAC5 and RA

      Medical Staff (Ethnic Origin)
      Mrs. Brinton
      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of(a) nursing and (b) medical staff in (i) mental health clinics and (ii) hospitals in the United Kingdom for the last five years; and if he will give a breakdown by ethnicity. [75948]
      181
      Mr. Denham
      [holding answer 11 March 1999]: The information requested is not available in the format requested. The table shows the numbers of National

      NHS Hospital and Community Health Service (HCHS): nursing and medical staff working in the psychiatry area of work 1 by ethnic origin—England as at 30 September of each year

      Whole-time equivalents

      White

      Black

      Asian

      Other

      Unknown

      Total

      1997:

      Nursing staff

      Community

      9,200

      430

      190

      510

      390

      10,720

      Other

      34,800

      1,980

      700

      1,660

      2,840

      41,980

      Medical staff

      —

      3,500

      290

      820

      560

      370

      5,540

      1996

      Nursing staff

      Community

      9,360

      340

      230

      300

      310

      10,530

      Other

      36,350

      1,840

      490

      1,050

      2,320

      42,050

      Medical staff

      —

      3,410

      210

      780

      480

      330

      5,210

      1995

      Nursing staff

      Community

      8,450

      310

      180

      280

      310

      9,540

      Other

      36,540

      1,660

      750

      1,150

      2,020

      42,120

      Medical staff

      —

      3,360

      220

      780

      470

      270

      5,090

      19942:

      Nursing staff

      Community

      4,210

      150

      100

      260

      50

      4,780

      Hospital

      39,740

      2,030

      570

      2,540

      1,450

      46,320

      Medical staff

      —

      3,250

      220

      730

      500

      200

      4,900

      19932:

      Nursing staff

      Community

      3,820

      130

      120

      230

      50

      4,340

      Hospital

      38,400

      2,710

      1,230

      3,160

      1,510

      47,020

      Medical staff

      —

      3,010

      200

      690

      480

      490

      4,860

      1 Figures are rounded too the nearest ten and exclude pre-registration nurse learners, agency and locum staff.

      2 Figures for Medical Staff include all HCHS doctors in the psychiatry groups specialities (psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, learning disabilities, old age psychiatry and psychotherapy).

      Notes:

      1. A new classification of the non-medical workforce was introduced in 1995. Therefore, information for 1993 and 1994 is not directly comparable with the later years.

      2. Ethnicity figures for nursing and medical staff should be treated with caution as a small proportion of staff do not declare their ethnic origin.

      Source:

      Department of Health, Medical and Dental and Non-Medical Workforce Censuses.

      Care Services
      Mr. Simon Hughes
      To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list by region and for each of the last five years the amount spent by each health authority on home care(a) in total and (b) as a percentage of special transitional grants; [76480]

      (2) if he will list by region and for each of the last five years the amounts spent by each health authority on care services bought from the independent sector (a) in total and (b) as a percentage of special transitional grants. [76481]

      Mr. Hutton
      [holding answer 15 March 1999]: Total special transitional grant funding to local authorities in England for 1993–94 to 1997–98 was:

      Year

      £ million

      1993–94

      565

      1994–95

      736

      1995–96

      647

      1996–97

      418

      1997–98

      325

      182
      Health Service Hospital and Community Health Service nursing and medical staff working in the psychiatry area of work by ethnic origin.

      Over the same period, the reported gross local authority expenditure on (a) personal social services and (b) on home care was:

      £ million

      Year

      (a) Personal social services

      (b) Home care

      1993–94

      6,728

      729

      1994–95

      7,503

      923

      1995–96

      8,393

      1,028

      1996–97

      9,263

      1,130

      Note:

      These data are not yet available for 1997–98.

      Figures for individual local authorities have been placed in the Library.

      Data on the proportion of personal social services expenditure spent in the independent sector are not held centrally.

      Smoking
      Mr. Cox
      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of his budget was spent on education in schools about the dangers caused by smoking in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [77549]
      183
      Ms Jowell
      Smoking education in schools is an integral part of the National Curriculum and is, therefore, the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment.

      The Department spent £3 million over the past three years in the 'Respect' programme addressing children aged 11 to 15 years old but not in a school context.

      Edgware Community Hospital
      Mr. Dismore
      To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to be able to make an announcement in response to the Edgware Community Hospital full business case. [77861]

      Mr. Denham
      Barnet Healthcare National Health Service Trust is currently preparing a Full Business Case for the development of Edgware Community Hospital. This is expected to be completed shortly. It will then be submitted for assessment by the National Health Service Executive in accordance with the established business case process.

      HIV-AIDS
      Mr. Fearn
      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the prevalence of(a) HIV and (b) AIDS in young adults in each region. [77664]

      Ms Jowell
      The estimates of prevalence of AIDS cases and diagnosed HIV infections in young adults (15 to 24 years) in each region at the end of 1997 are shown in the table.

      Regional authority of residence

      Number of individuals diagnosed with AIDS

      Number of individuals diagnosed with HIV infection1

      Northern and Yorkshire

      7

      35

      Trent

      9

      38

      Anglia and Oxford

      4

      41

      North Thames

      24

      281

      South Thames

      33

      145

      South and West

      7

      57

      West Midlands

      2

      15

      North West

      9

      57

      Total

      95

      669

      1 Including those with AIDS

      Source:

      Survey of prevalent diagnosed HIV infections (SOPHID). Numbers given have been multiplied by 1.096 to adjust for under reporting.

      Healthy Workplace Initiative
      Mr. Nigel Griffiths
      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to promote the Healthy Workplace Initiative. [77772]

      Ms Jowell
      I announced the launch of the Healthy Workplace Initiative in England on 9 March. The Healthy Workplace Initiative is jointly sponsored by the Department and the Health and Safety Executive. It carries the message that."Improving Health Is Everybody's Business".

      As part of this Initiative, the Department has signed a statement of intent with the Health and Safety Commission/Executive. The partnership embodied in this statement lays a foundation for working across a number
      184
      of areas. For example. we are currently consulting with employers, trade unions and workplace organisations about identifying good practice in tackling the impact of back pain in the workplace.

      The statement of intent aims to secure and improve the health of people at work by:
      identifying and promoting examples of good practice for handling key workplace health issues, such as back pain, and disseminating the results in usable forms;
      making available appropriate and up to date information which reflects available evidence and uses all forms of media;
      encouraging better access to services and helping to provide a bridge between prevention, treatment and rehabilitation, and helping to promote compliance with relevant workplace legislation.

      We intend to expand this partnership to include other Government Departments by asking them to become partners in the healthy workplace initiative.

      We will shortly be contacting 100,000 workplace organisations of every kind, large and small, public and private, encouraging them to sign up to the initiative and share our vision of a healthier workplace.

      Mental Health (Children)
      Mr. Hesford
      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what investment the Government plan to make over the next three years for helping children with(a) mental health problems, (b) attention deficit disorder, (c) phobias and (d) depression. [77752]

      Mr. Hutton
      We are making an additional £84 million available over 3 years from April 1999 to improve provision of appropriate, high quality care and treatment for children and young people by building up locally based child and adolescent mental health services. These services address a range of child and adolescent mental health problems including emotional and behavioural disorders such as attention deficit disorder, phobias and depression.

      Cervical Cancer
      Mr. Page
      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many repeat cervical smears were taken as a result of inadequate smears in the last year for which figures are available. [77564]

      Mr. Hutton
      [holding answer 22 March 1999]: 4.4 million smear tests were taken in 1997–98. 184,111 invitations for repeat smears were issued following an inadequate smear test.

      Mr. Page
      To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many women died from cervical cancer in the United Kingdom, and what was the percentage of PAP tests falsely diagnosed as positive, in the last year for which figures are available. [77563]

      Mr. Hutton
      [holding answer 22 March 1999]: In 1997 there were 1,612 deaths from cervical cancer in the United Kingdom.

      The cervical smear test is not a diagnostic test for cancer. It looks for cervical abnormalities which if left undetected and untreated might lead to cervical cancer. Some abnormalities, particularly less serious ones, will disappear without treatment. It is not possible to say

      185
      how many women who have an abnormal result and subsequent treatment would have gone on to develop cervical cancer.

      Mr. Page
      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the estimated detection rate for cervical cancers of the human papellonavirus test used in conjunction with the PAP test; what trials are taking place within the NHS of HPV testing; and if he will make a statement. [77565]

      Mr. Hutton
      [holding answer 22 March 1999]: Research undertaken by the Imperial Cancer Research Fund in 1995 suggests that the PAP test used in conjunction with the human papellonavirus (HPV) test will detect 90 per cent. of cervical abnormalities.

      There are a number of trials of HPV testing for cervical abnormalities underway, including the TOMBOLA study funded by the Medical Research Council. These trials are designed to clarify the role of the HPV test within the National Health Service cervical screening programme including an assessment of its specifity (false positive rate).

      Private Finance Initiative
      Mr. Simon Hughes
      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the model clause on penalty payments for major Private Finance Initiative hospital schemes. [78377]

      Mr. Denham
      The payment mechanisms, which include the substance of any withholding or deduction of payments to private sector partners for their under performance, are negotiated individually for each scheme within guidelines set out by the National Health Service Executive. The payment mechanism for each scheme is described in its Full Business Case (FBC); copies of the FBCs for the major schemes that have reached financial close have been placed in the Library.

      Mr. Simon Hughes
      To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness with which the contracts for those PFI schemes that have been completed were carried out; what his conclusions were; and in what ways those conclusions contributed to the negotiations over the major acute sector hospital PFI schemes selected to continue towards financial close under the first prioritisation exercise. [78338]

      Mr. Denham
      All the private finance initiative schemes taken forward under this Government, including the major acute hospital scheme selected under the first prioritisation exercise, have been closely monitored by the National Health Service Executive. Any lessons to be learnt from each scheme which reaches financial close are identified and disseminated through the NHS Executive's regional offices. In addition, we will shortly be issuing guidance to the NHS on the private finance initiative process.

      Mr. Simon Hughes
      To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 10 March 1999,Official Report, columns 298–99, on capital projects, if he will estimate the cost of collecting information on schemes with a capital cost of less than £10 million; and if he will make it his policy to do so. [78336]

      Mr. Denham
      At the moment the number, type and capital value of private finance initiative projects with a capital value of between £1 million and £10 million is 186
      monitored by the National Health Service Executive for internal management purposes. The NHS Executive will introduce within the next three months a formal central data collection system for all PH schemes with a capital value above £1 million. This will enable accurate and reliable data to be made publicly available. I will write to the hon. Member with the information as soon as it is available.

      Mr. Simon Hughes
      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the conditions for payment of penalties in the South Buckinghamshire (Wycombe site) Private Finance Initiative scheme. [78400]

      Mr. Denham
      Details of the payment mechanism for the withholding or deduction of payments to South Buckinghamshire National Health Service Trust's private sector partner under their private finance initiative contract are contained in the full business case and contract summary for the scheme. These documents were released and made publicly available in June 1997, but due to an administrative error copies were not placed in the Library, as they should have been. South Buckinghamshire NHS Trust have undertaken to send copies of these documents to the Library within the next two weeks.

      Sexual and Reproductive Health
      Mr. Burgon
      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Government's approach to sexual and reproductive health. [78709]

      Ms Jowell
      I have today announced that the Government will be developing an integrated strategy that covers the whole of sexual and reproductive health. This will tackle the continuing increase in the growth of sexually transmitted infections, particularly among teenagers and gay men, and the highest level of teenage conceptions in Western Europe. Proposals will be developed on the basis of extensive consultation with the range of professionals and organisations whose support will be vital to achieving effective action. We will publish the strategy next year.

      Evesham Community Hospital
      Mr. Luff
      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future role of and services provided at Evesham Community Hospital. [78112]

      Mr. Denham
      Worcestershire Health Authority's strategy for providing more health care in a community setting gives a significant role for all of the county's community hospitals, including Evesham. The health authority's aim is to preserve local facilities in a way that is affordable and compatible with their overall strategy for health provision in the new millennium.

      The future role of Evesham Community Hospital will be as a central focus for the delivery of high quality community care services which reflect the needs of the local population and provide local access.

      Diagnostic Devices
      Dr. Marek
      To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by(a) manufacturer and (b) product name, each current application for point of care diagnostic devices for inclusion in Part IX of the Drug Tariff. [77696]
      187
      Mr. Denham
      All matters concerning applications for listing Part IX of the Drug Tariff are confidential unless the applicant chooses to reveal them.

    CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

      Exhibition Centres and Galleries
      Mr. Mitchell
      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the funds made available by his Department to(a) local, (b) national and (c) regional (i) exhibition centres and (ii) galleries in 1998–99. [74509]

      Mr. Alan Howarth
      My Department allocated the following grant-in-aid to the national galleries in 1998–99:(i) National Gallery, £18.6 million, of which £0.7 million was allocated to maintain free admission;
      (ii) National Portrait Gallery, £5.0 million, of which £0.3 million was allocated to maintain free admission;
      (iii) Tate Gallery, £19.2 million, of which £1.0 million was allocated to maintain free admission.

      The National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside, which includes the Walker Art Gallery and the Lady Lever Art Gallery, received £12.7 million grant-in-aid in 1998–99. Funds have since been allocated to allow free admission for children from April 1999 and for pensioners from April 2000. The 8-pass will also be held at its present level of £3 per year.

      Funds were also provided for a number of national and non-national museums.

      My Department also provided £8.9 million to the Museums and Galleries Commission in 1998–99. This organisation funds the network of Area Museum Councils in England which in turn contribute to the funding of a number of museums and galleries.

      My Department allocated £186 million to the Arts Council for England in 1997–98, £12.5 million of which was spent on the Visual Arts. This money was distributed by the Arts Council's Visual Arts Department (£5.5 million) and by the 10 Regional Arts Boards (£7.0 million). An exact breakdown of spend into local, regional and national exhibition centres and galleries can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The figures for 1998–99 are not yet available.

      Exhibition centres are not directly funded by my Department at local, regional or national level.

      Working Time Directive
      Mr. Tyrie
      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many civil servants in his Department have been invited to waive the Working Time Directive requirement to work less than 48 hours a week on 17 consecutive weeks; how many civil servants in his Department have refused to waive the requirement; and what is the total cost of compliance with the Directive. [76812]

      Mr. Chris Smith
      All staff in my Department have been issued with guidance on the Working Time Directive and two staff have signed an agreement to disapply the 48 hour limit.
      188
      The standard terms and conditions of service for staff employed by my Department are well within the limits set by the Working Time Regulations. The Regulations do not require employers to keep records of the number of workers who refuse to sign an opt-out agreement and no central records are kept by my Department. Compliance costs are not kept centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

      Lottery Funding
      Mr. Fearn
      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much per capita has been allocated from the Millennium Fund to each region of the United Kingdom. [77663]

      Mr. Chris Smith
      This is a matter for the Millennium Commission. I shall write to the hon. Member in my capacity as Chairman of the Commission and place copies of my reply in the Libraries of the House.

      Performing Rights Society
      Mr. Peter Ainsworth
      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received from composers concerning the abolition of the Performing Rights Society subsidy; and if he will make a statement. [78179]

      Mr. Chris Smith
      [holding answer 22 March 1999]: I have received no representations from composers about the Performing Rights Society's decision to phase out its classical music subsidy. I have, however, received three letters from others on this issue.

      TV Licence Concessions
      Mr. Burstow
      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will estimate the cost of extending the current TV licence concessions for sheltered accommodation to all people of pensionable age. [77892]

      Janet Anderson
      [holding answer 22 March 1999]: The estimated cost of providing £5 television licences for all pensioner-only households would be £447 million a year. There are no plans at present for such a concession. The current review of the future of the BBC licence fee after 2002 includes a detailed consideration of the structure of the existing concessionary licence scheme and whether a suitable alternative structure could be available.

      National Lottery Commission
      Mr. Peter Ainsworth
      To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if meetings of the National Lottery Commission will be held in public; [78168]

      (2) what plans there are to publish the minutes of meetings of the National Lottery Commission. [78180]

      Mr. Chris Smith
      [holding answer 22 March 1999]: This is a matter, under statute, for the National Lottery Commission and I will ask the Chairman to write to the hon. Member once the Commission has been formally established on 1 April. Copies of his reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.
      189

    INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

      Indonesia
      Mr. Chaytor
      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to assist in(a) the development of sustainable forest management and (b) the preservation of orangutan habitats in Indonesia; and if she will make a statement. [77646]

      Mr. Foulkes
      The Department for International Development's (DFID) aim is to help poor people in developing countries gain long-term benefits from their trees, while also helping secure the global environmental benefits that forests offer. Our approach to the problem of deforestation is to support work to improve the sustainable management of forest resources in ways that lead to a range of benefits to poor communities. For the world's poor, trees and forests are a vital part of everyday survival: forests give 2,000 million people fuel to cook with; in the tropics, forests meet a large part of the needs of several hundred million people from wood products and food to medicine and income; trees increase poor farmers' security as they smooth out seasonal flows of produce and provide a reserve of capital for emergencies; forests help agriculture and fisheries by recycling nutrients, stabilising soil and influencing local and global climate; and in 18 African countries, forests represent over 10 per cent. of GDP.

      The Department's approach towards forestry is explained in the recent publication "Forests Matter" and our activities are set out in the pamphlet "Forest Sector Projects", which is being revised and will be placed in the Library of the House in due course. DFID is currently working on over 150 projects with partners in 34 countries.

      We are directly assisting the Government of Indonesia and the people living in the forests to develop better ways of managing the forest resource sustainably. We have helped pilot approaches at provincial level that give poor people more of a say in forest management. We are now exploring with international agencies and representatives of forest users possible changes to forest sector policy. Our aim is to ensure that degradation of the forests is reversed and that poor people who live in and around the forests derive more benefits from the way they are managed. This will give wildlife dependent on the forest, including orang-utans, a better chance of survival.

      HIV
      Mr. Vaz
      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to offer aid to South African medical workers to combat the HIV problem. [78127]

      Mr. Foulkes
      DFID has helped South African efforts to combat HIV/AIDS since 1995. £10 million has been provided to support the national AIDS control programme, a condom social marketing programme and community based initiatives aimed at changing sexual behaviour, especially in high risk groups. Tackling AIDS is a key priority of DFID' s new development partnership with South Africa. We plan to work with other donors to support regional action to strengthen the capacity of Southern Africa Development Community member countries to combat the epidemic.
      190
      DFID also supports South Africa's essential drugs programme which makes available short courses of antiretrovirals to medical workers (especially surgeons, midwives and dentists) affected by needlestick injuries when operating on/treating HIV positive patients as a way of reducing the risk of transmission of HIV to medical workers.

      Mr. Vaz
      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much money she has allocated in the last year for which figures are available for Third World countries to combat the HIV problem. [78126]

      Mr. Foulkes
      In the financial year 1997–98, £43 million of Britain's overseas development budget was spent on activities directly related to the problem of HIV/AIDS in the developing world. More recent figures are not yet available.

      Biodiversity
      Dr. Tonge
      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with the Department of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions concerning loss of biodiversity among traditional crop varieties for Third World farmers. [78361]

      Mr. Foulkes
      The Department for International Development (DFID) officials have frequently discussed the loss of biodiversity among traditional crop varieties of Third World farmers with the Department of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions. Our objective is to ensure that this important issue is taken fully into account in all relevant aspects of the UK's international policies. In particular we, along with these departments, actively contribute to the UK participation in meetings under the Convention on Biological Diversity. The Convention's multi-year work programme on agriculture biodiversity specifically recognises and seeks to support the significant contribution that traditional farming communities have made to the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity and the importance of traditional varieties.

      Our officials are also actively involved in the UK participation at the FAO Commission on Genetic Resources which oversees the implementation of the Global Plan of Action on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture. The Global Plan of Action includes measures to halt the loss of biodiversity among traditional crop varieties in developing countries.

      We will be actively concerned to ensure that the conservation of agricultural biodiversity in developing countries is taken fully into account in relevant negotiations under the WTO and within the EU.

      Biotechnology
      Dr. Tonge
      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations she has made to the World Trade Organisation about the effects of biotechnology on developing countries. [78360]

      Mr. Foulkes
      The Department for International Development (DFID) is actively involved in discussions with Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Ministry
      191
      of Agriculture Fisheries and Food (MAFF) and Department of the Environment, Transport and Regions (DETR) to ensure that developing country interests in the effects of biotechnology are properly accounted for in World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations. In addition we are working with international agencies to build the capacity of developing countries to represent their own interests in the WTO.

      All WTO members have an opportunity in the preparatory process for a new round of trade negotiations to set out any concerns they may have regarding existing WTO agreements. We will be working to ensure that specific points are taken forward appropriately.

      GM Crops
      Dr. Tonge
      To ask the Secretary of State for International Development (1) what discussions she has had with the Department of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions concerning terminator gene technology; [78375]

      (2) what discussions she has had with other Government departments concerning the effect of genetically modified crops on the agriculture of developing countries. [78376]

      Mr. Foulkes
      The Department for International Development (DFID) officials have had a number of discussions with the Department of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) concerning the effect of genetically modified crops, including the so-called terminator gene technology, on the agriculture of developing countries, in particular through DFID' s membership of the Interdepartmental Group on Genetic Modification Technology (IGGMOT).

      Officials also actively supported the UK contribution to debate on the issue of terminator gene technology at the Fourth Conference of the Parties to the Biodiversity Convention in May 1998, which urged Parties to consider a precautionary approach and undertook, through its technical subsidiary body, to examine the consequences of this technology and to elaborate scientifically based advice.

      We will shortly be publishing a statement on DFID policy towards Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) and developing countries, reflecting the precautionary approach and outlining the action we intend to take, in consultation with other Government Departments, on this issue in the future. DFID will also continue to work with DETR and other Government Departments successfully to conclude the negotiation of a Biosafety Protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity, which would lay down international rules and procedures covering the transboundary movement of GMOs and help build the capacity of developing countries in related safety issues.

    EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

      Task Forces
      Dr. Tony Wright
      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will publish a list of 192
      (1) task forces and (2) policy reviews established by his Department since May 1997 which (a) had external members recruited by way of public advertisement, and details of any person so appointed and (b) engaged in public consultation exercises, and the form that these took. [74466]

      Mr. Mudie
      The information requested is available only at disproportionate cost.

      Reading Age (Children)
      Mr. Maclean
      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what was the average reading age of children leaving primary school in each of the last 10 years; [74766]

      (2) in each of the last 10 years, what proportion of children leaving primary school had a reading age of 11 or above. [74769]

      Ms Estelle Morris
      The reading age of pupils is not collected centrally. The typical eleven year old is expected to achieve level four in the Key Stage 2 National Curriculum assessment tests. In the 1998 Reading test, 71 per cent. of pupils achieved level four, or above. This compares with 68 per cent. of pupils in 1997, the earliest year in which the reading test results were available.

      Class Sizes
      Mr. Syms
      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if he will list by(a) region and (b) local authority the (i) percentage and (ii) number of (1) Key Stage 1, (2) Key Stage 2 and (3) all pupils in maintained primary schools, who were in classes of more than 30 pupils in (i) January 1996, (ii) January 1997, (iii) January 1998, (iv) September 1998 and (v) January 1999; [74743]

      (2) if he will list by (i) region and (ii) local education authority the average class size for (a) all pupils, (b) Key Stage 1 and (c) Key Stage 2 pupils in maintained primary schools in (i) January 1996, (ii) January 1997, (iii) January 1998, (iv) September 1998 and (v) January 1999. [74744]

      Ms Estelle Morris
      The available information on classes taught by one teacher in maintained primary schools is shown in the tables, copies of which have been placed in the Library.

      Mr. Willis
      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the total value nationwide of(a) bids made by and (b) grants made to local education authorities in (i) 1998–99 and (ii) 1999–2000, for the revenue cost of meeting the class size pledge. [77570]

      Ms Estelle Morris
      For 1998–99, local education authorities submitted bids totalling £65.135 million and received £21.32 million in grants. For 1999–2000, there was no bidding process and authorities' revenue needs were established in the context of discussions of their implementation plans. We have recently announced grants to local education authorities of £71.882 million in total for 1999–2000.

      Mr. Willis
      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the values of the(a) bids made by and (b) grants made to each local education authority in (i) 1998–99 and (ii) 1999–2000, for the revenue cost of meeting the class size pledge. [77569]
      193
      Ms Estelle Morris
      The information requested is set out in the following table. For 1999–2000, no bids are listed as there was no bidding process and authorities' revenue needs were established in the context of discussions of their implementation plans.

      Revenue funding to reduce infant class sizes 1998–99 and 1999–2000

      £000

      Bids

      Grants

      Local education authority

      1998–99

      1998–99

      1999–2000

      Barking and Dagenham

      —

      —

      46

      Barnet

      250

      146

      273

      Barnsley

      1,000

      —

      379

      Bath and North East Somerset

      150

      —

      161

      Bedfordshire

      250

      —

      650

      Bexley

      250

      225

      360

      Birmingham

      —

      —

      72

      Blackburn

      107

      107

      263

      Blackpool

      124

      73

      285

      Bolton

      500

      —

      779

      Bournemouth

      350

      —

      77

      Bracknell

      —

      —

      110

      Bradford

      500

      625

      1,351

      Brent

      500

      —

      —

      Brighton and Hove

      150

      88

      268

      Bristol

      250

      —

      192

      Bromley

      200

      200

      571

      Buckinghamshire

      1,000

      146

      1,313

      Bury

      1,000

      584

      1,082

      Calderdale

      162

      162

      308

      Cambridgeshire

      1,000

      —

      946

      Camden

      —

      —

      15

      Cheshire

      1,000

      —

      1,370

      City of London

      —

      —

      —

      Cornwall

      1,000

      —

      760

      Coventry

      1,000

      452

      604

      Croydon

      100

      100

      298

      Cumbria

      250

      146

      834

      Darlington

      250

      —

      186

      Derby, City of

      1,000

      1,000

      1,402

      Derbyshire

      1,160

      1,160

      2,294

      Devon

      1,000

      1,000

      1,505

      Doncaster

      1,126

      —

      507

      Dorset

      1,000

      324

      1,067

      Dudley

      250

      —

      233

      Durham

      500

      250

      810

      Ealing

      1,000

      291

      442

      East Riding of Yorkshire

      250

      250

      720

      East Sussex

      250

      116

      878

      Enfield

      300

      —

      393

      Essex

      1,000

      —

      1,183

      Gateshead

      100

      100

      181

      Gloucestershire

      250

      —

      804

      Greenwich

      50

      —

      —

      Hackney

      —

      —

      91

      Halton

      —

      —

      317

      Hammersmith and Fulham

      250

      —

      —

      Hampshire

      100

      —

      1,490

      Haringey

      250

      146

      148

      Harrow

      1,000

      —

      69

      Hartlepool

      100

      100

      194

      Havering

      53

      —

      —

      Herefordshire

      500

      146

      323

      Hertfordshire

      805

      510

      1,369

      Hillingdon

      500

      291

      427

      Hounslow

      100

      —

      100

      Isle of Wight

      135

      135

      308

      Isles of Scilly

      —

      —

      —

      Islington

      —

      —

      —

      Kensington and Chelsea

      —

      —

      —

      Kent

      1,000

      —

      1,126

      Kingston upon Hull

      250

      —

      315

      Kingston upon Thames

      28

      —

      131

      194

      Revenue funding to reduce infant class sizes 1998–99 and 1999–2000

      £000

      Bids

      Grants

      Local education authority

      1998–99

      1998–99

      1999–2000

      Kirklees

      1,000

      500

      1,138

      Knowsley

      150

      —

      164

      Lambeth

      250

      —

      69

      Lancashire

      1,000

      1,000

      2,390

      Leeds

      1,020

      500

      1,313

      Leicester City

      1,000

      584

      650

      Leicestershire

      500

      291

      943

      Lewisham

      100

      —

      —

      Lincolnshire

      250

      102

      503

      Liverpool

      500

      —

      124

      Luton

      500

      —

      110

      Manchester

      1,000

      —

      41

      Medway

      —

      —

      384

      Merton

      60

      —

      131

      Middlesbrough

      250

      146

      244

      Milton Keynes

      500

      —

      195

      Newcastle upon Tyne

      1,000

      500

      759

      Newham

      250

      257

      329

      Norfolk

      502

      291

      1,217

      North East Lincolnshire

      120

      —

      253

      North Lincolnshire

      675

      675

      889

      North Somerset

      —

      —

      260

      North Tyneside

      775

      —

      192

      North Yorkshire

      1,000

      —

      1,018

      Northamptonshire

      1,020

      —

      349

      Northumberland

      500

      324

      738

      Nottingham, City of

      1,000

      146

      412

      Nottinghamshire

      —

      —

      1,100

      Oldham

      —

      —

      589

      Oxfordshire

      1,000

      584

      1,011

      Peterborough

      150

      150

      368

      Plymouth

      500

      500

      870

      Poole

      250

      —

      164

      Portsmouth

      250

      —

      91

      Reading

      —

      —

      144

      Redbridge

      1,000

      —

      131

      Redcar and Cleveland

      1,000

      —

      69

      Richmond upon Thames

      585

      —

      117

      Rochdale

      —

      —

      471

      Rotherham

      375

      219

      471

      Rutland

      —

      —

      50

      Salford

      1,000

      146

      416

      Sandwell

      1,000

      1,000

      1,212

      Sefton

      100

      59

      357

      Sheffield

      900

      525

      1,005

      Shropshire

      250

      —

      540

      Slough

      250

      88

      275

      Solihull

      1,000

      584

      848

      Somerset

      1,000

      —

      795

      South Gloucestershire

      500

      500

      1,008

      South Tyneside

      100

      100

      160

      Southampton

      —

      —

      123

      Southend on Sea

      100

      —

      123

      Southwark

      150

      —

      —

      St. Helens

      —

      —

      110

      Staffordshire

      1,000

      —

      1,201

      Stockport

      350

      204

      749

      Stockton on Tees

      250

      —

      137

      Stoke on Trent

      500

      —

      278

      Suffolk

      1,000

      —

      234

      Sunderland

      500

      —

      82

      Surrey

      250

      —

      990

      Sutton

      168

      168

      295

      Swindon

      1,000

      —

      343

      Tameside

      500

      291

      590

      Telford and Wrekin

      500

      291

      468

      Thurrock

      —

      —

      82

      Torbay

      —

      —

      167

      Tower Hamlets

      —

      —

      —

      195

      Revenue funding to reduce infant class sizes 1998–99 and 1999–2000

      £000

      Bids

      Grants

      Local education authority

      1998–99

      1998–99

      1999–2000

      Trafford

      339

      —

      288

      Wakefield

      100

      60

      427

      Walsall

      300

      146

      360

      Waltham Forest

      100

      —

      —

      Wandsworth

      250

      146

      150

      Warrington

      250

      59

      151

      Warwickshire

      1,000

      584

      1,139

      West Berkshire

      —

      —

      94

      West Sussex

      —

      —

      521

      Westminster

      —

      —

      —

      Wigan

      496

      290

      659

      Wiltshire

      500

      291

      935

      Windsor and Maidenhead

      —

      —

      128

      Wirral

      1,000

      —

      273

      Wokingham

      1,000

      —

      82

      Wolverhampton

      500

      —

      288

      Worcestershire

      1,000

      —

      548

      York, City of

      250

      146

      350

      Total

      65,135

      21,320

      71,882

      Millennium Compliance
      Ms Moran
      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how much money has been allocated to provide free Bug-buster courses for small and medium-sized enterprises; [75255]

      (2) how many small and medium-sized enterprises have completed Bug-buster training courses; [75256]

      (3) how many accredited training providers are offering Bug-buster courses funded by his Department to small and medium-sized enterprises; [75257]

      (4) what plans he has for the future funding of the free delivery of Bug-buster courses for small and medium-sized enterprises. [75258]

      Mr. Mudie
      £26 million was allocated to provide Bug-buster training courses. As at 5 March, 24,774 people had started training, 22,376 of these had completed, and a further 9,474 had booked places. There are 180 accredited providers offering training under the scheme.

      When the free programme ends, training will continue to be available at commercial prices. The average cost per business of a two day Bug-buster course will come to about £750 per trainee, which is a sound investment compared to the potential financial damage posed by the Millennium Bug.

      The Government have made a significant investment in developing the courses, establishing the accreditation process and quality assuring the training, and this will continue. Small and medium-sized enterprises can also get help and advice on Year 2000 issues from their local Business Link.

      Individual Learning Accounts
      Mr. Maclean
      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many individual learning accounts have been created to date; and at what cost. [76436]
      196
      Mr. Mudie
      To date, around 3,000 individual learning accounts have been opened, through 15 development projects led by TECs. The DfEE contributed £816,000 to these projects; this funding was used to test out a range of processes, systems and marketing approaches to help inform the final framework. The National Framework will be launched in 2000, from which time Individual Learning Accounts will be widely available.

      Mr. Willis
      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to limit the amounts(a) individuals and their families and (b) employers can invest in individual learning accounts free of tax; and if he will make a statement. [77884]

      Mr. Mudie
      There are no plans to limit the amount an individual and/or their family can contribute to the individual's individual learning account (ILA), although the incentives will be available only on the first £500 spent on eligible courses in any one year.

      There are no plans to limit the tax-free contributions that employers can invest in their employees' ILAs provided that the employers contribute to the ILAs of their lowest paid employees on similar terms and the contribution can only be used to pay for eligible learning.

      Mr. Willis
      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment which financial institution will handle individual learning accounts; and what will be the administration fee for each separate account. [77883]

      Mr. Mudie
      The national framework for individual learning accounts is still under development. It will be ready for launch in April 2000. We hope that a range of financial institutions will be involved in the provision of accounts. At this stage it is too early to say which financial institutions will be involved or how administration arrangements will work—currently our discussions are commercial in confidence. We plan to publish detailed arrangements for the national framework later this year.

      Ministerial Meetings (US)
      Mr. Matthew Taylor
      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many times Ministers in his Department have met their counterparts in the US Government since 1 June 1998; and if he will list the dates and locations of each meeting, the Ministers involved on each occasion, and the name of the US counterpart at each meeting. [77122]

      Mr. Mudie
      My right hon. Friend the Minister for Employment, Welfare to Work and Equal Opportunities met his US counterpart, Alexis Herman, at the G8 conference in Washington in February this year. No other such meetings have taken place since 1 June 1998.

      Operational Licences
      Mr. Maclean
      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list for(a) small and medium-sized enterprises and (b) larger companies (i) all licences and permits issued by his Department and its agencies to companies permitting them to carry out their business, (ii) the cost of each such licence or permit in (A) 1997–98 and (B) 1999–2000 and (iii) the current number of companies which are in receipt of each such licence or permit. [76847]
      197
      Mr. Mudie
      [holding answer 16 March 1999]: (i) The Department grants Training and Enterprise Councils (TECs) and Chambers of Commerce, Training and Enterprise (CCTEs) licences to operate as TEC/CCTEs in their agreed operational area. These organisations are small or medium sized enterprises.

      (ii) The TECs/CCTE licence is free of charge.

      (iii) There are 72 licensed TEC/CCTEs in England.

      Employment Service
      Mr. Healey
      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will publish Employment Service performance data in relation to the annual performance agreement targets on a quarterly basis. [77352]

      Mr. Andrew Smith
      A summary of Employment Service performance against its Annual Performance Agreement targets will be published on a quarterly basis in future, starting with the first quarter of the 1999–2000 operational year. Performance for the 1998–99 operational year as a whole will be published in the Employment Service Annual Report and Accounts before the summer recess.

      Employment Service Direct
      Mr. Healey
      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people called Employment Service Direct in the latest period for which figures are available; what proportion of callers were (i) unemployed and (ii) employed; and what were the placings rates into jobs. [77351]

      Mr. Andrew Smith
      Responsibility for the subject of these questions has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its Chief Executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

      Letter from Richard Foster to Mr. John Healey, dated 18 March 1999.
      As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency the Secretary of State for Education and Employment has asked Leigh Lewis to reply to your question about how many people have called Employment Service Direct in the latest period for which figures are available, the proportion of callers who were unemployed and employed and the placings rate into jobs. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to Mr. Lewis as Chief Executive of the Employment Service. I am replying in his absence.
      The most recent figures show that almost 53,000 calls were made to Employment Service Direct during the week ending Saturday 13 March. Some 95 per cent. of these calls were from unemployed people. During the same week the Service placed over 1,300 people into work. Since its introduction on 4 January Employment Service Direct has received more than 480,000 calls resulting, so far, in over 9,000 job placings. Some 98 per cent. of these were of unemployed people. Further placings are likely to occur as a result of calls already made as the results of job interviews and submissions become available.
      I hope this is helpful.

      Public Bodies
      Dr. Julian Lewis
      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Cannock Chase (Dr. Wright), of 8 March 1999,Official Report, column 71, about non-departmental public bodies, for what reasons the
      198
      Qualifications and Curriculum Authority declined to make its minutes available to a member of the public on 9 March. [77296]

      Mr. Mudie
      My answer did not differentiate between bodies which publish or make available to the public minutes of meetings and those that publish or make available summary reports of meetings. The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority declined to make available the minutes of its meetings when asked, as it does not publish these. The Authority does, however, publish summary reports of its meetings, as outlined in my pursuant reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Cannock Chase (Dr. Wright), 17 March 1999,Official Report, column 691.

      School Books
      Mr. Fallon
      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will set out the process by which each category of school will receive the £2,000 for books announced in the Budget. [77434]

      Ms Estelle Morris
      Each local education authority will pay £20 per pupil to schools with 100 pupils or fewer, and at least £2,000 to schools with more than 100 pupils.

      Smoking
      Mr. Cox
      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of his Department's budget is spent on education in schools about the dangers caused by smoking; and if he will make a statement. [77588]

      Mr. Charles Clarke
      The dangers of smoking form a vital part of education about drugs. We are supporting £7 million of expenditure this year through the Standards Fund programme, to assist primary and secondary schools and the youth service to deliver effective education about drugs, including alcohol and tobacco. This is 1.1 per cent. of the £627 million of expenditure being supported in total through the Standards Fund programme this year, which includes a range of grants that reflect the Government's central priority of raising standards in our schools, as set out in the "Excellence in Schools" White Paper. We will also be providing increased support of £7.5 million for drug education through the Standards Fund programme in each of the next three years.

      History Teaching (Ethnic Minority Backgrounds)
      Mr. Dismore
      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement about the teaching in schools of the history of the backgrounds of ethnic minorities in the United Kingdom. [77644]

      Mr. Charles Clarke
      The National Curriculum sets the framework for teaching in schools, within which individual schools and teachers determine detailed delivery. National Curriculum history includes a number of study units covering British, European and world history. This presents a good deal of scope for schools to teach aspects of history relevant to the backgrounds of ethnic minority communities in the UK.

      Free School Meals
      Mr. Fearn
      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate his Department has made
      199
      of the number of schoolchildren who would be eligible for free school meals, but whose parents provide packed lunches instead. [77665]

      Mr. Charles Clarke
      These figures are not collected centrally.

      Lone Parents (Hammersmith and Fulham)
      Mr. Coleman
      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many lone parents in the unit of delivery covering Hammersmith and Fulham(a) are currently in receipt of benefit, (b) have been requested to attend interviews with respect to the New Deal, (c) have undergone such interviews and (d) have secured employment as a consequence. [77840]

      Mr. Andrew Smith
      Responsibility for the subject of this question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its Chief Executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

      Letter from Richard Foster to Mr. lain Coleman, dated 23 March 1999:
      As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State for Education and Employment has asked Leigh Lewis to reply to your question on lone parents in the unit of delivery covering Hammersmith and Fulham. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to Mr. Lewis as Chief Executive of the Agency. I am replying in his absence.
      The New Deal for Lone Parents is targeted at those parents on Income Support whose children are of school age. It is open also to those with younger children who put themselves forward. The number of lone parents in receipt of Income Support for Hammersmith and Fulham stood at 4,000 in August 1998. This information is based on the Local Authority boundaries.
      I am unable to provide the information you sought on the number of lone parents requested to attend interviews for the New Deal. This is because information on the volume of letters issued is currently only available nationally. I should point out that the contact letter sent to lone parents under the New Deal for Lone Parents is not a request for them to attend an interview. Participation is voluntary and lone parents may choose to get in touch with a New Deal Personal Adviser when it suits their circumstances. The letter aims to make lone parents aware of the New Deal and to encourage them to contact an adviser if they want support in returning to work.
      Unfortunately, New Deal for Lone Parents figures are not formally available at this stage from Employment Service Districts. I, therefore, asked for a special exercise to be carried out to produce these figures. In February the number of lone parents that had initial interviews in Hammersmith and Fulham Jobcentres was 177. The number of lone parents who have secured employment in that period as a result of New Deal for Lone Parents was 46.
      I hope this is helpful.

      EU Fraud
      Mr. Grieve
      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what(a) discussions he has had and (b) proposals his Department has put forward at Council of Ministers' meetings in respect of EU fraud; and if he will make a statement. [77776]

      Mr. Andrew Smith
      [holding answer 19 March 1999]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary, 19 March 1999, Official Report, columns 858–59.
      200

      Chelmsford Jobcentre
      Mr. Burns
      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the number of vacancies notified to the Chelmsford Jobcentre in each of the last six months for which figures are available. [77813]

      Mr. Andrew Smith
      [holding answer 22 March 1999]: Responsibility for the subject of this question has been delegated to the Employment Service Agency under its Chief Executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

      Letter from Richard Foster to Mr. Simon Burns, dated 19 March 1999:
      As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State for Education and Employment has asked Leigh Lewis to reply direct to your question about the number of job vacancies notified to Chelmsford Jobcentre in each of the last six months. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to Mr. Lewis as Chief Executive of the Agency. I am replying in his absence.
      Vacancies notified to Chelmsford Jobcentre were:

      Vacancies

      September 1998

      791

      October 1998

      1,120

      November 1998

      1,005

      December 1998

      531

      January 1999

      338

      February 1999

      581

      I hope this is helpful.

      New Deal
      Mr. Jim Cunningham
      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans the Government have to extend the New Deal for the longterm unemployed to those unemployed for less than two years. [77632]

      Mr. Andrew Smith
      [holding answer 22 March 1999]: Unemployed people aged 25 or more who face particular disadvantages in the labour market can already gain early access to the New Deal, after 12 months of unemployment. We are also running 28 New Deal pilot schemes for this age group, including one in Coventry, which will test the effectiveness of intervening more generally after 12 and 18 months of unemployment. These will be very carefully evaluated and we will be looking closely at what lessons can be drawn for the future.

      A number of measures available under the New Deal, such as work based learning for adults, are also available to people unemployed for less than two years.

      Early-years Education
      Mrs. May
      To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to the oral answer to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) of 18 March 1999,Official Report, column 1257, if he will publish a breakdown of the £8 billion of expenditure on pre-schools and early years education. [78248]

      Ms Hodge
      The estimate of some £8 billion invested in early education and childcare in England in 1998–99 and over the next three years takes into account Sure Start; local education authority expenditure on provision for under 5s; DfEE grant for nursery education provision;
      201
      DfEE childcare programmes; the childcare tax credit; local authority expenditure on the regulation and inspection of day care facilities; New Opportunities Fund expenditure on out of school childcare and expenditure by FE colleges on childcare training. Because of the different funding streams involved and the number of detailed decisions still to be taken by a variety of different agencies, it is not possible to give detailed figures at this stage.

    TREASURY

      Married Couples Allowance
      Mr. Maclean
      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many taxpayers were affected by the restriction of the married couples allowance to 10 per cent. announced in the 1998 Budget; and what is the average cost per taxpayer. [70655]

      Dawn Primarolo
      [holding answer 15 February 1999]: In his Budget on 9 March 1999, Official Report, columns 173–90, the Chancellor announced the continuing phasing out of the married couples allowance and its replacement by the new Children's Tax Credit to support families when they need it most, when they are bringing up their children. This will make 4½ million families better off.

      Social Fund
      Mr. Webb
      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what will be the relationship between the access to Social Fund grants and loans made available to recipients of family credit and that available to recipients of the working families tax credit. [71505]

      Dawn Primarolo
      [holding answer 16 February 1999]: Recipients of Family Credit have access to Social Fund Maternity and Funeral Payments. However, the increased generosity of the Working Families Tax Credit will mean that support provided through the tax credit could go considerably further up the income distribution than with Family Credit. The Government are therefore considering whether, in the future, it will still be appropriate to passport all WFTC claimants onto these additional benefits.

      Housing Benefit
      Ms Kelly
      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of people in receipt of housing benefit who will become eligible for the working families tax credit after 1 April in (i) Bolton, (ii) the North West and (iii) England. [75633]

      Dawn Primarolo
      The estimated number of families in England in receipt of both Housing Benefit and Working Families Tax Credit is 190,000 in 1999–2000. No reliable estimates are available for numbers in either Bolton or the North-West.

      Mortgage Interest Relief
      Mr. Gibb
      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate on the basis of the forecast interest rates used in the Inland Revenue Press Release IR2,202
      the average income tax relief cost per borrower as a result of his proposal to abolish mortgage interest relief in 2000–01. [77129]

      Dawn Primarolo
      As the Chancellor noted in his Budget statement, mortgage interest relief is worth an average of £2.50 a week.

      Taxpayers
      Mr. Gibb
      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of taxpayers in 1998–99 whose taxable income is between £1,500 and £4,300. [76944]

      Dawn Primarolo
      [holding answer 16 March 1999]: There are around 4.4 million income taxpayers in 1998–99 with taxable income between £1,500 and £4,300.

      Budget Implications
      Mr. Maclean
      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will list for each parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom the number of families who will be(a) better off and (b) worse off as a result of each individual Budget measure announced by the Chancellor in his 1999 Budget statement; [76786]

      (2) if he will list for each parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom the effect for each financial year from 1999–2000 to 2001–02 on (a) an average family, (b) an average pensioner, (c) an average married couple with no dependent children, and (d) a single income taxpayer on average earnings of each Budget measure introduced by the Chancellor in his (i) 1999, (ii) 1998 and (iii) 1997 Budget Statements. [76787]

      Dawn Primarolo
      [holding answers 16 March 1999]: Information is not available on the effect of individual Budget measures by constituency.

      Childrens Tax Credit
      Mr. Webb
      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the childrens tax credit will be paid by means of the PAYE code. [77220]

      Dawn Primarolo
      [holding answer 17 March 1999]: As for other income tax reliefs and allowances, relief for the childrens tax credit would generally be given to people in employment by means of their Pay As You Earn code.

      Mr. Webb
      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if persons entitled to the childrens tax credit will be required to claim the credit. [77221]

      Dawn Primarolo
      [holding answer 17 March 1999]: As for other income tax reliefs and allowances, people with an entitlement to the childrens tax credit will be able to make a claim for relief.

      Population (Local Authority Areas)
      Mr. Martyn Jones
      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the estimated population of each local authority area for each of the years since 1989. [77525]

      Ms Hewitt
      The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.
      203
      Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Marlyn Jones, dated 23 March 1999:
      As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent parliamentary question on the estimated population of each local authority area.
      ONS produce mid-year population estimates for local authority areas in England and Wales. Total population figures for each local authority area are published and the most recent publication relates to mid-1997. The attached list gives details of where those population estimates have been published.
      ONS have also published estimates at the local authority level for the United Kingdom for years from 1990 to 1996 in Regional Trends (numbers 27 to 33). For Northern Ireland and Scotland the mid-year population estimates for 1989 and 1997 are given in the tables.

      Northern Ireland District Council mid-year estimates Usually resident home population

      Persons

      1989

      1997

      Northern Ireland

      Ards

      64,200

      67,800

      Belfast

      296,200

      298,200

      Castlereagh

      61,000

      64,500

      Down

      57,400

      62,100

      Lisburn

      97,700

      109,800

      North Down

      71,800

      74,100

      Eastern Health Board

      648,300

      676,500

      Antrim

      45,300

      50,800

      Ballymena

      56,000

      58,500

      Ballymoney

      23,900

      24,900

      Carrickfergus

      31,700

      35,700

      Coleraine

      51,400

      54,700

      Cookstown

      29,800

      31,800

      Larne

      29,100

      30,300

      Magherafelt

      34,300

      37,900

      Moyle

      15,000

      15,000

      Newtonabbey

      75,000

      79,600

      Northern Health Board

      391,500

      419,200

      Armagh

      50,400

      53,400

      Banbridge

      32,500

      37,700

      Craigavon

      74,500

      79,300

      Dungannon

      44,300

      47,200

      Newry and Mourne

      81,800

      84,900

      Southern Health Board

      283,500

      302,600

      Fermanagh

      52,800

      55,500

      Limavady

      29,700

      31,000

      Deny

      96,700

      105,200

      Omagh

      44,900

      48,100

      Strabene

      35,600

      36,800

      Western Health Board

      259,700

      276,700

      Total

      1,583,000

      1,675,000

      Notes:

      Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency

      Mid-year population estimates; Scotland and its council areas

      Persons

      1989

      1997

      Scotland

      5,096.6

      5,122.5

      Aberdeen City

      213.2

      215.9

      Aberdeenshire

      210.3

      226.4

      Angus

      107.0

      110.2

      Argyll and Bute

      94.1

      90.6

      Clackmannanshire

      47.8

      48.8

      Dumfries and Galloway

      147.1

      147.3

      Dundee City

      156.4

      148.9

      East Ayrshire

      124.4

      121.9

      East Dunbartonshire

      110.9

      110.9

      East Lothian

      83.9

      89.0

      204

      Mid-year population estimates; Scotland and its council areas

      Persons

      1989

      1997

      East Renfrewshire

      85.0

      88.6

      Edinburgh, City of

      439.4

      450.0

      Eilean Siar

      30.0

      28.2

      Falkirk

      143.0

      143.2

      Fife

      347.6

      348.4

      Glasgow City

      641.7

      611.7

      Highland

      200.6

      208.6

      Inverclyde

      93.2

      86.5

      Midlothian

      79.8

      80.7

      Moray

      84.1

      86.0

      North Ayrshire

      138.7

      139.8

      North Lanarkshire

      330.5

      326.5

      Orkney Islands

      19.3

      19.8

      Perth and Kinross

      125.6

      133.3

      Renfrewshire

      177.5

      178.3

      Scottish Borders

      102.8

      106.2

      Shetland Islands

      22.2

      23.0

      South Ayrshire

      113.3

      114.9

      South Lanarkshire

      304.1

      307.4

      Stirling

      81.4

      83.6

      West Dunbartonshire

      98

      95.7

      West Lothian

      143.9

      152.3

      Western Isles

      30.0

      28.2

      Source:

      Mid-year population estimates for local authorities in England and Wales

      Year

      Publication

      Table

      Mid-1997

      PP1 98/1 ONS Population and Health Monitor

      6

      Mid-1996

      PPI 97/1 ONS Population and Health Monitor

      4

      Mid-1995

      PP1 96/2 ONS Population and Health Monitor

      4

      Mid-1994

      PP1 95/1 OPCS Monitor

      4

      Mid-1993

      PPI 94/2 OPCS Monitor

      4

      Mid-1992

      PP1 93/3 OPCS Monitor

      4

      Mid-1991

      PPI 93/2 OPCS Monitor

      4

      Mid-1981 to mid-1991

      PP1 94/I OPCS Monitor

      4

      Mid-year population estimates for local authorities in the United Kingdom

      Year

      Publication

      Table

      Mid-1996

      Regional Trends 33 1998 Edition

      14.1, 15.1, 16.1, 17.1

      Mid-1995

      Regional Trends 32 1997 Edition

      14.1, 15.1, 16.1, 17.1

      Mid-1994

      Regional Trends 31 1996 Edition

      15.1

      Mid-1993

      Regional Trends 30 1995 Edition

      15.1

      Mid-1992

      Regional Trends 29 1994 Edition

      15.1

      Mid-1991

      Regional Trends 28 1993 Edition

      15.1

      Mid-1990

      Regional Trends 27 1992 Edition

      15.1

      General Register Office for Scotland

      Euro
      Mr. Mitchell
      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the measures, and their objectives, which require, under article 109(5) of the Treaty of Union, the unanimous agreement of the United Kingdom and those states already participating in the euro area. [77661]

      Ms Hewitt
      In accordance with Article 109L(5) of the EC Treaty the Council would adopt the rate at which Sterling would be fixed irrevocably against the euro. The rate would require the unanimous agreement of the participating Member States and the UK. The Council,
      205
      acting under the same procedure would also take the other measures necessary for the introduction of the euro in the UK, including the detailed transitional arrangements.

      Mr. Gordon Prentice
      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps are being taken to ensure that euro coins minted throughout the EU can be used in vending machines. [77647]

      Ms Hewitt
      EU Mint Directors, in association with member states, are developing a quality management system for euro coins. This will include procedures for regular consultation with the vending machine industry for testing vending mechanisms.

      VAT (Care for the Elderly)
      Sir Michael Spicer
      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to remove VAT on care for the elderly in cases where social services sub-contract the service and instruct the sub-contractor to recover the cost directly from the elderly.[77934]

      Dawn Primarolo
      Services performed or supervised by qualified nurses are exempt from VAT where those services are predominantly for the medical needs of the patient.

      Economic and Monetary Union
      Mr. Tyrie
      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those measures in the Budget which will assist the United Kingdom in conforming to his five economic tests for joining EMU. [77895]

      Ms Hewitt
      The Government have said that the UK economy needs a period of economic stability in order to demonstrate settled and sustainable convergence. The Budget reinforces economic stability by keeping the public finances under control, while allowing fiscal policy to support the economy in the next phase of the cycle. The measures contained in the Budget to raise productivity and increase employment opportunities for all will also improve the flexibility of the UK economy to adapt to economic change. These measures are in the national economic interest. Preparations should be made in this Parliament so that, should the economic tests be met, a decision to join a successful single currency can be made early in the next Parliament.

      Employment
      Mr. Redwood
      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the impact of a 1 per cent. increase in wages on employment levels. [77888]

      Ms Hewitt
      [holding answer 19 March 19991: The impact on employment would depend on why wages increased, and how employers, employees and others in the labour force responded to the increase in wages. For example, an increase in wages reflecting higher productivity need not have any effect on employment.

      Community Projects
      Mr. Whittingdale
      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is his policy to apply the guidance in VAT Information Sheet 4/98-Local Authorities, Community Projects and VAT Recovery, to contracts entered into after 31 March 1999. [78287]
      206
      Dawn Primarolo
      Yes. Expanded guidance is given in VAT Information Sheet 1/99.

      Revenue Statistics
      Sir Teddy Taylor
      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing(a) actual tax revenue and (b) national insurance revenue in each of the past three years, adjusted for inflation; and what estimates he has made for such revenues in the forthcoming year. [77626]

      Dawn Primarolo
      [holding answer 22 March 1999]: Figures for tax revenues are published in table S24 of Financial Statistics. Figures for the GDP deflator are published in table 2.1 of Economic Trends. Forecasts of tax revenues were published in table B10 of the March 1999 Financial Statement and Budget Report.

      Departmental Reports
      Ms Lawrence
      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the 1999 departmental reports to be published. [78425]

      Mr. Milburn
      Publication dates for the 1999 departmental reports will be as follows:

      Departments

      Tuesday 23 March

      Department of Health

      Law Officers' departments

      Wednesday 24 March

      Department for Education and Employment

      Thursday 25 March

      Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions

      Cabinet Office

      Friday 26 March

      Home Office

      Ministry of Defence

      Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

      Monday 29 March

      HM Treasury and Chancellor's departments

      Department for Culture, Media and Sport

      Tuesday 30 March

      Inland Revenue

      HM Customs & Excise

      Department of Social Security

      Scottish Office

      Welsh Office

      Northern Ireland Office

      Department for International Development

      Department of Trade and Industry

      Lord Chancellor's Department

      Wednesday 31 March

      Main Estimates (for each department)

      Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses

      Foreign and Commonwealth Office

      Tax Law Rewrite Project
      Ms Lawrence
      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the Tax Law Rewrite project. [78572]

      Dawn Primarolo
      I am pleased to announce that the Tax Law Rewrite project continues to make very good progress. The Inland Revenue will be publishing on 30 March the project's fourth Exposure Draft, which contains draft clauses on the trading income of individuals. Copies will be placed in the Libraries of the House on that day.
      207
      This latest publication includes rewritten legislation covering the rules for calculating the profits of a trade, the basis period rules and the rules on farming. I would strongly encourage anyone with an interest in these areas to participate fully in the consultation process, which is key to the success of the project.

      Fuel Oil Duty
      Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated additional yield from the increase in fuel oil duty in the Budget for(a) 1999–2000 and (b) 2000–01. [77457]

      Ms Hewitt
      HM Customs and Excise estimate the additional yield, compared to an indexed base, from the increase in fuel oil duty to be £15 million in 1999–2000 and £25 million in 2000–01.

      Shipping (Taxation)
      Mr. Jenkin
      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) by what date he has asked Lord Alexander to produce his report on the taxation of shipping; and if that report will be published; [76845])

      (2) what terms of reference he has set for Lord Alexander's review of shipping taxation; [76844]

      (3) when Lord Alexander has been asked to complete his review of shipping taxation; [76912]

      (4) if the review of shipping taxation by Lord Alexander will consider matters relating to (a) social security contributions, (b) income tax contributions and (c) linkages to training; [76913]

      (5) what assistance will be provided to Lord Alexander by the Government during his review of shipping taxation; and if officials from the Inland Revenue will assist Lord Alexander during the review; [76846]

      (6) if the review of shipping taxation by Lord Alexander has considered taxation regimes other than the proposed tonnage tax; [77087]

      (7) what plans he has to introduce the changes in shipping taxation recommended by Lord Alexander in this session's Finance Bill. [77086]

      Dawn Primarolo
      [holding answers 15 and 16 March 1999]: The scope of the inquiry is set out in the terms of reference, which are:
      "To conduct an independent study of the case for, and the design of, a lower rate ring-fenced tonnage-based tax and additional enhanced training incentives, for the shipping industry, taking account of the Government's objectives for UK shipping, and the national and international tax and competitiveness issues involved, concluding as soon as is practical."
      Lord Alexander will have access to officials from all relevant departments. It would of course be premature to consider any changes to the taxation of shipping in advance of Lord Alexander's report.

      Budget Publications
      Mr. Malcolm Bruce
      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many copies of Her Majesty's Treasury Budget Summary, "Budget 99, Building a Stronger Economic Future for Britain", have been(a) printed and
      208
      (b) sent out by his Department; what was the cost of (i) printing and (ii) postage to where they have been sent; and if he will make a statement. [77299]

      Dawn Primarolo
      [holding answer 18 March 1999]: 1.5 million Budget summary leaflets have been printed and distributed at a cost of £100,000 for printing and postage.

      Mr. Gibb
      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the titles of the documents which his Department has issued to Ministers to explain the Budget to the press and general public. [77323]

      Dawn Primarolo
      [holding answer 18 March 1999]: The documents include the Budget 99 Report, the Budget 99 leaflet, a consultation document on the Climate Change Levy and the following Press Notices:

      Code

      Document

      HMT 1

      Budget 1999: A better deal for the people of Britain

      HMT 2

      A better deal for enterprise and business

      HMT 3

      A better deal for work

      HMT 4

      Building a fairer society

      HMT 5

      Biggest ever package of environmental tax reforms

      HMT 6

      Climate change levy to encourage energy efficiency

      HMT 7

      Reform of vehicle excise duty to protect the environment

      HMT 8

      Reducing the environmental impact of quarrying

      HMT 9

      Chancellor announces further reform of national insurance

      HMT 10

      Review of charity taxation—consultation document published

      HMT 11

      Promoting enterprise for all: a new employee share scheme

      HMT 12

      £1.1 billion investment in key public services

      Inland Revenue

      IR 1

      Reform of income tax rates and allowances

      IR 2

      Withdrawal of mortgage interest relief

      IR 3

      Better targeted support for vocational training

      IR 4

      Improving the environment: major changes to the taxation of company cars

      IR 5

      Help for Green transport

      IR 6

      Tax boost to widen computer use

      IR 7

      Burdensome tax charge on mobile telephones lifted

      IR 8

      Pension schemes earnings cap

      IR 9

      Fairer treatment for court common investment funds

      IR 10

      Capital gains tax: rates and annual exempt amount

      IR 11

      Capital gains of companies

      IR 12

      Capital gains tax simplification: Lloyd's syndicate capacity

      IR 13

      Inheritance tax: increase in threshold

      IR 14

      Inheritance tax: better administration and collection

      IR 15

      Stamp duty rates

      IR 16

      Stamp duty: compliance and administration

      IR 17

      Stamp duty: unit trusts and open-ended investment companies

      IR 18

      A new all-employee share scheme

      IR 19

      Help for small companies: new 10 per cent. starting rate of corporation tax

      IR 20

      Encouragement for serial entrepreneurs and other investors in enterprise investment scheme (EIS) companies

      IR 21

      Encouraging investment: first year allowances continue for small and medium-sized businesses

      IR 22

      Cash flow savings for small employers increase in quarterly payments limit

      IR 23

      North Sea fiscal regime technical measures

      IR 24

      Tax relief for mobile phone licences

      209

      Code

      Document

      IR 25

      Football clubs to get help with new accounting standard

      IR 26

      Self assessment for companies: minor changes

      IR 27

      Settlements and trusts for children

      IR 28

      Inheritance tax: blocking tax avoidance

      IR 29

      Capital gains of companies: sales of subsidiaries

      IR 30

      Capital gains: abuse of concessions

      IR 31

      Taxation of free standing AVC annuity payments

      IR 32

      Taxation of reverse premiums

      IR 33

      Petroleum revenue tax and North Sea corporation tax: anti-avoidance measures

      IR 34

      Loophole closed in controlled foreign company rules

      IR 35

      Countering avoidance in the provision of personal services

      Inland Revenue and Customs and Excise

      CW 1

      New choice for taxpayers—returns via the Internet

      CW 3

      Securing the tax base

      CW 2

      Increased support for small businesses

      Customs and Excise

      C&E 1

      Fairness for business on VAT groups

      C&E 2

      New pace-setting moves to update and modernise tax systems

      C&E 3

      A fairer share of VAT for business

      C&E 5

      Government support for sustainable waste management

      C&E 7

      VAT: Securing the tax base

      C&E 8

      A fairer deal for small businesses on VAT thresholds

      C&E 9

      Help for pools companies and fairness for casinos

      C&E 10

      Insurance premium tax

      C&E 4

      Alcohol duties

      C&E 6

      Tobacco and Health

      C&E 11

      Chancellor honours commitment on fuel duties to protect the environment

      Other Government Departments

      DETR 1

      Budget placing environment at the heart of the Government

      DETR 2

      Minister welcomes housing policy green paper

      Exchange Rates (Employment)
      Mr. Redwood
      To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his assessment of the effects on United Kingdom employment of the change in the value of the(a) Deutschmark and (b) euro relative to the pound sterling since 1 May 1997. [77590]

      Ms Hewitt
      The effects of exchange rate changes cannot be reliably isolated from the other influences on UK employment. Since the second quarter of 1997 total employment is estimated to have increased by 503,000 to stand at its highest ever recorded level.

    AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

      Abattoirs (Inspection Charges)
      Mr. Wigley
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will change inspection charges for abattoirs from hourly rates to charges based on throughput-headage payments. [66159]

      Mr. Rooker
      Although harmonised EU rules lay down standard charges for hygiene inspections in slaughterhouses and cutting plants, the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS) is required under Treasury rules to recover 210
      the full costs of the services it provides to its customers, be they fresh meat premises or the Government. As the major part of the MHS costs are the time costs arising from the deployment of MHS inspection staff in fresh meat premises, MHS charges are set on a 'per hour' basis since this basis accurately reflects the real costs of providing the inspection service in individual abattoirs and cutting plants. It also encourages operators of such businesses to plan and execute their operations efficiently. In those small premises with only low throughputs of animals or meat, the average inspection charge per animal or tonne of meat will inevitably be higher than in those high throughput premises which are operated efficiently since the latter will inevitably benefit from economies of scale. Any alternative charging system, based solely on throughput of animals or meat, would simply result in large abattoirs or cutting plants having to subsidise the small businesses. The EU Charges Directive precludes Member State Governments from subsidising hygiene inspection costs.

      In relation to charges for the enforcement of specified risk material controls, we have already acknowledged that charges based on throughput rather than an hourly rate could bring benefits to small low-throughput abattoirs and announced that officials have been asked to consider the feasibility of altering the basis of these charges. However any such change would require amendments to the legislation recently laid before Parliament to enable these charges to be levied.

      Genetically Modified Food
      Mr. Mitchell
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list consents he has given, specifying under what legal authority, for cultivation of genetically modified crops for(a) research and (b) sale; and for each consent the name of (i) applicant, (ii) company and (iii) owner, if different, (1) the area of (a) enclosed and (b) open tillage of the crop, and (2) its location; the purpose of (x) research and (y) sale, together with any purchaser if known, and the period of permission. [72563]

      Mr. Rooker
      I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment on 19 March 1999,Official Report, column 879.

      Mr. Redwood
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the genetically modified foods, crops or seeds, for which licence applications are pending which contain a translator enhancer. [73019]

      Mr. Rooker
      [holding answer 25 February 1999]: Although translator enhancers are found widely in nature, they have not been added as part of the modification for the only GM food under consideration in the EU which has been recommended for approval by the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes (genetically modified (GM) tomato products). In the case of GM green-hearted and radicchio rosso chicory, the only other pending applications which have been considered by the ACNFP, the committee did not recommend approval because, among other reasons, the molecular data were incomplete. Copies of the ACNFP's advice on both products is available in the Library of the House.
      211
      The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions hold details of applications pending under EC Regulation 90/220 for GM crops and seeds. I have asked the Ministry of the Environment to provide details of any applications which contain translator enhancers.

      Mr. Baker
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to require those responsible for the production of genetically modified foods to take out adequate insurance to cover compensation claims for any resulting damage to human health. [75108]

      Mr. Rooker
      [holding answer 8 March 1999]: All genetically modified (GM) foods are subject to a full and rigorous safety assessment to ensure that they are as safe as their non-GM counterpart before approval. Whilst it is a criminal offence under the Food Safety Act 1990 to sell any food which is injurious to health or unfit for human consumption, insurance arrangements are a matter for individual companies.

      Mr. Baker
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to require genetically-modified food manufacturers to demonstrate clinical efficacy through clinical trials before being permitted to make claims regarding the alleged health advantages of such foods; and if he will make a statement. [76510]

      Mr. Rooker
      [holding answer 16 March 1999]: Clinical efficacy forms part of the assessment procedure for all new drugs and therefore applies to any substances, including those which have the appearance of foods, where medicinal claims are made, that is that they will prevent, treat or cure a human disease. Any GM foods, where such claims are not being made (which includes all those currently on the market), are subject to different, but equally strict, safety assessment criteria based on establishing that they do not present a danger to the public; as well as the requirements that the public are not misled in any way about them; and that they do not disadvantage the public in terms of their nutritional content.

      Claims that foods may have beneficial health (but not medicinal) effects may be made so long as they are accurate and do not mislead consumers. A voluntary Code of Practice for validation of all health claims relating to food is being developed by a joint body comprising representatives from consumer groups, food law enforcement authorities and industry.

      Joan Ruddock
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will announce a new labelling regime for genetically modified foods; and if he will make a statement. [77537]

      Mr. Rooker
      I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for East Lothian (Mr. Home Robertson) on 18 March 1999,Official Report, column 814.

      Joan Ruddock
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what unlicensed genetically modified soya has formed part of the ingredients of products on sale in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [77261]
      212
      Mr. Rooker
      [holding answer 18 March 1999]: None. Recent press reports that the Worcester Trading Standards Department had detected a non-approved genetically (GM) soya ingredient related to a sample of material that entered the country before May 1997, the composition of which could not be verified analytically. There is therefore no evidence that non-approved GM material is entering the food supply. In 1997, the only GM soya grown commercially in the USA was Monsanto's Round-up Ready soya. This is the approved soya currently being used in food in the UK.

      European Scrutiny Committee
      Mr. Trend
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Donoughue, had in his possession the questions which he was going to be asked by the European Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday 10 February before the meeting took place. [75718]

      Mr. Rooker
      The House of Commons European Scrutiny Committee sitting held on 10 February posed a wide range of questions. The Parliamentary Secretary was aware at a briefing session two days before the meeting what were the main policy areas which would attract questions from the Committee. However, he did not know many of the questions that were to be raised.

      Having some knowledge in advance of the Committee's main questions helped the Parliamentary Secretary to reply promptly and in as informative a way as possible, for the benefit of the Committee. It is helpful to the Committee. It can avoid the need for copious follow up correspondence. It is not expected by, nor necessary to, Ministers.

      My noble Friend the Parliamentary Secretary informs me he did not know at the time of the particular contacts between officials of the Scrutiny Committee and of MAFF: he did not ask for nor initiate them and played no part in the preparation of his brief. This contact was initiated by officials of the Scrutiny Committee. It is a common, though not universal, practice which also obtained under previous Administrations.

      Imported Foods
      Mr. Gray
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about powers to ban importation of foods whose production standards are illegal in this country. [74696]

      Mr. Rooker
      All imported foods are subject to general and specific regulations covering food safety and quality. Responsibility for enforcing these regulations lies with port health and local authorities. Ministers have special powers if, under exceptional circumstances, it is necessary to enforce these regulations.

      Cattle Bones
      Mr. Yeo
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the organs, tissues and fluids to which the cells produced in cattle bones may migrate. [76224]

      Mr. Nick Brown
      [holding answer 12 March 1999]: The hon. Member may be aware that the cells produced in bone marrow contribute to the cell composition of

      213
      blood and lymph tissues. They may thus be widely distributed through the body. In the context of BSE, a large number of fluids and tissues from cattle, particularly those which enter the human food chain, have been tested for infectivity. Those which may be potentially infected are statutorily required to be removed from the food chain.

      Communications (Farmers)
      Mr. Todd
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he has taken to allow farmers(a) to communicate with his Department and (b) to provide details for the various forms required via e-mail. [76218]

      Mr. Morley
      We have in place a number of measures designed to help farmers communicate with my Department and its IT systems more easily.

      Under the Cattle Tracing System, movements of cattle can be communicated electronically to MAFF, particularly via markets and abattoirs.

      On CAP Schemes, we are trialling the electronic submission of application forms. This will be available following on from the introduction next year of a new IT system for IACS. More immediately, we are about to introduce a facility for farmers to receive payments under these schemes via BACS.

      We are also working on a number of other areas to consider electronic communications with the farmer—cattle passport application forms; health certification of animals for export purposes; and electronic submission of agricultural census and survey forms. As a precursor to this we are asking farmers via the 1999 June Census to provide an e-mail address if applicable.

      My hon. Friend will also be interested to note that over 200 of my Department's forms are available on the MAFF Website, some as specimens and others to be printed off for completion. Generally, however, electronic submission of completed forms awaits further development, to safeguard matters such as physical and financial security.

      Biotechnical Industry
      Mr. Baker
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many unminuted pre-arranged meetings occurred between(a) himself, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) his officials and representatives of the biotechnical industry sector since 1 May 1998. [74837]

      Mr. Rooker
      [holding answer 5 March 1999]: I and my officials are in regular contact with representatives of all those with an interest in biotechnology—including environmental groups, consumer groups and biotechnology companies.

      Genetically Modified Organisms
      Mr. Matthew Taylor
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many representations his Department has received from the United States Government on genetically modified organisms since 1 May 1997; on what dates each representation was received; in what form each representation was made; and from which United States department each originated. [77121]
      214
      Mr. Rooker
      Details of ministerial meetings with the US government and this Department are provided in my answer of 18 March 1999,Official Report, column 819.

      Officials maintain bilateral relations with their opposite numbers in a number of other Governments, including that of the US, and also with officials in their Embassies in the UK. The UK's commitment to a science based approach to biotechnology which protects public health and the environment is made clear in all discussions about this technology.

      Food Safety
      Mr. Maclean
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all those(a) food and (b) health food products on which he has received advice from his civil servants since 1 May 1997 as being a cause for concern. [76651]

      Mr. Rooker
      [holding answer 15 March 1999]: Ministers receive advice on a wide range of issues relating to the composition and labelling of food and health food products. Details of each occasion on which this happened could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

      Mr. Martyn Jones
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list for each year since 1990 the statutory codes of practice that have been issued, pursuant to section 40 of the Food Safety Act 1990. [77502]

      Mr. Rooker
      There are currently 20 Codes of Practice, a full list and copies of these are available from the Library of the House.

      Mr. Martyn Jones
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what procedure he has in place to ensure that his Department knows when the rates of(a) food sampling and (b) food analysis by local authorities, in relation to their statutory duties on food law, fall during the course of any given year; [77513]

      (2) if he will list the categories of information that have been supplied by local authorities in response to requests under section 41 of the Food Safety Act 1990; [77506]

      (3) what information he collects from local authorities, in relation to their statutory duties to enforce food law, about their levels of (a) food sampling and (b) food analysis; [775141

      (4) what use he has made of the powers provided by section 41 of the Food Safety Act 1990; [77508]

      (5) what information he collects from local authorities, in relation to their statutory duties to enforce food law, about the scopes of analysis and examination undertaken by public analysts. [77507]

      Mr. Rooker
      Statistics covering many areas of food control, including sampling, are compiled by the Ministry from returns required to be submitted by local authorities in the United Kingdom under section 41 of the Food Safety Act 1990 as part of the information for the annual return we are required to make to the Commission under article 14 of the Council Directive on the Official Control of Foodstuffs. A copy of the latest return was recently placed in the Library of the House.

      Mr. Martyn Jones
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what guidance has been issued by the Joint Food Safety and Standards Group of his
      215
      Department and the Department of Health to local authorities with respect to their statutory obligations to sample foods; [77505]

      (2) if he will list for each year since 1989 all the occasions on which his Department and the Department of Health issued guidance to local authorities on the numbers of samples to be taken with respect to their statutory obligations to sample foods; [77504]

      (3) what steps he has taken to ensure that local authorities have (a) constructed and (b) implemented proper sampling programmes in relation to food law; [77517]

      (4) what powers he has to prevent the rates of (a) food sampling and (b) food analysis by local authorities, in relation to their statutory duties on food law, falling (i) during any given year and (ii) in successive years; [77510]

      (5) if he will publish for each year since 1989 what his Department's and the Department of Health's guidance was to local authorities with respect to their statutory obligations to ensure that samples of foods were properly analysed by public analysts; [77519]

      (6) if he will publish for each year since 1989 what his Department's and the Department of Health's guidance was to local authorities on the numbers of samples to be taken with respect to their statutory obligations to sample food; [77503]

      (7) what powers he has to direct local authorities, in relation to their statutory duties on food law, to maintain a minimum level of (a) food sampling and (b) food analysis; [77511]

      (8) if he will list each occasion on which he has exercised the powers, under section 42 of the Food Safety Act 1990, to direct local authorities to undertake adequate and satisfactory sampling of food; [77518]

      Mr. Rooker
      Responsibility for enforcement of food law rests with the relevant food authorities throughout the UK. All local authorities determine their sampling and inspection programmes in the light of local circumstances and guidance provided in the Codes of Practice issued by the Ministry and the Department of Health under section 40 of the Food Safety Act 1990. While section 40 (2)(a) of the Act imposes a legal obligation on food authorities to have regard to the Codes, it does not impose an obligation to comply with them.

      Farm Produce (Charter Mark)
      Mr. Hoyle
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce a quality charter mark for farm produce from the North West Region. [77527]

      Mr. Rooker
      [holding answer 18 March 1999]: Quality Assurance Schemes for farm produce which go beyond statutory requirements are for the industry to take forward in light of their assessment of market conditions.

      Dairy Products
      Mrs. Browning
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what impact he expects the agreed Agenda 2000 package to have on(a) consumer prices for milk and (b) other dairy products in the United Kingdom. [77453]
      216
      Mr. Rooker
      [holding answer 18 March 1999]: The provisional agreement by the EU Agriculture Council on 11 March to the Agenda 2000 CAP reform package will result in a 15% reduction in support prices for butter and skimmed milk powder, over a period of three years beginning in 2003. As a consequence, the aggregate value of UK milk consumption, measured at farmgate prices, is estimated to fall by some £400 million a year by the end of the period. This will mean that consumers will benefit from lower retail prices for milk and dairy products than would otherwise obtain. If all the savings are passed to consumers, the effect will be approximately equivalent to 4% of the retail price of a pint of liquid milk, and 8% of the retail price of butter.

      Mrs. Browning
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the retail price for milk in the United Kingdom was accounted for by the raw milk price in January(a) 1997, (b) 1998, and (c) 1999. [77451]

      Mr. Rooker
      [holding answer 18 March 1999]: The farmgate price of milk accounted for 38.1 per cent. of the retail price in January 1997, 32.7 per cent. in January 1998 and 32.1 per cent. in January 1999. The percentages in January 1998 and 1999 are much the same as in the early 1990s. The real price spread—the difference between the retail price and the farmgate price adjusted for inflation—fell by 2 per cent. between January 1997 and January 1999.

      Animal Feeding Stuffs
      Mr. Martyn Jones
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how much money was(a) spent in 1989–90 to 1997–98 and (b) allocated in 1998–99 by each individual local authority on the sampling and analysis of animal feeding stuffs in relation to statutory duties to enforce the provisions of the law controlling animal feeding stuffs; [77500]

      (2) how much money was (a) spent between 1989–90 and 1997–98 and (b) allocated in 1998–99 by each local authority on the sampling and analysis of animal feeding stuffs for veterinary medicaments in relation to statutory duties to enforce the provisions of the law controlling animal feeding stuffs. [77501]

      Mr. Rooker
      The information requested is not available.

      Mr. Martyn Jones
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what powers he has to direct local authorities properly to discharge their duties under the Agriculture Act 1970 in relation to the taking and submitting for analysis of samples of animal feeding stuffs. [77515]

      Mr. Rooker
      The powers to direct local authorities to discharge properly their duties in respect of sampling and analysis of animal feeding stuffs can be found at section 67, of Part IV of the Agriculture Act 1970.

      Under section 67 of Part IV of the Agriculture Act 1970, the Minister can obtain a report from each enforcement authority on the way the legislation is being enforced in its area. This report can include information supplied by the agricultural analyst to the authority. If this Part of the Act is not enforced sufficiently, by an enforcement authority, the Minister can appoint one or

      217
      more inspectors to undertake the enforcement duties of that authority. Such costs shall be repaid by the enforcement authority.

      Mr. Martyn Jones
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the Government consulted the Association of Public Analysts about the proposed transfer of the duty to sample animal feeding stuffs for analysis for veterinary medicines from local authorities to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. [77521]

      Mr. Rooker
      Yes. A wide range of interests, including the Association of Public Analysts, was consulted by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate on 10 October 1997 about proposals for the Medicated Feedingstuffs Regulations 1998.

      Mr. Martyn Jones
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the duty to sample animal feedingstuffs for analysis for veterinary medicines was transferred from local authorities to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. [77520]

      Mr. Rooker
      Responsibility transferred to the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain on 6 May 1998, when the Medicated Feedingstuffs Regulations 1998 came into force.

      Monsanto New Leaf Potatoes
      Mr. Baker
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy in respect of the importation from the United States of Monsanto's New Leaf potatoes. [77307]

      Mr. Rooker
      As Monsanto's New Leaf potatoes are genetically modified and have not been approved under the EC Novel Foods Regulation (258/97) and EC Regulation 90/220, their importation into the European Union would be illegal. MAFF has drawn this to the attention of processed potato importers.

      Animals for Slaughter
      Mr. Cox
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what reasons Her Majesty's Government have not ratified the Convention of the Council of Europe for the protection of animals for slaughter; and if he will make a statement. [77606]

      Mr. Morley
      The Government fully intend to ratify the Convention and I am pleased to confirm that arrangements to do so are now nearly complete. Legislation implementing the Convention's provisions (and EU Directive 93/119) has been in place throughout the UK since 1996, but it has also been necessary to obtain the views of the authorities of the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man in order that ratification can take place.

      Meadowlands
      Mr. Vaz
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to assess the report of the Council for the Protection of Rural England concerning the disappearance of meadow and grasslands. [77667]

      Mr. Morley
      As a recent CPRE publication explains, meadow and grasslands may be lost for a number of reasons. MAFF officials are working closely with the statutory environmental agencies to develop workable 218
      proposals for the implementation of particular provisions of the EU Directive on environmental impact assessment (EIA). Those provisions apply to all types of uncultivated land or semi-natural areas, but only where projects to bring such land into intensive agricultural use give rise to significant environmental effects.

      Mr. Hoyle
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to introduce protection for meadowland. [77529]

      Mr. Morley
      [holding answer 18 March 1999]: The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is working closely with the statutory environmental agencies to develop workable proposals. The objective is to improve protection of the environment without imposing over-bureaucratic controls on farmers.

      Food Standards Agency
      Mr. Hoyle
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the impact of the proposed Food Standards Agency levy on farm shops. [77530]

      Mr. Rooker
      [holding answer 18 March 1999]: The purpose of the current consultation exercise is to elicit views on the impact of the proposed levy on all types of food premises that would fall within its scope. We will consider carefully the implications for farm shops in the light of the responses we receive.

      Mr. Hoyle
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will replace the proposed flat rate for the proposed Food Standards Agency levy with a sliding scale based on size of operation. [77532]

      Mr. Rooker
      [holding answer 18 March 1999]: Public consultation on the proposed levy ends on 24 March. We will not reach final decisions on the proposed flat rate or any other aspects of the proposals until we have considered carefully all the responses we receive.

      Mr. Hoyle
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce a minimum size below which shops will be exempt from paying the proposed Food Standards Agency levy. [77531]

      Mr. Rooker
      [holding answer 18 March 1999]: The proposals, on which we are currently consulting, envisage exemptions for premises on which the only food sales are wrapped confectionery, soft drinks, crisps and similar wrapped products. Premises not required to register with the local authority under the Food Premises (Registration) Regulations 1991 would also be exempt. The public consultation period ends on 24 March, and we will not reach any final decisions on exemptions or any other aspects of the proposals until we have considered all the responses carefully.

      Mr. Hoyle
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will apply the proposed Food Standards Agency levy to food producers. [77533]

      Mr. Rooker
      [holding answer 18 March 1999]: The proposals on which we are currently consulting are for the proposed levy to apply to food retail and retail catering premises required to register with the local authority under the Food Premises (Registration) Regulations 1991. We will not reach final decisions until we have considered carefully all the responses we receive.
      219
      Mrs. May
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate how many people will be employed at the Food Standards Agency; and what the consequential changes will be to staff numbers in terms of(a) actual numbers and (b) establishment in his Department. [77557]

      Mr. Rooker
      [holding answer 19 March 1999]: The Food Standards Agency is expected to employ around 500 HQ staff, plus some 1,500 staff in the Meat Hygiene Service, and also have small numbers of staff based in executive branches in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

      Some 315 core MAFF posts and 1,500 from the Meat Hygiene Service are expected to transfer to the Agency, together with other posts currently in the Department of Health, the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland Departments.

      Pig Farmers
      Mr. Laurence Robertson
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what help he is giving to pig farmers in the United Kingdom; what assessment he has made of the impact the recent proposals to reform the Common Agricultural Policy will have on pig farmers; what plans he has to implement the recommendations contained in the Agriculture Committee's report, the UK Pig Industry (HC 87) Session 1998–99; and if he will make a statement. [77454]

      Mr. Rooker
      [holding answer 19 March 1999]: At EU level, I supported improvements in export refunds and the introduction of a private storage aid scheme. Within the UK, I miss no opportunity to make it known that the British pig industry produces a quality product to high welfare and other standards. Although pig farmers are not directly affected by the CAP reform exercise, they will benefit from the substantial reduction in cereal prices, as feed is their main costs. I welcome the Agriculture Select Committee's report on the UK Pig Industry to which the Government will shortly submit their response.

      Sheep Exports
      Mr. Prosser
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the monetary value in (i) 1997 and (ii) 1998 of live lambs and sheep exported from the UK for(a) slaughter and (b) further fattening; and if he will make a statement. [77949]

      Mr. Morley
      The split for the value of UK exports of live lambs and sheep between those going for slaughter and further fattening is not readily available. However it is estimated that the total value of UK exports of live lambs and sheep was £84m in 1997 and £71m in 1998. these figures include exports from Northern Ireland to the Irish Republic. The value of exports from Great Britain to all other destinations is estimated to have been £23m in 1997 and £26m in 1998, of which approximately 90% went for further fattening and the remainder for slaughter.

      Abattoirs
      Mr. Letwin
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will allow abattoirs to operate under the rules of the Date Based Export Scheme for part of each week whilst operating normally on other days. [78022]
      220
      Mr. Rooker
      [holding answer 22 March 1999]: European Commission Decision 98/692/EC, which governs the Data-based Export Scheme (DBES), requires that the only cattle DBES abattoirs may slaughter are those that are eligible for the scheme. However, DBES abattoirs may slaughter sheep and pigs, to which the DBES controls would not apply.

      Cattle Passports
      Mr. Letwin
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of cattle passports have been incorrectly issued in the past six months. [78019]

      Mr. Rooker
      [holding answer 22 March 1999]: The percentage of cattle passports incorrectly issued in the last six months is not available. However, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend for South Derbyshire (Mr. Todd) on 18 March 1999, Official Report, column 816.

      Beef Ban
      Mr. Hoyle
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to be able to lift the ban on the sale of beef on the bone. [78117]

      Mr. Rooker
      [holding answer 22 March 1999]: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Wirral, South (Mr. Chapman) by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on 4 February 1999, Official Report, columns 1077–78.

      Milk Marketing Council
      Mr. Letwin
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will permit expenditure by the Milk Marketing Council on generic advertising. [78025]

      Mr. Rooker
      [holding answer 22 March 1999]: The functions of the Milk Development Council are set out in the Milk Development Council Order 1995. These functions do not permit expenditure by the Council on generic advertising. My right hon. Friend is, however, open to representations by the dairy farming industry on changing the functions of the Milk Development Council.

      Sea Anglers
      Mr. Steen
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what estimate he has made of the numbers of anglers who fish from charter boats off the south Devon coast; how many fish they catch; and how their catches affect fish stocks in the area; [77566]

      (2) if he will list each EU country which applies quotas and species bans to its recreational fishermen; and if he will make a statement. [77567]

      Mr. Morley
      [holding answer 22 March 1999]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 15 December 1998, Official Report, column 500.

      Grants (Diversification)
      Mr. Hoyle
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what grants are available from(a) Her Majesty's Government and (b) the European Union to farmers in (i) Lancashire and (ii) Chorley to help them to diversify. [78118]
      221
      Mr. Morley
      [holding answer 22 March 1999]: Funding to encourage a wide range of agricultural activities, including farm diversification, is available in the six areas designated to receive assistance under the English Objective 5B Structural Fund Programmes. The Northern Uplands Objective 5b area includes parts of Lancashire but does not include Chorley. No grant aid for farm diversification is available outside the designated areas.

      The Rural Development Commission (RDC), which is the Government Agency responsible for promoting economic and social development in rural England, can provide redundant building grants in priority Rural Development Areas, including parts of Lancashire. These grants can help owners to renovate and bring back into productive use, buildings which are lying idle and semi-derelict, or which are becoming redundant for their current use. The buildings must be used for business purposes once renovation works are complete, with the aim of providing new job opportunities, or protecting existing jobs. As from 1 April these grants will be available from the new Regional Development Agencies.

      Milk Quotas
      Mr. Letwin
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what reason the EU decided not to enlarge United Kingdom milk quotas until 2003. [78020]

      Mr. Rooker
      [holding answer 22 March 1999]: The agreement reached by EU Agriculture Ministers on 11 March delayed cutting milk support prices until 2003 as a means of reducing the overall costs of the Agenda 2000 reform package. Consequently, the introduction of direct payments and general increases in milk quota will also be delayed until 2003. However, some specific increases in milk quota, including an increase for Northern Ireland, will be introduced in 2000–01 and 2001–02.

      Milk
      Mr. Chidgey
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what comparative assessment he has made of investment in modernisation of the milk processing industry in the United Kingdom and(a) other EU Member States and (b) other countries which export milk products to the United Kingdom; [78194]

      (2) what analysis he has made of the effect of vertical integration on the competitiveness of milk production and milk processing in the United Kingdom milk and milk products industry in relation to (a) other EU Member States and (b) other nations which export milk products to the United Kingdom; [78196]

      (3) what analysis he has made of the competitiveness of the United Kingdom milk and milk products industry in relation to (a) national industries in each of the EU Member States and (b) other nationally-structured milk and milk product industries. [78199]

      Mr. Rooker
      The Department has not undertaken any such detailed comparative analysis.
      222
      Mr. Chidgey
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what projections he has made of the growth or decline of the United Kingdom milk and milk products industry over the next(a) five, (b) 10 and (c) 15 years. [78198]

      Mr. Rooker
      The size of the United Kingdom milk and milk products industry is constrained by milk quotas. In the period up to 2006 the output of the UK milk and milk products industry can be expected to increase in line with the increases in the UK milk quota agreed as part of the Agenda 2000 reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy. In the longer term, the size of the UK milk and milk products industry will depend on the decisions of the EU Council of Agriculture Ministers as to the shape of the EU dairy regime beyond 2006.

      Mr. Chidgey
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which countries exported(a) milk and (b) processed milk products to the United Kingdom in each year from 1995 to date; and what was the value of the imports from each country in each year. [78201]

      Mr. Rooker
      The available information is shown in the following table.

      UK imports of (a) milk and (b) processed milk products 1995–98

      £ million

      1995

      1996

      1997

      1998

      Milk and cream

      Irish Republic

      35.0

      26.6

      27.2

      21.2

      France

      11.6

      12.1

      12.3

      11.8

      Denmark

      0.5

      0.8

      11.5

      18.0

      Germany

      7.6

      7.3

      4.7

      4.8

      Belgium-Luxembourg

      10.6

      4.5

      4.3

      3.6

      Italy

      1.4

      0.7

      0.9

      0.7

      Netherlands

      0.1

      0.4

      1.0

      1.2

      Others

      0.1

      0.1

      0.2

      0.0

      Imports of milk and cream

      66.8

      52.5

      62.0

      61.3

      Processed milk products

      Irish Republic

      277.3

      338.8

      279.5

      297.7

      France

      169,.8

      196.7

      217.2

      204.3

      New Zealand

      139.4

      125.7

      93.9

      104.4

      Germany

      103.3

      111.0

      110.7

      91.0

      Denmark

      77.2

      81.1

      84.5

      83.3

      Belgium-Luxembourg

      67.0

      80.1

      76.8

      63.2

      Netherlands

      63.7

      63.7

      54.2

      57.3

      Italy

      45.1

      47.7

      51.0

      53.4

      Canada

      15.3

      20.3

      20.0

      19.4

      Australia

      8.2

      12.2

      12.1

      11.8

      Spain

      7.3

      6.8

      6.7

      16.1

      Switzerland

      8.0

      8.1

      7.6

      9.0

      Greece

      7.3

      6.0

      5.4

      6.8

      Austria

      6.7

      3.5

      2.8

      1.7

      U.S.A.

      3.2

      3.2

      3.0

      3.4

      Sweden

      1.2

      3.3

      3.6

      3.0

      Others

      7.0

      8.2

      7.3

      7.2

      Imports of processed milk products

      1,006.9

      1,116.4

      1,036.2

      1,033.0

      Total imports of milk and processed milk products

      1,073.7

      1,168.9

      1,098.3

      1,094.3

      Source:

      HM Customs & Excise

      Mr. Chidgey
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to which countries the United Kingdom has exported(a) milk and (b) processed milk

      223
      products in each year from 1995 to date; and what was the value of exports to each country in each year. [78200]

      Mr. Rooker
      The available information is shown in the following table:

      UK exports of (a) milk and (b) processed milk products 1995–98

      £ million

      1995

      1996

      1997

      1998

      Milk and cream

      Belgium-Luxembourg

      43.5

      62.5

      55.2

      56.3

      France

      41.7

      40.0

      24.9

      23.7

      Irish Republic

      30.9

      11.9

      15.2

      34.7

      Germany

      21.8

      10.5

      13.1

      19.8

      Netherlands

      14.0

      12.0

      13.1

      3.9

      Others

      3.9

      3.8

      3.8

      3.5

      Exports of milk and cream

      155.9

      140.8

      125.3

      141.9

      Processed milk products

      Netherlands

      170.9

      97.3

      67.7

      74.7

      France

      93.1

      89.5

      82.4

      81.2

      Irish Republic

      52.0

      54.0

      62.2

      69.1

      Belgium-Luxembourg

      41.8

      41.0

      34.4

      39.6

      Germany

      44.9

      41.1

      28.7

      34.2

      Spain

      15.6

      19.1

      18.5

      18.6

      USA

      11.6

      20.9

      10.5

      13.3

      Mexico

      3.4

      5.1

      31.4

      12.6

      Denmark

      10.5

      10.4

      16.0

      9.4

      Russia

      1.4

      1.7

      27.6

      8.8

      Saudi Arabia

      21.6

      15.1

      0.8

      0.9

      Brazil

      7.4

      4.8

      11.4

      14.8

      Venezuela

      3.7

      8.0

      8.4

      12.0

      Japan

      17.4

      8.3

      3.1

      2.4

      Kuwait

      9.3

      7.7

      6.8

      6.4

      Hong Kong

      12.0

      7.4

      4.9

      5.2

      Italy

      10.6

      6.8

      5.5

      6.3

      Others

      112.8

      133.4

      181.3

      150.9

      Exports of processed milk products

      640.1

      571.7

      601.6

      560.5

      Total exports of milk and processed milk products

      795.9

      712.5

      726.9

      702.4

      Source:

      HM Customs & Excise

      Mr. Chidgey
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the likely impact on the United Kingdom milk and milk products industry of the proposed enlargement of the European Union. [78197]

      Mr. Rooker
      Enlargement would afford the United Kingdom milk and milk products industry unrestricted access to the markets of those countries which accede to the European Union. Equally, as part of the single market, the milk processing industries of the acceding countries would have access to the markets of the existing EU member states.

      Badgers
      Charlotte Atkins
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will announce the next areas to be brought into the randomised badger culling trial. [78578]
      224
      Mr. Rooker
      Using the criteria set out in their report of last July, the Independent Scientific Group on Cattle TB has now identified the third triplet of trial areas. It is located in east Cornwall, and work will begin there shortly.

      Intervention Board
      Mr. Drew
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the Next Steps Review of the Intervention Board. [78579]

      Mr. Nick Brown
      In accordance with the Government's policy on periodic reviews of executive agencies, Agricultural Ministers have agreed that the Intervention Board should commence a thorough evaluation of Agency status in March and produce a report in July 1999. In the light of ongoing issues such as devolution and the reform of the Common Agricultural Policy, the reconsideration of the prior options element of the review has been deferred until March 2001.

      In order to ensure that all matters are considered fully, comments regarding the performance of the Intervention Board since April 1993, which should be provided by 30 April 1999, would be welcomed from interested parties. The contact point at the Intervention Board for inquiries and correspondence is:

      Mrs. A. K. Parker

      Intervention Board

      Kings House

      Kings Road

      Reading RGI 3BU.

      Farmers (North-West)
      Mr. Hoyle
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will provide further support to farmers in the North West. [77528]

      Mr. Rooker
      [holding answer 18 March 1999]: The package of measures provisionally agreed in Brussels recently represented a good deal for UK farmers, especially those from the hills.

      In addition, beef and sheep farmers are likely to benefit from compulsory compensation as a result of the effects of the introduction of the euro on direct payments. We hope to announce details of this shortly.

      Food Sampling
      Mr. Martyn Jones
      To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what access the Review of the Public Analyst Arrangements in England and Wales had to information about the sampling and analysis of food samples held by local authorities; and what restrictions were placed on the publication of that information. [77951]

      Mr. Rooker
      The Public Analyst Review Team sought information through submissions from interested parties, including local authorities and public analysts, and the Review Team visited a number of authorities and sought information from them directly during those visits. Some of the information relating to their enforcement activities was given in confidence. The Review Report and any non-confidential information gathered has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Equal Rights in the EU
  Equal Rights in the EU
  Young People in Custody on Remand
  Young People in Custody on Remand
  Genetically Modified Animals
  Genetically Modified Animals
  Immigration and Nationality Directorate: Failure of Computer Systems
  Immigration and Nationality Directorate: Failure of Computer Systems
  Citizenship Rights: Channel Islands and Gibraltar
  Citizenship Rights: Channel Islands and Gibraltar
  Interception Warrants
  Interception Warrants
  Stephen Lawrence Inquiry: Government Response
  Stephen Lawrence Inquiry: Government Response
  Family Law: Seventh Protocol
  Family Law: Seventh Protocol
  Aid and International Development: Paid Staff
  Aid and International Development: Paid Staff
  Airborne Stand-Off Radar
  Airborne Stand-Off Radar
  Consolidated Fund (No. 2) Bill: Human Rights Act
  Consolidated Fund (No. 2) Bill: Human Rights Act
  Sexual and Reproductive Health
  Sexual and Reproductive Health
  Northern Ireland Assembly: Transition Programme
  Northern Ireland Assembly: Transition Programme
  Regional Transport Studies
  Regional Transport Studies
  Local Governance
  Local Governance
  Regional Development Agencies: Membership
  Regional Development Agencies: Membership
  Shipping
  Shipping
  Food Labelling: GM Content
  Food Labelling: GM Content
  Abattoir Closures
  Abattoir Closures
  British Beef
  British Beef
  WTO Rules and Precautionary Principle
  WTO Rules and Precautionary Principle
  Rural Affairs Ministry
  Rural Affairs Ministry
  Ilisu Dam Project
  Ilisu Dam Project
  WTO Rules and Precautionary Principle
  WTO Rules and Precautionary Principle