Written Answers of 24 March 1999

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Palace Lifts
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee if the Committee will investigate the possibility of increasing the speed of lifts within the Palace. [78254]

  Sir Sydney Chapman
  The Parliamentary Works Directorate has a rolling programme of lift machinery modernisation. Five lifts in the Palace are to be refurbished in 1999. When new machinery is installed the lift winding speed can be adjusted and I have asked the Director of Parliamentary Works to ensure that speeds are carefully set with regard to both the convenience and the comfort of users. Door speeds are generally set so as not to inconvenience any users with disabilities.

WALES

  Crickhowell House
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the cost of furnishing Crickhowell House for the Welsh Assembly; and if he will make a statement. [77462]

  Mr. Hain
  The current estimated cost of furnishing Crickhowell House for the Assembly is £2 million. This is included in the estimate for establishing the Assembly stated in the Explanatory and Financial Memorandum to the Government of Wales Bill.

  Date/Project

  Action taken

  Reason

  July1998

  IGAD—fisheries

  Withdrawn

  Regional instability

  Guinea Bissau—(3 projects)

  Withdrawn

  Insecurity

  September 1998

  Ivory Coast—Decentralisation Programme (1st presentation)

  Blocked

  Insufficient poverty focus/lack of specific outputs

  December 1998

  Kenya—northern corridor

  Blocked

  Maintenance concerns

  Ivory Coast—Decentralisation Programme (2nd presentation)

  Blocked

  Insufficient poverty focus

  March 1999

  Haiti—Direct Budged Aid

  Withdrawn

  Political circumstances in Haiti

  Haiti—Rural development

  Withdrawn

  Political circumstances in Haiti

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when was the last time that(a) the ALA and (b) the EDF Committee of the European Commission demanded that an independent (i) environmental impact assessment should be conducted

  Millennium Compliance
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales for what reason no external assessment has been made of the plans of his Department for millennium compliance. [78461]

  Mr. Hain
  Independent assessment of the Welsh Office's Year 2000 programme is being undertaken by the Department's Internal Audit Service, who report separately to the Permanent Secretary from the staff responsible for implementing the compliance programme.

  The content of the programme was audited at inception and progress against established activities is reviewed on a regular basis. Internal Audit are free to recommend changes to the programme as they see fit.

  Duplicating this effort by employing external assessors is unnecessary and would add additional costs to the compliance programme.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  EU Project Appraisal
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when was the last time that(a) the ALA and (b) the EDF Committee of the European Commission completely rejected a proposed project (i) on any subject and (ii) on environmental and social grounds; what was the title of the project; and what were the grounds for the objections. [77930]

  Mr. Foulkes
  The Asia and Latin America (ALA) and European Development Fund (EDF) committees have not completely rejected any proposal within the last 12 months. Such rejection is rare for three reasons. A proposal cannot be blocked by a single member state acting alone. Secondly, if the commission senses that there is wide opposition to a project, it may choose to voluntarily withdraw the proposal from the agenda. Finally, in order to secure sufficient support from member states to proceed, the Commission may undertake to revise aspects of its proposals to take account of the views expressed by member states. In the last 12 months, the following projects have either been withdrawn or blocked as a result of pressure applied by the member states.

  before a project was given approval and (ii) evaluation be conducted on a Commission (1) project and (2) programme that was currently under implementation or had recently been completed. [77931]
  227
  Mr. Foulkes
  During the last 12 months neither committee has demanded an independent Environmental Impact Appraisal as a pre-condition to approval. The Commission is required to undertake Environment Impact Appraisal screening as part of its project appraisal process and environmental issues are often raised at Committee meetings. For example, at the last European Development Fund (EDF) Committee on 17–18 March 1999, the UK raised environmental issues on 4 out of the 9 projects under consideration. Monitoring and evaluation arrangements are normally agreed when project proposals are submitted to the Committees for consideration. At the last EDF Committee, the UK raised the question of evaluation with regard to 3 projects.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Police Vehicles (Accidents)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 15 March 1999,Official Report, column 495, if he will rank police forces according to the number of accidents in 1997–98 involving police vehicles which resulted in injury and death. [78203]

  Mr. Boateng
  Ranking of police forces by number of accidents involving police vehicles would be misleading, as many different factors can affect the figures, such as force size and local road conditions. For accidents during pursuits and emergency responses broken down by force, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Eltham (Mr. Efford) on 18 January 1999,Official Report, column 334.

  Immigration and Nationality Directorate
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what meetings he has had regarding the reorganisation of Lunar House and the introduction of a new computer system to deal with immigration and asylum applications; what representations he has received about delays in the provision of immigration services; and if he will make a statement. [78245]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  [holding answer 23 March 1999]: I have had a number of meetings regarding the reorganisation of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate and will continue to do so. I have received representations about the current delays there from hon. Members, from interest groups and from the business community. I am, therefore, taking a close personal interest in improving the level of service.

  The Home Secretary and I recently met with officials from the Immigration and Nationality Directorate and Siemens Business Services to discuss the casework programme. Siemens Business Services have reiterated their commitment to working in partnership to deliver the major modernisation programme as a whole.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to improve the situation for clients at the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in Croydon. [77346]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The reorganisation in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in Croydon has caused significant disruption and delays in the throughput 228
  of cases. A number of steps have been taken to improve matters. These include taking on additional staff, running special exercises to target priority cases and providing additional temporary accommodation to the Public Caller Unit to ensure that all callers are seen on the day by a member of staff. In addition, there have been changes in procedure which have resulted in increasing productivity particularly relating to straightforward cases. Extra training has also been provided in certain key areas to ensure maximum flexibility of staff resources and a steady throughput of work.

  Police and Immigration Officers
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (i) police officers and (ii) immigration officers were based at each port in England and Wales in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [77280]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Operational deployment of police officers is a matter for the Chief Constable. Details of the number of police based at ports in England and Wales is not collated centrally.

  The number of immigration officers, including assistant immigration officers, based at ports in England and Wales as at 1 January 1997,1998 and 1999 is set out in the table. Immigration officers at some of these locations attend both airports and seaports. Other ports in England and Wales which do not have permanently based staff are covered as required.

  We are in the process of appointing over 200 additional immigration officers and assistant immigration officers as part of the package of measures designed to deliver the objectives set out in the Government's White Paper.

  1 January 1997

  1 January 1998

  1 January 1999

  Heathrow

  775.5

  759.0

  694.9

  Dover ports

  295.4

  274.0

  265.9

  Gatwick

  290.5

  294.3

  282.4

  Waterloo

  115.0

  110.0

  102.8

  Manchester airport

  60.6

  63.7

  66.3

  Stansted airport

  46.6

  47.8

  47.8

  Birmingham airport

  37.8

  35.5

  32.1

  Harwich

  34.0

  34.0

  33.1

  Portsmouth

  28.0

  29.0

  29.0

  Luton

  19.1

  18.1

  17.3

  Tyne ports

  17.1

  16.0

  16.0

  Newhaven

  16.7

  15.7

  16.0

  East Midlands airport

  14.0

  13.0

  13.0

  London City airport

  13.5

  13.1

  13.3

  Leeds Bradford

  11.6

  12.6

  12.6

  Southampton

  10.8

  9.0

  9.0

  Bristol

  10.0

  10.0

  9.8

  Cardiff

  9.0

  9.0

  9.0

  Hull

  9.0

  9.0

  9.0

  Liverpool

  8.0

  8.0

  8.0

  Plymouth

  7.5

  8.6

  8.6

  Stockton

  7.0

  6.6

  6.4

  Norwich

  5.0

  5.0

  5.0

  Felixstowe

  5.0

  3.0

  3.0

  Poole

  4.0

  4.0

  4.0

  Bournemouth

  4.0

  4.0

  3.0

  South Humberside

  3.6

  3.6

  3.6

  Brize Norton

  3.0

  3.0

  3.0

  Mildenhall

  3.0

  3.0

  3.0

  Swansea

  2.0

  2.0

  2.0

  Southend

  1.0

  1.0

  1.0

  Cambridge

  1.0

  1.0

  1.0

  Total

  1,868.3

  1,825.6

  1,730.8

  Freedom of Information
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is the Government's policy to apply the test of substantial harm set out in the White Paper on freedom of information in its forthcoming Bill on freedom of information. [78258]

  Mr. Straw
  The Government hope to publish a draft Bill on freedom of information in May. It is our intention to make sure the legislation is clear and easy to use. We are still considering the precise drafting of the Bill to ensure that the principles set out in the White Paper "Your Right to Know" form the basis of the legislation.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Advisory Group on openness in the public sector will be able to consider the progress since 1 May 1997 of proposals for freedom of information legislation. [78343]

  Mr. Straw
  The purpose of the Group is to advise me on the steps needed to be taken ahead of freedom of information legislation to increase openness in the public sector. I expect the group to submit a report to me before the end of the year making recommendations on how I might facilitate an increase in openness in the public sector as a whole.

  The Home Office took over responsibility for freedom of information legislation from the Cabinet Office in the summer of 1998, to enable the policy to be developed alongside other constitutional measures, such as human rights and data protection. Since then, we have devoted a great deal of effort towards translating the White Paper's proposals into a draft Bill. I now hope to publish the draft in May.

  Prostitutes (Calling Cards)
  Mr. Caplin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) civil and (b) criminal prosecutions were made in relation to prostitutes calling cards in telephone boxes in 1997 and 1998. [78047]

  Mr. Boateng
  This information is not readily available. There are several pieces of legislation under which a person may be charged for offences relating to placing prostitutes cards in telephone boxes. Home Office statistics do not indicate which prosecutions relate to prostitutes cards. Civil injunctions are not recorded centrally.

  Mr. Caplin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consult on the possibility of making the placing of prostitutes calling cards in telephone boxes a specific criminal offence. [78046]

  Mr. Boateng
  Yes. My reply to the right hon. Member for Penrith and The Border (Mr. Maclean) on 2 March 1999,Official Report, column 631, said that the Home Office will shortly be issuing a consultation paper on new measures to tackle the problem of prostitutes cards in telephone boxes which will look at options for changing the law to enable those who put cards in telephone boxes to be dealt with more effectively.

  Millennium Compliance
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason no external assessment has been made of the plans of his Department for millennium compliance. [78462]

  Mr. Straw
  An external assessment of my Department's Year 2000 programme began earlier this month, to complement an internal assessment recently completed. DBI Associates were awarded a contract to carry out this independent assessment, following a competitive tender exercise. This comprehensive assessment will examine the Year 2000 work carried out within the main Home Office, its executive agencies and the Police Information Technology Organisation, concentrating on business critical processes and business continuity planning. A final report is expected in June.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason no(a) internal and (b) external assessment has been made of the United Kingdom Passport Agency's plans for millennium compliance; and if he will make a statement. [78468]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The Passport Agency's plans for millennium compliance are being assessed by independent technical consultants appointed by the Home Office.

  The agency's audit needs are assessed every three years and are currently under review. Audit plans will include millennium compliance but will take into account the work of the independent consultants (DBI Associates Ltd.).

  Macpherson Report
  Sir Norman Fowler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people had access to the Macpherson report prior to some of its contents appearing in The Sunday Telegraph; and if he will make a statement. [78480]

  Mr. Straw
  I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr. Lansley) on 15 March 1999,Official Report, column 492.

  Sir Norman Fowler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what standard of proof will be required in the leak inquiry into the provision of unauthorised information concerning the Macpherson report to The Sunday Telegraph; and if he will make a statement. [78419]

  Mr. Straw
  No proof test has been set. My permanent secretary will advise on what course of action might be appropriate, taking account of any weight attached to particular findings by the independent investigator.

  Sir Norman Fowler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made on the leak inquiry into the provision of unauthorised information concerning the Macpherson report to The Sunday Telegraph; and if he will make a statement. [78418]

  Mr. Straw
  My permanent secretary expects to receive the independent investigator's conclusions shortly.

  EU Fraud
  Mr. Grieve
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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. [77783]

  Kate Hoey
  [holding answer 19 March 1999]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury gave on 19 March 1999, Official Report, columns 858–59.

  Civil Servants (Appraisal)
  Mr. McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the appraisal performance markings awarded to civil servants in 1998 for(a) each agency in his Department and (b) the Department broken down by (i) grade, (ii) gender, (iii) ethnicity, (iv) part-time/full-time working and (v) disability; and for (1) each agency and (2) the Department whether the Cabinet Office's four fifths rule for detecting potential adverse impact was applied to the appraisal markings of civil servants in the 1998 report round. [78149]

  Mr. Straw
  The available information has been placed in the Library and is set out as follows:

  Table 1: performance appraisal markings for the Home Office including the United Kingdom Passport Agency and the Forensic Science Service (but excluding the Prison Service and the Fire Service College which have different appraisal systems) for the reporting year 1996–97 broken down by grade, ethnicity and gender. Information on part-time/full-time working could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Table 2: performance appraisal markings for the Fire Service College in 1998 broken down by gender and part-time/full-time working. There were no ethnic minority or disabled staff working at the College in this period. The total number of staff working at the College is small and to provide figures broken down by grade would risk identifying individuals.

  Table 3: performance appraisal markings for the Prison Service in 1998 broken down by gender and ethnicity. Information on part-time/full-time working is not held centrally in the Prison Service and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Table 4: performance appraisal markings for the Prison Service in 1998 broken down by the core grades. (There are many non-standard specialist grades with small numbers of staff in the Prison Service and to provide information broken down by these grades would risk identifying individuals).

  Table 5: performance appraisal markings for the Home Office including the United Kingdom Passport Agency and the Forensic Science Service (but excluding the Prison Service and the Fire Service College) for the reporting year 1996–97 showing the spread of box markings among disabled and non-disabled staff.

  The four-fifths rule—which is only a guideline, not a statistical test—was not applied to these appraisal markings.

  General Pinochet
  Sir Norman Fowler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what public statements he made in his official capacity prior to 17 October 1998 on the former Government of General Pinochet in Chile; and if he will make a statement. [78420]

  Mr. Straw
  I have made no such public statements.

  Police Research Paper
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost of researching, publishing and distributing the Police Research Series paper, "Face Value? Evaluating the Accuracy of Eyewitness Information". [78478]

  Mr. Boateng
  The cost of producing the Police Research Series paper "Face Value? Evaluating the Accuracy of Eyewitness Information" was £12,040. This was broken down as follows:The University of Liverpool was paid £6,916 over a three month period to conduct the work on which the report is based and to produce a draft report; and
  3,500 copies of the report were produced along with 2,600 copies of an associated briefing note. Printing costs were £5,124.
  3,700 reports or briefing notes were distributed at the time of publication using existing administrative support staff at marginal cost. Postal costs are not calculated for individual reports.

  Firearms
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many(a) handguns and (b) accessories, broken down by (i) type and (ii) calibre, have been surrendered to each police force in Great Britain by (A) private citizens, (B) shooting clubs and (C) firearms dealers under the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997; [78153]

  (2) how much compensation (a) has been paid and (b) is outstanding in respect of firearms surrendered under the terms of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997; and when he expects the process to be completed. [78154]

  Mr. Boateng
  Over 162,000 large and small-calibre handguns were surrendered to the police following the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1997. I regret that the more detailed information requested is not at present available. A total of £80.3 million has so far been paid in compensation. The total of compensation paid is expected to be in the region of £87 million.

  Yemen
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the recent arrest of Abu Hamza al-Masri; and what his policy is in respect of Yemen's request for his deportation. [78131]

  Mr. Straw
  Abu Hamza al-Masri and two other men were arrested under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989 (PTA) on 15 March. I subsequently authorised extensions of detention beyond the initial 48 hours allowed by the Act. On 18 March, all three detainees were released from detention under the PTA, re-arrested under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and given police bail to return for further questioning in mid-May after further inquiries have been made.
  233
  The United Kingdom has no extradition treaty with Yemen. The law contains provision in these circumstances for a special arrangement to be considered. I cannot say what would be the outcome were such an approach to be made by the Yemen, but it would be open to their authorities, if they so wished, to pursue the possibility.

  Venezuelan Nationals
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Venezuelan nationals there are in British prisons. [78125]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The latest available provisional information is for 31 December 1998. On that date, there were 16 Venezuelan nationals (15 males and 1 female) in prisons in England and Wales. Information on the numbers of Venezuelan nationals held in prisons in Scotland and Northern Ireland are available from the Secretary of State for Scotland and Secretary of State for Northern Ireland respectively.

  Death Penalty
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons Her Majesty's Government have not ratified the Council of Europe Protocol Number 6 to the convention for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms concerning the abolition of the death penalty; and if he will make a statement. [77284]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The Home Secretary signed Protocol 6 in Strasbourg on 27 January 1999. An Explanatory Memorandum and a Command Paper relating to the ratification process will be laid before the House shortly.

  Prison Governors
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisons in England and Wales have had more than three principal governors within the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [77587]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Bullwood Hall and Maidstone prisons are the only establishments to have had more than three governing governors, including those temporarily in charge, in the last three years.

  Asylum Seekers
  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce a concession to the Immigration Rules granting asylum seekers from Sierra Leone immediate exceptional leave to remain in the United Kingdom. [77548]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I do not consider that such a policy would be justified at present, but we are keeping the situation in Sierra Leone under continuous close review.

  Following a decline in the country situation in December 1998, enforced removals to Sierra Leone were suspended on practical and precautionary grounds. In view of the continued fighting and the rebel invasion into parts of Freetown, consideration of asylum applications was suspended in January 1999.
  234
  Appalling human rights violations and destruction have been perpetrated by the rebel forces in Sierra Leone. However, President Kabbah has remained in power and Freetown has recently been secured following action by ECOMOG troops. There are large numbers of internally displaced people in the city. In all the circumstances, it would not be appropriate to resume widescale enforced returns of rejected asylum seekers at this stage. We will consider the viability of making limited returns to Freetown now that the city is secure, but no one will be returned to Sierra Leone unless it is considered safe to do so.

  As and when consideration of applications by asylum seekers from Sierra Leone is resumed, they will be considered in accordance with the standing instructions to caseworkers which point, among other things, to the grant of exceptional leave to remain in cases where there are compassionate or humanitarian reasons which merit not requiring the person to return to their country of origin or habitual residence.

  Police (Sick Leave)
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the rates of sick leave reported in each police force in each of the last three years. [78391]

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

  Police days lost through sickness

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  Avon and Somerset

  32,498

  35,051

  30,326

  Bedfordshire

  11,209

  12,205

  15,539

  Cambridgeshire

  15,730

  14,115

  14,018

  Cheshire

  28,867

  25,787

  28,416

  City of London

  10,446

  10,753

  10,326

  Cleveland

  18,488

  18,761

  17,709

  Cumbria

  10,138

  10,519

  11,870

  Derbyshire

  21,939

  25,271

  24,953

  Devon and Cornwall

  28,722

  30,527

  30,259

  Dorset

  14,058

  13,219

  14,403

  Durham

  18,154

  18,830

  17,104

  Dyfed-Powys

  11,110

  11,777

  10,585

  Essex

  25,533

  28,399

  34,066

  Gloucestershire

  11,412

  12,725

  11,934

  Greater Manchester

  103,602

  107,360

  106,894

  Gwent

  10,273

  12,804

  12,576

  Hampshire

  27,784

  32,241

  36,665

  Hertfordshire

  20,162

  23,914

  20,462

  Humberside

  27,267

  24,798

  24,212

  Kent

  39,368

  36,335

  36,564

  Lancashire

  47,205

  37,766

  37,419

  Leicestershire

  26,632

  27,389

  23,840

  Lincolnshire

  14,255

  16,910

  14,465

  Merseyside

  78,554

  80,165

  54,011

  Metropolitan Police

  272,131

  396,768

  394,568

  Norfolk

  15,115

  13,253

  15,053

  Northamptonshire

  13,953

  12,382

  14,744

  Northumbria

  43,771

  39,935

  43,329

  North Wales

  16,624

  12,075

  13,882

  North Yorkshire

  16,058

  14,524

  14,925

  Nottinghamshire

  33,172

  29,951

  29,529

  South Wales

  43,932

  *

  50,147

  South Yorkshire

  37,862

  36,422

  38,827

  Staffordshire

  28,767

  32,397

  28,868

  Suffolk

  9,817

  10,059

  10,581

  Surrey

  16,994

  18,967

  21,998

  Sussex

  40,811

  39,302

  36,835

  Thames Valley

  45,425

  43,685

  45,027

  235

  Police days lost through sickness

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  Warwickshire

  13,179

  12,284

  13,476

  West Mercia

  24,883

  25,055

  23,584

  West Midlands

  68,861

  96,992

  89,881

  West Yorkshire

  54,102

  56,388

  60,536

  Wiltshire

  10,468

  11,289

  10,219

  Provincial total

  1,187,200

  1,172,581

  1,200,057

  England and Wales total

  1,459,331

  1,569,349

  1,594,625

  Notes:

  * Figures not available due to changes in data collection methods

  Average days lost through sickness per police officer

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  Avon and Somerset

  11

  12

  10

  Bedfordshire

  10

  11

  14

  Cambridgeshire

  13

  11

  11

  Cheshire

  15

  13

  14

  City of London

  12

  12

  12

  Cleveland

  13

  13

  12

  Cumbria

  9

  9

  10

  Derbyshire

  12

  14

  14

  Devon and Cornwall

  10

  11

  10

  Dorset

  11

  10

  11

  Durham

  13

  13

  12

  Dyfed-Powys

  11

  12

  11

  Essex

  9

  10

  12

  Gloucestershire

  10

  11

  11

  Greater Manchester

  15

  15

  15

  Gwent

  10

  10

  10

  Hampshire

  8

  9

  11

  Hertfordshire

  12

  14

  12

  Humberside

  13

  12

  12

  Kent

  13

  11

  11

  Lancashire

  15

  12

  11

  Leicestershire

  14

  14

  12

  Lincolnshire

  12

  14

  12

  Merseyside

  17

  19

  12

  Metropolitan Police

  10

  14

  15

  Norfolk

  11

  9

  10

  Northamptonshire

  12

  10

  12

  Northumbria

  12

  11

  13

  North Wales

  12

  9

  10

  North Yorkshire

  12

  11

  11

  Nottinghamshire

  14

  13

  13

  South Wales

  15

  *

  17

  South Yorkshire

  12

  12

  12

  Staffordshire

  13

  14

  13

  Suffolk

  8

  9

  9

  Surrey

  10

  11

  13

  Sussex

  13

  13

  12

  Thames Valley

  12

  12

  12

  Warwickshire

  13

  13

  14

  West Mercia

  12

  12

  12

  West Midlands

  10

  13

  12

  West Yorkshire

  10

  11

  12

  Wiltshire

  8

  10

  9

  Provincial total

  12

  12

  12

  England and Wales total

  12

  12

  13

  Notes:

  * Figures not available due to changes in data collection methods

  Police (Early Retirement)
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers took early retirement on health grounds in each police force in each of the last three years. [78387]

  Mr. Boateng
  The information is set out in the table.
  236

  Number of police officers retiring on ill-health grounds, England and Wales

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  Avon and Somerset

  29

  66

  66

  Bedfordshire

  14

  15

  23

  Cambridgeshire

  26

  20

  12

  Cheshire

  16

  19

  21

  City of London

  14

  7

  6

  Cleveland

  25

  22

  8

  Cumbria

  9

  18

  20

  Derbyshire

  49

  39

  51

  Devon & Cornwall

  27

  21

  22

  Dorset

  9

  11

  10

  Durham

  23

  23

  17

  Dyfed-Powys

  22

  12

  11

  Essex

  31

  29

  29

  Gloucestershire

  7

  11

  9

  Greater Manchester

  168

  207

  199

  Gwent

  19

  28

  15

  Hampshire

  31

  21

  30

  Hertfordshire

  22

  10

  17

  Humberside

  26

  19

  27

  Kent

  46

  15

  18

  Lancashire

  66

  36

  27

  Leicestershire

  45

  29

  25

  Lincolnshire

  31

  11

  28

  Merseyside

  195

  167

  80

  Metropolitan

  430

  457

  406

  Norfolk

  15

  15

  15

  North Wales

  36

  33

  11

  North Yorkshire

  29

  39

  22

  Northamptonshire

  10

  14

  18

  Northumbria

  123

  85

  95

  Nottinghamshire

  41

  34

  40

  South Wales

  74

  43

  69

  South Yorkshire

  46

  33

  29

  Staffordshire

  30

  47

  66

  Suffolk

  25

  22

  20

  Surrey

  24

  24

  10

  Sussex

  61

  42

  23

  Thames Valley

  58

  55

  40

  Warwickshire

  14

  10

  18

  West Mercia

  27

  39

  27

  West Midlands

  105

  93

  97

  West Yorkshire

  48

  57

  41

  Wiltshire

  4

  11

  9

  Provincial Total

  1,720

  1,552

  1,421

  England and Wales Total

  2,150

  2,009

  1,827

  Mr. Tangney
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answers of 18 March 1999,Official Report, column 721, and 11 March 1999, Official Report, column 332, on life prisoners, on the basis of what evidence the Parole Board decided that Mr. Tangney fulfilled the conditions that the life sentence prisoner is trustworthy enough not to abscond. [78270]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The Parole Board recommended that Mr. Tangney be transferred to open conditions on the basis of reports and recommendations from prison and probation staff that Mr. Tangney's attitudes and behaviour had improved to the point where he could be trusted in open conditions. Ministers accepted the Board's recommendation taking account of those reports and recommendations and Mr. Tangney's overall progress in prison, and reduction in risk, since the offence for which his mandatory life sentence was imposed.

  Life Prisoners (Transfer)
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the minimum period a life sentence prisoner must serve before being considered for transfer to an open prison. [78269]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The general position is set out in my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Wellingborough (Mr. Stinchcombe) on 9 July 1998,Official Report, columns 587–88. The first Parole Board review of a life sentence prisoner's case occurs 3 years, or in the case of a prisoner who has made good progress through his sentence 3½ years, before expiry of the minimum period required for retribution and deterrence, commonly known as the tariff. The tariff varies considerably from case to case.

  Prisoner Correspondence
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what regulations govern prisoners writing to addresses registered as Post Office box numbers; and what security considerations apply. [78358]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Prisoners' correspondence is governed by the Prison Rules, and policy is set out in Prison Standing Order 5 (copies of which are in the Library). Under paragraph 29 of Standing Order 5B, governors have the authority to stop prisoners writing to a Post Office Box. Prisons must be able to identify and check the recipients of prisoners' correspondence, particularly in the case of high risk prisoners and sex offenders.

  While this provision will more often apply to individuals using PO Box numbers, it may also be applied to organisations where the governor considers there to be a risk. Some organisations, for example, operate pen-pal schemes for prisoners to make contact with people on the outside. Such schemes may be susceptible to infiltration by sex offenders and paedophiles seeking to network and make contact with vulnerable people. These schemes, therefore, need to be thoroughly vetted. Where the organisations concerned are not able to do this, and the use of a box number precludes prisons from making appropriate checks on the recipients, a governor is within his or her rights to stop prisoners from writing to the organisation.

  Detective Superintendent McElroy
  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when the Chief Constable of Nottinghamshire expects to make a decision relating to the suspension and investigation of DS McElroy; [78208]

  (2) what explanation he has been given for the continued suspension of DS McElroy following the Crown Prosecution Service's decision not to pursue charges; [78212]

  (3) what have been the costs of the suspension and investigation of DS McElroy from the Nottinghamshire Constabulary since 10 April 1997; [78206]
  238
  (4) if he will refer the case of DS McElroy to the Chief Inspector of Constabulary for a report on (a) the cost and conduct of the investigation, (b) compliance with regulations, (c) the status of the participating witness in the investigation and (d) the impact of the investigation on the explosives case which DS McElroy had been working on; [78209]

  (5) what reasons the case of DS McElroy was not referred to the Police Complaints Authority under the Police (Complaints) (Mandatory Referrals etc.) Regulations 1985. [78207]

  Mr. Boateng
  Disciplinary matters relating to individual officers are the responsibility of chief officers of police. I am told that DS McElroy remains suspended while consideration is given to possible disciplinary proceedings, and that following a complaint by a member of the public, Nottinghamshire Constabulary has referred its handling of the case to the Police Complaints Authority for independent investigation.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Biotechnical Industry
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the biotechnical companies which have placed staff(a) on secondment and (b) on placement within his Department since 1 May 1997. [74840]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 5 March 1999]: Secondments and attachments are part of the Interchange Initiative, which promotes the exchange of people and good practice between the Civil Service and other organisations. All sectors of the economy are involved: Voluntary, Education, Health, Public and Private.

  No staff from biotechnical companies have been on either secondment or placement with this Department.

  Genetically Modified Crops
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the studies commissioned by his Department into the potential indirect effect on the environment from the growing of genetically modified crops. [74865]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 5 March 1999]: My Department is in the process of commissioning ecological studies of the diversity and abundance of plants and invertebrates associated with the management of certain genetically modified herbicide tolerant crops compared with equivalent non genetically modified crops to test whether there are any significant differences over a four year period.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many release consents for genetically modified crops trials there have been in each year since 1990. [75110]
  239
  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 8 March 1999): Since the current Regulations came into force in February 1993, 154 consents have been issued. The break down per year is as follows:

  Year

  Applications approved

  1993

  15

  1994

  24

  1995

  40

  1996

  28

  1997

  25

  1998

  22

  India (Ministerial Visit)
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to report his assessment of the environmental damage to coral reefs following his recent visit to India and the Maldives. [75543]

  Mr. Prescott
  [holding answer 9 March 1999]: During my visit to the Maldives, I was able to see for myself some of the damage to the coral reefs there, particularly the evidence of the coral bleaching event recorded during April to June last year. This was the worst ever recorded in the Maldives and affected some 95 per cent. of the reefs. On one of the sites that I was shown, over 35 per cent. of the corals were bleached and approximately 40 per cent. were dead.

  I was also shown a reef that had been mined for use in the construction of the airport 30 years ago (traditionally in the Maldives, coral has been used as a building material). The extraction of coral had removed the upper 0.5m of reef framework, leaving a bare, flat surface of broken rubble and unconsolidated sediment and had resulted in a loss of live coral cover and associated reef fish. The area covered by live corals was less than 3 per cent. compared with 35 per cent. on nearby unmined reefs.

  A BBC crew joined me on these dives and recorded much of what I was shown. The resulting film report was transmitted on BBC News programmes around the world, confirming the point that I had set out to make; that there are clear links between climate change, oceans and land-based sources of pollution.

  I intend to continue to highlight this issue and to press for improvement in international co-ordination on oceans matters when I attend the Commission on Sustainable Development in New York next month.

  While I was in the Maldives, I was also able to announce continuing UK support for the South Asia region of the Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network. This will evaluate the sustainability of coral reefs; raise community level awareness of coral reef status and resource management issues; and establish regional capability to collect critical monitoring data on coral reefs, coral reefs resource-use and related livelihoods. Coral reef monitoring programmes at key sites will develop a national coral reef database in each country. The programme will provide a foundation for maximising sustainable benefits from coral reef resources for coastal communities, thereby improving livelihoods in coral reef areas in South Asia.

  Packaging Waste
  Mr. Bill O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of whether the UK will achieve the targets set under the EU Directive on Packaging Waste; and if he will make a statement. [76983]

  Mr. Meacher
  As I said in my answer to my hon. Friend on 15 March 1999,Official Report, columns 466–67, the recovery rate for packaging waste is expected to have reached approximately 32 per cent. in 1998 and the interim business targets are designed to enable the UK to achieve the mandatory EC Directive recovery and recycling targets in 2001. Industry itself has reported that there was an oversupply of reprocessing capacity in 1998 compared with the targets that had to be met and this was damaging the market. The increase in the interim business recovery and recycling targets should therefore generate the necessary momentum to enable sufficient activity to be carried out to achieve the 2001 targets. A further consideration was the need for sufficient resources to be directed at generating the necessary collection and reprocessing capacity that will be needed to meet the targets in 2001. With this additional infrastructure in place the UK should be able to meet the mandatory Directive targets.

  Mr. Bill O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will take steps to provide clarification of the definition of imported materials under the packaging waste regulations. [76984]

  Mr. Meacher
  Guidance on the definition of imported packaging and packaging materials was provided in chapter five of the "Users Guide", issued by my Department in March 1997, a copy of which is in the Library. This continues to reflect the Department's opinion.

  Genetically Modified Organisms
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on what dates his Department has received representations from the United States Government on genetically modified organisms since 1 May 1997; in what form each representation was made; and from which United States department each originated. [77116]

  Mr. Meacher
  I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Wellingborough (Mr. Stinchcombe) on 1 March 1999,Official Report, column 509. The visit was from a representative of the State Department and took place 25 January 1999.

  Global Warming
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what evidence he obtained about global warming during his visit to the Maldives; and what conclusions he has drawn from it. [75691]

  Mr. Prescott
  [holding answer 18 March 19991: Small island states are especially vulnerable to global warming and its associated effects. During my visit to the Maldives, I heard from the Government and local marine scientists about the effects of global warming, rising sea

  241
  temperatures and pollution on some of the coral reefs there, and the particular threat that is posed by these phenomena to island states like the Maldives.

  I was also able to see some of the damage to the reefs for myself, particularly the evidence of coral bleaching event recorded during April to June last year, the result of high sea-surface temperature caused by El Niño. This was the worst ever recorded in the Maldives and affected some 95 per cent. of the reefs. On one of the sites that I was shown, over 35 per cent. of the corals were bleached and approximately 40 per cent. were dead.

  There are clear links between climate change, oceans and land-based sources of pollution—everyone has a part to play in helping to solve the problem. In addition to the ongoing efforts to tackle climate change, I intend to continue to highlight this issue and to press for improved international co-ordination on oceans matters when I attend the Commission on Sustainable Development meeting in New York next month.

  Asbestos
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the purpose of the medical examination required by Regulation 16(2) of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987 as amended by the Control of Asbestos at Work (Amendment) Regulations 1998. [77876]

  Mr. Meale
  Doctors carry out medical examinations under Regulation 16(2) to advise workers on their general fitness for work with asbestos (including their fitness to work wearing respiratory protective equipment), to provide them with information about their current state of respiratory health, to alert workers to early signs of disease, and to warn them about the increased risk of lung cancer for those who smoke and work with asbestos.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what controls will be applied to contractors licensed only to remove asbestos insulation board to prevent them from undertaking any other type of asbestos stripping work. [77877]

  Mr. Meale
  Contractors are required to give 14 days advance notice of work with asbestos as a condition of their licence. In 1999–2000, the Health and Safety Executive's Field Operations Directorate plan to visit at least 800 notified jobs and also to visit 40 local authorities to deal with risks from asbestos to building and maintenance workers in their properties.

  Organisation

  Remediation type

  Brief description

  1 Action Environment

  Decontamination

  Reclamation of contaminated land at Plean Country Park (public amenity)

  2 Action for Chitterne's Environment

  Rubbish removal

  Clearing roadside banks (in cutting) of fly-tipped litter and debris at Winterbourne (public amenity)

  3 Argyll and Bute Trust

  Rubbish removal

  Beach cleaning by volunteer bodies, including general flotsam and tanker crude oil residues (public amenity)

  4 Beach Watch Bute

  Rubbish removal

  Beach cleaning, including removal of crude oil residues (public amenity)

  242
  In addition, in 1999–2000 the Directorate has planned for 80,000 preventive inspections in addition to complaint and accident investigations. Inspectors are aware of the importance of asbestos and will be alert to illegal work during such visits.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the Health and Safety Executive plans to license contractors who remove only asbestos insulation board under the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1993, as amended by the Asbestos (Licensing) (Amendment) Regulations 1998. [77874]

  Mr. Meale
  Yes. From 1 August 1999, the regulations will apply to licensed contractors who only work with asbestos insulation board in the same way as they do to those working with asbestos coating and insulation.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the medical examination certificates issued to workers exposed to asbestos under the amended Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 1987 are intended to fulfil the requirements of asbestos laws in all European Union member states. [77875]

  Mr. Meale
  No. The intention behind the amendment to the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations to issue a medical certificate to both the employer and employee is to prevent the forgery of medical certificates. The UK's requirements for medical surveillance are stricter than the minimum standards laid down by the EU Directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to asbestos at work.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he plans to ban the import, marketing and use of Chrysotile asbestos. [77878]

  Mr. Meale
  The Government are firmly committed to further restrictions on the importation, supply and use of white asbestos. The Health and Safety Commission has already consulted on proposals to amend the (Asbestos Prohibitions) Regulations and I look forward to receiving its recommendations, taking account of European Developments, in June.

  ENTRUST
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 2 December 1998,Official Report, columns 180–81, on ENTRUST, if he will list the 33 projects for the remediation of contaminated land and the sort of remediation undertaken. [77645]

  Mr. Meale
  According to ENTRUST, the 33 projects are listed in the table.
  243

  Organisation

  Remediation type

  Brief description

  5 Bluebell Railway Trust

  Rubbish removal

  Reclamation of fly-tipped domestic refuse-filled railway cutting for preserved steam railway (public amenity)

  6 Cheshire Environmental Services

  Dereliction removal

  Reclamation of derelict and contaminated land, formerly a paint works, in Chester (residential)

  7 Cheshire Environmental Services

  Decontamination

  Reclamation of former gasworks site at Bollington, Cheshire (commercial)

  8 Cheshire Environmental Services

  Decontamination

  Removal of heavy-metal contaminated soil at Northwich Victoria football ground (public amenity)

  9 Cheshire Environmental Services

  Decontamination

  Reclamation of contaminated land at former gasworks, Bollington, Cheshire

  10 Earth Centre

  Decontamination

  Removal of heavy metal contamination/dereliction of former collieries (public amenity)

  11 Enventure

  Dereliction removal

  Regeneration of derelict land for Greatwood and Horseclose Millennium Green (public amenity)

  12 Greenbank Trust

  Restoration

  Reclamation of disused quarry for public amenity use (public amenity)

  13 Groundwork Blackburn

  Dereliction removal

  E. Darwen landscape renewal project: reclamation and enhancement of derelict area (public amenity)

  14 Groundwork Dearne Valley

  Dereliction removal

  Site investigation for reclamation of derelict former steel mill (public amenity)

  15 Groundwork Erewash Valley

  Decontamination

  Removal and storage of contaminated waste at former steelworks (public amenity)

  16 Groundwork Medway Swale

  Decontamination

  Remediation of contamination and dereliction at abandoned wharf (public amenity)

  17 Levenseat Trust

  Dereliction removal

  Removal of dereliction at Furth Wanderers football ground and improve landscape (public amenity)

  18 Loch Awe Improvement Association

  Rubbish removal

  'Clean Sweep': removal of litter, shore improvement and provision of litter bins (public amenity)

  19 Marybank Partnership (Comharradh Criche)

  Dereliction removal

  Removal of contamination and dereliction for Western Isles business park (commercial/public amenity)

  20 Northern Environmental Projects

  Decontamination

  Decontamination of land at Ellesmere Old Forge (public amenity)

  21 Northern Environmental Projects

  Decontamination

  Reclamation and decontamination of former colliery at Gresford, near Wrexham (public amenity)

  22 Public Arts

  Dereliction removal

  Derelict land reclamation and construction of amenity featuring sculpture (public amenity)

  23 Score Environment

  Dereliction removal

  Reclamation of derelict quarry for agricultural use

  24 Scottish Conservation Projects Trust

  Decontamination

  Irvine Beach park: management plan to reduce/remove pollutants (public amenity)

  25 S. W. England Environment Trust

  Decontamination

  Remediation of contaminated land at Isle of Wight Housing Association site (residential)

  26 S. Yorkshire Forest Environment Trust

  Decontamination

  Lower Don and South Sheffield Valleys: creation of woodland on contaminated former steel industry site (public amenity)

  27 Todmorden Moor Restoration Trust

  Dereliction removal

  Sharneyford Top: derelict land reclamation, rubbish removal to renew landscape (public amenity)

  28 Urban Mines

  Survey

  National Brownfield sites Development Unit: surveying derelict/contaminated sites

  29 Webfell Environmental Body

  Decontamination

  Reclamation and decontamination of former landfill site (public amenity)

  30 Wildlife Trust (Cheshire)

  Decontamination

  Owley Community Woods reedbed extension: water cleaning to preserve habitat (public amenity)

  31 Wildlife Trust (Notts)

  Dereliction removal

  Reclamation of dereliction and other improvements at Daneshil NR (public amenity)

  32 Groundwork Wigan and Chorley

  Dereliction removal

  Chanters Valley, Atherton: reclamation of 1.4 ha derelict land (public amenity)

  33 Wildlife Trust (Yorkshire)

  Decontamination

  Potteric Carr reedbed: improvement of bio-filtration/water quality to reduce pollution (public amenity)

  Landfill Levy
  Dr. Whitehead
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proportion of the net yield of the landfill levy was from local authority payments in each year since it was introduced. [77675]

  Mr. Meale
  The net yield of the landfill tax was £360 million in 1997–98, the first full year following the introduction of the tax in October 1996. Initial data on waste arisings from the Municipal Waste Survey for England and Wales for 1997–98 will not be available until
  244
  later this year. In addition, the landfill tax is payable to Customs and Excise by landfill operators on a registered person basis rather than a site specific basis. This makes it difficult to accurately calculate the proportion of landfill tax revenues effectively paid by local authorities.

  Dr. Whitehead
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the additional financial contribution which will be made by local authorities for each of the years to which the Government have committed itself to escalate the landfill levy by £1 per annum. [77676]
  245
  Mr. Meale
  The Municipal Waste Survey for England and Wales for 1995–96 and 1996–97 shows that municipal waste arisings were approximately 26 million tonnes per year, of which approximately 22 million tonnes was disposed of to landfill. Until sufficiently reliable data are available for several years, it is not possible to be confident about the trend. This makes it difficult accurately to predict the future cost to local authorities of the announced increases in the landfill tax.

  If one assumes that: the majority of the waste will be active, and so taxed at the standard rate of £7 per tonne; and that site operators will pass the tax on in full to their customers; and that the level of waste being disposed of to landfill is broadly in line with figures for 1996–97, the additional financial contribution from local authorities in England and Wales for each incremental increase of £1 would be approximately £22 million. We would, however, expect the tax increases to start to have an effect on the amount of municipal waste sent to landfill, even though there is little evidence so far that the tax has led to a significant change in behaviour. A delayed impact in this area is in line with our expectations.

  Fly-tipping
  Dr. Whitehead
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what statistics his Department collates of the level of(a) commercial fly-tipping and (b) domestic fly-tipping. [77672]

  Mr. Meale
  My Department does not collate statistics on the fly-tipping of either commercial or domestic waste. However, the Tidy Britain Group has carried out a study into fly-tipping. The study comprised three surveys and one of its main aims was to establish the types, quantities and locations of fly-tipped waste. The third survey was carried out in partnership with the Environment Agency and was published last month. It suggests a modest increase in fly-tipping over the period from 1994–95, but less than was originally feared following the introduction of the landfill tax.

  Offshore Industry (Safety)
  Mr. Hepburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to encourage the offshore industry work force to become involved in safety matters. [77940]

  Mr. Meale
  The promotion of work force involvement is one of the Health and Safety Commission's/Executive's key priorities. As elsewhere, the involvement of the workforce offshore is critical in maintaining and improving safety standards.

  The Offshore Installations (Safety Representatives and Safety Committees) Regulations 1989 specify the powers and functions of work force safety representatives, and set out requirements for their election. Installation managers are required to consult safety representatives, to provide them with information and to ensure that they receive adequate training.

  HSE's offshore inspectors routinely meet safety representatives when they visit installations and encourage their involvement in safety matters.
  246
  Employers and employees are represented on the Health and Safety Commission Oil Industry Advisory Committee. The Committee has produced an award-winning booklet on work force involvement in health and safety, entitled "Play Your Part". This draws on examples of good practice from across the offshore industry. The Committee has also set up a working group to consider the offshore health and safety agenda for the next ten years. One of the issues which it will discuss is the promotion of greater work force involvement.

  Mr. Hepburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the implementation by offshore operators of the recommendations of the Cullen Inquiry into the Piper Alpha disaster. [77941]

  Mr. Meale
  On the recommendation of Lord Cullen, responsibility for offshore health, safety and welfare regulation was transferred in 1991 from the former Department of Energy to the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The HSC carried out a fundamental review of arrangements in the light of the 106 recommendations made by Lord Cullen. Action on most of these fell to the regulator and all were implemented in full.

  Mr. Hepburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many(a) deaths at work and (b) serious injuries were recorded for the United Kingdom oil and gas extraction industry in each of the years 1978 to date, excluding the deaths as a result of the Piper Alpha disaster. [77978]

  Mr. Meale
  Figures for the United Kingdom are not readily available. Figures for the oil and gas extraction industry before 1986–87 are not available. The figures for the industry in Great Britain from 1986–87 are shown in the table.

  Fatal and major/serious injuries in the oil and gas extraction industry in Great Britain—as reported to all enforcing authorities

  Year

  Fatal

  Major

  Total

  1986–871

  4

  92

  96

  1987–88

  9

  75

  84

  1988–892

  5

  64

  69

  1989–90

  2

  75

  77

  1990–91

  12

  95

  107

  1991–923

  13

  88

  101

  1992–93

  5

  82

  87

  1993–94

  1

  58

  59

  1994–95

  1

  42

  43

  1995–96

  5

  45

  50

  1996–974

  2

  529

  31

  1997–986

  3

  41

  44

  1 Injuries reported between 1986–87 and 1995–96 were reported under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1985 (for onshore injuries) and separate legislation for offshore injuries.

  2 Excludes 167 Piper Alpha fatalities.

  3 Includes Cormorant Alpha helicopter accident.

  4 Injuries reported from 1996–97 were reported under RIDDOR 1995. Data for 1996–97 are not comparable with previous years due to the introduction of RIDDOR 1995.

  5 Based on information collated in 1998 and published in the Health and Safety Commission's Annual Report for 1997–98, and its 'Health and Safety Statistics 1997–98'. Subsequent information indicates that the reported figure may be 49 and the total 51.

  6 Provisional.

  Fuel Duty Increases
  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the additional cost to public transport providers in the United Kingdom from the increases in fuel duty in the Budget. [77909]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  [holding answer 22 March 1999]: Public transport provision in the United Kingdom should not be significantly affected as my Department announced following the Budget that the level of fuel duty rebate payable to operators of local bus services would be immediately raised in line with the increase in fuel duty. This equates to a value of around £50 million per annum. The small increase in gas oil duty should only have minimal impact on train operating costs.

  Worthing Bypass
  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement regarding the prospects for a Worthing bypass; and what new studies have been carried out by his Department on the A27 between Worthing and Lancing. [77911]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  [holding answer 22 March 1999]: Following the Roads Review we announced our proposal, subject to consultation with the regional planning conference, to carry out a study to consider the problems of congestion on the A27 between Worthing and Lancing.

  The South East Regional Planning Conference (SERPLAN) has agreed with the Government Office for the South East (GO-SE) proposal that the A27 Worthing to Lancing study should build on existing work to produce recommendations in advance of the completion of the Southampton to Folkestone study. GO-SE will now be undertaking further discussions with SERPLAN and with the most directly affected local authorities, with a view to drawing up terms of reference and a plan for further work. The study will adopt a multi-modal approach and will consider all options for addressing the identified transport problems in the context of the whole corridor.

  The Highways Agency has already undertaken a study into options for improving pedestrian facilities on the A27 through Worthing and Lancing. The study identified eight locations where work on refuges could be carried out to benefit pedestrians, and this work has already started.

  In addition, the Highways Agency intends to install at least one signal-controlled crossing at one of these locations, following Worthing Borough Council's investigations into possible cycle routes in the area; and in early April work will take place to upgrade the existing crossing at Boundstone College in Lancing, where new guard rails will be provided to give improved visibility for drivers.

  Building Act 1984
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to amend section 113 of the Building Act 1984. [78307]

  Mr. Raynsford
  I have no plans to amend section 113 of the Building Act 1984.
  248
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received regarding section 113 of the Building Act 1984 in the last two years. [78308]

  Mr. Raynsford
  There has been correspondence with one of the hon. Member's constituents about the procedures for prosecutions under section 57 of the Building Act, which are subject to section 113 of that Act.

  Green Ministers
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what matters were discussed, what conclusions were reached and which Departments were represented by officials at the meeting of Green Ministers on 22 March; and if he will make a statement. [76519]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 23 March 1999]: The Green Ministers Committee met on 22 March. This is the first of three meetings planned for 1999.

  The Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Deputy Prime Minister attended the Committee's meeting and we were able to have a very positive discussion of environmental tax reforms in the light of the measures announced in the Budget on 9 March 1999, Official Report, columns 173–90. The meeting also heard that the Government would shortly be able to take another important step forward on sustainable development when the sustainable development strategy for the UK is published shortly.

  The Green Ministers Committee also considered and agreed next steps on a number of other important issues. In particular, it agreed:
  on the format and outline for its first published report due to be issued in the summer. The report will cover progress in promoting sustainable development across Government; developments in the use of environmental appraisals as part of the policy making process; and, the further progress made across departments to green their operations.
  to report to the Cabinet Committee on the Environment on how sustainable development is being reflected in the aims and objectives of departments and their associate bodies. This will also be covered in the published report in the summer.
  that an early dialogue should be initiated with the new devolved administrations when they are all up and running to agree on the most effective and appropriate mechanisms for links between the Committee and those administrations.
  that departments should take forward work on developing new energy efficiency targets for the public sector to replace the one set for March 2000. The Committee will consider this further later in the year.
  15 of the 18 departments were represented by Ministers. The Department of Social Security and the Home Office were represented by officials and the Scottish Office was not represented.
  The next meeting of Green Ministers will be held on Tuesday 6 July 1999.

  British Railways Board
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place in the Library a copy of(a) the job description, (b) the contract, (c) the terms of reference and (d) the letter of appointment of the new Chairman of the British Railways Board. [78344]
  249
  Dr. Reid
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is already required by statute to lay before each House a statement of the salary, any allowances, and any pension arrangements of British Railways Board Members, as soon as possible after they are first appointed. In the case of the new Chairman, he will at the same time place copies of the job description, contract and letter of appointment in the Library of each House. The Chairman's terms of reference will be reflected in new formal objectives for the British Railways Board, to be published in due course.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what functions the Chairman of the British Railways Board will have between 1 April and the establishment through legislation of a Strategic Rail Authority other than those functions which presently are performed by the Chairman of the British Railways Board; what budget will be available to him; and if he will make a statement. [78261]

  Dr. Reid
  The Chairman will lead the shadow Strategic Rail Authority (SRA), working with the new Franchising Director to develop a shadow SRA capability. He will advise Ministers on the strategic development of the railway network within our integrated transport policy, including advice on galvanising investment and on franchising issues. The Government have set a budget of £93 million for the British Railways Board in 1999–2000.

  Rail Services
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the financial(a) incentives and (b) disincentives to (i) local authorities and (ii) Railtrack in respect of (1) the reopening of disused lines and stations and (2) the creation of new lines and stations. [78265]

  Dr. Reid
  None. The Rail Regulator has started a comprehensive reappraisal of the level and structure of access charges. He has made it clear that he wants to use his review to promote investment and growth in rail services, and to improve the performance of the railway network. We have endorsed those objectives. We expect the Rail Regulator to put in place a charging structure which imposes incentives on those in the industry to invest properly in the network.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the average cost charged by(a) British Rail and (b) Railtrack for (i) station reopenings and (ii) reopening track for passenger use expressed on a cost, per mile, for each year from 1980 to date. [78264]

  Dr. Reid
  This information is not readily available in the form requested.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his policy on the substitution of rail services by bus services; and if he will make a statement. [78260]
  250
  Dr. Reid
  The Objectives, Instructions and Guidance which we issued to the Franchising Director in November 1997 require him to secure that minimum service levels remain at least broadly comparable to those specified in the current Passenger Service Requirements. Discontinuation of rail services could occur only after comprehensive closure procedures have been exhausted. These powers have been used very rarely and we do not expect that to change.

  Rail Passengers
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent research he has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the relationship between the level of rail fares and passenger numbers. [78267]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  No research has been either commissioned or evaluated in this area.

  A63
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his policy in respect of the implementation of the Highways Agency scheme for the A63 Melton junction improvement. [78256]

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

  Letter from Lawrie Haynes to Mr. Norman Baker, dated 24 March 1999:

  I have been asked by the Transport Minister, Glenda Jackson, to answer your recent Parliamentary Question about the A63 Melton junction improvement.

  The Report which Ministers published in July following the Roads Review, "A New Deal for Trunk Roads in England", said that preparation work would continue on the scheme so that if, after full appraisal and statutory procedures, it were eventually endorsed, it could be taken forward without delay. Ministers announced last December that the next step would be to publish the draft Orders for the scheme in the financial year 2000/01.

  Passenger Service Requirement Franchises
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the implications for service levels in excess of PSR franchise requirements of the annual decline in subsidy levels contained in those franchise agreements. [78259]

  Dr. Reid
  The Secretary of State has made no such assessment.

  Rail Franchises
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the generic quality improvements he plans to require to be introduced to existing rail franchises when the opportunity for renegotiation of franchises occurs. [78262]
  251
  Dr. Reid
  At the National Rail Summit last month, we announced that all requests for franchise renegotiations will be judged against the following six criteria: the train operator's current performance; proposed accelerated or new investment; a willingness to commit to a more demanding enforcement regime and higher quality standards; a willingness to give passengers a greater say in the level and standard of services; and value for the taxpayer.

  Squire Regime
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to extend the Squire regime to franchises outside PTA areas; and if he will make a statement. [78263]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  There are currently no plans to extend the Squire regime to franchises outside PTA areas.

  Strategic Rail Authority
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what(a) powers and (b) responsibilities he plans to give to the Strategic Rail Authority in respect of the creation of new rail links and stations. [78266]

  Dr. Reid
  Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary legislation, the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) will have broad powers to make payments, through grants or by contractual agreements, to achieve its objectives, including the creation of new rail links and stations. It will be able to support or oppose planning applications and orders.

  The duties of the SRA will include the preparation of a strategic plan for the development of the railway, including improvements to the network. The SRA will work with other national, regional, and local organisations to promote rail within our integrated transport policy.

  Greater London Authority
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list those organisations referred to in the White Paper, "A Mayor and Assembly for London" (Cm 3897), for which it was planned to transfer responsibility to the Greater London Authority but for which provision has not been made in the Greater London Authority Bill; and if he will make a statement. [78479]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The organisations referred to in the White Paper for which it was planned to transfer responsibility to the Greater London Authority but for which provision has not been made in the Greater London Authority Bill are listed as follows:

  Centre for Young Musicians

  Croydon Tramlink

  Docklands Light Railway

  London Heritage Forum

  London Pension Fund Authority

  Woolwich Ferry.

  252
  I last week tabled amendments to Part X of the Bill, providing for the establishment of a Cultural Strategy Group for London to replace the London Heritage Forum. We intend to bring forward amendments at a later stage to provide for the GLA taking on responsibility for the LPFA. It is our intention that responsibility for the Docklands Light Railway, Croydon Tramlink and the Woolwich Ferry should transfer to Transport for London, and are considering whether specific provisions are needed in the Bill to provide for this.

  In addition, the White Paper raised the question of future responsibility for some London museums currently directly funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and some of the historic properties now managed by English Heritage that were previously the responsibility of the GLC. The White Paper also considered future arrangements for the Theatre Museum and the Museum of Childhood. Following the conclusion of his departmental CSR, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has concluded that there should be no change at the present time to the funding arrangements for these bodies, but that the GLA's role in funding the museums should be reviewed in due course. I last week tabled amendments to enable the GLA to provide funding to cultural institutions, including museums, galleries and libraries.

  I am discussing the future funding of the CYM—and possible arrangements for the transfer of that funding to the GLA—with my colleagues at the Department for Education and Employment and we will make an announcement as soon as possible. Specific provision is not required in the GLA Bill to achieve any transfer.

  Millennium Compliance
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for what reason no external assessment has been made of the plans of(a) his Department, (b) the DVLA and (c) the Highways Agency for millennium compliance; and if he will make a statement. [78463]

  Mr. Meale
  External consultants are employed by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions to assist in assessing its overall programme for millennium compliance, and by the Highways Agency to assist in assessing its millennium plans. The plans of the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Agency for millennium compliance are being assessed by a team of experienced computer Internal Auditors who are independent of the Agency's millennium projects.

  RJB Mining
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his letter to the hon. Member for Linlithgow of I March, ME/PSO/2030/99, if he will make a statement on his discussion with RJB Mining on methane emissions from coal mines. [76678]

  Mr. Meale
  RJB Mining are continuing to investigate the proposed Canadian methodology for reducing methane emissions from coal mining and they are in contact with the relevant research bodies in Canada. The Government will continue to monitor progress with these discussions.

  Channel Tunnel Shuttle Service
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received on the restriction applied to gas-powered motor vehicles being transported on the Channel Tunnel Shuttle Service; and if he will make a statement. [78342]

  Dr. Reid
  There have been two recent questions on this subject from the hon. Member for Daventry (Mr. Boswell) on 16 November 1998,Official Report, column 341, and the hon. Member for Christchurch (Mr. Chope) on 26 January 1999, Official Report, columns 154–55. There has also been one recent letter to my Department from a member of the public. In addition, the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority has dealt with one recent inquiry.

  Eurotunnel will need to obtain safety approval from the bi-national Intergovernmental Commission (acting on the advice of the Channel Tunnel Safety Authority) before they can convey gas—and dual-fuelled vehicles. Subject to this safety approval being granted, the Government would welcome the opening of Shuttle services to these vehicles.

  Houses (Multiple Occupation)
  Ms Blears
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Government will publish its proposals for licensing of houses in multiple occupation for England and Wales. [78857]

  Ms Armstrong
  I will publish tomorrow, on 25 March, a consultation paper setting out the Government's proposals for licensing Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in England. The Under-Secretary of State for Wales, my hon. Friend the Member for Cardiff, Central (Mr. Jones), will be publishing a similar paper for Wales.

  HMOs can be home to some of the most vulnerable in our society, but are often squalid, poorly maintained and potential deathtraps. Our licensing proposals will raise standards and improve safety in HMOs, but without reducing the supply of rented accommodation.

  Copies of the consultation papers will be placed in the Library of the House and will be available from the Vote Office.

  Net receipts 1 (£ million)

  Price band (£000) 60–2503

  Price band (£000) 250–500

  Price band (£000) over 500

  Price band (£000) Total

  Proportion of total (%) 2

  1997–98

  Rate of stamp duty

  1%

  1.5%

  2.0%

  —

  —

  Residential transactions

  695

  100

  80

  875

  60

  Commercial property and land transactions

  125

  40

  455

  620

  40

  Total

  820

  140

  535

  1,495

  100

  1998–99 (provisional)

  Rate of stamp duty4

  1%

  2.0%

  3.0%

  —

  —

  Residential transactions

  700

  245

  215

  1,160

  55

  Commercial property and land transactions

  40

  65

  825

  930

  45

  Total

  740

  310

  1,040

  2,090

  100

TREASURY

  Vehicle Excise Duty
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what environmental factors he considered in determining the capacity of engines of cars below which a reduced rate of vehicle excise duty is to be charged. [78370]

  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 23 March 1999]: A consultation paper setting out the options for reforming vehicle excise duty (VED), including a reduction in VED for the smallest, cleanest cars, was published on 3 November. The formal consultation period ended on 31 January. The Government considered carefully all representations received in determining the conditions for eligibility to the reduced rate of vehicle excise duty.

  Mr. Whittingdale:
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many cars will attract the reduced rate of vehicle excise duty for cars with engines up to 1100 cc. [78010]

  Ms Hewitt
  As of September 1998, it is estimated that over 1.8 million cars will be eligible for the reduced rate of vehicle excise duty for cars of 1100cc or less.

  Stamp Duty
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the revenue arising from stamp duty, broken down by each rate, and the proportions raised from(a) transactions in residential property and (b) commercial transactions for (i) 1996–97, (ii) 1997–98, (iii) 1998–99 and (iv) 1999–2000. [77189]

  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 17 March 1999]: The estimates are as follows.

  Net receipts1(£ million)

  Over £60,000

  Proportion of total (%)2

  1996–97

  Rate of stamp duty

  1%

  —

  Residential transactions

  675

  65

  Commercial property and land transactions

  385

  35

  Total

  1,060

  100

  255

  Net receipts 1 (£ million)

  Price band (£000)60–2503

  Price band (£000)250–500

  Price band (£000)over 500

  Price band (£000)Total

  Proportion of total(%) 2

  1999–200 (projected)

  Rate of stamp duty4

  1%

  2.5%

  3.5%

  —

  —

  Residential transactions

  720

  310

  270

  1,300

  50

  Commercial property and land transactions

  40

  90

  1,170

  1,300

  50

  Total

  760

  400

  1,440

  2,600

  100

  1 Net receipts rounded to nearest £5 million

  2 Proportions rounded to nearest 5 per cent.

  3 In 1997–98 the 1 per cent, rate applied to transfers of all properties over £60,000 before 8 July

  4 Because of time lags, receipts in the first few weeks of the year would relate to transfers charged at the rates which applied in the previous year

  Married Couple's Allowance
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many couples currently in receipt of the married couple's allowance(a) have no children, (b) have children all over the age of 16 and (c) have children all over the age of 18 years. [76452]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 15 March 1999]: About 6.4 million married couples who benefit from the married couple's allowance have no children eligible for child benefit. Another 0.3 million married couples have children eligible for child benefit but who are all over 16. These estimates are based on the Family Expenditure Survey.

  Income Tax (Pensioners)
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate(a) the number of pensioners who, as a result of the 1999 Budget, will pay income tax at a marginal rate of 10 per cent. and (b) how many of these pensioners have savings income taxable at the 20 per cent. rate; and if he will make a statement on the arrangements for reclaiming overpaid tax in such circumstances. [77003]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 16 March 1999]: It is estimated that some 450,000 women aged 60 and over and men aged 65 and over will have a marginal rate of 10 per cent., and of these around 380,000 have savings taxable at 20 per cent.

  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate how many pensioners with a marginal rate of income tax of 10 per cent. after 5 April 1999 will have income from savings. [77162]

  Dawn Primarolo
  It is estimated that some 450,000 men aged 65 or over and women aged 60 or over will have a marginal rate of 10 per cent. Most of these taxpayers are likely to have some savings income, although by no means all of it may be taxable.

  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate how many pensioners have a marginal rate of income tax of(a) nil, (b) 20 per cent., (c) 23 per cent. and (d) 40 per cent. in 1998–99. [77163]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The numbers of women aged 60 or over and men aged 65 or over in 1998–99 with different marginal rates of income tax are shown in the table.
  256

  Marginal rate (percentage)

  Number (Thousand)

  0

  6,800

  20

  2,350

  23

  1,400

  40

  150

  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate how many pensioners will have a marginal rate of income tax of(a) nil, (b) 10 per cent., (c) 23 per cent. and (d) 40 per cent. in 1999–2000. [77164]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The estimated number of women aged 60 or over and men aged 65 or over in 1999–2000 with different marginal rates of income tax are shown in the table.

  Marginal rate percentage

  Number (Thousand)

  0

  7,000

  10

  450

  23

  2,350

  40

  150

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to make the savings income of people of pensionable age subject to the 10p tax rate announced in the Budget. [77893]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 22 March 1999]: The Chancellor announced that the 10p starting rate of income tax is being introduced to improve work incentives and to help make work pay. The 10p rate will be available to pensioners who pay tax on their earnings or pensions. The Budget has taken 200,000 pensioners out of tax. As a result, around two-thirds of pensioners will not pay tax.

  Savings income is already taxed favourably. Most savers will continue to enjoy the benefit of the lower rate at 20p on their savings rather than the basic rate at 23p (22p from April 2000). And our introduction of Individual Savings Accounts in April this year means all savers—including pensioners—can invest substantial amounts tax-free each year.

  Tourism Industry
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what assessment he has made of the advantages and disadvantages of reducing VAT on hotel room charges; [77479]
  257
  (2) what plans he has to use the taxation system to promote the UK tourism industry. [77480]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answers 18 March 1999]: The Government currently have no such plans. UK tourism is enjoying record success and the tourism industry is about to benefit from the long term strategy "Tomorrow's Tourism: a growth industry for the new millennium" recently announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

  Petrol Smuggling
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the amount of revenue lost to HM Treasury from petrol smuggling during the most recent period for which figures are available. [77482]

  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 18 March 1999]: HM Customs and Excise do not have sufficient reliable information on which to base a published estimate of the revenue lost through petrol smuggling.

  Green Transport Plan
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what involvement fleet managers have had in drawing up his Department's Green Transport Plan. [77967]

  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 22 March 1999]: The Treasury do not own any fleet vehicles. Ministerial cars are supplied and managed by the Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA).

  Road Fuel Duty
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out the assumptions used in calculating the annual saving of carbon if the road fuel duty escalator is maintained at its present level until 2010 as in Customs and Excise Press Notice, C&E11. [78017]

  Ms Hewitt
  Table 5.1 in the 1999 Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report and Financial Statement and Budget Report contained an environmental appraisal of those Budget measures which were primarily environmental or which are likely to have a significant environmental impact.

  The road fuel duty escalator over the period 1996 to 2002 is estimated to reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions by between 2 and 5 million tonnes of carbon in 2010. Footnote 6 of Table 5.1 explains that this estimate is based on the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions "1997 National Road Traffic Forecast" and the methodology set out in "Energy Paper 65" published by the Department of Trade and Industry in 1995.

  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to continue to implement the road fuel duty escalator in future years; and if he will set a final date for implementation of the duty escalator. [78016]

  Ms Hewitt
  The road fuel escalator, which provides for duty increases on road fuels of at least 6 per cent. above inflation, shows the Government's continuing commitment to the environment and to the 'polluter pays' principle. It will help the Government to deliver the UK's share of the EU target to reduce emissions of greenhouse 258
  gases by 8 per cent. by 2008–2012. Our environmental assessment shows that the escalator, if continued at its present level until 2002, will improve urban air quality and reduce greenhouse gases by between 2 and 5 million tonnes of carbon a year by 2010. The future of the road duty escalator will be considered each year in the Budget.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the annual cost for businesses of the additional fuel duties introduced since 1 May 1997. [76260]

  Ms Hewitt
  The collection of excise duty is the responsibility of HM Customs and Excise. The annual cost to business of the existing road fuel escalator commitment, inherited from the previous Administration, is estimated to be about £2.5 billion. In addition, Customs estimate that the annual cost of the charges to fuel duties announced in the 1997, 1998 and 1999 Budgets is about £750 million.

  Although it was legislated for under the previous Government, the separate rate for ultra-low sulphur diesel did not come into effect until after 1 May 1997 and has therefore been treated as a change since that date.

  Critical Illness Insurance
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of companies in the financial services sector which offer critical illness insurance cover; and what steps he is taking to ensure that exclusions are brought to the attention of policy holders. [77660]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Government do not maintain records of the number of companies which offer critical illness cover. I understand that the Association of British Insurers (ABI) estimate that in 1998 some sixty insurance companies offered critical illness insurance cover in the UK.

  To ensure policyholders are aware of exclusions and other terms, the ABI code of practice for the selling of life insurance business, including critical illness insurance, includes an obligation that an intermediary shall at all times conduct business with the utmost good faith and integrity, explaining all essential provisions of the contract and drawing attention to all restrictions applying to the policy. The aim is to ensure that as far as possible the prospective policyholder understands the extent of his insurance cover.

  Financial Statement and Budget Report
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which of the items listed in Table 1.11 of the Red Book are also included in public spending figures. [76455]

  Mr. Milburn
  To ensure consistency with the European System of Accounts 1995, the following measures in Table 1.11 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report, published in March 1999, are scored either in DEL or AME:

  3: Research and development tax credit

  6: Abolition of Vocational Training Relief

  15: Employment Credit

  16: Income Support: two week extension for lone parents moving into work

  19: Increases in Income Support child premia

  259

  20: Increases in Working Families Tax Credit and Disabled Person's Tax Credit

  21: Child benefit: indexation of rates and uprating

  22: Sure Start Maternity Grant

  23: Maternity pay reforms

  25: Increase in minimum income guarantee for pensioners

  26: £100 Winter Allowance

  27: Abolition of mortgage interest relief

  39: Energy efficiency measures and support for renewable energy sources.

  Mortgage interest relief, the Working Families Tax Credit and Disabled Persons Tax Credit are income tax credits administered by the Inland Revenue and are therefore netted off from income tax receipts when assessing the level of and changes to net taxes and social security contributions.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what measures he has put in place to ensure the spread of best practice on use of the PFI throughout Government; [76398]

  (2) what are the criteria on the basis of which decisions about the relative priority of PFI projects are made. [76397]

  Mr. Milburn
  Recommendation number 4 of the review of the Private Finance Initiative by Sir Malcolm Bates, announced on 23 June 1997, said that the Treasury Taskforce should sign off the commercial viability of all significant projects before the procurement process commences.

  A further announcement on 10 February 1998 said that projects would be deemed "significant" for at least one of four reasons: those which are either big, high profile, highly replicable or ground breaking. They are also likely to raise issues that require speedy resolution.

  The Taskforce continues to publish a full range of policy statements, technical notes and other guidance on PFI. These are available from Treasury Public Enquiry Unit, the Taskforce website (www.treasury-projects-taskforce.gov.uk) and in CD ROM form.

  The Taskforce also maintains a library containing contract documents, case studies and other relevant documentation which those involved in PFI are encouraged to consult.

  The Taskforce encourages public sector staff involved in PFI to undertake appropriate training, and has commissioned PricewaterhouseCoopers to manage a Taskforce approved training programme.

  Capita in partnership with the Taskforce runs a programme of conferences covering PH issues of the day.

  Alcohol Duty
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to use revenue gained from the abolition of duty free to reduce excise duty on beer. [77603]
  260
  Dawn Primarolo
  The Government are continuing to press strongly for an extension of duty free sales to allow time for a better successor regime to be developed. In his Budget on 9 March 1999,Official Report, columns 173–90, the Chancellor announced a freeze on beer duty.

  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the proposal to reduce indicative limits contained in the Customs and Excise review of alcohol and tobacco duties. [77604]

  Mrs. Roche
  The recommendation that the Government should consider the need to negotiate changes to the rules regulating the system of minimum indicative levels is currently being considered along with a range of other options designed to tackle fraud and smuggling. It would require the unanimous agreement of all 15 member states to change the rules.

  Pensions
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate is provided by his Department's Survey of Personal Incomes of(a) the number of people making contributions in excess of £3,600 per year and (b) the average contribution of those persons to (i) personal pensions and (ii) occupational pension schemes. [76244]

  Ms Hewitt
  Of the 14 million people currently making extra provision to voluntary private pensions above the compulsory minimum, around 2½ per cent. make contributions in excess of £3,600.

  Approximate information for those contributions in 1996–97 is in the table.

  Contributions in excess of £3, 600 per year to pensions

  Number of people

  Average contribution (£)

  Personal pensions

  230,000

  8,800

  Occupational pensions

  120,000

  6,200

  Notes:

  1. Estimates should be treated with caution since contributions to occupational pensions and net personal pension arrangements are not directly measured by the Survey of Personal Incomes and have been modelled from other survey and administrative information.

  2. Personal pensions includes contributions to retirement annuity contracts, but excludes 'minimum contributions' by DSS to appropriate personal pension schemes and contributions made by employers.

  3. Occupational pensions excludes contributions made by employers, but includes free-standing additional voluntary contributions.

  4. Covers contributions made by employees and the self-employed.

  5. Includes basic rate tax repaid to scheme administrators in respect of contributions made by employees to personal pensions under net contribution arrangements.

  6. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10,000 people and £100 respectively, although they are not necessarily accurate to that degree.

  Agricultural Chemicals
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to publish the results of his Department's work on taxing(a) fertilisers and (b) pesticides. [74971]

  Ms Hewitt
  A research report commissioned by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions on the possible impact and design of a tax or charge on pesticides has today been published, together
  261
  with a list of consultative questions. The Government will consider carefully the views expressed on a number of issues raised in the report in deciding how best to proceed.

  EU Soul Programme
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which part of the budget of the Europe Union provides funds for the Soul Programme; how much is devoted to it; by whom it is administered; and what programmes in the United Kingdom it supports. [76773]

  Ms Hewitt
  I am unaware of any programme by this name.

  Euro
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the adoption of the euro would involve the physical movement of any proportion of UK gold reserves to the European Central Bank. [77543]

  Ms Hewitt
  In accordance with Article 30 of the ESCB Statute and paragraph 10(b) of Protocol No.11 to the EC Treaty, if the UK joined the single currency, the Bank of England would be required to contribute to the foreign reserve assets of the ECB. The Bank of England would be credited by the ECB with a claim equivalent to its contribution, which would be remunerated. The ECB has the right to hold and manage the foreign reserve assets that are transferred to it, but physical movements is not necessary for these purposes.

  Rural Building Projects
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with Action with Communities in Rural England on a VAT refund scheme for building projects which have received grant aid from public funds; and if he will make a statement. [78286]

  Dawn Primarolo
  ACRE made representations in November 1997 to the first phase of the Review of Charity Taxation. These, along with 3,000 other replies, were analysed and informed the Review's consultation document which was published on Budget Day.

  Withholding Tax
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the outcome of discussions about the proposed withholding tax at the ECOFIN meeting on 15 March; and if he will make a statement. [78204]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Commission gave an informal progress report on its discussions with third countries on adoption of equivalent measures in relation to payments of interest to Community residents. There was no general discussion of the draft Directive on taxation of savings, and no decisions were taken.

  Village Halls
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the charging of VAT on repairs and improvements to village halls; and if he will make a statement. [78288]
  262
  Dawn Primarolo
  There is no scope for VAT relief on Village halls under the EC Sixth VAT Directive. Therefore their repair and maintenance is subject to VAT at the standard rate.

  Duty Free
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the outcome of discussions about the future of duty free at the ECOFIN meeting on 15 March; and if he will make a statement. [78205]

  Dawn Primarolo
  At ECOFIN the Presidency proposed a one-off further extension of two and a half years for excise duty free arrangements with VAT being applied from 1 July 1999. Six member states supported this compromise proposal. Six member states and the Commission opposed it. The Presidency concluded that COREPER should be invited to examine the Commission's proposals and report back to the next ECOFIN Council. The UK will continue to press strongly the case for a deferral of the abolition of excise duty free so that better successor regime arrangements can be developed.

  Financial Services Regulator
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidelines or advice he has issued concerning the reference of matters subject to investigation by the Financial Services Regulator to the Serious Fraud Office; and if he will make a statement. [76970]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Treasury has not issued guidance to the Financial Services Authority (FSA) on when to refer matters subject to investigation to the Serious Fraud Office (SFO). The FSA and SFO have long-standing arrangements which ensure that each agency is informed about investigations where the other has an interest and agreed guidelines on the criteria for determining who is best placed to pursue a particular case. They are currently preparing, with other investigative and prosecuting authorities, new guidelines for co-operation to take account of the new powers proposed for the FSA in the Financial Services and Markets Bill.

  Valuation Office
  Ms Lawrence
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what targets will be set for the Valuation Office Executive Agency for 1999–2000. [78855]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I have set the following key targets for the Valuation Office in 1999–2000:

  Operational

  rating

  to publish new rating valuation lists by 31 December 1999

  to clear 264,500 appeals against the existing rating lists

  Council tax

  against the policy, in co-operation with the valuation tribunals, of clearing appeals within 6 months of receipt:

  to clear council tax appeals equal to the number received up to a maximum of 80,000

  Client and customer services

  to achieve a further improvement against the Agency's valuation indicator by 1 per cent. to 88 per cent.

  to meet timeliness targets in 90 per cent. of cases

  263

  Finance and cost efficiency

  to break even overall after charging for the full cost of chargeable services including notional interest of 6 per cent. on the average working capital.

  measurement will be within a tolerance of the greater of 2 per cent. of relevant turnover or £1 million

  to achieve financial efficiency gains of 4.0 per cent.

  Investing in People

  to achieve Investors in People accreditation by 31 December 1999.

  Further details are contained in the Valuation Office's Forward Plan, copies of which will be placed in the Library of the House on publication.

  Tax Law Rewrite Project
  Ms Lawrence
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further developments there have been on the Tax Law Rewrite Project. [78963]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I am pleased to announce that the Tax Law Rewrite project is making very good progress and continues to enjoy wide support. The Inland Revenue have published a document which reviews the recent progress of the project and outlines its work programme for 1999–2000. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

  The Steering Committee chaired by Lord Howe of Aberavon carried out a stocktake of the project during 1998. The rewritten legislation has been well received by the main users in the tax community and they are enthusiastic that the project should continue. It is a massive undertaking, but one we are committed to doing well.

  Public Expenditure
  Ms Lawrence
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements are being made for in-year control of public expenditure from 1999–2000 onwards; and if he will make a statement. [78856]

  (i) Cigarettes

  (ii) Hand-rolling Tobacco

  Excise

  VAT

  Excise

  VAT

  Member state

  Specific (£ per thousand)

  Ad valorem (Percentage of selling price)

  (Percentage)

  Specific (£ per kilogram)

  Ad valorem (Percentage of selling price)

  (Percentage)

  Austria

  13

  42

  20.0

  0

  47

  20.0

  Belgium

  9

  47

  21.0

  0

  38

  21.0

  Denmark

  57

  21

  25.0

  38

  0

  25.0

  Finland

  11

  50

  22.0

  1

  50

  22.0

  France

  4

  55

  20.6

  0

  51

  20.6

  Germany

  33

  22

  16.0

  11

  18

  16.0

  Greece

  2

  54

  18.0

  0

  59

  18.0

  Ireland

  59

  17

  21.0

  76

  0

  21.0

  Italy

  3

  54

  20.0

  0

  54

  20.0

  Luxembourg

  6

  49

  12.0

  0

  32

  12.0

  Netherlands

  31

  21

  17.5

  13

  15

  17.5

  Portugal

  15

  40

  17.0

  0

  30

  17.0

  Spain

  2

  54

  16.0

  0

  38

  16.0

  Sweden

  15

  39

  25.0

  47

  0

  25.0

  UK

  83

  22

  17.5

  88

  0

  17.5

  Source:

  UK figures, effective from 9 March 1999, from HM Customs & Excise Budget Notice BN 81/99. Other figures from European Commission (Directorate General XXI) Excise Duty Tables (December 1998).
  264
  Mr. Milburn
  I have today written to the Chairman of the Treasury Committee outlining the arrangements the Government are making for in-year control of public expenditure.

  The spending control framework announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review establishes a new aggregate, the Department Expenditure Limit, which covers all spending within departments' direct or indirect control. The new arrangements were set out in the 1998 Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report (Cm 3978) and the Comprehensive Spending Review White Paper (Cm 4011).

  With effect from 1999–2000 the system of cash limits will be replaced by a single control on each department at the level of the Departmental Expenditure Limit (DEL). In future, the disciplines of notifying a control limit to Parliament, reporting changes in that limit, and accounting for any breach will apply at the level of the DEL. Changes in DELs arising from transfers between departments or calls upon and benefits to the DEL Reserve will be notified to Parliament.

  Details of this and the increased emphasis on the use of End-Year Flexibility to contain pressures on the DEL will be described in the Introduction to the 1999–2000 Main Supply Estimates which will be presented to the House shortly.

  Departments have been encouraged to establish small unallocated provisions within their Departmental Expenditure Limits for 1999–2000 onwards to give them flexibility to manage their budgets and respond to unforeseen pressures in-year. This will help ensure that the three year plans set in the CSR can be adhered to.

  Excise Duty and VAT
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the rates of(a) excise duty and (b) VAT on (i) cigarettes and (ii) hand-rolling tobacco in each member state of the European Union, the United States of America and Canada, taking account of the changes in his Budget. [76567]

  Mrs. Roche
  The information on the European Union is as follows. The information on the United States of America and Canada is not readily available.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Coal Production
  Caroline Flint
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will publish the report by International Mining Consultants Ltd., prepared as part of the Review of Energy Sources for Power Generation, on the prospects for coal production in the United Kingdom for the next 20 years. [78859]

  Mr. Battle
  I have today placed a copy of the Report in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

  This report is a thorough, technical engineering study of the British coal-mining industry. It assesses geological conditions and other extraction issues, to estimate production prospects and costs for coal in the UK. Though it does not attempt to predict the market conditions for coal, it will provide a valuable reference point for all those involved in the industry.

  The report should be seen against the background of the measures the Government are taking to remove distortions in the UK electricity market, which will ensure a level playing field for all fuels. The coal industry is getting fairness, not favours—which is what they asked for. The reform programme under way includes:

  working on the reform of the electricity trading arrangements in England and Wales;

  seeking practical opportunities for divestment by major coal-fired generators;

  pressing ahead with competition in electricity supply for all customers;

  separating supply and distribution in electricity markets.

  resolving the technical issues about the growth of gas, including the proper remuneration of flexible plant; and

  continuing to press for open energy markets in Europe.

  Year 2000 Business Continuity Plan
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reason his Department did not meet the Government's target of producing an initial Year 2000 business continuity plan by January; and if he will make a statement. [78470]

  Mr. Wills
  Plans to deal with disasters affecting the central Department are well established and have existed for some years. Their review and modification as necessary to deal with potential Year 2000 problems started in late 1998. The broad approach was agreed in mid-December but required confirmation of some technical issues by relevant suppliers. This confirmation was provided by mid-January. Whilst the Business Continuity Plan was therefore agreed by the target date, there had not been sufficient time to document it by then.

  The DTI's initial Business Continuity Plan was documented by the end of February and will be updated during 1999 as required.

  Timber Protection Costs
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will identify the(a) health, (b)safety and (c) environmental standards which apply to United Kingdom producers of timber which do not apply to
  266
  similar producers in Baltic states; and if he will make a statement on the impact which such standards have upon United Kingdom costs of production. [74150]

  Mr. Wilson
  [holding answer 2 March 1999]: There are many health, safety and environmental standards which apply to the UK forestry and sawmilling industry, the majority of which emanate from European Directives. These have been introduced under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 and the Environmental Protection Act 1990 among other statutes. Health and Safety standards include those laid down in secondary legislation such as the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations; the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations; the personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations; the Noise at Work Regulations; and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations. While the Government recognise that there may be costs for business associated with higher environmental standards, they do not believe that these costs are significant over the long term in relation to the overall costs of sawmill operations.

  Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have Association Agreements with the EU under which they undertake to align their laws in respect of these standards with EU legislation by 2005, and are receiving assistance from the EU and member states to achieve this earlier in the context of intensifying their preparations for accession to the EU.

  Sub-contractors
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce further measures to ensure that contractors meet their obligations to sub-contractors. [75919]

  Mr. Byers
  There is already in place an extensive framework of commercial law on which parties to a contractual arrangement can seek to rely. Where disputes arise between parties to a contract, it is advisable for them to seek to establish their legal rights and obligations under the arrangements.

  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received regarding sub-contracting malpractices; and if he will make a statement. [75917]

  Mr. Byers
  I have not received any representations regarding sub-contracting malpractices in particular.

  Working Time Directive
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will oppose the extension of the Working Time Regulations to the self-employed. [76257]

  Mr. Byers
  There are no proposals to extend the Working Time Directive or the Working Time Regulations specifically to the self-employed.

  Trade Promotion
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the last occasion on which a Government Minister led a trade delegation to(a) Ukraine and (b) Uruguay; and what future trade delegations are planned. [76562]
  267
  Mr. Wilson
  There has been no Ministerially led trade delegation to Ukraine. The then Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the right hon. Member for South-West Norfolk (Mrs. Shephard) visited Uruguay in September/October 1993.

  There are no plans at present for a Ministerially led trade delegation to visit Ukraine or Uruguay.

  Exports (Pains Wessex)
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will list the export licences granted to Pains Wessex (Schermuly) for the export of(a) pyrotechnics, (b) tear gas, (c) plastic baton rounds and (d) anti-personnel fragmentation grenades or components for the above products since 1988 to Malaysia; [77242]

  (2) if he will list the export licences granted to Pains Wessex (Schermuly) since 1988 for the export of (a) anti-personnel fragmentation grenades and (b) anti-ambush grenades to Indonesia; [77244]

  (3) if he will list the open individual export licences granted to Pains Wessex (Schermuly) in each of the last 10 years. [77243]

  Dr. Howells
  The Export Control Organisation's computer databases have been interrogated and the following results were obtained. Between 1 January 1991 and 5 March 1999, no Standard Individual Export Licences, and between 1 January 1994 and 5 March 1999, no Open Individual Export Licences were issued to Schermuly Ltd.

  This information should be considered in light of the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche), the then Minister for Small Firms, Trade and Industry, to my hon. Friend the Member for Don Valley (Caroline Flint) on 30 October 1997, Official Report, columns 870–71

  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the export licences granted to Pains Wessex for the export of(a) tear gas, (b) plastic baton rounds and (c) anti-personnel fragmentation grenades since 1988. [77241]

  Dr. Howells
  Inquiries are being made under the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. Where confidential information is involved, the parties concerned may be asked if they consent to its disclosure, and this can take some time. I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible, and place a copy of that letter in the Library of the House.

  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the licensed production agreements that Pains Wessex has established in other countries, indicating the products which these agreements cover. [77240]

  Dr. Howells
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave her on 22 March 1999,Official Report, column 117.

  National Minimum Wage
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures will be taken to ensure that employers who contravene the national minimum wage will face a high risk of prosecution. [76046]
  268
  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 16 March 1999]: The Inland Revenue will enforce the National Minimum Wage on behalf of my Department. The National Minimum Wage Act 1998 contains a number of provisions relating to enforcement, both civil and criminal. Workers will be able to take cases of underpayment to an employment tribunal or a civil court.

  Mr. Hepburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to extend the minimum wage provisions to those workers employed over 12 miles offshore. [78239]

  Mr. Byers
  A draft Order in Council was laid before both Houses of Parliament on 10 March which makes provision for extending the national minimum wage to workers who work or ordinarily work in UK territorial waters. It will also extend the national minimum wage to those who work or ordinarily work in the UK sector of the continental shelf where the work is connected with the exploration or exploitation of the sea-bed of the UK sector of the continental shelf (or its subsoil) or is work in the UK sector connected with the exploration or exploitation of a foreign sector of a cross-boundary petroleum field. Subject to Parliamentary approval and the approval of Her Majesty, it will come into force on 1 May.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action has been taken regarding the complaints made in respect of a company referred to in the correspondence between the hon. Member for Leicester, East and the Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs dated 12 June 1998. [77586]

  Dr. Howells
  My hon. Friend should be well aware of the Department's long standing policy of not commenting on the affairs of individual companies.

  Fireworks
  Mr. Sawford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to announce the 1998 figures for firework injuries from all hospital casualty units in Great Britain. [77602]

  Dr. Howells
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Plymouth, Sutton (Mrs. Gilroy) on 16 March 1999,Official Report, column 598.

  Mortgages
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Bristol, West (Valerie Davey), 10 March 1999,Official Report, columns 263–64, concerning the mortgage market, how he defines unjust interest rates in relation to the provisions on extortionate credit in the Consumer Credit Act 1974. [77448]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 18 March 1999]: Under the terms of the Consumer Credit Act 1974, it is for the Court to decide whether any particular credit agreement is extortionate. Among the factors that the Court may take into account are the prevailing interest rates when the credit bargain was made, the financial pressure the borrower was under at that time and the level of payments.
  269
  The research we have commissioned in this area will, amongst other things, look at what indicators can be drawn from past cases on extortionate credit and will also look at types of lending that appear to give rise to problems.

  Unsolicited Mail
  Dan Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to introduce measures to protect(a) the elderly (b) people with mental health problems and (c) mentally disabled people from the impact of unsolicited direct mail. [77668]

  Dr. Howells
  The draft Regulations implementing the Distance Selling Directive will provide a mechanism under which consumers can object to receiving unsolicited direct mail in connection with distance contracts, that is one where consumer and supplier do not have face to face contact up to and including the moment when the contract is concluded.

  My Department is committed to developing a strategy which offers consumers, especially older and vulnerable people in our society, the protection they need to ensure that they receive fair treatment and that they know about their rights. I will therefore seek to ensure that we explain clearly to consumers, especially the vulnerable, how they can object to receiving unsolicited direct mail.

  Dan Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he will take to regulate unsolicited direct mail sent to individuals' homes. [77669]

  Dr. Howells
  The Department will be issuing in the summer a draft of Regulations to implement the EU Distance Selling Directive (97/7/EC). The Directive requires, among other things, that unsolicited direct mail in connection with distance contracts, that is one where consumer and supplier do not have face to face contact up to and including the moment when the contract is concluded, may be used only where there is no clear objection from the consumer. Thus consumers must have the right to register their objection to receiving such mail and have their objection respected. Member States have to implement the Directive by 4 June 2000. The Department is consulting widely over the best means of implementing the Directive.

  Milk Marque
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received on the future of Milk Marque; and if he will make a statement. [77843]

  Dr. Howells
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received a number of representations from hon. Members individually and on behalf of constituents. He has also received representations from interested parties and from members of the public.

  My right hon. Friend will announce what action, if any, he intends to take when he publishes the report.

  Mr. Healey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he plans to publish(a) the report of the MMC inquiry into Milk Marque and (b) his Department's response to the report; and if he will set out the terms of reference of the inquiry. [78236]
  270
  Dr. Howells
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry will publish the MMC's report as soon as is practicable. I refer my hon. Friend to my previous answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew) on 27 November 1998,Official Report, column 36, for the terms of reference of the inquiry.

  Milk Market
  Mr. Letwin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to announce his response to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's inquiry on the milk market. [78021]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 22 March 1999]: My right hon. Friend will publish the MMC's report as soon as is practicable.

  Product Liability
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce a statutory mandatory product recall requirement for domestic appliances. [78357]

  Dr. Howells
  I have no plans to introduce a statutory mandatory product recall requirement for domestic appliances at the present time. However, the DTI is currently working with business to develop a best practice guide to help companies conduct more effective product recalls. The question of a mandatory product recall power is one of the issues likely to be discussed in Europe in the context of the review of the General Product Safety Directive.

  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many cases have been brought under the product liability provisions of the Consumer Protection Act 1987; and what level of damages has been awarded by the courts. [78356]

  Dr. Howells
  There is no central record of cases brought under the product liability provisions of the Consumer Protection Act 1987, which is a civil law process. A search of judgments reported in the Law Reports has revealed two cases brought under the product liability provisions but the judgments concerned preliminary issues. Judgments in the County Court and some judgments in the High Court are not reported.

  Travel Companies
  Mr. Darvill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 24 February 1999,Official Report, column 316, on travel companies, when he expects the Director General of Fair Trading to complete his discussions with the major travel groups. [77791]

  Dr. Howells
  The Director General of Fair Trading is continuing his discussions with the major travel groups regarding undertakings on transparency of ownership links. He will provide me with advice in due course and I will make an announcement.

  Clothing and Textile Industry
  Mr. Woolas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to revise the guidance notes on country of origin labelling for the United Kingdom clothing industry. [77898]
  271
  Mr. Wilson
  The Department issued guidance on origin marking in December 1996 at the time that the Trade Descriptions (Place of Production) (Marking) Order 1988 was revoked. This applies not only to the labelling of clothing but to products generally. The guidance remains an accurate reflection of the current statutory requirements. I have no plans to revise it.

  Republic of Ireland (Trade)
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in the last financial year for which figures are available and in each case estimating the financial sums involved, if he will list(a) the top 10 companies by volume of exports from Great Britain to

  UK trade with Republic of Ireland 1998–Top 10 products

  SIT

  Description

  £ million

  UK Exports

  C

  75

  Office machines and ADP equipment

  988

  77

  Electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, nes and electrical parts

  907

  78

  Road vehicles

  563

  84

  Articles of apparel and clothing accessories

  445

  72

  Specialised industrial machinery

  346

  64

  Paper, paperboard, and articles of paper pulp, etc.

  341

  76

  Telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus

  331

  69

  Manufactures of metal nes

  309

  74

  General industrial machinery and equipment, nes and machine parts nes

  293

  54

  Medicinal and pharmaceutical products

  285

  Others

  >4,916

  Total

  9,724

  UK Imports

  C

  75

  Office machines and ADP equipment

  >1,447

  51

  Organic chemicals

  813

  76

  Telecommunications and sound recording and reproducing apparatus

  463

  09

  Miscellaneous edible products and preparations

  416

  54

  Medicinal and pharmaceutical products

  357

  77

  Electrical machinery, apparatus and appliances, nes and electrical parts

  357

  02

  Dairy products and birds' eggs

  320

  01

  Meat and meat preparations

  282

  11

  Beverages

  176

  65

  Textile yarn, fabrics, made-up articles, nes

  165

  Others

  2,861

  Total

  7,655

  Source:

  HM Customs and Excise

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Millennium Compliance
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the President of the Council which Government organisations providing information for the March 1999 review of year 2000 readiness have(a) failed to report on progress with business critical embedded systems since the last review and (b) have moved back completion dates since the last review. [78473]

  Mrs. Beckett
  The following is the information:(a) Organisations which failed to report on progress with business critical embedded systems since the last review.

  272
  the Republic of Ireland, (b) the top 10 companies by volume of imports from the Republic of Ireland to Great Britain, (c) the top 10 products in volume exported from Great Britain to the Republic of Ireland and (d) the top 10 products by volume imported from the Republic of Ireland to Great Britain. [78176]

  Mr. Wilson
  [holding answer 22 March 1999]: Information on UK companies trade with Ireland is not available from any official sources. Figures for trade by financial year are not readily available, while data in volume terms are not available on an individual country basis.

  Information on the top 10 products in value terms for UK exports to Ireland and imports from Ireland in 1998 is given in the following table.

  Central government departments and agencies

  Scottish Fisheries Research Services

  Government Car and Despatch Agency

  National Archive of Scotland

  Northern Ireland Office

  Planning Inspectorate

  UK Passport Agency

  Vehicle Inspectorate

  (b) Organisations which have moved back completion dates for business critical embedded systems since the last review:

  Central government departments and agencies

  Central Computer & Telecommunications Agency

  Department for International Development

  Driving Standards Agency

  Employment Tribunals Service

  273

  General Registrar Office for Scotland

  HM Customs and Excise

  Lord Chancellor's Department

  Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  Ministry of Defence—centre

  Ministry of Defence—Defence Evaluation and Research Agency

  Planning Inspectorate

  Public Record Office

  Radiocommunications Agency

  Royal Mint

  Scottish Agricultural Science Agency

  Scottish Fisheries Research Services

  Scottish Record Office

  Wider public sector

  Bank of England.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the President of the Council which(a) Government organisations and (b) Departments providing information for the March 1999 review of year 2000 readiness have moved back completion dates for business critical information technology systems since the previous review; and which are now predicting 100 per cent. completion later than March. [78474]

  Mrs. Beckett
  The following is the information:(a) Government organisations and departments which have moved back completion dates for business critical IT systems since the previous review:

  Central government departments and agencies

  Companies House

  Crown Prosecution Service

  Department for Education and Employment

  Department of Social Security

  Department of Trade and Industry

  Department for International Development

  Driving Standards Agency

  Employment Tribunal Service

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  Forestry Commission

  Highways Agency

  HM Customs and Excise

  HM Treasury

  Inland Revenue

  Insolvency Service

  Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  Ministry of Defence—Procurement Executive

  NI Department of Education

  NI Department of the Environment

  Ordnance Survey

  Passport Agency

  Patent Office

  Radiocommunications Agency

  Scottish Fisheries Research Services

  Scottish General Register Office

  Scottish Prison Service

  Serious Fraud Office

  Treasury Solicitor's Department

  Vehicles Inspectorate

  Welsh Office

  274

  Wider public sector organisations

  Bank of England

  (b) Government organisations and departments which are now predicting 100 per cent. completion of work on business critical IT systems later than March 1999:

  Companies House

  Crown Prosecution Service

  Department for Education and Employment

  Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions

  Department of Health

  Department for International Development

  Department of Social Security

  Department of Trade and Industry

  Driving Standards Agency

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

  Employment Tribunal Service

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  Forensic Science Service

  General Register Office for Scotland

  Government Car and Despatch Agency

  Highways Agency

  HM Customs and Excise

  HM Treasury

  Home Office

  Inland Revenue

  Insolvency Service

  Intervention Board

  Lord Chancellor's Department

  Maritime and Coastguard Agency

  Medicines Control Agency

  Ministry for Agriculture Fisheries and Food

  Ministry of Defence—Army

  Ministry of Defence—centre

  Ministry of Defence—Meteorological Office

  Ministry of Defence—Procurement Executive

  Ministry of Defence—Royal Air Force

  Ministry of Defence—Royal Navy

  Ministry of Defence—Hydrographic Office

  National Weights and Measures Laboratory

  Northern Ireland Office

  NI Department for Economic Development

  NI Department of Education

  NI Department of Agriculture

  NI Department of the Environment

  NI Department of Finance and Personnel

  NI Department for Health & Social Services

  NI Prisons Service

  Passport Agency

  Patent Office

  Planning Inspectorate

  Office for National Statistics

  Ordnance Survey

  Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre

  Radiocommunications Agency

  Registers of Scotland

  Scottish Fisheries Research Services

  Scottish Prison Service

  Serious Fraud Office

  275

  The Buying Agency

  Treasury Solicitor's Department

  Valuation Office

  Vehicle Inspectorate

  Welsh Office

  Wider public sector

  Bank of England

  British Broadcasting Company

  Government Actuary's Department

  Legal Aid Board

  London Transport

  Post Office.

  Year 2000 Business Continuity Plans
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the President of the Council which Government Departments have not yet completed initial business continuity plans for 2000. [78471]

  Mrs. Beckett
  I refer the hon. Member to the summary tables and quarterly returns which on 16 March I placed in the Libraries of the House following my recent quarterly statement on progress across government in tackling the bug. At that time, 18 Government Departments and Agencies had forecast completion dates for their initial business continuity plans in March or later. Of these, eight have still to complete their initial plans. They are: the Department of Trade and Industry (centre), the Radiocommunications Agency, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, the Debt Management Office, the Crown Prosecution Service, the Serious Fraud Office, the Public Record Office and the Fisheries Research Services.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the President of the Council if she will place copies of all Government Department initial business continuity plans for 2000 in the Library. [78472]

  Mrs. Beckett
  Information about business continuity plans is included in the latest quarterly returns which I placed in the Libraries of the House following my recent quarterly statement on 16 March. Future quarterly returns

  Income related benefits expenditure (cash terms)

  £million

  Scotland—by age group

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  Total (All age groups)

  2,010

  2,190

  2,330

  2,430

  2,560

  2,610

  Income—related benefits (15 to 25)

  310

  320

  330

  340

  350

  300

  Income—related benefits (26 to 40)

  670

  730

  790

  840

  890

  920

  Income—related benefits (41 to 65)

  550

  610

  660

  700

  750

  810

  Notes:

  1. Figures may not sum due to rounding.

  2. Figures have been rounded to nearest £10 million.

  3. Figures include expenditure on Jobseeker's Allowance (income-based), Income Support, Family Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and Disabled Working Allowance.

  4. They do not include smaller benefits such as Grants to Independent Living Fund, Grants to Motability and British Limbless Ex-Serviceman's Association, Earning Top Up and Social Fund Payments.

  5. These benefits make up about 1.5 per cent. of all income related benefits expenditure.

  Income related benefits expenditure (real terms 1998–99 prices)

  £million

  Scotland—by age group

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  Total (All age groups)

  2,340

  2,480

  2,590

  2,640

  2,690

  2,680

  Income-related benefits (15 to 25)

  360

  360

  360

  370

  370

  310

  276
  will provide more detail, in particular focusing on what plans are in place to ensure the continuity of essential services at the Millennium.

  It is for individual Ministers to decide whether or not to publish their complete business continuity plans, according to their judgment of the nature of some of the detail involved. It would clearly be inappropriate for Ministers to publish information that is sensitive or relates to matters of national security.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Bereavement Allowances
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many widows will be affected by the loss of the widow's bereavement allowance broken down by those aged(a) 50–55, (b) 55–60 and (c) 60 years and over; and what the average amount will be lost not including the effects of the proposed reforms to bereavement benefits. [76841]

  Angela Eagle
  [holding answer 15 March 1999]: Existing claimants will retain their entitlement to this allowance even after 5 April 2000. Women who are bereaved after 5 April 2000 will not be able to claim the allowance.

  Means-tested Benefits (Scotland)
  Mrs. Laing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the cost of(a) all means-tested benefits in Scotland, (b) means-tested benefits for people aged 15 to 25 years in Scotland, (c) means-tested benefits for people aged 26 to 40 years in Scotland and (d) means-tested benefit for people aged 41 to 65 years in Scotland in each year since 1992 in (i) cash terms and (ii) 1998–99 prices. [77770]

  Angela Eagle
  The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the tables.
  277

  Income related benefits expenditure (real terms 1998–99 prices)

  £million

  Scotland—by age group

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  Income-related benefits (26 to 40)

  780

  820

  880

  910

  940

  940

  Income-related benefits (41 to 65)

  640

  690

  730

  760

  790

  830

  Notes:

  1. Figures may not sum due to rounding.

  2. Figures have been rounded to nearest £10 million.

  3. Figures include expenditure on Jobseeker's Allowance (income-based), Income Support, Family Credit, Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and Disabled Working Allowance.

  4. They do not include smaller benefits such as Grants to Independent Living Fund, Grants to Motability and British Limbless Ex-Serviceman's Association, Earning Top Up and Social Fund Payments.

  5. These benefits make up about 1.5 per cent. of all income related benefits expenditure.

  Total social fund spending in Scotland

  £million

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  Cash Terms

  42

  44

  47

  46

  47

  64

  Real Terms1

  49

  50

  52

  50

  49

  65

  11998–99 prices

  Notes:

  1. Figures do not include Cold Weather Payments.

  2. Social Fund Spending in Scotland broken down by age is not available.

  3. Figures rounded to the nearest million.

  Winter Fuel Payments
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to extend to those(a) in receipt of benefits and (b) on low incomes the heating allowance for those on pensions. [77990]

  Angela Eagle
  The Winter Fuel Payments scheme provides extra help to around ten million eligible pensioners, in over seven million households towards their heaviest fuel bills. We have no plans to extend the scheme to other groups.

  We are committed to tackling the problems associated with vulnerable people keeping warm and has already introduced numerous substantial measures to meet this objective.

  Unclaimed Benefits
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the amount of income-related benefits unclaimed by those entitled to them in(a) the Tamworth constituency and (b) Staffordshire. [78341]

  Angela Eagle
  The information is not available. The national estimates of take-up of income-related benefits are currently being revised and are due to be republished in May.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the number of people receiving the higher rate of disability living allowance; and of these the number who have(a) had their benefit (i) reduced and (ii) stopped and (b) had their benefit increased. [78316]

  Mr. Bayley
  The information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is in the table.278

  Recipients of Disability Living Allowance

  Thousands

  All recipients of higher rate awards1,2

  1,447

  Number of these cases where the value of the previous award was lower3,4

  238

  Number of these cases where the value of the previous award was higher3,4

  44

  Number of these cases where the previous award terminated3,5

  19

  1 Figures at 31 August 1998.

  2 Awards involving the highest rate of the care component or the higher rate of the mobility component either paid singly or combined with any rate of the other component.

  3 The previous award was made between 1 April 1992 and 31 August 1998.

  4 The value of the award is based on the rates of each component.

  5 Cases terminate for various reasons including: expiry of a fixed period award; residence and presence conditions no longer satisfied; other conditions of entitlement not satisfied. Benefit may have been relinquished voluntarily by the claimant or withdrawn by the Department.

  Source:

  Analytical Services Division 5 per cent. Data

PRIME MINISTER

  Iraq (Medical Supplies)
  Mr. Baylyell
  To ask The Prime Minister:, pursuant to his answer of 16 March 1999,Official Report, column 573, if he will have discussions with the Iraqi authorities about increasing the role of the UN in the distribution of medical supplies in central and southern Iraq. [78029]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 22 March 1999]: As my hon. Friend is aware, we have no diplomatic relations with the Government of Iraq and our dealings with them are strictly limited to occasional contacts with the Iraqi Interests Section of the Jordanian Embassy in London and the Iraqi mission to the UN in New York.
  279
  As I said in my earlier answer, we would support proposals from the panel assessing the humanitarian situation in Iraq to increase the role of the UN in distributing medical supplies in central and southern Iraq. But it would be for the UN to discuss any such proposals with the Iraqi authorities.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Civil Servants (Appraisal)
  Mr. McDonnell
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department what were the appraisal performance markings awarded to civil servants in 1998 for(a) each agency in his Department and (b) the Department broken down by (i) grade, (ii) gender, (iii) ethnicity, (iv) part-time/full-time working and (v) disability; and for (1) each agency and (2) the Department whether the Cabinet Office's four fifths rule for detecting potential adverse impact was applied to the appraisal markings of civil servants in the 1998 report round. [78140]

  Mr. Hoon
  The appraisal performance markings awarded to Civil Servants in 1998 within the Lord Chancellor's Department and its Agencies are shown in the tables.

  Although we do monitor for Equal Opportunities purposes, neither the Lord Chancellor's Department nor its Agencies applied the four fifths rule in analysing the appraisal markings awarded to staff in 1998.

  Appraisal marks received in LCD headquarters for appraisals completed in 1998

  A

  B

  C+

  C

  T

  D

  (a) LCD Headquarters

  26

  228

  219

  145

  3

  1

  (b)(i) Grade/Box mark

  Grade 6

  3

  18

  11

  6

  —

  —

  Grade 7

  4

  63

  40

  35

  —

  —

  SEO

  1

  19

  22

  7

  —

  —

  HEO

  4

  48

  51

  24

  1

  —

  EO

  6

  29

  45

  34

  1

  1

  AO

  5

  45

  35

  19

  1

  —

  AA

  —

  —

  4

  2

  —

  —

  Support Grades

  3

  6

  11

  18

  —

  —

  Total

  26

  228

  219

  145

  3

  1

  (b)(i) Grade/Box mark

  Female

  16

  130

  131

  72

  2

  —

  Male

  10

  98

  88

  73

  1

  1

  Total

  26

  228

  219

  145

  3

  1

  (iii) Ethnicity/Box mark

  White

  24

  192

  164

  114

  —

  1

  Asian

  2

  5

  17

  9

  —

  —

  Black

  —

  8

  18

  13

  1

  —

  Other

  —

  2

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Unknown

  —

  21

  19

  9

  2

  1

  Total

  26

  228

  219

  145

  3

  1

  (iv) Part time or full time/Box mark

  Full Time

  25

  223

  201

  131

  3

  1

  Part Time

  1

  5

  18

  14

  —

  —

  Total

  26

  228

  219

  145

  3

  1

  280

  Appraisal marks received in LCD headquarters for appraisals completed in 1998

  A

  B

  C+

  C

  T

  D

  (v) Disability/Box mark

  Disabled

  1

  6

  9

  3

  —

  —

  Non-disabled

  24

  198

  188

  124

  1

  1

  Unknown

  1

  24

  22

  18

  2

  —

  Total

  26

  228

  219

  145

  3

  1

  Notes:

  LCD Headquarters moved to a new Appraisal system from 1997–98 and use A, B, C+, C, T and D.

  A, B, C+ and C are above standard, and D is below standard. T = Training and indicates a temporary drop in standard whilst learning a new job.

  At 31 March 1998 there were 815 permanent staff in post in LCD Headquarters.

  Senior Civil Servants are not included.

  Appraisal marks received in the court service and public trust office for appraisals completed in 1998

  1

  2

  3

  4

  5

  a)

  Total for Court Service

  32

  3,611

  4,695

  27

  4

  Total for Public Trust Office

  —

  165

  223

  2

  —

  (b) (i) Grade/Box mark

  Grade 6

  1

  20

  9

  —

  —

  Grade 7

  1

  44

  28

  —

  —

  SEO

  2

  103

  80

  1

  —

  HEO

  6

  403

  326

  2

  1

  EO

  9

  737

  1,014

  4

  —

  AO

  6

  1,722

  2,321

  16

  2

  AA

  —

  81

  149

  —

  —

  Support Grades

  7

  666

  991

  6

  1

  Total

  32

  3,776

  4,918

  29

  4

  (ii) Gender/Box mark

  Female

  21

  2,507

  3,157

  11

  2

  Male

  11

  1,269

  1,761

  18

  2

  Total

  32

  3,776

  4,918

  29

  4

  (iii) Ethnicity/Box mark

  White

  30

  3,325

  4,121

  16

  3

  Asian

  —

  105

  199

  4

  —

  Black

  1

  99

  216

  4

  1

  Other

  —

  18

  30

  —

  —

  Unknown

  1

  229

  352

  5

  —

  Total

  32

  3,776

  4,918

  29

  4

  (iv) Part time or full time/Box mark

  Full Time

  30

  3,299>

  3,924

  24

  4

  Part Time

  2

  477

  994

  5

  —

  Total

  32

  3,776

  4,918

  29

  4

  (v) Disability/Box mark

  Disabled

  —

  82

  162

  1

  —

  Non-disabled

  31

  3,198

  4,014

  19

  4

  Unknown

  1

  496

  742

  9

  —

  Total

  32

  3,776

  4,918

  29

  4

  Notes:

  The Court Service and Public Trust Office switched to new appraisal system for the 1998–99 year. However, for reports ending in 1998 they both used a numeric system of 1 to 5.

  The figures at b) are for the Court Service and Public Trust Office combined.

  At 31 March 1998 there were 9,246 permanent staff in post in the Court Service and 554 in the PTO.

  Senior Civil Servants are not included.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Tyrie
  To ask the Minister of State, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the total number of occasions when(a) departmental and (b) non-departmental special advisers have travelled abroad in an official capacity since 2 May 1997, unaccompanied by Ministers. [77980]

  Mr. Hoon
  There have been no occasions since 2 May 1997 when the special adviser employed by my Department has travelled abroad in an official capacity unaccompanied by Ministers. Neither the Lord Chancellor nor I have any non-departmental special advisers.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Human Rights Commission
  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations she has received relating to the Human Rights Commission's work. [76686]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  The Government have received no representations relating to the work of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission since it was established on 1 March. However, during the passage of the Northern Ireland Bill, we received many representations from interested parties on what the functions and powers of the Commission should be. These were fully debated in Parliament and the Government introduced a number of amendments to the Bill to reflect the representations that had been made.

  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make a statement on the work of the Human Rights Commission. [76698]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission was formally established on 1 March under the provisions of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. The Chief Commissioner is Professor Brice Dickson, and there are nine part-time Commissioners. The establishment of the Commission is the central feature of the additional protections for human rights in Northern Ireland which are envisaged in the Belfast agreement. The Government believe that it will be a powerful force in developing, through education and research, an active human rights culture in Northern Ireland. One of its early functions will be to advise on a possible Bill of Rights for Northern Ireland. How the commission carries out its various responsibilities is a matter for the commission itself to determine.

  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the interview panel for appointments to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission recommended only the persons ultimately appointed. [77985]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The two interview panels put forward recommendations on all those interviewed which numbered eight for the Chief Commissioner part and 23 for the Commissioner parts.

  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criteria were adopted to ensure that the human rights commissioners appointed were representative of the community as a whole. [77982]
  282
  Mr. Paul Murphy
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, in placing advertisements widely and issuing a press release, ensured that applications were received from as wide a selection of people as possible. The sift criteria for interview were adopted to ensure that the best candidates were interviewed. The Secretary of State then appointed a Chief Commissioner and Commissioners making a judgment about the group as a whole being representative of the community in Northern Ireland. She is satisfied that the statutory requirement has been met.

  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what criteria were used for shortlisting applicants for membership of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission; who carried out the shortlisting; and what consultation was undertaken with(a) the Irish Government and (b) others regarding shortlisting. [77984]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  Shortlisting was carried out by the three members of the interview panel using the following two criteria:

  (a) the candidate's record of achievement in their chosen field, and

  (b) evidence from their application form of a good grasp of human rights.

  The panel did not consult with anyone in drawing up the shortlist.

  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the advertised requirements for the appointment of Northern Ireland's Human Rights Commission; and if these requirements were discussed with(a) the Irish Government and (b) the Secretariat at Maryfield. [77981]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  Copies of the advertisements will be placed in the Library of the Houses. The details were not discussed with either the Irish Government or the Secretariat at Maryfield.

  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whom she consulted prior to agreeing the appointments to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. [77986]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The Secretary of State discussed the recommendations of the two interview panels with the Chairmen of those panels. She did not consult anyone else prior to appointing the Chief Commissioner and Commissioners.

  Fishing
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make a statement on discussions she has held with the Irish Government on ways of improving fishing opportunities in the Irish sea. [76687]

  Mr. McFall
  Over the past six months I have written to the Taoiseach on a number of occasions in connection with a joint approach to exploitation of Irish Sea stocks. I am delighted to report that the United Kingdom and Irish Governments were able to co-operate at last December's Council of EU Fisheries Ministers. We achieved significant increases in fishing opportunities for haddock for the benefit of all fishermen fishing in the Irish Sea, particularly the Northern Ireland fleet. This was a very welcome development, and I hope that we will continue to find opportunities to co-operate constructively on fisheries issues.

  Good Friday Agreement
  Ms Kelly
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what meetings she has had with the Irish Government about the implementation of the Good Friday agreement in the last month. [76688]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  I have had regular contacts with the Irish Government and with the Northern Ireland political parties in the last month. It is important that all parties to the Good Friday Agreement work together at this crucial time to ensure that every aspect is implemented in full.

  Sir Sydney Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make a statement on progress on implementing the Good Friday agreement. [76689]

  Mr. Jim Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make a statement on progress in implementing the Good Friday agreement. [76690]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  I refer hon. Members to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Falkirk, East (Mr. Connarty) today,Official Report, column 379.

  Irish Language
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what new proposals she has to improve the quality of teaching through the medium of Irish. [76691]

  Mr. McFall
  The quality of intakes to Irish Medium Education initial teacher training courses is already high and the Education and Training Inspectorate has found the quality of teaching in schools to be generally good.

  Post-devolution, this issue will be for the Irish Language Agency of the North-South Implementation Body on Languages.

  Euro
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make a statement on the impact of the euro on north-south relationships in the island of Ireland. [76692]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  Northern Ireland is unique in that it is the only part of the United Kingdom with a border to the euro-zone. It is very early to be definitive about the impact of the euro, but in the short term it is likely to be limited.

  Decommissioning
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment she has made of progress on the decommissioning of illegally held arms and explosives. [76693]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Good Friday agreement committed all the participants to the total disarmament of all paramilitary organisations. The participants also confirmed their intention to work constructively and in good faith with the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning and to use any influence they may have to achieve the decommissioning of all paramilitary arms within two years of last May's referendum and in the context of the implementation of the overall settlement.
  284
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what report she has received from General De Chastelain on the status of parties in the Assembly in relation to decommissioning. [76699]

  Mr. Ingram
  I understand that discussions continue between various Assembly parties and the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will consider the purchase of arms from paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland as part of the process of decommissioning. [76703]

  Mr. Ingram
  Decommissioning schemes were agreed in June 1998 after extensive consultation. The schemes do not provide for the purchase of paramilitary arms since that option was not supported by the parties.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when she last met the Taoiseach to discuss matters relating to the issue of the decommissioning of paramilitary weaponry. [76706]

  Mr. Ingram
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State last formally met with the Taoiseach on 3 February and they also met again during their recent visits to the USA for St. Patrick's day.

  Miss Kirkbride
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment she has made of progress on the decommissioning of illegally held arms and explosives. [76707]

  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent representations she has received on when the decommissioning of illegally held weapons and explosives will begin. [76683]

  Mr. Ingram
  I have welcomed the start to decommissioning made by the LVF on 18 December. The Independent International Commission on Decommissioning is continuing its vital work. It is time for all groups to play their part in the full implementation of the agreement; they should start to decommission now.

  Drumcree
  Mr. McCabe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make a statement on progress towards the resolution of the problems relating to the Orange Order parade at Drumcree. [76694]

  Shona McIsaac
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress is being made towards the resolution of the problems over the Orange Order parade at Drumcree. [76704]

  Mr. Ingram
  Since last July, the Government have been playing an active and constructive role in helping to find a solution to these problems which would address the legitimate concerns of all sides. We have appointed in a personal capacity Frank Blair, Director of ACAS Scotland, as facilitator and urge all sides to co-operate with him.

  Health Care
  Mr. McNulty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what impact the Budget will have on health care provision in Northern Ireland. [76695]
  285
  Mr. McFall
  The Chancellor's Budget statement confirmed the Government's continuing commitment to modernise the NHS. I am equally determined that health services in Northern Ireland are equipped to provide a first class service, and am considering how this can best be achieved.

  Omagh Bombing
  Mr. Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate she has made of the total compensation payable as a result of the Omagh bomb. [76696]

  Mr. Ingram
  Responsibility for this matter has been delegated to the Compensation Agency and I understand from the chief executive that the information is as follows.

  Compensation for death or injury in such circumstances is payable under the Criminal Injuries (Compensation) (Northern Ireland) Order 1988. The Agency anticipates that approximately £9 million is likely to be paid in respect of the victims of the Omagh bomb.

  Loss or damage to property in such circumstances is payable under The Criminal Damage (Compensation) (Northern Ireland) Order 1977. The current estimate is that approximately £8 million is likely to be paid for damage caused to buildings, their contents and to vehicles.

  National Stadium
  Mr. Grogan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make a statement on the Government's policy on a national sports stadium in Northern Ireland. [76697]

  Mr. McFall
  The Government are aware of the need to assess the possibility of providing a national stadium in Northern Ireland. It has, therefore, asked the Sports Council to lead in establishing a Working Group to explore the need for, and feasibility of providing a national stadium and to recommend the way forward.

  Paramilitary Violence
  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate she has made of the number of punishment beatings since the Good Friday agreement; and in how many of the cases charges have been laid against alleged perpetrators. [76700]

  Mr. Ingram
  Since the Good Friday agreement, to 11 March, there have been 161 paramilitary-style assaults, 102 by Loyalists and 59 by Republicans. There have been 66 paramilitary-style shootings, 39 by Loyalists and 27 by Republicans.

  Charges are made on the basis of specific offences, for example, common assault, grievous bodily harm and actual bodily harm. The database does not record separately those which are deemed to be paramilitary-style and it is therefore not possible to provide information on the number of persons who have been made amenable for these attacks.

  New Deal (Young People)
  Mr. Goggins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many young people under 25 years have participated in the new deal in Northern Ireland to date; and how many of those are now in work. [76701]

  Mr. McFall
  The Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency has informed me that since 6 April 1998, 9,707 New Deal clients under 25 years have entered New Deal. Of these, at the end of February 1999, 2,547 had found work. Almost 70 per cent. were unsubsidised jobs. Information on whether they are still in employment could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Lifelong Learning
  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals she has to introduce the Government's lifelong learning programme in Northern Ireland. [76702]

  Mr. McFall
  The Government's strategy for lifelong learning in Northern Ireland was published on 9 February 1999. A copy of the document, "Lifelong Learning: a New Learning Culture for All", has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Equality Commission
  Ms Rosie Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Equality Commission in Northern Ireland will be established. [76705]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Maryhill (Mrs. Fyfe) today,Official Report, column 376.

  Peace Process
  Ms Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will make a statement on the progress of the peace process. [76708]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Falkirk, East (Mr. Connarty) today,Official Report, column 379.

  Patten Commission
  Mr. Robert McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if she will make it her policy that no information from the Patten Commission on policing which is not in the public domain will be shared with(a) any other Government and (b) any private group; [77582]

  (2) if she will make it her policy that no information from the Patten Commission on policing which is not in the public domain will be shared with (a) any other Government and (b) any private group. [77584]

  Mr. Ingram
  I refer the hon. and learned Gentleman to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 19 March 1999,Official Report, columns 843–44.

  Closed Circuit Television
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the greatest approved expenditure during the past five years for the provision of CCTV security equipment at(a) a controlled school, (b) a maintained school and (c) a voluntary grammar school; and if she will make a statement on the criteria used for approval of expenditure on CCTV security systems at schools. [77611]

  Mr. McFall
  The greatest approved expenditure for CCTV equipment over the past 5 years was £18,000 for a controlled school, £17,000 for a maintained school and £12,000 for a voluntary grammar school. Applications for CCTV systems in schools are considered on their merits in light of the available resources and a risk assessment based on guidelines in the booklet, "Security and Personal Safety in Schools".

  Dundonald Training Centre
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many staff are presently employed at Dundonald Training Centre; how many trainees are involved there; and what proposals she has to increase training opportunities in the boroughs of Ards, Castlereagh and North Down. [77796]

  Mr. Ingram
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Training and Employment Agency under its Chief Executive, Mr. Ian Walters. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Ian Walters to Mr. John D. Taylor, dated 23 March 1999:

  The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me, as Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency, to reply to your question about Dundonald Training Centre and training opportunities in the Boroughs of Ards, Castlereagh, and North Down.

  Pending a decision on its future, Dundonald Training Centre is not currently operational. Five staff remain in the Centre to maintain the premises and provide support services to other parts of the training centre network. A further 30 T&EA staff are located on the Dundonald site engaged in duties which are not directly linked to the work of training centres. There are no trainees in the Centre at present.

  A document on the future structure of relationships between training centres and Further Education Colleges, which was published for consultation purposes in September 1998, recommended a working partnership between colleges and training centres which would better utilise their respective strengths. The views and advice offered during the consultation process are being assessed and an announcement on the way forward is expected shortly.

  The future of Dundonald Training Centre will depend upon the outcome of the Review. The extent to which vocational training arrangements in Ards, Castlereagh, and North Down might be further improved will be similarly addressed through the implementation of the Review's recommendations.

  As you know, high quality training is available now under the New Deal and Jobskills programmes and will be offered shortly in Worktrack which will succeed ACE. Complementing these programmes is the recently announced strategy for Lifelong Learning, a £63 million initiative to encourage a culture of continuous learning. This major new initiative will help individuals of all ages to acquire the skills they need to meet the demands of a rapidly changing economy.

  I hope you find this information useful.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Further Education
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what change there has been in the number of students in further education in the United Kingdom since tuition fees were introduced. [75022]

  Mr. Mudie
  The information requested is not available.

  New Deal (Targets)
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what targets the Employment Service has set for improving employability through the implementation of the New Deal. [75665]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  [holding answer 9 March 1999]: 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 Leigh Lewis to Mr. Graham Brady, dated 24 March 1999:

  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State for Education and Employment has asked me to reply to your question about the targets we have set for improving employability through the implementation of New Deal. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.

  We are working to the goal of implementing the Government's commitment to helping 250,000 young unemployed people off benefit and into work. Placement in jobs, retention in employment and qualifications gained are employability measures included within the core performance measures of the New Deal.

  I hope this is helpful.

  Chief Inspector of Schools
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will investigate the recent reports relating to the conduct of the Chief Inspector of Schools; and if he will make a statement. [76456]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Chris Woodhead has made it clear that he does not accept the allegations made in recent reports about his conduct during the period when he was a school teacher and no evidence has been brought forward to substantiate them. He has also made it clear that he supports the Government's new legislation on improper relationships between pupils and their teachers.

  Museums (School Programmes)
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the effect on local authority museums' school programmes of the further delegation of funding to schools. [76640]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Local education authorities are not required to delegate funding for school museum services in 1999–2000, except to grant-maintained schools. From April 2000, we intend to require them to delegate funding for school library and museum services to secondary schools; in the case of primary and special schools, our intention is that any funding for these services which is not delegated should be passed to the schools on an
  289
  earmarked basis, which will enable the schools to decide whether to buy the services from their own or another authority.

  We are committed to encouraging museums and galleries to develop their educational role and strengthen their links with schools, and have recently announced that we shall be making £2.5 million available for this purpose over three years.

  Working Time Directive
  Mr. Tyrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment 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. [76810]

  Mr. Mudie
  Three members of the Senior Civil Service in the Department for Education and Employment (including the Employment Service) have signed an agreement to disapply the 48 hour limit. Central records are not kept for staff outside the Senior Civil Service in DfEE (including the Employment Service), nor do the Regulations require employers to keep records of the number of workers who refuse to sign an opt-out agreement. The standard terms and conditions of service for staff employed by the Department for Education and Employment (including the Employment Service) are well within the limits set by the Working Time Regulations. Compliance costs are not kept centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Support Staff Pay
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment his Department has made of the impact of the single status agreement on the pay of non-teaching support staff. [76939]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  [holding answer 16 March 1999]: No assessment has been made. As with other groups of local government staff, pay and conditions of service for education support staff are determined by local authorities in negotiation with staff and the relevant trade unions. The Government traditionally are not involved. However, we welcome the encouragement in the single status agreement of local pay and grading reviews and the commitment to training and development for all staff.

  Correspondence
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the hon. Member for West Derbyshire can expect a reply to the letter he sent on 20 November 1998 on behalf of his constituent, Mr. Purdy. [77316]

  Mr. Mudie
  Since an interim reply was issued on 11 January 1999, the hon. Member for West Derbyshire's letter of 20 November has, unfortunately, been mislaid in the Department. A reply was issued to the copy letter provided by the hon. Member's office today.

  Departmental Review (Regional Consultation)
  Mrs. Ellman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if his current review of the delivery of high-quality further education, training and work force development includes consultation at a regional level. [77824]

  Mr. Mudie
  Yes. We have invited comments from a wide range of partners at local, regional and national level.

  Classroom Assistants
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what regulations set the pay and conditions of classroom assistants. [77906]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The pay and conditions of classroom assistants in schools are not governed by regulations but are determined by Local Education Authorities and schools in negotiation with their staff and relevant trade unions.

  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what minimum qualifications classroom assistants are required to possess. [77907]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  It is for Local Education Authorities and schools to determine the qualifications required by classroom assistants working in schools. The Department is working with Local Education Authority representatives and others to develop a national framework of training and qualifications for classroom assistants based on occupational standards/NVQs.

  Local Authority Spending
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the local authorities to which Ministers have written urging greater spending on local services within their portfolio area. [77960]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  [holding answer 22 March 1999]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has written to all English Local Education Authorities to urge them to ensure that the additional provision which we have made available is actually spent on education and, in particular, is used to support schools so that the resources can be spent directly on raising standards.

  Millennium Dome (School Visits)
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what discussions he has had with teaching unions regarding overnight accommodation costs and overtime payments for teachers accompanying parties of school children visiting the Millennium Dome. [78166]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  [holding answer 22 March 1999]: None. Many schools are accustomed to taking children on overnight trips.

  Information Technology Learning Centres
  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many of the new IT learning centres announced in the Budget are to be developed in rural areas; and if he will list their locations. [78310]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The number of learning centres to be located in rural areas and their locations is yet to be decided.

  Table 1: Schools in North East Lincolnshire which have benefited from the first two rounds of the New Deal for Schools

  Schools in NE Lincolnshire benefiting from NDS

  Purpose for which grant was awarded

  Bradley Park Infants

  Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  Bradley Park Junior

  Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  Cambridge Park

  (a) Upgrading of old/worn wiring, switchgear and lighting luminaries

  (b) Renewal of roofing

  (c) Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  Coomb Briggs Primary

  (a) Replacement of windows and window frames

  (b) Renewal of roofing

  Edward Heneage Primary

  (a) Boiler/valve replacement

  (b) Repairs to chimney and high level gables

  (c) Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  Elliston Infants

  Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  Elliston Junior

  Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  Enfield Primary

  Renewal of roofing

  Freshney Park Infants

  (a) Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  (b) Replacement of dangerous metal doors with wooden doors

  Grange Infants

  Renewal of roofing

  Grange Junior

  Renewal of roofing

  Havelock

  Remedial work to local exhaust ventilation system

  Healing Comprehensive

  Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  Healing County Primary

  (a) Boiler/valve replacement

  (b) Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  Hereford Comprehensive

  Replacement of windows and window frames

  Humberston Comprehensive

  Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  Humberston CE Primary

  Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  Humberston Park

  Provision of storage for wheelchairs and other mobile means of transport

  Immingham Comprehensive

  (a) Boiler/valve replacement

  (b) Remedial work to local exhaust ventilation system

  Laceby Acres Primary

  Renewal of roofing

  The Leas Junior

  (a) Boiler/valve replacement

  (b) Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  Lindsey

  Remedial work to local exhaust ventilation system

  Littlecoates Primary

  Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  Matthew Humberstone

  (a) Replacement of heating/hot water services

  (b) Remedial work to local exhaust ventilation system

  (c) Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  (d) Re-roofing of leaking sports hall and CDT block

  Middlethorpe Primary

  (a) Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  (b) Resurfacing of dangerous playground

  New Waltham Primary

  Boiler/valve replacement

  Nunsthorpe Infants

  Renewal of roofing

  Nunsthorpe Junior

  Refurbishment of toilets

  Nunsthorpe Nursery

  Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  Old Clee Infants

  Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  Old Clee Junior

  Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  Queen Mary Avenue Infants

  Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  St. Peter's CE Primary

  Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  Scartho Infants

  Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  Scartho Junior

  (a) Boiler/valve replacement

  (b) Rewiring

  (c) Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  Signhills Infants

  Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  Signhills Junior

  Replacement of heating/hot water services

  South Parade Infants

  Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  South Parade Junior

  Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  Springfield Primary

  Part replacement of plumbing to ensure adequate hot water to toilets

  Stanford Primary

  (a) Replacement of windows and window frames

  (b) Renewal of roofing

  Strand Junior

  Renewal of roofing

  Waltham Toll Bar Comprehensive

  Concrete lintels

  New Deal (Lincolnshire Schools)
  Shona Mclsaac
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list those schools in(a) north east Lincolnshire and (b) north Lincolnshire which received finances through the New Deal for schools; and in each case for what purpose the money was allocated. [78312]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The following two tables answer my hon. Friend's question.
  293

  Table 1: Schools in North East Lincolnshire which have benefited from the first two rounds of the New Deal for Schools

  Schools in NE Lincolnshire benefiting from NDS

  Purpose for which grant was awarded

  Western

  (a) Replacement of heating/hot water services

  (b) Remedial work to local exhaust ventilation system

  Willows Primary

  Renewal of roofing

  Wintringham Comprehensive

  (a) Remedial work to local exhaust ventilation system

  (b) Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  Wybers Wood Infants

  Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  Wybers Wood Junior

  Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  Yarborough Junior

  (a) Upgrading of glazing to conform with legislation

  (b) Replacement of dangerous metal doors with wooden doors

  Table 2: Schools in North Lincolnshire which have benefited from the first two rounds of the New Deal for Schools

  Schools in North Lincolnshire benefiting from NDS

  Purpose for which grant was awarded

  Baysgarth

  Provision of local exhaust ventilation

  Berkeley Infants

  Replacement of rotten external timber windows

  Berkeley Junior

  Partial rewiring

  Brigg Primary

  Upgrading of heating

  Broughton Infants

  (a) Replacement of part heating schemes

  (b) Partial rewiring

  Brumby Comprehensive

  (a) Provision of local exhaust ventilation

  (b) Partial re-roofing

  Burton-upon-Stather County Primary

  Upgrading of heating

  Crosby Primary

  Replacement of part heating schemes

  Foxhills Comprehensive

  (a) Upgrading of heating

  (b) Provision of additional toilets

  Frederick Gough

  Provision of local exhaust ventilation

  Frodingham Infants

  Replacement of part heating schemes

  Goxhill Primary

  Partial rewiring

  Grange Lane Junior

  Complete rewiring

  High Ridge Comprehensive

  (a) Provision of local exhaust ventilation

  (b) Partial re-roofing

  Huntcliff Comprehensive

  (a) Upgrading of heating

  (b) Provision of local exhaust ventilation

  Killingholme Primary

  (a) Partial rewiring

  (b) Partial reheating and upgrading of low surface temperature system

  Kirmington Primary

  (c) Partial rewiring

  (d) Partial reheating and upgrading of low surface temperature system

  Kirton in Lindsey Primary

  Partial re-roofing

  Leys Farm Junior

  Partial rewiring

  Messingham Primary

  Partial re-roofing

  New Holland Primary

  Partial rewiring

  St. Bede's

  (a) Provision of local exhaust ventilation

  (b) Complete rewiring

  Sir John Nelthorpe

  Provision of local exhaust ventilation

  South Axholme

  Provision of local exhaust ventilation

  South Ferriby Primary

  Partial reheating and upgrading of low surface temperature system

  South Leys Comprehensive

  (a) Provision of local exhaust ventilation

  (b) Replacement of rotten external timber windows

  Thomas Sumpter Comprehensive

  (a) Provision of local exhaust ventilation

  (b) Fire precautionary work

  Vale of Ancholme

  (a) Provision of local exhaust ventilation

  (b) Complete rewiring

  Winterton Comprehensive

  (a) Upgrading of heating

  (b) Replacement of asbestos-impregnated ceilings

  Science Laboratories
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many new scientific laboratories have been built in schools in the last five years. [78232]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  This information is not held centrally.

  Education Funding (Leicestershire)
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what advice he has given
  294
  Leicestershire County Council concerning the expenditure of the 1999–2000 increase in the education SSA for the county; and if he will make a statement; [78247]

  (2) what responses he has received from the leaders of the (a) Conservative, (b) Liberal and (c) Labour county councillors in Leicestershire to his letter of 1 March to county councillors entitled Education Funding; and if he will make a statement; [78246]

  (3) if he will list the education authorities which have not passed on to schools the whole of the increase in the education SSA for 1998–99; and if he will make a statement. [78337]
  295
  Ms Estelle Morris
  [holding answer 23 March 1999]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has written to all English Local Education Authorities, including Leicestershire, to urge them to use all of the cash increase in the education SSA for 1999–2000 to support education services. We expect every Local Education Authority of whatever political control to ensure that the increase is spent on education and used in the direct delivery of services. No responses have been received from the leaders of the Conservative and Liberal Groups to the letters which have been sent to the County Council. The Labour Group Leader has indicated that the Labour Group is committed to providing additional resources for education in Leicestershire. Final data are not yet available on actual expenditure in 1998–99 or planned expenditure in 1999–2000 but we will be monitoring the financial returns of authorities to see whether the cash increase in the education SSA has been used to support education.

  Ministerial Engagements
  Ms Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what his engagements were at 11.00 am on Friday 19 March; and if he will make a statement; [78447]

  (2) what engagements the Minister for Employment, Welfare to Work and Equal Opportunities had at 11.00 am on Friday 19 March; and if he will make a statement; [78448]

  (3) what engagements the Minister for School Standards had at 11.00 am on Friday 19 March; and if he will make a statement; [78449]

  (4) what engagements the Minister for Education and Employment had at 11.00 am on Friday 19 March; and if he will make a statement; [78450]

  (5) what engagements the Under-Secretary of State responsible for Lifelong Learning, my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, East (Mr. Mudie), had at 11.00 am on Friday 19 March; and if he will make a statement; [78452]

  (6) what engagements the Under-Secretary of State responsible for School Standards, my hon. Friend the Member for Norwich, South (Mr. Clarke), had at 11.00 am on Friday 19 March; and if he will make a statement; [78453]

  £

  Name of Appointee

  Body

  Position

  Remuneration

  Keith Vaz MP

  British Council

  Vice Chairman

  Nil

  D. A. Thompson (reappointment)

  Commonwealth Institute

  Chairman

  15,000

  Tony Baldry MP

  Commonwealth Institute

  Governor

  Nil

  Floella Benjamin

  Commonwealth Institute

  Governor

  Nil

  Algy Cluff (reappointment)

  Commonwealth Institute

  Governor

  Nil

  Lord Dholakia

  Commonwealth Institute

  Governor

  Nil

  Anne Ferguson

  Commonwealth Institute

  Governor

  Nil

  Mary Marsh

  Commonwealth Institute

  Governor

  Nil

  Anthea Millett

  Commonwealth Institute

  Governor

  Nil

  Bill Morris

  Commonwealth Institute

  Governor

  Nil

  Helen Robinson (reappointment)

  Commonwealth Institute

  Governor

  Nil

  Jonathon Taylor

  Commonwealth Institute

  Governor

  Nil

  Sam Younger

  Commonwealth Institute

  Governor

  Nil

  Keith Vaz MP

  Commonwealth Institute

  Governor

  Nil

  296
  (7) what engagements the Under-Secretary of State responsible for Employment and Equal Opportunities, my hon. Friend the Member for Barking (Ms Hodge), had at 11.00 am on Friday 19 March; and if he will make a statement. [78454]

  Mr. Blunkett
  Following the briefing given to my hon. Friends the Members for Hackney, North and Stoke Newington (Ms Abbott) and for Hackney, South and Shoreditch (Mr. Sedgemore) by the School Standards Minister the day before the announcement relating to Hackney LEA on Thursday, 18 March, Education and Employment Ministers were visiting a range of schools and other facilities throughout England on Friday. Details are as follows:I was visiting Mossbrook Special School in Sheffield and attending an international education seminar;
  The Minister for Employment, Welfare to Work and Equal Opportunities was giving a speech in Oxford to the Tourism Business Scheme on recruitment problems in the Tourist Industry and visiting a New Deal self-build project;
  The Minister for School Standards had a two hour dental appointment and was in Birmingham on Departmental and Constituency business;
  The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Lifelong Learning was visiting Rawthorpe High School in Huddersfield;
  The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for School Standards was opening the Milton Keynes Educational Partnership Conference in Northampton;
  The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment and Equal Opportunities was addressing a childcare conference in Gloucester.
  Baroness Blackstone was in London providing Ministerial cover.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Appointments
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those people he has appointed to public bodies since 1 November 1998, indicating the positions to which they have been appointed and if they receive remuneration. [76419]

  Mr. Fatchett
  Since 1 November 1998, the Secretary of State or other FCO Ministers have made or approved the following appointments to non-departmental public bodies:

  Gibraltar
  Mr. Austin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Spanish Foreign Minister concerning his recent statements about alleged criminal activity in Gibraltar; and if he will make a statement; [76928]

  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the recent allegations about criminal activity in Gibraltar made by the Spanish Foreign Minister; and if he will make a statement. [76395]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 15 March 1999]: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary raised Spanish allegations about criminal activity in Gibraltar with the Spanish Foreign Minister when they met on 21 February. He made clear to Sr. Matutes the strength of British and Gibraltarian determination to confront criminal activity in any form. He invited the Spanish authorities to substantiate their allegations.

  We have received details of some specific Spanish concerns. We have been looking into these, together with the relevant Gibraltar authorities, and are responding.

  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the instructions given to(a) the Governor of Gibraltar and (b) the Royal Gibraltar Police regarding the enforcement of the laws restricting fishing in Gibraltar's territorial waters. [78352]

  Ms Quin
  It is not our practice to reveal details of confidential exchanges between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and any Governor or Ambassador. Nor is it our practice to give details of the operational instructions given to the Royal Gibraltar Police.

  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the agreement reached with the Spanish Government on fishing by Spanish trawlers in Gibraltar's territorial waters. [78351]

  Ms Quin
  The understanding reached with Spain was not a written document. On 5 October 1998, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and the Spanish Foreign Minister confirmed an understanding reached earlier between British and Spanish officials on the basis for a return to the situation that had prevailed in British waters around Gibraltar between 1991 and 1997, when fishing took place in moderation and the fishermen respected the authority of the Gibraltar law enforcement agencies. They agreed that we should revert to that situation.

  Pakistan
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the Attorney General of Pakistan to discuss the law as it affects women in Pakistan. [76349]

  Mr. Fatchett
  [holding answer 23 March 1999]: Neither I nor my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary have met the Attorney General of Pakistan. We discuss the law as it affects women as part of our continuing dialogue with Pakistan.

  EU Budget Contribution
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will provide a breakdown of the UK's contribution to the EU for the last year for which figures are available. [78373]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 23 March 1999]: The European Commission's report of 7 October 1998 called "Financing the European Union", a copy of which was deposited on 26 October (Batch list 121), contains Member States' payments into the EU budget from 1992–99, although the figures for 1998 and 1999 are estimates. The payments are listed by type; Traditional own resources (customs duties, agriculture duties, sugar levies less collection costs), VAT, GNP and the adjustment made to other Member States' contributions to fund the UK abatement. UK 1995–97 average contributions were:

  £million

  Euro million

  Traditional Own Resources

  1,929.6

  2,807.6

  VAT Own Resource

  3,700.7

  5,384.5

  GNP Own Resource

  1,991.8

  2,898.1

  Abatement

  -1,574.4

  -2,290.7

  Total

  6,047.7

  8,799.5

  The average net contribution (net of receipts) was:

  1,957.4

  2,848

  Millennium Compliance
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason no external assessment has been made of the plans of his Department for millennium compliance. [78466]

  Mr. Fatchett
  At present I am content to rely on the robustness and independence of our own Internal Audit team. They have just completed an examination of our compliance programme. We have taken on board the lessons they have flagged up. If, however, we feel that there is a need for external assessment, we shall arrange one.

  European Commissioners
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which European Union institution will be responsible for controlling the payments to the retiring commissioners when they leave office; what plans he has to meet those who are to make those payments; and if he will make a statement. [78202]

  Ms Quin
  Commissioners' terms and conditions are set down in the 1967 Council Regulation 422/67. This governs transitional and pension payments following their retirement or resignation from the Commission.

  Payments following a Commissioner's departure are paid by the Commission.

  We expect out-going Commissioners to be treated in accordance with this Statute. I have no plans to meet the Commission to discuss these arrangements.

  Sierra Leone
  Mr. Alan Johnson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of the murder of civilians in Waterloo, Sierra Leone; and if he will make a statement. [78323]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  We have no precise figure for the number of civilian deaths in Waterloo. We believe that between 3,000 and 5,000 persons were killed during the rebel attack on Freetown in January, and that many of them had fled initially from Waterloo.

  The Nigerian-led West African peacekeeping force, ECOMOG, succeeded in expelling the rebels from Waterloo on 24 February. In Waterloo, we understand that the rebels murdered some civilians and committed other atrocities; the rebels destroyed much of the town's infrastructure. Our High Commissioner in Freetown visited Waterloo on 6–7 March, and reported evidence of heavy fighting and widespread destruction.

  Mr. Howard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of developments in Sierra Leone following the most recent reports of atrocities by rebel troops. [78421]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  The situation in Freetown is improving, but remains volatile. The picture in the rest of the country is unclear, due to difficulties of access. Rebels are believed to be active in large areas of the north and east; for example, heavy fighting has recently been reported around Kambia, near the border with Guinea. We condemn the appalling atrocities, murder and destruction committed by the rebels. We continue to support strongly the democratically elected Government of Sierra Leone and the efforts of the Nigerian-led West African peacekeeping force, ECOMOG, to protect the civilian population. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's announcement on 2 March of a new £10 million package of assistance for Sierra Leone is further evidence of that commitment.

  Schengen Agreement
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral answer to the right hon. and learned Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Howard) of 16 March 1999,Official Report, column 868, on Spain, what is the legal basis for his statement that no country has a veto on a United Kingdom application to join in arrangements made under the Schengen agreement. [78399]

  Ms Quin
  Under Article 5 of the Protocol integrating the Schengen acquis into the framework of the European Union, the United Kingdom will be free to participate in any future Schengen-based co-operation. Under Article 4 of that Protocol, it is only in respect of existing Schengen provisions (the "Schengen acquis") that a request by the United Kingdom to take part will be subject to the unanimous approval of the thirteen Schengen States.

  Asia-Europe Foreign Ministers Meeting
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the agenda for the forthcoming Asia-Europe Foreign Ministers meeting of 29 and 30 March. [78394]
  300
  Mr. Fatchett
  The Asia-Europe Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Berlin on 28–29 March 1999 will discuss regional and international issues of common interest. It will also review progress on the wide range of ASEM initiatives promoting economic, social, environmental, cultural and law enforcement co-operation, particularly those initiatives endorsed by Leaders at the Second Asia-Europe Meeting in London on 3–4 April 1998. Publication of the formal agenda is a matter for the German Federal Government as host of the meeting.

  Pauline Green
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he made and on what dates to the head of the European Socialist party concerning the January motions of no confidence in the European Parliament on fraud and the Commission; and if he will make a statement. [78397]

  Ms Quin
  It is not the practice for members of the Government to give details of party political discussions in this manner.

  Rambouillet
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Rambouillet negotiations. [77754]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  I refer my hon. Friend to the Statement on Kosovo made by my right hon. Friend The Prime Minister on 23 March 1999,Official Report, columns 161–63.

  Russia (Human Rights)
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the human rights situation in Russia. [78382]

  Ms Quin
  Russia has made progress towards the rule of law and democracy. But we remain concerned about anti-semitism; the law on religion; prison conditions; and the cases of the environmentalists Nikitin and Pasko, among other issues. We raise our concerns frequently with the Russians. The Foreign Secretary did so most recently during his visit to Russia on 3 to 5 March. We also hold annual talks with the Russians on human rights.

  Moldova (Human Rights)
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the human rights situation in Moldova. [78383]

  Ms Quin
  Moldova enjoys a working, multi-party democracy. International observers regarded the 1998 parliamentary elections as free and fair. There have been no reports of politically motivated killings or disappearances or torture of prisoners by the authorities. There are occasional instances of police cruelty and prisons are generally overcrowded. The Constitution and the law provide for freedom of expression though it is forbidden to publish views which question the country's independence, sovereignty or territorial integrity. The law makes it easy for public figures to launch defamation suits which can lead to self-censorship by journalists. The Constitution provides for judicial independence though in
  301
  practice the Prosecutor's Office has too much influence over the judiciary. Religious freedom, the right of assembly, freedom of movement and academic freedom are all respected.

  In the separatist region of Transdniestria, there are reports of serious human rights abuses (including torture, police cruelty, questionable detentions, pressure on the media and discrimination against use of the Roman alphabet).

  Bulgaria (Human Rights)
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the human rights situation in Bulgaria. [78386]

  Ms Quin
  The Government believe that Bulgaria has made good progress on human rights in recent years. Positive developments in the past few months include the abolition of the death penalty and the ratification of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities. Further progress is needed, however, on the implementation at local level of human rights legislation.

  Romania (Human Rights)
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the human rights situation in Romania. [78384]

  Ms Quin
  Considerable progress on human rights has been made in Romania since the overthrow of the Communist regime in 1989. The UK is satisfied that Romania now adheres to modern European standards of human rights in respect of democracy, the rule of law and protection of the rights and freedoms of citizens. In certain areas, such as the administration of justice, the elimination of corruption and the treatment of minorities and the disadvantaged, further improvement is needed. The UK welcomes the movement towards greater protection of human rights in Romania and seeks to support this process.

  China (Human Rights)
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the human rights situation in the People's Republic of China. [78385]

  Mr. Fatchett
  We continue to be very concerned about human rights in China, including the recent clampdown on peaceful political activists. We have raised these concerns directly with the Chinese authorities through the continuing bilateral and EU human rights dialogues. These dialogues have made limited progress in some areas. The General Affairs Council decided on 22 March that the EU would not change its position on China at this year's UN Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR). The EU will continue to express publicly its growing concerns about human rights in China at the UNCHR, as well as at bilateral and EU high-level meetings with China. It will remain in close contact with its main partners in pursuit of the common objective of achieving concrete improvements in human rights in China. It will keep its policy under regular review in the light of developments there.

  Falklands Flights
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will quantify the economic effects that the removal of the Lan Chile link will have on the people of the Falklands. [78210]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  We hope that Lan Chile will continue to fly to the Falklands. We have expressed our regret to the Chilean Government over the decision to ask the airline to suspend these flights and have said we do not believe this to be justified. It is not possible to quantify reliably the economic effects that suspension of the flights would have on the Falklands, but without an alternative in place, the impact would be adverse. For example, tourism would be affected as would the ability to buy some Chilean goods and services. Airfreight would no longer pass through Chile.

  Falklands (Agriculture)
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what encouragement his Department has given to the Government of the Falklands to diversify the islands agricultural base. [78389]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  It is for the Falkland Islanders and their Government to decide whether and how to diversify their agriculture. We encourage them to consider diversification options. They are studying options including alternative livestocks. They are investing in a programme to improve their pasture, which will facilitate diversification, and have secured EU funds for the construction of an abattoir.

CABINET OFFICE

  Civil Servants (Appraisal)
  Mr. McDonnell
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what were the appraisal performance markings awarded to civil servants in 1998 for(a) each agency in his Department and (b) the Department broken down by (i) grade, (ii) gender, (iii) ethnicity, (iv) part-time/ full-time working and (v) disability; and for (1) each agency and (2) the Department whether the Cabinet Office's four fifths rule for detecting potential adverse impact was applied to the appraisal markings of civil servants in the 1998 report round. [78148]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  The information requested is set out in the tables. In the Cabinet Office the appraisal performance marks were analysed by our statisticians who reported that the differences by gender and ethnicity were not statistically significant. The Department is keeping the situation under review. It is committed to a policy of equal opportunity and wishes to ensure that box marking standards reflect that commitment.

  Percentage

  Department/Agency

  Box 1

  Box 2

  Box 3

  Box 4

  Box 5

  Cabinet Office

  Grade

  SCS

  19

  55

  25

  *

  *

  Band A

  15

  50

  34

  *

  *

  Band B

  10

  49

  41

  *

  *

  Band C

  4

  49

  46

  *

  *

  all Grades

  8

  49

  42

  *

  *

  303

  Percentage

  Department/Agency

  Box 1

  Box 2

  Box 3

  Box 4

  Box 5

  Gender

  Male

  6

  41

  54

  *

  *

  Female

  11

  52

  37

  *

  *

  Ethnicity

  White

  9

  51

  40

  *

  *

  Other ethnic origin

  6

  41

  54

  *

  *

  Part-time/full-time

  Part-time

  4

  60

  36

  *

  *

  Full-time

  8

  46

  45

  *

  *

  Disability

  Yes

  *

  50

  50

  *

  *

  No

  8

  47

  45

  *

  *

  CCTA

  Grade

  A1

  *

  100

  *

  *

  A2

  13

  57

  30

  *

  B1

  10

  74

  16

  *

  B2

  9

  78

  9

  3

  B3

  12

  73

  15

  *

  C1

  9

  91

  *

  *

  C2

  29

  62

  10

  *

  C3

  13

  87

  *

  *

  D

  20

  80

  *

  *

  all Grades

  14

  72

  14

  *

  Gender

  Male

  13

  72

  14

  *

  Female

  15

  73

  12

  *

  Ethnicity

  White

  14

  73

  13

  *

  Other ethnic origin

  *

  80

  20

  *

  Part-time/full-time

  Part-time

  *

  80

  20

  *

  Full-time

  14

  73

  13

  *

  Disability

  Yes

  14

  73

  12

  *

  No

  13

  50

  37

  *

  Civil Service College

  Grade

  Zone 1 and 2

  8

  92

  *

  *

  Zone 3

  6

  60

  33

  *

  Zone 4

  36

  64

  *

  *

  Zone 5

  24

  68

  5

  3

  Zone 6

  9

  73

  17

  *

  Zone 7

  *

  36

  64

  *

  all Grades

  12

  66

  21

  *

  Gender

  Male

  6

  65

  28

  *

  Female

  16

  67

  16

  *

  Ethnicity

  White

  12

  67

  21

  *

  Other ethnic origin

  22

  44

  33

  *

  Part-time/full-time

  Part-time

  5

  81

  14

  *

  Full-time

  14

  63

  23

  *

  Disability

  The number of staff with a disability is too small to permit a detailed analysis

  The Civil Service College is confident that it meets the 4/5ths rule

  304

  Percentage

  Department/Agency

  Box 1

  Box 2

  Box 3

  Box 4

  Box 5

  Government Car and Despatch Agency

  Grade

  *

  86

  14

  *

  *

  The numbers of staff are too small to permit more detailed analysis, including the 4/5ths rule

  Property Advisers to the Civil Estate

  Grade

  Grade 6

  *

  55

  27

  18

  Grade 7

  8

  25

  38

  29

  SEO/SPTO

  *

  33

  33

  33

  HEO

  *

  38

  48

  14

  EO

  *

  15

  52

  33

  AO

  2

  20

  46

  33

  AA

  *

  *

  50

  50

  All Grades

  2

  24

  44

  30

  Gender

  Male

  2

  26

  41

  31

  Female

  *

  23

  47

  29

  Ethnicity

  White

  2

  25

  43

  30

  Other ethnic origin

  *

  17

  44

  39

  Part-time/full-time

  Part-time

  *

  20

  30

  50

  Full-time

  2

  25

  45

  29

  Disability

  The number of staff with a disability is too small to permit a detailed analysis

  The 4/5ths rule has not been applied

  The Buying Agency

  Grade

  Band 5/6

  17

  33

  50

  *

  Band 4

  *

  25

  75

  *

  Band 3

  *

  46

  54

  *

  Band 2

  *

  48

  48

  4

  Band 1

  5

  28

  67

  *

  all Grades

  3

  36

  61

  *

  Gender

  Male

  2

  35

  63

  *

  Female

  4

  37

  57

  2

  Ethnicity

  White

  2

  38

  60

  *

  Other ethnic origin

  20

  *

  80

  *

  Part-time/full-time

  Part-time

  *

  36

  64

  *

  Full-time

  3

  36

  60

  *

  Disability

  The number of staff with a disability is too small to permit a detailed analysis

  The 4/5ths rule has not been applied

  Percentage

  Box 1

  Box 2

  Box 3a

  Box 3b

  Box 4

  Box 5

  Central Office of Information

  Grade

  SCS and Directing grades

  8

  76

  8

  5

  3

  *

  Management A

  6

  66

  26

  2

  *

  *

  Management B

  2

  54

  40

  4

  *

  *

  Management C

  11

  55

  21

  13

  *

  *

  Support A

  3

  44

  46

  8

  *

  *

  Support B

  *

  38

  31

  25

  6

  *

  all Grades

  5

  58

  30

  6

  *

  *

  305

  Percentage

  Box 1

  Box 2

  Box 3a

  Box 3b

  Box 4

  Box 5

  Gender

  Male

  5

  58

  28

  7

  *

  *

  Female

  5

  58

  31

  5

  *

  *

  Ethnicity

  White

  5

  59

  29

  5

  *

  *

  Other ethnic origin

  5

  45

  35

  15

  *

  *

  Part-time/full-time

  Part-time

  *

  60

  40

  *

  *

  *

  Full-time

  5

  58

  29

  7

  *

  *

  Disability

  Yes

  *

  43

  43

  14

  *

  *

  No

  5

  59

  30

  6

  *

  *

  Note:

  The COI has developed its own systems for detecting potential adverse impact in the performance appraisal of its staff. However, retrospective application of the 4/5ths rule confirms that there appears to be no notable bias on the grounds of gender, ethnicity or disability within the limitations imposed by COI's small number of staff.

  The COI is a separate department which reports to the Minister for the Cabinet Office.

  Percentage

  A

  B

  C

  D

  E

  F

  G

  Security Facilities Division (formerly Security Facilities Executive)

  Grade

  Grade 7

  *

  25

  50

  12

  13

  *

  *

  SEO

  *

  6

  41

  41

  12

  *

  *

  HEO

  *

  5

  17

  65

  13

  *

  *

  EO

  *

  4

  34

  41

  21

  *

  *

  AO

  *

  5

  10

  33

  52

  *

  *

  AA

  4

  8

  4

  24

  60

  *

  *

  All Grades

  *

  6

  22

  38

  33

  *

  *

  Gender

  Male

  *

  5

  21

  41

  33

  *

  *

  Female

  3

  13

  28

  25

  31

  *

  *

  Ethnicity

  White

  *

  7

  22

  38

  33

  *

  *

  Other ethnic origin

  *

  *

  18

  45

  36

  *

  *

  The numbers of part-time and disabled staff are too small to permit detailed analysis

  Notes:

  The Security Facilities Division was until 1 July 1998 an Executive Agency of the Cabinet Office. It has now been integrated with the Department. Although the 4/5ths rule has not been used in monitoring performance standards, the results have been reviewed to ensure equality and consistency in report marking.

  Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number. Asterisks are used for percentages less than 1.5.

  The Cabinet Office and its agencies have each developed their own appraisal systems. In each case the right hand column indicates unacceptable performance and the left hand column outstanding or excellent performance.

  Government Employees (Ethnic Monitoring)
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make a statement on the availability of records which monitor the number of ethnic minorities in Government offices; and what plans he has to publish the breakdown of Government employees by race and gender. [78121]
  306
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  Information on ethnic origin is collected through voluntary surveys in Departments and agencies. The information is treated in confidence, and to protect the privacy of individual staff in any statistical table, numbers relating to fewer than five people are not disclosed, though this policy is under review.

  Information about the ethnic origin and gender of employees is submitted quarterly by Departments and agencies to Mandate, the Cabinet Office's database of civil service personnel. Aggregate information about ethnic origin and gender is collected annually from those Departments and agencies who do not currently provide Mandate records. A service-wide analysis at 1 April each year is published in "Equal Opportunities in the Civil Service Data Summary". The information for 1998 was published in February 1999. We plan to publish the 1999 Data Summary towards the end of the year.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will list the special advisers who have left their posts since 1 January 1998, giving in each case(a) the reasons and (b) the name of their successor. [78257]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  Listed are the names of the Special Advisers who have left the Civil Service either as a result of resignation or through having their contracts terminated as a result of ministerial changes. The names of their successors are in brackets where appropriate:

  John Adams

  Wendy Alexander (Elsbeth Johnson)

  Tim Allan (Lance Price)

  Ruth Allen

  Lisa Barclay

  Tom Bentley

  James Cornford

  Jessica Crowe (David Mepham)

  Kate Davies

  Julian Eccles (Andy Burnham)

  Tony Grayling

  Daniel Harris (Dee Sullivan)

  Liz Kendall

  Cathy McGlynn

  John McTernan

  Marianne Morris

  Nick Pearce (Sue Jackson)

  Roz Preston

  Huw Roberts

  Norman Warner (Justin Russell)

  Benjamin Wegg-Prosser

  Damian Welfare

  Charles Whelan.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Crown Prosecution Service
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Attorney-General for what reason the Crown Prosecution Service did not meet the Government's target of producing an initial Year 2000 continuity plan by January; and for what reason it is not proposed to produce one until August. [78469]

  The Attorney-General
  From April 1999, the Crown Prosecution Service will be reorganised into 42 geographical CPS Areas. The reorganisation includes the appointment of 42 new Area Business Managers. The Crown Prosecution Service Year 2000 Project Board agreed that the production of Business Continuity Plans should await the appointment of the Area Business Managers as they will have a key role in the production, and operational ownership, of the Plans and business processes which the Plans must support.

  August 1999 has been set as a date for the production of CPS Year 2000 Business Continuity Plans. This is an achievable target which takes account of the re-organising of the CPS in April and will enable Plans to be in place well in advance of the end of the year.

DEFENCE

  RN Physiological Laboratory
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what experiments have been carried out at the Royal Navy Physiological Laboratory in the last 12 months; what animals were involved; and what was the purpose of the experiments. [65734]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Sir John Chisholm to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 24 March 1999:

  I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary question about the former Royal Navy Physiological Laboratory (RNPL) which is now part of the Centre for Human Sciences (CHS) Sector of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA). The Centre for Human Sciences is currently running a research programme for the Ministry of Defence to determine the pressure and time limits for the safe escape of Navy personnel from a sunken submarine. The programme is also looking at the best treatments to maximise the recovery of those injured whilst escaping.

  Goats are being used as the experimental model for this programme because their physiological behaviour in these circumstances approximates very closely to that of humans. In addition, we already have a substantial database of behavioural information from experiments with goats, thus minimising the number of new experiments needed.

  All proposed research work involving the use of animals is subjected to rigorous internal review. The animals are not immersed in water but are subjected to varying levels of atmospheric pressure whilst in a pressure chamber. They are continuously monitored during the experiment. The work is carried out strictly in accordance with the
  308
  requirements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 which is administered by the Home Office. During 1998, 124 procedures were carried out using goats (1 animal = 1 procedure; but note that individual animals may take part in several procedures).

  In addition to the statutory controls already in place, the Ministry of Defence has established an independent committee to review arrangements for animal care at DERA sites carrying out work with animals and to advise on best practice. Its independent reports are made to the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Ministry of Defence.

  I hope the foregoing is helpful.

  Falklands Flights
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effect the potential removal of the Lan Chile flight to and from the Falklands will have on the proposal to reduce Tristar flights to the islands. [77991]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  We regret the Chilean Government's decision to ask Lan Chile to suspend flights to the Falklands and do not believe this to be justified. We hope the Lan Chile will continue to fly to the Falklands. The reduction in the number of RAF Tristar Airbridge flights to the Falkland Islands was one of a range of efficiency proposals identified by the Strategic Defence Review. It represents a rationalisation of the use of Tristar aircraft, following technical improvements that allow them to carry an increased payload. Final arrangements for the implementation of this measure are still under consideration.

  Joint Training
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many joint training exercises were conducted by the Army with other countries in the past year; and which countries they were. [78119]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  Seventeen training exercises have been conducted to date by the Army with other countries in the current financial year, involving personnel from the following countries:

  Australia

  Austria

  Azerbaijan

  Belgium

  Botswana

  Bulgaria

  Canada

  Czech Republic

  Denmark

  Finland

  Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia

  Georgia

  Germany

  Greece

  Hungary

  Italy

  309

  Jamaica

  Kenya

  Latvia

  Luxembourg

  Moldova

  Netherlands

  Norway

  Oman

  Poland

  Portugal

  Romania

  Slovakia

  Spain

  Turkey

  Ukraine

  USA.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel were deployed on the jungle training exercises in Brunei carried out between 1 April 1997 and 31 March 1998. [76608]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  The number of Royal Marine Command personnel deployed was 2,390 all ranks. In addition, 860 Gurkhas from the battalion in Burnei and 558 members of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces participated in the exercise.

  TA Recruitment
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what targets were set for the Territorial Army recruitment activities held on Saturday 13 March; and what assessment he has made of their impact. [78226]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  The aim of the Territorial Army National Open Day on 13 March was to reinforce the messages of the spring national marketing campaign at regional and local levels. This was part of the drive to meet the target for recruitment into the TA for the next financial year which is estimated at up to 10,000 new recruits. We are currently assessing the day's effectiveness and early indications are that it has been successful in increasing awareness of the TA.

  TA Units (Wales)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the Territorial Army units in Wales, indicating which are classed as being in(a) North Wales and (b) South Wales. [78116]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  [holding answer 22 March 1999]: All Territorial Army units in Wales (current and future) can be found in the publication "Modem Forces for the Modern World: A Territorial Army for the Future"—Volume 2, a copy of which has been placed in the Library. TA units in the towns listed have been classified as either South or North as follows:

  South Wales

  North Wales

  Abergavenny

  Bangor

  Abertillery

  Caenarfon

  Aberystwyth1

  Colwyn Bay

  Brecon

  Llandudno

  Bridgend

  Prestatyn

  Cardiff

  Queensferry

  310

  South Wales

  North Wales

  Carmarthen

  Wrexham

  Cefn Fforest

  —

  Cwmbran

  —

  Gorseinon

  —

  Haverford West

  —

  Llanelli

  —

  Monmouth

  —

  Newport

  —

  Pentre

  —

  Pontypool

  —

  Pontypridd

  —

  Swansea

  —

  1 Aberystwyth is included in the list for South Wales because it is home to a University Officers' Training Corps which is affiliated to Cardiff University, and has a detachment of 203 Field Hospital, whose headquarters is in the South.

  Mission Statement
  Ms Dari Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress he has made towards a mission statement for his Department. [78854]

  Mr. George Robertson
  The objectives for the Ministry of Defence were included in the volume of Supporting Essays published as part of the Strategic Defence Review. I have since revised the language of these objectives to make them more simple and direct. The Mission Statement, which describes both the overall output and the main characteristics of the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces, is as follows:The Defence Mission
  Purpose

  The purpose of the Ministry of Defence, and the Armed Forces, is to:

  defend the United Kingdom, and Overseas Territories, our people and interest;

  act as a force for good by strengthening international peace and security.

  How we achieve it

  To achieve this, we:

  make a vital contribution to Britain's security policy and its promotion at home and abroad;

  direct and provide a defence effort that meets the needs of the present, prepares for the future and insures against the unpredictable;

  generate modern, battle-winning forces and other defence capabilities to help;

  prevent conflicts and build stability;

  resolve crisis and respond to emergencies;

  protect and further UK interests;

  meet our commitments and responsibilities;

  work with Allies and partners to strengthen international security relationships.

  Success depends, above all, on our people. We must:

  recruit and retain the best people for the job from a diverse society;

  train, motivate and quip them properly;

  manage with care, ensuring that the demands on individuals and their families are reasonable;

  develop careers in defence and skills for life.

  In all this we must:

  make every pound count for defence to ensure that the defence budget is used to best effect;

  311

  develop a joint approach, harnessing the three Armed Services, defence civilians and all our resources to deliver the defence mission;

  be open, flexible and creative in the way we work;

  encourage British defence technology, science and industry;

  help protect the natural environment;

  be an active part of the wider community which we serve and in which we live.

  This Defence Mission is implemented through a series of supporting objectives, which were set out in the Strategic Defence Review White Paper.

  RAF Maintenance Group Defence Agency
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are currently employed by the RAF Maintenance Group Defence Agency; what was the figure at its inception; on what date the RAF Maintenance Group Defence Agency published its report for 1997–98; and what was the cost of production of the report. [76880]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the RAF Maintenance Group Defence Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from K. J. M. Procter to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 24 March 1999:

  Parliamentary question—numbers of people employed by the RAF maintenance group defence agency and the 1997–98 report

  1. I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence concerning the numbers of people employed by the RAF Maintenance Group Defence Agency (MGDA) currently and at its inception, the date of publication of the MGDA's report for 1997–98 and the cost of production of the report. As Acting Chief Executive of the MGDA, these matters fall within my area of responsibility.

  2. Currently, the MGDA employs some 6,750 people (2,200 Servicemen and 4,550 civilians). At its inception in 1991, the Agency employed some 13,600 people (7,800 Servicemen and 5,800 civilians). During this time, of course, the Agency had reduced substantially in size by transfers and closures from 12 RAF stations and a similar number of other aerosystems, supply and signals units in 1991 to just 3 RAF stations now.

  3. The MGDA's Annual Report and Accounts for 1997–98 was published on 8 July 1998 and copies placed in the libraries of both Houses of Parliament. The cost of production of the report was about £8,000.

  Armed Forces (Uniforms)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information and guidance his Department gives to the United Kingdom textile industry when planning procurement of uniforms and textiles for the armed forces. [77464]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  [holding answer 18 March 1999]: The Defence Clothing & Textiles Agency (DCTA) is bound by EC Regulations which require all contracts with a potential value of more than £160,670 to be advertised in the "European Journal". Requirements to the value of £250,000 are also advertised in the MOD Contracts Bulletin. The Defence Suppliers Service publishes a booklet entitled "Selling to the MOD" to assist all companies considering my Department as a potential market for their goods. Seminars, exhibitions and "Meet the Buyer" events are also organised. The DCTA held two separate day conferences for Contractors during 1998 and
  312
  more are planned—these attract predominately UK contractors. The DCTA also provides ad hoc advice on potential future purchases, and operates a system to debrief unsuccessful tenderers on why their bids were unsuccessful. These activities are designed to ensure that a competitive environment is maintained to meet our objective of achieving Value for Money in the procurement of textile goods.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what proportion of the expenditure by his Department on uniforms for the armed forces during the last three years went to companies in the United Kingdom; [77466]

  (2) how much his Department has spent on procurement of uniforms for the armed forces in the last three years. [77465]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  [holding answer 18 March 1999]: Total expenditure on all items of clothing for the past three years was £159.092 million, 76 per cent. of which went to UK companies.

  Iraq
  Mr. Baylyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer on Iraq of 18 March 1999,Official Report, column 810, what threats to the coalition came from the area of the Syrian Christian community of Ainawa, near Erdbil. [78368]

  Mr. George Robertson
  [holding answer 23 March 1999]: I am not aware of any threats to UK aircraft from the area of Erdbil.

  Recruitment
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of recruits to each of the armed services in each of the past three years for which figures are available; what the recruitment targets were; and whether current recruitment targets are being achieved. [77486]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  The recruitment targets and achievements for each of the Armed Services over the last three completed financial years were:

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  Naval Service

  Target

  2,682

  4,607

  5,310

  Achievement

  (86%) 2,315

  (85%) 3,909

  (85%) 4,536

  Army

  Target

  15,805

  15,830

  16,504

  Achievement

  (75%) 11,785

  (91%) 14,366

  (89%) 14,658

  RAF

  Target

  2,814

  3,283

  4,163

  Achievement

  (92%) 2,601

  (88%) 2,877

  (92%) 3,839

  For the current financial year, the recruitment achievement to date is:

  Target

  Achievement (%)

  Naval Service

  5,088

  93

  Army

  16,446

  96

  RAF

  4,622

  95

  Military Exports (Private Flights)
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the RAF airfields from which private companies have exported goods in the last five years. [77250]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I have been asked to reply.

  HM Customs and Excise does not keep records of such information.

HEALTH

  Health Authority Debt
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the total debt(a) in cash terms and (b) as a percentage of income, of each trust and health authority at the end of each of the last five financial years. [76477]

  Mr. Denham
  [holding answer 15 March 1999]: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by NHS region the bad debts and claims abandoned by each health authority, for each of the last five years. [76486]

  Mr. Denham
  [holding answer 15 March 1999]: Detailed information on bad debts and claims abandoned is not held centrally, but copies of expenditure by each health authority on these items has been placed in the Library.

  Barnet Health Authority additional funds from November 1998

  Date

  Purpose

  Amount (£000)

  1998–99

  13 November 1998

  1998–99 winter additions

  1,080

  8 December 1998

  colorectal cancer

  63

  21 December 1998

  waiting list performance fund

  217

  2 February 1999

  winter pressures contingency

  110

  1999–2000

  10 November 98

  cash uplift for 1999–2000 revenue allocations including modernisation funding as itemised below: waiting lists (£ 1,706k)

  12,899

  primary care group management costs (£886k)

  improving primary care (£501k)

  mental health (£440k)

  10 November 1998

  special allocation—drugs misuse

  94

  17 February 1999

  special assistance funding (last tranche)

  170

  Barnet Hospital
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total capital cost of the approved scheme for Phase 1b at Barnet Hospital. [77581]

  Mr. Denham
  The total capital cost of the approved scheme for Phase 1b at Barnet General Hospital is £65.5 million.

  Drugs Dispensing
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on permitting pharmacists to prescribe drugs; and if he will make a statement. [77842]

  Breast Screening Programme
  Mr. Stinchcombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what contingency plans he has to implement the findings of the pilot studies on extending the routine call element of the breast screening programme to women aged 65 to 69 years, as soon as they are published in 2001. [77339]

  Mr. Hutton
  The decision whether or not to extend the breast screening programme to all women aged 65–69 will be taken by Ministers, advised by the National Screening Committee, in light of the evaluation of the final results of the three pilot studies.

  We recognise the pressures on the current programme due to increasing numbers of eligible women and staff shortages. In October 1998, the Chief Medical Officer set up a working group, with membership drawn from the relevant professional bodies, to look at these issues in more detail. He is currently considering their report.

  Barnet Health Authority
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what additional funds(a) have been made available, and (b) have been allocated for future use, to Barnet Health Authority since November 1998; and for what purposes these funds have been allocated. [77580]

  Mr. Denham
  The table shows the additional resources for Barnet Health Authority that have been announced since November 1998.

  Mr. Denham
  The possible prescribing of drugs by various professions, including pharmacists, is referred to in the final report of the Review of Prescribing, Supply and Administration of Medicines, which the Department issued on 8 March for consideration and comment. Copies of the report are available in the Library. We have also had preliminary discussions with various pharmacy, medical and nursing bodies about the possibility of community pharmacists supplying medicines—in particular those for certain minor illnesses—without prescriptions, but on the National Health Service.

  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the right of doctors to dispense drugs; and if he will make a statement. [77862]
  315
  Mr. Denham
  From time to time the Department receives representations from various parties about the rules governing the dispensing of National Health Service prescriptions by general practitioners in rural areas. In particular, departmental officials have recently met representatives of the General Practitioners Committee of the British Medical Association, the Dispensing Doctors Association and the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee to discuss those organisations' ideas for changes to the relevant regulations.

  Care Standards
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the proposed regional commissions for care standards to be introduced. [77908]

  Mr. Hutton
  We want to establish the Commissions for Care Standards as soon as possible; however this will require primary legislation and will depend on legislative time being available.

  Primary Care Boards
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the extra administrative costs to the National Health Service of the introduction of primary care boards. [78134]

  Mr. Denham
  There will be no extra administrative costs to the National Health Service arising from the introduction of primary care groups. The combined health authority and PCG management costs will be less than the management costs of the previous system of HAs and general practitioner fundholders. This will contribute towards our commitment to deliver a £1 billion saving in NHS management costs over the life of this Parliament.

  HIV
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money he has allocated in the last year for which figures are available for research into the HIV virus in Great Britain. [78124]

  Ms Jowell
  Departmental expenditure on HIV/AIDS research in 1997–98 was £117,000 for wholly funded work and around £1.275 million on partly funded research. The National Health Service research and development levy is also used to support research and development in health care settings. Project details are not held centrally and some further HIV/AIDS work may be supported by this route.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have the HIV virus in Great Britain. [78128]

  Ms Jowell
  It is currently estimated that there were around 25,000 HIV infected adults (age 15 years and over) alive at the end of 1997. This figure includes diagnosed and undiagnosed infections.

  Bovine Tuberculosis (Cheese)
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the policy of his Department in relation to stocks of cheese made with milk from a dairy herd which subsequently experiences an outbreak of bovine TB. [78110]
  316
  Ms Jowell
  The Dairy Products (Hygiene) Regulations 1995 require that raw cows milk shall come from animals belonging to a herd which is officially tuberculosis free, otherwise it may be sold for human consumption only after it has been heat treated.

  Where cheese has been made with heat treated milk there would be no food safety implications. However, in the case of cheese made from unpasteurised cows milk, the Department would liaise with food authorities to ensure that there were no public health implications or food safety risks before allowing the marketing of that cheese.

  Rowntree Report
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the Rowntree report's proposal to support food projects as a way to tackle health and social problems; and if he will make a statement. [78130]

  Ms Jowell
  This is an interesting and timely report. It is particularly relevant to the work currently being undertaken by the Social Exclusion Unit following the publication of its report "Bringing Britain together: a national strategy for neighbourhood renewal". The findings of the report funded by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation will also be useful in taking forward the twin aims of the Government's health strategy for England: improving health and tackling inequalities. These were set out in the green paper "Our Healthier Nation" and the white paper will be published shortly. As the Joseph Rowntree Foundation report points out, local food projects are just one way of improving access to food which may have long term health benefits in terms of enabling more people to make healthy eating choices. However, the other benefits of improving self confidence, self esteem, and self worth, which all contribute to give people and the communities they live in a sense of well being, are equally important in tackling inequalities and improving overall health.

  Milk (Food Poisoning)
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that food poisoning incidents attributable to a failure of the pasteurisation process are correctly recorded as emanating from imperfectly pasteurised milk rather than from unpasteurised milk; and if he will make a statement. [78111]

  Ms Jowell
  Investigations into food poisoning outbreaks are usually undertaken by the local authority and the Public Health Laboratory Service. If milk is identified as the source of an outbreak and the investigation is able to establish if the milk was unpasteurised, contaminated post-pasteurisation or subject to pasteurisation failure, then this information will be recorded.

  Hospitals (Accidents)
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what statistics his Department collates on accidents to in-patients in National Health Service hospitals. [78363]

  Mr. Denham
  [holding answer 23 March 1999]: Information about accidents to in-patients is not available centrally. Individual National Health Service trusts are

  317
  responsible for keeping information on accidents involving patients and the general public on their premises.

  Mobile Phones
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to place a health warning on mobile phones. [77642]

  Mr. Wills
  I have been asked to reply.

  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Ms Walley) on 8 June 1998, Official Report, column 440.

  Mobile communications equipment should comply with the guidelines for restricting human exposure to electromagnetic fields of the National Radiological Protection Board. Whilst there has been renewed media interest in this subject there has been no new scientific evidence on which to base any changes to the guidelines.

  There are no plans to require mobile phones to have a health warning.

  Professional Regulation
  Ms Moran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what statutory protection is provided to the patients of (i) paramedics, (ii) chiropodists, (iii) physiotherapists, (iv) clinical psychologists, (v) occupational therapists and (vi) speech therapists in(a) the National Health Service and (b) the private sector; and what plans he has to introduce measures to provide additional protection. [75224]

  Mr. Denham
  [pursuant to his reply, 15 March 1999, c. 555–56]: I regret that my previous answer contained inaccurate information relating to the restrictions on National Health Service employment of clinical psychologists and proposals for statutory regulation. The revised reply is as follows.

  Chiropodists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists are regulated under the Professions Supplementary to Medicine Act 1960. It is an offence

  Date

  Destination

  Reason

  Personnel

  £

  1997

  12–14 May

  Cannes

  Launch Scottish Film Day

  Sam Galbraith, Private Secretary and 2 officials

  4,160

  19–20 May

  Brussels

  Agriculture Council

  Lord Sewel and Private Secretary

  1,480

  1–2 June

  Brussels

  Meet EU Commissioners

  Lord Sewel, Private Secretary and official

  1,980

  25–27 June

  Luxembourg

  Education Council

  Brian Wilson and Private Secretary

  1,630

  20–21 August

  Santiago

  Attend Celtic Watersports Festival and tourism promotion

  Brian Wilson and Private Secretary

  1,685

  2–4 September

  Copenhagen

  Study tour of Danish sport participation and school sports

  Sam Galbraith, Private Secretary and official

  2,305

  20–28 September

  USA

  Inward investment and trade promotion

  Secretary of State and Private Secretary

  13,060

  8–9 October

  Brussels

  Fact finding mission for Scottish Parliament

  Secretary of State, Private Secretary and 5 officials

  3,980

  4–10 October

  Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan

  Inward investment and trade promotion

  Brian Wilson, Private Secretary and official

  25,070

  5–6 October

  Munich

  Fact finding mission for Scottish Parliament

  Henry McLeish, Private Secretary and 4 officials

  4,910

  7–9 October

  Oslo and Tampere

  Meet Norwegian and Finnish Ministers to discuss Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry and the Environment

  Lord Sewel, Private Secretary and 3 officials

  5,935

  16 October

  Luxembourg

  Environmental Council

  Lord Sewel, Private Secretary and official

  3,145

  318
  to pretend to be registered under that Act. In addition, employment in the National Health Service is restricted to those who are registered under the Act. We plan to replace the Act with new legislation to improve public protection, including restricting the use of common professional title to registered practitioners wherever they work.

  NHS employment of speech and language therapists is restricted to members of the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists. NHS employment of paramedics is restricted to those who have a qualification accredited by the Institute of Health Care Development. We are currently considering petitions to extend the 1960 Act to these two professions.

  NHS employment of clinical psychologists is restricted to those who are eligible for registration as a Chartered Psychologist with the British Psychological Society. The Society manages a voluntary register under the auspices of the Privy Council.

  The Health Bill, currently before Parliament, contains proposals for the strengthening of professional self-regulation.

SCOTLAND

  Overseas Travel
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list, for each overseas trip by his Ministers and officials, since 1 May 1997(a) the individuals who travelled, (b) the total costs of the trip broken down as available, (c) the destination of the trip and (d) the reason for the trip; and if he will make a statement. [69253]

  Mr. Dewar
  [holding answer 4 February 1999]: All overseas visits by Ministers are conducted in accordance with the principles set out in the Ministerial Code. Information in the form requested is not held centrally and could be collated only at disproportionate cost. The figures given are estimates of costs attributable to officials. In accordance with convention the names of officials who accompany a Minister have not been given.
  319

  Date

  Destination

  Reason

  Personnel

  £

  20–21 October

  Luxembourg

  Agriculture Council

  Lord Sewel and Private Secretary

  1,345

  20–22 October

  Ireland

  Gaelic related issues

  Brian Wilson

  500

  29–31 October

  Luxembourg

  Fisheries Council

  Lord Sewel, Private Secretary and 2 officials

  3,160

  19–20 November

  Brussels

  Education Council

  Brian Wilson, Private Secretary and official

  1,590

  1–2 December

  Brussels

  Give St. Andrew's Day Lecture and meet EU Commissioner

  Secretary of State, Private Secretary and official

  1,315

  8 December

  Luxembourg

  ESDP Bilaterals

  Malcolm Chisholm, Private Secretary and 2 officials

  2,465

  17–18 December

  Brussels

  Fisheries Council

  Lord Sewel, Private Secretary and official

  2,140

  1998

  12–13 January

  Copenhagen and Stockholm

  ESDP Bilateral

  Calum Macdonald, Private Secretary and 2 officials

  2,100

  20–22 January

  Helsinki and Bonn

  ESDP Bilateral

  Calum Macdonald, Private Secretary and 2 officials

  2,900

  25–26 February

  Paris

  ESDP Bilateral

  Calum Macdonald, Private Secretary and official

  900

  11–12 March

  Dublin

  ESDP Bilateral

  Calum Macdonald, Private Secretary and 2 officials

  1,200

  12–14 March

  Madrid, Toledo and Barcelona

  Fact finding visit for Scottish Parliament

  Secretary of State, Private Secretary and 2 officials

  3,500

  24 March

  Brussels

  Fisheries Council

  Lord Sewel, Private Secretary and official

  1,150

  25–27 March

  Nice

  METREX

  Calum Macdonald, Private Secretary and official

  1,800

  2 April

  Paris

  ESDP Bilateral

  Calum Macdonald, Private Secretary and 2 officials

  1,300

  14–16 April

  Helsinki

  Fact finding visit for Scottish Parliament

  Henry McLeish, Private Secretary and 3 officials

  4,800

  25–30 April

  USA

  Inward investment promotion

  Brian Wilson, Private Secretary and official

  15,000

  28 April

  Brussels

  European Seafood Exposition

  Lord Sewel, Private Secretary and official

  1,900

  29–30 April

  Luxembourg

  Health Council

  Sam Galbraith, Private Secretary and 2 officials

  2,400

  22 May

  Catania

  Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions

  Calum Macdonald, Private Secretary and official

  2,200

  27 May

  Brussels

  Communicable Diseases Council

  Sam Galbraith, Private Secretary and official

  1,100

  1–4 June

  Lisbon

  European Forestry Ministers Conference

  Lord Sewel and Private Secretary

  1,800

  3–4 June

  Luxembourg

  Education Council

  Brian Wilson, Private Secretary and official

  1,700

  8 June

  Luxembourg

  Fisheries Council

  Lord Sewel, Private Secretary and 3 officials

  4,400

  10–11 June

  Paris

  Attend Opening Match of FIFA World Cup Finals

  Secretary of State, Private Secretary and 1 official

  1,400

  14–17 June

  Bordeaux

  Trade promotion and attend FIFA World Cup Match

  Brian Wilson and Private Secretary

  1,200

  17–19 June

  Strasbourg, Brussels and Bonn

  Meet Ministers to discuss European affairs and structural funds

  Calum Macdonald, Private Secretary and official

  2,700

  23–24 June

  St. Etienne

  Attend FIFA World Cup Match

  Calum Macdonald and official

  500

  25–27 June

  Prague

  Meet European Education Ministers

  Brian Wilson, Private Secretary and 2 officials

  3,950

  9–12 September

  Kuala Lumpur

  Attend Commonwealth Games

  Sam Galbraith, Private Secretary and official

  14,355

  21–22 October

  Luxembourg

  Fisheries Council

  Calum Macdonald, Private Secretary

  1,130

  13–15 November

  Granada

  Attend British-Spanish Tertulias

  Secretary of State and Private Secretary

  2,025

  23–24 November

  Brussels

  Agriculture Council

  Lord Sewel, Private Secretary and official

  1,880

  23–25 November

  Munich and Helsinki

  Address Scotland Bavaria Forum and meet Finnish Env. Affairs Minister

  Calum Macdonald, Private Secretary and official (Helsinki only)

  3,545

  17–18 December

  Brussels

  Fisheries Council

  Lord Sewel and Private Secretary

  1,275

  21 December

  Brussels

  Environment Council

  Lord Sewel and Private Secretary

  1,045

  1999

  7–8 February

  Gothenberg

  Meet Volvo senior managers

  Lord Macdonald, Private Secretary and official

  1,110

  8–10 February

  Strasbourg

  Visit European Parliament and address MEPs on devolution issues

  Secretary of State, Private Secretary and 4 officials

  5,115

  16 February

  Bonn

  Meet German Finance Minister

  Secretary of State, Private Secretary and 2 officials

  2,440

  22–26 February

  Brussels

  Agriculture Council

  Lord Sewel, Private Secretary and 2 officials

  2,635

  320 321
  The cost of these visits is part of this Administration's expenditure on ministerial overseas travel which in 1997–98 was £6.1 compared to £7.8 million in the last year of the previous administration.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Tyrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the total number of occasions when(a) departmental and (b) non-departmental special advisers have travelled abroad in an official capacity since 2 May 1997.[76823]

  Mr. Dewar
  [holding answer 19 March 1999]: Since 2 May 1997, my Special Advisers have made visits overseas on four occasions in an official capacity. All such travel complied with the requirements of the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.

  Means-tested Benefits
  Mrs. Laing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people(a) aged 15 to 25 years,

  Housing Benefit (HB) and Council Tax Benefit (CTB) recipients by age of claimant excluding claimants of IS, JSA (IB), FC and DWA—Scotland

  Aged 15–25

  Aged 26–40

  Aged 41–65

  All recipients

  HB

  CTB

  HB

  CTB

  HB

  CTB

  HB

  CTB

  May 1992

  7

  n/a

  23

  n/a

  71

  n/a

  228

  n/a

  May 1993

  8

  3

  20

  18

  68

  70

  211

  258

  May 1994

  6

  3

  18

  12

  64

  67

  199

  235

  May 1995

  6

  3

  17

  17

  62

  70

  185

  233

  May 1996

  8

  3

  20

  16

  60

  70

  183

  223

  May 1997

  4

  2

  19

  19

  59

  72

  176

  225

  Provisional May 1998

  4

  2

  20

  20

  55

  71

  168

  224

  Notes:

  1.In general, children below the age of 18 are not entitled to benefit. Young people aged 16–17 can receive IS or JSA (IB) if they satisfy the conditions of entitlement and are in one of a number of a categories.

  2.It has not been possible to provide a single figure representing the number of means-tested benefit recipients in Scotland. This is due to the fact that an individual may be in receipt of more than one means-tested benefit and it has not been possible to remove all overlaps between HB and CTB in Scotland due to the data collection procedure.

  3.We estimate however that approximately 65 per cent. of HB recipients also receive CTB.

  4.Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand and as such totals may not sum.

  5.IS, JSA and FC figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample of benefits claimants. CTB and HB estimates are based on a 1 per cent. sample of Housing Benefit Management System and are subject to a degree of sampling error. DWA is based on a 100 per cent. scan of all DWA claimants.

  6.Estimates are based on samples taken at May of each of the years.

  7.Figures are not available for DWA as at May 1992.

  8.IS figures prior to October 1996 include unemployed claimants.

  9.Information refers to benefit units.

  10.The information on HB and CTB does not include second adult rebate cases.

  Sources:

  Housing Benefit Management System, annual 1 per cent. sample inquiries taken in May of each year shown.

  Houses in Multiple Occupation
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what conclusions the Government have drawn from its consultations on proposals for the introducing of Mandatory Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation in Scotland.[78858]
  322
  (b) aged 26 to 40 years, (c) aged 41 to 65 years and (d) in total received a means-tested benefit in Scotland in each year since 1992.[77771]

  Angela Eagle
  I have been asked to reply.

  The information requested is set out in the tables.

  Income Support (IS), Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA(IB)), Family Credit (FC) and Disability Working Allowance (DWA) recipients by age of claimant, excluding any overlaps between these benefits, for Scotland: 1992–98

  Thousands

  Number of benefit recipients

  Aged 15 to 25

  Aged 26 to 40

  Aged 41 to 65

  All recipients

  May 1992

  125

  177

  138

  566

  May 1993

  117

  193

  146

  599

  May 1994

  116

  206

  156

  621

  May 1995

  113

  212

  159

  623

  May 1996

  110

  213

  163

  625

  May 1997

  95

  204

  162

  596

  May 1998

  89

  198

  164

  583

  Notes:

  1. DWA 100 per cent. count of claims.

  2. FC 5 per cent. sample of awards.

  Sources:

  1. IS Statistics Quarterly Enquiries, May 1992 to May 1998.

  2. Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) Statistics Quarterly Enquiries, May 1997 to May 1998.

  Mr. Dewar
  Some 86 bodies and individuals to the Consultation Paper on the Mandatory Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation which was issued last year. The overwhelming majority of those responding supported the case for making it mandatory for all local authorities in Scotland to introduce licensing of houses in multiple occupation.
  323
  The Consultation Paper also sought views on the best way of implementing mandatory licensing and the scope of any licensing scheme. In the light of the responses to the consultation paper, we believe that mandatory licensing of houses in multiple occupation should be introduced initially by means of an Order under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 although it may be desirable to introduce new primary legislation in the longer term.

  We envisage that any licensing scheme should be based on a definition of a house in multiple occupation as a house which is the only or principal residence of a specified number of persons who are not all members of one family or one or other of two families. We also envisage that there would be a staged implementation of the licensing by progressively reducing the number of specified persons so that the largest houses in multiple occupation would be licensed first but, over time, all houses in multiple occupation would be included in the scheme. The activity to be licensed would be the letting of premises as a house in multiple occupation but we believe that the definition should be extended to include other situations where occupancy rights in houses in multiple occupation are granted, outside of conventional lets.

  We have also given careful consideration to the views of consultees on the need for exemptions from the proposed licensing scheme and we believe that the only categories of houses in multiple occupation that should be exempted are those owned by local authorities (since local authorities will be bodies responsible for enforcement) and residential and nursing homes which are already subject to registration and enforcement by the local authority or health board.

  The Consultation Paper sought views on a number of possible modifications of licensing procedures linked to the use of the powers under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. There was strong support for the proposal to extend the period during which an application for a new licence might be considered by the local authority to ensure that applicants have sufficient time to undertake remedial works specified as licensing conditions before a licence is granted. There was also support for granting an authorised officer of a local authority, with the approval of the Court, the power to enter and search premises where there are reasonable grounds for believing that it is being let as a house in multiple occupation but without a licence. We believe that both of these changes should be incorporated into the proposed Order and that account should also be taken of the suggestion, made by some consultees, to exempt women's refuges from the public notification procedures in the 1982 Act to help safeguard the anonymity of this particular type of house in multiple occupation.

  We consider that a licensing system along these lines would give increased protection to tenants without penalising those responsible landlords who are already providing satisfactory housing. We hope that the Scottish Parliament will give early priority to these proposals and their detailed implementation would be taken forward in consultation with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and other relevant interests.

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

  Select Committee Reports
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if(a) he, (b) civil servants in his Department or (c) special advisers in his Department have (i) had sight of drafts of Select Committee reports, in whole or in part, or (ii) been informed of conclusions of Select Committee reports prior to their publication by the Select Committees.[75874]

  Mr. Dewar
  On 26 November 1998, the Glasgow Herald newspaper printed what it claimed were extracts from the then unpublished report of an inquiry into "The operation of multi-layer democracy" by the Scottish Affairs Select Committee. This provoked widespread media coverage and comment on that and subsequent days, and I was approached for comment by many journalists.

  Inquiries established that the Committee had made its report to the House on 18 November. By 26 November the report was with the printers, and it was published on 2 December 1998. I received protests from members of the Committee about the way in which the contents of the report were being reported. My own initial comments reflected those concerns.

  I made it clear to those members of the Committee to whom I spoke that my only concern was to assess the accuracy of the press reports by then appearing in many newspapers. A member of the Committee supplied me with extracts from the report which confirmed that the extensive quotations contained in the media coverage were accurate but not complete. In particular, the Glasgow Herald had not chosen to report the Report's single conclusion, that
  "we wholeheartedly welcome the Scottish Parliament and Executive and wish them all possible success".

  Neither I nor anyone acting on my behalf made any attempt nor had any opportunity to influence the Committee's consideration of the report nor the terms of the report itself. Neither did I nor anyone acting on my behalf comment on the report in advance of its publication other than in response to the publication of extracts from a leaked copy by the Glasgow Herald

  Neither I nor ministerial colleagues in the Scottish Office nor our parliamentary private secretaries have seen drafts of any other Select Committee reports, nor of parts of reports including their conclusions, before publication. Nor to the best of my knowledge have there been any other occasions on which such material has been given to civil servants or special advisers in my Department. This excludes embargoed copies of reports, including the report published on 2 December 1998, issued under House of Commons Standing Orders.

  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a of list leaked Select Committee documents that reached(a) him, (b) his Ministers, (c) his officials, (d) his advisers and (e) departmental parliamentary private secretaries during (i) 1997, (ii) 1998 and (iii) 1999.[77929]

  Mr. Dewar
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave today to the right hon. Member for Penrith and The Border (Mr. Maclean),Official Report, column 324. I know of no other such documents.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Meat Hygiene Service
  Mrs. Fiona Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to introduce training programmes for OVS level staff in the Meat Hygiene Service.[62783]

  Mr. Rooker
  Official Veterinary Surgeons (OVSs) are qualified veterinary surgeons. The veterinary undergraduate course is approximately five years and is extensive and intensive. It incorporates training in microbiology, pathology, veterinary public health and zoonotic disease. In addition, and before commencing as OVSs, veterinary surgeons are required to undertake the OVS accreditation course. This provides refresher training in meat hygiene and inspection, animal welfare and relevant legislation.

  The MHS also launched its Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme in April 1997 as a mechanism for addressing the training and professional development needs of OVSs. In partnership with various training providers, the MHS provides at least two days training per year to facilitate CPD to ensure that the skills and knowledge of OVSs are up to date. OVSs must undertake a minimum of a further three days CPD obtained from other sources such as the Veterinary Public Health Association/British Veterinary Association Conferences and other commercially provided CPD.

  Training in enforcement, assertiveness and other management skills continues to form part of the MHS's ongoing training programme for OVSs.

  Badger Culling
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about Crown immunity in relation to the randomised badger culling trial.[67012]

  Mr. Rooker
  The Protection of Badgers Act 1992 does not bind the Crown. Therefore, in the context of the trial, the licence requirements contained in the Act do not apply to the Minister. The trial is taking place with the agreement of landowners as part of a wide-ranging approach to dealing with an increasing and urgent bovine TB problem. It is being conducted by Ministry staff in designated areas in accordance with the recommendations of the Independent Scientific Group chaired by Professor Bourne, which take account of welfare concerns.

  Horticulture and Fruit Industry
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those(a) schemes and (b) initiatives which have been introduced by the public and the private sector during the last five years that have been aimed at improving quality standards in the horticulture and fruit industry.[66496]

  Mr. Rooker
  The reformed fruit and vegetable regime emphasises the importance of maintaining and improving quality. Actions to achieve that objective may attract financial assistance within agreed operational programmes. We expect that such programmes will have received in total some £6.5m in the UK in respect of 1998.
  326
  In addition, the Horticultural Marketing Inspectorate continues to assist the sector to achieve the standard required by EU legislation.

  I am not responsible for initiatives in the private sector, but I would commend the Assured Produce Scheme which has been set up by the National Farmers Union and which has the strong support of the multiple retailers.

  Primate Imports (Research)
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many primates imported to the United Kingdom in 1998 for research purposes from(a) China, (b) Mauritius, (c) Indonesia and (d) the Philippines were (i) found to be dead on arrival and (ii) suffered serious injury during transit.[69283]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 4 February 1999]: All primates imported into the UK are required to undergo six months in quarantine. Following arrival in the quarantine premises, the Veterinary Surgeon or Medical Supervisor appointed to the premises completes reports on the health of the animals on arrival. During 1998, all primates imported from China, Mauritius and the Philippines were reported as being found healthy on arrival. There were no primates imported into the UK from Indonesia during 1998.

  Food Sampling
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what action his Department has taken in the past two years when the rates of(a) food sampling and (b) food analysis by local authorities, in relation to their statutory duties on food law, have fallen;[77512]

  (2) if he will list the occasions on which he has taken action in respect of a local authority which failed to take sufficient or appropriate samples of food in relation to its statutory duties under food law in the last five years. [77952]

  Mr. Rooker
  Local authorities whose sampling rates fall below acceptable levels are sent a written reminder of their obligations by the Ministry. To date there have been no occasions when action has been required under section 42 of the Food Safety Act 1990.

  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how much money was(a) allocated to and (b) spent by each individual local authority in each of the financial years 1989–90 to 1997–98 on the sampling and analysis of food, pursuant to their statutory duty;[77499]

  (2)how much money was spent in each year between 1989–90 and 1997–98 and in 1998–99 to date by local authorities on their statutory duties in relation to food; and what percentage this was of the total sum provided in the standard spending assessment for each of those financial years for the enforcement of the law in relation to food control;[77522]

  (3)how much was spent, in each of the financial years since 1989–90, by local authorities in relation to (i) food sampling and (ii) food analysis;[77536]
  327
  Mr. Rooker
  Enforcement of Food Law remains with local authorities and we do not hold figures on local authority expenditure on food control centrally.

  Live Animals (Transportation)
  Mr. Prosser
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce legislation requiring the master of a vessel carrying live farm animals to submit a written return on animals(a) injured and (b) dying during the voyage; and if he will make a statement.[77948]

  Mr. Morley
  I have no plans to introduce such a requirement, which would seem to be of minimal value in relation to roll-on/roll-off vessels. On the other hand, a requirement on these lines may be worthy of consideration when negotiations start on the proposals for detailed rules on specialist livestock vessels which the EU Commission is currently drawing up.

  Mr. Prosser
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what criteria he applies in deciding whether to use his powers under the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997 to prevent a vessel carrying live farm animals from sailing in adverse weather conditions; and if he will make a statement.[77947]

  Mr. Morley
  These powers are granted by WATO 1997 to Inspectors appointed as such by the Minister or by the local authority. MAFF Inspectors have comprehensive guidance covering the use of these powers in relation to rough weather sailings. I am placing a copy in the Library.

  Mr. Prosser
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what reasons the 'Cap Afrique' was allowed to sail in adverse weather conditions with live farm animals on board on 3 March; and if he will make a statement.[77945]

  Mr. Morley
  I presume my hon. Friend is referring to the voyage by the 'Cap Afrique' on 2 March. In the light of prevailing conditions, and after discussion with the master of the vessel, MAFF inspectors at the quayside were of the view that they did not have grounds for serving a notice prohibiting transport under Article 18 of the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997. A MAFF veterinarian accompanied the animals on the voyage and concluded that the animals were transported in compliance with the 1997 Order. I am placing a report in the Library.

  Minister for Science
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which meetings he has attended since July 1998 at which the Minister for Science was present where GM foods or crops were discussed.[73125]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 25 February 1999]: None.

  Genetically Modified Crops
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to require segregation of genetically modified crops from other crops imported into the United Kingdom under the WTO rules relating to the right to protect human health and the application of the precautionary principle.[78255]
  328
  Mr. Rooker
  All genetically modified (GM) crops which are permitted to be imported into the UK have been approved following a rigorous assessment of their safety. It is therefore not possible to require segregation under WTO rules.

  Fisheries Council
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the agenda for the forthcoming EC Fisheries Council of 30 March. [78395]

  Mr. Morley
  The agenda for the Council is expected to cover an orientation debate on proposals for reform of fisheries structural funds; a Commission presentation of its proposals for reform of the common market organisation in fisheries products and on the listing of serious infringements of EU fisheries controls; and adoption of autonomous tariff quotas for fisheries products.

  I shall represent the UK and will be asking the Commission under Any Other Business for a report on progress on the allocation of new quotas for shrimp, spurdog and blue whiting and on the introduction of closed areas for sandeels.

  Farmland Access (Horseriders)
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to provide financial assistance to those farmers who provide new opportunities for access to their land by horseriders; and if he will make a statement.[78220]

  Mr. Morley
  Payments are available for farmers who provide voluntary access for horseriders on their land under the Countryside Stewardship Scheme. Agreements are for 10 years. An independent evaluation of the access provisions under the agri-environment schemes, including the Countryside Stewardship Scheme, was carried out in 1998. This will form the basis of a review including consideration of access for horseriders under Countryside Stewardship in future.

  Regional Development Funding
  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total budget for the EAGGF South West Objective 5b Area for Devon and Cornwall; how much money has been received by the Government in respect of the fund; what is the actual amount spent; and what is the balance as yet unspent.[78372]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 23 March 1999]: The total EAGGF allocation for the South West Objective 5b area is £30.14 million. Of this 89.5 per cent. has been committed to projects. £6.33 million has been spent by projects to date. The unspent balance is £23.81 million. Advances of EAGGF funds are paid when expenditure trigger points are reached. So far £1.94 million has been received and a further payment of 9.26 million euros (approximately £6.59 million) is being processed by the Commission.

  Tridemorph
  Mr. Bradshaw
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action the Government are taking in respect of the pesticide Tridemorph. [78922]
  329
  Mr. Rooker
  The independent Advisory Committee on Pesticides has considered new scientific information and has identified a possible risk of harm to the unborn child if the mother is exposed to high levels of the fungicide tridemorph while working with the compound.

  The Government's first priority is human safety. We therefore acted on 19 March to impose, with immediate effect, stringent measures designed to minimise the risk of harmful exposure. These include engineering controls and protective clothing as well as restrictions on the maximum dose and the way in which it may be applied to the crop. We are also requiring those companies that market the pesticide to mount an active information campaign to inform pesticide users of the issues and the action which they should take.

  Genetic Modification
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what response the Government have made to the House of Lords European Communities Committee report of Session 1998–99 on EC regulation of genetic modification in agriculture (HL 11).[78923]

  Mr. Rooker
  The Government have welcomed the Report as making an important contribution to the intense debate on the regulation of GMOs in agriculture through the presentation of a balanced and considered perspective on the key issues surrounding the application of biotechnology in agriculture and food production.
  330
  The Government's response in particular welcomes a number of the Committees's recommendations. It makes the point that vigorous and wide-ranging assessment of risks to the environment and human health must continue to form the foundations of the regulatory process and that the Government are committed to ensuring that risk assessment provisions are strengthened and extended to include indirect and delayed environmental monitoring on the grounds that this will allow a clear picture to be built up of the environmental effects of GMOs, and enable the assumptions in the risk assessment to be verified.

  The response further welcomes the Committee's recommendations on labelling and makes it clear that the Government are pressing the European Commission to develop further proposals on thresholds for adventitious contamination and a list of materials from GM crops that will not require labelling.

  Finally, the response states that the effective and timely revision of Directive 90/220 on the deliberate release into the environment of GMOs is a major priority for the Government. It offers the opportunity to reinforce the existing legislation to secure full protection for human health and the environment, while providing a stable and predictable regime which will maintain UK and EU competitiveness in the commercial exploitation of biotechnology and genome research. The European Parliament adopted its first reading Opinion in February 1999. The Government welcome the Opinion, and support the Parliament's call for moves to reach a common position shortly.

  A copy of the Government's response is available in the Library of the House.

  Derbyshire Police: "Outreach"
  Derbyshire Police: "Outreach"
  Immigration and Nationality Directorate
  Immigration and Nationality Directorate
  Stephen Lawrence Inquiry
  Stephen Lawrence Inquiry
  VAT Threshold
  VAT Threshold
  Central Government Corporate Tax
  Central Government Corporate Tax
  Petrol Taxes
  Petrol Taxes
  Income Tax
  Income Tax
  Sixth VAT Directive
  Sixth VAT Directive
  NESTA
  NESTA
  Iraq
  Iraq
  Defence Mission Statement
  Defence Mission Statement
  Medicines: Safety for Children
  Medicines: Safety for Children
  Beef Exports, Northern Ireland
  Beef Exports, Northern Ireland
  Artificial Insemination Regulations
  Artificial Insemination Regulations
  Genetic Modification in Agriculture
  Genetic Modification in Agriculture
  Enemy Property Claims Assessment Panel
  Enemy Property Claims Assessment Panel