Written Answers of 17 May 1999

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Albania
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what is the budget for her Department's office in Tirana, Albania; how many staff are in post and at what grades; who is the budget holder in Tirana and what is his authorised level of expenditure; what is the role of the Crown Agents; and if she will make a statement. [84125]

  Clare Short
  Monthly running costs for the DFID Tirana office are £75,000 (inclusive of staffing, rent and utilities). There are currently 10 British recruited and one locally recruited members of staff: the head of office, specialists in camp planning and development, logistics, health, NGO liaison, and an administrator. The head of office holds an initial budget of £1 million for projects with delegated authority of up to £100,000. The Crown Agents are providing, under contract to DFID, the emergency logistics team who are managing the office. Crown Agents may also be used for procurement and other services.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Schengen
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 4 May 1999,Official Report, columns 340–41, if the letter from the Dutch Government of 16 July 1997 on the Amsterdam treaty negotiations was referred to during Council discussions on the Home Secretary's proposal to join elements of the Schengen system. [83963]

  Ms Quin
  No.

  MEPs' Interests
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place(a) the Register of MEPs' interests and (b) the guidelines for MEPs registering interests in the Library. [83942]

  Ms Quin
  The register of MEPs' interests is held by the European Parliament in Brussels and Strasbourg where it is available for inspection by the public.

  The guidelines for MEPs registering interests are contained in Annex 1 of the European Parliament's Rules of Procedure, copies of which are available
  240
  from the European Parliament or on the Internet
  (www.europarl.eu.int).

  Kosovo (Ethnic Mix)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the pre-conflict Kosovan ethnic mix in(a) percentage and (b) numerical terms; and what measures he is planning to guarantee the security of non-Albanians in post-conflict Kosovo. [83926]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  Definitive statistics for Kosovo's pre-March 1999 ethnic make-up do not exist. On the available information, we estimate that Albanians represented between 70 per cent. and 90 per cent. of Kosovo's pre-March 1999 population (approximately 1.6 million). The remainder of the population consisted of Serbs and Montenegrins (perhaps 150,000), Muslims (up to 100,000), and Turks, Romanies and a group known as 'Egyptians' (probably less than 50,000).

  Our aim is a post-conflict administration of Kosovo that safeguards the security of all its people, irrespective of ethnic origin. That can be achieved only by means of a strong international military presence with a NATO core.

  Biological and Toxic Weapons
  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what(a) progress has been made and (b) issues remain unresolved in the negotiations concerning a protocol to the Biological and Toxic Weapons Conventions. [84210]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  Since 1995 an Ad Hoc Group of States Parties has been meeting in Geneva to consider measures to strengthen the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention. The United Kingdom is responsible for the key sessions on compliance measures and is playing a leading role in the negotiations. The Ad Hoc Group has made considerable progress and is now working on the text of a draft Protocol to the Convention. 1999 has already seen a significant intensification of this work with a total of 16 weeks available for the negotiations, the largest ever number. Much detailed work remains to be done, primarily on the technical aspects of the Protocol, but the UK, together with its EU partners, believes that an effective package of measures can be agreed during 2000. As an indication of the priority the UK attaches to its early and successful completion, we have offered to host the signing ceremony of the Protocol in London.

  Arms Sales
  Ms Perham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if a country may be admitted to the European Union without becoming a signatory to the European Union code of conduct on arms sales. [84257]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  In practice we would expect all EU member states to adhere in full to the Code of Conduct, including through participation in the information exchange and consultation mechanism established in the operative provisions of the Code.

  The Associated countries of Central and Eastern Europe, the Associated country Cyprus, and Iceland and

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  Norway have already aligned themselves with the criteria and the principles contained in the EU Code on Arms Exports.

  Visa Applicants (Islamabad)
  Mr. Stringer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visa applicants in 1998 were turned away from the Islamabad High Commission by the pre-sift process before their formal application had been considered. [84327]

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  I refer my hon Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Slough (Fiona Mactaggart) on 26 April 1999,Official Report, columns 32–33.

  Sudan
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent contact there has been with the Government of Sudan about the bombing by the USA of the factory in Khartoum; and if he will make a statement. [84227]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  We have been in regular contact with the Government of Sudan since the withdrawal of staff from Khartoum last August. Discussions have covered a whole range of issues, including Al Shifa. We are hopeful of a return to normal relations with the Sudan.

  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government to support the action of the USA in bombing the factory in Khartoum, Sudan; and if he will make a statement. [84226]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave his support to the US action last August as action against international terrorists. As Her Majesty's Government have said on many occasions since, the US told us at the time of the strike on Al Shifa that they had compelling evidence that the plant was being used for the production of chemical weapons materials.

CABINET OFFICE

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Tyrie
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to his answer of 31 March 1999,Official Report, column 709, on Special Advisers, if he will give the total travel cost of each occasion when a Special Adviser travelled abroad in an official capacity since 2 May 1997 and the place visited. [82434]

  Dr. Jack Cunningham
  For the period 2 May 1997 to 31 March 1999, Special Advisers in this Department accompanied me or my predecessor overseas in an official capacity on six occasions to the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Italy. The cost of this travel was £19,091. In addition, the UK anti-drugs co-ordinator and his deputy have travelled overseas in an official capacity 242
  on eight occasions to the USA, Canada, Austria, Czech Republic, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The cost of this travel was £18,178. All travel complied with the requirements of the Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Further Education Colleges
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what recent guidance has been given to colleges of further education concerning the attendance of members of the governing body; and if he will make a statement. [R] [84385]

  Mr. Mudie
  Further Education Corporations are required by their instrument of government to hold meetings at least once in each term. They may remove any governor from office who fails to attend meetings over a period of six months without their permission. The Further Education Funding Council will be issuing comprehensive new guidance for governors later this year.

  Unemployment (Coventry)
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps the Government are taking to improve the effectiveness of measures aimed at reducing the level of long-term unemployment among the over 25-year-olds in Coventry. [83972]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  Building on the New Deal for people aged 25 and over, which was introduced in June 1998 and gave those who had been unemployed for at least two years new subsidised employment and training opportunities, we introduced pilot schemes in 28 areas of Great Britain in November 1998. These have been designed to allow local partnerships more flexibility to try innovative ways of helping this age group back into work. One of these pilots is operating in Coventry, and is using a collaborative approach to delivering services through a range of partner organisations including the local city council. We are supporting their initiatives in helping long-term unemployed people find work, and will be evaluating this and the other pilots to see what works best and how help can be delivered most effectively in future for the benefit of unemployed adults in Coventry and elsewhere.

  Islington Local Education Authority
  Mr. White
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the report on the Ofsted inspection of Islington Local Education Authority is to be published. [84731]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The report is to be published by Ofsted tomorrow morning. Copies of the report and the Secretary of State's response will be placed in the Library tomorrow morning.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Paramilitary Violence
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if she will list for the week ended Saturday 1 May (1) the number of violent incidents involving paramilitary groups which took place in Northern Ireland, indicating how many involved(a) Loyalist and (b) Republican groups; [83893]

  (2) the number of (a) punishment beatings and (b) punishment shootings which took place in Northern Ireland, indicating how many in each category were committed by (i) Loyalist and (ii) Republican groups. [83894]

  Mr. Ingram
  The number of security incidents during the period 25 April-1 May 1999 are as follows:

  Shooting incidents: 3

  Bombing incidents: 3

  The number of casualties as a result of paramilitary-style attacks during the period are as follows:

  Loyalist

  Republican

  Assaults

  Nil

  1

  Shootings

  1

  Nil

  Total

  1

  1

  Note:

  1. Figures may be subject to minor amendment

  2. The shooting and bombing incidents cannot as yet be attributed to a grouping although 2 of the bombing incidents have been claimed by the Orange Volunteers.

  International Fund for Ireland
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what advice her Department gives to applicants to the International Fund for Ireland on how to accommodate the McBride principles in their applications. [83355]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  As my hon. Friend may know, the International Fund for Ireland is administered by an independent Board jointly appointed by the two Governments and all matters pertaining to the handling of applications are a matter for the Board.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Luton Bypass
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assistance the Government are giving towards the Luton north bypass. [83142]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The Luton Northern Bypass is a major long-term local authority scheme. Bedfordshire County Council and Luton Borough Council are currently working on a joint 5-year local transport plan submission for the area.

  In the Trunk Road Review, the A5 Dunstable Bypass and the Ml Junction 6A-10 Widening were included in the London to South Midlands Multi-Modal Study—
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  which is in Tranche 2 of the study programme starting in 2000–01. The study will address a range of issues including motorway congestion, development pressures, the contribution made by a shift to other modes of transport and access to major urban areas such as Luton and Dunstable.

  Capital Housing Receipts
  Mr. Paul Marsden:
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the total amount of capital housing receipts that have been released to Shrewsbury and Atcham borough council for each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [83924]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The following capital allocations have been made to Shrewsbury and Atcham under the Capital Receipts Initiative. Allocations are made in the form of Supplementary Credit Approvals.

  Year

  £

  1997–98

  219,000

  1998–99

  757,000

  1999–2000

  685,000

  These are available for spending on housing and housing related regeneration projects which meet local priorities.

  Council Tax Fraud
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what procedures are available to a local authority to take action against individuals who wrongly claim the single person's household council tax discount; and what monitoring he undertakes to ensure that local authorities check the validity of those claiming such a discount. [84034]

  Mr. Meale
  Billing authorities are under a duty in relation to each financial year to take "reasonable steps" to ascertain whether any discount applies to a dwelling before calculating the bill. It is for individual authorities to decide what action to take in the light of local circumstances but it usually takes the form of a written request for information from each household. Authorities also have powers to request information from certain public bodies such as the electoral registration officer. if a person receiving a discount fails to notify the authority that he is no longer (or never was) eligible for it he may be subject to a penalty 0f £50. It is for the local authority's auditor to satisfy itself that the local authority has the necessary procedures in place to fulfil its statutory duties.

  Aircraft Fuel Reserves
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many investigations have been held in the past year into aircraft arriving at UK airports with a fuel level lower than that required; how many have been in respect of aircraft landing at(a) Heathrow, (b) Gatwick and (c) Stansted; if he will investigate recent reports concerning an aircraft from Malaysia Airlines with nearly empty fuel tanks; and if he will make a statement. [84033]
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  Ms Glenda Jackson
  In the past year, the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has completed an investigation into a report by NATS of an air traffic control occurrence involving an aircraft landing at Gatwick low on fuel following its diversion from Manston. The AAIB report will be published in June.

  The AAIB is also currently investigating a further air traffic control occurrence report that an aircraft arrived at Stansted from Glasgow with fuel at the minimum level set out in the relevant company fuel policy, following a diversion from Gatwick; their report will be published in due course.

  The recent allegations concerning an aircraft of Malaysia Airlines (MAS) was not the subject of a formal occurrence report, but came from a confidential source. We have drawn the allegations to the Malaysian aeronautical authorities who are investigating the reported incidents. DETR and Civil Aviation Authority officials have also discussed the allegations in detail with representatives of the airline. MAS has co-operated fully in reviewing their fuel policy and examining why, on a very few occasions, low fuel levels may have been recorded at the completion of a flight. MAS has offered to provide weekly reports of fuel levels for all its aircraft on arrival in the UK and this has been incorporated into their conditions for operating into this country.

  In light of these recent allegations, the Civil Aviation Authority is to carry out an increased number of inspections of long haul aircraft arriving in the UK in the coming weeks, as part of a programme of checks on foreign aircraft at UK airports.

  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what reports he has received in the period since 1 January 1997 of aircraft arriving at(a) Luton and (b) Stansted with empty fuel tanks; and if he will make a statement. [84376]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  There have been no reports received in the period since 1 January 1997 of aircraft arriving at Luton or Stansted with empty fuel tanks.

  There has been one report of an aircraft arriving at Stansted from Glasgow on 12 September 1998 with fuel at the minimum level set out in the relevant company fuel policy, following a diversion from Gatwick. This incident is subject to an investigation by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch; their report has not yet been published.

  One report has been received of a light aircraft landing at Luton low on fuel.

  British Rail Employees (Asbestos)
  Ms Kelly
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what has been the(a) average length of time between diagnosis and receipt of compensation and (b) the average value of compensation paid for former employees of British Rail who are diagnosed as having (i) mesothelioma, (ii) asbestosis and (iii) primary carcinoma of the lung, related to exposure to asbestos in (1) the North West and (2) England. [84221]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  I understand from the British Railways Board that information is not available in a form which can be analysed in the manner requested without 246
  disproportionate cost. Since 1991, the Board has settled approximately 500 such claims. Diagnosis may occur before or after a claim is made.

  Weston-super-Mare (Town Council)
  Mr. Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he plans to reach a decision on the petition for a town council for Weston-super-Mare submitted by North Somerset Council. [84176]

  Mr. Meale
  [holding answer 14 May 1999]: We are currently considering a number of petitions and district reviews for new parish arrangements, including the petition for a town council for Weston-super-Mare. Our intention is to take decisions on a timescale to allow elections for any new parishes to be held in May 2000.

  Domestic-rated Properties
  Mr. Ennis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many domestic-rated properties there are currently in England. [84368]

  Mr. Meale
  The latest available information on the number of domestic-rated properties relate to 24 March 1999. There were in total 21.018 million dwellings for England on the Valuation Office Agency's lists at 24 March 1999.

  Council Tax (Students)
  Mr. Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to remove from students liability for council tax; and if he will make a statement. [84394]

  Mr. Meale
  Although no individuals are exempt from council tax, certain types of dwelling are exempt and this includes dwellings occupied entirely by students. Where students share accommodation with non-students, the students are disregarded for the purposes of calculating the household's bill. It is our intention to amend the liability rules to exclude such students from being jointly and severally liable for the bill as soon as Parliamentary time and other priorities allow.

  Regional Development Agencies
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what are the populations of the areas covered by each of the regional development agencies; and what are their budgets per head. [84532]

  Mr. Pearson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the total budget is for each regional development agency for 1999–2000 and subsequent years(a) in cash terms and (b) on a per capita basis; and if he will break it down in each case by major funding source. [84420]

  Mr. Meale
  Allocations to Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) for 1999–2000 were set out in the reply which my right hon. Friend, the Minister for the Regions, Regeneration and Planning, gave to my hon. Friend the
  247
  Member for St. Helens, North (Mr. Watts) on 21 April 1999, Official Report, columns 545–46. We will shortly be giving RDAs provisional allocations for the following two years to help them in the preparation of their corporate plans. I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as this information is available.

  RDA

  Population (latest figures as at June 1997)

  1999–2000 Budget(cash) £ million

  Per capita £

  North East

  2,594,364

  121.198

  46.7

  North West

  6,884,632

  176.104

  25.6

  Yorkshire and the Humber

  5,036,980

  136.633

  27.1

  West Midlands

  5,320,784

  114.111

  21.4

  East Midlands

  4,156,346

  59.184

  14.2

  East of England

  5,334,204

  31.397

  5.9

  South West

  4,875,973

  60.138

  12.3

  South East

  7,958,788

  73.410

  9.2

  Total

  42,162,071

  772.175

  18.3

  The allocations are divided among different programmes as follows:

  Programme

  NE

  NW

  Y&H

  WM

  EM

  E

  SW

  SE

  Total

  Land and Property

  11.659

  17.295

  11.164

  22.751

  7.371

  4.896

  19.926

  23.212

  118.274

  Derelict Land Grant

  1.943

  1.624

  7.23

  0.754

  1.033

  0.081

  0.179

  0.029

  12.873

  Single Regeneration Budget

  91.58

  137.48

  102.18

  75.93

  36.78

  14.59

  21.68

  37.49

  517.71

  Rural Development

  2.605

  1.169

  3.075

  1.716

  3.081

  2.825

  6.023

  1.639

  22.133

  Skills Development Fund

  1.725

  4.762

  3.283

  3.718

  2.53

  3.052

  3.038

  4.665

  26.773

  Competitiveness Fund

  0.25

  0.25

  0.25

  0.25

  0.25

  0.25

  0.25

  0.25

  2

  Inward Investment

  1.665

  1.393

  1.415

  1.314

  0.984

  0.9

  1.554

  0.9

  10.125

  Administration

  9.771

  12.131

  8.036

  7.678

  7.155

  4.803

  7.488

  5.225

  62.287

  121.198

  176.104

  136.633

  114.111

  59.184

  31.397

  60.138

  73.41

  772.175

  London Underground
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with Railtrack on their plans to take over part of London Underground. [83983]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  None. Officials have met Railtrack to discuss its proposals to integrate London Underground's sub-surface lines (Circle, District, Metropolitan, East London and Hammersmith and City) with the main line network, but there have been no discussions at Ministerial level.

  Fuel-efficient Cars
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what efforts the Government are making to ensure adequate labelling of fuel-efficient cars. [83987]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  New models of cars on sale are required to have a label affixed showing both fuel consumption information for that model, measured according to relevant official tests, and indicating the availability for inspection of the results of official tests of fuel consumption on all other new models of cars in the
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  Regeneration programmes make up 87 per cent. of the resources allocated to RDAs by Government, and variations in the allocations to individual RDAs reflect their regions' different regeneration funding needs. However, the per capita equivalents of the 1999–2000 allocations are as follows:

  United Kingdom which have been subject to such tests, and which dealers are required to provide. Such information is contained in the Department's bi-annual publication "New Car Fuel Consumption Figures" which also contains information on CO2 emissions.

  A similar labelling scheme is also planned at EU level which will require labels which show CO2 emissions to be placed on vehicles, posters in the showroom and the inclusion of this information in promotional literature to inform the consumer and influence purchasing decisions.

  The Cleaner Vehicle Task Force is investigating the production of new labels showing environmental information. The Task Force has recommended that more work is needed on the feasibility of adopting an environmental rating system for vehicles to show comparative performance on several parameters including fuel efficiency. Research is under way on this subject and is expected to be completed by Spring 2000.

  Aircraft Debris
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what regulations are in place to prevent(a) debris and (b) ice falling from aircraft; [84378]
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  (2) what discussions he has had in the past year with the CAA relating to (a) debris and (b) ice falling from aircraft over Hertfordshire; [84380]

  (3) what steps he plans to take to improve aircraft safety relating to (a) debris and (b) ice falling from aircraft; [84375]

  (4) what reports he has received about (a) debris and (b) ice falling from aircraft in the past year; and if he will make a statement; [84377]

  (5) if he will meet representatives of the CAA to discuss the recent incidents of (a) debris and (b) ice falling from aircraft over Hertfordshire. [84379]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The Government and Civil Aviation Authority take seriously all occurrences of ice and debris falling from aircraft. The primary way to tackle the problem is to ensure that regulations on the safe manufacture and operation of aircraft are adhered to. There are many such regulations: for example, before aircraft can be entered on national registers they must meet the appropriate standards for design and construction of aircraft, including resistance to leakage of on-board water or toilet systems which is the main cause of the build up of ice on the exterior of aircraft.

  The CAA is responsible for the safety regulation of aircraft registered in the UK and applies airworthiness requirements rigorously. They, together with the aviation industry have taken a number of specific, practical steps to reduce the occurrence of ice and debris falling. These steps include:

  the introduction of manufacturers' modification kits to improve resistance to water leaks at servicing points

  enhanced maintenance requirements

  unannounced inspections by CAA Safety Regulation Group Surveyors checking airworthiness standards

  recording of occurrences and investigation by the Safety Regulation Group.

  Incidents are rare in relation to the volume of air traffic. In the last twelve months, 24 incidents have been recorded of icefall and 16 of other falling objects; this level of occurrence has not risen in the last five years, despite significant increases in traffic over that period.

  It is an offence under articles 48 and 56 of the Air Navigation (No 2) Order 1995 to drop or permit articles to be dropped from an aircraft so as to endanger persons or property. The CAA will investigate incidents reported to them and prosecute offenders if there is sufficient information to identify the aircraft involved. It is not always possible to confirm the precise origin of ice or debris, because of problems in establishing the precise timing of incidents, the trajectory of falling items and the possible number of aircraft in the area at the time.

  Ministers have had no specific discussions with the CAA in the last year about incidents of debris or ice falling from aircraft over Hertfordshire. I am aware of the
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  unfortunate incident recently in which a block of ice fell through the roof of a house in Hertfordshire and the CAA is investigating the incident.

  Millennium Experience (Transport)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the current timetable for the opening of(a) the transport links to the Millennium Experience and (b) the exhibition itself. [83443]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  The current timetable for the opening of the transport links to the Millennium Experience is as follows:

  Link

  Opening date

  Jubilee Line Extension

  The final phase (Stratford to Green Park) opens late Autumn 1999

  Millennium Transit Bus Services (Charlton Station to Dome, and Greenwich Station to Dome)

  Services commencen December 1999

  Millennium Express river service (Waterloo to Dome)

  Service commences 1 January 2000

  Greenwich Shuttle river service (Historic Greenwich to Dome)

  Services commences 1 January 2000

  Cycle/pedestrian links through Greenwich Peninsula

  Facilities implemented by end December 1999

  NMEC controlled park and ride sites

  Sites become operational 1 January 2000

  The Millennium Experience exhibition opens to the public on 1 January 2000.

  Genetically Modified Crops
  Mrs. Organ
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many farms are involved in whole farm trials of genetically modified crops; and what is the total acreage given over to trials of such crops. [84279]

  Mr. Meacher
  At present 7 farms are involved in the farm-scale trials of genetically modified crops. Three are growing Spring oil seed rape with a total area of about 26 hectares and four forage maize with a total area of about 21 hectares.

  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what distance between a field of genetically modified crops and a field of non-genetically modified crops he has been advised will be necessary to ensure that cross-contamination does not occur. [84534]

  Mr. Meacher
  The distance depends on the crop. There is no possibility of cross-contamination by pollen unless the genetically modified (GM) crop produces pollen and the non-GM crop is both sexually compatible and flowering at the same time. It is not possible to guarantee that no cross-pollination will occur, even with very large separation distances although the amount of cross-pollination decreases rapidly with distance. The
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  Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) has advised that the information from decades of experience with producing seeds to specific purity levels can be used to estimate the level of cross-pollination which is likely to occur between crops in adjacent fields at specific distances. This information is crop specific.

  Motor Cyclists (Learners)
  Mr. Caton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to amend the licensing rules for learner motor cyclists. [84716]

  Ms Glenda Jackson
  My Department has today issued a Consultation Paper that proposes to replace the two year provisional motorcycle licence with arrangements that encourage all learner riders to be properly trained and tested within two years. These new arrangements would apply fairly to all learner riders, and should be simpler to understand and administer. Copies of the Paper have been placed in the House Library.

  Beacon Council Scheme
  Mr. Fitzpatrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he intends to invite councils to apply for beacon status under the Beacon Council Scheme. [84732]

  Ms Armstrong
  We intend to publish tomorrow a brochure—The Beacon Council Scheme: How to Apply—which will invite councils to apply for beacon council status for the 1999–2000 programme. Copies of the brochure will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Parental Leave
  Ms Kelly
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is his estimate of the gross cost to the Exchequer on an annual steady-state basis of paying parental leave at(a) full earnings replacement value, (b) 90 percent. of earnings replacement value, (c) 50 percent. of earnings replacement value and (d) 30 per cent. of earnings replacement value assuming the take-up of fathers is 50 per cent. and the take-up of mothers is 90 per cent.; [83806]

  (2) what is his estimate of the gross cost to the Exchequer on an annual steady-state basis of paying parental leave at the rate of (a) £60 and (b) £100 a week assuming the take-up of fathers is (i) 10 per cent., (ii) 15 per cent., (iii) 20 per cent., (iv) 25 per cent. and (v) 30 per cent. and the take-up of mothers is (1) 30 per cent., (2) 40 per cent., (3) 50 per cent., (4) 60 per cent. and (5) 70 per cent. [83805]

  Angela Eagle [holding answer 10 May 1999]The information is in the following tables:

  Gross cost to the Exchequer on an annual steady state basis of paying parental leave for thirteen weeks to employees who have a child under 5

  £million

  Rate of earnings replacement

  Mothers

  Fathers

  100 per cent.

  830

  2,610

  90 per cent.

  745

  2,350

  252

  Gross cost to the Exchequer on an annual steady state basis of paying parental leave for thirteen weeks to employees who have a child under 5

  £ million

  Rate of earnings replacement

  Mothers

  Fathers

  50 per cent.

  415

  1,305

  30 per cent.

  250

  785

  Note:

  The take-up rate for fathers of 50 per cent. and mothers of 90 per cent., is assumed to be the same across the entire earnings distribution. Up to 415,000 fathers, earning on average £480 a week, and 315,000 mothers, earning on average £200 a week, would be entitled.

  Source:

  Family Resources Survey 1997–98, uprated to 1999–2000 prices using March 1999 Treasury Economic Assumptions.

  Gross cost to the Exchequer on an annual steady state basis of pay parental leave for thirteen weeks to employees who have a child under 5 at the specified rates

  £million

  Take up

  £60 a week

  £100 a week

  Fathers

  10 per cent.

  30

  55

  15 per cent.

  50

  80

  20 per cent.

  65

  110

  25 per cent.

  80

  135

  30 per cent.

  95

  160

  Mothers

  30 per cent.

  75

  125

  40 per cent.

  100

  165

  50 per cent.

  125

  205

  60 per cent.

  150

  250

  70 per cent.

  175

  290

  Note:

  Take-up is assumed to be the same across the entire earnings distribution. Up to 415,000 fathers, and 315,000 mothers, would be entitled.

  Source:

  Family Resources Survey 1997–98, uprated to 1999–2000 prices using March 1999 Treasury Economic Assumptions.

  Pensions
  Mr. Ivan Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish an analysis of the views received by his Department in response to "A new contract for welfare: Partnership in Pensions" (Cm 4179). [84730]

  Mr. Timms
  I have arranged for the analysis of the main comments we received to be placed in the Library of the House.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what dates Special Advisers from his Department travelled abroad on official business since 2 May 1997; which countries were visited on each occasion; and what were the names of the Special Advisers who travelled abroad on each occasion. [82252]
  253
  Mr. Byers
  Since 2 May 1997 Special Advisers in my Department travelled overseas on official business on the following occasions:

  Date

  1997

  25–28 May

  Japan

  10–11 September

  Washington DC

  13 October

  Brussels

  12–13 November

  Brussels

  15–22 November

  India and Australia

  1998

  11–18 January

  China and Hong Kong

  3–4 February

  Paris

  11 March

  Strasbourg

  6–7 May

  Brussels

  18–20 May

  Geneva

  22–24 June

  Singapore

  10–16 October

  USA

  All travel complied with the requirements of the `Ministerial Code and the Civil Service Management Code'.

  Consultation Documents
  Mr. Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what has been the(a) shortest, (b) longest and (c) average period between the issuing of a consultation document by his Department and the deadline for responses since 2 May 1997;[83022]

  (2) which consultation documents issued by his Department since 2 May 1997 have received (a) the most and (b) the fewest responses; and how many were received in each case. [83016]

  Mr. Byers
  This information is not held centrally and could not be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many consultation documents his Department has issued since 2 May 1997. [83023]

  Mr. Byers
  My Department has issued 116 consultation documents since 2 May 1997.

  Energy Council
  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the outcome of the Energy Council held in Brussels on 11 May; and if he will make a statement. [84067]

  Mr. Battle
  The Council considered several matters of interest to the United Kingdom.

  On renewables, our strategy was singled out for praise. I called on the Commission to maintain momentum in the promotion of renewable energy by coming forward with a directive giving a framework for fair access of renewables to the internal electricity market. It should minimise distortions, ensure transparency, provide flexibility to distinguish between different kinds of renewables and promote cost-effectiveness and price competitiveness.
  254
  The Commission made two presentations on the internal energy market. The first concerned progress on implementation of the gas and electricity directives and the second harmonisation measures in electricity. I welcomed the implementation report stressing the importance of developing a real single market in energy (rather than 15 national markets) to enable consumers to reap the benefits that competition can bring in terms of lower prices and better service. I pointed out that agreement on the electricity and gas directives was only the first step. This must be followed by effective and timely implementation in all member states. I expressed disappointment that implementation had been delayed in some cases, urging those member states to put the necessary legal frameworks in place as a matter of urgency, emphasising the potential benefits to consumers. I also pointed out the importance of a level playing field where everyone plays by the rules; it was not acceptable for companies to compete in the markets of others member states while being protected from competition in their own.

  I also welcomed the Commission's harmonisation report which highlighted the main areas where obstacles to the single market persist, such as arrangements for cross-border trading. I emphasised the need to get on with this work urgently so that we can have workable and effective arrangements by the time of the next Council.

  I suggested the Council should regularly review progress towards achieving a single market against specific indicators, such as the number of new market entrants or prices. This will provide a measure of how far consumers are really being offered a competitive supply and benefiting from lower prices. The Presidency's summary supported this approach including the need to take the social dimension into account in liberalising the internal market in electricity. The Commission accordingly undertook to provide regular progress reports to Council.

  The Energy Council held an orientation debate concerning possible elements for inclusion in a strategy on the integration of environmental aspects and sustainable development into energy policy. Ministers had a useful exchange of views which the Presidency summarised.

  The Council also adopted conclusions aimed at reducing standby losses from electrical appliances which encourages an integrated approach—building a consensus and partnership with business on priorities and targets—developing a combination of voluntary and regulatory measures at Community level.

  The Council received information from the Commission on the Energy Charter Treaty, the campaign for take-off on renewables and on progress towards minimising the impact of the millennium bug.

  A full press release on the outcome of the Council can be found on the Council Secretariat web site at http://ue.eu.int/newsroom.

  Post Offices
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the current number of(a) Crown post offices and (b) sub-post offices; and what these numbers were one year and five years previously. [84056]
  255
  Mr. Ian McCartney
  [holding answer 13 May 1999]: I understand from the Post Office that the numbers of Crown offices and sub-post offices are as follows:

  Crown offices

  Sub-post offices

  End March 1994

  800

  18,982

  End March 1995

  699

  18,908

  End March 1996

  653

  18,761

  End March 1997

  606

  18,645

  End March 1998

  601

  18,407

  End March 1999

  600

  18,175

DEFENCE

  Brunei (Jungle Training)
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost of the jungle training exercise in Brunei carried out between 1 April 1997 and 31 March 1998. [72791]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  This exercise was a sub-element of exercise Ocean Wave, which took place in the Gulf, Far East and Asian Pacific regions between 13 January and 28 August 1997 as stated on 26 February 1999,Official Report, column 471. The cost of the jungle training exercise was £572,000, excluding the cost of spares and ammunition consumed during the exercise, and also excluding transport costs, as the unit were already deployed in the area as part of exercise Ocean Wave.

  Ministry of Defence Police
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who is responsible for reviewing the legality of the actions of the Ministry of Defence Police. [83249]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  The Ministry of Defence Police derive their constabulary powers from the Ministry of Defence Police Act 1987. The MOD Police are therefore answerable to the law through the courts. In common with other UK police forces, MOD Police are subject to comprehensive disciplinary procedures; these are overseen by the independent Police Complaints Authority where complaints by members of the public are involved.

  WEU Council
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the agenda for the WEU Council of 10 May. [83815]

  Mr. George Robertson
  The Agenda for the WEU Council of the 10 May was as follows:

  Adoption of Agenda

  Europe's security and defence in the light of the entry into force of the Amsterdam treaty and of the Washington summit.

  Approval of the draft decision sheet.

  Kosovo
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the(a) nature and (b) number of sorties undertaken to date by the Yugoslav Air Force over Kosovo. [83964]
  256
  Mr. George Robertson
  Figures are not readily available for sorties by the Yugoslav Air Force over Kosovo. However, it is assessed that approximately 180 sorties have been flown in Serbia and Montenegro during the first 49 days of the NATO bombing campaign, an average of four per day. The majority of these flights are believed to be communications and logistic support helicopter flights, whilst just under half comprise fighter and fighter bomber sorties.

  Research
  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the findings of research commissioned by his Department from universities and research institutes are required to be reviewed by his Department before publication is allowed. [84209]

  Mr. Spellar
  MOD's prior consent to publish the findings of research commissioned directly from universities and research institutes is needed only when, exceptionally, MOD notifies the research author that national security interests may be involved.

  Where research is carried out by the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency, DERA, the Agency would seek the agreement of the customer, MOD or other party, before any publication.

  Radiation Exposure
  Mr. Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many former(a) Chatham and (b) other dockyard workers have received compensation due to possible radiation exposure through the no fault scheme. [84072]

  Mr. Spellar
  No former Chatham or other dockyard workers have so far been awarded compensation for alleged exposure to radiation through the Compensation Scheme for Radiation Linked Diseases. Sixty cases (of which forty-two relate to former dockyard workers) are at various stages of investigation.

  HMS Dreadnought
  Mr. Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in what month of what year HMS Dreadnought was last in commission and at sea. [84301]

  Mr. Spellar
  Our records indicate that HMS Dreadnought was last in commission and at sea in September 1981.

  Skynet Satellites
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes have been made to the(a) course and (b) location of Skynet satellites since 1 December; and if he will make a statement. [84312]

  Mr. Spellar
  None.
  257

  Efficiency Programmes
  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department expects to be able to make available to the House of Commons Defence Committee the list of measures scored as efficiency savings under the efficiency programmes of(a) 1998–99, (b) 1999–2000, (c) 2000–01 and (d) 2001–02. [83583]

  Mr. George Robertson
  My Department is replying shortly to the request of the House of Commons Defence Committee for further information on efficiency.

  RAF Coverall Contract
  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he intends to reply to the letter of 15 January from the hon. Member for Tiverton and Honiton concerning John Heathcoat and Co. Ltd., and the RAF Coverall contract. [84381]

  Mr. Spellar
  I have written to the hon. Member today.

  Balkans (UK Forces)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of the deployment of UK forces in the Balkans since 18 April. [83984]

  Mr. George Robertson
  As at the end of April, £37 million of additional expenditure has fallen to my Department as a direct consequence of the UK's military response to the Kosovo crisis. This figure does not include the costs of replenishing stocks of expended ordnance or the costs of the UK's ongoing contribution to SFOR in Bosnia.

  Territorial Army
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements are in place to fund locums when general medical practitioners who are officers in the TA are required to serve. [84124]

  Mr. Doug Henderson
  The Reserve Forces (Call-out and Recall) (Financial Assistance) Regulations 1997 (SI 1997/309) set out a scheme for providing financial assistance to reservists and employers who suffer financial loss as a result of the call-out or recall of individuals for permanent service in the armed forces. A claim for

  Incidents at Buckley Hall and Wolds prisons 1996–97 to 1998–99

  Category

  Prison

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  Assaults on staff

  Buckley Hall

  14

  20

  12

  Wolds

  16

  8

  23

  Assault prisoner/prisoner

  Buckley Hall

  13

  18

  11

  Wolds

  18

  l0

  19

  Self harm

  Buckley Hall

  5

  7

  6

  Wolds

  23

  46

  69

  Class A Drugs finds

  Buckley Hall

  13

  13

  13

  Wolds

  20

  18

  10

  Other drugs finds

  Buckley Hall

  36

  38

  28

  Wolds

  115

  90

  88

  Items smuggled into prison

  Buckley Hall

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Wolds

  28

  20

  29

  Delayed request replies

  Buckley Hall

  106

  162

  87

  Wolds

  5

  3

  1

  Failure to use agreed reporting procedures

  Buckley Hall

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Wolds

  4

  10

  17

  258
  financial assistance in respect of the net additional costs of employing a locum doctor can be made under this scheme.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Counterfeit Offences (Yugoslav Nationals)
  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia who have entered the United Kingdom en route to North America are being held for the offences of(a) possession of a false instrument contrary to section 3 of the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981 and (b) attempting to obtain services by deception contrary to section 1 of the Criminal Attempts Act 1981. [83800]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The information requested is not recorded centrally and could only be obtained through examination of individual case records at disproportionate cost. In any event, it would be impossible to ascertain precisely how many of those convicted were citizens of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia because the nationality of those holding falsified travel documents is essentially in doubt.

  Prison incidents
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for (i) HMP Wolds and (ii) HMP Buckley Hall the number of incidents that have occurred during each of the last three financial years of the respective contracts in respect of(a) assaults on staff, (b) assaults by prisoners on other prisoners, (c) self harm, (d) class A drug finds, (e) other drug finds, (f) items smuggled into the prison, (g) delayed request replies, (h) failure to use agreed reporting procedures, (i) failure to achieve 95 per cent. occupancy of employment places, (j) key/lock compromises, (k) attempted escapes, (l) temporary release failures and (m) recapture and surrender. [83919]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The information requested is given in the table. The information requested about Buckley Hall on items smuggled into prison, failure to use agreed reporting procedures and failure to achieve 95 per cent. occupancy of employment places is not available because there is no contractual obligation for such information to be collected. The figures requested regarding recapture and surrender are not available because prisoners may surrender to another prison.
  259

  Incidents at Buckley Hall and Wolds prisons 1996–97 to 1998–99

  Category

  Prison

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  Failure to achieve 95 per cent. Occupancy of employment places

  Buckley Hall

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Wolds

  3

  1

  1

  Key/lock compromises

  Buckley Hall

  0

  1

  1

  Wolds

  0

  0

  0

  Attempted escapes

  Buckley Hall

  0

  0

  0

  Wolds

  0

  0

  0

  Temporary release failures

  Buckley Hall

  4

  4

  4

  Wolds

  2

  0

  4

  Recapture and surrender

  Buckley Hall

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Wolds

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Private Prisons
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 28 April 1999,Official Report, column 162, on private prisons, what measures are being taken by the Prison Service to improve performance against the contract at (a) HMP Lowdham Grange and (b) HMP Parc. [83914]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The performance of both prisons has steadily improved since they opened and their present performance is regarded as satisfactory. The performance of the prisons is subject to contract management by the contractor and by the Prison Service through monitoring by the appointed controller of each prison, the area manager and the contracts and competition group of Prison Service headquarters.

  Women Immigrants (Sex Industry)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action his Department has taken against international crime organisations which have been involved in the smuggling of women immigrants into the United Kingdom to work in the sex industry. [83913]

  Mr. Straw
  The National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) and Immigration Service are committed to the development and dissemination of the intelligence needed to maximise disruption of these criminal enterprises and to secure arrest in as many cases as possible. During the past 12 months, a number of successful operations have been jointly undertaken targeting the racketeers which have resulted in the arrest and conviction of those involved. In addition, profiling and increased awareness have led to the interception of several groups at ports of arrival and to tighter controls over the issue of visas at British missions abroad. Trafficking in human beings is high on the agenda of the European Union; the G8; and the United Nations. My Department is represented on all the relevant working groups.

  Electronic Tagging
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) men and (b) women are electronically tagged by the police in England and Wales. [83909]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The electronic monitoring of offenders is performed by private sector contractors working to Home Office guidelines. On 5 May, 2,139 men and 219 women were being electronically monitored under a number of schemes.
  260

  Prisoners
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) male and (b) female sentenced prisoners were over the age of 70 years on 30 April. [83911]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Provisional information for 30 April 1999 shows that there were 120 sentenced males and 3 sentenced females aged over 70 years in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales.

  Immigration and Nationality Directorate
  Mr. Allan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many whole-time equivalent staff were committed to the processing of asylum applications at the Immigration and Nationality Directorate on 1 April(a) 1994, (b) 1995, (c) 1996, (d) 1997, (e) 1998 and (f) 1999. [83620]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  [holding answer 10 May 1999]The Home Office Annual Report 1997 gives the following numbers for asylum determination staff in AA-SEO grades, excluding travel documents, appeals support management and policy staff in the years up to April 1997:

  Number

  Calendar year

  1994 outturn

  412

  1995 outturn

  426

  Financial year

  1996–97 estimated outturn

  514

  More recent comparisons are very difficult because of the re-organisation of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) since December 1998. Asylum applications were previously handled in a dedicated Asylum Directorate; they are not dealt with in integrated teams which also deal with a variety of other immigration casework.

  Figures for 1997–98 have not yet been published, but the figures relating to the former Asylum Directorate show 451 staff in the AA to SEO grades. The new Integrated Casework Directorate currently has 236 members of staff who are trained to deal with asylum applications; they are supported by a further 239 staff members, who also provide support on other immigration casework.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average number of(a) callers, (b) calls and (c) calls answered per day to the telephone caller unit in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in (i) March and (ii) April. [83951]
  261
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Figures for calls made during normal working hours in March and April were as follows:

  Number

  March

  (a) Average number of callers per day

  5,000

  (b) Average number of calls per day

  42,627

  (c) Average number of calls answered per day

  1,637

  April

  (a) Average number of callers per day

  4,380

  (b) Average number of calls per day

  30,151

  (c) Average number of calls answered per day

  1,883

  Note:

  Many calls are repeat calls and, therefore, these statistics must be approached with caution

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the unit cost of caseworking in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in(a) each of the last six months for which figures are available and (b) May 1997. [83950]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The direct cost of a standard unit of caseworking is routinely monitored under the terms of the contract with Siemens Business Services. Those costs, which exclude some overheads, were:

  Month

  Unit cost (£)

  May 1997

  45.16

  October 1998

  33.19

  November 1998

  40.44

  December 1998

  78.00

  January 1999

  71.57

  February 1999

  62.58

  March 1999

  50.57

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the cost of providing each £1 worth of support for asylum applicants(a) in receipt of income support following an application for asylum at a port of entry and (b) in receipt of support from a local authority following an in-country asylum application. [83961]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  However, with regard to Income Support, the available information is given in the table:

  Income Support processing costs 1998–991

  Costs

  £

  Unit cost of processing asylum seeker income support claim

  17.90

  Annual cost of maintaining an average income support Claim

  3.66

  Total2

  21.56

  1The information provided is for Income Support processing cost only, and does not include the processing costs for Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit.
  262
  2This is the total annual cost in the year that the claim is processed; the total annual cost for a claim in the years after it has been processed will be £3.66.

  Note:

  In 1998–99, central Government paid grants of up to £165 per adult asylum seeker per week; up to £230 per family (or £240 for families accommodated in inner London prior to 23 November 1998) and up to £400 per unaccompanied child aged under 16 or £200 per unaccompanied child aged 16 or 17. Local authorities could include administration costs within these weekly unit costs, but no information is held centrally on the extent of those administration costs.

  Hillsborough Disaster
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide an index and catalogue for the evidence placed in the House of Lords Library which was provided to the inquiry into the Hillsborough Disaster. [83925]

  Mr. Boateng
  Any cataloguing of the material it holds is a matter for the Library itself. My reply to the question from my right hon. Friend the Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 20 April 1999,Official Report, column 486 listed the categories of evidence placed in the Library. The South Yorkshire Police included an index, which listed the officer's name and the individual reference number for each statement, with the police statements themselves.

  Passport Losses
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints of passports being(a) mislaid and (b) lost have been received in each month since November 1998. [84032]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Complaints received by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate are not recorded centrally on the basis of subject matter. Information kept centrally is in respect of the number of compensation claims dealt with as a result of maladministration, the majority of which will have arisen as a result of lost documents. This is a lagging indicator as there is often a considerable gap between an incident and the claim for compensation arising from it. The figures for each month since November 1998 are set out:

  Number

  November

  7

  December

  10

  January

  12

  February

  5

  March

  5

  April

  1

  Education Classes (Prisons)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisons in England and Wales
  263
  provide education facilities for teaching reading and writing to inmates; and if he will make a statement. [84397]

  Mr. George Howarth
  All prisons are required to deliver the Prison Service core curriculum which includes basic educational skills (reading, writing and numbers), English for speakers of other languages, life and social skills and information technology skills.

  Prostitutes' Cards
  Ms Buck
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to publish his proposals to deal with the problem of prostitutes' cards in public telephone boxes. [84647]

  Mr. Boateng
  Our consultation paper, "New Measures to Control Prostitutes' Cards in Phone Boxes" will be published on Tuesday 18 May. This is a local problem which needs a local approach. The consultation paper will look at options for changing the law to enable those who put cards in telephone boxes to be dealt with more effectively on a local basis. Copies of the consultation paper will also be placed in the Library on Tuesday.

  Fire Brigades
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what efforts are being made by his Department to encourage a speedy conclusion to the pay dispute between the Fire Brigades Union and the National Joint Council for Local Authority Fire Brigades; and to what extent a deal will have to take account of the Best Value regime. [84383]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The current dispute between the local authority employers and the Fire Brigades Union is not over pay. It is over modest proposals by the employers for changes to firefighters' conditions of service. These negotiations are not directly a matter for the Government but are for resolution between the employers and the union in the National Joint Council for Local Authorities Fire Brigades.

  The Audit Commission in its report in 1995, "In the Line of Fire", endorsed the need for changes in firefighters' conditions of service to remove provisions which were inflexible, outdated and unjustified. The Government fully support proposals for change which while protecting the legitimate interests of firefighters will, at the same time, deliver Best Value and lead to more modern and efficient public services.

  Fire Safety Legislation
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to consolidate current fire safety legislation. [84384]

  Mr. George Howarth
  We intend to bring forward general legislation to consolidate and rationalise fire safety law along the lines proposed in our consultation document "Fire Safety Legislation for the Future", when parliamentary time permits.

PRIME MINISTER

  Ethnic Albanians (Rape)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what evidence he has received, other than from the accounts of Kosovar refugees, of the scale of rape by Serbs of ethnic Albanians. [83176]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 4 May 1999]:By the very nature of the situation in Kosovo, accounts by refugees remain the main source of information about human rights abuses including rape in Kosovo. Certain aid agencies are able to undertake medical checks, when requested by refugees, to corroborate their claims, though many women are understandably reluctant to submit themselves to these. But the consistency of the hundreds of reports by refugees leaving Kosovo in different camps in Macedonia and Albania makes their evidence compelling and credible. We are making every effort to corroborate all reports of atrocities in Kosovo.

  Pre-Schools (Closures)
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer to my hon. Friend the Member for North-East Cambridgeshire (Mr. Moss) on 28 April 1999,Official Report, column 341, what assessment he has made of the Pre-school Learning Alliance's estimate of the number of closures of pre-school play groups and nursery schools; and what estimate he has made of the change in the total number of pre-schools over the past 12 months. [83234]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 4 May 1999]: Earlier this year, 150 Early Years Development local plans were approved to guarantee a free nursery place for all four-year-olds whose parents want one and for the first time will deliver good quality childcare places across the country. The Government have made available an additional £390 million over three years to provide an additional 190,000 places for three-year-olds, almost doubling the participation rate of those taking a free place to 66 per cent. by April 2002. In addition, we intend to provide 430,000 additional childcare places in the UK by 2003, at a cost of £470 million.

  We are aware of the Pre-School Alliance's (PLA) claims about the number of registered playgroups. They do not fully accord with official figures from annual surveys but DfEE officials will be discussing the figures with the PLA to ensure their concerns are properly understood. The Under-Secretary with responsibility for employment and equal opportunities, my hon. Friend the Member for Barking (Ms Hodge) has made available a further £500,000, in addition to the £500,000 announced in May 1998, to support specifically pre-schools at risk of closing and to help sustain good quality pre-schools and playgroups. She also announced an independent review of our early education and child-care policies.

  European Central Bank (Salaries)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will take steps to require the publication of the (i) salary and
  265
  (ii) terms and conditions of employment of (a) the President and (b) the Executive Board Members of the European Central Bank. [83559]

  The Prime Minister
  As the President of the ECB made clear at a hearing of the European Parliament on 15 July 1998, the system is such that the salary of a member of the Executive Board of the ECB is about 10 per cent. higher than the highest Director-General's salary at the European Commission. The salary of the Vice-President is 20 per cent. higher and his salary as President is 40 per cent. higher than the salary of an Executive Director.

  Arms Blockade (KLA)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Prime Minister what instructions have been issued to(a) Foreign Office and (b) Ministry of Defence personnel concerning implementation of UNSCR 1160 in respect of enforcing an arms blockade on the KLA; what steps he has taken to ensure that they are compatible with the changes made, pursuant to the Legg report on Sierra Leone; and if he will make a statement. [83401]

  The Prime Minister
  The United Nations Security Council resolution 1160, which was adopted in March 1998, was circulated within the FCO, the MOD and to relevant posts overseas. Officials involved in work on Kosovo are aware of the scope of the arms embargo against the FRY, including the fact that it covers the sale or supply of arms to the KLA.

  NATO Bombing (Yugoslavia)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the effect of the use of graphite weapons to attack the electrical system in Yugoslavia, on(a) hospitals without auxiliary generators, (b) the nuclear installation at Vinca and (c) chemical factories. [83780]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 10 May 1999]: The UK armed forces do not hold such munitions. NATO has repeatedly made clear that the greatest of care is taken to minimise the risk of civilian casualties and damage to buildings that are not used in support of Milosevic's military machine. The need to avoid dangerous emissions from nuclear and chemical plants is taken fully into account in making decisions about targets.

  Chemical Weapons
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will discuss with CBD Porton Down the basis on which the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons lists EMPTA as a compound which also has commercial uses. [82946]

  The Prime Minister
  EMPTA is covered by Schedule 2 to the Chemical Weapons Convention, which the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons oversees, not because it has commercial uses, but on the grounds that it belongs to a large family of chemicals that are of potential use as precursors in the production of 266
  Schedule 1 chemicals—those posing the highest risk—such as the nerve agent, VX.

  I can also confirm that the Chemical and Biological Defence Sector of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency at Potion Down is currently not aware of legitimate commercial uses for EMPTA.

  Computer Compliance
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Prime Minister what steps he is taking to ensure(a) 9.9.99 and (b) 29.2.00 computer compliance. [84100]

  The Prime Minister
  Government Departments and agencies and key parts of the national infrastructure have comprehensive plans in place for addressing the millennium date change and a range of other dates which could give rise to particular problems such as 9.9.99 and 29.2.00. Action 2000, which the Government set up, has also been advising businesses, particularly small and medium sized enterprises, of the importance and methods of checking that systems will continue to operate on these dates and of setting in place contingency plans.

  European Commission (Reform)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on progress made at the meeting with Mr. Romano Prodi on 14 April, with reference to reform of the EU. [84095]

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 7 May 1999,Official Report, columns 477.

  RAF (Iraq)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on activities by the RAF over Iraq since the end of March. [84173]

  The Prime Minister
  RAF patrols of the no fly zones remain a vital humanitarian mission in support of UN Security Council Resolution 688 which condemned Saddam Hussein's repression of the Kurds in the North and Sh'ia Muslims in the South. Since the end of March, our aircraft have been shot at or otherwise threatened some 100 times. We have, therefore, been forced to take appropriate defensive measures against Iraqi facilities that pose a threat to coalition forces.

  Kosovo
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 10 May 1999,Official Report, column 68–69, if his reference to the safe return of refugees refers to their place of origin within Kosovo. [84526]

  The Prime Minister
  It is our clear intention that all the refugees should return to and live in Kosovo in conditions of security, guaranteed by an international military force. We want all those who wish to go back to their former homes to be able to do so.
  267

  President Clinton
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the dates of his visits to the United States of America to meet President Clinton since 1 May 1997. [84344]

  The Prime Minister
  I have visited the United States on four occasions since 1 May 1997:

  20–23 June 1997: G7 meeting in Denver and UN General Assembly Session in New York

  4–7 February 1998: Bilateral (Washington)

  21 September 1998: UN General Assembly meeting (New York)

  21–25 April 1999: NATO (Washington) + Bilateral (Chicago).

  On each of these visits I met President Clinton.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister how many times President Clinton has visited Britain to meet him since 1 May 1997; and on what dates. [84313]

  The Prime Minister
  President Clinton has visited the UK three times since 1 May 1997:

  29 May 1997: Bilateral (London)

  15–18 May 1998: Birmingham G8 Summit and London EU/US Summit

  3 September 1998 Belfast and Omagh

  On each occasion I met President Clinton.

HEALTH

  Dental Services (North-east Lancashire)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to promote and safeguard NHS dentistry in North East Lancashire; and if he will make a statement. [80048]

  Mr. Denham
  East Lancashire Health Authority is responsible for monitoring the oral health and general dental services (GDS) in their area. Health authorities concerned about GDS provision in their area have been able to ask my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health to use his powers under Section 56 of the National Health Service Act 1977, to approve the funding of proposals submitted under the Investing in Dentistry initiative (IID), which began in September 1997, and ended this April. To date, my right hon. Friend has approved three East Lancashire Health Authority IID bids in Burnley, Nelson and Accrington, which should provide 6,400 patients from the area with the opportunity of registering with an NHS dentist.

  East Lancashire Health Authority could also, if appropriate, seek the approval of my right hon. Friend, under Section 56, to employ a salaried dentist(s), or consider submitting an expression of interest under the personal dental services (PDS) scheme, which we announced on 1 January 1998. PDS is designed to help improve access to NHS dentistry, by encouraging health authorities to work with dentists to develop a variety of new arrangements to improve access to NHS dentistry.
  268
  The strategy for NHS dentistry, which will be published in due course, will look at further ways of improving access to NHS dentistry.

  Millennium Compliance
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the NHS organisations which the NHS Director of Planning has assessed as failing to prepare properly for millennium computer compliance. [82820]

  Mr. Denham
  The National Health Service Executive receives regular progress reports from over 500 NHS organisations and publishes all the returns on the Internet (www.imc.exec.nhs.uk/2000). The returns for the period ended 31 March 1999 will be published later this month.

  The NHS Executive has announced that, in line with the common approach being adopted by members of the National Infrastructure Forum of Action 2000, it will list organisations and their state of readiness for Year 2000 based on the returns for the period ended 31 May 1999 at the forthcoming meeting on 13 July 1999.

  Disabled People (Terminal Care)
  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what data he has collated on disabled persons who are not dying receiving terminal care. [83376]

  Ms Jowell
  Palliative care is the active total care of patients whose disease no longer responds to curative treatment, focusing on the quality of life and integrating the physical, psychological, spiritual and social aspects of care. Terminal care is an important part of palliative care and usually refers to the care of patients during their last few days, weeks or months, from a point at which it becomes clear that the patient is in a state of progressive decline.

  Pain therapy in palliative/terminal care must be tailored for each patient. Most patients with advanced disease will require pharmacological therapy. Strong opioids, such as diamorphine and morphine, are prescribed for severe pain and must be administered regularly to control pain and prevent pain recurring.

  Medical treatment given to a patient, disabled or otherwise, with the primary purpose of inducing death is illegal. Anyone alleged to have undertaken such action would be open to a charge of murder or manslaughter.

  Information on such cases is not available centrally.

  Dental Nurses
  Mr. McWalter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the benefits of introducing statutory registration of dental nurses. [83397]

  Mr. Denham
  In May 1998 the General Dental Council published a consultation document in which they suggested that, if statutory registration was introduced, dental nurses could extend the support they provide to dentists, provided the nurses had satisfactorily completed a period of approved, structured training. We await the outcome of these consultations with interest.
  269

  NHS Scientific and Technical Staff
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to place all National Health Service scientific and technical staff, together with support grades, within a pay review body; and if he will make a statement. [83727]

  Mr. Denham
  On 15 February 1999, the Health Departments published proposals for modernising the National Health Service Pay System in "Agenda for Change". This included the possibility of moving some highly qualified health professionals into the remit of the Nurses, Midwives, Health Visitors and Professions Allied to Medicine Review Body.

  Discussions have recently opened between representatives of NHS trade unions and management representatives from NHS employers and the four Health Departments on the basis of our proposals for modernising the NHS pay system. We will develop the proposed changes in a spirit of partnership.

  It is too early to comment on proposals for specific staff groups.

  Buprenorphine
  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 4 May 1999,Official Report, columns 357–58, when doctors will be able to prescribe and dispense Buprenorphine to patients using the FP10 prescribing form. [83786]

  Mr. Denham
  General practitioners are able to prescribe buprenorphine using the FP10 prescription form, against which pharmacists are able to dispense the drug.

  Consultancy Posts
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to increase the number of hospital consultancy posts; and if he will make a statement. [83785]

  Mr. Denham
  It is for National Health Service trusts, who are accountable for the quality of services they provide, to determine how many consultants they need.

  Hospital Drugs
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what ways information on drugs dispensed in hospitals and their cost is published. [83895]

  Mr. Denham
  Information on medicines dispensed in hospitals is not collected centrally. Total expenditure on medicines purchased by National Health Service trusts is shown in the Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme Report to Parliament. The total expenditure on medicines purchased by individual NHS trusts is available from a number of commercial organisations of which The Health Service Database, published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, is an example.

  Rural Dispensing
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review the arrangements whereby doctors in rural areas may dispense medicines; and if he will make a statement. [84074]

  Mr. Denham
  At their request, I am planning to meet the Chairmen of the General Practitioners' Committee of the British Medical Association and the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee to discuss their proposals for changes to the rules governing National Health Service dispensing in rural areas by both doctors and pharmacists.

  Health Action Zones (London)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the health action zones for the Greater London area. [84401]

  Mr. Denham
  There are four Health Action Zones in London: Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham; City and East London; Camden and Islington; and Brent (part of Brent and Harrow Health Authority).

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Modernisation
  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the President of the Council what progress has been made in reforming parliamentary procedures relating to the legislative process. [83456]

  Mrs. Beckett
  The House approved the Modernisation Committee's first report on the legislative process in November 1997. Since then we have published five Bills in draft form for pre-legislative scrutiny by a variety of Committees. Fuller explanatory notes have been published with Government Bills. A Special Standing Committee has been used for the first time on a major bill. Experiments have been conducted with programming Bills during their passage through the House. I am firmly committed to improving the quality of legislation and am looking at further ways of doing so.

  European Commissioners
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the President of the Council what plans she has to improve contacts between European Commissioners and hon. Members. [83458]

  Mr. Tipping
  The House will know that Commissioners visit Westminster and sometimes give evidence to Select Committees here. Equally, when our Select Committees visit Brussels they frequently meet one or more Commissioners. While I have put forward proposals to give Members greater opportunities for informing themselves on EU matters generally, I have no specific plans confined to Commissioners.

  Westminster Hall Committee
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the President of the Council if she will make a statement on the introduction of sittings in Westminster Hall. [83459]

  Mrs. Beckett
  I will put before the House next Monday proposals for an experiment for sittings in Westminster Hall on uncontentious business up to three days a week, starting in the autumn.

  Office Costs Allowance
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the President of the Council what proposals she has to ensure that the Office Costs Allowance reflects actual office costs. [83460]

  Mrs. Beckett
  The level of the Office Costs Allowance is reviewed regularly by the independent Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB). The current maximum reflects the recommendations in its 1996 Report, as uprated by the RPI index. The SSRB will be assessing Office Costs Allowance again in its review of Parliamentary pay and allowances next year.

  Spouses Travel Concessions
  Mr. Bradshaw
  To ask the President of the Council what plans she has to make hon. Members' spouses travel concessions available to the partners of unmarried hon. Members. [83461]

  Mr. Tipping
  We are considering such a proposition and hope to announce the conclusions shortly.

  Timetabling Legislation
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the President of the Council what proposals she has for timetabling all Bills; and if she will make a statement. [83453]

  Mr. Tipping
  The Modernisation Committee recommended programming of Bills in its report on the legislative process in July 1997. Since then programme motions have been agreed by the House in relation to 12 Bills. I have no immediate plans for time-tabling all Bills.

  Palace of Westminster (Admission Charges)
  Mr. David Heath
  To ask the Chairman of the Administration Committee what recent representations she has received concerning the circumstances under which British citizens could be required to pay for access to visit the Palace of Westminster. [83457]

  Mrs. Roe
  Since the publication of the Committee's Report "Proposal to re-open the Line of Route during the Summer Adjournment" on 26 April, I have received no representations from hon. Members.

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Millennium Compliance
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the President of the Council what progress is being made on the state of readiness of the national infrastructure in preparation for the millennium date change. [83450]

  Mr. Borrow
  To ask the President of the Council if she will make a statement on the progress made by key sectors of UK infrastructure in their preparations for the millennium bug. [83451]

  Mrs. Beckett
  Reports at the National Infrastructure Forum on 21 April showed that significant progress has been made by the major sectors of the infrastructure in working towards the goal of 'no material disruption' to public services since the last meeting in January. Full details are available on the Action 2000 website with summaries appearing in advertisements in Sunday newspapers from 9 May. All key sectors of the infrastructure have independent assessment programmes in place which are due for completion by July when they will be made public, and will give the UK one of the most objective and comprehensive pictures of readiness in the world.

  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the President of the Council how many Government departments have had external auditors to test their millennium compliance systems; and if she will make a statement. [83454]

  Mr. Tipping
  Of the 90 departmental and agency returns in March, 84—or 93 per cent.—have been, or currently are being independently assessed. A further six have plans for independent assessment. Of those that have been or are being assessed, 63 per cent. were assessed by bodies outside of their department.

  Privy Councillors
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the President of the Council if she will publish the Privy Council oath. [83455]

  Mrs. Beckett
  I have already done so, in a reply I gave to the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker) on 28 July 1998,Official Report, columns 181–82.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Producers' Costs
  Mr. Beard
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the producers' costs of(a) fruit, (b) vegetables, (c) wheat and (d)M rice when grown (i) by modern agricultural methods and (ii) organically. [83890]

  Mr. Morley
  Direct comparisons are difficult because of natural variations in yield between crops. However, general information on costs under the two different systems is contained respectively in the Farm Management Pocket Book 1999, published by Wye
  273
  College, for costs of conventional production, and the Organic Farm Management Handbook, published by University of Wales, Aberystwyth, and Elm Farm Research Centre for organic production costs. Copies of these publications are available from the organisations concerned.

WALES

  National Assembly
  Mr. Flight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the cost of setting up the National Assembly of Wales(a) for its first year of operation and (b) for subsequent years. [82658]

  Mr. Michael
  [holding answer 5 May 1999]: We are continuing to plan within the overall estimate of £15 million to £20 million for the annual additional running costs of the Assembly which was contained within the Explanatory and Financial Memorandum to the Government of Wales Bill and which will be balanced by savings in the budgets of Welsh quangos. This estimate covers not only the pay and allowances of Assembly Members but also the costs of providing for the accommodation and IT requirements of the Assembly and the costs of additional support staff.

  Rural Bypasses
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has for rural bypasses, with particular reference to north-south routes; and if he will make a statement. [84293]

  Mr. Hain
  The trunk road programme, including plans for rural bypasses, is detailed in "Driving Wales Forward", published in July 1998. This confirmed that we intend to bring forward significant improvements in north-south public transport services complemented by steady and relatively small-scale improvements to the trunk road network. The promised corridor study encompassing the A470 from Brecon to Llandudno has commenced, and extends beyond the A470 to include the A483 and the A487 in North Wales.

  The Institute of Welsh Affairs' report "Uniting the Nation" published earlier this month will be taken into account in this study. We await the outcome of the study before considering future strategy for development of roads and other transport modes in these areas.

  Following the transfer of functions, this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly. Rural bypasses which are not part of the trunk road network are the responsibility of the relevant local highways authorities.

  Anti-social Behaviour
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the progress of the joint police authorities and local authorities strategy to tackle disorder by youths and other anti-social behaviour. [84299]

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  As required by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, unitary authorities and the police in Wales, working in partnership with other key agencies,274
  have developed crime and disorder reduction strategies. These strategies have set objectives and targets with action plans covering the next three years to address local issues and concerns as identified by comprehensive crime and disorder audits and public consultation.

  Several audits revealed that people are more concerned with disorder and anti-social behaviour than with crime; problems presented by young people, and drugs and alcohol misuse, were the issues most frequently raised. This is reflected in the strategies, most of which have tackling youth crime and disorder as one of the top priorities, together with the need to work closely with Youth Offending Teams and Drug and Alcohol Action Teams. Some of the solutions proposed include the provision of more facilities for young people and involving them more in community affairs, and many areas are establishing local crime action teams to address specific issues, including youth crime.

  Health Funding
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will announce the allocation of funds for 1999–2000 to the health authorities in Wales. [84382]

  Mr. Michael
  This week. Health authorities have been given an indication, in confidence, of the likely level of grant so that their comments could be taken into account in the final decision, which is about to be announced. In future this issue will be a matter for the National Assembly.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Tourism
  Mr. Michael Jabez Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is his assessment of the impact of the Budget on the tourism industry. [83419]

  Janet Anderson
  The 1999 Budget continues to lock in long-term economic stability, leaving behind the boom and bust of the late 1980s and early 1990s. It delivers a better deal for business and enterprise by introducing further measures to increase investment, promote innovation, strengthen competition and improve skills. It is good for businesses of all types, including those in the tourism industry.

  Child Actors
  Ms Blears
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the DfEE about the regulations which apply to child actors. [83421]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  None with the Department for Education and Employment. My officials have had discussions with Department of Health officials currently reviewing the Children (Performances) Regulations 1968.

  Libraries
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to improve the quality of service to library users. [83422]
  275
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to improve the quality of information technology services to library users. [83433]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has required all library authorities to produce annual library plans, setting out their strategy for developing the range and quality of services. We have also made nearly £300 million available to help to ensure that libraries benefit from the Information Age. Libraries are also eligible to bid for the £470 million set aside from the Capital Modernisation Fund for IT learning centres.

  Mr. Mc Walter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the current arrangements for funding public libraries. [83722]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The public library service is delivered through local authorities, which also provide the bulk of their funding. We believe that this remains the best way of ensuring that services are tailored to meet the needs of their users. In addition, Government are making available £270 million through the National Lottery New Opportunities Fund to develop a Public Libraries IT Network which will link public libraries to the National Grid for Learning by 2002. This funding includes streams to help develop network infrastructure, create digital content for the Network and train library staff in IT skills.

  Museums (Free Entry)
  Mr. Borrow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures he is taking to assess whether free entry for children to all national museums will deliver value for money. [83423]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  We will be measuring visitor numbers at the national museums and galleries and their branches, and at the non-national museums that have introduced free access for children. The Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester, which launched free admission for children early in January, has seen visits rise by over 80 per cent.

  Harmonised Rating Scheme
  Mr. Rapson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what benefits he expects the harmonised rating scheme for hotels and guesthouses to bring to tourists. [83424]

  Janet Anderson
  The consistency of ratings made under the new schemes by the AA, RAC and new English Tourism Council will be much easier to understand than the different ratings we have now and will therefore reflect better what tourists want to know. The ratings will place more emphasis on quality and so provide greater incentive for improved standards. There should be a greater incentive also on providers of accommodation to participate in the schemes, thus increasing the proportion of accommodation which is inspected and rated for use by tourists. These and other benefits should quickly begin to be found when the schemes are launched this September.

  Girls' Football
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the Football Association about plans to encourage girls to play football. [83425]

  Mr. Banks
  I met senior representatives of The Football Association on 9 March, principally to discuss The FA's plans to stage a Women's Football Awareness Week in June. Given the significant schools element in The FA's proposals I am arranging for The FA representatives to have detailed discussions with myself and Education Ministers shortly. I fully support the excellent work which The FA is undertaking in this important area, and wish it every success.

  Musical Instrument Tuition
  Mr. David Heath
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what direct support will be given to schools musical instrument tuition from the youth music trust and the standards fund. [83426]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The independent National Foundation for Youth Music, formerly known as the Youth Music Trust, opened In April and will work with the DfEE's £150 million Standards Fund measures to increase opportunities for school children to access instrumental music-making. The National Foundation for Youth Music's policies will complement the Standards Fund measures, drawing on £30 million of Arts Council Lottery funds, by seeking to find additional ways in which all children, in schools and outside, will have access to quality music-making opportunities. Further announcements about the National Foundation for Youth Music's policies will be made shortly.

  Tourism (Wiltshire)
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effect of the working time directive on the tourism industry in Wiltshire. [83427]

  Janet Anderson
  The Government believe that the Working Time Regulations are business friendly in all parts of the UK. They strike a balance between the need for effective legislation, providing fair minimum standards for workers and ensuring that businesses are not subject to unnecessary burdens.

  Parks (Policing)
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will discuss with the head of the Royal Parks Constabulary and the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis the limitation of park controllers' powers in extremis. [83428]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  I have no plans to discuss changing the powers of the Royal Parks Constabulary with the Commissioner of the Metropolitan police and the Chief Officer of the Royal Parks Police.
  277
  Officers of the Royal Parks Constabulary have the same powers, privileges and immunities as any police constable within the Metropolitan police district. These powers are adequate to discharge their responsibilities to the Secretary of State, under the Royal Parks Regulations Act 1872.

  Cricket Grounds
  Mr. Ennis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to improve safety and spectator comfort at cricket grounds. [83429]

  Mr. Banks
  The Government are determined that spectators of all sports should be able to enjoy the action in safety and comfort. Last month, I announced new roles for both Sport England and the Football Licensing Authority in our drive to modernise sports grounds across the country. Sport England is to fund a £10 million improvement scheme over the next four years to help top rugby league and rugby union teams, and the major cricket counties to improve safety at their grounds. In addition, the Football Licensing Authority will be reconstituted as the Sports Grounds Safety Authority and will have an advisory role on safety issues associated with all sports which use outdoor sports stadia, including cricket. I am sure my hon. Friend will agree that these are welcome developments.

  National Year of Reading
  Ms Buck
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what contribution the New Opportunities Fund will make to the national year of reading. [83430]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  The New Opportunities Fund will be issuing its first grants under the out of school hours learning initiative in July. As the National Year of Reading ends in August, the New Opportunities Fund will not be making a contribution to this programme.

  Television Licences
  Mr. Purchase
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he expects to receive the report of the viewers panel on concessionary television licences; and if he will make a statement. [83431]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  The BBC funding review panel, whose terms of reference include a consideration of the structure of the concessionary licence scheme and possible alternatives, will report to me by the end of July this year.

  British Tourist Authority
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent representations he has received on the work of the British Tourist Authority. [83432]

  Janet Anderson
  My Department regularly receives representations—mostly complimentary in nature—on the work of the British Tourist Authority.

  Arts Funding
  Mrs. Ellman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the allocation of arts funding to and within the English regions. [83434]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The arts in the English regions benefit from a variety of funding sources; Government, via the Arts Council of England and the regional arts board; local authorities; the European Union; and business sponsorship. Each is indispensable, and we could not take away one without endangering the whole.

  Rugby Grounds
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to improve safety and spectator comfort at rugby grounds. [83435]

  Mr. Banks
  The Government are determined that spectators of all sports should be able to enjoy the action in safety and comfort. Last month, I announced new roles for both Sport England and the Football Licensing Authority in our drive to modernise sports grounds across the country. Sport England is to fund a £10 million improvement scheme over the next four years to help top rugby league and rugby union teams, and the major cricket counties to improve safety at their grounds. In addition, the Football Licensing Authority will be reconstituted as the Sports Grounds Safety Authority and will have an advisory role on safety issues associated with all sports which use outdoor sports stadia, including rugby. I am sure my hon. Friend will agree that these are welcome developments.

  Green Spaces Initiative
  Mr. Gareth R. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when grants will be awarded under the Green Spaces Initiative funded by the New Opportunities Fund. [83436]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  The New Opportunities Fund expects to invite applications for grants under the Green Spaces and Sustainable Communities initiative by January 2000 and aims to make awards shortly after.

  Millennium Dome
  Mr. Bradshaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has held with transport providers on the provision of low-cost services for visitors to the millennium experience from the south-west. [83444]

  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to encourage people from the north-west to visit the millennium experience. [83445]

  Janet Anderson
  The New Millennium Experience Company working with the travel industry, including rail and coach operators, aims to deliver packages combining travel and Dome entry, which will give visitors value for money and encourage all those who wish to visit the Dome to do so. Following the company's announcement of ticket prices on 18 March, the travel industry has already confirmed a range of attractive and competitive
  279
  packages. For example, National Express has announced return coach travel and entry to the Dome for just £29.99 from anywhere in England, Scotland or Wales.

  Millennium Dome (Economic Impact)
  Mr. Stringer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will estimate the economic impact of the millennium dome on the north-west of England. [83446]

  Janet Anderson
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the right hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Mr. Forth) on 29 March 1999,Official Report, column 517.

  Millennium Dome (Visitors)
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent representations he has received on forecasts of numbers visiting the dome during the first year. [83440]

  Janet Anderson
  The Millennium Experience is planned as a one-year event running from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2000. The New Millennium Experience Company estimates that it will attract 12 million visitors during the year of operation. I have received no representations about this figure.

  Sport
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on what date he proposes to announce his strategy for sport. [84222]

  Mr. Banks
  [holding answer 14 May 1999]: We are currently consulting with a range of interested parties and I expect the sports strategy to be published in the autumn.

TREASURY

  Open Government
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applications for information he received under the Open Government: Code of Practice on Access to Government Information in the last parliamentary session; and how many of these applications were granted. [83106]

  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 10 May 1999]: For monitoring purposes this information is collected on a calendar year basis. Information for 1997 was published last year in the "Open Government: Code of Practice on Access to Government Information 1997 Report". The table shows the information for 1998 for the Chancellor's Departments.

  Department

  Number of applications

  Number granted

  HM Treasury

  12

  12

  HM Customs and Excise

  32

  27

  Inland Revenue

  99

  82

  National Savings

  —

  —

  Office for National Statistics

  —

  —

  Royal Mint

  —

  —

  Valuation Office Agency

  108

  98

  European Central Bank
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the UK subscription to the capital of the European Central Bank(a) in total and (b) as paid-up capital. [83943]

  Ms Hewitt
  In accordance with the formula for the subscription of the ECB's capital set out in Article 29 of the Statute of the ESCB (Protocol No.3 to the EC Treaty), the UK's share in the subscribed capital of the ECB is 734,055,000 euro.

  In accordance with Article 48 of the Statute of the ESCB, the ECB General Council decided in September 1998 that the national central banks of non-participating Member States should pay up 50 per cent. of their subscription to the ECB's capital. The Bank of England was therefore required to pay up 36,702,750 euro to cover its share in the subscribed capital of the ECB. This amount is settled by offset against the proceeds of the liquidation of the EMI.

  Treasury Management Board
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the remuneration is of the new non-executive director of the Treasury Management Board. [84305]

  Ms Hewitt
  The non-executive director of the Treasury Management Board will receive remuneration of £5,000 per annum.

  Euro
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the change in the value of the euro against sterling since January. [84084]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Government's objective is for a stable and competitive pound in the medium term, consistent with the objective of price stability. The Government believe sound fundamentals are what matters for exchange rate stability. The Government's new macroeconomic framework is aimed at achieving sustained growth, sound public finances and low inflation, which should also promote exchange rate stability.

  Duty-free Sales
  Mr. Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on recent developments in the negotiations on duty free sales. [84300]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Recent discussions on intra-EU duty free sales have not secured agreement on extending the current arrangements beyond 30 June 1999. The Government have never underestimated the difficulty of achieving this as it requires unanimity amongst member states. Ministers take this issue very seriously and the UK will continue to explore with our European partners options for the best way ahead.

  Exchange Rates
  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his forecast for the average(a) sterling-euro, (b) sterling-dollar and (c) sterling-yen exchange rate in 1999. [84289]
  281
  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 14 May 1999]: As stated on page 127 of the Budget 1999 Red Book in footnote 2:
  "The forecast is based on the assumption that the exchange rate moves in line with an uncovered interest parity condition, consistent with the interest rates underlying the economic forecast."

  Breast Cancer
  Ms Perham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give a breakdown by age range of the incidence of breast cancer in women in England in each of the last five years. [84258]

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

  Letter from Tim Holt to Ms Linda Perham, dated 17 May 1999:
  As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), 1 have been asked to reply to your recent question on the incidence of breast cancer in women in england in the last five years.
  The numbers of newly diagnosed cases of breast cancer and incidence rates per 100,000 females in England, 1990–1994 (the last five years for which data are available), are shown in the attached tables. The data for 1990–1992 were published in the ONS Cancer statistics—registrations series MB 1 and most recently updated in the CD-ROM, Cancer 1971–1997. Provisional numbers and rates of new cases of breast cancer diagnosed in 1993–1994 were published in the ONS Monitor Estimates of newly diagnosed cases of cancer, England and Wales, 1993–1997 (MB 1 98/2).

  Number of new cases of female breast cancer, England

  1990

  1991

  1992

  19931

  19941

  Under 1

  1

  0

  0

  4

  2

  1-4

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  5-9

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  10-14

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  15-19

  1

  4

  6

  3

  2

  20-24

  26

  26

  28

  20

  22

  25-29

  148

  129

  170

  141

  150

  30-34

  399

  442

  487

  460

  512

  35-39

  874

  919

  964

  882

  953

  40-14

  1,717

  1,831

  1,791

  1,577

  1,703

  45-49

  2,246

  2,441

  2,818

  2,707

  2,882

  50-54

  2,693

  3,007

  3,124

  2,946

  3,086

  55-59

  3,086

  3,482

  3,298

  2,984

  3,004

  60-64

  3,794

  3,984

  3,859

  3,447

  3,136

  65-69

  3,352

  3,133

  3,057

  2,698

  2,719

  70-74

  2,647

  2,865

  2,998

  3,006

  3,168

  75-79

  2,624

  2,694

  2,597

  2,336

  2,251

  80-84

  2,000

  2,166

  2,282

  2,052

  2,096

  85+

  1,913

  2,105

  2,138

  2,129

  1,911

  All ages

  27,521

  29,229

  29,618

  27,392

  27,598

  1Provisional

  Incidence rates per 100.000 of female breast cancer, England

  1990

  1991

  1992

  19931

  19941

  Under 1

  0.3

  0.0

  0.0

  1.3

  0.6

  1-4

  0.0

  0.1

  0.0

  0.0

  0.1

  5-9

  0.0

  0.0

  0.0

  0.0

  0.0

  10-14

  0.0

  0.0

  0.1

  0.0

  0.0

  15-19

  0.1

  0.3

  0.4

  0.2

  0.1

  20-24

  1.4

  1.4

  1.6

  1.1

  1.3

  25-29

  7.6

  6.5

  8.6

  7.2

  7.7

  30-34

  23.4

  25.1

  26.9

  24.7

  26.7

  35-39

  55.5

  58.1

  60.1

  54.1

  57.1

  40-44

  99.0

  105.2

  108.1

  97.9

  107.1

  45-49

  159.6

  166.0

  176.2

  162.0

  169.2

  50-54

  208.9

  235.5

  243.6

  225.2

  228.8

  282

  Incidence rates per 100,000 of female breast cancer, England

  1990

  1991

  1992

  19931

  19941

  55-59

  251.5

  286.2

  270.7

  242.0

  240.0

  60-64

  303.9

  321.4

  314.6

  284.7

  262.9

  65-69

  260.8

  252.1

  252.3

  226.8

  231.4

  70-74

  255.1

  265.4

  267.7

  257.5

  263.5

  75-79

  271.8

  282.2

  280.0

  265.7

  269.5

  80-84

  281.7

  302.6

  318.5

  286.0

  291.1

  85+

  343.4

  363.0

  353.8

  337.0

  294.7

  All ages

  112.2

  118.7

  120.0

  110.7

  111.2

  DAS2

  98.9

  105.5

  106.2

  97.2

  97.8

  1Provisional

  2Directly age standardised using the European standard population

  Air Passenger Duty
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will exempt disabled passengers from air passenger duty on flights within the United Kingdom. [84408]

  Mrs. Roche
  I have no plans to do so.

  Gold Prices
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the change in the value of gold in sterling since January. [84085]

  Ms Hewitt
  The price of gold (in sterling) on 4 January 1999 was £173.538 an ounce and on 13 May 1999 was £171.4383 an ounce.

  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his forecast for the average gold price in(a) 1999, (b) 2000 and (c) 2001. [84286]

  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 14 May 1999]: The price of gold is determined by the market. The Government do not forecast it.

  Gold Reserves
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which currencies, in which proportions, will be bought with the proceeds of the recently announced sale of part of the United Kingdom's gold reserves. [84086]

  Ms Hewitt
  The proceeds of the gold sales will be invested in foreign currencies broadly following the current holding of the net reserves.

  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason he has decided to sell almost 60 per cent. of the United Kingdom's gold reserves; and if he will make a statement. [84087]

  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the long-term objectives of his proposals to reduce the Bank of England's gold reserves. [84287]

  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 14 May 1999]: The aim of this prudent restructuring of the UK's reserve holdings, involving the auctioning of gold, is to achieve a better balance in the portfolio by increasing the proportion held in currency.

  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the value(a) in sterling and (b) as a percentage of total foreign reserves, of the gold reserves held in March by each of the G8 countries. [84083]
  283
  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the amounts of gold reserves held by(a) each of the EU countries, (b) the Government of the US and (c) the Government of Japan. [84310]

  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 14 May 1999]: Figures on the gold holdings of other countries can be found in the IMF's International Financial Statistics.

  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of national gold reserves he plans to sell before the end of 1999. [84284]

  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 14 May 1999]: It is intended to sell 125 tonnes of gold in the current financial year, which represents less than a fifth of the UK's official gold holdings. Three of the five auctions will be held before the end of the calendar year.

  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what advice he was given by the Governor of the Bank of England regarding his proposed sale of national gold reserves. [84281]
  284
  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 14 May 1999]: The Bank of England provided technical advice on the portfolio risks associated with gold and other assets, and on the various possible techniques for selling gold.

  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what deadline he has set by which his proposed sales of national gold reserves will be completed. [84283]

  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 14 May 1999]: Over the medium term the Government are planning to reduce their gold holdings to around 300 tonnes. Detailed plans for auctions in 2000–01 and later years will be announced nearer the time.

  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has held with finance ministers in other countries who have declared their intentions to sell national gold reserves. [84288]

  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 14 May 1999]: The Chancellor regularly meets his ministerial colleagues from other countries to discuss a wide range of issues.

  Withholding Tax
  Withholding Tax
  Data Protection: Digital Decoders
  Data Protection: Digital Decoders
  United Christian Broadcasters
  United Christian Broadcasters
  British Museum: Prints and Drawings Students' Room
  British Museum: Prints and Drawings Students' Room
  British Films: Support
  British Films: Support
  Royal Parks Agency: Environmental Impact Assessments
  Royal Parks Agency: Environmental Impact Assessments
  Prostitutes' Cards in Telephone Boxes
  Prostitutes' Cards in Telephone Boxes
  Human Rights Act 1998
  Human Rights Act 1998
  Kosovar Refugees: Admission to UK
  Kosovar Refugees: Admission to UK
  Election Expenses
  Election Expenses
  Women's Refuges
  Women's Refuges
  European Parliament Candidacy: Eligibility
  European Parliament Candidacy: Eligibility
  Immigration Act Detainees
  Immigration Act Detainees
  Firearms Consultative Committee
  Firearms Consultative Committee
  Eurostar: Passport Controls
  Eurostar: Passport Controls
  Sentencers: Financial Information
  Sentencers: Financial Information
  Community Sentence Demonstration Projects
  Community Sentence Demonstration Projects
  Fine Defaulters
  Fine Defaulters
  Home Detention Curfew Scheme
  Home Detention Curfew Scheme
  Northern Ireland: SEN Pupil Numbers
  Northern Ireland: SEN Pupil Numbers
  EU Member States: Second Chamber Membership
  EU Member States: Second Chamber Membership
  Mr. Abdullah Ocalan
  Mr. Abdullah Ocalan
  Rape in Armed Conflict
  Rape in Armed Conflict
  Prisoners Abroad: Visits
  Prisoners Abroad: Visits
  Ahmadiyya Community, Pakistan: Protection
  Ahmadiyya Community, Pakistan: Protection
  Satellite Launches: Environmental Impact
  Satellite Launches: Environmental Impact
  Satellite Launches and Non-proliferation Controls
  Satellite Launches and Non-proliferation Controls
  SFOR Armoured Vehicle Spare Parts
  SFOR Armoured Vehicle Spare Parts
  Civil Service Code and Devolution
  Civil Service Code and Devolution
  Learner Motorcyclists
  Learner Motorcyclists
  Housing Act 1996 and Domestic Violence
  Housing Act 1996 and Domestic Violence
  London Underground: Penalty Fares
  London Underground: Penalty Fares
  EU Funding Designation Area Changes
  EU Funding Designation Area Changes
  Job Creation and the Single Market
  Job Creation and the Single Market
  UK Exports to EU Member States
  UK Exports to EU Member States