Written Answers of 24 November 1999

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

  Crown Prosecution Service
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Solicitor-General if he will make a statement regarding the Code for Crown Prosecutors. [99859]

  The Solicitor-General
  The Code for Crown Prosecutors is issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions as required by section 10 of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985. It is an important public document. It sets out the fundamental principles to be applied by Crown Prosecutors when deciding whether or not an individual should be prosecuted and, if a prosecution is to follow, what charges should be preferred. By applying the Code casework, decisions can be made fairly, consistently and independently. The current edition of the Code was published in June 1994.

  Sir Iain Glidewell's review of the Crown Prosecution Service recommended an amendment of the Code for Crown Prosecutors. The current edition of the Code at paragraph 6.2 reads in part:
  "In cases of any seriousness, a prosecution will usually take place unless there are public interest factors tending against prosecution which clearly outweigh those tending in favour."

  The Glidewell report concluded that the Code test should be applied in the same way to all cases, whatever their degree of seriousness. The report was concerned that the Code as drafted, if read literally, might incorrectly result in the Code being applied differently to cases which are not so serious. The Glidewell report therefore recommended that the words
  "In cases of any seriousness"
  be removed from the relevant paragraph.

  That recommendation has been accepted. On 26 August, the Crown Prosecution Service issued to CPS staff a notice putting that recommendation into immediate effect.

  The Crown Prosecution Service, with appropriate consultation, is to review the Code for Crown Prosecutors to take account of the Human Rights Act 1998. Formal amendment to the Code, in accordance with the Glidewell recommendation, will be made when the Code is reissued after this review.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Licence Fees
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if households comprising pensioners 106W
  aged over 75 years living with adults of below pension age will be eligible for the free television licence announced in the pre-Budget statement. [99396]

  Janet Anderson
  Yes.

  Children's Radio
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has for the development of children's radio. [99215]

  Janet Anderson
  Decisions on programme content are for the broadcasters. However, Government policy is to ensure that both public service and independent broadcasters provide a range of high quality radio services which meet consumer needs. Under its Charter and Agreement, the BBC is committed to provide original programmes for children and young people as well as information, education and entertainment programmes which are of interest across the community. Similarly, it is open to independent radio licensees, regulated by the Radio Authority under the Broadcasting Acts, to offer programme formats which address the specific requirements of children and young people.

  Admission Charges
  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the Government's policy is regarding the introduction of admission charges at new national museums and galleries. [99172]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  [holding answer 22 November 1999]:Decisions on admission charges at new branches of national museums are principally a matter for the Trustees of the institution concerned. The Government encourage free entry where that is appropriate and affordable.

  National Lottery (Hospices)
  Mr. Ian Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which hospices have received National Lottery funding; and how many bids each of them had previously submitted for National Lottery funding. [99382]

  Kate Hoey
  According to the latest information from the distributors, a total of 88 lottery awards have been made to 75 hospices across the United Kingdom. The 75 successful grant recipient organisations submitted a total of 143 applications between them. These grant awards were made by the National Lottery Charities Board and the Arts Council of England. Details of the successful grant recipient organisations are as follows:

  (i) National Lottery Charities Board: 81 awards worth £20,000,893 (see attached details)

  (ii) Arts Council of England

  £

  North Northumberland Day Hospice

  5,000

  Wakefield Hospice

  4,540

  The Princess Alice Hospice

  2,250

  Beaumont House Hospice

  3,000

  St. Cuthbert's Hospice

  4,500

  Woodlands Hospice

  4,600

  Children's Hospice for the Eastern Region

  4,132

  Total

  28,022

  107W
  None of the above seven successful organisations had previously applied for Lottery funding.

  Lottery funding for organisations which support Hospices

  In addition, the Arts Council of Wales (ACW) and the Millennium Commission have each awarded one Lottery grant to organisations which support hospices. The ACW

  Hospices which have received awards and applications they have made

  Name

  Applications

  Awards

  Award (£)

  Accord Hospice

  4

  2

  538,424

  Ardgowan Hospice Limited

  2

  2

  875,947

  Ashgate Hospice

  1

  1

  13,750

  Ayrshire Hospice

  1

  1

  550,000

  Barnsley Hospice Appeal Ltd.

  2

  1

  862,503

  Children's Hospice South West

  2

  1

  127,167

  Demelza House Childrens Hospice

  3

  1

  195,000

  Dove House Hospice

  2

  1

  198,497

  Dr. Kershaw's Hospice

  2

  1

  12,000

  East Kent Hospice Project

  2

  2

  454,000

  Fife Hospice Support Group

  1

  1

  1,500

  Friends of Swailand Hospice

  2

  1

  73,980

  Friends of the Children's Hospice South West

  1

  1

  4,045

  Harrogate District Hospice Limited

  3

  1

  26,250

  Help the Hospices xz

  3

  1

  168,473

  High Peak Hospice Care

  2

  1

  86,458

  Highland Hospice

  2

  2

  391,448

  Hope House Childrens Respite Hospice

  1

  1

  184,183

  Hospice at Home Volunteers

  1

  1

  5,000

  Hospice Care for Burnley and Pendle

  1

  1

  391,363

  Hospice Homecare Support Group, Northallerton and District

  1

  1

  35,285

  Hospice in Rossendale

  3

  1

  69,817

  Hospice in The Weald

  3

  1

  145,000

  Ian Rennie Hospice at Home

  1

  1

  195,555

  Isabel Hospice Limited

  2

  1

  185,000

  Katherine House Hospice

  3

  2

  278,000

  Myton Hamlet Hospice

  3

  1

  291,064

  N.H.C.T.—Developing Hospice Care in Kenya

  1

  1

  65,169

  Nat Council for Hospice and Specialist Palliative Care Service

  1

  1

  51,920

  Newry Hospice

  2

  1

  206,922

  North Devon Hospice Care Trust

  3

  3

  616,836

  North Northumberland Day Hospice

  1

  1

  333,240

  Northern Ireland Hospice

  4

  2

  1,434,049

  Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice

  4

  3

  1,073,162

  Queenscourt Hospice

  3

  1

  30,540

  Shropshire and Mid Wales Hospice

  3

  1

  162,000

  St. Ann's Hospice

  1

  1

  441,223

  St. Anne's Hospice

  1

  1

  285,000

  St. Barnabas Hospice Trust

  1

  1

  471,000

  St. Catherine's Hospice

  2

  1

  40,344

  St. Catherines Hospice Lancashire Ltd.

  1

  1

  360,000

  St. Christopher's Hospice

  3

  2

  1,529,106

  St. Clare West Essex Hospice Care Trust

  1

  1

  112,500

  St. Clare's Hospice

  2

  1

  98,694

  St. Cuthberts Hospice

  2

  1

  160,000

  St. Davids Hospice

  2

  1

  250,000

  St. Gemmas Hospice

  1

  1

  1,000,000

  St. Luke's Hospice Plymouth

  3

  1

  223,000

  St. Lukes Hospice (Harrow and Brent) Ltd.

  2

  1

  148,000

  St. Nicholas' Hospice (Suffolk)

  3

  1

  170,000

  St. Oswald's Hospice Ltd.

  3

  1

  193,356

  St. Peter's Hospice Ltd.

  1

  1

  75,000

  St. Vincent's Hospice Ltd.

  3

  2

  650,017

  Strathcarron Hospice

  2

  1

  226,412

  Teesside Hospice Care Foundation

  3

  1

  674,776

  The East Cheshire Hospice

  3

  1

  200,000

  The Hartlepool Hospice Limited

  1

  1

  80,852

  The Pasque Hospice

  3

  2

  713,622

  The Princess Alice Hospice

  3

  2

  162,139

  The South West Hertfordshire Hospice Charitable Trust

  2

  1

  74,474

  Trimar Christian Hospice Trust

  3

  1

  90,000

  Usk House Day Hospice

  2

  1

  86,541

  108W
  awarded a grant worth £5,000 to "Voices for the Hospice", and the Millennium Commission awarded £1,348,708 to "Help the Hospices Millennium Awards" scheme. The latter is a UK-wide scheme which will offer 400 Awards to develop and enhance the skills and abilities of both existing, and new, volunteers involved in any sphere of the Hospice movement.
  109W

  Hospices which have received awards and applications they have made

  Name

  Applications

  Awards

  Award (£)

  Wakefield Hospice

  1

  1

  103,000

  West Norfolk Hospice Ltd.

  1

  1

  106,343

  Weston Hospicecare

  1

  1

  303,808

  Woodlands Hospice Charitable Trust

  2

  1

  167,139

  Totals

  136

  81

  20,000,893

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Disability Discrimination Act 1995
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the proposed date for implementation of Section 37 of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. [98631]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  We are fully committed to implementing Section 37 at the earliest opportunity and intend to consult on the provisions by March next year.

  Fluoridation
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to replace the current Code of Practice on Technical Aspects of the Fluoridation of Water Supplies. [98666]

  Mr. Mullin
  None at present. In the White Paper, "Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation", which was published on 6 July, the Government announced that they had commissioned an up-to-date, expert scientific review of the evidence on the fluoridation of water. The Government expect to receive the review report in March, and will not be considering any legislative changes until it is received. It is not proposed to update the Code of Practice ahead of the review report.

  Transport Consultation Documents
  Mr. Day
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many transport consultation documents have been issued since May 1997; and how many are currently in consultation. [98629]

  Mr. Hill
  We have issued 237 consultation papers with deadlines for responses since May 1997. Sixteen of these remain open.

  Local Authority Planning
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidance his Department(a) gives and (b) proposes to give to local authorities on the basis for (i) the use of windfall calculations in residual requirements and (ii) the role of flexibility allowances in the preparation of structure plans. [98581]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The issues are currently dealt with in Annexes B and C of Planning Policy Guidance Note 3: Housing, issued in 1992. However, they are under review as part of the revision of PPG3.

  Central Trains
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many complaints have been received each year by the Rail Regulator against Central Trains; and if he will make a statement. [98504]

  Mr. Hill
  The information is not available in the format requested. In 1998–99, the Rail Regulator received 2,321 complaints on a range of issues. However, as the Regulator does not have a formal role in dealing with complaints from rail passengers, complaints are not recorded against individual train operators.

  Highway SSA
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the source is of the traffic figures used in calculating highway standard spending assessment; and what action he takes if they are disputed by the local authority concerned. [98723]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The traffic figures used in calculating the highway maintenance standard spending assessment are those that are provided by Highway Authorities or contractors on behalf of the Department for Environment, Transport and the Regions. Highway Authorities may sub-contract the work. The traffic figures proposed for use in the 2000–01 local government finance settlement are based on data relating to 1998 and earlier years. For Cambridgeshire in 1998 and earlier years, the County Council was contracted by the Department to provide the traffic figures.

  All matters where authorities dispute the figures that are proposed for use in the calculation of standard spending assessments are investigated and the findings taken into account when final decisions are taken on the local government settlement. Authorities are advised of the relevant deadlines for making representations and the circumstances in which changes are usually made.

  Air Quality
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received concerning (i) low emission zones and (ii) the National Air Quality Strategy from(a) road haulage organisations, (b) motoring organisations and (c) motor manufacturers; and if he will make a statement. [99107]

  Mr. Hill
  [holding answer 22 November 1999]: My Department has not received representations on low emission zones, as they are not a Government policy proposal. It is for local authorities, rather than central Government, to decide whether to implement such zones in order to improve local air quality.
  111W
  We have received approximately 80 responses to the consultation draft of the Air Quality Strategy for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland which we published on 25 August. Most of these were from local authorities, but we did receive a response from The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Limited (SMMT). Copies of the non-confidential responses received will be made available in the libraries of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, the National Assembly for Wales, the Scottish Executive and the Department of Environment (Northern Ireland). A list of responses will also be placed in the House Libraries when the final version of the Strategy is published in January next year. A summary of the responses will also be made available in January on the Department's Website. The objectives proposed in the draft Air Quality Strategy have also been discussed at meetings of the Air Quality Forum, at which the AA, SMMT and the Freight Transport Association were present.

  Road transport is one of the major sources of air pollution, especially in our towns and cities. However, we have made clear within the Strategy and in our guidance to local authorities that the relative contribution of transport, and all other sectors, to the achievement of meeting the new air quality objectives has to be cost effective and proportionate.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he plans to introduce legislation to protect SSSIs; what plans he has to legislate for the protection of peat reserves; what plans he has to encourage the commercial production of peat alternatives; and if he will make a statement. [99228]

  Mr. Meacher
  The Countryside Amenity and Conservation Bill will be brought forward in the current session. The legislative proposals to provide better protection for SSSIs will benefit all sites, including those notified for their peatland interests. In addition, the best examples of those peatland sites will be designated under the EU Habitats and Birds Directives and Ramsar Convention, affording them additional protection. We will consider the commercial production of peat alternatives in the light of the findings of the Peat Working Group, which will be publishing its report shortly.

  Leaseholders
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he intends to introduce the system of commonhold for leaseholders in blocks of flats. [99217]

  Mr. Mullin
  As was announced in the Gracious Speech given on 17 November 1999,Official Report, columns 4–7, the Government will be publishing a draft joint Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill for consultation during this session. The Commonhold aspects of the draft Bill are the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor.

  Diabetics (Driving Licences)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will review his policy on denying insulin-dependent diabetic sufferers 112W
  occupational driving licences; and if he will take into account in doing so the current inquiry by the Science and Technology Committee. [99278]

  Mr. Hill
  The driving licence treatment of those with diabetes treated by insulin is based on European legislation—the Second Driving Licence Directive (91/439/EEC). This, and its predecessor Directive (80/1263/EEC), provided for licensing restrictions on those with insulin-treated diabetes, in particular in respect of driving heavier vehicles, based on risks associated with insulin treatment. I cannot anticipate the report of the Science and Technology Committee.

  Heavy Goods Vehicles
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on how many heavy goods vehicles Vehicle Excise Duty was paid in(a) 1995–96, (b) 1996–97, (c) 1997–98 and (d) 1998–99. [99418]

  Mr. Hill
  Only the end of year detailed licensed stock figures are readily available; this is a good approximation to the number of vehicles for which Vehicle Excise Duty was paid in each of the given years. The number of heavy goods vehicles in Great Britain licensed at the end of each year was as follows:

  Number

  1995

  417,900

  1996

  420,600

  1997

  422,400

  1998

  421,200

  Rail Safety
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what advice he has received from the Chief Inspector of Railways on the effectiveness of the railway safety regime in place since rail privatisation; and if he will list the relevant papers and place copies in the Library. [99313]

  Mr. Hill
  [holding answer 23 November 1999]: The Health and Safety Commission, together with the Health and Safety Executive (of which the Railway Inspectorate forms a part) is the sole rail safety regulator and advises my right hon. Friend on rail safety.

  Soon after the election, we made it clear that the HSC should bring forward whatever regulations they considered necessary to improve rail safety. Following public consultation, they recommended regulations to bring forward the elimination of slam-door rolling stock and install train protection systems across the network, which following signature by my right hon. Friend, were laid before Parliament in August this year.

  In October this year the HSC sent my right hon. Friend interim advice on Railtrack's Safety and Standards Directorate.

  Advice on the effectiveness of the railway safety regime is also included in the Chief Inspector of Railways' Annual Report on Railway Safety, and his provisional annual safety statistics.

  All these documents are available in the Library.

  Independent Safety Authority
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what estimate he has produced of the cost of establishing an independent safety authority covering maritime, rail and aviation sectors of transport; [99618]

  (2) what plans he has to create an independent safety authority to cover road transport. [99619]

  Mr. Hill
  In response to recommendations from the Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Select Committee, the Government are reviewing the principles which should govern how transport safety is regulated and accidents investigated. The review is looking, among other things, at the case for a new safety authority which would embrace all of the transport modes, including roads. If it is decided that there would be benefits, including for safety, in making changes to the present arrangements, the Government will consider the most cost effective way of implementing them.

  Biodiversity Protocol
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he is making to his counterparts in the EU concerning the enforcement of a Biodiversity Protocol to be discussed in Montreal next January. [99495]

  Mr. Meacher
  The UK and the EU are considering the concepts discussed at the informal consultations on the Biosafety Protocol held by the President of the Extraordinary Conference of the Parties (Ex-COP), Minister Mayr, in Vienna in September. I have put the UK views to my Ministerial colleagues at meetings of the Environment Council. The Environment Council is next due to discuss the Protocol and agree the framework for the negotiators at its meeting on December 13 and 14. The draft text of the protocol contains an article that the Parties to the Protocol would, at their first meeting, consider and approve cooperative procedures and institutional mechanisms to promote compliance with the provisions of the Protocol, and to address cases of non-compliance.

  Local Government Finance
  Ms Southworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the provisional local government finance settlement for 2000–2001. [99885]

  Ms Armstrong
  I will make a statement in the House tomorrow announcing the Government's proposals for the local government finance settlement 2000–2001.

  Hammersmith and Fulham Executive Mayor
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he or any of his ministers last met the Executive Mayor of Hammersmith and Fulham; what the date was of that meeting; what was discussed at the meeting; and who else was present at the meeting. [98665]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  My right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and the Regions met my hon. Friends the Members for Ealing, Acton and 114W
  Shepherd's Bush (Mr. Soley), for Hammersmith and Fulham (Mr. Coleman) and for Northampton, North (Ms Keeble) on 4 November to discuss local government reform, including local government finance and the ongoing review of possible alternatives to Standard Spending Assessments, asylum seekers and homelessness, and how these relate to Hammersmith and Fulham. The Executive Mayor, the First Deputy and the Chief Executive of Hammersmith and Fulham also attended and took part in the discussions.

  I apologise that this information was not included in the answer I gave to the hon. Member on 11 November 1999, Official Report, column 699, in response to a similar question. The hon. Member will now know that I wrote to him on 17 November, as soon as the error became known, with the correct information and placed a copy of the letter in the Library of the House.

  National Land Information Service
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the progress made in developing the National Land Information Service. [98746]

  Jane Kennedy
  I have been asked to reply.

  Following a successful pilot of the National Land Information Service in Bristol, the project is now being prepared for full commercial exploitation. As a first step, the Local Government Information House, on behalf of HM Land Registry and the Improvement and Development Agency, is seeking a contractor to deliver services that will provide online access to Land Registry and local authority data. The Lord Chancellor launched the prospectus, calling for responses from organisations interested in supplying the new service, on 8 October 1999. Responses are now being evaluated and potential suppliers shortlisted.

  This is a very exciting project that fully supports the "Modernising government" agenda. When implemented, it will facilitate faster and easier access to land information and make an important contribution to speeding up the house buying and selling process.

DEFENCE

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has spent in(a) legal fees, (b) travel costs and (c) other expenses in opposing the application at the European Court of Human Rights by former servicemen and servicewomen challenging the ban on homosexuals joining Her Majesty's Forces. [98587]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Department has spent £25,000 in legal fees and approximately £1,000 in associated Departmental travel and subsistence costs in contesting the European Court of Human Rights application by homosexual ex-Service personnel.

  Gulf War Syndrome
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in respect of how many service personnel the cause of illness sustained during the Gulf War campaign has still not been identified. [98580]

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

  Saffron Sands
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how long the troops assigned to the Saffron Sands exercise will be in Jordan; and when they are expected to return. [99415]

  Mr. Spellar
  Exercise Saffron Sands 99 took place in Jordan between 26 September and 31 October 1999. All members of the battalion participating in the exercise were back in Cyprus by 3 November 1999.

  East Timor
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many United Kingdom soldiers are participating in the international peacekeeping force in East Timor. [99301]

  Mr. Spellar
  As at 22 November 1999, there were 275 British Service personnel serving with the international peacekeeping force in East Timor (INTERFET), consisting of 262 Army personnel—of which 218 are from 2nd Battalion Royal Gurkha Rifles—12 RAF personnel and one Royal Marine.

  Indonesia
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Indonesian pilots have been trained in the UK in each of the last five years; and how this training has been funded. [99299]

  Mr. Spellar
  One Indonesian pilot attended a training course at RAF Valley in 1995, funded by the Ministry of Defence. No other training of Indonesian pilots has been carried out or funded by the MOD in the last five years. Training under commercial auspices is a matter for the companies concerned.

  Columbia
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what military personnel assistance his Department provides to Colombia; and for what purposes. [99430]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 23 November 1999]: UK military assistance is provided to Colombia to meet specific requests. Examples of training provided over the last ten years include Explosive Ordnance Disposal, search techniques and some assistance to the counter-narcotics authorities. In addition, advisory visits and information exchanges have taken place on operations in urban theatres, counter-guerrilla strategy, and psychiatry. Military assistance offered to the Colombians generally includes human rights elements.

  External Consultants
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been spent by his Department on 116W
  external consultants and advisers since May 1997 funded from (i) his Department's programme provision and (ii) his Department's running costs.[99488]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  This information cannot be provided since the Department no longer breaks down its expenditure against these categories.

  Arms Exhibitions
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the nature of the assurance given by DSEI Ltd. that companies exhibiting at the Defence Systems and Equipment International exhibition would comply with the Government's policies and UK legislation; and what check was made to see that this was achieved. [99513]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  The organisers agreed that all equipment on display at the exhibition (including promotional material) would comply with current HMG policy and that no equipment would be exhibited which the UK would not approve for export. MOD agreed to advise the organisers on the suitability of exhibits.

  UK contractors were bound by the Handbook of Industrial Security and their exhibits were scrutinised by MOD staff for compliance. Overseas exhibitors, although not bound by the Handbook, were subject to spot checks by MOD staff to ensure hardware on display was compliant with Government policies and UK legislation.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what checks and controls will be established for arms exhibitions held in the UK to ensure that exhibitors and organisers comply with the Landmines Act 1998. [99510]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  Currently, there is no specific check for compliance with the Landmines Act 1998. However, anti-personnel landmines would be included as part of the normal spot check by MOD staff of all equipment on display. In addition, HM Customs and Excise routinely check all equipment imported into the country to ensure compliance with UK legislation, including the Landmines Act.

  Participation at any UK defence exhibitions is conditional on compliance with UK law, which includes the Landmines Act.

  Regarding checks of exhibits at UK defence exhibitions, UK contractors are scrutinised for compliance against the Handbook of Industrial Security. Overseas contractors are not bound by the Handbook of Industrial Security but have to comply with the organisers' requirements, which make compliance with UK law mandatory, and are subject to spot checks by MOD staff.

  These procedures will be reviewed for future UK defence exhibitions.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects his Department's police investigation into alleged sales of anti-personnel mines at the Defence Systems and Equipment International Exhibition in Chertsey, Surrey, to be completed. [99512]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  The Ministry of Defence Police are investigating allegations that a Romanian company advertised the sale of anti-personnel mines at the Defence Systems and Equipment International Exhibition held at
  117W
  Chertsey in September 1999. I understand that the investigations are nearing completion at which point a file will be submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what checks were made of products for sale at Defence Systems and Equipment International for compliance with the Landmines Act 1998; and who was responsible for carrying out such checks. [99511]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  Participation at Defence Systems and Equipment International was conditional on compliance with UK law, including compliance with the Landmines Act 1998.

  In addition to checks by HM Customs&Excise to ensure that no prohibited equipment, including anti-personnel landmines, was imported into the UK, all exhibits at DSEI by UK companies were subject to the provisions of the UK Handbook on Industrial Security and were scrutinised by MOD staff for compliance. Exhibits by overseas companies, although not bound by the provisions of the Handbook, were subject to spot checks by MOD staff to ensure that hardware on display was compliant with Government policies and UK legislation. No anti-personnel landmine equipment was observed.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Forestry Commission
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has to amend the Forestry Commission's Departmental Expenditure Limit for 1999–2000. [99886]

  Mr. Morley
  Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate for Class X, Vote 3 (Forestry Commission) the Forestry Commission's Departmental Expenditure Limit for 1999–2000 will be increased by £7,5000,000 from £68,615,000 to £76,115,000. The increase is the net effect of the fall in receipts from sales of timber, offset by savings in expenditure.

  The increase will be a charge on the Departmental Expenditure Limit Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Fisheries Council
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Fisheries Council held in Brussels on 22 November; and if he will make a statement. [99748]

  Mr. Morley
  The Fisheries Council met in Brussels on 22 November. I led the UK delegation, accompanied by my hon. Friend the Member for East Lothian (Mr. Home Robertson), Deputy Minister for Rural Affairs in the Scottish Executive.

  The Council agreed a regulation for financial aid to fisheries under the reformed EU Structural Funds, which provides for seven year funding programmes and sets conditions for payments. Grants for renewal and modernisation of the fleet may be paid only if the member state has met its overall fleet capacity (MAGP IV) limits. Where the relevant segment of the fleet exceeds
  118W
  its capacity target, the member state must withdraw 30 per cent. more vessel capacity than is grant aided. While these new controls are not as rigorous as I would have wished, they are a welcome innovation, establishing the important principle that grant aid should contribute towards improving the balance between fish resources and the capacity of members states' fleets. There will be a review in 2001 providing an opportunity to make any changes necessary as a result of decisions at the expiry of MAGP IV.

  The Council reached a political agreement on a reform of the fisheries marketing regime subject to the opinion of the European Parliament. The new regulation will provide lower tariffs for imports of fish which are important for our processing industry, while recognising the need to protect the interests of our catching industry in the import terms for sensitive species such as herring and cod and more generally by including provision to deal with serious market disturbance. After a transitional period it will reduce the costs of the regime.

  The Council received a presentation on a draft Regulation to establish a Community framework for the collection and management of data needed to conduct the Common Fisheries Policy. This will return to the Council after detailed examination. The Commission reported that on 20 December there would be a meeting with the Moroccan Minister of Fisheries to take forward the EU:Morocco negotiations. There was an initial discussion of means of implementation of the new control arrangements adopted by the North East Atlantic Fisheries Commission; arrangements for 2000 will be considered at the next meeting of the Council on 16 and 17 December.

  Beef Ban
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made on lifting the French ban on United Kingdom beef imports. [100163]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  Discussions between the European Commission, the UK and France, have resulted in a document which will allow the French government to review its decision not to lift the ban on UK beef. This document has been referred to France's food safety advisory body, the AFSSA, by the French government.

  I have placed copies of the document in the Libraries of the House.

  Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowances
  Mr. Tom King
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate has been made by his Department of the likely value of the hill farm allowance scheme for the South West Region on his present proposals; and how much he estimates the hill livestock compensatory allowances will be in the current year. [98604]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 22 November 1999]: HLCA payments in MAFF's South West Region (Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly) in the current year (1999) will total around £6.27 million, over 14 per cent. of the total for England. These figures include a proportionate share of the extra £60 million (approximately £15.27 million in England), which we have announced will also be available in the year 2000. The proposals for Hill Farm

  119W
  Allowances which we published on 3 December will help maintain upland rural communities and preserve upland environments through sustainable beef and sheep production. There will be some impact on the amounts individual farmers receive, but the proposals have been designed to allow farmers time to adapt. We have made no estimate of any regional differences in the impact of the proposals.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Drug-related Crime
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the Merseyside Police Authority's budget has been spent on investigating drug-related crime and on preventing drug-related crime in each year since 1995. [99433]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  [holding answer 23 November 1999]: A breakdown of Merseyside Police expenditure in the form requested is not available.

  Operation Care
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many investigations similar to Operation Care are being undertaken in the United Kingdom. [99431]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  [holding answer 23 November 1999]: A recent survey of police forces conducted by the Association of Chief Police Officers indicated that 32 forces have carried out investigations into institutional child abuse.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department of the individuals convicted as a result of Operation Care, how many have made applications to the Court of Appeal or the Crown Court. [99100]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I understand that there have to date been no appeals against conviction by individuals convicted as a result of Operation Care. There have been three appeals against sentence, of which two were successful and one was unsuccessful.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals have brought complaints against more than one person in Operation Care. [98684]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The number of multiple allegations covered by the Operation Care investigation made by one complainant against a number of persons is not readily available. I will provide further information when it has been collated.

  Victims' Compensation
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will assess the responses to the consultation on the paper, Compensation for Victims of Violent Crime. [98678]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  We have completed a preliminary analysis of the responses to the consultation exercise, but need to undertake further work before we 120W
  will be in a position to say how we plan to take matters forward. We hope to be able to announce our intentions fairly early in the new year.

  Criminal Injuries
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to review the guidelines for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme in the light of Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights. [98677]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The implications for the Scheme of Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights are being considered along with the Government's consideration of the responses to the recent consultation exercise.

  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority will take to ensure guidance is consistent on the treatment of calculation of loss of pension; and if he will make a statement. [98483]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The administration and interpretation of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme is a matter for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) and the Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Panel (CICAP). I understand the Authority is drawing up a revised guidance for caseworkers and claims officers about the treatment of loss of pension.

  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements will be put in place to ensure old Criminal Injuries Compensation Board cases are considered by legally qualified persons after the CICB ceases to exist next year; and if he will make a statement. [98485]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Under the transitional provisions of the 1996 Scheme, made under powers conferred by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Act 1995, any 1990 Scheme cases outstanding when the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (CICB) is wound up (`the transfer date') will be transferred to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) for resolution by legally qualified members of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Panel (CICAP) in accordance with the terms of the 1990 Scheme. The transfer date is likely to be 1 April 2000.

  The Panel already contains many legally qualified members who will be able to deal with 1990 Scheme cases. Many of them are also members of the Board. The Panel's strength is likely to be doubled next year when new appointments are made as a result of a major new recruitment exercise set in hand in October. Many of the new appointees will be lawyers. Additionally, a number of Board members, who are not already members of the Panel, are being invited to join the Panel from the transfer date specifically to deal with residual 1990 Scheme cases.

  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority will issue guidance on the justified exceptional risk rule; and if he will make a statement. [98482]
  121W
  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The administration and interpretation of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme is a matter for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) and the Criminal Injuries Compensation Appeals Panel (CICAP). Some guidance on the interpretation of the exceptional risk rule is given in the Guide to the Scheme issued by CICA. The Authority will consider whether further guidance would be helpful.

  Domestic Violence
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what financial aid was given by his Department in the last 12 months to organisations that assist victims of domestic violence. [98453]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Home Office has lead responsibility for violence against women, the Government's plans set out in "Living Without Fear" and the co-ordination of policy against domestic violence. But most central Government funding for the victims of domestic violence remains channelled through budgets which reflect the responsibilities of other Departments or local agencies.

  The Home Office is increasing the funding of Victim Support, which supports all victims of crime, including those who have experienced domestic violence, from £12.7 million in 1998 to £19 million by 2001. In addition, at least £6 million is being made available from the Crime Reduction Programme for projects addressing domestic violence, rape and sexual assault.

  Young Offenders
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the training of prison officers in order to combat bullying in young offenders centres. [98674]

  Mr. Boateng
  The initial training course for new prison officers has recently been reviewed, and now includes additional specific training for those who will work with young people. The training covers the Prison Service's anti-bullying policy and the standards expected of prison officers as well as the particular requirements for work with the young.

  The service has also developed an anti-bullying training programme for delivery locally in prison establishments which will be available early in the new year.

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the rates of(a) suicide and (b) self-harm for each young offenders' institution in each of the last five years. [98478]

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

  Rates of self-inflicted deaths per 1,000 population

  Young offender institutions

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  Aylesbury

  0

  5

  0

  7

  0

  Castington

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Deerbolt

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Dover

  0

  3

  0

  3

  0

  Feltham

  0

  0

  1

  2

  0

  Glen Parva

  0

  0

  2

  1

  2

  Guys Marsh

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Hatfield

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  122W

  Rates of self-inflicted deaths per 1,000 population

  Young offender institutions

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  Huntercombe

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Onley

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Portland

  3

  0

  2

  0

  0

  Reading

  0

  0

  0

  0

  14

  Stoke Heath

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Swinfen Hall

  0

  0

  10

  5

  0

  Thorn Cross

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Wetherby

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Rates of self-harm per 1,000 population

  Young offender institutions

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  Aylesbury

  140

  96

  79

  106

  226

  Castington

  88

  42

  44

  42

  69

  Deerbolt

  427

  418

  278

  205

  200

  Dover

  62

  27

  30

  33

  23

  Feltham

  129

  639

  284

  327

  330

  Glen Parva

  102

  108

  93

  155

  143

  Guys Marsh

  52

  66

  73

  82

  63

  Hatfield

  16

  0

  25

  7

  13

  Huntercombe

  91

  52

  25

  69

  27

  Onley

  75

  222

  96

  137

  125

  Portland

  98

  59

  61

  30

  60

  Reading

  345

  290

  333

  314

  174

  Stoke Heath

  201

  221

  159

  162

  191

  Swinfen Hall

  33

  44

  168

  64

  31

  Thorn Cross

  11

  54

  13

  4

  0

  Wetherby

  286

  358

  441

  103

  131

  Notes:

  1. Establishments have been listed according to their primary role, thus a number of other prisons that hold young offenders (e.g. male remand centres) are not shown.

  2. Not all self-inflicted deaths conclude with a verdict of suicide.

  3. Incidents do not equate to numbers of prisoners as an individual prisoner may self-harm more than once.

  4. Self-harm data are derived from information provided by establishments to the Prison Service's Directorate of Health Care.

  HMP Woodhill
  Mr. Hesford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the general regime at the high-security disruptive prisoner unit at HMP Woodhill; and whether there are facilities, including treatment facilities, for prisoners detained in that unit who have significant mental health problems. [98449]

  Mr. Boateng
  There are three close supervision centres (CSCs) in Woodhill prison offering restricted, structured and intervention regimes. These provide a co-ordinated range of regimes to manage seriously disruptive prisoners. The regimes aim to facilitate change and encourage improved behaviour.

  Prison doctors are encouraged to identify prisoners who need to be detained for medical treatment for mental disorder and to initiate action to effect their transfer to a suitable facility under the provisions of the Mental Health Act 1983.

  There are no specific facilities for prisoners at Woodhill who have significant mental health problems. However, there is a CSC support centre at Durham prison for prisoners who may benefit from psychological support with psychiatric advice where appropriate.

  Police Funding
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his reasons were for not changing the formula for police funding relating to sparsity factor.[99055]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The findings of the independent research report on policing sparsely populated rural areas were considered by a Home Office chaired Working Group, which included representatives of the police service, police authorities and local authorities, in the summer. There was no single view within the Working Group on the conclusions of the report. There was general agreement that a scarcity factor had been detected, but less agreement about how to include it appropriately in the police funding formula.

  We have also taken into consideration the need for stability in the police funding system to enable police authorities to plan ahead. In the July 1998 White Paper, "Modern Local Government—In Touch With the People", my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister said that we would not expect to make fresh changes to the method of calculation of Standard Spending Assessments (SSAs) whilst a fundamental review of the SSA system across local government is conducted. This applies equally to the method of police grant distribution, as a common formula is used for distribution of police grant and SSA.

  In the light of these factors our present intention is that, subject to consultation and parliamentary approval, we shall not make any changes to the method of police grant distribution for 2000–01. We do not therefore propose to make any substantive changes to the operation of the police funding formula for next year.

  Rural police forces will continue to benefit from the existing 'scarcity' element of the funding formula. This element allocates 0.5 per cent. of the available funding (about £35 million) on a judgmental basis.

  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will assess the impact of his funding policies on the number of police officers there will be in Gloucestershire in the financial year 2000–01; and how many additional police officers he estimates there will be in Gloucestershire in 2000–01. [99056]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The powers of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary to set police establishment levels for each force were removed under the Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994. It is for the chief officer to determine staffing levels within the overall resources available. We will be announcing shortly the proposed funding allocations for police authorities in England and Wales for 2000–01.

  In addition, the Government are making available additional resources, in a new ring-fenced Crime Fighting Fund, to enable the police to recruit 5,000 more officers, over and above the number that would otherwise have been recruited over the next three years.

  Mrs. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish his recommendations following the Home Office Working Group report on additional costs associated with the policing of sparsely populated rural areas. [98586]
  124W
  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The findings of the independent research report on policing sparsely populated rural areas were considered by a Home Office chaired Working Group, which included representatives of the police service, police authorities and local authorities, in the summer. There was no single view within the Working Group on the conclusions of the report. There was general agreement that a sparsity factor had been detected, but less agreement about how to include it appropriately in the police funding formula.

  We have also taken into account the need for stability in the police funding system to enable police authorities to plan ahead. In the July 1998 White Paper, "Modern Local Government—In Touch with the People", my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister said that we would not expect to make fresh changes to the method of calculation of Standard Spending Assessments (SSAs) while a fundamental review of the SSA system across local government is conducted. This applies equally to the method of police grant distribution, as a common formula is used for distribution of police grant and SSA.

  Rural police forces will continue to benefit from the existing 'sparsity' element in the funding formula. This element allocates 0.5 per cent. of the available funding (about £35 million) on a judgmental basis.

  Our present intention is that, subject to consultation and approval by the House, we shall not make any changes to the method of police grant distribution for 2000–01. We do not therefore propose to make any substantive changes to the operation of the police funding formula for next year.

  Handcuffs
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the UK police or prison services use oversize cuffs; and what research and policy guidelines the Police Scientific Development Branch has issued on the standards of handcuffs, oversize cuffs and other restraining equipment. [98540]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  [holding answer 22 November 1999]: The purchase of handcuffs and other equipment is an operational matter for chief officers of police. I understand that the handcuffs normally in use are rigid speedcuffs, sometimes known as quick-cuffs. The Police Scientific Development Branch has not issued guidelines on standards for handcuffs or other restraining equipment, but guidelines on the use of handcuffs has been issued by the Association of Chief Police Officers.

  I understand that each Prison Service establishment in England and Wales is issued with two sets of oversize cuffs for use as necessary with prisoners with exceptionally large wrists.

  British Summer Time
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the advantages of abandoning British summer time in England and Wales. [98582]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The advantages of maintaining British summer time in the winter in terms of increasing the amount of afternoon daylight would be offset by the equivalent loss of morning daylight, which would have
  125W
  added impact for the northern areas of England as well as for Scotland. The issues remain as set out in a consultation document published by the Home Office in 1989.

  Burglary Prevention
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to make it easier for individuals to use reasonable force to prevent burglars entering their property or removing items from it. [98490]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Section 3 of the Criminal Law Act 1967 provides that a person may use such force as is reasonable in the circumstances in the prevention of crime. I have no plans to amend that legislation.

  Passport Agency
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the Passport Agency concerning changes to the fees it charges to the general public. [99383]

  Mrs. Roche
  Passport fees are reviewed on an annual basis and a number of options regarding fee levels for this year have been submitted for consideration.

  Trial by Jury
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will place in the Library the conclusions of his consideration of the financial implications of the Government's proposals to change the right of defendants to elect trial by jury; [99059]

  (2) what estimate he has made of the net cost savings which will be made if the Government's proposals to limit the right to elect for trial by jury were implemented. [98760]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  [holding answer 22 November 1999]: It is estimated that around 12,000 fewer defendants will be tried in the Crown Court annually. These defendants would instead be tried in magistrates' courts. We estimate that the savings to the criminal justice system will be £105 million, taking into account the costs of appeals against the magistrates' decision.

  Exclusion Orders
  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many exclusion orders have been made under paragraph 320(6) of the Immigration Rules for each nationality, in each of the past five years; and how many people have(a) successfully and (b) unsuccessfully contested such exclusion orders. [99411]

  Mrs. Roche
  The number of persons excluded in each of the past five years is given in the table. This includes both those refused under paragraph 320(6) of the Immigration Rules and those excluded from the United Kingdom where my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, has reason to believe they intend to travel to this country.

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  19991

  Canada

  —

  —

  6

  —

  —

  Libya

  3

  —

  5

  4

  4

  Egypt

  —

  —

  —

  2

  4

  Russia

  11

  9

  2

  13

  6

  Iraq

  —

  2

  2

  1

  —

  126W

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  19991

  Iran

  5

  —

  1

  —

  1

  Algeria

  —

  —

  2

  —

  2

  Former Republic of Yugoslavia

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  India

  —

  1

  3

  1

  1

  Pakistan

  2

  5

  4

  2

  —

  Sri Lanka

  —

  —

  2

  —

  3

  Other2

  19

  5

  6

  2

  2

  Total

  40

  22

  33

  25

  26

  11999 to date

  2Includes various other nationalities and those of doubtful nationality

  The law currently in force provides a right of appeal against exclusion decisions in only a limited range of cases, and such appeals are to the Special Immigration Appeals Commission. No such appeals have so far been heard.

  There is one recorded challenge of an exclusion decision by judicial review, in the case of the Reverend Moon, which did not quash the decision but found that the Reverend Moon should have been given an opportunity to respond to the reasons for excluding him.

  Police (Chelmsford)
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many police officers are stationed for duty in(a) Chelmsford town and (b) West Chelmsford parliamentary constituency; and how many there were in 1996–97; [98518]

  (2) what proposals he has to (a) increase or (b) decrease the number of police officers stationed for duty in (i) Chelmsford town and (ii) West Chelmsford parliamentary constituency. [98519]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  [holding answer 22 November 1999]: I understand from the chief constable that there are 103 police officers stationed at Chelmsford and Moulsham police stations who are directly involved with the policing of Chelmsford Town. This section is also responsible for the policing of a number of villages around Chelmsford. The chief constable is unable to provide figures for 1996–97 or in respect of the area covered by the West Chelmsford parliamentary constituency.

  The powers of my right hon. Friend, the Home Secretary, to set police establishment levels for each force were removed under the Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994. It is for the chief officer to determine staffing levels and deployment within the overall resources available. We will be announcing shortly the proposed funding allocations for police authorities in England and Wales for 2000–01.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Target Setting
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many targets have been agreed between her Department and (i) local authorities and (ii) other bodies apart from her own agencies and non-departmental bodies since May 1997. [99471]
  127W
  Clare Short
  My Department has adopted a series of International Development Targets which are set out in the Government's White Paper on International Development. These targets have been drawn from the major UN conferences of the last decade and provide the basis for this Government's results orientated approach to development.

  Working for the achievement of these International Development Targets, which have been endorsed by Governments across the world, bilateral and multilateral development organisations and NGOs, is central to the Department for International Development's work.

  Individual targets have not been agreed with local authorities or other bodies in this country.

  NGOs
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what is the policy of her Department on consulting NGOs when considering giving financial aid and assistance to countries. [98442]

  Clare Short
  Our policies for the reduction of poverty, our principal objective, are set out in the Country Strategy Papers. These papers are produced through a process of consultation which includes local NGOs and UK NGOs as well as the country's government, the research community and the private sector. The papers are available in the Library of the House and are also available to the public in the UK and in the country concerned.

  Angola
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what further commitments Her Majesty's Government plans to support rehabilitation and development in Angola; and what is Her Majesty's Government's policy with regard to the provision of rehabilitation and development assistance to Angola. [99154]

  Clare Short
  Our major commitment to rehabilitation is the Luanda Urban Poverty Programme, which started earlier this year. We are working through iNGOs to tackle the needs and priorities of the urban poor in Luanda. The political and military situation makes development work impossible. We are therefore focusing on the provision of humanitarian assistance.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what is the current shortfall for the United Nations 1999 Consolidated inter-Agency Appeal for Angola. [99150]

  Clare Short
  The requirement in the revised United Nations 1999 Consolidated inter-Agency Appeal for Angola stands at $110,840,321. As of October 1999, total funds available amounted to US$82,127,986.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what further commitments Her Majesty's Government plans to make to the United Nations 1999 Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for Angola.[99152]
  128W
  Clare Short
  We are considering our response to the UN's recently published 2000 Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for Angola.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funds or other resources Her Majesty's Government have contributed to emergency assistance outside the United Nations 1999 Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for Angola. [99151]

  Clare Short
  We have committed £1.8 million through international non-governmental organisations and the International Committee of the Red Cross in 1999 for their work in Angola.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funds have been allocated to rehabilitation and development in Angola in each of the last five years, broken down by major programme. [99153]

  Clare Short
  Total UK Bilateral Assistance to Angola in each of the last five years is as follows:

  Expenditure £ million

  Development Humanitarian assistance

  Financial year

  aid

  (non-food)

  (food-aid)

  Total

  1994–95

  0.7

  6.9

  1.3

  8.9

  1995–96

  1.8

  6.6

  4.5

  12.9

  1996–97

  3.9

  2.5

  3.4

  9.8

  1997–98

  3.6

  1.5

  0.0

  5.1

  1998–99

  2.0

  2.5

  0.0

  4.5

  Total 1994–99

  12.0

  20.0

  9.2

  41.2

  The line for development aid includes assistance to the "Health Transition Project", where we provided support in the health sector through international non-governmental organisations (iNGOs) and the World Health Organisation; support to Save the Children Fund for the provision of seeds and tools; community level projects through iNGOs and an English Language Training programme. Earlier this year we started the Luanda Urban Poverty programme in which we are working through iNGOs to tackle the needs and priorities of the urban poor in Luanda.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funds or other resources Her Majesty's Government have(a) pledged and (b) disbursed to the United Nations 1999 Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for Angola by (i) appealing organisation and (ii) sector; and if she will make a statement. [99149]

  Clare Short
  The Department for International Development has:(a) pledged a total of £2,021,000 to the United Nations 1999 Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for Angola, of which; (b) £900,000 has been disbursed.

  In addition we are providing US$6 million (about £3.75 million) for food aid through the World Food Programme.

  We have made contributions to the following organisations.
  129W

  Organizations

  Appeal number

  Pledged (£)

  Disbursed (£)

  Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

  ANG-99–1/N01

  200,000

  200,000

  OCHA Emergency Response Fund (ERF)

  ANG-99–1/N03

  350,000

  350,000

  World Food Programme (WFP)

  ANG-99–1/N05

  200,000

  200,000

  United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

  ANG-99–1/N07

  150,000

  150,000

  OCHA ERF

  ANG-99–1/N03

  1150,000

  WFP

  ANG-99–1/N05

  1150,000

  WFP

  ANG-99–1/N08

  1150,000

  UNICEF

  ANG-99–1/N07

  1200,000

  World Health Organisation (WHO)

  ANG-99–1/N09

  1321,000

  ANG-99–1/N10

  1321,000

  ANG-99–1/N11

  1321,000

  Allocation under discussion with OCHA/humanitarian Assistance Co-ordinating Unit, Angola (UCAH)

  150,000

  Total

  2,021,000

  900,000

  1Awaiting funding agreement to be signed

  The actual and proposed contributions fall under the following sectors (as designated by the United Nations in the 1999 Consolidated Appeal):

  Sector

  Appeal number

  Amount (£)

  Percentage of total proposed contribution

  Co-ordination and Support Services

  ANG-99–1/N01

  1,050,000

  51

  ANG-99–1/N03

  1,050,000

  51

  ANG-99–1/N05

  1,050,000

  51

  Health, Nutrition, Non-Food items, Water and Sanitation

  ANG-99–1/N07

  871,000

  42

  ANG-99–1/N08

  871,000

  42

  ANG-99–1/N09

  871,000

  42

  ANG-99–1/N10

  871,000

  42

  ANG-99–1/N11

  871,000

  42

  To be allocated

  150,000

  7

  Development Council
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what was the outcome of the Development Council held in Brussels on 11 November; and if he will make a statement. [98508]

  Clare Short
  Poul Nielson, the Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, addressed the Council for the first time. He set out five priorities for future EC development co-operation: increased focus on the poorest countries; improved effectiveness of EC assistance; greater complementarity with the work of other donors and greater coherence with other EC policies; better linkages between emergency aid, rehabilitation and development; and building greater public support for EC assistance.

  The Council then discussed forestry, climate change and the integration of environmental issues into EC development policies. The UK stressed the need to focus on the International Development Target for the environment and to engage developing countries in the environmental agenda. The UK stated that the poor, who were dependent on environmental resources, should be placed at the centre of the discussion, and that this would help to build developing country support. The Commission said it would provide more environmental training for its staff. The Council adopted a resolution on forestry, conclusions on climate change and a report on environmental integration. The conclusions include a call on the Commission to prepare a strategy to integrate the environment into development co-operation. The Helsinki European Council in December will make an overall assessment of progress in integrating the environment into EC policies, as requested by the Vienna European Council last year.
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  Next, the Council discussed progress in the ACP-EU negotiations on a successor to the current Lomé Convention, which expires on 29 February 2000. Most member states, including the UK, favoured a compromise suggested by the Commission on how to raise the profile of good governance in the new Convention. All member states except Spain supported agreement based on a Presidency non-paper on trade, which would ensure that ACP countries retained, at the very least, their current levels of access to EU markets. This is a key UK concern. The UK stressed the importance of ensuring that the agreement on trade would be granted a WTO waiver. Following a request from the UK, the Commission undertook to bring forward proposals to meet the commitment to improve duty free access for the least developed countries by the end of the next Trade Round. There was a discussion of the ninth European Development Fund (EDF9), which will fund the new Convention. The UK pointed out that evaluations had shown the poor quality of past EDFs, and called for specific proposals for improvement to be brought forward next year. Discussions will continue at a meeting between ACP and EU Ministers on 7–8 December.

  The Council adopted conclusions on East Timor which invited the Commission to respond in an appropriate and timely manner to the United Nations Consolidated Inter-Agency Appeal for the East Timor crisis; and to present, as soon as possible, a detailed programme of assistance to support the reconstruction of East Timor.

  The Council then discussed the evaluation of EC development programmes. The Commission said that it would soon produce a detailed Action Plan for the implementation of the recommendations of the global

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  evaluation of EC aid and the Council conclusions on evaluation of May 1999. The Commission outlined its plan for improving the effectiveness of EC aid, which included improving and simplifying procedures, and introducing a more rigorous monitoring system. An overall EC development policy statement would be presented to the Council and European Parliament in February 2000. The UK emphasised the importance of this statement, and that it must focus on the International Development Targets, have clear and measurable objectives, follow a wide process of consultation, and address coherence issues and aid untying. The Commission agreed to report in detail on the Action Plan and statement at the next Council in May 2000. Procedural conclusions committing the Council to follow up the evaluation of humanitarian aid were adopted without discussion.

  The Council discussed operational co-ordination, complementarity and coherence. Most member states had agreed that co-ordination between their overseas offices and EC delegations had improved. Luxembourg called for the Commission to set up a system in co-operation with member states to deter NGOs from illegally seeking double funding. The Commission replied that it was for national authorities to deal with such cases of fraud; a further layer of bureaucracy was not the answer. The Development Council agreed that its decisions on policy coherence were not being implemented by other Councils. The Commission agreed to produce a list of policies which would benefit from greater coherence for other Council formations to consider.

  Under Other Business, the Commission agreed to examine a French request to resume broader financial support for Burundi. The UK presented a case for more aid to strengthen statistical capacity in developing countries, and urged member states to send strong delegations to the OECD meeting in Paris on 18–19 November. At lunch Belgium called for support to improve the capacity of developing countries to engage with the WTO. The UK, with support from several other member states, then spoke on the importance of improving the poverty focus of EC development assistance, which was worse than that of all other significant donors. The UK urged the Commission to produce a paper on how it would increase the proportion of spending on low income countries. The Commission said that poverty focus was difficult to achieve, but that it would produce a paper by next Spring. Finally, the Commission called for suggestions for discussion at the EU-Africa summit in April.

  Hurricane Floyd
  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what was the(a) loss of life and (b) estimated value of the damage caused by Hurricane Floyd; and which islands were particularly affected. [99204]

  Clare Short
  One person in Bahamas was reported to have died as a result of Hurricane Floyd. The Government of Bahamas estimate of the value of the damage caused by the hurricane is $400 million. The most seriously affected islands in the Bahamas were Eleuthra, Abaco, Cat Island, San Salvador and Grand Bahama.
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  Mr. Gunnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance was(a) sought from and (b) given by her Department to the Bahamas as a result of Hurricane Floyd. [99203]

  Clare Short
  Following Hurricane Floyd, my Department received appeals for funds to assist the Bahamas from the Bahamian Red Cross and the Bahamian National Disaster Relief Fund. £15,625 ($25,000) was donated to each appeal.

  External Consultants
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what has been spent by her Department on external consultants and advisers since May 1997 funded from (i) her Department's programme provision and (ii) her Department's running costs. [99482]

  Clare Short
  The amounts spent on external consultants and advisers in the last three financial years are as follows:

  £ million

  1997–98

  1.79

  1998–99

  1.83

  1999–2000 (to date)

  0.81

  All these sums have been funded from the Department's Running Costs Provision.

  Child Labour
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development with the Governments of which countries she has discussed the issue of child labour during the last 12 months. [98441]

  Clare Short
  My Department is actively involved in tackling the issue of child labour with a number of countries. We have recently agreed projects with the Government's of India and Bangladesh. We are also supporting the work of the International Labour Organisation's International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC) and have recently agreed funding for a project based in Thailand which will combat trafficking of children in the Mekong sub-region covering part of Cambodia, China, Laos, and Vietnam. We are also supporting projects in Brazil, Kenya, Tanzania, Pakistan, Nepal and Indonesia where we are working in collaboration with government and non-governmental organisations.

  We are also addressing the problem of child labour through our basic education projects and our support to socially responsible business such as the Ethical Trading Initiative.

  Mozambique
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance she is giving to Mozambique to tackle the problem of HIV/AIDS. [98612]

  Clare Short
  My Department for International Development (DFID) provided technical help for preparation of Mozambique' s HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan, and plans to assist in its implementation. We support the
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  social marketing of condoms throughout Mozambique, targeting high risk groups. We are promoting AIDS awareness in the private sector, and through civil society.

  HIV/AIDS issues are being mainstreamed throughout the programme. HIV prevention and impact mitigation is being incorporated in workplans in DFID supported projects such as feeder roads. We are assisting the private sector to better understand and respond to the economic impact of HIV/AIDS.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Safeway
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will support a reference to the Competition Commission in respect of the policy of Safeway to require a £20,000 contribution per product line from suppliers in return for guaranteed shelf space. [99323]

  Dr. Howells
  The Competition Commission is already investigating the supply of groceries from supermarkets. The Commission's terms of reference would allow them to investigate relationships between supermarkets and their suppliers. The exact scope of investigations is a matter for the Commission.

  The nature of the relationship between the supermarkets and their suppliers was flagged up as an area of concern by the Director General of Fair Trading in his press notice announcing the reference.

  Pirate Radio Stations
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many pirate radio stations have been prosecuted in each of the last three years. [99831]

  Ms Hewitt
  It is the people involved with the pirate radio stations who are prosecuted as the stations themselves are not an identifiable body. Details of prosecutions in the past three years are as follows:

  Year

  Prosecutions

  Convictions

  1997

  41

  41

  1998

  53

  53

  19991

  39

  39

  1To 30 September 1999

  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the average fine imposed on pirate radio stations where a conviction has been obtained in relation to illegal broadcasting in each of the last three years. [99832]

  Ms Hewitt
  The average fine imposed on individuals convicted of offences relating to pirate radio broadcasting in each of the last three years is as follows:

  Year

  Average fine £

  1997

  272

  1998

  452

  19991

  248

  1To 30 September 1999

  134W
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how equipment confiscated from pirate radio stations following convictions in relation to illegal broadcasting is dealt with. [99833]

  Ms Hewitt
  The vast majority of equipment ordered forfeit by the courts is destroyed to prevent it getting back onto the market.

  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action is taken against organisations which(a) advertise on and (b) sponsor pirate radio stations. [99834]

  Ms Hewitt
  It is an offence contrary to the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 to advertise on or sponsor pirate radio stations. If evidence to substantiate such offences can be obtained those involved are prosecuted.

  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will assess the benefits of(a) paying compensation and (b) giving refunds to community radio stations which are unable to take full advantage of their broadcasting licences because of the actions of pirate radio stations. [99758]

  Ms Hewitt
  With respect to the Wireless Telegraphy Act, the Agency endeavours to ensure interference-free spectrum for use by legitimate broadcasters. The Agency deals with this by taking direct action against pirate radio stations (928 raids nationally last year). This action is entirely funded by the revenue generated by the WT Act Licence.

  The Agency regularly reviews its policies and has considered the issues of compensation and refunds. However, at present, it is felt that direct action is the best way of combating interference and current Agency policy reflects this.

  Export Credits
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what were the amounts of export credits which were paid to UK companies following non-payment of bills in each year since 1979 for which records are available; [98740]

  (2) what were the amounts of export credit guarantees issued in each year since 1979 for which records are available. [98739]

  Mr. Caborn
  Complete records are available from 1986 only. The table sets out for each of the years from 1986 the Sterling equivalent of Guarantees issued and the value of Claims paid in each of these years. Included for information is the value of recoveries and interest received by ECGD.

  The Claims and recoveries will not relate to the Guarantees in that year.

  £ million

  Financial year

  Value of Guarantees issued

  Claims paid

  Recoveries and interest

  1986–87

  2,709.1

  780.3

  394.7

  1987–88

  1,849.4

  987.3

  322.3

  1988–89

  2,255.7

  810.4

  325.7

  1989–90

  2,012.4

  912.9

  379.1

  1990–91

  2,421.3

  967.5

  477.7

  1991–92

  2,739.2

  954.1

  472.9

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  £ million

  Financial year

  Value of Guarantees issued

  Claims paid

  Recoveries and interest

  1992–93

  4,475.2

  734.3

  474.1

  1993–94

  4,268.5

  511.9

  398.9

  1994–95

  3,347.8

  421.3

  341.1

  1995–96

  4,195.8

  294.7

  473.2

  1996–97

  2,629.1

  230.6

  553.2

  1997–98

  3,252.5

  165.7

  486.4

  1998–99

  3,308.5

  145.8

  393.0

  EU Firms
  Dr. Whitehead
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many firms from EU member states operate in each of the English regions. [98577]

  Mr. Caborn
  The following table shows the number of local units owned by EU-owned enterprises in each English region in March 1999. The figures do not represent the number of EU-owned enterprises in England as one enterprise may own several of the local units shown here. Supplying figures for enterprises would show a concentration in London and the South East, where head offices tend to be located.

  Number of EU-owned local units in England—March 1999

  Region

  Number

  North East

  560

  North West

  1,740

  Yorkshire and The Humber

  1,205

  East Midlands

  910

  West Midlands

  1,590

  Eastern

  1,460

  London

  3,050

  South East

  2,605

  South West

  1,090

  Total

  14,205

  Source:

  Office for National Statistics

  Parental Leave
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received relating to paid parental leave. [98668]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  The Department has received representations, both for and against paid parental leave, from a number of individuals and organisations since the Fairness at Work White Paper was published in Summer 1998. We have recently received over 250 letters as part of an NSPCC campaign for paid parental leave.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Maintained Schools
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much was spent per pupil in maintained schools in each year for each of the last 20 years. [98630]
  136W
  Ms Estelle Morris
  The following table presents the unit costs per pupil for LEA maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in England for the period 1979–80 to 2001–02. The costs are presented both in cash terms and in real terms (i.e. constant 1999–2000 prices). The budgets from 1998–2002 are the responsibility of this administration. Previous budgets had been set, distributed and agreed before May 1997.

  Unit costs (in cash and real terms) per pupil in LEA maintained

  schools in England

  £

  Unit costs (per FTE pupil)

  Cash terms

  Real terms

  1979–801

  510

  1,450

  1980–811

  650

  1,550

  1981–821

  740

  1,610

  1982–831

  810

  1,640

  1983–841

  870

  1,690

  1984–851

  925

  1,710

  1985–861

  990

  1,730

  1986–871

  1,110

  1,890

  1987–881

  1,240

  2,000

  1988–891

  1,360

  2,050

  1989–901

  1,490

  2,090

  1990–911

  1,620

  2,120

  1991–921

  1,750

  2,150

  1992–931

  1,860

  2,210

  1993–941

  1,870

  2,170

  1994–951

  1,890

  2,160

  1995–961

  1,190

  2,120

  1996–971

  1,960

  2,110

  1997–982

  1,980

  2,070

  1998–993

  2,050

  2,090

  1999–20013

  2,150

  2,150

  2000–013

  2,270

  2,210

  2001–023

  2,400

  2,290

  1Actual outturn

  2Provisional outturn

  3Projected estimate

  Education Budget (Sefton)
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of the total education budget of Sefton Metropolitan Borough was spent on administration in each year from 1992 to 1998. [98597]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  For the years from 1992 to 1998, the percentage of the total education budget of Sefton Metropolitan Borough which was spent on administration was as follows:

  Year

  Percentage

  1992–93

  3.7

  1993–94

  4.0

  1994–95

  2.9

  1995–96

  2.8

  1996–97

  2.8

  1997–98

  2.8

  New Deal (Yorkshire)
  Caroline Flint
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people in(a) Don Valley, (b) Doncaster and (c) South Yorkshire will benefit from the extended New Deal. [98455]
  137W
  Ms Jowell
  The Chancellor announced in his pre-Budget report that the existing New Deal 25 plus pilots should be extended until March 2001. This will give us a valuable opportunity to learn more lessons to inform the detail of the enhanced New Deal for people aged 25 and over which we intend to introduce in April 2001. There are currently two pilots in South Yorkshire, but we cannot at this stage say how many additional people in those areas will be helped as a result of this extension, because there are a number of detailed issues which we need to explore on a pilot by pilot basis.

  Civil Servants (Darlington)
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many civil servants are employed at his Department's offices in Darlington; and how many he expects to be employed there in(a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002. [99054]

  Mr. Wills
  The number of civil servants employed by the Department for Education and Employment at its headquarters office in Darlington as at 1 April 1999 was 498. Staffing projections for future years are not available. However, when the Secretary of State spoke to staff in Darlington and Runcorn, in 1997, he indicated, that for the lifetime of this Parliament, there would be a continuing need for both sites.

  Education Initiatives
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list for each of the education initiatives launched since May 1997 and for each financial year, the amount of departmental expenditure which has been identified as additional to that which would have been incurred as part of normal operational activity. [98835]

  Mr. Wills
  [holding answer 22 November 1999]: The figures for central government spending on education in England which were published in DfEE's 1999 Departmental Report together with the year on year increases, are in the following table. They do not include Ofsted or local authority expenditure on education.

  Year

  £ million

  1996–97

  11,266

  1997–98

  11,642

  1998–99

  12,054

  1999–2000

  13,474

  2000–01

  15,282

  2001–02

  16,617

  Note:

  1997–98 does not include the £527 million which was transferred from local to central government spending in that year only for nursery vouchers.

  These figures show that, by 2001–02, we will be spending nearly £5.4 billion more from central government resources on education than was spent under the previous administration in 1996–97. This is as a result of the extra £16 billion for total education spending in England over the years 1999–2000, 2000–01 and 2001–02 provided by the Comprehensive Spending Review, and the extra £400 million for England over this period from the Capital Modernisation Fund as announced
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  in the March 1999 Budget. In addition, over £140 million of extra resources have been allocated for capital in English schools as part of the pre-Budget package.

  Details of DfEE initiatives launched since May 1997 can be found in the Department's 1998 and 1999 annual reports (Cm 3910 and Cm 4202), copies of which have been laid in the Library.

  Dyslexia
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what recent guidance he has given to education authorities about the extent and nature of support to be given to pupils affected by dyslexia. [99419]

  Jacqui Smith
  Under the Education Act 1996, schools and local education authorities (LEAs) have a duty to identify and make suitable provision for all children with special educational needs, including children with dyslexia. The Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs, which came into effect on 1 September 1994, gives guidance to schools and LEAs on how to meet this duty. Paragraphs 3.60 to 3.63 provide guidance on specific learning difficulties and have particular reference to dyslexia. The Code is currently being revised to update the guidance and provide examples of good practice, with an increased emphasis on early identification and support.

  To assist schools in recognising dyslexia, we have produced simple guidance which provides hints to primary school teachers to help them identify children who may be dyslexic. In addition, the Department has recently provided a grant to help the British Dyslexia Association produce a schools resource pack entitled "Achieving dyslexia friendly schools". Two copies of the pack have been distributed to all local education authorities in England.

  Education Action Zones
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the annual audited accounts of each education action zone in Round 1 were due to be submitted to his Department. [99231]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The accounts are not submitted to the Department. The National Audit Office will lay the 25 sets of accounts before Parliament. The NAO expects to lay the first of these in December.

  Capital Expenditure (Schools)
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will state for each financial year to 2001–02, how much of the money announced for capital expenditure on schools(a) amounts to additional spending above the level included in expenditure plans announced before May 1997 and (b) is included in the additional expenditure announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review (Cm. 4011). [98644]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 22 November 1999]: Since May 1997, we have announced for England £1.085 billion for the New Deal for Schools programme; £90 million for class size reduction and heating systems and outside toilet replacements; and an additional £660 million in PH credits. All of those amounts are additional to the £19 billion increase in UK education

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  spending announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR). As well as those increases, the Chancellor's Pre-Budget Statement this month announced a further £143 million for PFI credits and New Deal for Schools funding in England.

  The total expenditure on schools buildings in the three year CSR period is £5.5 billion, following the additional funds announced in the Chancellor's Pre-Budget Statement. This breaks down as follows: £1.3 billion in 1999–2000, £1.6 billion in 2000–01 and £1.9 billion in 2001–02, plus an estimate of additional contributions from local education authorities and school governors. In 1996–97, planned central Government expenditure in the main schools capital programme was £661 million (as set out in the Department's Report in March 1996, Cm 3210).

  Capital spend per pupil has increased from £348 in 1994–98 to an estimated £780 in 1998–02.

  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list separately for each financial year covered by the Comprehensive Spending Review (Cm. 4011) for all capital expenditure on schools(a) the amounts to be spent in the form of cash grants to local education authorities and schools, (b) the amounts to be spent in the form of credit approvals and (c) amounts to be spent by other means. [98653]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 22 November 1999]: In 1999–2000, the Department expects to allocate £454 million in credit approvals out of the £713 million for the main schools capital programme. The remaining £259 million will be given out as grant, including that for Voluntary Aided and Grant Maintained Schools. The main schools capital programme will total £963 million in 2000–01 and £1.3 billion in 2001–02. The proportion of credit approvals for those two years has not yet been finalised. In addition to the main programme, the Department will be providing grant funding of over £200 million in each of the three years for the National Grid for learning, class sizes reduction, Sure Start and specialist schools. The Department will also be providing funding under the New Deal for Schools of £250 million in 1999–2000, £293 million in 2000–01 and £250 million in 2001–02; and PFI credits of £350 million in 1999–2000, £350 million in 2000–01 and £450 million in 2001–02.

  From April 2000, the Department will be providing nearly £200 million each year to schools in the form of formula grant. Schools will also have the opportunity to bid for £30 million of seed challenge funding for innovative investment programmes.

  We expect the Department's funding to be enhanced by partnership contributions from local education authorities and school governors of £800 million over the CSR period.

  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what funds allocated from the windfall tax levy to the New Deal for Schools were counted as part of the additional expenditure on education announced as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review (Cm. 4011). [99424]

  Mr. Blunkett
  [holding answer 23 November 1999]: None. The £1.085 billion for the New Deal for Schools announced in July 1997 is additional to the £19 billion
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  increase in UK education spending announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review. A further £43 million for the New Deal for Schools was announced by the Chancellor in the Pre-Budget statement on 9 November, together with the extension of the PH credits by £100 million.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much funding was and will be(a) provided and (b) planned by his Department as revenue support to local education authorities in England to meet private sector annual charges for private finance initiative projects in each financial year from 1997–98 to 2001–02; what percentage of the total cost to local education authorities of these projects this represents; and which of these amounts were counted as part of the additional money announced as part of the Comprehensive Spending Review (Cm. 4011). [99423]

  Mr. Blunkett
  [holding answer 23 November 1999]: We will be providing PFI credits to local education authorities totalling £130 million in 1998–99, £350 million in 1999–2000, £350 million in 2000–01 and £450 million in 2001–02. The amount of PH credits allocated to an individual project determines the revenue support grant which will begin to be paid to the authority once payments to the contractor commence. The percentage of the total cost to the authority represented by the grant will vary from one project to another and no figures are available.

  Within these total allocations, £660 million, £220 million in each of the years 1999–2000, 2000–01 and 2001–02, was announced in the Comprehensive Spending Review. That addition to previous provision was not part of the overall increase of £19 billion in UK education spending announced in the Review.

  A further £100 million of PFI credits for 2001–02 was announced by the Chancellor in the pre-Budget statement on 9 November—again this is within the total figures above.

  Gifted Children
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on his initiatives to develop the potential of above-average ability children, with particular reference to Sefton. [98602]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The Government are encouraging all schools to meet the needs of able pupils by adopting strategies such as setting, target-grouping, fast-tracking and accelerated learning. The initial phase of our national strategy to improve the education of gifted and talented children is concentrated mainly in areas targeted by the Excellence in Cities initiative. Some aspects of the gifted and talented strand of Excellence in Cities, notably world class tests and guidance on the literacy and numeracy strategies, have a national focus. We expect all areas to benefit eventually from the innovation and good practice emerging from the target cities. All local education authorities, including Sefton, can use Standards Fund grants to address the needs of able pupils where the definitions of eligible expenditure allow. We will announce further national initiatives shortly.

HEALTH

  Xenotransplantation
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans he has in place to contain a potential outbreak of a lethal infectious disease as a result of pig-to-human transplants; [99324]

  (2) what recent assessment he has made of the scale of the risks and hazards posed by pig-to-human transplants. [99325]

  Mr. Denham
  The Government are advised on all issues relating to animal-to-human transplants by the United Kingdom Xenotransplantation Interim Regulatory Authority (UKXIRA). Evidence about the safety of xenotransplantation is kept under constant review by the UKXIRA. Safety remains of paramount importance. Any clinical trial in xenotransplantation involving humans will be allowed to take place only when we are fully satisfied that the risk associated with the particular procedure involved is acceptable.

  The precautions to be adopted by applicants for minimising the risk of infectious disease transmission will be a key factor in deciding whether or not to approve clinical trials. In this respect, the UKXIRA has issued two draft documents for widespread consultation. "Guidance notes on Biosecurity considerations in relation to xenotransplantation" sets out best practice for the processes and procedures to be employed in facilities where source animals are raised and kept. The "Report of the Infection Surveillance Steering Group" describes a framework for monitoring the health of xenotransplant recipients and in particular surveilling them for any signs of zoonotic infection that might be the direct result of the xenotransplant. This includes a possible mechanism for responding to suspected infection incidents. The UKXIRA would expect any applicant seeking permission to undertake a clinical trial involving a xenotransplantation procedure to have due regard to the recommendations of these documents.

  Both documents are available on the UKXIRA website, www.doh.gov.uk/ukxira.htm.

  Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
  Mr. Gordon Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the annual report of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. [99983]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has published its eighth Annual Report today. The Report has been laid before the House in accordance with the requirements of section 7(3) of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. Copies have been placed in the Library.

  ME/CFS
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department provides to social service departments on parental consent to the removal of young people from their home for treatment for ME/CFS. [99454]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Department provides no guidance to social service departments on the issue of parental consent to the removal of children and young people from their 142W
  homes for treatment for chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis. However, guidance: "Working Together under the Children Act 1989—a guide to inter-agency co-operation for the protection of children from abuse" (1991) is expected to be followed by social service departments in considering whether their powers to remove children under the Act (Section 44 Emergency Protection Orders) should be exercised.

  Secure Accommodation (Children)
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the role of local authority social services departments in inspecting the conditions under which children are kept on remand in secure accommodation; [98676]

  (2) who is responsible for producing and monitoring care plans for children remanded into secure accommodation. [98675]

  Mr. Hutton
  The role of the local authority in inspecting children's homes, including those providing secure accommodation, is set out in the Children Act 1989 and the Children's Homes Regulations 1991. These provide the framework for standards used in the inspections. Children's homes, including those providing secure accommodation, are subject to two inspections a year, one of which will be an unannounced visit. The inspections are carried out by the local authority inspection unit.

  The Local Authority in the child's own home area has responsibility for producing and monitoring care plans for each child in secure accommodation.]

  Foreign Patients
  Mr. Lilley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many citizens from countries outside the EU received treatment from the NHS in the most recent year for which the information is available; how much that treatment cost the NHS; and how much foreign patients' Governments reimbursed the UK for their treatment; [98501]

  (2) how many citizens of each EU member state received treatment from the NHS in the most recent year for which the information is available; what was the cost to the NHS of that treatment; and what was the amount reimbursed to each member state for treatment of its citizens in the UK. [98500]

  Ms Stuart
  There is no central record either of the numbers of patients not ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom who receive treatment from the National Health Service or of the costs involved.

  Patients not normally resident in the UK can be asked to pay for any non-emergency treatment given by a general practitioner or dentist. Patients requiring hospital treatment other than in an Accident and Emergency department are liable to be charged unless they are exempt from charges by virtue of the National Health Service (Overseas Visitors) Regulations 1989.

  Patients from countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA) are personally liable for charges unless the UK has a reciprocal health agreement with their home state. All the UK's reciprocal agreements with non-EEA

  143W
  countries are on a cost-waiver basis with each of the parties bearing the cost of treating each other's people; no money changes hands between governments.

  Within the EEA, Regulation (EEC) 1408–71 co-ordinates the healthcare schemes of the member states. In principle, each country is responsible for paying for treatment given to its own insured persons in other member states. The UK has bilateral cost reimbursement arrangements with most other EEA states, the terms of which vary from country to country. The table sets out an estimate of the amounts which the UK expects to receive from other EEA countries in respect of treatment provided during 1998–99:

  £000

  Estimated UK claims for inpatient/outpatient treatment

  Estimated UK claims for treating patients referred to the UK for treatment

  Total

  Austria

  213

  8

  222

  Belgium

  1,056

  26

  1,082

  Denmark1

  —

  —

  —

  Finland1

  —

  —

  —

  France

  1,994

  —

  1,994

  Germany2

  2,078

  111

  2,189

  Greece2

  208

  630

  839

  Iceland2

  44

  25

  69

  Ireland

  3,546

  2,958

  6,504

  Italy

  511

  3,094

  3,606

  Liechtenstein

  —

  —

  —

  Luxembourg1

  —

  —

  —

  Netherlands

  524

  11

  535

  Norway1

  —

  —

  —

  Portugal2

  176

  123

  298

  Spain

  830

  68

  898

  Sweden

  568

  55

  623

  All EEA Countries

  11,748

  7,109

  318,859

  1Countries which operate waiver agreement with the United Kingdom

  2Estimates are based on proposed agreement and subject to final agreement by both parties

  3Minor differences due to rounding

  Care Workers
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will establish a national register for(a) care workers and (b) care assistants dealing with the elderly. [98513]

  Mr. Hutton
  We will establish the General Social Care Council by statute. We intend that the Council will be able to register social care staff on the basis of their having successfully completed a period of approved training and other evidence of their fitness to work with the general public.

  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints his Department has received in the last five years about(a) care workers, (b) care assistants and (c) registered nurses dealing with the elderly. [98472]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Department receives a few letters each year complaining about people who care for the elderly. Responsibility for investigating complaints rests with the relevant regulatory authority and complaints received by the Department are referred to them. The Department does not, therefore, maintain a database of complaints.
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  However, the Registration and Inspection Survey for 1996–97 is able to provide some information about the number of complaints about adult residential care for the local authority and independent sector. There were a total of 4,249 complaints—3,133 of these required substantial investigation.

  The United Kingdom Central Council publishes information about complaints about nurses in its annual reports.

  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) professional care workers, (b) care assistants and (c) registered nurses there are in England who are exclusively occupied with the elderly. [98470]

  Mr. Hutton
  Information on the number of care and nursing staff exclusively occupied with the elderly in England is not held centrally. In 1998, the latest year for which information is available, there was a total of 33,000 directly-employed local authority care workers (including care assistants) in England mainly caring for elderly people in residential and day care settings. The whole time equivalent number of staff was 21,400. In addition, the table shows the information available from National Health Service hospital and community health services.

  NHS Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS): All acute, elderly and general care assistants and qualified nurses, in England as at 30 September 1998

  Whole time equivalent staff

  Number of staff

  Health care assistants

  11,890

  14,020

  Support worker

  11,760

  16,810

  Total Qualified Nursing staff

  131,270

  161,980

  Manager

  2,320

  2,440

  Registered Sick children's nurse

  460

  600

  Other 1st level

  113,980

  139,070

  Other 2nd level

  14,510

  19,870

  Notes:

  1. Figures are rounded to the nearest ten

  2. Due to rounding totals may not equal the sum of component parts

  3. Figures exclude learners and agency staff

  Source:

  Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census

  Mortality Rates
  Mr. Lilley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the mortality rates for each category of operations at each NHS hospital in the latest year for which figures are available. [98498]

  Mr. Denham
  Earlier this year the Department published a range of clinical indicators including hospital death rates, with the aim of allowing National Health Service organisations to explore their position relative to other similar organisations and investigate differences.

  Recommendations for potential future indicators have been made in a recent series of commissioned Health Outcome Indicator reports, including some further mortality indicators. The Public Health Development Unit of the NHS Executive is now discussing these recommendations with policy colleagues, and hopes to publish further operation specific indicators in the next publication, due in spring/summer 2000.
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  Subject to consultation and approval these operation specific indicators may include further mortality rate indicators, than those already published in June 1999. However this may not be possible until the 2000–01 publication.

  Copies of the clinical indicators are available in the Library and on the internet.

  Mixed Sex Wards
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many psychiatric units in the Greater London area have mixed sex wards. [98452]

  Mr. Hutton
  The information is not available in the format requested because data are collected by health authorities.

  The results of the latest monitoring report (as at September 1998) on our commitment to working towards the elimination of mixed sex accommodation indicate that the following percentages of health authorities in the London region expect to have achieved our objective of providing safe facilities for the mentally ill by these dates:

  60 per cent. of health authorities by the end of 1999;

  73 per cent. of health authorities by the end of 2000;

  100 per cent. of health authorities by the end of 2002.

  Care Costs
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the cumulative annual savings in publicly provided formal care if morbidity rates are reduced by(a) 0.25 per cent. per annum, (b) 0.5 per cent. per annum, (c) 0.75 per cent. per annum and (d) 1 per cent. per annum by (i) 2005, (ii) 2010, (iii) 2021 and (iv) 2031. [98509]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Department does not make estimates of savings that may arise if morbidity rates decline. The Department commissioned the Personal Social Services Research Unit (PSSRU) at the London School of Economics to conduct a study of future demand for long-term care for elderly people. The research team has made projections of expenditure on long-term care for elderly people under different assumptions about future trends in dependency. These can be found in the report of the Royal Commission on Long Term Care and in a report by the PSSRU on Demand for Long-Term Care, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Insulin (Drivers)
  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what evidence the Government have based their conclusion that drivers using insulin are less safe than others. [98828]

  Mr. Hill
  [holding answer 22 November 1999]: I have been asked to reply.

  The driving licence treatment of those with diabetes treated by insulin is based primarily on European legislation—the Second Driving Licence Directive (91/439/EEC). This provided for licensing restrictions on those with insulin-treated diabetes, in particular in respect of driving heavier vehicles, based on risks associated with insulin treatment. This can lead to a hypoglycaemic attack which in turn can lead to loss of consciousness without warning. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
  146W
  receive information from the police and other sources each month, about, on average, 10 collapses at the wheel attributable to a hypoglycaemic attack. The Advisory Panel on Diabetes and Driving have indicated that the risk of loss of consciousness without warning in any one individual cannot be predicted. They have therefore consistently advised against granting licences to drive the largest vehicles to insulin-treated diabetics. There has been a bar on granting licences to drive large lorries and buses since 1991; this bar was extended to small lorries and minibuses in 1997 on implementation of the Second Driving Licence Directive, as a result of aligning the licensing of such vehicles with the requirements of the Directive.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Child Abduction
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when the most recent meeting of the Parent/Carer Child Abduction Co-ordinating Group took place; and what subjects were discussed. [98730]

  Jane Kennedy
  The Parent/Carer Child Abduction Coordinating Group met on 19 October 1999. Subjects discussed were: embarkation control; endorsement of passports; child abduction prevention packs; and legal aid.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the consideration being given to the Parent/Carer Child Abduction Co-ordinating Group to the question of what information should be included on children's passports. [98731]

  Jane Kennedy
  No. The endorsement of passports is receiving consideration by the Parent/Carer Child Abduction Coordinating Group. The Group will provide advice to the relevant Ministers on the subject as and when appropriate.

  Target Setting
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many targets have been agreed between the Lord Chancellor's Department and (i) local authorities and (ii) other bodies apart from the Lord Chancellor's Department's own agencies and non-departmental bodies since May 1997. [99477]

  Mr. Lock
  (i) None (ii) Six targets have been set for Magistrates' Court Committees for the 1999–2000 financial year and further targets will be set for 2000–01. The Law Society and the Legal Services Ombudsman have one and two targets respectively.

  External Consultants
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what has been spent by the Lord Chancellor's Department on external consultants and advisers since May 1997 funded from (i) his Department's programme provision and (ii) the Lord Chancellor's Department's running costs. [99487]
  147W
  Mr. Lock
  Expenditure for the Department for the financial years April 1997 to March 1999 is as follows, inclusive of current spend:To the end of October 1999: £9,579,287.
  £129,974 of this has been provided from programmed provision and the remainder from running costs.

  Grandparental Contact
  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department for the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available(a) in what percentage of cases where a grandparent was given leave to apply for a contact order in relation to a grandchild a contact order has been granted by the courts and (b) in what percentage of such cases the grandparent's application was opposed by the child's parent. [98479]

  Jane Kennedy
  This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at a disproportionate cost.

  General Commissioners of Taxation
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department for what period his committee on appointments of General Commissioners of Taxation in the London area has been without a chairman. [98615]

  Mr. Lock
  There are 16 Advisory Committees on appointments of General Commissioners of Income Tax in the Greater London area. My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor is currently considering the most appropriate structure for Advisory Committees in Greater London area, given that there are few appointments made every year. Three committees are currently without Chairmen. The Acton and Kensington Advisory Committee has been without a chairman since 1997; the Westminster and Southwark Committee since December 1998; and Inner Temple since February 1999.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Indonesia
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to seek to extend the EU arms embargo and suspension of military assistance to Indonesia beyond January 2000. [99499]

  Mr. Battle
  The EU embargo will remain in force until 17 January 2000. It would then require unanimous EU Member State agreement to be extended. We are maintaining a close watch on the situation in Indonesia and East Timor so that a judgment can be made on whether any further action would be appropriate.

  East Timor
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects the UN Commission of Inquiry into human rights violation in East Timor to begin its work. [99500]

  Mr. Battle
  The Economic and Social Council of the United Nations endorsed the setting up of the UN Commission of Inquiry into violations of international 148W
  humanitarian and human rights law in East Timor on 15 November. The Commission began work shortly after that date.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Indonesian Government concerning the return of East Timorese, at present in West Timor, to their own country. [99498]

  Mr. Battle
  We have consistently pressed the Indonesian Government on the importance of assisting in the swift passage of displaced East Timorese back to their homes. Our Ambassador in Indonesia visited West Timor from 1–4 November and pressed senior local political leaders to act more decisively to enable refugee returns. We understand that the TNI and INTERFET are no co-operating more closely. To date, over 92,000 refugees have returned from West Timor and elsewhere in Indonesia.

  Arms Exhibitions
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from(a) the Secretary General of the UN and (b) states which have signed the Ottawa Convention, in relation to the alleged sales of anti-personnel mines at the Defence Systems and Equipment International exhibition in Chertsey, Surrey. [99508]

  Mr. Hain
  I refer the hon. Lady to the answer given on 3 November 1999,Official Report, columns 213–14, by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Armed Forces.

  Tharcissi Muvunyi
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the Rwandan Government concerning Lt. Colonel Tharcissi Muvunyi. [99496]

  Mr. Hain
  President Bizimungu raised Muvunyi with the then Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd), during his visit to Rwanda in February. Muvunyi was raised again this month by the Rwandan Ambassador during a meeting with FCO officials. We encouraged the Rwandans to pass any information they had on Muvynyi, and other genocide suspects, to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda so that they may judge whether or not there are grounds for prosecution.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to investigate the case of Lt. Colonel Tharcissi Muvunyi. [99497]

  Mr. Hain
  It is the responsibility of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda to investigate the allegations of genocide which have been made against Lt. Colonel Muvunyi. We are working closely with the Tribunal on this.

  Bahrain
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the use of 6 ML1 SIELS and 1 ML1 OIEL exported to Bahrain this year. [99505]
  149W
  Mr. Hain
  All export licence applications for Bahrain for ML1 equipment this year have been for private/recreational use by the ruling family or for national defence by the Bahrain Defence Force who are not involved in internal security.

  All export licences for Bahrain are considered against the established criteria, including whether there is a clearly identifiable risk of the equipment being used for external aggression or internal repression, in which case it will be refused.

  Sudan
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Department of Trade and Industry concerning a British company's involvement in the supply of equipment and training to the Sudanese for the extraction of oil in southern Sudan. [99501]

  Mr. Hain
  Officials in British Trade International and the FCO keep in regular touch on the Sudan. British companies, along with many others from other European and other countries, have supplied equipment to the oil industry.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Department of Trade and Industry concerning export licences to Sudan. [99504]

  Mr. Hain
  Any export licence applications received by the DTI concerning the Sudan are circulated to the FCO for advice. A full scope EU arms embargo is in force and is likely to remain as long as the civil war continues.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations he has made recently to(a) the EU and (b) the UN concerning the effect of the oil fields in southern Sudan on the continuing civil war there; [99502]

  (2) what discussions he has had with the EU and IGAD concerning the role of oil in the war in the Sudan. [99503]

  Mr. Hain
  We keep in regular contact with the EU, the UN, and other colleagues on the situation in the Sudan; including on the impact of oil which has recently started to be exported. We are making the case strongly, including in Khartoum, that revenues should be used for development projects and that there should be transparency in accounting for the expenditure. We note that certain public assurances have been given to that effect, and look to the Government to implement them.

  We expect the EU arms embargo to remain as long as war in the Sudan continues.

  Target Setting
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many targets have been agreed between his Department and (i) local authorities and (ii) other bodies apart from his own agencies and non-departmental bodies since May 1997. [99479]

  Mr. Hain
  The Department has not agreed any targets with either local authorities or other bodies apart from the Department's own agencies and non-departmental bodies since May 1997.

  External Consultants
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been spent by his Department on external consultants and advisers since May 1997 funded from (i) his Department's programme provision and (ii) his Department's running costs. [99489]

  Mr. Hain
  During the period 1 May 1997 to 31 October 1999, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office spent £46.1 million on external consultancy and advice, relating principally to technical expertise for major capital projects, in particular major information technology and estates development at home and overseas. Identifying expenditure on consultancy and advice funded from programme provision which is not held centrally could be achieved only at disproportionate cost.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Woolas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the changes to the EU oil embargo against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. [99984]

  Mr. Hain
  On 15 November, the Council of the European Union adopted EC Regulation 2421/1999 which amends EC Regulation 2111/1999 prohibiting the sale and supply of petroleum and petroleum products to certain parts of the FRY.

  The Regulation provides for member states to authorise the sale, supply or export of such goods provided that they take place within the framework of the Energy for Democracy initiative to provide certain Serbian municipalities with energy and that conclusive evidence has been presented to member states' authorities that the end-users or final destinations are the municipalities listed in an annex to the Regulation.

  The Regulation entered into force on 16 November 1999 and is directly applicable in the UK. The Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Supply, Sale and Export of Petroleum and Petroleum Products) (Penalties and Licences) (No. 3) Regulations 1999 (SI 1999/2821) came into force on 14 October 1999 and provides for licensing and enforcement, including penalties.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter of 15 September from the hon. and learned Member for Orkney and Shetland to the Home Secretary and transferred to his Department on 22 September for the visa application for Amra Jabeen. [99229]

  Mr. Vaz
  Our High Commission in Islamabad has provided a report and I will be replying shortly to the hon. and learned Member's letter. I apologise for the delay in responding.

  Migration and Visa Correspondence Unit
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of correspondence addressed to the Migration and Visa Correspondence Unit is responded to within the 20 working days target set by the Department. [99230]
  151W
  Mr. Vaz
  From 1 January to 31 October 1999, 64 per cent. of correspondence handled by the Visa Correspondence Unit was responded to within 20 working days.

  Entry Clearance
  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for entry clearance to enter the UK under the terms of the EC Association Agreements were made at British embassies in(a) Bratislava, (b) Bucharest,(c) Prague, (d) Sofia and (e) Warsaw, in (i) 1997, (ii) 1998 and (iii) 1999; and how many were issued and how many refused in each of these years. [99286]

  Mr. Vaz
  The following visa applications were submitted under the terms of the EC Association Agreements to British Embassies in Bratislava, Bucharest, Prague, Sofia and Warsaw between 1997–99:

  Post

  Received

  Issued

  Refused

  Bratislava

  1997

  0

  0

  0

  1998

  0

  0

  0

  19991

  2

  0

  0

  Bucharest

  1997

  2

  1

  1

  1998

  3

  2

  0

  19991

  0

  0

  0

  Prague2

  1997

  1

  2

  0

  1998

  5

  0

  2

  19991

  2

  1

  0

  Sofia2

  1997

  1

  1

  1

  1998

  4

  4

  1

  19991

  16

  8

  0

  Warsaw

  1997

  4

  1

  0

  1998

  5

  7

  0

  19991

  2

  0

  0

  1To 20 November

  2Separate statistics not held; represents best estimate

  Sierra Leone
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the security situation in Sierra Leone. [98742]

  Mr. Hain
  The overall security situation in Sierra Leone remains volatile. We remain concerned over the violations of the Lomé Peace Agreement and the ceasefire, and the consequent humanitarian impact on the people of Sierra Leone.

  We call on all parties to implement the Lomé Peace Agreement immediately and in full. The parties must now live up to their commitment to lay down their arms and
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  enter the Disarmament, Demobilisation and Reintegration camps. This is vital if all people in Sierra Leone are at last to live in peace and security.

  We are working closely with the United Nations to ensure the early deployment of a robust United Nations peacekeeping operation. This will help create a climate of confidence for the parties to implement the Lomé Peace Agreement.

  UNITA
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what action Her Majesty's Government have taken to expel the chief UNITA representative in the United Kingdom to comply with United Nations Security Council Resolution 1127 (1997); [99160]

  (2) if he will make a statement on the current whereabouts of the chief UNITA representative in the United Kingdom. [99161]

  Mrs. Roche
  I have been asked to reply.

  Mr. Kandeya was instructed to leave the United Kingdom following the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1127. His application for leave to remain in the United Kingdom was refused on 13 October 1998. On the same day my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department also informed Mr. Kandeya of his decision to make a deportation order against him. Mr. Kandeya's appeals against both decisions remain outstanding. We have recently had unconfirmed reports that Mr. Kandeya has left the United Kingdom. Should these be confirmed his application for leave to remain will lapse and the Immigration and Nationality Directorate will write to the independent appellate authorities to seek a ruling that his appeal to them has been abandoned.

TREASURY

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps in his next Budget to reduce the VAT rate payable on energy-saving materials; and if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on this. [99545]

  Dawn Primarolo
  This Government have already reduced to 5 per cent.—the lowest level allowed under EC law—the VAT rate applicable to grant-funded installation of energy saving materials in the homes of the less well off. EC VAT law does not allow the UK to apply a reduced VAT rate to sales of energy saving materials for DIY installation.

  Stamp Duty Revenue
  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what forecasts his Department has made of stamp duty revenue from securities in the years ending(a) April 2000, (b) April 2001 and (c) April 2002. [R][99182]
  153W
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 22 November 1999]: The information is as follows.

  Net receipts from stamp duty (including stamp duty reserve tax) on transactions of shares and other securities

  £ billion

  1999–2000 (Estimate)

  3.0

  2000–01 (Projection)

  3.0

  Pensions
  Mr. Ian Stewart
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to extend the survivor benefits under public service pensions schemes to persons other than widows, widowers or children. [99390]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  As set out in December 1998 in the Green Paper "A New Contract for Welfare: Partnership in Pensions" (Cm 4179), the Government are prepared to consider how practicable arrangements could be devised for a statutory pension scheme to extend survivor pensions to unmarried partners of scheme members, if the general membership of the scheme sought that change and if scheme members were prepared to meet the costs of it. There is no central policy on whether such a change should be made by any public service scheme. It is a matter for the Department responsible for each public service pension scheme, in the light of the wishes of the membership of each scheme.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the administrators of the Management Systems Development Limited pension scheme applied to his Department for the calculation of the guaranteed minimum pensions of the members of the scheme; in respect of how many members of the scheme the calculations have been completed; how many calculations are not yet completed; and by what date he expects the task to be completed. [99457]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Finalised guaranteed minimum pension calculations for all former members of the Management Systems Development Limited pension scheme were completed by August 1997. The scheme's case was finally concluded in August 1999.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applications for the calculation of guaranteed minimum pensions are awaiting decision by his Department; how many of these have been outstanding for more than(a) one year, (b) two years, (c) three years and (d) over four years; and if he will make a statement. [99459]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  None of the 7,615 applications for Guaranteed Minimum Pension calculations presently awaiting decision are over one year old.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many members of pension schemes in administration have had their guaranteed minimum pensions calculated by his Department in the last six months; and in respect of how many such members calculations have not yet been made. [99458]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  74,591 Guaranteed Minimum Pension calculations have been processed in the last six months and 7,615 are presently awaiting formal action.

  Capital Gains Tax
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will review the capital gains tax payable when companies formed by residents of blocks of flats extend the leases of those residents who are the shareholders of the company. [99216]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Inland Revenue Extra Statutory Concession D39 allows relief from capital gains tax in this sort of situation. Inland Revenue Tax Bulletin 41, published in June this year, provides details.

  Working Families Tax Credit
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the average spending on child care per week being claimed via the working families tax credit. [98670]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The average child care cost per week for recipients of the Working Families Tax Credit claiming child care costs up to the end of October is provisionally estimated to be £45 per week.

  Mr. Lepper
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many(a) inquiries have been received by the Working Families Tax Credit Inquiry Line and (b) successful claims for working families tax credit have been made by residents of (i) Brighton Pavilion constituency and (ii) Brighton and Hove Unitary Authority area. [98826]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The response line for the Working Families Tax Credit and the Disabled Person's Tax Credit had handled 750,000 inquiries up to the 18 November. Reliable estimates for the numbers in receipt of the Working Families Tax Credit in Brighton Pavilion and Brighton and Hove Unitary Authority are not yet available.

  Construction Industry Scheme
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received regarding the Contractors Helpline for the construction industry scheme. [98624]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The contractors' helpline was set up to provide a single point of contact for any contractor who needed more information about the scheme. In response to a very high level of inquiries, the Revenue have now substantially increased the capacity of the helpline to take 25 calls simultaneously. The vast majority of calls are now being answered promptly.

  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will publish definitive and complete rules for the transitional arrangements involved with the new construction industry scheme rules. [98623]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Transitional arrangements included measures for both subcontractors and contractors and were agreed in order to provide a breathing space for the industry at the start of the scheme.

  The arrangements for subcontractors were announced in an Inland Revenue Press issued on 7 July. The arrangements for contractors were announced in a Press Release on 15 July. Further information about the arrangements was included in a Press Release issued on 30 July.
  155W
  The Inland Revenue also issued a letter to every known contractor to tell them about the arrangements. Those contractors who applied for a transitional dispensation were given the additional information that they needed to operate the dispensation rules correctly when the dispensation was granted.

  All transitional arrangements ended on 5 November 1999. There are no plans to issue further information to the public on these arrangements now that they have come to an end.

  Welfare Payments
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost and number of beneficiaries of reintroducing the dependent relative's tax allowance. [98460]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The dependent relative allowance was abolished in 1988. In 1987–88 there were around 320,000 benefiting from it at a cost to the Exchequer of £10 million.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Love
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Private Finance Initiative contracts have been agreed in each year since its inception; how much was spent on such contracts in each of these years; what is the latest estimate of expenditure under the Private Finance Initiative in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement. [99639]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The Treasury is currently updating the information sought as part of its normal bi-yearly reporting of information on PFI contracts. I expect this information to be published in the first half of December.

  Anti-personnel Mines Sales
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations have been made to HM Customs and Excise regarding alleged sales of anti-personnel mines at the Defence Systems and Equipment International exhibition in Chertsey, Surrey; and if he will make a statement. [99509]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Commissioners of Customs and Excise are responsible for investigating breaches of the Landmines Act 1998 which involve the movement, or the proposed or attempted movement, into or out of any country of objects prohibited by the Act. It is not the normal practice of the Commissioners to disclose publicly information provided to them in connection with their enforcement and investigation responsibilities.

  Television Licences
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out the costs of introducing the free television licence for those persons aged over 75 years in each of the next 10 years. [98510]

  Janet Anderson
  I have been asked to reply.
  156W
  The estimated cost of the concession in the first full year is around £290 million. Costs in future years will depend on the number of households with a person aged 75 years or over and the level of the television licence fee, which is not fixed for the next ten years.

  Consultants
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been spent by his Department on external consultants and advisers since May 1997 funded from (i) his Department's programme provision and (ii) his Department's running costs. [99491]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 10 November 1999,Official Report, columns 647–48. No expenditure has been incurred on external consultants and advisers from programme provision since May 1997.

  Fuel Duty
  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the change in the figures for carbon emission savings from fuel duties, set out in the pre-Budget report, relies on (i) reduced mileage travelled by vehicles and (ii) reduced emissions resulting from technological improvements in car engines. [99187]

  Mr. Timms
  [holding answer 22 November 1999]: The Pre-Budget Report set out that the fuel duty escalator from 1996 to 1999 is estimated to produce carbon savings of 1 to 2.5 million tonnes of carbon by 2010.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Northern Ireland Assembly
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what arrangements are being made for the provision of the finances of the proposed devolved Assembly for Northern Ireland. [98769]

  Mr. Mandelson
  The funding arrangements for devolved administrations are set out in "Funding the Scottish Parliament, National Assembly for Wales and Northern Ireland Assembly—A Statement of Funding Policy" published by HM Treasury on 31 March 1999. Provision for the cost of the Northern Ireland Assembly and the local Departments will be found from within the resources transferred on devolution.

  Decommissioning
  Mr. Donaldson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made on the decommissioning of illegal terrorist weapons in Northern Ireland. [98770]

  Mr. Ingram
  Following the completion of the Mitchell review, the basis now exists for devolution to occur, for the institutions to be established, and for decommissioning to take place as soon as possible. We intend that on 2 December devolution will take effect, the Executive will meet and then the paramilitary groups will appoint their authorised representatives, all on the same day, in that order.

  High-technology Manufacturing
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to promote the introduction of high-technology manufacturing in Northern Ireland. [98771]

  Mr. McFall
  The Industrial Development Board for Northern Ireland (IDB), the agency charged with attracting inward investment, continues its aggressive marketing and sales campaigns world-wide with particular emphasis on high-technology sectors such as telecommunications, electronics and E-commerce. They are following up on last year's successful promotional tour in North America, a year in which I am delighted to say they achieved a record number of new investments. The Industrial Development Board is also working actively with local companies to encourage high added value investments and sustainable employment in these sectors.

  Employment
  Mr. Goggins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of prospects for employment in Northern Ireland. [98773]

  Mr. McFall
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Doncaster, Central (Ms Winterton).

  Ms Blears
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures he is proposing to increase the prospects for employment of young people. [98786]

  Mr. McFall
  The Training and Employment Agency has introduced a number of measures to increase the prospects for employment of young people namely, New Deal, Graduate Development Programme and other management development programmes. In addition Government have given a guarantee of training places to all young people under 18 in Northern Ireland. This is delivered through Jobskills and the Modern Apprenticeship Programme.

  Punishment Beatings
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many punishment beatings have taken place in each month since the Good Friday agreement. [98774]

  Mr. Ingram
  Since the Good Friday agreement on 10 April 1998 until 21 November 1999 there have been a total of 345 attacks: 114 shootings and 231 assaults. Of the 114 shootings, 68 have been attributed to Loyalist and 46 to Republican groups. Of the 231 assaults, 148 have been attributed to Loyalist and 83 to Republican groups. I have arranged for a copy of the monthly figures to be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received concerning the establishment of an anti-intimidation unit relating to punishment beatings and threats. [98776]

  Mr. Ingram
  The establishment of such a unit has so far been raised only by my hon. Friend the Member for North-East Derbyshire (Mr. Barnes) and by my right hon.158W
  Friend the Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field). I shall be writing to my right hon. and hon. Friends with a detailed response on this issue shortly.

  Peace Process
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on political development in Northern Ireland. [98775]

  Mr. Gareth R. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what further action he is taking to encourage the peace process in Northern Ireland. [98779]

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the timetable for progress in(a) decommissioning of weapons and (b) bringing devolved Government into operation in Northern Ireland. [98780]

  Mr. Curry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on progress towards establishing a devolved Government in Northern Ireland according to the terms of the Good Friday agreement. [98781]

  Mr. David Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress is being made on the implementation of the Good Friday agreement. [98791]

  Mr. Bill O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Mitchell review. [98792]

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the progress of the peace process. [98793]

  Mr. Mandelson
  I refer my hon. Friends, the hon. Members and the right hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe (Dr. Palmer) on 24 November 1999,Official Report, column 604.

  Civic Forum
  Mr. Woolas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress is being made on the establishment of a civic forum in Northern Ireland. [98777]

  Mr. Mandelson
  On 16 February 1999 the Assembly agreed a report from the First and Deputy First Ministers (designate) which included arrangements for a consultative Civic Forum. The report identified the sectoral interests which should be represented and guidelines which should be adhered to by nominating bodies. Work is ongoing to ensure the establishment of the Civic Forum within six months of devolution.

  Pensioners
  Barbara Follett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the impact of the Chancellor's pre-Budget report statement of 9 November 1999,Official Report, columns 883–906, on the living standards of pensioners in Northern Ireland. [98778]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Pensioners in Northern Ireland are benefiting fully from the Government's strategy to provide effective help for today's pensioners. The extension of the 10p income tax rate to savings, free TV licences for older pensioners together with the other
  159W
  measures already announced, including the £100 Winter Fuel Payment and extra targeted support for poorer pensioners through the Minimum Income Guarantee, reinforce the Government's commitment to pensioners throughout the United Kingdom.

  EU Structural Funds
  Judy Mallaber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consultation he is having in Northern Ireland on future EU structural funding. [98782]

  Mr. Ingram
  Consultation in relation to the EU structural funds within Northern Ireland is being taken forward by the Interim EU Programmes' Development Committee which is made up of representatives of the Northern Ireland Assembly Parties, local government and the economic and social partners.

  Small Business
  Mr. Russell Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the impact of the Chancellor's pre-Budget report statement of 9 November 1999,Official Report, columns 883–906, on small businesses in Northern Ireland. [98783]

  Mr. McFall
  It is clearly too early to make any specific judgment in relation to the pre-Budget report's impact on small businesses in Northern Ireland. However, there are many aspects of the strategy which are aligned to the work of the Local Enterprise Development Unit (LEDU), the agency responsible for small business development in Northern Ireland.

  Royal Ulster Constabulary
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the role played by RUC officers overseas. [98784]

  Mr. Ingram
  The RUC have seven officers serving with the United Nations International Police Task Force in Bosnia where they are monitoring the performance of the Bosnian police service. 60 RUC officers have recently taken up positions with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo where they are undertaking an executive policing role pending a new Kosovan police service being trained and ready to take over law enforcement there.

  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement committing the Government to the retention of the name and badge insignia of the Royal Ulster Constabulary. [98785]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Government are currently consulting on the proposals of the Independent Commission on Policing as required by the Belfast Agreement. An announcement on the way forward will follow completion of the consultation process.

  Devolution
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Ministers there will be in the devolved Northern Ireland Administration; and what the total bill will be for salaries. [98787]
  160W
  Mr. Mandelson
  Ten in addition to the First Minister and the Deputy First Minister. Costs in a full financial year are estimated at £1 million.

  Maternity Services
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress he has made in improving maternity provision in Northern Ireland. [98788]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Over the past 12 months maternity provision has been examined throughout Northern Ireland. As a result of risk assessment exercises one unit has closed temporarily and remedial action to improve safety is under way in others. In central Belfast a decision aimed at unifying and improving maternity services will be made soon.

  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on midwifery services in Northern Ireland. [98772]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The Government are encouraging Boards and Trusts to implement models of midwifery-led care which offer women greater choice. Progress is being made in this area and midwifery-led care is now available in a number of hospitals.

  Paramilitary Crime
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the number of paramilitary crimes committed in Northern Ireland since the signing of the Belfast Agreement. [98790]

  Mr. Ingram
  From the signing of the Belfast Agreement on 10 April 1998 there have been a total of 47 deaths, 258 shootings and 178 bombings. These figures do not cover crimes such as armed robbery, drugs, counterfeiting, racketeering, extortion and smuggling in which paramilitary groups also engage.

  In addition, there have been a total of 345 paramilitary style attacks.

  Scottish Universities (Student Funding)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the financing of students domiciled in Northern Ireland studying at Scottish universities. [99437]

  Mr. McFall
  Such students are currently subject to the same arrangements as all Northern Ireland domiciled students who are attending universities in the United Kingdom. I am awaiting the Report of the review on fees for students in the final honours year of first degree courses at Scottish universities being carried out by an independent committee, chaired by Sir George Quigley.

  External Consultants
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been spent by his Department on external consultants and advisers since May 1997 funded from (i) his Department' s programme provision and (ii) his Department's running costs. [99494]
  161W
  Mr. Ingram
  The expenditure on external consultants and advisers by Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office is not held in the format requested but is held under 11 specific categories. The breakdown of expenditure in the 1997–98 and 1998–99 financial years, in these categories is as follows:

  Categories

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1. Competition and Purchasing

  1,119,223

  800,845

  2. Finance and Accountancy

  880,169

  1,522,867

  3. Information and Control Systems

  1,591,326

  1,560,416

  4. Management (Efficiency)

  1,247,524

  791,705

  5. Management (Organisation and Planning)

  244,236

  570,911

  6. Management (Personnel)

  507,037

  467,306

  7. Marketing

  729,411

  907,320

  8. Production Management

  62,209

  43,185

  9. Research

  990,544

  1,866,529

  10. Specific issues (Energy, Environment, Location/Relocation, Next Steps/GRI PFI Surveying/Valuing)

  3,021,983

  1,945,572

  11. Capital Works Consultants

  44,161

  1,080

  NIO1

  472,000

  813,000

  Total

  10,909,823

  11,290,736

  1The NIO do not provide a breakdown of their figures, and a System update since last PQ increased 1997–98 year by £54,339

CABINET OFFICE

  Ministerial Meetings
  Mr. David Davis
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the rules are governing the taking and keeping of minutes of meetings between Ministers and people outside the Government. [99507]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  It is for individual Ministers to determine their own arrangements.

  Target Setting
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many targets have been agreed between her Department and (i) local authorities and (ii) other bodies apart from her own agencies and non-departmental bodies since May 1997. [99470]

  Mr. Stringer
  My Department has not set any targets directly to local authorities. Following the publication of the anti-drugs PSA, the UK Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator published his first annual report and plan which set out 43 targets for the Government to meet in relation to drugs activities and these are included in the relevant organisations' plans.
  162W
  Targets resulting from the reports published by the Social Exclusion Unit are included within the relevant departments' PSAs; for example the Department of Health for the reduction in the rates of under 18 conceptions by one half by 2010.

  My Department has also set seven targets in relation to commitments made in the Modernising Government White Paper—for example, that 50 per cent. of the dealings are capable of electronic delivery by 2005 and 100 per cent. by 2008 (building on the target set in 1997 by the Prime Minister that 25 per cent. of Government dealings should be dealt with in this way by 2002). Other targets include tackling the under-representation of women, people from ethnic minority backgrounds, and people with disabilities within the Senior Civil Service; on the acquisition of Investors in People status by other departments, and of National Vocational Council qualifications by individual civil servants.

PRIME MINISTER

  Performance and Innovation Unit
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Prime Minister what additional projects are planned for the Performance and Innovation Unit; and if he will make a statement. [99743]

  The Prime Minister
  Further to the work I announced in my Answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Stafford (Mr. Kidney) on 21 October 1999,Official Report, column 630, I have now asked the Performance and Innovation Unit to undertake the following project:

  Strategic Options for the Electronic Delivery of Government Services
  In the light of developments in technology, to take a strategic view of which public services should be delivered by electronic means and look at the options for securing delivery of these services, including the respective roles of the public and private sectors.

  My hon. Friend the Member for North Swindon (Mr. Wills), Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Employment is the Sponsor Minister.

  The aim is to have completed the study by next summer.

  Royal Audience
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Prime Minister how many times he has met Her Majesty the Queen for his regular weekly audience in each quarter since May 1997. [98557]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 24 October 1999]: With the exception of those occasions when Her Majesty has not been in London or I have been abroad or in Northern Ireland, I have been received in audience on the usual weekly basis since May 1997.

  New Deal: Civil Service Employment
  New Deal: Civil Service Employment
  Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, South Africa
  Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, South Africa
  Weights and Measures: Use of Imperial Units
  Weights and Measures: Use of Imperial Units
  Social Exclusion and Mental Health Problems
  Social Exclusion and Mental Health Problems