Written Answers of 25 October 1999

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Climate Change Levy
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received on the impact of the Climate Change Levy on the transport industry. [94161]

  Mr. Byers
  As part of an ongoing process of dialogue and consultation between Government and business on the Climate Change Levy, I held a meeting with business representatives, including the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, on 20 October 1999.

  Forest Products
  Mr. Dafis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the environmental non-Governmental organisations with which he has held meetings during the past 12 months to discuss the proposal to establish a World Trade Organisation agreement on forest products. [93834]

  Mr. Caborn
  My predecessor, Ministerial colleagues from other Government Departments, officials and I myself have held numerous meetings with environmental and other non-governmental organisations over the past 12 months to discuss the proposed new Round of multilateral trade negotiations in the World Trade Organisation. Proposals for tariff reductions on forest products have been dealt with in these meetings in the context of the United Kingdom and European Union approach to trade liberalisation in a new Round.

  Europlanner Disc
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many copies of the Europlanner disc have been created; at what cost; and how have they been distributed. [95230]

  Mr. Caborn
  The EuroPlanner (floppy disc) is a practical, self-help tool to help businesses prepare for the euro. Over 105,000 copies of the EuroPlanner have so far been distributed by Business Links, other intermediaries, the Treasury's euro telephone line (08456 01 01 99) and my Department to business to help them prepare their euro strategy. It is also available on the internet (www.connectbestpractice.com) and on a Euro CD ROM. The development and production costs for 155,000 copies of the disc were £109,000.

  My Department launched the EuroPlanner on 23 February in response to requests from UK businesses and Business Support Organisations. It is important that UK firms consider the implications of the single currency and where necessary take steps to prepare. I would encourage British companies to use the EuroPlanner to help them do this.

  European State Aid
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list, by country, the total amount of state aid approved by the Commission since the signing of the Single European Act. [95407]

  Mr. Caborn
  Between 1987 and 1997, the Commission approved a total of approximately 861,438 million euros in State aid throughout the EU, of which 430,240.21 million euros was paid to the manufacturing industry.

  These data were compiled from the Commission's surveys on aid to industry across the EU; the most recent being "The Seventh Survey on aid in the EU in the manufacturing and certain other sectors", which was published in March 1999. The Eighth Survey, covering the period 1997–98, has not yet been published. The surveys provide a broad overview on aid granted across the EU, but data on State aid to agriculture, fisheries, coal, steel, transport and the financial services sector are not broken down by country.

  The table sets out the total State aid to the manufacturing industry granted by each member state in millions of euro.

  Millions of euro

  Member state

  Total state aid to industry 1987–97

  Austria1

  1,600.00

  Belgium

  13,925.00

  Denmark

  5,213.79

  Germany

  144,983.00

  Greece

  35,998.20

  Spain

  23,303.10

  Finland1

  1,154.00

  France

  54,899.80

  Ireland

  3,986.22

  Italy

  116,907.00

  Luxembourg

  503.18

  Netherlands

  9,268.99

  Portugal

  5,419.54

  Sweden1

  1,140.00

  UK

  25,216.60

  1 Austria, Finland and Sweden joined the EU in 1995

  Kosovo
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the total value of contracts awarded to date in Kosovo since the cessation of hostilities, broken down by nationality of company. [95405]

  Mr. Caborn
  Almost all the contracts awarded to date to agencies and companies have been those to meet the immediate humanitarian needs in Kosovo. There is no central register of the multiplicity of such agencies which have won such contracts either through bilateral aid support or through that provided via other organisations such as the United Nations. However, British Trade International, the recently established joint DTI/FCO trade promotion organisation has, in conjunction with the British Office in Pristina, been asked (through the joint private sector Kosovo Taskforce established by the Secretary of State) to put together a list with details of all British companies which have won contracts in Kosovo.

  The most significant of these to date is the concession awarded to a British consortium led by Mott MacDonald to manage the power sector in Kosovo over the next seven

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  months; this should help ensure that there is sufficient power to enable Kosovo to get through the forthcoming hard winter. British Trade International has put nearly £500,000 into this project; a similar amount has been provided by the European Union.

  Sombrero Island
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 22 March 1999,Official Report, column 115, what is the latest position regarding the possible lease of Sombrero Island for the purpose of launching commercial satellites. [94800]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  Officials from the British National Space Centre remain in contact with the Government of Anguilla providing technical advice and assistance on the outer space aspects of the request by the US company Beal Aerospace to lease Sombrero Island for the purpose of launching commercial satellites. Officials are also helping the Anguillans to assess the probable environmental consequences of the proposed activity. ICF Kaizer have conducted an Environmental Impact Assessment on behalf of Beal and a Planning Inspector has been appointed to advise the Anguillan Government. It is hoped that a public consultation with interested parties will soon be conducted.

  Hawk Exports
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reason the ECGD support for the export of the Hawk aircraft was agreed in March 1996 before the export licence was issued in November 1996. [95292]

  Mr. Caborn
  ECGD's support for the project was conditional upon an export licence being obtained.

  Parental Leave
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the numbers and percentages of(a) mothers and (b) fathers who will choose to take their parental leave entitlements in each of the first five years after that rights comes into force. [95168]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  We estimate that about 100,000 parents will take parental leave each year when the rights are fully established in 2004. We have not estimated how many will choose to take parental leave in each of the first five years after the rights come into force. Parental leave is a new right and we do not have enough information to make such detailed estimates.

  Poland (Ministerial Visit)
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the Minister of State's visit to Poland. [94707]

  Mr. Caborn
  [holding answer 19 October 1999]I visited Poland from 21 to 23 September. My visit encompassed ministerial meetings, the opening of an all-British trade fair in Warsaw, visits to British businesses, a visit to Krakow to open the new British Council Offices and to support a project run by a British company to recycle the waste from the steel mill in Krakow.
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  The main reason for my visit was to raise the profile of British companies in Poland as part of British Trade International's strategy for encouraging more companies to consider the market. However, in meetings with Polish Ministers I also took the opportunity to raise the question of Polish coal exports to the United Kingdom and to underline our support for Poland in the EU accession process.

  Airlines
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he proposes to take to protect consumers from the effects of predatory pricing activities by low-cost airlines; and if he will make a statement. [94708]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 19 October 1999]Responsibility for ensuring competition laws are not broken lies with the competition authorities, the Office of Fair Trading within the UK or the European Commission for activities which affect trade between member states. I look to these bodies to ensure fair competition, and for those with concerns to put them to the competition authorities for investigation.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will set up an independent inquiry into predatory pricing activities by low-cost airlines. [94709]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 19 October 1999]We have no such plans. However, if my hon. Friend has any evidence of predatory pricing activities he should bring it to the attention of the competent authorities. In the UK this is the Director General of Fair Trading, and for activities which affect trade between member states it is the European Commission.

  Plutonium
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement in respect of the proliferation implications of the plutonium shipment involving the Pacific Pintail and Pacific Teal. [94713]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The UK's international nuclear trade, including the export of Mixed Oxide (MOX) fuel, is undertaken strictly within the terms of international agreements on nuclear non proliferation, safeguards and physical protection and is entirely consistent with the UK's obligations in these areas. Very stringent physical protection and safeguards measures are applied to MOX at all time, including during transport, to prevent its theft or diversion to non-peaceful purposes. The Government are satisfied that the risk of nuclear weapons proliferation from the manufacture and use of MOX in Europe and its export to Japan is minimal.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Road Works Programme
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is the financial allocation towards the minor and major road works programme in each roads division in the current financial year; [94451]
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  (2) what was the financial spending on minor and major road works programmes in each roads division for each year since 1 April 1995 to 31 March 1999. [94469]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Roads Service under its Chief Executive, Mr. C. James. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from C. James to Mr. Eddie McGrady, dated 21 October 1999:
  The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me to respond to your recently tabled Parliamentary Questions about financial allocations and spending on minor and major road works programmes in each Division of Roads Service.

  The information you sought in respect of the current financial year is as follows:

  Minor and major road works programmes—1999–2000

  Financial allocations £000

  Programmes

  Roads Service Divisions

  Minor works

  Major works

  Northern

  1,881

  3,106

  Southern

  1,779

  2,014

  Eastern

  3,022

  4,442

  Western

  1,876

  197

  You will note that the above table reflects our new Divisional structure following the Roads Service reorganisation on I April 1999.

  The information you sought in respect of the period 1 April 1995 to 31 March 1999 is as follows:

  Minor road works programme—financial spending 1995–96 to 1998–99

  £000

  Roads Service Division

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  Ballymena

  2,157

  1,723

  2,100

  1,810

  Belfast

  2,129

  2,227

  2,612

  2,303

  Coleraine

  2,093

  1,817

  1,923

  2,013

  Craigavon

  2,363

  2,620

  2,369

  1,949

  Downpatrick

  2,254

  1,981

  2,329

  2,035

  Omagh

  2,272

  1,896

  2,202

  2,167

  Major road works programme—financial spending 1995–96 to 1998–99

  £000

  Roads Service Divisions

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  Ballymena

  491

  2,050

  4,523

  2,372

  Belfast

  5,912

  6,104

  3,521

  3,501

  Coleraine

  629

  234

  117

  96

  Craigavon

  6,249

  2,202

  907

  683

  Downpatrick

  712

  1,394

  2,097

  640

  Omagh

  2,171

  1,499

  2,585

  400

  The 2 tables above reflect our former Divisional structure prior to reorganisation on 1 April 1999.
  I hope you find this information helpful.

  Long-term Unemployed
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to address the problem of the long-term unemployed in Northern Ireland. [94464]
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  Mr. McFall
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Training and Employment Agency under its Chief Executive, Mr. Ian Walters. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Ian Walters to Mr. Eddie Grady, dated 21 October 1999:
  The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me as Chief Executive of the Training and Employment Agency to reply to your question about help for the long term unemployed in Northern Ireland.
  The number of long term unemployed people (i.e., those who have been unemployed for one year or more) who are claiming Jobseekers Allowance in Northern Ireland has declined substantially in recent years. In September 1999 there were 24000 long term unemployed claimants which is 3000 less than 1 year earlier and 13000 lower than 3 years ago.
  It is against this background that New Deal, which is by far the largest programme for helping the long term unemployed back into work in Northern Ireland, is being delivered. Up to £200 million is available for New Deal in Northern Ireland over the lifetime of this Parliament.
  The New Deal for 18 to 24 year olds and the New Deal for the over 25s are specifically designed to assist the long term unemployed. The New Deal for 18 to 24 year olds, introduced in April 1998, offers young people who have been unemployed for 6 months or more a tailored programme to improve their employability and enhance their chances of getting a job.
  Northern Ireland is one of 29 areas throughout the United Kingdom currently piloting enhanced provision for those aged 25 and over who have been unemployed for 18 months or more. This pilot New Deal was introduced throughout Northern Ireland in November 1998.
  Between April 1998 and September 1999, 4874 young people found work through New Deal for 18-24 year olds. In addition, 1980 adults have found work following their participation in New Deal for the over 25s. Many others are improving their prospects for employment by participating in the other available options.
  The Work rack programme was introduced at the beginning of August 1999 to complement New Deal. Worktrack is the replacement programme for ACE and is targeted at long term unemployed adults who are ineligible for New Deal assistance. It will provide 1050 high quality temporary employment opportunities with training during the financial year 1999/00 and 2100 opportunities in 2000/01. Worktrack aims to prepare participants for sustainable employment at the earliest opportunity.
  New Deal has had a very positive impact in helping to tackle the problem of long term unemployment in Northern Ireland. However, we are not complacent and the Training and Employment Agency will continue to play its part by considering what other measures and interventions would help long term unemployed people back into employment.
  I hope you find this reply helpful.

  Riverside Development, Comber
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when planning application No. X/98/0820 for the Riverside Residential Development in Comber was received by his Department; if the application allows for the future construction of the next stage of the Comber by-pass road scheme; what matters are outstanding before a planning determination can be made; and if he will make a statement about the time still required before issue of that planning decision. [94377]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Planning Service under its Chief Executive, Mr. H. S. McKay. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.
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  Letter from H. S. McKay to Mr. John D. Taylor, dated 22 October 1999:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Question about the application for planning rmission for the Riverside Residential Development in Comber.
  The Department received this application on 12 November 1998 and designated it as a major one under the Article 31 procedure of the Planning (Northern Ireland) Order 1991 on 12 March 1999. The Roads Service is actively exploring the options that may be open to the developers to fund or part fund the next stage of the Comber By-Pass. An Environmental Statement in support of the application was submitted on 21 June 1999 and the on-going assessment of this Statement has identified a number of shortcomings that the agent has been asked to address. This information has not yet been received and is of importance because the proposal raises a number of conservation issues which require careful consideration since the site impinges upon the Strangford Lough Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and adjoins an Area of Special Scientific Interest, a proposed Special Protection Area, a Special Area of Conservation and a Ramsar Site. It is too early yet to say when a decision on the application can be made as it may be necessary to hold a public local inquiry into the proposal.
  I do hope this is helpful.

  Bowling Green, Cloughey
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) on what date the planning application for a bowling green at The Warren, Cloughey was received by his Department; how many local people have signed a petition in support of this bowling green; when a planning decision will be issued; and if he will make a statement; [94557]

  (2) when the planning application for a bowling green at The Warren, Cloughey, Co. Down was submitted; when an environmental and heritage report was requested; when this report will become available; how many persons have signed a petition in support of this project; when the planning decision will be issued; what is the opinion of Ards borough council; and if he will make a statement. [94558]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Planning Service under its Chief Executive, Mr. H. S. McKay. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from H. S. McKay to Mr. John D. Taylor, dated 22 October 1999:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about an application for planning permission for a bowling green at The Warren, Cloughy.
  Ards Borough Council submitted this application on 29 March 1999 and a petition of 1,200 signatures was received in support of the proposal. The Environment and Heritage Service's comments were sought on 19 April and their response, recommending that planning permission be refused, was received on 3 September. The Council was consulted with a preliminary opinion to refuse planning permission on 14 September, at which time it deferred consideration of the proposal for a site meeting that was held on 1 October. The Planning Service now proposes convening a meeting with the Council and the Environment and Heritage Service to discuss possible options for progressing the application. It is not, therefore, possible at this stage to say when a decision will issue.
  I do hope this is helpful.

  Traffic, Comber
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is the volume of traffic on the Newtownards road near the cemetery in Comber; if he 662
  will assess the benefits of the provision of a pedestrian crossing at this location; how many pupils are enrolled at Comber Primary and Comber High schools; and if he will make a statement; [94370]

  (2) what assessment he has made of traffic flow conditions at the junction of Darragh Road with the Newtownards Road in Comber; what plans he has to provide traffic lights at this junction; and if he will make a statement. [94369]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Roads Service under its Chief Executive, Mr. C. James. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from C. James to Mr. John D. Taylor, dated 21 October 1999:
  The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me to respond to your recently tabled Parliamentary Questions about, inter alia, traffic flows in the vicinity of Newtownards Road, Comber.
  First, you asked about the volume of traffic on Newtownards Road near the cemetery in Comber, the benefits of a pedestrian crossing at this location and how many pupils are enrolled at Comber Primary and Comber High Schools.
  The last comprehensive survey of traffic volumes on Newtownards Road close to the cemetery was carried out in 1996. The survey recorded an annual average 24-hour flow of 12,480 vehicles with a peak hour flow of 1,080 vehicles. A more recent survey of peak hour traffic volumes was carried out on 27 September 1999, when the peak hour flow was found to be 1,250 vehicles. This would equate with an annual average 24-hour traffic flow of 14,500 vehicles.
  As regards the provision of a pedestrian crossing at this location, Roads Service carried out a survey of pedestrians and vehicles on Monday 27 September 1999. Our survey found that during each of the 4 busiest hours of the day the level of pedestrian traffic was significantly less than that required to warrant the provision of a pedestrian crossing. In the circumstances, Roads Service has no proposals to provide a pedestrian crossing at this location.
  I am advised by my colleagues in the Department of Education that enrolment figures for Comber Primary and Comber High Schools for the academic year 1998–99 were 389 and 448 respectively.
  Secondly, you asked what assessment has been made of traffic flow conditions at the junction of Darragh Road and Newtownards Road and what plans there are to provide traffic lights at this junction.
  The flow of traffic at this junction has been assessed in the past but, as it is some time since a full appraisal was carried out, we will undertake an appraisal taking account of the volume of traffic, the lengths of traffic queues and the delays experienced.
  As regards the provision of traffic lights, such facilities are only provided at junctions where there is significant congestion throughout the day. With the exception of the relatively short duration morning peak period, queues have not been observed at this junction during the course of the working day. Nevertheless, our appraisal of the junction will determine if there is a need for traffic lights at this location and I will write to you again when the results of our appraisal are known.
  I hope this information is helpful.

  Planning Applications, Carryduff
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many planning applications for residential developments in the Carryduff area are presently being considered; and if he will make a statement; [94547]
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  (2) how many applications for housing developments of more than 50 units have been submitted for planning approval within the green belt area in Carryduff district; and if he will make a statement. [94548]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Planning Service under its Chief Executive, Mr. H. S. McKay. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from H. S. McKay to Mr. John D. Taylor, dated 22 October 1999:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Questions about proposed housing developments in the Carryduff area.
  The Department is currently considering six applications for residential developments in the Carryduff area. Each of these applications propose more than 50 units in green belt locations.
  I do hope this is helpful.

  Area Plans
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many qualified town planners are employed in the planning service currently; what was the level five years ago; when preparation of the Ards Area Plan will commence; when preparation of the North Down Area Plan will commence; and if he will make a statement on resources available to the Planning Service to review the Area Plan Programme. [94374]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Planning Service under its Chief Executive, Mr. H. S. McKay. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from H. S. McKay to Mr. John D. Taylor, dated 22 October 1999:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Question about staffing levels and the resources available to the Planning Service for Area Plan work.
  For the purpose of the answer, "qualified town planners" are taken to mean those staff who possess either MRTPI membership or a post-graduate diploma in Planning, or a degree qualification in Planning. Based on these criteria, there are currently 137 "qualified" planners (excluding temporary staff) employed by the Planning Service. Regrettably, historical information to this level of detail is not available.
  Work started on the Ards Area Plan in January 1999. Work on the Belfast Metropolitan Plan, which will encompass the North Down Borough Council area, is currently scheduled in the Department's Area Plan Programme to commence in the 2000/01 financial year. This Programme is, however, reviewed annually and will be revisited in the forthcoming months when preparing the 2000/01 Business Plan.
  Progress with the review of the Area Plan Programme is determined by the resources allocated to this work in the context of the Agency's Corporate and Business Plans as approved by the Minister. The Plans cover the whole range of the Agency's functions and key performance targets, which include the drafting and adoption of specific Plans in this business year, set priorities. In principle, the resources allocated to the Agency are sufficient to deliver these targets although other factors can come into play and affect the outcome.
  I do hope this is helpful.

  Houston Road (Car Accidents)
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the hedge at the Houston Road into 664
  the plant testing station was last cut; what record there is of car accidents at this location; and if he will make a statement. [94545]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Roads Service under its Chief Executive, Mr. C. James. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from G. P. Fraser to Mr. John D. Taylor, dated 25 October 1999:
  The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked our Chief Executive to respond to your recently tabled Parliamentary Question about hedge cutting at the entrance to the Plant Testing Station at Houston Road, Castlereagh, Belfast and car accident records at this location. In the absence of our Chief Executive, I am replying.
  The cutting of roadside hedges is the responsibility of relevant landowners and, in this particular case, responsibility falls to the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland, which owns the Plant Testing Station. Colleagues from that Department have advised me that the hedges around the Plant Testing Station are cut annually and that they were last cut in November 1998.
  You also asked what record there is of car accidents at this location. The RUC has advised that its records indicate that there has been one "damage only" accident at the junction of Houston Road and Knockbracken Road during the last 12 months.
  I hope you find this information helpful.

  Scrabo Stone
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the location of the original Scrabo Stone from the former Kinnel Marsh and Kennedy's Bridges at Comber; if it will be saved for the construction of the next stage of the Comber Bypass; and if he will make a statement. [94368]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Road Service under its Chief Executive, Mr. C. James. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from C. James to Mr. John D. Taylor, dated 21 October 1999:
  The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has asked me to respond to your recently tabled Parliamentary Question about the location of the original Scrabo Stone from the former Kinnel Marsh and Kennedy Bridges near Comber.
  I should explain that there are 3 former bridges still existing on the line of the Department of the Environment's proposed Comber Bypass, namely Marsh River Bridge, Kennedy's Bridge and Cherryvalley Bridge. All of these bridges are of Scrabo Stone construction. Over the years, stone has been removed from these bridges by persons unknown and recently Roads Service utilised some stone from Cherryvalley Bridge for use on accommodation works at a nearby road improvement scheme.
  The Department's proposed Comber Bypass scheme requires the replacement of the Marsh River Bridge and the design carried out to date does not include the use of Scrabo Stone. Consideration could, however, be given to the possible use of the stone.
  At present, discussions are ongoing between the Department and a consortium of developers regarding a proposed housing development in the area which might involve the completion of the Comber Bypass earlier than is currently planned. The proposed development may require some minor alterations to the line of the proposed Bypass and possible replacement structures for Kennedy's Bridge and Cherryvalley Bridge. As yet, however, no final decisions have been made regarding this proposal and no detailed design has been undertaken.
  I hope you find this information helpful.

  Ministerial Meetings (United States)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which of his predecessor's special advisers travelled to New York on 6 October 1998; and if he will list the meetings which they held with members and officials of the US Government during this visit, listing the dates and locations of each meeting and the names of the US Ministers and officials at each meeting. [93948]

  Mr. Mandelson
  Mr. Nigel Warner was the only special adviser to accompany my predecessor during her visit to New York between 7 and 9 October 1998. During the visit he did not hold any official meetings with any members or officials of the US Government.

  Wind Farms
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the terms of Directive 85/337/EEC were applied to wind farms in Northern Ireland. [94787]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Planning Service under its Chief Executive, Mr. H. S. McKay. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from H. S. McKay to Mr. William Ross, dated 25 October 1999:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Question about wind farms in Northern Ireland.
  Directive 85/337/EEC was applied to wind farms with effect from 14 March 1999, with the coming into operation of the Planning (Environmental Impact Assessment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999.
  I do hope this is helpful.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Ministerial Travel
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 23 July 1999,Official Report, column 706, for what reason he did not state the most recent date on which (a) he and (b) the Minister for Transport used a train in the course of their duties. [94530]

  Mr. Hill
  As the then Minister for Transport said in her answer, Ministers travel by public transport on a regular basis on official visits and journeys to their offices. My right hon. Friend and my noble Friend last travelled by train on official business on Monday 18 October.

  Driving (Drugs)
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what assessment he has made of the impact that taking illegal drugs has on the driving ability of motorists; and if he will make a statement; [94511]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the impact that taking over the counter medicines has on the driving ability of motorists; and if he will make a statement; [94512]
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  (3) what initiatives his Department is taking to alert drivers to the hazards associated with drug abuse and driving; [94513]

  (4) what plans he has for advertising campaigns to raise the profile of drug abuse related to driving; [94514]

  (5) what discussions he has held with the pharmaceutical industry on driving under the influence of drugs. [94515]

  Mr. Hill
  Some medicinal and illegal drugs can impair driving ability and its is already an offence to drive while impaired through drugs. The Association of Chief Police Officers is researching suitable training for police to recognise the outward signs of drug taking and to assess driver impairment. The Department and the Home Office are supporting that and the development of roadside screening devices to further assist the police in enforcing the law effectively. However, the effect of drugs, both medicinal and illegal, on driving ability is a very complex issue and, in contrast to alcohol, it is very difficult to correlate directly the level of consumption with impairment of driving. Research is ongoing into the extent of the problem—an essential first step in formulating suitable and effective countermeasures. The Department is also participating in European Union research projects to develop roadside devices to screen for the presence of drugs and to detect impairment in a driver.

  The Department is considering how the risks of driving under the influence of drugs might be publicised. The acknowledged success of the Department's drink drive campaigns was accompanied by effective enforcement and good knowledge of the way in which alcohol impairs driving. That makes such campaigns effective overall because they are authoritative, well targeted and there is a real threat of getting caught. For drugs (both illegal and medicinal), we would need to target any such campaigns towards the precise nature and extent of the problem and would need to give positive advice informed by well based knowledge.

  I understand from the Medicines Control Agency that the current guidelines for pharmaceutical companies dictate that all medicines must comply with European Commission Directive 92/27/EEC on the labelling of medicinal products for human use and on package leaflets. All products have a Summary of Product Characteristics which explains how the medicine acts, how it should be used and any side effects that might be experienced, including a section on the effect of the medicine on the ability to drive. Prescribers are also provided with information on the effects of medicines on the ability to drive in the British National Formulary. This also lists standard pharmacy labels which pharmacists add when dispensing medicines that may affect a patient's ability to drive. Information for patients about medicines, including the effects on the ability to drive, is also provided to patients in Patient Information Leaflets. These should now be supplied with all medicines.

  The information included in the Summary of Product Characteristics, including the effects on the ability to drive, is based on data supplied by pharmaceutical company at the time a product licence is applied for. This may be updated as further information becomes available.
  667
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what estimate he has made of the number of traffic accidents which occurred within the UK as the result of illegal drug abuse from May 1997 to June 1999; [94448]

  (2) what estimate he has made of the number of traffic accidents which occurred within the UK as the result of the use of legal over the counter medicines from May 1997 to June 1999. [94449]

  Mr. Hill
  The road accident statistics do not include information on drug use. The Department is undertaking research into the incidence of drugs in road accident fatalities. However, the presence of drugs, whether legal or illegal, is not of itself evidence of impairment of driver ability or accident causation.

  Homelessness
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what initiatives he has launched to combat homelessness within(a) the UK and (b) Sefton since 1993. [94581]

  Mr. Mullin
  Since taking office, the Government have strengthened the legislation to give homeless people reasonable preference in the allocation of long-term social housing. My Department has also set up a sounding board with representatives from local and central Government and the voluntary sector to consider further proposals to give effect to our Manifesto pledge to increase the protection afforded to unintentionally homeless people in priority need. We have also set up a joint liaison committee, the Youth Homelessness Action Partnership, to look specifically at issues affecting homelessness among young people.

  One of the first priorities the Prime Minister set for the Social Exclusion Unit was to report on Rough Sleeping. They identified that rough sleepers' problems and needs span the responsibilities of several central Government Departments. In response to this, a new Ministerial Committee on Rough Sleeping (MCRS), chaired by the Minister for Local Government and the Regions, has been established to ensure effective co-ordination of Government policy on this.

  The Government have also established the Rough Sleepers Unit, which has the tough target of reducing the number of people sleeping rough by two-thirds by 2002. It is directly responsible to the MCRS for progress against the target and has a budget of £145 million over three years. This money is provided from a range of departmental sources (including DETR, DoH, DSS and DfEE) and will be used as a flexible integrated budget to tackle the health, education, training and benefit, as well as housing, aspects of rough sleeping.

  We have also announced a £34 million funding over the next three years for over 250 projects outside London under the New Homelessness Action Programme. Sefton has received £44,034 to provide workers for two projects. Early in the New Year we will be inviting further bids for funding from voluntary organisations in the light of the forthcoming national strategy document on rough sleeping.
  668
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he has taken to reduce the number of homeless persons living(a) in Merseyside and (b) in Sefton. [94647]

  Mr. Mullin
  We have announced that £34 million will be available under the Homelessness Action Programme over the next three years to fund voluntary agencies to address the problem of homelessness outside London. Organisations in Merseyside have been allocated £458,696 to provide youth, outreach, project and field workers for five schemes. £44,034 of this is for two projects in Sefton. We will be inviting further bids under the programme following the launch of the new national strategy on rough sleeping, which we will be launching before the end of the year.

  Uninsured Drivers
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what are(a) the proposed duration of the Motor Insurers' Bureau uninsured drivers' agreement and (b) its termination provisions. [94409]

  Mr. Hill
  There is no formal termination date in Agreement. Past agreements have continued until it was clear that there was a need to revise them. There are provisions for termination of the Agreement upon either party giving a year's notice to the other.

  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on what date the revised Motor Insurers' Bureau uninsured drivers' agreement was signed; and on what date it will come into effect. [94407]

  Mr. Hill
  The new Agreement was signed on 13 August 1999 and it came into effect on 1 October 1999.

  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions since the signing of the Motor Insurers' Bureau uninsured drivers' agreement what(a) meetings have been held with (i) the insurance industry and (ii) organisations representing victims of road accidents and (b) what representations have been made by (i) and (ii); and if he will make a statement. [94408]

  Mr. Hill
  Since the new Agreement was signed, my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State has met the Association of Personal Accident Solicitors and the Solicitors Indemnity Fund to discuss concerns they had expressed about the terms of the Agreement. I understand that the Motor Insurers' Bureau have also met Association of Personal Injury Lawyers and have arranged to meet the Motor Accident Solicitors Society. My Department stands ready to meet any of these representative organisations to discuss their concerns and, if it proves necessary, to amend the Agreement.

  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment of the problems of compliance with the revised Motor Insurers' Bureau uninsured drivers' agreement faced by accident victims or their representatives were made by his Department, prior to its signature; and if he will make a statement. [94406]
  669
  Mr. Hill
  Representations received over the last 10 years from applicants, their legal representatives and from solicitors' organisations all pointed to a lack of clarity about the 1998 Uninsured Drivers Agreement. In particular there were several complaints about the lack of clear procedures and the absence of defined time limits. These have been addressed in the new Agreement.

  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions prior to the signature of the revised Motor Insurers' Bureau uninsured motorists' agreement, what(a) meetings were held by his Department with (i) the Motor Insurers' Bureau, (ii) other representatives of the insurance industry, (iii) the Law Society and (iv) organisations representing road accident victims, (b) what representations were invited and received from the above and (c) what other consultation arrangements were made; and if he will make a statement. [94405]

  Mr. Hill
  Representations have been received over the 10 years since the last revision from many applicants, their legal representatives and from solicitors' organisations. Representations have also been received from the European Commission. All of these are taken into consideration in the review of the Agreements. Representations were not formally invited from any of these organisations. We have recently received correspondence from the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers, and my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State met them, in September, to discuss their concerns about the new Uninsured Drivers Agreement.

  Minicabs
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will issue regulations under the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998 to require drivers of minicabs to carry the guide dogs of sight-impaired customers. [94692]

  Mr. Hill
  This is a matter which will be considered when we consult jointly with the Public Carriage Office on proposals for regulating private hire vehicle drivers in London.

  Pillion Passengers (Motor Cycles)
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the minimum age for a child to ride as a pillion passenger on a motor cycle; and if he will make a statement. [94686]

  Mr. Hill
  There is no minimum age for a child to ride as a pillion passenger on a motor cycle. The decision remains with the rider, who is legally responsible for ensuring that the child is safely supported. Existing legislation places a number of controls on the carrying of pillion passengers.

  These legislative requirements, by their nature, restrict the carrying of children as pillion passengers unless that can be undertaken safely.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many children have been(a) killed and (b) seriously injured in
  670
  road traffic accidents riding pillion on motor cycles in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [94685]

  Mr. Hill
  The information requested is shown in the following table:

  Child twmv1 pillion passengers killed or seriously injured: GB 1994–98

  Casualties

  Severity

  Year

  Killed

  Seriously injured

  Total

  1994

  2

  54

  56

  1995

  0

  46

  46

  1996

  1

  51

  52

  1997

  3

  48

  51

  1998

  0

  34

  34

  1 Two wheeled motor vehicles; including motorcycles combinations, mopeds and motor scooters.

  Maritime Pollution
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement in respect of maritime pollution threats involving the "Pacific Pintail", the "Pacific Teal" and the Greenpeace ship. [94714]

  Mr. Hill
  My Department is not aware of any incident involving the named ships that created a risk of marine pollution. However, the ships were involved in incidents in July this year that resulted in a risk to safety. Greenpeace manoeuvred inflatable boats near the ships owned by Pacific Nuclear Transport Limited. The Greenpeace ship had positioned itself in the approach channel to Barrow. Its crew did not provide information on their intentions, despite several requests that they do so. Without any clear indication of Greenpeace's intentions, there was concern that their activities could result in injury or loss of life. My Department's Maritime and Coastguard Agency therefore issued a direction requiring the MN Greenpeace to leave specified areas of the UK's territorial sea. We cancelled the direction once there was no longer a risk to safety in the UK territorial sea.

  Plutonium Shipments
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement in respect of safety issues arising from the plutonium shipment involving the "Pacific Teal" and "Pacific Pintail". [94715]

  Mr. Hill
  Mixed oxide fuel is transported in packages that have been approved as meeting the national regulations and international safety standards covering the transport of radioactive materials by sea.

  The "Pacific Pintail" and the "Pacific Teal" already meet the highest requirements of the International Maritime Organisation's "Code for the Safe Carriage of Irradiated Nuclear Fuel", "Plutonium and High-Level Radioactive Wastes in Flasks on board Ships" ("INF Code").

  Rail Safety Reports
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will require
  671
  the Health and Safety Executive to make publicly available (a) reports on rail safety hitherto treated as confidential and (b) future reports on rail safety. [94701]

  Mr. Hill
  The results of HSE's investigations into rail safety are already made public. This has been achieved by publishing the findings eg of train accidents, research, passenger accidents and others in the Chief Inspector of Railway's Annual Report into Railway Safety. In the last year, HSE has also made public the result of its investigation into significant incidents as these are completed. Examples include findings following the derailment at Cadoxton and the accidents of Bexley and Winsford. Within the last year, HSE has also published the results of the investigation into the management of signals passed at danger.

  HSE intends to make public the results of all such investigations as soon as possible after the completion of the investigation. This is illustrated by the publication of the interim findings into the recent train accident at Ladbroke Grove.

  Radioactive Shipments (Irish Sea)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what controls exist to monitor the number of vessels in the Irish Sea carrying radioactive material; what requirements there are for the registration of such movements and the reporting of incidents which could endanger the public; and what was the average number of such vessels moving in the Irish Sea during the past 18 months. [94672]

  Mr. Hill
  UK legislation requires ship operators to provide my Department with information on dangerous and polluting cargoes, including radioactive material, carried by ships calling at UK ports. It also requires ship operators to report incidents to HM Coastguard. These requirements give effect to international rules adopted through the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and to an EC directive. We cannot require ships that pass through UK waters without calling at a UK port to provide us with information except in accordance with IMO approved schemes. Any such requirement would conflict with the navigational rights and freedoms enjoyed by foreign ships according to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982, to which the UK is a party. Information on the number of ships passing through the Irish Sea without calling at a UK port is not available.

  London Underground
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 5 July 1999,Official Report, column 370, concerning the agreement signed by London Transport Underground for the future supply of power, if, under the agreement, power for London Underground will cease to be generated in London; who the owners and managers of Power PH are; to what extent the agreement transfers the responsibility for supply and distribution of electric power to appliances and live rails; what access agreements to linesides, switching equipment and sub-stations have been made with the contractors; and what transfers of personnel there will be. [94813]
  672
  Mr. Hill
  The Power PFI contract transferred responsibility for the operation, maintenance, finance and renewal of London Underground's high voltage electrical supply network to SEEBOARD Powerlink (a consortium of companies consisting of SEEBOARD, BICC and ABB, owned in the following proportions: 80 per cent., 10 per cent., 10 per cent.). Under this contract, London Underground's power will be obtained from the National Grid. The day to day switching of electrical supplies to track and stations remains with London Underground.

  Access by the contractor to linesides, switching equipment and substations is in accordance with the same procedures and conditions imposed for London Underground staff and all contractors working on the railway.

  Under the terms of the Power PFI contract, the 315 London Underground staff responsible for the operation and maintenance of the generating stations at Lots Road and Greenwich, the power distribution substations and associated high voltage and control cable networks, transferred to SEEBOARD Powerlink on their existing terms and conditions of employment when the contract commenced on 16 August 1998.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many fires there have been on the London Underground in each of the last five years. [94793]

  Mr. Hill
  The numbers of confirmed fire reports for the last five years are as follows

  Rolling stock

  Trackside

  1994–95

  32

  244

  1995–96

  37

  347

  1996–97

  38

  286

  1997–98

  58

  327

  1998–99

  58

  258

  London Underground define a confirmed fire as any incident that activates a smoke alarm.

  These incidents may be as seemingly trivial as a smouldering cigarette end. London Underground advise that these confirmed fires were small in nature, with little or no combustible material available that would lead to the development of a large fire. All such incidents, however small, are treated very seriously.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 5 July 1999,Official Report, column 370, concerning revenue and costs of London Underground Limited, if he will provide a breakdown of the £248 million of other costs in 1997–98 into (a) main categories of expenditure and (b) each line or interchange expenditure; and to what purposes the gross margin of £265 million has been devoted. [94814]

  Mr. Hill
  (a) The breakdown of "other costs" is as follows:

  Other costs

  £ million

  Business rates

  21

  Operational materials and supplies

  18

  Train and station cleaning

  20

  673

  Other costs

  £ million

  Repair costs allocated from project work

  25

  Marketing

  4

  Insurance

  9

  EDP costs

  13

  Consultancy

  9

  Accommodation and telephone

  23

  Charge from LT for finance and HR services

  26

  PH contract costs

  31

  Costs of property rental collection

  7

  Other costs

  42

  Total

  248

  (b) A breakdown of these figures on a line by line basis is not available. Some of the costs above are incurred centrally rather than on a line by line basis.

  The gross margin of £265 million went towards total LT investment.

  Biosafety Protocol
  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the next meeting on the biosafety protocol will be held; by what date his Department has to make its submission for inclusion in the EU position; and if he will make a statement. [94828]

  Mr. Meacher
  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, it was decided to resume the Ex-COP between 24-28 January in Montreal. The UK and the EU are considering the options arising from the informal consultations, and the EU position for the resumed negotiations will be established over the coming months. The UK is fully committed to an effective and workable Protocol which can be ratified by all countries active in biotechnology.

  Glyphosate
  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what reports he has received from the EU concerning the effects of the chemical glyphosate on(a) the environment and (b) biodiversity; and if he will make a statement. [948191

  Mr. Meacher
  The EU has established a programme to review the safety of all pesticides which were authorised (by at least one Member State) for use in agriculture and horticulture on 25 July 1993. Glyphosate is included in the first round of this programme.

  The EU review process begins with an evaluation, including effects on the environment, wildlife and other non-target organisms, by a "rapporteur" Member State. Germany was appointed rapporteur for glyphosate and has delivered its assessment to the EU Commission, the UK and other Member States. This evaluation is currently subject to peer review by experts from all Member States.

  Transponders
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will report on progress made at a meeting of the IMO sub-committee 674
  on the safety of navigation held in September on the subject of the mandatory carriage requirement for transponders; and if he will make a statement. [94603]

  Mr. Hill
  [holding answer 20 October 1999]The International Maritime Organisation' s (IMO) sub-committee on the safety of navigation (NVA 45) met from 20-24 September 1999 and developed a draft regulation for the phased introduction of a mandatory carriage requirement for ship identification transponders. The draft Regulation envisages new ships being fitted by 1 July 2002, with step-by-step application to existing ships between then and 2008. The draft will be further discussed at the 72" session of the IMO safety committee in May 2000.

  M60
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects the M60 motorway from Denton to Middleton to open; and what assessment he has made of the prospects for opening sections of the motorway at an earlier date. [94831]

  Mr. Hill
  [holding answer 21 October 1999]As this is an operational matter for the Highways Agency, I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Lawrie Haynes, to reply.

  Letter from Peter Nutt to Mr. Andrew Bennett, dated 25 October 1999:
  The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Keith Hill, has asked Lawrie Haynes, the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, to reply to your recent Parliamentary question about the timing for the opening of the M60 between Denton and Middleton. I am replying in Lawrie's absence from the office.
  The date for opening the whole of the Denton to Middleton section of the Manchester Outer Ring Road is Summer 2000. However, the Highways Agency is considering the possibility of opening some individual sections earlier. Whether it would be practical to do so is dependent upon the contractors' programmes for completion of the outstanding works. This will become clearer towards the end of the year. Traffic impact on the local road network is also a major consideration and the Agency is in discussion with the relevant local authorities about this.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Rail Safety
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the danger to rail travellers of the increased number of cases of broken rails since 1994–95; and what action he plans to take. [951731]

  Mr. Hill
  Broken rails result from a range of causes including rail age, increased traffic density and particular additional freight carriage. The general upward trend in the number of broken rails demonstrates that infrastructure maintenance, inspection and track replacement efforts must be increased. HSE's Railway Inspectorate (HMRI) has recently ordered Railtrack to define an urgent action plan to improve track maintenance and inspection to significantly reduce the number of broken rails across the network. Extreme damage to rails could potentially lead to train derailment and HMRI take
  675
  a strong enforcement action where there could be a safety risk. For example, a prohibition was placed on the use of the Severn Tunnel earlier this year until suitable repairs were carried out.

  Bridge Tolls (Buses)
  Shona McIsaac
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list

  Undertaking

  Car (£)

  Minibus (£)

  Percentage differential

  Large bus (£)

  Current tolls: Percentage differential

  Aldwark Bridge

  0.15

  0.30

  100

  0.80

  433

  Clifton Suspension Bridge

  0.20

  0.20

  0

  0.20

  0

  Dartford QEII Bridge

  1.00

  1.70

  70

  2.80

  180

  Dunham Bridge

  0.20

  0.20

  0

  0.40

  100

  Humber Bridge

  2.30

  3.30

  43

  12.50

  443

  Itchen Bridge

  0.60

  1.00

  67

  5.00

  733

  Rixton & Warburton Bridge

  0.10

  0.12

  20

  0.12

  20

  Severn Bridges (Westbound only)

  4.20

  8.40

  100

  12.50

  198

  Shrewsbury Bridge

  0.10

  0.10

  0

  0.10

  0

  Swinford Bridge

  0.05

  0.05

  0

  0.20

  300

  Tamar Bridge

  1.00

  2.50

  150

  5.00

  400

  Whitechurch Bridge

  0.08

  0.20

  150

  0.50

  525

  Whitney on Wye Bridge

  0.50

  0.50

  0

  1.00

  100

  Raddicio Rosso
  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what advice his Department has given the European Commission on the Dutch Government's approval for raddicio rosso to be sold in the Netherlands without the approval of the EU. [94868]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 21 October 1999]Chicory (raddicio rosso) has been approved under Part C of Directive 90/220/EEC for growing in the European Union for the purposes of seed production only. It is not for general cultivation, nor can it enter the food or animal feed chain under this approval.

  The application was submitted to the UK and the other member states via the Dutch Competent Authority in 1995. The UK together with the other member states reviewed the application dossier. The UK Competent Authority raised no objection to the product being placed on the European market. The Community's decision was that the cultivation of this particular GM crop for the purposes of seed production posed a low risk to human health and the environment.

  Dog Identification
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what studies his Department has commissioned regarding the long-term effects of implanting microchips in animals for the purpose of identification; and if he will make a statement. [94890]

  Mr. Hill
  The Dog Identification Group, which my Department set up, is considering all the issues relating to dog identification including that of micro-chipping. No decisions will be taken until we have fully considered the report of the Group.
  676
  the current level of bridge tolls for buses, indicating the percentage differential with tolls for cars on the same journey. [94921]

  Mr. Hill
  The following list shows the current toll levels for cars and buses on toll bridges in England for which the Secretary of State has a statutory responsibility, as Highway Authority or for the determination of the level of tolls. The percentage differential between the toll level for cars and buses is shown:

  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to bring forward legislation on dog identification; and if he will make a statement. [94891]

  Mr. Hill
  A Dog Identification Working Group has been set up by my Department to produce a report to reflect a consensus view on all the available options for dog identification. No decisions will be taken until we have fully considered the report.

  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to offer dog owners a choice in the method by which they identify their animals, pursuant to the report by the Dog Identification Group. [94888]

  Mr. Hill
  The Dog Identification Working Group will produce a report to reflect a consensus view on all the available options for dog identification. No decisions will be taken until we have fully considered the report.

  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will publish the report of the Dog Identification Working Group. [94889]

  Mr. Hill
  The Dog Identification Group has been set up by my Department to report on the available options for dog identification. The report will be made public on its completion during the course of next year.

  St. Mary's Hospital, Stannington
  Mr. Peter Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on what date he received the Planning Inspector's reports on the planning application for the site of St. Mary's Hospital, Stannington, Northumberland. [95104]
  677
  Mr. Raynsford
  The report by the Inspector who conducted the public inquiry into the called-in planning application for the site of St. Mary's Hospital, Northumberland reached Government officials on 5 February 1999.

  The hon. Member will know that the Secretary of State's decision to refuse the application was issued on 21 October.

  Parish Councils
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the future of parish councils. [94937]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  As stated in our White Paper "Modern Local Government—In Touch with the People" (Cm 4014),"Parish councils will continue to play a key role in many of our towns and villages".

  In our forthcoming Rural White Paper we intend to address further how we see parish councils playing their part in rural local governance.

  Freemasonry
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) when he expects to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Banbury concerning freemasonry and the Planning Inspectorate; [R] [94950]

  (2) if he will make a statement on the policy of the Chief Planning Inspector that freemasons will not be eligible to apply for employment with the Planning Inspectorate. [R] [94943]

  Mr. Prescott
  This policy was incorrect and has been withdrawn. However, all new appointees to the post of Planning Inspector shall have as a condition of appointment a requirement to declare membership of the freemasons (and any later membership to them).

  I expect to reply to the hon. Member this week.

  Banbury
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to make an announcement on town council status for Banbury. [94941]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The Secretary of State has made a preliminary decision for the creation of a new parish of Banbury. Cherwell District Council was notified on 8 October.

  We intend to consult the District Council and other interested parties shortly on a draft Order. Subject to that consultation, the intention is to make the Order before the end of 1999 with the view to first elections in May 2000.

  Swanwick Air Traffic Control System
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact of the NATS part-privatisation on the implementation date of the Swanwick Air Traffic Control System. [95695]
  678
  Mr. Mullin
  The Public/Private Partnership for NATS will not have any impact on the target operational date for the Swanwick centre which is spring 2002. At present the development of the centre is proceeding well, and meeting its target milestones. It is likely that by the time the NATS PPP is established, the air traffic control system will be ready for operations, and training of controllers on the new system will be well underway.

  The introduction into operation of the Swanwick centre is an integral part of NATS' plans for the future control of air traffic in the UK. The NATS PPP will therefore be obliged to complete the centre and bring it into operation.

  Road Safety
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the issue of deaths caused by negligent or dangerous driving will form part of the proposed White Paper on Road Safety. [95111]

  Mr. Hill
  The forthcoming road safety strategy will cover a wide range of issues, including those related to negligent and dangerous driving. It will also set out new targets to reduce the numbers of deaths and injuries on Britain's roads.

  Rail Freight Terminals
  Mr. Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the rail freight terminals operating in each Government Office region. [95556]

  Mr. Hill
  Railtrack's "A Guide to Rail Freight", published in April 1999, says that there are around 1,000 active rail freight terminals connected to their network; a terminal can be any interface between rail freight services, other modes and/or storage facilities, and they vary enormously in size and scope from a simple siding through to a large distribution park.

  Railtrack's "A Guide to Freight Connections" (Third Edition), published in October 1998, contains at Appendix B1 a list of private siding connections and at Appendix B2 a list of freight operating company sites. Each entry includes its geographical location by Railtrack Zone.

  Mr. Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to support the establishment of new Rail Freight terminals adjacent to motorways. [95578]

  Mr. Hill
  The Government's freight grants scheme is designed to assist companies in moving goods from road to rail where payment is justified by the environmental benefits. Capital grants are available towards the cost of new or refurbished freight facilities, including terminals, wherever they might be located. The Highways Agency has a Memorandum of Understanding with Railtrack to facilitate effective co-operation and understanding between the two organisations, and one of the areas of mutual interest mentioned in the Memorandum is the development of opportunities for the transfer of freight from road to rail through the provision of interchange facilities with access directly or indirectly from the trunk road network, including motorways.

  Transport Safety Statistics
  Ms Drown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many injuries(a) per million passenger journeys and (b) per million train journeys there have been in each of the last 10 years. [94777]

  Mr. Hill
  Information about the numbers of casualties per train journey is not available. Information about numbers of casualties per passenger journey and per passenger kilometre on all railway undertakings in Great Britain is as follows:

  Railway movement accidents1: passenger casualty rates

  Casualties2 per million passenger journeys

  Casualties2 per million passenger kilometres

  1989

  1.85

  0.076

  1990

  1.73

  0.072

  1991–92

  1.61

  0.068

  1992–93

  1.59

  0.066

  1993–94

  1.52

  0.064

  1994–95

  1.54

  0.069

  1995–96

  1.81

  0.080

  1996–972

  0.46

  0.019

  1997–98

  0.47

  0.020

  1998–99

  0.40

  0.018

  1 Train accidents, or accidents due to the movement of railway vehicles (eg passengers entering or alighting from trains). Accidents not connected with the movement of railway vehicles, and casualties connected with trespass and suicide, are excluded.

  2 Until 1996 all accidents to passengers were required to be reported however slight their injuries. Under the Accident Reporting Regulations 1995, which came into effect on 1 April 1996, non-fatal injuries are only reported if the passenger is taken to hospital. Figures since 1996–97 are therefore not comparable with those for earlier years.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to publish the(a) Government's response to the report of the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology on "The Management of Nuclear Waste" (HL Paper 41) published on 24 March, (b) High Level Waste and Spent Fuel Disposal Research Strategy project, (c) 1998 UK Radioactive Waste Inventory and (d) report on the UK's intentions for implementing the OSPAR strategy with regard to radioactive substances. [95881]

  Mr. Meacher
  I have today written to Lord Tombs, Chairman of the Committee, enclosing the Government response to the Select Committee report on "The Management of Nuclear Waste". Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

  The Government's paramount concern is to protect the safety of both current and future generations. The Government agree with the Select Committee that widespread public consultation must come before a final decision is reached on the most appropriate option for managing radioactive waste. The Government note the Select Committee's conclusion that deep disposal is the only solution which is ultimately sustainable. We shall, however, want to study very carefully the results of the consensus building process, initiated by the consultation which we intend to launch early next year, before coming
  680
  to a final view. There are, in any case, questions to consider about when any underground repository might be needed and the period over which is should be possible to monitor and retrieve wastes placed in it. There is no need for an immediate decision at this stage.

  The Government response is the first stage of the process to identify, develop and implement the best possible management option for radioactive wastes—one which commands widespread public support. It sets out the Government's commitment to a comprehensive policy for long-lived radioactive wastes, developed in an open and transparent way on the basis of widespread consultation to ensure the maximum possible public acceptance. The next stage will be full consultation on the management options for radioactive waste. Subsequent steps will need to be considered in the light of the results from this consultation. There is no question at this stage of looking at the potential suitability of any particular sites. This would only be necessary if, in the light of consultation, underground disposal were the chosen option. In any case, this would be some years away.

  The Government have also accepted that it is possible that at least some plutonium may be declared a waste in the future. The response therefore also sets out our intention to consult with BNFL, British Energy and UKAEA on the likely future uses for the UK plutonium stockpile.

  I have today published a report which my Department commissioned from consultants Quantisci setting out a research and development strategy for disposing of certain radioactive materials. Copies of the report have been placed in the Library of the House.

  The High Level Waste and Spent Fuel Disposal Research Strategy project has identified the scale and nature of the research and development that would be required, if deep geological disposal of high-level waste and spent fuel were to be pursued. The report will inform the forthcoming consultation paper on radioactive waste management.

  I have also today published the 1998 UK Radioactive Waste Inventory. Copies of the summary report have been placed in the Library of the House.

  The Inventory was jointly commissioned by Nirex and my Department. It describes all stocks of waste held in the UK at 1 April 1998, together with predictions of wastes arising into the future. There has been an increase of around 12 per cent. in the total volume of wastes in stock since the last inventory in 1994 due to the continued accumulation of intermediate and high level wastes in the absence of disposal facilities. However, the predictions of future arising have been revised downwards since the last report (17 per cent. for high level waste; 26 per cent. for intermediate and 2 per cent. for low level waste) due to developments in waste conditioning, better estimates of volume and some changes in the scale and nature of future operations.

  The UK is one of the few countries where such information is made publicly available. Organisations involved with the nuclear industry, and relevant non-governmental organisations, will receive a free copy on compact disk. The summary report will also be available on the internet at www.nirex.co.uk.
  681
  A report on the UK's intentions for implementing the OSPAR strategy with regard to radioactive substances has been sent to the OSPAR secretariat today. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House. Copies have also been sent to nuclear operators and relevant non-governmental organisations.

  Departmental Twinning
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many requests there have been to his Department for placement of officials from Central, East European and CIS states as twins of his officials; how many such officials have been accepted as twins; from which countries(a) those who were accepted and (b) those who were not accepted came; and which of these twinnings related to the (i) environment, (ii) transport and (iii) regional policy aspects of his Department. [93993]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given today by the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz).

CABINET OFFICE

  Departmental Twinning
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many requests there have been to her Department for placement of her officials from Central, East European and CIS states as twins of her officials; how many such officials have been accepted as twins; and from which countries(a) those who were accepted and (b) those who were not accepted came. [93992]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given today by the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz).

  Information Technology
  Mr. Bradshaw
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what action the Government are taking to improve its handling of major IT projects. [95754]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  We have recently begun a major study into the handling of Government IT projects. It will consider best practice from within Government, the private sector and overseas to produce recommendations to improve performance in this area in the future. The work of the study team will be closely integrated with that on delivering the Corporate IT Strategy announced in the Modernising Government White Paper.

  The study will be undertaken by officials in the Cabinet Office's Central IT Unit. It will be completed by next May. I will chair a steering committee that will oversee the study, bringing together senior figures from across Government and the private sector.

  Horizontal Questions Working Group
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will list those proposals made by her representative to the Horizontal Questions Working Group indicating the discussions on them. [95309]
  682
  Marjorie Mowlam
  Officials from my Department have made no proposals to the Horizontal Questions Working Group over the past 12 months.

  Equal Opportunities
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if an action plan for increasing the representation of women in public life has been(a) prepared by her Department and (b) published since November 1998. [94855]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  This Government are committed to the equal representation of women and men in public appointments. A plan of action has been drawn up, which includes individual departmental plans for increasing the participation of women in public life. Details of individual departments' are given in "Quangos: Opening up Public Appointments, 1999–2000", published by the Cabinet Office in May 1999. Copies are in the Libraries of the House and on the internet. The plans contain specific goals and objectives for increasing the representation of women on the boards of public bodies, and are updated annually in the light of progress made.

  Michael John Smith
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) why undertakings contained in the letter of 7 January 1998 from the Secretary of the Civil Service Commission to Michael John Smith (prison number PR 3345) were not fulfilled; [94569]

  (2) when Michael John Smith (prison number PR 3345) will receive a substantive reply to his letter of 10 January 1997 to the Secretary of the Security Commission; and what was the reason for the delay. [94568]

  Dr. Mowlam
  This is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Animal Procedures Committee
  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes there have been to the membership of the Animal Procedures Committee. [95863]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I am pleased to be able to say that Mr. Robert McCracken, a barrister, has joined the Committee with effect from 1 September 1999. I am sorry to have to announce the departure from the Committee of Professor Colin Johnston on grounds of ill health.

  Millennium Celebrations (Security)
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional measures he plans to ensure public order and security on the night of 31 December. [95148]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Maintenance of public order is primarily a matter for chief officers of police. The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has established a millennium co-ordinating committee to ensure the readiness of forces and continuity of service over the millennium period. I understand that all forces have millennium planning teams in place to ensure
  683
  business continuity and contingency planning for this period. Arrangements are in place for mutual aid between forces should this become essential.

  The infrastructure preparedness, supply chains and business continuity plans of police forces in England and Wales have been independently assessed by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary using a process based on Action 2000 methodology. All forces have been graded as blue (no identified risks of material disruption) and have millennium operating regimes in place.

  A police information centre will operate at Scotland Yard on 31 December, reporting to the President of ACPO. In addition, the Home Office's own millennium operating regime will ensure that Ministers are fully appraised of developments on the night.

  Millennium Dome (Policing)
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many regular police officers will be on duty at the Millennium Dome during normal opening hours. [95121]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  There will be no police officers routinely on duty at the Millennium Dome, as security duties at the Dome site will be undertaken by the appointed Company, Group 4.

  The Commissioner of the Police of the Metropolis tells me that a total of 89 additional officers will be seconded to the Greenwich Borough Operational Command Unit to undertake high visibility patrol, traffic patrol and crime investigation duties in anticipation of the increased numbers of people visiting the Dome and Greenwich. The secondment of these officers will last for the duration of the National Millennium Exhibition.

  Thames Valley Police
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what funds he intends to make available to the Thames Valley Police during the coming financial year; and what impact he estimates such funding will have on recruitment policy for the Thames Valley Police. [94938]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Last year the Government announced that the police service in England and Wales would receive an additional £1.24 billion over three years from 1999–2000. Our plans allow for police expenditure to increase by around 2.8 per cent. in 2000–01. No final decisions have been taken about the allocation of funding to individual forces for the coming financial year. We expect to announce provisional allocations towards the end of the year.

  Police recruitment is not centrally managed from the Home Office. It is a matter for individual chief constables. The Thames Valley Police will be able to bid for a share of the crime fighting fund which the Government have set up to provide for 5,000 extra recruits over three years.

  Freemasons (Police)
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he expects police authorities to hold concerning the membership of 684
  freemasonry among police officers; on what basis such information will be compiled; and to whom it will be available. [R] [94942]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Police authorities will hold no such information. Chief Constables in England and Wales are in the process of establishing voluntary, internal, registers of freemasonry membership in their forces. At this stage, while arrangements for its publication remain to be determined, the information disclosed will be used for internal management purposes and to provide statistical information about the extent of freemasonry membership in the police service.

  Refugees (Housing)
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what mechanisms he intends to be used to rehouse refugees throughout the United Kingdom; what consultations he or his Department have had with local authorities; and if there will be extra funding for local authorities to assist with the housing and other costs of accepting refugees. [94951]

  Mrs. Roche
  The Department has been in extensive consultation with the Local Government Association, the Association of Local Government and a variety of local authorities about the new support arrangements for asylum seekers in Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Bill which are due to come into effect in April 2000, and the statutory interim arrangements in Schedule 8 of the Bill which are due to come into effect shortly after Royal Assent.

  For the statutory interim arrangements, the Government have invited local government to devise a voluntary dispersal scheme which will enable asylum seekers to be dispersed to cluster areas around the country so that no single local authority bears a disproportionate burden. The statutory interim arrangements will underpin this scheme. The statutory interim arrangements also include provisions which will enable dispersal to take place if there is no voluntary scheme in operation.

  From April 2000, the new support arrangements will enable the Department to provide support in cluster areas around the country and to disperse to those cluster areas asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute and who claim the full support package.

  For the period of the statutory interim arrangements, local authorities will be able to claim up to £150 per week for single adults and up to £220 per week for families who are being supported. When the new support arrangements are implemented, the Home Office will bear the costs of the provision of support (including accommodation, vouchers, cash, interpreter services and travel).

  Dangerous Driving
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to provide a more severe penalty for those convicted of causing death by negligent driving. [95109]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  There is no offence of causing death by negligent driving. Grossly negligent driving which results in a death could be charged as manslaughter, which attracts a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.
  685
  The Road Traffic Act 1988 contains two offences of causing death. Causing death by dangerous driving and causing death by careless driving while under the influence of drink or drugs both attract a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment. The Government have no current plans to increase these penalties.

  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to change the charge of careless driving to a charge that recognises the culpability of the driver. [95108]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  We have no current plans to change the definition of the offence of "careless driving" under section 3 of the Road Traffic Act 1988. Research is, however, currently being conducted into the way in which cases involving "bad" driving proceed through the criminal justice system. The results of that research will help to establish whether any changes in the law are desirable.

  Royal Parks (Demonstrations)
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy towards the enforcement of byelaws against demonstrating in the royal parks. [95649]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The enforcement of the byelaws is a matter for the Metropolitan Police and for the Royal Parks Police.

  Crime and Disorder Act 1998
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many reparation orders under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 have been granted by the courts to date in each of the five pilot areas; how many of those orders have been breached; and if he will make a statement; [94957]

  (2) how many applications he has received from local authorities for local child curfews under the provisions of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998; [94961]

  (3) how many parenting orders have been granted to date by the courts under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 in each of the nine pilot areas; how many of those orders have been breached; and if he will make a statement; [94955]

  (4) how many child safety orders have been granted by the courts under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 in each of the nine pilot areas; [94958]

  (5) how many action plan orders under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 have to date been made by the courts in each of the four pilot areas; how many of these orders have been breached; how many have been revoked; and if he will make a statement. [94960]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  By 30 September 1999, the latest date for which this information is readily available, the following orders had been made in the pilot areas: 122 Parenting Orders, 829 Reparation Orders, one Child Safety Order and 490 Action Plan Orders. Applying for a local child curfew is an option for local authorities to consider in light of the wider crime and disorder strategies they are developing under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. No applications have yet been received.
  686
  We do not currently have breach figures, but I will write to the hon. Member as soon as they are available.

  The youth justice pilots are designed to allow us to assess the operation and costs and savings of the new youth justice measures. They will inform decisions about full implementation. Subject to the evaluation, we intend to implement the new court orders in 2000–2001.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many anti-social behaviour orders have been made by the courts to date under the provisions of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. [94954]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Information on the number of Orders made is not held centrally but we are aware of six Orders made since 1 April 1999.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Sex Offender Orders have been made by the courts to date under the provisions of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. [94956]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Information on the numbers of Sex Offender Orders made is not currently held centrally.

  We are, however, aware of 14 such orders having been granted.

  Chinese Presidential Visit (Policing)
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what meetings took place between his Department and the Metropolitan Police about the public order implications of the state visit by the President of China; [95646]

  (2) what representations his Department made to the Metropolitan Police about the public order implications of the state visit of the President of China. [95648]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  No such meetings or representations took place.

  Immigration and Nationality Directorate
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the backlog of(a) immigration and asylum cases and (b) nationality cases in the Integrated Casework Directorate of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in each month since 30 June. [94972]

  Mrs. Roche
  The backlog of immigration and asylum cases, and, separately, nationality cases at the end of July, August and September is set out:

  Immigration and asylum

  Month

  Number of cases

  July

  104,464

  August

  123,454

  September

  149,013

  Nationality

  Month

  Number of cases

  July

  97,900

  August

  99,500

  September

  97,900

  687
  We have recruited 340 staff and are planning to recruit another 250 to fill vacancies and expand the Integrated Casework Directorate in order to keep pace with the intake of new cases and eliminate backlogs.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the average daily number(a) of telephone callers to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate, (b) of calls made to that directorate and (c) of calls answered by the Telephone Caller Unit, in (i) July, (ii) August and (iii) September. [94965]

  Mrs. Roche

  The figures relating to telephone calls to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate are provided each month by British Telecom and are actuals rather than estimates. Daily averages, by month, are set out in the table:

  Number of callers

  Number of calls

  Calls answered

  July

  4,307

  51,925

  1,795

  August

  4,133

  53,352

  1,867

  September

  4,741

  37,503

  3,668

  Since July a number of measures have been introduced to improve the service offered by the Immigration and Nationality Enquiry Bureau (INEB). Significant numbers of new staff are now available to answer calls, a support team undertakes follow-up work generated by calls, and there have been improvements in training staff in call handling techniques and the mentoring of new and existing staff. In recent weeks the service provided by INEB has improved substantially with around 4,000 calls a day being answered (75 per cent. of incoming calls). Further changes are being considered to improve performance.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases are now held in the Central Work in Progress Store of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate; and how many of those cases have been outstanding for more than(a) six months, (b) one year and (c) two years. [94968]

  Mrs. Roche
  There are 83,796 cases held in the Work in Progress Store of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. This is a reduction of over 26,000 cases since July. Of the cases held in the Work in Progress Store, 12,654 have been outstanding for more than six months, 32,206 have been outstanding for more than one year, and 38,936 have been outstanding for more than two years. A number of measures have been taken to tackle the backlog, including the creation of the After Entry Clearance Team, which has had a major impact on the backlog of the after entry case backlog.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average daily number of personal callers to each public inquiry office of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in each month since 30 June. [94963]

  Mrs. Roche
  The average daily number of callers to each public inquiry office in July, August and September is set out in the table:
  688

  July

  August

  September

  Public Caller Unit Croydon

  887

  882

  903

  Asylum Screening Unit Croydon

  248

  309

  327

  Midlands Public Enquiry Office

  141

  133

  190

  Liverpool Public Enquiry Office

  60

  46

  51

  Glasgow Public Enquiry Office

  51

  52

  55

  Belfast Public Enquiry Office

  33

  30

  26

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of letters to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate from(a) hon. Members and (b) members of the public are currently replied to within the target times set by Ministers. [94969]

  Mrs. Roche
  The Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) defines and monitors public correspondence as set out in the Six Whitehall Standards. The Standards specifically exclude applications and casework related correspondence, that is the majority of correspondence received in IND.

  The latest position is that 12 per cent. of letters from hon. Members and 89 per cent. of letters from members of the public to which the Standard applies, met it.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current backlog of cases at the Liverpool Office of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate; and how many of these cases have been outstanding for over(a) six months, (b) 12 months and (c) two years. [94966]

  Mrs. Roche
  At 30 September 1999, the current estimated backlog of cases in the Liverpool Office stands at 97,900. 72,500 cases have been outstanding for six months; 46,900 have been outstanding for 12 months and 3,500 for two years.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the earliest date of unopened travel documents applications held by the Travel Documents Case Management Unit of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. [94970]

  Mrs. Roche
  The earliest date is 28 July 1999.

  In the past few months, the number of staff allocated to travel documents work has doubled and is set to increase still further in the next few weeks. This combined with streamlined working practices, has resulted in dramatic increases in output from averages of 120 per week during August to well over 700 last week.

  In addition, all applications received since 6 September have been opened within 24 hours of arrival in the section, and the majority processed within a matter of days.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average waiting time for nationality cases in(a) July, (b) August and (c) September. [94964]

  Mrs. Roche
  The average waiting time for nationality cases in July, August and September are listed in the table:

  Months

  Month

  Naturalisation

  Registration

  Overall

  (a) July 1999

  20.3

  5.0

  17.6

  (b) August 1999

  20.3

  7.2

  18.5

  (c) September 1999

  20.6

  8.4

  19.1

  689
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his plans now are for the implementation of the integrated information technology system in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. [949711

  Mrs. Roche
  As was made clear in reply to the hon. Member's Question on 26 July 1999,Official Report, column 63, from the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, my hon. Friend the Member for North Warwickshire (Mr. O'Brien), the system is currently being tested and that process is not expected to be completed before December. Plans for implementation will be prepared in the light of the information obtained during testing as to the business benefits conferred by the different components of the system.

  UK Passport Agency
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the date when he approved the Passport Agency's business plan for 19992000 and its corporate plan for 1999–2002; and if he will now place copies of both plans in the Library. [94962]

  Mrs. Roche
  The UK Passport Agency's Corporate and Business Plans for 1999–2002 are under active consideration by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and will be published shortly.

  Publication of the Agency's Plans has been deferred to enable them fully to reflect the lessons learnt from this year's operational problems.

  The Plans will be finalised in the light of the National Audit Office report which will be published on Wednesday 27 October.

  Immigration Act 1971 (Detention Powers)
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are currently detained solely under Immigration Act 1971 powers in each place used for such detention. [94967]

  Mrs. Roche
  The latest available information, relating to the snapshot of all persons detained solely under Immigration Act 1971 powers, by location, as at 30 September 1999, is given in the table:

  Persons recorded as being in detention' in the United Kingdom solely under Immigration Act powers as at 30 September 1999, by place of detention

  Location

  Total detainees

  Immigration detention centres2

  Campsfield House

  174

  Dover Harbour

  27

  Harmondsworth

  90

  Harwich

  2

  Heathrow's Queens building

  15

  Longport

  5

  Manchester Airport

  7

  Tinsley House

  142

  Other immigration centres

  1

  Prison establishments

  Aberdeen

  8

  Bedford

  3

  Belmarsh

  10

  Birmingham

  2

  Blakenhurst

  5

  Brixton

  3

  690

  Persons recorded as being in detention1 in the united kingdom solely under immigration Act powers as at 30 September 1999,by place of detention

  Location

  Total detainees

  Canterbury

  15

  Dorchester

  2

  Durham

  2

  Elmley

  5

  Feltham

  5

  Gloucester

  2

  Haslar

  157

  High Down

  16

  Holloway

  16

  Holme House

  2

  Lancaster Farms

  2

  Leeds

  5

  Liverpool

  4

  Longriggend

  18

  Manchester

  7

  Norwich

  2

  Pentonville

  10

  Preston

  2

  Rochester

  191

  Swansea

  2

  Wandsworth

  5

  Winchester

  3

  Woodhill

  2

  Wormwood Scrubs

  7

  Other prison establishments

  9

  Total

  985

  1 Figures exclude persons detained in police cells

  2 Figures include the use of police cells at Dover Harbour

  Asylum Seekers (Dependants)
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of dependants of applicants for asylum who are currently resident in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [95650]

  Mrs. Roche
  The latest published information regarding the number of dependants of applicants for asylum in the United Kingdom is given in Table 7.1 of the Home Office statistical bulletin "Asylum Statistics United Kingdom, 1998", issue 10/99. This shows that there were a total of 12,470 dependants in 1998.

  Drug Treatment and Testing Orders
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drug treatment and testing orders under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 have to date been made by the courts in each of the three pilot areas; how many of those orders have been breached; how many have been revoked; and if he will make a statement. [94959]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information is given in the table:

  Area

  Orders made

  Orders revoked

  Orders breached

  Croydon

  29

  9

  14

  Gloucestershire

  72

  27

  41

  Liverpool

  44

  8

  22

  Total

  145

  44

  77

  691
  In all cases, the orders revoked have also been the subject of breach and are included in both figures.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time taken by his Department to reply to letters from members of the public. [95652]

  Mr. Straw
  On the basis of information available, the average time taken by the Home Office to reply to letters from the public between 1 March 1999 and 30 August 1999 was 16 working days.

  Hunting
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations his Department has received since 30 June on the subject of hunting with dogs; and how many of those representations(a) favoured and (b) opposed a statutory ban on hunting. [95651]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  No systematic record is kept, but it is estimated that well in excess of 100,000 representations have been received since 30 June 1999. We estimate that the representations are evenly split between those who support a statutory ban on hunting with dogs and those who are opposed to such a ban.

  Rural Crime
  Mrs. Shephard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what measures he is taking to combat crime in rural areas; and if he will make a statement; [95261]

  (2) what proportion of his Department's planned expenditure on crime and disorder reduction strategies will be targeted on rural areas; and if he will make a statement; [95258]

  (3) what recent representations he has received about the level of crime in rural areas; and if he will make a statement. [95262]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The primary responsibility for tackling crime falls to police forces in conjunction with the local crime and reduction partnerships, established by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. The policing plans and the strategies developed by the partnerships will deal explicitly with rural crime where that is a significant local issue. Some parts of the £400 million Crime Reduction Programme are likely to be diverted to crime in rural areas. There is no other Home Office provision dedicated exclusively to rural crime.

  On 20 October, I met a delegation from 14 rural police authorities in England and Wales to discuss crime and the costs of policing in rural areas. My Department has also received petitions from residents of Norfolk and neighbouring counties about the subject.

  Mrs. Shephard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration is being given to 692
  the inclusion in the forthcoming Rural White Paper of proposals to help tackle rural crime. [95259]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The White Paper is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions. Home Office officials have been taking part in an inter-Departmental group which considers issues which might be covered in the White Paper. These include rural crime.

  Rural Police Forces
  Mrs. Shephard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment he has made of the special funding needs of rural police forces; and if he will make a statement. [95257]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The needs of rural police forces are already recognised in the current funding formula. We are considering the findings of an independent research report on the costs of policing in rural areas.

  Rural police forces will be able to bid for a share of the new Crime Fighting Fund which the Government have set up to provide for 5,000 extra recruits over the next three years.

  Police Station Closures
  Mrs. Shephard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a breakdown by police force area of the number of police stations closed in each of the past two years. [95260]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information requested is not collected centrally for England and Wales and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Fire Services
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the levels of spending on fire services per head of population in(a) Staffordshire and (b) each other county of England (i) in the current year and (ii) in each of the last three years. [94013]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Fire service spending per head figures for the years 1992–93 until 1997–98, the latest year for which full information is available centrally, were placed in the Library in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Shrewsbury and Atcham (Mr. Marsden) on 15 February 1999,Official Report, column 503, by the former Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, my hon. Friend the Member for Knowsley, North and Sefton, East (Mr. Howarth). In 1998–99 spending per head on the fire service in Staffordshire County Council was £24.

  Wildlife
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many successful wildlife protection prosecutions have been launched by Merseyside Police since 1992. [94654]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Merseyside Police Force's computerised records indicate the following number of successful prosecutions since January 1994 of persons charged with a wildlife offence:
  693

  Year in which person was charged

  Number of persons convicted

  1994

  1

  1995

  0

  1996

  0

  1997

  0

  1998

  3

  1999 (to date)

  1

  Earlier computerised information is not available

  Electronic Communications
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what departmental guidance is currently given, and what administrative rules apply, in relation to the accessing of e-mails and other forms of electronic communications by the security and intelligence services and other law enforcement agencies; and if he will make a statement. [94578]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Any communication, including e-mails and the intemet, when it is being transmitted by means of a public telecommunication system, may be intercepted in pursuance of a warrant issued in accordance with the provisions of the Interception Of Communications Act 1985. Appropriate procedures to process such warrants have been laid down.

  Departmental Publications
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list his Department's spending on official publications since May 1997. [93691]

  Mr. Straw
  The spending on official publications since May 1997 by the Home Office, apart from the Prison Service; which includes the costs incurred by the Department in publishing, preparation, production and purchase of copies for official use; was approximately £4.6 million in 1997–98, £4.3 million in 1998–99 and £2.5 million to date in 1999–2000. The figures exclude the cost of publications produced for internal use. Where the Department makes use of a private sector publisher, the publishing, printing and design costs are generally met by the publisher as part of their acceptance of the risks, of publication.

  Unfortunately, there is no central record of expenditure incurred on official publications at Prison Service outstations.

  Spending on Official Publications since May 1997

  £

  Home Office Directorate/Agency

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  Police Policy

  313,745

  377,533

  45,906

  Organised and International Crime

  3,669

  115,105

  1,743

  Criminal Policy

  1,677,530

  1,734,000

  43,140

  Research Development and Statistics

  486,000

  438,000

  60,100

  Immigration and Nationality

  16,003

  22,650

  5,998

  Constitutional and Community Policy

  8,329

  8,330

  2,776

  Fire and Emergency Planning

  46,290

  67,424

  32,204

  Planning and Finance

  770

  770

  257

  Other Central Services

  13,163

  69,913

  58,121

  694

  Spending on official publications since May 1997

  £

  Home Office Directorate/Agency

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  Corporate Resources and Development

  4

  804

  399

  Communication

  1,962,993

  1,411,475

  2,256,901

  United Kingdom Passport Agency

  37,222

  64,571

  12,435

  Fire Service College

  7,034

  4,012

  1,737

  Forensic Science Service

  28,000

  25,000

  0

  Total

  4,600,752

  4,339,587

  2,521,717

  Sexual Harassment (Prison Service)
  Mr. Gordon Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 21 July 1999,Official Report, columns 524–25, what assessment the Prison Service has made of those sexual harassment cases notified to HM Prison Service headquarters since 1998 that have not been settled either by negotiation or by tribunal decision. [93658]

  Mr. Boateng
  No central assessment of these cases has been made. Complaints are dealt with locally in accordance with the Prison Service's procedure for handling complaints of harassment or discrimination. The Prison Service's equal opportunities team in headquarters keeps statistical records and offers advice on cases as necessary.

  Criminal Records Bureau
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the scheduled date for the coming into force of the powers of the Criminal Records Bureau to monitor the record of adults working with children; and what representations he has received with regard to an earlier starting date for this scheme and for the provision of information free of charge to potential employers in the voluntary sector. [94671]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The timetable for implementation of the Criminal Records Bureau is under review. I shall make an announcement shortly. We have received some representations calling for the Bureau to be brought into operation as early as possible, and that is my intention. The Government have considered very carefully the many representations that we have received arguing for charges to be waived for checks carried out by the Bureau in the case of volunteers. This presents substantial problems of principle and would inevitably increase costs either for the public purse or for other applicants for certificates. But the concerns which have been expressed have increased our determination that the cost of certificates from the Bureau should be kept as low as possible. The cost of certificates has been previously estimated at between £5 and £10 depending on type of certificate.

DEFENCE

  Anti-personnel Mines
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence of the anti-personnel mines stored by the MoD how many and what percentage of the total were destroyed in each year since 1991. [94663]
  695
  Mr. Spellar
  The UK no longer stores any operational anti-personnel mines. The last of the Army's operational stocks of APMs were destroyed on 22 February this year. The destruction programme for the last of the RAF's operational stocks of APMs—the HB 876 sub-munition for the JP233 weapon system—was completed on 19 October 1999. Available figures for anti-personnel mines destroyed by the UK are shown in the table.

  Designation

  Year

  Quantity

  Total destroyed (%)

  C3 Elsie

  1995–96

  374,257

  64

  1996–97

  106,263

  18

  1998–99

  99,788

  17

  1Retained

  1,056

  Less than 1

  581,364

  100

  Mine and Discharger

  1995–96

  41,472

  3

  Barrel Assembly

  1995–97

  596,664

  39

  (Ranger)

  1998–99

  876,960

  58

  1Retained

  2,088

  —

  1,517,184

  100

  Mine A/Tk L27A1

  1995–96

  4

  Less than 1

  1997–97

  4,870

  100

  4,874

  100

  Mine A/P HE M86

  1993–94

  204

  100

  JP233

  1997–98

  6

  0.4

  1998–99

  1,385

  99.6

  1,391

  100

  1As permitted under Article 3 of the Ottawa Convention, the UK will continue to retain the minimum necessary numbers of live APMs for training and testing in de-mining techniques. Other, inert, training APMs are not included in these figures.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what target date his Department has set to destroy all the anti-personnel mines it currently holds. [94664]

  Mr. Spellar
  I am pleased to announce that the last operational UK anti-personnel mines—the HB 876 sub-munition to the RAF's JP 233 weapon system—were destroyed on 19 October. We have completed the UK's destruction programme over three years ahead of the timeframe laid down in the Ottawa Convention. The destruction programme was accelerated to demonstrate to the world the UK's clear and unequivocal commitment to the Ottawa Convention. As provided for in Article 3 of the Ottawa Convention, the UK will continue to hold the minimum necessary numbers of anti-personnel mines for the development of and training in mine detection, mine clearance, or mine destruction techniques.

  Royal Tournament
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will review his decision not to continue the Royal Tournament's field gun display; and if he will make a statement. [94067]

  Mr. Hoon
  The decision to end the field gun competition runs parallel with the decision to end the Royal Tournament. In part this is because the event cannot easily be replicated in a suitable public venue outside Earl's Court, but also because it accounted for more than half the personnel resources used at the Tournament. It is recognised that the field gun competition is an event with 696
  much audience loyalty, and is held in special regard by Service personnel, particularly those who have participated in the past. It has also been a tremendous spectacle for over 90 years, and it was fitting that the final run should take place in the centenary year of the action it commemorated.

  The event was, however, no longer fully representative of the Royal Navy or its contemporary activities. Consequently, the Royal Navy is keen to look to the future and concentrate on supporting events that more accurately reflect the training and operational activities of the Service in the next millennium.

  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what grounds the Royal Tournament is to be ended; and if he will make a statement. [94144]

  Mr. Hoon
  The Royal Tournament has made a major contribution over the years to British life and to the Service charities. I therefore pay tribute to the organisers and participants who have given such great pleasure to so many.

  The Royal Tournament had been under scrutiny for some time. In part this was because the event had lost money in recent years—for example, it lost £400,000 last year—and this made the viability of the event questionable, particularly given its charitable status. More fundamentally, however, the format of the event could send only a limited message about the role and operational capabilities of the Armed Forces in the modern world. Moreover, the audience had reduced in recent years and as a result the Tournament neither informed the public nor attracted potential recruits to the extent we would have wished. Despite failing to meet our needs, it still placed a very considerable demand on our personnel, a minimum of 30,000 man-days per annum. This was hard to justify in the light of operational commitments and overstretch. Such considerations led the Services themselves to conclude that the Royal Tournament should end in order to help reduce commitments.

  We have thought very carefully as to how we might bring about necessary change while preserving the best of the old Tournament. Next year a one-off event, the Royal Military Tattoo 2000, will be mounted against the spectacular backdrop of Horse Guards Parade. The Tattoo, which has the theme "Defence of the Realm: past, present and future", will involve 1,200 men and women from the Services, 75 per cent. of whom will be musicians. It will be a dramatic 90-minute show, recounting with pride 1,000 years of military history, whilst also celebrating the present and looking to the future. The Tattoo will combine imaginative staging, state-of-the-art technology, pageantry, son et lumiere, lasers, fireworks and, I understand, the largest video screen to be seen in Europe. It will be held during the period 10-15 July 2000 and the planning team is working hard to ensure that the event is a great success.

  A military Tattoo will continue to be held in London from 2001 onwards. Again using the spectacular backdrop of Horse Guards Parade, the Tattoo will build on the traditional pageantry that has been such a popular element of the Royal Tournament over the years and a special feature of London in Summer. A military festival will also be held outside London at varying locations that will allow the Armed Forces to showcase their equipment and

  697
  to demonstrate their capability in an exciting and modern way. The festival will be based on existing and successful Service events starting in 2001 with the Royal Navy's International Festival of the Sea at Portsmouth. It will last for a whole day, enabling spectators to see a wide range of military activities, view the latest military equipment, meet personnel and participate in interactive displays in a way that is not possible with the existing Royal Tournament format.

  Gulf War Veterans
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many meetings officials from the Gulf Veterans' Illnesses Unit have held with the United States Department of Veterans Affairs since 1 January, indicating the date and location of each meeting and the names of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs officials at each meeting. [93940]

  Mr. Spellar
  In the period 1 January 1999 to 15 October 1999, officials from the MOD's Gulf Veterans' Illnesses Unit met US Department of Veterans Affairs officials on the dates and at the locations shown in the table:

  Location

  21 January

  Washington DC

  26 February

  Washington DC

  2-4 March

  Washington DC

  14 May

  Washington DC

  4-8 and 14 October

  Washington DC and Baltimore MD

  I am withholding the names of the US Department of Veterans Affairs officials who attended the meetings above in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (which relates to international relations) and Exemption 12 (which relates to privacy of an individual).

  In addition to the above, a member of the Gulf Veterans Illnesses Unit (GVIU) based in Washington DC maintains continuous dialogue with United States Department of Veterans Affairs colleagues.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the formal title of the agreement announced on 28 April by his Department between Britain and the United States of America to share information on Gulf veterans' illnesses research; what progress has so far been made under the agreement; how many working groups and committees will operate under this agreement; on what dates each of these working groups and committees so far have met; on what dates in 1999 each of these working groups and committees are scheduled to meet; which United States Government Departments and organisations are taking part in this agreement; and which other United Kingdom Departments and organisations will take part in the agreement; [93930]

  (2) how many agreements on the subject of Gulf veterans' illnesses have existed between Britain and United States of America since 1 May 1997; what are the names of each of these agreements; when each agreement was signed; and what is the purpose of each agreement. [94009]
  698
  Mr. Spellar
  The agreement announced on 28 April is to be formalised by extending the scope of the UK-US Master Information Exchange Memorandum of Understanding (MIEM). The new agreement is an Information Exchange Annex entitled: "UK-US Master Information Exchange Memorandum of Understanding Annex Concerning Persian Gulf Veterans Health Research". It is not envisaged that the agreement will lead to the formation of new working groups or committees. Work has been and will continue to he taken forward by arrangements already in place. The main participants will be the UK Ministry of Defence, the US Department of Defense, the US Department of Veterans Affairs and the US Department of Health and Human Services. Non-governmental research institutes, academic departments, other organisations and individuals will be involved as appropriate.

  Prior to this agreement there were no formal agreements between the US and UK governments on Gulf veterans' illnesses. However, there has been a close history of co-operation between the two governments on Gulf veterans' illnesses matters.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many meetings officials from the Ministry of Defence's Gulf Veterans' Illnesses Unit have held with the United States Department of Defense since 1 January, indicating the date and location of each meeting and the names of the United States Department of Defense officials at each meeting. [93941]

  Mr. Spellar
  In the period 1 January 1999 to 15 October 1999, officials from the MOD's Gulf Veterans' Illnesses Unit met US Department of Defense officials on the dates and at the locations shown in the table:

  Date(s)

  Location

  21 January

  Washington DC

  26 February

  Washington DC

  2-4 March

  Washington DC

  29-30 March

  London

  14 May

  Washington DC

  4-14 October

  Washington DC and San Diego CA

  I am withholding the names of the US Department of Defense officials who attended the meetings above in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (which relates to international relations) and Exemption 12 (which relates to privacy of an individual).

  In addition to the above, a member of the Gulf Veterans Illnesses Unit (GVIU) based in Washington DC maintains continuous dialogue with United States Department of Defense colleagues.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many United States(a) Government committees, (b) boards and (c) working groups relating to the issue of Gulf veterans' illnesses his Department's representatives have sat since 1 May 1997; and if he will list the official titles of each of these committees, boards and working groups and the United States Departments to which each committee, board and working group belongs. [93988]
  699
  Mr. Spellar
  The information requested is provided in the following table:

  Title of US Government committee, board or working group

  US Department representation

  Persian Gulf Veterans Co-ordinating Board (PGVCB) Research Working Group, PGVCB Clinical Working Group and PGVCB Benefits Working Group

  PGVCB is an inter-departmental board comprising Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Health and Human Service

  The Center for Disease Control Multiple Chemical Sensitivity Conference Planning Committee

  Department of Health and Human Services

  Planning Committee meeting for the Military Medicine Conference on Post-conflict Illnesses

  Department of Defense

  Planning Committee Meeting for the Principal Investigators' conference

  PGVCB is an inter-departmental board Conference comprising Department of Defense, Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Health and Human Services

  The Armed Forces Epidemiology Board

  Department of Defense Board

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on which dates the Minister of State for the Armed Forces visited the United States of America this year to investigate Gulf veterans' illnesses research; how many meetings he held with members and officials of the United States Government during this visit; and if he will list the dates and locations of each meeting and the names and Departments of the United States members and officials at each meeting. [93990]

  Mr. Spellar
  On 26 February 1999, my predecessor as Minister of State for the Armed Forces, my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, North (Mr. Henderson) attended a meeting on Gulf veterans' illnesses with the Senior Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs who was assisted by senior briefing officials from various US Departments. The meeting was held in the Old Executive Office Building, Washington DC. My predecessor also met the Deputy Secretary of Defense on 1 March.

  I am withholding the names of the US officials who attended the meetings above in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information (which relates to international relations) and Exemption 12 (which relates to privacy of an individual).

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the co-operation between the Gulf Veterans' Medical Assessment Programme of his Department and the US Department of Defense's Comprehensive Clinical Evaluation Programme; how many meetings the two units have held since 1 January; and if he will indicate the dates and locations of each meeting. [93989]

  Mr. Spellar
  My Department's Gulf Veterans' Medical Assessment Programme was established in July 1993 to examine UK Gulf veterans who were concerned that their health had been adversely affected by service 700
  in the 1990–91 Gulf conflict. Although since 1 January officials from the Medical Assessment Programme have attended conferences at which representatives from the Comprehensive Clinical Evaluation Programme were present, there have been no formal meetings between representatives of the two organisations. The Head of the MOD's Gulf Veterans' Illnesses Unit attended a meeting at the Comprehensive Clinical Evaluation Programme, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington DC on 7 October 1999.

  Air Force Board
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates the Air Force Board has met since 16 July 1998; and if he will place in the Library a list of items discussed at each of the meetings. [93885]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  There have been two meetings of the Air Force Board since 16 July 1998. The first of these took place on 3 March 1999. The agenda consisted of a presentation by the Chief of the Air Staff on the RAF in 1999 and the key challenges facing the Service, and managing a forecast shortfall in pilots. The second meeting of the Air Force Board was held on 14 July 1999 and the only item on the Board's agenda was the officer branch structure review.

  Procurement Board
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates the Procurement Board has met since 25 January; and if he will place in the Library a list of items discussed at each of the meetings. [93858]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  The last meeting of the Procurement Policy Board was on 25 January. With the formation of the Defence Procurement Agency on 1 April the Board was dissolved. There is no direct successor body to the Procurement Policy Board. Future arrangements are under consideration within the framework of Smart Procurement.

  Defence Research Committee
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates the Defence Research Committee has met since 16 November 1998; and if he will place in the Library a list of items discussed at each of the meetings. [93883]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  Since 16 November 1998, the Defence Research Committee has met on one occasion, on 14 April 1999, and discussed Consultation with National Defence Industries Council, Strategy for Applied Research, Corporate Research Guidance, Long Term Costing 99 and Critical Defence Technologies.

  Chiefs of Staff
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates the Chiefs of Staff have met since 23 February; and if he will place in the Library a list of items discussed at each of the meetings. [93884]

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

  Admiralty Board
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates the Admiralty Board has met since 1 July 1998; and if he will place in the Library a list of items discussed at each of the meetings. [93861]

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

  Defence Council
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates the Defence Council has met since 20 July 1998; and if he will place in the Library a list of items discussed at each of the meetings. [93886]

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

  Equipment Approvals Committee
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates the Equipment Approvals Committee has met since 1 January; and if he will place in the Library a list of items discussed at each of the meetings. [93859]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  Since 1 January the Equipment Approvals Committee has met in formal session on 17 March, 17 May, 26 May and 14 June. The projects discussed were the Type 45 Destroyer, Eurofighter, the Airborne Stand-Off Radar System (ASTOR) and the Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM).

  Army Board
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates the Army Board has met since 24 July 1998; and if he will place in the Library a list of items discussed at each of the meetings. [93860]

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

  Kosovo
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 21 June 1999,Official Report, column 303, if he is now able to estimate the cost to the Exchequer of peacekeeping in Kosovo over the next three years; and if he will make a statement. [94799]

  Mr. Hoon
  Further to my predecessor's reply of 21 June, I am not yet able to provide an estimate of the future costs. I shall however write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Overseas Forces
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the locations and strength of British forces overseas; and if he will make a statement. [94785]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 20 October 1999]The number of service personnel deployed overseas as at 1 October 1999 is 43,500. Their geographical location is as follows:702

  Number

  Overseas Commands:

  Germany

  25,305

  Cyprus

  3,208

  Falkland Islands

  approximate 1,650

  Gibraltar

  443

  Overseas Operations:

  The Gulf

  1,412

  Bosnia and Croatia

  4,103

  Kosovo

  15,000

  East Timor

  approximate 330

  UN:

  Cyprus

  318

  Kuwait

  11

  Sierra Leone

  15

  Georgia

  7

  East Timor

  2

  Democratic Republic of Congo

  6

  Short Term Training Teams:

  Antarctica2

  3

  Baltic States

  4

  Jamaica

  1

  Sierra Leone

  15

  Namibia

  6

  Oman

  2

  Romania

  3

  Loan Service Personnel:

  Antarctica2

  3

  Antigua

  6

  Australia

  1

  Barbados

  1

  Bahrain

  1

  Bangladesh

  2

  Bermuda

  3

  British Virgin Islands

  2

  Brunei

  57

  Baltic States

  4

  Czech Republic

  1

  Estonia

  1

  Ethiopia

  1

  Germany

  22

  Ghana

  4

  Italy

  1

  Kenya

  1

  Kuwait

  53

  Lithuania

  1

  Malaysia

  4

  New Zealand

  1

  Oman

  89

  Romania

  2

  Saudi Arabia

  64

  Sierra Leone

  1

  Singapore

  1

  Slovakia

  1

  South Africa

  16

  Sri Lanka

  1

  Turks and Caicos Islands

  2

  United Arab Emirates

  4

  USA

  1

  Zimbabwe

  10

  Other Overseas Detachments:

  Belize

  82

  Brunei

  957

  Canada

  213

  Colombia

  2

  Kenya

  35

  1 Including FYROM, Greece, Albania and Italy

  2 Attached to the British Antarctic Survey

  Indonesia (Training)
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Indonesian military and police personnel are currently receiving training or education in the UK at military training establishments and non-military educational establishments; to which establishments they are attached; and what is the nature and cost of the training or education. [95336]

  Mr. Spellar
  There are currently no Indonesian military personnel receiving training or education in the UK at military training establishments or at HMG's expense in non-military educational establishments. Following agreement at the EU General Affairs Council on 13 September to suspend bilateral military co-operation with Indonesia, no members of the Indonesian military will be allowed to begin studying in the UK at HMG expense or at an HMG-administered Training establishment. Although not the responsibility of this Department, we are aware of two officers who are studying privately in the UK. Such studies are not inconsistent with the EU's Common Position. Information on the location of these establishments has been withheld under Exemption 4 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  One Indonesian police officer is studying at a UK University under the FCO funded Chevening Scheme at a cost of around £16,000. This supports enhancing the democratic accountability of the Indonesia National Police following their separation from the Armed Force on April 1. Again, the location of this establishment has been withheld under Exemption 4 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) Indonesian military and police personnel are currently receiving training in Indonesia under UK government schemes and (b) UK personnel are involved in each case; and what is the nature and cost of the training. [95337]

  Mr. Spellar
  There are currently no Indonesian military or police personnel receiving training in Indonesia under UK government schemes.

  Falkland Islands
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions in each of the past two years RAF flights serving the Falkland Islands have been delayed by mechanical or other failures; and if he will make a statement. [95315]

  Mr. Spellar
  Between the beginning of September 1999 and the middle of October 1999, there have been 22 legs flown to and from the Falkland Islands (11 outward and 11 return). Of these, five were delayed for serviceability or aircraft availability reasons. This information has only been held centrally since September 1999, following the introduction of a new computer system. Information for flights before then is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will invite tenders from commercial airlines to provide planes to serve the garrison on the Falklands; and if he will make a statement. [95314]
  704
  Mr. Spellar
  There are no plans to contract out the airbridge service to and from the Falkland Islands. The Ministry of Defence will of course look at any unsolicited proposals from commercial airlines, to determine best value for money. The examination of previous unsolicited proposals did, however, conclude that, taking into account the operational requirement to retain the Royal Air Force Tristars, the use of military aircraft was the most cost-effective solution.

  Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has made to the US Government regarding the US Senate's refusal to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty. [95243]

  Mr. Hoon
  We have made clear to the US Government our deep disappointment with the US Senate's vote against US ratification of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. We welcome the US Government's expression of strong continuing support for the Treaty. We will continue to work with the US Government and all other ratifiers and signatories for the Treaty's entry into force as soon as possible.

  RAF Menwith Hill
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost of the new security fence, including cameras, recently erected at RAF Menwith Hill; and what proportion of the costs was met by his Department. [95744]

  Mr. Spellar
  The construction of the new security fence at RAF Menwith Hill is being funded by the US Government. The UK contribution is limited to some administrative costs relating to professional fees and management of the works programme to which some £24,000 has been allocated to date. The total cost of the project is a matter for the US authorities.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the Articles of the(a) Anti Ballistic Missile Treaty and (b) Outer Space Treaty, which govern the use of RAF Menwith Hill (i) as part of the National Missile Defense for the USA and (ii) as part of the Space Based Infra Red System (SBIRS). [95747]

  Mr. Spellar
  The United Kingdom is not party to the Anti Ballistic Missile Treaty. Questions on its interpretation should be addressed to the USA and Russia. Article IV of the Outer Space Treaty requires that the moon and other celestial bodies should be used exclusively for peaceful purposes; prohibits placing weapons of mass destruction in orbit, on the moon or on other celestial bodies; and prohibits placing military facilities, conducting military manoeuvres, or the testing of any type of weapons on the moon and other celestial bodies. It imposes no limitations on other military activities in outer space.

  Service Personnel (Compensation)
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to publish a consultation document following the comprehensive review of arrangements for compensating service personnel or their dependants killed or injured while on service. [95732]
  705
  Mr. Spellar
  We hope to make an announcement later this year.

  Thiepval Barracks
  Mr. Donaldson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what other uses he envisages for the land which will become available inside Thiepval Barracks in Lisburn following the planned demolition of married quarters. [95102]

  Mr. Spellar
  We aim to use some of the land to build a new Garrison Church, to replace the old church which was damaged in the bombing of Tiepval Barracks in 1996, and also to provide improved security arrangements for vehicle parking within the Barracks. The remaining land will provide much-needed flexibility in planning the future layout and utility of the barracks.

  Army Retention Study
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Adjutant-General's Army Retention Study will be completed; when the findings will be made public; and if he will make a statement. [95524]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Army's Retention Study is a six-month strategic review to examine the effectiveness of present policies, which includes undertaking field research, and making recommendations for improvements. The work is being carried out by the Hay Management Group and the Institute for Employment Studies, who will report their findings to the Adjutant-General on 30 November 1999. The Retention Study was commissioned to inform the Army's personnel management policies and there are currently no plans to publish the findings externally.

  Service Families Task Force
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the initiatives that have come directly from the Service Families Task Force; and if he will make a statement. [95523]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Service Families Task Force works across Government to tackle the problems caused by the mobile lifestyle of Service personnel and their families. It works with other Departments to address problems identified by the Service Families Associations. It has achieved some impressive results. These include: making it easier for Service spouses to claim Jobseeker's Allowance in the UK; the new DfEE Code of Practice on Schools Admission taking account of the particular needs of Service families; Service representation on Schools Admission Forums in areas where there are large populations of Service children; extra money for pre-five education for Service children in Northern Ireland; and 24 schemes in areas with large numbers of Service families to encourage dentists to take on more NHS patients. Work on other issues is continuing.

  The Service Families Task Force is an example of the importance the Government attach to the needs of Service families. A full account of our family friendly policies is contained in our leaflet "A Special Message to Service Families From MOD Ministers", a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.
  706
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the participating bodies on the Service Families Task Force; when the Task Force will next meet; if he will publish the agenda for the next meeting; and if he will make a statement. [95552]

  Mr. Spellar
  I chair the Service Families Task Force. It brings together Ministers from across Government, including from the Department for Education and Employment, Department of Health, Department of Social Services, Scottish Office, and Northern Ireland Office, and separately, the chairs of the Service Family Associations—the Association of Royal Naval and Royal Marines Families, the Army Families Federation and Airwaves. It operates at three levels: a Ministerial Group; a Families Forum; and a Working Group of officials. The Ministerial Group last met on 21 September 1999 and will meet again in the new year. The Families Forum is due to meet on 15 November 1999, and will discuss a range of issues of interest to Service families. The Working Group meets as necessary to deal with issues as they arise.

  The Service Families Task Force works across Government to ensure that the particular circumstances of Service families are taken into account in developing and implementing new policies. It is achieving good results.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the Government's policy on no first use of British nuclear weapons; and if he will make a statement. [95735]

  Mr. Hoon
  In conducting the Strategic Defence Review, the Government concluded that a policy of no first use of nuclear weapons would be incompatible with our and NATO's doctrine of deterrence, and that it would not further nuclear disarmament objectives.

  Service Children (Schools Admissions)
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when Department for Education and Employment guidance on schools admissions policy concerning the position of service children was issued and in what form; how it is to be implemented and enforced; and if he will make a statement. [95525]

  Jacqui Smith
  I have been asked to reply.

  DfEE guidance on School admissions policy was issued in February 1999 in the "Code of Practice—School Admissions". The guidance came into force on 1 April 1999. It is the responsibility of local education authorities to implement the guidance and for DfEE to enforce it. The Service Children's Education Agency is working closely with those LEAs with large populations of Service children, to ensure that they are treated equitably.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Parliamentary Visits
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the President of the Council if she will introduce a scheme for hon. Members to visit the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly and Northern Ireland Assembly, in links with visits to the European Parliament; and if she will make a statement. [93924]
  707
  Mrs. Beckett
  All hon. Members are already able to claim reimbursement for expenditure incurred visiting any part of the United Kingdom on parliamentary business under the extended travel scheme. It is the Government's stated hope that there will be links created at all levels between Members at Westminster and the devolved legislatures. However, access to the premises of the devolved legislatures is a matter for the bodies concerned.

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Equal Opportunities
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the President of the Council if an action plan for increasing the representation of women in public life has been(a) prepared by her Department and (b) published since November 1998. [94846]

  Mrs. Beckett
  It is made clear to all bodies making recommendations for appointments or reappointments that they should consider whether women are properly represented on the bodies concerned. Of the 149 appointments made by Her Majesty in Council, by the Privy Council or by me as President, 55 (37 per cent.) are currently held by women. This compares with the position five years ago when, of 141 such appointees, 43 (30 per cent.) were women.

  Departmental Twinning
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the President of the Council how many requests there have been to her Department for placement of officials from Central, East European and CIS states as twins of his officials; how many such officials have been accepted as twins; and from which countries(a) those who were accepted and (b) those who were not accepted came. [93999]

  Mrs. Beckett
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given today by the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz).

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Pastoral Measure (Whitby)
  Mr. Quinn
  To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will make a statement on the conclusions of Pastoral Measure 1983 Whitby St. John Proposed Pastoral Scheme published on 21 September (Ref. PR43/401), setting out how the views of the Whitby Anglican Community have been taken into account by the Commissioners and detailing the method of appeal to the Commissioners against this decision. [95100]

  Mr. Stuart Bell
  The draft scheme under the Pastoral Measure 1983 proposing the closure of the church of St. John, Whitby was, as with all such schemes, served on, inter alia, the relevant incumbent, team vicar, pcc, archdeacon and rural dean. It was also published in the Whitby Gazette and Middlesbrough Evening Gazette and displayed on the door of the churches of St. Mary, Whitby; St. John, Whitby; and St. Hilda, Whitby. It was open to anyone to make representations and the statement of 21 September 1999 to which my hon.708
  Friend refers sets out who made representations in favour of the scheme and who made representations against. My hon. Friend will have noted that there were views for and against among Whitby churchgoers. An earlier identical draft scheme (which had to be withdrawn when procedural flaws in the diocesan consultations came to light) was the subject of a visit to Whitby by a Sub-Committee of the Commissioners' Pastoral Committee. On that occasion, the Sub-Committee met the incumbent, the Whitby pcc and the St. John's congregation.

  All views were most carefully taken into account but ultimately the Commissioners concluded that the case for declaring St. John's redundant had not been made as. in their view, it was required as a chapel of ease in the centre of Whitby.

  The Commissioners' Pastoral Committee provided, in effect, a place of appeal against the proposal by the diocese of York to declare this church redundant. The Pastoral Measure 1983 provides no procedure for appeal against a decision by the Commissioners not to proceed with a draft scheme but the diocese is free to promote fresh proposals for pastoral re-organisation in Whitby.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Land Mines
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much money annually has been spent by her Department on humanitarian demining since 1991. [94665]

  Clare Short
  My Department's bilateral disbursements on humanitarian mine action are:

  Financial year

  £ million

  1991–92

  0.360

  1992–93

  1.769

  1993–94

  3.152

  1994–95

  5.969

  1995–96

  4.844

  1996–97

  4.369

  1997–98

  4.656

  1998–99

  5.824

  1999–20001

  12.400

  1 Commitments to date including Kosovo

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much money her Department has allocated to assist the victims of mines and on mine awareness in each year since 1991. [94640]

  Clare Short
  My Department does not set aside resources from its Humanitarian Mine Action budget specifically for land mine survivors. Instead, health care and community-based rehabilitation assistance is provided through DFID' s bilateral development co-operation programmes or institutional programme support. The financial records do not disaggregate assistance to land mine survivors from other categories of special needs.
  709
  Community based mine awareness activities are usually integrated into mine survey and clearance projects, and are not recorded as a separate disbursement. In addition, disbursements on discrete mine awareness projects are:

  Financial year

  £

  1992–93

  6,451

  1995–96

  15,230

  1996–97

  70,000

  1999–20001

  1,400,000

  1 Committed to date

  Ministerial Visit (Balkans)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her most recent visit to the Balkans. [95643]

  Clare Short
  I visited Kosovo on 24–25 August to assess need and plan the shift of the Department for International Development's (DFID) assistance from an emergency to a longer-term programme. The overall message that I received was one of cautious optimism. We found there had been steady progress in rehabilitation, although much remained to be done. We emphasised to UNMIK and the EC the importance of moving quickly and enabling the Kosovars to take on a bigger role in the reconstruction effort. We continue to work with the international community and the local population to help achieve this. Our operations are now in transition to a longer-term programme of assistance. My officials will visit the region early next month to take this process forward.

TREASURY

  Euro
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library the European Commission's periodic surveys on the progress and impact of the Prince programme on public awareness of the euro. [95303]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I understand that, to date, the European Commission have not carried out any periodic surveys on public awareness of the euro under the Prince Programme.

  Winter Mortality
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the excess monthly winter mortality over each of the last five years. [94948]

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

  Letter from Tim Holt to Mr. Tim Boswell, dated 25 October 1999:
  As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your parliamentary question on excess monthly winter mortality.
  710
  Information on excess deaths in winter months is shown below.

  Excess winter deaths, England and Wales, 1993–94 to 1997–98

  Year

  Excess winter deaths

  1993–94

  25,900

  1994–95

  27,300

  1995–96

  40,190

  1996–97

  47,690

  1997–98

  22,900

  Excess winter deaths are defined as the difference between the number of deaths during the four winter months (December to March) and the average of the number of deaths during the preceding autumn (August to November) and the following summer (April to July).

  Cash Management
  Mr. Caplin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the timing of the transfer of cash management from the Bank of England to the Debt Management Office. [95866]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced on 6 May 1997 that the functions of debt management and cash management would be transferred from the Bank of England to the Treasury. The UK Debt Management Office (DMO) was established on 1 April 1998 and took over debt management from that date. The Government's debt management plans for 1999–2000 which were published in the Debt Management Report in March 1999 anticipated that cash management would be transferred from the Bank to the DMO during 1999–2000. This transfer, when complete, will separate the Bank's monetary policy operations from the DMO' s debt and cash management operations. This will avoid any perceptions of conflicts of interest between the two operations, and further deliver the Government's policy of predictability and transparency in debt management.

  The transfer of cash management from the Bank to the DMO during 1999–2000 will be effected on a phased basis. The phasing is designed to avoid placing undue requirements on the markets in the period before and immediately after the change to the Year 2000 date.

  From 15 November, the DMO will become accountable for the new Debt Management Account, which will take over from the Gilt-Edged Official Operations Account as the Treasury account for debt (and later) cash management operations. During January 2000, the DMO will start to issue Treasury bills from the Debt Management Account. During February, the DMO intends to undertake a limited range of bilateral transactions with counterparties. From the end of March 2000, full responsibility for managing the government's daily cash position will be transferred from the Bank to the DMO.

  In order to enable the DMO to start the phased introduction of these cash management operations from 15 November, I have today laid before Parliament revised Treasury Bill regulations SI 1999–2907 and made a Commencement Order SI 1999–2908 (C.76) under paragraph 3 of Schedule 26 of the Finance Act 1998. Taken together, these statutory instruments will enable the Debt Management Office to begin accounting for its debt

  711
  and cash management operations through the new Debt Management Account, which will be subject to NAO audit. The Gilt-edged Official Operations Account is currently used to bring debt management operations to account. The Commencement Order will also provide for the transfer of the debt assets of the Gilt-edged Official Operations Account to the Debt Management Account.

  The Executive Agency Framework Document for the DMO has also been revised to take account of the transfer of the cash management function to the DMO. Copies of the revised Framework Document have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

  Pesticides
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the Government's intention with regard to a tax on pesticides. [94940]

  Mr. Timms
  No decision has been taken on whether to introduce a tax on the use of pesticides.

  Research commissioned by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions on a possible tax or charge on pesticides was published on 24 March focusing on various design options for a charge scheme or tax, and attempting to evaluate the potential impact. Views were invited on the issues raised in the research and this consultation exercise closed on 24 June. The Government are considering the findings of the research project and the views expressed in the consultation exercise in deciding how best to proceed.

WALES

  British Fluoridation Society
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much money the British Fluoridation Society received in grant aid from the Welsh Office in each of the last five years. [94718]

  Mr. Hanson
  Over the last five years, the British Fluoridation Society has received the following in grant aid from the Welsh Office:

  £

  1994–95

  3,200

  1995–96

  3,200

  1996–97

  4,000

  1997–98

  4,000

  1998–99

  4,000

  Forestry Commission
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy on the method of sale to be used by the Forestry Commission when selling its forests. [95223]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  Forestry matters in Wales are a matter for the Forestry Commission which reports directly to the National Assembly for Wales.

  Welsh Office Responsibilities
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish details of the responsibilities within the Welsh Office undertaken(a) by himself and (b) by his Under Secretary. [94776]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  My Ministerial colleague and I take a close interest in all matters which come before my Department. The new role of my office lends itself to such an approach. More broadly, however, I deal with constitutional matters, finance and economic policy issues, while my colleague deals with a wide range of social policy issues. We will both take a close interest in legislative matters which come before Parliament.

SCOTLAND

  Oral Statements
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list(a) the reports published by his Department and its associated bodies, (b) the reports received from bodies set up by his Department, (c) the decisions his Department has taken and (d) events in the UK and elsewhere, since 27 July, which satisfied the criteria he uses for deciding whether to apply to make oral statements to the House when the House is sitting. [93972]

  Dr. Reid
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the President of the Council on 19 October 1999,Official Report, column 429–30.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Swinney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many Civil Service staff there are in his offices in(a) London, (b) Edinburgh and (c) Glasgow. [94056]

  Dr. Reid
  The number of staff in my office is under review. At present there are 28 staff of the Scotland Office and five staff of the Advocate General based in London. The figures for Edinburgh are 17 and 20 respectively. There are no staff based in Glasgow. In addition, I have three special advisers, one of whom is part-time and unpaid.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 30 June 1999,Official Report, column 193, on Special Advisers, how many times his Department's Special Adviser held meetings with members and officials of the US Government during the visit of 15 to 19 March; and if he will list the dates and locations of each meeting and the names of the US ministers and officials at each meeting. [93964]

  Dr. Reid
  My predecessor's Special Adviser did not hold meetings with members or officials of the US Government.

  Ministerial Meetings (US)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what meetings the then Secretary of State for Scotland held with members and officials of the United
  713
  States Government during his visits to the United States on 2 to 28 September 1997; and if he will list the date and location of each meeting and the names of the members and officials of the United States Government at each meeting. [93954]

  Dr. Reid
  The visit took place from 20 to 28 September. No meetings were held with members or officials of the US Government.

  Local Councillors (Gender Profiles)
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the percentages of councillors in each local authority who are(a) men and (b) women. [95169]

  Dr. Reid
  The information in the table is derived from the Directory of Scottish Local Government, which is produced jointly by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the Scottish Local Government Information Unit. It represents the positions at the end of July 1999.

  Council

  Total number of councillors

  Men

  (%)

  Women

  (%)

  Aberdeen City

  43

  30

  70

  13

  30

  Aberdeenshire

  68

  45

  66

  23

  34

  Angus

  29

  22

  76

  7

  24

  Argyll and Bute

  36

  30

  83

  6

  17

  Clackmannanshire

  18

  14

  78

  4

  22

  Comhairle nan Eilean Siar

  31

  27

  87

  4

  13

  Dumfries and Galloway

  47

  37

  79

  10

  21

  Dundee City

  29

  23

  79

  6

  21

  East Ayrshire

  32

  26

  81

  6

  19

  East Dunbartonshire

  24

  16

  67

  8

  33

  East Lothian

  23

  19

  83

  4

  17

  East Renfrewshire

  20

  17

  85

  3

  15

  City of Edinburgh

  58

  44

  76

  14

  24

  Falkirk

  32

  27

  84

  5

  16

  Fife

  78

  50

  64

  28

  36

  Glasgow City

  79

  57

  72

  22

  28

  Highland

  80

  64

  80

  16

  20

  lnverclyde

  20

  18

  90

  2

  10

  Midlothian

  18

  15

  83

  3

  17

  Moray

  26

  21

  81

  5

  19

  North Ayrshire

  30

  24

  80

  6

  20

  North Lanarkshire

  70

  64

  91

  6

  9

  Orkney Islands

  21

  19

  90

  2

  10

  Perth and Kinross

  41

  32

  78

  9

  22

  Renfrewshire

  40

  28

  70

  12

  30

  Scottish Borders

  34

  30

  88

  4

  12

  Shetland Islands

  22

  17

  77

  5

  23

  South Ayrshire

  30

  20

  67

  10

  33

  South Lanarkshire

  67

  48

  72

  19

  28

  Stirling

  22

  15

  68

  7

  32

  West Dunbartonshire

  22

  17

  77

  5

  23

  West Lothian

  32

  26

  81

  6

  19

  Departmental Twinning
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many requests there have been to his Department for placement of officials from Central, East European and CIS states as twins of his officials; how many such officials have been accepted as twins; and from which countries(a) those who were accepted and (b) those who were not accepted came. [94000]

  Dr. Reid
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him today by the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz).

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  EU Surplus Food Scheme
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures he undertook to publicise the EU surplus food scheme; and what categories of the scheme were available in the United Kingdom. [92827]

  Ms Quin
  My hon. Friend the previous Minister of State issued a News Release announcing details of the scheme for 1998 and invited interested organisations to apply to be designated to distribute canned stewed steak to eligible recipients. The scheme involved only intervention beef.

  Forest Land
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy relating to consultation by(a) the Forestry Commission and (b) Forest Enterprise with (i) local authorities and (ii) the public prior to the sale of Forestry Commission forest land. [95222]

  Mr. Morley
  The subject of this question relates to matters undertaken by Forest Enterprise and I have asked the Chief Executive to reply to my hon. Friend direct.

  Letter from Bob McIntosh to Mr. Huw Edwards, dated 25 October 1999:
  I refer to your question to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food asking what the Forestry Commission's policy is in relation to consultation on the sale of forest land. I have been asked to reply.The Forestry Commission and Forest Enterprise notify the Local Authority of all sales of forest land as part of our Continued Public Access policy. This is to inform the Local Authority that we are considering sale of forest land and that we may be in a position to offer the opportunity to enter into an agreement to protect access after sale.We do not, at the moment, notify forest land sales directly to the public. However we are in the process of reviewing our policy on community participation and involvement and are considering ways in which sales might be notified to local people. Of course when land is offered for sale on the open market it is advertised widely by our selling agents.

PRIME MINISTER

  Fox Hunting
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the Government's policy in respect of the banning of fox hunting. [94620]

  The Prime Minister
  We believe that hunting with hounds should be the subject of a free vote, as we said in our manifesto. Right hon. and hon. Members had an opportunity to vote on the issue last year when the House considered the Private Member's Bill of my hon. Friend the Member for Worcester (Mr. Foster). The Bill's progress was frustrated by its opponents and did not become law.

  Ascension Airbase
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Prime Minister what progress has been made on discussions between the UK and USA Governments about enabling commercial aircraft to use the airbase on Ascension. [95316]

  The Prime Minister
  In December 1998 the UK passed a draft treaty to allow certain types of civil flights into Ascension to the US Authorities for consideration.

  During the visit of my noble Friend Baroness Scotland to the United States on 4-5 October 1999, the US Government confirmed in principle that the airfield should be opened to certain types of civil flights on a limited basis.

  We are encouraging the United States to complete their internal discussions and to secure a mandate for formal negotiations to begin. British Embassy officials in Washington will soon meet US State Department officials to take this issue forward.

  Prime Minister's Office
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Prime Minister what changes have been made to the running and organisation of the Government Department which directly serves the Prime Minister since the summer adjournment began; and what further reorganisation or changes in structure he contemplates. [94575]

  The Prime Minister
  In addition to the staff in my office in 10 Downing street, the Cabinet Office provides support to me as chairman of the Cabinet and Minister for the Civil Service. There have been no changes to the organisation or running of the Cabinet Office since the summer adjournment. Changes in the future will be made as and when necessary.

  Government Annual Report
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will assess the benefits of commissioning an independent and authoritative body to prepare and publish the Government's annual report. [93717]

  The Prime Minister
  Both the 1997–98 and 1998–99 Annual Reports drew on publicly available facts and figures, all of which were provided by Departments. As a Government report it would not be appropriate for the Annual Report to be produced by an independent body. The National Audit Office provides independent 716
  information, advice and assurance to Parliament and the public about all aspects of the financial operations of Government Departments.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations the Government have received from other EU countries with regard to reviewing asylum procedures for applicants from eastern Europe. [95412]

  The Prime Minister
  None.

  Ilisu Dam
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Prime Minister what meetings have taken place between him or his office and Balfour Beatty on the matter of the Ilisu Dam. [95099]

  The Prime Minister
  None.

  European Police College
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Prime Minister what is the purpose of the European Police College; and what will be studied there. [95078]

  The Prime Minister
  Tackling Europe's organised crime problem effectively means that we have to ensure that police officers are properly trained and encouraged to co-operate with forces in other countries. We see the role of the European Police College, which will start off as a network of existing national training institutes, as fulfilling these functions by supporting the establishment of a common approach to tackling transnational organised crime, and by drawing together work already being carried out by individual Member States on training police officers to tackle organised crime effectively. We envisage that, over time, those trained by the college will form a Europe-wide body of expertise about European policing and cross border operations. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, together with colleagues in other Member States, will take forward the work on establishing the College.

  Secretary of State for Scotland
  Mr. Jim Murphy
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the executive functions of the Secretary of State for Scotland. [95975]

  The Prime Minister
  As a consequence of the new constitutional arrangements under the Scotland Act 1998, I have approved a reallocation of certain functions of the Secretary of State for Scotland to other Ministers of the Crown with appropriate functional responsibilities. Copies of an Order which was made by Her Majesty in Council on 12 October and which transfer certain of these functions have been laid before Parliament.

  In addition to the transfer effected by this Order, it is proposed that certain other statutory executive functions of the Secretary of State that are currently exercised by the Secretary of State for Scotland, but which could be exercised by any other Secretary of State, should also be transferred. No legislation is required to give effect to these transfers which will be carried out by administrative arrangement. One of these is the transfer to the Home Secretary of the Secretary of State for Scotland's functions in relation to the issuing of warrants for the

  717
  interception of communications or interference with property for national security purposes where the person or property named on the warrant is, or is reasonably believed to be, located in Scotland at the time the warrant is issued.

  I have placed a paper in the Libraries of both Houses that briefly describes the content of the Transfer of Functions Order and lists the other executive functions that are to transfer.

  Domestic Violence
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Prime Minister what steps he is taking to ensure that relevant Departments work together to tackle problems related to domestic violence. [95521]

  The Prime Minister
  In June the Government published their integrated approach to tackling violence against women "Living with Fear".

  My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is taking forward this work, together with that in relation to domestic violence generally. A unit within the Home Office is responsible for ensuring that there is a coherent, consistent and properly co-ordinated approach across Government in the development and implementation of policy on tackling violence against women. Co-ordination at Ministerial level is through the Cabinet sub-Committee on Women's issues.

  Drugs
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what action Her Majesty's Government are taking to ascertain details of precursor chemicals exported from the UK to South America suitable for use in the processing of drugs; and what action his Department is taking. [95546]

  The Prime Minister
  Exports to South American and other countries of precursor chemicals which might be used in the illicit manufacture of drugs are controlled and monitored by the UK in accordance with the UN Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances 1988 and the relevant EU Regulation implementing these controls in the European Union.

  The chemicals which are included in such controls are listed therein and subject to regular review by the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer of 19 October 1999,Official Report, column 261, what is the timetable for the action he proposes to take to counter the lack of traceability of drug money; and if he will make a statement on the range of measures he proposes to take. [95548]

  The Prime Minister
  The Government strongly support action to combat money laundering and so attack the crime on which it thrives.

  At the European Council meeting at Tampere we agreed a range of special concrete actions against money laundering, listed in the Presidency Conclusions. They cover a wide range of initiatives to facilitate unproved asset tracing. The United Kingdom will be pressing for the conclusions to be converted into action by the Council and Commission as quickly as possible.
  718
  The United Kingdom has taken a leading role in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the leading international anti-money laundering body. In accordance with its recommendations, United Kingdom legislation already bans the use of anonymous bank accounts, as they may be used to conceal criminal proceeds. Law enforcement authorities in all member states must have the ability, as they do in the United Kingdom, to trace the proceeds of drug trafficking and other crimes, subject to judicial oversight but regardless of banking secrecy.

  At the domestic level, the Government are examining how to strengthen existing legislation and arrangements for the investigation, restraint and seizure of criminal proceeds. I have approved a study by the Performance and Innovation Unit of the role that following the money trail and seizing criminal assets can play in the fight against crime, and of how to maximise the effectiveness of these tools. The study will report early next year.

  Departmental Twinning
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Prime Minister how many requests there have been to his Department for placement of officials from Central, East European and CIS states as twins of his officials; how many such officials have been accepted as twins; and from which countries(a) those who were accepted and (b) those who were not accepted came. [93991]

  The Prime Minister
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him today by the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz).

SOCIAL SECURITY

  New Deal (Lone Parents)
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many lone parents in Chelmsford local authority area have been contacted by the new deal for lone parents programme; and how many have received a job. [93762]

  Angela Eagle
  We do not have separate figures for Chelmsford. The figures that are available cover the whole of Essex; 9,000 invitations to participate in the voluntary programme have been issued and 440 lone parents have so far found jobs.

  Pensioners
  Mr. Hepburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to help the poorest pensioners. [93764]

  Mr. Rooker
  The Minimum Income Guarantee introduced in April provides a significant increase in incomes to the poorest pensioners. They will also start to receive their £100 Winter Fuel Payments in week commencing 8 November; this will ensure that no pensioner will have to worry about turning up their heating this winter.

  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the percentage of the total population which is of pensionable
  719
  age; what was the percentage 10 years ago; and what forecast he has made of the percentage in 10 years' time. [93765]

  Mr. Rooker
  The percentage of the UK population over State Pension age is estimated at 18 per cent., broadly the same as ten years ago. Over the next ten years it is projected to rise to 19 per cent.

  Source:
  Office for National Statistics: Previous figures Government Actuaries Department: Current and future figures.

  Industrial Injury Benefits
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals he has for reforming industrial injury benefits. [93766]

  Mr. Bayley
  We continue to see a case for reforming the industrial injuries scheme so that it reflects better the needs of today's labour market and improves incentives for prevention and rehabilitation. Initial discussions with key stakeholders confirmed our belief that there is scope for reform. However, much work remains to be done to decide the best way forward. Against the background of the current major programme of reform to other parts of the Social Security system the work cannot be completed quickly.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the timetable for the implementation of his proposed changes to the Child Support Agency. [93767]

  Angela Eagle
  The proposals for a new Child Support service set out in the White Paper represent a major change from the current arrangements. We will not repeat the mistakes of the previous Government by rushing the new scheme into effect before we are ready.

  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on his proposed changes to the Child Support Agency. [93776]

  Angela Eagle
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security set out our plans to reform the Child Support system in a White Paper published on 1 July. These will address the failures of the current scheme and put children's rights at the heart of the Child Support system.

  Benefits Agency
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on delays in payments by Benefits Agency offices. [93768]

  Mr. Rooker
  The Benefits Agency is meeting most of its targets for the payment of benefits. In the recent past, some delays in paying benefits have been caused by complications arising from the introduction of the National Insurance Recording System (NIRS2). The majority of problems have now been resolved. Regrettably claims for Widows Benefit are still affected and the contingency arrangements in place take longer than normal to process.

  Fraud
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to improve co-ordination between the Benefits Agency and local authorities in combating fraud. [93769]

  Mr. Rooker
  We are committed to reducing fraud and error in the benefits system. One key part of our strategy is to develop stronger links between the Benefits Agency (BA) and local authorities (LAs). Most recently, following testing of the electronic transfer of information between the BA and LA in Lewisham, we started to extend this facility to other LAs. Fourteen LAs are now piloting the system which we aim to roll out nationally from next April. In Lewisham, the evaluation indicated significant reductions in processing times and overpayments. We have also introduced a national liaison service level agreement (SLA) and a specific fraud SLA, both of which are mandatory on BA and strongly endorsed by the LA Associations.

  £6 million has been allocated to BA Area Directors to fund joint working initiatives which identify an activity or programme that enhances the liaison between the BA and the LA and through that liaison will combat fraud and error in the benefit system.

  Mr. Forth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he last reviewed his target for the reduction of benefit fraud for the year 1999–2000. [93774]

  Mr. Rooker
  As published in the Public Service Agreement, for the first time we have set a single outcome target to reduce fraud and error in the two major benefits by 30 per cent. by March 2007, with at least a 10 per cent. reduction by March 2002.

  Mr. Lilley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many calls have been received by the Benefit Fraud Hotline in each month since it was established. [93642]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is as follows:

  National Benefit Fraud Hotline calls answered from 5 August 1996

  Calls answered

  Calendar month

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999

  January

  —

  17,981

  17,206

  13,925

  February

  —

  27,075

  15,780

  13,798

  March

  —

  27,073

  15,345

  16,901

  April

  —

  18,563

  19,007

  11,996

  May

  —

  19,272

  13,149

  11,303

  June

  —

  16,272

  13,692

  13,415

  July

  —

  18,808

  15,512

  10,491

  August

  35,179

  14,755

  11,104

  10,336

  September

  26,736

  16,236

  13,694

  12,971

  October

  28,257

  13,202

  12,805

  —

  November

  21,805

  11,770

  14,285

  —

  December

  11,989

  10,829

  12,160

  —

  Note:

  Approximately 2 per cent. of all calls ring off before the call is answered.

  Mr. Lilley
  To ask Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the places in which and dates on which Searchlight on Fraud investigations have taken place since they were started. [93641]
  721
  Mr. Rooker
  The Spotlight On Fraud campaign commenced on 1 April 1996. Certain areas of the country were subject to intensive counter fraud activity over a short period. The campaign consisted of three phases:

  Phase 1: 1 April 1996 to 15 August 1996

  Nottingham

  Glasgow

  Westminster

  Leeds

  Birmingham

  Bristol

  Lancaster and Barrow

  Isle of Wight

  Plymouth

  Cardiff

  Great Yarmouth

  Brighton

  Medway Towns

  Edinburgh

  Haringey and Enfield

  Croydon

  Rhyl

  Darlington

  Redcar and East Cleveland

  Phase 2: 4 November 1996 to 29 November 1996

  Wigan and Leigh

  Warrington

  Sheffield

  Newport

  Luton

  Leicester

  Lea Roding

  Inverness

  Hull

  Exeter

  Coventry

  Coatbridge

  Clydebank and Dumbarton

  Canterbury and Thanet

  Phase 3: 3 February 1997 to 28 February 1997

  Wolverhampton

  Westminster

  West Kent

  Peterborough

  Nottingham

  Newcastle

  Kirklees

  Kirkaldy

  Darlington

  Welfare to Work
  Mr. Stringer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what measures his Department is taking to help people move from welfare into work. [93770]

  Angela Eagle
  In the last two years we have launched an ambitious series of welfare-to-work reforms. We have invested almost £4 billion in New Deals, representing an unprecedented assault on worklessness. We are on target to meet our manifesto commitment to help 250,000 young people move from welfare into work, with 135,000 young people into jobs by the end of July. Our reforms are putting work at the heart of the benefit system.

  Stakeholder Pensions
  Mr. Wilkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the timetable for the introduction of the stakeholder pension. [93772]

  Mr. Rooker
  We aim to enable the first stakeholder pension schemes to be set up from April 2001. We will be announcing decisions, following our consultations, around the end of the year, and our final proposals will be set out in draft regulations for further consultation. Stakeholder pension regulations should then be laid by around April 2000, thereby giving a clear year for industry to develop schemes for the market.

  Mr. Rammell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress he has made with developing his proposals for stakeholder pensions. [93783]

  Mr. Rooker
  Between 2 June and 16 September, we issued six consultation documents on Minimum Standards, Employer Access, Clearing Arrangements, Advice, Governance and the Tax Regime.

  We have also held discussions with the Stakeholder Pensions Advisory Group and the Core Group.

  We will be announcing decisions around the end of the year before issuing draft regulations for consultation.

  SERPS
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what plans he has to compensate people who have been misinformed about the inheritance rules for SERPS; [93773]

  (2) what estimate he has made of (a) the net costs of, (b) the gross costs of and (c) how many people would benefit from delaying the changes to the amount of SERPS payable to widows and widowers from (1) 2000 until 2010 and (2) 2000 until 2005 in (i) 2000 and (ii) every subsequent year until 2020; and how the (x) gross and (y) net costs of such a delay are calculated. [95256]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.

  Estimated gross costs of delaying the changes to SERPS inheritance provisions and average numbers of widows and widowers who could be affected at any one time in each year

  Gross costs (£ million)

  Delay until 2010 Potential numbers affected (thousand)

  2000–01

  60

  100

  2001–02

  160

  300

  2002–03

  280

  490

  2003–04

  390

  670

  2004–05

  510

  830

  2005–06

  630

  990

  2006–07

  750

  1,140

  2007–08

  870

  1,270

  2008–09

  990

  1,400

  2009–10

  1,110

  1,520

  2010–11

  1,160

  1,540

  2011–12

  1,120

  1,450

  2012–13

  1,080

  1,370

  2013–14

  1,040

  1,280

  2014–15

  1,000

  1,210

  723

  Estimated gross costs of delaying the changes to SERPS inheritance provisions and average numbers of widows and widowers who could be affected at any one time in each year

  Gross costs (£ million)

  Delay until 2010 Potential numbers affected (thousand)

  2015–16

  960

  1,130

  2016–17

  920

  1,060

  2017–18

  880

  990

  2018–19

  830

  920

  2019–20

  790

  860

  2020–21

  750

  860

  Gross costs (£ million)

  Delay until 2005 Potential numbers affected (thousand)

  2000–01

  60

  100

  2001–02

  160

  300

  2002–03

  280

  490

  2003–04

  390

  670

  2004–05

  510

  830

  2005–06

  560

  890

  2006–07

  550

  840

  2007–08

  530

  790

  2008–09

  510

  750

  2009–10

  500

  700

  2010–11

  480

  660

  2011–12

  460

  620

  2012–13

  450

  580

  2013–14

  430

  550

  2014–15

  410

  510

  2015–16

  390

  470

  2016–17

  370

  440

  2017–18

  360

  410

  2018–19

  340

  380

  2019–20

  320

  350

  2020–21

  300

  330

  Notes:

  1. Gross costs and potential numbers affected are supplied by the Government Actuary's Department. An explanation of the method for calculating gross costs of Additional Pension is given in the Government Actuary's Department publication 'National Insurance Fund: Long Term Financial Estimates', Appendix D (paragraphs 14.39 to 14.45), available in the House of Commons Library.

  2. Precise estimates of net costs are not available.

  3. Estimates of numbers affected assume that all widows and widowers have some SERPS entitlement although in reality there will be some who do not. Cases where the widower is over State pension age but the deceased partner is under State pension age are included in the estimates. These will both tend to overestimate the numbers affected.

  4. Gross costs are rounded to the nearest £10 million, and are in 1999–2000 price terms. Potential numbers affected are rounded to the nearest 10,000.

  5. Estimates assume average earnings growth from 1999 onwards of 1.5 per cent. per year above prices. The State Second Pension and Welfare Reform Bill changes are not taken into account in these figures.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) when he intends to announce his decision as to what action he will take to remedy the problem of the changes to the inheritance of SERPS by spouses; and what provision has been made in the(a) CSR and (b) Contingency Fund to meet any extra costs; [95180]
  724
  (2) what assessment he has made of (a) the administration costs and (b) the setting-up time of a scheme to compensate those misled about the halving of the amount of SERPS payable to widows and widowers; and if he will make a statement; [95178]

  (3) what assessment he has made of the ability of those misled about the halving of the amount of SERPS payable to widows and widowers to prove they were misinformed; and if he will make a statement. [95181]

  Mr. Rooker
  We will make an announcement about SERPS inheritance provisions shortly.

  Annual Uprating
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what advice he takes before making his annual assessment on uprating benefit and pension levels. [93775]

  Mr. Rooker
  The annual review of benefits is subject to the same decision-making processes as many other policy considerations. We will make an announcement on the uprating in due course in the normal way.

  Child Poverty
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what factors he uses to measure child poverty. [93779]

  Angela Eagle
  I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer the Prime Minister gave to the hon. Member for Northavon (Mr. Webb) on 19 October 1999,Official Report, column 486.

  Disabled People (Employment)
  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the measures in his welfare reform programme which will assist disabled people to take up work. [93780]

  Angela Eagle
  Together with my hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment we have introduced New Deal for Disabled People to help disabled people move into or remain in work; piloting a voluntary personal adviser service in 12 areas throughout Great Britain, for claimants of incapacity benefits; and funding 24 innovative schemes to test different approaches.

  The first four ONE pilots were successfully launched in June and a further 8 pilots will start in November. In these pilot areas, where appropriate, people of working age who claim benefits will be given a Personal Adviser who will be able to access information and the opportunities for employment, training and rehabilitation, and will help them plan a route back to independence.

  In October 1998, we introduced a new 52-week linking rule for incapacity benefits and abolished the 16 hour limit for voluntary work. We have increased the therapeutic earnings limit from April 99 and are piloting further measures to help disabled people who wish to work. We are replacing the All Work Test with the Personal Capability Assessment which will focus on what people can do, not just their incapacities. From October 1999 the

  725
  Disabled Persons' Tax Credit will replace Disability Working Allowance which will ensure that disabled people are better off in work than out of work.

  Widows Benefits
  Mr. St. Aubyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on his proposals for the future of widows' benefits. [93781]

  Angela Eagle
  I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave to the hon. Member for North Wiltshire (Mr. Gray) on 5 July 1999,Official Report, column 353.

  Parental Costs
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to assist parents with the costs of bringing up children. [93782]

  Angela Eagle
  We recognise the additional costs that families with children have to bear. As part of our strategy to increase opportunity for all, we are determined to improve family prosperity, reduce child poverty, and ensure that the tax and benefit system properly acknowledges the costs of bringing up children.

  Measures already announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in the last two Budgets, including the largest-ever uprating of Child Benefit, and the introduction of the Working Families Tax Credit, will ensure that families with children will gain an average of £750 per year the 20 per cent. of poorest households will gain the most, an average of £1,080 per year.

  Total growth in spending on families with children will amount to an extra £5 billion a year in real terms, by the end of this Parliament.

  Departmental Twinning
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many requests there have been to his Department for placement of officials from Central, East European and CIS states as twins of his officials; how many such officials have been accepted as twins; and from which countries(a) those who were accepted and (b) those who were not accepted came. [94006]

  Angela Eagle
  I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer from the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz) today.

  Pensions
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to ensure that all pensioners receive pension increases which are linked to increases in national prosperity. [93777]

  Mr. Rooker
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security is required by law to review the rate of Retirement Pension and other benefits each year. He will announce the outcome later this year in the usual way.

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate, using his PENSIM model, the mean net incomes in 2025 of(a) single pensioners and (b) married pensioners on the basis of (i) unchanged
  726
  policies, (ii) his proposed phased replacement of SERPS with the second state pension and (iii) the phasing out of SERPS coupled with the introduction of an age addition to the basic pension for those aged 80 years or over, set at three quarters of the gap between the basic pension and the minimum income guarantee, assuming in each case the continuation of earnings indexation of the minimum income guarantee; and if he will provide separate estimates for each quintile group of each distribution. [94695]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is in the tables:

  Net income of single pensioners by quintile in 2025

  £ per week

  Mean

  Quintile 1

  Quintile 2

  Quintile 3

  Quintile 4

  Quintile 5

  Unchanged policies

  168.00

  85.20

  119.70

  139.00

  172.70

  323.50

  After the State Second Pension

  169.70

  86.50

  121.10

  140.30

  174.70

  325.70

  After the suggested age addition to the Basic State Pension and phasing out of SERPS

  172.00

  92.30

  124.50

  144.40

  177.10

  321.50

  Net income of married pensioners by quintile in 2025

  £ per week

  Mean

  Quintile I

  Quintile 2

  Quintile 3

  Quintile 4

  Quintile 5

  Unchanged policies

  346.70

  169.50

  221.00

  275.30

  356.90

  710.50

  After the State Second Pension

  351.40

  172.40

  226.00

  280.30

  362.10

  716.00

  After the suggested age addition to the Basic State Pension and phasing out of SERPS

  342.20

  171.80

  224.20

  271.30

  347.40

  695.60

  Notes:

  1. In order to model option (iii), it is necessary to make further critical assumptions about the current regime for contracting out of SERPS. If this were to cease at the same time that SERPS stops accruing, there would be a significant effect on private pension provision although highly dependent on the behavioural response of individuals and employers. Alternatively, if contracted out rebates continued to be available, there would be a large incentive for those who had previously been in SERPS to take advantage of the rebates, at significant extra cost to the public finances. Again this would depend on behavioural responses, unless private second pensions were made compulsory. The estimates in the table are based on assumptions which avoid the need to model behavioural responses ie those who are already contracted out continue to receive their rebates, whereas those in SERPS have no replacement second pension once SERPS accruals cease. This is not a sustainable set of assumptions in policy terms, but does provide a basis for answering the question as set out.

  2. The estimates have been arrived at using the DSS's PENSIM model. PENSIM is a dynamic microsimulation model which projects future pensioners' incomes on the basis of past labour market and pensions information. Because the model is dependent on the assumptions used and the cohort sampled to generate the work and pensions histories, it is primarily a tool to compare policy options rather than to project the future course of pensioners' incomes with accuracy. Results so far into the future, even of a comparative nature, must be treated as broad brush.

  3. The quintiles have been derived by dividing each income distribution in to five equal sized groups in ascending order of income size. The first quintile contains the fifth of the distribution with lowest incomes while the fifth quintile contains the fifth with highest incomes.

  727

  4. The income figures given are on a benefit unit basis. Therefore, the income of couples is that of both members of the couple combined.

  5. Figures are expressed in 1999 prices rounded to the nearest ten pence.

  6. Earnings indexation of the minimum income guarantee is assumed. The earnings assumption in the PENSIM model is 1.5 per cent. per year above inflation.

  7. The State Second Pension is assumed to be introduced in 2002.

  8. The suggested age addition to the Basic State Pension refers to three quarters of the gap between the full basic state pension and the maximum minimum income guarantee of a single person aged 80. It is assumed to be introduced in the year 2000. Under this option, the year 2000 also marks the end of all new SERPS accruals. Existing SERPS entitlements continue to be paid.

  Mr. Trend
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what plans he has to seek an amendment to the law to require a stakeholder pension to be taken out in the form of an annuity by a specified age; and if he will make a statement; [94930]

  (2) what plans he has to seek an amendment to the law to prevent any pension scheme from requiring a person to take out a pension in the form of an annuity by a specified age; and if he will make a statement. [94929]

  Mr. Rooker
  Only pension schemes which are not themselves able to pay a pension require their members to take pension benefits in the form of an annuity, so as to guarantee a pension income throughout retirement. We propose that this should also apply to stakeholder pensions. We will consider whether there is a case for changing the present age 75 limit for annuity purchase as part of the review of personal pension income withdrawal being undertaken by the Inland Revenue.

  Incapacity Benefit
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations he has received on incapacity benefit. [93771]

  Mr. Bayley
  We have received a number of representations about our proposals to modernise the rules for the Incapacity Benefit. We believe the proposals are right in principle. We have made it clear that we will consider concerns when we finalise the details.

  Race Awareness (Tribunals)
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on race awareness training for chairmen of appeal tribunals. [93778]

  Angela Eagle
  The President of appeal tribunals is responsible for arranging the training of chairmen and members of appeal tribunals. The President intends to arrange for the chairmen and members to be trained in equal opportunities in the next financial year and that the training will include racial and disability awareness issues. The President will write to my hon. Friend setting out his plans for the training.

  ONE Service Pilots
  Mr. Healey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the progress to date of the ONE service pilots. [93752]
  728
  Angela Eagle
  The first four ONE pilots were launched as planned in June. They are making good progress in helping people plan ways to become independent, while dealing promptly and accurately with claims to benefit.

  A further eight pilots will start on the 29 November. Four will test out the use of Call Centre technology in providing the ONE Service. The other four are led by the Private and Voluntary Sector—they will enable us to test what innovations that they can bring to client services.

  Oral Statements
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list(a) the reports published by his Department and its associated bodies, (b) the reports received from bodies set up by his Department, (c) the decisions his Department has taken and (d) events in the UK and elsewhere, since 27 July, which satisfied the criteria he uses for deciding whether to apply to make oral statements to the House when the House is sitting. [93976]

  Mr. Bayley
  I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer from my right hon. Friend the President of the Council on 19 October 1999,Official Report, columns 429-30.

  This Department has made three announcements since 27 July as follows:

  As my hon. Friend, the then Minister of State announced, in response to a Parliamentary Question on 9 June 1999, Official Report, column 340, a series of Consultation Documents would be published on pension reform, the last of which were published on 2 August and 16 September. Copies of the Reports were sent to the Chairman of the Social Security Select Committee and copies were placed in the Libraries of the House of Commons and House of Lords. These were announced publicly by way of a Press Release.

  On 21 September we announced the publication of the first annual report on poverty and social exclusion entitled: "Opportunity for All". Copies were placed in the House of Commons and House of Lords Libraries. All MPs were sent a copy of the summary document under cover of a letter and copies were also made available to all key organisations. The Chairman of the Social Security Select Committee also received a copy.

  On 26 August we received the CSA Independent Chief Examiner's Report. It was published in the normal way as soon as it was received. Copies of this report were placed in the House of Commons and House of Lords Libraries.

  Andrew Mehdi
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) on what date the Benefits Agency received from the Independent Tribunal Service notice of the tribunal's decision of 5 August in the claim for disability living allowance by Mr. Andrew Mehdi (references D/04/048/1998/01876 and NH 01 71 23 B); and when he expects the Benefits Agency to implement the judgment of the tribunal; [94952]
  729
  (2) on what date the Independent Tribunals Service sent to the Benefits Agency notice of the judgment of the tribunal in the claim for disability living allowance by Mr. Andrew Mehdi (references NH 01 71 23 B and D/04/048/1998/01876). [94953]

  Angela Eagle
  The Independent Tribunal Service (ITS) first issued the judgment on 6 August which regrettably was not received. Despite investigation, ITS and the Benefits Agency have been unable to identify where the problem occurred.

  A further copy was received at the Disability Benefits Unit (DBU) in Blackpool by fax on 19 October, following DBU's request to ITS dated 12 October. The decision was implemented and payment of all arrears and an order book for continuing payments were issued on 20 October.

  Disability Benefits
  Mr. Berry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what will be the real-terms increase in spending on benefits for disabled people by May 2002; and how this figure is derived. [95438]

  Mr. Bayley
  The Social Security Departmental Report 1999 (Cm 4214) includes details of Social Security expenditure for the financial years 1993–94 to 2001–02. Table 10 of the report sets out benefit expenditure by Departmental Objectives in real terms (1998–99 prices). The individual benefits which comprise Objective 3 (Support for disabled people) are prescribed in the table.

  Disabled Children
  Mr. Levitt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans his Department has to assist disabled children. [93746]

  Mr. Bayley
  We are committed to maintaining Disability Living Allowance, the main disability benefit for children, as a national, universal benefit. We are making specific improvements to help children with severe disabilities: a clause within the Welfare Reform and Pensions Bill, which is currently before Parliament, extends entitlement to the higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance to 3 and 4 year olds. This will help an additional 8,000 children from April 2001.

  From April 2001 the new Disability Income Guarantee will provide extra help within Income Support premiums for families with severely disabled children getting the highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance.

  Occupational Pension Funds
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to amend the Pensions Act 1995 to require occupational pension funds to nominate a pensioner as a member trustee. [95660]

  Mr. Rooker
  We believe that member trustees add value to pension schemes, and want to increase their coverage.

  The consultation document, "Strengthening the Pensions Framework", which was issued in December 1998, made a number of proposals on member-nominated trustees, including a proposal that large mature schemes should be required to reserve a place on the trustee board
  730
  for a pensioner member. Responses showed widespread support for the principle of member trustees, but concern about some of the practical implications.

  We have been working closely with the pensions industry and other representative bodies to develop revised proposals. A further consultation document was issued on 7 October 1999.

  Our priority is to ensure that schemes have member-nominated trustees, and that members have a fair say in determining the arrangements for appointing them.

  The revised proposals do not require schemes to have a pensioner trustee, but they do ensure that pensioners are given a fair say in the procedures.

  Income Support
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the number of pensioners aged(a) 60 to 64, (b) 65 to 69, (c) 70 to 74, (d) 75 to 79 and (e) 80 years or above who are entitled to Income Support but do not take up their entitlement; and if he will provide separate estimates for (i) single male pensioners, (ii) single female pensioners and (iii) married pensioners. [94696]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is in the table.

  Estimated average numbers not taking up entitlement to Income Support—Great Britain, 1997–98

  Category

  Total number of ENR's

  Pensioner Couples Aged 60-64

  50,000

  Pensioner Couples Aged 65-69

  30,000

  Pensioner Couples Aged 70-741

  30,000

  Pensioner Couples Aged 75-791

  20,000

  Pensioner Couples Aged 80 and Over1

  20,000

  All Pensioner Couples

  150.000

  Single Males Aged 60-641

  20,000

  Single Males Aged 65-691

  20,000

  Single Males Aged 70-741

  20,000

  Single Males Aged 75-791

  20,000

  Single Males Aged 80 and Over

  40,000

  All Single Male Pensioners

  110,000

  Single Females Aged 60-641

  20,000

  Single Females Aged 65-69

  40,000

  Single Females Aged 70-74

  60,000

  Single Females Aged 75-79

  100,000

  Single Females Aged 80 and Over

  230,000

  All Single Female Pensioners

  450,000

  All Pensioners

  720,000

  1 These figures are based on small sample sizes and are to be treated with particular caution.

  Notes:

  1. ENR's = Entitled non-recipients.

  2. These estimates are based on the 1997–98 Family Resources Survey. Reliable precise estimates are not available. Estimates by age band comparable with the aggregate estimates published in September could be provided only at disproportionate costs. The table provides a breakdown, by age band, of raw estimates with no attempt to correct for data imperfections. The available evidence suggests pensioner couples estimates are biased upwards relative to the estimates for single pensioners. The nature and extent of biases in the raw estimates may also vary by age band.

  3. The figures for the number of entitled non-recipients are rounded to the nearest ten thousand.

  4. The age of a couple has been defined by the age of the older partner.

  5. The figure for the total number of ENR's does not comply with the sum of the component amounts. This is due to rounding of the figures.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  European Council
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the procedural changes set out in Council Decision 1999/468/EC of 28 June, OJ L184 of 17 July. [94143]

  Mr. Vaz
  Council Decision 1999/468/EC reforms the procedures for monitoring the exercise of implementing the powers delegated to the Commission by the Council and the European Parliament (the 'comitology' system). The Government welcome the changes that the Decision makes.

  It improves the comitology system in three ways. Firstly, it increases democratic control over the process by giving an enhanced scrutiny role to the European Parliament. Secondly, it simplifies the system by reducing the number of committee types from five to three.

  Thirdly, it takes an important step towards making the comitology system more transparent. For example, the Commission will for the first time be required to publish a complete list of comitology committees.

  Overall, the changes should improve the efficiency, accountability and transparency of the comitology process.

  EC Staff Contracts
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will deposit in the Library the model contract of employment for European Communities staff working at the Commission. [94140]

  Mr. Vaz
  Only staff employed on a temporary basis have individual contracts. The terms and conditions of permanent staff are set out in Community Staff Regulations. A copy of the latest version of these Regulations will be placed in the Library as soon as we have received it from the Commission.

  Rambouillet Agreements
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the proposals made by the Yugoslav Parliament in answer to the draft agreements made at Rambouillet; and what the differences were from the agreement reached on 3 June. [94127]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Rambouillet Agreements on Kosovo were presented to the FRY/Serbian delegation and the Kosovo Albanian delegation on 22 February, after two and a half weeks of intensive negotiation. Both sides agreed to attend a second round of talks to discuss implementation of the agreements. However, on the first day of the second round of talks, in Paris on 15 March, the FRY/Serbian delegation presented their own proposals for a Kosovo agreement. The Contact Group (the Governments of the UK, US, France, Germany, Italy and Russia) took the unanimous view that only technical adjustments to the draft agreements presented at Rambouillet could be considered. The proposals presented by Belgrade amounted to an extensive and unacceptable revision of the draft agreements presented at Rambouillet.
  732
  The proposals presented by the FRY/Serbian delegation and subsequently endorsed by the Serb Parliament were published recently in "The Crisis in Kosovo 1989–1999, International Documents and Analysis, Vol 1", as was the text of the Rambouillet Agreements signed by the Kosovo Albanian delegation on 18 March.

  On 3 June, President Milosevic and the Serbian Parliament accepted an agreement, presented by the EU and Russian special envoys, which specified the principles for a resolution of the crisis in Kosovo, notably: the end of violence and repression; withdrawal of all FRY/Serbian forces; deployment of international civil and security presences in Kosovo; and return of refugees and displaced persons. The agreement also called for a political process, taking full account of the Rambouillet accords, to provide substantial self-government for Kosovo.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications for Cyprus of the recent rapprochement between Greece and Turkey after the earthquakes in their countries. [94415]

  Mr. Vaz
  We warmly welcome the recent improvement in relations between Greece and Turkey. We hope that it will contribute positively to international efforts, which the UK fully supports, to launch negotiations for a comprehensive Cyprus settlement under UN auspices this autumn.

  Burma
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration has been given to implementing sanctions against Burma under the provisions of Article 73g (2) of the EC Treaty of Rome; and if he will make a statement. [94605]

  Mr. Battle
  Article 60 (2) [ex Article 73g (2)] of the EC Treaty is not a power to implement sanctions but an exception to the rule that all restrictions on movement of capital and on payments between member states and member states and third countries (Article 56) should be prohibited: Article 60 (2) permits such measures in certain circumstances. There is limited power to implement unilateral sanctions under domestic legislation. There is an application for Judicial Review relating to the scope and meaning of Article 60 pending before the High Court. We are considering its position with regard to that application.

  Honorary British Consuls
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in which cities of(a) the EU and (b) applicant countries for EU membership his Department uses honorary British consuls. [94613]
  733
  Mr. Hain
  Honorary British Consuls are situated in EU member states in:

  France: Biarritz, Calais, Perpignan. Nates, Toulouse, Amiens, Boulogne-sur-Mer, Dunkirk, Nice, Montpellier,Cherbourg, St Malo-Dinard, Saumur.

  Germany: Bremen, Nurenberg, Hanover, Kiel.

  Belgium: Antwerp, Liege.

  Italy: Genoa, Venice, Bari, Cagliari, Turin, Trieste, Catania, Messina, Brindisi, Palermo.

  Spain: Vig, Santander, Menorca.

  Finland: Jyvaskyla, Kotka, Kuopio, Aland Islands, Oulu, Pori, Tampere, Turku, Vaasa.

  Austria: Bregenz, Salzburg, Graz.

  Sweden: Gothenburg, Sundsvall, Malmo.

  Portugal: Portimao.

  Greece: Kos, Patras, Rhodes, Salonika, Syros, Zakynthos.

  Honorary British Consuls are situated in EU applicant countries in:

  Poland: Kotowice, Poznan, Gdansk, Szczecin, Wroclaw.

  Hungary: Pecs.

  Rumania: Constanta.

  Bulgaria: Varna.

  Turkey: Antalya, Bodrum, Iskenderun, Izmir, Marmaris, Mersin.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many honorary British consuls there are world-wide; and if he will make a statement. [94611]

  Mr. Hain
  At present there are 248 Honorary British Consuls world-wide. They are prominent members of their local communities, who undertake their role in a voluntary capacity. They provide support and advice to the head of the British diplomatic mission in the host country, and act as a first port of call for British nationals in their district in need of consular assistance. Our Honorary Consuls constitute an important resource for the delivery of our consular services world-wide.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will issue a minimum of two flags to each honorary British consul to facilitate their cleaning; and if he will ensure their regular replacement consistent with maintaining them in good condition. [94612]

  Mr. Hain
  Honorary British Consuls are issued with a set of Union flags sufficient for the Consuls' needs, including spares. Guidance is also provided on the flying of the flags, and on how to requisition replacements. But if my hon. Friend has a particular post or problem in mind, I would be happy to respond to his concern.

  Belarus
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government are taking in respect of human rights violations in Belarus; and if he will make a statement. [94615]

  Mr. Vaz
  We raised our concerns about the human rights situation in Belarus most recently when First Deputy Foreign Minister Martynov met senior officials at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 8 October. The British Embassy in Minsk also has frequent contacts with human rights organisations and has supported projects designed to promote human rights in Belarus. The UK has also played a leading role in shaping EU policy towards Belarus, which stresses the need for improved human 734
  rights performance. The EU has called on the Belarusian authorities to investigate the recent disappearance of Viktor Gonchar, Deputy Chairman of the 13th Supreme Soviet, and all other cases in which politically active figures have disappeared. We also fully support the activities of the Advisory and Monitoring Group of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, whose mandate includes promoting compliance with other OSCE commitments, including in the human rights field.

  EU Treaty
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken by the President of the Commission of the European Union to appoint an advisory body on steps to be taken to prepare for a further union treaty; what consultations he has had with the President; and what United Kingdom appointment has been made to it. [94362]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Commission is not preparing next year's Inter-Governmental Conference, but it will present a formal IGC Opinion for member states to consider. Romano Prodi asked a Group under Jean-Luc Dehaene to feed ideas in to that Opinion. The Group published its Report on 18 October. Lord Simon sat on the Group, but he did so in a personal capacity, not as a representative of the United Kingdom. It is up to the Commission how it reacts to the recommendations in the Group's Report. I have had no contact with Mr. Prodi about this.

  MOD Electronic Test Facility
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations his Department has received from the Irish Government with regard to the Ministry of Defence's Electronic Test Facility formerly sited at the British Nuclear Fuels Ltd site at Capenhurst, Cheshire, since 1 July; when these representations were received; and from which Irish Government Departments. [93857]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 19 October 1999,Official Report, column 484.

  Consular Records
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for direct computer access by his Department's Consular Division in London to consular records on cases abroad; and if he will make a statement. [94803]

  Mr. Hain
  Modernisation of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's communications technology continues to evolve. At present there is direct e-mail access to almost all consular posts overseas, and delivery to the remainder is planned. There are no existing plans for direct access by the Consular Division to the consular data bases of overseas posts. The concept is under consideration, but it carries with it substantial resource and technical strategy implications.

  Foreign Policy Centre
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the role and activities of the Foreign Policy Centre
  735
  since its launch, with particular reference to its input into departmental policy; and what (a) financial and (b) other support his Department has provided. [95326]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  The Foreign Policy Centre is an independent organisation and has received no money from the Foreign Office. The Foreign Office welcomes ideas from outside organisations on all areas of its work. It is established practice for Foreign Office Officials and Ministers to have contact with policy institutes and NGOs, to consider their views when developing policy and to contribute to the debates initiated by them. Policy institutes and NGOs can also influence policy through their contributions to a wider public debate. The nature of these contacts means that it is not possible to assess the influence of one particular policy institute in isolation from other institutes and NGOs.

  Africa
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the(a) agenda and (b) conclusions of the Franco-British meetings with African delegations held in New York on 22 September; to what extent (i) EMU, (ii) European politics and (iii) security policy was discussed; and what future meetings are planned. [95220]

  Mr. Hain
  The following press release was issued after the meeting in New York on 22 September:"At the invitation of Britain and France, Foreign Ministers Robin Cook and Hubert Vedrine had a meeting in New York this morning with Amara Essy, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Cote d'Ivoire; Jean Ping, the Minister for External Affairs, Cooperation and Francophonie for Gabon; Alhaji Sule Lamido, the Minister for Foreign Affairs for Nigeria; and Adhi Bonaya Godana, the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Kenya.
  This meeting represents a further significant step forward in the efforts of Britain and France to develop, with African partners, joint strategies for cooperations on the continent.
  The meeting focused on the current crises affecting the African continent and on how all concerned could join together to help resolve them.
  It was agreed that Africans and Europeans must work more closely together to address the challenges facing the continent. Participants underlined the importance of vigorous joint action to end conflict, tackle poverty, debt and AIDS, promote good governance, and boost trade and investment.
  All welcomed the opportunity for discussion and agreed on the usefulness of further harmonising the African and European perspectives. The Ministers agreed that further discussions between UK, French and African Permanent Representatives in New York would enable the dialogue to be continued and deepened. They further agreed that their countries would work together whenever possible on issues of mutual interest before the Security Council."

  French and British officials are working on the practicalities of another meeting.

  Libya
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards maintenance of an EU arms embargo against Libya. [95250]

  Mr. Hain
  Libya has taken a number of important steps towards reintegration with the international community, not least of which was the handing over for trial of the two Libyans accused of involvement in the Lockerbie bombing. In recognition of these developments, the UN 736
  has suspended its sanctions against Libya. The EU, with UK support, has lifted most of its own sanctions, but decided, for now, to retain the arms embargo. EU member states will review this decision regularly.

  Sierra Leone
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Sierra Leone Contact Group meeting on 27 and 28 July. [95300]

  Mr. Hain
  The third Sierra Leone Contact Group meeting on 28 July continued Britain's leading role in encouraging international support for the people of Sierra Leone. Participants welcomed the signature of the Lome Peace Agreement, and committed themselves to work towards lasting peace in Sierra Leone. Following a presentation by President Kabbah, the meeting agreed priorities for the future, and an action plan for the Government of Sierra Leone, the rebels and the international community. Welcome progress has since been made on a number of the priorities identified.

  At the meeting, Britain announced further help for building lasting peace and democracy in Sierra Leone.

  Copies of the Contact Group Concluding Statement are being placed in the House of Commons Library; it is also available on the FCO website (www.fco.gov.uk).

  Tunisia
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has received an invitation to send independent observers to Tunisia to scrutinise the presidential and legislative elections arranged for 24 October. [95096]

  Mr. Hain
  No but we would of course consider one.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last discussed with the Tunisian Government the question of democracy and human rights in that country. [95095]

  Mr. Hain
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has not yet met his Tunisian counterpart or any senior member of the Tunisian Government. He hopes to do so in the near future. I last met the Tunisian Ambassador on 6 September. We had a wide-ranging discussion, including the human rights situation in Tunisia. I hope to visit Tunis before too long.

  Tanzania
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Tanzanian Government about Hutu militia operating from its territory. [95226]

  Mr. Hain
  I discussed the security situation in the Burundi/Tanzania border area with the Tanzanian Foreign and Defence Ministers during my visit to Tanzania (14-15 October). The Government of Tanzania deny providing support of any kind to Hutu militia groups, and are making efforts to improve security in the border region in western Tanzania where the refugee camps are located.

  Colombia
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the proposals contained in the Plan Colombia. [95287]

  Mr. Battle
  Plan Colombia was presented at UNGA by President Pastrana. It is intended to highlight the Colombian Government's future strategy. The key proposals are:

  i) an economic strategy, using fiscal and financial austerity measures to re-establish Colombia's position in international markets;

  ii) a drugs strategy, aiming to reduce cultivation and distribution by half over six years. The strategy is to have full regard for human rights;

  iii) strategy for democracy and social development, focusing on human rights, reduction of judicial impunity, forced displacement of communities, alternative crops to drug cultivation, the environment and training of local leaders;

  iv) the peace strategy, with recognition of the role of civil society and the need for an effective presence of the army and police in all parts of Colombia;

  v) the role of the international community, which could participate in the peace process as mediator and verifier. The international community should also condemn terrorist acts and human rights violations.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the Colombian peace process. [95286]

  Mr. Battle
  We support the Colombian Government's efforts to bring peace and stability to Colombia. We hope that the latest round of peace talks, which are due to start again on 24 October, will lead Colombia towards a lasting solution to its internal conflict.

  Sudan
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received from Southern Sudan regarding the activities of the Arab militia. [95239]

  Mr. Hain
  We continue to receive reports from UN agencies and other NGOs working in the field of military activity conducted by a variety of militia groups in southern Sudan.

  During October, both the Government of Sudan and the SPLA made further ceasefire commitments. We shall continue to promote the cause of peace in Sudan.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made with peace talks to end the civil war in Sudan. [95238]

  Mr. Hain
  The Government have continued to devote considerable effort to the peace process in the Sudan and has been an active member of the IGAD Partners Forum (IPF). On 20 October, the IPF agreed on the terms of reference and budget for their proposal for a permanent peace Secretariat in Nairobi. This will have as its objective a sustained and accelerated negotiation and a Special Envoy has already been appointed. We will contribute financially to the running of the Secretariat and will remain in close contact with the Special Envoy and all the parties in order to support the peace process in any way we can. I met the special envoy two weeks ago in Nairobi to discuss progress.
  738
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received from Southern Sudan regarding progress with the oil pipeline due to be operational in July. [95240]

  Mr. Hain
  The oil pipeline was formally opened on 30 August by President Bashir. On 19 September, an explosion east of Atbara damaged the pipeline but I understand that it was quickly repaired.

  Arms Exports
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions the UK has initiated consultations on an export licence which has been denied by another member state under the consultation arrangements specified in the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports; what were the outcomes of these consultations; on how many occasions other member states have initiated consultations on export licences which have been denied by the United Kingdom; and what were the outcomes of these consultations. [95644]

  Mr. Hain
  Operative Provision 4 of the EU Code of Conduct states:"Member states will keep … consultations [under the Code] confidential".

  We interpret this as including the outcomes of such consultations.

  The first annual report on the operation of the Code of Conduct, which has been published in the Official Journal of the European Communities, records that between June 1998, when the Code was adopted, and September 1999, the UK was involved in seven bilateral discussions concerning denials issued either by the UK or by other member states. Several of these discussions focused on whether a proposed export was essentially identical to that covered by a denial notification, although in some cases there was also a substantive exchange of views on the proposed export. We would not therefore characterise all of these discussions as formal consultations under the Code of Conduct.

  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which UK officials are participating in the implementation of the EU code of Conduct on Arms Exports; what progress was made at the review meeting on 21 September in Brussels; and if he will make a statement. [95690]

  Mr. Hain
  The EU Code of Conduct establishes criteria which are to be applied to export licence applications covering all goods on the UK Military List, and dual-use goods where there are grounds for believing that the end-user will be the armed forces or internal security forces. Licences to export arms and other goods whose export is controlled for strategic reasons are issued by the Trade and Industry Secretary acting through the Export Control Organisation of the Department of Trade and Industry, which circulates all relevant applications to other Departments with an interest, as determined by those Departments in line with their policy responsibilities, including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Ministry of Defence and the Department of International Development. All of the above Departments therefore have a role in implementing the Code of Conduct.
  739
  Lead responsibility for policy issues relating to the Code of Conduct rests with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, which consults other interested Departments as necessary, including those listed above.

  The meeting of the CFSP Working Group on Conventional Arms Exports (COARM) on 21 September agreed the text of the first annual report on the operation of the Code of Conduct since its adoption on 8 June 1998. The report summarises member states' experiences of the Code, and gives a detailed account of practical steps taken to support the operation of the Code and priorities for future action. A meeting of the Council of Ministers on 11 October took note of the report and decided to publish it in the Official Journal of the European Communities.

  Departmental Twinning
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many requests there have been to his Department for placement of officials from Central, East European and CIS states as twins of his officials; how many such officials have been accepted as twins; and from which countries(a) those who were accepted and (b) those who were not accepted came. [93995]

  Mr. Vaz
  We are aware of the following attachments from Central, East European and CIS States to UK Government Departments this year:

  Czech Republic
  One official from the Ministry of the Interior's Refugee Department on a two-week work placement at Heathrow Airport. Three officials from the Environmental Inspectorate on a study visit to Heathrow, looking at protection of endangered species. Two Government human rights officials on a two-week work placement at the Commission for Racial Equality.

  Estonia
  The Head of the European Union Department was attached to the European Union Department (External) (EUDE) in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) from 12-23 April.

  Hungary
  The Head of the EU Political Relations Department was attached to the Common Foreign and Security Policy Department (CFSPD) in the FCO for one week in September.

  Latvia
  The Head of the EU Policy Division was attached to EUD(E) in the FCO from 7-18 June. The Acting Head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Policy Planning Group will undertake a short secondment to CFSPD in the FCO in November/December.

  Lithuania
  One official attached to CFSPD in the FCO from 15-26 February.

  Poland
  One environmental official currently on a five-month secondment to the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR).

  Romania
  One official attached to the FCO for three days in Spring I999.

  Russia
  One official from the Ministry of the Economy attached to the DETR for four weeks in April/May. Two officials attached to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for 3-4 weeks (all organised by the Civil Service College as part of the EU TACIS programme).
  740
  Slovakia
  One official attached to CFSPD in the FCO for 2-3 weeks in May.

  Slovenia
  Two officials attached to the FCO, one from 19-23 April and one from 6-17 September. One official on a one-month fact-finding mission to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) in early summer.
  We are not aware of any requests for attachments that were not accepted.

  South Eastern Europe Table
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the(a) UK and (b) other representatives on the South Eastern Europe Regional Table and Working Tables on (i) democratisation and human rights, (ii) economic reconstruction and (iii) security issues; what timetable and action plans have been devised for meetings of these groups; who will be the chairs of the individual tables; and if he will make a statement. [95691]

  Mr. Vaz
  The UK's representatives at the first Stability Pact Working Table meetings were as follows:

  (i) Democratisation and Human Rights—Our delegation was led by the Head of the Foreign Office Information Department (to present the UK's proposal for a Media Charter) with support from Eastern Adriatic Department at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. There were also delegates from the Department for International Development and our delegation to the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in Vienna.

  (ii) Economic Reconstruction—Our delegation was led by a representative from Economic Policy Department at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. There were also representatives from the Foreign Office Eastern Adriatic Department and from the Department for International Development.

  (iii) Security Issues—Representatives from the Foreign Office's Eastern Adriatic Department and, for the Justice and Home Affairs Sub-Table, from Human Rights Policy Department within the FCO.

  Attendance at Working Table meetings is flexible and appropriate experts will be called upon as necessary.

  Other representatives at the three Working Tables are from Foreign Ministries and other government experts from full Participants, Facilitators and Observers to the Stability Pact.

  The Work Plan for the Pact was agreed at the first Regional Table meeting on 16 September. All three Working Tables met in the first half of October. They are all due to meet again end January/early February 2000.

  The Chairs of the individual Tables are:
  Democracy and Human Rights—Max van der Stoel (OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities)
  Economic Reconstruction—Fabrizio Saccomanni (Director General for International Affairs, Central Bank of Italy)
  Security Issues—Jan Eliasson (State Secretary, Foreign Ministry of Sweden)

  The United Kingdom remains committed to the Stability Pact as a force for co-operation, change and peace in the region. We look forward to concrete progress following the Working Table meetings, but impetus must come from the countries of the region.

  Kosovo
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many have been arrested in Kosovo for crimes against Serbian civilians since NATO liberated Kosovo. [94933]

  Mr. Vaz
  Specific figures for those arrested for crimes against Serbian civilians since NATO liberated Kosovo are not currently available from UNMIK.

  I can disclose that 200 individuals are currently in prison for committing various crimes. The ethnic breakdown of those individuals is: 1 Montenegrin, 1 Macedonian, 1 Bosniac, 4 Roma, 36 Serbs and 157 Albanians.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent murder of a UN official in Kosovo; and if any arrests have been made over the crime. [94934]

  Mr. Vaz
  We wholeheartedly condemn the recent murder of UN worker Valentin Krumov. There can be no excuse or justification for such acts of violence. The death of a UN employee just starting his work to contribute to the reconstruction of Kosovo is particularly tragic.

  We join our international colleagues in calling for swift action to bring those responsible to justice. The forces of law and order in Kosovo under the direction of the United Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK) have launched an investigation which is on-going. I can therefore give no further details at this stage.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what steps NATO has taken to make clear that Serbs have a settled future in Kosovo; and if steps will be taken to encourage Serbian civilians to stay there; [94936]

  (2) what action is being taken by NATO in Kosovo to protect the lives of civilian Serbs. [94935]

  Mr. Vaz
  The NATO-led international force in Kosovo, KFOR, has from the beginning of its deployment tried to persuade Serb citizens in Kosovo to remain in the province. KFOR troops, as part of their routine duties, maintain close contact with Serb citizens in Kosovo in order to help deter any violence against them, and so encourage them to remain.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Education Spending
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the levels of spending on education per head of population in(a) Staffordshire and (b) each other county of England (i) in the current year and (ii) in each of the last three years. [94014]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  A table has been placed in the Library giving information by each county in England from 1996 onwards.

  Accurate information per head of population is not available for each of the years requested. Information has, therefore, been provided on the basis of expenditure per pupil.

  Key Stages 2 and 3
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many schools made representations to him in favour of revising the dates announced in June 1998 for the year 2000 statutory test dates for Key Stages 2 and 3; [94910]

  (2) what date he decided to alter the dates announced in June 1998 for the year 2000 statutory tests for Key Stages 2 and 3; and on what date the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority issued Circular 040/99. [94911]

  Jacqui Smith
  Since the original test dates were published, a number of schools and some Local Education Authorities have made representations to the Department for Education and Employment and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority in favour of revising the test dates for Key Stage 2 and 3 in 2000. David Hart, General Secretary of the National Association of Headteachers, supported the decision to move the test dates, recognising that the Government were responding positively to the genuine concerns of his members.

  The decision to put back both the Key Stage 2 and 3 test dates by one week in the year 2000, was made on 14 July. Schools were notified by Circular 040/99 issued by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority on 16 July which reached schools by 20 July.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many schools have been granted a timetable variation in respect of the year 2000 statutory test dates for(a) Key Stage 2 and (b) Key Stage 3; which alternative weeks have been offered to those schools; and how many schools have been offered which alternative weeks; [94909]

  (2) how many schools have applied for a timetable variation for the year 2000 statutory test dates for (a) Key Stage 2 and (b) Key Stage 3 which were announced in circular 040/99 in July; and how many of those applications have been agreed by the Qualifications Curriculum Authority. [94912]

  Jacqui Smith
  This is a matter for the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member and to place a copy of his letter in the Library.

  New Deal
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the amount spent per head of the population in Lancashire on the New Deal since its introduction. [94188]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 19 October 1999]: Almost £6.75 million has been spent in the county of Lancashire, for the New Deal for Young People, aged 18-24, and the New Deal for those aged 25 plus, between April 1998 and 31 August 1999.

  A total of 6,896 people entered into the New Deal for Young People and 2,232 people entered into the New Deal for those aged 25 plus to the end of July 1999 and on 31 July 1999.
  743
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if people who leave the New Deal without a job are listed as long-term unemployed if they were listed as long-term unemployed before they entered the New Deal. [94189]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 19 October 1999]: New Deal exists to get long-term unemployed people off benefit and into work. New Deal for Young People has been successful in doing this for 135,000 young people. In those cases where a young person reaches the end of their New Deal option and has still not obtained a job, they will enter a follow-through period and start a new claim to Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) whilst engaging in intensive job search activity with the assistance of their personal adviser. In these specific cases, unemployment duration is calculated from the date they returned to JSA.

  Participants in the New Deal for Long-Term Unemployed People aged 25 plus who remain on JSA throughout will remain classed as long-term unemployed on leaving New Deal. If a jobseeker has an interruption to their claim, such as a period in subsidised employment or on Work-Based Learning for Adults, then their unemployment duration is calculated from the date they returned to JSA.

  National Training Organisations
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of(a) the costs of setting up and (b) the annual running costs of the United Kingdom network of national training organisations; and what proportion of these costs will be carried within public funds. [94823]

  Mr. Wicks
  Since 1997 the Department has spent £151,854 on the independent panel assessing bids from organisations seeking to become national training organisations (NTOs). The Department does not hold complete information on the running costs of NTOs, most of which are met by employers, and is therefore unable to calculate the proportion of these costs carried within public funds.

  Mathematics and Science Teachers
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his reply of 27 July 1999,Official Report, column 180, on mathematics and science teachers, when he plans to write to the hon. Member for Hertsmere. [94918]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The package of measures announced in October 1998 will affect teachers in the year 1999–2000. Information relating to returning teachers in 1999–2000 will not be published until the latter part of 2001. Copies of the relevant publications will be laid in the House of Commons Library.

  Class Sizes
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the educational impact of class sizes of 41 or more. [94924]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Evidence from Ofsted and others has shown that it is at Key Stage 1 that class size is most important, and that is why we have pledged to 744
  reduce the size of infant classes. Limiting the size of classes to 40 would have very little impact, whereas our pledge will ensure that all children benefit from infant classes of 30 or below. We are well on course to meet our pledge by September 2001 at the latest. More generally, the average size of classes taught by one teacher in all schools in England went down between January 1998 and January 1999, from 24.9 to 24.8.

  Youth Service
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he expects to publish a Green Paper on the Youth Service. [95077]

  Mr. Wicks
  We have recently carried out a broad consultation exercise, announced in the Social Exclusion Unit's report "Bridging the Gap", about the establishment of a new service to provide support to young people. The key aim of this service will be to create a comprehensive support structure for all young people in the 13-19 age group. It will build mainly on what is currently undertaken by the Careers Service, parts of the Youth Service and a range of other specialist agencies. We will consider the role the Youth Service will play within the new structure in the light of the consultation responses.

  English SATs
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what were the qualifying marks for Level 4 of the Key Stage 2 English SATs in the last three years. [95101]

  Jacqui Smith
  The qualifying marks for Level 4 of the Key Stage 2 English SATs in the last three years were 1999–48 marks, 1998–51 marks and 1997–52 marks.

  The level thresholds are the number of marks needed to achieve a specific level in the National Curriculum tests at Key Stages 2 and 3. The level setting procedures are the final stage of the test development process. The level-setting exercise is in two stages and draws on statistical data, from pre-testing and from a sample of live tests, and expert judgments made by test developers, teachers and markers concerning the difficulty of the test and the quality of pupils answers.

  The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority (QCA) is responsible for setting and maintaining the standards in the tests, and the level thresholds are designed to ensure that standards remain constant from year to year. For this reason the thresholds do not normally remain the same each year but change in response to the relative difficulty of the tests. They have changed in every year since the tests started in 1995.

  In view of debate over the level thresholds this year, the Secretary of State for Education and Employment established an independent panel, with cross-party representation nominated by the shadow Secretary of State for Education and Employment and the Liberal Democrats' education spokesman.

  The independent panel reported their findings in July. The panel was convinced that the concerns about the arrangements for setting, and maintaining the standards of the tests were without foundation. It was their view that the current method of setting standards for the National

  745
  Curriculum tests appears to be the most rigorous standard-setting procedure in use in any educational tests anywhere in the country and that our system of national tests is well in advance of many, if not all, of our international counterparts.

  Student Drop-out Rates
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many students dropped out of their courses of higher education in each of the past five years; what proportion this represents of the student population; and what is the variation in the drop-out rate between institutions. [94946]

  Mr. Wicks
  The available information is full-time and sandwich first degree non-completion rates for the UK, and is published in the Departmental Annual Report. It is as follows:

  UK1full-time and sandwich first degree non-completion rates

  Percentage

  Non-completion2

  1993–94

  17-18

  1994–95

  17-18

  1995–96

  18-19

  1The institutional coverage of the non-completion rates is restricted to the former UFC-funded universities in the UK and former polytechnics in England.

  2"Non-completion" covers all those leaving degree courses because of exam failure, ill health, personal and other reasons. It includes those switching to a lower level course but it excludes students transferring between degree courses or subjects.

  Ranges are given because the introduction of a new data source in 1994–95 made it difficult to measure non-completion, under existing definitions, accurately. For the same reason, it has not yet been possible to calculate accurate non-completion rates for later years than 1995–96. "Non-completion" covers those who leave full-time and sandwich first degree courses for various reasons, including exam failure, but students who failed their final examinations are not separately identified. The Department is currently working with the higher education funding bodies in the UK to calculate sector-level non-completion rates which will be extended to cover all UK higher education institutions, and which take into account the wider variety of patterns of attendance of students, including changing courses or institutions, repeating years or leaving higher education for a year or more before continuing their studies.

  In addition, information on student progression for individual higher education institutions in the UK is due to appear in the Higher Education Funding Council for England's "Higher Education Performance Indicators" later in the year.

  New Qualifications
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what response he has sent to proposals from the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority for a new qualification framework at degree level. [94944]

  Mr. Wicks
  The independent Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education published a consultative paper on Higher Education Qualifications Frameworks on 746
  18 October, requesting responses by 20 December. The Department has received copies of the paper and will be considering whether to comment.

  School Playing Fields
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what representations he has received about creating a national register of school playing fields. [95186]

  Jacqui Smith
  The Department has received representations from both the National Playing Fields Association (NPFA) and the Central Council of Physical Recreation (CCPR) about creating a national register of playing fields, including school playing fields. Sport England, with the support of the Department for Culture, Media, and Sport, the NPFA and the CCPR, have been working with local authorities on a suitable model for a register which can be used by local authorities to undertake assessments of all playing field need and provision in their area, including school playing fields.

  Literacy Hour
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many members of the People's Panel responded to the recent research on the Literacy Hour; how many of those were parents with primary school-age children; and if he will publish the questions asked on the Literacy Hour. [95103]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  1,003 responded to the question on the literacy hour, of which 160 had children aged 5-10 in the household.

  Fuller results are published on the internet (www.servicefirst.gov.uk).

  Student Mentors
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many students will be recruited as student mentors; what will be their terms and conditions of employment; if it will be subject to the consent of the higher education institutions in which they are enrolled; and if such appointments will be subject to competitive selection procedures, prior or in-course training and independent evaluation of performance. [94947]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  A pilot project of student mentoring is to be trialled in secondary schools in a number of Education Action Zones. About 600 students from six volunteer universities will be working as mentors, contracted on an annual basis to provide up to 120 hours of mentoring per year. They will be supervised and supported by their universities. There will be a rigorous selection process for mentors, including one-to-one interviews and accredited training. The project will be subject to independent evaluation.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Departmental Twinning
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many requests there have been to his Department for placement of officials
  747
  from Central, East European and CIS states as twins of his officials; how many such officials have been accepted as twins; and from which countries (a) those who were accepted and (b) those who were not accepted came. [93996]

  Jane Kennedy
  I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer given today by the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz).

  Paddington Train Crash
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if the Lord Chancellor intends to exercise his powers under section 71 of the Access to Justice Act 1999 in relation to the Paddington train crash. [95107]

  Jane Kennedy
  Section 71 of the Access to Justice Act 1999 is not yet in force. The Lord Chancellor is considering when the section should be implemented and whether it will apply to the inquiry chaired by Lord Cullen into the Paddington train crash.

  Equal Opportunities
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if an action plan for increasing the representation of women in public life has been(a) prepared by his Department and (b) published since November 1998. [94842]

  Jane Kennedy
  I refer the hon. Member to the written answer given today by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office.

HEALTH

  Insulin Injectors and Pens
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when pen needles for diabetics' insulin injectors will become available on the NHS; and if he will make a statement. [94425]

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what decision he has reached about his proposal to prevent pre-filled insulin injection pen systems being available on prescription for diabetics; [95105]

  (2) what estimate he has made of the amount that would be saved by the NHS if pre-filled insulin injection pen systems were no longer available to diabetics on prescription; and if he will publish a cost-benefit analysis of the proposal. [95106]

  Mr. Denham
  We have consulted on proposals which would include allowing insulin pen needles to be prescribed by general practitioners on the National Health Service. We have received representations from most of the organisations consulted. We are considering them, and are seeking clarification on certain points before we make our final decisions.

  PFIs (Lancashire)
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many private finance initiatives are currently in operation within the Health Service in Lancashire. [94185]
  748
  Mr. Denham
  [holding answer 19 October 1999]: There are four schemes at various stages of preparation. They are at Bay Community National Health Service Trust; Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley Health Care NHS Trust (two schemes); and Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde Community NHS Trust.

  Single-sex Wards
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what progress has been made in achieving single-sex wards in psychiatric units to the extent that there are no male patients anywhere in women-only wards; [94355]

  (2) if all new psychiatric in-patient units are being constructed on the basis of the segregation of the sexes. [94356]

  Mr. Hutton
  The National Health Service Executive has a clear objective to work towards the elimination of mixed sex accommodation in 95 per cent. of health authority areas by the year 2002. The NHS Executive has set three national objectives:to ensure that appropriate organisational arrangements are in place
  to secure good standards of privacy and dignity;
  to fully achieve the current Patient's Charter standard for segregated washing and toilet facilities across the NHS;
  to provide safe facilities for patients in hospital who are mentally ill, which safeguards their privacy and dignity.

  For the third objective, the latest progress report indicates that 56 per cent. of health authorities expect to achieve this by the end of 1999. 97 per cent. of health authorities expect to meet it by 2002.

  We will shortly publish new guidance for mental health units to reinforce earlier guidance designed to ensure the privacy, safety and dignity of patients. This guidance will also help to ensure that new NHS buildings will be constructed on the basis of having segregated accommodation for male and female patients.

  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will define single-sex wards in relation to(a) sleeping, (b) washing, (c) eating and (d) socialising facilities. [94357]

  Mr. Denham
  Single-sex accommodation in hospitals is defined by compliance with the Government's national objectives to secure good standards of privacy and dignity for patients, to ensure that washing and toilet facilities are segregated and to provide safe facilities for the mentally ill.

  Skin Cancer Campaign
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of schools in each health authority agreed to participate in the Health Education Authority's skin cancer campaign, Sun Know How. [94059]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Health Education Authority (HEA) has produced sun safety guidelines for schools including a good practice guide on the use of sunscreens. Although the authority does not at present hold statistics on the percentage of schools in each health authority that participated in the Sun Know How campaign, representatives of around 80 per cent. of health and local authorities receive comprehensive support, including training, resources and policy advice.
  749
  In 1999, the HEA supported the first ever Sun Care for Schools campaign which aims to raise awareness of sun protection and make reduced price sunscreen available to schools. To date, 110 local education authorities in England support the campaign, with over 3,000 schools taking part, reaching over six million school children.

  Emergency Contraception
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has issued to general practitioners regarding prescribing of emergency contraception prospectively. [93877]

  Yvette Cooper
  There is no guidance to general practitioners dealing exclusively with the advance prescribing of hormonal emergency contraception. This is a matter for clinical judgment. The responsibility for deciding what treatment is best for the patient rests with the doctors concerned, in consultation with the patient and informed by the patient's history.

  Health Development Agency
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the proposed Health Development Agency will be established. [93872]

  Yvette Cooper
  We are currently considering options for establishing a new Health Development Agency and succeed the Health Education Authority. However, we anticipate that the Health Development Agency will be launched early in the New Year, subject to parliamentary approval.

  Benzodiazepine
  Mr. Woolas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will establish respite care and detoxification units for people who are addicted to benzodiazepine drugs. [93727]

  Yvette Cooper
  Decisions about the commissioning of drug treatment services are made locally by health and local authorities on the basis of local need. Assessment of the need for specialist services, such as particular services for users of benzodiazepines, should inform these commissioning decisions.

  Bovine Tuberculosis
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Government routinely record the occupation of people in whom infection with bovine tuberculosis is identified. [94536]

  Yvette Cooper
  Information on the occupation of individuals notified with tuberculosis in England and Wales is sought on the standard notification form. This information is used locally.

  Reports of M. Bovis infections are collated by the Public Health Laboratory Service Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre as part of a scheme called in the UK Mycobacterial Resistance Network (Mycobnet). On receipt of a report of M. bovis infection, a questionnaire is sent to the local consultant in communicable disease control inquiring, among other things, about whether the individual had an agricultural occupation (including working on a farm) or other animal contact.
  750
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of human tuberculosis and bovine tuberculosis were confirmed in humans in 1997 and 1998. [94535]

  Yvette Cooper
  A total of 5,859 cases of tuberculosis were notified in England and Wales in 1997 and 6,087 in 1998. 3,229 and 3,456 respectively were microbiologically confirmed. Of these confirmed cases, 29 cases in 1997 were due to M. bovis infection and 32 cases in 1998.

  Social Workers
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will include in the code of conduct for the General Social Care Council a requirement to establish and publish plans for monitoring the extent of(a) violence and (b) stress experienced by social workers, and to recommend to Government what action is necessary to minimise such pressures on social workers. [94721]

  Mr. Hutton
  We are determined to reduce substantially the incidence of violence towards everyone working in social care. We have set up a task force to produce a National Action Plan by November 2000 with recommendations and timescales for action to reduce violence against social care staff and to promote the safety and welfare of social care workers. We will also ensure that in drawing up its code of practice for employers the General Social Care Council includes practical references to dealing with violence.

  Oxfordshire Health Reorganisation
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to make an announcement on the proposals by Oxfordshire health authority for reorganisation of community health facilities in Oxfordshire and the Bicester community hospital. [94939]

  Mr. Denham
  We fully recognise the concerns of the local community on such an important issue.

  We are carefully considering all options before reaching a final decision on the future arrangements for community hospitals in Oxfordshire and the future of Bicester Community Hospital.

  Latex Allergy
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to encourage greater awareness of allergy to latex among(a) health professionals and (b) the general public; and what research in' this area he is supporting. [94949]

  Mr. Denham
  The Department is aware of the problems associated with latex allergy for patients and healthcare workers in the National Health Service. The NHS Executive has recently issued guidance to all NHS trusts and health authorities on reducing the risk of allergic reaction to latex. This follows recommendations made to the Health Service in 1996 (Medical Devices Agency DB9601) which was re-issued with further advice in 1998 (Medical Devices Agency SN9825). The Department is an active participant in the European Commission Working Group which is investigating issues surrounding the use of medical devices made of latex and is also funding a study into the prevention of occupational skin disease in the workplace.

  Beta Interferon
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to fund further clinical trails of beta interferon if NICE were to recommend them. [95157]

  Mr. Denham
  Each case will be considered on its merits, but the presumption will be that research which is reasonably required to assess the clinical and cost effectiveness of products for use in the NHS should be funded by the relevant company. Under certain circumstances, some funding from the public sector may be appropriate, for example where there is no clear sponsoring company for an intervention to be appraised by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence. The Department will make sure that, under such circumstances, any research falling to the public purse is taken forward by the appropriate body.

  National Institute for Clinical Excellence
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the responses to the consultation on the paper, "Faster access to modern treatment", on(a) the composition of the NICE appraisal group and (b) the format of NICE guidance. [95182]

  Mr. Denham
  Some 75 respondents to the discussion paper "Faster access to modern treatment" commented on aspects of the composition of the appraisal group and 25 on the format of the guidance. We are unable to list individual respondents since the invitation to comment did not seek permission for the detailed nature of the responses to be made public.

  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the groups that represent the interests of the disabled that are on the advisory body of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence. [R] [95705]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Partners' Council of the National Institute for Clinical Excellence has representatives from the following eight organisations:

  Association of Community Health Councils for England and Wales

  Carers National Association

  Long Term Medical Conditions Alliance

  Patients Association

  Wales Council for Voluntary Action

  Association of Welsh Community Health Councils

  The Relatives Association

  National Consumer Council.

  A further four members of the Partners' Council are patient representatives, chosen for their experience and expertise as either patients or carers. The Institute's board of directors has two non-executive members who have special interest in the needs of carers.

  Child Migrants
  Mr. Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what plans he has to review the eligibility criteria for former child migrants as to their entitlement to support for(a) air fares and (b) living allowance; [95155]

  (2) what plans he has to allow former child migrants whose nearest living relatives are cousins to qualify for support to return to the United Kingdom. [95156]
  752
  Mr. Hutton
  The eligibility criteria for access to the Support Fund are kept under regular review. Demand is currently running at a level which suggests that the Fund will be fully subscribed with the current criteria, which are designed to give priority to reuniting close family members.

  Extending the scheme to others (including those wishing to meet cousins) would substantially enlarge its scope and would mean that there might be insufficient funding available to help this priority group. We do not therefore at present have any plans to amend the criteria.

  Demand on the Fund will however continue to be closely monitored and should it appear that the Fund will not be fully subscribed, we will consider whether revised criteria might be appropriate.

  Residential Accommodation (Elderly People)
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his proposals for reforming the funding of residential accommodation for the elderly. [93758]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Royal Commission on Long-Term Care was asked to examine the options for funding long-term care, including residential care for elderly people. We are carefully considering the Royal Commission's proposals, the divergences of view within the Royal Commission and the comments that have been made by various organisations and individuals. We will make an announcement in due course.

  Foster Care Standards
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he will be taking to ensure that independent fostering agencies are inspected against the recently introduced National Standards in Foster Care in order to ensure the safety and protection of vulnerable children likely to be placed with such agencies. [95528]

  Mr. Hutton
  As we announced in the White Paper "Modernising Social Services", independent fostering agencies (IFAs) will be brought into the regulatory framework and will have to be registered and inspected by the new Commissions for Care Standards (CCSs). This will of course be subject to the introduction of appropriate legislation. The National Standards for Foster Care will be used as a basis for developing new regulatory standards for the CCSs. As an interim measure the Department is planning to introduce a voluntary accreditation scheme for IFAs.

  Sponsorship
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued to those health professionals that are sponsored or paid by commercial organisations in relation to declaring an interest when recommending products. [R] [95702]

  Mr. Denham
  Guidance on standards of business conduct for National Health Service staff including when to declare an interest when recommending products is set out in Health Service Guidance (93)5. More recently, Executive Letter (96)12 was issued on 16 February 1996 again reminding National Health Service employers of the importance of avoiding potential conflicts of interest.
  753
  Copies of these documents are available in the Library. The National Health Service Executive is currently consulting on new guidelines.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  National Lottery
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what amount of money is currently held in the National Lottery distribution fund which has not been allocated to Lottery distributors. [95142]

  Kate Hoey
  None. All of the money held in the National Lottery Distribution Fund is allocated to Lottery distributors.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if he will list those parties which have applied for the new licence to operate the National Lottery; [95141]

  (2) if he will make a statement on progress towards appointing a contractor to operate the new licence to run the National Lottery. [95139]

  Kate Hoey
  Responsibility for appointing the operator for the new National Lottery licence rests with the Lottery regulator, the National Lottery Commission. The Commission issued a draft Invitation to Apply for the new licence and a draft licence on 30 September 1999 and invited comments from potential bidders. The Commission aims to issue the final Invitation to Apply and a revised draft licence by the end of November 1999. Bidders will be asked to submit Letters of Intent by 7 January 2000. The deadline for applications is noon on 29 February 2000.

  No applications have yet been received for the new licence.

  British Library
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the appointment of a chief executive at the British Library. [95146]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The British Library Board intends to appoint a new Chief Executive next year and will shortly be issuing an advertisement for the post. My Department will be closely involved in the appointment.

  Tourism
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent representations he has received regarding proposals to introduce a rating system for visitor attractions; and if he will make a statement. [95143]

  Janet Anderson
  I have received representations from the Historic Houses Association regarding its concerns about a scheme in the West Country and rumours of a national scheme.
  754
  The Government are concerned to maintain and improve standards of quality in visitor attractions but there are no plans to introduce a national rating system for visitor attractions.

  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of visits to UK tourist attractions in each year since 1991; and what his estimate is for 1999. [95205]

  Janet Anderson
  The number of visits to UK attractions since 1991 is estimated as follows:

  millions

  Year

  Number of visits

  1991

  333

  1992

  357

  1993

  367

  1994

  387

  1995

  392

  1996

  402

  1997

  409

  1998

  408

  Source:

  Sightseeing in the UK, English Tourism Council

  Data for 1999 are not yet available.

  Statistics for different years are not always comparable, because the number of attractions whose figures have been included has varied over the years, reflecting survey developments and the growth in the number of attractions.

  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the balance of payments surplus or deficit on tourism(a) in each year since 1995 and (b) for 1999. [95204]

  Janet Anderson
  Data from the International Passenger Survey show the following balance of payments for tourism in the period from 1995 to August 1999:

  £ millions

  Exports

  Imports

  Balance

  1995

  11,763

  15,386

  -3,623

  1996

  12,290

  16,223

  -3,933

  1997

  12,244

  16,931

  -4,687

  1998

  12,671

  19,489

  -6,818

  19991

  8,625

  14,290

  -5,665

  1 First 8 months

  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the DETR regarding the impact on tourism of the dualling of the remainder of the A30 in Cornwall. [95194]

  Janet Anderson
  When I visited Cornwall in August, the dualling of the A30 between Bodmin and India Queens was raised with me on a number of occasions. I know that this road improvement is regarded as crucial to the development of tourism in the county, where we are investing heavily through Objective 1, Assisted Area grants and in a major Millennium project. I raised the matter with Lord Whitty at DETR on my return.

  Lord Whitty informed me that the Highways Agency has recently awarded a new commission appointing consultants for the scheme which will enable development work to start straight away. It is hoped that a public

  755
  consultation will take place later this year and that a solution which will benefit tourism in Cornwall will follow.

  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had about tourism courses in(a) higher education and (b) further education. [95202]

  Janet Anderson
  We have regular discussions with other Government Departments, tourism and hospitality bodies and relevant National Training Organisations, (in particular the Travel, Tourism Services and Events National Training Organisation and the Hospitality Training Foundation, the National Training Organisation for the hospitality industry) about the provision of tourism-related courses in both higher and further education.

  National Arts Day
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will support plans to create a National Arts Day. [95131]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  We are prepared to consider lending support to any practical and worthwhile project that would make a real contribution to our goal of bringing the benefits of the arts to the greatest number of people.

  Overseas Visitors
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the reasons for recent trends in the number of overseas visitors to the United Kingdom. [95140]

  Janet Anderson
  Since 1996, the number of visits from EU residents has been fairly constant; there has been a notable decline in visits from Asia and the Pacific, while the number of visits from the USA has risen sharply.

  A number of factors underlie this mixed picture, for example, the strengthening of sterling against currencies of other EU members, and weakening consumer confidence in a number of EU countries; the financial crises in Asia; and the strong growth of the US economy, combined with increased airline capacity and lower air fares.

  Art Exports
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he plans to review the rules governing the export of works of art. [95127]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  We have no plans to review the export system.

  School Sport
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the DfEE about the state of sport and physical education participation in schools, with particular reference to Ofsted inspections. [95209]

  Kate Hoey
  DCMS Ministers meet and have regular contact with their colleagues at DfEE to discuss a range of education issues, including PE and sport in schools.756
  This topic is of particular importance at present, as we prepare our sports strategy paper. I recently met Chris Woodhead of Ofsted to discuss school inspections.

  Millennium Commission (Projects)
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on progress towards completion of the major capital projects funded by the Millennium Commission. [95119]

  Janet Anderson
  This is a matter for the Millennium Commission. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will reply to the hon. Member in his capacity as Chairman of the Commission, and place copies of his reply in the Libraries of the House.

  Regional Regeneration
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures he has taken to ensure that Government regional offices involve(a) sport, (b) the Arts and (c) tourism in their plans for regeneration. [95197]

  Janet Anderson
  Our strategy document "Tomorrow's Tourism" and the Policy Action Team's report to the Social Exclusion Unit, "Arts&Sport", clearly illustrate how fundamental tourism, the arts and sport are to a successful regeneration programme.

  Recently, my Department established a senior official in each of the Government Offices in the regions. They will champion the role, effectiveness and importance of these sectors for each region's regeneration strategy in one course of discussion on their Single Programme Documents, the framework by which EU Structural Funds are delivered, and the next Round (6) of the Single Regeneration Budget.

  EU Agenda 2000
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of how much EU Agenda 2000 funding has been spent on(a) the arts and (b) sport (i) in cash terms and (ii) as a total of the Agenda 2000 money spent in England. [95196]

  Janet Anderson
  The European Commission has yet to approve the Single Programme Documents, the framework by which EU Structural Funds are delivered, for each of the country's nine regions. Consequently, it is too early to estimate a breakdown of EU Agenda 2000 funding on the arts. In terms of EU Structural Funds, sport is an ineligible activity.

  Analogue Radio Frequencies
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the timetable for the switch-off of analogue radio frequencies. [95125]

  Janet Anderson
  Digital radio broadcasting is at an early stage of development in the UK. It is premature to set a timetable for the switch-over of analogue services to digital at this time. However, I look forward to the launch of the first national commercial digital radio services in November and to the future growth of commercial and BBC digital radio services.

  Radio Authority
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on his future plans for the Radio Authority. [95152]

  Janet Anderson
  We intend to set up a new dedicated unit in my Department to consider the future regulation of broadcasting, building on the interim measures set out in "Regulating Communications: the Way Ahead", which was published by my Department and the DTI in June.

  Local Radio Licences
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list all applications for local radio licences which are currently under consideration by the Radio Authority, stating when each was lodged. [95151]

  Janet Anderson
  Independent radio licences are currently under consideration by the Radio Authority as follows:

  Ten applications for new analogue licences:

  three for Bridgend (received 22 June);

  three for Newbury (received 27 July);

  two for Burnley (received 7 September);

  two for Hertford (received 5 October);

  Seven applications for re-advertised licences:

  two for Guernsey (received 12 October);

  two for Jersey (received 12 October);

  two for Alton/Haslemere (received 19 October);

  one for Barnstaple under the 'special application' procedure (received 27 July).

  Two applications for local digital radio multiplex licences:

  one for Cardiff/Newport (received 14 September);

  one for Wolverhampton (received 12 October).

  British Museum
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is the difference in cost between the stone in the specification originally detailed for the restoration of the south portico of the British Museum and that finally purchased; and if he will make a statement. [94446]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  [holding answer 19 October 1999]: I am advised by the British Museum that the stone is an oolitic limestone and therefore meets the original contract specification. I am also advised that the price of stone varies according to its size and the quantity needed, and that the price differential between Anstrude and Portland Stone is in the range of 10 to 20 per cent.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport for what reasons it was necessary to purchase an alternative to the Portland stone specified for the restoration of the south portico of the British Museum; and if he will make a statement. [94614]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  I am advised by the British Museum that in line with European procurement regulations, the contract called for an oolitic limestone (Portland Stone from the basebed or similar). The rebuilding of the south portico is an exceptional example of architectural reconstruction, demanding some 60 massive blocks for the columns and pilasters. The contractor advised the Museum that stone of the required 758
  quality and size could not be procured in sufficient quantity from Portland. Another oolitic limestone, Anstrude Roche Claire, was therefore selected.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment was made of the visual properties and resistance to weathering and atmospheric pollution of alternative stone to Portland stone; prior to varying the specifications of the restoration of the south portico of the British Museum; and if he will make a statement. [94444]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  [holding answer 19 October 1999]: I am advised by the British Museum that there has been no variation to the specification, and the stone is fully compliant with the contract. The visual properties of the stone were assessed and approved by the Museum, its professional team and project monitors. The technical characteristics have been assessed by an independent body, and the Museum commissioned its own report. The courtyard will be under a new roof, so none of the new stone, neither the 900 tonnes of Portland Stone that is being used on the project, nor the Anstrude Roche Claire, will be subject to the same weathering as the original.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if the stone used in the restoration of the south portico of the British Museum has the same visual properties and resistance to weathering and atmospheric pollution as Portland stone; and if he will make a statement. [94443]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  [holding answer 19 October 1999]: I am advised by the British Museum that there are minor differences in the visual properties and resistance to weathering and atmospheric pollution of the French Limestone. However, English Heritage has accepted that the stone is adequate. The stone will be in a covered courtyard, and therefore protected against the weathering effects of wind, rain and atmospheric pollution.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he was informed of the need to use alternative stone to that in the specification in the restoration of the south portico of the British Museum; and if he will make a statement. [94442]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  [holding answer 19 October 1999]: The stonework in question is being carried out on the South Portico of the Museum's inner courtyard. This portico was demolished in the 1870s and is being completely rebuilt. I am advised by the British Museum that the specification was for "oolitic limestone" (Portland Stone from the basebed or similar). The stone that is being used for the main body of the portico is Anstrude Roche Claire. This is an oolitic limestone of the Jurassic period, as is Portland Stone. It therefore complies fully with the specification and is not an alternative. The Museum has been working closely with the Heritage bodies throughout and notified them about the selection of Anstrude Roche Claire in June. English Heritage has accepted that the Anstrude Roche Claire is adequate. We inquired about the choice of stone in August.

  Culture Consortiums
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he expects the Culture Consortiums to be fully functional. [95198]
  759
  Janet Anderson
  We announced the appointment of the Chairs of the Regional Cultural Consortiums on 8 October 1999. They are:

  Consortiums

  Appointees

  East of England

  Graham Creelman

  East Midlands

  Venu Dhupa

  North East

  George Gill

  North West

  Felicity Goodey

  South East

  Sir David Watson

  South West

  Adrian Vinken

  West Midlands

  Baroness Christine Crawley

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  Chris Heinitz

  The Chairs are now considering the appointment of members to the Consortiums. We expect that all the Consortiums will have held their first meetings before the end of the year. In London, under the GLA Bill currently before Parliament, instead of a Consortium, the Mayor will be responsible for appointing a Cultural Strategy Group for London to advise him or her.

  Sports Cabinet
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the Sports Cabinet has met this year. [95192]

  Kate Hoey
  The Sports Cabinet met on 10 March and 6 October. Officials from this Department maintain regular contact with their colleagues in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on those issues of most strategic priority for UK Sport.

  Sports Institute Headquarters
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he had with representatives of Sheffield City Council about the decision to remove the headquarters site of the UK Sports Institute to London. [95207]

  Kate Hoey
  No specific discussions have been held with representatives of Sheffield City Council, though representatives of Phoenix Sports Limited (the company formed by members of the Sheffield Consortium) have met with Ministers from time to time to discuss general developments related to the proposals for the UK Sports Institute Network Centre Sheffield. Officers of the United Kingdom Sports Council (UK Sport) and the English Sports Council (Sport England) attended the Board Meeting of Phoenix Sports Limited on 7 October 1999. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has since agreed to meet representatives of Sheffield at a suitable time soon.

  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what criteria were used to determine that the headquarters of the UK Sports Institute should be in London; and(a) by whom and (b) when this decision was made. [95206]

  Kate Hoey
  It was originally envisaged that the UK Sports Institute headquarters would consist of around 200 staff providing a range of sports medicine and physiological services. In the light of discussions with the world of sport, and other developments both nationally and internationally, this view has been revised. With the 760
  new focus on a decentralisation of services to the network centres to better meet the requirements of athletes and coaches—and the need for a much smaller team at the centre—the UK Sports Council (UK Sport) considered it sensible to review how the central service functions could now best be delivered.

  A full options analysis has been undertaken by PMP Consultancy on behalf of UK Sport. The criteria and relative weighting used to evaluate the qualitative aspects of the various options have been developed from the work undertaken by Dr. Roger Jackson, an internationally recognised expert in his field from the University of Calgary commissioned by UK Sport earlier this year to review and verify the role and functions of the UK Sports Institute headquarters/central services, and from the factors that will enable the Institute to do its job effectively. Seventeen different criteria were used covering (i) the impact on partnerships with key stakeholders; (ii) accessibility; (iii) resources; (iv) links with network centres; and (v) strategic role. The preferred option provided the greatest value for money in terms of qualitative benefit per £1 million of expenditure.

  A summary of the options analysis was included in a paper about the UK Sports Institute prepared by my Department for consideration by the Sports Cabinet on 6 October. It was announced in a press statement on 7 October 1999 that the Sports Cabinet had agreed UK Sports' proposal that a headquarters is no longer required and what is now needed is co-ordination, support and administration from a body with a dedicated UK wide sports performance focus and responsibility. The preferred option meets these objects.

  Volunteers
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the DfEE and the DSS about the effects of the benefits system on volunteers in(a) the Arts and (b) sport. [95193]

  Kate Hoey
  My Department recently published a report by Policy Action Team 10 (PAT 10), on how to maximise the impact on poor neighbourhoods of Government spending and policies on arts, sport and leisure. Other Government Departments including DfEE were represented on PAT 10. The report included a recommendation that'the DfEE and DSS should work together to ensure that the benefits system does not penalise those who volunteer to help community-building activities or who want to take up training or work opportunities offered by small community organisations, and that it operates to meet the flexibility for developing artistic and sporting talent'.
  My Department consulted with both DfEE and DSS regarding this recommendation prior to publication of the report and will be entering into further discussions with them in order to take the recommendation forward.

  Horse Racing
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the Home Office about the future departmental responsibility for the sport of horse racing. [95188]

  Kate Hoey
  Neither my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State nor I have had any direct discussions with Home Office colleagues about the future departmental
  761
  responsibility for the sport of horse racing. However, given the responsibilities of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in the horse industry and my own Department's interests in both racing and equestrianism, I intend to discuss with ministerial colleagues whether the current arrangements are satisfactory.

  Broadcasting Standards Commission
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to review the functions of the Broadcasting Standards Commission. [95153]

  Janet Anderson
  We have no plans at present to review the functions of the Broadcasting Standards Commission. As "Regulating Communications: The Way Ahead" made clear, the Government believe the current system of broadcasting regulation, of which the BSC forms part, is broadly sustainable for the time being. However, I envisage that developments in broadcasting and communications will require a fundamental reassessment of broadcasting regulation, with the possibility of major new legislation early in the next Parliament.

  Sports Strategy
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he will be publishing his Department's sports strategy. [95187]

  Kate Hoey
  The Government's Action Plan for sport will now be published early next year.

  Voluntary Sports Clubs
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with(a) the Treasury and (b) the Home Office about charitable status for voluntary sports clubs. [95190]

  Kate Hoey
  My right hon. Friend and I are in regular contact with Ministerial colleagues in the Treasury and Home Office on a wide range of issues of mutual interest. Most recently we have been in contact with the Home Office and Charity Commission in relation to issues arising from the Commission's review of the Recreational Charities Act 1958 and the planned consultation dealing specifically with charitable status and community based sports organisations. My officials, together with those of Sport England, recently met representatives of the Charity Commission to discuss a range of issues relating to the charitable status for voluntary sports clubs.

  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received and from whom about charitable status for voluntary sports clubs; and if he will list them. [95189]

  Kate Hoey
  I have received representations in favour of granting charitable status to voluntary sports organisations from: Sport England, The Central Council of Physical Recreation, The National Playing Fields Association, and Lord Phillips and Lord Cowdray. Parliamentary Questions on this subject have recently been tabled for answer by my Department by my hon. Friend the Member for Loughborough (Mr. Reed) and the hon. Member for Cheltenham (Mr. Jones).

  Policy Action Unit 10
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what resources his Department has devoted in terms of(a) money and (b) personnel to the monitoring of Policy Action Unit 10's recommendations on the arts and sport. [95195]

  Kate Hoey
  Staff throughout DCMS have been asked to incorporate promoting social inclusion into their divisional and personal objectives, including the advocacy, monitoring and follow-through of Policy Action Team 10's recommendations on arts and sport. £90,000 has been set aside this year for a programme of research into improved ways of monitoring and evaluating the success of cultural, sporting and leisure approaches to social inclusion.

  Objective 1 Funding
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with(a) the West Country Tourism Board, (b) the Cornwall Tourism Board and (c) the DETR about possible projects to be undertaken with EU Objective 1 funding. [95201]

  Janet Anderson
  The Single Programme Document (SPD) for Objective 1 funding in the South West was presented to Government Departments for approval this week, prior to being submitted to the European Commission for approval.

  I have had no discussions with the West Country Tourist Board, the Cornwall Tourism Board or the DETR about possible projects. However, I have asked my officials to assist in the preparation of the SPD, and discussions have taken place with the West Country Tourist Board, the Cornwall Tourism Board and DETR.

  Business Partnerships
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the DTI about promoting partnerships between businesses and(a) the arts and (b) sport. [95200]

  Kate Hoey
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had a number of discussions with colleagues in the DTI about promoting partnerships between business and arts and sports organisations. The vital contribution made to arts and sport by business is recognised across Government. In the arts, for example, my hon. Friend the Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs participates in hosting receptions to recognise the contribution made by business sponsors through the Government's Pairing Scheme, managed by Arts and Business.

  DTI Ministers have also responded positively to the report of the Policy Action Team on Arts and Sport which recommended that DTI should encourage the business links network to forge partnerships between businesses and art/sport organisations.

  Manchester United
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what communications were sent by Ministers in his Department to Manchester
  763
  United concerning the club's participation in the FA Cup (a) before 29 July and (b) since 29 July; and if he will make a statement. [94710]

  Kate Hoey
  [holding answer 19 October 1999]: The then Minister for Sport's letter of 10 June to Roland Smith was the only such communication.

  I very much hope that a solution can be found and that Manchester United do compete in this season's FA Cup. Manchester United's exemption from the competition is ultimately something which only the FA could offer and only the Manchester United Board could decide to accept. Clearly any solution has to be acceptable to both these parties.

  Playing Fields
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the DETR and DfEE regarding the sale of school playing fields in the last year; and if he will make a statement. [95210]

  Kate Hoey
  My right hon. Friend and I are in regular contact with Ministerial colleagues in the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Department for Education and Employment on a wide range of issues of mutual interest including the important issue of protecting school playing fields. My right hon. Friend launched National School Grounds Week in June this year jointly with DETR and DfEE colleagues, at which the Government also announced details of the new 764
  procedural guidance on disposal of school playing fields. This builds on last year's DETR Direction requiring local authorities to refer the planning applications for the development of local authority owned playing fields and those currently used, or used in the past five years by schools, to which Sport England object.

  Quest
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will report on the activities undertaken so far by the agency Quest. [95138]

  Janet Anderson
  The Quality, Efficiency and Standards Team (Quest) has been set up to identify, evaluate and promote good practice across the sectors for which my Department is responsible.

  It works independently of the Department and reports directly to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. The chief executive and advisory panel took up their appointments in July this year. The advisory panel has met to identify Quest's initial projects and draw up a work plan, details of which will be published shortly.

  School Sports
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many school sports co-ordinators have been appointed to date. [95208]

  Kate Hoey
  None. We are working towards the appointment of the first Active Schools Sports Co-ordinators by September 2000.

  Climate Change Levy: CHP
  Climate Change Levy: CHP
  Kosovo: Policing
  Kosovo: Policing
  Chevening Scholarships and the Baltic States
  Chevening Scholarships and the Baltic States
  NATO: European Security and Defence Identity
  NATO: European Security and Defence Identity
  Moldova
  Moldova
  Sanctions Regimes
  Sanctions Regimes
  Animal Procedures Committee
  Animal Procedures Committee
  Armed Forces: Redresses of Complaint
  Armed Forces: Redresses of Complaint
  US National Security Agency: Menwith Hill
  US National Security Agency: Menwith Hill
  WTO Negotiations: ACP Supplying States
  WTO Negotiations: ACP Supplying States
  Sovereignty above National Airspace
  Sovereignty above National Airspace
  Hospital Doctors: Suspension
  Hospital Doctors: Suspension
  Passenger Rail Franchising
  Passenger Rail Franchising
  Train Paths: Allocation Policy
  Train Paths: Allocation Policy
  Road Network: Expenditure Evaluation
  Road Network: Expenditure Evaluation
  Radioactive Waste
  Radioactive Waste
  Environment Council, 12 October
  Environment Council, 12 October
  Slaughterhouses Licensed to Export Meat to the EU
  Slaughterhouses Licensed to Export Meat to the EU
  Tuberculosis Incidents on Farms
  Tuberculosis Incidents on Farms
  The Countryside: Financial Support
  The Countryside: Financial Support
  Visually Impaired Peers: Facilities
  Visually Impaired Peers: Facilities
  All Our Futures: Government Response
  All Our Futures: Government Response