Written Answers of 6 April 2000

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Departmental Employees
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what checks are applied to confirm the identities of new employees in his Department and its agencies. [117705]

  Mr. Rooker
  This Department undertakes rigorous recruitment checks on all staff prior to employment. The checks undertaken confirm not only identity, but character, nationality, right to work and employment suitability. Work is currently ongoing to identify, as part of the recruitment checking process, any possible conflicts of interest with new recruits.

  To confirm identify, the checks follow the Cabinet Office guidance. The documentation required to do this vary according to nationality.

  British Nationals require a full 10 year passport, or combination of two other identification documents.

  EC nationals require either a full EC passport or an identity card issued by the EC country.

  Commonwealth citizens require either a full passport issued by the country concerned or a document issued by the Home Office establishing the individual's immigration status in the UK.

  Steps are taken to examine the documentation to verify its authenticity.

  Assurance mechanisms for pre-appointment checks are built into our recruitment process. These include management checks to ensure they are being carried out and our internal audit team regularly carry out their own checks.

  Stakeholder Pensions
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, he intends under the draft stakeholder pension regulations, the separate arrangement to charge for individual detached advice to be regarded as a pension contract; and if he will make a statement. [117600]

  Mr. Rooker
  No. It is important that everyone considering a stakeholder pension understands and is confident that the only charge to be taken out of their pension fund will be within the 1 per cent. annual management charge. Schemes may offer financial advice within the 1 per cent. charge if they wish. The draft stakeholder pension regulations are designed to ensure that any contract for the provision of financial advice (and any other services apart from the management of the scheme and its funds) above the 1 per cent. limit must be optional and separate from the pension contract.

  Pension Contributions
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many single mothers with dependent children are making pension contributions through(a) National Insurance, (b) SERPS and (c) private pension schemes; how many are making no such contributions; and if he will estimate his Department's unfunded liability, assuming present levels of pension payments, in (i) 2020, (ii) 2040 and (iii) 2060. [117530]

  Mr. Rooker
  There are 2.2 million single mothers with dependent children making pension contributions through National Insurance. Of these 1.3 million (60 per cent. of those paying National Insurance) have private pension cover, while 0.9 million (the remaining 40 per cent. of those paying National Insurance) are contributing to SERPS. Around three million single mothers were making no pension contributions.

  Notes:

  1. The figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred thousand.

  2. The percentages have been rounded to the nearest whole percent.

  3. The analysis is restricted to working age employees.

  4. The figures are based on the FRS which is a self-reporting survey. This may lead to an element of inaccuracy as people are not always clear about their pension arrangements.

  Source:

  Family Resources Survey 1997–98.

  The estimated expenditure on National Insurance benefits for pensioners under current legislation is £51.7 billion in 2020–21, £64.8 billion in 2040–41 and £65.8 billion in 2060–61, in 1999–2000 price terms.

  Notes:

  1. The figures on pension payments refer to payments to all pensioners, not to single mothers only.

  2. These figures refer to the expected expenditure on National Insurance benefits for pensioners in the specified years.

  3. The estimates allow for the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 and exclude HRP in SERPS, but do not allow for any effects of S2P or Stakeholder Pensions.

  4. Income related benefit expenditure on pensioners is not included in the estimates.

  Source:

  The Report by the Government Actuary on the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Bill, 1999.

  Pensioners (Savings)
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners have savings (i) below £3,000, (ii) between £3,000 and £6,000, (iii) below £6,000, (iv) between £6,000 and £12,000 and (v) between £12,000 and £47,100. [117703]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is in the table.

  Number of all pensioner units who have savings

  Thousand

  Categories

  Number

  Below £3,000

  3,500

  Between £3,000 and £6,000

  670

  Below £6,000

  4,170

  Between £6,000 and £12,000

  700

  Between £12,000 and £47,100

  1,200

  Notes:

  1. All amounts are rounded to the nearest 10,000, although estimates are not necessarily accurate to that degree.

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  2. The Below £3,000 and Below £6,000 categories include pensioners who have no savings.

  3. Questions on assets are a sensitive part of the FRS questionnaire and have relatively low levels of response, and hence higher levels of imputation, compared to other parts of the survey. Responses are imputed in around 1 in 10 cases. Evidence also suggests some under reporting of capital by respondents.

  4. Pensioner Units are defined as either a single pensioner or a couple where the head of the couple is over the State Pension Age. A couple can be either a married or a co-habiting partnership.

  Source:

  The Family Resources Survey (FRS) 1997–98.

  Works of Art
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much has been spent on(a) the upkeep and (b) the purchase of works of art in his Department for each financial year since 1992. [117470]

  Mr. Rooker
  I refer the hon. Member to the written answer my hon. Friend the Minister for the Arts gave him on 4 April 2000,Official Report, columns 392-93W.

  Income Support
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the three months' extension of the time limit for claiming Income Support will be allowed in the case where a pensioner's failure to claim earlier can be ascribed to the delay in launching the Government's take-up campaign. [117591]

  Mr. Bayley
  We have no plans to change the current backdating rules.

  Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
  Mr. Goggins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the accuracy of the annual industrial injuries disablement benefit assessment data for the 1998–99 financial year. [118548]

  Mr. Bayley
  A new model for forecasting caseload and expenditure on Industrial Injuries Benefits has been developed. A comparison of encashment data with new expenditure forecasts for 1998–99 has identified an undercounting of around 6 per cent. in the number of assessments.

  Future assessment forecasts have assumed that this 6 per cent. undercounting is constant over the forecast period.

  Minimum Income Guarantee
  Mr. McWalter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he is taking in the short term to tackle the problems faced by pensioners whose incomes are marginally above the Minimum Income Guarantee. [116628]

  Mr. Bayley
  We have taken action over a wide front to help all of today's pensioners. Initiatives include Winter Fuel Payments, free eye tests to the over 60s and free TV licences for the over 75s from autumn next year. Also from April 2001, capital limits in the Minimum Income Guarantee for those over 60 will be increased from £6,000 to £12,000. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has also announced a review
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  to look at ways to providing further help to pensioners on low incomes and modest pensions and savings who have worked hard to provide for themselves.

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the categories of pensioner who will receive letters as part of his Minimum Income Guarantee take-up campaign. [117873]

  Mr. Bayley
  As part of the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) take-up campaign we will be writing to around two million pensioners whom our records suggest are most likely to have underlying entitlement. This targeted group will be pensioners who our pension records suggest have incomes below the MIG level. However, we do not know how many of these pensioners will have capital or other income that could affect their entitlement to benefit.

  Automated Credit Transfer
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the proportion of(a) new recipients and (b) existing recipients of each main social security benefit who receive payment by automated credit transfer. [117874]

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

  Percentage

  Benefit type

  New customers receipt of ACT

  Existing customers in receipt of ACT

  Child Benefit

  54

  38

  Disability Living Allowance

  33

  36

  Industrial Injuries and Death Benefit1

  n/a

  17

  Income Support

  10

  13

  Invalid Care Allowance2

  n/a

  9

  Incapacity Benefit

  41

  27

  Retirement Pension and Widows Pension

  50

  44

  War Pensions

  56

  53

  n/a = not available

  1 Introduced April 1996

  2 Introduced June 1997

  Notes:

  1. Method of payment analysis for JSA is not available.

  2. The figures are the latest available reflecting the position as at 30 November 1999.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  BAe Broughton
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the loans offered by his Department for the BAe project at Broughton in Flintshire was based on an assumption that the National Assembly for Wales will make a parallel grant; and if he will make a statement. [117681]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  The launch investment announced on 13 March secured substantial UK involvement in the development of the Airbus A3XX aircraft. No assumption was made by my Department about BAe Systems's
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  application for Regional Selective Assistance to the National Assembly for Wales. Any decision on that application is entirely a matter for the National Assembly.

  Diamond Synchrotron
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how often he met the Minister for Science between 1 October 1999 and 19 January 2000 to discuss the synchrotron. [117926]

  Mr. Byers
  Between 1 October 1999 and 19 January 2000 I met my noble Friend the Minister for Science on many occasions to discuss a wide range of topics. Since the New Synchrotron represents the largest single investment in science in the UK for more than a decade it was often included in the topics under discussion.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 3 April 2000,Official Report, column 277W, on the diamond synchrotron, who represented the French Government in the private discussions in October 1999 and who represented the UK. [117979]

  Mr. Byers
  On 14 October 1999 my noble Friend the Minister for Science had private discussions with the French Minister for Research and Education.

  Sellafield
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the Government Ministers who have visited Sellafield since 1 May 1997. [118013]

  Mr. Byers
  My right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment visited Sellafield on 3 September 1997 and my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Battle), the then Minister for Energy, visited Sellafield on 15 February 1999.

  Export Guarantees (Romania)
  Mr. Jim Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about the provision of export guarantees for Romania. [118482]

  Mr. Byers
  I have instructed the Export Credits Guarantee Department (ECGD) to make cover available to Mivan Ltd. and Kier International who have won a contract to construct low cost housing and provide water services to villages in Romania. The export credit guarantees will amount to $120 million. In addition, a further $47 million is being provided in support of the project by commercial banks not covered by ECGD. This project will bring benefits to many ordinary Romanians and provide an important export order for Northern Ireland where Mivan is based.

  ECGD has now exhausted cover capacity under its exposure ceiling for Romania. They will review cover policy in the light of the progress Romania makes in negotiating and implementing its IMF backed economic programme and its external debt servicing capability.

  Prototype Fast Reactor Fuels
  Mr. Neil Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to make a decision
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  regarding the options for managing the Prototype Fast Reactor fuels at Dounreay; and if he will make a statement. [118483]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The UK Government are committed to dealing with the remaining liabilities at Dounreay safely, securely and in a way that represents value for money to the taxpayer. In order to achieve the long-term restoration of the site, a solution needs to be found to deal with the remaining fuels, including PFR fuels.

  Following a comprehensive review of options for managing Dounreay PFR fuels, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has identified three options:
  the reprocessing or treatment of all PFR fuels at Dounreay as was originally planned;
  the transportation to Sellafield for reprocessing of the irradiated PFR fuels in the THORP plant and treatment of unirradiated PFR fuels at Dounreay or elsewhere;
  the treatment of all PFR fuels at Dounreay to make them suitable for interim storage at Dounreay for an indefinite period or until a national waste repository is available.

  I am pleased to announce today the start of a public consultation addressing the options for managing these fuels. There is no mandatory requirement to conduct such a consultation exercise, however in the spirit of openness, and given the high level of local interest and the impact it may have on activities at the site, all those with an interest are being consulted. As part of this consultation I will also be seeking the views of the relevant Government advisory bodies. A copy of the consultation package will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The consultation will close on 2 June and I would hope to announce a decision a few weeks later. The results of this consultation will be made available to the public, as will the information supporting the decision. The decision will be taken on safety, environmental and economic grounds.

  Regulatory Reform
  Mr. Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which Minister in his Department has responsibility for regulatory reform; and if he will make a statement. [117427]

  Mr. Byers
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Scarborough and Whitby (Mr. Quinn) by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office on 4 April 2000,Official Report, column 385W.

  Enterprise Promotion (West Midlands)
  Mr. McCabe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures he proposes to promote enterprise within disadvantaged areas in the West Midlands region affected by BMW's decisions on Longbridge. [116609]

  Mr. Byers
  I announced the creation of the Rover Task Force on the day after BMW's news that it is to sell the Longbridge plant.

  The Task Force is making good progress and is to produce a report within the next four weeks which looks at the impact of BMW's decision and also makes
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  recommendations about initiatives that may be taken to support workers and to assist the regeneration of the Longbridge area.

  In making its recommendations, I have asked the Task Force to look at:

  Ways in which parts of Longbridge that will not be used by the new owners can be redeveloped to safeguard employment

  Training, re-skilling and support for people who may lose their jobs

  Ways to support and improve the competitiveness of the supplier chain

  Whether local transport services need to be improved to enable people find new work.

  Some of the early actions taken include setting up a Job Shop on site at Longbridge to provide advice to workers and fast-track access to benefit, establishing a telephone hotline for suppliers and employees and the creation of a website that will provide information and signposting for companies and individuals to a range of business creation and support organisations in the region.

  Notwithstanding any recommendations that the Task Force may make in its report to promote enterprise, businesses in many areas of the West Midlands are eligible to apply for Regional Selective Assistance or the Enterprise Grant Scheme. These schemes offer financial support to businesses to boost new business formation, promote growth and help diversification.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Women in Decision-making Roles
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what progress has been made towards the achievement of Commonwealth Heads of Government target relating to the proportion of women in decision-making roles in political, public and private sectors by 2005. [114778]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 16 March 2000]: At their 1996 meeting, Commonwealth Ministers of Women's Affairs recommended that member countries achieve a target of no less than 30 per cent. of women in the political, public and private sectors by 2005 and those countries already close to achieving this target should aim for gender parity.

  It is up to individual countries to use ways most appropriate to their national circumstances to achieve these targets and there are no figures available regarding the public and private sector.

  The Commonwealth Secretariat undertook a number of initiatives to assist governments in their efforts to increase women's participation in political decision-making, including:

  advocacy at various level Commonwealth forums and a publication of a collection of the life histories of 33 successful Commonwealth women politicians;

  completion of a series of regional conferences to encourage more women to become involved in local government;

  organising a series of regional symposiums on Gender, Politics and Conflict/Peace for parliamentarians.

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  At the level of local government, which women have often used as a political entry point and training ground, the figures have been more substantial with four countries exceeding the Commonwealth's 30 per cent. target in 1999, as shown in the following table.

  Women's representation in political decision-making in the Commonwealth: Ranking of top 10 counties in 1999–2000

  Percentage

  National Executive/Cabinet (1999)

  1. The Gambia

  30.8

  2. South Africa

  29.6

  3. Grenada

  26.7

  4. Sierra Leone

  26.4

  5. Seychelles

  25.0

  6. Canada

  24.0

  7. United Kingdom

  22.0

  8. Mozambique

  19.6

  9. Botswana

  19.0

  10. Uganda

  18.6

  National Parliament (2000)

  1. South Africa

  30.3

  2. New Zealand

  29.3

  3. Mozambique

  28.0

  4. Australia

  25.0

  5. Seychelles

  23.5

  6. Canada

  22.2

  7. Trinidad and Tobago

  20.9

  8. Bahamas

  19.6

  9. Belize

  18.4

  10. Uganda

  18.3

  Local Government (1999)

  1. Seychelles

  54.0

  2. Uganda

  40.8

  3. India

  33.5

  4. Canada

  30.0

  5. New Zealand

  29.0

  6. St. Lucia

  29.0

  7. United Kingdom

  27.0

  8. Australia

  24.0

  9. Trinidad and Tobago

  20.4

  10. St. Vincent and the Grenadines

  20.0

  Sources:

  Commonwealth Secretariat (1999). Report of the Commonwealth Secretary-General on the Implementation of the 1995 Plan of Action on Gender and Development. London: Commonwealth Secretariat, Gender and Youth Affairs Division. Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (2000). "Women in Commonwealth Parliaments" paper presented at the Commonwealth Workshop on Gender and Democracy, Windhoek Namibia 9-11 February 2000. London: Commonwealth Secretariat, Political Affairs Division.

  Hampshire LEAs (Funding Bids)
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list by spending initiative for each local education authority in Hampshire(a) the number and value of funding bids submitted to his Department and (b) the number and value of grants made by his Department from (i) the Standards Fund, (ii) Class Size Reduction funds and (iii) other sources of direct funding for schools since May 1997. [115966]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  [holding answer 23 March 2000]: Tables are today being placed in the Library showing the figures requested for each financial year since May 1997 for Hampshire county council, Portsmouth city council and Southampton county council. For the Standards Fund only, the number and value of the grants are shown in the tables. The number and value of bids under the Standards
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  Fund cannot be disaggregated for each year without incurring disproportionate cost. Allocations are made via a combination of applications from local authorities and formulae based on School Census data. For Class Size Reduction revenue grant, funding levels were agreed with authorities based on their implementation plans.

  Standards Fund
  Mr. St. Aubyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the impact of increases in the Standards Fund on the equitable distribution of funding for schools in addition to the funding of schools via the standard spending assessment for education. [117133]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  None. The Standards Fund enables the targeting of funds on specific programmes, areas or schools, to support the Government's drive to raise standards. Local education authorities are required to devolve around 75 per cent. of the Standards Fund to schools. In addition, all maintained schools will receive a share of the additional funding through the £50 million School Standards Grant and the £290 million School Budget Support Grant. Both of these special grants are fully funded by the Government and are only for schools.

  New Deal
  Mr. Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people have been employed to date by local councils through the New Deal initiatives for(a) young people, (b) people aged over 50 years, (c) disabled people and (d) lone parents. [117081]

  Ms Jowell
  We do not hold figures which show separately how many people from the New Deal have been employed by local councils.

  However, independent research by the Local Government National Training Organisation has shown that local councils are fully involved in all aspects of New Deal. This research suggests that over 3,500 young people have taken part on New Deal Options including over 900 on the Employer Option. In addition there is evidence to show that local council are employing people under the New Deals for the Disabled, for Lone Parents and for 50+. We continue to work closely with Local Authority Associations and the New Deal Task Force to encourage local council take up of New Deal. The Local Authority Associations themselves are actively promoting the take up of New Deal among their members.

  School Places (South-east)
  Mr. Norman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate his Department has made of the increased demand for school places in the south-east that will come about as a result of the building of an additional 215,000 dwellings in the south-east by 2005. [117792]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  It is for local education authorities to plan and keep under review the supply of school places in the light of proposed housing development, so as to ensure that there is sufficient provision to meet demand. The recent announcement of Regional Planning Guidance for the south-east will assist local education authorities in
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  the region to do this. Where an LEA can demonstrate overall growth in the need for school places it may apply to my Department for capital funding.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate his Department has made of the costs to London boroughs of providing education for the children of asylum seekers in 1999–2000. [117930]

  Jacqui Smith
  It is not possible to estimate the total costs of this provision in London boroughs in 1999–2000, as the information is not recorded centrally. However, London boroughs receive funding for the cost of providing education for the children of asylum seekers in the same way as for all other children on the school roll. Children of asylum seekers can also benefit from assistance with the acquisition of language skills through the Ethnic Minority and Traveller Achievement Grant.

  School Meals
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make provision for free school meals for children whose parents receive Working Families Tax Credit. [117852]

  Jacqui Smith
  We have no current plans to extend eligibility for free school meals (which would require primary legislation), but we are working closely with the Child Poverty Action Group on ways of increasing take-up by entitled pupils.

  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of school pupils took school meals in(a) 1979, (b) 1987, (c) 1997 and (d) 1999. [117825]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The information is not available in the form requested. The latest available information is shown in the table.

  Prior to 1989, data on school meals were not collected by the Department.

  School meal arrangements in maintained Nursery, Primary and Secondary schools and all special schools—England

  Percentage

  Position as at January of each year

  Pupils who bought a school meal

  Pupils who received a free school meal

  All pupils who took a school meal

  19991

  3—

  14.1

  4—

  19971

  26.8

  15.7

  42.5

  19892

  31.9

  11.2

  43.1

  1 Day pupils only

  2 Includes boarders

  3 Data not available

  4 Not applicable

  Mill Hill County High School
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on admissions policy at Mill Hill County High School, Mill Hill. [117855]
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  Ms Estelle Morris
  Following a judicial review against an Adjudicator determination that partial selection at Mill Hill County High School should be reduced, the court made an order on 27 March for a second Adjudicator to make a fresh determination. Mill Hill's admission arrangements for 2000–01 are dependent upon the new determination which will be notified to all parties and published in a local newspaper in the usual way.

  Grammar Schools, Trafford
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement regarding the future of grammar schools in the borough of Trafford. [117860]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The Government have always been clear that we do not wish to see the 11–plus extended. However, we believe it is for parents to decide whether or not they want a vote, whether or not to keep the 11–plus. The decision is and remains one for parents in Trafford as anywhere else.

  Training
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer of 30 March 2000,Official Report, column 205W, what definition he uses for training; what amounts will be spent on training in each financial year from 1996–97 to 2001–02; from which budget these are paid; and if he will make a statement. [117829]

  Mr. Blunkett
  Expenditure on training includes expenditure on work-based training for young people, the careers service, adult information and guidance, Career Development Loans and other related programmes. These are all funded from within the DfEE's Departmental Expenditure Limit. This table shows spending on training in England in cash terms for the years requested.

  £million

  1996–97

  972

  1997–98

  975

  1998–99

  963

  1999–2000

  1,178

  2000–01

  1,281

  2001–02

  1,377

  The figures do not include education and training through the New Deal for Young People helping those who enter the Full Time Education and Training option, which we estimate is more than £50 million a year. There is also additional resource being spent on education through the Lottery New Opportunities Fund, although this does not count as Government spending.

  Learning and Skills Council (Wales)
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to establish a Learning and Skills Council for Wales with similar powers to the Learning and Skills Council for England; and if he will make a statement. [115590]

  Mr.Hanson
  I have been asked to reply.
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  The Learning and Skills Bill proposes the establishment of the Council for Education and Training for Wales (CETW). This new body will have broadly the same functions in respect of Wales as the Learning and Skills Council for England, but with some variation to suit local circumstances in Wales. The provisions in the Bill for the CETW are based on the Education and Training Action Plan for Wales, published in March 1999 following public consultation, which was endorsed by the National Assembly for Wales in its plenary debate on 1 February 2000.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  National Athletics Stadium
  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his oral answer of 27 March 2000,Official Report, columns 10-11, on a new national athletics stadium, for what reasons he informed Radio 5 Live on 2 March that he took the decision to earmark at least £60 million specifically for athletics and the future of athletics. [117711]

  Kate Hoey
  [holding answer 4 April 2000]: No money has been committed. We have established the principle with Sport England that, subject to the details being worked out and a viable application coming forward, the £20 million coming back from the Football Association and up to £40 million which will not now he required for the conversion of Wembley may be available to fund world-class athletics facilities.

  In addition, athletics receives funding from the World Class Performance Programme, which totalled £9.2 million up to September 1999, and Exchequer funding totalling over £460,000 for the last calendar year.

  Lottery Funding
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will establish a lottery-supported fund available to organisations promoting sporting events of international status in the United Kingdom which could share the risks associated with such projects with this fund. [117633]

  Kate Hoey
  This Government recognised the importance of staging major international sporting events in this country in our manifesto for the 1997 general election. UK Sport launched its Major Events Strategy in February 1999, with Lottery funding in place, supporting events through UK Sport's World Class Events Programme. This is now providing a coherent framework of support and experience for organisations bidding for and staging events throughout the UK. One of the recent fruits of this coherent approach has been UK Athletics' successful bids for the 2003 World Indoor Championships and the 2005 World Athletics Championships.

SCOTLAND

  Local Government Finance
  Mr.malcolm Bruce
  To ask the secretary of state for scotland what was the amount of non-domestic rates
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  (a) collected from and (b) distributed to each local authority in Scotland for (i) 1996–97, (ii) 1997–98 and (iii) 1998–99. [117629]

  Dr. Reid
  The amounts of non-domestic rates collected from and distributed to Scottish local authorities for years 1996–97 to 1998–99 are shown in the table.

  Non-domestic rates collected by and distributed to authorities: 1996–98 to 1998–99

  Contributable

  Distributable

  1996–97 NDRI

  Aberdeen City

  86,909,230

  56,050,000

  Aberdeenshire

  44,835,817

  57,834,000

  Angus

  17,881,385

  28,589,000

  Argyll and Bute

  24,905,858

  23,409,000

  Clackmannanshire

  10,409,625

  12,497,000

  Dumfries and Galloway

  27,831,687

  37,812,000

  Dundee City

  39,584,602

  38,695,000

  East Ayrshire

  16,508,548

  31,608,000

  East Dunbartonshire

  14,695,819

  28,308,000

  East Lothian

  24,079,491

  22,206,000

  East Renfrewshire

  9,699,357

  22,314,000

  Edinburgh, City of

  169,526,631

  113,487,000

  Eilean Siar

  4,482,845

  7,498,000

  Falkirk

  45,196,145

  36,464,000

  Fife

  99,952,162

  90,079,000

  Glasgow City

  219,409,650

  159,507,000

  Highland

  51,131,606

  53,085,000

  Inverclyde

  14,111,817

  22,866,000

  Midlothian

  11,729,201

  20,469,000

  Moray

  18,100,377

  22,347,000

  North Ayrshire

  34,462,286

  35,584,000

  North Lanarkshire

  63,138,676

  83,596,000

  Orkney

  5,962,906

  5,068,000

  Perth and Kinross

  31,684,643

  33,770,000

  Renfrewshire

  43,513,331

  45,318,000

  Scottish Borders

  16,299,596

  27,042,000

  Shetland

  15,915,411

  5,853,000

  South Ayrshire

  25,664,737

  29,257,000

  South Lanarkshire

  63,847,135

  78,671,000

  Stirling

  23,350,956

  20,983,000

  West Dunbartonshire

  20,572,119

  24,857,000

  West Lothian

  36,658,220

  37,912,000

  Scotland

  1,332,051,869

  1,313,035,000

  1997–98 NDRI

  Aberdeen City

  92,077,265

  56,571,000

  Aberdeenshire

  45,794,645

  58,484,000

  Angus

  17,667,960

  28,856,000

  Argyll and Bute

  23,925,238

  23,574,000

  Clackmannanshire

  10,604,813

  12,604,000

  Dumfries and Galloway

  31,037,389

  38,184,000

  Dundee City

  39,377,604

  38,987,000

  East Ayrshire

  20,664,896

  31,784,000

  East Dunbartonshire

  14,936,428

  28,691,000

  East Lothian

  24,224,075

  22,624,000

  East Renfrewshire

  8,102,884

  22,758,000

  Edinburgh, City of

  179,348,233

  115,545,000

  Eilean Siar

  4,636,830

  7,497,000

  Falkirk

  41,533,242

  36,867,000

  Fife

  93,983,725

  90,774,000

  Glasgow City

  203,939,379

  159,662,000

  Highland

  50,237,633

  53,777,000

  Inverclyde

  15,684,943

  22,897,000

  Midlothian

  11,998,115

  20,623,000

  Moray

  19,300,029

  22,500,000

  North Ayrshire

  35,580,437

  36,020,000

  North Lanarkshire

  56,933,088

  84,355,000

  Orkney

  5,639,008

  5,130,000

  Perth and Kinross

  32,776,628

  34,290,000

  Renfrewshire

  44,499,634

  46,042,00

  Scottish Borders

  17,340,330

  27,418,000

  Shetland

  14,235,802

  5,961,000

  542W

  Non-domestic rates collected by and distributed to authorities: 1996–98 to 1998–99

  Contributable

  Distributable

  South Ayrshire

  26,253,041

  29,579,000

  South Lanarkshire

  57,732,714

  79,367,000

  Stirling

  23,435,752

  21,242,000

  West Dunbartonshire

  22,853,790

  24,859,000

  West Lothian

  40,843,193

  38,607,000

  Scotland

  1,327,178,743

  1,326,129,000

  1998–99 NDRI

  Aberdeen City

  101,318,328

  59,112,000

  Aberdeenshire

  49,466,288

  61,879,000

  Angus

  19,568,920

  30,141,000

  Argyll and Bute

  28,299,338

  24,716,000

  Clackmannanshire

  10,495,047

  13,280,000

  Dumfries and Galloway

  31,789,211

  40,159,000

  Dundee City

  42,071,071

  40,880,000

  East Ayrshire

  21,876,160

  33,289,000

  East Dunbartonshire

  14,797,539

  30,133,000

  East Lothian

  24,911,565

  23,981,000

  East Renfrewshire

  10,126,348

  23,965,000

  Edinburgh, City of

  186,151,389

  122,123,000

  Eilean Siar

  4,632,944

  7,858,000

  Falkirk

  44,466,106

  38,918,000

  Fife

  101,297,014

  95,038,000

  Glasgow City

  231,326,059

  167,718,000

  Highland

  53,075,991

  56,783,000

  Inverclyde1

  16,455,511

  23,698,000

  Midlothian

  12,944,938

  21,777,000

  Moray

  19,672,200

  23,538,000

  North Ayrshire

  36,854,012

  37,961,000

  North Lanarkshire1

  68,164,545

  88,682,000

  Orkney

  6,209,691

  5,387,000

  Perth and Kinross

  32,924,976

  36,070,000

  Renfrewshire1

  46,023,557

  48,580,000

  Scottish Borders

  18,548,281

  28,868,000

  Shetland

  12,351,868

  6,263,000

  South Ayrshire

  28,296,107

  31,189,000

  South Lanarkshire

  69,496,242

  83,651,000

  Stirling

  26,955,963

  22,515,000

  West Dunbartonshire1

  22,396,416

  26,054,000

  West Lothian

  44,096,478

  41,022,000

  Scotland1

  1,437,110,103

  1,395,228,000

  1 1998–99 audited contributable amount not yet available—based on most recent estimate received from council.

  Collection and distribution of non-domestic rates in Scotland became a devolved matter from 1 July 1999.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Sellafield MOX Plant
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the consultation exercises so far undertaken to evaluate the environmental impact of the proposed MOX Plant (SMP) at BNFL Sellafield. [114796]

  Mr. Meacher
  In November 1996 BNFL sought approval from the Environment Agency to bring the Sellafield MOX plant into operation. The Environment Agency consulted on issues associated with the justification of the MOX plant, including its environmental impact, between February and April 1997.

  Respondents to this consultation raised a number of environmental issues and, in addition, some expressed concern about the lack of information provided by BNFL
  543W
  on the economic case. Consequently, the Agency engaged a firm of financial consultants, PA Consulting Group, to carry out an independent assessment of BNFL's economic case for the plant.

  The Environment Agency then carried out a second round of consultation between January and March 1998, based on a public domain version of the PA report—which excluded certain material on the grounds of commercial confidentiality.

  The Agency issued their draft decisions on the operation of the MOX plant on 2 November 1998. By this stage, Ministers had received a number of requests for them to use their powers of `call-in' to intervene in the Agency's decisions.

  In looking at the advice from the Environment Agency and the representations they had received, Ministers decided that the amount of information excluded on the grounds of commercial confidentiality from the public domain version of the PA report was more than strictly necessary, and that there had been developments in the potential market for MOX fuel which led them to consider that there should be further public scrutiny of BNFL's business case. Ministers therefore consulted again between May and June 1999 on the basis of a significantly greater disclosure of information on the economic case and were considering the responses to this consultation when data falsification at the Sellafield MOX Demonstration Facility first came to light.

  The implications of the data falsification will of course be fully considered before Ministers make their final decisions.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when his Department and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food expect to publish the results of their last round of consultations on the operation by BNFL of its MOX plant (SMP) at Sellafield. [114816]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 20 March 2000]: Ministers will announce their decisions only when they have fully considered all responses to the consultation exercise and the implications of all recent evidence, including the data falsification incident at the Sellafield MOX Demonstration Facility.

  Ministers will announce their decisions as soon as they are made. At the same time my Department will publish a decision document, setting out the reasons for their decisions in full.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what factors are currently preventing BNFL from operating commercially the Sellafield MOX plant (SMP). [114817]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 20 March 2000]: The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food are still considering whether to intervene in the Environment Agency's draft decisions on the Sellafield MOX plant. They will make a decision only when they have examined all the evidence before them, including the responses to the consultation exercise held by Ministers last year and the implications of the recent data falsification incident at the Sellafield MOX Demonstration Facility.
  544W
  Only if Ministers decide not to intervene will BNFL be free to proceed to the next stage of commissioning of the plant and its subsequent operation, subject also to licence approval by the Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what conclusions were reached in the PA Consultancy Group report on the BNFL proposal to operate the MOX plant (SMP) at Sellafield. [114818]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 20 March 2000]: The report by PA Consulting Group on the economic case for the Sellafield MOX plant formed part of the consultation package on which comments were invited, copies of which were placed in the House of Commons Library on 11 June 1999.

  London Underground
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 16 March 2000,Official Report, columns 322-23W, relating to the public-private partnership contracts for the London Underground, what arrangements were made for potential contractors or consortia of contractors not specifically asked to consider submitting a bid for the work to ascertain the details of the work to be bid for; how potential contractors in other European Union countries were able to ascertain the work to be bid for; if the arrangements complied with European Union requirements; and if he will make a statement. [116686]

  Mr. Hill
  The invitation to pre-qualify for the London Underground service contracts was published in the usual way, in the Official Journal of the Economic Communities (OJEC References 1999/S 118-87811EN and 1999/S 25408995). The invitation was open to all potential contractors and full details were supplied to those who responded to the OJEC notice and executed a confidentiality and tender process agreement.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the total sum expended by London Underground Ltd. on the recent re-conditioning of Piccadilly line trains; what the further sum of £500 million for Piccadilly line trains referred to in his answer of 2 March 2000,Official Report, columns 331-32W relates to; what the estimated life of the proposed and current Piccadilly line stock is; and if he will make a statement. [117268]

  Mr. Hill
  London Underground are currently spending £136 million on re-conditioning the Piccadilly line rolling stock. They estimate that this will extend the effective working life of the rolling stock to 2014.

  The £500 million referred to in the question was taken from a briefing document published by London Underground when the Public Private Partnership competition was launched in June 1999. They were LU's estimate of how much they then believed it would cost to implement the performance regime under development of the first 15 years of the PPP. The new rolling stock is anticipated to have a life expectancy of 40-50 years.
  545W
  Of course, under the terms of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) for LU, infrastructure companies will be required to implement a combination of specific projects and performance enhancements specified in output terms. The PPP will not specify particular amounts of money to be spent, nor particular works to be carried out. It will be for bidders to decide what they have to do to meet the performance specification for each infrastructure company.

  Road Safety
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to introduce performance indicators for road safety in local authority transport plans; and how he intends to evaluate their effectiveness. [116704]

  Mr. Hill
  The guidance on full local transport plans (LTPs), published on 27 March, advises local authorities that their LTPs must include a set of indicators and targets for measuring performance against objectives. The guidance describes the indicators for road safety. These will be used for monitoring progress towards the local casualty reduction target. Authorities are required to submit their LTPs for 2001–02 to 2005–06 by 31 July. In subsequent years, authorities will be required to submit annual progress reports. The first progress reports will be submitted in July 2001. Authorities will report on the indicators contained in the plan and progress towards achieving the targets set.

  Road Casualties
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list in rank order the figures for killed and seriously injured road casualties per 100,000 head of population by county and unitary authorities in England for the last five years. [116703]

  Mr. Hill
  The rates requested are shown for 1998, the most recent year for which figures are available, based on area boundaries at the beginning of that year. However, there have been a number of changes in administrative areas during the preceding four years. This would make it difficult to produce a comparison over time and such analysis would involve disproportionate time to provide.

  Road accident casualties by county and unitary authority (UA): 1998

  Rate per 100,000 population

  County/unitary authority

  Killed or seriously injured

  Redcar and Cleveland UA

  36

  City of Leicester UA

  37

  Greater Manchester

  39

  Berkshire

  40

  Stoke on Trent UA

  40

  South Gloucestershire UA

  40

  Tyne and Wear

  41

  Southampton UA

  43

  Luton UA

  43

  Middlesbrough UA

  43

  City of Bristol UA

  44

  Poole UA

  45

  Durham (excludes Darlington)

  48

  Bath and North East Somerset UA

  48

  Gloucestershire

  48

  546W

  Road accident casualties by country or unitary authority (UA): 1998

  Rate per 100,000 population

  County/unitary authority

  Killed or seriously injured

  City of York UA

  50

  Swindon UA

  51

  Staffordshire (excludes Stoke on Trent)

  51

  North Somerset UA

  51

  Stockton on Tees UA

  52

  Milton Keynes UA

  54

  Merseyside

  54

  South Yorkshire

  56

  Devon

  56

  Oxfordshire

  57

  Suffolk

  58

  Bournemouth UA

  58

  Portsmouth UA

  58

  Darlington UA

  58

  Buckinghamshire (excludes Milton Keynes)

  59

  Hartlepool UA

  59

  Leicestershire (excludes Rutland and City of Leicester)

  60

  City of Derby UA

  61

  Brighton and Hove UA

  61

  West Yorkshire

  64

  Kingston upon Hull UA

  69

  Cornwall

  71

  Somerset

  73

  Northumberland

  74

  Isle of Wight UA

  76

  Hampshire (excludes Portsmouth and Southampton)

  76

  West Sussex

  78

  Kent

  78

  West Midlands

  78

  Essex

  83

  Wiltshire (excludes Swindon)

  85

  Derbyshire (excludes City of Derby)

  86

  Bedfordshire (excludes Luton)

  86

  Surrey

  88

  Lancashire

  88

  Dorset (excludes Poole and Bournemouth)

  89

  North East Lincolnshire UA

  92

  Norfolk

  93

  Greater London

  96

  Hereford and Worcester

  97

  East Riding of Yorkshire UA

  97

  Cambridgeshire

  97

  Shropshire

  102

  Cheshire

  105

  Nottinghamshire

  108

  Cumbria

  109

  North Lincolnshire UA

  110

  Hertfordshire

  111

  Northamptonshire

  116

  Rutland UA

  120

  East Sussex (excludes UA)

  122

  Warwickshire

  125

  Lincolnshire

  126

  North Yorkshire (excludes City of York)

  165

  Houses in Multiple Occupation
  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he has to introduce a licensing scheme for houses in multiple occupation; and if he will make a statement. [117586]

  Mr. Mullin
  We issued a consultation paper last year setting out detailed proposals. Key conclusions and a summary of responses will be published in due course.

  Water Meters
  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the avenues open to members of the public, whose accommodation has no rateable value and who therefore cannot have a water meter installed, when they cannot reach agreement with a water company on the level of their bill. [117314]

  Mr. Mullin
  Any customer may have a water meter fitted for their home free from 1 April, unless this is impracticable or excessively costly, in which case the company should offer another alternative basis of charging. The answer that I gave to my hon. Friend's question on 3 April 2000,Official Report, column 322W, sets out the avenues open to customers who do not want to have a meter fitted but are not happy with the company's proposals for setting their water charges.

  Listed Buildings (London)
  Sir Sydney Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what responsibilities are to be given to the(a) mayor and (b) Greater London Assembly with regard to matters relating to (i) Grade I, (ii) Grade I* and (iii) Grade II listed buildings, respectively. [117719]

  Mr. Hill
  As part of the Spatial Development Strategy (SDS), the Mayor may frame policies for the conservation and protection of London's built environment, working closely with English Heritage (EH) and the boroughs. The Assembly will be consulted by the Mayor before formal public consultation on the draft strategy.

  Primary responsibility for dealing with listed building consent applications remains with the boroughs, in consultation with EH. Neither the Mayor, nor the Assembly will have a role in deciding applications.

  Sir Sydney Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for what reasons he plans to amend the regulations in Greater London to permit consent for works to Grade II listed buildings to be handled by individual London boroughs. [117720]

  Mr. Hill
  At present, most applications for listed building consent for all grades of listed building within Greater London must be made to the relevant London borough who must in turn notify English Heritage. Also, certain cases are referred by English Heritage to the Secretary of State. However, since the Greater London Council was abolished, English Heritage has been working with the London boroughs to build up their expertise in relation to such applications. We are satisfied that the London boroughs are now in a position to take on full responsibility for determining the majority of listed building consent applications on a similar basis to the arrangements outside London. We therefore issued proposals for consultation last year for changes that would lead to a significant reduction in the number of listed building cases that would need to be notified to English Heritage and the Secretary of State and thus enable decisions on applications to be made more quickly. Copies of the consultation paper 'London Heritage Notifications' were placed in the Libraries of both Houses at the time. English Heritage would, however, continue to be consulted on applications for works to Grade I and
  548W
  II* buildings and works to certain categories of Grade II buildings. We plan to announce shortly how we intend to proceed.

  Fuel Poverty
  Mrs. Gilroy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the allocation of resources to tackle fuel poverty in the five years from April 1997. [116611]

  Mr. Meacher
  This Government are committed to tackling fuel poverty, particularly among those households most at risk to ill health due to cold homes; the old, children, the disabled and the chronically sick. The two main causes of fuel poverty are low income and poor energy efficiency in the home.

  The Government's main measures to help households more easily meet their heating costs are as follows.
  Winter Fuel Payments were introduced in the winter of 1997. They provide help to eligible older households towards their winter fuel costs. The total expenditure allocated is as follows.

  Winter Fuel Payments

  Financial year

  £million

  1997–98

  200

  1998–99

  200

  1999–2000

  760

  2000–011

  1,400

  2001–021

  1,200

  1 Estimated

  Cold Weather Payments provide help towards additional heating costs to eligible people when there is a spell of cold weather in their local area. Since 1997 to date the amount spent on Cold Weather Payments is estimated to be around £1.7 million. As the amount spent is purely dependent on the weather it is not possible to provide an estimate of future expenditure.

  Reduction in the level of VAT on domestic fuel to 5 per cent. from September 1997. The estimated cost of this measure is £450 million a year, so that by 2002 the total cost is likely to be about £2,025 million. The benefit to a typical customer is a reduction in their energy bills of £16.50 a year.

  In addition the measures taken to liberalise energy markets have contributed to reduced energy prices for households, and are expected to continue to do so. Electricity prices paid by domestic consumers fell, in real terms, by 14 per cent. between the 2nd quarter of 1997 and the last quarter of 1999, while gas prices fell, in real terms, by 12 per cent. over the same period. Lower energy prices have significantly helped low income households with the cost of keeping warm. However it is not possible to quantify the resources used in this work.

  The energy efficiency of homes is improved through both specific programmes such as the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme, and also as part of wider housing programmes. The details of each programme are as shown.
  549W
  Specific energy efficiency programmes

  The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES) provides energy efficiency improvements to the homes of eligible households. The scheme was devolved to the Scottish Executive on 1 July 1999 and to the Welsh Executive from 1 April 2000. The scheme in England is due to be radically overhauled from I June, with New HEES providing packages of heating and insulation improvements to households and focusing on the private sector where nearly 70 per cent. of the fuel poor in England are found. The total gross budget for HEES, after allowing for moneys to the devolved administrations, is as shown.

  Home Energy Efficiency Scheme

  Financial year

  £ million

  1997–98

  76.1

  1998–99

  76.2

  1999–2000

  175.3

  2000–014

  2122.8

  2001–024

  3153.8

  1 This includes about £1.5 million spent under the scheme in Scotland from I April to 30 June 1999. It excludes the further £4.4 million transferred to the Scottish Executive in respect of the period 1 July 1999 to 31 March 2000.

  2 In addition, £9.6 million and £6.3 million have been transferred to the Scottish and Welsh Executives.

  3 In addition, £13.3 million and £8.9 million have been transferred to the Scottish and Welsh Executives.

  4 Allocated

  Government funded programmes operated by the Energy Saving Trust also improve the energy efficiency of both fuel poor households and others. The expenditure on such programmes is as shown.

  DETR funded programmes operated by the Energy Saving Trust

  Financial year

  £ million

  1997–98

  12.0

  1998–99

  10.6

  1999–2000

  12.5

  2000–011

  15.1

  2001–02

  2—

  1 Allocated

  2 Under consideration

  Main housing programmes

  The Government have also substantially increased the resources available to local authorities over the lifetime of this Parliament, reversing the reductions planned by previous government. The extra resources in the first three years, 1997–98 to 1999–2000, were allocated through the Capital Receipts Initiative (CRI). Information collected to monitor the impact of the CRI found that around a quarter to a third of the work on local authorities' own stock financed from this initiative lead either directly or indirectly to improvements in energy efficiency. If this were replicated across all local authority housing capital expenditure on its own stock this would equate to around £400-500 million per annum. The total housing capital allocations to local authorities through the Housing Investment Programme (HIP) and Capital Receipts Initiative, are as shown.

  Housing capital allocations to local authorities

  Financial year

  £ million

  1997–98

  11,050

  1998–99

  21,338

  1999–2000

  31,408

  2000–01

  2,090

  2001–025

  42,300

  1 This includes £174 million through the Capital Receipts Initiative.

  2This includes £569 million through the Capital Receipts Initiative.

  550W

  3 This includes £570 million through the Capital Receipts Initiative.

  4 This is planned credit approvals total announced in the CSR in July 1998. Resources for 2001–02 will be allocated in December 2000.

  5 Allocated

  HIP allocations are the aggregate of housing annual capital guidelines and allocations for Private Sector Renewal and Disabled Facilities Grants.

  The energy efficiency of low income households is also likely to be improved through some of the regeneration schemes funded by DETR. These cover a wide range of activities depending on local need, and it is not possible to quantify the precise expenditure on energy efficiency improvements.

  To support the installation of energy efficiency measures, the Government also reduced the level of VAT from 1 July 1998 on work carried out on low income households through eligible schemes such as HEES. The revenue cost of the reduction was £8.5 million a year. This year's Budget extended the reduced rate at a total cost of £35 million a year. By 2002, the total cost is estimated at £85 million.

  The Government are also introducing provisions to enable lessors to claim capital allowances on their investment in boilers, radiators and controls installed in residential properties under the Affordable Warmth Programme. The Programme will operate from 2000 to 2007, with the aim of helping up to one million low income households benefit from improved energy efficiency. Estimate that Government assistance from this measure up to April 2002 will be approximately £10 million.

  In addition to Government energy efficiency programmes, the Director General for Electricity, and now Director General of the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets, has, since 1994, set Energy Efficiency Standards of Performance requiring the public energy suppliers to encourage and assist customers with energy efficiency measures. Around two thirds of this help has gone to pensioner and low income families. From this year the total size of the programme has been doubled to £50 million a year with the obligation placed on both the public gas and electricity suppliers.

DEFENCE

  Defence Vetting Agency
  Mr. Andy King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the Defence Vetting Agency for 2000–01. [118375]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Defence Vetting Agency carries out some 200,000 personnel security vetting checks and investigations each year. Since it was launched in 1997, the Agency has embarked on an ambitious modernisation programme aimed at creating a highly responsive, efficient and integrated organisation, exploiting the capabilities of modern information technology to the benefit of its customers. FY2000–2001 will be a period of particular upheaval as the Agency begins to collocate its four separate vetting units to York. Collocation involves much more than the move on to a single site. New accommodation, processes, IT systems, and a substantially new workforce will be introduced, as the existing vetting units close. Consequently, while the quality of its outputs should be unaffected, it is expected that there will be a notable reduction in the Agencies
  551W
  timeliness and efficiency performance during this period compared to last year. The Chief Executive has been set the following Key Targets:

  Quality
  Key Target 1: At least a 90 per cent. success rating in dealing with Cases Denied and Withdrawn in Service, and zero Serious Errors.

  Timeliness
  Key Target 2: To complete 78 per cent. of Security Checks within 42 days.
  Key Target 3: To complete 76 per cent. of Counter Terrorist Checks within 42 days.
  Key Target 4: To complete 90 per cent. of all Developed Vetting clearances within 26 weeks.
  Key Target 5: To achieve average times for Counter Terrorist Checks and Security Checks of 35 and 31 days respectively, and to complete Developed Vetting clearances on average within 15 weeks.

  Efficiency
  Key Target 6: To achieve a Unit Cost of Output of £32.37.

  I will arrange for copies of the Corporate Plan to be placed in the Library of both Houses.

  Naval Manning Agency
  Mr. Andy King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the Naval Manning Agency for 2000–01. [118376]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Key Targets that have been set for the Chief Executive of the Naval Manning Agency (NMA) for the financial year 2000–01 are as set out. The targets build upon progress made by the Agency since it formed on 1 July 1996.

  1. Deployment:

  a. The percentage of filled Officer billets to be: 94 per cent. or greater.

  b. The percentage of filled rating billets to be: 91 per cent. or greater.

  c. The percentage of filled other rank billets to be: 88 per cent. or greater.

  2. Manpower Planning:
  The variation of Strength to Requirement to be: between zero and minus 2 per cent.

  3. Career Management:

  a. The percentage of Officers receiving the required Notice of Change to be: 60 per cent. greater.

  b. The percentage of ratings receiving the required Notice of Change to be: 98 per cent. or greater.

  c. The number of occurrences where Minimum Time Ashore criteria are met to be: 99 per cent. greater.

  4. NMA Corporate Efficiency:

  a. To achieve strict control of NMA manpower overheads to within plus or minus 2 per cent. of the baseline established for manpower overheads as at 1 April 2000.

  b. To carry out two Benchmarking Exercises.

  c. To achieve a Customer Confidence Score of 62.

  552W
  5.Financial

  a. Production of Annual Accrual Accounts to be completed by September 01.

  b. To operate the NMA within its 2000–01 Net Cash Allocation for Operating Activities (at 1999–2000 prices) of £164.8 million.

  Naval Recruiting and Training Agency
  Mrs. Gilroy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the Naval Recruiting and Training Agency for 2000–01. [118377]

  Mr. Spellar
  The following Key Targets have been set for the Naval Recruiting and Training Agency (NRTA) for 1999–2000:

  To deliver personnel to the trained strength (or to other training organisations) with 4 per cent. variance from the tasked requirement.

  To obtain 96 per cent. "Satisfactory" assessments from the employers of NRTA trainees.

  To maintain success rates of 95 per cent. in Career Training and 97 per cent. in examined Pre-joining training.

  To reduce the variance between RNR Trained Strength and Total Requirement to 35 per cent.

  To retain tasked capacity while operating NRTA within its 200001 resource allocation.

  To achieve net benefits of £11.9 million in FY 2000–01 from the partnering arrangement with Flagship Training Ltd.

  AWE Aldermaston
  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the principal concerns expressed by AWE staff in relation to the potential takeover of sensitive work responsibilities by an American company. [116242]

  Mr. Spellar
  AWE ML is not an American company but does include Lockheed Martin among the three equal partners making up the consortium. The consortium operating AWE up to 1 April was also made up of three partners, one of which is owned by an American parent company.

  When my noble Friend the Minister for Defence Procurement visited Aldermaston recently members of staff asked her a number of questions only one of which expressed concern over Lockheed Martin's involvement with the establishment. That question related to Lockheed Martin's ability to meet UK safety standards.

  In a message delivered on 4 April 2000 to their members who worked at AWE the AEEU, GMB, IPMS, MSF, TGWU and UCATT trade unions described the decision to proceed with the new contract as "controversial but correct".

  Heavy-lift Aircraft
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how long would it take for (i) an Antonov 124 and (ii) a Boeing C-17 to carry an equal amount of supplies, based on the maximum that the lesser carrying aircraft can carry, to(a) East Timor and (b) Mozambique. [116501]
  553W
  Dr. Moonie
  The estimated flight times to East Timor and Mozambique for the two types of aircraft would be similar, since both cruise at roughly the same airspeed. En-route, both aircraft would require refuelling stops of about two hours and one crew change. However, the C-17 is capable of being refuelled in the air and, therefore, apart from having to land for a crew change, it could avoid the intermediate refuelling stops.

  The flying time to East Timor is about 26 hours. Two stops would be required by the An-124 and four stops by the C-17. The total journey time would be 30 hours for the An-124 and 34 hours for the C-17 (or 28 hours with air to air refuelling for the C-17).

  The flying time to Mozambique is about 15 hours. The An-124 would require one stop and two for the C-17. The total journey time would be 17 hours for the An-124 and 19 hours for the C-17 (or 17 hours for the C-17 with air to air refuelling).

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what(a) volume and (b) weight of cargo a single (i) Antonov 124 and (ii) Boeing c-17 could have taken to (a) East Timor and (b) Mozambique. [116500]

  Dr. Moonie
  The An-124 and the C-17 would have the same cargo capabilities to East Timor as they would to Mozambique; these would be:

  (i)An-124 could carry (a) a volume of 1,160 cu m or (b) a weight of 120 tonnes.

  (ii)C-17 could carry (a) a volume of 580 cu m or (b) a weight of 76.8 tonnes.

  Porton Down
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the types of experiments carried out on human volunteers at the chemical and biological defence establishment at Porton Down in the last four years. [117091]

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

  Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Matthew Taylor, dated 6 April 2000:
  I am replying to your parliamentary question about studies undertaken by the Chemical and Biological Defence (CBD) sector of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA).
  During the last four years, the types of studies carried out on human volunteers at Porton Down have fallen into two broad categories. Firstly, there are studies concerned with the evaluation of the physical and psychological burden imposed on service personnel by wearing various items of personal protective equipment, such as the NBC suit and the current in-service respirator, under various environmental conditions.
  Secondly, there are studies that evaluate the effects of various licensed drugs on military performance. These may be given to service personnel either as protection or treatments in the event of exposure to chemical or biological agents on the battlefield. The effects that are investigated in such studies would be trivial or go unnoticed in a civilian population but may be important in a military context because they could possibly degrade overall performance. An example of this type of study is the evaluation of the effects of antibiotics on the performance of those involved in tasks such as map reading.
  I hope the above is helpful.

  CVR(T) Tank
  Mr. St. Aubyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the CVR(T) tank is due to be withdrawn from service. [117130]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) (CVR(T)) is planned to be withdrawn between 2006 and 2014 as it is replaced by the next generation of vehicles.

  Mr. St. Aubyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons exemptions from procurement rules have been granted to the David Brown Group for the supply of transmissions for the CVR(T) tank. [117135]

  Dr. Moonie
  The David Brown Group has been granted no exemptions from procurement rules for the supply of transmission mechanisms for the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) (CVR(T)).

  Mr. St. Aubyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the conversion kits needed to convert the CVR(T) tank from petrol to diesel(a) will be issued free to the contractor and (b) will be purchased from his Department. [117132]

  Dr. Moonie
  The conversion kits are being procured by the Department and will be provided as Government Furnished Equipment to the contractor.

  Mr. St. Aubyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place copies of the invitations to tender regarding the conversion of the CVR(T) tank from petrol to diesel in the Library. [117129]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Invitation To Tender document contains classified information. I am withholding its release in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, which relates to Defence, Security and International Relations.

  Mr. St. Aubyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has for additional improvements to the CVR(T) tank. [117131]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) (CVR(T)) fleet has been subject to many improvements, a number of which are ongoing, including a major programme to convert the vehicles from petrol to diesel. This will reduce whole life costs. Additionally, studies are in place to assess the viability of introducing Battle Group Thermal Imagers and the BOWMAN communications system to the vehicle.

  Mr. St. Aubyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many kits to convert the CVR(T) tank from petrol to diesel have been(a) ordered and (b) delivered to date. [117137]

  Dr. Moonie
  A contract was placed with Alvis Vehicles Ltd. for the production and delivery of 1,107 Modification Kits. As at the end of February 2000, 532 Modification Kits had been delivered.

  Zinc Cadmium Sulphide Trials
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many former staff of the Porton Down chemical and biological defence establishment were in contact with Professor Peter Lachmann and his panel
  555W
  during the course of their inquiry into the zinc cadmium sulphide trials; and if he will place all the communications between them and Professor Lachmann and his team in the Library. [117058]

  Dr. Moonie
  I understand that Professor Lachmann's team had a number of telephone conversations with one former member of staff at Porton Down. No record of these conversations was made and any advice supplied was used in the final report, a copy of which has already been placed in the Library of the House.

  Serbia
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent reports he has received about the presence of radioactive dust as a result of NATO bombing in Serbia. [117109]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 3 April 2000]: None. The most recent independent and objective report on the environmental consequences of the Kosovo conflict that I am aware of is the UN Environment Programme report: "The Kosovo Conflict: Consequences for the Environment". The report concluded, inter alia, that an environmental catastrophe had not taken place in Kosovo. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with the United States about the use of depleted uranium-tipped shells in Serbia. [117112]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 3 April 2000]: I have had no recent discussions with the United States Government about the use of depleted uranium-based munitions in Serbia.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will obtain a copy of the study by the Institute of Health Protection in Nis, concerning the measurement of the levels of radioactivity in soil samples. [117110]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 3 April 2000]: We are willing to consider carefully any peer-reviewed studies based on appropriately validated data.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent reports he has received about concentrations of radioactive heavy metal in(a) Pljackovica, (b) Bratoselce, (c) Cerenovac and (d) Rehjan. [117111]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 3 April 2000]: I have received no recent reports about concentrations of radioactive heavy metal in the areas quoted.

  A400M Project
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the Royal Air Force's role in the A400M Project; and if he will make a statement. [117846]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Royal Air Force has been involved at every stage in the Department's work to fulfil our Future Transport Aircraft requirement, for which one of the candidates is the Airbus A400M.

  Low Flying (Saddleworth)
  Mr. Woolas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what authorisation there is for low flying in the Saddleworth area; and if any part of the Oldham East and Saddleworth constituency is designated as a Royal Air Force training area. [117922]

  Dr. Moonie
  In principle the whole of the UK is available for military low flying training. A number of areas, including controlled airspace and towns with a population of over 10,000, are unavailable. Military low flying training is not permitted over the western half of the hon. Member's constituency as it is located within controlled airspace. The eastern half of the constituency, including the Saddleworth area, is, however, available.

  Works of Art
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent on(a) the upkeep and (b) the purchase of works of art in his Department for each financial year since 1992. [117475]

  Dr. Moonie
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 4 April 2000,Official Report, columns 391-93W, by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Arts.

  Kosovo
  Mr. Donald Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the contribution funded from his Department to the United Nations force in Kosovo; and what have been the levels of contribution made by other countries. [117158]

  Mr. Hoon
  UNMIK is a Foreign and Commonwealth Office responsibility. The Ministry of Defence has incurred costs of £1,500 in financial year 1999–2000 which are expected to be repaid by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Information on the costs incurred by other nations is not available.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Community Legal Service (Hendon)
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement about the availability of the community legal service in Hendon. [117856]

  Mr. Lock
  Hendon, as part of the London Borough of Barnet, is covered by the Barnet Community Legal Service (CLS) Partnership, which will plan how best to fund and co-ordinate legal services to meet priority local needs more effectively. In the constituency of Hendon, there are nine solicitors' firms which have one or more contracts with the Legal Services Commission to supply services under the CLS Fund and hold the CLS Quality Mark. Details of the nine solicitors' firms and other legal service providers in Hendon can be found in the CLS Directory of legal services, which is accessible on the "Just Ask" website at www.justask.org.uk, or by phoning 0845 6081122. The CLS Directory is also available in hard copy in a number of public locations, including all public libraries and county and magistrates courts.

  Road Traffic Accident Protocol
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which organisations took part in the consultation on the development of the Motor Accident Solicitors Society Road Traffic Accident protocol; how much time was allowed for public consultation; and when the protocol will enter into force. [117371]

  Mr. Lock
  Working groups of interested parties are responsible for developing pre-action protocols, with the Lord Chancellor's Department acting as a facilitator. The proposed Road Traffic Accident protocol is still in the development stage and has not yet been subject to full public consultation.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Organic Farming
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total value of UK organic farm produce in each of the past 10 years. [117542]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 3 April 2000]: The estimated retail sales value of UK organic produce in the 1997 Mintel Market Intelligence Report on Organic and Ethical Foods is given in the table:

  Year

  £ million

  £ million (at 1992 prices)

  1992

  93

  93

  1993

  105

  103

  1994

  121

  118

  1995

  140

  131

  1996

  200

  179

  19971

  260

  228

  1 Estimate

  The Soil Association's Organic Food and Farming Report 1999 estimates the retail value of UK sales in 1997–98 and 1998–99 as £260 million and £390 million respectively.

  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many organic farms there were in the UK in each of the past 10 years; [117540]

  (2) how many farms have been converted to organic farming in each of the past 10 years. [117541]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 3 April 2000]: The numbers of registered organic farmers and growers are given in the table:

  Year

  Number of farmers/growers

  December 1994

  715

  December 1995

  828

  December 1996

  865

  December 1997

  1,026

  December 1998

  1,462

  November 1999

  2,322

  We do not have statistics for the years preceding December 1994.

  BSE
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the underspend in the Treasury's budget for the last financial year for BSE-related expenditures. [113864]

  Ms Quin
  In the 1998–99 financial year, MAFF underspent its provision for BSE-related expenditure by £2 million and the Intervention Board by £17 million. The unspent amounts which were ring-fenced for spending on BSE measures only, were returned to Treasury.

  Primate Exports
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what reasons primates were exported to Gabon and Croatia in(a) 1999 and (b) 2000 to date. [116709]

  Ms Quin
  Exporters are not required to notify this Department of their reasons for exporting consignments of primates.

  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many primates were exported through Dover on the Cap Afrique on 20 and 21 March. [116708]

  Ms Quin
  Inquiries indicate that five primates were exported through Dover on the Cap Afrique on the night of 20-21 March.

  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many primates, of which species, were carried on the Cap Afrique in(a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000 to date; how many were captive bred; and what was their (i) origin and (ii) destination. [116287]

  Ms Quin
  The import licences issued by the Department do not identify the names of vessels or craft used to import consignments of primates. The number of licences actually used to import primates, as distinct from being issued (import licences are valid for six months after issue), in each year since 1997 together with the number of premises of destination involved is as set out:

  Year

  Number of licences used

  Number of premises of destination involved

  1997

  80

  19

  1998

  86

  20

  1999

  67

  18

  2000

  6

  4

  Consolidated information on the origin and total number of primates by species imported into the UK in each year since 1997 could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The destination of all such consignments are quarantine premises authorised by the Department, which may be located in zoos, wildlife centres or research premises.

  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 8 March 2000,Official Report, column 716W, on primate exports, if he will list the reasons, as listed on their permits, for the import and export of the types of primates listed. [116710]
  559W
  Ms Quin
  Exporters are not required to notify this Department of their reasons for exporting consignments of primates.

  Those applying for licences to import primates into the UK are asked to indicate the purpose for which animals are being imported. The categories are: research, exhibition, as pets, for breeding, or other.

  European Centre for Organic Fruit and Nursery Stock
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the likely location of the European Centre for organic fruit and nursery stock. [117688]

  Ms Quin
  As announced jointly by HM Treasury and the Ministry on 30 March 2000, this new Centre will be at Horticulture Research International, East Malting.

  Regional Service Centres
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what reason the "Action Plan for Farming" published on 30 March contains no commitment to the maintenance of his Department's regional service centres; and if he will make a statement. [117698]

  Mr. Morley
  The action plan for farming makes clear the Government's commitment to minimise administrative and cost burdens, to simplify bureaucracy, and to improve the use of information and communication technologies in fanning communities.

  The recent review of Common Agricultural policy (CAP) scheme administration was commissioned to help us identify the best way to improve the service currently provided to farmers and traders by MAFF's Regional Service Centres (RSCs) and the Intervention Board Executive Agency taking full advantage of the benefits of modern technology.

  No decisions have yet been taken on the future of the RSCs following this review. I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Ludlow (Mr. Gill) on 27 March 2000, Official Report, column 37W, which sets out the latest position.

  Agri-environment Schemes
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to reduce the costs of implementation of agri-environment schemes including Countryside Stewardship. [117686]

  Mr. Morley
  We have already achieved some reduction in the costs of implementing agri-environment schemes as a proportion of payments to farmers. Between 1996–97 and 1999–2000, the costs for scheme monitoring and the provision of technical advice rose from £12.3 million to just over £14 million, while payments to farmers almost doubled.

  In addition, in order to cope with the anticipated doubling of applications for Countryside Stewardship this year, we have introduced a number of steps to help streamline the application process.
  560W
  In the medium terms we plan to carry out a major review of agri-environment schemes to consider reshaping and simplifying them in time to feed in to the mid-term evaluation of the England Rural Development Plan in 2003.

  EU Rural Development Regulations
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to use the provision under article 13(b) of EU Rural Development Regulations to introduce schemes of management for areas where environmental restrictions apply. [117593]

  Mr. Morley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 4 April 2000,Official Report, columns 457-58W.

  Works of Art
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much has been spent on(a) the upkeep and (b) the purchase of works of art in his Department for each financial year since 1992. [117478]

  Mr. Morley
  This Department borrows works of art from the Government Art Collection, which is funded and maintained by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Arts on 4 April 2000,Official Report, columns 392-93W. The Department has not bought any works of art since 1992.

  Special Area Project
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to extend the provisions of the Special Area Project for the Forest of Bowland to other areas within England that contain sites of international importance for wildlife. [117611]

  Mr. Morley
  We intend to carry out an economic evaluation of the project at the end of its two-year pilot phase in March 2001. We will wish to consider the results of that evaluation before deciding whether to extend the project's provisions to other areas within England.

  Flood Defence
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on progress on the flood defence programme for Edgware and Burnt Oak. [117216]

  Mr. Morley
  I understand that the Environment Agency are aiming to consult on an Environment Statement for the Silk Stream flood alleviation scheme in the next few weeks, with a view to making a planning application for the works in August.

  Gelatine
  Mr. Yeo

  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) which countries exported gelatine to the United Kingdom in each of the last five years; and what quantity of gelatine each of those countries exported; [117007]
  561W
  (2) from which countries gelatine (a) used and (b) sold in food outlets operated by his Ministry (i) as part of a food product and (ii) as a separate ingredient is imported. [117024]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 3 April 2000]: UK imports of gelatine in 1995–99 (tonnes) were as follows:

  Country

  19951

  19961

  19971

  1998

  19992

  France

  —

  —

  —

  2,605

  3,886

  Belgium-Luxembourg

  —

  —

  —

  2,216

  1,737

  Sweden

  —

  —

  —

  1,617

  1,570

  Brazil

  —

  —

  —

  1,454

  1,602

  Germany

  —

  —

  —

  1,227

  1,538

  USA

  —

  —

  —

  1,207

  1,529

  China

  —

  —

  —

  1,001

  681

  Netherlands

  —

  —

  —

  875

  705

  Italy

  —

  —

  —

  679

  424

  India

  —

  —

  —

  491

  604

  South Korea

  —

  —

  —

  361

  396

  Colombia

  —

  —

  —

  344

  307

  Spain

  —

  —

  —

  514

  113

  Irish

  Republic

  —

  —

  —

  218

  68

  Switzerland

  —

  —

  —

  102

  169

  Taiwan

  —

  —

  —

  91

  86

  Argentina

  —

  —

  —

  66

  103

  Others

  —

  —

  —

  176

  253

  Grand total

  14,753

  16,405

  14,997

  15,242

  15,773

  1 Import data is not available at country level prior to 1998

  2 Provisional

  Source:

  HM Customs and Excise

  As for foodstuffs, gelatine is used as an ingredient in a very wide range of foodstuffs and it would not be possible to identify separately from which countries such foodstuffs are imported.

  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) when he last met representatives of the Gelatine Manufacturers of Europe to discuss the safety of gelatine(a) as part of a food product and (b) a separate ingredient imported into the United Kingdom; [117005]

  (2) when he last met representatives of the Gelatine Manufacturers of Europe; and what was discussed. [117004]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 3 April 2000]: I have held no discussions with the Gelatine Manufacturers of Europe. My officials are however in regular contact with UK gelatine manufacturers.

  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food recent discussions(a) he and (b) his Department has had with (i) the European Commission, (ii) the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products (iii) the French Government, (iv) the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee and (v) the World Health Organisation concerning the safety of gelatine (1) as part of a food product and (2) as a separate ingredient imported in to the United Kingdom. [117006]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 3 April 2000]: My Department has held discussions with officials of the European Commission and the French Government on various aspects of the safety of gelatine. Discussions with the European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the
  562W
  Secretary of State for Health. The role of the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC) is to give independent, scientific advice to Ministers on all aspects of Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies. SEAC last advised on the safety of gelatine in 1997.

  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much gelatine was produced in the United Kingdom in the last five years. [117008]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 3 April 2000]: The only readily available information is that published by the Gelatine Manufacturers of Europe (GME). The GME estimates that in 1998 the United Kingdom produced 10,000 tonnes of gelatine for all purposes for edible, pharmaceutical, photographic and technical uses. The sources are listed by the GME as pigskin, hide, bone and other raw materials. A breakdown by country of figures for earlier years is not available.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  EU Directives
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many European Union Directives have been incorporated into the law of the United Kingdom. [117582]

  Mr. Vaz
  A comprehensive list of all European legislation in force as at 1 December 1999 is contained in the Official Journal Directory of Community legislation in force (34th Ed.). This is updated every six months and is available in the Library of the House. More in depth information on all legislation referred to is available from the Celex database which has been open to the public since 1981.

  Gibraltar
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the present position is as regards delays faced by motor vehicles at the Gibraltar/Spain border; and if he will make a statement. [117410]

  Mr. Vaz
  Most traffic crosses from Gibraltar to Spain during the main daytime and evening hours. In recent weeks, delays at these times have generally ranged from 20 minutes to one hour. At times, during the rush hour, delays have gone above one hour, and, on occasion, there have been peaks of up to two hours.

  Sri Lanka
  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his counterparts in the Norwegian Government about Sri Lanka. [117641]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Minister of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Neath (Mr. Hain) discussed the Norwegian initiative in Sri Lanka with State Secretary Wegger Stromen on 7 March. The government of which Mr. Stromen was a member has now fallen. The Secretary of State plans to make early contact with the new Norwegian Foreign Minister, Thorbjorn Jagland, when he will have an opportunity to discuss Norway's role in Sri Lanka.

  Helsinki Council
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, pursuant to his answer of 20 January 2000,Official Report, column 536W, on the Helsinki Council, the terms of reference, guidance and accountability of the standing committees have been determined. [117486]

  Mr. Vaz
  No decisions have been taken on the establishment of these bodies in their permanent form. The Council decided on 15 February to establish equivalent bodies on an interim basis. Under these decisions, the Interim Political and Security Committee, a separate formation of the Political Committee, shall, in close contacts with the Secretary General/High Representative prepare recommendations for the Council on the future functioning of the common European security and defence policy and deal with common foreign and security policy affairs on a day-to-day basis. An Interim Military Body, consisting of representatives of member states' Chiefs of Defence, shall give military advice as required to the Political Committee, including in its formation as the interim Political and Security Committee, and to the Secretary General/High Representative. It is assisted by military experts seconded from member states to the Council Secretariat. The military experts will provide military expertise to the Interim Military Body and the Secretary General/High Representative to support the common foreign and security policy. They will form the nucleus of the future military staff.

  US Missile Defence System
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has been made of the implications for non-proliferation of United States' plans to establish a National Missile Defence Shield Programme, involving forward bases in the United Kingdom [117675]

  Mr. Vaz
  The United States has not yet decided to deploy any such system. Its implications for non-proliferation would depend on the circumstances in which it were deployed.

  The United States Administration has said that the implications for the overall strategic environment and for arms control will be one of the key criteria against which any deployment decision is taken.

  Kosovo
  Mr. Donald Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the contribution funded from his Department for the reconstruction of Kosovo since June 1999; and what have been the levels of the contribution of(a) other EU member states, (b) Canada and (c) the USA. [117159]

  Mr. Vaz
  The UK is donating £119 million in humanitarian and reconstruction assistance in 1999 and 2000. A further £15 million is also available for assistance to international relief organisations and to de-mining projects. Over the same period the other EU member states (excluding the UK) are donating 1.1 billion euros in bilateral humanitarian and reconstruction assistance. The Community itself allocated 507.7 million euros in 1999 and is donating 295 million euros in humanitarian and
  564W
  reconstruction assistance for 2000. The Canadian Government have committed C$34.5 million in humanitarian and budgetary assistance and C$69.5 million in peace-building initiatives from April 1999 to March 2001. The US has allocated £168 million in reconstruction aid and $95.6 million in humanitarian aid over 1999–2000.

  Mr. Donald Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many police officers have been provided by the United Kingdom to serve in Kosovo; and how many have been provided by other countries. [117160]

  Mr. Hain
  The United Kingdom has deployed 60 police officers to the United Nations International Police (UNIP) in Kosovo. At the request of the UN, we are increasing that contribution to 150 officers, including 20 specialists to help combat organised crime in Kosovo. In addition, the UK has contributed 40 officers to the OSCE-run school training the future Kosovo police service.

  According to figures provided by the UN on 29 March, 2,760 civilian police officers have been deployed to UNIP by 43 other countries.

  Democratic Republic of Congo
  Mr. Austin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received concerning the use of arms in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo supplied to the Governments of(a) Uganda and (b) Zimbabwe from UK sources; and if he will make a statement. [117958]

  Mr. Hain
  We have received no reports of British equipment previously supplied to the Ugandan Government being used by their forces in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). We understand that two Hawk jets supplied from the UK to the Zimbabwe airforce are deployed in the DRC from time to time, though we have no details.

  Iran
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the forthcoming trial of the 13 detained Jews in Iran, with particular reference to the fairness of the trial procedure and whether independent observers will be permitted to attend. [117857]

  Mr. Hain
  I refer to my answers to my hon. Friend's questions of 3 April 2000,Official Report, column 282W. It would not be right to speculate on the conduct of this trial before it has begun. The Iranian Government have stressed repeatedly that the trial of those detained on espionage charges, including members of the Jewish community, will be fair and open. These are commitments to which the international community will hold the Iranian government.

  Websites
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which companies have placed advertisements on websites funded by his Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies; how much revenue has been generated for each
  565W
  financial year since 1997 from such advertisements; and what use has been made of that revenue by his Department. [116597]

  Mr. Hain
  No companies have placed advertisements on websites funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies.

  Two companies have sponsored the Planet Britain website (www.planet-britain.org). Eagle Star contributed £35,000 to the costs of the 1998 website and accompanying CD-ROM while Glaxo Wellcome contributed £6,000 to both the 1998 and 2000 versions of the Planet Britain website. The logos of the two companies appear on the website.

CABINET OFFICE

  Workplace Parking
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many workplace car parking spaces are available at the buildings used and controlled by her Department. [116764]

  Mr. Stringer
  As at 31 March, the Cabinet Office's estate (which comprised 28 buildings; 17 in central London and 11 elsewhere) had a total of 762 car parking spaces. The parking spaces are used for a range of purposes: deliveries, operational, visitors and staff use. For example, the figure includes 226 spaces available to students attending courses at the Civil Service College. Further details are given in the table, a copy of which will be placed in the Library.

  We are preparing a travel plan for the Cabinet Office in line with the commitment set out in the Transport White Paper, and we are reviewing their scope for reducing our car parking requirements in that context.

  Taskforces
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will list, for each of the taskforces which have reported, the number of recommendations which(a) they made and (b) have been implemented by the relevant departments. [117966]

  Mr. Stringer
  Detailed information in the form requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. A full list of taskforces established since May 1997 was placed in the Library as stated on 9 December 1999,Official Report, column

  College

  Enrolments on full-time courses at NI FE colleges1

  Loan up-take2

  Percentage up-take

  1997–98

  BIHFE

  1,342

  766

  57

  North West Institute

  687

  209

  30

  Fermanagh College

  108

  37

  3

  NIHCC

  216

  76

  35

  North East Institute

  172

  52

  30

  East Antrim Institute

  41

  18

  44

  Lisburn College

  71

  17

  24

  North Down and Ards Institute

  369

  117

  32

  East Down Institute

  2

  0

  0

  566W
  634W. The list provides a breakdown of membership between the private, public and voluntary sectors as well as details of reports prepared by individual taskforces. Those taskforces which are classified as Non-Departmental Public Bodies are excluded from the list as information on them is published in the annual Public Bodies publication.

  Employers Forum on Disability
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which Government Departments(a) have and (b) have not joined the Employers Forum on Disability.
  [117628]

  Mr. Stringer
  My Department does not keep central records regarding membership of the Employers Forum on Disability or other employer organisations. The decision whether to join the Forum is a matter for individual Departments and agencies.

  However, the Employers Forum on Disability tell us that as at 1 April 2000, 14 Government Departments and agencies had joined the Forum. They are:

  Cabinet Office

  Court Service

  Crown Prosecution Service

  Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA)

  Department for Education and Employment

  Department for Trade and Industry

  Patent Office

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  Her Majesty's Customs and Excise

  Inland Revenue

  Insolvency Service

  Lord Chancellor's Department

  Ministry of Defence

  Office for National Statistics

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Students
  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the take-up rates were for student loans for each further and higher education college in Northern Ireland in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [114656]

  Mr. Ingram
  The table shows the relevant information from 1997–98, 1998–99 and 1999–2000.
  567W

  College

  Enrolments on full-time courses at NI FE colleges1

  Loan up-take2

  Percentage up-take

  Newry and Kilkeel college

  143

  25

  18

  Upper Bann Institute

  132

  35

  27

  Total

  3,283

  1,352

  1998–99

  BIHFE

  1,301

  809

  62

  North West Institute

  684

  271

  40

  Fermanagh College

  112

  49

  44

  NIHCC

  204

  86

  42

  North East Institute

  178

  58

  33

  East Antrim Institute

  38

  17

  45

  Lisburn College

  68

  26

  38

  North Down and Ards Institute

  375

  161

  43

  East Down Institute

  1

  0

  0

  Newry and Kilkeel College

  134

  46

  34

  Upper Bann Institute

  133

  54

  41

  Total

  3,228

  1,577

  1999–2000

  BIHFE

  1,391

  1,156

  83

  North West Institute

  716

  477

  67

  Fermanagh College

  128

  93

  73

  NIHCC

  204

  122

  60

  North East Institute

  184

  89

  48

  East Antrim Institute

  40

  29

  73

  Lisburn College

  82

  41

  50

  North Down and Ards Institute

  407

  279

  69

  East Down Institute

  12

  6

  50

  Newry and Kilkeel College

  182

  107

  59

  Upper Bann Institute

  157

  101

  64

  Total3

  3,503

  2,500

  1 Figures based on snapshots of enrolments at 1 November each academic year include EU students who are not eligible for loans

  2 Figures provided by the Student Loans Company

  3 Figures for 1999–2000 are provisional

  Paramilitary Violence
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) deaths and (b) injuries have been attributable to paramilitary groups since the start of the ceasefire in July 1997; and what was the number in the three years before the ceasefire. [116070]

  Mr. Ingram
  The table shows the number of deaths attributable to paramilitary groups and casualties from paramilitary style attacks since 1 January 1995 to 29 February 2000.

  Security situation statistics

  Loyalist

  Republican

  Deaths

  1995

  2

  7

  1996

  5

  9

  19971

  9

  4

  19972

  7

  1

  1998

  17

  37

  1999

  3

  4

  20003

  4

  —

  Casualties as a result of paramilitary style shootings

  1995

  3

  —

  1996

  21

  3

  19971

  33

  16

  19972

  13

  10

  1998

  34

  38

  1999

  47

  26

  20003

  7

  —

  568W

  Security situation statistics

  Loyalist

  Republican

  Casualties as a result of paramilitary style assaults

  1995

  76

  141

  1996

  130

  172

  19971

  45

  53

  19972

  33

  25

  1998

  89

  55

  1999

  91

  42

  20003

  13

  5

  1 To 19 July

  2 With effect from 20 July

  3 To 29 February

  Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast
  Mr. Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the cost of supplying and fitting the new railings around the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, including the cost of the demolition and removal of the existing wall. [1167121]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The cost of supplying and fitting the new railings is £415,275. A further £79,337 will be spent restoring the existing listed boundary wall. The project is jointly funded by the Millennium Commission and the Royal Group of Hospitals HSS Trust.

  IDB Industrial Site, Lisburn
  Mr. Donaldson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many visits by potential investors there have been to the new IDB industrial site at Knockmore in Lisburn. [117096]

  Mr. Ingram
  During the period April 1996 to March 1999, IDB arranged 11 visits by potential inward investors to Knockmore Hill Industrial Estate.

  Violence Victims
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what measures he is taking to ensure that funds from the European Union assigned to organisations which claim to support victims of violence are used for that purpose; [117126]

  (2) what is the total value of EU funds provided to Northern Ireland since December 1993; and how much of this has gone to organisations claiming to support victims of violence. [117125]

  Mr. Ingram
  All organisations, including those offering support to victims of violence, which received funding from the European Union are subject to the financial controls stipulated in the European Commission's regulations and enforced by each member state. These include verification visits by the promoters through which the funds are channelled; independent audit checks by consultants acting on behalf of the promoters; and checks/visits carried out by Departmental Internal Auditors, the Northern Ireland Audit Office and the European Court of Auditors.

  The total value of European Union funds allocated to Northern Ireland since December 1993 is approximately £1.5 billion comprising NI Single Programme £980 million, Community Initiatives £92 million and the European Special Programme for Peace and Reconciliation £385 million.

  A total of £3.8 million has been allocated to organisations specifically offering support for victims of violence.

  Targeting Social Need
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures he has taken to integrate the statutory equality duty into the new Targeting Social Need initiative. [117362]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 3 April 2000]: The statutory obligation on equality of opportunity under section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998 and New Targeting Social Need (New TSN) are separate but complementary elements of the Government's equality agenda. The statutory obligation requires Public Authorities, including NI Departments and the NIO, to have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity in terms of nine social categories. New TSN is a policy running through spending programmes in NI Government Departments and the NIO which requires efforts and available resources to be targeted towards people, groups and areas objectively defined as being in greatest social need.
  570W
  The Government have made it clear that there is no incompatibility between the principles of equality of opportunity and targeting on the basis of objective social need; addressing disadvantage may often contribute to reducing socio-economic inequalities within the Section 75 categories. The OFMDFM will include the New TSN policy within its Equality Impact Assessment in due course.

  Employment Equality
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will accept the recommendation of the Northern Ireland Commission on Fair Employment to conduct the next analysis of unemployment differentials before the 2011 Census. [117359]

  Mr. George Howarth
  [holding answer 3 April 2000]: Government continually monitor community differentials in unemployment through annual Labour Force Surveys. The analysis will be greatly assisted by the results of the 2001 Census, which will provide more accurate data. In the White Paper "Partnership for Equality" (Cm 3890 March 1998) the Government gave a commitment to a further review of employment equality in Northern Ireland, including unemployment differentials, to be launched by 2005. They also predicted that the proposals in the White Paper, together with social and economic change, would lead to a substantial reduction in unemployment differentials which should be evidenced in the 2011 Census.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he plans to circulate final guidelines on fair employment practices. [117360]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 3 April 2000]: Under the Fair Employment and Treatment (Northern Ireland) Order 1998 the Equality Commission, with the approval of the Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister, may issue Codes of Practice on fair employment issues. A Code of Practice has been in circulation for several years. My hon. Friend may be referring to the Equality Commission's equality scheme guidelines, "Guide to the Statutory duties: A guide to the implementation of the statutory duties on public authorities arising from Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998". Those guidelines were launched by the Equality Commission on 31 March 2000. Distribution of the guidelines is a matter for the Commission.

  School Budgets
  Mr. Donaldson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what arrangements are being made to ensure that the additional funding for schools announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer will go directly into school budgets in Northern Ireland. [117858]

  Mr. George Howarth
  I can confirm that £14.7 million will be distributed for the benefit of every primary, post-primary and special school in Northern Ireland, and that decisions on the use of this additional funding will be for schools to make. The funds will be paid through the normal funding mechanisms.

  Websites
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the expenditure incurred by his Department, Agencies and Non-Departmental Public Bodies on(a) the setting up and (b) the operation of websites, indicating the cases in which the expenditure has been above that budgeted; and if he will list for each website (i) the topics that have been covered, (ii) the current average number of hits per month and (iii) the estimated expenditure on each website for each of the next three years. [116201]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 4 April 2000]: The Northern Ireland Public Service Web Site was developed with the intention of providing the public with a mechanism for quickly accessing information relating to Northern Ireland Office, Departments, Agencies, Non-Departmental Public Bodies and Commissions.

  (a) Expenditure incurred setting up the Northern Ireland Public Service Web Site.
  The initial set up costs for the NICS Web Server amounted to £8,500 capital expenditure in 1997. Staff costs associated with the set up are not available.

  (b) Expenditure incurred in the operation of the Northern Ireland Public Service Web Site.
  The expenditure incurred in 1999–2000 will be £287,080 broken down as follows:

  Maintenance £8,500.

  Connection to the Internet Service Provider (ISP) £36,080.

  Ongoing development £195,000.

  Replacement Web Servers £47,500

  (i) The topics covered by the Northern Ireland Public Service Web Site are listed in Appendix A.

  (ii) The current average number of hits per month for all Northern Ireland Public Service Sites is 2.58 million.

  (iii) The estimated central expenditure on the Northern Ireland Public Service Web Site for the next three years is as follows:

  £

  Year

  Development of Web applications and standards

  Infrastructure support

  Total

  2000–01

  216,473

  61,460

  277,933

  2001–02

  299,336

  73,228

  372,564

  2002–03

  299,336

  73,228

  372,564

  Note:

  Individual Departmental/NDPB expenditure is not available

  Topics on the Northern Ireland Civil Service Web Site

  (Department of) Agriculture and Rural Development

  Agricultural Research Institute of Northern Ireland

  Arts Council of Northern Ireland

  (Local Government) Audit Office

  Business Development Service (BDS)

  Belfast City Vision

  Central Adjudication Services (CAS)

  Central Community Relations Unit

  Chief Executives' Forum

  Child Support Agency (CSA)

  Citizen's Charter for Northern Ireland

  Clinical Resource Efficiency Team (CREST)

  Commission for Racial Equality for Northern Ireland

  Compensation Agency

  Construction Service

  572W

  (Department of) Culture, Arts and Leisure

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing Northern Ireland (DVLNI)

  Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency (DVTA)

  (Northern Ireland) Economic Bull Points

  (Department of) Education

  (Department of) Enterprise Trade and Investment

  (Department of) the Environment

  Environment and Heritage Service

  Equality Commission

  Equal Opportunities Commission for Northern Ireland

  Economics Division—Department of Finance and Personnel

  Energy Managers Group

  Euro

  European Division—Department of Finance and Personnel

  European Programmes

  European Union—Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation

  Fair Employment Commission for Northern Ireland

  (Department of) Finance and Personnel

  Forensic Science Unit of Northern Ireland

  General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland

  Government DIRECT—for Business Northern Ireland

  Government Purchasing Agency

  Greenmount College of Agriculture and Horticulture

  Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland

  (Department of) Health, Social Services and Public Safety

  Health and Personal Social Services (HPSS)

  (Department of) Higher and Further Education, Training and Employment

  Independent Commission on Policing for Northern Ireland

  Industrial Development Board for Northern Ireland (IDB)

  Industrial and Research Technology Unit (IRTU)

  Innovation Relay Centre for Northern Ireland

  Land Registers of Northern Ireland

  Local Enterprise Development Unit (LEDU)

  Local Government Staff Commission for Northern Ireland

  National Year of Reading

  Northern Ireland Assembly

  Northern Ireland Audit Office

  Northern Ireland Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA)

  Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE)

  Northern Ireland Court Service

  Northern Ireland Drugs Information

  Northern Ireland Expenditure Plans and Priorities

  Northern Ireland Forum for Political Dialogue

  Northern Ireland Housing Executive

  Northern Ireland Millennium Company

  Northern Ireland Museum Council

  Northern Ireland Office (NIO)

  NICO—Northern Ireland Public Sector Enterprises

  Northern Ireland Prison Service

  Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA)

  Northern Ireland Tourist Board

  Northern Ireland Urban Initiative

  North/South Co-operation

  North/South Ministerial Council

  Office for the Regulation of Electricity and Gas (OFREG)

  573W

  Office of the First Minister and Deputy First Minister

  (Northern Ireland) Ombudsman

  Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland (OSNI)

  Parades Commission

  Patten Commission (Independent Commission on Policing for Northern Ireland)

  Peace Maze

  Planning Service

  Police Authority for Northern Ireland (PANI)

  Probation Board for Northern Ireland (PBNI)

  Public Appointments

  The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland Public Appointments Report

  Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI)

  Public Sector Enterprises (NICO)

  Rates Collection Agency (RCA)

  Registry of Companies Credit Unions and Industrial and Provident Societies

  (Department for ) Regional Development

  Roads Service

  Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC)

  Rural Transport Fund for Northern Ireland

  (DED) Statistics and Research Branch

  Shaping our Future

  (Department for) Social Development

  Social Security Agency (SSA)

  Sports Council for Northern Ireland

  Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation

  Strategy 2010

  Trading Standards

  Training and Employment Agency (TEA)

  Training Services

  Ulster Museum

  Urban Traffic Control Centre

  Valuation and Lands Agency (VLA)

  Water Service.

WALES

  Press Officers
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many press officers were employed by his Office in(a) 1992, (b) 1993, (c) 1994, (d) 1995, (e) 1996, (f) 1997, (g) 1998 and (h) 1999. [116324]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I regret that figures are not available for the years before 1994 for the Welsh Office Press Office. From 1994 until the start of the National Assembly in July 1999 the Press Office had between eight and nine press officers.

PRIME MINISTER

  Universal Primary Education
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to discuss the achievement of universal primary education at this year's G8 Summit. [116543]
  574W
  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 29 March 2000]: The World Education Forum in Dakar later this month will assess progress achieved in the decade since the World Conference on Education for All in Jomtien. This is an important opportunity for the international community to reaffirm its commitment to providing education for the world's children, and to put in place a Framework for Action. At the G8 Summit in Okinawa in July Heads of Government will consider the outcome of the Dakar Forum and look at what more can be done to ensure that the target of universal primary education by 2015 is achieved.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Prime Minister what recent discussions he has held with his EU and UN counterparts concerning the achievement of universal primary education. [116544]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 29 March 2000]: The Government are committed to the target of achieving universal primary education by 2015. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for International Development and Department for International Development officials are in frequent contact with their EU and UN counterparts about the achievement of universal primary education. The UN Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), the UN Population Fund (UNFPA) and the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF)—together with the World bank—are the convenors of the World Education Forum to be held in Dakar later this month.

  Lord Levy
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Prime Minister on what date Lord Levy signed the Official Secrets Act. [117774]

  The Prime Minister
  Lord Levy has not been asked to sign a copy of the Official Secrets Act, but he is, of course, bound by the Act's provisions.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 22 February 2000,Official Report, column 852W, what further visits since 22 February 2000, have been undertaken by Lord Levy on his behalf. [117784]

  The Prime Minister
  Lord Levy visited Tunisia and Morocco in the week beginning 5 March.

  Foreign Visits
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list those persons who have undertaken foreign visits on his behalf since May 1997, giving in each case details of the countries visited and the purpose of each visit. [117773]

  The Prime Minister
  As has been the practice for previous Administrations, if it is helpful to the UK Government individuals may be asked to carry messages or undertake particular tasks on behalf of the Prime Minister or the Foreign Secretary. We do not maintain a record of such occasions.

HEALTH

  NHS Hospitals
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reports he has asked for from NHS hospitals in England and Wales on the recent pressures they have faced; and what were the main issues of concern reported by those hospitals. [113849]

  Ms Stuart
  The National Health Service Executive in England has held a series of seminars for local winter planning groups (which include NHS trusts) in each region to consider the main issues emerging from the winter period.

  The main concerns reported by NHS trusts were peaks in emergency admissions from patients suffering from influenza and respiratory illness, staff shortages and the cancellation of operations because of pressure on critical care beds.

  Junior Doctors (Hours)
  Mr. Hesford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Government's submission to the negotiations on the Working Time Directive on reducing working hours for junior doctors. [116883]

  Mr. Denham
  We are firmly committed to reducing junior doctors' working hours. We have already agreed a new contract with junior doctors' negotiators which will, if accepted in their referendum, place an 56 hour limit on average weekly hours by February 2004.

  An agreement was reached between the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament on 3 April as part of the Conciliation to extend the European Working Time Directive to the excluded sectors. If approved by the European Parliament, this will provide a sound footing for reducing junior doctors' working hours. Over the next decade, we will have to make sure we can meet the needs of patients and deliver improvements in patient care while at the same time reducing doctors' hours. That is why we and our European partners have argued for a realistic transitional period in order to implement fully the terms of the Directive as they apply to doctors in training. We are pleased that the Conciliation has achieved recognition of the need for flexibility during the transitional period.

  Health Authority Finances
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the real-terms growth in funding for each NHS health authority area from 1999–2000 to 2000–01. [117266]

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

  Table 1 shows real terms increases for health authorities for 1999–2000.

  Table 2 shows real terms increases for health authorities for 2000–01. This includes the £660 million announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 27 March. This brings overall increases for health authorities to 6.2 per cent. in real terms (8.9 per cent. cash).
  576W

  Table 1

  Health authority

  1999–2000 real terms increase (£000)

  1999–2000 real terms increase (%)

  Avon

  22,308

  4.09

  Barking and Havering

  9,635

  4.00

  Barnet

  7,800

  3.98

  Barnsley

  7,581

  5.22

  Bedfordshire

  14,110

  4.85

  Berkshire

  19,125

  4.77

  Bexley and Greenwich

  7,892

  2.88

  Birmingham

  24,980

  3.90

  Bradford

  13,867

  4.76

  Brent and Harrow

  9,444

  3.21

  Bromley

  6,713

  3.89

  Buckinghamshire

  15,589

  4.54

  Bury and Rochdale

  10,418

  4.48

  Calderdale and Kirklees

  13,724

  3.96

  Cambridge and Huntingdon

  8,976

  4.10

  Camden and Islington

  13,279

  4.43

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  9,648

  3.22

  County Durham

  17,187

  4.48

  Coventry

  8,726

  4.66

  Croydon

  7,817

  4.12

  Doncaster

  8,214

  4.43

  Dorset

  12,334

  2.91

  Dudley

  6,964

  4.06

  Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow

  18,134

  4.06

  East and North Hertfordshire

  10,859

  3.99

  East Kent

  14,036

  3.77

  East Lancashire

  13,037

  3.97

  East London and the City

  24,911

  5.48

  East Norfolk

  13,619

  3.81

  East Riding

  14,527

  4.31

  East Surrey

  6,749

  2.92

  East Sussex, Brighton and Hove

  17,858

  3.76

  Enfield and Haringey

  12,487

  4.12

  Gateshead and South Tyneside

  10,379

  4.34

  Gloucestershire

  9,190

  2.90

  Herefordshire

  3,576

  3.86

  Hillingdon

  5,599

  3.86

  Isle of Wight

  2,945

  3.38

  Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster

  15,960

  6.06

  Kingston and Richmond

  5,797

  2.93

  Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham

  24,054

  4.50

  Leeds

  18,447

  4.20

  Leicestershire

  21,907

  4.53

  Lincolnshire

  14,182

  3.82

  Liverpool

  13,968

  4.26

  Manchester

  11,285

  3.42

  Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth

  14,953

  3.76

  Morecambe Bay

  5,633

  2.89

  Newcastle and North Tyneside

  13,468

  4.31

  North and East Devon

  8,330

  2.92

  North and Mid Hampshire

  10,417

  3.80

  North Cheshire

  5.581

  2.92

  North Cumbria

  7,781

  4.18

  North Derbyshire

  8,317

  3.88

  North Essex

  18,780

  3.97

  North Nottinghamshire

  9,099

  4.11

  North Staffordshire

  13,337

  4.70

  North West Anglia

  9,963

  4.25

  North West Lancashire

  11,816

  3.91

  North Yorkshire

  15,976

  3.91

  Northamptonshire

  11,664

  3.80

  Northumberland

  7,736

  4.20

  Nottingham

  17,427

  4.78

  Oxfordshire

  14,558

  4.77

  Portsmouth and South East Hampshire

  12,537

  4.05

  Redbridge and Waltham Forest

  8,136

  2.89

  Rotherham

  6,934

  4.66

  577W

  Table 1

  Health authority

  1999–2000 real terms increase (£000)

  1999–2000 real terms increase (%)

  Salford and Trafford

  11,967

  4.12

  Sandwell

  9,072

  4.73

  Sefton

  7,453

  4.13

  Sheffield

  14,677

  4.27

  Shropshire

  9,105

  3.92

  Solihull

  4,844

  4.22

  Somerset

  10,379

  3.81

  South and West Devon

  11,076

  3.05

  South Cheshire

  14,566

  3.82

  South Derbyshire

  13,675

  4.29

  South Essex

  18,006

  4.62

  South Humber

  5,475

  2.90

  South Lancashire

  5,133

  2.91

  South Staffordshire

  11,560

  3.81

  Southampton and South West Hampshire

  12,248

  3.98

  St. Helen's and Knowsley

  9,482

  4.27

  Stockport

  6,749

  4.08

  Suffolk

  11,002

  2.92

  Sunderland

  8,211

  4.37

  Tees

  15,264

  4.41

  Wakefield

  8,339

  4.20

  Walsall

  7,244

  4.75

  Warwickshire

  8.114

  2.92

  West Hertfordshire

  11,301

  3.79

  West Kent

  20,181

  3.81

  West Pennine

  11,673

  4.19

  West Surrey

  10,231

  2.91

  West Sussex

  17,473

  3.99

  Wigan and Bolton

  15,891

  4.56

  Wiltshire

  12,280

  3.78

  Wirral

  8,705

  4.09

  Wolverhampton

  6,806

  4.54

  Worcestershire

  10,773

  3.78

  England

  1,171,238

  4.00

  Table 2

  Health authority

  2000–01 real terms increase (£000)

  2000–01 real terms increase (%)

  Avon

  37,526

  6.37

  Barking and Havering

  15,094

  5.81

  Barnet

  12,650

  6.02

  Barnsley

  11,129

  7.12

  Bedfordshire

  22,425

  7.14

  Berkshire

  30,366

  6.86

  Bexley and Greenwich

  16,309

  5.55

  Birmingham

  40,853

  5.92

  Bradford

  20,964

  6.65

  Brent and Harrow

  18,237

  5.78

  Bromley

  11,200

  6.05

  Buckinghamshire

  25,118

  6.74

  Bury and Rochdale

  16,962

  6.70

  Calderdale and Kirklees

  22,577

  6.09

  Cambridgeshire

  26,842

  6.63

  Camden and Islington

  20,304

  6.19

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  18,979

  5.96

  County Durham

  27,041

  6.52

  Coventry

  13,604

  6.71

  Croydon

  12,935

  6.32

  Doncaster

  12,762

  6.42

  Dorset

  25,462

  5.66

  Dudley

  11,779

  6.41

  Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow

  29,650

  6.15

  578W

  Table 2

  Health authority

  2000–01 real terms increase (£000)

  2000–01 real terms increase (%)

  East and North Hertfordshire

  18,637

  6.38

  East Kent

  22,381

  5.61

  East Lancashire

  23,082

  6.56

  East London and the City

  37,438

  7.54

  East Riding

  23,184

  6.40

  East Surrey

  13,901

  5.62

  East Sussex, Brighton and Hove

  28,768

  5.65

  Enfield and Haringey

  19,597

  5.96

  Gateshead and South Tyneside

  16,899

  6.64

  Gloucestershire

  19,158

  5.70

  Herefordshire

  6,103

  6.12

  Hillingdon

  9,626

  6.18

  Isle of Wight

  5,140

  5.53

  Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster

  23,536

  8.12

  Kingston and Richmond

  12,304

  5.61

  Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham

  36,630

  6.25

  Leeds

  29,568

  6.23

  Leicestershire

  36,005

  6.91

  Lincolnshire

  24,815

  6.29

  Liverpool

  20,883

  5.98

  Manchester

  20,974

  6.00

  Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth

  24,058

  5.72

  Morecambe Bay

  11,882

  5.75

  Newcastle and North Tyneside

  21,156

  6.31

  Norfolk

  28,300

  6.10

  North and East Devon

  17,416

  5.74

  North and Mid Hampshire

  17,684

  6.00

  North Cheshire

  11,645

  5.80

  North Cumbria

  12,692

  6.35

  North Derbyshire

  14,250

  6.22

  North Essex

  31,322

  6.13

  North Nottinghamshire

  15,751

  6.61

  North Staffordshire

  20,568

  6.71

  North West Lancashire

  20,150

  6.23

  North Yorkshire

  26,912

  6.17

  Northamptonshire

  19,308

  5.87

  Northumberland

  12,738

  6.46

  Nottingham

  27,179

  6.95

  Oxfordshire

  21,935

  6.58

  Portsmouth and South East Hampshire

  20,571

  6.14

  Redbridge and Waltham Forest

  16,721

  5.59

  Rotherham

  10,731

  6.74

  Salford and Trafford

  18,683

  5.97

  Sandwell

  13,536

  6.59

  Sefton

  11,531

  5.91

  Sheffield

  22,270

  6.06

  Shropshire

  15,815

  6.36

  Solihull

  7,352

  5.97

  Somerset

  17,857

  6.09

  South and West Devon

  22,566

  5.83

  South Cheshire

  23,848

  5.83

  South Derbyshire

  22,122

  6.42

  South Essex

  27,706

  6.53

  South Humber

  11,290

  5.65

  South Lancashire

  11,187

  5.89

  South Staffordshire

  19,713

  6.08

  Southampton and South West Hampshire

  20,252

  6.13

  Stockport

  10,617

  5.96

  Suffolk

  23,417

  5.85

  Sunderland

  13,359

  6.66

  Tees

  25,175

  6.80

  Wakefield

  13,584

  6.37

  Walsall

  11,081

  6.75

  Warwickshire

  16,668

  5.63

  West Hertfordshire

  19,024

  5.96

  West Kent

  33,292

  5.84

  579W

  Table

  Health authority

  2000–01 real terms increase (£000)

  2000–01 real terms increase (%)

  West Pennine

  19,355

  6.48

  West Surrey

  20,941

  5.65

  West Sussex

  29,293

  6.21

  Wigan and Bolton

  25,414

  6.78

  Wiltshire

  20,033

  5.71

  Wirral1

  13,524

  5.91

  Wolverhampton

  10,972

  6.83

  Worcestershire

  17,930

  5.90

  England

  1,957,357

  6.23

  Bought-in Services
  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was paid to the private healthcare industry for procedures carried out on behalf of NHS patients, broken down by health authority for each of the last three years. [117701]

  Ms Stuart
  The amount of National Health Service funds spent on the provision of services for NHS patients treated outside the NHS (in the independent healthcare sector comprising of for profit hospitals, not for profit hospitals, voluntary hospitals/hospices and independent clinics), for the last three years are as follows:

  1998–99: £1.25 billion (4.8 per cent. of total NHS expenditure)

  1997–98: £1.08 billion (4.6 per cent. of total NHS expenditure)

  1996–97: £0.87 billion (3.8 per cent. of total NHS expenditure)

  A breakdown showing the expenditure by individual health authority, including the proportion spent on services outside the NHS has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. John M. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the extent of the use of private sector health facilities by the NHS in the last year. [117404]

  Ms Stuart
  During 1998–99, £1.25 billion (4.8 per cent. of total National Health Service spending on the provision of health services) was spent on services commissioned outside the NHS (from the private healthcare industry and charitable and voluntary organisations). Over half was spent on residential care, mainly for learning disability and mental illness patients.

  Animal Feedingstuffs
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects products that have been approved by the EU Standing Committee for Animal Feedingstuffs in December to be published in the Official Journal; and when he expects products so approved to appear on the consolidated list of approved products circulated to member states. [117962]

  Ms Stuart
  Provisions for new feed additives agreed at the 6-7 December meeting of the Standing Committee on Animal Feedingstuffs have been published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 29 March as Commission Regulation (EC) 654/2000. This Regulation has now come into force in all European Union member states.
  580W
  On 28 February the European Commission produced a comprehensive list of additives authorised for use in animal feed. The list has no legal basis in itself and is expected to be next revised in early 2001.

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what products from British companies were considered by the December meeting of the EU Standing Committee for Animal Feedingstuffs under the Microbe and Enzyme Directive 93/113. [117961]

  Ms Stuart
  New authorisations for feed additives, such as those agreed at the December meeting of the European Union Standing Committee for Animal Feedingstuffs, are granted under Council Directive 70/524/EEC for generic, rather than product-specific approval. I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that one new authorisation agreed in December was on a dossier provided by a British company. The corresponding provision contained in Commission Regulation 654/2000 is for the use of a micro-organism product for use in feed for calves containing certain strains of Lactobacillus casei and Enterococcus faecium.

  Mobile Phones
  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the findings of the Consumers Association regarding radiation risks of hands-free mobile phones and shields; and if he will make a statement. [118010]

  Yvette Cooper
  The findings of the Consumers Association will be assessed by the independent expert group on mobile phones. The group, chaired by Sir William Stewart FRS FRSE, is considering the possible health effects from the use of mobile telephones, base stations and transmitters and is conducting a comprehensive assessment of existing research.

  The group is currently completing its review of the evidence and is preparing its report prior to publication in May.

  Fruit and Vegetables
  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 13 March 2000,Official Report, columns 61-62W, on fruit and vegetables, if he will list the methods used by his Department, in consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, to inform the public of the advice on peeling and washing fruit and vegetables in relation to pesticide residues; what was the expenditure on such advice in the last financial year; and if the Food Standards Agency will continue to give such advice. [118016]

  Ms Stuart
  Advice to wash and prepare fruit and vegetables before eating has been included in press releases and the Ministry of Agriculture/Department of Health Food Safety Information Bulletin when results from surveys of pesticide residues in food are published. It is also used by Government Departments in responding to inquiries about pesticide residues in food. Reporting the results of surveys is routine work and no separate information on related expenditure is available. The Food
  581W
  Standards Agency is committed to informing and advising consumers about food safety issues relating to pesticides. It will continue to promote advice to wash fruit and vegetables.

  Long-term Care
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the Government will implement the Royal Commission report recommendations on Long Term Care for the Elderly. [118229]

  Mr. Hutton
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, South (Mr. Cunningham) on 20 March 2000,Official Report, columns 430-31W.

  Workplace Parking
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 30 March 2000,Official Report, column 217W, on workplace parking, how many workplace car parking spaces are available at hospitals, clinics and other establishments controlled by (a) him and (b) health authorities and trusts. [117955]

  Ms Stuart
  It is not known how many workplace parking spaces are available at National Health Service healthcare premises.

  As healthcare providers, the NHS is well aware of the need to reduce transport congestion and hence pollution, and are taking steps to address their transport requirements. Transport strategies will include reducing car parking spaces by encouraging the use of alternative modes of transport whenever possible or practicable.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Kosovo
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what advice she has given to aid workers deployed in Kosovo with the support of her Department in respect of hazards posed by the residual radioactivity remaining from the use of depleted uranium shells by allied forces in Kosovo. [117070]

  Clare Short
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Minister for the Armed Forces on 27 January 2000,Official Report, column 225W, where he stated that the health risks from depleted uranium (DU) are assessed as generally low. However, civilian mine clearance organisations have regular contact with many types of unexploded ordnance. KFOR provided the United Nations Mines Action and Co-Ordination Centre (UNMACC) with an information pack about DU which UNMACC distributed to each mine clearance organisation.

  The Government have not felt it necessary to provide further advice to general aid workers on this issue. My Department's view is that mines and unexploded ordnance pose a greater risk to assistance workers; all personnel are given mines awareness training before deployment to Kosovo.
  582W
  Mr. Donald Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how the contribution funded from her Department for the reconstruction of Kosovo is planned to change; and what implications this has for the overall level of funding. [117162]

  Clare Short
  Commitments from our emergency and humanitarian programme ended on 31 March. However, we shall continue to support the international organisations working in Kosovo and to provide funds for demining. Our bilateral programme in Kosovo will focus on the provision of technical assistance to support capacity and institution building for long-term development, in liaison with UNMIK and departments of the Joint Interim Administration. We plan to provide such support in the areas of economic restructuring, public administration, social policy, media and elections, health and development of civil society. We shall commit £15 million to these activities over the next three years. We also provide approximately 18 per cent. of the cost of the EU programme, amounting to approximately £39 million of the EU's 360 million euro programme in 2000.

  Mr. Donald Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what has been the contribution funded from her Department for the reconstruction of Kosovo since June 1999; and if she will list the levels of the contribution of(a) other EU member states,(b) Canada and(c) the USA. [117161]

  Clare Short
  We have committed £119 million in humanitarian and reconstruction assistance in 1999 and 2000. A further £15 million is available this year for support to the international relief agencies and for demining. Over the same period, other member states have provided a total of 1.1 euros in bilateral assistance. Canada has reported total commitments of 104 million Canadian dollars in reconstruction and humanitarian assistance for the period April 1999 to March 2001. The United States has committed a total of $264.1 million for 1999 and 2000. The equivalent figure for European Community assistance is 802.7 million euros, of which the UK share (currently 18 per cent.) is approximately £84.58 million.

  Regulatory Reform
  Mr. Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which Minister in her Department has responsibility for regulatory reform; and if she will make a statement. [117426]

  Clare Short
  The Under-Secretary has responsibility for regulatory reform within my Department.

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Secondary Legislation
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the President of the Council how many statutory instruments and other items of secondary legislation were passed in each of the years 1980, 1985, 1990 and 1999. [117953]
  583W
  Mrs. Beckett
  The information requested is as follows:

  Session

  Number of instruments subject to parliamentary procedure laid before Parliament (including special procedure orders)

  Number of affirmative instruments approved by the House of Commons

  1980–81

  1940

  149

  1985–86

  11,024

  155

  1990–91

  1,279

  181

  1998–99

  1,445

  178

  1 Indicate the number of instruments considered by the Joint Committee and the Select Committee on Statutory Instruments rather than those laid.

TREASURY

  Research and Development
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on his measures to help companies with research and development. [116619]

  Mr. Timms
  Our new research and development tax credit, introduced on 1 April, has been warmly welcomed by the CBI and others since its announcement a year ago. We received representations emphasising the importance of incentives for research and development in small and medium-sized firms, and so that is where the credit is being targeted. We have also decided, responding to representations, that the credit should be available as well to companies not yet trading. It will benefit 4,500 companies and support almost £1 billion for research and development per year.

  Child Tax Credit
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families that qualified for the married couples allowance in 1999–2000 will not qualify for the child tax credit in 2001–02. [116620]

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many married couples that qualified for the married couples allowance in 1999–2000 will not qualify for the child tax credit in 2001–02. [116626]

  Dawn Primarolo
  As a result of measures we have taken in this and previous Budgets, pensioner households will from next April be on average £400 a year better off, and families with children will be on average £850 a year better off; and the number of couples liable for higher rate tax as a result of the withdrawal of married couples allowance will be zero.

  VAT (Historic Buildings)
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received calling for a reduction in the VAT rate for repairs and conservation work to churches and other historic buildings. [116621]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Since February, the Prime Minister and the Chancellor of the Exchequer have received about 5,000 letters, mainly from parishioners in Cornwall,
  584W
  asking for a reduced rate for repairs to churches. A number of letters have also been received asking for a reduced rate for historic buildings.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Goggins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is taking to improve employment incentives for the long-term unemployed. [116622]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his recent Budget a variety of measures to help encourage the long-term unemployed back into work. These include:Expanding and strengthening the New Deal 25 plus to bring into line the rights and responsibilities for those over 25 that have so effectively helped those under 25 in the New Deal for Young People;
  Employment Zones and Action Teams to begin work with long-term unemployed people in the most deprived areas of the country to help them to address the barriers which are preventing them from finding work;
  The Working Families Tax Credit which will deliver a minimum income guarantee of £214 for a family with someone in full-time work from April 2001; and
  The new Job Grant, alongside Housing Benefit and Income Support Mortgage Interest run ons, which are easing the transition into work from benefits.

  Alongside these the Government have also announced that from October the adult rate of the National Minimum Wage will be increased to £3.70 per hour, continuing to ensure greater decency and fairness in the workplace and making work pay.

  G8 (Debt Cancellation)
  Ms Drown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he is having about further multilateral debt cancellation with G8 colleagues in advance of the G8 Finance Ministers' meeting. [116623]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Discussions about the multilateral Heavily Indebted Poor Country Initiative take place among G7 members on an on-going basis. The Chancellor of the Exchequer will discuss progress and implementation of the enhanced HIPC initiative at the G7 meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors on 15 April, and in the run-up to the Okinawa Summit.

  Tax Allowances
  Mr. Ruffley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the impact on the average family of his withdrawal of tax allowances to date. [116624]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Taking all measures together, personal tax and benefit changes in this and previous Budgets will mean that by April 2001:On average families with children will be £850 a year better off; A single-earner family on average earnings and with two children will be £370 a year better off;
  A single-earner family on half average earnings and with two children will be £2,600 a year better off; and
  The tax burden on a single-earner family on average earnings and with two children will be the lowest since 1972.
  585W
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many taxpayers will be liable for higher rate tax as a result of the withdrawal of tax allowances in his Budgets to date. [116627]

  Dawn Primarolo
  None.

  Tax Burden
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the change in the total(a) indirect and (b) direct tax burden on families of his Budget measures to date. [116625]

  Mr. St. Aubyn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the change in the total(a) indirect and (b) direct tax burden on families of his Budget measures to date. [116639]

  Dawn Primarolo

  As a result of personal tax and benefit measures introduced by this Government, the tax burden on a typical single earner couple on average earnings with two children will fall from 21.5 in 1996–97 to 18.8 by 2001, the lowest level since 1972.

  Estimating the impact of indirect taxes is imprecise as spending patterns vary widely between households with the same composition and income, with the consumption of the majority of goods and services far from universal. For example, only around one third of adults are smokers, just over half the adult population are in households paying vehicle excise duty and around 10 per cent. of households pay air passenger duty. This can be contrasted with direct taxes and benefits where at specified earnings and for particular household types there is a known benefit entitlement or tax liability.

  National Changeover Plan
  Sir Nicholas Lye11
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received in connection with the National Changeover Plan; and if he will make a statement. [116629]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Government work with a wide range of organisations from the private, public and voluntary sectors on changeover planning. A list of the private and voluntary sector organisations involved in Working Groups is given on page 57 of the second Outline National Changeover Plan, published on 9 March.

  Fuel Duty
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of fuel duty revenues in 2000–01. [116630]

  Mr. Timms
  The projection for fuel duty revenues in 2000–01 is published in Table C9, Page 203 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report 2000.

  Regional Development Agencies
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cost in the current financial year to the Exchequer of Regional Development Agencies. [116632]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The Regional Development Agencies have taken on responsibility for a number of Government programmes, including the Single
  586W
  Regeneration Budget and programmes formerly run by English Partnerships and the Rural Development Commission. Including all their programme expenditure, the eight RDAs in England have been allocated an overall budget of £958,373,000 for 2000–01. This includes planned recyclable receipts of £145,094,000.

  Manufacturing (Knitted Goods)
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the timetable for the publication of the Office for National Statistics 1999 figures for manufacturers' sales of hosiery and other knitted goods to the public. [116633]

  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. David Tredinnick, dated 6 April 2000:
  As Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent question on the publication of 1999 manufacturers' sales figures of Hosiery and other knitted goods.
  Detailed product data from the 1999 quarterly PRODucts of the European COMmunity (PRODCOM) survey of manufacturers' sales of knitted and crocheted articles will be published in a Business Monitor at the end of May 2000.
  Provisional results of the 1999 Annual Business Inquiry (ABI) are expected to be published in December 2000. This News Release will contain values for turnover, purchases and gross value added for the textile and textile products industry. More detailed industry results, including those for the manufacture of knitted and crocheted articles, will be published in the summer of 2001.

  Employment (South-East)
  Mr. Prosser
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the impact of his Department's policies on the levels of employment and unemployment in the South-East in the last two years. [116636]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  In the South-East, as in the rest of the UK, we have created a sound and credible platform of economic stability that will help us attain our objective of high and stable levels of growth and employment. In the last two years, employment in the South-East has risen by 125,000, and ILO unemployment has fallen by 14,000, both broadly in line with UK trends.

  Climate Change Levy
  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the horticulture sector on the impact of the climate change levy. [116637]

  Mr. Timms
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer received a number of representations from the horticultural sector on the climate change levy. In the light of these and other representations, a package of measures aimed at improving energy efficiency in the horticultural sector, while protecting its competitiveness, was announced in the Budget. These measures include:

  A special package of energy efficiency measures for horticulture, to be allocated from the £50 million energy efficiency fund.

  587W

  Extending the list of investments qualifying for enhanced capital allowances to include thermal screens used in glasshouses

  A temporary 50 per cent. discount on the levy for a period of up to five years while energy efficiency measures take effect.

  Ms Southworth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the amendment to the climate change levy which he announced in the Budget. [116631]

  Mr. Timms
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a number of further refinements to the design of the climate change levy in the recent Budget. These will increase the levy's environmental effectiveness while protecting the competitiveness of UK firms.

  Many of the representations received since the Budget have welcomed these refinements.

  Public Services
  Mr. Love
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to increase investment in public services(a) in the UK and (b) in London in the year 2000–01. [116638]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  All areas of the UK, including London, will benefit from the Budget announcement of an additional £2 billion for health, £1 billion for education, £285 million for the fight against crime and £280 million for transport. All but £100 million of this investment is for 2000–01.

  Secretaries of State are announcing the detail of these allocations. The Deputy Prime Minister has already announced £65 million of investment in London Underground to enhance escalator work and frequency and reliability of Northern, Central, District and Jubilee lines and £30 million for the Docklands Light Railway extension to City Airport.

  Working Families Tax Credit (North-west Region)
  Mr. Ian Stewart
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many inquiries have been received by the Working Families Tax Credit response line from the north west region. [116618]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The response line handled 780,000 inquiries up to 30 November 1999. A breakdown by TV region is available for 670,000 of them; of these, 89,000 came from the Granada TV region.

  Migration (London)
  Mr. Norman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates his Department has made of the level of migration from the London area to the South East region in each of the last 10 years. [117787]

  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 John Pullinger to Mr. Archie Norman, dated 6 April 2000:
  The Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been asked to reply to your recent question about the estimated migration from London to the South East region for each of the last ten years. I am replying in the Director's absence.
  588W
  The attached table presents the information that you require. The latest year for which estimates are available is 1998. Data are presented for moves from London to the South East Planning Region. The estimates of internal migration within the United Kingdom are based on the movement of NHS doctor's patients between the former Family Health Service Authorities. They should not be regarded as a perfect measure of migration as there is variation in the delay between a person moving and registering with a new doctor.

  Migration from London to the South East Planning Region

  Thousand

  Year

  Number of migrants

  1989

  109.8

  1990

  93.7

  1991

  108.3

  1992

  111.0

  1993

  114.3

  1994

  119.4

  1995

  118.5

  1996

  125.8

  1997

  132.0

  1998

  129.7

  Source:

  NHSCR

  Population Growth (South-east)
  Mr. Norman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what forecast his Department has made of the population growth in the South East Planning Region in the next five years. [117788]

  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 John Pullinger to Mr. Archie Norman, dated 6 April 2000:
  The Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been asked to reply to your recent question on the projected population growth in the South East Planning Region. I am replying in the Director's absence.
  These projections show population levels would result if assumptions about future migration, fertility and mortality were exactly realised. The assumptions underlying the calculation of the projections are based on recent demographic trends and do not reflect the impact of future local policies.
  The latest subnational population projections are published in Subnational population projections: 1996 based, Series PP3, no.10, which is available in the House of Commons Library.
  The table below present the information that you require.

  Population projections 1999–2006

  Thousand

  Projection year

  Projected population

  1999

  11,242.0

  2000

  11,302.6

  2001

  11,362.4

  2002

  11,420.9

  2003

  11,477.6

  2004

  11,532.6

  2005

  11,586.0

  2006

  11,637.9

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the(a) total liabilities
  589W
  outstanding under PFI contracts and (b) net public debt over the period 2000–01 to 2004–05 if PFI liabilities were accounted for as debt; and if he will make a statement. [117368]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  [holding answer 4 April 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to table C15 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report, laid before this House on 21 March 2000.

  Table C15 shows a forecast of the estimated payments for services flowing from new private investment in signed and imminent PFI contacts over the 28 years from 1998–99 to 2025/26; and contains details of payments to PFI contractors from 2000–01 to 2004–05. These payments score as current expenditure and thus are already factored into future spending projections and of spending and borrowing (as set out in table C4).

  Hydrocarbon Fuel Levies
  Sir Sydney Chapman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total revenue to the Exchequer of all duties levied on hydrocarbon fuels in the 1996–97 financial year; and what was the figure for 1999–2000. [117671]

  Mr. Timms
  The revenue from excise duty on hydrocarbon oils for 1996–97 is published in Table K2 of HM Customs and Excise Annual Report. The table does not include VAT receipts. The figure for 1999–2000 is not available yet.

  Petrol Taxes
  Sir Sydney Chapman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total tax levied on a litre of standard unleaded petrol on 1 May 1997; and what it is currently. [117672]

  Mr. Timms
  The total tax (excise duty plus VAT) levied on a litre of standard unleaded petrol on 1 May 1997 was about 46p and that levied at the end of March 2000 was about 61p. Most of the duty increase is accounted for by the operation of the fuel duty escalator, which is no longer being applied.

  Charitable Shares Donations
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his plans to change the tax treatment of shares donated to charity. [116604]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  In his Budget speech the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced a radical package of measures aimed at Getting Britain Giving. The package included a new tax relief on gifts to a charity of certain qualifying investments.

  Qualifying investments include:

  shares or securities which are listed or dealt in on a recognised stock exchange;

  units in an authorised unit trust;

  shares in an open ended investment company; and an interest in an offshore fund.

  The donor will be able to claim a corporation tax or income tax deduction for the full market value of the gift, plus incidental expenses of transfer, less any consideration
  590W
  or benefit received. The new relief will be in addition to the existing relief for gifts of shares and other assets to a charity when calculating capital gains.

  The new relief comes into effect for gifts made on or after 1 April 2000 for companies and 6 April 2000 for individuals.

  Tax Benefit Reference Manual
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will place the next edition of the Tax Benefit Reference Manual in the Library. [117827]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Havant (Mr. Willetts) on 29 March 2000,Official Report, column 150W.

  Contributions Agency
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what checks are applied to confirm the identities of new employees in the Contributions Agency. [117721]

  Dawn Primarolo
  A series of checks were undertaken within the Contributions Agency.

  Mobile Phone Licences
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the estimates of Government receipts in his Budget statement include revenue raised from the sale of mobile phone licences; and if he will make a statement. [117369]

  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the Government's plans for utilising the receipts of the auction of mobile telephone licences. [118102]

  Dawn Primarolo

  [holding answer 4 April 2000]: An estimate of the effect of proceeds from the auction of mobile phone licences is included in the Budget public finances forecast, and taken account of in the Budget tax and spending plans. The auction proceeds will have only a limited impact on the main fiscal aggregates such as the current surplus and public sector net borrowing because, in line with National Accounts conventions, the revenues raised are accrued evenly across the full length of the licence period.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Burgon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances immigration officers will be requesting passenger information from carriers under paragraph 27B of Schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971, as inserted by section 18 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999; and if he will make a statement. [118485]

  Mrs. Roche
  The types of information which may be requested are set out in the Schedule to the Immigration (Passenger Information) Order 2000. The information specified in Part I of the Schedule to the Order is contained in the machine-readable zone of passports and visas. Provision of this information is essential if we are
  591W
  to be able to grant or refuse entry to passengers in advance of their arrival in the United Kingdom. We have set out what we propose by way of such flexibilities in the draft Immigration (Leave to Enter and Remain) Order laid before Parliament on 30 March 2000. We would expect to come to a mutual agreement with carriers as to the routes for which we might start to require Part I information and as to when the requirement would start. Beyond this, we would seek Part I information only on specific occasions for intelligence purposes. We would endeavour to keep such requests to a minimum. The information specified in Part II of the Schedule will be requested only where the carrier is in possession of it. However, we think it might take some time for carriers to put systems in place to allow them to provide us with any significant volume of information, so we will implement the new power gradually over the coming months. We will continue in this spirit of co-operation, but ultimately we reserve the right to insist upon the provision of passenger information under the new powers wherever we have good reason in the context of the immigration control.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in each of the last two years for which figures are available, what was the total amount of funding for asylum seekers' support(a) in total, (b) per head of population, (c) per income tax payer, (d) per household and (e) as a percentage of total Government expenditure; what are the estimated figures for 2000–01; and if he will make a statement. [117982]

  Mrs. Roche
  In 1998–99, support for asylum seekers was the responsibility of the Department of Health and the Department of Social Security. The Department of Health states that the total payments for supporting asylum seekers were £190 million in 1998–99. The Department of Social Security estimate that, subject to audit, the total benefits paid to asylum seekers will be £285 million.

  Since 1 April 1999, the Home Office has been responsible for a single budget for reimbursing local authorities for the costs of supporting adult asylum seekers and families. Reimbursement of local authority costs relating to unaccompanied children remained the responsibility of the Department of Health. Total payments to local authorities and reimbursement for the Department of Social Security costs for 1999–2000 are estimated to be £597 million subject to audit.

  The information available is that the estimated population is 58.8 million, the estimated number of tax payers is 27.9 million and the estimated number of households is 24.2 million. The total managed public expenditure in 1998–99 is £331 billion, and in 1999–2000 it is £345.2 billion. On that basis, the breakdown of costs for 1998–99 and 1999–2000 requested is given in the table.

  Asylum support costs

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  Total

  £475 million

  £597 million

  Per head of population

  £8.08

  £10.14

  Per income taxpayer

  £17.02

  £21.38

  Per household

  £19.63

  £24.64

  As a percentage of total managed public expenditure

  0.14

  0.17

  592W
  The Comprehensive Spending Review in 1998 set a provisional Home Office allocation for 2000–01 of £300 million for the cost of asylum support for adults and families and £3 million for the Department of Health. The total managed public expenditure in 2000–01 is £370.9 billion.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the means by which those seeking asylum in the United Kingdom, who are currently outside the United Kingdom, can lawfully enter the United Kingdom to claim asylum without causing any others to commit any offence in assisting with their arrival in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [117995]

  Mrs. Roche
  A person who claims asylum on arrival in the United Kingdom and is subsequently granted leave to enter will, by definition, have entered the United Kingdom lawfully. A person who obtains leave to enter without disclosing an intention to claim asylum may, depending on the circumstances, be guilty of an offence of seeking leave to enter by deception. In either case, the actions of the asylum seeker do not of themselves cause any other person to commit an offence, but depending on the circumstances an offence may arise if the asylum seeker's entry was facilitated by another person.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many appeals were lodged by him against the granting of judicial review of asylum decisions in each of the last five years for which figures are available; how many appeals were upheld; what was the total cost to public funds in each year of such appeals; on how many occasions Queen's Counsel were employed by(a) him and (b) the respondent; and if he will make a statement. [115970]

  Mrs. Roche
  [holding answer 23 March 2000]: The information requested is available only for the past three years and is shown in the table:

  1997

  1998

  1999

  Number of cases

  2

  0

  3

  Appeal upheld

  1

  —

  1.2—

  Appeal dismissed

  1

  —

  1

  Queen 's Counsel employed by both parties

  Yes

  —

  Yes

  Costs

  £66,884

  —

  £63,104

  1One appeal was withdrawn

  2One appeal not yet heard

  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimates he has made of the cost of(a) vouchers, (b) accommodation for asylum seekers and (c) other administrative costs relating to them in each of the last three years. [117051]

  Mrs. Roche
  None.

  The information available is that in 1997–98 and 1998–99 grant payments for the support of asylum seekers were the responsibility of the Department of Health. In 1997–98, the grant payment by the Department of Health was £139,202 million. Costs such as administrative costs are amalgamated into the actual payments made to Local Authorities.
  593W
  The Department of Health is currently reconciling, in the light of the audit certificate now being provided, the amount claimed by authorities and the payments made to authorities in 1998–99. It is, therefore, not possible at the moment to give the information for 1998–99.

  Since 1 April 1999, the Home Office has been responsible for reimbursing local authorities for the costs of supporting asylum seekers. Costs for the period 1 April–5 December 1999 are on the basis of a Special Grant. Local authorities may claim the costs incurred, within cost limits, in supporting asylum seekers. Local Authorities claimed a total of £183,177,970 for the period l April-5 December 1999. These claims will be subject to audit by District Auditors and may be subject to variation in the light of the findings of auditors. Full information for the period 6 December 1999–31 March 2000 is not yet available.

  How these resources are allocated is a matter for each individual Local Authority.

  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimates he has made of the cost of police arrests and deportations of asylum seekers and illegal immigrants in each of the last three years. [117049]

  Mrs. Roche
  The costs of police arrests of asylum seekers and the costs of deportations of asylum seekers and illegal immigrants are not available.

  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum applications were received in 1999; and what proportion of those applicants came from Sri Lanka. [117643]

  Mrs. Roche
  The total number of asylum applications to the United Kingdom in 1999 was 71,160. 5,130 (7 per cent.) were from nationals of Sri Lanka.

  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what mechanism is used for reimbursing local authorities for costs incurred in respect of the dispersal of asylum seekers. [117297]

  Mrs. Roche
  Since 1 April 1999, the Home Office has been responsible for reimbursing local authorities for the costs of supporting asylum seekers. Payment is by way of grant. Under the interim regulations, local authorities may claim the costs incurred in supporting asylum seekers. These claims will be paid within cost limits and are subject to audit by District Auditors. For those asylum seekers who will remain the responsibility of local authorities, these arrangements will continue.

  For those asylum seekers now being dealt with under the new arrangements phased in from 3 April 2000, local authorities that sign contracts with the National Asylum Support Service will submit an invoice for payment.

  Bingo Charges
  Mr. Burgon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to simplify the current system of bingo charges. [118484]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I have laid an Order (The Gaming Clubs (Hours and Charges) Regulations 2000), in the House to simplify the current system of bingo charging.
  594W
  The current system of charges is set out in section 3 of the Gaming Clubs (Hours and Charges) Regulations 1984. It prescribes the amount bingo operators may charge by way of admission and participation fees for games during any period of play of up to two hours (currently £10 exclusive of Value Added Tax). It also sets out how the charges should be displayed. The arrangements for the charging notices are, however, complex and in practice most players will not know in advance of deciding to play what charge is being made for an individual game.

  The Home Office, therefore, proposes to make regulations that will establish a statutorily based notification system that will specify the form in which participation and any other charges must be notified so that they are transparent and easily understood. Notices will be displayed at the main point where payment for the charges is to be made.

  The regulations will also allow a charge to be made for admission to a bingo club not exceeding £10 per day which will be displayed at, or near, the principal entrance to the premises and a charge to be made for participation in a game of bingo not exceeding £5 for each chance in playing the game. These are upper limits; in practice operators will set far lower charges than this.

  The measure will extend to Scotland.

  A copy of the Regulatory Impact Assessment has been placed in the Library.

  Detective Keith Pedder
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 3 April 2000,Official Report, column 380W, on Keith Pedder (117016), for what reason he was unable to list the powers under which documents were seized. [117964]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that the circumstances surrounding the arrest and detention of Keith Pedder are currently under investigation. For this reason he does not consider it would be appropriate for him to comment on any aspect of the case.

  Offshore Banking
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the implications for(a) the Channel Islands and (b) the Isle of Man of the report of the Primarolo Group to the ECOFIN Council on 29 November 1999; what plans he has to implement the report's recommendations; and if he will make a statement. [117987]

  Mr. Straw
  The Report of the Code of Conduct Group on Business Taxation lists 66 tax measures in European Union member states and their dependent or associated territories which are considered to have harmful features. Fifteen of these are in the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. The United Kingdom is committed to encouraging its dependencies to tackle unfair tax competition. The Code of Conduct on which the Group's work has been based is a voluntary non-legally binding agreement. We would expect to discuss the Report with the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.

  Crime Fighting Fund
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, (1) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Southwark, North and Bermondsey, of 15 March 2000,Official Report, columns 177-79W, following the Budget announcement on the Crime Fighting Fund, what estimate he has made of the (a) planned recruitment to, (b) expected wastage from and (c) change in police numbers in police forces, including transfers, including information provided in the bids for the Crime Fighting Fund and the allocation of Crime Fighting Fund money, (i) in total and (ii) in each of the next three years; what estimate he has made of the expected change in police numbers in each force and in total between March 1997 and the end of each of the first three years of the Crime Fighting Fund; and if he will make a statement; [117985]

  (2) how much additional money has been allocated to the Crime Fighting Fund for (a) police recruitment and (b) each other area, in each of the three years following the Budget; what is the new total allocation to the Crime Fighting Fund for (i) police recruitment and (ii) each other area in total for each year and in total for those three years; and if he will make a statement. [117981]

  Mr. Straw

  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, South (Mr. Cunningham) on 27 March 2000,Official Report, columns 1-3W.

  Assuming a minimum of 2,000 additional recruits in 2000–01 under the accelerated Crime Fighting Fund, and 3,000 the following year, the overall projections for total police numbers, given in my reply to the hon. Member on 15 March 2000, Official Report, columns 177-79W, would rise to 125,500 by March 2001 and 127,000 by March 2002.

  My officials are consulting police service and police authority representatives on the revised allocation of new recruits under the Crime Fighting Fund to be made to forces following my announcement on 27 March that the programme would be brought forward to deliver all 5,000 recruits within two years. I will make a further announcement shortly.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Coventry, South (Mr. Cunningham) of 27 March 2000,Official Report, columns 1-3W, if the £21 million announced for the video recording of interviews will permit the video recording of all police interviews; if video recording facilities will be available in all interview rooms which currently have audio recording facilities; how the video recordings will be stored, and for how long; and if he will make a statement. [117997]

  Mr. Straw
  The £21 million allocation for the purchase of equipment by police forces for the video recording of interviews with suspects will be drawn on subject to the evaluation of an initial pilot scheme following the enactment of the necessary parliamentary legislation. Detailed questions of coverage and storage will be dealt with in the light of experience of the pilots.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Coventry South (Mr. Cunningham), of
  596W
  27 March 2000, Official Report, column 1-3W, (1) how many additional recruits will be provided in 2000–01 as a result of the £11 million for doubling the number to be recruited during the coming financial year; what base he used to determine that recruitment would be doubled as a result of the additional £11 million; and if he will make a statement; [117992]

  (2) what proportion of the £91 million will be used to assist police forces in England and Wales with recruitment and retention; what funding will be provided to each force, and for what purposes; and if he will make a statement; [117984]

  (3) how many police recruits are to be recruited (a) in total and (b) using funding from the Crime Fighting Fund in each police force area in England and Wales in (i) 2000–01, (ii) 2001–02 and (iii) 2002–03, respectively; [117991]

  (4) what proportion of the £91 million for modernising policing will be used to finance the national police recruiting campaign; when the campaign will begin; and if he will make a statement. [117990]

  Mr. Straw
  As a result of the budget announcement, we now anticipate recruiting at least 2,000 officers under the Crime Fighting Fund in 2000–01, with the remainder of the 5,000 in the following year. These numbers will be in addition to the projected recruitment notified to us by Chief Constables in their bids for a share of the Crime Fighting Fund.

  Following my announcement on 27 March, my officials are consulting police service and police authority representatives on how the 5,000 additional recruits will be delivered over two years rather than three. I will make a further announcement shortly about this and other funding to assist forces who are having difficulties with recruitment and retention, including the development of a national recruitment campaign.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Coventry, South (Mr. Cunningham) of 27 March 2000,Official Report, columns 1-3W, if he will make a statement on the timetable for the establishment of the Government Technical Assistance Centre. [117998]

  Mr. Straw
  I announced in my earlier reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, South (Mr. Cunningham) that we will be using £25 million of capital modernisation funding to establish a Government Technical Assistance Centre (GTAC) to provide law enforcement agencies with the capability to derive intelligence and evidence from new information and communications technologies. This funding will be made available over this financial year and next and will pay for the design and development of a system for processing a wide range of computer-to-computer communications and stored data formats. GTAC will begin to operate in 2001–02 and reach full operating capability during 2002–03.

  Miss Widdecombe

  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, South (Mr. Cunningham) of 27 March 2000,Official Report,
  597W
  columns 1-3W, how the £40 million for modernising the prison estate is to be spent; and if he will make a statement. [117999]

  Mr. Straw
  The additional £40 million for prisons which I announced in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, South (Mr. Cunningham) on 27 March 2000,Official Report, columns 1-3W, will enable a start to be made on a programme to increase prison capacity to meet the projected increase in the prison population. The programme will include further building within existing prisons, and making better use of existing capacity by re-roleing prisons where the change in composition of the prison population makes this necessary. I will write to the right hon. Member with the details as soon as they are finalised.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to Note 5 attached to Home Office Press Release 070/2000, what discussions he has had with the bodies mentioned in the Note about the way in which the £91 million for modernising policing is to be allocated; and if he will make a statement. [117988]

  Mr. Straw
  My reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, South (Mr. Cunningham) on 27 March 2000,Official Report, columns 1-3W, indicated the areas where the additional £91 million funds may be allocated. I will be consulting the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Association of Police Authorities, the Local Government Association and the police staff associations before announcing final decisions.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Coventry, South (Mr. Cunningham) of 27 March 2000, columns 1-3W, what plans he has to allocate the full amount of £34 million announced by the Prime Minister in September 1999 for the expansion of the DNA database. [117996]

  Mr. Straw
  The funding of £34 million is being allocated to police forces across England and Wales to enable them to double the number of submissions to the National DNA Database over the next two years. By April 2002, the database should hold approximately 1.5 million DNA offender profiles.

  This funding represents a first step towards the Government's aim that the database should hold the DNA profiles of the whole of the active criminal population, estimated to be in the region of three million.

  Public Safety Radio Communications Project
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of funding for the Public Safety Radio Communications Project will be provided by a deduction from the police grant provision over each year of the project; what assessment he has made of the impact on police forces' budgets and on frontline service provision; what representations he has received on the matter; and if he will make a statement. [117989]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The cost of the core service for the Public Safety Radio Communications Project (PSRCP) represents approximately 80 per cent. of the total service charges for police forces in England and
  598W
  Wales. This is to be funded centrally by means of deduction from total police grant provision. The forecast core service charges for the period 2000–01 are estimated at £4.4 million. This estimate is currently under review in the light of current plans for the roll-out to forces. Other estimates were provided in the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Aylesbury (Mr. Lidington) on 13 March 2000, Official Report, columns 87-92W.

  The impact on police forces' budgets and on frontline service provision will depend on the outcome of Spending Review 2000.

  My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and I have frequent discussions with police authority representatives and chief constables about police resources, including funding for PSRCP. In addition, my officials and I have had discussions with the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Association of Police Authorities about the funding of PSRCP.

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many animal (scientific procedures) inspectors appointed under section 18 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 are in post; how many of them are former licence-holders under the Act; how many establishments under sections 6 and 7 they cover; and how many regulated procedures were carried out for the last year for which figures are available. [117802]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectors are full-time civil servants. No inspector holds a licence. None has involvement in animal research. None has conflicts of interest linking him to places or persons regulated under the Act or his programmes of work. Twenty-one Inspectors are currently in post, 17 of whom have been previously licensed under the 1986 Act.

  Annexe B of the Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals Great Britain 1998 confirms that of the 286 certificates of designation active on 31 December 1998, 284 were registered as user establishments, 170 as breeding establishments and 75 as supplying establishments. There is a disparity in these figures because a single establishment may hold its certificate of designation in more than one category. The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate monitors all of these establishments.

  Table 1 of the Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals Great Britain 1998 shows that 2,659,662 scientific procedures were carried out on animals during that year.

  Figures for 1999 are currently being compiled and will be published in July.

  Immigration Control
  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimates he has made of the cost of(a) staff, (b) premises and (c) detection equipment for the Immigration Service for immigration control in each of the last three years. [117047]
  599W
  Mrs. Roche
  The information on staff and premises costs for the operation of the on-entry immigration control is given in the table.

  £ million

  Financial Year

  Staff

  Premises

  1997–98

  76.11

  7.58

  1998–99

  77.28

  8.43

  1999–2000

  180.25

  18.71

  1 Forecast

  Over the last three years, the Immigration Service has spent over £300,000 on forgery detection equipment, over £110,000 on body detection dogs and associated equipment and, in the last year, £6,000 on CO2 detectors.

  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimates he has made of the cost of immigration detention centres and prison places for immigration detainees in each of the last three years. [117050]

  Mrs. Roche
  The cost of operating the dedicated immigration detention centres is estimated to be in the region of £11.4 million in the current financial year. Previous years' figures are not available as the costs had not been recorded separately. The Prison Service Statistics (England and Wales) show the number of detainees held in prisons under the 1971 Immigration Act as at 30 June of each year. Figures for the last three years are: 30 June 1997—476; 30 June 1998—477; and 30 June 1999—490. The average total cost per prison place in each of these years was: 1997–98: £23,940; 1998–99: £25,096; 1999–2000: £25,567.

  Deportation
  Mr. Townend
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deportation orders were made in 1999; and how many have been carried out. [117218]

  Mrs. Roche
  Provisional data indicate that 610 deportation orders were signed and 510 were enforced during 1999. It should be noted that a deportation order enforced in one year may have been signed in an earlier year. Deportation orders may not be immediately enforceable for legal reasons or because of other barriers to removal such as inadequate documentation. There are also cases where a deportation order has been signed but it is later decided that deportation is no longer appropriate.

  Sex Offenders
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners subject to the provisions of the Sex Offenders Act 1997 have been released on the Home Detention Curfew Scheme to date; what offences they committed; what was the sentence(a) received and (b) served in each case; and if he will make a statement. [117718]

  Mr. Straw

  [holding answer 5 April 2000]: As of 3 April, one prisoner subject to the provisions of the Sex Offenders Act 1997 has been released on the Home Detention Curfew scheme. The original offence of which the prisoner was convicted was unlawful sexual intercourse with a female aged 15. The prisoner received a sentence of six months and served a sentence of 35 days.
  600W
  Sex offenders subject to the 1997 Act may be released on Home Detention Curfew only in exceptional circumstances and in all such cases only with the consent of the Director General. In this case, the requirement was not followed by the prison establishment concerned and the eligibility date was calculated wrongly; the prisoner was released after 35 days instead of the 46 days that should have been served.

  I have asked the Director General for a report. He has advised me that, wholly contrary to the procedure put in place by Ministers, his approval was not sought in this case. Furthermore, the period of the sentence to be served was reduced by 11 days as a result of an administrative error. The administrative procedures have now been strengthened and the Director General has written to all establishments reminding them of the particular considerations that apply to sex offenders subject to the provisions of the 1997 Act and the requirement at all times to seek his consent.

  While this failure to follow the correct procedures is highly regrettable, I am satisfied that in this case there was no risk to the public, nor has the offender concerned been arrested, charged or convicted of any further offence.

  Korean Airlines Crash
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will compensate the Essex Police Authority for the costs incurred following the recent crash of a Korean Airlines plane at Stansted Airport. [117939]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  No special payment will be made to Essex Police Authority for any costs incurred following the recent crash of a Korean Airlines plane at Stansted Airport. Essex Police Authority has sought assistance to meet the estimated cost of £343,000 for this exercise. Police forces are, however, funded and are expected to make provision for unexpected events of this size.

  I have, however, provided a special grant of £2 million to the force towards the cost of policing the more recent hijack at Stansted.

  Europol
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances officers in Europol will be authorised to carry arms when engaged in operations in the United Kingdom. [117577]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Europol officers have no such operational powers and do not carry arms in the course of their duties.

  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what operations have been carried out jointly by Europol and police in the United Kingdom. [117584]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  There have been no such operations carried out in the United Kingdom.

  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) where the training college for Europol will be established: [117579]

  (2) if he will make a statement about the purpose of the training college for Europol. [117578]
  601W
  Mr. Charles Clarke
  There are no plans to establish a training college for Europol. The Tampere European Council in October 1999 agreed that a European Police College should be established for the training of senior law enforcement officials, starting as a network of existing national training institutes. Proposed objectives for the network include strengthening knowledge of existing European Union instruments in the area of law enforcement, improving co-operation and co-ordination between European Union law enforcement training institutes with regard to European and cross-border co-operation and providing training for law enforcement agencies of Accession states. The United Kingdom has offered to host the secretariat for the network. Its location is yet to be decided.

  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if Europol officers operating in the United Kingdom will wear a uniform. [117583]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Europol staff have no such operational powers and do not wear uniforms in the course of their duties.

  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what circumstances a United Kingdom police force can refuse to carry out an operation proposed to be carried out under provisions of the Treaty of Amsterdam. [117575]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The United Kingdom's application to participate in the police co-operation provisions of the Schengen Implementing Convention, which has been incorporated by the Treaty of Amsterdam into the Treaty on European Union, is still under negotiation. Measures under Article 30 of the Treaty on European Union on joint teams involving Europol are still under discussion.

  Police forces in the United Kingdom attach importance to assisting, and being assisted by, counterpart authorities abroad in criminal investigations and proceedings. The decision on whether to seek or provide such assistance is for individual chief officers of police. In general, assistance will be provided, in accordance with domestic law and procedures, but it may be withheld in exceptional circumstances, for example, on grounds of national security. The police co-operation provisions in the Schengen Implementing Convention and the Treaty on European Union will not affect this current practice.

  Vivisection
  Dr. Ladyman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the operation of the confidentiality agreement between his Department and the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection in relation to offences committed under the Protection of Animals Act 1911. [117710]
  602W
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The main provisions of the confidentiality agreement stipulated that the material it covered should not be disclosed to anyone other than Home Office Ministers and officials without the prior written approval of the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV). I am advised that these provisions would have been unenforceable in law should any attempt have been made to use the agreement to suppress evidence of criminal offences or prevent its disclosure to the police authorities or Crown Prosecution Service.

  The confidentiality agreement was entered into in July 1999 in order to obtain information to enable a full Home Office investigation of the allegations made by the BUAV against HarlandUK. I do not consider that it set a helpful precedent. The most careful consideration would be necessary before an agreement of this nature could be entered into again should similar circumstances arise in the future.

  Although in evidence in the consultation on Freedom of Information, they made representations that the Home Office should have a presumption against enforcing such an agreement, the BUAV requested such an agreement in connection with this case.

  Drug Laws
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the report of the Police Foundation Inquiry into the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971; and if he will make a statement. [117606]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Government welcome the report by the Police Foundation. The report contains 81 recommendations which the Government will be considering over the coming months. However, the Government are not currently persuaded that the classification or overall legal framework for LSD, ecstasy or cannabis should be changed.

  Somali Refugees
  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many Somali nationals previously granted exceptional leave to remain and who have submitted upgrade applications for full refugee status have received a decision on their case in each month since the House of Lords judgment on the Adan case; [117794]

  (2) how many asylum applications received from Somali nationals in each of the years 1998 and 1999 were upgrade applications from an applicant previously granted exceptional leave to remain. [117795]

  Mrs. Roche
  Information on the number of decisions made or the number of applications lodged by Somali nationals requesting an upgrading to full refugee status is not held centrally. Such information would be obtained only by examining individual case papers at disproportionate cost.

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  Field Margins and Hedges: IACS Rules
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  Government Departments: External Consultancy Costs
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  Passenger Information: Provision by Carriers
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  Bingo Charges
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  Asylum Seekers: Costs to Public Funds
  Prisoners: Education Costs
  Prisoners: Education Costs
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  UNLOCK: Prison Service Payments
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  Prison Service Website: Hits
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  Grammar and Comprehensive Schools: GCSE/GNVQ Performance Comparisons
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  Millennium Volunteers Programme: Chairmanship