Written Answers of 14 April 2000

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT ANDTHE REGIONS

  Railways (Shropshire)
  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list by constituency the railway stations and railway lines in Shropshire which have been(a) closed and (b) opened (i) between 1979 to 1997 and (ii) since May 1997. [118540]

  Mr. Hill
  This information is not held in the form requested. However, I am aware that Telford Central station was opened in 1985, and that New Hadley station was closed in the same year. A freight only line from Shrewsbury Sutton Bridge to Abbey Foregate was closed in the late 1980s. The Rail Regulator has not given consent to closure of any passenger services or stations in Shropshire since the provisions of the Railway Act in 1993 came into force.

  Fuel Poverty
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the number of households that will be taken out of fuel poverty by Government schemes in each of the next 15 years; and what estimate he has made of the cost of such schemes in each of the next 15 years. [118414]

  Mr. Meacher
  A key programme is the New Home Energy Efficiency Scheme, which with a budget of £260 million over the next two years, is currently expected to take 460,000 households out of fuel poverty. The impact of other policies on the number of fuel poor households is less clear.

  We estimate the number of households in fuel poverty is currently about 4.5 million, and that at current rates of the HEES programme the great majority should be removed from fuel poverty within a decade.

  Motorways
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many miles of porous asphalt have been laid on motorways in each year since 1995. [118535]

  Mr. Hill
  I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Peter Nutt, to write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from Peter Nutt to Mr. Gordon Prentice, dated 14 April 2000:
  You recently asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many miles of porous asphalt have been laid on motorways in each year since 1995.
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  Detailed records are not held centrally by the Highways Agency but we estimate the lengths of porous asphalt laid during these years to have been as follows:

  Year

  Lengths of porous asphalt laid

  1995

  1.0 mile, M25 (one carriageway)

  1995

  0.5 miles, MI (both carriageways)

  1996

  1.5 miles, M25 (one carriageway)

  1997

  2.3 miles, M25 (both plus carriageways), plus 1.5 miles (one carriageway)

  1998

  7.5 miles, M40 (both carriageways)

  1999

  0.2 miles. Ml (one carriageway)

  Porous asphalt was introduced by the Highways Agency for use on trunk roads in 1993. At that time it was the only option available for providing a quieter road surface but was not suitable for use in all situations. Further development resulted in alternatives including proprietary quiet, thin surfacings, and in 1998, 'whisper' concrete. These two materials offer many of the advantages of porous asphalt with few of its drawbacks, not least its high cost. This has meant that porous asphalt has been little used.
  The new quiet surfacings are now being used widely by the Highways Agency both for surfacing new roads and for maintaining existing roads. Their performance is very effective and in use they can often be mistaken for porous asphalt being quiet, and reducing spray in wet weather.
  If it would be helpful, John Williams our road surfacings specialist, would be pleased to discuss both porous asphalt and other road surfacings in current use with you. His telephone number is 020 7921 4635.

  Road Maintenance (Victoria Embankment)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for what reason road maintenance work was permitted along the Victoria Embankment on the morning of 6 April; what assessment was made of its impact on(a) road congestion and (b) access for emergency services; what assessment was made of the option of carrying out the work at night; and if he will make a statement. [118650]

  Mr. Hill
  Westminster City Council is the highway authority for Victoria Embankment. I understand that, on the morning of 6 April, contractors working for Westminster City Council took down a lamp column at the junction of Northumberland Avenue and Victoria Embankment. This was required in connection with Hungerford Bridge works, but had become urgent because the lamp column appeared to be unsafe. The works involved a lorry parked across the junction and the erection of traffic cones in Northumberland Avenue and on the eastbound carriageway of Victoria Embankment.

  Works of this type in the carriageway are not usually subjected to formal analysis of their effects on congestion or emergency access unless complete closure of the road is required.

  Westminster City Council have advised me that it is their policy to carry out works during the working day to avoid the environmental problems caused by working at night and weekends although planned work is avoided at peak hours on traffic sensitive routes.

  Ship Weights
  Mr. Ottaway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is
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  the deadweight tonnage of (a) UK-owned ships and (b) non-UK-owned ships, strategically and commercially managed in the United Kingdom. [119202]

  Mr. Hill
  At the end of December 1999, 1,026 trading ships were managed from the United Kingdom. Of these ships, 4.5 million deadweight tonnes were UK-owned and 29.5 million deadweight tonnes non-UK-owned.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Concessionary Television Licences
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many concessionary television licences for persons living in warden-assisted homes have been(a) granted and (b) withdrawn in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [118366]

  Janet Anderson

  [holding answer 10 April 2000]The following information is provided by the BBC, which has statutory responsibility for the administration of the television licensing system:

  Year

  Number of accommodation for residential care concessionary licences issued1,2

  1992–93

  635,703

  1993–94

  655,165

  1994–95

  677,104

  1995–96

  641,136

  1996–97

  650,013

  1997–98

  651,822

  1998–99

  645,876

  1999–2000

  654,191

  1 Qualifying accommodation includes residential and nursing homes, sheltered housing schemes and almshouses.

  2 Records of concessionary television licences issued moved from a wholly manual system to a computerised system in 1996. This change highlighted the inaccuracy of the earlier system and is thought to account for much of the fall between 1994–95 and 1995–96.

  A full ten-year record of the number of concessionary licences issued would require manual extraction of information from paper records in the initial years. No records are kept of the number of concessionary licences withdrawn, nor can such information be extracted from existing data, as it is not possible to distinguish between withdrawal of the concession and other reasons for non-renewal.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Special Schools
  Mr. Donaldson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made by the Regional Review Group established to consider the issue of therapy input to special schools; and when he expects to receive a report. [118661]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The Regional Review Group has drawn up an inter-agency agreement for the provision of health and social services to children in schools with special educational needs. It is currently undertaking a number of more detailed reviews of various types of health and social services provision to children with 288W
  special educational needs, including therapy provision. I understand that the Group will be considering a draft report on this in early May and will also discuss the timing of its referral to the relevant Government Departments.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Land Rover
  Miss Kirkbride
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the Ford Motor Company told him that it was to buy Land Rover from BMW before the official announcement. [118698]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has many contacts with companies including the Ford Motor Company. Issues discussed are often commercially confidential.

  BMW/Rover
  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will place a copy of the handwritten contemporaneous note taken by officials of his 10 March meeting with Professor Samann in the Library; [118730]

  (2) if the note of his 10 March meeting with Professor Samann which was placed in the Library is the only record that was made of that meeting; [118727]

  (3) what briefing he received about the details of each of the 27 contacts between his Department and BMW that took place between 1 December 1999 and 31 March 2000; and if he will make available any briefing he received on those contacts; [118723]

  (4) when the note of his 10 March meeting with Professor Samann, which was placed in the Library, was prepared; [118709]

  (5) to whom the note of his meeting with Professor Samann on 10 March was circulated; [118728]

  (6) if he will make public telegrams from (a) UKREP, (b) the Berlin Embassy and (c) HM Consul-General Munich relating to BMW since 23 June 1999; [118720]

  (7) what advice he was given by the British Embassy in Berlin between June 1999 and March 2000 in respect of BMW/Rover; [118753]

  (8) what briefing was made available to (a) DTI Ministers and (b) other Government departments about the details of any of the 27 contacts between his Department and BMW, details of which he has placed in the Library; [118718]

  (9) if he will publish details of all the 27 contacts between his Department and BMW between 1 December 1999 and 31 March 2000; [118722]

  (10) if the note from his PPS, dated 22 December 1999, is the only record that was made of his telephone conversation with Professor Milberg of that date. [118714]

  Mr. Byers

  [holding answer 11 April 2000]The documents released to the Trade and Industry Committee were made available at the specific request of the Select Committee and I refer to the evidence that I gave to the Select Committee.
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  It has been the practice of successive Administrations not to disclose information which might undermine the long-established conventions protecting the confidentiality of the internal decision-making process. The Code of Practice on Access to Government Information recognises the need for confidentiality of internal opinion, advice, recommendation and deliberation to ensure that matters can be discussed candidly and frankly within Government.

  The Code of Practice also recognises the need to protect a third party's commercial confidences.

  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) who requested his meeting with Professor Samann on 10 March; [118729]

  (2) if the note of his 10 March meeting with Professor Samann, which was placed in the Library, is a full record of the meeting. [118717]

  Mr. Byers

  [holding answer 11 April 2000]I refer to my evidence given to the Trade and Industry Committee on 5 April.

  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make available the internal correspondence between Ministers concerning BMW, Longbridge and Rover since 23 June 1999. [118721]

  Mr. Byers

  [holding answer 11 April 2000]These documents contain information that is commercially sensitive.

  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) when he first notified the Prime Minister of the deteriorating situation at Rover; [118725]

  (2) when he asked his Department to notify the Prime Minister's staff of the deteriorating situation at Rover. [118726]

  Mr. Byers

  [holding answer 11 April 2000]My Department has been in close contact with No. 10 on this issue throughout.

  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when BMW first indicated to him that it was reconsidering the ownership of Rover, Longbridge. [118751]

  Mr. Byers

  [holding answer 11 April 2000]When I spoke to Professor Milberg on 15 March.

  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the standard practice of his Office in respect of making notes of his official telephone conversations. [118724]

  Mr. Byers

  [holding answer 11 April 2000]Telephone calls are monitored and notes are made if the call contained issues of substance.

  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he took following his meeting on 10 March at which Professor Samann stated that there was a risk of 8,000 job losses. [118719]

  Mr. Byers

  [holding answer 11 April 2000]I refer to my evidence to the Trade and Industry Committee on 5 April.
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  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what contact(a) he and (b) his officials had with Commissioner Monti between 23 June and 11 December 1999 concerning Rover's application for regional selective assistance. [118710]

  Mr. Byers

  [holding answer 11 April 2000]I had a number of discussions with Commissioner Monti in this period covering a range of issues including the application for aid in support of the R30.

  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) for what reason he telephoned Professor Milberg on 11 December 1999; [118711]

  (2) for what reason no record of his conversation with Professor Milberg on 11 December 1999 was prepared; [118715]

  (3) what Professor Milberg said concerning the future of Rover during his telephone conversation on 11 December 1999. [118716]

  Mr. Byers

  [holding answer 11 April 2000]I telephoned Professor Milberg at his home on the afternoon of Saturday 11 December. I made the call from my own home. In my evidence to the Select Committee on 15 February, I gave details of the conversation.

  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what discussions took place between Professor Milberg and the BMW board in January following his conversation of 22 December 1999 with Professor Milberg; [118713]

  (2) what steps he took to establish if discussions had taken place between Professor Milberg and his board in January following his conversation of 22 December 1999. [118712]

  Mr. Byers

  [holding answer 11 April 2000]My Department monitored the situation to see if a meeting of the BMW Supervisory Board had been called. No such meeting was called in either January or February. After our telephone conversation on 22 December 1999 the first meeting of the BMW Supervisory Board was on 16 March 2000.

  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what was the nature of his contacts with BMW between 22 December 1999 and 10 February 2000; [118708]

  (2) what contact with BMW took place between 22 December 1999 and 10 February 2000 involving (a) his Department's Ministers or officials, (b) UKREP Brussels, (c) the British Embassy Berlin and (d) HM Consul-General Munich; [118706]

  (3) for what reason there is no record of his contact points with BMW between 22 December 1999 and 10 February 2000. [118707]

  Mr. Byers

  [holding answer 11 April 2000]My officials were in regular contact in relation to the 88(2) investigation into the aid for the R30 project during this period. They would have informed me if it had been advisable for me to contact BMW directly.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) when Professor Milberg asked him to issue the statement which was distributed to the Press on the afternoon of 30 March; [118761]
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  (2) for what reason he issued a statement from Professor Milberg to the Press on 30 March; [118762]

  (3) when he was informed that the text of the statement from Professor Milberg which he issued to the Press on 30 March was not approved by BMW; and what steps he took to inform those present at the press briefing of the official BMW Press Release of the same date. [118760]

  Mr. Byers

  [holding answer 11 April 2000]I refer the hon. Member to my supplementary evidence to the Select Committee.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the first three tranches of regional selective assistance for BMW/Rover were due to be paid under the agreement with BMW announced in June 1999. [118269]

  Mr. Byers
  I refer to the evidence I gave to the Trade and Industry Committee on 5 April.

  Monitoring the Economy
  Miss Kirkbride
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the report of the Panel on Monitoring the Economy following the meeting of the panel at the end of January. [118697]

  Mr. Byers
  Members of the Panel contribute their views frankly and in confidence to help the Government with their work. Publication of a report prepared on the same basis would be a breach of faith.

  New Motor Cars
  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the embargoed press release on the supply of new motor cars complied with paragraph 9.1 of his Department's Guidance on how monopoly reports are published. [119213]

  Mr. Byers
  No embargoed press releases were issued to the media concerning the Competition Commission report on New Cars (Cm 4660).

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Turkey (Football Deaths)
  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department is taking to investigate the circumstances surrounding the killing of Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight in Istanbul on 5 April; if he will publish the report of these investigations as soon as possible; and if he will make a statement. [119046]

  Mr. Hain
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not have any jurisdiction to investigate these crimes. The investigation into the deaths of Christopher Loftus and Kevin Speight is a matter for the Turkish authorities. We have, however, made it very clear to the Turkish authorities the importance we attach to bringing the killers to justice. The Chief of Police in Istanbul called on the British Consul-General on 8 April to update him on the investigation. He has undertaken to continue to update our consular staff on a regular basis. Consular staff in London will keep the families informed of developments.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Hilda Murrell
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 10 April 2000,Official Report, column 64W, whether the evidence in the case of Hilda Murrell currently with West Mercia Police has been referred to the DNA Centre in Birmingham for the purpose of matching tissue; and if he will make a statement. [119045]

  Mr. Straw
  I understand from the West Mercia Constabulary that a number of forensic exhibits from the Hilda Murrell case are currently with the Forensic Science Service (FSS) laboratory in Birmingham for review to identify any which might give a positive result with the new DNA techniques (Second Generation Multiplex plus and Low Copy Number systems), which have only recently become available. Discussions involving the FSS Major Crime Specialist Adviser on the strategic way ahead for this review are in progress. No DNA sequences were recovered from an earlier forensic review carried out in 1992.

  Oakington Reception Centre
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current unit cost per week of keeping a detainee at Oakington; what will be the weekly unit cost per detainee when Oakington is operating at full capacity; and if he will make a statement. [119142]

  Mrs. Roche
  The current direct unit cost per week of an available place at the Oakington Reception Centre comes to about £1,880. This will reduce to about £527 per week when Oakington is operating at full capacity.

DEFENCE

  Strategic Defence Review
  Mr. Derek Twigg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made with the two studies concerning defence fissile material production and a national capability for arms control verification referred to in Supporting Essay Five of the Strategic Defence Review; and if he will make a statement. [119575]

  Mr. Hoon
  The decision to produce by this spring an initial report of defence fissile material production since the commencement of the UK's nuclear programme in the 1940s was both ambitious and challenging. There remains much work to be done. However, I am pleased to announce that our reports on the production of plutonium for the Defence programme and arms control verification have now been completed within the timescale set out in the Strategic Defence Review. Copies of the reports, and their associated summary capping papers, will be placed in the Library of the House and published on the MOD website. I also intend to have the summary capping papers circulated at the forthcoming Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in New York, and at the Conference of Disarmament in Geneva, as a contribution to wider consideration of these complex issues. Their publication demonstrates our continuing
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  determination to work constructively towards our goal of the global elimination of nuclear weapons, and our commitment to openness in government.

  Airborne Navigation and Attack System
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received on the France-UK joint co-operation on the Joint Airborne Navigation and Attack electro-optical targeting system; and if he make a statement. [117849]

  Mr. Hoon
  This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Robert Walmsley to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 14 April 2000:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about what representations he has received on the France-UK joint co-operation on the Joint Airborne Navigation and Attack electro-optical targeting system. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
  I can confirm that, following a competitive invitation to tender for the Anglo-French JOANNA programme, only one tender response was received, a joint response from BAE SYSTEMS and Thomson-CSF. We are considering the tender and hope to be in a position to make a decision in the next few months.

  Army Dismissal Policy
  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on the review of the decision of the Army not to dismiss the soldiers associated with the death of Mr. Peter McBride in 1992; [118882]

  (2) what, in ruling whether a soldier should be dismissed from the Army after having served a custodial sentence, is the definition of exceptional circumstances which would justify the dismissal being waived; and if he will make a statement; [118881]

  (3) if it is the practice that soldiers convicted of serious charges relating to murder and who (a) are facing or (b) have served custodial sentences are dismissed from the Army; and if he will make a statement. [118880]

  Mr. Hoon
  The decision of the Army Board to retain Guardsmen Fisher and Wright was recently subjected to judicial review. The Judgment of Mr. Justice Ken quashed the earlier decision of the Army Board. The Army Board is now obliged to consider afresh the case of the two Guardsmen. This will be a completely fresh consideration and the Board members who made the previous decision will not be involved this time. In considering the case the Board will, of course, take the fullest account of all the circumstances including the content of the Judgment.

  Queen's Regulations (9.404) state that a soldier is to be discharged if he has been sentenced by a civil court (or by court-martial) to imprisonment or to detention or to any other form of custodial sentence.

  Queen's Regulations (9.404) also state that if in the opinion of the Commanding Officer there are exceptional reasons that make the retention of the solider desirable, the case is submitted with valid and explicit reasons through the Chain of Command for a decision. There are
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  no specific exceptional reasons laid down: Commanding Officers make their recommendations solely on the circumstances of each individual case.

  Asymmetric Warfare
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how the United Kingdom will help to prepare NATO forces for asymmetric warfare; and if he will make a statement. [117847]

  Mr. Spellar
  NATO's updated Strategic Concept, launched at the Washington Summit in April 1999, recognises, at paragraph 24, that Alliance security interests can be affected by other risks of a wider nature, including acts of terrorism, sabotage and organised crime, and by the disruption of the flow of vital resources.

  NATO's defence planning processes are designed to adapt Alliance forces to address these changing risks. In addition, much of the follow-on work from last year's Summit, including the Defence Capabilities Initiative (DCI), NATO's Force Structure Review (FSR), and the Weapons of Mass Destruction Initiative (WMDI), will help provide the capabilities that national forces assigned to NATO require if the Alliance is to meet a wide range of threats. The UK is making an important contribution to each of these initiatives.

  Lawyers
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many lawyers are employed by his Department; and how many were employed in 1995. [117815]

  Mr. Spellar
  On 31 March 1995, the Ministry of Defence employed 99 Service lawyers and had 15 lawyers on loan from the Treasury Solicitor's Department. Two of the latter were employed abroad. On 31 March 2000, the corresponding numbers were 159 Service lawyers and 23 Treasury Solicitor's Department lawyers on loan, with three of the latter employed abroad. Throughout this period, my Department also used the services of other branches of the Treasury Solicitor's Department, the Crown Solicitor in Northern Ireland, the Department's solicitors in Scotland, and lawyers from private firms when their expertise could not be obtained elsewhere.

  Ottawa Convention
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the use of(a) airfield runway denial weapons incorporating anti-personnel devices and (b) anti-tank land mines incorporating anti-personnel devices, with special reference to the Ottawa Convention on anti-personnel mines. [118759]

  Mr. Hoon
  In accordance with our obligations under the Ottawa Convention and the Landmines Act 1998, the Government's policy is not to use any weapon incorporating anti-personnel mines as defined in the Ottawa Convention. This obligation extends to airfield runway denial weapons and anti-tank land mines, and the UK does not retain stocks of any such weapons which contravene the Ottawa Convention.

HEALTH

  Social Services (Lancashire)
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what dates during the next 12 months the Social Services Inspectorate, Northern Region, expects to receive reports from Lancashire County Council about progress on the implementation of its Action Plan to improve the operations of its social services. [118918]

  Ms Stuart
  It is expected that reports will be received at least quarterly and discussions are taking place between Social Services Inspectorate and Northern Social Care Region and Lancashire Social Services about precise dates. I anticipate the first report will be received early in June.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the action plan he has received from Lancashire County Council about its proposals to respond to the findings of the Social Services Inspectorate's report on its running of the county's social services. [118919]

  Ms Stuart
  It is not for the Department to publish the action plan. It is the responsibility of Lancashire County Council and the right hon. Member may wish to make his request to the Director of Social Services.

  NHS Specialised Services
  Mr. Lilley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which(a) medical and (b) other organisations have been consulted about the commissioning of specialised services in the NHS. [119115]

  Ms Stuart
  Widespread consultation took place prior to the introduction of the new commissioning arrangements for specialised services in April 1999, with views being sought from the medical bodies, the Patients Forum, community health councils, voluntary sector organisations and local authorities. Subsequently consultation takes place through the Regional Specialised Commissioning Groups.

  Mr. Lilley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received about the funding of specialised services in the NHS. [119114]

  Ms Stuart
  With regard to representations received on the subject of funding of specialised services, in the last three months my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health has dealt with 21 letters, of which 18 letters were from Members of Parliament, and has met representatives from the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust.

  Primary Health Care Groups (Resources)
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the allocation of additional resources to each primary health care group as a result of the recent budget announcements by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. [119197]

  Ms Stuart
  On 28 March my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced details of extra allocations to health authorities for 2000–01. This additional £660 million has brought health authority average increases to 8.9 per cent. in cash terms (6.2 per cent. in real terms).
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  Health authorities have been directed to increase the budgets/allocations of their primary care groups/trusts by a pro rata share of the entire sum allocated.

  A breakdown of the additional allocation to each primary care group/trust is not yet available centrally.

  Cannabis
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the clinical trials are to begin on cannabis in medicinal form; and if he will make a statement. [118533]

  Ms Stuart
  The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) has approved an application to conduct a clinical trial with a cannabis-based medicine. The timing of the trial is a matter for the applicant. The purpose of the trial that has been approved is to demonstrate safety and efficacy in a limited number of subjects, and to establish the necessary dosage regimen and delivery mechanisms to provide the most effective relief to sufferers of multiple sclerosis and other neurological disorders. Evidence from clinical trials of safety, quality and efficacy of a medicine is part of the information that is assessed by the MCA in coming to a decision about whether a product should be licensed for marketing in the United Kingdom. If a marketing authorisation were to be issued by the MCA, we would seek to modify the current Misuse of Drugs Act controls on the use of cannabis.

TREASURY

  Windfall Tax
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the amount of money raised through the Windfall Tax which has been raised from companies in Wales; and how much of the money raised from the Windfall Tax has been spent in Wales. [118057]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The liability of individual companies under the Windfall Tax is a confidential matter between them and the tax authorities.

  Information on the allocation of the Windfall Tax receipts between the different programmes, as currently estimated, is set out in Table 4.1 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report, 2000. Many Windfall Tax funded programmes are demand-led, with expenditure allocated by participant and not by country, region or any other geographical area. For this reason it is not possible to provide a reliable and robust estimate of the amount which has been spent in Wales, so to the extent that relevant programmes are demand led it will tend to reflect the proportion of clients participating.

  Budget Calculations
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were(a) the September forecast inflation figure and (b) the September actual inflation figure in each of the past five years. [118749]

  Mr. Timms
  The following table sets out the RPI inflation rate in September in each of the previous five years and the forecast of RPI inflation for that month in the previous Budget.
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  Forecast

  Outturn

  1995

  3

  3.9

  1996

  2.25

  2.1

  1997

  3.0

  3.6

  1998

  3.2

  3.2

  1999

  1.3

  1.1

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Homophobia
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the schools which have received the document entitled, "Beyond a Phase: A Practical Guide to Challenging Homophobia in Schools", from Avon Health Authority. [117717]

  Jacqui Smith

  [holding answer 5 April 2000]Under the 1994 Act, this is a matter for individual governing bodies. However, the new sex and relationship guidance on which consultation is taking place makes clear to schools the use of appropriate materials in the classroom. It says:Materials used in schools must be in accordance with the PSHE framework and the law. Inappropriate images should not be used nor should explicit material not directly related to explanation. Governors and headteachers should discuss with parents and take on board concerns raised both on materials which are offered to schools and sensitive material to be used in the classroom.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health will be issuing guidance to Health authorities on any material they produce for use in schools.

  School Attendance (Dartford)
  Dr. Stoate
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the impact the Government's social exclusion policies are having on school attendance in Dartford. [118822]

  Jacqui Smith
  Our Social Inclusion: Pupil Support grant is providing nearly £500 million over three years to support Local Education Authorities and schools to introduce measures for tackling truancy and school exclusion. For 2000–01, Kent Local Education Authority, which has responsibility for schools in Dartford, will receive just over £3 million out of the grant to support projects.

  During 1998–99 attendance levels in Kent Local Education Authority have risen both at primary and secondary school level by 0.4 per cent. and 0.1 per cent. respectively.

  Separate figures for schools in Dartford can be obtained only at disproportionate costs.

  Ministerial Meetings (Requests)
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many requests for meetings with deputations of hon. Members and groups from their constituencies his Department has received in each year since 1997, on issues relating to school 298W
  admissions policy and organisation; how many have (a) he and (b) other Ministers in his Department (i) seen and (ii) refused to see; and if he will make a statement. [118925]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  This information is not available in the form requested. Each year the Department receives many requests for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and other Ministers to meet delegations of hon. Members about many different issues. No comprehensive record of such requests by subject/category is maintained.

  Dance Schools
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to support individual children who wish to attend specialist dance schools where provision is not available locally. [119200]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The Music and Ballet Scheme provides over 700 Government-aided places for school-age pupils at three independent specialist ballet schools and four independent specialist music schools in England. The great majority of those places are boarding places to enable exceptionally talented children from any part of the country to benefit from the best possible training on offer alongside a broad and balanced general education. We have recently reviewed the Scheme and intend to continue it with some improvements.

  In addition, the Dance and Drama Awards provide for 820 talented students aged over 16 to join high quality vocational dance and drama training courses at nearly 30 specialist schools and colleges each year. Funding is available to support students who have to live away from home.

  Standard Spending Assessment
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will estimate the cost of raising the SSA per pupil to at least the level of(a) the 50 LEA, (b) the 60 LEA and (c) the 70 LEA from the bottom in the year 2000–01. [119404]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The estimated costs would be:(a) £282 million; (b) £346 million; and (c) £437 million.

  LEA Reserves
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the amount of surplus reserves held by each LEA. [119194]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The following table shows, for each local education authority in England, the level of reserves held at 31 March 1999, the latest information available centrally. Reserves are held for the purposes of the authority as a whole and are not specific to education.
  299W

  Local education authorities levels of reserves Budget estimates 1999–2000

  £000

  Level of reserves as at 31 March 1999

  Barking and Dagenham

  41,086

  Barnet

  33,808

  Barnsley

  5,789

  Bath and North East Somerset

  8,316

  Bedfordshire

  10,307

  Bexley

  17,717

  Birmingham

  22,282

  Blackburn with Darwen

  9,851

  Blackpool

  7,362

  Bolton

  11,440

  Bournemouth

  19,841

  Bracknell Forest

  10,704

  Bradford

  15,589

  Brent

  7,290

  Brighton and Hove

  15,926

  Bristol

  19,953

  Bromley

  58,890

  Buckinghamshire

  22,533

  Bury

  8,542

  Calderdale

  5,310

  Cambridgeshire

  28,676

  Camden

  60,154

  Cheshire

  15,977

  City of London

  165,560

  City of Nottingham

  17,343

  Cornwall

  38,433

  Coventry

  82,412

  Croydon

  38,390

  Cumbria

  18,619

  Darlington

  3,831

  Derby City

  7,655

  Derbyshire

  14,002

  Devon

  9,433

  Doncaster

  23,342

  Dorset

  7,139

  Dudley

  19,283

  Durham

  23,639

  Ealing

  12,864

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  15,980

  East Sussex

  12,617

  Enfield

  17,266

  Essex

  50,434

  Gateshead

  6,808

  Gloucestershire

  26,548

  Greenwich

  38,764

  Hackney

  6,315

  Halton

  8,111

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  18,387

  Hampshire

  32,192

  Haringey

  14,500

  Harrow

  8,044

  Hartlepool

  9,601

  Havering

  10,643

  Herefordshire

  8,484

  Hertfordshire

  47,624

  Hillingdon

  8,384

  Hounslow

  11,002

  Isle of Wight

  8,538

  Isles of Scilly

  2,525

  Islington

  11,325

  Kensington and Chelsea

  43,045

  Kent

  23,394

  Kingston upon Hull

  15,606

  Kingston upon Thames

  4,099

  Kirklees

  14,124

  Knowsley

  5,862

  300W

  Local education authorities levels of reserves Budget estimates 1999–2000

  £000

  Level of reserves as at 31 March 1999

  Lambeth

  5,871

  Lancashire

  30,198

  Leeds

  18,002

  Leicester City

  25,308

  Leicestershire

  15,451

  Lewisham

  12,714

  Lincolnshire

  15,189

  Liverpool

  28,750

  Luton

  30,018

  Manchester

  49,135

  Merton

  6,807

  Middlesbrough

  3,064

  Milton Keynes

  7,670

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  8,717

  Newham

  29,030

  Norfolk

  38,077

  North East Lincolnshire

  7,099

  North Lincolnshire

  5,402

  North Somerset

  8,533

  North Tyneside

  8,785

  North Yorkshire

  16,699

  Northamptonshire

  25,258

  Northumberland

  18,519

  Nottinghamshire

  13,132

  Oldham

  17,240

  Oxfordshire

  16,673

  Peterborough

  12,753

  Plymouth

  8,683

  Poole

  7,320

  Portsmouth

  14,829

  Reading

  5,336

  Redbridge

  8,522

  Redcar and Cleveland

  8,391

  Richmond upon Thames

  8,933

  Rochdale

  17,558

  Rotherham

  22,909

  Rutland

  846

  Salford

  16,347

  Sandwell

  5,664

  Sefton

  8,087

  Sheffield

  4,062

  Shropshire

  5,895

  Slough

  7,712

  Solihull

  7,748

  Somerset

  27,828

  South Gloucestershire

  18,059

  South Tyneside

  9,140

  Southampton

  16,119

  Southend-on-Sea

  23,325

  Southwark

  54,538

  St. Helens

  14,712

  Staffordshire

  35,645

  Stockport

  18,515

  Stockton-on-Tees

  9,897

  Stoke-on-Trent

  6,425

  Suffolk

  41,509

  Sunderland

  22,386

  Surrey

  37,756

  Sutton

  15,939

  Swindon

  10,255

  Tameside

  6,729

  Telford and the Wrekin

  2,272

  The Medway Towns

  57,756

  Thurrock

  19,254

  Torbay

  7,301

  Tower Hamlets

  26,643

  301W

  Local education authorities levels of reserves Budget estimates 1999–2000

  £000

  Level of reserves as at 31 March 1999

  Trafford

  32,995

  Wakefield

  14,258

  Walsall

  3,598

  Waltham Forest

  9,049

  Wandsworth

  39,339

  Warrington

  12,968

  Warwickshire

  21,673

  West Berkshire

  21,354

  West Sussex

  30,982

  Westminster

  52,864

  Wigan

  22,731

  Wiltshire

  12,883

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  16,034

  Wirral

  16,253

  Wokingham

  6,625

  Wolverhampton

  17,481

  Worcestershire

  13,703

  York

  13,307

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Fraud
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the amounts paid to each local authority in the last financial year under(a) the weekly benefit savings scheme and (b) other schemes, in reward to local authorities for action on housing benefit fraud. [118391]

  Angela Eagle
  The last full financial year for which we have returns for the weekly benefit savings scheme and the challenge fund scheme, which ran for three years and encouraged councils to bid for funding for innovative anti-fraud initiatives, is 1998–99. I have placed a copy of these returns in the Library.

  Age Allowance
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the value was of the age allowance for pensioners in each year from its introduction in 1971, to the present day in relation to(a) the index of retail prices and (b) the index of average earnings. [119183]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is in the table.

  Value of the age addition if it had been uprated in line with RPI and average earnings index at each uprating

  £.p.

  Rate payable if uprated in line with

  RPI

  Average earnings

  September 1971

  0.25

  0.25

  October 1972

  0.25

  0.30

  October 1973

  0.25

  0.35

  July 1974

  0.30

  0.40

  April 1975

  0.35

  0.45

  November 1975

  0.40

  0.50

  November 1976

  0.45

  0.55

  November 1977

  0.50

  0.65

  November 1978

  0.55

  0.70

  302W

  Value of the age addition if it had been uprated in line with RPI and average earnings index at each uprating

  £.p.

  Rate payable if uprated in line with

  RPI

  Average earnings

  November 1979

  0.65

  0.85

  November 1980

  0.75

  1.00

  November 1981

  0.85

  1.10

  November 1982

  0.90

  1.20

  November 1983

  0.95

  1.30

  November 1984

  1.00

  1.35

  November 1985

  1.05

  1.45

  July 1986

  1.05

  1.50

  April 1987

  1.05

  1.60

  April 1988

  1.10

  1.70

  April 1989

  1.15

  1.85

  April 1990

  1.25

  2.05

  April 1991

  1.40

  2.25

  April 1992

  1.45

  2.40

  April 1993

  1.50

  2.50

  April 1994

  1.55

  2.55

  April 1995

  1.60

  2.65

  April 1996

  1.65

  2.70

  April 1997

  1.70

  2.80

  April 1998

  1.75

  2.90

  April 1999

  1.80

  3.05

  April 2000

  1.80

  3.20

  Notes:

  1. The Retail Prices Index (all items) has been used, as published by the Office for National Statistics.

  2. Average Earning Index Whole Economy (Non-Seasonally Adjusted) has been used, as published by the Office for National Statistics.

  3. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 5 pence at each uprating date.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many sufferers of fybromyalgia were awarded disability living allowance in(a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000 to date. [118848]

  Angela Eagle
  Information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is in the table.

  People awarded Disability Living Allowance whose main disabling condition is back pain

  Year

  Number

  19971

  11,900

  19981

  8,800

  19992

  6,600

  1 Figures relate to 12 months ending November

  1 Figures relate to 9 months ending August

  Source:

  Analytical Services Division (5 per cent. data)

  Asbestos-related Diseases
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what change his Department has made since May 1997 in the provision it makes for those suffering from asbestos-related diseases. [119004]

  Mr. Bayley
  No changes have been made to the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit scheme with regard to asbestos-related diseases specifically since May 1997.
  303W
  In April 1997 considerable changes were made to these provisions following advice and recommendations from the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council set out in their report "Asbestos Related Diseases" (Cm 3467). These changes were beneficial to claimants and introduced wide occupational coverage in respect of mesothelioma and removed the 90 day waiting period that operates for other diseases and accidents within this benefit scheme. Changes were also made with regard to diffuse pleural thickening, ensuring that benefit could be paid if the thickening affected one lung only, where previously both lungs had to be affected.

  Since May 1997 the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council, whose role is to provide expert independent advice, has continued to carefully monitor developments in this field as it does with regard to all occupational diseases.

  Benefits Uprating
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what administrative obstacles exist to basing the annual uprating of benefits on the retail prices index for the previous December. [117590]

  Mr. Bayley
  Using the RPI for the previous December, which would not be published until mid-January, would seriously disrupt the uprating process. Current arrangement, which base the uprating on September's RPI, published in mid-October, allow for the preparation of the uprating schedule and for the uprating review itself to be completed by the end of November. At the end of November a computer scan is run to identify and uprate pension cases. The scan is required at this time to ensure that order books (which cover 20 weeks) containing foils that pass the uprating date are issued with the correct amounts. Processes for uprating other Social Security benefits are similar.

  In-patients
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for what reasons interrupted spells as a hospital in-patient are linked for the purpose of assessing reductions in the rates of benefit which are payable. [118912]

  Mr. Bayley
  Rules about the payment of benefits in NHS hospitals have been part of the Social Security system for over 50 years. Where the NHS provides free maintenance and care in hospital, benefits for the same purpose are not paid in full indefinitely.

  The rule which links together interrupted spells as a hospital in-patient is based on the premise that people whose stay in hospital follows this pattern will, in general, have some home savings during the period that they are being maintained and cared for free of charge in hospital. They are therefore treated in the same way as people whose stay in hospital is continuous. For periods when the person is at home, full benefit is restored.

  Christmas Bonus
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the value was of the £10 Christmas bonus 304W
  in each year from its introduction in 1972, to the present day in relation to (a) the index of retail prices and (b) the index of average earnings. [119047]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is in the table.

  Value of the Christmas bonus if it had been paid and uprated each year since 1972 in line with RPI and average earnings index at each uprating

  £.p.

  Year

  Rate payable if uprated in line with RPI

  Rate payable if uprated in line with average earnings

  October 1972

  10.00

  10.00

  October 1973

  11.00

  11.25

  July 1974

  12.90

  13.00

  April 1975

  14.60

  15.10

  November 1975

  16.55

  17.30

  November 1976

  19.05

  19.45

  November 1977

  21.55

  22.25

  November 1978

  23.30

  24.80

  November 1979

  27.35

  29.65

  November 1980

  31.55

  35.15

  November 1981

  35.35

  39.20

  November 1982

  37.60

  42.50

  November 1983

  39.00

  46.20

  November 1984

  41.00

  48.50

  November 1985

  43.85

  52.70

  July 1986

  44.35

  55.05

  April 1987

  45.30

  58.15

  April 1988

  47.20

  62.70

  April 1989

  50.00

  68.20

  April 1990

  53.80

  74.80

  April 1991

  59.65

  81.90

  April 1992

  62.10

  88.10

  April 1993

  64.35

  92.35

  April 1994

  65.50

  94.65

  April 1995

  66.95

  97.85

  April 1996

  69.55

  100.60

  April 1997

  71.00

  104.85

  April 1998

  73.55

  109.15

  April 1999

  75.90

  114.50

  April 2000

  76.75

  119.65

  Sources:

  1. The Retail Prices Index (all items) has been used, as published by the Office for National Statistics.

  2. Average Earnings Index Whole Economy (Non-Seasonally Adjusted) has been used, as published by the Office for National Statistics.

  3. Figures have been rounded to the nearest five pence at each uprating date.

  Lone Parents
  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many personal advisers work for the personal adviser section of the New Deal for Lone Parents; and what the average case load is in each(a) constituency, (b) local authority area and (c) county. [118610]

  Angela Eagle
  The information is not available in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Personal advisers are not allocated to specific constituencies, local authorities or counties. Such information as is available is in the table.
  305W

  Resource allocation for advisers and adviser management and the average caseload of current participants for Scotland, Wales and English regions

  Region

  Adviser Managers1

  Advisers1

  Participation2

  Average Caseload3

  Scotland

  4.15

  63.62

  6,296

  92.90

  Wales

  2.53

  39.23

  4,693

  112.38

  Northern

  2.35

  36.52

  3,592

  92.41

  North West

  6.5

  98.84

  9,168

  87.03

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  3.97

  60.91

  6,497

  100.14

  East Midlands

  3.97

  60.91

  6,148

  94.76

  West Midlands

  4.15

  63.62

  6,894

  101.73

  South West

  2.89

  44.65

  5,738

  120.70

  London and the South East

  15.06

  228.45

  21,469

  88.16

  Total

  45.57

  696.75

  70,495

  94.97

  1 The numbers given relate to the number of Staff Unit Years.

  2 Participation relates to the number of lone parents on NDLP in January 2000.

  3 Average number of participants per member of NDLP staff rounded to two decimal places.

  Deaf People
  Mrs. Dean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in how many cases children or young people who are moderately or profoundly deaf have been refused Disability Living Allowance and later granted the benefit on appeal to the Independent Tribunal Service in each of the last five years; and what percentage of the total such decisions represent. [118564]

  Angela Eagle
  Information about the disabilities of people who make unsuccessful claims for Disability Living Allowance is not available. Some information on children and young people with deafness who are awarded benefit on appeal is obtained from sampling, but the numbers are too small to provide reliable estimates.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 30 March 2000,Official Report, column 269W, what is the reason for the difference between the cited average saving of £13,000 per year per local authority from the non-redirection of benefit post, and the figures given by his Department in the supplementary memorandum submitted to the Committee of Public Accounts, Session 1998–99, HC643-i, Appendix 2. [118322]

  Angela Eagle
  The figures quoted in the supplementary memorandum to the Committee for Public Accounts was based on a pilot of the Royal Mail "do not redirect" scheme which was carried out over a four week period in 1997 in two local authorities. Benefit savings directly attributable to "do not redirect" for around £200,000 were recorded during the pilot. However, our latest estimate which is based on a telephone survey of a much larger sample of local authorities and involving a number of assumptions is that the average local authority will achieve savings of around £13,000 per year by operating this initiative.

  The difference in savings can be attributed to a number of factors including:
  publicity about the scheme having a deterrent effect on potential fraudsters;
  306W
  the introduction of a number of other anti-fraud initiatives between the pilot and full introduction of the scheme in February 1999 identifying, preventing and deterring fraud which would otherwise have been identified by "do not redirect"; and
  the possibility that the pilot which was carried out over a short period of time and involved only two local authorities may have identified an unrepresentative number of fraudulent cases which has not been reflected in live running by a much larger group of authorities.

  We would expect the number of fraudulent cases identified and therefore the amount of savings achieved as a direct result of this initiative to continue to reduce as publicity increases and its deterrent effect becomes stronger.

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the local authorities that are not using the Royal Mail 'do not redirect' service to counter housing benefit fraud. [118392]

  Angela Eagle
  The Royal Mail have advised that as at 3 April, the 272 local authorities listed had implemented in full the Royal Mail 'do not redirect' service. Of the remaining 137 authorities, a number are preparing to implement the service and some are operating their own local arrangements. It would be inaccurate therefore to describe such authorities as not operation 'do not redirect'.

  Aberdeen

  Aberdeenshire

  Adur

  Allerdale

  Alnwick

  Amber Valley

  Angus

  Ashfield

  Ashford

  Aylesbury Vale

  Babergh

  Barnet

  Barnsley

  Basildon

  Basingstoke and Deane

  Bassetlaw

  Bath and North East Somerset

  307W

  Berwick Upon Tweed

  Bexley

  Birmingham

  Blaby

  Blackburn with Darwen

  Blackpool

  Blyth Valley

  Bolton

  Boston

  Bournemouth

  Bracknell Forest

  Bradford

  Braintree

  Brent

  Brentwood

  Bridgend

  Bridgnorth

  Brighton and Hove

  Bristol

  Bromsgrove

  Broxtowe

  Caerphilly

  Calderdale

  Cambridge

  Camden

  Cannock Chase

  Canterbury

  Cardiff

  Carmarthenshire

  Castle Morpeth

  Cheltenham

  Cherwell

  Chester

  Chesterfield

  Chichester

  Chiltern

  Chorley

  Christchurch

  City of London

  Clackmannanshire

  Western Isles

  Congleton

  Conwy

  Corby

  Cotswold

  Craven

  Crawley

  Crewe and Nantwich

  Croydon

  Dacorum

  Daventry

  Denbighshire

  Derby

  Derbyshire Dales

  Doncaster

  Dover

  Dundee

  Durham

  East Cambridgeshire

  308W

  East Hampshire

  East Lindsey

  East Lothian

  East Northamptonshire

  East Renfrewshire

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  Eastbourne

  Edinburgh

  Epping Forest

  Fareham

  Fenland

  Fife

  Forest Heath

  Forest of Dean

  Fylde

  Gedling

  Glasgow

  Gloucester

  Gosport

  Greenwich

  Guildford

  Hackney

  Halton

  Hambleton

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  Haringey

  Harlow

  Harrogate

  Harrow

  Hart

  Hartlepool

  Hastings

  Havant

  Herefordshire

  Hertsmere

  High Peak

  Hillingdon

  Horsham

  Hounslow

  Ipswich

  Islington

  Kennet

  Kerrier

  Kingston upon Hull

  Kirklees

  Lancaster

  Lewes

  Lewisham

  Lichfield

  Lincoln

  Liverpool

  Luton

  Macclesfield

  Maldon

  Manchester

  Melton

  Mendip

  Merton

  Mid Bedfordshire

  309W

  Mid Suffolk

  Mid Sussex

  Middlesbrough

  Midlothian

  Monmouth

  Neath Port Talbot

  New Forest

  Newark and Sherwood

  Newcastle Under Lyme

  Newcastle Upon Tyne

  Newham

  North Ayrshire

  North Cornwall

  North Devon

  North Dorset

  North East Derbyshire

  North Kesteven

  North Lanarkshire

  North Lincolnshire

  North Wiltshire

  Northampton

  Nuneaton and Bedworth

  Oldham

  Orkney Islands

  Oswestry

  Oxford

  Pembrokeshire

  Poole

  Portsmouth

  Preston

  Purbeck

  Reading

  Redcar and Cleveland

  Redditch

  Reigate and Banstead

  Renfrewshire

  Restormel

  Rhondda Cynon Taff

  Ribble Valley

  Richmond Upon Thames

  Richmondshire

  Rochdale

  Rochford

  Rossendale

  Rother

  Rotherham

  Runnymede

  Rushcliffe

  Rushmoor

  Rutland

  Ryedale

  Salisbury

  Scarborough

  Scottish Borders

  Sedgefield

  Sedgemoor

  Selby

  Sevenoaks

  Shepway

  Shetland Islands

  310W

  Shrewsbury and Atcham

  Slough

  Solihull

  South Buckinghamshire

  South Cambridgeshire

  South Hams

  South Holland

  South Lanarkshire

  South Norfolk

  South Oxfordshire

  South Ribble

  South Somerset

  South Staffs

  South Tyneside

  Southampton

  Southend on Sea

  Spelthorne

  St. Albans

  St. Helens

  Stafford

  Staffordshire

  Stevenage

  Stirling

  Stockport

  Stoke on Trent

  Stratford Upon Avon

  Stroud

  Sunderland

  Surrey Heath

  Swansea

  Tameside

  Tamworth

  Tandridge

  Taunton Deane

  Teesdale

  Telford and Wrekin

  Tendring

  Test Valley

  Tewkesbury

  Thanet

  Three Rivers

  Thurrock

  Tonbridge and Mailing

  Torbay

  Torridge

  Trafford

  Tynedale

  Uttlesford

  Vale of Glamorgan

  Vale of the White Horse

  Vale Royal

  Wakefield

  Waltham Forest

  Warrington

  Warwick

  Waveney

  Waverley

  Wealden

  Wear Valley

  Welwyn Hatfield

  311W

  West Berkshire

  West Lancashire

  West Lothian

  West Oxfordshire

  West Wiltshire

  Wigan

  Winchester

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  Wirral

  Woking

  Wokingham

  Worthing

  Wrexham

  Wychavon

  Wyre

  Wyre Forest

  York.

  Scheme

  Contract start and end date

  Contract price (£)

  Centrica

  1 December 1998 to 30 September 1999

  142,000

  Disability Matters

  1 February 1999 to 31 January 2000

  559,066

  Status Employment

  1 January 1999 to 31 December 1999

  132,306

  WECIL

  1 December 1998 to 31 January 2000

  190,970

  Manchester TEC

  1 November 1998 to 31 March 2000

  192,905

  Thurso

  1 September 1998 to 31 March 2000

  30,500

  Grimsby

  1 December 1998 to 31 March 2000

  112,000

  RNIB

  I December 1998 to 31 March 2000

  308,351

  Leonard Cheshire

  1 August 1998 to 30 June 2000

  256,900

  Libra Health

  1 October 1998 to 31 May 2000

  306,270

  Edinburgh University

  1 July 1999 to 30 June 2000

  145,980

  Shaw Trust

  1 July 1999 to 30 June 2000

  239,406

  Scout Enterprises

  19 July 1999 to 18 July 2000

  182,370

  Dundee City Council

  1 August 1999 to 31 July 2000

  119,500

  NSF

  1 August 1999 to 31 July 2000

  169,374

  RNID

  1 September 1999 to 31 August 2000

  212,070

  Rehab UK

  I September 1999 to 31 August 2000

  299,900

  Mental Health Matters

  1 September 1999 to 31 August 2000

  212,633

  Mencap

  1 September 1999 to 31 August 2000

  204,919

  St. Loye's

  1 September 1999 to 31 August 2000

  231,930

  Bradford

  1 September 1999 to 31 August 2000

  164,000

  Wigan and Leigh

  1 September 1999 to 31 August 2000

  132,749

  Prince's Trust

  1 December 1999 to 31 January 2000

  162,661

  Solotec

  1 January 2000 to 31 December 2000

  144,000

  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many innovative schemes established as part of the New Deal for the Disabled there are in(a) each constituency, (b) each local authority and (c) each county. [118598]

  Scheme

  Area

  Thurso

  North Scotland (Highland)

  WECIL

  Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire, North Somerset Leonard Cheshire Foundation-National

  Centrica

  North West England

  Status Employment

  Croydon/South London

  Disability Matters

  Hampshire

  Manchester TEC

  Manchester

  Libra Health

  East and West Midlands

  Grimsby College

  Grimsby and North East Lincolnshire

  RNIB

  Avon/Wiltshire, West Midlands and Wales

  Edinburgh University

  Lothians and Fife (within daily travelling distance)

  Support Shop Ltd.

  Thames Valley

  R.N.I.D.

  Bristol, Derby, Doncaster, Cardiff, North Wales, Glasgow, Manchester and London

  Rehab U.K.

  London, Birmingham and Glasgow

  Mencap

  Gateshead, Leeds and Scotland

  Dundee City Council

  Dundee, Perth and Arbroath

  Disabled People
  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much each of the innovation schemes established as part of the New Deal for the Disabled(a) has cost to date, (b) is currently costing on a monthly basis and (c) is expected to cost in each of the next and Maidenhead 12 months. [118606]

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

  We are unable to provide information on a monthly basis for each scheme, as this information is commercially confidential. However, the overall amount spent up to February is £2,825,058.17.

  Angela Eagle
  The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is as follows; 24 innovative schemes are part of the New Deal for Disabled People, covering the following areas:
  313W

  Scheme

  Area

  Mental Health Matters

  Tyne and Wear, Durham and Cleveland

  St. Loyes

  South West England

  Bradford Council

  Bradford Metropolitan District

  NSF

  Lewisham, Margate, Harrow, Brentwood, Basildon, Romford

  Prince's Trust

  Hampshire, Surrey and Isle of Wight

  Wigan and Leigh

  Wigan

  Shaw Trust

  South Wales

  S.O.L.O.T.E.C.

  Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lewisham and Croydon

  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to increase the number of innovative schemes run as part of the New Deal for the Disabled. [118597]

  Angela Eagle
  Since July 1997, we have announced funding for 24 Innovative Schemes.

  Over the coming months we will develop proposals, in partnership with the Department of Education and Employment, for extending the New Deal for Disabled People. We intend to consult widely as we do so and to announce plans in the summer.

  Capital limits for Social Security benefits

  £

  Benefit

  Lower capital limit

  Upper capital limit

  Council Tax Benefit and Housing Benefit

  3,000

  16,000

  Council Tax Benefit (RC/NH1)

  10,000

  16,000

  Income Support (for all groups including pensioners and disabled people)

  3,000

  8,000

  Income Support (RC/NH) (for all groups including pensioners and disabled people)

  10,000

  16,000

  Jobseekers Allowance

  3,000

  8,000

  Jobseekers Allowance (RC/NH)

  10,000

  16,000

  1 RC/NH-In residential care or nursing home.

  Notes:

  1. The current capital rules for the income related benefits were introduced in 1988. The lower and upper limits have applied to the same client groups since introduction, apart from an increase in limits in respect of people living in Residential Care and Nursing Homes which was introduced in April 1996.

  2. The capital limits are kept under regular review but are not increased annually. There are no immediate plans to increase capital limits for disabled people.

  State Pension
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for what reason the April state pension increase is determined by reference to the preceding September's RPI; and if he will list the RPI rates for(a) September and (b) April in each year since September 1994. [118768]

  Mr. Rooker
  September's RPI has been used as a base for uprating since April 1987. Using the September index, which is published in the middle of October, allows time for the preparation of the uprating schedule and the review process before operational implementation begins at the end of November with a computer sweep of the Retirement Pension caseload. The operational timetable is designed so that those renewal order books which cover pre and post April periods can be issued with the correct rates of benefit. Order books, which generally cover a period of 20 weeks, start to be issued with the new rates of benefit in mid-December.
  314W
  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) when he intends to up-rate the capital limits for the disabled; [118612]

  (2) for how many years the capital limits of pensioners and the disabled have been the same; and when they were last different; [118614]

  (3) what are the current capital limits for (a) pensioners, (b) the disabled and (c) other persons claiming social security payments. [118613]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is in the table.

  The published RP1 for September and April since September 994

  Year

  Percentage

  September

  1994

  2.2

  1995

  3.9

  1996

  2.1

  1997

  3.6

  1998

  3.2

  April

  1995

  3.3

  1996

  2.4

  1997

  2.4

  1998

  4.0

  1999

  1.6

  Note:

  The RPI for September 1999 was 1.1 per cent.

  Source:

  Abstract of Statistics for Social Security Benefits and Contributions and Indices of Prices and Earnings

  Overseas Aid
  Overseas Aid
  Yugoslavia: UNHCR Budget for Displaced Persons
  Yugoslavia: UNHCR Budget for Displaced Persons
  Public Sector Ombudsmen Review
  Public Sector Ombudsmen Review
  "Henry VIII" Clauses
  "Henry VIII" Clauses
  Business Appointments: Advisory Committee
  Business Appointments: Advisory Committee
  Security Service Commissioner
  Security Service Commissioner
  Intelligence Services Commissioner
  Intelligence Services Commissioner
  Directors' Remuneration
  Directors' Remuneration
  Postage Stamp Themes
  Postage Stamp Themes
  HM Prison Parc: Self-harm Statistics
  HM Prison Parc: Self-harm Statistics
  Prison Drug Offences and Punishments
  Prison Drug Offences and Punishments