Written Answers of 15 December 2000

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Animal Feed
  Mr. Efford
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what plans he has to implement a complete ban on MBM in animal feeds in the United Kingdom; [141648]

  (2) what plans he has to issue new regulations relating to animal feeds for all animal livestock in the United Kingdom. [141649]

  Ms Quin
  My Department is considering the measures necessary to implement expeditiously the Decision taken by the Agriculture Council on 4 December relating to animal feed.

  Suckler Cow Quota
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the effect on quota values of including heifers in the suckler cow quota. [142255]

  Ms Quin
  The inclusion of heifers on suckler cow premium claims up to a maximum of 20 per cent. is only one of a number of factors contributing to the recent rise in lease and sale values of suckler cow premium quota. Its effects cannot be determined in isolation. Other relevant factors include:the reduction in the overall availability of quota resulting from the Agenda 2000 settlement;
  the lack of any allocation from the national reserve this year;
  the seasonally high demand to secure quota before the end of the suckler cow premium claim period—6 December.

  Most farmers already have sufficient quota to support their claims; only a small percentage of the 1.7 million units of quota in the UK is traded each year.

  BSE
  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in which scientific journals post mortem tests for BSE used in other EU countries have been subject to peer review; and if he will arrange for these papers to be placed in the Library. [141717]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 11 December 2000]: According to our information none of the post mortem tests for BSE used in the EU have been submitted to a peer reviewed journal. However, the EC has undertaken an independent evaluation of BSE diagnostic tests. Four tests were submitted last year and a report outlining the results of this evaluation was published in July 1999. 1 have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library. The EC recently announced that an evaluation of five new tests for BSE will begin shortly.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  HIV/AIDS
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she took at the G8 meeting on December 6 to 8 to urge G8 Governments to support developing countries, in exercising their rights under the TRIPs agreement, to use compulsory licences to reduce the prices of drugs to treat HIV/AIDS and related infections; and if she will make a statement about the outcome of the meeting with regard to development issues. [141559]

  Clare Short
  At the recent meeting in Japan, the UK Government, with other G8 Governments, reaffirmed our commitment to improved access and affordability of health services, commodities and information to developing countries. There was increased G8 political and financial commitment to improving availability and affordability of medicines, in particular for HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, for developing countries.

  There is a need to ensure increased access to affordable, effective drugs and vaccines. We also need to ensure research and development for new medicines for diseases of the poor in the future. Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) provide an essential incentive for private investment in research and development. The WTO Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Property Rights (TRIPs) sets out minimum standards for IPR. TRIPs allows compulsory licensing under certain circumstances but this needs to be used in exceptional circumstances, otherwise it would reduce the incentives for pharmaceutical company investment in research better to meet the needs of poor countries.

  As indicated in my Government's new White Paper on Globalisation, the UK Government have commissioned urgent work to develop new proposals to improve access to existing medicines, and to tackle the lack of incentives for investment in research for future vaccines and treatments for HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB medicines.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many parliamentary questions have been tabled to her Department in each year since 1997; and if she will make a statement. [142510]

  Clare Short
  1,155 parliamentary questions were tabled to my Department in the parliamentary year 1997–98, 1,140 in the parliamentary year 1998–99, and 1,280 in the parliamentary year 1999–2000.

  We endeavour to ensure that all questions are answered promptly, accurately and informatively.

DEFENCE

  Defence Agency Reviews
  Mr. Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the quinquennial review of the Defence Secondary Care Agency, the Defence Dental Agency, the Medical Supplies Agency and the Defence Medical Training Agency will take place; and what the aim of and arrangements for the review will be. [143496]
  275W
  Dr. Moonie
  A single quinquennial review is to begin in February 2001 embracing these four Defence medical agencies and covering also medical arrangements for personnel in Germany and Northern Ireland and interrelationships between primary and secondary care.

  The aim of the review is to make recommendations on the future means of delivery of the functions and services provided by the organisations which are the subject of this review. In doing this Phase 1 of the review, which is expected to be completed by the end of June 2001, will:
  Conduct a challenging examination of current arrangements, taking into account the requirements and views of customers, staff and other stakeholders;
  Identify organisational/structural options for future service provision and provide costed options for change where this is considered appropriate in order to ensure responsive, coherent and cost-effective service delivery.

  Following consultation, Phase 2 of the review will then develop more detailed proposals for the targeting of improvements in performance and service delivery. The precise programme of work will be dependent on the findings of Phase 1, but it is currently expected that it will be completed by November 2001.

  The review will be carried out by a small team of military officers and civilians within the MOD, but under the leadership of a senior health professional on loan from the Department of Health. The review will be overseen by a Steering Group chaired by the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff.

  There will be consultation with Stakeholders throughout this process, but the Ministry of Defence is also keen to hear the views of other interested parties including suggestions for improvement in the provision of services. Any comments, which should be sent by 30 April 2001, should be addressed to Rear Admiral C. D. Stanford, Chief of Staff to the Surgeon General, Room 7364, Ministry of Defence, Main Building, Whitehall, London SW1A 2HB (e-mail address: sgcos@surgeongeneral.co.uk).

  Tucano Aircraft
  Shona McIsaac
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on Tucano aircraft and the training of pilots in Australia. [143420]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Tucano recovery programme is proceeding to plan and full training capacity is expected to be available by the end of February 2001. Fifteen students are to complete their basic fast jet flying training in Australia with the Royal Australian Air Force, assisted by three RAF Qualified Flying Instructors. The first group of 10 students started flying training in Australia on 6 November and the arrangement is working well. The remaining five students will start their training on 29 January 2001.

  Territorial Army
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Territorial Army were deployed in(a) Bosnia and (b) Kosovo in each of the past 12 months. [143034]
  276W
  Dr. Moonie
  The number of individual Territorial Army reservists deployed in Bosnia and Kosovo in each of the past 12 months are:

  Month

  Bosnia

  Kosovo

  January 2000

  282

  228

  February 2000

  291

  250

  March 2000

  271

  174

  April 2000

  238

  195

  May 2000

  205

  191

  June 2000

  203

  222

  July 2000

  197

  226

  August 2000

  180

  266

  September 2000

  145

  184

  October 2000

  158

  198

  November 2000

  140

  156

  December 2000

  146

  152

  Armed Services (Personnel)
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people(a) left and (b) joined each of the three armed services in each of the past six months. [143025]

  Mr. Spellar
  The numbers of personnel who joined and left each of the three armed services in each of the last six months for which records are available, are set out in the table.

  Naval service

  Army

  RAF

  Month

  Intake

  Outflow

  Intake

  Outflow

  Intake

  Outflow

  May

  590

  461

  1,292

  1,278

  301

  378

  June

  353

  415

  748

  1,210

  281

  363

  July

  395

  445

  1,074

  1,239

  283

  386

  August

  15

  295

  918

  1,280

  191

  404

  September

  633

  458

  2,596

  1,345

  533

  386

  October

  529

  471

  1,536

  1,545

  188

  403

  Total

  2,515

  2,545

  8,164

  7,897

  1,777

  2,320

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  New Deal for Young People
  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the cost of implementing the New Deal for Young People in the South Cambridgeshire constituency was between April 1998 and September 2000. [141304]

  Ms Jowell
  New Deal expenditure is not available by constituency. However, the cost of implementing the New Deal for Young People between April 1998 and September 2000 in the Cambridgeshire unit of delivery was approximately £1,733,011.

  Departmental Policies (Leeds, Central)
  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the effect on the Leeds, Central constituency of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [141310]
  277W
  Mr. Wills
  Details outlining the effect on the Leeds, Central constituency and Leeds LEA of a range of the Department's policies will be placed in the Library.

  Education Expenditure
  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the per pupil expenditure was in 1996–97, and what it is projected to be for(a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02 (i) on average, (ii) in primary schools and (iii) in secondary schools. [142402]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Funding data for the years in question are contained in the following table:

  Standard spending assessment and special and specific grants per pupil

  £

  SSA

  Cash Grants

  Total

  Primary

  1996–97

  2,050

  30

  2,080

  1997–98

  2,130

  30

  2,160

  2000–01

  2,470

  260

  2,740

  2001–02

  2,590

  380

  2,960

  Secondary

  1996–97

  2,730

  20

  2,750

  1997–98

  2,780

  30

  2,810

  2000–01

  3,180

  210

  3,380

  2001–02

  3,310

  280

  3,590

  Primary and Secondary

  1996–97

  2,350

  30

  2,370

  1997–98

  2,410

  30

  2,440

  2000–01

  2,780

  240

  3,020

  2001–02

  2,910

  330

  3,240

  £

  Real terms 2000–01 prices

  SSA

  Grants

  Total

  Primary

  1996–97

  2,270

  30

  2,300

  1997–98

  2,290

  30

  2,330

  2000–01

  2,470

  260

  2,740

  2001–02

  2,520

  370

  2,890

  Secondary

  1996–97

  3,020

  30

  3,050

  1997–98

  2,990

  30

  3,030

  2000–01

  3,180

  210

  3,380

  2001–02

  3,230

  270

  3,500

  Primary and Secondary

  1996–97

  2,600

  30

  2,630

  1997–98

  2,600

  30

  2,630

  2000–01

  2,780

  240

  3,020

  2001–02

  2,840

  320

  3,160

  Note:

  The SSA per pupil figures and the grant figures for 2001–02 are provisional. The grant figures in particular are liable to change.

  Grant Letters
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he will issue annual grant letters to the Higher Education Funding Council and the Teacher Training Agency. [142281]
  278W
  Mr. Wicks
  [holding answer 12 December 2000]: The annual grant letter to the Higher Education Funding Council for England was issued on 29 November 2000. The grant letter to the Teacher Training Agency will be issued shortly.

  Sure Start
  Mr. Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the next phase of Sure Start will be announced; and what plans he has to include in it small pockets of deprivation outside city council areas. [142834]

  Yvette Cooper
  I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

  Employment Service
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when his Department will conduct a quinquennial review of the Employment Service. [143500]

  Ms Jowell
  In March this year my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced plans to develop a brand new agency which will provide a single point of access for advice on looking for work and accessing benefits. The new agency will draw together the Employment Service and those parts of the Benefits Agency dealing with people of working age. This announcement effectively overtook the quinquennial review of the Employment Service which was planned to be undertaken this year in parallel with a review of the Benefits Agency. Following consultation, my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office has formally agreed to cancel the requirement for a quinquennial review of the Employment Service. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security will be making a statement about the review of the Benefits Agency.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Bus Drivers
  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans his Department has to assist bus companies to recruit drivers in areas where there are significant driver shortages; and if he will make a statement. [142062]

  Mr. Hill
  My Department is aware of the difficulties being experienced by bus operators in recruiting and retaining bus drivers in some areas. We have been in regular contact with the bus industry to consider the extent of this problem, which has also been a matter considered as part of the Department's research on trends in the industry.

  The responsibility for ensuring that they have sufficient drivers is primarily a matter for individual bus companies. However, my Department and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and Driver Standards Agency (DSA) have been pursuing with the industry what steps can be taken to assist with the current problems. For example a pilot procedure has recently been introduced

  279W
  by DVLA with one nominated operator on a trial basis, with the aim of providing a high speed response to PSV driver licence applications.

  In addition, I understand the Department for Education and Employment has provided £145,000 to TRANSfED, the bus industry's National Training Organisation, to identify and address future skills needs.

  Home Zones
  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many bids for funding from local authorities for the creation of home zones he has received; and how many grants for funding towards the creation of home zones his Department has made since 1999. [142063]

  Mr. Hill
  A number of local authorities have bid for funding for home zones in the Local Transport Plan settlement. My Department is currently monitoring nine pilot home zone projects. However funding for home zones is not ring fenced and therefore comes out of the general local transport plans settlement announced yesterday, 14 December 2000,Official Report, columns 202–03W, for the next five years.

  Air Pollution
  Mr. Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what resources the Highways Agency has been allocated to meet obligations arising out of designated air quality management areas under the Environment Act 1995. [141307]

  Mr. Hill
  Within its role as network operator the Highways Agency is resourced to meet its obligations under the Environment Act 1995.

  Where local authorities decide to designate air quality management areas the Agency is ready to play its part in the preparation and implementation of local authorities' action plans. A number of local authorities have been informally consulted on a document giving information on how best to involve the HA in this process. The final version will be issued shortly.

  Mr. Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what research his Department has commissioned to assess the benefit of erecting physical barriers to disperse air pollution. [141306]

  Mr. Meacher
  Physical barriers alongside roads are generally erected to reduce the noise impact on adjacent buildings or amenity areas. Noise radiates from a source and so can be effectively blocked by a solid barrier, screening locations behind it. In contrast, air pollution, over a period of time, will find its way over or around the barrier.

  I understand that Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council are currently consulting on their stage 3 review and assessment of air pollution in their locality. If there are air pollution problems in the vicinity of a particular road, then the local authority will need to consider with the Highways Agency, where appropriate. the best means of reducing vehicle emissions.

  Road Schemes
  Mr. Syms
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what budget has been set aside for road schemes on(a) A5 Nesscliffe Bypass, (b) A6 Rothwell-Desborough Bypass, (c) A6 Rushden and Higham Ferrers Bypass, (d) A10 WadesmillColliers End Bypass, (e) A21 Lamberhurst Bypass, (f) A23 Coulsdon Relief Road, (g) A46 Newark-Lincoln Improvement and (h) A63 Selby Bypass; and what progress has been made towards their implementation; [141673]

  (2) what budget has been set aside for road schemes on (a) Al Willowburn-Denwick, (b) A6 Great Glen Bypass, (c) A27 Polegate Bypass, (d) A41 Aston Clinton Bypass, (e) A43 Silverstone Bypass, (f) A1033 Hedon Road, Hull Improvement, (g) A6 Clapham Bypass, (h) All Roudham Heath to Attleborough, (i) A43 M40-B4031 Improvement, (j) A66 Stainburn and Great Clifton Bypass, (k) A500 Basford/Hough/Shavington Bypass and (l) A650 Bingley Relief Road; and what progress been made towards their implementation; [141672]

  (3) what budget has been set aside for the widening schemes at (a) M25 J 12–15 and (b) M60 J 5–8; and what progress has been made towards their implementation. [141674]

  Mr. Hill
  I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Tim Matthews, to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Tim Matthews to Mr. Robert Syms, dated 15 December 2000 I have been asked by the Transport Minister, Keith Hill, to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about road schemes in the Targeted Programme of Improvements.
  £176m (which will be increased in line with inflation) has been identified to implement the M25 J12–15 and M60 J5–8 widening schemes. Budgets for individual schemes are determined annually on the basis of anticipated progress in the next financial year.
  We plan to award contracts for these schemes in 2002/03 and 2003/04 respectively, in line with the announcement made by Lord Whitty in December 1998.
  £311m (which will be increased in line with inflation) has been identified to implement the following road schemes: Al Willowburn - Denwick; A6 Great Glen Bypass; A27 Polegate Bypass, A41 Aston Clinton Bypass; A43 Silverstone Bypass; A1033 Hedon Road Improvement; A5 Clapham Bypass; Al 1 Roudham Heath to Attleborough; A43 M40 B4031 Improvement; A66 Stainburn and Great Clifton Bypass; A500 Basford/Hough/Shavington Bypass and A650 Bingley Relief Road. Budgets for individual schemes are determined annually on the basis of anticipated progress in the next financial year.
  Contracts have been awarded for A27 Polegate Bypass and A43 Towcester to M40 Dualling (which comprises A43 Silverstone Bypass, A43 Whitfield Turn Brackley Hatch and A43 M40 B4031). We plan to award contracts on all the remaining schemes during 2000/01, in line with the announcement made by Lord Whitty on 3 February 2000.
  £140m (which will be increased in line with inflation) has been identified to implement the following road schemes: a) A5 Nesscliffe Bypass b) A6 Rothwell - Desborough Bypass c) A6 Rushden and Higham Ferrers Bypass d) A10 Wadesmill - Colliers End Bypass e) A21 Lamberhurst Bypass g) A46 Newark - Lincoln Improvement and h) A63 Selby Bypass. Budgets for individual schemes are determined annually on the basis of anticipated progress in the next financial year.

  281W
  We plan to award contracts on all these schemes during 2001/02 in line with the announcement made by Lord Whitty in December 1998.
  The A23 Coulsdon Relief Road is now the responsibility of the Mayor of London.

  Transport Investment
  Mr. Syms
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much of the money allocated for the national rail network in the 10-year transport plan will be spent on(a) new signalling, (b) station improvements and (c) new rolling stock; what schemes are planned; and what progress has been made with their implementation. [141671]

  Mr. Hill
  The 10-Year Plan for Transport includes £15 billion of public rail investment over the 10 years 2001–02 to 2010–11. It is estimated that, over that period, a further £34 billion of private investment can be levered in. The £49 billion of total investment consists of(a) £38 billion of enhancement and renewals investment for passenger services, (b) £7 billion of investment in passenger rolling stock and (c) £4 billion of investment in rail freight (including freight rolling stock). More detail on future expenditure will be made available in the SRA' s strategic plan to be published early next year.

  Mr. Syms
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much money his Department spent on(a) road maintenance,

  £ million cash

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–199

  1999–2000

  Total

  Total roads expenditure1

  4,324

  3,996

  3,694

  3,453

  3,301

  3,410

  22,178

  of which:

  Road maintenance

  2,825

  2,609

  2,456

  2,440

  2,556

  2,781

  15,667

  Local road construction

  400

  410

  360

  240

  162

  106

  1,678

  Trunk road construction

  1,099

  977

  878

  773

  583

  523

  4,833

  Light rail schemes2

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  497

  Guided bus schemes

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  3

  1 Includes expenditure on road widening schemes, road building schemes, bypass schemes and junction improvements.

  2 A year-by-year breakdown of Government expenditure on light rail and guided bus projects is not available. Total Government support forvarious light rail and guided bus schemes is shown.

  Mr. Syms
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much of the money allocated for light rail and bus schemes in the 10-year transport plan will be spent on(a) light rail projects, (b) guided bus schemes, (c) park and ride schemes, (d) priority route schemes and (e) improved rural travel; what schemes are planned; and what progress has been made with their implementation. [141669]

  Mr. Hill
  The 10-year plan announced public expenditure of £51 billion on local transport outside London, including £1.3 billion on light rail. My Department has today announced funding for the Local Transport Settlement for the allocation of £8.4 billion of capital investment over the next five years. We envisage that up to £2.6 billion may be spent on major schemes costing more than £5 million. However, since there are many schemes for which the case is not yet sufficiently developed for us to take a view, it is not at this stage 282W
  (b) road widening schemes, (c) road building schemes, (d) bypass schemes, (e) junction improvements, (f) light rail projects, (g) guided bus schemes, (h) park and ride schemes, (i) priority bus routes, (j) rail signal improvements and (k) the national rail network in each of the last six years. [141666]

  Mr. Hill
  Expenditure data for each of the last six years for all these categories are not readily available. The following table shows expenditure on national and local roads in each of the last six years and total Government support for light rail and guided bus schemes. Expenditure on park and ride schemes and priority bus routes is made via local transport settlements for which data are not available in the form requested.

  Apart from level crossing grants of £32 million and £34 million in 1994–95 and 1995–96 respectively paid to Railtrack while it was still in the public sector, my Department has not spent any money directly on rail signal improvements or on the national rail network since 1 April 1994. Railtrack is responsible for maintaining, renewing and developing the national rail network, including signalling. Although my Department has made no payments direct to the company since it was privatised, its profitability is contingent on public money. Some 90 per cent. of Railtrack's income is paid to the company by train operating companies (TOCs) and freight operating companies (FOCs) in access charges, a substantial proportion of which are supported by public money.

  possible to identify the precise amounts that may be spent on each of the types of scheme identified. Nor is it possible to identify all of the individual schemes that authorities may decide to take forward.

  As regards light rail, we have given a provisional view that two extensions to the Midland Metro, costing £165 million, pass our economic appraisal tests. We hope to make further announcements on schemes proposed for Leeds, South Hampshire, and Bristol and South Gloucestershire shortly.

  We are providing funding of £10 million for the Crawley Fastway guided bus scheme and giving provisional approval for the Chester Deeside Transport System guided bus scheme (subject to Transport and Works Act powers being obtained and a revised economic appraisal). We have also given a provisional view that the Leigh guided bus scheme passes our economic appraisal tests.
  283W
  The Settlement should allow authorities to provide up to 120 new or improved park and ride facilities. Among the major schemes that we are approving, there is provision of park and ride facilities in Taunton (funding totalling £6 million), Plymouth (£5 million), Salisbury (£14 million) and Bradford (£15 million).

  We expect up to 4,500 km of bus routes will benefit from busways, quality bus corridors and other priority measures to assist buses. We are also approving major new bus priority schemes in Southend (funding totalling £14 million), Derby (£22 million), Newcastle (three schemes totalling £23 million), and Birmingham (two schemes totalling £27 million).

  Although not part of the local transport plan settlement, we are providing £240 million over the next three years for rural transport. Within this, £132 million will be available for local authority support for rural bus services. £60 million will be available through the Rural Bus Challenge to support innovative rural transport services. Through the Countryside Agency, we are providing up to £32 million funding for schemes developed by Rural Transport Partnerships to meet transport need in rural areas. We have also created a new parishes fund of £15 million over three years to fund small scale transport projects developed by parish councils.

  Mr. Syms
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much of the money allocated for national roads in the 10-year plan will be spent on(a) measures to tackle congestion, (b) safety measures, (c) road widening schemes, (d) bypass schemes and (e) junction improvements; what schemes are planned; and what progress has been made with their implementation. [141668]

  Scheme

  Capital cost (£ million)

  State of progress

  Nottingham Express Transit

  1180

  Under construction

  Tyne and Wear Metro extension to Sunderland

  100

  Under construction

  Manchester Metrolink extensions: three lines (Oldham-Rochdale, Ashton under Lyne, Manchester Airport)

  513

  Construction to start early 2002 subject to outcome of applications for Transport and Works Act (TWA) powers

  Docklands Light Railway: extension to London City Airport

  98

  Construction to start late 2001 or early 2002, subject to the outcome of an application for TWA powers

  Midland Metro extensions: two lines (Birmingham city centre, Wednesbury-Brierley Hill)

  2165

  Provisional view announced that scheme passes economic appraisal—PTE to make application for TWA powers

  Leeds Supertram

  2434

  Under consideration—announcement to be made as soon as possible

  South Hampshire Rapid Transit System

  2190

  Under consideration—announcement to be made as soon as possible

  Bristol LRT

  165

  Under consideration—announcement to be made as soon as possible

  1 Being taken forward under the Private Finance Initiative

  2 No decisions taken yet on Government funding

  Gas Explosions
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many people he estimates died over the past three years as a
  284W
  Mr. Hill
  The money allocated for strategic roads in the 10-year plan will allow the Highways Agency to complete the 41 schemes in its Targeted Programme of Improvements. Twenty of these schemes are bypasses, 12 are widening schemes, five are junction improvements and four are congestion schemes. All these schemes have been assessed using the New Approach to Appraisal (NATA) which includes measurement of their impact on safety and congestion levels. Taken together they will deliver significant journey time and safety benefits.

  To ensure that it delivers these schemes, the Highways Agency has included 24 milestones for this year in its 2000–01 Business Plan. Following the provision of additional money in the 2000 Budget for accelerating scheme starts, 13 of these milestones are for award of contracts leading to start of construction works. Further milestones for 2001–02 will be published in the 2001–02 Business Plan.

  Decisions about the use of the remainder of the money allocated for strategic roads will depend upon the outcome of the multi-modal studies and decisions taken in the context of Regional Planning Strategies. The Access to Hastings multi-modal study reported in December 2000 and we expect a further 12 multi-modal studies to be completed in 2001, with the remaining eight finished in 2003.

  Mr. Syms
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will(a) list the light rail projects announced in the 10-year transport plan, (b) give the budget for each scheme and (c) state the progress made towards their implementation. [141667]

  Mr. Hill
  Eight light rail schemes were specifically mentioned in paragraph 6.61 of Transport 2010: The Ten Year Plan. The current position on each of these projects is set out below. A number of proposals have also been made by other local authorities which are being developed for further consideration.

  result of gas explosions; and how many of such deaths would have been prevented had excess flow valves been fitted to dwellings. [141362]

  Mr. Meacher
  Following are the figures for fatalities resulting from gas-related explosions/fires reported to the
  285W
  Health and Safety Executive under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 for the three years up to 31 March 2000:

  Year

  Number

  1997–98

  8

  1998–99

  11

  1999–2000

  19

  1 Provisional

  Further analysis of the causation of the incidents would be required before it could be determined precisely how many of these deaths would have been prevented had excess flow valves been fitted. In the judgment of the Health and Safety Executive the majority of the incidents, including those arising from gas escapes from mains and user error in failing to light an appliance after turning it on, would not have been prevented by the presence of an excess flow valve.

  However, the Executive will consider further the safety case for the use of such devices in the context of developing the safety-related research strategy proposed in the Health and Safety Commission's recently published Gas Safety Review report.

  Train Toilets
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the timetable for phasing out railway carriages that allow excrement from toilets to be discharged on to the line. [142388]

  Mr. Hill
  Although there is no specific timetable for this, the introduction of new rolling stock currently on order and as part of the franchise replacement process will lead to a progressive reduction in train toilets that discharge on to the track. There is a specific requirement for all Mark I rolling stock to be replaced by 1 January 2005.

  Waste Incineration
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the pending planning applications for cement kilns and high-temperature incinerators. [142258]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  My Department does not keep a central record of planning applications. It is the responsibility of individual local planning authorities to consider planning applications for these and all other categories of development, and they will keep their own records.

  Regional Chambers
  Tony Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the regional chambers set up in England, indicating if they are(a) statutorily required to publish annual reports, (b) statutorily required to publish annual accounts, (c) subject to the jurisdiction of the parliamentary or local government ombudsman, (d) subject to audit by the National Audit Office, (e) subject to audit by the Audit Commission, (f) statutorily required to admit the public to committee meetings, (g) statutorily required to hold public meetings, (h) statutorily required to publish the agendas
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  of meetings, (i) statutorily required to publish the minutes of meetings, (j) statutorily required to publish the papers or documents for meetings, (k) statutorily required to keep and make publicly available a register of members' interests and (l) statutorily required to consult and report to local authorities in their areas on their plans and policies. [142399]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The eight regional chambers are: the North East Regional Assembly, the North West Regional Assembly, the Regional Chamber for Yorkshire and Humberside, the West Midlands Regional Chamber, the East Midlands Regional Assembly, the East of England Regional Assembly, the South East of England Regional Assembly and the South West of England Regional Assembly. Each chamber has been established voluntarily by bodies representing the interests of the relevant region, and there are no statutory obligations upon them under any of the matters listed at(a) to (l).

  Select Committee Recommendations
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many of the recommendations made in the seventh report of the Committee on Environment, Transport and the Regions, Session 1999–2000, his Department has implemented; and how many it plans to implement in the future. [141736]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 12 December 2000]: The seventh report of the Environment, Transport and Regional Affairs Committee made 41 recommendations, mainly concerning what should be in the Rural White Paper. The Government's formal response to the Committee's report is set out in Cm 4910 and refers to the White Paper "Our countryside: the future, A fair deal for rural England", published at the same time. We have accepted 36 of the Committee's recommendations and are giving further consideration to one other recommendation.

  Dounreay
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received from the Radioactive Waste Management Committee about the management of fast reactor fuels held by the UKAEA at Dounreay; and if he will make a statement. [141487]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 12 December 2000]: The management by UKAEA of prototype fast reactor (PFR) fuels at Dounreay is a matter for the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. The Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee submitted a response to the Department of Trade and Industry public consultation exercise "Making the Right Choice" about the management of PFR fuels at Dounreay on 7 June 2000. A further representation to clarify the key issues was made on 7 August 2000. The text of both submissions is published in full in the RWMAC's Twentieth Annual Report, the text of which was submitted to the Environment, Transport and the Regions Ministers on 6 November 2000 and published on 30 November 2000. Copies are available in the House Library.

  Respite Care Facilities
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the SSA for each London borough for the next financial year on provision of respite care facilities. [142301]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 14 December 2000]: There is no separately identifiable SSA element for respite care facilities; rather the provision is made through the four Personal Social Services SSA sub-blocks. As Revenue Support Grant is unhypothecated, it is up to each local authority to decide how much to spend on this, as any other, service.

  Incinerators (Bradwell)
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures were taken by the Environment Agency to consult local people about the application by BNFL at Bradwell Power Station for the use of incinerators to burn low level nuclear waste. [142747]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 14 December 2000]: The application by BNFL for the use of incinerators at Bradwell Power Station to burn low level waste was one of four applications made by BNFL to the Environment Agency in January 1998 for the disposal of radioactive waste at Bradwell. A public consultation was held on these applications, beginning on 26 May this year and formally ending on 31 August.

  The Environment Agency consulted widely, including members of the public, national and local public bodies, interested groups and organisations, and the Bradwell Local Community Liaison Council. Copies of the consultation documents were supplied to local authority public registers, local libraries within Essex and main libraries in Suffolk and Kent. Information about the consultation was made available on the Agency's internet site. The start of the three-month consultation period and the availability of the consultation package were advertised in the national and local press, and the Agency issued a press notice.

  The Agency also arranged public meetings and "surgeries" in the neighbourhood of the power station, which provided an opportunity for face-to-face discussions between individual members of the public and Agency staff. On 22 November 2000 the Agency received a request from West Mersea Town Council/Colchester Borough Council for a further public meeting to discuss BNFL's applications for Bradwell. The Agency has now agreed to hold a public meeting and surgeries in the vicinity of West Mersea as soon as arrangements can be made.

  The Agency will continue to give consideration to responses from members of the public received after the formal closure date of the consultation, for as long as it remains practicable to do so.

  Road Accidents
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what forecasts his Department has made of the extent of(a) damage only road accidents, (b) injury road accident, (c) motorist
  288W
  fatalities, (d) pedestrian casualties and (e) pedestrian fatalities arising from increases in road traffic since October. [142887]

  Mr. Hill
  No estimates are yet available of the levels of injury road accidents and resultant casualties since October of this year. Statistics relating to damage-only road accidents are not collected by this Department.

  Cycle Helmets
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his letter W/029539/00 of 22 November, when he will reach conclusions on the report into the effectiveness of cycle helmets by Adrian Cook and Aziz Sheikh. [142813]

  Mr. Hill
  There is a body of research on the effectiveness of cycle helmets. However, the results are not consistent. We will continue to review the case for making the wearing of cycle helmets compulsory as new evidence becomes available.

  Vehicle Excise Duty
  Mr. Syms
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the rebate for vehicle excise duty announced for road hauliers in the pre-Budget Statement will be paid. [R] [142842]

  Mr. Hill
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for North Essex (Mr. Jenkin) on 14 December 2000,Official Report, column 201W.

  High Hedges
  Mr. Syms
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to introduce legislation on the control of high hedges. [142954]

  Mr. Mullin
  The Government announced their plans to bring forward legislation on high hedges on 10 August. Although it was not possible to make provision for a Bill in the Queen' s Speech, we are ready to bring one forward as soon as there is space in the parliamentary timetable.

  Civil Aviation
  Mr. Wilkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to make a statement to the House on his Green Paper on Civil Aviation. [143036]

  Mr. Mullin
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Edmonton (Mr. Love) on 11 December 2000,Official Report, column 25W.

  Revenue Support Grant
  Ms Kelly
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will announce revised details of the Revenue Support Grant. [143498]

  Ms Armstrong
  I am today sending to all local authorities in England revised details of their proposed Revenue Support grant allocations for 2001–02. On this revised basis, the total of Revenue Support grant will be £21,122,232,459 if the rules I proposed on floors
  289W
  and ceilings are used in distributing grant; and £21,110,821,243 if they are not. The revisions take account of the extended timetable for the introduction of the provisions of the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000; of updated data on allocations of Basic Credit Approvals, and council tax base; and of other minor changes or corrections.

  Copies of the documents setting out revised figures to inform consultation have been placed in the Vote Office and the Library of the House.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Benefits Agency Review
  Maria Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when his Department will conduct a quinquennial review of the Benefits Agency. [143499]

  Angela Eagle
  All executive agencies are required to undertake a formal review of their organisation every five years to examine whether further improvements in customer service, use of modern technology and value for money could be made.

  In March this year my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced plans to develop a brand new agency which will provide a single point of access for advice on looking for work and accessing benefits. The new agency will draw together the Employment Service and those parts of the Benefits Agency dealing with people of working age.

  This announcement effectively overtook the quinquennial review of the Benefits Agency which was planned to be undertaken this year in parallel with a review of the Employment Service. Following consultation, my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office has formally agreed to cancel the requirement for a quinquennial review of the Benefits Agency. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment will be making an announcement about the review of the Employment Service.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many people work in the Office of the Independent Case Examiner for the Child Support Agency; [143014]

  (2) what is the average duration of an initial review of complaints by the Independent Case Examiner for the Child Support Agency; [143012]

  (3) how many complaints are awaiting investigation by the Independent Case Examiner for the Child Support Agency; [143011]

  (4) what is the date of reference of the earliest case which was referred to the Independent Case Examiner of the Child Support Agency where the initial review has yet to begin; [143015]
  290W
  (5) for the financial years (a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99, (d) 1999–2000 and (e) 2000–01 to date, how many complaints there were, (i) which were referred to the Independent Case Examiner for the Child Support Agency, (ii) where an initial review was completed and (iii) where a substantive investigation took place following the initial review; [143001]

  (6) what is the waiting time between a complaint being referred to the Independent Case Examiner for the Child Support Agency and the beginning of the investigation of that complaint. [143013]

  Angela Eagle
  There are currently 54 members of staff employed in the office of the Independent Case Examiner (ICE), including six members of staff on secondment from the Child Support Agency.

  On receipt of a complaint the office of the ICE completes a 'gateway' check, or initial review. Part of this check is to ask the Agency if their complaints procedures have been exhausted, and once this is known, the client is informed whether or not the office of the ICE will investigate their complaint. The average duration of this initial review (gateway check) on cases awaiting investigation is currently four working days. Once the investigation process has begun, the investigation officer will seek to clear the complaint by a resolution process. If this action is not successful or not appropriate, a full report is prepared and issued by the ICE.

  There are currently 219 cases that have passed the gateway process and are awaiting investigation by the ICE office.

  The earliest case, referred to the Independent Case Examiner where, on 14 December 2000, the initial review (gateway check) was yet to begin, is 12 December 2000. The waiting time between a complaint being referred to the Independent Case Examiner for the Child Support Agency and the beginning of the investigation of that complaint is currently 13 weeks.

  The office of the Independent Case Examiner opened in April 1997; no complaints were referred to the office before that date. The information requested is in the table:

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  Complaints received

  1,087

  1,226

  1,536

  1,015

  Gateways checked

  1,087

  1,226

  1,536

  ,989

  Resolution

  54

  239

  445

  175

  Full report

  150

  235

  220

  191

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Magistrates Courts
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the average cost is of an oral hearing in the magistrates courts. [143024]

  Jane Kennedy
  The statistics collected by the Lord Chancellor's Department are not broken down to a level that shows the average cost of a hearing. This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Internet
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what remedies are being considered to assist rural communities excluded from ADSL internet access following local unbundling. [142687]

  Ms Hewitt
  For technical reasons, ADSL will not work where the end user is more than 3–4 km from the local exchange. There are other broadband technologies available, including satellite which can potentially cover the whole country.

  As stated in the recent DTI/DCMS White Paper "A New Future for Communications", the Government will
  … promote the availability of widespread access to higher bandwidth services and bring together public and private sector stakeholders to develop a practical broadband strategy.
  As part of this, I chaired an initial meeting with public and private sector stakeholders on 14 December. I will be considering next steps in the development of our strategy in the light of the discussion at this meeting.

  Pollution
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of employment in manufacturing industry is in industries covered by the integrated pollution prevention and control regulations. [142883]

  Ms Hewitt
  Neither the Government nor the Environment Agency have this information available.

  Combined Heat and Power
  Mr. Benton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will announce his decision on PowerGen CHP Ltd.'s proposal to build a combined heat and power station at the North Mersey Goods Yard, Port of Liverpool. [143442]

  Mrs. Liddell
  I have today granted consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 to PowerGen CHP Ltd. for the construction of the 60 MW combined heat and power combined cycle gas turbine power station at the North Mersey Goods Yard. Planning permission for the station was granted subject to 39 planning condition agreed with the Metropolitan Borough of Sefton.

  Copies of the Press Notice and decision letter are being placed in the Library of the House.

  Energy Use
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to update his Department's figures on energy use by United Kingdom industry. [142884]

  Ms Hewitt
  Provisional figures for overall energy consumption by the industrial sector in the UK for 2000 will be published on 26 April 2001 in the Department's statistical bulletin, "Energy Trends". Final figures, giving a broad industrial breakdown, will be published in the Digest of UK Energy Statistics on 26 July 2001. A copy of the 2000 edition of the Digest of UK Energy Statistics is available in the Library of the House.
  292W
  The most recent detailed figures on industrial energy use relate to 1998 and were made available in Table A2.7 of the Energy Report 2000, which came out on 16 November 2000. A copy of the Energy Report is available in the Library of the House. Figures for 1999 will be published towards the end of 2001.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  National Stadium
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made on the National Stadium project at Wembley; and if he will make a statement. [141423]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  [holding answer 11 December 2000]: The Government welcome the Football Association's decision on 8 December to take a more prominent role over the Wembley project and their determination to review non-core business activities and to bear down on project costs. Sport England will continue to monitor the Wembley project to safeguard the substantial commitment made from the Lottery Sports Fund.

  Departmental Policies (Blackpool, South)
  Mr. Gordon Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will set out, including statistical information relating as directly as possible to the constituency, the effect on the Blackpool, South constituency of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [142231]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  The most readily available statistical information broken down by parliamentary constituency is that relating to the National Lottery, including the New Opportunities Fund (NOF), Millennium Award Winners and English Heritage (EH).

  Blackpool, South has received 29 awards from the National Lottery since 2 May 1997 with a total value of £3,989,088 (nearly three times as much as the period prior to May 1997). Seven awards were for sports projects with a total value of £1,409,363 and five awards were for arts projects with a total value of £93,775. The other 12 awards were to promote social inclusion, lifelong learning and to provide leisure and recreational facilities for all members of the community with a total value of £1,950,749.

  Blackpool, South has three Millennium Award Winners, so far, who have received £4,947.

  NOF has provided £93,973 for Out of School Hours Childcare schemes in Blackpool, South and £285,180 for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Training for Teachers and School Librarians (£441,228 for the whole of Blackpool).

  The largest DCMS/Wolfson Foundation Challenge Fund for public library projects, to date, was used to create a library and (ICT) Network across the North of England, linking 284 library service points; in 1998–99 Blackpool was granted a DCMS/Wolfson award of £52,000 to establish the Blackpool Community Network across all of Blackpool's libraries. The Network was

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  created in response to both expressed demand and to support the Council's policies, in particular social inclusion and economic regeneration.

  Blackpool has three Year of the Artist awards since 2 May 1997 worth a total of £10,204 and on a regional level, the North West Arts Board received an additional £9,766,313 from the Arts Council this year to support arts and cultural activity across the region.

  In May 1997 EH paid £7,000 towards essential fabric repairs on the grade II Grand Theatre in Blackpool (this was the final payment of a total grant of £63,000).

  There are, of course, other initiatives in the wider context of Blackpool which will have had an effect on the constituency of Blackpool, South; since 2 May 1997 Blackpool has received 48 awards with a total value of £5,219,135.

  Blackpool's bid for Round 6 of the Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) Removing Barriers/Creating Opportunities in Blackpool is worth £20 million (SRB). The scheme, worth a total of £96.2 million, will focus on encouraging economic growth in the tourism sector through initiatives in, for example, education, training, and crime prevention. Blackpool's previously successful SRB scheme, which focused on economy, training and education, housing, community and health, was worth a total of £68.707 million (£19.4 million, SRB).

  Blackpool has also been granted eligibility under the 2000–06 programme for Objective 2 funding and is also eligible for Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) as an Assisted Area (RSA is granted in support of investment projects to secure employment opportunities and increase regional competitiveness and prosperity).

  Cross-sectoral Bodies
  Tony Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the local, sub-regional and regional partnerships, boards of zones and other cross-sectoral bodies supported by his Department; and the funding streams with which they are associated. [142191]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  The only bodies of this type which are currently supported directly by my Department are the eight Regional Cultural Consortiums in the English regions outside London, which are funded from my Department's programme budget.

  From April 2002, my Department will also be supporting at least 12 Creative Partnerships in deprived areas of England. These will be funded by an additional £40 million grant-in-aid to the Arts Council of England, which will administer the scheme.

  In addition, my Department's non-departmental public bodies can support cross-sectoral work, which may include support for some partnerships, zones and other cross-sectoral bodies, using grant-in-aid, National Lottery funding and funding from other sources.

  National Lottery
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what account the National Lottery Commission is required to take of the work of the Camelot Foundation in making decisions about the National Lottery's role in supporting good causes. [142195]
  294W
  Kate Hoey
  [holding answer 12 December 2000]: Subject to ensuring that the National Lottery is run with all due propriety and that the interests of participants are protected, the National Lottery Commission is required by statute to maximise the returns to the good causes set out in the National Lottery etc. Act 1993 (as amended). The Camelot Foundation does not contribute to the National Lottery Distribution Fund and therefore the Commission will take account of its work only if it believes it impacts on ticket sales.

  Departmental Advertising
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list for(a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99, (d) 1999–2000 and (e) 2000–01, (i) his Department's total spending on advertising campaigns, (ii) the cost of each individual advertising campaign and (iii) the criteria that were established to gauge the effectiveness of each campaign; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of each campaign based on these criteria. [142711]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  There were no advertising campaigns over this period.

  South Bank
  Mr. Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if he will make a statement on the development and progress of the Masterplan for the South Bank; [142628]

  (2) what discussion he has had with the South Bank Board on the implementation of the Masterplan for the South Bank; if building under Jubilee Gardens and upon the Hungerford Car Park site is envisaged in the plan; and if he will make a statement. [142597]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  [holding answer 14 December 2000]: I welcomed the publication of the masterplan earlier this year as a major opportunity to secure a bright future for visitors, residents, artists and performers in this most important location. The masterplan contains a number of options upon which decisions have yet to be made. Some options involve building under Jubilee Gardens and upon the Hungerford Car Park site. The implementation of the masterplan is a complex process involving many stakeholders, and an admirably comprehensive public consultation process has been carried out by the development team. I meet the Chairman and Chief Executive of the South Bank Centre on a regular basis to keep in touch with developments, and look forward to continued progress towards the realisation of the masterplan.

TREASURY

  Child Tax Credit
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the saving from withdrawing his proposed child tax credit from higher rate taxpayers at a rate of(a) £10 loss of credit per £5 of extra income, (b) £10 loss of credit per £4 of extra income and (c) £10 loss of credit per £3 of extra income. [141342]
  295W
  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 11 December 2000]: The saving from withdrawing the children's tax credit from higher rate tax payers at a rate of £10 loss of credit per £5 of extra income, £10 loss of credit per £4 of extra income, and £10 loss of credit per £3 of extra income is estimated to be around £60 million, £65 million and £75 million respectively.

  Mortgage Interest Rates
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average bank interest rate for mortgages has been since October 1995. [142478]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

  Letter from Len Cook to Mr. David Willetts, dated 15 December 2000 As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question on bank interest rates for mortgages. (142478)
  The average rate on standard variable mortgage rate loans by a cross-section of banks between October 1995 and October 2000 was 7.73%. End-month observations of this rate from January 1996 to date are published by National Statistics in table 7.1L of Financial Statistics (series AJVR) or may be viewed on the National Statistics central database to which the House of Commons Library has access.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much interest would have been accrued on unpaid national insurance contribution rebates since 1997 if they had been(a) invested 80 per cent. in equities and 20 per cent. in gilts and (b) had grown in line with the average growth of funded pensions. [142477]

  Dawn Primarolo
  It is estimated that the return accrued on unpaid national insurance contribution rebates since 1997 might have been some £9 million if 80 per cent. had been invested in equities and 20 per cent. gilts. A similar figure would be generated if the interest accrued in line with the average growth of funded pensions.

  Departmental Advertising
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list for(a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99, (d) 1999–2000 and (e) 2000–01, (i) his Department's total spending on advertising campaigns, (ii) the cost of each individual advertising campaign and (iii) the criteria that were established to gauge the effectiveness of each campaign; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of each campaign based on these criteria. [142719]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  With regard to the total costs of advertising undertaken by HM Treasury, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the hon. Member for Guildford (Mr. St. Aubyn) on 18 May 2000,Official Report, column 256W. Information on the costs and effectiveness of individual advertising campaigns could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

  Contractors
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the Professional Contractors Group on contractors who have left the UK since the introduction of IR35; and if he will make a statement. [142565]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Ministers have received a range of correspondence regarding this legislation. We have received no representations from the PCG as a body about this particular issue.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Bindunuwewa Massacre
  Ms Perham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Sri Lankan Government concerning(a) the Bandarawela massacre on 25 October and (b) the continuing level of violence in that country. [142566]

  Mr. Hain
  We were shocked to learn of the terrible massacre at the Bindunuwewa Rehabilitation Centre. We have made clear our concerns to the Sri Lankan government and I raised the incident with the Sri Lankan Prime Minister when I visited Colombo last month. We are pleased that the government quickly undertook to conduct a full inquiry into the massacre. We have underlined the need for the inquiry to be independent, swift and transparent. The on-going conflict is the major root-cause of violence in Sri Lanka. We continue to urge both sides to cease hostilities and seek a peaceful, negotiated settlement. We are encouraged by the positive statements made both by the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE about taking the peace process forward.

  Belarus
  Mr. Trend
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason the British Council has closed down its operation in Belarus. [142802]

  Mr. Hain
  The decision to close in Belarus followed a strategic review by the British Council designed to maximise its effectiveness world wide. Its new strategy involves updating its overseas network to ensure maximum impact in countries of greatest importance to the United Kingdom, and to free up funds for investment in new, IT-based services. This entails closing in a small number of countries, as well as expanding in some others.

  Mr. Trend
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support the Government are giving to the OSCE mission in Belarus. [142801]

  Mr. Vaz
  The UK, with EU partners, strongly supports the work of the OSCE's Advisory and Monitoring Group (AMG) in Belarus, including through appropriate interventions at the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna, in other international fora, through public statements in Belarus and beyond, and in private contacts with the Government of Belarus. Her Majesty's Government provides 9 per cent. of the common costs of the AMG and one of the five international staff members of the AMG—a political and legal counsellor. We have also made voluntary contributions to support OSCE projects in Belarus.

  EU/NATO Liaison
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the structures that have been put into place to provide a framework for dialogue, consultation and co-operation between the non-EU NATO countries and the EU countries concerning the nature and functioning of EU-led operations using NATO assets and capabilities. [143056]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Presidency Report to the Nice European Council sets out the structures and procedures for involvement of non-EU European members of NATO and makes initial proposals regarding Canada.

  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements the EU has made to provide the non-EU NATO members with a voice in shaping EU decisions in crisis management. [143041]

  Mr. Vaz
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for West Suffolk (Mr. Spring) on 11 December 2000,Official Report, column 31W.

  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the conclusions reached at the first meeting between the EU interim Political and Security Committee and the North Atlantic Council held in September 2000. [143060]

  Mr. Vaz
  The meeting agreed on the importance of taking forward work in NATO and the EU to develop European Defence. The meeting reviewed the work already done in the EU/NATO ad hoc Working Groups established following the Feira European Council and noted the input that NATO experts were already making to EU nations' work on the development of the capabilities Headline Goal.

  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if non-EU NATO member countries will be given a seat on the EU Permanent Political and Security Committee. [143058]

  Mr. Vaz
  No, but non-EU European members of NATO and other countries candidate to join the European Union may appoint representatives to act as interlocutors with the PSC. And the PSC will have regular meetings with representatives of the other countries concerned.

  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects that the final shape of the structure for consultations between the EU and the non-EU NATO countries will be established. [143057]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Nice European Council invited the Swedish Presidency to take forward implementation of the permanent structures for European Security and Defence Policy, including for consultation with non-EU European NATO Allies and other accession candidates.

  Western European Union
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of the transfer of the WEU Institute for Security Studies to the EU on its working relations with the WEU and its Assembly. [143061]
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  Mr. Vaz
  No decision has yet been taken on the detailed arrangements for the transfer of the institute of Security Studies to the EU. These will be examined under the Dutch WEU and Swedish EU Presidencies.

  European Rapid Reaction Force
  Mr. Maples
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the agreements with(a) other countries, (b) the EU and (c) NATO concerning arrangements for the European Rapid Reaction Force; and which of these agreements have been published. [142960]

  Mr. Vaz
  The arrangements for the EU' s Common Security and Defence Policy have been set out in the published European Council decisions at Cologne (June 1999), Helsinki (December 1999), Lisbon (March 2000), Feira (June 2000) and Nice (December 2000). The Nice European Council set out provisions for involvement of non-member states and proposals for permanent arrangements between the EU and NATO. The public statements of the NATO Summit at Washington (April 1999) and the Foreign Ministers' meeting at Florence (May 2000) set out NATO's support for European Defence.

HEALTH

  Respite Care
  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has issued to health authorities regarding continuing care criteria for children and adults with special medical needs who require respite care; and if he will make a statement. [141308]

  Mr. Hutton
  Guidance on eligibility for continuing health care for children and adults requiring respite care is included in Health Service Guidance (95)8 "NHS Responsibilities for Meeting Continuing Health Care Needs", copies of which are available in the Library. This guidance is currently under review with a view to issuing revised guidance in the new year.

  Royal Berkshire Ambulance Service
  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will authorise the establishment of the Royal Berkshire Ambulance Service as a pilot site for Category C calls; and if he will make a statement. [141325]

  Ms Stuart
  As part of an overall programme for developing and modernising the health care system, we welcome careful piloting and evaluation of alternative ways of responding to Category C 999 calls that are neither life-threatening nor serious. Pilots must take account of the needs of patients, be agreed by local health communities and be carefully explained to the local public. All pilots must be thoroughly evaluated and best practice identified for dissemination across the ambulance service before a final decision is made.

  Embryo Cell Research
  Ms Kelly
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with his EU counterparts on the issue of embryo cell research; and what was the outcome of these discussions. [142036]
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  Yvette Cooper
  We have had no specific discussions with our European Union counterparts on this issue.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the House of Lords will reply to a letter sent to him by the hon. Member for Altrincham and Sale on 23 November seeking intervention in the case of a 14-year-old constituent suffering from spinal scoliosis. [142193]

  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 12 December 2000]: A reply to the hon. Member's letter was sent on 12 December.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter of 22 November regarding a constituent. [142732]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 14 December 2000]: A reply was sent to my hon. Friend's letter on the 13 December.

  Farmed Products (Labelling)
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to introduce a country of origin labelling scheme for farmed products; and if he will make a statement. [142114]

  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 13 December 2000]: United Kingdom and European Union law requires country-of-origin labelling where its omission might mislead and on certain specified foods, and on all foods in cases where its omission might mislead consumers as to the true origin of the food. The Food Standards Agency is pressing the European Commission to propose compulsory origin labelling for a wider range of foods and tighter rules on the use of terms such as "produce of".

  Ambulance Service
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many ambulance hours were lost for each of the last two years for each NHS Ambulance Trust as a result of delays in admitting a patient to an accident and emergency department; [141503]

  (2) what the average turn-around time was at hospital accident and emergency departments in each quarter for the last two years for each NHS Ambulance Trust. [141504]

  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 13 December 2000]: The information requested is not collected centrally. Each National Health Service ambulance trust works very closely with their hospital accident and emergency departments to ensure that patients receive treatment as quickly as possible according to clinical priority.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the impact on attendance times by ambulance trusts as a result of changing numbers of people travelling by road in the last three months. [141502]

  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 13 December 2000]: The information requested is not available centrally. Ambulance services continue to make progress towards our target of responding to 75 per cent. of life threatening
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  calls within eight minutes irrespective of location by 31 March 2001. Achievement of this target across the country could save as many as 1,800 lives a year.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what contingency plans have been made since October by each ambulance trust to ensure that attendance times are maintained. [142886]

  Ms Stuart
  National Health Service ambulance trusts have a good track record of managing winter pressures and assessment of NHS ambulance trusts' winter plans demonstrates that they are well prepared for the winter and have effective escalation and contingency plans in place.

  We have set national ambulance response time targets for the ambulance service in England. By 31 March 2001, conditions which may be immediately life-threatening should be responded to within eight minutes irrespective of location in 75 per cent. of cases. Four NHS ambulance trusts are already meeting the 75 per cent. target and most NHS ambulance trusts are expected to reach the target early next year. We have invested an extra £21 million in NHS ambulance trusts in England in 2000–01 to help them to continue making progress on their response times. This money has been invested in extra vehicles and extra front line staff. Evidence suggests that in achieving the 75 per cent. target, 1,800 lives each year will be saved in people under 75 years of age suffering acute heart attacks.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to co-ordinate the activities of NHS Direct and the ambulance service. [142199]

  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 13 December 2000]: As part of an overall programme for developing and modernising the health care system, NHS Direct and National Health Service ambulance trusts are already working together. Co-operation includes co-location of call-taking centres and working together to pilot alternative ways of responding to Category C 999 calls that are neither life-threatening nor serious.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to set national standards and protocols for medical and surgical care administered by ambulance service staff. [142206]

  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 13 December 2000]: Last year the Department asked the Joint Royal College Ambulance Liaison Committee (JRCALC) to develop pre-hospital national clinical guidelines. JRCALC made the guidelines available to all National Health Service ambulance service trusts in October 2000. A copy of the guidelines is available in the Library.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to educate the general public in the correct use of the 999 ambulance service staff. [142206]

  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 13 December 2000]: Advice to the general public on the appropriate use of the 999 emergency telephone number is provided locally by National Health Service ambulance trusts, for example, through visits to schools and presentations at other public events.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the number of additional ambulances and crew required by the London Ambulance Service(a) to

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  achieve the best eight minute response rate currently achieved by an urban trust and (b) for 55 per cent. of calls to be responded to in eight minutes, using the most recent annual figures available. [142546]

  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 14 December 2000]: It is not possible to identify the number of additional ambulances and crew required by the London Ambulance Service (LAS) to achieve the best eight minute response rate currently achieved by an urban trust.

  The LAS have a plan for the achievement of 55 per cent. of calls to be responded to in eight minutes. In the plan, the number of additional crew required is 125 additional staff on the establishment. The number of additional ambulances needed to meet this response rate is 25. However, meeting this target is not just a matter of more ambulances and crew members; location of ambulances in the area is a factor, as are working practices of the LAS.

  Meat Hygiene Service
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what senior positions in the Meat Hygiene Service are vacant; and if he will make a statement. [142627]

  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 14 December 2000]: There is currently one senior management vacancy within the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS). This is the position of Director of Veterinary Services, which is currently filled on an acting basis, pending the recruitment of a permanent successor by open competition.

  In addition to this, Johnston McNeill, MHS Chief Executive, will be leaving the MHS on 31 December to take up the position of Chief Executive (Designate) of the new Common Agricultural Policy Paying Agency.

  Chris Lawson, Head of the Food Standards Agency's Meat Hygiene Division, will become Acting Chief Executive of the MHS from January 2001, until a permanent successor has been appointed by open competition.

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to promote equality between(a) older people, (b) disabled people, (c) ethnic minorities, (d) religious minorities, (e) women and (f) gay and lesbian people, and the rest of the population in each case, with respect to the services and employment overseen by his Department. [142515]

  Mr. Denham
  [holding answer 14 December 2000]: As an equal opportunities employer, the Department is committed to fairness and equality of opportunity for all in employment, and advancement on the basis of suitability. The Department's equal opportunities statement requires that no eligible job applicant should receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of age, disability, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origins, religion or religious affiliation or because they work part-time.

  As an employer we aim to develop the Department into an organisation that values the diversity of its staff and enables all to realise their potential by valuing the contribution of all and recognising the positive benefits that difference can bring.
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  We have also made it clear that there is no place for discrimination or harassment in the National Health Service on grounds of age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, race or ethnicity or religion. The NHS Plan explicitly states that every member of staff in the NHS is entitled to work in an organisation that is committed to improving diversity and tackling racial discrimination and harassment. The NHS work force must reflect the population it serves in order to deliver sensitive and appropriate services.

  A number of measures are in hand in both the Department and the NHS which have the aim of further promoting fair and equal treatment of all staff. These include improving recruitment and retention of black and ethnic minority staff, and also widening employment opportunities for disabled people; and targets have been set for measuring success in both areas. The Department is also following the Department for Education and Employment voluntary Code of Practice on Age Diversity in Employment and NHS employers are being encouraged to do the same.

  In respect of all the services that this Department oversees or provides, we aim to ensure that all our policies, programmes and services are taken forward in line with the joint-departmental guidelines, "Policy Appraisal for Equal Treatment", issued in 1998.

  Statins
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the(a) actual and (b) target figure for the percentage of people with a history of coronary heart disease prescribed statins in 2000. [142942]

  Yvette Cooper
  The National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) sets the standard that all people with established cardiovascular disease or a past history of CHD should be identified and offered comprehensive advice and appropriate treatment to reduce their risks. Effective interventions include the prescription of statins and dietary advice to reduce the level of cholesterol.

  At present the exact percentage of people with a history of CHD who are currently receiving statins is not known. However, the percentage of people in the priority groups for lipid-lowering drugs—those who have had a heart attack and those with angina—is estimated at 4.8 per cent. of the population aged 35 to 69. The NSF sets a milestone of April 2003 for primary care teams to keep clinical audit data which will enable them to provide data on the number and proportion of their patients with recognised CHD, or at high risk of developing it, and the advice offered about appropriate interventions to reduce risk. This will include data on these patients' cholesterol levels and the advice and treatment offered to them.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is on the availability of the statin class of drugs on the National Health Service to those with a high cholesterol rate but no history of coronary heart disease. [142940]

  Yvette Cooper
  The National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) sets out the approach to be taken for people at high risk of CHD—those with symptoms of heart disease or other arterial disease, or who exhibit multiple risk factors. Identifying and treating
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  people at greatest risk is one of the highest priorities of the National Service Framework. Chapter Two includes advice on the prescription of statins to eligible patients, and sets a practical threshold of risk that will target resources at those in greatest need.

  Our first priority is to treat those with established cardiovascular disease. The next step, and a high priority for the NSF, is the treatment of those without diagnosed CHD or other cardiovascular disease but whose risk of a cardiac event—their CHD risk—is greater than 30 per cent. over 10 years. This is consistent with the guidance already issued to the NHS by the Standing Medical Advisory Committee and with the Joint British Society guidelines published in the British Medical Journal.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which Government Departments(a) carry out and (b) fund procedures licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. [142408]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Licence authorities to carry out scientific procedures under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 are held by 11 Government establishments, undertaking work on issues including the management and conservation of fish stocks, the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of agricultural animals and the safety testing of vaccines. A number of other establishments licensed under the 1986 Act with executive agency, non-departmental public body and research council status also have links with Government Departments. The parent and associated Government Departments for these two groups of licensed establishments include the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Ministry of Defence, the Department of Health, the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Scottish Executive.

  The Home Department does not hold detailed information centrally on the sources of funding for research programmes licensed under the 1986 Act. The Home Department liaises with a number of grant awarding bodies on issues relating to the licensing of scientific research under the 1986 Act. Government Departments which may fund such research directly or indirectly include the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, the Department of Health, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Ministry of Defence and the Scottish Executive.

  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what steps his Department is taking to explain to the public the criteria used to license scientific procedures under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986; [142410]

  (2) what steps his Department is taking to consult the public about research licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. [142409]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals Great Britain (1999: Cm 4841) are published annually and explain the system of control in detail in Appendix A.
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  The Guidance on the Operation of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 (HC321) provides information on the main provisions of the Act, the cost/benefit assessment of applications for authority to use animals in scientific procedures, the ethical review process and how the Act is administered and enforced.

  A detailed paper on the cost/benefit assessment is included in the annual report of the Animal Procedures Committee 1997. The Committee's annual reports contain information on immediate operational matters, wider aspects of the general and current working of the Act and longer term issues relating to the use of animals.

  The Animal Procedures Committee will announce a public consultation on 15 December 2000 as part of its review of the cost/benefit assessment. As part of this work, the Committee plans to produce an authoritative statement on the validity of animal experiments and to report in the summer of 2001.

  In January 2000, the Openness Working Group of the Animal Procedures Committee sought the views of interested individuals and bodies on the openness issues relating to the licensing of scientific research under the 1986 Act. I expect to receive its report shortly.

  Immigration Appeals
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason the refusal notices and appeal forms stemming from the Immigration Appeals (Family Visitor) Regulations make no reference to legal aid; and if he will make a statement. [142241]

  Mrs. Roche
  The notice of refusal to issue entry clearance to a family visitor does not make reference to the possibility of funding from the Legal Services Commission. We are urgently considering ways of providing suitable advice.

  Staff Sickness
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the average rate of staff sickness in terms of working days per person in the period since 1 April. [142444]

  Mr. Straw
  The latest available information shows that the average number of working days lost owing to sickness absence between 1 April and 31 October is 3.37 working days in the Home Department and its agencies (excluding the Prison Service); and 7.89 days in the Prison Service.

  This equates to an annual rate of 7.58 working days in the Home Department and its agencies (excluding the Prison Service); and 13.53 days in the Prison Service.

  Because of the way the sickness absence data are collated some of the more recent absences may not have reached the centralised recording system as yet.

  The Home Department and its agencies have introduced new guidelines, policies and procedures with a view to reducing sickness absence in the Department.

  The Department's Service Delivery Targets for April 2001 to March 2004, which include a target for reducing sickness absence, were published on Friday, 3 November, and are available on the Home Office website

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  www.homeoffice.gov.uk/pfd/sda2000.htm. The targets to reduce sickness absence, and sustain this improvement thereafter, are:
  in the Home Office and its agencies (excluding the Prison Service) to annual average of 6.9 days per member of staff by the end of March 2003; and
  in the Prison Service to an annual average of 9.0 days per member of staff by 2004.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase the capacity for detaining asylum seekers; what is the(a) current and (b) planned capacity; what sites have been identified for new detention places; on what dates it is intended to open new detention facilities; and if he will make a statement. [142632]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  We plan to increase the Immigration Detention estate from its current capacity of around 900 places to about 2,700 places. Work has already started to provide by next summer 900 places at the Defence Evaluation Research Agency (DERA) site near Bedford and 440 additional new places at Harmondsworth near Heathrow Airport. We are also finalising plans to deliver within the next six months up to a further 150 places at Dungavel Prison in Scotland. Our plans to provide 300 new detention places at Aldington, Kent, cannot be progressed as quickly because the public inquiry into the planning process has been adjourned pending the final outcome of litigation of another case before the courts in respect of a project at Alconbury.

  Hunting
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if convictions for any of the offences created by(a) Schedule 2 and (b) Schedule 3 of the Hunting Bill would be disclosable on (i) the Criminal Conviction Certificate, (ii) the Criminal Record Certificate and (iii) the Enhanced Criminal Record Certificate. [143003]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  All three levels of certificate to be issued by the Criminal Records Bureau will show convictions and, in the case of the two highest levels of certificate, cautions, reprimands and warnings recorded on the Police National Computer (PNC). With certain exceptions, imprisonable offences only are recorded on the PNC. Since the offences in the Hunting Bill are not imprisonable, convictions would not presently be entered. An Enhanced Criminal Record Certificate (ECRC) would also contain information from local police records which the police considered relevant to the purpose for which the certificate was being sought. The purposes for which an ECRC may be relevant are set out in detail in sections 115 and 116 of the Police Act 1997. In the main, they relate to posts which involve regularly caring for, training, supervising or being in sole charge of children and young persons, or of vulnerable adults; to certain licensing matters in connection with gaming and lotteries; and to judicial appointments.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons in England and Wales permit their land to be used for hunting wild mammals with dogs. [143002]
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  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  No figure of this kind is available and the Committee of Inquiry into Hunting with Dogs in England and Wales made no attempt to try to ascertain it.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what positions(a) in the judiciary, (b) in the police service and (c) elsewhere in the public service a person convicted of an offence created by (i) Schedule 2 and (ii) Schedule 3 of the Hunting Bill would be disqualified from holding either by statute or by policy because of such a conviction; and if he will make a statement. [143023]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  There is no specific reference in the Hunting Bill to these posts. A criminal conviction per se would not disqualify a member of the judiciary from continuing to hold his or her office, nor would it preclude an appointment to the judiciary. It would be for the Lord Chancellor to consider in the light of the particular circumstances what action, if any, it would be appropriate to take in the event of such a conviction.

  It is for individual chief officers of police to consider the disciplinary action to be taken as the result of a police officer's criminal conviction on a case by case basis. The level of disciplinary action taken against an officer can range from a caution to a dismissal. Similarly, it is for individual chief officers to decide whether a particular conviction should be a bar to the recruitment of an applicant.

  Information about the effect of a criminal conviction elsewhere in the public service is not held centrally.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what will happen to the proceeds of forfeiture orders made under the Hunting Bill. [143020]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The proceeds of forfeiture orders made under the Hunting Bill will be treated as proceeds under existing forfeiture orders. The regulations governing this are the Police (Property) Regulations 1997. These require the proceeds of sales of forfeited property to be paid into the Police Property Act Fund. Money in the fund, including the interest on it, may be used to defray the costs of storage and handling such property, to pay reasonable compensation to persons by whom the property has been delivered, or for charitable purposes.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment he has made of the implications of(a) Schedule 2 and (b) Schedule 3 of the Hunting Bill for delay in (i) the magistrates courts and (ii) the Crown courts; [143019]

  (2) what estimate he has made of the (a) cost and (b) time implications for the probation service in England and Wales of each of the three options in the Hunting Bill; what additional resources his Department plans to allocate to the service to reflect these implications in each case; what discussions he has had with the service and the relevant representative organisations and what representations he has received; and if he will make a statement; [143005]

  (3) what estimate he has made of the (a) cost and (b) time implications for the courts in England and Wales of each of the three options in the Hunting Bill; what additional resources his Department plans to allocate to the courts to reflect these implications in each case; what

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  discussions he has had with the court service and the judiciary; what representations he has received; and if he will make a statement; [143006]

  (4) what estimate he has made of the (a) cost and (b) officer time implications for each police force in England and Wales of each of the three options in the Hunting Bill; what additional resources his Department plans to allocate to police forces to reflect these implications in each case; what discussions he has had with police forces and the police representative organisations and what representations he has received; and if he will make a statement. [143017]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  We have no reason to believe that those who engage in hunting are not law-abiding members of the community. There should not therefore be increased levels of crime as a consequence of any of the options.

  My officials have consulted the Association of Chief Officers of Police (ACPO) about the Bill. ACPO does not believe that any of the options will place demands on resources that will be significantly greater than those that police forces already face in policing anti-hunt activities.

  I am advised that there have been no discussions with the probation service and the court service, nor have they made any representations on these matters.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are to be applied to a mammal to define if it is wild for the purposes of the Hunting Bill; and if he will make a statement. [143022]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The criteria to be applied to a mammal to define if it is wild are the definition of "wild mammal" contained in each schedule to the Bill and the ordinary and natural meaning of the word 'wild' in accord with the usual rules of judicial interpretation.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of(a) dogs and (b) other animals that will be destroyed if (i) Schedule 2 and (ii) Schedule 3 of the Hunting Bill is enacted; and if he will make a statement. [143021]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The options contained in Schedules 2 and 3 to the Hunting Bill have been put forward by the Middle Way Group and Deadline 2000 respectively and they are responsible for the content, and consequences, of those Schedules.

  Pay (ACPO ranks)

  With effect from 1 September 2000

  Officers appointed on a fixed term basis

  Officers not appointed on a fixed term basis

  Assistant Chief Constable

  £66,435-£76,260

  £63,270-£72,630

  Designated Deputies ACC (D)

  80 per cent. of the basic salary of their Chief or £76,260, whichever is higher

  80 per cent. of the basic salary of their Chief or £72,630, whichever is higher

  Chief Constable

  Population band

  up to 500,000

  £79,620-£91,059

  £75,825-£86,718

  500,001 to 1,000,000

  £83,694-£98,421

  £79,710-£93,732

  1,000,001 to 2,000,000

  £91,059-£105,780

  £86,718-£ 100,743

  over 2,000,000

  £100,767-£ 113–718

  £96,075-£108,429

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  The number of dogs and other animals that would have to be destroyed if either of those Schedules was enacted would, presumably, depend on the wishes of those who owned the animals in question.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make available to the House the advice he has received on the compatibility of each of the options in the Hunting Bill with the Human Rights Act 1998. [143007]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  It has been the policy of successive Governments not to publish the legal advice that is made available to Ministers.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is the Government's intention to seek to commit the Hunting Bill to a Special Standing Committee after the decision of the Committee of the whole House on which option to adopt. [143067]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  That is a matter for discussion in the usual channels.

  Police Pay
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes(a) have been made since May 1997 and (b) are planned to police pay and allowances; and if he will make a statement. [142600]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Police Negotiating Board (PNB) makes recommendations to me on all matters concerning police pay and allowances. The major allowances for police officers are: housing emoluments, London Weighting and London Allowance, and Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) allowance.

  Following the recommendation of the PNB, I have increased police pay in September each year since May 1997. The current pay scales for police officers are set out in the table.

  Housing emoluments have not increased during this period. London weighting has been increased each year since May 1997 and is now £1,713. London allowance was frozen in 1981 and remained at £1,011 until July 2000 when the London allowance of officers in the Metropolitan police service and City of London police who joined on or after 1 September 1994 and receive no housing allowance was increased by £3,327 to £4,338. The RUC allowance has increased annually and is now £2,349.

  The PNB is currently looking at whether there should be an allowance for officers in any other forces and I await any recommendation it may make on this or any other issues in relation to police pay and allowances.
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  Pay (ACPO ranks)

  With effect from 1 September 2000

  Officers appointed on a fixed term basis

  Officers not appointed on a fixed term basis

  Chief Constables of Greater Manchester, Strathclyde and West Midlands

  £104,412-£l17,837

  £99,558-£112,353

  Metropolitan Police

  Commander

  £66,435-£76,260

  £63,270-£72,630

  Designated Commander

  80 per cent. of the basic salary of Assistant Commissioner

  80 per cent. of the basic salary of Assistant Commissioner

  Assistant Commissioner

  £100,245-£105,780

  £96,075-£100,743

  Deputy Commissioner

  £111,705-£120,057

  £106,251-£l14,195

  City of London

  Commissioner

  £91,059-£105–780

  £86,718-£100,743

  Assistant Commissioner

  80 per cent. of the basic salary of Commissioner or

  80 per cent. of the basic salary of Commissioner or

  £76,260, whichever is higher

  £72,630,whichever is higher

  Pay (Constable to Superintendent)

  Pay point

  Annual salary with effect from 1 September 2000

  London salaries

  Constable

  On commencing service

  1

  £17,133

  —

  On completion of initial training period

  2

  £19,170

  —

  On completion of two years' satisfactory service

  3

  £20,304

  —

  4

  £20,841

  —

  5

  £21,567

  —

  6

  £22,257

  —

  7

  £22,983

  —

  8

  £23,649

  —

  9

  £24,246

  —

  10

  £25,035

  —

  11

  £25,953

  —

  12

  £27,114

  —

  Sergeant

  1

  £26,169

  —

  2

  £27,114

  3

  £28,059

  —

  4

  £29,013

  —

  5

  £29,637

  —

  6

  £30,522

  —

  Inspector and Chief Inspector

  1

  £33,849

  £35,397

  2

  £34,845

  £36,390

  3

  £35,841

  £37,386

  4

  £36,834

  £38,385

  First Chief Inspector point

  5

  £37,830

  £39,384

  6

  £38,610

  £40,164

  7

  £39,393

  £40,944

  £40,176

  £41,724

  £40,878

  £42,426

  Superintendent

  1

  £46,038

  —

  2

  £47,478

  3

  £48,924

  —

  4

  £50,367

  —

  5

  £51,972

  —

  6

  1£53,700

  —

  7

  £54,636

  —

  8

  £55,833

  —

  9

  £57,150

  —

  1 Maximum of Range 1 and minimum of Range 2

  Prisons
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the planned expenditure on(a) new prisons and (b) prison places in (i) the current financial year and (ii) in each of the next two years; what proportion of expenditure is required for (A) reducing
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  overcrowding and (B) accommodating estimated increases in the prison population; and if he will make a statement. [142610]

  Mr. Boateng
  One new prison is expected to open at Rye Hill, Rugby in January 2001. A further new prison, Dovegate in Staffordshire is scheduled to open in July
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  2001. These prisons are provided under the Private Finance Initiative. The costs in this current financial year are £2 million, £31 million in 2001–02 and £39 million in 2002–03.

  Additional funding has been provided for a programme to increase prison capacity by 2,660 places by 2003–04 to meet the projected increase in prison population. No new prisons are planned using this funding. A mix of options is being considered to provide these places including rationalising existing accommodation, building new houseblocks, erecting new ready to use units (RTUs) and extending safe overcrowding. The expenditure on the programme in this current financial year is expected to be £22 million, £125 million in 2001–02 and an estimated £97 million in 2002–03. There are no specific plans to reduce overcrowding.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made(a) on implementing the proposals on modernising the management of the Prison Service in the Laming report and (b) on producing an agreed set of standards for service level agreements between the Prison Service and Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons; and if he will make a statement. [142612]

  Mr. Boateng
  Good progress has been made. Recommendations 1–3 of Lord Laming's report relate to the management of the Prison Service. The principle of filling governor posts as quickly as possible has been fully accepted and, whenever it is possible to predict vacancies, successors will be identified at the earliest stage to avoid gaps. However it is not always possible to predict vacancies caused by unforeseen events such as resignation or ill health. A database containing the personal details and career experiences of operational governors is being created to provide appropriate information for succession planning and career development. The first "Suitable to be in Charge" job simulation centre was concluded on 28 September 2000. This has provided a pool of accredited governors who have been through rigorous selection procedures and will be available to fill anticipated in-charge vacancies during the next year.

  New first line manager training (including managing poor performance) is to be introduced in April 2001, and a new performance management system is being introduced in April 2002. The Service is working up a comprehensive package of measures to tackle poor attendance, including piloting the use of vaccinations against flu and a bonus scheme for staff with good attendance. I am monitoring the Service's performance closely. Further measures are under consideration. A major review of training is under way and is developing a new approach to leadership and management development.

  Lord Laming recommended separately that Service Delivery Agreements (SDAs) should be introduced for all prisons. SDAs are being piloted this financial year and the Service will move to three-year SDAs for all establishments from April 2001. He also recommended that the Prison Service and Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons should work to produce an agreed set of standards against which the performance of prisons should be evaluated. Work is in hand to develop such a set of standards.
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  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the use of sentence planning in the Prison Service. [142614]

  Mr. Boateng
  Sentence planning applies to all adult prisoners sentenced to 12 months and over with at least six months left to serve, and all young offenders with at least four weeks left to serve. Life sentenced prisoners and juveniles (under 18s) have their own sentence planning system.

  Sentence planning is used to help prepare prisoners for safe release and to make best use of the prisoner's time. It does this by encouraging them to address the reasons for their offending behaviour and by giving planned experience of work, training and education.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total expenditure on prison places and new prisons has been since 1995 to accommodate increases in the prison population; and if he will make a statement. [142611]

  Mr. Boateng
  The information requested is set out in the tables.

  The number of new prisons provided since 1995

  Year

  Number

  1995–96

  0

  1996–97

  0

  1997–98

  4

  1998–99

  0

  1999–200

  2

  2000–011

  1

  1 The new prison in 2000–01 is called Rye Hill and will open in January 2001

  The number of additional uncrowded prison places provided since 19951

  Year

  Number

  1995–96

  1,165

  1996–97

  1,857

  1997–98

  4,635

  1998–99

  1,697

  1999–2000

  2,071

  2000–01

  840

  1 The number of new places includes those at new prisons and places provided at existing prisons by building houseblocks and Ready To Use Units. It is the total of new places and does not take into account places taken out of use, for example by the closure of Aldington prison.

  The cost of additional prison places since 19951

  Year

  £ million

  1995–96

  103

  1996–97

  206

  1997–98

  231

  1998–99

  258

  1999–2000

  225

  2000–01

  264

  1 The total cost of new places includes new prisons under the Private Finance Initiative. This is an estimate of the total capital and current cost as the Prison Service does not record separately the running costs of added accommodation at existing prisons.

  Note:

  A new prison called Dovegate (800 places) is planned to open in July 2001
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  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison workshops there are in the prison estate; how many are in regular use; for how many hours per week, on average, prison workshops are used; and if he will make a statement. [142613]

  Mr. Boateng
  There are currently 367 industrial workshops within the public sector prison estate. Of these 365 are in regular use. This does not include craft or vocational training workshops. The average number of hours per week during which these workshops are in use is 22.17. In private sector prisons there are 46 workshop areas, of which 42 are in regular use. The average number of hours per week during which the workshop areas are in use is 33.16

  "Mrs. S."
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when a decision will be made in the case of "Mrs. S.", whose file was referred to his Department on 15 August (Foreign Office reference number in Nairobi GV100/60287/JMB). [142843]

  Mrs. Roche
  The Home Department replied on 25 September to the High Commission in response to their inquiry of 15 August. "Mrs. S." was interviewed on 8 November in connection with her application for settlement and, on the following day, her case was referred to us for a decision, which will be made as soon as possible.