Written Answers of 20 December 2000

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Hatfield Derailment
  Mr. Paul Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what increase in road traffic there has been since the Hatfield train derailment. [141622]

  Mr. Hill
  According to the Association of Train Operating Companies, there is a 13 per cent. drop in passenger revenue in the most recent statistics for December. The effect has not been uniform with some lines much more badly affected than others. If all of the people who have switched from rail had instead travelled by car this would have increased road travel overall by about 1 per cent., with some routes affected more than others. In practice, the effect will have been less as some journeys will have been abandoned and some passengers will have used alternative models of public transport. Daily monitoring of traffic levels by my Department has shown no significant increase in traffic in recent weeks, but relatively small percentage changes in road travel can easily be masked by other influences including, over recent weeks, bad weather depressing traffic levels.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the advantages and disadvantages regarding energy efficiency in the rented commercial office sector where(a) tenants are given an incentive to save energy by a separate energy cost based on actual energy consumption, alongside charges for floor space rental and (b) landlords are given an incentive to save energy through building refurbishment, by charging a fixed rental price from the owners of the building being occupied, regardless of energy use by the tenant. [142256]

  Mr. Meacher
  My Department has made no detailed assessment of the relative advantages and disadvantages arising from the two scenarios identified.

  However, my Department's Property Advisory Group drew attention to various barriers to greater energy efficiency in commercial buildings in its 1998 report, "Sustainable Development and Buildings". The report identified that in some leasing arrangements, where the tenant reimburses the landlord's energy costs, neither party has an incentive to achieve greater energy efficiency. The Group commended all-inclusive occupation agreements as a means of giving the landlord and tenant a mutual incentive to reduce energy consumption. The Group explored this further and concluded that while there was considerable and growing interest in all-inclusive leases in
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  the commercial property sector, wider adoption would primarily be a matter for market evolution. I intend to give further consideration to this.

  The forthcoming Climate Change Levy will provide a major incentive for greater energy efficiency in the non-domestic sector. The Government do and will continue to provide information to encourage business to become more energy efficient, through its Energy Efficiency Best Practice programme. The programme promotes strategies to motivate the different players in the rented commercial property sector through a suite of publications setting out best practice in design, construction, occupation and energy services. Good Practice Guide 258, "Looking for a new Investment Angle?" targets developers, landlords and financiers, with Good Practice Guides 285, "What will energy efficiency do for your business?", and 288, "Is poor energy efficiency in your office hitting your bottom line?" targeting tenants and occupiers. Each document spells out to the relevant audience the environmental, financial and other business benefits to be gained from investing in major energy efficiency improvements and in practising good energy management. The guide for tenants encourages businesses not only to exercise proper management over areas where they have direct control, but also to explain to current and potential landlords that they expect to be provided with environmentally smart buildings.

  Departmental Advertising
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions 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. [142723]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  My Department uses advertising on TV and in various other media to inform the wider public about how they are affected by departmental legislation, and also to effect attitudinal change in such fields as road safety and climate change.

  Each major campaign is rigorously evaluated to ensure maximum effectiveness and value for money. Evaluation criteria are set according to the individual objectives of each campaign (for example awareness and understanding of road safety issues are tracked along with changes in public attitudes and against infringement and casualty statistics), and the results of each evaluation exercise are used to inform campaign development.

  Historical data on the individual objectives and evaluation criteria for each campaign can be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

  £

  Year/Campaign

  Cost

  1996–97

  Speed reduction

  2,624,255

  Drink drive

  1,663,271

  Child Road Safety

  474,966

  Railtrack flotation (part)

  899,134

  Heathrow Terminal 5

  7,846

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  £

  Year/Campaign

  Cost

  Planning Inspectorate

  6,084

  DOE Miscellaneous

  6,724

  Privatisation of BRE

  3,934

  Helping Your Environment

  1,532,109

  Total

  7,218,323

  1997–98

  Transport Mobility Roadshow

  23,785

  Speed Reduction

  2,441,665

  Child Road Safety

  507,520

  Christmas Drink Drive

  1,333,846

  Mobile Phones Road Safety

  202,920

  Channel Tunnel Blight

  16,739

  ENVI Miscellaneous

  9,777

  Climate Change

  1,727,659

  London Referendum

  231,870

  Total

  6,495,781

  1998–99

  Kill Your Speed

  2,383,823

  Rear Seat Belts

  743,079

  London Referendum

  331,758

  DETR Recruitment

  3,321

  Greener Motoring

  190,038

  Climate Change

  761,408

  Child Road Safety

  101,749

  Freight Grants

  58,335

  Drink Drive

  1,403,850

  DETR Miscellaneous

  13,066

  Aggregates Advisory Service

  3,339

  Total

  5,993,766

  1999–2000

  Are You Doing Your Bit?

  4,788,594

  Rear Seat Belts

  884,137

  DETR Recruitment

  9,139

  Leaded Petrol

  132,558

  Child Road Safety

  400,675

  Millennium Drink Drive

  1,611,363

  Summer Drink Drive

  494,681

  British Association Festival Programme

  4,701

  Greener Vehicles

  2,668

  Fitness to Drive

  5,540

  Freight grants

  47,744

  Ladbroke Grove Rail Inquiry

  55,512

  Kill Your Speed

  1,408,659

  Election for Mayor of London

  1,654,381

  Mobile Phones

  377,093

  Revaluation

  50,433

  Total

  11,927,878

  2001–011

  Ladbroke Grove Rail Inquiry

  44,143

  Quality Mark Scheme

  85,185

  Child Road Safety

  572,191

  Rough Sleepers Initiative

  7,880

  6 Sheet Poster Site

  19,861

  Road Safety Campaigns

  7,261,000

  Are You Doing Your Bit?

  5,571,557

  Thames Safety Inquiry

  63,388

  Council Board Appointments

  36,147

  Election for Mayor of London

  651,554

  Total

  14,312,906

  1Year to date

  Right to Roam (Devon)
  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what funding 170W
  will be made available to Devon County Council to finance the proposed right to roam network in respect of (a) the compilation of maps indicating land open to ramblers, (b) the cost of hiring extra wardens and (c) contingency funds for potential legal action involving landowners. [142692]

  Mr. Meacher
  The duty to draw up maps showing open country and registered common land in England falls entirely on the Countryside Agency. Local authorities will have an opportunity to comment on draft maps if they wish to do so, but this is not expected to involve significant cost. The need to appoint additional wardens, where appropriate, to help with management of the new right of access will arise when the new right comes into effect in a few years' time. A recent study for the Local Government Association suggested that the cost of managing the new right, including wardening, will be around £1.5 million per year for England and Wales. We intend to make provision for funding of wardening services through the normal revenue support system for local authorities. Taking into account the specific functions of local authorities under the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, and the extensive provision for appeals by landowners to the Secretary of State, we do not consider that there is likely to be any need to make provision for costs arising from potential legal action.

  London Underground
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many times he has met staff of the Mayor of London to discuss the performance of London Underground. [142689]

  Mr. Hill
  I and other Ministers have frequent meetings with the Mayor on a range of matters including London Underground. There have been occasions when the Mayor's staff have also been present at these meetings.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment a, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to improve the traffic flow on the London Underground in peak hours on Mondays to Fridays. [142574]

  Mr. Hill
  This is an operational matter for London Underground (LUL) but they have provided the following information on their plans to improve customer services, particularly in the peak hours:

  Short-term
  Recruiting 121 extra staff to manage boarding and alighting at key stations more effectively.
  Poster campaign to encourage customers to help avoid delays (e.g. by not holding the train doors).
  Adjustments to timetables to make services run more smoothly.
  Concerted plan to tackle asset reliability and train service management in order to improve train reliability, and hence reduce crowding on trains and platforms.

  Longer-term
  Further increases will be made to peak period train services, beginning with timetable enhancements for the Northern and Central Lines.

  Station reconstruction to provide more space (including Camden Town, Tottenham Court Road and King's Cross St. Pancras).
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  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what the longest period is that an escalator has been out of commission on the London Underground in the last five years; [142576]

  (2) what is the average time that an escalator in the London Underground under repair has been out of commission over the last five years. [142578]

  Mr. Hill
  This is an operational matter for London Underground. The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many escalators are out of commission on the London Underground. [142579]

  Mr. Hill
  This is an operational matter for London Underground. However, I understand from them that at 9 am on Tuesday 12 December 2000, 31 escalators out of 403 were unavailable for customer service. Of these, 14 were part of planned maintenance or refurbishment programmes.

  In most cases where an escalator is out of order there will be a parallel escalator which is in operation to minimise passenger inconvenience and disruption. This generally enables stations to remain open while the works are in progress and at all times safety is the priority.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many dislocations in service have been recorded by London Underground in each of the past five years. [142573]

  Mr. Hill
  This is an operational matter for London Underground (LUL), but they have provided the following information.

  LUL keep a range of records of incidents on the London Underground system. They do not use the term "dislocations in service" as such, but the most appropriate measure to refer to is the record LUL have of train delays of 15 minutes or over.

  The table shows the number of these delays since the financial year 1996–97.

  Train delays of 15 minutes or over

  Year

  Total

  1996–97

  2,128

  1997–98

  2,533

  1998–99

  2,630

  1999–2000

  2,799

  2000–011

  1,162

  1April-16 September

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how long he estimates that Moorgate underground station will be closed to Northern Line passengers between 8 to 10 am and 4 to 6 pm [142572]

  Mr. Hill
  This is an operational matter for London Underground who inform me that it is estimated that the escalator works at Moorgate underground station will continue until February 2001. London Underground and Her Majesty's Railway Inspectorate deem the current 172W
  arrangements at Moorgate station to be the most sensible way to avoid dangerous overcrowding while the escalator is being repaired.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how long the up escalator at King's Cross on the Victoria Line was out of order in 1999–2000. [142577]

  Mr. Hill
  This is an operational matter for London Underground (LUL), but they have provided the following information.

  There are two escalators serving the Victoria Line at King's Cross St. Pancras station, nos. 7 and 9. Escalator no. 7 was taken out of service in September 1999 for major refurbishment and returned to service in September 2000. Escalator no. 9 was initially run in the up direction to maintain an up escalator service from the Victoria Line while no. 7 was out of service. However, no. 9 then also had to be taken out of service in February 2000 because of a problem with the drive shaft. From that date, until September 2000 when escalator no.7 returned to service, there was no up escalator from the Victoria Line.

  An alternative up escalator service, via the Piccadilly Line escalators was available for most of this time (although these escalators then developed problems early in September 2000).

  Both Victoria Line escalators are now in service.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many contractors are available to London Underground when it tenders for the repair and maintenance of escalators. [142575]

  Mr. Hill
  This is an operational matter for London Underground. However, I understand that London Underground escalator contracts are put to open tender, thus the number of tendering contractors varies each time. London Underground and its subsidiaries presently have maintenance agreements with four contractors (one of whom is internal).

  Heathrow
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to receive the final report of the inquiry into the Fifth Terminal at Heathrow Airport. [142701]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  We have now received the final report of the inquiry into the Fifth Terminal of Heathrow Airport.

  Railways
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proportion of current delays on(a) London Underground and (b) commuter rail services into London are due to shortages of (i) drivers and (ii) other staff. [142698]

  Mr. Hill
  These are operational matters for London Underground (LUL) and Railtrack. LUL records the number of trains cancelled in the morning and evening peaks periods due to the driver being unavailable, for whatever reason. For the last quarter (20 August to 11 November 2000) 1.55 per cent. of scheduled peak
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  services were cancelled due to no driver being available. It is not possible for LUL to provide figures on delays caused by other staff as the data are not available in this format.

  The information on commuter rail services is not available in the form requested. However, in 1999–2000, the main cause of 9 per cent. of train delays was attributed to train crew shortages.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent studies have been undertaken by his Department into the reopening of railway lines; and if he will list the lines in Wales which have been considered for reopening. [142939]

  Mr. Hill
  DETR has not undertaken any recent studies, but the shadow Strategic Rail Authority has received bids to reopen railway lines under the Rail Passenger Partnership (RPP) scheme. Cardiff Railways are expected to forward a formal bid for RPP funding to reopen the Vale of Glamorgan line. The shadow SRA assesses bids received against the Franchising Director's Planning Criteria, and against value for money in the delivery of the scheme and in comparison with other projects.

  Homeless Families
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many homeless families there were in each year since 1990–91 in England and Wales. [142869]

  Mr. Mullin
  The number of households accepted by local authorities in England under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 and 1996 Housing Acts as being eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need is as follows:

  Year

  Number

  1990–91

  139,290

  1991–92

  139,630

  1992–93

  136,230

  1993–94

  125,360

  1994–95

  116,850

  1995–96

  116,550

  1996–97

  110,810

  1997–98

  102,650

  1998–99

  104,150

  1999–2000

  105,520

  Note:

  DETR PIE Quarterly returns from local authorities.

  Source:

  Figures since January 1997 include households accepted under both the 1985 and 1996 Acts.

  For information about Wales, I refer my hon. Friend to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Repossessed Homes
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many homes were repossessed in England and Wales each year since 1990–91. [142870]

  Mr. Mullin
  These data are not collected by the Department, but data compiled by the Council of Mortgage Lenders show that the numbers of properties in 174W
  the United Kingdom repossessed by mortgage lenders for each year since 1990 were as follows. Separate figures for England and Wales are not available.

  Year

  Properties repossessed

  1990

  43,890

  1991

  75,540

  1992

  68,540

  1993

  58,540

  1994

  49,210

  1995

  49,410

  1996

  42,560

  1997

  32,770

  1998

  33,820

  1999

  30,030

  Bathing Water Directive
  Mr. Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps the Government have taken to(a) inform and (b) seek the views of local authorities on the revision of the 1976 EC Bathing Water Directive. [142937]

  Mr. Mullin
  A number of local authorities took part in practical trials in the summers of 1999 and 2000 aimed at developing a new approach to managing bathing waters as a basis for a revision of the EC Bathing Water Directive. The EC Commission plans to publish shortly a Communication relating to the proposed revision and we shall be seeking views on it from local authorities and others.

  Objective 1 Programme (Merseyside)
  Mrs. Ellman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress he is making on reaching agreement with the European Commission on the inclusion of private sector property projects in the Objective 1 Programme for Merseyside. [142860]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  Following earlier rulings on state aid by the European Commission, all projects that involve private sector developers and the use of grant to help fund developments that would otherwise not be commercially viable have come under particularly close scrutiny. To clarify the position and to help speed up consideration of individual projects, such as those coming forward for Objective One funding on Merseyside, we have asked the Commission to approve a number of national schemes which will provide models for projects of this type.

  Two of these schemes are for projects which will involve state aid and would operate in the Assisted Areas. These schemes were put to the Commission in December last year. A positive response from the Commission is expected shortly.

  Town and Parish Councils (Abolition)
  Mr. Ennis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the procedures that need to be followed in respect of the abolition of town and parish councils. [142817]
  175W
  Ms Beverley Hughes
  Under the Local Government and Rating Act 1997, a district council may carry out a review of the parish arrangements in either a part or the whole of its area, with a view to making to the Secretary of State recommendations for change, including for the abolition of parish or town councils. It is open to the Secretary of State to accept, reject, or to accept with modifications any such recommendation.

  Details of the procedures involved are set out in Environment Circular 11/97, copies of which are kept in the Library of the House.

  Bus Employees' Pensions
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much he has paid out in respect of the Bus Employees' Superannuation Trust and the National Bus Pension Fund, pursuant to the investigation carried out by the Pensions Ombudsman; when these moneys were paid; who he has charged with responsibility for distributing these moneys to members of these funds; how he will hold them accountable; and when he expects the moneys to be fully distributed. [142749]

  Mr. Hill
  [holding answer 14 December 2000]: As announced by the Deputy Prime Minister in a written answer on 15 June 1999, Official Report, columns 85–86W, the negotiated settlement of this long-running dispute involved a total payment of £355.77 million. This litigation followed an investigation by the Pensions Ombudsman into an agreement in 1986 between the National Bus Company and the then Government which had resulted in the payment to the Government in 1990 of the surpluses of the two NBC pension funds.

  The settlement was approved by the High Court on 30 July last year and the entire settlement sum was paid over to the trustees of the funds immediately following

  Year

  South west

  Former county of Avon

  Bath and North East Somerset UA

  Bristol UA

  North Somerset UA

  South Gloucestershire UA

  1991

  19,225

  4,525

  538

  516

  503

  2,968

  1992

  15,703

  2,234

  328

  341

  193

  1,372

  1993

  15,004

  2,006

  166

  198

  506

  1,136

  1994

  16,169

  1—

  211

  1—

  802

  1,171

  1995

  17,145

  1—

  363

  1—

  529

  1,167

  1996

  16,420

  1—

  424

  1—

  952

  1,232

  1997

  18,705

  1—

  474

  1—

  1,676

  2,366

  1998

  16,452

  1—

  451

  381

  1—

  1,681

  1999

  15,955

  1—

  345

  257

  1—

  1,430

  20002

  7,963

  1—

  126

  58

  1—

  1—

  1Indicates that returns are not available from the local authority for all months of the year.

  2January to June

  Estimates for non-response are included in the regional total but are not available for the county.

  Transport Disruption
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact of(a) the September oil refinery blockades and (b) measures taken by Railtrack
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  the Court's decision. The trustees have sole responsibility for decisions on, and the timing of, distribution to pensioners.

  I understand that so far some 20,000 NBC pensioners whose pension entitlement was secured with Standard Life have received interim payments from the settlement and that the trustees are now preparing proposals for the final distribution with the intention of obtaining Court approval for them as soon as possible.

  Inevitably the trustees face a complex and substantial task in completing the distribution, but we have made clear to them that we wish to see the task completed without any unnecessary delay.

  The trustees are accountable under law for the proper conduct of the trust's business.

  Tall Trees and Boundary Hedges
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will introduce legislation to deal with tall trees and boundary hedges in domestic gardens; and if he will make a statement. [142876]

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

  House Construction
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will estimate the number of new houses built in each year since 1991 in(a) the South West, (b) the former Avon area, (c) South Gloucestershire unitary authority, (d) Bristol unitary authority, (e) North Somerset unitary authority and (f) Bath and North East Somerset unitary authority. [143096]

  Mr. Mullin
  [holding answer 18 December 2000]: The available estimates of the number of housebuilding completions are as follows:

  following the Hatfield rail crash on (i) local air quality, (ii) urban congestion and (iii) the number of road accidents. [142852]

  Mr. Hill
  Information from the Department's 160 Automatic Traffic Counters showed that traffic was reduced by about 20 per cent. in the week immediately following the blockade of oil refineries but quickly returned to their previous levels. Examination of the same counters around the period of the Hatfield rail crash have
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  shown that there was no overall significant change in traffic levels but that there might have been some local effects.

  Examination of the Air Quality Monitoring system showed that there was negligible effect on local air quality at the time of the oil refinery blockade. No examination has been made of the possible effects from the Hatfield rail crash.

  Information on road accidents will not be available to the Department until the early summer of 2001.

  Public Toilets
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what advice is given by his Department to English local authorities concerning the provision of public toilets; and if he will publish the Standard Spending Assessment element for each local authority for the current and forthcoming year for the provision of toilets for public use; [143415]

  (2) what advice is given by his Department to English local authorities concerning the provision of public toilets. [143416]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  It is a matter for local authorities and their communities to decide the level of public toilet provision appropriate for their area. The Government do not believe that they should seek to intervene directly in this decision.

  There is no specific element in Standard Spending Assessments for public toilets.

  Inner-London SSAs
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what criteria he proposes to use for future standard spending assessments for Inner-London local authorities; and if he will make a statement. [143411]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  Our Green Paper "Modernising local government finance" consults on options for reforming the way revenue grant is distributed to local authorities (it is currently determined by standard spending assessments (SSAs)). The three year moratorium on changes to SSA formulae is due to end in 2001–02 and the Green Paper invites views on whether that moratorium should be extended to 2002–03.

  We will be considering the responses we have received to the Green Paper carefully, before taking decisions on the timing and nature of further changes to the grant distribution system next year.

  Local Government Act 2000
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress he has made towards implementing the new ethical framework for local government established under the Local Government Act 2000. [143962]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The provisions in the Local Government Act 2000 establishing the new ethical framework have been commenced.
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  Among other things, the provisions will require all relevant authorities to establish standards committees to promote and maintain high standards of conduct by members and co-opted members. We are today publishing a consultation paper setting out how authorities are to go about establishing standards committees and the procedures under which those committees are to operate.

  Copies of the consultation paper have been placed in the House Libraries.

  Planning (South-west)
  Dr. Naysmith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he intends to publish his response to the recommendation of the panel that conducted the public examination of the draft regional planning guidance for the south-west; and if he will make a statement. [144004]

  Mr. Raynsford
  My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has today published for consultation Proposed Changes to the Draft Regional Planning Guidance (RPG10) for the south-west.

  In March my right hon. Friend set out a new approach to planning for housing provision. This was taken forward in more detail in the revised Planning Policy Guidance (PPG) Note 3 also published in March. More recent guidance on regional planning has been set out in PPG11, and important issues for the regions to take forward are contained in the urban and rural White Papers issued last month. The Proposed Changes to the draft RPG for the south-west reflect the principles and priorities set out in those statements. They aim to support economic growth and regeneration, while protecting and enhancing the region's environment. They endorse the housing target proposed by the Panel of around some 20,350 additional dwellings a year as the starting point for the plan, monitor and manage approach.

  This is a modest increase of 10 per cent. on the figure of 18,350 proposed by the local authorities in their draft, and is well in line with existing levels of provision. We are also, however, proposing to increase to 50 per cent. the target for such housing to be on previously used land buildings and buildings, compared with the 44 per cent. proposed by the Panel. This takes account of the likely availability of such land in a largely rural region, but also of the advice in PPG3 to make more efficient use of land, particularly within urban areas. This higher target figure means that the slight increase in overall housing provision will not lead to any additional demand for greenfield sites.

  We endorse the Regional Planning Body's view that most development should be concentrated in the cities and larger towns. This is consistent with our policies for urban renaissance and the better use of land. To aid that objective we have proposed changes which will help local authorities to make swift progress on the identification of the extent and potential of such settlements. The potential of these areas will now be the subject of studies with the Regional Planning Body, the local authorities concerned and other interested parties. Building on the Panel's recommendations, we are proposing a sequential approach to development, looking first at the capacity and reuse of previously developed land within urban areas, then

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  possible urban extensions. Where it is not possible to make such provision, the possibility of new settlements in sustainable locations may be an option.

  We have accepted the Panel's recommendation for a review of the Green Belt around the main urban areas as an essential part of the process of finding sustainable locations for development. It should be carried out by the local authorities, with any changes taken forward through the review of development plans. The policies are designed to help achieve an urban renaissance and the improved economic and social viability of the rural areas, while protecting and enhancing the countryside.

  The Proposed Changes set out priorities for transport investment and study, and include revised parking standards. However, they make clear that more work needs to be done to develop the Regional Transport Strategy to facilitate the economic performance of the region, achieve more sustainable patterns of movement and to combat congestion.

  The consultation period on the Proposed Changes will be for 12 weeks, ending on 14 March 2001. Copies of the relevant documents have been placed in the House Library and made available to the region's MPs.

WALES

  Official Publications
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list each new publication issued by his Department since 1997; and what the total cost is to the Department of each publication. [141468]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  [holding answer 11 December 2000]: The Welsh Office published approximately 1,200 official publications per year between 1997 and July 1999. I will place a list in the Library of the House. The cost of each publication could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  The Wales Office (Office of the Secretary of State for Wales) has so far published only its Departmental Report and Service Delivery Agreement.

  The Service Delivery Agreement was published on the internet at no cost to the Department and by HM Treasury as part of its White Paper. The Departmental Report was published at a cost of £2,576.25.

DEFENCE

  Gulf War (Depleted Uranium)
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what levels of depleted uranium radiation were found on the Iraqi(a) main battle tanks, (b) other armoured vehicles (A vehicles), (c) soft skinned vehicles (B vehicles), (d) vehicle mounted artillery systems, (e) field artillery and (f) anti-aircraft gun systems recovered by British armed forces from the Gulf War and brought to the UK; and if he will make a statement. [142164]

  Mr. Spellar
  Iraqi equipment of the types described was surveyed for the presence of radioactive material generally and was not tested specifically for depleted 180W
  uranium (DU). These surveys would have detected any contamination levels at which special health and safety precautions defined in Statutory Instruments would have had to be introduced. No DU levels above five becquerels per square centimetre were found during Iraqi equipment monitoring and therefore no special precautions were needed under current or past legislation.

  Between 1985 and 1999, the relevant legislation was the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1985 and controlled and supervised contamination areas existed when DU contamination levels exceeded 60 and 20 becquerels per square centimetre respectively. Controlled contamination areas are those in which personal protective equipment is generally worn and where washing, monitoring and decontamination facilities are immediately available. Supervised contamination areas present a lower level of risk and the principal requirement is for these areas to be monitored to prove that contamination levels are not increasing towards controlled area levels. From January 2000, the corresponding controlled and supervised contamination area levels were increased to 82 and 27 becquerels per square centimetre respectively. This change results from the introduction of new legislation and a re-evaluation of dose coefficients by the International Commission on Radiological Protection.

  Porton Down
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on the procedures used in the peritonitis experiments conducted on pigs at Porton Down; if the pigs were anaesthetised; and what measures were taken to protect the pigs' welfare; [142130]

  (2) if he will publish the cost/benefit analysis applied to the peritonitis experiments conducted on pigs at Porton Down; and if he will make a statement. [142129]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 13 December 2000]: No formal financial cost/benefit analysis has been applied to the work involving pigs to study the potential benefit of treatment with pentoxifylline following septic shock initiated by haemorrhage and peritonitis at the Chemical and Biological Defence Sector of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) at Porton Down. However, balancing 'cost' to the animal and the likely scientific benefits to mankind is a pivotal consideration.

  This research was part of an ongoing programme to improve the treatment of military casualties injured by weapons. Haemorrhage was induced by the withdrawal of 40 per cent. of the blood volume and peritonitis by the placement of known quantities of bacteria on a small quantity of sterile faeces within the abdomen. The animals were then resuscitated (blood volume increased) with intravenous fluids, and pentoxifylline was administered.

  The pigs were anaesthetised throughout all procedures and never allowed to regain consciousness. The anaesthetised pigs were monitored for 24 hours and those still alive at the end of this period were culled while still under anaesthesia. As a standard veterinary practice prior to anaesthesia, the pigs were allowed access to water but denied access to food for 12 hours. All of these procedures were carefully monitored by a veterinary surgeon.

  All work with animals undergoes an Ethical Review Process and has to demonstrate that as much as possible has been done to replace the procedures with alternatives

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  not using living animals, to reduce numbers of animals used in particular studies, and to refine the procedures to minimise pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm prior to the issue of licences to undertake work. In this particular case, reduction was achieved by minimising the numbers of animals used through focused experimental design; the work was terminated when the specific scientific question of the effect of the drug had been answered. The results were published in 'Resuscitation', a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

  All work is also undertaken in accordance with the terms of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, which is overseen by the Home Office.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what cost-benefit analysis was conducted in respect of the food poisoning experiments on ferrets at Porton Down; and if he will make a statement; [142118]

  (2) what consultation with the Animal Welfare Advisory Committee took place on the welfare implications of the research into food poisoning of ferrets prior to this procedure's commencement; and if he will make a statement. [142117]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 13 December 2000]: No formal financial cost/benefit analysis has been applied to the work involving ferrets to study the mechanism of poisoning caused by Staph Enterotoxin B (SEB) undertaken at the Chemical and Biological Defence Sector of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) at Porton Down. However, balancing 'cost' to the animal and the likely scientific benefits to mankind is a pivotal consideration.

  The research has enabled the establishment of an alternative animal model to study the mechanism of SEB poisoning which can cause severe incapacitating vomiting in military and civilian personnel. This model will replace the use of non-human primates. The establishment of an alternative animal model is essential to the development of vaccines and antitoxins. Cell culture models are unable to predict the effects of SEB.

  This research was part of an ongoing programme to improve the range of medical countermeasures available to the UK and its armed forces. All work with animals undergoes an Ethical Review Process and has to demonstrate that as much as possible has been done to replace the procedures with alternatives not using living animals, to reduce numbers of animals used in particular studies, and to refine the procedures to minimise pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm prior to the issue of licences to undertake work. All work is also undertaken in accordance with the terms of the Animals (Scientific procedures) Act 1986, which is overseen by the Home Office.

  The rationale for the study was discussed during one of the regular meetings with the Animal Welfare Advisory Committee.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on the procedure used in the Sarin experiments on marmosets at Porton Down; and how the monkeys' welfare was protected; [142128]

  (2) if he will publish the cost/benefit analysis applied to the Sarin experiments conducted on marmosets at Porton Down; and if he will make a statement. [142127]
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  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 13 December 2000]: No formal financial cost/benefit analysis has been applied to the work involving the marmoset model to investigate whether a low dose of sarin disrupted performance of behavioural tests at the Chemical and Biological Defence Sector of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) at Porton Down. However, balancing 'cost' to the animal and the likely scientific benefits to mankind is a pivotal consideration.

  The marmosets lived in established male/female pairs in a housing system of interlinked cages. Behavioural tests were presented daily on a touch-sensitive screen in front of their home cage. Animals were always free to choose whether or not to engage in the task. This test battery was specifically devised to 'bridge the gap' between non-human primate research and human studies. Each correct response was rewarded with a small quantity of banana milkshake Which was not routinely fed as part of their varied and nutritionally complete diet.

  During performance of the task, the animal's electroencephalography (EEG) was measured by means of a surgically implanted radiotelemetry device. This technique represents a significant refinement in terms of animal welfare and does not involve the restraint of the animal. Once implanted, the data collection system did not interfere with the animals' freedom.

  Following administration of the sarin, animals were closely observed by experienced staff and no clinical signs were detected either in the short-term or over the duration of the study. The research team was supported by dedicated animal care staff and a highly experienced veterinary surgeon throughout the study.

  The techniques developed in the course of this work represent a significant advance in both animal welfare and scientific quality. This research involving marmosets has demonstrated that exposure to a single, low dose of the nerve agent sarin did not disrupt performance of a complex behavioural test and did not produce significant changes in brain electrical activity. These techniques have more widespread applicability in a number of areas of civilian research, notably in the investigation of neurodegenerative disorders.

  All work with animals undergoes an Ethical Review Process and has to demonstrate that as much as possible has been done to replace the procedures with alternatives not using living animals, to reduce numbers of animals used in particular studies, and to refine the procedures to minimise pain, suffering distress or lasting harm prior to the issue of licences to undertake work.

  All work involving the use of animals at the CBE Porton Down is also undertaken in accordance with the requirements of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, which is overseen by the Home Office.

  In addition to the statutory controls, an independent body, the Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (AWAC), reviews the arrangements for animal care and welfare at DERA sites, monitors the research programmes to ensure standards are the highest possible and advises on best practice.

  Missiles
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he intends that in the long-term the SSN fleet should continue to carry land-attack missiles; [143338]

  (2) how he proposes to replace the TLAM D missile currently carried by the SSN fleet once the US are no longer in a position to supply replacements; and if he will make a statement; [143346]

  (3) if the Astute class SSNs will carry vertical launch tubes enabling them to fire the Tactical Tomahawk missile; [143347]

  (4) what plans he has to equip the Royal Navy's Type 45 destroyers with launchers enabling them to fire the Tactical Tomahawk missile; and what steps he is taking to procure this. [143345]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Royal Navy operates Tomahawk Block IIIC missiles. As was demonstrated in Kosovo, Tomahawk Block IIIC missiles are highly effective weapons, which fully meet our requirements for a coercive capability in terms of accuracy, weight of ordnance and the ability to attack the likely target set. At present, we foresee a long-term requirement for this system to be operated by our SSNs.

  Following the Kosovo campaign, an additional order of Tomahawk missiles was placed with the US. Upon completion of the outstanding order we will have a full inventory of Block IIIC missiles.

  In the event that further Block IIIC missiles were expended during future conflicts, the Tomahawk Block IV missiles (also known as Tactical Tomahawk or Tactom) would represent the only means of procuring additional Tomahawk missiles. At present Tactom is intended only as a vertical launch weapon and therefore would not be suitable for firing from UK SSNs. However, in common with the UK, the US has identified a requirement for a horizontal launch variant of Tactom as not all of its SSNs are fitted with vertical launchers. Initial joint research has demonstrated the feasibility of developing a horizontal launch variant of Tactom.

  The development of a horizontal launched variant of Tactom represents a more cost effective route than procuring vertical launchers. Accordingly there are no plans to fit Astute class SSNs with vertical launcher capable of firing Tactom. There are currently no plans to equip the Type 45 destroyer with a land attack capability, however, the design of the Type 45 would allow the incorporation of such a launcher should the requirement arise.

  Procurement Programme
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will itemise the efficiency savings so far achieved in the defence equipment procurement programme. [143327]

  Mr. Hoon
  I refer the hon. Member to the answers which my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence gave on 23 October 2000,Official Report, column 33W, to the hon. Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key), and on 27 November 2000, Official Report, column 415W, to the hon. Member for Guildford (Mr. St. Aubyn). These costing
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  reductions were identified across a broad range of equipment programmes including Eurofighter and the Rapier Air Defence Missile.

  Sonar
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what time scale he has set to fit all Type 23 frigates with stern sonar; [143348]

  (2) when he proposes to place an order for the sonar 2087 for the Royal Navy; [143336]

  (3) for what reason he has put back to December 2004 the in-service date for the Sonar 2087; and if he will make a statement. [143337]

  Dr. Moonie
  Subject to approval, we expect to place a contract for Sonar 2087 early in 2001, and for it to be fitted to all Type 23s. Sonar 2087 is a tactical, variable-depth, active and passive sonar system which will operate with the Type 23's existing bow-mounted active Sonar 2050: the former system will provide a long-range picture with the latter filling in the nearer range.

  Changes to the planned in-service date of Sonar 2087 were made in recent financial planning rounds, based on careful consideration of competing defence priorities and the need to maintain coherence between Sonar 2087 and the Type 23 refit programme. This is part of our normal process for making best use of the defence budget to meet changing priorities. Subject to completion of contractual negotiations with the successful prime contractor, Sonar 2087 is expected to enter operational service around 2005 when initial trials are complete. The precise shipfitting programme is also subject to contractual negotiations.

  Rapier Missile
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of the ability of the Rapier missile to provide adequate ground-based air defence for British forces for the foreseeable future; [143342]

  (2) what plans he has to upgrade the air defence capability provided by the Rapier missile system. [143339]

  Dr. Moonie
  The in-service Rapier Mark 2 missile will, as part of the Rapier missile system, provide short-range ground based air defence against the envisaged threat out to around 2010.

  Plans to upgrade the air defence capability provided by the Rapier missile system from around 2010 are being studied as part of the UK's Integrated Ground Air Defence (IGBAD) programme. The IGBAD programme takes a holistic approach to investment in the UK's GBAD capability in the 2010–20 time frame. The goal of the programme is to reduce the cost of ownership of GBAD equipment, and to maintain operational capability and effectiveness against the emerging threat within budgetary limitations.

  Upholder Class Submarines
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the timetable is for refurbishment of the Upholder class submarines; and when each one will be ready for delivery to the Canadian Government. [143048]
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  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 15 December 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend Lord Robertston, the then Secretary of State for Defence, gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Wentworth (Mr. Healey) on 6 April 1998, Official Report, column 56W, and to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock) on 23 October 2000, Official Report, column 30W, and 19 December 2000, Official Report, columns 89–90W, and to the hon. Member for New Forest, East (Dr. Lewis) on 31 October 2000, Official Report, column 341W. Canada has acquired the four ex-Royal Navy Upholder class submarines, which are powered by diesel-electric engines. The acquisition takes the form of an eight-year lease with an option of outright purchase. Each of the submarines is being refurbished (reactivated) to a standard acceptable to the Royal Navy.

  The first of the refurbished submarines was handed over to Canada on 6 October 2000. The three remaining submarines are being refurbished now. A revised programme for handover of the three remaining submarines has recently been released to Canada and identifies handover dates of July 2001 for Boat 2 (HMS Unicorn), January 2002 for Boat 3 (HMS Ursula) and May 2002 for Boat 3 (HMS Upholder).

  Navy (Capabilities)
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if the Royal Navy has sufficient manpower to keep two carriers operational in a sea going role throughout 2001; [143053]

  (2) when he expects HMS Invincible to be placed in reserve; [143047]

  (3) when the next refit of (a) HMS Invincible and (b) HMS Illustrious will take place; [143070]

  (4) if HMS Invincible will be used as an operational sea going carrier in 2001; [143052]

  (5) what the expected service life is of (a) HMS Invincible, (b) HMS Ark Royal and (c) HMS Illustrious. [143069]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 15 December 2000]: The Royal Navy does have sufficient manpower to keep two carriers operational, but during 2001 HMS Ark Royal will be coming out of refit and there will be times when manpower will be in transition to her from one of the other carriers. The transition plan could be reviewed immediately should the operational need arise to deploy two carriers. HMS Ark Royal will rejoin the Fleet capable of operating the new Merlin helicopter and the RN and RAF Harrier aircraft from Joint Force Harrier—a cost-effective way of maintaining a potent fixed-wing carrier capability until the new carriers enter service in 2012 and 2015.

  There are no plans to place HMS Invincible in reserve. She will be used in an operational sea going role until April 2001 when she will enter a period of reduced readiness prior to commencing her refit period later in the year. HMS Invincible is currently programmed to return to operational status in 2003 on completion of the refit.

  HMS Illustrious's next refit is scheduled to start in autumn 2002 and is expected to take about 23 months.
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  On current plans, the expected service lives of HMS Invincible, HMS Ark Royal and HMS Illustrious will be 30 years.

  Storm Shadow Missile
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Joint Strike Fighter's software architecture will allow for the integration of the Storm Shadow missile. [143330]

  Dr. Moonie
  While the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) remains a strong contender to meet our Future Carrier Borne Aircraft requirement, no decision has yet been taken on its procurement.

  The design of the JSF aircraft will allow for integration of weapons, throughout its life, and provision of a flexible software architecture to accommodate a wide variety of weapons will be a fundamental aspect of the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase contract.

  The competing contractors for the phase are aware of the UK's Storm Shadow needs should we select JSF, and therefore there is no reason to believe that the aircraft's software architecture would prevent integration of the missile.

  Airborne Early Warning Systems (Helicopters)
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has undertaken a study of the merits of(a) helicopter-mounted and (b) fixed-wing mounted airborne early warning systems for short-deck and full-deck aircraft carriers; and if he will make a statement. [143352]

  Dr. Moonie
  We are conducting studies into a range of airborne early warning systems that could operate from the two future aircraft carriers envisaged under the Strategic Defence Review. These include both fixed and rotary-wing aircraft.

  Enhanced Paveway II System
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost is of the Enhanced Paveway II system contract developed and produced by Raytheon; what the time scale is for operational interim capability in the contract; and if he will make a statement. [143165]

  Dr. Moonie
  Final contract negotiations with the company covering precise details of cost and the time scales for our operational interim capability are still under way.

  Defence Housing Executive
  Mr. David Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the Defence Housing Executive for the financial year 2000–01. [143898]

  Dr. Moonie
  The following key targets have been set for the Defence Housing Executive for 2000–01.

  Key Target 1:
  To house at least 70 per cent. of families in accommodation that matches their entitlement by posting date or on return to Great Britain from overseas, and at least 92 per cent. by their required date.

  Key Target 2:
  Less than 9 per cent of occupants should experience significant defects within 14 days of moving in.
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  Key Target 3:
  To complete the planned upgrade of 1,600 properties by 31 March 2001.

  Key Target 4:
  To complete:

  at least 95 per cent. of emergency repairs within 24 hours of notification;

  at least 90 per cent. of urgent repairs within five working days of notification;

  at least 90 per cent. of routine repairs within two months of notification.

  Copies of the DHE's Corporate Plan 2000 will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Departmental Performance
  Mr. McCabe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he plans to publish information about his Department's performance during the financial year 1999–2000. [143897]

  Mr. Hoon
  Information about my Department's performance during the last financial year is contained within the Ministry of Defence Performance Report 1999–2000, which will be laid before the House today.

  Royal Army Medical Corps
  Mr. Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will announce the preferred purchaser for the former Royal Army Medical Corps site on Millbank. [144054]

  Dr. Moonie
  After detailed consideration of all the bids received, and consultation within Government, we have selected The London Institute as the preferred purchaser for the site.

  We believe that this decision provides an opportunity to establish a major arts educational institution alongside an art gallery of international standing. This will allow a synergy to develop which will benefit the creative industries as well as having other educational advantages.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Broadband Fixed Wireless
  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what percentage of rural areas will be left without broadband fixed wireless access following the recent 28 GHz auction; and what measures are being considered to assist those rural communities excluded from such access; [141658]

  (2) what impact the recent auction of licences for the provision of broadband fixed wireless access at 28 GHz will have on the availability of high-speed Internet access in rural areas. [141659]

  Ms Hewitt
  Most of the licences awarded were for regions where there is a mix of rural and urban areas. Those regions where licences were sold cover 57 per cent. of the UK population and include extensive rural areas in the North of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. I will be exploring ways of licensing broadband fixed wireless access in those regions where licences remained unsold. Wireless is only one way of delivering higher bandwidth services. Other ways include DSL over 188W
  copper telephone lines, cable modems, third generation mobile and satellite. As stated in the White Paper "Our Countryside: The Future", the Government will
  work through the development agencies, and in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, to develop effective strategies for the roll-out of higher bandwidth services in rural areas.

  Mr. Duncan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what impact the recent auction for broadband fixed wireless access will have on the Government's aim of making broadband access universally available. [141657]

  Ms Hewitt
  Broadband Fixed Wireless Access licences have now been issued for an area covering nearly 60 per cent. of the population, including Scotland, Northern Ireland and the North of England.

  Wireless is only one way of delivering bandwidth services. Other ways include DSL over copper telephone lines, cable modems, third generation mobile and satellite. As stated in the White Paper "Our Countryside: The Future", the Government will
  work through the development agencies, and in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, to develop effective strategies for the roll-out of higher bandwidth services in rural areas.

  E-commerce
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures he is taking to promote electronic commerce. [143126]

  Ms Hewitt
  Electronic Commerce lies at the heart of this Government's vision for building a competitive, modern, knowledge-driven economy and the DTI plays a leading role in realising this.

  As mentioned in my previous answer on 11 May 2000, Official Report, column 445W, in September 1999 the Prime Minister launched the report 'e-commerce@its.best.uk', which sets out the Government's strategy to make the UK the best place in the world to trade electronically. This strategy is based on three clear principles:

  Creating the right regulatory environment and market framework to allow e-commerce to flourish in the UK.

  Ensuring that businesses and individuals have the skills and access they need to harness the full potential of the new technologies.

  Making Government an exemplar by getting its own services online.

  Specific actions taken by DTI as part of the strategy to promote e-commerce include:
  The UK Online for Business programme, which provides help and support for small businesses through a nationwide network of IT advisers, through a telephone helpline and via the UK Online for Business website www.ukonlineforbusiness.gov.uk.
  Measures to promote consumer confidence when trading online, e.g. Trust UK, a scheme to accredit websites.
  The Electronic Communications Act 2000, which gives legal recognition to electronic signatures and encourages an industry-led system of self-regulation.
  Helping all communities get access to the new technology through UK Online centres. The Prime Minister announced the first 600 centres in September 2000.
  A programme of sector studies, which examines the impact of e-commerce on different sectors and produces a joint Government/industry action plan to promote e-commerce on a sectoral basis.

  Coal
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the total tonnage of coal mined in England and Wales in the last 12 months. [143613]

  Mrs. Liddell
  In the 12 months to September 2000, it is estimated that 23.3 million tonnes of coal were mined in England and Wales. In the United Kingdom as whole, 32.6 million tonnes of coal were produced in this period.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the total tonnage of coal imported into the UK in the last 12 months. [143612]

  Mrs. Liddell
  In the 12 months to September 2000, it is estimated that 22.8 million tonnes of coal were imported into the United Kingdom.

  Universal Bank
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what examination he has made of the establishment and running costs of the proposed universal bank; and if he will integrate the Horizon platform into the existing Link electronic banking network and make an estimate of the costs associated. [143582]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  The Post Office is currently considering different IT platforms through which it can connect to banks and has fully investigated the Link proposition. The final decision will depend on the cost and functionality offered by the different options. Any platform chosen will need to work through the Horizon system.

  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with the Link interchange network about the proposals for a universal bank. [143583]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  The Post Office has discussed its proposals for universal banking services with a range of banks and other financial service institutions, including with the Link interchange network.

  Post Office
  Shona McIsaac
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has approved the Post Office's five-year Strategic Plan and set the post-tax profit target for the Post Office group; and if he will make a statement. [144050]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  I am pleased to announce that the Government have approved the Post Office's Strategic Plan for 2000–05. This is a five-year rolling Plan which is updated annually. The Plan represents a key element in the new arm's-length relationship that the Government are establishing with the Post Office in fulfilment of the reforms described in the White Paper published in July 1999. The Post Office will be building on the previous year's Plan and pursuing its strategy of becoming a global player in the distribution market.

  Although much has been achieved over the past year, the Post Office recognises that there remains much to do. The market place for postal services is increasingly competitive and there are tough challenges to be faced,
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  but the Post Office is working to build on current initiatives and to seize commercial opportunities as they arise in the UK and internationally.

  The key features of the Strategic Plan are commercially confidential, and as such will not be published. In May this year the Government set the Post Office a return on capital employed target of 13 per cent. for 2000–01, which translated into an operational pre-tax profit target of £392 million for the year. Return on capital employed is defined as profit before interest payable and tax, but after operating interest receivable, divided by operating capital employed. This target excluded the network of post offices, where the report of the Performance and Innovation Unit on the network of post offices was awaited, and the non-operational interest arising from past surpluses held on the Post Office's balance sheet. This target was to be subsumed within the overall post-tax profit target for the Post Office as a whole, as described in the White Paper. The Government have now set a post-tax profit target figure for the group of £260 million for the financial year 2000–01.

  As already announced, the 'dividend' that the Government effectively take out of the Post Office is now set at 40 per cent. of the post-tax profits of the business as a whole, and therefore if the Post Office achieves the profit target, this equivalent of a commercial dividend will be £104 million. This is subject to a dividend floor payment which this year will be raised from 80 per cent. to 90 per cent. of the dividend that would be paid if the Post Office meets its overall profit target. The dividend floor payment will therefore be £93 million. The Post Office will not pay dividends until it becomes a plc, but in the meantime will set aside the relevant amount in its reserves.

  In order to help the Post Office to plan for the medium term, the Government have also set an indicative financial return for 2002–03 of 13 per cent. return on capital employed in the Post Office's operational business, excluding the network of post offices and any non-operational interest arising from past surpluses.

  Mrs. Betty Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will lay the Government's annual report to Parliament on the progress of Post Office reform; and if he will make a statement. [144049]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  I have today laid in the Library of each House the Government's first annual report to Parliament on the progress of the reforms set out in the White Paper on "Post Office Reform: a World Class Service for the 21st Century", which was published in July 1999. This summarises the significant steps that have already been taken in implementing the reforms and the progress being made in giving the Post Office greater commercial freedom.

  Ofgem
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the planned operating cost of Ofgem for(a) 2001–01 and (b) 2001–02. [143155]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  I have been asked to reply.

  Ofgem published its proposed Plan and Budget for 2001–02 on 15 December. The document also provides budget information for 2000–01 (this document can be

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  viewed on Ofgem's website www.ofgem.gov.uk). Stakeholders within the industry and other interested parties have until 7 February to comment on these proposals. Ofgem's final corporate plan, which will have regard to comments received during the consultation period, will provide details of Ofgem's agreed budget for 2001–02.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Palace of Westminster (Security Staff)
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, how many(a) police officers, broken down by rank, and (b) civilian security staff are employed in (i) the Palace of Westminster and (ii) the parliamentary estate. [143597]

  Mr. Kirkwood
  The actual strength of Metropolitan police officers and civilian security officers employed within the parliamentary estate is:

  Parliamentary Estate

  Number

  (a) Police officers

  Divisional commander

  1

  Superintendent

  1

  Inspectors

  5

  Sergeants

  13

  Constables

  134

  Total

  154

  (b) Civilian security staff

  Principal security officer

  1

  Senior security officers

  12

  Security officers

  225

  Higher executive officers

  2

  Executive officers

  2

  Administrative officers

  5

  Administrative assistants

  1

  Typists

  2

  Total

  250

  It is not possible to make a clear distinction between the Palace of Westminster and the Estate, as varied responsibilities affect the balance from day to day. In general terms, however, the majority of officers are employed within the Palace.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Security
  Mr. McWalter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what further steps he is taking to create a normal security environment in Northern Ireland. [141755]

  Mr. Mandelson
  The Chief Constable recently announced a number of further normalisation measures, including the demolition of the six Fermanagh patrol bases, the closure and demolition of Long Kesh Army base and, with effect from 1 October, the closure of Strand Road Holding Centre. Work on the demolition of the 192W
  Fermanagh patrol bases is now under way. The demolition of Long Kesh Army base is due for completion this month.

  It is our overall aspiration to reduce further the number of army bases to no more than 20 and reduce the number of soldiers permanently based in Northern Ireland to about 8,000. However, this very much depends on the level of threat from dissident republicans and continued progress towards a normal civil society.

  Decommissioning
  Mr. Wilkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many illegal weapons he can certify as having been decommissioned this year by(a) republican terrorist groups and (b) loyalist terrorist groups. [141759]

  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on decommissioning. [141760]

  Mr. Ingram
  This year, to date, we have received no reports from General de Chastelain and the Independent International Commission on Decommissioning of any weapons having been decommissioned from either republican or loyalist groups.

  The Government welcome the recent decision by the IRA to reopen its arms dumps to reinspection.

  We understand that the IRA have had limited re-engagement with the Commission, but further progress is needed to fulfil the promises made in its statement in May.

  Both Governments have agreed to take all necessary steps to facilitate the decommissioning process.

  Mr. McCabe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the prospects for removing illegally held weapons from Northern Ireland. [141762]

  Mr. Ingram
  Efforts are continuing to seek a way forward to enable decommissioning to occur as soon as possible.

  Further progress still needs to be made by both Republican and Loyalist paramilitaries to meet their commitments to bring a lasting peace to Northern Ireland.

  Decommissioning of illegal arms is an essential part of the Good Friday Agreement. All sides must honour all the commitments they have made. However, the Government cannot force decommissioning to occur. It has to be a voluntary, inclusive and consensual process.

  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the number of illegal weapons held by terrorist organisations that are active in Northern Ireland; and when he expects to see them decommissioned in accordance with the terms of the Belfast agreement. [141775]

  Mr. Ingram
  For obvious reasons, it is not our practice to disclose such intelligence matters. I can however say that substantial amounts of firearms, munitions and explosives are held by various groups in Northern Ireland.

  Efforts are still continuing to seek a way forward to enable decommissioning to occur as soon as possible.
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  For their part, the Government are continuing to meet their commitments, as agreed with the Irish Government, to take the steps necessary for full implementation of the Agreement by June 2001.

  Paramilitary Activity
  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the threat posed by paramilitary activity during the pre-Christmas period in Northern Ireland. [141761]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Royal Ulster Constabulary have advised that there continues to be a high threat of attack from dissident republicans over the pre-Christmas period, with the most likely targets being the security force personnel and establishments. Recent events show the potential for the escalation of sectarian attacks. Commercial premises could be subject to incendiary attacks. On 8 December police advised owners of commercial premises to be extra vigilant about the security of their property in the run up to Christmas. The Royal Ulster Constabulary are taking all possible precautions to ensure the safety of the public and premises.

  UK Bicentenary
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what arrangements he is making to celebrate the bicentenary of the United Kingdom in 2001. [141764]

  Mr. Mandelson
  I am not making any special arrangements to celebrate the bicentennial of the Act of Union. Nevertheless, I do recognise the significance of this historical event and I am by no means opposed to initiatives which seek to mark the occasion in a balanced and thoughtful way.

  Peace Process
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what initiatives he proposes to take during the next 12 months to advance the peace process. [141765]

  Mr. Mandelson
  The British and Irish Governments made a joint statement on 5 May setting out the steps we believed necessary to secure the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement by June 2001. This elicited a positive response from the IRA in their statement of 6 May and was endorsed by the pro-Agreement parties.

  Dr. Palmer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on progress in the peace process since the Good Friday agreement. [141768]

  Mr. Bill O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on progress in implementing the Good Friday agreement. [141773]

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the peace process in Northern Ireland. [141780]

  Mr. Mandelson
  I refer the hon. Members to the response I gave today to my hon. Friend the Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick),Official Report, column 346.
  194W
  Mr. John Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his assessment of the impact of a stable economy on the peace process in Northern Ireland. [141770]

  Mr. Mandelson
  A stable economy and all the benefits it brings—low unemployment, increased investment, improved living standards—has had a very real and positive impact on the peace process because it is clear that these economic benefits have come about as a direct result of the progress we have made on the political front. This encourages support across the community for such progress to continue.

  Paramilitary Expulsions
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will meet senior police officers to discuss enforced expulsions from Northern Ireland of individuals by paramilitary groups. [141766]

  Mr. Ingram
  I receive regular briefings on the security situation from the Chief Constable and my security advisers.

  I utterly condemn any activity by groups on either side of the community that is aimed at intimidating people into leaving the province.

  Police investigations of such offences are often hampered when victims generally decline to make a formal complaint.

  It is therefore important that members of communities, within which these attacks are taking place, pass to police any relevant information. They may do so in strict confidence using the Crimestoppers line—0800 555 111.

  Terrorist Funding
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the funding of terrorist groups. [141769]

  Mr. Ingram
  Terrorism relies in part on the availability of funding. Successive Governments have made provision in counter terrorist law to enable the police to tackle this funding. The Terrorism Act, which is due to come into force early next year, carries forward that regime which includes an offense of inviting another to support a terrorist organisation with money or property. It is also an offence to receive or provide money or property for that purpose. Under the Act, the police can also apply for an order of the court to trace terrorist property by seeking customer information from financial institutions.

  In addition, the Secretary of State announced on 25 September the establishment of a new multi agency approach to tackling organised crime in Northern Ireland. We are determined to tackle all manifestations of organised crime, whatever its source.

  Presidential Visit
  Gillian Merron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the visit of President Clinton to Northern Ireland. [141771]

  Mr. Mandelson
  I was delighted that President Clinton visited Northern Ireland on 12 and 13 December. This is the third time that he has done so. Once again the people
  195W
  of Northern Ireland gave him a deservedly warm welcome, in appreciation of the great contribution which he has made to the creation of peace and political stability in that part of our country.

  RUC Recruitment
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement regarding the recruitment policy of the RUC. [141772]

  Mr. Ingram
  The last recruits to the Royal Ulster Constabulary commenced training on 2 April 2000.

  RUC (Security)
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the Royal Ulster Constabulary's role in maintaining security in Northern Ireland. [141774]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Royal Ulster Constabulary aims to provide a high quality, effective police service to all the people of Northern Ireland. To achieve this it works in partnership with the whole community and in co-operation with other agencies with the purpose of upholding the rule of law in a way that protects human rights, bringing to justice those who break the law, playing a full part in the eradication of terrorism and the prevention of crime, helping to preserve the peace, protecting, reassuring and assisting those it serves.

  Guardsmen Fisher and Wright
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received from(a) Mr. and Mrs. McBride and (b) members of the public over the case of Guardsmen Fisher and Wright. [141778]

  Mr. Ingram
  Earlier this year the Secretary of State received a letter from the McBride family. This letter was passed on to the Minister for Defence for reply.

  We also received a letter from a member of the public on this issue.

  This issue is entirely a matter for the Army Board, but the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland has agreed with the Secretary of State for Defence that neither of these two soldiers will serve in Northern Ireland in the future.

  Coroners' Reports
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the average length of time required to produce a coroner's report in Northern Ireland in each of the last two years. [141779]

  Mr. Ingram
  Matters related to coroners are the responsibility of the Lord Chancellor, and it is the decision of coroners as to whether or not autopsies are conducted. Having decided that an autopsy is necessary a coroner will normally request the State Pathologist's Department to conduct it. It is not possible to provide the average lengths of time taken to provide coroners with such reports without a considerable diversion of resources. Each case is unique and may involve obtaining toxicological analyses and other inputs from elsewhere.

HEALTH

  Medical Laboratory Scientific Officers
  Ms Drown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if annual leave payments for medical laboratory scientific officers are based on average, including non-contractual, on-call pay. [143161]

  Mr. Denham
  The terms of service set out in the professional and technical B staffs Whitley council agreement specifies the number of working days leave entitlement based on different working patterns of the 37-hour week which are the normal hours of duty. There is no agreement covering paid annual leave outside the 37 hours.

  The working time regulations require the four weeks of statutory entitlement for annual leave to be calculated as per the Employment Rights Act 1996, sections 221–224. National Health Service employers, like all other employers, are required to comply with the terms of these Regulations.

  Strokes
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the evidence his Department has collated on the determination of the type of physical therapy available to stroke victims in their recovery period. [143270]

  Mr. Denham
  The Department funded the Royal College of Physicians to develop evidence based clinical guidelines for stroke which include guidelines for stroke rehabilitation. The Royal College has also conducted two sentinel audits of stroke services which include data on rehabilitation for stroke patients. Clinicians at local level decide the therapy needed in each individual case.

  Medicines Directive
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress the Medicines Control Agency has made in promoting, within Europe, its proposals for a Traditional Use Medicines Directive; and what the main provisions are of its proposals. [143447]

  Ms Stuart
  At the European Pharmaceutical Committee in September member states agreed the case for a directive on traditional medicinal products. The European Commission subsequently circulated a preliminary draft to member states in order to assess the range of views about possible specific provisions. The proposals draw from work carried out by an expert working group of the Committee for which the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) acted as rapporteur. We will place copies of the text in the Library. The MCA has recently held discussions with representatives of herbal interest groups to discuss our response to the Commission's proposals.

  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the extent to which the proposed Traditional Use Medicines Directive will provide a secure legal basis for products which are(a) combinations of herbal and other ingredients for which 30 years safe traditional use can be demonstrated and (b) combinations of herbal and other ingredients which have been brought more recently to market. [143430]
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  Ms Stuart
  Many products consisting of combinations of herbal and other ingredients can currently be sold legally, for example under food or cosmetic law, and we anticipate that this will continue to be the case. Where, however, such combination products are classified as medicines they require a marketing authorisation before they can be placed on the market.

  At this very early stage in discussions on the European Commission's proposals for a directive on traditional medicinal products it is not yet clear whether coverage would be restricted to traditional herbal medicines or whether in some circumstances traditional medicines containing other ingredients could also be permitted under the terms of the directive.

  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the extent to which the proposed Traditional Use Medicines Directive will provide a secure legal basis for products which are herbal medicines exempt from licensing under section 12 of the Medicines Act 1968. [143446]

  Ms Stuart
  If the proposals for a directive on traditional medicinal products can be agreed, we expect that it would provide a secure legal basis for regulating a wide range of traditional herbal remedies of the kind currently sold to the public under section 12(2) of the Medicines Act 1968. It is unlikely that the directive would have a direct impact on arrangements whereby herbalists make up and supply the public with herbal remedies following face to face consultation, as permitted under section 12(1) of the Act.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  General Affairs Council
  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the outcome was of the General Affairs Council held in Brussels on 4 and 5 December; and if he will make a statement. [141626]

  Mr. Vaz
  The General Affairs Council (GAC) on 4–5 December adopted the "A" points listed in document no. 14012/00 and noted the resolutions, decisions and opinions adopted by the European Parliament in its session of 13–17 November in Strasbourg listed in document no. 12937/00. Copies of these documents have been placed in the House Libraries.

  Nice Preparation (External Issues)

  The GAC considered the Presidency report to the Nice European Council on European Security and Defence Policy and agreed to submit it to the Nice European Council.

  Preparations for Nice (Horizontal Issues)

  The Presidency outlined the agenda for the Nice European Council and ran through the reports to be presented at it.

  IGC

  The GAC discussed various issues relating to the Inter-governmental Conference. These included enhanced co-operation, the size and composition of the Commission, Qualified Majority Voting and other areas covered in the latest Presidency draft Treaty text. Discussion would continue at the Nice Summit from 7 December.
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  Enlargement

  The GAC agreed a Report on Enlargement to be annexed to the Nice European Council conclusions. The Report reaffirmed the historical perspective of enlargement, confirmed that the EU will be ready to welcome new members from the end of 2002 and welcomed the Commission's Strategy Paper. It is consistent with the Prime Minister's call, in Warsaw in October, for new members to participate in the European Parliament elections in 2004.

  Turkey Pre-accession Strategy

  The GAC reached agreement, pending receipt of the European Parliament's opinion, on the text of Turkey's Accession Partnership; agreed a Framework Regulation providing the legal base for the Partnership; and adopted a proposal guaranteeing 450 million euro (£275.76 million) of European Investment Bank lending to Turkey, to help Turkey implement the provisions of its Customs Union with the EC.

  MEPS' Statute

  The Presidency reported that there had been no significant progress in its negotiations with the European Parliament. There was no discussion.

  North Korea
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what initiatives he has taken following the establishment of diplomatic relations with North Korea. [141520]

  Mr. Battle
  Following the decision in October by the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary to respond positively to a request from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to establish diplomatic relations, diplomatic relations were established on 12 December 2000.

  We hope to appoint a Chargé d'Affaires soon who will be based in Seoul. He will be responsible for establishing a resident Embassy in Pyongyang and liaising with the DPRK Government about developing relations between the UK and the DPRK, through, for example, an enhanced English language teaching programme.

  EU Treaties
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals there are from EU member states and bodies for further treaties on(a) the codification of the existing powers of the EU, excluding any proposals agreed at the Nice Summit and (b) the definition of the relevant powers and relationship between institutions of the European Union and (i) office holders, (ii) Governments of member states and (iii) democratic institutions. [142386]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Nice European Council agreed that the next Intergovernmental Conference would take place in 2004.

  The issues to be addressed include a more precise delimitation of competencies between the European Union and the member states; the status of the Charter of Fundamental Rights; a simplification of the treaties with a view to making them clearer and better understood without changing their meaning; and the role of national Parliaments in the European architecture.

  Belarus
  Mr. Trend
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent elections in Belarus. [142799]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE)'s office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) sent a Technical Assessment Mission to Belarus at the time of the elections on 15 october. It concluded that the elections did not meet international standards for democratic elections, including those formulated in the 1990 Copenhagen Document of the OSCE. A parliamentary Troika drawn from the European Parliament and the Parliamentary Assemblies of the OSCE and the Council of Europe reached similar conclusions. Her Majesty's Government endorse these assessments.

  Magdalen College, Oxford
  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of state for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of(a) the Department' s staff and (b) far eastern embassy and desk staff are graduates of Magdalen College, Oxford. [142519]

  Mr. Battle
  [holding answer 15 December 2000]: This information is not readily available because electronic databases on members of staff do not in all cases indicate which university they attended, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Conflict Resolution
  Mr. McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations his Department has undertaken with non-governmental organisations on the development of the Government's cross-departmental initiative on conflict resolution. [143369]

  Mr. Hain
  We have not held any formal consultations on the Global Conflict Prevention Pool as yet. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office maintains regular contact with NGOs and academic institutions in the field of conflict prevention, and has worked with a number of NGOs on conflict prevention projects. Along with the DfID and the MOD we will be expanding and developing these contacts as the cross-cutting strategy develops.

  St. Helena
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will introduce legislation to restore full British citizenship to residents of the Island of St. Helena; and if he will make a statement. [143082]

  Mr. Battle
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend Member for Erith and Thamesmead (Mr. Austin) on 13 December 2000,Official Report, column 148W.

  British Council
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the offices approved for closure by the board of the British Council as a result of the Council's new strategy. [143297]
  200W
  Mr. Hain
  [holding answer 18 December 2000]: The Council's new strategy involves updating its overseas network to ensure maximum impact in countries of greatest importance to the UK, and the expansion of new IT-based services, especially in western Europe. In line with this, the Council has announced the closure of subordinate offices in Hamburg, Cologne, Munich, Leipzig and Turin. The closure of the country directorates in Belarus, Ecuador, Lesotho and Swaziland, and the offices in Kaduna, Enugu and Ibadan in Nigeria have also been agreed. Further closures will be announced over the next five years after consultation with the relevant authorities in each country and the staff affected.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with the British Council concerning the closure of British Council offices in Sierra Leone. [143296]

  Mr. Hain
  [holding answer 18 December 2000]: The British Council has discussed all its proposals for its overseas network with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The conclusions on Sierra Leone are noted in the answer I gave the hon. Member on 6 November 2000, Official Report, column 49W.

  EU Accession
  Mr. Bradshaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the progress of EU accession negotiations. [143899]

  Mr. Vaz
  Negotiations are progressing well. With all negotiating sessions of the French Presidency complete, the position in negotiations is as follows:The countries which opened negotiations in 1998 (the so-called Luxembourg Six) have all opened 29 out of 31 chapters of the acquis and have provisionally closed (ie no further negotiations required at this stage) between 13 and 17 chapters. (Cyprus: 17; Estonia: 16; Slovenia: 14; Hungary: 14; Poland: 13; Czech: 13).
  The countries which opened negotiations in 2000 (the so-called Helsinki Six) have opened between nine and 16 chapters and closed between six and 12. (Malta: opened 16, provisionally closed 12; Slovakia: 16/10; Lativia: 16/9; Bulgaria: 11/8; Lithuania: 16/17; Romania: 9/6).

  We look forward to further progress under the Swedish Presidency in the first half of 2001.

  I should also take this opportunity to correct the inadvertent error I made in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office oral questions on 12 December 2000, Official Report, column 471.

  Antarctica
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs where he expects the Antarctic Environmental Protocol Secretariat to be located; and what the United Kingdom financial and staffing contributions will be. [143413]

  Mr. Battle
  The issue of the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat, including its location, is likely to be discussed at the next Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting. The date and venue of that meeting have yet to be confirmed. Matters relating to finance and staffing of the Secretariat have yet to receive substantive attention from Antarctic Treaty Parties.

  Western Sahara
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the total United Kingdom contribution has been to MINURSO since its establishment; and if he will make a statement on United Kingdom policy concerning its future. [143414]

  Mr. Hain
  Since the establishment of MINURSO in 1991, the total UK contribution has been £14.63 million.

  The Government fully support the UN's efforts to bring peace to the region and will continue to work with the UN to find a just and durable settlement to the regions problems.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Government of Morocco concerning the future government of Western Sahara. [143417]

  Mr. Hain
  Since December 1998 I have met Moroccan counterparts on four occasions—in the UK, Morocco and New York—to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including Western Sahara. At each meeting I have expressed our strong support for the efforts of the UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy, James Baker, to resolve this dispute and have urged the Moroccan authorities to cooperate fully with his mission.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings his Department has held with representatives of the Polisario Front concerning the future of the Western Sahara. [143418]

  Mr. Hain
  In September in New York I met the Foreign Affairs Spokesman of the Polisario Front, Mr. Mohamed Ould Salech. To my knowledge, this was the first meeting between Polisario and a Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials met Polisario Front officials on numerous occasions in 2000, in the UK, New York and north Africa.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what actions have been taken recently at the United Nations to ensure that the proposed referendum on the future of the Western Sahara takes place. [143419]

  Mr. Hain
  On 30 October, the UN Security Council unanimously agreed resolution 1324, extending the UN mandate in the Western Sahara until 28 February 2001. This resolution gives James Baker, the UN Secretary-General's Personal Envoy, further time to resolve problems with the Settlement Plan and to pursue a political solution with the parties to the dispute, Morocco and the Polisario Front.

  Chile
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what British representations there has been at the recent legal action in Chile against Augusto Pinochet Ugarte. [143396]

  Mr. Battle
  None. It would not be appropriate for us to be represented at legal proceedings against Senator Pinochet in Chile, which are a matter for the Chilean courts. President Lagos has frequently emphasised the independence of the Chilean courts to administer justice in Chile. We welcome this.
  202W
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those documents held by his Department concerning United Kingdom relations with Chile from 1970 to 1990; how many of these have been made public; and what plans he has to publish the remainder. [143400]

  Mr. Battle
  It is not possible to provide a fully comprehensive list of documents without incurring disproportionate costs. Release of official files by Her Majesty's Government is governed by the Public Records Acts of 1958 and 1967; files are not normally released until they are thirty years old. Accordingly files on UK-Chilean relations in 1970 will be available at the Public Record Office from 2 January 2001 in class FCO 7.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings have been held by staff of the British Embassy in Santiago with(a) human rights groups, (b) lawyers and (c) the Pinochet Foundation since October 1998. [143401]

  Mr. Battle
  In the course of their normal work, staff of Her Majesty's Embassy in Santiago have had regular contacts with a wide range of organisations since October 1998.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Government of Chile concerning the deaths of William Beausire and Father Michael Woodward; and if he will make a statement. [143397]

  Mr. Battle
  The Government have made numerous representations to the Government of Chile, both through ministerial contacts and staff at HM Embassy in Santiago, concerning the deaths of William Beausire and Father Michael Woodward. The events surrounding their deaths were investigated by the Chilean National Commission on Truth and Reconciliation, and their conclusions are set out in the resulting Rettig Report. No new information about these deaths has come to light as a result of our representations.

  Operation Condor
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what access to documents relating to operation Condor held in Asuncion, Paraguay, officials from his Department have had. [143409]

  Mr. Battle
  The documents are held by the Centre of Documentation and Archive for the Defence of Human Rights. They are stored on the premises of the Supreme Court of Paraguay. The Ambassador understands that access would be possible but significant research would be required to extract information from them.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the documents held by his Department concerning operation Condor, indicating those that are in the public domain; and what plans he has to release the remainder. [143398]

  Mr. Battle
  Operation Condor is referred to in a number of documents held by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. There are no plans to release these documents outside the normal 30-year rule for the release of official documents.

  European Convention on Human Rights
  Ms Jenny Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what issues under Protocol 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights he has assessed as being unacceptably open-ended and uncertain. [142854]

  Mr. Hain
  The Government's main concerns about Protocol 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights are that:it applies to "any right set forth by law". It is not clear whether this includes international law as well as national law;
  the Protocol does not explicitly state that differential treatment which has an objective and reasonable justification is allowed;
  the right of states to take positive measures for the promotion of full and effective equality is covered only in the preamble and not in the body of the text.

  Depleted Uranium
  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of(a) the health risks and (b) actual health damage to people in Iraq arising from exposure to depleted uranium used for bombing. [143502]

  Mr. Spellar
  I have been asked to reply.

  The potential health risks of depleted uranium (DU) are well known. There is a radiation hazard, although DU is a low specific activity material as defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which means that its level of radioactivity is lower than most man-made radionuclides; and a chemical toxicity hazard, similar to that posed by other heavy metals such as lead.

  As to actual health damage to the Iraqi people, we are aware that there have been suggestions in the media that the use of DU during the Gulf conflict has caused an increase in ill-health in southern Iraq. We have not seen any peer-reviewed epidemiological research data on the people living in this region to support these claims.

  The Department for International Development has already indicated that it will consider funding for projects proposed by the World Health Organisation to improve epidemiological data on and health care planning in Iraq—provided that these meet DFID's project criteria. If implemented, these projects should provide valuable information on the health needs of the Iraqi population.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

  Crown Prosecution Service
  Angela Smith
  To ask the Solicitor-General (1) what recent advice he has given to the Crown Prosecution Service regarding notifying prosecution witnesses that it has decided not to proceed with a case; [142950]

  (2) what plans he has to issue guidance to the Crown Prosecution Service regarding information made available to (a) witnesses and (b) victims regarding the progress of a case. [142951]

  The Solicitor-General
  The 1996 Victim's Charter commits the police to keeping victims informed of significant developments in the case, including any decision to drop or alter charges substantially.
  204W
  Sir lain Glidewell's recommendations resulting from the independent review of the CPS, and the recommendations of Sir William Macpherson's report into the death of Stephen Lawrence, proposed that the CPS should take responsibility for communicating such decisions direct to victims rather than via the police.

  In order to give effect to these recommendations a study is currently taking place to identify the best practice for national implementation. This will begin on a phased basis in April 2001.

  The CPS will give the reason for the decisions taken in as much detail as possible taking account of the fact that in some cases there may be sensitive and important matters which cannot properly be disclosed.

  The day-to-day responsibility for keeping victims and witnesses informed of the progress of the case remains a matter for the police but the CPS will be responsible for the direct communication project, and liaison with witnesses at court.

  Private Prosecutions
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Solicitor-General what information is held by his Department concerning private prosecutions concerning the deaths of William Beausire in Chile in 1975 and Father Michael Woodward. [143408]

  The Solicitor-General
  The information held in the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers consists of various representations by solicitors seeking the consent of the Law Officers to the prosecution of Senator Augusto Pinochet for the offences contrary to section 134 Criminal Justice Act 1988 and the Criminal Law Act 1977 in relation to William Beausire. In the time available it has not been possible to trace any information relating to a private prosecution relating to the death of Father Thomas Woodward. For the reasons I gave in my statement to the House on 2 March 2000, refusal of consent to various prosecutions of Senator Augusto Pinochet were on the grounds of evidential insufficiency and that the relevant provisions are not retrospective.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  National Seed List
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will carry out a review into the procedures concerning applications to join the National Seed List. [141740]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 12 December 2000]: The technical and administrative procedures for considering National List applications have been reviewed as part of the review of the relevant legislation, the Seeds (National Lists of Varieties) Regulations 1982, as amended. Proposals for new National List Regulations were issued for public consultation in December 1999 and in April 2000.

  We have no plans to carry out a further specific review of the administrative and technical procedures though these are kept constantly under consideration as part of our commitment to continuous improvement. Nor have we immediate plans to propose changes regarding hearings on proposed National List decisions. However,

  205W
  we will wish to consider in the light of the hearing on the proposed addition of a genetically modified plant variety, Chardon LL, to the National List whether the current arrangements are satisfactory for all parties. If changes are proposed to the arrangements for requesting a hearing, all interested parties will be fully consulted.

  Set-aside Land
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what acreage of land is in set-aside in the United Kingdom. [143144]

  Ms Quin
  The area of land set-aside in the UK under the Arable Area Payments Scheme in 2000 was 567,212 hectares or 1,401,638 acres.

  Milk Development Council
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the future of the levy paid by milk producers towards the cost of running the Milk Development Council. [143572]

  Ms Quin
  Ministers have received no representations from the Milk Development Council to change the rate of levy, which currently stands at 0.06 pence per litre.

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the future of the Milk Development Council. [143571]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 19 December 2000]: Ministers are required to consult on the future of the Milk Development Council as part of a five-yearly review cycle by February 2003. A decision on its future will be taken at that stage in light of the views expressed.

  Fisheries Review
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made since the publication of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Review; and if he will make a statement. [144024]

  Mr. Morley
  In April 1998 the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretary of State for Wales formed a small independent group to review existing policies and legislation in England and Wales concerning the management and conservation of salmon, trout, eels and freshwater fish. The Review Group submitted its report in February 2000, and the Salmon and Freshwater fisheries Review was published in March. Interested individuals and organisations were then invited to comment on the Review.

  Over 700 individuals and organisations sent in comments, and these have been taken into account in deciding the Government's response to the Review. The great majority strongly supported the Review's recommendations and conclusions, although concern was expressed about some individual recommendations, in particular one relating to the coarse fish close season on rivers.

  The Government intend to respond to all the 195 recommendations in the Review in relation to England, and this detailed response will be placed in the Library of the House, and sent to all hon. Members who have expressed an interest in the Review, after the recess.
  206W
  The National Assembly for Wales will be responding separately. In the meantime, I would like to outline the key elements of our response.

  The Government welcome the Review, which we consider to be a major contribution to the development of modern policies on salmon and freshwater fisheries. It endorses the Review's recommendations on the rationale for Government involvement in the conservation and management of salmon and freshwater fish and accepts the great majority of the Review's recommendations relating to salmon and freshwater fisheries legislation. When parliamentary time permits the Government intend to introduce proposals for new salmon and freshwater fisheries legislation to implement the agreed changes.

  The Review recommends a substantial increase in grant-in-aid to fund the Environment Agency's fisheries function. The Government have considered this recommendation with particular care. We note that pressures on the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food budget made it necessary to reduce grant-in-aid in England by £1.5 million in 2001–02; grant-in-aid paid to the Agency by the Ministry next year will therefore fall to £3.2 million.

  The Government have, however, now decided, in the light of the Review's recommendation, to increase grant-in-aid in England by £3 million a year for the years 2002–03 and 2003–04; this will mean that grant-in-aid for each of these years will be set at £6.2 million—an increase of 30 per cent. on the level of grant-in-aid in the current year. It will be for the Environment Agency to decide how these additional funds should be spent, but the Government have identified two priority areas: conserving and restoring salmon stocks and improving controls over unauthorised transfers of coarse and non-native fish.

  Salmon stocks in England are currently at historic low levels and the Agency will use the extra funds to further the implementation of the Salmon Action Plans on all 47 main salmon rivers in England, with the aim of increasing the number of rivers in which salmon stocks meet the conservation limit.

  Coarse fish imported illegally from outside the UK and unauthorised fish transfers can spread fish diseases to wild stocks; unauthorised introduction into waters in England of non-native fish species also poses a threat to native species and to biodiversity. The Agency will aim to secure a significant reduction in the number of unauthorised transfers of fish.

  In allocating additional grant-in-aid to the Environment Agency the Government accept the Review's conclusion that the Envionment Agency's fisheries functions continue to be funded from both grant-in-aid and rod and net licence income. We also endorse the Review Group's view that the Agency's work on coarse fish and on trout should benefit from grant-in-aid, in particular when new work is being undertaken. We expect the Agency to devote around one third of the £3 million increase in grant-in-aid to work on coarse fish.

  As the Review Group points out, Government spending on salmon and freshwater fisheries is not restricted to Environment Agency Grant-in-Aid; these fisheries also benefit substantially from other forms of Government expenditure. Projects for habitat improvement and to

  207W
  develop salmon and freshwater fisheries are, for example, eligible for assistance under agri-environment schemes and the England Rural Development Programme. The Environment Agency and Sport England are continuing to liaise closely to identify any specific projects where two organisations can collaborate together.

  The Review recommends that the existing phase out of mixed stock salmon net fisheries should be accelerated by offering compensation to netsmen to encourage them to leave these fisheries on a voluntary basis as soon as possible. It also recommends that the Government should provide substantial pump-priming funds to launch the necessary compensation arrangements.

  The Government welcome the Review's endorsement of its policy on mixed stock fisheries. We agree that it would be desirable to speed up the current phase out, on a voluntary basis, and have decided to contribute to the cost involved. We will contribute a maximum of £750,000 for this purpose, payable in the years 2002–03 and 2003–04. However, the Government share the Review Group's view that those who benefit from the phasing out of mixed stock fisheries, particularly riparian owners and anglers in both England and Scotland should contribute a major share of the cost. The Government's contribution to the costs of a compensation scheme will, therefore, be conditional on private interests raising a matching sum.

  The Government will discuss the details of the proposed compensation scheme with interested parties. We propose that the scheme should initially focus on the largest mixed stock fishery, the north-east salmon drift net fishery.

  The Review contains a number of recommendations on angling close seasons; these attracted more comments than any other changes proposed by the Review Group. A substantial majority of these expressed opposition to the recommendation that the coarse fish close season should be abolished on rivers. The Government endorse the general approach on close seasons proposed by the Review Group, and have already, in line with the Group's recommendations, confirmed byelaws lifting the close season in most canals. As to the coarse fish close season on rivers, the Government agree with the Environment Agency's view that any change to the coarse fish close season on rivers should be based on science, that at present there is inadequate information on rivers and that no decision on lifting the close season should be considered until further evidence is available.

  The Review makes recommendations on a variety of other matters that can affect the conservation of fish in freshwater, including agriculture, forestry, water abstraction, land drainage and flood defence, and predation, most of which the Government have accepted.

  A number of the recommendations, in the Review relate to the duties of the Environment Agency. The Government note that the Agency is currently subject to a Financial, Management and Policy Review. This will be a comprehensive review that will ask fundamental questions on the purpose, functions and organisation of the Agency. In these circumstances, the Government have not yet reached a decision on the recommendations in question; we will determine our response to them in the light of the outcome of the FMPR.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  New Millennium Experience Company
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he was informed that the directors of the New Millennium Experience Company had applied for indemnities against actions regarding unlawful trading. [141409]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 11 December 2000]: On 15 June DCMS officials informed my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State of my Department's intention to provide a letter of indemnity to the Directors of the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC). A copy of the letter of indemnity signed by my Permanent Secretary on 21 June has been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Regional Cultural Consortiums
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with the regional cultural consortiums regarding initiatives to promote British museums and heritage abroad. [143121]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. Friend has had no discussions on this issue.

  The Regional Cultural Consortiums are independent advisory bodies providing a focus for each region's cultural and creative interests. They are currently developing cultural strategies to be published in the first half of next year. Each strategy will identify the priorities for that region's cultural development over the next few years. Museums and heritage issues will be included. The Consortiums are working closely with Regional Development Agencies to support their strategies and further the economic prosperity of each region.

  Concessionary Television Licences
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if residents of the Channel Islands are eligible for concessionary television licences. [143522]

  Janet Anderson
  Residents of the Channel Islands are eligible for the £5 Accommodation for Residential Care television licence scheme and the 50 per cent. reduction in the licence fee for registered blind people. They are not currently eligible for free television licences for the over-75s, though the Guernsey authorities have announced their intention in principle to introduce such a concession. Unlike the Accommodation for Residential Care scheme and the reduction for blind people, which are funded from within the television licensing system, the cost of the over-75 concession is met from public funds. Whether or not to fund such a concession in the Channel Islands is therefore a matter for the Island authorities.

  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many applications have been received for the concessionary television licence scheme. [143526]
  209W
  Janet Anderson
  I take it that the hon. Member has in mind free television licences for people aged 75 or over, which came into force on 1 November. Approximately 3.1 million applications have been received for this concession, of which 210,000 are from people under 75 applying in advance.

  Press Complaints Commission
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many complaints were made in the last 12 months to the Press Complaints Commission; and how many of these complaints were upheld. [143615]

  Janet Anderson
  As part of the newspaper industry's system of self regulation, the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) operates independently of Government, producing its own Quarterly and Annual reports which are publicly available. Figures for the whole of the year 2000 are not yet available, but figures from the Commission's Quarterly reports for the period January to September are given as follows:

  Number

  Total number of complaints1 of which:

  1,635

  Cases falling outside the PCC's remit

  343

  Cases disallowed on grounds of unjustified delay

  85

  Cases which do not breach the industry's Code of Practice

  673

  Third party complaints

  87

  Cases resolved to the satisfaction of the complainant

  381

  Cases adjudicated on of which:

  66

  Number of adjudications upheld

  22

  Number of adjudications rejected

  44

  1January to September

  Works of Art
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the 1999–2000 Annual report of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art will be published. [143896]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  The Reviewing Committee's Annual Report for 1999–2000 has been published today and copies have been laid before Parliament.

  BBC World
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport for what reason issues relating to BBC World were not addressed in the Communications White Paper; and if he will make a statement in respect of his policy towards BBC World. [143406]

  Janet Anderson
  The Communications White Paper was concerned with the overarching framework in which both the BBC's public services and its commercial services, such as BBC World, operate.

  BBC World is run by the BBC's commercial arm, BBC Worldwide. The future of BBC World is a matter for the BBC, but the BBC Governors announced earlier this year that the service would remain at the heart of the Corporation's global strategy.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Democratic Republic of the Congo
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what humanitarian assistance is being provided to the Democratic Republic of the Congo(a) bilaterally and (b) via the European Union; and if she will make a statement. [142483]

  Clare Short
  The UK has provided over £1.3 million in humanitarian assistance to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in 1999–2000, in the fields of health and nutrition, reintegration activities and assistance to refugees. The EU (through the European Community Humanitarian Office) is providing 20 million euros of humanitarian assistance to DRC this year. UK share of which is approximately 3.6 million euros.

  The war in the DRC has caused untold suffering and damage to the region. The UK will continue to provide much-needed humanitarian assistance there. We continue to support the Lusaka Peace Agreement, as the political means to end the conflict. The UK is contributing people and money to support the peace-keeping and political aspects of the Agreement; we have provided six British Military Liaison Officers to the UN observer operation for DRC, and funding for the Joint Military Commission (responsible for supervising the cease-fire and military disengagement) and the National Dialogue, which is intended to lay the foundations for free and fair elections in DRC and national reconciliation. We have also provided an expert to support the talks Facilitator, former President of Botswana, Sir Ketumile Masire.

  Vacuum Aspirators
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funds her Department has provided to support the purchase and use of manual vacuum aspirators in primary health clinics and refugee camps in the developing world. [143266]

  Clare Short
  The Department for International Development has provided funding in the region of –2.3 million to reproductive health programmes that include support for the purchase and training for health staff in the use of manual vacuum aspirators.

  Globalisation White Paper
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development for what reason she did not make a statement to the House on the publication of her Globalisation White Paper. [143265]

  Clare Short
  A written PQ announcing the Government's White Paper was answered on 11 December 2000,Official Report, column 19W.

CABINET OFFICE

  British-Irish Council
  Ms Kelly
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) if she will make a statement on the progress being made on the British-Irish Council; [141758]
  211W
  (2) if she will make a statement on the progress being made on the British-Irish Council. [141767]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  British-Irish Council Environment Ministers met in London on 2 October to pursue the Council's work in this area. Ministers met in Belfast yesterday to discuss transport matters. There have also been official-level meetings to take forward work on the Council's other priority issues: drugs, social inclusion, and the knowledge economy.

  While a date has not yet been identified for the next summit-level meeting of the BIC (postponed following the death of the right hon. Donald Dewar MP MSP, First Minister of the Scottish Executive), this is likely to take place early in the new year.

  Non-departmental Public Bodies
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which task forces, reviews and ad hoc bodies created before December 1998 and named in the list which she deposited in the Library on 27 July have been(a) disbanded, (b) converted into a non-departmental public body and (c) continue to operate in the same form. [143626]

  Mr. Stringer
  I refer the right hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bethnal Green and Bow (Ms King) on 18 December 2000,Official Report, column 47W.

  Departmental Advertising
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will list for(a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99, (d) 1999–2000 and (e) 2000–01, (i) her 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 she has made of the effectiveness of each campaign based on these criteria. [142708]

  Mr. Stringer
  The advertising spend for the Cabinet Office for the years 1997–2000 is listed as follows according to each campaign. Owing to changes in accounting systems the paid advertising figures for 1996–97 have to be recalculated, and I will write to the hon. Member with this information.

  It is normal practice that the effectiveness of a campaign is only evaluated when the total cost of the campaign is over £250,000, as the cost of the research would otherwise be disproportionate to the total cost of the campaign. Only one of the Cabinet Office campaigns reached this threshold, and the effectiveness criteria were as set out.

  Assessing the Effectiveness of the Millennium Bug Campaigns

  The effectiveness of the June and November 1999 publicity campaigns was assessed via an on-going tracking study set up to measure awareness of, and attitudes to, the Millennium Bug. This study ran on a monthly basis through-out 1999 and a nationally representative sample of around 2000 adults aged 16+ were interviewed per month.
  212W
  Using the tracking study we were able to compare pre and post campaign waves of research to assess the effectiveness of each burst of publicity. The campaign was assessed in terms of:

  recall of publicity

  prompted recognition of campaign materials

  advertising communication

  readership and reactions to the booklet

  effect on attitudes towards the Bug.

  Cabinet office billing

  £

  COI Reference

  Campaign Title

  Amount

  2000–01

  JBK00054

  GICS Recruitment

  50,749

  JMV00138

  Fuel Crisis Information

  9,984

  JRA00072

  Cabinet Office Fast Stream Recruitment

  121,009

  Total

  181,742

  1999–2000

  JAM99057

  Action 2000 Public Awareness

  4,303,551

  JRA99066

  Cabinet Office Fast Stream Recruitment

  82,266

  JBK99095

  Civil Service Pension Scheme

  906

  JBK99029

  GICS Recruitment

  9,849

  Total

  4,396,572

  1998–99

  JBK98034

  GICS Recruitment

  23,610

  JBK98046

  Party Political Funding

  1,513

  JBK98148

  Commissioner for Public Appointments

  7,272

  Total

  32,395

  1997–98

  JDG96018

  Chartermark Awards

  4,297

  JOM96041

  Open Government

  70,658

  JBK96061

  Nolan Committee

  21,618

  JDG96121/141

  Chartermark Literature

  103,262

  Total

  199,835

  Note:

  All figures include COI loading, and exclude VAT

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Home Detention Curfew Scheme
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for the period between the commencement of the Home Detention Curfew scheme and 30 November inclusive,(a) the total number of prisoners released on the scheme, (b) the number of prisoners convicted of each specific offence who were released on the scheme, with a breakdown of the offences committed, including specific offences committed by prisoners normally classified under the categories (i) other homicide and attempted homicide, (ii) other violence against the person, (iii) drug offences, (iv) assaults and (v) other offences, including a breakdown of the prisoners normally classified in the sub-category of other offences called other offences, (c) the average sentence (i) received and (ii) served, and the average period spent on the scheme, in respect of each specific offence, (d) the number of prisoners released on the scheme, with a breakdown of the offences committed, who (i) breached the conditions of the curfew, (ii) disappeared and were recaptured, (iii) disappeared and remain unlawfully at large and (iv) had their licences revoked, and for what

  213W
  reasons, (e) a breakdown of the specific offences committed by prisoners released on the scheme while on the scheme, including all offences committed by prisoners who committed more than one offence and (f) a breakdown of the specific offences committed by prisoners released on the scheme who committed a further offence while on the scheme that was similar in character to that for which they were originally convicted, including all offences committed by prisoners who committed more than one offence; and if he will make a statement. [141714]

  Mr. Boateng
  [holding answer 11 December, 2000]: The information provided in this answer is for the period up to 30 November 2000. As of that date, a total of 29,253 prisoners had been placed on Home Detention Curfew since the scheme commenced on 28 January 1999.

  The original offences committed by prisoners released under the scheme during the period, the number of prisoners convicted of each specific offence, the average sentence received and served for those offences, and the average period spent on the scheme in respect of prisoners convicted of each specific offence are shown in Table 1. The data are taken from the Prison Service's inmate information system, based on the data recorded by each prison. The table provides as detailed a breakdown as is possible from central records.

  As at 30 November, a total of 1,019 prisoners placed on the scheme had breached the conditions of their curfew. A breakdown of this number showing the original offences committed by those curfewees is shown in Table 2. My answer of 13 November 2000, Official Report, column 535W, indicated that the total at 30 September was 854. This was erroneous; the correct figure was 949, as indicated in the table which was referred to in the answer and placed in the Library on that date.

  Information on curfewees whose licences are revoked and who disappear before being recaptured is not held centrally. However, information is held on the number of curfewees unlawfully at large at any one time. On 30 November, there were 58 curfewees who remained unlawfully at large. This represents fewer than 4 per cent. of the total number of revocations.

  Details of the offences committed by those 58 curfewees who remained unlawfully at large on 30 November 2000 can be found in Table 3.

  As at 30 November 2000, 1,418 curfewees had their licences revoked, using the powers available to the Secretary of State under sections 38A(1) and 39 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991. The reasons for revocation were as follows:
  breach of the curfew (section 38A(1)(a) of the Criminal Justice Act 1991);
  the curfewee's whereabouts could no longer be electronically monitored (section 38A(1)(b) of the Criminal Justice Act 1991);
  it was necessary to protect the public from serious harm (section 38A(1)(c) of the Criminal Justice Act 1991); and
  the curfewee had committed an offence or breached any other requirement of probation supervision (section 39 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991). Curfewees who are charged with a new offence may also be recalled on any of the preceding grounds depending upon the circumstances of the case.
  214W
  Prisoners whose current sentence is in respect of an offence committed before 1 January 1999 are not liable to be recalled under section 39 of the Act. In such cases, where the curfewee has breached the requirements of probation supervision or where they have committed a further offence and it has not been possible to revoke their licence under section 38A of the Act, the breach may be referred to the courts under section 38(1) of the Act. The total number of such cases referred to the courts is not held centrally.

  A breakdown of the original offences committed by the 1,418 recalled curfewees, together with a breakdown of the reasons for their recall, is at Table 4.

  Table 5 gives a breakdown of the cases where a prisoner placed on Home Detention Curfew is known to have been convicted, cautioned in respect of an offence committed while on Home Detention Curfew, or where a prisoner is known to be pending prosecution for such an offence. Where a curfewee has been charged with more than one offence, these have been shown separately.

  Table 6 gives a breakdown of cases involving prisoners placed on the scheme who are known to have been convicted, cautioned or have a prosecution pending in respect of an offence committed while on Home Detention Curfew which is similar in character to the index offence or offences for which they were originally convicted.

  The scheme is designed to ensure a better transition for short-term offenders between custody and the community. Prisoners are placed on Home Detention Curfew only after a careful risk assessment and the safety of the public is paramount at all times.

  Tables 1–6 have been placed in the Library.

  Juvenile Offenders
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many juvenile offenders from Wales were sent to custody in England during the past 12 months or for the most recent period for which figures are available. [142705]

  Mr. Boateng
  Since 1 April 2000 the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales has taken over the commissioning and purchasing of secure places for juveniles. It does not keep records of the number of young people from Wales who have been sent to custody in England. However, they have been able to provide the following information. Since 1 April 2000, 259 young people who offended in Wales were booked into secure accommodation. Of these, 17 bookings were in Wales (at Hillside).

  The Board aim to expand capacity in Wales by 2003–04 through its commissioning strategy. It is currently examining possible sites and is also in discussion with the Prison Service.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter (ref. 19449/0). [142733]
  215W
  Mrs. Roche
  [holding answer 11 December 2000]: I wrote to the hon. Member about this matter on 18 December 2000. A copy of the letter has been placed in the Library.

  Police (Avon and Somerset)
  Mr. Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police stations have(a) opened and (b) closed in Avon and Somerset in each year since 1979. [142861]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the question from the hon. Member for South Suffolk, (Mr. Yeo) on 13 November 2000,Official Report, column 539W.

  Asylum Support Vouchers
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in the review of the voucher support system being conducted by the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche), what consideration is being given(a) to the Immigration and Nationality Directorate's aim of making the UK a less attractive destination for economic migrants by limiting the benefits available to them and making the conditions attached to such benefits more restrictive; and (b) the aim of making minimal cash payments to asylum seekers, as stated in the IND Business Plan for 2000–01; what plans he has to amend these aims; and if he will make a statement. [142790]

  Mrs. Roche
  [holding answer 14 December 2000]: The review I am conducting is of the operation of the voucher scheme for destitute asylum seekers, looking at the evidence for the various criticisms that have been levelled at the scheme. Our asylum policy it aimed at ensuring that we fully discharge our international commitments to genuine asylum seekers, while at the same time minimising the attractiveness of the United Kingdom for those whose applications for asylum are unfounded. In determining what action to take Ls a result of the vouchers' review, we shall have regard to this aim. We have no plans to change the Immigration and Nationality Directorate's Business Plan at this stage.

  Immigration Officers
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about his policy of charging ports for the services of immigration officers. [142805]

  Mrs. Roche
  [holding answer 14 December 2000]: The power to charge for the provision of additional immigration officers is contained within section 9(4) of the Immigration Act 1988.

  Section 26 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 will, upon commencement, replace section 9(4) of the Immigration Act 1988. It is designed to clarify existing provisions by providing for charges to be made for immigration officers in addition to those needed to provide a basic service. The "basic service", the definition of which is to be prescribed in Regulations, will provide a baseline against which additional services might be measured.
  216W
  The definition of "basic service" is yet to be determined, and is the subject of ongoing consultation with industry.

  Implementation of the provision will not be effected before April 2002.

  Court Orders
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) reparation orders, (b) parenting orders, (c) child safety orders and (d) action plan orders have been granted by the courts under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998; how many orders in each category have been (i) breached and (ii) revoked; and if he will make a statement. [143008]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The latest information available from the Youth Justice Board on the number of orders made under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 is set out in the table. It covers the period from April to October 2000 and is drawn from the statistical returns so far received from 130 of the 154 youth offending teams across England and Wales.

  Further to my answer of 25 October 1999, Official Report, column 685W, I will write to the hon. Member with the further information he requested about breaches of parenting orders as soon as it becomes available.

  April-October 2000

  Number of orders made

  Parenting Order:

  Crime

  297

  Other

  112

  Reparation Order

  2,148

  Action Plan Order

  2,408

  Child Safety Order

  0

  Police Stations
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the police stations in the Metropolitan Police area which closed in(a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000. [142986]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  [holding answer 15 December 2000]: The decision to close police facilities is an operational matter for the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. I understand from the Commissioner that the following police stations have been closed:
  1997

  Chadwell Heath

  Ham

  Hendon

  New Malden

  Nine Elms

  Tottenham Court Road

  West Hendon

  1998

  Brockley

  Earlsfield

  Northwood

  Winchmore Hill

  Worcester Park

  217W
  1999

  Arbour Square

  Barnes

  Biggin Hill

  Camberwell

  Chislehurst

  Collier Row

  Highgate

  Holborn

  Lee Road

  Muswell Hill

  St. Ann's Road

  Tower Bridge

  Westcombe Park

  2000

  Brentford

  Edgware

  Erith

  St. Mary's Cray

  Pinner

  Wealdstone

  Welling.

  The general position for England and Wales in total was given in a reply given to a question from the hon. Member for South Suffolk, (Mr. Yeo) on 13 November 2000, Official Report, column 539W.

  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police stations open to the public there were in England and Wales on 1 December; and how many there were in(a) 1999, (b) 1998 and (c) 1997. [142987]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  [holding answer 15 December 2000]: I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for South Suffolk, (Mr. Yeo) on 13 November 2000, Official Report, column 539W.

  Former Prison Inmates
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy that when a hostel in an hon. Member's constituency is to be used for the housing of high-risk former prison inmates, that the hon. Member will be informed of this intention; and if he will make a statement. [143424]

  Mr. Boateng
  The planning and establishment of hostel accommodation for offenders, including those assessed as potentially high risk, is carried out by the agency responsible for management of the facility. As part of this process, it is recognised as good practice that the hon. Member for the constituency where the accommodation is located will be informed of the development, and that the hon. Member's views on the development will be taken into consideration.

  Rape
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by court and case number and initial of offender those cases where a person who had been jailed as a result of a charge of rape under 218W
  (a) remand and (b) sentence was freed from prison due to the withdrawal 14f the accusation of rape by the accuser. [143425]

  Mr. Boateng
  I regret the information is not available and could not be obtained except at disproportionate cost.

  West Midlands Police
  Mr. Bailey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to improve the resourcing of the West Midlands police. [143111]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has recently announced the provisional police funding settlement for 2001–02. Under the settlement, West Midlands police authority is set to receive central Government supported funding of £409.8 million, an increase of £17.1 million or 4.3 per cent. over 2000–01. West Midlands will also receive in 2001–02 (on present estimates) £6.87 million from the Crime Fighting Fund (CFF) in addition to the £2.67 million expected in 2000–01. Details of funding for 2002–03 is not yet available but will include the annual cost of earlier recruitment under the fund. The CFF is a targeted initiative that will allow forces to recruit additional officers over and above any previously planned recruitment levels. Under this scheme the West Midlands will be able to recruit an additional 523 officers over the years 2000–01 to 2002–03. There is flexibility within the CFF for forces to accelerate or defer part of their allocation between 2000–01 and 2001–02. West Midlands police have bid to accelerate 49 CFF recruits from their 2001–02 allocation into 2000–01. Funding for the CFF is provisional and is dependent on forces meeting the continuation criteria.

  West Midlands police authority has also benefited this year from a £3.3 million grant from the £20 million anti-robbery fund, a targeted initiative to tackle robbery in metropolitan areas.

  Dangerous Dogs
  Mr. Bailey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to resist pressure by the German Government on the European Union to have the Staffordshire bull terrier classified as a dangerous breed of dog. [143113]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The United Kingdom Government is opposed to European Union legislation on dangerous dogs. We also consider that current United Kingdom law, in the form of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 (as amended in 1997), is adequate for present and future control needs in this country.

  While it is true that the German Government did press for European Union legislation on the subject of dangerous dogs, in the absence of any proposals, it is not clear precisely what types of dogs would have been affected. However, following a related discussion at a meeting in September of the European Union's Judicial Home Affairs Council, it seems unlikely that the matter will progress.

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in his
  219W
  discussions with the Department of Trade and Industry on lengths of time for animal experiment project licence applications; and if he will make a statement. [143405]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  This Government fully accept that the progress of scientific research and the development of new drugs and medical technologies depend on the use of animals and I am well aware of concerns about the level of regulation under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. I am keen to look at ways of reducing this, but only where it will not compromise animal welfare. The regulation is in place to create the right balance between protecting animals and ensuring that the United Kingdom science and biotechnology industry is able to move forward.

  Home Office officials have been working closely with those from the Department of Trade and Industry and representatives of the scientific community in the working group dealing with animal experimentation chaired by the Minister for Science as part of the Prime Minister's pharmaceutical industry competitiveness task force. I understand that he will be reporting to the Prime Minister on this shortly.

  In the course of these discussions, the local ethical review processes have been identified as a significant source of delay in many instances in the processing of applications for project licences under the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. The working group has been examining how the operation of the local ethical review processes can be made more efficient in licensed establishments.

  In this context, I announced that I have asked the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate to carry out a review of the ethical review processes, 1 November 2000, Official Report, column 517W. The Inspectorate has been asked to report by the middle of 2001. In addition, a note is about to be issued to establishments restating Home Office requirements and expectations as regards the local ethical review processes. This is intended to provide insights into current practice that certificate holders and others may wish to take into account when reviewing the efficiency and effectiveness of their own processes.

  Immigration
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what standard questions are put to non-EU nationals with permanent residence in the United Kingdom when they re-enter through United Kingdom ports. [143410]

  Mrs. Roche
  While the questions put by immigration officers will vary, the purpose and direction of the examination will be to establish that the non-European Union national qualifies for readmission under paragraph 18 of the Immigration Rules, HC 395, which states that the immigration officer must be satisfied that the person concerned:Had indefinite leave to enter or remain at the time he last left the United Kingdom; and
  Has not been absent from the United Kingdom for a continuous period of more than two years; and
  Did not receive assistance from public funds towards the cost of leaving the United Kingdom; and
  Is seeking readmission as a returning resident.

  Metropolitan Police (Islington)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total expenditure by the Metropolitan Police in Islington was, how many serving officers there were and what the establishment level authorised was, in each of the past five years; and what the equivalent figures are projected to be for 2001–02. [143402]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis has provided information on the budget for the latest two years, but is unable to provide information on the budget before 1999–2000 due to the amalgamation of the Islington and Holloway divisions in October 1999. He is, however, able to provide information on police numbers for each year since December 1997.

  It is not possible for the Commissioner to provide information about the divisional budget or for its target total for police numbers for 2001–02 until the Metropolitan Police Authority has set the budget for the force as a whole.

  The available information is set out in the table.

  Islington Borough Division

  Year

  Budget allocation1 (£million)

  Target strength

  Actual strength2

  1997–98

  3—

  574

  552

  1998–99

  3—

  564

  539

  1999–2000

  28.9

  544

  512

  2000–01

  29.2

  554

  545

  1The budget allocation consists of all pay and pension costs for police and civil staff, cross charges (administrative and support departments) and all other operating costs.

  2Actual police strength numbers are those for December of each year.

  3 Not available

  EU Citizenship
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment he has made of the impact on British subjects of the legal status and definition of EU citizenship; [143585]

  (2) what recent representations he has received concerning the legal status and definition of EU citizenship. [143584]

  Mrs. Roche
  We are aware of having received two letters on this subject.

  Article 17 of the Treaty establishing the European Community makes it clear that European Union citizenship complements, but does not replace, national citizenship.

  Subject to the conditions set out in the Treaty, citizenship of the European Union confers four special rights on nationals of the member states:
  freedom to move and take up residence anywhere in the Union;
  the right to vote and stand in local government and European Parliament elections in the country of residence;
  diplomatic and consular protection from the authorities of any member state where the country of which a person is a national is not represented in a non-Union country; and
  the right of petition and appeal to the European Parliament and Ombudsman.
  221W
  The United Kingdom first declared in 1971, and repeated in 1982, that only those British nationals holding right of abode in the United Kingdom and Gibraltar were to be regarded as holding British nationality for European Union purposes.

  Criminal Records
  Gillian Merron
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what guidelines he will publish in respect of the Criminal Records Bureau for(a) employers, (b) employees and (c) service users; [143630]

  (2) what the dates are, in respect of the Criminal Records Bureau, for the commencement of (a) registration of employers, (b) high level checks for work involving contact with young children and (c) remaining service provision; [143628]

  (3) if he will make a statement on the procedure for applying for a certificate from the Criminal Records Bureau; [143631]

  (4) when the Criminal Records Bureau will be fully operational; [143627]

  (5) what the (a) format, (b) estimated cost and (c) estimated time from request to provision of certificates will be from the Criminal Records Bureau. [143629]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) will provide three levels of disclosure—Basic, Standard and Enhanced. In all cases, application may be made only by the individual in question. In a Basic level case, the individual may apply directly to the CRB. In other cases, the application must be endorsed by a person registered with the CRB for this purpose, whose function at this stage is to confirm that the application meets the relevant criteria. Often, this will be an employer or a voluntary organisation, but it may be someone acting on their behalf.

  It is expected that the registration process will commence in April, that the issue of Standard and Enhanced disclosures (which will principally relate to persons working with children and vulnerable adults) will start next summer, and that the issue of Basic level disclosures will begin in the summer of 2002, when the CRB will be fully operational.

  Disclosure documents will be distinctive in appearance, will set out the information as clearly as possible, and will incorporate measures to reduce the risk of forgery. Work is continuing to determine the costs of the Bureau, and the level of fees. The Bureau will operate to demanding service standards, including the time taken to supply documents. Standards will be set as soon as possible, and will be made public. Guidance will be produced for employers, employees and others using the CRB's service. This will explain how the service will operate, the importance of safeguarding personal information, how the CRB's service can supplement good recruitment practice, and the arrangements for any appeal or complaint.

  Asylum Seekers
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his timetable is for the review of vouchers for asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement. [143638]
  222W
  Mrs. Roche
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hampstead and Highgate (Ms Jackson) on 27 November 2000,Official Report, column 446W.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to change the rules governing asylum seekers' ability to undertake(a) voluntary work and (b) paid employment; and if he will make a statement. [141705]

  Mrs. Roche
  [pursuant to her reply, 11 December 2000, c. 51W]: The answer should have read that I have no plans to limit the ability of asylum seekers to undertake unpaid voluntary work rather than "paid" voluntary work as given in my original reply.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  SERPs
  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 13 December 2000,Official Report, columns 132–33W, for each month between April 1999 and November 2000 to how many pensioners arrears were paid; what was the amount of arrears paid; and what was the average number of weeks of arrears that fell to be paid to each pensioner. [143267]

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

  Month

  Pension arrears paid (£)

  Number of pensioners

  April/May 1999

  478,979

  1,522

  June 1999

  2,598,954

  12,256

  July 1999

  2,358,507

  9,580

  August 1999

  2,990,594

  10,567

  September 1999

  1,990,580

  7,557

  October 1999

  6,728,176

  12,082

  November 1999

  4,153,782

  12,191

  December 1999

  2,619,020

  10,273

  January 2000

  2,974,503

  7,958

  February 2000

  2,575,161

  6,740

  March 2000

  2,229,035

  5,279

  April 2000

  2,043,878

  5,168

  May 2000

  2,121,227

  6,814

  June 2000

  2,102,673

  5,264

  July 2000

  1,374,305

  5,103

  August 2000

  1,600,579

  4,733

  September 2000

  1,825,299

  4,377

  October 2000

  2,344,819

  5,142

  November 2000

  2,053,352

  4,625

  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answers of 13 December 2000,Official Report, columns 132–33W, what the total amount of interest foregone by pensioners on late payment of pensions was in each six month period from January 1997 assuming Bank of England base rate of interest on deposits had been obtained. [143150]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is in the table. No information is available prior to April 1999.
  223W

  Period

  Value of lost interest (£)

  April 1999–September 1999

  700,000

  October 1999–March 2000

  900,000

  April 2000–September 2000

  200,000

  October 2000–November 2000

  100,000

  The potential loss of interest of £1.9 million has been redressed by the payment of compensation of over £2.7 million under the special £10 scheme announced in February 1999 and the DSS Special Payments Scheme.

  Working Age Agency
  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the Working Age Agency will be established. [143254]

  Angela Eagle
  I refer my hon. Friend to the announcement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 16 March 2000,Official Report, columns 257–58W, that the Working Age Agency will be established during 2001.

  Non-departmental Public Bodies
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what directions overriding a note of dissent by an accounting officer have been given since May 1997 by the boards of non-departmental public bodies within his Department's remit; and if he will place details of such directions in the Library. [143541]

  Angela Eagle
  There have been no such directions.

  Stakeholder Pensions
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action he will take to ensure local authorities are allowed to offer stakeholder pensions to employees within the local government pension scheme. [143505]

  Mr. Rooker
  The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions is responsible for the regulation of the Local Government Pension Scheme. As every local government employee has the right to join the Local Government Pension Scheme, participating employers are not required to offer their employees access to a stakeholder pension. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions will consider any proposals from local government to give Local Government Pension Scheme employers the choice of offering their employees access to a stakeholder pension under the rules relating to concurrency. It is of course possible for members of the Local Government Pension Scheme to take out Stakeholder Pensions individually within the same rules.

  Winter Fuel Payments
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many pensioners have not yet received this year's winter fuel payment; [143512]

  (2) how many men between the ages of 60 and 64 years have not yet received this year's winter fuel payment; [143511]
  224W
  (3) how many of this year's winter fuel payments were sent out to pensioners by 18 December; and how many were outstanding. [143625]

  Mr. Rooker
  Around 11 million were issued before 18 December.

  All automatic payments have been issued, where a clear entitlement has been established, as have payments in respect of claims determined by 9 November. Claims can be made at any time and payment will be made thereafter.

  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assumptions he has made about the level of next year's Winter Fuel Payment in calculating next year's planned expenditure. [143527]

  Mr. Rooker
  The level of the Winter Fuel Payment for next winter (2001–02) is set out in The Social Fund Winter Fuel Payment and Maternity and Funeral Expenses (General) Amendment Regulations 2000, and is included in the Government's spending plans.

  Pensions
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many British nationals living abroad are in receipt of a British state retirement pension. [143614]

  Mr. Rooker
  There are about 839,000 pensioners living abroad in receipt of a UK state retirement pension.

  Notes:

  1. Figure rounded to nearest thousand.

  2. Figure is not confined to British nationals. UK retirement pension is paid to those who satisfy the relevant conditions.

  Source:

  5 per cent. sample from the Pensions Strategy Computer System at 31 March 2000.

  Personal Pensions
  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people have contracted back into SERPS from COMPS—contracted out money purchase schemes—and approved personal pensions in each of the last three years; and how many COMPS there were in each of the last three years. [143367]

  Mr. Rooker
  We cannot answer the first part of the hon. Member's question as information from NIRS2 will not be available until mid-2001. The answer to the second part is in the following table.

  The number of contracted-out money purchase schemes for each of the last three years

  Date

  Number of COMP schemes

  1 November 1998

  6,472

  1 November 1999

  4,254

  1 November 2000

  3,189

  Source:

  Inland Revenue National Insurance Contributions Office.

  Pension Rebates
  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans the Government have to change the 9 per cent. cap on SERPS pension rebates. [143365]
  225W
  Mr. Rooker
  The cap on age-related rebates to those in Contracted-out Money Purchase Schemes and Appropriate Personal Pensions is one of the issues my hon. Friend the Secretary of State will address in his report on the level of rebates for the five years beginning April 2002 which will be published next year.

  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the effect of the 9 per cent. cap on the contracting out decisions of people from SERPS. [143366]

  Mr. Rooker
  Age-related National Insurance rebates to members of Contracted-out Money Purchase Schemes and to Appropriate Personal Pensions are currently capped at 9 per cent. of earnings between the Lower and Upper Earnings Limits to restrain the costs to public finances. At that level it enables most people who were already contracted-out when age-related rebates were introduced to continue to stay in their pension scheme.

  Unclaimed Benefits
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the interest lost on late claimed and unclaimed social security benefits paid through post offices; and if he will make a statement. [143586]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is not available.

  Benefit Payments
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of using the LINK electronic banking network for the distribution of social security benefits to recipients who do not possess a bank account; [143580]

  (2) what discussions he has had with interested organisations and representative groups about the payment of social security benefits to recipients who are unlikely to have any form of bank account after the proposed change to the ACT system from 2003. [143587]

  Mr. Rooker
  When, in 2003, we move to paying benefits directly into bank accounts by Automated Credit Transfer (ACT), we recognise that there will be some people who will be unable to be paid by this method. For these, we are considering what alternative simple electronic money transmission system, which could be accessed at post offices, may be commercially available.

  We have had a number of approaches from organisations that are interested in providing this alternative payment system and have listened to their proposals on a commercial in confidence basis. No decisions have been made or agreements reached.

  As part of routine liaison with representative groups the Department has discussed a range of issues including how to pay those benefit recipients who are unable to be paid by ACT.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Funding
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of the planned total 226W
  increase in funding in each of the next three years will be met from (a) student fee contributions and (b) parental contributions. [142280]

  Mr. Wicks
  [holding answer 12 December 2000]: Publicly planned funding for higher education is to increase by £412 million in 2001–02, £268 million in 2002–03 and £298 million in 2003–04. The increases in contributions to fees by students or their parents on current planned fee income projections, taking into account increases in student numbers and inflation, are accrued to be £48 million, £26 million, and £24 million, representing 11.6 per cent. of the total increase in 2001–02, 9.7 per cent in 2002–03 and 8 per cent. in 2003–04.

  For the first time in over a decade there will be a real-terms increase in funding per student in 2001–02, which will be sustained in the following two years.

  Local Learning and Skills Councils
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the percentage of business representation on each of the 47 local Learning and Skills Councils. [142282]

  Mr. Wicks
  [holding answer 12 December 2000]: Of the members initially appointed to the 47 local Learning and Skills Councils, 46 per cent. have current or recent business experience. En a number of areas, vacancies have been left to allow for additional appointments over the coming months to strengthen further the representation of business people on local Councils, and the representation of other interests as appropriate. When all of these further appointments have been made, we expect that the overall 46 per cent. figure will remain broadly unchanged, and that business representation will be at least 40 per cent. on each local Learning and Skills Council. The initial and expected percentages for each individual local Learning and Skills Council, together with the number of vacancies left open for business people, are contained in the following table:

  Region/local LSC

  Current percentage of business people on local LSCs1

  Number of business vacancies

  Expected percentage of business people on local LSCs1

  South East

  Berkshire

  46

  1

  47

  Surrey

  43

  —

  40

  Kent/Medway

  43

  —

  40

  Oxford/Bucks/Milton Keynes

  40

  —

  40

  Hampshire/Isle of Wight

  43

  1

  47

  Sussex

  47

  —

  47

  East of England

  Bedfordshire

  47

  —

  47

  Cambridgeshire

  40

  —

  40

  Essex

  43

  —

  40

  Hertfordshire

  42

  1

  40

  Norfolk

  43

  —

  40

  Suffolk

  43

  1

  47

  North East

  Northumberland

  55

  1

  47

  Tyne and Wear

  50

  2

  53

  County Durham

  64

  —

  60

  Tees Valley

  36

  2

  40

  227W

  Region/local LSC

  Current percentage of business people on local LSCs1

  Number of business vacancies

  Expected percentage of business people on local LSCs1

  East Midlands

  Derbyshire

  46

  —

  40

  Leicestershire

  58

  1

  53

  Lincolnshire/Rutland

  50

  —

  47

  Northamptonshire

  31

  2

  40

  Nottinghamshire

  58

  —

  47

  West Midlands

  Birmingham and Solihull

  38

  2

  47

  The Black Country

  46

  1

  47

  Shropshire

  33

  3

  47

  Staffordshire

  47

  —

  47

  Coventry and Warwickshire

  42

  3

  53

  Hereford and Worcestershire

  36

  4

  53

  North West

  Lancashire

  40

  —

  40

  Greater Manchester

  53

  —

  53

  Cheshire/Warrington

  43

  1

  47

  Cumbria

  50

  —

  47

  Greater Merseyside

  47

  —

  47

  Yorkshire and the Humber

  Humberside

  50

  —

  47

  South Yorkshire

  38

  2

  47

  West Yorkshire

  50

  2

  53

  North Yorkshire

  38

  1

  40

  South West

  Gloucestershire

  46

  —

  40

  Wiltshire

  38

  1

  40

  Somerset

  38

  1

  40

  The West of England

  43

  —

  40

  Dorset

  50

  —

  47

  Devon and Cornwall

  33

  3

  47

  London

  London North

  43

  —

  40

  London East

  47

  —

  47

  London West

  64

  —

  60

  London Central

  69

  —

  60

  London South

  45

  1

  40

  Total

  46

  37

  46

  1These figures exclude local executive directors, as they are employees of the Learning and Skills Council.

  Autistic Spectrum Disorder
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the services and provision made available by his Department in England for those diagnosed with autistic spectrum disorder. [142845]

  SSA per pupil: 1997–98 to 2001–02

  £

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  LEA name

  Primary per 5–10 pupil

  Secondary per 11–15 pupil

  Primary per 5–10 pupil

  Secondary per 11–15 pupil

  Primary per 5–10 pupil

  Secondary per 11–15 pupil

  Primary per 5–10 pupil

  Secondary per 11–15 pupil

  Primary per 5–10 pupil

  Secondary per 11–15 pupil

  City of London

  3,017

  7,245

  3,094

  9,236

  3,341

  9,837

  3,394

  24,041

  3,348

  14,074

  Camden

  2,975

  3,740

  3,131

  3,947

  3,323

  4,132

  3,488

  4,353

  3,668

  4,537

  Greenwich

  2,810

  3,679

  2,967

  3,854

  3,148

  4,031

  3,286

  4,237

  3,434

  4,428

  Hackney

  3,179

  4,330

  3,327

  4,558

  3,514

  4,717

  3,662

  4,918

  3,815

  5,121

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  2,955

  3,827

  3,128

  4,081

  3,305

  4,262

  3,465

  4,446

  3,655

  4,624

  Islington

  2,999

  4,026

  3,168

  4,218

  3,364

  4,426

  3,543

  4,653

  3,719

  4,904

  228W
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  [holding answer 18 December 2000]: The Department does not make direct education provision for those with autistic spectrum disorders. It is for local education authorities, schools and other education and training providers to arrange suitable provision for all those with learning difficulties and disabilities, including those with autism, in collaboration, where appropriate, with other service providers from the statutory, voluntary and independent sectors. The Employment Service is responsible for helping those looking for work, including jobseekers who are disabled. Although there are no programmes specifically for people with autism, there are a range of mainstream and specialist disability programmes which can help people with the disorder.

  Commonwealth Education Ministers Conference
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the final UK delegation who attended the Commonwealth Education Ministers Conference at Halifax in November. [142849]

  Mr. Wicks
  [holding answer 18 December 2000]: The delegation was led by Mr. Jack McConnell, Minister for Education, Europe and External Affairs in the Scottish Parliament. It had 15 members, eight from the UK and seven from British overseas territories. Others were: Ms Gabriella Pieraccini, private secretary to Jack McConnell; Ms Elizabeth Williamson, Scottish Executive Education Department; Mr. Robert Mace, DfEE; Mr. John Aslen, DfEE; Ms Myra Harrison, DfID; Sir Tim Lankester, Deputy Chair, British Council; Mr. Geoffrey Caston, Chair, Commonwealth Scholarships Commission; the Honourable Milton Scott, Minister of Education, Bermuda; Ms Michelle Khaldun, permanent secretary to Mr. Scott; Ms Constance McHardy, Chief Education Officer, Bermuda; the Honourable J. A. Bodden, Minister of Education, Cayman Islands; Ms Joy Basdeo, permanent secretary to Mr. Bodden; the Honourable Clarence W. Selver, Minister of Education, Turks and Caicos Islands; and Mr. Oliver Mills, permanent secretary to Mr. Selver.

  I was also planning to attend but had to withdraw because of parliamentary business.

  Standard Spending Assessment
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list, for each local education authority in England, the proposed education standard spending assessment per(a) primary and (b) secondary pupil for 2001–02, together with the equivalent figures for each of the last five years. [142853]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The information requested is set out in the following table.
  229W

  SSA per pupil: 1997–98 to 2001–02

  £

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  LEA name

  Primary per 5–10 pupil

  Secondary per 11–15 pupil

  Primary per 5–10 pupil

  Secondary per 11–15 pupil

  Primary per 5–10 pupil

  Secondary per 11–15 pupil

  Primary per 5–10 pupil

  Secondary per 11–15 pupil

  Primary per 5–10 pupil

  Secondary per 11–15 pupil

  Kensington and Chelsea

  2,711

  3,630

  3,047

  3,946

  3,315

  4,127

  3,553

  4,364

  3,848

  4,563

  Lambeth

  3,107

  4,403

  3,307

  4,661

  3,521

  4,880

  3,678

  5,138

  3,845

  5,337

  Lewisham

  2,936

  3,889

  3,111

  4,088

  3,293

  4,273

  3,416

  4,439

  3,565

  4,632

  Southwark

  3,029

  4,029

  3,197

  4,191

  3,396

  4,377

  3,523

  4,568

  3,688

  4,777

  Tower Hamlets

  3,217

  4,261

  3,377

  4,434

  3,584

  4,620

  3,701

  4,799

  3,896

  5,040

  Wandsworth

  2,779

  3,670

  2,900

  3,797

  3,082

  3,947

  3,186

  4,101

  3,333

  4,251

  Westminster

  2,789

  3,578

  2,987

  3,741

  3,203

  3,912

  3,377

  4,096

  3,550

  4,271

  Barking/Dagenham

  2,429

  3,213

  2,561

  3,377

  2,693

  3,497

  2,803

  3,660

  2,962

  3,859

  Barnet

  2,300

  2,975

  2,429

  3,112

  2,556

  3,219

  2,664

  3,367

  2,819

  3,553

  Bexley

  2,206

  2,888

  2,331

  3,031

  2,448

  3,128

  2,535

  3,256

  2,672

  3,416

  Brent

  2,648

  3,578

  2,804

  3,710

  2,952

  3,843

  3,059

  3,980

  3,239

  4,183

  Bromley

  2,180

  2,839

  2,298

  2,965

  2,416

  3,061

  2,500

  3,179

  2,641

  3,350

  Croydon

  2,361

  3,125

  2,496

  3,288

  2,625

  3,414

  2,731

  3,559

  2,879

  3,751

  Ealing

  2,480

  3,330

  2,622

  3,503

  2,762

  3,616

  2,885

  3,786

  3,061

  3,995

  Enfield

  2,399

  3,131

  2,528

  3,260

  2,661

  3,369

  2,763

  3,511

  2,935

  3,725

  Haringey

  2,762

  3,721

  2,892

  3,849

  3,049

  3,977

  3,172

  4,160

  3,363

  4,380

  Harrow

  2,267

  3,000

  2,388

  3,148

  2,512

  3,266

  2,620

  3,412

  2,776

  3,630

  Havering

  2,176

  2,853

  2,293

  2,993

  2,406

  3,098

  2,494

  3,224

  2,633

  3,391

  Hillingdon

  2,262

  2,968

  2,399

  3,115

  2,521

  3,230

  2,626

  3,373

  2,769

  3,545

  Hounslow

  2,440

  3,154

  2,570

  3,301

  2,708

  3,413

  2,818

  3,559

  2,988

  3,769

  Kingston upon Thames

  2,168

  2,825

  2,293

  2,954

  2,416

  3,069

  2,501

  3,195

  2,641

  3,376

  Merton

  2,314

  3,030

  2,451

  3,186

  2,576

  3,311

  2,677

  3,451

  2,831

  3,646

  Newham

  2,752

  3,618

  2,917

  3,809

  3,072

  3,940

  3,196

  4,110

  3,362

  4,333

  Redbridge

  2,323

  3,036

  2,456

  3,181

  2,577

  3,282

  2,675

  3,429

  2,819

  3,626

  Richmond upon Thames

  2,126

  2,728

  2,253

  2,878

  2,372

  2,986

  2,458

  3,119

  2,606

  3,298

  Sutton

  2,219

  2,866

  2,345

  2,995

  2,468

  3,094

  2,550

  3,199

  2,681

  3,361

  Waltham Forest

  2,563

  3,399

  2,703

  3,530

  2,845

  3,650

  2,946

  3,785

  3,117

  4,001

  Birmingham

  2,240

  2,960

  2,370

  3,113

  2,509

  3,245

  2,623

  3,411

  2,733

  3,543

  Coventry

  2,123

  2,786

  2,243

  2,922

  2,374

  3,050

  2,474

  3,193

  2,566

  3,308

  Dudley

  1,954

  2,559

  2,059

  2,673

  2,176

  2,782

  2,258

  2,905

  2,357

  3,024

  Sandwell

  2,139

  2,808

  2,261

  2,954

  2,392

  3,079

  2,479

  3,213

  2,594

  3,353

  Solihull

  1,961

  2,540

  2,053

  2,648

  2,169

  2,756

  2,250

  2,874

  2,339

  2,977

  Walsall

  2,071

  2,701

  2,176

  2,819

  2,300

  2,934

  2,392

  3,071

  2,486

  3,179

  Wolverhampton

  2,150

  2,848

  2,270

  2,987

  2,403

  3,101

  2,498

  3,233

  2,610

  3,363

  Knowsley

  2,381

  3,177

  2,489

  3,336

  2,631

  3,462

  2,762

  3,651

  2,864

  3,761

  Liverpool

  2,295

  3,022

  2,436

  3,165

  2,582

  3,315

  2,726

  3,513

  2,824

  3,643

  St. Helens

  2,045

  2,695

  2,158

  2,824

  2,282

  2,940

  2,384

  3,083

  2,482

  3,206

  Sefton

  2,038

  2,662

  2,153

  2,789

  2,274

  2,902

  2,383

  3,056

  2,471

  3,153

  Wirral

  2,100

  2,763

  2,218

  2,905

  2,343

  3,026

  2,454

  3,184

  2,549

  3,300

  Bolton

  2,042

  2,674

  2,159

  2,802

  2,281

  2,919

  2,375

  3,050

  2,471

  3,161

  Bury

  1,972

  2,558

  2,081

  2,686

  2,198

  2,798

  2,300

  2,941

  2,394

  3,065

  Manchester

  2,359

  3,138

  2,510

  3,321

  2,663

  3,491

  2,799

  3,693

  2,920

  3,816

  Oldham

  2,102

  2,732

  22,18

  2,868

  2,342

  2,989

  2,441

  3,138

  2,549

  3,268

  Rochdale

  2,114

  2,806

  2,235

  2,934

  2,363

  3,050

  2,478

  3,204

  2,581

  3,318

  Salford

  2,139

  2,814

  2,259

  2,970

  2,387

  3,094

  2,488

  3,244

  2,594

  3,372

  Stockport

  1,939

  2,547

  2,042

  2,665

  2,155

  2,780

  2,247

  2,914

  2,337

  3,026

  Tameside

  2,025

  2,648

  2,135

  2,768

  2,259

  2,883

  2,365

  3,031

  2,464

  3,157

  Trafford

  1,993

  2,603

  2,103

  2,726

  2,222

  2,855

  2,310

  2,979

  2,397

  3,089

  Wigan

  1,969

  2,572

  2,076

  2,689

  2,195

  2,799

  2,283

  2,930

  2,374

  3,041

  Barnsley

  2,038

  2,687

  2,154

  2,823

  2,278

  2,941

  2,381

  3,084

  2,480

  3,220

  Doncaster

  2,116

  2,782

  2,232

  2,918

  2,359

  3,042

  2,449

  3,182

  2,537

  3,283

  Rotherham

  2,037

  2,655

  2,152

  2,779

  2,274

  2,891

  2,364

  3,022

  2,462

  3,135

  Sheffield

  2,068

  2,725

  2,184

  2,854

  2,314

  2,970

  2,413

  3,111

  2,512

  3,235

  Bradford

  2,151

  2,845

  2,272

  2,985

  2,404

  3,112

  2,518

  3,273

  2,623

  3,407

  Calderdale

  2,050

  2,689

  2,161

  2,820

  2,281

  2,933

  2,381

  3,072

  2,480

  3,195

  Kirklees

  2,066

  2,718

  2,185

  2,848

  2,310

  2,962

  2,404

  3,099

  2,505

  3,229

  Leeds

  2,041

  2,680

  2,156

  2,806

  2,283

  2,922

  2,383

  3,066

  2,480

  3,187

  Wakefield

  1,988

  2,603

  2,097

  2,728

  2,216

  2,844

  2,314

  2,982

  2,409

  3,103

  Gateshead

  2,074

  2,736

  2,188

  2,854

  2,315

  2,977

  2,419

  3,124

  2,517

  3,246

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  2,171

  2,846

  2,296

  2,998

  2,431

  3,125

  2,546

  3,296

  2,653

  3,426

  North Tyneside

  2,015

  2,664

  2,125

  2,793

  2,245

  2,907

  2,346

  3,047

  2,447

  3,164

  South Tyneside

  2,121

  2,780

  2,232

  2,900

  2,360

  3,022

  2,468

  3,179

  2,576

  3,315

  Sunderland

  2,089

  2,744

  2,203

  2,871

  2,330

  2,989

  2,423

  3,128

  2,530

  3,259

  Isles of Scilly

  3,576

  4,701

  3,884

  5,051

  4,136

  5,274

  4,268

  5,589

  4,438

  5,672

  Bath and North East Somerset

  1,933

  2,483

  2,041

  2,606

  2,158

  2,715

  2,238

  2,830

  2,316

  2,927

  City of Bristol

  2,093

  2,784

  2,207

  2,911

  2,338

  3,029

  2,439

  3,169

  2,545

  3,293

  North Somerset

  1,942

  2,552

  2,054

  2,681

  2,170

  2,798

  2,254

  2,917

  2,341

  3,027

  South Gloucestershire

  1,902

  2,496

  2,004

  2,619

  2,115

  2,726

  2,190

  2,839

  2,272

  2,944

  Hartlepool

  2,098

  2,754

  2,208

  2,875

  2,331

  2,989

  2,445

  3,153

  2,550

  3,286

  230W 231W

  SSA per pupil: 1997–98 to 2001–02

  £

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  LEA name

  Primary per 5–10 pupil

  Secondary per 11–15 pupil

  Primary per 5–10 pupil

  Secondary per 11–15 pupil

  Primary per 5–10 pupil

  Secondary per 11–15 pupil

  Primary per 5–10 pupil

  Secondary per 11–15 pupil

  Primary per 5–10 pupil

  Secondary per 11–15 pupil

  Middlesbrough

  2,199

  2,935

  2,318

  3,066

  2,451

  3,188

  2,569

  3,361

  2,689

  3,518

  Redcar and Cleveland

  2,105

  2,739

  2,218

  2,866

  2,343

  2,986

  2,437

  3,117

  2,542

  3,253

  Stockton-on-Tees

  2,066

  2,707

  2,174

  2,837

  2,295

  2,951

  2,391

  3,095

  2,490

  3,224

  City of Kingston-upon-Hull

  2,159

  2,834

  2,279

  2,968

  2,412

  3,094

  2,534

  3,264

  2,641

  3,399

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  1,961

  2,561

  2,071

  2,688

  2,186

  2,796

  2,279

  2,934

  2,365

  3,052

  North East Lincolnshire

  2,077

  2,728

  2,187

  2,849

  2,312

  2,973

  2,429

  3,135

  2,537

  3,269

  North Lincolnshire

  2,039

  2,673

  2,155

  2,806

  2,278

  2,925

  2,375

  3,073

  2,464

  3,199

  North Yorkshire

  2,006

  2,602

  2,117

  2,732

  2,235

  2,841

  2,332

  2,983

  2,429

  3,097

  York

  1,946

  2,585

  2,058

  2,700

  2,172

  2,808

  2,263

  2,939

  2,351

  3,040

  Bedfordshire

  2,055

  2,696

  2,179

  2,835

  2,285

  2,933

  2,390

  3,081

  2,522

  3,241

  Luton

  2,244

  2,958

  2,380

  3,111

  2,498

  3,215

  2,607

  3,363

  2,742

  3,523

  Buckinghamshire

  2,064

  2,712

  2,180

  2,851

  2,286

  2,942

  2,390

  3,093

  2,518

  3,251

  Milton Keynes

  2,133

  2,813

  2,252

  2,956

  2,365

  3,054

  2,462

  3,192

  2,597

  3,350

  Derbyshire

  1,952

  2,564

  2,057

  2,682

  2,173

  2,789

  2,266

  2,923

  2,363

  3,047

  Derby

  2,085

  2,747

  2,197

  2,865

  2,323

  2,981

  2,432

  3,136

  2,532

  3,264

  Dorset

  1,963

  2,565

  2,073

  2,691

  2,191

  2,797

  2,282

  2,926

  2,369

  3,035

  Poole

  1,943

  2,539

  2,044

  2,655

  2,161

  2,764

  2,235

  2,873

  2,332

  2,993

  Bournemouth

  2,033

  2,650

  2,148

  2,774

  2,271

  2,884

  2,361

  3,015

  2,448

  3,127

  Durham

  2,043

  2,685

  2,159

  2,824

  2,283

  2,941

  2,390

  3,095

  2,493

  3,220

  Darlington

  2,037

  2,683

  2,145

  2,810

  2,265

  2,923

  2,379

  3,078

  2,470

  3,189

  East Sussex

  2,094

  2,753

  2,226

  2,910

  2,336

  3,007

  2,445

  3,166

  2,577

  3,327

  Brighton and Hove

  2,173

  2,847

  2,303

  3,001

  2,418

  3,101

  2,528

  3,256

  2,670

  3,425

  Hampshire

  2,007

  2,630

  2,124

  2,776

  2,229

  2,869

  2,327

  3,014

  2,451

  3,168

  Portsmouth

  2,163

  2,831

  2,295

  2,988

  2,410

  3,082

  2,507

  3,209

  2,639

  3,366

  Southampton

  2,179

  2,888

  2,310

  3,036

  2,424

  3,133

  2,534

  3,296

  2,679

  3,468

  Leicestershire

  1,905

  2,504

  2,006

  2,620

  2,119

  2,724

  2,202

  2,848

  2,292

  2,960

  Leicester

  2,208

  2,898

  2,332

  3,035

  2,470

  3,167

  2,577

  3,327

  2,693

  3,467

  Rutland

  1,942

  2,466

  2,065

  2,594

  2,190

  2,705

  2,264

  2,799

  2,346

  2,906

  Staffordshire

  1,935

  2,533

  2,037

  2,653

  2,151

  2,759

  2,237

  2,884

  2,329

  3,001

  Stoke-on-Trent

  2,043

  2,692

  2,155

  2,818

  2,281

  2,940

  2,397

  3,104

  2,520

  3,249

  Wiltshire

  1,988

  2,602

  2,092

  2,731

  2,209

  2,845

  2,292

  2,971

  2,383

  3,078

  Swindon

  1,979

  2,600

  2,082

  2,720

  2,200

  2,828

  2,290

  2,957

  2,379

  3,060

  Bracknell Forest

  2,101

  2,755

  2,231

  2,909

  2,340

  3,015

  2,433

  3,159

  2,562

  3,327

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  2,095

  2,708

  2,228

  2,859

  2,343

  2,954

  2,452

  3,108

  2,582

  3,271

  West Berkshire

  1,991

  2,593

  2,118

  2,733

  2,220

  2,820

  2,320

  2,960

  2,452

  3,127

  Reading

  2,149

  2,900

  2,279

  3,037

  2,392

  3,129

  2,501

  3,271

  2,641

  3,465

  Slough

  2,444

  3,281

  2,613

  3,485

  2,739

  3,603

  2,849

  3,763

  3,009

  3,967

  Wokingham

  1,910

  2,520

  2,028

  2,657

  2,129

  2,743

  2,219

  2,874

  2,338

  3,027

  Cambridgeshire

  1,990

  2,608

  2,104

  2,734

  2,224

  2,844

  2,313

  2,964

  2,408

  3,074

  Peterborough

  2,100

  2,751

  2,222

  2,886

  2,356

  3,019

  2,463

  3,169

  2,569

  3,302

  Cheshire

  1,953

  2,543

  2,058

  2,663

  2,173

  2,772

  2,257

  2,898

  2,348

  3,009

  Halton

  2,130

  2,812

  2,235

  2,946

  2,369

  3,068

  2,480

  3,224

  2,592

  3,364

  Warrington

  1,940

  2,545

  2,036

  2,659

  2,151

  2,765

  2,236

  2,890

  2,326

  3,004

  Devon

  2,025

  2,667

  2,137

  2,794

  2,258

  2,912

  2,345

  3,038

  2,437

  3,148

  Plymouth

  2,034

  2,644

  2,149

  2,773

  2,274

  2,891

  2,386

  3,043

  2,480

  3,161

  Torbay

  2,056

  2,687

  2,163

  2,811

  2,285

  2,927

  2,385

  3,077

  2,474

  3,189

  Essex

  2,103

  2,761

  2,228

  2,907

  2,337

  3,001

  2,441

  3,147

  2,572

  3,308

  Southend

  2,133

  2,808

  2,264

  2,955

  2,378

  3,045

  2,489

  3,201

  2,620

  3,363

  Thurrock

  2,238

  2,938

  2,373

  3,096

  2,488

  3,192

  2,597

  3,350

  2,727

  3,511

  Herefordshire

  2,046

  2,707

  2,149

  2,818

  2,270

  2,925

  2,366

  3,062

  2,458

  3,166

  Worcestershire

  1,957

  2,558

  2,051

  2,664

  2,168

  2,772

  2,256

  2,902

  2,346

  3,012

  Kent

  2,105

  2,759

  2,227

  2,902

  2,337

  2,995

  2,443

  3,149

  2,572

  3,313

  Rochester and Gillingham

  2,093

  2,750

  2,205

  2,876

  2,313

  2,970

  2,417

  3,117

  2,547

  3,277

  Lancashire

  2,027

  2,663

  2,138

  2,783

  2,259

  2,896

  2,361

  3,043

  2,457

  3,164

  Blackburn

  2,175

  2,833

  2,304

  2,995

  2,442

  3,124

  2,548

  3,277

  2,642

  3,398

  Blackpool

  2,040

  2,706

  2,168

  2,872

  2,289

  2,982

  2,404

  3,132

  2,500

  3,251

  Nottinghamshire

  1,968

  2,610

  2,077

  2,709

  2,196

  2,818

  2,291

  2,962

  2,385

  3,077

  Nottingham City

  2,263

  2,907

  2,382

  3,135

  2,522

  3,260

  2,626

  3,415

  2,738

  3,545

  Shropshire

  2,003

  2,616

  2,100

  2,727

  2,220

  2,837

  2,304

  2,960

  2,406

  3,083

  The Wrekin

  2,063

  2,704

  2,166

  2,820

  2,288

  2,937

  2,389

  3,087

  2,489

  3,211

  Cornwall

  2,057

  2,698

  2,162

  2,820

  2,283

  2,934

  2,369

  3,058

  2,468

  3,187

  Cumbria

  2,022

  2,644

  2,133

  2,774

  2,255

  2,887

  2,357

  3,032

  2,453

  3,154

  Gloucestershire

  1,977

  2,584

  2,081

  2,703

  2,199

  2,816

  2,282

  2,935

  2,374

  3,045

  Hertfordshire

  2,135

  2,788

  2,257

  2,927

  2,370

  3,023

  2,474

  3,170

  2,605

  3,334

  Isle of Wight Council

  2,166

  2,840

  2,288

  2,981

  2,397

  3,075

  2,520

  3,257

  2,654

  3,442

  Lincolnshire

  2,041

  2,675

  2,149

  2,802

  2,269

  2,914

  2,359

  3,041

  2,455

  3,160

  Norfolk

  2,042

  2,675

  2,153

  2,802

  2,276

  2,909

  2,378

  3,051

  2,477

  3,176

  Northamptonshire

  1,999

  2,620

  2,104

  2,739

  2,222

  2,850

  2,308

  2,974

  2,400

  3,084

  Northumberland

  2,016

  2,638

  2,120

  2,765

  2,240

  2,877

  2,332

  3,014

  2,433

  3,134

  232W 233W

  SSA per pupil: 1997–98 to 2001–02

  £

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  LEA name

  Primary per 5–10 pupil

  Secondary per 11–15 pupil

  Primary per 5–10 pupil

  Secondary per 11–15 pupil

  Primary per 5–10 pupil

  Secondary per 11–15 pupil

  Primary per 5–10 pupil

  Secondary per 11–15 pupil

  Primary per 5–10 pupil

  Secondary per 11–15 pupil

  Oxfordshire

  2,047

  2,669

  2,178

  2,815

  2,291

  2,918

  2,397

  3,070

  2,531

  3,237

  Somerset

  1,996

  2,620

  2,105

  2,747

  2,226

  2,859

  2,310

  2,984

  2,405

  3,098

  Suffolk

  1,983

  2,599

  2,100

  2,724

  2,222

  2,833

  2,313

  2,960

  2,405

  3,072

  Surrey

  2,109

  2,763

  2,228

  2,897

  2,337

  2,988

  2,436

  3,127

  2,575

  3,299

  Warwickshire

  1,960

  2,572

  2,063

  2,685

  2,182

  2,794

  2,267

  2,918

  2,362

  3,072

  West Sussex

  2,043

  2,674

  2,159

  2,810

  2,267

  2,903

  2,366

  3,045

  2,500

  3,209

  National average per pupil

  2,130

  2,782

  2,248

  2,918

  2,372

  3,031

  2,474

  3,175

  2,588

  3,314

  Notes:

  1. 2001–02 figures are provisional and are based on settlement figures which are currently subject to consultation with LEAs.

  2. 1997–98 figures are notional for those authorities affected by LGR in 1998.

  ITT Skills
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the cost was of the implementation of the ITT skills tests in numeracy, literacy and ICT; and if he will make statement. [143634]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The cost of the introduction of the ITT numeracy skills tests in summer 2000, and development work on the computerised ITT skills tests in numeracy, literacy and ICT for introduction in 2001 thus far, is £2.45 million. This will ensure that all new teachers have the necessary knowledge and skills in these key areas.

  Student Support
  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what support will be available to students in England and Wales in the academic year 2001–02. [143895]

  Mr. Wicks
  The level of support available to students in 2001–02 will be 2.4 per cent. higher than for 2000–01, in line with forecast price increases. I am today placing a Memorandum in the Library giving details of the new loan, grant and fee rates for 2001–02. These rates will be incorporated in the Education (Student Support) Regulations, which cover support for eligible students under the current arrangements, and in the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations and Education (Student Loans) Amendment Regulations, which cover the small number of students who are still eligible for support under the previous arrangements. These Regulations will all be laid before Parliament in due course.

TREASURY

  Official Publications
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his Department's spending on official publications was for(a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99, (d) 1999–2000 and (e) 2000–01; and what the planned expenditure was for 2001–02. [141453]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 11 December 2000]: The spending on official publications since April 1996—which includes the costs incurred by the Department in publishing, preparation, production and purchase of copies for official use—is estimated to be
  234W
  £2,138,100. Figures for 2001–02 are not available as the Department is in the process of planning expenditure for that financial year.

  Climate Change Levy
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 12 December 2000,Official Report, column 118W, on the climate change levy, what the time scale is for his work with the Commission in respect of obtaining state aid clearance for the climate change levy. [143078]

  Mr. Timms
  Paragraph 6.30 of the November 2000 pre-Budget report reports progress in obtaining state aids clearance for the climate change levy package. The Government are continuing to work with the Commission to ensure a timely approval of its application.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the number of firms covered by the exemption for the domestic sector as a result of being small consumers of energy in respect of the climate change levy; and what proportion of small and medium sized enterprises such firms represent. [143074]

  Mr. Timms
  [holding answer 18 December 2000]: All small energy users who benefit from the reduced 5 per cent. rate of VAT on fuel and power will be exempted from the CCL. It is not known how many of these are small businesses, rather than domestic customers.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the cost of the climate change levy for UK salt manufacturers; and what representations he has received from them. [143624]

  Mr. Timms
  During the development of the climate change levy, the Government have received many representations from business and other interested parties and these views have helped to refine the design of the levy. The financial impact on any sector will depend on a number of factors, including its future energy consumption, the level of employment, eligibility for discounts, use of renewable or combined heat and power energy, and take up of enhanced capital allowances.

  Marine Aggregate Extraction
  Mr. Caton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the Sustainability Fund is available to areas subject to the environmental costs of marine aggregate extraction. [143538]

  Mr. Timms
  The main purpose of the Sustainability Fund is to deliver environmental benefits to areas subject to the environmental costs of aggregates extraction. Marine aggregate extraction is not excluded. Any decisions on the allocation of resources for devolved matters would rest with the relevant devolved Administration and Parliament or Assembly.

  Aggregates Levy
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what plans he has to introduce a lower levy rate in respect of the aggregates levy for quarries that generate lower environmental costs; [143185]

  (2) what plans he has to introduce a lower aggregates levy rate in (a) remote and sparsely populated areas and (b) areas with limited opportunities for recycling secondary aggregates. [143186]

  Mr. Timms
  Budget 2000 announced that the aggregates levy would be introduced from April 2002 at a prudent and cautious rate of £1.60 per tonne to ensure that the price of aggregates extraction better reflects its social and environmental costs. It will be introduced at a uniform rate in order to keep it simple and to give a clear signal to purchasers of primary aggregates to use more sustainable materials. The Quarry Products Association has proposed at some future stage a lower rate of levy for quarries that generate lower environmental costs. Officials will be discussing this proposal with the Association.

  Petrol (Northern Ireland)
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of criminal activity affecting the petrol retailing sector within Northern Ireland. [141763]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Customs continually assess the criminal threats to all their responsibilities to inform their operational response.

  As part of this ongoing assessment Customs have increased their activity in Northern Ireland to tackle all forms of oils fraud.

  I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary gave to the hon. Member for Galloway and Upper Nithsdale (Mr. Morgan) on 7 November 2000, Official Report, column 122W.

PRIME MINISTER

  Lord Levy
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) what(a) practical and (b) financial support the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and British embassies provided to Lord Levy during his visit to Latin America; and what was the cost of this support, broken down by the principal items of expenditure; [142078]
  236W
  (2) what access Lord Levy has to confidential Government information. [142069]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 11 December 2000]: Lord Levy paid his own travel expenses, including all his air travel.

  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office arranged programmes and provided briefing. The Embassies in the countries concerned provided practical support such as accommodation and local road transport, the cost of which is not individually itemised. Lord Levy was accompanied by a Foreign and Commonwealth Office official from London throughout his visit.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Prime Minister to which Minister Lord Levy reports. [142073]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 11 December 2000]: Lord Levy reports to my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and to me.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Prime Minister what further visits he has asked Lord Levy to undertake in his capacity as the Prime Minister's personal envoy. [142072]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 11 December 2000]: Lord Levy will continue to act as my personal envoy from time to time but at this moment there are no plans for further visits.

  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Prime Minister what are Lord Levy's engagements on his behalf in Latin America. [141395]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 11 December 2000]: Lord Levy visited Mexico, Venezuela, Uruguay, Bolivia and Ecuador between 8–23 November. He met a range of senior figures, including President Zedillo and President-elect Fox in Mexico, President Chavez in Venezuela, President Battle in Uruguay, President Banzer in Bolivia and President Noboa in Ecuador. Lord Levy delivered a personal message from me to each Head of State.

  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) on what date the Foreign Secretary was informed of Lord Levy's diplomatic mission to Latin America; [141393]

  (2) on what date he decided to send Lord Levy to Latin America. [141394]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 11 December 2000]: The Foreign Secretary proposed earlier this year that Lord Levy should visit Latin America as my personal envoy.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Prime Minister on which occasions during Lord Levy's visit to Latin America he(a) made public statements and (b) talked to foreign media, as a representative of (i) the Prime Minister and (ii) the United Kingdom. [143326]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 18 December 2000]: When travelling abroad as my personal envoy Lord Levy has on occasion spoken to the press.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) what the cost to public funds was of Lord Levy's visit to Latin America; what contribution to the costs was made by Lord Levy; and what the purpose was of his visit; [143287]
  237W
  (2) what access Lord Levy has to non-confidential Government information; [143288]

  (3) from which officials Lord Levy has received briefings on Latin America. [143325]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 18 December 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her today. Official Report, column 236w.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Prime Minister on what issues Lord Levy has represented the British Government during his visit to Latin America. [143308]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 18 December 2000]: None. Lord Levy travelled as my personal envoy to develop the United Kingdom's bilateral relations with the countries visited.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Prime Minister with whom Lord Levy had unscheduled meetings in his role as personal envoy during his visit to Latin America. [143305]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 18 December 2000]: Nobody.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Prime Minister what authority Lord Levy had to negotiate on behalf of the UK Government during his visit to Latin America. [143306]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 18 December 2000]: Lord Levy travelled as my personal envoy. He was not negotiating.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Prime Minister if Lord Levy has passed messages between Latin American political leaders in his role as the Prime Minister's personal envoy. [143309]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 18 December 2000]: No.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Prime Minister with which Latin American political figures Lord Levy held talks(a) on behalf of the Prime Minister and (b) in pursuit of British interests during his visit to Latin America. [143303]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 18 December 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to her right hon. Friend the Member for Horsham (Mr. Maude) today, Official Report, column 236.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Prime Minister what private business Lord Levy conducted during his visit to Latin America; and what steps he has taken to ensure that no conflict of interest occurred between Lord Levy's business interests and his mission to Latin America as the Prime Minister's envoy. [143289]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 18 December 2000]: Lord Levy does not conduct private business while travelling as my personal envoy. Lord Levy has no business interests in Latin America.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) what recent meetings he has had with Lord Levy to discuss Latin America; [143302]

  (2) on what dates (a) he, (b) the Foreign Secretary and (c) other Ministers held discussions with Lord Levy about Lord Levy's visit to Latin America; and if he will make available minutes of those meetings. [143310]
  238W
  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 18 December 2000]: Lord Levy liaises regularly with me, the Foreign Secretary, and other Ministers in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. I have spoken to Lord Levy on a number of occasions as has the Foreign Secretary.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Prime Minister what mechanism exists to ensure information gathered by Lord Levy on his visit to Latin America is communicated to him and to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; and if he will make a statement. [143301]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 18 December 2000]: Lord Levy's visits abroad as my personal envoy are reported to me and the Foreign Secretary in person by Lord Levy and by telegram from Ambassadors in the countries concerned.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Prime Minister what expert knowledge of Latin America Lord Levy has. [143307]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 18 December 2000]: Lord Levy serves a useful role in carrying messages on my behalf to other leaders.

  Security Services
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received from representatives of the security services on the granting of trade union rights for members of the security services; and if he will make a statement. [142798]

  The Prime Minister
  None.

  Type 45 Destroyer
  Mr. Chidgey
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received from BAE Systems regarding the Government's competitive procurement strategy for the Type 45 destroyer; and if he will make a statement. [142562]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 14 December 2000]: The BAE Systems Type 45 Prime Contractor and Ministry of Defence have received an unsolicited proposal from BAE Systems Marine concerning the procurement approach to the Type 45 programme. The proposal will be evaluated and the MOD will consult with other interested Departments before coming to a conclusion. This process will take some months. In the meantime, the current competitive procurement strategy remains.

  Nice Summit
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral statement on 11 December 2000,Official Report, column 349, on the Nice European Council, if he will list those aspects of industrial policy over which he has agreed to end the national veto at the Nice Summit. [142885]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 15 December 2000]: The Nice European Council agreed to move to qualified majority voting on Article 157 paragraph 3. This is subject to an exemption for measures concerning taxation and the rights and interests of employed persons, which are not subject to this treaty Article.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Social Security Commissioners
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps are being made to ensure that the Department of Social Security and Court Service websites give details of how to obtain the quarterly volumes of reported Commissioners' decisions. [143623]

  Jane Kennedy
  The Department of Social Security's website page provides details of how the quarterly volumes of reported Commissioners' decisions can be obtained. The revised Court Service website will provide this information and will be in place by mid January 2001. The two sites will be linked to ensure maximum coverage.

  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what arrangements have been made to publicise the availability of the quarterly volumes of reported social security Commissioners' decisions in loose-leaf format to(a) advice agencies, (b) law centres, (c) social security practitioners in legal aid firms and (d) law libraries. [143622]

  Jane Kennedy
  The Department of Social Security wrote to the following agencies to publicise the publication of quarterly volumes:

  The Law Centre Federation (London and Manchester)

  Dial UK

  MIND (Mental Health Charity)

  The Law Society

  CPAG (Child Poverty Action Group)

  Age Concern

  RADAR (Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation)

  NACAB (National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux)

  DISS

  LASA (London Advice Service Alliance)

  RNIB (Royal National Institute for the Blind)

  NAMSS

  Women's Aid

  RNID (Royal National Institute for the Deaf).

  In January 2001, the Office of the Social Security and Child Support Commissioners will send a notice to publicise the availability of this information to those agencies, centres, practitioners, libraries, etc., mentioned and its other users.

  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department where claimants and their advisers can obtain the quarterly loose-leaf binders of reported commissioners' decisions; and how much each volume will cost. [143621]

  Jane Kennedy
  The binders, containing two years decisions, can be obtained from:

  Print Solutions

  Room B0202

  Benton Park Road

  Longbenton

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  NE98 1YX

  Tel: 0191 225 5422

  Fax: 0191 225 7179

  240W
  The cost of each binder, containing two years' decisions, is £15.00.

  Decisions can be viewed and obtained from the Department of Social Security internet site (Commissioners Decisions) at www.dss.gov.uk/advisers/index.htm. This site also includes details of how to purchase the decisions in loose-leaf format from Print Solutions.

  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when the Lord Chancellor's Department will update the Court Service website information concerning the Social Security and Child Support Commissioners to reflect changes in procedure and time limits since 1 June 1999. [143620]

  Jane Kennedy
  We have reviewed all the information on the Court Service website concerning the Social Security and Child Support Commissioners. The website will be updated to reflect the changes mentioned and other changes by the middle of January 2001.

  Access to Children
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if the Government have notified the President of the European Council of their intention to opt into the negotiations on the proposal for a Council Regulation on the mutual enforcement of judgments on rights of access to children. [143407]

  Jane Kennedy
  On 12 October the Government notified the President of the European Council of the United Kingdom's intention to participate in the adoption of this proposal.

  Community Legal Service
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans the Lord Chancellor has to encourage innovation in Community Legal Service Partnership areas. [144040]

  Mr. Lock
  In view of the success achieved in developing Community Legal Service Partnerships, the Lord Chancellor has decided to make additional funds available, within the Legal Services Commission's budget, to support innovative initiatives at local level. £.15 million over the next three years will be earmarked for a Partnership Innovation Budget. Grants from the Budget will be available, on a joint funding basis, for projects which have the support of their local Community Legal Service Partnership. My Department is today issuing a consultation paper which will enable us to take account of the views of funders and providers of local legal services in finalising the details of the budget.

  Family Mediation
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when the Legal Services Commission will publish the results of Professor Gwynn Davis's research into publicly funded family mediation implemented under Part III of the Family Law Act 1996. [144041]

  Jane Kennedy
  The research report "Monitoring Publicly Funded Mediation" has been published by the Legal Services Commission today. Copies have been
  241W
  placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The Government are grateful to Professor Davis for his detailed and helpful report, and we will be considering its implications carefully.

  Family Graduated Fees Scheme
  Sandra Gidley
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when she will publish the summary of the consultation on the Family Graduated Fees Scheme; and if he will make a statement. [143081]

  Jane Kennedy
  The general consultation period on the proposed rates, structure and draft regulations for the Family Graduated Fees Scheme formally ended on 22 September 2000. The consultation period was extended for the Bar Council and the Law Society until 12 October, at their request. Responses have been collated and analysed.
  242W
  The Lord Chancellor and I are considering all the views and suggestions received from respondents and are re-examining all the issues in the light of the concerns raised. Once we have made final decisions on the structure of the scheme and the rates to be paid, a summary of the views of respondents and the Government's response to them will be published. It is intended that the scheme will now be implemented in the spring of 2001.

  Shrewsbury County Court
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will make a statement on the progress made on refurbishing Shrewsbury county court. [143374]

  Jane Kennedy
  Negotiations are continuing with the landlord to secure the leasehold interest to provide alternative accommodation for Shrewsbury county court. Refurbishment is expected to be completed by June 2001.

  Consolidated Fund Bill
  Consolidated Fund Bill
  Criminal Proceedings: Acceptance of Pleas by Prosecution
  Criminal Proceedings: Acceptance of Pleas by Prosecution
  Health Food Products: EU Labelling Proposals
  Health Food Products: EU Labelling Proposals
  Medical Toxicology Unit: Organophosphate Poisoning Cases
  Medical Toxicology Unit: Organophosphate Poisoning Cases
  NHS Complaints System: Elderly Complainants
  NHS Complaints System: Elderly Complainants
  HM Prison, Blantyre House
  HM Prison, Blantyre House
  m-o-o-t Operating System
  m-o-o-t Operating System
  Council of Europe Draft Cybercrime Convention
  Council of Europe Draft Cybercrime Convention
  Communications Data: Mandatory Retention
  Communications Data: Mandatory Retention
  Abnormal Loads: Mobile Phones
  Abnormal Loads: Mobile Phones
  Statutory Notifications: Police Powers
  Statutory Notifications: Police Powers
  Armenian Massacre 1915–16: Commemoration
  Armenian Massacre 1915–16: Commemoration
  Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Review
  Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Review
  Hedgerow and Field Boundary Work: Grant
  Hedgerow and Field Boundary Work: Grant
  Spongiform Encephalopathies: Prophylactic Drug Research
  Spongiform Encephalopathies: Prophylactic Drug Research
  Small and Medium Abattoirs: Assistance
  Small and Medium Abattoirs: Assistance
  Students' Financial Support
  Students' Financial Support
  RAMC Site, Millbank: Preferred Purchaser
  RAMC Site, Millbank: Preferred Purchaser
  NATO Member States: Defence Expenditure Increases
  NATO Member States: Defence Expenditure Increases
  Sierra Leone Army Training
  Sierra Leone Army Training
  Chinook Helicopter ZD576
  Chinook Helicopter ZD576
  AWE plc: Radioactive Discharge Authorisations
  AWE plc: Radioactive Discharge Authorisations
  Tucano Aircraft Recovery and UK Pilot Training Programme
  Tucano Aircraft Recovery and UK Pilot Training Programme
  Local Government Ethical Framework
  Local Government Ethical Framework
  Hedgerows: Flamborough Judgment
  Hedgerows: Flamborough Judgment
  Train Operators: Eligibility for Compensation
  Train Operators: Eligibility for Compensation
  Motherwell Derailment, 26 November
  Motherwell Derailment, 26 November
  Mersley Farm, Isle of Wight
  Mersley Farm, Isle of Wight
  Gypsy Caravan Numbers
  Gypsy Caravan Numbers
  Gypsies and Travellers: Accommodation Research
  Gypsies and Travellers: Accommodation Research
  Least Developed Countries: Duty Free Access for Sensitive Products
  Least Developed Countries: Duty Free Access for Sensitive Products
  Community Legal Service Partnerships: Innovation
  Community Legal Service Partnerships: Innovation
  Publicly Funded Family Mediation
  Publicly Funded Family Mediation