Written Answers of 10 January 2000

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

  Stalking
  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Solicitor-General if he will issue guidance to the Crown Prosecution Service on improving communications with the victims of stalking; and if he will make a statement. [104040]

  The Solicitor-General
  The Victim's Charter commits the police to keep all victims informed of developments in the case regardless of the nature of the offence. Currently, the CPS provides to the police information about prosecution decisions for them to forward to victims, or their families, as appropriate.

  The CPS has a specific role in stalking cases to assist victims when the court has made a restraining order under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, and when subsequently there is a need to seek a variation of the order. The victim is informed of any application to vary the restraining order and asked to express views and, if necessary, to attend. Again, however, the guiding principle is that the CPS communicates with the victim through the police.

  The Home Office will shortly be issuing national 'good practice' guidelines to the police and other agencies resulting from the final evaluation of the "One Stop Shop" initiative, which was established to see how the Victim's Charter commitment to keep victims informed might best be met.

  Following recommendations in Sir Iain Glidewell's report into the CPS and Sir William Macpherson's report into the death of Stephen Lawrence, the CPS is committed to adopting a more proactive role in communicating with victims. The Service is currently piloting arrangements for taking on responsibility to communicate direct with victims rather than via the police. The pilots will be evaluated before an implementation plan is devised.

PRIME MINISTER

  United Kingdom European Delegations
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library the latest Information Bulletin on the activities of the United Kingdom delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Assembly of Western European Union covering the period May to October. [104032]

  The Prime Minister
  I have done so today.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Defence Systems Exhibition
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Government are taking regarding reports in connection with the 1999 Defence Systems Equipment Exhibition that an official at the Pakistan High Commission in London offered to sell anti-personnel mines destined for Sudan. [104296]

  Mr. Vaz
  The allegation that an official at the Pakistan High Commission offered to sell anti-personnel mines has been referred to HM Customs and Excise as the appropriate law enforcement agency and I have protested strongly to the Pakistani High Commission.

  Konrad Kalejs
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) on what occasions(a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) his officials have discussed the case of Konrad Kalejs with the Australian authorities; and what was the nature of the discussions and information received; [104389]

  (2) on what occasions (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) his officials have discussed the case of Konrad Kalejs with the Latvian authorities; and what was the nature of the discussions and information received; [104391]

  (3) on what occasions (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) his officials have discussed the case of Konrad Kalejs with the United States authorities; and what was the nature of the discussions and information received; [104390]

  (4) on what occasions (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) his officials have discussed the case of Konrad Kalejs with the Canadian authorities; and what was the nature of the discussions and information received. [104377]

  Mr. Vaz
  Neither the Secretary of State nor FCO Ministers have had contact with their American, Australian, Canadian, or Latvian counterparts on the issue of Konrad Kalejs.

  At the request of the Home Office, British officials in Riga and Canberra discussed Kalejs with host Governments. British officials passed a request for information from the American Embassy in London to the Home Office. Officials in Ottawa and Washington have been in contact with their host Governments.

  The purpose of discussions with the Australian and Latvian authorities was to make them aware of developments in the Kalejs case, and to inform them of our readiness to pass on all relevant information, held by HMG.

  The purpose of discussions with the Americans and Canadians was to ask that all relevant information they had on Kalejs be passed to authorities in Australia and Latvia.
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  The Latvian authorities informed us on 3 January that they were reopening their investigation into Kalejs, indicated that they had first investigated him in 1992, and said that they had since maintained close links with US and Canadian authorities.

  The Australians informed officials that they did not have an extradition treaty with Latvia, but would consider any extradition request made.

  British Diplomatic Posts (Costs)
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the running costs of the British embassies in(a) Paris and (b) Washington. [104087]

  Mr. Hain
  The running costs for Paris include all Locally Engaged (LE) staff costs of subordinate Posts throughout France. Similarly Washington costs include LE staff throughout the USA. The total staff levels are 248 for Paris, of which 44 are UK based, and 535 for Washington, of which 55 are UK based. It is therefore not possible to draw proper comparisons between the running costs of the two Embassies. However, the ratio of 5:4 UK based staff between Washington and Paris is not considered unreasonable.

  It is important to look at these figures in context: the FCO employs fewer staff and costs less to run than Birmingham City Council. The cost of running the FCO in London and at its 221 posts overseas amounts to less than one-third of one per cent. (0.3 per cent.) of all Government expenditure, and less than 0.15 per cent. of UK GDP. The total FCO budget costs each man, woman and child in Britain only 5p a day.

  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the annual running costs were of UK embassies in(a) the European Union and (b) the USA, in the last year for which figures are available. [104130]

  Mr. Hain
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 14 December 1999,Official Report, column 109W, specifically the answers to parts (a) and (b).

  International Tribunal on War Crimes
  Mr. Jim Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the role of British forces in providing information to the International Tribunal on War Crimes in Kosovo. [102342]

  Mr. Hoon
  I have been asked to reply.

  The British Government are strong supporters of the work of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in Kosovo (ICTY), as in other parts of the Former Yugoslavia. As part of KFOR, British forces have assisted the work of ICTY investigators, notably by providing a secure environment in which they can work. British service personnel were also involved, earlier this year, in debriefing Kosovar refugees, in Macedonia and elsewhere, and the information gained has been passed to the Tribunal.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Planning Approvals (New Homes)
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make it his policy to(a) limit and (b) reduce planning approvals for new homes in West Sussex. [104308]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The decision whether to grant planning permission for proposed new housing developments is, in the first instance, a matter for the local planning authority concerned. Applications shall be determined in accordance with the development plan for the area, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. In formulating their development plans local authorities must have regard to guidance issued by the Secretary of State. We expect to publish new national planning policy guidance on housing (PPG3), and final proposals for the new regional planning guidance for the South East (RPG9), soon.

  Environmental Assessments
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many of the Bills published since the Queen's Speech were accompanied by a statement of their implications for the environment. [104271]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  It is the Government's policy that environmental aspects should be considered fully alongside the economic and social considerations during the development or review of a policy. My Department stands ready to advise on appraisal and monitoring systems. But it is for individual Departments to set up their own systems to ensure that their policies take account of the environment and that, where necessary, environmental appraisals are carried out. The overall policy and its operation is monitored by the Green Ministers' Committee, which reports annually in July.

  Since the Queen's Speech, the DETR has published two Bills, the Transport Bill and the Local Government Bill. The Transport Bill and a Regulatory, Environmental and Equal Treatment Appraisal were published on 1 December 1999.

  The Local Government Bill provides a new discretionary power for local authorities to take steps which, in their view, promote the economic, social and environmental well-being of those who live, work in or visit their local area, in order to improve the quality of life locally. The remainder of the Bill addresses the way in which local authorities are organised and elected and carry out their business. In this case, no specific environmental impact statement has been published.

  Driving Licences
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much the medical section of the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency pays to private opticians to conduct sight tests and field tests. [104080]
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  Mr. Hill
  The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has only just started to use private opticians. DVLA currently pays optometrists £35 to undertake each visual field test, which, on current volumes of tests, will amount to an annual total of £280,000.

  Employment Statistics
  Mrs. Ann Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will encourage local authorities to publish the composition of their workforces in terms of standard age groups, ethnic origin and gender in their annual reports. [104015]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  Under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1999, authorities will be required to report annually their performance against specified national performance indicators. Details were published on 23 December in "Best Value and Audit Commission Performance Indicators for 2000–2001". They include indicators on the representation of minority ethnic staff in the workforce and the proportion of women in senior management posts. There is no indicator in respect of the age breakdown of the workforce, but the indicators will be reviewed annually and updated in the light of consultation with the range of authority and customer interests.

  Early Retirement
  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many employees of his Department took early retirement packages, and at what total cost, in the financial year 1996–97. [104098]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  In the financial year 1996–97, 462 employees of the Department of the Environment and the Department of Transport took early retirement. In addition, some 228 employees took early severance. It would not be possible to separate retirement and severance costs without disproportionate cost and effort, but the total costs of early retirements and severance in the year concerned was £23,322,610. This includes ongoing costs of departures from previous years.

  Objective 1 Funding
  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what assessment he has made of the requirements for match public funds from his Department for the EU Objective 1 regions of(a) Cornwall and Scilly, (b) Merseyside and (c) South Yorkshire for each of the seven years of the programme. [104301]

  (2) what level of match public funds from his Department are available to EU Objective 1 regions for each of the next seven calendar years. [104305]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  My Department will provide significant financial support for all three Objective 1 programmes through a number of funding mechanisms. These include the Single Regeneration Budget and New Deal for Communities, as well as mainstream funding made available to local authorities. Local partnerships can prioritise the use of these resources to fund projects jointly with the Structural Funds, thereby boosting their impact.
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  It is too early to estimate how much my Department's contribution is likely to be over the 2000–06 programme period. This will depend on the types of projects which local partnerships select for support over the programming period.

  Strategic Rail Authority
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to appoint a representative to the Strategic Rail Authority from(a) the National Assembly for Wales, (b) the Northern Ireland Assembly, (c) the Scottish Parliament and (d) the United Kingdom Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [104144]

  Mr. Hill
  There are no plans to appoint such representatives to the Strategic Rail Authority. The Secretary of State has, however, consulted the Welsh Assembly and the Scottish Executive about Welsh and Scottish representation on the SRA. It is not intended that the responsibilities of the SRA will extend to Northern Ireland.

  Homelessness
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent representations he has received over the Government's plans to tackle homelessness. [102936]

  Mr. Mullin
  My Department has received a large number of representations in recent months from both interested organisations and members of the public, on a wide range of homelessness issues, and in particular on our recently published plans to tackle rough sleeping.

  From its establishment in April 1999, the Rough Sleepers Unit consulted extensively with key partners as part of the development of its strategy, "Coming in from the Cold", which was published on 15 December 1999. Organisations that made representations during this process included other Government departments, local government, other statutory bodies including the Police and the National Health Service, key national and local voluntary organisations, the business community, faith leaders and rough sleepers themselves, as well as members of the general public.

  Also, my Department has set up an official-level sounding board, which includes representatives from the Local Government Association, the Association of London Government, Shelter, the Chartered Institute of Housing, the National Housing Federation and other organisations with an interest in social housing, to discuss proposals for changes to policy on homelessness and the allocation of social housing. Our proposals are still at an early stage, but we intend to consult on them widely in due course.

  Dog Identification Working Group
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he plans to initiate public consultations when the Dog Identification Working Group publishes its report. [104307]

  Mr. Hill
  The report of the Dog Identification Group is expected by the summer of this year. We will consider what the appropriate arrangements for consultation are to be nearer that time.

  NATS
  Dr. Desmond Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how the figure of £350 million for the partial sale of NATS was calculated; and what plans he has to write off the outstanding debts owed by NATS. [104097]

  Mr. Mullin
  The estimate of £350 million in proceeds from the strategic partner in NATS is net of any debt restructuring and was calculated by our advisers in order to give Parliament a broad estimate of the possible proceeds from the proposed sale. The precise amount of the proceeds will be the subject of commercial negotiations with the strategic partner.

  NATS loans from the NLF must be extinguished when the PPP is put in place so as to avoid any hidden subsidy to the PPP. This may be achieved by repayment, or by writing them off and replacing them with new commercial debt. Final decisions will be taken in consultation with the selected strategic partner when establishing an optimum capital structure for the company.

  Ward Boundary Reviews
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what procedures exist for objections to be made, and appeals to be heard, in respect of proposals by the Local Government Boundary Commission concerning ward boundary reviews. [104228]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  Representations, both for and against proposals, can be made at any time to the Local Government Commission (LGC) during the review process and to the Secretary of State after the publication of the Final Report and until an Order is made. It is vital for the integrity of democratic local government that the process of making local authority electoral arrangements should be, and be seen to be, fully independent. Therefore, it is the Government's policy that, unless there is compelling evidence available to it that the recommendations of the LGC may be flawed, it will accept them. However all representations received are fully considered before arriving at a final decision.

  Waste Recycling
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what percentage of waste collected for recycling was exported in the last year for which figures are available, broken down into(a) glass, (b) paper, (c) plastics and (d) metals. [100941]

  Mr. Mullin
  [holding answer 6 December 1999]: The table shows the percentage of waste collected for recycling in the United Kingdom that was exported in 1998.

  Material

  Percentage exported

  Amount exported (thousand tonnes)

  Glass

  13

  69

  Paper and board

  8

  402

  Plastics

  24

  40

  Ferrous metals

  36

  3,193

  Sources:

  British Glass Federation; Paper Federation of Great Britain; British Plastics Federation; Iron and Steel Statistics Bureau; HM Customs and Excise.

  Home Energy Efficiency Scheme
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will expand the new Home Energy Efficiency Scheme to include energy efficiency improvements to the fabric of buildings constructed with solid walls. [101426]

  Mr. Meacher
  Households eligible for the New Homes Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES) who live in properties with solid walls will receive loft insulation and draught proofing under the scheme, to improve the energy efficiency of the building fabric.

  With regard to the solid wall insulation, as I detailed in the answer I gave on Tuesday 19 October 1999, Official Report, column 491W, this does not appear to be appropriate for the packages of improvements to be offered under the new HEES. Therefore external or internal wall insulation measures will not be available under the scheme.

  Instead, the New HEES packages available for these solid wall properties include higher levels of heating improvements than those for cavity walled homes, so providing similar reductions in fuel costs for both types of property.

  Councillor Keith May
  Sir Nicholas Lyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received as to the ability of Councillor Keith May to speak on behalf of his electorate in relation to former Land Settlement Association property; and if he will make a statement. [102716]

  Ms Armstrong
  I have received three representations about this matter—the request for a dispensation under section 97 of the Local Government Act 1972 from Councillor Keith May, a letter from the Head of Members' Services at Bedford Borough Council and a letter from the right hon. and learned Member himself. I replied to the right hon. and learned Member on 22 December 1999.

  Departmental Productivity
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what action he is taking to increase the productivity and reduce the running costs of his Department. [103842]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  Delivering efficient and modern public services is a key part of the Government's agenda for improving productivity. Greater efficiency is being sought therefore within the public sector to ensure that the most effective results are obtained from available resources. The Department's Public Service Agreement (PSA), set out in "Public Services for the Future", Cm 4181, includes a range of measures for taking this forward, both within the Department itself and in other public sector bodies.

  Those measures which will help raise the Department's own productivity are listed at pages 29–31 of Cm 4181 and include:
  "Better quality services" reviews over a five year period
  Electronic Government measures. The Department's target is that 87 per cent. of its business transactions should be capable of being

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  conducted electronically by 2002, subject to the private insurance industry and Post Office Counters Limited achieving their own individual targets
  sickness absence targets, and introducing measures to reduce the levels of sickness absence
  measures to reduce the incidence of fraud
  measures to improve procurement practice
  specific productivity measures for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, the Highways Agency, Planning Inspectorate, Health and Safety Commission and Executive, and DETR Central.

  In addition, the 1999–2000 business plan for the Planning Inspectorate includes a target to generate a 3 per cent. efficiency improvement in the use of running costs compared with the previous year. The Highways Agency also has a series of performance indicators related to running costs, listed under key target 17 at Annex B of its business plan for 1999–2000 (copies of which are available in the Library of the House).

  The Department's gross running costs provision for 1999–2000 to 2001–02 is set out in its PSA. The productivity measures listed above will enable the Department to increase the quantity and quality of outputs delivered by its running costs expenditure over this period.

  Flood and Coastal Defence
  Mr. Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many meetings his officials have attended with Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food officials on the joint review of flood and coastal defence funding. [103861]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  My officials have attended one meeting with officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The consultation document was agreed in correspondence and joint consideration is being given to the responses.

  Mr. Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received on the joint review of flood and coastal defence funding. [103862]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and my Department have received 54 representations from a range of bodies concerned with flood and coastal defence. Copies of the responses have been placed in MAFF's library at 3, Whitehall Place, West Block, London SW1A 2HH and are available for inspection.

  Mr. Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to ensure the joint review of flood and coastal defence funding meets his Department's objectives on the water environment; and if he will make a statement. [103860]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The funding review is taking place in the context of Government policy on flood and coastal defence. The Environment Agency is making a full contribution to the review.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will reply 10W
  to the letter of 18 October sent by Nigel Petrie on behalf of Edison Mission Energy to Mr. L. Jaero of his Department; and if he will make a statement on how this issue has been handled by his Department. [103737]

  Ms Armstrong
  The letter concerned the rateable value to be prescribed for pumped-storage energy schemes as part of the current revaluation of non-domestic rates. There are no pumped-storage schemes in England. The values of the plants at Dinorwig and Ffestiniog, which were the subject of Edison Mission Energy's letter, will be prescribed by the National Assembly for Wales.

  The letter followed a series of meetings between electricity producers and officials from the Department, the Scottish Executive, the National Assembly for Wales and the Valuation Office Agency.

  The Department copied the Company's letter to the Valuation Office Agency, who advise both the Department and the National Assembly for Wales on rating matters. However, officials mistakenly thought that Edison Mission Energy was aware of the constitutional position and that they had written separately to the National Assembly. The letter was not, therefore, forwarded to the Assembly and no reply was sent to the Company.

  I regret this misunderstanding, which came to light when the Company wrote again to the Department on 17 December. The Department replied on 20 December and copied both the letters of 17 December and 18 October to officials in the National Assembly for Wales and the Scottish Executive.

  Countryside Bill
  Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received from environmental groups concerning the proposed Countryside Bill. [103932]

  Mr. Meacher
  Since the announcement of the Bill in the Queen's speech on 17 November, I have received a number of representations from groups and individuals, many of which have environmental interests. Our proposals have been broadly welcomed. Particular attention is being paid to the scope of our proposals for rights of access and the implications for occupiers of land, the detail of the rights of way proposals and the scope of our proposals for wildlife and for sites of special scientific interest.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Drugs
  Mr. Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures his Department is taking to tackle the problems caused by drugs in local communities. [103382]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Action by the Home Office is being taken forward as part of the Government's 10-year national anti-drugs strategy "Tackling Drugs to Build a Better Britain", published in April 1998.

  The Home Office is contributing to the strategy on several fronts. The Department's Drugs Prevention Advisory Service (DPAS), which succeeded the Drug

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  Prevention Initiative on 1 April 1999, is actively promoting effective community-based drugs prevention and supporting the delivery of Aim 1 (helping young people resist drug misuse), and Aim 2 (protecting communities from drug-related anti-social and criminal behaviour) of the national strategy.

  DPAS is the first Government drugs prevention organisation to cover the whole of England. It works closely with Drug Action Teams—the bodies charged with local delivery of the national strategy—to encourage and support the development of effective local prevention initiatives. DPAS also provides advice and support to community-based partnerships on how to address drug related problems within communities. In addition, it acts as a pressure point on other relevant initiatives and programmes such as community safety, crime reduction and community regeneration, to ensure that drug issues are included on those agendas.

  The Home Office crime reduction strategy places a strong emphasis on breaking the link between drugs and crime. Many acquisitive crimes are connected to drug misuse. The crime reduction strategy has a particular focus on domestic burglary and vehicle crime. For example, funding is being made available to protect over two million homes in 500 high burglary areas over the next two years. Moreover, the Government introduced new legislation this month which provides for mandatory sentences of at least three years for third-time burglars. Targeted policing initiatives are also being adopted to tackle crimes like drug dealing in communities.

  Other measures designed to break the link between drugs and crime include the piloting of Drug Treatment and Testing Orders under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998; the provision of £20 million to pump prime the establishment of arrest referral schemes across England and Wales to lead drug misusing offenders into treatment; and proposals to extend drug testing across the criminal justice system.

  Gamma Hydroxy Butyrate
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to reclassify gamma hydroxy butyrate as a drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971; [103379]

  (2) what steps he has taken to limit the availability of gamma hydroxy butyrate. [103375]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  With regard to the question of the classification of gamma hydroxy butyrate (GHB) under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Leeds, Central (Mr. Benn) on 8 December 1999,Official Report, column 532W.

  That reply mentioned the work of the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) to counter the illicit manufacture and sale of GHB, and it might be helpful to elaborate on this. In addition to investigating offences under the Medicines Act, the MCA has taken action on a number of fronts in recent months to reduce the supply of GHB. The Agency has issued an advertising alert to the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and circulated briefing to all heads of police forces and all trading standards and environmental health offices. MCA officers have also targeted a number of sex shops and similar
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  premises to educate owners on the law relating to the advertising and sale of GHB, and followed this up with regular compliance checks.

  The National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) also has a key role to play. The NCIS Drugs Section works with the chemical industry, the Home Office and police forces to gather intelligence on the illicit manufacture of drugs. In the last year this intelligence led to the discovery of eight illicit drug laboratories producing amphetamine, ecstasy and GHB.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the use of gamma hydroxy butyrate as a date rape drug. [103376]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  There is currently little evidence of gamma hydroxy butyrate (GHB) being used to facilitate rape. Forensic Science Service analysis since March of last year of samples taken from 100 victims of sexual assault and rape where the use of drugs is suspected has identified GHB in four cases.

  While the analysis has provided no direct linkage between GHB and the sexual offence, rape is clearly an extremely serious offence and it is important for the Government to have a clear understanding of the extent of the drug rape problem. With this in mind, the Home Office sponsored a Metropolitan police research initiative into drug assisted rape, which is due to be concluded in April 2000. Ministers will consider the findings and recommendations of this study.

  Separately, a Home Office led review was set up at the beginning of 1999 to review the law on sex offences in England and Wales. As part of its considerations, the review is considering the law relating to consent, and circumstances where consent is not present. It is also considering whether the current offence of administering drugs to obtain or facilitate intercourse (section 4 of the Sexual Offences Act 1956) is still appropriate. The review expects to report its recommendations to Ministers in the spring, and we plan to publish a consultation paper shortly after this.

  Police Grant
  Mr. Stevenson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the factors that determined the police grant(a) net expenditure and (b) percentage increase in real terms for Staffordshire in (i) 1997–98, (ii) 1998–99 and (iii) 1999–2000; and if he will make a statement. [103621]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Police grant allocations to individual authorities for the years in question were determined under a needs-based funding formula and were approved by the House of Commons. For 1997–98 and 1998–99 police authority expenditure levels were subject to capping limits on budget increases. For 1999–2000, no capping limits were set. The budget increase for that year was determined by Staffordshire Police Authority.

  Net expenditure levels are determined by deducting income from gross expenditure. The percentage changes in real terms for the Staffordshire Police Authority for each of the years in question will reflect the application of Her Majesty's Treasury's Gross Domestic Product deflators.

  Immigration and Nationality Directorate
  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the average length of time taken by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate to process travel document applications; [103596]

  (2) what steps he is taking to reduce the length of time taken by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate to process travel document applications. [103597]

  Mrs. Roche
  New applications have, since September, been dealt with under a fast track procedure and the majority are being resolved within four weeks of receipt. But there are around 7,000 applications made between January and August 1999 still outstanding. Work on these applications is progressing steadily but it will be some months before they are all cleared, due to a threefold increase in the number of new applications. The number of staff in the section has increased threefold in recent months, and output has increased fivefold.

  Remand Places (Juveniles)
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Youth Justice Board will assume responsibility for the procurement and provision of secure remand places for juveniles. [103868]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Youth Justice Board for England and Wales will assume responsibility for commissioning and purchasing places in secure accommodation for remanded and sentenced children and young people in April 2000.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the cost to local authorities in the last year for which figures are available of(a) providing secure remand places for juveniles and for the escort of juveniles for court appearances and (b) the reimbursement paid under Section 21 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994. [103869]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Children and young people remanded to local authority secure accommodation are the responsibility of the local authority designated by the court. Information on the costs to local authorities of providing secure remand places and escorts for court appearances is not collected centrally.

  The secure remand provisions in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 were implemented on 1 June 1999. On the basis of the claims so far submitted, the Home Office has paid local authorities nearly £500,000 for the additional costs incurred by them in such cases.

  Drug Testing
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his proposals for testing offenders and suspected offenders for drug use will include tests for(a) cannabis, (b) amphetamine, (c) ecstasy, (d) cocaine, (e) LSD and (f) heroin. [103744]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The detail of the proposal to extend drug testing across the criminal justice system is currently being formulated. One option under consideration is to concentrate testing on those who are misusing heroin and/or cocaine, at least initially, as these are the drugs which research shows are most closely linked to crime.

  Prisoners (Under-18s)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) men and (b) women under the age of 18 years were serving a prison sentence in England and Wales on 1 November. [103728]

  Mr. Boateng
  The latest available provisional information is for 31 October 1999. On that date there were 1,689 sentenced males and 81 sentenced females aged 15–17 years in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales.

  Information on the population of persons aged 15–17 years in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales is published in "Prison statistics England and Wales", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Konrad Kalejs
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) on what occasions(a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) his officials have discussed the case of Konrad Kalejs with the United States authorities; and what was the nature of the discussions and information received; [104383]

  (2) on what occasions (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) his officials have discussed the case of Konrad Kalejs with the Canadian authorities; and what was the nature of the discussions and information received; [104385]

  (3) on what occasions (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) his officials have discussed the case of Konrad Kalejs with the Latvian authorities; and what was the nature of the discussions and information received; [104384]

  (4) on what occasions (a) he, (b) Ministers in his Department and (c) his officials have discussed the case of Konrad Kalejs with the Australian authorities; and what was the nature of the discussions and information received. [104382]

  Mr. Straw
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office was asked by one of my officials on 30 December to inform the Australian and Latvian Governments promptly through our respective Missions of the fact that Konrad Kalejs was present here, that the Metropolitan police were making inquiries into his alleged involvement in war crimes in Latvia and that he might leave the United Kingdom at an early date. Action was taken on 4 January to update the information which had been given to the Latvian authorities.

  My officials were also in direct contact with the Australian High Commission in London on several occasions in the week commencing 3 January in order to ascertain the status of inquiries by the Australian authorities about Mr. Kalejs and to alert them to his intended departure to Australia on 6 January.

  An official also discussed developments with a member of staff at the Embassy of the United States on 6 January following a request for information on the case by the Embassy to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

  There was no Home Office contact with the Canadian authorities.
  15W
  Neither I nor any of my Ministerial colleagues have had any direct contact with the Australian, United States, Latvian or Canadian authorities about Konrad Kalejs.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the police have questioned Konrad Kalejs about alleged war crimes. [104380]

  Mr. Straw
  The conduct of this and any other criminal investigation lies within the operational responsibility of the relevant Chief Officer of Police, in this case the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. The Commissioner has told me that in the event it was not deemed appropriate to question Mr. Kalejs, since the view was taken that, under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, all this could not have been carried out in the circumstances of the case without arresting him.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons he is minded to deport Konrad Kalejs from the United Kingdom. [104388]

  Mr. Straw
  I was minded to deport Konrad Kalejs on the ground that his presence in the United Kingdom was not conducive to the public good. I reached that decision because I was satisfied that reasonable grounds existed to believe that Kalejs was complicit in war crimes committed in Latvia between 1941 and 1944. In coming to that decision I took account of all the evidence available to me, including that which had emerged from investigations carried out by the Australian, American and Canadian authorities, as well as the Metropolitan Police War Crimes Unit, in the early 1990s.

  My decision that reasonable grounds existed to believe that Kalejs was complicit in war crimes was reached where necessary on the balance of probabilities. I was aware that for the police to mount a successful prosecution in the courts they would have been required to produce evidence to a different and far higher standard of proof. The Metropolitan Police have now confirmed that they have concluded that on the evidence available there were no grounds on which to charge Kalejs.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the police investigation into the allegations against Konrad Kalejs was completed. [104381]

  Mr. Straw
  I understand from the Metropolitan Police Commissioner that the Organised Crime Unit concluded its assessment of the information available relating to the allegations against Konrad Kalejs on 4 January. I was told on 31 December that on the available evidence, the Metropolitan Police Service believed that there were at that time no grounds for making an arrest of Mr. Kalejs, and in the light of this information Mr. Kalejs was served with a notice that I was minded to deport him. The commencement of this deportation process would not in any way have compromised any arrest or charge of Mr. Kalejs before his departure from the United Kingdom.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what new(a) claims have been made and (b) evidence has come to light in the case of Konrad Kalejs since he served notice that he was minded to deport Mr. Kalejs. [104386]

  Mr. Straw
  I am not aware of any new claims which have been made relating to the alleged responsibility of Konrad Kalejs for war crimes since, on 2 January, I served 16W
  notice that I was minded to deport him, and I am advised by the Metropolitan Police that no new evidence has been revealed to them since then.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has received about Konrad Kalejs's intended destination on leaving the United Kingdom. [104387]

  Mr. Straw
  Konrad Kalejs departed the United Kingdom from Heathrow Airport at 1100 hours on 6 January, on a flight bound for Melbourne via Singapore.

  Asylum Seekers
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how (1) many appeals against asylum decisions were refused in(a) 1998 and (b) 1999; and what proportion this was of the total number of appeals in each year; [104042]

  (2) how many asylum seekers whose appeals were refused in (a) 1998 and (b) 1999 have been deported; and what proportion of the total number of those whose appeals were refused this was in each year. [104045]

  Mrs. Roche
  In 1998 a total of 25,300 asylum appeals were determined by Adjudicators of the Immigration Appellate Authority. Of this total 21,100 appeals (84 per cent.) were dismissed. Information for 1999 is not yet available.

  The requested information on the number of asylum seekers whose appeals were refused and deported is available only at disproportionate cost through the examination of individual case records.

  Passport Agency
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the Passport Agency document, "Blueprint for the Future". [103960]

  Mrs. Roche
  Yes. The Passport Agency's document "Blueprint for the Future" has been produced to inform its staff of its plans for the future as set out in the Agency's Corporate and Business Plans 1999–2002, and its separate Action Plan. Copies of these Plans were placed in the Library on 6 December, and copies of the Passport Agency's "Blueprint for the Future" have now been placed there as well.

  Police (Discipline Hearings)
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide guidance to police forces about allowing officers facing disciplinary hearings the assistance, if requested, of a representative of the Black Police Association. [103919]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 8 December 1999,Official Report, columns 533–34W. The choice of representative at a discipline hearing is a matter for the officer concerned. It would be inappropriate for me to issue guidance suggesting who he or she should be.

  Drugs (Prisons)
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many occasions were recorded in each prison of the(a) illegal use and (b) supply of drugs in the past year. [R][103913]

  Mr. Boateng
  The table gives provisional figures for the number of occasions in each establishment that all attempts of(a) the illegal use of and (b) the supply of drugs were recorded for the period January to November 1999.

  Drug offences punished in prisons in England and Wales January-November 19991,2

  Establishment

  Unauthorised use of a controlled drug

  Sells/delivers controlled drug

  Altcourse

  77

  —

  Askham Grange

  14

  —

  Acklington

  36

  1

  Albany

  4

  —

  Aldington

  44

  1

  Ash well

  251

  —

  Aylesbury

  64

  —

  Belmarsh

  222

  —

  Buckley Hall

  214

  1

  Blundestone

  63

  —

  Bedford

  26

  —

  Brockhill

  25

  1

  Bristol

  107

  1

  Birmingham

  479

  1

  Bullingdon

  189

  1

  Brinsford

  38

  —

  Blakenhurst

  490

  6

  BullwoodHall

  42

  —

  Brixton

  105

  1

  Chelmsford

  71

  1

  Cardiff

  169

  —

  Camp Hill

  116

  —

  Cookham Wood

  41

  —

  Coldingley

  60

  —

  Castington

  46

  —

  Channings Wood

  79

  —

  Canterbury

  70

  —

  Dartmoor

  63

  —

  Drake Hall

  42

  —

  Durham

  38

  —

  Doncaster

  4

  1

  Dorchester

  36

  —

  Deerbolt

  89

  —

  Dover

  69

  —

  Downview

  29

  —

  Erlestoke

  186

  —

  Standford Hill

  71

  —

  East Sutton Park

  5

  —

  Everthorpe

  280

  —

  Eastwood Park

  39

  —

  Exeter

  66

  1

  Elmley

  230

  2

  Ford

  93

  —

  Foston Hall

  85

  —

  Frankland

  107

  —

  Feltham

  61

  2

  Full Sutton

  80

  —

  Featherstone

  245

  1

  Garth

  118

  —

  Gloucester

  109

  —

  Guys Marsh

  209

  —

  Grendon

  37

  —

  Glen Parva

  151

  —

  Gartree

  109

  —

  Hollesley Bay

  89

  —

  Huntercombe

  79

  1

  Hatfield

  57

  —

  Hewell Grange

  18

  —

  Holme House

  119

  1

  Hindley

  41

  —

  18W

  Drug offences punished in prisons in England and Wales January-November 19991,2

  Establishment

  Unauthorised use of a controlled drug

  Sells/delivers controlled drug

  Hull

  6

  —

  Highdown

  266

  1

  Highpoint

  114

  7

  Haverigg

  158

  —

  Holloway

  22

  —

  Kirkham

  99

  —

  Kirklevington

  38

  —

  Lancaster

  109

  —

  Leicester

  67

  —

  Leeds

  379

  3

  Lancaster Farm

  56

  —

  Lowdham Grange

  169

  —

  Lindholme

  391

  5

  Lincoln

  153

  —

  Long Lartin

  166

  —

  Latchmere House

  13

  —

  Low Newton

  39

  —

  Liverpool

  513

  1

  Littlehey

  140

  —

  Lewes

  154

  —

  Leyhill

  158

  —

  Moorland

  109

  —

  Morton Hall

  59

  —

  Manchester

  341

  —

  Maidstone

  100

  —

  The Mount

  80

  —

  New Hall

  48

  —

  Nottingham

  51

  —

  Northallerton

  32

  —

  North Sea Camp

  64

  —

  Norwich

  117

  —

  Onley

  20

  —

  Portland

  83

  —

  Parkhurst

  99

  1

  Preston

  199

  1

  Parc

  297

  —

  Kingston (Portsmouth)

  18

  —

  Pentonville

  223

  1

  Rochester

  21

  —

  Reading

  14

  —

  Ranby

  134

  6

  Risley

  267

  —

  Send

  24

  —

  Stafford

  316

  —

  Stoke Heath

  56

  2

  Stocken

  223

  2

  Swaleside

  105

  —

  Shepton Mallet

  162

  —

  Swinfen Hall

  29

  —

  Styal

  48

  1

  Sudbury

  112

  —

  Swansea

  56

  —

  Shrewsbury

  93

  2

  Thorn Cross

  101

  —

  Usk

  30

  —

  The Verne

  55

  —

  The Weare

  103

  —

  Wellingborough

  229

  1

  Winchester

  127

  —

  Wakefield

  17

  —

  Wealstun

  219

  —

  Woodhill

  87

  1

  Way land

  129

  2

  Wymott

  129

  —

  Werrington

  5

  —

  The Wolds

  104

  —

  Whitemoor

  137

  —

  Wormwood Scrubs

  73

  —

  Whatton

  3

  —

  Wands worth

  134

  1

  Wetherby

  34

  —

  All

  14,722

  62

  1 Provisional figures

  2 Includes attempts

  19W
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison staff or officials, indicating the grades, have been charged with or convicted of allowing the supply of illegal drugs in prison in the last year. [R] [103914]

  Mr. Boateng
  Three prison staff have been charged with or convicted of allowing the supply of illegal drugs in prison during 1999. The grades of these staff are one industrial, one instructional officer and one prison officer.

  Departmental Buildings
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for each of the buildings under his Department's control how many rooms are set aside for(a) ethnic minority religious use, (b) pregnant and nursing mothers and (c) smokers. [102340]

  Mr. Straw
  Records for the Home Office estate are not held centrally. My six central London headquarters buildings have between them one room for ethnic minority religious use, two rooms for mother and baby facilities and 11 rooms for smokers. Each building also has first aid facilities. These serve a total population of about 3,900 staff, including the United Kingdom Passport Agency, Police Information Technology Organisation and Her Majesty's Prison Service.

  Building

  Room number

  Size (m2)

  Queen Anne's Gate

  Smoking rooms

  1 st floor

  167

  19.1

  6th floor

  665

  29.2

  8th floor

  833

  21.5

  Mother and baby facilities

  3rd floor

  301a

  7.7

  Clive House

  Muslim prayer room

  4th floor

  407

  25.3

  Smoking room

  3rd floor

  330

  40

  Grenadier House

  Smoking room

  4th floor

  408

  33.2

  Mother and baby facilities

  Ground floor

  GO2

  13.8

  Horseferry House

  Smoking rooms

  1st floor

  124

  24.4

  2nd floor

  245

  16.8

  4th floor

  410

  19.9

  7th floor

  760

  15.2

  Abell House

  Muslim advisers room

  7th floor

  706

  17

  Smoking room

  2nd floor

  225a

  17

  Cleland House

  Smoking room

  3rd floor

  317

  18

  Works in hand to create another in Cleland House

  Stalking
  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what provision there is for the psychiatric assessment of persons convicted of stalking under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997; [104038]

  (2) if he will issue guidance to police forces on improving communications with the victims of stalking; and if he will make a statement; [104039]

  (3) if he will make a statement on the notification to (a) the police and (b) the courts of changes of name or address by persons subject to a restraining order under section 5 of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997. [104041]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Anyone convicted of an offence under the Protection from Harassment Act 1997 is entitled to seek psychiatric help voluntarily, but the Act itself makes no provision for the court to compel anyone to seek such an assessment.

  I have commissioned research into the effectiveness of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997, and will respond to any recommendations for changing the Act once I have seen the report. I have no plans to make a statement on this subject before that time.

  Detention Centre
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the specific planned location of the new detention centre for those held under the Immigration Act 1999; and what progress has been made towards its opening. [104083]

  Mrs. Roche
  All immigration detainees are held under the Immigration Act 1971 as amended. If my hon. Friend is referring to the powers in the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 to make regulations enabling a person granted temporary admission to be required to reside at accommodation provided by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary there are no immediate plans to make such regulations.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letters to him dated 23 August, 7 October and 11 November from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mr. Mohammed Abdullah and Mrs. Nargis Begum. [104068]

  Mrs. Roche
  My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary wrote to my right hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Gorton on 5 January 2000. I am sorry for the delay in replying.

  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letters to him dated 4 August, 16 September and 19 November from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. N. Doski. [104069]

  Mrs. Roche
  My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary wrote to my right hon. Friend the Member for Manchester, Gorton on 5 January 2000. I am sorry for the delay in replying.

  Drug Treatment and Testing Orders
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answers to the hon. Member for Aylesbury of 26 November 1999,Official Report, columns 241–42W, concerning drug treatment and testing orders, when he will write to the hon. member for Aylesbury about drug treatment and testing orders. [104135]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I wrote to the hon. Member on 17 December 1999.

  European Convention on Human Rights
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 13 December 1999,Official Report, column 8W, concerning training in respect of the European Convention on Human Rights, for what reason his answer did not deal with training given to the Prison Service. [104149]

  Mr. Boateng
  Information about training given by the Prison Service in respect of the European Convention on Human Rights was omitted from my answer of 13 December owing to an administrative error. I apologise to my hon. Friend for this oversight.

  The information he required is that the Prison Service intends to provide all personnel working in prison establishments and at headquarters with information about the Human Rights Act 1998, which incorporates the Convention into United Kingdom law. Training will be provided as necessary.

  Metropolitan Police Service
  Ms Ryan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to publish Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary's report on the recent inspection of the Metropolitan police service, which he directed as a result of recommendation four of the Macpherson Inquiry. [104164]

  Mr. Straw
  I have today published the Inspection Report and copies have been placed in the Library.

  Posthumous Conception
  Ms Shipley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to amend the law relating to the registration of births of children conceived after the father's death; and if he will make a statement. [100620]

  Yvette Cooper
  I have been asked to reply.

  The question as to whether a man can be named on a birth certificate as the father of a child conceived after the man's death is governed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. Among other things the Act provides that where
  "the sperm of a man, or any embryo the creation of which was brought about with his sperm, was used after his death, he is not to be treated as the father of the child".

  The legal status of children conceived using posthumous insemination was one of the issues considered by Professor Sheila McLean in the course of her "Review of the Common Law Provisions Relating to the Removal of Gametes and of the Consent Provisions in the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990".
  22W
  Professor McLean recommended that consideration should be given to an amendment to the 1990 Act which would, in effect, permit the child to have a "legal" father where his sperm was used posthumously.

  Professor McLean reported to Ministers in 1998 and we have since conducted a public consultation on the recommendations made in her report. We expect to be able to respond shortly to Professor McLean's recommendations, including our views on any possible amendments to the 1990 Act.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Table Tennis
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on potential conflicts of interest involving the Chairman of the English Table Tennis Association. [104170]

  Kate Hoey
  I am fully aware of the concerns which have been expressed in respect of the operation of the English Table Tennis Association (ETTA) and the role of its Chairman. These issues have been investigated by Sport England and the National Audit Office. As a result, the ETTA has taken a number of steps, including changes to its rules, committee structure and constitution, in order to prevent the risk of conflicts of interest arising and of members gaining unfair commercial advantage. In particular, it has set up a trade committee, upon which the Chairman does not sit, to deal with any business in which the chairman might have a commercial interest. The ETTA is also on the "watch list" of Sport England's Management Audit Department and is therefore subject to regular review and monitoring. This has indicated that all of the required operational procedures are being fully implemented by the ETTA. Sport England is also satisfied, having investigated a number of specific complaints, that there has been no misuse of public funds in respect of the ETTA. However, in view of the concerns which have been expressed in the past about the ETTA, the Chairman of Sport England has, at my request, agreed to carry out a further review of the progress being made towards the original recommendations made to the ETTA by the National Audit Office and Sport England. I have asked my officials to discuss the review with Sport England's Management Audit Department and report back to me as soon as it has been undertaken.

  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if the finding of the Press Council on the English Table Tennis Association has been brought to his attention; and if he will make a statement. [104036]

  Kate Hoey
  I am aware that a complaint was made to the Press Complaints Commission (PCC), the successor body to the Press Council, on behalf of Alan Ransome, Chairman of the English Table Tennis Association (ETTA) in relation to an article by John Goodbody in The Times on 14 December 1998. I have read the PCC's subsequent adjudication and they concluded that Mr. Ransome's complaints did not amount to a breach of the Code of Practice.
  23W
  The Government do not generally comment on specific cases brought before the PCC. We remain of the belief that an effective voluntary Code of Practice for the print media, overseen by the PCC, is the best way of ensuring high editorial standards.

  National Stadium
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will publish the contracts between Sport England and Wembley National Stadium Ltd. relating to the development of the national stadium. [102420]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: The Lottery Funding Agreement is the only contract between Sport England and Wembley National Stadium Ltd., and the Football Association is also party to that contract. Publication of the contract is primarily for the parties to the contract.

  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what meetings he(a) has had and (b) plans with members of the UK Athletics Technical Team who worked with Wembley National Stadium Ltd. on the design of the new National Stadium at Wembley. [103587]

  Kate Hoey
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: My right hon. Friend and I have met representatives of UK Athletics to discuss a wide range of issues relating to the National Stadium project. Neither of us, however, has met or plans to meet the UK Athletics Technical Team.

  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what was the value of the Government grant for the development of Wembley Stadium. [103754]

  Kate Hoey
  No direct Government funding has been provided for the development of Wembley Stadium. Sport England has made available a Lottery award of up to £120 million for the national stadium project.

  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much his Department paid DLA Ellerbe Beckett for producing their report on the new Wembley Stadium. [103588]

  Kate Hoey
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: The report was commissioned by UK Sport from DLA Ellerbe Beckett at our request at a cost of £35,000.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will publish the correspondence between his Department and Sport England in relation to the redevelopment of Wembley Stadium. [102419]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: No. Much of the material contained in the correspondence was given on the understanding that it represented confidential communications between the Department and Sport England.

  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the revised timetable for a decision on the rebuilding of Wembley Stadium. [102144]
  24W
  Kate Hoey
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced his decision on the rebuilding of Wembley Stadium on 22 December. A copy of that announcement has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport which of his Department's Ministers and officials attended the meeting of the National Stadium Monitoring Committee on 20 May. [103591]

  Kate Hoey
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the then Minister for Sport, and three officials from my Department attended the National Stadium Monitoring Committee meeting on 20 May 1999.

  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the dates and locations of the meetings of the National Stadium Monitoring Committee at which Ministers or officials of his Department were present. [103590]

  Kate Hoey
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: There have been three meetings of the National Stadium monitoring committee: on 17 February 1999 and 15 July 1999 at the DCMS offices; and on 20 May 1999 at the House of Commons.

  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many days interested parties were given to study the DLA Ellerbe Beckett report on the future of Wembley Stadium before he made his statement to the House of 1 December. [103592]

  Kate Hoey
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: We received the DLA: Ellerbe Beckett report on Monday 29 November and following consideration of its contents made it available on 1 December to interested parties shortly before the statement made in the House by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

  Departmental Productivity
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what action he is taking to increase the productivity and reduce the running costs of his Department. [103845]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  The Comprehensive Spending Review last year resulted in a number of structural changes within the public bodies sponsored by DCMS, which will result in increased efficiency. At the same time, the Department took on a new, strategic role in its sectors, and a much higher profile in the regions, with dedicated staff in all Government regional offices. This was against the background of a running cost allocation which was flat over the three years of the financial settlement. Among specific initiatives designed to increase efficiency and effectiveness, we are rationalising our estate so that a greater proportion of staff are in one building; co-locating divisions to increase the capacity for sharing support services; and undertaking a number of reviews of our services as part of the Modernising Government agenda. We have established the Quality, Efficiency and Standards Team (Quest) in order to identify and spread good practice in administration across the Department's NDPBs.

  Resorts Task Force
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is the remit of the Resorts Task Force; who will serve on it; and how they will be appointed. [104277]

  Janet Anderson
  The English Tourism Council (ETC) is establishing a Resorts Task Force to tackle the problems facing resorts. It will include people with experience in tourism and, in particular, resorts, local government, planning, investment, design and economic development. Peter Moore, ETC board member and Managing Director of Center Parcs is chairing the Task Force and is currently assembling the team.

  Civil Servants (Subsequent Employment)
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he has made a ruling on whether an official whose name has been given to him has contravened the Civil Service rules relating to subsequent employment. [104037]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  No; my Department is in correspondence with the former official concerned.

  Departmental Employees (Ethnic Minorities)
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what percentage of the total workforce in his Department is of ethnic minority origin; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of people from the ethnic minorities in his Department. [102738]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  My right hon. Friend the Minister for the Cabinet Office set out in her reply of 16 December,Official Report, column 264W, the corporate action that the Civil Service is taking to encourage the employment of people from ethnic minorities. My Department currently does only a limited amount of direct recruitment, but makes use of welcoming statements to encourage applications from under-represented groups. As part of the Department's commitment to provide a workplace free from discrimination, all staff receive equal opportunities awareness training and are encouraged to treat others with courtesy and respect. On 1 April 1999, 8 per cent. of the department's workforce declared themselves as being from an ethnic minority background. We will now be working closely with the Cabinet Office to widen the pool of potential recruits and increase interchange opportunities in order to increase the representation of ethnic minorities in DCMS.

  International Sporting Events (Select Committee Report)
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what further response he plans to make to the report of the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, "Staging Professional Sporting Events", HC (1998-99) 124; [103589]

  (2) what action he has taken to implement the recommendations of the report from the Culture, Media and Sport Committee, "Staging International Sporting Events", HC (1998–99) 124. [103593]
  26W
  Kate Hoey
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: The Government welcomed the extensive report of the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee into Staging International Sporting Events, and our response of 8 September stressed our full commitment to bringing major international sporting events to this country and to ensuring they are staged successfully. A key response to the recommendations directed at the Government was the appointment of the Minister of State, Cabinet Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for Makerfield (Mr. McCartney), to a coordinating role across different Departments for the Government's interests in the successful delivery of the 2002 Commonwealth Games and associated activities. Also in hand are assessments of the impact of major events on participation in sport; assessment of the economic impact of major events; and improving the quality and contribution of British postholders in international governing bodies. Through UK Sport's major events strategy, we are continuing to work with all stakeholders to make Government support for events more effective.

SCOTLAND

  Sexual Offences
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he took before July in response to the report of the Scottish Office Central Research Unit in 1992 on sexual history and sexual character evidence in Scottish sexual offence trials. [103740]

  Dr. Reid
  The crimes of clandestine injury to women and incest were added in section 28 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1995 to the categories of sexual offences in respect of which evidence of sexual character or sexual history would be inadmissible without the consent of the court. These were two crimes which the research report suggested should be within the scope of the legislation.

  European Convention on Human Rights
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the First Minister about additional training for(a) the police and (b) the Prison Service in Scotland since the incorporation of the European Convention on Human Rights into United Kingdom domestic legislation.[103611]

  Dr. Reid
  Training of the police and Prison Service in Scotland is devolved and I have not discussed this issue with the First Minister.

  Hughes Report (Dunblane)
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the availability of Inspector Hughes's report to the Cullen Inquiry into the Dunblane tragedy. [104011]

  Dr. Reid
  Sergeant Hughes's report was made available to the Cullen Inquiry as a production. The report contains sensitive information about children (not the children of Dunblane) who attended a summer camp run by Thomas Hamilton in 1991 and alleged offences against them. For these reasons it was considered appropriate that
  27W
  the production should remain closed for 100 years with the Crown Office dealing with any requests for special access meantime.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Regional Selective Assistance
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reason the application from Axgro Foods of West Butterwick, near Gainsborough for regional selective assistance which was referred to him by the DTI, reference RSA/99/0116, for relocating their factory to Misterton Bassetlaw was rejected; for what reason the firm was informed at 4 p.m. on 20 December that they had to submit evidence by 22 December; and if he will make a statement. [104175]

  Mr. Caborn
  Axgro Foods Limited applied for a Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) grant on 25 November 1999. All RSA applications are considered against published criteria, which include conditions that grant can be made available only to projects that contribute positive benefits to both the regional and national economy. The European Community restricts assistance to some industries in which there is over-capacity. These restrictions apply to some fishery and agricultural products.

  On 20 December the Government Office for the East Midlands, responsible for the appraisal of this case, contacted the company to advise that the application may be subject to EC restrictions. It asked the company to provide additional supporting information, which was received on 22 December.

  An indicative offer of RSA was made to Axgro Foods Limited on 23 December, which is subject to a full appraisal and clarification on the issue of possible EC restrictions.

  Assisted Areas (Food Production)
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assistance his Department provides for firms involved in food production who wish to relocate to constituencies which have assisted area status. [104174]

  Mr. Caborn
  Regional Selective Assistance is my Department's main instrument for offering direct financial assistance to companies investing in the Assisted Areas. It covers most manufacturing and some service industries, but some sectors including agricultural food production are subject to EU restrictions.

  Copyright
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his Department's role in negotiations on the Internet caching aspects of the draft EU Directive on Copyright in the Information Society. [104081]

  Dr. Howells
  My Department's role is to consider the views of all interested parties on the mandatory exception to reproduction rights proposed in the draft Directive which is relevant to some kinds of caching, and to seek solutions in the negotiations on the Directive which are as fair as possible to all concerned. We wish to ensure both that the activities of service providers such as 28W
  caching are not impeded, and also that owners of copyright and related rights are properly protected in the on-line environment.

  Export Licences
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will provide details of licences granted to Sidem Ltd. for the export of small arms to Turkey since 2 May 1997. [104157]

  Dr. Howells
  The export of small arms is controlled under entries ML1 and PL5018 in the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994, as amended, commonly known as the Military List. The entry in the legislation under which the export of goods is controlled is known as their rating. The Export Control Organisation's computer databases have been interrogated, and no standard or open individual licences covering goods with the relevant ratings are recorded as having been issued to this company between 2 May 1997 and 3 January 2000 for the export to consignees or end-users in Turkey.

  This information should be considered in light of the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Kingswood (Mr. Berry) on 27 July 1999, Official Report, columns 307–08W.

  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department is required to grant permission before a foreign company can export weapons manufactured under a licensed production agreement with a British company; and if he will list the actions taken(a) by his Department and (b) in conjunction with British Aerospace, to ensure that foreign companies manufacturing Heckler and Koch weapons using British Aerospace technology under licensed production agreements adhere to export control requirements within their licence agreements. [104295]

  Dr. Howells
  As I stated in answer to my hon. Friend on 22 March 1999,Official Report, column 117W, companies wishing to license overseas production of their products do not require DTI approval, nor are they required to notify DTI of arrangements entered into. The control of exports from another country of goods manufactured in that country under such an arrangement is a matter for the competent authorities of the Government concerned.

  Furthermore, as stated previously, the issue of controls on licensed production overseas was raised in a number of the responses to the White Paper on Strategic Export Controls, and is therefore being considered in the review of the White Paper proposals in light of the results of the consultation.

  Cash Machines (Charges)
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with the banking industry on advertising charges for the use of cash machines. [104285]

  Dr. Howells
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has corresponded with the British Bankers Association about charges for cash machines. My officials have also met representatives of Barclays Bank, the Nationwide Building Society and the British Bankers Association to discuss this issue.
  29W
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to ensure clearing bank cash machines pre-notify customers of charges. [104284]

  Dr. Howells
  My Department is currently discussing the issue of charges for bank cash machines with the banking industry, HM Treasury and Don Cruickshank's team.

  Our approach to this issue was set out by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 13 December 1999, Official Report, column 16W.

  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many clearing banks pre-notify charges for cash machine withdrawals. [104286]

  Dr. Howells
  I understand that banks generally inform their customers about such charges by letter or when cash cards are issued.

  While some banks' cash machines give a general on-screen warning to the effect that a particular card issuer may levy a charge, I am not aware of any bank which indicates on-screen how much any charge will be.

  World Trade Organisation
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who represented Her Majesty's Government at the meeting of the General Council of the WTO held in Geneva on Friday 17 December. [104105]

  Mr. Caborn
  The Deputy Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom Mission in Geneva attended the meeting of the WTO General Council. However, it is the European Commission that represents and speaks on behalf of the European Union and its member states at meetings of the WTO General Council.

  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the minutes of the meeting of the General Council of the WTO held in Geneva on Friday 17 December will be published. [104106]

  Mr. Caborn
  The minutes will be circulated to WTO members in January. They will be made available to the public by the WTO secretariat eight months after circulation in accordance with a WTO General Council decision dated 26 July 1996. We are pressing in the WTO, through the European Union, for an elimination of the delay between initial circulation and derestriction as part of our broader WTO transparency aims.

  Objective 1 Funding
  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what level of match public funds from(a) his Department and (b) the Department for Education and Employment are available to EU Objective 1 regions for each of the next seven calendar years. [104306]

  Mr. Caborn
  It is not possible to identify match funding from DTI sources for the next seven calendar years since the Department's current expenditure plan runs until the end of the financial year 2000–01. Spending for following years will be determined as part of the next spending review. The DTI has many programmes which may provide match funding in Objective 1 regions,30W
  eg Business Links, Foresight, Smart, LINK. Regional Government Offices can advise potential applicants for European structural funding on all of these.

  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the requirements for match public funds from his Department for the EU Objective 1 regions of(a) Cornwall and Scilly, (b) Merseyside and (c) South Yorkshire for each of the seven years of the programme. [104351]

  Mr. Caborn
  I refer the hon. Member to answer given on 10 November 1999,Official Report, column 637W.

  Responsibility for identifying match funding is a matter for the partnerships in the regions concerned.

  The Government decided two years ago on the levels of public spending for all departments for a three-year period. We shall review spending plans and bids in the next spending review for the period 2001–04.

  The Regional Government Offices are best placed to advise the partnerships on the sources of departmental funding which can be used to match Structural Funds. The Government is updating and improving guidance on match funding. Given that UK annual public expenditure on industry, agriculture and employment alone is around ten times as much as annual commitments from the structural funds, there should be no difficulty for projects in finding match funding.

  Post Office
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if Parcelforce will continue to have preferential customs clearance facilities following the implementation of the Post Office White Paper proposals. [104250]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  There are no plans to make changes to Post Office customs procedures in the forthcoming Post Office Bill. Customs are in discussion with Parcelforce concerning international clearance facilities at their new Coventry depot.

  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if Parcelforce's compulsory purchase powers will be retained following the implementation of the Post Office White Paper. [104249]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  It is intended that these powers will be retained by the Post Office but extended to other licensed Universal Service Providers.

  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what progress the Post Office has made in implementing the cost-based accounting system proposed in the Post Office White Paper; [104179]

  (2) what assessment he has made of progress made by the Post Office towards meeting the February 2000 deadline for the implementation of transparent accounting. [104178]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  The Post Office is making good progress in implementing the necessary cost-based accounting systems and it is expected that the EC Directive 97/67 deadline requirements for transparent accounting will be met.

  Stamps
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many(a) first class stamps and (b) second class stamps were sold in (i) 1995, (ii) 1996, (iii) 1997 and (iv) 1998. [104251]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  I understand from the Post Office that it is not possible to record the numbers of first and second class stamps sold because stamps are sold through independent retailers as well as through the Post Office network. The Post Office have supplied the following figures for the numbers of first and second class stamps produced:

  Billion

  Year

  First class

  Second class

  1995–96

  2.4

  1.9

  1996–97

  2.7

  2.1

  1997–98

  2.5

  2.1

  1998–99

  2.2

  2.2

  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what account he took of EU proposals for a reduction in the postal monopoly when approving the increase in price of the first class stamp. [104182]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  The Post Office have referred their proposals for letter tariff increases to the Post Office Users' National Council for consultation as statutorily required. My right hon. Friend will consider in due course any views and comments received from the Council.

  Postal Services Commission
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what criteria will be used to appoint members of the Postal Services Commission. [104180]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  The criteria for members of the Postal Services Commission are set out in the advertisements for those posts and the information for candidates sent to those expressing an interest. Copies of these are being placed in the Library of the House.

  Ilisu Dam
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations Her Majesty's Government have received in relation to the proposed Ilisu Dam from(a) Syria, (b) Iraq and (c) other Middle Eastern countries. [104071]

  Mr. Caborn
  Syria raised the issue with our Embassy in Damascus in March 1999. They have also raised it on one occasion with British Trade International and most recently (on 23 December) when the Syrian Ambassador called on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

  There have been no representations from Iraq.

  The League of Arab States has also informally raised the issue by telephone with the Export Credits Guarantee Department.

  Oil and Gas Production
  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his 32W
  Department's policy towards oil and gas companies which hold fallow fields in the United Kingdom Continental Shelf. [103112]

  Mrs. Liddell
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: The Department's Oil and Gas policy is to encourage exploration and development on the UKCS whilst allowing licence groups the option of which discoveries are brought to development. They are encouraged to relinquish any acreage considered unprospective or non-commercial. A review of fallow blocks and discoveries is currently under way.

  The Oil and Gas Industry Task Force has established LIFT (Licence Information for Trading), an on-line information service which allows licensees to advertise licences and assets for sale, trade or form-in. LIFT will encourage more asset trading, by enabling companies to realise their value in a cost-effective way.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Research Contracts
  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many research contracts have been let by his Department since May 1997; what is the value of each contract; and in each case whether the contract included(a) a departmental veto over publication of the research results, (b) departmental control over the date of publication of the research results and (c) a requirement that the final research results incorporate departmental amendments. [100155]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 6 December 1999]: The information for the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments is contained in a table, a copy of which has been placed in the Library. This covers the period up to the date of devolution.

  Robert Hamill
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland at what time on 27 April 1997 the location of the fatal attack on Robert Hamill in Portadown was cordoned off by Royal Ulster Constabulary officers. [101856]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 8 December 1999]: The RUC have advised that the scene was cordoned off at 07.27 hours on 27 April 1997.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland at what times on 27 April 1997 the Royal Ulster Constabulary officers who were present at the scene of the fatal attack on Robert Hamill in Portadown signed written statements regarding the incident. [101857]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 8 December 1999]: The RUC have advised that the actual times at which police officers signed written statements regarding the fatal attack on Robert Hamill are not recorded. However, they have confirmed that all statements were made during the morning of 27 April.

  Seamus Ludlow
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make available to the Irish
  33W
  judicial investigation into the 1976 murder of Seamus Ludlow (a) the interview notes made by the RUC relating to men arrested but not charged in 1999 and (b) case papers prepared for the DPP. [101872]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 15 December 1999]: To date there has been no request for such information. Should one be received it will be considered in accordance with procedures, regulations and legal constraints.

  Security Patrols
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many patrols were carried out in the last month for which figures are available, broken down by(a) police division and (b) corresponding district council constituency areas, indicating which of those patrols were accompanied by a military presence. [101878]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 15 December 1999]: The following table shows the number of RUC patrols accompanied by the armed forces during the month of November 1999. It is not possible to provide the total number of RUC patrols or to relate these to district council areas.

  RUC accompanied by military patrols—November 1999

  Division

  Number of accompanied patrols

  A

  0

  B

  0

  D

  0

  E

  0

  G

  20

  H

  402

  J

  102

  K

  157

  L

  383

  N

  6

  O

  5

  P

  22

  Employment Statistics
  Mrs. Ann Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what figures he can require from local authorities about the composition of their work forces in terms of(a) standard age groups, (b) ethnic origins and (c) gender. [104012]

  Mr. Mandelson
  Responsibility for this subject has been devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly and is therefore no longer a matter for the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Patten Commission
  Mr. Hesford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the Patten Commission's report on policing in Northern Ireland. [103958]

  Mr. Ingram
  On 9 September 1999 the Patten Commission issued their report and the Secretary of State announced that the Government accepted their findings in principle. A copy of this statement has been placed in the Library of the House. As required by the Belfast Agreement, the Government consulted with various parties. Although the formal period of consultation ended on 30 November 1999, decisions have not yet been made 34W
  on the proposals. It is the Secretary of State's intention that an announcement on Government decisions taken in light of the consultation process, and the next steps, will be made in due course.

  Royal Ulster Constabulary (Kosovo)
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the role played by the Royal Ulster Constabulary in Kosovo and Bosnia. [103725]

  Mr. Ingram
  In accordance with the provisions of Section 8 of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998, the Royal Ulster Constabulary have seven officers serving with the United Nations International Police Task Force in Bosnia where they are monitoring the performance of the Bosnian police service. Sixty RUC officers are also with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo where they are undertaking an executive policing role pending a new Kosovan police service being trained and ready to take over law enforcement there.

  Departmental Productivity
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he is taking to increase the productivity and reduce the running costs of his Department. [103853]

  Mr. Mandelson
  My Department is fully committed to seeking efficiency savings and living within agreed budgets. It is determined to achieve efficiencies in all areas of activity and reductions in support services where possible. A comprehensive review of running costs was completed during 1999 and its recommendations for savings, mainly in support services, are being assessed and implemented. More generally, efficiency plans are an integral plan of annual plans for all parts of the Department.

  The Northern Ireland Office will play a full part in taking forward the Government's plans for modernising the delivery of services and reforming the Civil Service. In line with these initiatives it is preparing a programme for Better Quality Services Review over the next five years, to include quinquennial reviews of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies, which will seek to identify the most effective and economical ways to deliver its services. It has already begun action to improve procurement arrangements, to reduce sickness absences, to guard against fraud and to increase the use of electronic business with the Department.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Asylum Appeals
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the average waiting time in(a) 1998 and (b) 1999 for (i) a hearing and (ii) a decision in respect of appeals against asylum decisions. [104043]

  Jane Kennedy
  The Immigration Appellate Authority has been unable to monitor the average waiting time for a decision in respect of appeals against asylum decisions. The following table details the average waiting times for a hearing.
  35W

  Category of hearing

  1998

  1999

  Certified

  11

  5

  Substantive

  26

  6

  Detained

  4

  4

  Note:

  Average waiting time shown in weeks

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many asylum seekers are currently awaiting the(a) hearing and (b) outcome of a hearing of an appeal against an initial refusal of their claim for asylum. [104046]

  Jane Kennedy
  The Immigration Appellate Authority does not hold separate statistics for these two categories. There were a total of 4,327 asylum appeals outstanding before adjudicators as at 31 December 1999.

  There are in addition, 2,245 asylum appeals outstanding before the Tribunal as at 31 December.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many appeals against initial asylum decisions were heard in(a) 1998 and (b) 1999. [104044]

  Jane Kennedy
  The number of asylum appeals determined by adjudicators in(a) 1998 was 25,322 and in (b) 1999 was 19,461.

  Either-way Cases
  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what has been the average time taken from first hearing to verdict in contested cases triable either way which were tried in the magistrates' court, for each of the last five years where data is available. [R] [104233]

  Jane Kennedy
  Information on the time taken in magistrates courts proceedings is collected by the Lord Chancellor's Department's Time Intervals Survey. The survey collects data on indictable (including triable either way) cases completed in a sample week of each February, June and October. During 2000 the frequency of the survey will increase to four times a year. The survey records the date of the first listing but does not record the date of the first hearing.

  The average time taken from first listing to verdict for defendants in contested triable either way cases which were tried in magistrates courts was 113 days in February 1999 and 104 days in June 1999.

  These figures use information collected for the first time in 1999 following an enhancement to the survey. Equivalent figures for previous years are not available.

  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) what has been the average time taken from first hearing to transfer in contested cases triable either way, except those prosecuted by the Serious Fraud Office, which were transferred to the Crown court in each of the last five years where data are available; [R][104234]
  36W
  (2) what has been the average time taken from first hearing to verdict in contested cases triable either way, except those prosecuted by the Serious Fraud Office, which were transferred to the Crown court, in each of the last five years where data are available. [R][104235]

  Jane Kennedy
  The information requested is not available. Cases involving notices of transfer to the Crown court under section 53 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 cannot be separately identified in the data collected on time taken in court proceedings.

  European Convention on Human Rights
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what additional training the judiciary in(a) Northern Ireland and (b) Scotland have been given since the incorporation of the European Convention on Human Rights into United Kingdom domestic legislation. [103610]

  Mr. Lock
  (a) The Judicial Studies Board for Northern Ireland has held five lectures on several European Convention on Human Rights topics since February 1998. In mid-January 2000 there will be a further Human Rights Act lecture, followed in late January, February and March by three case study events covering civil law, family law and criminal law respectively. In addition, the Board is presently considering possible topics for inclusion in a series of Human Rights Act lectures and has secured the agreement of Judge Nicolas Bratza, the British judge at the European Court of Human Rights, to deliver the Board's 2000 Annual Address.

  (b) This is a matter for the Scottish Executive.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Internet
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list those primary and secondary schools and further education colleges in(a) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (b) Shropshire which have given students access to the Internet since 1 May 1997; and if he will make a statement. [102460]

  Mr. Wills
  There are no centrally held statistics of school connection to the Internet by MP's constituency area. Figures are available for schools in England and are shown in the following table:

  Percentage of schools connected to the Internet

  Year

  Primary

  Secondary

  1997

  5

  47

  1998

  17

  83

  1999

  62

  93

  All colleges of further education have internet connections.

  Information provided by Shropshire Local Education Authority indicates that all secondary schools currently have access to the Internet and that the 100 primary schools remaining are due to be connected to the Internet by the end of March 2000.

  Sure Start
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the(a) mean and (b) median time taken for the approval of those Sure Start applications that have been approved. [103026]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 16 December 1999]: Of the 15 local Sure Start programmes approved to date, the mean time taken to approve them from receipt of final delivery plans was eight weeks. The median time was also eight weeks. This included time spent consulting relevant departments centrally and regionally and seeking further information from some local programmes.

  16 Sure Start programmes announced at 15 December 1999

  Start-point data on low birth weight babies less than 2,500g (unless stated)

  Admissions to hospital as an emergency during their first year of life with gastro-enteritis, a respiratory infection or a severe injury

  Birmingham

  11%

  1—

  Blackpool

  8 babies

  1—

  Bristol

  7.28%

  1—

  Copeland

  6.5%

  1—

  Derby

  62 babies

  Gastro-enteritis 7, Respiratory infection 19, Severe injury 8 (including one death)

  Hastings

  6%

  Aged 0–4 years: Gastro-enteritis 23, Respiratory infection 40, Injury (including poisoning) 20

  Leicester

  2.6% (less than 1,500 g)

  1—

  Manchester

  9%

  1—

  Mansfield

  12 babies

  1—

  North Tyneside

  17.8%

  131 admissions to hospital (excluding asthma), 84 for accidental injury and a further 72 seen at A&E for minor ailments

  Oldham

  8.2%

  1—

  Oxford

  10 babies

  1—

  Sheffield

  1—

  1—

  Sunderland

  4.48%

  Respiratory infection 36, (diagnosis codes J00-J99), Gastro-enteritis 3 (diagnosis codes A084 & A09), Severe injury 0 (diagnosis codes S00-T98 plus a stay of 2 plus days)

  Thurrock

  1—

  1—

  1 Will be collected by April 2000

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many of the 60 Sure Start areas correspond to(a) electoral wards and (b) local authority areas. [103005]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 16 December 1999]: Sure Start areas are very much smaller than local authority areas. The majority of Sure Start areas do not correspond to electoral wards, though some do, with others covering a number of wards. We are in the process of mapping the Sure Start areas in a Geographical Information System which will permit a precise answer to this question.
  38W
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what are the start point data on(a) low birth weight and (b) hospital admissions as a result of serious injury, for each approved Sure Start application. [103006]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 16 December 1999]: The following table shows the start point data for (a) low birth weight babies and (b) hospital admissions as a result of serious injury, gastro-enteritis or a respiratory infection, for the 15 Sure Start programmes approved to date.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how each of the 14 indices is weighted when calculating the index of deprivation used in assessing need for Sure Start areas. [103002]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 16 December 1999]: The Index of Local Deprivation contains 12 indicators, to which two further indicators, low birth weight babies and births to teenage mothers, were added specifically for the purpose of identifying Sure Start districts. All 14 indicators are afforded equal weight in calculating the overall index.
  39W
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of the population of England is covered by the 60 Sure Start areas announced to date. [102199]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: It is estimated that 1.8 per cent. of the population of England is covered by the 60 Sure Start areas announced to date.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of the population of England will be covered by Sure Start areas by March 2002. [102198]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: There will be 250 local Sure Start programmes in place by March 2002. Assuming these are of similar size to the 60 trailblazers, it is estimated that 7.5 per cent. of the population of England will be covered by Sure Start areas by March 2002.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the size of each grant awarded to each Sure Start area. [102200]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: The total amount of grant currently allocated for 1999–2000 to 2001–02 is£66,205,685. I have placed a breakdown by programme in the Library.

  Departmental Research Contracts
  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many research contracts have been let by his Department since May 1997; what is the value of each contract; and in each case whether the contract included(a) a departmental veto over publication of the research results, (b) departmental control over the date of publication of the research results and (c) a requirement that the final research results incorporate departmental amendments. [100145]

  £

  School name

  Project description

  Date approved

  Total1

  The Annunciation RC Infant

  New windows

  July 1997

  11,999

  New entrance

  July 1997

  12,997

  Window and door replacement

  May 1998

  13,141

  Work to entrance

  May 1998

  13,159

  The Blessed Dominic RC Primary

  Library accommodation

  October 1999

  21,963

  Work to covered link

  May 1997

  1,703

  Hasmonean Primary

  Replace dilapidated buildings

  January 1999

  480,000

  Independent Jewish Day

  Classroom extension

  June 1999

  162,282

  Replacement fire escape

  March 1998

  2,761

  Work to covered link

  July 1998

  12,923

  St. John's CE Infant

  External work

  June 1999

  12,220

  St. Joseph's RC Infant

  New windows

  May 1999

  17,068

  St. Joseph's RC Junior

  Toilets (NDS)

  October 1997

  16,441

  New windows

  May 1999

  73,379

  Office improvements

  November 1997

  4,879

  St. Mary's CE Junior

  Roof renewal

  April 1999

  121,645

  Work to cavity trays

  August 1997

  2,181

  40W
  Mr. Wills
  [holding answer 6 December 1999]: Full details of the Department's research contracts and their value are presented in the Department's Annual Report on Research. The 1997 and 1998 Annual Reports are lodged with the House of Commons' Library. The 1999 report will be published shortly. In the absence of this, a list of research contracted since May 1997 is attached.

  The results of research are routinely published in line with the requirements of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information. The Department aims to publish or release for publication at least 80 per cent. of research reports within 16 weeks of receiving a final draft from its contractors.

  There is no veto over publication of the findings and Ministers are informed of intentions to publish. Contractors are not required to incorporate Departmental amendments. The wording of DfEE research contracts was revised in October 1998 to make this point clearer to contractors.

  Quigley Report
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the Quigley report on student finance will be published. [104151]

  Mr. Wicks
  The Teaching and Higher Education Act 1998 requires that report to be laid before each House of Parliament not later than 1 April 2000.

  Voluntary Aided Schools (Hendon)
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment which voluntary aided schools in Hendon have received additional capital allocations; for what purpose; and how much, in each case, since 1 May 1997. [103030]

  Jacqui Smith
  On 1 May 1997, there were 12 Voluntary Aided (VA) schools in the constituency of Hendon and the following table lists the schools that have received approval for new capital work since that date.
  41W

  £

  School name

  Project description

  Date approved

  Total1

  St. Paul's CE Primary

  External handrail

  July 1998

  8,272

  Infants WC and cloakroom

  April 1998

  13,269

  Security fencing

  August 1997

  13,511

  New windows

  June 1997

  8,258

  St. Vincent's RC Primary

  Infants toilets

  August 1998

  13,000

  Single site consolidation

  January 1999

  1,819,035

  1 Figures represent 100 per cent. of governor's costs. Actual grant paid will be at 85 per cent. of the sums shown

  Formula capital grant for all schools will be introduced on 1 April 2000. VA schools in Hendon, including the five former GM schools which joined the VA sector on 1 September 1999, will receive formula capital allocations totalling £134,839 for 2000–01.

  Personal and Social Education
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is his policy on the teaching of(a) six to 11-year-olds and (b) 11 to 16-year-olds about homosexuality as part of personal and social education. [103338]

  Jacqui Smith
  The Government have now published a new framework for PSHE designed to help pupils develop into confident, healthy and responsible individuals and help them to deal with difficult moral and social questions that arise in their lives and in society, including addressing issues such as homophobic bullying. The Government support teaching through this framework.

  Gamma Hydroxy Butyrate
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he has taken to raise awareness of the dangers of gamma hydroxy butyrate in schools. [103378]

  Jacqui Smith
  Drug education is a statutory requirement at all key stages of National Curriculum science. The detailed content and organisation of drug education programmes is a matter for individual schools, geared to the specific local needs and circumstances of their pupils, and should include all drugs and substances open to misuse, including gamma hydroxy butyrate (GHB).

  To support the Anti-Drugs Strategy, our national framework for PSHE will set drug education within a broader context of personal and social development, which will help to equip young people with the knowledge, skills and confidence to resist pressure to misuse drugs.

  Age Diversity
  Ms Perham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to publish the initial survey of employers and older people carried out prior to the publication of the Code of Practice on Age Diversity in Employment. [103905]

  Ms Hodge
  The initial survey was carried out to provide a baseline against which findings from the subsequent surveys could be measured. We intend, therefore, to publish the baseline information in the Spring alongside the findings from the second wave survey.

  Disability Discrimination Act
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement concerning the operation of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 in relation to the responsibilities of financial institutions when providing services. [102939]

  Ms Hodge
  The Disability Discrimination Act makes it unlawful to discriminate against disabled people by treating them less favourably than people who are not disabled, or by failing to make reasonable adjustments when services are impossible or unreasonably difficult to use. Financial institutions have the same responsibilities under the Act as other providers of services to the public. The Code of Practice which we published on 29 June 1999 explains these duties and gives practical guidance on how to prevent discrimination against disabled people. The British Bankers' Association (BBA) has also published its own guidance—"implementing Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act: BBA guidance on banks' responsibilities to their customers from October 1999"—with examples specific to the banking sector. It has also published a leaflet for customers entitled "The New Disability Legislation: What You Can Expect from Your Bank".

  Child Care
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many net child care places have been created in the first two quarters of the financial year 1999–2000 by the early years development and childcare partnerships in (i) the parliamentary constituency of Birkenhead, (ii) the four parliamentary constituencies of the Wirral, (iii) the parliamentary constituencies of the City of Liverpool and (iv) the parliamentary constituencies of Merseyside. [104227]

  Ms Hodge
  The number of net child care places created are as follows:

  Constituencies

  Number of net places

  Birkenhead

  119

  Wirral

  349

  City of Liverpool

  278

  Merseyside

  855

  1 The figure for Birkenhead does not include childminder places as these are not broken down to constituency level, but a proportion of the 138 childminder places created in the Wirral area will be in the constituency of Birkenhead.

  School Building
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many school building projects in
  43W
  England are currently being funded through public private sector partnerships; and what is his forecast for the number of new projects to be started in 2000–01. [104172]

  Jacqui Smith
  Contracts have been awarded on eight schools' projects in England under the Private Finance Initiative, six of which are for building projects covering new or replacement single schools and two of which are Local Education Authority (LEA) wide service contracts. A further 34 projects, covering both single schools and groups of schools, have been approved by the Treasury's Project Review Group (PRG), 13 of which will receive support in 2000–01. In addition, 15 LEAs have been invited to submit business cases for projects, covering both single schools and groups of schools, to be considered for support at future PRG meetings.

  A total of £1.3 billion of PFI Credits has been provided for schools' projects in England up to 31 March 2002, including the £100 million announced in the pre-Budget statement.

  A further 16 Public Private Partnerships (PPP) are currently being supported by £10 million of New Deal for Schools (NDS) grant. PPPs to be supported through NDS grant in 2000–01 and 2001–02 will be announced in the Spring.

  In total, over 700 schools will have benefited from different forms of PPPs by 31 March 2002.

  National Curriculum (Disapplied Pupils)
  Mr. Casale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to exclude disapplied pupils from the total number when calculating the percentage of pupils achieving specific levels on the National Curriculum assessments. [104262]

  Jacqui Smith
  We have no such plans. The National Targets enshrine our determination to improve educational standards among all children. Published figures on the performance of our schools and of the country as a whole reflect that by showing the progress of all pupils through the National Curriculum attainment levels.

  The National Curriculum tests are designed to be accessible to the vast majority of children. With the range of special arrangements for assessment available to schools only a very small number of children are unable to participate in the tests. There is also a real danger that excluding disapplied pupils from the calculations could by itself lead to an undesirable increase in the number of children excluded from the National Curriculum and its assessment. Our policy is supported by the National Advisory Group on Special Educational Needs.

  Access-to-work Scheme
  Mr. Berry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what is the total budget allocated for informing disabled people and employers about the access-to-work scheme; and what the breakdown of that expenditure is; [103356]

  (2) if his Department has produced a marketing strategy for the access-to-work scheme; [103357]
  44W
  (3) what is the total budget allocated for advertising the access to work scheme; and what is the level of expenditure allocated to advertising on (a) radio, (b) television, (c) newspapers and (d) journals and trade magazines. [103358]

  Ms Jowell
  Responsibility for the subject of these questions has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its Chief Executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Mr. Leigh Lewis to Mr. Roger Berry, dated 10 January 2000:
  As the Employment Service is an Executive Agency, the Secretary of State has asked me to reply direct to your questions about the Access to Work programme. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Agency.
  For the current financial year, we have allocated £450,000 to marketing and promoting the full range of our services for disabled people and their employers. This includes Access to Work, although we do not reserve a specific amount within that total for Access to Work. We carefully consider advertising options but do not allocate specific amounts to advertising on radio, television, newspapers or journals and trade magazines. We are spending £350,000 of the budget on national promotions and the rest is being spent to promote disability programmes and services at regional and local level.
  Our publicity strategy is to raise awareness of the whole range of support available to disabled people and their employers from our disability services. Thus we generally market these services collectively to give a coherent picture of the support available. We produce, for example, leaflets, audio tapes, videos, posters, advertisements and articles for publication in a range of general and specific disability journals. All such generic advertising includes information on the Access to Work programme. For example, in March 1999, we worked closely with the British Deaf Association to produce a British Sign Language video—Make it Work—about our programmes and services. We used three case studies in the video, two of which specifically promoted Access to Work. We have distributed the video to every Jobcentre and to 1,000 external organisations including clubs, organisations and collages for deaf and hearing impaired people.
  The leaflets we produce are freely available from Jobcentres, Disability Service Teams and at marketing events, and we produce them in alternative formats. There are specific leaflets for disabled people and employers promoting Access to Work. Disability Employment Advisers use these leaflets on visits to employers to ensure they are aware of Access to Work.
  We also promote our services, including Access to Work, at many national, regional and local marketing events. For example, we have recently held promotions at the Institute of Personnel and Development Conference and Exhibition, the Confederation of British Industry Conference, and the Access Ability, National Information Day. Access to Work was the central theme of the two employment workshops at the Access Ability event.
  In addition to our own promotions, the Government's current "See the Person" campaign is designed to raise awareness of the positive contribution disabled people are able to make. The campaign refers directly to the support Access to Work can provide to those in work.
  I hope this is helpful.

  University Fees
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make it his policy to charge university students in the nations of the United Kingdom by different means dependent on(a) their university location, (b) the place they have (i) lived in and (ii) studied at and (c) the place of their birth. [104309]
  45W
  Mr. Wicks
  The Secretary of State is responsible for the funding of Higher Education in England and Wales. Students currently pay fees of up to £1,025 depending on an assessment of their financial circumstances. These arrangements are fair, just and equitable.

  Pre-school Education
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will add Northumberland to the list of authorities with high social need to which funding is provided for new pre-school education places for three-year-olds. [103476]

  Ms Hodge
  We are making available £390 million over three years to double the number of three-year-olds able to access a free early education place to 66 per cent. This year we are making available £40 million to create around 48,000 new free places. This has been allocated to 57 local education authorities with the greatest social need. From April 2000, we will be providing a further £100 million to increase the number of new places to 83,000. These funds will be distributed across all local education authorities, including Northumberland.

  Departmental Productivity
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what action he is taking to increase the productivity and reduce the running costs of his Department. [103846]

  Mr. Wills
  Delivering efficient and modern public services is a key part of the Government's agenda for improving productivity, and improved administrative efficiency is a key means of ensuring the most effective results are obtained from departmental running costs. The Department's Public Service Agreement, which is available in the Library of the House within "Public Services for the Future: Modernisation, Reform, Accountability" (CM 4181), sets out its running costs provision for 1999–2000 to 2001–02 and the productivity measures that will enable it to increase the quantity and quality of its outputs over that period. Revised targets are being drawn up for a new Public Service Agreement and supporting Service Delivery Agreement that will be published after the completion of the 2000 Spending Review.

  School Closures
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the name of the adjudicator appointed to consider the disputed closure proposals for Milfield, Kirknewton and Acklington schools in Northumberland will be announced; by what date representations relating to these closure proposals need to be submitted; and whether arrangements will be made for the Adjudicator to visit the areas served by the schools. [103475]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The Office of the Schools Adjudicator has today received objections to the proposed closure of Milfield, Kirknewton and Acklington schools 46W
  in Northumberland. Any representations should already have been sent to Northumberland LEA. The Adjudicator allocated to deal with the case is Dr. Alan Billings.

  Rural Youth Employment
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what measures he is taking to tackle youth employment in the countryside. [103194]

  Ms Jowell
  The Department's policies are generally individual focused and would therefore respond to need wherever it exists. We are raising standards of education to equip young people with the skills and knowledge they need to be able to take up jobs; assisting unemployed young people to acquire employability skills and find work through the New Deals for unemployed claimants; and helping those on inactivity benefits get back into the labour market and from there into employment through other welfare to work programmes such as the New Deal for Lone Parents.

  As well as these, the Government are delivering macroeconomic stability so there can be increasing employment opportunities for all; and making work pay through various tax and benefit reforms.

  All these measures should contribute to reducing youth unemployment in the countryside.

  New Deal (Age Restrictions)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on his plans to modify age restrictions under the New Deal, indicating the date from which all changes will take effect and the categories of restrictions which will remain after limiting the payment of £10 per person per week above benefit levels for unemployed people taking up job opportunities on such schemes. [103299]

  Ms Jowell
  From April 2001, we intend to introduce a substantially strengthened New Deal for long-term unemployed people aged 25 and over, which will provide high quality, job-focused opportunities, including job search help, training and work experience. The detail of these arrangements will be decided in light of the lessons learned from the current New Deal 25 plus pilots. We are also reviewing the support available in England under work-based learning for adults to ensure that we meet the aim set out in the White Paper, "Learning to Succeed", that there should be greater coherence with other support for unemployed people, once responsibility has transferred to the Employment Service in April 2001. A similar review is being undertaken in Wales.

  New Deal
  Mr. Jim Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many young people have participated in the New Deal in each region of the United Kingdom in the(a) current and (b) last year. [101301]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 6 December 1999]: The following table shows the number of young people who have started New Deal in each of the Employment Service regions in Great Britain. New Deal started in January 1998 in the first 12 Pathfinder areas, followed by the main roll out across Great Britain in April 1998. The 1999 figures are to the end of September.
  47W

  1998

  1999

  Office for Scotland

  22,617

  17,095

  Northern

  16,073

  11,010

  North West

  30,728

  20,704

  Yorkshire and Humber

  25,783

  16,802

  Office for Wales

  13,615

  9,310

  West Midlands

  20,501

  15,600

  East Midlands and Eastern

  17,913

  12,782

  South West

  12,607

  9,191

  LASER

  52,992

  36,334

  Great Britain total

  212,829

  148,828

  Evaluation studies

  Independent contractor

  New Deal for young people

  1. Qualitative Research with individuals:

  (i) Pathfinder Gateway

  National Centre for Social Research (NSCR)

  (ii) Pathfinder Options

  (iii) Pathfinder Follow-Through

  (iv) National Gateway

  (v) National Options

  (vi) National Follow-Through

  2. Quantitative Survey of individuals:

  Stages 1 and 2

  Policy Studies Institute/British Market Research Bureau

  3. Case Studies of Delivery and Impact

  Tavistock Institute

  (i) Pathfinder Case Studies

  (ii) National Case Studies

  (iii) Audit of 30 Partnerships

  4. Qualitative Research with employers Stages 1 and 2

  NCSR

  5. Quantitative Survey of employers

  NCSR/Institute for Employment Research (IER)

  6. Survey of Leavers to Unknown Destinations

  NCSR

  7. Evaluation of Intensive Gateway Trailblazers

  Ecotec

  8. Evaluation of New Deal for Musicians

  Community Economic Development Associates

  9. New Deal Gateway: A Labour Market Assessment

  Institute for Employment Studies (IES)

  10. Literature Review: Employers

  Institute for Employment Research (IER)

  11. Literature Review: Labour Market Programmes for Young People

  Policy Studies Institute (PSI)

  12. Macro-economic evaluation of the impact of NDYP on the labour market

  PSI and the National Institute for Economic and Social Research (NIESR)

  New Deal for the Long Term Unemployed

  1. Quantitative Survey of individuals receiving pilot and national provision

  PSI

  2. Qualitative research with individuals in pilot and national areas

  NCSR

  3. Case Studies of implementation and delivery in national areas

  Tavistock Institute

  4. Case Studies of implementation and delivery in pilot areas

  IES

  5. Quantitative survey of participating employers in pilot and national areas

  NCSR/IER

  6. A macro-economic evaluation of the impact of NDLTU on the labour market

  NIESR and PSI

  New Deal 50plus

  An extensive programme of research has been commissioned to assess the effectiveness of New Deal 50plus. It includes qualitative work with individuals and with Employment Service and Benefits Agency employees, a longitudinal survey of individuals and a qualitative survey of employers. All the work is being carried out by the Institute for Employment Studies (IES).

  New Deal for Lone Parents

  NDLP National Programme (Phase 3) Evaluation

  (i) Qualitative research with Lone Parents

  Cragg, Ross, Dawson

  (ii) Client Satisfaction Survey

  Martin Hamblin Research

  (iii) Case Studies on Delivery

  GHK Economics and Management

  (iv) Employer Research

  NCSR

  (v) Quantitative research with lone parents

  (contractor to be confirmed)

  (vi) Macro-evaluation

  (contractor to be confirmed)

  NDLP Phase 3 Innovative Pilots Evaluation

  (i) Evaluation of Innovative Pilots

  Centre for Regional Economic and Social Research (CRESR) Sheffield Hallam University

  New Deal for Partners of the Unemployed

  No contractors have yet been appointed for the evaluations of New Deal for Partners of the Unemployed (voluntary programme) or for NDPU Joint Claims for JSA.

  Mr. Jim Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many long-term unemployed people who have entered the New Deal have found full-time employment in each of the past two years. [101311]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 6 December 1999]: In 1998, 62,900 young people gained employment from the New Deal for young people and 6,300 under the New
  48W
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the independent expert studies which he has commissioned into each of the New Deal programmes. [102102]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 9 December 1999]We have an independent programme of evaluations of the New Deals. The independent studies which have been commissioned into each of the New Deal programmes are as follows:

  Deal for long-term unemployed people aged 25 and over. To September 1999, the equivalent figures for this year are 92,700 and 20,500 respectively.

  Professor Barber
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment on what date Professor
  49W
  Barber gave a presentation to a group of officials in the Education Department in Washington DC; and what were the names of the officials who attended. [103140]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Professor Barber gave a presentation to a group of officials from the Education Department in Washington DC on 11 August 1999. The seminar, which was organised by Emma Harrell on behalf of Terry Peterson, Counselor to the Secretary of Education, allowed an informal, round-table exchange of ideas with officials from the US Department of Education. Roughly 12–15 officials attended. No formal record of attendance was kept but those invited were:

  Michael Smith—Acting Deputy Secretary of Education

  Michael Cohen—Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Education

  Susan Frost—Special Advisor to the Secretary, Office of the Secretary

  Terry Dozier—Special Advisor on Teaching, Office of the Secretary

  Carol Rasco—Senior Advisor to the Secretary and Director of America Reads Challenge, Office of the Secretary

  Judith Johnson—Acting Assistant Secretary, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

  Kent McGuire—Assistant Secretary, Office of Educational Research and Improvement

  Alan Ginsburg—Planning and Evaluation Service Director, Office of the Secretary

  William Kincaid—Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

  Jim Kohlmoos—Deputy Assistant Secretary, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

  Susan Wilhelm—Education Program Specialist, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education

  Patricia McNeil—Assistant Secretary, Office of Vocational Adult Education

  Linda Roberts—Director of Education Technology, Office of the Deputy Secretary

  Mario Moreno—Assistant Secretary, Office of Intergovernmental and Interagency Affairs

  Menahem Herman—Partnership for Family Involvement in Education Coordinator, Office of Intergovernmental and Interagency Affairs

  Judith Heumann—Assistant Secretary, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services

  Lenore Garcia—International Affairs Director, Office of the Under Secretary.

  If we are to create a truly world-class education service, it is vital that we have a broad international perspective against which to benchmark our levels of achievement. It is important to keep in touch with, and learn from, best practice and innovations from abroad. The USA, because of its size and diversity, provides many instructive examples.

HEALTH

  Departmental Transport
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent on ministerial transport in each of the last two years. [98694]
  50W
  Yvette Cooper
  In accordance with the terms of the "Ministerial Code" and "Travel by Ministers", Ministers are required to make efficient and cost-effective travel arrangements. For Ministers in the Department, this is done through the Government Car Service.

  For information on spend on the Government Car Service, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office, on 25 November 1999, Official Report, columns 199–200W.

  Meningitis Immunisation
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to extend immunisation against meningitis to young people on industrial placements prior to university entry. [98725]

  Yvette Cooper
  While on placements, the risk for these young people from meningococcal disease is the same as for the adult population. Next year, when they either return or go on to higher education, they may be eligible for immunisation. We are seeking advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, the Government's independent expert advisory committee, on the use of meningococcal vaccine for young people who have not already been vaccinated at school and who will be first year students at the start of the 2000–01 academic year.

  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children have been immunised with the meningitis vaccine since the current immunisation programme was introduced. [100605]

  Yvette Cooper
  Data on how many children have been given the new meningococcal Group C conjugate vaccine are not yet available.

  Immunisation of young people aged 15, 16 and 17 years began from 1 November. Immunisation of babies when they are due for their routine vaccines at two, three and four months and around 13 months began from 29 November. Coverage data for meningococcal Group C conjugate vaccine will be collected through the routine quarterly COVER/Körner returns for children up to five years of age. The earliest these routinely collected data will become available will be November 2000, but we expect coverage data on some other catch-up age groups to be available earlier. The exact timescale will depend on vaccine supply and how the immunisation programme rolls out next year.

  From the start of the programme up to and including Friday 26 November, a total of 1,734,560 doses of meningococcal Group C conjugate vaccine had been issued to general practitioners or National Health Service trust pharmacies throughout the United Kingdom.

  Nutrition
  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which officials in his Department have overall responsibility for malnutrition and nutrition in primary and secondary care and for the interface between public health, hospital and community directorates. [99283]

  Yvette Cooper
  Nutrition is dealt with by both the Department and the Joint Food Safety and Standards Group (JFSSG). The JFSSG is responsible for providing the scientific basis and information for nutrition policy
  51W
  including defining a balanced diet and nutrient needs of the population and monitoring dietary intakes. The policies relating to prevention of malnutrition in the community—primary care, social care etc. and clinical care are within the remit of the Department.

  Departmental officials are: Dr. Elizabeth Wilson who leads on clinical nutrition, that is the diagnosis and treatment of malnutrition, and Amy Edwards, who deals with the public health aspects of good nutrition and prevention of malnutrition in the community. The JFSSG official is Dr. Roger Skinner.

  Pertussis Whole Cell Vaccine
  Mr. Ian Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department changed its advice given in paragraph 24.4.5 of the 1996 advice booklet, "Immunisation Against Infectious Diseases", that local reactions and pyrexias occur less often after acellular pertussis vaccine than after whole cell vaccine. [99446]

  Yvette Cooper
  The advice that local reactions and pyrexia occur less often after acellular pertussis vaccine than after whole cell vaccine was first included in the 1996 edition of the Department of Health memorandum "Immunisation Against Infectious Diseases". This information had recently become available from a departmental funded study that directly compared different acellular vaccines with the United Kingdom whole cell vaccine. The study was subsequently published and copies of the paper have been placed in the Library (Miller E. et al. Effect of schedule on reactogenicity and antibody persistence of acellular and whole cell pertussis vaccines: value of laboratory tests as predictors of clinical performance. Vaccine 1997; 15(1): 51–60.).

  Post Offices
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the principal activities of his Department and its agencies which provide business for(a) Crown post offices and (b) other post offices; if he will assess whether the level of business generated in each case is likely to increase or decrease over the next five years; and which new areas of business for post offices are likely to be developed by his Department and its agencies over the same period. [99557]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Department has a number of activities providing business for Crown and local post offices.

  Crown post offices issue leaflets called "Health Advice for Travellers" to customers on request, check customers self-completion of form CM1 contained in the leaflet and issue properly completed and authorised Form El11 to entitled persons. These documents entitle the holder to free or reduced cost emergency health care in other European Economic Area states.

  Main post offices also display a poster and two leaflets informing the general public about entitlement to help with health costs. They distribute approximately one million leaflets per annum.

  Crown and other post offices pay cash refunds of prescription charges when presented with a properly completed claim form by a patient or his/her representative.
  52W
  Crown and other post offices distribute milk tokens under the Welfare Food Scheme on behalf of the Department. Milk token issues through post offices are expected to decrease over the next five years.

  Targets for electronic delivery of services (50 per cent. by 2005, 100 per cent. by 2008) represent a real opportunity for additional business for the Post Office network across all public services delivered by central government. Moreover, equivalent targets are now being set for local government, and there is an opportunity for the Post Office network to gain further business in delivery of services which are the responsibility of local government.

  External Consultants
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been spent by his Department on external consultants and advisers since May 1997 funded from (i) his Department's programme provision and (ii) his Department's running costs. [99485]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 24 November 1999]: Total expenditure on external consultants and advisers, by the Department of Health and its Agencies1, since May 1997 to 31 September 1999, is as follows:
  1Excludes the Medicines Control Agency whose consultancy is funded through its trading fund and not from either running costs or programme spend.

  £ million

  Department of Health

  120.69

  Agencies

  23.08

  1 Only running costs

  2 of this total,£126,570 only is from programme spend

  Colo-rectal Cancer
  Mr. Love
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what clinical trials have been carried out on the use of Irinotecan in colorectal cancer treatment; if the chemical use of this drug will be approved by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence; and if he will make a statement. [99642]

  Yvette Cooper
  Irinotecan is a promising new agent for the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer which is being considered for possible referral to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE). Two large randomised trials recently reported in the Lancet have indicated that irinotecan can give a small but significant benefit when used as a second line treatment. The Medical Research Council, which receives its funding from the Department of Trade and Industry, has recently given the go ahead for a major randomised trial in advanced colorectal cancer which aims to clarify the advantages and disadvantages of irinotecan and oxaliplatin, another new agent. The trial will consider not only response and survival but also quality of life and cost-effectiveness. The first patients should be randomised into the trial before the end of the year.

  Further information on projects and trials relating to irinocetan can be found on the National Research Register. This is available in the Library and most medical libraries on CD Rom and on the Internet: http://www.doh.gov.uk/nrr.htm.
  53W
  NICE published its first year work programme on 4 November and includes the development of wider guidelines on particular areas of treatment and appraisals of particular treatments and technologies.

  Body Piercing
  Ms Atherton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what recent representations he has received on the need for further regulation of body piercing; [99889]

  (2) what plans he has for further regulation of body piercing. [99890]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Government believe there should be primary legislation introduced to give local authorities outside London powers to regulate the hygiene and cleanliness of cosmetic body piercing businesses, when parliamentary time allows.

  We have received a small number of letters from hon. Members, local authorities and members of the public about the further regulation of cosmetic body piercing businesses.

  Prostate Cancer
  Mr. Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to encourage a greater awareness of the early signs of prostate cancer in men. [99871]

  Yvette Cooper
  We are concerned to promote awareness of prostate cancer and its symptoms. The Department and the Health Education Authority currently produce a range of literature on cancer in men, including prostate cancer, to raise men's awareness of the risks.

  Hospital Infection Procedures
  Mr. Hammond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of control of infection procedures in hospitals in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement on the standards set for such procedures in hospitals in other EU member states. [99892]

  Yvette Cooper
  We are determined to make sure that the National Health Service tackles the problem of hospital acquired infection. A review of infection control arrangements in all acute NHS Trusts has recently been undertaken by Regional Epidemiologists which will be used to improve services locally as appropriate. The emphasis the Government places on infection control in the NHS is reflected in the National Priorities Guidance 1999–2000 to 2001–02. This sets out the need to ensure that appropriate arrangements for the control of infection are in place. Health Service Circular 1999–049 (Resistance to Antibiotics and other Antimicrobial Agents, issued in March 1999) also addresses the need to strengthen prevention and control of communicable disease and infection control processes. On 22 November the Minister of State, Department of Health, my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Denham), launched new risk management and organisational control standards for the NHS including standards for hospital infection control. Compliance with these is the responsibility of chief executives and NHS trust board members.
  54W
  The problem of infection control is a major concern at European level. A Commission resolution was agreed in June this year which cited infection control as an important part of the battle against antibiotic resistance. Within Europe hospital infection control arrangements vary from member state to member state and details are not held centrally.

  Breast Cancer
  Mr. Hammond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he has taken and what discussions he has held, with a view to increasing the percentage of urgent breast cancer referrals that are included within the two week consultation pledge; [100004]

  (2) what steps his Department has taken to make general practitioners aware of the need for urgent referrals of patients with suspected breast cancer to be received by the hospital within 24 hours in order to be covered by the guarantee that they will be seen by a specialist within two weeks. [100003]

  Yvette Cooper
  Guidance on the need to refer urgent referrals within 24 hours was issued to primary care leads, health authorities, National Health Service trusts and local medical centres through regional leads in December 1998. This has been augmented by additional guidance and the issue of revised breast cancer referral guidelines sent to all general practitioners in September 1999. This has been supported by action at local and regional levels to establish clear referral criteria and referral pathways so that those patients being referred urgently under the two week standard can be identified quickly and referred appropriately. We will continue to monitor the proportion of urgent referrals received within and outside 24 hours and to work with the professions to enable the maximum number of women to benefit from this high standard of care.

  Cervical Smears
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent steps his Department has taken to analyse the potential impact of new technologies in improving the accuracy of diagnosis of cervical smears. [100255]

  Yvette Cooper
  We are aware of a number of new technologies under development, which are closely monitored by the National Health Service cervical screening programme. For example, the National Institute for Clinical Excellence have been asked to consider the evidence and advise on whether liquid-based cytology would offer worthwhile benefits.

  We welcome any new technology that would improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the cervical screening programme. However, before any technology is introduced we must be sure that it is safe and effective, and that quality standards can be maintained.

  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for making the Neopath Autopap for cervical screening available in(a) the NHS and (b) Grimsby NHS Trust. [100338]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Tripath Autopap system (previously Neopath Autopap system) is currently being evaluated by the National Health Service cervical screening programme.
  55W
  We welcome any new technology that would improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the cervical screening programme. However, before any technology is introduced we must be sure that it is safe and effective, and that quality standards can be maintained.

  Mobile Phones
  Mr. Norman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date he expects the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones to produce its report. [100269]

  Yvette Cooper
  The group is expected to report in spring 2000.

  Smoking-related Illness
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the estimated cost to the NHS in treating people suffering from illness as a result of smoking in each of the last five years. [100765]

  Yvette Cooper
  This information is not available on a year by year basis, but a study "Cost Effectiveness of Smoking Cessation Interventions" by the Health Education Authority, in collaboration with the University of York published in 1997 estimated the annual cost to the National Health Service of treating smoking related disease caused by smoking was between £1.4 billion and £1.7 billion for England.

  St. John's Wort
  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if all products containing St. John's Wort are deemed medicinal by the Medicines Control Agency. [100777]

  Yvette Cooper
  Products containing the widely used herbal remedy, St. John's Wort are classified as medicinal products by the Medicines Control Agency if they satisfy the definition of a medicinal product in Article 1.2 of Directive 65/65/EEC. The MCA does not deem all products containing St. John's Wort to be medicinal products. However, it does deem any product containing St. John's Wort at therapeutic dosage levels to be a medicinal product, because it may be administered with a view to modifying physiological function in human beings. A herbal remedy containing St. John's Wort may be exempt from licensing if it satisfies section 12 of the Medicines Act 1968.

  COMA Inquiry
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the results of the COMA inquiry into fortifying bread with folic acid will be announced. [100822]

  Yvette Cooper
  The report entitled "Folic acid and the Prevention of Disease" prepared by the Working Group of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy, is expected to be published soon. The report focuses primarily on the role of folic acid in the prevention of neural tube defects.

  Cancer Centres
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the designated cancer centre for surgery in each region of England. [102461]
  56W
  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: The National Cancer Director, Professor Mike Richards, is developing a national approach to the evaluation of cancer services with regions, to ensure that we have a consistent approach nationally to the delivery of cancer care.

  There are currently no rigid criteria for the designation or accreditation of cancer centres. Early implementation of the Calman/Hine recommendations reflected the different starting points across the country and allowed an evaluation of services to fit local circumstances.

  London Ambulance Service
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many AS1 emergency calls were received by the London Ambulance Service on 26 October; how many AS2 urgent requests for ambulances were received on that date; and what is the(a) average and (b) longest time taken to respond to calls in each category. [102777]

  Ms Stuart
  The London Ambulance Service received 2,576 AS1 emergency calls and 373 AS2 urgent requests for ambulances on 26 October 1999.

  The average time taken to respond to AS1 calls on that date was 9.9 minutes and the longest time was more than 30 minutes.

  Information is not collected in this way for AS2 requests. However, the average time of arrival at hospital was four minutes later than the time specified by a general practitioner and the longest time was approximately 21 minutes after the time specified by a GP.

  Terminally Ill Patients (Support Services)
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support is provided by his Department for partners and near relatives of terminally ill patients. [102536]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: Support for families and carers of terminally ill patients is an integral part of the principles and practice of palliative care. The Department of Health has distributed three documents providing guidance on key issues facing the dying and their carers. These documents were already widely used by the voluntary sector. The three documents which were issued under cover of HSC 1998/115 are:

  i) Guidelines for Managing Cancer Pain in Adults.

  ii) Changing Gear—Guidelines for Managing the Last Days of life in adults

  iii) Palliative care in the hospital setting.

  Professor Mike Richards, the new National Cancer Director, has identified supportive care as one of his key priorities and will over the coming months work closely with health care professionals and voluntary organisations to assess how supportive care services can best be provided to all patients.

  In addition, the National Lottery New Opportunities Fund is making available £23 million for the prevention and palliative care element of the "Living with Cancer Programme" in England over the next three years. This initiative will be launched in January 2000.

  Drug Tariff
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many products have been transferred from Category A of the Drug Tariff to Category D; and what was the cost per head of population in each category for the last financial year for each health authority area as recorded by the Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority. [102388]

  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 15 December 1999]: Products move in and out of Category D. There are 175 preparations/pack sizes classified as Category D in the December 1999 edition of the Drug Tariff, of which 104 were classified as Category A in the December 1998 edition of the Drug Tariff.

  The net ingredient cost per head of population in 1998–99 of Category A and Category D drugs in each health authority is shown in the table.

  The net ingredient cost per head of population for Category A and Category D drugs by health authority, 1998–99

  £

  Health authority in which item was dispensed

  Category A

  Category D

  Avon

  9.00

  0.80

  Barking and Havering

  9.00

  0.70

  Barnet

  8.30

  0.60

  Barnsley

  11.00

  0.90

  Bedfordshire

  9.00

  0.60

  Berkshire

  7.50

  0.60

  Bexley and Greenwich

  8.20

  0.70

  Birmingham

  9.70

  0.90

  Bradford

  10.60

  0.90

  Brent and Harrow

  9.00

  0.70

  Bromley

  8.90

  0.70

  Buckinghamshire

  8.20

  0.70

  Bury and Rochdale

  11.00

  0.90

  Calderdale and Kirklees

  10.50

  0.90

  Cambridge and Huntingdon

  7.00

  0.60

  Camden and Islington

  9.00

  0.70

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  10.20

  0.80

  County Durham

  13.00

  1.10

  Coventry

  9.90

  0.70

  Croydon

  6.80

  0.60

  Doncaster

  10.80

  0.80

  Dorset

  10.10

  0.80

  Dudley

  8.80

  0.70

  Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow

  8.30

  0.70

  East and North Hertfordshire

  10.00

  0.70

  East Kent

  9.10

  0.80

  East Lancashire

  10.60

  0.90

  East London and The City

  9.10

  0.80

  East Norfolk

  9.40

  0.80

  East Riding

  9.10

  0.70

  East Surrey

  7.90

  0.60

  East Sussex, Brighton and Hove

  10.30

  0.90

  Enfield and Haringey

  7.90

  0.60

  Gateshead and South Tyneside

  14.50

  1.20

  Gloucestershire

  8.00

  0.60

  Herefordshire

  8.00

  0.70

  Hillingdon

  8.80

  0.70

  Isle of Wight

  10.40

  0.80

  Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster

  7.20

  0.60

  Kingston and Richmond

  7.40

  0.60

  Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham

  8.50

  0.70

  Leeds

  10.10

  0.90

  Leicestershire

  8.40

  0.80

  Lincolnshire

  9.20

  0.70

  Liverpool

  12.60

  0.90

  Manchester

  11.10

  1.00

  Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth

  7.20

  0.60

  Morecambe Bay

  11.60

  1.00

  Newcastle and North Tyneside

  13.30

  1.00

  North and East Devon

  10.10

  0.80

  North and Mid Hampshire

  7.30

  0.60

  58W

  The net ingredient cost per head of population for Category A and Category D drugs by health authority, 1998–99

  £

  Health authority in which item was dispensed

  Category A

  Category D

  North Cheshire

  10.60

  1.00

  North Cumbria

  11.70

  0.90

  North Derbyshire

  10.00

  0.90

  North Essex

  8.50

  0.70

  North Nottinghamshire

  10.60

  0.80

  North Staffordshire

  10.40

  0.80

  North West Anglia

  8.60

  0.70

  North West Lancashire

  12.10

  0.90

  North Yorkshire

  9.80

  0.80

  Northamptonshire

  9.20

  0.90

  Northumberland

  12.50

  1.00

  Nottingham

  8.90

  0.70

  Oxfordshire

  8.30

  0.70

  Portsmouth and South East Hampshire

  10.10

  0.80

  Redbridge and Waltham Forest

  8.20

  0.70

  Rotherham

  10.40

  0.90

  Salford and Trafford

  11.00

  0.90

  Sandwell

  10.40

  0.90

  Sefton

  11.70

  0.90

  Sheffield

  11.60

  1.10

  Shropshire

  8.70

  0.70

  Solihull

  9.30

  0.80

  Somerset

  8.60

  0.80

  South and West Devon

  10.90

  0.90

  South Cheshire

  9.80

  0.80

  South Essex

  7.80

  0.70

  South Humber

  9.90

  0.90

  South Lancashire

  8.90

  0.80

  South Staffordshire

  8.70

  0.80

  Southampton and South West Hampshire

  9.30

  0.70

  Southern Derbyshire

  10.40

  0.80

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  12.90

  1.10

  Stockport

  9.70

  0.90

  Suffolk

  9.10

  0.70

  Sunderland

  13.90

  1.00

  Tees

  12.40

  1.00

  Wakefield

  11.80

  1.10

  Walsall

  10.30

  0.80

  Warwickshire

  8.70

  0.60

  West Hertfordshire

  10.20

  0.70

  West Kent

  7.80

  0.70

  West Pennine

  10.10

  0.90

  West Surrey

  7.70

  0.60

  West Sussex

  9.50

  0.80

  Wigan and Bolton

  10.30

  0.90

  Wiltshire

  8.20

  0.70

  Wirral

  11.00

  0.90

  Wolverhampton

  10.30

  0.90

  Worcestershire

  9.10

  0.70

  England

  9.50

  0.80

  Notes:

  1. The data cover all prescriptions dispensed in the community in each Health authority, ie by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors, and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered in England.

  2. The net ingredient cost is the basic cost of a drug and does not take account of discounts, dispensing costs, fees or prescription charges income.

  3. The resident population for 1998, estimated by the Office for National Statistics, has been used.

  4. The information was obtained for each preparation/pack size classified in the Drug Tariff as Category A or D for each month in the period April 1998 to March 1999 and aggregated to provide an annual total.

  5. Data rounded to nearest 10p.

  Infertility
  Ms Church
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment his Department has made of the psychological effects of infertility; [102678]
  59W
  (2) how many written representations have been received by his Department in respect of infertility treatment and service provision since May 1997; [102675]

  (3) when he will announce the results of his Department's survey of health authority provision of infertility services; and if he will make a statement; [102676]

  (4) if he will provide guidance to health authorities as to their responsibilities in respect of the funding of infertility guidance. [102677]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 16 December 1999]: The Department has received 319 written representations in respect of infertility treatment since May 1999.

  It is planned that a short report detailing the results of the Department's survey of health authority provision of infertility services will be available in February 2000. The results of that survey are currently being considered by Ministers.

  The Department has not commissioned any research specifically on the psychological effects of infertility. However, we do fully appreciate the distress suffered by infertile couples. This is clearly evident from the written representations received by the Department.

  Uraemia
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) cases of and (b) deaths caused by uraemia there were among NHS patients in (i) 1995, (ii) 1996, (iii) 1997, (iv) 1998 and (v) the first six months of 1999. [103049]

  Mr. Denham
  The table shows the number of finished consultant episodes for patients with a primary diagnosis of Uraemia. The remainder of the hospital information requested is not yet available.

  Year

  Number

  1995–96

  40,294

  1996–97

  44,618

  1997–981

  49,194

  1999–20001,2

  18,590

  1 Data for 1997–98 onwards are provisional—no adjustments have as yet been made for shortfalls in the data, i. e. it is ungrossed.

  2 First six months.

  Source:

  Hospital Episode Statistics

  Statistics are collected by the Office for National Statistics for deaths in England and Wales caused by renal failure (uraemia). They are not broken down to distinguish National Health Service from non-NHS patients, however. The following figures therefore include all such deaths:

  Year

  Number

  1995

  2,959

  1996

  2,759

  1997

  2,658

  1998

  2,662

  1999

  11,337

  1 Provisional figures for January to June

  CJD Victims
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve care for victims of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease; and if he will make a statement. [102889]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 16 December 1999]: I refer my hon. Friend to the statements made by the Minister of State, Department of Health, my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Denham), in the adjournment debate on the care of variant CJD (vCJD) patients which took place in Westminster Hall on 1 December 1999, Official Report, columns 109–116WH, in which he set out the measures in place or planned to improve the care provided for vCJD patients.

  Environmental Radiation
  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what calculation of radiation dose from plutonium to tracheo-bronchial lymph nodes was used to inform the Fourth report of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment. [102846]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 16 December 1999]: The Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) asked the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) to calculate radiation doses to the tracheo-bronchial lymph nodes of young people resident in the village of Seascale in Cumbria, who were aged 0 to 25 years. The doses calculated were for the period of time at which discharges of radioactive material from the Sellafield site were either at their highest (1975) or when the inhalation dose was at its highest (1955). However, even in the most pessimistic case in 1955, the total equivalent dose to the thoracic lymph nodes from natural background radiation is greater than that estimated from plutonium.

  Radioactive Discharges
  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department's funded project, entitled Geographical variations in childhood cancer incidence generally and in relation to nuclear installations, has ascertained the level of childen's exposure to radioactive isotopes discharged from nuclear-licensed sites in England and Wales. [102845]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 16 December 1999]This project is examining the variations in the incidence of childhood cancer in Great Britain for the period 1969 to 1993 and is based on 33,000 cases. The analyses will include geographical proximity to nuclear licensed sites. The independent advisory Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment will consider the results of this study when it is completed, together with current evidence of population radiation exposure.

  Ionising Radiation
  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what areas of research the Radiological Protection Research Programme has identified as being necessary to the development of policy in the field of low-level ionising radiation. [102847]
  61W
  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 16 December 1999]: The Department's Radiological Protection Research Programme is currently funding research aimed at improving the assessment of the health risk from exposure to both ionising and non-ionising radiation. The programme covers a broad range of molecular, cellular, biological and epidemiological studies. When the individual studies are complete they will be submitted for publication.

  Overseas Doctors (Greater London)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors from overseas are working in National Health Service hospitals in the Greater London area. [103729]

  Mr. Denham
  At 30 September 1998, there were 2,760 doctors in the London Regional Office area who qualified outside the European economic area.

  Note:

  Figures are rounded to the nearest 10

  Source:

  Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.

  Health Visitors
  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many children under five years of age are living in the area covered by Parkside Community Health Trust; [103360]

  (2) how many children in (a) Brent, (b) Harrow, (c) Kensington and Chelsea and (d) Westminster have no named health visitor; [103359]

  (3) how many full-time equivalent health visitors carrying a clinical case load are employed by Parkside Community Health Trust. [103361]

  Mr. Denham
  All children under five who are known to the health service in Brent, Harrow, Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster have a named health visitor. There is a system of general practitioner attached health visitors plus a named health visitor for refugees, homeless and travellers.

  There are 29,493 children aged less than five years resident in the area covered by Parkside Health NHS Trust. Data from Brent and Harrow Health Authority indicate a total under five population of 18,561 and data from Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster Health Authority indicate an under five population of 10,962.

  A total of 88.48 whole time equivalent (WTE) health visitors are employed by Parkside Health NHS Trust of which 42.41 WTE are in Brent and 46.07 WTE are in Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster. Currently there are 8.9 WTE vacancies, 2.9 WTE in Brent and 6 WTE in Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster. Agency health visitor staff are covering these vacancies.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department will reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Ashford of 25 September and 4 November; and if he will make a statement on the performance of the correspondence sections of his Department. [103858]
  62W
  Yvette Cooper
  I replied to the hon. Member's letter on 5 January.

  The Department' s Ministerial Correspondence Unit works very hard to ensure that letters from hon. Members are turned around as quickly as possible. As recorded on 11 June 1999, Official Report, columns 403–06W, the Department's performance against its Service First target of 20 working days in replying to correspondence from hon. Members is 61 per cent. We are aware of the need for improvements in this area and work is currently underway to address this.

  Alder Hey Hospital
  Mr. Levitt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the terms of reference for the independent inquiry into the removal of children's organs at Alder Hey hospital; and to what timescale it will operate. [103753]

  Mr. Denham
  The independent inquiry team's terms of reference are to inquire into the circumstances leading to the removal, retention and disposal of human tissue, including organs of the body, from children at the Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital National Health Service Trust (and its predecessor NHS organisations) who have undergone post mortem examinations; to inquire into the extent to which the Human Tissue Act 1961 has been complied with; to examine professional practice and management action and systems, including what information and in what form that information was given to the children's parents or, where relevant, other family members in respect of the removal, retention and disposal of tissue; to examine the role of the NHS and other bodies or persons involved; to consider other issues relating to the above matters as necessary; to report to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State by the end of March and make such recommendations as are appropriate.

  Patents
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what use he has made of Crown immunity to avoid liability for breach of commercial patents on medical products. [R] [103301]

  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: The Crown has no general immunity from proceedings in respect of infringement of a patent. However the Patents Act 1977, sections 55 to 59, allow the use of patented inventions for the services of the Crown without the consent of the patent owner. If these provisions are relied on, compensation for loss of profit has to be paid.

  Law reports show the equivalent provisions in the Patents Act 1949 were used in 1961 by the then Minister of Health in respect of the anti-biotic tetracycline, but officials in my Department are not aware that these provisions have been relied on in recent years as regards medical products.

  Illegal Drug Addiction
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he has in place to address illegal drug addiction. [103243]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 21 December 1999]: Challenging targets for tackling drug misuse have been set by the United Kingdom Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator in

  63W
  his "First Annual Report and National Plan" published in April this year. These will help to achieve the objectives of the Government's 10-year drugs strategy "Tackling Drugs to Build a Better Britain". £70.5 million additional resources are being made available to health and local authorities over the next three years for drug treatment services. A further £18 million over three years will support drug prevention activity, particularly amongst young people.

  Ante-natal/Neo-natal Screening
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on the use of(a) ante and (b) neo-natal screening. [103652]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 21 December 1999]: Ante and neo-natal screening procedures can be vital in the detection of impending illness and onset of disease, where these allow for early and effective intervention. There are many screening procedures, some of which have the potential to build upon the current screening programme.

  We look to the National Screening Committee for the United Kingdom to appraise screening programmes, current and proposed, against a set of internationally recognised criteria and to advise on additions or changes.

  Pregnancy Advice Centres
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to regulate pregnancy advice centres which do not refer clients on to medical procedures. [103668]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 21 December 1999]: It is not possible or practical to regulate the activities of every place, outside the National Health Service, that provides advice and information to women on pregnancy matters.

  We do maintain a register of pregnancy advice bureaux that provide a medical consultation and refer women on for abortion. This list of registered places is publicly available and will shortly be on the Department's website.

  Life Fertility Programme
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to fund the Life National Hotline and the Life Fertility Programme. [103669]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 21 December 1999): Decisions on applications received for funding under Section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 from 2000–01 onwards have not yet been made.

  Routine Admissions (Suspension)
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those NHS trusts which have suspended routine admissions for at least(a) one week and (b) two weeks over the Christmas and New Year period. [104281]

  Ms Stuart
  The information requested is not held centrally. The decision to suspend routine admissions would have been made at local level based on guidance on planning for winter and the millennium holiday period issued earlier last year.

  Health Authority Funding
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will express in per capita terms the(a) actual and (b) percentage funding increases for each health authority in England in 2000–01. [104171]

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

  Health authority

  Cash increase per capita (£)

  Cash increase Percentage

  Avon

  40.44

  6.90

  Barking and Havering

  42.77

  6.39

  Barnet

  41.78

  6.58

  Barnsley

  50.91

  7.62

  Bedfordshire

  42.19

  7.62

  Berkshire

  39.16

  7.35

  Bexley and Greenwich

  43.00

  6.22

  Birmingham

  43.22

  6.48

  Bradford

  46.53

  7.19

  Brent and Harrow

  43.32

  6.38

  Bromley

  40.69

  6.60

  Buckinghamshire

  38.02

  7.24

  Bury and Rochdale

  47.85

  7.26

  Calderdale and Kirklees

  42.51

  6.64

  Cambridgeshire

  38.85

  7.14

  Camden and Islington

  59.45

  6.79

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  42.38

  6.55

  County Durham

  48.04

  7.04

  Coventry

  45.47

  7.21

  Croydon

  41.64

  6.85

  Doncaster

  46.97

  6.98

  Dorset

  40.02

  6.25

  Dudley

  41.33

  6.93

  Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow

  47.06

  6.70

  East and North Hertfordshire

  38.68

  6.91

  East Kent

  41.71

  6.22

  East Lancashire

  48.67

  7.10

  East London and the City

  62.63

  8.02

  East Riding

  43.20

  6.96

  East Surrey

  37.49

  6.21

  East Sussex, Brighton and Hove

  42.59

  6.25

  Enfield and Haringey

  44.80

  6.53

  Gateshead and South Tyneside

  51.04

  7.18

  Gloucestershire

  37.57

  6.31

  Herefordshire

  39.43

  6.67

  Hillingdon

  42.24

  6.73

  Isle of Wight

  45.58

  6.21

  Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster

  62.49

  8.50

  Kingston and Richmond

  39.05

  6.22

  Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham

  54.63

  6.85

  Leeds

  43.79

  6.81

  Leicestershire

  41.33

  7.41

  Lincolnshire

  41.59

  6.83

  Liverpool

  49.26

  6.57

  Manchester

  50.40

  6.60

  Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth

  42.70

  6.31

  Morecambe Bay

  42.16

  6.37

  Newcastle and North Tyneside

  48.89

  6.89

  Norfolk

  40.24

  6.65

  North and East Devon

  39.90

  6.32

  North and Mid Hampshire

  34.75

  6.57

  North Cheshire

  41.34

  6.38

  North Cumbria

  43.23

  6.92

  North Derbyshire

  41.98

  6.77

  North Essex

  38.98

  6.68

  North Nottinghamshire

  43.87

  7.12

  North Staffordshire

  47.23

  7.24

  North West Lancashire

  47.36

  6.79

  North Yorkshire

  39.38

  6.71

  Northamptonshire

  37.52

  6.44

  Northumberland

  44.66

  7.01

  Nottingham

  45.47

  7.46

  Oxfordshire

  37.16

  7.09

  Portsmouth and South East Hampshire

  39.95

  6.69

  Redbridge and Waltham Forest

  42.24

  6.22

  Rotherham

  47.96

  7.28

  65W

  Health authority

  Cash increase per capita (£)

  Cash increase percentage

  Salford and Trafford

  45.79

  6.56

  Sandwell

  48.37

  7.14

  Sefton

  46.18

  6.53

  Sheffield

  45.37

  6.64

  Shropshire

  40.11

  6.89

  Solihull

  38.36

  6.53

  Somerset

  39.83

  6.66

  South and West Devon

  41.37

  6.42

  South Cheshire

  38.60

  6.40

  South Derbyshire

  41.45

  6.95

  South Essex

  41.68

  7.05

  South Humber

  39.96

  6.24

  South Lancashire

  39.89

  6.48

  South Staffordshire

  37.53

  6.63

  Southampton and South West Hampshire

  39.48

  6.68

  St Helen's and Knowsley

  49.33

  7.14

  Stockport

  40.24

  6.52

  Suffolk

  37.08

  6.42

  Sunderland

  50.55

  7.20

  Tees

  49.32

  7.34

  Wakefield

  45.50

  6.95

  Walsall

  47.42

  7.28

  Warwickshire

  36.83

  6.22

  West Hertfordshire

  38.84

  6.52

  West Kent

  37.17

  6.41

  West Pennine

  46.53

  7.00

  West Surrey

  36.55

  6.26

  West Sussex

  42 09

  6 76

  Wigan and Bolton

  47.83

  7.28

  Wiltshire

  36.15

  6.31

  Wirral

  46.36

  6.54

  Wolverhampton

  48.60

  7.35

  Worcestershire

  36.92

  6.47

  Notes:

  1. Crude population figures supplied by the Office for National Statistics have been used to calculate the per capita figures.

  2. Amounts include increases to targeted funding for Health Action Zones.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Carers
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to improve the level of benefits paid to carers. [102947]

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to help carers. [102950]

  Mr. Bayley
  We are committed under the National Carer's Strategy to keeping financial support for carers under review, which we are doing.

  Social Exclusion
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what further resources are proposed to reduce social exclusion. [102951]

  Mr. Bayley
  Over this Parliament we are investing an extra £40 billion in health and education, and we will be spending an additional £6 billion a year by the end of this Parliament in new measures to tackle child poverty.

  It is this Government that have made tackling poverty and social exclusion its priority. We are currently examining resources in the spending review and will make an announcement next year.
  66W
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out the Government's plans to tackle poverty and social exclusion arising out of welfare dependency. [102955]

  Mr. Bayley
  A key element in our strategy for tackling poverty and social exclusion is to reduce the number of people claiming out-of-work benefits by helping people find work.

  The proportion of people living in working age workless households doubled between 1979 and 1997—this is the legacy we inherited and the challenge we face. It is a problem we are committed to overcome through our programme of welfare reform.

  One-Stop Benefits
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how the one-stop benefit trials are progressing. [102952]

  Mr. Borrow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on progress so far with the ONE pilots. [102959]

  Angela Eagle
  The ONE service began operating in four pilot areas on 28 June 1999, and in eight more areas on 29 November. The early signs from the pilots appear encouraging but it will, of course, take time to make a full assessment of the impact. When robust and reliable data are available we will, of course, make it public.

  Minimum Income Guarantee
  Ms Rosie Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he is taking to ensure maximum take-up of the minimum income guarantee by those entitled to it. [102953]

  Mr. Rooker
  We are committed to taking action to find more effective ways of encouraging eligible pensioners to claim their entitlement to the minimum income guarantee. We will announce details of a national programme shortly.

  NIRS2
  Miss Kirkbride
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the number of pensioners still affected by the NIRS2 computer problems. [102954]

  Mr. Rooker
  It is estimated that currently there are up to 83,000 pensioners who are still affected by current and past NIRS2 computer problems. The Benefits Agency anticipates that this backlog will be cleared during the course of 2000.

  New Deal (Lone Parents)
  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress has been made with the New Deal for Lone Parents; and if he will make a statement. [102956]

  Angela Eagle
  The New Deal for Lone Parents is providing active support to help lone parents move into work. In the first year of the national programme over 104,000 lone parents have attended interviews; 89 per cent. of these have agreed to participate in the
  67W
  programme; and over 28,000 lone parents have obtained jobs. In his pre-Budget report the Chancellor announced a package of improvements to the programme to build on the success of NDLP so far.

  Computer Systems (Benefits)
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to unify his Department's computer system for benefit payments with that of the Inland Revenue. [102957]

  Mr. Rooker
  There are no plans to unify the Department's computer systems with those of the Inland Revenue. However, this Department, the Inland Revenue, the Department for Education and Employment and local authorities are working together to ensure that joined-up client-focused welfare services can be offered to all.

  Millennium Compliance
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if his Department experienced computer problems at the start of the new millennium. [102958]

  Angela Eagle
  There was only one minor incident across the whole range of the Department's 33 main computer systems, after the Millennium Date Change. This problem, which affected the transfer of certain specific Social Fund cases between offices, has since been fixed. Two of the Department's 783 administrative support systems had problems, which have also been fixed. This outcome follows the Department's substantial work to prepare for this event.

  Pension Provision
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps have been taken by the Government to promote personal provision of pensions. [102960]

  Mr. Rooker
  We published a Green Paper in December 1998, setting out our proposals for pension reform. Our proposals will help everyone build up a decent second pension. The reformed system will ensure that all those who can save for a second pension will be able to do so.

  For people who have access to them, occupational pensions remain the best option; we have already implemented some of the measures we proposed to strengthen and support occupational pension schemes in the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999. Further measures are in the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Bill currently before Parliament.

  The new stakeholder pensions will be a secure, flexible, and value for money way to help up to 5 million people who do not have access to an occupational pension and for whom personal pensions can be unsuitable to save for their retirement. Stakeholder Pensions will be designed to help those on middle incomes—around £9,000-£20,000 a year—but will benefit those on higher incomes as well. The legislation to put in place the basic framework for stakeholder pension schemes is included in the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999. We are continuing to consult on key areas of detail which will be set out in secondary legislation and we expect to publish draft Regulations shortly.
  68W
  We are reforming the State Earnings Related Pension Scheme through the introduction of the State Second Pension. This will give a dramatic boost to the pensions of low earners, carers and some long-term disabled people. Legislation is included in the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Bill.

  We are also improving the quality of general and personal information on pensions. We are working in partnership with employers and the pensions industry to provide annual combined pension forecasts of current and projected state and private pension rights. A combined statement will give individuals a clearer indication of what sort of retirement income they might expect and enable them to make informed decisions about the level of savings they need to make.

  In June 1998, we also published a series of pensions information leaflets. These provide concise and accessible information in plain English about the pensions choices available to individuals. The leaflets relate to decisions individuals need to take at various life stages. The leaflets met the Plain English Campaign Crystal Mark standard and have been awarded the Money Management Council Quality Mark for providing clear and unbiased information on money matters. The leaflets have been promoted through marketing activity. The Financial Services Authority also provide more detailed information on certain financial issues, which complements the Departmental leaflets.

  Disability Living Allowance (Mobility Component)
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people have lost the mobility component of their disability benefit in each of the past two years. [102961]

  Mr. Bayley
  114,400 awards of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance stopped in 1997–98, and 129,900 in 1998–99. These figures are equivalent to around 7 per cent. of recipients. Awards stop in various circumstances, for example when recipients die, go to live abroad permanently, or experience a significant improvement in their ability to get around.

  Pensioners Benefits
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to help pensioners with small second incomes who do not qualify for benefits. [102962]

  Mr. Rooker
  During our process of modernising and reforming welfare, we will consider all the components that make up the benefit system with a view to ensuring that the least well-off pensioners share in the rising national prosperity.

  Fraud
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement indicating which of his anti-fraud targets he is likely(a) to meet and (b) not to meet by the end of the current financial year. [102963]

  Mr. Rooker
  As published in the Public Service Agreement, for the first time we have set a single outcome target to reduce fraud and error in the two major benefits,
  69W
  Income Support and Jobseeker' s Allowance, by 30 per cent. by March 2007, with at least a 10 per cent. reduction by March 2002.

  State Pension Uprating
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the April 2000 uprating of the state pension. [102964]

  Mr. Rooker
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made a statement on new rates of benefit, including State Retirement Pension, to apply from next April in a Written Answer on 9 November 1999,Official Report, columns 564–78W.

  Child Poverty
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the level of child poverty in Britain. [102965]

  Mr. Bayley
  Far too many children's lives are blighted by poverty and social exclusion. That is why the Prime Minister has made it our aim to eradicate child poverty in the next 20 years.

  Disablement Benefits
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he is taking to improve the quality of medical assessments as part of integrating testing for disablement benefits. [102966]

  Mr. Bayley
  The qualifying criteria for the various benefits for sick and disabled people vary and may need to be assessed separately on different occasions. The development of an integrated medical assessment would be complex and there are no immediate plans to introduce such an assessment.

  The issue of the quality of medical assessments in general is, however, taken very seriously. Standards relating to experience, qualifications and training are set out in the Benefits Agency's contract with the SEMA Group, which provides medical services. The work of all doctors is also subject to regular audit against nationally determined standards which are agreed by the Department's Chief Medical Adviser.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the total spending on housing benefit(a) in 1996–97 adjusted for inflation and (b) projected for 1999–2000. [102942]

  Angela Eagle
  Housing benefit expenditure is expected to fall from £12 billion in 1996–97 to £11.2 billion in 1999–2000 in real terms.

  Departmental Employees (Disabled People)
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of the total workforce in his Department is registered as disabled; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of disabled people in his Department. [102044]
  70W
  Mr. Bayley
  Existing data indicate that 4.1 per cent. of employees in the Department have stated that they have a disability.

  This Department has put a range of measures in place to encourage the employment of people with disabilities, using the Cabinet Office "Programme for Action to Achieve Equality of Opportunity in the Civil Service for Disabled People". This sets out action checklists for all departments, covering the recruitment, retention and career development of people with disabilities. In addition, this Department participates in the "Positive about Disabled People Symbol" scheme (known as the "two ticks" symbol).

  Departmental Employees (Ethnic Minorities)
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of the total work force in his Department is of ethnic minority origin; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of people from the ethnic minorities in his Department. [102728]

  Mr. Bayley
  Existing data indicate that 5.83 per cent. of employees in the Department are of minority ethnic origin.

  My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary for the Cabinet Office set out in his reply of 16 December 1999, Official Report, column 264W, corporate action that we are taking to encourage the employment of people from minority ethnic groups. This Department aspires to improve the diversity of its work force at every level and has put in place a range of measures specifically to encourage the employment of people with minority ethnic backgrounds and address current under-representation, particularly at senior levels.

  In addition to our plans to improve in the area of recruitment, we have a number of initiatives for developing the talent already in the Department. We are committed to achieving our goals by setting realistic but stretching targets by 31 March 2000 which will be underpinned by action plans encompassing imaginative outreach and positive action initiatives. Some specific examples are:
  working closely with the Employment Services to gain better understanding of the barriers restricting people from minority ethnic groups from applying for jobs;
  liaising with ethnic groups and ethnic community leaders to identify the scope of potential recruitment candidates and work towards breaking down perceived barriers. Producing equal opportunities policy statements in different languages has assisted in this respect;
  targeting schools and universities with a high percentage of minority ethnic students;
  taking part in careers fairs to attract minority ethnic undergraduates who may be suitable for fast stream development;
  participating in the Windsor Fellowship Scheme, which is run by an educational trust to introduce minority ethnic undergraduates as student placements to prepare them for management careers;
  working with organisations to offer its managers as mentors to minority ethnic students (in 1999, a BA manager was voted Mentor of the Year by the NMC).

  Winter Fuel Allowance
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans the Government have to extend the £100 winter heating allowance to disabled people below the age of retirement. [103864]

  Angela Eagle
  I refer the hon. Member to the Written Answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Plymouth, Sutton (Mrs. Gilroy) on 20 December 1999,Official Report, column 325W.

  Council Tax Rebate Allowances
  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received about changes to the calculation of non-dependant income contributions to council tax rebate allowances; and if he will make a statement. [103723]

  Angela Eagle
  While we have not received any representations on this issue, we have recently announced changes to the non-dependant deductions scheme. These changes were included in the annual benefit uprating package which was announced to the House on 9 November. From April 2000, non-dependant deductions for Council Tax Benefit will increase by 7 per cent., which is in line with average council tax increases. The income thresholds at which the level of deductions are set will, as is customary, rise by the ROSSI index (1.6 per cent.).

  Information Technology Services Agency
  Mr. Gordon Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what conditions he has identified as reasonable cause to terminate outsourcing contracts for the Information Technology Services Agency in terms of(a) cost, (b) delay and (c) failure to meet operational needs. [103623]

  Angela Eagle
  The Department is in detailed discussions and negotiations with its preferred IT supplier, Affinity. This work will not be complete before February and it is not until then that the detail of the contracts, in respect of termination, will have been finalised.

  We intend to make sure that sufficient contractual safeguards are in place in the event that the service provider fails to meet the contractual service requirements. Termination is one of the safeguards under discussion.

  Mr. Gordon Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he next plans to meet trade union side representatives to discuss plans for outsourcing at the Information Technology Services Agency. [103624]

  Angela Eagle
  The Department has met with representatives from the Trade Union Side (TUS) at both Agency and Departmental level since the initial announcement regarding the future IS/IT Strategy for the Department. I also met with representatives of Departmental and Agency TUS on 25 November to discuss their concerns regarding the decision to outsource.

  Regular meetings between the Agency and the local TUS are taking place and a schedule of meetings, up to the end of March, has been agreed. A consultation framework has also been agreed between ITSA and TUS.
  72W
  The working relationship with the TUS in ITSA and consultation process is well established. We are being kept informed of all significant outcomes of meetings with TUS. We have no current plans to have further meetings with the TUS on this matter.

  Appeal Tribunals
  Dr. Naysmith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what remuneration, pensions and allowances are paid by his Department to persons who are appointed under the Social Security Act 1998 to act as members of an appeal tribunal; and if he will make a statement. [103731]

  Angela Eagle
  My right hon. and noble Friend The Lord Chancellor has set up a panel of persons to act as members of appeal tribunals and has made all appointments to it. The panel has 67 full-time members (excluding the President of appeal tribunals), all of whom are legally qualified. There are 1,971 part-time members with legal, medical and financial qualifications and with experience of dealing with the needs of disabled persons.

  Full-time panel members are salary paid. The average annual salaries at November 1999 were £99,022 for panel members heading the six regions within the Appeals Service and £83,146 for the remaining full-time members. Travelling and, where applicable, subsistence allowances are also payable to full-time panel members where they are required to attend a tribunal hearing away from their normal venue.

  As judicial appointments, full-time panel members belong to the Judicial Pensions Scheme but some have elected to have their pension benefits paid by analogy with the Principal Civil Service Pension Scheme.

  Part-time panel members are paid on a daily or sessional (half day) basis. The current rate of fees is set out in the following table:

  £

  Fee

  per session

  per day

  Preparation fee1

  Legally qualified

  138.50

  277.00

  230.00

  360.00

  Medically qualified (non-specialist)

  103.00

  206.00

  —

  Medically qualified (specialist)

  126.00

  252.00

  227.00

  354.00

  Financially qualified

  118.50

  237.00

  —

  Experience of disability

  63.50

  127.00

  —

  1 Preparation fees are payable to legally qualified panel members and medical specialists who hear appeals relating to Industrial Injuries Scheme benefits, Severe Disablement Allowance and Vaccine Damage

  2 Per session

  3 Per day

  Pensions are not payable to part-time panel members, but they may claim travel expenses for journeys between their home and tribunal venues. Where applicable, subsistence allowance is also payable.

  Other fees and allowances payable include training fees, lengthy attendance fees and fees for sessions which are cancelled.

  Benefits (Scotland)
  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in Scotland, under the age of 18 years, are in receipt of(a) Income Support, (b) Housing Benefit, (c) Jobseeker's Allowance and (d) Lone Parent Benefit as part of Child Benefit. [103866]

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

  Number of people under 18 in Scotland who receive Income Support, Housing Benefit, Jobseeker's Allowance and Lone Parent Benefit as part of Child Benefit

  Benefit type

  Claimants aged 16 and 17

  Income Support (August 1999)

  2,100

  Housing Benefit (May 1998)

  1700

  Jobseeker's Allowance (August 1999)

  600

  Lone parent addition as part of Child Benefit (August 1999)

  700

  1 The Housing Benefit figure is based on a 1 per cent. sample and therefore subject to a high degree of sampling error. For example, the estimate of 700 could lie within the range of approximately 200 to 1,200

  Notes:

  1. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.

  2. Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance and Child Benefit figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample and as such subject to a degree of sampling error.

  3. Precise figures cannot be provided because the figures have been extrapolated from small samples and will therefore be subject to a high degree of sampling error.

  Sources:

  Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry, August 1999–5 per cent.

  Jobseeker's Allowance Statistics Quarterly Enquiry, August 1999–5 per cent.

  Housing Benefit Management Information System, annual 1 per cent. inquiries taken on the second Thursday of May 1998. Child Benefit Computer System—5 per cent. sample.

  Invalid Care Allowance (Scotland)
  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many people in Scotland have become ineligible for invalid care allowance on the grounds of age in each of the last five years; [103865]

  (2) how many people in Scotland have received invalid care allowance in each year since 1991. [103759]

  Mr. Bayley
  The information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. David Heath
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what advice is given to assessors and adjudicators on applications for Disability Living Allowance on the mobility and care needs of those suffering from achondroplasia; [103642]

  (2) what account is taken of the needs of persons suffering from achondroplasia in framing criteria for Disability Living Allowance. [103641]

  Mr. Bayley
  Entitlement to Disability Living Allowance (DLA) depends on the extent to which a severely disabled person needs help with personal care,74W
  requires supervision or has difficulty getting around. People with achondroplasia have access to DLA in the same way as other severely disabled people.

  Guidance on the likely effects of a large range of disabling conditions is contained in the Disability Handbook issued to all decision makers. The Disability Living Allowance Advisory Board provides decision makers with regular updates and information on other conditions, to be used in conjunction with the Handbook. Advice, in this form, on the likely effects of achondroplasia and associated complications, was issued in August 1995.

  In addition to the training and written guidance that decision makers receive, they also have access to advice from doctors, if they need further information relating to any medical condition or combination of conditions.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security after what period data about payments made by absent parents is routinely erased from CSA records. [103116]

  Angela Eagle
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mrs. Faith Boardman. She will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Mrs. Faith Boardman to Mr. Richard Livsey, dated 23 December 1999:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the Child Support Agency.
  The account history information on the CSA computer system is subject to an archiving process. This process examines account transactions that have reached a completed status ie. for a given charge there is a receipt and an associated payment out. Once these completed transactions are 365 days old they are marked as eligible for archiving and removed from the online system to the archive database.
  Data that is held in the archive database is available for retrieval as a hard copy report. There is currently no processing which deletes this data from the system archive database.
  The CSA business requirement in respect of deletion of financial data states that the information must be retained for the current financial year and the succeeding six. As CSA initial action only commenced in June 1993 the Agency does not have any financial data that has surpassed this age.
  The Agency intends to examine the need to delete archived data next year however, any data removed will be subject to the appropriate business rules as noted above.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Basic State Pension
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the value of the basic state pension for(a) single pensioners and (b) pensioner couples, for each year between November 1979 and April 2000; and what it would have been if it had been uprated in line with the higher in each year of average earnings or prices. [103956]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is in the table.
  75W

  £ per week

  Uprating date

  Single pensioner actual rates

  Single pensioner increased by higher of earnings or prices

  Pensioner couple actual rates

  Pensioner couple increased by higher of earnings or prices

  November 1979

  23.30

  23.30

  37.30

  37 30

  November 1980

  27.15

  27.60

  43.45

  44 20

  November 1981

  29.60

  30.90

  47.35

  49 50

  November 1982

  32.85

  33.50

  52.55

  53.65

  November 1983

  34.05

  36.40

  54.50

  58.30

  November 1984

  35.80

  38.25

  57.30

  61.25

  November 1985

  38.30

  41.60

  61.30

  66.60

  July 1986

  38.70

  43.45

  61.95

  69.60

  April 1987

  39.50

  45.90

  63.25

  73.50

  April 1988

  41.15

  49.50

  65.90

  79 25

  April 1989

  43.60

  53.85

  69.80

  86 20

  April 1990

  46.90

  59.05

  75.10

  94 55

  April 1991

  52.00

  65.50

  83.25

  104 85

  April 1992

  54.15

  70.50

  86.70

  112 85

  April 1993

  56.10

  73.90

  89.80

  118 30

  April 1994

  57.60

  76.25

  92.10

  121 95

  April 1995

  58.85

  78.85

  94.10

  126 10

  April 1996

  61.15

  81.95

  97.75

  131 05

  April 1997

  62.45

  85.40

  99.80

  136 55

  April 1998

  64.70

  88.90

  103.40

  142 15

  April 1999

  66.75

  93.25

  106.70

  149 10

  April 2000

  67.50

  97.45

  107.90

  155 80

  Notes:

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

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

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

  4. From April 1994 the basic rate of retirement pension has been increased by 50p on a single person and 20p on a pensioner couple to reflect VAT on fuel.

  5. The figures for November 1979 to November 1982 have been calculated using actual increases in Retail Prices Index rather than forecast increases.

  Opportunity for All
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for each of the 32 indicators in Opportunity for All which of the other indicators and targets are Opportunity for All targets. [103484]

  Mr. Rooker
  We placed further information on the indicators of success in the Library of the House on 21 September to coincide with the publication of "Opportunity for All". There are no specific "Opportunity for All" targets. The paper placed in the Library shows where there is a corresponding Government target for each of the 32 indicators.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what baseline information has been developed for those indicators without baseline data in Opportunity for All. [103714]

  Mr. Rooker
  We are currently developing the baselines for those indicators without baseline information and will report on their development in the second annual report on the Government's Strategy for Tackling Poverty and Social Exclusion.

  Winter Fuel Payments
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for what reason men aged 60 to 65 years are entitled to receive the winter fuel bonus if they are claiming Jobseeker's Allowance or Income Support. [103486]

  Angela Eagle
  Those men aged 60 or over in receipt of Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance which includes a pensioner premium have been eligible 76W
  for winter fuel payments since the scheme began. They are among the poorest elderly people and as such we decided that they should be eligible for this help.

  We have announced that winter fuel payments will be extended to everyone aged 60 and over from next winter. The payments will be backdated to the start of the scheme.

  Child Benefits
  Mr. Forth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total allocation for his Department in 1996–97 and projected for 1999–2000 on child benefits. [102943]

  Angela Eagle
  Expenditure on Child Benefits for the financial year 1996–97 amounted to £6,941 million. It is estimated that expenditure for 1999–2000 will reach £8,286 million.

  Note:

  1. Figure for 1996–97 includes One Parent Benefit (£317 million).

  2. Figure for 1999–2000 is planned expenditure and it includes Lone Parent Addition of £128 million.

  Source:

  Departmental Report

  Invalid Care Allowance
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what records his Department holds for current recipients of Invalid Care Allowance on the duration of their claim. [104142]

  Mr. Bayley
  The information is in the table.
  77W

  Recipients of Invalid Care Allowance (ICA) as at 21 July 1999

  Number of carers

  Percentage of total recipients

  Less than 1 year

  64,486

  17.2

  1 to 2 years

  61,302

  16.4

  2 to 5 years

  127,403

  34.1

  5 to 10 years

  88,234

  23.6

  Over 10 years

  32,594

  8.7

  Total

  374,019

  100

  Source:

  ICA Unit, 100 per cent. count

  Child Support
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list each of the categories of family that will be worse off as a result of the child support measures contained in the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Bill; if he will list in each case the number of(a) families and (b) children so affected; and if he will estimate the average loss for each group. [104141]

  Angela Eagle
  The impact of the child support reforms will depend on a number of different factors, including the level of child support liability, whether this liability is being paid and whether the parent with care is on benefit. Over one million children will benefit from the reforms. However, in order to forecast which individual families are likely to be better or worse off as a result of the changes, we would need to establish the extent to which the non-resident parent is compliant now and estimate future compliance. We have not made such estimates; these could be provided only at disproportionate cost and we are not confident that the results would be reliable.

  It is inevitable that there will be differences in liability between the current and the new schemes. Under the new scheme we will get more parents paying more of what is due for their children. Payments of maintenance are already fully ignored in Working Families Tax Credit. Parents with care on Income Support will see the benefit of maintenance for the first time. They will gain up to £10 a week through the introduction of the new child maintenance premium. The payment of regular, reliable maintenance will also form a foundation on which parents with care can consider options for work.

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the likely completion date of the computer system being prepared for the Child Support Agency; and if it is his policy not to implement the new maintenance formula contained in the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Bill until that computer system is in place. [104139]

  Angela Eagle
  We have always made clear that we intend to introduce the new child support system as soon as possible, but that will not be before the end of 2001 at the earliest. We are determined not to repeat the failures of the current system by introducing reforms too quickly or before new IT systems are ready.

  State Second Pension
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate, for each of the 10 financial years starting from 2003–04,(a) expenditure on SERPS if the state second pension were not to be introduced,
  78W
  (b) expenditure on SERPS if the state second pension were to be introduced, (c) expenditure on the state second pension, assuming implementation in 2003–04 and a move to a flat rate scheme in 2008–09 and (d) the additional cost of national insurance rebates to those earning less than £9,000 per annum on each of the two alternative regimes proposed in his recent consultation document. [104140]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is contained in the following tables. It is based on the assumptions that the State Second Pension will be introduced in April 2002 and that it will move to a flat-rate scheme in 2006–07 (five years after Stakeholder Pension Schemes are introduced). Costings based on introduction of the State Second Pension in April 2003 and a move to a flat-rate scheme in 2008–09 are not available at this time.

  All figures are expressed in 1999–2000 price terms and are rounded to the nearest £0.1 billion. The Low Earnings Threshold in State Second Pension is set at £9,500 pa for that year.

  Expenditure on SERPS if the State Second Pension were not introduced

  £ billion

  2002–03

  5.8

  2003–04

  6.2

  2004–05

  6.6

  2005–06

  7.0

  2006–07

  7.4

  2007–08

  7.8

  2008–09

  8.2

  2009–10

  8.6

  2010–11

  8.9

  2011–12

  9.2

  Expenditure on SERPS if the State Second Pension were to be introduced in April 2002

  £ billion

  2002–03

  5.7

  2003–04

  6.2

  2004–05

  6.6

  2005–06

  7.0

  2006–07

  7.3

  2007–08

  7.7

  2008–09

  8.0

  2009–10

  8.3

  2010–11

  8.6

  2011–12

  8.8

  Expenditure on the State Second Pension, if introduced in April 2002 and followed by a move to a flat-rate scheme in 2006–07

  £ billion

  2002–03

  0

  2003–04

  0

  2004–05

  0

  2005–06

  0.1

  2006–07

  0.2

  2007–08

  0.3

  2008–09

  0.5

  2009–10

  0.6

  2010–11

  0.8

  2011–12

  1.0

  79W

  The additional cost of national insurance rebates to those earning less than £9,500 pa based on the first approach contained in the recent consultation document The Structure of Rebates for the State Second Pension

  £ billion

  2002–03

  0.1

  2003–04

  0.2

  2004–05

  0.2

  2005–06

  0.2

  2006–07

  0.3

  2007–08

  0.3

  2008–09

  0.3

  2009–10

  0.3

  2010–11

  0.3

  2011–12

  0.3

  Note:

  These extra rebates are for those contracted-out of the State Second Pension via Contracted-Out Salary Related schemes, Contracted-Out Money Purchase schemes and Appropriate Personal Pension schemes. The figures do not include additional rebates paid to people earning between £9,500 and £21,600

  The additional cost of national insurance rebates to those earning less than £9,500 pa based on the second approach contained in the consultation document

  £ billion

  2002–03

  0

  2003–04

  0.1

  2004–05

  0.1

  2005–06

  0.1

  2006–07

  0.1

  2007–08

  0.1

  2008–09

  0.2

  2009–10

  0.2

  2010–11

  0.2

  2011–12

  0.2

  Note:

  These extra rebates are for those contracted-out of the State Second Pension via Appropriate Personal Pension schemes. The figures do not include additional rebates paid to people earning between £9,500 and £21,600 between £9,500 and £21,600

  Stakeholder Pensions
  Mr. Fitzpatrick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress has been made in developing proposals for stakeholder pensions. [104429]

  Mr. Darling
  Stakeholder pensions are intended to fill the gap for the many people who can afford to save for their retirement but do not currently have a suitable means of doing so. Following passage of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999, which sets the framework for stakeholder schemes, and extensive consultation on the detailed arrangements, we have now made decisions in a number of key areas. I am placing in the Library the Government's response to the consultation. The paper, "Stakeholder Pensions—Outcome of the Consultation" is also available in the Vote Office. The main points are:Schemes will only be able to charge in one way, on the value of the member's fund, and will not be allowed to charge more than 1 per cent. a year. No extra charges can be made if the member stops paying in, or wishes to transfer to another scheme.
  Schemes will accept any contributions of £20 or more.
  Schemes must provide information and explanatory material to potential members, but will not be required to offer individual financial advice within the 1 per cent. charge. Schemes may provide individual advice within the charge limit if they wish, or charge a separate fee.
  80W
  Schemes will be able to set up with a board of trustees, or can be run by an authorised stakeholder scheme manager.
  Employers will generally be required to give access to a stakeholder scheme from October 2001, unless they already offer a suitable alternative. Employers with fewer than five staff will initially be exempt from this requirement, but the arrangement will be reviewed in three years' time. Employers who arrange group personal pensions and who make a contribution of at least 3 per cent. of earnings will also initially be exempt, subject to review after three years.
  Existing rebates for Contracted-out Money Purchase Schemes and Appropriate Personal Pension schemes will apply to stakeholder pension schemes.

  Specific requirements will be incorporated in secondary legislation, on which we shall consult in draft shortly.

  BA Security and Investigation Service
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many staff BASIS have employed in each area for each of the last 12 months; [103482]

  (2) what is the full complement of staff at each BASIS office and on 1 December how many of these posts were vacant; [103483]

  (3) how many BASIS staff at each area office have been with BASIS for 12 months or more. [103485]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is in the tables.

  Number of staff BASIS have employed in each area for each of the last 12 months

  Business Development Team

  Southern

  Northern

  National Intelligence

  1998

  December

  33

  144

  83

  28

  1999

  January

  33

  143

  83

  27

  February

  31

  146

  83

  31

  March

  33

  143

  82

  31

  April

  34

  138

  79

  39

  May

  34

  139

  79

  44

  June

  37

  138

  77

  44

  July

  34

  139

  76

  43

  August

  33

  154

  74

  50

  September

  34

  143

  73

  52

  October

  32

  148

  71

  53

  November

  35

  147

  74

  57

  Numbers for the full complement of staff at each BASIS office and the number of vacancies

  Office/Team

  Full complement

  Staff in post

  Vacancies

  Business Development Team (BDT):

  BDT

  34

  35

  0

  Southern area:

  Nottingham

  19

  17

  2

  Birmingham

  19

  17

  2

  Cardiff

  19

  15

  4

  London:

  Team 1

  21

  21

  0

  Team 2

  21

  16

  5

  Team 3

  21

  14

  7

  Team 4

  21

  14

  7

  Team 5

  21

  15

  6

  Team 6

  21

  16

  5

  81W

  Numbers for the full complement of staff at each BASIS office and the number of vacancies

  Office/Team

  Full complement

  Staff in post

  Vacancies

  Northern area:

  Scotland

  19

  16

  3

  Newcastle

  19

  12

  7

  Leeds

  19

  18

  1

  Manchester

  19

  18

  1

  Liverpool

  19

  10

  9

  National Intelligence Unit:

  Identity Fraud Management Unit

  26

  21

  5

  Financial Investigation Unit

  5

  3

  2

  Giro Validation

  16

  6

  10

  National Intelligence Unit

  29

  27

  2

  Totals

  388

  311

  178

  1 A further recruitment exercise was carried out throughout October and November 1999. The interviews will be taking place in the next few weeks with a view to filling the vacancies.

  Numbers of BASIS staff at each area office who have been with BASIS for 12 months or more

  Team

  Number

  Business Development Team

  15

  Southern

  99

  Northern

  53

  National Intelligence

  15

DEFENCE

  Written Questions
  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many questions for written answer he replied to by means of a letter placed in the Library rather than by a substantive answer in the Official Report in (a) Session 1998–99, (b) Session 1997–98 and (c) Session 1996–97; and if he will make a statement. [99840]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  Out of a total of 2,351 Commons written questions tabled to Defence Ministers during Session 1998–99, our database records that 198 were answered by means of a letter placed in the Library rather than by a substantive reply in the Official Report. The database did not capture such information prior to the 1998–99 Session, and consequently it could only be provided at disproportionate cost for previous sessions.

  Defence Housing Executive
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the cost of developing the new national computer network within the Defence Housing Executive. [100288]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  It is assumed that this question refers to Project DOMIS, the PFI procurement which is intended to replace the Defence Housing Executive's (DHE's) existing computer system to provide an enhanced housing service to members of the armed services and their families.

  The system will link DHE's 202 offices throughout mainland UK and provide a modern, efficient housing allocation service together with improved management information.
  82W
  The Project has not yet reached the stage of placing a contract. The costs to date of the in-house team and consultants who are developing the requirements amount to £2.1 million.

  RN Vessels (UN Operations)
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Royal Navy vessels have been involved in United Nations operations in the last two years; and how long was each operation. [101663]

  Mr. Hoon
  No Royal Navy vessels have operated directly under UN command in the last two years, but they have supported a number of UN mandated operations or enforced UN security resolutions.

  HMS Glasgow joined Australian-led forces operating in support of the UN mandated International Force in East Timor (INTERFET) from 18–30 September 1999.

  HMS Cumberland, Nottingham, Newcastle, Coventry, Birmingham and Exeter have participated in the Multinational force enforcing sanctions against Iraq under UN Security Council Resolution 665.

  Humanitarian patrols of the Iraqi no-fly zones, in support of UN Security Council Resolution 688, have also been carried out by aircraft operating from HMS Invincible in February and March 1999. Aircraft operating from HMS Invincible who was replaced by HMS Illustrious also carried out patrols of the Iraqi no-fly zones over the period January to March 1998.

  Air Sea Rescue Service
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the UK Air Sea Rescue Service. [101333]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 6 December 1999]: I can only comment upon the military Search and Rescue (SAR) contribution, as the overall responsibility for civil SAR rests with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

  Although the primary responsibility of the military SAR force is to rescue downed military aircrew, in peacetime the force also makes a significant contribution to rescuing civilians.

  The Strategic Defence Review (SDR) confirmed that the operational side of the RAF SAR should be maintained as a military task, with the priority of rescuing service personnel in the United Kingdom and surrounding seas. The military SAR force continues to provide an unequalled service with a capability which is second to none.

  The feasibility of contractorising the maintenance of SAR aircraft will be examined as part of the Sea King replacement strategy.

  HMS Chatham
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost of the refit of HMS Chatham; and if he will make a statement. [101670]

  Mr. Spellar
  Expenditure to date on HMS Chatham's refit is some £22 million, which includes an element for additional work which could not have been foreseen
  83W
  before the refit began. Final payment will be made on completion of the guarantee period, which expires in December 2000.

  HMS Brave
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost of HMS Brave being held in extended readiness. [101671]

  Mr. Spellar
  HMS Brave entered extended readiness in April 1999. Since then, £0.38 million has been spent in keeping her in this state. This figure includes the cost of preparations for extended readiness and the cost of the tow from Devonport to Portsmouth. The estimated cost to hold her in extended readiness for the next year will be a further £0.4 million.

  Forces Legal Aid
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if(a) staff (i) in the NAAFI, (ii) in DERA and (iii) of civilian contractors and (b) their dependants are eligible for forces legal aid; [102585]

  (2) for each of the three armed services, who is eligible for forces legal aid; and what are the criteria which must be met; [102587]

  (3) what is the sum available this year for legal aid in respect of each armed service; and what sums will be available in the next three years to take account of proposed legislation in the Armed Forces Discipline Bill [Lords]; [102586]

  (4) under what circumstances civilians are eligible for forces legal aid. [102588]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: Legal aid is available, from Service sources, for those who are to be tried by court-martial, who wish to appeal to the Courts-Martial Appeal Court, who are to be tried by a standing civilian court (the equivalent of a magistrates court which sits outside the UK), or who are to be tried by a criminal court outside the UK for an off-duty offence.

  The criteria that must be met by anyone applying for Service legal aid are that they must be subject to Service law (that is, are bound by one of the three single Service Discipline Acts), and assistance must be in the interests of justice. Individuals will be required to show that they have insufficient means to obtain assistance without help from public funds (and, in the case of an incident abroad, that the host country has no equivalent scheme for non-nationals). Depending on their personal means and commitments, individuals will be required to provide a personal contribution. The MOD scheme broadly mirrors the criteria applied by the civilian legal aid authorities in England and Wales.

  Those covered under the Service scheme are Service personnel in the UK and overseas, and attached civilians (including defence Agency personnel) and dependants abroad. However, there has been a long-standing policy that UK personnel employed abroad by a number of specified organisations, including the NAAFI, can make use of the Service legal aid scheme, subject to the funds being subsequently repaid. (It is a matter for the organisations concerned whether they or the individuals involved undertake the required reimbursement.) Civilian
  84W
  contractors, whether engaged either in work in the UK or abroad, are not eligible for Service legal aid as they are not subject to Service law.

  The sums available this year for Service legal aid are £100,000 for the Royal Navy, £770,000 for the Army and £146,000 for the Royal Air Force.

  The increase in Service legal aid as a result of the legislation proposed in the Armed Forces Discipline Bill will depend on the number and nature of cases handled.

  Army Foundation College
  Mr. Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence where the new Army Foundation College is to be based. [102579]

  Mr. Spellar
  At the present time no conclusions have been reached as to the site for the new Army Foundation College.

  Mr. Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the site for the new Army Foundation College is designated(a) green field or (b) brown field. [102578]

  Mr. Spellar
  It has not yet been determined where the new Army Foundation College is to be and therefore the designation of its site is not yet known.

  Mr. Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the conclusions of the value for money exercise conducted in determining the location of the new Army Foundation College. [102580]

  Mr. Spellar
  The information contained in the Investment Appraisals that have so far been undertaken in examination of the options for a second Army Foundation College will form the basis of advice to Ministers and are being withheld at present under Exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  Consultants
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department's agencies and non-departmental public bodies have spent on external consultants and advisers since May 1997. [102073]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Principle Anti-air Missile Systems
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many medium-range Principle anti-air missile systems the United Kingdom has developed in the last three years. [103033]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  One.

  Troop Movements
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK troops will be transferred from East Timor to(a) Brunei and (b) the UK at the end of December. [103060]

  Mr. Hoon
  All UK troops, with the exception of two UN Monitoring Observers, returned from East Timor before the end of December. A total of 284 troops were transferred from East Timor, with 46 returning to the UK
  85W
  and 238 returning to Brunei. The withdrawal started on 8 December, following confirmation from the INTERFET Commander, Major-General Cosgrove, that their tasks were complete. The final contingent of Gurkhas arrived back in Brunei on 10 December and UK-based troops arrived home on 17 December.

  Asymmetric Warfare
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received on the United Kingdom's asymmetric warfare; and if he will make a statement. [103032]

  Mr. Spellar
  My Department continually monitors and assesses threats to UK interests, whether they are conventional in nature or "asymmetric". The analysis influences our defence policy and planning to ensure that British defence capability is well placed to respond to the threats and opportunities we face now and may face in the future. The subject of asymmetric warfare is so broad as to appear frequently in representations and debates on defence and security policy.

  DERA (PPP Proposals)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a list of the organisations and individuals who responded to the consultation document on the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency public private partnership proposals published by his Department in May. [103183]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  I have today placed in the Library of the House a list showing all the non-Governmental organisations that have provided written responses to the DERA PPP consultation document. Some responses, for example from trade associations, represented a consolidated view from a number of organisations consulted as part of their own consultation process. Similarly, a number of organisations and individuals responded orally through participation in consultation events. For reasons of confidentiality, the list does not include the names of individuals who responded on a personal basis, either to the Ministry of Defence or through their Member of Parliament.

  Gulf Veterans
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what meetings officials from the Gulf Veterans' Illnesses Unit were held with officials of the United States Department of Veteran Affairs between January and December 1998;(a) on what dates and (b) where each meeting took place; and for which section of the United States Department of Veteran Affairs the officials who attended each meeting worked. [103149]

  Mr. Spellar
  During 1998, officials from my Department's Gulf Veterans Illnesses Unit visited Washington DC on the following occasions: 16–18 February; 14–20 June; 26 September-3 October and 23–26 November. They would have met officials representing the US Department of Veterans Affairs on these occasions. In the time available, it has not proved possible to trace records of the meetings to establish in which sections of the Department of Veterans Affairs these officials worked. I will write to the hon. Gentleman if this information can be found.
  86W
  In addition to the above, a member of the Gulf Veterans Illness Unit (GVIU) based in Washington DC maintains continuous dialogue with United States Department of Veterans Affairs colleagues.

  Ministerial Meetings
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times Ministers in his Department met members and officials on the United States Government between 2 May 1997 and 1 January 1998; on what dates and at which locations; and which(a) Ministers and (b) US counterparts and officials attended each meeting. [103181]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  Between 2 May 1997 and 1 January 1998, MOD Ministers met US Government members and officials on the following occasions:

  Date

  Minister

  For the Armed Forces

  4 July 1997

  The right hon. John Dalton, Secretary US Navy—in UK

  15 October 1997

  Dr. John Hamre, Under Secretary—in US

  16 October 1997

  The hon. Togo West, Secretary of the Army—in US

  Defence Procurement

  1 July 1997

  Joe Reeder, US Secretary of State of the Navy—in UK

  6 October 1997

  The hon. John Dalton, Secretary of the Navy—in US

  6 October 1997

  Dr. John Hamre, Deputy Secretary of Defense—in US

  8 October 1997

  The hon. William Cohen. Secretary of Defense—in US

  Full records of the officials present at these meetings are not kept.

  Departmental Productivity
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action he is taking to increase the productivity and reduce the running costs of his Department. [103847]

  Mr. Spellar
  Delivering efficient and modern public services is a key part of the Government's agenda for improving productivity. Greater efficiency is being sought within the public sector to ensure that the most effective results are obtained from available resources. The Ministry of Defence's (MOD) Public Service Agreement (PSA) sets out the objectives, key targets and resources for the MOD and the Armed Forces, and includes a range of measures to ensure that the budget allocated to defence purchases the maximum capability for the Armed Forces and fulfils the plans set out in the Strategic Defence Review.

  The key measures from the PSA that will help raise the Department's productivity are shown below:
  The MOD is committed to achieving efficiency savings of 3 per cent. a year (as a percentage of the operating costs efficiency baseline) for the period 1998–99 to 2001–02. In support of this, savings of at least £15 million a year are generated from ideas implemented through MOD's GEMS scheme, one of the most successful staff suggestion programmes in the UK.
  The appointment of a Chief of Defence Logistics, followed by the creation of a unified organisation to provide logistic support to all three Services, will help to achieve a reduction in book value of non munitions stockholdings of £2.2 billion by April 2001.

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  The MOD is reforming its procurement organisation through the creation of the Defence Procurement Agency and implementation of the Smart Procurement Initiative. The DPA has been set a target to reduce its operating costs by 20 per cent. by 2001–02.
  The Department is committed to slimming down its central headquarters organisation, which has already reduced by 30 per cent. since 1990; and to reducing the planned number of office buildings to be occupied to two (from 24 in 1990).
  The Department is developing a strategy for better management and utilisation of the overall defence estate, including the realisation of gross receipts of more than £700 million from the sale of surplus property.
  MOD will regularly and systematically review all services and activities not directly associated with front line forces over a five year period in line with Government policy, "Better Quality Services". The Department will pursue private sector involvement in MOD business, where it provides best value for money, through Public/Private Partnership initiatives.

  The MOD is on track to meet the targets described above. The Defence White Paper 1999 (Cm 4446) and the Ministry of Defence Performance Report 1998–99 (Cm 4520), which were published on 20 December 1999, describe the progress that has been made in implementing the Strategic Defence Review and against the targets set in the MOD's PSA.

  Departmental Employees (Early Retirement)
  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many employees of his Department took early retirement packages and at what total cost, in the financial year 1996–97. [103362]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  Early departure packages are available for staff over 50 years of age (classed as retirement) and under 50 years of age (classed as severance). The total number of early leavers, including voluntary and compulsory redundancies, caused by reductions and geographical relocations (but excluding Trading Fund Agencies) were 1,712 in Financial Year 1996–97. The total is broken down by category in the table.

  Retirement category

  Category sub-total

  Total

  Approved early retirement

  —

  109

  Actuarially reduced retirement

  —

  11

  Compulsory early retirement/Severance:

  CER on Structural grounds

  30

  —

  CER on Redundancy grounds

  595

  —

  CES on Structural grounds

  14

  —

  CES on Redundancy grounds

  443

  —

  CER/CES total

  —

  1,082

  Flexible early retirement/severance:

  FER on Structural grounds

  73

  —

  FER on Limited Postability

  6

  —

  FES on Structural grounds

  1

  —

  FES on Limited Postability

  5

  —

  FER/FES total

  —

  85

  Voluntary redundancy

  Voluntary Redundancy (CER terms)

  214

  —

  Voluntary Redundancy (CES terms)

  211

  —

  Voluntary Redundancy total

  —

  425

  Total

  1,712

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  Financial Year 1996–97 represented the final round of the Department's "Options for Change" review and most of the early leavers left as a consequence of the review. The total cost to the Ministry of Defence in Financial Year 1996–97 was £61.181 million. This represents the cost of the initial and annual compensation, and any lump sum payments for retirements that took place in that year. The annual compensation payment for staff over 50 years of age at the point of leaving continues to be met by the MOD until individuals reach the minimum retirement age of 60 years.

  Antonov 124–100
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what length of runway is required for the Antonov 124–100 when fully loaded. [103104]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from Sir Robert Walmsley to Mr. Lindsay Hoyle, dated 10 January 2000:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence in which you asked what length of runway is required for the Antonov AN 124–100 when fully loaded. This matter falls to me for answer within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
  According to Antonov promotional literature, when fully loaded the An124–100 requires a runway length of 3,000 metres.

  Territorial Army Land (Crosby)
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what representations he has received from the Territorial Auxiliary and Volunteer Reserve Association in Hightown regarding the purchase of access land; [103748]

  (2) if he will make a statement on the land owned and managed by the Territorial, Auxiliary and Volunteer Reserve Association in Hightown (Crosby), Merseyside. [103747]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Territorial Auxiliary and Volunteer Reserve's (TAVRA) rifle range at Altcar is accessed via a private road that passes through land that was sold in July 1998 to two parties. It has not been possible to reach an agreement to renew the right of way to the rifle range with one of the landowners. My Department is therefore considering options to resolve this difficulty. In the meantime, the rifle range is being accessed through a secondary entrance as a temporary measure.

  Joint Rapid Reaction Force
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the impact of the Joint Rapid Reaction Force Exercise in Oman, scheduled for October 2001, on(a) the timetable for a decision on the FTA programme and (b) the assessment of the merits of the A400M aircraft. [103110]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  [holding answer 20 December 1999]: We have always known that A400M would not be available in the short term and the Joint Rapid Reaction Force

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  exercise in Oman in 2001 has not, therefore, been a factor in our assessment of the aircraft or of the FTA programme.

  Gurkha Pensions
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has completed his examination of Gurkha pensions. [103638]

  Mr. Spellar
  The examination of Gurkha pensions and gratuities is now complete. Within the terms of the Tri-Partite Agreement (TPA) between India, Nepal and the UK Gurkha pensions will be increased to allow for a welfare related cash uplift to take account of Indian Government benefits in kind that will at least double the pension payments for all Gurkha pensioners. Increases will be introduced from 1 April 2000. Pension increases will continue to be paid immediately after 15 years service and, where appropriate, passed on to the widow and then

  Welbeck College

  State schools

  Independent schools

  Overseas schools

  Financial year of entry

  Number

  Percentage

  Number

  Percentage

  Number

  Percentage

  Number

  Persentage

  Total

  1994–95

  27

  4.4

  284

  46.6

  277

  45.5

  21

  3.5

  609

  1995–96

  23

  3.6

  332

  51.7

  273

  42.5

  14

  2.2

  642

  1996–97

  24

  3.6

  341

  51.3

  293

  44.1

  6

  1.0

  664

  1997–98

  26

  4.4

  299

  50.2

  259

  43.4

  12

  2.6

  596

  1998–99

  22

  3.7

  289

  48.7

  274

  46.1

  9

  1.5

  594

  Welbeck College is the Army's 6th Form College. The majority of its students are from the State sector.

  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what percentage of officers accepted for training at Sandhurst Military College have been discharged for medical reasons before completing their training, broken down by company, in each of the last five years. [103870]

  Mr. Spellar
  The information is not available in the detail requested. The numbers of British Officer Cadets who have been medically discharged from the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, in each of the last five calendar years, are as follows:

  Calender year

  Numbers medically discharged

  Total in training

  1995

  40 (6%)

  686

  1996

  26 (4%)

  642

  1997

  122 (3%)

  1998

  119 (3%)

  663

  1999

  16 (1%)

  598

  1 There are a number of cadets who are still undergoing treatment/remedial training and who may yet be medically discharged

  Gulf War (Friendly Fire)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what facilities his Department provided for the US Army Depleted Uranium Assessment Unit to investigate the medical results and contamination data relating to British troops injured or killed by friendly fire in the Gulf conflict. [103654]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 21 December 1999]: None. The US Department of Defense informs us that there is no "US Army Depleted Uranium Assessment Unit". The Ministry of Defence is not aware of any
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  a child up to the age of 25 years. Pensions will be reviewed in the normal way and will benefit from cost of living increases each year. The Nepalese Government have made representations throughout this examination and both the Nepalese and Indian Governments have been notified of the increases.

  Sandhurst
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what percentage of officers accepted for training at Sandhurst Military College in each of the last five years received their secondary education in(a) independent and public schools and (b) maintained schools, broken down by company. [103871]

  Mr. Spellar
  This information is not available in the form requested. An estimated breakdown of the secondary education of British Officer Cadets at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst for each of the past five financial years is as follows:

  "friendly fire" incidents during which British troops were injured or killed by depleted uranium-based ammunition during the Gulf conflict.

  Unexploded Grenade (Falkirk)
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the incident on 15 December when schoolboys discovered a grenade near the Forth and Clyde Canal at Falkirk; and if he will make a statement about public safety in respect of other ammunition in that area. [103916]

  Mr. Spellar
  A World War 2 vintage No. 36 Mills bomb, common issue during that period, was discovered in the area of the Forth and Clyde Canal near Falkirk High School by pupils from the school on Wednesday 15 December 1999 following excavation work at the site. An Explosive Ordnance Disposal team from the Army was immediately called to the scene and successfully destroyed the device. There has been no recorded training with weapons previously in the vicinity of the school and it has not been possible to identify the reason for the grenade being there.

  With respect to other arms and ammunition in the area, I can confirm that, wherever arms and ammunition are stored on an Army establishment, this is done in accordance with the appropriate regulations. These are written to ensure that arms and ammunition are secure at all times. I can assure you that the arrangements at the nearby Territorial Army Unit at Grangemouth (153 Workshop Coy REME (V)) are in accordance with these regulations.

  Type 45 Destroyer
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the 12 Ship Programme for the Type 45 Destroyer will(a) start and (b) be completed. [103924]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  The Type 45 Destroyer programme is already under way and on 23 November 1999 BAE Systems was appointed as Prime Contractor and awarded a contract to complete the Preparation For Demonstration phase. As regards the delivery programme for the Type 45 warships, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 6 December 1999,Official Report, column 342W.

  Horizon Project
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total cost was of UK involvement in the Horizon Project; and what the cost of withdrawing from the project was. [103925]

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

  Letter from Sir Robert Walmsley to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 10 January 2000:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the cost of UK involvement in the tri-national Horizon Frigate Programme. This matter falls to me to answer within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
  As was made clear in evidence to the House of Commons Defence Committee on 16 June 1999, the UK did not withdraw from Horizon. The three countries involved agreed not to proceed to the next phase. Phase 1 of the Horizon Programme (project Definition and Initial Design) was subsequently completed at the end of October 1999. It was also mentioned in evidence that about £100M that had been spent on Horizon (including spend on NFR90 and other studies). This figure covered UK expenditure on the Programme up to 31 March 1999 and I expect the final amount to be under £120M.
  Until the contract for the Demonstration and First of Class Phase of the Programme is placed, I am unable to say precisely how much of the investment in Horizon will translate into the national Type 45 programme but I can confirm that our plans for the Type 45 Destroyer build on the work accomplished in the design definition phase of the Horizon Programme and the Prime Contractor has indicated that he will pull through some 70% of the Horizon output (Horizon costs were shared equally between the three nations).

  Nancekuke Base, Cornwall
  Ms Atherton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what substances are currently stored at the Nancekuke military base in Cornwall. [103942]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  Substances currently stored at the former Chemical Defence Establishment Nancekuke, now RAF Portreath, are limited to Petroleum Oils and Lubricants which support the RAF role, together with some agricultural chemicals owned and used by a tenant farmer.

  Staff Recruitment
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy for agencies acting on behalf of his Department to recruit senior staff on the basis of open competition only; and if he will make a statement. [103902]
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  Mr. Kilfoyle
  My Department currently has 42 agencies. The Chief Executives of 28 of these have already been or will, next time around, be appointed following an open competition. The remaining 14 Chief Executives are all military officers.

  In addition, a number of Chief Executives have chosen to recruit senior staff at Senior Civil Service, grade 6 and grade 7 levels by open competition on fixed term appointments, within the authority laid out in their Agency Framework Documents.

  In line with Sir Richard Wilson's recent report to the Prime Minister on Civil Service Reform, my Department has a target over the next five years to achieve a 10 per cent. year-on-year increase in open competitions for middle and senior managers across the Department, particularly aimed at bringing in new thinking and people who have skills that are currently in short supply.

  Territorial Army
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what was the total cost of full-time permanent staff instructors in each of the last three years in the Territorial Army; [103930]

  (2) what the total cost is of full-time personnel commanding Territorial Army units in the current financial year. [103928]

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

  Kosovo
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Temporary Field Accommodation has been fully deployed in Kosovo; and if he will make a statement. [103763]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 21 December 1999]: It is currently envisaged that the Temporary Field Accommodation (TFA) project in Kosovo will be completed in February 2000.

  Faslane Shiplift
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions since 19 June the shiplift at Faslane has been used by(a) submarines and (b) surface ships; and if he will make a statement. [103411]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 21 December 1999]: Since 19 June 1999, the Shiplift at HM Naval Base Clyde has been used for the operational dockings of one surface ship (Minor War Vessel) from 22 June to 2 July, and one submarine (SSBN) from 7 July to 8 August. The facility has been non-operational since 1 September while essential Y2K compliance work was undertaken on the lift control and protection system. The replacement system completed the commissioning phase on 17 December.

  Broadsword
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Salisbury of 29 November 1999,Official Report, column 4W, on

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  the Territorial Army Joint Services Adventure Sail Training Vessel Broadsword, if he will list each repair and its cost since the refit in May 1998. [103406]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 21 December 1999]: The Joint Services Adventure Sail Training Vessel Broadsword returned from the Transglobe Inter-Service global yacht race on 10 December. The original estimate for likely repair work associated with this race was £14,000. Since its refit, including the period of the race, a total of £32,844 has been spent on repairs, as shown in the following table:

  £

  Country of repair/main areas of repair

  Cost of repair

  United Kingdom

  Deck, generator and communication equipment

  2,572

  Antigua

  Battery charger unit, electrical repairs, generator and main engine

  2,224

  Panama

  Main engine

  1,240

  Acapulco

  Minor Miscellaneous items

  200

  Honolulu

  Mast, communication equipment, generator, water system and structural

  6,714

  Hong Kong

  Sail

  2,172

  Singapore

  Batteries, sails, electrics, general repairs

  4,908

  Capetown

  Installation of gas system, sails, electrics, general repairs

  6,691

  Rio de Janeiro

  Main engine, fresh water tanks

  4,916

  Antigua

  Generator, main engine

  507

  Azores

  Water tank, batter charger and generator

  1700

  1 Estimated

  Training Fleet
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in respect of the Joint Services Adventure Sail Training Fleet(a) what have been the running costs in each of the past five years, (b) what is (i) the current market value and (ii) the replacement cost of each vessel in the fleet and (c) if he will consider replacing the fleet with a PPP arrangement with leased yachts and instructors. [103409]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 21 December 1999]: The running costs for the Joint Services Adventure Sail Training Fleet in each of the past five years are:

  Year

  £ million

  1994–95

  0.890

  1995–96

  0.920

  1996–97

  1.017

  1997–98

  0.996

  1998–99

  1.238

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  These costs include low level and routine maintenance and repair. Higher level upkeep (levels 3 and 4 maintenance) figures for the previous three years are:

  Year

  £000

  1996–97

  1383

  1997–98

  2756

  1998–99

  2654

  1 Upkeep only

  2 Upkeep and repair

  The figures for 1997–98 and 1998–99 include the cost of upkeep (major refit) work to comply with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency Code of Practice for Sail Training Vessels. Costs for earlier years can be provided only at disproportionate effort since funding specific to JSASTC can be isolated only by examining all bills received for minor warship repair work in this period.

  The training fleet currently operates 14 × Victoria 34 and 8 × Nicholson 55 sail training craft. The market value of each vessel will vary according to individual condition and the availability of similar vessels also on the market. The current market value for the Victoria 34s is estimated at £60,000 and £100,000 for the Nicholson 55s.

  Replacement costs are estimated to be £150,000 for a Victoria 34 and £800,000 for a Nicholson 55. These are current market prices (new) and include VAT. No replacements are included in the current procurement programme.

  We have no plans at present to replace the fleet with a PPP arrangement.

  Correspondence
  Sir Peter Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he proposes to reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Fareham to his predecessor, dated 24 February, about ensuring secure future supplies of ammunition for British forces. [104316]

  Mr. Hoon
  I will write to the hon. Member shortly.

  Royal Navy Vessels (Asbestos)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's annual budget is for removal of asbestos from Royal Navy vessels. [104319]

  Mr. Spellar
  There is no specific annual budget for the removal of asbestos from Royal Navy vessels as it is planned to undertake the majority of this work during scheduled maintenance periods and refits. However, it is estimated that the total cost of the programme to eliminate asbestos, wherever practicable, will be about £7.5 million. This includes the cost of replacement stocks.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information senior officers on Trident submarines are given on the specific yields and likely targets of the missiles they are responsible for. [104077]

  Mr. Hoon
  The Trident missiles on which our nuclear deterrent is based have been de-targeted since 1994. In the circumstances of our having to use our nuclear weapons,
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  members of the patrolling submarine crew would be provided with the information they need to discharge their duties. I am withholding the details of this information under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information relating to defence, security and international relations.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had, and with whom, on the application of international humanitarian law to the use of Trident. [104072]

  Mr. Hoon
  I have had no specific discussions on the application of international humanitarian law to the use of Trident. The United Kingdom's minimum nuclear deterrent is consistent with international law.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on the application of the Nuremberg Principles to military personnel ordered to use, or to threaten the use of, nuclear weapons; [104075]

  (2) what measures he has taken to make military personnel who operate Trident aware of their obligations under international law since the International Court of Justice delivered its Advisory Opinion on nuclear weapons; [104076]

  (3) how a member of the armed services would obtain an account of the Government's submission to the International Court of Justice on the legality of its nuclear deterrence policy; and if he will place a copy of the submission in the Library. [104078]

  Mr. Hoon
  The United Kingdom's minimum nuclear deterrent is consistent with international law. It follows that UK military personnel engaged in the operation or support of Trident are acting legally under the Nuremberg Principals. This has been made clear down the chain of command, and members of the Armed Services who seek further guidance on these issues can in the first instance do so through their chain of command.

  Guidance on the Law of Armed Conflict for the Armed Services is set out in the draft Joint Service Manual on the Law of Armed Conflict (Joint Service Publication 383) currently under preparation. We aim to publish this later this year, as we pledged at the 50th Anniversary Conference of the International Red Cross in November 1999. When it is published a copy will be placed in the Library of the House. The relevant section on Nuclear Weapons was reconfirmed following the 1996 Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice on the use or threat of use of nuclear weapons. It reads:
  "There is no specific rule of international law, express or implied, which prohibits the use of nuclear weapons. The legality of their use depends upon the application of the general rules of international law, including those regulating the inherent right of self defence and the conduct of hostilities. Those rules cannot be applied in isolation from any factual context to imply a prohibition of a general nature. Whether the use, or threatened use, of nuclear weapons in a particular case is lawful depends on all the circumstances. Nuclear weapons fall to be dealt with by reference to the same general principles as apply to conventional weapons. However, the new rules introduced in Additional Protocol I [to the Geneva Conventions] are not intended to have any effect on and do not regulate or prohibit the use of nuclear weapons."
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  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment his Department has carried out of the long-term effects of a 100 kiloton Trident on a military target; [104074]

  (2) what assessment his Department has carried out of the effects of a 100 kiloton Trident warhead detonation on the civilian population living near military targets. [104073]

  Mr. Hoon
  The Trident missiles on which our nuclear deterrent is based have been de-targeted since 1994. Our judgment of the minimum level of deterrence required is supported by comprehensive computer modelling which enables us to assess the effects of nuclear detonations. A number of factors are taken into account in this assessment. As Lord Robertson made clear to my hon. Friend the Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 4 February 1998,Official Report, column 655W, these include the yield and design of the weapon used; the accuracy of the delivery system employed; the nature and construction of the target; the characteristics of the surrounding terrain; the height of the detonation; and geological and weather conditions. I am withholding information on UK nuclear warhead yield under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, relating to defence, security and international relations.

  Storm Shadow Cruise Missile
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost of developing the Royal Ordnance Augmented Charge for the UK's Storm Shadow Cruise Missile. [104111]

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

  Letter from Sir Robert Walmsley to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 10 January 2000:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence which sought information on the cost of developing the Royal Ordnance Augmented Charge for the UK's Storm Shadow air launched stand-off missile. This matter falls for answer within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
  The Augmented Charge was initially developed under private venture funding by Royal Ordnance. However, the adaption of this warhead for Storm Shadow is being undertaken as part of the Storm Shadow contract between ourselves and Matra BAe (Dynamics) UK Ltd. The Matra bid was submitted on a competitive basis, and we therefore have no visibility of the detailed cost breakdown of the warhead element.
  I am sorry I cannot be more helpful.

  Aircraft Carrier Group Deployment
  Mr. Ottaway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the operational reasons for cancelling a deployment by an aircraft carrier group to the USA and Caribbean from February to April 1999. [104153]

  Mr. Spellar
  HMS Invincible had been scheduled to participate in the US-led Joint Task Force Exercise in the western Atlantic between mid-February to early March 1999 but the deployment was cancelled. HMS Invincible was instead sent to the Gulf region on an operational
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  deployment. The reason for deploying HMS Invincible to the Gulf at that time was announced to the House by the Secretary of State for Defence on 14 January 1999.

  Although we were unable to send a carrier to the Joint Task Force Exercise, the Royal Navy still made a significant contribution to the exercise. Commander United Kingdom Task Group and his staff participated in the exercise and the ships HMS Montrose, HMS Marlborough, HMS Sutherland together with RFA Oakleaf also participated. HMS Norfolk also contributed to this exercise while assigned to NATO's Standing Naval Forces Atlantic.

  STANOC Centre
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel are assigned to the STANOC centre; on what date it was established; and from which subheads of which votes its funds are taken. [104318]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Army's Surveillance, Target Acquisition, Night Observation and Counter-Surveillance Centre (STANOC) was formed in 1971. The current establishment is two officers and four other ranks. The Centre is funded by the Adjutant General's Top Level Budget under the following Votes and subheads:

  Vote 1

  Army Manpower—subhead 1B1

  Travel and Subsistence—subhead 1E1

  Stationery—subhead 1L9

  IT—subhead 1F5.

  Minister for the Armed Forces (Speech)
  Mr. Ottaway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library the speech given by the Minister for the Armed Forces on European Security and Defence to the French German UK Seminar at the Institut de Haute Education de la Defense Nationale (IHEDN), Paris, on 30 November. [104162]

  Mr. Spellar
  I am grateful for the hon. Member's interest in the recent seminar held at the Institute de Haute Education de la Defense Nationale (IHEDN) in Paris, which formed part of our "Outreach" programme of bilateral defence assistance to Central and Eastern Europe and was organised jointly with the French and German governments. I am pleased to tell him that I have arranged for a copy of my speech to the seminar to be placed in the Library of the House.

  HMS Westminster
  Mr. Ottaway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the withdrawal of HMS Westminster from Flotex and the In Year Budget Management Measure. [104152]

  Mr. Spellar
  The withdrawal of HMS Westminster from Flotex 99 needs to be set in the context of a very busy operational year for the Royal Navy and a sharp increase in fuel prices. This has resulted in some 98W
  adjustment of planned activities as part of normal cash management action to ensure that the Fleet stays within its allocated budget this year.

  Depleted Uranium
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what data he has collated on the local environmental effects of the use of depleted uranium with respect to(a) human and (b) other life forms. [104263]

  Mr. Spellar
  The existing scientific literature on the possible hazards of depleted uranium (DU) is extensive. In 1993, the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency's Radiation Protection Service, then the Defence Radiological Protection Service, published a summary report of its assessment of the radiological and chemical hazards of DU. The report explained that there are two types of hazard posted by the use of DU: a radiation hazard, although DU is a low specific activity material (as defined by the International Atomic Energy Agency); and a chemical toxicity hazard, which is similar to that posed by other heavy metals, such as lead.

  A Ministry of Defence paper entitled "Testing for the presence of depleted uranium in UK veterans of the Gulf conflict: The Current Position" was published on 19 March 1999. This paper describes the scenarios in which UK troops may have been exposed to DU in the Gulf and outlines the possible health effects of exposures.

  In December 1993, the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency commissioned the independent environmental consultants W. S. Atkins to conduct an environmental impact assessment of DU firings on Ministry of Defence ranges in the UK. The consultants' report was published in 1995 and concluded that the radiation doses to members of the public and the associated risks from exposure to DU released in the environment, were extremely low. These conclusions were, and continue to be, sustained by comprehensive monitoring programmes at both sites.

  In addition, the joint UN Environment Programme/UN Commission on Human Settlements issued its report "The Kosovo Consequences for Environment" on 5 October 1999. The report assessed the potential effects on human health and the environment arising from the possible use of depleted uranium during the 1999 Kosovo conflict.

  Copies of all of these documents have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Finally, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence to my hon. Friend the Member for Barnsley, West and Penistone (Mr. Clapham) on 2 November 1999, Official Report, column 89W, concerning a further review by the Ministry of Defence on the health effects of DU.

  Chinook Crash
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the recommendations made by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch following the accident involving RAF Chinook 2D576 in 1994; and if he will make a statement regarding the implementation of these recommendations. [104051]

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

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  GM Foods
  Mr. David Heath
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the research work funded by his Department associated with the farm-scale trials of GM crops. [101750]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 9 December 1999]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 14 December 1999, Official Report, columns 184–85W, where this project is listed in the table under code RG0116.

  CAP Payments (Worcestershire)
  Mr. Michael J. Foster
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the total value to Worcestershire farmers of CAP payments for(a) the 1998 calendar year and (b) the 1998–99 financial year. [103028]

  Ms Quin
  The total value of all CAP payments (including the Agri-Environment Schemes) to farmers in Worcestershire are estimated to be of the order of £22.5 million in the 1998 calendar/financial year. The differential between the calendar year and financial year would be small since three quarters of the payments relate to Arable Aid payments which are made between October and the end of December.

  Mr. Michael J. Foster
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farms in Worcestershire received CAP payments in the(a) 1998 calendar year and (b) 1998–99 financial year. [103174]

  Ms Quin
  The number of farms receiving CAP payments in the 1998 calendar year in Worcestershire was approximately 1,390. Figures for the financial year are not recorded, but the figures would be expected to be similar.

  Egg Producers
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what financial assistance from the Government are available to British egg producers to market their products(a) in the United Kingdom and (b) in the rest of the EU; and if he will make a statement. [103303]

  Ms Quin
  My right hon. Friend announced in September a package of aid which included £1 million to help primary producers in England improve their marketing, levels of collaboration and competitiveness. This commitment was implemented through the launch on 11 October of the Agriculture Development Scheme 1999, a non-capital support measure open to all sectors of the agri-food industry, including egg producers.

  By the deadline for applications of 30 November, 160 applications, seeking £8.1 million in grant, had been received, including several from the egg sector. In light of this level of interest my right hon. Friend announced on 13 December that the budget for the scheme would be doubled to £2 million, if the quality of the applications supported the increase. We aim to announce decisions over the award of grant early next February.
  100W
  Egg producers will also have the opportunity to benefit from the allocation of more than £40 million over the next seven years to support better marketing and processing of agricultural products, under the EU Rural Development Regulation.

  Chicken Imports
  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of animal welfare standards among chicken producers who supply the UK from(a) Thailand, (b) Brazil and (c) other countries. [103290]

  Mr. Morley
  Under Article 8 of Directive 98/58/EC the EU Commission is charged with producing a report comparing animal welfare conditions in the EU with those in non-member countries supplying the Community.

  Bovine Somatotropin
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the moratorium on the use of BST in(a) the UK and (b) the EU; and if he will make a statement. [102762]

  Ms Quin
  A report by the Government's independent scientific advisory body, the Veterinary Products Committee (VPC), was published on 11 October and a copy of the report was placed in the Library of the House. We accepted the VPC's advice to support a continuation of the moratorium or equivalent measures which prohibit the use of recombinant BST. The European Commission has proposed a ban on the use of the recombinant BST with effect from 1 January 2000. The Government supports that proposal.

  Pet Passports
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in relation to the pet passport scheme, the French Government have agreed to his Department's officials carrying out inspections in French ports. [102713]

  Ms Quin
  Discussions regarding arrangements for the surveillance of carrier activities participating in the pet passport pilot scheme to be introduced next year are still continuing.

  Departmental Employees (Ethnic Minorities)
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of the total workforce in his Department is of ethnic minority origin; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of people from the ethnic minorities in his Department. [102604]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 13 December 1999]: As at 1 April 1999, 6.3 per cent. of permanent staff in core MAFF (4.4 per cent. of staff in MAFF including its Agencies) had declared themselves to be of ethnic minority origin.

  We encourage the employment of people of ethnic minority origin by a wide range of measures including the use of ethnic minority media as a means of advertising vacancies and attending a number of careers fairs aimed specifically at ethnic minority audiences. We have also recently reviewed and re-issued our Outreach Guidance.

  Fish Stocks
  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment his Ministry has made of the reason for the decline in fishing stocks in the last three years by(a) stock and (b) area. [103666]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 21 December 1999]: Not all fish stocks have declined in the past few years. For example, the large western mackerel stock has increased since 1994, and the Norwegian spring-spawning herring has doubled in size over the same period and has also extended its distribution.

  Most of the whitefish stocks however remain at or near historically low levels. This is associated with high levels of fishing mortality. In the North Sea, the recent assessments indicate some reduction of fishing mortality on roundfish, which will help to restore those stocks.

  All fish stocks are subject to great variations in the numbers of young produced each year. This variation is caused by changes in the size of the mature adult stock and annual changes in the environment being more or less favourable to the survival of larval fish. So even though stocks may be at generally low levels good or bad recruitment of young fish will cause the stocks to increase or decrease over periods of a few years.

  Against this background of variation, some sea areas have experienced a general warming. While this may be favourable for some stocks, such as sole, it has apparently adversely affected the production of young cod, especially in the North Sea and in the Irish Sea.

  Fisherman (Prosecutions)
  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many prosecutions there have been of fishermen landing at United Kingdom ports by(a) area, (b) weight of fish and (c) value of fish landed in each of the last five years. [103663]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 21 December 1999]: Offences may be committed by fishermen at sea and on landing into the United Kingdom ports and abroad. Information in the form requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Designated Fishing Ports
  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the additional cost to his Ministry of operating the designated fishing ports scheme. [103665]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 21 December 1999]: The cost of operating the designated fishing ports scheme in respect of whitefish and shellfish landings made by UK vessels over 20 metres has been contained within the existing resources for fisheries enforcement.

  Fur Farming (Prohibition) Bill
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has(a) made to and (b) received from other European Governments about compatibility of the Fur Farming (Prohibition) Bill with the European Convention on Human Rights. [103553]
  102W
  Mr. Morley
  No such representations have been made or received.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will set out the basis for his Department's statement on the compatibility of the Fur Farming (Prohibition) Bill with the European Convention on Human Rights; and if he will place the relevant documents in the Library. [103552]

  Mr. Morley
  The Government's view is that the Fur Farming (Prohibition) Bill is compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). There are overriding moral arguments in favour of a ban and a general public interest in removing this particular source of livelihood. This has to be balanced against the interests of those whose source of livelihood is being removed and the Bill respects the ECHR by provision of a two to three year winding-down period, compensation for certain categories of loss, and the reference of disputes on compensation to arbitration or the Lands Tribunal. In the Government's view, the balance struck between the demands of the general interest in this matter and the interests of the individuals directly affected is a fair one.

  Quota Allocations
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to the Government's reply to the eighth report from the Agriculture Committee, Session 1998–99 on Sea Fishing (HC 141–1) page ix, if he will make a statement on the expression, "with fishermen's interests protected by the legal concept of legitimate expectation". [103157]

  Mr. Morley
  The rules under which quota allocations are made available to producer organisations and other groups within the fishing industry are the subject of annual consultation with industry representatives. Throughout the 1990s allocations have been linked to previous fishing activity. For most quota stocks, with the introduction of fixed quota allocations, this is now the catches made during the reference period 1994–96.

TREASURY

  Objective 1 Funding
  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the requirements for match public funds from his Department for the EU Objective 1 regions of(a) Cornwall and Scilly, (b) Merseyside and (c) South Yorkshire for each of the seven years of the programme. [104302]

  Mr. Timms
  Responsibility for identifying match funding is a matter for project applicants and for the partnerships in the regions concerned. This ensures local ownership and commitment to the projects.

  There are numerous possible sources for match funding including local authorities, Government schemes, the voluntary sector and the private sector.

  The regional Government Offices are best placed to advise the partnerships on the sources of Government Departments' funding which can be used to match Structural Funds. The Government are updating and improving guidance on match funding.

  Queen Mother (Coin)
  Barbara Follett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans Her Majesty's Government have to issue a coin to commemorate the hundredth year of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. [104427]

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  Her Majesty The Queen has been graciously pleased to approve my recommendation that a crown piece should be issued this year in celebration of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother achieving her hundredth year. Collector versions of the coin will be available from early in the new year and the coin will also be available, later in the year, from banks and post offices at its face value of £5.

  Census
  Ms Lawrence
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the draft Census Order for England and Wales will be laid before Parliament, if questions on religion, ethnic group and income are to be included in the proposed content of the Census; and if he will make a statement. [104428]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Draft Order in Council providing for a Census to be taken in England and Wales on Sunday 29 April 2001 has today been laid before Parliament. This Order specifies the persons by whom and with respect to whom returns are to be made and the topics on which questions are to be asked.

  The Government's proposals for the 2001 census were published in a White Paper (Cm 4253) in March this year. All the topics that were then proposed for England and Wales are included in the draft Order with the exception of religion. A change to the Census Act 1920 is necessary to permit a question on religion to be asked. A Bill to amend the Census Act to this effect was introduced in the House of Lords on 16 December 1999. If this is passed in time it is planned to include a question in the 2001 Census.

  A question on ethnic group is proposed in the Draft Census Order. The ethnic group question was one of the main successes of the 1991 Census, and the question for the forthcoming census has since been extensively researched and tested, both to meet users' requirements for additional information about people of mixed origin and sub-groups within the "White" population, particularly the "Irish", and to be as acceptable as possible to respondents. The new response categories are to provide optimum comparability with information from the 1991 Census question while, at the same time, attempting to improve response to the question among the many different ethnic minority communities.

  Consultation with users about requirements for information from the census has indicated that there is widespread support for the inclusion of an income question from key Government Departments, local government and others. But the strength of such requirements must be balanced against the possible public disquiet about the acceptability of such a question in a compulsory Census, the doubts about the reliability of the information collected, and the availability of possible alternative sources of the information. The Draft Order for England and Wales therefore does not include an income question.
  104W
  A copy of the 2001 Census Form will be included as part of the Census Regulations to be made following the Census Order.

  As the Census is a devolved issue, similar arrangements are being made in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

  Windfall Tax
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total value of receipts since May 1997 from the windfall tax on the privatised utilities. [104256]

  Mr. Timms
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by the former Financial Secretary my hon. Friend the Minister for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche), to my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Griffiths) on 28 January 1999,Official Report, column 344W.

  Red Diesel
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 20 December 1999,Official Report, column 433W, concerning diesel fuel, (103015), what guidance has been issued to road hauliers regarding the use of Norwegian diesel. [104145]

  Mr. Timms
  No specific guidance has been issued in respect of Norwegian diesel. Notice 75, 'Fuel for diesel vehicles', issued by Customs and Excise gives advice on what fuels can be legally used in a diesel-engined road vehicle. This notice is freely available from Excise and Inland Customs Advice Centres.

  Art Sales
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the likely effect of the introduction of a pre-eminence standard for claims for the conditional exemption of works of art on the number of works being sold. [101854]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 7 December 1999]: None.

  Departmental Productivity
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he is taking to increase the productivity and reduce the running costs of his Department. [103857]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Treasury's Public Service Agreement includes the following range of measures for increasing productivity within the Department, and hence saving running costs:a programme for reviewing all services and activities systematically over five years under the Better Quality Services initiative announced in the Modernising Government White Paper. The Public Service Agreement commits the Treasury to completing 60 per cent. of reviews by March 2003.
  an information strategy review, examining internal business processes and best working practices, and adoption of recommendations on better inter-departmental co-ordination.
  a reduction in the number and length of unfilled vacancies.
  a new robust system for recording sickness absence.
  moving to electronic publishing of information material previously published on paper.
  increasing the proportion of business undertaken electronically in accordance with Government targets.

  105W
  a review of the application of procurement techniques to expenditure, including electronic procurement of standard goods, paying suppliers electronically, and collaborating in joint procurement projects when they offer better value.

  The Treasury's gross running costs provision for 1999–2000 to 2001–02 is set out in its Public Service Agreement. The productivity measures listed above will enable the Department to increase the quantity and quality of outputs delivered by its running costs expenditure over this period.

  Gold Reserves
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the value of the gold held in the national reserves. [104260]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Table 2 of the Quarterly Report on UK Official Holdings of Foreign Currency and Gold for the period July to September 1999, published on 2 December 1999, provides a breakdown of the size and composition of the United Kingdom's reserve holdings, including gold.

  Economic Policies
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, (1) pursuant to Cm 4181, page 115, No. xiv, what criteria he will use to determine whether high-growth business start-ups are successful; [104348]

  (2) pursuant to Cm 4181, page 115, No. xi, how he will measure improvement in the value for money in public procurement; [104347]

  (3) pursuant to Cm 4181, page 114, No. iii, by how much he aims to reduce the variability of the economic cycle, and on what measurement; [104322]

  (4) pursuant to Cm 4181, page 115, No. viii, how the productivity of (a) the public services overall and (b) individual departments will be measured year on year; [104321]

  (5) pursuant to Cm 4181, page 115, No. x, how he will measure the acceptance of the standard framework for public private partnership contracts; [104346]

  (6) if he will make a statement on the UK's preparations for entering the euro, with particular reference to Treasury performance target xxxii in Cm 4181; [104350]

  (7) what criteria he uses to define successful business start-ups, referred to in Cm 4181; [104279]

  (8) how achievement of the Treasury performance targets numbered xvii, xx, xxvi and xxix to xxxi, set out in the Public Service Agreements, Cm 4181, will be judged. [104323]
  106W
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information on how Departments' performances will be assessed against the targets set out in Cm 4181 was published in "The Government's measures of success Output and Performance Analysis" HM Treasury 31 March 1999. The document is also available on the Treasury's website.

  Pensions Mis-selling
  Mr. Andy King
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many claims arising from the mis-selling of pensions are outstanding; and what assessment he has made of the timescale for their resolution; [104314]

  (2) how many claims arising from the mis-selling of pensions have been resolved to date; [104315]

  (3) how many people have been affected by the mis-selling of pensions in the last 10 years. [104313]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The regulators split the industry's work on the personal pension mis-selling review into two phases. During phase 1 firms were required to address the most urgent cases, where for example pensioners had died, or retired, or were close to retirement. Phase 2—which began in 1999—addresses less urgent cases, mostly younger people.

  The mis-selling of personal pensions took place during the period April 1998-June 1994 and the statistics given in this answer cover the mis-selling over that period. It is not practical to provide figures for the period from January 1990. The people affected by personal pension mis-selling are those who were mis-sold a pension and who were subsequently entitled to redress.

  The phase 1 review has led to offers of redress to 410,000 people. About 17,000 phase 1 cases are outstanding. This represents about 2 per cent. of all the cases included in the phase 1 review. These are typically difficult cases or cases which have only recently been identified as proper to phase 1. The Financial Services Authority closely monitors the firms responsible for these outstanding phase 1 cases.

  The total population to be examined under phase 2 is in excess of 800,000. About 114,000 cases have already been dealt with, and offers of redress have been made in about 90,000 cases. About 700,000 further cases are likely to be dealt with during the rest of the phase 2 review. Not all of these investors will be entitled to redress. The timetable is for all phase 2 case reviews to be completed by June 2002.

  It is too soon to say how many investors overall are likely to be offered redress under the two phases of the review.

  Service Personnel in the Middle East: Pork Supplies
  Service Personnel in the Middle East: Pork Supplies
  Vaccines Interaction Research Panel
  Vaccines Interaction Research Panel
  Multiple Immunisations: Gulf War Practice
  Multiple Immunisations: Gulf War Practice
  Polio Vaccine: Gulf War Veterans' Response
  Polio Vaccine: Gulf War Veterans' Response
  Anthrax and Pertussis Vaccines: Co-administration Research
  Anthrax and Pertussis Vaccines: Co-administration Research
  General Pinochet
  General Pinochet
  "Operations": MoD Definition
  "Operations": MoD Definition
  Courts-martial
  Courts-martial
  UNICOM System
  UNICOM System
  Army Marriage Break-up Statistics
  Army Marriage Break-up Statistics
  Coalition Government
  Coalition Government
  Referendums: Foreign Donations
  Referendums: Foreign Donations
  Metropolitan Police: Chief Inspector of Constabulary's Report
  Metropolitan Police: Chief Inspector of Constabulary's Report
  Delegated Legislation and Human Rights
  Delegated Legislation and Human Rights
  Racial Discrimination: Legitimate Acts
  Racial Discrimination: Legitimate Acts
  Race Relations (Amendment) Bill
  Race Relations (Amendment) Bill
  Unjustifiable Indirect Discrimination
  Unjustifiable Indirect Discrimination
  Scotland: Impact of Race Relations (Amendment) Bill
  Scotland: Impact of Race Relations (Amendment) Bill
  European Committee for the Prevention of Torture
  European Committee for the Prevention of Torture
  General Pinochet
  General Pinochet
  Aged Prisoners
  Aged Prisoners
  Detention during Her Majesty's pleasure
  Detention during Her Majesty's pleasure
  Asylum Seekers: Dispersal and Support Arrangements
  Asylum Seekers: Dispersal and Support Arrangements
  Geneva Conventions, Common Article 3
  Geneva Conventions, Common Article 3
  European Convention on Human Rights: Compatibility Audit
  European Convention on Human Rights: Compatibility Audit
  Criminal Justice (Mode of Trial) Bill
  Criminal Justice (Mode of Trial) Bill
  Justice and Home Affairs Council, 2 and 3 December
  Justice and Home Affairs Council, 2 and 3 December
  National Statistical Service
  National Statistical Service
  Public Sector Borrowing: European Comparisons
  Public Sector Borrowing: European Comparisons
  Northern Ireland: Small Firms Capital Allowance
  Northern Ireland: Small Firms Capital Allowance
  Acquisitions and Mergers Activities: Value
  Acquisitions and Mergers Activities: Value
  Government Legislation and Compensation
  Government Legislation and Compensation
  French Meat
  French Meat
  Swordfish and Bluetin Tuna: Spanish Catches
  Swordfish and Bluetin Tuna: Spanish Catches
  Companies Act 1985: Definition of "Registered Office"
  Companies Act 1985: Definition of "Registered Office"
  Takeovers: Proposed Directive
  Takeovers: Proposed Directive
  Letters Placed in House of Lords Library
  Letters Placed in House of Lords Library