Written Answers of 17 January 2000

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

  Ladbroke Grove Rail Accident
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Solicitor-General if he will make a statement on the prospects for criminal prosecutions being started relating to the Paddington rail disaster. [104709]

  The Solicitor-General
  The British Transport Police are conducting a thorough investigation into the circumstances of the train collision in the vicinity of Ladbroke Grove on Tuesday 5 October 1999. As the police complete aspects of their inquiries, they intend to submit for advice reports, together with supporting evidence, to the Crown Prosecution Service. The prospects for criminal proceedings by the CPS are dependent on evidence derived from the police investigation, and not, for example, from evidence given to the public inquiry to be conducted by Lord Cullen, as that inquiry has an entirely different function. It is plainly not possible to anticipate, nor is it appropriate to speculate on, what evidence will be obtained by the police. When police inquiries conclude, the decision on whether or not to institute criminal proceedings will be made by the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Crown Prosecution Service, in consultation with the Law Officers. I understand that the HSE will also be considering the possibility of bringing a prosecution.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Solicitor-General if he will make a statement on the decision to offer immunity to railway companies offering evidence to the inquiry into the Ladbroke Grove accident. [104629]

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Solicitor-General what recent representations he has received relating to immunity from prosecution for those giving evidence before a tribunal with special reference to the Paddington rail disaster; and if he will make a statement. [104710]

  The Solicitor-General
  On 29 November 1999 the Attorney-General authorised Lord Cullen to provide potential witnesses to his inquiry with the following undertaking:"To undertake in respect of any person who provides evidence to the inquiry that no evidence he or she may give before the inquiry (whether orally or by written statement) nor any written statement made preparatory to giving evidence nor any documents produced by that person to the inquiry will be used in evidence against him or her in any criminal proceedings, except in proceedings where he or she is charged with having given false evidence in the course of this inquiry or having conspired with or procured others to do so".

  The purpose of authorising Lord Cullen to provide an undertaking in these terms was to enable him to begin his inquiry immediately, and to ensure that it would be fully effective. It was certain that without such an undertaking being given potential witnesses would be inhibited from providing Lord Cullen with full assistance. The public
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  interest clearly favoured Lord Cullen undertaking his inquiry as soon as possible, and thereafter proceeding quickly, so that lessons can be learned from the circumstances that led to this tragedy. The undertaking is not the same as an immunity from prosecution: it has a much more limited effect.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Water Industry (Mersey Basin)
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the environmental improvements agreed by Ofwat for the Mersey Basin for the next price review to be completed in 2005. [104292]

  Mr. Meacher
  I have placed in the House Libraries a list of the schemes allowed for in the final determination of water industry price limits announced by Director General Ofwat on 25 July 1999, which will improve the waters in the Mersey Basin. The list is made up of 60 continuous discharges and 516 intermittent discharges. These were proposed by the Environment Agency and approved by me as part of my guidance to Ofwat on the provision to be made for investments by water companies to achieve environmental improvements. The Environment Agency is exploring in more detail the benefits of a further five schemes to allow us to assess these against improved information on costs from Ofwat and North West Water.

  International Panel on Pollution Control
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has made to(a) the European Commission and (b) other EU member states in respect of a common basis of charging for IPPC throughout the EU; and what response he has received. [104114]

  Mr. Hill
  The IPPC Directive makes no provision for a common charging scheme; in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, charging is a matter for individual member states.

  London Underground (Investment)
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is forecast to be the total level of investment in the London Underground in(a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02. [104230]

  Mr. Prescott
  (a) Planned investment in the Underground in 2000–01 totals £753 million (in outturn prices). This comprises investment of £535 million in the core Underground and a projected £218 million in payments to JLE contractors for investment that took place in previous years.

  (b) For 2001–02 and beyond, the Public Private Partnership currently under negotiation is designed to deliver around £8 billion worth of investment. PPP contractors will be required to implement a combination of specific projects and performance enhancements specified in terms of outputs to be delivered. Because the

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  PPP contracts will require the delivery of service outputs, they will not generally specify particular works to be carried out or the amounts of money to be spent on them.

  Domestic Plumbing
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the regulations covering domestic plumbing will come into force; and if he will take steps to ensure toilet flushes using valves do not waste more water than those using syphon systems. [104424]

  Mr. Meacher
  The Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations came into force on 1 July 1999. They prevent the contamination and waste of water supplies. A WC Suite Performance Specification, made under the Regulations, will come into effect on 1 January 2001. This will require all new WC suites, whether they use valve or syphon flushing mechanisms, to perform to the same high standards of durability and water conservation.

  Transport White Paper (Countryside Proposals)
  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures he has(a) taken and ((b) proposes to implement the commitment in the Transport White Paper to a more peaceful countryside. [104576]

  Mr. Hill
  My Department is an active participant in the Countryside Agency's Countryside Traffic Measures Group, and its Quiet Roads and Greenways Network Co-ordination Meetings. We provide support in the form of advice when required on traffic signing, and on highways and traffic matters. Research is in place, and more is planned, to monitor the success of schemes in these initiatives.

  Genetically Modified Organisms
  Ms Drown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if it is his policy to support the adoption of a biosafety protocol allowing Governments to prohibit imports of genetically modified organisms. [104586]

  Mr. Meacher
  Yes. The Biosafety Protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity would establish Advanced Informed Agreement (AIA) procedures, whereby a Party of import could accept or refuse imports of certain living (genetically) modified organisms (LMOs) on the basis of the impacts on biodiversity.

  Ms Drown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if it is his policy to support the adoption of a biosafety protocol making companies that produce genetically modified organisms legally liable for any future damage to the environment or public health resulting from the import of those GMOs by another country. [104584]

  Mr. Meacher
  In the negotiations on the Biosafety Protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity resuming in Montreal later this month, we will continue to support an enabling provision that would adopt a process elaborating international rules and procedures in the field of liability and redress for damage resulting from 246W
  transboundary movements of living (genetically) modified organisms, and endeavour to complete the process within four years.

  Ms Drown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if it is his policy to support the adoption of a biosafety protocol requiring the separation of genetically modified grain from other grain. [104585]

  Mr. Meacher
  The draft text of the Biosafety Protocol to the Convention on Biological Diversity does not require separation. However, EU Ministers have agreed that information exchange and documentation requirements are needed under the Protocol and should ensure satisfactory transparency and monitoring of movements of LMOs as well as their identification, which would also enable traceability.

  Train Protection Systems
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what progress has been made with the train operating companies in respect of installing train protection systems; [104597]

  (2) what timetable has been agreed for the installation of train protection systems in all rolling stock, including the final date for completion. [104665]

  Mr. Hill
  The Railway Safety Regulations, laid before Parliament on 10 August 1999, requires train protection systems to be introduced and operational across the railway network by the end of 2003 at the latest.

  At the Rail Safety Summit on 30 November the train operators announced that they have agreed a timetable to fit 33 per cent. of trains by the end of 2001, 75 per cent. of trains by the end of 2002 and all trains by the end of 2003. Also at the Summit, Railtrack agreed to aim to install train protection at 12,000 sites by the end of 2002.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what decision he has reached about the preferred system of train protection. [104628]

  Mr. Hill
  Following the Ladbroke Grove train accident the Government asked Sir David Davies, the President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, to report on the effectiveness, practicability and cost of train protection systems, and on how best to reduce the present incidence of signals passed at danger (SPADs). Ministers expect to receive his report shortly.

  This information will be available to Lord Cullen (who is conducting the Public Inquiry into the Ladbroke Grove accident) and Professor Uff (conducting the Southall Inquiry), and they will jointly consider train protection systems. The Health and Safety Commission will advise the Government on any recommendations they make.

  Confidential Telephone Reporting Systems
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what time scale has been agreed with the train operating companies and Railtrack to install the confidential telephone reporting system; and what is the final deadline for its implementation. [104596]
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  Mr. Hill
  At the second Rail Safety Summit on 30 November 1999 Railtrack and the train operating companies agreed that the independent and confidential incident reporting system, which will allow all staff to phone in any safety concerns, will be extended throughout Great Britain by the end of 2000. Regional contracts are to be let by April 2000. The system will be fully operative by the end of 2000.

  Underground Storage Tanks
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he has to provide funding for(a) enforcing and overseeing corrective action at leaking underground storage tank sites and (b) clean-ups (i) where the owner or operator is unknown, or is unwilling or unable to respond and (ii) which require emergency action. [104638]

  Mr. Meacher
  The main responsibilities for regulating underground storage tanks, including enforcing and overseeing corrective action when they are leaking, are held by the Environment Agency, the Health and Safety Executive and the petroleum licensing authorities. The legal powers available to these bodies, and the detailed allocation of responsibilities between them, varies according to what is stored in the tank and the type of pollution incident involved. The Environment Agency is funded through grant-in-aid paid by my department as well as by charges paid by those seeking permits and licences. The Health and Safety Executive is also funded through grant-in-aid as well as from charges for certain activities which are recovered from industry. The petroleum licensing authorities are part of local government, and as such are funded through a combination of council tax, non-domestic rates and revenue support grant paid by my Department.

  In cases where leaks have occurred and clean-up action is necessary, responsibility for paying for the work generally falls on the owner or operator of the tank. Depending on what was stored in the tank, and the nature of the problems which the leak has caused, this responsibility may be enforced under a number of legal powers. These include the works notice system in sections 161–161D of the Water Resources Act 1991, under which the Environment Agency may itself carry out works in an emergency or where it appears after reasonable inquiry that no person can be found on whom to serve a works notice; the statutory nuisance regime in Part III of the Environmental Protection Act 1990; and the Groundwater Regulations 1998. These powers will be supplemented in April by a new regime for remediating contaminated land, under Part IIA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (which was inserted by section 57 of the Environment Act 1995). An additional £12 million per year has been added to Standard Spending Assessments for local authorities in England to support their role under the new contaminated land regime.

  The Contaminated Land Supplementary Credit Approval programme also provides capital expenditure support for local authorities in England to deal with cases where land contamination is causing unacceptable risks to human health and the environment, and where no-one else can be made to pay for the necessary remediation. This could include circumstances where leaks have occurred from underground storage tanks. The total provision in
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  the current financial year for this programme is £12.082 million. A further £1.958 million has been provided to the Environment Agency as additional grant-in-aid to support equivalent work it is carrying out.

  Transport Symposium, Kegworth
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has for Ministers to attend the symposium, organised by the Institution of Highways and Transportation, on 20 January at Kegworth, Derby. [104579]

  Mr. Hill
  No invitation was extended to Ministers to speak at the symposium.

  Local Government Pension Schemes
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will estimate the increased contributions which local government employers will have to make to their pension schemes in order to offset the effect of the ACT charges in the 1997 Budget; and what these extra contributions are as a percentage of the total payroll costs. [104674]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The effect of the abolition of advance corporation tax on employer contributions to local authority pension funds was one of many factors taken into account in the 1998 actuarial valuation exercise. Information on increases to individual local authority employers' contributions specifically attributable to this aspect of the exercise is not collected centrally.

  The Local Government Association estimated that the average net impact of the 1998 valuation, including the effect of the ACT changes on employers' contributions in 1999–2000 was 1 per cent., or about £130 million nationally. We have honoured undertakings given at the time of the 1997 Budget to take into account this and all the other factors identified in the valuation exercise in determining the level of local authority provision in 1999–2000, and for subsequent years.

  Millennium Celebration
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if the river of fire on new year's eve worked according to plan; [104434]

  (2) if he will make a statement on the public transport arrangements in London on new year's eve. [104435]

  Mr. Hill
  [holding answer 13 January 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the oral reply I gave to the right hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood) on 11 January 2000, Official Report, column 138. I would also add that the transport operators provided the absolute maximum service possible. Tube and DLR provided a peak level service from midnight to after 4 am (20 trains an hour for the tube). Train operators ran the maximum service possible from 1 am to after 4.30 am. LT ran nearly double the usual night bus service. We always warned that people should expect long delays. Most people were able to catch a train or tube before 2.30 am. Despite a very high level of attendance the transport operators were able to get people both safely to the event, and back home again after.
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  It is true that the "River of Fire" did not live up to some people's expectations, but this should not detract from the spectacular success of the event. Indeed, CNN described London's Big Time fireworks as the
  "most spectacular firework show in the world".

  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) who was responsible for planning and co-ordinating rail services and crowd control at central London stations, with particular reference to Waterloo, on new year's eve; [104611]

  (2) if he will hold an inquiry into the planning and management of crowd evacuation from central London railway stations, with particular reference to Waterloo, on New Year's Eve. [104605]

  Mr. Hill
  [holding answer 13 January 2000]: A review of arrangements is an essential and routine part of any major event. All the organisations involved in key services on new year's eve already have them well in hand.

  ATOC worked with each of the train operating companies, along with the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority, to plan and deliver the train services on millennium night into and out of central London stations, including Waterloo.

  There were 250 police officers in the immediate vicinity of Waterloo specially tasked with crowd control and public safety (and supplemented by colleagues from elsewhere).

  Environment Agency Chairman
  Mr. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much was spent by(a) his Department and (b) the Environment Agency on headhunters in the process of finding a new Chairman for the Environment Agency. [105287]

  Mr. Meacher
  The appointment of a new Chairman for the Environment Agency is the responsibility of the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, who has met all costs involved.

  Recruitment consultants were employed to assist in finding a new Chairman. Headhunting was only a part of their duties and is not separately identifiable. The total cost of their work, including expenses, was £26,402.26 plus VAT. Advertisements were placed in the national press at an additional cost of £5,569 plus VAT.

  Driving Licences
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 10 January 2000,Official Report, column 4W, on driving licences, if he will make a statement on the reasons for the use of private opticians. [105416]

  Mr. Hill
  The requirement for the provision of visual field charts is an expensive undertaking adding to the cost of the driving licence as well as creating customer service problems due to the waiting times in NHS out-patients clinics.
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  Private opticians have therefore been invited to provide the service. This will mean savings of £504,000 in a year on fees and will help to improve turnaround performance of applications where drivers are required to have their visual field tested.

  Opticians will be providing reports within three weeks of request as opposed to three months for many hospital clinics.

  Utilities
  Mr. Hopkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will announce the result of his review of the contribution utilities should make to the cost of diverting their equipment for public transport schemes. [105675]

  Mr. Hill
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has reviewed the decision announced by the then Minister for Transport on 29 October 1998, following representations made to him and comments received during consultation earlier this year on draft regulations under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991.

  Ministers have concluded that the earlier decision strikes a reasonable balance between the legitimate interests of the parties involved. I can therefore confirm that the utilities' contribution to diversionary works for "major transport works" (which as defined under the 1991 Act include rail based public transport schemes) will be reduced from 18 per cent. to 7.5 per cent., except that works that are of the nature of "major highways works" or "major bridge works" will continue to attract 18 per cent., whoever the works are done by.

  I will shortly be laying regulations to implement this decision. The regulations will now come into effect after they have been laid and not from the date of the 1998 announcement, as stated at the time.

  Alternative Fuels (HGVs)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what percentage of heavy goods vehicles run on alternative fuels. [105022]

  Mr. Hill
  DETR receives comprehensive data on the vehicle stock in Great Britain from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency. These include the method of propulsion used to power vehicles. For those vehicles in the goods tax class at the end of June 1999, over 99 per cent. run on diesel. A further 0.7 per cent. run on petrol and less than 0.02 per cent. are recorded as running on other fuels.

  Rail Franchises
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if the record of train operating companies in meeting punctuality and overcrowding targets will be taken into consideration when franchises for services are renewed; [105053]

  (2) if he will make it a condition of awarding or extending rail franchises that passenger facilities including toilets, public telephones, CCTV, and park and ride, are provided at town centre railway stations. [105052]
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  Mr. Hill
  The Franchising Director has been instructed by the Secretary of State to have regard to the prospects for greater investment when considering the replacement of franchises. In pursuit of these instructions the Franchising Director is paying close attention to prospective franchisees' proposals for improving all aspects of the customer experience, including station facilities, security and integrated transport measures.

  In examining proposals for renegotiated, extended or new franchises, the Franchising Director has also been instructed to give due weight to the commitment of existing franchise operators to performance, efficiency and customer services.

  Road Tolling
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will introduce a toll on foreign heavy goods vehicles entering the UK. [105024]

  Mr. Hill
  Any tolling scheme, or any form of levy, would have to apply to domestic vehicles as well as foreign. To discriminate against foreign vehicles would be illegal under Community law. The Transport Bill currently before Parliament contains enabling powers for local authorities to introduce charging schemes on their roads, but there are no plans at present to introduce widespread charging on the trunk road network.

  Vehicle Excise Duty
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the advantages and disadvantages of a reduction in vehicle excise duty for vehicles powered by alternative fuels. [105023]

  Mr. Hill
  The Government have taken a number of measures to promote the use of vehicles powered by alternative fuels. Gas powered lorries and buses already qualify for a vehicle excise duty concession of up to £1,000 and electrical vehicles are taxed at a concessionary rate of £40. The new graduated vehicle excise duty system for cars is being built in a flexible way which will allow scope to create additional incentives for vehicles using cleaner fuels and technology.

  Motorway Services (Parking Fines)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what regulations govern the levying of fines in relation to parking at motorway service centres. [105055]

  Mr. Hill
  We require the operators of motorway service areas (MSAs) to provide up to two hours free parking for all types of vehicle. Operators are allowed to charge for longer stays but whether to levy a charge and, if so, how to enforce it against drivers who do not pay, are matters for the operator.

  Train Punctuality
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will take steps to prevent train operating companies from extending journey times advertised in timetables to allow for delays. [105054]
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  Mr. Hill
  Train Operating Companies (TOCs) must set their timetables within the framework of the Passenger Service Requirements (PSR). The PSR sets minimum service frequency, stations to be served, times of first and last trains and maximum journey times, based on the service provided by British Rail at the time of franchising. TOCs can alter the journey times of services but only within the maxima allowed in the PSR. Temporary dispensations may be granted to TOCs by the Franchising Director to extend journey times during periods of bad weather and at times such as the annual leaf fall in order to provide a reliable service to passengers.

  British Rail Assets
  Mr. Hurst
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the criteria for the sale of residual assets of British Rail which retain a potential public transport use. [105328]

  Mr. Hill
  Following a review by the British Railways Board/shadow Strategic Rail Authority of its property portfolio, the Government have agreed with the Chairman of the sSRA new marketing procedures which give priority to transport use. Under these arrangements the rail industry, local authorities and other transport interests are being informed of all the properties that BRB/sSRA have available including those judged to be of future transport potential. They are also being given prior notification of the intention to market all sites as they come up for sale and have the opportunity to seek a delay in order to work up a bid. All sites are to be sold at open market value in order to protect the taxpayers' interest. Full details are in the BRB's "Marketing Process" document which is available in the House Library.

  London Elections
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he plans to lay orders under schedule 3 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999 before the House. [105283]

  Mr. Hill
  I signed the order identifying the constituency returning officers for the Greater London Authority elections on 17 December, and it came into force on 22 December (SI No3380). I will be making the election rules and laying the order setting limits on campaign expenses for the GLA elections in due course.

  Mr. Linton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions whom he has decided to appoint as the Greater London Returning Officer for the Greater London Authority election on 4 May. [105841]

  Mr. Hill
  I am proposing to make an Order appointing Robert Hughes CBE as the Greater London Returning Officer. Mr. Hughes was the Chief Counting Officer for the Greater London Referendum in May 1998. He has wide experience of running elections and knows London well.

  Road Fund Licence (Enforcement)
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many people have been prosecuted since 1997 as a result of enforcement action taken by the Driving and Vehicle
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  Licensing Agency for possessing a vehicle without a road fund licence; and how much has been collected as a result of this action. [105285]

  Mr. Hill
  The numbers of vehicle excise duty offenders prosecuted by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency for the period in question, together with the revenue from penalties collected, is set out in the table. The table also shows the numbers of offenders who settled cases out of court and the penalty revenue collected.

  Number

  Revenue £ million

  Prosecutions

  1997–98

  233,000

  38.8

  1998–99

  256,300

  45.4

  1999–20001

  180,000

  34.5

  Out of Court Settlements

  1997–98

  268,200

  14.4

  1998–99

  218,800

  12.5

  1999–20001

  142,000

  9.5

  1April-December

  Chrysotile Asbestos
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what initiatives have been taken by the Health and Safety Executive in relation to the marketing and use of Canadian chrysotile asbestos in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [104663]

  Mr. Meacher
  Canadian and other chrysotile asbestos has been banned. From 24 November 1999, Regulations prohibit the importation of chrysotile (white) asbestos and products containing it into the United Kingdom. They also prohibit the supply and use of chrysotile and its products within Great Britain. Comparable Regulations are expected shortly which will prohibit supply and use in Northern Ireland. A number of specialised safety-critical uses are temporarily permitted until safe substitutes have been developed.

  Free Travel (Disabled People)
  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will provide free or low-cost travel for those with a disability. [105163]

  Mr. Hill
  Local authorities outside London are enabled by the Transport Act 1985 to provide concessionary travel schemes for their resident disabled people, and many do so. Similar arrangements apply in London under different legislation. Financial assistance is provided through the overall support given to local authority expenditure in general. I have no plans to change these arrangements so far as my own responsibilities are concerned. In Scotland this is a matter for Scottish Ministers.

  All train operators are required to participate in the Disabled Persons Railcard which entitles holders to up to one third off a range of rail tickets.

  Standard Spending Assessments
  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make 254W
  a statement on the progress that his Department has made on its review of the local government standard spending assessment system. [104817]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The review of revenue grant distribution is well under way. Central and local government officials are jointly discussing a wide range of options for improving the method of distribution, and many councils have contributed their proposals. We have conducted an extensive survey of the opinions of members and officers and undertaken research into overseas distribution systems.

  Decisions about the merits of the various options for reform will not be taken until we have consulted widely this summer.

  Millennium Dome
  Mr. Linton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the shortlist of proposed uses for the Millennium Dome after the millennium celebrations will be announced. [105842]

  Ms Armstrong
  The Government have announced the six proposals for the shortlist today. They are:City of the Future, a theme park centred on the use of technology, proposed by Monex Leisure Ltd. and MEPC plc.
  Dome Europe, a high technology leisure, business and retail destination, proposed by the Principal Finance Group of Nomura International plc.
  Greenwich Media World, a high profile mixed use leisure and business destination focused on media and communications, proposed by a consortium comprising Pell Frischmann. London Merchant Securities, Sir Robert McAlpine, WestLB Panmure Ltd. and The Tussauds Group.
  International Merchandise and Cultural Centre, a global one-stop shop for exchanging goods, services and tourism promotions, proposed by a consortium comprising Country Heights Holdings Berhad, Sunrise Berhad and Maccon Investment Holdings (Proprietary) Ltd.
  Legacy plc, a high technology industrial campus of workspace, leisure and retail uses, proposed by Robert Bourne.
  Sports Dome 2001, an advanced multiple sports facility, proposed by a consortium comprising John Taylor International Ltd., Chelsfield Plc, Collard Grosvenor and Price Nicholson.

  The Dome has been instrumental in focusing regeneration activity on the Greenwich Peninsula and the Thames Gateway, and this is set to continue as a result of the response to this competition.

  English Partnerships, the Government's regeneration agency, has transformed one of the largest tracts of derelict land in Europe, on the Greenwich Peninsula. The proposals emerging from this competition, together with other developments on the Peninsula and key public transport improvements, will take forward the major regeneration of this area.

  I have placed details of the shortlisted proposals in the Libraries of the house.

  Business Rates
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on what date it was decided that the consultation mechanism relating to business rating revaluation proposals in Wales should be transferred to the National Assembly for Wales from his Department; and on what date he announced this decision. [103738]
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  Mr. Hanson
  I have been asked to reply.

  The functions of the Secretary of State for Wales in respect of business rates in the Local Government Finance Act 1988 were transferred to the National Assembly for Wales on 1 July 1999, by virtue of the National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) Order 1999 No. 672 which was approved by the House of Commons on 24 February 1999.

  The process of consultation on various aspects of the business rating revaluation began before 1 July 1999 and was led by officials of the Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions with Welsh Office involvement. On and after 1 July, the National Assembly for Wales continued to take part in the consultation process in place of the Welsh Office, relying on its powers in section 23(2) of the Government of Wales Act 1998 to continue anything being done by a Minister of the Crown in respect of a transferred function.

  The UK Government did not need to make any formal decision or announcement about this, which was among the consequences of the approval by the House of the Transfer of Functions Order. It is one of many examples of work that continued in the transition from the Secretary of State to the National Assembly.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Developing Countries
  Mr. Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what plans he has to review the Government's options under trade agreements to safeguard access by developing countries to essential drugs; [104589]

  (2) what plans he has to review Government policy on the trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights agreement and public health in developing countries. [104590]

  Mr. Caborn
  The Government are aware of concerns among some developing countries. However, the Government believe that there is nothing in the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement which undermines the ability of developing countries to provide appropriate healthcare. Although the Agreement came into effect in 1995, developing country members have only to implement its provisions from this year and the least developed countries do not have to implement until 2006. The effects, benefits and problems arising from the agreement have therefore yet to emerge.

  A review of the implementation of the TRIPS agreement by WTO members will begin in June of this year and the Government will listen carefully to the views of other WTO members during the Review. It is, however, only in the context of a comprehensive new Round of negotiations that significant changes to the TRIPS agreement will be possible and it would be in that context that the Government would carry out a full review of their own policy.

  Mr. Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy on the extension of the deadline for 256W
  complying with the provisions of the TRIPS Agreement applicable to developing countries and to countries whose economy is in transition. [104587]

  Mr. Caborn
  The Government believe that all signatories to the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Agreement and other WTO agreements should fulfil their commitments in full and on time. They recognise, however, that some developing countries have genuine problems of capacity. In such cases, they would be ready to support alongside its EU partners sympathetic consideration in the relevant WTO Committee of a request for the extension of deadline, if this were accompanied by a work programme aimed at full implementation of the WTO agreement in question.

  Ilisu Dam
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 10 January 2000,Official Report, column 31W, on the Ilisu Dam, if the representations from (a) the Syrian Ambassador and (b) the League of Arab States were (i) in favour and (ii) against the proposed dam. [105081]

  Mr. Caborn
  The Syrian Ambassador expressed concern that proper account had not been taken of the impact of the project on the Syrian economy, people and relations with Turkey or of legal obligations, and stressed the general sensitivity of water issues in the region.

  The League of Arab States expressed concern at the lack of information and consultation on the project.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to make a decision on ECGD support for UK participation in the Ilisu Dam project. [104897]

  Mr. Caborn
  The application for ECGD support for the UK participation in the Ilisu Dam project has given rise to a number of social, political, environmental and cultural issues requiring further consideration between ECGD, the other export credit agencies involved, the Turkish authorities and the contractors. We will only agree support if these issues are addressed to our satisfaction. In any event no decision on support will be made until a revised Environmental Impact Assessment has been produced. This is expected in late March or April.

  Employment Statistics
  Mrs. Ann Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many(a) men and (b) women in each of the standard age groups were employed in his Department in (i) 1979 and (ii) 1999. [104019]

  Mr. Byers
  In April 1999 the numbers of men and women employed in DTI Headquarters by age group were as follows:

  Age

  Men

  Women

  Total

  16–19

  1

  5

  6

  20–24

  36

  41

  77

  25–29

  204

  247

  451

  30–34

  414

  450

  864

  35–39

  486

  356

  842

  257W

  Age

  Men

  Women

  Total

  40–44

  389

  243

  632

  45–9

  405

  203

  608

  50+

  658

  296

  954

  Total

  2,593

  1,841

  4,434

  The Department's personnel database was set up in 1985 and does not include data on staff who left the Department before that date; full data on the age profile of staff in 1979 is not therefore available. However, the annual publication, "Civil Service Statistics", provides a departmental breakdown of staff by gender and Service-wide data by age for that year. In addition the Equal Opportunities Data Summary 1998 provides average age by responsibility level and gender across the Service.

  The figures exclude DTI staff in Government Offices and the DTI's Executive Agencies who have delegated responsibility for personnel issues.

  GATT
  Ms Drown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the Government's assessment of the outcome of the Uruguay Round of GATT negotiations, including the conclusions it has drawn concerning future trade negotiations. [104358]

  Mr. Caborn
  An assessment of the outcome of the Uruguay Round of GATT negotiations was published in May 1994 by the Government in a White Paper, "The Uruguay Round of Multilateral Trade Negotiations 1986–94" (Cm 2579). In relation to future trade negotiations, the Government published a consultation paper in May 1999 entitled "The UK and the World Trade Organisation: An Introduction to the Next Round" (DTI/Pub4140/5k/5/99/NP. URN 99/875). Both documents are available in the Libraries of both Houses. The Government's position in supporting the launch of a comprehensive Round of trade negotiations has been discussed in Parliament, most recently in the debate in European Standing Committee C on 22 November 1999. The Government's position is well reflected in the position of the EU and its support for the launch of a comprehensive Round remains strong since the failure of the Seattle Conference, as the Secretary of State said in the debate in the House on 9 December 1999,Official Report, columns 1022–94.

  Early Retirement
  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many employees of his Department took early retirement packages, and at what total cost, in the financial year 1996–97. [104099]

  Mr. Byers
  Two hundred and twenty seven employees took early retirement packages at a cost of some £1.4 million in the financial year 1996–97. This represents 20 per cent. of the costs, the other 80 per cent. being met by the Treasury under the 80:20 Scheme in force at the time.

  Match Funding
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was allocated from the social and 258W
  regional funds of the European Union to the United Kingdom during the 1999 financial year; what was the value of match funding from United Kingdom sources; and from what sources these match funds were derived. [105124]

  Mr. Caborn
  Allocations from the European Union's Structural Funds relate to multiannual programmes. Expenditure must be committed within the programme period, but may be spent up to two years after the end of the period. There are therefore no allocations for specific years, and expenditure during 1999 would be in the context of programmes approved during the 1994–99 financing period with expenditure allowed until the end of 2001.

  The level of match funding varies from programme to programme. The sources of match funding will depend on the nature of the many individual projects. It is the responsibility of applicants for funding to identify the sources of match funding for their projects. Programme secretariats can advise on this. There are many potential sources, e.g. central government, local authorities, the voluntary and private sectors. No central records exist of the sources of match funding used for individual projects.

  World Trade Organisation
  Dr. Palmer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if it is the Government's policy to support the expansion of the World Trade Organisation's remit to cover negotiations on(a) investment, (b) Government procurement and (c) guidelines for the behaviour of multinational enterprises. [105062]

  Mr. Caborn
  It remains Government policy to support a comprehensive round of negotiations in the WTO, including investment and government procurement. The OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises are currently under review in the OECD with particular focus on their more effective implementation and wider dissemination. We believe that the review of the Guidelines will make them of greater relevance and use for business, other organisations and governments alike.

  Dr. Palmer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals his Department has in respect of the World Trade Organisation to enable multilateral trade agreements to work in concert with multilateral environmental agreements. [105060]

  Mr. Caborn
  At the recent WTO Ministerial conference in Seattle, the UK and the EU pressed for a new Round of trade negotiations to include a clarification of the relationship between WTO rules and trade measures taken within multilateral environmental agreements. The Seattle conference was suspended without agreement on the terms for a new Round, but we continue to press for this subject to be included in future WTO negotiations.

  Glassmaking
  Mr. Rammell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what applications for(a) grant or (b) other financial support he has received for a glass factory to be operated in the north west of England by Quinn Glass. [104767]
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  Mr. Alan Johnson
  Any applications are commercially confidential, it is therefore not possible for me to provide this information.

  Plutonium Fuel
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with the relevant Swiss electricity company and the Swiss nuclear regulatory authorities in respect of problems discovered with MOX plutonium fuel exported to Switzerland from Sellafield. [104698]

  Mrs. Liddell
  None. This is a matter for the companies and the national regulatory authorities concerned.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 16 December 1999,Official Report, column 235W, on plutonium fuel, if he is in a position to make public the details of the remedial measures being put in place to rectify safety management problems in MOX nuclear fuel manufacture at Sellafield; and what further meetings he has had with the HSE (N11) on this matter since 1 December 1999. [104726]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The work to address the issues associated with the falsification of quality assurance data at BNFL's MOX Demonstration Facility at Sellafield is still continuing. As I made clear in my reply of 16 December 1999,Official Report, column 235W, I have asked the company to make public details of the remedial measures being taken as soon as possible, consistent with the need to address these matters thoroughly and to satisfy the HSE fully as to the adequacy of the company's proposals. On 15 December 1999, I received a briefing from HSE's Chief Inspector of Nuclear Installations on progress with HSE's independent investigation into this matter. I understand HSE intend to publish a report on their findings next month.

  Assisted Area Status
  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 7 December 1999,Official Report, column 457W, concerning eligibility of wards for assisted area status in Dumfries and Galloway, what is the nature of the personal information referred to in his answer. [104419]

  Mr. Caborn
  Some of the information used in identifying areas of significant labour market weakness is confidential as it was collected under the provisions of the Statistics of Trade Act 1947, in particular the manufacturing activity within wards.

  Independent Assessment Panel
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about the membership of the Independent Assessment Panel for the Partnership Fund. [105515]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  An independent Assessment Panel of nine members is to recommend to Ministers which projects should receive funding in the first round of the £5 million Partnership Fund.
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  The nine members of the Assessment Panel—three trade unionists, three industrialists and three independent experts—will report to Ministers who will then make the final decisions on which projects have been successful. The successful applicants for funding under the Partnership Fund will be announced in Spring 2000.

  Appointments are for a period of one year renewable for up to four years from 20 December 1999. Members are unpaid although travel and subsistence expenses are available.

  The members of the Assessment Panel are:

  Ms Yvonne Bennion, Policy Specialist at the Industrial Society

  Mr. David Coats, Head of Economic and Social Affairs Department at the TUC

  Mr. Bill Connor, General Secretary of USDAW

  Mr. Willy Coupar (Chairman of the Panel), Director of the IPA

  Mrs. Lesley James, formerly HR Director of Tesco plc.

  Mr. Mike Kinski, Group Chief Executive of Stagecoach Holdings plc.

  Dr. Clive Morton OBE, Business Development Director at Anglian Water

  Mrs. Margaret Prosser OBE, Deputy General Secretary of TGWU

  Mr. John Stevens, Director of Development & Public Policy at the IPD

  Brief biographies of the members of the Panel have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

  Electricity Industry
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the Government's target date for replacing the UK electricity pool system. [105421]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The target for the implementation of the new electricity trading arrangements is autumn 2000.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment his Department has made of the impact on the electricity pool price of the fire at Drax Power Station in December; and if he will make a statement on the related discussions he has had with the industry on this subject. [105420]

  Mrs. Liddell
  As a result of a fire at Drax power station on 27 December I understand that part of the output of the station will be unavailable for a period. It is not uncommon for some generating plants to be unavailable for technical reasons and there is adequate generating capacity available on the system to cover such incidents. The incident at Drax affected only around 1 per cent. of the available generation on the England and Wales system and the impact on Pool prices is small.

  Nuclear Fuel
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the decision by the Japanese electricity company Kansai Electric Power to return nuclear fuel to Britain.[105266]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Government have noted Kansai Electric's statement of 10 January that they will ask BNFL to return the eight fuel assemblies at the Takahama 4 reactor to the UK. This raises a number of issues which
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  will need to be explored by the Japanese and UK Governments before Kansai and BNFL reach any conclusions.

  Part-time Work Directive
  Ms Perham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the implementation of the Part-time Work Directive. [105542]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  I am today publishing a consultation document setting out the Government's proposals for implementing the Part-time Work Directive by means of regulations giving part-timers the right to be treated no less-favourably than comparable full-timers. The consultation lasts until 27 February, and I expect to lay Regulations soon afterwards.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Sudan
  Mr. Woolas
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans the Government have to help alleviate suffering in Sudan. [104359]

  Mr. Foulkes
  This financial year we have pledged £8 million to respond to humanitarian needs in Sudan. Though suffering in the country is not as severe as during the crisis of 1998 we are following the situation closely. Ending the war is the key to alleviating the suffering in Sudan and we are working hard with our international partners to support the current peace efforts sponsored by the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development.

  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what reports she has received concerning religious discrimination in Government-run peace camps in Southern Sudan. [104367]

  Mr. Foulkes
  The Peace Camps or Peace Villages set up by the Government of Sudan in the Nuba Mountain region have been accused of being part of the Government's alleged aim of islamisation of the people. However, given the scarcity of information from that region we are unable to determine the true situation. Last year's United Nations assessment mission to the region did not identify religious discrimination as a problem, but the subject was not part of the mission's terms of reference.

  Ethiopia
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many applications for aid have been made by non-Governmental organisations concerning aid projects in Ethiopia; and how many have been(a) accepted and (b) rejected. [104679]

  Mr. Foulkes
  During the current financial year, DFID has received 10 applications from NGOs for humanitarian aid projects. Five of these have been accepted, four rejected, and one is currently under consideration.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement concerning the current humanitarian situation in Ethiopia and Eritrea. [104677]
  262W
  Mr. Foulkes
  In Ethiopia, recent estimates by the Government of Ethiopia, endorsed by the World Food Programme, give a total of 6.9 million people in need of food aid assistance due to adverse weather. An additional 385,000 internally displaced persons (IDPs), from the war zone in the border area disputed with Eritrea, are also in need of assistance.

  In Eritrea, the results of the conflict with Ethiopia are the principal cause of the present humanitarian situation. Those affected include 250,000 IDPs, a similar number of war-affected (mainly those households who have taken in IDPs) and 64,000 people who have been deported from Ethiopia. There are also some rural areas which are drought affected, and FAO is currently conducting a survey with the Eritrean Ministry of Agriculture to assess the extent of this problem.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment her Department has made concerning the drought conditions in Ethiopia. [104678]

  Mr. Foulkes
  The Department for International Development (DFID) relies on the assessments of the United Nations, the Government of Ethiopia, NGOs and USAID in monitoring the drought conditions in Ethiopia. We do not seek to duplicate the work of these organisations. We employ a Field Manager in Addis Ababa who regularly participates in joint assessment missions with the Ethiopian Government and other donors, participates in food aid co-ordination meetings and visits areas identified for potential DFID assistance. The official is backed up by regular visits from a senior natural resources adviser based in London.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what is her Department's policy on the provision of development aid to(a) Ethiopia and (b) Sudan. [104676]

  Mr. Foulkes
  The UK is completing current commitments in Ethiopia and continuing to provide humanitarian assistance but will not agree any new funding proposals until the war with Eritrea has ended.

  UK Development Aid to Sudan ceased in January 1991. Substantial humanitarian assistance to Sudan has continued since then.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what response her Department has made to the Ethiopian Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Commission's appeal, entitled Emergency Relief Needs in Ethiopia-January-March 2000. [104681]

  Mr. Foulkes
  The Department for International Development's (DFID) policy is to channel emergency food relief through NGOs or UN agencies.

  Current and planned projects which are relevant to this Appeal are as follows:
  DFID has recently approved a £1.1 million project for provision of 3,000 metric tonnes (mt) of emergency food aid to Konso, in the southern region of Ethiopia. This will be distributed between

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  January and April 2000, through a project implemented by the British NGO, FARM Africa, in collaboration with Ethiopian local government agencies.
  We are already funding a 3,000 mt food aid intervention in Koisha, southern region, which runs to the end of January. DFID is presently reviewing a proposal for a further 6,240 mt of food aid to be distributed through an NGO project in Wollo, Amhara Region.
  We are also contributing indirectly through EU food aid commitments.

  Chrysotile Asbestos
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action is taken by the Government to ensure that developing countries are aware of the hazards of chrysotile asbestos and to discourage the dumping of this product in developing and third-world countries; and if she will make a statement. [104662]

  Clare Short
  Regulations prohibiting the import of chrysotile asbestos into the UK came into force in November 1999, meeting an EU Directive that requires all member states to introduce legislation banning asbestos by 1 January 2005.

  We will support the European Commission's intention to propose to the Rotterdam Convention's Interim Chemical Review Committee (ICRC) that the remaining asbestos fibres, including chrysotile, be added to Annexe 111 (Chemicals subject to the PIC Procedure) of the Convention. If the ICRC are content, then the proposal will be discussed later this year by the Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee that negotiated the Convention.

  Tropical Diseases
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with pharmaceutical companies on the financing of research to combat leishmaniasis and other sand-fly related diseases affecting poor people who sleep close to their cattle. [104422]

  Clare Short
  I have had no discussions with pharmaceutical companies on the financing of research to combat leishmaniasis or other sand-fly related diseases. We support research through the World Health Organisation's Tropical Disease Research Programme, which places great emphasis on forming partnerships with pharmaceutical companies to facilitate future drug development. Current treatment for leishmaniasis involves repeated injections, and is not effective in all cases. No oral treatment is currently available, although trials are underway.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what research reports she has received directed to the spread of malaria among people living in highland areas and its relationship with climate change; and if she will make a statement. [104664]

  Clare Short
  We are concerned at the potential spread of malaria into tropical highlands. Current scientific evidence is far from unanimous on the relationship with climate change. We are working with research institutes and ministries of health in affected countries to develop reliable systems for epidemic prediction, detection and response.

SCOTLAND

  Employment Statistics
  Mrs. Ann Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) men and (b) women in each of the standard age groups were employed in his Department in (i) 1979 and (ii) 1999. [104025]

  Dr. Reid
  The following figures illustrate the number of staff in the core Scottish Office departments at 1 April 1999.

  Number of staff at 1 April 1999

  Full-time equivalent

  Age band

  Men

  Women

  All staff

  16–19

  28.0

  30.0

  58.0

  20–24

  122.0

  111.6

  233.6

  25–29

  202.0

  232.5

  434.5

  30–34

  258.8

  244.2

  503.0

  35–39

  266.6

  261.1

  527.7

  40–44

  310.7

  261.8

  572.5

  45–19

  319.0

  235.3

  554.3

  50 or over

  512.7

  310.2

  822.9

  Total

  2,019.8

  1,686.7

  3,706.5

  There are no comparable figures available for April 1979. However, some information may be found in Civil Service Statistics which is published annually and is available in the Library.

  Asset Sales
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the items in the National Assets Register sold by his Department since 8 March 1999, stating in each case the amount of money realised; if he will estimate the total amount raised from such sales to date; and if he will make a statement. [104498]

  Dr. Reid
  Those assets owned by The Scottish Office and its Executive Agencies listed in the National Asset Register which have been sold between 8 March 1999 to 30 June 1999 are as follows, together with the money realised:

  Proceeds realised £

  The Scottish Office core fixed assets

  Highland and Lowland Estates:

  Lowland Estate

  111,650

  Highland Estate

  14,505

  Furniture and Fittings

  935

  IT Systems

  30

  Vehicles

  42,929

  Executive Agencies of The Scottish Office

  Scottish Prison Service

  Vehicles

  17,974

  Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency

  Vehicles

  6,109

  Scottish Agricultural Science Agency

  Plant and Machinery

  1,765

  Fisheries Research Services

  Vehicles

  3,478

  Student Awards Agency for Scotland

  IT Systems

  25

  Total

  199,400

  From 1 July 1999, The Scotland Office has not sold any assets.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to create an Equality Unit within the Northern Ireland Office to co-ordinate the work relating to equality schemes of United Kingdom departments and other bodies designated by the Secretary of State under section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. [103814]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The Human Rights Unit in the Northern Ireland Office advises the Secretary of State on all issues relating to equality schemes for which the Secretary of State is responsible.

  The Equality Commission is required by the Northern Ireland Act 1998 to produce statutory guidelines on equality schemes (subject to approval by the Secretary of State) and these guidelines will be given to all public authorities designated under section 75. United Kingdom Government Departments and other bodies designated by the Secretary of State under section 75 will submit their equality schemes to the Commission for approval. The Secretary of State is responsible for approving public authority equality schemes which have been referred to him by the Equality Commission. The Commission cannot refer the equality schemes of United Kingdom Government Departments to the Secretary of State.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provision has been made within the Northern Ireland Office to ensure that it, and the voluntary and community sectors with which it works, have been provided with sufficient resources to ensure that they are able to comply with the statutory duty to promote equality of opportunity. [103815]

  Mr. George Howarth
  No additional financial resources have been provided to ensure that the Northern Ireland Office and the voluntary and community sectors with whom it works are able to comply with the statutory duty to promote equality of opportunity. However the Government believes that these public authorities have sufficient resources to ensure that they are able to comply with the statutory duty to promote equality of opportunity.

  Criminal Justice Review
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the reasons why the report of the Criminal Justice Review established under the terms of the Good Friday agreement has not yet been published; and when he expects it to be published. [103816]

  Mr. Ingram
  The extended consultation process which the Review Group engaged in, together with the range and complexity of the issues which the Group was invited to address, meant that the analytical phase of their work began later and has taken longer than the Group expected. I understand, however, that the report is now at an advanced stage of preparation and that it is hoped to publish it as soon as possible.

PRIME MINISTER

  Performance and Innovation Unit
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Prime Minister what subjects have been referred to the Performance and Innovation Unit. [104591]

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Barnsley, Central (Mr. Illsley) on 10 December 1998,Official Report, columns 277–78W; to my hon. Friend the Member for Stafford (Mr. Kidney) on 21 October 1999, Official Report,column 630W; and to my hon. Friend the Member for Milton Keynes, South-West (Dr. Starkey) on 24 November 1999, Official Report, column 162W.

  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Prime Minister what is the remit of the Performance and Innovation Unit. [104592]

  The Prime Minister
  The remit of the Performance and Innovation Unit is to improve the capacity of Government to identify and address strategic, cross-cutting issues and promote innovation in the development of policy and in the delivery of the Government's objectives.

  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) when he expects the Performance and Innovation Unit to report on post offices; [104593]

  (2) what is the membership and remit of the Performance and Innovation Unit study of post offices. [104594]

  The Prime Minister
  As I indicated in my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Stafford (Mr. Kidney) on 21 October 1999,Official Report, column 630W, I expect the Performance and Innovation Unit's work on the Post Office network to be completed this spring.

  The Performance and Innovation Unit project team is drawn from both inside and outside Government, to ensure new thinking and a wide range of experience is brought to bear on the issues. The remit of the project is to identify the contribution made by post offices to the vitality of local communities, consider how the Post Office network can best contribute to the Government's objectives in the future and the process to formulate objectives for the Post Office.

  Fundamental Rights Draft Charter
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish documents sent to the European Union Fundamental Rights Charter Drafting Body; when he expects the Charter Drafting Body to consider a draft; and how the Government will consult(a) Parliament and (b) the public on this draft. [105126]

  The Prime Minister
  The Charter drafting process is designed to be transparent. The Charter website, which will contain the various working documents, can be reached through http://ue.eu.int. Parliament will also have access to all the papers through its two delegates. In addition, the meetings of the Charter drafting body are televised.

  Drafting will probably begin after the next plenary on 1–2 February, which will be the first opportunity for a general discussion of the substance.
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  The Government have already written to the Chairs of the two Scrutiny Committees about the process and will continue to liaise closely with Parliament. The Government will also continue to consult NGOs and other independent organisations and individuals through a combination of meetings and correspondence.

  Golden Jubilee
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans Her Majesty's Government have to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth's accession to the throne. [104809]

  The Prime Minister
  Planning for The Queen's Golden Jubilee is at a very early stage. A programme of celebrations will be announced in due course.

  Hospitality
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Prime Minister how much was spent on official entertaining at 10 Downing Street in the periods(a) 1 May 1997 to 31 March 1998 and (b) 1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999. [104885]

  The Prime Minister
  The total cost to my office of official hospitality, including official entertainment, at 10 Downing Street and Chequers in 1997–98 and 1998–99 was as follows:

  1997–98: £43,777

  1998–99: £53,639

  This compares with total expenditure on entertainment at 10 Downing Street during 1996–97 of £50,126.

  Ilisu Dam
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the President of Syria on the construction of the Ilisu Dam. [105453]

  The Prime Minister
  I have had no discussion with the President of Syria on the construction of the Ilisu Dam.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the impact of the construction of the Ilisu Dam on the Kurdish People. [105451]

  The Prime Minister
  A report, "Stakeholders' Attitudes to Involuntary Resettlement in the Context of the Ilisu Dam Project in Turkey" has been prepared by an independent social development expert following a visit to the region to ascertain the views of the local population likely to be affected by the dam. Copies of this report are in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Prime Minister which EU states have joined with the UK Government in providing financial support for the construction of the Ilisu Dam. [105450]

  The Prime Minister
  No financial support has yet been provided by any EU state for the construction of the Ilisu Dam.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he had with the Heads of Government of the EU at Helsinki on the future of the Ilisu Dam. [105452]

  The Prime Minister
  I have had no discussion with the Heads of Government of the EU on the future of the Ilisu Dam.
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  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he had with the Turkish Prime Minister at the Helsinki Summit concerning the construction of the Ilisu Dam; and if he will make a statement. [105477]

  The Prime Minister
  I have had no discussion with the Turkish Prime Minister on the construction of the Ilisu Dam.

  Members' Interests
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the compliance of the Financial Secretary to the Treasury with the Ministerial Code in relation to his shares declared in the Register of Members' Interests. [105288]

  The Prime Minister
  Guidance to Ministers on the handling of financial interests is set out in section 9 of the Ministerial Code.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Youth Support Service
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he will publish the prospectus for the new youth support service. [105352]

  Mr. Wicks
  We shall be publishing shortly a document to announce the key functions that we expect the new youth support service to perform. We expect to publish a specification for tender for the new service in March.

  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what discussions he has had with other Government Departments regarding continuity of funding for services to be provided under the proposed arrangements for the combined Youth Support Service. [104696]

  Mr. Wicks
  We are working closely with other Government departments, to identify the contributions which their existing services will make to the Youth Support Service. This includes the funding which will be available. An inter-departmental steering group has been set up to assist in this process, which has met a number of times. Funding for the Youth Support Service will be settled as part of the Government's Year 2000 spending review.

  Regional Development Agencies
  Mr. Healey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list for each regional development agency(a) the amounts granted and (b) the companies facing closure or large-scale redundancies to which the sums have been allocated under the rapid response scheme. [104811]

  Mr. Wicks
  The information requested is contained in the following table. Where no money has been awarded in a particular region this is because no firm proposals have been received.
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  Rapid Response Fund: companies supported since 1998–99

  RDA

  Company/ies

  Amount granted £

  One North East

  Electrolux

  51,000

  Fujitsu

  415,000

  Groves Cranes

  250,000

  Onwa

  153,000

  R.J.B. Ellington

  58,650

  Siemens

  300,000

  Vaux

  140,000

  Wilkinson Sword

  120,000

  Total

  1,487,650

  Advantage West Midlands

  Lear, Alvis, Abbey Textiles, Alstrom, Massey Ferguson and AP Leamington (all Coventry and Warwickshire)

  75,000

  IMI Refineries Walsall

  10,000

  Michelin

  Bid to be received

  Rover

  740,000

  Staff Ceramics—4 firms

  268,000

  Telford—4 firms

  150,000

  East of England Development

  Agency

  Hazelwood Foods

  50,000

  United Distillers Vintners

  61,000

  Total

  111,000

  East Midlands Development Agency

  Alstom Turbines

  57,000

  Bryan Donkin Foundry

  23,444

  RJB Calberton/Harworth

  89,500

  Ladybird and Jarvis Porter

  44,985

  Laporte Industries

  56,000

  Midland Mining Annesley Bentinck

  177,750

  Total

  448,579

  South West of England Development Agency

  Hoechst Trespephan

  125,250

  Link Group

  48,000

  Rover Group (Swindon)

  16,764

  Strachen Henshaw

  148,100

  Total

  338,114

  London Development Partnership

  —

  0

  North West Development Agency

  —

  0

  South East of England Development Agency

  —

  0

  Yorkshire Forward2

  —

  0

  Grand total

  3,528,343

  TBC

  1 Up to £170,000 if needed

  School Attendance
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what support has been given to schools to reduce the level of unauthorised absences. [104119]

  Jacqui Smith
  Our objective is to reduce the learning time lost due to truancy and exclusion by one third by year 2002. Over three years we are investing £500 million across England on projects tackling truancy and school exclusion, and other initiatives to get children back into school and learning. Projects supported include the purchasing of electronic equipment to monitor attendance, additional staff to chase-up truants, and reward schemes for acknowledging regular attendance. We are also encouraging schools to set up pupil mentoring schemes and to develop home-school liaison through the implementation of home-school agreements. All of these activities are designed to help schools reduce unauthorised absence.

  On 1 November 1999 we issued our strategy document "Tackling Truancy Together" which sets out our further proposals for helping to reduce unauthorised absence from school. We are currently considering the many responses we received to the proposals in that document, and will make an announcement soon on what further action we want to take to help reduce unauthorised absence from school.

  Minster College, Isle of Sheppey
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the withdrawal by Kent County Council of match funding from the Single Regeneration Budget funded Inclusion Unit at Minster College on the Isle of Sheppey. [105200]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  I understand that discussions are continuing between Kent Local Education Authority and Minster College about the future of the Inclusion Unit at the School. I have asked my officials to keep in touch with the discussions and will write to you as soon as possible with further details.

  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the changes to the Standard Fund Grant 19 and their impact on match funding for the Single Regeneration Budget funded Inclusion Unit at Minster College on the Isle of Sheppey. [105201]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Kent Local Education Authority's Standards Fund Grant 19 allocation for secondary schools and LEA initiatives has been increased from £950,000 in 1999–2000 to £2.8 million for 2000–01. Nearly £2.2 million of the grant must be devolved directly to Kent secondary schools and colleges to help combat truancy and exclusions. Kent are consulting on how the funds will be distributed. I understand that discussions are continuing between Kent Local Education Authority and Minster College about the future of their Inclusion Unit. I have asked my officials to keep in touch with the discussions and will write to you as soon as possible with further details.
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  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will take steps to secure the future of the Inclusion Unit at Minster College on the Isle of Sheppey. [105202]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  I understand that discussions are continuing between Kent Local Education Authority and Minster College about the future of the Inclusion Unit at the school. I have asked my officials to keep in touch with the discussions and I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible with further details.

  Sixth Forms
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the cost to English local education authorities of maintaining sixth forms in schools in the last year for which figures are available. [105351]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The Standard Spending Assessment mechanism includes an unhypothecated element for post-16 education. Information on the cost to local education authorities of maintaining sixth forms in schools is not collected.

  New Deal (Monitoring)
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what methods are used to monitor the quality of training services provided under the New Deal by private sector companies. [104103]

  Ms Jowell
  In line with our continuing commitment for ensuring quality, the Employment Service has worked in partnership with the Training Standards Council (TSC) to develop a framework for the assessment of the quality of New Deal training provision. By March 2002, every New Deal Unit of Delivery will have been inspected by the Council. This framework is the basis for each New Deal partnership to carry out an annual self assessment. These inspections and self-assessments cover the quality of all training provision including that delivered by the private sector.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what funding he will make available to enable schools and colleges to improve facilities for people with disabilities. [104272]

  Ms Hodge
  We have significantly increased the funding available under the Schools Access Initiative to enable local education authorities to improve access to mainstream schools and the curriculum for pupils with disabilities. We recently announced that £30 million will be available in the 2000–01 financial year. This is a 50 per cent. increase on the previous year's level of funding and 200 per cent. increase on funds available in 1996–97. We expect to allocate £100 million for access schemes in the three years to 2002.

  In the Further Education sector the Further Education Funding Council's (FEFC) funding methodology allows for additional units of funding, to be allocated to support provision for students with disabilities, or learning difficulties. This is used to fund a range of support for individual students, including care assistants and signers. In addition, £12 million capital funding has been allocated
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  over three years (1999–2000, 2000–01, 2001–02) specifically to improve access and facilities for students with learning difficulties and or disabilities. Capital projects supported under the general widening participation and skills agenda will also have the potential to improve access for disabled students. Responsibility for funding of further education will pass to the Learning and Skills Council from April 2001 and a consultation document on the new Council's funding arrangements will be issued early in 2000.

  Improving access and facilities for disabled people in education was a key feature of the recommendations of the Disability Rights Task Force, who published their report "From Exclusion to Inclusion" in December 1999. We will be introducing legislation later this session to address its recommendations for education and consider longer term costs as part of the Year 2000 Spending Review.

  Careers Service
  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if the TUPE regulations will apply to staff in the Careers Service as a result of the creation of the new combined arrangements for the Youth Support Service. [104697]

  Mr. Wicks
  Decisions have yet to be taken about the structure of the Youth Support Service and how Careers Service companies will be affected. It is therefore too early to consider the extent to which TUPE regulations will apply to Careers Service staff. We indicated in the White Paper "Learning to Succeed" that the best of the Careers Service companies will play a major role in the new Service together with a range of other local partners. We have established a Transitional Issues Group with Careers Service National Association (CSNA) that will be considering the implications for Careers Service companies and providing them with guidance.

  School Headships
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many school headships in each London Borough are held by(a) men and (b) women from an ethnic minority background. [104796]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  This information is not held centrally.

  EU Structural Funds
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make it his policy that metropolitan boroughs eligible for EU Objective One status on account of their poverty and social deprivation do not receive per pupil education standard spending assessment allocations below the national average. [104838]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The Government announced in November 1998 a three year review in partnership with local government to look for a way of distributing revenue support grant which is simpler, more stable, more robust and fairer than the present arrangements for SSAs. While the review is taking place there will be no further changes to the method of distributing funding.

  New Deal
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what discussions he has had with the Office for National Statistics with regard to the production of an assessment of each of the New Deal programmes; and if he will make a statement. [102101]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 9 December 1999]: Officials from both the Department for Education and Employment and the Office for National Statistics liaise regularly to discuss and analyse the impact that New Deal programmes have had on unemployment figures and other economic indicators published by the Office for National Statistics. Evaluation is carried out independently by outside contractors and the Department's internal analysis and monitoring uses Government Statistical Service figures and internal data.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many letters have been sent to lone parents inviting them to participate in the New Deal for Lone Parents. [102103]

  Ms Hodge
  [holding answer 9 December 1999]: From the national introduction of the New Deal for Lone Parents on 26 October 1998, to the end of October 1999, initial invitation letters were sent to 434,570 lone parents.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is his latest assessment of substitution, dead-weight and displacement in each of the New Deal schemes. [102107]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 9 December 1999]: There is a comprehensive evaluation programme in place for all elements of New Deal. The article "New Deal for the young unemployed: monitoring and evaluation", published in Labour Market Trends in November 1998, sets out a framework which is broadly common across New Deal. We are committed to publishing the final reports of all these evaluations.

  New Deal is a long term initiative, still in its early days. Consequently, most evaluation is also still in progress and is yet to report. However, Employment Service Research report ESR33, published in December 1999 and available in the Library, provides an independent assessment, by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR), of the effects of the New Deal for Young People in its first year. This provides encouraging evidence of the early impact of the New Deal. On deadweight it found that
  "Approximately 50 per cent. of individuals leaving unemployment via the NDYP would have done so in absence of the programme".
  and that this
  "is broadly in line with estimates from other active labour market programmes".
  On substitution and displacement it found that
  "NDYP does not appear to have had any significant effect on unemployment of others than the client group so far".

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many persons have left their New Deal scheme to be placed on(a) Incapacity Benefit, (b) Income Support, (c) Jobseeker's Allowance and (d) any other benefit. [102109]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 9 December 1999]: Our management information on those who leave New Deal to claim benefit is only broken down to those who return
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  to Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) and those who claimed another benefit. In the period ending October 1999, of the 251,600 people who left the New Deal for Young People; 23,680 claimed JSA and 30,060 claimed another benefit.

  Education Initiatives
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what were (i) the total number of contracts covered by his answer of 23 July 1999,Official Report, columns 691–92W, (ii) the number and total value of those contracts that have been put out to competitive tender, (iii) the number and total value of those contracts that have not been put out to competitive tender and (iv) the names of all companies with which contracts not put out to competitive tender have been concluded. [99116]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  [holding answer 22 November 1999]: There were 65 commercial contracts relating to the previous answer. 26 contracts, at a total value of £4.4 million were put out to competitive tender, and 39 contracts at a value of £709,000 were not put out to competitive tender. The remaining expenditure on consultants and advisers were for individuals and organisations working with the Department on a non-commercial basis. Where commercial contracts were not put out to competitive tender the contracts relate to the organisations or individuals listed, engaged due to their known specialist expertise. Some may have more than one contract.

  Cheshire Education Services

  C. & P. Partnership

  Wilfred Agnew

  Barry Allsop

  Norman Barlow

  Richard Brake

  Terry Browne

  Margaret Caister

  Ian Clelland

  Professor Bernard Crick

  Joan Farrelly

  Mike Fielding

  Pamela Francis

  Roger Frost

  Arthur Giles

  George Gill OBE

  Ann Gittins

  Joan Greenfield

  Bill Greenwood

  Malcolm Hewitt

  Peter Highfield

  Penny Holden

  Pat Ivin

  Jane Jinks

  Diane Kelly

  Dee Kushlick-Williams

  Professor Hugh Lawlor

  Hilary MacDonald

  Helen McMaster

  Ivan McNally

  Denis Mongon

  Judith Morris

  Ian Pollard

  Merlin Price

  Alan Puckey

  Peter Rabbett

  Ian Shelton

  Monica Timmis

  Sir Anthony Tippet

  275W

  Gail Treml

  Tony Webster

  Jeff White

  Sylvia Wright

CABINET OFFICE

  On-line Services
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when she intends to publish information on the target set by the Prime Minister to deliver 25 per cent. of Government services electronically. [105516]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  A report on progress by Departments and their key agencies was published recently. Copies of the report have been placed in the Libraries of the House and it was published on the website www.citu.gov.uk/25percent.menu.htm. The report contains information supplied by Departments on a sample of key dealings between the citizen and business and Government.

DEFENCE

  Live Munitions Testing
  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment was made by his Department of the impact on fishing activity prior to the testing of live cluster bombs in Luce Bay; [104356]

  (2) what plans he has to use live munitions in future trials in (a) Luce Bay and (b) elsewhere around the Scottish coast; [104353]

  (3) for what reason live cluster bombs were used in recent trials at Luce Bay, Wigtownshire; [104354]

  (4) what assessment was made by his Department of the prospects for recovery of bombs, prior to the testing of live cluster bombs in Luce Bay; and if he will make a statement. [104355]

  Mr. Spellar
  The trials at Luce Bay that took place over Easter last year were an urgent operational requirement in direct support of the UK participation in the NATO action in Kosovo. Live variants of the cluster bomb were used because there were insufficient inert bombs available to complete the trials within the required timescale. Although these weapons contained live bomblets, they were configured in such a manner as not to deploy the bomblets in flight.

  Before any trial is approved a detailed series of risk assessments and defined controlled operating procedures are required. In addition, prior to the Luce Bay trial options for the recovery, disposal and containment of the bombs were all considered. The final decision to contain the bombs on the seabed was made once the trial has been completed and the situation assessed. The impact area within the licensed danger area of the Luce Bay range was selected on the basis that no significant fishing activity was regularly carried out in that area. The exact location was selected using the experience and judgment of the West Freugh Range and Ground Control Officers, who have between them more than 38 years of experience of monitoring all activities which emanate from the range.
  276W
  In common with other test and evaluation ranges in the UK the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency's Luce Bay range is formally licensed for trials involving the use of live ordnance, and operates in accordance with the local byelaws governing its use. Whilst the majority of the trials conducted in the Luce Bay area and elsewhere around the Scottish coast are achieved wherever possible using inert material, there will inevitably be requirements in the future for trials using live ordnance to support the effectiveness of the United Kingdom armed services, sometimes at short notice. All trials, whether using live or inert weapons are subject to the same stringent controls and procedures to ensure the safe operation of all such activities.

  Service Personnel (Health)
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel in each of the three armed services are currently classified as category P7R, unfit for operational duty. [104924]

  Mr. Spellar
  The medical category P7, with or without the "R" suffix, denotes fitness for specific types of light duties in the Royal Navy or Army. The RAF equivalent is known as Medical Employment Standard (MES) Z 5 (Temp). The "R" suffix with P7 may be used at the discretion of medical officers as an indication that the patient is expected to return to full fitness within a maximum period of up to 18 months.

  The three Services maintain statistics on medical downgrading in slightly different ways to reflect their requirements. P7R figures, where available, for each of the Services as at 12 January 2000 are as follows:

  Royal Navy
  Medical Category P7R—1,535 (Ratings only) Figures for Officers not held centrally.

  Army
  Medical Category P7–2,019 (Officers and other ranks).

  Note:
  It is not possible to ascertain the number within this category that may also have been designated "R" as this information is not recorded centrally.

  RAF
  Medical Category MES Z 5(Temp)—1,786 Officers and other ranks)

  Wilkinson Sword of Peace
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the units of the armed services that have been awarded the Wilkinson Sword of Peace in each year since its inception, indicating the aspect of community relations recognised in the award. [105457]

  Mr. Spellar
  Messrs Wilkinson Sword Ltd. presents an annual Sword of Peace to a unit or establishment of each Service which is judged to have made the most valuable contribution towards establishing good and friendly relations with the inhabitants of any community at home or overseas, over and above the unit's normal role and duty.

  A list of the single-Service Units to which the Wilkinson Sword of Peace has been awarded since 1992, along with the citation for the last two years, is detailed in Table 1. A comprehensive list of all winners of the

  277W
  Wilkinson Sword of Peace since its inception in 1966, and the associated citation, is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  In addition to the Single-Service awards, Messrs Wilkinson Sword Ltd. has, since 1994, presented an annual award (when a citation is deemed worthy of recognition) to the most deserving Joint Service unit or ad hoc grouping formed for any specific operation. A list of the four winners to date is given in Table 2, with a brief citation for the last two years.

  Table 1: Wilkinson Sword of Peace [Navy)

  Year

  Unit/Establishment

  Location

  1992

  MCM 1 Squadron

  Baltic States

  1993

  HMS London

  Durres and Albania

  1994

  HMS Fearless

  Guyana

  1995

  HMS Invincible,

  Various

  HMS Illustrious

  1996

  Inshore Training Squadron Russia and Spain

  1997

  819 Naval Air Squadron

  RNAS Prestwick

  1998

  Task Group 326.02 (Op Tellar)

  Nicaragua and Honduras

  Citations
  1997: 819 Naval Air Squadron
  For their close association and efforts in the local community around RNAS Prestwick.
  1998: Task Group 326.02 (Op Tellar)
  To all units within Task Group 326.02 (Op Tellar) for their contribution to the humanitarian assistance to Nicaragua and Honduras in the wake of Hurricane Mitch.

  Wilkinson Sword of Peace (Army)

  Year

  Unit/Establishment

  Location

  1992

  7 Sig Reg

  Albania

  1 Cheshire Bn Gp

  Bosnia

  1993

  21 Engr Regt

  Bosnia

  1994

  1 KOBR

  NI-Londonderry

  1995

  Gurkha Welfare Scheme

  Nepal

  1996

  36 Engr Regt

  Bosnia/UK

  1 RMP

  Bosnia/Germany

  1997

  HCR

  Bosnia/UK

  1998

  8 R Irish

  NI-Tyrone

  Citations
  1997: Household Cavalry Regiment
  Awarded for the work of two squadrons of the Household Cavalry Regiment in returning the lives of members of the severely damaged community of Banja Luka to conditions approaching normality, in which the seeds of long-standing peace might grow.
  1998:8th (Co Armagh and Co Tyrone) Battalion Royal Irish Regiment
  The Battalion has succeeded in making a dynamic and imaginative contribution to the community of Armagh, against the backcloth of unprecedented political momentum and a difficult operational environment.

  Wilkinson Sword of Peace (Royal Air Force)

  Year

  Unit/Establishment

  Location

  1992

  RAF Lyneham

  UN Operations overseas

  1993

  RAF Kinloss

  Local community

  1994

  RAF Manston

  Local community

  1995

  RAF Laarbruch

  Bosnia, Romania and Holland

  1996

  RAF Stornoway

  Local community

  278W

  Wilkinson Sword of Peace (Royal Air Force)

  Year

  Unit/Establishment

  Location

  1997

  Numbers 1 and 34 Squadrons, RAF Regiment

  Bosnia

  1998

  RAF Aldergrove

  Northern Ireland

  Citations
  1997: Numbers 1 and 34 Squadrons of the RAF Regiment
  For their part in Peace Support Operations as part of the multi-national peace Stabilisation Force at Banja Luka, Bosnia Herzegovina
  1998: RAF Aldergrove
  In recognition of the Station's response to the Omagh tragedy, and the wider humanitarian and fund-raising activities carried out throughout the year.

  Table 2: Wilkinson Sword of Peace (Special)

  Year

  Unit/Establishment

  Location

  1994

  Op Gabriel (5AB Bde)

  Rwanda

  1995

  Op Chantress (Britlogbat, tri-Svc)

  Angola

  1996

  Not awarded

  —

  1997

  MCTC

  UK

  1998

  BMATT South Africa

  South Africa

  Citations
  1997: Military Corrective Training Centre, Colchester
  Members of staff, SUS and young offenders have provided a valuable contribution to the local community, and to charitable organisations, out of all proportion to the manpower and time available to them.
  1998: The British Military Advisory and Training Team (South Africa)
  BMATT has played a crucial and influential role in harmonising the extremely difficult integration of former adversaries into a cohesive defence force.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list(a) the means by which consultation takes place prior to announcement of the annual Wilkinson Sword of Peace awards and (b) his Department's inputs in nomination and selection. [105458]

  Mr. Spellar
  Entries for the Wilkinson Sword of Peace competitions are invited annually through Defence Council Instructions, which also detail the eligibility criteria. The selection of the most deserving single-Service unit is done by an adjudicating committee, under the chairmanship of the relevant Service Principal Personnel Officer. The selection of the most deserving tri-Service unit, for the award of the Wilkinson Sword of Peace (Special), is done by an adjudicating committee formed of the three Principal Personnel Officers, under the chairmanship of the Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Personnel).

  Depleted Uranium
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much depleted uranium has been authorised for use by his Department in each of the last three years. [104265]

  Mr. Spellar
  The UK has not fired DU ammunition during the course of any of the operations it has undertaken over the last three years.
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  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps will be taken to ensure that United States Forces using the Ministry of Defence range at Cape Wrath later this year do not use depleted uranium shells. [104877]

  Mr. Spellar
  Any nation using the ranges at Cape Wrath must abide by our Standard Operating Regulations. These regulations preclude the use of depleted uranium shells.

  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if depleted uranium shells have been used by British forces during live-firing exercises at the range at Cape Wrath. [104878]

  Mr. Spellar
  Depleted uranium shells have not been used at Cape Wrath by British forces.

  Salisbury Plain
  Angela Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on whose authority permission is given to non-military personnel to have access to his Department's land on Salisbury Plain; and what criteria are used. [104392]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  My Department has a presumption in favour of access wherever this is consistent with military activities, environmental and conservation considerations, the health and safety of the public and the interests of our tenants. Formal applications to use Ministry of Defence land are considered on a case-by-case basis to ensure that none of the above constraints are compromised. All applications for the use of Salisbury Plain are vetted by the Commandant Army Training Estate Salisbury Plain's staff to ensure that live firing, manoeuvre or general military training is not taking place. The primary criterion when assessing access for non-military personnel onto the military estate is their personal safety.

  MOD Hospital Units
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total annual cost of operating Ministry of Defence hospital units in each of the last 10 years. [104414]

  Mr. Spellar
  The first Ministry of Defence Hospital Unit (MDHU) was opened on 1 April 1995. For the three financial years 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99 the total annual operating costs for MDHUs are as set out. These costs represent, in the main, pay and allowances for military personnel and support staff.

  Year

  £ million

  1996–97

  16.936

  1997–98

  18.185

  1998–99

  18.500

  Costs are not available for the year 1995–96.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what was the(a) budgeted and (b) actual cost in each of the last two years, of running his Department's hospital unit in Germany; [104412]
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  (2) how many service personnel in Germany have been treated in facilities other than MOD medical services in each of the last two years; and what was the cost of this treatment. [104415]

  Mr. Spellar
  Following the market testing of the health function in Germany, the provision of all secondary health care for both the Army and the RAF is provided under contract with five designated German provider hospitals. There are no MDHUs in Germany. The budget set aside to meet these costs was £3O.O28M (DM65.953m @ £=DM 2.1958) in 1997–98 and £23.853M (DM65.245m @ £=DM2.7353) in 1998–99. The number of cases treated in each of these years was 27,831 and 40,539 at a cost of £30.668M (DM67.341m) and £29.171M (DM79.791m) respectively.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the expenditure was on Ministry of Defence hospital units in each of the last two years. [104417]

  Mr. Spellar
  The amounts paid to MDHU host NHS Trusts for the treatment of military personnel in each of the last two years are as follows. The sums shown are the net payment, taking into account the abatement of charges for the contribution of military clinical staff serving in the MDHU to the treatment of Service patients.

  1997–98: £6.505 million

  1998–99: £7.379 million

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many patients have been transferred from Ministry of Defence hospital units to the Royal Hospital Haslar in each of the last two years; for what reasons; and at what cost to his Department. [104409]

  Mr. Spellar
  Information is not routinely collected on tertiary transfers to the Royal Hospital Haslar. Any patients whose care might need to be transferred to another consultant outside a Ministry of Defence Hospital Unit would normally be referred to other local or regional NHS hospitals with the specialist units required.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel are awaiting(a) initial hospital appointments and (b) consultant appointments at Ministry of Defence hospital units; how many of them have been waiting for more than six months; and what assessment he has made of the cost implications of delays. [104410]

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

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been paid annually to the NHS to cover NHS treatment in lieu of Ministry of Defence Hospital Unit treatment. [104831]

  Mr. Spellar
  Nil. Members of the Armed Forces are entitled to NHS hospital treatment on the same basis as civilians if appropriate military provision is not available. This understanding pre-dates the creation of MDHUs.

  Indonesian Service Personnel (Training)
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations have been made to the Government in respect of training for Indonesian service
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  personnel within the United Kingdom over the past 12 months; and how many are currently in training in the UK. [104418]

  Mr. Spellar
  A number of representations have been made to the Government in respect of training for Indonesian service personnel within the United Kingdom over the past 12 months. There are currently no Indonesian military personnel training in the UK at military training establishments or in non-military educational establishments at HMG's expense.

  British Troops (Kosovo)
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he was first informed of problems in communications between British ground forces in Kosovo; what steps he took; and if he will make a statement. [104407]

  Mr. Spellar
  The limitations of the CLANSMAN tactical radio system are well understood and it is due to replaced by the BOWMAN system. MOD reacted swiftly to concern regarding the capability of CLANSMAN on operations in Kosovo. Two programmes were run under Urgent Operational Requirement procedures. Project POLYGON provided a commercial handheld radio system for the battalion operating in the Pristina area and entered service in September 1999. Project POLYGON PLUS will shortly extend this commercial system, giving all UK troops in theatre access to the protected tactical system.

  Married Quarters, Colchester
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many married quarters are provided at the Colchester Garrison; how many are currently occupied by non-service personnel; and how many are empty. [104583]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  The total number of married quarters in Colchester Garrison is 1,361. There are 55 currently occupied by non-service personnel. These are: four housing MOD police/MOD civilian families; 36 leased to Colne Housing and 14 occupied by irregular occupants ie estranged service spouses or ex-service personnel. There are currently 164 empty properties awaiting either modernisation or the arrival of incoming service families.

  Kirkcudbright Test Range
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the minutes of the meeting between representatives from the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency on the environmental monitoring programme of the test-firing of depleted uranium shells at the Kirkcudbright test range, held on 29 November 1999. [104702]

  Mr. Spellar
  The meeting on 29 November 1999 was hosted by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency at East Kilbride. No formal minutes of the meeting were produced. Only working notes recording actions were made for future reference.

  Future Transport Aircraft
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what(a) future and (b) existing requirements for air-to-air refuelling of helicopters there are; and to what extent that requirement has been included in the European Staff Requirement against which the Future Transport Aircraft requirement is being assessed. [104648]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  [holding answer 13 January 2000]: The MOD is considering a possible need to enable part of the future support helicopter fleet to conduct air-to-air refuelling operations. Final decisions to procure such a capability have yet to be taken.

  The European Staff Requirement for the Future Large Aircraft includes an essential requirement for the aircraft to be capable of being re-roled as an air-to-air refuelling tanker, with a desirable requirement for it to be capable of refuelling helicopters.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason there has been a delay in a decision on the selection of the Future Transport Aircraft. [104647]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  [holding answer 13 January 2000]: We are continuing to assess the proposals for the Future Transport Aircraft. A full technical and commercial assessment is being carried out, focusing on value for money and taking account of all relevant factors such as aircraft performance, cost, risk and industrial factors. We hope to be in a position to make a decision early this year.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if the Defence Procurement Agency will adopt the practices of smart procurement in relation to the Future Transport Aircraft requirement; [105171]

  (2) what procurement practices the Defence Procurement Agency has adopted with regard to the Future Transport Aircraft selection; [105174]

  (3) what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the requirements for airlift and air portability being used by his Department in its assessment of the Future Transport Aircraft contenders with those in the European Staff Requirement. [105173]

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

  Army Commitments
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the current level of Army commitments. [104791]

  Mr. Spellar
  Some 30 per cent. of the trained Army is currently committed to operations, which is down from a peak of 47 per cent. at the height of the Kosovo campaign. Once the agreed force reductions in Bosnia have been implemented in full, this figure should fall to 28 per cent.

  Russia (Military Relations)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on military relations with Russia. [105026]

  Mr. Hoon
  Engaging Russia in a constructive bilateral defence relationship is a high priority for the Government. Russia remains the highest priority in our "Outreach"
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  programme of defence assistance to central and eastern Europe countries. We wish to continue to develop an effective defence relationship with Russia and made good progress towards that objective in 1997 and 1998. Last year, however, the Russians curtailed co-operative activities as a sign of their opposition to UK/US action in Iraq and NATO action in Kosovo.

  Aircraft Procurement
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent meetings the Minister for Defence Procurement has had with Airbus to discuss the A400M; and what was discussed. [105033]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  My noble Friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement had planned to visit Airbus in Toulouse on 12 January but Parliamentary commitments meant she was unable to go. She hopes to rearrange the visit shortly.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will assess the benefits of defence procurement practices used by Airbus Military Company. [105172]

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

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent meetings, and on what dates, the Minister for Defence Procurement has had with Boeing to discuss the C-17 transport aircraft. [105035]

  Mr. Kilfoyle
  My noble Friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement met officials from Boeing on 11 January to discuss a range of issues, including the C-17 transport aircraft.

  Service Personnel (Orthopaedic Waiting Lists)
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when and for what reason the £1.5 million allocated across all three services to reduce secondary care agency orthopaedic waiting lists for those on operational duties was withdrawn as part of his Department's annual efficiency savings. [104923]

  Mr. Spellar
  Funding to reduce orthopaedic waiting lists in the Defence Secondary Care Agency was not removed as part of my Department's efficiency programme as no funds had been allocated for this purpose in 1999–2000. At the beginning of the financial year consideration was given to the possibility of identifying funding to reduce waiting lists, primarily but not exclusively, for orthopaedic treatment. However, this did not prove to be practical, although some additional physiotherapy, provided through a separate initiative, is likely to have affected the numbers on waiting lists overall. The possibility of pursuing action to reduce orthopaedic waiting lists in the next financial year is currently under consideration.

  Service Uniforms
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria he will use in reaching a decision to revise guidelines on the wearing of service uniforms in public. [104800]
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  Mr. Spellar
  We have no immediate plans to revise the guidelines on the wearing of service uniforms in public although they are kept under review. The current guidelines have been framed to give local commanders the flexibility to interpret the rules to cater for any specific considerations in their immediate area.

  Married Quarters
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what unforeseen costs have arisen in connection with the refurbishment of forces' married quarters; what impact this will have on the timing of the refurbishment programme; and what additional budgetary provision is being made available to the Defence Housing Executive to meet the shortfall. [104799]

  Mr. Spellar
  At the time of the sale to Annington Homes in 1996 it was assessed that the cost of upgrading the bulk of the married quarters estate in mainland UK would be about £470 million and that work would be completed over a seven year period, that is by November 2003. A subsequent 100 per cent. stock condition survey established that additional work required, including structural and utilities improvements to houses, would cost an additional £112 million. This has necessitated extending the completion of the upgrade programme to 2005 on current expenditure plans with continued funding.

  Memorandum of Understanding (USA)
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on policy with regard to the Memorandum of Understanding on mutual communications support between the United Kingdom and the United States of America, signed at Washington on 22 and 28 November 1988. [100345]

  Mr. Hoon
  [holding answer 29 November 1999]: In recognition of the importance of communications interoperability in naval operations and the benefits of providing mutual communications support, the Royal Navy and the United States Navy have agreed a Memorandum of Understanding. This sets out the procedures and provisions for mutual communications support including message receipt, handling relay, reformatting, delivery, transmission or retransmission and any related supplies and services, the provision of which was not for the direct and primary benefit of the Navy providing the support.

  Army Foundation College
  Mr. Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what public subsidy has been offered to develop the site of the new Army Foundation College. [102577]

  Mr. Spellar
  I am not yet in a position to examine the details of individual bids for the development of the new Army Foundation College.

  UK Commitments
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of(a) United Kingdom defence commitments and (b) the cost of United Kingdom commitments. [103193]
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  Mr. Hoon
  A full assessment of UK defence commitments was undertaken during the Strategic Defence Review Cm. 3999. Operational deployments for the year 1998–99 are set out in the MOD'S Performance Report 1998–99 Cm. 4520 published in December 1999. In practice, the bulk of defence spending contributes to providing the defence capability needed to meet the missions and commitments set out.

  Chinook
  Mr. Martin Bell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the incidents of Uncommanded Flying Control Movements in Chinook helicopters since 1994 in which subsequent inspections reported no fault found. [103639]

  Mr. Spellar
  There were two incidents of Uncommanded Flying Control Movements in Chinook helicopters since 1994 in which subsequent inspections reported no fault found:

  18 August 1995—aircraft experienced a 12° nose down pitch.

  23 December 1997—aircraft suffered vertical bounce on the ground after landing.

  Where an investigation has not pinpointed a fault, the components most likely to have caused the fault may be changed and the aircraft subsequently flight tested to confirm its correct function. In both of the occurrences listed the pilots were able to counteract the UFCM and control of the aircraft was not lost.

  BBC World Service
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer of 21 December 1999,Official Report, column 501W, if he will make a statement on the purpose of his Department's financial contribution to BBC World Service Monitoring, indicating those votes and subheads which cover these funds. [105076]

  Mr. Hain
  BBC Monitoring provides a valued information service to Government. Rapid reporting of open source information from around the world is an important aspect of the work of the FCO and other parts of Government. The FCO's financial contribution (40 per cent.) to BBC Monitoring's core operation reflects this. The contribution is made from Class VII, Vote 1, Section A2.

HEALTH

  Pay Review Bodies
  Mr. Gareth R. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the reports and recommendations of the Health Pay Review bodies. [105835]

  Mr. Milburn
  I am responding on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the reports of the Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration (DDRB) and the Review Body on Nursing staff, Midwives, Health Visitors and Professions Allied to Medicine (NPRB), which are published today. I understand that a similar announcement is being made by the First Minister and the Minister for Health and Community Care in Scotland. Copies of the reports are 286W
  available in the Vote Office and the Library. I am grateful to the chairmen and members of both Review Bodies for their hard work.

  Nurses are to receive another big real terms increase in pay and, for the second year in succession, the award is being paid in full, with no staging. The NPRB have recommended an across the board increase of 3.4 per cent. for nurses, midwives and health visitors with bigger targeted increases for specific groups. About 60,000 Grade E nurses on the scale maximum will get a total increase of 7.8 per cent., worth an extra £1,390 a year, to improve career progression and reward skill acquisition and experience. Another 5,500 enrolled and auxiliary nurses in Grade C will receive total increases of 7 per cent., worth an extra £975 a year. London allowances, stand-by and on-call allowances will also rise by 3.4 per cent. This means that an experienced staff nurse in London will earn basic pay of £22,250; and elsewhere £19,220, with allowances and enhancements typically worth £2,000 on top of this.

  The NPRB have also recommended across the board increases of 3.4 per cent. for physiotherapists, radiographers and other professions allied to medicine (PAMs). In addition about 4,500 experienced staff in the Senior 2 grade will receive total increases worth between 8.1 per cent. and 8.4 per cent., to improve career progression for experienced staff at the top of their scale. The maximum of the scale for Senior 2 grade PAMs will be £21,290. London allowances, stand-by and on-call allowances will also rise by 3.4 per cent.

  The Government have decided to accept all the NPRB pay recommendations for 2000–01, with no staging. The across the board settlement of 3.4 per cent. for nurses and other NPRB remit groups is high when set against the current headline inflation rate and more than we are expecting for pay settlements in the public sector generally. However, National Health Service staff deserve a fair pay award, especially after coping so magnificently with huge pressures over the past few weeks. Moreover, we are still having to tackle the nursing recruitment and retention problems inherited as a direct consequence of the last Government's failure. This year's settlement will build on last year's large awards. Taken together, the great majority of Grade D and E nurses—the backbone of the service, who deliver hands-on patient care—will have received very significant pay increases which both recognise and value their contribution to the NHS.

  Last year's pay awards gave a big boost to the success of the nurses' recruitment campaign which we launched in February 1999. Already over 5,000 nurses have returned or are set to do so after completing refresher training, and numbers taking up nursing degree and diploma courses have increased by 24 per cent. and 18 per cent. respectively. There has also been a sharp increase in male applications and in applications from the ethnic minority communities. But we are not stopping there and are determined to build on this success in our 2000 campaign to be launched next month. These awards will provide a welcome boost.

  The Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body (DDRB) has recommended an overall increase of 3.3 per cent. for salaried doctors and dentists and in the pay element of fees for general medical and general dental practitioners. In addition to the 3.3 per cent. increase, consultants will also start to receive from 1 April 2000 the increases

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  flowing through from the £50 million recommended by DDRB last year in recognition of their workload, work intensity and commitment to the NHS. These increases are worth a further 3 per cent. on their pay bill and will take two forms. First, changes to the discretionary point arrangements means that there will be over 2,400 extra awards available (worth over £2,500 each), making almost 5,600 in total, while the number of consultants eligible to receive awards will increase from 12,600 to almost 16,000. Second, there will be a new scheme to recognise consultants working in the most intense posts. For junior doctors the 3.3 per cent. increase is over and above the money already on the table in our current negotiations on their new contract; from October 2000, this would add 6 per cent. to their paybill in the first 12 months.

  General dental practitioners will also benefit from a £20 million package to recognise experience and quality and to reward past and present commitment to NHS dentistry. This will give a big boost to the Government's dental strategy and to improve access to NHS dentistry.

  The contribution of all staff will be crucial if we are to maintain and improve the quality of patient care and to modernise the NHS. These pay awards, which build on the platform set by last year's increases, reflect a proper balance between the pay needed to recruit, retain and motivate staff and the needs of modern service delivery and patient care.

  Care Home Standards
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the proportion of existing residential capacity that will be lost if his Draft Required Standards for Residential and Nursing Care are implemented. [102994]

  Mr. Hutton
  Occupancy rates for care homes and nursing currently runs nationally at about 85 per cent., and locally, in some regions such as Lancashire, at about 50 per cent.

  The number of beds which would need to be de-commissioned nationally in order to comply with the Centre for Policy on Ageing's proposed standards was estimated for the Department of Health by Laing and Buisson as approximately 4.2 per cent. for residential care homes and 8.1 per cent. for nursing homes. This information was published in September last year.

  Further information on the possible impact of some of the proposed standards is set out in the annexes to the consultation document, "Fit for the Future?"

  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received regarding the methodology used by his Department in making their regulatory impact assessment in respect of the Draft Required Standards for Residential and Nursing Homes; and if he will make a statement. [102993]

  Mr. Hutton
  We have not received any comments specifically directed at methodology used in the regulatory impact assessment in the consultation document, "Fit for the Future?". However, we have yet to evaluate all the comments which are being received on "Fit for the Future?". We will carefully consider all the comments we receive.

  Intensive Care Beds
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the lowest number of intensive care beds available in each region of England and Wales on each day between 20 December and 10 January. [104649]

  Mr. Denham
  [holding answer 13 January 2000]: Information collected by the Department is unvalidated management information gathered over a period of hours primarily to give an indication of bed availability. However, the position may change constantly and it is not possible to establish whether the figures obtained reflect the lowest, maximum or average occupancy for that day. Even when no beds are reported as available, National Health Service trusts may invoke contingency arrangements to give patients the care they need. For this reason it is not possible to provide the information requested. The unvalidated management information has been placed in the Library.

  NHS Direct
  Mr. Hammond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his target waiting time for calls to NHS Direct to be answered; what measures are in place to monitor waiting times; and what waiting times were being achieved at the latest date for which figures are available. [104777]

  Ms Stuart
  NHS Direct does not have an explicit target waiting time for all callers by which time their call will be answered.

  In November, the latest information available, 81 per cent. of calls were answered within 15 seconds, and calls were answered on average within 25 seconds.

  Epidemics
  Mr. Hammond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will state the current definition used by his Department of an epidemic. [104775]

  Yvette Cooper
  The epidemiologists definition of an epidemic is an increase in the frequency of occurrence of a disease in a population above its baseline level for a specified period of time. The term epidemic can be used when describing the pattern of either infectious or chronic diseases in the population.

  Administrative definitions can be set for different diseases in which an arbitrary threshold is selected above which the term "epidemic" is applied. In the case of influenza, the Department introduced in 1996 an administrative definition of an "epidemic" for a rate of consultation (with a sample of general practices) of 400 per 100,000 population in a week.

  Such influenza activity in England is thus monitored through the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) sentinel surveillance scheme. This records the number of first visits to a general practitioner with influenza-illness. Other respiratory illnesses prevalent at this time of year are recorded separately.

  This system does not and cannot measure the real incidence of influenza since it is restricted to those people who visit their general practitioner. This year a major

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  campaign was run to encourage people to choose their own remedy, to consult a pharmacist and to use NHS Direct, as alternative sources of advice.

  The severity of the disease itself can also vary from year to year. This year the elderly have been particularly affected by the complications of influenza. The level of cases of acute bronchitis, a serious complication of influenza, is the highest the RCGP surveillance system has seen for 15 years. In describing epidemics some other countries formally include measures of severity in the definition of an epidemic. For example, the United States declares an epidemic when the proportion of deaths due to pneumonia and influenza passes a certain threshold.

  The Department has not introduced administrative definitions of an epidemic for diseases other than influenza.

  Health Services (Lancashire)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much money is spent per head of population on health services in(a) South Lancashire and (b) North Lancashire Health Authority area; [105115]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the adequacy of medical services at Chorley and South Ribble Hospital; [105117]

  (3) what assessment he has made of the provision of satellite renal services at Chorley and South Ribble Hospital; [105116]

  (4) if he will make a statement on the financial situation of the South Lancashire Health Authority; [105114]

  (5) what plans he has to introduce new and enhanced existing medical services at Chorley and South Ribble Hospital; [105170]

  (6) if he will end the practice of postcode medicine in Lancashire by merging the relevant health authorities. [105113]

  Ms Stuart
  South Lancashire and North West Lancashire health authorities commissioned Professor Sir Leslie Turnberg to review the provision of medical services in Chorley, South Ribble and Preston and to recommend the best configuration of services to meet the needs of local residents. The Boards of Chorley and South Ribble National Health Service Trust and Preston Acute Hospitals NHS Trust endorsed the recommendations of that review team.

  The NHS Executive is currently undertaking organisational development work designed to improve health and health services in the north west. Any proposals for organisational reconfigurations of health authorities arising from these discussions will be subject to formal public consultation.

  Figures for expenditure per head of population in South Lancashire and North West Lancashire, are given in the table.

  South Lancashire Health Authority planned for an income and expenditure deficit of £1.1 million for 1999–2000—the forecast outturn at Q3 indicates that this plan will be achieved. The authority is planning to return to a recurrently balanced financial position in the short term.
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  The health authority has commissioned an independent review of the health economy within South Lancashire and all relevant parties, the health authority, primary care groups and NHS Trusts are supporting this review. It is intended that the review will assist the health economy in South Lancashire to identify solutions to the current financial position.

  The four health authorities serving Lancashire and South Cumbria have agreed a strategy to improve the provision of renal services in the area. An additional 15 dialysis stations, due to open at the Royal Preston Hospital in the spring, will benefit Chorley and South Ribble residents. The next stage of the process will involve investment in satellite units and the possibility of a unit at Chorley has been recognised in the strategy.

  The range of quality of medical services provided by Chorley and South Ribble District General Hospital is kept under continuous review by commissioning health authorities.

  Expenditure on health services by head of population in the North West Region (by health authority)

  1998–99

  £

  North West Lancashire Health Authority

  649.68

  South Lancashire Health Authority

  606.42

  North West Region

  649.50

  Notes:

  1. The majority of drugs expenditure has been accounted for by the Prescription Pricing Authority rather than individual health authorities. Also the majority of General Dental Services expenditure is not available by health authority.

  2. Figures are taken from health authority annual accounts which are prepared on a resource basis and therefore differ from cash allocations in each year.

  Source:

  Health authority accounts for 1998–99.

  Mid-year resident population estimates for 1998.

  Care in the Community
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to require organisations which provide care in the community to ensure that residents in receipt of the mobility component of disability living allowance retain that money or have it expended solely on their behalf. [104818]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance may not be taken into account for charging purposes. Section 73(14) of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992 requires these payments, or the right to receive them, be disregarded in any charging schemes which have regard to a person's means.

  Charities
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with ministers on proposals to amend charity law to enable charities in receipt of Section 64 grants to improve accountability of their use of public funds; and if he will make a statement. [104820]

  Mr. Hutton
  None. Government funding for voluntary organisations, including aspects of accountability, is however to be covered in a Code of Practice to underpin the "Compact on Relations between Government and the Voluntary and Community Sector
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  in England". The Department is involved with the voluntary sector in the development of the Code and will encourage the application of its principles at local level.

  Cancer (Death Rates)
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the question tabled by the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, South and East Cleveland on 1 December for answer on 6 December relating to death rates from cancer (ref. 101422). [104772]

  Yvette Cooper
  I replied to my hon. Friend on 11 January,Official Report, column 140W.

  University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will appoint board members for the university hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust. [104823]

  Mr. Denham
  Following the recent appointment of Philip Hammersley CBE as chair of the University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, the non-executive directors will be appointed shortly.

  Mental Health Services
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many GP referrals were there of people with mental health problems in each of the last 10 years. [105120]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Department does not keep central records of the diagnosis given by General Medical Practitioners to their patients. However, records have been kept since 1995–96 of the number of written referrals to specialised NHS mental health services. These show:

  GP written referrals to mental health specialities 1995–96 to 1999–2000

  Year

  Q1

  Q2

  Q3

  Q4

  Total

  1995–96

  54,014

  53,527

  51,908

  59,627

  219,076

  1996–97

  57,551

  54,843

  59,227

  60,392

  232,013

  1997–98

  61,771

  58,307

  59,549

  62,183

  241,810

  1998–99

  56,819

  55,901

  57,570

  61,463

  231,753

  1999–2000

  56,966

  55,667

  —

  —

  —

  Source:

  QM08 quarterly return from NHS trusts

  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the sickness rates of staff employed in NHS mental health services for each of the last 10 years. [105122]

  Mr. Denham
  According to a survey conducted by the Department in 1998–99 the average sickness absence rate for staff directly employed by National Health Service trusts was 4.6 per cent. This is equivalent to approximately eight million out of the 176 million days worked each year by National Health Service staff. Details of the survey can be found in Health Service Circular 1999/229, "Managing Violence, Accidents and Sickness Absence in the NHS", copies of which are available in the Library. Similar information for earlier years, and information about staff working in mental health services, is not collected centrally, but may be held 292W
  locally by individual National Health Service employers. We have agreed improvement targets for health authorities and NHS trusts to
  "achieve year on year improvement in sickness absence rates" of 20 per cent. by 2001 and 30 per cent. by 2003.

  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what was the staff-to-patient ratio in NHS mental health services for each of the past 10 years; [105119]

  (2) what was the ratio of National Health Service employees working with people with mental health problems per 100,000 of the population, in each of the past 10 years. [105084]

  Mr. Hutton
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average annual caseload for(a) mental health social workers, (b) mental health occupational therapists, (c) psychiatric nurses and (d) psychologists for each of the last 10 years. [105123]

  Mr. Hutton
  The information in the form requested is not collected centrally.

  Information about the number of patient contacts with the Occupational Therapy Services, Community Psychiatric Nursing Services and Clinical Psychology Services is collected annually and published by the Department. The latest information is contained in the following summaries which are available in the Library; "Occupational Therapy Services, Summary Information for 1998–99, England", "Patient Care in the Community, Community Psychiatric Nursing, Summary Information for 1998–99, England" and "Clinical Psychology Services, Summary Information for 1998–99, England". Information about patient contacts made by mental health social workers is not collected centrally.

  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much of the additional money allocated for the NHS in the Comprehensive Spending Review has been earmarked for NHS mental health services. [105118]

  Mr. Hutton
  "Modernising Mental Health Services" set out our vision for safe, sound and supportive mental health services for working age adults. In launching the strategy we announced additional funding over the 3-year Comprehensive Spending Review period of £700 million for health and social services.

  Over the 3-year Comprehensive Spending Review period (1999–2000 to 2001–02) at least £500 million will be ear-marked for mental health services from within the modernisation funds for health and social services. Of this over £300 million will come from the National Health Service modernisation fund.

  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total number of staff working in NHS mental health services in each of the last 10 years. [105121]
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  Mr. Denham
  The information requested is not held centrally. The Workforce Action Team charged with taking forward the Mental Health National Service Framework workforce, planning, education and training underpinning programme, is seeking to map the mental health workforce.

  Eye Tests (Disabled People)
  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide free eye tests and prescriptions for the disabled. [105162]

  Mr. Hutton
  The extensive exemption and remission arrangements mean that many disabled people in England are entitled to free prescriptions and sight tests. Similar arrangements exist elsewhere in the United Kingdom but are now a matter for the devolved Administrations.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Supervision of Solicitors
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, what plans the Lord Chancellor has to strengthen the supervision of solicitors with particular regard to(a) investigation of solicitor negligence and (b) more stringent penalties to be imposed by the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors in cases of poor service. [104630]

  Jane Kennedy
  Allegations of negligence are reviewed by the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors, which, as it cannot give legal advice, has set up a panel of independent solicitors to whom such allegations may be referred. The panel solicitors will advise the complainant on whether a solicitor has been negligent and if so what action can by pursued. It is thereafter a decision for the complainant how to pursue the matter. However, the position on how complaints about negligence are handled is kept under review.

  The Office for the Supervision of Solicitors can currently award compensation of £1,000 for inadequate professional service. However, the Lord Chancellor has exercised his powers to increase the limit to £5,000. This is to take effect from 31 March 2000.

  How much was spent1 (£)

  The maximum bonus paid (£)

  Number of staff claiming the maximum

  The minimum bonus paid (£)

  Number of staff claiming the (£)

  Lord Chancellor's Department2

  36,2503

  600

  10

  50

  98

  Northern Ireland Court Service

  26,1504

  550

  3

  75

  15

  Land Registry

  32,1105

  365

  1

  25

  47

  Public Record Office

  4,700

  250

  8

  150

  11

  1 The amounts given do not include ERNIC (employment related National Insurance Contributions)

  2 Including LCD Headquarters and Associated Offices, the Court Service and the Public Trust Office.

  3 Based on bonus claims received up to and including 12 January 2000.

  4 Based on bonus claims received up to and including 13 January 2000.

  5 Based on bonus claims received up to and including 13 January 2000.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Passport Office
  Sir Sydney Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the extra cost incurred by the Passport Office as a result of the backlog of applications for passports. [103977]

  Asset Sales
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, if he will list the items in the National Assets Register sold by his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies since 11 February 1999, stating in each case the amount of money realised; if he will estimate the total amount raised from such sales to date; and if he will make a statement. [104473]

  Jane Kennedy
  Details of the items in the asset registers of the Lord Chancellor's Department, its agencies and associated public bodies, which have been sold since 11 February 1999, along with the amount of money realised from such sales to date are listed in the table. For further details and an estimate of asset sales for 1999–2000, I refer the hon. Member to a written answer that I gave to the hon. and learned Member for Harborough (Mr. Garnier) on 2 November 1999,Official Report, columns 156–57W.

  Proceeds from asset sales (11 February 1999 to date)

  Description

  £

  Land and Buildings

  301,019

  Motor vehicles

  24,550

  Computer Equipment

  2,950

  Other Equipment

  1,467

  Table

  329,986

  Staff Bonuses
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, how much his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies spent in total on extra bonuses above usual payments for staff working over the New Year period; what were the(a) maximum and (b) minimum bonuses paid; how many people received the (i) maximum and (ii) minimum payments; and if he will make a statement. [104474]

  Jane Kennedy
  Details are given in the table. Bonuses were payable to staff required over the New Year period for testing and reporting on IT, security or facilities systems.

  Mrs. Roche
  We estimate the costs at £12.6 million.

  Police Numbers
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to increase the total number of police officers in England and Wales over the next three years. [103979]
  295W
  Mr. Straw
  Under the Police and Magistrates' Courts Act 1994, chief officers of police determine staffing requirements within the overall resources available to them.

  Over this and the next two years, we have increased the resources available from central Government by £1.24 billion. In addition, the Crime Fighting Fund will be used to recruit 5,000 new police officers over and above the number which forces would otherwise have recruited over the next three years commencing in April 2000. £35 million will be allocated in the first year of the fund to kick start the scheme. Additional money will be provided in years two and three.

  Victims of Crime
  Mrs. Gilroy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had with organisations representing the victims of crime about improving information to victims about appeals. [103980]

  Mr. Boateng
  Home Office Ministers and officials have frequent contact, both formal and informal, with Victim Support and other organisations representing victims of crime, including the criminal justice agencies and services. There have been no formal discussions in recent months about information to victims about appeals.

  Electoral Reform
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress of consultations on the Jenkins Commission's proposals for reform of the voting system. [103981]

  Mr. Straw
  We have said that we wish to see a debate in the country about the merits of the Jenkins proposals. That is continuing. The final decision as to whether to adopt the Jenkins proposals will be taken by the people of this country in a referendum.

  Winston Silcott
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the payment of compensation to Winston Silcott. [103982]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, was informed by the Metropolitan Police Solicitor of the reasons for the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis seeking to settle the civil action for malicious prosecution brought against the Commissioner by Mr. Silcott. The settlement was made without an admission of guilt and my right hon. Friend does not intend to call for a report from the Commissioner.

  Police Funding (Lancashire)
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to which funds the Chief Constable of Lancashire can apply to bid for additional funding for more police officers for 2000–01. [103983]

  Mr. Straw
  As I informed the House on 2 December 1999,Official Report, columns 194–97W, Chief Constables and police authorities in England and Wales
  296W
  were invited on 2 December to submit bids by 10 January for a share of the Crime Fighting Fund. I placed a copy of the bidding guidelines in the Library of the House.

  The fund will be used to recruit 5,000 police officers over and above the number forces would otherwise have recruited over the next three years commencing in April 2000. £35 million will be allocated in the first year of the fund to kick start the scheme. Additional money will be provided in years two and three.

  Elections (New Technology)
  Mr. White
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to enable new technology to be used in national and local elections. [103984]

  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to promote the use of modern technology in electoral procedures. [103990]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The Representation of the People Bill, which has just completed its Committee stage, includes provisions to allow local authorities to pilot innovative electoral procedures, such as electronic voting and electronic counting.

  Immigration
  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the penalties available to ensure road hauliers do not bring illegal immigrants into the United Kingdom. [103985]

  Mrs. Roche
  Under Section 25 of the Immigration Act 1971, it is a criminal offence to facilitate the entry to the United Kingdom of an illegal entrant, or asylum claimant. The penalty, on summary conviction, is a fine of not more than £5,000 or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both; conviction on indictment is punishable by a fine or imprisonment for not more than seven years, or both. That period is increased under Section 29 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 to ten years.

  Section 32–37 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 make provision for a civil penalty to be imposed for the carriage of a clandestine entrant to the United Kingdom. Subject to the laying of enabling regulations before Parliament in the near future, it is envisaged that the penalty will be the sum of £2,000 for each clandestine entrant.

  CCTV
  Mr. Bill O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications he has received for portable CCTV units in the past year; what proposals he has to provide resources for portable systems of CCTV; and if he will make a statement. [103986]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Forty five applications under the first round of the Crime Reduction Programme Closed Circuit Television Initiative were solely for portable or mobile CCTV schemes, while many of the remaining 705 applications contained a mobile element.
  297W
  Today's announcement of CCTV awards includes four bids for mobile systems, totalling £256,020. This is on top of £32,056 awarded last month to a mobile scheme. 18 proposals for mobile schemes to a potential value of £2.7 million have been deferred for further consideration.

  Further bids for mobile CCTV systems can be submitted under the next phase of funding, details of which will be announced shortly.

  Crime Reduction Initiative
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many homes will be covered by his Department's Crime Reduction Programme Initiative to reduce burglaries. [103987]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Reducing Burglary Initiative is expected to cover a total of approximately two million households.

  In addition, the initiative to provide security improvements for the homes of pensioners on low incomes in areas with high burglary rates, which we announced in September, is expected to provide enhanced security in up to 150,000 homes.

  Mr. Bradshaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many low-income pensioner households will receive help from the Crime Reduction Programme in respect of burglary in the current financial year. [103995]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The £11 million initiative to provide security improvements for the homes of pensioners on low incomes in areas with high burglary rates, which we announced in September, will not start until June 2000 but is expected to provide enhanced security for up to 150,000 homes over two years.

  About 223,000 households are currently covered by 63 anti-burglary projects under the £50 million Reducing Burglary Initiative (which will eventually cover some two million households). However, details of the income or age group of the households involved are not available centrally.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Wilkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers entered the United Kingdom through Heathrow Airport in 1999, 1998, 1997 and 1996. [103988]

  Mrs. Roche
  A total of 10,785 asylum applications were made at the four Heathrow Terminals in the period January to November 1999. This compares with 10,665 in 1998, 8,625 in 1997 and 8,520 in 1996.

  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to assist those granted asylum in the United Kingdom to integrate into British society. [103989]

  Mrs. Roche
  A consultation paper was issued on 2 November 1999 which set out our proposals for the integration of refugees and those granted exceptional 298W
  leave to remain based on partnership with everyone involved—the voluntary sector, local authorities and social services. Over 30 responses have been received and we will be considering the way forward in the light of those responses.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of asylum seekers who will be sent to locations in Scotland in 2000 and 2001. [103971]

  Mrs. Roche
  It is too soon to say how many asylum seekers might be dispersed to Scotland. The number will depend on the extent to which accommodation can be provided in Scotland, and the number of asylum seekers seeking a full support package. We are in discussion with the Scottish Executive and a Scottish Consortium representing local authority interests in Scotland about these matters.

  Crime Figures
  Mr. Paul Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the most recent crime figures for Kent. [103991]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The latest figures, covering the 12 months to September 1999, will be published tomorrow.

  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the performance of Cheshire Police in reducing crime. [103992]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Cheshire Police achieved a reduction in recorded crime of 26 per cent. over the period 1993–94 to 1998–99. The ratio of crimes to population in Cheshire also compares well with other forces. In partnership with local authorities and other agencies, the police are continuing that good work.

  Mr. Derek Twigg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the latest crime figures for Cheshire. [103993]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The latest figures, covering the 12 months to September 1999, will be published tomorrow.

  Witness Protection
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures is he taking to ensure that witnesses in magistrates courts are adequately protected. [103994]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  In February 1999, we asked Victim Support to replicate in magistrates courts the excellent support service for victims and witnesses they were already providing, with Home Office funding, at all Crown Court centres. The annual Home Office grant to Victim Support is being increased incrementally by 50 per cent. to £19 million to enable them to establish witness support services in all magistrates courts by April 2002.

  Trial by Jury
  Mr. David Heath
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received on his proposals to restrict the right to elect trial by jury; and if he will make a statement. [103996]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  There were 133 responses to the consultation paper, "Determining mode of trial in either-way cases". The Home Office has also received about 210 letters on this issue.

  WPC Yvonne Fletcher
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been reported to him by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis in the case of WPC Yvonne Fletcher since the arrival of the UK's ambassador in Tripoli. [103997]

  Mr. Straw
  None as yet, although the Metropolitan police intend to pursue their investigation into WPC Fletcher's murder vigorously. Our Ambassador in Tripoli has now taken up his post and this should help in that process. The Metropolitan police continue to expect full co-operation from the Libyan authorities.

  Police Funding
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of police forces which have had a real-terms fall in funding in the current financial year after the cost of police pensions is taken into account. [103998]

  Mr. Straw
  Allocations of Government funding to police authorities are made on the basis of a needs-based formula, which takes into account projected pensions expenditure. As with most formulae, variations can occur from year to year, with some authorities doing relatively better than others.

  Police authority "budget requirements" will increase by 3.1 per cent. in this financial year. On the basis of estimates provided by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, the police service nationally could have an increase in net expenditure in this financial year of 5.9 per cent. taking account among other things of the use of reserves. It is for individual authorities to determine how best to manage their budgets. Prudent management of medical retirements can help police authorities to reduce pensions' costs and deploy more resources to front-line policing.

  Polling Stations (Access)
  Mr. Darvill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to improve access for the disabled to polling stations. [103999]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Guidance on national minimum access standards for disabled voters was issued in June 1999; new guidance on disabled access is being developed; grants are available for temporary ramps and polling screens; and, the Representation of the People Bill provides for the piloting of alternative voting arrangements at local elections to improve access to voting.

  Victim Support
  Mr. Patrick Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what level of financial support from central Government have been made to Victim Support in each of the last five financial years. [104000]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The annual Home Office grant to Victim Support in the last five years is as follows:

  £ million

  Financial year

  Grant

  1995–96

  10.817

  1996–97

  11.682

  1997–98

  12.682

  1998–99

  12.682

  1999–2000

  17.300

  The grant is set to rise to £18.3 million in 2000–01 and to £19 million in 2001–02.

  Weekend Voting
  Mr. Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to establish pilot projects for voting at the weekend. [103973]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The Representation of the People Bill, which has just completed its Committee stage, includes provisions to allow local authorities to pilot innovative electoral procedures, such as voting at the weekend.

  Public Safety Radio Communications Service
  Mr. Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list on a force by force basis the estimated costs of implementing PSRCP [104376]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Most of the costs of implementing the Public Safety Radio Communications Service (PSRCS) are contained within annual charges for the core service. These will be met by central funding by means of deduction from total police grant provision and will be reduced by the £50 million subsidy I announced last September.

  Individual forces will elect to take a range of services additional to the core service to meet their own requirements. From figures provided by forces we estimate that the cost of these non-core services will be around £30 million per annum for the police service nationally. The table provides the currently available estimates for the cost of non-core services to individual forces.

  Forces will also need to purchase radio terminals, control room equipment and integration services. No force-specific estimates are available, but the Police Information Technology Organisation estimates that the total cost of these additional items for forces in England and Wales will be around £300 million in net present cost terms. This includes the cost of initial purchase and subsequent replacement over the life of the project but excludes the cost of the dedicated teams which each force will need to set up to manage implementation of the

  301W
  PSRCS. These costs need to be set against the expenditure which forces already incur in maintaining their existing radiocommunication systems.

  Estimate of force annual PSRCS menu service charge at 1999–2000 prices

  Force

  Estimated annual cost of menu services £000

  Avon and Somerset Constabulary

  84

  Bedfordshire Police

  105

  Cambridgeshire Constabulary

  210

  Cheshire Constabulary

  384

  City of London Police

  132

  Cleveland Constabulary

  257

  Cumbria Constabulary

  242

  Derbyshire Constabulary

  297

  Devon and Cornwall Constabulary

  916

  Dorset Police

  160

  Durham Constabulary

  671

  Dyfed-Powys Police

  23

  Essex Police

  1,357

  Gloucestershire Constabulary

  233

  Greater Manchester Police (GMP)

  599

  Gwent Constabulary

  134

  Hampshire Constabulary

  1,442

  Hertfordshire Constabulary

  412

  Humberside Police

  216

  Kent County Constabulary

  1,460

  Lancashire Constabulary

  755

  Leicestershire Constabulary

  346

  Lincolnshire Police

  206

  Merseyside Police

  329

  Metropolitan Police Service

  3,188

  Norfolk Constabulary

  248

  North Wales Police

  238

  North Yorkshire Police

  886

  Northamptonshire Police

  1,281

  Table 1: Police force net expenditure, and percentage change in real terms, 1990–91 to 1999–2000

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  £000

  (+/-%)

  £000

  (+/-%)

  £000

  (+/-%)

  £000

  (+/-%)

  £000

  (+/-%)

  Avon and Somerset

  107,282

  2.9

  116,004

  1.8

  127,928

  6.7

  134,323

  2.3

  141,283

  3.7

  Bedfordshire

  36,053

  3.1

  40,027

  4.5

  45,036

  8.9

  48,666

  5.3

  51,514

  4.4

  Cambridgeshire

  43,173

  3.1

  48,001

  4.7

  51,126

  3.1

  56,974

  8.6

  58,650

  1.5

  Cheshire

  63,620

  -0.2

  68,496

  1.4

  74,058

  4.7

  80,026

  5.3

  82,804

  2.0

  City of London

  38,288

  -0.3

  41,919

  3.1

  45,151

  4.3

  51,111

  10.3

  52,365

  1.0

  Cleveland

  52,889

  3.2

  58,690

  4.5

  62,269

  2.7

  66,289

  3.7

  69,007

  2.6

  Cumbria

  41,312

  5.1

  46,548

  6.1

  50,736

  5.5

  51,699

  -0.7

  54,281

  3.5

  Derbyshire

  62,086

  -3.3

  66,686

  1.1

  76,554

  11.1

  78,976

  0.5

  84,362

  5.3

  Devon and Cornwall

  107,378

  4.8

  119,619

  4.9

  129,634

  4.9

  137,578

  3.4

  140,830

  0.9

  Dorset

  50,150

  6.6

  54,239

  1.8

  57,639

  2.9

  59,345

  0.3

  66,285

  10.1

  Durham

  45,673

  2.2

  49,517

  2.1

  53,853

  5.3

  57,825

  4.6

  59,237

  1.0

  Dyfed-Powys

  32,504

  0.6

  36,366

  5.3

  40,189

  7.0

  42,315

  2.6

  45,595

  6.2

  Essex

  106,902

  7.3

  119,118

  4.9

  129,559

  5.3

  137,043

  3.0

  n/a

  n/a

  Gloucestershire

  41,526

  5.1

  46,370

  5.1

  49,361

  3.0

  51,549

  1.7

  55,180

  5.5

  Greater Manchester

  236,520

  1.6

  256,562

  2.1

  281,761

  6.3

  304,622

  5.3

  320,931

  3.9

  Gwent

  34,595

  5.4

  38,270

  4.2

  40,642

  2.8

  42,609

  2.1

  44,148

  2.2

  Hampshire

  114,172

  4.3

  127,841

  5.4

  142,133

  7.6

  146,790

  0.6

  155,257

  4.3

  Hertfordshire

  59,681

  5.4

  63,633

  0.4

  70,029

  6.5

  74,029

  3.0

  84,435

  12.5

  Humberside

  71,151

  2.5

  78,591

  4.0

  86,795

  6.9

  90,194

  1.2

  92,365

  1.0

  Kent

  107,675

  2.1

  128,118

  12.0

  136,307

  3.0

  142,749

  2.0

  153,757

  6.2

  Lancashire

  114,195

  5.4

  127,076

  4.8

  132,092

  0.6

  142,518

  5.1

  145,181

  0.4

  Leicestershire

  63,597

  1.9

  70,562

  4.5

  75,262

  3.2

  78,201

  1.2

  81,166

  2.3

  Lincolnshire

  43,025

  5.2

  48,704

  6.6

  53,039

  5.4

  55.698

  2.3

  n/a

  n/a

  Merseyside

  165,167

  2.1

  182,680

  4.1

  193,410

  2.5

  207,713

  4.6

  215,461

  2.3

  Metropolitan Police

  1,273,265

  9.6

  1,420,575

  5.1

  1,513,654

  3.1

  1,552,791

  -0.1

  1,588,001

  0.8

  Norfolk

  49,106

  5.2

  56,134

  7.6

  60,658

  4.6

  64,086

  2.9

  68,546

  5.5

  Northamptonshire

  41,997

  2.5

  47,081

  5.6

  52,575

  8.1

  55,136

  2.2

  60,306

  7.8

  302W

  Estimate of force annual PSRCS menu service charge at 1999–2000 prices

  Force

  Estimated annual cost of menu services £000

  Northumbria Police

  635

  Nottinghamshire Constabulary

  178

  South Wales Constabulary

  684

  South Yorkshire Police

  256

  Staffordshire Police

  801

  Suffolk Constabulary

  1,450

  Surrey Police

  334

  Sussex Police

  1,180

  Thames Valley Police

  1,303

  Warwickshire Constabulary

  650

  West Mercia Constabulary

  268

  West Midlands Police

  2,670

  West Yorkshire Police

  2,297

  Wiltshire Constabulary

  135

  Total for England and Wales

  29,655

  Police
  Mr. Ashdown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the real terms change in police budgets in each English county and Metropolitan area for each year from 1990–91 to 2001–02; if he will provide estimates on the same basis excluding moneys needed to fund annual increases in police pensions; and if he will make a statement. [105097]

  Mr. Boateng
  The information available, which has been compiled from the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy's Police Statistics, is set out in the tables. Police authority budgets for 2001–02 have not been set. Information on net police pensions expenditure for 1990–91 to 1992–93 is not readily available.
  303W

  Table 1: Police force net expenditure, and percentage change in real terms, 1990–91 to 1999–2000

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  £000

  (+/-%)

  £000

  (+/-%)

  £000

  (+/-%)

  £000

  (+/-%)

  £000

  (+/-%)

  Northumbria

  124,873

  3.0

  139,999

  5.6

  145,882

  0.9

  160,045

  6.9

  175,837

  8.3

  North Wales

  45,838

  2.4

  51,608

  6.0

  57,140

  7.2

  59,818

  2.0

  62,647

  3.3

  North Yorkshire

  48,995

  2.5

  53,161

  2.2

  60,123

  9.5

  63,477

  2.8

  63,772

  -1.0

  Nottinghamshire

  79,305

  5.8

  85,209

  1.2

  92,856

  5.5

  98,755

  3.6

  106,195

  6.0

  South Wales

  108,737

  2.5

  122,294

  5.9

  129,897

  2.8

  134,019

  0.5

  133,688

  -1.7

  South Yorkshire

  101,200

  3.9

  108,676

  1.1

  122,395

  9.0

  129,441

  3.0

  137,623

  4.8

  Staffordshire

  76,903

  6.5

  84,322

  3.2

  90,497

  3.9

  96,896

  4.3

  100,265

  2.0

  Suffolk

  44,755

  4.0

  49,246

  3.6

  52,052

  2.3

  55,460

  3.8

  56,828

  1.0

  Surrey

  59,126

  3.1

  64,426

  2.6

  71,426

  7.3

  75,322

  2.7

  84,371

  10.4

  Sussex

  94,916

  2.5

  108,489

  7.6

  117,529

  4.9

  122,444

  1.5

  130,382

  5.0

  Thames Valley

  146,950

  12.5

  156,072

  0.0

  165,443

  2.6

  179,632

  5.8

  192,080

  5.4

  Warwickshire

  37,963

  9.9

  41,479

  2.9

  44,128

  3.0

  47,637

  5.2

  50,000

  3.5

  West Mercia

  70,480

  3.7

  79,836

  6.7

  84,508

  2.5

  91,372

  5.3

  98,108

  5.9

  West Midlands

  231,478

  2.7

  254,477

  3.5

  288,798

  9.9

  297,807

  0.5

  313,518

  3.8

  West Yorkshire

  190,733

  4.8

  206,169

  1.8

  215,727

  1.3

  226,900

  2.5

  236,100

  2.6

  Wiltshire

  41,547

  6.9

  46,907

  6.3

  51,912

  7.1

  54,252

  -1.8

  59,155

  7.5

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  £000

  (+/-%)

  £000

  (+/-%)

  £000

  (+/-%)

  £000

  (+/-%)

  £000

  (+/-%)

  Avon and Somerset

  141,091

  -2.9

  152,087

  4.4

  152,673

  -2.4

  162,726

  3.2

  174,424

  4.8

  Bedfordshire

  54,533

  2.9

  56,627

  0.6

  58,570

  0.6

  61,778

  2.1

  64,027

  1.4

  Cambridgeshire

  61,003

  1.1

  65,024

  3.3

  68,681

  2.7

  73,432

  3.5

  75,363

  0.4

  Cheshire

  87,315

  2.5

  94,177

  4.5

  104,005

  7.4

  107.093

  -0.3

  111,094

  1.5

  City of London

  56,042

  4.0

  57,317

  -0.9

  57,893

  -1.8

  60,350

  0.9

  58,719

  -4.8

  Cleveland

  68,558

  -3.4

  73,108

  3.3

  75,426

  0.3

  81,295

  4.4

  85,397

  2.7

  Cumbria

  53,444

  -4.3

  56,856

  3.1

  61,709

  5.6

  62,532

  -1.9

  64,693

  1.2

  Derbyshire

  86,015

  -0.9

  90,420

  1.8

  95,641

  2.9

  100,064

  1.3

  107,035

  4.6

  Devon and Cornwall

  144,513

  -0.3

  150,392

  0.8

  155,435

  0.5

  166,330

  3.6

  173,649

  2.1

  Dorset

  63,276

  -7.2

  67,831

  3.9

  69,727

  0.0

  73,117

  1.5

  77,749

  4.0

  Durham

  62,432

  2.4

  68,035

  5.6

  75,166

  7.5

  74,673

  -3.8

  80,712

  5.7

  Dyfed-Powys

  46,197

  -1.5

  47,869

  0.4

  50,952

  3.5

  50,040

  -4.9

  56,143

  9.7

  Essex

  n/a

  n/a

  151,412

  n/a

  157,487

  1.2

  156,822

  -3.6

  171,590

  7.0

  Gloucestershire

  53,977

  -4.9

  58,420

  4.9

  58,633

  -2.4

  62,862

  3.8

  65,933

  2.6

  Greater Manchester

  331,304

  0.3

  341,170

  -0.2

  353,319

  0.7

  354,171

  -2.9

  387,256

  6.9

  Gwent

  44,436

  -2.2

  57,742

  25.9

  64,598

  8.8

  67,655

  1.4

  71,414

  3.2

  Hampshire

  163,193

  2.2

  172,845

  2.6

  180,791

  1.7

  186,661

  0.0

  196,955

  3.2

  Hertfordshire

  87,825

  1.1

  88,863

  -2.0

  93,011

  1.8

  95,068

  -1.0

  102,361

  5.3

  Humberside

  96,418

  1.5

  99,719

  0.2

  106,220

  3.6

  112,571

  2.6

  114,306

  -0.7

  Kent

  155,223

  -1.9

  161,625

  0.9

  174,211

  4.8

  175,577

  -2.4

  186,225

  3.7

  Lancashire

  152,225

  1.9

  161,865

  3.0

  169,275

  1.7

  177,310

  1.4

  182,679

  0.8

  Leicestershire

  86,855

  4.0

  92,853

  3.6

  98,789

  3.5

  102,790

  0.8

  106,279

  1.1

  Lincolnshire

  n/a

  n/a

  61,508

  n/a

  66,184

  4.7

  66,664

  -2.5

  69,970

  2.6

  Merseyside

  220,007

  -0.8

  221,172

  -2.6

  224,327

  -1.3

  240,267

  3.7

  249,522

  1.6

  Metropolitan Police

  1,639,392

  0.3

  1,683,181

  -0.5

  1,676,617

  -3.1

  1,716,425

  -0.9

  1,840,245

  4.9

  Norfolk

  70,378

  -0.2

  75,547

  4.0

  80,222

  3.3

  80,543

  -2.8

  86,870

  5.5

  Northamptonshire

  57,075

  -8.0

  59,252

  0.6

  64,605

  6.1

  67,057

  0.5

  70,432

  2.7

  Northumbria

  178,820

  -1.2

  186,410

  1.0

  195,092

  1.8

  205,270

  1.9

  213,010

  1.5

  North Wales

  65,933

  2.3

  68,266

  0.3

  70,920

  1.0

  72,481

  -1.0

  80,505

  8.6

  North Yorkshire

  63,096

  -3.8

  67,042

  2.9

  71,840

  4.2

  75,344

  1.6

  78,085

  1.4

  Nottinghamshire

  106,334

  -2.7

  113,591

  3.5

  120,556

  3.2

  127,018

  2.0

  130,173

  0.2

  South Wales

  144,452

  5.0

  147,458

  -1.1

  159,411

  5.1

  160.938

  -2.2

  169,968

  3.3

  South Yorkshire

  144,354

  1.9

  150,949

  1.3

  166,027

  7.0

  167,159

  -2.5

  173,933

  1.8

  Staffordshire

  98,661

  -4.4

  107,832

  5.9

  110,264

  -0.5

  116,231

  2.1

  127,472

  7.3

  Suffolk

  55,814

  -4.5

  60,963

  5.8

  63,676

  1.6

  66,096

  0.5

  70,538

  4.4

  Surrey

  83,000

  -4.4

  85,345

  -0.4

  90,976

  3.7

  91,425

  -2.7

  100,375

  7.4

  Sussex

  137,785

  2.7

  150,626

  5.9

  157,631

  1.8

  161,847

  -0.6

  165,804

  0.2

  Thames Valley

  194,465

  -1.6

  201,397

  0.3

  210,333

  1.6

  209,675

  -3.5

  232,729

  8.6

  Warwickshire

  47,760

  -7.2

  47,686

  -3.3

  51,003

  4.0

  52,015

  -1.2

  56,157

  5.6

  West Mercia

  95,886

  -5.0

  102,078

  3.1

  107,788

  2.7

  113,755

  2.2

  116,490

  0.2

  West Midlands

  331,075

  2.6

  337,992

  -1.1

  360,129

  3.6

  368,608

  -0.9

  380,971

  1.1

  West Yorkshire

  238,801

  -1.7

  265,233

  7.6

  281,745

  3.3

  277,994

  -4.4

  288,865

  1.6

  Wiltshire

  54,448

  -10.5

  59,993

  6.7

  58,535

  -5.1

  68,811

  13.8

  69,715

  -0.9

  Notes:

  1990–91 to 1998–99—CIPFA Police Statistics Actuals

  1999–2000—CIPFA Police Statistics Estimates

  Real terms increases based on Treasury GDP Deflators published on 23 December 1999
  304W 305W

  Table 2: Police force net expenditure 1993–94 to 1999–2000; percentage increase in real terms excluding pensions expenditure

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  Avon and Somerset

  -1.4

  3.7

  -3.6

  2.1

  -4.0

  5.5

  2.1

  Bedfordshire

  5.6

  1.6

  2.1

  -0.1

  -1.6

  0.9

  0.2

  Cambridgeshire

  8.1

  0.1

  0.6

  1.7

  1.7

  3.4

  -1.8

  Cheshire

  4.4

  2.3

  -0.3

  8.2

  4.0

  1.3

  -2.0

  City of London

  9.6

  -0.1

  0.9

  -0.2

  -3.0

  -5.3

  -1.0

  Cleveland

  0.7

  4.4

  -3.5

  3.0

  1.4

  1.1

  -2.0

  Cumbria

  -1.2

  3.0

  -5.4

  1.5

  5.7

  -4.2

  0.7

  Derbyshire

  0.2

  5.0

  -4.1

  1.7

  2.0

  2.8

  1.1

  Devon and Cornwall

  1.4

  1.3

  -2.8

  0.3

  -0.5

  3.1

  0.9

  Dorset

  -0.2

  9.2

  -9.2

  3.6

  -2.0

  1.5

  1.5

  Durham

  1.8

  2.8

  2.5

  4.9

  1.6

  2.9

  5.1

  Dyfed-Powys

  0.0

  6.7

  -5.9

  3.6

  3.9

  -5.8

  8.4

  Essex

  3.0

  n/a

  n/a

  0.0

  -0.1

  -5.2

  7.1

  Gloucestershire

  1.3

  5.8

  -6.7

  1.1

  -1.8

  3.4

  1.6

  Greater Manchester

  4.1

  3.2

  -2.2

  -1.0

  -2.4

  -1.9

  5.0

  Gwent

  -1.3

  1.5

  0.5

  23.7

  6.5

  3.6

  1.2

  Hampshire

  -0.2

  3.4

  0.1

  3.9

  1.7

  -0.6

  1.2

  Hertfordshire

  2.7

  12.3

  1.1

  -4.1

  1.0

  -0.6

  1.0

  Humberside

  -1.4

  2.1

  -0.5

  1.1

  0.9

  3.1

  -2.4

  Kent

  1.9

  6.9

  -3.5

  1.6

  2.1

  -2.2

  1.1

  Lancashire

  2.3

  1.7

  0.3

  1.9

  1.4

  3.0

  -1.3

  Leicestershire

  0.6

  0.5

  3.9

  5.3

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Lincolnshire

  1.4

  n/a

  n/a

  1.6

  3.1

  -3.1

  0.1

  Merseyside

  3.1

  1.6

  -2.5

  -5.2

  -0.3

  4.3

  -0.2

  Metropolitan Police

  -0.8

  -1.3

  1.0

  -1.6

  -4.5

  -2.3

  4.1

  Norfolk

  1.6

  3.6

  -2.4

  2.9

  2.9

  -1.5

  3.6

  North Wales

  1.0

  4.1

  -0.1

  -1.5

  0.0

  -1.8

  7.6

  North Yorkshire

  -2.3

  1.7

  -3.1

  2.0

  3.8

  2.5

  -1.1

  Northamptonshire

  1.6

  5.3

  -7.5

  0.6

  2.7

  2.2

  0.9

  Northumbria

  6.0

  8.4

  -5.1

  1.1

  0.7

  2.8

  0.1

  Nottinghamshire

  1.9

  5.6

  -3.0

  3.1

  0.0

  2.8

  -0.7

  South Wales

  0.9

  -4.8

  2.5

  -2.0

  0.5

  0.6

  3.6

  South Yorkshire

  2.5

  6.0

  1.1

  1.5

  2.8

  0.6

  -0.6

  Staffordshire

  3.0

  3.8

  -4.3

  2.5

  -4.0

  6.6

  2.7

  Suffolk

  0.5

  0.4

  -7.2

  5.5

  1.5

  0.6

  3.1

  Surrey

  2.9

  9.6

  -5.1

  -1.0

  -0.9

  0.2

  7.1

  Sussex

  1.0

  5.3

  -0.6

  5.4

  1.1

  -1.2

  -2.6

  Thames Valley Police

  4.4

  5.3

  -3.3

  0.0

  0.0

  -2.9

  7.1

  Warwickshire

  2.7

  2.3

  -9.3

  -1.6

  -1.7

  -0.2

  3.1

  West Mercia

  4.0

  3.6

  -4.6

  1.9

  1.8

  0.8

  -0.2

  West Midlands

  0.0

  2.2

  1.7

  -0.9

  1.3

  0.0

  -0.2

  West Yorkshire

  0.3

  2.4

  -0.8

  6.5

  1.6

  -4.4

  -0.5

  Wiltshire

  1.5

  6.9

  -10.9

  0.2

  2.3

  13.3

  -2.2

  Total

  1.2

  -1.1

  1.1

  0.6

  -0.5

  -0.2

  1.8

  Notes:

  1993–94 to 1998–99—CIPFA Police Statistics Actuals

  1999–2000—CIPFA Police Statistics Estimates

  Real terms increase based on Treasury GDP Deflators published on 23 December 1999

  Mr. Ashdown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in the Avon and Somerset force in each year from 1985 to 1999, giving figures on a quarterly basis from 1995 onwards; and if he will make a statement. [105094]

  Mr. Boateng
  The information available is set out in the table. Since 1995 police numbers have been collected only twice a year—in March and September—so as to reduce administrative burdens on the police.

  Avon and Somerset constabulary police numbers—1985 to 1999

  Number of officers

  Year

  As at 31 March

  As at 30 September

  1985

  2,982

  —

  1986

  2,958

  —

  1987

  3,009

  —

  1988

  3,013

  —

  306W

  Avon and Somerset constabulary police numbers—1985 to 1999

  Number of officers

  Year

  As at 31 March

  As at 30 September

  1989

  3,014

  —

  1990

  3,094

  —

  1991

  3,092

  —

  1992

  3,081

  —

  1993

  3,068

  —

  1994

  3,033

  —

  1995

  3,000

  2,986

  1996

  2,981

  3,004

  1997

  2,989

  2,973

  1998

  2,976

  2,966

  1999

  2,999

  Not yet available

  Mr. Ashdown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the number of police officers(a) per head of population and (b) per notifiable

  307W
  offence, in each year from 1992 to 1999, in each English county and Metropolitan area, listing these in each case in descending order. [105096]

  Mr. Boateng
  The estimates are given in the following tables. Owing to the structure of police forces, the areas quoted are police force areas rather than counties.

  1992

  Police force

  Officers per 1,000 offences

  London (City of)

  119

  Surrey

  32

  Merseyside

  31

  Metropolitan police

  30

  Wiltshire

  29

  Hertfordshire

  29

  Suffolk

  27

  Cumbria

  26

  West Mercia

  26

  North Yorkshire

  26

  Devon and Cornwall

  25

  Essex

  25

  Sussex

  25

  Dorset

  25

  Lincolnshire

  24

  Lancashire

  24

  Cheshire

  24

  Staffordshire

  22

  Warwickshire

  22

  South Yorkshire

  22

  Norfolk

  21

  West Midlands

  21

  Hampshire

  21

  Durham

  21

  Northamptonshire

  19

  Gloucestershire

  19

  Derbyshire

  19

  Kent

  19

  Thames Valley

  19

  Leicestershire

  19

  Cambridgeshire

  19

  Bedfordshire

  18

  Greater Manchester

  18

  Avon and Somerset

  18

  Cleveland

  18

  West Yorkshire

  17

  Humberside

  16

  Northumbria

  15

  Nottinghamshire

  14

  1993

  Police force

  Officers per 1,000 offences

  London (City of)

  147

  Merseyside

  33

  Surrey

  32

  Metropolitan police

  31

  Wiltshire

  30

  Hertfordshire

  30

  Suffolk

  29

  Cumbria

  27

  Sussex

  27

  Essex

  26

  Dorset

  25

  West Mercia

  25

  Devon and Cornwall

  24

  North Yorkshire

  24

  Lancashire

  24

  Cheshire

  24

  Lincolnshire

  23

  Warwickshire

  22

  Norfolk

  22

  Hampshire

  22

  308W

  1993

  Police force

  Officers per 1,000 offences

  Staffordshire

  22

  West Midlands

  21

  Durham

  21

  Northamptonshire

  20

  Derbyshire

  20

  Bedfordshire

  20

  Kent

  19

  Greater Manchester

  19

  South Yorkshire

  19

  Cambridgeshire

  19

  Thames Valley

  19

  Cleveland

  19

  Gloucestershire

  19

  Leicestershire

  18

  Avon and Somerset

  17

  West Yorkshire

  17

  Northumbria

  17

  Nottinghamshire

  15

  Humberside

  14

  1994

  Police force

  Officers per 1,000 offences

  London (City of)

  169

  Surrey

  36

  Merseyside

  34

  Wiltshire

  33

  Metropolitan police

  32

  Suffolk

  31

  Hertfordshire

  31

  Sussex

  28

  Essex

  28

  Cumbria

  28

  Devon and Cornwall

  27

  Norfolk

  26

  Cheshire

  25

  Lincolnshire

  25

  Lancashire

  25

  Warwickshire

  25

  West Mercia

  25

  Staffordshire

  24

  Dorset

  23

  Hampshire

  23

  West Midlands

  22

  Bedfordshire

  22

  Durham

  21

  North Yorkshire

  21

  Derbyshire

  21

  Thames Valley

  21

  Greater Manchester

  21

  Cambridgeshire

  20

  Northamptonshire

  20

  Kent

  20

  South Yorkshire

  19

  Gloucestershire

  19

  Leicestershire

  18

  Avon and Somerset

  18

  Northumbria

  18

  Cleveland

  17

  West Yorkshire

  17

  Nottinghamshire

  15

  Humberside

  15

  1995

  Police force

  Officers per 1,000 offences

  London (City of)

  155

  Surrey

  38

  Wiltshire

  35

  Metropolitan police

  34

  309W

  1995

  Police force

  Officers per 1,000 offences

  Suffolk

  31

  Hertfordshire

  30

  Merseyside

  30

  Essex

  30

  Cumbria

  28

  Devon and Cornwall

  28

  Norfolk

  27

  Sussex

  27

  Cheshire

  26

  Warwickshire

  26

  Lancashire

  26

  West Mercia

  26

  Lincolnshire

  25

  Staffordshire

  24

  Hampshire

  24

  Dorset

  24

  Durham

  23

  West Midlands

  22

  Bedfordshire

  22

  Derbyshire

  22

  Thames Valley

  22

  Greater Manchester

  21

  Gloucestershire

  21

  North Yorkshire

  20

  Northamptonshire

  20

  Kent

  20

  South Yorkshire

  20

  Leicestershire

  20

  Avon and Somerset

  20

  Cambridgeshire

  19

  Northumbria

  19

  Cleveland

  18

  West Yorkshire

  18

  Humberside

  16

  Nottinghamshire

  15

  1996

  Police force

  Officers per 1,000 offences

  London (City of)

  180

  Surrey

  39

  Wiltshire

  34

  Metropolitan police

  32

  Hertfordshire

  31

  Suffolk

  31

  Merseyside

  30

  Cheshire

  30

  Essex

  29

  Devon and Cornwall

  28

  Cumbria

  28

  Durham

  27

  Sussex

  26

  Lancashire

  26

  Dorset

  25

  Norfolk

  25

  Warwickshire

  25

  Hampshire

  25

  West Mercia

  25

  Lincolnshire

  24

  Staffordshire

  24

  North Yorkshire

  23

  West Midlands

  22

  Derbyshire

  22

  Bedfordshire

  22

  Northumbria

  22

  Thames Valley

  21

  Greater Manchester

  21

  Gloucestershire

  21

  Kent

  21

  Leicestershire

  20

  South Yorkshire

  20

  310W

  1996

  Police force

  Officers per 1,000 offences

  Northamptonshire

  20

  West Yorkshire

  19

  Avon and Somerset

  19

  Cleveland

  18

  Cambridgeshire

  18

  Nottinghamshire

  16

  Humberside

  16

  1997

  Police force

  Officers per 1,000 offences

  London (City of)

  167

  Surrey

  42

  Hertfordshire

  35

  Wiltshire

  35

  Cheshire

  34

  Metropolitan police

  34

  Merseyside

  34

  Suffolk

  33

  Essex

  33

  Cumbria

  32

  Durham

  30

  Devon and Cornwall

  30

  Dorset

  29

  Hampshire

  28

  Sussex

  28

  Lincolnshire

  28

  Lancashire

  27

  Norfolk

  27

  North Yorkshire

  27

  West Mercia

  27

  Kent

  27

  Northumbria

  26

  Warwickshire

  26

  West Midlands

  25

  Staffordshire

  25

  Derbyshire

  24

  South Yorkshire

  24

  Leicestershire

  24

  Gloucestershire

  24

  Thames Valley

  23

  Bedfordshire

  23

  Cleveland

  23

  Greater Manchester

  23

  Northamptonshire

  22

  Cambridgeshire

  22

  West Yorkshire

  21

  Avon and Somerset

  21

  Nottinghamshire

  18

  Humberside

  17

  Note:

  Based on police officers at 31 March

  Year ending March 1999

  Police force

  Officers per 1,000 offences

  London (City of)

  129

  Surrey

  46

  Hertfordshire

  37

  Durham

  35

  Wiltshire

  35

  Cheshire

  35

  Suffolk

  35

  Metropolitan police

  34

  Essex

  33

  Devon and Cornwall

  33

  Merseyside

  32

  Cumbria

  32

  Lancashire

  31

  Hampshire

  30

  311W

  Year ending March 1999

  Police force

  Officers per 1,000 offences

  West Mercia

  29

  Dorset

  29

  Kent

  29

  Northumbria

  29

  Lincolnshire

  29

  North Yorkshire

  28

  Norfolk

  27

  Staffordshire

  26

  West Midlands

  26

  Sussex

  26

  South Yorkshire

  25

  Warwickshire

  25

  Gloucestershire

  25

  Leicestershire

  24

  Derbyshire

  24

  Bedfordshire

  24

  Thames Valley

  23

  Avon and Somerset

  23

  Cleveland

  22

  Cambridgeshire

  21

  Northamptonshire

  20

  Greater Manchester

  20

  West Yorkshire

  20

  Nottinghamshire

  18

  Humberside

  17

  Notes:

  1. Based on police officers at 31 March 1999

  2. New counting rules and offence coverage for recorded crime were introduced on 1 April 1998

  3. Figures are based on an estimate of offences which would have been recorded had the old counting rules been in place

  1992

  Police force

  Officers per 100,000 population

  London (City of)

  20,460.9

  Metropolitan police

  387.8

  Merseyside

  320.1

  Greater Manchester

  272.6

  Cleveland

  267.5

  West Midlands

  265.5

  West Yorkshire

  245.7

  Northumbria

  241.9

  Cumbria

  239.6

  Humberside

  235.8

  South Yorkshire

  232.1

  Durham

  231.7

  Nottinghamshire

  229.3

  Lancashire

  229.2

  Surrey

  228.3

  Gloucestershire

  220.9

  Avon and Somerset

  217.4

  Wiltshire

  217.3

  Sussex

  210.6

  Staffordshire

  209.1

  Leicestershire

  205.5

  Warwickshire

  205.1

  Bedfordshire

  204.1

  Lincolnshire

  202.3

  Kent

  201.5

  Hertfordshire

  201.1

  Northamptonshire

  199.6

  Essex

  197.7

  Dorset

  195.8

  Cheshire

  195.4

  Devon and Cornwall

  193.5

  North Yorkshire

  192.5

  Hampshire

  191.5

  Thames Valley

  190.2

  Suffolk

  189.2

  312W

  1992

  Police force

  Officers per 100,000 population

  Norfolk

  188.4

  Cambridgeshire

  188.1

  West Mercia

  188.1

  Derbyshire

  182.8

  1993

  Police force

  Officers per 100,000 population

  London (City of)

  20,004.8

  Metropolitan police

  378.2

  Merseyside

  322.1

  Greater Manchester

  274.7

  West Midlands

  264.4

  Cleveland

  264.1

  Northumbria

  247.9

  Cumbria

  244.5

  West Yorkshire

  241.6

  South Yorkshire

  232.9

  Humberside

  231.6

  Nottinghamshire

  228.1

  Durham

  228.0

  Lancashire

  227.5

  Wiltshire

  221.2

  Surrey

  220.4

  Bedfordshire

  219.4

  Avon and Somerset

  214.1

  Gloucestershire

  213.0

  Sussex

  210.7

  Warwickshire

  208.5

  Staffordshire

  207.6

  Kent

  204.8

  Northamptonshire

  204.4

  Lincolnshire

  203.0

  Hertfordshire

  201.9

  Leicestershire

  201.8

  Essex

  198.9

  Cheshire

  197.5

  Dorset

  197.1

  Thames Valley

  194.6

  Derbyshire

  194.0

  North Yorkshire

  193.7

  Devon and Cornwall

  192.4

  Hampshire

  191.7

  Suffolk

  189.8

  Norfolk

  189.6

  Cambridgeshire

  189.2

  West Mercia

  187.2

  1994

  Police force

  Officers per 100,000 population

  London (City of)

  23,092.8

  Metropolitan police

  375.0

  Merseyside

  324.6

  Greater Manchester

  270.7

  West Midlands

  266.6

  Cleveland

  255.2

  Northumbria

  249.6

  West Yorkshire

  241.0

  Cumbria

  239.5

  South Yorkshire

  231.8

  Humberside

  231.3

  Durham

  227.8

  Nottinghamshire

  227.1

  Lancashire

  224.3

  Wiltshire

  218.2

  Surrey

  216.8

  Bedfordshire

  214.5

  Gloucestershire

  214.1

  Warwickshire

  212.6

  313W

  1994

  Police force

  Officers per 100,000 population

  Avon and Somerset

  210.5

  Sussex

  210.0

  Staffordshire

  209.9

  Kent

  204.5

  Leicestershire

  202.3

  Lincolnshire

  201.9

  Hertfordshire

  198.8

  Northamptonshire

  198.3

  Essex

  197.9

  Cheshire

  196.7

  Thames Valley

  196.3

  Dorset

  195.3

  Derbyshire

  192.1

  Devon and Cornwall

  191.7

  Hampshire

  190.9

  Norfolk

  189.7

  West Mercia

  186.6

  Suffolk

  186.4

  Cambridgeshire

  186.4

  North Yorkshire

  182.3

  1995

  Police force

  Officers per 100,000 population

  London (City of)

  22,559.3

  Metropolitan police

  370.4

  Merseyside

  323.3

  Greater Manchester

  272.9

  West Midlands

  266.5

  Cleveland

  257.0

  Northumbria

  249.5

  West Yorkshire

  240.3

  Cumbria

  238.1

  South Yorkshire

  232.7

  Humberside

  229.4

  Lancashire

  226.1

  Nottinghamshire

  225.5

  Durham

  222.7

  Surrey

  217.8

  Wiltshire

  216.3

  Gloucestershire

  213.8

  Staffordshire

  211.7

  Bedfordshire

  208.8

  Avon and Somerset

  207.3

  Warwickshire

  205.2

  Sussex

  203.6

  Kent

  202.4

  Leicestershire

  202.0

  Hertfordshire

  200.6

  Lincolnshire

  199.4

  Cheshire

  198.8

  Essex

  196.2

  Northamptonshire

  195.3

  Dorset

  193.0

  Thames Valley

  192.6

  Hampshire

  189.5

  Derbyshire

  189.0

  Devon and Cornwall

  188.5

  Cambridgeshire

  184.7

  West Mercia

  184.5

  Suffolk

  184.3

  Norfolk

  182.3

  North Yorkshire

  180.1

  1996

  Police force

  Officers per 100,000 population

  London(City of)

  16,637.6

  Metropolitan police

  366.8

  Merseyside

  307.5

  314W

  1996

  Police force

  Officers per 100,000 population

  West Midlands

  271.9

  Greater Manchester

  269.1

  Northumbria

  254.4

  Cleveland

  253.6

  West Yorkshire

  244.4

  South Yorkshire

  235.4

  Durham

  230.5

  Humberside

  229.5

  Cumbria

  227.5

  Nottinghamshire

  224.8

  Lancashire

  222.7

  Surrey

  212.3

  Sussex

  212.2

  Staffordshire

  209.5

  Leicestershire

  208.1

  Bedfordshire

  207.6

  Wiltshire

  207.4

  Gloucestershire

  206.1

  Cheshire

  204.8

  Avon and Somerset

  204.7

  Kent

  201.8

  Hertfordshire

  200.7

  Warwickshire

  197.3

  Northamptonshire

  193.8

  Hampshire

  193.4

  Essex

  192.6

  Devon and Cornwall

  189.5

  Lincolnshire

  188.9

  Dorset

  187.9

  Derbyshire

  184.8

  Norfolk

  182.3

  North Yorkshire

  182.2

  Thames Valley

  182.1

  West Mercia

  180.6

  Cambridgeshire

  180.0

  Suffolk

  175.2

  1997

  Police force

  Officers per 100,000 population

  London (City of)

  16,514.9

  Metropolitan police

  355.9

  Merseyside

  296.4

  West Midlands

  269.7

  Greater Manchester

  268.5

  Cleveland

  261.0

  Northumbria

  255.6

  West Yorkshire

  247.4

  South Yorkshire

  242.3

  Durham

  240.3

  Cumbria

  233.2

  Humberside

  230.0

  Lancashire

  227.7

  Nottinghamshire

  225.1

  Leicestershire

  211.1

  Sussex

  211.0

  Kent

  210.2

  Staffordshire

  209.3

  Cheshire

  209.1

  Surrey

  208.9

  Gloucestershire

  204.9

  Hertfordshire

  204.9

  Avon and Somerset

  204.2

  Bedfordshire

  200.4

  Hampshire

  198.2

  Essex

  196.6

  Northamptonshire

  196.3

  Lincolnshire

  195.5

  Wiltshire

  195.4

  Dorset

  189.2

  Cambridgeshire

  187.6

  315W

  1997

  Police force

  Officers per 100,000 population

  Derbyshire

  186.9

  Devon and Cornwall

  185.8

  Warwickshire

  185.7

  Norfolk

  185.4

  West Mercia

  183.1

  North Yorkshire

  183.1

  Thames Valley

  180.5

  Suffolk

  179.6

  1998

  Police force

  Officers per 100,000 population

  London (City of)

  15,924.5

  Metropolitan police

  345.0

  Merseyside

  296.8

  West Midlands

  270.8

  Greater Manchester

  269.8

  Cleveland

  266.0

  Northumbria

  262.7

  Durham

  249.1

  West Yorkshire

  244.4

  South Yorkshire

  243.9

  Cumbria

  237.2

  Lancashire

  228.6

  Humberside

  227.9

  Nottinghamshire

  225.1

  Staffordshire

  217.1

  Leicestershire

  213.8

  Kent

  208.7

  Cheshire

  208.4

  Surrey

  207.1

  Sussex

  206.3

  Avon and Somerset

  202.8

  Hertfordshire

  201.5

  Hampshire

  199.1

  Gloucestershire

  198.4

  Bedfordshire

  196.5

  Wiltshire

  194.9

  Essex

  193.4

  Lincolnshire

  193.4

  Northamptonshire

  193.4

  Dorset

  192.1

  Devon and Cornwall

  192.0

  North Yorkshire

  186.1

  Warwickshire

  184.6

  Derbyshire

  184.2

  Norfolk

  184.0

  Cambridgeshire

  183.6

  Thames Valley

  182.8

  West Mercia

  179.8

  Suffolk

  179.2

  1999

  Police force

  Officers per 100,000 population

  London (City of)

  14,862.7

  Metropolitan police

  342.4

  Merseyside

  297.9

  West Midlands

  278.3

  Northumbria

  268.5

  Greater Manchester

  264.8

  Durham

  257.7

  Cleveland

  254.7

  South Yorkshire

  242.8

  West Yorkshire

  236.1

  Cumbria

  228.8

  Lancashire

  227.7

  Humberside

  223.2

  Nottinghamshire

  215.5

  316W

  1999

  Police force

  Officers per 100,000 population

  Leicestershire

  214.5

  Surrey

  211.9

  Staffordshire

  211.0

  Cheshire

  210.8

  Kent

  204.4

  Avon and Somerset

  202.9

  Hertfordshire

  197.8

  Gloucestershire

  197.4

  Hampshire

  197.1

  Wiltshire

  192.0

  Sussex

  191.4

  Essex

  189.8

  Bedfordshire

  188.5

  Northamptonshire

  186.4

  Devon and Cornwall

  186.1

  Dorset

  186.0

  Lincolnshire

  184.0

  Derbyshire

  182.2

  North Yorkshire

  181.2

  Warwickshire

  180.3

  West Mercia

  179.8

  Thames Valley

  179.7

  Cambridgeshire

  178.9

  Suffolk

  178.5

  Norfolk

  176.4

  Notes:

  1. Based on police officers at 31 March

  2. City of London figures are based on resident population

  Mr. Ashdown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were in South Somerset in each year from 1995 to 1999; and if he will make a statement. [105095]

  Mr. Boateng
  I am informed by the Chief Constable that South Somerset falls within the East Somerset Territorial Division. The force is able to provide details of police strength for this Division only from 1997 following restructuring. These are set out as follows.

  East Somerset Division

  Police officer numbers

  April 1997

  230

  April 1998

  243

  April 1999

  241

  January 2000

  236

  Chechens (Asylum)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for asylum have been received from people from Chechnya, and how many Chechens have arrived in the UK, since the start of hostilities in Chechnya. [104906]

  Mrs. Roche
  Information on people from Chechnya is not separately identified from Russian nationals and therefore the information requested is not available.

  Mike Tyson
  Mr. Hope
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons it has been decided to allow Mike Tyson to enter the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [105673]
  317W
  Mr. Straw
  Mike Tyson arrived in the United Kingdom on Sunday 16 January and was given leave to enter until 30 January, for the purposes of the scheduled contest on 29 January. He was admitted under an instruction to immigration officers which I announced on 13 January and which was made under schedule 2 of the Immigration Act 1971. Given the high profile nature of this case and the complex issues that it raised, I took the view that it would have been invidious for an individual immigration officer to have to weigh the competing considerations involved.

  I was advised that the relevant Immigration Rule, which has been in place in this form since 1994, provides that normally persons with convictions for offences which in this country attract a maximum sentence of 12 months or more imprisonment are to be refused leave to enter, but leaves a discretion to allow entry if there are strong compassionate circumstances or the case is otherwise exceptional. I considered representations sent by Mr. Frank Warren against the background of this advice and concluded that there were no strong compassionate circumstances but there were other exceptional circumstances in this case which justified granting leave to enter to Mr. Tyson.

  I took account, in particular, of evidence presented to me in these representations of the effects on small providers of ancillary services, some of whom could have been facing bankruptcy because they have invested heavily in the contest and who are innocent third parties. I also took account of the effect on business in the Manchester area and the inconvenience and disappointment of the many thousand members of the public who have purchased tickets for the fight in good faith, if entry had been refused and the contest cancelled at this notice.

  Further, I was not satisfied that in practice this Immigration Rule has had consistent outcomes in the past; and took that into account in determining whether this case was exceptional. Persons seeking leave to enter the United Kingdom are not routinely asked whether they have relevant previous convictions on the landing card or otherwise (though they would be so asked if from countries requiring a pre-entry visa).

  I have, therefore, asked for a full review to be carried out of the Rules and practice relating to admission of persons with previous convictions. I will report the outcome of this review to Parliament when it is completed.

  Police-escorted Wide Loads
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the cost to(a) businesses and (b) the economy of the movement of police-escorted wide loads between 7am and 7pm. [105021]

  Mr. Boateng
  No such estimates have been made.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many journeys have been made in each of the last five years by police-escorted wide loads. [105020]

  Mr. Boateng
  The information requested is not available centrally.
  318W
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will require police-escorted wide loads to travel during the night. [105019]

  Mr. Boateng
  The timing of abnormal load movements is an operational matter for the chief officers of police of the forces concerned. The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has issued guidance to forces which allow night time movement of abnormal loads on motorways and linking dual carriageways. This is subject to individual chief officers of police being satisfied with the road safety of such movements. ACPO policy is to allow and facilitate the movement of abnormal loads on motorways at all times.

  Crime Statistics (Lancashire)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the latest crime figures for Lancashire. [104154]

  Mr. Boateng
  The latest figures, covering the 12 months to September 1999, will be published tomorrow.

  Illegal Immigrants
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of illegal immigrants who arrived in the UK concealed in lorries in 1999. [104186]

  Mrs. Roche
  During the period January to November 1999, the Immigration Service dealt with 14,612 cases of illegal entrants. This figure comprises all those who have concealed themselves in vehicles (including lorries) or who have otherwise avoided the control. Separate figures for those concealed in lorries are not available.

  Emergency Vehicles (Black Boxes)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reports he has received about police forces in EU member states which have installed black boxes in(a) police and (b) other emergency vehicles. [104844]

  Mr. Boateng
  We understand that the police service in Berlin uses black boxes, but are not aware of any European Union member state other than the United Kingdom in which other emergency vehicles have black boxes.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police forces have installed black boxes in police vehicles. [104845]

  Mr. Boateng
  No forces have installed black boxes in police vehicles that are currently in operational use. The Metropolitan police force intends installing black box recording devices in immediate response and armed response vehicles this year.

  Police Pursuit Driving
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the recommendations of the Association of Chief Police Officers' report of September 1998 on police pursuit driving have been implemented; and if he will make a statement. [104846]
  319W
  Mr. Boateng
  I understand that most forces have adopted the majority of the 33 recommendations in the Association of Chief Police Officers report "Police Pursuit Driver Training". The recommendations which had to be taken forward on a national basis are well advanced. National standardised police pursuit driver training courses will be available by early summer 2000.

  Police Station Staff (Hillingdon)
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the(a) maximum and (b) minimum number of (i) police officers and (ii) civilian employees on duty in each of the police stations in the Hillingdon Division of the Metropolitan Police Service on (1) 31 December 1999 and (2) 1 January 2000. [105183]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis has provided the following information about staff deployed in Hillingdon Division:(1) 31 December 1999

  144 police officers were on duty for the 24-hour period starting 0600. Of these, the following numbers of constables were dedicated to patrolling their specific station areas, with the remainder performing pan-divisional duties:

  Ruislip: 17

  Uxbridge: 13

  West Drayton: 14

  Hayes: 22

  (2) 1 January 2000

  109 police officers were on duty for the 24-hour period starting 0600. Of these, the following numbers of constables were dedicated to patrolling their specific station areas, with the remainder performing pan-divisional duties:

  Ruislip: 20

  Uxbridge: 16

  West Drayton: 17

  Hayes: 23

  On both dates, 13 civilians were deployed, all at Uxbridge police station.

  The numbers of staff on duty on each date were above the normal minimum strengths for response policing.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter of 18 August 1999, acknowledged on 26 August 1999 (reference 16888/99), regarding allegations relating to experimental psychological research. [105154]

  Mr. Boateng
  I am extremely sorry for the delay in dealing with the hon. Gentleman's letter which, having been received, was mislaid within my Department. He kindly sent a duplicate earlier this month. The matters raised by his constituent are now being dealt with by the Secretary of State for Health, who will reply to him directly in the very near future.

  Police Complaints Authority
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department will make inquiries regarding the delay in the hon. Member for Walsall, North 320W
  being informed by the Police Complaints Authority about a case concerning a constituent (ref. (D) 1999 100345). [104813]

  Mr. Boateng
  I understand that the Police Complaints Authority received the report of the police investigation of this case on 26 November last year, later than the authority originally envisaged. The Authority expects to review the case within the next two weeks and will then write to the complainant with its conclusions, copying the letter to my hon. Friend.

  Acquittals
  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) in what proportion of contested cases triable either way, which were tried in the crown court for each of the last five years where data are available, the defendant was acquitted(a) by the jury after deliberation and (b) on the direction of the judge; [104232]

  (2) in what proportion of contested cases triable either way, which were tried in the magistrates' court for each of the last five years where data are available, the defendant was acquitted. [104231]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  No regular statistics are collected on this. However, there is some information available from the baseline data collected by the Home Office in 1998 for the evaluation of the pilot schemes to reduce delay in the criminal justice system. In a sample of contested trials for either-way offences in the six pilot areas, 40 per cent. of defendants were acquitted by the jury and 5 per cent. were acquitted on the direction of the judge in the Crown Court. The acquittal rate in the magistrates court was 32 per cent.

  Crime Fighting Fund
  Mr. Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police forces have applied for funding for recruitment from the Crime Fighting Fund; and what level of funding has been bid for in each case. [104375]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Forty three forces have bid for a total of 8,220 officers over the three year period of the Crime Fighting Fund Recruitment Scheme. The total number of officers bid for exceeds the 5,000 officers for which funding will be available under the scheme. We are currently assessing the bids to determine whether they meet the criteria laid down in the bidding guidelines which were issued to forces and a copy placed in the Library of the House on 2 December 1999.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Peru
  Mr. Donaldson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Peruvian Government in support of the recommendations of the Ad Hoc Commission and encourage the pardoning of innocent prisoners. [104399]

  Mr. Battle
  We have made a number of representations to the Peruvian authorities in support of the Ad Hoc Commission on Human Rights. This issue
  321W
  was raised in November 1998 with the Peruvian Ambassador to London, when the Ad Hoc Commission's mandate was last up for renewal. More recently, FCO officials discussed this with the Deputy Ombudsman of Peru, Dr. Gino Costa, when he visited the UK in November 1999 on an FCO Sponsored Visit. Since March 1998, we have contributed £141,960 from the FCO's Human Rights Project Fund to assist the Ombudsman's office and the Ad Hoc Commission with their important work. This funding helped to ensure that the Ad Hoc Commission could discharge its responsibilities in an effective manner for the duration of its mandate, which expired on 31 December 1999.

  Responsibility for the recommendation of Presidential pardons has been passed on to the National Human Rights Council at the Ministry of Justice. On 25 December 1999, President Fujimori granted pardons to 12 more people imprisoned for alleged terrorism offences. According to the Ombudsman, 48 of the Ad Hoc Commission's recommendations for pardon have yet to be approved. The British Embassy in Lima will continue to work closely with the Ombudsman and provide practical support for its work and research.

  United Arab Emirates
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received concerning the measures taken by the United Arab Emirates authorities to prevent the trafficking in and employment of children under 14 years of age. [104413]

  Mr. Hain
  We spoke recently to the UAE authorities about this issue. They assured us that the existing legislation banning jockeys under the age of 15 was being enforced and that offenders would be prosecuted. This should discourage the previous practice of employing underage jockeys brought into the UAE from abroad.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the UAE Government in respect of its compliance with the ban on child jockeys. [104832]

  Mr. Hain
  We have recently spoken to the UAE authorities about this issue. They have assured us that they are enforcing the existing legislation banning jockeys under the age of 15 and will prosecute offenders.

  Drugs Trade (Latin America)
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what international action his Department has taken to combat the drugs trade, with particular reference to drugs from Latin America. [104453]

  Mr. Battle
  The FCO co-ordinates the UK's international counter-drugs activities, to reduce the production of Class A drugs and their trafficking to the UK and Europe. During the financial year 1998–99 the FCO spent £5,900,000 on projects in support of these aims. On 322W
  5 January I announced a contribution of £2.286 million towards a range of projects under the UN International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP). This consists of:

  £470,000 to strengthen the counter-drugs capabilities of law enforcement agencies in Bulgaria, Romania and Macedonia.

  £216,000 to support a Law Enforcement Adviser to UNDCP.

  £350,000 to a precursor control project and other law enforcement measures in Bolivia.

  £350,000 to support an integrated monitoring system of illicit cultivation in Columbia.

  £500,000 to protect to monitor coca leaf production in Peru.

  £100,000 to phase II of a project to promote the regional co-ordination of drug control activities in the Caribbean.

  Up to £300,000 for UNDCP's strategic studies of the Afghanistan opium trade and the annual Afghanistan opium poppy survey.

  Sudan
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department has taken to encourage the Sudan to implement the Chemical Weapons Convention. [104464]

  Mr. Hain
  Sudan acceded to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) on 24 May 1999. It has not yet submitted its declarations as required under the Convention to the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). Until it does so the OPCW or States Parties is unable to advise or encourage the Sudan on implementation. The UK along with EU partners are seeking clarification of the Sudanese accession statement as submitted to the UN.

  Morocco
  Mr. Pollard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to visit the Kingdom of Morocco. [104430]

  Mr. Hain
  I made a productive and rewarding visit to Morocco in December of last year. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs has been invited to visit and will take this up when a suitable opportunity arises.

  Iran
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of Iran's capability to produce(a) nuclear and (b) chemical and biological weapons. [104880]

  Mr. Hain
  In conjunction with other Government Departments, we regularly assess the status of efforts by a number of countries to develop or acquire weapons of mass destruction and the means to deliver them. Such assessments draw heavily on intelligence sources and we are therefore unable to comment further.

  Iran is a Non-Nuclear-Weapon State Party to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and a State Party to the Chemical Weapons Convention and the Biological and Toxic Weapons Convention. We continue to encourage Iran to respect these treaties and to comply fully with its obligations under them.

  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will ask Iran officially to recognise Israel. [104879]
  323W
  Mr. Hain
  The Foreign Secretary had lengthy discussions with the Iranian Foreign Minister about the situation in the Middle East and the peace process in the course of Dr. Kharrazi's recent visit. We pressed him for Iran to take a more positive position on the peace process. Iranian recognition of Israel does not look likely for the moment.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received that persons executed for criminal offences in Iran are political dissidents. [104780]

  Mr. Hain
  We and our EU partners have on a number of occasions reminded the Iranian Government of our opposition to the death penalty, and our concern that it be used with utmost restraint. Our information is that the majority of executions in Iran are for drug-related offences. We and our EU partners have raised with Iran our concern over particular death sentences, notably against members of the Baha'i community and against students involved in the July 1999 demonstrations.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to Iran concerning its attempts to obtain fissile material and technology for weapons development. [104784]

  Mr. Hain
  We regularly raise with the Iranians our concerns over reports that Iran has a nuclear weapons programme, most recently during last week's visit to the UK by Dr. Kamal Kharrazi, Iranian Minister of Foreign Affairs. The visit resulted in a Joint Declaration, signed by Dr. Kharrazi and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary, in which the UK and Iran agreed to continue mutual co-operation to reinforce international efforts aimed at eliminating weapons of mass destruction and reiterated the importance of implementing the international conventions to which both have adhered, including the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will press the Iranian Government to grant equal opportunities in education and employment to Baha'i, Christian and Jewish Iranians. [104781]

  Mr. Hain
  We and our EU partners regularly raise our concerns over certain Iranian human rights policies with the Iranian authorities. The EU sponsored United Nations General Assembly resolution on human rights in Iran adopted on 18 November featured prominently international concerns about treatment of religious minorities. The Iranian authorities are fully aware that we and our EU partners consider persecution on religious grounds to be unacceptable.

  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the United States Government regarding the foreign policy of Iran. [104769]

  Mr. Hain
  We and our EU partners regularly discuss policy towards Iran, with the US as well as matters relating to Iranian foreign policy, as I did in Washington last month.
  324W
  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many reports he has received in the last two years regarding the activities of the Revolutionary Guards in Iran. [104998]

  Mr. Hain
  Our Embassy in Tehran provides comprehensive reporting on the full range of public policy and other issues in Iran, including those relating to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the names of people currently awaiting extradition from Iran to the United Kingdom. [105005]

  Mr. Hain
  There is no extradition treaty between the United Kingdom and Iran. We are not aware of anybody facing extradition from Iran to the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Iranian Government concerning the(a) financing, (b) equipping, (c) provision of training locations and (d) provision of refuge from extradition to Hamas, Hezbollah and Pale stinian Islamic Jihad by the Iranian Government. [105004]

  Mr. Hain
  Iranian opposition to the Middle East peace process and support for groups that oppose the peace process featured prominently in the discussions between the Foreign Secretary and his Iranian counterpart during his visit from 10–12 January. The Iranian authorities are fully aware of the importance that we and our EU partners attach to the Middle East peace process.

  Dr. Vis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to Iran calling for the trial of the 13 Iranian Jews accused of spying to be held in public. [104790]

  Mr. Hain
  We and our EU partners have repeatedly stressed to the Iranian authorities the importance we attach to this issue. We have also stressed our belief that those detained should either be released or granted a speedy, fair and open trial. The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary both raised this issue with Dr. Kharrazi during his visit from 10–12 January. Dr. Kharrazi said that those detained would receive a fair trial with access to lawyers and their families. We will continue to monitor the situation.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he made to the Iranian Foreign Minister during his recent visit to the UK regarding(a) human rights in Iran, including the human rights of the Jewish community and (b) support for the Middle Eastern peace process; and if he will make a statement. [104905]

  Mr. Hain
  Human rights and Iranian attitudes to the Middle East peace process featured prominently in the discussions between the Foreign Secretary and his Iranian counterpart Dr. Kamal Kharrazi during the visit to London on 10–12 January.

  Indonesia
  Mr. Pound
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the status of the EU arms embargo on Indonesia. [105843]
  325W
  Mr. Hain
  The EU Common Position of 16 September 1999 imposing restrictive measures, including an arms embargo, against Indonesia for a fixed period of four months, expired on 17 January 2000. Following the expiry of the embargo all applications for the export of equipment on the Military List to Indonesia will be considered on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the national criteria on arms exports and the EU Code of Conduct.

  The UK, together with our EU partners, continues to monitor closely the performance of the new Indonesian administration and in particular the actions of the Indonesian military.

  Libyan Scud Missiles
  Mr. Maples
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when(a) he and (b) his office were first informed of the interception of Libyan scud missile parts at Gatwick Airport. [105013]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  I am updated regularly on Libya's ambitions and efforts to acquire weapons technology. I am not briefed on the details of individual HMCE operations nor would I expect to be. I was given a full account of this specific operation following the disclosure on 9 January of some details of it to the media.

  I took our concerns about Libyan weapons programmes into account when reviewing policy on Libya before my statement in the House on 7 July 1999.

  In May 1999 HMCE initiated their inquiry with regard to this consignment. FCO officials were aware of the grounds for suspicion. HMCE sought the assistance of FCO officials on 16 June in pursuing their investigation with the Maltese authorities. MOD officials inspected the consignment on 13 July. FCO officials received confirmation on 29 July that the contents were consistent with Scud parts. Libya has possessed since the 1970s a number of Soviet-supplied Scud B missiles with a range limited to a maximum of 300km. The parts seized at Gatwick could be applicable to the Scud B or other Scud derivatives, but would not have enabled Libya to extend the range of its existing Scud missile arsenal.

  I congratulate HMCE on their vigilance in successfully detaining this shipment.

  North Korea
  Mr. Maples
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the status and future of diplomatic relations with North Korea. [105016]

  Mr. Battle
  At present, the United Kingdom is not planning to establish diplomatic relations with North Korea. We actively seek continued dialogue with North Korea and continue to press North Korea for progress on issues of international concern, such as missile proliferation and human rights abuses. Our future stance will largely depend on North Korea's willingness to address these long-standing concerns.

  Chechnya
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken 326W
  by British diplomatic representatives at the United Nations towards developing a strategy for peace in Chechnya. [104909]

  Mr. Vaz
  British diplomatic representatives at the UN have contributed to informal consultations of Security Council members on Chechnya, particularly the humanitarian aspects. Russia, a permanent member of the Security Council, has blocked any formal discussion or action on Chechnya.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Russian Government concerning their bombing campaign in Chechnya. [104903]

  Mr. Vaz
  We have repeatedly raised with the Russians our concerns about their bombing campaign in Chechnya. Most recently the Prime Minister raised this with Mr. Putin when they spoke on 20 December and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed it during telephone calls with Foreign Minister Ivanov on 31 December and 11 January.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what sources of information he has on the effect of the Russian bombardment of Chechnya. [105025]

  Mr. Vaz
  Independent reliable sources of information on the effect of Russian actions in Chechnya are scarce. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office uses a wide range of material to assess the situation. This comes from diplomatic, media, NGO and other sources.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish recent representations he has received concerning Government policy toward Russian action in Chechnya; and if he will make a statement. [104907]

  Mr. Vaz
  We have received representations on Russian actions in Chechnya from a wide number of sources including many letters from the public, from NGOs and from Members of both Houses.

  It would be impractical to publish all of these, but the issues raised were well covered in the debates that have taken place in both Houses.

  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has made statements in the past on the Government's position on Chechnya, most recently on 7 December, and will continue to do so.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what NATO observation has taken place of the hostilities in Chechnya. [104910]

  Mr. Vaz
  There is no direct NATO involvement in Chechnya. But NATO regularly assesses the situation there and frequent discussions take place among member states in the North Atlantic Council.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings have been held by(a) Diplomatic Service officials and (b) Ministers with

  327W
  elected representatives of the Chechen people since the commencement of hostilities in Chechnya; and which Chechen representatives were involved. [104904]

  Mr. Vaz
  I have not met Chechen representatives. FCO officials had a meeting with two Chechen parliamentarians, Mr. Idigov and Mr. Magomedov, on 15 December to hear their views on the situation in Chechnya.

  Classified Documents
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria he uses to judge whether an author should be permitted access to classified material. [104707]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  The FCO follows Cabinet Office guidance on access to records. It does not give access to authors unless their intended publication is commissioned/sponsored or approved by Departments, and is seen to be research from which the FCO will benefit, and can be justified as being in the public interest and resources are available. Authors are normally cleared to the appropriate security level before any access is given.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who authorised the disclosure of information, contained in the book by Alan Judd, entitled, The Quest for C: Mansfield Cumming and the Founding of the Secret Service; and if he will make a statement. [104708]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  The disclosure of information in Mr. Judd's biography of Mansfield Cumming was made in accordance with an official authorisation given by SIS under section 7 (3)(b) of the Official Secrets Act 1989, and as defined in section 7 (5) of that Act.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter of 7 December regarding a constituent (ref. GV100/SG801). [104814]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Visa Correspondence Unit replied to my hon. Friend, the member for Walsall, North, on my behalf on 12 January 2000.

  UK Embassies (Commerce)
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the value of business(a) directly and (b) indirectly won by the commercial departments of (i) UK embassies and consulates in EU member states and (ii) the UK embassy and consulates in the USA in each of the last five years. [105286]

  Mr. Battle
  The most recent independent report on commercial services provided by British diplomatic posts overseas was produced by the National Audit Office (NAO) in 1996. This report, which covered four countries in south east Asia, noted that the seven services which the NAO examined helped generate an estimated £345 million of additional business for British companies in 1994, at a cost of £4.5 million.
  328W
  British Trade International was set up in 1999 to combine in one organisation the trade promotion work of the FCO and the DTI. British Trade International has identified 15 target markets, including Western Europe and the USA. Although we do not carry out quantitative assessments of the value of business won, we commission research from an independent research company, which shows an average 90 per cent. overall satisfaction rate in 1998 among customers of the commercial services provided by overseas posts worldwide.

  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 11 January 2000,Official Report, column 132W, on embassy costs, for what reasons the embassies in Rome and Bonn spend 9 per cent. and 2 per cent. respectively, on commercial work. [105255]

  Mr. Hain
  Commercial work in both Italy and Germany is concentrated in their commercial centres, such as Milan and Dusseldorf, rather than their capital cities.

  Rome accounts for 23 per cent. of commercial work carried out in Italy and Bonn 3 per cent. in Germany.

  Embassy Running Costs
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 11 January 2000,Official Report, column 132W, on embassy running costs, if he will break down the percentages listed under other activities. [105254]

  Mr. Hain
  The 'Other Activities' listed in the previous answer are made up of the following: (1) Economic, (2) Aid Administration, (3) Consular, (4) Work for other Government Departments, (5) Administration and Security and (6) Miscellaneous.

  The percentages are broken down as follows:

  Percentage

  (1)

  (2)

  (3)

  (4)

  (5)

  (6)

  European Union

  Vienna

  2

  0

  3

  5

  43

  0

  Brussels

  8

  0

  12

  0

  10

  1

  Copenhagen

  4

  0

  4

  0

  27

  1

  Dublin

  3

  0

  5

  0

  37

  3

  Helsinki

  2

  0

  5

  4

  28

  2

  Paris

  6

  0

  8

  1

  31

  13

  Bonn

  19

  0

  0

  1

  43

  10

  Athens

  10

  0

  8

  2

  38

  4

  Rome

  7

  4

  7

  2

  40

  8

  Luxembourg

  Cy

  5

  0

  5

  0

  37

  2

  The Hague

  1

  0

  1

  1

  26

  19

  Lisbon

  2

  0

  12

  2

  25

  6

  Madrid

  5

  0

  10

  0

  33

  12

  Stockholm

  3

  0

  3

  4

  23

  1

  USA

  Washington

  DC

  4

  2

  7

  3

  37

  11

  Miscellaneous includes such things as Science and Technology, Agriculture, Culture and Labour.

  It is not possible to break Miscellaneous down to its constituent parts.

WALES

  Child Abuse
  Charlotte Atkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when the Waterhouse report into abuse in North Wales children's homes will be published. [105099]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I shall publish the report of the North Wales Child Abuse Inquiry as soon as possible.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the public bodies to which he makes appointments. [103052]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I make one appointment to the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales.

  In addition, the Secretary of State for Wales has power under their Royal Charters to make appointments to a number of public bodies which operate in relation to matters for which responsibility has transferred to the Assembly. Those bodies are considering whether their Royal Charters should be amended to transfer these powers to the Assembly, but that process is not yet complete.

  Departmental Productivity
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action he is taking to increase the productivity and reduce the running costs of his Department. [103841]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  My Department came into existence on 1 July 1999 following devolution in Wales. The planned complement of staff has not yet been recruited but we are working to ensure that our systems maximise productivity and effectiveness.

  Theatres (Funding)
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to meet the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to discuss National Lottery funding of theatre companies in Wales. [100199]

  Mr. Hanson
  The Secretary of State meets the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on a regular basis. National Lottery funding of theatre companies in Wales is not the responsibility of either my office or the Department for Culture Media and Sport, but is a matter for the relevant distributor in Wales.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Minimum Income Guarantee
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he is taking to ensure that all those pensioners entitled to the Minimum Income Guarantee take it up. [104600]

  Mr. Rooker
  An announcement of our plans to encourage pensioners to take-up their entitlement to the Minimum Income Guarantee will be made shortly.

  State Second Pension
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if it is his policy that, following the introduction of the State Second Pension, all employees below state pension age who have not contracted out of the state scheme will earn entitlements under the rules for the State Second Pension rather than SERPS; and if this is the assumption which underlies his estimates of the distributional impact of the reform. [104687]

  Mr. Rooker
  Following the introduction of State Second Pension, all employees below State Pension age, who have paid Class 1 National Insurance Contributions on earnings at or above the Lower Earnings Limit and who have not contracted out of the State scheme, will accrue entitlement to a second pension under the rules for the State Second Pension. Any SERPS entitlement they have already accrued will be preserved. So when a person reaches State Pension age they will receive, in addition to their basic Retirement Pension, a second pension made up of any preserved SERPS plus entitlement under State Second Pension.

  State Second Pension will reform SERPS so that those with low earnings will get much more additional pension. All those earning between £3,432 (the annual Lower Earnings Limit) and £9,500 will accrue at least twice as much entitlement under State Second Pension than they would have done under SERPS. The highest proportionate gains will go to those on the lowest earnings.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the cost of backdating the State Second Pension to(a) 1978, (b) 1981, (c) 1986, (d) 1992 and (e) 1998 for carers in receipt of Invalid Care Allowance. [105251]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is not available.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the costs which would result if the state second pension were backdated to(a) 1978, (b) 1981, (c) 1986, (d) 1992 and (e) 1998 for carers of ill, elderly or disabled relatives in receipt of Home Responsibilities Protection. [105252]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is not available.

  Home Responsibilities Protection can currently be claimed at any time up to State Pension age for qualifying periods since 1978. Since only very small numbers have so far claimed Home Responsibilities Protection for caring for a sick or disabled person, any estimate based on our usual 1 per cent. sampling method would not be reliable.

  Asset Sales
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the items in the National Assets Register sold by his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies since 16 February 1999, stating in each case the amount of money realised; if he will estimate the total amount raised from such sales to date; and if he will make a statement. [104486]
  331W
  Mr. Rooker
  The National Asset Register published in November 1997 showed the assets held by the Department, its agencies and associated public bodies to be 195 freehold properties, 54 historic leasehold properties, 59,500 personal computers, 24,400 printers and 2,853 vehicles.

  The Department's freehold and historic leasehold properties were transferred to the private sector as part of two Private Finance Initiative deals. On 8 January 1998 the Department transferred the six properties in the Newcastle Estate (Newcastle Longbenton, Gosforth Broadway West, Newcastle Ponteland Road, Washington Emerson House, Newcastle Tyneview Park and Washington Durham House) to the Newcastle Estate Partnership. The Department did not receive a cash sum but will be charged rentals at a reduced rate for the period of the contract. On 1 April 1998 the remainder of the Departmental estate was transferred as part of the Private Sector Resource Initiative for Management of the Estate (PRIME). The Department received cash consideration of £250 million. In addition, the sale of vehicles in the period up to the end of January 1999 realised an estimated £2,223,458.

  Following the transfer of properties, the Department no longer holds fixed assets of significant value. In the period from the beginning of February 1999 to the end of December 1999, the Department sold a small number of low value items such as personal computers and printers. In addition, sales of vehicles realised an estimated £794,998.

  The estimated total cash raised from such sales to date is therefore £253,018,456.

  Stakeholder Pension Credits
  Ms Kelly
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what estimate he has made of the additional cost to the Exchequer of providing credits to a stakeholder pension for a parent with a child under the age of five years who stays at home to look after the child; [104873]

  (2) what estimate he has made of the additional cost to the Exchequer of providing credits to a stakeholder pension for someone not in employment who looks after a dependent relative. [104874]

  Mr. Rooker
  We have no plans to provide credits to stakeholder pension schemes. Under our proposals for State Second Pension qualifying carers will be treated as if they had earnings of £9,500. This will, for the first time, give carers the chance to build up a second pension. A qualifying carer will be:

  someone receiving Child Benefit for a child under six;

  someone entitled to Invalid Care Allowance; or

  someone given Home Responsibilities Protection because they were caring for a disabled person.

  Assuming State Second Pension is introduced in 2002, the estimated gross costs of giving carers of disabled people and those receiving Child Benefit for a child aged under six State Second Pension entitlement are shown in the following table.
  332W

  2010

  2020

  2030

  2040

  2050

  Carers of disabled

  0.0

  0.1

  0.2

  0.4

  0.7

  Carers of child under six

  0.0

  0.0

  0.1

  0.7

  2.0

  Total

  0.0

  0.1

  0.3

  1.1

  2.7

  Notes:

  1. Figures, supplied by the Government Actuary's Department, are in £ billion at1999–2000 prices. They make no allowance for income-related benefit offsets.

  2. Figures are calculated to the nearest £100 million. Totals may include amounts of less than £100 million not otherwise shown in the table.

  3. Real earnings growth of 1.5 per cent. per annum has been assumed.

  Automated Credit Transfer
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out the assumptions about the proportion of benefit recipients opting to receive their benefits by automated credit transfer which underlie his estimate of a saving of £400 million on benefit delivery by 2005. [104148]

  Mr. Rooker
  The move to automated credit transfer as the normal method of payment from 2003 brings significant savings in DSS administrative costs. This is anticipated to be in the region of £400 million per year once the transition from current paper based methods of payment is complete, and the majority of benefit recipients have moved to ACT. Further savings on fraud are also expected. Estimates of these range from £140 million to £240 million.

  One third of benefit recipients already choose to have their benefits paid by automated credit transfer, direct into to their bank accounts, and the vast majority—around 85 per cent.—already have access to a bank account.

  Winter Fuel Payments
  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many winter fuel payments were paid out before Christmas; how many eligible persons failed to receive payments before Christmas; if he will pay £10 compensation to each person receiving payments after Christmas; if he will estimate how much such compensation would cost; and if he will make a statement. [104317]

  Angela Eagle
  This winter, some 10.2 million Winter Fuel Payments were issued before Christmas 1999.

  Of the payments issued, around five million were sent directly to Post Offices. For security reasons, Post Offices were advised to return any uncollected girocheques to the Benefits Agency on 20 December 1999 which would enable them to determine why the girocheques were not collected and issue replacements as necessary.

  Information on those who remain unpaid will not be available until the end of January 2000.

  There are no plans to pay compensation to people who may have received their payments after Christmas.

  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received from pensioners who reached pension age after 23 September in respect of the winter fuel allowance; and if he will make a statement. [104368]
  333W
  Angela Eagle
  130 representations were received compared with the 10 million payments which have been made. This winter the qualifying week of 20 September was used to enable all those eligible to be identified and paid before Christmas.

  Combined Pensions
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects the first combined pension forecasts to be issued, as described on page 89 of the Partnership in Pensions White Paper. [105151]

  Mr. Rooker
  The first combined forecasts will be issued to individuals in the Spring as part of a series of pilot exercises we have under way with private and public sector employers and pension providers.

  We have announced that we want to make this service generally available to employers and pension providers from 2002. We expect to meet or better this target date.

  National Insurance Staff
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what changes have been made in the past year to identity checks on staff issuing National Insurance numbers. [104612]

  Mr. Rooker
  A number of changes have been made in the past year to control procedures for the staff who are enabled to issue adult National Insurance numbers. Firstly, reductions have been made in the number of staff who have access to the allocation process. The introduction of these new procedures has reduced the number of people who are able to allocate new numbers from over 1,500 to less than 525.

  We have also created a database of the staff who are able to allocate numbers. This allows checks to be made on exactly how many people have access to this process at any one time, who those people are, why they need access and how many National Insurance numbers any one individual has allocated. This process is controlled via a security procedure agreed between this Department and the Inland Revenue.

  Finally we have introduced automatic security checks which enable managers to investigate whether staff have a continuing need to have access to the allocation process. The system will highlight unusual activity and prompt a Management check.

  Remote Access Terminals
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many local authorities had installed remote access terminals(a) on the most recent date for which he has information and (b) at the end of March 1999. [104657]

  Angela Eagle
  By the 1 December 1999, when the Departmental 'Millennium Operating Regime' limiting IT development around the year 2000 came into effect, there were 349 Local Authorities (LAs) with 368 Remote Access Terminals (RATs). The comparable figure for March 1999 was 336 LAs with 362 RATs. We expect 393 LAs to have at least one RAT by the end of March 2000.
  334W
  We have recently invited those LAs that have still not applied for a RAT to do so as they provide LAs with on-line access to benefit data held by the Benefits Agency that are needed to administer Housing and Council Tax benefits efficiently.

  Personal Details Computer System
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many records were held on the Personal Details Computer System at(a) the start of January 1999 and (b) the end of December 1999. [104658]

  Mr. Rooker
  The number of records held on the Personal Details Computer System at the start of January 1999 was 11,796,041 and the end of December 1999 was 22,513,887.

  Benefit Post Scheme
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if every local authority had been invited by the end of January 1999 to join his Department's scheme to ensure that benefit post is not redirected; and how many have joined. [104619]

  Angela Eagle
  The Royal Mail "do not redirect" service became legally operable from 1 February 1999. A circular was sent to all local authority housing benefit managers on 2 February 1999 describing the arrangements and inviting them to join the scheme.

  At 14 January 2000, the Royal Mail had confirmed that 225 local authorities were using the service.

  Departmental Productivity
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action he is taking to increase the productivity and reduce the running costs of his Department. [103855]

  Mr. Rooker
  Delivering efficient and modern public services is a key part of our agenda for improving efficiency. 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) Cm 4315, includes a range of measures for taking this forward, both within the Department itself and in other public bodies.

  Those measures which will help raise the Department's own productivity are as follows:

  Reducing Fraud

  "A new contract for welfare: Safeguarding Social Security" (Cm 4276) sets out our strategy for tackling fraud and error. It explains how the Department will shift the emphasis from detection to prevention of fraud and error in the Social Security system.

  Work is under way to bring forward the other elements of the strategy by developing an integrated approach across the Department, and those other bodies with whom it works.

  Better Quality Services

  Better Quality Services (BQS) reviews are part of the Department's approach to Modernising Government. BQS is a cross-Government approach led by Cabinet Office, under which Government Departments must examine all

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  options to achieve best quality and value for money in delivering their services. Cabinet Office has approved a five year BQS Action Plan to review rigorously all functions across the Department. Our reviews will focus on end results, maximising potential for synergies in service delivery across the Department and delivering continuous improvement. We have completed reviews of IS/IT, procurement, consultancy, audit and finance and planning activities. 60 per cent. of services and activities will be reviewed by March 2003 in line with the PSA target.

  Electronic Government

  In 1997 my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced that by October 2002, one quarter of dealings with the Government can be done by a member of the public electronically, through their telephone, TV or computer. The Modernising Government White Paper (MGWP) (www.citu.gov.uk/moderngov.whitepaper/4310.htm) added additional capability milestones of 50 per cent. by 2005 and 100 per cent. by 2008. Progress is monitored every six months, and put on the web (www.citu.gov.uk/25percent menu.htm).

  This White Paper committed the Department to delivering a Corporate IT Strategy that will enable stronger co-ordination on key issues such as Government Websites, Call Centres, Smart Cards, Digital TV and the inter-operability of Government IT Systems. The aim of the Strategy is to further a more coherent approach to the development of the Government's use of IT, and its integration with that of the wider public sector.

  The Strategy, which will be completed in March, is being developed by the Information Age Government Champions team drawn from all Government departments. The website (www.iagchampions.gov.uk) has their terms of reference and has, or will, publish for consultation the guidelines on

  Call centres

  Digital television

  Government on the Internet

  Data standards

  Smartcards

  At the infrastructure level, we are preparing our key objectives for data management and established technology frameworks, and we are developing public sector coherence through the use of our Government Secure Intranet.

  Reducing Sickness absence

  Progress includes an improved model for measuring sickness absence, detailed analyses of the patterns and causes of sickness, issuing guidance to managers and raising awareness within the Department. Each Agency has also been set a target to reduce absences by December 1999 as part of a contribution towards meeting the overall PSA target.

  Improving procurement

  (i) DSS spends about 50 per cent. of its running costs on goods and services. In 1998–99 this amounted to about £1.5 billion.

  (ii) DSS has adopted a strategic approach to supply management. A Supply Strategy Steering Group (SSSG) with senior cross-Business Unit representation was established in 1997 to steer, develop and articulate DSS policy and strategy for use of external resources in the provision of business services. Martin
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  Sykes was appointed Director of Supply Strategy (DoSS) from the private sector on 1 June 1998, he reports to the Departmental Board (DB) and sits on the ITSA Board.

  (iii) Past exercises to test DSS supply requirements against the market have led to a significant proportion of DSS support services now being provided by external suppliers—significant areas of business currently provided in this way are:

  Estate management, accommodation and office services;

  Information Systems/Information Technology operations; and Medical services.

  (iv) In partnership with the private sector the Department is seeking to support Modern Service delivery, for example by the replacement of Information Systems/Information Technology systems through the ACCORD project.

  (v) A fundamental review of procurement and supply arrangements across DSS recommended changes which were approved by DB in November 1999. The review addressed the requirements of Better Quality Services and focused on ways to improve the quality of the procurement service and develop our ability to contribute to business objectives, particularly Modern Service delivery. It identified ways to streamline the organisation, develop and focus expertise and improve assurance and VFM in supply arrangements. A key initiative will reorganise the current procurement units which support specific Business Units or office complexes into a coordinated, streamlined corporate structure. The new structure will provide better quality procurement services. It will also eliminate duplication, giving local managers opportunity to redeploy staff or realise efficiency savings. Plans to implement these recommendations by end September 2000 are being developed.

  (vi) We have completed a Contract Management Development Project and developed a strategy for contract management and initiatives to strengthen contract management in DSS.

  (vii) An External Resources Project has examined our use of consultants and contractors and has proposed ways to improve control and value in its Final Report dated 27 July 1999. A further piece of work is under way to address Ministers' request that we examine the potential to reduce our use of external personnel by enhancing our in-house capability.

  (viii) The Department is committed to the Government Procurement Card (GPC) and has developed plans to roll out GPC in order to reduce transaction costs and meet payment time obligations.

  (ix) In the Department about 120 staff are engaged full-time in procurement activity, of whom 73 (61 per cent.) are qualified to at least CIPS foundation level. In addition about 30 staff are currently training towards qualification. We are on course to meet the PSA target to increase our proportion of CIPS qualified staff. A parallel target is 75 per cent. CIPS qualified staff by 2000.

  (x) The Department has worked with external partners to develop a Contract Management Best Practice Model. The model will enable the Department contract management groups to assess performance against best practice and develop plans for improvement. Following a successful pilot the model has been rolled out.

  Efficiency Targets

  At the heart of the Department's welfare reform programme is the need to transform delivery from a passive to an active modern service promoting opportunity as well as paying benefit and exercising far better control over programme costs.

  The Department will seek to achieve this by the introduction of a mixture of administrative and legislative measures
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  The Department will:
  continue to develop better measures of efficiency and extend these to cover a wider range of Departmental initiatives;
  achieve a better alignment of resources with services delivered, through more systematic use of output prices, and the wider disciplines of Resource Accounting and Budgeting;
  publish service first charters and baseline performance and achieve the agreed targets;
  reduce by 30 per cent. benefit losses from fraud and errors in Income Support and Jobseekers Allowance by March 2007, with at least a 10 per cent. reduction by March 2002;
  deliver existing services within the running costs total implying an annual efficiency gain of at least 4 per cent. and aiming particularly to ensure tighter control of central costs and overheads; and,
  invest in modernisation as the route to a more secure and efficient welfare system.

  Agency Targets

  To support the Departmental commitments in the PSA, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State sets annual targets for the Department's Agencies. A full list of these can be found in the Next Steps Report and in individual Agency Business Plans and Charters. Copies of these documents can be found in the Library.

  Benefit Fraud
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will list those councils which have never prosecuted claimants for housing benefit fraud; [104616]

  (2) if he will give details for the most recent year for which he has data of how many individual cases of fraud have been committed by local authority (i) members and (ii) officers; what the total value of that fraud is; how many prosecutions have so far occurred; how much of the money has been returned; and how many of the (a) members and (b) officials were dismissed from local authority employment. [104656]

  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many(a) councillors and (b) council officers he estimates are involved in housing benefit fraud; [105017]

  (2) what powers local authorities have to prosecute (a) councillors and (b) council officers involved in housing benefit fraud. [104989]

  Angela Eagle
  The Department collects information on the total number of cases referred for prosecution by local authorities and whether they have been successful. In 1997–98, 212 local authorities referred 1,148 cases for prosecution, of which 631 were successfully convicted. This information is not broken down by type. Information about those authorities who did not prosecute any cases, or did not provide information on whether they had, has been placed in the Library.

  Evidence from the Audit Commission provided to the Public Accounts Committee indicated that 382 cases involving housing benefit fraud by council staff and councillors in 57 local authorities in England and Wales had occurred in 1998–99.

  We are as dissatisfied as the PAC with the level of fraud and error in housing benefit—particularly where council members or officers are found to be involved. Local authorities should take a firm line and prosecute fraud wherever it occurs. This is why we set up a pilot
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  exercise giving 174 authorities access to DSS solicitors to help prosecute wrongdoing and to establish why authorities are slow to prosecute.

  Councillors and council officers should always be prosecuted where they are found to be fraudulent and it is in the public interest to do so. There also has to be sufficient evidence to prosecute. The ethical standards Bill will put in place a new framework to deliver high standards of conduct throughout local government.

  Local authorities have the same powers to prosecute councillors and council officers as those used to prosecute benefit claimants who commit housing benefit fraud. Councillors and officers would normally be prosecuted under the Theft Act 1968 or the Social Security Administration Act 1992.

  Reforms we have already set in train such as the Verification Framework (an intensive case checking regime), combined with rigorous identity checks and the requirement on claimants to provide National Insurance numbers will help to prevent and root out all types of fraud. New financial incentives will reward local authorities for prosecuting benefit fraudsters.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's follow-up procedure for Benefit Fraud Inspectorate reports on local authorities; what follow-up assessments have been made to date; and if he will place the follow-up assessments in the Library. [104613]

  Angela Eagle
  Following publication of a Benefit Fraud Inspectorate report, the Department invites the local authority to consider and respond to the report and to submit any proposals for improving its performance and remedying any failings identified by the report. The report and any proposals made by the local authority in response to it are then considered to determine whether the Secretary of State should give directions to the authority as to any standards the authority is to attain and the time within which they are to be attained.

  To date, 37 reports on local authorities have been published and responses by local authorities in respect of 33 of them have been, or are currently being, considered by the Department. In those cases where consideration has been completed the local authorities have been requested to provide periodic progress reports to enable us to monitor implementation of their action plans and future performance.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many local authorities have implemented the Verification Framework relating to housing benefit fraud. [104618]

  Angela Eagle
  At 12 January 2000, 226 local authorities have received funds to implement the Verification Framework.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what procedures he has established to assess the fraud savings from the best value project. [104614]

  Angela Eagle
  The central purpose of best value is to make a real and positive difference to the service people receive from their local authorities. We are setting from this April best value performance indicators for housing benefit and council tax benefit delivery, including an
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  interim security indicator for 2000–01. These will help drive forward continuous improvements in the standards of service authorities provide to people claiming the benefits.

  We remain committed to reducing substantially the amount lost each year through fraud and error. We are continuing to press local authorities to root out fraud. For example, we have just announced new financial incentives for authorities to encourage them to undertake more prosecutions and to stop fraud getting into the system by implementing the Verification Framework.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many(a) administrative financial penalties and (b) formal cautions were issued to benefit claimants in the year for which he has the most recent data; [104660]

  (2) what, in the last year for which figures are available, was the total amount collected from the 30 per cent. penalty on minor frauds when the scheme first came into operation; and what enhancements were made to the scheme between January and July 1999. [104617]

  Mr. Rooker
  The number of administrative penalties and cautions issued for the year 1998–99 and the year to date are as follows:

  Administration Penalties

  Cautions

  1998–99

  1,637

  1,239

  1999 to date

  2,945

  3,717

  These figures are constantly being updated as notification of penalties and cautions for 1998–99 and 1999 to date are still being received.

  The value of Administrative Penalties imposed to date is £1,070,934. The overpayment is fully collected before the penalty, so therefore in the majority of cases the recovery of the penalty has not yet commenced, but it will.

  There have been no enhancements to the scheme.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many cases of housing benefit fraud by local authority(a) members and (b) officials were detected in the City of Edinburgh in 1998–99. [104653]

  Angela Eagle
  The City of Edinburgh has advised that no cases of benefit fraud were detected involving council members. One case was detected involving an officer in 1998–99.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Football Taskforce
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he will announce the publication of the Football Taskforce report. [104913]

  Kate Hoey
  The Government welcome the final report of the Football Taskforce on commercial issues which was published by the Taskforce on 22 December. Copies of the report have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter of 30 November 1999 regarding a constituent (ref. C99/24781). [104816]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  My hon. Friend the Minister for Tourism, Film and Broadcasting sent a reply on 11 January.

  Sporting Talent
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to improve and encourage sporting talent in the UK. [105103]

  Kate Hoey
  The United Kingdom Sports Council (UK Sport) was established in January 1997 to focus on high performance sport at the UK level, with the aim of achieving sporting excellence on the world stage. The work of UK Sport, in liaison with the four Home Country Sports Councils, is to build a framework for success. Crucial to this is underpinning the base of participation and ensuring opportunities for youngsters to participate both in and out of school.

  The United Kingdom Sports Institute (UKSI) will provide our best sports men and women with the facilities and services they need to help them compete successfully at the highest level. The UKSI will be made up of a central services, to be part of UK Sport, and a network of centres throughout the UK, which are being delivered by the Home Country Sports Councils. These will deliver a range of sports science and sports medicine services, including sports physiology, biomechanics, sports nutrition, physiotherapy and podiatry.

  Work has also been undertaken in full consultation with Performance Directors, coaches and athletes to identify the services they need to support them in their training and competition programmes—such as, the Athlete Career and Education programme (ACE UK) and the High Performance Coaching Programme (CPD), both launched last year—to be delivered directly to our top athletes and coaches.

  The development of sporting excellence, including disability sport, is also being provided through the World Class Programme. Over £80 million has already been made available from the Lottery to some 33 sports and over 2,000 athletes for World Class Performance. World Class Start and World Class Potential (to be funded from the Lottery by Sport England) will provide £25 million per annum to find, nurture and develop those with the characteristics and sporting talent to achieve success at the highest sporting level.

  Sports Facilities
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what resources for(a) youth cricket, (b) Rugby League, (c) Rugby Union, (d) track and field sports and (e) swimming were made available for the current financial year and will be made available in the next financial year. [105104]
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  Kate Hoey
  My Department's funding for sport is channelled primarily through the Sports Councils: Sport England and UK Sport. The resources made available by the two Sports Councils is as follows:

  Sport England

  Financial year

  Exchequer grant (£)

  Lottery Community Project funding1,2(£)

  Cricket3

  1999–2000

  216,220

  4,468,279

  2000–01

  288,550

  —

  Rugby League

  1999–2000

  338,250

  1,481,651

  2000–01

  250,000

  —

  Rugby Union

  1999–2000

  251,667

  5,130,915

  2000–01

  335,833

  —

  Track and Field

  1999–2000

  41,666

  6,482,107

  2000–01

  337,000

  —

  Swimming

  1999–2000

  314,000

  17,778,329

  2000–01

  315,000

  —

  1 It is not possible to provide details of funds that will be made available to these sports for the remainder of this or the next financial year as there is no prior allocation of Lottery Community Project funding, which is application led.

  2 1 April 1999 to 30 November 1999.

  3 Precise details of funding for "youth cricket" are not available. However in most cases, if not all, the awards made to cricket will benefit youth in some way.

  UK Sport

  £

  Exchequer grants

  Lottery revenue funding1

  Athletics

  1 January 1999–31 December 1999

  490,000

  9,487,699

  1 January 2000–31 December 2000

  To be agreed

  —

  Swimming

  1 October 1999–30 September 2000

  230,000

  5,399,656

  1 October 2000–30 September 2001

  To be agreed

  —

  1 Made available from 1 May 1998

  In addition to the listed funds made available by UK Sport and Sport England, my Department also provides funding to the Sportsmatch scheme. This scheme encourages commercial sponsors to invest in grass root sport, particularly youth development programmes. During the last full financial year (1998–99) the awards made to these sports were:

  £

  Cricket

  231,000

  Rugby League

  305,000

  Rugby Union

  607,000

  Athletics

  36,000

  Swimming

  15,000

  My Department will provide £3.373 million to Sportsmatch both this and the next financial year, of which approximately £2.9 million will be directly spent on awards. It is not possible to provide figures for each of these sports as awards to the individual sports vary from year to year and the process is application led.

  Olympic Swimmers
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assistance his Department provides to Olympic swimmers. [105086]

  Kate Hoey
  From 1 October 1999 to January 2000 the Amateur Swimming Association of Great Britain was awarded £396,029 towards the Programme costs for these swimmers which includes training at home and abroad, access to equipment and facilities, and coaching. In addition to this the swimmers themselves were awarded approximately £224,876 in subsistence support. This support will continue, the next funding period will run from 1 February 2000 to 30 September 2000, with the precise details to be agreed shortly. The final squad selection for the Sydney Olympics will be made on 30 July 2000. Currently 47 elite swimmers are supported by UK Sport and Sport England under the Lottery funded World Class Performance Programme.

  Running Tracks
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many local authority running tracks there are in Lancashire. [105106]

  Kate Hoey
  There are 19 local authority running tracks in Lancashire.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many district authority areas in England do not have all-weather running tracks. [105105]

  Kate Hoey
  Of the 366 district authorities, there are 194 without all-weather running tracks.

  Film Industry
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what revenue was generated by the exports of(a) animated films and (b) all films produced in the UK in the last year for which figures are available. [105046]

  Janet Anderson
  Receipts from abroad to film companies in the UK totalled £581 million in 1998. This figure relates to all films and is not broken down by genre. Separate figures for animated films are not therefore available.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what is his estimate of the number of animated films to be made in the United Kingdom in 2000; [105092]

  (2) how many animated films were made in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years; [105093]

  (3) how many people are employed in the animated film industry. [105044]

  Janet Anderson
  This information is not available. However, production spend on animation in the UK is around £200 million annually, which supports some 350 independent companies. These range in size from one or two-person outfits creating small-scale experimental works, to large set ups producing multi-episode series for major broadcasters such as Channel 4, BBC and Granada. Animated product is provided across the whole spectrum of the audiovisual industries in the UK, from
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  commercials, television, feature films and corporate videos to the new industries dealing with websites and computer games.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what grants are available to support the production of animated films; [105090]

  (2) what support his Department gives to the animated film industry. [105091]

  Janet Anderson
  Public funds for the support of the film industry, including film production will, from 1 April, be channelled through the Film Council. This support will comprise grant-in-aid from my Department and a dedicated percentage of National Lottery proceeds. Over the next three years the Film Council will have about £150 million at its disposal to support the film industry and film culture. It will be for the Council itself to determine the appropriate form and level of support for animation, within its overall strategy for developing a sustainable UK film industry.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of likely growth in the production of films in the UK in the next five years. [105045]

  Janet Anderson
  My Department does not make forecasts of film production levels. The past decade has seen considerable fluctuation in the numbers of films produced in the UK, from a low of 47 in 1992 to a high of 128 in 1996. The first five years of the decade saw a total of 317 productions with the last five years totalling 479. With the policies we have been implementing over the past three years to build on and sustain this upward trend I fully expect the current levels of film production activity to at least be maintained over the next five years.

  Royal Ballet
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will take steps to encourage the Royal Ballet to make tours to all the English regions. [105043]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  In 2000–01 English National Ballet will receive over £4.1 million from the Arts Council of England to tour extensively throughout England.

  Their grant from the Arts Council enables the company to visit a selection of English cities every season. For example, the full company has recently toured to Oxford, Bristol, Liverpool, Manchester, Southampton, Stoke-on-Trent and London. In addition, the company divides into two and has recently toured to smaller towns and cities including Barnstaple, Barrow-in-Furness, Bexhill-on-Sea, Blackpool, Cambridge, Cheltenham, Crawley, Crewe, Poole, Richmond, Scunthorpe, Swindon, Truro, Tunbridge Wells and Woking.

  Tourism
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding his Department has made available to increase the number of tourists to the North West. [105050]

  Janet Anderson
  The North West region currently receives an allocation of funds for tourism from the English Tourism Council. More funds will be made 344W
  available from the next financial year for the support of tourism in the regions and more work will be undertaken at regional levels to deliver the actions in Tomorrow's Tourism. The overall North West Region, as all other regions, will also benefit from other funds such as lottery funding, the Single Regeneration Budget and European Regional Development Budget.

  Sports Equipment
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if he will make grants available to Rugby League clubs for renewing and replacing equipment; [105089]

  (2) if he will make grants available to cricket clubs for renewing and replacing cricket equipment. [105088]

  Kate Hoey
  Under the Millennium Festival Awards for All scheme, grants are already available to, among other things, provide opportunities for all clubs, including cricket and rugby league, to purchase new equipment. This scheme was introduced specifically to ensure that the widest possible range of projects benefit from the National Lottery.

  Sport (Centres of Excellence)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will establish a centre of excellence for Rugby League and Rugby Union in the North West. [105101]

  Kate Hoey
  Sport England is currently in discussions with the governing bodies of Rugby League and Rugby Union about their requirements for developing performance to the highest level. Whatever is developed will be linked in to the services and facilities provided by the United Kingdom Sports Institute.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the centres of excellence for sport in England. [105107]

  Kate Hoey
  The United Kingdom Sports Institute in England will have 10 National Network Centres. These will be at Bath University, Bedford, Bisham Abbey, Crystal Palace, Gateshead, Holme Pierrepont/Loughborough, Lilleshall, Manchester, Southampton University, and Sheffield. Each will be supported by regional sites of expertise, ensuring best practice is harnessed for the benefit of athletes and coaches through a consortium approach. In October 1999, Sports England confirmed up to £120 million of Lottery funds towards project costs of £175 million to support the English element of the United Kingdom Sports Institute.

  Cricket
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what support his Department provides to local cricket clubs to encourage wider participation in the game. [105087]

  Kate Hoey
  Exchequer funding for cricket, via Sport England, is supporting development officers who are working to increase participation in the game, focusing particularly on junior players. Cricket is also benefiting from BT Top Sport delivered by the Youth Sports Trust and Sport England which is aimed at encouraging young
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  people to participate in sport. In addition, local cricket clubs can apply for funding under the Millennium Festival Awards for All scheme whereby applicants must demonstrate, among other things, that they intend to use the funding to encourage wider participation at a local level.

  Theatres (Rural Areas)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to extend access to theatres for people living in rural areas. [105042]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Arts Council of England aims to increase access to theatres for people living in rural areas by continuing to fund the touring activities of our arts organisations. Significantly, the Arts Council will be announcing later this year details of the National Touring Programme, a new Lottery scheme. This Programme, which has initially been allocated £10 million over two years, will fund new and existing touring by supporting the distribution of work from across a broad range of arts disciplines and scales to audiences throughout England.

  In addition, the New Audiences Fund is supporting over 100 projects with an annual budget of £5 million. The projects supported include those which aim to deliver more arts events and activities to more people throughout the country, primarily by extending existing 'tours' to increase their geographical reach and by exploring new methods and means of distribution. A selection of projects will also promote broader access by addressing practical barriers to attendance in rural areas, including transport.

  Royal Parks
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the permissions granted, giving dates and organisations involved, for demonstrations to take place in each of the Royal Parks since 1 May 1997. [104650]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  [holding answer 13 January 2000]: Responsibility for the subject of this question has been delegated to the Royal Parks Agency under its Chief Executive, David Welch. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from David Welch to Mr. Norman Baker, dated 17 January 2000:
  I have been asked by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to reply to your Parliamentary Question about the number of demonstrations for which permission has been granted and the organisations involved, because it is a matter for which responsibility has been passed to this Agency.
  I attach a list of all assemblies, rallies and demonstrations for which permission has been granted in Hyde Park. Hyde Park is the only park where we permit these activities to take place.

  List of assemblies, demonstrations, rallies in Hyde Park

  Date

  Assembly/demonstration/rally

  Organisation

  17 May 1997

  A'shura day of mourning

  Islamic Universal Association

  17 May 1997

  Sportsman's Association rally

  24 May 1997

  Iranians in exile

  6 June 1997

  Krishna Consciousness

  7 June 1997

  Europeans march against unemployment

  8 June 1997

  International Sikh Youth Foundation

  Federation of UK Sikhs

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  List of assemblies, demonstrations, rallies in Hyde Park

  Date

  Assembly/demonstration/rally

  Organisation

  21 June 1997

  Iraqi opposition groups in London

  22 June 1997

  Eritrean rally (Consulate of Eritrea)

  5 July 1997

  Gay Pride Assembly

  Gay Pride

  10 July 1997

  Countryside Rally

  Countryside Alliance

  12 July 1997

  Megan's Law Assembly

  13 July 1997

  Young Indian Vegetarian rally

  19 July 1997

  Eid-Ul-Millad-Un-Nabbi Birthday

  20 July 1997

  Federation of Cypriots Rally

  Federation of Cypriots

  26 July 1997

  United Tamils Organisation

  2 August 1997

  National Anti-Hunt Campaign

  3 August 1997

  The voice of world Muslims

  17 August 1997

  Dr. Ambedkar Memorial Committee Assembly

  6 September 1997

  Campaign for the rights of survivors of sexual abuse

  28 September 1997

  Sportsman's Association

  18 October 1997

  Cuba Solidarity Campaign

  25 October 1997

  Kashmir Co-ordination Committee

  1 November 1997

  Anti Tuition Fee Assembly

  28 November 1997

  Campaign for Free Education

  24 January 1998

  Islamic Human Rights Commission

  1 February 1998

  United Tamils Organisation

  28 February 1998

  Let's Rescue Ethiopia Assembly

  1 March 1998

  Countryside Alliance March

  28 March 1998

  Cannabis March

  Independent on Sunday

  25 March 1998

  Iraqi Muslim Community Assembly

  7 May 1998

  A'shura day of mourning

  Islamic Universal Association

  17 May 1998

  Sinhala Bala Mandalaya Anti Tamil Tigers March

  6 June 1998

  Krishna Awareness

  7 June 1998

  Federation of Sikh Organisations Assembly

  Federation of Sikh Organisations UK

  4 July 1998

  Gay Pride Assembly (Gay Pride)

  26 September 1998

  National Association for People Abused in Childhood

  NAPAC

  4 October 1998

  Kosova Solidarity March

  31 October 1998

  Movement Against the Monarchy

  18 October 1998

  Campaign for Free Education

  1 November 1998

  Ethiopians for Peace and Development Association

  16 January 1999

  United Islamic Students Association

  31 January 1999

  United Tamils Organisation

  20 February 1999

  Cricklewood Against Nuclear Trains

  21 February 1999

  British Eritrean Association Assembly

  BEA

  10 April 1999

  Campaign Against Genetically Modified Food

  17 April 1999

  Campaign Against Sanctions and War on Iraq

  25 April 1999

  Albania Community Rally

  27 April 1999

  A'shuru day of mourning

  Islamic Universal Association

  13 June 1999

  Federation of Sikh Organisations Assembly

  20 June 1999

  Freedom of Choice Rally

  20 June 1999

  Eritrean Rally

  Consulate of Eritrea

  347W

  List of assemblies, demonstrations, rallies in Hyde Park

  Date

  Assembly/demonstration/rally

  Organisation

  3 July 1999

  Gay Pride Assembly

  Gay Pride

  10 July 1999

  Justice for Livia Assembly

  12 July 1999

  Holy Grave Destruction Protest

  17 July 1999

  Kent Against Live Exports Assembly

  15 August 1999

  Krishna Awareness

  9 September 1999

  Iraqi Cancer Epidemic Rally

  Mariam Appeal

  2 October 1999

  Assembly of the Camden Trust

  Camden Trust

  31 October 1999

  Keep Barnet Alive

  31 December 1999

  Young Indian Vegetarian Rally

  Concessionary Television Licences
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he plans to respond to the review of concessionary television licences carried out by the Davies Panel. [104604]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 13 January 2000]: I intend to announce the Government's conclusions on all the Davies panel's recommendations shortly.

  Nautical Archaeology
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what action he is taking following the letters to him of 15 December 1999 from Valerie Fenwick, and of 17 December from Angela Groome, to update the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 and to provide resources for nautical archaeology. [104511]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  [holding answer 13 January 2000]: It is Government policy, as announced following our Departmental Spending Review, to grant English Heritage powers in respect of underwater archaeology. This will allow access to English Heritage grant funds currently unavailable to underwater archaeology projects. Expansion of English Heritage's remit in this way will require legislative changes, and we will continue to seek an early legislative opportunity for this purpose.

  It will be a matter for English Heritage, once they have been given responsibility for underwater archaeology, to advise on whether the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973 needs updating.

  Wembley Stadium
  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received from UK Athletics concerning the proposals for the English National Stadium at Wembley put forward by Wembley Stadium Ltd. regarding the proposals' suitability for hosting the World Athletics Championships and an Olympic athletics competition. [104334]

  Kate Hoey
  [holding answer 10 January 2000]: My Department was in close contact with UK Athletics about the proposals for athletics at Wembley. Following the announcement made by my right hon. Friend to the House on 1 December 1999, Official Report, columns 305–06, and a further statement issued on 22 December 1999, my Department are continuing to work with UK Athletics and the British Olympic Association to develop and assess non-Wembley options for staging international athletics events.

  Athletics
  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the suitability of the Copland School site or a location for a warm-up track for the World Athletics Championships in 2005. [104325]

  Kate Hoey
  [holding answer 10 January 2000]: The suitability of a number of options for warm up facilities around the stadium at Wembley were considered by Sport England including the Copeland School site. Although providing a lasting legacy for school and community use, Sport England expressed reservations in respect of access to the stadium during an event which would have weakened a World Athletics Championship bid.

  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what discussions he has had with the Chief Executive of UK Athletics about the feasibility of hosting the World Athletics Championships and an Olympic athletics competition at Twickenham; [104340]

  (2) if all seats in the stadium at Twickenham would comply with the C60 minimum sightlines specification of the Green Guide and the Football Stadium Advisory Design Council for a world athletics championship staged there without relocating the site of the present stands; [104329]

  (3) what assessment his Department has made of the cost of upgrading the public transport infrastructure at Twickenham so as to make it capable of hosting a world athletics championship and an Olympic athletics competition; [104333]

  (4) when designs for the conversion of Twickenham, such as would render it suitable to accommodate a World Athletics Championship and an Olympic athletics competition, will be ready for submission to the local planning authority; [104341]

  (5) what assessment he has made of the cost of demolishing and rebuilding the South Stand at Twickenham on a (a) hydraulic and (b) roller system so as to accommodate an athletics track suitable for hosting a world athletics championship and Olympic athletics competition and of providing additional infill seating between the new south stand and the existing east and west stands, inclusive of lost revenue whilst such alterations are being carried out; [104342]

  (6) what assessment he has made of the cost ofupgrading seating and corporate hospitality at Twickenham to render it suitable to host a World Athletics Championship and Olympic athletic competition; [104337]

  (7) what assessment he has made as to whether the timescale for converting Twickenham into a stadium capable of hosting the World Athletics Championship and an Olympic athletics competition will allow a successful bid for the 2005 World Athletics Championships; [104339]

  (8) what assessment he has made of the need to upgrade the corporate hospitality facilities at Twickenham as part of a bid to host the 2005 World Athletics Championships and an Olympic athletic competition; [104336]
  349W
  (9) what investigations he has made into locating a suitable warm-up track for the 2005 World Athletics championships close to Twickenham. [104324]

  Kate Hoey
  [holding answer 10 January 2000]: Sport England, together with UK Sport, UK Athletics, the BOA and the Department, is undertaking further work on non-Wembley options for staging international athletics events. The Rugby Football Union (RFU) proposed that Twickenham might be used for such events and constructive discussions are underway between the Department, Sport England, UK Athletics, the BOA, the RFU and the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. A further announcement will be made once this work is completed.

  Departmental Employee Statistics
  Mrs. Ann Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many(a) men and (b) women in each of the standard age groups were employed in his Department in (i) 1979 and (ii) 1999. [104018]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  The Department for Culture, Media and Sport was established in April 1992 following machinery of government changes.

  The information for 1 April 1999 is as follows:

  Men

  Women

  16–19

  1

  0

  20–24

  5

  1

  25–29

  18

  21

  30–34

  41

  40

  35–39

  46

  35

  40–44

  31

  19

  45–49

  35

  15

  50+

  24

  28

  Digital Television
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent representations he has received regarding the number of transmitters and the power of transmissions for digital television services; and if he will make a statement. [104725]

  Janet Anderson
  DCMS has received a number of representations from MPs and members of the public about the coverage of digital terrestrial television (DTT) services.

  The BBC and Independent Television Commission (1TC) jointly planned for the launch of digital terrestrial television and developed a plan comprising a network of 81 transmitter sites across the UK, most of which are now broadcasting.

  The BBC and ITC, with the transmission providers, are now considering, in consultation with the digital broadcasters, Government and representatives of manufacturers and consumers, how to improve coverage across all six digital terrestrial television multiplexes at all of the 81 sites. It is hoped, as a result of initial work in the London and surrounding area, that significant improvements will be possible.

  Television News Coverage
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will instruct the ITC to obtain from ITV the latest figures showing(a) the change in the numbers watching news on Channel 3 since the abolition of "News at Ten" and (b) the change in the viewing numbers for the 10.00 to 10.30 p.m. weekday slot on Channel 3 since the abolition of "News at Ten". [104467]

  Janet Anderson
  The Independent Television Commission is monitoring the performance of ITV following changes to its news provision in March 1999. For the four weeks beginning 6 December 1999 the average audiences who were watching news on Channel 3 and the figures for the equivalent weeks in 1998 are as follows:

  (a)

  Million

  1998

  5.40–6.00

  5.6

  10.00–10.30

  6.5

  Total

  12.1

  1999

  6.30–7.00

  6.2

  11.00–11.15

  3.2

  Total

  9.5

  (b) The average Channel 3 audience between 10.00 and 10.30 p.m. was 0.9 million less in the four weeks beginning 6 December 1999 than it was in the equivalent weeks in 1998.

TREASURY

  Smuggling
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of Martin Taylor's report on the Government's Strategy to Combat Tobacco Smuggling. [105332]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Martin Taylor's advice to the Chancellor was personal and confidential, including areas of operational sensitivity to HM Customs and Excise. It would therefore not be appropriate to place Mr. Taylor's advice in the Library.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the amount of UK duty lost through the smuggling of alcohol in each of the last three years. [105358]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire (Mrs. Lawrence) on 26 November 1999,Official Report, columns 254–55W, and to the technical report on cross-Channel smuggling placed in the Library of the House on 19 September 1998.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter of 25 November regarding a constituent. [104815]
  351W
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  I have responded.

  Cigarette Exports (Labelling)
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has asked or intends to ask representatives of the UK tobacco manufacturers, distributors or exporters to provide data on quantities of UK manufactured cigarettes that have been exported from the UK with UK health warnings and markings and to explain the purpose of exporting cigarettes so labelled. [104642]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Such matters are laid to HM Customs and Excise. Customs does not routinely require tobacco manufacturers or other exporters to provide data on cigarettes exported with UK health warnings and markings. Customs is considering whether there is a case for doing so in future.

  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates HM Customs and Excise has made of the quantity of UK-manufactured cigarettes(a) exported from the UK with UK health warnings and markings and (b) sold on cross-channel ferries since July 1999 with UK health warnings and markings but with duty paid in France or Belgium. [104641]

  Dawn Primarolo
  HM Customs and Excise have no estimates for the extent of these activities.

  Energy Saving (VAT)
  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the VAT rates levied on a private citizen on(a) 1 January 1999 and (b) 1 January 2000 installing energy saving measures using a contractor in (i) France, (ii) Italy and (iii) the UK. [104690]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The VAT rates for the installation of energy saving measures by a private citizen on 1 January 1999 and 1 January 2000 are:

  (i) For installation in France
  On 1 January 1999 the VAT rate for the installation of energy saving materials was 22.5 per cent. France brought in a reduced rate of 5.5 per cent. for renovation and repair to private dwellings over two years old as part of their Autumn Budget in September 1999. The installation of energy saving materials is included within the scope of this reduced rate.

  (ii) For installation in Italy
  On 1 January 1999 the VAT rate for the installation of energy saving materials was 20 per cent. Italy has applied to the European Commission to apply a reduced rate of 10 per cent. to the renovation, routine maintenance and repair of private dwellings from 1 January 2000. It is not clear whether Italy intend to include the installation of energy saving materials in their reduced rate.

  (iii) For installation in the UK
  In July 1998 this Government introduced a reduced VAT rate of 5 per cent. for the grant-funded installation of energy saving materials in the homes of the less well off. All other installations of energy saving materials attracted VAT at the standard rate of 17.5 per cent. on 1 January 1999 and continue to do so.

  Staff Bonuses
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much his Department, its agencies and associated public bodies spent in total on extra bonuses above usual payments for staff working over the New Year period; what were the(a) maximum and (b) minimum
  352W
  bonuses paid; how many people received the (i) maximum and (ii) minimum payments; and if he will make a statement. [104478]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  It is too early to determine accurately what special additional payments will be made to staff for the new year period.

  Asset Sales
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the value of asset disposals, at 1997–98 prices, for each year from 1992–93 to 2001–02 for(a) central Government, (b) local authorities and (c) other public bodies. [104477]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  Receipts from the sale of fixed assets for central Government, local authorities and public corporations for 1993–94 to 2001–02 in 1997–98 prices are as shown.

  1997–98 prices: £ million

  Central government

  Local authorities

  Public corporations

  1993–94

  640

  3,987

  1,165

  1994–95

  704

  3,086

  1,048

  1995–96

  844

  2,579

  993

  1996–97

  1,861

  2,607

  1,045

  1997–98

  1,568

  2,483

  950

  1998–991

  1,557

  2,151

  763

  1999–20002

  947

  2,604

  552

  2000–012

  924

  2,541

  614

  2001–022

  901

  2,479

  560

  1 Estimated outturn

  2 Plan

  It should be noted that plans not outturn figures are shown for the current and future years. 1992–93 data cannot be provided on a consistent series.

  Advance Corporation Tax
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the overall cost of the changes in advance corporation tax in his 1997 Budget to public sector-funded pension schemes, broken down between the different schemes. [104624]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The information is not available and could be gathered only at disproportionate cost. Over time the abolition of dividend tax credits should be of benefit to anyone investing in business—including pension funds—because it removes an artificial tax bias to pay dividends instead of retaining and reinvesting profits.

  Orphan Asset Surplus Funds
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what decisions he has made since 1998 in respect of requests from financial services companies for the disposal of orphan asset surplus funds; and if he will make a statement. [105073]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  None.

  Dividend Tax Credits
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applications have been(a) received and (b) refused for the repayment of dividend tax credits since 5 April 1999. [104890]
  353W
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Inland Revenue does not record this information.

  Appropriation Orders
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 6 December 1999,Official Report, column 448W, concerning transfers of appropriations, if he will list the titles and purposes of all such orders made in the 1999 financial year. [105132]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  A list of all transfers of appropriations made during each quarter of 1999 is attached to the unsigned Explanatory Memorandum submitted following the end of each quarter. The First and Second Quarterly Reports were submitted on 11 November 1999. The Third Quarterly Report will be submitted shortly, and the Fourth Quarterly Report will be prepared as soon as all the relevant documents have been received from the European Commission, the Council and the European Parliament.

  Council of Ministers
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which Ministers will attend meetings of the Council of Ministers of the European Union concerned with financial and economic affairs during the current presidency; and if he will list the relevant dates and the topics expected to be discussed. [104992]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer will be attending the meetings of ECOFIN scheduled for 31 January, 28 February, 13 March, 7–8 April, 2 May and 5 June. The agendas for themeetings are not yet known.

  Interest Rates
  Mr. White
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has to review the link between the Treasury standard interest rate and mortgage rates. [104841]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Treasury sets a number of interest rates. Most rates are set in relation to National Loans Fund rates, which in turn are set by the Treasury marginally above the rate at which the Government can borrow in the gilts market.

  The Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee sets official interest rates in order to meet the Government's inflation target. Changes in official rates affect market interest rates, including mortgage rates. Mortgage rates are set by the lenders concerned taking into account market conditions and other factors. The Government has no plans to set Treasury rates by reference to mortgage rates.

  EU Fraud
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the cost to the United Kingdom as a result of fraud within the European Union in each of the last three years. [104257]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The European Commission produces a report each year entitled "Protecting the Community's financial interests and the Fight against 354W
  Fraud", which includes figures for detected fraud and irregularities against the EC budget. The latest report, for 1998, was published on the Commission's public internet website on 19 November 1999 and previous reports are available in the House of Commons Library. However, it is important to note that the majority of the cases are not deliberate frauds but irregularities which may be the result of genuine errors, for instance payment made outside prescribed time limits.

  Classification between fraud and irregularity is difficult because cases where there is a suspicion of fraud will be subject to lengthy investigations and legal proceedings. The Commission estimates in its report on the 1998 figures that, on a preliminary analysis, there was a suspicion of fraud in about 20 per cent. of the cases detected.

  Stress Counselling
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the tax liability of the provision by employers of stress counselling for employees. [105333]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Medical or health benefits, including stress or other welfare counselling, provided by employers for employees are, like other benefits, usually taxable on employees—except where the counselling relates directly to something which has happened in carrying out the duties of the employment. But the benefit per employee of a generally available counselling service can be very small and tax may not in practice be charged.

  However, as I announced to the House on 19 November 1999, in response to a written question from my hon. Friend the Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire (Mrs. Lawrence), Official Report, column 13W, we will be bringing forward legislation in the next Finance Bill to provide an exemption for the benefit of an employer-provided welfare counselling service generally available to employees.

  VAT (Housing)
  Mr. Curry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the impact on tax revenue in a full year of levying a 5 per cent. rate of VAT both on house refurbishment and repair and on construction on previously undeveloped land. [105145]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The full year cost in 2000–01 of levying a 5 per cent. rate of VAT on both house refurbishment and repair and on construction on previously undeveloped land would be approximately £670 million, assuming no consequential change in pre-tax prices.

  Consultation
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what bodies his Department has consulted on each of its programmes since May 1997. [105243]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Chancellor's departments consult widely on proposals across the diverse range of policies for which they are responsible. There is no central record of consultees, and one could be assembled only at disproportionate expense.

  Death Rates
  Death Rates
  Government Information and Communication Service
  Government Information and Communication Service
  Millennium Dome
  Millennium Dome
  House of Lords. Reform: Royal Commission Report
  House of Lords. Reform: Royal Commission Report
  Sexual Orientation: Anti-discrimination Code of Practice
  Sexual Orientation: Anti-discrimination Code of Practice
  Sex Offences and Penalties: Review
  Sex Offences and Penalties: Review
  Either-way Cases Committed to Crown Court
  Either-way Cases Committed to Crown Court
  Mike Tyson
  Mike Tyson
  Old Palace Yard Restoration Scheme
  Old Palace Yard Restoration Scheme
  House of Lords Website: Select Committee Report Hits
  House of Lords Website: Select Committee Report Hits
  Tourist-related Industries: Fall in Number of Self-employed Jobs
  Tourist-related Industries: Fall in Number of Self-employed Jobs
  Gulf Veterans: Human Tissue Act 1961
  Gulf Veterans: Human Tissue Act 1961