Written Answers of 4 July 2000

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

  "The Judge Over Your Shoulder"
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Solicitor-General what the date was of publication of the last edition of "The Judge Over Your Shoulder"; what plans he has to update it; if he will place a copy of the most up to date edition in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [128929]

  The Solicitor-General
  A third edition of "The Judge Over Your Shoulder" was published in March 2000. There are two versions: one essentially for administrators, and the other for lawyers.

  I am arranging for a copy of each version to be placed in the Library. They are also on the Treasury Solicitor's internet web site.

  Staff Secondments
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Solicitor-General which companies or partnerships have seconded staff to the Law Officers' Departments since May 1997; how many staff have been seconded; and who pays for seconded staff. [128470]

  The Solicitor-General
  Secondments and attachments are part of the Interchange initiative, which promotes the exchange of people and good practice between the civil service and other organisations. Before an Interchange can occur, all parties must be satisfied that no conflict of interest arises.

  Since May 1997, there have been no secondments of staff from outside the civil service to either the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers or the Treasury Solicitor's Department.

  Since May 1997, there have been four staff on secondment to the Serious Fraud Office. Two of the secondments had begun before May 1997. KPMG, Hacker Young, Pannell Kerr Foster (all accountancy firms) and Allen and Overy (a firm of solicitors) each sent one of their staff on secondment. The Serious Fraud Office bore all the cost of the staff member seconded from Allen and Overy and in the other cases made a major contribution to the cost.

  One person has been seconded to the Crown Prosecution Service from the Royal Bank of Scotland for a period of three weeks. The Royal Bank of Scotland bore the cost of this secondment.

PRIME MINISTER

  social Exclusion Unit
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to appoint persons with earnings below half average earnings as(a) members and (b) advisers to the Social Exclusion Unit. [128050]

  The Prime Minister
  The Social Exclusion Unit is staffed by a mixture of civil servants and external secondees. They come from a number of Government Departments and organisations with experience of tackling social exclusion. The members of the Unit range from New Dealers to an assistant Director of a local authority. Their previous earnings are not a factor in their appointment.

  Advisers to the Unit are on secondment, and are not paid for by the Unit. They are appointed for their expertise and experience.

  Bilderberg Conference
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Prime Minister which Ministers attended the session of the Bilderberg Conference in Sintra entitled, How Durable is the Current Rosy Complexion of European Politics; and what(a) written and (b) oral report of the Bilderberg Conference was submitted to him. [128134]

  The Prime Minister
  So far as I am aware, no Minister attended this conference.

  Kosovo
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Prime Minister what recent estimate he has made of the number of war crime murders committed in Kosovo, broken down by ethnic origin of victims(a) before NATO intervention, (b) after NATO air strikes commenced and (c) after the insertion of KFOR. [128108]

  The Prime Minister
  The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the International Criminal Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia estimate that 10,000 Kosovar Albanians were killed in Kosovo between June 1998 and 12 June 1999. We broadly share this assessment. Of these we estimate 500 were killed before 20 March 1999. KFOR states 430 murders were committed in Kosovo between 12 June and 31 December 1999 across all ethnic communities. There are no official figures for this year, but estimates suggest six murders per week are committed in Kosovo.

  Voluntary Sector (Islington)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations the Social Exclusion Unit has received on the effects of local authority cuts on the voluntary sector in Islington; and if he will make a statement. [127893]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 28 June 2000]: The Social Exclusion Unit has to date received no direct representations about the effects of local authority cuts on the voluntary sector in Islington.

  Vladimir Gusinsky
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations he made to President Putin over the arrest of Vladimir Gusinsky. [128289]

  The Prime Minister
  We are following Mr. Gusinsky's case closely and have raised it with the Russian authorities on a number of occasions, to establish more details and to make them aware of the concerns the case has raised in the UK over media freedoms. We have also made it clear that if there is a case to answer it is important the due legal process is observed and that the judicial process is seen to be wholly independent.

  Intelligence and Security Services
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Prime Minister when the annual report of the Commissioner appointed under the Intelligence Services Act 1994 will be laid before the House; and if he will make a statement. [129290]

  The Prime Minister
  A copy of Lord Justice Stuart-Smith's annual report for 1999 has been laid before the House today in accordance with section 8(6) of the Intelligence Services Act 1994. The confidential annex to the report has been excluded from that copy in accordance with section 8(7) of the 1994 Act.

  Lord Justice Stuart-Smith has served as Commissioner under the Intelligence Services Act since the role was created in 1994. This is his last report. I am very grateful to him for all his work as Commissioner.

  Mr. Sawford
  To ask the Prime Minister when the annual report of the Commissioner appointed under the Security Service Act 1989 will be laid before the House; and if he will make a statement. [129291]

  The Prime Minister
  A copy of Lord Justice Stuart-Smith's annual report for 1999 has been laid before the House today in accordance with section 4(6) of the Security Service Act 1989. The confidential annex to the report has been excluded from that copy in accordance with section 4(7) of the 1989 Act and in line with the Commissioner's recommendation.

  Lord Justice Stuart-Smith has served as Commissioner under the Security Service Act since the role was created in 1989. This is his last report. I am very grateful to him for all his work as Commissioner.

  Interception of Communications
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Prime Minister when the annual report of the Commissioner appointed under section 8(1) of the Interception of Communications Act 1985 will be laid before the House; and if he will make a statement. [129292]

  The Prime Minister
  A copy of Lord Nolan's report for 1999 has been laid before the House today in accordance with section 8(7) of the Interception of Communications Act 1985. The confidential annex to the report has been excluded from that copy in accordance with section 8(8) of the 1985 Act and in accordance with the Commissioner's recommendations.
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  Lord Nolan has served as Commissioner under the Interception of Communications Act since April 1994. This is his last report. I am very grateful to him for all his work as Commissioner.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Hatching Eggs
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the decision by the European Commission to decrease the export refunds for hatching eggs. [126821]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 19 June 2000]: The small change to the export refund for hatching eggs introduced in May was in response to a reduction in the euro/dollar exchange rate. To ignore such currency movements when considering export subsidies would be a breach of WTO requirements and would not represent effective use of EU funds.

  GM Seed
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice he has received on the lowest percentage of GM contamination that can be practically tested for in ostensibly GM-free seed supplies. [126861]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 19 June 2000]: I am aware of possible analytical techniques which could be employed for detecting the presence of GM material in non-GM seeds, but have not received specific advice on the lowest level of GM contamination which can be reliably identified in non-GM seed. This question is being considered in the context of the on-going discussions taking place within the EC and the OECD on the methods of detection of GM seeds in non-GM seed.

  Beef on the Bone
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice his Department gave on the prosecution of Christopher Bowman for selling beef on the bone. [126909]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 20 June 2000]: The prosecution of Mr. Bowman was conducted by North Yorkshire County Council. The role of my Department in the case, therefore, was simply to supply evidence not advice.

  Meat Marketing
  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of EU funds provided for the promotion and marketing of high-quality beef and veal was spent in Scotland in 1999–2000. [127696]

  Ms Quin
  In 1999–2000, the UK's allocation of EU funds for the promotion of quality beef and veal was £968,000. Of this, £168,000 (17 per cent.) was spent on promoting and marketing quality beef and veal in Scotland.

  Factortame Case
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how he intends to meet expenditure relating to payments of claims following judgment against the UK in the Factortame case. [129296]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  Parliamentary approval to expenditure arising from the Factortame case is being sought in the Main Estimate for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Class X, Vote 2). Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £9.735 million is being met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.

  Day-old Chicks
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 3 February 2000,Official Report, column 721W, on day-old chicks, if he will list each of the countries within and outside the EU from which day-old chicks were imported in 1999, and the numbers imported from each country. [113186]

  Ms Quin
  [pursuant to her reply, 8 March 2000, c. 721–22W]: The figures for the number of day-old chicks imported into the United Kingdom from the European Union (EU) in 1999, contained several inaccuracies. The table should read as follows:

  Thousand

  1999

  Number of chicks imported

  EU countries

  Austria

  9

  Belgium

  45

  Germany

  100

  Denmark

  411

  France

  3,103

  Republic of Ireland

  1,464

  Netherlands

  58

  Total

  5,190

  Non-EU countries

  USA

  174

  Canada

  18

  Total

  192

  Note:

  These figures are provisional and subject to amendment

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  JC2000
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what plans the Church of England has for monitoring the schools that participated in JC2000. [128076]

  Mr. Stuart Bell
  There is no formal church mechanism for monitoring schools which have taken part in JC2000, but I am very glad that thousands of schools did join in.

  The hon. Member is to be congratulated on the success of JC2000 which, as a member of the Committee, I am delighted to be associated with. JC2000 has been one of the most significant pieces of Christian input into the Millennium celebrations across the country. The pupils and teachers involved clearly enjoyed the project and
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  I have no doubt that taking part has affected many young people's understanding of the Christian nature of this Millennium year.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Index of Local Deprivation
  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will release the full underlying data set to be used in compiling the new Index of Local Deprivation. [127560]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The current review of the Index of Local Deprivation is on-going. This final index will include local authority district level scores and ranks. The scores and ranks at the ward level will be published at the same time and will be available for each domain of deprivation. The summary report will contain details about where to obtain, sometimes at a charge, the underlying data used to construct the 33 indicators.

  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he plans to make an announcement about the new Index of Local Deprivation before 30 July. [127562]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  An announcement will be made to the House about the new Index of Deprivation as soon as the Government have completed their consideration of the responses to the consultation.

  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if his Department will establish a comprehensive academic peer review of the new Index of Local Deprivation specifically to consider the methodological basis of the proposals. [127561]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The 1999 Review of the Index of Local Deprivation is being carried out by the University of Oxford. In addition to the review being overseen by an inter-department steering committee, the University of Oxford has consulted an advisory panel (with over 40 members) throughout the review. The advisory panel has consisted of a large number of peer academics both inside and outside of the University of Oxford, as well as local authority officials, research professionals and others.

  The University of Oxford has also facilitated extensive consultation throughout the 1999 Review. Respondents to the consultation have included other government departments, local authorities, research organisations, academics and other organisations.

  London Underground
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent assessment he has made of the accuracy of London Underground's statistics on attributable delays; and if he will make a statement. [128042]

  Mr. Hill
  I am assured that the methodology and data used by London Underground Ltd. (LUL) to measure attributable delays are reliable. Attribution is undertaken by experienced operating representatives with the corroboration of their engineering counterparts. LUL have
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  a vested interest in getting attribution right since analysis of such information is a vital tool in identifying causes of delays and monitoring the success of remedial action taken to prevent them.

  Motorcycles
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many motorcycles are registered in each(a) constituency and (b) local authority area. [128031]

  Mr. Hill
  The DETR receives data on the number of licensed vehicles from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency every quarter. The data are comprehensive enough to enable detailed geographical breakdowns, and data for each local authority area are attached. Sufficient information is not available to produce the data for constituencies.

  All vehicles with a motor cycle, scooter or moped body type classification are included. The most recent published data are for end of December 1998. Data for 1999 will be published in Vehicle Licensing Statistics on July 20.

  Motor cycles, scooters and mopeds licensed as at 31 December 1998

  Thousand

  The North

  Cumbria

  8.1

  Darlington UA

  1.2

  Durham

  4.7

  Hartlepool UA

  0.7

  Middlesbrough UA

  1.0

  Northumberland

  3.6

  Redcar and Cleveland UA

  1.6

  Stockton-on-Tees UA

  1.9

  Tyne and Wear

  7.0

  Yorkshire and The Humber

  East Riding of Yorkshire UA

  6.1

  Kingston upon Hull UA

  3.7

  North East Lincolnshire UA

  2.4

  North Lincolnshire UA

  3.7

  North Yorkshire

  10.1

  South Yorkshire

  12.8

  West Yorkshire

  21.5

  York UA

  4.1

  East Midlands

  Derby UA

  3.2

  Derbyshire

  12.7

  Leicester City UA

  2.0

  Leicestershire

  11.3

  Lincolnshire

  12.9

  Northamptonshire

  10.5

  Nottingham

  2.4

  Nottinghamshire

  11.5

  Rutland UA

  0.7

  East Anglia

  Cambridgeshire

  10.9

  Norfolk

  18.0

  Peterborough

  2.5

  Suffolk

  15.5

  The South East

  Bedfordshire

  6.3

  Bracknell Forest

  1.9

  Brighton and Hove UA

  2.6

  Buckinghamshire

  7.7

  East Sussex

  8.0

  Essex

  22.6

  108W

  Motor cycles, scooters and mopeds licensed as at 31 December 1998

  Thousand

  Hampshire

  26.5

  Hertfordshire

  17.3

  Isle of Wight UA

  3.3

  Kent

  23.0

  Luton UA

  1.8

  Medway

  4.0

  Milton Keynes UA

  3.0

  Oxfordshire

  12.1

  Portsmouth UA

  2.7

  Reading

  1.9

  Slough

  1.2

  Southampton UA

  3.3

  Southend-on-Sea

  2.2

  Surrey

  19.9

  Thurrock

  2.1

  West Berkshire

  2.9

  West Sussex

  12.5

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  1.9

  Wokingham

  2.9

  Greater London

  Barking and Dagenham

  1.7

  Barnet

  3.0

  Bexley

  4.2

  Brent

  2.1

  Bromley

  5.1

  Camden

  2.2

  City of London

  0.1

  City of Westminster

  2.1

  Croydon

  4.6

  Ealing

  3.4

  Enfield

  2.8

  Greenwich

  2.3

  Hackney

  1.8

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  2.5

  Haringey

  2.0

  Harrow

  1.8

  Havering

  3.2

  Hillingdon

  3.2

  Hounslow

  3.0

  Islington

  2.0

  Kensington and Chelsea

  2.3

  Kingston upon Thames

  2.6

  Lambeth

  3.3

  Lewisham

  2.9

  Merton

  2.6

  Newham

  1.4

  Redbridge

  2.4

  Richmond upon Thames

  3.2

  Southwark

  2.8

  Sutton

  3.3

  Tower Hamlets

  1.7

  Waltham Forest

  2.5

  Wandsworth

  4.3

  The South West

  Bath and North East Somerset UA

  3.3

  Bournemouth UA

  2.8

  Bristol UA

  6.3

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  10.6

  Devon

  14.7

  Dorset

  9.1

  Gloucestershire

  12.3

  North Somerset UA

  3.6

  Plymouth

  4.3

  Poole UA

  3.1

  Somerset

  11.0

  South Gloucestershire UA

  5.7

  Swindon UA

  4.2

  Torbay

  2.4

  Wiltshire

  9.4

  109W

  Motor cycles, scooters and mopeds licensed as at 31 December 1998

  Thousand

  West Midlands

  Herefordshire

  3.4

  Shropshire

  4.7

  Staffordshire

  13.6

  Stoke on Trent UA

  2.6

  Telford and Wrekin

  2.1

  Warwickshire

  9.3

  West Midlands

  23.4

  Worcestershire

  10.0

  The North West

  Blackburn with Darwen

  1.2

  Blackpool

  1.7

  Cheshire

  11.5

  Greater Manchester

  21.1

  Halton

  1.4

  Lancashire

  15.8

  Merseyside

  11.5

  Warrington

  2.8

  Scotland

  Aberdeen City UA

  2.3

  Aberdeenshire UA

  2.9

  Angus UA

  1.2

  Argyll and Bute UA

  0.8

  City of Dundee UA

  0.7

  City of Edinburgh UA

  3.3

  City of Glasgow UA

  1.6

  Clackmannanshire UA

  0.4

  Comhairle Nan Eilean Siar UA

  0.2

  Dumfries and Galloway UA

  1.8

  East Ayrshire UA

  0.7

  East Dunbartonshire UA

  0.6

  East Lothian UA

  0.8

  East Renfrewshire UA

  0.5

  Falkirk UA

  1.0

  Fife UA

  2.9

  Highland UA

  2.6

  Inverclyde UA

  0.4

  Midlothian UA

  0.7

  Moray UA

  1.1

  North Ayrshire UA

  0.9

  North Lanarkshire UA

  1.0

  Orkney Islands UA

  0.3

  Perth and Kinross UA

  1.3

  Renfrewshire UA

  0.8

  Shetland Islands UA

  0.3

  South Ayrshire UA

  0.8

  South Lanarkshire UA

  1.4

  Stirling UA

  0.6

  The Scottish Borders UA

  1.0

  West Dunbartonshire UA

  0.4

  West Lothian UA

  1.0

  Wales

  Blaenau Gwent UA

  0.6

  Bridgend UA

  1.3

  Caerphilly UA

  1.4

  Cardiff UA

  1.9

  Carmarthenshire UA

  2.1

  Ceredigion UA

  0.8

  Conwy UA

  1.4

  Denbighshire UA

  1.0

  Flintshire UA

  2.1

  Gwynedd UA

  1.3

  Isle of Anglesey UA

  0.9

  Merthyr Tydfil UA

  0.3

  Monmouthshire UA

  1.4

  Neath Port Talbot UA

  1.5

  Newport UA

  1.3

  Pembrokeshire UA

  1.5

  Powys UA

  1.8

  110W

  Motor cycles, scooters and mopeds licensed as at 31 December 1998

  Thousand

  Rhondda, Cynon, Taff UA

  1.7

  Swansea UA

  1.9

  The Vale of Glamorgan UA

  1.4

  Torfaen UA

  1.0

  Wrexham UA

  1.7

  Local Authority unknown

  18.3

  Environment Council
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the outcome of the Environment Council held in Luxembourg on 22 and 23 June; and if he will make a statement. [128030]

  Mr. Meacher
  I represented the UK at the Environment Council in Luxembourg on 22 June 2000, accompanied by Sarah Boyack, Scottish Executive Minister for Environment and Transport. Political agreement was reached on two proposals, along with one set of Council Conclusions.

  Agreement was reached on two important air quality measures which will deliver significant reductions in transboundary pollutants contributing to problems of acidification and ground level ozone (summer-time smog) throughout the European Union. The first, the National Emissions Ceilings Directive, sets national emission ceilings for 2010 on four air pollutants (sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, volatile organic compounds and ammonia). I agreed to ceilings of 585, 1,167, 1,200 and 297 thousand tonnes respectively for each of the pollutants. A second common position, on an amendment of the 1988 Large Combustion Plants Directive, sets stricter limit values for emissions of oxides of nitrogen, sulphur dioxide and dust from new plant. For existing (pre-1988) plant, limit values will need to be applied from 2008, or equivalent overall reductions achieved through a National Emissions Plan. However, plant with less than 20,000 hours operating life remaining on 1 January 2008 may be exempted. This agreement will see a reduction in acidifying emissions, while flexibility for industry, particularly the power sector, is safeguarded.

  In advance of the Sixth Conference of Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change, due to take place at The Hague in November, Council Conclusions were agreed setting out the EU position on some of the key issues. Ministers agreed that eligibility for the Clean Development Mechanism should be on the basis of a positive list of safe environmentally sound projects, which excluded nuclear, and that the use of carbon sinks such as forests should not be extended, unless concerns about their scale, scientific and other uncertainties were addressed. The Conclusions also welcomed a Commission communication on a proposed European Climate Change Programme, and its Green Paper on Emissions Trading.

  The Presidency gave brief progress reports on proposals to promote sustainable urban development and to establish a priority list of dangerous substances of European significance whose release to the aquatic environment should be controlled. The Presidency also summarised the environmental legislation adopted under the co-decision procedure during the last six months, and highlighted the

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  increasing importance of this procedure in the Presidency' work. Final outcomes were agreed on six dossiers: a Decision to monitor the CO2 emissions from new passenger cars; a Regulation controlling substances that deplete the ozone layer; a Directive amending Directive 74/150/EEC limiting gaseous and particulate pollutants by agricultural tractors; a Directive limiting noise emission by equipment used outdoors; a Directive on end of life vehicles; and the third EU LIFE Regulation.

  The Commission reported on the progress of a new Community strategy for chemicals, expected by the end of 2000 and a draft new framework for environmental state aids, on which there was a brief exchange of views between Member States. The Commission also gave a report on the progress towards completing risk assessments for brominated flame retardants, based on work carried out by the UK.

  The Commission presented two recently published proposals; one for a Directive on renewable energy, the other for a Directive ensuring proper treatment and disposal of waste from electrical and electronic equipment. Presentations were also given to Council on forthcoming proposals to integrate environmental consideration into public procurement rules and to update the 1991 Directive on batteries and accumulators containing dangerous substances.

  On a Danish point under Any Other Business, the Commission noted that it would be meeting an umbrella grouping of NGOs on 12 July to discuss their participation in the EU standardisation process. The Council also noted an Austrian intervention calling for a ban of tributyltin (TBT) in products with which human beings come into contact, following traces of TBT and other organotin compounds being found in nappies in Germany.

  SERPLAN
  Mr. Norman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions took place between his Department's(a) Ministers and (b) officials and members of SERPLAN prior to the vote by SERPLAN on house-building in the South-East on 12 June; and if he will list the members of SERPLAN involved in each case. [128163]

  Mr. Raynsford
  My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and I held a meeting with members of SERPLAN on 24 May 2000. 22 planning authorities from across the region attended. Throughout the consultation there have been a number of meetings with a wide range of interest groups including economic partnerships and environmental groups, some of which would have included members of SERPLAN.

  Abandoned Vehicles
  Mr. Love
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he will be taking to monitor the(a) number of abandoned vehicles on public highways and private property and (b) cost to individual local authorities of removing abandoned vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [128465]
  112W
  Mr. Hill
  There are no plans at present to maintain official records of such cases. The existing arrangements with local authorities will be reviewed as we develop proposals for implementing the proposed European End-of-Life Vehicles Directive in the UK.

  Tenant Compacts
  Mr. Love
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress has been made on the establishment of tenant compacts; and if he will make a statement. [128340]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Local housing authorities are expected to introduce tenant participation compacts from 1 April 2000. I have myself witnessed the signing of these compacts in recent months. We have recently commissioned a major policy evaluation programme of research to look at how best value in housing and compacts are being introduced and developed across the country. The project is expected to run for three to five years; the initial findings will feed into policy development on these issues and will be available next year.

  SSA (Lincoln)
  Gillian Merron
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) by what date he requires the population data for Lincoln, in order to calculate the standard spending assessment for the coming three financial years; and if he will make a statement; [128366]

  (2) what progress the Office for National Statistics has made in assessing the impact of internal migration on the population in Lincoln, with special reference to the requirements of the standard spending assessment for the coming three years. [128338]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The method of revenue grant distribution in future years depends on the outcome of the review of revenue grant distribution now taking place. A Green Paper will be published later this summer setting out options for revenue grant distribution. This follows open and lengthy discussions between representatives of local and central government.

  Grants for 2001–02 will be based on the existing standard spending assessment (SSA) system. We announced in the White Paper "Modern Local Government—In Touch With The People", that during the review we intended to keep up to date the data on which grants are based. This would mean that grants for 2001–02 would use the Registrar General's estimates of population at 30 June 1999. These data should be available by 3 October 2000, the deadline for most data for use in the 2000–01 SSA calculations.

  The Registrar General continually looks for ways of improving his population estimates. I understand that his estimates for 30 June 1999, due to be published in August, will incorporate improvements to the internal migration component of the estimates that have been discussed with local government and other experts. The estimates will include new migration estimates for the previous year based on the new data source. This increases the population estimate for Lincoln for mid-1998 by over 200. I am aware that this matter and others have been the subject of recent correspondence between the council and the Office for National Statistics. The council had been

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  concerned that the improvements would not be made until information from the 2001 census was available. The Registrar General does not intend to wait until then.

  Houses in Multiple Occupation
  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent representations he has received from Lancaster City Council about amending the compulsory licensing scheme for houses in multiple occupation operating in Morecambe. [128355]

  Mr. Raynsford
  None, though we are aware that the City Council have been considering various aspects of their current registration scheme.

  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many houses in multiple occupation there are in Morecambe and Lunesdale. [128356]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Based on the information given to my Department by Lancaster City Council in July 1999, there are 1,800 houses in multiple occupation in the local authority area.

  Social Housing
  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much additional funding has been allocated by the Government to Lancaster City Council for improving the quality of social housing since 1 May 1997. [128354]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The capital allocations for housing investment made to Lancaster City Council since 1997–98 are given in the table. The additional resources we have made available for housing investment were mainly distributed through the Capital Receipts Initiative in the years up to 1999–2000. In 2000–01 the extra resources were included in the Housing Investment Programme (HIP) allocation following the introduction of the single housing capital pot.

  £000

  Year

  HIP

  CRI

  Total

  1997–98

  1,814

  279

  2,093

  1998–99

  2,002

  1,014

  3,016

  1999–2000

  2,238

  1,101

  3,339

  2000–01

  3,942

  —

  3,942

  Climate Change
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress has been made in consultation with industry to implement

  speicies

  Units of estimation

  England

  Date of estimate

  Honey Buzzard

  Pairs

  112–34

  111997

  Red Kite

  Pairs

  157–61

  11997

  White-tailed Eagle

  Pairs

  No breeding population

  11997

  Marsh Harrier

  Females

  1127–145

  11997

  Hen Harrier

  Territorial pairs

  219

  21998

  Montagu's Harrier

  Females

  19–12

  11997

  Goshawk

  Pairs

  3120

  11997, 3, 41994, 51993

  114W
  the three proposals to reduce or minimise HFC use, as set out at paragraph 67, page 79, of the draft UK climate change programme. [128450]

  Mr. Meacher
  The consultation on the draft climate change programme ended on 2 June and we are currently analysing the responses made. Once this exercise has been completed we will begin to develop these proposals further in consultation with industry.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received from industry in respect of the new policy on reduced dependence on HFC use, as set out in paragraphs 17 to 20 in the draft UK Climate Change Programme. [128449]

  Mr. Meacher
  The Government have received over 100 responses to the consultation on the draft climate change programme on HFCs. These responses are currently being analysed and the final climate change programme, which will be published later this year, will take account of the issues raised during the consultation.

  Housing Corporation
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will increase the Housing Corporation's approved development spending for rural areas. [128894]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Decisions on the future level of the Housing Corporation's approved development programme spending will depend on the outcome of this year's spending review. The Government's future policy on rural housing will be set out in the forthcoming Rural White Paper.

  Raptors
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what his estimate is of the number of raptors of each species(a) breeding and (b) resident in England. [128825]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 3 July 2000]: A Raptor Working Group was set up in 1995 to consider issues arising from perceived conflicts between the recovery of some bird of prey populations and their impact on game birds and moorland management and on racing pigeons. Earlier this year, the group submitted its final report, which includes estimates of raptor population sizes. The figures are taken from the report and show the best estimates of sizes of breeding population for birds of prey in England using data and information, where possible, from published sources. The total number of birds of prey will be greater than these estimates in the post-breeding season owing to the number of fledged young and other non-breeding individuals.

  Copies of the report have been deposited in the House Library.
  115W

  Species

  Units of estimation

  England

  Date of estimate

  Sparrowhawk

  Pairs

  622,000

  61988–91

  Buzzard

  Pairs

  64,000–6,000

  61988–91, 71983

  Golden Eagle

  Pairs

  81

  81992

  Osprey

  Pairs

  No breeding population

  11997

  Kestrel

  Pairs

  635,500

  61988–91

  Merlin

  Pairs

  9401

  91993–94, 101993, 111992–95

  Hobby

  Pairs

  6500–900

  11997, 41994, 61988–91

  Peregrine

  Pairs

  12283

  121991

  1Ogilvie, MA & the Rare Breeding Birds Panel 1999b Rare breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 1997. British Birds 92: 389–428.

  2Sim, IMW, Gibbons, DW, Bainbridge, I & Mattingley, W 1999 Status of the hen harrier Circus cyaneus in the UK and the Isle of Man in 1998. Draft report to Raptor Working Group.

  3Petty, SJ 1996 History of the northern goshawk Accipiter gentilis in Britain. In: The introduction and naturalisation of birds, ed. by JS Holmes and JR Simons, 95–102. London, HMSO.

  4Ogilvie, MA & the Rare Breeding Birds Panel 1996. Rare breeding birds in the United Kingdom in 1994. British Birds 89: 387–417.

  5Shrubb, M. 1994. Welsh Bird Report No. 7 1993. Glamorgan, The Welsh Ornithological Society.

  6Gibbons, DW, Reid, JB & Chapman, RA 1993 The new atlas of breeding birds in Britain and Ireland: 1988–1991. London, T & AD Poyser.

  7Taylor, K, Hudson, R & Horne, G 1988. Buzzard breeding distribution and abundance in Britain and Northern Ireland in 1983. Bird Study 35: 109–118.

  8Green, RE 1996 The status of the golden eagle in Britain in 1992. Bird Study 43: 20–27.

  9Rebecca, G & Bainbridge, IP 1998. The breeding status of the merlin Falco columbarius in Britain in 1993–94. Bird Study 45: 172–187.

  10Williams, IT & Parr, S 1995. Breeding merlins Falco columbarius in Wales 1993. Welsh Birds 1: 14–20.

  11RSPB/Irish Raptor Study Group survey data.

  12Crick, HQP & Ratcliffe, DA 1995. The peregrine Falco peregrinus breeding population of the United Kingdom in 1991. Bird Study 42: 1–19.

  South Downs National Park
  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the provisional timetable for the establishment of a South Downs National Park. [129115]

  Mr. Meacher
  The Countryside Agency is responsible for designating National Parks, subject to the confirmation of a designation order in each case by the Secretary of State. The agency currently estimates that a designation order for a National Park in the South Downs might be submitted to the Secretary of State in spring 2002. This timetable reflects the significant tasks to be addressed, including the identification of a boundary and making recommendations on the most effective administrative arrangements. The agency will be consulting local interests extensively on these matters.

  Advantage West Midlands
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the Chief Executive of Advantage West Midlands. [129037]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  I understand that, with effect from Friday 30 June, the contract of Advantage West Midlands' Chief Executive, Tony Cassidy, was ended by mutual consent.

  Advantage West Midlands will now seek to recruit a replacement. I am informed that in the meantime, the post will be filled on a temporary basis by John Edwards, regeneration director of Advantage West Midlands, and previously Chief Executive of the Rural Development Commission.

  Correspondence
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the hon. Member for Broxbourne will receive a reply to her letters 116W
  of (a) 8 March, (b) 6 April, (c) 5 May, (d) 1 June and (e) 29 June relating to her constituent Miss Haley Cresswell. [128918]

  Mr. Raynsford
  My reply was sent on 29 June. I am sorry the hon. Member had to wait so long for this reply. The correspondence raised issues of wider concern.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what monitoring his Department undertakes of Private Finance Initiative contracts undertaken by local government; and if he will make a statement. [129205]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  Following endorsement by the inter-departmental Project Review Group, progress on prospective schemes is monitored to ensure that the final contract conforms with the approved business case. Following contract signature, the Department will be notified of when service payments commence. Payments and grant paid to the local authority are then monitored and subsequently audited by the Audit Commission. It is important that lessons are learnt from existing contracts. All authorities are required to share non-commercial documentation with other local authorities procuring similar projects, and lessons are used in the production of standardised contract documentation and other best-practice guidance.

  Combined Heat and Power
  Mr. Burgon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement about the Government's response to the consultation on proposals for a Quality Assurance programme for combined heat and power. [129295]

  Mr. Meacher
  I announced the key decisions on the proposals following consultation in my statement to the House on 17 May. I have today placed the Government's full response to the consultation in the Library of the
  117W
  House. It will also be available on the DETR and CHPQA websites, and printed copies of the response are being sent to all those who commented on the CHPQA proposals.

  I am grateful to those who responded to the consultation, and for the valuable contribution from CHP users and suppliers and other interested parties. CHPQA has been designed to assure and improve the quality of CHP and stimulate CHP growth.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Arms Dealing
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on actions taken following the finding of a cache of arms in Antwerp in February 1999, in respect of the UK companies involved; what prosecutions have occurred; and what measures have been enforced to prevent repetition of similar arms dealing. [128111]

  Mr. Hain
  As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister set out in answer to a similar question from the hon. Gentleman on 14 July 1999,Official Report, columns 239–40W, we have no information on the seizure of an arms consignment in February 1999 in Antwerp. But we are aware that a shipment of goods originating in Germany, destined for Eritrea, was seized by Belgian Customs authorities in Antwerp in August 1998. The matter remains with the Belgian courts. No charges have been brought as yet.

  A resumption of fighting between Ethiopia and Eritrea on 12 May led to the adoption of UN Resolution 1298 on 18 May, co-sponsored by the UK, imposing on both countries a mandatory arms embargo and a ban on the provision of related technical assistance or training.

  Step Change Project
  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 8 June 2000,Official Report, column 308W, on the Step Change Project, if he will list the membership of the Ministerial Group for European Co-ordination and make a statement on MINECOR' s activities. [128779]

  Mr. Vaz
  [holding answer 3 July 2000]: The Ministerial Group for European Co-ordination works to achieve greater co-ordination of the presentation of Her Majesty's Government's European policies in the UK and overseas, and monitors the Government's efforts to develop closer co-operation with the EU partners/applicants.

  A list of current members of MINECOR has been deposited in the Library. The devolved administrations are also represented at MINECOR.

  Keith Vaz: Chair

  Lord Falconer

  Melanie Johnson

  Helen Liddell

  Tessa Jowell

  Joyce Quin

  118W

  Lord Whitty

  Angela Eagle

  Alan Howarth

  George Foulkes

  Baroness Symons

  Gisela Stuart

  Barbara Roche

  Adam Ingram

  David Lock

  Jack McConnell

  Rhodri Morgan

  Paul Murphy

  Brian Wilson

  Tony McNulty

  Baroness Ramsey

  Denis Haughey.

  North Moluccas
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received concerning attacks by Jihad warriors on the village of Duma, North Moluccas and on the number of casualties which resulted. [128856]

  Mr. Battle
  We understand that between 100 and 158 people were killed and over 200 injured in the raid on the village of Duma on 19 June. The media reported that large numbers of armed extremists attacked the village, shooting at random and burning over 300 homes. The Regional Military Commander subsequently ordered the security forces to secure the area. On 26 June, President Wahid declared a state of civil emergency in Maluku; since then the situation appears to be calmer.

  Qualified Majority Voting
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 5 June 2000,Official Report, column 43W, on QMV, if he will place the UK Government's written contribution to the meeting on 2 May in the Library. [128169]

  Mr. Vaz
  [holding answer 3 July 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 12 June 2000, Official Report, column 441W.

  EU Co-operation
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make a statement on the Government's policy in respect of reinforced co-operation on EU matters; [128120]

  (2) what position the United Kingdom has taken in the IGC discussions on the issue of extending qualified majority voting to EU participation in the work of the WTO as set out in document CONFER 4780/00. [128129]

  Mr. Vaz
  [holding answer 3 July 2000]: The Government's position is clearly set out in the White Paper "IGC: Reform for Enlargement".

  Intergovernmental Conference
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what position the United Kingdom has taken in the IGC discussions on the issue of
  119W
  creating new specific legal bases for the areas covered by Article 308, as set out in the document CONFER 4780/00. [128130]

  Mr. Vaz
  [holding answer 3 July 2000]: As the Government have made clear, this IGC is about reform for enlargement of the EU. In this context, we are sceptical about the need to look at specific legal bases for areas covered under Article 308.

  Kosovo
  Miss Begg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the supply of demining equipment to non-Governmental organisations in Kosovo. [129387]

  Mr. Vaz
  We have approved the export to the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) of protective body armour to Danish Church Aid and European Landmine Solutions, organisations engaged in humanitarian demining activities on behalf of the United Nations Interim Administration in Kosovo (UNMIK).

  These goods are on the Military List. UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1160 (1998) prohibits the supply of arms and related material to the FRY. However UNSCR 1244 (1999), provides for the sale or supply or arms or related material for use by the international civil and security presence in Kosovo. We have notified the UN FRY Sanctions Committee of this export and they have raised no objection. The export of this equipment underlines UK support both for the peaceful reconstruction of Kosovo and the work of the UN Mines Action Programme.

WALES

  Dairy Industry
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary concerning difficulties in the dairy industry; and if he will make a statement. [126971]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I meet the First Secretary on a weekly basis and we discuss a wide range of issues including the dairy industry. Recently we have welcomed the removal of dairy hygiene charges in England and Wales. and at the Prime Minister's Agriculture Summit at the end of March some £2.3 million extra agri-monetary compensation was awarded to Welsh dairy farmers.

  Interactive Voice Response Systems
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many departmental telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by interactive voice response systems. [127403]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  My Department does not use interactive voice response systems on any of its telephone lines.

  Nuclear Submarines (Berths)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent consultations he has had with the Ministry of Defence over the use of Welsh ports as emergency Z-berths for nuclear submarines. [127577]
  120W
  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The Ministry of Defence does not have, nor does it plan to have, any emergency Z-berths in Welsh ports.

  Fisheries
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the number of angler-caught(a) salmon, (b) grilse and (c) sea trout caught in Wales in each of the last five years; and what his estimate is of the number of each of these categories of fish taken by seals in Welsh waters in each of these years. [128855]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  [holding answer 3 July 2000]: In Wales in the last five years the number of angler-caught (a) salmon, (b) grilse and (c) sea trout were:

  Declared rod catch of sea trout from Welsh rivers, 1995–99

  Number

  1995

  10,754

  1996

  13,123

  1997

  13,914

  1998

  24,401

  1999

  24,629

  Estimated number of grilse and MSW (multi sea wintering) salmon (corrected for under-reporting at a 10 per cent. increase) in Welsh rod catch, 1995–99

  Salmon (MSW)

  Grilse

  1995

  1,491

  3,070

  1996

  2,287

  3,728

  1997

  1,119

  2,865

  1998

  895

  3,863

  1999

  1,065

  2,339

  An estimated 40 per cent. of salmon and 50 per cent. of sea trout are returned (1999 figures) by Welsh anglers. Official statistics and estimates of fish taken by seals are not maintained.

  Responsibility for fisheries was transferred to the National Assembly for Wales from 1 July 1999 within the 12 nautical miles of fishing water surrounding the coast, as defined by the Government of Wales Act 1998.

  New Deal
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many employees of his Department and its agencies have been recruited from the New Deal; and what percentage this represents of total staff.[129094]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  My Department has 42 full-time staff and one part-timer. One member of staff has been recruited from the New Deal, representing 2.35 per cent. of total staff.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Early Years Education
  Mr. Allan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list for(a) England and (b) each local education authority the number of additional free

  121W
  early years education places that would be required to meet the Government's target of free places being available for 66 per cent. of three-year-olds by 2002. [126810]

  Ms Hodge
  [holding answer 21 June 2000): 190,000 additional new free early years education places for three-year-olds will be made available using the £390 million allocated by the Government. This will allow us to meet the national target of providing 66 per cent. of all three-year-olds in England with a free place.

  We are currently seeking to target those children in most social need. To this end different targets have been set with local authorities to reflect their position on the Government's Index of Local Deprivation.

  Based upon 1998 participation levels, the table shows the estimated number of new places which would be required in each local education authority area to take the number of free places available in that authority to the national target level of 66 per cent. It also shows our estimate of the percentage of three-year-olds in each area who will have a free place by April 2001.

  LEA Name

  New Places required to reach national target of 66 per cent.

  Percentage of children expected to have free places by April 2001

  Barking and Dagenham

  0

  81.9

  Barnet

  695

  51.0

  Barnsley

  502

  79.3

  Bath and North-East Somerset

  899

  18.9

  Bedfordshire

  1,986

  27.4

  Bexley

  669

  44.9

  Birmingham

  2,611

  88.5

  Blackburn with Darwen

  557

  80.7

  Blackpool

  850

  77.9

  Bolton

  246

  79.7

  Bournemouth

  851

  41.9

  Bracknell Forest

  984

  11.8

  Bradford

  0

  83.3

  Brent

  494

  81.7

  Brighton and Hove

  907

  71.3

  Bristol

  588

  70.5

  Bromley

  2,022

  16.0

  Buckinghamshire

  3,392

  13.2

  Bury

  602

  44.2

  Calderdale

  416

  64.6

  Cambridgeshire

  3,504

  18.7

  Camden

  518

  80.7

  Cheshire

  2,953

  31.3

  City of London

  2

  64.0

  Cornwall

  2,575

  48.7

  Coventry

  639

  81.3

  Croydon

  1,276

  57.4

  Cumbria

  1,091

  48.5

  Darlington

  0

  89.0

  Derby

  466

  72.8

  Derbyshire

  2,420

  40.5

  Devon

  3,807

  17.2

  Doncaster

  67

  80.7

  Dorset

  2,456

  12.3

  Dudley

  274

  60.9

  Durham

  0

  76.9

  Ealing

  0

  79.7

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  1,546

  29.6

  East Sussex

  3,025

  13.0

  Enfield

  1,235

  67.4

  Essex

  8,740

  12.4

  Gateshead

  266

  80.7

  Gloucestershire

  4,355

  12.0

  Greenwich

  245

  84.2

  Hackney

  739

  86.4

  Halton

  335

  80.2

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  297

  80.5

  122W

  LEA Name

  New places required to reach national target of 66 per cent.

  Percentage of children expected to have free places by April 2001

  Hampshire

  9,174

  5.8

  Haringey

  149

  83.5

  Harrow

  1,195

  30.1

  Hartlepool

  0

  100.0

  Havering

  1,158

  22.0

  Herefordshire

  1,056

  16.4

  Hertfordshire

  3,782

  39.4

  Hillingdon

  1,596

  37.5

  Hounslow

  293

  76.1

  Isle of Wight

  695

  50.8

  Isles of Scilly

  13

  95.0

  Islington

  574

  82.9

  Kensington and Chelsea

  601

  71.5

  Kent

  8,884

  12.3

  Kingston upon Hull

  0

  82.9

  Kingston upon Thames

  265

  52.9

  Kirklees

  799

  71.7

  Knowsley

  0

  97.3

  Lambeth

  868

  84.9

  Lancashire

  4,979

  44.1

  Leeds

  27

  79.2

  Leicester

  635

  83.1

  Leicestershire

  4,740

  5.8

  Lewisham

  946

  82.9

  Lincolnshire

  2,886

  26.9

  Liverpool

  0

  90.0

  Luton

  1,059

  70.1

  Manchester

  0

  89.9

  Medway

  1,756

  31.9

  Merton

  0

  68.6

  Middlesbrough

  0

  100.0

  Milton Keynes

  1,676

  12.1

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  225

  83.9

  Newham

  686

  88.1

  Norfolk

  4,000

  22.7

  North-East Lincolnshire

  408

  76.5

  North Lincolnshire

  866

  48.6

  North Somerset

  1,512

  8.5

  North Tyneside

  0

  81.8

  North Yorkshire

  1,774

  34.6

  Northamptonshire

  3,006

  31.3

  Northumberland

  0

  68.1

  Nottingham

  246

  84.6

  Nottinghamshire

  2,126

  44.3

  Oldham

  560

  82.5

  Oxfordshire

  4,581

  13.3

  Peterborough

  1,258

  40.7

  Plymouth

  1,327

  63.9

  Poole

  1,043

  7.3

  Portsmouth

  1,071

  64.9

  Reading

  613

  43.7

  Redbridge

  1,221

  56.0

  Redcar and Cleveland

  0

  100.0

  Richmond upon Thames

  771

  30.5

  Rochdale

  427

  82.4

  Rotherham

  802

  78.0

  Rutland

  223

  12.3

  Salford

  0

  82.7

  Sandwell

  0

  88.0

  Sefton

  227

  73.7

  Sheffield

  1,535

  82.0

  Shropshire

  1,618

  16.8

  Slough

  487

  51.8

  Solihull

  158

  61.1

  Somerset

  3,185

  10.9

  South Gloucestershire

  1,704

  12.4

  South Tyneside

  0

  80.5

  Southampton

  1,369

  73.8

  Southend-on-Sea

  1,044

  44.8

  Southwark

  221

  85.4

  St. Helens

  443

  78.5

  Staffordshire

  3,672

  30.2

  Stockport

  831

  44.4

  Stockton-on-Tees

  0

  100.0

  123W

  LEA Name

  New places required to reach national target of 66 per cent

  Percentage of children expected to have expected to have free places by April 2001

  Stoke-on-Trent

  34

  79.0

  Suffolk

  4,857

  13.7

  Sunderland

  0

  83.2

  Surrey

  6,053

  19.8

  Sutton

  1,264

  13.2

  Swindon

  1,217

  19.1

  Tameside

  258

  77.7

  Telford and Wrekin

  901

  66.6

  Thurrock

  913

  46.8

  Torbay

  533

  50.3

  Tower Hamlets

  0

  85.9

  Trafford

  98

  64.4

  Wakefield

  153

  76.4

  Walsall

  0

  91.1

  Waltham Forest

  1,058

  80.7

  Wandsworth

  1,083

  78.8

  Warrington

  792

  36.3

  Warwickshire

  2,508

  25.8

  West Berkshire

  982

  14.5

  West Sussex

  4,529

  12.3

  Westminster

  692

  76.0

  Wigan

  1,326

  66.3

  Wiltshire

  3,265

  9.5

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  815

  19.8

  Wirral

  963

  77.7

  Wokingham

  1,122

  7.9

  Wolverhampton

  0

  83.9

  Worcestershire

  2,930

  23.0

  York

  625

  38.0

  European Schools (Dyslexic Pupils)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on his policy towards European schools following UK teaching practices in respect of dyslexic pupils; which body is responsible for the establishment of curricula and teaching practice in European schools; and to which EU institution that body is responsible. [128110]

  Jacqui Smith
  The European schools have their own policy and procedures for the integration of pupils with special educational needs, including dyslexic pupils. Decisions on policy and curricular matters are for the European Schools Board of Governors, a body established by international treaty, on which the Governments of all 15 EU member states are represented.

  Child Care Schemes
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many child care schemes have been started up using New Opportunities Funds; how many of these schemes continued to operate after the first 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [128081]

  Ms Hodge
  By June 2000, awards totalling some £32 million were made to 1,017 individual schemes and to 172 consortia. Each consortium covers from three to more than 40 individual schemes.

  The first schemes received their grant in July 1999, and did not begin to function for at least a further month. No scheme has therefore been running for 12 months. NOF has reserved funds for projects that need additional funding, provided they meet certain criteria.
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  Sustaining schemes in the long term is of paramount importance. Drawing on the experience of the early stages of the programme, I am soon to meet NOF' s Chairman Baroness Pitkeathly to consider how the programme can be developed to ensure that schemes can be sustained over time.

  School Security
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what financial support is available for measures to improve school security. [128268]

  Jacqui Smith
  My Department currently provides an annual grant, through the Standards Fund programme, to all local education authorities in England specifically to support measures to improve security in maintained schools in their areas. The Government grant available is £16.5 million, with local education authorities contributing an additional £5.5 million, making a total of £22 million per year.

  For 2000–01, Staffordshire local education authority received £290,050 from central Government to support school security measures.

  New Deal
  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the impact of the New Deal for Young People on levels of long-term unemployment among young people in Morecambe and Lunesdale. [128342]

  Ms Jowell
  The New Deal for Young people is aimed at people aged 18 to 24 who have been claiming unemployment benefits for six months or more.

  Claimant unemployment among this group has fallen by 70 per cent. in the three years since April 1997 and by 56 per cent. since April 1998 when the New Deal was introduced. Part of this fall is due to the delivery of a strong and stable economy, but the New Deal for Young People has helped unemployment to fall even faster. The fall of 56 per cent. since the New Deal was introduced compares with a fall of 18 per cent. in total unemployment, 23 per cent. in total youth (18–24) unemployment and 26 per cent. in the total number unemployed for six months or more. The effect of the New Deal is confirmed by independent research from the National Institute of Economic and Social Research.

  In Morecambe and Lunesdale the falls in unemployment among the New Deal client group have also been substantially faster than for other groups. In the Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency in the two years since April 1998, claimant unemployment among those aged 18–24 unemployed for six months or more has fallen by 59 per cent. from 220 to 91. This compares with a fall of 16 per cent. in total unemployment, 25 per cent. in total youth (18–24) unemployment, and 32 per cent. in the total number unemployed for six months or more.

  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people who have been participants in(a) the New Deal for 18 to 24 year olds, (b) the New Deal for those aged 25 and over and (c) the New Deal for older workers have subsequently enrolled on the New Deal for a second time. [128818]
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  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 3 July 2000]: Latest figures to the end of April 2000 show that 45,930 starts on the New Deal for Young People and 61,720 starts on the New Deal for long-term unemployed adults aged 25 or over were made by people who had previously been on the New Deal. The New Deal 50+ started nationally in April this year and therefore it is too soon for anyone to have re-entered the New Deal. We do not see New Deal as a short term investment and we welcome back those who need the further help that the New Deal offers.

  Behaviour Support
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to provide financial support for primary schools with children in need of behaviour support. [128290]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 3 July 2000]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced in April that nearly £8 million will be spent this financial year on extending the Learning Support Unit initiative to cover the primary sector. The intention is that, by the end of the year, 60 pilot units will be running in first phase Excellence In Cities areas. The units will be school-based centres for pupils at risk of exclusion due to behavioural problems, providing them with separate teaching and support programmes tailored to their particular needs.

  Additionally, £140 million is available from the Social Inclusion: Pupil Support Standards Fund Grant to help schools and local education authorities tackle poor behaviour and truancy; and a further £6 million has been allocated from the SEN Standards Fund to support projects in 46 local education authorities focusing on early identification and action for primary-age children with behavioural difficulties.

  Learning and Skills Councils
  Mr. Geraint Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what further progress has been made in appointing the chairmen of the local Learning and Skills Councils. [129007]

  Mr. Wicks
  Following the appointment last week of the chairs of 21 local Learning and Skills Councils, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment has today appointed a further 11 chairs. They are as follows:

  Newly appointed Chairs

  West Midlands

  Birmingham and Solihull

  John Towers

  The Black Country

  Luke Borwick

  Shropshire

  Andrew Pinder

  Staffordshire

  Anne Williams

  Coventry and Warwickshire

  Ursula Russell

  Hereford and Worcestershire

  Chris Swan

  North West

  Lancashire

  Alan Dick

  Greater Manchester

  Anthony Goldstone OBE

  Cheshire/Warrington

  Brian Fleet

  Cumbria

  Robert Cairns

  Merseyside/Halton

  Jim Michie

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  A list of all the successful candidates has been placed in the Libraries of the House. A list of the remaining appointments will be placed in the Libraries in due course.

  The local chairs bring with them a wealth of experience, not least from business, which will be a positive force for success in shaping the work of the Learning and Skills Council.

  Sport in Schools
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what discussions his Department has held with the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on extending the number of hours spent on sport in schools. [128823]

  Jacqui Smith
  We have set a very clear aspiration that all schools should provide two hours of physical activity a week, both within and outside lesson time. We are now working consistently with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to inspire schools and partners in the sport sector to deliver this through the Sports Strategy. The Implementation Group, which my hon. Friend the Minister for Sport and I have established to drive forward the strategy, is meeting regularly and will report in December 2000.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will estimate the cost of advisers to the public sector for private finance initiative projects in schools, as a proportion of the value of the contracts. [128588]

  Jacqui Smith
  The Department is not directly responsible for the procurement of schools PFI contracts, and therefore does not hold comprehensive information about the costs of external advice. The Department provides financial assistance towards such costs, which is supplemented by project sponsors from their own resources. Experience to date shows that the cost of external advisers for schools PFI projects varies according to the size of scheme and the internal expertise available to project sponsors. External fee costs for large projects involving many schools are typically 1 per cent. or less of total contract costs.

  Astra Training Services
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many former Astra Training Services employees have obtained employment following the implementation of the preferential training arrangements.[128871]

  Mr. Wicks
  No preferential training arrangements have been introduced for former Astra Training Services Ltd. employees. There is an ongoing commitment that former Astra staff will have a guaranteed interview for any externally advertised vacancies that arise within the Department for Education and Employment, including the Employment Service, for which they have the minimum competences being sought. In that regard, individuals who want to be considered for such vacancies have access to my Department's Learning and Development Centres to update their knowledge of the Department and its competence-based recruitment arrangements. However,
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  no central record is kept of their success in gaining employment either in the Department, the wider civil service, or elsewhere.

  Deaf Children
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what appraisal he has made of the implications of universal hearing screening for neonates for the delivery of services by local education authorities to deaf children under the age of two years. [128325]

  Jacqui Smith
  Following advice from the National Screening Committee, my hon. Friend the Minister for Public Health agreed that a pilot programme of neonatal hearing screening should be launched later this year. An announcement was made at the annual conference of the National Deaf Children's Society on Friday 23 June.

  Pilot programmes will be set up in 20 areas around the country to assess the full implications of introducing a universal neonatal hearing screening programme, including any consequential requirements for education services. This Department will work closely with the Department of Health to ensure that the impact on education services is fully assessed.

DEFENCE

  SIFF Programme
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence against what criteria proposals for his Department's forthcoming Successor Identification Friend or Foe programme will be assessed; and when he expects to make a decision on this project. [128256]

  Mr. Spellar
  Successor Identification Friend or Foe (SIFF) is a complex programme, involving some 40 sea, land and air platform types with total equipment requirements likely to number in the order of 1,000 transponders and 600 interrogators; each set of equipment has to be functionally and physically integrated with the host platform.

  Owing to the number and diversity of the platform types, it is not practical to adopt a single prime contractor strategy for management of the whole SIFF programme. As part of the deliverables from the Assessment Phase, "Demonstration and Manufacture" tenders have been submitted by two competing potential suppliers, BAE SYSTEMS and Raytheon Systems Ltd. for supply of equipment and integration with many of the platform types, and by individual platform design authorities for integration with the remainder of the platforms. Evaluation of these tenders is an extensive task, aimed at ensuring that the decision on the choice of equipment supplier and the phasing of the work to be undertaken by the platform design authorities is made on the best overall balance of operational and value-for-money grounds. All relevant assessment criteria, including commercial, technical, logistics, cost and programme management aspects, will be taken into account in this process and I hope that we will be in a position to announce a decision on the programme during the summer.

  HMS Tireless
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason and for what period the crew of HMS Tireless was accommodated in hotels overseas; what has been the cost per night per person; and if he will make a statement. [128267]

  Mr. Spellar
  HMS Tireless arrived in Gibraltar on 19 May with a propulsion defect. 58 members of the 130-man crew were returned to the UK; the remaining crew are the minimum required for safe upkeep of the vessel. As facilities on board are extremely limited and not conducive to prolonged use alongside, it is normal practice to accommodate submarine personnel ashore if a submarine is alongside for more than three days. Hotel accommodation is being used on a short-term basis as there is currently no suitable service accommodation available. The cost per night including allowances is as follows: Officers £117.60, Senior Rates £92.60 and Junior Rates £75.10/80.10. RFA Fort Rosalie will arrive in Gibraltar by 6 July and she will provide accommodation for all personnel from Tireless for the duration of the repair work.

  War Widows
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to publish the review of pensions for war widows. [128472]

  Mr. Spellar
  My Department is carrying out a major review of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme. This review is looking at all aspects of pensions for members of the armed forces and their dependants, including widows' pensions, and the question of paying widows' pension for life. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State continues to hope to make an announcement about the review during the summer. War widows' pensions are the responsibility of the DSS War Pensions Agency.

  MOD Assets
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last agreed guidelines with HM Treasury for greater commercial utilisation of MOD property and assets; and what proportion of its commercial returns may be retained by the MOD under such guidelines. [128270]

  Mr. Spellar
  The commercial exploitation of Ministry of Defence assets is conducted in accordance with Treasury guidelines, which are circulated to Departments from time to time, most recently in a Policy and Guidance Note, "Selling Government Services Into Wider Markets", issued in July 1998. As a general rule, the guidelines give each Department generating receipts the right to retain these commercial returns in their entirety.

  Anti-submarine Exercises
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what anti-submarine warfare exercises involving more than two vessels have been carried out by the Royal Navy in the past year; which ships and submarines took part; and where the exercises were held. [128766]
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  Mr. Spellar
  Ships regularly conduct anti-submarine and it is warfare training on an opportunity basis and it is not possible to detail every exercise or training opportunity.

  Event

  Time

  Units involved

  Location

  Submarine Command Course

  June 1999

  HMS Sovereign

  Scottish Exercise Areas

  HMS Sheffield

  Area Capability Training

  June 1999

  HMS Monmouth

  West of UK and Minches

  HMS Sovereign

  Joint Maritime Course (JMC 992)

  June 1999

  HMS Illustrious

  West of UK and Minches

  HMS Monmouth

  HMS Sheffield

  NATO Exercise 'Northern Light'

  September 1999

  HMS Trenchant

  Bay to Biscay

  HMS Turbulent

  HMS Coventry

  HMS Campbeltown

  HMS Cumberland

  HMS Gloucester

  HMS Illustrious

  HMS Manchester

  HMS Montrose

  HMS Sheffield

  Area Capability Training

  October—November 1999

  HMS Iron Duke

  West of UK and Minches

  HMS Montrose

  HMS Norfolk

  HMS Superb

  Joint Maritime Course (JMC 001)

  February—March 2000

  HMS Splendid

  West of UK and Minches

  HMS Grafton

  HMS Westminster

  American Undersea Testing and Evaluation Centre

  April 2000

  HMS Superb

  Tongue of the Ocean, Bahamas

  HMS Norfolk

  NATO Exercise 'Linked Seas'

  May 2000

  HMS Campbeltown

  Bay of Biscay

  HMS Glasgow

  HMS Gloucester

  HMS Liverpool

  HMS Northumberland

  HMS Westminster

  HMS Sovereign

  Submarine Command Course

  May—June 2000

  HMS Sovereign

  Scottish Exercise Areas and Northern Fleet Exercise Areas

  HMS Norfolk

  HMS Northumberland

  HMS Cumberland

  Area Capability Training

  June 2000

  HMS Sovereign

  West of UK and Minches

  HMS Norfolk

  HMS Northumberland

  Joint Maritime Course (JMC 002)

  June 2000

  HMS Cumberland

  West of UK and Minches

  HMS Iron Duke

  HMS Invincible

  HMS Norfolk

  HMS Northumberland

  HMS Somerset

  Flag Officer Sea Training

  Weekly

  All ships undergoing Basic pre-Deployment Operational Sea Training Conduct, on average, 12 hours of ASW training per week

  South Coast Exercise Areas

  Sea Eagle Missile
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons the Sea Eagle has been withdrawn from service. [128767]

  Mr. Spellar
  Work undertaken in the Strategic Defence Review showed that we needed less capability in the field of open ocean anti-surface ship warfare. To this end, it was decided to withdraw the Sea Eagle missile from both the Tornado GRIB and the Sea Harrier, as part of a coherent programme of reduced investment in this area of our maritime capability. Instead, our future investment will be in heavier weapons with larger ranges, such as Harpoon.
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  The following pre-planned exercise were undertaken where on of the prinicipal objectives was anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Operational capability.

  Royal Artillery Day, Larkhill
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations were made to his Department and to the Royal Artillery by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds about Royal Artillery Day at Larkhill; and if he will make a statement. [128474]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 3 July 2000]: No representations have been received from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. There have, however, been detailed negotiations with English Nature over the firing arrangements for the Royal Artillery Day at Larkhill in order to minimise disturbance to nesting sites for stone curlews. English Nature consider that the arrangements

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  in place do not present a significant risk of disturbance, especially as the nesting plots in question have been vacated with no sign of return. English Nature have expressed their thanks for the Ministry of Defence's efforts on this issue.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the hon. Member for Beckenham will receive an answer to her question tabled for answer on 17 May on the Love Bug computer virus. [128545]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 3 July 2000]: I have replied today.

  Chinook Crash
  Mr. Arbuthnot
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the statement by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence in Westminster Hall on 27 June 2000, on the Chinook crash, that the pilots could and should have either turned away immediately or slowed down and climbed to a safe altitude, on what evidence he relied to establish, to the standard of proof required by the RAF, that at the relevant time(a) Flight Lieutenant Cook and (b) Flight Lieutenant Tapper could have turned away or slowed down and climbed to a safe altitude. [128555]

  Mr. Spellar
  The RAF Board of Inquiry found nothing that would have prevented the pilots from maintaining safe flight in accordance with Visual Flight Rules or Instrument Flight Rules.

  Bosnia
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the local Bosnian police report on the fatal accident on Monday 7 July involving Foden Thompson Carmichael FWD EW79AA, near Mrkonjic Grad. [127474]

  Mr. Spellar
  A brief report by the local Bosnian police was completed on 7 July 1997. It consists of a summary of the accident and notification that the Military Police took control of the investigation. It has been translated from the original Serbo-Croat; however, permission is required from the originator of the report for its release. My officials are now in consultation with the appropriate Bosnian authorities seeking release of the documents to a third party. I will write to the hon. Member when a decision has been reached.

  Lemming UGV
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what evaluation his Department has made of the Lemming UGV; what plans it has to purchase this surveillance system; and if he will make a statement.[127179]

  Mr. Spellar
  My Department is aware of the Lemming Unmanned Ground Vehicle through its information exchange links with the US. No UK evaluation of the Lemming has been made and there are no present plans to purchase this system.

  Robotic Surveillance System
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has to acquire an updated robotic surveillance system; and if he will make a statement. [127178]

  Mr. Spellar
  There are no current plans to acquire a land-based robotic surveillance system. Research is, however, being conducted into the potential of robotics to meet possible future requirements.

  Queen's Birthday Parade
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to issue lightweight summer uniforms to the service personnel taking part in the Queen's birthday parade in circumstances where the temperature is forecast to be well in excess of the seasonal norm. [127229]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Army ceremonial Full Dress uniform which is worn by all troops on the Queen's Birthday Parade, and by the Royal Colonels, is designed for a temperate climate. Army Bands do, however, wear their Full Dress uniform in hot climates abroad, such as Cyprus. A lightweight version could not be justified financially for the very few occasions when such a uniform might be deemed appropriate.

  Farnborough Airshow
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what support his Department is giving to the organisers of this year's Farnborough Airshow; and what assistance his Department is providing to enable overseas visitors to attend the show. [127876]

  Mr. Spellar
  In support of the Government's commitment to a strong UK defence industry, my Department undertakes a broad range of activities in support of The Society of British Aerospace Companies' organisation of this prestigious show to help ensure its continued position as one of the world's premier aerospace exhibitions. Normal marketing support to UK exhibitors is provided by the Defence Export Services Organisation, and other assistance ranges from providing the exhibition site, airfield support services and facilities, through to helping the organisers ensure the maximum exposure of UK products to potential customers by supporting official inward missions.

  Radiation Detectors
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the IPM-7 type radiation detectors at Faslane base meet the standard required for the function they are put to; what standard his Department requires of BRDL at Rosyth; and what differences there are between the operations at Rosyth and Faslane. [128027]

  Mr. Spellar
  The IPM-7 type radiation detectors are calibrated at least once a year in accordance with legislative requirements. The monitoring arrangements used at Rosyth are legally the responsibility of the Chief Executive of the dockyard company and are not under the control of the MOD.
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  It is not possible to make comparisons between Faslane and Rosyth as all nuclear safety matters relating to Rosyth Royal Dockyard are a matter for Babcock Rosyth Defence Ltd., the owners of the dockyard. It is a condition of their contract with the MOD that they must comply with all nuclear safety regulations.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how often the Electra ratemeter and BP7 probes are given a functional response check; and how often they are calibrated at each site where they are in use. [128032]

  Mr. Spellar
  At Her Majesty's Naval Bases Devonport and Clyde, the Electra ratemeter and BP7 probes undergo various daily function checks and are calibrated at least once a year in accordance with legislative requirements.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what differences exist in the checks for radioactive contamination between personnel working(a) on reactor compartments and (b) in an active processing facility and nuclear repair workshops. [128033]

  Mr. Spellar
  All service and civilian staff working in reactor compartments at Her Majesty's Naval Base Faslane are checked fully for contamination on completion of their work using an Electra ratemeter with BP7 probe. This supplements routine contamination monitoring of work areas. Additionally, those working in the Active Processing Facility and Nuclear Repair Workshop are monitored using IPM-7 type portal radiation detectors.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Mk10 probe came into service; how many are in use and at what locations; and what plans he has to replace them. [128028]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Mk10 ratemeter came into service in 1976. There are approximately 65 Mk10 ratemeters currently available for use at the naval bases and on board submarines. The Mk10 ratemeters are programmed for replacement in the financial year 2002–03.

  Computer Viruses
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at what precise time his Department became aware of the computer virus known as the Love Bug. [122589]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Ministry of Defence first became aware of the computer virus known as the Love Bug at approximately 9.30 am on 4 May 2000.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  New Deal
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many employees of his Department and its agencies have been recruited from the New Deal; and what percentage this represents of total staff. [129089]

  Mr. Mandelson
  The NIO currently has 11 New Deal employees, representing 0.8 per cent. of total staff. NIO' s target under the scheme is to appoint 15 New Deal employees, representing 1 per cent. of total staff. To meet its target the Department has an on-going recruitment competition from which it will appoint a further four New Deal employees.

  Diplock Courts
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in the review of the Diplock court arrangements. [129297]

  Mr. Ingram
  The review of the Diplock arrangements has now been completed and a report presented to the Secretary of State. I have today placed copies of the Review Group's report in the Library of the House.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Respiratory Diseases
  Mr. Ennis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many posthumous claims have been received from the dependants of former miners suffering from chronic bronchitis and emphysema; how many of these claims have so far been processed; and what estimate he has made of when all such claims will have been dealt with. [124949]

  Mrs. Liddell
  [holding answer 19 June 2000]: To date we have received 36,889 claims for respiratory diseases from the widows and families of deceased former miners.

  Where the condition caused or materially contributed to the miner's death, we have been paying bereavement awards to widows on the production of the death certificate since last year. To date we have paid some £30 million in over 2,700 cases. In addition, we are processing claims from widows and dependants through the full medical assessment process as we receive the necessary claims forms from solicitors. This process has been agreed with the solicitors representing the miners and is designed to calculate the compensation that would have been due to the deceased miner, but is now due to the widow and dependants. So far we have completed nearly 300 such assessments for deceased claims, but we expect this number to increase significantly over the coming weeks as the relevant medical records are obtained.

  We anticipate that all existing claims will be completed in two to three years' time. This compares with 15 to 20 years if individual cases were dealt with the conventional way through the Courts.

  Energy Policy
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what increase in non-fossil fuel resources and/or reduction in energy demand would be needed to compensate for the expected closure of almost all existing UK nuclear plant by 2020. [127480]

  Mrs. Liddell
  Nuclear output in 1999 is estimated to have been about 88TWh, forming some 28 per cent. of the total net supply from major power producers. In the DTI's recent Working Paper on energy projections, nuclear output was projected to fall to around 27TWh in 2020, representing a reduction of 61TWh from the 1999 level. If non-fossil sources were to substitute for the 61TWh of output entirely, this would require an increase in output from non-fossil sources of 500 per cent. from current levels or an increase of 67 per cent. from the projected level in 2020. To compensate for the 61TWh
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  of output through reductions in electricity use, including losses, would require electricity demand in 2020 to be some 17 per cent. less than projected.

  Internet
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what regulatory procedures are in place to ensure the competitive balance of the internet.[128498]

  Ms Hewitt
  Many activities in the internet sector can be subject to regulation by OFTEL under telecoms regulations. One of OFTEL's key objectives in the area of internet markets is to ensure that the UK regulatory framework is appropriate to encourage the development of the internet so that the UK can be a world leader in e-commerce. Further, qualifying mergers are considered under the EC Merger Regulation, or the Fair Trading Act 1973, as appropriate, taking into account the impact of the merger on all relevant markets.

  999 Calls
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how he ensures that OFTEL meets its responsibilities to ensure that 999 calls receive priority over other telephone calls and are correctly routed; and if he will publish OFTEL data on the performance of the three companies which handle 999 calls in their call centres. [128499]

  Ms Hewitt
  OFTEL actively participates in the Home Office's 999 Liaison Committee which provides a forum for the emergency authorities and telecommunications companies to identify and resolve issues regarding the emergency calls service.

  All Public Telecommunications Operators are required under their licences to provide a free 999/112 emergency calls service. Each Operator makes arrangements with BT, Cable & Wireless or Kingston Communications for the answering of such calls and their onward connection to the individual emergency services. The Operators licences also require that they take all reasonably practicable steps to maintain, to the greatest extent possible, the availability and integrity of their networks and the services that run over them, with particular regard to the needs of the Emergency Services. 999 calls receive absolute priority over all other calls and there are several in-built safeguards to ensure that these calls are routed and answered with the highest reliability.

  OFTEL monitors the performance of the emergency calls service and receives reports from BT and other operators of all occasions when access to the 999 service is temporarily lost. Major incidents are investigated by OFTEL, which may recommend remedial actions.

  The performance of the emergency calls service is published by OFTEL each year. The results for 1999 were as follows:
  British Telecom took 22.3 million 999 calls of which it answered 95.7 per cent. within 5 seconds and 99.5 per cent. within 15 seconds;
  Cable and Wireless took 4.4 million 999 calls of which it answered 92.1 per cent. within 5 seconds and 95.9 per cent. within 15 seconds;
  Kingston Communications handled 0.23 million 999 calls of which it answered 99.97 per cent. within 15 seconds.
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  OFTEL intend to publish this year's information on their website.

  Electricity Pylons
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how much compensation the National Grid Company will pay to landowners on whose land trees must be felled or lopped along the proposed route of pylons from Lackenby to Shipton; [128369]

  (2) what discussions he has had with the National Grid Company on the felling and lopping of trees along the route of the proposed pylons from Lackenby via Picton to Shipton by Bellingborough; and if he will make a statement; [128368]

  (3) what (a) notification and (b) information he has received from the National Grid Company of the specific location of trees to be felled or lopped along the proposed route of pylons from Lackenby to Shipton; [128370]

  (4) what consultations the National Grid Company has held with the affected landowners who will be subject to trees being felled or lopped along the proposed pylons route from Lackenby to Shipton. [128367]

  Mrs. Liddell
  On 7 December 1999, the National Grid Company applied to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for determination under a planning condition requiring a replacement tree planting scheme to be agreed before the North Yorks power line could be implemented. The Department is currently considering the matter in the light of the views of the Company, the relevant local planning authority and the affected landowners who have responded to the Department's consultation. My right hon. Friend's responsibility is to approve or not approve a tree planting scheme. The purpose of the scheme is to mitigate the impact of the consented development. The question of compensation is not a matter for my right hon. Friend.

  Gas and Electricity Industries
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made in developing the future regulatory and consumer representation arrangements for the gas and electricity industries; and if he will make a statement. [129299]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Utilities Bill currently before Parliament will result in substantial benefits to consumers. In order to provide a sound basis for the implementation of those aspects of the new legislation for which it will have responsibility, the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets plans to undertake preparatory work right away. My Department also needs to undertake some preparatory work on appointments to the new Gas and Electricity Markets Authority and Gas and Electricity Consumer Council, which will be established once the Utilities Bill get Royal Assent. However, while candidates designate will be identified by the recruitment process, no appointments will be made until the Utilities Bill has received Royal Assent.

  Parliamentary approval to these activities will be sought in Estimates for the OFGEM Vote (Class IX, Vote 10) and DTI Vote (Class IX, Vote 1). Pending that approval,

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  urgent preparatory expenditure estimated at £1 million for OFGEM and £0.3 million for DTI will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.

  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his oral answer of 15 June 2000,Official Report, column 1102, on electricity trading arrangements, if he will publish the names and qualifications of the Embedded Generation Working Group, its terms of reference and work programming; and if he will make a statement. [128848]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The names, positions and contact details for the joint industry-government working group on embedded generation network access are published on the DTI website at: www.dti.gov.uk/energy/egwg/ along with its terms of reference, work programming, and minutes of past plenary meetings. This group focuses on network access issues. The position of such generators in respect of the new electricity trading arrangements (NETA) is handled separately.

  Within the NETA process, a number of expert groups have been established, including the Specials Expert Group, the work of which includes the position of licence exempt generators under NETA. The terms of reference of the expert groups was published in paper DISG 21/04 which is available on the Ofgem website. They are
  "to assist the Business Requirements and Review Team in reviewing Programme products assessing Change Requests and providing guidance and advice to the Programme. In all these instances, the basis of the activity will be to seek to ensure that the deliverables from the Programme are compliant with stakeholder requirements".
  The Specials Expert Group has developed a range of proposals to assist licence exempt generators to manage their commercial position in the NETA market, and that work continues. The membership of the Group is: Tony Bramley (Tanaris Energy); Graham Meeks (ETSU); David Smol (ILEX); Louise Elder (NGC); Robert Hockland (Scottish and Southern); Peter Clubb (ALEC); Stephen Andrews (ILEX); Andrew Wood (NFPA); Afrose Miah (PowerGen); Wyn Jones (Alcan); Liz Aveyard (Corns); Bob Brown (Norweb); Andrew MacDonald (Concert Energy); Steve Garrett (Slough Heat and Power); and Maurice Smith (Campbell Carr).

  Post Offices
  Judy Mallaber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many post offices have closed in(a) Derbyshire and (b) each Derbyshire parliamentary constituency since 1979; [129010]

  (2) how many post offices were closed in (a) Derbyshire and (b) each Derbyshire parliamentary constituency between 1979 and 1997. [129009]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  I understand from the Post Offices that it does not hold historical data by county or parliamentary constituency for the numbers of post offices which have closed or opened.

  Judy Mallaber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many post offices there are in(a) Derbyshire and (b) Amber Valley constituency. [129003]
  138W
  Mr. Alan Johnson
  I understand from the Post Office that as at October 1999, the latest date for which such information is available, there were 37 post offices in the Amber Valley constituency and 337 in the county of Derbyshire.

  Export Licence Application No. 9764
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will announce his decision on export licence application No. 9764 to Turkey. [128927]

  Dr. Howells
  The application is currently under consideration in conjunction with other Government departments. A decision on the licence application will be reached as quickly as possible consistent with the need to give full consideration to the issue involved.

  Cannabis
  Mr. Fabian Hamilton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the progress of tests currently being carried out to assess the medical benefits of cannabis. [127540]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Medical Research Council is supporting a clinical trial to look at the efficacy of cannabis extracts in the treatment of spasticity in multiple sclerosis patients. The trial was announced in December 1999 and is being run by Dr. John Zajicek (Derriford Hospital, Plymouth) and the MRC Clinical Trials Unit.

  The trial is making good progress; local ethical committee approval has been obtained in principle and an application has been made to the Medicines Control Agency for the appropriate licence. The cannabinoids will be given exclusively in capsule form. Recruitment of patients is planned to start later in the summer. The results will be available in about 2.5 years, after formal scientific assessment of the results has taken place.

  Energy (Office Buildings)
  Sir Sydney Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his estimate of the increase in energy consumption in commercial buildings, including the office sector, in the last 15 years for which figures are available. [127452]

  Mrs. Liddell
  [pursuant to the reply, 26 June 2000, c. 375W]: The original reply was incorrect, and should have been as follows.

  Energy consumption by commercial and other services (including agriculture and public administration) increased by 22 per cent. between 1984 and 1999.

HEALTH

  Smoking
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the protection of young people from the dangers of tobacco smoking. [127524]

  Mr. Hutton
  As part of its comprehensive programme of action to tackle smoking, the Government are taking a number of measures which will protect children against the dangers of tobacco. We will shortly announce measures to
  139W
  strengthen enforcement of legislation on under-age sales of cigarettes, encouragement of proof-of-age cards and a targeted education campaign aimed at young people.

  Surgical Procedures
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what change there has been in the number of surgical procedures carried out by independent healthcare providers on behalf of the NHS in the last three years. [127525]

  Ms Stuart
  This information is not collected centrally. However, in the last three years the total spent outside the National Health Service on all in-patient and day cases (surgical and medical) has risen from £86 million to £103 million, an increase of around £17 million. This remains around 1 per cent. of the total NHS spend on the same cases in the same period.

  Children (Faltering Growth)
  Ms Dari Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce new guidelines to help young children with faltering growth, taking account of recent research published by the Children's Society. [127526]

  Yvette Cooper
  The research undertaken by the Children's Society provides an overview of current practices and the effectiveness of interventions. It gives useful information for professionals working with children. The Department, in providing grant aid, has supported the society in establishing the Feeding Matters programme. Sharing the successful outcomes of these programmes and projects such as Sure Start will enable more families to receive this support.

  Primary Care Groups and Trusts
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received on the delivery of patient care through primary care trusts; and if he will make a statement. [127527]

  Mr. Denham
  I and my officials have regular meetings with a range of national and local stakeholders to discuss such issues.

  Mr. Raney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received regarding the operation of primary care groups. [127545]

  Mr. Denham
  My officials and I have regular meetings with a range of national and local stakeholders to discuss such issues.

  NHS Doctors
  Mr. Burgon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the number of doctors working in the NHS(a) currently and (b) between 1992 and 1997. [127528]

  Mr. Denham
  There are currently over 90,000 doctors working in the National Health Service; 4,000 more than there were in 1997. Money we made available from the first Comprehensive Spending Review will enable the NHS to take on up to 7,000 more doctors by March 2002.

  Census Forms (Trent)
  Mr. David Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what conclusions he has drawn from interim analysis of the national health service census forms returned by residents of the Trent region. [127529]

  Mr. Denham
  Of almost 29,000 suggestions made by members of the public within the Trent region, it can be concluded that their main concerns are the need for more capacity (27 per cent.), "doing things differently" (18 per cent.) and waiting (16 per cent.). These are consistent with the top three concerns expressed by the public nationally.

  Intermediate Care (Worcestershire)
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of intermediate care in Worcestershire. [127530]

  Yvette Cooper
  Worcestershire Health Authority has substantially increased its spending on intermediate care in the current financial year. During the last 12 months a number of services have been developed and implemented within Worcestershire which have enabled patients to be cared for in clinically appropriate environments which meet their individual needs.

  MRSA
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to reduce deaths from methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus. [127531]

  Mr. Denham
  Tackling hospital-acquired infection, including MRSA, underpins the priorities identified in the National Priorities Guidance. We have developed and issued national standards for infection control that place responsibility on Chief Executives of National Health Service trusts to deliver locally. Progress on compliance with these standards will be independently reviewed and monitored by both the Audit Commission and the Commission for Health Improvement.

  Scientific Staff
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to increase recruitment and retention of scientific staff in the NHS. [127532]

  Mr. Denham
  The National Advisory Group for Scientists and Technicians has been charged with developing plans to improve work force planning, education, training and career development among that group of staff. The Department of Health is also developing a specific strategy for improving recruitment and retention, liaising closely with employers, professional bodies and trade unions to raise the profile of the work of scientists.

  Cottage Hospitals
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future of cottage hospitals in South Staffordshire. [127533]

  Yvette Cooper
  South Staffordshire Health Authority has undertaken a wide ranging strategic review of services. Following this period of informal consultation, specific proposals will be presented for formal public
  141W
  consultation. It would therefore not be possible for me to comment at this time on the future provision of services at specific sites in South Staffordshire.

  Multiple Sclerosis
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure that, following diagnosis, persons with MS have access to a named consultant neurologist to help them manage their condition. [127534]

  Mr. Hutton
  Multiple sclerosis can be very difficult to diagnose. The usual treatment path is for a patient to be referred to a consultant neurologist by their general practitioner. Once the relationship is established between the patient and the consultant, it would be normal for the patient, whenever it is clinically necessary, to continue seeing that consultant for the management of their condition.

  Cataract Services
  Mr. McCabe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on cataract services in the NHS. [127535]

  Mr. Denham
  We intend to improve access to treatment for people who need cataract surgery. We are investing £20 million over two years to modernise cataract services. This will ensure quicker and more efficient services for patients and increase the number of cataract operations performed to 250,000 by the year 2003.

  Telecommunications Masts
  Ms Perham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the risk to health of people living near telecommunications masts. [127536]

  Yvette Cooper
  The recently published report of the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones (the Stewart Group) concluded that the balance of evidence indicates that there is no general risk to health to people living near base stations, but that gaps in knowledge are sufficient to justify a precautionary approach.

  NHS Funding
  Mr. Bill O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the planned level of capital investment in the NHS over the next two years; and if he will make a statement. [127537]

  Mr. Denham
  The planned level of Capital Investment in the National Health Service, including the Private Finance Initiative, is £1.942 billion in 1999–2000 and £2,736 billion in 2000–01.

  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the ability of the health authority funding formula to reflect health service needs in each area. [127544]

  Mr. Denham
  The current formula includes a wide range of health and socio-economic indicators associated with the need for healthcare.
  142W
  There have, however, been growing concerns about how well the formula matches cash to health need. The healthcare needs of populations must be the driving force in determining where cash goes. We have therefore asked the Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation to oversee a wide-ranging review of the formula.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list(a) the sums required and (b) the percentage increase in funding required to achieve financial balance in each NHS health authority area by 2000–01; and what percentage of the additional NHS funding recently announced is required to achieve financial balance in each case. [128554]

  Mr. Denham
  Health authorities do not spend money on achieving financial balance. In consultation with local stakeholders they use their allocations to commission services for their local populations. In planning their spending they are required to live within the resources available.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the provision of NHS dental services. [127538]

  Mr. Hutton
  We are aware of the problems in accessing National Health Service dentistry in some parts of the country and have taken steps to address them. Improving access to services will be an integral part of the Government's plans to modernise NHS dentistry, which will be published in conjunction with the National Plan for the New NHS.

  Walk-in Centres
  Mr. Bradshaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made towards establishing the planned new NHS walk-in centres. [127539]

  Mr. Denham
  36 National Health Service Walk-in Centre pilots were approved last year. 21 have opened to date, with the remaining sites to open by December 2000. NHS walk-in centres will improve access to and convenience of services for patients.

  Patient Choice
  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about patient choice in the NHS. [127541]

  Mr. Denham
  The rights of patients are one of the issues being considered in the preparation of the National Plan.

  Consultants
  Mr. Efford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to monitor the performance levels of NHS consultants. [127542]

  Mr. Denham
  We are currently negotiating a new contract for National Health Service consultants and have agreed with the British Medical Association the key areas to be negotiated over the next few months. That will include the introduction of employer-based appraisal for all consultants which, coupled with tighter job planning
  143W
  mechanisms, will provide NHS managers with a more effective framework to manage the performance and time of their consultants.

  Alcohol Strategy
  Mr. Hopkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the consultation paper on a national alcohol strategy; and if he will make a statement. [127546]

  Yvette Cooper
  We plan to publish a consultation paper later this year, which will allow a period for comment prior to the publication of the strategy.

  Health Inequalities (London)
  Mr. Love
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to reduce health inequalities in London. [127547]

  Yvette Cooper
  Action to reduce inequalities in health is a major priority, as are addressing black and minority ethnic health, regenerating deprived areas and improving transport. The reduction in health inequalities is a shared priority for local health and social services.

  A London health strategy has been developed over the last year by a partnership with representatives from business, local government, environment, leisure and housing organisations, the National Health Service, academic institutions and voluntary and community groups.

  The London health strategy will reduce inequalities in health and this work will complement the implementation of major government initiatives to tackle inequalities and focus them on the particular problems being faced in London.

  National Plan (Beds)
  Dr. Palmer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress he is making on providing for additional beds under the national plan; and if he will make a statement. [127543]

  Mr. Denham
  We will be publishing the national plan in July.

  Freeman Hospital, Newcastle
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the maximum waiting times are for a consultant appointment at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle; and if he will make a statement. [127804]

  Mr. Denham
  Latest published data for the quarter ending 31 March 2000 show that 75 per cent. of patients referred by their general practitioner to the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals National Health Service Trust are seen within 13 weeks for first out-patient appointments and 95 per cent. are seen within 26 weeks. Lengthy waits being experienced for orthopaedic surgery are being addressed by the appointment of a new consultant.

  Prescription Drugs
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the 10 most expensive drugs, in 144W
  terms of treatment per patient per year, prescribed by the NHS and the number of patients involved in each case in the last year for which figures are available. [127862]

  Ms Stuart
  It is not possible to provide information in the form requested because individual patients require different treatment regimes, nor is information collected on the numbers of patients receiving medicines.

  However, as a general rule the most expensive treatments per patient per year are those used to treat very rare diseases or rare complications of diseases, e.g. Gaucher's Disease or complication of haemophilia.

  Nursing Vacancies (Advertising)
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent on advertising for nursing vacancies in newspapers and journals by each hospital trust in England and Wales in 1998–99. [128083]

  Ms Stuart
  Information on how much is spent on advertising in newspapers and journals by each hospital trust in England and Wales for nursing vacancies is not held centrally.

  Organ Transplants
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to introduce legislation to secure a greater supply of organs for transplant; and if he will make a statement. [128113]

  Mr. Denham
  We have no plans at this time to introduce legislation to change the way in which organs are donated for transplant.

  Our current publicity campaign, which was launched in 1998, is on-going and encourages people to join the National Health Service Organ Donor Register, carry the donor card and, most importantly, discuss their wishes with their friends and family.

  Medical Services (Cleveland)
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many doctors have joined the NHS in each year since 1990 and how many have joined in total since May 1997(a) nationally, (b) in Teesside and (c) in the constituency of Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East; and if he will make a statement; [128511]

  (2) how many nurses have joined the NHS in each year since 1990; how many joined in total since May 1997 (a) nationally, (b) in Teesside and (c) in the constituency of Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East; and if he will make a statement. [128514]

  Mr. Denham
  The information requested is shown in the table. Information is not collected for the constituency of Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East.

  Number of NHS Doctors1 in Tees Health Authority and England, 1990–99

  Headcount

  Tees HA2

  England

  1990

  881

  101,243

  19913

  949

  102,568

  19923

  999

  103,925

  19933

  1,109

  105,740

  19943

  1,151

  106,685

  145W

  Number of NHS Doctors1 in Tees Health Authority and England, 1990–99

  Headcount

  Tees HA2

  England

  1995

  1,217

  109,869

  1996

  1,294

  112,206

  1997

  1,382

  115,439

  1998

  1,408

  117,927

  1999

  1,452

  120,347

  1Includes all hospital medical staff (except Clinical Assistants and Hospital Practitioners, most of whom also work as GMPs); all General Medical Practitioners (except retainers); Public Health Medicine and Community Health Service Medical staff. Excludes locum doctors.

  2GMP data relate to Cleveland FPC for 1990, Cleveland FHSA for 1991 to 1995 and Tees HA from 1996 onwards.

  3Figures for 1991 to 1994 may not be fully comparable with other data due to under-recording of fundholding practice staff by FHSAs. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

  Sources:

  Department of Health medical and dental workforce census at 30 September each year

  Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics at 1 October each year

  NHS Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS): nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff and practice nurses, in England and Tees Regional Health Authority, as at 30 September each year

  Whole time equivalents

  England

  Tees HA

  1990

  403,100

  n/a

  1991

  400,980

  n/a

  1992

  387,910

  n/a

  1993

  371,060

  n/a

  1994

  357,780

  n/a

  1995

  340,190

  4,130

  1996

  342,480

  4,400

  1997

  340,700

  4,460

  1998

  342,550

  4,760

  1999

  349,270

  4,870

  n/a = not applicable

  Notes:

  1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10.

  2. Figures exclude learners and agency staff.

  3. A new classification of the non-medical workforce was introduced in 1995. Information based on this classification is not directly comparable with earlier years.

  Source:

  Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census

  Junior Doctors
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the impact of the European Working Time Directive on junior doctors; and how many junior doctors are working in excess of the directive-recommended hours. [128802]

  Mr. Denham
  We welcome the agreement reached between the Council and the European Parliament to extend the Working Time Directive to junior doctors. The transition period of up to twelve years for implementing the Directive will allow junior doctors' working hours to be reduced in a planned and sustained way while, at the same time, protecting patient services and safeguarding our ambitious and much-needed programme of modernisation for the National Health Service.
  146W
  The transition period requires, in its initial phase, that no junior doctor should work more than 56 hours a week by 2007. NHS trusts' figures for March 2000 show that 64 per cent. of junior doctors in England meet the full range of hours and rest period targets set out in the juniors' New Deal, including the requirement that they do not work more than 56 hours a week. The 56 hour limit will be incorporated into all junior doctor contracts from August 2003.

  Appointments
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he has taken to end the practice of seeking references from hon. Members on shortlisted applicants for appointment to(a) NHS trusts, (b) health authorities and (c) primary care trusts, since the publication of the Fritchie report. [129030]

  Ms Stuart
  A response to Dame Rennie Fritchie's report on appointments to National Health Service boards will be made shortly. This will address the recommendation that comments should no longer be sought from hon. Members on shortlisted candidates for chair appointments.

  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) shortlisted applicants for and (b) appointments as (i) chairman and (ii) non-executive director of primary care trusts have declared political activity for (A) the Labour Party, (B) the Conservative Party and (C) the Liberal Democrat Party. [129029]

  Ms Stuart
  The information requested as at 3 July 2000 is given in the table.

  Labour

  Conservative

  Liberal Democrat

  Ind./No Political activity

  Non-executives

  Short-listed candidates

  39

  12

  4

  95

  Appointed candidates

  15

  8

  2

  53

  Success rate (per cent.)

  38.5

  66

  50

  55.8

  Chairs

  Short-listed candidates

  11

  5

  2

  21

  Appointed candidates

  5

  2

  2

  13

  Success rate (per cent.)

  45

  40

  100

  62

  Access to Health Care
  Mr. Casale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to reduce regional variations in access to health care. [127517]

  Mr. Denham
  We are setting standards through the National Institute for Clinical Excellence and the National Service Frameworks. We are ensuring local delivery through clinical governance and monitoring delivery through the performance assessment framework and the Commission for Health Improvement. We are working with relevant parties, utilising the record increases in National Health Service funding announced in the Budget to improve NHS performance.

  Community Care Services
  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the cost for(a) Scotland and (b) the UK of abolishing charging for essential non-residential community care services. [128132]

  Mr. Hutton
  In 1998–99, councils in England raised £295 million in sales, fees and charges from all clients of all ages for non-residential services. The responsibility for information relating to Scotland is a matter for the devolved Administration.

  Prescription Fraud
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the level of accuracy of his Department's most recent measurement of prescription fraud. [128913]

  Ms Stuart
  The measurement exercise was designed so as to ensure that the variation in the results due to sampling should be no more than 1 per cent. (So that for an estimate of x per cent. the true value would have a 95 per cent. confidence interval of x plus 1 per cent. and x minus 1 per cent. or better). In fact the final estimate of the fraud/in error rate had 95 per cent. confidence limits of plus or minus 0.6 per cent.

  A sample of forms dispensed by community pharmacists and appliance contractors to people claiming exemption from payment for prescription charges was selected using robust statistical techniques. The selected prescription forms were then subjected to a stringent investigative process to establish whether the patient who had made the claim had done so correctly, in error or fraudulently. Each case was investigated and examined individually and, where necessary, patients were contacted to establish the reasons for inconsistencies in the information given by them. The National Audit Office have examined the methodology used to arrive at the estimates and found that it was sound.

  Buddying Schemes
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the buddying schemes for people with disabilities in England which are run by(a) community health trusts, (b) social services departments and (c) voluntary organisations; and if he will make a statement. [128836]

  Mr. Hutton
  The information requested is not collected centrally. It is for health authority and local authority commissioners to decide whether to commission buddying services locally.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding is available from his Department to finance buddying schemes for people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement. [128835]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Department provides grants to voluntary organisations through the scheme administered under Section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968. Some of these grants may, from time to time, be used to fund buddying schemes.

  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the total funding available from(a) central Government and (b) voluntary organisations
  148W
  for the running of buddying schemes for people with disabilities in England; and if he will make a statement. [128837]

  Mr. Hutton
  No Section 64 grants are currently provided specifically to fund buddying schemes. Information about funding from voluntary organisations is not available centrally.

  NICE
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will ask the National Institute for Clinical Excellence to hear oral evidence from multiple sclerosis patients; [129116]

  (2) what guidance he has given to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence about taking evidence from patients. [129117]

  Mr. Denham
  The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) determines its own processes, within broad guidance from Ministers set out in a "Memorandum of Understanding" of August 1999. We have asked NICE to follow a transparent and well-structured process for its appraisals, giving appropriate interested parties the opportunity to submit evidence, to comment on draft conclusions, and to appeal to a panel independent of those involved in the original judgment. For their appraisal of beta interferon NICE have sought evidence from patient representative organisations and we anticipate that NICE will be well aware from this of the views of individual multiple sclerosis patients.

  Correspondence
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the hon. Member for Broxbourne will receive a reply to her letters of(a) 3 March, (b) 6 April, (c) 5 May, (d) 1 June and (e) 29 June relating to her constituent Mrs. K. Costas. [128917]

  Mr. Denham
  I replied to the hon. Member on 3 July.

  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the hon. Member for Broxbourne will receive a reply to her letters of(a) 6 April, (b) 5 May, (c) 1 June and (d) 29 June relating to her constituent, Mr. John Huggett. [128915]

  Mr. Denham
  I replied to the hon. Member on 3 July.

  Single Currency
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what costs the NHS has incurred as a consequence of the National Changeover Plan. [128914]

  Mr. Denham
  The National Health Service is carrying out a measure of pre-planning for the possible introduction of the euro as set out in the second Outline National Changeover Plan published on 9 March 2000. The costs of this on-going exercise are contained within normal running costs and cannot be separately identified.

  Healthy Living Centres
  Mrs. Anne Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the role of healthy living centres in the Government's public health strategy. [127513]
  149W
  Yvette Cooper
  The New Opportunities Fund is responsible for funding the healthy living centre initiative. Healthy living centre applicants need to demonstrate that their projects will support national and local health strategies. Healthy living centres will have a key role to play in reducing inequalities and supporting the work of other statutory and voluntary agencies locally. Healthy living centres funded through this initiative will promote good health in its broadest sense.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Millennium Dome
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what cost savings are planned for the rest of the year at the Dome. [123984]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 5 June 2000]: NMEC is achieving £20 million cost savings over the project's remaining lifetime which will bring the project back to its original cash ceiling budget of £758 million. In addition, NMEC is continuing to focus on cost efficiency and cost savings and aims to deliver more.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will publish the basis on which the estimated closure costs of the Dome have been calculated. [126872]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 19 June 2000]: The closure costs of the Millennium Dome will be subject to the nature of the proposal from the winning bidder in the Legacy competition. Any non-planned closure costs would be determined by the nature and quantum of contractual liabilities at that point in time, including staff termination payments, supplier and contractor payments and legal bills.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of sponsorship payments due to the new Millennium Experience Company in respect of the Dome had been received on time by 31 May. [126649]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 19 June 2000]: All sponsor contracts are individually tailored for each sponsorship, including phasing of sponsorship payments. At 31 May, all contractual sponsorship payments had been made. At that stage the contract with Boots was nearing finalisation and the company had paid amounts in advance of signature. The Boots contract has now been signed and all due payments have been made.

  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will estimate the cost of making admission to the Dome free from 1 July to the end of the year. [127485]

  Janet Anderson
  On the basis of ticket income foregone against the planned visitor volume, the cost of free entry from 1 July would be about £40 million.

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what type of information on ticket sales to the Millennium Dome has been released to the Select Committee on Culture, Media and Sport on a commercial-in-confidence basis which has not been made publicly available. [125529]
  150W
  Mr. Chris Smith
  No information on ticket sales has been made available to the Select Committee on a commercial-in-confidence basis which has not been made publicly available. Information on visitor figures is regularly posted on the Dome's website (www.Dome2000.co.uk).

  New Millennium Experience Company
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment the New Millennium Experience Company has made of its ability to meet its published commercial income target. [125027]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 8 June 2000]: NMEC has already made it clear that the original business plan assumptions were over-optimistic and its revised business plan, on the basis of 6 million revenue-generating visitors, forecasts commercial income (tickets, merchandise, food, corporate hospitality and events) of £86.1 million. Part of the difference between the original and current forecasts is mitigated by the revenue contingency factored into the original budget. The remaining difference formed part of the NMEC's applications for additional Lottery grant in January 2000 and May 2000. Despite the revision of the business assumptions the Dome is the most successful paying visitor attraction in the UK, achieving 3 million visitors in six months, and is the second most successful in Europe.

  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he will answer the questions from the hon. Member for Cardiff, Central on the NMEC, tabled for answer on 9 June. [128620]

  Janet Anderson
  I answered my hon. Friend's questions (125528, 125530 and 125531) on the NMEC on 29 June 2000,Official Report, columns 618–19W. I am answering question No. 125529 today.

  Flaxmill Project
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport for how long the English Heritage grant will be available for the Flaxmill project in Shrewsbury; and if he will make a statement. [125945]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The English Heritage grant will be available as long as it is needed to get this important project off the ground. English Heritage grants are normally time limited and conditional on works starting within six months, and being completed within two years, of the date of offer. However, in this case English Heritage have agreed to hold their grants offer open in the hope that their funding partners will be able to find their share of the funds needed to secure the future of this Grade I listed building at risk.

  Listed Churches
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much Lottery money, and how many grants, have been allocated to restoration of listed churches in each year since 1995; and what plans he has to increase the resources available for the restoration and maintenance of listed churches. [128515]
  151W
  Mr. Chris Smith
  We have contacted the Heritage Lottery Fund and English Heritage to request the information required, and I will write to the right hon. Member as soon as it is available, placing copies of my letter in the Library of the House.

  National Lottery
  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps is he taking to ensure that small community-based projects have increased access to Lottery funding. [128351]

  Kate Hoey
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has encouraged the distributing bodies to continue and enhance the cross-distributor small grants programme, Awards for All, which distributes grants of £500–£5,000 to community-based groups for arts, sports, heritage, charitable and other community activities. The average size of a Lottery grant today is £40,000, down from a peak of more than £250,000 in 1995–96, which means that many more groups are able to benefit from Lottery funds.

  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money the National Lottery raised in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what was the average weekly figure for that period. [128358]

  Kate Hoey
  In the 12 months to the end of May 2000, the National Lottery raised a total of £1.789 billion for good causes (including money earned on the balance of the National Lottery distribution fund). This equates to an average of £34 million per week.

  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to ensure equitable distribution of Lottery funding throughout the United Kingdom. [128347]

  Kate Hoey
  The Government are committed to ensuring that Lottery funding is distributed fairly both geographically and across all groups of society. This is reflected in the changes made to Lottery distribution through the National Lottery Act, 1998, and through the revised Policy Directions which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State issued in summer 1998. My Department and the Lottery distributors have set up an action team to help ensure that areas of low take-up fare better from the Lottery in future.

  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he takes to monitor the extent to which Lottery funds are equitably distributed throughout the United Kingdom. [128349]

  Kate Hoey
  My Department monitors the Lottery awards given to each constituency. The policy directions issued to each distributor require them to take account of the need to ensure that all parts of the country have access to funding.

  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the projects for which Lottery funding has been applied for to date. [128345]
  152W
  Kate Hoey
  Applications for Lottery funds are made in confidence and therefore no complete list of projects that have applied for Lottery funds is available. A list of successful applications is available on my Department's website at www.lottery.culture.gov.uk.

  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to ensure that seaside towns receive Lottery funding for regeneration projects. [128344]

  Kate Hoey
  The National Lottery funds numerous projects which bring widespread benefits to seaside towns. Research jointly commissioned by my Department and the Lottery distributors into Lottery funding in the coalfields and other areas does however suggest that resort and retirement towns have made relatively fewer applications and have received less per capita than the national average. We have set up an action team to take forward recommendations in this research and will explore ways of ensuring that all areas, including seaside towns, receive their fair share in future.

  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is the maximum percentage of funding a project can attract in Lottery funding. [128444]

  Kate Hoey
  Each National Lottery distributor sets its own levels of expected partnership funding. In doing so they seek an element of partnership funding commensurate with the ability of different kinds of applicants, or applicants in particular areas, to obtain such support. In some instances this may result in 100 per cent. National Lottery funding. Volunteer time and other contributions in kind may be considered as providing partnership support.

  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he takes to advertise funding opportunities through the Lottery to voluntary and community groups. [128350]

  Kate Hoey
  My Department has published and distributed leaflets drawing attention to the Lottery funding available. Similar information is available on the DCMS website www.culture.gov.uk. My Department is also working with the distributing bodies, local authorities and others to improve the flow of information to voluntary and community groups.

  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the total value of Lottery ticket sales is in the Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency since the Lottery began. [128357]

  Kate Hoey
  In the first five years of the Lottery's operation (that is, up to 13 November 1999), ticket sales in the Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency were £31,646,302. No more recent breakdown of Lottery ticket sales by constituency is available.

  World Cup 2006
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with the FA, the Premier League and Sport England regarding his continued support for the bid to host the World Cup in 2006; and if he will make a statement. [128799]
  153W
  Mr. Chris Smith
  [holding answer 3 July 2000]: I have discussed the bid for the 2006 World Cup with the Football Association and with the Prime Minister's Special Envoy over the last week. Despite recent events at the European Football Championships, the bid will not be withdrawn. The Government agree with the FA that the England bid is of the highest technical quality, and will continue to offer its full support.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he expects accounts of England 2006 to be published; and if he will make a statement. [128800]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  [holding answer 3 July 2000]: The 2006 World Cup bid is a bid by the Football Association. Reference to the costs of the bid are made in the FA's accounts for the years ended 31 December 1998 and 1999, and are expected to appear in the accounts for the year ended 31 December 2000. Any decision to publish full accounts for the bid is for the FA to make.

  Sport England allocated £3 million towards the cost of the bid, which is expected to total an estimated £9 million by the time that the FIFA Executive Council announces its decision on 7 July. Although it is not a Lottery condition to require published accounts, Sport England closely monitors how the Lottery grant is spent.

  Young Athletes (International Competitions)
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the contribution of private companies in the United Kingdom in providing financial support to young athletes competing for Great Britain in international competitions; and if he will make a statement. [128384]

  Kate Hoey
  [holding answer 3 July 2000]: I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as I have the information, which is not readily available within my Department.

  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what financial support is available to young athletes competing for Great Britain in international competitions; what percentage of such financial support is provided by private companies through sponsorship; and if he will make a statement. [128383]

  Kate Hoey
  [holding answer 3 July 2000]: I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as I have the information and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

  Free Television Licences
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he will amend the BBC Agreement to enable the Department of Social Security to make certain payments to the BBC in recognition of the fact that, from 1 November, people aged 75 or over will become entitled to free television licences. [129384]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  The amendment to the BBC Agreement [Command 4797] has been laid before the House of Commons today. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses and in the Vote Office.

  Annual Reports
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his answer of 27 June 2000,154W
  Official Report, column 442W, what the cost of producing the annual report of his Department was in each of the two most recent years in which they were published, excluding the cost of buying back copies for free distribution from The Stationery Office. [129184]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  The costs incurred producing the Departmental Annual Report in each of the two most recent years, excluding the cost of buying back copies for free distribution from the Stationery Office were:

  £000

  1999

  46.6

  2000

  47.9

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme
  Mr. Ian Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the Government will publish its review of the 1979 vaccine damage payment scheme. [128036]

  Mr. Bayley
  I refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 27 June 2000,Official Report, column 719.

  Housing Benefit
  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people claim Housing Benefit in Morecambe and Lunesdale constituency. [128352]

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

  Housing Benefit claims and recipients for Lancaster city council which includes the constituency of Morecambe and Lunesdale 1998–99

  Number

  New and renewal claims to

  Housing Benefit—April 1998 to March 1999

  18,000

  Housing Benefit recipients—August 1999

  8,650

  Notes

  1. Numbers in receipt of Housing Benefit for Lancaster city council have been rounded to the nearest 10 cases.

  2. The numbers of claims to Housing Benefit have been rounded to two significant figures.

  3. The Department collects data by local authority.

  Sources

  For claims—Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Quarterly Administrative Returns April 1998—March 1999.

  For recipients—Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit Management Information System Quarterly Caseload Stock Counts Returns August 1999.

  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the average rent limit in England is for the payment of Housing Benefit. [128353]

  Angela Eagle
  The information is not available.

  Housing Benefit Fraud
  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent steps his Department has taken to tackle Housing Benefit fraud. [128458]

  Angela Eagle
  "Safeguarding Social Security" published in March 1999 makes it clear that we want a benefit system which is secure from start to finish. We are committed to taking tough action against Housing Benefit fraud. We have already reformed the anti-fraud financial incentive scheme for local authorities to ensure they continue to be rewarded for detecting cases of genuine benefit fraud and non-residency, but also have the opportunity to earn rewards for successfully prosecuting fraud cases and for adopting the Department's Verification Framework. The Verification Framework helps to secure the administration of Housing Benefit through a series of additional checks, carried out throughout the life of a benefit claim, and 249 local authorities have been paid or accepted funds to implement the Verification Framework.

  The Benefit Fraud Inspectorate is conducting inspections of local authorities; to date 58 reports have been published. Last month the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate issued new good practice guidance to improve service delivery and help tackle fraud and error. We have made it abundantly clear to all authorities that when inspections show persistent failings we will use our powers to direct authorities on the standards they are to meet and the timescales for achieving them.

  272 local authorities are currently using the Royal Mail "do not redirect" scheme which prevents benefit claimants from using postal redirection arrangements to make false claims to benefit from multiple addresses. To reduce the scope for fraud and error and to streamline the administration of Housing Benefit we have installed Remote Access Terminals to give authorities direct 'on line' access to a range of relevant information on other DSS benefit systems. 388 authorities currently operate at least one terminal and we plan to install terminals in a further 16 authorities by the end of September 2000.

  We are also introducing electronic transfer of data to speed up the transfer of information from the Benefits Agency to local authorities and further reduce the scope for fraud and error. So far 191 local authorities have the equipment installed; by this Autumn we expect nearly all local authorities to be using this technology.

  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the estimated cost of Housing Benefit fraud was in 1999–2000 in(a) England and (b) Morecambe and Lunesdale. [128443]

  Angela Eagle
  The information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is as follows. The latest estimates are derived from the National Housing Benefit Accuracy Review 1997–98 which estimated losses of £490 million in England with a margin of error of approximately ±35 per cent. (£330 million–£670 million).

  Note:

  It is not possible to provide estimates at individual constituency level.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action he is taking to measure Housing Benefit fraud in those local authorities not included in the 156W
  revised area benefit reviews; how many local authorities will be covered by such actions; when such actions will be completed; and to what level of accuracy he estimates such measurements will be made. [128912]

  Angela Eagle
  Fraud measurement is being extended to all local authorities for Standard Housing Benefit from 2001. The first results will be available from March 2002.

  On the basis of the size and structure of the sample of Housing Benefit cases currently being examined in the Area Benefit Reviews programme, it is predicted that the margin of error around the estimate of the value of losses due to fraud and error will be between ±10 per cent. and ±20 per cent.

  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many cases of suspected Housing Benefit fraud there were in(a) 1997, (b) 1998 and (c) 1999; how many of these cases went to court; and how many of them resulted in a successful prosecution. [128910]

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

  The table shows the number of cases where Housing Benefit (HB) fraud has been established on the balance of probabilities by local authorities, the number of cases which were referred by local authorities to lawyers for prosecution action and the total number of successful prosecutions. It does not include cases involving benefit fraud where Housing Benefit is one among several benefits being claimed and the Benefits Agency have investigated the case.

  Number of cases suspected of HB/CTB fraud and prosecutions in 1997–98 to 1998–99: Great Britain

  Thousand

  Total number of cases

  1997–98

  1998–99

  Cases where fraud established and weekly benefit savings claimed

  220

  160

  Total number of cases referred for prosecution

  1.3

  1.9

  Total number of successful prosecutions

  0.7

  0.8

  Notes:

  1. Includes all cases where fraud is suspected including those that are not live, or involve a landlord, or organised fraud

  2. Figures are rounded to two significant figures

  3. The Department also tackles HB/CTB fraud as a by-product of investigating Income Support (IS) fraud. The above table contains all cases where fraud was established and weekly benefit savings were claimed by Local Authorities. All cases discovered by the Department are not included. Therefore, the total number of cases where HB/CTB fraud was established is much higher than stated above.

  Source:

  Administrative Returns 1995–96 to 1998–99.

  Staff Secondments
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough (Mr. Willis), of 9 February 2000,Official Report, column 213W, on secondments, if he will give the names, grades and job titles of the staff seconded to his Department from each organisation mentioned, stating in each case the name of the section they were seconded to and a summary of the work that they were involved with. [128247]
  157W
  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 29 June 2000]: Of the four people listed, the staff member from the Guardian Media Group plc was seconded to the Department as a Grade 7 policy adviser on the Welfare Reform Unit where he helped in the development of thinking on welfare reform and its subsequent presentation.

  The secondee from Sacker and Partners was a trainee solicitor who worked in the Office of the Solicitor providing advice on legal aspects of pensions and also the European Community.

  The secondee from CSL Management Services came into the Department as an administrative officer in the Chatham Local Benefits Office where he worked on the Area Benefit Review Team co-ordinating activity on housing benefit.

  The Business Development Manager from Oracle was seconded into the Department as a senior manager in the Modern Service Team advising on electronic Government issues and project approval.

  For reasons of confidentiality names of individuals have not been given.

  Pensions
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he(a) received and (b) will publish the Faculty and Institute of Acturaries' report on the minimum funding requirement; [128471]

  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has received the report from the Institute of Actuaries on the Minimum Funding Requirement; and when it will be published. [128529]

  Mr. Rooker
  We received the report from the Faculty and Institute of Actuaries on the review of the minimum funding requirement at the end of May. We are considering it and we will be issuing a consultation paper on any proposals for change. We plan to publish the actuaries' report alongside the consultation document.

  Mothers (Income)
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the average weekly income is of mothers with children aged three. [129002]

  Angela Eagle
  The majority of mothers live in families with a partner, and the latest estimate for the gross income of families with children aged three is £521 a week.
  Notes:

  1. Figures quoted are derived from the Family Resources Survey and are therefore subject to sampling error.

  2. The individual income refers to the income accruing to women in their own right and includes earnings, income from self-employment, investments and occupational pensions/annuities, benefit income and income from miscellaneous other sources. This estimate is from the Women's Individual Income 1996–97 dataset and is at 1996–7 survey prices.

  3. Family income has been provided because the majority of mothers live with a partner and it is generally assumed that there is a certain amount of sharing of income within families. This estimate is based on 1997–8 data and is set at April 1999 prices.

  4. The net cost of council tax is deducted from family income but not from women's individual income.

  Child Poverty
  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the figures for the(a) GDP per head and (b) highest family income for those children termed as living in poverty in the UK according to the recent UNICEF report in each of the last 21 years. [129026]

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

  Over the period 1979 to 1997 GDP per head grew by 40 per cent. whereas the highest equivalised household income of a child in poverty grew by only 30 per cent.

  £ per annum

  Year

  GDP per head1

  Highest equivalised househole income of a child in poverty (as defined by UNICEF)2

  1979

  9,176

  5,147

  1980

  8,961

  n/a

  1981

  8,843

  4,765

  1982

  9,008

  n/a

  1983

  9,335

  n/a

  1984

  9,539

  n/a

  1985

  9,871

  n/a

  1986

  10,257

  n/a

  1987

  10,683

  5,631

  1988

  11,207

  5,799

  1989

  11,408

  5,813

  1990

  11,440

  5,820

  1991

  11,221

  6,094

  1992

  11,188

  6,423

  1993

  11,411

  6,521

  1994

  11,870

  6,378

  1995

  12,158

  6,388

  1996

  12,428

  6,602

  1997

  12,819

  6,756

  1998

  13,070

  n/a

  1999

  n/a

  n/a

  1Constant 1995 prices

  2April 1999 prices

  Notes:

  1. GDP per head is for the UK, taken from ONS series YBGS—Gross domestic product at market prices, shown in 1995 prices.

  2. The highest household income for those children living in poverty (as defined by UNICEF) is 50 per cent. of median equivalised household income before housing costs shown for Great Britain, using data from the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) Series. These figures are based on the Family Expenditure Survey (FES) from 1979 to 1993, and on the Family Resources Survey (FRS) from 1994–95 onwards. These are not consistent with the UK estimates contained in the UNICEF Innocent Report Card "A League Table of Child Poverty in Rich Nations", which are based on different data and methods of estimation.

  3. Estimates from the FES relate to the UK while those from the FRS relate to GB. In addition, the estimates derived from the two surveys use slightly different definitions of income: FRS results therefore are not precisely comparable with those from the FES but are considered to be broadly comparable. Self-employed households have been excluded from the analysis.

  4. Estimates from the Family Expenditure Survey from 1987 to 1993 are based on a two year rolling average method, and refer to combined years—for example, in the table 1987 is 1987 + 1998.

  5. Estimates from the Family Resources Survey are based on data for financial years from 1994–95 onwards. For example, 1994 refers to the financial year 1994–95.

  6. Estimates of 50 per cent. of median income before housing costs are based on survey data, and so will be subject to the normal problems associated with survey data including sampling variation and measurement error.

  7. Figures for GDP per head and median equivalised household income are not directly comparable, as GDP per head is not equivalised, and they are shown in different price bases.

  8. Figures are rounded to the nearest £1.

  Wrongful Imprisonment
  Mr. Goggins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will protect the benefit position of individuals who were wrongly imprisoned as a result of a conviction that was subsequently overturned. [129385]

  Mr. Rooker
  In future individuals who have been wrongly convicted will be able to receive National Insurance credits covering the period of wrongful imprisonment. This will protect their entitlement to the State Pension and Incapacity Benefit for that period and ensure that they are not disadvantaged.

  Benefit Fraud Inspectorate
  Mr. Goggins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will publish the reports of the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate in respect of Hart district council and Lancaster city council. [129386]

  Mr. Rooker
  Benefit Fraud Inspectorate reports have been published today in respect of Hart district council and Lancaster city council and copies of these reports have been placed in the Library.

  Both reports contain recommendations to address weaknesses and help the councils to improve their administration and counter fraud activity for Housing and Council Tax Benefits.

  Inspectors report a commitment by Lancaster city council to tackling fraud but considered there was a need to support this commitment in operational terms. The BFI raises a number of concerns including a need for Lancaster city council to address urgently its inadequate management information systems and limited management checking regime.

  In their report on Hart district council inspectors found some good working practices, but weaknesses were identified in a number of key areas. There were several areas where the council had failed to make sure benefit payments were free from fraud and error and where they failed to comply with the law.

  The report on Hart district council notes a need for the council to tighten verification procedures so, as a minimum, they match the standards outlined in the Verification Framework. Inspectors found the council's counter-fraud activity to be ineffective and although high level counter-fraud policies had been developed, these had not been underpinned with detailed operational measures. The BFI also reports that these policies did not have the commitment of staff or management to implement them.

  The Secretary of State is now considering both these reports and will be asking both councils for their proposals in response to the findings and recommendations of the BFI.

  Winter Fuel Payments
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what estimate he has made of the total cost of administering the extended Winter Fuel Payment scheme for men; [128526]

  (2) how many men have been sent letters relating to the extended Winter Fuel Payment scheme; [128527]
  160W
  (3) how many completed forms relating to the extended Winter Fuel Payment scheme for men have been received by his Department; [128528]

  (4) how many phone calls relating to the extended Winter Fuel Payment scheme for men have been dealt with by, the Winter Fuel Payments Helpline. [128530]

  Angela Eagle
  The estimated cost of administering the extended Winter Fuel Payment scheme is in the order of £25 million; this includes additional costs associated with handling this years retrospective payments.

  During April we wrote to around 20,000 people, who had already registered their details. From 5 May, over a five-week period, a mailshot took place to all those identified as being eligible under the new arrangements. Over this period we wrote to around 1.7 million people.

  The number of completed claim forms received to date is 1,067,119, which include 6,119 that have been downloaded from the internet. As well as the men aged between 60–64 who may now be eligible, this figure includes claim forms from women aged 60 or over who have not previously received a winter fuel payment as they were not in receipt of the State Retirement Pension or one of the other qualifying benefits.

  To date a total of 217,615 calls have been made to the Winter Fuel Helpline.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost of extending Winter Fuel Payments to all disabled people in(a) Scotland and (b) the UK who receive Income Support. [128170]

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

  The annual cost of extending Winter Fuel Payments to people in Scotland who are in receipt of Income Support with a disability premium, is estimated to be £20 million in 2000–01. The equivalent cost for the whole of Great Britain is estimated to be £140 million.
  Notes:

  1. Information for Northern Ireland is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  2. Estimates exclude those in receipt of a disability premium who are in residential care or nursing homes.

  3. Estimates include those in receipt of income-based Jobseeker's Allowance with a disability premium.

  4. Figures include an adjustment to take into account reduced payments to people aged 60 or over not in receipt of Income Support who live in the same household as a claimant of Income Support with a disability premium.

  5. Figures have been rounded to the nearest £10 million

  Invalid Care Allowance
  Mr. Swinney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much it would cost in Scotland and the UK(a) to allow carers over the age of 65 years to claim Invalid Care Allowance and (b) to introduce a (i) five per cent. and (ii) 10 per cent. increase for Invalid Care Allowance after two years of caring in (A) Scotland and (B) the UK [128175]
  161W
  Mr. Bayley
  Information is not available in the format The requested. Such information as is available is in the tables.

  Estimate cost of extending new claims entitlement to Invalid Care Allowance (ICA) for those aged 65 or over, 2001–02

  £million

  Estimate Cost

  Scotland

  5

  Greater Britain

  30

  Notes

  1. Costs rounded to nearest five million, cash prices.

  2. Estimates are based on Family Resources Survey 1997–98 and 1998–99, and caseload forecasts.

  3. As estimates based on survey data the above will be subject to sampling error. The limitations of modelling entitlement from available survey data on the number of hours that individuals spend providing care mean that the above estimates should be treated with caution—there is evidence of under-reporting of hours spent providing care.

  4. It is assumed that all normal ICA entitlement rules remain in place after any abolition of the upper age limit for new claims. Costs include the effects on Income Support (IS) carer premium and consequent effects on Housing Benefit/Council Tax Benefit.

  5. Costing does not include any behavioural effects that might arise as consequence of change or IS floaters on.

  6. Proportion of extra expenditure in Scotland assumed to be in line with proportion of those with disability benefits potentially qualifying for ICA in Scotland.

  7. Costs are provided for GB and Scotland only. Information on benefits in Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Estimate cost of 5 per cent., 10 per cent. Increase in ICA after two years spent providing care, 2001–02

  £ million

  5 per cent. Increase to ICA

  10 per cent. Increase to ICA

  Scotland

  2

  4

  GB

  20

  40

  Notes:

  1. Costs rounded to nearest five million for GB, one million for Scotland.

  2. Costs include offsetting IRB effects.

  3. Two years spent providing care interpreted as two years on ICA, percentage increase taken as applying to dependant increases as well as basic ICA.

  4. Proportion of extra expenditure in Scotland assumed to be in line with proportion of those with disability benefits potentially qualifying for ICA in Scotland.

  5. Costs are provided for GB and Scotland only. Information on benefits in Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Source:

  ICAU July 100 per cent. sample count, ICA forecasts

  Mr. Swinney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost for(a) Scotland and (b) the United Kingdom of (i) abolishing the 21 hour study rule for Invalid Care Allowance and (ii) extending invalid care allowance for eight weeks after the death of the person being cared for. [128128]

  Mr. Bayley
  The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
  162W

  The estimated cost for Great Britain and Scotland of extending Invalid Care Allowance for eight Weeks after the death of the person being cared for, 2001–02

  £million

  Estimate Cost

  Greater Britain

  2

  Scotland

  0.2

  Notes:

  1. Costs for GB rounded to the nearest million pounds. Costs for Scotland rounded to the nearest £100K.

  2. The costs incorporate knock-on effects to Income Support, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

  3. Information on benefits in Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Ms Roseanna Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much he estimates it would cost in(a) Scotland and (b) the UK to (i) increase Invalid Care Allowance to the level of the basic state pension, (ii) raise the earnings limit for ICA to the equivalent of the lower earnings limit for national insurance contributions and (iii) introduce a taper on ICA set at 50 per cent. of earnings over the (1) existing earnings limit and (2) earnings limit in (ii) above. [128131]

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

  The estimated cost when increasing the rate of Invalid Care Allowance (ICA) to the standard retirement pension

  £ million

  Costs

  2001–02

  GB

  355

  Scotland

  40

  Notes:

  1. Costs are rounded to the nearest five million and provided in cash prices

  2. Costs are based on the Department's Analytical Services Division's forecast of ICA recipients

  3. The cost for Scotland is apportioned using 1998–99 admin data on qualifying benefits obtained from the Scottish Information Centres

  4. Costs are provided for GB and Scotland only. Information on benefits in Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. Friend, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland

  5. Income related benefit offset effects are incorporated into the above costs

  6. Any behavioural effects that may result due to a change in the policy are not taken into account

  7. The estimated cost is calculated by increasing the level of ICA to the level of the Basic State Retirement Pension, currently set at £67.50.

  Disability Benefits
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost of increasing disability benefits by(a) 5 per cent. and (b) 10 per cent. for people in (i) Scotland and (ii) the UK. [128235]

  Angela Eagle
  The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
  163W

  Estimates for Scotland and Great Britain of the total costs in 2001–2002 of increases in Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance, Incapacity Benefit and Severe Disablement Allowance

  £ million

  5 per cent. increase

  10 per cent. increase

  Scotland

  80

  160

  Great Britain

  700

  1,410

  Notes:

  1. Costs rounded to the nearest ten million and presented in cash prices.

  2. Costs are derived from expenditure forecasts by Analytical Services Division.

  3. Information on benefits in Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost for Scotland and the UK of extending the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance to disabled people aged over 65 years. [128173]

  Mr. Bayley
  The information is in the table.

  The costs of extending the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance to disabled people aged over 65 years for Scotland and Great Britain

  £ billion

  Cost

  Great Britain

  2.6

  Scotland

  0.3

  Notes:

  1. Costs are in cash prices and rounded to nearest hundred million.

  2. Estimates derived from model of entitlement based on 1996–97 Disability Survey and forecast caseloads.

  3. Estimates are subject to a significant margin of error reflecting underlying uncertainties of modelling entitlement from available survey data.

  4. Estimated costs include effects on income related benefits.

  5. Costs for Northern Ireland are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Carers
  Mr. Swinney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost of(a) doubling the carers premium and (b) raising the level of Income Support by (i) five per cent. and (ii) 10 per cent. for carers aged under 25 years in (A) Scotland and (B) the UK. [128176]

  Mr. Bayley
  The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available in the tables.

  Cost for Scotland, 2001–02

  £ million

  Cost of doubling carer premium

  20

  Cost of increasing IS Personal allowance by 5 per cent. for carers aged under 25

  0.4

  Cost of increasing IS personal allowance by 10 per cent. For carers aged under 25

  0.7

  164W

  Cost for GB, 2001–02

  £ million

  Cost of doubling carer premium

  180

  Cost of increasing IS personal allowance by 5 per cent. for carers aged under 25

  3.5

  Cost of increasing IS personal allowance by 10 per cent. for carers aged under 25

  6.5

  Notes:

  1. The estimates for doubling the carer premium assume that the carer premium will be raised to £28.30 for all recipients (presently £14.15 per week).

  2. Costs are presented in cash prices. Costs of doubling the carer premium are rounded to the nearest £5 million. Costs of increasing current IS personal allowance for carers in receipt of the carer premium who are under the age of 25 is rounded to the nearest £100,000.

  3. Costs are adjusted using administrative data and include Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit costs.

  4. Information for Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Source

  Costs are derived from the April 2000 Policy Simulation Model which is based on the 1997–8 Family Resources Survey (FRS).

  Euro 2000
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many cases arising from people travelling to the Euro 2000 Football Championship are being investigated by the Benefits Agency and have had benefits withdrawn as a result of travelling to the Euro 2000 Football Championship; and what benefits were withdrawn. [128532]

  Mr. Rooker
  Nearly 1,000 names of those expelled from Belgium during Euro 2000 have been checked against departmental records of those receiving benefits. As a result, the cases of over 50 individuals have been referred for further detailed investigation by Benefits Agency investigators.

  Of the 50 cases, 31 relate to Jobseeker's Allowance, 10 to Income Support (in lieu of Incapacity Benefit), seven to Incapacity Benefit and two to Disability Living Allowance.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Freemasons
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many forms were sent to(a) judges and (b) magistrates asking if they are freemasons; how many replies stated they (i) are and (ii) are not freemasons; and how many declined to answer. [129108]

  Mr. Lock
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stafford (Mr.Kidney) on 14 February 2000,Official Report, column 455W.

  Judges (Conflicts of Interest)
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will put a copy of the final version of his advice to judges on avoiding conflicts of interest in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [128930]
  165W
  Mr. Lock
  Copies of the revised guidance for judges on outside activities and interests were placed in the Libraries of both Houses on 15 June 2000. I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Oldham, East and Saddleworth (Mr. Woolas) on 15 June 2000,Official Report, column 724W.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Correspondence
  Sir Brian Mawhinney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire will receive a reply to his letter of 15 May on behalf of his constituent Mr. Sheeks. [127378]

  Mr. Straw
  [holding answer 23 June 2000]: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 29 June 2000.

  Immigration and Nationality Directorate
  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) individual documents, (b) immigration case files and (c) passports were lost by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in each year since 1992.[127974]

  Mrs. Roche
  The information requested is not available.

  Since its expansion last October, the Integrated Casework Directorate's (ICD's) Return of Passport Unit has received 11,687 requests for the return of documents and, of those, a total of 147 lost passport letters have been issued. Lost passport letters are issued in respect of items which cannot be traced at the time a request for them is made, but which may subsequently be found.

  The number of principal files recorded as lost on the Immigration and Nationality Directorate's file tracking system each year since 1993 (when the system was introduced) is as follows: 1993–97; 1994—368; 1995—534; 1996—1,160; 1997—1,599; 1998—2,095; 1999—2,567; and 2000—2,054. There are currently 8,440 files still recorded as lost.

  A number of measures have been taken to prevent the loss of passports and other documents, including the introduction last autumn of new document handling processes and an expanded Return of Passport Unit in the ICD. Work is in progress on clearing the backlog of general and settlement casework and returning applicants' documents to them.

  All valuable documents are now returned to applicants by recorded delivery post and new processes are being developed for dealing with packages which are returned undelivered.

  Written Questions
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many written parliamentary questions were tabled to his Department between 19 October 1999 and 20 April; and how many have not received substantive answers, citing disproportionate cost as the reason. [128018]
  166W
  Mr. Straw
  My Department answered a total of 2,751 written parliamentary questions between 19 October 1999–20 April 2000, of which 23 were not given a substantive answer because to do so would have incurred disproportionate cost.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current cost of maintaining an asylum seeker, whose court case is under review, for one month; what is the current average time for reviewing asylum claims from the moment of first claim to final resolution; and if he will make a statement. [128237]

  Mrs. Roche
  The available information is that in 1999–2000 the total cost of supporting asylum seekers was £590 million.

  Information on the average decision time from initial claim to final resolution and on the cost of supporting an asylum seeker for one month is not currently available.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average length of the decision process was for each category of asylum seeker in the last 12 months. [128565]

  Mrs. Roche
  Information on the average decision time from initial claim to final resolution for each category of asylum seeker is not currently available.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what restrictions apply to asylum seekers undertaking voluntary activity; what plans he has to review these restrictions; and if he will make a statement. [128567]

  Mrs. Roche
  There are no restrictions on asylum seekers participating in genuine voluntary work. Difficulties may arise however where a person seeks to perform voluntary work but where there is some form of remuneration such as "expenses" or remuneration in kind. It is then much more difficult to determine whether the work is genuinely voluntary or whether there is an element of employment involved.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of his Department's staff have been involved in asylum casework in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [128566]

  Mrs. Roche
  The Department does not hold records prior to 1996 and for later years the information does not exist in the form requested. The only readily available information, set out in the table, is for the numbers of staff employed in the Asylum Directorate between 1996 and 1998.

  As at 1 April

  Number of staff

  1996

  1782.4

  1997

  1689.0

  1998

  1524.4

  1999

  Not readily available

  2000

  702

  1Full-time equivalents

  The numbers for 1996 to 1998 include those who support and manage the staff who make the decisions, as well as the decision makers. Comparisons between 1996

  167W
  to 1998 figures and those for 1999 and 2000 are difficult because of the reorganisation of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in December 1998. Asylum applications were previously handled in a dedicated asylum directorate. In 1999 they were dealt with in integrated teams which also dealt with a variety of other immigration issues, and thus a separate figure is not available. Currently, asylum applications are dealt with in dedicated teams.

  Schengen Agreement
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what changes will be required to domestic legislation to permit partial UK participation in the Schengen Agreement. [128138]

  Mrs. Roche
  We are currently examining what changes will be needed to United Kingdom primary legislation in order to implement the United Kingdom's partial participation in the Schengen acquis. We anticipate a need for primary legislation relating to police co-operation in connection with cross-border surveillance and to areas of judicial co-operation. The latter aspect is linked to the legislative requirements for ratification of the European Union's Conventions on Mutual Legal Assistance and Extradition. Further discussion is taking place with our Schengen partners to clarify whether the application of certain provisions on data protection will require amendment to current data protection legislation.

  Metropolitan Police Authority
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who is the representative on the Metropolitan Police Authority whose responsibilities cover the area of Leyton and Wanstead. [128103]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I understand that the Metropolitan Police Authority is currently considering whether each of their members should be given responsibility for particular areas within the Metropolitan Police District and, if so, how.

  Immigration
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what account the Immigration Service takes of ticketless airline travel in reaching immigration decisions; and if he will make a statement. [128106]

  Mrs. Roche
  The lack of a ticket is not in itself conclusive when an Immigration Officer reaches a decision about the admissibility of a passenger under the Immigration Rules. Immigration Officers often ask passengers to show their onward or return tickets as evidence of their intention to leave the United Kingdom, but where a passenger has booked a ticket using modern Information Technology methods—so called "ticketless travel"—he/she will normally be in possession of a printed itinerary giving full details of his/her travel plans. In the absence of such evidence Immigration Officers have the option of contacting the airline concerned to 168W
  verify that a booking exists. A passenger will not be unduly delayed for this purpose unless it is considered essential to the resolution of the case to verify that he/she has an onward or return booking, and this cannot be done easily.

  Public Entertainment Licences
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many public entertainment licences have been(a) revoked and (b) not renewed by local authorities under the terms of the Public Entertainments Licences (Drug Misuse) Act 1997 since 1 May 1998. [128272]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  This information is not collected centrally. Contacts with the police and the club trade suggest, however, that the powers of the Act have not yet been used by a local authority to revoke or refuse the renewal of a public entertainments licence.

  The provisions of the Act are to be used as a last resort and the Home Office guidance on the implementation of the Act encourages close liaison between the police, club owners and local authorities.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department upon how many public entertainment licences new conditions have been imposed by local authorities under the terms of the Public Entertainment Licences (Drug Misuse) Act 1997 since 1 May 1998. [128273]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  This information is not collected centrally. Contacts with the police and the club trade suggest, however, that the powers in the Act have not yet been used by a local authority to impose new conditions on a public entertainments licence.

  Metropolitan Police
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes were reported to the Metropolitan police on Monday 26 June; and if he will make a statement. [128274]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information is not yet available for Monday 26 June, but on the latest Monday for which the information is currently available, which was Monday 22 May 2000, 3,542 crimes were reported to the Metropolitan police.

  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by division of the Metropolitan Police Service the ratio of(a) reported crimes, (b) burglaries and (c) calls from computer-aided despatch per officer in each of the last five years. [128312]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I understand from the Metropolitan police that the information could not be made available in the form requested for each of the last five years except at disproportionate cost. It should, however, be possible to provide the information for the last two years shortly, and I will write to the hon. Member when it is available.

  Modes of Trial
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the defendants included in the pre-Narey pilot data who elected to be tried at
  169W
  Crown court, (a) pleaded guilty to the same or to more serious offences than those they were charged with at the time of their election, (b) pleaded guilty to fewer or to less serious offences than those with which they were charged at the time of their election and (c) pleaded not guilty and went to trial at Crown court. [128549]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Home Office Research Development and Statistical Directorate is currently conducting an analysis of the alteration to charges in the sample and the results will be available later this year.

  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many defendants in the pre-Narey pilot data were charged with either-way offences; and of these how many(a) were directed by magistrates to be tried at Crown court, (b) elected to be tried at Crown court and (c) consented to be tried, or otherwise had their cases disposed of, by the magistrates courts. [128548]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The sample covered a total of 2,948 defendants charged with triable-either-way offences. This included 1,969 cases dealt with in the magistrates courts or in the Youth Court and 979 cases committed to the Crown court. Of the 979 defendants, 155 elected Crown court trial and 747 were directed to the Crown court. However, the number of Crown court cases in the sample was boosted in order to provide adequate numbers for analysis. This means that the committal rate is higher than the national rate. We took account of this difference when analysing the data.

  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the defendants included in the pre-Narey pilot data charged with either-way offences were from ethnic minority backgrounds; and how many such defendants(a) elected to be tried at Crown court and pleaded guilty to the same, or more serious offences, than those they were charged with at the time of their election, (b) elected to be tried at Crown court and pleaded guilty to fewer, or to less serious offences than those with which they were charged at the time of their election and (c) pleaded not guilty and went to trial at Crown court. [128550]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Information is not available on the ethnic origin of defendants in the sample.

  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the guilty plea rate among defendants included in the pre-Narey pilot data was representative of the guilty plea rate nationally. [128551]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The guilty plea rates in the sample were broadly in line with national rates.

  Fire and Rescue Service
  Gillian Merron
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) women and (b) men are in each Fire and Rescue Service, broken down by (i) rank and (ii) retained and other status. [128337]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  All fire brigades in England and Wales are required to provide annually to Her Majesty's Fire Service Inspectorate statistical information about 170W
  personnel employed, analysed by gender and ethnic origin. The tables—which provide a breakdown by gender for uniformed and non-uniformed personnel and by rank (for the whole-time and retained services), based on statistical returns from the fire services for England and Wales at 31 March 1999—have been placed in the Library.

  Fines
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he has taken to improve the enforcement of fines. [128393]

  Mr. Straw
  [holding answer 3 July 2000]: I am working closely with my noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor to improve the enforcement of fines.

  Research is being carried out under the Government's Crime Reduction Programme to identify best practice in fine enforcement, to introduce a range of enforcement strategies in a number of pilot courts, and to evaluate the relative cost and effectiveness of those strategies. The project is due to be completed in autumn 2001.

  In April 2001, responsibility for the execution of fines warrants will be transferred from the police to Magistrates Courts Committees. The fact that responsibility will rest with the courts will provide a sharper and clearer focus than the present arrangements, while the application and monitoring of administrative targets will ensure that the work receives a high priority within individual courts. As a result, more money—including compensation for the victims of crime—should be collected.

  Measures in the Access to Justice Act 1999, which are also due to be implemented in April 2001, will allow the courts to check whether other Government agencies hold an up-to-date address for a 'missing' fine defaulter. This should prove helpful in reducing the currently high levels of financial penalties that have to be 'written off' because the offender cannot be traced.

  A report on the pilot studies conducted on alternative means of dealing with fine defaulters introduced in the Crime (Sentences) Act 1997 was published in February this year. A decision on the future of these measures will be made in due course.

  Finally, following a relaxation in Treasury rules governing receipts, we are exploring the feasibility of developing a scheme which will allow a proportion of the income from fines to be retained ('netted-off) by the courts and used to make further improvements in enforcement rates.

  Crime Reduction
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the timetable is for assessment of each of the category of projects under the crime reduction programme; and if he will make a statement. [128524]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The provisional timetable is shown in the table.
  171W

  Outputs

  Programme/project

  2000

  2001

  2002+

  Local Initiatives

  Burglary Reduction

  Final process evaluation reports of round 1 projects November 2000

  Final outcome evaluation reports of round 1 projects December 2001

  Final cost-effectiveness evaluation reports of round 1 projects March 2002

  Final programme evaluation report of round 2 and 3 projects December 2004

  Local Initiatives

  Targeted Policing (Evaluation of Round 2 projects yet to be commissioned)

  Stop and search report on 'street population' October 2000

  Final report of FSS pathfinder projects March 2001

  Final outcome evaluation reports of round 1 projects March—June 2002

  Final process evaluation reports on round 1 projects December 2001

  Crime Stoppers report February 2001

  Violence against women(Projects yet to be decided)

  Early Interventions

  Effective school management

  Final outcome evaluations December 2001

  Early Interventions

  'On Track'

  National evaluation year 1 report September 2001

  National evaluation final report October 2002

  Youth Inclusion

  Evaluation to be undertaken by the Youth Justice Board. Report expected March 2002

  Neighbourhood Wardens

  (Main programme projects yet to be decided)

  Evaluation of selected existing schemes October 2000

  Design against crime

  RSA assessment of student design award process January 2001. Evaluation of impact of Crime Prevention Foresight Panel's report on other Foresight Panels' report July 2001

  Final evaluation report on Design Council initiative April 2004 Overall evaluation report of student design award process December 2004

  Pilot virtual reality lighting impact evaluation report November 2001

  Report on effectiveness of Foresight Panel dissemination process mid 2002 Evaluation of activities spawned by CP Panel, mid 2002, and their impact, mid 2003. Evaluation report on improvement in lighting design process early 2003

  CCTV Capital Modernisation Fund

  (Projected dates—evaluations yet to be commissioned)

  In-depth scheme evaluation reports from December 2001

  Programme level report mid 2002

  Sentencing Policy

  Cost-effectiveness findings on existing adult Restorative Justice schemes July 2000

  Cost-effectiveness report on enforcement of financial penalties schemes October 2001

  Final outcome report on professional/sentencer awareness schemes February 2002

  Drug arrest referrals

  Six month report due October 2000 (London). Evaluations outside London yet to be decided

  12 month report due April 2001 and 18 month report due October 2001 (London)

  Two year report due April 2002 and final outcome evaluation report due April 2003 (London)

  Treatment of offenders

  Final outcome report of basic skills pathfinder project October 2004

  Final outcome report of resettlement of short-term prisoners projects September 2004

  Final outcome reports of community service pathfinder projects autumn 2004

  Final outcome report of offending behaviour pathfinder projects autumn 2004

  172W 173W
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the targets set by his Department for the reduction of crime, the date the targets were set and the timescale of the targets; what further targets he plans to introduce; and if he will make a statement. [128525]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  In September 1998, the Government set a target for a 30 per cent. reduction in thefts of and from motor vehicles. This target covers the period 1 April 1999 to 31 March 2004.

  In addition, by 31 March 2000, all police authorities in England and Wales were required to set for themselves five-year targets for reductions in domestic burglary and vehicle crime. The police authorities in Greater Manchester, Merseyside, the West Midlands and West Yorkshire and the Metropolitan Police Service were also required to set five-year targets for reductions in robbery. These targets cover the period 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2005 and have been published in each police authority's Best Value Performance Plan for 2000–01. The full list of these targets, as they appear in Best Value Performance Plans, is available on the website of the Association of Police Authorities—www.apa.police.uk.

  In their Best Value Performance Plans, police authorities have also set a number of other crime reduction targets which reflect local priorities.

  Local Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships will set targets for April 2001.

  The Home Office Public Service Agreement, which will be published to coincide with the outcome of the Spending Review 2000, is also likely to contain targets reflecting key aspects of the Department's business.

  £000

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  Executive NDPBs: Net revenue cost

  1. Alcohol Education and Research Council

  0

  0

  0

  2. Commission for Racial Equality

  14,825

  16,425

  16,835

  3. Community Development Foundation

  1,090

  14,363

  14,643

  4. Criminal Cases Review Commission

  4,300

  4,800

  5,400

  5. Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority1

  125,200

  142,100

  214,600

  6. Gaming Board

  1

  232

  -336

  7. Horserace Betting Levy Board

  0

  0

  0

  8. Horserace Totalisator Board (The Tote)

  0

  0

  0

  9. Office of the Data Protection Registrar

  -3,324

  -880

  3,143

  10. Parole Board

  2,669

  2,672

  3,100

  11. Police Complaints Authority

  3,410

  3,444

  3,468

  12. Police Information Technology Organisation

  36,229

  52,055

  33,781

  13. Youth Justice Board (YJB)

  900

  36,528

  234,019

  Advisory NDPBs: Net revenue cost

  1. Advisory Board on Restricted Patients

  60

  66

  n/a

  2. Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs

  20

  22

  n/a

  3. Animal Procedures Committee

  285

  315

  295

  4. Firearms Consultative Committee

  4

  6

  20

  5. Metropolitan Police Committee

  29

  36

  8

  6. Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England

  299

  797

  1,731

  7. Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Wales

  29

  39

  61

  8. Poisons Board

  0

  0

  n/a

  9. Police Negotiating Board

  70

  79

  47

  10. Race Relations Forum

  4

  23

  23

  1Compensation and Administration costs combined

  Note:

  Cost rounded to the £000

  National Crime Squad
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library copies of the evidence which he has disclosed to the Court in the judicial review application by Williams Jeffery Barber on behalf of the National Crime Squad and others. [128923]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary did not submit evidence in this case, in which the Service Authority for the National Crime Squad and National Criminal Intelligence Service, which is an independent body, sought judicial review of a decision by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

  NDPBs
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the net revenue cost was in(a) 1998–99 and (b) 1999–2000; and what the planned revenue cost is for 2000–01 of each of the executive and advisory non-Departmental public bodies listed on pages 88 to 96 of his Annual report for 1999–2000. [128926]

  Mr. Straw
  The net revenue cost and planned costs for the Home Office Executive and Advisory Non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) are set out in the following table. I have taken "net revenue costs" to mean the Grant in Aid for Executive NDPBs minus any receipts payable to the Exchequer offsetting costs.

  Neither the Tote nor the Horserace Betting Levy Board (HBLB) have any revenue cost, as they are self-financing. The expenses payable to the Alcohol Education and Research Council are within the travel and subsistence budget of the Liquor Gambling and Data Protection Unit.

  It is not possible to estimate the planned costs for some Advisory Bodies, as the members of those bodies only receive expenses when necessary.

  Visas
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in 1999 applied for permission to switch their visa category; how many such applications were approved; what the net cost was to public funds of handling these applications; and if he will make a statement. [128925]

  Mrs. Roche
  The available information relates to decisions taken on all applications to switch category after entering the country. In 1999, 40,900 principal applicants switched into a non-asylum category and 2,700 were refused. This excludes 41,700 (provisional) applications for asylum made by principal applicants after entry. I regret that the costs incurred dealing with applications to switch category cannot be separated from the overall costs of the Integrated Casework Directorate.

  Porton Down
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will call for a report on progress made with the police investigation into events at Porton Down; and if he will make a statement. [127379]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Investigations are continuing. I refer to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key) on 19 June 2000,Official Report, column 98W.

  Prison Incidents
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by(a) prison and (b) categories of prisoners the number of incidents of (i) self-harm, (ii) indiscipline, (iii) assaults by prisoners on staff, (iv) assaults by prisoners on prisoners, (v) assaults by staff on prisoners, (vi) drug seizures, (vii) positive drug tests, indicating the type of drug involved and (viii) failure to complete mandatory drug tests, in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [127918]

  Mr. Boateng
  I have placed the information requested in the Library.

  Complete records are only available centrally for periods since 1996–97. Only prisons that were operational for the years 1996–97 to 1999–2000 have been included.

  The Prison Service does not collect incident data by category of prisoner. Instead the category of prison is shown. Prisons are categorised by their main function only.

  Freemasons
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many forms were sent to police officers of all ranks asking if they are freemasons; how many replies stated they(a) were and (b) were not freemasons; and how many declined to answer. [129109]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Some 151,091 forms were sent to police officers and civilian support staff in 32 police forces in England and Wales. Of those, 610 who responded declared that they were freemasons, 49,431 declared that they were not freemasons, and 101,042 did not respond or responded by declining to say whether or not they were freemasons. A breakdown of figures between officers and support staff is not available.

TREASURY

  Working Families Tax Credit
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families have been in receipt of Working Families Tax Credit in each month since March. [126911]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 21 June 2000]: Provisional estimates of the number of families in receipt of Working Families Tax Credit at each end-month are as follows:

  Thousand

  March 2000

  1,052

  April 2000

  1,053

  Estimated figures for the corresponding months last year are as follows:

  Thousand

  March 1999

  822

  April 1999

  823

  Free Television Licences
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 7 June 2000,Official Report, column 274W, how many pensioner households there are in the Christchurch constituency comprising one or more people aged 75 years or over; and what was the basis for his calculation of the number of pensioners aged 75 years and over in that constituency. [125976]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  [holding answer 15 June 2000]: The latest available information comes from the 1991 Census New Parliamentary Constituency Monitor for the South West Government Office Region, published by the Office for National Statistics. It shows the population of the Christchurch constituency as 80,938, of which 5.3 per cent. were men aged 75 and over and 8.4 per cent. were women aged 75 and over. The Monitor does not give information on pensioner households broken down by age.

  Land Value Taxation
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on land value taxation; and what taxation concessions are available for brownfield development. [127455]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 26 June 2000]: There is no specific tax on the value of land. Profits or gains from the sale of land and from development itself may be chargeable to income tax, corporation tax or capital gains tax. Sales of land are generally subject to stamp duty.

  The Government will consult interested parties about a possible relief from stamp duty for new developments on brownfield sites.

  Tobacco Taxation
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the revenue yield from increasing tobacco taxation by(a) 5p, (b) 10p and (c) 20p per packet of cigarettes. [127601]
  177W
  Mr. Timms
  [holding answer 27 June 2000]: Indicative estimates of the revenue effects of changes in tobacco taxation were published in the Treasury's "Tax Ready Reckoner and Tax Reliefs" in November 1999.

  Single Currency
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what definition is used of socially disadvantaged individuals by the European Community in the context of requiring particular attention in the single currency information campaign. [128135]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Commission defines vulnerable groups as those people who do not have easy access to traditional information flows, for example, those who are visually impaired or hearing impaired.

  Incontinence Pads
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applications for the reimbursement of VAT paid on incontinence pads have been received in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available. [128491]

  Dawn Primarolo
  No VAT is charged on incontinence products supplied to an incontinent person living in their own home or to charitable providers of care.

  MOD Assets
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the use made by the Ministry of Defence of Treasury Guidelines for greater commercial utilisation of Ministry of Defence property and assets. [128269]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The Ministry of Defence's progress in making best use of its asset base, including commercial opportunities, is assessed in the Departmental Investment Strategy, which will be published in the autumn.

  Taxpayers (Prosecutions)
  Mr. Green
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent guidance he has given to the Inland Revenue about prosecuting those who are late in paying taxes. [129005]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Inland Revenue's prosecution policy was published on 29 November 1999 and remains in force. It can be read on the Inland Revenue's website, www.inlandrevenue.gov.uk.

  National Insurance
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many married women who have retained the right to reduced liability for National Insurance contributions would qualify for(a) the minimum 25 per cent. State Retirement Pension and (b) an increased percentage of retirement pension, if they revoked the
  178W
  reduced liability option from the April 2000–01 tax year; and what the estimated amount of pension foregone would be in each case. [128599]

  Dawn Primarolo
  It is not possible to provide a reliable estimate of the numbers of married women with a valid election to pay reduced rate National Insurance contributions who would qualify for a minimum State Retirement Pension if they revoked their elections.

  Foreign Taxation
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the(a) French and (b) Belgian authorities have recently requested help in recovering tax from UK citizens. [128636]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Assistance in recovering tax for the French or Belgian authorities is available only in relation to indirect taxes under EC Directive 76–308.

  In the last three months there have been no requests from the French authorities for assistance, and in the same period the Belgian authorities requested help on two VAT cases amounting to £3,348.48 and six Excise duty cases amounting to £61,708.03.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will make a statement on his Department's progress in meeting its targets for answering parliamentary questions; [129069]

  (2) if he will make a statement on his Department's progress on its targets for answering parliamentary questions. [129220]

  Mr. Timms
  The Treasury is on track to meet its targets for answering parliamentary questions in the present session.

  VAT
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to zero rate the VAT payable by disabled people on the repair of their cars; and if he will make a statement. [129034]

  Dawn Primarolo
  There is already VAT relief on the service of repair or maintenance of motor vehicles designed or substantially and permanently adapted to carry a disabled person in a wheelchair or on a stretcher. There is also relief for disabled people leasing vehicles through the Motability scheme: the leases for these vehicles cover servicing and repair.

  Alternative Care
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost of reducing VAT by(a) 5 per cent. and (b) 10 per cent. on privately purchased alternative care for people in (i) Scotland and (ii) the UK. [128174]

  Dawn Primarolo
  VAT is not charged on supplies of privately purchased care for people in residential and nursing homes in the UK.

  School Standards and Framework Act 1998: Adherence
  School Standards and Framework Act 1998: Adherence
  English Literature: Teaching in Schools
  English Literature: Teaching in Schools
  Sierra Leone Diamonds
  Sierra Leone Diamonds
  Exports to India and Pakistan: Controls
  Exports to India and Pakistan: Controls
  Sudan: Ceasefire Violations
  Sudan: Ceasefire Violations
  BBC Agreement
  BBC Agreement
  Public Service Pension Schemes
  Public Service Pension Schemes
  Labour Market Flexibility and the Global Economy
  Labour Market Flexibility and the Global Economy
  Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill
  Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill
  Oil Production Equipment Exports to Sudan
  Oil Production Equipment Exports to Sudan
  British Telecom
  British Telecom
  Factortame Judgment: Payment of Claims
  Factortame Judgment: Payment of Claims
  Tuberculosis Cases in London
  Tuberculosis Cases in London