Written Answers of 17 July 2000

PRIME MINISTER

  Queen Mother's Birthday
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Prime Minister how much public money will be spent as a result of marking the 100 birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. [128809]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 3 July 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence to my hon. Friend the Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn) on 10 July 2000, Official Report, column 376W.

  Civil Service Management Code
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the occasions since May 1997 on which civil servants have been disciplined for failing to comply with the rules in sections 4.2 to 4.4 of the Civil Service Management Code. [129183]

  The Prime Minister
  The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Okinawa Summit
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 27 June 2000,Official Report, column 455W, on the G8 Summit, what representations he has received on the funding of the Russian plutonium fuel programme; and what response he has made, indicating the dates of (a) representations and (b) replies. [130022]

  The Prime Minister
  There has been discussion among officials over funding for the disposition and management of weapons-grade plutonium designated as no longer required for defence purposes.

  The issue will be on the agenda at the G8 Okinawa Summit.

  Euro (Leaked Documents)
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister what steps he takes to prevent the leaking of official documents from Government departments relating to the Government's policy on the euro; and if he will make a statement. [129444]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 10 July 2000]: The "Ministerial Code" and the "Civil Service Code" set out the respective responsibilities of Ministers and civil servants in relation to their duties of confidentiality.

  Lord Levy
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Prime Minister if Lord Levy has been entertained at public expense at Chequers since May 1997. [130282]

  The Prime Minister
  I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals. As with previous Administrations it is not my practice to provide details of all such meetings.

  Severance Payments (Ministers)
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Prime Minister if Ministers who receive severance payments following resignation or dismissal are required to repay such payments on being reappointed to ministerial office. [130397]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 13 July 2000]: Under the Ministerial and Other Pensions and Salaries Act 1991, all Ministers (except the Prime Minister and the Lord Chancellor as well as the Speaker) are entitled to receive a severance payment of a quarter of their ministerial salary when they leave office. However, Ministers who are appointed to another paid office within three weeks of leaving office are not eligible for severance pay. For this reason, no severance payment is made within three weeks of a Minister leaving office in these circumstances.

  Eurofighter
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Prime Minister if he was consulted over the Eurofighter cannon deselection; and if that aircraft, in its original planning phase, had a secondary ground assault capability. [130785]

  The Prime Minister
  The decision to delete the 27 mm Mauser cannon from Eurofighter was taken by the Secretary of State for Defence on the advice of RAF and MOD officials. The minimal operational utility of the cannon on Eurofighter in any role is outweighed by its support, fatigue and training cost implications.

  The original 1985 European Staff Requirement included both air defence and offensive air support for Eurofighter, but with air defence as its priority. This position remains unchanged.

  Lobby Briefings
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Prime Minister how often he has meetings with(a) his Press Secretary and (b) the senior civil servant who now briefs the Lobby daily. [130719]

  The Prime Minister
  Regularly.

  Govan Shipyard
  Mr. Sarwar
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the recent petition in support of the Govan shipyard signed by 80,000 people from Scotland and delivered to him. [130955]

  The Prime Minister
  I received the petition to which my hon. Friend refers on 5 July 2000. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has written to my hon. Friend confirming this.

  The Ministry of Defence received the revised offers from the bidding consortiums in its Strategic Sealift competition on 6 July and is currently assessing them.

  Dorneywood
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Prime Minister what(a) discussions and (b) consultations took place between the Government and the board of trustees at Dorneywood before the recent refurbishment programme was agreed. [129706]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 7 July 2000]: I have been asked to reply.

  None. The trustees act independently of the Government.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Portcullis House
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee if he will make a progress report on the completion and occupation of Portcullis House. [130940]

  Sir Sydney Chapman
  I am pleased to advise my hon. Friend that the work will be substantially complete by the end of this month. Hon. Members and their staff will, therefore, be able to start to occupy the building during September, as planned.

  Most of the accommodation will be handed over this month. Already, the four office floors, with their furniture, have been handed back ahead of schedule; the remaining two floors should be complete by the end of the month, with the exception of the installation of specialist equipment in the committee rooms and the main entrance.

  My hon. Friend will wish to note that the conference and interview rooms will be available for use by hon. Members with effect from 18 September. The four Select Committee rooms and the two multi-purpose rooms will be available from 26 October. I am pleased to announce that my Committee has agreed that these latter rooms should be named after prominent Parliamentarians, rather than numbered; and that they are to be named "Boothroyd", "Attlee", "Grimond", "Macmillan", "Thatcher" and "Wilson".

  During the Summer Adjournment work will be carried out around the periphery of the building. This work will include the installation of the bridge link to the Norman Shaw South Building, restoration of the roads and pavements and the installation of the shop fronts.

  Work to repair and restore the subway under Bridge street is being carried out by London Underground and the project team. The intention is that it would be reopened at the beginning of September. This will then provide a direct route between the Palace and all the parliamentary outbuildings north of Bridge street and a covered route to the Underground Station.

  Negotiations are proceeding satisfactorily with prospective tenants for the three shop units, which it is intended will be open by the time the House returns. Based on responses from hon. Members to the type of shops they wished to see provided, there will be a small supermarket, a coffee bar and a dry cleaners.

  Finally, my hon. Friend will wish to note that the forecast final cost of Portcullis House is now £230 million.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Fishing Quotas
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what his policy is on quota trading; and if he will make a statement on his analysis of the impact of such trading on the United Kingdom fishing fleet. [130548]

  Mr. Morley
  The trade in quota has been initiated by fishermen themselves. Transfers of quota between groups with quota management responsibilities must be conducted in accordance with the rules on quota management drawn up by the Fisheries Departments in the UK. These rules are the subject of regular consultation with the fishing industry and those affecting the trade in quota are currently under review by a working group comprising representatives of industry and the Fisheries Departments. A report on possible modifications to the quota management rules, including arrangements for adjusting the fixed quota allocation units attached to fishing vessel licences to take account of transfers between fishermen, is expected shortly.

  Regional Service Centre Costs
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the costs of RSC administration of the organic farming and rural economy programmes in the current and next financial years. [131442]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  The costs of RSC administration of the organic farming and rural economy programmes are estimated to be:

  £000

  2000–01

  2001–02

  Organic farming (RSC administration) CP:040

  92

  87

  Rural economy (RSC administration) CP:050

  765

  732

  Table 10.5 and Annex 5 of MAFF's Departmental Report 2000 included scheme costs against these programmes in error. A corrigendum to the report will be issued shortly.

  GM Seed
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the German authorities contacted the Government directly in regard to the Advanta rapeseed contamination incident. [126819]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 19 June 2000]: No.

  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the reason for the time taken from when the Government first learned about the contamination of Advanta rapeseed with GM varieties to the date at which it first made a public announcement on this matter. [126857]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 19 June 2000]: The co-ordination of Government policy in this area falls outside my ministerial responsibilities.

  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the Advisory Committee on Releases into the Environment first met to discuss the contamination of Advanta rapeseed with GM varieties. [126858]
  5W
  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 19 June 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment on 19 June 2000, Official Report, columns 1–2W.

  Organic Food
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total value of organic food sales in the UK for each of the last five years for which figures are available; and what he estimates sales will be in each of the next five years. [127790]

  Ms Quin
  There are no official estimates. However, estimates covering some of these years will be found in the Soil Association publication "The Organic Food and Farming Report 1999" (ISBN 0 905200 73 X).

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy that(a) 30 per cent. of agricultural land will be organic and (b) 20 per cent. of food consumed will be organic, by 2010; and if he will make a statement. [130485]

  Mr. Morley
  No. We do not believe that setting arbitrary targets for the area of land in organic farming or for the consumption of organic food is sensible. But we do wish to see organic farming succeed and we have made available considerable sums of money in support for farmers converting to organic farming through the Organic Farming Scheme. We will make a further £140 million available in support for organic conversion when the European Commission has approved the England Rural Development Programme later this year.

  BSE
  Mr. Love
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cattle were affected by BSE in each of the last two years for which figures are available; what the projected numbers are for the next five years; when he expects that BSE will be eradicated from the United Kingdom herd; and if he will make a statement. [127842]

  Ms Quin
  BSE was confirmed in 3,178 animals first placed under restriction in 1998, and in 2,254 animals first placed under restriction in 1999. To the end of June 2000, 611 cases of BSE had been confirmed with 223 diagnoses outstanding (of which about 80 per cent. are expected to be confirmed). The latest (3 July) forecasts of the BSE epidemic produced by the VLA model are given in the following table:

  Year

  Estimated confirmed BSE cases

  95 per cent. confidence levels

  2000

  1,115

  890

  1,340

  2001

  477

  330

  624

  2002

  171

  84

  258

  It is not yet possible to give a precise date when the disease will be eradicated from the UK.

  Estate of Farms
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his Estate of Farms. [128305]
  6W
  Mr. Nick Brown
  The Ministry owns a number of farms. Some of them are leased to ADAS Consulting Ltd. and some are leased to Horticulture Research International. Others are used by the Veterinary Laboratories Agency. Research commissioned by the Ministry is undertaken on the farms.

  Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on grants paid by his Department to the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew. [128307]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  Under the terms of the National Heritage Act 1983 and the Ministry's responsibilities for sponsorship of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, my Department pays a grant in aid towards the body's staff, running costs and for certain capital works.

  In recent years, annual grant in aid averaging some £18 million has been paid representing about half of their annual income. The grant allocated for the current financial year is £15.735 million.

  Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the recorded incidences of rabbit haemorrhagic disease in the United Kingdom in each of the list five years, indicating if the rabbits concerned were(a) domestic and (b) wild. [128308]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  Viral haemorrhagic disease of rabbits (RVHD) was a notifiable disease from 1991 until 21 October 1996 in Great Britain, and until 21 August 1997 in Northern Ireland.

  The number of outbreaks notified in 1995 and 1996 in the United Kingdom were:

  1995

  19961

  Wild rabbits

  35

  23

  Domestic/Farmed

  479

  249

  Total

  514

  272

  1 to October for Great Britain

  In Northern Ireland in the period 1 January to 21 August 1997, two outbreaks of RVHD in domestic rabbits were notified.

  The disease is now endemic in wild and domestic rabbits in the United Kingdom. Therefore the number of outbreaks are no longer recorded.

  Primates
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many primates were transported(a) into and (b) out of Dover during (i) May and (ii) June. [129192]

  Ms Quin
  According to our records, 188 primates were imported through Dover in May and 164 primates were imported through Dover in June. Records of primate exports from Great Britain are not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Over-30-months Scheme
  Mr. Levitt
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the(a) cost and (b) impact on the environment of disposing of over-30-months scheme cattle carcases by (i) rendering, (ii) burning and (iii) other methods. [129650]

  Ms Quin
  Four companies have contracts to render OTMS carcase material at an average gate fee of £80 per tonne (equivalent to approximately £40 per animal). The Intervention Board has concluded contracts with three companies for the large scale incineration of meat and bone meal derived from the rendering process at an average gate fee equivalent to approximately £10 per animal. Five companies have contracts to incinerate OTMS carcase material from approved abattoirs at an average gate fee of £88 per animal, and 16 companies have contracts to incinerate casualty OTMS animals at an average gate fee of £80 per animal.

  All rendering plants and incinerators handling animal waste must be authorised under Part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  Mr. Levitt
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the cost to the UK in terms of lost compensation from the EU if the target for the disposal of over-30-months scheme cattle is not met. [129651]

  Ms Quin
  Compensation from the EU is not dependent upon disposal targets being met. It is dependant upon the remains of all purchased cattle being destroyed by incineration. Where such cattle have initially been disposed of by rendering, 80 per cent. of the available compensation is claimed at that point. Once an equivalent amount of the resultant meat, bonemeal and tallow produced from the rendering process has been incinerated, the balance of the compensation can be claimed.

  Year

  Total women appointed

  Number women appointed to paid posts

  Percentage of women in paid posts

  Number women appointed to unpaid posts

  Percentage of women in unpaid posts

  19971

  15

  9

  12.16

  6

  12

  1998

  21

  17

  20.99

  4

  20

  1999

  31

  29

  21.37

  2

  25

  1 May to 31 December

  The Government are committed to increasing the representation of women in public life. In support of this, the Department has drawn up an action plan for increasing the number of women and ethnic minorities holding public appointments. The latest plans, together with the Government's overall plan, were published on 24 May 2000 in "Quangos: Opening up Public Appointments 2000–2003", copies of which are in the Libraries of the House.

  Organophosphate Sheep Dips
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what costs have been incurred, in each of the most recent three years for which figures are available, by his Department in approving and supervising the use of
  8W
  Although the EC Regulation governing this scheme lays down no time limit by which such destruction has to take place, the UK has an internal target of incinerating 60 per cent. of all meat and bonemeal produced by 31 March 2002.

  Pig Farmers
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his plans for an outgoers' scheme for pig farmers. [129401]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 6 July 2000]: As part of the "Action Plan for Farming", agreed at the Prime Minister's 30 March meeting with industry leaders, the Government decided to introduce a Pig Industry Restructuring Scheme (FIRS). £26 million was made available to the scheme in its first year and bids have been made for funding in subsequent years. Under state aid rules, the European Commission must approve the scheme before it can be introduced. To begin that process, the scheme was formally notified to the Commission on 30 March. The Commission has since carried out its studies of the scheme and raised a number of questions which have been addressed. The outgoers element of the scheme has just ended its consultation period and will be introduced as soon as possible following Commission clearance. This part of the scheme will operate in order to reduce UK pig production capacity by 16 per cent. from 1 June 1998 total, using a sealed bid system.

  Appointments (Women)
  Mr. Allan
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many and what percentage of the(a) paid and (b) unpaid appointments which he has made to non-departmental public bodies since 1 May 1997 were women. [129849]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 12 July 2000]: The numbers and percentages of women appointed between 1 May 1997 and 31 December 1999 to paid and unpaid posts in Non-Departmental Public Bodies sponsored by my Department are given in the following table:

  organophosphate sheep dips; and what is his estimate of the cost of training, certification and protective clothing to sheep farmers during the same periods. [130399]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 13 July 2000]: No new organophosphorus sheep dip has been authorised in the period 1997 to 1999. There has been one variation of a marketing authorisation for an OP sheep dip during this period, at a cost to the marketing authorisation holder of £155. The use of veterinary medicines, including sheep dips, is not supervised by the Ministry.

  From the inception of the Certificate of Competence Scheme in 1995 to 7 July 2000, 16,188 certificates have been issued. The cost of the test for the certificate is either £30 or £60 depending on whether an applicant wishes to

  9W
  be assessed for Part 1 only or Parts 1 and 2. Training for the certificate is not compulsory but is available from agricultural colleges or training establishments or instructors registered with Lantra National Training Organisation. Figures for the cost of training are not held centrally but training costs could be expected to average about £100 per day. The cost of personal protective equipment will vary depending on a number of factors, including supply and demand, and durability and suitability of a sheep farmer's existing equipment. At current prices, the cost of a full set of PPE for someone handling the concentrate would be likely to be in the region of £45.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Ruth Day
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what remuneration Ruth Day receives; and what her official duties are. [130405]

  Mr. Stuart Bell
  I take it that the questioner is referring to Mrs. Rachel (not Ruth) Day, the Steward at Old Palace, Canterbury. She was appointed in 1991, on terms in line with those applicable to comparable posts. The Steward at Old Palace is provided with tied accommodation. Since then her remuneration has been increased in line with increases paid to other episcopal staff generally. The Steward is responsible for the general management of Old Palace.

  The Commissioners do not disclose the salaries of individuals employed by themselves or by bishops.

DEFENCE

  Police Agency
  Mr. Michael Jabez Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the Ministry of Defence Police Agency for the financial year 2000–01. [131150]

  Mr. Spellar
  The following Key Targets have been set for the Ministry of Defence Police Agency:

  Key Target 1(a)

  CPS—submission of prosecution files
  In England and Wales to submit at least 80.5 per cent. of prosecution files to the CPS within the timescales set out in the Manual of Guidance

  Key Target 1(b)

  CPS—submission of prosecution files subject to Narey measures
  To maintain a submission rate to the CPS at least equal to the Home Department Police Force submission rate for Narey prosecution files.

  Key Target 1(c)
  CPS—to produce a standardised MDP procedure for the administration of CPS files, thereby allowing quality assurance benchmaking against Home Department Forces in future years.

  Key Target 1(d)
  Submission of 70 per cent. of all Scottish crime/prosecution files to the Procurator Fiscal within a maximum of eight weeks of the offence being reported.
  10W
  Key Target 2
  To achieve a minimum of 50 per cent. patrol activity from those officers devoted to patrolling.

  Key Target 3
  To maintain or improve upon the target solving rate of 38 per cent. set for 199–2000 in the light of the average solving rate over the four year period 1 April 1996 to 31 March 2000.

  Key Target 4
  By the use of data produced by Key Target 7 of 1999–2000, to deploy uniformed and CID resources more effectively so as to achieve an efficiency saving of 3 per cent. on travel and subsistence costs of CID officers when investigating crime.

  Key Target 5
  By 31 March 2001 to rial and prove the Efficiency Index devised under KT5 of 1999–2000 in respect of the business areas of Firearms, Marine Policing and Dog Handling with a view to its introduction across the Force for April 2001.

  Key Target 6
  To achieve 2 per cent. ethnic minorities and 15 per cent. of women recruited to the Force during 2000–2001; and to take steps to make possible 3 per cent. and 20 per cent. respectively in 2001–02.

  Warships
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will provide a schedule of dates when orders for new warships for the Royal Navy will be placed; [126192]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the effect upon warship building yards of no new orders having been placed in the past three years; [126190]

  (3) what was the most recent date on which a new warship was ordered for the Royal Navy. [126191]

  Dr. Moonie
  I refer the hon. Member to the statement my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence made on 11 July 2000,Official Report, columns 701–12.

  On 19 June 2000, it was announced that the prime contract for the procurement of two new Multi-Role Hydrographic and Oceanographic Survey Vessels had been awarded to Vosper Thornycroft (UK) Ltd. The contract includes the provision of 25 years' contractor support for the vessels and is worth some £130 million in total over the life of the ships. The ships will be built under sub-contract at Appledore Shipbuilders in North Devon and are due to enter service in 2002 and 2003.

  As for the schedule for future warship orders, the Strategic Defence Review set out our plans for a forward RN shipbuilding programme which included plans for Type 45 Destroyers, two future Aircraft Carriers and up to 20 Future Surface Combatants, as well as a range of other vessels over the next 15 to 20 years.

  We keep the position of UK warshipbuilding yards under careful review; our assessment is that they possess adequate capacity to build vessels in accordance with our forward RN shipbuilding programme and to win such orders through competition with each other. Under Smart Procurement, we continue to consult closely with the shipbuilding industry across a range of individual programmes to ensure effective communication and planning between us.
  11W
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he plans to(a) issue invitations to tender in respect of and (b) place the order for, the production of the first Type 45 destroyer; and if he will make a statement. [124915]

  Dr. Moonie
  I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 11 July 2000,Official Report, columns 701–12.

  Naval Procurement
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what plans he has to change the practices under which his Department procures naval vessels; [129013]

  (2) what plans he has to spread work between UK yards when (a) tendering for and (b) building naval vessels. [129015]

  Mr. Hoon
  There are no plans to change the practices under which we procure naval vessels. It remains our policy that where possible orders are placed following competitive tendering (either direct by the Ministry of Defence or by the Prime Contractor), and that warships and major naval auxiliary ships are built in the United Kingdom. For other vessels, where we are bound by EC treaty obligations and World Trade Organisation rules which will not permit discrimination in favour of United Kingdom industry, every effort is made to ensure that United Kingdom yards have the opportunity to tender for the build of such vessels on an equal basis.

  The Department has no policy to spread future shipbuilding work between specific shipyards. Such a policy would not deliver value for money or an efficient, effective industrial base. We seek, nevertheless, to ensure that our forward shipbuilding programme is capable of sustaining a competitive industrial base. For example we have required the T45 Prime Contractor to involve both Vosper Thornycroft and BAE Systems Marine in the design and construction of the initial contract for three T45 destroyers, announced on 11 July, to ensure a more effective competition for subsequent follow-on vessels.

  Falklands Airbridge
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what plans he has to put the operation of the airbridge between the UK and the Falkland Islands out to commercial tender; [129653]

  (2) what plans he has to change the type of aircraft used to maintain the airbridge between the UK and the Falkland Islands; [129655]

  (3) if he intends to use the Private Finance Initiative to support the airbridge between the UK and the Falkland Islands. [129654]

  Mr. Spellar
  The airbridge service to and from the Falkland Islands is provided by TriStars. Previous consideration of whether we should contract out the airbridge, in response to unsolicited proposals, has concluded that, taking into account the operational requirement to retain the Royal Air Force TriStars, the use of military aircraft was the most cost-effective solution.
  12W
  However, as part of work into how the MOD's strategic passenger lift and air-to-air refuelling capabilities should be provided, we are currently exploring with industry (under the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft programme) whether capabilities provided by the VC10 and TriStar aircraft might be replaced by a service provided under a Private Finance Initiative/Public Private Partnership venture within the 2007–09 timeframe. The Statement of Requirement for this programme includes provision of the airbridge to the Falkland Islands.

  Plutonium
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much plutonium released from dedicated military-end use under the Strategic Defence Review has been placed under safeguards; what quantities remain to be so placed; and if he will list the current locations of the plutonium re-designated as non-military. [129965]

  Mr. Spellar
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence gave him on 14 March 2000,Official Report, columns 104–05W. Since then, a further 39 kgs of weapon grade plutonium stored at AWE Aldermaston has been transferred to Sellafield and into safeguards, making the total transferred to date 112 kgs. The remaining MOD stocks designated as no longer required for Defence purposes are currently stored at Aldermaston and will be transferred as soon as is practical.

  Former Civil Servants
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Wirral, South (Mr. Chapman) of 10 July 2000,Official Report, columns 377–78W, he will set out the (a) duties of and (b) responsibilities undertaken in his Department by (a) Professor Sir David Davies, (b) Sir Charles Masefield and (c) Mr. M. J. V. Bell in the 10 years prior to the private sector appointments listed. [130804]

  Dr. Moonie
  Professor Sir David Davies joined the Ministry of Defence on a fixed-term appointment in October 1993 as the Chief Scientific Adviser. His duties were to provide high level advice on current and future issues having a scientific content and technical implications. He chaired both the Equipment Approvals Committee, which evaluated all major defence equipment procurement, and the Defence Research Committee that had oversight of the Ministry of Defence's Research Policy and Programme. His appointment terminated on 30 March 1999.

  Sir Charles Masefield was seconded to the Ministry of Defence from British Aerospace in September 1994 to fill the appointment of Head of Defence Export Services. In this role, he was responsible for supporting British defence companies in their export activities.

  Mr. Michael Bell joined the Ministry of Defence in 1965. Between 1988 and 1992, he was Deputy Under-Secretary (Finance), the Ministry of Defence's Principal Finance Officer. He then became Deputy Under-Secretary (Defence Procurement)—later retitled Deputy Chief of Defence Procurement (Support)—where he managed the Procurement Executive's support functions including personnel, finance, contracts and procurement policy. He held this appointment until he was

  13W
  seconded to British Aerospace in 1996 as their Project Director European Consolidation, a member of the company's team responsible for the development and implementation of strategy for European consolidation.

  Malaysia
  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what Government support was provided for British companies to attend the DSA exhibition in Malaysia in April. [128279]

  Dr. Moonie
  Consistent with the Government's policy to encourage and promote the legitimate sales of defence equipment overseas, the Ministry of Defence's Export Services Organisation carried out its usual role in support of the exhibition and marketing of UK defence industry products at DSA 2000. This included assisting the Defence Manufacturers' Association to co-ordinate the UK industrial presence and providing advice to UK firms on export markets in line with the Government's responsible policy for arms exports.

  In addition to the support provided by my own Department, a number of UK Companies exhibiting at the show were in receipt of grants under the Support for Exhibitions and Seminars Abroad scheme run by British Trade International, which is aimed at assisting companies with promotional activities at exhibitions and seminars abroad.

  Royal Squadron
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many flights undertaken by(a) the Queen, (b) the Prince of Wales and (c) other members of the Royal family in aircraft of the Royal Squadron in each year since 1997 were unconnected with their royal duties; and if he will make a statement. [129808]

  Mr. Spellar
  The total number of flights undertaken in aircraft of 32 (Royal) Squadron RAF not connected with royal duties is shown in the following table.

  All these flights were reimbursed and full details are in the "Grant-In-Aid for Royal Travel" Annual Reports, copies of which are in the House Library.

  Private flights undertaken by

  The Queen

  HRH The Prince of Wales

  Other members of the Royal Family

  1997–98

  0

  2

  1

  1998–99

  1

  3

  1

  1999–2000

  2

  1

  2

  DERA
  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 20 June 2000,Official Report, column 134W, if, under his proposals, the land and buildings occupied by DERA West Freugh will transfer to the new DERA company. [130174]

  Mr. Hoon
  Under our current proposals, we envisage that the capabilities provided by West Freugh will form part of the NewDERA company. We are currently analysing the views and comments received during 14W
  consultation on our proposals and this analysis will inform the final decision on the way ahead for DERA, which we hope to be in a position to announce shortly. In principle there would be an appropriate split of land and buildings between both NewDERA and RetainedDERA in order to ensure both organisations are able to carry out the role and capabilities required of them. In transferring any assets to the private sector, our aim would be to ensure maximum return from the transaction to reflect the level of taxpayers' investment.

  Soldier Deaths (Northern Ireland)
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the dates since 1974 on which soldiers of the Ulster Defence Regiment and Royal Irish Regiment have died during training exercises, indicating(a) where the death took place, (b) barracks in which those soldiers were stationed in Northern Ireland, (c) whether the soldiers had, during their military career, been seconded for special duties or on assignment to other regiments and (d) in each case who was responsible for the investigation of the cause of death and what their findings were. [130420]

  Mr. Spellar
  One soldier (of the Royal Irish Regiment) has died during a training exercise since 1974. The death occurred in Wainwright, Canada on 13 June 2000. The soldier was stationed in Drumadd Barracks, Armagh and was on attachment to 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards for the duration of the exercise. The incident is currently the subject of a Board of Inquiry and the findings will not be known for some time. A small number of deaths arising from natural causes while soldiers have been on annual camp exercise with their own units have not been included.

  Army (Complaints)
  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of complaints to the Army Board and Her Majesty the Queen were upheld in the last five years for which figures are available. [130746]

  Dr. Moonie
  A central database has been in use only since April 1997, and since that time 24 per cent. of cases to the Army Board have been upheld in whole or in part. None has been upheld by Her Majesty The Queen.

  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints to the Army Board and Her Majesty the Queen are being processed. [130744]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Army Board is currently processing 18 cases. There are at present no petitions being considered by Her Majesty The Queen but there are 10 petitions in preparation.

  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of complaints rejected by the Army Board and Her Majesty the Queen were pursued in the civil courts in the last five years for which figures are available; and what percentage of the complaints so pursued were(a) successfully defended by his Department, (b) settled out of court, (c) won by the complainant and (d) dropped. [130747]

  Dr. Moonie
  This information is not held centrally. I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Typhoon
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are(a) the roles for which the Typhoon is specified, and (b) aircraft types which it will be replacing in the RAF. [129318]

  Mr. Hoon
  [holding answer 13 July 2000]: Typhoon is the name given by industry to the export version of Eurofighter; it is not the name for RAF aircraft. Eurofighter will, on achieving full capability, have air defence and offensive support roles. It will replace the Tornado F3 and Jaguar aircraft respectively in these roles.

  HMS Orkney
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons HMS Orkney has been towed to Devonport from Portsmouth; and which organisation or department paid for the towing. [130442]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 13 July 2000]: HMS Orkney has been towed to Devonport to enable a Docking and Hull Survey to be undertaken. This is a prerequisite for the sale of HMS Orkney to the Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) who will have representatives in attendance during the survey exercise.

  The Ships Support Agency, part of the Defence Logistics Organisation, has met the cost of towing the vessel and the survey exercise.

  Training Exercises
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which training exercises in the past 12 months within British waters have involved foreign submarines. [130446]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 13 July 2000]: During the past 12 months, foreign submarines have been involved in two Joint Maritime Courses (JMC), Exercise Northern Light 99, as well as weekly exercises in the South Coast Areas, in support of Operational Sea Training.

  Vessel Sales
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which vessels have been sold by his Department since 1 May 1997; and to which countries. [130449]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 13 July 2000]: The Ministry of Defence has made no actual sales of surplus Royal Navy vessels since 1 May 1997. However, the following transfers, not strictly sales, have been arranged in the period:

  Vessels

  Country

  Terms of transfer

  Four Upholder Class Conventional Submarines: HMS Upholder, Unseen, Unicorn, Ursula

  Canada

  Lease with option to buy by 2007

  Two Hunt Class Mine Counter Measure Vessels: HMS Bicester and Berkeley

  Greece

  Sold through Vosper Thornycroft

  Military Aircraft Accidents
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 10 July 2000,Official Report,
  16W
  column 381W, on military aircraft accidents, if he will disaggregate the number of gross, culpable and serious negligence findings for the 486 accidents between 1 January 1980 and 31 December 1999. [131075]

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

  Departmental Budget
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list for(a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99 and (c) 1999–2000 the funds budgeted for by his Department that were not spent, the budget head any underspends came from, the reason for any underspend and if underspends were carried forward into the next year's budget; and if he will make a statement. [130659]

  Mr. Spellar
  The overall underspend in 1997–98 was some £225 million and in 1998–99 it was some £74 million. I can confirm that the provisional outturn for 1999–2000 indicates an overall underspend of some £318 million. The underspends for 1997–98 and 1998–99 were carried forward into the subsequent financial year. I am confident that the same procedure will be followed for 1999–2000. The final amount carried forward will be reduced by the amount of underspend on Kosovo and Bosnia, for which my Department was given access to the Reserve.

  I will write to the hon. Member concerning the detail of the years in question and a copy will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Army Training and Recruiting Agency
  Mr. Ennis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what key targets have been set for the Army Training and Recruitment Agency for the financial year 2000–01. [125578]

  Mr. Spellar
  [pursuant to his reply, 14 July 2000, Official Report, c. 643–44W]: The Key Targets set out for the Army Training and Recruiting Agency were for the previous financial year 1999–2000 and therefore incorrect.

  The following Key Targets have been set for the financial year 2000–01:

  1. To meet the Army's requirement for 560 trained mainstream officers available to take up their first appointment within a permissible variance of 2 per cent. The 1999–2000 performance was an output of 523,

  2. To meet the Army's requirement for 10,623 soldiers available to take up their first appointment within a permissible variance of 5 per cent. The 1999–2000 performance was an output of 9,573.

  3. Achieve a 98 per cent. first time pass rate for all officers made available to undergo career or professional development training. The 1999–2000 performance was a pass rate of 99 per cent.

  4. Achieve a 96 per cent. first time rate for all soldiers made available to undergo career or professional development training. The 1999–2000 performance was a pass rate of 96.7 per cent.

  5. To achieve an overall 3 per cent. improvement in the efficiency of ATRA operations.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Ministerial Code
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many times Ministers in his Department have sought the advice of the Permanent Secretary under the circumstances envisaged in Paragraphs 118,121 and 123 of the Ministerial Code; and on which occasions such advice was sought; [129172]

  (2) on how many occasions since May 1997 Ministers in his Department have made a declaration of interest to their colleagues under circumstances envisaged in Paragraph 110 of the Ministerial Code. [129158]

  Mr. Mandelson
  Information relating to internal advice and consultation is not disclosed under Exemption II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  Extradition
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications for extradition of persons from(a) Northern Ireland and (b) Great Britain for (i) terrorist-related offences and (ii) non-terrorist related offences, from the Irish Republic made in each of the years (1) 1997, (2) 1998, (3) 1999 and (4) 2000 to the latest available date are outstanding; and how many persons are being sought by the United Kingdom police forces under these extradition requests. [128824]

  Mr. Ingram
  Extradition requests made by the Republic of Ireland authorities for persons in England and Wales are dealt with on a police to police basis and figures are not collated centrally.

  For Scotland figures were not collated centrally prior to 1998. In the year April 1998–99, four applications were made and in respect of which three individuals were returned to the Republic of Ireland. In the year 1999–2000, two applications have been made, both of which are still pending. All applications were in respect of non-terrorist offences.

  For Northern Ireland all the cases are non-terrorist related. The figures are as follows:

  Number of requests made still outstanding

  Number of persons still sought

  1997

  0

  0

  1998

  0

  0

  1999

  2

  1

  2000

  2

  1

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 28 June 2000,Official Report, column 495–96W, if he will list for each of the previous three years and in the current year the number of applications for extradition to (a) Great Britain and (b) Northern Ireland which were for (i) terrorist offences and (ii) non terrorist offences; and for each category of offences in each of these years how many persons were extradited. [128859]

  Mr. Ingram
  The table provides details of the extraditions sought from the Republic of Ireland by UK police forces in the years 1997 to date. It should be noted 18W
  that the figures for England and Wales are not necessarily complete, as figures are not collated centrally, and the 1997 figures for Scotland are not available.

  Numbers of persons for which requests were made for extradition

  Sought for terrorist offences

  Number Extradited

  Sought for non-terrorist Offences

  Number extradited

  (a) From Republic of Ireland to Great Britain

  1997

  1

  0

  21

  10

  1998

  0

  0

  28

  15

  1999

  0

  0

  17

  11

  2000

  0

  0

  4

  1

  (b) From Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland

  1997

  3

  0

  5

  3

  1998

  2

  0

  4

  6

  1999

  0

  0

  6

  3

  2000

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Telephone Steering Systems
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many agencies of his Department use touch tone telephone steering systems when dealing with telephone inquiries from the general public. [129630]

  Mr. Mandelson
  None.

  Saville Inquiry
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what the total cost was up to 30 June of the Saville inquiry into the events in Londonderry on 30 January 1972; [129131]

  (2) what sums were spent from 1 May until 30 June, on the Saville inquiry into the events in Londonderry on 30 January 1972, broken down by (a) salaries of staff, (b) travel and subsistence, (c) accommodation, (d) hearing/ witness costs, (e) fees to solicitors representing those killed, and others, (f) fees to barristers representing those killed, and others, (g) IT/communications and (h) miscellaneous, including general office expenditure. [129130]

  Mr. Ingram
  The figures are not yet available in the form requested. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as they are ready.

  Opus Dei
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reasons he has proposed that members of Opus Dei should declare their membership on wishing to be recruited into the proposed Police Service of Northern Ireland; and whether existing members of the RUC who are members of Opus Dei will be called upon to reveal their membership. [130501]

  Mr. Ingram
  The organisations listed in the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill are those about which there is public concern about police membership—including Opus Dei.

  Serving members of the RUC who are members of Opus Dei will be required to register their membership when the provision in the Bill is brought into force.

  Barristers
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 4 February,Official Report, column 778W, on banisters, if he will (a) make a statement on correspondence with the Lord Chancellor and (b) place copies in the Library. [124105]

  Mr. Ingram
  During the relevant period there were two items of correspondence. The first was a letter of 25 May 1998 in which the Lord Chancellor set out proposals for having the responsibility for the appointments of Queen's Counsel in his office. The second was a response of 30 May from the then Secretary of State in which she agreed to the Lord Chancellor's proposals. However, both letters contained personal opinions on particular policy issues and copies have not been placed in the Library, in accordance with Part II, Section 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Sierra Leone
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the UN Secretary-General regarding the recent UN Assessment Team's visit to Sierra Leone. [127653]

  Mr. Hain
  We understand that the Assessment Team visited Sierra Leone between 2–8 June. We continue to support all efforts by the UN Secretary-General to improve UNAMSIL's efficiency and are currently engaged in seeking agreement on how to proceed with fellow members of the Security Council and UN officials.

  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the UNAMSIL's authorised maximum strength is; how many UN troops(a) are and (b) were deployed prior to 8 May to Sierra Leone. [127654]

  Mr. Hain
  UNSCR 1299 of 11 May 2000 increased UNAMSIL's authorised strength to 13,100. The present strength is very slightly below this but we expect it to be reached shortly. Prior to 8 May UNAMSIL's ceiling was 11,360.

  Drugs Trade
  Mr. Sarwar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the work of his Department to counter the drugs trade. [130025]

  Mr. Battle
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office lead in co-ordinating and prioritising the UK's international activities to reduce the availability of illicit drugs in the UK in close co-operation with the UK Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator, Keith Hellawell. The UK plays an active role in international forums dealing with the threat posed by illicit drugs, including in the UN, G8 and EU. Last year the Foreign and Commonwealth Office spent over £6.5 million on international counter-drugs activities.

  Travel Advice
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the countries on which his Department gives travel advice to the general public. [130525]

  Mr. Hain
  At present we issue notices for 163 countries. A list of these countries showing the date on which the notice came into effect is shown in the table. The full notices can be seen on the FCO website at: www.fco.gov.uk

  Country

  Date of issue during 2000

  Afghanistan

  4 July

  Albania

  12 June

  Algeria

  5 May

  Angola

  31 May

  Anguilla

  29 June

  Argentina

  3 July

  Armenia

  19 May

  Australia

  9 June

  Austria

  19 June

  Azerbaijan

  25 May

  Bahamas

  13 June

  Bahrain

  13 June

  Bangledesh

  16 June

  Belarus

  20 April

  Belgium

  28 June

  Belize

  10 May

  Benin

  24 January

  Bhutan

  23 May

  Bolivia

  2 May

  Bosnia and Herzegovina

  28 March

  Botswana

  3 March

  Brazil

  31 May

  Brunei

  13 June

  Bulgaria

  3 March

  Burkina Faso

  28 June

  Burma

  25 May

  Burundi

  17 May

  Cambodia

  15 May

  Cameroon

  7 June

  Central African Republic

  7 June

  Chad

  7 June

  Chile

  28 June

  China

  20 April

  Colombia

  27 June

  Comoros

  5 July

  The Republic of the Congo

  22 March

  The Democratic Republic of the Congo

  30 June

  Costa Rica

  3 April

  Cote d'Ivoire

  6 July

  Croatia

  3 April

  Cuba

  7 July

  Czech Republic

  8 June

  Djibouti

  23 June

  Dominica Republic

  8 June

  East Timor

  9 March

  Ecuador

  10 April

  Egypt

  18 May

  E1 Salvador

  28 June

  Equatorial Guinea

  8 June

  Eritrea

  23 June

  Estonia

  23 March

  Ethiopia

  23 June

  Fiji

  7 July

  France

  5 July

  Gabon

  7 June

  The Gambia

  6 June

  Georgia

  25 May

  Ghana

  2 June

  Greece

  8 June

  21W

  Country

  Date of issue during 2000

  Guatemala

  16 May

  Guinea

  13 June

  Guinea Bissau

  13 June

  Guyana

  13 June

  Haiti

  17 May

  Honduras

  4 April

  Hong Kong and Macau

  31 May

  Hungary

  12 June

  Iceland

  23 June

  India

  19 June

  Indonesia

  12 June

  Iran

  31 March

  Iraq

  22 May

  Israel and the Palestinian Authority

  26 May

  Italy

  8 June

  Jamaica

  12 April

  Japan

  17 April

  Jordan

  30 March

  Kazakhastan

  17 March

  Kenya

  23 June

  Kiribati

  14 February

  Democratic People's Republic of Korea

  9 February

  Kuwait

  25 May

  Kyrgyzstan

  3 July

  Laos

  5 July

  Latvia

  9 June

  Lebanon

  2 June

  Lesotho

  19 June

  Liberia

  26 May

  Libya

  7 June

  Lithuania

  4 April

  Macedonia

  7 July

  Madagascar

  5 July

  Malawi

  8 June

  Malaysia

  24 May

  Maldives

  25 May

  Mali

  13 June

  Malta

  27 June

  Mauritius

  28 April

  Mexico

  29 June

  Moldova

  12 June

  Mongolia

  8 June

  Monteserrat

  19 May

  Morocco

  26 May

  Mozambique

  27 April

  Namibia

  18 April

  Nepal

  15 May

  Netherlands

  9 June

  New Zealand

  5 July

  Nicaragua

  5 June

  Niger

  25 February

  Nigeria

  26 June

  Oman

  12 April

  Pakistan

  16 June

  Panama

  30 June

  Papua New Guinea

  19 June

  Peru

  26 June

  Philippines

  22 June

  Poland

  7 April

  Portugal

  16 June

  Qatar

  29 March

  Romania

  8 June

  Russia

  17 June

  Rwanda

  16 June

  Samoa

  15 March

  Saudi Arabia

  19 June

  Senegal

  13 June

  Seychelles

  29 March

  Sierra Leone

  28 June

  Singapore

  12 June

  Republic of Slovakia

  15 May

  Republic of Slovenia

  12 June

  Solomon Islands

  5 June

  22W

  Country

  Date of issue during 2000

  Somalia

  25 May

  South Africa

  23 June

  Spain

  28 June

  Sri Lanka

  16 May

  Sudan

  16 May

  Swaziland

  17 April

  Syria

  19 June

  Taiwan

  13 June

  Tajikistan

  3 July

  Tanzania

  11 April

  Tailand

  5 July

  China (Tibet)

  25 May

  Togo

  9 June

  Trinidad and Tobago

  30 March

  Tunisia

  20 April

  Turkey

  9 June

  Turkmenistan

  3 July

  Turks and Caicos Islands

  26 May

  Uganda

  21 June

  Ukraine

  16 May

  United Arab Emirates

  25 May

  United States

  25 May

  Uruguay

  28 March

  Uzbekistan

  3 July

  Venezuela

  8 June

  Vietnam

  28 June

  Western Sahara

  19 June

  Yemen

  14 April

  Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia (inc Kosovo) and Montenegro)

  19 May

  Zambia

  26 April

  Zimbabwe

  7 July

  IT
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will estimate the cost savings for(a) his Department as a whole and (b) embassies and high commissions, of the use of IT, including e-mail, in the past year. [130123]

  Mr. Battle
  [holding answer 13 July 2000]: In the past year the benefit to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office resulting from prior investment in IT is estimated at (a) £20 million for whole Department, of which (b) over £11 million was overseas.

  These figures include new cost savings last year of £0.5 million in the UK messenger service, resulting in part from the use of e-mail. They do not include savings which will accrue once our new Information and Communications Technology infrastructure is in place.

  Overseas Prisoners (British Nationals)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British nationals were in prison overseas on 1 July; and if he will list the country and the offence committed in each case. [130526]

  Mr. Hain
  As of 1 July, we were aware of 2,750 British nationals in prison overseas. Around 40 per cent. of these prisoners were convicted of drugs related offences.

  To list the countries and offences for which each prisoner was convicted would incur disproportionate costs.

  British Council
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to increase the Government grant to the British Council. [131058]

  Mr. Hain
  The British Council has a good case for increased funding. In the current Spending Review my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has been pressing for a significant increase in funding for the Council, as for the BBC World Service and the FCO as a whole.

  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the Government grant-in-aid was to the British Council in Greece in(a) 1995–96 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available, together with the percentage change in the grant-in-aid to the British Council in Greece in real terms over the same period. [131055]

  Mr. Hain
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office provides the British Council with grant-in-aid funding for its activities world-wide; the Council decides on its distribution, in consultation with this Department. In 1995–96 the Council allocated £1.9 million of the grant-in-aid to Greece; in 1999–2000 the figure is £1.4 million. This represents a decrease in real terms of 37 per cent. The total British Council budget in Greece in recent years has been boosted by substantial revenue-earning activity, chiefly in administering examinations and teaching English.

  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the contribution made towards his Department's objectives by the British Council in Greece. [131056]

  Mr. Hain
  The primary focus of the British Council's work in Greece is on co-operation in education and promoting the United Kingdom as a dynamic, modern partner. This is fully in line with the FCO's objectives.

  Diplomatic Cars
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list HM missions overseas that maintain a(a) Rolls-Royce, (b) Daimler and (c) Bentley motor car. [131057]

  Mr. Battle
  There are currently 11 Rolls-Royce cars and four Daimlers in use in Her Majesty's missions overseas.

  They are detailed as listed:

  Post

  Make

  Location

  Dhaka

  Daimler

  At Post

  Gibraltar

  Daimler

  At Post

  Islamabad

  Daimler

  At Post

  Kuala Lumpur

  Daimler

  At Post

  Berlin

  Rolls-Royce

  At Post

  Brussels

  Rolls-Royce

  At Post

  Cairo

  Rolls-Royce

  At Post

  Hong Kong

  Rolls-Royce

  At Post

  New Delhi

  Rolls-Royce

  At Post

  New York

  Rolls-Royce

  At Post

  Peking

  Rolls-Royce

  At Post

  Riyadh

  Rolls-Royce

  At Post

  Singapore

  Rolls-Royce

  At Post

  Tokyo

  Rolls-Royce

  At Post

  Washington

  Rolls-Royce

  At Post

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  National Insurance
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the President of the Council what has been the policy since 1989 on writing annually to those of her Department's staff who are paying reduced rates of National Insurance contributions, reminding them of the rules governing the payment of reduced rates, as recommended in the Inland Revenue guidance note on reduced rate National Insurance contributions for married women. [129481]

  Mrs. Beckett
  My Department currently has no members of staff paying reduced rates of National Insurance contributions, and has had no such staff since 1989. The policy would be to follow the Inland Revenue guidance note if such circumstances were to arise.

  Appointments Commission
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the President of the Council what definition of ethnicity the Appointments Commission will use in taking forward the proposals by the Royal Commission on the Reform of the House of Lords to make the House of Lords more representative of the United Kingdom population. [130630]

  Mrs. Beckett
  The present Appointments Commission was appointed in accordance with the Government's proposals in "Modernising Parliament: Reforming the House of Lords" (Cm 4183, January 1999) and is unconnected with the Royal Commission's proposals. It will publish the details of how it intends to fulfil its remit in due course.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Call Centres
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he is taking to(a) monitor and (b) improve working conditions and health and safety standards for call centre industry employees. [130200]

  Mr. Meacher
  I have been asked to reply

  The responsibility for monitoring and ensuring appropriate health and safety standards in the call centre industry rests with local authorities. Local authorities enforce the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, and other relevant statutory provisions made under it, in call centre premises.

  HSE has commissioned the Health and Safety Laboratory (HSL) to conduct further detailed study of call centre working conditions. This will be reporting in spring 2001 and will result in further guidance to local authorities on the enforcement of health and safety law in these premises.

  Internet Regulation
  Mr. Allan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from industry in the last three months concerning the regulation of the Internet. [130939]
  25W
  Ms Hewitt
  The Department of Trade and Industry receives regular representations on various aspects of internet regulation. In the last three months, the main topics have been domain names and the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill.

  The Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Culture, Media and Sport invited comments by 23 June from industry and others on the Communications White Paper, which will consider the issue of offensive and illegal content on the internet.

  Import Tariffs
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the level is of each import tariff imposed on British exports to the United States of America. [130849]

  Mr. Caborn
  The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  However, some data are available on average tariffs applicable to imports of industrial products from all Most Favoured Nation trading partners following the Uruguay Round negotiations which took place during 1986–93. The simple average of all US industrial tariff rates (excluding petroleum products) after the Uruguay Round Agreement was 3.9 per cent.

  In the case of agricultural products, tariffs are not the main means of protecting domestic producers from overseas competition, and any available tariff data are likely to give a misleading indication of the openness of the market in question.

  Source:

  WTO Integrated Database.

  Miners' Compensation Claims
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reasons Mr. Onllwyn Glyndwr Williams, a constituent, is not yet in receipt of his compensation from British Coal; and if he will make a statement. [130295]

  Mrs. Liddell
  Mr. Williams underwent spirometry testing, the first stage of the assessment process, at home on 1 December last year. In light of the results the Department made Mr. Williams an expedited offer, in full and final settlement of his claim, which he chose to reject and he has since elected to proceed through the medical testing, the second stage of the assessment process. IRISC, the Department's claim handling agents, subsequently forwarded the necessary forms to Mr. Williams' solicitor. The forms have been returned and once Mr. Williams' medical records have been collected an appointment will be made for a respiratory specialist to attend his home to carry out the assessment.

  As with most claimants who choose to reject an expedited offer Mr. Williams received a further interim payment of compensation in addition to that which he had originally received in June 1998.
  26W
  To date the Department has received nearly 110,000 claims from former miners and their families. Of these some 22,516 claimants have received interim or full and final payments in settlement of general damages totalling over £64 million.

  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been paid from 1970 to date to members of the legal and medical professions in connection with the miners' compensation claims against British Coal; and if he will make a statement. [130294]

  Mrs. Liddell
  Prior to 1996 British Coal Corporation did not make a provision in their annual reports for personal injury and health claims. In their last report before the Department assumed responsibility for the health liabilities the Corporation made a provision of £34 million, as they considered there was considerable uncertainty with regard to both the Corporation's liability and the potential damages.

  Since assuming the liabilities in January 1998 some £12.5 million has been incurred by the Department in relation principally to Counsel, external solicitors, medical experts and medical assessments. In addition some £23.3 million has paid in legal fees and trial costs to solicitors acting on behalf of claimants.

  Joint Infrastructure Fund
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been made available to higher education through the Joint Infrastructure Fund; what proportion of bids have been successful to date; and what estimate he has made of the overall cost of preparing bids on the part of the institutions involved. [130088]

  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 12 July 2000]: The Joint Infrastructure Fund (JIF) has made 109 awards worth just under £600 million to 39 universities. The final two rounds of awards, with a total value of £150 million, will be decided in November 2000 and March 2001.

  So far, in Rounds 1 to 3 of JIF, the Wellcome Trust and the Research Councils have received around 550 applications totalling approximately £3.2 billion. The success rate is in the region of 20 per cent. by number of bids and amount bid for.

  I have not made an estimate of the overall cost of preparing bids on the part of the institutions involved. This information can be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

  Coal Industry
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what grants the coal industry has received as a result of the measures announced in his oral statement of 17 April 2000,Official Report, columns 697–99. [130307]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 13 July 2000]: The statement made it clear that the support was linked to the lifting of the stricter gas consents policy.

  Motor Industry
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which companies manufacturing cars in the United Kingdom have received regional selective assistance since May 1998. [130308]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 13 July 2000]: Since May 1998, the following companies in Great Britain have received payments of Regional Selective Assistance:

  Rover Group

  Jaguar Cars

  Peugeot Motor Co

  Vauxhall Motors Ltd.

  Ford Motor Co Ltd.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) which companies manufacturing cars in the United Kingdom have received(a) offers and (b) indicative offers of Regional Selective Assistance since May 1997; [130309]

  (2) what was the amount of (a) offers and (b) indicative offers of Regional Selective Assistance made since May 1997 to companies manufacturing cars in the United Kingdom. [130310]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 13 July 2000]: Since 1 May 1997, 10 companies in Great Britain have been offered Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) totalling £245.7 million. This includes £129 million offered to the Rover Group. One offer was conditional on the approval of the new Assisted Areas Map by the EC. However, for reasons of commercial confidentiality details of individual offers cannot be given until the first payment of grant has been made. Three companies have received some payment of grant and are shown in the table with the amount of RSA offered:

  £ million

  RSA offered

  Rover Group

  22.5

  Jaguar Cars

  40

  Peugeot Motor Co

  2.0

  Shipbuilding
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what help he is giving to the shipbuilding industry. [130760]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  My Department's strategy is to assist the industry to improve its competitiveness. In July 1998 my Department established the Shipbuilding Forum whose membership comprises representatives of the shipbuilding and ship repair industry, trades unions, equipment suppliers and customers, both private and public sector. Also involved are the National Training Organisation for the marine sector and relevant Government Departments. The Forum's terms of reference are to consider the current situation of the shipbuilding and ship repair industry and how to improve its competitiveness so as to increase its share of the European market, leading to increased output, profitability and employment.
  28W
  In addition, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State chaired a meeting on 13 July where a number of Ministers, including my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence, met leading members of the shipbuilding industry and trades unions to discuss the further steps necessary to build a world class shipbuilding industry.

  Following that meeting, the Government will take forward discussions on the issues raised on skills, training, productivity and financial support and then present them to the Shipbuilding Forum meeting in the autumn.

  Cannabis
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Leeds, North-East (Mr. Hamilton) on 4 July 2000,Official Report, columns 137–38W, concerning tests to assess the medical benefits of cannabis, from what source the cannabis extracts will be obtained. [130689]

  Ms Hewitt
  The source of cannabis extracts are plants legally grown in Switzerland for scientific purposes by a not-for-profit organisation. From there the plants are taken to Germany for extraction and encapsulation of the cannabinoid. Importation of the extract requires a Home Office licence and this has been applied for by the trial co-ordinator.

  Small Firms (Greater London)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many firms operating in the Greater London area have a labour force of fewer than(a) 50 people and (b) 25 people. [130522]

  Ms Hewitt
  There were 219,800 firms with fewer than 50 employees registered in the Greater London area at the start of 1998, the latest year for which figures are available. Of these 215,000 had fewer than 25 employees.

  In addition, there are an estimated 343,000 businesses without employees in the Greater London area.

  Competition Commissioners
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his policy is regarding attendance of Competition Commissioners at party political fund-raising functions. [130698]

  Mr. Byers
  The Competition Commission is an independent body and its commissioners are not civil servants.

CABINET OFFICE

  Crop Contamination
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when the Genetic Modification Information Unit was consulted about the contamination of Hyola oilseed rape seeds; and if she will make a statement. [128055]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  The GM communications unit was told of the GM-contamination of oilseed rape on 18 April, the day after Advanta first told MAFF and DETR officials of the issue, and the day before I myself was informed.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Lone Parents
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action he is taking to reduce the reliance of lone parents on social security benefits. [129340]

  Angela Eagle
  This Government have introduced a raft of measures to help lone parents move from benefit dependency into work, and to help make work pay.

  These include the New Deal for Lone Parents; the Lone Parent's Benefit Run-On; the National Childcare Strategy; the National Minimum Wage and the Working Families Tax Credit.

  Mr. Russell Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the impact of the New Deal for Lone Parents. [129353]

  Angela Eagle
  Since the start of NDLP 154,731 lone parents have taken part, 16,294 have entered education or training and 54,241 have obtained jobs—over 1 in 3 of those participating. Independent evaluation of the prototype areas found a reduction in the number of lone parents on Income Support in NDLP areas compared to comparison areas.

  We are supporting the New Deal with a raft of measures to help lone parents move into work including the Lone Parent's Benefit Run-On, the National Childcare Strategy, and Working Families Tax Credit.

  From April 2001 (and in three pathfinder areas from this autumn) we will be introducing work-focused interviews for lone parents with school age children to ensure that they are aware of all the help and opportunities that are available for them.

  Sir Sydney Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on progress in implementing the New Deal for Lone Parents, including the costs involved. [129355]

  Angela Eagle
  The New Deal for Lone Parents (NDLP) programme was introduced in July 1997 in eight prototype areas and extended nationally to all Income Support claimants from October 1998. The prototype phase cost £7.9 million, including set-up costs, and the national programme has provisionally cost £60.1 million (to March 2000). Independent evaluation of the NDLP prototypes estimated that NDLP was recovering 90 per cent. of its total costs and more than covered its on-going running costs.

  From April 2001 we will be introducing a £15 weekly training premium for lone parents moving into work-focused training through NDLP; increasing the earnings disregard in income-related benefits; and providing more help with child care for those moving into part-time work. We will also be introducing work-focused interviews for lone parents on Income Support with a youngest child of school age to ensure that they are aware of all the measures that we have introduced to help them move into work.

  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the progress of the New Deal for Lone Parents. [129336]
  30W
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the performance of the New Deal for Lone Parents. [129327]

  Angela Eagle
  Since the start of the New Deal for Lone Parents, 154,731 lone parents have taken part, 16,294 have entered education or training and 54,241 have obtained jobs—over 1 in 3 of those participating.

  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many initial invitation letters for the New Deal for Lone Parents were sent out between October 1998 and April 2000. [130229]

  Angela Eagle
  The total number of initial invitation letters issued between October 1998 and April 2000 was 489,481. From April 2001, we will be introducing compulsory work-focused interviews for all lone parents on Income Support whose youngest child is of school age.

  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security under the New Deal for Lone Parents, how many lone parents in each month between February and April 2000(a) attended an initial interview and (b) found work, broken down into those whose youngest child was (i) over and (ii) under five years and three months. [130228]

  Angela Eagle
  The information is in the table.

  Number of lone parents who attended an initial interview and number who obtained jobs

  Over 5 years 3 months

  Under 5 years 3 months

  Number attending initial interview with a youngest child

  February

  4,390

  4,360

  March

  5,190

  5,340

  April

  3,880

  3,030

  Number of jobs obtained by lone parents with a youngest child

  February

  1,650

  1,270

  March

  2,470

  1,920

  April

  1,870

  1,710

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it a requirement that the alleged father of a child in disputed paternity cases should be required by the CSA to take a second blood test if the mother requests it. [129341]

  Angela Eagle
  The CSA cannot require non-resident parents to take a blood test and we have no plans to enable them to do so. In the new child support scheme, alleged parents who refuse to take a DNA test will be presumed to be the parents of the child. If the parent with care refuses to accept the outcome of a DNA test she can apply to court for a declaration of parentage that will be binding on the CSA.

  Benefit Sanctions
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations he has received about depriving claimants who are in breach of community service orders of their benefits. [129343]

  Angela Eagle
  The Government have received a number of representations from a number of national organisations, members of the public and Members of
  31W
  Parliament, relating to the timing of the benefit sanction and the fiscal implications of the measure. We have considered carefully these opinions while designing our main policy of linking entitlement to benefits with the discharge of social responsibilities.

  Pensioners
  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will take steps to link pensioners' incomes to average incomes. [129344]

  Mr. Rooker
  In the last 20 years pensioners' incomes have grown on average by 60 per cent. This exceeds the growth in average earnings.

  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations he has received from pensioner organisations about the Government's policy on the basic state pension. [129348]

  Mr. Rooker
  Further to my written answer to the hon. Member for Blaby (Mr. Robathan) on 19 June 2000,Official Report, column 79W, we have received about 1,000 more letters about the level of the basic pension, some of them from pensioner organisations. However, we have not kept a separate count of the latter.

  Mr. Wilkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the value in percentage terms of state old age pensions as against the projected level of average earnings in financial years 2000–01 and 2001–02. [129352]

  Mr. Rooker
  This information is contained on page 20 of the Government Actuary's Report on the Quinquennial Review for the period ending 5 April 1995, "National Insurance Fund Long Term Financial Estimates", Cm 4406, published July 1999, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to eliminate pensioner poverty in Chorley. [129329]

  Mr. Rooker
  During the course of this Parliament, an extra £6.5 billion over and above inflation will be spent on pensioners. Of this, half is going to help the poorest third of pensioners, primarily through increases to the Minimum Income Guarantee and winter fuel payments.

  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the minimum income guarantee and winter heating allowance are available to British pensioners living in other EU countries. [129736]

  Angela Eagle
  The minimum income guarantee and the winter fuel allowance are funded from general taxation, not from social security contributions. Payment is only made to qualifying persons who are resident in the UK.

  Child Poverty
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the impact of policies implemented by the Government on child poverty; and what further steps he proposes to take to reduce child poverty. [129345]

  Mr. Bayley
  Our £7 billion a year tax and benefit package will lift 1.2 million children out of poverty by 2001. We are committed to eradicating child poverty in 32W
  20 years, and aim to do this through a combination of measures which will reduce worklessness, and reform the tax and benefit system. But poverty is more than just low income. So we are also implementing a wide-ranging programme of action including raising standards in schools, improving children's health, and regenerating local areas. We will report on progress on all fronts in our second annual report on poverty and social exclusion, due to be published later this year.

  "Winning the Generation Game"
  Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what responses he has received following the publication of the performance and innovation unit's report, "Winning the Generation Game". [129346]

  Mr. Rooker
  The report has been broadly welcomed and commentators have been supportive of what we are doing to improve opportunities for older people.

  Expenditure
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the cost of social security spending on welfare was on(a) 1 May 1997 and (b) 1 May 2000. [129347]

  Mr. Rooker
  Real terms spending on social security benefits and their administration and on Working Families Tax credit in 1999–00 is estimated to be £103.7 billion. The equivalent figure for 1996–97, the last year of the previous Government, is £104.1 billion.

  Benefit Payments (Post Office)
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the value of benefits paid through the Post Office was in 1999. [129349]

  Mr. Rooker
  The value of social security benefits paid through the post office by order book and girocheque during 1999 was £56 billion.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Love
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he is taking to improve the administration of housing benefit. [129350]

  Angela Eagle
  We intend to reform Housing Benefit to improve customer service through a modernised, streamlined system, to tackle fraud and error, and to reduce the barriers to work.

  The Benefit Fraud Inspectorate is conducting an on-going programme of inspections of local authorities, encouraging them to develop action plans to improve administration and tackle fraud and error. Best practice guidance, developed through this programme, has been made available to all local authorities. The current round of inspections focuses on the 30 local authorities with the highest Housing Benefit expenditure. We have made it abundantly clear to all council Chief Executives that where the inspectorate finds evidence of persistent

  33W
  failings, we will use our powers to direct the authority on the standards it is to meet and the timescales for achieving them.

  We have set Best Value performance indicators from this April designed to ensure that authorities provide their communities with a faster, more accurate Housing Benefit service which is more secure against fraud, and which provides value for money and takes account of the views and needs of clients. Authorities are required to set challenging targets against these indicators and demonstrate that they are achieving year on year improvements in the standard of service they provide. And we are making better use of IT to speed up administration and reduce the scope for fraud and error. By this autumn, nearly all of the 20 million forms currently sent by the Benefits Agency to local authorities through the post will be sent electronically, significantly reducing the time taken just to transfer information.

  We have already made significant progress; our Housing Green Paper, currently out for consultation, sets out how we can take this further.

  Housing Benefit recipients in deregulated tenancies by Housing Benefit scheme, Great Britain, May 1998

  Total private deregulated tenants

  Assessed under LRR scheme1

  Assessed under SRR scheme

  Total

  803,000

  542,000

  32,000

  Total restricted under scheme

  —

  191,000

  10,000

  As a percentage of all private deregulated tenants

  —

  24

  1

  As a percentage of private deregulated tenants assessed under each scheme

  —

  35

  31

  1 January 1996 and October 1997

  Notes:

  1. Information refers to the number of benefit units.

  2. The figures are rounded to the nearest thousand and the percentages are to the nearest whole number.

  3. Information is in respect of tenants on Housing Benefit living in the deregulated private rented sector.

  4. We do not centrally collect data on contractual rents neither do we record whether the rent is exceptionally high or significantly high because the local authority is required to use the lowest of the determinations made by the rent officer to calculate the rent for Housing Benefit purposes. They therefore record the figure rather than the determination to which it relates.

  Source:

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

  Winter Fuel Payments
  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the impact of winter fuel payments on pensioners. [129351]

  Angela Eagle
  Winter fuel payments were introduced in the winter of 1997–98, to alleviate worries older people might have about finding the money to meet the higher fuel bills which winter brings.

  In each of the three winters of the scheme so far, around 10 million people have benefited from the payments, which will increase from £100 to £150 for each eligible household from this winter. As a result of extending the scheme to men and women aged 60, the number of people eligible will increase by up to 1.5 million this winter, with as many as 1.9 million people eligible for backdated payments.
  34W
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations he has received on the performance of IT NET in the delivery of Islington's Housing Benefit contract. [129334]

  Angela Eagle
  I am aware of reports on the administration of Housing Benefit in Islington and of my hon. Friend's concerns about this issue. The Benefit Fraud Inspectorate is currently carrying out an inspection of Islington's benefit service and has received representations on the real problems that the borough and many people claiming benefit are facing. We will decide what further action may be necessary in the light of the inspectorate's findings.

  Ms Buck
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of private tenants claiming Housing Benefit have had their benefit payments restricted to below the level of the rent payable due to(a) local reference rent restrictions, (b) single room rent restrictions, (c) exceptionally high rent determinations and (d) significantly high rent restrictions in the last year for which figures are available. [130243]

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

  With nearly £4 billion committed to provide winter fuel payments over the lifetime of this Parliament, we have ensured that today's elderly do not have to worry about turning up their heating when it is cold.

  Working Families Tax Credit
  Mr. Grogan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what impact the working families tax credit has had on reducing child poverty. [129354]

  Mr. Bayley
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer which my hon. Friend the Financial Secretary to the Treasury gave my hon. Friend the Member for Amber Valley (Judy Mallaber) on 22 June 2000,Official Report, column 448.

  Discrimination at Work
  Dr. George Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what discussions he has had with employers' representatives about ending discrimination against older people in the workplace. [129356]
  35W
  Mr. Rooker
  We have discussed tackling age discrimination in the workplace with individual employers and a wide range of expert representative organisations. We hope to meet employers' representatives later in the year.

  Early Retirement
  Mr. Bill O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what measures he is taking to increase the financial security of people who have had to retire early; and if he will make a statement. [129357]

  Mr. Rooker
  Income related benefits such as the minimum income guarantee are available to people, from age 60, who have had to retire early and have insufficient resources to provide for their own financial security.

  Minimum Income Guarantee
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people have responded to the minimum income guarantee take-up campaign; and how many new payments have been made. [129358]

  Mr. Bayley
  Since the end of May, there have been 123,000 responses to the minimum income guarantee take-up campaign.

  Preliminary details on the number of successful claims will be available later in the summer.

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the number of pensioners qualifying for the minimum income guarantee; and what the most recent uptake figures are for(a) Swansea West, (b) the City of Swansea and (c) Wales. [130563]

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

  Minimum Income Guarantee pensioners by Parliamentary constituency, Government office region, and unitary authority—Swansea, February 2000

  Thousand

  Area

  Number of claimants

  Swansea West PC

  3.3

  Swansea UA

  8.8

  Wales GOR

  93.3

  Notes:

  1. Figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample and therefore subject to sampling error.

  2. Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred and quoted in thousands.

  3. Pensioners are defined as benefit units where the claimant and/or their partner is aged 60 or over.

  Source:

  Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry, February 2000.

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 7 July 2000,Official Report, column 343W, on the minimum income guarantee,
  36W
  if he will estimate the total cost of the minimum income guarantee take-up campaign; and if he will make a statement. [130702]

  Mr. Bayley
  We estimate that around £15 million will be spent over the course of the campaign.

  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress has been made on encouraging pensioners to take up the minimum income guarantee since the launch of his Department's publicity campaign. [129323]

  Mr. Bayley
  Since the end of May, there have been 123,000 responses to the minimum income guarantee take-up campaign.

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security pursuant to his answer of 7 July 2000,Official Report, column 343, on the minimum income guarantee, if he will estimate how many of the 35,000 claim packs issued have so far produced successful claims. [130703]

  Mr. Bayley
  Pensioners receiving the minimum income guarantee claim packs have one month in which to complete and return them. Information on the results of the first wave of claims will be available later in the summer.

  133,000 responses have been received so far and 87,000 claim packs have been issued.

  Benefits (Backdating)
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received recently concerning the backdating of benefits; and if he will make a statement. [129335]

  Mr. Bayley
  The most recent representation concerning the backdating of benefits I have received, has been a letter from my hon. Friend in relation to linked benefit claims.

  Carers (Pensions)
  Mr. Quinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the impact of pensions reform on long-term carers. [129342]

  Mr. Rooker
  Our proposed State Second Pension will help some 2 million carers a year build up entitlement to a second tier pension for the first time.

  Each qualifying year of caring will mean about £1 a week extra pension in today's terms. So the greatest gains will go to long-term carers.

  Departmental Vehicles
  Mr. Pearson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for his Department and its agencies the approved list of manufacturers of(a) cars and (b) commercial vehicles; and if he will make a statement on his Department's leasing and purchasing policy. [128980]
  37W
  Mr. Bayley
  The information is as follows:

  The respective car and commercial vehicle manufacturers whose products comprise the Department's motor fleet

  Car manufacturer

  Carbodies

  Citroen

  Daewoo

  Fiat

  Ford

  Hyundai

  Lancia

  Nissan

  Peugeot

  Renault

  Rover

  Seat

  Toyota

  Vauxhall

  Volkswagen

  Volvo

  Commercial vehicle manufacturer

  Toyota

  Vauxhall

  Mitsubishi

  Renault

  Bedford

  Citroen

  Fiat

  Ford

  Leyland

  Volkswagen

  Mercedes.

  From April 2000, following an extensive tendering process with all the major manufacturers which began in August 1999, a new three year purchase contract for the Department and Inland Revenue, but available to other government Departments, has been negotiated and awarded to six manufacturers (Ford, Vauxhall, Peugeot, Fiat, Nissan and Citroen). It is expected that all future purchases, both for cars and light commercial vehicles, will be made from this framework contract and will be based on available discount at the time of purchase.

  At the present time, the Department does not have any long-term lease arrangements for these vehicles.

  Benefit Fraud Inspectorate
  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many reports of the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate have been published in respect of(a) local councils and (b) other organisations, in Scotland. [130297]

  Mr. Rooker
  The Benefit Fraud Inspectorate (BFI) reports on the administration of Social Security benefits by local authorities and seeks to drive up standards of administration.

  To date, we have published eight reports following BFI inspections of Housing and Council Tax Benefit administration in local authorities in Scotland.

  BFI has not published reports on any other organisations in Scotland.

  Informal Economy
  Mrs. McKenna
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he has taken to implement the recommendations made in the report by Lord Grabiner QC on The Informal Economy. [131151]

  Mr. Darling
  Lord Grabiner's report made a number of useful recommendations that the Government are committed to implement. A confidential telephone helpline has been launched to provide advice on tax and benefits to people who want to put their affairs in order. We are extending the tightened procedures for allocating National Insurance numbers to the rest of the country. We are also taking steps to deny benefit to people who have been convicted twice of benefit fraud—"two strikes and you're out".

  An important recommendation was that the Government should make greater use of information from private sector sources. Today I am publishing a consultation document on how we can better check claims in the fight against fraud. The public and all interested parties will have three months to respond. Copies of the consultation document have been placed in the Library and the Vote Office.

  Exceptional Hardship Fund
  Ms Buck
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many applications were made for housing benefit exceptional hardship payments in each local authority area in England and Wales(a) in total and (b) from households with children; and, in each case, what proportion were accepted, in each of the last three years; [129693]

  (2) what proportion of the exceptional hardship fund was unspent in each local authority in England and Wales in each of the last three years. [129694]

  Angela Eagle
  The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available has been placed in the Library.

  Ms Buck
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications for exceptional hardship payments were made by households on income support or incapacity benefit; and, of these, how many were accepted, in each of the last three years. [129695]

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

  The number of awards of Housing Benefit exceptional hardship payments made for each of the last three years for which data are available

  Year

  Number

  1996–97

  10,096

  1997–98

  19,705

  1998–99

  25,177

  Remote Terminal Access
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's study of remote access terminal usage. [130713]
  39W
  Angela Eagle
  There has been no specific study of local authority usage of Remote Access Terminals (RATs). However during the period April 1999 to March 2000 over three million enquiries were made via RATs. The first wave of the Department's Local Authority Omnibus Survey, published in April 2000, established that 80 per cent. of local authorities believed that RATs had made a positive contribution to the administration of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

  Departmental Payments
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of correctly presented bills were paid by his Department in(a) 1998–99 and (b) 1999–2000 within 30 days of receipt of (i) goods and services, (ii) a valid invoice and (iii) other agreed payment terms. [130038]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 11 July 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer from the Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry, on 13 July 2000, Official Report, column 621W.

  Money Purchase Pension Fund
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the size of a money purchase pension fund required to purchase(a) a level and (b) an indexed annuity equivalent to the difference between the basic state pension and the minimum income guarantee for (i) a woman aged 60 years, (ii) a man aged 65 years and (iii) a married couple with a basic pension eligibility earned through a single partner. [130799]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is in the table.

  The capital sum required to purchase an annuity to provide an annual income equalling the difference between the basic state pension and the minimum income guarantee in 2000–01 based on the annuity rates available in July 2000

  £

  Level annuity

  Indexed annuity

  Woman aged 60

  7,600

  11,100

  Man aged 65

  6,100

  8,000

  Married couple, both aged 65

  9,000

  12,500

  Note

  Figures rounded to the nearest £100

  Anyone considering taking out an Occupational Pension would want to consider the State Second Pension and SERPS.

  Inland Revenue (Staff Transfers)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many staff have been transferred to the Inland Revenue as a result of the transfer of policy and other responsibility for(a) pension credits, (b) the state second pension, (c) stakeholder pensions, (d) pensions forecasting, (e) incapacity benefit changes and (f) bereavement benefit changes; and how many such staff remain working for his Department. [130822]

  Mr. Rooker
  Responsibility for the specific areas mentioned has not transferred to the Inland Revenue, nor, therefore, have any staff.

  PFI Projects
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what clawback mechanisms exist under private finance initiative contracts within his Department in respect of contingencies other than refinancing; and if he will place copies of each private finance initiative contract in the Library. [130262]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 13 July 2000]: The PRIME (Private Sector Resource Initiative for Management of the Estate) contract has numerous clawback mechanisms where gains, profits and savings are shared between the Department and Trillium, the PRIME contractor.

  The Department receives: one quarter of savings from the deferral or avoidance of maintenance over a three year period but does not share in higher than planned costs; half of the utility cost savings achieved against an annual target set by a joint Departmental/Trillium liaison committee; half the savings from contribution in lieu of rates (business rates from 1 April 2000) negotiated by Trillium and 90 per cent. in following years until a further saving is made, when the base CILOR year is reset; 20 per cent. of savings derived from changes in contractor's service methods; 50 per cent. of savings in landlord's service charges on rented properties; 50 per cent. of development proceeds from disposed properties, after deduction of a fixed developer's profit, costs and the value that Trillium had agreed for the property with the Department. The Department may seek to recover a share of any windfall gain arising during the first five years of the contract, after either a sale of the rights of more than half of the net cashflow of the project or the flotation of more than 25 per cent. of Trillium. The Department may also seek to recover a share of any windfall profits arising during the first five years of the contract, where the net cashflow to Trillium's owners exceeds a predetermined level compared with the original expectation.

  Treasury Taskforce Policy Statement No. 5 (Provision of Information to Parliament) sets out best practice in relation to Departments' obligations to disclose information to Parliament. This approach has been agreed with the National Audit Office. The Department has not found it necessary to deposit additional information in the Library.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the net present cost is of each project undertaken in his Department under the private finance initiative; what the value is of their public sector comparators in(a) pre-risk and (b) risk-adjusted terms; what risks have been identified as having been transferred; and if he will place information on other relevant costs for each private finance initiative project in the Library. [130248]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 13 July 2000]: The cost of the PRIME (Private Sector Resource Initiative for Management of the Estate) deal over the 20 year life of the contract is £2.008 billion (using the Government's real discount rate of 6 per cent.). This is £560 million less than the cost of continuing public sector provision. The bidding process established that the gap between the cost of the public sector comparator and the bids from all three consortia were such that the pricing of risk transfer was

  41W
  not a factor in demonstrating value for money to the taxpayer in this instance. Other relevant costs on PRIME may be found in the National Audit Office report "The PRIME Project: The Transfer of the Social Security estate to the private sector HC370 Session 1998–99" which was presented to the House of Commons and subsequently published on 23 April 1999. The NAO report also identified some 16 areas of risk as having been transferred to Trillium, the PRIME contractor.

  Benefit Discontinuance
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims for(a) Disability Living Allowance and (b) Attendance Allowance have been (i) refused and (ii) stopped because the claimant lives in a local authority owned or managed residential home in each year since 1997. [130409]

  Mr. Bayley
  Withdrawal of benefit in these situations is based on the principle, established since the beginning of the Social Security system in 1948, that funding to meet a specific need should not be provided from more than one public source at the same time. These rules have applied to Attendance Allowance and Disability Living Allowance since the benefits were introduced.

  Figures for homes owned or managed by local authorities are not available separately from homes funded generally by local authorities or the National Health Service. Such figures as are available for Disability Living Allowance are in the table. No equivalent figures are centrally available for Attendance Allowance, since this may be stopped by local offices where payment of Attendance Allowance is combined with other benefits, in particular Retirement Pension.

  Numbers of cases where Disability Living Allowance was refused or stopped because the claimant was in a residential care or nursing home

  Year

  Benefit refused1

  Benefit stopped2

  1997

  14,700

  36,400

  1998

  15,400

  40,700

  1999

  15,600

  43,500

  1 Figures relate to DLA care component not payable because the claimant was in a residential care or nursing home, funded by either a local authority or the National Health Service, at the time they established entitlement to the benefit.

  2 Figures relate to cases where payment of DLA care component stopped because the claimant has spent more than 28 days in a residential care or nursing home funded by either a local authority or the National Health Service.

  Note:

  Figures relate to 30 November each year.

  Source:

  DSS Information Centre: 5 per cent. data. Figures rounded to nearest hundred.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Refrigerants
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what alternatives to CFCs and HCFCs as refrigerant products his Department has identified which are non-flammable, non-toxic and energy efficient. [126977]
  42W
  Mr. Meacher
  We recognise that for a number of applications, including some in refrigeration and air-conditioning, there is no immediate alternative to the continued use of HFCs. That is why we are not proposing a ban but rather are sending a clear signal to industry and end users that they need to look closely at all the alternatives and to select those that are more environmentally acceptable where they do exist, taking safety, feasibility and cost effectiveness into account.

  GM Crops
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what his policy is in respect of GM maize trials in the future; and what views have been expressed to his Department at local residents' meetings on GM maize trials. [127793]

  Mr. Meacher
  The Farm Scale Evaluations are a three-year programme. The Scientific Steering Committee (SSC), which is overseeing the trials, has advised that there should be around 60 to 75 GM maize sites during this period. The SSC is due to meet in the autumn to consider its requirements for next year. It is too early to predict what it might advise.

  The Scientific Steering Committee has stated that where farmers' normal rotation is to have consecutive years of maize on the same site, it is possible that trial sites used this year could be used again. However, site selection is a matter for SCIMAC and the independent researchers, using criteria set by the Scientific Steering Committee.

  At each public meeting held during the spring, a range of views was expressed by local people, from strong opposition to definite support for the trials. One group of activists opposed to the trials attended several of the meetings.

  DVLA (Data Protection)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many names and addresses of vehicle owners and keepers have been disclosed to third parties by virtue of that party showing reasonable cause for the disclosure in the last three years; if he can break down disclosure statistics by categories of reasonable cause if the DVLA alerts such third parties to the offence under section 55 of the Data Protection Act 1998; what data matching exercises he has undertaken to identify those who might be using the third party facility as a means of tracing individuals who do not want to be traced; and if he will make a statement. [129189]

  Mr. Hill
  The number of 'reasonable cause' inquiries of the vehicle register maintained by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) during the last three years is as follows:

  1997–98: 629,808

  1998–99: 830,970

  1999–2000: 883,522

  The main source of inquires is insurance companies in respect of claims, and finance houses for vehicle-related loan agreements. The remainder are from solicitors and

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  car parking enforcement companies etc. Information is disclosed under strictly defined terms and conditions and recipients are subject to periodic audit.

  Information is released to about 2,500 private individuals each year. They must give a full written explanation for their inquiry together with supporting evidence, such as a police incident or insurance policy number. Around 1,500 such inquiries are refused each year.

  The Agency works closely with the Data Protection Commissioner to facilitate prosecution for the handful of offences that come to light each year.

  Department of the Environment Transport and Regions private finance initiative (PFI) contracts

  PFI contract1

  Date of contract signature

  Capital value (£ million)

  Subject to refinancing?

  Does DETR have a claw-back entitlement to share in savings arising from refinancing?

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link

  February 1996

  4,178

  No

  2Yes

  Birmingham North Relief Road3 (Highways Agency)

  February 1992

  4450

  No

  No

  A69 Carlisle to Newcastle (Highways Agency)

  January 1996

  9

  No

  No

  A1(M) Alconbury to Peterborough (Highways Agency)

  February 1996

  128

  No

  No

  A419/A417 Swindon to Gloucester (Highways Agency)

  February 1996

  49

  No

  No

  M1-A1 Lofthouse to Bramham Link Road (Highways Agency)

  March 1996

  214

  No

  No

  A50 Stoke to Derby (Highways Agency)

  May 1996

  21

  No

  No

  A30/A35 Exeter to Bere Regis (Highways Agency)

  July 1996

  75

  No

  No

  A19/A168 Dishforth to Tyne Tunnel (Highways Agency)

  August 1996

  29

  No

  No

  M40 Denham to Warwick (Highways Agency)

  October 1996

  65

  No

  No

  A13 Thames Gateway (Highways Agency)

  April 2000

  146

  No

  No

  Catering (Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre)5

  February 1997

  3

  n/a

  n/a

  MOT Computerisation (Vehicle Inspectorate)

  February 2000

  38

  No

  No

  Spirit IT (Countryside Agency)5

  November 1997

  4.5

  n/a

  n/a

  1 Contracting authority in brackets

  2 Although there is no clause for sharing in the benefits of refinancing of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, the Department would directly benefit as it would reduce the requirement for an operating subsidy in future years

  3 Finance for the Birmingham Northern Relief Road has yet to be finalised

  4 Approximate figure

  5 The contractor did not require finance for this contract so refinancing would not arise

  Private finance initiative contracts which required the approval of Department of the Environment Transport and Regions Ministers

  PFI contract1

  Date of contract signature

  Capital value (£ million)

  Subject to refinancing?

  Does the contracting authority have a claw-back entitlement to share in savings arising from refinancing?

  Northern Line Trains (London Underground)

  April 1995

  409

  No

  No

  Power (London Underground)

  August 1998

  108

  No

  No

  Prestige (London Underground)

  August 1998

  137

  No

  No

  British Transport Police (London Underground)

  March 1999

  13

  No

  No

  Connect (London Underground)

  November 1999

  355

  No

  No

  Croydon Tramlink (London Transport)

  November 1996

  205

  No

  Yes

  Oceanic Flight Data Processing System (National Air Traffic Services Ltd.)

  June 1997

  18

  No

  No

  1 Contracting authority in brackets

  BSE
  Mr. Levitt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the health risks associated with spreading the condensate from the process of rendering cattle carcases on to land. [129649]

  PFI Contracts
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the PFI contracts entered into by his Department, indicating(a) their dates of commencement, (b) their value, (c) if they have been subject to refinancing and (d) if his Department has a claw-back entitlement to share in savings arising from refinancing. [129048]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The tables set out the details requested.

  Mr. Mullin
  The Environment Agency commissioned an assessment of the risk from BSE infectivity from the spreading on to agricultural land of condensate from the rendering of cattle slaughtered under the Over-30-Months Scheme (OTMS). A copy is being placed in the Library of the House. The assessment concluded that:
  45W
  The concentration of infectivity in condensate from rendering plants processing OTMS material is low, even when that condensate is untreated;
  Spreading of condensate on farmland is unlikely to represent a risk to people owing to contamination of drinking water with BSE infectivity, or to people being exposed to aerosols of the condensate as a result of the spreading activity; and
  Cattle grazing on treated land would be extremely unlikely to be exposed to a dose large enough to result in infection with BSE.

  The Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC) reviewed this assessment and concluded that the risk to human health from the practice was negligible. However, SEAC advised that the practice of spreading rendering condensate on land should be discontinued because of the presence of detectable levels of ruminant protein in samples, which could pose a risk to animal health. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is considering how to take forward the SEAC advice and hopes to consult on proposals shortly.

  Petrol Prices
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact on the rural economy of recent increases in petrol prices; and if he will make a statement. [129643]

  Mr. Hill
  The Government recognise that transport provision is particularly important to people in rural areas because jobs and services are more widely dispersed than in urban areas. Within the 10 Year Plan for transport, we are developing a package of measures to improve public transport in rural areas and we shall be developing our ideas further in the forthcoming Rural White Paper.

  We recognise that the car will remain central to rural life, and any substantial increase in motoring costs may have adverse impact on the rural economy. We are therefore carefully monitoring the recent increases in petrol prices. These recent increases have been primarily due to a sharp increase in international gasoline prices caused by the combination of higher crude oil prices and gasoline supply problems, especially in the United States, not the Government's tax policies.

  Trans-European Network
  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to develop the Trans-European Network roads in the UK up to 2010. [129467]

  Mr. Hill
  The development of Trans-European Network roads in the UK is considered as part of the motorway and trunk roads programme as a whole. Within that programme all new schemes are assessed by the same rigorous appraisal criteria and brought forward as and when resources permit. Further details of our current plans can be found in the following publications:

  A New Deal for Trunk Roads in England—July 1998

  A Strategic Review of the Welsh Trunk Road Programme—July 19981

  Travel Choices for Scotland: Strategic Roads Review—November 1999.

  A formal review of road schemes has not been carried out in Northern Ireland. All new proposals there are considered on their own merits.
  46W
  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what amounts of(a) European Union and (b) United Kingdom funds were spent on each section of Trans-European Network roads in the United Kingdom in each year since 1994. [129799]

  Mr. Hill
  The European Union has so far allocated 9.125 million euro from the TEN budget for expenditure on UK motorways and trunk roads.

  Article 18 of the TEN Guidelines, adopted in July 1996, requires Member States to provide the European Commission with a biennial implementation report on national investment in the TEN. The first report—COM(1998)614—was published in October 1998. It covers investment in the years 1996 and 1997 and is available in the House Libraries. The next report, covering 1998 and 1999, is due to be published later this year.

  Information on investment prior to 1996 is not required by the Commission and is not available.

  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the Trans- European Network roads in the United Kingdom. [129794]

  Mr. Hill
  The information requested is in the Official Journal of the European Communities, Volume 39, a copy of which is available in the House Library. The United Kingdom Trans-European Network roads are detailed on Map 2.14 in Section 2 of Annexe 1 of that document.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what has been the policy since 1989 on writing annually to those of his Department's staff who are paying reduced rates of National Insurance contributions, reminding them of the rules governing the payment of reduced rates, as recommended in the Inland Revenue guidance note on reduced rate National Insurance contributions for married women. [129488]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  Neither the former Department of the Environment nor the former Department of Transport introduced such reminders. DETR has not sent any reminders to staff regarding NI contribution rules. Arrangements are being introduced to comply with the Inland Revenue guidance.

  National Air Traffic Services
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what assessment he has made of the safety implications of the cost reductions in the operations of National Air Traffic Services recommended by the economic regulation group of the Civil Aviation Authority; and if he will make a statement; [129760]

  (2) what representations he has received from (a) the management of NATS and (b) IPMS about the cost reductions in the operations of National Air Traffic Services recommended by the economic regulation group of the Civil Aviation Authority; [129761]
  47W
  (3) if he will place a copy of the paper entitled, "NATS' Response to ERG's Second Consultation Paper", dated 26 May, in the Library. [129764]

  Mr. Mullin
  Under the proposed public-private partnership for National Air Traffic Services, NATS' charges will be regulated using an RPI-X formula. The Economic Regulation Group of the Civil Aviation Authority has the task of advising the Secretary of State about the initial value of X. The CAA is carrying out a consultation process designed to help it prepare that advice. The consultation paper issued by ERG on 26 April, and NATS' response of 26 May, are part of that process.

  The figures in the consultation paper, to which these questions refer, were preliminary and we have made no assessment of them. We expect ERG's final advice in the next few weeks. Decisions on the regulatory benchmarks, including the value of X, will be taken by Ministers. We shall consider ERG's advice carefully when we receive it before taking that decision. In doing so, we shall consider the safety implications and take account of the views of the CAA's Safety Regulation Group.

  We have seen NATS' response but have received no direct representations from NATS or IPMS on the ERG paper.

  I am arranging for copies of the ERG paper and the NATS response to be placed in the Library shortly.

  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what his forecast is of capital spending by NATS in the current year and each of the next five years; and what increases in capital spending are anticipated as a result of the proposed public-private partnership. [129762]

  Mr. Mullin
  The Government do not make forecasts for NATS' capital expenditure. NATS has recently produced its first 10-year investment plan and is currently consulting with its customers on this document. The form, timing and appropriateness of the plan will also be reviewed by the CAA. NATS' estimate is that capital expenditure over the next decade will be of the order of £1.4 billion (in current prices).

  The Government believe that the Public-Private Partnership is the best way to deliver the investment needed, and will provide the additional management expertise to ensure that this capital programme is achieved on time and on budget for the benefit of NATS' customers and for the Government as shareholder.

  Powershift Programme
  Mr. Green
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how many companies have benefited from grants under the Powershift programme so far in financial year 2000–01; [129819]

  (2) how many applications have been made for grants under the Powershift programme in financial year 2000–01; [129818]

  (3) how much money was spent under the Powershift programme between 1 April and 30 June. [129816]
  48W
  Mr. Hill
  Between 1 April and 30 June, grants totalling £2,619,984 were offered under the Powershift programme towards the cost of purchasing alternatively fuelled vehicles. These grant offers will be progressively taken up over the summer.

  So far this financial year, 440 applications for grants have been made under the Powershift programme and grants have been offered to 235 different companies.

  Environmental Change Programme
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the benefits which have accrued from the global environmental change programme supported by the ESRC; what successor programmes are planned; and what steps are being taken to ensure widespread knowledge of, and access to, the Gecko data base. [129971]

  Mr. Meacher
  My officials have been actively involved in the planning and management of the Programme since its inception and all its reports have been disseminated throughout the Department. The longer-term impact of the Programme will be reviewed by the Department's Chief Scientist and the Chief Executive of the ESRC in the autumn under our Concordat arrangement.

  I understand from my noble Friend the Minister for Science that the Programme is being followed up by a number of activities including work at the new Joint Climate Change Centre and the Environmental Decision-Making Centre, and with a potential new Link Programme investment in Environmentally Sustainable Technologies. I also understand that the Gecko website is being maintained for 12 months while arrangements are being made for longer term curation of the database.

  Fishguard Harbour
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what his policy is on the use of(a) pleasure craft and (b) other craft by anyone under the age of 16 years, in Fishguard Harbour. [130077]

  Mr. Hill
  The Government believe that pleasure craft should be used safely and are acting to improve safety on three fronts: the launch of a voluntary code of practice earlier this year, a continuing and enhanced coastguard education programme; and a Review of the Coastal Byelaws. The code of practice specified that for users of personal water craft (jet skis), persons between the ages of 12 to 16 should be directly supervised by an adult; persons under 12 should not be allowed to use them.

  Regulation of the use of such craft in Fishguard Harbour by way of byelaws is a matter for the local harbour authority. Revised byelaws are currently being considered by the Secretary of State and a decision will be made in due course.

  Homelessness
  Ms Buck
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many lettings each transfer association made available to homeless households for each year after stock transfer has taken place. [130240]
  49W
  Mr. Mullin
  This information is not held centrally and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

  Departmental Payments
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what percentage of correctly presented bills were paid by his Department in(a) 1998–99 and (b) 1999–2000 within 30 days of receipt of (i) goods and services, (ii) a valid invoice and (iii) other agreed payment terms. [130030]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 11 July 2000]: (a) I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Elmet (Mr. Burgon) on 23 July 1999, Official Report, columns 677–78W.

  (b) The information for 1999–2000, including the DETR figure, is being collated currently, and will be made available to the House shortly.

  Health and Safety Executive
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to improve(a) the effectiveness of the Health and Safety Executive and (b) its responsiveness to the public. [130220]

  Mr. Meacher
  I place very high priority on improving, with the help of the Health and Safety Commission and Executive (HSC\E), standards of health and safety. I am particularly keen that the procedures to reach those standards should be carried through in the most open, transparent and accountable manner feasible.

  The Government will be looking to HSE to deliver improvements in health and safety not only through their Public Service Agreement targets, but also through meeting the challenging targets set out in the Revitalising Health and Safety Strategy Statement.

  Since coming to office this Government have significantly increased the resources available to health and safety—additional resources of some £63 million were made available to the Health and Safety Commission and Executive (HSC\E) in the three year Comprehensive Spending Review in 1998. These additional resources are enabling HSE to recruit and train more inspectors. As a result of the additional funding the HSE has agreed to increase the number of its regulatory contacts with employers and duty holders (including inspections) to 200,000 by 2001–02. The number of prosecutions for health and safety offences has been rising each year, as have the number of investigations into complaints from employees and members of the public. We have also been arguing strongly for extra resources through the SR2000 process.

  Construction Sites
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what formal means of cooperation there are between the Corporation of London, the Health and Safety Executive and the Environment Agency to facilitate the supervision of construction sites in the City of London. [130199]
  50W
  Mr. Meacher
  There are currently no formal standing arrangements between the Corporation of London, the Health and Safety Executive and the Environment Agency to facilitate the supervision of construction sites in the City of London. There is, however close liaison between officers of the three organisations on an individual site basis as the need arises.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many inspections by the Health and Safety Executive in the last two years were concerned with safety on construction sites. [130216]

  Mr. Meacher
  In the two years from 1 April 1998 to 31 March 2000 there were 39,233 preventive inspection contacts made to construction sites out of a total number of construction site contacts of 64,142. Details of other site contacts are shown in the attached table. The figures shown are provisional. It is not possible to distinguish between those contacts dealing only with safety, as opposed to health and welfare issues: the vast majority of inspections will cover all three matters.

  Construction site contacts between 1 April 1998 and 31 March 2000

  Number

  Preventive inspection

  39,233

  Investigation—Accidents and complaints

  15,724

  Product safety

  62

  Asbestos

  593

  Enforcement

  6,659

  Advice

  1,153

  Education/Promotion

  268

  Standards

  12

  Sector work—National issues

  23

  Civil litigation

  40

  Local projects

  367

  Total

  64,134

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many deaths and serious injuries have occurred on construction sites in each of the past 10 years. [130219]

  Mr. Meacher
  In the 10 years for which figures are available, the number of deaths and major injuries1 reported to all enforcing authorities are shown in the table.

  Fatal and major injuries to employees, self-employed and members of the public in the construction sector 1 April to 31 March 1989–90 to 1998–99

  Year

  Fatal injuries

  Major injuries

  1989–90

  165

  4,220

  1990–91

  133

  3,961

  1991–92

  105

  3,447

  1992–93

  100

  2,844

  1993–94

  94

  2,683

  1994–95

  88

  2,748

  1995–96

  82

  2,594

  Introduction of RIDDOR '95

  1996–97

  93

  4,459

  1997–98

  86

  4,665

  1998–99

  68

  5,034

  1 As defined by the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985 and 1995

  51W
  Note:

  Data prior to 1994–95 are classified under the Standard Industrial Classification 1980 (SIC80)

  Data from 1994–95 are classified under the Standard Industrial Classification 1992 (SIC92).

  Injury from 1996–97 cannot be directly compared to previous years figures due to the changes introduced by Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what steps he is taking to improve the Environment Agency's supervision of waste generated on construction sites; [130224]

  (2) what powers are available to him concerning the treatment and disposal of waste from construction sites. [130217]

  Mr. Mullin
  The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions has a range of powers to make regulations on waste under Part II of the Environmental Protection Act 1990; and some limited powers either to direct or to issue statutory guidance to the Environment Agency.

  Section 33 of the 1990 Act requires that waste from construction sites must be treated and disposed of in accordance with the conditions of a waste management licence, or within the terms of a licensing exemption, and in a way which does not cause pollution of the environment or harm to human health. Section 34 of the 1990 Act imposes a duty of care on those who produce, carry, keep, treat or dispose of construction waste. Contravention of these controls is a criminal offence.

  We are currently reviewing two of the licensing exemptions which allow the use of construction waste and which have been the subject of allegations of abuse. The aim of the revised controls under consideration is to enable the Environment Agency to supervise more effectively the use of construction waste at exempt sites.

  CITES
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to ensure that Greek authorities enforce the EU Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species Regulations; and if he will make a statement. [130385]

  Mr. Mullin
  The European Commission, rather than the UK Government, is responsible for ensuring that member states meet their obligations under community law. As far as the CITES Convention itself is concerned, following pressure from the CITES Standing Committee (then under UK Chairmanship), Greece announced a series of improvements in February last year which led to the withdrawal of CITES trade sanctions imposed for unsatisfactory implementation of the Convention in September 1998. It will be for the Convention and the Commission to assess whether these improvements have been implemented.

  Disabled Facilities Grants
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to make all requirements of the disabled facilities grants mandatory; and if he will make a statement. [130383]
  52W
  Mr. Mullin
  Disabled facilities grants are mandatory in all cases set out under section 23(1) of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, and local authorities must follow the provisions of that Act in giving them. The grants are subject to a test of the applicant's resources to ensure that they are directed at those who are unable to afford the cost of adaptations on their own. In addition to their statutory duties, local authorities have powers to approve grants for the welfare, accommodation and employment of disabled people, and to pay grant above the £20,000 limit for the mandatory grant. These discretionary provisions enable local authorities to respond sensitively to individual cases without weakening the statutory entitlement of disabled people to a grant. We have no plans to change these arrangements.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will review the operation of the disabled facilities grant, with particular reference to the needs associated with childhood and adolescence; and if he will make a statement. [130482]

  Mr. Mullin
  Earlier this year, my Department reviewed the arrangements for disabled facilities grants in relation to the needs of disabled children and young people. In the light of that review, we introduced changes to the test of resources for the grant in April this year, to reflect the higher housing costs incurred by parents of disabled children. We have no plants to make further changes to the arrangements governing the treatment of disabled children and young people, which are consistent with those for other housing-related benefits.

  Litter Fines
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many people have been fined for dropping litter in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [130293]

  Mr. Hill
  In the 12 month period, 1 April 1998–31 March 1999, local authorities in England and Wales issued 4,576 fixed penalty litter notices. Of these 2,520 were paid and 13 cases were taken to court.

  Dorneywood
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list those people that have been entertained at public expense at Dorneywood, since May 1997. [130281]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 12 June 2000,Official Report, columns 438W-39W.

  Britannic House Site
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps the Environment Agency is taking to monitor the waste disposal process from the former Britannic House site in the City of London. [130391]

  Mr. Meacher
  Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 requires that waste from construction sites is treated and disposed of in accordance with the conditions of a waste management licence, or within the terms of a licensing exemption, and in a way which does not cause pollution of the environment or harm to human
  53W
  health. Section 34 of the 1990 Act imposes a duty of care on those who produce, carry, keep, treat or dispose of construction waste. Contravention of these controls is a criminal offence.

  It is the responsibility of those who produce and dispose of construction waste to comply with the requirements of sections 33 and 34 of the 1990 Act. However, in view of my hon. Friend's concern, the Environment Agency has undertaken to visit the site.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps the Health and Safety Executive is taking to check safety standards at the former Britannic House site in the City of London. [130390]

  Mr. Meacher
  The Health and Safety Executive received an initial notification of construction work at the former Britannic House site in January 1998. Since then there have been five visits to the site by HSE Inspectors to check health and safety standards, the last one being in March this year. At least one further visit is planned before the project is completed.

  Peat
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures he is taking to meet the aim published in the UK Biodiversity Habitat Action Plan for Lowland Raised Bogs, of achieving 90 per cent. replacement of the total market requirement for peat with alternatives by 2010. [130681]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The preliminary target in the Lowland Raised Bogs Action Plan is for 40 per cent. of the total market requirement for soil conditioners and growing media to be met by peat alternatives by 2005. The plan also indicates the promotion of research and development of sustainable alternatives to peat to speed up reduction of peat used in both amateur and professional markets, with the longer-term aim of 90 per cent. peat-free by 2010. We are closely monitoring the UK markets for peat and alternatives. In 1998, peat alternatives accounted for 32 per cent. of the total market. The provisional results for 1999, which will be published later this year, indicate continued progress towards the published target.

  We wish to maintain a competitive UK horticultural industry, and the quality of products available to the amateur gardener, and recognise that unless the sustainable alternatives are acceptable to the consumer they will not be taken up. The report of the Peat Working Group, published in November 1999, identified possible courses of action to increase further the use of alternatives in the longer term, including the dilution of peat based products, and the development of quality standards for growing media. We are now looking at means of taking these ideas forward.

  Housing Subsidy
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the extent to which the level of local authority spending on the management and maintenance of their dwellings differs from the amount provided through the housing subsidy system; and if he will make a statement. [130487]
  54W
  Mr. Mullin
  Provisional outturn figures for 1999–2000 indicate that local authorities have spent £4.0 billion on the management and maintenance of their dwellings. This compares with total allowances of £3.1 billion included within the calculation of the Housing Revenue Account Subsidy. These allowances are just one component of the subsidy calculation, which also takes into account expenditure on debt charges and assumed income from rents. It is for local authorities to decide how best to balance their various sources of income and expenditure so as to meet the needs of their tenants.

  Aarhus Convention
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Government will ratify the Aarhus Convention on the Environment. [130637]

  Mr. Meacher
  The UK is committed to ratifying the UNECE Convention on Access to Information, Public Participation in Decision-Making and Access to Justice in Environmental Matters (the "Aarhus Convention") as soon as possible. The Explanatory Memorandum for the Convention (Cm 4736) outlines the steps that need to be taken before this can be done. We anticipate that we will be in a position to ratify the Convention by summer 2001. However, the exact timing will depend on the legislative programmes of the devolved administrations.

  Connex South Central
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will set out the timetable for awarding the rail franchise for the services operated by Connex South Central; [130651]

  (2) pursuant to his answer of 7 July 2000, Official Report, column 314W, on rail franchises, what contractual commitments Connex South Central has to provide for a well-planned and smooth changeover period if it fails to win the next franchise; and what action he can take if Connex fails to meet these commitments. [130561]

  Mr. Hill
  Although Connex have no such contractual requirements, they currently hold more than one franchise and are pre-qualified bidders or potential bidders for other replacement franchises. The Franchising Director is entitled to take into account the past performances of operators when considering the award of franchises. The Franchising Director has set no specific dates for the award of any replacement franchise, as to do so may prejudice his negotiating position.

  House Sales
  Mr. Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress he has made in his review of legislation on the buying and selling of houses; and if he will make a statement. [130977]

  Mr. Mullin
  On 11 October last year we announced our intention to take forward a package of complementary measures, which were based on a detailed survey and consultation exercise and studies of experience in other countries.
  55W
  The key proposal is a requirement that before putting a home on the market, the seller or seller's agent should put together a pack of standard documents and information for prospective buyers.

  Introducing a compulsory seller's information pack requires legislation and we are awaiting a suitable legislative opportunity. In the meantime, we have set up a pilot scheme in Bristol to test out the components of the seller's information pack and to provide information on its practical operation.

  Single Regeneration Budget
  Mr. Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the bid by Gedling Borough Council for SRB6 funding for Netherfield; and if he will make a statement. [130510]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The bid by Gedling Borough Council for Single Regeneration Budget round 6 funding, along with other bids from the region, is currently being assessed by the East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA). EMDA will make recommendations to the Secretary of State, who will decide which bids to support early next month.

  Mr. Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will announce the areas which have been successful under the SRB6 programme. [130509]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  Final bids under round 6 of the Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) have been assessed by Regional Development Agencies, who are now making recommendations to myself and to my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and Regions. After we have consulted other ministerial colleagues, the Government and the RDAs plan to announce the successful bids in early August.

  In London, responsibility for the SRB passed to the Mayor and the London Development Agency on 3 July. An announcement about successful round 6 bids in London is therefore a matter for the Mayor.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Colman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will reply substantively to the question from the hon. Member for Putney of 21 June, to which he gave a holding reply on 26 June. [130538]

  Mr. Mullin
  I have written to my hon. Friend today. Copies of the letter have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Spelthorne dated 26 April relating to his constituent, Mrs. J. E. Jones. [130655]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  I replied to the hon. Member's letter on behalf of the Secretary of State on 25 May.

  Virgin Trains
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will discuss with Virgin Trains their criteria for making APEX tickets available to passengers. [130794]

  Mr. Hill
  The Secretary of State has no plans to discuss with Virgin Trains the criteria for making APEX tickets available. APEX fares represent a substantial discount over the regulated fares and are offered in return for corresponding reduction in flexibility. They are not regulated by the Franchising Director and the criteria and conditions applied to them by Virgin Trains, or any other Train Operating Company (TOC), are entirely commercial matters for the TOC concerned.

  Refrigeration Appliances (Waste Disposal)
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps the Government are taking to ensure that discarded domestic refrigeration appliances producing CFC gases are collected in Cumbria. [127806]

  Mr. Mullin
  [Pursuant to the answer of 29 June 2000, c. 603W]: Under section 59 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, local authorities are not under a duty to collect waste which is fly-tipped. Section 59(1) provides that a collection authority may serve a notice requiring the occupier of the land to remove fly-tipped waste.

  Section 59(7) provides that a collection authority may remove fly-tipped waste itself to prevent pollution etc.

SCOTLAND

  Civil Servants
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average percentage increase in salaries of non-industrial civil servants, excluding members of the senior Civil Service, in his Department for 1999–2000; and to what extent the pay awards were staged. [121651]

  Dr. Reid
  [holding answer 18 May 2000]: The average performance-related pay increase for staff of the Scotland Office was 4 per cent. The increase was not staged.

  Mr. Sarwar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the Government's policy is regarding distributing Civil Service posts more widely across Scotland. [129916]

  Dr. Reid
  Relocation of civil servants is a matter for individual departments and agencies. As I announced at the Select Committee on Scottish Affairs on 21 July 1999, I have established my main office, and the bulk of my small staff, in Glasgow.

  The policy in relation to the relocation of civil servants who work for the Scottish Executive and related public bodies is devolved and is a matter for the Scottish Parliament. The Scottish Executive made announcements on their approach to location and relocation of public service jobs in Scotland on 15 September 1999 and 6 July 2000.

  Sewage Works
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the Scottish sewage works at which untreated effluent(a) is used to wash screens in screen houses and (b) has been so used during the past five years. [126273]

  Dr. Reid
  Matters relating to the Scottish water authorities are devolved and are now for the Scottish Parliament. In the four years prior to 1 July 1999, the water authorities used potable water to wash screens in screen houses using an automated process in the majority of cases. However, waste water (sewage works effluent) was used at the following 10 sewage works:

  North of Scotland Water Authority
  Biologically treated wastewater was used at Persely, Halkirk and Tain

  East of Scotland Water Authority
  Settled wastewater was used at Edinburgh and Dunfermline
  Screened wastewater was used at Kirkcaldy and Tayport
  Biologically treated wastewater was used at Galashiels

  West of Scotland Water Authority
  Screened wastewater was used at Meadowhead and Stevenson.

  Water Workers
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if Scottish water workers who have been transferred to a private company under a PFI contract retain their public servant status with regard to pensions and conditions of service. [126271]

  Dr. Reid
  Matters related to the Scottish water authorities are devolved. Pensions are generally reserved, but pensions for staff in Scottish public authorities are excepted under Schedule 5, Head F3 of the Scotland Act 1998. This is therefore a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the application of TUPE rules to employees transferred from Scottish council water departments to water boards and subsequently under PH to a private contractor company. [126272]

  Dr. Reid
  Although the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 are reserved under Schedule 5, Head H1 of the Scotland Act 1998, matters relating to the Scottish water authorities are devolved. Application of the TUPE rules to Scottish water authorities' staff is therefore a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

  Scottish Parliament
  Mr. Swinney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to meet representatives of the(a) Scottish Parliament and (b) Scottish Executive to discuss mechanisms for consulting on the Government's policy on changing the number of Members of the Scottish Parliament. [126772]

  Dr. Reid
  [holding answer 21 June 2000]: It was agreed during the passage of the Scotland Act 1998 that a reduction in the number of Members of Parliament would lead to a reduction in the number of Members of the Scottish Parliament. However, we have made it clear that this issue will be examined in due course, in the light of the experience of the Scottish Parliament's operation.

  Interactive Voice Response Systems
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many departmental telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by interactive voice response systems. [127402]

  Dr. Reid
  My Department has no telephone lines using interactive voice response systems, other than those to allow messages to be recorded.

  Departmental Vehicles
  Mr. Pearson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for his Department and its agencies the approved list of manufacturers of(a) cars and (b) commercial vehicles; and if he will make a statement on his Department's leasing and purchasing policy. [128994]

  Dr. Reid
  My Department does not maintain a list of approved vehicle manufacturers. The Department does not operate any cars other than those provided through the Government Car and Despatch Agency or the Government Car Service (Scotland).

  Ministerial Code
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) on how many occasions since May 1997 Ministers in his Department have made a declaration of interest to their colleagues under circumstances envisaged in Paragraph 110 of the Ministerial Code; [129166]

  (2) how many times ministers in his Department have sought the advice of the Permanent Secretary under the circumstances envisaged in Paragraphs 118, 121 and 123 of the Ministerial Code; and on which occasions such advice was sought. [129177]

  Dr. Reid
  Information relating to internal advice and consultation is not disclosed under Exemption II of the "Code of Practice on Access to Government Information".

  Lords Lieutenant
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money his Department has spent in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available on(a) lords lieutenant and (b) their deputies in Scotland. [129679]

  Dr. Reid
  [holding answer 7 July 2000]: Expenditure incurred by the Scottish Office on lord lieutenants' expenses in each of the last 10 years is as follows:

  £000

  Year

  Amount1

  1990–91

  10

  1991–92

  12

  1992–93

  13

  1993–94

  14

  1994–95

  25

  1995–96

  43

  1996–97

  27

  1997–98

  24

  1998–99

  30

  1999–2000

  234

  1 Figures rounded to the nearest £1000

  2 Provisional

  No expenditure has been incurred in relation to deputy lords lieutenant.
  59W
  Although the subject matter of the Lieutenancies Act 1997 is reserved, other aspects are now devolved and expenditure on lords lieutenant is a matter for the Scottish Executive.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on measures under discussion on standardisation of arrival procedures for asylum seekers throughout the EU; and what discussions are currently on-going concerning the definition of a refugee. [128236]

  Mrs. Roche
  The Government's approach to minimum standards on asylum procedures was set out in the Explanatory Memorandum dated 26 March 1999, which was a response to the Commission working document dated 3 March 1999, entitled "Towards common standards on asylum procedures". A copy of the Explanatory Memorandum was deposited in the Library.

  Discussions on minimum standards for qualification as a refugee have not yet begun.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many asylum seekers were sent from the Greater London area to other areas of the United Kingdom in the last three months; and if he will list the areas. [129509]

  Mrs. Roche
  The National Asylum Support Service is not yet responsible for providing support to destitute asylum seekers who were living in London at the time of their application for asylum. Some of those applying for asylum at ports of entry may have been placed in emergency accommodation in the Greater London area while their application for support was being considered. From 3 April until 30 June, a total of 3,212 asylum seekers, including dependants, had been dispersed under the national asylum support scheme. I am afraid that we do not hold information on how many of these were dispersed from emergency accommodation in the Greater London area. The areas to which they were dispersed are the East Midlands, North East, North West, Scotland, South West, Sussex, West Midlands and Yorkshire.

  Mr. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many units of accommodation currently being paid for by the National Asylum Support Service are standing empty; and what percentage of the total numbers being paid for this represents. [130697]

  Mrs. Roche
  On Friday 14 July, 4,126 bed spaces which represent 42 per cent. of all property available to the National Asylum Support Service (NASS) were being paid for but not used. The exact number of units available

  Financial year

  Applications made

  Applications resolved

  Awards made

  Compensation paid (£ million)

  Administration costs (£ million)

  1990–91

  50,820

  53,384

  35,190

  109.3

  10.3

  1991–92

  61,400

  60,113

  39,249

  143.7

  13.1

  1992–93

  65,977

  58,688

  36,638

  152.2

  14.2

  1993–94

  73,473

  65,293

  40,635

  165.1

  17.3

  1994–95

  71,734

  64,549

  37,365

  175.4

  17.8

  1995–96

  75,667

  76,225

  44,036

  179.0

  19.3

  1996–97

  75,414

  79,219

  46,942

  210.6

  20.3

  60W
  changes day by day as providers notify NASS of properties. Equally, the number of asylum seekers provided with accommodation by NASS changes daily. In order to ensure that adequate numbers of accommodation units are available to satisfy current demand, and make provision for the forthcoming roll-out of the scheme, NASS has to maintain a stock of available property. The total stock currently standing empty represents approximately three weeks of accommodation needed when the NASS scheme has been fully rolled out.

  Special Units (Prisons)
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were resident at any time in the Special Unit in C wing at Parkhurst Prison between 1 July 1991 and 1 July 1993; and if he will list for each prisoner in an anonymised form the number of(a) recorded assaults and (b) violent episodes in each of (i) the two years prior to joining C wing, (ii) during his time on C wing prior to 1 July 1993, (iii) during his time on C wing after 1 July 1993 and (iv) since leaving C wing to date. [128619]

  Mr. Boateng
  The information requested can be obtained in full only at disproportionate cost. In Parkhurst C-Wing between July 1991 and July 1993 the population varied from 10 to 16 prisoners. During that period there were 217 incidents including seven fights, five assaults on prisoners, six assaults on staff, 16 verbal threats on prisoners and 37 verbal threats on staff.

  Prisons (Religious Practices)
  Mr. Stinchcombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Prison Service has to extend its recognition of religious practices and faiths; and if he will make a statement. [129196]

  Mr. Boateng
  Prisoners of all religions are free to practise their religion, consistent with good order and discipline within prisons. The Prison Service does not recognise Scientology, the Nation of Islam and Rastafarianism as religions. There are no plans to change these arrangements.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what the total number was of(a) applications, (b) applications resolved and (c) awards made by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement; [128539]

  (2) what the total expenditure was on criminal injuries compensation in each of the last 10 years (a) in total and (b) per category; and if he will make a statement. [128538]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  [holding answer 5 July 2000]: The available information requested is set out in the table.
  61W

  Financial year

  Applications made

  Applications resolved

  Awards made

  Compensation paid (£ million)

  Administration costs (£ million)

  1997–98

  77,743

  79,544

  45,080

  201.5

  21.0

  1998–99

  78,897

  85,493

  46,240

  194.3

  22.1

  1999–2000

  78,891

  83,021

  43,495

  206.1

  24.7

  The figures are for both the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board (which dealt with applications received under the old scheme prior to 1 April 1996) and the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (which deals with claims received under the new tariff scheme on or after 1 April 1996).

  The figures for 1999–2000 are subject to audit. Applications resolved in a year do not necessarily relate to applications received in that year.

  Expenditure on criminal injuries compensation per category of injury is not available in respect of cases settled under the old scheme. I will write to the hon. Member with the available information about categories of injury under the tariff-based scheme.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the policy since 1989 on writing annually to those of his Department's staff who are paying reduced rates of National Insurance contributions, reminding them of the rules governing the payment of reduced rates, as recommended in the Inland Revenue guidance note on reduced rate National Insurance contributions for married women. [129485]

  Mr. Straw
  The validity of the certificate of election is checked when new staff join the Home Office. Action is taken if this is not in order or staff notify a change in circumstances. It is for the individual concerned to notify any change in circumstances after he or she has joined the Home Office.

  Speeding Offences
  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to extend the issuing of fixed penalties for speeding offences to individuals driving in the UK on non-UK driving licences; and if he will make a statement. [130205]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  We have no plans at present to extend the fixed penalty system in the way proposed. Speeding is an endorsable offence which, under the fixed penalty system, puts three penalty points on an offender's licence. The courts can endorse only licences issued under the Road Traffic Act 1988 and foreign licences do not have the space for recording such endorsements. But we are in discussion with the European Union about mutual recognition issues on road traffic offences.

  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average per capita cost was of 62W
  prosecuting drivers for speeding offences in England and Wales since 1998 using (a) the fixed penalty system and (b) the courts; and if he will make a statement. [130206]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information is not available.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much revenue was received from fines imposed for motor speeding offences in 1999. [130523]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Information on fines for speeding offences in 1999 is not yet available.

  London Local Authorities Act 1995
  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many notices have been served using sections 12 and 13 of the London Local Authorities Act 1995; [130299]

  (2) what the average cost is to local authorities of serving a notice using sections 12 and 13 of the London Local Authorities Act 1995; [130300]

  (3) what plans he has to modify sections 12 and 13 of the London Local Authorities Act 1995 to make it quicker and cheaper for local authorities to use their powers; and if he will make a statement. [130301]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  I have been asked to reply.

  Information is not held centrally about the number of notices served and their cost under sections 12 and 13 of the London Local Authorities Act 1995. We have no plans to amend those provisions.

  Prison Service (IT)
  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the performance targets set in the Prison Service's contract with Electronic Data Systems; if they have been met to date; what penalties have been included in the contract for not fulfilling the performance targets; and what safety precautions have been taken to ensure that the Prison Service's IT requirements can be satisfied if Electronic Data Systems' contract is terminated. [130302]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Prison Service's Quantum Agreement with Electronic Data Systems sets out a range of performance targets. These are given in the table.

  Electronic Data Systems took responsibility for the day to day operation of the Prison Service's information technology and telecommunications services—"live running"—on 3 July 2000. It is therefore too soon to assess performance against targets. Regular service review meetings are required under the terms of the Agreement. The first of these will take place in August 2000.

  The Quantum Agreement provides a comprehensive range of financial remedies in the event of unsatisfactory

  63W
  performance against targets. These have been developed in consultation and are consistent with the guidance of Partnerships United Kingdom (formerly known as the Treasury Taskforce on Private Finance Initiatives).

  Prison service quantum agreement performance targets

  Service

  Description

  Target

  Desktop Services

  24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year

  98%—monthly

  Prisoner Administration

  24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year

  98%—monthly

  Intranet

  24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year

  98%—monthly

  Personnel

  24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year

  98%—monthly

  Finance

  24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year

  98%—monthly

  Other applications

  24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year

  98%—monthly

  Purchasing and Stock control

  24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year

  98%—monthly

  Training Services

  Candidate throughput

  100% to plan—monthly

  Achieve agreed standards

  95%—monthly

  Post evaluation

  100%—quarterly

  Help Desk services

  Call response time

  90% within 15 seconds—monthly

  97% within 30 seconds—monthly

  Confirmation of action

  97% within 15 minutes—monthly

  Fix times

  Fixes within agreed criteria

  Criteria dependent—Monthly

  Moves and Changes

  On time and quality

  99%—monthly

  Removal and disposal

  98%—monthly

  Report provision

  Management reports on time and to quality

  99%—monthly

  Performance reports on time and to quality

  99%—monthly

  Usability

  Customer and User satisfaction

  100%—yearly

  Customer care complaints

  Less than 5 per quarter year

  Road Traffic Offences
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made with completing the Government's review of penalties for road traffic offences. [130303]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  As I said in my reply to the hon. Member for East Worthing and Shoreham (Mr. Loughton) on 13 July 2000,Official Report, column 665W, the work of the review of penalties for road traffic offences is almost complete. The Government hope to publish a consultation document, setting out the proposals of the review, shortly.

  Transsexuals
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress the Inter-Departmental Working Group on Transsexual People has made with regard to transsexual people obtaining an amended birth certificate. [130285]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Daventry (Mr. Boswell) on 12 July 2000,Official Report, column 596W.

  Coroners
  Mr. Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 11 July 2000,Official Report, column 513W, how much money his Department is spending on research into the way information is provided by coroners to the bereaved; and what the terms of reference are. [130811]

  Mr. Boateng
  The total sum allocated for this project is just under £70,000. The terms of reference are as follows:
  64W
  Comprehensive termination arrangements are provided for in the contract. They allow, inter alia, for the transfer of service provision to a replacement contractor and have been devised to minimise the business risk to the Prison Service.

  to identify the range of experiences that families have regarding receipt of information from the coroner service; including: what families learn about the death, how much information they receive, and how long it takes for this information to be given;
  to identify where complications arise, including research into how long it takes to release a body to the family for subsequent burial, cremation or other disposal; and
  to identify models of practice which families perceive as good.

  False Evidence
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is towards the recovery of police costs where investigations have been undertaken following the submission of evidence subsequently found by the police to be false. [130699]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Assuming that the provisions of the criminal law relating to the wasting of police time do not apply, this would be a matter for individual police forces.

  Police (Devon and Cornwall)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the percentage change in funding for the Devon and Cornwall Constabulary in the last three years. [130701]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The percentage change in Government funding (police grant, revenue support grant and national non-domestic rates) was 6.4 per cent. between 1998–99 and 2000–01. This was made up as follows:

  Year

  Government funding (£ million)

  Percentage change

  1998–99

  141.1

  +6.2

  1999–2000

  146.7

  +4.0

  2000–01

  150.2

  +2.4

  65W
  In addition, the force will have received over the three years capital, special, firearms and Special Constabulary grants totalling over £6.6 million.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a breakdown of the(a) Kent County Constabulary and (b) North Yorkshire Constabulary figures for crime in (i) 1992–93, (ii) 1993–94, (iii)1994–95, (iv) 1995–96, (v) 1996–97,

  Notifiable offences recorded by the police

  April 1992-March 1993

  April 1993-March 1994

  April 1994-March 1995

  April 1995-March 1996

  April 1996-March 1997

  April 1997-March 1998

  April 1998-March 1999

  Kent

  Burglary

  31,898

  29,348

  27,770

  34,332

  31,219

  24,452

  22,978

  Theft and handling stolen goods

  89,838

  89,139

  83,077

  77,717

  67,752

  58,002

  57,314

  Theft or unauthorised taking of motor vehicle

  19,318

  18,030

  16,606

  16,445

  14,270

  11,078

  10,335

  North Yorkshire

  Burglary

  16,390

  16,031

  16,765

  16,406

  12,661

  11,402

  11,237

  Theft and handling stolen goods

  29,868

  30,486

  31,621

  31,097

  27,128

  26,051

  25,608

  Theft or unauthorised taking of motor vehicle

  4,497

  4,976

  5,399

  5,315

  4,172

  3,805

  2,990

  Market and Opinion Research
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place copies of the results of all market and opinion research carried out by his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies since May 1997, in the Library. [123809]

  Mr. Denham
  [holding answer 25 May 2000]: Copies of research reports are not routinely placed in the Library. A list giving details of market and opinion research undertaken by the Department is made available. This has been updated and placed in the Library. The list may not include all research projects as some information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Decisions on whether to publish research are taken on an individual basis.

  We are committed to consulting and involving the public to help inform both policy formulation and the delivery of better quality public services. Responsive public services are an important part of the Modernising Government initiative.

  Opinion research projects undertaken by the Department of Health: 1999–2000

  Type

  Title

  Published?

  Where

  Focus Group Research

  NHS Executive South West: The organisation of Commissioning—involving the public in local decision making for health care February 2000

  1997

  Social Research 19: 1–4

  The global challenge of health care rationing (Coulter A, Ham C) Milton Keynes: Open University Press Not published

  Focus Group Research

  NHS Executive South West: Understanding compliance with Physiotherapy

  66W
  (vi) 1997–98, (vii) 1998–99 and (viii) 1999–2000 with respect to (A) burglary, (B) theft and (C) vehicle theft. [130931]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The number of offences recorded by the Kent County Constabulary and North Yorkshire Constabulary in the years ending March are given in the table. The data from 1 April 1998 are not directly comparable with earlier years because of changes to the counting rules for recorded crime which occurred on that date. Recorded crime figures for the year ending March 2000 will be released tomorrow. Figures for Kent and North Yorkshire will be available in the Library.

  We conduct or commission market or opinion research only when it is justified by the needs of the policy or programme and is the most economical, efficient and effective way to achieve the purpose.

  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the opinion research projects undertaken on behalf of his Department in the financial year 1999–2000, itemising(a) focus group research, (b) quantitative surveys and (c) other market research surveys, in each case specifying when and where the results were published. [123261]

  Mr. Denham
  [holding answer 25 May 2000]: A list of research projects carried out by the Department in the financial year 1999–2000 is in the table. The list may not include all research projects, as some information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  We are committed to consulting and involving the public to help inform both policy formulation and the delivery of better quality public services. Responsive public services are an important part of the Modernising Government initiative.

  We conduct or commission market or opinion research only when it is justified by the needs of the policy or programme and is the most economical, efficient and effective way to achieve the purpose.
  67W

  Opinion research projects undertaken by the Department of Health: 1999–2000

  Type

  Title

  Published?

  Where

  Focus Group Research

  NHS Executive South West: With Mended Voice—a focus group study of patients with head and neck cancer and their carers

  Not yet published

  Focus Group Research

  Nursing Recruitment Advertising: Pay research

  Not published

  Focus Group Research

  Nursing Recruitment Advertising: Qualitative research findings

  Not published

  Focus Group Research

  Public Attitudes and Perceptions of the NHS

  Not yet published

  Focus Group Research

  Risk Taking Behaviour Among Young People

  Not published

  Focus Group Research

  Violence Against Social Care Staff—Qualitative Research

  Published June 2000

  DH website

  Focus Group Research

  Winter 2000 Advertising Development Research

  Not published

  Focus Group Research/Quantitative Survey

  Impact and awareness of Quality Protects

  Not published

  Focus Group

  Improving access to and convenience of primary care services

  Not published

  Other Market Research

  COI Public Evaluation Smoking: Giving up for Life

  Not published

  Other Market Research

  GP Registrars' Experience of Vocational Training for General Practice

  Not published

  Other Market Research

  NHS Corporate Identity Research

  Not published

  Other Market Research

  Qualitative research to help develop a tobacco education campaign

  Not published

  Other Market Research

  Sexual Health for All: identifying key obstacles to sexual health for gay men, lesbian women and bisexuals

  Not available yet

  Other Market Research

  Tobacco Education Campaign Desk Research

  Not published

  Other Market Research

  Tobacco Education Communications check

  Not published

  Other Market Research

  Winter 2000 Advertising Awareness Evaluation

  Not published

  Other Market Research

  Winter 2000 Doctors and Pharmacists Self-Completion Survey

  Not published

  Quantitative Survey

  British Social Attitudes Survey 17th Report

  To be published autumn 2000

  The 17th British Social Attitudes Report

  Quantitative Survey

  Survey of NHS Chiropody Heads of Services

  To be published summer 2000

  NHS Executive publication

  Quantitative Survey

  Cranstoun Drugs Services—Pre testing 'real time' video

  Not published

  Quantitative Survey

  Department of Health Corporate Exhibition Stand appraisal

  Not published

  Quantitative Survey

  H. E. A/Alcohol Concern: Pre Testing resource on alcohol and young people

  Not published

  Quantitative Survey

  Keep Warm, Keep Well

  Not published

  Quantitative Survey

  Monitor of attitudes to Nursing

  Not published

  Quantitative Survey

  National Children's Bureau and Drug Education Forum

  Not published

  Quantitative Survey

  NHS Media Impact Research

  Not published

  Quantitative Survey

  Nurses Day Project

  Not published

  Quantitative Survey

  Nursing Recruitment Advertising: Pre and Post campaign measurement

  Not published

  Quantitative Survey

  Organ Donation—Campaign Tracking Research

  Not yet published

  Quantitative Survey

  Survey of Investment in CPD, Modern Apprenticeships and National Traineeships

  Not published

  Quantitative Survey

  Tacade Pre Testing—Information postcards for the children of drug misusing parents

  Not published

  Quantitative Survey

  Tacade Pre Testing—Resource for school children with mild to moderate learning difficulties

  Not published

  Quantitative Survey

  The Elfrida Society

  Not published

  Quantitative Survey

  Tobacco Education Campaign evaluation: report on results of benchmark and wave 2

  Not published

  Quantitative Survey (Postal)

  The National Survey of NHS Patients—Coronary Heart Disease Questionnaire

  April 2000

  A statistical press release outlining preliminary results was issued. More detailed information will be published in the summer and made available on the DH website

  Quantitative Survey (Postal)

  The National Survey of NHS Patients—GP Questionnaire

  October 1999

  A book of national results is available,(£10) plus a summary of key findings, free of charge, from DoH, PO Box 777 London SE1 6XH. Results are also available on the DH website at http:// www.doh.gov.uk /public/nhssurvey.htm

  68W 69W

  Opinion research projects undertaken by the Department of Health: 1999–2000

  Type

  Title

  Published?

  Where

  Quantitative Survey/Other Market Research

  A practical guide for disabled people

  Not published

  Quantitative Survey/Other Market Research

  NHS Careers—Schools Competition

  Not published

  Quantitative Survey/Other Market Research

  Understanding the Careers Guidance Needs of Junior Doctors

  To be published summer 2001

  Publication of briefing document/CRAC website

  Foodborne Illness
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of sickness resulting from the consumption of fresh meat emanating from British abattoirs were recorded in 1999. [126189]

  Ms Stuart
  Most cases of infectious intestinal disease are not part of recognised outbreaks (i.e. they are sporadic cases). It is very difficult to obtain scientific information implicating a specific food as the cause of infection for these sporadic cases and, as such, it is not possible to provide data on specific foods associated with sporadic infection.

  However, meat and meat products are an important vehicle of foodborne illness. There was at least one large outbreak in 1999 which was attributable to meat from a British abattoir.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which health authorities have more in-patients waiting over one year than in May 1997. [128503]

  Mr. Denham
  The list compares March 1997 (the last data collection before May 1997) with March 2000.

  Health authorities who have seen an increase in patients waiting over 12 months for elective admission March 1997 to March 2000

  Northern and Yorkshire

  Bradford HA

  Durham HA

  East Riding HA

  Leeds HA

  Newcastle and North Tyneside HA

  North Cumbria HA

  Northumberland HA

  Sunderland HA

  Tees HA

  Wakefield HA

  North Yorkshire HA

  Calderdale and Kirklees HA

  Trent

  Leicestershire HA

  North Nottinghamshire HA

  west Midlands

  Birmingham HA

  Coventry HA

  Dudley HA

  Herefordshire HA

  Sandwell HA

  Shropshire HA

  Solihull HA

  North Staffordshire HA

  70W

  South Staffordshire HA

  Walsall HA

  Warwickshire HA

  Wolverhampton HA

  Worcestershire HA

  North West

  South Lancashire HA

  Liverpool HA

  Manchester HA

  Morecambe Bay HA

  St. Helens and Knowsley HA

  Salford and Trafford HA

  Sefton HA

  Stockport HA

  West Pennine HA

  Bury and Rochdale HA

  North Cheshire HA

  South Cheshire HA

  East Lancashire HA

  North West Lancashire HA

  Wigan and Bolton HA

  Wirral HA

  Eastern

  Bedfordshire HA

  North Essex HA

  South Essex HA

  Suffolk HA

  East and North Hertfordshire HA

  West Hertfordshire HA

  Cambridgeshire HA

  Norfolk HA

  London

  Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster HA

  Bexley and Greenwich HA

  Bromley HA

  Kingston and Richmond HA

  Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth HA

  Barking and Havering HA

  Camden and Islington HA

  East London and City HA

  South East

  Berkshire

  Buckinghamshire

  East Kent

  West Kent

  East Surrey

  West Surrey

  East Sussex, Brighton and Hove

  West Sussex

  Northamptonshire

  71W

  North and Mid Hampshire

  Portsmouth and South East Hampshire

  South West RO

  Somerset HA

  South and West Devon HA

  Wiltshire HA

  Avon HA

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly HA

  Dorset HA

  North and East Devon HA

  Gloucestershire HA

  Source:

  Department of Health form QF01

  Name

  Date of commencement (financial close)

  Value (£ million)

  Have they been refinanced?

  Is there a re-financing clawback?

  Dartford and Gravesham

  July 1997

  94

  No

  1No

  Carlisle

  November 1997

  65

  No

  2No

  South Buckinghamshire

  December 1997

  45

  No

  No

  Norfolk and Norwich

  January 1998

  144

  No

  1No

  North Durham

  March 1998

  61

  No

  Yes

  Greenwich

  July 1998

  93

  No

  2No

  Calderdale

  July 1998

  65

  No

  Yes

  South Manchester

  December 1998

  66

  No

  Yes

  Bromley

  November 1998

  118

  No

  1No

  Barnet and Chase

  February 1999

  54

  No

  No

  Worcester

  March 1999

  87

  No

  Yes

  Hereford

  April 1999

  64

  No

  Yes

  South Durham

  May 1999

  41

  No

  1No

  South Tees

  August 1998

  122

  No

  2No

  Swindon and Marlborough

  October 1999

  96

  No

  Yes

  King's

  December 1999

  64

  No

  Yes

  Leeds Community

  March 2000

  47

  No

  Yes

  St. George's

  March 2000

  49

  No

  Yes

  1 There are no specific clawback arrangements, but the contract places a limit on the private sector's ability to refinance without the trust's approval.

  2 These are transactions financed by bond issues. The nature of these transactions means re-financing is extremely unlikely.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what clawback mechanisms exist under private finance initiative contracts within his Department in respect of(a) refinancing and (b) other contingencies; and if he will place copies of each private finance initiative contract in the Library. [130211]

  Mr. Denham
  [holding answer 13 July 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to my reply above to my right hon. Friend the Member for Swansea, West (Mr. Williams). This details the major National Health Service private finance initiative contracts with clawback arrangements regarding re-financing.

  No other specific clawback arrangements are made except in the case of schemes with forward land sales. Where the land is sold in advance, there are clawback arrangements in the event of the land eventually beings

  £

  Costs

  NHS Trust

  Legal

  Financial

  Other

  Total

  As percentage of capital cost1

  Bromley

  1,710,000

  1,759,000

  743,000

  4,212,000

  3.5

  Norfolk and Norwich

  1,559,000

  1,938,000

  932,000

  4,429,000

  3.0

  Hereford

  2,500,000

  1,200,000

  900,000

  4,600,000

  7.2

  Greenwich

  1,169,000

  676,000

  351,000

  2,196,000

  2.4

  South Manchester

  1,224,000

  888,000

  1,051,000

  3,163,000

  4.8

  PFI Contracts
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the PFI contracts entered into by his Department, indicating(a) their dates of commencement, (b) their value, (c) if they have been subject to refinancing and (d) if his Department has a clawback entitlement to share in savings arising from refinancing. [129050]

  Mr. Denham
  Information on refinancing in private finance initiative contracts is collected centrally for the major schemes (capital value £25 million or over) which have reached financial close. The position regarding these schemes is as follows:

  sold on at a higher price. Only the contracts at Dartford and Gravesham and Bromley have forward land sales and both have such protection.

  Copies of the full business cases and detailed contract summaries for all PFI schemes with a capital value greater then £10 million are available in the Library.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average cost to public funds of external advisers in the negotiation of private finance initiative projects for hospitals, expressed as a proportion of each contract's value. [130260]

  Mr. Denham
  [holding answer 13 July 2000]: Information on the total amounts spent on advisers' costs is collected centrally for major private finance initiative schemes (capital value of £25 million or above) which have reached financial close. The data are set out in the table.
  73W

  £

  Costs

  NHS Trust

  Legal

  Financial

  Other

  Total

  As percentage of capital cost1

  Wellhouse

  2,531,000

  980,000

  1,175,000

  4,686,000

  8.7

  Carlisle

  605,000

  475,000

  736,000

  1,816,000

  2.8

  Calderdale

  901,000

  654,000

  527,000

  2,082,000

  3.2

  Dartford and Gravesham

  1,215,000

  960,000

  180,000

  2,355,000

  2.5

  South Buckinghamshire

  1,653,000

  780,000

  169,000

  2,602,000

  5.8

  North Durham

  375,000

  438,000

  888,000

  1,701,000

  2.8

  South Tees

  1,706,639

  938,407

  310,000

  2,955,046

  2.4

  South Durham (Bishop Auckland)

  1,088,000

  1,087,000

  247,000

  2,422,000

  5.9

  Worcester

  1,050,000

  1,110,000

  300,000

  2,460,000

  2.8

  Swindon and Marlbrorough

  1,135,000

  680,000

  1,730,000

  3,545,000

  3.7

  King's

  2,606,575

  1,374,357

  785,554

  4,766,486

  7.4

  St. George's

  637,897

  181,904

  361,897

  1,181,698

  2.4

  Leeds Community

  685,000

  308,000

  514,000

  1,507,000

  3.2

  Totals

  24,351,111

  16,427,668

  11,900,451

  52,679,230

  —

  1 Capital cost defined as: total capital cost to the private sector consortium which includes cost of land, construction, equipment and professional fees but excludes Value Added Tax, rolled up interest and financing costs such as bank arrangement fees, bank due diligence fees, banks lawyers fees and third party equity costs.

  All PFI schemes, including the 'second wave' and `third wave' of major prioritised schemes, are now using the new PFI guidance and standard form contract introduced under this Government, the aim of which is to reduce procurement time and transaction costs. Further standardisation of documentation on payment mechanisms and output specifications will be published shortly, which will further reduce transaction costs.

  Ministerial Code
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many times Ministers in his Department have sought the advice of the permanent secretary under the circumstances envisaged in paragraphs 118, 121 and 123 of the Ministerial Code; and on which occasions such advice was sought; [129171]

  (2) if he will list the occasions on which Ministers in his Department have sought the advice of the permanent secretary under the circumstances envisaged in paragraphs 118, 121 and 123 of the Ministerial Code. [129105]

  Yvette Cooper
  Information relating to internal advice and consultation is not disclosed under Exemption II of the "Code of Practice on Access to Government Information".

  Mental Health Act 1983
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish his Department's summary of responses to the Green Paper on reform of the Mental Health Act 1983. [129497]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Department has received over 1,000 responses to the Green Paper "Reform of the Mental Health Act 1983" and we are considering them all carefully. We will be making an announcement on the next stage of this reform process in the near future.

  Children in Care
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what standard procedures exist to initiate police investigations and search operations in cases where children go missing from children's homes. [129765]
  74W
  Mr. Hutton
  Part III of the Children's Homes Regulations 1991 requires the authority responsible for children's homes to draw up written procedures to be followed when children go missing from children's homes.

  In order to improve practice in this area, in January 1998 the Local Government Association and the Association of Chief Police Officers issued guidance to local authorities on procedures and good practice when children go missing from care. Social services and police forces were advised to develop locally agreed protocols to cover the circumstances in which initial reports should be made to the police and to act on any report of a child going missing from care immediately. The Department was represented on the working party which produced this guidance. We intend to publish further good practice guidance later this year aimed at helping statutory and voluntary sector staff identify potential runaways and will suggest preventative measures which they can take. The guidance will reiterate the need for inter-agency planning and provision of services for runaways.

  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what protection exists for children in care in relation to corporal punishment. [129778]

  Mr. Hutton
  Corporal punishment is prohibited for all children looked after by local authorities, under the Children Act 1989 and associated regulations.

  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the capacity of children's homes was in each year from 1992–93 to 1998–99; and what the average percentage utilisation of these homes was in each year. [129776]

  Mr. Hutton
  The information for 31 March 1996 and 31 March 1997 (the only years for which data on the capacity of children's homes are available) is given in the table.

  Capacity and number of looked after children accommodated in children's homes in England—31 March 1996 and 1997

  1996

  1997

  Total capacity of homes (places)

  10,892

  10,869

  Number of children

  6,600

  6,400

  Average occupancy rate

  61%

  58%

  75W
  In addition, a further 3,800 and 4,000 children were accommodated in children's homes during the years ending 31 March 1996 and 1997 respectively, under a series of short-term placements. It is not possible to estimate how many of these were in residence at the end of the year.

  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provisions exist for the protection of privacy in children's care homes, with particular reference to uncensored mail. [129767]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Children's Homes Regulations 1991, made under the Children Act 1989, provide that children's homes should have appropriate facilities for children to meet privately with parents, relatives, friends and others, and for children to be able to make and receive phone calls in private. The Children Act guidance on residential care makes it clear that homes should recognise the need for privacy. There are no particular provisions in respect of uncensored mail.

  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to ensure that qualified former residents of children's homes are fully represented on the short lists for the post of Children's Rights Director on the National Care Standards Commission and among the Director's staff. [129775]

  Mr. Hutton
  The appointment of staff to the National Care Standards Commission will be a matter for the Commission itself once legally established in 2001. The Department will, however, define the role of the Children's Rights Director and suggest a model structure for their Directorate.

  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ensure that victims of abuse in children's residential homes receive(a) an official apology and (b) compensation. [129809]

  Mr. Hutton
  I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales on 15 February 2000,Official Report, column 784–87, when he presented Sir Ronald Waterhouse's report "Lost in Care" to Parliament. Our response to "Lost in Care", published on 29 June 2000, acknowledges that the awful events in North Wales are not unique and that the abuse of children in the public care system across the United Kingdom has been a source of shame for all.

  Anyone who has been the victim of a criminal act is entitled to seek compensation. For victims of child abuse, we realise that this can be a particularly difficult process to see through. However, it must be for individual people to decide if they wish to seek redress through the Courts or the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority. Each case will need to be judged on its own merits.

  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many residents of children's homes were officially recorded as missing in the period 1992–93 to 1998–99; and how many of these have subsequently been traced. [129777]

  Mr. Hutton
  Data supplied by local authorities show that during the period 1 April 1992 to 31 March 1999 there were an estimated 1,700 occasions when children being looked after in children's homes in England absconded for more than one week. In 1,500 of these 76W
  cases, the child concerned subsequently had a further period of care with the same local authority. Where no further period of care with the same authority is recorded these children may have been traced but not subsequently looked after or the responsibility for the care may have transferred to another authority.

  Elderly People
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish a White Paper on Care for the Elderly; and if he will make a statement. [130076]

  Mr. Hutton
  We will be announcing our response to the Royal Commission on Long Term Care very shortly.

  Departmental Payments
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of correctly presented bills were paid by his Department in(a) 1998–99 and (b) 1999–2000 within 30 days of receipt of (i) goods and services, (ii) a valid invoice and (iii) other agreed payment terms. [130041]

  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 11 July 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to my hon. Friend the Member for Elmet (Mr. Burgon) on 23 July 1999, Official Report, columns 679–80W. Departments and their agencies are currently collating this information for 1999–2000 and this will be made available to the House shortly.

  National Research Register
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason access to the NHS National Research Register on-line is no longer available to members of the public. [130265]

  Ms Stuart
  The National Research Register (NRR) provides a systematic record of research projects supported, undertaken or of interest to the National Health Service. The NRR contains currently over 57,000 records. It is freely available on-line to the public at the Department of Health Research and Development website: www.doh.gov.uk/research.

  The NRR can be accessed both from the Research and Development home page and the "Information from Research" section on the Research and Development pages. Access from the Research and Development home page to the NRR was recently disrupted by a technical fault. During this time, the NRR remained accessible from the "Information from Research" section. The fault has now been rectified.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Spelthorne dated 12 April relating to his constituent Mr. L. G. Robinson. [130654]

  Ms Stuart
  A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 13 July.

  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Spelthorne dated 12 April relating to his constituent Mr. J. M. Hawthorn. [130656]
  77W
  Mr. Denham
  A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 7 July 2000.

  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will reply to the letters dated 7 April, 10 May,8 June and 6 July from the hon. Member for Broxbourne relating to Miss Sue Burr, a paediatric nurse adviser at the Royal College of Nursing. [130084]

  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 11 July 2000]: A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 13 July.

  Source Informatics
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer of 6 July 2000,Official Report, column 283W, on Source Informatics, for what reasons it was not in the public interest to pursue the case against Source Informatics. [130430]

  Ms Stuart
  I concluded that further time, effort and expense pursuing this appeal could not be justified.

  Psychotherapists
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the shortfall in the number of local authority psychotherapists by authority; what proposals he has to increase the number of psychotherapists; and what estimate he has made of the cost to local authorities in each of the last five years of employing psychotherapists in private practice. [130424]

  Mr. Hutton
  Separate figures for the number of specialised psychotherapists employed in health and local authorities are not collected centrally and no estimate has been made of the cost of employing the skills of psychotherapists working in private practice.

  We have given a high priority to improving service quality in general in the National Health Service and social care services and to strengthening the work force. The National Service Framework set out how effective psychotherapy forms an important component of mental health care and treatment. The Workforce Action Team under the chairmanship of Sue Hunt is taking forward what education and training of staff is required to deliver the standards set out in the National Service Framework for Mental Health.

  The Workforce Action Team will focus not only on specialised psychotherapists but also those professionals with training and responsibility to deliver effective psychotherapies as a component of their role in health and social care.

  Out of Area Treatments Scheme
  Tony Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the right of a patient to obtain a second opinion is ensured under the Out of Area Treatments scheme. [130646]

  Mr. Denham
  Since 1 April 1999 patients are always treated under service agreements. Emergencies and other situations which preclude the use of specific pre-arranged service agreements are covered by arrangements termed Out of Area Treatments (OATs).

  Detailed guidance on the OAT arrangements is set out in HSC 1999–117. A copy has been placed in the Library.
  78W
  The Patients Charter states that patients have a right to be referred to a consultant who is acceptable to them when their general practitioner thinks it is necessary, and to be referred for a second opinion if the patient and GP agree it is desirable. The OATs arrangements do not alter this.

  Clozapine
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if NICE will investigate the effectiveness of clozapine as a standard treatment for psychiatric illness. [130943]

  Mr. Hutton
  The National Institute for Clinical Excellence is currently developing a guideline on the treatment of early schizophrenia, which will include an evaluation of the use of clozapine and other atypical anti-psychotics.

  CJD
  Ms Coffey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of Creutzfeldt Jakob disease have occurred in Leicestershire; if this represents an unexpectedly high rate of disease incidence; and if he will make a statement. [131247]

  Yvette Cooper
  We are currently aware of four confirmed cases and one probable case of variant Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease (vCJD) having occurred in Leicestershire. This compares with 75 known confirmed and probable cases of vCJD throughout the United Kingdom. Statistical experts advise it is unlikely that the higher number of cases in Leicestershire will have occurred by chance.

  A locally based investigation is now under way to look into the circumstances of this apparent cluster. To that end, the Department, through its Regional Office of the National Health Service Executive, will be working closely with the Local Health Authority and its Public Health Department as well as with experts from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the National CJD Surveillance Unit, the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and the Communicable Diseases Surveillance Centre of the Public Health Laboratory Service.

  It is important to recognise that the cases we have identified will have been exposed to the infective agent many years ago. Control measures to protect public health from risk of exposure to Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy have been in place for many years and progressively strengthened over recent years, and the Government will continue to take whatever steps the experts recommend. The Food Standards Agency stands ready to assist with the investigation as necessary and will in particular wish to be satisfied that no new factor is involved in these cases which requires further action to ensure the safety of food.

  Tranquillisers and Anti-depressants
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what general practitioner prescriptions of(a) tranquillisers and (b) anti-depressants in each health authority in England (i) in total and (ii) as a ratio per 1,000 of resident population of each health authority there were in (A) 1997, (B) 1998 and (C) 1999; and what was their value. [130823]
  79W
  Ms Stuart
  The information requested for 1998 and 1999 has been placed in the Library. Information for 1997 is no longer available at this level of detail.

  Nut Allergies
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent action he has taken to increase awareness of nut allergies; and if he will make a statement. [131004]

  Ms Stuart
  A major catering awareness campaign was carried out by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in November 1997. I am advised that officials in the Food Standards Agency have recently met interested parties to explore what more could be done to increase awareness of nut allergies.

  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he has taken to encourage food producers to produce food free of nuts; and if he will make a statement. [131001]

  Ms Stuart
  I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that it has entered into dialogue with representatives of the food industry to consider what can be done to minimise problems of food allergy. Initial discussions have focused on the need to strengthen food labelling rules and to encourage good manufacturing practice.

  Epi Pens
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many Epi Pens were(a) prescribed and (b) used in the last 12 months; and what was the total cost to the National Health Service; [131007]

  (2) what advice he has issued to (a) medical practitioners, (b) NHS trusts and (c) primary care groups on the (i) prescription and (ii) use of Epi Pens. [131006]

  Ms Stuart
  The number of prescription items dispensed in the community in England in 1999 for Epi Pens was 50,300. The associated net ingredient cost was £1,754,900. Information is not available on the numbers used or on the number of items dispensed in hospitals.

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

  Guidance on anaphylaxis and its treatment appears in the British National Formulary (BNF) which is issued twice a year to doctors, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals by the Department. It is a joint publication of the British Medical Association and the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. The BNF aims to provide doctors, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals with up to date information about the use of medicines.

  Further advice was also included in the Chief Medical Officer Update No. 2 issued in May 1994 and the Chief Medical Officer Update No. 19 issued in August 1998.

  Substance Abuse
  Mr. Love
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths were associated with volatile substance abuse in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [130924]
  80W
  Ms Stuart
  Statistics collected by St. George's Hospital Medical School and published on 13 July show that there were 70 deaths in the United Kingdom in 1998 associated with Volatile Substance Abuse (VSA). Deaths in 1998 were less than half the number recorded at their peak in 1990. We take any death associated with VSA very seriously and are committed to continuing action to address this problem.

  It is particularly important that young people should know about the dangers of abusing volatile substances. We are supporting a programme that will enable general practitioners and other healthcare professionals to assist teachers in communicating health messages about the dangers of drugs and solvents. Other measures to address this issue include a campaign to inform retailers about the risks of volatile substance abuse, and their responsibilities under the law. The Department is also working with voluntary organisations to develop training packages for professionals working with young people at risk of abusing volatile substances.

  The report "Trends in Deaths Associated with Abuse of Volatile Substances 1971–1998" is available in the Library.

  St. Dunstan's
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many applications for grant aid from St. Dunstan's have been received for the financial years 1998–99, 1999–2000, and 2000–01; how many have been granted; for what purposes and at what value; and if he will make a statement; [131072]

  (2) for what reasons an application by St. Dunstan's for section 64 grant aid towards the replacement of the swimming pool was refused. [131703]

  Mr. Hutton
  No applications were received from St. Dunstan's for section 64 funding in the 1998–99 and 1999–2000 rounds, although there were applications from the Diana Gubbay Trust for the Blind, which is administered by St. Dunstan's. Under the 2000–01 round, St. Dunstan's submitted an application for a section 64 grant of £500,000 towards the repair of the roof covering of their swimming pool.

  Under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 the Department has power to fund voluntary organisations in England whose activities support the Department's policy objectives relating to health and social services. As applications for grant aid exceeded funds available for 2000–01, each application was considered on its merits, and grants awarded when they were judged most likely to further the Department's policy objectives. St. Dunstan's application was one of a large number of unsuccessful applications.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Nut Allergies
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what advice he has issued to schools, nurseries and playgroups about catering provision for children with nut allergies; and if he will make a statement; [131009]
  81W
  (2) if he will make a statement on the impact of nut allergies on children's access to places in nurseries, playcentres and summer play schemes; [131010]

  (3) what advice he has issued to school nurses, schools, nurseries and playgroups on how to deal with children with nut allergies; and if he will make a statement. [131059]

  Jacqui Smith
  My Department has issued joint good practice guidance, with the Department of Health, for schools on "Supporting Pupils with Medical Needs" which contains advice on anaphylaxis. It recommends drawing up individual health care plans to enable children to take as full a part as possible in school activities. I commend the guidance to other bodies having children in their care. Advice is also available on the joint DfEE and Department of Health "Wired For Health" website (www.wiredforhealth.gov.uk). The guidance that we will be publishing this autumn for school caterers to support our new nutritional standards for school lunches will include advice on catering for those children who stay for a school lunch but who have particular medical needs, including nut allergies.

  Supply Teachers
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many supply teachers were employed(a) in England and Wales and (b) by local education authorities in (i) inner London and (ii) outer London in (A) July 1998 to June 1999 and (B) July 1999 to June 2000. [130777]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The number of supply teachers employed within the specified periods are not available centrally.

  Admissions (Infant Schools)
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many appeals for admission to infant schools in the next academic year have been refused on the grounds that admission would breach the class size limit for five, six and seven-year-olds; and in how many cases the child had a sibling already in the school. [130696]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The Department does not hold this information. The admissions framework we have established aims to ensure that local admission arrangements accommodate parental preference wherever possible, but there have always been cases where this cannot be met. Our infant class size initiative, which is being pursued in such a way that popular schools are able to expand, enables more parents to obtain a place for their child at their preferred school. A net gain of 12,000 places at popular schools is being provided as a result of the policy.

  We are well on course to deliver our pledge to limit infant classes to 30 pupils. £620 million is available to support the pledge, and allocations so far to Trafford LEA amount to some £2 million. This has helped to reduce the size of the average Key Stage 1 class in the Altrincham and Sale, West parliamentary constituency to 25.9. The figure in January 1997 was 29.6.

  Class Sizes (Suffolk)
  Mr. Ruffley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the average class sizes were in Suffolk for(a) primary schools, (b) middle schools and (c) upper schools in (i) 1997–98, (ii) 1998–99 and (iii) 1999–2000. [130749]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The requested information is shown in the following table.

  In the Suffolk local education authority area, the number of pupils in key stage 1 classes of 31 or more pupils was 1,850 in January 2000, compared with 2,590 a year earlier. This means that less than 10 per cent. of these pupils remain in classes of over 30 pupils.

  The number of pupils in key stage 1 classes in England of over 30 pupils has already fallen by 300,000 and the Government are well on target to deliver their infant class size pledge in England. Some £620 million is available to support the pledge and allocations so far to Suffolk LEA amount to some £3 million. This has helped reduce the average size of key stage 1 classes in the parliamentary constituency of Bury St. Edmunds from 25 in January 1997, to 24 in January 2000. Over the same period, the average size of key stage 2 classes in the constituency has fallen from 27 to 26.

  The size of the average secondary class in Suffolk has risen slightly over this period, but at 21.8 this is still four fewer than in primary schools. Secondary classes nationally have been rising steadily for the last 12 years. In 1988 the figure was 19.9. In the budget, secondary headteachers received between £30,000 and £50,000 each to spend as they choose. If they spent it on teachers, they could reduce the secondary pupil:teacher ratio by 0.4.

  Average class size of one teacher classes in maintained primary, middle and secondary schools in Suffolk local education authority: 1998–20001

  Position as at January each year

  1998

  1999

  2000

  Key stage 1:

  Average class size

  24.1

  24.1

  24.3

  Number of pupils in classes of 31 or more

  3,011

  2,590

  1,850

  Key stage 2:

  Average class size

  26.3

  26.3

  26.2

  Overall primary2:

  Average class size

  25.0

  24.9

  24.9

  of which middle deemed primary:

  Average class size

  3—

  3—

  3—

  Secondary:

  Average class size

  20.8

  20.8

  21.2

  of which middle deemed secondary:

  Average class size

  23.7

  23.6

  23.8

  1 Provisional

  2 Includes nursery classes and mixed stage classes

  3 Not applicable (no schools of this type)

  Class Sizes
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what impact changes in public expenditure on schools have had on class sizes since May 1997; and if he will make a statement. [130284]
  83W
  Ms Estelle Morris
  Since this Government came to power, the average size of Key Stage 1 classes has fallen dramatically, and we are well on course to deliver our pledge to limit infant classes to 30 pupils. £620 million is available to support the pledge, and allocations so far to Lancashire LEA amount to nearly £15 million. This has helped to reduce the size of the average Key Stage 1 class in the Burnley parliamentary constituency to 25.6. The figure in January 1998 was 27.1.

  As far as funding more generally is concerned, while spending per pupil fell by £60 between 1994 and 1997, we have increased it by £300 per pupil in real terms since 1997. This has helped to reverse the trend towards bigger classes in primary schools. The size of the average primary class fell in January 2000 for the second year running, after rising for the previous 10 years. The size of the average Key Stage 2 class has also started to fall—from 28.4 in January 1999 to 28.3 in January 2000.

  The average size of secondary classes has risen slightly, but at 22 still remains more than five below those in primary schools. Class sizes in secondary schools have been rising steadily since 1988, when the figure was 19.9. The pupil/teacher ratio in secondary schools is 17.1—more than six lower than in primary schools. In the budget earlier this year, secondary heads each received between £30,000 and £50,000. It remains for heads to decide how to use this money, but if spent on teachers, the secondary pupil/teacher ratio could be reduced by 0.4.

  New Deal (Lone Parents)
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Penrith and The Border (Mr. Maclean) of 1 March 2000,Official Report, column 313W, on the New Deal for Lone Parents, if he will place in the Library a copy of the invitation letter issued to 443,700 lone parents. [130753]

  Ms Jowell
  I have arranged for a copy of the invitation letter to be placed in the Library.

  New Deal (Young People)
  Mr. Davidson
  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 Glasgow, Pollok. [130296]

  Ms Jowell
  The New Deal for Young People is aimed at people aged 18–24 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.
  84W
  It is not possible to measure the New Deal effect exactly in each constituency. However, in Glasgow, Pollok the falls in unemployment among the New Deal client group have also been substantially faster than for other groups. In Glasgow, Pollok constituency in the two years since April 1998 claimant unemployment among those aged 18–24, unemployed for six months or more, has fallen by 68 per cent. from 315 to 101. This compares with a fall of 18 per cent. in total unemployment, 28 per cent. in total youth (18–24) unemployment, and 32 per cent. in the total number unemployed for six months or more.

  School Uniforms
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what advice he gives to school governors regarding school uniform policies which ban girls from wearing trousers. [130433]

  Jacqui Smith
  We have not issued guidance about school uniforms because we believe school governors should be free to decide what their school uniform or dress code policies should be.

  Teachers (Performance-related Pay)
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the cost is of the implementation of each part of the teachers' performance-related pay scheme; and what the current cost is of administering the scheme. [130207]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  [holding answer 12 July 2000]: We have made up to £1 billion available to support the cost of our teaching reforms in England until March 2002. Most of this extra money will be spent on the new teachers' pay system. The total cost of administering the pay reforms will be dependent upon the number of school visits carried out and this will not be known until later in 2000.

  New Deal for Schools
  Mr. Allan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list, for the latest date for which figures are available, the total value of grants made by each local education authority in England and Wales to schools, through the New Deal for Schools, for the repair of school buildings. [130209]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 12 July 2000]: The following table shows allocations made to local education authorities in England under the New Deal for Schools rounds 1 to 4. Information covering Welsh Authorities is not held by this Department.

  £000

  LEA name

  Total NDS allocation

  Barking and Dagenham

  6,096

  Barnet

  7,686

  Barnsley

  6,615

  Bath and North East Somerset

  4,907

  Bedfordshire

  6,906

  Bexley

  5,469

  Birmingham

  24,635

  Blackburn

  4,647

  Blackpool

  3,783

  Bolton

  8,963

  85W

  £000

  LEA name

  Total NDS allocation

  Bournemouth

  4,122

  Bracknell Forest

  2,467

  Bradford

  28,592

  Brent

  6,415

  Brighton and Hove

  4,481

  Bristol

  7,458

  Bromley

  5,398

  Buckinghamshire

  9,254

  Bury

  4,397

  Calderdale

  7,104

  Cambridgeshire

  10,727

  Camden

  3,462

  Cheshire

  15,390

  City of London

  0

  Cornwall

  11,246

  Coventry

  7,676

  Croydon

  7,848

  Cumbria

  8,639

  Darlington

  2,392

  Derby

  5,492

  Derbyshire

  17,747

  Devon

  15,714

  Doncaster

  7,251

  Dorset

  9,197

  Dudley

  8,472

  Durham

  12,212

  Ealing

  5,981

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  8,479

  East Sussex

  10,440

  Enfield

  6,474

  Essex

  25,232

  Gateshead

  5,317

  Gloucestershire

  12,482

  Greenwich

  6,287

  Hackney

  5,087

  Halton

  4,291

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  3,896

  Hampshire

  25,586

  Haringey

  6,514

  Harrow

  4,554

  Hartlepool

  3,413

  Havering

  5,422

  Herefordshire

  6,005

  Hertfordshire

  22,356

  Hillingdon

  5,925

  Hounslow

  6,434

  Hull

  7,584

  Isle of Wight

  3,425

  Isles of Scilly

  108

  Islington

  6,455

  Kensington and Chelsea

  1,625

  Kent

  27,506

  Kingston upon Thames

  3,962

  Kirklees

  9,231

  Knowsley

  4,760

  Lambeth

  5,566

  Lancashire

  26,454

  Leeds

  16,517

  Leicester

  9,566

  Leicestershire

  12,755

  Lewisham

  9,951

  Lincolnshire

  9,012

  Liverpool

  16,773

  Luton

  3,576

  Manchester

  12,176

  Medway Towns

  6,007

  Merton

  4,938

  Middlesbrough

  4,922

  Milton Keynes

  5,025

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  14,717

  Newham

  8,819

  Norfolk

  16,793

  86W

  £000

  LEA name

  Total NDS allocation

  North East Lincolnshire

  5,573

  North Lincolnshire

  4,704

  North Somerset

  5,444

  North Tyneside

  5,088

  North Yorkshire

  12,799

  Northamptonshire

  14,231

  Northumberland

  11,012

  Nottingham

  6,328

  Nottinghamshire

  19,308

  Oldham

  10,264

  Oxfordshire

  13,285

  Peterborough

  4,252

  Plymouth

  6,395

  Poole

  3,428

  Portsmouth

  4,063

  Reading

  4,346

  Redbridge

  5,868

  Redcar and Cleveland

  10,900

  Richmond upon Thames

  2,670

  Rochdale

  6,791

  Rotherham

  7,124

  Rutland

  1,548

  Salford

  8,361

  Sandwell

  8,486

  Sefton

  6,764

  Sheffield

  18,669

  Shropshire

  5,699

  Slough

  2,730

  Solihull

  6,690

  Somerset

  11,780

  South Gloucestershire

  6,329

  South Tyneside

  5,539

  Southampton

  5,085

  Southend-on-Sea

  3,266

  Southwark

  4,700

  St. Helens

  6,638

  Staffordshire

  18,920

  Stockport

  7,566

  Stockton-on-Tees

  4,967

  Stoke-on-Trent

  8,626

  Suffolk

  13,331

  Sunderland

  7,581

  Surrey

  17,725

  Sutton

  3,664

  Swindon

  5,632

  Tameside

  8,378

  Thurrock

  2,835

  Torbay

  3,772

  Tower Hamlets

  7,677

  Trafford

  6,198

  Wakefield

  9,328

  Walsall

  8,001

  Waltham Forest

  5,612

  Wandsworth

  4,651

  Warrington

  5,359

  Warwickshire

  11,404

  West Berkshire (Newbury)

  3,337

  West Sussex

  14,501

  Westminster

  3,457

  Wigan

  11,335

  Wiltshire

  8,998

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  2,783

  Wirral

  9,094

  Wokingham

  3,784

  Wolverhampton

  7,081

  Worcestershire

  11,022

  Wrekin

  4,895

  York

  4,562

  Total allocation for local education authorities in England

  1,243,488

  Further Education
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement about trends in enrolment to further education in the last 12 months. [130086]

  Mr. Wicks
  [holding answer 12 July 2000]: Snapshot figures for November 1999 show that adult learners funded by the Further Education Council (FEFC) declined by 1.9 per cent. on 1998 while numbers of 16–18 year olds rose by 2.5 per cent. in the same period. The decline in adult learners reflects our squeezing out of the inappropriate franchising by some colleges allowed by the previous Government. The measures announced by the FEFC this year will help ensure that recruitment rises in line with Government projections for 2000–01 and 2001–02.

  Neo-natal Hearing Screening
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what resources his Department(a) has allocated and (b) plans to allocate to develop language and educational provision in preparation for the launch and national roll-out of the pilot project for neo-natal hearing screening. [130104]

  Jacqui Smith
  There has been a £1.1 billion increase in education through Standard Spending Assessment (SSAs) in 2000–01. Through this, money is made available to all local education authorities (LEAs). It is for LEAs to determine how to make best use of this money and decide which services they make resources available for.

  In addition in 2000–01, we have made the following increases in funding available to schools and LEAs: £500 million extra in grant to the standards fund; £50 million to support school budgets; £14 million in extra support for Excellence in Cities; and £290 million directly for schools in the March Budget. Taken together these amount to an increase in funding per pupil of £180 in real terms.

  Non-departmental Public Bodies
  Mr. Allan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many and what percentage of the(a) paid and (b) unpaid appointments which he has made to Non-departmental Public Bodies since 1 May 1997 were women. [129841]

  Mr. Wills
  [holding answer 11 July 2000]: The total number of appointments and re-appointments to DfEE Non-departmental Public Bodies since 1 May 1997 is 410. Of these, 141 have been women, 15 of which have been paid appointments (25 per cent. of all paid appointments and re-appointments) and 126 have been unpaid (36 per cent. of all unpaid appointments and re-appointments).

  This Government are committed to increasing the representation of women in public life. In support of this, the Department has drawn up an action plan for increasing the number of women and ethnic minorities holding public appointments. The latest plans, together with the Government's overall plan, were published 24 May
  88W
  2000 in "Quangos: Opening up Public Appointments 2000–2003", copies of which are in the Libraries of the House.

  Residential Care Homes
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what arrangements exist to ensure that residential care establishments teach the National Curriculum. [129770]

  Jacqui Smith
  Although residential care establishments are able to access and use the National Curriculum if they are undertaking education within their establishments, only maintained schools are obligated to do so.

  The Government expects and is committed to providing mainstream education including access to the full National Curriculum for all children of school age, wherever this is suitable. The recently published joint Department for Education and Employment and Department of Health "Guidance On The Education of Children and Young People in Public Care" stipulates that: "The Government expects local authorities to set a maximum time limit of twenty school days within which they must secure an education placement for any pupil in public care. It will be a full-time place in a local mainstream school unless the circumstances of the child make full-time or local or mainstream provision unsuitable". This is supported by statutory guidance in Circular LAC(2000)13.

  Youth Employment
  Mr. Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the numbers of 16 and 17 year-olds in full-time work with no training. [127615]

  Ms Jowell
  The Department's latest estimate is that there were 114,000 16 and 17-year-olds in employment and not in education or training in England at the end of 1999.

WALES

  A3XX Airliner
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary concerning a regional selective assistance grant for the A3XX airliner, with reference to the likely date of the First Secretary's decision; and if he will make a statement. [129500]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I meet the First Secretary on a regular basis, and our discussions have included the A3XX project. I understand that BAE have submitted a new RSA application with a new case for a grant for £25 million and that the National Assembly is awaiting more detailed information from the company in support of the case before a decision can be made.

  New Deal
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people in Wales aged 25 years and over have left the New Deal for jobs lasting less than 13 weeks but
  89W
  have been included in the number leaving for sustained employment as a result of not having returned to jobseeker' s allowance. [131035]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The definition of a sustained job is one from which the employee does not return to Jobseeker's Allowance within 13 weeks. Information is not available on whether those employees retain the same job.

  Latest figures, to the end of April 2000, show that 2,382 people had gained sustained employment from the 25+ New Deal programme.

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people in Wales have joined the New Deal since it was established. [131037]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  To April 2000, 29,330 young people joined the 18–24 New Deal programme. 13,440 joined the 25+ New Deal programme.

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people have left their New Deal scheme in Wales to be placed on(a) Incapacity Benefit, (b) Income Support, (c) Jobseeker's Allowance and (d) other benefit. [131053]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  To the end of April 2000, 4,590 people left the 25+ New Deal and continued to claim Jobseeker's Allowance. An additional 1,190 transferred to other benefits including Incapacity Benefit and Income Support. No breakdown of this figure is available.

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many New Deal participants in Wales have found sustained unsubsidised jobs of 13 weeks or more before having had a New Deal interview. [131041]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  To April 2000, 1,060 participants left the 18–24 programme and 225 left the 25+ programme for sustained unsubsidised jobs before participating in a New Deal interview.

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the average cost of the New Deal in Wales is per participant. [131048]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  Approximately £1,577.

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of New Deal participants in Wales have seen their wages rise on leaving the scheme. [131040]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  No central information is held on the wage levels of those leaving New Deal.

  Police Time
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the average amount of time spent by a police officer on the beat was between(a) May 1997 and May 1998, (b) May 1998 and May 1999 and (c) May 1999 and May 2000. [130983]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The deployment of police officers is a matter for individual Chief Constables.

  Information about the percentage of officer time spent in public has been published by the Audit Commission in the 1997–98 and 1998–99 editions of "Local Authority Performance Indicators—Police and Fire Services".

  Home Office Allocation
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much money Wales was allocated from the Home Office budget between(a) May 1997 and May 1998, (b) May 1998 and May 1999 and (c) May 1999 and May 2000. [130984]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The allocation of the Home Office budget is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Towel Rails
  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the cost was of each towel rail installed in the last 12 months in the premises used by the Lord Chancellor privately or officially in the Palace of Westminster; how many towel rails were installed; and what the labour cost was for the installation of each towel rail. [130805]

  Mr. Lock
  The Parliamentary Works Directorate is responsible for carrying out repairs in the Palace of Westminster. Two defective heating radiators in bathrooms in the Lord Chancellor's residence have been replaced by them in the last 12 months. Each radiator cost £536.66 and was subject to a 5 per cent. handling charge, the total labour charge was £174.20 and the VAT was £227.71, giving a total of £1,528.90 for the two radiators. The entire cost went to the House of Lords current works 2000–01 budget.

TREASURY

  Export Credits Guarantee Department
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to(a) establish environmental guidelines for the Export Credits Guarantee Department and (b) support the introduction of such guidelines at the G8 summit in Okinawa. [130830]

  Mr. Caborn
  I have been asked to reply

  ECGD has enhanced its procedures to assess the environmental impact of projects for which its support is requested. In the context of the current review of its mission and status, ECGD is also looking carefully at what more should be done to ensure its support for projects is consistent with the Government's sustainable development objectives, including possible further improvements to its environmental screening and assessment process.

  At the forthcoming G8 summit in Okinawa, the UK will support moves to reaffirm the mandate from the Cologne summit, at which it was agreed to work within the OECD towards common environmental guidelines for export credit agencies. At their meeting in June, OECD Ministers welcomed the good progress made in the OECD Export Credit Group on strengthening common approaches on the environment and requested a report on progress at the next meeting.

  Mortgages and Endowment Policies
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what powers are available to the Financial Services Authority to regulate, and take sanctions against, market abuses of the sale of financial products which seek to offer protection against shortfalls in endowment policies designed to pay off mortgages. [130821]

  Mr. Timms
  The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and other legislation provide the relevant regulators with an effective statutory framework with which to tackle market abuse of all kinds. It is illegal to conduct unauthorised insurance business.

  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what approaches(a) he and (b) the Financial Services Authority have made to individual firms requesting the numbers of 25 year endowment contracts (A) with-profits and (B) unit linked purchased (i) one year ago, (ii) five years ago, (iii) 10 years ago, (iv) 15 years ago and (v) 20 years ago which are still in force today; and if he will publish the data received. [130635]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  On behalf of the Financial Services Authority, the Personal Investment Authority (PIA) collects and publishes information on the persistency of endowment contracts, but only for periods of up to four years after policies begin. The latest figures were published in October 1999 in the PIA's "Fifth Survey Of The Persistency Of Life And Pensions Policies", a copy of which has been placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he proposes to bring forward amendments to the law to protect house purchasers from the mis-selling of mortgages. [130650]

  Mr. Timms
  The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 provides a statutory framework for the regulation of mortgages.

  The House will be asked to approve a Regulated Activities Order in the next few months. This will include further details of how mortgages will be regulated.

  On the timing of mortgage regulation, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stevenage (Barbara Follett) on 27 January 2000, Official Report, columns 263–64W.

  Motor Service Garages
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many motor service garages which subcontract their MOT business to an approved test centre have been investigated by HM Customs and Excise for under-declaration of Value Added Tax since November 1996; how many have been found to have under-declared their Value Added Tax liability; and if he will make a statement. [130718]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Visit information about motor service garages that subcontract their MOT business is not held centrally by Customs and Excise. But visits are made to check businesses' Value Added Tax declarations on the basis of Customs' overall assessment of revenue risk. This takes account of local information including knowledge about under-declarations found on visits to other businesses. In the years 1998–99 and 1999–2000 the 92W
  number of visits made by Customs to motor service garages to check their Value Added Tax declarations was 2,249 and 1,987 and the number found to have under-declared their Value Added Tax liability was 1,347 and 1,227 respectively.

  Working Families Tax Credit
  Mr. Ruffley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the costs to business of the implementation of the Working Families Tax Credit. [129339]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I refer the hon. Member to the regulatory impact assessment which was published and placed in the House Library in December 1999.

  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes have taken place in(a) staff and (b) premises since the introduction of Family Tax Credit; and what further changes are planned. [130005]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 10 July 2000]: Around 3,500 full-time equivalent (FTE) staff transferred from the Benefits Agency to the Inland Revenue in October 1999 to form the Tax Credit Office (TCO). Staffing levels have not changed significantly since that time, and there are still currently around 3,500 FTE staff in the TCO. The TCO still occupies the same premises as it did in October 1999. There are no plans within the TCO to change either staffing levels or accommodation, although both are kept under review.

  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the operational effectiveness of the introduction of Family Tax Credit. [130003]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 10 July 2000]: The Tax Credit Office (TCO) was set up in October 1999. For the period between October 1999 and 31 March 2000, most of the TCO's inherited targets have either been met or exceeded. A full analysis of performance against targets will be contained in the Inland Revenue Plan 2000–01 which is to be published shortly.

  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the average time is from receipt of application to receipt of tax credit for Family Tax Credit; and what is the current number of cases being processed. [130006]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 10 July 2000]: We do not record the average time between receipt of Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC) applications by the Tax Credit Office (TCO) and receipt of tax credit payments by applicants. However, the TCO aims to settle 90 per cent. of all WFTC applications within 30 working days of receipt. The actual percentage of applications settled within 30 days since the beginning of this financial year and the end of June 2000 is 97.6 per cent. The number of applications being processed as at 30 June 2000 was 61,000.

  Withholding Tax
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the Austrian Government's blocking of the withholding tax proposal, with particular reference to the use of the national veto. [129921]
  93W
  Dawn Primarolo
  All 15 member states have agreed to accept exchange of information, and not a withholding tax, as the way forward for the EU to tackle the problem of cross-border tax evasion.

  VAT (Continence Pads)
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 18 May 2000,Official Report, column 268W, on VAT, by what mechanism incontinent people apply for zero-rated continence pads. [130754]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The mechanism for claiming VAT relief on supplies of continence pads works on the basis of self assessment. Individuals living in their own homes and suffering from incontinence declare to suppliers that they are chronically sick or disabled and are therefore entitled to purchase zero-rated continence pads.

  Departmental Initiatives
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if she will list each departmental initiative since May 1997 requiring bids for funding together with the total resources available, the number of successful bids and the proportion this represents of total bids received; and what data he collects on the average expenditure of organisations bidding for funding through each initiative. [131088]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  New spending plans for the years 2001–02 and 2003–04 are being considered in the current Spending Review. The outcome of the review will be announced on 18 July.

  Pensioner Savings
  Mr. Sarwar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many pensioners benefited from the changes to income tax on savings announced in the Budget. [130959]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Six out of 10 pensioners do not have any income tax to pay. Many of the remaining pensioners with savings could benefit from the measures announced in the Budget.

  Married Person's Allowance
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many men born between 6 April 1935 and 5 April 1936 are affected by the withdrawal of the married person's allowance in(a) the UK, (b) Wales and (c) Ceredigion. [127871]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Six out of 10 pensioners do not have any income tax to pay. People become entitled to the age-related personal allowance at the age of 65. This is worth up to £1,405 over and above the basic allowance.

  In his 1999 Budget, the Chancellor increased the age-related personal allowance by more than inflation, and someone aged 65 to 74 can have an income of £111 a week in 2000–01 before paying tax.

  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the additional tax collected in 2000–01 as a result of the abolition of the married couples allowance. [130769]
  94W
  Dawn Primarolo
  An estimate was provided in appendix A2.1 of the March 2000 Financial Statement and Budget Report. A copy is held in the Library of the House.

  Imports (Israel)
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 20 March 2000,Official Report, column 449W, if the European Commission has asked the UK, through HM Customs and Excise, to begin a posteriori verification measures under the Origin Rules Protocol in respect of imports from Israel. [130181]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Yes.

  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 20 March 2000,Official Report, column 450W, following the Israeli Government's admission concerning the definition of territoriality it uses in issuing certificates of origin, if the European Commission will require security bonds or deposits on new importations of products labelled, "Made in Israel", similar to those previously shown to have been produced in settlements on the West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem or the Golan Heights. [130183]

  Dawn Primarolo
  No such decision has yet been taken.

  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in cases prior to October 1999, where HM Customs and Excise initiated a posteriori verification procedures with Israel's customs concerning importations under preferences of products that Customs and Excise had reason to suspect may have been wholly produced or substantially processed in the territories occupied by Israel since 1967, what answers HM Customs and Excise received from Israeli customs concerning the originating status of the products concerned. [130185]

  Dawn Primarolo
  No such verifications were initiated.

  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 20 March 2000,Official Report, column 449W, if HM Customs and Excise have begun to apply, or will apply, a posteriori verification measures under the Origin Rules Protocol to (a) all Israeli products and (b) new imports of products labelled, "Made in Israel", similar to those previously shown to have been produced in settlements on the West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem or the Golan Heights. [130182]

  Dawn Primarolo
  HM Customs and Excise have begun a posteriori verifications based on information supplied to it by the European Commission. No decision on additional verification measures beyond this has yet been taken.

  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 20 March 2000,Official Report, column 449W, when the European Commission completed its assessment of the evidence provided by HM Customs and Excise relating to Israeli violations of the EC-Israel Trade Agreement. [130180]

  Dawn Primarolo
  At the beginning of April 2000, the European Commission instructed member states to commence verification inquiries with Israel as set out in Article 32 of Protocol 4 to the EC-Israel Trade Agreement.
  95W
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if there have been instances where imports to Britain, accompanied by Israeli certificates of origin, have been prevented by HM Customs and Excise from benefiting from preferential treatment because the labelling, the locales named in the origin certificates, or other information indicated that the goods in question were wholly produced or substantially processed in the occupied territories of the West Bank, Gaza or Golan Heights. [130184]

  Dawn Primarolo
  There have been no such instances.

  BEST Pensioners
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the dispute between the Inland Revenue and Standard Life in respect of the BEST pensioners. [130058]

  Dawn Primarolo
  We are unaware of any such dispute.

  Children's Tax Credit
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many forms have been sent out inviting people to apply for the Children's Tax Credit; how many completed forms have been returned; and what proportion of completed and returned forms have been completed(a) incorrectly and (b) by someone who is ineligible for the Children's Tax Credit. [130222]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Children's Tax Credit will reduce the tax bills of 5 million families by up to £442 a year. Taken with other reforms such as the record levels of Child Benefit and increases in the amounts of Working Families Tax Credit, 1.2 million children will be lifted out of poverty by April 2001.

  Claim forms for the credit were sent at the end of June to around 8 million PAYE taxpayers whom our records suggest may be eligible. Over 1.5 million forms have already been returned. No figures are available on the number of forms filled in incorrectly.

  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total cost to date is of the administration of the new Children's Tax Credit including the costs of(a) producing and distributing the forms, (b) advertisements and (c) the telephone helpline. [130221]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Children's Tax Credit will reduce the tax bills of 5 million families by up to £442 a year. Taken with other reforms such as the record levels of Child Benefit and increases in the amounts of Working Families Tax Credit, 1.2 million children will be lifted out of poverty by April 2001.
  96W
  We estimate the costs to date of implementing the credit at around £4 million, including £1.5 million for publicity and £1.7 million for the issue of claim forms. No separate figures are available for the cost to date of the helpline.

  Ms Buck
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if entitlement to Working Families Tax Credit will be affected by the Children's Tax Credit. [130381]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Families who are eligible to claim both credits will be entitled to do so.

  Call Centres
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many call centre jobs there were in(a) 1992, (b) 1997 and (c) 2000 in (i) England and Wales and (ii) the City of Sunderland; [130201]

  (2) what the average salary was for employees of the call centre industry in (a) England and Wales and (b) the City of Sunderland in (i) 1992, (ii) 1997 and (iii) 2000. [130202]

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

  Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Bill Etherington, dated 17 July 2000:
  As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent questions regarding the number of call centre jobs and the salaries of employees in call centre jobs. (130201/2)
  The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is National Statistics major source of labour market data on individuals and the New Earnings Survey (NES) is the most comprehensive source of earnings information in Great Britain. Both surveys use the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) to allocate people to a certain code depending on their occupation. Under the current classification for 1990 (SOC90) call centre staff are allocated to a number of occupation codes, depending on the industrial sector in which they work, which include:

  Telephone salespersons - SOC Code 792

  clerks (not otherwise specified) - SOC Code 430

  counter clerks and cashiers - SOC Code 411

  accounts and wage clerks, book-keepers, other financial clerks - SOC Code 410.

  However, these occupations also include those people who do a similar job with the same SOC number, but who do not work in a call centre - e.g. bank and insurance clerks. Thus the number of call centre staff, and hence their salaries, cannot be separately identified.
  In the newly updated SOC2000, call centre agents/operators will be identified as a separate code. LFS and NES data for SOC2000 will be available in 2001.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Allan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of the(a) paid and (b) unpaid appointments which he has made to non-departmental public bodies since 1 May 1997 were women. [129839]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 11 July 2000]: This Government are committed to increasing the

  97W
  representation of women in public life. In support of this, I have drawn up an action plan for increasing the number of women and ethnic minorities holding public appointments in public bodies of the Chancellor's Departments and Agencies.

  The same question was tabled by the hon. Member for Taunton (Jackie Ballard) in April 1998 and an answer was subsequently given on 29 April 1998, Official Report, columns 161–62W. Information of appointments made since then is as follows:

  Number of appointments since 29 April 1998

  Paid

  Unpaid

  Number of women appointed

  5

  33

  Women as percentage of appointments

  38

  85

  Departmental Payments
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of correctly presented bills were paid by his Department in(a) 1998–99 and (b) 1999–2000 within 30 days of receipt of (i) goods and services, (ii) a valid invoice and (iii) other agreed payment terms. [130031]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  [holding answer 11 July 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for Small Businesses and E-commerce on 13 July 2000, Official Report, column 621W.

  Taxation and National Insurance
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of GDP is taken in taxation and National Insurance contributions(a) in the UK and (b) in each other EU member state. [130083]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The information requested can be found in the OECD publication, "Revenue Statistics 1965–1998", a copy of which is in the Library.

  IR35
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the views expressed by the Professional Contractors Group concerning the effect of the IR35 proposals on(a) the wages paid by large foreign-owned companies and (b) United Kingdom entrepreneurs. [130392]

  Dawn Primarolo
  There is no reason why the IR35 changes should have any effect on the wages paid by large foreign-owned companies or on genuine UK entrepreneurs.

  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received concerning the IR35 tax proposals. [130393]

  Dawn Primarolo
  We continue to receive correspondence expressing a range of views on this policy.

  Adoption
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will amend the regulations to enable prospective parents of children placed for adoption and awaiting its confirmation to qualify for(a) Working Family Tax Benefit and (b) Sure Start maternity grant. [130425]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The tax, benefit and local authority support systems will be considered in the light of the recommendations of the recently published report on adoption undertaken by the Performance and Innovation Unit.

  VAT (EU)
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what value added tax(a) rates and (b) exemptions are applied by each Government in the EU states; and what court cases have been (i) initiated and (ii) concluded in the European Court of Justice concerning the application of value added tax since 1 May 1997. [130292]

  Dawn Primarolo
  This information is supplied periodically in the "International VAT Monitor."

  European Single Currency
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what studies(a) are being undertaken and (b) have been undertaken by the Government concerning the effect on trade and competition of the United Kingdom entering the single currency. [130247]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 12 July 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 3 February 2000, Official Report, column 687W.

  Public Sector
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the level of(a) public sector net worth and (b) public sector gross worth in financial year 1999–2000; and if he will make a statement. [130275]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  [holding answer 12 July 2000]: Forecasts of public sector net worth as a percentage of GDP were published in Table 2.6 of the March 2000 "Financial Statement and Budget Report". Forecasts of public sector gross worth are not available.

  Net worth has recently been on an upward trend. This follows a prolonged period in which the poor state of the public finances led to it falling below 15 per cent. of GDP, from over 77 per cent. of GDP in 1980–81.

  Monetary Policy Committee
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria he uses to decide whether the Monetary Policy Committee members have knowledge and experience which is likely to be relevant to the Committee's functions; and on what grounds he decides whether to renew their membership. [130313]
  99W
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 13 July 2000]: All members appointed to the MCP have distinguished professional track records in fields relevant to monetary policy. In deciding whether or not to reappoint external members the Chancellor takes into account the need to strike a balance between continuity and ensuring that there are opportunities to bring new ideas and perspectives into the MCP at regular intervals.

  Fuel Duty
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the advantages and disadvantages of allowing duty on fuel products to be paid at the terminal instead of at the point at which they leave the refinery. [130717]

  Mr. Timms
  I have made no such assessment.

  Nigeria
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement in respect of debt owed by Nigeria to the UK. [130991]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The UK welcomes Nigeria's new democratic government and its determination to push ahead with economic reform. As Nigeria's largest creditor we have been working to help Nigeria resolve its debt burden within the context of IMF support so that freed-up resources can be devoted to poverty eradication. The Chancellor has taken a two-stage approach: first, a generous debt rescheduling at the Paris Club once an IMF programme has been agreed; and then, once Nigeria has built a track record of reform, the UK has made clear that it would be willing to consider partial debt cancellation subject to a debt sustainability analysis.

  Departmental Cars
  Departmental Cars
  Third World Debt
  Third World Debt
  Pound and Euro Exchange Rate
  Pound and Euro Exchange Rate
  Taxpayers: Privacy
  Taxpayers: Privacy
  European Investment Bank: Nominations for Vice-President
  European Investment Bank: Nominations for Vice-President
  Trident
  Trident
  Higher Education: Contribution to Economy
  Higher Education: Contribution to Economy
  Higher Education: Funding
  Higher Education: Funding
  Renewable Energy
  Renewable Energy
  Disabled People: Help with Motoring Costs
  Disabled People: Help with Motoring Costs
  Tributylin Anti-fouling paint
  Tributylin Anti-fouling paint
  M25/Al3 Junction
  M25/Al3 Junction
  Railway Vandalism
  Railway Vandalism
  House Prices
  House Prices
  NHS Device Decontamination Practices
  NHS Device Decontamination Practices
  Patient Information and Data Protection Act
  Patient Information and Data Protection Act
  The Monarchy: Ministers' Responsibilities in Media Interviews
  The Monarchy: Ministers' Responsibilities in Media Interviews
  Millennium Dome: End-of-year Celebration
  Millennium Dome: End-of-year Celebration
  NMEC: Solvency
  NMEC: Solvency
  Dome: Opening Hours
  Dome: Opening Hours
  Early-Day Motion Procedure
  Early-Day Motion Procedure
  Osborne House: Convalescent Home
  Osborne House: Convalescent Home
  World Cup 2006: Cost of FA Bid
  World Cup 2006: Cost of FA Bid