Written Answers of 27 June 2000

DEFENCE

  Missile Defence System
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what criteria the Government will employ in making a decision on the deployment of a national missile defence system; [126947]

  (2) if the results of his Department's Technology, Readiness and Risk Assessment programme will be available before a decision is taken on whether to allow UK facilities to be used in a US national missile defence system; [126949]

  (3) on what basis a decision will be made on whether to allow the USA to upgrade the facilities at Fylingdales for a national missile defence system; [126948]

  (4) what recent discussions there have been between the UK and the USA regarding options for locating anti-ballistic missile sites in the UK; [126942]

  (5) what assessment he has (a) made recently and (b) plans to make of the impact of a national missile defence system on the security of the UK. [126946]

  Mr. Hoon
  We have discussed, and continue to discuss, a range of aspects of possible proposals for a US National Missile Defence system with the United States. The US has not asked for UK assistance in the deployment of the proposed system, nor would we expect them to do so until after a US decision on whether to proceed with its deployment. In discussions with the US Administration we have made it clear that the UK would consider any such request carefully, taking into account a wide range of factors, including the implications for UK defence.

  The MOD's Technology Readiness and Risk Assessment Programme is due to be completed next summer. I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr. Duncan Smith) on 12 June 2000, Official Report, column 451W.

  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if NATO has(a) carried out and (b) is undertaking research into ballistic missile defences. [126938]

  Mr. Hoon
  We are not aware of any research carried out or being undertaken by NATO into ballistic missile defences. The Ministry of Defence has, however, contributed to NATO studies on the subject, including preparations for studies into the feasibility of theatre ballistic missile defence. We expect these studies to start next year.

  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions have taken place between the UK and the USA on sea-based ballistic missile defences. [126945]
  434W
  Mr. Hoon
  The UK is not directly involved in the US sea-based Theatre Missile Defence programme but limited information exchange and collaborative research has been undertaken.

  Porton Down
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment the Chemical Defence Establishment at Porton Down has made of the toxicity to humans of(a) the nerve agent GF and (b) sarin GB. [127132]

  Dr. Moonie
  This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Matthew Taylor, dated 27 June 2000:
  I am replying to your parliamentary question about nerve agents and their toxicity to humans since the laboratories at Porton Down are part of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA).
  GB (sarin) and GF (cyclosarin) are organophosphorus nerve agents developed during World War II in Germany. Both agents are highly toxic chemicals. GB is a highly volatile liquid and is a particular hazard following inhalation, GF is some 30–35 times less volatile and presents a particular hazard from absorption through skin. In hot climates, however, GF may also present a significant hazard from inhalation.
  Both GB and GF are potent inhibitors of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase, which is responsible for the control of the important chemical messenger acetylcholine within the nervous system. When humans are poisoned, the signs and symptoms of acute poisoning progress from a general feeling of malaise, pinpoint pupils (miosis), excessive sweating, salivation, runny nose and breathing difficulties, through nausea, vomiting and muscle tremor, to loss of consciousness, convulsions and death from respiratory failure. The severity of these signs and their rate of progress depends upon the dose and route of exposure to the nerve agents. In general, those agents absorbed through the skin, such as GF, will exhibit a delayed onset of poisoning and those which are inhaled, such as GB, will exhibit a very rapid onset (within 1–2 min) of signs and symptoms of poisoning.
  A knowledge of the toxicity of these nerve agents has been built up over the years since the Second World War. Assessments have been prompted by intelligence reports of the chemical arsenals of potential aggressors, for example Iraq. They have been based upon studies in animals and to a limited extent in humans conducted within the UK and the Allied Nations. A number of these studies were carried out at Porton Down between 1948 and 1989. The last trial looked at the effects on the eye of low levels of GB. The trial was conducted to assess the effects from "the maximum dosage of nerve agent vapour to the eyes acceptable for aircrew" under NATO prescribed conditions. Scientists at Porton Down have also undertaken three paper exercises to examine the possible long-term effects of nerve agent exposure using the service medical records of volunteers previously exposed to GB. None of the three studies showed any significant difference between the patterns of days lost through illness, the number of specialist appointments or the number of hospital admissions between the control and exposed groups.
  Medical countermeasures to both GB and GF have been developed at CBD Porton Down and the combination of pre-treatment with Nerve Agent Pre-Treatment Set (NAPS) tablets and use of the ComboPen injector, which contains atropine, an oxime (P2S) and an anticonvulsant (Avizafone), provide effective antidotes against poisoning by these agents.
  I hope the above is helpful.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment (Porton Down) has compiled since 1970 on individuals who took part in the service volunteer programme; and for what reasons. [127133]
  435W
  Dr. Moonie
  This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Matthew Taylor, dated 27 June 2000:
  I am replying to your parliamentary question enquiring about the type of information available on individuals who have participated in the Porton Down service volunteer programme since 1970. I am replying since the laboratories at Porton Down are part of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA).
  Records of volunteers who took part in studies between 1970 to the present day are held in a series of notebooks. These books contain, as a minimum, a volunteer's name, service number, date of attendance and the brief title of the study in which they participated. The general trend is that the more recent the study, the more comprehensive and detailed the information available. In the past, unless the studies involved exposure to chemical warfare agents such as mustard or nerve agents, in which case, additional information regarding the nature of this exposure might be recorded in specific laboratory notebooks, often the only surviving information on a volunteer's attendance is a simple entry in a summary book. In recent years, our records have become much more comprehensive and include written pre and post study medical examination notes.
  The records of the service volunteers are part of the corporate record. This archive is a valuable source of information on which we are able to draw when answering questions from former volunteers, their relatives, general practitioners and the War Pensions Agency about individuals' participation in the volunteers programme.
  I hope the above explains the situation.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates the Health and Safety Executive has inspected the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down since 1 January 1996. [127134]

  Dr. Moonie
  This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Matthew Taylor, dated 27 June 2000:
  I am replying to your parliamentary question about Health and Safety Executive inspections at the Chemical and Biological Defence Establishment at Porton Down, since the establishment is part of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA).
  The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has conducted two formal inspections since 1 January 1996; an inspection was conducted during February 1996 and a further inspection of the areas of the site involved with the handling of explosives was conducted on 31 May 2000. HSE has also visited the site on several occasions between 1996 and 2000 in order to discuss specific issues.
  The HSE is expected to conduct a further formal inspection of the site within the next few months.
  I hope the above is helpful.

  DERA
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many graduate job applications were made and how many jobs were available at DERA in(a) 1997, (b) 1998 and (c) 1999; and how many he expects for 2000. [127605]

  Dr. Moonie
  This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member.
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  Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Robert Key, dated 27 June 2000:
  I am replying to your parliamentary question about graduate recruitment within DERA since such matters relate to the operation of the Agency.
  DERA runs a corporate graduate recruitment programme for newly or recently qualified graduates. The figures below apply to this mainly "new" graduate intake.

  Year

  Number of applications received

  Number of vacancies

  Appointed

  1997–98

  3,533

  Up to 300

  242

  1998–99

  4,245

  Up to 300

  242

  1999–2000

  4,721

  Up to 500

  457

  For the year 2000 we are currently assuming vacancies again of up to 500 but, in view of the current deliberations on the future of the Agency, it is too soon to speculate the precise numbers of graduates eventually to be appointed.
  The above figures do not take into account local recruitment of staff for specific appointments, many of whom may well be educated to university standard.
  I hope the above is helpful.

  Major Andrew Harrison
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if his Department has been in contact with Major Andrew Harrison; [127988]

  (2) what measures he has taken to monitor the welfare of Major Andrew Harrison. [127989]

  Mr. Hoon
  I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Chingford and Woodford Green (Mr. Duncan Smith) on 22 June 2000,Official Report, column 243W. The Foreign Secretary and I are monitoring the situation very closely. We are satisfied that everything possible is being done to ensure Major Harrison's safety and welfare.

  US Airborne Laser
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what(a) information exchange and (b) co-operation there has been between his Department and the US (i) Department of Defense and (ii) State Department concerning the US Airborne Laser. [126944]

  Mr. Hoon
  The Ministry of Defence has received limited information from the Department of Defense on the US Airborne Laser programme. There has been no discussion or co-operation on this matter between the MOD and the Department of State.

  Staff Secondments
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the senior members of his Department's staff who have been seconded to(a) UK and (b) non-UK companies in (i) 1995–96 and (ii) 1996–97; what posts they held in his Department; what was the cost to his Department of the secondments; and if he will make a statement. [127231]

  Dr. Moonie
  Details of Ministry of Defence senior civil servants seconded to companies in 1995–96 and 1996–97 and the costs to the Ministry of Defence are given as follows.
  437W

  1995–96

  Company

  Role in MOD prior to secondment

  Cost

  British Railways Board—(UK)1

  Secretariat to the Adjutant General

  £15,000

  Docklands Light Railway Ltd.—(UK)1

  Director IT (Policy)

  Nil—fully funded by DLR

  Opportunities for People with Disabilities1

  Assistant Director, Ship Refitting

  £60,000 (approximate annual cost)

  Raytheon (non-UK)1

  Director (Commercial) Defence Export Services Organisation

  Nil—fully funded by Raytheon

  1These secondments continued into 1996–97

  1996–97

  Company

  Role in MOD

  Cost

  Avery Berkel—(UK)

  Directorate (Finance and Secretariat) Weapons and Electronic Systems

  Nil—fully funded by Avery Berkel

  BAe—(UK)

  Deputy Chief of Defence Procurement (Support)

  Nil—fully funded by BAe

HEALTH

  Cancer Treatment
  Mr. Hammond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of urgent referrals by general practitioners of patients with suspected cancer he estimates were seen by cancer specialists in the most recent period for which figures are available. [125256]

  Yvette Cooper
  Since April 1999, we have set the standard that patients with suspected breast cancer will be offered an appointment with a specialist within two weeks of their general practitioner making an urgent referral. Table 1 shows that in the most recent period (January to March 2000) 96 per cent. of patients referred urgently received an appointment with a specialist within 14 days where the hospital received the referral within 24 hours of the GP deciding to refer. Table 2 shows that nearly 80 per cent. of patients were seen within two weeks where the referral was received outside 24 hours of the GP deciding to refer.

  By December 2000 this high quality service will be extended to thousands of other worried patients as the standard is introduced for all cases of suspected cancer requiring urgent investigation.

  Outpatient waiting times for suspected breast cancer patients by region—quarter ended March 2000; England (hospital based)

  Table 1: Urgent referrals received within 24 hours of the GP deciding to refer the patient

  Waiting time from urgent referral by their GP to first outpatient appointment

  Region

  0–14 days

  More than 14 days

  Percentage seen within 14 days

  Northern and Yorkshire

  1,916

  87

  95.7

  1(96.6)

  Trent

  1,728

  40

  97.7

  1(98.2)

  West Midlands

  3,253

  59

  98.2

  1(95.3)

  North West

  1,841

  106

  94.6

  1(92.2)

  Eastern

  1,246

  32

  97.5

  1(98.9)

  London

  1,887

  89

  95.5

  1(97.1)

  South East

  2,472

  223

  91.7

  1(95.2)

  South West

  1,953

  22

  98.9

  1(99.7)

  England

  16,296

  658

  96.1

  1(96.4)

  438W

  Table 2: Referrals not received within 24 hours of the GP deciding to refer the patient

  Waiting time from urgent referral by their GP to first outpatient appointment

  Region

  0–14 days

  More than 14 days

  Percentage seen within 14 days

  Northern and Yorkshire

  332

  122

  73.1

  1(77.9)

  Trent

  526

  166

  76.0

  1(65.6)

  West Midlands

  418

  68

  86.0

  1(87.6)

  North West

  776

  231

  77.1

  1(69.1)

  Eastern

  263

  33

  88.9

  1(86.1)

  London

  757

  194

  79.6

  1(73.1)

  South East

  402

  117

  77.5

  1(84.0)

  South West

  239

  34

  87.5

  1(95.8)

  England

  3,713

  965

  79.4

  1(76.7)

  1Previous quarter

  GP Practices (Patient Proximity)
  Caroline Flint
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what definition he uses of a reasonable distance when determining access to a GP practice. [124642]

  Mr. Denham
  Subject to local planning decisions, it is for health authorities to determine, on a case-by-case basis, whether a surgery meets the reasonable expectations of its users and carers. Travelling distances are an important consideration, but we would expect travelling times, the availability and proximity of public transport and other services (such as National Health Service dispensing) to be taken into account.

  East Midlands Ambulance Service
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health further to his answer of 28 February 2000,Official Report, column 76W, on the East Midlands Ambulance Service, when improved control technology for the East Midlands Ambulance Service Trust will be implemented; and how long the process of approval for the project has taken since first submission by the trust. [127011]

  Ms Stuart
  The National Health Service Executive has been working with the East Midlands Ambulance Service Trust since March 1999 on the process to approve the business case for the procurement of improved control technology. In order that the approval process can move forward as quickly as possible, the trust is currently working to address the concerns which have been highlighted in their latest business case submission. Approval will be granted only if these concerns are met.
  439W
  If the scheme is commissioned, the trust's project plan suggests that the phased integrated implementation of the new technology will be achieved in around seven months for Leicestershire and eight and a half months for Derbyshire.

  Interactive Voice Response Systems
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many agencies of his Department use interactive voice response systems when dealing with telephone inquiries from the general public; [127114]

  (2) how many of his Department's telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by interactive voice response systems. [127391]

  Ms Stuart
  The Department and its agencies have only one telephone line for the general public that is responded to by interactive voice response systems. This is the Department's Public Enquiry Office.

  Continence Services
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has(a) to monitor implementation of best practice guidance and (b) to conduct further awareness campaigns in connection with the provision of continence services. [127596]

  Mr. Hutton
  "Good practice in continence services" was issued on 19 April 2000. This guidance suggests targets for primary and community teams, health authorities and National Health Service trusts. It includes appropriate references to the NHS Performance Assessment Framework, which is used to plan and monitor the delivery of services. A National Service Framework for Older People is currently being developed. This will supplement the guidance on continence services by placing it in the wider context of improving NHS services for older people.

  The guidance suggests that action to promote continence awareness should be undertaken locally and where appropriate, in consultation with relevant national organisations.

  Internet
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the Government's policy on the sale of medicines on the internet. [127882]

  Ms Stuart
  There are legal controls on the sale of medicines direct to consumers in order to protect public health and these apply whether the medicine is sold face to face or through the internet. The Medicines Control Agency has a special Internet Unit which investigates all alleged breaches of medicines legislation and has successfully taken action against a number of websites where the law has been broken.

  Empty Hospitals
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost was of maintaining redundant empty hospital buildings in each region in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [127692]
  440W
  Mr. Denham
  The holding costs of maintaining the surplus estate that is not vested in trusts, once it is vacant and available for disposal, include maintenance, security, rates and utilities.

  The last year for which figures are available, ie 1999–2000, for each region are as follows:

  £

  Region

  Northern and Yorkshire

  1,500,000

  Trent

  580,000

  Eastern

  415,000

  London

  2,543,000

  South-East

  2,702,000

  South and West

  774,000

  West Midlands

  1,194,000

  North-West

  598,000

  Total

  10,306,000

  There is a continuing programme of disposals of the surplus estate in the ownership of the Secretary of State, which has realised in excess of £200 million per annum in recent years.

  NHS Management
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total remuneration of each NHS health authority's general manager in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [127690]

  Mr. Denham
  Information on the remuneration of health authority chief executives has been placed in the Library.

  Tesco
  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action the Food Standards Agency will take regarding the Public Health Laboratory Service testing of Tesco's organic mushrooms; and if the results of the PHLS's inquiry will be made public. [126309]

  Ms Stuart
  The responsibility for ensuring the accuracy of results from the testing of food lies primarily with the laboratory undertaking the testing. The Food Standards Agency was not involved in the commissioning of the survey in question.

  The Public Health Laboratory Service is in the process of completing its inquiry and will make the findings available at the earliest opportunity.

  Nursing Care
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the cost of providing free nursing care for elderly people outside hospital. [127495]

  Mr. Hutton
  National Health Service expenditure on community nursing for people aged 65 and over was £836 million in 1998–99, the latest year for which figures are available. Local council expenditure on nursing home care amounted to £669 million in 1998–99. Extending free nursing care to everyone in nursing homes assessed as needing it would cost an additional sum. The amount would depend on defining the nursing element of nursing home care.

  NHS Dentistry
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on widening access to NHS dentistry. [127498]

  Mr. Hutton
  We have already made good progress towards improving access to dental services. Initiatives include Investing in Dentistry, in which £10 million in grants have been approved in return for promises of nearly 900,000 new National Health Service registrations. Personal dental services explore new ways of providing dentistry for people who cannot easily or conveniently use existing services. A third wave of 14 pilots will be operational by the end of the year, bringing the total number of pilots to more than 50. Dental access centres are one form of PDS pilot. Access centres provide a full range of dental services, at convenient times and in convenient places, to people who cannot at present easily access NHS dentistry. There will be 33 pilots operating from more than 50 access centres by April 2001.

  We have accepted the recommendations of the Doctors and Dentists Review Body for a commitment scheme to reward loyalty to the NHS. The scheme will cost £17 million per annum in England, and is currently being negotiated with the profession.

  Further initiatives to improve access to services will form part of our plans for modernising NHS dentistry, which will be published this summer in conjunction with the National Plan for the NHS.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Euro 96
  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much financial assistance was made available by(a) the National Lottery, (b) the English Sports Council, (c) the Government, (d) the UK Sports Council and (e) the Football Trust to assist (i) the preparation of the bid to hold the 1996 European football championships, (ii) with the upgrading of stadiums and other facilities for the 1996 European football championships and (iii) with the running costs of the 1996 European football championships. [127698]

  Kate Hoey
  Funding for the 1996 European championships was made available as follows:

  (a) No Lottery funding was made available, either for the preparation of the bid or for the running of the championships.

  (b) The English and UK Sports Councils were not in existence until 1997, but the then GB Sports Council contributed £80,000 towards the costs of the cultural programme.

  (c) The Government, through the Association for Business Sponsorship for the Arts and the Sportsmatch scheme, made available a total of £400,000 for the cultural programme which ran alongside the championships in the eight host cities. No other direct Government subvention was made. Much of the expenditure incurred during the running of the tournament, including the costs of additional policing, was met by the local authorities of the eight host cities.

  (d) See (b).

  (e) The Football Trust provided £19 million towards stadia improvements in the eight host cities during the period from 1993 to 1996. That sum was the Trust's contribution to the
  442W
  £72 million spent by the eight host clubs in the five years before the 1996 championships on essential ground safety work following the publication of the Taylor Report. Taking all professional clubs in England into account, the Trust made available £136 million for Taylor-related work over that five-year period. The Trust also contributed a further £500,000 towards the general running costs of the championships.

  Annual Reports
  Mr. Rendel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost of producing the annual report of(a) his Department and (b) English Heritage was in each of the two most recent years in which they were published. [127845]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  [holding answer 26 June 2000]: (a) The costs incurred producing the Annual Report in each of the last two years were:

  £000

  1999

  64.6

  2000

  66.2

  This includes the cost of buying back copies for free distribution from The Stationery Office, who are responsible for printing the reports and putting them on sale around the country.

  (b) The cost incurred by English Heritage producing their 1999 Annual Report was £85,000.

  I will publish the results of their 1998 Annual Report as soon as they have provided it to me.

  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the review of the transparency of the BBC's financial reporting will commence; and if he will make a statement. [128140]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  In their response to the Davies panel's report on the future funding of the BBC, the Government announced that they would appoint independent consultants to examine the transparency of the BBC's financial reporting culminating in the publication of the Corporation's Annual Report and Accounts. The BBC's Annual Report and Accounts was published on 21 June and I have today appointed Pannell Kerr Forster to carry out a detailed review of:the level of information provided in the BBC's "Annual Report and Accounts";
  how far the reporting meets the requirements of the Royal Charter and the Government's conclusions on the outcome of the Davies review;
  the process that leads up to the disclosure of information in the "Annual Report and Accounts", including the extent to which the Governors are made aware of the issues;
  existing correspondence from stakeholders to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the BBC about the financial information produced; and
  existing mechanisms employed by the BBC to ensure transparency, including use of focus groups.

  The review will commence immediately and will be concluded by the end of July. I will publish Pannell Kerr Forster's findings. Copies of the terms of reference for the review have been placed in the Library of the House.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Iraq
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made in connection with the UK's policy on sanctions against Iraq of the threat to(a) the UK and (b) the United States from Iraqi use of chemical weapons; and what assessment he has made of the evidence submitted by Richard Butler to the UK Government on this subject. [125375]

  Mr. Hain
  [holding answer 20 June 2000]: UK policy on sanctions against Iraq is governed by the relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions (UNSCRs), not by our assessment of the threat. Richard Butler, the former Executive Chairman of the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) has submitted no evidence to the UK Government on the subject of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. During his time with UNSCOM, he reported to the United Nations Security Council that numerous serious gaps remained in Iraq's declarations on its chemical and biological weapons and ballistic missile programmes. We share his concern over this, hence the importance we attach to re-establishing weapons inspection regime in Iraq under UNSCR 1284.

  The UK's assessment of the threat posed by Iraq's chemical weapons capabilities can be found in the MOD document "Defending Against the Threat from Biological and Chemical Weapons", published in July 1999.

  Entry Clearance Interviews
  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the current waiting times in each queue for entry to the UK for settlement in each post in the Indian subcontinent and in(a) Manila, (b) Bangkok, (c) Lagos, (d) Abuja, (e) Accra, (f) St. Petersburg and (g) Moscow. [127112]

  Mr. Vaz
  The most recent information available from the Posts concerned shows the following waiting times for settlement entry clearance interviews:

  Posts using 4 queue system

  Waiting time in weeks

  Islamabad

  Q1

  6

  Q2

  22.5

  Q3

  32

  Q4

  38

  Dhaka

  Q1

  16

  Q2

  28

  Q3

  16

  Q4

  44

  New Delhi

  Q1

  0

  Q2

  10

  Q3

  10

  Q4

  10

  Bombay

  Q1

  0

  Q2

  6

  Q3

  6

  Q4

  6

  Notes:

  Q1 = Dependent relatives over 65; special compassionate cases

  Q2 = Spouses, children under 18

  Q3 = Fiance(e)s; other settlement categories

  Q4 = Reapplicants
  444W

  Other posts

  Waiting time in weeks

  Calcutta

  2.9

  Karachi

  5

  Madras

  9

  Colombo

  11

  Manila

  13

  Bangkok

  7

  Lagos

  8

  Abuja

  17

  Accra

  34

  St. Petersburg

  6

  Moscow

  3.2

  Figures for Islamabad, Karachi, Dhaka, Calcutta, New Delhi, Madras, Colombo, Abuja and Moscow are for May 2000. All others, with the exception of Manila (where computer difficulties have hindered submission of statistical information since March 2000) are for April 2000.

  Bilateral Treaties (Republic of Ireland)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a list of bilateral treaties and agreements which have been agreed with the Government of the Republic of Ireland since 1 January 1997, including the title of each treaty and agreement and the date on which it was signed. [127138]

  Mr. Vaz
  I have placed a list of Treaties and Agreements between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland signed since 1 January 1997 in the Library of the House today.

  European Union
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on present and future activities of the Europe Made Easy Programme in the United Kingdom. [127188]

  Mr. Vaz
  My Department is not aware of this programme.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions since 1 May 1997 his office has referred hon. Members in parliamentary answers to the office of the European Commission in London; and if he will make a statement on his policy of referral, with particular reference to ministerial accountability. [127192]

  Mr. Vaz
  We refer hon. Members to the European Commission when their questions relate to Commission policy or to facts about programmes and projects for which the Commission is responsible. We do not keep a record of numbers.

  Moluccas
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received from HM diplomatic posts in Indonesia on the human rights situation in the Moluccas. [127237]

  Mr. Battle
  We receive regular reports from the Embassy in Jakarta on the worrying developments in Maluku. We deplore the loss of all life resulting from the violence, in particular the escalating violence in recent
  445W
  days with over 100 people killed and over 200 injured. This represents a major threat to stability. We are playing a key role in the EU and the UN in calling on the Indonesian Government to work on peaceful resolution to the violence. EU representatives called on the Indonesian Government on 12 June, to remind them of their responsibility to maintain law and order, and to request an investigation and immediate steps to bring the perpetrators to justice. As part of the international effort through the United Nations Development Programme we have already funded two conferences on reconciliation in Maluku. With our partners and international agencies we are actively looking at other ways of promoting reconciliation.

  Interactive Voice Response Systems
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many agencies of his Department use interactive voice response systems when dealing with telephone inquiries from the general public. [127553]

  Mr. Battle
  In the UK no FCO Department uses interactive voice response systems when dealing with telephone inquiries from the general public.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of his Department's telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by interactive voice response systems. [127388]

  Mr. Battle
  None of the FCO's telephone lines used by the general public is responded to by interactive voice systems. Where it is sensible and efficient to use them there is an increasing use of telephone lines which are answered by voice processing systems, but these respond to touch-tone telephones rather than the human voice. These systems are deployed overseas only where the in-country telephone infrastructure is good and where it is common practice for such systems to be deployed.

  Kosovo
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if any of the Kosovo Protection Corps have been(a) arrested and (b) questioned following the weapons find in the village of Kleck; and if he will make a statement. [127556]

  Mr. Vaz
  Following the weapons find by KFOR, investigations are under way to establish who was responsible for the arms cache. A wide range of people are likely to be questioned, including members of the Kosovo Protection Corps, but it is too early to say yet whether KPC members were directly involved. The Government welcome KFOR's discovery of this illegal weapons site and will support tough action taken against those found responsible.

  Democratic Republic of Congo
  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what actions he proposes to take to prevent the sale in the UK and dependent territories of diamonds and other commodities being used to fund conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo. [127704]
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  Mr. Hain
  The UK is a leading actor in supporting international efforts to tackle the problem of illicit diamonds and other commodities being used to finance wars in Africa.

  We have supported the establishment of a UN expert panel to follow up on reports and collect information on the exploitation of DRC's natural resources. We look forward to the panel's recommendations to the Security Council.

  We want to see a peaceful resolution of the conflict, and DRC's natural wealth used to benefit the people of DRC.

  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent conflict in Kisangani. [127703]

  Mr. Hain
  We deplore the recent fighting between Ugandan and Rwandan forces in Kisangani. Their actions have put the Lusaka Agreement at risk and led to widespread suffering for the people of Kisangani. We have expressed our concerns to both governments bilaterally and supported the UN Security Council Resolution 1304 which calls for both parties to cease hostilities and withdraw all their forces from the territory of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

  The United Nations observer mission in Kisangani has informed us that both sets of troops have withdrawn from the town. We continue to monitor the situation closely.

  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will press for a mandatory EU arms embargo on countries involved in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. [127705]

  Mr. Hain
  As a signatory to the EU Code of Conduct on arms exports the UK will not allow exports which would provoke or prolong armed conflicts or aggravate existing tensions or conflicts in the country of final destination.

  At the General Affairs Council (GAC) on 22 May the Council invited the EU/SADC working group on illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons to examine in its next meeting practical measures to prevent arms flowing to conflict zones in the Great Lakes Region.

  The Council also mandated its relevant bodies to consider whether an arms embargo on the parties to the conflict would be appropriate.

  Pakistan
  Mr. Love
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made regarding the re-establishment of democratic Government in Pakistan; and if he will make a statement. [127836]

  Mr. Hain
  Although we cannot endorse the recent ruling by Pakistan's Supreme Court that last October's coup was legitimate, we have noted the Court's ruling that national elections should be held within three years. We are encouraged that General Musharraf has apparently accepted this. We have continued to urge Pakistan's military to announce a clear and credible timetable for the transition to full democracy, most recently when
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  the Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office met his Pakistani counterpart on 22 June.

  Sierra Leone
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the proposed budget is for the UNAMSIL deployment in Sierra Leone for the year 2000. [127659]

  Mr. Hain
  The UNAMSIL budget for July 1999 to June 2000 is US$266,610,000, and for July 2000 to June 2001 US$504,399,051.

  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many child soldiers have been demobilised by pro-Government forces in Sierra Leone since 8 May. [127658]

  Mr. Hain
  The screening and demobilisation of child soldiers from pro-Government forces in Sierra Leone is continuing. The screening programme is to identify those children who have actually been involved in fighting. Of the 135 children who have recently entered the screening programme, 32 were identified as child soldiers.

  We welcome the Government of Sierra Leone's policy that there must be no place for children in the Sierra Leone armed forces, and that all child soldiers must be disarmed and demobilised. We will continue to press for the early release of all child soldiers in Sierra Leone.

  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has (i) made to and (ii) received from the Presidents of(a) Nigeria, (b) Liberia and (c) Sierra Leone, regarding the ECOWAS bid to broker a ceasefire between Sierra Leone Government forces and RUF rebels. [127652]

  Mr. Hain
  We remain in regular touch with ECOWAS states over the situation in Sierra Leone. We support the efforts of ECOWAS to help restore stability throughout Sierra Leone and bring about an end to violence.

  President Kabbah has made clear that, before any ceasefire, the Revolutionary United Front must meet a number of conditions, including the immediate and unconditional release of all UN peacekeepers and other detainees.

  Zimbabwe
  Mr. Sarwar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the attendance of observers for the forthcoming elections in Zimbabwe. [127718]

  Mr. Hain
  Around 400 international observers from such organisations as the Commonwealth, the European Union, the Organisation for African Unity and the Southern African Development Community, as well as national groups are present in Zimbabwe.

  We are dismayed that the Government of Zimbabwe has not allowed the United Nations Development Programme to co-ordinate the activities of the various observer missions, but we understand that there is a good degree of informal co-ordination between the observer teams.

  Iran
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, during his forthcoming visit to Iran, he will raise with the Government the extent of religious freedom in Iran and the treatment of the Baha'i community. [127985]

  Mr. Hain
  We and our EU partners have regularly raised our concerns over Iranian treatment of the Baha'is and shall continue to do so. Persecution on religious grounds is totally unacceptable.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs will discuss a number of issues, including human rights, during his visit to Iran on 4–5 July.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Incineration
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if authorities building incinerators can meet their recycling targets through the re-use of the ash. [126468]

  Mr. Mullin
  [holding answer 20 June 2000]: The introduction of new statutory performance standards was announced in the Waste Strategy 2000. Subject to consultation, we intend that the re-use of ash from waste incineration will not count towards achieving these targets.

  Information Kiosks
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps his Department is taking to amend planning regulations to remove obstacles to local authorities providing street information kiosks for their local communities. [127303]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  We have no current plans to make changes to the planning regulations in respect of local planning authorities providing information kiosks.

  Compulsory Purchase Orders
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions in what circumstances and by what means a compulsory purchase order in respect of a private dwelling can be rescinded. [126914]

  Mr. Raynsford
  [holding answer 21 June 2000]: Compulsory purchase of property must normally be authorised by compulsory purchase order.

  A compulsory purchase order made by a non-ministerial acquiring authority, such as a local authority, must be submitted for decision to the relevant "confirming authority". This is normally the Secretary of State or Minister responsible to Parliament for the legislation and policies which apply in the particular circumstances. An order is made and confirmed under procedures set out in, and regulations prescribed for the purposes of, the Acquisition of Land Act 1981. There are also rules for public local inquiries held for the purposes of that Act.
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  An acquiring authority may have resolved to make a compulsory purchase order but, before submitting it formally, they may decide that they do not wish to proceed. In these circumstances, no formal compulsory purchase procedures will have been initiated and the confirming authority will have no function to discharge. Once the acquiring authority have formally submitted the order, they have no formal power to withdraw or rescind it but, in practice, it is possible to overcome this potential difficulty. If an authority have submitted a compulsory purchase formally and then decide that they do not wish to proceed with it, for example because they will no longer need to rely on compulsory powers, the normal practice in my Department is to give a short formal decision declining to confirm the order. This serves both to formally discharge the Secretary of State's statutory function and to remove the imminent "threat" of compulsory purchase of property.

  If an order is confirmed, the acquiring authority must make the order operative by serving and publishing notice of the confirmation before they may exercise the compulsory powers authorised by the confirmed order. Once the order is operative, unless there is a successful challenge in the High Court, the acquiring authority have three years in which to exercise the compulsory powers by serving a notice to treat, which period may be extended by agreement, or by completing an alternative procedure vesting title to the property in themselves. Hence, one way of rescinding an order at this stage would be to allow the period to lapse, so that the authority would no longer be authorised to exercise compulsory powers. This may happen where, for example, an order was confirmed subject to an undertaking given by the acquiring authority that they would not implement the order if the owner carried out certain repairs by a certain date. Compensation is payable where a notice to treat lapses.

  An acquiring authority may withdraw a notice to treat within six weeks of receiving a detailed notice of an owner's claim for compensation given in response to a notice to treat. If a dispute over compensation is referred to the Lands Tribunal, the acquiring authority may still withdraw their notice to treat within six weeks of the Tribunal's final determination. This may happen where, for example, the amount awarded by the Tribunal is higher than the authority are prepared to pay. In either case, the claimant must be reimbursed certain losses and expenses.

  Land Remediation
  Dr. Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many mobile plant licences have been issued to practitioners within the land remediation industry; how many licensed the(a) in situ and (b) ex situ remediation of land; and what technologies were involved in each case. [127580]

  Mr. Mullin
  To date, the Environment Agency has issued 21 mobile plant licences of which six are for in-situ remediation, 14 for ex-situ remediation and one for a combination of both. For practical purposes, the Agency has classified the technologies involved as ex-situ bioremediation (soil treatment beds) (5.5 licences); in-situ bioremediation (1 licence); soil vapour extraction (3.5 licences); soil washing (6 licences); solvent extraction (1 licence); solidification and stabilisation (3 licences); and transformation by chemical treatment (1 licence).

  Fuel Poverty
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proportion of housing in the United Kingdom falls below the Standard Assessment Procedure 20 rating for energy efficiency; and what programmes are in place to improve Standard Assessment Procedure ratings in(a) pensioner and (b) single-parent households. [127575]

  Mr. Meacher
  Using the latest data from the English House Condition Survey, it is estimated that about 8 per cent. of dwellings had an energy efficiency rating under the Standard Assessment Procedure of below 20. The size of the total English housing stock was some 19.6 million dwellings.

  The energy efficiency of pensioner and single-parent households are being improved through a range of programmes as described.

  The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES) has been radically overhauled as of 1 June 2000. The scheme now provides grants for packages of heating and insulation improvement measures, including the provision of high efficiency central heating systems for low income households aged 60 years or more. The grant maximum has been increased from £315 to between £700 and £2,000 depending on the composition of each household and the condition of the dwelling. The scheme is focused on the private sector where nearly 70 per cent. of the fuel poor in England are found. In the case of pensioners and single parents, eligibility is linked to the receipt of an income-related benefit or one of the main disability benefits. Of the 460,000 households that are expected to be helped during the first two years of HEES, some 280,000 are likely to be aged 60 years or more.

  Government-funded programmes operated by the Energy Saving Trust also improve the energy efficiency both fuel poor households and others.

  The Government have also substantially increased the resources available to local authorities over the lifetime of this Parliament, reversing the reductions planned by the previous Government. The extra resources in the first three years, 1997–98 to 1999–2000, were allocated through the Capital Receipts Initiative (CRI). Information collected to monitor the impact of the CRI found that around a quarter to a third of the work on local authorities' own stock financed from this initiative lead either directly or indirectly to improvements in energy efficiency. If this were replicated across all local authority housing capital expenditure on its own stock this would equate to around £400–500 million per annum.

  The energy efficiency of low-income households is also likely to be improved through some of the regeneration schemes funded by DETR. These cover a wide range of activities depending on local need, and it is not possible to quantify the precise expenditure on energy efficiency improvements.

  To support the installation of energy efficiency measures, the Government also reduced the level of VAT from 1 July 1998 on work carried out on low-income households through eligible schemes such as HEES. The revenue cost of the reduction was £8.5 million a year.

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  This year's Budget extended the reduced rate at a total cost of £35 million a year. By 2002, the total cost is estimated at £85 million.

  The Government are also introducing provisions to enable lessors to claim capital allowances on their investment in boilers, radiators and controls installed in residential properties under the Affordable Warmth Programme. The Programme will operate from 2000 to 2007, with the aim of helping up to one million low-income households benefit from improved energy efficiency. Estimate that Government assistance from this measure up to April 2002 will be approximately £10 million.

  In addition to Government energy efficiency programmes, since 1994 public electricity suppliers have, under the Energy Efficiency Standards of Performance, been required to encourage and assist customers with energy efficiency measures. The new Director General of the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets has, from this year extended these to also include public gas suppliers and the overall size of the programme has been doubled to £50 million a year. Around two thirds of this help has gone to pensioner and low-income families.

  As energy efficiency is a devolved matter, it is the responsibility of the respective Parliament and Assemblies to comment on the situation in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

  Regional Government
  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) when he proposes to publish his Department's review on regional government in England; [127990]

  (2) what consultations have been carried out for his Department's review on regional government in England. [127991]

  Ms Armstrong
  The Department has undertaken a preliminary study of the literature relating to regional government in England, which will be published shortly. No public consultation was involved. As substantive proposals are developed for taking forward the Government's commitments to regional government, there will be full consultation with regional and other interests.

  Advantage West Midlands
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent assessment he has made of the performance of Advantage West Midlands; and if he will make a statement. [127888]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  My Department has commissioned consultants to undertake an evaluation of the strategies and action plans produced by all eight RDAs, including Advantage West Midlands. Research is also being carried out by consultants into partnership working by RDAs in the development and production of their strategies. It is the aim that both pieces of research will be published and that the findings will contribute to a report on the RDAs performance in their first year of operation.

  The 2000–01 research programme of my Department's Local and Regional Government Research Unit also includes provision for a long-term evaluation of the operation and effectiveness of RDAs.

  North Wales Main Line
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the Virgin Trains commercial study of the electrification of the North Wales main line has been made available to the National Assembly for Wales. [127889]

  Mr. Hill
  The study was produced on a commercially confidential basis to the Franchising Director in March 1998 and he received an independent assessment of it, again on a commercially confidential basis, in September 1998. The Franchising Director has not since made the study or assessment available to the National Assembly for Wales.

  GM Farm-scale Trials
  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the number of new GM farm-scale trials which will be required for(a) autumn planting this year and (b) spring planting next year. [127026]

  Mr. Meacher
  The Scientific Steering Committee for the Farm-scale Evaluations has advised that 20 to 25 fields should be sought for the autumn sowing of the farm-scale evaluations of herbicide tolerant oil seed rape this year.

  The original design for the evaluations was that for each GM crop 20 to 25 fields would be sought each year for three years. When it became apparent last February that there may be a shortfall in the number of farms for the spring sowings this year, the Steering Committee advised:
  that (the industry body) SCIMAC would need to provide sufficient farms for the research consortium to select a minimum of around 12–15 farms, representing a range of intensities and geographical locations. This would also include some redundancy for operational problems. This would allow the number of farms to be increased slightly in subsequent years, and also allow any minor imbalances in the range of farms selected for year one to be addressed.

  I expect that, as a result, the number of farms for the sowings next spring and in 2002 will be increased to ensure that the original aims and objectives of the evaluations are met. The Steering Committee will provide further advice later in the year on the numbers required.

  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the varieties used in the non-GM part of the farm-scale evaluations. [127218]

  Mr. Meacher
  My Department does not hold information on the individual varieties being grown, as it is not relevant to the Farm-scale Evaluations research.

  Landing Rights
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the Government's policy is on auctioning landing rights at UK airports; and if he will make a statement. [127504]

  Mr. Mullin
  I take the question to refer to take-off and landing slots, and not to traffic rights, which are negotiated separately. Slot allocation at congested airports is governed by European Regulation EC95/93. An independent co-ordinator makes the allocation using a set of priority criteria that reflect the European Regulation and international guidelines. The Government have no
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  role in the process. Slots are allocated without charge. Under the existing Regulation once allocated, their holder has an indefinite claim on them as long as they are used.

  EC 95/93 is due for revision and we await proposals from the European Commission.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the revenue which would be raised by auctioning landing rights at UK airports; and if he will make a statement. [127503]

  Mr. Mullin
  None. The allocation of landing rights, or slots, at airports, is governed by EC Regulation 95/93 which does not explicitly authorise the buying and selling of slots. The Government do not therefore have information on which to base an estimate of the possible value of slots. The income raised would also depend on a number of variables including the number of slots auctioned, their location and how desirable they were to a particular airline.

  Planning
  Angela Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to streamline the procedure governing planning appeals. [128139]

  Mr. Raynsford
  My right hon. Friend has today laid before Parliament four Statutory Instruments to improve the handling of planning appeals under each of the three main procedures, written representations, hearings and inquiries these are: the Town and Country Planning (Appeals) (Written Representations Procedure) Regulations 2000; the Town and Country Planning (Hearings Procedure) (England) Rules 2000, the Town and Country Planning (Inquiries Procedure) (England) Rules 2000 and the Town and Country Planning Appeals (Determination by Inspectors) (Inquiries Procedure) (England) Rules 2000. My right hon. Friend has also laid before Parliament a related amendment to the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) Order 1995.

  A Departmental circular (DETR 5/2000), "Planning Appeals: Procedures (including inquiries into called-in planning applications)", is being issued today to accompany the new Statutory Instruments and copies have been placed in the House Libraries. This Circular (which replaces Circular DOE 15/96) explains the new procedures governing written representations, hearings and inquiries (including inquiries into called-in planning applications). The changes implement the conclusions of a consultation exercise announced by the then Minister for Planning, my right hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Central (Mr. Cabom), on 31 March last year.

  The new arrangements, due to come into operation on 1 August 2000, are a key component of our "Modernising Planning" programme. I am determined to improve the service offered to business, householders and other users of the appeal system. The changes being introduced will improve the speed and efficiency of the system without impairing the quality, fairness or openness of the process or people's ability to participate.
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  We have already set tough targets for the Planning Inspectorate to turn round appeals more quickly and they have made a good deal of progress in improving their own performance. However, improving service to the benefit of all concerned is not just the responsibility of the Planning Inspectorate. All parties to the appeals process have a responsibility to meet the deadlines set and to co-operate with the Inspectorate in agreeing dates offered for hearings and inquiries. In future, representations received after due dates will normally be disregarded. We shall be carefully monitoring the impact of the changes and will review their effectiveness after about a year to help us decide whether any further action is needed.

  Incinerators
  Mr. Norman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much public subsidy(a) was spent in each of the last three years and (b) his Department forecasts will be spent in the current financial year on the construction of incinerators; and if he will list the incinerator projects and the amount of public subsidy in each case. [126759]

  Mrs. Liddell
  I have been asked to reply.

  The payments made from the fossil fuel levy for electricity generated by the combustion of waste in England and Wales in the financial years 1997–98, 1998–99 and 1999–2000 to which I understand the hon. Member's question refers was £30 million, £31 million and £10 million respectively. These payments represent 26 per cent., 28 per cent. and 24 per cent. respectively of the total payments made for electricity generated from renewable sources of energy. The estimate for the financial year 2000–01 is £12 million (15 per cent. of the total). Projects are located at Edmonton, Coventry, Byker, Isle of Wight, Nottingham, Lewisham, Dudley, Wolverhampton, Stoke, Tyseley, Cleveland and Sheffield and more are expected to commission in due course. The payments received by each are commercially confidential. All of these projects offer substantial new opportunities for the recovery of metals and ash for recycling.

PRIME MINISTER

  Formal Meetings
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to record and make public details of all formal meetings in the course of his official duties; and if he will make a statement. [125999]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 15 June 2000]: Ministers and civil servants meet many people as part of the process of policy development and analysis. All such contacts are conducted in accordance with the Ministerial Code, the Civil Service Code and Guidance for Civil Servants: Contacts with Lobbyists. In order to preserve confidentiality, it is not the normal practice of government to release details of specific meetings with private individuals or companies. This is in line with the practice adopted by successive governments.

  Okinawa Summit
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received in respect of the G8 summit in Okinawa; and what responses he has made. [127572]
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  The Prime Minister
  I have received many representations in respect of the Okinawa Summit. These have come from international organisations, including the World bank and World Health Organisation; individual non-G8 members, including Nigeria and South Africa; NGOs, such as Greenpeace, Oxfam and Jubilee 2000; and hon. Members and members of the public. These have covered a range of global issues including debt relief, development, education, health and the global environment. I have also discussed the issues directly with some Heads of Government and NGO leaders; and responded in writing to others. Other interlocutors have received responses from Ministers and senior officials. There has also been direct dialogue on Summit themes between officials responsible for preparing the Summit and representatives of Commonwealth Governments and UK NGOs.

  Strategic Communications Unit
  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Prime Minister how many(a) special advisers, (b) permanent civil servants and (c) temporary civil servants are employed in the Strategic Communications Unit. [127425]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 23 June 2000]: Two special advisers and nine permanent civil servants are currently employed in the Strategic Communications Unit. One of the permanent civil servants is employed on a short-term secondment to the Unit.

  Council of Europe
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library the latest Information Bulletin on the activities of the United Kingdom delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Assembly of Western European Union covering the period November 1999 to April. [128096]

  The Prime Minister
  I have done so today.

  Cabinet Committees
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Prime Minister what the membership is of each Cabinet Committee. [128095]

  The Prime Minister
  I have placed a copy of the current list of Cabinet Committees, their membership and terms of reference in the Library of the House. Details will also be updated on the Cabinet Office website (www.cabinet-office.gov.uk).

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Shipbuilding
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the schemes which provide financial help for the shipbuilding industry; how much financial support has been contributed to these schemes by the Government since May 1997; and if he will list the beneficiaries of the assistance. [127830]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  Assistance to the shipbuilding industry is provided through the Shipbuilding Intervention Fund (SIF); the Home Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee Scheme (HSCGS); and through the Innovation Budget.
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  Grant assistance under SIF has been: Financial Year 1997–98 £7.01 million; Financial Year 1998–99 £10.54 million and in Financial Year 1999–2000 £3.99 million.

  The HSCGS is based upon offering long-term loans at a fixed rate of interest of 7½ per cent. DTI pays out subsidy or receives income depending on the relationship of market rates to that fixed rate. The net cost to/receipts by the DTI of the Home Shipbuilding Credit Guarantee Scheme have been: in Financial Year 1997–98 the Department received £223,000; in Financial Year 1998–99 the Department paid out £1,960,000 and in Financial Year 1999–2000 the Department received £1,991,000.

  Since May 1997, DTI has supported two competitiveness projects under the Innovation Budget. The first, a study of the policies of the Dutch shipbuilding industry in June 1999, had a DTI contribution of £20,000 and the second, completed in September 1999, was to assist the shipyards to benchmark their production and other business processes. That grant was for £94,245.

  Details of the SIF grants and HSCGS loans are confidential to the individual recipient companies. The recipient of both Innovation Budget competitiveness grants was the Shipbuilders and Shiprepairers Association, the industry's trade association.

  Engineering
  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which organisations were represented at the meeting on 23 May to discuss the work of the Hawley Review Group; and what was the outcome of the meeting. [127736]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  The following organisations were represented at the meeting on 23 May:

  AEA Technology

  BAe Systems

  BioIndustry Association

  British Computer Society

  Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals of the Universities of the UK

  Department for Education and Employment

  Department of Trade and Industry

  Engineering and Marine Training Authority

  Engineering Council

  Engineering Employers' Federation

  Federation of Electronics Industries

  Forum for the Future.

  Venture Capital
  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what Government help is available to increase access to venture capital for small companies in Morecambe and Lunesdale. [127638]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Government recognise the vital role that venture capital can play in support of growth businesses and the value that the formal venture capital industry can add. An existing business angel network in the North West currently provides informal investment capital to small companies in the region. The Government are also committed to ensuring that there is an adequate supply of venture capital to meet demand across the
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  regions. The new Regional Venture Capital Funds will specialise in the provision of small scale equity to businesses with growth potential. Bidding guidance for potential sponsors of new regional funds was issued on 22 December 1999 and 21 notifications of intention to bid have subsequently been received. Should all of these come forward and meet the criteria all of the English regions, including the North West, will have access to at least one new, viable fund.

  E-commerce
  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what help the Government are providing to small firms to encourage e-commerce. [127639]

  Ms Hewitt
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answers given to my hon. Friend the Member for Falkirk, East (Mr. Connarty) and my hon. Friend the Member for Luton, South (Ms Moran) on 2 March 2000,Official Report, column 337W, which described the activity of the DTI-lead Information Society Initiative.

  Since then, as well as launching our Technology Means Business programme which aims significantly to improve the environment of support for small businesses, we have received an extra £60 million package from the Chancellor's Budget. This will focus on ramping-up existing services to the SME community. It includes £10 million to boost the existing network of ISI Advice Centres throughout the UK and inject greater urgency into the Government's awareness campaign; and £20 million for the SBS to create a 'Gateway' through which people can get guidance, advice and information needed to run or start a small business. Additionally, the tax benefits for SMEs following the Budget include 100 per cent. first year capital allowances, the Research and Development Tax Credit for SMEs, and tax reliefs to promote corporate venturing.

  Plastic Bags
  Dr. Whitehead
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to introduce a producer responsibility regime for plastic bags. [127725]

  Ms Hewitt
  Plastic bags, in common with bags made of other materials such as paper, that are used for the containment, protection handling, delivery or presentation of goods are classified as packaging. A producer responsibility regime exists for packaging in the form of the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997. These Regulations place an obligation on business throughout the packaging chain who meet certain threshold requirements, to recover and recycle packaging waste.

  Auditors
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation to impose a duty of care on auditors towards shareholders of audited companies. [127486]

  Dr. Howells
  The extent to which auditors owe a duty of care to the shareholders of an audited company is as laid down by the courts. We will consider the need to change the position in the light of the final report from the Steering Group of the independent Company Law Review, expected next year. The consultation document 458W
  issued by the Review in March 2000—'Modern Company Law—Developing the Framework'—addresses the issues surrounding the scope of the duty of care (paragraphs 5.146 to 5.155).

  Water Companies
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if those water companies considering mutualising their assets will be able to form limited liabilities partnerships under the Limited Liability Partnerships Bill[Lords]. [127558]

  Dr. Howells
  Any two or more persons associated for carrying on a lawful business with a view to profit and satisfying the registration requirements may become a limited liability partnership. However, a "statutory undertaker" under the Water Industry Act 1991 must be a company limited by shares and could not therefore be an LLP.

  Energy Policy
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken in the past 12 months to support the manufacturers of renewable energy technology; and what support he makes available to promote overseas sales of renewable energy technology and energy efficiency services. [127568]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Government have taken significant steps to support renewable energy manufacturers in the last 12 months.

  The Government launched a new regional planning initiative for renewable energy in the summer of 1999. In November 1999 the Government issued two consultation papers, on network management and licensing issues for embedded generation, of direct relevance to renewables, and in December 1999 it announced its intention to allocate around £30 million to the growing of energy crops over the six years up to March 2007. The Government also announced plans to exempt all forms of renewable energy, including electricity generated from renewable sources, from the Climate Change Levy, which will be introduced in April 2001, providing a substantial financial incentive for its use.

  On 1 February 2000, to coincide with the Second Reading of the Utilities Bill, the Government published "New and Renewable Energy—Prospects for the 21st Century: Conclusions in Response to the Public Consultation". The Conclusions Document summarises key elements of the Government's policy. They are:
  a new Renewables Obligation on licensed electricity suppliers;
  exemption of electricity and heat from renewables from the Climate Change Levy;
  an expanded support programme for new and renewable energy including research, development, demonstration and dissemination; and
  development of a regional strategic approach to planning and targets for renewable energy.

  The Renewables Obligation will enable the Government to make progress towards a target of generating 10 per cent. of our electricity from renewable sources by 2010, subject to the cost to consumers being acceptable. The Government are also taking steps to set up

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  transitional arrangements to ensure that Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation (NFFO) contracts continue to be viable in the future.

  The renewables industry is also benefiting from the increased renewables R & D budget, expected to be £32 million over this and the next financial years.

  Export opportunities in renewables technologies and services are a priority area for DTI support. DTI supports renewable energy technology in overseas markets in numerous ways, among them financial support for feasibility studies, country profile reports on renewables, and grant-supported outward and inward missions. For example we have recently sponsored two inward missions from China, concentrating on wind energy in the UK.

  Support for energy efficiency services is a matter for my hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his timetable is for responding to the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution report, Energy-The Changing Climate. [127625]

  Ms Hewitt
  I, together with my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment, and other colleagues, will be giving careful consideration to the recommendations in this report and we will be aiming to respond within a year. In the meantime, the Government are considering responses to the draft Climate Change Programme, and plan to publish the final version in the autumn.

  Dr. Whitehead
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what plans he has to enable unfulfilled Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation contracts for the supply of wind energy from onshore locations to be implemented anywhere within the area of sea within the Government's jurisdiction; [127584]

  (2) if he will enable Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation contracts to be implemented anywhere within the Government's jurisdiction. [127585]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Government have no locus in the contracts entered into by the Public Electricity Suppliers (PES) to secure the generating capacity from renewable sources of electricity required by the non-fossil fuel obligation (NFFO) Orders. These contracts are location specific and any amendment to their location needs to be agreed between the contracting parties. In addition the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) needs to be satisfied that the amendment does not cause the contract to cease to be a qualifying arrangement. If the contract ceased to be a qualifying arrangement the PES would not be eligible to receive fossil fuel levy for the electricity generated. I have asked the Non-Fossil Purchasing Agency Ltd. and Ofgem to re-examine the scope for amendments which would allow projects that have been frustrated by circumstances outside the control of the generator to go forward to construction and generation. Their re-examination has not yet reached a conclusion.

  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the proposed new gas trading arrangements. [127479]
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  Mrs. Liddell
  The term "new gas trading arrangements" covers a number of exercises, led by the Director General of Gas Supply and his office Ofgem, aimed at securing effective competition in gas supply and the economic and efficient operation of Transco's pipeline system. These include auction arrangements for entry capacity into the national transmission system and an on-the-day commodity market for balancing purposes, both introduced with effect from October 1999. Work is in hand on further refinements to the capacity and energy balancing regimes, including reviews of the exit capacity regime and of the possibility of introducing a linepack regime. Further background is available on the Ofgem website www.ofgem.gov.uk.

  Departmental Cars
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the(a) make, (b) model and (c) number of each make and model of car (i) owned and (ii) leased by his Department; and what is the (1) purchase price and (2) annual cost of the lease of each car. [127383]

  Dr. Howells
  My Department does not own any cars. The following are leased:

  Make

  Model

  Number

  Annual cost per car1 (£)

  Ford

  Escort

  4

  2,853.48

  Ford

  Escort

  1

  2,884.92

  Ford

  Escort

  4

  3,338.76

  Ford

  Escort

  4

  3,344.40

  Vauxhall

  Astra

  1

  3,272.76

  Vauxhall

  Vectra

  1

  3,473.16

  Fiat

  Cinquecento

  1

  1,680.00

  Fiat

  Brava

  1

  2,555.52

  Peugeot

  206

  1

  2,806.60

  Citroen

  Xantia

  1

  3,532.44

  1Excluding VAT

  Private-public Partnerships (London)
  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements to support sub-regional private/public partnerships will operate in London until the London Development Agency becomes operational. [127563]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  My Department supports the work of the sub-regional partnerships through the Government Office for London and the Invest in Britain Bureau and this will continue up to, and after, the establishment of the London Development Agency on 3 July.

  Manufacturing Industry (London)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action his Department is taking to promote and support manufacturing industry in Greater London. [127386]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  My Department provides assistance to encourage competitiveness and innovation in manufacturing and other sectors through a range of schemes and initiatives delivered in London. These include Regional Selective Assistance; Enterprise Grants; and support through Business Links aimed at developing new and growing businesses, including in export markets.

  BNFL
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list each of the projects in Russia where British Nuclear Fuels has a business or research involvement; and if he will set out the sources of the support budgets in each case. [126571]

  Mrs. Liddell
  This is a matter for BNFL. I have asked the Company Secretary to provide my hon. Friend with the information requested.

  Farnborough Airshow
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support his Department is providing to the organisers of this year's Farnborough Airshow; and what assistance his Department is providing to overseas visitors to attend the show. [127877]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  My Department is providing no financial support to the Society of British Aerospace Companies (SBAC) in respect of the Farnborough International 2000 Airshow. Support from my Department of up to £29,500 has been offered to the SBAC, to assist delegations from Brazil, Canada and the Czech Republic attend the Airshow.

  Maternity Pay
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the review of maternity pay and parental leave will conclude; what organisations have been involved in the review; and how the information will be treated once the review is completed. [127251]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  [holding answer 26 June 2000]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston (Mr. Miller) on 22 June 2000, Official Report, columns 236–37W. There will be extensive consultation throughout the review.

  Intellectual Property Rights
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken to assess the compatibility of(a) the Convention on Biological Diversity and (b) the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Agreement in respect of the treatment of genetic resources. [127462]

  Dr. Howells
  We consider the World Trade Organisation's (WTO) Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement and the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) to be compatible, but we need to ensure that they are implemented in a mutually supportive way. For this reason we supported the recent decision of the 5th Convention of Parties (COP5) to the CBD, which asked the WTO further to explore the interrelationship between the provisions of the TRIPS agreement and the CBD.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to seek an amendment to Article 27.3(b) of the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Agreement to exclude genetic resources for food and agriculture. [127465]
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  Dr. Howells
  The current exclusions from patentability for biological materials as set out in Article 27.3(b) of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement allow all WTO members sufficient flexibility to implement patent and other intellectual property regimes appropriate to their individual circumstances, within internationally agreed limits. Patents are afforded only to new technical inventions. Valid rights cannot be obtained for naturally occurring plants or animals or information concerning their genetic composition. Similarly, traditional or indigenous knowledge concerning the existence, use or properties of plants and animals is already not patentable. Given this flexibility and these limitations, we do not consider the requirements of Section 27.3(b) to be incompatible with WTO member states needs.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of intellectual property rights over plant and animal varieties. [127466]

  Dr. Howells
  Patents are available only for inventions for new technical solutions. Under the Patents Act 1977 and EC Directive (98/44/EC) on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions, plant and animal varieties, or the breeding of plants and animals by traditional methods, cannot be the subject of patent rights. However, inventions concerning plants and animals may be patentable if the technical feasibility of the invention is not confined to a particular plant or animal variety. To be patentable, such an invention would have to satisfy the general criteria for patentability that the invention is new and would not be obvious to someone in the technical field.

  World Trade Organisation
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to increase(a) public involvement in the WTO decision-making process and (b) openness in the operation of the WTO. [127463]

  Mr. Caborn
  The Government launched a consultation exercise before Seattle and continues to receive and respond to public concerns through correspondence as well as the DTI website www.dti.gov.uk/worldtrade. I, my colleagues and our officials also hold regular meetings with business, NGOs and trade unions. The UK has, since Seattle, pressed for progress on WTO reform, and in particular on issues relating to consensus building and communication. The WTO' s General Council agreed earlier this year that a consultation process should be launched on improvements to WTO consultative and decision-making procedures. We await the outcome of this consultative process.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress he has made since the Seattle meeting in securing reform of the WTO. [127467]

  Mr. Caborn
  The Government launched a consultation exercise before Seattle and continues to receive and respond to public concerns through correspondence as well as the DTI website www.dti.gov.uk/worldtrade. On 7–8 February, the WTO General Council meeting agreed that a consultation process should be launched on
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  improvements to WTO consultative and decision-making procedures. We await the outcome of this consultative process.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his policy in respect of the admission of China into the WTO. [127469]

  Mr. Caborn
  The UK supports China's accession to the WTO on the right terms. We welcome the European Commission's success in negotiating an EU/China bilateral market access agreement. Of course, it is essential that China's commitments upon accession to the WTO are clearly set out and reviewed at regular intervals to ensure adherence.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress he is making in achieving clarification of the relationship between multi-lateral environmental agreements and the WTO rules. [127468]

  Mr. Caborn
  The UK and EU have proposed that a new Round of WTO negotiations includes a clarification of the relationship between WTO rules and trade measures taken within multi-lateral environmental agreements. We are continuing our efforts to build a consensus among WTO members for this proposal.

  Textile Industry
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact of imported textiles and clothes on the UK textile industry. [127460]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  The increased level of imports of textiles and clothing has presented a significant challenge for domestic producers, which has been met in a variety of ways. Some UK companies have looked at the opportunities for manufacturing overseas to take advantage of lower wage rates; most have looked at their existing operations and worked to increase their competitiveness.

  Most encouragingly the industry itself set up the Textiles and Clothing Strategy Group, and its Final report, "A National Strategy for the UK Textile and Clothing Industry" was launched last month. My Department responded rapidly and positively to the report's recommendations and we are considering what further action we can take to help the industry compete internationally in the future.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much of his recently announced support for the textile industry will go to firms based in(a) the Coventry area and (b) the West Midlands. [127461]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  All of the Government's 'announceables' outlined in its 12-point plan are applicable to(a) Coventry and (b) the West Midlands.

  The DTI and DfEE are currently liaising to carry through the initiatives announced in the 12-point plan, and how much support a region is allocated very much depends on the 'take-up' from the textile and clothing industry in that locality.

  Research Council (Luxembourg)
  Mr. Casale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the outcome was of the Research Council held in Luxembourg on 15 June; and if he will make a statement. [127183]

  Mr. Byers
  I am pleased to report that the Council of 15 June:

  1. Debated the future of the Information and Knowledge Society, underlining the importance of research policy, social inclusiveness and the interconnection of high speed electronic research networks.

  2. Adopted a Resolution on establishing an European area of research and innovation.

  3. Adopted Presidency Conclusions concerning funding for life science infrastructures.

  4. Received information from the Commission on progress on the joint ESA-EU strategy for space, and from the Presidency and Commission on international co-operation.

  5. Under Other Business, the Council received information from the Presidency on discussions regarding marine science, and heard an intervention from Germany on the question of authorisation procedures for the release of genetically modified organisms.

  The Council also discussed the future of fusion research spending.

  Cannabis
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the licensed clinical trials of cannabis are expected to be concluded; and if he will make a statement. [127861]

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

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

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Youth Offending Teams
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of youth offending teams; and if he will make a statement. [126367]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Youth offending teams have been in place across England and Wales since 1 April 2000. They are now operating a range of new interventions for young offenders with support from the Youth Justice Board. The Board will be monitoring their impact and will identify and disseminate good practice.
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  Youth offending teams and the new police and court powers were previously piloted for 18 months and in 10 areas. The interim reports of the evaluation led by Sheffield University are in the Library. They show the practical value of the teams' multi-agency approach. The final evaluation report will be published during the summer.

  Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations she has received concerning the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill; and which organisations have expressed concern about the Bill's provisions. [127459]

  Mr. Straw
  I have received a number of representations on the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill including from:The Confederation of British Industry/Alliance for Electronic Business;
  Institute of Directors;
  British Chambers of Commerce;
  London Investment Bankers Association;
  British Bankers Association;
  Internetforum;
  Internet Service Providers Association/London Internet Exchange; and
  Vodafone.

  The content of representations was described in the reply I gave the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker) on 20 June 2000, Official Report, columns 147–48W.

  Family Reunification
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy towards current EU discussions on(a) rights to family reunification and (b) temporary protection of displaced people. [127195]

  Mrs. Roche
  The Government have decided not to opt into the European Commission's proposal for a Directive on the right to family reunification. Our decision was based on concern that opting into the proposal would remove the United Kingdom's ability to formulate and adjust policies in relation to family reunification as a matter of domestic law.

  However, in remaining outside this proposal, it is not the Government's intention that the United Kingdom should be seriously out of line with our European partners in this important area of immigration policy. For that reason we shall continue to participate fully in discussion of the text.

  As to the Commission's recent proposals on temporary protection for displaced persons, negotiations over this text have not yet begun. The Government will participate actively in those discussions.

  Cyclists (Fixed Penalties)
  Mr. Bradshaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cyclists have been issued with fixed penalty notices for(a) pavement cycling and
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  (b) other offences in each police area since August 1999; and if he will make a statement on the impact fixed penalty notices have had. [126314]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I refer to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on 26 June 2000.Official Report, columns 383–86W.

  Correspondence
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter of 21 March and subsequent correspondence from the hon. Member for Broxbourne, concerning her constituents Ms K. Vertigans and Ms L. Coe. [127809]

  Mrs. Roche
  I wrote to the hon. Member on 26 June in response to her letters on behalf of her constituents, Ms K. Vertigans and Ms L. Coe. I am very sorry that I was unable to do so sooner, and would like, through the hon. Member, to extend my apology to her constituents for the delay.

  Onus of Proof
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on EU draft instruments which seek to alter the onus of proof in court cases. [127483]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The Government's policy on European Community draft instruments is developed on the merits of each proposal.

  If the question is referring to the recent agreement of the European Community Directive on racial discrimination—which includes a provision requiring the respondent, once a prima facie case of discrimination has been made by the complainant and accepted by the court, to demonstrate that there has been no breach of the principle of equal treatment—the Government welcome the agreement of this Directive.

  This applies only to civil cases and does not represent a major change in terms of United Kingdom legal practice. Under current United Kingdom law, United Kingdom tribunals can and do, if faced with facts which raise a presumption of discrimination, and where no reasonable explanation is offered, draw an inference that discrimination has occurred.

  Interactive Voice Response Systems
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many agencies of his Department use interactive voice response systems when dealing with telephone inquiries from the general public. [127552]

  Mr. Straw
  An interactive voice response (IVR) system automatically answers telephone calls with a recorded voice which asks the caller to use the telephone keypad to select the required service. There are four executive agencies in my Department. The UK Passport Agency uses an IVR system for inquiries from the public. About 40 per cent. of calls are effectively dealt with by playing recorded information. The others are answered by operators in a call centre, who are able to handle most calls directly and to connect the rest to staff in regional offices. The available information shows that IVR systems are not used in Her
  467W
  Majesty's Prison Service, the Forensic Science Service or the Fire Service College. No central records of IVR systems are kept.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many departmental telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by interactive voice response systems. [127405]

  Mr. Straw
  An interactive voice response (IVR) system automatically answers telephone calls with a recorded voice which asks the caller to use the telephone keypad to select the required service. IVR systems are used by the Immigration Service at London (Heathrow) Airport Terminal 3, and at the Port of Dover. The Nationality Directorate and National Asylum Support Services also use IVR. The available information shows that no other IVR systems are used in my Department. No central records of IVR systems are kept.

  Prison and Probation Services
  Mr. Pond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to improve arrangements for the strategic management of the prison and probation services and for future complaints arrangements for the two services. [128072]

  Mr. Boateng
  We think it right to recognise the substantial and growing overlap in the work that both services perform as we pursue our drive to reduce re-offending through proven and well-targeted programmes and re-settlement planning as set out in the correctional policy framework which we published last year.

  We have established a new strategy board for correctional services, chaired by myself as the Minister with responsibility for prisons and probation, to advise the Home Secretary on giving strategic direction for the prison and probation services. This replaces the prison service strategy board. We will make formal amendments to the framework document of the Prison Service in due course.

  We have also decided to extend the prisons ombudsman's remit to cover probation services. This joint ombudsman will be created initially on an administrative basis, as with the prisons ombudsman, but we plan to legislate as soon as practicable. We are giving careful consideration to what the ombudsman's terms of reference should be. We shall make a further statement to Parliament in due course.

CABINET OFFICE

  Social Exclusion Unit
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) how many of the members of the Policy Action Teams are resident in the neighbourhoods identified by the Social Exclusion Unit as especially disadvantaged; [127326]

  (2) how many of the (a) members, and (b) advisers to the Social Exclusion Unit are residents of the 3,000 neighbourhoods that the Social Exclusion Unit has identified as being especially disadvantaged. [127327]
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  Marjorie Mowlam
  Policy Action Team members were chosen to reflect a wide range of backgrounds, knowledge and experience of issues affecting deprived areas. Information is not held about members' home addresses.

  SEU reports have consistently pointed out that there is no universally agreed definition of a deprived area.

  The members of the SEU, both its staff and its advisers, are drawn from a wide range of backgrounds, knowledge and experience, both within and outside Government.

  Government Annual Report
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) of 14 June 2000,Official Report, column 65W, for what reason the Government have no plans to involve the National Audit Office in the production of the Government's Annual Report. [127812]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  All the statistical data in the Government's Annual Report series are provided or checked by the Office for National Statistics or other reputable statistical sources such as Eurostat.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  House of Lords
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the President of the Council what publications will carry the proposed advertisements from the Appointments Commission soliciting applications for membership of the House of Lords. [126385]

  Mr. Tipping
  That is a matter for the Appointments Commission.

  Modernisation Committee
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the President of the Council what progress has been made in respect of the Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons proposals on modernising the procedures of the House. [126386]

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the President of the Council if she will make a statement on progress by the Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons on reforming the procedures of the House. [126391]

  Mrs. Beckett
  48 of the 54 recommendations of the Committee have been implemented. Apart from abolishing conventions, such as the use of the top hat, the work of Modernisation Committee has produced a clearer Order Paper, better explanatory notes for legislation, more effective Thursday sittings, more freedom for Standing Committees to meet when they wish, a new scrutiny reserve for European business, the introduction of a new forum for debate in Westminster Hall and some easing of restrictions on the Press Gallery and Lobby, which they have long sought.

  Oral Questions
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the President of the Council what recent representations she has received on altering the cut-off time for tabling oral questions. [126387]

  Mrs. Beckett
  Other than those from the hon. Gentleman, none.

  European Union Duties
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the President of the Council what steps she is taking to provide resources for hon. Members to carry out duties relating to Parliament or their constituencies in the European Union. [126389]

  Mr. Tipping
  The House agreed to greater flexibility in the scheme for visits to European constituencies on 25 May last year. At that time we said the scheme would be reviewed after a year; the review has begun.

  Ministerial Accountability
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the President of the Council what plans she has to improve the parliamentary accountability of Ministers during(a) adjournments and (b) prorogations. [126392]

  Mr. Tipping
  Ministers are accountable to Parliament at all times.

  Select Committee Reports
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the President of the Council if she will propose to the Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons a new system for advance notification of the publication of Select Committee reports. [126393]

  Mrs. Beckett
  No. Arrangements for publication of reports and notification of publication are matters for the Select Committee concerned or for the Liaison Committee.

  Written Questions (Recesses)
  Mr. Quinn
  To ask the President of the Council what proposal the Government have made to the Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons on the tabling and answering of written questions during parliamentary recesses; and if she will make a statement. [126394]

  Mrs. Beckett
  The Government have made no such proposals.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Clergy Remuneration
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, (1) when he expects the General Synod to decide on the Archbishops' Council's review of the clergy remuneration package; [127123]
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  (2) when he expects an announcement to be made following the Archbishops' Council's consideration of the clergy remuneration package. [127126]

  Mr. Stuart Bell
  The Review Group set up by the Archbishop's Council will consult widely by means of a survey to be sent to all stipendiary clergy and licensed layworkers, the purpose of which is to assess how clergy are managing financially. The Group has also prepared a consultation document for discussion within the Church.

  It is hoped that an interim report will be made to the Council this November, but at this stage it is too early to say when the General Synod will discuss the review and be able to take a decision on its findings, or when an announcement will be made.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will make a statement on the factors the Archbishops' Council will take into account in reaching a decision on the clergy remuneration package. [127125]

  Mr. Stuart Bell
  The factors comprising the Review Group's formal terms of reference are listed in answer to the previous question. Responses to consultation will be another key factor. In addition to the financial survey to be sent to all stipendiary clergy and licensed layworkers, the Group's consultation document for discussion within the Church asks for views on the concept of the stipend, its structure, the principle of differentials, other elements of the remuneration package, and the ability of the Church to fund any increases in stipends.

  I have arranged for my hon. Friend to be sent a copy of the consultation document.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will list the main components of the clergy remuneration package to be considered by the Archbishops' Council. [127124]

  Mr. Stuart Bell
  The principal elements of the remuneration package to be considered include the level and structure of the stipend itself, pension provision and housing. It will consider how stipends are to be funded as well as the level at which they should be set.

  The Group' s formal terms of reference are:

  (i) To consider the concept and definition of the stipend;

  (ii) To examine the content of the clergy remuneration package (including retirement provision) and its comparability with remuneration for other groups;

  (iii) To ascertain, through a properly conducted large-scale survey of clergy and consultations with dioceses and charities, the financial circumstances of clergy;

  (iv) To review the size of dignitaries' differentials;

  (v) In conjunction with the Finance Committee, to evaluate the affordability and long-term financial sustainability of the present arrangements and any proposals for change;

  (vi) To consider the implications for any proposals for: clergy deployment and partnership between dioceses; future numbers of stipendiary clergy and patterns of ministry

  (vii) To consider whether the present structure for setting stipends should be retained and outline possible alternative structures;

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  (viii) To consult with the Church Commissioners, the Pensions and Board and dioceses;

  (ix) To consult with other national church bodies through the Churches Main Committee and government agencies on matters of fiscal and taxation policy which affect stipends, in particular the treatment of benefits in kind;

  And to determine options for wide debate within the Church.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  School Bus Service
  Caroline Flint
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of(a) primary and (b) secondary school children have access to a school bus service; and what was the cost of providing such services to (i) primary and (ii) secondary children in the last year for which figures are available. [124532]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 5 June 2000]: We do not collect statistics on school children who have access to a school bus service. Provisional figures for local education authority expenditure in England on school transport in 1998–99 were £78 million for pre-primary and primary schools, £164 million for secondary schools, and £203 million for special schools.

  Medical Students
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many students entered medical school in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [126917]

  Mr. Wicks
  [holding answer 21 June 2000]: The following table sets out the number of full-time undergraduate entrants to medical schools in UK HE institutions in each of the last five years.

  Number

  1999–2000

  5,306

  1998–99

  5,105

  1997–98

  5,044

  1996–97

  4,833

  1995–96

  4,699

  School

  Purpose of grant allocation

  Beamont Infant and Junior

  Replacement of Dining Room

  Beamont Community Infant

  Energy and Efficiency Initiative

  Bewsey Lodge Primary

  Replacement of Pipe Work

  Brook Acre Community Primary

  Enclosure to Existing Fire Escape Staircase

  Brook Acre Community Primary

  Energy and Efficiency Initiative

  Bruche Community Infant

  Re-roofing Main School

  Burtonwood Primary

  Window Repairs

  Burtonwood Community Primary

  Re-build Gable Wall

  Callands Community Primary

  Provision of One Classroom

  Culcheth Community Primary

  Provision of One Classroom

  Culcheth High

  Electrical Re-wire

  Culcheth High

  Replace Heating Boilers

  Culcheth High

  Fire Alarm System Unification

  Culcheth High

  Improvements to Ventilation

  Culcheth High

  Alterations to Heat Treatment Area

  Culcheth High

  Re-roofing

  Culcheth High

  Re-slate Roof and Window Repairs

  Culcheth High

  Refenestration of Block C

  SEN Statements
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many complaints he has received in the last two years from parents of children with statements of special educational needs who consider that their LEA is failing to meet the special educational provision specified in the statement. [127142]

  Jacqui Smith
  The information requested is not available in this form. During the past two years Ministers at the Department for Education and Employment have answered about 650 letters dealing with special educational needs issues and almost 6,500 letters were answered by officials.

  School Funding (Warrington, North)
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what has been the total capital allocation since May 1997 to schools in the Warrington, North constituency; and if he will break down these capital allocations by category of grant. [127317]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 26 June 2000]: The following table shows the information requested for Warrington, North.

  £

  Category

  Grant allocation

  NDS1 Allocation-1997–98

  37,328

  NDS2 Allocation-1998–99

  613,441

  NDS3 Allocation-1999–2000

  998,201

  NDS4 Allocation-2000–01

  640,032

  Energy Efficiency Initiative Allocation-1998–99

  36,135

  Class Size Capital Allocation-1998–99

  80,000

  Class Size Capital Allocation-1999–2000

  637,088

  Class Size Capital Allocation-2000–01

  1180,000

  Devolved Formula Capital Allocation-2000–01

  347,521

  Total

  3,569,746

  1 Reserved pending statutory proposal decision

  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the schools in Warrington, North constituency which have received funding through the New Deal for schools; and in each case for what purpose the money was allocated. [127318]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 26 June 2000]: The following table shows the information requested for Warrington, North.
  473W

  School

  Purpose of grant allocation

  Glazebury CE Primary

  Boiler Replacement

  Hollins Green St. Helen's Primary

  Provision of One Classroom

  Locking Stumps Community Primary

  Repair of Floor

  Newchurch Community Primary

  Replacement of Copper Roof

  Padgate Community High

  Re-roofing

  St. Alban's RC Primary

  Refenestration

  St. Alban's RC Primary

  Refurbishment of Toilets

  St. Andrew's CE Primary

  Re-surfacing of Paved Areas and Footpath, Playground, Carpark and Access Road

  St. Margaret's CE Primary

  Provision of Two Classrooms

  St. Margaret's CE Primary

  Energy Efficiency Initiative

  St. Oliver Plunkett RC

  Energy Efficiency Initiative

  St. Paul of the Cross RC Primary

  Provision of One Classroom

  St. Phillip's CE Primary (Playgroup)

  Construction of Extension to Existing Teaching Area

  St. Stephen's RC Junior

  Provision of Toilets

  St. Stephen's RC Primary

  Refurbishment of Infant Toilets

  St. Stephen's RC Primary

  Provision of Nursery Toilets

  St. Stephen's RC Primary

  Energy Efficiency Initiative

  Twiss Green Community Primary

  Refenestration and Replacement of Fascias

  Twiss Green Community Primary

  Replace Heating System

  Twiss Green Community Primary

  Provision of Two Classrooms

  William Beamont Community High

  Replace Fire Alarm System

  William Beamont Community High

  Refurbishment of Sport Facilities

  William Beamont High

  Energy Efficiency Initiative

  Winwick CE Primary

  Energy Efficiency Initiative

  Winwick CE Primary

  Provision of One Classroom

  Woolston Primary

  Provision of One Classroom

  Woolston Community High

  Improvements to Floor and Provision of Dust Extraction in CDT Room

  Woolston Community Primary

  Installation of Fire Doors to Hall

  Woolston Community Primary

  Re-roofing

  Woolston Community High

  Science and Technology Block—to Replace Deteriorating Mobiles

  Careers Education
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the linkages between personal health and social education and careers services for young people. [127457]

  Jacqui Smith
  There are strong links between careers education (which is a statutory requirement for pupils aged 14–16) and the revised Personal, Social and Health Education (PSHE) framework, which we expect schools to implement from autumn this year and includes reference to career planning and management. In April we published a booklet "Careers Education in the New Curriculum"—a copy of which has been placed in the House of Commons Library—which sets out the relationship between these areas, as well as the new Citizenship programme of study. We encourage schools to take advantage of the introduction of PSHE and Citizenship to enhance the provision of careers education. Many schools already teach these areas in an integrated manner.

  Teenage Pregnancies
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the linkages between personal health and social education and targets to reduce teenage pregnancy rates. [127458]

  Jacqui Smith
  The Government have launched a wide-ranging programme to tackle the unacceptably high level of teenage pregnancies in Great Britain. The Department for Education and Employment will shortly publish new sex and relationship education guidance which is an important part of this broader strategy, and will assist schools in educating young people so that 474W
  teenage pregnancies are reduced. The guidance will be firmly rooted in the PSHE framework and National Curriculum published in autumn 1999.

  This programme includes funding a number of local education authorities through the Standards Fund to reintegrate school age mothers back into the education system and support age-appropriate educational projects aimed at reducing the rate of teenage conception by raising pupils' self esteem, exploring issues of choice and responsibility and peer pressure. We aim to ensure that these initiatives are integrated with individuals schools' Personal, Social and Health Education frameworks and other approaches such as Sure Start and child care pilots for 16 and 17 year olds.

  Tuition Fees
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the cost of abolishing tuition fees for undergraduate courses in higher education in each of the next five years; and if he will make a statement. [127506]

  Mr. Wicks
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply dated 14 February 2000,Official Report, column 393W. Figures for beyond 2001–02 depend on student numbers on which decisions have not yet been made.

  Schools (Repairs and Maintenance)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the backlog of repair and maintenance work at schools in England; and if he will make a statement. [127600]

  Jacqui Smith
  The Department does not currently hold accurate and comprehensive data on all school buildings. We have, however, made resources available to local
  475W
  education authorities to help them prepare Asset Management Plans covering all the maintained schools in their areas. When completed, these plans should provide a comprehensive picture of the repairs to school buildings which still need to be carried out.

  A total of £1.9 billion is being spent in the current financial year on repairs and maintenance, three times the amount spent in 1996–97. This includes the New Deal for Schools, public-private partnerships, and other capital grants to schools and LEA borrowing.

  Teachers (Performance-related Pay)
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many teachers are eligible to apply for performance-related pay. [127884]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Around 265,000 teachers in England and Wales were eligible to apply for the performance threshold this year.

  Post-16 Education and Training
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to equalise the funding arrangements for post-16 education and training. [128002]

  Mr. Wicks
  How the Learning and Skills Council will allocate its funds is subject to a current consultation. The Government have invited partners' views on a system of national rates for the majority of learning programmes, which means that the same programme would attract the same funding wherever it was delivered. The Government recognise the current differences in funding levels, and favours upwards convergence, but we recognise that this can only happen over time, and subject to resources being available. Changes in levels of funding will, of course, be subject to the real-terms funding guarantee we have given to school sixth forms.

  Engineering
  Mr. Sarwar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the recent Engineering and Marine Training Authority report entitled "Working in Engineering", with special reference to opportunities in engineering for young people from ethnic minorities. [127721]

  Mr. Wicks
  I welcome the report by the Engineering Employers' Federation/Commission for Racial Equality. The recommendations stemming from the project provide a realistic opportunity for engineering companies to engage the ethnic minority communities in a more constructive way.

  This will require greater commitment and positive action to build more effective links with schools and ethnic minority community centres. I believe a vital factor in encouraging young people from the ethnic minority community to be engineers is to provide role models from their own communities. The case studies which have been published should actively encourage entry into the industry.

  My Department strongly supports the outcomes and follow-up initiatives from the project and will continue to work closely with all appropriate parties to ensure that
  476W
  the engineering sector, together with the construction and manufacturing sectors—for example—attract more young people from the ethnic minority community.

TREASURY

  VAT
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of increasing the value added tax threshold for small businesses by(a) 10 per cent., (b) 20 per cent., (c) 50 per cent. and (d) 100 per cent. per year; and if he will make a statement. [127494]

  Mr. Timms
  Customs and Excise do not have reliable current estimates of the cost of substantial increases in the VAT registration threshold. A description of the difficulties involved in predicting the effect of large changes in the threshold is contained in "The VAT Shortfall: Report of the Working Group on VAT Receipts and Forecasts", Treasury Occasional Paper No. 9, September 1997. Table A.13 of the Budget 2000 Financial Statement and Budget Report contains an estimate of the Exchequer cost of indexing the VAT registration and deregistration thresholds in line with inflation.

  Tax Avoidance and Evasion
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action he plans to take to reduce tax avoidance and evasion through non-domiciled status. [127602]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Government keep all aspects of the tax system under review.

  We have taken steps in successive Finance Bills to combat avoidance and evasion across the tax system.

  HIPC Initiative
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the World Bank and IMF will set up the joint committee for overseeing the implementation of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative; and where it will be based. [127713]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The World Bank and IMF announced the establishment of the HIPC Joint Implementation Committee on 16 April this year. The Committee is based in Washington and has had its first meeting on 22 May.

  Red Diesel
  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many days the HM Customs and Excise testing units for red diesel operated within Scotland during(a) 1997 and (b) 1998; and how many prosecutions were brought for illegal use of red diesel in each of those years. [127661]

  Mr. Timms
  Scotland has two road fuel testing units. In 1997 they were operational for a combined total of 446 days and for 432 days in 1998. In the same period they made 277 detections leading to penalties and duty recovered totalling £423,214. In 1997 and 1998 two cases were taken to prosecution.

  Climate Change Levy
  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the net yearly costs in the first year of implementation of the climate change levy to(a) the dairy industry and (b) the agriculture industry in Scotland. [127697]

  Mr. Timms
  It is not possible to say what the precise effect of the levy will be on any one particular industry. The impact of the levy package will depend on a number of factors, including: the future energy consumption by firms; the level of employment in those firms; the number of firms that are eligible to receive a discount on the main rates of the levy by signing up to an energy efficiency agreement; what use they make of electricity generated from 'new' renewable sources of energy and in 'good quality' combined head and power plants; and the extent to which they take advantage of the proposed introduction of a system of enhanced capital allowances for energy saving investments. However, the agriculture sector stands to benefit from a number of features of the levy package including the proposed special package of support for the horticulture subsector announced in the March 2000 Budget.

  GNP
  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of GNP has been spent on(a) defence, (b) education and (c) health in each of the last 15 years. [127640]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  Table 4.4 of Public Expenditure Statistical Analysis 2000–01 (Cm 4601) shows the amount of public expenditure spent on these services, as a percentage of GDP, in each of these years.

  The Health figures presented in this table are net of income from charges and asset sales, and do not include NHS trusts interest and dividend payments.

  Tax Returns
  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discounts are available for electronic filing of tax returns. [127634]

  Dawn Primarolo
  On 16 February 2000, the Chancellor announced that individuals who file their self-assessment tax returns over the internet in 2000–01 and pay any tax due electronically will receive a discount of £10. Small businesses that do the same for their PAYE and VAT returns in 2001–02 will receive a discount of £50 for each. And in his Budget speech on 21 March 2000 he said that small businesses that qualify for the PAYE discount and which pay tax credits to employees would receive a further discount of £50. These discounts are being offered to encourage businesses and individuals to embrace internet technology. Legislation has been included in this year's Finance Bill to provide for the payment of these incentives. The detailed conditions will be set out in regulations to be published later this year.

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the revenue from taxing child benefit for(a) all upper-rate taxpayers at 40 per cent. and (b) upper-rate taxpayers at 40 per cent.
  478W
  but 50 per cent. for those with taxable incomes of over £100,000 per annum; and if he will make a statement. [127500]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The estimated revenue from taxing child benefit received by higher-rate taxpayers at 40 per cent. in 2000–01 is £50 million in a full year. The additional revenue from taxing child benefit received by higher-rate taxpayers with taxable incomes of over £100,000 per annum at 50 per cent. is estimated to be less than £5 million.

  Tax Evasion
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of tax revenue lost to the UK Exchequer as a result of tax evasion; and if he will make a statement. [127603]

  Dawn Primarolo
  No such estimate has been made. There is no generally accepted method of producing an estimate sufficiently reliable to be of value.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Sarwar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the Government's proposals and timetable for the reduction of Class 1 National Insurance contributions payable by employers. [127977]

  Dawn Primarolo
  As announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the rate of employers Class 1 National Insurance contributions will be reduced from 12.2 to 11.9 per cent. in April 2001 and from 11.9 to 11.8 per cent. in April 2002.

  Exchange Rate
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of his policy of stability in the British Government finances and in the economy on the exchange rate since May 1997. [127484]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  It is not possible to identify precisely the impact of stability-orientated policies on the exchange rate. Delivering low inflation and sound public finances is the best contribution the Government can make to securing a stable and competitive exchange rate over the medium term.

  No-smoking Policy
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on(a) the effectiveness of his Department's no-smoking policy and (b) the proportion of his Department's offices that do not allow smoking. [125148]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, North-East (Mr. Crausby) on 24 January 2000,Official Report, column 117W.

  Employee Share Schemes
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much extra tax and national insurance he will collect following the introduction of the All-Employee Share Scheme from employee and employer participants in the scheme. [126960]
  479W
  Mr. Timms
  The new all-employee share plan is a tax and NICs relieving measure designed to encourage more employees to hold shares in the companies for which they work and to reward their long-term commitment. The new plan will eventually cost the Exchequer around £400 million a year.

  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from(a) employers and (b) employees about the All-Employee Share Scheme; what was the nature of those representations; and if he will make a statement. [126935]

  Mr. Timms
  Since December 1998, when the consultation process on employee share ownership began, the Inland Revenue has received in the region of 1,000 representations. While these have mostly been from employers and their advisers, many individual employees have also made representations.

  The responses have covered all aspects of the existing Inland Revenue approved share schemes and the proposals for the new all-employee share plan and Enterprise Management Incentives. They have been overwhelmingly in favour of the new proposals. We have reflected these representations in the legislation.

  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will review the annual upper limit of £1,500 for contributions to the All-Employee Share Scheme; and if he will make a statement. [126934]

  Mr. Timms
  The limit of £1,500 on the amount which employees may contribute annually from their salary under the new plan was arrived at after extensive consultation. We have no plans to review the limit at the present time.

  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with employers about the cost and administration which will be involved in running the new All-Employee Share Scheme alongside existing schemes; and if he will make a statement. [126968]

  Mr. Timms
  Consideration of employers' costs in setting up and running the new plan has formed a major part of the consultation underlying the plan, and the views of employers have been sought at every stage. Improvements designed to reduce these costs have been made to the legislation currently going through Parliament. The Regulatory Impact Assessment published on 21 March sets out a detailed cost/benefit analysis.

  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions with employers he had before deciding on an upper limit of £1,500 per year for employees purchasing shares under the new All-Employee Share Scheme; and if he will make a statement. [126961]

  Mr. Timms
  The limit of £1,500 on the amount which employees may contribute annually from their salary under the new plan was arrived at after extensive consultation involving their employers, their advisers and other interested parties. Over 1,000 written responses have been received during the consultation period, mainly from employers and their advisers. The process started in December 1998 and ended earlier this year, following the publication of the draft legislation in November 1999. An advisory group drawn from large and small companies, their advisers, the TUC and the academic world worked 480W
  with officials on the detailed legislation, and a 60-strong group of large and small employers was consulted throughout.

  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of employees who contribute more than £1,500 per year to purchase their employing company shares through a share scheme; and if he will make a statement. [126936]

  Mr. Timms
  A full picture of the distribution of amounts used by employees to purchase shares in the companies they work for is not available.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Interactive Voice Response Systems
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many telephone lines to his Department used by the general public are responded to by interactive voice response systems; [127119]

  (2) how many agencies of his Department use interactive voice response systems when dealing with telephone inquiries from the general public. [127122]

  Angela Eagle
  There are three telephone lines used by the general public which are responded to by interactive voice response in the Department's Headquarters and one Agency (Benefits Agency).

  These are the Child Benefit Centre, which is manned by operators until 5.30 pm and from 5.30–8.00 pm by interactive voice response, and the Customer Care Helpline, which gives the client two interactive voice response options before/instead of being put through to an operator.

  The third is run on our behalf by a commercial organisation and deals with inherited SERPS inquiries.

  Income Support
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the cost of restoring entitlement to Income Support to 16 and 17-year-olds; and if he will make a statement. [127496]

  Mr. Bayley
  I refer the hon. Member to the written answer I gave on 17 February 2000,Official Report, column 663W.

  State Pension
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost in each of the five financial years beginning with 2001–02 of(a) linking the basic pension to earnings and introducing an age addition of £5 for pensioners aged 75 to 79 years, and £10 for pensioners aged 80 years and above and (b) introducing an increase in the basic pension in 2001–02 of £5 for pensioners aged 75 years, £10 for pensioners aged 75 to 79 years and £15 for pensioners aged 80 years or above, followed by price indexation of all rates of pension thereafter, in each case showing the cost net of savings on means-tested benefits and increased income tax revenue. [127881]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is in the table.
  481W

  £ billion

  Option (a)

  Option (b)

  Gross

  Net of means-tested benefits and income tax

  Gross

  Net of means-tested benefits and income tax

  2001–02

  2.3

  1.5

  4.4

  2.9

  2002–03

  2.9

  1.9

  4.5

  3.0

  2003–04

  3.6

  2.3

  4.5

  3.0

  2004–05

  4.5

  —

  4.5

  —

  2005–06

  5.3

  —

  4.6

  —

  Notes:

  1. Option (a) assumes that the age addition is paid in full to all basic state pension recipients and is not uprated. Option (b) assumes age-related increases are paid pro-rata to those without full basic state pension.

  2. Both options include the cost of benefits whose rates are linked to the rate of basic retirement pension.

  3. Figures are rounded to the nearest £0.1 billion and are in 2000–01 price terms.

  4. Gross costs estimated by the Government Actuary's Department. Costs net of income-related benefit savings are estimated using the Policy Simulation Model. Income tax revenues estimated by the Inland Revenue.

  5. Estimates of income tax revenues not available beyond 2003–04.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Local Authority Funding
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the funds which are available to local authorities on application, indicating those for which the Torbay Unitary Authority has successfully applied in each of the last two years. [124197]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  Local authorities can apply for a range of funds managed by my Department, depending on their individual circumstances. My Department's records show that Torbay Unitary Authority had three successful applications under the Countryside Stewardship Scheme in 1998–99.

  Organic Farming
  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of those farmers requesting information from the organic conversion information service entered the organic farming scheme. [127027]

  Mr. Morley
  Precise figures are not available. However, we estimate that around 25 per cent. of farmers who contact OCIS eventually enter land into conversion.

  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farmers requested information from the organic conversion information service in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [127028]

  Mr. Morley
  In the period 5 June 1999 to 2 June 2000, just over 2,000 farmers contacted the organic conversion information service.

  Beta-sitosterol
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his policy towards beta-sitosterol products. [126892]
  482W
  Ms Stuart
  As responsibility for food safety and standards matters have now passed to the Food Standards Agency which reports to Parliament through Health Ministers, I have been asked to reply.

  I am advised by the Food Standards Agency that products containing beta-sitosterol require pre-market approval under the European Commission Novel Foods Regulation 258/97 if they did not have a significant history of consumption in Europe at the time the regulations came into force.

ADVOCATE-GENERAL

  Human Rights
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Advocate-General what recent advice she has given to the Government concerning the cross-examination of complainers in court cases involving sexual assault and similar offences in relation to(a) the human rights of such witnesses and (b) the European convention on human rights. [126363]

  The Advocate-General for Scotland
  This raises difficult questions which require to be handled with great delicacy by policy Ministers. These questions include issues of human rights, of the complainer as well as of the accused. In England and Wales, this is the responsibility of the Home Secretary and legislation has been passed by Parliament. The relevant provisions of the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 will be brought into force once the necessary rules of court, which are at an advanced stage, have been made. In Scotland, where the matter is devolved, the Executive have announced their intention to examine options open to them.

  Devolution Issues
  Mrs. McKenna
  To ask the Advocate-General in what type of cases, intimated to her as devolution issues, she has intervened. [126364]

  The Advocate-General for Scotland
  I have intervened in a variety of devolution issues cases. Each case is considered on its merits. In general terms I have intervened, for example, where important issues of principle have arisen particularly in cases which might have ramifications for the whole United Kingdom. I do not usually intervene until a case has reached appeal or Privy Council stage.

SCOTLAND

  New Deal
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people in Scotland have moved in to unsubsidised employment as a result of the New Deal; and if he will make a statement. [126341]

  Mr. Wilson
  At the end of March this year, 28,795 people had moved in to unsubsidised employment as a result of participating in the New Deal in Scotland.

  Scottish Constituencies
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the time scale for reducing the number of hon. Members representing Scottish constituencies. [126342]

  Dr. Reid
  It is not possible to be precise on this. The Parliamentary Boundary Commission for Scotland has not yet formally started its next review. It is for the Commission to determine when this commences, keeping in mind the requirement that it needs to report between December 2002 and December 2006. Following the report, implementation will take some time.

  Mr. Syms
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Boundary Commission for Scotland about the Government's plan to reduce the number of hon. Members representing Scottish constituencies. [126344]

  Dr. Reid
  I have had no such discussions. The rules for the redistribution of parliamentary seats are set out in the Parliamentary Constituencies Act 1986, as amended, and the Scotland Act 1998. The Boundary Commission is required to follow these in any review of the number of constituencies in Scotland.

  Mr. Paterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the Prime Minister about reducing the number of hon. Members sitting for Scottish constituencies. [126360]

  Dr. Reid
  I have regular discussions with my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on various matters.

  Pensioners
  Mrs. Laing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has made to the Secretary of State for Social Security regarding pensioners. [126343]

  Dr. Reid
  I have frequent discussions with my right hon. Friend. We are proud of this Government's record: we are spending an additional £6.5 billion on pensioners over the course of this Parliament.

  Barnett Formula
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has received on the operation of the Barnett formula in respect of the block grant to the Scottish Executive. [126345]

  Dr. Reid
  I have not received any such representations in the past six months.

  Coalfield Communities
  Mr. Eric Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action is being taken to regenerate coalfield communities in Scotland. [126346]

  Dr. Reid
  This Government are very aware of the specific problems faced by coalfield areas and remain committed to a long-term plan of action to regenerate coalfield communities. As I explained in my reply to my hon. Friend on 18 April, the work of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust is a matter for the Scottish Executive.
  484W
  With the publication of the report "Improving Lottery Funding Access and Delivery in the British Coalfields" on 5 June, this Government have signalled their intention to ensure that people in coalfields and other deprived areas can get the fullest benefit possible from the National Lottery.

  National Minimum Wage
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many Scottish companies have had action taken against them to enforce the national minimum wage. [126347]

  Mr. Wilson
  Since the introduction of the minimum wage on 1 April 1999, national minimum wage inspectors in Scotland have taken action against 17 companies to enforce the national minimum wage. There are presently 229 cases being investigated by national minimum wage investigators. The Low Pay Commission reported on 15 February that the Inland Revenue has made a successful start to enforcement and was working proactively to ensure compliance with the legislation.

  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many workers in Scotland have benefited from the introduction of the national minimum wage. [126350]

  Mr. Wilson
  Over 100,000 workers in Scotland are entitled to higher rates of pay as a result of the introduction of the national minimum wage on 1 April 1999.

  Assisted Areas Map
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Scottish Executive regarding the assisted area status map for Scotland. [126348]

  Dr. Reid
  I have had various discussions with both the Department for Trade and Industry and the Scottish Executive about the assisted areas map for Scotland. I am hopeful that the Commission will soon agree to a map that will secure a very favourable outcome for Scotland.

  Planning Decisions
  Mr. Peter Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will raise in the joint Ministerial Committee between the Scottish Executive and the UK Government the subject of planning decisions with cross-border implications. [126349]

  Mr. Wilson
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to raise this issue in the Joint Ministerial Committee. Planning decisions are in the first instance a matter for local government, and it will generally be desirable that local authorities should discuss planning matters that span their boundaries with neighbouring local authorities, whether those authorities are in Scotland or England. The bilateral concordat between the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Scottish Executive provides for communication and co-ordination between these central government bodies.

  Fairness at Work
  Mr. Russell Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the effects on employees and trade unions in Scotland of the proposals contained in the Government's "Fairness at Work" White Paper. [126351]

  Dr. Reid
  The Government have implemented the proposals contained in the "Fairness at Work" White Paper mainly through the Employment Relations Act 1999. Workers and trade union members in Scotland have benefited a great deal from the creation of decent minimum standards at work and the emphasis on a partnership approach to work.

  Criminal Assets
  Mr. Jim Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had about the seizure of criminal assets in Scotland. [126352]

  Mr. Wilson
  My right hon. Friend has regular discussions with both his Cabinet colleagues and Scottish Executive Ministers on various matters.

  US Trade Dispute
  Mr. Moore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with(a) industry and (b) others about the future of Scottish cashmere manufacturing. [126353]

  Mr. Wilson
  I meet representatives of the industry and of individual companies on a regular basis to discuss a range of issues affecting the industry. I have written to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry about the current US Carousel retaliation threat to the cashmere and other industries, as well as discussing this with the US Ambassador to Britain. I am also in contact with the Scottish Executive on this issue.

  The hon. Member will be aware that we still await the final retaliation list from the USTR. I continue to be hopeful that our efforts on behalf of the cashmere industry have been successful.

  Mr. Tynan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent discussions he has had with the Scottish textiles industry regarding the trade dispute between the USA and the European Union. [126354]

  Mr. Wilson
  I have had a range of discussions with the industry about the current trade dispute. I have also written to the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry about the current US Carousel retaliation threat to the cashmere and other industries as well as discussing this with the US Ambassador to Britain. I am also in contact with the Scottish Executive on this issue.

  The hon. Member will be aware that we still await the final retaliation list from the USTR. I continue to be hopeful that our efforts on behalf of the cashmere industry have been successful.

  Textiles Industry
  Mr. Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the future of Scotland's textiles industry. [126358]
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  Mr. Wilson
  The Government recently announced a twelve-point plan to support the British textile industry, which has, until now, lacked an overall strategy and adequate support. The strategy will help the competitiveness of the industry by addressing issues such as the supply chain, design and research, public procurement and exports. I was delighted that the excellent work of Heriot Watt University's Galashiels Campus has been recognised by its designation as a Centre of Manufacturing Excellence in Textiles

  All the measures for the UK textile industry will equally apply in Scotland. I am delighted, however, that the Scottish Executive considers that the importance of the textile industry to the Scottish economy merits further action and is introducing a comprehensive package of additional measures to support the textile industry in Scotland.

  Eurozone
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent advice he has given to the Prime Minister regarding the readiness of the Scottish economy for entry into the eurozone. [126355]

  Mr. Wilson
  My right hon. Friend has regular discussions with the Prime Minister on a wide range of issues including the current healthy state of the Scottish economy.

  Genetic Paternity Testing
  Mrs. Irene Adams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the implications are in Scotland of the recommendations made by the advisory committee on Genetic Paternity Testing; and if he will make a statement. [126356]

  Dr. Reid
  A draft Code of Practice on Genetic Paternity Testing is currently being considered by the Human Genetics Commission. The Government plan to publish the Code later this year. The intention is that the Code will cover the whole of the United Kingdom, including Scotland.

  Drug Deaths
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action his Department is taking to reduce the number of drug deaths in Scotland as part of the UK anti-drugs strategy. [126357]

  Mr. Wilson
  Responsibility for action to reduce the number of drug deaths in Scotland lies with the Scottish Executive, working within the common UK-wide statutory framework. The reduction of drug-related deaths is a key objective of Scotland's drug strategy.

  Poverty and the Knowledge Economy
  Mrs. McKenna
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the joint management committees on poverty and the knowledge economy. [126359]

  Dr. Reid
  The Joint Ministerial Committees on poverty and the knowledge economy, which bring together Ministers from the UK Government and the devolved Administrations, both met on 26 May, in Edinburgh. The
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  meetings were chaired by the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The Advocate-General for Scotland represented the Scotland Office. A wide variety of issues were discussed. Areas discussed at the meeting on poverty included the work being done to help pensioners; the Children's Fund and social inclusion. Areas discussed at the meeting on the knowledge economy included jobs and skills. It was agreed that a conference on services for pensioners should take place later this year. The next meetings of the Joint Ministerial Committees on poverty and the knowledge economy will take place in the autumn.

  Road Accidents (A90)
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many(a) fatal and (b) serious injuries accidents occurred per vehicle mile on the A90 between Elton and Aberdeen in (i) 1995, (ii) 1996, (iii) 1997, (iv) 1998 and (v) 1999. [127228]

  Dr. Reid
  Responsibility for statistics for fatal and serious accidents in Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Executive.

  Orange Badges
  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many valid orange disability badges are currently held by individuals resident within Scotland, broken down by local authority area. [127660]

  Dr. Reid
  Responsibility for statistics for orange disability badges in Scotland is a matter for the Scottish Executive.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Bananas
  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on how her Department is working with Caribbean banana smallholders and the Fairtrade Foundation to encourage the introduction of fair trade bananas to the UK market. [127886]

  Mr. Foulkes
  I met with the Fairtrade Foundation on 13 June to discuss their request for DFID support for the launch of the Fairtrade Windward Island Banana Campaign later this year. We have agreed to provide support for this campaign, and discussions on the details are continuing.

  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on how her Department is working with the EU and other institutions to assist Caribbean banana smallholders. [127887]

  Mr. Foulkes
  We are continuing to press the European Commission to reach an agreement on a successor bananas regime that will not be WTO-compatible but will enable the continuation of a viable—albeit restructured—banana industry in the Caribbean. We are also continuing to work actively with the European Commission and other donors in a programme to support and encourage necessary reforms to achieve a more commercially based banana industry in the Eastern Caribbean. This programme is being supported by substantial funding 488W
  from the Stabex facility and the EC Special Framework of Assistance for banana industry restructuring, economic diversification and social safety net provision during the transition process.

  Intellectual Property Rights
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent discussions she has had with developing countries in respect of the Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights Agreement; and if she will make a statement. [127464]

  Mr. Foulkes
  The WTO TRIPS Council is currently conducting its review of the implementation of TRIPS legislation for 13 of its developing country members. The Government will be following this review closely.

  The Government are well aware that the TRIPS Agreement has been difficult for some countries to implement and that questions have been raised about its coverage and approach.

  The Government stand ready to offer assistance to developing countries on understanding the implication of the Agreement for themselves and its implementation.

  Our Department is actively funding programmes aimed at helping developing countries to better their Uruguay Round commitment including in the area of intellectual property rights.

  The Government's position is to maintain an agreement on TRIPS. The Government are open to constructive suggestions on how to improve the TRIPS Agreement and as part of a new comprehensive round would be open to substantive negotiations on the Agreement.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on how many occasions she has deposited papers in the Library in response to parliamentary questions tabled to her Department between 19 October 1999 and 20 April. [127673]

  Mr. Foulkes
  Between 19 October 1999 and 20 April 2000 papers have been deposited in the Library on 16 occasions in response to parliamentary questions.

  Burmese Refugees
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what measures the Government are taking to support Burmese refugees who have fled to(a) Thailand, (b) China, (c) India and (d) Bangladesh. [127802]

  Mr. Foulkes
  Over the last two years, DFID has given the Burma Border Consortium (a grouping of NGOs) a total of £537,500 for the provision of humanitarian assistance to around 110,000 Burmese refugees in Thailand. In Bangladesh, we have given UNHCR £250,000 for its programme to repatriate Burmese refugees. We understand that over 90 per cent. of these refugees have now returned to Burma, leaving some 22,500 in Bangladesh. In India and China, we understand that the number of registered Burmese refugees is very small (around 1,000 in total), and we have not targeted any assistance on these groups.

  Development Policy Forum
  Mr. Sarwar
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement regarding the Development Policy Forum held recently in Glasgow. [127720]

  Mr. Foulkes
  The Forum in Glasgow was one of a series of 11 being held across the UK between January and July this year. The Development Policy Forum process is designed to share thinking and ideas on development issues with groups and individuals from across society both to raise awareness of key issues and to deepen participants' understanding. This year's Forums have addressed three themes: achieving benefits for developing countries from the next round of World Trade negotiations, tackling corruption and aid untying.

  All three themes were addressed at the Glasgow Forum on 23 May, with useful and lively discussions taking place. The Government team was led by myself.

  Empowerment of Women
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps the Government are taking to support the efforts of international aid agencies to facilitate the empowerment of women. [127803]

  Mr. Foulkes
  The Department for International Development is working extensively to encourage international agencies to actively support the empowerment

  DFID Funded Projects Active in Sudan, June 2000

  Agency

  Project

  Amount

  CARE

  South Kordofan emergency water

  195,439

  IGAD

  Sudan Peace Secretariat, Nairobi

  18,777

  MSF

  Hyper Endemic Kala Azar treatment, Gadaref State

  346,075

  MSF

  Health assistance for local and displaced population of north Bahr El Ghazal

  400,000

  MSF

  Kalar Azar treatment/prevention, south Sudan

  207,272

  OCHA

  Operation Lifeline Sudan Security Project

  882,000

  OCHA

  Operation Lifeline Sudan: humanitarian co-ordination in Khartoum and Nairobi

  200,000

  SCF

  Support to the World Food Economy Analysis Unit

  57,154

  SCF

  Emergency distribution of seeds and tools, south Sudan

  258,333

  Tear Fund

  Nutrition Programme, Omdurman, Khartoum State

  73,610

  Notes:

  CARE= Cooperation for Assistance and Relief Everywhere

  IGAD= Inter-Government Authority on Development

  MSF= Medecins sans Frontieres

  OCHA= United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs

  SCF= Save the Children Fund

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Bailiffs
  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the powers of bailiffs. [126372]

  Mr. Lock
  Professor Beatson of Cambridge University is conducting a review of bailiff law on our behalf, and will report to us this month. The National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux has published a report, entitled "Undue Distress", on bailiff powers and regulation. The Government have substantial concerns about the way some bailiffs operate and are regulated. We will look closely at the powers and role of bailiffs in the light of both these reports.
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  of women in all their programmes. This includes key agencies in the UN, the European Commission, the international financial institutions, and international organisations in civil society. More specifically, we have recently significantly increased our support to the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM). Details of this support are published in our annual Departmental Report.

  Departmental Cars
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what is the(a) make, (b) model and (c) total number of each make and model of car (i) owned and (ii) leased by his Department; and what is the (1) purchase price and (2) annual cost of the lease of each car. [127395]

  Mr. Foulkes
  The Department for International Development makes use of three official cars, namely a Vauxhall Omega, a Vauxhall Vectra and a Ford Mondeo. All cars are used on a lease basis from the Government Car Service costing a total of £142,476.36 per annum.

  Sudan
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid projects are currently financed by her Department in the Sudan. [127156]

  Mr. Foulkes
  Projects in the Sudan currently financed by the Department for International Development are listed.

  Shrewsbury County Court
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on progress in refurbishing the Shrewsbury county court and the expected completion date thereof. [126373]

  Jane Kennedy
  The arrangement for payment of the agreed contribution of £40,000 to the Court Service from the local authority has now been resolved. There has been particular difficulty in reaching agreement with the Landlord; consequently it is anticipated that the new lease will not be signed before September 2000. Once the lease has been signed there will be a programme of works, approximately six months in duration, to be completed
  491W
  by the Landlord/Court Service. The completion date is dependent upon agreement of the lease and the Landlord disclosing the timetable for the works.

  Domestic Violence
  Ms Moran
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he intends to implement section 60 of the Family Law Act 1996 relating to domestic violence cases. [126374]

  Jane Kennedy
  Section 60 will allow third parties to apply for civil remedies in domestic violence cases on behalf of survivors of domestic violence. Those remedies are occupation orders and non-molestation orders. The implementation raises a number of questions which we are currently looking into. We will consider issuing a public consultation paper on this issue later this year.

  Magistrates Courts (South Staffordshire)
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the administration of the magistrates courts in South Staffordshire. [126375]

  Jane Kennedy
  Decisions on the administration of magistrates courts in South Staffordshire are for the Staffordshire Magistrates Courts Committee to determine, in consultation with its local paying authorities.

  Public Trust Office
  Dr. Naysmith
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the failure of the Public Trust Office Executive Agency to meet two of its key performance indicators for the 1999–2000 financial year. [126376]

  Jane Kennedy
  The Public Trust Office failed its Unit Cost and Charter Standard key performance indicators for 1999–2000 (these results are still subject to National Audit Office approval). The Unit Cost target for the 1999–2000 financial year was to generate an efficiency saving of 3 per cent. This target was failed because the Public Trust Office's cost base was increased during the year to take account of a revaluation of its building. This unexpectedly added £500,000 to annual costs. Although the Public Trust Office missed its target of achieving 98 per cent. of Charter Standards, actual performance was 96.6 per cent., a creditable result against a very demanding target.

  Legal Services Ombudsman
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the performance of the Legal Services Ombudsman. [126377]

  Mr. Lock
  The Lord Chancellor published the first full review of the Office for the Legal Services Ombudsman on 29 March. The independent review, conducted by Miss Ann Chant, found that the Office is carrying out its responsibilities effectively, notwithstanding that its work load had doubled since its creation in 1990. The Office is described as professional, strongly committed to good client service and experienced in handling high volume 492W
  cases economically and to a good standard. The Ombudsman's 1999–2000 annual report is to be published next month.

  Rural Magistrates Courts
  Mr. Paterson
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the work of rural magistrates courts. [126378]

  Jane Kennedy
  There is no difference in the work of magistrates courts in either a rural or urban location. All magistrates courts have the same criminal jurisdiction.

  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 25 January 2000, Official Report, column 180W. Magistrates courts are best managed locally by the relevant magistrates courts committee under the provisions of the Justices of the Peace Act 1997.

  County Court Fees
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what meetings he has had with the Law Society to discuss the level of county court fees. [126379]

  Mr. Lock
  I have had no meetings with the Law Society to discuss the level of county courts fees, and there has been no request for such a meeting.

  Solicitors (Supervision Office)
  Ms Coffey
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the performance of the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors. [126369]

  Mr. Lock
  We have a number of concerns about the ability of the Office for the Supervision of Solicitors to meet the casework targets that the Lord Chancellor expects them to achieve, in particular in relation to the quality of adjudication and the turnaround times. However, we acknowledge that some progress has been made in reducing the backlog of outstanding cases since August 1999. We will continue closely to monitor their performance against the targets and timetable agreed by the Lord Chancellor.

  Interactive Voice Response Systems
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many agencies of the Lord Chancellor's Department use interactive voice response systems when dealing with telephone inquiries from the general public. [127554]

  Jane Kennedy
  No agencies of the Lord Chancellor's Department use interactive voice response systems when dealing with telephone inquiries from the general public.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many departmental telephone lines used by the general public are responded to by interactive voice response systems. [127406]

  Mr. Lock
  The headquarters of the Lord Chancellor's Department does not use any interactive voice response systems.

  Written Questions
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many written parliamentary questions were tabled to his Department between 19 October 1999 and 20 April; and how many have not received substantive answers for reasons of disproportionate cost. [127682]
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  Mr. Lock
  [holding answer 26 June 2000]: In the relevant period, 345 parliamentary questions were tabled to the Lord Chancellor's Department for written answer. Of these, 11 parliamentary questions did not receive a substantive answer for reasons of disproportionate cost and a further six questions received a partial answer where a full answer could have been provided only at disproportionate costs.

  Works of Art in the House of Lords
  Works of Art in the House of Lords
  Beta Interferon
  Beta Interferon
  Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
  Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey
  Prison and Probation Services
  Prison and Probation Services
  Clandestine Immigrants: Carrier's Liability
  Clandestine Immigrants: Carrier's Liability
  Hammersmith Bridge
  Hammersmith Bridge
  Economic Cycle Assessment
  Economic Cycle Assessment
  Chinook Helicopter Accident: Response to Sheriff's Letter
  Chinook Helicopter Accident: Response to Sheriff's Letter
  Military Vessel Wrecks in UK Waters
  Military Vessel Wrecks in UK Waters
  National Army Museum: Council Meeting
  National Army Museum: Council Meeting
  Courts Martial
  Courts Martial
  Departmental Cars
  Departmental Cars
  Cabinet Committees
  Cabinet Committees
  Planning Appeals
  Planning Appeals
  Farm Attractions
  Farm Attractions
  Departmental Cars
  Departmental Cars
  Building Industry: Sustainable Construction
  Building Industry: Sustainable Construction