Written Answers of 6 March 2000

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Child Pedestrians (Accidents)
  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many child pedestrians were(a) killed and (b) injured by motor vehicles in the City of Leeds in each year since 1990. [112045]

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

  Child pedestrian casualties in accidents involving motor vehicles, City of Leeds: 1990–1998

  Year

  Killed

  Injured

  All

  1990

  5

  354

  359

  1991

  4

  298

  302

  1992

  1

  335

  336

  1993

  1

  293

  294

  1994

  2

  306

  308

  1995

  0

  282

  282

  1996

  2

  307

  309

  1997

  5

  283

  288

  1998

  2

  273

  275

  Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if local planning authorities are required to give areas of outstanding natural beauty an equal level of protection to national parks. [112466]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 2 March 2000]: The then Countryside Commission presented its advice to Government on the future care of National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONBs) in 1998. This included recommendations on planning policy guidance regarding AONBs. We announced our response on National Parks on 29 September 1999 and we will announce our proposals for a package of measures for AONBs when we have finalised our detailed consideration.

  Water Company Pensions
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received in respect of the application of the Local Government Pension Scheme (Amendment etc.) Regulations to staff affected by the termination by water companies of Sewerage Agency arrangements; and what response he will make. [113344]

  Ms Armstrong
  The Local Government Pension Scheme (Amendment etc.) Regulations 1999 are intended to provide private sector employers, bidding for Local 454W
  Authority contracts under Best Value, with an option of access to the Local Government Pension Scheme so that transferring employees can retain their membership of that scheme while they are engaged delivering outsourced local authority services. I have so far received some 24 representations about the future pension status of employees in local authorities who work on the delivery of privatised water company services through agency agreements established under the terms of the relevant Water Acts. The scale of these agreements, and the alternative pension arrangements available to those employed under them, are being established with the co-operation of the United Kingdom Steering Committee on local government pensions. In the light of that exercise, I will consider carefully the appropriate next steps.

  Ladbroke Grove Rail Accident
  Mr. Terry Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the signalling system involved in the Ladbroke Grove rail accident was designed and engineered on the assumption that all trains using the system would be equipped with automatic train protection. [112550]

  Mr. Hill
  [holding answer 3 March 2000]: The Health and Safety Executive has informed me that it was not designed and engineered on this assumption.

  Peat Compost
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 28 February 2000,Official Report, column 13W, on peat compost, if he will list the locations of the gardens of his Department including executive agencies and Government offices for the regions. [113347]

  Mr. Hill
  The Department does not keep central records of the locations of gardens on our estate. The information requested is however being obtained from each of our property centres and will be forwarded to my hon. Friend later this month.

  Environment Agency Charges
  Mr. Bill O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received about the proposed increases in charges by the Environment Agency; and if he will make a statement. [113289]

  Mr. Meacher
  The Environment Agency received 42 responses to its recent consultation exercise on its charging proposals for 2000–01. The Agency's consultation papers stated that it would forward copies of these responses to the DETR. These have now been received and the Agency's proposals are being considered.

  Combined Heat and Power
  Mrs. Heal
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to change the rating of plant and machinery in combined heat and power schemes; and if he will make a statement. [113426]
  455W
  Ms Armstrong
  Last year we published draft regulations which determine which items of plant and machinery are assessed for business rates. The regulations reflect the recommendations of the second Wood Committee. In particular, generating plant and machinery belonging to the power industry will benefit from a "tools of the trade" exemption although such items which are in the nature of a building or structure will continue to be rateable.

  We have now decided that plant and machinery used to generate electricity (such as turbines and engines) in all Good Quality Combined Heat and Power (CHP) schemes, including those used in wider industry, should benefit from this exemption.

  De-rating such plant and machinery in CHP installations will ensure that those items are treated equally across all sectors. It also illustrates our continued support for the increased take up of CHP technology which can bring considerable environmental and economic benefits.

  We will introduce the exemption from 1 April 2001 when the CHP Quality Assurance programme for assessing the quality of all types of CHP will be fully operational. The programme will determine the eligibility of CHP schemes for a range of benefits including exemption from the Climate Change Levy. The rating exemption for CHP plant and machinery will require a change in secondary legislation which we will publish in draft later in the year.

  Transport Costs
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the recent RAC survey on the relative costs to families of using their car and using public transport; and if he will make a statement. [113118]

  Mr. Hill
  My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Transport was pleased to have provided the foreword to the RAC Report on Motoring 2000 which offered a useful insight into what motorists think are the relative costs of car and public transport. As the report showed there was considerable uncertainty among motorists about the full cost of their travel by car, and of the real costs of public transport. A more accurate picture of actual costs for households is given in table 1.15 "Household expenditure on transport: UK 1987–1997 in Transport statistics in Great Britain; 1999 Edition". We are currently undertaking research to probe what impact costs, both actual and perceived, have on people's travel decisions.

  Road Schemes
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when work will begin on the(a) A2/A282 Dartford Improvement, (b) A2 Bean to Tolgate widening, (c) Tolgate to Cobham widening and (d) M60, junctions 5 to 8 widening. [113104]

  Mr. Hill
  The A2 Bean to Tolgate Widening, A2 Tolgate to Cobham Widening and A2/A282 Dartford 456W
  Improvement schemes have yet to complete their statutory procedures. The start of works dates will therefore depend on the satisfactory completion of these procedures.

  We currently plan to award the construction contract for the M60 Junction 5 to 8 Widening in 2003–04. The precise timing of the start of work will be a matter for the contractor.

  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what factors underlay the decision not to include(a) the widening of the M25 between junctions 12 and 15, (b) the Al(M) Wetherby to Walshford road scheme, (c) the A46 Newark to Lincoln improvement and (d) the A63 Selby bypass in the list of road schemes planned to start in 2001–02. [113100]

  Mr. Hill
  Owing to the time needed to complete the necessary contract procedures, construction of the M25 Junctions 12 and 15 Widening scheme could not take place any earlier than 2002–03.

  The A1(M) Wetherby to Walshford road scheme is to be constructed as part of a Design, Build, Finance and Operate (DBFO) contract. The amount of work needed to prepare the contract documents and undertake the subsequent procurement process means that the contract cannot be awarded before 2002–03.

  The contracts for the A46 Newark to Lincoln Improvement scheme and the A63 Selby Bypass are programmed to be awarded in the financial year 2001–02.

  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what impact the road schemes announced in the recent local transport settlement will have on the Government's objective of reducing traffic growth; and if he will make a statement. [113098]

  Mr. Hill
  In order to tackle congestion and pollution, the Government want to see a reduction in road traffic growth, and an absolute reduction in road traffic where its damage is greatest. The schemes will, on their own, have a very small impact on total traffic growth. However, the local bypasses will help relieve communities of inappropriate traffic and all of the schemes form part of wider local strategies to improve choice and provide better alternatives to the car, thereby reducing traffic growth.

  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the start dates and completion dates of the 37 schemes on the Government's list of targeted trunk road and motorway improvements. [113117]

  Mr. Hill
  Of the 37 schemes in the Targeted Programme of Improvements, 26 have completed their statutory procedures. I have listed the financial years in which we currently plan to award construction contracts for these schemes.

  Because Design and Build contracts will be used, the precise timing of the start of works will be a matter for the contractor. The construction periods will depend on individual contracts.

  The start dates for the other 11 schemes will depend on the outcome of the remaining statutory procedures.

  457W

  Scheme

  2000–01

  A1

  Willowburn-Debwick

  A6

  Great Glen Bypass

  A27

  Polegate Bypass

  A41

  Aston Clinton Bypass

  A43

  Silverstone Bypass

  A43

  Whitfield Turn-Brackley Hatch Impovement

  A1033

  Hedon Road, Hull Improvement

  A6

  Clapham Bypass

  A11

  Roudham Health to Attleborough

  A43

  M40-B4031 Improvement

  A66

  Stainburn and Great Clifton Bypass

  A500

  Bassford/Hough/Shavington Bypass

  A650

  Bingley Relief Road

  2001–02

  A5

  Nessclife Bypass

  A6

  Rothwell-Desborough Bypass

  A6

  Rushden and Hingham Ferrers Bypass

  A10

  Wadesmill-Colliers End Bypass

  A21

  Lamberhurst Bypass

  A23

  Coulsdon Relief Road

  A46

  Newark-Lincoln Improvement

  A63

  Selby Bypass

  A120

  Stansted-Braintree

  2002–03

  M25

  J 12–15 Widening

  2003–04

  M60

  J 5–8 Widening

  We propose to take forward A1(M) Ferrybridge to Hook Moor and A1(M) Wetherby to Walshford under Design, Build, Finance and Operate (DBFO) contracts, which we currently expect to award in 2002–03.

  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when work will begin on the(a) A249 Iwade-Queenborough Improvement, (b) A1(M) Wetherby to Walshford road scheme, (c) A1(M) Ferrybridge to Hook Moor road scheme, (d) M25, junction 12 to junction 15 widening, (e) A23 Coulsdon relief road scheme and (f) A21 Lamberhurst bypass. [113105]

  Mr. Hill
  The A249 Iwade-Queenborough went to Public Inquiry last September and the start of works date will depend on the outcome of the statutory procedures.

  We propose to take forward A1(M) Wetherby to Walshford and the A1(M) Ferrybridge to Hook Moor schemes under Design, Build, Finance and Operate (DBFO) contracts which we currently expect to award in 2002–03.

  We currently plan to award construction contracts for both the A23 Coulsdon Inner Relief Road and A21 Lamberhurst Bypass in 2001–02. The precise timing of the start of works will depend on the Contractor.

  The M25 J12–15 Widening scheme is due to start in 2002–03. The precise date will depend on the outcome of the necessary procurement processes.

  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what factors underlay the decision not to include(a) the M60, junctions 5 to 8 widening and (b) the A1 Ferrybridge to Hook Moor road scheme in the list of road schemes planned to start in 2001–02. [113099]
  458W
  Mr. Hill
  Construction of the M60 Junction 5–8 widening could not be finished in time to avoid affecting the transport arrangements for the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester. It was therefore agreed that the start construction would be delayed until the Games had finished. Construction will start in 2003–04.

  The A1 Ferrybridge to Hook Moor road scheme is to be constructed as part of a Design, Build, Finance and Operate (DBFO) contract. The amount of work needed to prepare the contract documents and undertake the subsequent procurement process means that the contract cannot be awarded before 2002–03.

  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what consultations his Department carried out before the approval of the trunk road schemes planned to start in 2000–01. [113101]

  Mr. Hill
  Shortly after elected the Government undertook a year-long strategic review of the roads programme in fulfillment of our manifesto promise. This review, unlike previous roads reviews, included extensive consultation at regional and national level. Around 14,000 responses were received to the consultation document. The results of the Review were announced on 31 July 1998.

  Road Studies
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) when the report of the study of road problems(a) in the Hull area, (b) in South East Manchester, (c) in the Tyneside area, (d) around Hastings, (e) around the London orbital motorway, (f) at Deeside Park Junction and (g) between Southampton and Folkestone is to be published; and if he will make a statement; [113102]

  (2) when the reports of the study of road problems on the (a) A3 at Hindhead, (b) South and West Yorkshire motorway box and (c) A1 between Bramham and Boston be published; and if he will make a statement. [113103]

  Mr. Hill
  We expect final reports for the studies currently under way to be published as follows:

  Areas

  Access to Hastings Multi-Modal Study

  Summer 2000

  A1 Bramham to Barton Study

  By Autumn 2000

  A3 Hindhead Study

  End 2000

  London Orbital Multi-Modal Study

  Autumn 2001

  Deeside Park Junctions Study

  Spring 2001

  Tyneside Area Multi-Modal Study

  Spring 2001

  South East Manchester Multi-Modal Study

  Spring 2001

  South and West Yorkshire Motorway Box

  Autumn 2001

  Multi-Modal Study

  Autumn 2001

  Both the Hull Multi-Modal Study and Southampton to Folkestone Multi-Modal Study are in the second tranche of our study programme. Preparatory work on these studies will begin later this year. We anticipate that it will take some 12 to 15 months to complete the Hull study and between 18 and 24 months to complete the Southampton to Folkestone Study.

  Trunk Roads
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the(a) trunk roads that are carried by a bridge, or which pass through a tunnel, of at least 600 m in length and (b) the dates on which such bridges and tunnels are set to be renewed. [113114]

  Mr. Hill
  In England there are 33 bridges and three tunnels with a length greater than 600 m, carrying 21 different trunk roads. This figure excludes trunk roads transferring to the Greater London Authority in July 2000 as these will be de-trunked.

  All these structures have long residual lives and there are no plans for their renewal in the foreseeable future. There is an ongoing programme of works to ensure all structures remain safe and serviceable.

  The Secretary of State has made it clear that, in the context of the Transport Bill, he does not have any plans to charge on existing structures that are not already tolled.

  I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Peter Nutt, to write to the hon. Member with a list and place a copy in the Library.

  Letter from Peter Nutt to Mr. Bernard Jenkin, dated 6 March 2000:
  The Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, Keith Hill, has asked me to write in response to your written PQ about trunk road structures of at least 600m in length.
  I attach a list of those structures. Please contact Gerry Hayter in our Structures Section (telephone 0171 921 4789) if you require any further information on this subject.
  The table below lists English trunk road bridges over 600m in length1.

  Road/Chainage

  Bridge name

  Comments

  A10/35.60

  Kings Meads Viaduct

  —

  A14/193.80

  Orwell Bridge

  —

  A19/131.50

  Tees Viaduct

  —

  A38/52.60A

  Marsh Mills Viaduct E/B

  —

  A38/52.60B

  Marsh Mills Viaduct W/B

  —

  A38(M)/387.2

  Aston Expressway EB

  —

  A39/182.40

  River Torridge

  —

  A631/0.30

  Tinsley Viaduct, Lower

  2—

  M1/260.1

  Tinsley Viaduct, Upper

  2—

  M2/47.00

  Medway Bridge

  —

  M4/12.70–15.60

  Elevated Section

  —

  M5/0.00

  Rayhall Bents SB3

  —

  M5/1.00–1.60

  Wigmore Bents3

  —

  M5/5.60–7.90

  Oldbury Bents3

  —

  M5/142.40

  Avonmouth Bridge

  —

  M5/194.10

  Huntworth Viaduct

  —

  M5/258.60

  Exe Viaduct

  —

  M6/178.4–182.8

  Bromford Bents3

  —

  M6/183.0–183.9

  Gravelly Hill Bents3

  —

  M6/187.2–188.0

  Thornbridge Bents3

  —

  M6/192.6–193.4

  Rayhall Bents3

  —

  M6/194.8–196.1

  Bescott Bents3

  —

  M6/300.90A

  Thelwall Viaduct (1963)

  —

  M6/300.90B

  Thelwall New Viaduct (1995)

  —

  M32/2.60

  Eastville Viaduct

  —

  M50/5.40

  Queenshill Viaduct

  —

  M53/8.40

  Bidston Moss Viaduct (West)

  —

  M56/43.50

  Weaver Viaduct

  —

  M62/161.60

  Ouse Bridge

  —

  M63/2.20

  Barton High Level

  Renamed M60

  1 Length is the cumulative span length taken from the Highways Agency's National Structures Database (NATS) rounded to the nearest metre.

  460W
  2 The A63 Tinsley Viaduct and M1 Tinsley viaduct is a 'double-decker' structure carrying two trunk roads.

  3 Elevated Road

  Note:

  Bridges due to be transferred to the Greater London Authority in July 2000 have been excluded.
  The table below lists English trunk road bridges over 600m in length1 not operated by the Highways Agency.

  Road/Chainage

  Bridge name

  Comments

  M4

  Second Severn Crossing

  Tolled

  M48

  Severn Bridge

  Tolled

  A2822

  Queen Elizabeth II (Dartford)

  Tolled

  1 Length is not taken from NATS

  2 The M25 is not continuous and the sections crossing the Thames at Dartford are correctly called the A282.

  Note:

  M48 is due to be renamed as part of the M4

  The table below lists English trunk road tunnels over 600m in length.

  Road/Chainage

  Tunnel name

  Comments

  A2821

  Dartford Tunnel

  Twin bore tunnel

  M25

  Holmesdale Tunnel

  —

  A1(M)

  Hatfield Tunnel

  —

  1 The M25 is not continuous and the sections crossing the Thames at Dartford are correctly called the A282

  London Elections
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement about the location of polling stations for early voting for the GLA and London mayoral elections. [113112]

  Mr. Hill
  We are providing for one early voting polling station for each London borough with less than 150,000 voters, and for two stations in every other borough. The exact locations of the polling stations is a matter for the boroughs themselves. They will be listed in an Order which I intend to lay before the House shortly.

  Rail Safety
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the persons to whom media briefings were given by Government press spokesmen on the subject of rail safety on Monday 21 February, prior to the Deputy Prime Minister's statement on Tuesday 22 February. [113110]

  Mr. Hill
  None.

  Rail Rolling Stock
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will estimate the value of new rail rolling stock that is waiting for safety approval; and if he will make a statement. [113113]

  Mr. Hill
  The value of rolling stock currently awaiting safety case approval is in the order of £150 million. I expect the industry to re-double their efforts to achieve safety approval and deliver these trains into service at the earliest opportunity.

  Mr. Alan Donnelly
  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations in relation to specific planning applications in the last 24 months his Department has received from Mr. Alan Donnelly prior to his resignation as a Member of the European Parliament. [113122]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Department has on record one representation from Alan Donnelly during this period. This was received in April 1999 and concerned a possible change of land use for the Vaux Brewery site in Sunderland.

  Rough Sleepers Unit
  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what will be the cost of the Head of the Rough Sleepers Unit and her department in(a) 1999–2000 and (b) 2000–01. [113124]

  Ms Armstrong
  The administration budget for the Rough Sleepers Unit in 1999–2000 is £1.013 million and in 2000–01 £1.297 million. This excludes accommodation and other support costs which are apportioned centrally.

  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what objectives and targets have been set for the head of the Rough Sleepers Unit. [113123]

  Ms Armstrong
  The key objective of the Head of the RSU is to deliver the Government's target to reduce rough sleeping to as near zero as possible and by at least two thirds by 2002.

  Windows
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make it his policy to require planning permission for a window to be inserted in an existing house wall which faces a window in a separate house and is less than 20 metres away; and if he will make a statement. [113183]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 grants a general planning permission for a range of minor works of development to dwellinghouses, including the insertion of windows. In granting permitted development rights, we have to strike a balance between giving freedoms to individual householders to improve their homes, and protecting the amenity of neighbouring properties. We are not aware of any significant problems in the exercise of permitted development rights relating to windows and therefore have no plans to change these at the present time. We will, however, continue to monitor any representations received on this issue.

  Renewable Energy
  Angela Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to promote a strategic approach to planning for renewable energy development; and if he will make a statement. [113479]

  Mr. Raynsford
  A positive, strategic approach to planning for renewable energy is essential to help to deliver the Government's targets and goals for renewable 462W
  energy and climate change, which are central to achieving sustainable development, while continuing to protect the landscape. This was underlined in "New and Renewable Energy: Prospects for the 21st Century: Conclusions in Response to the Public Consultation", published by my right hon. Friend, the Minister for Energy and Competitiveness in Europe, on 1 February 2000.

  In order to promote this strategic approach from the regional level downwards, the Government Offices for the Regions are initiating work to prepare regional assessments and targets for renewable energy provision based upon—and, where necessary, updating—existing resource studies. On 9 February 2000, DETR published "Guidance on Preparing Regional Sustainable Development Frameworks". The guidance indicated that the Government hope that the frameworks will draw upon this work and elaborate a regional approach to renewable energy, including regional targets which flow from the assessments of each region's capacity to generate electricity from a range of different sources. The Government would like to see frameworks in place in all regions by the end of 2000.

  The frameworks will work alongside Regional Planning Guidance (RPG) and Regional Development Agencies' Economic Strategies in promoting sustainable development. Thus we envisage RPG taking forward in land-use terms a region's strategy for delivering renewable energy targets by defining broad locations for renewable energy development and setting criteria to help local authorities select suitable sites in their plans. We would encourage regional planning bodies to set targets in RPG, where sensible to do so, for the structure plan and unitary development plan areas within the region consistent with the regional targets provided by the regional sustainable development frameworks. Advice on this will be set out in the final version of the revised "Planning Policy Guidance (PPG) note 11: Regional Planning". This will be published shortly.

  Together with the national planning policy guidance in "PPG 22: Renewable Energy", RPG—as taken forward through structure plans and Part I unitary development plans—will provide a strategic framework for policies and proposals for renewable energy development in local plans, including the identification in those plans of suitable sites. This, in turn, will feed through to decisions on individual planning applications.

  More positive planning at regional and local levels will contribute to greater public familiarity with, and acceptance of, prospective renewable energy developments. It remains important, however, for operators to prepare the ground with local authorities, environmental organisations and local people before formal planning applications are submitted and to develop proposals in consultation with them.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

  M25 Murder
  Mr. Radice
  To ask the Solicitor-General if, following the recent decision by the European Court of Human Rights in relation to the M25 murder case, he will take steps to expedite the appeal procedure for similar cases. [112628]
  463W
  The Solicitor-General
  This case was referred to the Court of Appeal by the Criminal Cases Review Commission. It will be for the Court of Appeal to decide whether in due course the convictions are to be quashed. I have no power to expedite such hearings, nor am I aware of any other similar cases awaiting a hearing in the domestic courts.

  Serious Fraud Office
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Solicitor-General what criteria the Director of the Serious Fraud Office is required to follow in exercising his discretion not to institute criminal proceedings in return for the person concerned giving evidence for the prosecution; what administrative procedures must be carried out before the exercise of his discretion, in particular if he is required to carry out inquiries into the antecedents of such a person; how many times the Director has exercised his discretion since 1995; if the prohibition against convicted criminals being able financially to benefit by their crimes extends to such a person; and if he will make a statement. [112407]

  The Solicitor-General
  In deciding whether to prosecute, the Director of the Serious Fraud Office applies the evidential and public interest tests set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors. Because fraud cases present particular problems of complexity it is sometimes necessary for investigators to have the assistance of one of the participants in a fraud in order to break it. Usually such a participant is on the periphery of the wrongdoing. In such cases the Director will consider all the information available at the time (including any information as to the financial or other benefits received as a result of the participation in the fraud) and may consult the Law Officers for advice. The Director will always consult the Law Officers before granting a formal written immunity from prosecution. [If the offence does not relate to serious or complex fraud the Director will seek the assistance of the Director of Public Prosecutions.] The number of times the Director has exercised his or her discretion since 1995 cannot be ascertained without incurring disproportionate cost.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Stakeholder Pensions
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultations he has had with ministerial colleagues in the Department of Social Security regarding the administrative costs stakeholder pensions to small business with more than five employees. [111807]

  Ms Hewitt
  Official from the DTI were involved in the consultation on stakeholder pensions and continue to be involved in the communications working group. In addition, a consultative panel which included employer representatives, was formed to discuss all issues relating to the scheme, including compliance costs. Concerns over burdens on business contributed to the decision to introduce an exemption for small business with less than five employees. However, we are aware that there will be administrative responsibilities for those businesses with five employees or more, and officials form the newly formed Small Business Service (SBS) are in discussion 464W
  with their DSS counterparts to consider what can be done to minimise the requirements of the administrative process.

  Ilisu Dam
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment the Government have made of Balfour Beatty's suitability as an applicant for ECGD support in relation to the Ilisu Dam Project. [112416]

  Mr. Caborn
  Balfour Beatty's application for support in respect of Ilisu is being considered by ECGD. ECGD is satisfied that they have the financial and technical competence to carry out their role in the Ilisu project, and have no reason to regard them as ineligible for ECGD support.

  Mr. Savidge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what account will be taken of past and present disputes between Turkey and neighbouring states over water resources in making the decision about ECGD support for the Ilisu Dam. [112787]

  Mr. Caborn
  As my hon. Friend will know, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has raised the issue of downstream flow as one of the four areas of concern we have about the Ilisu project. We are continuing to monitor developments on all four issues.

  Lesotho Highlands Project
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of Balfour Beatty's membership of the Lesotho Highlands Project Contractors' consortium. [112415]

  Mr. Caborn
  Allegations of corruption have been made against the Lesotho Highlands Project Contractors' consortium, of which Balfour Beatty was a member, and are the subject of court proceedings in South Africa. Balfour Beatty have said that there is no truth in the allegations.

  It will be for the Courts to decide, and their verdict is expected later this year. Meanwhile, the members of the consortium must enjoy the presumption of innocence.

  British Nuclear Fuels
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has received a copy of the report prepared by British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. for Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance Ltd.; and if he will place a copy of the report in the Library. [112567]

  Mrs. Liddell
  I have not received a copy of the report. This is a matter between BNFL and Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance.

  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry If he will make a statement in respect of the supply of MOX fuel by BNFL to Germany. [112032]

  Mrs. Liddell
  [holding answer 1 March 2000]: I understand that BNFL has reviewed all the records for quality assurance checks carried out on MOX fuel supplied to its German customer, Preussen Electra. In the case of the record for one of the pellet lots concerned, BNFL found that in 1996 a set of data collected from a secondary manual sample check of pellet diameter

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  measurements, which had already been confirmed as acceptable, was inadvertently deleted from a computer. The lost data were replaced with data collected from the same check carried out on a previous pellet lot. BNFL considers that all other secondary pellet diameter checks for MOX produced for its German customer have been properly carried out and recorded. The MOX supplied by BNFL has been operating satisfactorily in the reactor in Germany since 1997. The HSE states in its report that it is satisfied that the fuel manufactured in the MOX Demonstration Facility will be safe in use. This view is based on the robustness of the fuel manufacturing process and the totality of the checks made on the key parameters. However, BNFL's customer has decided to shut the unit down and replace the fuel assemblies concerned.

  Miners (Compensation)
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the total of payments made to date to NACODS South Wales area as reimbursement of costs incurred in the compensation claims for(a) chest disease and (b) vibration white finger. [112481]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Government make no payments direct to NACODS South Wales area.

  Under the arrangements agreed between the DTI and the Claimants' Solicitor's Groups for chest diseases and vibration white finger, the Government pay any costs or reasonable disbursements falling due direct to the solicitors. Any arrangement whereby Unions recover sums from the solicitors is strictly a matter for the parties concerned.

  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his estimate of the compensation that will be paid out over the next three years to miners and miners' widows in respect of(a) chronic bronchitis and emphysema and (b) vibration white finger in (i) Scotland and (ii) the UK. [112961]

  Mrs. Liddell
  Over the next three years we currently estimate that compensation will be paid as follows:

  (a) chronic bronchitis and emphysema

  (i) £53 million in Scotland

  (ii) £699 million in the UK (including Scotland)

  (b) Vibration white finger

  (i) £47 million in Scotland

  (ii) £760 million in the UK (including Scotland).

  These estimates are subject to considerable change. Firmer figures will become available only once significant numbers of claimants for both diseases have been through the full assessment procedures.

  Balkans (Regeneration)
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken to publicise the opportunities for British firms to take part in the regeneration of(a) Kosovo and (b) other Balkan states. [112960]

  Mr. Caborn
  On the initiative of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, British Trade International set up the joint Government/private sector Kosovo Taskforce to co-ordinate and promote the UK's response to the reconstruction opportunities in the province. The 466W
  Taskforce has done much to publicise the opportunities for British companies to play a part in the regeneration of Kosovo. Indeed, arising out of the Taskforce's activities, a consortium of British companies, with financial support from British Trade International, was awarded the concession to manage Kosovo's power sector over the seven months from last October; this is helping ensure that the people of Kosovo get through the harsh winter. Through help from the Taskforce, another British consortium was awarded the contract for the first phase of the upgrading of Pristina airport.

  During my visit to Kosovo last October, it was clear that the good will arising out of both contracts should help UK companies compete for other business, not only in these two sectors but also in other areas of activity. This will be particularly important as Kosovo moves into the next phase of recovery, with strategic infrastructure projects, designed to help secure its longer term future, being put out to competitive tender by the international agencies. I am confident that I will see UK companies making even more progress when I again visit Kosovo in June. British Trade International has posted an official to the British Office in Pristina on a short-term basis to draw the attention of appropriate companies to opportunities in Kosovo and to assist those seeking to capitalise on them; resources have been secured for the next financial year to fund this post for the longer term.

  To keep the business community abreast of commercial developments in Kosovo, British Trade International has set up a website: its address is www.brittrade.com/kosovo/. This includes information on the activities of the Taskforce and the international funding agencies—including information on projects they are funding. Kosovo has been an early and demanding test of British Trade International; it has been widely praised by the private sector for all its initiatives there.

  Many companies regard Kosovo as the springboard for entry to the wider South East Europe region (the Balkans) which presents significantly more business opportunities; these are highlighted on the Kosovo website. Through promotional events such as seminars, support for trade fairs and missions, British Trade International continues to draw the attention of UK companies to commercial opportunities generally in all the markets of the region.

  National Minimum Wage
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the number of working women in England and Wales who have benefited from the introduction of the national minimum wage. [112916]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  It is estimated that some 1.5 million workers in England and Wales became entitled to higher pay as a direct result of the introduction of the national minimum wage in April 1999. The Low Pay Commission report estimates that around two-thirds of the beneficiaries are women.

  Export Credits Guarantee Department
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the unrecovered loans issued by the Export Credits Guarantee Department(a) between 1979 and April 1997 and (b) since May

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  1997 which are attributable to defence related contracts, including details of (i) equipment, (ii) country and (iii) financial amount. [112959]

  Mr. Caborn
  The information readily available is as follows:(a) the value of claims paid by ECGD in respect of defence-related contracts under guarantees issued between the mid 1980's and April 1997 and which remain outstanding for recovery as at 29 February 2000 is as follows:

  £ million

  Country

  Value of claims outstanding

  Algeria

  98

  Egypt

  46

  Indonesia

  169

  Jordan

  253

  Kenya

  16

  The equipment supplied under these contracts includes aircraft, artillery, naval vessels, vehicles, communications and ancillary equipment.
  (b) there have been no claims paid by ECGD in respect of defence related contracts under guarantees issued since May 1997.

  Post Offices (Easington)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the number and location of crown and sub-post offices in the Easington constituency and the amount of Benefit Agency work carried out by each post office as a percentage of its business. [112805]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  I understand from the Post Office that in October 1999 there were 23 post offices, all sub-post offices, within the Easington parliamentary constituency. Of these, 19 derive 40 per cent. or more of their work load from the Benefits Agency. It is not Post Office policy to identify individual offices by the volumes and nature of business transacted.

  EU Structural Funds
  Mrs. Ellman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress he has made in meeting the requirements of the European Commission for the securing of public sector funding for the Objective 1 programme for Merseyside. [112940]

  Mr. Caborn
  It is for the Merseyside partnership to satisfy the European Commission's requirements for approval of the Single Programming Document for the Merseyside Objective 1 programme. However, my Department, other Government Departments and the Government Office for the North West are assisting the Merseyside partnership in negotiations with the Commission and in other ways, notably identifying match funding.

  Mrs. Ellman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps she is taking to co-ordinate Government activities relating to the Objective 1 programme for Merseyside and those of other Objective 1 areas. [112941]
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  Mr. Caborn
  Responsibility for the Merseyside Objective 1 rests primarily with the Merseyside partnership. The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions leads for the Government on regional policy in England. My Department is in contact with the three English Objective 1 areas and is assisting in negotiations with the European Commission as well as co-ordinating the response of all the Government Departments concerned with central government match funding for the English Objective 1 programmes.

  Flower Imports
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the value of flowers imported into the UK from non-EU sources in each year since 1990. [113028]

  Mr. Caborn
  The information is given in the table.

  UK Imports of bulbs, tubers, etc; and cut flowers from non-EU countries

  £000

  Year

  Bulbs, tubers etc

  Cut flowers and buds

  Total

  1990

  184

  40,849

  41,033

  1991

  205

  49,372

  49,576

  1992

  217

  54,784

  55,001

  1993

  217

  57,864

  58,081

  1994

  325

  63,089

  63,414

  1995

  213

  68,105

  68,317

  1996

  349

  72,271

  72,620

  1997

  489

  71,057

  71,545

  1998

  439

  64,825

  65,265

  1999

  342

  66,699

  67,040

  Source:

  Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom, HM Customs and Excise

  21st Century Faxes Ltd.
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will implement measures to deal with the activities of 21st Century Faxes Ltd. [113038]

  Ms Hewitt
  It is not the practice of my Department to discuss the affairs of individual companies. If the hon. Member has information he considers should be drawn to my attention, I would be happy to receive this.

  International Price Comparisons
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 28 February 2000,Official Report, column 50W, on international price comparisons, which national Sunday newspapers were not represented at the briefing session on 11 February. [113021]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 3 March 2000]: Representatives of all the national Sunday newspapers were invited to attend. Our records show that representatives of the Sunday Mirror and the Sunday People did not attend.

  Telephone Service Disruption
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what inquiries(a) he and (b) Oftel have started into the major faults in computers which disrupted 0845 telephone number access, NHS Direct Services and

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  other services in the week beginning 21 February; and what action is to be taken to ensure that the telecommunications infrastructure is not disrupted again. [113178]

  Ms Hewitt
  The regulation of telecommunications operators is the responsibility of Oftel. Oftel has asked BT for a full report of this network failure and for details of the measures BT will put in place to minimise the risk of this kind of failure happening again. Oftel takes network reliability very seriously and it will scrutinise carefully BT's report. When BT has completed its investigations Oftel will discuss the incident with BT and examine whether any further action will be required to ensure that the risks of further disruption are minimised.

SCOTLAND

  Departmental Employees
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of the total work force in his Department is registered as disabled; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of disabled people in his Department. [102041]

  Dr. Reid
  At 1 January 2000 no staff from the Scotland Office had self declared a disability in terms of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. (The procedure under which people could formerly be registered disabled ceased on 2 December 1999).

  Recruitment advertisements and associated information will make it clear that my Department is an equal opportunity employer and will carry the Employment Services Disability symbol, highlighting its commitment to people with disabilities and a positive approach to staff who have a disability.

  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of the total work force in his Department is of ethnic minority origin; and what steps he is taking to encourage the employment of people from the ethnic minorities in his Department. [102729]

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many senior civil servants from an ethnic minority background are employed in his Department; and how many of them are(a) men and (b) women. [110677]

  Dr. Reid
  Information on the ethnic origin of civil servants is collected using a voluntary, confidential questionnaire. To protect the privacy of individual staff, data relating to fewer than five people are not disclosed in equal opportunities monitoring. Information is therefore not available for my Department for the total percentage of the work force who are from an ethnic minority background.

  Action is being taken across the civil service to address the under-representation of ethnic minorities. As part of that, my Department will seek ways to encourage more applications from ethnic minority communities.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Employment Figures
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people have left the New Deal for young people for jobs lasting less than 13 weeks but have been included in the number leaving for sustained employment as a result of not having returned to jobseeker's allowance. [105699]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 18 January 2000]: We define sustained jobs as those where the employee is working for at least 13 weeks and does not return to claim jobseeker's allowance (JSA) in that time. If they do return to JSA we drop them from the sustained jobs figure. Using this definition, under the New Deal for young people, 126,190 have found sustained employment. We are not at present able to measure how many, if any, will have left these jobs within 13 weeks and chosen not to claim JSA.

  Benefits (Somerset)
  Mr. Ashdown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people have had their benefits stopped for failing properly to take up a New Deal option, at each benefit office within the Yeovil constituency and at the Taunton office; and if he will make a statement. [110797]

  Ms Jowell
  Between 1 April 1999 and 30 September 1999 (the latest date for which data are available), 540 young people started on New Deal and at any one time there were just over 700 young people participating in New Deal in the Employment Service's Somerset Unit of Delivery. During this six month period, eight sanctions were imposed for failing to attend a New Deal option in Somerset. This figure cannot be disaggregated to constituency level. The Somerset Unit of Delivery includes the jobcentres in Taunton, Yeovil, Bridgwater, Burnham-on-Sea, Chard, Frome, Minehead, Street, Wellington and Wells.

  Education Maintenance Allowances
  Mr. Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many education maintenance allowances have been awarded in each region to date. [111664]

  Mr. Wicks
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Milton Keynes, South-West (Dr. Starkey) on 2 March 2000,Official Report, columns 393–94W.

  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the progress of the 12 pilot schemes for education maintenance allowances. [113121]

  Mr. Wicks
  We are encouraged by the success so far in the overall take up of EMAs, which are being piloted in 15 local education authority areas. EMAs have the potential to make a real difference to the life chances of young people and are an innovative way of helping those with financial difficulties to stay in education.
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  It is too early to identify the impact which EMAs will have on participation rates, although they have increased in all the pilot areas. Anecdotal information suggests that EMAs are helping young people from disadvantaged backgrounds remain in education, when otherwise they may not have participated. A number of institutions have also reported that EMAs have had a positive effect on attendance, effort and discipline. Students recognise that if they want to have the allowance, they have a responsibility to attend regularly and adhere to their learning agreement.

  There is a sophisticated evaluation programme in place for the duration of the pilot which will provide more information in due course.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Colman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to expand the clubhouse movement as a way of assisting people with disabilities on the New Deal. [111413]

  Ms Hodge
  The Government fully support the aim of the Clubhouse movement which engages members and staff together in order to get people with mental health problems back into open paid employment. We are currently considering how the New Deal for Disabled People can best develop and will consider as part of that what role the Clubhouse movement could play.

  Secondary School Places
  Mr. Love
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many secondary age pupils are without a school place in each year group in each London borough; what assistance his Department provides to find places for these children; and if he will make a statement. [111984]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  This information is not collected centrally by my Department. Section 14 of the Education Act 1996 places a duty on individual LEAs to ensure that there are sufficient school places for all children of compulsory school age in their area. Each LEA must produce annually a School Organisation Plan, which is a 5 year rolling plan, setting out how they propose to remedy any excess or insufficiency of school places and to make provision for children with special educational needs. Plans are approved at local level by the School Organisation Committee for the area or, if they cannot agree, by an independent Adjudicator. All but two London boroughs have had the Plans they published in 1999 approved by their local School Organisation Committee.

  New Deal
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what research his Department has(a) completed and (b) is undertaking on the social, economic and fiscal costs and benefits of the New Deal. [111170]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 22 February 2000]: The Department for Education and Employment and the Employment Service have a comprehensive programme of research and evaluation underway to measure the impact of all aspects of New Deal. All the evaluation studies are carried out by independent external research organisations and all are published.
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  The research and evaluation programme comprises quantitative and qualitative research with individual participants, quantitative and qualitative research with employers, case studies of delivery and impact, and macro-economic evaluation and analysis.

  As part of this programme the Employment Service has commissioned independent analysis of the economic and fiscal costs and benefits of the New Deal for Young People. First results are reported in "The New Deal for Young People: First Year Analysis of Implications for the Macroeconomy", which was published in December 1999 and is available in the library (reference ESR 33). Analysis will continue and will be published in future annual summary reports of the macroeconomic evaluation of the New Deal for young people.

  Information on the wider social effects of New Deal is being collected in various New Deal evaluation surveys and will be analysed in published final reports.

  The following elements of the NDYP evaluation have been completed and published:

  Case studies of New Deal delivery and impact in Pathfinder areas

  National case studies of delivery and impact

  Qualitative research with individuals on Gateway in Pathfinders

  Qualitative research with individuals on Options in Pathfinders

  Qualitative research with individuals on Follow-Through in Pathfinders

  Qualitative research with individuals on national Gateway

  Qualitative research with individuals on national Options

  Early qualitative research with employers

  Stage 2 qualitative research with employers

  First annual summary report on progress on New Deal to November 1998

  Quantitative survey of leavers from New Deal Gateway to unknown destinations

  New Deal Gateway: A Labour Market Assessment.

  The following strands of the evaluation are still underway:

  Qualitative research with individuals on national Follow-Through

  Second annual summary report

  Quantitative survey of individual participants—Stage 1

  Quantitative survey of individuals participants—Stage 2 follow-up survey (interviews underway)

  Quantitative survey of participating employers

  Evaluation of New Deal for Musicians

  Survey of leavers from Options to unknown destinations

  Evaluation of Intensive Gateway Trailblazers.

  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will state the number and percentage of participants in the New Deal for 18 to 24-year-olds in(a) Great Britain, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales who have entered unsubsidised sustained employment through the New Deal; and if he will list the areas in Scotland where a smaller percentage of participants than the (i) Great Britain average and (ii) the Scottish average figures have entered unsubsidised sustained employment through the New Deal; and if he will list the number and percentage of those entering unsubsidised sustained employment in each of those areas of Scotland. [111280]
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  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 22 February 2000]: The information requested is set out in the tables. Many other young people will have found work without telling the Employment Service.

  Percentage of New Deal starts gaining sustained unsubsidised employment

  Percentage

  Scotland

  28

  Wales

  30

  GB

  29

  Scottish Units of delivery with a smaller percentage than the GB average

  Sustained unsubsidised jobs

  As a percentage of New Deal starts

  Ayrshire

  1,147

  27

  Dumfries and Galloway

  323

  27

  Edinburgh, East and Mid Lothian

  986

  28

  Fife

  977

  28

  Glasgow

  1,922

  23

  Grampian

  471

  28

  Renfrewshire

  768

  28

  Caithness and Sutherland

  71

  27

  Orkney

  18

  26

  Shetland

  14

  23

  18–24 New Deal

  25+ New Deal

  Male

  Female

  Male

  Female

  Numbers starting New Deal

  Greenock and Inverclyde constituency

  432

  180

  247

  45

  Renfrewshire Unit of Delivery

  2,118

  650

  1,328

  191

  Scotland

  33,430

  11,370

  18,050

  3,070

  Numbers entering unsubsidised employment

  Greenock and Inverclyde constituency

  170

  73

  25

  7

  Renfrewshire Unit of Delivery

  842

  360

  137

  24

  Scotland

  14,230

  4,080

  1,860

  318

  Note:

  These figures demonstrate the effectiveness of the New Deal in getting long-term unemployed people into work

  Access Funds and Hardship Loans
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Wirral, South (Mr. Chapman) of 25 January 2000,Official Report, column 151W, if he will tabulate the annual cost component element of his package for access funds and hardship loans. [112124]

  Mr. Wicks
  [holding answer 28 February 2000]: Of the £68 million which the package will cost in a full year, £10 million is identified for bursaries for disadvantaged young students, administered through Access Funds. The package did not contain any cost component for Hardship Loans. Furthermore, in 2000–01 we are making available £17 million for bursaries for mature students and £57 million for a Hardship Fund.

  Further Education
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the(a) adequacy and (b) sufficiency of further education funding in the East Midlands. [112116]
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  Scottish Units of delivery with a smaller percentage than the Scotland average

  Sustained unsubsidised jobs

  As a percentage of New Deal starts

  Ayrshire

  1,147

  27

  Dumfries and Galloway

  323

  27

  Glasgow

  1,922

  23

  Caithness and Sutherland

  71

  27

  Orkney

  18

  26

  Shetland

  14

  23

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many(a) males aged under 25 years, (b) females aged under 25 years, (c) males aged over 25 and, (d) females aged over 25, in (i) Inverclyde, (ii) Renfrewshire and (iii) Scotland as a whole have participated in the New Deal; of these how many entered full-time employment afterwards; and if he will make a statement. [111501]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 28 February 2000]: The figures shown in the table relate to the period ending December 1999.

  Mr. Wicks
  [holding answer 28 February 2000]: Analysis undertaken by the FEFC as part of its monitoring of potential risks to adequacy and sufficiency of provision indicates that there are seven, out of a total of 33 colleges funded by the FEFC within the East Midlands, assessed as category C. That classification implies that a college is financially weak or may become dependent on the goodwill of others. The Council has instigated strategies in regard to these institutions. Where there is any risk to adequacy and sufficiency the Council will be taking a proactive role in working with those colleges needing support.

  Mr. St. Aubyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the change in the number of full-time equivalent students in further education sector colleges funded by the Further Education Funding Council since 1997. [112360]

  Mr. Wicks
  The Further Education Funding Council estimate that full-time equivalent student numbers were 1 per cent. lower in 1998–99 than in 1997–98, reflecting the clampdown on the unacceptable aspects of franchising which grew up under the previous Administration. The
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  FEFC will be consulting on measures to support recruitment in line with our plans, which provide for an increase of 700,000 students in FE by 2001–02.

  Jean Monnet Projects
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what arrangements are in place to monitor the political neutrality of Jean Monnet projects. [112337]

  Ms Jowell
  The Jean Monnet project awards funds to support European courses in the Higher Education Sector. The project is run by the European Commission in consultation with university authorities. Member States authorities have no involvement in the programme, which is administered by the Commission's Directorate-General Education and Culture.

  Free School Meals
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many children are receiving free school meals in the Greater London area. [112619]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  In January 1999, the latest date for which information is available, there were 225,566 pupils taking a free school meal in maintained schools in the Greater London area. This figure represents 22 per cent. of day pupils educated in these schools.

  Information on free school meals is published annually in the Statistical Volume 'Statistics of Education Schools in England', copies of which are available from the Library.

  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the 50 local education authorities with the highest percentage of pupils that are entitled to free school meals ranked in descending order of percentage. [113200]

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

  Number and percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools 1 by local education authority area 2 in England January 1999

  Number of pupils known to be eligible for a free school meal

  Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for a free school meal3

  Tower Hamlets

  21,857

  59.2

  Hackney

  12,140

  46.3

  Islington

  10,871

  45.4

  Knowsley

  13,443

  44.8

  Manchester

  31,045

  44.5

  Southwark

  14,940

  43.5

  Lambeth

  11,872

  42.5

  Westminster

  7,127

  39.6

  Haringey

  13,104

  39.5

  Newham

  18,890

  39.1

  Liverpool

  31,560

  38.7

  Kensington and Chelsea

  4,065

  38.7

  City of London

  83

  38.4

  Hamersmith and Fulham

  6,484

  38.4

  Greenwich

  13,633

  37.3

  Camden

  8,155

  35.6

  City of Nottingham

  15,189

  35.4

  Lewisham

  12,282

  35.2

  Birmingham

  60,800

  33.7

  Wandsworth

  9,115

  32.2

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  Number and percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools 1 by local education authority area 2 in England January 1999

  Number of pupils known to be eligible for a free school meal

  Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for a free school meal3

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  13,019

  32.2

  Middlesbrough

  8,281

  32.1

  Salford

  11,142

  30.3

  Waltham Forest

  10,643

  29.8

  South Tyneside

  7,836

  29.6

  Sunderland

  14,716

  29.3

  Wirral

  15,921

  28.8

  Halton

  6,133

  27.8

  Stoke

  10,865

  27.6

  Blackburn and Darwen

  7,200

  27.6

  Brent

  10,293

  27.6

  City of Kingston-upon-Hull

  12,060

  27.5

  Rochdale

  10,072

  27.1

  Redcar and Cleveland

  7,044

  26.6

  Hartlepool

  4,571

  26.6

  St. Helens

  8,031

  26.5

  Bradford

  23,555

  26.4

  Ealing

  11,184

  26.1

  Blackpool

  5,272

  26.0

  Barking and Dagenham

  7,358

  25.3

  Barmsley

  8,739

  24.7

  Sheffield

  18,415

  24.2

  City of Bristol

  12,664

  24.1

  Hounslow

  8,612

  24.1

  Luton

  7,637

  23.9

  Leicester City

  11,680

  23.7

  Gateshead

  7,219

  23.6

  Oldham

  9,878

  23.5

  Sandwell

  12,264

  23.2

  Sefton

  10,864

  22.4

  1 Includes maintained and non maintained special schools.

  2 The table includes the 50 local education authorities with the highest percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals.

  3 The Number of pupils known to be eligible for free schools meals expressed as a percentage of the number of day pupils in school.

  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many children(a) were entitled to free school meals and (b) claimed free school meals in each of the past 10 years. [113206]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The available information is shown in the table:

  Number of pupils who take or are known to be eligible for free school meals in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools in England: 1991–99 Position as at January

  Number of pupils who take a free school meal

  Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals

  1999

  1,088,194

  1,416,709

  1998

  1,130,476

  1,465,213

  1997

  1,189,415

  1,536,300

  1996

  1,260,426

  1,570,561

  1995

  1,234,837

  1,540,505

  19941

  1,217,126

  1,505,875

  1993

  1,137,895

  1,425,141

  1992

  999,011

  2—

  1991

  818,930

  2—

  1 From 1994, figures exclude sixth form colleges which ceased to be classified as schools

  2 Not available

  Summer Camps
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what progress he has made in establishing summer activity camps; when and where the first ones will be held; how many young people will be taking part; what is the expected cost; and if he will make a statement. [112641]

  Jacqui Smith
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Daventry (Mr. Boswell) on 18 January 2000,Official Report, column 389.

  Community Action Programme
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on planned use of the Community Action Programme to combat discrimination 2000–2006 in(a) the armed forces,
  (b) schools, (c) the police force, (d) the NHS and (e) the social security system; what media campaigns are planned; and what the target audience is for planned publications. [112508]

  Ms Jowell
  The Community Action Programme to combat discrimination has been put forward by the European Commission as part of the package of proposals under Article 13 of the EC Treaty. The proposals are currently in negotiation in the Working Group of the Social Affairs Council.

  Secondary School Teachers
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many secondary school teachers in the subjects of(a) mathematics, (b) science, (c) languages and (d) technology left the teaching profession in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and how many secondary school teachers entered the profession in the same period. [112982]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Figures showing the number of secondary school teachers in the subjects of(a) mathematics, (b) science, (c) languages and (d) technology leaving the teaching profession in each of the last 10 years are not held centrally.

  The numbers' of those entering maintained secondary schools who were teaching for the first time, are as follows:

  Year to March

  Number of teachers

  19982

  10,380

  19972

  9,660

  19962

  9,320

  19952

  9,490

  19942

  8,920

  1993

  7,990

  1992

  7,290

  1991

  7,160

  1990

  7,260

  1989

  6,840

  1 All figures are rounded to the nearest 10

  1 Excluding sixth form colleges from 1994 onwards

  Sixth Form Colleges
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to ensure sixth 478W
  form colleges get the same level of financial support as secondary schools implementing the new A level curriculum. [112823]

  Mr. Wicks
  [holding answer 3 March 2000]: We have taken steps to ensure that both colleges in the FE sector and schools with sixth forms have the resources they need to introduce the revised post-16 qualifications from September this year. At the Government's request, the Further Education Funding Council has revised its funding system so as to offer colleges a clear incentive to provide students with broader programmes of study than the traditional norm. In addition, £35 million was added to the overall education standard spending settlement for 2000–01 to reflect the potential costs to local education authorities nationally of implementing the reforms in the schools they maintain.

  School Exclusions
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the 50 local education authorities with the highest number of exclusions expressed as a percentage of their school population for the last year for which figures are available. [113277]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The information is shown in the table.

  Information on permanent exclusions for the academic year 1998–99 is currently being collected and national estimates are expected to be published in a Statistical First Release in May.

  Number and percentage of permanent exclusions in maintained primary, secondary and special schools 1 by local education authority area 2 England 1997–98

  Number of permanent exclusions

  Percentage of the school population3

  Kensington and Chelsea

  38

  0.37

  Doncaster

  197

  0.37

  Westminster

  63

  0.36

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  52

  0.33

  Reading4

  54

  0.31

  Derby

  112

  0.30

  City of Bristol

  151

  0.30

  Southwark

  96

  0.29

  South Tyneside

  74

  0.28

  Manchester

  198

  0.28

  Wandsworth

  76

  0.27

  City of Nottingham4

  116

  0.27

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  54

  0.27

  Telford and Wrekin4

  69

  0.27

  Brent

  97

  0.26

  Salford

  93

  0.26

  Stoke

  101

  0.26

  Waltham Forest

  89

  0.26

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  102

  0.25

  Liverpool

  206

  0.25

  Blackburn and Darwen4

  62

  0.24

  Bracknell Forest4

  38

  0.24

  Coventry

  122

  0.24

  Sandwell

  125

  0.24

  Lambeth

  62

  0.23

  Lewisham

  77

  0.23

  Croydon

  108

  0.23

  Portsmouth

  59

  0.23

  Thurrock4

  48

  0.22

  Camden

  50

  0.22

  Leicester City

  109

  0.22

  479W

  Number and percentage of permanent exclusions in maintained primary, secondary, and special schools 1 by local education authority area 2 England 1997–98

  Number of permanent exclusions

  Percentage of the school population3

  Birmingham

  390

  0.22

  Southampton

  67

  0.22

  Slough4

  40

  0.22

  Bromley

  93

  0.21

  Harrow

  60

  0.21

  Windsor and Maidenhead4

  38

  0.20

  Medway4

  90

  0.20

  Hounslow

  71

  0.20

  Blackpool4

  40

  0.20

  Hartlepool

  34

  0.20

  Bath and NE Somerset

  50

  0.20

  Islington

  47

  0.20

  Ealing

  82

  0.19

  Havering

  70

  0.19

  Leeds

  225

  0.19

  Tameside

  73

  0.19

  Enfield

  87

  0.19

  Bexley

  72

  0.19

  Darlington

  29

  0.19

  1 Includes maintained and non maintained special schools

  2 The table includes the 50 local education authorities with the highest percentage of permanent exclusions

  3 The number of permanent exclusions expressed as a percentage of the number (headcount) of full and part-time pupils of all ages in primary, secondary and special schools, excluding dually registered pupils in special schools in January 1998

  4 From April 1998

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the total of accumulated TEC surpluses to date. [113212]

  Mr. Wicks
  Based on the 1998–99 consolidated annual statutory audited accounts of 72 English TECs, the total of accumulated TEC post-tax surpluses/deficits was a deficit £12.7 million.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the hon. Member for Walsall, North will receive a reply to his letter of 31 January concerning political material in schools. [113310]

  Jacqui Smith
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply issued today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Rat Infestation
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee what was the total expenditure in each of the last three years for treating and controlling rat infestations in the Palace of Westminster. [113068]

  Sir Sydney Chapman
  The Palace of Westminster does not have a significant problem of infestation by rats, and most of the vermin supposedly identified as rats 480W
  have, in fact, tuned out to be mice. However, the total expenditure on pest control for the Palace of Westminster for the last three years has been follows:

  £

  1996–97

  15,881

  1997–98

  15,185

  1998–99

  16,405

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Local Authority Loans
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland of he will propose an amendment of the law to allow local authorities in Nothern Ireland to redeem outstanding long term loans; and if he will make a statement. [112655]

  Mr. Ingram
  Redemption terms were published in the Belfast Gazette on 13 Junuary 1995.

  HMP Maghaberry
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on what date instructions were last issued at HMP Maghaberry, governing the receipt by prisoners of printed materials dealing with political subjects; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [111942]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 2 March 2000]: There are no specific instructions in existence regarding the receipt by prisoners of printed materials dealing with political subjects at Maghaberry Prison. The admission of all printed material to HMP Maghaberry is governed by Rule 67 of the Prison and Young Offenders Centre Rules (Northern Ireland) 1995. HMP Maghaberry is a fully integrated prison with no segregation on grounds of political, religious or paramilitary affiliation. As a result, the Governor may use his discretion, under Prison Rule 67, to refuse admission to printed material dealing with political subjects if he believes it could prejudice the security, or control, of the prison by raising tensions between such affiliates.

  Good Friday Agreement
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to restore dialogue between the parties to the Good Friday Agreement. [113360]

  Mr. Mandelson
  Following my decision on 11 February to suspend the operation of the institutions, I have had several meetings with the political parties in Northern Ireland and with the Irish Government. I will have a further series of meetings during the course of this week to determine how the necessary cross community confidence can be rebuilt to enable the institutions to be restored as soon as possible.

  Infertility Treatment
  Mr. Donaldson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will recommend a minimum level of infertility treatments per 100,000 of population in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [113189]
  481W
  Mr. George Howarth
  I have no plans to recommend a minimum level of treatment for infertility. In line with Health Authorities in Great Britain, it is a matter for the Health and Social Services Boards in Northern Ireland to determine the priority to be given to infertility services in their areas. Such decisions are taken in the light of local needs, available resources and clinical effectiveness.

  Central Services Agencies Register
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people there are on the Central Services Agencies Register. [112798]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The number of General Medical Practitioners on the Central Services Agency's Register was 1,061 at 1 February 2000, the latest date for which figures are available.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  New Public Bodies
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the new public bodies established by his Department since May 1997. [112672]

  Jane Kennedy
  The annual Cabinet Office publication, "Public Bodies", provides information on a range of public bodies. The 1997 edition lists those public bodies in existence prior to May 1997. The 1998 and 1999 editions list public bodies in existence in subsequent years. Copies of these publications have been placed in the Library of the House. Copies are also available on the Cabinet Office website (www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/quango).

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  National Lottery
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if the statement that rural areas received a higher share of National Lottery awards than urban areas on page six of the report by the Cabinet Office, entitled "Sharing the Nation's Prosperity," refers to(a) the share of the number of individual lottery awards or (b) the monetary value of the awards. [110507]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  [holding answer 17 February 2000]: The statement that rural areas received a higher share of National Lottery awards than urban areas is based on the number of awards per capita.

  Communications Industry
  Mr. Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to create a single regulator for the communications industry. [112616]

  Janet Anderson
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry announced on 3 February their intention to publish a White Paper later this year setting out the Government's proposals for the reform of communications legislation. It 482W
  is to early to say at this stage what the White Paper will propose concerning the regulatory structures for the communications industry.

  Parthenon Marbles
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is his policy on the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Greece. [113163]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Government believe that the Parthenon sculptures should remain at the British Museum.

  Concessionary Television Licences
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list by constituency the number of pensioner households which(a) will and (b) will not be eligible for the free television licence in November. [113018]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 3 March 2000]: This information is not available. 1991 Census information is out of date and no household survey has a sample size sufficient to make reliable estimates of qualifying households at a constituency or local authority level.

  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many pensioner households will not receive the free TV licence for the over 75s. [111865]

  Janet Anderson
  The estimated number of households consisting only of people of state pensionable age but below the age of 75 is 2.9 million.

DEFENCE

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many questions to his Department tabled for ordinary written answer during Session 1998–99 were answered(a) within two weeks of tabling, (b) within one month of tabling, (c) within three months of tabling and (d) after three months of tabling. [106491]

  Dr. Moonie
  During the Session 1998–99, 1,347 questions were tabled to my Department for ordinary written answer. Of this total, 1,240 were answered within two weeks of tabling, 1,284 were answered within one month of tabling and 1,304 were answered within three months of tabling. All 1,347 questions were answered after three months of tabling.

  Anglo-French Submarine Patrol
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions involving Ministers and officials of his Department have recently taken place or are planned within the Anglo-French Joint Commission on Nuclear Policy and Doctrine concerning joint or co-ordinated ballistic missile submarine patrols with the French Navy. [112423]
  483W
  Mr. Hoon
  None. The UK/France Joint Nuclear Commission, established in 1992, normally meets twice yearly at official level for discussions on a wide range of issues. By joint agreement, these exclude the operational deployment of our respective nuclear deterrent forces.

  Euro
  Mr. Portillo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money has been spent to date by his Department and by bodies funded by his Department in connection with the National Changeover Plan; on what headings this money has been spent; and how much his Department plans to spend on implementing the plan over the next 12 months. [112146]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 29 February 2000]: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given on 29 February 2000, Official Report, column 233W, by my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary.

  River Class Minesweepers
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason the Ministry of Defence Performance report 1998–99 published on 20 December 1999 includes River Class minesweepers transferred to Brazil in 1998; and if he will make a statement. [112431]

  Mr. Hoon
  The Ministry of Defence Departmental Performance Report 1998–99 covers the period 1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999. The River Class Patrol Minesweepers—Blackwater, Itchen, Spey and Arun—were reported in two sections of the Report: Paragraph 41 and Annexe B. Paragraph 41 noted their hand-over to the Brazilian Navy, which occurred between the end of April 1998 and mid October 1998. Annexe B, the Royal Navy Force Structure table, detailed all Fleet Force Elements in-service during the period of the Report. Annexe B correctly included three of these four vessels which were still in service between April and July 1998, but failed to include a footnote on their pay off dates. The fourth vessel—Itchen—was paid off at the end of February 1998, outside the reporting period, and should not therefore have been included in this table.

  A further error has been found in the Royal Navy Force Structure table at Annexe B of the Performance Report. The section detailing the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Force Elements shows only one Roll-on Roll-off vessel, Sea Crusader, in service during the period. In this case, the strength of the Fleet was understated as the second vessel in the class, Sea Centurion, entered Immediate Operational Service on 19 October 1998.

  Defence Evaluation and Research Agency
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what written representations on the proposals for the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency public-private partnership have been received by his Department from the United States Department of Defense. [112369]

  Mr. Hoon
  Officials in my Department have received written representations on the proposal to implement a public-private-partnership (PPP) for the Defence 484W
  Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) from the following representatives in the US Department of Defense (DOD):

  The Hon. Jacques Gansler, Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition and Technology);

  Dr. Dolores Etter, Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Science and Technology);

  Walter Hollis, Deputy Under Secretary of the Army (Operational Research);

  Lieutenant General Kadish, Director Ballistic Missile Defence Organisation; and

  John Manela rk, Director Test and Evaluation, US Air Force.

  In addition, officials have received a number of electronic mails from Dr. Craig Dorman, the Chief Scientist of the Office of Naval Research, the DOD's nominated focal point for DERA PPP.

  Comment in this written correspondence has focused on the following areas:
  Maintenance of existing UK/US Government interactions in science and technology following PPP;
  Protection of security and commercially sensitive information, and the application of the proposed "compliance regime";
  Legal and contractual issues associated with the proposed PPP;
  The need to avoid possible conflicts of interest arising from a private sector DERA's commercial imperatives and government functions;
  Possible alternative PPP options and their ability to meet both governments' requirements.

  French Navy
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions have taken place involving(a) officials and (b) Ministers from his Department on arrangements for ballistic missile submarines from the French Navy to visit the UK. [112650]

  Mr. Hoon
  We hope that a visit by a French ballistic missile submarine to HM Naval Base, Clyde, will be possible later this year. Initial discussions have taken place at official level on the arrangements for such a visit; further meetings are planned. No discussions involving Ministers have taken place.

  Victory Gate
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for how long the main gates at Victory Gate, Royal Naval Yard, Portsmouth, are to remain closed. [R] [112689]

  Dr. Moonie
  The main gates were shut for a matter of a few days to allow essential maintenance work to be undertaken. The gates were re-opened on 24 February 2000 for pedestrian access, although vehicle access will remain restricted until work is completed on the Millennium Walk in the Heritage Area of the Naval Base.

  Anthrax Vaccine
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's policy is on the use of anthrax vaccine which has passed its recommended use-by date; and if such vaccine has been used since 1990. [112999]

  Dr. Moonie
  Our policy is only to use vaccine which has a current licence granted by the Medicines Control Agency (MCA). Our stocks of anthrax vaccine that were
  485W
  procured for the 1990–91 Gulf Conflict have, since 1993, had their shelf-life extended by the MCA on a number of occasions and only these stocks have been given to personnel.

  UK Hydrographic Office
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list(a) those targets of the UK Hydrographic Office for 1998–99 which (i) were and (ii) were not achieved, giving the factors affecting the outcome in each case and (b) action taken by the agency to improve target achievement performance in 1999–2000; and if he will make a statement. [111735]

  Dr. Moonie
  This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the right hon. and learned Member.

  Letter from J. P. Clarke to Mr. Menzies Campbell, dated 6 March 2000:
  You recently asked the Secretary of State for Defence a Parliamentary Question relating to the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO). As the matters you raise fall within my responsibility as Chief Executive of the UKHO, I have been asked to reply to you direct. The Agency's performance on key targets were reported in our Annual Report and Accounts 1998–99, which is available in the Library of the House.
  The following targets for 1998–99 were achieved:
  Key Target 2 To achieve 100% of the endorsed and funded Defence Programme to cost, quality and timeliness targets as defined in Tasking Authorisation Forms (TAFs);
  Key Target 3 To meet short-notice Defence operational requirements within agreed timescales;
  Key Target 4 Implement, by 30 September 1998, new performance indicators of product availability and service levels for response times as perceived from our customers' perspective for improving safe navigation;
  Key Target 5 To break even taking one year with another; and Key Target 6 To achieve an average Return on Capital Employed (ROCE) during the plan period of 7.5 per cent.
  The following factors affected the outcome of the remaining two targets for 1998–99:
  Key Target 1 To process and promulgate priority safety information within stated timescales from receipt of data.
  The five performance indicators that contribute to this target and the actual annual per cent. compliance achieved for each is as follows:

  1. 100 per cent. of Radio Navigational warnings (RNW) within thirty minutes for SafetyNet and four hours for NAVTEX. Achieved 100 per cent.

  2. 100 per cent. textural Notices to Mariners from textural sources within 5 weeks. Achieved 98 per cent.

  3. 100 per cent. textural Notices to Mariners from graphic sources within 10 weeks. Achieved 94 per cent.

  4. 100 per cent. Notice to Mariners - issued as Blocks within 15 weeks. Achieved 100 per cent.

  5. 100 per cent. Urgent New Editions within 24 weeks. Achieved 99 per cent.

  The Notice to Mariners performance indicators are challenging and any failure to meet them is examined for reasons and ways to improve our processes. The Urgent New Editions Performance reflects the delay of one new edition due to higher priority work.
  Key Target 7 To achieve efficiency savings of 13.5 per cent. of controllable costs (based on controllable costs for FY95–96) by 31 March 2001.
  This Key Target is not due for completion until 31 March 2001. The United Kingdom Hydrographic Office has achieved a net positive efficiency and is on target to meet the five-year objective of 13.5 per cent.
  486W
  To improve target achievement performance in 1999–2000, the UKHO detailed a range of improvement measures in a five year Corporate Plan that was approved by the responsible Minister. The plan includes proposals for both short and long-term Improvements and details a range of capital investments, performance reviews and an efficiency plan.

  RAF Training Group Defence
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list(a) those targets of the RAF Training Group Defence for 1998–99 which (i) were and (ii) were not achieved, giving the factors affecting the outcome in each case and (b) action taken by the agency to improve target achievement performance in 1999–2000; and if he will make a statement. [111739]

  Dr. Moonie
  This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Training Group Defence Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the right hon. and learned Member.

  Letter from G. E. Willis to Mr. Menzies Campbell, dated 6 March 2000:
  I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the RAF Training Group Defence Agency performance against its 1998–99 Key Targets as these matters fall within my responsibility as Chief Executive of the Agency.
  The Agency had 4 Key Targets which were published in the Training Group Defence Agency Annual Report and Accounts 1998–1999, a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House.
  Key Target 1—Quality of Product. This target is concerned with the achievement of customer satisfaction with the quality of graduate trainees, as reflected in Customer Advisory Committee reports to the Air Officer Commanding in-Chief. The specific target for 1998–99 was the development of a quality monitoring system by 31 March 1999, which was achieved.
  Key Target 2—Efficiency. The target was to deliver the savings that accrue from the efficiencies planned for FY 98–99. The requirement for 1998–99 was a saving of £10.042M. The actual savings made of £11.529M means this target was also achieved.
  Key Target 3a—Quantity of Output (Flying Training). This target concerns the percentage of trained personnel delivered against RAF requirements. The target set for 1998–99 was 96.0%. The actual achievement was 78.8%. Full output was only achieved in the case of Air Engineers. The reasons for shortfalls in other areas of flying training were as follows:
  Fast jet pilots—operational commitments, which took qualified flying instructors away from the flying training task and a temporary problem with aircraft serviceability were the main factors.
  Multi engine pilots—student numbers had to be reduced because a backlog was developing due to the delayed delivery of the C130J impacting on the ability of the front line to absorb newly trained pilots.
  Rotary Wing pilots—a shortfall arose as the failure rate of trainees was slightly higher than forecast.
  Navigators—a temporary instructor shortage and poor weather resulted in the cancellation of one course. Additionally, some navigator recruits were switched to pilot training during their Initial Officer Training to meet increased demand for pilots.
  Airmen Aircrew disciplines—insufficient recruits to meet the full requirements.
  Key Target 3b—Quantity of Output (Ground Training). This target also concerns the percentage of trained personnel delivered against RAF requirements. The target set for 1998–99 was 97.0%.

  487W
  The actual achievement was 96.3%. The shortfall was due to recruitment difficulties in certain trades, most notably the RAF Regiment.
  Key Target 4—Development of Output Costings and Unit Cost Measures. This target covered the need to provide full output costings and associated unit cost and efficiency measures for the Agency by FY 00–01. The 1998–99 target which was to produce an Output Costing Model was achieved.
  You ask what action is being taken to improve performance. The remedial actions taken by the Training Group Defence Agency are as follows:
  All non-essential flying tasks cancelled to maximise the flying training hours available.
  Management action has increased the serviceability of aircraft and improved the provision of spares.
  The Hercules Multi-Engine Operational Conversion Unit's planned output is being increased to eliminate the backlog of students.
  The RAF Personnel Management Agency has addressed the availability of instructors.
  Recruiting strategy has been reviewed and as a result we are targeting populations where recruitment has been poor.
  In addition to the recruitment measures other actions to improve performance against Ground Training targets include pre-training course visits by potential recruits to the RAF Regiment Depot and the development of new training courses that provide the opportunity to gain Modern Apprenticeships. I am pleased to say that these are proving very popular with the recruitment of aircraft technicians.
  I hope that this is helpful.

  Defence Communications Services
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list(a) those targets of the Defence Communications Services for 1998–99 which (i) were and (ii) were not achieved, giving the factors affecting the outcome in each case and (b) action taken by the agency to improve target achievement performance in 1999–2000; and if he will make a statement. [111748]

  Dr. Moonie
  This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Communication Services Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the right hon. and learned Member.

  Letter from A. J. Raper to Mr. Menzies Campbell, dated 6 March 2000:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence, about the targets for the Defence Communication Services Agency, as this matter falls within my area of responsibility, being the Chief Executive of the Agency.
  I am pleased to report that the DCSA achieved all of its Key Targets for the Financial Year 1998/99. Further information is contained on Page 10 of the DCSA Annual Report 1998/1999, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. The DCSA Key Targets for 1998/99 were essentially developmental targets for the first year of the Agency's existence. They were primarily concerned with system availability as opposed to measuring of a service. This was a reflection of the approach historically taken by Defence in the provision of information services. However, it is the quality and availability of the services which are of importance to Defence customers and the Key Targets for FY 1999/2000 therefore focus on measurement of these services. Clearly, the new Key Targets needed to be both quantitative and measurable. I have included details of them at Annex A for your information.
  Given the need to focus upon the provisions of services, the DCSA has changed its internal management processes accordingly and reviews the performance of its services against the new Key Targets on a monthly basis. The information is presented to the Management Board using a Balanced Scorecard approach, supported by a comprehensive monthly report, which provides detailed
  488W
  analysis of Agency performance against its Business Plan and all 4 Key Targets. The Agency has improved performance against the targets by designing and then refining the internal business processes that are needed to deliver services. The proposed Key Targets for Financial Year 2000/01 will not change as radically as the change between the Agency's first years with the exception of the inclusion of a new efficiency target: to achieve an improvement in efficiency by reducing the average unit cost of output for current DCSA products by 5% per annum.
  DCSA Key Targets For 1999/00

  1. KT1—Service Quality—To achieve a mean 95% of the quality of service performance targets in the Baseline Services Document for the timeliness, accuracy and protection of information transfer services except where other specific targets have been agreed with customers.

  2. KT2—Service Provisioning—To commission 90% of new requests for service on or before the dates agreed with customers.

  3. KT3 Service Restoration—To restore 95% of interrupted services classed as operationally urgent within 4 hours or within specific other periods agreed with customers.

  4. KT4 Operator Services—To answer 85% of calls to DCSA telephone Operator Assistance Centres in UK and Germany within 15 seconds.

  5. The following targets were also proposed as Key Targets for FY 1999–2000 but were deemed inappropriate. They have, however, been included within the Agency's Corporate Plan as strategic objectives:

  a. Customer Satisfaction—To be graded Moderate or High in 70% of customer surveys.

  b. Efficiency Measurement—To establish a baseline of unit costs of the DCSA's outputs against which efficiency targets can be set in future years.

  Medical Supplies Agency
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list(a) those targets of the Medical Supplies Agency for 1998–99 which (i) were and (ii) were not achieved, giving the factors affecting the outcome in each case and (b) action taken by the agency to improve target achievement performance in 1999–2000; and if he will make a statement. [111744]

  Dr. Moonie
  This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Medical Supplies Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the right hon. and learned Member.

  Letter from Brian Nimick to Mr. Menzies Campbell, dated 6 March 2000:
  1. I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the Medical Supplies agency's performance and targets for financial year 1998/99 as these matters fall within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Medical Supplies Agency.
  2. The details of those targets for 1998/99, which were achieved are shown below:

  a. The Key Targets of this Agency for 1998/99 which were achieved:

  (1) Key Target 1. To build, completed and to time and within budget, for all three Services, 95% of the programme for kits, outfits and packs, as defined in endorsed Equipment Tables and as directed by Director Medical Programme and Plans, at the Surgeon General's Headquarters.

  (2) Achievement and factors affecting the outcome. The build programme originally defined was met apart from one tranche. In terms of modules completed this represented a 98% success, so the Key Target was achieved. The one tranche not completed was deferred by Director Medical Programme and Plans, because of other urgent operational commitments. These accounted to more than the postponed tranche, but were successfully completed by the Medical Supplies Agency.

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  (3) Key Target 2. To meet 100% of the Services' requirements for stocked medical material blood products for operations.

  (4) Achievement. As at the fourth quarter of 1998/99, all requirements for stocked medical material and blood products for operations had been met despite heavy operational commitments.

  (5) Key Target 3. To meet 98% of the Services' requirements for stocked medical material and blood products for exercises and training.

  (6) Achievement. The services' planned requirements for exercises and training were fully met by the fourth quarter of the financial year 1998/99.

  (7) Key Target 5. To improve the ratio of stock held from 1.30 to 1.72.

  (8) Achievement. The Stockturn figures for the financial year 1998/99 was 1.96.

  (9) Key Target 6. By 31 December 1998, the Medical. Supplies Agency will have set in place a mechanism, which communicates the full cost of the drugs and medical material supplied. The communicated costs will be in a format which is acceptable to the Agency's major customers, whether or not they have a Service Level Agreement.

  (10) Achievement. The means of communicating costs was in place by 31 December 1998. The format has been continually developed by the Agency and its customers.

  b. The Key Target of this Agency for 1998/99 which was not achieved with factors affecting the outcome are as follows:

  (1) Key Target 4. to meet 85% of demands for Category B items, within the Medical Supplies Agency's new charter standard (next day delivery of priority demands; 72 hours for routine); and 95% within one week.

  (2) Achievement and factors affecting the outcome. The Annual Report for 1998/99 recorded an overall improvement throughout the year. The success rate for the fourth quarter was 78% achieved within 1 week for priority demands, with 56% within 1–3 days. Overall the figures show 54% of all demands were achieved within 1 week and 45% of demands were achieved within 1–3 days.

  (3) Comment: This new Charter Standard was introduced at the start of the year, which was a step change form the MOD standard of 28 working days for routine delivery. The standard was regarded as aspirational and the first target speculative. In the event, our plans suffered because of an unforecast and substantial increase in the number of demands presented over the period: up from 66,000 in the first quarter of 1997/98 to 78,500 in the last quarter of 1998/99. Had the volume of demand remained constant, it is probable that this target would have been met. In the overall assessment of this Agency's performance Surgeon General accepted these difficulties.

  3. Details of the actions taken by the agency to improve target achievement performance in 1999/2000 are as follows:

  a. A complete review of the inventory to ensure the correct balance between items supplied from stock and those procured to order (benefit all Key Targets).

  b. The extension of E-Commerce to cover a larger range of high volume items in the inventory (Key Target 4).

  c. The introduction of the use of production orders in the modular build programme (Key Targets 1, 2 and 3).

  d. An extensive programme to dispose of unwanted items (Key Target 5).

  e. The introduction of computerised interim stock management at the Medical Distribution Centres (Key Target 4).

  4. The Medical Supplies Agency's Annual Report and Accounts for 1998/99 are currently being produced. Copies will be lodged in the libraries of The House of Commons and The House of Lords following publication.

  Ships Support Agency
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list(a) those targets of the Ships Support Agency for 1998–99 which (i) were and (ii) were not achieved, giving the factors affecting the outcome in each case and (b) action taken by the agency to improve target achievement performance in 1999–2000; and if he will make a statement. [111737]

  Dr. Moonie
  This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Ships Support Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the right hon. and learned Member.

  Letter from John Coles to Mr. Menzies Campbell, dated 6 March 2000:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence in which you asked for a list of those targets for the Ships Support Agency for 1998–99 which were achieved and those which were not, giving the factors affecting the outcome in each case. You also asked for details of the action taken by the Agency to improve target achievement performance in 1999–2000. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Ships Support Agency.
  The information that you seek, including a list of the initiatives we are pursuing to improve our performance, is contained in my Agency's Annual Report and Accounts for 1998/99, in particular in the Section entitled Review of Performance. A copy of the report is held in the Library of the House.
  In addition to the initiatives referred to in the Agency's report, the introduction of Smart Procurement and the establishment within the Agency of a number of Integrated Project Teams will help to streamline the acquisition and support process from cradle to grave. These too are expected to contribute to improvements in performance, if not in 1999–00, then in the following and subsequent financial years.

  Queen Victoria School
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list(a) those targets of the Queen Victoria School for 1998–99 which (i) were and (ii) were not achieved, giving the factors affecting the outcome in each case and (b) action taken by the agency to improve target achievement performance in 1999–2000; and if he will make a statement. [111758]

  Dr. Moonie
  This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Queen Victoria School. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the right hon. and learned Member.

  Letter from Brian Raine to Mr. Menzies Campbell, dated 6 March 2000:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence, about the targets for Queen Victoria School, as this falls within my area of responsibility being the Chief Executive of the Agency.
  It is pleasing to report that Queen Victoria School achieved all its Key Targets for 1998–99 and the results of that financial year's performance were included in the Annual Report and Accounts which were laid before Parliament on 26th July 1999. For your ease of reference, I am providing extract details of the Key Targets at Annex A.
  The Agency's Key Targets (KTs) are reviewed annually by the Board of HM Commissioners for the School and the Adjutant General's staff, to ensure targets are taut, realistic and demanding. No changes to the School's academic targets (KTs 1–3) are planned for the year 1999–2000, since these are considered sufficiently

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  challenging by HM Commissioners, who have taken advice from HM inspectors. In line with the continuing drive for efficiency, the School's per capita rate which has remained largely unchanged fro 1999/2000, will be set at a lower and more challenging target for 2000/01. In addition the income generation target has been reviewed and a more challenging target is being proposed for 2000/01.

  Key Targets Achieved for 1998/99
  Target 1
  Achieve a staying on rate at School for S4 to S5 of at least 68% based on a 3-year trend.
  This target was achieved in that 69% stayed on from S4 to S5.
  Target 2
  Exceeded by 2% the average percentage pass rate for all Scottish presentations obtaining 5 or more Credit awards at Standard Grade.
  This target was achieved in that 34% attained at least 5 Credit awards at Standard Grade. The National average was 30%.
  Target 3
  Achieve a percentage of the presentations at Higher Grade achieving A to C grade greater than or equal to the Scottish average based on a 3-year trend.
  Based on the last 3 years the School average was 69% which is the same as the National average: thus the target was achieved.
  Target 4
  To achieve a pupil per capita cost of no more than £17,246 (at 1997/98 prices) by March 1999. 1997/98 target was £17,420.
  This target was achieved. The pupil per capita cost was £14,458.
  Target 5
  To generate commercial income to the School of at least £20,000.
  This target was achieved. Commercial income of £22,984 was generated.

  Army Base Repair Organisation
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list(a) those targets of the Army Base Repair Organisation for 1998–99 which (i) were and (ii) were not achieved, giving the factors affecting the outcome in each case and (b) action taken by the agency to improve target achievement performance in 1999–2000; and if he will make a statement. [111766]

  Dr. Moonie
  This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Army Base Repair Organisation. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the right hon. and learned Member.

  Letter from J. R. Drew to Mr. Menzie Campbell, dated 6 March 2000:
  I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about (a) those targets of the Army Base Repair Organisation (ABRO) for 1998/99 which (i) were and (ii) were not achieved, giving factors affecting the outcome in each case and (b) the action taken by the agency to improve target achievement performance in 1999/00. This falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive.
  The performance of the Agency against its Key Targets is published each in the ABRO Report and Accounts; a document that receives wide distribution to those within ABRO's sector of the defence community. In 1998/99 ABRO was set the five key targets listed at the Annex to this letter and achieved the required level of performance against all but one of them.
  In 1999/2000 ABRO has continued to focus on the delivery of service to the Armed Forces. At the same time, following the announcement in the Strategic Defence Review that ABRO should
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  become a Trading Fund, a challenging change programme is being pursued to get the Agency to where it needs to be in order to vest as a Trading Fund. The Agency is on target to commence shadow trading with the Ministry of Defence on a progressive basis from April 2001. Formal Trading Fund Vesting is planned for April 2002. A full record of Agency activities and progress, including performance against its targets, will be included in the Report and Accounts for the year ending 31 March 2000, which will be available later in the year. I will ensure that you receive a copy.

  ABRO Performance against its key targets for 1998/99:

  Key target 1—Throughput Target
  To deliver a responsive service which matches the needs of the customer in peace and for operations to the agreed timeliness, quantity and quality criteria, to the maximum extent possible with available resources.
  Result—achieved

  Key target 2—Financial Performance Target
  To remain within ABRO's allocated budget
  Result—not achieved
  The allocated cash budget for the Agency was £141.6M, while spend amounted to £144.8M, which was 2.3% over allocation. This exceeds the +/-1.5% tolerance set as the performance indicator for this target. However ABRO deliberately brought forward planned capital expenditure from 1999/00 to 1998/99 and this action contributed to higher budgetary level requirements. Consequently, it had an unfortunately effect upon the ABRO key target.

  Key target 3—Efficiency Target
  To reduce the ratio of labour costs to hours of production by 2% from those of the averaged last three years.
  Result—achieved

  Key target 4—Quality Target
  To deliver objective measures of customer satisfaction
  Result—achieved

  Key target 5—Milestone Target
  To deliver an Implementation plan embracing the endorsed recommendations from the Agency and ES Next Steps Reviews.
  Result—achieved.

  RAF Logistic Support Services
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list(a) those targets of the RAF Logistic Support Services for 1998–99 which (i) were and (ii) were not achieved, giving the factors affecting the outcome in each case and (b) action taken by the agency to improve target achievement performance in 1999–2000; and if he will make a statement. [111757]

  Dr. Moonie
  This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Logistics Support Services Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the right hon. and learned Member.

  Letter from K. A. Bradshaw to Mr. Menzies Campbell, dated 6 March 2000:
  Parliamentary questions from the right hon. Menzies Campbell CBE QC MP (Liberal Democrats) (Fife North East) concerning the achievement of logistics support services agency key targets:
  I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about achievement of Logistics Support Services Agency

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  (LSSA) key targets as the matter falls within my area of responsibility. I have numbered the replies to match your questions.

  a. LSSA targets

  (1) Achieved:

  Percentage

  1998–99

  Serial

  Key target from LSSA corporate plan

  Target

  Outturn

  1.

  To produce deliverables by the target date agreed with the sponsor

  85

  89

  2.

  To deliver outputs at the cost agreed with the sponsor

  80

  81

  3.

  To produce deliverables to the sponsor's complete satisfaction

  90

  97

  This year was the first that pan-agency performance targets were set. As we had no knowledge of what was achievable, the targets were tentative. Nevertheless, the targets at serials 1 to 3 were all achieved.

  (2) Not Achieved

  Percentage

  1998–99

  Serial

  Key target from LSSA corporate plan

  Target

  Outturn

  4.

  To achieve a reduction in the cost of a productive hour

  3

  See below

  It was not possible to ascertain the reduction in the cost of a productive hour in 1998–99 because there was no agency-wide system available to record man-hours. Although the LSSA Task and Resource Accounting Management (TRAMS) System was introduced to perform this function, its roll out was delayed by technical problems.

  b. Action taken:

  The targets for 1999–2000 in the Corporate Plan, which has been placed in the library of the House, remained the same as those for 1989–1999. This was recognition of the immaturity of our target setting. However, the 2000–2001 targets had been made more challenging as follows: serial 1–90%, serial 2–85%, serial 392%. The target for serial 4 remained unaltered at 3%. However, TRAMS is now is use in the majority of LSS business areas and the data recorded during 1999–2000 will establish a productive hour baseline for future years.

  Naval Manning Agency
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list(a) those targets of the Naval Manning agency for 1998–99 which (i) were and (ii) were not achieved, giving the factors affecting the outcome in each case and (b) action taken by the agency to improve target achievement performance in 1999–2000; and if he will make a statement. [111761]

  Dr. Moonie
  This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Naval Manning Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the right hon. and learned Member.

  Letter from Jeremy de Halpert to Mr. Menzies Campbell dated 6 March 2000:
  In your recent Parliamentary Question, you sought a range of information concerning the targets placed upon the Naval Management Agency (NMA) for 1998–99. You also asked what
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  action the Agency had taken to improve performance against its targets in 1990–00. I have been asked to reply as the Chief Executive of the NMA.
  The information you requested is attached to this letter. Details of NMA's performance against its targets will be published shortly in the Agency's Annual Report and Accounts for 1998–99. I will arrange for a copy of the Report to be sent to you as soon as it is available.
  I hope this is helpful.
  Naval Manning Agency—Performance Against Targets—1998–99 Deployment
  Filled Officer Billets:

  Target: Greater than 94%—Met

  Achieved: 94.2%

  Overall performance continued to be satisfactory. A similar outturn to last year has been achieved despite a more difficult manning climate that has seen a deterioration in the balance of the Office Strength to Requirement. The RN was 280 Officers short of its requirement as at 1 February 1999 compared to 149 Officers on 1 April 1998.
  Filled Rating/Other Rank Billets
  Targets:

  Ratings: greater than 89%—Not met

  Royal Marines Other Ranks greater than 88%—Not met

  Achieved:

  Ratings: 87.4%

  Royal Marines Other Ranks 85.3%

  The NMA's performance is little changed from last year (88% and 85.1% respectively) and should be viewed in the light of the difficulties faced by the recruiting Agency in 1998–99 in meeting requested gains to the trained strength.
  In year, a defining balance of Strength to Requirement was evident for Royal Navy Ratings and Royal Marines Other Ranks but the rate of decline has now been arrested. This has been achieved through a combination of close monitoring of gains to the trained strength and Premature Voluntary Release figures and greater accuracy in the forecasting and monitoring of demographic trends. This work is being developed during 1990–00. The introduction of the five year second open engagement (20E(5), to complement the existing ten year 20E, has also provided the Agency with added flexibility in its manpower management.
  Manpower Planning

  Variation of Strength to Requirement

  Target: Plus 1% to Minus 2%—Not met

  Achieved: Minus 3.3%

  This figure is calculated on the basis of a 3-year running average. This reporting method takes into consideration an element of the lag between planning decisions and the consequent inflow of trained manpower and provides a more effective and accurate measure of the NMA's planning performance than an in year 12 month running average.
  The NMA's Owner has reduced the upper level of the target for 1999–00 form 11% to zero to reflect the manning difficulties encountered in 1998–99 and ensure that the aim is directed at meeting future manpower requirements without over-providing.
  Career Management

  Percentage of Officers receiving the required Notice of Move 2

  Target: Greater than 60%—Met

  Achieved: 67.6%

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  The disparity between this target and that for ratings/other ranks reflects the ability of Officers to negotiate their next career move directly with their Appointing Officer
  Percentage of Ratings/Other Ranks receiving the required Notice of Move 2

  Target: Greater than 98%—Met

  Achieved: 99.5%

  The continuing imbalance between Strength and Requirement has made the achievement of this target particularly challenging
  Percentage drafts where Minimum Time Ashore (MTA) 3 criteria are met
  Target: 99%—Met
  Achieved: 99.9%
  While the NMA has met this target, the difficult manpower supply climate has led to a growth in the number of personnel nearing the MTA criteria
  Efficiency

  Numeric Reduction in Gapping

  Target: 7.5% reduction in gapping—Not met

  Achieved: 7%

  The high degree of deploying turbulence and recruiting difficulties experienced in 1998–99 limited the scope for reducing the level of gapping. Earlier efficiencies in the utilisation of the manning margin have also reduced the potential for further savings. To reflect these factors, the Agency's target for the coming year has been adjusted to 5%.The NMA successfully introduced its Customer Review process in summer 1998. This has helped the Agency to develop its understanding of the issues, besides gapping, that are of concern to its customers. The process has also led to several changes in the way the Agency operates, especially in terms of its external communication and data presentation. The NMA is confident that this will be reflected in the results obtained from the Review, which commenced in April 1999. Additionally, it is intended that the European Foundation Quality Management Model should be introduced into the Agency. This will ensure that NMA continues to develop along the most effective lines and that its performance reflects best practice.
  Benchmarking Exercises

  Target: Two exercises—Met

  Achieved: Two exercises

  The NMA's Customer Review Process was the list of these exercises. The second exercise was conducted with the RAF.

  Financial

  Production of Accounts

  Target: To produce Accounts for Period from April 99 to March 99—Met

  Achieved: Accounts laid in January 2000.

  Comment: None

  1 Within four months of change of their employment2 Less than three months for shore service and five months for sea service3 The Minimum Time Ashore criterion is a Personnel Management Standard that aims to ensure a reasonable amount of time ashore between sea-going drafts. It differs between Rates and length of Service in a sea draft and is not applicable to Officers.

  Defence Secondary Care Agency
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list(a) those targets of the Defence Secondary Care Agency for 1998–99 which (i) were and (ii) were not achieved, giving the factors affecting the outcome in each case and (b) action taken by the agency to improve target achievement performance in 1999–2000; and if he will make a statement. [111755]
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  Dr. Moonie
  This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Defence Secondary Care Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the right hon. and learned Member.

  Letter from C. G. Callow to Mr. Menzies Campbell, dated 6 March 2000:
  Performance Against Key Targets
  1. I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence concerning the Defence Secondary Care Agency's (DSCA) performance in meeting its 1998/99 Key Targets and the steps the Agency is taking to improve upon this in 1999/2000. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the DSCA.
  2. The Agency's Key Targets for 1998/99 and its performance in delivering these is set out on page 21 of the Agency's 1998/99 Annual Report, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. The 1999/2000 Key Targets are shown on page 22.
  3. I am aware that Key Targets are designed to set and stimulate year-on-year improvement in Agency performance and I am committed to meeting challenging targets for the DSCA. However, these targets must also be realistic.
  4. In 1998/99 the DSCA believed that real performance in patient waiting times was masked by inadequate data reporting systems and that improvements would emerge both by better reporting and better achievement. Neither assumption materialised and it became clear that some targets were out of reach and that adjustments had to be made when setting the Agency's 1999/2000 Key Targets. Accordingly, the performance measurement in respect of Key Target 2 was reduced to the 1997/98 level. However, continuing shortages of clinical manpower, coupled with operational demands upon a limited resource, mean that achievement of the Agency's 1999/2000 Key Targets, even where reduced to 1997/98 levels, continues to pose a stiff challenge.
  5. Nevertheless, as a result of great effort, the Agency has to date achieved its Key Target 1, which it regards as the highest priority for the Agency, and it is taking active steps to improve waiting time performance. A senior officer has been appointed with specific responsibility for performance management and the Agency meets regularly with representatives from the single Services to discuss ways of improving patient throughput, for example, by reducing the incidence of Service 'Did Not Attend' appointments. Other patient filtering mechanisms have also been introduced, for example, in the field of orthopaedics, the speciality most in demand by the Services. This aims to identify those patients whose conditions do not require them to see a consultant and who could be treated outwith the Agency by primary care physiotherapists, thereby enabling the DSCA to treat more patients. Again manpower difficulties, coupled with the need to introduce new financial accounting systems, have hindered progress in developing new efficiency targets for the Agency but this is being addressed. The Agency is making great strides in the field of Clinical Governance. Individual military training requirements have been reflected in the Agency's Corporate Training Plan and the Agency is discussing with the single Services ways of de-conflicting exercise requirements to spread the impact on the Agency, thus enabling it to meet its obligations in the area most easily.
  6. I hope this is helpful.

  Pay and Personnel Agency
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list(a) those targets of the Pay and Personnel Agency for 1998–99 which (i) were and (ii) were not achieved, giving the factors affecting the outcome in each case and (b) action taken by the agency to improve target achievement performance in 1999–2000; and if he will make a statement. [111759]

  Dr. Moonie
  This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Pay and Personnel Agency. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the right hon. and learned Member.
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  Letter from M. A. Rowe to Mr. Menzies Campbell, dated 6 March 2000:
  I am replying to your Question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the targets of the Pay & Personnel Agency as this matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of the Agency.
  The Pay & Personnel Agency is responsible for providing pay and personnel services for the Ministry of Defence. The Agency's performance against its key targets for 1998/99 was reported in the Agency's Annual Report and Accounts, House of Commons Paper No. 595, which was laid before the House on 16 July 1999.
  The key targets covered performance in the areas of service delivery, customer satisfaction, efficiency, systems, and people. All targets were achieved except those covering the timeliness of payments, where performance ranged from 97.3% to 99.9% against the aim of 100%, and the achievement of Investors in People accreditation. With several million payments to make each year across all areas of the PPA's business these shortfalls were the result of inevitable but minimal processing errors. Recognising this realism but also the need not to abandon the aim of payment on time every time, the key service delivery targets for the current year have included just a single Agency wide target of 100%. During 1998/1999 the Agency launched a major internal efficiency review which has now delivered efficiency savings well above the Departmental target but which persuaded us to defer the Investors in People assessment in view of the temporary turbulence caused by the review. Training was also a factor and the Agency is carrying out an intensive training programme which is intended to improve performance across the range of services provided and which will contribute to the Agency's aim to achieve Investors in People accreditation before the end of this financial year.

  Weather Information
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements will exist for the provision of weather information for aircrew using the Northumberland low-flying area following the planned closure of the manned Meteorological Office stations at RAF Boulmer and at Newcastle. [112824]

  Dr. Moonie
  This is a matter for the Chief Executive of the Meteorological Office. I have asked the Chief Executive to write to the right hon. Member.

  Letter from Peter Ewins to Mr. Alan Beith, dated 6 March 2000:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the provision of weather information for aircrew using the Northumberland Low-Flying Area (LFA 12). This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief Executive of The Met. Office.
  Forecasts for LFA 12 are prepared by our forecasters at military airfields. They use a range of data including observations from Newcastle Weather Centre and RAF Boulmer, and also computer-generated forecasts, rainfall radar, satellite imagery and observations from other sites, like Carlisle, Eskdalemuir, Spadeadam and Newcastle airport.
  The provision of these forecasts will not be adversely affected by changes we are making to our network of weather centres and observations sites. Nor will their quality. We recognise that our customers, both public and private, are under pressure to reduce their costs, which, in turn, will continue to place downward pressure on Met. Office prices. We are, therefore, continuing to put emphasis on the lowering of unit costs, while at the same time improving the quality of output. Increased automation and rationalisation of our forecasting and observations networks are important parts of this strategy.
  When Newcastle Weather Centre closes, an automatic observing station will be retained. Similarly, if a decision is taken to cease manned observations at RAF Boulmer, an automatic system will be maintained in that area. While these automatic systems do not provide all of the elements contained in a 'human' observation, they
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  are capable of reporting more frequently and will be enhanced as new sensors are developed. They may also have co-located CCTV cameras; two such cameras will soon e deployed at Eskdalemuir and St Mary's Loch and will provide useful additional data for aircraft operating in the Borders area.
  In summary, the 'human' elements of the observations from Boulmer and Newcastle Weather Centre are not crucial to the task of forecasting for LFA 12 and, given the other advances that are being introduced, I can assure you that there will be no degradation in the service provided to aircrew using the area.

  Kosovo
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many de-mining staff his Department has in(a) Mostar and (b) Pristina. [113353]

  Dr. Moonie
  There are no British military Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) personnel in Mostar. One team of four personnel is currently based in Pristina, and there are three further teams at other locations in Kosovo.

  Under UN arrangements in Kosovo, demining is predominantly the task of a number of commercial contractors and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs). British military EOD teams undertake demining tasks in support of KFOR operations, although they have also responded positively to local requests to clear unexploded ordnance where there was a pressing humanitarian need.

  Food Products (Welfare Standards)
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the prescribed welfare standards which govern imported food products supplied to HM Forces. [112967]

  Dr. Moonie
  The supply of food products to HM Forces by its contractor "3663" is governed by contract conditions based on UK and EC trade quality standards. In the case of meat sourced in EC countries this is based on standards laid down by the EC Meat Commission and set down in The Meat Buyers Guide.

  Mozambique
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to deploy(a) HMS 'Ocean' and (b) other RN ships to Mozambique. [112970]

  Mr. Hoon
  We have diverted the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Fort George from the Gulf. The ship is currently en route to Mozambique to assist in the international relief effort; we have no plans to divert HMS 'Ocean' or other RN ships at this time.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Commission Reform
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress made on Commission reform since the joint declaration at the British-Italian summit of July 1999. [112343]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Council of Ministers has discussed Commission reform on several occasions since the British-Italian Summit in July 1999. This year, in January, the Commission published the Kinnock report, which the Government strongly support.

  "Your Britain, Your Europe"
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the basis of his oral statement of 15 February 2000,Official Report, column 760, that 3.5 million jobs depend on UK membership of the European Union. [112388]

  Mr. Vaz
  The figure reflects the jobs ultimately dependent on British exports to the other 14 members of the European Union. It includes jobs in indigenous British businesses exporting to the rest of the EU, inward investors locating here as a result of our being the gateway to the whole of the Single Market, and enterprises who in turn make supplies to those companies. It excludes jobs dependent on exports to the fast-growing markets of the EU applicant countries.

  The figure is in line with independent research carried out for Britain in Europe by the National Institute of Economic and Social Research and by Professor Iain Begg at the South Bank University. Both of these reports conclude that over three million jobs are linked with our membership of the European Union.

  Press Rebuttal Unit
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidance he has issued to his Department's EU Press Rebuttal Unit; what is its cost in the current financial year; how many staff are assigned to it; and how many rebuttals it has issued to date. [112424]

  Mr. Vaz
  I have decided to rebut press articles which contain factual inaccuracies about Government policy towards Europe or our membership of the EU. This entails no extra costs to the FCO budget. There are no dedicated FCO staff assigned to this task. Since the beginning of the year, I have written 17 rebuttals, of which seven have been published.

  MOX Fuel
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what occasions since 15 December 1999 he, other Ministers and officials of his Department, have raised with Japanese Ministers and officials nuclear commerce and MOX plutonium exports to Japan; and if he will place in the Library copies of all correspondence since May 1997 he has had with Japanese Ministers or officials on MOX plutonium fuel. [112357]

  Mr. Hain
  Since 15 December, the only occasion when FCO Ministers have discussed nuclear commerce and MOX fuel exports with Japanese Ministers was on 12 January, when my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met the Japanese Foreign Minister in London. There have been many occasions when these subjects have been raised between FCO and Japanese officials. These contacts are commonplace under the UK/Japan Nuclear Co-operation Agreement on the Peaceful Use of Atomic Energy.

  I have not corresponded with Japanese Ministers or officials on MOX fuel since May 1997.

  Nuclear Policy
  Mr. Gapes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if the work of the 500W
  Anglo-French Joint Commission on Nuclear Policy and Doctrine has led to adoption of joint positions with France in international bodies or forums; [112417]

  (2) what activities have been undertaken in the Anglo-French Joint Commission on Nuclear Policy and Doctrine since January 1998; and if he will place in the Library the (a) reports and (b) other documents produced by the Joint Commission since that date; [112421]

  (3) on how many occasions since 1992 officials of the French Government have visited his Department to discuss nuclear co-operation; and if he will make a statement; [112420]

  (4) on how many occasions since 1992 officials from his Department have visited France to discuss nuclear co-operation; and if he will make a statement; [112419]

  (5) if he will list the official discussions and meetings between Ministers and officials in his Department and their French counterparts since November 1995 to pursue the implementation of the 1995 Anglo-French Joint Statement on Nuclear Co-operation; [112418]

  (6) what discussions involving Ministers and officials of his Department have recently taken place or are planned within the Anglo-French Joint Commission on Nuclear Policy and Doctrine concerning joint or co-ordinated nuclear missile submarine patrols with the French Navy. [112422]

  Mr. Vaz
  British and French officials meet frequently to discuss nuclear issues of mutual interest. One powerful example of the co-operation which has resulted was the UK and France jointly depositing our instruments of ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty in April 1998.

  The UK/French Joint Nuclear Commission normally meets at official level every six months, alternately in London and paris. The Commission's discussions cover a wide range of issues, but they exclude, by joint agreement, the operational aspects of our respective deterrent forces. There are no plans for joint or co-ordinated submarine patrols.

  I am withholding records of these meetings under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  Kosovo
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the European Commissioner, Mr. Javier Solana about the numbers of international police officers in Kosovo. [112485]

  Mr. Hain
  The European Secretary General/High Representative, Mr. Javier Solana, appealed to EU Foreign Ministers at the beginning of February for more police officers for UNIP. This followed a request from the UN for additional police deployments, to which we have responded by doubling our contribution to the UN international police force in Kosovo.

  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations have been made to him by the head of UNMIK, about the numbers of international police officers in Kosovo; [112488]
  501W
  (2) what representations he has received from the UN Secretary-General about the numbers of international police officers in Kosovo. [112486]

  Mr. Hain
  The UK, along with its Quint, EU and G8 partners, is in regular contact with Secretary-General Annan and his Special Representative for Kosovo, Bernard Kouchner, about all aspects of the international effort in Kosovo, including the need for more police officers. The UN Secretariat has made two requests for police officers, both of which the UK has been able to respond to positively, bringing the total number of UK police officers pledged to UNIP to 120.

  Pakistan
  Laura Moffatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of difficulties experienced by former Pakistani politicians returning to Pakistan from the UK; and what monitoring the High Commission is carrying out. [112489]

  Mr. Hain
  We are not aware of any problems faced by former Pakistani politicians returning to Pakistan from the UK. Our High Commission in Islamabad continues to follow closely all aspects of life in Pakistan, including the political scene.

  New Public Bodies
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the new public bodies established by his Department since May 1997. [112670]

  Mr. Hain
  The annual Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies" provides information on a range of public bodies. The 1997 edition lists those public bodies in existence prior to May 1997. The 1998 and 1999 editions list public bodies in existence in subsequent years. Copies of these publications have been placed in the Library of the House. Copies are also available on the Cabinet Office website (www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/quango).

  Since the publication of the 1999 edition of "Public Bodies", no new public bodies have been established. However the Commonwealth Institute has ceased to be a FCO non-departmental public body and is now an independent charity, as I announced to the house on 1 February 2000, Official Report, column 542W.

  United Nations Human Rights Commission
  Mr. Syms
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans the British Government have to raise the human rights situations in(a) China, (b) Mexico and (c) Burma at the forthcoming session of the United Nations Human Rights Commission. [112674]

  Mr. Hain
  The information is as follows:

  China
  We are at present discussing with our EU partners our policies on China at this years Commission on Human Rights (CHR).

  Burma
  The UK, together with EU partners, will jointly table a strong resolution on Burma at CHR. The resolution will refer to the whole catalogue of human rights violations in Burma and call for the UN Special Rapporteur to be allowed access.
  502W
  Mexico
  We are committed to helping Mexico improve its human rights record. But where criticism is due, the UK will support a strong reference to Mexico in the EU omnibus country statement at the CHR.

  GCHQ
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of the costs of GCHQ are met by the United States Government. [113119]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  None of GCHQ's costs are met by the US Government.

  Congo
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what factors were taken into account in evaluating applications for export licences for arms to parties involved in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo. [112702]

  Mr. Hain
  We uphold the EU arms embargo (imposed 7 April 1993), which prohibits the export of equipment on the Military List from the EU to the DRC. We are similarly upholding the UK sanctions on nongovernmental forces in Rwanda, which also apply to the sale and supply of arms to neighbouring states if they are for use in Rwanda; and on UNITA rebels in Angola.

  Since 28 July 1997, we have examined export licence applications to all destinations against the new criteria that my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary announced that day, Official Report, columns 26–29W. In addition, we have also examined applications against the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Sales since it was agreed in June 1998.

  The Prime Minister's reply to a question from the hon. Member for Richmond Park (Dr. Tonge) on 9 February 2000, Official Report, columns 184–85, set out the basis of our new tighter policy on arms sales to countries intervening in the DRC.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what involvement his Department has had recently in attempting to find a political solution to the problems of the Democratic Republic of Congo; and if he will make a statement. [112697]

  Mr. Hain
  Britain is playing an active and constructive role in international efforts to resolve the crisis in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. I represented Britain at January's Security Council meeting, which secured re-endorsement of the Lusaka Agreement and strong support for the deployment of a UN observer force. On 23 February, I chaired a meeting of UK Heads of Mission and US, French, Belgian and EU representatives in Nairobi to discuss the way forward in bringing peace to DRC. On 24 February, Britain supported the Security Council Resolution authorising a 5,500-strong observer force as the next phase of the UN mission.

  Our aim now is to help all the parties implement the Lusaka Agreement; support the early deployment of the UN observer force as soon as conditions allow; get the national dialogue on the future governance of DRC under-way; and keep DRC on the international agenda.
  503W
  We are already providing practical support: British officers are deployed in the region as part of the UN mission and we have made contributions of £160,000 to the Joint Military Commission and £25,000 to the national dialogue. We are ready to do more, as the parties actively demonstrate their commitment to the Lusaka Agreement.

  International Criminal Court
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries have ratified the treaty establishing the International Criminal Court; and when he expects the UK to ratify the treaty. [112925]

  Mr. Hain
  Seven countries have ratified the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court to date: Senegal, Trinidad and Tobago, San Marino, Italy, Fiji, Ghana and Norway. The UK will ratify as soon as the necessary primary legislation has been passed.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he plans to introduce draft legislation to enable the UK to comply with the treaty to establish an international criminal court. [112928]

  Mr. Hain
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Paisley, South (Mr. Alexander) on 1 December 1999,Official Report, column 258W.

  Chechnya
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what monitoring of human rights in Chechnya is being undertaken by his Department; and what departmental representatives have visited Chechnya. [112696]

  Mr. Vaz
  We monitor a wide range of sources on the human rights situation in Chechnya, including international humanitarian and human rights organisations and the Russian and Western media. An FCO official visited Chechnya as part of an OSCE delegation in February 1995; he was subsequently seconded to the OSCE Assistance Group in Grozny from August to December 1996 and served as an election observer in the Chechen Presidential elections in January 1997. No departmental representatives have visited Chechnya since then, in view of the serious deterioration of the security situation. But our Embassy in Moscow and experts in London continue to monitor the situation closely.

  Sri Lanka
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent involvement his Department has had in the search for a peaceful solution to the conflict in Sri Lanka; and if he will make a statement. [112703]

  Mr. Hain
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answers I gave on 18 January 2000,Official Report, column 416W and 6 December 1999, Official Report, column 401W.

  India and Pakistan
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what factors were taken into 504W
  account by his Department in the evaluation of export licence applications to (a) India and (b) Pakistan during 1998. [112700]

  Mr. Hain
  All export licence applications to India and Pakistan are considered on a case-by-case basis against the UK national criteria on arms sales and, since June 1998, the EU code of conduct. Following India and Pakistan's nuclear tests in May 1998, the UK introduced additional measures. These measures are set out in the statement made to the House by the then Minister of State, the hon. the Member for Manchester, Central (Mr. Lloyd), on 10 July 1998,Official Report, columns 687–88.

  Diego Garcia
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the agreement relating to the loan of Diego Garcia to the United States with special reference to the stocking of anti-personnel land mines. [113352]

  Mr. Vaz
  The 1966 Exchange of Notes between the UK and the USA concerning the availability of the British Indian Ocean Territory for defence purposes provides for the Territory to remain available to meet the defence needs of both Governments, while remaining under UK sovereignty. There are no US APM on Diego Garcia. We understand that the US stores munitions of various kinds on US warships anchored off Diego Garcia. Such vessels enjoy state immunity and are therefore outside the UK's jurisdiction and control. The US understands the importance we attach to their adherence to the Ottawa Convention as soon as possible.

  Hawk Jets
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the advice he has received on resuming the licensing of Hawk jets to(a) Indonesia and (b) Zimbabwe. [113213]

  Mr. Hain
  This Government have not issued any export licences for the sale of Hawk jets to either Indonesia or Zimbabwe. Such licences were, however, issued by the previous Administration.

  Gibraltar (R2)
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations, at what level, were made to the Spanish Foreign Ministry following the diversion of the Renaissance cruise liner R2 from its intended docking in Gibraltar on 27 February; [113132]

  (2) if he will make a statement on the circumstances surrounding the diversion of Renaissance cruise liner R2 scheduled to dock at Gibraltar on 27 February; [113133]

  (3) when he will advise the European Commission on the circumstances surrounding the diversion of the Renaissance cruise liner R2 from its intended docking in Gibraltar; and if he will make a statement on the implications of this incident for (a) Community law compliance and (b) bilateral relations with Spain. [113131]

  Mr. Vaz
  The British Ambassador in Madrid raised the issue of the Renaissance Cruises liner R2 with the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Spanish Prime
  505W
  Minister's Office over the weekend. The Spanish Ambassador in London was summoned to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 28 February to discuss the issue. Later the same day, the Spanish Government's spokesman said that the problem relating to movements of this vessel between Gibraltar and Spanish ports had been resolved. The liner R2 docked in Gibraltar on schedule on 2 March.

  The vessel in question is American-owned and Liberian-registered. We are not aware of European Community law directly relevant to the exact circumstances of this case.

  East Timor
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his UN counterparts concerning the establishment of an international tribunal to try those suspected of crimes against humanity and human rights violations in East Timor. [112827]

  Mr. Hain
  We have held extensive discussions at the UN and elsewhere, including with the Indonesian Government and the East Timorese leaders, on how to ensure those responsible for the grave human rights violations in East Timor are brought to justice.

  Sudan
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received concerning fighting in the Heglig and Unity oil fields in Sudan. [112832]

  Mr. Hain
  We continue to receive troubling reports of fighting in the Upper Nile; most recently last week. Much of the fighting is factional, but there have also been attacks on Government forces.

  The SPLA and other opposition forces have made clear that they see oil installations as military targets.

  Peace in the Sudan remains a priority. The UK has been and will continue to be active in promoting peace in the Sudan.

  Timorese Refugees
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Indonesia regarding the repatriation of East Timorese refugees; [112825]

  (2) what representations he has received concerning UNHCR access to refugees in West Timor; and if he will make a statement. [112826]

  Mr. Battle
  We have received several representations about access to the refugee camps in West Timor for UNHCR and other agencies. I visited the camps myself on 19 January to see at first hand the situation on the ground. Our Ambassador and others from our Jakarta Embassy have also visited since then. Over 140,000 refugees have now returned to East Timor, but up to 100,000 remain. We are concerned that militia activity continues in the camps, but are encouraged by reports that security forces have recently been dispatched to ensure the safety of officials and aid agency representatives as they try to establish the wishes of the remaining refugees. While many of them may choose not to return, we will 506W
  continue to press the Indonesian authorities to allow those who wish to return to East Timor to do so safely and securely.

HEALTH

  Voluntary Organisations
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will investigate the salary on-call payments and mileage payments made to senior staff of Integrate Services while the organisation was in receipt of a section 64 grant. [104822]

  Mr. Hutton
  We have no plans at this time to investigate the salary on-call payments and mileage payments made to senior staff of Integrate Services while the organisation was in receipt of a grant under section 64 of the 1968 Act. Health authorities make section 64 grants to voluntary organisations out of their general allocation. Section 64 grants are subject to the rules and scrutiny processes for propriety and regularity that govern all health authority expenditure. Integrate Services is currently the subject of an inquiry by the Charity Commissioners.

  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to investigate the use of a section 64 grant by Integrate Services to purchase holiday facilities; and if he will make a statement. [104819]

  Mr. Hutton
  We have no plans at this time to investigate the purchase of holiday facilities by Integrate Services while in receipt of a grant under section 64 of the 1968 Act. Health authorities make section 64 grants to voluntary organisations out of their general allocation. Section 64 grants are subject to the rules and scrutiny processes for propriety and regularity that govern all health authority expenditure. Integrate Services is currently the subject of an inquiry by the Charity Commissioners.

  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that all organisations in receipt of section 64 grants comply with the requirements of the Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998. [111821]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 1 March 2000]: The Public Interest Disclosure Act 1998 protects workers who disclose information about certain types of matters from being dismissed or penalised by their employers as a result. Section 64 grants awarded by health authorities are subject to the rules and scrutiny processes for propriety and regularity that govern all health authority expenditure. Section 64 grants awarded by Ministers to national voluntary organisations include a condition that a voluntary organisation, and anyone acting on its behalf, must comply with the law for the time being in force in the United Kingdom.

  Asperger's Syndrome
  Mr. McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support the Government are providing for research into the causes and treatment of Asperger's Syndrome. [112690]
  507W
  Mr. Hutton
  The Medical Research Council (MRC)—which receives most of its income via grant in aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry—is the main agency through which the Government support research on the causes and treatment of clinical conditions. In 1998–99 the MRC's spend on research related to autism and Asperger's Syndrome was £1.03 million. The National Research Register also contains details of work supported through the National Health Service Research and development levy or from other sources. It lists a number of Asperger's Syndrome projects currently in progress or recently completed.

  Mr. McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what support the Government are providing to organisations catering for the needs of adult suffers of Asperger's Syndrome. [112688]

  Mr. Hutton
  We are currently funding a three-year project which the National Autistic Society is undertaking to identify the support and care needs of people with Asperger's Syndrome. A key objective of this work is to disseminate the findings to local authorities, other service providers and professionals. These will inform improvements and additions to local provision of services for this group.

  Mr. McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate the Government have made of the number of sufferers of Asperger's Syndrome(a) below and (b) above the age of 18 years. [112687]

  Mr. Hutton
  Prevalence of Asperger's Syndrome in England is uncertain. A recent estimate provided to the Department is that it appears to affect one child in every 350. This suggests that the number of people in England with Asperger's Syndrome might be approximately 140,000.

  Pensions Agency
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the future status of the NHS Pensions Agency. [113419]

  Mr. Milburn
  A quinquennial review of the NHS Pensions Agency completed in 1998 concluded that the Agency had performed well since it was established and in particular had successfully implemented a major programme of change to improved efficiency and the quality of service to all its customers. I am placing a copy of the report in the Library today.

  In the first instance I have decided to leave administration of the core NHS Superannuation Scheme within the Agency but I have committed them to outsource, under one facilities management contract, the Agency's support and ancillary services. This contract will cover at least 55 per cent. of the Agency's current running costs. I have tasked the Agency in partnership with the supplier to secure further improvements in efficiency that approach the best returns forecast by the review for full contractorisation.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Benefits Take-up (Rural Areas)
  Mr. David Heath
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the level of take-up of benefits in rural areas. [111851]

  Mr. Bayley
  Information on the level of take-up of benefits specifically in rural areas is not available.

  Benefit Fraud
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he last reviewed his target for the reduction of benefit fraud for the year 2000–01. [111852]

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

  The latest results were published by the Government Statistical Service on 28 January 2000.

  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the level of fraud within the social security system. [111862]

  Mr. Rooker
  We are determined to reduce the level of fraud and error in the Social Security system. We are now measuring the level of fraud and error, in Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance, the two most vulnerable benefits, by thoroughly investigating a monthly random sample of cases in each Benefit Agency area. These measurements allow us, for the first time, to set targets for cutting fraud against which our progress can be judged.

  Miss Kirkbride
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will report on progress in tackling housing benefit fraud. [111866]

  Angela Eagle
  I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's oral answer to the hon. Member for New Forest, East (Dr. Lewis) and the right hon. Member for Cities of London and Westminster (Mr. Brooke) today,Official Report, column 756.

  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people were employed in the Benefit Fraud Investigation Service on 1 March in(a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000. [112789]

  Mr. Rooker
  This is a matter for Peter Mathison, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Peter Mathison to Mr. Oliver Heald, dated 3 March 2000:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to respond to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many people were employed in the Benefit Fraud Investigation Service on 1st March in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000.[112789]
  The figures below represent the number of staff in post for the Benefit Fraud Investigation Service (BFIS) for each operational year since April 1996. Figures for specific dates are not available.

  509W

  BFIS

  Total

  1996–97

  5,000

  1997–98

  5,184

  1998–99

  5,183

  1999–2000

  15,064

  1 Figure correct as at October 1999, end of year figures not yet available

  I hope this is helpful.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on Housing Benefit for students. [111853]

  Angela Eagle
  Most full-time students are supported by the student support system which is designed to meet their needs. Full-time students in the vulnerable groups are entitled to claim Housing Benefit as are part-time students.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when his Department will issue a standard housing benefit form for those local authorities not participating in the verification framework scheme. [112155]

  Angela Eagle
  The Department is considering the supplementary recommendations of John Scampion's report on organised benefit fraud that a common "baseline" application form for Housing Benefit (HB) and Council Tax Benefit (CTB) should be introduced following consultation with local government and the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Levitt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he is taking to help disabled people stay in work. [111855]

  Mr. Bayley
  The New Deal for Disabled People pilots have already helped over 2,000 disabled people to move into or stay in employment. The Disabled Person's Tax Credit is helping to make work pay; and our recently announced improvements in the support provided by the Independent Living Funds are intended to help severely disabled people to keep a higher proportion of their income from work.

  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on progress made with the New Deal for the Disabled. [111863]

  Mr. Bayley
  The New Deal for Disabled People is piloting a range of measures. The results have been very encouraging, with over 2,000 disabled clients starting work so far. We are now considering how the help provided by this New Deal might be extended in the light of the lessons emerging from the pilots.

  Minimum Income Guarantee
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners are eligible to benefit from the minimum income guarantee; and how many have done so. [111856]
  510W
  Mr. Bayley
  Around 1.5 million pensioners are already receiving their Minimum Income Guarantee through income support. We must now turn our attention to 500,000 pensioners, more who may not be claiming their Minimum Income Guarantee. We will be announcing details of the national campaign shortly.

  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will place in the Library a guide to pensioners' entitlement to the minimum income guarantee; and how it can be claimed. [112555]

  Mr. Bayley
  The minimum income guarantee is delivered through Income Support. Details on pensioners' entitlement and how to make a claim are contained in the Income Support guide, IS20. I am a placing copy in the Library.

  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people aged 65 years and over are currently receiving the minimum income guarantee in(a) the Leeds, Central parliamentary constituency and
  (b) the City of Leeds. [112552]

  Mr. Bayley
  The minimum income guarantee relates to income support pensioners. The information is in the table.

  Income support pensioners aged 65 and over, by parliamentary constituency—November 1999

  Thousands

  Constituency

  Pensioners aged 65 and over

  Leeds Central

  2.9

  Leeds East

  2.4

  Leeds North East

  2.4

  Leeds North West

  1.6

  Leeds West

  2.4

  Elmet

  1.5

  Morley and Rothwell

  2.1

  Pudsey

  2.1

  Notes:

  1. Sample size 5 per cent., therefore subject to sampling error.

  2. Pensioners are defined as benefit units where either the claimant and/or their partner is aged 65 years or over.

  3. Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred.

  Source:

  Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, November 1999.

  Income Support
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to raise the current savings thresholds for income support. [111857]

  Mr. Bayley
  We will bring forward our proposals later.

  Lone Parents
  Ms Blears
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the impact of Government measures since May 1997 on the level of benefit dependency among lone parents. [111858]

  Angela Eagle
  Lone parents are benefiting from the raft of measures introduced by this Government to help them move into work and to ensure that work pays. These include the New Deal for Lone Parents; the Lone Parent's Benefit Run-On; the Working Families Tax Credit (including the child care tax credit) the National Childcare Strategy and the National Minimum Wage.
  511W
  NDLP has helped over 41,000 lone parents obtain jobs, one in three of those participating in the programme. The evaluation of the NDLP prototype phase showed that it had a small positive effect on the number of lone parents moving off Income Support.

  New Pensioners (Payments)
  Mr. St. Aubyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on delays in the calculation and the making of payments to new pensioners. [111860]

  Mr. Rooker
  Most State Pensions are being paid to new pensioners within the normal clearance target timescales. The National Insurance Recording System computer (NIRS2) is providing the information to enable the Benefits Agency to invite people approaching pension age to claim their pension and to process the claim on receipt.

  However, NIRS2 cannot provide the additional pension (SERPS) component of the pension award in all cases. The Benefits Agency has put in place contingency arrangements to make clerical calculations in these cases. Extra staff have been provided for this.

  Welfare to Work
  Ms Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what further proposals he has to assist those moving from welfare to work. [111861]

  Angela Eagle
  Welfare to Work is a key priority for us. We believe in a modern welfare state which encourages and helps people to work when they can, as well as providing support for them when they cannot. We have already set in place many innovative projects, some involving the public and private sectors working in partnership, to do just that.

  We have a wide range of initiatives already in place, including the New Deal for Young People and the New Deal for Lone Parents which have helped over 200,000 find employment, and the New Deal for Disabled People which is providing practical help enabling those who want to work to realise their ambitions. Two million disabled people already work and over one million more want to. From April this year, the New Deal for the Over 50s will be rolled out nationally.

  In addition, the ONE Service is currently being tested in 12 pilot areas around the UK. This offers personalised advice and support through a Personal Adviser to those of working age. Participation in ONE is, at present, voluntary but, from April this year, participation in a work-focused meeting with a personal adviser will become part of the normal process for people of working age claiming benefits in the pilot areas.

  These reforms link in with the wider Government agenda. Colleagues in the Treasury and the Inland Revenue are ensuring that work pays by improving in-work incomes through initiatives such as the National Minimum Wage and the Working Families Tax Credit.

  Pensions
  Mr. Hope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he is taking to improve the public's knowledge about pensions and saving for retirement. [111867]

  Mr. Rooker
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Coventry, South (Mr. Cunningham) on 7 February 2000,Official Report, column 5W.

  ONE Service
  Mr. Healey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on progress in the implementation of the ONE service. [111868]

  Angela Eagle
  All 12 of the ONE pilots are successfully operating in various parts of the country. We are already helping people plan ways to become more independent. We are improving the level of service we provide by ensuring that the Benefits Agency, Employment Service, local authorities and private and voluntary sector bodies work in partnership.

  Although it is too early to judge the level of success we have had in helping people move from welfare into work, the initial response from clients using the new service has been very encouraging.

  State Earnings-related Pension Scheme
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has made to the Ombudsman about his inquiry into the administration of the state earnings-related pension scheme. [111854]

  Mr. Rooker
  With the Department's assistance, the Ombudsman has been investigating four sample complaints from individuals about the inheritance of SERPS. We look forward to receiving his report.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what will be the process for checking the accuracy of arrears statements at the time when existing child support cases are transferred to the new system for child support. [111777]

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

  Letter from Faith Boardman to Mr. Kidney, dated 3 March 2000:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the Child Support Agency.
  The process of migrating data from the existing Child Support Computer System to the new system will be complex and work is being undertaken to asses show this is to be achieved. No decisions have yet been made on a preferred approach. However, the Agency is committed to performing case checks on all live cases bringing assessments up to date where appropriate prior to migration of cases to the new system.
  From 30 May 2000, changes are being made to the existing Child Support Computer System to enable non-resident parents, and parents with care, to receive payment statements on a regular basis.

  513W
  The statement will explain how any arrears balance has been calculated. Procedures are in place to enable cases to be corrected where inaccuracies are detected.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Vaccine Damage Deaths
  Mr. Ian Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many awards have been made under the Vaccine Damage Payment Act 1979 in respect of children who have died following vaccination. [112624]

  Mr. Bayley
  The existing Vaccine Damage Payment scheme, which has been in place since 1979, provides a one-off payment to people severely disabled by vaccination against certain diseases. In three cases the vaccinated person had died by the time the payment was made, two children and one adult.

  Verification Framework
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many local authorities(a) have the Verification Framework in place and fully operational, (b) are implementing it at present and (c) have accepted funding and intend to implement it. [113187]

  Angela Eagle
  At 3 March 2000, 140 local authorities had certified that, having received set-up funds from the Department, they are fully complying with all the requirements of the Department's Verification Framework. A further 102 local authorities have either already received funds or accepted the offer of funds to implement the Verification Framework fully and are at various stages of their implementation. 242 local authorities have accepted funds to implement the Verification Framework.

  Unclaimed Benefits
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the number of women over the age of 60 years who are not claiming the benefits to which they are entitled in the(a) constituency of Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East, (b) Teesside Region, (c) Northern Region and (d) United Kingdom. [113211]

  Mr. Bayley
  The information is not available in the format requested. It is not possible to produce reliable estimates of numbers not claiming their entitlement at constituency, regional or sub-regional levels. There is no evidence that the pattern of Northern Region take-up of Income Support for women over 60 is above or below the national average; the scope for Regional estimates will be kept under review. Information on a national level is in the table.

  Estimates of single female pensioners not taking up their entitlement to benefit in 1997–98

  Thousand

  Benefit

  Females

  Income Support

  450,000

  Council Tax Benefit

  480,000

  Housing Benefit

  120,000

  Notes:

  1. Figures are rounded to the nearest ten thousand.

  2. The questions were interpreted as requesting information on single males and single females.

  3. Figures are based on data from the Family Resources Survey, 1997–98.

  4. Figures are subject to sampling error.
  514W
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the number of men over the age of 65 years who are not claiming the benefits to which they are entitled in the(a) constituency of Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East, (b) Teesside Region, (c) Northern Region and (d) United Kingdom. [113210]

  Mr. Bayley
  The information is not available in the format requested. It is not possible to produce reliable estimates of numbers not claiming their entitlement at constituency, regional or sub-regional levels. The scope for Regional estimates will be kept under review. Information on a national level is in the table.

  Estimates of single male pensioners not taking up their entitlement to benefit in 1997–98

  Thousand

  Benefit

  Males

  Income Support

  100,000

  Council Tax Benefit

  130,000

  Housing Benefit

  40,000

  Notes:

  1. Figures are rounded to the nearest ten thousand.

  2. The question was interpreted as requesting information on single males.

  3. Figures are based on data from the Family Resources Survey, 1997–98.

  4. Figures are subject to sampling error.

  Benefits Agency Staff (Scotland)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the current staffing levels in local Benefits Agency offices in(a) Inverclyde and (b) Scotland. [111840]

  Angela Eagle
  As at 25 February, the number of staff employed in Inverclyde is 179, and as at 31 January the number for Scotland was 7,215.

  Pensioners (Benefit Take-up)
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he is taking to ensure that all pensioners receive the benefits to which they are entitled. [111836]

  Mr. Rooker
  We will be announcing details of a national campaign, to encourage pensioners to claim their minimum income guarantee, shortly.

  Pensioner Incomes
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will update his estimates based on the Family Resources Survey 1996–97 of(a) median pensioner incomes, excluding means-tested benefits, by age, sex and marital status, consistent with his answer of 18 January 1999, Official Report, column 372W and (b) the size of each group. [113283]

  Mr. Rooker
  I refer my right hon. Friend to the written answer I gave to the hon. Member for Northavon (Mr. Webb) on 8 February 2000,Official Report, columns 128–30W.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when action will be taken to ensure that all pensioners entitled to income support receive it; and what
  515W
  administrative obstacles exist to backdating the resulting awards of benefit to (a) April 1999 and (b) the date when eligibility commenced. [113128]

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

  There are no administrative obstacles to backdating awards of benefit to April 1999. However, the prescribed time limit for claiming Income Support would prevent any claim made today being backdated to that date. That time limit, even with an extension for special circumstances, could result in payment for no more than three months prior to the date of claim.

  Anyone who claims Income Support can be considered for entitlement from the date of his or her claim. Generally this will be the first date that they contact the department to let the Secretary of State know of their intention to claim, provided that they then complete the appropriate claim form and provide the necessary evidence within one month of that first contact. If the customer is in receipt of Retirement Pension, Income Support will be paid on the same day as that Retirement Pension. In such circumstances entitlement to Income Support will begin on the first such payday, which may be later than the date of claim.

  Stakeholder Pension
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to consult insurance companies in establishing the stakeholder pension. [111845]

  Mr. Rooker
  Insurance companies have been actively involved in the extensive consultation undertaken for stakeholder pensions and will shortly be invited to comment on the draft regulations.

  Children in Poverty
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many children were living in poverty in each of the past 10 years; and what estimate he has made of the number of children living in poverty over the next three years. [113205]

  Mr. Bayley
  I refer my hon. Friend to the Written Answer I gave him on 21 February 2000,Official Report, columns 790–91W.

TREASURY

  Gross Domestic Product Statistics
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to publish regional GDP statistics. [112364]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.

  Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Matthew Taylor, dated 6 March 2000:
  The Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been asked to reply to your recent question on plans to publish regional GDP statistics. I am replying in Dr Holt's absence.
  516W
  ONS last published GDP by Government Office Region (GOR), for years up to 1997, in an ONS News Release in January 19911. An article with additional tables and commentary was published in the March 1999 edition of Economic Trends2. Sub-regional estimates of GDP up to 1996 were last published in an ONS News Release in October 19983
  ONS plans to publish estimates of regional GDP up to 1998 and sub-regional GDP up to 1997 in the summer of 2000.
  1 ONS(99)36. Regional gross domestic product. 29 January 1999.
  2 J. S. Virdee. Regional Accounts 1997: Part 1. Economic Trends No. 544, March 1999.
  3 ONS(98)351. Local area gross domestic product. 22 October 1998.

  Licence Evasion
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the amount of money the Exchequer loses annually through non-payment of(a) television licences, (b) car tax, (c) vehicle insurance and (d) MOT certificates. [111431]

  Mr. Timms
  It is estimated that around £183 million is lost annually to the Exchequer through non-payment of vehicle excise duty. The loss of revenue through non-payment of MOT test certificates is estimated to be around £870,000.

  To help tackle this evasion, DVLA continues to be proactive in improving enforcement regimes and last year recovered £80 million through penalties and fines.

  The non-payment of vehicle insurance represents costs to insurance companies. Figures are not available on the costs to the Exchequer, though these costs are likely to be negligible.

  The burden of any losses resulting from non payment of TV licence fees fall with the BBC.

  Pensions (Economic and Monetary Union)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on progress made since the 1999 British-Italian conference on considering the effect of EMU on pension provision. [112342]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  All Member States of the EU are involved in regular discussions on a range of issues, including pension provision. For example, the Cardiff peer review process ensures that each Member State is assessed on its progress on economic reform, including to pension systems, and a sub-group of the Economic Policy Committee is currently looking at the impact of ageing populations on the sustainability of Member States' public finances.

  Employment (EU Membership)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of jobs that are dependent on continued UK membership of the European Union. [112504]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  It is estimated that up to 3½ million jobs in the UK are linked, directly and indirectly, to the exports of goods and services to the European Union from the UK.

  Mortgage Lending
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements he has to review prudential upper limits on loan-to-value ratios by mortgage lenders; what are the rules of the Treasury in setting prudential limits; if he will obtain and publish copies of the rules of the Bank of England and the Financial Services Authority relating to setting prudential limits; and when the prudential limits were last reviewed. [112516]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Financial Services Authority and the Building Societies Commission are the independent prudential supervisors of banks and building societies respectively. All their prudential notes are publicly available. In carrying out their responsibilities, the supervisors take a wide range of factors into account, which includes assessing lenders' exposure to mortgage risks, and undertake regular reviews of market practice. It is a requirement of authorisation that banks and building societies should run their operations prudently, and they should apply a minimum 50 per cent. risk weighting to assets fully secured on land.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will refer the commission and penalty charges levied by the Kensington Mortgage Company to the Financial Services Authority; [112774]

  (2) what steps he is taking to improve the transparency of the conditions offered by mortgage lenders to their customers; [112773]

  (3) if he will ask the Financial Services Authority to conduct an inquiry into the non-status mortgage lending sector; [112775]

  (4) what recent discussions he has had with the Financial Services Authority regarding the activities of non-status mortgage lenders. [112776]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I announced on 26 January that the Treasury would give the Financial Services Authority (FSA) responsibility for regulating most residential mortgages. All mortgage lenders, including those which specialise in the non-status market, will have to be authorised by the FSA, with specific permission to lend on mortgage. All mortgage lenders will have to satisfy the FSA that they are honest, competent, trustworthy and solvent, before permission can be given.

  Equivalised net disposable income

  £ per week

  Family type

  Two children aged 1 and 2

  Two children aged 3 and 5

  Dual earner couple—one working full-time1, one part-time

  201.14

  183.78

  Single earner couple—one working full-time1

  180.73

  165.13

  Single earner couple—one working part-time

  136.69

  124.89

  Lone parent—working full-time1

  260.83

  229.53

  Lone parent—working part-time

  197.27

  173.60

  1 full-time assumed to be at 35 hours per week

  Notes:

  1. Net disposable income is defined as earnings net of Income Tax and National Insurance and includes child benefit and entitlement to WFTC, it does not include entitlement to Housing and Council Tax Benefit.

  2. Income has been equivalised using the before housing costs McClements scale.
  518W
  The FSA will regulate mortgage advertising and require all mortgage lending activity to include specific disclosure of the main features of the loan.

  I also announced on 26 January that the Treasury would set new benchmark, CAT standard (cost, access, terms) mortgages for variable and fixed or capped interest rate mortgages. Although voluntary, these will provide a yardstick to help borrowers make better informed, confident mortgage choices and avoid products which have in some cases caused detriment in the past. It is expected that CAT standards will be finalised shortly, following discussions with the mortgage industry.

  The FSA will embark on a formal consultation process in the early summer and will consult on detailed rules for mortgage regulations towards the end of the year. Unauthorised mortgage providers will need to apply to the FSA by the middle of 2001, and the FSA expects to have the new regime in place by the third quarter of next year. The Treasury is in frequent contact with the FSA to discuss how these matters are progressing. However, it will be for the FSA to decide whether to initiate investigations into particular areas or firms in the mortgage market, once it has the powers to do so.

  In the meantime, all mortgage lenders in the non-status market have to comply with the guidelines issued by the Director General of Fair Trading in November 1997. These guidelines include the need for transparency in all dealings with potential and actual borrowers, and to ensure they do not engage in unfair business practices. Failure to comply with the guidelines could call into question a firm's fitness to hold a consumer credit licence.

  Disposable Incomes
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the equivalised net disposable incomes, using conventional assumptions of(a) a dual-earner couple with two children under 11, both earning the minimum wage, where one works full-time and the other 16 hours a week, (b) a single-earner couple with two children aged under 11 earning the national minimum wage where one works (i) full-time and (ii) 16 hours a week and (c) a single parent with two children aged under 11 earning the minimum wage and working (i) full-time and (ii) 16 hours a week. [112503]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The information requested is contained in the table:

  New Public Bodies
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the new public bodies established by his Department since May 1997. [112671]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Government are committed to keeping the number of NDPBs to a minimum, and to ensuring that those which remain are open, accountable and effective.

  The annual Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies" provides information on a range of public bodies. The 1997 edition lists those public bodies in existence prior to May 1997. The 1998 and 1999 editions list bodies in existence in subsequent years. Copies of these publications have been placed in the Library of the House. Copies are also available on the Cabinet Office website (www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/quango).

  Since the 1999 edition was published, the Statistics Advisory Committee was disbanded on 4 May 1999. The Statistics Commission will come into being on 1 April 2000.

  The Policyholders Protection Board and the Financial Services Tribunal will be disbanded, subject to enactment of the Financial Services and Markets Bill now before Parliament. The Bill provides for the creation of a Financial Services and Markets Tribunal under the Lord Chancellor's Department, and a Financial Services and Markets Compensation Scheme.

  Self-assessment
  Mr. Woolas
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce a rolling deadline for individuals for the submission of self-assessment tax forms. [112613]

  Dawn Primarolo
  There are no current plans to introduce a rolling deadline for self-assessment taxpayers.

  Local Taxation
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate for the last 20 years the total revenue yield from local domestic taxation(a) in cash terms and (b) as a share of national income distinguishing between those periods when the revenue base was (i) domestic rating, (ii) community charge and (iii) council tax. [112515]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.

  Letter from John Kidgell to Dr Vincent Cable, dated 6 March 2000:
  The Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been asked to reply to your parliamentary question on local domestic taxation. I am replying in Dr Holt's absence.
  Table A shows local government receipts (£ million) from domestic taxation. Since 1989 there have been regional differences in the types of local taxation, so the table shows a split of the receipts into domestic rates, community charge and council tax. Table B repeats this presentation, but shows receipts as a percentage of gross national income.
  520W

  TableA—Local government receipts from household taxation

  £ million

  Total

  Domestic rates NMHK

  Community charge NMHL

  Council tax NMHM

  1979

  2,809

  2,809

  —

  —

  1980

  3,551

  3,551

  —

  —

  1981

  4,314

  4,314

  —

  —

  1982

  5,083

  5,083

  —

  —

  1983

  4,962

  4,962

  —

  —

  1984

  5,212

  5,212

  —

  —

  1985

  5,705

  5,705

  —

  —

  1986

  6,521

  6,521

  —

  —

  1987

  7,214

  7,214

  —

  —

  1988

  8,384

  8,384

  —

  —

  1989

  9,433

  8,810

  623

  —

  1990

  11,276

  2,259

  9,017

  —

  1991

  8,545

  67

  8,478

  —

  1992

  8,276

  69

  8,207

  —

  1993

  8,169

  56

  2,122

  5,991

  1994

  8,508

  58

  —

  8,450

  1995

  9,209

  58

  —

  9,151

  1996

  9,923

  62

  —

  9,861

  1997

  10,751

  61

  —

  10,690

  1998

  11,667

  64

  —

  11,603

  Table B—Local government receipts from household taxation (as percentage of gross national income (ABMX))

  Total

  Domestic rates NMHK

  Community charge NMHL

  Council tax NMHM

  1979

  1.44

  1.44

  —

  —

  1980

  1.57

  1.57

  —

  —

  1981

  1.72

  1.72

  —

  —

  1982

  1.86

  1.86

  —

  —

  1983

  1.65

  1.65

  —

  —

  1984

  1.61

  1.61

  —

  —

  1985

  1.62

  1.62

  —

  —

  1986

  1.71

  1.71

  —

  —

  1987

  1.73

  1.73

  —

  —

  1988

  1.80

  1.80

  —

  —

  1989

  1.86

  1.74

  0.12

  —

  1990

  2.05

  0.41

  1.64

  —

  1991

  1.48

  0.01

  1.47

  —

  1992

  1.37

  0.01

  1.36

  —

  1993

  1.29

  0.01

  0.33

  0.94

  1994

  1.25

  0.01

  —

  1.24

  1995

  1.29

  0.01

  —

  1.28

  1996

  1.31

  0.01

  —

  1.30

  1997

  1.32

  0.01

  —

  1.32

  1998

  1.36

  0.01

  —

  1.35

  EU Fines
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total number of fines(a) owed and (b) paid under Article 228(2) by each EU member state; and how much debt in respect of such fines, broken down by country, has been written off. [112505]

  Mr. Vaz
  I have been asked to reply.

  There have not yet been any fines imposed under Article 228(2) of the Treaty of Amsterdam, nor were there any fines imposed under ex Article 171.

  Drug Smuggling
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were charged with drug smuggling offences in the UK during 1999. [112804]

  Dawn Primarolo
  2,271 persons.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many(a) men and (b) women were (i) charged, (ii) convicted and (iii) imprisoned for drug smuggling offences in the UK during 1999. [113083]

  Dawn Primarolo
  In 1999, 1,813 men and 458 women were charged by Customs and Excise for drug smuggling offences. 1,072 people were convicted and 941 sentenced to imprisonment. A breakdown by gender of those convicted and sentence is not held centrally. The figures for convictions and sentences do not necessarily relate to the same cases as those for charges.

  Pay Awards
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to(a) compensate local authorities for national pay awards above inflation and (b) make an appropriate contribution to the block grant for (i) Scotland, (ii) Wales and (iii) Northern Ireland, to cover them. [112919]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  In the Comprehensive Spending Review we provided support to local government which took account of pay pressures. Consequential amounts were allocated to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The Government have made it clear that all pay awards will need to be paid from within the spending limits set in the Comprehensive Spending Review. We do not expect to give additional support in the light of national pay awards.

  Insurance Records
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the numbers of people of working age with(a) no insurance records and (b) incomplete insurance records for each year of the past 30 years; and if he will express these data as a proportion of the working population. [112159]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 2 March 2000]: A full answer could only be provided at disproportionate cost. However the following information is available:

  The numbers of people with qualifying years for retirement pension in Great Britain for the 18 financial years between 1978–79 and 1995–96 can be found in table 5 of "Contributions and Qualifying Years for Retirement Pension 1995–96—Volume 2", a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  The numbers of people of working age in Great Britain (women 16 to 59: men 16 to 64) are shown in the table.

  Year

  Number of people of working age

  1978

  32,322,300

  1979

  32,576,900

  2980

  32,740,300

  1981

  32,905,600

  1982

  33,055,200

  1983

  33,311,300

  522W

  Year

  Number of people of working age

  1984

  33,581,700

  1985

  33,770,100

  1986

  33,930,700

  1987

  34,106,100

  1988

  34,239,300

  1989

  34,359,800

  1990

  34,453,000

  1991

  34,524,700

  1992

  34,575,700

  1993

  34,621,200

  1994

  34,712,800

  1995

  34,863,500

  1996

  35,036,000

  Source:

  Population Estimates Unit, ONS

  The numbers of deficiency notices issued in respect of each financial year between 1990–91 and 1995–96 for Great Britain are shown in the table.

  Number of deficiency notices issued in respect of the tax year

  1990–91

  3,391,000

  1991–92

  3,422,000

  1992–93

  3,544,000

  1993–94

  3,747,000

  1994–95

  3,970,000

  1995–96

  4.360,000

  Source:

  National Insurance Contributions Office

  Working Families Tax Credit
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if any small business will be exempt from delivering the working families tax credit through the pay packet. [112757]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 2 March 2000]: Paying WFTC through the pay packet is central to demonstrating the rewards of work and making work pay for families on low incomes. From April employees awarded tax credits will generally receive them with their pay except where they have opted for the credit to be paid to their spouse or partner or where their employer does not operate a PAYE scheme or only operates a simplified PAYE scheme for domestic staff. The Inland Revenue is providing an extensive range of direct practical help and support for employers who will be paying tax credits through the pay packet.

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the number of recipients of the Working Families Tax Credit who currently receive payment at a post office who will from April 2000 receive payment through the wage packet. [112791]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 3 March 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Stafford (Mr. Kidney) on 9 February 2000, Official Report, column 214W.

  Households (Full-time Workers)
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list for each of the last 30 years the numbers of households headed by a full-time worker(a) with children and (b) without children. [112163]
  523W
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 2 March 2000]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.

  Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Frank Field, dated 6 March 2000:
  The Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been asked to reply to your parliamentary question about the number of households headed by a full-time worker. I am replying in Dr Holt's absence.
  In August 1998 the ONS introduced Labour Force Survey (LFS) databases especially designed for analyses of labour market data on households. Estimates form the LFS using these databases giving the number of households headed by a full-time employee or self-employed person with children and without children are given in the attached table. However, the household datasets are only available for 1990 and from 1992 onwards.
  The analyses have been restricted to working-age households, which are defined as households including at least one person of working age, i.e. a man aged 16 to 64 and a woman aged 16 to 59.

  Working-age 1 households 2 with a head of household in full-time work3, by whether with dependent children 4 or not UK, spring quarters, 1990, and 1992 to 1999, not seasonally adjusted

  000s

  Spring

  Total

  With dependent children 5

  Without dependent children6

  1990

  12,088

  5,458

  6,630

  1992

  11,804

  5,140

  6,664

  1993

  11,728

  5,110

  6,618

  1994

  11,855

  5,108

  6,747

  1995

  12,057

  5,195

  6,862

  1996

  11,817

  5,143

  6,674

  1997

  11,858

  5,211

  6,647

  1998

  12,058

  5,247

  6,811

  1999

  12,122

  5,300

  6,822

  1 Working age households are defined as those having at least one person of working age, i.e. men aged 16 to 64 and women aged 16 to 59.

  2 Figures have not been adjusted to take account of heads of households with unknown economic activity.

  3 Employees and self-employed only.

  4 Dependent children are those aged 0 to 15, or those aged 16 to 18 and in full-time education.

  5 Totals include households with dependent and non-dependent children.

  6 Totals include households with non-dependent children.

  Source:

  Labour Force Survey Household Datasets, ONS

  IR35
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individuals he calculates will be affected by the introduction of IR35. [112990]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 3 March 2000]: This information is provided in the Regulatory Impact Assessment on the Welfare Reform and Pensions Bill published in October 1999.

  Mortality Statistics
  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the average death rates allowing for age and sex standardisation for(a) all causes, (b) coronary
  524W
  heart disease, (c) stroke and (d) cancer for each ward in Leeds, Central parliamentary constituency and for the City of Leeds as a whole. [112551]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.

  Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Hilary Benn, dated 6 March 2000:
  The Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been asked to reply to your recent question on death rates in Leeds. I am replying in Dr. Holt's absence.
  The attached table shows indirectly standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) for all causes of death, coronary heart disease, stroke and cancer, for each ward (as constituted at the time of the 1991 Census) that lies wholly in Leeds Central parliamentary constituency, in the years 1991–1993, based on populations from the 1991 Census. Comparable figures are also provided for Leeds metropolitan county district (based on 1991 boundaries).
  We have provided indirectly standardised ratios rather than European standardised rates as the latter do not incorporate sex standardisation and are likely to be less accurate for small numbers of deaths by cause in each ward.
  An SMR is defined as the ratio of the observed deaths in a given population over the expected deaths in that population if it experienced the age-specific death rates of a standard population (in this case the United Kingdom). The SMR for the UK is 100. Values greater than 100 indicate higher than average mortality and values lower than 100 indicate lower than average mortality.

  Standardised Mortality Ratios (SMRs) by ward and cause of death 1, 1991–1993 Wards in Leeds Central Parliamentary Constituency, and Leeds MCD

  Standardised Mortality Ratio (SMR)

  Wardcode

  All-causes

  Coronary Heart Disease

  Stroke

  Cancer

  Wards in Leeds Central

  Beeston

  DAFD

  94

  105

  65

  100

  City and Holbeck

  DAFH

  116

  124

  91

  110

  Hunslet

  DAFQ

  118

  117

  126

  113

  Richmond Hill

  DAGB

  110

  126

  69

  119

  University

  DAGF

  125

  109

  123

  123

  Leeds metropolitan county

  district

  100

  103

  89

  103

  1 Cause of death is based on the underlying cause, using the following codes from the International Clasification of lDeseases, Ninth Revision

  Coronary Heart Disease: 410–414

  Stroke: 430–438

  Cancer: 140–208

  Emergency Vehicles (Fuel Tax)
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will review the level of tax paid on fuel by the emergency services for running their vehicles. [113184]

  Dawn Primarolo
  There are no plans to review the level of tax paid on fuel by the emergency services for running their vehicles.

  Departmental Secondment
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff were seconded from the private sector to his Department in(a) May 1997 to April 1998, (b) May 1998 to April 1999 and (c) May 1999 to the latest date for which figures are available, stating in each case the companies from which staff have been seconded. [109291]
  525W
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 9 February 2000]: During the respective periods, the number of staff seconded from the private sector were as follows:

  (a) 18

  (b) 20

  (c) 18.

  Regional Economic Conference
  Mr. Peter Atkinson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry over the staging of a regional economic conference for the North. [112921]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 3 March 2000]: The Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry discuss a wide range of issues on a regular basis.

  Cashpoint Machines
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what powers he has(a) to stop and (b) to regulate the application of charges for the use of ATM cash points in the LINK system. [113182]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 1 March 2000,Official Report, column 416W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Burnley (Mr. Pike).

  Mozambique
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent debt write-off arrangements have been agreed with the Government of Mozambique that cover payments to countries which are in receipt of IMF assistance. [112927]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  As my hon. Friend will be aware, at the Chancellor's initiative, the UK will relieve 100 per cent. of Mozambique's outstanding bilateral official debt and will receive no further debt payments from that country.

  In July 1999, as part of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries debt initiative, bilateral official creditors in the Paris Club agreed to 90 per cent. debt reduction for Mozambique. Two of these creditors are in receipt of IMF assistance. The Government are not a party to the negotiations of other bilateral official creditors which have been encouraged to offer similar levels of debt reduction.

  International Monetary Fund
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received concerning the selection of a new managing director of the IMF; and if he will make a statement. [112828]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The usual informal consultations are now under way to appoint a new managing director of the IMF. We expect the Executive Board to reach a formal decision in due course.

  European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
  Mr. Flight
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what recent representations he has received regarding loans by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to the west/east joint venture company, KomiArcticOil; and if he will make a statement; [112427]

  (2) what recent assessment he has made of lending by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to Russian oil companies and its compatibility with its rules on lending. [112426]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development seeks to engage in high quality projects with a strong transition impact. This approach is fully in line with the Bank's mandate and lending policies. All loans are subject to a rigorous review process within the Bank and must be approved by the Bank's Board of Directors, which represents 60 member nations and international organisations, including the UK.

  In terms of decisions relating to a change in ownership in a company in which the EBRD has an interest, the Bank reaches its decision based on commercial considerations with proper regard to the integrity and corporate governance standards of the purchaser.

CABINET OFFICE

  Information Technology
  Mr. Dobbin
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans she has to oversee the introduction of major Government IT projects into Government Departments. [112615]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  The Cabinet Office is leading a review of the Government's handling of IT projects to identify the pillars that support successful projects to make sure that these are in place from the start in the future.

  The first recommendations from this review were announced to the House on 21 February 2000, Official Report, columns 739–40W. These include ways to improve Ministers' awareness of their role in major IT projects and the establishment of a new system to share knowledge about IT projects across Government, so that all Departments have the benefit of the best practice available. These recommendations demonstrate that the Government are committed to taking action to improve performance in the introduction of major IT projects. Further measures to address other aspects of the handling of IT projects will be put forward in due course.

  Responsibility for the implementation of the recommendations will be shared between the Centre and Departments, although individual projects remain the responsibility of the Accounting Officer of the relevant Department.

  New Public Bodies
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will list the new public bodies established by her Department since May 1997. [112673]
  527W
  Mr. Stringer
  The annual Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies" provides information on a range of public bodies. The 1997 edition lists those public bodies in existence prior to May 1997. The 1998 and 1999 editions lists public bodies in existence in subsequent years. Copies of these publications have been placed in the Library of the House. Copies are also available on the Cabinet Office website (www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/quango).

  Departmental Staff (South-West)
  Mr. Bradshaw
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many staff are employed by each Government department and agency in(a) the South-West, (b) Devon and (c) Exeter. [113209]

  Mr. Stringer
  The number of staff employed in Government Departments and agencies in the South-West, Devon and Exeter is listed in the table. Figures are quoted on a Full-Time Equivalent basis.

  Permanent staff in post in the South-West region Industrial and non-industrial

  Department (including agencies)

  South-West

  Devon

  Exeter

  Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  1,256

  374

  356

  Cabinet Office

  15

  0

  0

  Crown Prosecution Service

  338

  92

  61

  Customs and Excise

  954

  191

  51

  Culture, Media & Sport

  0

  0

  0

  Defence

  22,877

  2,660

  196

  Education and Employment

  2,247

  562

  75

  Environment, Transport and the Regions

  1,699

  144

  90

  Health and Safety Executive/Commission

  73

  16

  0

  Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  0

  0

  0

  Health

  138

  0

  0

  HM Land Registry

  1,528

  694

  0

  Home Office

  253

  10

  0

  HM Prison Service

  2,814

  925

  268

  Inland Revenue

  3,906

  821

  304

  International Development

  0

  0

  0

  Intervention Board

  0

  0

  0

  Lord Chancellor's Department

  358

  0

  0

  National Statistics

  0

  0

  0

  Ordnance Survey

  60

  15

  7

  Registers of Scotland

  0

  0

  0

  Scottish Office

  0

  0

  0

  Scottish Prison Service

  0

  0

  0

  Social Security

  5,018

  2,065

  269

  Trade and Industry

  235

  87

  35

  Treasury

  0

  0

  0

  Welsh Office

  0

  0

  0

  Royal Mint

  0

  0

  0

  Other Departments

  ACAS

  82

  0

  0

  Charity Commission

  161

  0

  0

  Central Office of Information

  15

  0

  0

  Office of the Rail Regulator

  9

  0

  0

  Offer

  9

  0

  0

  Ofsted

  26

  1

  1

  Ofwat

  9

  9

  9

  Privy Council Office

  4,692

  0

  0

  Treasury Solicitors

  76

  0

  0

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  New Public Bodies
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the new public bodies established by her Department since May 1997. [112657]
  528W
  Clare Short
  My Department has established one new public body since May 1997. It is an Advisory Body called the Development Awareness Working Group.

  Women's Radio
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list radio projects funded by her Department which aim to disseminate information for women. [112830]

  Clare Short
  We actively support a range of radio projects that are specifically designed to disseminate development information to women, or which contain women focused information within a more general media for development initiative. Some current examples of such include:

  BBC World Service Great Lakes Lifeline Service—Rwanda, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo—features programmes on women and a soap opera produced by Health Unlimited addressing women's health issues.

  Soul City Multimedia (TV, radio and press) project—South Africa/Southern Africa Region—support information on violence against women, rape and HIV/AIDS. Developed in conjunction with the strengthening of the National Network on Violence Against Women.

  Others include: Radio Gulu in Northern Uganda; Search for Common Ground radio soap opera in Angola; BBC Education Children in Conflict Radio Service; Project SPEAR emergency radio broadcasting for Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo; Farm Broadcast Unit in Bangladesh, BBC Radio Education for Afghan Children in Afghanistan.

  Storm Warnings (Indian Ocean)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what reports she has received on the operation of the early warning system for cyclones and tropical storms in the Indian Ocean area; and if she will make a statement. [112698]

  Clare Short
  The region is serviced by the French Government's Regional Forecasting Centre for Tropical Cyclones based on Reunion Island, east of Madagascar. We also receive regular bulletins on all potentially serious weather situations from the UK Meteorological Office. My officials in London and Mozambique use other monitoring resources available on the World Wide Web including the World Meteorological Organisation and the South African Weather Bureau.

  Disasters (Telephone Lines)
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make it her policy to establish a single number disaster telephone line for public responses to events such as the floods in Southern Africa; and if she will make a statement. [112744]

  Clare Short
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 20 April 1999,Official Report, column 471W.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Farm Bankruptcies
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farming businesses have(a) closed and (b) gone bankrupt during each of the past five years. [110529]

  Ms Quin
  There are no statistics on farm business closures. The data requested on bankruptcies are set out in the table.

  Number of bankruptcies in the agricultural and horticultural sector: England and Wales 1994–99

  Date

  Bankruptcies of self-employed individuals

  Company 1 insolvencies

  Total

  1994

  231

  166

  397

  1995

  218

  99

  317

  1996

  168

  89

  257

  1997

  155

  51

  206

  1998

  157

  65

  222

  1999

  2149

  252

  2201

  1 Including partnerships

  2 Not including data for the fourth quarter

  Source:

  Department of Trade and Industry

  Live Animal Exports
  Mr. Prosser
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 25 January,Official Report, column 189W, on live animal exports, how many live sheep were exported from the UK in 1999 for breeding. [110810]

  Ms Quin
  A total of 2,673 live sheep for breeding were exported from the UK in 1999 to EU member states and to Third Countries.

  These figures are derived from the computer system used to issue export health certificates and are subject to updating and amendment.

  Mr. Prosser
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many live pigs were exported from the UK in 1999 for(a) slaughter, (b) further fattening and (c) breeding in 1999, broken down by each country of destination. [110811]

  Ms Quin
  The total number of live pigs exported from the UK during 1999 for(a) slaughter, (b) further fattening and (c) breeding are shown in the following tables:

  EU member states

  Pigs for slaughter

  Pigs for fattening

  Pigs for breeding

  Belgium

  —

  —

  12,922

  Denmark

  —

  —

  140

  France

  —

  —

  5,179

  Germany

  —

  —

  52,991

  Greece

  —

  —

  829

  Ireland

  83,537

  4,205

  109

  Italy

  260

  —

  6,000

  Luxembourg

  —

  —

  24

  Netherlands

  —

  —

  19,180

  Portugal

  —

  —

  327

  Spain

  —

  50

  5,214

  Total

  83,797

  4,255

  102,915

  530W

  Non-EU destinations

  Pigs for slaughter

  Pigs for fattening

  Pigs for breeding

  Canada

  —

  —

  300

  Croatia

  —

  —

  190

  Czech Republic

  —

  —

  273

  India

  —

  —

  100

  Isle of Man

  —

  —

  2

  Japan

  —

  —

  846

  Kenya

  —

  —

  10

  Latvia

  —

  —

  139

  Mexico

  —

  —

  26

  Poland

  —

  —

  8

  Slovenia

  —

  —

  181

  South Korea

  —

  —

  525

  St. Helena

  —

  —

  20

  Switzerland

  —

  —

  6

  Thailand

  —

  —

  146

  China

  —

  —

  1,780

  U.S.A.

  —

  —

  120

  Total

  0

  0

  4,672

  These figures are derived from the computer system used to issue export health certificates and are subject to updating and amendment.

  Bees
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what scientific studies he has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated regarding the import of bees from New Zealand; what assessment he has made of the probability of such an importation carrying Kashmir Bee virus into the United Kingdom; and what advice he has received concerning the role of varroa mites as vectors for KBV. [110125]

  Ms Quin
  The Central Science Laboratory's National Bee Unit was requested to undertake a formal qualitative risk analysis on the importation of package bees from New Zealand. This was completed in March 1999. The importation of queen bees from that country which has high bee health standards, has been allowed under licence since 1980 without problem. Germany also allows imports of bee packages from New Zealand. However, the risk of importing Kashmir Bee virus (KBV) cannot be ruled out and the virus may already be present in UK bees. It has not yet been proven that KBV is vectored by varroa. There is certainly no indication from those major honey-producing countries where both varroa and KBV are endemic that the virus is causing concern, or measurable damage, to industry.

  BSE (France)
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with the European Commission about the increased incidence of BSE and CJD in France. [109851]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 14 February 2000]: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (Mr. Yeo) on 22 February 2000, Official Report, column 969W.

  Flood Defence
  Dr. Naysmith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what powers flood defence committees have in respect of the exercise by the Environment Agency of its permissive powers. [111586]

  Mr. Morley
  Section 106 of the Water Resources Act 1991 sets down the relationship between the Environment Agency and flood defence committees. Section 106(1) requires the Agency to arrange for its flood defence functions (except certain financial functions specified in section 106(2)) to be carried out by Regional Flood Defence Committees.

  In practice the committees will decide a forward programme of flood defence works based on Environment Agency proposals. The committees also provide the majority of funding for flood defence, through the levies on constituent councils.

  Dr. Naysmith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the Environment Agency has discretionary use of permissive powers under present legislation affecting the Environment Agency flood defence supervisory duty. [111585]

  Mr. Morley
  Flood and coastal defence legislation is permissive, empowering the Environment Agency (and the other operating authorities) to carry out works but not requiring them to undertake such works, either at all or to a given standard. The Government nevertheless expect operating authorities to exercise their powers, and respond to flood risks, in a responsible way, and to be ready to explain their policy in this regard.

  We have provided operating authorities with guidance to allow them to take prioritised decisions on flood defence provision within a strategic framework. This has been further developed through the Government's High Level Targets for flood and coastal defence, published in November 1999, which include a requirement for all operating authorities to prepare a publicly available policy statement setting out their approach to flood and coastal defence.

  The Environment Agency has a duty, under section 6(4) of the Environment Act 1995, to exercise a general supervision over all matters relating to flood defence in England and Wales. The way in which this duty will be exercised acknowledging other operating authorities' responsibilities was elaborated, alongside the High Level Targets, in November 1999.

  Farm Subsidies (Shropshire)
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many farmers in(a) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (b) Shropshire received subsidy payments in each £10,000 band in each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement; [111410]

  (2) if he will provide a breakdown of the subsidy payments to farmers in (a) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (b) Shropshire for each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement. [111441]

  Ms Quin
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Glufosinate Ammonia
  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 10 February 2000,Official Report, column 289W, if the use of glufosinate ammonia and its effects on the environment is being monitored as part of the trials being undertaken on GM winter oil seed rape. [111364]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 28 February 2000]: Yes.

  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps would have to be taken to lift the prohibition on winter use of glufosinate ammonia; and in what circumstances the lifting of the ban would be considered. [111354]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 28 February 2000]: The prohibition is contained in the five approvals for the commercial use of glufosinate ammonium products on oil seed rape. Lifting the prohibition would only be considered if an application, accompanied by information to demonstrate that this particular use posed no unacceptable risk to people, wildlife or the wider environment, were received. Experimental approvals, allowing strictly limited use but no sales, may be granted in order for experimental information to be collected to support such an application.

  Agriculture (Somerset)
  Mr. Ashdown
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many people were employed in agriculture in Somerset in each year from 1984–85 to 1999–2000; and if he will make a statement. [111963]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 28 February 2000]: People employed on main agricultural holdings in Somerset for the years 1984–85 to 1999–2000 are as follows:

  Employees

  Total labour

  1984

  7,081

  15,373

  1985

  7,187

  15,436

  1986

  6,924

  15,241

  1987

  6,808

  15,229

  1988

  6,970

  15,398

  1989

  6,579

  15,056

  1990

  6,604

  14,863

  1991

  6,501

  14,605

  1992

  6,385

  14,503

  1993

  6,491

  14,611

  1994

  5,984

  14,282

  1995

  5,879

  13,866

  1996

  5,696

  13,715

  1997

  5,724

  13,695

  1998

  5,764

  13,841

  1999

  5,277

  13,197

  Notes:

  1. Employees consists of salaried managers, regular workers and seasonal/casual workers.

  2. Total labour consists of employees and principal farmers, spouses, other farmers, partners and directors.

  3. In 1998, fundamental changes were introduced to the labour questions on the June Agricultural and Horticultural Census in England, Wales and Scotland. It appears that this change in questions may have led to the recording of additional Labour who were not previously included in the returns. The change in questions has also led to a redistribution of labour between the various categories, most notably for salaried managers.

  4. We therefore advise caution when comparing the 1998 results with previous years.

  Source:

  Agricultural and Horticultural Census

  Milk
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are his latest estimates for the price paid to farmers, in(a) pence and (b) euros per litre for milk in (i) the UK and (ii) in each of the EU member states which has a milk sector. [111788]

  Ms Quin
  1998 is the latest year for which farm-gate milk prices are available for all member states. The table shows the annual average price paid to farmers in 1998 for milk in each EU member state for raw milk, based on a milk fat content of 3.7 per cent. to ensure comparability. 1997 prices have been shown for comparison.

  Average price paid to farmers for raw milk, 3.7 per cent. fat content

  £ per 100kg

  Euros per 100kg

  Member state

  1997

  1998

  1997

  1998

  Austria

  18.63

  18.60

  26.91

  27.50

  Belgium

  18.35

  18.25

  26.50

  26.98

  Denmark

  21.37

  20.83

  30.87

  30.80

  Finland

  22.11

  20.99

  31.94

  31.03

  France

  19.47

  19.31

  28.13

  28.55

  Germany

  19.52

  19.96

  28.19

  29.51

  Greece

  23.32

  22.13

  33.69

  32.72

  Ireland

  19.54

  18.89

  28.23

  27.92

  Italy

  25.78

  23.57

  37.24

  34.84

  Luxembourg

  19.86

  20.16

  28.69

  29.81

  Netherlands

  20.19

  29.69

  29.17

  30.59

  Portugal

  19.87

  19.20

  28.70

  28.39

  Spain

  18.76

  18.93

  27.10

  27.99

  Sweden

  23.50

  22.15

  33.94

  32.75

  United Kingdom

  20.67

  18.10

  29.85

  26.75

  Notes:

  1. Prices are reported to Eurostat by member state in national currency per 100kg

  2. Conversion factors to litres are not available for each member state. In the UK 1 litre is approximately equal to 1.03kg of milk

  Source:

  Eurostat

  Feeding Stuffs Regulations
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what recent representations he has received concerning the impact of proposed Regulation 13 of the Draft Feeding Stuffs Regulations 2000 on animal husbandry in the hill and upland areas of the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement; [112066]

  (2) if he will amend Regulation 13 of the Draft Feeding Stuffs Regulation 2000 to allow the continued use for animal husbandry in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland of cobalt, selenium, copper and other trace minerals. [112065]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 28 February 2000]: My Department has received a large number of representations concerned with the effect of the proposed regulation including on hill and upland areas of the United Kingdom.

  Our recent consultation on the draft Feeding Stuffs Regulations 2000 specifically requested comments on this regulation. This was in order that all the implications of such a measure on additives in animal husbandry used outside feeds could be assessed. We will be in a position to make a decision on this issue shortly, when we have considered all the responses.

  Agrimonetary Compensation
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much agrimonetary compensation has been received by British farmers in the last three years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [111783]

  Ms Quin
  The approximate figures are set out for the following CAP scheme years.

  £ million

  Scheme Year

  1997

  85

  1998

  48

  1999

  264

  Because payments relate to scheme years, some of the expenditure falls between calendar years.

  Fish Discards
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the research study on discards commissioned from Nautilus Consultants will be completed. [112345]

  Mr. Morley
  The study commenced in June 1999 and will take 18 months to complete. The final report is expected in December this year.

  Pig Industry
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many times he has raised the issue of BSE-related costs to the pig industry with the Agriculture Commissioner in Brussels in the last 12 months; [111704]

  (2) when he last raised the issue of BSE-related costs to the pig industry with the Farm Commissioner in Brussels. [111705]

  Ms Quin
  Ministers and officials have had a number of discussions with the European Commission in the last 12 months on the current difficulties being faced by UK pig producers. My right hon. Friend's most recent discussions with Agriculture Commissioner Fischler were in the margins of the Agriculture Council on Monday 24 January and at the National Farmers Union Annual General Meeting on 1 February.

  Greyhounds
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent research his Department has conducted into the welfare standards for racing greyhounds raised in the UK in Vietnam; and if he will make a statement. [112389]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 1 March 2000]: No such studies have been undertaken by this Department. We have no powers in relation to the matter raised.

  Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the members of SEAC, indicating which(a) are and (b) have been involved in the production of vaccines, and listing their declared commercial interests. [111899]

  SEAC member

  Name of organisation

  Nature of interests

  Commercial interests

  Professor A. Aguzzi

  Boehringer Ingelheim

  Occasional consultancy

  Abbott Laboratories (Chicago)

  Support of some laboratory costs e.g. care of mice, instrumentation

  Immune AG (Vienna)

  Support of some laboratory costs e.g. care of mice, instrumentation

  Professor R. Anderson

  Decode

  Scientific Advisory Board

  SKB

  Scientific consultancy

  Abbott Pharmaceuticals

  Scientific consultancy

  IBHSC Ltd.

  Director

  M. R. Bradley

  European Natural Sausage Casings Association

  Adviser

  Meat and Livestock Commission

  Adviser

  Professor C. Bostock

  Safeway

  Share holding

  Professor J. Collinge

  None

  None

  Dr. J. Ironside

  —

  —

  Professor H. Kimbell

  Bass Plc.

  Small share holding

  Tesco's Plc.

  Small share holding

  Professor C. Masters

  Merck

  Consultant

  PRANA Biotechnology Plc.

  Director

  Professor I. McConnell

  Marks and Spencer

  Veterinary consultant on occasional basis

  Dr. M. Painter

  None

  None

  Dr. D. B. Pepper

  The Veterinary Defence Society Ltd.

  Director and Claims consultant

  Pfizer Animal Health (Pfizer Ltd.)

  Adviser

  Intervet International BV (Netherlands)

  Adviser

  Intervet UK Ltd.

  Adviser

  Dr. J. Safar

  Dr. Safar has no commercial interests but according to the intellectual property policies of the University of California (UC) is entitled to a portion of income when UC licences to a commercial entity any patents on which he is named as an inventor

  Professor P. Smith (Acting Chairman)

  None

  None

  Dr. D. B. Pepper

  The Veterinary Defence Society Ltd.

  Director and Claims consultant

  Pfizer Animal Health (Pfizer Ltd.)

  Adviser

  Intervet International BV (Netherlands)

  Adviser

  Intervet UK Ltd.

  Adviser

  Dr. J. Safar

  —

  —

  Professor P. Smith (Acting Chairman)

  None

  None

  Non-commercial interests

  Professor A. Aguzzi

  Swiss National Foundation No: 31–36059.92 3100–040827.94

  Principal investigator

  Cancer league of the Kanton Zurich

  Principal investigator

  European Union No. BMHI-CT93-1142

  Co-investigator

  National Institute of Health

  Co-investigator

  Swiss National Research Program NFP38 and NFP38+

  Principle investigator

  Professor. R. Anderson

  The Wellcome Trust

  Governor

  Tropical Health and Education Trust (THET)

  Trustee

  London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine

  Court of Governors

  Hamburg Institute of Tropical Medicine

  Scientific Advisory Board

  Isaac Newton Institute, Cambridge

  Scientific Advisory Board

  Maxwell Institute, Edinburgh

  Scientific Advisory Board

  Mr. R. Bradley

  MAFF

  Adviser

  Veterinary Laboratories Agency

  Adviser

  World Health Organisation

  Adviser

  Office International des Epizooties

  Adviser

  European Commission

  Adviser

  National Governments and individuals; especially in Africa, Europe and Americas

  Adviser

  536W
  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 1 March 2000]: In accordance with the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee's code of practice, members are asked to declare any commercial and non-commercial interests. The table lists the members of SEAC and their currently declared interests. This information is also published in the Committee's Annual Report.

  537W

  SEAC member

  Name of organization

  Nature of interests

  International Natural Sausage Casings

  Adviser

  Association (INSCA)

  North American Natural Casing Association (NANCA)

  Natural Sausage Casings Association (NSCA)

  Hard Brothers Ltd.

  Adviser

  Animal Proteins Corporation (APC) Europe SA

  Adviser

  Crackwillow Ltd.

  Adviser

  Professor C. Bostock

  The UK and some overseas Governments

  Research contracts with IAH

  Non-governmental organisations and companies, spanning a wide range of interests including food, agriculture, chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

  Research contracts with IAH

  Further details of customers of IAH can be found on the Institute's website (www.iah.bbsrc.ac.uk)

  Professor J. Collinge

  Wellcome Trust

  Research grant holder

  Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council

  Research grant holder

  Department of Health

  Research grant holder

  European Commission BIOMED programme

  Research grant holder

  Medical Research Council

  Research grant holder

  Motor Neurone Disease Association

  Chairman, Research Advisory Panel

  World Health Organisation

  Adviser

  Dr. J. Ironside

  Baxter Healthcare USA

  Research investigator on a Baxter funded project on the transmission of CJD (principal investigator Dr. Paul Brown USA)

  Department of Health

  Research grant holder:

  Surveillance of CJD (neuropathology)

  DoH 1216469—National retrospective review of CJD and respective disorders

  DoH 1216982—Immunocytochemical testing for disease-associated prion protein in lymphoid tissues

  Adviser: Decontamination of surgical instruments

  Assessment of risk of exposure to vCJD: infectivity in blood and blood products

  Medical Research Council

  Grant holder:

  G9708080—Edinburgh HIV brain and tissue resource

  G9627376—Phenotypic variation in CJD, a clinical pathological and molecular study

  BBSRC

  Grant holder:

  15/BS204814—Neuronal pathology in CJD: an immunocytochemical study with quantitive and microscopic analysis

  201/BS410537—The relationship between neuron damage and clinical disease: relating murine and ovine scrapie to BSE and CJD Adviser: BSEP

  European Union

  Grant holder:

  EC BI04–98–6046—Diagnosis of TSE using PrPsc/PrPc

  EC CT98-6015—European centralised facility for human transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (prion disease)

  EC PL97-6003—Transgenic mice expressing human prion protein. Use for characterisation of human encephalopathies and sensitivity for detection of infectivity

  EU CT98-6048—Quantitative analysis of MR scans in CJD (QAMRIC)

  Adviser

  Committee on safety of medicines

  Adviser

  World Health Organisation

  Adviser

  UK Xenotransplantation Interim Regulatory Body

  Adviser

  Professor H. Kimbell

  —

  —

  Professor C. Masters

  National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia Several research grants

  Principle and Associate investigator

  World Health Organisation

  Occasional consultancies on CJD

  Australian Government

  Occasional consultancy on CJD and Director of the National CJD Registry

  Professor I. McConnell

  Wellcome Trust

  Fellowship holder

  Research grant holder

  Panel member for Veterinary Interest Group

  BBSRC

  Research grant holder

  Dr. M. Painter

  None

  None

  Dr. D. B. Pepper

  None

  None

  538W

  539W

  SEAC member

  Name of organization

  Nature of interests

  Dr. J. Safar

  National Institute of Health, Grant # AGO-10770

  Co-investigator

  World Health Organisation

  Adviser

  Swiss National Research Programme

  Adviser

  Medical Research Council

  Adviser

  Non-governmental organisations and companies

  Research contracts with UCSF

  Professor P. Smith (Acting Chairman)

  Department of Health

  Grant holder

  Dr. D. B. Pepper

  None

  None

  Dr. J. Safar

  —

  —

  Professor P. Smith (Acting Chairman)

  Department of Health

  Grant holder

  Correspondence
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Banbury dated 23 December concerning Mr. C. Lane of Village Farm, Bletchingdon. [112654]

  Ms Quin
  I replied to the letter from the hon. Member for Banbury on 2 March 2000.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Christopher Snelling
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what grounds he authorised the early release of Christopher Snelling, the murderer of Police Sergeant Robertson; and if he will make a statement. [111786]

  Mr. Boateng
  Christopher Snelling was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for conspiracy to rob and the manslaughter of Police Sergeant Robertson. No decision as to his release has yet been taken.

  His application for release on parole is currently being considered by the Parole Board, pursuant to the authority delegated to it under the Parole Board (Transfer of Functions) Order 1998. I have asked the Chairman of the Parole Board to write to the hon. Member directly once the Board has concluded its deliberations, setting out its decision.

  When considering a case such as Mr. Snelling's, the Parole Board takes into account Directions as to the release of determinate sentence prisoners given by the Secretary of State, under section 32(6) of the Criminal Justice Act 1991. These focus primarily on the risk to the public of a further offence being committed at a time when the offender would otherwise be in prison. This is balanced against the benefit, both to the public and the offender, of early release back into the community under a degree of supervision which might help rehabilitation and so lessen the risk of reoffending in the future.

  European Public Prosecutor
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which EU member states currently support the establishment of a European public prosecutor; and what is the position of the Commission on this matter. [112339]
  540W
  Mr. Charles Clarke
  In its Opinion for this year's Intergovernmental Conference, the Commission proposes the creation of a European Public Prosecutor to investigate and prosecute before national courts cases of fraud against the European Community's budget. I have made clear that I am not persuaded of the case for a European prosecutor and see a number of significant difficulties in such a proposal. To date, I am not aware that other member states have publicly declared positions.

  Europol
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost in the next financial year of the increase in remuneration, pensions and other financial entitlements to Europol employees of December 1999. [112509]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Total personnel costs, including salaries, pensions and other staff allowances, in the Europol budget for 2000 is 17,261,000 euro in respect of 185 posts. These figures compare with a personnel budget for 1999 of 11,130,500 euro for 139 staff. A copy of Europol's draft budget for 2000 (reference 2210–87r6) giving a detailed breakdown of costs was deposited with the Parliamentary scrutiny committees on 20 September 1999.

  Asylum Seekers
  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers his Department(a) has and (b) will have after 1 April compulsorily to acquire local government properties used to house asylum seekers, (i) if it needs further such accommodation for such purposes and (ii) if it needs such accommodation on a longer basis than the local authority plans to use it for such purposes. [112477]

  Mrs. Roche
  Section 101 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 (which comes into force on 3 April) provides that the Secretary of State may by order designate areas in England and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland as reception zones. The Secretary of State may direct a local authority of the Northern Ireland Executive to make available any suitable housing accommodation within such a zone for the purpose of providing support to asylum seekers under section 95 of the 1999 Act. The period for which such accommodation is to be made available cannot exceed five years.
  541W
  In relation to Scotland, the Secretary of State may not direct a local authority to provide accommodation unless Scottish ministers have confirmed that the criteria specified in a designation order are in their opinion met in relation to that authority.

  Housing accommodation will be suitable for the purposes of the provisions of section 101 if it is unoccupied, likely to remain unoccupied for the foreseeable future if not made available, and appropriate for the accommodation of asylum seekers.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list those local authorities which are currently supporting asylum seekers who are unaccompanied minors, indicating how many such people are being supported by each such local authority; [113318]

  (2) if he will list those local authorities which are currently supporting asylum seekers, indicating how many asylum seekers are being supported by each such local authority. [113316]

  Mrs. Roche
  Information on local authority-supported asylum seekers is available only for the Greater London local authorities. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hammersmith and Fulham (Mr. Coleman) on 9 February 2000,Official Report, columns 166–67W, which gives the available information, as at 7 January 2000, on asylum seekers supported by each London borough, split between families, singles and unaccompanied minors.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what changes he has made since 2 May 1997 to the list of countries where, in terms of section 1 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996, there is in general no serious risk of persecution; [113322]

  (2) which countries are designated by him under section 1 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 as ones where there is in general no serious risk of persecution; what plans he has to amend that list; and if he will make a statement. [113321]

  Mrs. Roche
  The countries designated as ones where there is in general no serious risk of persecution are Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ghana, India, Pakistan, Poland and Romania. No changes have been made to this list since 2 May 1997.

  When Part IV and Schedule 4 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 are brought into force later this year, the list of designated countries will cease to operate. Cases from these countries will then be dealt with, where appropriate, using the fairer and more effective case-specific procedures in the 1999 Act for dealing quickly with unfounded claims.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason payments to Scottish local authorities for supporting asylum seekers differ from such payments to English and Welsh local authorities. [113319]

  Mrs. Roche
  In England and Wales, local authorities may recover costs associated with supporting asylum seekers subject to unit cost limits of £140 a week for single adults and £240 a week for families. These unit costs have been agreed with the Local Government Association and the Association of London Government.
  542W
  In Scotland, asylum seeking adults are supported under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 and families and children under the Children (Scotland) Act 1995. The Home Office and the Scotland Office agreed with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, for the 1999–2000 financial year, to continue previous arrangements under which a flat rate grant of £165 per person is paid for support of asylum seeking adults and families. In future, there will be United Kingdom arrangements for asylum support under the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about his Department's investigation into allegations of the misuse of public money to house asylum seekers in Northamptonshire. [113355]

  Mrs. Roche
  I understand that Northamptonshire County Council is currently conducting an investigation into these allegations to determine whether there are matters that should be referred to the police for possible criminal investigation. It would be inappropriate for me to comment further at this stage.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the organisations which have agreed with his Department to provide first contact support for asylum seekers on or after 1 April. [113314]

  Mrs. Roche
  The following organisations have agreed to provide staff to act as reception assistants to help deal with persons seeking support under the national asylum support scheme. Refugee Arrivals Project; Migrant helpline; Refugee Council; Scottish Refugee Council; Welsh Refugee Council; and Refugee Action.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to apply the new support scheme under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 to all asylum seekers whose applications are made on or after 1 April; and if he will make a statement. [113320]

  Mrs. Roche
  I propose to bring in the new support arrangements on Monday 3 April 2000 for asylum seekers who make their applications at a port of entry from that date. The entitlement of new port applicants to cash, social security and housing benefits will thereupon cease; in-country applicants do not have this entitlement.

  Those who apply for asylum from that date and who are then detained at Oakington reception centre, whether their application is port or in-country, will go on to the new support arrangements.

  I shall also make arrangements for asylum seekers who claim asylum and support from 3 April in Scotland or Northern Ireland and who are eligible for support to come on to the new support arrangements.

  It is my intention to bring the new support arrangements on stream as soon as possible for other asylum seekers who make in-country applications for asylum in England and Wales and for those in England and Wales who claim asylum at their port of entry prior to 3 April 2000 who receive a negative decision and who then go on to appeal. Until then, responsibility for providing support will continue under the terms of Schedule 9 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.
  543W
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy in publishing asylum statistics to differentiate between claimants from different parts of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia; and if he will make a statement. [113317]

  Mrs. Roche
  Asylum statistics are recorded on a nationality basis and Serbs, Kosovans and Montenegrins are nationals of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. To attempt to provide statistics on a regional basis would incur a great deal of effort and disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the organisations which have agreed with his Department to provide accommodation for asylum seekers on or after 1 April under the provisions of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, indicating how many asylum seekers each contractor has agreed to accommodate. [113315]

  Proven adjusications on assaults in prisons in England and Wales, 19991

  Number/per 100 population

  Assaults on staff

  Assaults on prisoners

  Assaults on others

  All assaults

  Number

  All establishments

  2,556

  3,344

  418

  6,318

  of which:

  PFI establishments2

  71

  99

  10

  180

  Other private sector establishments3

  111

  246

  28

  385

  Public sector establishments

  2,374

  2,999

  380

  5,753

  Number per 100 population

  All establishments

  3.9

  5.1

  0.6

  9.7

  of which:

  PFI establishments2

  3.2

  4.4

  0.4

  8.0

  Other private sector establishments3

  4.1

  9.2

  1.0

  14.4

  Public sector establishments

  4.0

  5.0

  0.6

  9.6

  1 Provisional

  2 Private Finance Initiative establishments: Altcourse, Ashfield, Lowdham Grange and Pare

  3 Other privately managed establishments: Blakenhurst, Buckley Hall, Doncaster and The Wolds

  Prisoner Welfare
  Ms Kelly
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the welfare of prisoners who are held in(a) PFI-prisons and (b) nonPFI-prisons; and if he will make a statement. [112476]

  Mr. Boateng
  The welfare of all prisoners, including those housed in the five Private Finance Initiative Design, Construct, Manage and Finance (DCMF) prisons now open, is assessed according to the same procedures and standards. Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons conducted 21 full inspections in 1999 including three DCMF prisons, Parc, Altcourse and Lowdham Grange. Conditions for prisoners in directly managed prisons were reported to range from the unacceptable to the excellent. In his report on Parc, the Chief Inspector stated that Parc was a challenging place and that there was still much to do but that he was impressed with the potential and the obvious willingness of most staff to make the prison successful. The reports on Altcourse and Lowdham Grange prisons have not yet been published.

  The Prison Service itself continuously monitors the performance of all prisons including the treatment of inmates through various procedures such as Key Performance Indicators and standards audits.
  544W
  Mrs. Roche
  All information about the organisations that have tendered to provide accommodation for asylum seekers under the national asylum support scheme and about the details of their bids is commercially confidential. I am, therefore, unable to provide the information requested.

  Prison Staff (Assaults)
  Ms Kelly
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults on prison staff were carried out in the latest year for which figures are available by prisoners in(a) PFI prisons and (b) non-PFI prisons; and if he will make a statement. [112497]

  Mr. Boateng
  Provisional information on the number of proven assaults adjudicated upon in prisons in England and Wales during 1999 is given in the table.

  Immigration and Asylum (Computer Systems)
  Sir Nicholas Lyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the functioning of his Department's computer systems relating to control of immigration and asylum. [112479]

  Mrs. Roche
  The Home Office relies on a number of computer systems in the control of immigration and asylum. All systems are functioning effectively under appropriate management arrangements and contracts with suppliers to provide for day to day operation and development where required.

  Mobile Telephones
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about his plans to monitor the use of mobile telephones for criminal purposes. [112501]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill was introduced to the House on 9 February. The Bill will ensure that the current regime for intercepting the communications of those involved in serious crime is updated, to deal with the technological changes which have taken place since the Interception of Communications Act was enacted in 1985. The strict criteria for the approval of interceptions will remain the same.

  Schengen Convention
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the general principles governing the payment of informers as part of the Schengen process; and what guidelines have subsequently been passed to UK agencies. [112507]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The United Kingdom's application to participate in those parts of the Schengen acquis relating to police and judicial co-operation included a list of relevant Decisions of the Schengen Executive Committee. These include one relating to the payment of informers (SCH/Com-ex(99)8 rev 2). As the United Kingdom's application has yet to be approved, no action has yet been taken in relation to this Decision.

  The United Kingdom's application has been subject to the Parliamentary scrutiny process. Accordingly those Decisions of the Schengen Executive Committee in which the United Kingdom is seeking to participate have been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those items of information to be shared by the UK on accession to elements of the Schengen system. [112512]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The United Kingdom is seeking to participate in the exchange of data under Article 95 and Articles 97 to 100 of the Schengen Convention. These Articles broadly cover areas of police and judicial co-operation. A copy of the Schengen Convention may be found in the Library.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place the Schengen Manual on Bogus Drug Deals in the Library. [112506]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I am unaware of any such Manual. If the hon. Member were able to provide more details we would be happy to explore the matter further.

  Immigration and Nationality Directorate
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff were employed in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate on 1 February. [112620]

  Mrs. Roche
  The current publicity surrounding the rise in asylum seekers and the backlogs of work in Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) has provided a flurry of Parliamentary Questions relating to the number of staff employed in IND at various times.

  There is no particular significance to the date of 1 February 2000.

  Immigration Documents
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has issued to immigration officers at ports regarding the issue of SAL1 and SAL2 documents; and if he will place a copy of the guidance in the Library. [112707]

  Mrs. Roche
  My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has issued no guidance on these matters to Immigration Officers. These are administrative procedures covered by internal operational instructions.

  Safe Cells
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many safe cells there are in(a) prisons and (b) police stations; what plans he has for further ones to be installed; and if he will make a statement. [112975]

  Mr. Boateng
  By 31 March 2000, 185 improved standard cells (previously known as "safe" cells) will have been provided in 19 existing prisons. In addition, there are 1,088 cells in use at two new privately managed prisons (Forest Bank prison and Ashfield young offenders institution) which reflect the new design requirements. All future new prisons will similarly incorporate these requirements. No central record exists of the number of such cells in police stations in England and Wales and the information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the same safe cell specification applies to(a) prisons in HM Prison Service, (b) privately-run prisons and (c) prisons funded by the Private Finance Initiative; and if he will make a statement. [112976]

  Mr. Boateng
  Private sector consortiums seeking to build and manage new prisons are required to reflect the design requirements of the Prison Service's improved standard cell in all new prison cells. While such cells may not be identical to those built by the Prison Service, all cells will incorporate the key elements of the Service's design specification.

  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners committed suicide in safe cells in the last year for which figures are available. [112974]

  Mr. Boateng
  None of the prisoners who committed suicide in 1999 were located in the improved cell design, formerly known as "safe" cells.

  Prisoner Complaints
  Mr. McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints of racist behaviour were made by prisoners against prison officers in 1997, 1998 and 1999. [113012]

  Mr. Boateng
  The number of alleged racist incidents recorded by establishments against staff on prisoners for the past three years are:

  112 (1996–97)

  92 (1997–98

  218 (1998–99).

  An incident may have been reported by the prisoner or by anyone else witnessing it.

  All incidents which are alleged to have a racist element are required to be reported to the race relations liaison officer (RRLO) for recording and investigation. The majority of alleged racist incidents are resolved informally. Race relations and the role of the RRLO were given added prominence following the setting up of the Director General's Race Relations Group in July 1998 and further guidance on the definition of a racist incident has been issued since the publication of the Macpherson report in February 1999.

  Race Relations Training
  Mr. McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what anti-racist training has been provided to the dedicated search team at HMP Full Sutton. [113009]

  Mr. Boateng
  All dedicated search team staff at Full Sutton receive training on race relations. In addition, the dedicated search team also receives training on equal opportunities and anti-bullying, both of which incorporate an element of race relations.

  Mr. McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what anti-racist training is provided to Prison Service staff. [113013]

  Mr. Boateng
  All Prison Service staff are trained nationally, by the Prison Service's training services, and locally by each race relations trainer who must have attended the national race relations training for trainers course. All race relations training, and associated procedures, are auditable by the national standards unit and are underpinned by the Prison Service Order on Race Relations (PSO 2800), issued in May 1997, a copy of which is available in the Library. Topics covered in the training include:

  Acceptable/unacceptable terminology; prejudice, discrimination and related processes;

  the definition and investigation of complaints and racist incidents;

  the significance of religious artefacts/objects; and

  the importance of the individual in the elimination of discrimination and the promotion of equality.

  Prisoner Telephone Call Monitoring
  Mr. McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what guidelines are provided to prison officers on the recording of monitored telephone conversations of prisoners; [113011]

  (2) what monitoring is undertaken by the Prison Service of prison telephone monitoring indexes; [113010]

  (3) what guidelines have been established by the Prison Service for the monitoring of prisoners' telephone calls. [113008]

  Mr. Boateng
  Guidelines to prison staff on the recording and monitoring of prisoners' telephone calls are contained in the Prison Service Security Manual, Prison Standing Order 5G, Circular Instruction 21–1992, Chapters 1 and 2 of Prison Service Order 4400 and Instructions to Governors 87–1995 and 73–1995, copies of which are available in the Library.

  These require that all prisoners' telephone calls, other than in open establishments, are recorded and capable of being monitored contemporaneously and from playback of the recordings. Calls made by high and exceptional risk category A prisoners are contemporaneously monitored. Monitoring of other prisoners' calls takes place on a selective basis where there is justifiable suspicion of
  548W
  abuse, supplemented by random monitoring to the extent it is considered necessary for the purposes of security, control and the detection of crime.

  Prisons (Rats)
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total expenditure in each of the past three financial years on controlling and treating rat infestations in prisons. [113043]

  Mr. Boateng
  The information requested is not available.

  Regular inspections take place in all prison establishments to check for infestations of pests of all types, and establishments have contracts with pest control firms for action to be taken to deal with any infestations discovered.

  Primates
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what primates were brought into this country through Dover on 3 February having sailed on the 'Cap Afrique' from Dunkirk; what was their(a) origin and (b) destination; and what arrangements were made for their welfare during their journey. [110231]

  Ms Quin
  I have been asked to reply.

  According to our records, 60 primates from Mauriti us came into Dover on 3 February. These were inspected by a veterinary surgeon at the quarantine premises which was their destination and were found to have travelled well with no signs of ill health or disease. According to Home Office records the ship on which they arrived was the 'Cap Afrique.'

  Global Cultural Diversity Congress
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the terms of reference for the review which he has asked Gurbux Singh to conduct on the Global Cultural Diversity Congress. [113586]

  Mr. Straw
  I have asked Gurbux Singh to conduct a review with the following terms of reference:To review the events leading up to the cancellation of the Global Cultural Diversity Congress, including possible implications for corporate governance of the Commission for Racial Equality, and to make recommendations.
  The findings of the review will be laid in the Library.

  Police Investigations (War Crimes and Torture)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many investigations have been undertaken to date by the Metropolitan police under the provisions of the(a) War Crimes Act 1991 and (b) International Convention on Torture. [112923]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Commissioner of the Metropolitan police has informed me that, between May 1991 and 2 March 2000, 381 individuals have been investigated under the War Crimes Act 1991. He also informs me that two allegations under section 134 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 (the offence of Torture) have been investigated.
  549W
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Metropolitan police officers are assigned to the investigation of cases referred to the Metropolitan police under(a) the War Crimes Act 1991 and (b) the International Convention on Torture; and if he will make a statement. [1 I 2926]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Commissioner of the Metropolitan police has informed me that no officers are currently assigned to the investigation of cases under the War Crimes Act 1991.

  He also informs me that no officers are assigned specifically to the investigation of allegations of torture. Officers are assigned, principally from the Organised Crime Group, as and when allegations are made.

  1996

  Total police vehicle accidents

  No limmediate response/pursuit

  Immediate/pursuit

  Fatal RTAs immediate/pursuits

  Police serious injury immediate/pursuits

  Police other injuries immediate/pursuits

  Civilian fatal PVAs immediate/pursuits

  Civilian serious injury immediate/pursuits

  Civilian other injuries immediate/pursuits

  Avon and Somerset

  507

  229

  82

  0

  1

  45

  2

  13

  21

  Bedfordshire

  205

  93

  19

  0

  2

  5

  0

  1

  11

  Cambridgeshire

  256

  107

  19

  0

  2

  15

  0

  4

  7

  Cheshire

  194

  102

  28

  0

  3

  18

  0

  5

  16

  City of London

  80

  19

  4

  0

  1

  7

  0

  0

  4

  Cleveland

  75

  22

  7

  0

  0

  8

  0

  2

  2

  Cumbria

  116

  19

  1

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  Derbyshire

  320

  96

  27

  0

  7

  18

  0

  4

  14

  Devon and Cornwall

  250

  64

  21

  0

  0

  9

  0

  4

  20

  Dorset

  119

  56

  12

  0

  0

  2

  0

  2

  8

  Durham

  159

  73

  18

  0

  0

  14

  0

  0

  16

  Dyfed-Powys

  75

  19

  6

  0

  0

  5

  0

  0

  4

  Essex

  391

  93

  20

  0

  1

  15

  1

  0

  16

  Gloucestershire

  196

  91

  13

  0

  3

  6

  0

  1

  3

  Greater Manchester

  957

  1n/a

  1n/a

  0

  7

  61

  2

  7

  30

  Gwent

  195

  38

  2

  0

  0

  2

  2

  0

  2

  Hampshire

  555

  161

  24

  0

  0

  12

  0

  0

  25

  Hertfordshire

  223

  75

  15

  0

  3

  16

  0

  1

  6

  Humbersire

  188

  37

  9

  0

  0

  6

  0

  2

  5

  Kent

  423

  180

  27

  0

  5

  12

  1

  4

  5

  Lancashire

  449

  85

  20

  0

  2

  7

  2

  2

  17

  Leicestershire

  214

  78

  12

  0

  0

  2

  2

  1

  7

  Lincolnshire

  71

  36

  5

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  3

  Merseyside

  320

  135

  139

  0

  3

  101

  2

  3

  139

  Metropolitan Police

  3,783

  1,308

  320

  0

  43

  352

  1

  27

  189

  Norfolk

  192

  45

  10

  0

  0

  6

  0

  0

  7

  North Wales

  95

  22

  9

  0

  2

  7

  0

  0

  3

  North Yorkshire

  131

  48

  11

  0

  1

  6

  0

  4

  9

  Northamptonshire

  134

  68

  19

  0

  0

  11

  0

  2

  14

  Northumbria

  1n/a

  1n/a

  1n/a

  1n/a

  1n/a

  1n/a

  1n/a

  1n/a

  1n/a

  Nottinghamshire

  298

  135

  28

  0

  1

  22

  0

  4

  12

  South Wales

  597

  79

  4

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  South Yorkshire

  292

  98

  33

  0

  1

  33

  0

  2

  21

  Staffordshire

  557

  156

  39

  0

  0

  33

  0

  0

  6

  Suffolk

  136

  21

  4

  0

  0

  3

  0

  0

  3

  Surrey

  270

  125

  26

  0

  3

  18

  0

  1

  8

  Sussex

  401

  140

  35

  0

  1

  19

  0

  8

  33

  Thames Valley

  888

  398

  19

  0

  3

  5

  1

  2

  8

  Warwickshire

  137

  46

  15

  0

  0

  7

  0

  0

  8

  West Mercia

  175

  55

  12

  0

  5

  10

  0

  0

  5

  West Midlands

  1,503

  295

  53

  0

  0

  54

  1

  1

  35

  West Yorkshire

  728

  15

  1n/a

  1n/a

  1n/a

  1n/a

  1n/a

  1n/a

  1n/a

  Wiltshire

  53

  10

  3

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  2

  Provincial total

  13,125

  3,664

  850

  0

  57

  627

  14

  80

  555

  England and Wales Total

  216,908

  34,972

  41,170

  50

  5100

  5979

  515

  5107

  5744

  Police Vehicles (Accidents)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many accidents involving police vehicles there were in each police area in each of the past three years; and what was the severity of the injuries incurred in each case. [112924]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information set out in the table has been provided by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary, to which forces submit statistical returns. The statistics collect all incidents in which a police vehicle sustains damage, including those where no other vehicle is involved. Figures for the injury classifications are available only for collisions where the police vehicle was responding to an emergency call or in pursuit of another vehicle.
  551W

  1997

  Total police vehicle accidents

  No limmediate response/pursuit

  Immediate/pursuit

  Fatal RTAs immediate/pursuits

  Police serious injury immediate/pursuits

  Police other injuries immediate/pursuits

  Civilian fatal PVAs immediate/pursuits

  Civilian serious injury immediate/pursuits

  Civilian other injuries immediate/pursuits

  Avon and Somerset

  477

  184

  21

  0

  4

  8

  0

  0

  9

  Bedfordshire

  320

  83

  14

  0

  0

  5

  0

  2

  7

  Cambridgeshire

  303

  123

  26

  0

  8

  20

  0

  5

  10

  Cheshire

  111

  83

  21

  0

  1

  19

  0

  0

  6

  City of London

  62

  13

  4

  0

  3

  0

  0

  0

  3

  Cleveland

  86

  39

  9

  0

  1

  5

  0

  0

  15

  Cumbria

  133

  20

  5

  0

  0

  4

  0

  0

  1

  Derbyshire

  383

  84

  22

  0

  0

  19

  1

  0

  14

  Devon and Cornwall

  308

  93

  18

  0

  0

  14

  0

  1

  11

  Dorset

  139

  44

  12

  0

  0

  5

  0

  3

  4

  Durham

  142

  33

  14

  0

  1

  15

  0

  1

  8

  Dyfed-Powys

  42

  9

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Essex

  396

  109

  27

  0

  0

  18

  0

  5

  21

  Gloucestershire

  147

  61

  7

  0

  0

  3

  0

  0

  4

  Greater Manchester

  774

  195

  56

  0

  3

  46

  8

  4

  18

  Gwent

  182

  57

  3

  0

  0

  5

  0

  0

  0

  Hampshire

  594

  78

  13

  0

  0

  3

  0

  2

  8

  Hertfordshire

  196

  55

  11

  0

  0

  5

  0

  1

  7

  Humberside

  207

  66

  18

  0

  2

  18

  0

  0

  5

  Kent

  546

  138

  22

  0

  3

  25

  0

  1

  6

  Lancashire

  268

  53

  41

  0

  2

  32

  0

  2

  31

  Leicestershire

  173

  30

  26

  0

  0

  8

  0

  3

  33

  Lincolnshire

  94

  26

  7

  0

  0

  5

  0

  0

  2

  Merseyside

  414

  119

  59

  0

  4

  89

  1

  3

  28

  Metropolitan Police

  4,045

  1,422

  396

  0

  47

  419

  1

  28

  246

  Norfolk

  211

  36

  15

  0

  1

  4

  0

  2

  16

  North Wales

  48

  9

  4

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  2

  North Yorkshire

  140

  51

  19

  0

  4

  9

  0

  2

  14

  Northamptonshire

  139

  43

  6

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  5

  Northumbria

  489

  180

  47

  0

  1

  37

  1

  1

  22

  Nottinghamshire

  278

  141

  38

  0

  2

  50

  0

  1

  18

  South Wales

  563

  104

  21

  0

  2

  11

  0

  1

  7

  South Yorkshire

  357

  139

  19

  0

  1

  13

  0

  2

  12

  Staffordshire

  644

  142

  33

  0

  0

  24

  0

  0

  9

  Suffolk

  122

  4

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Surrey

  108

  55

  16

  0

  0

  12

  0

  1

  4

  Sussex

  282

  138

  34

  0

  2

  14

  3

  11

  22

  Thames Valley

  688

  394

  61

  0

  1

  43

  0

  3

  56

  Warwickshire

  135

  41

  19

  0

  2

  13

  0

  0

  4

  West Mercia

  270

  49

  11

  0

  0

  10

  0

  0

  7

  West Midlands

  1,367

  291

  99

  0

  6

  60

  0

  6

  27

  West Yorkshire

  500

  1n/a

  66

  0

  4

  53

  0

  2

  42

  Wiltshire

  63

  23

  7

  0

  0

  6

  0

  1

  6

  Provincial total

  12,901

  3,635

  972

  0

  59

  734

  14

  66

  524

  England and Wales Total

  216,946

  35,057

  41,368

  50

  5106

  51,153

  515

  594

  5770

  1998

  Total police vehicle accidents

  No immediate response/pursuit

  Immediate/pursuit

  Fatal RTAs immediate/pursuits

  Police serious injury immediate/pursuits

  Police other injuries immediate/pursuits

  Civilian fatal PVAs immediate/pursuits

  Civilian serious injury immediate/pursuits

  Civilian other injuries immediate/pursuits

  Avon and Somerset

  531

  149

  29

  0

  1

  35

  0

  2

  34

  Bedfordshire

  161

  77

  15

  0

  0

  6

  1

  2

  6

  Cambridgeshire

  238

  98

  22

  0

  0

  9

  0

  5

  13

  Cheshire

  142

  69

  16

  0

  4

  14

  0

  0

  4

  City of London

  64

  25

  7

  0

  0

  6

  0

  1

  3

  Cleveland

  44

  30

  8

  0

  0

  12

  0

  0

  4

  Cumbria

  87

  21

  11

  0

  3

  10

  0

  3

  8

  Derbyshire

  399

  69

  20

  0

  2

  10

  0

  1

  14

  Devon and Cornwall

  337

  57

  10

  0

  0

  7

  0

  1

  7

  Dorset

  129

  53

  13

  0

  1

  5

  0

  0

  7

  Durham

  184

  86

  27

  0

  0

  11

  1

  0

  22

  Dyfed-Powys

  40

  9

  2

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  Essex

  406

  104

  27

  0

  0

  15

  1

  2

  23

  Gloucestershire

  163

  87

  14

  0

  0

  9

  0

  0

  12

  Greater Manchester

  933

  210

  61

  0

  1

  66

  2

  1

  26

  Gwent

  217

  50

  14

  0

  1

  20

  0

  0

  5

  Hampshire

  560

  96

  21

  0

  0

  6

  0

  1

  14

  552W

  553W

  1998

  Total police vehicle accidents

  No immediate response/pursuit

  Immediate/pursuit

  Fatal RTAs immediate/pursuits

  Police serious injury immediate/pursuits

  Police other injuries immediate/pursuits

  Civilian fatal PVAs immediate/pursuits

  Civilian serious injury immediate/pursuits

  Civilian other injuries immediate/pursuits

  Hertfordshire

  197

  70

  20

  0

  3

  11

  0

  7

  11

  Humberside

  236

  70

  11

  1

  0

  10

  0

  0

  6

  Kent

  448

  81

  19

  0

  0

  17

  0

  4

  4

  Lancashire

  160

  29

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Leicestershire

  186

  20

  8

  0

  0

  16

  2

  0

  2

  Lincolnshire

  185

  37

  10

  0

  0

  7

  0

  0

  3

  Mersey side

  262

  113

  50

  0

  0

  67

  0

  2

  16

  Metropolitan Police

  4,645

  1,683

  426

  0

  45

  280

  1

  25

  310

  Norfolk

  184

  30

  6

  0

  0

  3

  0

  1

  5

  North Wales

  46

  10

  6

  0

  1

  10

  0

  0

  2

  North Yorkshire

  140

  59

  12

  0

  1

  6

  0

  6

  8

  Northamptonshire

  91

  26

  8

  0

  1

  9

  0

  3

  2

  Northumbria

  472

  141

  50

  0

  1

  29

  0

  7

  17

  Nottinghamshire

  225

  107

  19

  0

  2

  23

  0

  0

  2

  South Wales

  651

  168

  19

  0

  3

  16

  0

  0

  3

  South Yorkshire

  400

  185

  54

  0

  2

  30

  1

  3

  18

  Staffordshire

  646

  167

  31

  0

  0

  19

  0

  3

  9

  Suffolk

  168

  16

  2

  0

  1

  1

  0

  1

  1

  Surrey

  108

  43

  11

  0

  0

  8

  0

  1

  8

  Sussex

  223

  42

  17

  1n/a

  1n/a

  1n/a

  1n/a

  1n/a

  1n/a

  Thames Valley

  918

  350

  71

  0

  1

  63

  0

  0

  62

  Warwickshire

  123

  51

  12

  0

  0

  6

  0

  0

  6

  West Mercia

  260

  33

  5

  0

  0

  6

  0

  0

  2

  West Midlands

  1,210

  201

  33

  0

  0

  38

  0

  1

  27

  West Yorkshire

  453

  1n/a

  29

  0

  29

  0

  1

  22

  0

  Wiltshire

  66

  15

  8

  0

  0

  5

  0

  2

  4

  Provincial total

  12,693

  3,354

  828

  1

  58

  642

  9

  82

  421

  England and Wales Total

  217,338

  35.037

  41,254

  51

  5103

  5922

  510

  5107

  5731

  1 n/a appears where the force was unable to supply the data

  2 Covers all collisions involving police vehicles

  3 Collisions occurring where the police vehicle is on an immediate response or in pursuit of a vehicle

  4 Collisions where injury occurred

  5 Classification only for collisions where the police vehicle is on an immediate response or in pursuit

  Romanian Orphans Trust
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason the Charity Commission took no action following their investigation of the financial affairs of the Romanian Orphans Trust in 1998. [112929]

  Mr. Boateng
  After a comprehensive review of the Romanian Orphanage Trust's activities and administration, following allegations of financial impropriety in 1998, the Charity Commission concluded there was no evidence to substantiate the allegations. The Commission decided that, while the charity was having to operate in extremely difficult circumstances, charitable funds were protected and proper safeguards and management controls were in place.

  The Charity Commission has been in contact with the charity about new allegations which have recently come to light and is evaluating them carefully. Commission Investigation officers will continue to seek to ensure that charitable funds are used appropriately and properly.

  Essex Constabulary
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many(a) police officers and (b) constables there will be in (i) the Colchester Division and (ii) the Tendering Division of the Essex Constabulary on 31 March; and what were the equivalent figures for the same date in (a) 1997, (b) 1998 and (c) 1999; [113108]
  554W
  (2) how many (a) police officers and (b) constables there will be in the Essex Constabulary at the time when the new boundaries for the Metropolitan police come into force; and if he will provide the equivalent figures for the same enlarged area for 31 March in (a) 1997, (b) 1998 and (c) 1999. [113111]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information has been provided by the Chief Constable of Essex. I understand that the force is only able to provide figures as at 1 March for each year for the number of officers in the Colchester and Tendering Divisions. These are set out in the tables.

  Ministers have no direct control over police numbers. Under legislation passed by the previous Government in 1994, it is for individual chief constables to determine the number of police officers in their forces within the resources that are available. It is not, therefore, possible for us to estimate how many officers Essex would have had if the boundary changes had been implemented in earlier years. I understand from the Chief Constable that for 2000–01 it is estimated that the Essex Police will have 2,995 police officers (115 more than on 1 March 2000) following the boundary changes on 1 April; 2,307 out of this total will be constables (90 more than on 1 March 2000).

  I understand from the Chief Constable that the reduction in police numbers in Colchester and Tendering Divisions is a result of centralisation of the force information room and

  555W
  the civilianisation of non-operational police posts. This has contributed to an increase in the number of operational officers that are available.

  Colchester Division

  Year (as at 1 March)

  Total police numbers

  Constable numbers

  1997

  185

  146

  1998

  187

  147

  1999

  179

  141

  2000

  167

  128

  Tendering Division

  Year (as at 1 March)

  Total police numbers

  Constable numbers

  1997

  199

  152

  1998

  195

  151

  1999

  202

  156

  2000

  175

  136

  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what areas are to be transferred from the Metropolitan Police to the Essex Police. [113106]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  On 1 April 2000, the responsibility for policing the part of Epping Forest District currently policed by the Metropolitan Police Service will transfer to the Essex Police. This area is defined in legislation as the parish of Waltham Abbey and the area of the former urban district of Chigwell. It includes Waltham Abbey, Chigwell, Loughton and Buckhurst Hill.

  Anti-social Behaviour Orders
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many anti-social behaviour orders have been applied for in each police force area in(a) England and (b) Wales; and if he will make a statement. [113134]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I refer to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Mr. Hawkins) on 21 February 2000,Official Report, column 824W.

  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has held with local authorities about increasing the use of anti-social behaviour orders. [113125]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  On 15 October 1999, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary wrote to the Chief Executive of each local authority about the provisions in the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, including the anti-social behaviour order, to tackle problems caused by unruly behaviour. An action group was subsequently established, involving representatives of local authorities and others, to consider issues relating to the use of anti-social behaviour orders. That group is now arranging a series of 10 regional seminars. The seminars will be held over the next few weeks and will provide an opportunity to share good practice, based on the rising number of successful applications for anti-social behaviour orders, and to consult on the terms of a model agreement, or protocol, which local partnerships can use as a basis for effective co-operation in tackling anti-social behaviour.

  Departmental Recruitment
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total cost to public funds of his Department's current recruitment advertising campaign for(a) press officers and (b) internal communications advisers; and if he will make a statement. [113208]

  Mr. Straw
  The total cost of current press officer recruitment advertising is approximately £31,700, including VAT. The Government Information and Communication Service has funded this advertising centrally, as the appointed press officers will be members of the Service and the recruitment process is likely to provide candidates for other Government press offices. There has been no cost to the Home Office. The total cost of advertising for internal communication advisers is £26,555 plus VAT. In addition, Capita RAS has charged the Home Office £15,300 plus VAT for its recruitment services, which include sifting and preparing interview panel facilities for the internal communication posts.

  Voting Methods (Pilot Projects)
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his answer to the right hon. Member for Maidstone and the Weald of 29 February on pilot projects of alternative voting methods,(a) for what reasons (i) the Local government Association and (ii) journalists were informed of his provisional decisions, and why he imposed no restriction on publication before Parliament had been informed, (b) why he chose not to inform Parliament of his provisional decisions, (c) if he expects his final decisions on the projects to differ from his provisional decisions, and (d) if he will list the journalists whom he informed of his provisional decisions on 15 February; and if he will make a statement. [113279]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The information was made available to journalists and the Local Government Association because they requested it.

  No statement was made to Parliament as my decisions were only provisional. Final decisions will not be made until after the Representation of the People Bill has received Royal Assent, at which point Parliament will be informed of them.

  One journalist from "The Independent" newspaper was given the information on 15 February. Others were given it, on request, later in that week.

  Press Office
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his plans to increase the size of his Department's Press Office; what will be the cost of those plans; and if he will make a statement. [113207]

  Mr. Straw
  I refer the right hon. Member to the replies I gave her on 2 March 2000,Official Report, columns 384–85W.

  Refugee Dispersal
  Dr. Ladyman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the outcome to date of the policy of dispersal of refugees. [99707]
  557W
  Mrs. Roche
  [pursuant to her reply, 6 December 1999, c. 379–80W]: I propose to bring in the new support arrangements on Monday 3 April 2000 for asylum seekers who make their applications at a port of entry from that date. The entitlement of new port applicants to cash, social security and housing benefits will thereupon cease; in-country applicants do not have this entitlement.

  Those who apply for asylum from that date and who are then detained at Oakington reception centre whether their application is port or in-country will go onto the new support arrangements.

  I shall also make arrangements for asylum seekers who claim asylum and support from 3 April in Scotland or Northern Ireland and who are eligible for support to come on to the new support arrangements.

  It is my intention to bring the new support arrangements on stream as soon as possible for other asylum seekers who make in-country applications for asylum in England and Wales and for those in England and Wales who claim asylum at their port of entry prior to 3 April 2000 who receive a negative decision and who then go on to appeal. Until then, responsibility for providing support will continue under the terms of Schedule 9 of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

  The new support arrangements comprehensively change the system by which asylum seekers are supported. A phased implementation of the kind described in this answer is the sensible course, drawing on the lessons from previous experience in implementing major change. The arrangements have been tested in simulated trials. Bringing port applicants on to the scheme first will enable the National Asylum Support Service to deal with any teething difficulties before rolling out the scheme fully.

  The new support arrangements provide that asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute may be supported by the National Asylum Support Service. Support will consist of the provision of accommodation on a no-choice basis in cluster areas in the United Kingdom. Essential living needs will be met either in kind
  558W
  or by the provision of vouchers. There will also be a cash voucher valued at £10 per person per week which can be exchanged for cash.

  The scheme is intended fully to meet the United Kingdom's international obligations in relation to those who are genuinely fleeing persecution while, at the same time, deterring those who are seeking to evade immigration control by using the asylum process.

  During the passage of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, we gave an undertaking that new asylum applications from families with children would not be brought on to the new support arrangements in April 2000 unless we are satisfied that the targets of delivering most initial asylum decisions within two months and most appeals in a further four months could be met in such cases.

  We have put in place arrangements to identify and deal promptly with new asylum applications from families with children: the arrangements are being closely monitored. As a result, provisional figures show that, of the new family applications made in eight weeks after 1 November, over 70 per cent. have received an initial decision within two months of receipt. At the end of January, the average waiting time for all asylum appeals to be dealt with by an adjudicator was 13 weeks. On this basis, I have decided that from 3 April, the new asylum support arrangements should apply to new applications from families with children as they apply to other applicants.

  I have also decided that some modification of the targets is necessary for applications which might be the responsibility of another European Union member state under the Dublin Convention. In these cases, the process of consulting other member states normally takes more than two months, but there is then no suspensive right of appeal if another country accepts responsibility for consideration of the substantive claim. For that reason, the target for reaching an initial decision in potential Dublin cases will be to resolve most cases within four months of receipt. The normal further four month target for dealing with an appeal will apply in the event that the case is not transferred and there is a substantive refusal.

  General Pinochet
  General Pinochet
  Sheep Dipping and "Crutching"
  Sheep Dipping and "Crutching"
  MAFF: Modernisation Programme
  MAFF: Modernisation Programme
  Organic and GM Crops: Separation
  Organic and GM Crops: Separation
  National Seed List and GM Seed
  National Seed List and GM Seed
  Council Housing Stock
  Council Housing Stock
  Road Haulage Forum
  Road Haulage Forum
  Pensioners' Christmas Bonus
  Pensioners' Christmas Bonus
  Prevention of Terrorism Legislation: Review
  Prevention of Terrorism Legislation: Review
  Refugee Dispersal Policy
  Refugee Dispersal Policy
  Prison Service Quantum Project
  Prison Service Quantum Project
  Global Cultural Diversity Congress: Review
  Global Cultural Diversity Congress: Review
  Millennium Dome: Disabled Visitors
  Millennium Dome: Disabled Visitors
  NHS Pensions Agency
  NHS Pensions Agency
  VAT Reduced Rate Experiments
  VAT Reduced Rate Experiments
  Library Plan Assessments
  Library Plan Assessments
  Magistrates' Courts
  Magistrates' Courts