Written Answers of 9 March 2000

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Atomic Energy Research
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the budget allocation to atomic energy research made by his Department for each financial year from 1989–90 to 1999–2000; and what is his Department's anticipated expenditure for 2000–01.[113299]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The budget allocation to Nuclear R&D made by my Department (and by the Department of Energy prior to amalgamation) for each financial year since 1989–90 to 1999–2000, and the anticipated expenditure for 2000–01, is as follows:

  Year

  £ million

  1989–90

  163.8

  1990–91

  126.4

  1991–92

  93.6

  1992–93

  85.3

  1993–94

  76.9

  1994–95

  28.4

  1995–96

  21.7

  1996–97

  21.4

  1997–98

  17.6

  1998–99

  14.2

  1999–2000

  16.8

  2000–01

  16.8

  Petrol
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he collects on the percentage market share of each of the major suppliers of petroleum fuel to petroleum retailers. [113536]

  Mrs. Liddell
  [holding answer 7 March 2000]: My Department collects and collates data from the individual companies that supply petroleum products into the UK market. However, this information is provided under strict commercial confidentiality constraints, and, as such, data on individual company market shares cannot be published.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what controls exist to prevent petrol suppliers charging petrol retailers for petrol which has evaporated before delivery. [113531]

  Mrs. Liddell
  [holding answer 7 March 2000]: Evaporative losses occurring between loading petrol from a storage terminal and delivering it to a retail site have been minimised by the use of vapour recovery systems. Under EC Directive 94/63/EC all storage and distribution terminals delivering more than 50,000 tonnes per annum (tpa) of petrol already operate vapour recovery equipment, and all other terminals will have to comply by 2001 or
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  2004 (depending on the volume of their deliveries). It is estimated that the implementation of vapour recovery has already reduced vapour losses arising from the transportation and delivery of petrol by 98 per cent. since 1996.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Emergency Towing Vessels
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will announce his decision on the provision of emergency towing vessels (tugs) around the UK. [114330]

  Mr. Hill
  The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) is announcing today the extension of the contract for the provision of the Emergency Towing Vessel (Tug) Anglia Monarch, to provide emergency cover for the Fair Isle Channel and the Pentland Firth for a further winter period, commencing from October 2000, and the conclusion of an agreement with the French authorities which will ensure all year round emergency tug cover for the Dover straits. A tug review team is now working to review all emergency towing provision around the UK and is expected to report its findings during summer 2000.

  Code of Audit Practice
  Mr. Linton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps are being taken to replace the Code of Audit Practice which ceases to have effect on 21 July; and if he will make a statement. [114331]

  Ms Armstrong
  On 2 March the Audit Commission approved a new Code of Audit Practice which it has submitted to my right hon. Friend who has today laid a copy before the House.

  It is now for the House to consider the Code and, if it sees fit, to approve it. If approved, the Code will prescribe the way in which auditors in England and Wales must carry out their audits of local government and NHS bodies, and it will also set out auditors' responsibilities in relation to the audit of local government Best Value Performance Plans.

  The Code has been prepared under the Audit Commission Act 1998 and the Local Government Act 1999. The Code sets out the general principles to be followed by auditors, and the audit framework within which auditors will carry out their responsibilities. It also sets out auditors' responsibilities in relation to reviews of the financial aspects of corporate governance; the audit of the accounts; and reviews of aspects performance management.

  Modern Zoo Practice
  Angela Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will publish the revised Standards of Modern Zoo Practice. [114356]

  Mr. Mullin
  I am pleased to announce that I shall be launching the revised standards at Bristol Zoo today. They will come into effect on 3 April 2000.

  Regional Policy
  Mr. Norman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which Ministers have responsibility for the new unit to co-ordinate the Government's approach to the regions; and how often the ministerial board of the unit will meet. [113153]

  Mr. Prescott
  Lord Falconer, Minister of State at the Cabinet Office, will have day-to-day responsibility for the Regional Co-ordination Unit reporting to me. Matters relating to the new unit that require collective agreement will be considered by an interdepartmental committee of Ministers, which will meet under my chairmanship when business requires.

  Mr. Norman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many civil servants have been assigned to the new unit to co-ordinate the Government's approach to the regions. [113156]

  Mr. Prescott
  A team of three civil servants is currently preparing for the setting up of the core of the Regional Co-ordination Unit on 1 April. Staff will be assigned to the new unit as the implementation plan on the Performance and Innovation Unit report "Reaching Out" progresses.

  Domestic Emissions
  Mr. Gareth R. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on progress in developing a domestic emissions trading scheme. [113054]

  Mr. Meacher
  The Government, in their new Draft Climate Change Programme, recognise that carbon emissions trading is a key part of the longer-term solution to greenhouse gas emissions. It will complement other measures in the business sector by offering cost-effective and flexible options for achieving emissions reductions. And an early start to emissions trading in the UK should bring valuable experience and expertise to UK business and to the City of London. This will be particularly important in advance of the international emissions trading scheme envisaged by the Kyoto Protocol, and the European trading scheme put forward in the recent European Commission Green Paper.

  The design of a domestic greenhouse gas emissions trading scheme has been taken forward by the business-led UK Emissions Trading Group (ETG), with Government officials working closely alongside. The ETG has made speedy progress in addressing the key issues involved in the design of a domestic emissions trading scheme. Outline proposals for a UK trading scheme were presented to Government in October 1999, and the ETG has recently reported to Government on follow-up work in a number of areas. The group's conclusions have moved the UK significantly along the road to the launch of a domestic trading scheme. But much work on the detail of the scheme remains to be done, and the Government will expect to take this work forward with the Emissions Trading Group.

  The Government have also said that firms within climate change levy agreements, who have agreed a target to increase their energy efficiency or reduce their carbon emissions, will be able to use carbon trading as one way of helping them meet their targets. And the Government
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  are currently discussing with members of the Emissions Trading Group and climate change levy agreement sectors the most suitable way for these firms to participate in this trading, and in trading with the wider domestic scheme.

  Rural Bus Fund
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list for each of the last five years for which figures are available(a) the total allocation to Shrewsbury and Atcham from the Rural Bus Fund and (b) the number of (i) additional and (ii) improved bus services supported by these grants; and if he will make a statement. [113484]

  Mr. Hill
  The rural bus subsidy grant is allocated at county council level and it is for each county to decide which services to support. In the first year of the grant, 1998–99, Shropshire county council was allocated £630,354. The same amount has also been allocated to the council for 1999–2000 and 2000–01.

  In 1998–99 Shropshire county council used its allocation to fund 46 services, of which 16 served Shrewsbury. Of the total of 46 services, 16 were entirely new and 30 improvements to existing services. We shall be obtaining information on any changes to those figures at the end of the current financial year.

  Freight
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions to which specific classes of freight currently predominately transported by road, his policy on moving freight transport from road to rail applies. [113485]

  Mr. Hill
  The policy of encouraging more freight on rail extends to all classes of freight. Freight grant applications are assessed purely on the basis of environmental benefit of lorry miles saved. The process does not take into account the type of goods proposed to be transported by rail.

  North Wales Main Line
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he has received for an increase in freight traffic on the North Wales main line(a) in general and (b) with reference to traffic between the Republic of Ireland and other member states of the EU. [113636]

  Mr. Hill
  None.

  Rate Relief
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement about rate relief for businesses in rural areas. [112248]

  Ms Armstrong
  Mandatory rate relief of 50 per cent. is available to the sole village shop or post office in a qualifying settlement (one which is in a designated rural area and has a population of fewer than 3,000), provided the property has a rateable value less than £5,000. Local authorities have the discretion to provide additional relief up to 100 per cent. of the rates bill.
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  Local authorities also have the discretion to provide rate relief of up to 100 per cent. to any other business in a qualifying settlement, which they consider to be of benefit to the community, provided the property concerned has a rateable value less than £10,000.

  These rateable value thresholds will be increased to £6,000 and £12,000 respectively on 1 April 2000, when Revaluation takes effect, giving all non-domestic properties in England new rateable values. The thresholds are being increased broadly in line with the overall effects of the revaluation on properties of the size affected, to ensure that no one loses eligibility for rate relief as a result of the general movement in property values.

  Rate relief is one of a number of issues affecting rural businesses which will be considered in preparing the forthcoming Rural White Paper.

  GM Crops
  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what reports he has received regarding commercial cultivation of Novartis genetically modified Bt maize in Germany; and what their implications are for decision-making in the(a) UK and (b) EU. [113617]

  Mr. Meacher
  I have received no reports regarding commercial cultivation of Novartis genetically modified Bt maize in Germany.

  Novartis Bt maize is not and never has been grown in the United Kingdom and Novartis, through the industry body SCIMAC, have given an assurance that there are no plans to do so in the next few years. Therefore any decisions on cultivation in Germany have no implications for the UK.

  GLA (Mayoral Candidates)
  Ms Buck
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what statutory authority exists for costs to be met by him for expenditure incurred on the provision of a booklet of election addresses by mayoral candidates at the first election of the Greater London Authority. [114329]

  Mr. Hill
  Pending parliamentary approval of powers in the Representation of the People Bill, urgent expenditure on the preparation and delivery of the booklet, estimated at some £0.4 million in 1999–2000, will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund. The cost of repaying the advances will be met from within the Department's existing provision.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  School Sports and Community Sports Clubs
  Mr. Gareth R. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he is taking to promote closer links between school sports activities and local community sports clubs. [113059]

  Kate Hoey
  The first School Sport Co-ordinators, an initiative being supported by the Lottery Sports Fund, with additional support expected to come from the New Opportunities Fund (NOF), will be in place in September.

  Free Television Licences
  Mr. Swinney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will estimate the administrative cost to the BBC of issuing free TV licences to households containing a person aged over 75 years. [112851]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 7 March 2000]: Estimates are currently being prepared and will be incorporated in the Department of Social Security's Departmental Report, which is due for publication following the Budget.

  Mr. Swinney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what advice he has been given on the question of possible breach of EU state aid rules as a result of payments to the BBC in lieu of the revenue lost through giving free TV licences to those aged over 75 years. [112849]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 7 March 2000]: The Government have taken legal advice on the application of state aid rules to its recently announced policy on free television licences for people aged 75 or over.

  NESTA
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport with what assistance the NESTA programme provides for talented young sports people. [112955]

  Kate Hoey
  The NESTA (National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts) programme, created under the National Lottery Act 1998, with £200 million of National Lottery money to invest, exclusively focuses on British creativity and innovation. NESTA's main aims are to nurture talented people to pursue potential and produce services, and to bring the appreciation of science, technology and the arts to the public domain.

  While NESTA does not offer support to sporting activities, Sport England's Lottery Fund has created an opportunity to help young people develop their sporting skills and talent, with several million pounds being invested in education based projects. The New Opportunities Fund (NOF) is intended to promote after-school-hours activity with £180 million earmarked across the UK for revenue funding to support after school clubs. NOF has a target of funding 50 per cent. of secondary schools and 25 per cent. of primary schools by 2001 with after-school sports being a major beneficiary. Sport England is now able to solicit applications where it can identify significant need to ensure that young people develop their sporting skills and talent.

  Youth Sports Unit
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to set up a youth sports unit within his Department; and if he will make a statement. [112956]

  Kate Hoey
  The Unit is dedicated to the implementation of young people's sport and activity, from children's play to sport in schools. It works closely with the Department for Education and Employment (DfEE) and other organisations involved in sport and physical education for young people.

  British Resorts Association
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when Ministers from his Department last held discussions with the representatives of the British Resorts Association. [113437]

  Janet Anderson
  I last met representatives of the British Resorts Association (BRA) when I spoke at their conference on 21 June 1999. I am in regular contact with BRA via their president, my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, South (Mr. Marsden), whom I will next be meeting on 13 March. I will also be addressing the BRA conference in Eastbourne this June.

DEFENCE

  Hercules
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the specifications for number of crew in cockpit required in contracts placed for the Hercules C130J. [113471]

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

  Letter from Sir Robert Walmsley to Mr. Peter Keetch, dated 9 March 2000:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the specifications for number of crew required in the cockpit of the C-130J transport aircraft. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
  The specification for the RAF C-130J states that the cockpit crew shall consist of a pilot and a co-pilot situated in a conventional side-by-side arrangement. In addition the specification calls for an additional crew seat aft of the pilots for the use by a third cockpit crew member should one be required for missions where high crew workload is expected.

  Anthrax Vaccines
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what quantities of squalene and mercury are used as preservative and adjuvant in anthrax vaccines used by his Department. [113000]

  Mr. Spellar
  Squalene is not added to or used in anthrax vaccine used by the Ministry of Defence. Mercury is a component of the preservative Thiomersal which is used in the manufacture of anthrax vaccine. The maximum quantity of mercury allowed under the Department of Health Marketing Authorisation is 1.5 microgrammes per dose and the anthrax vaccine used by the Ministry of Defence does not exceed this limit.

  Mozambique
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military transporters that can carry helicopters are in service; and if he will estimate the journey time for them to travel to Mozambique. [113086]

  Mr. Spellar
  The only UK military aircraft capable of transporting helicopters is the RAF Hercules C130 of which there are currently 54 in service. A C130 can transport one Puma, two Lynx or two Gazelle per flight. The estimated flying time for a Hercules to fly from the 782W
  UK to Mozambique is 25 hours. However, the estimated total time to transport a Puma to Mozambique in a Hercules, including dismantling, reassembling and stops to refuel and change crew, is a minimum of four days if relief aircrew are prepositioned along the route and up to six days if relief aircrew are not available.

  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for International Development about humanitarian aid to Mozambique. [113781]

  Mr. Hoon
  I have discussed the provision of humanitarian aid to Mozambique with my right hon. Friend on a number of occasions since the onset of the crisis. Other Ministers and officials have been in regular contact with DFID throughout.

  Force Operating Costs
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total cost of operating(a) an air defence squadron (43 Squadron), (b) a strike attack squadron (12 Squadron), (c) an offensive support squadron (1 Squadron), (d) a photo-reconnaissance squadron (41 Squadron and 51 Squadron), (e) a maritime reconnaissance squadron (120 Squadron), (f) a transport squadron (24 Squadron), (g) a transport flight (C130), (h) a refuelling squadron, (i) a refuelling flight, (j) a support helicopter squadron (18 Squadron and 33 Squadron), (k) an SAR squadron (202 Squadron), (l UAS, (m) JEFTS and (n) No. 3 FTS in the last year for which figures are available. [112854]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 7 March 2000]: We do not account for squadron operating costs in this way. Budgets are broken down to station level only. A station's operating budget would include the costs of personnel, fuel, maintenance and works services, infrastructure, utilities and other overheads, all of which contribute to the proper and effective functioning of squadrons based there. The costs for aircraft maintenance and spares would not be included, as these costs are managed separately on a fleet-wide basis.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

  Crown Prosecution Service
  Dr. Tony Wright
  To ask the Solicitor-General how many pupillages have been offered by the Crown Prosecution Service in the last 12 months. [113420]

  The Solicitor-General
  The Crown Prosecution Service has not offered any pupillages in the last 12 months. The position is currently under review.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Street Signs
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland further to his answer of 24 January 2000,Official Report, column 6W, on street signs, what is his assessment of the community relations impact of the erection of bilingual street signs in (a) Irish and (b) Ulster Scots; how he will monitor the rise or fall of opposition

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  and support for bilingual signs (i) internally within each tradition and (ii) between different traditions; how many bilingual signs have been erected and if any have subsequently been removed; and if he will issue guidelines to ensure that instances of criminal damage that have a sectarian or racist element are recorded as a distinct category. [111944]

  Mr. George Howarth
  [holding answer 2 March 2000]: Current research, funded by the Office of the First and Deputy First Minister, will assess the demand for, and attitude towards, the use of Irish in the provision of services, including bilingual signage. Consideration is being given to commissioning similar research on Ulster-Scots. Otherwise, there has been no separate assessment made of the community relations impact of the erection of bilingual street signs.

  As the erection of street nameplates is a function of district councils in Northern Ireland, information on the number of bilingual signs erected and on whether any have subsequently been removed, is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Currently, information recorded by the Royal Ulster Constabulary on the motivation of a crime can only be obtained manually. It is intended to introduce, during 2001, an Integrated Crime Information System which will permit the central recording of crime motivation, where this can be determined. The system is presently being designed to record the motive of any crime, be it racial, sectarian, domestic or other designated motive, in line with the Association of Chief Police Officers' guidelines.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Belize
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have made to Guatamala, in support of the Government of Belize, in relation to the incursion into Belize territory and seizure of officials on 24 February; and what future action is proposed. [113615]

  Mr. Battle
  Following the detention by the Guatemalan Armed Forces on 24 February of three members of the Belizean Defence Force and a Belizean policeman, the British Ambassador in Guatemala City was instructed to call on the Guatemalan Foreign Ministry. He stressed our hope for an early and amicable resolution. I am pleased to report that the four Belizeans were conditionally released on 3 March. We shall continue to monitor developments closely.

  Entry Clearance Times (Indian Sub-continent)
  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the waiting time for a person applying for entry clearance for settlement in(a) September 1999, (b) October 1999, (c) November 1999, (d) December 1999, (e) January 2000 and (f) February 2000 for an interview in each queue at each post in the Indian sub-continent; and if he will make a statement. [113587]
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  Mr. Vaz
  The statistics requested are as follows:

  Waiting times in weeks on last day of each month

  Post

  Queue

  September

  October

  November

  December

  January

  Bombay

  Q1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Q2

  4

  4

  6

  5

  6

  Q3

  4

  4

  6

  5

  6

  Q4

  4

  4

  6

  5

  6

  Calcutta

  1—

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Colombo

  1—

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Dhaka

  Q1

  17

  14

  18

  16

  16

  Q2

  26

  28

  28

  30

  28

  Q3

  11

  12

  12

  16

  16

  Q4

  49

  60

  59

  61

  56

  Karachi

  1—

  8

  8

  10

  14

  10

  Madras

  1—

  2

  2

  3

  5

  2

  New Delhi

  Q1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Q2

  4

  4

  6

  5

  8

  Q3

  21

  22

  24

  20

  8

  Q4

  25

  28

  24

  25

  8

  1 Calcutta, Colombo, Karachi and Madras do not operate separate queues

  Notes:

  Queue 1—Right of Abode cases and Dependant Relatives over 65

  Queue 2—Spouses and Children under 18

  Queue 3—Finance(e)s and Other First Time Applicants

  Queue 4—Re-applicants

  Statistics for the month of February are not yet available

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Appointments Commission
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the President of the Council how much Price Waterhouse is being paid to headhunt applicants for the post of chairman of the Appointments Commission. [112817]

  Mrs. Beckett
  There is no single identifiable cost payable to PricewaterhouseCoopers Executive Search and Selection solely for the "headhunting" of the chairman.

  The cost for recruiting the whole Commission will be £52,000 plus expenses and VAT. Advertising costs will be in addition to this.

  Parliamentary Counsel
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the President of the Council how many hours have been spent by Parliamentary Counsel in preparing(a) Government legislation announced in the Queen's speeches, (b) private members' Bills, (c) Law Commission work and (d) private legislation, and what proportion of Parliamentary Counsel's time was spent on each, in each of the parliamentary sessions (i) 1997–98, (ii) 1998–99 and (iii) 1999–2000 to date. [113349]

  Mrs. Beckett
  The Parliamentary Counsel Office answers to the Prime Minister, but I am replying to this question since it relates to the Government's legislative programme.

  Information is not available on the number of hours spent by Parliamentary Counsel on different types of legislation. However, a reasonable indication of how the Counsel are deployed is given by their location. Counsel at 36 Whitehall work on Government Bills and on Private

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  Members' Bills supported by the Government. Other Counsel are on loan to the Law Commission, to the Inland Revenue's Tax Law Rewrite Project and to the Department of Trade and Industry's Company Law Review.

  The following table shows the total number of Counsel in these locations in the 1997–98 and 1998–99 Sessions (as at 1 January) and at present. The figures exclude Scottish and Northern Ireland Parliamentary Counsel.

  Deployment of Parliamentary Counsel by type of work (numbers of Counsel, full-time equivalents, as at 1 January 1998, 1 January 1999 and at present

  Type of legislation

  Counsel

  1997–98 Percentage

  Counsel

  1998–99 Percentage

  Counsel

  Session 1999–20001 Percentage

  Government Bills (est.)

  227½

  77

  224½

  73

  230

  80

  Private Members' Bills supported by the Government (est.)

  21

  3

  21½

  5

  2½

  1

  Sub-total 36 Whitehall

  28½

  80

  26

  78

  30½

  81

  Law Commission

  4½

  13

  5

  15

  4

  11

  Inland Revenue

  2½

  7

  2½

  7

  2½

  7

  DTI

  —

  —

  —

  —

  ½

  1

  Total

  35½

  100

  33½

  100

  37½

  100

  1 To date

  2 Rounded to the nearest ½

  Although there are minor fluctuations from year to year, the figures show that, since the start of the 1997–98 Session, about one-fifth of the Parliamentary Counsel have been engaged on work for the Law Commission, for the Inland Revenue Tax Law Rewrite Project or (since the beginning of this month) for the DTI's Company Law Review. Some four-fifths of Counsel work on the Government's Bills and Private Members' Bills, with on average about 97 per cent. of that work concentrated on the Government's Bills.

HEALTH

  Infertility Services
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) when he will receive the third set of guidelines from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists on the provision of specialised infertility services; [108122]

  (2) what have been the findings of his Department's survey to ascertain the current provision of infertility services; [108123]

  (3) if he will make it his policy to ensure that equality of access to infertility services is provided throughout England; [108124]

  (4) what guidelines he plans to issue to health authorities on the provision of infertility services. [108125]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists published its final set of guidelines on the provision of specialised infertility services on 20 January 2000. The Department has copies.

  The survey returns are still being analysed. The conclusions will be published shortly.
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  In the table, part-time Counsel are counted as equivalent to half a full-time Counsel. The split between Government legislation and Private Members' Bills supported by the Government is pro rata the number of pages of each enacted in the Session or, in the case of the 1999–2000 Session, the number of pages enacted to date plus the number of pages, on introduction, of Bills introduced but not yet enacted. A split of work on Government Bills between those in the Queen's Speech and others is not available. Parliamentary Counsel are not involved in drafting Private Bills.

  While the Government have already set their priorities for the National Health Service in the immediate future (cancer, coronary heart disease, mental health) we remain committed to ending the postcode lottery for all services in the National Health Service. We will therefore be working towards greater equity in access to services within available resources over the coming years.

  There are no immediate plans to issue guidance to health authorities on infertility services.

  BSE
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out his Department's assessment of the hierarchy, by method of transmission, of likelihood of risk of transmission of BSE. [111897]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 1 March 2000]: In experiments involving strains of prion that have been adapted to laboratory animals, such as mice, it has been shown that intracerebral inoculation is more likely to cause infection than intravenous injection which, in turn, is more likely to cause infection than intra-peritoneal or sub-cutaneous inoculation. Parenteral exposure is, in turn, more likely to cause infection than oral exposure.

  Experiments on mice challenged with a strain of scrapie—a Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy of sheep—that had been adapted to mice showed that exposure by placing the inoculum directly into the stomach was about 100,000 fold less efficient than by direct inoculation into the brain.

  As part of its remit to consider emerging scientific findings the Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee (SEAC), the expert Committee that advises the Government on all aspects of TSEs, has considered

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  the results of experiments designed to investigate the link between BSE and variant CJD (vCJD). The Committee has stated that
  BSE and vCJD were caused by a closely similar prion strain, and concluded that vCJD was an acquired prion disease caused by exposure to BSE or BSE like agent.

  However, these results do not provide information about the route of exposure, and research to establish this factor remains part of the Government's TSE Research Strategy.

  Cancer
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health What funding there is in the current year for medical activities relating to(a) prostate, (b) breast and (c) testicular cancer; if he will break down each figure into (i) treatment, (ii) prevention, (iii) detection and (iv) research; and if he will make a statement. [112331]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 1 March 2000]: The information on overall spending on cancer is not currently held centrally. Spending on cancer in-patient care is estimated to account for 6.3 per cent. (£1,479 million) of National Health Service hospital expenditure but there is no measure of the additional spending on cancer services not normally provided on an in-patient basis, for example cancer screening, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and community palliative care services. Breast screening for women aged 50–64 is estimated to cost around £37 million per annum. However, information is not available on the annual spend for cancer diagnosis, treatment and prevention for individual cancer tumour types.

  Government funding for cancer research is provided through 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. The MRC funds medical research as part of the Government's funding of the science and engineering base and is the main agency through which the Government support research on the causes and treatment of disease. The Department also funds research to support policy development in health and social care and manages the NHS research and development budgets.

  The Department also provides support for research commissioned by charities and the MRC that takes place in the NHS. Over £63 million per year of this funding supports cancer research, with £16 million going to the Royal Marsden Hospital alone.

  Total Government expenditure on cancer research is estimated to be £110 million per annum. This does not include basic biomedical research, which may lead to breakthroughs for cancer treatment.

  The latest figures available for annual Government (Department of Health/NHS, MRC and other Government Departments—principally devolved Health Departments) expenditure on breast cancer, prostate cancer and testicular cancer:

  £ million

  Breast

  9.33

  Prostate

  1.55

  Testicular

  0.49

  788W
  We have recently agreed an additional £1 million for prostate cancer research next year.

  These figures underestimate the total expenditure, as detailed estimates of NHS support funding expenditure are not collected routinely.

  New research projects are being funded regularly through both the MRC and DH/NHS directly commissioned programmes and priorities for research funding are kept under review.

  Tobacco Duty
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what planning assumptions he has made on the basis of the additional revenue which the NHS will receive as a result of hypothecation of increased levels of tobacco duty in 2000–01. [112785]

  Yvette Cooper
  The allocations to health authorities for 2000–01 take account of the possibility that £250 million will be available to the National Health Service as a result of changes in tobacco duty, in the light of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Pre-Budget Report speech last November. Decisions about tobacco duty will be announced by the Chancellor in his Budget Speech.

  Cerebral Palsy
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the incidence of cerebral palsy per thousand of the population(a) nationally and (b) in the north-west Region for each of the past 10 years. [113661]

  Ms Stuart
  Data are not collected centrally on the numbers of children in England with cerebral palsy.

  Medical Devices Agency
  Mr. Goggins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the key targets for 2000–01 for the Medical Devices Agency. [114357]

  Yvette Cooper
  We have agreed the agency's key targets for 2000-01 and copies have been placed in the Library.

  Medicines Control Agency
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the members of the Medicines Control Agency and the interest each one has in(a) local, (b) national and (c) international drug companies. [113614]

  Ms Stuart
  The Medicines Control Agency is an executive agency of the Department of Health and is accountable direct to Ministers. It has over 500 staff who are Civil Servants and subject to all the normal Civil Service employment rules, including those on interests in commercial concerns.

PRIME MINISTER

  Chest and Heart Services (Wales)
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Prime Minister if his proposals to establish fast track chest pain clinics and a National Heart Director apply in Wales. [113635]
  789W
  The Prime Minister
  The responsibility for health in Wales has been transferred to the National Assembly for Wales.

  Government Contracts (Representations)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the occasions when Heads of foreign Governments have made representations to him relating to the allocation of a particular Government contract; who the Head of Government was in each case; and in each case if the contract allocation was in accord with the representations made. [113065]

  The Prime Minister
  It is established practice under exemption 1(c) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information not to disclose information received in confidence from foreign Governments.

  Prior Options Review
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister what evaluation he has made of the mechanisms presented in the Prior Options Review for opening up the operation of non-departmental public bodies. [113304]

  The Prime Minister
  In line with a commitment in the Modernising Government White Paper, we have recently reviewed the entire review process for non-departmental public bodies. We have concluded that the Prior Options stage of the review process should reflect the Government's wider objectives. This includes taking greater account of the views of stakeholders and focusing on delivering services which are of a higher quality, more responsive and better integrated.

CABINET OFFICE

  Non-departmental Public Bodies
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) if she will make it a requirement for non-departmental public bodies that they should record the matters discussed and agreements reached in meetings held with other NDPBs in the form of minutes; [113302]

  (2) what proportion of non-departmental public bodies hold open meetings; [113307]

  (3) how many people are board members of non-departmental public bodies in the United Kingdom; broken down between (a) England, (b) Northern Ireland, (c) Scotland and (d) Wales. [113311]

  Mr. Stringer
  All executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) are encouraged to publish minutes of meetings, either whole or in summary form, and to hold meetings in public. Individual Departments and NDPBs themselves are best placed to determine whether this is appropriate on a case-by-case basis. Information on the number of NDPBs holding open meetings is not held centrally.

  There are currently over 30,000 men and women serving on the boards of NDPBs (and their equivalents) across the UK. Information on these office-holders, including information on the numbers serving in Northern
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  Ireland, Scotland and Wales, is published in "Public Bodies 1999". Copies of "Public Bodies 1999" are available from the libraries of the House.

  Public Sector Ombudsman
  Dr. Tony Wright
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when the review of public sector ombudsman schemes will be published. [113421]

  Mr. Stringer
  I expect the report on the review of public sector ombudsman in England to be published by the end of March.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Global Warming Refrigerants
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make it his policy to issue advice to local education authorities discouraging against the use of global warming refrigerants, including HFCs, on their estates. [112566]

  Jacqui Smith
  The Department gives advice to local education authorities and schools in Building Bulletin 83, "Schools Environmental Assessment Method (SEAM)". This recommends specifying refrigerants which do not cause both ozone depletion and global warming.

  The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions steers policy on issues concerning ozone depleting chemicals and greenhouse gases, and the European Union has issued regulations to phase out the use of certain of these, such as CFCs and HCFCs. HFCs are often used as refrigerants in place of CFCs and HCFCs, and I understand that there are not any plans to prohibit their use at present.

  Post-16 Curriculum
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the local education authorities which(a) have and (b) have not made additional funds available to schools for the implementation of the new post-16 curriculum. [113666]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  This information is not available. Local education authorities are not required to publish budget statements for school funding until 31 March 2000; and in any case such statements identify funding for 16+ pupils only in terms of the factors used for distribution rather than the curriculum components of sixth-form funding.

  Education Maintenance Allowance
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many young people have stayed at school after the age of 16 years in each of the 12 pilot areas for education maintenance allowance since the scheme was introduced; and what the figures were for the comparable period in 1998. [113120]

  Mr. Wicks
  [holding answer 6 March 2000]: Comparative data at this level of detail are not yet available for the period of the pilots. However, early

  791W
  indications are promising, with a number of schools and colleges in EMA areas reporting higher post-16 intakes this year.

  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the estimated cost of extending the Education Maintenance Allowance to the whole of England(a) if everyone eligible applied and (b) if take-up was the same as in the pilot areas. [111715]

  Mr. Wicks
  Extending the Educational Maintenance Allowance to the whole of England would cost between £670 million and £940 million for an academic year if everybody eligible applied, depending on which model is chosen. However, we would not expect to achieve 100 per cent. take-up, as some young people would continue to choose alternatives to education such as a modern apprenticeship or a job with training.

  If take-up is the same as in the pilot areas so far, the cost would be between £440 million and £560 million for an academic year, depending on which model is chosen.

  ONE Service (Mentally Ill People)
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) if he will make it his policy that people with a mental illness will not be required to attend a ONE interview, if they do not wish to, for a period of three months following discharge from a psychiatric hospital; [113291]

  (2) how many people with a mental illness have attended for a voluntary ONE interview across the pilot sites in England; [113292]

  (3) if ONE personal advisers will visit places of work to check their suitability for clients with a mental illness prior to placement; [113293]

  (4) if the training of personal advisers and start-up personnel involved in the ONE project has involved directly people with a mental illness; and if he will make a statement; [113294]

  (5) if clients will have the choice of an interview at home with ONE personal advisers. [113295]

  Ms Jowell
  ONE puts work, and helping people to overcome barriers to work, at the heart of the benefit system. Everyone of working age making a claim to benefit meets with a Personal Adviser, who works with them to assess their job potential and provides access to a variety of help and information on work, benefit and services. Clients are treated as individuals with their own unique needs, abilities and circumstances, instead of being categorised as "unemployed", "lone parent" or "disabled".

  It is entirely reasonable to expect all clients to come in for meetings with a personal adviser as a part of their claim so they can stay in touch with the labour market and be informed about the help and support on offer. We want to treat people as individuals, not to categorise people and make assumptions about whether or not they can work.

  The requirements of ONE should be appropriate for all, including people with a mental illness. In developing the policy and the detailed processes, officials have had in-depth discussions with some of the key organisations dealing in mental illness (including MIND and the
  792W
  National Schizophrenia Fellowship) to ensure that ONE enables the groups they represent to participate in a positive way.

  All ONE advisers have been trained to work effectively and sensitively with all ONE clients. Those with experience of, or expertise in, mental illness have participated in the training process. Advisers have guidance on working with clients with special needs which has been developed with their help.

  Where it is appropriate for people to attend interviews, the ONE process is designed to give them sufficient time to make arrangements and sufficient opportunities to attend. Clients can bring an advocate with them to interview if they wish, and home visits can be offered where appropriate. Personal advisers also have the discretion to waive or defer an interview.

  Personal advisers may consult with a Disability Employment Adviser (DEA) and the DEA may accompany the personal adviser on the home visit. If a client has recently stayed in a psychiatric hospital, advisers should certainly consider carefully whether to defer an interview—but should not automatically assume that to be so. For some people the priority may be to sort out the benefits they are entitled to and to ensure their welfare needs are properly identified. Where ONE advisers place clients into work, we have no present plans for personal advisers to visit places of work prior to placement.

  Finally, it is not possible to provide the information requested on participation in ONE by people with mental illnesses. Separate statistics on the numbers of people with mental health illness attending ONE meetings are not recorded.

  Regional Policy
  Mr. Norman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment which of his Department's regional initiatives will come under the remit of the new unit to co-ordinate the Government's approach to the regions. [113155]

  Mr. Wicks
  The work of the Government Offices for the Regions on behalf of DfEE will come under the remit of the interdepartmental unit to co-ordinate the Government's approach to the regions.

  School Sports
  Mr. Gareth R. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment by what means his Department monitors the quality and range of(a) sports teaching and (b) sports provision in schools; and if he will make a statement. [113058]

  Jacqui Smith
  Ofsted has the remit to monitor the quality and range of all teaching in schools, including PE activities, and to report on the quality and range of provision in schools. Ofsted's 1999 review of primary schools in England found that overall progress in PE is satisfactory or better in 97 per cent. of schools. The review of secondary schools found that in physical education pupils make good progress in most schools in Key Stage 3. The performance of skills and their application in games are usually satisfactory or better.
  793W
  We have set an aspiration that all schools should provide two hours of curricular or extra-curricular activities a week, and my officials are meeting with DCMS and representatives of PE and sport organisations to discuss ways of promoting that aspiration in schools.

  Further Education (Enrolments)
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list(a) the total enrolments and (b) the full-time equivalent enrolments in further education in England in each year since 1992. [112118]

  Mr. Wicks
  [holding answer 28 February 2000]: The information requested is shown in the tables.

  The decline in headcount numbers in 1998–99 reflects the clampdown on the unacceptable aspects of franchising which grew up under the previous Administration.

  The Further Education Funding Council will be consulting on measures to support recruitment in line with our plans, which provide for an increase of 700,000 students in further education by 2002.

  (a) Further education student numbers

  000s

  1992–93

  —

  1993–94

  —

  1994–951

  3,034

  1995–961

  3,845

  1996–971

  4,245

  1997–981

  4,259

  1998–992

  4,142

  (b) Full-time equivalents (FTE) in further eduction

  000s

  1992–931

  1,101

  1993–941

  1,140

  1994–951

  1,179

  1995–961

  1,262

  1996–971

  1,295

  1997–982

  1,263

  1998–99

  —

  1 Actual

  2 Provisional

  Notes:

  1. The figures are provided on a whole year basis. Student numbers include Further Education Funding Council (FEFC) funded and non funded students.

  2. Table (a):

  Student numbers for 1992–93 and 1993–94 are excluded as the available figures are inconsistent with later years.

  Student numbers for 1994–95 onwards are from the Individualised Student Record and give the numbers of students enrolling, rather than the total number of qualifications entered.

  The figures relate to FE sector colleges and FEFC funded students in External Institutions.

  External Institutions did not return data in 1994–95 and are not included in the student numbers for that year. For later years only FEFC funded provision is included.

  In line with the normal publishing convention, Specialist Designated Institutions (SDI's) are not included.

  FEFC funded HE students in FE sector colleges are included but FE students in HE institutions are excluded.

  Three colleges transferred to the HE sector in 1998–99 and are not included in the figures for 1998–99.
  794W
  3. Table (b):

  In line with the normal publishing convention, FTE data include FEFC funded and non funded FE students in FE sector colleges, FEFC funded FE students in External Institutions, Specialist Designated Institutions, Higher Education Institutions and non FEFC funded FE students in adult education centres. Also included are FEFC funded HE students in FE sector colleges.

  Outturn FTE figures for 1998–99 are not yet available.

  Sure Start
  Mr. Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the progress of the Sure Start pilots. [111666]

  Yvette Cooper
  I have been asked to reply.

  Of the 60 Sure Start trailblazers that were announced in January 1999, 47 have now received approval and are now starting to help young children and their families. The remaining 13 will follow shortly. In November 1999 we launched the second wave of Sure Start by inviting a further 69 areas to develop local programmes, and these are now drawing up their outline plans. This brings the number of Sure Start programmes so far announced to 129, more than half-way towards the target of 250 by March 2002.

  Food Technology (National Curriculum)
  Mrs. Dean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will replace food technology with home economics in the National Curriculum. [111951]

  Jacqui Smith
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced in September last year the revised National Curriculum which will apply from September 2000. The revisions were the outcome of a wide-ranging review and consultation which considered, among other matters, how pupils are taught about food, nutrition and textiles in the curriculum.

  Within the revised National Curriculum, food technology (including cooking) and textiles remain within the Design and Technology programmes of study; and nutrition and health eating are covered in Science and Personal, Social and Health Education. Home economics also can play a complementary role, and many schools include it within their curriculum. It is also available as a GCSE option.

  We are continuing to look at food and cooking in the curriculum with the aim of ensuring a more coherent approach. We will, of course, take into account the role of home economics in this context.

  School Sports Links
  Mr. Gareth R. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what action he is taking to encourage sporting links between private schools and state schools; and if he will make a statement. [113679]

  Jacqui Smith
  We are keen to encourage links between independent and state schools in all areas, including sport. The Government are currently considering the future role of sport and PE in schools, and part of that will involve developing links that can be made with the independent sector.
  795W
  There is already good practice in this area including sharing facilities and teaching resources. We will seek to build on that.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  G8 Development Ministers
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many meetings of the G8 Development Ministers, Ministers in her Department have attended since 1 May 1997, indicating the Minister involved and the date and location of each meeting. [113090]

  Mr. Foulkes
  Neither the Secretary of State nor myself has attended any meetings of the G8 Development Ministers.

  Technical Co-operation
  Ms Drown
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much bilateral aid has been spent on technical co-operation in each of the last 10 years(a) in cash terms and (b) as a proportion of total overseas development aid. [113492]

  Mr. Foulkes
  Technical Co-operation is defined to include expenditure on personnel, training, scholarships, knowledge and research. DFID's expenditure on Technical Co-operation over the latest 10 years is shown in the table, both in cash terms and as a percentage of the bilateral programme in each year.

  Technical co-operation

  £000

  As percentage of DFID bilateral programme

  1989–90

  309,335

  31

  1990–91

  354,568

  33

  1991–92

  412,956

  38

  1992–93

  422,975

  37

  1993–94

  423,811

  36

  1994–95

  430,447

  38

  1995–96

  453,149

  40

  1996–97

  467,682

  44

  1997–98

  496,003

  47

  1998–99

  503,878

  43

  Ms Drown
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of technical co-operation contracts are awarded to non-UK companies. [113489]

  Mr. Foulkes
  In the financial year 1998–99 DFID issued just under 3,000 contracts for services with a value of nearly £250 million. Of these 776 contracts with a value of some £14 million were issued by DFID's Overseas Offices to local consultants, i.e. non-UK companies.

  Aid Programme
  Ms Drown
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the likely impact on the UK economy of(a) unilaterally, and (b) multilaterally untying the UK's aid programme. [113487]
  796W
  Mr. Foulkes
  Studies have shown that both unilateral and multilateral untying are likely to bring benefits to the UK economy. Multilateral untying will, however, bring greater development benefits. We are working to encourage all Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) member countries to join the OECD's Development Assistance Committee initiative to untie development assistance to the least developed countries.

  Management Consultants
  Ms Drown
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the services that management consultants provided to her Department in each of the last 10 years, indicating the remuneration made in each case and the number of person days employed. [113491]

  Mr. Foulkes
  DFID does not collate this information centrally and it could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mozambique
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when the projected spending plans by her Department in Mozambique for 2000–01 and 2001–02 were first included in a document in the public domain. [113662]

  Mr. Foulkes
  The plans for Mozambique for 2000–01 and 2001–02 were first published on 30 March 1999 in the Departmental Report 1999.

  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development at what time on what date officials in her Department first discussed sending helicopters to Mozambique with the Ministry of Defence. [113663]

  Mr. Foulkes
  We first asked the Ministry of Defence what military assets were available in the region on Saturday 26 February at 19.30. At that point we were informed that no military assets were available within 3,000 miles.

  On Tuesday 29 February at 9:00 we held further discussions regarding the use of UK military helicopters with the Ministry of Defence.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on what date her Department first requested assistance from the armed services to alleviate hardship in the floods of Mozambique. [113674]

  Mr. Foulkes
  We first asked the Ministry of Defence what military assets were available in the region on Saturday 26 February. At that point we were informed that no military assets were available within 3,000 miles.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Toilet Facilities
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee what access there is to toilet facilities in the House for people who are wheelchair users. [113603]
  797W
  Sir Sydney Chapman
  Specially equipped lavatories for wheelchair users are situated off the Lower Waiting Hall, the Committee Corridor, the Upper Committee Corridor and the Centre Curtain Corridor. The hon. Member may wish to note that there is also a specially equipped lavatory off Peers' lobby.

SCOTLAND

  Pay Inequalities
  Mr. Sarwar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what data he has collated on current inequalities in pay between men and women in Scotland; and what measures the Government(a) is taking and (b) plans to take to tackle such inequalities. [111346]

  Ms Jowell
  I have been asked to reply.

  Average pay of full-time employees in Scotland and Great Britain, 1999, is as follows:

  Hourly

  Weekly

  Annual

  Scotland

  Women (£)

  8.03

  298

  15,001

  Men (£)

  9.83

  406

  21,791

  Women's pay as a percentage of men's

  82

  173

  169

  Great Britain

  Women (£)

  8.70

  327

  16,481

  Men (£)

  10.75

  442

  23,412

  Women's pay as a percentage of men's

  81

  174

  170

  1 Widening of pay gap for weekly and annual earnings reflects that men work on average 3.9 hours more per week than women, including 1.9 hours more overtime

  Source:

  New Earnings Survey 1999

  Other figures on earnings for men and women in Scotland can be found in "Scottish Economic Statistics" which is available in the Library.

  We are tackling the gender pay gap across Great Britain through a range of action to ensure women can reach their full potential, including tackling gender stereotyping in career choices; and encouraging them to take up opportunities in the information and communication technology sector. We will also be consulting on changes to Employment Tribunal procedures to speed up and simplify equal pay claims. This builds on action we have already taken to help women combine work and family responsibilities, including the National Childcare Strategy, parental leave and improved maternity leave.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  EU Agrimonetary Compensation
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much European agrimonetary compensation scheme funds have been drawn down to the Exchequer; and if he will make a statement. [112230]
  798W
  Ms Quin
  A total of £397 million in EU-funded agrimonetary compensation has been paid.

  Fields
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many fields with uncropped margins in excess of two metres were recorded in 1999, as a proportion of the total number of the integrated administrative and control system fields inspections during the year. [112818]

  Ms Quin
  Of the total number of fields inspected by MAFF in 1999 under the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS), it is estimated that just under 4 per cent. involved claims for arable area payments which were paid on the basis of full Ordnance Survey field areas but which, because the field margins were found to be wider than two metres, would only be payable on the basis of actual cropped areas in 2000.

  CAP Payments
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the 10 largest recipients of CAP payments made to farms in Herefordshire for the calendar year 1998; and if he will make a statement. [113482]

  Ms Quin
  Amount received by each of the 10 largest recipients of CAP payments in Herefordshire during the 1998 calendar year were:

  £236,601.76

  £217,922.74

  £191,714.98

  £172,860.74

  £168,856.75

  £144,200.16

  £136,475.79

  £119,918.47

  £115,826.01

  £115,646.58

  Farmland
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the estimated acreage of farmland taken out of farming in each of the last five years in the United Kingdom. [111988]

  Ms Quin
  The total area on agricultural holdings in the United Kingdom over the last five years is shown in the table.

  thousand hectares

  Year

  Area

  Area difference

  1994

  17,626

  —

  1995

  17,520

  (-)106

  1996

  17,527

  (+)7

  1997

  17,432

  (-)95

  1998

  17,372

  (-)60

  1999

  17,351

  (-)21

  Notes:

  Total area includes tillage and grass, rough grazing, woodland, set-aside and other land (paths, buildings etc).

  Source:

  Agricultural Census Statistics 1998 and June Statistical News Release. Data include minor holdings.

  Seed Lists
  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food for what reasons in the proposed draft Seeds (National Lists of Variations) Regulations 2000 consultation he proposes to abolish statutory measures relating to(a) oral representations at a public hearing, (b) the definition of persons affected, (c) rules of conduct for public hearings and (d) the requirement of fees in respect of such hearing; and replace them with ministerial discretion. [111649]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 28 February 2000]: The proposed regulations do not abolish statutory rights to make oral representations about proposed decisions on National Listing. The proposal is to transfer the detail of how such rights are exercised from Regulations to the Plant Varieties and Seeds Gazette. It is now more usual to set out such administrative detail separately, rather than include it in legislation. The proposals also provide for all fees associated with National Listing to be set administratively, rather than by regulation, subject to such fees being reasonable. The draft regulatory impact assessment which accompanied the proposals explained that we do not expect them to result in extra costs to industry, citizens or the environment.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what applications in respect of genetically modified wheat and genetically modified maize(a) have been considered and (b) are currently under consideration in respect of inclusion on the European seed list common register; if such applications will be a matter for joint consideration with the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions; and if he will make a statement. [111412]

  Ms Quin
  Prior to February 2000, varieties added to a member state's National List could be included on the Agricultural Common Catalogue provided no member state indicated they intended to seek a derogation prohibiting marketing of the variety in their territory. No Genetically Modified varieties of wheat or maize were added to the Agricultural Common Catalogue under these arrangements.

  Under new arrangements which came into effect in February 2000, varieties may progress automatically from member states National Lists to the Common Catalogue. For genetically modified plant varieties, this progression requires a marketing consent under Directive 90/220/EEC on the Deliberate Release into the Environment of Genetically Modified Varieties and, where appropriate, an authorisation under the Novel Foods Regulation No. 97/258/EEC. No genetically modified wheat varieties have either been considered or added to the Common Catalogue under these new arrangements. There are currently three genetically modified maize varieties included in member states' National Lists which the EU Commission is considering for inclusion in the Common Catalogue. These are CHARDON LL, included in the Dutch National List, and COMPA CB and JORDI CB, included in the Spanish National List. The decision on whether to add these varieties to the Common Catalogue is for the Commission to determine on the basis of whether the necessary regulatory requirements have been met.
  800W
  The Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions is not involved in considering whether plant varieties may be added to the Common Catalogue.

  Pig Industry
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent assessment he has made of the cost of BSE to the pig industry. [111706]

  Ms Quin
  No official assessment has been made by Government, but industry assessments have been discussed between Government and industry representatives.

  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations were made to him in January by representatives of the pig industry regarding legal opinion on the feasibility of state aid for the pig sector under European law. [111709]

  Ms Quin
  My right hon. Friend the Minister received a letter from a group of solicitors acting on behalf of the British Pig Industry Support Group, threatening to bring a Judicial Review of the Minister's failure to grant state aid to the pig sector.

  Salmon Freshwater Fisheries
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the report of the independent Salmon Freshwater Fisheries Review Group will be published. [114309]

  Mr. Morley
  I am pleased to announce that the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Review Group's report is being published today. The group has carried out a very thorough and wide ranging examination of salmon and freshwater fisheries policy and legislation in England and Wales. We now intend to seek the views of interested parties; the consultation period will run until 31 July 2000. Copies of the report have been placed in the Library of the House.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Benefit Claims
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants have been denied access to any benefits for each month of(a) 1999 and (b) the current year to date. [110486]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 21 February 2000]: I have been asked to reply.

  Responsibility for the subject of the question has been delegated to the Employment Service agency under its Chief Executive. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from Mr. Leigh Lewis to Mr. Jeremy Corbyn dated 9 March 2000:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your question about the number of claimants who have been denied access to any benefits after failing to attend an Employment Service advisory interview. This is something which falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Chief Executive of the Employment Service.

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  Information on the numbers and types of decisions given by Employment Service Decision Makers on labour market questions are recorded quarterly rather than monthly, and published in the 'Analysis of Sector Decision Making' (formerly known as the 'Analysis of Adjudication Officers' Decisions'), copies of which are held in the House of Commons Library. The most recent publication is for the quarter ending 30 September 1999.
  For each quarter in the calendar year 1999, the numbers of jobseekers whose entitlement to Jobseeker's Allowance ceased as a result of failing to attend an Employment Service advisory interview are as follows:

  Quarter ending

  Number

  31 March 1999

  29,335

  30 June 1999

  31,400

  30 September 1999

  35,189

  Information for the quarter ending December 1999 will be published by 31 March 2000 and lodged with the Library.

  I hope this is helpful.

  Unclaimed Benefits
  Mr. Burgon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the number of people in the Elmet constituency aged over 60 years who are not claiming benefit to which they are entitled. [113416]

  Mr. Bayley
  The information is not available. It is not possible to produce reliable estimates of numbers not claiming their entitlement at constituency level.

  Pensions
  Mr. Hope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the compensation and general levies payable under the Pension Schemes Act 1993 by occupational and personal pension schemes. [114334]

  Mr. Rooker
  I am pleased to announce that the rate of the Compensation Levy will remain unchanged at a maximum of 23 pence per member for the third year in a row and that it will not be necessary to raise a Compensation Levy in 2000–01.

  Regulations are being laid today for the General Levy that will increase rates for most pension schemes from 1 April 2000 with the exception of occupational schemes with 6,604 or more members. Rates for these schemes have been frozen at their present levels for the coming year. The rates for 2000–01 are shown in the table.

  The General Levy covers the costs of the bodies that safeguard the rights of pension scheme members or provide them with help, advice and information. These bodies are the Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority (Opra), the Pensions Ombudsman, the Pensions Advisory Service and the Pension Schemes Registry. It is essential that these bodies have the resources necessary to meet their continuing and new responsibilities so that all scheme members' interests are properly protected.

  The increase in the General Levy rates for most, but not all, occupational pension schemes reflects that the biggest schemes generate little work for Opra, and have not contributed to the steady increase in the number of cases referred to them or to the complexity of the issues with which they deal. The new rates for personal pension
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  schemes reflect that Opra's regulatory functions are extended to those schemes and to Stakeholder pension schemes by the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999.

  General Levy rates 2000–01

  Scheme size (Number of members)

  Basis

  Amount per member (£)

  Minimum payment per scheme1 (£)

  >Occupation Pension Schemes

  2 to 11

  £12 per scheme

  —

  —

  12 to 99

  Per member

  1.25

  —

  100 to 999

  Per member

  0.90

  125

  1,000 to 4,999

  Per member

  0.70

  900

  5,000 to 9,999

  Per member

  0.53

  3,500

  10,000 or more

  Per member

  0.37

  5,300

  Personal Pension Schemes

  2 to 11

  £5.20 per scheme

  —

  —

  12 to 99

  Per member

  0.50

  —

  100 to 999

  Per member

  0.35

  50

  1,000 to 4,999

  Per member

  0.30

  350

  5,000 to 9,999

  Per member

  0.20

  1,500

  10,000 or more

  Per member

  0.15

  2,000

  1 Minimum payments ensure that schemes in the lower bands do not pay more overall than those in the higher bands.

  Angela Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to consult on draft regulations on employer payments to personal pensions and stakeholder pensions. [114332]

  Mr. Rooker
  We are today issuing a consultation document containing draft regulations on employer payments to personal pensions and stakeholder pensions.

  The new requirements represent a major change for both insurance companies and employers. The consultation document contains a full description of the new arrangements. We want to alert employers and insurance companies now so that they can start planning for the new regime, which we plan to bring into force in April 2001.

  An important part of our pension reforms is that people should have greater confidence in private pensions. Regulations require deductions from pay to be paid by employers to occupational pension schemes within set deadlines. Today's draft regulations extend this requirement to personal pensions and stakeholder pensions.

  Incapacity Benefit
  Angela Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what changes he plans to make to the all work test in Incapacity Benefits. [114333]

  Mr. Bayley
  We are laying regulations today which, together with regulations made in November (The Social Security (Incapacity for Work) Miscellaneous Amendments Regulations 1999), give effect to the changes to the All Work Test which were introduced by the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act.

  The All Work Test provides an assessment of the effect of a person's medical condition on their functional abilities, to determine whether they reach the threshold at which it is appropriate to pay incapacity benefits rather than to treat them as unemployed. It is a negative test in that it currently looks only at people's incapacities and

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  not at why they are able to do despite their illness or disability. The very name gives the wrong impression that people who reach the benefit threshold are unfit to do any work. But many sick and disabled people already work, and many more want to and may be able to, given the right encouragement and support.

  From 3 April 2000 the All Work Test will be replaced by the Personal Capability Assessment. The threshold for entitlement to incapacity benefits, and the way that incapacity is assessed will not change in any way. But the doctor who advises the decision maker will also be able to prepare a Capability Report, with positive and constructive advice on what the person can do despite their incapacity and on measures such as workplace adaptations which might help them to work. This report will not be seen by the benefit decision maker but will go to Personal Advisers, to help them and their clients plan a return to employment.

  As part of the ONE pilots, our doctors are already providing Capability Reports in appropriate cases. The process was trialled successfully last summer. We aim to extend the use of Capability Reports as we gain experience through the pilots and as Personal Adviser services are expanded.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the pilot areas for enhanced medical assessment for incapacity benefits in respect of incapability information; and on what basis they were selected. [113046]

  Mr. Bayley
  From 3 April, the All Work Test for incapacity benefits will be replaced by the Personal Capability Assessment. This will continue to determine benefit entitlement in exactly the same way as now but will also allow the doctor who assesses a person's incapacity to prepare a separate Capability Report with positive information on what they can do despite their medical condition and on measures such as workplace adaptations that might enable them to return to employment.

  Capability Reports will not be seen by benefit decision-makers. They are intended to assist Personal Advisers in providing advice and support to people who want to plan a return to work. Some initial trialling of the Capability Report was undertaken for a short period last summer in Bolton, and in Bristol, East and Bath, two of the areas in which Personal Adviser services are being piloted as part of the New Deal for Disabled People. Since last November, the new procedure has been included in the 12 ONE service pilots. The ONE pilot areas were selected on the basis of a number of criteria including the need to cover a range of geographical and labour market conditions so as to minimise bias and enable results to be extrapolated nationally.

  The areas are:

  Clyde Coast and Renfrew Lea Roding

  South Essex

  Warwickshire

  Calderdale & Kirklees

  Gwent Borders

  Buckinghamshire

  Somerset

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  Leeds

  Suffolk

  North Nottinghamshire

  North Cheshire.

  Winter Fuel Payments
  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when payments will be made to those people under the age of 65 years entitled to receive winter fuel payments. [112656]

  Angela Eagle
  Following the European Court's judgment in the Taylor case, we have decided that help through Winter Fuel Payments will be extended to everyone aged 60 or over, regardless of whether they are receiving a pension or another qualifying benefit.

  We accept the judgment of the Court and intend to comply by equalising the age of the Winter Fuel Payment entitlement to men and women at age 60.

  The Winter Fuel Payment qualifying age will be increased in line with the increases previously announced in respect of the State Retirement Pension (between April 2010 and April 2020 State pension age for women will be increased in stages until both men and women share a State pension age of 65).

  We intend to make retrospective payments to all people now included within the scope of the scheme in respect of the previous three winters (1997–98, 1998–99 and 1999–2000).

  We are carefully considering what arrangements need to be made in order to issue payments securely to customers not already in the scope of the existing scheme. An announcement outlining the full details of how and when these payments will be made will be announced as soon a possible.

  Asbestos-related Diseases
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many workers and former workers in the power industry received awards for asbestos-related diseases in the last year for which figures are available; and how many deaths from asbestos-related diseases occurred in this sector for the same period. [113330]

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

  Awards of industrial injuries disablement benefit for asbestos related prescribed diseases in the generation, production and distribution of electricity

  Period

  Number

  January to September 1999

  50

  January to December 1998

  57

  Notes:

  1. The following prescribed diseases have been used when identifying asbestos related diseases:

  D1—Pneumoconiosis (in the asbestos industry).

  D3—Diffuse mesothelioma.

  D8—Primary carcinoma of the lung with accompanying evidence of 1 or both (a) asbestosis (b) unilateral or bilateral diffuse pleural thickening.

  D9—Unilateral or bilateral diffuse pleural thickening.
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  2. D1 and D3 are paid from 1 per cent. disablement, and D8 and D9 are paid from 14 per cent. disablement.

  3. Figures are based on the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) of economic activities 1992 and the following has been used: 40.10—Production and distribution of electricity; Electricity generation.

  4. These figures are based on a 100 per cent. count of Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit initial assessments.

  5. Figures for 1999 are for nine months only. December 1999 quarterly figures are not yet available.

  6. The number of deaths related to this sector resulting from asbestos-related prescribed diseases is not available.

  Source:

  Analytical Services Division.

  Verification Framework
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the average cost to local authorities since April 1999 of implementing the Verification Framework; and how much of that cost has been met by(a) central Government and (b) local government since April 1999. [113625]

  Angela Eagle
  The information is not available in the form requested. The cost of implementing the Verification Framework (VF) will vary according to the size and nature of each local authority's caseload, and the extent to which they already have systems required under the VF in place.

  The funds the Department makes available to local authorities are distributed on the same basis as they receive their main administration subsidy. We expect to pay over £29 million in total to 229 local authorities for the Verification Framework during 1999–2000. Some authorities will have received set-up costs, some will have received continuing costs and some will have received both set-up and continuing costs.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent examination of the performance of housing benefit delivery in the London Borough of Islington he has undertaken. [113673]

  Angela Eagle
  As part of our determination to drive up the standards of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit administration, we have asked the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate to inspect the 30 local authorities which spend most on these benefits. The London Borough of Islington is included among these authorities and will be inspected this summer.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what will be the margin of error of the estimate of housing benefit(a) fraud and (b) error to be provided by the on going Area Benefit Review. [113817]

  Angela Eagle
  The margin of error expressed as a percentage of estimated losses depends to a degree on the amount of fraud and error found in the review: the less found the wider the margin.

  The current prediction for the first set of review data covering the period October 1999 to March 2000, is that the margin of error on the estimated value of losses will lie between +/- 10 per cent. and +/- 20 per cent. of those
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  losses. When data for the period October 1999 to September 2000 become available we expect the margin of error to contract.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many local authorities are covered by the Area Benefit Review of Housing Benefit. [113784]

  Angela Eagle
  195 Local authorities have volunteered to take part in the Area Benefit Review of Housing Benefit.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what data his Department collates on the time taken to process(a) initial and (b) repeat housing benefit applications for each London borough. [113669]

  Angela Eagle
  The Department collects data from all local authorities on a quarterly basis in relation to both new and renewal Housing Benefit claims. The data collected for both types of claim includes:

  the number of claims determined successful;

  the number of claims determined unsuccessful;

  the number of these claims ((a) + (b)) determined within 14 days of receipt of all necessary information.

  From this April, Best Value performance indicators will be the main yardstick against which local authorities' performance will be judged. The indicators we have set for Housing Benefit delivery include new measures of the average time taken to process new claims and notifications of changes of circumstance, and the percentage of renewal claims processed on time. Local authorities will be required to set challenging targets for improved performance against these indicators year on year.

  The Department has made arrangements' for data on performance against all the Best Value indicators to be reported periodically by authorities as part of the normal provision of Housing Benefit management information. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced to the House on 6 March 2000, Official Report, column 756, his intention to use his statutory powers to compel authorities to provide this information.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many tenants were evicted from(a) local authority, (b) housing association and (c) private rented accommodation in each London borough because of delays in payment of housing benefit in 1999. [113672]

  Angela Eagle
  The information is not collected centrally.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the average cost, for each London borough, of the administration of housing benefit in the last year for which figures are available. [113670]

  Angela Eagle
  The information is in the table.

  Housing benefit administration costs 1998–99

  £

  Local authority

  Average cost per case

  Barking and Dagenham

  37

  Barnet

  110

  Bexley

  41

  Brent

  128

  Bromley

  114

  Camden

  105

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  Housing benefit administration costs 1998–99

  £

  Local authority

  Average cost per case

  City of London

  206

  Croydon

  84

  Ealing

  176

  Enfield

  116

  Greenwich

  141

  Hackney

  118

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  139

  Haringey

  174

  Harrow

  110

  Havering

  91

  Hillingdon

  78

  Hounslow

  78

  Islington

  94

  Kensington and Chelsea

  194

  Kingston upon Thames

  82

  Lambeth

  105

  Lewisham

  222

  Merton

  65

  Newham

  205

  Redbridge

  190

  Richmond upon Thames

  101

  Southwark

  157

  Sutton

  121

  Tower Hamlets

  81

  Waltham Forest

  86

  Wandsworth

  86

  Westminster

  234

  Notes:

  1. 1998–99 are the latest figures available.

  2. The "average cost" has been calculated as the cost per case using the authority's total expenditure on administration costs and the total Housing Benefit caseload.

  3. The total expenditure on administration costs used in the calculations are those reported by the authorities to the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions on the RO4 forms. The caseload figures used are the Housing Benefit caseloads supplied by the local authorities on the Management Information Statistics Stats forms 121 and 122. The caseload figures for financial year 1998–99 were calculated by taking an average of the data for the four quarters May 1998 to February 1999.

  4. As can be seen from the table, the average cost per case varies considerably between authorities. Different local authorities use different basis to calculate the administration costs they report. The reasons for the differences include the different mix of caseload the authorities have and their relative complexities to administer, and also the different components included in the total administration costs expenditure, for example, the treatment of overheads.

  Source:

  The information is as supplied on the RO4 forms to the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions by the local authorities.

  MIS information supplied by local authorities on forms 121 and 122.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if remote access terminals are being installed with software that will automatically cross reference details of claimants of housing benefit with other benefits. [113624]

  Angela Eagle
  Remote Access Terminals are currently used by LAs to access a range of the DSS held information which is relevant to the administration of Housing and Council Tax benefit. Although there are no plans in place to install software for the purpose described, the Housing Benefit Matching Service performs a similar function. This quarterly operation cross 808W
  references a range of DSS held data with data provided by the LAs. The results are then used to identify potential fraud and error.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which local authorities, in each of the past three years, have been served with improvement notices on the administration of housing benefit. [113671]

  Angela Eagle
  The Secretary of State has powers under section 139D of the Social Security Administration Act 1992 to direct an Authority as to the standards which it is to attain, in the prevention and detection of fraud relating to Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit or otherwise in the administration of benefits. To date, we have not issued any such directions.

  However, as my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State announced in the House on 6 March 2000, Official Report, column 756, we have warned councils that where investigation by the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate identify persistent failings, we will use our statutory powers to direct standards and timescales for improving performance.

  Fraud
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the margin of error for the inspection of fraud and error in each of the benefits inspected in the most recently published Area Benefit Review. [113629]

  Mr. Rooker
  There is 95 per cent. confidence that the true figures for fraud and error for Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance in the most recently published Area Benefit Review report are within 8 per cent. of the estimates.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what steps he is taking to (i) measure accurately and (ii) reduce fraud and error in(a) invalid care allowance, (b) disability living allowance and (c) incapacity benefit; [113795]

  (2) what was the monetary value of (i) official error, (ii) customer error, (iii) confirmed claimant fraud, (iv) high suspicion claimant fraud, (v) low suspicion claimant fraud, (vi) confirmed official fraud, (vii) high suspicion official fraud, (viii) low suspicion official fraud for (a) invalid care allowance, (b) disability living allowance and (c) incapacity benefit for each of the past three years. [113794]

  Mr. Rooker
  The results of national benefit reviews carried out on Invalid Care Allowance (ICA) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) were published in July 1996 and February 1997 respectively. These are the latest figures for fraud and error in these benefits and the reports are in the Library.

  We plan to conduct a national benefit review of Incapacity Benefit later this year.
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  There are security checks in place in these benefits to make sure that tackling fraud and error is an integral part of their administration. In addition there are a number of initiatives to promote greater security and accuracy in these benefits. Examples include:
  From April, the ICA payment order book, normally valid for 22 weeks, will be aligned to the length of time for which a qualifying benefit is in payment where that is shorter than 22 weeks.
  From April, Automated Credit Transfer will be introduced for ICA customers receiving Income Support or Jobseeker's Allowance (Income Based).
  For DLA, work being undertaken within the Disability Benefits Modernisation Programme which is focused on getting benefit entitlement right at the outset and keeping it right from first to final payment.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) which ministers are currently in the Ministerial counter-fraud group; [113620]

  (2) how many times the Ministerial counter-fraud group (a) has met since it was formed and (b) met in 1999. [113621]

  Mr. Rooker
  Information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet or Cabinet Committees is not made public under exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what evaluations his Department has conducted of the use of biometric data as a means by which to reduce benefit fraud. [113793]

  Mr. Rooker
  This Department already makes use of biometric data in certain exceptional circumstances. The War Pensions Agency use fingerprinting in overseas cases where they suspect that a pensioner or widow is no longer alive and a pension is still in payment. The Child Support Agency use DNA testing to confirm paternity, where the alleged non-resident parent has contacted the Agency to dispute that they are the father.

  There are problems with biometric technology, such as the absence of 100 per cent. reliable tests to establish whether an individual matches his record in the database. Such failure rates would clearly be unacceptable from a Social Security customer service standpoint. Until we see advances in the biometric technology particularly in terms of reliability, but also in ease of use and cost we must continue to rely on other authentication techniques for bulk day to day business.

  We will continue to monitor progress on the reliability of using biometric data to reduce benefit fraud.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps his Department is taking to eradicate fraudulent housing benefit claims by landlords. [113792]
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  Angela Eagle
  We have already introduced a range of approaches to tackle landlord fraud which we are continuing to develop;we are already involved in very successful joint activities between the Benefits Agency (BA), local authorities (LAs) and the police which are getting positive results;
  we have given LAs new powers to control direct payments more tightly and recover overpayments more easily, and to require landlords to provide information;
  we are involved in matching exercises with Inland Revenue (IR) of landlords and savings;
  we have established an agreement with IR to allow BA and LA fraud investigators to ask centrally for tax information on a case by case basis.
  We are setting up a new national benefits intelligence unit to co-ordinate and extend intelligence on Social Security fraud, as the basis for both prevention and detection;
  overhauling and strengthening the capability and professionalism of investigators to tackle organised benefit fraud right across the benefit system. A senior civil servant will be appointed to manage the central organised fraud investigation service and to act as the Head of Profession for all benefit fraud investigators;
  setting up new arrangements with local authorities to ensure investigations are targeted properly across the Social Security system.

  Weekly Benefit Savings Scheme
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the annual savings were from the weekly benefit savings scheme for each year from 1996 to 1999. [113791]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is in the tables.

  Security control programme savings

  £ million

  Financial year

  Total weekly benefit savings claimed

  1996–97

  1,509.0

  1997–98

  1,918.5

  1998–99

  1,645.5

  Note:

  The figures are not comparable, as from April 1998 the WBS claiming criteria was tightened.

  Local authority weekly benefit savings (WBS) data for England, Scotland and Wales

  £

  Financial year

  Total weekly benefit savings claimed

  1996–97

  293,672,397

  1997–98

  346,407,498

  1998–99

  235,679,923

  Note:

  The figures are not comparable, as from April 1998 the Weekly Benefit Savings claiming criteria for Local Authorities was tightened.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 17 January 2000,Official Report, column 334W, on National Insurance staff, if he will list the types of automatic security check that prompt a management check. [113665]
  811W
  Mr. Rooker
  The types of security features which trigger management checks are:where there is an excessive time between receiving access powers and the issue of a new National Insurance Number (NINO);
  where a NINO is issued and no record of the issuer is held on the central database;
  the audit trail and analysis (ATAS) system which detects when there is any unusual activity e.g. a larger than normal volume of NINOs issued.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 17 January 2000,Official Report, column 334W, on National Insurance staff, by what criteria the number of staff able to allocate new numbers were reduced. [113664]

  Mr. Rooker
  The number of staff who had National Insurance number allocation powers were reduced by critically reviewing the existing users and ensuring only those with essential business need were allowed to keep National Insurance number allocation powers, and restricting to a single group of specialists the facility to allocate National Insurance numbers.

  Previously staff had various levels of access to the Departmental Central Index, each of which allowed them to carry out a range of activities on Departmental Central Index, such as viewing data, or allocating National Insurance numbers. The number of access levels providing the facility to allocate National Insurance numbers has been reduced, so that the power is not routinely given to staff who do not need it.

  Cheque Cashers Association
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's formal memorandum of understanding with the British Cheque Cashers Association. [113619]

  Mr. Rooker
  The Memorandum of Understanding between the British Cheque Cashiers Association and the Benefits Agency is still under negotiation at this time. Once the document is finalised a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Departmental Programme Protection Fund
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the funding for the Departmental Programme Protection Fund for each year for which it has been budgeted; and what savings(a) it has achieved so far and (b) it is expected to achieve each year to meet the Public Service Agreement targets. [113790]

  Mr. Rooker
  The Programme Protection Fund consists of money whose main purpose is to safeguard Social Security against fraud and error. The budget for the current financial year was £464 million, the actual level of spending will not be known until after the year ends. Funding for 2000–01 is currently being finalised.

  One of the fund's main goals is to ensure the achievement of the Public Service Agreement target, to reduce fraud and error in Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance by 30 per cent. by March 2007, with at least a 10 per cent. reduction by March 2002. We do not yet have figures for this, the first, year in which the fund has been in operation. However, our initial expectations are that we shall achieve a reduction in the rate of
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  overpayments of 1.5 per cent. in 1999–2000, 3.5 per cent. in 2000–01 and 5 per cent. in 2001–02. We shall reconsider these figures in the light of performance in the first year.

  Tax Credits (Remote Access Terminals)
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if local authorities will be able to access information held by the Inland Revenue on each of the tax credits using remote access terminals. [113622]

  Angela Eagle
  Remote Access Terminals are currently used by LAs to access a range of DSS held information relating to claims for Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance which is relevant to the administration of Housing and Council Tax benefit. We are currently exploring the implications of extending the range of available information to include details relating to other benefits and tailored access to the Departmental Central Index.

  We anticipate being able to start implementing these enhancements within the next financial year. There are no plans at present to extend this level to access to include Inland Revenue systems.

  The Inland Revenue do not currently have Remote Access Terminals for local authorities to access tax credits information. However, they do operate several dedicated helplines to provide local authorities with information about tax credits.

  Benefit Uptake
  Mr. Ennis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the number of people in Barnsley, East and Mexborough aged over 60 years who are not claiming benefits to which they are entitled. [112979]

  Mr. Bayley
  The information is not available. It is not possible to produce reliable estimates of numbers not claiming their entitlement at constituency level.

  Vaccine Damage Payment Scheme
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what further progress has been made on the establishment of a fund to assist those eligible under the vaccine damage payment scheme; and if he will make a statement. [113044]

  Mrs. Dean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress has been made with establishing a fund to compensate vaccine-damaged children. [113418]

  Mr. Bayley
  We are examining the feasibility of setting up a fund to provide help to people who have received vaccine damage payments.

TREASURY

  Aggregates Tax
  Mr. David Heath
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on his proposals for an aggregates tax. [112229]
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  Mr. Timms
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer has received a number of representations from a range of organisations about the Government's proposals for an aggregates tax.

  Climate Change Levy
  Dr. Iddon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received since his pre-Budget report on the climate change levy. [112231]

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received regarding the proposed climate change levy; and if he will make a statement. [112232]

  Mr. Timms
  The refinements to the design of the climate change levy announced in the November 1999 Pre-Budget Report will increase its environmental effectiveness, whilst protecting the competitiveness of UK firms. The changes made were widely welcomed by both business leaders and environmental groups.

  Small Businesses
  Ms Keeble
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact tax changes since May 1997 have had on small businesses. [112233]

  Mr. Timms
  The effects of the tax announcements are shown in the relevant tables of the Red Book. A number of these measures are of particular benefit to small businesses.

  Employment Trends
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on employment trends since May 1997. [112234]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Since May 1997 employment has increased by over 800,000 and there are now more people in work than ever before.

  BT
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on his speech on BT charging and access to the internet. [112235]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Chancellor receives numerous representations on a wide range of issues.

  Enterprise Culture
  Mr. Clapham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will ensure that his policy in respect of the United Kingdom's enterprise culture, described in his recent speech in New York, takes account of the needs of the labour force; and if he will make a statement. [112236]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Government's productivity agenda takes full account of the needs of the labour market through the New Deal funded from the Windfall Tax and through investing an extra £19 billion over three years, both to increase standards in schools and to encourage life-long learning.

  Low Pay
  Mr. Michael Jabez Foster
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he has taken to increase the take-home pay of those in low-paid work. [112238]

  Mr. Reed
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he is taking to increase the level of take-home pay for low-paid workers in the east midlands. [112250]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Government are committed to creating employment opportunities for all.

  A key element of this strategy is the commitment to making work pay, and creating a fairer system for all low-paid workers. The key measures are:
  The National Minimum Wage, which was introduced in April 1999 and has boosted the hourly wage of over 1.5 million low-paid workers. The adult rate will be increased from £3.60 per hour to £3.70 per hour from October 2000, while the youth rate will be increased from £3.00 per hour to £3.20 per hour from June 2000;
  The 10p rate of income tax from April 1999, which has halved the marginal tax rate for 2.3 million people, of whom 1.7 million are low-paid. Those on the lowest taxable incomes have gained up to £2.88 a week, compared to £1.15 a week for basic rate taxpayers;
  Reforms to National Insurance Contributions which will remove around one million low-paid people from national insurance, while protecting their benefit entitlement;
  The cut in the basic rate to 22p, from April 2000;
  For families with children, the Working Families Tax Credit, which guarantees a minimum income of £200 a week for a family with someone in full-time employment—£80 a week more than a couple would receive on Income Support.

  Telecommunications
  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has held with the telecommunications industry. [112239]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Chancellor regularly meets people from a wide range of industries.

  Future Spending
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received concerning future spending levels in relation to his forthcoming Budget; and if he will make a statement. [112240]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  Treasury Ministers have received representations from a number of organisations in relation to the forthcoming Budget.

  Taxation
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much tax will be payable in the period 1997–98 to 2001–02 as a result of his Budget measures to date. [112241]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Details of the Budget measures can be found in relevant tables of the July 1997, March 1998 and March 1999 Red Book. As a result of these Budgets, the direct tax rate on an average family with children will fall below 20 per cent. for the first time since 1979, and be at its lowest level since 1972.
  815W
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer during which quarters since May 1997 the level of tax taken by Government have fallen as a proportion of GDP. [112228]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  As a result of the last Budget, the tax/GDP ratio is lower this year than last year. The tax ratio in the two following years will also be lower than last year. Under the last Government's plans these rates would have been higher than the latest projections, not only in this year and both of the next two years.

  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much extra tax will be paid in 2000–01 as a result of measures announced in his Budgets to date. [112226]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  All changes to the tax system are included in the relevant Budget reports, which are publicly available. As a result of these Budgets, the direct tax rate on an average family with children will fall below 20 per cent. for the first time since 1979, and be at its lowest level since 1972.

  Inflation
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many months since the power to set interest rates was transferred to the Bank of England, Britain's inflation rate has(a) exceeded and (b) fallen below the median range of its inflation target. [112243]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Government's inflation target since May, 1997 has been 2.5 per cent. for RPIX inflation. In the 33 months since operational independence was given to the Bank, inflation has exceeded the target on 16 occasions, has fallen below on 11 occasions and been exactly on target on 6 occasions. RPIX inflation has averaged 2.5 per cent. during this period and has been in the range of 2.1 to 3.2 per cent.

  Film Industry
  Ms Ward
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the efficacy of his tax relief measures to support the film industry; and if he will make a statement. [112244]

  Dawn Primarolo
  We are continuing to assess the effectiveness of the tax measures introduced in 1997 and indications are that they are working well. It would of course be improper for me to anticipate what may or may not be in my right hon. Friend the Chancellor's Budget.

  Market-sensitive Announcements
  Mr. Ruffley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the making of announcements which are market sensitive. [112245]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Treasury has well-established procedures which allow us to advance policy while taking account of any potential market sensitivity.

  VAT (House Renovations)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of VAT on house renovations. [112246]
  816W
  Dawn Primarolo
  Statistics on renovated dwellings and on the VAT relating to such work are not directly available.

  Based on data published in Housing and Construction Statistics 1988–98, VAT charged in 1998 in respect of repairs, maintenance and improvements carried out by contractors on private sector housing in Great Britain is estimated at £1.7 billion. It is not possible to identify renovations separately.

  Contingency Fund (Kosovo)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest costs to the contingency fund of(a) civil and (b) military actions in Kosovo. [112247]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  No advances from the Contingencies Fund have been made to Departments in respect of military or civil actions in Kosovo. There have however in the course of the current financial year been allocations from the Reserve of £396 million in respect of military operations and £154 million in respect of peacekeeping, humanitarian and refugee programmes.

  Interest Rates
  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is his objective to harmonize Sterling interest rates with those of the euro-zone. [112249]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Monetary Policy Committee sets UK interest rates at the level it considers necessary, in its best collective judgment, to keep inflation on track to meet the Government's inflation target. Similarly, the European Central Bank set interest rates to achieve their objective of maintaining price stability in the euro-area.

  Public Finances
  Mr. Goggins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the net effect on public finances arising from changes in the rate of employment since May 1997. [112251]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  Employment has increased by over 800,000 since the last election, and there are now more people in work than ever before. While higher employment improves the public finances by raising revenue and reducing social security payments, it is difficult to identify the precise effect of changes in the rate of employment on the public finances, as this depends on a large number of factors. None the less, a higher rate of sustainable employment has been an important contributory factor to the substantial improvement seen in the public finances since May 1997.

  EU Trade
  Mr. Derek Twigg
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of United Kingdom jobs dependent on trade with the European Union. [112237]

  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.

  Working Families Tax Credit
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of including within the working families tax credit an additional £32 per week if the claimant is 18 or over and is married; and what would be the cost if this additional credit was also extended to claimants who are not married but living with someone as though they are married to that person. [112807]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Within the Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC), both those couples who are married and those living together as if they are married are treated alike. It is therefore not possible to provide separate estimates for the two groups.

  Based on the full year cost of the WFTC, the cost of including an additional £32 per week within the credits for all couples already in receipt of WFTC would be about £1.3 billion. In addition, there will be couples who previously did not qualify on income grounds who will become eligible because of the additional credit. It is not possible to estimate the additional costs arising from this and other behavioural effects, except at disproportionate cost.

  Air Passenger Duty
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met representatives of low cost airlines to discuss air passenger duty. [112216]

  Mr. Timms
  I have recently had various discussions about air passenger duty with representatives from a wide range of organisations within the airline industry, including EasyJet.

  Sterling
  Dr. Desmond Turner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to help reduce the level of sterling. [112223]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The Government want a stable and competitive pound over the medium term that is consistent with price stability, but does not have a target for the exchange rate. The best contribution the Government can make, consistent with this objective, is to maintain sound public finances and low inflation.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Global Cultural Diversity Congress
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 2 March 2000,Official Report, column 379W, if he was informed before the Commission for Racial Equality's meeting on 7 February that additional funding had been promised to Global Cultural Diversity Congress 2000 Ltd by his Department; if he or any of his Ministers authorised such funding or promises of funding; and if he will make a statement. [113800]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I do not accept that a promise was made to provide additional funding.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 1 March 2000,Official Report, column 288W, concerning the
  818W
  Global Cultural Diversity Congress, if he will make a statement on the timescale for the review to be conducted by the Chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality which he announced on 22 February. [113803]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The timetable is still under discussion with Gurbux Singh. It will be announced shortly.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 1 March 2000,Official Report, column 288W, concerning the Global Cultural Diversity Congress, if he will place the full text of the report by the Chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality in the Library when it is available, along with the key findings of the report. [113802]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I refer to the reply given to my hon. Friend, the Member for Hendon (Mr. Dismore) by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary on 6 March 2000,Official Report, column 548W.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answers of 2 March 2000,Official Report, columns 378–83W, if he had been informed of (a) the involvement of Mr. Hugh Harris with Global Cultural Diversity Congress 2000 Ltd. and (b) the fact that additional funding for Global Cultural Diversity Congress 2000 Ltd. was to be discussed at the Commission for Racial Equality's meeting on 7 February, when he appointed Mr. Harris as acting Chairman of the Commission of Racial Equality on 7 February; and if he will make a statement. [113804]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, was aware that Hugh Harris was a member of the Board of Global Cultural Diversity Congress 2000 Ltd at the time of his appointment, but did not become aware until later of all the issues that led my right hon. Friend, to decide that substantial public funds could not be justified to support the Congress.

  My right hon. Friend was also aware that additional funding for Global Cultural Diversity Congress 2000 Ltd was to be discussed at the Commission for Racial Equality's meeting on 7 February.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the organisations which have agreed to provide accommodation on contract to the National Asylum Seekers Support Agency. [113785]

  Mrs. Roche
  We are currently concluding negotiations with accommodation providers prior to awarding contracts very shortly. In the meantime, information about those providers, including their identities, must be treated as commercially confidential.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 6 March 2000,Official Report, columns 556–58W, to the hon. Member for South Thanet (Dr. Ladyman) what additional funding will be provided to local authorities supporting asylum seekers after 1 April. [113797]

  Mrs. Roche
  The Home Office has a provisional allocation of £300 million to meet the costs of supporting asylum seekers in 2000–01. The cost of supporting asylum seekers is sensitive to a wide range of factors,
  819W
  including the level of applications, the rate for take-up of support and the speed with which applications are processed. We are continuing to work with local authorities and others to determine an accurate estimate of costs and consider the most suitable method of reimbursement.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many units of accommodation for asylum seekers after 1 April he has asked the National Asylum Seekers Support Agency to secure; how many such units of accommodation have been secured so far; and if he will make a statement. [113788]

  Mrs. Roche
  We intend to have enough accommodation from 3 April to take destitute port asylum applicants on to the new support arrangements. We aim to build up numbers fairly swiftly from there on to be able to bring in-country applicants on to the arrangements as soon as possible.

  We expect to conclude supplier negotiations and award contracts very shortly.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what estimate he has made of his Department's expenditure on asylum seeker support in(a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02; [113787]

  (2) what estimate he has made of the amount of money his Department will pay to local authorities in 2000–01 to reimburse them for the costs of supporting asylum seekers who claim asylum on or after 1 April. [113789]

  Mrs. Roche
  The Home Office has provisional allocations of £300 million to meet the costs of supporting asylum seekers in 2000–01 and £250 million in 2001–02.

  The cost of supporting asylum seekers is sensitive to a wide range of factors, including the level of applications, the rate for take-up of support and the speed with which applications are processed. We are continuing to work with local authorities and others to determine an accurate estimate of costs and consider the most suitable method of reimbursement.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many claims for asylum have been submitted by people who came into the United Kingdom(a) under the United Nations Humanitarian Evacuation Plan from Kosovo and (b) through organised medical evacuations from Kosovo; and if he will make a statement. [113323]

  Mrs. Roche
  [holding answer 6 March 2000]: Non-Governmental Organisations representing Kosovan Albanians evacuated to the United Kingdom have been asked to direct applications for asylum to a central unit in the Integrated Casework Directorate of the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. These records show two asylum applications to have been made by people who came into the United Kingdom from Kosovo under the United Nations Humanitarian Evacuation Plan, one of which has subsequently been withdrawn, and that none have been made by people who came into the United Kingdom from Kosovo through organised medical evacuations.

  Jury Trial
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Miss Widdecombe) of 2 March 2000,Official Report, column 376W, for what reasons he has assumed that 25 per cent. of defendants who would have elected Crown Court trial and whom the magistrates decided to try would appeal against the magistrates' decision; what research he has undertaken into the likelihood of a defendant appealing against the magistrate's decision; and if he will make a statement. [113805]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  It is not possible to make a precise estimate of the number of defendants who would appeal against the magistrates' decision on mode of trial; we have merely made the cautious assumption that a quarter of defendants would do so. By way of comparison, the percentage of defendants availing themselves of the unfettered right to appeal against summary conviction after a contested trial is about 14 per cent.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Miss Widdecombe) of 2 March 2000,Official Report, column 377W, on which judges will hear appeals from magistrates on mode of trial, if he will list, for each Crown Court centre in England and Wales, the estimated number of appeals to be heard by each resident judge; what discussions he has had with (a) resident judges and (b) senior presiding judges regarding the requirement for resident judges to hear such appeals, and what representations have been made to him; how the requirement for resident judges to hear such appeals relates to his estimate of a hearing within 48 hours; and if he will make a statement. [113809]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Assuming that 25 per cent. of defendants appeal against the magistrates' decision on mode of trial, it is estimated that there will be 3,500 appeals a year, which is on average less than one appeal per week for each of the 78 Crown Court centres. The proposal that these appeals should be heard by the resident judge has already been discussed with the Lord Chief Justice, who further proposed that a deputy should be nominated by the senior presiding judge of the Circuit to provide cover. This will ensure that appeals will be heard within 48 hours.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the increased number of committals to the Crown Court for sentence if the Criminal Justice (Mode of Trial) (No. 2) Bill is enacted. [113806]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Assuming that eight per cent. would be committed for sentence, the number of formerly-electing defendants who under the Criminal Justice (Mode of Trial) (No. 2) Bill would be convicted in the magistrates' courts and committed for sentence would be 1,050, 160 more than under the original Bill.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons the assumption of the increased number of defendants who would be tried in the magistrates' court rather than the Crown Court changed from 12,000 under the Criminal Justice (Mode of Trial)
  821W
  Bill to 14,000 under the Criminal Justice (Mode of Trial) (No. 2) Bill; what the basis was for each of those assumptions; and if he will make a statement. [113807]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The estimate that 12,000 formerly-electing defendants would have been tried in the magistrates' courts under the Criminal Justice (Mode of Trial) Bill was based on the generous assumption that a quarter of such defendants might, through representations, have been able to persuade the magistrates to direct their case to the Crown Court. Since the criteria in the No. 2 Bill are more restrictive, it has been assumed—again generously—that this proportion would be halved.

  Press Officers
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Miss Widdecombe) of 2 March 2000,Official Report, column 385W, for what reasons the statistics given on the number of press officers in his Department differed from the statistics given to the Select Committee on Public Administration and published in its report, The Government Information and Communication Service (HC770) in July 1998; and if he will publish statistics comparable to those provided to the Select Committee for the dates requested by the right hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald; and if he will make a statement. [113801]

  Mr. Straw
  One difference between the two sets of statistics is that the figures provided to the Select Committee included senior managers, press officers and staff on temporary attachments; whereas the question asked by the right hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Miss Widdecombe) specifically requested only the number of press officers employed in the Department on certain dates.

  The other difference lies in the fact that the figures provided to the Select Committee represented averages of Press Office staff over 12 month periods as opposed to the figures requested by the right hon. Member for a specific series of dates.

  In addition, some secondments and attachments are very short term and individuals are not always on the Home Office payroll.

  Therefore, it is not possible to supply comparable statistics in the form requested by the hon. Member.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the right hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Miss Widdecombe) of 3 March 2000,Official Report, column 384W, on press officer salaries, on what basis press officers recruited to the news team could have earnings up to and beyond £30,000, as stated in the recruitment document, Just Another Day at the Office; what will be the maximum earnings of press officers recruited to the news team; and if he will make a statement. [113808]

  Mr. Straw
  As stated in my reply of 3 March, to the right hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Miss Widdecombe), press officers will be largely recruited at Information Officer grade for which the pay band salary is up to £27,709. Press officers working on the news team will be operating on a rota system for which there is an 822W
  additional shift disturbance allowance amounting to 12.5 per cent. of salary. All press officers, including those on the news team, are expected to join an out of hours duty rota, nights and weekends, for which overtime is paid. There is also a non-pensionable recruitment and retention allowance which can be varied at management's discretion.

  For those candidates recruited at the top end of the Information Officer pay scale, which would be dependent on factors such as experience and current salary, annual earnings could therefore be up to and beyond £30,000 as stated in the recruitment document.

  Due to the varying hours press officers will work, their individual circumstances on taking up post and the unpredictable amount of overtime which might be payable, it is not possible to give an exact figure for the maximum earnings of a press officer.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library the report by Clear Communications Ltd. which led to the restructuring of his Department's Press Office. [113799]

  Mr. Straw
  Yes. I will place a copy in the Library today.

  Press Office Database
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what purposes his Department's Press Office Briefing and Research Database is to be used; what information will be stored on it; and if he will place its technical specifications in the Library. [113798]

  Mr. Straw
  The purpose of the Briefing and Reference Database (BARD) is to improve my Department's capability to handle media inquiries and to enable more effective briefing of Ministers on current and developing Home Office policies. BARD is a central database that stores news releases, speeches, Parliamentary business and basic facts and figures about Home Office business. BARD is currently being piloted and its technical specification will be placed in the Library once the pilot is complete.

  Royal Family (Protection)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many members of the Royal Family currently receive protection from officers of the Royal and Diplomatic Protection Squad; and what is the cost; [113049]

  (2) how many officers of the Royal and Diplomatic Protection Squad are assigned to protect members of the Royal Family; [113048]

  (3) if he will list those members of the Royal Family who have received protection from officers of the Royal and Diplomatic Protection Squad in the past five years but no longer do so. [113050]

  Mr. Straw
  We seek to ensure the most effective and efficient protective arrangements for the Royal Family and other public figures in the light of the changing threat from terrorism and other continuing risks. It is our policy not to comment on the details of protection arrangements for individuals, as to do so could compromise their security.

  Prisoners
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the reoffending rates of former inmates of(a) private and (b) publicly owned prisons in the last three years; and if he will make a statement. [113483]

  Mr. Boateng
  Since prisoners may move between privately owned and publicly owned prisons on a number of occasions during their sentence, it is not possible to calculate the reoffending rates requested.

  Prisons
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reports he has received from the 824W
  operators of HMP Blakenhurst and HMP Forest Bank as to the current financial difficulties being experienced by Prison Realty Trust Inc. and Corrections Corporation of America; and what assurances he has obtained that these financial difficulties will have no detrimental effect on the companies currently operating HMP Blakenhurst and HMP Forest Bank and their ability to meet all their respective contractual obligations. [113563]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Prison Service has received a verbal report from the operator of Blakenhurst prison and Forest Bank prison, UKDS, about the financial issues being faced by Prison Realty Inc. or Corrections Corporation of America. The Service has received adequate written assurance that they will not have a detrimental effect on UKDS and will not affect its ability to meet its contractual obligations.

  Teenage Pregnancy Unit: Local Co-ordinators
  Teenage Pregnancy Unit: Local Co-ordinators
  Medical Devices Agency: Key Targets
  Medical Devices Agency: Key Targets
  Council of Europe and WEU Assemblies: UK Delegation
  Council of Europe and WEU Assemblies: UK Delegation
  Delegated Legislation
  Delegated Legislation
  Ministers' Letters to Members
  Ministers' Letters to Members
  The e-Envoy
  The e-Envoy
  PFI and Partnership Projects: Value
  PFI and Partnership Projects: Value
  Smuggling: Lost Revenues
  Smuggling: Lost Revenues
  Duty Free Goods Imported from EU States
  Duty Free Goods Imported from EU States
  Tourism Summit: Report
  Tourism Summit: Report
  Internet Stocks: Misleading Information
  Internet Stocks: Misleading Information
  Scottish Parliament Buildings
  Scottish Parliament Buildings
  Football for Girls
  Football for Girls
  Harlan-Hill Crest: BUAV Allegations
  Harlan-Hill Crest: BUAV Allegations
  Clandestine Entrants to UK: Civil Penalties
  Clandestine Entrants to UK: Civil Penalties
  Asylum Support Scheme: Housing
  Asylum Support Scheme: Housing
  Segregated Prisoners: Policy
  Segregated Prisoners: Policy
  Kainos Courses in Prisons
  Kainos Courses in Prisons
  Country Assessments
  Country Assessments
  Financial Bonds for Visitors to UK
  Financial Bonds for Visitors to UK
  Asylum Refusals
  Asylum Refusals