Written Answers of 22 March 2000

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Tenant Subsidies
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what has been the average annual subsidy per tenant, taking into account housing benefits and capital grants paid by the Exchequer, to(a) council tenants and (b) tenants of registered social landlords, in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [114719]

  Mr. Mullin
  Table 1 shows the information that is available on the level of Exchequer support for tenants of local authorities and of registered social landlords (RSLs), but the information does not allow a direct comparison between the two sectors. The table shows the Exchequer subsidy which is paid to local authorities in respect of their tenants as Housing Revenue Account subsidy, and the Housing Benefit paid to tenants of RSLs.

  Capital support for local authorities is in the form of permissions to borrow (known as Basic Credit Approvals) rather than capital grants; the interest on this borrowing is subsidised as part of the Housing Revenue Account subsidy.

  Table 2 shows the Exchequer capital grants paid as Social Housing Grant (SHG) to RSLs by the Housing Corporation through the Approved Development Programme (ADP). SHG enables RSLs to provide affordable housing for rent and sale. Because the benefit of the SHG is realised over the lifetime of the property there is no direct correlation between the grant paid in any one year and the number of tenants.

  Table 1

  £ per dwelling per annum

  Average per dwelling of Housing Element and Rent Rebate subsidy paid to local authorities

  Average gross expenditure on rent allowances for tenants of registered social landlords

  1990–91

  922

  —

  1991–92

  964

  —

  1992–93

  1,044

  —

  1993–94

  1,100

  1,222

  1994–95

  1,145

  1,430

  1995–96

  1,146

  1,640

  1996–97

  1,173

  1,825

  1997–98

  1,140

  1,892

  1998–99

  1,078

  1,977

  Notes:

  1. The figures are averages per dwelling.

  2. Local authority information is derived from subsidy claim forms, and shows the sum of Housing Element and Rent Rebate subsidy.

  3. For registered social landlords, estimates derived from quarterly and annual statistical returns, and annual subsidy claim forms, from local authorities.

  4. Information on average gross expenditure for registered social landlords is not available before 1993–94.

  5. England only
  532W

  Table 2: Housing corporation gross approved development programme expenditure

  £ million

  Year

  1992–93

  2,351

  1993–94

  1,810

  1994–95

  1,484

  1995–96

  1,142

  1996–97

  1,044

  1998–99

  684

  1998–99

  607

  Notes:

  1. Housing Corporation's Approved Development Programme is the main component of the Social Housing Grant. RSLs bid for capital grants from the ADP to develop new social housing, with rents at sub-market levels.

  2. Figures taken from Housing Corporation Stewardship Reports. Reliable information is only available from 1992–93.

  3. England only

  Rail Safety
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how many of the directors of the safety company subsidiary of Railtrack will have a background in an industry other than railways; what will be the composition of the board; what arrangements have been made for funding the company; and to what extent he has been consulted on the appointments of directors; [114833]

  (2) what talks he has held with the board and Chief Executive of Railtrack since the announcement of their decision to create a separate subsidiary safety company; what timetable is proposed for its establishment; who is to be its Chief Executive, to whom the board will report; and who are its members. [114834]

  Mr. Hill
  Work to establish the company is being overseen by a committee chaired by a senior DETR official on which Railtrack are represented at board level.

  The composition and arrangements for the appointment of the board of the safety subsidiary and its funding arrangements are matters for the Rail Regulator and the Health and Safety Commission to consider when taking forward changes to Regulations and to Railtrack's network licence, which are subject to public consultation procedures.

  Empty Properties
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if there is a centrally held list of empty properties owned by housing associations; and if so how many(a) have been empty for under six months, (b) have been empty for under one year and (c) have been empty over a year; [114801]

  (2) how many properties owned by housing associations have been empty for (a) under six months, (b) under one year and (c) over one year. [114800]

  Mr. Mullin
  A centrally held list of properties owned by housing associations does not exist.
  533W
  The Housing Corporation is the regulatory body for housing associations (also referred to as registered social landlords—RSLs). The Corporation keeps various details about stock owned/managed by RSLs (from the annual Regulatory and Statistical Return and other returns), but this does not include a list of property addresses.

  The RSLs themselves maintain records of all their properties in order that they can manage their properties to the standards set down by the Corporation—and to provide information for audit purposes.

  Number of vacant self-contained RSL units

  At March 31 each year

  Available for letting

  Percentage

  Not available for letting

  Percentage

  Total vacancies

  Percentage

  Vacancies in 1998

  Less than 6 months

  13,547

  88

  6,049

  47

  19,596

  69

  6 months to 1 year

  1,043

  7

  2,908

  23

  3,951

  14

  More than a year

  782

  5

  3,874

  30

  4,656

  17

  Total

  15,372

  100

  12,831

  100

  28,203

  100

  Vacancies in 1999

  Less than 6 months

  15,143

  88

  7,852

  53

  22,995

  72

  6 months to 1 year

  1,156

  7

  2,504

  17

  3,660

  11

  More than a year

  863

  5

  4,514

  30

  5,377

  17

  Total

  17,162

  100

  14,870

  100

  32,032

  100

  Sources:

  Profile of the RSL Sector, 1998 (Table 3.9), published by the Housing Corporation

  Profile of the RSL Sector, 1999 (provisional draft of table 3.9)—unpublished but due to be published during 2000 by the Housing Corporation

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list the number of empty council-owned properties in each local authority; [114799]

  (2) if there is a centrally held database on the amount of council-owned empty property. [114798]

  Mr. Mullin
  Local authorities in England provide information on the number of vacant dwellings in their ownership as part of their annual Housing Investment Programme submission to the Department. The latest available information, as reported by local authorities on their 1999 HIP returns, is on a computerised dataset available in the Library.

  A level of vacancy is a usual feature of housing management, reflecting turnover and movement within the stock. There is likely to be some variation in the proportion of dwellings that are vacant in a local authority from one date to another during the year.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many people are registered on each local authority list as homeless. [114769]

  Mr. Mullin
  Homeless households accepted by local authorities are those which, after investigation, were found to be eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need under part VII of the Housing Act 1996. The latest available information is given in the table.
  534W
  The performance standards laid down by the Corporation include some that cover the control of empty properties. For instance, no more than two per cent. of properties under management should be empty at any time.

  The overall RSL vacancy rate is not monitored continuously, so the current situation is not known. However, as a guide, the table shows the vacancy rates as at 31 March in 1998 and 1999—and how many vacant units had been empty for less than six months, for between six months and a year and for more than a year.

  Number of households accepted by local authorities as being unintentionally homeless and in priority need under the provisions of the 1996 Housing Act: October-December 1999

  Number

  North East

  Alnwick

  7

  Berwick-upon-Tweed

  5

  Blyth Valley

  9

  Castle Morpeth

  0

  Chester-le-Street

  4

  Darlington

  48

  Derwentside

  29

  Durham

  10

  Easington

  15

  Gateshead

  89

  Hartlepool

  65

  Middlesbrough

  94

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  74

  North Tyneside

  246

  Redcar and Cleveland

  63

  Sedgefield

  34

  South Tyneside

  40

  Stockton-on-Tees

  46

  Sunderland

  138

  Teesdale

  2

  Tynedale

  n/a

  Wansbeck

  13

  Wear Valley

  8

  Yorkshire and The Humber

  Barnsley

  47

  Bradford

  282

  Calderdale

  66

  Craven

  n/a

  Doncaster

  n/a

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  60

  Hambleton

  2

  Harrogate

  26

  535W

  Number of households accepted by local authorities as being unintentionally homeless and in priority need under the provisions of the 1996 Housing Act: October-December 1999

  Number

  Kingston upon Hull

  56

  Kirklees

  273

  Leeds

  530

  North East Lincolnshire

  16

  North Lincolnshire

  63

  Richmondshire

  2

  Rotherham

  59

  Ryedale

  4

  Scarborough

  41

  Selby

  14

  Sheffield

  n/a

  Wakefield

  49

  York

  67

  East Midlands

  Amber Valley

  55

  Ashfleld

  10

  Bassetlaw

  52

  Blaby

  3

  Bolsover

  14

  Boston

  12

  Broxtowe

  27

  Charnwood

  23

  Chesterfield

  53

  Corby

  10

  Daventry

  27

  Derby

  242

  Derbyshire Dales

  6

  East Lindsey

  62

  East Northamptonshire

  12

  Erewash

  33

  Gedling

  35

  Harborough

  12

  High Peak

  34

  Hinckley and Bosworth

  20

  Kettering

  25

  Leicester

  162

  Lincoln

  13

  Mansfield

  42

  Melton

  13

  Newark and Sherwood

  61

  North East Derbyshire

  19

  North Kesteven

  11

  North West Leicestershire

  55

  Northampton

  73

  Nottingham

  n/a

  Oadby and Wigston

  6

  Rushcliffe

  11

  Rutland

  0

  South Derbyshire

  51

  South Holland

  5

  South Kesteven

  55

  South Northamptonshire

  26

  Wellingborough

  1

  West Lindsey

  9

  East of England

  Babergh

  15

  Basildon

  82

  Bedford

  91

  Braintree

  n/a

  Breckland

  59

  Brentwood

  9

  Broadland

  42

  Broxbourne

  61

  Cambridge

  60

  Castle Point

  14

  Chelmsford

  74

  Colchester

  101

  Dacorum

  n/a

  East Cambridgeshire

  45

  536W

  Number of households accepted by local authorities as being unintentionally homeless and in priority need under the provisions of the 1996 Housing Act: October-December 1999

  Number

  East Hertfordshire

  n/a

  Epping Forest

  26

  Fenland

  24

  Forest Heath

  8

  Great Yarmouth

  44

  Harlow

  68

  Hertsmere

  10

  Huntingdonshire

  30

  Ipswich

  46

  Kings Lynn and West Norfolk

  46

  Luton

  55

  Maldon

  26

  Mid Bedfordshire

  11

  Mid Suffolk

  19

  North Hertfordshire

  49

  North Norfolk

  24

  Norwich

  137

  Peterborough

  54

  Rochford

  9

  South Bedfordshire

  50

  South Cambridgeshire

  23

  South Norfolk

  29

  Southend-on-Sea

  18

  St. Albans

  26

  St. Edmundsbury

  36

  Stevenage

  28

  Suffolk Coastal

  26

  Tendring

  73

  Three Rivers

  22

  Thurrock

  n/a

  Uttlesford

  17

  Watford

  36

  Waveney

  22

  Welwyn Hatfield

  49

  Greater London

  Barking and Dagenham

  66

  Barnet

  239

  Bexley

  66

  Brent

  252

  Bromley

  189

  Camden

  331

  City of London

  22

  Croydon

  291

  Ealing

  278

  Enfield

  201

  Greenwich

  294

  Hackney

  n/a

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  165

  Haringey

  428

  Harrow

  158

  Havering

  125

  Hillingdon

  229

  Hounslow

  192

  Islington

  295

  Kensington and Chelsea

  112

  Kingston upon Thames

  48

  Lambeth

  242

  Lewisham

  259

  Merton

  59

  Newham

  383

  Redbridge

  159

  Richmond upon Thames

  94

  Southwark

  303

  Sutton

  176

  Tower Hamlets

  264

  Waltham Forest

  n/a

  Wandsworth

  n/a

  Westminster

  288

  537W

  Number of households accepted by local authorities as being unintentionally homeless and in priority need under the provisions of the 1996 Housing Act: October-December 1999

  Number

  South East

  Adur

  58

  Arun

  46

  Ashford

  20

  Aylesbury Vale

  26

  Basingstoke and Deane

  44

  Bracknell Forest

  16

  Brighton and Hove

  201

  Canterbury

  60

  Cherwell

  25

  Chichester

  32

  Chiltern

  34

  Crawley

  52

  Dartford

  33

  Dover

  19

  East Hampshire

  29

  Eastbourne

  73

  Eastleigh

  10

  Elmbridge

  38

  Epsom and Ewell

  16

  Fareham

  44

  Gosport

  45

  Gravesham

  n/a

  Guildford

  25

  Hart

  32

  Hastings

  47

  Havant

  62

  Horsham

  55

  Isle of Wight

  49

  Lewes

  44

  Maidstone

  29

  Mid Sussex

  28

  Milton Keynes

  n/a

  Mole Valley

  21

  New Forest

  57

  Oxford

  83

  Portsmouth

  150

  Reading

  88

  Reigate and Banstead

  34

  Rother

  36

  Runnymede

  20

  Rushmoor

  n/a

  Sevenoaks

  32

  Shepway

  47

  Slough

  n/a

  South Bucks

  8

  South Oxfordshire

  46

  Southampton

  165

  Spelthorne

  12

  Surrey Heath

  30

  Swale

  28

  Tandridge

  21

  Test Valley

  41

  Thanet

  n/a

  The Medway Towns

  n/a

  Tonbridge and Malling

  23

  Tunbridge Wells

  85

  Vale of White Horse

  47

  Waverley

  20

  Wealden

  58

  West Berkshire

  53

  West Oxfordshire

  7

  Winchster

  12

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  23

  Woking

  33

  Wokingham

  24

  Worthing

  54

  Wycombe

  75

  538W

  Number of households accepted by local authorities as being unintentionally homeless and in priority need under the provisions of the 1996 Housing Act: October-December 1999

  Number

  South West

  Bath and North East Somerset

  58

  Bournemouth

  n/a

  Bristol

  278

  Caradon

  21

  Carrick

  50

  Cheltenham

  41

  Christchurch

  21

  Cotswold

  29

  East Devon

  36

  East Dorset

  18

  Exeter

  41

  Forest of Dean

  19

  Gloucester

  37

  Isles of Scilly

  0

  Kennet

  47

  Kerrier

  34

  Mendip

  26

  Mid Devon

  36

  North Cornwall

  42

  North Devon

  20

  North Dorset

  31

  North Somerset

  40

  North Wiltshire

  59

  Penwith

  27

  Plymouth

  260

  Poole

  n/a

  Purbeck

  16

  Restormel

  40

  Salisbury

  68

  Sedgemoor

  28

  South Gloucestershire

  n/a

  South Hams

  54

  South Somerset

  83

  Stroud

  3

  Swindon

  n/a

  Taunton Deane

  70

  Teignbridge

  56

  Tewkesbury

  20

  Torbay

  55

  Torridge

  10

  West Devon

  31

  West Dorset

  34

  West Somerset

  19

  West Wiltshire

  72

  Weymouth and Portland

  58

  West Midlands

  Birmingham

  1,247

  Bridgnorth

  7

  Bromsgrove

  39

  Cannock Chase

  35

  Coventry

  90

  Dudley

  53

  East Staffordshire

  6

  Herefordshire

  51

  Lichfield

  13

  Malvern Hills

  20

  Newcastle-under-Lyme

  40

  North Shropshire

  20

  North Warwickshire

  6

  Nuneaton and Bedworth

  16

  Oswestry

  17

  Redditch

  60

  Rugby

  n/a

  Sandwell

  235

  Shrewsbury and Atcham

  29

  539W

  Number of households accepted by local authorities as being unintentionally homeless and in priority need under the provisions of the 1996 Housing Act: October-December 1999

  Number

  Solihull

  136

  South Shropshire

  n/a

  South Staffordshire

  46

  Stafford

  18

  Staffordshire Moorlands

  13

  Stoke-on-Trent

  32

  Stratford-on-Avon

  20

  Tamworth

  20

  Telford and Wrekin

  50

  Walsall

  295

  Warwick

  56

  Wolverhampton

  106

  Worcester

  n/a

  Wychavon

  29

  Wyre Forest

  89

  North West

  Allerdale

  13

  Barrow-in-Furness

  2

  Blackburn with Danwen

  36

  Blackpool

  36

  Bolton

  178

  Burnley

  57

  Bury

  31

  Carlisle

  6

  Chester

  25

  Chorley

  31

  Congleton

  n/a

  Copeland

  10

  Crewe and Nantwich

  53

  Eden

  12

  Ellesmere Port and Neston

  18

  Fylde

  7

  Halton

  n/a

  Hyndburn

  20

  Knowsley

  40

  Lancaster

  29

  Liverpool

  196

  Macclesfield

  n/a

  Manchester

  632

  Oldham

  269

  Pendle

  16

  Preston

  35

  Ribble Valley

  15

  Rochdale

  124

  Rossendale

  49

  Regional Development Agencies

  Administration (£000)

  Programme (£000)

  Staff numbers

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  1999–2000

  1 April 1999

  30 September 1999

  Yorkshire Forward

  403

  8,036

  152,203

  174.5

  211

  One North East

  2,395

  9,771

  139,039

  203

  232

  NorthWest

  327

  12,131

  212,595

  182

  199

  East Midlands

  406

  7,155

  60,193

  107

  132

  Advantage West Midlands

  384

  7,678

  114,764

  118.5

  147

  East of England

  350

  4,803

  28,957

  38

  71

  South East

  411

  5,486

  82,850

  60

  95

  South West

  461

  7,488

  46,509

  143

  171

  Total (all RDAs)

  5,137

  62,548

  837,110

  1,026

  1,258

  Note:

  Staff numbers are full time equivalents except North West RDA with is staff-post
  540W

  Number of households accepted by local authorities as being unintentionally homeless and in priority need under the provisions of the 1996 Housing Act: October-December 1999

  Number

  Salford

  101

  Sefton

  22

  South Lakeland

  8

  South Ribble

  35

  St. Helens

  25

  Stockport

  56

  Tameside

  123

  Trafford

  109

  Vale Royal

  n/a

  Warrington

  62

  West Lancashire

  4

  Wigan

  116

  Wirral

  156

  Wyre

  23

  Notes:

  1. n/a indicates the authority did not provide a return.

  2. Figures reported may include a small number of residual cases eligible under 1985 Housing Act.

  Source:

  DETR quarterly P1(E) returns

  Regional Development Agencies
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is(a) the annual cost, (b) the number employed and (c) the total expenditure of (i) the integrated regional office and (ii) the regional development agencies in (1) Yorkshire and Humberside, (2) the Northern Region, (3) the North West and (4) all English regions in (A) 1997, (B) 1998 and (C) 1999, respectively. [114903]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The first table shows the Regional Development Agencies' gross expenditure on their administration for the 1998–99 financial year when the agencies were being set up; and their allocations for administration and programmes for 1999–2000 at the start of the financial year. It also shows staff-in-post figures for 1 April and 30 September 1999, the latest data that are available.

  The second table shows the relevant data for Government offices. Information on programme expenditure in 1999–2000 is not available yet.
  541W

  Government Offices

  Running costs (£000)

  Programme costs (£000)

  Staff numbers

  1997–98

  GO-NE

  8,617

  447,900

  243

  GO-NW

  9,443

  702,970

  244

  GO-M

  4,200

  404,920

  113

  GO-YH

  8,475

  575,470

  237

  GO-WM

  9,758

  564,720

  316

  GO-EM

  6,436

  349,640

  191

  GO-East

  6,271

  325,300

  162

  GO-SW

  6,826

  308,890

  185

  GO-SE

  8,545

  473,120

  159

  GO-L

  13,459

  1,057,600

  305

  GO-total

  82,028

  5,210,530

  2,155

  GO-CU

  4,356

  0

  Grand total

  86,384

  5,210,530

  1998–99

  GO-NE

  8,619

  383,660

  248

  GO-NW

  13,702

  886,000

  365

  GO-M

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  GO-YH

  8,683

  521,770

  241

  GO-WM

  9,474

  535,830

  305

  GO-EM

  6,754

  332,590

  192

  GO-East

  6,268

  393,900

  165

  GO-SW

  6,985

  361,000

  186

  GO-SE

  8,561

  495,470

  177

  GO-L

  12,722

  1,439,600

  311

  GO-total

  81,769

  5,349,820

  2,190

  GO-CU

  3,095

  0

  Grand total

  84,864

  5,349,820

  1999–2000

  GO-NE

  8,356

  —

  234

  GO-NW

  13,020

  —

  351

  GO-M

  n/a

  —

  n/a

  GO-YH

  8,878

  —

  240

  GO-WM

  9,345

  —

  239

  GO-EM

  6,935

  —

  206

  GO-East

  6,991

  —

  165

  GO-SW

  7,865

  —

  199

  GO-SE

  8,657

  —

  209

  GO-L

  13,681

  —

  346

  GO-total

  83,728

  2,189

  GO-CU

  3,757

  Grand total

  87,484

  Notes:

  1. GO-Merseyside and GO-NW merged during 1998–99

  2. Running cost figures shown are final out-turns for 1997–98 and 1998–99; and budgets for 1999–2000

  3. Programme costs 1997–98 and 1998–99 for GO-WM exclude European Programme payments covering period 1994–99 of total value £627.9m and £762.6m respectively; for 1997–98 GO-L excludes London Transport Funding

  4. Staff numbers are staff-in-post averages (not full time equivalents) taken over the course of the year

  5. GO-CU is the Government Offices' Central Unit

  Aircraft Safety
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will require commercial airlines to make available sufficient leg room to ensure that all passengers can adopt the brace position in the event of an emergency. [114937]

  Mr. Mullin
  The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has set minimum requirements relating to the spacing of passenger seats for aircraft on the UK register. This is 542W
  because, in the event of an emergency, it is one of a number of factors which can have an effect on the evacuation of an aircraft. We are not aware that any other country has a similar requirement.

  The CAA has also conducted extensive research into passenger brace positions and published its preferred brace position in a Notice to Air Operator Certificate Holders in 1993. This requires that the upper body is bent forward as far as possible with the head touching the back of the seat in front. However, it is recognised that there is not a seat pitch at which people from both extremes of the height range will be able to achieve this position. Where the preferred brace position cannot be adopted passengers should adopt a position as close as possible to it as the circumstances allow.

  Landfill Tax
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has made to the Chancellor of the Exchequer for the return to local authorities of the full value of the Landfill Tax to fund schemes for reduction, re-use and recycling of waste; and if he will make a statement. [114888]

  Mr. Mullin
  None. The revenue raised from Landfill Tax is general Government revenue, not earmarked for particular purposes.

  The local government settlement for 2000–01 provides an additional £2.9 billion (5.8 per cent.) for councils' total revenue spending. The Government are considering the question of resources for local authority waste management as part of the overall year 2000 Spending Review.

  Heathrow Slots
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what EU legislation governs the allocation of departure and arrival slots at Heathrow to British airlines which merge with non-EU airlines; and if he will make a statement. [115226]

  Mr. Mullin
  Slot allocation at Heathrow is governed by EC Regulation 95/93, which was transposed into UK law by the Airports Slot Allocation Regulations 1993 (SI 1993/1067). Under these regulations, an independent co-ordinator has been appointed to allocate slots. He is charged with carrying out his duties in a neutral, transparent and non-discriminatory manner. No account is taken in the slot allocation process of the nationality of applicant airlines. However, European and national competition authorities have in the past had regard to the number of slots that would be controlled by a single operating entity, and any possible resultant detrimental effect on competition, when considering proposed mergers and acquisitions.

  Private Zoos
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many private zoos there are in the UK; and how many reported accidents involving(a) animals and keepers and (b) animals and the public resulted in (i) hospitalisation and (ii) death in the last five years. [115118]
  543W
  Mr. Mullin
  Official statistics about the ownership of zoos are not kept.

  The table shows the breakdown of injuries and death in zoos in Great Britain for the years 1994–98. These figures are reported to local authorities under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) and relate to accidents arising out of work activities at zoos.

  Injured by animal

  Severity of injury

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  Total

  Employees

  Fatal

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Major

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Over 3 day

  —

  2

  1

  1

  4

  Member of public

  Fatal

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Major

  1

  —

  —

  1

  2

  Total

  2

  2

  1

  2

  7

  Water (Kent)
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what forecasts he made of water availability in Kent prior to deciding on the number of new homes to be built in the county. [115338]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  I would refer the hon. Member to the reply which my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning gave on 13 March 2000,Official Report, column 35W. The Secretary of State has made no decision on the number of new homes to be built in Kent. Details of our proposed changes to regional planning guidance in the South East will be published on 27 March 2000. These will include an illustrative breakdown of housing within the region to county level, including an annual rate of provision for Kent. We will be consulting SERPLAN and others on the distribution of housing within the region. Water availability will be one of the factors to be taken into account.

  Post Offices
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to require councils to allow people to pay(a) rents and (b) council tax at post offices. [115485]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  There is a range of payment facilities which local authorities offer to local tax and rent payers, including payment at Post Offices.

  Since the costs of payment facilities vary, we believe it is right that individual local authorities should be able to decide which facilities to offer in the light of local circumstances.

  Zoos and Safari Parks
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what controls exist in respect of the methods used to cull diseased stock at(a) zoos and (b) safari parks; and if he will make a statement. [115276]
  544W
  Mr. Mullin
  [holding answer 21 March 2000]: In accordance with the Zoo Licensing Act 1981, all zoos and safari parks in the UK must be licensed by the appropriate local authority.

  Inspectors appointed by the Secretary of State make recommendations to local authorities whether to grant a licence. In doing so, they are required to take account of the Secretary of State's Standards of Modern Zoo Practice.

  There is no guidance on culling in the existing Standards issued in 1988. Earlier this month, I published new Standards which include a requirement that zoos and safari parks must have a policy that ensures humane and timely euthanasia to minimise suffering. Such a course of action may be justifiable under certain conditions, particularly if an animal poses a serious and unavoidable threat to human safety. However, it should not take place without guidance from a veterinary surgeon. The actual method involved will vary depending on the species of animal in question. The new Standards come into force on 3 April.

  Aviation Expenditure
  Mr. Syms
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will publish an itemised breakdown of the £27 million additional expenditure for aviation on Page 55 of the supply estimates 1999–2000. [115634]

  Mr. Mullin
  [holding answer 21 March 2000]: A breakdown of the application of the £27 million additional funding provided to the Civil Aviation Services section of the Transport Industries Vote during the Spring Supplementary Estimates is given in the table.

  Description

  £ million

  Shortfall in Eurocontrol Receipts1

  8.0

  Costs of Bechtel2

  2.0

  National Air Traffic Services (NATS) Public Private Partnership (PPP) Consultants3

  6.0

  Other Civil Aviation Authority (CAA)/NATS Costs4

  11.0

  Total

  27.0

  1 Eurocontrol—This is mainly due to a shortfall in Eurocontrol receipts, which results from a reduction in the UK Government's entitlement, to adjust for an over-recovery two years previously.

  2 Costs of Bechtel—This is the Government's share in the cost of employing Bechtel, who were jointly hired by NATS and DETR to manage the New Scottish Centre air traffic control project. Bechtel expect to make savings of £80-£100 million on the cost of the project.

  3 NATS PPP Consultants—Cost of employing professional advisers to assist the Government in preparing for NATS PPP.

  4 Other CAA/NATS Costs—Government reimbursement to CAA and NATS of separation of the two, eg physical separation of CAA and NATS within CAA House in London, and separation of previously common functions. Under the terms of the Civil Aviation Act 1982, NATS and the CAA are entitled to reimbursement from the Government for the costs of advisers to help them to prepare for the NATS PPP.

  Interactive Website
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans his Department has to set up an interactive website. [114822]
  545W
  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The central DETR has had an interactive website (at www.detr.gov.uk) since November 1997. The site provides access to a wide range of information about the Department and its policies and, in addition to the normal interactivity of any website, includes more than 300 inquiry e-mail addresses, which can be used to contact any area of the Department, four searchable databases, streamed video and audio and now a sub-domain for schools. There are plans for further developments in interactivity this year.

  Draft Structure Plan (Avon)
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to reach a final decision in response to the draft structure plan for the former Avon area. [115853]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  On 17 March the Secretary of State directed the four unitary authorities in the former Avon area not to adopt the structure plan before he has decided whether or not he should intervene. Every effort will be made to reach a final decision as quickly as possible.

  Flooding (Copeland)
  Dr. Jack Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will provide financial assistance to Copeland Borough Council under the Bellwin Scheme in respect of costs incurred following flooding in the area on 5 November 1999. [116066]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  I am satisfied that financial assistance under the Bellwin scheme is justified in the case of Copeland Borough Council given the exceptional nature of the flooding and the damage caused. A scheme will, therefore, be established under section 155 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. Grant will be paid to the authority to cover 85 per cent. of its eligible costs above a threshold, which have been incurred by the authority in dealing with the flooding.

  Property Advisory Group
  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what are the findings of the Financial Management and Policy Review on the Property Advisory Group; and what is the Government's response. [116104]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Property Advisory Group (PAG) advises DETR Ministers and officials on commercial property issues. Established in 1978, the PAG is a link with the property world, providing access to sources of expertise on property, financial and legal matters. The Group's current terms of reference are:"to keep under review changes in the land and property market, advise on matters concerning the development process, and advise the Department generally on property issues".

  As a non-Departmental public body, the PAG is subject to a financial management and policy review every five years, carried out internally. The review takes account of consultations both with the Group and relevant external bodies. This review has now been completed, and found in the first stage of its work that the Department had a
  546W
  continuing need for regular impartial advice from external sources on property matters, and that the Group was the most cost-effective means of providing this.

  The second stage of the review considered the operation of the Group, with a full review of its term of reference and the scope of its work as well as its composition, working methods, and public profile. The overall impression was favourable, but the review made a number of detailed recommendations in these areas. We accept these recommendations, and will be taking them forward in co-operation with the Chairman, Robin Broadhurst, and members of the Group.

  Green Ministers
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when was the last meeting of Green Ministers; what was discussed; and which Departments were represented by(a) Ministers and (b) officials. [116205]

  Mr. Meacher
  Green Ministers held their first meeting of this year on 16 March. The Committee agreed the publication of a series of guides to help promote sustainable development and the greening of Government across Whitehall and beyond. "Work of Green Ministers" lists all of the Government's targets and commitments in this area. It is also a good summary for those who would like to understand more about the role of Green Ministers and their work. "Sustainable development—what it is and what you can do" helps to explain sustainable development for the ordinary civil servant. The other leaflets will help public sector bodies prepare sustainable development awareness raising strategies and address biodiversity issues.

  At the meeting, Green Ministers discussed progress on environmental management systems, travel plans and integrating the environment into policy. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Office, their Green Minister, outlined progress on greening the police and prison service as well as the main department.

  Green Ministers agreed:
  there should be an annual meeting of departments' senior officials responsible for sustainable development
  to continue their work to make the Government's funding regimes, such as the Spending Review and the Private Finance Initiative, as sustainable as possible, including taking account of the environment.
  target a number of associate bodies (including non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies) and help them become models for best practice on sustainable development, encouraging others to follow suit.

  Since Green Ministers' last meeting in November, the Government have agreed proposals for new energy targets. From 1 April, Government will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 1 per cent. a year. In addition, Green Ministers will continue to make the benchmarking of Government buildings a priority and will investigate the feasibility of reporting on emissions from transport as well as buildings.

  The Departments represented by Ministers were: Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions; Cabinet Office; Foreign and Commonwealth Office; Department for Health; Department of Social Security; the Chancellor's Departments; Law Officers

  547W
  Departments; Home Office; the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; and the Welsh Office. Those represented by officials were: Department for International Development and Department of Trade and Industry.

  Manchester Metrolink
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress has been made in respect of the Manchester Metrolink light rail scheme; and if he will make a statement. [116206]

  Mr. Prescott
  Following the announcement in the Budget of an extra £280 million for transport spending, we intend to provide funding for the three extensions to the Manchester Metrolink for which Manchester Passenger Transport Authority has sought public funding. This is subject to formal completion of the project appraisal and agreement of the overall funding package. We expect that package to include a local contribution to the costs of the scheme. I shall make further announcements about the other elements of our package of additional transport spending shortly.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Asylum Seekers
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost of the tendering process for the scheme to provide vouchers for asylum seekers; how many firms bid for the contract; on what basis was the contract awarded to Sodexho Pass International; what is the duration and cost of the contract with Sodexho Pass International; what profit margin is built in to the contract; and if he will publish the contract. [114760]

  Mrs. Roche
  The cost of the tendering process for the new voucher scheme is not separately identifiable from the costs of other procurement activity undertaken in the course of establishing the new asylum support arrangements.

  In response to an advertisement placed in the "Official Journal of the European Communities" (OJEC) on 10 July 1999, we received nine expressions of interest from prospective suppliers in designing and operating the voucher scheme. Four suppliers were subsequently invited to prepare detailed proposals as a basis for negotiation and three of these went forward to submit revised formal offers.

  As anticipated in the OJEC, the decision to award the contract was taken with regard to the following factors: ability to achieve time scales; cost; technical competence; experience/ability; flexibility; commercial and financial strength; and, quality.

  The initial duration of the contract is three years. This may be extended by two further one-year periods. Contractual details are commercially confidential.

  Road Accident Victims
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received 548W
  about the decision of the police to refuse to release to the media the names and addresses of people injured in road accidents; and if he will make a statement. [115299]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has received representations from the Director and Members of the Society of Editors about the Association of Chief Police Officers guidelines "Naming of Victims or Witnesses Involved in Crime, Road and other incidents", which he is carefully considering. A number of hon. Members have also made representations.

  Anti-social Behaviour Orders
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 14 March 2000,Official Report, column 162W, on antisocial behaviour orders, when the records of ASBOs will be collated centrally by his Department; and if he will make a statement. [115362]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  We will be writing to local magistrates courts committees during the next few weeks asking them to provide us with information concerning the number of orders granted at their courts. We will be collating this information centrally as soon as we receive the responses.

  Europol
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those powers of Europol whose extension is under discussion; and what is his policy in respect of them. [115620]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  At the European Council held in Tampere in October 1999, it was agreed that Europol's powers should be extended to cover money laundering in general, regardless of the type of offence from which the laundered proceeds originate. The Government welcome this proposal.

  It was also agreed at Tampere that arrangements for the setting up of joint investigation teams, as envisaged in Article 30(2) of the Treaty of Amsterdam, should be put in place without delay, as a first step to combat trafficking in drugs and human beings as well as terrorism. The arrangements should allow representatives of Europol to participate, as appropriate, in the joint teams in a support capacity. It is not envisaged that Europol's mandate will need to be extended to give effect to this conclusion.

  There are no other current proposals to extend Europol's powers.

  Force Crest
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the average dimensions of the force crest on police cars in England and Wales; and what is the size of the(a) largest and (b) smallest crest on the side of police cars in England and Wales. [115570]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  We do not collect this information from forces.

  Prison Accommodation
  Mr. Stinchcombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in each prison establishment are held(a) two to a cell in a single cell and (b) three to a cell in a double cell. [115614]

  Mr. Boateng
  The average number of prisoners for the financial year April 1999 to February 2000 held two in a single cell in each prison establishment is listed in the table. The Prison Service does not collect data on the number of prisoners held three in a double cell.

  These data are provisional and are subject to validation by prisons.

  Average number of prisoners held two to a cell for one—April 1999 to February 2000

  Prison name

  Two to a cell

  Acklington

  0

  Albany

  0

  Altcourse

  416

  Ashfield

  0

  Ashwell

  0

  Askham Grange

  0

  Aylesbury

  0

  Bedford

  137

  Belmarsh

  0

  Birmingham

  758

  Blakenhurst

  371

  Blantyre House

  0

  Blundeston

  0

  Brinsford

  157

  Bristol

  102

  Brixton

  337

  Brockhill

  0

  Buckley Hall

  0

  Bullingdon

  77

  Bullwood Hall

  0

  Camp Hill

  138

  Canterbury

  223

  Cardiff

  471

  Castington

  0

  Channings Wood

  216

  Chelmsford

  66

  Coldingley

  0

  Cookham Wood

  54

  Dartmoor

  0

  Deerbolt

  0

  Doncaster

  589

  Dorchester

  147

  Dover

  0

  Downview

  32

  Drake Hall

  0

  Durham

  538

  East Sutton Park

  0

  Eastwood Park

  40

  Elmley

  218

  Erlestoke

  1

  Everthorpe

  64

  Exeter

  367

  Featherstone

  0

  Feltham

  47

  Ford

  0

  Forest Bank

  0

  Foston Hall

  0

  Frankland

  0

  Full Sutton

  0

  Garth

  0

  Gartree

  0

  Glen Parva

  301

  Gloucester

  180

  Grendon

  0

  Guys Marsh

  61

  550W

  Average number of prisoners held two to a cell for one—April 1999 to February 2000

  Prison name

  Two to a cell

  Haslar

  0

  Hatfield

  0

  Haverigg

  0

  Hewell Grange

  0

  Highdown

  0

  Highpoint

  4

  Hindley

  0

  Hollesley Bay

  0

  Holloway

  0

  Holme House

  105

  Hull

  0

  Huntercombe

  3

  Kingston

  0

  Kirkham

  0

  Kirklevington

  0

  Lancaster

  0

  Lancaster Farms

  41

  Latchmere House

  0

  Leeds

  613

  Leicester

  286

  Lewes

  29

  Leyhill

  0

  Lincoln

  304

  Lindholme

  0

  Littlehey

  46

  Liverpool

  420

  Long Lartin

  0

  Low Newton

  36

  Lowdham Grange

  15

  Maidstone

  74

  Manchester

  387

  Moorland

  41

  Morton Hall

  0

  Mount

  8

  New Hall

  60

  North Sea Camp

  0

  Northallerton

  252

  Norwich

  213

  Nottingham

  0

  Onley

  0

  Pare

  0

  Parkhurst

  21

  Pentonville

  341

  Portland

  139

  Preston

  519

  Ranby

  50

  Reading

  140

  Risley

  65

  Rochester

  0

  Send

  0

  Shepton Mallet

  36

  Shrewsbury

  0

  Stafford

  0

  Stanford Hill

  0

  Stocken

  29

  Stoke Heath

  0

  Styal

  22

  Sudbury

  0

  Swaleside

  0

  Swansea

  198

  Swinfen Hall

  43

  Thorn Cross

  0

  Usk

  149

  Verne

  35

  Wakefield

  0

  Wandsworth

  432

  Wayland

  30

  Wealstun

  10

  Weare

  0

  Wellingborough

  0

  Werrington

  0

  Wetherby

  0

  551W

  Average number of prisoners held two to a cell for one—April 1999 to February 2000

  Prison name

  Two to a cell

  Whatton

  0

  Whitemoor

  0

  Winchester

  299

  Wolds

  0

  Woodhill

  103

  Wormwood Scrubs

  270

  Wymott

  0

  Secure Units
  Mr. Stinchcombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to divide prison establishments into smaller units. [115626]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Woolf Report recommended that prisons should be divided into small and manageable secure units. Since the Report was published, the Prison Service has focused upon this need when designing both new prison buildings (public and private) and new houseblocks (extensions of existing prisons). It is also a consideration when refurbishing existing prison accommodation—special attention is always given to improving the security of wings by adding new gates, control and restraint staircases and reinforcing the protection of roof spaces.

  Roger Sylvester
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what internal disciplinary actions have been taken by the Metropolitan police concerning officers who were responsible for the custody of Roger Sylvester in January 1999. [115642]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis has informed me that the reports of the investigations into the death of Roger Sylvester by Essex police, supervised by the Police Complaints Authority, have been referred to the Crown Prosecution Service to consider whether criminal charges should be laid against any of the police officers involved in this case.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what special police actions by officers not based at Tottenham police station took place from 10 to 13 January 1999 in the Tottenham police division. [115643]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis has informed me that an investigation by the Complaints Investigation Bureau into the circumstances surrounding the detention of Roger Sylvester by officers based at Tottenham police station began on 11 January 1999.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Police Complaints Authority report into the circumstances surrounding the death of Roger Sylvester to be published. [115644]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The circumstances surrounding the death of Roger Sylvester have been investigated by Essex police, supervised by the Police Complaints Authority. The publication of Investigating Officers'552W
  reports resulting from public complaints is a matter for individual Chief Officers of Police, in this case the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.

  The Government have accepted recommendation 10 of the Macpherson report regarding disclosure of Investigating Officers' reports to complainants. The action being taken to implement this recommendation is detailed in the First Annual Report on Progress on the Home Secretary's Action Plan, published on 23 February.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the death of Roger Sylvester in January 1999; and if he will make a statement. [115645]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Since January 1999, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has received a number of representations about the death of Roger Sylvester from several hon. Members, relatives of Roger Sylvester, members of the public and supporters of the Roger Sylvester Justice Campaign.

  Most of the representations call for a public inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Roger Sylvester's detention by the Metropolitan police. This matter has been investigated by Essex police, supervised by the Police Complaints Authority. The Investigating Officers' reports have now been referred to the Crown Prosecution Service for consideration.

  Electoral Register
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to publish his plans for the regulation of the use of the electoral register under paragraphs 10 and 11 of Schedule 2 to the Representation of the People Act 1983 as amended by the Representation of the People Act 2000; what discussions he has had regarding those plans; and if he will make a statement. [115815]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I have met representatives from the banking, credit and mail order industries on several occasions. Officials are also engaged in a series of meetings with these and other organisations aimed at clarifying the issues to be addressed by the regulations. As soon as these discussions have been concluded the regulations will be drafted and published.

  Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if it is his intention that press notices issued by a Minister of the Crown, Government Department and local authority during the relevant period referred to in Clause 118 (2) of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill should be(a) posted on the internet and (b) otherwise be made publicly accessible; [115859]

  (2) if he will publish a definition of the term press notice used in Clause 118 (3)(d) of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill. [115858]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  As I indicated during the Report Stage of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill on 14 March 2000,Official Report, column 255, a press notice for the purpose of clause 120(3) of the Bill (as it is now) is a notice to the press and not to the general public.
  553W
  It is the general practice of Government Departments to place their press notices on the Internet. They are not otherwise made available to the general public except in response to specific requests. We do not think that these facilities need to be suspended or modified during referendum periods.

  The arrangements in respect of press releases issued by local authorities are a matter for them.

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral statement of the hon. Member for North Warwickshire (Mr. O'Brien), of 14 March 2000,Official Report, columns 255–56, if he will publish guidelines on the role of (a) civil servants, (b) special advisers and (c) local government officers in future referendum campaigns; if he will publish draft guidelines whilst the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill is before Parliament; and if he will make a statement. [115857]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The Government fully intend that civil servants (including special advisers) should continue to be issued with guidance as to their conduct during general election and referendum campaigns. Such guidance is prepared and issued in respect of each general election and referendum campaign as and when it is required. Copies of the guidance issued in respect of previous referendums are available in the Library. Guidance to the employees of local authorities is not a matter for central Government.

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to publish draft orders to be made under Clause 122 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill. [115813]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The purpose of the order-making power in clause 124 of the Bill (as it is now) will be to set up arrangements for the administration of referendums by applying relevant provisions of the Representation of the People Acts and Regulations. A recent example of this kind of order is the Greater London Authority (Referendum Arrangements) Order 1998 (SI 1998–746). We do not envisage exercising the order-making power in the Bill until a referendum to which Part VII of the Bill applies is in immediate prospect.

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the increase in the number of registered political parties as a result of the restriction on the description of candidates contained in Clause 19 (2) of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill; and if he will make a statement. [115832]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  It will be for candidates and the organisations which they represent, if any, to decide whether to register. It seems likely that the number of registered parties will increase, but no basis is available for any reliable estimate of the extent of any increase.

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research he has undertaken into the cost to registered political parties of compliance with the requirements of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill; if he will place a copy of that research in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [115827]
  554W
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  On 26 May 1999, the Home Office wrote to the main political parties requesting, among other things, a broad indication of the additional administrative costs that would be incurred in order to establish the systems to comply with the statutory disclosure regime. Only the Liberal Democrats submitted any estimate of such costs.

  Clause 32 of the Bill enables the Electoral Commission to allocate up to £500,000 in grants or assistance in kind (for example software programmes) to registered political parties to help them meet the initial costs involved in complying with the provisions of Parts III (accounting requirements) and IV (control of donations). This sum has been set on the basis of what the Government believe is both reasonable and affordable.

  The Home Office will shortly be inviting the main parties to enter into further discussions about the grants or assistance that the Commission might provide.

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to appoint the interim Chief Executive of the Electoral Commission. [115830]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  As soon as is practicable after the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill receives Royal Assent.

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if it is his intention that the duty placed on the Electoral Commission to promote the institutions of the European Union under Class 11(1)(c) of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill should extend only to those institutions of the European Union that are directly elected; and if he will make a statement; [115835]

  (2) if (a) the European Single Currency and (b) the European Central Bank are institutions of the European Union within the meaning of Clause 11(1)(c) of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill. [115834]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  As part of the Electoral Commission's role of encouraging greater public participation in the democratic process, including by voting at elections, clause 12 (formerly clause 11) of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill provides for the Electoral Commission to promote public awareness of the institutions of the European Union.

  For the purposes of this clause, the term includes any body constituted under the Treaty establishing the European Community and is not, therefore, confined to the European Parliament. Promoting greater understanding of the role of the Parliament cannot be achieved without reference to the other institutions of the European Union, including the Council of Ministers, the European Commission, the European Court of Justice and the European Central Bank. The European single currency is not an institution of the European Union.

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress of his discussions with the Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Executive about the extent to which the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill should apply to Scotland. [115814]
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  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Subject to a number of express limitations in respect of local government and local government elections, clause 151 provides for the whole of the Bill to apply to Scotland.

  As I announced during the Report Stage of the Bill on 13 March 2000, Official Report, columns 47–48, the Scottish Parliament and Executive have indicated that they would welcome an enabling power, akin to that in clause 18 but exercisable in this case by Scottish Ministers, to transfer any of the functions of the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland to the Electoral Commission. They have also agreed that there should be an enabling power, again exercisable by Scottish Ministers with the agreement of the Parliament, to extend the Electoral Commission's remit under clauses 9(3)(a)(ii), 12(1), and 135(1)(b) to local government elections in Scotland. Amendments to this effect will be introduced by the Government during the Bill's passage in Another Place.

  In addition, the Scottish Parliament and Executive have agreed that proposed Government amendments to the Bill to amend section 75 of the Representation of the People Act 1983, so as to make it compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights following the European Court's decision in the Case of Bowman, should extend to local government elections in Scotland.

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to begin the appointments process for electoral commissioners. [115829]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Preparatory work is already under way. A recruitment firm has been selected to assist in filling the posts and it is expected that advertisements will appear next month. The process will follow the Code of Practice for Public Appointments. A panel with independent representation will determine whom to recommend for appointment so that the procedure set out in Clause 3 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill can be followed.

  Criminal Justice and Court Services Bill
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what statutory mechanisms exist to ensure that(a) an offender convicted of an offence against a child not listed in Schedule 4 to the Criminal Justice and Court Services Bill and (b) an offender sentenced to a term of imprisonment of less than 12 months for an offence committed against a child is prohibited from working with children; what is the maximum term of such a prohibition; and if he will make a statement; [115818]

  (2) if it is his intention that a disqualification order issued under Part II of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Bill, should apply indefinitely; and if he will make a statement; [115831]

  (3) what mechanisms prevent (a) sex offenders and (b) other offenders from working with children; and if he will make a statement. [115833]

  Mr. Straw
  There are several statutory mechanisms that currently exist to prevent sex offenders and other offenders from working with children. The Education Reform Act 1988, the Education Act 1996 and the Protection of Children Act 1999 provide for lists to be kept by the Secretary of State for Education and 556W
  Employment, the Secretary of State for Health or the National Assembly for Wales of individuals deemed unsuitable, and therefore banned, from working with children in the areas of healthcare, social services, and education. In addition, there are Regulations relating to particular areas of work with children made under the Children Act 1989.

  The Criminal Justice and Court Services Bill introduces measures that would complete the establishment of an integrated system for the protection of children. Under this system, a judge would be able to disqualify those who commit serious criminal offences against children from working with them. In addition, the Bill proposes a new criminal offence of breaching a ban on working with children imposed either through inclusion on one of the relevant lists or by the courts. It also proposes a new definition of working with children which covers all such work in the public, private, voluntary and volunteering sectors.

  Under the Bill, an offender convicted of an offence not listed in Schedule 4, or convicted of such an offence but sentenced to a term of imprisonment of less than 12 months, would not be subject to the statutory disqualification against working with children imposed by a judge. However, if they already work with children in one of the areas covered by the lists kept under the Education Reform Act 1988, the Education Act 1996, or the Protection of Children Act 1999, they could be banned by the Secretary of State. They could also be banned under those lists as a result of conduct which demonstrates that they are unsuitable to work with children even if they are not convicted of any offence. Under Part V of the Police Act 1997, an offender's full criminal record will be available to those registered under the Act who countersign applications for criminal or enhanced criminal record certificates in respect of those to whom they intend to offer positions which involve working with children.

  An offender who is disqualified by a court under Part II of the Bill or is placed on one of the lists will be disqualified from working with children indefinitely. However, the Bill provides for a review of the disqualification order by a Tribunal. The individual must first prove to the Tribunal that his circumstances have changed sufficiently to warrant a review of the disqualification order. The individual must then demonstrate to the Tribunal that this change of circumstances is such that he is no longer a risk to children, and therefore need no longer be subject to disqualification. This review process is only available after a period of ten years (five years for juveniles) after the disqualification was imposed or the offender released from custody.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of persons who will be sent to prison annually as a result of the introduction under Clause 55 of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Bill of the three-month sentence for failing to secure regular attendance at school; what will be the cost to public funds; and if he will make a statement. [115854]

  Mr. Straw
  At present, some 80 per cent. of parents fail to turn up in court when prosecuted for school attendance offences. The intention of this measure is to compel the parent to attend court. Introducing the risk of imprisonment allows magistrates to issue a warrant for the arrest of a defendant who fails to turn up at court to
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  answer charges when summonsed to do so. It also allows magistrates to impose other sentencing options such as community service orders. Magistrates will want to consider how best to secure education for the child involved, and we expect such a sentence will be appropriate only in wholly exceptional circumstances.

  The costs of implementing the measure are estimated at up to £1.2 million per annum. This assumes legal aid costs of up to £1 million, and some minor costs associated with enforcing the warrant to attend court and prosecution costs for education authorities.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of(a) the average cost to public funds of an exclusion order made under Part III of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Bill, (b) the number of orders that will be made annually and (c) the number of other community orders that will include exclusion requirements; if magistrates courts will be able to make such an order; and if he will make a statement. [115824]

  Mr. Straw
  The Bill contains provisions to enable these powers to be piloted. This will enable us to make a better judgment about the extent to which they may be used and their financial impact.

  In the meantime, the figures quoted in the Explanatory Memorandum assume that there will be about 440 free-standing exclusion orders and 755 exclusion conditions imposed annually. The estimated net impact on public resources (taking into account both costs and savings) is approximately £500 per exclusion imposed.

  As with all other community orders, magistrates courts will be able to make an exclusion order, or impose exclusion as a condition of a community order.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of prisoners who will be released on licence earlier than at present as a result of the introduction of(a) monitoring and (b) drug testing requirements for release on licence under the provisions of Part III of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Bill; and if he will make a statement. [115820]

  Mr. Boateng
  The measures will not change any prisoner's eligibility for release. The basis of any discretionary release decision will continue to be careful risk assessment. The use of the new licence conditions will be subject to piloting before any consideration is given to wider implementation. Evaluation of the pilots will include consideration of the impact of the new licence conditions on discretionary release decisions taken by the Parole Board and by the Prison Service, on behalf of the Secretary of State.

  We estimate that the new powers to impose drug testing as a licence condition will have no impact at all on release decisions, but will act solely as a reinforcing measure in cases where release would have been authorised or required in any case. However, the wider availability of electronic monitoring may influence release decisions in a small number of cases involving prisoners serving determinate sentences of four years or more who are eligible for parole, and where the risk assessment is finely balanced. We currently estimate that the parole rate may rise by up to 4 per cent., which would represent
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  approximately 230 additional prisoners granted parole per annum. These estimates will be tested through the pilots, and guidance will be issued to the Parole Board in the light of the pilots.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is his policy that a person breaching the provisions of(a) an exclusion order and (b) a drug abstinence order made under the provisions of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Bill should be taken before a court after the first breach; and if he will make a statement. [115822]

  Mr. Straw
  The Criminal Justice and Court Services Bill provides that an offender over 18 who fails unacceptably to comply with the conditions of an exclusion order or a drug abstinence order may be given a statutory warning that a second unacceptable failure to comply within 12 months would result in a return to court. There remains the option of returning an offender to court for a first unacceptable failure to comply.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is his policy that a positive test for(a) Class A and (b) Class B drugs conducted under Clause 48 of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Bill should be taken into account as an aggravating factor in the sentencing exercise if the suspect is subsequently convicted of the offence with which they have been charged; and if he will make a statement. [115819]

  Mr. Straw
  Clause 48 of The Criminal Justice and Court Services Bill provides for drug testing for specified Class A drugs only. The purpose is to identify and monitor drug misusers, who may need treatment; to inform bail decisions; and to assist in appropriate sentencing. The Bill does not make drug use an aggravating factor in relation to an offence.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is his policy that any suspect charged with an offence who subsequently tests positive for(a) Class A and (b) Class B drugs under the provisions of Clause 48 of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Bill should be prosecuted for unlawful possession of such a drug (i) in addition to prosecution for other offences with which they have been charged and (ii) in cases where the charges for other offences are subsequently dropped; and if he will make a statement. [115817]

  Mr. Straw
  The purpose of drug testing, for specified Class A drugs, as provided for in Clause 48 of the Bill, is to identify and monitor drug misusers who may need treatment and to inform bail decisions. A positive test will not, in itself, result in prosecution for unlawful possession.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the average cost to public funds of a drug abstinence order made under Part III of the Criminal Justice and Court Services Bill; what estimate he has made of the number of orders that will be made annually; what estimate he has made of the number of other community orders that will include drug abstinence requirements; if magistrates courts will be abe to make such an order; and if he will make a statement. [115823]

  Mr. Straw
  The average cost of a Drug Abstinence Order/ Requirement under community supervision is estimated at £1,500. The new drug testing regime will be
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  piloted in the first instance. It is estimated that initial piloting in three areas would result in 3,500 offenders being made subject to the drug abstinence requirement.

  Home Detention Curfew Scheme
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders have been released to date under the home detention curfew scheme; how many offenders convicted of each category of offence have been released; how many offenders convicted of(a) unlawful supply of a controlled drug and (b) possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply have been released on the scheme; how many have re-offended while on the scheme, and what offences have been committed; and if he will make a statement. [115816]

  Mr. Boateng
  As of 13 March 2000, 17,871 prisoners have been placed on home detention curfew since the scheme commenced on 28 January 1999. The original offences committed by these prisoners, and the number of prisoners convicted of each type of offence, are shown in the table.

  Of those prisoners released up to and including 13 March 2000, 969 were convicted of unlawful supply of a controlled drug and 1,238 were convicted of drugs possession with intent to supply.

  As of 13 March 2000, the Prison Service had received notification of 185 curfewees who had been charged with an offence committed while subject to the home detention curfew scheme. The offences with which the curfewees were charged are shown in the table.

  I refer to the replies I gave to the right hon. Lady on 7 March 2000, Official Report, columns 571–72W and on 17 March 2000, Official Report, columns 378–80W.

  Original offences committed by prisoners released on home detention curfew

  Offence type

  Number

  Manslaughter

  43

  Other homicide and attempted homicide

  150

  Wounding

  2,258

  Assaults

  441

  Cruelty to children

  21

  Other violence against the person

  235

  Indecent assault

  16

  Buggery

  1

  Unlawful sexual intercourse

  1

  Abduction

  1

  Bigamy

  10

  Burglary

  1,697

  Robbery

  717

  Taking and driving away

  216

  Other theft

  1,643

  Handling stolen goods

  563

  Fraud

  1,476

  Forgery

  77

  Drugs

  2,931

  Arson

  116

  Criminal damage

  82

  In charge or driving under the influence of drink or drugs

  617

  Other motoring offences

  1,530

  Drunkenness

  64

  Blackmail

  52

  Kidnapping

  26

  Affray

  472

  Violent disorder

  204

  Perjury/libel/pervert the course of justice

  267

  Threat/disorderly behaviour

  83

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  Original offenes committed by prisoners released on home detention curfew

  Offence type

  Number

  Breach of Court Order

  187

  Other offences

  673

  Offence not recorded

  1,001

  Total

  17,871

  Offences with which home detention curfewees have been charged

  Offence type

  Number

  Burglary, theft and theft from shops1

  66

  Assault

  32

  Driving and Traffic Offences

  18

  Drug Offences

  15

  Breach of the peace2

  15

  Criminal Damage

  10

  Handling Stolen Goods/Deception

  9

  Threatening Behaviour

  7

  Possession of an offensive weapon

  3

  Breach of court injunction or Restraining Order

  3

  Rape

  2

  Harassment

  1

  Going Equipped

  1

  False Imprisonment

  1

  Arson

  1

  Indecent Exposure

  1

  Total

  185

  1 Including taking without consent/taking and driving away.

  2 Including Drunk and Disorderly.

  Note:

  Where a curfewee was charged with more than one offence, they appear in the table next to the most serious offence. The table excludes those where, following initial notification, the Prison Service was informed that the charges had been withdrawn. Between 29 February (the date for which the data in this table were last provided) and 13 March, the Prison Service was informed of six cases where the curfewee had been charged with a further offence and three cases where earlier charges had been withdrawn.

  Probation Service
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the cost to public funds of his plans to change the name of the probation service. [115856]

  Mr. Boateng
  Creating a national unified service from the current 54 independent services involves a number of changes, of which the change of name is only one part. Others include structural changes to amalgamate some area services and to make all area services more accountable to the Home Secretary. We estimate that the costs involved in establishing a national identity may require central funding of around £800,000, although the cost of changing the name of itself is minimal.

  Orders (Name Changes)
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the cost to public funds of his plans to change the name of(a) probation orders, (b) community service orders and (c) combination orders. [115825]

  Mr. Boateng
  Any administrative costs arising from the change of names of probation orders, community service orders and combination orders will be minimal and can be absorbed within current funding.

DEFENCE

  Courts-Martial (Royal Navy)
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the courts-martial held for Royal Navy ratings between 1993 and 1999 were at the election of the accused. [107867]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 1 February 2000]: This information is only available from 1994, and the details are as follows.

  Total numbers of courts martial for Royal Navy ratings

  Percentage at request of accused

  1994

  80

  18

  1995

  64

  25

  1996

  44

  14

  1997

  56

  34

  1998

  52

  37

  1999

  49

  47

  Until 1996 only Leading Rates and higher ranks were able to elect for courts martial. In 1996, the Armed Forces Act extended this right to all naval ratings, which accounts for the increase in the figures from 1997 onwards.

  Sea King
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many units of the active noise reduction system for the Sea King MK2 his Department is seeking to acquire and at what cost; what estimate he has made of the additional cost of such an upgrade to the MK7; and if he will make a statement. [113900]

  Dr. Moonie
  One hundred Analogue Active Noise Reduction (ANR) systems for the Sea King MK2 were delivered in 1999: the total cost of the programme was some £660,000 VAT inclusive. A further 30 are to be procured to support the Sea King Airborne Early Warning (AEW) MK7 flight trials programme at a unit production cost of £599. Work to develop an improved Digital ANR for the Sea King MK7 is still at an early stage but the cost of introducing such a system is estimated to be in the region of £1 million.

  Minefield Detection System
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the results were of the phase 1 testing of the remote minefield detection system; what is his estimate of the total cost of the system; and if he will make a statement. [113904]

  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. Mike Hancock, dated 22 March 2000:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the result of the phase 1 testing of the remote minefield detection system and the estimate of the total cost of the system. This letter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
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  The aim of phase 1 of the remote minefield detection system Technology Demonstration Programme (TDP) was to evaluate a number of remote sensing technologies. Five emerging technologies were investigated over a ten month period for applicability to the remote minefield detection role. Following feasibility studies a formal sensor selection methodology recommended as Infrared Polarimetric Camera (IPRC) coupled with Ultra WideBand Synthetic Aperture Radar (UWB SAR) as the best complimentary combination. Other technologies were discarded as being too immature, poorly performing, or impractical for airborne operations. Phase 2, which began in November 1996, covers the detailed design and build of the sensors.
  The cost of phase 1 of the TDP was some £411k. The technology is still at a very early stage and, as a consequence, it is too early to estimate the potential cost of any resulting system.

  Shoeburyness
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he intends to visit Warden Bay to investigate the complaints by local residents about the noise levels of explosions from the firing range at Shoeburyness. [114508]

  Dr. Moonie
  There are no plans for the Secretary of State for Defence, or indeed any Defence Minister, to visit Warden Bay to investigate the complaints by local residents about the noise levels of explosions from the firing range at Shoeburyness.

  My noble Friend the Minister for Defence Procurement is, however, due to discuss this issue shortly with the hon. Member for North Thanet (Mr. Gale).

  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how much notice is given to local residents prior to the commencement of gun explosions at Shoeburyness; [114510]

  (2) when the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency last visited Warden Bay to check monitoring levels for gun explosions at Shoeburyness; [114507]

  (3) what work of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency at the firing ranges at Shoeburyness has been carried out on behalf of (a) the UK's armed forces only and (b) the armed forces of foreign countries in the last 12 months. [114509]

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

  Letter from Sir John Chisholm to Mr. Derek Wyatt, dated 22 March 2000:
  I am replying to three of your parliamentary questions about activities at the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency range at Shoeburyness.
  You ask how much notice is given to local residents prior to the commencement of gun explosions at Shoeburyness. A recorded message on a freephone telephone gives details of the firings scheduled for the following working day. The information given includes the type of activity, whether gunfire and/or explosions and the start time and the expected finish time. Additional information will be given if, for example, an activity is planned to take place outside normal working hours or it is expected to be particularly noisy. That said, the noise levels of activities undertaken at Shoeburyness are, for the most part, comfortably within the Ministry of Defence's guideline limit. We also endeavour to place notice of the out of hours and noisier activities in the local press and/or broadcast details on local radio. The timing of a press announcement will depend very much on the day of publication of the newspaper but could be up to a week in advance of the actual activity.

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  The closest monitor to Warden Bay is located at Sheerness Docks. All monitors are covered by an on-call maintenance contract which provides maintenance and repair cover for any failed monitor. Staff in the range operations office check the operation of all monitors on a daily basis and also hold records of the noise levels detected.
  The majority of work carried out at Shoeburyness has been on behalf of UK's armed forces. In the course of the last 12 months, a very small amount of work has been undertaken for non-UK customers, but only with the support of the relevant MOD authorities. These activities did not generate any noise complaints.
  I hope the above explains the situation.

  Military Exercises (Kenya)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the exercises carried out by Her Majesty's armed forces in Kenya in each of the last five years. [114429]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Following exercises have been carried out, or are to take place in the immediate future, in Kenya by Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the years 1996 to 2000:a. 1996

  1. 4 January-15 February 1996—Ex GRAND PRIX 1/96.

  2. 4 January-28 March 1996—Ex OAK APPLE 96.

  3. 16 February-28 March I996—Ex GRAND PRIX 2/96.

  4. 29 March-29 April 1996—Ex MONO PRIX 96.

  5. 29 March-29 April 1996—Ex SHARP POINT 96.

  6. 29 March-29 April 1996—Ex PINE APPLE 96.

  7. 28 October-9 December 1996—Ex GRAND PRIX 3/96.

  8. 28 October-9 December 1996—Ex CRAB APPLE 96.

  b. 1997

  1. 4 January-15 February 1997—Ex GRAND PRIX 1/97.

  2. 4 January-28 March 1997—Ex OAK APPLE 97.

  3. 16 February-28 March 1997—Ex GRAND PRIX 2/97.

  4. 29 March-29 April 1997—Ex MONO PRIX 1997.

  5. 29 March-29 April 1997—Ex SHARP POINT 97.

  6. 29 March-29 April 1997—Ex PINE APPLE 97.

  7. 23 April-15 May 97—Ex HIGH SLOPE.

  8. 28 October-9 December 97—Ex GRAND PRIX 3/97.

  9. 28 October-9 December 1997—Ex CRAB APPLE 97.

  c. 1998

  1. 4 January-15 February 1998—Ex GRAND PRIX 1/98

  2. 4 January-28 March 1998—Ex OAK APPLE 98.

  3. 16 February-28 March 1998—Ex GRAND PRIX 2/98.

  4. 29 March-29 April 1998—Ex MONO PRIX 98.

  5. 29 March-29 April 1998—Ex SHARP POINT 1998.

  6. 29 March-29 April 1998—Ex PINE APPLE 98.

  7. 28 October-9 December 1998—Ex GRAND PRIX 3/98.

  8. 28 October-9 December 1998—Ex Crab APPLE 98.

  d. 1999

  1. 5 January-I6 February 1999—Ex GRAND PRIX 1/99.

  2. 5 January-31 March 1999—Ex OAK APPLE 99.

  3. 5 January-17 February 1999—Ex CYGENT GOLD.

  4. 17 February-31 March 1999—Ex GRAND PRIX 2/99.

  5. 31 March-1 May 1999—Ex MONO PRIX 99.

  6. 31 March-1 May 1999—Ex SHARP POINT 99.

  7. 31 March-1 May 1999—Ex PINE APPLE 99.

  8. 5 August-24 September 1999—Ex CAPE AVALANCHE.

  9. 21 October-31 December 1999—Ex GRAND PRIX 3/99.

  10. 21 October-3 December 1999—Ex CRAB Apple 1999.

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  e. 2000

  1. 11 January 20 February 2000—Ex GRAND PRIX 1/00.

  2. 30 January-1 April 2000—Ex OAK APPLE 00.

  3. 21 February-1 April 2000—Ex GRAND PRIX 2/00.

  4. 21 February-1 April 2000—Ex DEVILS HORIZON.

  5. 2 April-3 May 2000—Ex MONO PRIX 00.

  6. 2 April-3 May 2000—Ex SHARP POINT 00.

  7. 2 April-3 May 2000—Ex PINE APPLE 00.

  Defence Diversification Council
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he expects the Defence Diversification Council to present its first Annual report; [115038]

  (2) if he will name the Chairman and members of the Defence Diversification Council. [115039]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Defence Diversification Agency began to operate last year and is already providing a substantial service, particularly to small and medium enterprises. The Defence Diversification Council has not yet been established.

  Deterrent Capability
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the impact of, and reasons underlying, the change from minutes to days, as a measure of the United Kingdom's deterrent capability. [115539]

  Mr. Hoon
  There has been no impact on our ability to deter threats to our interests. As we made clear in the Strategic Defence Review (SDR), improvements in the strategic environment now enable us to safeguard our national security at a lower level of nuclear deterrent readiness.

  One element of the change in posture announced in the SDR was the decision to maintain our nuclear forces at a "notice to fire" measured in days, rather than minutes. This reduced state of alert allows greater use of ballistic missile submarines for secondary tasks. The flexibility of the Trident system ensures, however, that we can restore a higher state of alert should it ever become necessary to do so.

  Pensions
  Mr. Gordon Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what would be the cost of making payments, in line with the payments which would be made to the spouse of someone who had served all of their time in the armed forces after 6 April 1978, to spouses of deceased ex-service personnel(a) who married after their spouse retired from the armed forces, (b) whose spouses served in the armed forces before 6 April 1978 and (c) to both groups. [115355]

  Mr. Spellar
  The MOD could not identify from its records the number of servicemen who retired before 1978 and subsequently married or remarried. As such marriages did not create pension entitlements, records of them were not kept. It would theoretically be possible to identify from pensions records the surviving widows of servicemen who retired after 1978 and subsequently married or remarried, and to calculate the pension entitlement which would be generated if service before 1 April 1978 qualified for a
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  widow's pension; however, this would require a manual search of 76,000 widow's pensions files and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Gordon Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to review the position of spouses of deceased ex-servicemen who are not entitled to the forces family pension as part of his review of forces' pensions. [115354]

  Mr. Spellar
  The question of spouses' pensions is being addressed as part of the Review of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) in which all aspects of the AFPS are being examined. The Review is scheduled to report during the summer and it would be premature to speculate about its outcome.

  Mr. Gordon Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many spouses of deceased ex-service personnel are not eligible for a forces family pension; and for what reasons; [115352]

  (2) what is the notional total value of pensions to which spouses of deceased ex-service personnel are not entitled. [115339]

  Mr. Spellar
  No records are kept of the numbers of spouses of deceased service personnel who are not eligible for a Forces Family pension. When a serviceman dies, unless survivor benefits are payable, the pension record is closed and the personal file is archived. It follows that it is also impossible to calculate the notional total value of pensions which might be paid to the spouses of deceased ex-service personnel who at present do not receive them.

  Surviving spouses of service personnel are currently entitled to receive a widow/widowers' pension unless:
  Their partner was engaged on non pensionable terms of service.
  They have remarried or co-habit (except that widows over 60 and widowers over 65 continue to receive the Guaranteed Minimum Pension contracted out of SERPS).
  They are a widow of a post retirement marriage whose partner retired from the armed forces before 6 April 1978.
  They are widowers whose partner retired from the Service before 1 October 1987.
  Their partner has opted out of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme in favour of a personal pension plan, and their death was not attributable to service.

  Where a spouse's pension is received, it is calculated at one half the rate of the spouse's pension for service after 1 April 1973; and at one third the rate of the spouse's pension for service before that date.

  Mr. Gordon Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many spouses of deceased ex-service personnel are entitled to only a part of the forces family pension; and for what reasons. [115353]

  Mr. Spellar
  This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost as each of the Armed Forces Pension Scheme's 76,000 widow's files would have to be searched manually.

  A widow or widower might receive only a part of a Forces Family Pension for any of the following reasons:

  If she is the widow of a deceased officer or other rank who married after retirement but on or after 6 April 1978. Such an individual would be entitled only to half that part of the spouse's pension which relates to service from that date.
  566W
  If he is the widower of a deceased officer or other rank who married on or after 1 October 1987. Such an individual would be entitled only to half that part of the spouse's pension which relates to service from that date.

  Where a widow, on or after reaching age 60, or a widower, on or after reaching age 65 remarries or cohabits. In those circumstances only the Guaranteed Minimum Pension contracted out of SERPS remains in payment.

  In some circumstances, the Forces Family Pension may be abated by the amount commuted under life commutation terms.

  Where a widow or widower is separated from their partner at the time of the Serviceman's death, the award of the Forces Family Pension is at the discretion of the Defence Council.

  Imphal Barracks
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if the Medical Group HQ can be accommodated at Imphal Barracks; at what cost; and if he will make a statement; [115536]

  (2) when a new Medical Group HQ will be set up at Imphal Barracks, Yorkshire. [115535]

  Mr. Spellar
  The HQ Medical Group will consist of three discrete elements; a deployable 1* Headquarters, HQ Army Medical Services (AMS) TA currently based at Imphal Barracks, York, and the Field Training Centre currently based at Strensall. All the elements of HQ Medical Group will ultimately be co-located in Strensall. This co-location will concentrate the command and control and training that is required to deliver hospital support on operations. To achieve this, a re-build at Strensall costing some £1.9 million is required, and it is estimated that this will take 18 months to complete (including the procurement process). The HQ Medical Group will therefore not be able to form up in Strensall until late 2001 at the earliest. In the meantime, the new HQ element will form up in Imphal Barracks at a cost currently estimated at some £0.2 million.

  Absence without Leave
  Mr. Denis Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if a standard procedure is followed when a person goes absent without leave from the armed forces. [115572]

  Mr. Spellar
  Each of the Services follows a set procedure when a person goes absent without leave, although there are slight differences of detail between the Services. After initial investigations by commanding officers to establish cases of absence, in all three Services it is standard procedure to inform the absentee's local police force, the Central Criminal Records and Information Office, and the Services' own internal provost, administrative and manning staffs of the absence. The three Services' procedures differ slightly regarding the time allowed to elapse before formal reporting proceedings commence. In the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force a period of seven days is allowed to elapse before formal reporting proceedings commence, whereas in the case of an Army absentee, formal reporting action is carried out immediately.

  Live Firing Exercises
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many live firing exercises have been undertaken by the Royal Navy in each of the last five years stating in each case(a) the name of the exercise and (b) the number and cost of rounds expended by (i) the Goalkeeper gun system, (ii) the Phalanx gun system and (iii) the 114mm gun system; and if he will make a statement. [114547]

  Mr. Spellar
  I am withholding this information in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, which relates to Defence, Security and International Relations.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

  John Howes
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Solicitor-General if he will make a statement on the meeting between Mr. John Howes of the Treasury Solicitor's Department and members of the JDS Tribunal on 2 December 1999. [115412]

  The Solicitor-General
  Mr. John Howes is a member of the Treasury Solicitor's staff. Between 1994 and 1998 he had conduct, on behalf of the Department of Trade and Industry (Companies Investigation Branch), of disqualification proceedings against the former Directors of Astra Holdings plc. These were pursuant to section 8 of the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986. Those proceedings were finally discontinued on the instructions of the DTI in 1998. Mr. Howes was not involved in any consequential proceedings before the Accountants Joint Disciplinary Scheme ("JDS") Tribunal. Moreover he did not attend a meeting with the members of the JDS Tribunal on 2 December 1999 or at any other time.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  UNGASS Meeting
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development who will be attending the June UNGASS meeting on the implementation of the World Summit for Social Development. [115147]

  Mr. Foulkes
  The composition of the UK delegation is being actively considered. The Minister for Employment, Welfare to Work and Equal Opportunities plans to attend for part of the discussions.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  New Deal
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many New Deal participants have found sustained unsubsidised jobs of 13 weeks or more before having had a New Deal interview. [102104]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 9 December 2000]: By the end of December 1999, 12,520 young people had left the Gateway for sustained unsubsidised jobs having been sent a letter telling them they are now on the New Deal.
  568W
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many participants in the New Deal have been offered permanent employment to date. [101833]

  Ms Jowell
  Statistics are not collected using a category of "permanent" as this is not a term that adequately describes the realities of the modern labour market. However, we do know that by the end of December 1999, 185,250 young people under the New Deal for young people found jobs. Of these, 135,350 were sustained jobs lasting 13 weeks or more. In addition, 34,170 people under the New Deal for long-term unemployed people aged 25 and over found jobs (28,550 were sustained). A recent survey showed also that 57 per cent. of young people leaving the New Deal Gateway for unknown destinations had found a job.

  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what projects have been completed by the New Deal Environmental Task Force in the North-Essex Employment Service area since its inception. [115271]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 20 March 2000]: In the North-Essex New Deal Unit of Delivery, the following 10 projects have been completed by the Environment Task Force:

  Dyke clearance, pathway construction at Jaywick

  Wide area clearance at Dovercourt

  Planting, pathway construction, footbridge at Parkeston

  Laying bark paths, constructing footbridge at Frinton

  Refurbishment of lightship museum at Harwich

  Alteration and decoration of Church Hall at Harwich

  Construction of memorial gardens and play equipment at Brightlingsea

  Decorating local Arts Trust Theatre at Dovercourt

  Constructing of storage, recreational and play area for local school at Clacton

  Construction of pathways and picnic benches at Parkeston.

  There are four current projects under way as follows:

  Path laying, tree cutting, hedge clearing at Chelmsford

  Path laying, tree cutting, hedge clearing at Braintree/Colchester (two projects).

  All these projects are contributing both to increased employability for young people and to the Government's wider environmental objectives.

  Dr. Jack Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people have had their benefits stopped for failing effectively to pursue a New Deal option, at each benefit office in Copeland; and if he will make a statement. [115069]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 20 March 2000]: Between 1 April 1999 and 31 December 1999 (the latest date for which data are available) 1,200 young people started on New Deal and at any time there were just over 1,440 young people participating in the New Deal in the Employment Service's Cumbria Unit of Delivery. During this nine-month period, 219 sanctions were imposed for failing to attend a New Deal option in Cumbria. This figure cannot be disaggregated to constituency level. The Cumbria Unit of Delivery includes the jobcentres in Carlisle, Cleator Moor, Cockermouth, Keswick,

  569W
  Maryport, Penrith, Whitehaven, Workington, Barrow in Furness, Kendal, Lancaster, Millom, Morecombe, Ulverston and Windermere.

  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people have taken part in the New Deal Environmental Task Force in North-Essex Employment Service area(a) in the first year and (b) in the current year to date. [115269]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 20 March 2000]: In the North-Essex New Deal Unit of Delivery, 57 young people started on the Environment Task Force in 1998; the figure for 1999 was 78. These figures have contributed towards the national total of 25,400 young people who have benefited from the work experience opportunities that the Environmental Task Force provides.

  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what was the financial surplus or deficit for the New Deal Environmental Task Force in North-Essex Employment Service area(a) in the first year and (b) in the current year to date; [115270]

  (2) what the cost was of the New Deal Environmental Task Force in the North-Essex employment service area (a) in the previous year and (b) in the current year to date. [115424]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 20 March 2000]: North-Essex is a private sector-led Unit of Delivery in which the New Deal for young people is led by SEETEC. Funding is on the basis of a unit cost for each participant and a monthly fee. This information, in line with all payments to contractors, is commercially confidential and cannot be released.

  Departmental Documents
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many(a) consultation documents, (b) regulations, (c) revised or corrected regulations, (d) guidance notes, (e) requests for statistical information in addition to form 618G and (f) letters from Ministers, have been sent to local education authorities by his Department since May 1997; [111671]

  (2) how many (a) consultation documents, (b) regulations, (c) revised or corrected regulations, (d) guidance notes, (e) requests for statistical information in addition to form 7 and (f) letters from Ministers have been sent to schools by his Department since May 1997. [111672]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 28 February 2000]: Since May 1997 this Department has sent local education authorities the following:

  Topic

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  Consultation Papers

  Employment

  7

  12

  10

  0

  Early Years

  1

  6

  3

  0

  Further and Higher Education

  17

  16

  20

  5

  Literacy and Numeracy

  1

  1

  3

  0

  Primary Schools

  2

  3

  3

  0

  Secondary Schools

  6

  6

  5

  0

  School Curriculum

  5

  1

  5

  1

  School Discipline

  4

  6

  3

  0

  School Finance

  9

  14

  17

  5

  School Governance

  2

  5

  4

  0

  School Health and Safety

  1

  3

  2

  0

  570W

  Topic

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  School-Miscellaneous

  4

  10

  8

  School Organisation

  1

  3

  5

  0

  School Premises

  0

  1

  7

  0

  School Standards

  6

  3

  4

  0

  Special Education

  5

  1

  5

  1

  Teaching Profession

  9

  11

  7

  9

  Regulations

  35

  132

  191

  29

  Guidance

  Employment

  0

  2

  5

  0

  Early Years

  1

  4

  11

  1

  Further and Higher Education

  13

  12

  22

  10

  Literacy and Numeracy

  0

  4

  19

  3

  Primary Schools

  2

  8

  11

  5

  Secondary Schools

  9

  9

  17

  1

  School Curriculum

  0

  2

  3

  1

  School Discipline

  0

  2

  4

  1

  School Finance

  5

  15

  33

  8

  School Governance

  1

  4

  11

  3

  School Health and Safety

  0

  2

  6

  2

  School-Miscellaneous

  3

  3

  9

  3

  School Organisation

  0

  7

  12

  1

  School Premises

  5

  4

  8

  6

  School Standards

  3

  9

  26

  4

  Special Education

  6

  3

  7

  1

  Teaching Profession

  7

  17

  11

  10

  Data Collection

  Employment

  1

  0

  0

  1

  Early Years

  0

  2

  1

  3

  Further and Higher Education

  4

  4

  28

  6

  Literacy and Numeracy

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Primary Schools

  1

  1

  2

  1

  Secondary Schools

  2

  4

  1

  0

  School Curriculum

  0

  0

  0

  7

  School Discipline

  0

  0

  1

  5

  School Finance

  1

  0

  3

  3

  School-General

  4

  8

  15

  11

  School Premises

  0

  0

  0

  1

  School Standards

  0

  0

  0

  3

  Special Education

  2

  2

  3

  1

  Teaching Profession

  1

  4

  5

  2

  Letters from Ministers

  1

  2

  4

  2

  Teacher Training
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many persons were recruited into initial teacher training in 1999–2000 for secondary school teaching in(a) mathematics, (b) science, (c) languages and (d) technology; and what were the targets for that year for recruitment in those subjects. [112984]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Figures for recruitment into initial teacher training in 1999–2000 for secondary school teaching in mathematics, science, modern foreign languages and technology in England and corresponding targets are given in the table.

  Recruitment

  Target

  Mathematics

  1,307

  1,680

  Science

  2,362

  2,390

  Modern Foreign Languages

  1,469

  2,200

  Technology

  1,702

  2,860

  Notes:

  1. Figures represent head-counts; that is the total of full-time and part-time recruitment.

  2. Technology includes Design and Technology, Engineering, Computer Studies, Business Studies, Commerce, Home Economics and Needlecraft.
  571W
  3. Targets for 1999–2000 exclude 300 for Mathematics and 300 for Science under the MS600 Scheme.

  4. Recruitment data are provisional mid-year data.

  Coverage:

  Universities and other HE institutions, SCITT and OU.

  Sources:

  Intake: TTA Survey of ITT Providers

  Targets: DfEE

  As a result of the introduction of "Golden Hellos", recruitment to secondary teacher training in mathematics was 17 per cent. higher than the previous year. For science the figure was 4 per cent. and recruitment was very close to target. In both these subjects, the previous trend was a decline in recruitment. "Golden Hellos" will also apply to secondary teacher training in modern foreign languages from September 2000. In the longer term, the reforms announced in the Teachers Green Paper will improve

  1996–97

  1997–98

  Final year trainess

  Not gaining QTS

  Percentage not gaining QTS

  Final year trainess

  Not gaining QTS

  Percentage not gaining QTS

  Mathematics

  1,672

  343

  21

  1,371

  283

  21

  English and Drama

  2,042

  267

  13

  2,089

  271

  13

  Science

  2,791

  495

  18

  2,488

  451

  18

  Modern Foreign Languages

  1,792

  270

  15

  1,730

  258

  15

  Technology

  1,959

  326

  17

  1,805

  308

  17

  History

  973

  113

  12

  987

  118

  12

  Geography

  842

  67

  8

  833

  70

  8

  Physical Education

  1,467

  99

  7

  1,440

  95

  7

  Art

  908

  85

  9

  889

  88

  10

  Music

  532

  80

  15

  489

  74

  15

  Religious Education

  603

  86

  14

  605

  90

  15

  Other

  333

  42

  13

  281

  27

  10

  Total

  15,914

  2,273

  13

  15,007

  2,133

  13

  Notes:

  1. Figures are for undergraduate and postgraduate Initial Teacher Training combined.

  2. Technical includes Design and Technology, Engineering, Computer Studies, Business Studies, Commerce, Home Economics and Needlecraft.

  3. Other includes Classics, Economics, Other social sciences and Other subjects.

  4. The numbers of final year trainees not gaining QTS relate to providers final examination boards at the end of the academic year. Trainees awarded QTS at a later date—for example because they had to undertake a further period of teaching in school because of illness—were not recorded.

  Source:

  Teacher Training Agency—Performance Profiles.

  Figures available are for initial teacher trainees for secondary school teaching in each subject who trained 10 years ago and did not enter the teaching profession. These are given in the table:

  Percentage of secondary trained teachers 1 qualified in 1988 who had not entered teaching 2 by 31 March 1998 by subject specialism 3—England

  Subject

  Percentage not entering teaching

  Mathematics

  12

  English4

  8

  Science

  11

  Modern Foreign Languages

  7

  Technology5

  10

  History

  8

  Geography

  8

  Art

  13

  Music

  6

  Religious Education

  12

  Physical Education

  12

  Other

  14

  All secondary

  10

  572W
  the pay, training leadership and support for teachers and encourage more of the best graduates to join the profession.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many persons recruited in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available into initial teacher training courses for secondary school teaching in each subject(a) left their course, (b) failed their examinations and (c) failed to enter the teaching profession. [112983]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Figures for persons recruited into initial teacher training courses for secondary school teaching in each subject who left their course are not collected centrally. The table gives the available figures for final year trainees not gaining Qualified Teacher Status in England.

  1 Those whose training specialised in teaching pupils of secondary age.

  2 Those who are not recorded as entering any sector of teaching. Some teachers will be counted as not entering service because their service is not recorded. These may include teachers in the 'old' university sector, in the independent schools sector who are not members of the teachers pension scheme (TPS), in part-time service outside the maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special sector who are not members of the TPS.

  3 First subject specialism.

  4 English includes Drama.

  5 Technology includes Design and Technology, Engineering, Computer Studies, Business Studies, Commerce, Home Economics and Needlecraft.

  Source:

  DfEE Database of Teacher Records.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the numbers recruited into initial teacher training courses for teaching
  573W
  in secondary schools for (a) mathematics, (b) science, (c) languages and (d) technology in each of the last 10 years. [112981]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Figures for recruitment into initial teacher training for teaching in secondary schools for mathematics, science, modern foreign languages and technology in England over the last 10 years are given in the table.

  Recruitment to initial teacher training in England over the last 10 years

  Mathematics

  Science

  Modern Foreign Languages

  Technology 1

  1990–91

  1,055

  1,549

  1,042

  1,291

  1991–92

  1,541

  2,111

  1,277

  1,937

  1992–93

  1,699

  2,148

  1,384

  2,216

  1993–94

  1,790

  2,397

  1,550

  2,160

  1994–95

  1,950

  2,918

  1,789

  2,131

  1995–96

  1,795

  2,794

  1,790

  1,854

  1996–97

  1,653

  2,937

  1,720

  1,963

  1997–98

  1,464

  2,789

  1,799

  1,982

  1998–99

  1,120

  2,279

  1,657

  1,682

  1999–2000

  1,307

  2,362

  1,469

  1,702

  1 Technology includes Design and Technology, Commerce, Home Economics and Needlecraft Engineering, Computer Studies, Business Studies, Commerce, Home Economics and Needlecraft.

  Notes:

  1. All figures before 1992–93 represent full-time equivalents. From 1992–93 onwards figures represent head-counts; that is the total of full-time and part-time recruitment.

  2. Recruitment data are provisional mid year data.

  Coverage:

  Universities and other HE institutions, SCITT and OU.

  Sources:

  England: DFE Recruitment Survey, 1990–91 to 1993–94; HESES 1994–95; TTA Survey of ITT Providers 1995–96 onwards.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many applications for entry into initial teacher training courses starting in autumn 2000 for the secondary school subjects of(a) mathematics, (b) science, (c) languages and (d) technology have been made in the current academic year to date; and how many were made in 1999–2000. [112985]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Applications for initial teacher training courses can be made at postgraduate and undergraduate level. Applications in England and Wales to undergraduate courses at 4 February and postgraduate courses at 19 February for courses starting in 2000–01 together with equivalent figures and end of year figures for the previous year are given in the tables.

  Undergraduate applications

  As at 4 February 2000–01

  As at 5 February 1999–2000

  End of year for 1999–2000

  Mathematics

  175

  247

  361

  Science

  225

  271

  342

  Modern Foreign Languages

  35

  29

  54

  Technology

  684

  726

  1,063

  Source:

  Universities and Colleges Admissions Service
  574W

  PGCE applications

  As at 19 February 2000–01

  As at 20 February 1999–2000

  End of year for 1999–2000

  Mathematics

  407

  529

  1,690

  Science

  938

  1,125

  3,450

  Modern Foreign Languages

  806

  904

  2,307

  Technology

  318

  441

  1,619

  Notes:

  1. Figures for undergraduate and postgraduate cannot be combined as applicants can make up to six applications through UCAS, but only one application through GTTR.

  2. Postgraduate end of year figures exclude applications made direct to the ITT provider.

  3. Undergraduate end of year figures exclude applications made at the clearing stage.

  4. Technology includes Design and Technology, Engineering, Computer Studies, Business Studies, Commerce, Home Economics and Needlecraft.

  Source:

  Graduate Teacher Training Registry

  These figures show that at the equivalent time last year, only about a third of final applications had been recorded for postgraduate subjects in Mathematics, Science and Technology and under half for courses in Modem Foreign Languages. Over the last five years there has been a trend for secondary initial teacher training postgraduate applications to be made later in the year.

  Fresh Start
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of recent developments in fresh start schools; and if he will make a statement. [115289]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The fresh start policy has been used to tackle schools with a long history of failure. These schools all present major challenges, and we are learning from the experiences of the first schools to identify and share the most successful strategies. The first three schools which opened in September 1998 have demonstrated improvements in examination success and reductions in truancy. We want all fresh schools to be equally successful and to change the life chances of their pupils. The alternative of continuing failure is unacceptable.

  Education Services (Islington)
  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the powers and functions of Islington Local Education Authority following the award of the contract for the provision of education services to Cambridge Education Associates. [115628]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  [holding answer 21 March 2000]: I am placing a copy of the enabling direction from the Secretary of State for Education and Employment and a summary table in the Library. These detail the distribution of statutory functions across Islington LEA and the contractor, CEA, from 1 April 2000.

  Schools (Lancaster and Wyre)
  Mr. Dawson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the schools in Lancaster and Wyre which have had major capital improvements since 1 May 1997. [115636]
  575W
  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 21 March 2000]: Schools in Lancaster and Wyre that have had major capital improvements since 1 May 1997 are:

  Baines School

  Central Lancaster County High

  Hodgson High Technology College

  Lancaster Ripley St. Thomas Church of England Secondary

  Lancaster Royal Grammar

  Lancaster Girls Grammar

  Millfield High

  Over Wyre St. Aiden's Church of England High

  Brookfield School.

  Special Needs
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer of 27 January 2000,Official Report, column 310W, on special needs, what progress he has made with the setting up of an emotional and behavioural difficulties advisory group; and if he will publish the names and relevant expertise of its members. [115801]

  Jacqui Smith
  The Advisory Group on Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (EBD) met for the first time on 28 February. It will meet regularly over the next few months and work with officials dealing with EBD and Child Mental Health Issues. The members of the Advisory Group are as follows:

  Bernard Allen, Headteacher, Southfield School, Wokingham

  Marion Bennathan, Chair, Association of Workers for Children with Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties

  Kathie Bull, HMI, EBD Specialist, Ofsted

  Gerry Gamble, Chair of National Association of EBD Special Schools, head of Notton House School

  Dr. Bob Jezzard, Department of Health adviser and child psychologist

  Eleni Ionnides, Head of Children's Services, Swindon Council

  Chris Marshall (Ofsted), Senior HMI responsible for SEN

  David Moore, HMI responsible for pupil behaviour issues

  Richard Rollinson, Principal Mulberry Bush School, Whitney

  Allan Sigston, Assistant Principal Education Psychologist, Essex

  Stephen Twigg, Behaviour Support Team, Langdon School, Newham

  Trevor Williams, LEA Adviser (EBD), Lancashire LEA

  Peter Wilson, Director Young Minds.

  DfEE officials working in the Special Educational Needs Division (EBD Team) provide the chair and secretariat for the group.

WALES

  Heart Disease
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary and the Health Secretary on treatment for heart disease in Wales. [114273]

  Mr. Hanson
  My right hon. Friend and I are in constant discussion with the First Secretary and the Assembly Health Secretary on various health issues affecting Wales. The Budget yesterday gave the Assembly the money 576W
  needed to take the NHS in Wales to the top of the European league—an annual average real terms increase of 5.6 per cent. over the next four years.

  Economic Policy
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary about the impact of Government economic policy in Wales. [114274]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Preseli Pembrokeshire (Ms Lawrence).

  Rural Affairs
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary on the co-ordination of policies on rural affairs. [114275]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I meet the First Secretary on a regular weekly basis and we discuss a range of issues including the co-ordination of policies on rural affairs.

  Mountain Rescue Teams
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will meet the Secretary of State for Defence to discuss MOD involvement in the provision of mountain rescue teams in Snowdonia, the Brecon Beacons and other Welsh mountain ranges. [114276]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I meet my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence regularly when we discuss a range of issues.

  RAF St. Athan and Stafford provide a rescue service for Wales. Each team consists of about 30 volunteers and five full-time members and trains regularly with its civilian counterparts for the best possible co-operation and effectiveness.

  Local Government
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received about the provisions contained in the Local Government Bill [Lords]. [114277]

  Mr. Hanson
  Both my right hon. Friend and I have received a number of representations about the Local Government Bill, including correspondence from interested and personal representations from representatives of the Welsh Local Government Association and of local authorities in Wales.

  Dairy Industry
  Mr. Paterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary on proposals for the Welsh dairy industry. [114278]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I meet the First Secretary on a regular weekly basis and we discuss a wide range of issues including the Welsh dairy industry. I met a delegation from the National Union of Farmers on 15 March.

  Child Abuse Inquiry
  Ms Julie Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to introduce legislation to implement the recommendations of the north Wales child abuse inquiry. [114279]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Clwyd, South (Mr. Jones).

  National Assembly Executive
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will amend the Wales Act 1998 with respect to the appointment of members of the National Assembly Executive. [114280]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  No.

  Farming
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met representatives of the farming industry in Wales to discuss farming in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [114281]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I last met representatives from the farming industry in Wales on 15 March when I received a delegation from the National Union of Farmers.

  Drug Abuse
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the impact of the Government's anti-drug abuse strategy on young people in Wales. [114282]

  Mr. Hanson
  I have met the First Secretary and the UK Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator to discuss the implications of the Government's anti-drug abuse strategy for Wales. The Assembly will be issuing a refocused strategy for Wales which will continue to place an emphasis on prevention with children and young people under 25, but will recognise the need for work with individuals of all ages.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met the UK Drugs Co-ordinator to discuss the prevalence of soft drugs in Wales. [114269]

  Mr. Hanson
  I met the UK Drugs Co-ordinator and the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales on Wednesday 20 October 1999 when we discussed issues relating to substance misuse in Wales.

  European Structural Funds
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales concerning the Welsh Affairs Committee report on European Structural Funds, Session 1999–2000 (HC 46). [114283]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I meet the First Secretary regularly and we discuss a range of issues. In addition, our officials have been working together to respond to those recommendations which require a joint response and the UK Government will be submitting its response shortly.

  Rural Post Offices (Montgomeryshire)
  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will visit rural post offices in Montgomeryshire. [114284]

  Mr. Hanson
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I are both very aware of the important role played by rural post offices in maintaining the social fabric of their areas and have discussed this issue with colleagues in Central Government and in the National Assembly for Wales. I would be happy to meet with representatives of Montgomeryshire either in London or in Montgomeryshire.

  National Assembly Buildings
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what requests he has received for the provision of extra funds from the UK central Government in relation to the existence of future National Assembly buildings; and if he will make a statement. [114285]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I have received no such requests. Future National Assembly buildings will be funded from the provision within the Welsh Block.

  University Students
  Mr. St. Aubyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last discussed with the First Secretary the number of students at Welsh universities who have failed to complete their course of study. [114286]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I regularly meet the First Secretary and discuss a variety of issues, including further education.

  Local Councillors (Remuneration)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will introduce measures to increase the powers of the Welsh Assembly to set a ceiling for remuneration for local councillors in Wales. [114287]

  Mr. Hanson
  The National Assembly for Wales already has a power under section 18 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 to make regulations relating to councillors' allowances.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Athletics
  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what was the expenditure by his Department on the sport of athletics in(a) 1997–98 and (b) 1998–99; and what are the planned levels of expenditure in (i) 1999–2000, (ii) 2000–01, and (iii) 2001–02. [113819]

  Kate Hoey
  [holding answer 13 March 2000]: Public funding of sport is channelled through the Sports Councils. Lottery Sports Funding, under the World Class

  579W
  Performance Programme, and exchequer expenditure on athletics by Sport England and UK Sport is as follows:

  £000

  1997–98

  3,930

  1998–99

  7,060

  1999–2000

  6,597

  Note:

  Sport England's figures for Lottery funding are for 11 months. End year figure may therefore be higher.

  In addition, since the start of the National lottery Sport England has approved awards totalling £38,113,748 in respect of community athletics facilities.

  Neither Sport England nor UK Sport is able at this stage to say what will be its total planned expenditure on athletics for 2000–01 and 2001–02.

  Millennium Commission Loan
  Mr. Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if the proposed further £28 million loan has been allocated by the Millennium Commission to the New Millennium Experience Company. [114686]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  This is a matter for the Millennium Commission. I shall write to the hon. Member in my capacity as Chairman of the Commission and place copies of my reply in the Libraries of the House.

  Percentage

  Service

  Period

  Target Percentage

  Hours per week1

  Proportion2

  End-year3

  BBC Choice

  Year to October 1999

  5

  67

  31.5

  37.6

  November 1999 to end February 2000

  10

  121

  22.6

  —

  BBC News 24

  Year to October 1999

  5

  5.6

  3.3

  9.7

  November 1999 to end February 2000

  10

  18

  10.7

  —

  BBC Knowledge

  June 1999 to end February 2000

  5

  4

  8.9

  —

  1 Number of hours per week of subtitling on each channel—average for the period

  2 Percentage of total output subtitled—average for the period

  3 Percentage of total output subtitled by end year—average for last four weeks of full year

  Lottery Receipts
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the value of Lottery receipts that have not been allocated to good causes; and what plans he has to disperse them. [115486]

  Kate Hoey
  All National Lottery income available for good causes has been allocated to distributing bodies.

  Wembley Stadium
  Mr. Faber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the representatives of Wembley National Stadium Ltd. who were present at the meeting with his Department's Ministers on 29 June 1999 described in his Department's memorandum to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee (HC 164, Session 1999–2000, p. 90); and if he will make a statement. [115229]

  Kate Hoey
  No representatives of Wembley National Stadium Ltd. (WNSL) were present at the meeting on 29 June 1999 as described. This was a genuine drafting error in the memorandum and in no way intended to

  Subtitling
  Miss Kirkbride
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if his Department will publish figures for the percentage of programmes subtitled on each of the digital terrestrial television channels since their launch in November 1998; [115258]

  (2) if all channels are meeting their requirements for subtitling on digital terrestrial television; and what exceptions have been made to the requirements; [115257]

  (3) in what ways his Department is monitoring the levels of subtitling on digital terrestrial television. [115256]

  Janet Anderson
  The Independent Television Commission (ITC) are responsible for monitoring the levels of subtitling on commercial digital terrestrial programme services. The Commission has made no exceptions to the requirements to provide subtitling. The BBC has a subtitling unit which monitors the output of subtitling on BBC digital services.

  I understand from the ITC that they are currently evaluating data received from commercial digital terrestrial programme service licensees for the period 15 January to 31 December 1999.

  The BBC have provided the following figures on the percentage of programmes subtitled of BBC digital terrestrial channels:

  mislead the Committee. WNSL and the English Sports Council submitted papers to my Department on 17 June 1999 and 23 June 1999 respectively, reviewing the options to increase capacity at Wembley to 80,000 for athletics events. My officials met representatives of WNSL and Sport England to discuss these in detail on June 28 1999 and the then Minister for Sport, my hon. Friend the Member for West Ham, (Mr. Banks) then met representatives from the ESC on 29 June 1999 to discuss the capacity issues. It was agreed at that meeting that increasing the capacity in football mode from the start of the project was not viable, but that the design should preserve the option to be upgraded later in line with Olympic requirements. This view was subsequently communicated to WNSL by officials from my Department.

  Dome
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proposals he is evaluating for keeping the Millennium Dome Exhibition open after 31 December. [115261]
  581W
  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 17 March 2000]: There are no proposals at present to continue the Millennium Experience beyond 31 December 2000.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Firearms
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many legally-held(a) handguns of over .22 calibre and (b) rifles of over .22 calibre have been stolen from private individuals, excluding police and prison officers, in Northern Ireland, and how many such weapons were stolen from members of (i) the armed forces, (ii) the police and police reserves and (iii) prison officers, in each of the last 10 years. [106064]

  Mr. Ingram
  The following table shows the number of illegally held handguns stolen from private individuals, the Armed Forces, the Police and Prison Officers in each of the last 10 years.

  Year

  Private individuals

  Armed forces

  Police officers

  Prison officers

  1990

  0

  6

  15

  4

  1991

  8

  5

  12

  2

  1992

  3

  5

  3

  1

  1993

  7

  1

  5

  0

  1994

  12

  6

  14

  0

  1995

  7

  2

  6

  0

  1996

  7

  4

  6

  1

  1997

  11

  1

  2

  0

  1998

  16

  2

  6

  0

  1999

  7

  1

  1

  1

  Totals

  78

  33

  70

  9

  During this period one rifle was stolen from a police officer.

  The Chief Constable has advised that the information in relation to the calibres of these firearms is not easily accessible and obtaining it would incur disproportionate cost.

  Prisoner Releases
  Mr. MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the perceived paramilitary affiliation of those prisoners awaiting release under the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998 whose applications have been successful. [112963]

  Mr. Ingram
  To date, a total of 109 prisoners whose applications for early release have been successful are awaiting early release under the Northern Ireland (Sentences) Act 1998. Information is held in relation to the perceived paramilitary affiliation of prisoners, where applicable, for management purposes. It should be noted, however, that with the exception of HMP Maze where links are more clearly defined, this information is based on a combination of factors including the offence, sympathies and associates. The table provides the breakdown by perceived affiliation and is taken from statistics which are current at 21 March 2000.582W

  Perceived affiliation of prisoners whose applications for early release have been successful and who are awaiting early release under the NI (Sentences) Act 1998

  Total1

  UDA

  13

  No trace

  1

  UFF

  5

  PIRA

  51

  UVF

  14

  Loyalist

  1

  RHC

  1

  LVF

  9

  INLA

  14

  Grand total

  109

  1 As at 21 March 2000

  Mrs. Rosemary Nelson
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what factors account for the delay between the Committee on the Administration of Justice informing him of the threats made to Mrs. Rosemary Nelson and the police seeking originals of those threats; and if he will make a statement. [113473]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 10 March 2000]: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 10 February 2000, Official Report, column 239W.

  Correspondence
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will respond to the correspondence received from Mrs. Laura Hamill; and if he will place a copy of that correspondence in the Library. [114646]

  Mr. Mandelson
  The Northern Ireland Office has no record of any correspondence sent to me by Mrs. Laura Hamill. I received one letter written on behalf of Mrs. Hamill from Mr. Mark Thompson, Co-ordinator of the Relatives for Justice, on 22 February 2000. I will place a copy of my reply to Mr. Thompson in the Library.

  Justices of the Peace
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the members of the Lord Chancellor's Advisory Committee responsible for making appointments of justices of the peace in the County Armagh area. [115407]

  Mr. Lock
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Lord Chancellor's directions for Advisory Committee on Justices of the Peace in Northern Ireland states that while membership may be confidential it is open to each Advisory Committee to determine whether or not it wishes to disclose its membership to current justices or to bona fide enquirers. The Chairman and the Advisory Committees for the Divisions of Craigavon, Armagh and South Down, which cover the Armagh area, have elected that the membership of these Committees remain confidential.

  Portadown (Civil Disturbance)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what support was offered by British
  583W
  Army and Royal Irish Regiment units to the Royal Ulster Constabulary to assist in respect of the civil disturbance in Portadown town centre on 27 April 1997. [115279]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 21 March 2000]: There was no military involvement.

  Sexual Assaults
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in the most recent year for which records are available, how many cases of sexual assault were reported to the Royal Ulster Constabulary; in how many of these cases the identity of the alleged perpetrator was known to the police; how many cases were referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions; how many prosecutions were brought; and how many convictions were secured. [115278]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 21 March 2000]: A total of 1,605 sexual offences1 were recorded by the Royal Ulster Constabulary for the year 1998–99. Of these, 1,221 offences were cleared, representing an overall clearance rate of 76.1 per cent.

  During the same period, 104 persons2 were proceeded against in the Crown courts. Eighty-one were found guilty and 23 not guilty. Comparable figures for the magistrates courts are not yet available.
  1 Relates to all Class 2 offences as recorded under revised Home Office counting rules introduced from 1 April 1998.
  2 Relates to primary offences only, all of which were referred to the DPP. It is not possible to determine the number of persons proceeded against in the Crown courts with a sexual offence being a secondary offence.

  Pre-school Education (Kircubbin)
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what applications there are for the provision of pre-school education at Kircubbin, County Down; what funding is available for pre-school education; and if such funding would be available if pre-school provision in Kircubbin were under the control of the(a) South-Eastern Education and Libraries Board and (b) Council for Catholic Maintained Schools [115397]

  Mr. George Howarth
  An application for the provision of a free-standing community nursery school in Kircubbin has been offered capital funding of £225,000 under the EU Special Support Programme for Peace and Reconciliation by the Department of Education.

  Following discussions with representatives of the South-Eastern Education and Library Board and the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools, the community group promoting the nursery school in Kircubbin decided that it should be managed as a Catholic maintained nursery school but with a cross-community Board of Governors. The funding would equally have been available had the community group chosen to follow the management model for a controlled school.

  As the deadline for expenditure of these EU funds is 31 December 2000, the funding could not be transferred to an alternative project in the Kircubbin area at this stage.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  GM Crops
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received on the risks attached to the exchange between plant and animal viruses in relation to GM crops; and if he will make a statement. [115034]

  Ms Quin
  We are not aware of any representations on this issue.

  In 1994 this Department commissioned a report to assess the risks to the agricultural environment associated with the development of virus-tolerant GM plants. This report identified the creation of new viruses as an area which should be investigated and we have funded a number of research projects in this area, at a total cost of £755,000. These projects have not found any evidence of the creation of novel viruses. Details of all completed projects are available from the MAFF library.

  OTMS
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the(a) total number of carcases and (b) total amount of revenue claimed from the European Union in compensation for cattle disposed of under the over-thirty-months scheme for each month since the scheme began. [114825]

  Ms Quin
  Full entitlement of EU reimbursement in respect of eligible over-thirty-months scheme (OTMS) animals is payable when the carcase is incinerated. In respect of animals which are rendered, reimbursement of full entitlement is payable once the equivalent amount of meat and bone-meal and tallow have been incinerated, although an 80 per cent. advance of the entitlement can be claimed once the animals have been rendered.

  Reimbursement by month, and the number of carcases to which reimbursement relates, is shown in the table.

  Month of claim

  Number of animals rendered/incinerated

  Amount of claim (£)

  July 1996

  5,581

  1,873,670.99

  August 1996

  5,165

  1,695,156.40

  September 1996

  5,916

  1,933,664.20

  October 1996

  7,616

  2,489,349.19

  November 1996

  435,391

  115,431,499.80

  December 1996

  5,483

  1,569,572.70

  January 1997

  235,588

  59,427,571.28

  February 1997

  142,782

  33,202,079.85

  March 1997

  19,007

  4,341,057.71

  April 1997

  27,011

  6,047,245.68

  May 1997

  64,464

  14,419,814.34

  June 1997

  54,584

  11,579,134.78

  July 1997

  55,234

  12,036,824.45

  August 1997

  70,891

  14,858,390.25

  September 1997

  68,682

  13,014,092.30

  October 1997

  379,311

  83,558,624.57

  November 1997

  71,852

  12,025,811.74

  December 1997

  57,932

  9,658,691.62

  January 1998

  8,067

  1,642,765.95

  February 1998

  142,260

  23,462,250.74

  March 1998

  77,131

  12,952,651.28

  April 1998

  77,349

  13,008,253.72

  May 1998

  51,417

  8,691,811.79

  June 1998

  63,749

  10,693,139.72

  July 1998

  51,396

  8,449,852.40

  585W

  Month of claim

  Number of animals rendered/incinerated

  Amount of claim (£)

  August 1998

  48,385

  8,104,191.12

  September 1998

  61,972

  10,221,809.76

  October 1998

  221,688

  46,272,929.96

  November 1998

  62,756

  10,272,806.75

  December 1998

  85,417

  14,083,784.24

  January 1999

  147,372

  24,697,959.10

  February 1999

  75,958

  12,913,319.20

  March 1999

  80,933

  13,807,393.47

  April 1999

  74,618

  12,546,061.20

  May 1999

  74,967

  12,408,382.97

  June 1999

  68,065

  11,074,018.67

  July 1999

  71,167

  11,384,673.89

  August 1999

  56,197

  8,997,993.17

  September 1999

  58,577

  9,446,835.73

  October 1999

  49,368

  7,945,399.51

  November 1999

  122,340

  31,192,833.45

  December 1999

  75,685

  12,252,040.94

  January 2000

  133,923

  22,070,192.22

  February 2000

  98,747

  15,727,238.56

  Total

  3,851,994

  773,482,841.36

  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the location of each site currently burning meat and bone-meal produced under the over-thirty-months scheme, and the names of the companies operating each site. [115111]

  Ms Quin
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Randall) on 24 January 2000,Official Report, column 10W.

  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the precautionary principle has been adopted in the decision to(a) allow storage of meat and bonemeal from over-thirty-months scheme cattle prior to incineration, (b) allow the storage of meat and bonemeal from over-thirty-months scheme cattle over a long period of time, (c) allow the incineration of meat and bonemeal from over-thirty-months scheme cattle that has been stored over a long period of time, (d) choose contracts offering rendering of over-thirty-months scheme cattle prior to incineration rather than those offering direct incineration and (e) allow tallow from over-thirty-months scheme cattle to be used as fuel. [115113]

  Ms Quin
  The Environment Agency commissioned a number of assessments on the risk to human health from BSE via environmental pathways, which included the storage and processing of over-thirty-months scheme (OTMS) material. (Cattle showing clinical signs suggestive of BSE cannot enter the OTMS). The risk assessments were produced in consultation with SEAC, and were based on the precautionary principle. These showed the risks to the most exposed individual to be negligible, endorsing SEAC's advice in 1996. Copies of the risk assessments, which were published in June 1997, were placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the total costs for transporting meat and bone meal produced under the Over-30-Months scheme from storage locations to incinerators. [115112]
  586W
  Ms Quin
  Transport costs range from £9.50 and £13.50 per tonne of Meat and Bone Meal (MBM) depending on the location of the storage site and the distance to the incinerator.

  Fishing Zone Rights
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what plans he has to alter the boundaries between the English fishing zones and those for(a) Scotland and (b) Wales; [114893]

  (2) what reserved rights fishermen from England have to operate in United Kingdom fishing zones controlled and managed by the (a) Scottish Parliament and (b) National Assembly for Wales; [114891]

  (3) if he will list the responsibilities of (a) his Department and (b) the devolved Executives in respect of the delineation of fisheries zones in United Kingdom waters; and if he will make a statement. [114892]

  Mr. Morley
  The licensing arrangements put in place following devolution leave unchanged the rights of all UK fishermen to fish throughout British Fishery Limits.

  The Scottish Zone of British Fishery Limits was established by the Scottish Adjacent Waters Boundaries Order 1999 [SI 1999/1126] made under the provisions of Section 126(2) of the Scotland Act 1998. There is no Welsh zone, but as a result of the Government of Wales Act 1998 and the National Assembly for Wales (Transfer of Functions) Order 1999 [SI 1999/672] the National Assembly has devolved responsibility for fisheries matters in Wales out to the limit of adjoining territorial waters.

  There are no plans to change these arrangements.

  Liquid Condensate
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 10 March 2000,Official Report, column 868W, if he will make a statement on the practice of spreading of liquid condensate on land in Staffordshire; when he intends to announce new proposals; and what public consultation is proposed in relation to the Committee's recommendations. [115087]

  Ms Quin
  We are actively considering controls on the spreading of condensate from the rendering of ruminant animals to land. Once proposals are ready, we will consult on them.

  DNA Degradation
  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice he has been given on the conditions necessary for the degradation of DNA, particularly in food matrices; and if he will make a statement. [115499]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 20 March 2000]: DNA is a normal part of the everyday diet. It is degraded to varying degrees during processing and cooking etc. according to the conditions applied. It is also degraded by the digestive processes of the gut once consumed.

  Fishing Quotas
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 7 March
  587W
  2000, Official Report, column 581W, on fishing quotas, what was the nature of the United Kingdom response to the Commission opinion. [115574]

  Mr. Morley
  In allocating quota to producer organisations and other groups in 1992 and subsequent years adequate provision was made for the return to the UK fleet of vessels which had been previously de-registered as a result of the Merchant Shipping Act 1988.

  Animal Welfare (Transport)
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many times section 18(2a) of the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997 has been invoked in the last six months; and if he will make a statement. [115274]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 21 March 2000]: To date, we have been notified of 404 notices issued under Article 18(2) of the Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997 by inspectors of the Ministry or local authorities during the six months to 29 February 2000. Figures are not kept to show under which part of Article 18(2) these notices are issued.

  Cap Afrique
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department's officials discussed the weather and sea conditions with the Master of the Cap Afrique on the night of 2 March; and if he will make statement. [115241]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 21 March 2000]: The weather and sea conditions on the night of 2 March were not discussed with the Master of the Cap Afrique. This is a matter for concern, given that the weather conditions were such that they ought to have triggered discussions between Ministry staff and the Master. The standing instructions to staff are being revised so as to tighten procedures on future occasions.

  Tuna Licences
  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to announce the arrangements and criteria for the allocation of tuna licences for the current year. [115629]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 21 March 2000]: An announcement on the arrangements and criteria for the allocation of tuna licences for the year 2000 will be made shortly.

HEALTH

  Health Authorities and Trusts
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many elected members of local authorities have been appointed(a) chairman and (b) non-executive director of (i) health authorities and (ii) trusts since 1 May 1997, indicating the party affiliation in each case. [114366]

  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 13 March 2000]: The information requested is given in the table.
  588W

  Councillors appointed to the boards of National Health Service trusts and health authorities by political party since 1 May 1997

  Political party

  National Health Service trusts

  Health authorities

  Conservative

  Chairs

  6

  1

  Non-Executives

  3

  4

  Liberal

  Chairs

  5

  0

  Non-Executives

  27

  8

  Labour

  Chairs

  35

  6

  Non-Executives

  234

  43

  Other

  Chairs

  0

  0

  Non-Executives

  8

  2

  Total since 1 May 1997

  318

  64

  This represents approximately 12.3 per cent. of those appointed to the boards of National Health Service trusts and health authorities since 1 May 1997.

  NHS Appointments
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list(a) the political affiliation of non-executives appointed to NHS bodies, in each of the last three years for which figures are available, broken down by body, health authority, region and in total, (b) the names of those whose political affiliation has changed during this period and (c) the political affiliation of those who have left non-executive posts in the same period; and if he will make a statement. [114211]

  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 13 March 2000]: The Department does not collect information on the political affiliation of those appointed to National Health Service bodies. In accordance with guidance from the Commissioner for Public Appointments, information is collected on political activity undertaken by chairs and non-executives at the time they apply for a National Health Service appointment. Details of those board members who have undertaken political activity for different parties is published in the Department of Health Public Appointments Annual Report. Copies of the 1996, 1998 and 1999 reports are in the Library. The 2000 report will be published in May. Information on board members who have declared political activity and who have left non-executive or chair posts at National Health Service trusts or health authorities in the last three years is given in the table.

  Number

  Conservative

  133

  Independent

  10

  Labour

  98

  Liberal Democrat

  25

  Other

  10

  589W
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the total number of appointments to health authorities, trusts and other NHS bodies he has made in Greater London since 1 May 1997 indicating the total number who have declared a Labour Party background, their names, and Labour Party activities. [114772]

  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 16 March 2000]: Information on candidates appointed to National Health Service boards and any political activity declared is recorded in the Department of Health Public Appointments Annual Report for 1999, copies of which are available in the Library. The 2000 report will be published in May.

  ETU recipients (allowed cases) by pilot area, sex and average weekly award, October 1996 to September 1997

  Number of participants

  Average weekly ETU (£)

  Pilot area

  Male

  Female

  All

  Male

  Female

  All

  All areas

  11,195

  12,253

  23,448

  26.43

  23.67

  24.99

  Scheme A

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  1,914

  1,909

  3,823

  25.10

  21.90

  23.51

  Barnsley, Castleford, Pontefract, Wakefield and Dewsbury

  1,253

  1,393

  2,646

  26.66

  21.99

  24.20

  Southend

  432

  568

  1,000

  24.48

  22.00

  23.07

  Wales

  1,299

  1,402

  2,701

  26.16

  23.41

  24.73

  Scheme B

  Sunderland

  3,136

  3,235

  6,371

  26.79

  24.35

  25.55

  Doncaster

  1,605

  1,989

  3,594

  27.17

  24.90

  25.92

  Bournemouth

  868

  796

  1,664

  27.79

  25.88

  26.88

  Scotland

  688

  961

  1,649

  26.32

  24.31

  25.15

  ETU recipients (allowed cases) by pilot area, sex and average weekly award, October 1997 to September 1998

  Number of participants

  Average weekly ETU (£)

  Pilot area

  Male

  Female

  All

  Male

  Female

  All

  All areas

  15,966

  16,310

  32,276

  27.47

  24.51

  25.97

  Scheme A

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  2,586

  2,547

  5,133

  26.35

  22.81

  24.59

  Barnsley, Castleford, Pontefract, Wakefield and Dewsbury

  1,684

  1,717

  3,401

  29.35

  23.61

  26.45

  Southend

  471

  679

  1,150

  26.94

  23.02

  24.63

  Wales

  2,218

  2,027

  4,245

  27.91

  24.50

  26.28

  Scheme B

  Sunderland

  4,506

  4,244

  8,750

  26.92

  24.90

  25.94

  Doncaster

  2,343

  2,737

  5,080

  28.08

  25.39

  26.63

  Bournemouth

  1,060

  1,080

  2,140

  28.66

  26.46

  27.55

  Scotland

  1,098

  1,279

  2,377

  26.41

  25.08

  25.69

  ETU recipients (allowed cases) by pilot area, sex and average weekly award, October 1998 to September 1999

  Number of participants

  Average weekly ETU (£)

  Pilot area

  Male

  Female

  All

  Male

  Female

  All

  All areas

  15,579

  16,400

  31,979

  27.44

  23.98

  25.66

  Scheme A

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  2,563

  2,624

  5,187

  26.60

  22.97

  24.76

  Barnsley, Castleford, Pontefract, Wakefield and Dewsbury

  1,634

  1,659

  3,293

  29.91

  23.20

  26.53

  Southend

  471

  669

  1,140

  28.61

  23.28

  25.48

  Wales

  2,149

  2,035

  4,184

  29.66

  24.93

  27.36

  Scheme B

  Sunderland

  4,201

  4,248

  8,449

  26.16

  23.79

  24.97

  Doncaster

  2,459

  2,682

  5,141

  27.18

  24.21

  25.63

  Bournemouth

  1,052

  1,128

  2,180

  29.12

  26.41

  27.72

  Scotland

  1,050

  1,355

  2,405

  24.57

  23.87

  24.17

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Earnings Top-up Pilot
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for each year of the earnings top-up pilot, the relevant local authority area in England and Wales and the total number of individuals, indicating their(a) gender and (b) average ETU award, who participated in the pilot. [115109]

  Angela Eagle
  The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the tables.
  591W

  ETU cases disallowed, October 1996 to September 1999

  Year

  Number disallowed

  1996–97

  5,801

  1997–98

  6,635

  1998–99

  7,485

  Notes:

  1. Based on 100 per cent. caseload figures.

  2. Figures are unrounded.

  3. Figures represent the sum of all participants in each given period. Claims are only counted once in each year, although there will be a degree of double counting between years where a participant has been receiving ETU over more than one yearly period.

  4. Detailed figures for disallowed cases of ETU are not available, as gender and pilot area are not recorded.

  Source:

  Earnings Top-Up Statistical Enquiry, February 2000.

  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the arrangements for the evaluation of the effects of the Earnings Top-Up pilot. [115107]

  Angela Eagle
  A report providing a description of the programme of research to evaluate the effects of the Earnings Top-Up pilot was published in May 1996 and placed in the Library. Interim findings from the evaluation were published in the Department of Social Security Research Series in March 2000 and final results will be available in early 2001.

  Winter Fuel Payments
  Shona McIsaac
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will extend Winter Fuel Payments to people with disabilities who are not in receipt of Income Support. [115047]

  Angela Eagle
  Following the European Court of Justice ruling Winter Fuel Payments were extended to both men and women aged 60 and over and the need to be in receipt of a qualifying benefit was removed. As before, payments are restricted to people who are ordinarily resident in Great Britain. As long as they satisfy the qualifying conditions, disabled people will be eligible for a Winter Fuel Payment, like anyone else in the same position.

  As well as Winter Fuel Payments, we also provide Cold Weather Payments towards additional heating costs for vulnerable groups on Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance. Disabled people, regardless of age, who are in receipt of Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance which includes a disability premium, are among those eligible for Cold Weather Payments. There are no plans to change these eligibility rules.

  Family Credit (Norwich)
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in Norwich were in receipt of(a) Family Credit and (b) the child care allowance in each of the last five years. [115096]

  Angela Eagle
  The information is in the tables.592W

  Numbers of Family Credit recipients in Norwich local authority area August 1995–99

  Thousand

  Year

  Number

  August 1995

  1.6

  August 1996

  1.8

  August 1997

  2.0

  August 1998

  2.1

  August 1999

  2.0

  Notes:

  1. Case load figures are taken at a point in time for which the month is August.

  2. Sample size is 5 per cent. As the numbers are based on a relatively small number of sample cases the estimates are subject to a high degree of sampling error, ie for an estimate of 2,000 the true value will lie somewhere in the range 1,628 to 2,382.

  3. Family Credit was replaced by Working Families Tax Credit in October 1999.

  4. Local authorities are assigned by matching the postcode against the 1999 version 1 of the postcode directory.

  5. Numbers are rounded to the nearest hundred and expressed in thousands.

  Source:

  Family Credit 5 per cent. sample of awards.

  Family Credit recipients benefiting from the child care disregard, Eastern Government Office Region August 1995–99

  Thousand

  Year

  Number

  August 1995

  1.3

  August 1996

  1.8

  August 1997

  2.0

  August 1998

  2.4

  August 1999

  3.1

  Notes:

  1. Case load figures are taken at a point in time for which the month is August.

  2. Numbers are based on a 5 per cent. sample and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling error.

  3. Family Credit was replaced by Working Families Tax Credit in October 1999.

  4. Numbers are rounded to the nearest hundred and expressed in thousands.

  SERPS
  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the number of contributors to SERPS and their dependants who have suffered financial or other hardship as a result of the misleading information issued between 1986 and 1996 on changes in the provision of inherited SERPS. [115369]

  Mr. Rooker
  No one should have suffered financial loss as a result of the information issued as the change was not due to come into effect until April 2000 and is now intended to be postponed for two and a half years until 6 October 2002. The inherited SERPS scheme will provide redress for those people who were wrongly informed and who, had they known the true position, would have made different arrangements.

  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what was the nature of the evidence referred to in the NAO report on SERPS (HC320) about the noting by his Department of the absence of information about changes to inherited SERPS in a draft leaflet on the changes to retirement pensions; and if the investigations
  593W
  referred to in his oral statement of 15 March 2000, Official Report, column 307, established whether Ministers' attention was drawn to this fact; [115368]

  (2) if the investigations referred to in his oral statement of 15 March 2000, Official Report, column 307, established whether Ministers had (a) sight of or (b) responsibility for the 1987 revision of the DSS leaflet, "Your Retirement Pension" (NP32), concerning the 50 per cent. reduction in inherited SERPS. [115371]

  Mr. Rooker
  The failure to include the correct information about SERPS inheritance provisions in leaflets was an extended failure over a period of time. The National Audit Office and the Ombudsman have reviewed the available evidence and concluded that there is no documentary evidence that enables them to conclude one way or the other about the cause of the omission. All Ministers must inevitably bear a measure of responsibility for the leaflets issued by the Departments in which they hold office.

  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what will be the average weekly change, as a result of the changes to SERPS in the Social Security Act 1986, in inherited pension received by a surviving spouse whose partner dies after 5 April 2000 rather than before. [115373]

  Mr. Rooker
  The changes referred to are to be postponed by two and a half years until 6 October 2002. There will therefore be no average weekly change in inherited pension for people whose spouse dies after 5 April 2000 rather than before.

  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the investigations referred to in his oral statement of 15 March 2000,Official Report, column 307, established whether Ministers had (a) sight of and (b) responsibility for the leaflet contained in the DSS briefing pack publicising the 1986 reforms that mentioned the 50 per cent. reduction in inherited SERPS. [115372]

  Mr. Rooker
  The National Audit Office reviewed the available evidence and has published its report. This particular leaflet had a signed foreword from the then Secretary of State. All Ministers must inevitably bear a measure of responsibility for the leaflets issued by the Departments in which they hold office.

  My hon. Friend is aware that Ministers in the current Administration do not have available to them papers from the previous Administration, although both the NAO and the PCA had access to all the papers on which to base their reports.

  Benefit Payments
  Mr. Crausby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the difference in the cost of benefit payments is between an automatic credit transfer transaction and payment by giro; and if he will break down the cost difference between payments to the agencies concerned. [115483]

  Mr. Rooker
  Payment by girocheque is over 130 times more expensive than payment by automated credit transfer (ACT).
  594W
  The overall average total unit costs to the Benefits Agency are in the order of £1.36 for each girocheque and 1p for each ACT transaction. These figures include the production processing and distribution costs as well as the transaction charges paid to paying agents.

  A breakdown of the costs to the individual components cannot be disclosed as some of this information is commercial in confidence.

  Pensions Indexation
  Jean Corston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the responses received during the recent consultation exercise on pensions indexation and investment-linked annuities. [116204]

  Mr. Rooker
  We asked for views from the pensions industry, employers and the public on whether it would be right to relax the current indexation rules for money purchase pension schemes, to allow schemes to offer investment-linked annuities to any members who might wish to choose this option as an alternative to a traditional indexed annuity. Investment-linked annuities enable the annuitant to benefit from growth in a range of underlying investments after retirement, though this goes hand in hand with a risk of possible falls in pension income if investment performance is poor.

  The principle of introducing this greater flexibility for occupational scheme members was widely welcomed. The balance of opinion was against the introduction of mandatory guarantees to protect the level of pension paid by investment-linked annuities, because this would hamper product design and could have a significant effect on the potential growth in the annuitant's future income. A mixed response was received to the question of whether investment-linked annuities should also be allowed to be bought from "protected rights" elements of funds (that is, any part of the fund which has accrued in place of rights in SERPS).

  We have tabled an amendment to the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Bill which will have the effect of allowing funds in occupational schemes subject to the "Limited Price Indexation" requirement to be used to purchase an investment-linked annuity. Protected rights will not be covered by the amendment, however. We intend to give further detailed consideration to the issues that arise for protected rights before deciding whether to make any changes to the indexation rules which apply to them. We shall also give careful consideration to the comments which many respondents made on the wider question of the application of indexation requirements to occupational money purchase pension schemes.

  I am arranging for copies of the responses received in the consultation exercise to be placed in the Library.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what assessment he has made of the performance of contractors operating housing benefit administration; and if he will make a statement; [115650]
  595W
  (2) what assessment he has made of the quality of service for housing benefit claimants resident in Hackney and Islington since IT Net was contracted to provide the service; and if he will make a statement. [115651]

  Angela Eagle
  Local authorities have a statutory duty to administer the Housing Benefit scheme. We are aware that a small minority of authorities has chosen to contract out support functions for their benefit services and that some have experienced difficulties as a result. It is a matter for the local authorities concerned to draw up and manage robust contracts with their suppliers and to take appropriate steps where contractors are failing to meet their obligations.

  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 are designed to ensure that authorities provide their communities with a faster, more accurate service which is more secure against fraud, and which provides value for money and takes account of the views and needs of clients. Local authorities will be required to set challenging targets for improved performance against these indicators year on year.

  We are committed to working with local government to modernise and improve public services so as to ensure they are efficient and of high quality and are responsive to the needs of local people. However, we will not hesitate to act where necessary to protect the interests of local people. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has recently announced that where the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate identifies persistent failings in the Housing

  Housing benefit administration

  1997–98

  1998–99

  Local Authority

  LA estimated costs1

  DSS specific grant2

  LA estimated costs

  DSS specific grant

  Barking and Dagenham

  496

  307

  654

  329

  Barnet

  1,869

  507

  2,086

  520

  Bexley

  506

  300

  457

  313

  Brent

  3,670

  862

  3,820

  872

  Bromley

  1,778

  473

  1,680

  490

  Camden

  3,291

  846

  3,169

  851

  City of London

  232

  30

  263

  33

  Croydon

  1,998

  646

  2,050

  627

  Ealing

  3,745

  676

  4,177

  692

  Enfield

  2,571

  451

  2,382

  499

  Greenwich

  4,739

  609

  3,881

  660

  Hackney

  5,600

  1,036

  4,529

  1,114

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  2,935

  604

  2,832

  623

  Haringey

  5,428

  954

  5,634

  913

  Harrow

  985

  291

  1,191

  298

  Havering

  915

  268

  1,021

  250

  Hillingdon

  1,538

  336

  1,143

  343

  Hounslow

  1,104

  417

  1,235

  416

  Islington

  3,814

  747

  3,050

  783

  Kensington and Chelsea

  3,690

  523

  3,090

  525

  Kingston upon Thames

  485

  160

  484

  154

  Lambeth

  5,052

  1,009

  3,679

  1,050

  Lewisham

  6,167

  919

  7,227

  942

  Merton

  664

  300

  684

  296

  Newham

  7,363

  997

  7,691

  1,023

  Redbridge

  1,932

  386

  2,538

  414

  Richmond upon Thames

  976

  225

  853

  223

  Southwark

  3,915

  936

  5,447

  962

  Sutton

  1,209

  225

  1,190

  233

  596W
  Benefit service that is being provided he will use his statutory powers to direct the authority concerned on the standards it is to meet and the timescales for achieving them.

  The Benefit Fraud Inspectorate is due to conduct inspections of the benefit services provided by the London boroughs of Hackney and Islington during the summer.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what advice he has given to housing benefit administrators concerning the processing of applications(a) that are more than six months late and (b) that have been lost by the processing agent. [115649]

  Angela Eagle
  Local authorities have an independent statutory duty to administer the Housing Benefit scheme in accordance with the legal framework set by Parliament. The Department issues general guidance to all authorities on the law governing the scheme through the Housing Benefit Guidance Manual and supplementary circulars. Where Housing Benefit claims are delayed or lost it is for the local authority concerned to decide what action to take in the light of the circumstances of each individual case.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will state(a) the total cost of housing benefit administration, (b) the subsidy provided by his Department and (c) the net cost to each London borough for (i) 1997–98 and (ii) 1998–99; and what is his estimate for the current year to date. [115648]

  Angela Eagle
  Information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.
  597W

  Housing benefit administration

  1997–98

  1998–99

  Local Authority

  LA estimated costs1

  DSS specific grant2

  LA estimated costs

  DSS specific grant

  Tower Hamlets

  2,275

  680

  2,658

  725

  Waltham Forest

  1,639

  624

  1,897

  663

  Wandsworth

  2,096

  782

  2,101

  756

  Westminster

  4,886

  723

  4,986

  712

  1 The total expenditure on administration costs used in the calculations are those reported by the authorities to the Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) on the RO4 form. Costs reported by Local Authorities can vary widely. The reasons for the differences include the different mix of caseload, their relative complexities to administer, and also the different components included in the total costs expenditure, for example, the treatment of overheads.

  2 DSS specific grant only, calculated using a grant allocation formula agreed with the Local Authority Associations. These figures do not include additional funding made available to authorities for anti-fraud work. DETR also pay subsidy for Housing Benefit administration as part of the Revenue Support Grant arrangements.

  Notes:

  1. Information is not yet available for Local Authorities' reported costs for 1999–2000.

  2. It is not possible to show the net cost for each London borough as the DETR also make provision for Housing Benefit administration costs within the Revenue Support Grant arrangements.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on (1) what date he expects local authority verification of the validity of housing benefit applications to commence; [115646]

  (2) what estimate he has made of the cost of verification of the validity of housing benefit applications to local authorities; and what additional resources they will receive to accommodate this. [115647]

  Angela Eagle
  Local authorities have a statutory duty to administer the Housing Benefit scheme and we are committed to working with local authorities so as to ensure that local services are efficient and of high quality and are responsive to the needs of local people.

  We have provided local authorities with the Verification Framework (VF) which is a good practice guide about the secure and accurate administration of Housing Benefit. It sets out the information which must be verified before benefit is paid, specifies what is acceptable as evidence and what checks must be made during the life of a claim. An additional £100 million was made available over three years to help all local authorities implement the VF.

  Additionally, from this April, Best Value performance indicators will set challenging targets for local authorities. 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.

  Disability Benefits Unit
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many complaints about the conduct of medical examinations have been received by the Disability Benefits Unit in the past 12 months. [115654]

  Angela Eagle
  The Disability Benefits Unit has received a total of 190 complaints concerning medical examinations.

  Child Support Agency
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will investigate the time taken by the Child 598W
  Support Agency to deal with the case of Mrs. Janet Potter, a constituent, whose details have been supplied to him; and if he will make a statement. [115652]

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

  Letter from Faith Boardman to Helen Jones, dated 23 March 2000:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about your constituent, Mrs Janet Potter, and the way the Child Support Agency has handled her case.
  As individual cases are a confidential matter I have written to you privately.

  Pensioners
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to amend the rules with regard to downrating of the state retirement pension for pensioners who go into hospital for six weeks or more. [115808]

  Mr. Rooker
  Rules about the payment of benefits to people in NHS hospitals have been part of the Social Security system for over 50 years. We have no plans at present to revise the rules regarding the payment of Retirement Pension to people who remain in NHS hospitals for longer than six weeks. We continue to keep these rules under review.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Kosovo
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many members of the Kosovo Protection Corps have been arrested for committing human rights abuses; and when they will be prosecuted. [115525]

  Mr. Vaz
  We are aware of recent reports about alleged misdeed involving some of the 18,000 applicants to join the Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC), who had previously been members of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). The UN Mission (UNMIK) has overall responsibility for
  599W
  the KPC, including recruitment and dismissal procedures. UNMIK takes measures, including dismissal, against misdeeds committed by KPC members.

  "Your Britain, Your Europe"
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will add to the websites listed in "Your Britain, Your Europe" literature details of those groups opposed to the organisation's whose sites are listed. [115566]

  Mr. Vaz
  The "Your Britain, Your Europe" roadshow leaflet included details only of the official websites of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the EU institutions. We did not include details of any non-governmental organisations or pressure groups.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the purpose of the "Your Britain, Your Europe" questionnaire; how many have been printed; how many have been distributed to date(a) in total and (b) to persons not of voting age; and if he will make a statement. [115573]

  Mr. Vaz
  The "Your Britain, Your Europe" leaflet included a questionnaire designed to gauge public interest in Europe. During the "Your Britain, Your Europe" roadshow we distributed almost 7,000 copies of the leaflet to members of the public, companies and educational institutions.

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what mechanisms exist for the promotion of public awareness in the United Kingdom of the institutions of the European Union; and if he will make a statement. [115828]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office will publish a "UK in Europe" millennium brochure later this year, tracing Britain's involvement in Europe since the 1950s. Late last year, I visited 10 English cities in five days as part of a "Your Britain, Your Europe" roadshow to promote public awareness about the benefits of our membership of the EU. A variety of websites, including those of the FCO, the European Commission and the European Parliament offer information about the EU institutions. The UK Network of European Relays also offers information through various regional centres across the country. From 1 September 2000, the national curriculum will include an element on Europe and the European Union for secondary school pupils.

  Human Rights
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those former(a) Ministers, (b) senior armed forces personnel and (c) heads of state, who have visited the United Kingdom since 1 May 1997, about whose human rights records he received representations prior to their visits. [115545]

  Mr. Battle
  The FCO does not hold information on the entry of all people into the UK. Therefore, the FCO might not be aware of, for example, a private visit by a former Minister to the UK. To then find out whether the FCO received any representation on human rights grounds over any such visit would also demand a considerable amount of research at disproportionate cost.

  Investments
  Mr. Colman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries have entered into agreement with Her Majesty's Government for the protection and promotion of investments; and when each agreement came into force. [115711]

  Mr. Hain
  Her Majesty's Government have entered into 93 Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements. Of these, 84 are in force and nine are awaiting entry into force. There are 22 OECD member states with which an Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement is not required. Protection of investments is generally considered to be satisfactory under the domestic legislation of OECD member states.

  The countries which have signed an Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement with the UK and which are in force are (date of entry into force in parenthesis):

  Albania (30 August 1995)

  Antigua and Barbuda (12 June 1987)

  Argentina (19 February 1993)

  Armenia (11 July 1996)

  Azerbaijan (11 December 1996)

  Bahrain (30 October 1991)

  Bangladesh (19 June 1980)

  Barbados (7 April 1993)

  Belarus (28 December 1994)

  Belize (30 April 1982)

  Benin (28 November 1987)

  Bolivia (16 February 1990)

  Bulgaria (24 June 1997)

  Burundi (13 September 1990)

  Cameroon (7 June 1985)

  Chile (21 April 1997)

  China (15 May 1986)

  Congo (9 November 1990)

  Cote d'Ivoire (9 October 1997)

  Croatia (16 April 1998)

  Cuba (11 May 1995)

  Czech and Slovak Republics (24 October 1991, amended 26 October 1992)

  Dominica (23 January 1987)

  Ecuador (24 August 1995)

  Egypt (24 February 1976)

  Estonia (16 December 1994)

  Georgia (15 February 1995)

  Ghana (25 October 1991)

  Grenada (25 February 1998)

  Guyana (11 April 1990)

  Haiti (27 March 1995)

  Honduras (8 March 1995)

  Hong Kong (12 April 1999)

  Hungary (28 August 1987)

  India (6 January 1995)

  Indonesia (24 March 1977)

  Jamaica (14 May 1987)

  Jordan (24 April 1980)

  Kazakhstan (23 November 1995)

  Kenya (13 September 1999)

  Korea (4 March 1976)

  Kyrgyzstan (18 May 1998)

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  Laos (1 May 1995)

  Latvia (15 February 1995)

  Lesotho (18 February 1981)

  Lithuania (21 September 1993)

  Malaysia (21 October 1988)

  Malta (4 October 1986)

  Mauritius (13 October 1986)

  Moldova (30 June 1998)

  Mongolia (4 October 1991)

  Nepal (2 March 1993)

  Nigeria (11 December 1990)

  Oman (21 May 1996)

  Pakistan (30 November 1994)

  Panama (7 November 1985)

  Papua New Guinea (22 December 1981)

  Paraguay (23 April 1992, amended 13 June 1997)

  Peru (21 April 1994)

  Philippines (21 February 1981)

  Poland (14 April 1988)

  Romania (10 January 1996)

  Senegal (9 February 1984)

  Singapore (22 June 1975)

  Slovenia (12 May 1999)

  South Africa (27 May 1998)

  Soviet Union (3 July 1991, now applies to Russian Federation)

  Sri Lanka (18 December 1980)

  St. Lucia (18 January 1983)

  Swaziland (5 May 1995)

  Tanzania (2 August 1996)

  Thailand (11 August 1979)

  Tonga (22 October 1997)

  Trinidad and Tobago (8 October 1993)

  Tunisia (4 January 1990)

  Turkey (22 October 1996)

  Turkmenistan (9 February 1995)

  Uganda (24 April 1998)

  Ukraine (10 February 1993)

  UAE (15 December 1993)

  Uruguay (1 August 1997)

  Uzbekistan (24 November 1993)

  Venezuela (1 August 1996)

  Yemen (11 November 1983).

  The nine countries which have signed Investment Promotion and Protection Agreements with the UK, which have yet to enter into force are:

  Brazil

  Colombia

  Costa Rica

  E1 Salvador

  Lebanon

  Morocco

  Nicaragua

  Sierra Leone

  Zimbabwe.

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  The 22 OECD member states with whom an Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement is not required are:

  Australia

  Austria

  Belgium

  Canada

  Denmark

  Finland

  France

  Germany

  Greece

  Iceland

  Ireland

  Italy

  Japan

  Luxembourg

  Netherlands

  New Zealand

  Norway

  Portugal

  Spain

  Sweden

  Switzerland

  USA.

  Sudan
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Canadian Foreign Minister regarding exports to Sudan; and if he will make a statement. [115720]

  Mr. Hain
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not had the opportunity to meet recently with his Canadian counterpart.

  We have studied the Canadian report on Sudan and are discussing the issues it raises with the Government of Sudan.

  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Chinese and Sudanese Governments concerning reports that Chinese personnel have been involved in the displacement of Dinka and Nuer peoples from Heglig and Bentin areas; and if he will make a statement. [115723]

  Mr. Hain
  We are deeply concerned about the reports of human rights violations in Western Upper Nile. The recently published Harker report (available on the internet at http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca\foreignp\3110168-e.pdf) addressed many issues including displacement. We have already taken this up with the Government of Sudan bilaterally and through the EU.

  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the(a) Government of Sudan, (b) European Commission and (c) United Nations, regarding the recent bombings in Sudan. [115714]

  Mr. Hain
  We are aware of several reports of aerial bombing in the Sudan. We have raised specific cases and the more general issue with the Government of Sudan
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  bilaterally and through the EU. At last year's UN Commission on Human Rights (UNCHR), an EU co-sponsored resolution on Sudan was agreed by consensus which calls on the Government of Sudan to
  stop immediately the indiscriminate bombardment of civilian and humanitarian centres which runs counter to the fundamental principles on human rights and humanitarian law.

  We expect the EU to co-sponsor a resolution at this year's UNCHR.

  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he plans to take to develop special economic measures to tighten export controls to Sudan; and if he will make a statement. [115712]

  Mr. Hain
  There is an EU arms embargo which we rigorously implement and expect to remain for as long as the civil war continues. There is no policy to halt commercial interests in the Sudan and we give full and frank advice to interested companies.

  Banana Dispute
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what assessment he has made of when the banana dispute between the European Union and United States of America will be concluded; [115564]

  (2) what meetings have taken place between Her Majesty's Government and the European Commission as part of efforts to resolve the banana dispute; [115562]

  (3) what meetings are planned by his Department to resolve the banana dispute between the European Union and the United States of America; [115561]

  (4) what recent meetings have been held between Her Majesty's Government and the EU Commission in connection with the banana dispute with the United States. [116000]

  Mr. Vaz
  Throughout the banana dispute numerous meetings have taken place with the European Commission, other EU member states, the US, Caribbean governments and Latin American banana producing countries. We will remain in close touch with all the parties and continue to press for a rapid solution to this dispute which also addresses the needs of vulnerable Caribbean banana producers.

  Most parties have indicated they could accept the basic framework for a solution set out in the Commission, with differences outstanding on the details. On 20 March the EU Agriculture Council noted latest developments and encouraged the Commission to continue its discussions on these details with third countries in an effort to find agreement as quickly as possible. The exact date by which a solution to the dispute can be found will depend on when those details can be resolved.

  Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Gedling (Mr. Conker) of 14 March 2000,Official Report, column 142W, if the new case by case approach to consideration of export licences for dual use
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  goods would allow the import into Montenegro of dual use goods which might benefit the internal security forces of the Montenegrin authorities. [115592]

  Mr. Vaz
  We will not approve any applications to export dual use goods to the FRY where those goods could benefit the armed forces, security forces or similar entities of the government in Belgrade. All other applications, including those where the goods in question could benefit the Montenegrin internal security authorities, will be considered consistent with the national export licensing criteria announced in July 1997 and those in the EU Code of Conduct on Arms Exports.

  Austria
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to establish on whose behalf the Portuguese presidency of the EU was speaking on 13 March when it rejected Austria's request for the normalisation of relations within the Council of Ministers. [115496]

  Mr. Vaz
  [holding answer 20 March 2000]: In confirming the position of the other EU member states on 13 March in relation to their measures against Austria, the Portuguese Prime Minister was speaking in an informal capacity as a coordinator for the 14 member states.

  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultation took place between the Portuguese presidency of the EU and other EU Governments prior to their statement on 13 March rejecting Austria's request for the normalisation of relations within the Council of Ministers; and if Her Majesty's Government agreed the wording in advance. [115497]

  Mr. Vaz
  [holding answer 20 March 2000]: In addressing the press on 13 March, the Portuguese Prime Minister was speaking in an informal capacity as co-ordinator for the 14 member states and reflecting the view of HMG that the measures of the 14 EU member states against Austria should continue to be implemented.

  Flag Cars
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason a Grand Marquis has been bought for use as a flag car in Caracas; who has use of this car; what was the cost of this car; and if he will make a statement. [115737]

  Mr. Battle
  The Embassy in Caracas first explored the purchaser of a Rover 75, which is used as a flag car at several other overseas posts. However, this model was only able to take lead-free petrol which was not available at the time in Venezuela. A decision was then taken to purchase a Grand Marquis at a cost of £18,422.

  The flag car is reserved for official use by the Head of Mission. He is expected to use his private car for non-official (i.e. private use) purposes. The flag car may be used by the Charge when Head of Mission is not at post.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many flag cars have been purchased for the official use of ambassadors and high commissioners since 1 May 1997; how many of each model have been purchased; and at what total cost. [115736]
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  Mr. Battle
  The following table shows how many flags cars have been purchased for the official use of Ambassadors and High Commissioners since 1 May 1997, how many of each model and the total cost.

  In addition the FCO purchased one Rolls-Royce on special concessionary terms.

  Model

  Number

  Cost (£)

  Cadillac

  1

  19,835.28

  Daimler

  1

  34,500.00

  Land Rover Discovery

  23

  541,244.94

  Ford Mondeo

  1

  14,350.72

  Ford Grand Marquis

  1

  18,422.36

  Jaguar S Type

  4

  88,269.65

  Jaguar Sovereign

  10

  502,409.51

  Jaguar XJ6

  2

  47,302.00

  Jaguar XJ8

  15

  481,071.99

  Opel Omega

  1

  21,232.36

  Range Rover

  30

  966,938.68

  Rover 620

  1

  13,862.17

  Rover 75

  6

  88,591.97

  Rover 820

  2

  26,211.22

  Rover 825/Sterling

  13

  1,126,372.67

  Toyota L/c Vx

  1

  20,557.41

  Volvo S80 F

  1

  19,253.40

  Volvo V70

  1

  21,200.00

  Total number/cost of flag cars purchased since 1 May 1997

  114

  4,051,626.33

  Friends of Europe Conference
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the official representatives from the Government who attended the Friends of Europe Conference on 9 March in Brussels. [115585]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Ambassador and an official from our bilateral Embassy in Brussels attended the Friends of Europe conference on 9 March.

  Caribiner PR Company
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those(a) Government projects and (b) projects organised in the UK by agencies of the European Community, which have used the services of Caribiner PR Company. [115567]

  Mr. Vaz
  Since its foundation in 1997, Caribiner has co-organised 34 events (including Summits, conferences, visits by Heads of State and press conferences) with Government Departments. With regard to events organised for the EU institutions, I refer the hon. Gentlemen to the offices of the European Commission and the European Parliament.

PRIME MINISTER

  Visits
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Prime Minister when he last visited the Lewes constituency. [114303]

  The Prime Minister
  Regrettably I have been unable to do so, but I hope to be able to visit the hon. Member's constituency at some point in the future.

  Engagements
  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 22 March. [115384]

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I will have further such meetings later today.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Synchrotron
  Mrs. Ellman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what assessment he has made of the impact on(a) the North West economy, (b) science in North West universities and (c) science and technology in the North West of the decision to place the diamond synchrotron investment at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire; [115042]

  (2) what account he took in coming to his decision on placing diamond synchrotron investment of the impact on joint science and technology projects between Daresbury and North West universities. [115105]

  Mr. Byers
  The synchrotron is a national facility that hosts scientists from across the country. I had to consider a wide range of issues before announcing this important decision and this included the implications in the long-term for the Daresbury laboratory and the North West. That is why I announced a number of steps to ensure the science base in the North West remains strong. We shall continue to work with partners in the region to bring forward a package of measures.

  Mrs. Ellman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many representations he has received in favour of placing the diamond synchrotron investment at Daresbury; and from whom. [115040]

  Mr. Byers
  Our records to date show that we have received approximately 500 letters from individuals in favour of placing the new synchrotron project at the Daresbury Laboratory in Cheshire.

  Ms Southworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has had from French scientists who are synchrotron users in support of Daresbury as the site for Diamond. [115134]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 17 March 2000]: Records to date show 10 cases of ministerial correspondence from scientists with addresses in France in favour of placing the new synchrotron project at the Daresbury Laboratory in Cheshire. Most of these are not French scientists, but scientists of a different nationality who are currently living in France. It is not possible from our records to obtain the nationality of individuals.

  Ms Southworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has had from scientists with an international reputation in support of Daresbury as the site for Diamond. [115135]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 17 March 2000]: Records to date show about 200 letters from individuals at academic institutions in favour of placing the new synchrotron

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  project at the Daresbury Laboratory in Cheshire. Of these letters about 70 were sent from scientific institutions outside of the UK. Of the letters that were sent from UK institutions about 50 were sent by Professors.

  Ms Southworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he and his Ministers have had with the French Government in relation to the siting of the Diamond synchrotron project; and if he will publish the papers associated with the meetings. [115132]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 17 March 2000]: My noble Friend Lord Sainsbury has met with the French Science Minister, Mr. Claude Allegre, on a number of occasions on which issues relating to the synchrotron project have been discussed.

  Ms Southworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he and his Ministers have had with the Wellcome Trust in relation to the siting of the Diamond synchrotron project. [115131]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 17 March 2000]: I met representatives from the Wellcome Trust on 27 October 1999 and 10 February 2000 to discuss the synchrotron. My noble Friend Lord Sainsbury also discussed the synchrotron at a meeting with the Wellcome Trust on 27 October 1998, 23 September 1999 and 1 March 2000.

  The Wellcome Trust and I exchanged written correspondence on this issue on:

  24 September 1999

  4 October 1999

  7 October 1999

  11 October 1999

  15 October 1999

  1 November 1999

  2 November 1999

  11 November 1999

  22 November 1999

  23 November 1999

  17 January 2000.

  My noble Friend Lord Sainsbury received correspondence from the Wellcome Trust on the 21 January 2000.

  In recent months, my noble Friend Lord Sainsbury has had a number of telephone conversations with the Wellcome Trust, during which the synchrotron was discussed.

  Mrs. Ellman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with the Wellcome Trust concerning the location of the diamond synchrotron investment. [115041]

  Mr. Byers
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given today to my hon. Friend the Member for Warrington, South (Ms Southworth).

  MedicAlert
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received about the effect of the second change to London telephone numbers on the charity MedicAlert; and if he will make a statement. [115119]
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  Ms Hewitt
  Numbering is a matter for the Office of Telecommunications (Oftel). The first change to London telephone numbers in the past five years was in April 1995, PhOneday, on which all geographic codes were changed to begin 01. The second change to London numbers, due on 22 April, will mean that local numbers in London begin with a 7 or an 8, preceded by the new code 020. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received 12 representations about the effect of the second change to London telephone numbers on the charity MedicAlert, and the Department as a whole has received about 60. Oftel has put in place parallel running for old and new numbers, and "changed number announcements", as well as ensuring that the current change has been publicised sufficiently to minimise the costs to charities such as MedicAlert.

  Signals Broadcasts
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the combined power output of all the signals broadcast from the telecommunication masts at(a) the north site and (b) the south site on Old Blandford Road at Harnham Hill, Salisbury; and what assessment he has made of the potential risk to human health. [114804]

  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 16 March 2000]: The responsibility for monitoring the level of power densities produced by telecommunications masts rests not with the Government but with the operators of the masts in accordance with their duties under their Health and Safety Work etc. Act 1974. The Health and Safety Executive expects operators to prevent access by members of the public to areas, usually within a couple of metres of the antennas, where power densities may exceed guidelines for restricting human exposure to electromagnetic fields issued by the National Radiological Protection Board.

  The Government are aware of public concerns with regard to reports of possible adverse health effects associated with telecommunications masts. It has initiated an Independent Experts Group on Mobile Phones, chaired by Sir William Stewart, to look at the issue. The Group is due to report in the spring.

  Power Lines
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the implications for British energy policies of power lines proposed to be built from Lakenby to Shipton by Bellingborough; what impact they will have(a) on the local industry and (b) on the future of power stations; and if he will make a statement. [115538]

  Mrs. Liddell
  Each case for an overhead line is considered on its merits. The need for this particular overhead line was spelt out in the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Stockton, South (Mr. Taylor) on 26 March 1998,Official Report, columns 220–21W, and in the referred to departmental letter. Systems need to be planned to meet robust standards in order to provide reliable supplies of electricity to homes and businesses.

  European Spallation Source
  Ms Southworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions have been held
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  within Government about the siting of the European Spallation Source which will replace the ISIS neutron machine at Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. [115133]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 17 March 2000]: The European Spallation Source (ESS) is not a replacement for ISIS; ISIS will continue to operate independent of the site selected for the ESS.

  The Council for the Central Laboratory of the Research Councils (CCLRC), which operates the ISIS facility at RAL, is the UK partner in a 10-nation consortium that is developing plans for the ESS.

  Astra Case
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the contents of file bundles 120, 121, 140 and 141 in the Astra case. [115410]

  Dr. Howells
  The references refer to file bundles created by the Companies Act inspectors and contain the inspectors' own copies of Astra company documents and their own working papers. The inspectors' work on these files and other matters is contained in their report published in June 1993.

  Electricity Transmission
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of(a) the extra electricity transmission losses and (b) their cost, which will result from new build homes in the South East. [115406]

  Mrs. Liddell
  No such estimates have been made.

  Post Offices (Gloucestershire)
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the impact on the number of post offices in Gloucestershire of the provisions of the Postal Services Bill. [115701]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  The Postal Services Bill is primarily about the letters and parcels market and is not itself expected to have an effect on the number of post offices in Gloucestershire or elsewhere.

  The Government are committed to ensuring that post offices are equipped and re-designed to face the future, and that they are thereby able to continue to play their role as an essential part of the country's social fabric. The Bill, therefore, has a requirement (at Clause 31) for the new regulator, the Postal Services Commission, to provide (in consultation with the new Consumer Council) advice and information to the Secretary of State about the number and location of public post offices and their accessibility to users of postal and other services. There is also provision (at clause 32) for the Secretary of State to issue statutory guidance to the Commission on social and environmental matters. It is envisaged that these will include access criteria for public post offices.

  The PIU in the Cabinet Office is carrying out a study on the post office network to identify the contribution made by post offices to the vitality of local communities; to consider how the post office network can best contribute to the Government's objectives for the future;
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  and in the process to formulate objectives for the post office network, including recommendations on access criteria. Conclusions are expected in the spring.

  Gas and Electricity Consumers
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the Government's policy on gas and electricity consumers' advocacy, complaints and representation in each region. [115500]

  Mrs. Liddell
  [holding answer 21 March 2000]: The Utilities Bill would establish a statutory Gas and Electricity Consumer Council in place of the existing Gas Consumers Council and Electricity Consumers' Committees. The Council would have access to information in its own right; assist consumers, provide advice and information to regulatory authorities, Government and others whose activities may affect the interests of consumers; and be the chief access point for complaints about energy companies. It would have the function of keeping itself informed of consumer matters and the views of consumers throughout Great Britain.

  The Bill recognises the changed circumstances of energy supply since the existing arrangements were put in place. In February, a consultation document seeking views of interested parties on two possible models for the new Council was issued by the Gas and Electricity Consumers Council Task Force. The first provided for regional offices in each of Wales, Scotland and England; the second for five regional offices, one each in Scotland and Wales and three in England. Both models could support regional panels to provide advice and mediate in cases referred by regional offices. The consultation period ends on 29 March 2000 and recommendations will then be made for Government to consider.

  Automated Teller Machines
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will provide a regional breakdown of the 3,000 new automated teller machines to be installed in post offices which were announced by the Prime Minister. [115855]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  I understand from the Post Office that contractual and commercial arrangements with potential partners for the provision and installation of new automated teller machines have yet to be finalised. Consequently, no decisions have yet been taken on the locations of the new machines.

TREASURY

  State Aid to Industry
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent communications he has received from the European Commission concerning the breach, or potential breach, of the terms of any EU legislation concerning state aids or taxation benefits for(a) firms in Northern Ireland, (b) shipbuilding and (c) motor

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  manufacture or assembly, stating the topic and purpose of each communication. [115251]

  Mr. Caborn
  I have been asked to reply.

  Under their general powers to monitor state aid, in June 1999, the Commission requested information on a Selective Financial Assistance grant to a company in Northern Ireland. The UK supplied the required information, demonstrating that the grant had complied with the terms of state aid approval of Selective Financial Assistance.
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  The UK has not received any recent correspondence from the Commission concerning the breach of the state aid rules as they apply to shipbuilding.

  In December 1999, the Commission opened a formal investigation procedure into part of the proposed aid package for the BMW/Rover plant at Longbridge, Birmingham. This procedure is a normal part of the state aid notification process where the Commission requires all information including from third parties in order to assess the case.

  EU Meat Plants: Veterinary Supervision
  EU Meat Plants: Veterinary Supervision
  Organic Milk Quota Restrictions
  Organic Milk Quota Restrictions
  Cattle Feed: Permitted Ingredients
  Cattle Feed: Permitted Ingredients
  Press Freedom
  Press Freedom
  Sudan: Oil Revenues
  Sudan: Oil Revenues
  Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
  Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
  Sudan: Bombing of Civilians
  Sudan: Bombing of Civilians
  Sudan: Displacements
  Sudan: Displacements
  Black Detained Patients
  Black Detained Patients
  Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy: Sterilisation
  Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathy: Sterilisation
  Merrywood School
  Merrywood School
  School Performance Comparison Exercise
  School Performance Comparison Exercise
  Religious Education Policy: Legality
  Religious Education Policy: Legality
  Mexico: Trade Prospects
  Mexico: Trade Prospects
  UK Motor Vehicle Exports and Imports
  UK Motor Vehicle Exports and Imports
  Staff Officer's Handbook
  Staff Officer's Handbook