Written Answers of 3 May 2000

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Church Repairs (VAT)
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what progress has been made in respect of repairs to churches under the EC Directive adopted by the Council of Ministers on 22 October 1999 authorising member states to apply a reduced rate of VAT on a temporary basis for certain labour-intensive services. [119828]

  Mr. Stuart Bell
  Originally there was a suggestion that the directive might be applied to allow a lower rate of VAT on repairs to all historic and listed buildings including churches. Unfortunately the list adopted did not extend to these and the Churches will continue to press for this to be reviewed at the earliest opportunity.

  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what plans he has to seek to ensure that VAT costs are reduced for repairs to existing church buildings and to ensure that VAT is charged exclusively on the construction of new church buildings. [119846]

  Mr. Stuart Bell
  The Churches continue to press the case for VAT relief on repairs to church buildings. The hon. Lady will know that I raised this at a recent meeting with my hon. Friend the Minister for the Arts in the context of the current review of policies relating to the historic environment.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Biodiversity Action Plans
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to provide a statutory framework for the UK biodiversity action plans. [120210]

  Mr. Mullin
  The Biodiversity Action Plan is part of the Government's response to the Convention on Biological Diversity which, as an international treaty, does not require national legislation to give effect to it. Article VI of the Convention specifically requires the preparation of a national strategy. However, the Government are reviewing the need for a statutory basis for the Plan process in the light of representations they have received.

  They would in any case wish to avoid breaking down the current highly successful delivery partnerships of statutory, business and voluntary sectors.

  Fifth Freedom Carriers
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many foreign Fifth Freedom carriers operate from the UK to the US; and if he will make a statement. [120085]

  Mr. Mullin
  Four non-UK carriers currently operate scheduled passenger services from the UK to the US using fifth freedom rights. These are Air India, Pakistan International Airlines, Olympic and Kuwait Airways. An additional four non-UK carriers operate scheduled cargo services from the UK to the US using fifth freedom rights. These are Air France, Cargolux and Lufthansa through Prestwick and El Al through London.

  National Air Traffic Services
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what payments regime applies in respect of airlines using the National Air Traffic Services; what changes to such payments are proposed in advance of the Transport Bill being enacted; and if he will make a statement. [120325]

  Mr. Mullin
  The Civil Aviation (Route Charges for Navigation Services) Regulations 1998 (S.I. 1998/1537 and 2999) made under section 73 of the Civil Aviation Act 1982 require the operator, and on notice the owner, of any aircraft in the Flight Information Regions of Eurocontrol Member States to pay Eurocontrol a charge for air traffic services.

  These are collected by Eurocontrol and a sum in respect of the services provided by the service provider in each Contracting State is paid by Eurocontrol to the Contracting State. Under article 20 of the Multilateral Agreement, National Air Traffic Services Ltd. (NATS) has been nominated by the UK as being entitled to receive the United Kingdom's share of the route charges.

  By directions made by the Civil Aviation Authority under Article 79 of the Air Navigation Order (No.2) 1995 it is the responsibility of the owners or operators of specified aerodromes to procure appropriate services for the control of air traffic in their vicinity. Usually the owner or operator of the aerodrome would include the costs incurred in acquiring these services in his charges to the owners or operators of aircraft using the airport. In some cases, however, contracts have been negotiated by NATS that specify that they will charge the aircraft owners and operators direct.

  The duty on the owners and operators to pay the charges is set out in the Civil Aviation (Navigation Service Charges) Regulations 2000 (S.I. 2000/599).

  No changes to the current charging arrangements are proposed in advance of the Transport Bill being enacted.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how many people are employed by National Air Traffic Services; and what the basis is of the share allocation under the public private partnership; [120603]

  (2) if employees of National Air Traffic Services will be able to sell their shares in the NATS public private partnership without restriction. [120619]
  103W
  Mr. Mullin
  NATS employs 5,372 people as at 31 March 1999. The final form of the employee share scheme, including the allocation to NATS' staff, and any restrictions on sale will be worked up in due course following consultation with NATS' employee representatives and, when selected, the Strategic Partner.

  However, the Government are keen to ensure that the share scheme is designed to ensure that NATS' employees hold a long-term equity stake in their company and that all employees are entitled to participate on an equal basis.

  Hazardous Waste Imports
  Charlotte Atkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much hazardous waste was imported into the United Kingdom during 1999 for use as fuel in cement kilns; and what were the countries of origin of that waste. [120341]

  Mr. Mullin
  [holding answer 2 May 2000]: The estimated quantity of hazardous waste imported into the United Kingdom in 1999 for use as fuel in cement and lime kilns, broken down by country of origin, is as follows:

  Tonnes

  Guernsey

  13

  Ireland

  6,720

  Jersey

  18

  Accurate information about imports solely for cement kilns, rather than for cement and lime kilns, could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Final figures for 1999 will not be available until the summer since, under European law, the kilns have 180 days following receipt of the waste to provide the UK enforcement authorities with a certificate of recovery confirming the actual quantity of waste used as a fuel.

  CITES Delegation (Nairobi)
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the members of the UK CITES delegation to COP XI in Nairobi with a financial interest in the trade and supply of endangered species; and if he will make a statement. [120132]

  Mr. Mullin
  [holding answer 2 May 2000]: No member of the UK Delegation to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species' 11th Conference of the Parties in Nairobi has a financial interest in the trade and supply of endangered species. One member of the Delegation is seconded from the Cayman Islands Government Civil Service to the Cayman Turtle Farm, a Crown Corporation wholly owned by the Cayman Islands Government, as the Farm's Research Officer.

  Simian Herpes B
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to deal with the potential public health risks from the transformation of the simian herpes B virus from macaques held in zoos and safari parks; and if he will make a statement. [120133]
  104W
  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 2 May 2000]: The Government are aware of the potential health risks of simian herpes B virus. Under health and safety legislation, as well as ensuring the health and safety of employees, employers also have to ensure that others, eg members of the public, are not exposed to risks arising from the work. Local authorities are responsible for health and safety in zoos and safari parks. The Health and Safety Executive has alerted local authority enforcement officers to the potential health risks and has given guidance on action to take should any subsequent cases arise.

  Cowboy Builders
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what response he has made to the recommendation of the Cowboy Builders Working Group for a mandatory requirement for builders securing a Government-backed quality mark to provide financial protection for customers. [120551]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  I announced on 6 December 1999 that the Government accepted the key recommendations of the final report produced by the Cowboy Builders Working Group, including the requirement that all quality marked builders must provide an approved third-party warranty to protect the consumer in the event that he/she experiences difficulties with the completion of the job or standard of workmanship.

  Pilots of the quality mark scheme are being run in Birmingham and Somerset. The Birmingham pilot was opened to applications from builders last month, and will open to the public in June or July. The Somerset pilot will be opened to builders later this month and to the public in September or October. The aim of the pilots is to test and develop the arrangements before we take a decision on a national scheme.

  Capital Receipts (Worcester)
  Mr. Michael J. Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the value of capital receipts released to Worcester City Council for each financial year since May 1997. [120595]

  Mr. Mullin
  The table shows the capital allocations made to Worcester City Council under the Capital Receipts Initiative (CRI). Allocations were made in the form of Supplementary Credit Approvals.

  £

  Year

  Allocations

  1997–98

  213,000

  1998–99

  678,000

  1999–2000

  685,000

  There has been no separate allocation of resources under the CRI since 1999–2000, following the introduction of the single housing capital pot from 2000–01.

  Bellwin Flood Relief Scheme (Worcestershire)
  Mr. Michael J. Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much money was refunded to(a) Worcester City Council and (b) Worcestershire County Council under the Bellwin scheme of flood relief, for each financial year since May 1997. [120596]
  105W
  Ms Beverley Hughes
  A "Bellwin" scheme of emergency financial assistance may be activated to help a local authority with uninsurable clear-up costs following a disaster or emergency that involves destruction of, or danger to, life or property. Grant is normally paid at a rate of 85 per cent. of an authority's qualifying expenditure above a threshold. The threshold is the provision that a prudent authority might reasonably be expected to make for contingencies and emergencies (approximately 0.2 per cent. of its revenue budget).

  In the financial years 1997–98, 1998–99 and 1999–2000, Worcestershire County Council did not incur qualifying expenditure above its threshold. Grant was paid to Worcestershire City Council as follows:

  £

  1997–98

  0

  1998–99

  7,164

  1999–2000

  6,874

  Housing (Additional Demand)
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many extra(a) houses and (b) flats he estimates have been built in the last 30 years in order to meet additional demand created by divorce. [120671]

  Mr. Mullin
  The specific data requested are not available.

  Rail Regulator
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is the annual budget of the Rail Regulator in the current year; and what plans he has to increase it. [120607]

  Mr. Hill
  [holding answer 2 May 2000]: The Rail Regulator's final budget for 1999–2000 was £13.1 million, of which £9.3 million was recovered from licence fees. For 2000–01, the Rail Regulator is currently consulting on a proposed budget of £13.2 million.

  Health and Safety Executive
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many inspectors there were(a) in the Field Operations Directorate of the Health and Safety Executive and (b) in each of the bands 1-4 in each of the last five years. [120389]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 2 May 2000]: The number of inspectors in the Field Operations Directorate of the Health and Safety Executive in each of the last five years is as follows:

  Number

  April 1996

  892

  April 1997

  813

  April 1998

  815

  April 1999

  837

  April 2000

  828

  106W
  The number of inspectors in the Field Operations Directorate of the Health and Safety Executive in each of the last five years by band is as follows:

  Band 1

  Band 2

  Band 3

  Band 4

  April 1996

  42

  185

  606

  59

  April 1997

  34

  165

  522

  92

  April 1998

  35

  161

  527

  92

  April 1999

  35

  156

  512

  134

  April 2000

  34

  171

  507

  116

  Note:

  Between April 1996 and April 1997 80 staff were transferred, during an internal reorganisation, to the new Chemical and Hazardous Installations Division.

  Source:

  PARIS (Personnel Administration and Records Integrated System) live data as at 26 April 2000

  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent research his Department has commissioned on the effectiveness of unannounced preventive inspectors by the HSE in preventing accidents at work. [120387]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 2 May 2000]: HSE has recently initiated a research project entitled "Proving Inspection Works". The aim of the project is to develop a methodology by which HSE can progressively evaluate the impact inspectors achieve in their various regulatory encounters with duty holders in order to maximise their effects.

  It is hoped that "Proving Inspection Works" will demonstrate the value of unannounced preventive inspections, but it may be optimistic to say that a direct link can be proved between such an inspection and a reduction in accidents at a particular workplace. The project is looking to measure the promotion of positive risk management behaviours as well as reducing specific hazards and risks.

  Traffic-free Areas
  Mr. Bill O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will publish planning guidance notes for local authorities to maintain and introduce traffic-free and pedestrian-only areas for town and city centres. [120385]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The Government published a revised public consultation draft of Planning Policy Guidance Note 13 on Transport in October last year which encourages local authorities to give greater priority to walking using measures such as pedestrianisation schemes in town and local centres where vehicle access is restricted or prohibited. We intend to publish the final version of PPG13 later this year.

  Family Statistics (Homelessness)
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many people classified as homeless there were in(a) 1970, (b) 1980 and (c) 1999; and how many came from (i) intact families, and (ii) broken families. [120676]

  Mr. Mullin
  Data on homelessness activity reported by local authorities in England include the number of households accepted as homeless and in priority need
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  under the homelessness provisions of the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977, and subsequent legislation. 57,850 such households were accepted in 1980 and 104,770 in 1999. These figures are not comparable because of legislative changes since 1977.

  Local authority homelessness responsibilities under earlier legislation were significantly more limited, and data for 1970 are not available.

  Information is also reported about the main reasons for loss of the household's last settled home, including "Breakdown of relationship with partner". In 1980 this accounted for around 20 per cent. of all cases, and 24 per cent. in 1999.

  Telecommunications Masts
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the effect on farmers of planning restrictions on mobile telephone masts. [120577]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  Government policy on the development of telecommunication masts is to encourage and facilitate the roll-out of a modern national telecommunications system while protecting the environment. This is reflected in the current framework of law and guidance on planning for such development.

  As we said in the Action Plan on Farming launched recently by the Prime Minister, we recognise the benefits of mobile phones for rural communities and will consider ways of fulfilling the roll-out of mobile phone networks in rural areas while keeping environmental intrusion to a minimum and taking account of the recommendations of the forthcoming report of the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones.

  Redundant Building Grant Programme
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proportion of the increase in the Redundant Building Grant Programme will be dedicated to farm-based enterprise. [120575]

  Mr. Mullin
  We have made clear to RDAs our intention that the whole of the £4 million increase should be targeted at farm enterprises, and to that end have removed for farmers the area-based limitation and widened the employment test.

  Farm-based Horse Enterprises
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how the extension of rate relief to farm-based horse enterprises will be funded; and what effect such an extension of rate relief will have on central Government funding. [120573]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  Farm premises used for the breeding and rearing of horses already receive a rate concession. The Prime Minister announced on 30 March 2000 that the Government would consult on proposals to extend rate relief to other horse enterprises linked to farm premises. We are currently considering the options along with other preparatory work for the Rural White Paper and will consult on these proposals later this year.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Omagh Bombing (Police Investigation)
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many RUC detectives are engaged(a) full-time and (b) part-time on the Omagh Bomb. [114936]

  Mr. Ingram
  The number of officers actively engaged in this investigation has varied at different times to meet the needs of inquiries. All appropriate resources have been made available throughout the investigation. I am advised that there are currently 20 detective officers working full-time on the inquiry team, all on a full-time basis.

  Social Fund
  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the Northern Ireland social fund discretionary budget will be for 2000–01. [120910]

  Mr. George Howarth
  I am pleased to announce that the social fund gross discretionary budget for 2000–01 will be £45.95 million. £10.06 million will be allocated to grants; £35.79 million to loans and £0.1 million will be held as a contingency reserve. The new allocations represent an increase of £3.13 million over the initial gross budget set at April 1999.

  The Community Care Grant (CCG) budget has been increased by £0.2 million to £10.06 million. This will provide more help to CCG applicants, in particular families with children and the disabled.

  The loans budget has been increased to £35.79 million, an increase of £2.93 million on the initial 1999–2000 loans budget. To improve the fairness of the scheme budgets will be allocated in a way that will, over time, achieve greater consistency of outcome for applicants wherever they live.

  Details of the individual District budget allocations, together with a note explaining the basis on which they have been made, have been placed in the Library today.

  Patten Proposals
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if, when he publishes his Implementation Plan for the Patten proposals, he will list those items on which the Chief Constable has already started out. [120648]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Implementation Plan will show the items where the Chief Constable has the lead responsibility for taking work forward and any progress which has already been made.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if, when he publishes his Implementation Plan for the Patten proposals he will indicate those proposals which have human rights and equality implications that have been referred to the Human Rights and Equality Commissions and their replies in each case. [120649]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Implementation Plan will set out for each recommendation which has been accepted, the programme of work required and who has the lead responsibility for taking the work forward. It will be for
  109W
  those with the lead responsibility to consult and work with the Human Rights and Equality Commissions, as appropriate, in taking the work forward.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if on the date he publishes the proposed legislation to implement the Patten report and the implementation plan he will name the Oversight Commissioner and the Commissioner's assistants. [120644]

  Mr. Ingram
  The search for a suitable candidate for appointment as Oversight Commissioner is in hand. The Government will make an announcement in due course.

  Police Services
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will promote a competition between the schools and colleges of Northern Ireland to design a politically neutral new badge and insignia for the Police Services of Northern Ireland. [120650]

  Mr. Ingram
  No.

  Elections
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to introduce a proportional representation system of voting for parliamentary elections in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [119564]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I have been asked to reply.

  We have made it clear that any change to the voting system used for elections to the House of Commons would first require the endorsement of the people of the United Kingdom in a referendum.

PRIME MINISTER

  Engagements
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 3 May. [119396]

  Sir Peter Tapsell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 3 May. [120345]

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I met Nelson Mandela as well as having meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I will have further such meetings later today.

  Performance and Innovation Unit
  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Prime Minister what the Government have done to implement the findings of the Performance and Innovation Unit in respect of(a) the rural economy, (b) e-commerce, (c) management of cross-cutting policies and (d) analysis and modelling in central Government. [119952]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 20 April 2000]: The Government take the implementation of the conclusions of Performance and Innovation Unit reports very seriously. Where appropriate, project reports contain implementation plans, including lead responsibilities and timetables for action.
  110W
  In respect of each of the reports the hon. Member refers to:

  (a) Rural economies—the report, "Rural Economies", was published in December 1999 and invited comments on a number of issues for discussion. These are being considered as part of the work on the Rural White Paper;

  (b) e-commerce—the report e-commerce@itsbest.uk was published in September 1999. The e-Minister and e-envoy are charged with taking forward the recommendations. A detailed implementation plan is published on the e-envoy's website (www.e-envoy.gov.uk) and updated monthly.

  (c) cross-cutting policies—the report "Wiring it up: Whitehall's Management of Cross-cutting Policies and Services" was published in January 2000. My right hon. Friends the Chief Secretary to the Treasury and the Minister for the Cabinet Office have been asked to submit a progress report by early 2001;

  (d) analysis and modelling—the report "Adding it up: Improving Analysis and Modelling in central Government" was published in January 2000. A group chaired by the Head of the Government Economic Service is overseeing progress with implementation.

  Copies of these reports are available in the Libraries of the House.

  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Prime Minister what subjects are currently being examined by the Performance and Innovation Unit. [119954]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 20 April 2000]: The Performance and Innovation Unit (PIU) is currently undertaking the following projects: the Post Office network; Trade and Social, Health and Environmental Objectives on the Global Stage; the Pursuit and Seizure of Criminal Assets; Strategic Options for the Electronic Delivery of Government Services; and Effective Leadership in Delivering Public Services. The PIU is also providing support to the review of adoption. The completed project on Active Ageing was published on 27 April.

  Social Exclusion Unit
  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Prime Minister what work is currently being done by the Social Exclusion Unit. [119957]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 20 April 2000]: In December 1999 I announce the findings of the review of the Social Exclusion Unit (SEU) and I set out the following priorities for their work programme: to complete the current programme work to develop the national strategy for neighbourhood renewal, including oversight of the 18 policy action teams; to be closely involved in establishing the arrangements for implementation of the strategy after it is announced in the summer of 2000, and to work closely with HM Treasury and other Government Departments to ensure that the 2000 Spending Review reflects the priority the Government give to tackling poverty and social exclusion.

  At the same time I asked the Minister for the Cabinet Office to chair the Ministerial Network on Social Exclusion, which was given a new remit to chase progress across Government on implementation of past SEU reports, as well as acting as an informal sounding board for the unit's future work programme.
  111W
  On 12 April, the SEU published a framework version of the National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal, for consultation. The framework sets out proposals which aim to arrest the wholesale decline of the most deprived neighbourhoods; reverse it; and prevent it from recurring. The SEU will be consulting on those proposals until the end of June. Then, following the publication of the results of the Government's Spending Review in July, the unit will set out the final strategy and give details of how it will be taken forward.

  The SEU is working closely with the implementing Departments on ensuring that the action arising from the reports is carried out, to time. The SEU is regularly reviewing progress against action plans and works with the teams to unblock obstacles to progress both inside and outside of Whitehall.

  The unit is also undertaking initial scoping of possible topics for a future work programme, which I will announce in the summer.

  Prisoners of War
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement about the Royal British Legion's request for a special gratuity for former Far East prisoners of war or their widows. [120072]

  The Prime Minister
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence on 2 May 2000,Official Report, column 7W.

  Serbia
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what exemptions have been made to the sanctions against Serbia for humanitarian reasons, with particular reference to equipment needed for(a) de-mining and (b) dealing with depleted uranium. [119349]

  The Prime Minister
  The EC regulations providing for the flight ban (now suspended), the oil embargo and the imposition of financial sanctions in Serbia all provide for humanitarian exemptions.

  Although the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1160 (1998) imposed an arms embargo on the FRY, UNSCR 1244 (1999) provides that prohibitions imposed by UNSCR 1160 shall not apply to the sale or supply of arms and related material for use by the international civil and security presence in Kosovo. The UK has approved a number of applications for the export of demining equipment to the FRY where such activity is taking place under the auspices of the international civil and security presence.

  The export to Serbia of equipment for dealing with depleted uranium would not be covered by sanctions. However, an export licence would have to be obtained from the Department of Trade and Industry if the equipment in question was covered by the UK's strategic export controls on dual-use goods which apply to all destinations.

  Staff
  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the total staff costs for No. 10 Downing street in(a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99 and (d) 1999–2000. [112076]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 28 February 2000]: The staff costs for No. 10 Downing street were £3.4 million in 1996–97; £4.1 million in 1997–98; and £4.9 million in 1998–99. The provisional figure for 1999–2000 is £5.9 million.

DEFENCE

  Trident Programme
  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role BNFL will play in maintaining the UK's Trident programme at AWE. [116244]

  Mr. Spellar
  BNFL and other members of the AWE ML consortium will be seconding a small number of middle and senior managers to AWE in the short-term, parent company nominees will reduce to only a handful of board members early in the new contract. On the exact responsibilities to be carried out by the nominees from BNFL, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Newbury (Mr. Rendel) on 15 April 2000,Official Report, column 487W.

  Chinook Crash, Mull of Kintyre
  Mr. Martin Bell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide details of the indicated airspeed of RAF Chinook ZD576 during the last 40 seconds of flight as it approached the Mull of Kintyre on 2 June 1994. [120101]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Board of Inquiry considered data extracted from the aircraft's systems, the Air Accident Investigation Board technical report, the flight path simulations from Boeing Helicopters and a separate investigation from Defence Research Agency Bedford, together with witness evidence. The Board concluded that it was most likely that while coasting in at the Mull of Kintyre the aircraft was established in a steady climb, with an airspeed of about 150 knots, until approximately four seconds before impact.

  Birth Certificates
  Mr. Caton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what purposes his Department requires a birth certificate to be furnished by(a) employees, (b) contractors, (c) those applying for employment and contracts and (d) other persons. [120322]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Ministry of Defence usually requests a birth certificate from prospective employees, both Service and civilian, and individuals undertaking work for the Department, to establish proof of identity. Other official documents, however, such as a full 10-year passport, may be furnished as proof of identity and, normally, are acceptable.

  Minimum Wage
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the cost to salaries paid by his
  113W
  Department of an increase in the national minimum wage to all age groups to (a) £4, (b) £4.20 and (c) £4.50 an hour. [120234]

  Dr. Moonie
  The estimated annual cost of increasing basic pay by the amounts requested is(a) £0.6 million, (b) £1.8 million and (c) £4.5 million respectively.

  Aircraft Maintenance
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total cost of RAF aircraft maintenance and spares for the last year for which figures are available. [120277]

  Dr. Moonie
  The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  RAF Combat Aircraft
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the front line combat aircraft operated by the RAF; what is the complement of trained pilots required to operate each type; and how many trained pilots are available to fly each type. [120409]

  Mr. Spellar
  The information is shown in the following table:

  Number of trained pilots at 27 April 2000

  Aircraft type

  Pilot establishment

  Pilot strength

  Tornado GR1/4

  133

  123

  Tornado F3

  111

  103

  Jaguar

  57

  59

  Harrier

  63

  62

  Sea Harrier

  34

  28

  Veterans Advice Unit
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the internet e-mail facility for the Veterans' Advice Unit will become available; and if he will make a statement. [120837]

  Mr. Spellar
  I am pleased to announce that the Veterans' Advice Unit is, from today, linked to the internet and may be contacted on-line by e-mail at the following address: veteransadvice@veterans.mod.uk.

  The Veterans' Advice Unit has been operating successfully as a telephone helpline for 18 months and this important enhancement to the service will open the Unit up to a wider audience. In addition to the millions of ex-Servicemen and women resident in the UK, veterans living abroad, often in different time zones, will now be able to contact the Unit at their convenience and at minimal cost, using the e-mail facility.

  Royal Navy Discharge Regulations
  Ms Perham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to alter the current discharge regulations for new recruits joining the Naval Service. [120838]

  Mr. Spellar
  With effect from 1 June 2000, all new recruits, other than re-engagements, will have a statutory right to apply to leave the Naval Service during a six 114W
  month period from date of entry, subject to having completed four weeks' effective service. Recruits will be entitled to be discharged no later than 14 days from the date of submitting notice in writing to their Commanding Officer. Currently, recruits have a period of three to six months, depending on their age at entry, during which they may exercise their right to leave the Service.

  Additionally, discharge fees applicable to Royal Navy Ratings and Royal Marine Other Ranks aged 17½ years or over on entry, who take up their right to leave within the six month period, are to be discontinued from 1 June 2000.

  The two changes in Terms of Service will harmonise the Naval Service's discharge regulations for new recruits and mean that all new recruits, irrespective of their age on entry, will have an equal right to leave the Service in future.

  HMS Phoenix
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 8 March 2000,Official Report, columns 708-09W, what was the (a) purpose, (b) nature and (c) outcome of the experiment involving 13 military volunteers at HMS Phoenix. [117078]

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

  Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Matthew Taylor, dated 3 May 2000:
  I am replying to your parliamentary question about the study undertaken by the Chemical and Biological Defence (CBD) sector of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) at HMS Phoenix.
  The purpose of this study was to determine whether existing or proposed control methods were effective in preventing nuclear contamination of a designated toxic free area (TFA). Subjects wearing full individual protective equipment were exposed to harmless particles to simulate nuclear fallout. They were then processed through the entry system under evaluation into the TFA, replicating the undressing and decontamination procedures appropriate to that system. The effectiveness of the entry system was tested using air sampling techniques in the TFA. None of the volunteers who took part in the trial experienced adverse effects. The results will be used to revise entry and exit procedures to reduce the potential for the transfer of nuclear contaminated material.
  I hope the above is helpful.

  MOD Accommodation
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many properties earmarked for naval officers have been built by his Department(a) in total and (b) in the Portsmouth area in each of the last four years; at what cost; and if he will make a statement. [118652]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Defence Housing Executive (DHE) is the MOD agency responsible for managing Service housing in England, Wales and Scotland and, as a Tri-Service organisation, it does not build properties specifically for any one Service.

  53 officers' quarters were built in Putney between 1995 and 1997 at a cost of £4.6 million, a small majority of which are occupied by Naval officers. At Taranto Hill, Ilchester, 34 officers' quarters are in course of

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  construction as part of a larger project, at an approximate cost of £2.7 million. The majority of occupants will be Naval officers based at RNAS Yeovilton.

  Four Private Finance Initiative contracts have been placed by DHE covering requirements for new officers' accommodation for Lossiemouth, Shawbury, Glasgow (at Paisley) and Yeovilton, of which only those at Yeovilton will be mainly occupied by Naval officers. These PFI houses will not be owned by DHE and the cost will be paid through a monthly payment by DHE to the owners for the properties required. Payment will be dependent on the quality of service provided.

  Two further PFI contracts are planned, one to cover accommodation requirements at Waddington and one to cover requirements at Bristol, Bath, Shrivenham and Portsmouth, of which the 70 houses for Portsmouth will be mainly occupied by Naval officers' families. Because of land ownership issues, some 15 of the 70 may be built with MOD capital and be MOD owned. Firm costs are not yet available and are likely to be commercially sensitive.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many naval officers in the greater Portsmouth area are living in privately rented accommodation and awaiting

  Charter costs 1996–97 to 1999–2000

  Ser.

  FY

  Number of ships

  Annual cost (£000)

  Task/Destinations1

  1

  1996–97

  249

  18,040

  (a) Operations (11)—Split

  (b) Exercises (29)—USA, Spain, Norway, Germany, Turkey

  (c) Resupply (13)—Antwerp and Zeebrugge (for BAOR, Germany), Gibraltar, Cyprus, Kenya, Falkland Islands (inter-island)

  (d) Training (3)—Marchwood

  2

  1997–98

  266

  13,491

  (a) Operations (10)—Split

  (b) Exercises (32)—Germany, Spain, Turkey, Norway, Sardinia

  (c) Resupply (39)—Antwerp and Zeebrugge (for BAOR, Germany), Gibraltar, Cyprus, Canada, Falkland Islands (inter-island)

  (d) Training (7)—March wood

  3

  1998–99

  346

  16,107

  (a) Operations (16)—Split, Thessaloniki

  (b) Exercises (18)—Germany, Norway, Spain, Poland, Turkey

  (c) Resupply (32)—Antwerp and Zeebrugge (for BAOR, Germany), Gibraltar, Cyprus, Canada, Falkland Islands (inter-island)

  (d) Training (4)—Marchwood

  4

  1999–2000

  359

  21,552

  (a) Operations (43)—Thessaloniki, Split, Corsica

  (b) Exercises (19)—Germany, Norway, Egypt, Jordan, UAE, USA, Scotland

  (c) Resupply (22)—Antwerp and Zeebrugge (for BAOR, Germany), Canada, Gibraltar, Cyprus, Kenya, Falkland Islands (inter-island)

  1 Figures indicate number of tasks carried out

  2 Number includes 1 × Joint Rapid Reaction Force (JRRF) RoRo on bare boat charter

  3 Number includes 2 × JRRF RoRos on bare boat charter

  Warship Construction
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what measures his Department is taking to ensure that the UK retains the capacity for warship construction; [119335]

  (2) if he will instruct the UK Defence Procurement Agency to ensure that UK suppliers are not disadvantaged in relation to foreign competition in respect of contracts for warship construction; and if he will make a statement. [119405]
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  MOD accommodation; how many of them have been waiting for more than six months; and if he will make a statement. [118655]

  Dr. Moonie
  106 naval officers and their families are presently accommodated in non-Service family quarters in the greater Portsmouth area. Forty-two have been resident over six months. New applicants are allocated Service accommodation as it becomes available so that mid tour moves should not be necessary.

  There are no naval officers being provided with single rented accommodation in the greater Portsmouth area at the present time.

  Ferry Charter Costs
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent on charter costs for ferries to transport military assets in each of the last five years; on how many occasions and to what locations equipment was moved; and if he will make a statement. [119165]

  Dr. Moonie
  The information requested is not available on a consistent basis prior to Financial Year (FY) 1996–97. The following table shows the number of ships, excluding tankers, chartered from FY 1996–97 to FY 1999–2000 to transport military assets.

  Dr. Moonie
  Government policy, which is followed by the Defence Procurement Agency, is for warships to be built in the UK. UK warship builders are not, therefore, disadvantaged in relation to foreign competition.

  The shipbuilding programme that has emerged from the Strategic Defence Review represents a considerable commitment and provides UK Shipbuilding Industry with a firm basis to invest, and modernise.

  Taken together, the policy for warship building and the future requirements for warships should ensure that the UK retains the capacity for warship construction.

  Websites
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's policy is on(a) advertising and (b) acknowledging company sponsorship on the websites of his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies; which companies (i) have placed advertisements and (ii) are acknowledged as sponsors on those websites; how much revenue has been received for each financial year since 1997 from such advertisements and sponsorship; and if that revenue has been retained within the budget of his Department, agencies and non-departmental public bodies. [119543]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 19 April 2000]: My Department's policies on advertising and sponsorship of its Departmental websites come under the existing conventions on Government publishing and advertising as set out in the Guidance on the Work of the Government Information Service, which can be found at http://www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/central/1999/workgis/index.htm. The Department's websites are subject to the policy guidelines issued by the Cabinet Office on the use, management and design of Government websites. These guidelines are available at http://www.iagchampions.gov.uk/guidelines/websites. They permit the use of advertisements and sponsorship on Government websites.

  No advertisements and no sponsorship acknowledgements which generate revenue appear on the Department's principal websites, nor have there been any in the past. To the best of my knowledge this applies also to the websites maintained by individual Defence Agencies, units and non-departmental public bodies.

  Where a company has sponsored a major Service event and a related web page exists on one of the Department's websites, that page has on occasion included the company's logo which in some cases links to the company's own website. This has been the case with some events announced on the Royal Navy and British Army websites, but no revenue has been generated by the appearance of logos. The websites for the Red Arrows and Blue Eagles aerobatic teams have been provided at no cost by commercial web designers Deltaweb, who provide a link to their own site. Some other sites, designed under contract, include acknowledgements and links to their designers' own websites.

  The Ministry of Defence's main website includes a search facility provided free of charge by the International Relations and Security Network and Eurospider Information Technology AG, under the auspices of NATO's Partnership for Peace initiative. The Met. Office website similarly uses free search facilities provided by Excite.com. Links are provided to their websites. No revenue has been generated in the process.

  The British Defence Staff (Washington) has a specific responsibility to promote UK defence exports to the United States. In pursuit of this objective, the BDS (W) website promotes specific items of defence equipment and its manufacturers. In addition the site search facility is presently advertiser-supported but provided free of charge by freefind.com.

  Of the Department's non-departmental public bodies, the Royal Navy Submarine Museum currently includes links to BAE Systems to recognise sponsorship of
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  museum exhibits. However, no revenue has been generated by the appearance of the relevant logos and links on the website.

  Entry Licences
  Angela Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who issues licences to enter his Department's land on Salisbury Plain. [119928]

  Dr. Moonie
  Licences to enter Salisbury Plain Training Area are issued by Defence Estates once approval has been given by the Commandant Army Training Estate Salisbury Plain. I refer my hon. Friend to the answer which the then Under-Secretary of State for Defence, my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Walton (Mr. Kilfoyle) gave to her on 17 January 2000,Official Report, column 280W, on the licensing procedure.

  Angela Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many licences to enter his Department's land have been issued in(a) 1996, (b) 1997, (c) 1998, (d) 1999 and (e) 2000 to date; [119926]

  (2) how many licences to enter his Department's land have been (a) revoked and (b) curtailed in (i) 1996, (ii) 1997, (iii) 1998, (iv) 1999 and (v) 2000 to date; [119927]

  (3) who has responsibility for ensuring that conditions on licences to enter his Department's land are adhered to; [119929]

  (4) what action can be taken against (a) bodies and (b) individuals who contravene the terms and conditions of licences to enter his Department's land. [119925]

  Dr. Moonie
  The information on the number of licences issued to enter Ministry of Defence land and also how many of these have been revoked or curtailed is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Once licences are issued, however, licence holders are required to operate within the terms of their licence. Responsibility for ensuring that this occurs rests both with Defence Estates (an agency of the Ministry of Defence) and the establishment where the activity occurs.

  Action on the contravention of any licence is dependent both on the activity involved and in what way the agreement has been contravened. For example, if damage has occurred the licence holder can be asked to pay for any repairs that may be necessary.

  Procurement Programme Studies
  Mr. Keith Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the occasions since May 1997 when alternative studies have been initiated for procurement programmes once a preferred supplier has been selected, indicating the cost of those studies in each case. [118971]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 17 April 2000]: Information of this sort is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Tritium
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 3 April 2000 to the hon. Member for Angus, (Mr. Welsh),Official Report,

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  column 303W, on tritium, for what reason disclosure of tritium production details would be contrary to national defence and security interests. [120065]

  Mr. Hoon
  The Government are committed to being as open as possible about Britain's nuclear forces. However, disclosure of tritium production details could provide the means to assess nuclear weapon design data, offering an unwelcome insight into our nuclear capabilities. In addition, when answering questions on defence nuclear issues, we must observe our obligations under the terms of Article 1 of the 1970 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. It is on these grounds that I am withholding this information under Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  Defence and Clothing Research Establishment
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many staff were employed at the Defence and Clothing Research Establishment at Colchester; when the decision was taken to transfer all the operations to Bicester; and how many staff it is estimated will be transferring to the new site; [120592]

  (2) when the Defence and Clothing Research Establishment at Colchester was due to transfer to Bicester; what is the current anticipated date when the transfer will be completed; what is the cause of the delay; and if he will make a statement. [120593]

  Mr. Spellar
  When DCTA was formed in November 1994, the intention from the outset was that the different elements would collocate to Caversfield. This would generate efficiencies by rationalising technical facilities at the Agency's Didcot and Colchester sites and by reducing the number of staff required to run one site as compared to three. However, it was not until July 1996 that a firm date of November 1998 was decided for the transfer of the Colchester Science & Technology Department (S&TD) element. At that time, the establishment of S&TD comprised a total of 147 staff was expected to increase by 1998 to 156. The current estimate of the number of staff from Colchester intending to transfer to the Caversfield site is 84, although all staff at Colchester still have the offer of a job at Caversfield, should they decide to move.

  The original date for the transfer has been affected by a number of studies into the future of DCTA. However, none of these studies raised any point which significantly altered the original plan and the then Minister for the Armed Forces, my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, North (Mr. Henderson), confirmed the collocation on 1 April 1999.

  The Collocation is now expected to be completed by February 2001, which represents a total delay of some two years and three months over the original date. The causes are as follows:

  (a) Private Finance Initiative (PFI) Study 1997: delay incurred one year.

  (b) McKinsey Study (SDR) 1998 recommending S&TD/DERA Study into what elements (if any) should go to DERA on Value for Money grounds: delay incurred 11 months.

  (c) English Heritage—Proposed listing of Caversfield Buildings; its impact upon refurbishment proposals, necessitated some redesign: delay incurred four months.

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  Despite the various delays, we now fully expect that the revised date for completion will be met. DCTA is currently evaluating the various tenders that have been received for the refurbishment of the remaining buildings on the Caversfield site, and the programme is expected to be undertaken during Summer/Autumn 2000.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Lord Levy
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the cost to public funds of Lord Levy's visit to Morocco, broken down by(a) expenses and (b) other costs. [118791]

  Mr. Hain
  [holding answer 12 April 2000]: I refer to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 22 February 2000, Official Report, column 852W. This was also the case in relation to the Morocco visit.

  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whom the Prime Minister's special envoy met on his recent trip to Morocco. [118794]

  Mr. Hain
  [holding answer 12 April 2000]: Lord Levy met a range of senior figures, including King Mohammed VI, to whom he delivered a personal message from the Prime Minister.

  Amsterdam Treaty
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason no fines have been imposed under Article 228(2) of the Amsterdam Treaty; and what representations he has made calling for such fines be imposed. [119811]

  Mr. Vaz
  Article 228(2) applies if a member state fails to respond to a Court judgment. The vast majority of cases is settled well before this stage. Over the last three years, the Annual Report on monitoring the application of Community law records that the Commission has referred 14 cases to the European Court of Justice for a second time, recommending fines in each case. The fact that no penalties have yet been imposed by the Court does not indicate that the system is not working. On the contrary, it shows that member states have responded to the possibility of a fine by rapidly coming into line with EC law, either before the case is referred to the ECJ for a second time or shortly afterwards.

  Plutonium Exports (United States)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what communications have been received by the(a) scientific and (b) Atomic Energy Counsellors in the British Embassy in Washington DC since May 1997, from the (i) United States Department of Energy and (ii) other US nuclear authorities, in respect of the agreements affecting plutonium exported from the United Kingdom to the United States and the use to which that material has been put. [120252]

  Mr. Hain
  There is no Atomic Energy Counsellor at the Embassy in Washington. Since May 1997 the Science, Technology, Environment and Energy Counsellor has received routine communications from the United States
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  Government on the movement of nuclear material exported from the United Kingdom to the United States, and the use to which that material has been put. These have formed part of the normal process of consultation between our two Governments.

  Entry Clearance (Islamabad)
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) with reference to the operation of the interim appointment system in Islamabad for applicants seeking entry clearance(a) by what criteria an application is judged to be straightforward, (b) by whom this decision is made, (c) how an applicant is informed that the application is regarded as straightforward, (d) what types of visa application can be considered under this system and (e) if an existing applicant awaiting interview can take advantage of the scheme; [120487]

  (2) how many applications for entry clearance have been considered under the interim appointment system in Islamabad; and of these, how many were (a) accepted and (b) refused, for each type of visa application. [120488]

  Mr. Vaz
  There is no interim appointment system in operation at Islamabad. There is, however, a fast-track scheme for spouses in the settlement queue, whereby they can present themselves for interview on any Tuesday. Applicants who meet the relevant criteria of the Immigration Rules without the need for any additional inquiry are granted entry clearance. Those who do not are invited to return for further interview on the date of their original appointment.

  No statistics are kept for those granted entry clearance, or deferred to their original appointment, during this process. All of those who attend have their applications considered by an Entry Clearance Officer.

  Iraq
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what oil revenues are available to Iraq for purchasing(a) food and (b) medical supplies under UN sanctions; and if he will make a statement. [120363]

  Mr. Hain
  Under the UN "oil for food" programme, Iraq can export unlimited amounts of oil to fund the purchase of food, medical supplies and other humanitarian relief. With Iraq now among the world's largest oil producers again, and given that its oil reserves are second only to those of Saudi Arabia, more than $10 billion a year should be available for the humanitarian programme. It is, however, for Iraq to decide how much of that money will be spent on essential food and medicines for the Iraqi people.

  Valerie Davey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what goods on the UK Military List have recently been approved for export to Iraq. [120839]

  Mr. Hain
  Following consultation with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Defence, the Department of Trade and Industry recently approved a licence to export de-mining equipment to Iraq for use by UN personnel in a humanitarian de-mining programme. The export of the equipment was approved by the UN Sanctions Committee under the Oil for Food programme.
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  International Criminal Court
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the United Kingdom will ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. [120355]

  Mr. Hain
  The UK requires legislation before we can ratify the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. This legislation will be published in draft form in the current Parliamentary session and introduced as soon as the Parliamentary timetable allows.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent progress being made to establish an International Criminal Court. [120354]

  Mr. Hain
  To date the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court has been signed by 96 States and ratified by eight. The Court will be established once 60 States ratify. A Preparatory Commission is making good progress and is expected to complete the drafting of two important subsidiary documents to the Statute during its next session in June.

  Visa Correspondence Unit
  Mr. Leslie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress he has made in reducing the backlog of correspondence in the Visa Correspondence Unit. [120911]

  Mr. Vaz
  I am pleased to inform the House that the Visa Correspondence Unit's backlog of correspondence with Members has been reduced so that there are now only 45 letters from Members which have not been answered within the 15 working day target, compared to 851 on 27 January. Forty-five is, of course, still too many and we will continue to work to improve our performance.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Winter Fuel Payments (Gosport)
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when residents of Gosport will receive their winter fuel payments. [119840]

  Angela Eagle
  The administration of benefits is a matter for Alexis Cleveland, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency to answer. She will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Alexis Cleveland to Mr. Peter Viggers, dated 2 May 2000:
  The Secretary of State has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking when residents in Gosport will receive their winter fuel payments (WFP).
  Our records show that 10.2 million WFPs were issued in November 1999. Of these, around 5 million were issued directly to Post Offices, the remainder were issued to customers home address or direct to their bank accounts. For security reasons, Post Offices were advised to return any uncollected girocheques to the Benefits Agency by 21st December 1999. Approximately 85,000 were returned by the Post Office. My staff have been contacting customers whose payments were returned to ascertain the reason for non-collection and re-issue payments where possible. All payments were made before the end of March with the exception of those where the customer has still not responded to our enquiries.

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  Following the ruling in the case of Taylor, the age at which Winter Fuel Payments can be made was to be equalised at 60, and the need to be in receipt of a qualifying benefit is removed. As before, these payments are intended for people who are ordinarily resident in Great Britain.
  In order to meet the requirements of the European Court of Justice ruling it was necessary to identify the new beneficiaries from people aged 60 and over and build processes to ensure that this year's payments, and payments for past winters, could be made as soon as possible.
  The Secretary of State for Social Security wrote to all MPs on 11 April setting out the planned delivery arrangements to make these payments. As he indicated, the current plan is to begin making payments for past winters from the end of June onwards and to make this coming winter's payments before Christmas.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the guidelines are in respect of comments by the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency on decisions by Benefits Agency decision makers on claims for Disability Living Allowance. [120088]

  Mr. Rooker
  The administration of Disability Living Allowance is a matter for Alexis Cleveland, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, who will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Alexis Cleveland to Mr. Anthony Steen, dated 2 May 2000:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking what guidelines there are in respect of comments by the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency (BA) on decisions by BA decision makers on claims for disability benefit living allowance.
  Decision makers in the BA make decisions fairly and impartially on behalf of the Secretary of State. No one, including myself, can interfere with the decision making process.
  This is a long-standing principle designed to ensure that all claims and questions put before decision makers are treated equitably.
  I am responsible for monitoring the quality of decision making within the agency and am advised on the quality of decisions taken by an independently chaired Standards Committee.
  There will be an annual published report on the quality of decision making in agencies.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Vaccine Damaged Children
  Mr. Tony Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the Government will announce a financial settlement for vaccine damaged children. [120727]

  Mr. Bayley
  The results of our review of the Vaccine Damage Payments scheme are in preparation but have not yet been finalised.

  Sure Start Maternity Grant
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people received Sure Start Maternity Grant in 1999–2000; and how many are expected to receive it in(a) 2000–01 and (b) 2001–02. [119948]

  Angela Eagle
  [holding answer 20 April 2000]: Sure Start Maternity Grant (SSMG) was introduced from 27 March 2000 to replace the £100 Maternity Payment, and is payable for children expected, born or adopted on or after 11 June. Maternity payments will continue for
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  children expected, born or adopted before 11 June. Since both Maternity payments and SSMG payments will be made during 2000–01, figures for the two benefits are in the following table for the relevant years.

  Number of people receiving Sure Start Maternity Grant and Maternity Payment

  Sure Start Maternity Grant

  Maternity Payment

  1999–2000

  1—

  171,827

  2000–01

  2165,000

  230,000

  2001–02

  2192,000

  0

  1 Not yet available

  2 Projected figure

  Child Poverty
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when his Department first announced plans to halve child poverty in 10 years and eradicate child poverty in 20 years; and when these targets are due to be met. [120238]

  Mr. Bayley
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced our aim to end child poverty in 20 years in the Beveridge Lecture on 18 March 1999. Following this, we published "Opportunity for all" (Cm 4445, September 1999) placing tackling poverty and social exclusion at the heart of this Government's agenda. Reinforcing our commitment to ending child poverty, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced our ambition to halve child poverty "by the end of the next decade" in his 1999 Pre-Budget Report.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Child Labour
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she has taken to address the problem of child labour in the developing world. [119360]

  Clare Short
  Our Government played a key role in brokering the agreement on the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour at the International Labour Organisation (ILO) in 1999. We have contributed $1 million per annum for the last two years to support ILO programmes to eliminate child labour and are working with the ILO on projects to eliminate child labour in India and Tanzania, and to restrict trafficking in children in South-East Asia.

  Gap-year Students
  Mr. St. Aubyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the role of her Department in appointing year-out students on development projects overseas. [119362]

  Clare Short
  The Department for International Development does not appoint year-out students on development projects overseas. Developing countries require access to know how to build local capacity. Our volunteer schemes such as Voluntary Service Overseas and British Executive Services Overseas provide volunteers with skills in areas needed by developing countries.
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  Debt Relief
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent representations she has received from Christian Aid about third-world debt. [119363]

  Clare Short
  On 4 April, the Chancellor and I met a number of faith leaders and directors of voluntary organisations, including Christian Aid, at one of our regular seminars on debt and poverty reduction. I continue to receive many letters on debt, including from Christian Aid supporters.

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to ensure that the amount of debt relief granted to the world's poorest countries is increased. [119377]

  Clare Short
  We were instrumental in securing the revision of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative, which provides faster, wider and deeper debt relief for the poorest countries. The new framework will deliver $50 billion in debt relief. In addition, the Government have announced that they will provide 100 per cent. bilateral relief on all remaining export credit debt for qualifying HIPC countries. Some other countries, including the rest of the G7, have agreed additional debt relief beyond the HIPC framework.

  At the Spring Meetings of the World bank and IMF last month, the international community agreed to set up a joint World bank/IMF Committee to oversee the implementation of the enhanced HIPC framework, and to provide regular progress reports to the two Executive Boards. I welcome this measure.

  The financing for the revised Initiative has yet to be identified in full. The UK has made the largest commitment to date to the HIPC Trust Fund—over $350 million, including our share of the European Community contribution.

  Ethiopia
  Mr. Russell Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what is the total amount of emergency assistance that her Department has committed to Ethiopia in response to the current famine. [119364]

  Clare Short
  We have responded quickly and appropriately to emerging emergency needs in Ethiopia. Since June 1999 we have committed some £9.3 million in food and non-food relief. The food aid element is over 30,000 metric tonnes. In addition, we contribute about 17 per cent. of the cost of EC food aid; estimated to be some 432,000 metric tonnes this year. We are ready to commit more funds if new needs emerge.

  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement about the aid she is providing to Ethiopia. [119370]

  Clare Short
  We have responded quickly and appropriately to emerging emergency needs in Ethiopia. Since June 1999 we have committed £9.3 million in food and non-food relief. The food aid element is over 30,000 metric tonnes. In addition, we contribute about 17 per cent. of the cost of EC food aid: estimated to be some 432,000 metric tonnes this year.
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  Because of the war with Eritrea we, like other donors, have reduced long-term development aid because we are not confident that the resources would be used to benefit the people of the country.

  India
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her policy is on linking aid to India with good governance; and if she will make a statement. [119365]

  Clare Short
  Our "Country Strategy for India", published in 1999, stresses the crucial importance of good governance to India's development. One of the five strategic objectives for our programme in India is to promote accountable government delivering pro-poor reform and growth and effective services.

  A key element of the Strategy is the focusing of our effort and funding on the governments of selected Indian states which have high concentrations of poor people. The criteria for choice of states include:
  a commitment by the government to reduce poverty, including a willingness to make radical shifts in fiscal priorities, tackle difficult social issues, overhaul the delivery of public services and decentralise more power and money to local government; and
  a desire to improve standards of governance.

  We intend to increase substantially the proportion of its bilateral development assistance to India devoted to improving governance at national and state levels.

  Africa
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement about development aid to east Africa. [119366]

  Clare Short
  British bilateral development assistance to Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda totalled about £130 million in 1999–2000. Assistance to Tanzania and Uganda is set to increase substantially over the next three years in support of Government-led efforts to strengthen economic management and reduce poverty, which are being pursued further through the preparation of Poverty Reductions Strategy Papers (PRSP). In Kenya, the Government are seeking to negotiate a new economic reform programme with the IMF, in preparation for which it is preparing an interim PRSP. We are ready, if Kenya reaches agreement on a credible poverty reduction programme with the international financial institutions, substantially to increase development assistance.

  Sir Sydney Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement about aid to the Horn of Africa. [119368]

  Clare Short
  Planned expenditure in countries in the Horn of Africa is shown at Annex 1, Table 5 of the DFID Departmental Report 2000.

  Overseas Development (Expenditure)
  Mr. Bradshaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made towards meeting the Government's target for expenditure on overseas development as a proportion of gross domestic product. [119367]
  127W
  Clare Short
  DFID assistance to developing countries in the last financial year is estimated at £2.212 billion, an increase of 8.5 per cent. in real terms over the expenditure of £1.987 billion in 1998–99. This increase reflects the first year of the Comprehensive Spending Round settlement in 1998, as part of which an extra £1.6 billion was allocated for development spending. Under this, DFID' s budget will increase by £365 million in the current financial year and by a further £307 million in 2001–02.

  I should also inform the House that we have today submitted to the OECD our provisional figures for official development assistance for the 1999 calendar year. We estimate that net ODA for the calendar year will be £2.03 billion. This results from the different time-frame of our financial year and the Development Assistance Committee's use of the calendar year and is largely the consequence of the timing of the deposit of promissory notes in respect of IDA and the African. Development Fund, lower than predicted spending by the EC, and the timing of bringing to book expenditure on Kosovo. This will produce an anomalous calendar year ODA/GNP ratio of 0.23 per cent. We expect that ODA in 2000 will be 0.29 per cent. of GNP, rising in 2001 to 0.30 per cent. of GNP.

  Zimbabwe
  Mr. Wilkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of British development aid to Zimbabwe. [119371]

  Clare Short
  The effectiveness of development assistance to Zimbabwe is kept under regular review. Projects are professionally appraised, monitored and evaluated to assess their impact on poverty. We also review the impact of the wider political and economic environment on progress. Our present assessment is that our portfolio so far has been broadly effective, but that new government-led projects would not be less effective until current governance and economic management issues are resolved. New projects are therefore channelled largely through civil society organisations.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her Department's aid to Zimbabwe. [119372]

  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on her Department's programme in Zimbabwe. [119374]

  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the future of the aid programme to the Government of Zimbabwe. [119358]

  Clare Short
  We are continuing to monitor events in Zimbabwe very closely, and are keeping programme activities under review to ensure that they can still be effective. We are particularly concerned about the failure of the police to uphold court orders against farm invaders; to provide protection under the law; and to act impartially in policing demonstrations. I have therefore suspended DFID support to an Aid and Trade Provision project supplying Land Rovers to the Zimbabwe Republic Police.
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  Iraq
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what aid in the form of water pumps she has sent to Iraq via the United Nations. [119373]

  Clare Short
  In the centre and south of Iraq we have committed £5.3 million to Care International for water and sanitation projects and £3 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross whose programme includes rehabilitating water and sanitation services. In northern Iraq we have supported a number of water and sanitation projects over recent years through NGOs. We are not providing water pumps to UN agencies. These are being imported into Iraq through the oil-for-food programme, and where practicable, our programmes make use of them.

  South Asia
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps she is taking to help end the system of bonded labour in south Asia. [119375]

  Clare Short
  The Government are working for the elimination of bonded labour in several ways. We played a key role in discussions to draw up the International Labour Organisation's (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work (1998) and the Convention for the Elimination of the Worst Forms of Child Labour (1999) which both outlaw bonded labour and provide international standards and monitoring mechanisms. The UK has provided $2 million over the last two financial years to ILO' s International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labour (IPEC). Many child labourers in south Asia work under bonded conditions.

  At country and regional level we are working with the ILO, national Governments, trades unions and other civil society organisations to promote labour rights and tackle the poverty which usually underlies abuses. One of the causes of bondage is indebtedness to landowners. We are supporting micro-credit schemes which aim to provide alternative sources of affordable finance to poor people.

  In the UK we are supporting the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI), a consortium of business, trades unions and non-governmental organisations which encourages companies, many of whom have suppliers in south Asia, to adopt codes of conduct including labour standards throughout their supply chain.

  Malaria
  Mr. Beard
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to help developing countries combat malaria. [119376]

  Clare Short
  The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that malaria kills one million people a year, mainly in Africa. We are strongly supporting the WHO-led Roll Back Malaria (RBM) initiative to achieve the goal of reducing the malaria burden by half by 2010. The RBM initiative provides the vehicle for concerted action by partners, especially in Africa, to deliver more widely the benefits of currently available methods of malaria control to the poorest. Overall UK developmental programme spending on malaria control activities has increased tenfold in the last five years. We are also
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  supporting public-private partnerships to develop the new generation of affordable drugs required for malaria control in developing countries, both by direct funding to WHO through such initiatives as the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), the Lapdap product development programme and the Malarone donation programme.

  Kosovo
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what help her Department is giving in the clearing of land mines in Kosovo. [119378]

  Clare Short
  We have provided over £7 million during the 1999–2000 financial year for the clearance of mines and unexploded ordnance in Kosovo. So far we have committed a further £6.6 million during 2000–01. The great majority of this funding is going to four mine clearance organisations. We have also supported the UN Mine Action Co-ordination Centre through contributions in cash and in kind.

  Famine Relief
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what famine relief operations are being undertaken by(a) her Department and (b) UK aid agencies in Ethiopia and Eritrea. [119379]

  Clare Short
  (a) Details of the emergency interventions we have funded in Ethiopia between June 1999 and April 2000 are outlined in the DFID Background Briefing on Ethiopia, April 2000, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. In addition, we are also providing £1 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross to cover food and transport costs and some £1.3 million to Farm Africa for work in Konso. Britain also contributes about 17 per cent. of the cost of EC food aid for Ethiopia; estimated to be some 432,000 metric tonnes this year. In Eritrea this year, we have provided £200,000 to Oxfam for emergency water/sanitation interventions for people displaced by the conflict. In addition, we also provide 17 per cent. of the cost of EC interventions in Eritrea.

  (b) We do not maintain records of interventions by NGOs and other aid agencies.

  Burma and Thailand
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what representations she has received from non-governmental organisations working in Burma and Thailand about her Department's policies towards those countries. [119350]

  Clare Short
  We have not had any representations from non-governmental organisations working in Burma and Thailand about our policies, but we have consulted non-governmental organisations about the situation in Burma in preparing a Country Strategy Paper that we shall publish shortly.

  Commonwealth Development Corporation
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made on the change in status of the Commonwealth Development Corporation. [119369]
  130W
  Clare Short
  On 8 December 1999 Commonwealth Development Corporation was transformed from a statutory corporation into a public limited company registered under the name of CDC Group plc. It now operates within the framework designed for the Public/Private Partnership. This entrenches an investment policy focusing on investment in poorer countries. For the time being CDC remains wholly Government-owned.

  Palestinian Authority
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on UK development aid to the Palestinian Authority. [119361]

  Clare Short
  Our bilateral development assistance for the West Bank and the Gaza Strip is focused on co-operation with the Palestinian Authority to build a nation through support for the peace process (eg improving Palestinian administrative systems and analytical resources); institution and capacity building (eg improving health and education services); and empowering civil society (eg through non-government organisations working on gender and law issues). We currently spend some £8 million a year on the programme. In addition we contribute a similar sum to the United Nations Relief Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in support of its core activities and to assist in improving service delivery. Our share of European Community and other multilateral programmes for the Palestinians takes our average annual contribution to over £25 million.

  Poor Countries
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of her Department's budget was spent in the world's poorest countries in the last financial year. [119359]

  Clare Short
  Our Government have committed themselves to increase the focus of our aid spending on the poorest people and the poorest countries. The proportion of our country programmes spent in Low Income Countries in the last financial year rose to 71 per cent. from 63.2 per cent. the previous year. We are on course to reach a proportion of around 80 per cent. this year.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Export Licences
  Mr. Berry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in what circumstances an item on the military list can be exported without the requirement of an end-use certificate. [120236]

  Dr. Howells
  All applications for Standard Individual Export Licences (SIELs) for the permanent export of goods subject to strategic export control must be supported by appropriate end-user documentation. Where the intended consignee is a Government body, and the application is not for a licence to export chemicals listed in Schedule 2 or 3 to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) to a state which has not ratified the CWC, a copy of the official Government purchase order or a copy of the relevant part of the Government contract covering the order is normally sufficient. An end-user undertaking is
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  not usually required for Standard Individual Export Licence (SIEL) applications for the temporary export of goods subject to strategic export control.

  An Open Individual Export Licence (OIEL) is specific to an individual exporter and covers multiple shipments of specified goods to specified destinations and/or, in some cases, specified consignees. The exporter must obtain from each consignee an appropriate written undertaking for each export before the export takes place, or not later than one month after the date of exportation. Where the exporter intends to make more than one exportation to the same consignee in any period of one year, an annual written undertaking may be obtained in fulfilment of this requirement.

  As with SIELs, where goods are being consigned direct to a Government body, we will normally accept a copy of the Government purchase contract order, or the relevant extracts from the contract.

  An Open General Export Licence (OGEL) allows the export from the UK of goods specified in the goods coverage of the OGEL to specified destinations. In such circumstances, end-user undertakings are not required. Copies of OGELs are routinely placed in the Library of the House.

  Birth Certificates
  Mr. Caton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what purposes his Department requires a birth certificate to be furnished by(a) employees, (b) contractors, (c) those applying for employment and contracts and (d) other persons. [120312]

  Dr. Howells
  In the DTI and some of its agencies a birth certificate is one of a variety of documents which applicants for jobs may choose to offer as proof of identity and of age, for pension purposes, prior to or at recruitment. In the event of the death of a departmental employee in service, his or her children's full birth certificates are required in order to verify dates of birth for dependants' benefits under the relevant pensions arrangements. Contractors are responsible for establishing proof of the identity of their employees. Birth certificates are not required routinely for any other departmental purposes, although they can be offered by claimants under the Empty Property Compensation Scheme to help establish the validity of such claims in particular lines of inheritance, and they may, in very limited circumstances, be demanded under a number of statutory powers of investigation, for example under Section 434 of the Companies Act 1985.

  BNFL
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will instruct the Health and Safety Executive to conduct an investigation into quality control data problems associated with MOX fuel supplied by British Nuclear Fuels to Swiss and German utilities. [119674]

  Mrs. Liddell
  No. The Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Nuclear Installations Inspectorate reported on the data falsification issues in the MOX demonstration facility (MDF) in its report published on 18 February. HSE's132W
  priority now is to assess BNFL's responses to its reports, published on 18 April, and to monitor the implementation of BNFL's action plans.

  I understand that HSE has briefed the Swiss and German nuclear regulators on the findings of their report.

  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to investigate further allegations made by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries about BNFL's ability to manufacture MOX fuel pellets to meet the required specification; and if he will make a statement. [119680]

  Mrs. Liddell
  I am not aware of the allegations made by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries apart from those relating to the falsification of data on secondary pellet diameter checks.

  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if MOX fuel pellets which should have failed the secondary checks at the Sellafield MOX Demonstration Facility were erroneously approved. [119679]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The falsification of data occurred at a secondary manual stage of checking, the fuel pellets already having been subject to 100 per cent. automated checking.

  The Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Nuclear Installations Inspectorate reported on the data falsification issues in the MOX Demonstration Facility (MDF) in its report published on 18 February. The report confirmed that some pellet diameter data had been falsified; four of the affected fuel assemblies are in Japan; and the fuel would be safe in use.

  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has received a copy of an English translation of a report by the TUEV agency produced for the Ministry of Environment of the Government of Lower Saxony on MOX production and quality control standards at Sellafield. [119673]

  Mrs. Liddell
  I have not received a copy of the report.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will list each of the(a) oral and (b) written parliamentary answers Ministers in his Department have provided since May 1997 which were based on (i) information and (ii) a draft provided by British Nuclear Fuels; [120046]

  (2) how many letters have been sent by Ministers in his Department to (a) hon. Members, (b) Members of the House of Lords and (c) foreign parliamentarians since May 1997, which were drafted (i) in full and (ii) in part by British Nuclear Fuels. [120050]

  Mrs. Liddell
  Internal advice and the source of such advice is not made public in line with exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will appoint to the board of British Nuclear Fuels a suitably qualified representative from a non-governmental organisation. [120282]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The BNFL Chairman, Hugh Collum, is looking to refresh and strengthen his board so that the company can tackle the challenges ahead. That will
  133W
  include recruiting people of a high calibre with a proven track record to contribute, and be committed, to the success of the business.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will instruct British Nuclear Fuels to replace Lloyds Register Quality Assurance Ltd. as quality verifiers of BNFL activities. [120248]

  Mrs. Liddell
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bury, North (Mr. Chaytor) on 28 March 2000,Official Report, column 105W.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy in answering questions from hon. Members to indicate where British Nuclear Fuels helped to draft the reply. [120304]

  Mrs. Liddell
  Internal advice and the source of such advice is not made public in line with exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the(a) safety management and (b) quality control matters that remain to be addressed by British Nuclear Fuels which were mentioned in the two BNFL reports on 18 April. [120247]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The BNFL reports published on 18 April included action plans to address each of the 43 recommendations in the two HSE reports on MOX fuel data falsification and on the control and supervision of operations at Sellafield. These action plans show that a number of HSE's recommendations have already been addressed and there are deadlines against each one that BNFL has still to complete. While the HSE has indicated that BNFL's responses provide a good foundation to deliver the necessary safety improvements at Sellafield, it has said that it will be monitoring BNFL's implementation of the action plans and that it will not hesitate to use its enforcement powers if it sees any signs of significant failure by BNFL to deliver on its commitments. Copies of two BNFL reports are available on BNFL's web site at www.bnfl.co.uk.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the reason for the delay in BNFL's response to the report issued on 18 February by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate on the storage of liquid high level waste at BNFL, Sellafield. [120250]

  Mrs. Liddell
  There has been no delay. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) report on the storage of liquid high-level waste at Sellafield set no deadline. HSE has agreed with BNFL that the company should respond by the summer.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he was consulted by BNFL in respect of the new management and board member appointees announced by the company on 18 April. [120249]

  Mrs. Liddell
  I was consulted about the board changes which the company announced on 18 April.

  Power Plants
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information his Department 134W
  collects on (a) gas-fired and (b) combined heat and power plants, and on planning applications made for such plants in (i) England and (ii) Wales. [120051]

  Mrs. Liddell
  In relation to any new power station with a capacity of more than 50 megawatts (whether gas fired or combined heat and power plant), the Secretary of State's consent is required under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. If, having followed the procedures set out in the Electricity Act, the Secretary of State decides to grant consent, planning permission is deemed to be granted under section 90 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. All applications have to provide information as required under the Electricity and Pipeline Works (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1990.

  Stations with a capacity of more than 10 MW which are fuelled by natural gas require approval under section 14 of the Energy Act 1976 and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry will be supplied with factual information for him to form a judgment as to whether energy policy clearance should be given.

  Decisions under both the Electricity Act and the Energy Act are announced by way of Parliamentary Answer, Press Notice and informing interested parties direct.

  The Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics, copies of which are available in the Library of the House, is published annually and contains a chapter on combined heat and power. The Digest for 2000 is due to be published at the end of July and will give annual data on capacity, fuel and output from combined heat and power schemes in the UK for 1999 and earlier years. The Digest also contains a chapter on electricity which gives the latest statistics on the total generating capacity of gas-fired stations, the volume of gas used for generation, and electricity generated and supplied by gas fired stations.

  Gas Industry
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he intends to reopen the application of the gas-fired power station proposals which he refused as a result of the stricter consent policy; [120116]

  (2) what his policy is regarding granting permission to construct gas-fired power stations under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989. [120115]

  Mrs. Liddell
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry announced on 17 April that he intends to lift the stricter consents policy as soon as the new electricity trading arrangements are in place, which he expects to be by October this year. The lifting of the stricter consents policy will mean that the existing presumption against new gas-fired power generation will no longer apply. The initiative for proposals for new power stations will remain with private sector companies to consider, to meet the evolving needs of the energy market. That market will be influenced by measures such as exemption from the climate change levy for CHP and enhanced capital allowances. It will also be influenced by the implementation of the Integrated Pollution Prevention Control (IPPC) Directive which emphasises that installations are operated in such a way that energy is used efficiently, and by the draft Large Combustion Plants Directive, which if adopted in its present form will
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  require the technical and economic feasibility of providing for the combined generation of heat and power to be examined.

  The Government strongly support CHP and, consistent with the above measures, will expect developers to be able to show that they have explored opportunities to use CHP, providing heat for business and the community, although it is recognised that that may not always be practical. The Department will be discussing with developers the information which needs to be submitted as part of the notification under section 14 of the Energy Act and applications under section 36 of the Electricity Act.

  The Department will also be contacting the promoters of the 15 proposals put on hold since October 1998, with a view to seeing whether those developers wish to proceed with their proposals and what updating of information is required of them.

  Until the stricter consents policy is lifted, it will continue to play a part in the energy market.

  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment his Department has made of the likely future reserves of North Sea gas, taking into account the proposal to lift the stricter current policy from October. [120108]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Department of Trade and Industry publishes estimates of remaining recoverable reserves of gas on the UK Continental Shelf (UKCS) in its annual "Brown Book", the next edition of which is due for publication in May 2000. The UKCS includes the Irish Sea and Atlantic Margin as well as the North Sea. The lower and upper ends of the ranges of the Department's estimates of remaining recoverable reserves of natural gas, in billion cubic metres, at the end of 1999 are given in the table in cubic metres:

  Lower end of range

  Upper end of range

  Discovered

  760

  1,755

  Undiscovered1

  355

  1,465

  1 "Yet-to-find"

  The impact on remaining recoverable reserves of the proposed lifting of the stricter consents policy from October 2000 is not likely to be significant. Higher demand for gas could advance the pace of reserve depletion or it could increase the reserve base if it leads to an increase in exploration activity.

  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when Britain will become a net importer of natural gas. [120107]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The date on which the UK will revert to being a net importer of natural gas will depend on a number of variables, such as the timing of commencement and cessation of production from particular fields and the rate of growth of demand (which can influence the pace of exploration and development of discoveries). It is likely that the UK will again become a net importer of gas during the present decade. There is, however, infrastructure in place to permit imports as and when they are needed.
  136W
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what legal advice he received concerning the legality of imposing a moratorium on gas-fired power stations; [120183]

  (2) when the Government changed its moratorium on new gas-fired power stations to a strict consents policy. [120493]

  Mr. Byers
  None. No moratorium has been imposed.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate how much coal capacity is lost for each additional 1MW of gas-fired electricity generation, assuming electricity demand and the import level stay the same. [120184]

  Mr. Byers
  I refer the right hon. Member to my reply on 25 May 1999,Official Report, column 109W.

  Coal Division
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reason two officials have recently been moved from his Department's Coal Division. [120358]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 2 May 2000]All changes reflect normal career moves.

  Patent Office
  Ms Christine Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about the quinquennial review of the Patent Office. [120982]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  The Government are committed to achieving better public services that are of higher quality and are more responsive to the needs of the people who use them. The services and functions provided by Executive Agencies and non-Departmental Public Bodies (NDPBs) are at the heart of this programme of continuous improvement and their effective delivery is a key element in the success of Modernising Government. Regular Agency and NDPB reviews are an important element in ensuring that we have in place the right structures to deliver the Government's agenda effectively and to provide a strong focus on improving their future performance.

  The Quinquennial Review of the Patent Office, which forms part of that programme of review and continuous improvement, was launched on 27 April. Its terms of reference are:
  To consider and to make recommendations regarding:
  First, the organisational status which would be most appropriate for the policy work and operation of the Patent Office in the future, taking into account its contribution to the objectives of the Department and of the Government as a whole, including the Modernising Government agenda, developments in the national and international legislative, regulatory and commercial environment, and the views of customers, staff, consumers and other interested parties; and
  Second, whether any changes should be made to the way in which the Patent Office operates, including its aims and objectives, targets and financial controls; the scope of the activities undertaken; and whether its activities could be done more effectively.
  The review is to be undertaken in accordance with the latest Cabinet Office guidance, published in January 2000.

  The Review will be carried out by officials in the Department of Trade and Industry, with specialist advice as appropriate. The Review Team will report to a Steering

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  Group which will include two independent members and be chaired by Dr. Catherine Bell, the Director General of Corporate and Consumer Affairs. The aim will be to complete each stage of the review within three months, as recommended in the Cabinet Office guidance.

  As indicated in the terms of reference, the Review Team is seeking the views of interested parties. A consultation paper is available from:

  The Patent Office Review

  Team Room 875

  96 Victoria Street

  London SW1E 5JL

  Tel: 020 7215 1097

  Fax: 020 7215 2987

  e-mail: cca.comments@lond02.dti.gov.uk

  Comments should be sent to the same address by 19 May 2000.

  Wind Energy
  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on offshore wind farms. [120226]

  Mrs. Liddell
  [holding answer 2 May 2000]I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, West (Mr. Thomas) today.

  Mr. Gareth R. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what actions are being taken to promote the development of a UK manufacturing, supply, installation and maintenance industry relating to wind energy, with particular reference to offshore wind energy; and if he will make a statement. [119923]

  Mrs. Liddell
  Support provided under the Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation (NFFO), the Scottish Renewables Obligation (SRO), and my Department's research and development programme for renewable energy has contributed to the development of the wind industry. The first two UK offshore wind turbines are to be installed this year and developers are now looking to see how wind energy can be deployed more widely offshore.

  The Government are taking powers in the Utilities Bill currently before Parliament to promote the development of renewable energy through a new Obligation on electricity suppliers. The intention is that this would include both onshore and offshore wind and would create a market for renewable energy until 2025. Support under existing NFFO and SRO contracts will be maintained. There will be no new rounds of NFFO and SRO contracts.

  The Government are also looking at the possibility of some limited additional support for offshore wind and energy crops. However, Government acting alone will not be sufficient to meet the challenge ahead and industry is expected to play an important part.

  Marine Renewable Energies
  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with offshore engineering companies on marine renewable energies. [120224]
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  Mrs. Liddell
  [holding answer 2 May 2000]I have frequent contact with representatives of the oil and gas companies, for example in chairing the PILOT initiative. Matters covered in discussions include opportunities for diversification in the companies' offshore activities.

  Congo
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations he has received concerning(a) British pilots and (b) air charter service air cargo companies supplying weapons to both sides in the civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo. [120267]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 2 May 2000]The answer is as follows:

  (a) None and (b) none.

  Miners' Pension Fund
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many representations he has received calling for a review of the arrangements for the distribution of surpluses from the miners' pension funds between Government and miners, and from whom. [120357]

  Mrs. Liddell
  I have received in the region of 160 representations on this issue. These have come from a range of parties including local authorities, Members of Parliament and private individuals.

  Bronchitis and Emphysema (Test Centres)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects the second test centre for claimants for compensation for chronic bronchitis and emphysema to be established in Durham; and if he will make a statement. [120399]

  Mrs. Liddell
  There is currently a spirometry test centre based at the Miners Offices in Durham City. The centre is fully resourced and equipped to perform assessments for the Medical Assessment Process. There are no plans at present to open a second centre in Durham. The situation will be kept under review.

  Rover/BMW
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what communications he has received from Mr. Towers concerning the timing of his final bid to BMW. [120495]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 2 May 2000)Mr. Towers is now in negotiations with BMW. I shall be meeting him in due course.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of whether public money would be needed for the Towers consortium to outbid Alchemy Partners for Longbridge. [120494]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 2 May 2000]No request for public money has been received from the Towers consortium.
  139W

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Regional Offices
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has received regarding the proposed restructuring of his Department's regional offices; and from which organisations. [120405]

  Mr. Morley
  The Department has received a number of representations about the future of the Ministry's Regional Service Centres following the recent review of CAP scheme administration. The majority of representations have been from, or on behalf of, staff of the RSCs.

  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what models for restructuring regional offices he has considered; and if he will make a statement; [120403]

  (2) what plans he has to restructure his Department's regional offices; and if he will make a statement. [120404]

  County

  Total sheep

  Unfit sheep

  Dead sheep

  Removed for other reasons

  Hereford

  65,257

  2

  6

  26

  Kent

  688,364

  49

  0

  17

  North Yorkshire

  57,111

  1

  2

  87

  Somerset

  597

  1

  0

  0

  Worcester

  2,904

  3

  0

  0

  Denbighshire

  157,182

  16

  4

  0

  Powys

  73,406

  6

  2

  0

  Wrexham

  40,827

  1

  0

  0

  Other counties in England and Wales

  16,254

  0

  0

  0

  Journeys starting outside of England and Wales

  13,181

  3

  1

  30

  Total

  1,115,083

  82

  15

  160

  Marine Animals (Nets)
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will bring forward proposals to reduce the number of(a) porpoises and (b) other marine animals caught in nets, as required by the 1992 European Habitats Directive; and if he will make a statement. [118827]

  Mr. Morley
  Under the provisions of the EC Habitats Directive, the UK has an obligation to monitor the incidental capture of Annexe IV (a) species (which include all cetaceans) and take further research and conservation measures, as required, to ensure this capture does not have a significant detrimental impact on these species.

  My Department has been monitoring the incidental capture of cetaceans through a number of research contracts with the Sea Mammal Research Unit. In addition, a number of mitigation measures are currently being trialled with a view to reducing marine mammal bycatch generally. If these prove effective, the UK industry will be encouraged to adopt them. Furthermore, if appropriate, the European Commission will be approached, with a view to them being applied at Community level.

  The UK Government, in consultation with environmental NGOs, have also prepared a draft strategy on the protection of the harbour porpoise in UK waters. The aim of this strategy is to address the potential decline.
  140W
  Mr. Morley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 27 March 2000,Official Report, column 37W, by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State to the hon. Member for Ludlow (Mr. Gill) which sets out the latest position.

  Live Animal Exports
  Mr. Prosser
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 1 March 2000,Official Report, column 286W, on live animal exports, from which counties in England and Wales the sheep removed from consignments of slaughter/further fattening sheep in 1999 by his staff at Dover port originated; and how many originated from each of those counties. [120077]

  Mr. Morley
  The counties in England and Wales from which animals removed from consignments of slaughter/further fattening sheep by staff at Dover port in 1999 started their journeys, and the total number of animals starting their journeys in those counties were:

  in numbers of this species. It is anticipated that the document will be published by DETR in the near future, with a view to it being submitted to the Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic and North Seas (ASCOBANS) Meeting of Parties in Bristol in July.

  English Rural Development Plan
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food who will administer the English Rural Development Plan at the regional level. [119006]

  Mr. Morley
  The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is the competent authority designated by the member state with overall responsibility for administering the England Rural Development Plan. At regional level, Regional Programming Groups involving partners from Government Departments and agencies will oversee the implementation and administration of the Programme. A full description of the proposed administrative arrangements is available in Section 12 and Annexe IX of the Plan.

  BSE
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the studies on the presence of the BSE infective agent in cattle(a) under 30 months of age and (b) older than 30 months. [119036]
  141W
  Ms Quin
  Between January and March 1999, brain tissue was collected from approximately 4,163 randomly selected cattle, over five-years-old, passing through the Over Thirty Month Scheme (OTMS) and examined for the presence of BSE infection. The purpose of the study was to assess if cattle carry any detectable BSE infection before clinical symptoms are seen.

  Of the brains removed, a total of 3,951 were in a suitable condition for examination and initial results showed that 18 cattle had signs of BSE infection. The remaining 3,933 were negative and showed no signs of infection. Taken in isolation these results could indicate that approximately 0.5 per cent. of the remaining cattle over five years and older may be infected. It will not be possible fully to interpret the data until the results from other diagnostic tests and a statistical analysis of the age structure of cattle slaughtered under the OTM Scheme is complete.

  A similar study of cattle under thirty months of age has not been undertaken because it would be very unlikely that brain pathology would have developed in such young animals if they were infected. In experimental conditions when calves were orally challenged with relatively high doses of BSE infected cattle brain, the first stage at which signs of BSE infection could be detected in the brains of these challenged cattle was at 32 months after dosing. No signs were seen prior to this at 26 months post challenge.

  Harbour Grant Scheme
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which of the projects under the harbour grant scheme which had formal approval in May 1999 have been granted their grant allocation; and which of the projects in respect of which only applications had been submitted at that date,(a) have been allocated grant and (b) are being processed. [118828]

  Mr. Morley
  Of the 10 applications for harbour grant which were formally approved to receive grant at 21 May 1999:projects at Amble, Hartlepool, Mevagissey, Polperro and Scarborough (two projects) are now complete and have received their grant in full;
  projects at Cadgwith Cove, Grimsby, Scarborough and Whitby have so far received part payments.

  Of the 22 projects in respect of which applications had been submitted at 21 May 1999:
  projects at Bridlington, Grimsby, Mevagissey, Padstow and Whitehaven have since been given formal approval to receive grant;
  projects at Amble, Brixham, Gosport, Hull, Leigh on Sea, Looe, Margate, Newhaven, Newlyn, Poole (two projects), Port Isaac, West Bay and Yarmouth are still under consideration.

  Since the closure of the scheme on 21 May 1999 the applications for projects at Calshot, Hole Haven and Langstone have been withdrawn by their sponsors.

  Waste Incineration
  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he received on the draft EU Directive, Air Pollution: Incineration of 142W
  Waste (Merging with Directive 94/67/EC Hazardous Waste), prior to its adoption; and if he will make a statement. [119676]

  Mr. Morley
  I have received representations on this Directive, for which DETR has responsibility, from the National Pig Association, the Countryside Alliance, the National Farmers Union, a veterinary clinic, three companies and 15 private individuals. The Directive has not yet been adopted.

  Fisheries
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy on the continued use of fisheries regulation 3760/92 after 2002. [119701]

  Mr. Morley
  Council Regulation 3760/92 is the basic framework regulation for the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and is due to be reviewed before the end of 2002. The Government are seeking to maintain highly valued features of the present arrangements, such as the national quota system based on relative stability and restrictions on access within national 6 and 12 mile limits, and believe that this will be achieved. At the same time, we will want to explore opportunities to improve the CFP to make it a more effective instrument for conserving fish stocks.

  GM Crops
  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the results of the GM trials involving grainseed; and if he will make a statement. [119785]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 20 April 2000]The results of the GM trials supporting the proposed National Listing of Chardon LL are publicly available, and copies have been placed in the Library of the House. The Grainseed Ltd. data relate to those columns headed "Ches" (Cheshire).

  Veterinary Medicines Directorate
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what targets he has set the Veterinary Medicines Directorate for 2000–01. [120979]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  I have set the Veterinary Medicines Directorate the following performance targets for 2000–01:

  Safety and Quality

  (1) To provide high quality scientific assessment work.

  (2) To provide high quality policy advice to Ministers.

  (3) To comply with the timetables for entering Suspected Adverse Reactions (SAR) reports set out in the Plan and to report to the Veterinary Products Committee each quarter reviewing trends in SAR reports and identifying areas requiring evaluation.

  (4) To meet, in full, the requirements of the National Residues Surveillance Plan.

  Standards of Service
  (5) To comply with the timetables for handling applications under the centralised, decentralised and UK procedures set out in the Plan.

  Efficiency
  (6) of collect data for 2000–01 as the base year that will enable efficiency changes to be calculated in 2001–02.
  143W
  Financial Control
  (7) To recover from industry and Government the full economic cost (calculated according to resource accounting principles) of its main business activities of:

  licensing and surveillance

  policy work

  residue monitoring

  as a whole, without cross subsidy between these activities.

  (8) To operate within 95 per cent. to 100 per cent. of allocations by the MAFF Management Board for running costs, capital and receipts.

  Plan

  Suspected Adverse Reactions Surveillance Scheme reports:

  enter human reports on to the database within two working days

  enter serious animal reports on to the database within two working days

  enter non-serious animal reports on to the database within 10 working days

  Centralised Procedures

  All assessments (including Maximum Residues Limits) to be submitted within timetables agreed with the European Medicines Evaluation Agency.

  Decentralised Procedures

  All authorisations to be determined within the regulatory timetables.

  UK Procedures

  93 per cent. of new marketing authorisations to be determined or referred to the Veterinary Products Committee within 120 clock days; all to be determined within 210 clock days.

  95 per cent. of valid variation applications to have first assessment within 70 clock days; all to be determined within 150 clock days.

  95 per cent. of valid renewal applications to have first assessment within 85 clock days; all to be determined within 180 clock days.

  Farming and Rural Conservation Agency
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what targets he has set the Farming and Rural Conservation Agency for 2000–01. [120976]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  I have set the Farming and Rural Conservation Agency the following performance targets for 2000–01:

  PLAN

  New Substances and Reviews

  Application type

  Planned receipts

  Planned completions

  Processing time (weeks)

  New Active Substances:

  Sift

  15

  12

  6

  Evaluation:

  —full

  13

  12

  52

  —resubmission

  7

  6

  52

  Reviews—UK

  UK anticholinesterase review programme—full reviews

  2

  7

  —

  Other UK review activity

  10

  16

  —

  Reviews—EC

  EU rapporteur reviews position on Annex 1 decisions

  11

  10

  —

  Total

  58

  63

  190

  1 Overall targets—90 per cent, of applications with a stated processing time must be completed within that time

  Note:

  The figures for New Substances and Reviews are based on work in hand and forecasts from Industry and the Commission
  144W
  Efficiency
  (1) To deliver a 3 per cent. saving compared to 1999–2000.

  Delivery of Services
  (2) 92 per cent. of work completed on time.
  (3) 90 per cent. of work completed to an "acceptable" or better standard as measured by a structured quality assessment process.

  Financial Performance
  (4) To recover from Government Departments and Agencies the full economic cost (calculated according to resource accounting principles) of its services.
  (5) To operate within 95 per cent. and 100 per cent. of allocations by the MAFF Management Board for running costs, capital and receipts.

  Pesticide Safety Directorate
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what targets he has set the Pesticide Safety Directorate for 2000–01. [120977]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  I have set the Pesticide Safety Directorate the following performance targets for 2000–01:

  Quality of Service

  (1). To deliver the throughput of applications and processing times set out in the plan.

  (2) To deliver high quality policy advice to Ministers and respond positively to their policy objectives.

  (3) To deliver high quality scientific work.

  (4) To respond positively to the results of the Customer Satisfaction Survey.

  Efficiency
  (5) To meet the efficiency indicator targets in the agreed Efficiency Plan.

  Financial Performance
  (6) To recover from industry and Government the full economic cost (calculated according to the resource accosting principles) of its services.
  (7) To operate within 95 per cent. and 100 per cent. of allocations by the MAFF Management Board for running costs, capital and receipts.
  145W

  Technical Secretariat

  Application type

  Planned receipts

  Planned completions

  Processing time (weeks)

  Normal

  320

  350

  39

  Departmental Normal

  10

  10

  48

  Experimental Permit

  5

  5

  26

  Departmental Experimental Permit

  5

  5

  48

  Extrapolated Experimental Approval

  10

  10

  13

  Emergency Off Label

  25

  25

  10

  Non-emergency Off Label

  40

  40

  32

  Fast

  220

  220

  13

  Parallel Imports

  50

  50

  10

  Administrative Fast

  550

  550

  4

  Post Annex 1 Approvals

  55

  55

  —

  Mutual Recognition

  5

  5

  26

  Other

  5

  30

  —

  Total

  1,300

  1,355

  —

  Total of tables 1 & 2

  1,358

  1,418

  190

  1 Overall targets—90 per cent. of applications with a stated processing time must be completed within that time

  Veterinary Laboratories Agency
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what targets he has set the Veterinary Laboratories Agency for 2000–01. [120978]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  I have set the Veterinary Laboratories Agency the following performance targets for 2000–01:

  Efficiency
  1. To deliver the efficiency savings in the Efficiency Plan.

  Service Delivery
  2. To achieve 85 per cent. of ROAME R&D milestones.
  3. To deliver 90 per cent. of export tests to published turnaround times.

  Service Quality
  4. (a) To achieve UKAS accreditation for appropriate export testing in Laboratory Testing Department.
  (b) To maintain the current accreditation programme.
  (c) To improve the VLA teamscore under the EFQM Excellence Model.

  Financial Performance
  5. To recover the full economic cost (before exceptional items and calculated in accordance with resource accounting principles) of its services.
  6. To operate within 95 per cent. and 100 per cent. of allocations by the MAFF Management Board for running costs, capital and receipts.

  Central Science Laboratory
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what targets he has set the Central Science Laboratory for 2000–01. [120980]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  I have set the Central Science Laboratory the following performance targets for 2000–01:

  Efficiency
  1. To deliver the efficiency targets set out in the Business Plan.
  146W
  Quality and Delivery of Science
  (2) To review the methodology used for assessing customer satisfaction and undertake a survey in spring 2001 based on the review results.
  (3) To achieve a minimum of 85 per cent. of project milestones in MAFF commissioned projects.

  Financial Performance
  (4) To recover the full economic costs (calculated according to resource accounting principles) of its services, after allowing for relocation costs.
  (5) To operate within 95 per cent. and 100 per cent. of allocations by the MAFF Management Board for running costs, capital and receipts.

  Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what targets he has set the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science for 2000–01. [120981]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  I have set the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science the following performance targets for 2000–01:

  Delivery of Service
  (1) To give satisfaction to its customers in the way that outputs are provided taking account of the relevance, timeliness and value for money of outputs and the achievement of ROAME milestones.

  Quality of Science
  (2) To make satisfactory progress with the Action Plan resulting from the 1999–2000 Science Audit.

  Efficiency
  (3) To achieve the savings forecast in the Efficiency Plan

  Financial Performance
  (4) To recover from Government Departments and agencies and external customers the full economic costs (calculated according to resource accounting principles) of its services.
  (5) To operate within 95 per cent. and 100 per cent. of allocations by the MAFF Management Board for running costs, capital and receipts.

TREASURY

  Energy (Domestic Users)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the recent studies(a) undertaken, (b) commissioned and (c) reviewed by his Department that assess the elasticity of demand of domestic users of energy with respect to the price they pay; and if he will make a statement. [120413]

  Mr. Timms
  "Energy Projections for the UK, Working Paper, March 2000", made available by the Department for Trade and Industry alongside the Government's draft Climate Change Programme, implicitly includes within its projections updated estimates of the price elasticities of demand for domestic fuels. Previous to this, the Institute for Fiscal Studies produced a working paper for Customs and Excise titled "The Simulation of Indirect Tax Reforms: The IFS Simulation Program for Indirect Taxation (SPIT)" which also looked at the elasticity of demand for domestic fuel and power.

  Labour Market Data
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the pre-release recipients of labour market data from the Office for National Statistics. [120228]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 2 May 2000]In accordance with long-standing practice, this information is provided to a tightly restricted group of officials on a strict "need-to-know" basis.

  MEP Pension
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost to his Department of funding the pensions of Members of the European Parliament in each of the last three years; to how may beneficiaries these payments are made; and what estimate he has made of the future annual liability for making such pension payments. [119585]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  Expenditure on pensions is met from the EC budget.

  Sustainable Development
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is the Government's policy that each government Department should give equal priority to promoting social progress, effective protection of the environment, the prudent use of natural resources and the maintenance of high and stable levels of growth in the second comprehensive spending review; how many times the Chairman of the Green Ministers Group has met the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to discuss integrating sustainable development in the second comprehensive spending review; how many of the draft public service agreements submitted to the Treasury explicitly refer to the promotion of sustainable development; and if he will make a statement. [119784]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  At the start of the Spending Review last autumn, sustainable development was identified as a common issue for all Departments to take into account when drawing up their spending proposals. The Government's approach to sustainable development is set out in "A Better Quality of Life", published in May 1999.
  148W
  The Treasury asked that Green Ministers in Departments be closely involved in the preparation and conduct of Departmental contributions to the Review, to ensure that proper consideration is given to sustainable development issues. All Departments have now made their submissions, and the Treasury is assessing them to determine the extent to which further work is needed. Significant points are included in my Spending Review meetings with colleagues.

  The Financial Secretary acts as the Green Minister for the Chancellor's departments and as such attends Green Ministers meetings with the Chairman of that Group.

  Single Flights
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the taxable position of single flights(a) from and (b) to regions designated in section 19 of the Finance Bill. [120629]

  Mr. Timms
  [holding answer 2 May 2000]The effect of Clause 19 will be that passengers on flights from airports in the Scottish Highlands and Islands will be relieved of air passenger duty. Flights to the Scottish Highlands and Islands from other parts of the UK will not be covered by the exemption. However, the provisions of Clause 18 will mean that the duty on economy flights to the Scottish Highlands and Island will be halved to £5 while the duty on non-economy flights will remain at £10. Flights between airports in this region will be entirely exempt from duty.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to increase the level of interest paid on backdated national insurance contribution rebates. [119940]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 20 April 2000]The Department has paid, automatically, an additional 0.5 per cent. for each month of delay beyond October 1998. These payments are continuing, with Age Related Rebate payments due to be paid on 2 May 2000, increased by 9.5 per cent.

  The Department's compensation scheme is regularly reviewed and any changes to current arrangements will be published in the normal way.

  Region (Definition)
  Mr. Welsh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his definition of "region" as used in section 19 of the Finance Bill; and how this relates to local government area and ward boundaries. [120628]

  Mr. Timms
  [holding answer 2 May 2000]Clause 19 introduces a provision which will allow passengers on flights from airports in certain regions to be exempt from Air Passenger Duty (APD). The regions will be defined by Treasury Order and it is the Government's intention that the order will name the Scottish Highlands and Islands. This region includes the local authority areas of Orkney, Shetland, Western Isles, Highland, Argyll and Bute, part of North Ayrshire and part of Moray.

  Climate Change Levy
  Mr. Hawkins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what provision he has made to take account of the
  149W
  anti-competitive impact of relief from climate change taxes or levies made by environmental ministries in other EU countries as applied to gas companies. [120100]

  Mr. Timms
  The Government have sought to design the climate change levy in a way that maximises its environmental effectiveness while protecting the competitiveness of UK firms. This has involved taking into account developments in other EU countries.

  In total, seven European Union countries have introduced carbon or energy taxes since 1990. The European Commission considers compliance with state aids rules for any reliefs from these taxes.

  On current projections, most OECD countries will need to introduce new measures of one form or another if they are to meet their Kyoto targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

  Educational Qualifications
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of those in(a) 1980 and (b) 1999 in the lower quartile of earners had no educational qualifications. [120665]

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

  Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Gerald Howarth, dated May 2000:
  The Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been asked to reply to your recent question on the number of people in the lower quartile of earners who had no educational qualifications. I am replying in the Director's absence.
  The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is the ONS's main source of labour market data on individuals. It can provide information on the earnings and qualifications of employees. However, no LFS data on earnings are available prior to winter (December-February) 1992/3.
  In Great Britain in autumn (September to November) 1993, 1,611,000 employees aged 16 and over in the lower quartile earnings group (based on gross weekly earnings) had no qualifications. This was 30.2 per cent. of all employees aged 16 and over in this earnings group. In autumn 1999, the corresponding figures were 1,140,000 and 91.4 per cent. The figures are not seasonally adjusted.

  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the long-term unemployed in(a) 1970, (b) 1980 and (c) 1999 had no educational qualifications. [120666]

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

  Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Gerald Howarth, dated 3 May 2000:
  The Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been asked to reply to your recent question on long-term unemployed people with no educational qualifications. I am replying in the Director's absence.
  Estimates of economic status and educational qualifications are available from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). Non-seasonally adjusted estimates from the spring (March-May) 1999 quarter for the UK show that 33 per cent. (170 thousand) of long-term unemployed people of working age had no educational qualifications. This compares with 59 per cent. (882 thousand) in the same period in 1984 (the earliest date for which a comparable estimate can be provided.).
  150W
  The measure of unemployment derived from the LFS is defined on a consistent and internationally recognised basis set out by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). It counts as unemployed people who are a) without a paid job, b) available to start work within the next two weeks and c) have either looked for work in the last four weeks or are waiting to start a job already obtained. Long-term unemployed are those who have been ILO unemployed for one year or more.

  Teenage Suicides
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many teenage suicides there were in(a) 1970, (b) 1980 and (c) 1999; and what percentage of teenage suicides occurred in homes at a time when (i) one parent and (ii) both parents were present. [120663]

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

  Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Gerald Howarth, dated 3 May 2000:
  The Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been asked to reply to your recent question on teenage suicides in (a) 1970, (b) 1980 and (c) 1999; and the percentage of teenage suicides occurring in homes at a time when (i) one parent and (ii) both parents were present. I am replying in the Director's absence.
  Figures for the number of suicides for 1970, 1980 and 1998, the latest year for which figures are currently available, are given in the attached table.
  For adult deaths our usual practice is to define suicides as including both suicides and deaths from injury and poisoning undetermined whether accidentally or purposely inflicted. It is likely that most undetermined deaths (open verdicts) among adults are cases where the harm was self-inflicted but there was insufficient evidence to prove that the deceased deliberately intended to commit suicide. This is not necessarily the case for children and the categories are therefore separately presented here.
  Information is routinely collected on the place of death, but not on the place of occurrence of the suicide attempt. In many cases where the initial attempt was at home, the patient would ultimately die in hospital. Any statistics on suicide deaths at home would therefore understate the real level. Information on persons present at a death is not routinely recorded.

  Suicide and undetermined injury deaths for teenagers (ages 13 to 19), England and Wales

  1970

  1980

  1998

  Suicide and self inflicted injury1 Injury undetermined whether

  79

  126

  110

  accidentally or purposely inflicted2

  31

  62

  81

  1 International Classification of Diseases, Eighth and Ninth Revisions, codes E950-E959

  2 International Classification of Diseases, Eighth Revision (1970), codes E980-E989, Ninth Revision (1980 and 1998), codes E980-E989 excluding E988.8

  Family Statistics
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the average fall in income arising from divorce for a divorced(a) father and (b) mother with their children in (i) 1980 and (ii) 1999. [120661]
  151W
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The information requested falls within the responsibility of the Director of the Office for National Statistics. I have asked him to reply.

  Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Gerald Howarth, dated 3 May 2000:
  The Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been asked to reply to your recent question asking for an estimate of the average fall in income arising from divorce for a divorced (a) father and (b) mother with their children in (i) 1980 and (ii) 1999. I am replying in the Director's absence.
  The ONS does not make estimates of this kind. One non-government source that allows this type of analysis is the British Household Panel Study, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). This survey has followed a sample of households each year since 1991 and has information about the incomes and marital status of household members in each of these years. The Institute for Social and Economic Research (ISER, formerly the ESRC Research Centre on Micro-Social Change) published an analysis showing the effect of marital splits on income between 1991 and 1994. This was published in 1997 as 'Marital splits and income changes: evidence for Britain' (Working Paper 97–4). You can obtain a copy from the information officer at the ISER, tel: 01206 872938.

  Divorce
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of(a) the total unemployed and (b) the long-term unemployed in (i) 1970, (ii) 1980 and (iii) 1999 were divorced. [120667]

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

  Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Gerald Howarth, dated 3 May 2000:
  The Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been asked to reply to your recent question on the numbers of unemployed people with were divorced. I am replying in the Director's absence.
  Estimates of economic and marital status are available from the Labour Force Survey (LFS). The table gives non-seasonally adjusted LFS estimates of the unemployed who were divorced in the spring (March-May) quarter of 1999 and the same period in 1984 (the earliest date for which a comparable estimate can be provided).
  The measure of unemployment derived from the LFS is defined on a consistent and internationally recognised basis set out by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). It counts as unemployed people who are a) without a paid job, b) available to start work within the next two weeks and c) have either looked for work in the last four weeks or are waiting to start a job already obtained. Long-term unemployed are those who have been ILO unemployed for one year or more.

  Divorced persons by length of ILO unemployment UK, 1999 and 1984, Spring (March to May) of each year

  All persons (000)

  Divorced person (000)

  Divorced (%)

  1999

  All ILO Unemployed

  1,752

  170

  10

  Unemployed one year or more

  522

  68

  13

  1984

  All ILO Unemployed

  3,216

  167

  5

  Unemployed one year or more

  1.540

  99

  6

  Source:

  Labour Force Survey, ONS

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if tobacco smoke is used as an agent in research on animals under the Animals Scientific Procedures Act 1986; and if he will make a statement. [119718]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The Government stand firmly by their ban on the testing of tobacco products announced in November 1997. There will be no approval for any such tests.

  Two recently approved applications are for programmes that do not test the effects of tobacco smoke, which are already widely known, but enable the development of treatments for chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases such as bronchitis and emphysema which seriously debilitate many people. These health problems derive mainly from smoking, including passive smoking, as well as occupation-related lung diseases, such as those caused by the inhalation of coal dust. Tobacco smoke is the only test material to model reliably the effects that will enable a better understanding of the disease processes and improved medical treatments. The licensed research programmes are to investigate medical treatments, not the safety of tobacco products.

  The Inspectorate and the Animal Procedures Committee have advised that the licences are justifiable and that the benefits to man and animals would outweigh the costs to the animals involved. As with all project licence applications, these two licences were issued only after a full and careful assessment including whether there were alternatives which replace animal use, reduce the number of animals needed or refine the experimental design to minimise suffering.

  Cannabis
  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total number of(a) convictions and (b) police cautions for possession of cannabis in each year since 1980. [119921]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information requested for the period 1980 to 1998, the latest year for which figures are currently available, is given in the table. Separate breakdowns are not available for cautions and convictions prior to 1982.

  Cautions and convictions for possession of cannabis, UK 1980 to 1999

  Number of cautions

  Number of convictions

  1980

  1—

  212,450

  1981

  1—

  213,074

  1982

  422

  14,856

  1983

  1,078

  16,628

  1984

  1,948

  15,914

  1985

  3,328

  14,885

  1986

  4,014

  12,421

  1987

  5,747

  12,833

  1988

  8,307

  14,921

  1989

  11,781

  18,249

  1990

  16,282

  19,804

  1991

  19,583

  18.874

  1992

  22,113

  15,330

  1993

  30,871

  14,495

  1994

  39,248

  25,850

  153W

  Cautions and convictions for possession of cannabis, UK 1980 to 1999

  Number of cautions

  Number of convictions

  1995

  41,155

  27,447

  1996

  38,318

  26,636

  1997

  45,362

  32,150

  1998

  48,480

  40,119

  1 Not available

  2 Total number of cautions and convictions

  Source:

  Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate

  Stop and Search
  Ms Buck
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the breakdown was by percentage of stop and searches for each police borough in the Metropolitan police area under section 1 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 by(a) ethnic appearance and (b) reason for search, in 1998–99. [119830]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis has provided the information requested which I have placed in the Library.

  These statistics update those published by the Home Office, under section 95 of the Criminal Justice Act 1991, in 'Statistics on Race and the Criminal Justice System', in December 1999.

  Prisoners (Progressive Moves)
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date Quayyum Raja, currently detained at HMP Long Lartin, was convicted; what was his sentence; how long he has been detained at Long Lartin; and when he is due to be released. [120035]

  Mr. Boateng
  Quayyum Raja was sentenced to life imprisonment on 7 February 1985. He was given a tariff of 25 years which expires on 1 February 2009. His readiness for release or transfer to open conditions will be considered by the Parole Board for the first time in 2006. He has been detained at Long Lartin prison since 17 February 1992.

  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners detained at HMP Long Lartin were offered progressive moves to other prisons in each of the last three years, and in the current year to date, and of those how many(a) accepted and (b) declined the transfer; and of those who declined the transfer, how many were placed in segregation. [120004]

  Mr. Boateng
  This information is not readily available and cannot be provided in the form requested except at disproportionate cost. It is known, however, that during the last 30 months Long Lartin prison has offered progressive moves to approximately 50 category B life sentence prisoners.

  A minority of prisoners do indicate a reluctance to comply with initial transfer instructions, but in almost all cases do move following representations to Prison Service headquarters.

  Prisoners are not placed in segregation for refusing a progressive move.
  154W
  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if prisoners who undertake a progressive move normally become eligible for home leave or parole prior to release. [120036]

  Mr. Boateng
  Life sentence prisoners become eligible for escorted absences to towns near their establishments after having completed six months in category C conditions. They are not eligible for any form of unsupervised home leave or any other form of temporary release until they have reached open conditions.

  All prisoners sentenced to determinate sentences of four years or more are eligible to be considered for parole once they reach the halfway point of their sentence. Moves between prisons and recategorisation do not affect their eligibility for parole.

  Mr. Gerrard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason Mr. Quayyum Raja was placed in segregation at HMP Long Lartin after refusing a progressive move to HMP Swaleside; and whether(a) he and (b) his officials were informed of this prior to the segregation taking place. [120037]

  Mr. Boateng
  Mr. Quayyum Raja has never been placed in segregation as a result of refusing a progressive move from Long Lartin to Swaleside prison.

  Mr. Raja's refusal to move to Swaleside was in contravention of his sentence plan, a crucial part of his progress towards eventual release. This led to him being downgraded to basic level on the Prison Service incentives and earned privileges scheme and moved to the basic regime wing at Long Lartin prison.

  The Prison Service has now re-considered Mr. Raja's case in the light of recent changes in the availability of accommodation at Gartree prison and Mr. Raja has now accepted a move to Gartree.

  Black Box Recorders
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Metropolitan police expects to install black box recorders in its police vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [120000]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Commissioner of the Police of the Metropolis has informed me that the tendering process for the supply of black box recorders for police vehicles is under way and it is hoped that a contract will be awarded shortly. A phased installation programme will then take place.

  Illegal Drugs (Lancashire)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions there were in Lancashire in each year since 1995 for(a) offering to supply or supplying and (b) possessing (i) cannabis and (ii) ecstasy. [119848]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information requested for the period 1995 to 1998, the latest year for which figures are currently available, is given in the table.
  155W

  Convictions in Lancashire for supply and possession of cannabis and ecstasy, 1995–98

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  Supply

  Cannabis

  56

  53

  49

  67

  Ecstasy

  10

  17

  15

  9

  Possession

  Cannabis

  678

  720

  1,010

  1,338

  Ecstasy

  38

  49

  38

  25

  Note:

  Offering to supply and supply of drugs are both caught by Section 4(3) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and are not differentiated for statistical purposes.

  Source:

  Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate

  Lord Archer
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated cost to date of the Metropolitan police investigation into the allegations of perjury made against Lord Archer of Weston-Super-Mare. [120001]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis has informed me that up to 19 April, the staffing cost of the Organised Crime Group investigation into allegations of perjury made against Lord Archer is approximately £31,000.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for political asylum in the UK in 1999 were(a) approved and (b) refused. [119280]

  Mrs. Roche
  The information requested is given in the table. The latest information on asylum is available on the Home Office internet site at http://www.homeoffice. gov.uk/rds/index.htm. This information is updated on a monthly basis.

  Applications received for asylum in the United Kingdom, excluding dependants, by location of application, and decisions, 19991 United Kingdom

  Annual total

  Applications received:

  Total applications

  71,160

  Applied at port

  29,455

  Applied in country2

  41,700

  Decisions:3,4

  Total decisions

  532.330

  Cases considered under normal procedures:

  Recognised as a refugee and granted asylum

  57,075 6(36%)

  Not recognised as a refugee but granted exceptional leave

  52,110 6(11%)

  Refusals:

  Total refused

  510,685 6(54%)

  Refused asylum and exceptional leave after full consideration

  57,735 6(39%)

  Refused on safe third country grounds

  1.830 6(9%)

  Refused on non-compliance grounds7

  51.120 6(6%)

  Backlog clearance exercise:

  Granted exceptional leave under backlog criteria8,9

  11.230 6(90%)

  Refused on non-compliance grounds under backlog criteria8,10

  1,230 6(10%)

  Applications withdrawn:

  730

  1 Figures (other than percentages) rounded to the nearest five.

  2 This excludes some cases lodged at Local Enforcement Offices and some postal applications.

  156W
  3 Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the same period.

  4 Information is of initial determination decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions.

  5 Provisional figures.

  6 Percentages for cases considered under normal procedures and those within the backlog clearance exercise, are calculated separately.

  7 Paragraph 340 (paragraph 180F prior to I October 1994) of the Immigration Rules, for failure to provide evidence to support the asylum claim within a reasonable period, including failure to respond to invitation to interview to establish identity.

  8 Cases decided under pragmatic measures aimed at reducing the pre 1996 asylum application backlog.

  9 Includes a small number of cases where asylum has been granted.

  10 Includes a small number of cases where the application has been refused on substantive grounds.

  Notes:

  1. Decision figures for January to March 1999 are low due to significant interruption to the casework operation during the transition of IND staff to Integrated Caseworking. This interruption also effects a small proportion of in-country applications in January 1999 which have been estimated.

  2. Port figures for January 1999 are estimated and subject to revision.

  Probation
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average length of time from breach of a probation condition to the offender's appearance in court for each probation service in England and Wales in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [120191]

  Mr. Boateng
  There is currently no centrally held data on this. We are trying to ascertain the national picture and are in the process of obtaining information which may provide an indication of the average time lapse between the service instigating breach action with the court and the breach sentence hearing. The results are not yet available, but I will write to the hon. Member as soon as the position is clearer.

  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unexecuted warrants for the arrest of offenders in breach of probation conditions are held by each police force in England and Wales. [120192]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information requested is not available centrally. However, the Government are concerned that warrants in respect of breaches of community sentences should be executed as soon as possible, and we are currently undertaking some research to determine the current position. I shall write to the hon. Member when the results are available.

  Special Constables (Ethnic Minorities)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) men and (b) women from ethnic minority communities living within Greater London were special constables on 1 April. [120071]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that on 1 April 2000, 92 men and 28 women from ethnic minority communities were serving as special constables with the Metropolitan police.
  157W

  Passports
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many foreign passports the Passport Office holds which are currently unaccounted for. [120119]

  Mrs. Roche
  The Immigration and Nationality Directorate (IND) is, at present, holding some 300 foreign passports for which there is no current address for the owners. Arrangements are being made to return the documents to the appropriate embassy or High Commission in the United Kingdom.

  Disabled Prisoners
  Ms Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the impact of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 on facilities for disabled prisoners. [120612]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Prison Service has developed policies that reflect the requirements of Part III of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 (Goods, Facilities and Services) at each of its implementation stages.

  A working group has been established by the Prison Service to assess the impact of the next stage of the Act, due in 2004, and to develop policies that will enable it to meet those requirements.

  Prisons (Mother and Baby Units)
  Sir Peter Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many mothers with young babies sentenced or remanded to prison were admitted to mother and baby units in the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available. [120622]

  Mr. Boateng
  There are 64 places in total available in the four prison mother and baby units. On 17 April 2000. there were 51 mothers and their babies in the units.

  The information requested is given in the table.

  Number of mothers admitted to prison mother and baby units for the period 5 April 1999 to 4 April 2000

  Remands

  Convicted awaiting sentence

  Sentenced

  Total

  Askham Grange

  0

  0

  10

  10

  Holloway

  3

  2

  34

  39

  New Hall

  5

  0

  20

  25

  Styal

  4

  0

  20

  24

  Total

  12

  2

  84

  98

  Sir Peter Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what efforts are made to inform women received into prisons that they may apply for a place in a mother and baby unit if they already have a baby. [120621]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Prison Service Order on "The Management of Mother and Baby Units and the Application Process", which was published in February, requires all women's prisons to appoint a named liaison officer to be responsible for ensuring that all women, sentenced or unsentenced, who are pregnant or have a child under eighteen months are identified and informed 158W
  of the arrangements for applying for a place on a mother and baby unit. All women's prisons now have a named liaison officer.

  A new prisoner information booklet "All About Mother and Baby Units" was published and widely distributed to all women's prisons in March. Any eligible woman prisoner who expresses an interest in applying for a place for her child must be provided with the booklet which contains the standard application form.

  Internet Voting
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce voting via the Internet in(a) local, (b) national and (c) European elections; and if he will make a statement. [120368]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The Representation of the People Act 2000 allows local authorities to make applications to run pilot schemes involving innovative electoral procedures. Five local authorities will be piloting electronic voting or counting at the local elections on 4 May 2000 though none of these schemes involves internet voting.

  Women Prisoners (Maternity Pay)
  Sir Peter Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if women prisoners who have been employed inside prisons and give birth are paid maternity pay. [120620]

  Mr. Boateng
  Women prisoners who have been employed within prisons and give birth are paid an allowance under regulations set out in the Prisoner Pay Manual 1992 and Standing Order 6 regulations 1993. Under these regulations, scope exists for establishments to set their own rates of pay in addition to the prescribed minima. Women prisoners are entitled to child benefit if their babies remain with them. Consideration is currently being given to introducing specific maternity pay where a woman prisoner is unable to work as a consequence of pregnancy, childbirth or caring for a child.

CABINET OFFICE

  Online Services
  Mr. Robert Jackson
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will list the services which(a) her Department and (b) the executive agencies responsible to her Department (i) provide online and (ii) expect to be deliverable online by 2002. [119446]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  So that the Cabinet Office can publish the spring 2000 report monitoring progress towards delivery of all Government services electronically by 2005 we are currently collecting data which will include our progress on delivering 25 per cent. of Government services electronically by 2002. I do not want to pre-empt that report; however, I have included examples of the electronic services we provide, or are planning to provide, in the table.
  159W

  Name

  Services currently provided online

  Services expected to be deliverable by 2002

  Cabinet Office, including: (www.cabinet-office.gov.uk)

  Central Secretariat

  None at present

  The Civil Service Guidance Directory will be put on the internet which will have an Access search database for people to find their way around the document.

  Civil Service Pensions

  Roll-out of full computerised pension administration system PenServer (August/September 2000). Electronic access for pensioners introduced (autumn 2000).

  Internet access for employers/scheme members to access personal data planned through Pen Web (December 2002).

  New Civil Service pension arrangements will be web-enabled, with communications strategy designed in that context (January 2002).

  Fast Stream, European and Recruitment Division

  Civil Service Recruitment website gateway. Vacancy gateway established with departments December 1999. Site currently under reconstruction.

  Fast stream recruitment (May 2001). New contracts are currently being tendered. The new arrangements will involve a mix of in-house and external service delivery, all linked via a single communications portal and IT/IS support facilities.

  Finance being sought for further development similar to that of the award-winning Army site by December 2000.

  The new arrangements will provide the option for electronic application handling; and will replace paper-based testing at sift stage (12,000 candidates) with computer-based testing.

  Government Information and Communication Service (www.gics.gov.uk)

  Website already established (July 1999) to replace paper versions of recruitment material and provide additional information about the workings of GICS to potential new recruits.

  Work now under way to establish a system which will enable candidates to receive application forms and complete them electronically for postal return of signed hard copy, by mid 2001.

  The intention is to establish a system where all stages of the recruitment process can be completed electronically—the timing of our ability to receive completed application forms electronically will depend or progress towards a widely accepted form of electronic signature.

  Her Majesty's Stationery Office (www.hmso.gov.uk)

  In June 1999 an electronic order form was introduced to enable MEPs to order official publications via HMSO over the internet. Inforoute gateway at prototype stage. Most Departments in early stages of developing their Information Asset Registers. Work is under way to ensure seamless access via the web, streamlined procedures for creating records, and close co-ordination with other information management initiatives.

  Future plans are for Standard Licence Terms for reproduction of extracts from Crown and Parliamentary copyright protected material—apply and receive electronically.

  Submitting application to reproduce Crown and Parliamentary copyright protected material Database of full-text copies of UK legislation

  Information Division

  1. Press Notices—Issue of Press Notices (in association with COI) to journalists. Version 4.0 in place which allows us to e-mail press notices to COI-NDS who process file and fax to a specified list (which we maintain). Possible for press notice to be on 999 recipients fax machines approximately two minutes after the transfer of the file to COI is complete.

  Version 5.0 of the software will allow the same process to be carried out but the delivery will also be available by e-mail.

  2. Cabinet Office Research and Briefing System—The system is in a prototype form at present. A project plan has been written and is being implemented. A staged roll-out will take place, which when completed will allow all divisions in the Cabinet Office to access and input information.

  Initial 1" phase roll-out by the end of March—full roll-out to be agreed, but probably no later than the end of May.

  Modernising Public Services (www.servicefirst.gov.uk)

  Spreading Best Practice database—Online database established in July 1999, and copies of most Cabinet Office best practice publications are contained in a virtual library.

  The best practice website will be extended to provide a gateway to best practice material across the public sector by 2003.

  CharterMark Assessment—Considering the possibility of allowing Charter Mark applicants to apply for the Award online. No firm plans yet.

  Procurement Unit (www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/purchasing/index.htm)

  None at present

  The Unit will be expanding its electronic communications with suppliers, but cannot predict the extent to which that will have been achieved by 2002. The Unit is dependent on developments being undertaken by others, particularly the Office of Government Commerce.

  Public Appointments Unit (www.Public-appointments -directory.gov.uk)

  The placing on the GSI of the Public Appointments Unit 'Central List'. This is a database which contains details of approximately 5,500 people seeking a public appointment. Work is continuing with COI on a tendering exercise for the 'Central List' to be placed on the GSI.

  The Unit is also planning to put their PAU Application form on.

  It is anticipated that the 'Central List' will be available via the GSI by the end of 2000.

  160W 161W

  Name

  Services currently provided online

  Services expected to be deliverable by 2002

  The QUANGO website (www.Quango.gov.uk)

  The 'Quango' website on the Cabinet Office internet site is being developed and enhanced. It is planned that the website will have links to all advertisements for public appointments; an electronic application form for the 'Central List'; and news of public appointments for candidates. Work is under way to establish links to OGDs websites. COI has been commissioned to produce the new application form, which will be put on the 'Quango' website.

  The Unit is dependent on OGDs websites. However, it is anticipated that most departments will have a Public Appointment website that we will be able to link with by the end of 2001.

  Regulatory Impact Unit (www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/regulation/index.htm)

  In order to improve the quality of regulation enforcement, the Cabinet Office (Regulatory Impact Unit) commissioned external consultants to set up a web called INFOSHOP. The INFOSHOP System is designed to answer queries on food safety, health and safety, building control and planning regulation.

  Pilot January 2000 to April 2000. Pilot report May 2000–02–28. 2000, server based system rolled out to local authorities. 2000, web-based version rolled out; likely to be by Small Business Service.

  Social Exclusion Unit (www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/seu/index.htm)

  The Social Exclusion National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal consultation report published recently invites members of the public to send their responses through via the internet link to an e-mail address within the Unit. The Unit will provide this online service for all future consultation exercises.

  The Unit is also proposing a complete re-design of its existing website. This re-design will seek to incorporate Chat Forums, a Newsgroup Bulletin Board and as many up to date facilities as possible to enable individuals and organisations to obtain and exchange information with the Unit.

  Agencies

  Government Car and Dispatch Agency

  GCDA does not currently have an internet site. They are targeted to have their own presence by April 2001.

  GCDA expect to be trading online with customers by April 2002.

  Central Office of Information (www.coi.gov.uk/coi

  COI does not provide services to the public. As part of its service to other Government Departments, COI issues Government press releases through its dedicated News Distribution Press Release website, which can also be accessed via a link from COI's general website.

  There are no plans to introduce further online services through the COI websites.

HEALTH

  Health Facilities (Shropshire)
  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by constituency the(a) GP surgeries, (b) dental practices, (c) pharmacies and (d) cottage hospitals serving rural communities in Shropshire which (i) closed and (ii) opened (1) between 1979 to 1997 and (2) since May 1997. [118550]

  Yvette Cooper
  The information requested is not available by constituency for general practitioner surgeries, cottage hospitals and pharmacies—the figures for Shropshire as a whole are available. Information for dental practices is listed by constituency but is only available for the earlier period between January 1988 and April 1997.

  1979–1997

  GP Surgeries

  There were no main surgery closures during this period, although a small number of branch surgeries or outlying consulting facilities did close. A new main GP surgery opened in Telford.

  Dental practices

  Period between Jan 1988 to Apr 1997

  Constituency

  Practice closed

  Practice opened

  Ludlow

  2

  1

  North Shropshire

  1

  6

  Shrewsbury and Atcham

  5

  3

  Telford

  2

  4

  The Wrekin

  1

  2

  Total

  11

  16

  162W
  Dental practices may include not only those in the General Dental Service but also practices for the Emergency Dental Service and Personal Dental Service. Some closures and openings are for the same location where the practice has reopened under a different name. Also, a number of dental practices did cease to treat some or all of their patients as National Health Service patients during this period.

  Cottage Hospitals

  The following eight cottage hospitals closed during the period 1979–1997:

  Broseley Hospital

  Wellington Cottage Hospital

  Ellesmere Cottage Hospital

  Much Wenlock Cottage Hospital

  Oswestry and District Hospital

  Market Drayton Cottage Hospital

  Newport Hospital

  Whitchurch Cottage Hospital.

  During this period, the following hospitals were also closed:

  Wrekin Hospital (geriatric unit, but GP maternity inpatient service remains)

  Crosshouses (geriatric unit—currently used as NHS trust offices)

  The Beeches (geriatric unit—now an independent sector nursing home)

  Monkmoor (geriatric unit).

  Pharmacies

  During the period 1979–1997, three pharmacies closed.
  163W
  May 1997 to date

  GP Surgeries

  There have been no GP surgery closures since May 1997. One new surgery in Telford has opened which is a personal medical services pilot project.

  Dental practices

  Period between May 1997 to Jan 2000

  Constituency

  Practice closed

  Practice opened

  Ludlow

  0

  2

  North Shropshire

  1

  1

  Shrewsbury and Atcham

  0

  4

  Telford

  1

  2

  The Wrekin

  0

  4

  Total

  2

  13

  Many of the opening practices have been due to investing in dentistry and personal dental service schemes.

  Cottage Hospitals

  There have been no cottage hospital closures since May 1997. Extensive development is taking place at Bridgnorth Community Hospital.

  Pharmacies

  There have been two community pharmacy closures and one pharmacy opening since May 1997.

  Free School Milk
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what recent representations he has received regarding the reintroduction of free milk for school children; [119008]

  (2) what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education and Employment regarding the reintroduction of free milk for school children; and if he will make a statement. [119010]

  Yvette Cooper
  Policy on school milk is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment and representations on this matter are passed to him for consideration. One representation has been received as part of the consultation on the scientific review of the welfare food scheme. It is being considered along with all the other responses received.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health has not had any recent discussions with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment regarding the reintroduction of free milk for school children.

  Taxol and Taxitere
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if Taxol and Taxitere are available free of charge to NHS cancer patients in the South Staffordshire Health Authority area. [119179]

  Yvette Cooper
  Taxanes, a group of cancer drugs including Taxol and Taxitere, are funded on the National Health Service in the South Staffordshire Health Authority area. Each case is assessed on an individual basis as to the potential benefits of using this particular group of drugs.
  164W
  Nationally, the efficiency and effectiveness of taxanes is currently being assessed by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence. The process is still continuing, but we expect the guidance to be issued shortly.

  Cancer Services
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidelines he has issued to(a) GPs and (b) health authorities regarding the diagnosis guidelines issued in the paper entitled, "Beating Bowel Cancer"; and if he will make a statement; [118959]

  (2) what assessment his Department has made of the diagnosis guidelines issued by the paper entitled "Beating Bowel Cancer"; and if he will make a statement. [118960]

  Yvette Cooper
  "Beating Bowel Cancer" aims to raise awareness of the symptoms of colorectal cancer. The Department published cancer referral guidelines, including those for suspected colorectal cancer, on the NHSWeb and the internet on 31 March. We are also sending copies to all general practitioners in England as well as to health authorities, National Health Service trusts and primary care groups. These guidelines will help GPs to identify more easily those patients with suspected cancer so that they can be referred promptly and appropriately for specialist investigation.

  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the NHS spent on supportive care treatments for cancer for each of the last five years; broken down by tumour type. [118963]

  Yvette Cooper
  Supportive treatments for cancer sufferers are important for maintaining quality of life for cancer patients by alleviating pain, countering the side effects of other treatments and for secondary prevention.

  Information on spend on cancer treatment in supportive care is not currently available.

  The Department has commissioned work to improve overall National Health Service information, including national statistics on hospital prescribing, which will give us a more accurate method of recording hospital expenditure in cancer treatment.

  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received regarding the Medical Research Council's proposed CR08 trial into the treatment of colorectal cancer; and if he will make a statement. [118958]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Medical Research Council are still finalising the details of this trial to assess the role of two new agents in the management of advanced colorectal cancer.

  The arrangements for National Health Service support for the trial will be handled through the existing mechanisms laid out in the "Concordat Between the Health Departments and the Medical Research Council, 1997", and "Health Service Guidelines, HSG (97)32", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Osteoporosis
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funds have been allocated and to which projects for research and development on osteoporosis; and if he will make a statement. [119152]
  165W
  Yvette Cooper
  Our funding for research is provided through a number of routes.

  The Medical Research Council (MRC) is the main agency through which we support research on the causes and treatment of disease. The MRC receives most of its income via grant-in-aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. The Department funds research to support policy development in health and social care, and to support effective practice in the National Health Service. The Department also provides NHS support funding for research commissioned by the MRC and charities that takes place in the NHS.

  The MRC spent £2.7 million in 1999–2000 on research of direct relevance to osteoporosis. It has a wide portfolio of work ranging from a number of epidemiological studies at the MRC Environmental Epidemiology Unit to more basic work on bone density being carried out at a number of other institutions.

  The Department is funding the following projects: "A Systematic literature review of technologies for the diagnosis and monitoring of osteoporosis"—Cost: £55,770, and "Treatment of established osteoporosis"—Cost: £77,704.

  In addition, the Department of Health provides support for research commissioned by charities and the Medical Research Council that take place in the NHS. Project details of work directly funded by the Department or supported through NHS research and development funding can be found on the National Research Register (NRR). This is available in the Library and most medical libraries on CD Rom, and on the internet: http://www.doh.gov.uk/nrr.htm. The NRR contains many details of projects/trials relating to osteoporosis.

  Priorities for departmental research and development support for the development of policy are determined through discussion with policy colleagues, the Departmental Research Committee and Ministers. In the NHS research and development programme, priorities take account of widespread consultation with those using, delivering and managing services, within a framework overseen by the Central Research and Development Committee for the NHS. In all cases, priorities for our budgets reflect analysis of the burden of disease, potential benefits, our priorities, and take account of the responsibilities and work of other funders.

  Teenage Pregnancy
  Ms McCafferty
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to reduce the number of unplanned teenage pregnancies; and if he will make a statement. [119186]

  Yvette Cooper
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 14 June 1999,Official Report, column 17W.

  The Social Exclusion Unit's report on teenage pregnancy, published on 14 June 1999, sets out a thirty point action plan working across Government. It highlights two main goals:
  Reducing the number of teenage conceptions, with the specific aim of halving the rate of conceptions among under-18s by 2010; and
  166W
  Getting more teenage parents into education, training or employment to reduce their risk of long term social exclusion.

  Copies of the report are available in the Library.

  BCG Vaccine
  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the size of his Department's stock of BCG vaccine. [119107]

  Yvette Cooper
  As at the end of March 2000, stocks of BCG vaccine in its various presentations available to the National Health Service were as follows:

  Intradermal 10 dose (without diluent)—zero

  Intradermal 10 dose (with diluent)—17,729 packs × 5 vials

  Intradermal 50 dose—1,079 packs × 5 vials

  Percutaneous—zero.

  The percutaneous presentation of the vaccine is used when administering vaccine by an alternative (multiple puncture) method applicable only in babies and young infants. In the absence of this presentation of the vaccine, the intradermal 10 dose (with diluent) presentation has been diverted for use in this important group.

  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future of BCG vaccination programmes in schools. [119106]

  Yvette Cooper
  We are advised on all matters concerning immunisation by the independent expert committee, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. The committee keeps all immunisation policies under review. Recommendations on the use of BCG vaccine were last reviewed by the committee during 1996 and they advised that the schools immunisation programme should continue. This recommendation remains unchanged although, due to problems with supply of BCG vaccine, the schools part of the BCG programme is currently in suspension.

  Tuberculosis
  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of reported cases of TB in(a) 1970, (b) 1980, (c) 1990 and (d) each of the last five years for which figures are available. [119105]

  Yvette Cooper
  The information requested is given in the table:

  Number of reported cases of tuberculosis, England and Wales

  Year

  Number

  1970

  11,901

  1980

  9,142

  1990

  5,402

  1995

  5,606

  1996

  5.654

  1997

  5,859

  1998

  6,087

  1999

  6,144

  Source:

  Public Health Laboratory Service data

  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average cost to the NHS of treating a patient with TB in the last financial year for which figures are available. [119155]
  167W
  Yvette Cooper
  The average cost to the National Health Service of treating a patient with tuberculosis is not available. However, information on the national average cost for the inpatient treatment of an individual patient with tuberculosis for the 1998–99 financial year is available from the National Schedule of Reference Costs and is as follows:

  £

  Elective inpatient

  Non elective inpatient

  Day case

  Pulmonary or pleural tuberculosis

  1,770

  1,676

  295

  Other tuberculosis

  1,400

  1,800

  293

  Note:

  Costs are the national average for inpatient treatment for patients with tuberculosis calculated from the individual NHS trust figures provided on an annual basis.

  The length of inpatient stay for patients with tuberculosis varies. It should be noted that treatment for tuberculosis can last for six months or more and for most of this time the patient will not be hospitalised.

  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which health authorities have abandoned the school immunisation programme for TB. [119108]

  Yvette Cooper
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for New Forest, West (Mr. Swayne) on 11 January 2000,Official Report, column 144W.

  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which health authorities have reported cases of TB in each of the last five years. [119103]

  Yvette Cooper
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for the Vale of Clwyd (Mr. Ruane) on 28 February 2000,Official Report, columns 70-71W.

  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people died from TB in the(a) 1970s, (b) 1980s and (c) 1990s. [119109]

  Yvette Cooper
  Information provided by the Office for National Statistics shows that, between 1970 and 1979, there were 8,781 reported deaths from tuberculosis in England and Wales; between 1980 and 1989 there were 5,028 reported deaths from tuberculosis; and, between 1990 and 1998 (the latest available date for which data are available) there were 3,621 reported deaths from tuberculosis.

  Notes:

  Data are for England and Wales.

  Tuberculosis is defined by ICD (8) and (9) 010-018.

  Data from 1970 to 1992 are by date of registration; those from to 1998 are by date of occurrence.

  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review the programme of immunisation against TB among school age children. [119104]

  Yvette Cooper
  We are advised on all matters concerning immunisation by the independent expert committee, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. The committee keeps all immunisation policies under review.
  168W
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason there was a shortage of tuberculosis vaccinations between October 1999 and April 2000; and what steps his Department has taken to improve the supply of vaccinations. [120401]

  Yvette Cooper
  I refer the hon. Member to the replies given to the hon. Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. Pickles) on 11 January 2000,Official Report, columns 143-44W and on 13 April 2000,Official Report, column 282W.

  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions have taken place between Ministers in his Department and the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency regarding the restoration of tuberculosis testing within secondary schools. [120370]

  Yvette Cooper
  The National Health Service Purchasing and Supply Agency (formally NHS Supplies) provides a procurement service for the Department and does not make recommendations on the use of the vaccines.

  The programme to test for tuberculosis and to immunise with BCG vaccine continues for people in higher risk groups, whatever their age. Only the routine BCG immunisation programme in schools is in suspension at present.

  Fibreglass Insulation
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence his Department has assessed concerning the dangers to health from fibreglass used for insulation purposes; and if he will make a statement. [118950]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment have considered the carcinogenicity of those man made mineral fibres (glass, rock and slag wool) used for insulation purposes on a number of occasions since 1984. Their advice is that domestic exposures arising from infrequent or short-term do-it-yourself installation do not pose a carcinogenic risk. It was their view that these materials do not meet the European Union's criteria for classification of compounds as carcinogens. However there was limited evidence that occupational exposure was associated with lung cancer, although no definite conclusions could be drawn because there was a lack of information about confounding factors, such as tobacco smoking. It would be prudent, however, to act on the basis that sufficient occupational exposure may increase the risk of lung cancer.

  National Vaccination Programme
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how clinicians, general practitioners and primary care staff are kept updated on vaccine availability, and what plans he has to improve the arrangements. [119258]

  Yvette Cooper
  Vaccine Update is a monthly newsletter produced by the National Health Service Purchasing and Supply Agency (formally NHS Supplies). It is the primary source of advice for health professionals on vaccine availability. About 7,000 copies are centrally distributed each month and further copying occurs locally.
  169W
  There is a contact name and telephone number on this newsletter for inquiries. The central distributor, Farillon, also answers inquiries.

  Plans are in hand to alter the format of this newsletter to allow it to be available via the Internet. Any urgent communications can also be made to health professionals via the Public Health Link system, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) letters and the CMO Update.

  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received concerning the distribution arrangements for the national vaccination programme and the performance of Farillon. [119257]

  Yvette Cooper
  The contract to provide centralised storage and distribution of vaccine to support the childhood immunisation campaign is currently held by Farillon Ltd.

  The NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency (formally NHS Supplies) monitors all aspects of this contract as an agency of the Department.

  Any representations from those involved in the vaccine programme are directed to Farillon and brought to the attention of NHS PSA. A monthly meeting is held between the Department, the National Health Service Purchasing and Supply Agency and Farillon to review performance. Any concerns are dealt with at such times.

  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for improving the distribution system for the national vaccination programme. [119259]

  Yvette Cooper
  Farillon Ltd. currently provides the storage and distribution of vaccine to support the childhood immunisation programme.

  A recent example of a new initiative in distribution has been the allocation model used to supply the new Meningococcal C conjugate vaccine. This has enabled over 10 million doses to date of this vaccine to be distributed equitably across the country in line with the roll-out of the campaign. No other country in the world currently has the facility to provide such a service with direct delivery to general practitioners on a weekly basis through a guaranteed cold chain computerised service. GPs are now able to review their future supplies through Internet access. The distribution arrangements are kept under continual review.

  Live Animal Experiments
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 5 April 2000,Official Report, column 509W, on live animal experiments, if he will introduce a legal requirement that labels on medicines for use on humans and animals include a statement that the medicine has been tested on animals. [119231]

  Yvette Cooper
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 5 April 2000,Official Report, column 509W, in which I explained that the labelling of medicinal products is governed by European law. Therefore the United Kingdom cannot unilaterally introduce additional national statutory requirements in this area and the Government have no plans to propose such an amendment to European law.
  170W

  Health Authority Reorganisation
  Mr. Hammond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of health authority reorganisation proposals objected to by community health councils and referred to him since 1 May 1997 he has(a) approved and (b) rejected. [119472]

  Ms Stuart
  Of the 21 objections referred by community health councils to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State since 1 May 1997 14 per cent. were accepted, 57 per cent. were rejected, 14 per cent. resulted in amendments to health authorities' proposals, 5 per cent. were withdrawn following a change in circumstances and 10 per cent. are still awaiting a decision.

  HIV
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the identifiable causes of human immunodeficiency virus. [119703]

  Yvette Cooper
  There is international scientific consensus that the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) causes the Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). HIV infection is a communicable condition which is transmitted by a number of routes but predominantly by unprotected sexual intercourse. It is not possible to identify the origins of the human immunodeficiency virus itself. There are a number of possible hypotheses concerning its origin which are the subject of current scientific debate.

  Flu Vaccine
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how may hospital beds were occupied by influenza victims in November and December 1999 and January and February 2000 by patients who had not been vaccinated against flu. [119667]

  Yvette Cooper
  Figures for hospital activity during the winter period will not be available until the autumn this year, but information on whether or not these patients have been immunised against influenza is not collected.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that(a) at-risk groups, (b) essential service workers and (c) all those over 65 have flu vaccine available for next winter. [119669]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Department is committed to improving influenza vaccine uptake in the recommended risk groups this year and an implementation group is currently considering the steps needed to deliver these improvements.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to reduce the age at which flu vaccine is made available. [120097]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Department is committed to improving influenza vaccine uptake this year. Ministers are currently considering the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation's advice on the age above which flu vaccine is recommended as national policy.

  NHS Dentistry
  Mr. Hammond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to publish his strategy on NHS dentistry. [119753]
  171W
  Mr. Hutton
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Pendle (Mr. Prentice) on 2 May 2000,Official Report, column 46W.

  Dispensing Doctors
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what choice is open to patients to have prescriptions dispensed by a dispensing doctor; [119725]

  (2) if he will amend the terms of the NHS (Pharmaceutical Services) Regulations 1992 to enable patients living within one mile of a pharmacy to have the choice of having prescriptions dispensed by a dispensing doctor; and if he will make a statement. [119726]

  Ms Stuart
  Patients may have their prescriptions dispensed by their general practitioner if they live in controlled localities (that is to say, rural areas), more than one mile from the nearest pharmacy and the practitioners have been granted permission by their health authority to dispense prescriptions. Other patients may also apply to the health authority for their doctor to dispense their prescriptions if the patients experience serious difficulty in obtaining their medicines from a pharmacy due to the distance involved or lack of transport. We have no plans to permit doctors to dispense to other patients.

  Prostate Cancer
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what legal advice he has taken on the failure of some health trusts to ensure referral within three weeks for patients with possible prostate cancer. [119735]

  Yvette Cooper
  The White Paper "The new NHS—Modern, Dependable" set the standard that everyone with suspected cancer will be able to see a specialist within two weeks of their GP deciding that they need to be seen urgently and requesting an appointment. These arrangements were introduced for women with suspected breast cancer from April 1999 and are being put in place for all other cases of suspected cancer during 2000. The standard will be introduced for prostate cancer in December. We have published referral guidelines to assist GPs in determining those patients who need to be referred urgently within two weeks to see a specialist. The referral guidelines are not mandatory but represent guidance on best available evidence. Clinical judgment will, in addition to the guidelines, play an important part in reaching any clinical decision.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to increase funding for research into prostate cancer. [119729]

  Yvette Cooper
  The latest figure available for annual Government expenditure (Department of Health/National Health Service, Medical Research Council and other Government Departments—principally devolved health departments) on prostate cancer is £1.55 million. This figure underestimates the total Government research and development expenditure in this area, as detailed estimates of NHS support funding are not collected routinely.
  172W
  Since 1997 we have committed over £800,000 to new research projects on prostate cancer, through the Medical Research Council and through the Department. The Department has actively sought to support such work in prostate cancer, and has not rejected any high quality proposals for work in this area.

  The Department recently announced £1 million additional new funding for urgent research studies into prostate cancer as a mark of its concern over this disease.

  Following the seminar last year at No. 10 a "Cancer Research Funders' Forum" has been established to help improve the co-ordination of cancer research in the UK. It is being run by the MRC and includes DH representatives and the major cancer research charities. At the Department's request, the Forum considered the issue of prostate cancer at its first meeting on 10 January. They agreed to set up an expert group on prostate cancer, which will identify gaps in current research and suggest ways of filling them. The expert group met for the first time on 25 February, and expects to report within months.

  We have recently appointed a National Cancer Director, Professor Mike Richards, who will spearhead our concerted drive on cancer. He will work in partnership with doctors, nurses, general practitioners, other health professionals and the voluntary sector to improve prevention and modernise cancer services to help ensure equitable access to high quality cancer care. This will include a close interest in the development and progression of research.

  MMR Vaccine
  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will release the underlying data used to compile the study his Department commissioned for publication in The Lancet into the effects of the MMR vaccine. [120029]

  Yvette Cooper
  The epidemiological study published in The Lancet in June 1999 was an independent study commissioned by the Medicines Control Agency. This study was designed to investigate a possible association between measles, mumps and rubella vaccination and autism and found no evidence for a causal association. A copy has been placed in the Library. The study was accepted for publication in The Lancet following a process of rigorous independent peer review in the normal manner. It is not usual for peer-reviewed data to be subject to reanalysis by third parties. The Department therefore does not propose to ask the independent investigators to release their data.

  Dystonia
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been spent on researching dystonia in each of the last five years. [119834]

  Yvette Cooper
  The main Government agency for research into the causes of, and treatment for, disease is the Medical Research Council (MRC) funded via grant-in-aid from the Office of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.
  173W
  The MRC has spent the following amounts on research related to dystonia:

  Year

  £

  1994–95

  1,435,000

  1995–96

  1,702,000

  1996–97

  1,784,000

  1997–98

  1,731,000

  1998–99

  1,769,000

  In addition, the MRC funds related research into related movement disorders such as Parkinson's, Huntington's and Multiple Sclerosis.

  The Department of Health provides support funding for research commissioned by Research Councils and charities which is undertaken in the National Health Service. It is not possible to calculate how much of this support funding is spent on projects related to Dystonia. The Department also funds research to support policy development in health and social care, and to support effective practice in the NHS.

  Project details of work supported by the Department can be found on the National Research Register which is available in the Library and on the internet: www.doh.gov.uk/nrr

  Mental Health
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money there was in the Mental Health Research and Development budget in each region(a) at the end of the financial year 1999–2000 and (b) at the beginning of financial year 2000–01. [120034]

  Mr. Hutton
  Government funding for research is provided through a number of routes.

  The Medical Research Council (MRC) is the main agency through which the Government supports research on the causes and treatment of disease. The MRC receives most of its income via grant-in-aid from the office of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. The Department funds research to support policy

  OPCS4R codes used/Procedure

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  K40–46/CABGS

  12,483

  14,070

  16,046

  18,352

  20,394

  23,533

  22,922

  22,694

  22,181

  23,663

  K01–70/A11 heart ops

  1—

  83,065

  106,374

  120,394

  130,502

  148,797

  153,736

  162,146

  161,890

  177.650

  1 Data for 1989–90 for all heart operations is currently unavailable.

  Notes:

  1. Data in this table is grossed for both coverage and unknown/invalid clinical data, except for 1997–98 and 1998–99 which are ungrossed.

  2. An FCE is defined as a period of patient care under one consultant in one health care provider. The figures do not represent the number of patients, as one person may have several episodes within the year.

  3. These figures represent a count of all FCEs where the procedure was mentioned in any of the four operation fields in the HES data set.

  Source:

  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what amounts each London borough claimed in excess of the maximum grant available from his Department for(a) single asylum seekers and (b) asylum families with children for (i) 1997–98 and (ii) 1998–99; and if he will make a statement. [120028]
  174W
  development in health and social care, and to support effective practice in the National Health Service. The Department also provides NHS support funding for research commissioned by the MRC and charities that takes place in the NHS.

  Research is commissioned from the organisations best able to undertake high quality work. Funding is not allocated on a regional basis.

  The MRC spent approximately £63 million in 1999–2000 and estimates that it will spend £66 million in 2000–01 on neuroscience and mental health research.

  The Department invests approximately £40 million per year on research directly relevant to mental health, £7 million on directly commissioned projects, and £33 million to support work on mental health funded by research councils and charities which is undertaken in the NHS. Management of the research supported by NHS research and development funding in trusts is devolved and details of expenditure at the project level are not currently collected routinely by the Department. It is not therefore possible to give accurate details of expenditure year by year.

  Project details of work directly funded by the Department or supported through NHS research and development funding can be found on the National Research Register (NRR). This is available in the Library and most medical libraries on CD Rom, and on the Internet: http://www.doh.gov.uk/nrr.htm. The NRR also contains many details of projects/trials funded by the MRC and other funders.

  Heart Operations
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many heart operations were performed in each of the last 10 years. [119991]

  Yvette Cooper
  The table shows the number of finished consultant episodes where a heart operation was performed, and the number of finished consultant episodes where a coronary artery bypass graft was performed, in National Health Service hospitals in England for the years 1989–90 to 1998–99.

  Mr. Hutton
  The table shows the maximum amounts that local authorities were eligible to claim per week for single adults and families with children in 1997–98 and 1998–99.

  Local authorities could not claim in excess of these sums. Although a local authority's total relevant expenditure may have exceeded the maximum grant

  175W
  payable, any excess expenditure incurred above that sum would have to be met locally and not by central government.

  The maximum amount payable in respect of each grant was as follows:

  Amount payable

  1997–98

  Adults

  £140 per week

  Families

  80 per cent. of relevant expenditure above relevant local authority threshold

  1998–99

  Adults

  £165 per week

  Families

  £230 per family per week, or £240 in the case of any family of asylum seekers provided with services in Inner London prior to 23 November 1998

  Squalene
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what adverse reactions there have been as a result of the use of squalene in vaccines. [120200]

  Yvette Cooper
  None. There are no licensed vaccines in the UK which include squalene as an adjuvant.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if squalene is authorised for use in vaccines in the UK. [120105]

  Yvette Cooper
  Squalene is not authorised for use in vaccines in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what monitoring his Department is undertaking of patients who have been given squalene vaccine. [120301]

  Yvette Cooper
  Squalene is not itself a vaccine, but has been licensed in Italy as an adjuvant to influenza vaccine. Monitoring of all vaccines given in the United Kingdom is performed by the Medicines Control Agency and the Committee on Safety of Medicines.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research he has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated on the use of squalene as an adjuvant in vaccines. [120104]

  Yvette Cooper
  No research has been commissioned on the use of squalene as an adjuvant in vaccines.

  As for any new medicinal product, evaluation of research on the use of squalene as an adjuvant in vaccines, presented as part of a marketing application, would be performed by the Medicines Control Agency under conditions of commercial confidentiality.

  European Food Authority
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the planned European Food Authority will replace the UK Food Standards Agency. [120188]

  Ms Stuart
  No it will not replace the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency. The White Paper clearly states that the proposed European Food Authority must be a "value-added structure" which will work in close co-operation with national agencies and institutions, thus making the best use of existing structures and resources.
  176W
  We envisage that the planned European Food Authority will work in close co-operation with our own agency which, in any case, has a wider remit than the proposed Authority.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the estimated first full year cost of running(a) the UK Food Standards Agency and (b) the European Food Authority. [120189]

  Ms Stuart
  The gross budget for the Food Standards Agency in its first full year (2000–01) is £148 million including £8 million for the executives in the devolved administrations, and £70 million for its executive agency, the Meat Hygiene Service. (The £148 million is net of internal transfers between the Food Standards Agency headquarters and the Meat Hygiene Service).

  The Commission has proposed that the European Food Authority has a budget of only 100 million ecus (£62.5 million). We will have to be clear about whether this is an additional cost or total funding. Clearly most of the functions of the EFA are already performed elsewhere within the EU framework and we must be careful to avoid duplication of effort.

  Food Safety White Paper
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which of the proposed measures in the EU White Paper on food safety in the EU will be opposed by Her Majesty's Government. [120209]

  Ms Stuart
  The Government believe that consumer concerns and the complexity of current arrangements demand urgent action to develop a coherent European Union policy for the foodstuffs sector based firmly on the fundamental importance of consumer protection. We welcome the White Paper and share the objective it outlines.

  We look forward to more detailed proposals on which discussion can take place once individual measures are brought forward.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what amendment of the law he plans to comply with the programme outlined in the EU White Paper on food safety. [120187]

  Ms Stuart
  The proposed legislative programme contains many individual initiatives which the Government have been pressing for and some have been expected for some time. In a number of cases the legislation proposed is amending existing legislation. We await individual, more detailed, proposals to be brought forward by the European Commission.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the additional costs to(a) the British food industry and (b) farmers of the proposals set out in the EU' s White Paper on food safety. [120208]

  Ms Stuart
  None. The Commission has consulted widely on the White Paper and the Food Standards Agency has discussed various issues with key organisations, including those representing farmers and the food industry. They have been encouraged to respond direct to the Commission.
  177W
  Once individual proposals have been produced all interested stakeholders will be consulted. The United Kingdom will be pressing for proportionality, bearing in mind the need to safeguard the interests of the consumer.

  Data Storage
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice his Department gives to hospitals and others to(a) back up their data frequently and regularly and (b) install circuit breakers. [120699]

  Yvette Cooper
  National Health Service organisations have already received best practice guidance on a wide range of information security matters including data back-up and power supplies and these are contained within the NHS Information Authority publication "Ensuring Security and Confidentiality in NHS Organisations". Copies of this guidance will be placed in the Library.

  AIDS Care Education Funding
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to reach a decision on section 64 funding for AIDS care education training. [120372]

  Yvette Cooper
  I will be making an announcement shortly.

  Fostered Children
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost of providing foster homes and their equivalent in(a) 1970, (b) 1980 and (c) 1999. [120664]

  Mr. Hutton
  Information on the unit cost of providing foster homes and their equivalent is not available for 1970 and 1980. Provisional data taken from "Social Services Performance in 1998–99—The Personal Social Services Performance Assessment Framework" indicate that the unit cost of foster care for 1998–99 was £199 per child per week.

  Toxicology Teaching
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the teaching of toxicology to medical students. [120499]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 2 May 2000]Individual university medical schools determine their own undergraduate medical curricula in the light of the recommendations from the General Medical Council's (GMC) Education Committee, which has the statutory responsibility to determine the extent of knowledge and skill required for the granting of primary medical qualifications in the UK. The Committee's most recent recommendations were published in the 1993 report "Tomorrow's Doctors".

  University medical schools are in the process of implementing the recommendations contained in the report and the GMC is monitoring progress.
  178W

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Sure Start
  Mr. Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the Sure Start Plus scheme will start; and if he will make a statement. [120120]

  Yvette Cooper
  I announced the 20 Sure Start Plus pilot areas on 1 March 2000. Further guidance on Sure Start Plus will be issued in early summer inviting programmes to draw up plans for implementation in the autumn.

  Mr. Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when the next round of applications for Sure Start schemes will be announced. [120121]

  Yvette Cooper
  Sure Start is committed to establishing at least 250 local Sure Start programmes in areas of greatest need by the end of 2001–02. Of these, 121 have already been announced. A further round will be announced in the summer.

  Teachers (Early Retirement)
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many teachers took early retirement in(a) 1970, (b) 1980 and (c) 1999; if he will list the most frequently cited reasons for taking early retirement; and what was the cost to public funds of granting such early retirement. [119770]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Early retirement falls into two categories: ill-health and premature retirement. Full-time teachers taking early retirement from the maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special sector in England in 1980, 1990, 1997 and 1999 are as follows:

  Calendar year

  Ill-health

  Premature

  Total

  1980

  1,000

  3,700

  4,700

  1990

  4,000

  8,100

  12,100

  1997

  4,400

  14,100

  18,500

  1999

  2,100

  2,700

  4,700

  Note:

  Totals may not add to component parts because of rounding

  Retirement data are not available for 1970; premature retirement was not introduced until 1977. The number of teachers taking ill-health and premature retirement was much higher during the 1990s than in previous years. The conditions for awarding an ill-health or premature retirement were changed during 1997 and as a result the numbers of early retirements had fallen by 1999.

  Premature retirement can be awarded because of redundancy or employer efficiency gains; ill-health retirement includes reasons of injury or illness (physical and mental).

  The capitalised additional cost of an ill-health retirement was recently estimated to be on average in the order of £50,000-£60,000 when compared with preserved benefits if the individual had simply resigned. The figure for premature retirements is estimated to be in the order of £30,000-£40,000.

  School Leavers
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many pupils who left
  179W
  school in (a) 1970, (b) 1980 and (c) 1999 with no educational qualifications came from (i) intact and (ii) broken families. [120659]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The numbers of pupils in England with no educational qualifications, either by the end of their final year of compulsory schooling or when they left school, are shown in the table. Data on pupils' family background are not collected.

  Numbers and proportion of pupils1 with no educational qualifications in England

  Total pupils1 (Thousand)

  Total with no qualifications (Thousand)

  Proportion with no qualification (Percentage)

  1970

  614.2

  275.9

  45

  1980

  750.7

  91.4

  12

  1999

  581.0

  35.0

  6

  1 The figures for 1970 and 1980 are based on the numbers of school leavers of any age and the numbers of those leavers that had no qualifications. The figures for 1999 are based on pupils in their final year of compulsory schooling, whether they left school or not.

  New Deal
  Mr. Allan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what (i) amount and (ii) percentage of the proceeds of the windfall tax allocated in the 1999 Budget to(a) the New Deal for 18 to 24-year-olds, (b) the New Deal for the long-term unemployed, (c) the New Deal for lone parents and (d) the New Deal for the
  180W
  sick and disabled, for expenditure during the 1999–2000 financial year were (1) spent during that year and (2) carried forward for future years, indicating the reasons for any underspend. [120411]

  Mr. Blunkett
  The information requested will not be available until June when outturn expenditure is confirmed and agreement reached with the Treasury on amounts to be carried forward. Table 4.1 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report March 2000 sets out the latest published allocations for 1999–2000.

  Racial Discrimination
  Mr. Woodward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment on how many occasions in the past 10 years the Secretary of State for Education and Employment has used his powers to give directions under sections(a) 496 and (b) 497 of the Education Act 1996 (i) in relation to individual complaints of racial discrimination in education referred under section 57(5) of the Race Relations Act 1976, (ii) following findings of unlawful discrimination in a formal investigation by the Commission for Racial Equality and (iii) to enforce the general duty under section 19(1) of the Race Relations Act 1976. [120640]

  Jacqui Smith
  In 1999–2000, 33 complaints of racial discrimination in education were received by the Department. None of these were referred to the Secretary of State. Information for previous years is not held centrally and could not be obtained except at disproportionate cost.

  Naval Service Recruits: Discharge Regulations
  Naval Service Recruits: Discharge Regulations
  "Operation Silver"
  "Operation Silver"
  European Convention on Human Rights
  European Convention on Human Rights
  EU/Turkey Relations
  EU/Turkey Relations
  Ambulances: Seat Belt Provision for Children
  Ambulances: Seat Belt Provision for Children
  Fitness to Drive
  Fitness to Drive
  Disabled Parking Badge
  Disabled Parking Badge
  Northern Ireland: Transport Spending
  Northern Ireland: Transport Spending
  Film and Television Working Conditions
  Film and Television Working Conditions
  Channel Islands: Status
  Channel Islands: Status
  Asylum Seekers: Detention Costs
  Asylum Seekers: Detention Costs
  Crown Dependencies: Good Government
  Crown Dependencies: Good Government
  Murders by Persons Previously Convicted of Homicide
  Murders by Persons Previously Convicted of Homicide
  Police Pursuit Training
  Police Pursuit Training
  HM Prison Lindholme: Immigration Act Detainees
  HM Prison Lindholme: Immigration Act Detainees
  Overseas Territories: Appointment of Governors
  Overseas Territories: Appointment of Governors
  Criminal Justice and Court Services Bill
  Criminal Justice and Court Services Bill
  Probation Orders: Compliance
  Probation Orders: Compliance
  Arable Area Payments Scheme: Field Margin Measurement
  Arable Area Payments Scheme: Field Margin Measurement
  Transgenic Salmon
  Transgenic Salmon
  Bank Lending to Businesses
  Bank Lending to Businesses
  Car Sales
  Car Sales
  National Minimum Wage Regulations 1999: Family Exemption
  National Minimum Wage Regulations 1999: Family Exemption
  Women in Economic Development: Conference
  Women in Economic Development: Conference
  Personal Service Providers: IR35 e-forum
  Personal Service Providers: IR35 e-forum
  Slaughter Processes and Brain Tissue Dispersal
  Slaughter Processes and Brain Tissue Dispersal
  NHS Trusts: PFI Agreements
  NHS Trusts: PFI Agreements