Written Answers of 11 May 2000

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Business Co-ordination Unit
  Maria Eagle
  To ask the President of the Council what plans she has to set up a unit to co-ordinate contacts between the business sector and Government Departments. [122225]

  Mrs. Beckett
  Following discussions with the Prime Minister and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, I have set up a new Business Co-ordination unit within my Department. It will work with the DTI and Treasury to co-ordinate contacts across other Government Departments with the business community.

  The Government have always been committed to maintaining good channels of communication between themselves and the business community, and this unit will make further contributions to that work.

  I have been asked to take on this role by the Prime Minister because of my role as cross-Government spokesperson and my experience of leading initiatives which cut across the whole of Whitehall. I will be working closely with my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

CABINET OFFICE

  Civil Service (Sickness Rates)
  Barbara Follett
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what was the overall level of sickness absence in the Civil Service in 1998. [122148]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  The report 'Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service 1998' prepared for my Department by BMI Health Services Ltd. shows that when the same methodology as in previous years was applied the average level of sickness absence was 9.8 days per staff year. This compares with a figure of 10.1 days for 1997. Calculated on the basis of absence per person, the figure for the Civil Service was 8.4 days. The report contains a comprehensive analysis of the 1998 figures.

  In tandem with the preparation of that report, Departments and agencies have separately been undertaking audits of their monitoring systems as recommended in the July 1998 report 'Managing Attendance in the Public Sector'. In some cases these audits have revealed an element of under recording. The BMI report also contains figures reworked to reflect the audit findings, and these show that the average figure
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  for sickness absence in 1998 was 10.3 days per staff year. These revised figures came too late and in insufficient detail for them to be taken into account in the report's data analysis.

  My Department is continuing to work with other Departments and agencies as they take forward their plans to reduce sickness absence. Overall the Civil Service has been targeted to reduce sickness absence by 20 per cent. for 2001 and 30 per cent. for 2003 against the 1998 baseline.

  I have placed copies of the BMI report in the Libraries of the House.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for additional capital expenditure in relation to the handling of asylum claimants in the vicinity of Gatwick Airport. [121509]

  Mrs. Roche
  The Immigration Service at Gatwick is at present looking at accommodation in the Horley/Crawley area in order to improve its capability in handling asylum and other casework. Dealing with asylum claims is one of the Immigration Service's top priorities. A central unit in the Gatwick area is being considered, but as yet no firm decisions have been made.

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the(a) transgenic pigs and (b) monkeys killed in the last four years died at Huntingdon Life Sciences; and if he will make a statement. [121506]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Section 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 prevents me from disclosing detailed information of this nature about an individual establishment licensed under the Act. We are examining Section 24 in the context of Freedom of Information changes.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many animals broken down by species were allowed into the United Kingdom for use in experiments for each year from 1990 to date; and if he will make a statement. [121507]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The Home Office does not record centrally the number of animals used in scientific procedures broken down according to their source.

  Since 1995, Table 2 of the Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, published annually in separate volumes for Great Britain and Northern Ireland, has reported the number of scientific procedures carried out using species listed in Schedule 2 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 analysed according to the source of the animals used. Similar statistics were not collected and published before 1995.

  The numbers of scientific procedures carried out in Great Britain and Northern Ireland using Schedule 2 species acquired direct from sources outside the United Kingdom in each year from 1995 to 1998 were as follows.
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  Species of animal

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  Mouse

  8,624

  11,285

  13,361

  15,943

  Rat

  9,348

  10,849

  3,499

  2,740

  Guinea Pig

  16

  0

  0

  793

  Hamster

  1,744

  141

  218

  1,596

  Rabbit

  4

  42

  0

  30

  Cat

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Dog

  941

  977

  100

  80

  Primate

  1,156

  741

  361

  395

  Quail (Cotumix cotumix)

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  21,833

  24,035

  17,539

  21,577

  Statistics for 1999 are currently being collected and are due to be published in July 2000.

  Police and Fire Authority Pensions
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the impact of pension payments on police and fire authorities' budgets in each of the next three years; and if he will make a statement. [121479]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Under the Central Local Partnership, the Home Office has been working closely with representatives of fire and police authorities to assess resource demands for the next three years. Projections by the services concerned were made by the Local Government Association's Fire Service Expenditure Forecasting Group and the Association of Police Authorities/Association of Chief Police Officers in its report "Policing the Future - Report of the Police Service Expenditure Forecasting Group". Pensions pressures are being taken into account in consideration of Spending Review 2000.

  Police Manpower
  Mr. Letwin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the police in post on an average day in 1999 were available for duty on that day. [121675]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Community Service Orders
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were given a community service orders in each of the last five years; how many of such orders were breached in each year; and how many people who breached those orders were benefit claimants. [121525]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Information for the years 1988 to 1998 on the number of persons given a community service order and the number who breach such orders is published in Table 7.26 of the command paper "Criminal statistics, England and Wales, 1998". A copy of this publication is available in the Library.

  Data on the number of persons breaching an order who are benefit claimants are not collected centrally.

  Criminal Justice (Mode of Trial) (No. 2) Bill
  Sir Nicholas Lyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his oral statement of 7 March 2000,Official Report, column 886, on the Criminal Justice (Mode of Trial) (No. 2) Bill, on what basis he calculated that the removal of the right to elect trial by jury in either-way cases will produce savings of more than £120 million per year. [121294]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I refer the right hon. and learned Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary to the right hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Miss Widdecombe) on 2 March 2000,Official Report, column 377W.

  Lowdham Grange Prison
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish the report of the Chief Inspector of Prisons following the inspection of HMP Lowdham Grange. [121489]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Chief Inspector published his report on 27 April.

  Murder and Rape Trials
  Sir Nicholas Lyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average waiting period in the last 12 months for which figures are available between charge and commencement of trial in cases of(a) murder and (b) rape; and what were the equivalent figures at 1 May (i) 1997, (ii) 1998 and (iii) 1999. [121290]

  Jane Kennedy
  I have been asked to reply.

  Overall average waiting times from charge to start of trail for offences dealt with at the Crown Court are not available. Average waiting times are available separately for the period from charge to committal from magistrates courts, and for the period from committal to the Crown Court to start of trial. However the available data for both the magistrates courts and the Crown Court cannot identify murder and rape cases separately from broader offence groupings.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  GM Crop Trials
  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if yield data will be published from the GM crop trials designed to monitor environmental impact. [120716]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 3 May 2000]: There are no plans to publish yield data as part of the farm scale evaluations of GM crops.

  Freight
  Mr. Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps his Department is taking to transfer freight from roads to rail. [120845]
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  Mr. Hill
  Our policy is to help to establish an integrated, sustainable freight distribution system, both to support economic growth and to bring social and environmental benefits. The Strategic Rail Authority, already operating in shadow form, will have a duty to promote rail freight. In the three years beginning April 1997 we have provided £81 million in grants to move freight from road to rail or inland waterways. We have issued guidance to local authorities to facilitate more use of rail for freight, and our forthcoming 10 year Transport Plan will set out the Government's longer term strategy.

  Royal Train
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 2 May 2000,Official Report, column 5W, how many journeys on the Royal Train have involved the use of the sleeping accommodation. [121269]

  Mr. Hill
  All the Royal Train journeys during the year ended 31 March 2000 involved the use of sleeping accommodation.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much was paid to Wisconsin Central to service and operate the Royal Train in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [121257]

  Mr. Hill
  No money was paid to Wisconsin Central. However, as set out in the published Annual Report on the Grant-in-aid for Royal Travel by air and rail covering the financial year ended 31 March 1999, £779,000 was paid to English Welsh & Scottish Railway, which is the operator of the Royal Train and a UK subsidiary of Wisconsin Central.

  Tees Barrage
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what payments have been(a) made and (b) agreed as part of a management licence to British Waterways for operating the Tees Barrage. [121480]

  Ms Armstrong
  Under the terms of a Management Agreement signed on 31 March 2000 between British Waterways and the Commission for the New Towns, BW assumed operational responsibility for managing the Tees Barrage, maintaining related facilities and the obligations attached thereto, as if it were the owner. An endowment of £17,696,616 was paid to BW. It is intended that the freehold of the property will be conveyed to BW shortly, together with a formal transfer of the powers and functions in the River Tees Barrage and Crossing Act 1990. It is not expected that any further endowment will be paid.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Minimum Wage
  15. Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the effect of the national minimum wage. [120519]
  438W
  Mr. Alan Johnson
  We asked the Low Pay Commission to monitor the introduction of the national minimum wage and to report on their findings. We published their report on 15 February along with our response to it.

  Mr. McCabe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to ensure that all those entitled to the national minimum wage receive it. [120523]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  The Inland Revenue is responsible for enforcing the national minimum wage. If any worker believes they are not being paid what they are entitled to under the law they simply have to phone the minimum wage helpline on 0845 6000 678 to make a complaint about underpayment. All complaints, including third party tip-offs, are followed up.

  The Government recognise that it is vital for workers to be aware of their entitlements under the law. Around £5 million was spent on advertising the minimum wage at the time of its introduction last year. A smaller campaign in the autumn targeted certain ethnic groups where awareness was still relatively low. There will be further paid publicity spanning the periods when the youth rate and main rate are increased on 1 June and 1 October respectively.

  The Government are working with relevant worker and employer organisations to help improve awareness of the minimum wage. As recommended by the Low Pay Commission, we will update our general guidance and provide specific information for certain groups. The Government are asking the Commission to continue to monitor the national minimum wage and to produce a further report on its introduction by July 2001.

  Gas-fired Power Stations
  Mr. Bradshaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact on energy prices in the South-West of his decision to lift the moratorium on new gas-fired power stations. [120520]

  Mrs. Liddell
  I have made no assessment specifically on the South-West, but Government energy policy should lead to a continuing downward pressure in energy prices.

  Post Office
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future of rural and suburban sub-post offices. [120522]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  The Government are contributing £480 million toward the cost of equipping the whole national network of post offices with an automated on-line IT platform. This investment in the automation project is substantial and is a clear indication of the Government's commitment to the future of the Post Office network. Nearly 40,000 counter positions in over 18,000 offices will be equipped with the modern computer system. Automation will attract new customers and services to the Post Office, replacing traditional business progressively eroded by changing customer demands and habits, which, in turn, will contribute to strengthening the long-term viability of the network.
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  In addition, the Performance and Innovation Unit is examining the longer term future of the network and is working across Government Departments to establish how best the Post Office network can be used and promoted.

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the Performance and Innovation Unit report into the Post Office network. [120524]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  I understand that the Performance and Innovation Unit will report the results of its study of the Post Office counters network to the Prime Minister shortly.

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the levels of subsidy that will be required to safeguard the future of post offices in small towns and villages and in rural areas. [120528]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  It is too early to assume that subsidy would be the right way forward. The Government's key target is a viable commercial future for the Post Office network. The Government are using the opportunity of the Post Office Bill to propose taking the necessary powers to keep open the option of financial assistance.

  Mr. David Heath
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the scale and timing of the proposed subsidy to sub-post offices threatened with closure. [120537]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  The Government have no plans at present to subsidise the network of post offices, but are using the opportunity of the Post Office Bill to propose taking the necessary powers to provide financial assistance towards ensuring provision of postal and other services at post offices, should that prove necessary at some future stage.

  Personal Service Companies
  Mr. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry by what means he monitors whether the UK's international competitiveness is adversely affected by the working of IR35. [120525]

  Ms Hewitt
  We are committed to ensuring a fair tax system. It is clearly unfair that someone using a personal service company and carrying out the job of an employee has been able to enjoy a big tax and NICs advantage over other employees. Avoidance through service companies placed a burden on other tax and NIC payers and damaged the UK's competitiveness.

  The IR35 proposals enable the use of personal service companies to continue but without the previous unfair scope for avoiding payment of Tax and NICs.

  Manufacturing
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to assist manufacturing industry. [120526]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  We are assisting manufacturing industry to be competitive by creating the right economic climate and by pursuing policies that help firms to innovate and grow.
  440W
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the impact on manufacturing industry of the strength of the pound. [120539]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  This Government understand the difficulties many manufacturers, particularly those trading with Europe, are facing because of the value of the pound in relation to the euro. However we are determined to take a long-term view—attempts at short-term fixes would ultimately do more harm than good.

  The latest average of independent forecasts for the UK economy points to manufacturing output rising by 2.2 per cent. this year, in line with the top end of the Treasury's Budget forecast.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the effect of the current value of the pound on the competitiveness of UK manufacturing industry. [120541]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  This Government understand the difficulties which many manufacturers, particularly those trading with Europe, face as a result of the weakness of the euro, but competitiveness depends on a wide range of factors.

  The platform for economic stability created by this Government, together with the structural measures to promote competition, to encourage enterprise and innovation, and to raise the skills base and investment, provides the best economic environment for improving industrial competitiveness in the UK.

  Shipbuilding
  Mr. Donaldson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his Department's strategy to assist the British shipbuilding industry. [120529]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  My Department's strategy is to support and promote the UK shipbuilding industry, and in particular, to assist the industry to improve its competitiveness. In July 1998 my Department established the Shipbuilding Forum whose membership comprises representatives of the shipbuilding and ship repair industry, trade unions, equipment suppliers and customers, both private and public sector. Also involved are the National Training Organisation for the marine sector and relevant Government Departments. The Forum's terms of reference are to consider the current situation of the shipbuilding and ship repair industry and how to improve its competitiveness so as to increase its share of the European market, leading to increased output, profitability and employment.

  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future of the shipbuilding industry. [120540]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  The Government's policies are to establish the macroeconomic conditions within which the management of individual industries and companies can maximise their output, growth and employment prospects. The Government do not make forecasts for individual industries in the private sector.

  North Sea Oil
  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with oil and gas companies regarding future investment in field development in the North Sea. [120530]

  Mrs. Liddell
  Ministerial colleagues and I regularly meet oil and gas companies. My right hon. Friend the Minister for Energy and Competitiveness in Europe chairs the industry/Government forum PILOT which is actively considering ways of encouraging investment in North Sea oil and gas development. In addition, in February, my Department announced an initiative to target areas where there has been no exploration or development for some time.

  Rover
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future of the Longbridge plant. [120531]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  Alchemy's cessation of negotiations with BMW provides a new opportunity for proposals to come forward which offer a viable future for Longbridge and which may provide more jobs than under the Alchemy proposals.

  This Government's efforts over the next few weeks will be directed towards achieving a successful outcome which will serve the interests of the workers at Longbridge and the wider community in the West Midlands.

  Mrs. Heal
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on progress made by the Rover Task Force. [120533]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  When I announced the creation of the Rover Task Force on the day following BMW's decision to break up the Rover Group, I asked it to look into the effect that would have on the Longbridge area of Birmingham and on the supplier chain and to make recommendations about what should be done to lessen the impact.

  The Task Force has 21 members drawn from and representing a wide range of organisations in the West Midlands and produced an interim report published on 26 April. I have asked it to produce a final report at the end of June 2000.

  In its interim report, the Task Force drew on over 1,000 questionnaires completed and returned to it by supplier chain companies and from the work done by its five sub-groups which have been created to assess the impact both on individuals and businesses. The Task Force has already provided telephone helplines for individuals and suppliers and a website. The report makes a number of additional recommendations about short and medium term actions that should be taken to regenerate the region and action is already being taken to support identified needs.

  At the outset of the Task Force's work I committed £129 million to assist the people, communities and businesses of the West Midlands affected by BMW's decision. I have already given approval for £12 million worth of support for the West Midlands supplier chain companies from the £129 million. This will help them to draw up fresh Business Plans, find fresh markets, obtain export advice and receive support for retooling and
  442W
  retraining. An additional commitment of £15.5 million, over and above the £129 million, has been made to support individuals. This money is providing help through a Rapid Response Unit at Longbridge offering fast-track access to benefits and training and is tackling re-skilling and re-training for workers from Rover and its supplier chain who will be made redundant or whose jobs will be affected.

  The Task Force has also been working with regional partners on:
  Bank support for business—ensuring a consistent and supportive approach to suppliers dependent on Rover; and help for businesses to deal with this serious shock to the market.
  Tracking of each individual who is made redundant so that progress can be monitored and additional support given if needed. The aim is to maximise the successful redeployment of people and skills.
  Creating a Task Force People's Guide on available help for those facing redundancy. This 60-page booklet has been printed and will be sent out shortly.
  Support for apprentices/graduate trainees to complete their training and to maximise the retention of skills in the region and in the UK.
  A study into development of the region for high-tech manufacture in the West Midlands, including A38 Corridor and Longbridge.
  West Midlands Regional Supply Office activities to enable it to find alternative local customers for some present suppliers to Rover across the manufacturing sector.

  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the numbers of jobs which would be lost in(a) Shrewsbury and (b) Shropshire if Rover were to close; and if he will make a statement. [121762]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  It is good news that BMW have come to an arrangement with the Phoenix Consortium to purchase Rover—Longbridge. Until more details are available it is too early to comment on the impact on jobs in the Shrewsbury and Shropshire areas.

  Export Credit Guarantees
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress he has made in his review of the export credit guarantee scheme. [120532]

  Mr. Caborn
  The Review of ECGD's Mission and Status, which I announced last July, is proceeding satisfactorily. The public consultation exercise and a number of independent studies into certain aspects of ECGD's operations have provided valuable evidence. These inputs will enable Ministers to determine the right way forward for ECGD, and I expect to announce the outcome of the Mission Review to the House in the next month or so. I expect the Status element of the Review to be completed later in the year.

  Business Regulation
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations he has received about the cost to business of regulations controlling business activity since 1997. [120534]

  Ms Hewitt
  Regulation is one of many issues I discuss as part of my regular contacts with business.

  Aerospace Industry
  Mr. Borrow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with Ministers in the EU and USA concerning the restructuring of the aerospace industry; and if he will make a statement. [120536]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  My officials and I maintain regular contact with EU and American Governments involved in the restructuring of the aerospace industry. I attended a meeting of industry ministers from six European countries in Rome last October to discuss the prospects for continued progress on aerospace restructuring.

  It was a useful opportunity for me to meet colleagues from key European aerospace nations and to have the opportunity for direct dialogue with senior industrialists. Our discussions covered a wide range of issues relevant to the future success of the industry. My objective is that the UK should continue to play a leading role in international restructuring and maintain the global competitiveness of its aerospace sector.

  Equal Opportunities (Small Businesses)
  Miss Begg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to ensure small businesses understand the regulations relating to equal opportunities. [120538]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Small Business Service provides a wealth of information intended to ensure that small businesses understand the regulations relating to equal opportunities.

  The DTI is also working with DfEE, the three statutory equality commissions, and ACAS on the development of a pilot information and advice service for business to be launched in the Autumn, called Equality Direct, based on business needs. The service will provide authoritative, confidential and coherent information and advice on all aspects of equal opportunities.

  Council for Science and Technology
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the role of the Council for Science and Technology. [120542]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Council for Science and Technology is the Prime Minister's top level advisory body on strategic issues concerning the Government's policies and framework for ensuring that science and technology meet the needs of the United Kingdom. The Council's terms of reference, along with information about its work and advisory reports are available on its website at www.cst.gov.uk.

  Renewable Energy
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his Department's support for renewable energy technologies. [120518]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Government announced in February their target for PES of 10 per cent. electricity from renewables. This is to stimulate the development of renewable energy so that it can provide a continuously growing contribution in the competitive market, as part of our climate change programme.
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  We have a target of achieving 5 per cent. of UK electricity from renewables by 2003 and 10 per cent. by 2010. The cost of course must be acceptable to consumers.

  Coal Miners (Compensation)
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 12 April 2000,Official Report, column 153W, on coal miners' compensation, if he will name hospitals that have not been prepared to release miners' medical records. [120352]

  Mrs. Liddell
  Following the issuing of guidance by the NHS Executive and the BMA to Hospital Trusts and GPs respectively, I am advised by Healthcall, the company contracted to obtain the medical records, that there are no hospitals that are not prepared to release medical records. However I am aware that it may take time for hospitals to retrieve records, which in some cases date back many years. My Department is monitoring the position very closely and I will have no hesitation in informing Members of any hospitals in their constituencies where we experience difficulties in the future.

  Electricity Generation
  Mr. Gareth R. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the membership of the working group composed of representatives from the Government, Ofgem and the industry that is examining the issues that surround embedded generation; what is the work programme of the group and its timescale; if he will publish minutes of the group's meetings to date; and if he will make a statement. [120843]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The working group on Embedded Generation Network Issues was set up following the issue of the Department's consultation document 'Electricity Network Management Issues' (URN 99/1237). It is chaired by Dr. Brian Wharmby, technical director of Ofgem and comprises representatives of network operators, generators, suppliers and consumers, the Energy Savings Trust, DETR, DTI and Ofgem. It held its first meeting in March and proposes to complete its work by the end of the year 2000. The group has agreed that its membership, terms of reference and agreed meeting minutes should be published on the DTI website. The pages are available at www.dti.gov.uk/energy/egwg/index.htm

  Industrial Grant Aid
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the(a) grants and (b) grant aid he has promised (i) the car industry and (ii) the coal industry since May 1997; from which budgets they will be drawn; what they are for; and for which he has EU approval. [120856]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 5 May 2000]: The information is as follows:

  (i) details of projects are published in the Labour Market Trends.

  (ii) details were contained in my statement to the House on 17 April.

  Chief Scientific Adviser
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the procedure for recruiting the Government Chief Scientific Adviser following the retirement of Sir Robert May. [120431]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 10 May 2000]: The post of Government Chief Scientific Adviser was advertised in the national press in March 2000. The competition for the post is being conducted according to the rules laid down by the Civil Service Commissioners.

  E-commerce
  Mr. Flight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to promote e-commerce; and if he will make a statement. [120507]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Government have put e-commerce at the heart of their vision for building a competitive, modern, knowledge-driven economy, and the DTI plays a leading role in realising this.

  In September 1999, the Prime Minister launched the report 'E-commerce@its.best.uk' which set out the Government's strategy to make the UK the best place in the world to trade electronically. This strategy is based on:
  Ensuring that we have the right regulatory environment and market framework to allow e-commerce to flourish in the UK.
  Preventing a digital divide by ensuring that we have the level of skills and access to enable businesses and individuals to make full use of the new technologies.
  Ensuring that Government act as an exemplar by getting their own services online.

  Specific actions taken by DTI as part of the strategy to promote e-commerce include:
  The 'Information Society Initiative', aimed at increasing the usage of e-commerce by small businesses.
  Measures to promote consumer confidence when trading online.
  The Electronic Communications Bill, which gives legal recognition to electronic signatures and encourages an industry-led system of self-regulation.
  Helping all communities get access to the new technologies through the 'IT For All' programme.

  Motor Industry
  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many(a) Rover franchised dealers and (b) BMW franchised dealers there are in the United Kingdom; and how many people are employed in each. [121592]

  Mr. Byers
  I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to the right hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood) on 29 March 2000,Official Report, column 196.

  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussion his Department has held with the retail motor industry representatives since the publication of the Competition Commission report into the sale of new cars. [121593]

  Mr. Byers
  Since the publication of the Competition Commission report on the supply of new cars, my Department has had discussions with representatives of a number of industry bodies, including the Retail 446W
  Motor Industry Federation and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, and with representatives of a number of individual companies.

  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what powers he has to(a) amend and (b) withdraw the Block Exemption Regulations relating to the sale of new cars before September 2002. [121594]

  Mr. Byers
  The current Block Exemption for motor vehicle distribution and servicing agreements is a European Commission regulation. Member states have no power to amend it. Withdrawal of the benefit of the Block Exemption is one of several possible courses of action which the Competition Commission recommended for consideration. My Department is exploring the complex legal questions associated with these options, and is in close discussions with the European Commission.

  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people are employed in the retail, after sales and repair of motor vehicles in the United Kingdom. [121589]

  Mr. Byers
  According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), at December 1999, 329,913 people were employed in the retail, after sales and repairs of motor vehicles in the United Kingdom.

  Mrs. Browning
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many businesses provide services and components to vehicle manufacturers in the United Kingdom; and how many people are employed in these businesses. [121591]

  Mr. Byers
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  Community Hospitals Group
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will refer the BUPA takeover of Community Hospitals Group to the Competition Commission in respect of the implications of vertical integration in the supply of private medical services. [121598]

  Dr. Howells
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry will decide whether or not to refer this case to the Competition Commission in the light of the independent advice of the Director General of Fair Trading. Each case is considered on its individual merits.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to encourage future inward investment into the UK; and if he will make a statement. [120504]

  Mr. Caborn
  The Department's Invest in Britain Bureau will continue to promote the attractions of the UK for mobile international investment. The UK is the No. 1 location in Europe for inward investment and the Government are determined to ensure that this is maintained in the face of increasing competition from our European partners. We will continue to pursue economic policies which enhance the UK's attractions including developing our skills base, providing flexible labour markets and a stable economy.

  Competition Act 1998
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the implementation of the Competition Act 1998 in respect of local authorities. [121478]

  Dr. Howells
  The new systems which prohibit anti-competitive agreements undertakings, and abuse by an undertaking of a dominant position, came into force on 1 March 2000. The prohibitions apply to a local authority if it is acting as an undertaking, that is to say if it is acting in a commercial or economic capacity.

DEFENCE

  Decommissioned Nuclear Submarines
  Ms Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the study into options for the storage of decommissioned nuclear submarines; and if he will make a statement. [122119]

  Dr. Moonie
  My predecessor announced in March 1998 that we would undertake a study into options for the storage of decommissioned nuclear-powered submarines. The initial phase of our study has been completed. We have concluded that while afloat storage would remain a safe option, if suitable alternative venues could be identified, land storage offers the best overall solution in the long term. Further work will now be undertaken to determine which land storage option should be adopted. I expect this further work to take up to three years to complete.

  The purpose of the next phase will be to determine which land storage solution should be adopted. This work will be taken forward in conjunction with industry, who will be invited to submit their proposals, with a view to entering into a Public/Private arrangement. As part of the process, we will further develop one land storage option, the removal and storage of the intact reactor compartment and the recycling of the remainder of the submarine, as a basis for comparison with industry proposals. We have not identified specific land store sites, but would expect these to emerge from the proposals we receive from industry. No decision will be taken on the most suitable storage option, or on a site, until we have completed the next phase of the study, which will include full and open consultation. As part of this process, environmental impact assessments will be undertaken for each storage option taken forward.

  We are providing oral briefings to interested parties and the media, and material is also available on the MOD website. In addition, we are inviting written comments as a means of shaping and informing our further work and plan to consult widely during the next phase of the study.

  Separately, and in parallel, we have received an unsolicited commercial proposal from Babcock Rosyth Defence Limited, the owners of Rosyth Royal Dockyard, to dismantle the reactor compartment of one decommissioned nuclear submarine, HMS Renown, and store the components. This would be an alternative to the traditional nuclear decommissioning work planned to start at Rosyth later this year and would not lead to any overall increase in the radioactive waste already held there. The intermediate level waste from Renown would be held
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  initially in the purpose built facility at Rosyth, but BRDL have been asked to make proposals for its eventual removal.

  The Babcock proposals will be taken forward in two stages and I have agreed that the first, which will involve feasibility and planning work only, may proceed. There will be no question of moving to the second, implementation, stage of the proposal until and unless we and the relevant regulatory authorities are entirely satisfied. In these circumstances I will make a further announcement.

  During this second stage, we will work with Babcock to produce an environmental impact assessment, which will involve public consultation. In addition, the company will have to satisfy the nuclear safety and environmental requirements of the independent regulators, including the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency before the dismantling work can begin. The company will be briefing local interest groups and the media tomorrow.

  In all of the above, safety remains of paramount importance and we will work to the same standards that apply to civil nuclear industry.

  Defence Diversification Agency
  Mr. Letwin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will extend the remit of the technology transfer managers established by the Defence Diversification Agency to cover large firms. [120643]

  Dr. Moonie
  The White Paper, "Defence Diversification: Getting the most out of defence technology", does not restrict the remit of the DDA technology diversification managers to supporting only small and medium enterprises (SMEs). In its first year of operation the DDA has successfully assisted companies of all sizes. However, from an operational perspective the agency has to prioritise allocation of its resources and has tended to concentrate effort on SMEs. These companies, while contributing to UK's wealth and creating jobs, have less resources of their own than larger companies to access and thus benefit from DERA's technology.

  Nuclear Test Veterans
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many claims for compensation for damage to health by British nuclear test veterans have been made; and how many have been settled. [121613]

  Dr. Moonie
  My Department has recorded 144 claims for compensation from British Nuclear Test veterans. As there is no evidence of excess illness or mortality among British Nuclear Test veterans as a group which could be linked to their participation in the nuclear tests, no compensation claims from them have been settled. In any event, prior to May 1987, Service personnel were prevented from pursuing claims for compensation from the Ministry of Defence by section 10 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947. The repeal of section 10 by the Crown Proceedings (Armed Forces) Act 1987 was not made retrospective and claims arising from injury or illness caused before the repeal are barred by law.
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  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met ex-British service personnel nuclear test victims to discuss compensation for damage to health; and if he will make a statement. [121614]

  Dr. Moonie
  There have been no meetings between my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence and British nuclear test veterans to discuss compensation. There have, however, been extensive exchanges of correspondence relating to compensation between Defence Ministers and the British Nuclear Tests Veterans Association, as well as with Members of Parliament.

  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reports he has received about compensation paid by the New Zealand Government for damage to health of servicemen as a result of nuclear tests. [121616]

  Dr. Moonie
  The New Zealand Government have not, to our knowledge, paid compensation to servicemen who participated in nuclear test programmes. However, we are aware that as a result of a New Zealand Inquiry into the health status of veterans' children, published last year, a programme of assistance to test veterans and their families, funded by their Government, was recommended. Such assistance was to take the form of case management, family counselling and genetic counselling where appropriate.

  In addition, the New Zealand Government announced on 29 April 2000 the grants of NZ$200,000 (about £60,000) to the New Zealand Nuclear Test Veterans Association, a one-time payment to assist the purposes of the Association, including further research and initiatives which provide support to the veterans and their families.

  UK Service Personnel (United Nations)
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if UK servicemen serving under UN auspices are given UN pay. [121082]

  Mr. Spellar
  No. UK Service personnel deployed on UN operations continue to receive UK pay. However, UK Service personnel serving under UN auspices are entitled to UN personal allowances. Personnel serving in formed units received the UN Daily Allowance of $1.26 per day and a Rest and Recreation Allowance of $10.50 per day, for up to seven days leave. Troops serving as UN monitors receive a separate UN allowance of about $120.00 per day for the first 30 days of duty and about $90.00 per day thereafter, because they are responsible for finding their own food and accommodation. These rates are set in US dollars and are paid to UK personnel either in US dollars, pounds sterling or local currency depending on circumstances.

  MOD Accommodation
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many empty Ministry of Defence houses in the United Kingdom are earmarked for(a). officers and (b) other ranks broken down by individual service; and if he will make a statement. [118651]

  Dr. Moonie
  Service Families Accommodation (SFA) is managed on a tri-Service basis and is provided according to entitlement i.e. rank and family size. A breakdown by individual Service is not therefore 450W
  available. The figures given are for SFA on mainland UK. As at 5 May 2000, there are 2,092 unoccupied officers' properties, of which 752 are allocated and 216 are undergoing refurbishment. There are also 12,437 unoccupied other ranks' properties, of which 4,007 are allocated and 1,359 are undergoing refurbishment.

  The majority of empty Service quarters are only temporarily so. There are over 22,000 Service family moves a year and this requires a management margin of empty stock ready for incoming occupants. An on-going modernisation programme and Defence reorganisations also demand that a considerable number of properties are empty while work is completed and further plans are clarified. Come 6,500 surplus properties are planned for disposal during the next two years.

  As at 2 May 2000, in Northern Ireland, there are 50 unoccupied officers' quarters of which 17 are allocated and three are undergoing refurbishment. There are also 423 other ranks' quarters of which 118 are allocated and 11 are undergoing refurbishment.

  Western European Union
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps have been taken by the Ministerial Council of the Western European Union to fill the post of Secretary General of the Western European Union. [120739]

  Mr. Vaz
  I have been asked to reply.

  Javier Solana was appointed as Secretary General by the Council of the Western European Union on 25 November 1999. He is also the EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security Policy and Secretary General of the Council.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Museums and Galleries (Entry Charges)
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the number of establishments that will benefit from the £1 single entry charge for museums and galleries. [120613]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Funds have been set aside and will be made available to enable the following currently charging national museums and galleries funded by my Department to introduce an admission charge of £1 from September 2001:

  National Museum of Science and Industry

  Natural History Museum

  Victoria and Albert Museum

  Imperial War Museum (Lambeth Road)

  National Maritime Museum

  Royal Armouries—Museum of Artillery, Fort Nelson.

  Final decisions on the introduction of the £1 charge rest with the Trustees of these institutions.

  I am also considering the extension of these arrangements to the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds; the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester; the Museum of London; the National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside; and Tate St. Ives.
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  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the application of the £1 single entry charge to institutions which offer composite ticketing arrangements which allow entry to more than one institution on the same ticket. [121368]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Calculations of compensation for the introduction of the £1 single entry charge are based on estimates of the total visitor income for the individual institutions concerned, including the estimated proceeds from composite tickets. If trustees of institutions wish to introduce joint ticketing arrangements, that is a matter for their discretion.

  Badminton Association
  Mr. White
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what(a) public and (b) Lottery funds have been given to the Badminton Association of England in each of the last 10 years. [121103]

  Kate Hoey
  Details of Exchequer funding by Sport England to the Badminton Association of England is readily available only for years since 1994–95. These are:

  £

  Year

  Amount

  1994–95

  240,000

  1995–96

  240,000

  1996–97

  247,000

  1997–98

  286,000

  1998–99

  268,000

  1999–2000

  280,000

  Lottery funding for the Badminton Association of England's World Class Programme is as follows:

  £

  Period

  Amount

  1 September 1997 to 31 August 1998

  1,327,155

  1 September 1998 to 31 August 1999

  1,735,909

  1 September 1999 to 31 August 2000

  1,955,441

  The Badminton Association of England has also received a Lottery award of £3,653,847 for a National Badminton Centre.

  Funding (Audits)
  Mr. White
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what(a) financial and (b) other audits his Department carries out on bodies funded through the Sports Council or by Lottery grants. [121102]

  Kate Hoey
  Sport England carries out, on its own and on UK Sport's behalf (until October this year), a rolling programme of management audits of bodies in receipt of Exchequer funding which ensures that such bodies are reviewed at least once every three years. Audits cover corporate governance, accounting and financial management, asset management, financial stability, contracting and procurement, personal issues, grant conditions and current issues.
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  Sport England also undertakes financial and award compliance checks on all schemes in receipt of lottery funding. These ensure adherence to award conditions and the avoidance of fraudulent claims. All lottery projects are also subject to post-completion monitoring which includes the operation and management of the facility.

  Athletics Facilities
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received from the Wenlock Olympian Society concerning funding for improvements for facilities for athletics; and when he will respond to them. [121356]

  Kate Hoey
  I received a letter from the Wenlock Olympian Society on 1 May. I will respond to the letter shortly.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received from the Midland Counties Athletic Association concerning the provision of athletics facilities at Much Wenlock. [121354]

  Kate Hoey
  My Department has not received any representations from the Midland Counties Athletic Association.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if it is the policy of the Sports Lottery Council not to grant-aid athletics tracks of less than 400m in length; and if he will make a statement. [121357]

  Kate Hoey
  The Council of Sport England's policy in considering applications for lottery funding for athletics tracks is to follow the recommendations of UK Athletics as set out in the "National Athletics Facilities Strategy". The normal requirement is for a 400m track. However, the strategy allows some flexibility and states that where the criteria for the provision of such tracks are not met every encouragement will be given to lower key training facilities designed to meet local needs for certain disciplines, such as a sprint straights with a bend, pole vault run ups, high jump beds etc.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Friends of Europe
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those(a) civil servants, (b) ministers, (c) special advisers and (d) FCO Think Tank members who have addressed the Friends of Europe since its inception; in what capacity they spoke; at what cost; and if he will deposit the text of the speeches in the Library. [119814]

  Mr. Vaz
  At the request of the Centre for European Reform, Sir John Kerr, PUS, addressed a Friends of Europe/Centre for European Reform seminar in his official capacity on 14 April at the Belgian Ambassador's Residence in London. The title of the session was 'How much treaty reform does the EU need?' It was at no additional cost. He did not speak from a written text.

  Mr. Roger Liddle, in his capacity as a special adviser in the Prime Minister's Policy Unit, addressed an audience in Brussels on 24 January. The event was co-hosted by the Friends of Europe and the British

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  Embassy in Belgium. The title of his talk was 'Economic Reform and Social Justice in a modern Europe'. The cost to the British Embassy of the event, including a reception afterwards was £1,690.03. Mr. Liddle did not speak from a written text.

  NATO Parliamentary Assembly
  Mr. Russell Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes have been made in the composition of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. [122291]

  Mr. Vaz
  My noble Friend Lord Sewel has replaced my noble Friend Lord Kennet as a member of the delegation.

  Indonesia
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance his Department provides to the Indonesian Government on security sector reform. [121588]

  Mr. Battle
  We want to help the new reforming administration in Indonesia strengthen democratic control of the security forces. The attachment of a senior British police officer to our Embassy in Jakarta starting on 1 June, is a first step in our efforts to help bring this about. We are consulting others about appropriate international support for security sector reform in Indonesia.

  Sudan
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received concerning military attacks on the Nuba population of Sudan. [121582]

  Mr. Hain
  I am aware of a number of reports of military action in the Nuba Mountains and have received a number of representations about the bombing of a school in Kaouda in February of this year.

  We have raised the specific case of the school, and the general issue of aerial bombing, with the Government of Sudan, and an EU Declaration was published on the subject on 5 May.

  On 18 April, President Bashir announced that he had ordered the cessation of aerial bombings of targets in the South except where there was active fighting under way. We welcome this announcement and look to the Government of Sudan to honour it.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Milk Prices
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his discussions with the major supermarket chains on the prices paid for the milk they purchase. [119586]

  Ms Quin
  While pricing decisions are a matter for retailers, we know from our contact with them that the supermarkets are aware of the concerns of producers over the low prices they are receiving for their milk.
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  At the 30 March summit we also removed dairy hygiene charges for farmers in England; announced that we are approaching the European Commission to remove the weight limit on the OTMS Scheme; and agreed to pay £22 million agrimonetary compensation to farmers. We have also encouraged the different parts of the food chain to come together and develop a code of practice so that farmers feel their concerns are being given greater weight.

  Online Services
  Mr. Robert Jackson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the services which(a) his Department and (b) the executive agencies responsible to his Department (i) provide online and (ii) expect to be deliverable online by 2002. [119433]

  Mr. Morley
  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, but I can say that we currently provide a range of services electronically that includes:
  Application for cattle passports and notification of subsequent movements to the British Cattle Movement Service
  Applications for Cattle Eartag numbers from farmers via approved eartag manufacturers
  Date Based Export Scheme eligibility checks from approved abattoirs
  Submission of milk test details for the national dairy herd from contracted laboratories
  The CEFAS Agency is developing an interactive database to share data on live fish movements
  An extensive website that provides a wide range of information services to the public and to business, including the ability to download a selection of MAFF forms
  An electronic portal will soon be launched for farmers providing access from a single source to a wealth of information and advice available to them over the internet from Government, the NFU and business.

  Further, an electronic service delivery strategy covering all our transactions is being developed in line with Government targets, and by 2002 we expect to make available electronically the following:
  Submission of Farm Survey forms
  Submission of the majority of subsidy claims for MAFF and IBEA payments
  Downloading of all MAFF forms
  Interactive capabilities on the portal to inspire Internet trade and enhance business skills in the farming community.

  Millennium Dome
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has visited the Millennium Dome at Greenwich in an official capacity; and what plans he has to do so. [120585]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 3 May 2000]: I have not visited the Millennium Dome in a ministerial capacity.

  Departmental Contracts
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list for the financial year 1998–99(a) the number and (b) the total value of contracts let by his Department with external consultants and advisers that (i) were put out to competitive tender, (ii) were not put to competitive tender and (iii) were let on a non-commercial basis, stating in each case the names of the individuals or organisations that have carried out the work. [109262]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 9 February 2000]: From records held centrally, for the financial year 1998–99 the Ministry let 144 contracts with external consultants and advisers at a total cost of £12,549,663 excluding VAT.

  Of these contracts
  (i) 84 contracts with a combined value of £11,782,555 excluding VAT were put to competitive tender. The names of these individuals and organisations are as follows:

  ADAS

  BMT Reliability Consultants

  BRE

  British Standards Institution

  Bulldog Contractors Ltd.

  Bytes Computers Ltd.

  CBG Consultants Ltd.

  Central Office of Information

  Chieumento Consulting Group

  Collinson and Grant Consultants

  Computer People

  Cornwell Affiliates Plc

  Deloitte and Touche

  Drew Associates

  DTZ Pieda

  Generic Software

  HEDRA Ltd.

  Johnson Construction

  MCG Consulting Group

  McKeown Software Ltd.

  Millennium Three

  National Remote Sensing Consultants

  Norwich Systems and Accounting

  PA Consulting Group

  Paisner and Co.

  Produce Studies Ltd.

  Quadraphic Design Ltd.

  Segal Quince Wickstead

  SEMA Group UK Ltd. UKBS

  Siemens Network Systems Ltd.

  Siemens Computer Systems

  Tatham Pearce

  Triad Group

  University of Edinburgh

  University of Reading

  WPS Consulting

  WS Atkins

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  (ii) 60 contracts with a combined value of £767,108 excluding VAT were not put to competitive tender. The names of these individuals and organisations are as follows:

  ADAS

  Andrews Ward Associates

  Ove Amp and Partners

  K. Baker

  Baker Shepherd Gillespie

  R. Bradley

  Bristol Quality Centre

  Cambridge Strategic Management

  Chapman and Chapman Associates

  Cheviot Arcus

  Peter J. Chillingworth

  Cornwell Affiliates Plc

  Deloitte and Touche

  DERA

  Dewjoc Ltd

  DBL Consultancy

  D. Dickinson

  Facilities Solutions

  Foundation Systems

  Fonda

  Francis Graves Ltd.

  GRP Consultants

  Highthorne

  Gerry Hynes and Co. Ltd.

  ICL

  Independent Consultancy

  Insight Consulting

  R. Kimberlin

  Liaison VAT

  WE Mason

  McDermott Associates

  M. McDonald Ross

  Netools

  Organisation Consulting Partnership

  PA Consulting Group

  J. Parker

  PCMS

  PG Griffiths

  Prodat Plc

  The Project Team

  Proserve

  Prospect Management Services

  Rapra Technology

  Reading University

  RTC Ltd.

  SEMA

  Robert Shanks

  Mrs. Silvey

  AJ Small

  K. Taylor

  Thomason Partners

  Touchstone

  TMS Consultancy

  TP Engineering Ltd.

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  Vogon International

  Water Research Council

  Yorkshire Assessment

  (iii) No contracts were let on a non-commercial basis.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Prison Service
  Shona McIsaac
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made with the Quinquennial Review of the Northern Ireland Prison Service. [122224]

  Mr. Ingram
  I have recently received the Review Team's report on the first stage of the Quinquennial Review. The report, which follows extensive internal and external consultation, analyses the performance of the Northern Ireland Prison Service since it became an Agency in April 1995, including how it is perceived by the various bodies and interests affected by the services that it provides—including its own staff. It also considers the services likely to be needed in future and the organisational options for delivering them.

  It is clear from the report (a copy of which I am placing in the Library of each House) that the Prison Service has made considerable progress, in uniquely difficult circumstances, over the past five years. The report recommends unequivocally that Agency status should be retained as the most appropriate way of delivering custodial services in Northern Ireland.

  I have accepted that recommendation and have asked the Review Team to embark on the second stage of the review, examining how the effectiveness and efficiency with which the Prison Service delivers its services and functions can be further improved in the future. The culmination of this final stage of the review will be the publication in the Summer of a new Framework Document for the Northern Ireland Prison Service.

  Parades Commission
  Mr. Donaldson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the outside remunerated interests of the Chairman of the Parades Commission, Mr. Anthony Holland. [120501]

  Mr. Ingram
  Up to 30 April 2000 Mr. Holland was the Principal Ombudsman at the Personal Investment Authority Ombudsman Bureau.

  As from 1 May 2000 he became a part time Ombudsman at the Personal Investment Authority Ombudsman Bureau.

  Northern Ireland Forum
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total cost of producing the bound volumes of the reports of the Northern Ireland Forum; how many copies were produced; and to whom they were provided free of charge. [121255]

  Mr. Mandelson
  150 bound volume sets of the reports of the Northern Ireland Forum were produced at a total cost of £49,000 with copies being sent, free of charge, to 458W
  each member of the Forum. Copies will also be provided free of charge to libraries and other locations where they will be available for public reference.

HEALTH

  Prostate Cancer
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to introduce PSA testing to screen for prostate cancer. [119730]

  Yvette Cooper
  In 1997, the United Kingdom National Screening Committee recommended against introducing population screening for prostate cancer using the prostate-specific antigen test. In the context of a national screening programme, the NSC concluded that the limited accuracy of the test could have led to a positive result for those without the disease. Follow-up procedures could have caused considerable unnecessary harm to healthy individuals.

  The UK National Screening Committee is now reviewing the evidence in the light of technological improvements. I expect to receive further advice on prostrate cancer screening on the basis of this research from the UK National Screening Committee later this year.

  Dental Services (Northamptonshire)
  Mr. Tony Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many more dentists Northamptonshire Health Authority needs to overcome its shortage of NHS dentists; [120725]

  (2) how many people telephoned Northamptonshire Health Authority from June to August 1999 about access to NHS dentistry; [120726]

  (3) what action the Government are taking to ensure that all children in Northamptonshire are registered with a dentist. [120728]

  Mr. Hutton
  Registrations per head of population in Northamptonshire show that 54 per cent. are registered with General Dental Service dentists. This is 6 per cent. higher than the national average. Since December 1998 the number of dentists in the area has increased by six and there are now nearly 171 dentists in the area.

  Of the 1,130 people who called Northamptonshire Health Authority seeking information on the availability of National Health Service dentists from June to August 1999, none called back unable to get placed with a National Health Service dentist.

  We recognise that in some parts of the country it remains difficult to access National Health Service dental care. Positive steps have already been taken to address this problem. NHS dentists in the Northamptonshire Health Authority have received £45,000 in Investing in Dentistry grants. This has gone towards establishing brand new practices that have already begun to register additional patients.

  Northamptonshire also has a second wave Personal Dental Services (PDS) pilot which is specifically targeted at increasing child registration. This is a co-operative

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  approach between community dental service and three practices. It identifies children in need of care through school screening and offers follow up appointments.

  Discussions will continue with the profession at a local level to improve and modernise the service.

  NHS Administration Staff
  Mr. Lilley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what has been the net reduction in the number of administrative jobs as a result of replacing the NHS internal market; [120333]

  (2) how many administrative staff have been made redundant as a result of abolishing the NHS internal market. [120332]

  Mr. Denham
  [holding answer 2 May 2000]: The information is not available in the form requested. However, total National Health Service management costs in 1998–99 prices are shown in the table.

  Year

  £ million

  1996–97

  1,949

  1997–98

  1,846

  1997–98

  11,928

  1998–99

  1,870

  1999–2000

  21,816

  1 Rebased. The definition of management costs was revised for 1998–99 to capture some management activity previously excluded, mainly related to NHS trusts purchasing private sector support services. To provide a consistent time series, the 1997–98 figure was rebased on the new definition

  2 Projected

  GM Crops (Honey)
  Mr. Caton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what advice his Department has prepared for beekeepers wishing to produce pure honey whose hives are located in the proximity of genetically modified crop plantings; [120695]

  (2) what compensation he pays to beekeepers who are prevented from describing honey produced by their bees as pure, by the proximity of genetically modified crop plantings; [120698]

  (3) how far beehives need to be located away from a genetically modified crop planting to ensure that the honey produced complies with labelling regulations for the use of the description pure. [120697]

  Ms Stuart
  There is no existing legislation which defines the use of the word "pure" in food labelling.

  However in October 1999 officials in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food/Department of Health Joint Food Safety and Standards Group wrote to the British Beekeepers Association and the British Honey Importers and Packers Association advising them that the presence of GM pollen in honey does not effect the labelling of honey. I am placing copies of the letters in the Library.

  Work carried out by the Laboratory of the Government Chemist, a report of which is also available in the Library, indicates that the amount of genetically modified material in honey that might arise from bees foraging on GM crops is likely to be extremely small.

  Hospital Hygiene
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions in the last five years the Audit Commission has investigated the administration of hospitals, with particular reference to hygiene. [120988]

  Mr. Denham
  The Audit Commission has informed us that according to its records neither the Commission nor its appointed auditors have carried out any investigations specifically concerned with hygiene in the last five years.

  Diabetes Services
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the Audit Commission's report, "Testing Times: A Review of Diabetes Services in England and Wales"; and what actions he proposes to take. [R] [121124]

  Mr. Denham
  We welcome this important report. It highlights unacceptable variations in the quality of diabetes services. It is those variations that prompted us to announce last year the development of a National Service Framework for diabetes in England. The National Service Framework will set national standards and define service models to improve the quality of care for people with diabetes.

  We have sent copies of the Audit Commission report to members of the Expert Reference Group who will advise Ministers on the development of the National Service Framework and it will inform their work.

  General Osteopathic Council
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many members of the General Osteopathic Council have been drawn from(a) the General Council of Registered Osteopaths, (b) the College of Osteopaths, (c) the Guild of Osteopaths, (d) the London Counties and Shires Physicians, (e) the SMAE Institute, (f) the British and European Osteopaths Association and (g) the NTOS; how the members of the council were chosen and by whom; and if he will make a statement. [121105]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 8 May 2000]: All members of the current General Osteopathic Council have been appointed by the Privy Council in accordance with our adopted policy on public appointments. Members have been chosen on the basis of individual merit and particularly for their ability to secure and maintain the highest standards of training, clinical practice and professional conduct. Professional members of the General Osteopathic Council do not represent any individual osteopathic body or training institution but act as ambassadors for the whole of the osteopathic profession.

  Following legal advice, nominations for each professional place on the Council have been sought from all bodies known to have a representative function for osteopaths. For the initial membership selection exercise, these were the bodies identified by the King's Fund

  461W
  Working Party on Osteopathy (whose report in 1991 provided the basis of the Osteopaths Act 1993) and known still to be in existence. The bodies were:

  The British Osteopathic Association

  The British and European Osteopathic Association

  The College of Osteopaths Practitioners Association and Register The General Council and Register of Osteopaths

  The Guild of Osteopaths

  The Natural Therapeutic and Osteopathic Society and Register.

  The King's Fund Working Party drew its list from a report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on the Services of professionally regulated osteopaths (1989).

  The claims to have a representative function of bodies which have come forward since the initial selection exercise have been considered on a case by case basis. The London Counties and Shires Physicians has not made any claims to Government to represent osteopaths. Nominations have not been accepted from the SMAE Institute on the basis that it is considered to be a training establishment and not a representative body. Nominations have, however, been accepted from the newly formed British Osteopathic Association and the General Osteopathic Council itself.

  ME and MS
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received regarding additional funding for research into the causes of, and cure for,(a) ME and (b) MS; and if he will make a statement. [121353]

  Yvette Cooper
  The information is as follows:

  Chronic fatigue syndrome/myalgic encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME)

  We have recently received representations in the form of Ministerial correspondence about provision for research into, and treatment of, myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), also known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and the perceived lack of research into diagnosis and treatment for this condition.

  The National Health Service research and development programme is currently supporting the following research projects on CFS/ME:
  A systematic review to determine the clinical effectiveness of treatments and interventions for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/ME—University of York
  Family Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Adolescents with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome—King's College School of Medicine, London
  Chronic Fatigue Syndrome after Acute Q Fever: A follow-up study of the 1989 outbreak cohort—Birmingham Heartlands Hospital, Birmingham
  A randomised controlled trial of cognitive behaviour therapy for chronic fatigue syndrome—GKT School Medical School, London.

  Multiple Sclerosis (MS)

  The Department has recently received a large amount of correspondence from the public asking that additional funding be made available for research into the causes of and cure for multiple sclerosis (MS). There has also been some Ministerial correspondence and a Parliamentary Question which asked about treatment and research into multiple sclerosis during 1999.
  462W
  The Medical Research Council supported about a dozen projects on multiple sclerosis and associated demyelinating diseases in 1998–99 representing a spend of approximately £640,000 in that year.

  The Department funds research to support policy and the delivery of effective practice in the National Health Service. The Department is currently spending approximately £150,000 per year on projects related to MS.

  In addition, we have awarded the MS Society £15,000 per year from 1997–98 until 1999–2000 under the Section 64 scheme of grants, for their emerging therapies project.

  Defibrillators
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the locations of the defibrillators to be placed in public locations in(a) Shrewsbury and Atcham and (b) Shropshire. [121292]

  Yvette Cooper
  Our scheme to provide life-saving heart defibrillators in public places was launched in April 2000. 700 defibrillators will be placed in railway stations, shopping centres, airports and bus stations across the country over the next year. Additional large public areas are currently being identified as potential sites.

  We do not yet have details of the exact locations of the defibrillators, nor of the implications for Shrewsbury and Atcham or Shropshire.

  Royal Shrewsbury Hospital
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital's people management standards document issued to staff. [121291]

  Mr. Denham
  Ministers welcome and want to encourage examples of good practice in the National Health Service. The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital's people management standards document, which identifies how staff can expect to be treated by the trust, supports our key priority of improving the working lives of NHS staff.

  Asthma
  Angela Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to undertake further research into air pollution and asthma. [120159]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 9 May 2000]: The prevention and treatment of asthma are high priority topics within the Department's research programmes. The Department's Policy Research Programme has been funding for some years a programme of research on the public health aspects of asthma, aimed at providing a clearer scientific understanding of the causes of asthma and hence how it might be prevented. One of the major strands of research within this programme relates to studies on the effects of outdoor air pollution on patients with asthma. This work is currently funded until the end of the year, but it has been agreed to extend this contract for a further period and consideration is now being given to continuing the programme for a further five years.
  463W
  The Department has also funded a number of research projects that consider the possible effects of both indoor and outdoor pollution on asthma and respiratory disease. Many of these projects are still in progress and will continue over the next few years.

  CJD
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has issued to NHS trust and social services departments on the care to be offered to those suffering from new variant CJD. [121137]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 10 May 2000]: Health Service Circular 1999/178 issued to National Health Service trusts, primary care groups, and others in August 1999, among other things drew attention to the resources available to health professionals when dealing with the care of patients suffering from all forms of CJD. The CJD Support Network, in collaboration with the Association of Directors of Social Services, has published good practice guidelines for social services professionals who care for variant CJD patients. In addition, we will shortly be publishing some new guidance intended for healthcare professionals. It will mention the importance of having a named 'key worker' in place after any diagnosis of CJD, whose role will be to co-ordinate all professional care. The National CJD Surveillance Unit, funded directly by the Department, also employs a care co-ordinator, to act as a source of advice and expertise to health care professionals.

  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the average cost of caring for a patient suffering from new variant CJD. [121139]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 10 May 2000]: The cost of caring for a patient suffering from variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) varies considerably from case to case, but is generally considered to be in line with the cost of caring for a wide range of other terminally and chronically ill patients.

  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that general practitioners are aware of the presenting symptoms of new variant CJD. [121138]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 10 May 2000]: The initial symptoms of variant CJD can be similar to much more common illnesses, and it is therefore difficult to diagnose the disease in its early stages. General practitioners presented with neurological or psychiatric symptoms in a patient would, however, be expected to refer such patients as necessary in the normal way to appropriate specialists, including neurologists. The National CJD Surveillance Unit, funded directly by the Department, keeps in regular touch with neurologists about CJD issues and has circulated to them details of those symptoms which would suggest that a case should be referred to the Unit for further investigation. In addition, the Unit disseminates information about variant CJD through the medical literature.

  Oncologists
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many cancer units have a medical oncologist; [121691]
  464W
  (2) which cancer centres are without (a) a clinical oncologist and (b) a medical oncologist. [121641]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Calman/Hine report published in 1995 emphasised the importance of the integration of the work of cancer units with a cancer centre. Each cancer unit should have in place arrangements for non-surgical input (medical and clinical oncologists) into services. Local arrangements will depend on cancer site specialisation by the oncologist and the cancer unit, but sufficient time must be available in the cancer unit to guarantee a firm commitment to those local oncology services. Consequently individual clinicians may work in more than one trust.

  Results from the medical workforce census for England show that at 30 September 1999 there were (a) 700 clinical oncologists employed by 80 National Health Service trusts and (b) 380 medical oncologists employed by 70 NHS trusts.

  National Register for Clinical Trials
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the National Register for Clinical Trials has been established. [121690]

  Ms Stuart
  Details of research projects undertaken in the National Health Service are currently made available on the National Research Register, funded by the Department. The NRR has over 50,000 records and is available on CD-ROM and on line. To improve the information on clinical trials, the Department and the NHS are currently working in collaboration with its research partners to develop a national register of all funded clinical trials.

  Cancer Services
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many cancer units and cancer centres fully comply with the Calman-Hine cancer guidelines; [121643]

  (2) how many cancer units are related to each cancer centre; [121642]

  (3) how many cancer centres there are in the UK; and if he will list them. [121640]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Calman/Hine report, "A Policy Framework for Cancer Care Services", recommended that networks of care should be developed encompassing primary care, cancer units and cancer centres. The report provided a broad framework for the development of cancer units and cancer centres, but it did not set explicit standards for their development. Early implementation of the Calman/Hine recommendations reflected the different starting points across the country and allowed an evaluation of services to fit local needs.

  Regional cancer co-ordinators from six of the eight health regions have identified cancer networks based on geographical patches shown in the table.

  Northern and Yorkshire

  Northern Cancer Network

  Cancer Care Alliance (Teesside)

  Yorkshire Cancer Network

  East Riding Cancer Services

  Alliance

  465W
  Eastern

  Norfolk and Waverney

  Cambridgeshire

  Mid Anglia

  Southend

  Mount Vernon

  South West

  Avon, Somerset and Wiltshire

  Dorset

  3 Counties Cancer Centre

  The Peninsula

  South East

  Kent Cancer Network

  South Solent Cancer Network

  Sussex Cancer Network

  4 Counties Cancer Network

  Guildford Cancer Network

  London

  North East London

  North Central London

  North West London

  South East London

  South West London

  Trent

  North Trent Network

  Mid Trent Network

  South Derbyshire Cancer Centre

  Leicestershire Cancer Centre.

  In the North West Region three zones have been identified

  North West

  Greater Manchester

  Merseyside and Cheshire

  Lancashire and South Cumbria.

  In West Midlands a somewhat different approach has been adopted, based on tumour-specific networks.

  Regions have also adopted different approaches to the designation of cancer centres and cancer units, with joint cancer centres (encompassing two or more trusts) being designated in some regions.

  The following hospital and trusts provide radiotherapy facilities:

  Mount Vernon Hospital and Watford NHS Trust

  The Royal Hospitals Trust

  North Middlesex Hospital NHS Trust

  Havering Hospitals Trust

  Southend Healthcare NHS Trust

  University College London Hospitals

  Royal Free Hospital NHS Trust

  Hammersmith Hospitals Trust

  Essex County Hospital

  Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust

  Carlisle Hospitals NHS Trust

  Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Trust

  466W

  South Tees Acute Hospitals NHS Trust

  Royal Hull Hospitals NHS Trust

  East Gloucestershire NHS Trust

  United Bristol Healthcare Trust

  Royal United Hospital Bath NHS Trust

  South Devon Healthcare NHS Trust

  Royal Devon and Exeter Healthcare NHS Trust

  Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust

  Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust

  Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust

  Poole Hospital NHS Trust

  Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust

  University Hospital Birmingham NHS Trust

  Walsgrave Hospitals NHS Trust

  North Staffordshire Hospital NHS Trust

  Royal Wolverhampton Hospitals NHS Trust

  Shrewsbury Hospitals NHS Trust

  Weston Park Hospital NHS Trust

  Leicester Royal Infirmary NHS Trust

  Southern Derbyshire Acute Hospital NHS Trust

  Nottingham City Hospital NHS Trust

  Lincoln County Hospital

  Addenbrookes Hospital

  Norfolk and Norwich Healthcare NHS Trust

  Ipswich Hospital NHS Trust

  Oxford Radcliffe Hospital

  Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust

  Royal Berkshire Hospital

  Mid Kent Oncology Centre

  Kent and Canterbury Hospital

  Royal Marsden Hospital

  Guys and St. Thomas' Hospital

  Royal Surrey County Hospital

  Royal Sussex County Hospital

  Clatterbridge Centre for Oncology

  Christie Hospital

  Preston Acute Hospitals Trust.

  The National Cancer Director and regional offices are working with the National Health Service to develop this model on a more consistent basis, in line with best care set out in evidence based guidance. We intend to consult shortly on national standards for cancer which will permit a consistent approach to evaluation of cancer services.

  Parkinson's Disease
  Mr. Letwin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if implant surgery for people with Parkinson's Disease is available throughout the country; and what the waiting times for such surgery are in each health authority area. [120642]

  Mr. Denham
  Patients in England with severe Parkinson's disease are usually under the care of neurologists. If, in their neurologist's opinion, neurosurgery may improve their disease then they can refer to specialist neurosurgical centres dealing with Parkinson's disease.

  There are at least eight centres in England carrying out implant surgery and a further eight at least doing neurosurgery for Parkinson's disease.
  467W
  Implant surgery for Parkinson's disease is complex and highly specialist and relatively new. It should be noted that the relative merits of implants in Parkinson's disease compared to drugs or more conventional surgery have not been thoroughly tested as yet. There are therefore sound reasons for limiting the number of centres where this service can be accessed until such time as its effectiveness is fully established.

  Officials are currently working with health authorities to develop the most appropriate commissioning framework for this service.

  Waiting times are as follows. As this is a rare operation not all health authorities have patients waiting.

  Waiting time statistics from Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) are not the same as the published waiting list statistics. HES provides counts and waiting times for all patients admitted to hospital within a given period whereas the published waiting list statistics count those waiting for treatment at a given point in time and how long they have been on the waiting list. Also, HES calculates the waiting time as the difference between the admission and the decision to admit dates. Unlike published waiting list statistics, this is not adjusted for self-deferrals or periods of medical/social suspension.

  Finished consultant episodes where the main diagnosis was Parkinson's disease and the main operation was implant of neurostimulator into brain1, by waiting time (days) and health authority of residence—NHS hospitals England 1998–99

  Days patients waited

  Health authority

  1-91

  92-182

  183-365

  QAA Bexley and Greenwich

  1

  1

  0

  QAJ Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth

  1

  0

  0

  QAW East London and the City

  1

  0

  0

  QCA East Norfolk

  1

  0

  0

  QCF Suffolk

  1

  0

  1

  QCG Barnsley

  1

  0

  0

  QCK Doncaster

  1

  0

  0

  QCL Leicestershire

  0

  2

  0

  QCW South Cheshire

  0

  1

  0

  QD1 North and Mid Hampshire

  1

  0

  0

  QD2 Portsmouth and South East Hampshire

  0

  1

  0

  QD5 Somerset

  1

  0

  1

  QD6 South and West Devon

  1

  0

  0

  QD8 Avon

  1

  0

  0

  QD9 Birmingham

  0

  1

  0

  QDK North Cumbria

  1

  0

  0

  QDL South Humber

  1

  0

  0

  QEF Shropshire

  1

  1

  0

  QEJ South Staffordshire

  1

  0

  0

  QEN Worcestershire

  2

  1

  0

  Not known

  0

  0

  1

  Total

  17

  8

  3

  1 A09.1 Implantation of neurostimulator into the brain

  Source:

  Hospital Episode Statistics 1998–99 (the latest full year available)

TREASURY

  EU Contract Compliance
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what Government department is responsible for assessing the tendering of contracts within each European member country to ensure that each Government complies with EU law. [121620]
  468W
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  It is the European Commission which monitors the tendering of public contracts in the European Union. Where appropriate, the Commission enforces compliance through proceedings against the member state in the European Court of Justice. Finns harmed by a breach of EC law can also seek remedies under national review systems which member states are required to establish. The Department of Trade and Industry's "Action Single Market" can assist UK firms who meet problems in other member states.

  Insurance Industry (Gender Discrimination)
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy on permitting discrimination between consumers by the insurance industry on the grounds of gender. [121510]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Government's view is that insurers can best service their customers by pricing policies selectively and competitively on the basis of an informed actuarial assessment of risk.

  Service Company Workers
  Mr. Russell
  Brown: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the tax position of service company workers overseas. [122226]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Many other countries have rules that are similar to IR35 which discourage the use of service companies to disguise employment. Others are developing such rules at the present time.

  In some countries, a worker will be worse off than if they had stayed in the UK and fallen within IR35. These include Norway, Belgium and Germany.

  In the US, a service company worker may achieve a marginally higher level of take home pay, but this will be eroded by the additional expense of items such as health care insurance.

  In the Netherlands, a service company worker will be substantially worse off than in the UK. The Netherlands do have a generous tax regime for IT workers, but this regime applies only to those who work properly as employees and not to those who work through service companies.

  EU Budget
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the average daily cost of the United Kingdom's net contribution to the European Union budget over the last three years. [121451]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The United Kingdom's net contribution in each of the year's 1996–97 to 1998–99, the latest three years for which outturn data are available, can be found at Table 13a, page 120, of the Departmental Report of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Departments (Cm 4615) published on 7 April 2000.

  Demutualisation
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) when and in what form the report of the Government Actuary and the Financial Services Authority into the demutualisation of Standard Life will be published; [121046]
  469W
  (2) if he will make a statement on the Government Actuary's duty to safeguard reasonable expectations of existing policyholders in the case of demutualisation of life insurers; [121048]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  There is no specific procedure for demutualisation laid down in insurance legislation. In practice, a mutual life insurer proposing to demutualise normally transfers its insurance business to a proprietary company. Such a transfer of business requires court approval under the procedure in Schedule 2C to the Insurance Companies Act 1982. An independent actuary's report on the terms of the scheme is considered by the court. Anyone, including policyholders, with an interest can be heard by the court, as the regulator. If demutualisation is achieved, there is no statutory role for the Government Actuary in the process, but the regulator decides whether to make representations to the court or take any other action after appropriate actuarial advice. One important factor which is addressed is the safeguarding of policyholders' reasonable expectations.

  There is no formal proposal before the court to demutualise Standard Life.

  Royal Fleet Auxiliary
  Mr. Prosser
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to respond to the submission made by the Ministry of Defence on behalf of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in respect of the current annual pay review for its seagoing officers and ratings. [121363]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  I have just done so.

  Mr. Prosser
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will ensure that future submissions made by the Ministry of Defence on behalf of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary in respect of annual pay reviews will be responded to in time for the annual pay negotiations to be concluded by the agreed anniversary date. [121364]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  Our aim is to respond within three weeks of receipt, unless additional information is required.

  Household Statistics
  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what percentage of families with dependent children are headed by(a) married couples, (b) cohabiting couples and (c) a lone parent by each type; [121365]

  (2) what percentage of dependent children live in families which are headed by (a) a married couple, (b) a cohabiting couple, (c) a parent who has never married, (d) a widowed parent, (e) a divorced parent and (f) a separated parent. [121366]

  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.
  470W
  Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Edward Leigh, dated 11 May 2000:
  The Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been asked to reply to your recent questions on dependent children and the marital status of heads of families. I am replying in the Director's absence.
  Estimates of marital status and family composition are available from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) household datasets, which are available for the spring and autumn quarters of each year. The latest available LFS estimates of dependent children and the marital status of heads of family units are for the autumn (September to November) quarter of 1999 and are given in the tables attached.
  The first table gives non-seasonally adjusted LFS estimates of dependent children by the marital status of the head of family unit, the second gives estimate of families with dependent children, again by the marital status of the head of family unit.

  Table 1: Dependent children 1 by marital status of head of family—UK, autumn (September-November) 1999

  Number

  Dependent children in all family units (thousands)= 100 per cent.

  14,638

  Percentage of dependent children where head of family is:

  Married

  71.1

  Co-habiting

  8.7

  Single, never married

  7.0

  Widowed

  1.1

  Divorced

  6.9

  Separated

  5.2

  Table 2: Families with dependent children 1 by marital status of head of family—UK, autumn (September-November) 1999

  Number

  All families with dependent children (thousands)= 100 per cent.

  7,471

  Percentage of which headed by:

  Married couple

  67.9

  Co-habiting couple

  10.0

  Male lone parent

  2.2

  Female lone parent

  19.9

  1 Dependent children are defined as all 0 to 15-year-olds and 16 to 18-year-olds in full-time education

  Source:

  Labour Force Survey, ONS

  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of households is headed by a person who is(a) married, (b) cohabiting, (c) single, (d) widowed, (e) divorced, (f) separated and (g) cohabiting with someone of the same sex. [121367]

  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. Edward Leigh, dated 11 May 2000:
  The Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been asked to reply to your recent question about the marital status of heads of households. I am replying in the Director's absence.
  Estimates of marital status and household composition are available from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) household datasets, which are available for the spring and autumn quarters of each year. The latest available LFS estimates of the marital status of heads of households are for the autumn (September to November) quarter of 1999 and are given in the table attached.
  471W

  Head of household by marital status UK, autumn (September-November) 1999

  Number

  Total households (thousands)= 100%

  24,433

  Percentage of which whose head is:

  Married

  51.3

  Cohabiting

  7.6

  Single

  14.7

  Widowed

  14.1

  Divorced

  8.5

  Separated

  3.6

  Cohabiting with same sex

  0.2

  Source:

  Labour Force Survey, ONS

  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the usual gross weekly household incomes as referred to in table 3.8 of Living in Britain 1998, of households headed by a person who is(a) married with dependent children, (b) married with no children or non—dependent children, (c) cohabiting with dependent children, (d) cohabiting with no children or non—dependent children, (e) a lone mother with dependent children, (f) a

  Family type by usual gross weekly household income Population: All families

  Married with dependants (%)

  Married with on dependants (%)

  Cohabiting no dependants (%)

  Cohabiting no dependants (%)

  Lone mother with dependants (%)

  Lone father with dependants (%)

  Lone parent no dependants (%)

  Single person (%)

  Same Sex

  Total (%)

  Nil

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  3

  2—

  1

  £0.01-£50.00

  1

  1

  1

  0

  1

  2

  0

  3

  2—

  1

  £50.01-£100.00

  1

  1

  3

  2

  26

  27

  4

  23

  2—

  10

  £100.01-£150.00

  2

  9

  5

  3

  24

  15

  7

  15

  2—

  10

  £150.01-£200.00

  3

  10

  6

  4

  13

  8

  7

  11

  2—

  9

  £200.01-£250.00

  3

  8

  5

  5

  8

  13

  15

  9

  2—

  7

  £250.01-£300.00

  4

  8

  9

  3

  7

  0

  8

  6

  2—

  6

  £300.01-£350.00

  6

  6

  7

  7

  6

  2

  15

  6

  2—

  6

  £350.01-£400.00

  6

  6

  8

  6

  4

  3

  6

  5

  2—

  5

  £400.01-£450.00

  8

  6

  9

  5

  2

  7

  4

  4

  2—

  5

  £450.00-£500.00

  8

  5

  9

  6

  3

  3

  4

  3

  2—

  5

  £501.01 or more

  58

  39

  37

  57

  6

  20

  29

  13

  2—

  32

  Total cases

  1,571

  2,332

  224

  338

  542

  60

  206

  2,759

  32

  18,064

  1 Bases exclude cases where income is not known

  2 These are number of cases and not percentages as the total number of cases is too small for reliable analysis

  Source:

  General Household Survey 1998

  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the percentage of women with a child aged(a) four years or under, (b) between five and nine years and (c) between 10 and 15 years who (i) work full-time, (ii) work part-time, (iii) are unemployed and (iv) are economically inactive. [121325]

  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. Edward Leigh, dated 11 May 2000:
  The Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been asked to reply to your recent question about the economic status of women with young children. I am replying in the Director's absence.
  Estimates of economic status are available from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) which is the major ONS source of labour market data
  472W
  lone mother with no children or non-dependent children, (g) a lone father with dependent children, (h) a lone father with no children or non-dependent children, (i) a single person, (j) a same sex couple and (k) not in any of the categories above. [121319]

  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. Edward Leigh, dated 11 May 2000:
  The Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been asked to reply to your recent question about the usual gross weekly household income according to the status of the head of the household. I am replying in the Director's absence.
  The attached table shows data from the General Household Survey. The GHS is a continuous, multi-purpose survey based on a random sample of the general population resident in private households in Great Britain. It has been carried out by the Social Survey Division of ONS since 1971, and is commissioned by a number of Government Departments and is widely used for policy and planning purposes.
  Interviewing took place during the period April 1998 to March 1999. Interviewers collected information from 15,853 adults aged 16 and over in 8,636 households.
  on individuals. The table attached gives non-seasonally adjusted LFS estimates of the economic status of women of working age (16-59 years) with young children in the winter (December to February) quarter of 1999–2000.
  People aged 16 or over are classed as in employment by the LFS if they have done at least one hour of paid work (as an employee or self-employed) in the week prior to their LFS interview or if they are temporarily away from their current job. People who do unpaid work in a family business and people on Government-supported training and employment programmes are also included according to the International Labour Organisation convention.
  Classification by whether a person works full or part-time is based on the respondent's own assessment.
  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.

  473W
  People aged 16 or over are classed as economically inactive by the LFS if they are not in employment and do not satisfy the criteria for ILO unemployment. This includes those who want a job but who

  Women aged 16-59 by economic status and age of youngest de pendent child—UK Winter 1999–2000 (not seasonally adjusted)

  Percentage

  With youngest dependent child aged

  All women

  0-15

  0-4

  5-9

  10-15

  All women (thousands = 100 per cent.)

  17,277

  6,913

  3,050

  1,977

  1,885

  All in employment1

  68.8

  63.3

  52.9

  68.8

  74.3

  —part-time2

  39.0

  24.6

  18.3

  23.9

  35.3

  —full-time2

  29.7

  38.7

  34.6

  44.9

  39.0

  ILO unemployed

  3.8

  3.9

  3.7

  4.4

  3.6

  Economically inactive

  27.5

  32.9

  43.4

  26.8

  22.1

  1 Includes those who did not say whether they worked full or part-time.

  2 Classification based on respondent's self-assessment.

  Source:

  Labour Force

  Survey, ONS

  Exchange Rate
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much sterling has changed its value in comparison with the currency of each of Britain's 30 leading trading partners since May 1997. [121021]

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

  Letter from John Kidgell to Mr. Vincent Cable, dated 11 May 2000:
  The Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been asked to reply to your recent question on the value of sterling. I am replying in the Director's absence.
  The attached tables show how sterling has moved against the currencies of 30 of the UK's major trading partners between 14 May 1997 and 4 May 2000.
  The exchange rates data have been provided by the Bank of England.

  Currency movements against sterling 1 between 14 May 1997 and 4 May 2000 for UK's top 30 trading partners2

  £ exchange rate

  Country

  14 May 1997

  at 4 May 2000

  % change on May 1997

  Exports

  United States

  1.6412

  1.5448

  -6

  Germany

  2.791

  3.3862

  +21

  France

  9.4

  11.3574

  +21

  Netherlands

  3.1388

  3.8149

  +22

  Ireland

  1.0778

  1.3636

  +27

  Italy

  2748.0417

  3352.525

  +22

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  57.6061

  69.6859

  +21

  Spain

  235.5943

  288.0743

  +22

  Sweden

  12.4884

  14.0407

  +12

  Japan

  194.0719

  166.85

  -14

  Switzerland

  2.3633

  2.6782

  +13

  Saudi Arabia

  6.1545

  5.7926

  -6

  Norway

  11.559

  14.0294

  +21

  Australia

  2.1092

  2.6095

  +24

  Canada

  2.2744

  2.314

  +2

  Hong Kong

  12.6967

  12.0338

  -5

  Denmark

  10.6253

  12.8969

  +21

  South Africa

  7.3559

  10.663

  +45

  Singapore

  2.3527

  2.6581

  +13

  Portugal

  280.6288

  347.1166

  +24

  Turkey

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Finland

  8.4192

  10.293

  +22

  India

  58.837

  67.4228

  +15

  Greece

  445.914

  582.33

  +31

  Austria

  19.6452

  23.8208

  +21

  Poland

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  474W
  have not been seeking work in the last 4 weeks, those who are seeking work but are not available to start and those who do not want a job (for example, students not working or seeking work).

  Currency movements against sterling1 between 14 May and 4 May 2000 for UK's top 30 trading partners2

  £ exchange rate

  Country

  14 May 1997

  at 4 May 2000

  % change on May 1997

  Israel

  5.5784

  6.326

  +13

  Brazil

  1.7526

  2.803

  +60

  Russia

  9.4714

  43.8569

  +363

  Malaysia

  4.1388

  5.8702

  +42

  Imports

  United States

  1.6412

  1.5448

  -6

  Germany

  2.791

  3.3862

  +21

  France

  9.4

  11.3574

  +21

  Netherlands

  3.1388

  3.8149

  +22

  Italy

  2748.0417

  3352.525

  +22

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  57.6061

  69.6859

  +21

  Japan

  194.0719

  166.85

  -14

  Spain

  235.5943

  288.0743

  +22

  Ireland

  1.0778

  1.3636

  +27

  Switzerland

  2.3633

  2.6782

  +13

  Sweden

  12.4884

  14.0407

  +12

  Hong Kong

  12.6967

  12.0338

  -5

  Norway

  11.559

  14.0294

  +21

  Canada

  2.2744

  2.314

  +2

  China

  13.6097

  12.7908

  -6

  Denmark

  10.6253

  12.8969

  +21

  Singapore

  2.3527

  2.6581

  +13

  Finland

  8.4192

  10.293

  +22

  Portugal

  280.6288

  347.1166

  +24

  Taiwan

  45.5597

  47.3404

  +4

  South Korea

  1455.9085

  1716.659

  +18

  Australia

  2.1092

  2.6095

  +24

  Malaysia

  4.1388

  5.8702

  +42

  South Africa

  7.3559

  10.663

  +45

  Austria

  19.6452

  23.8208

  +21

  India

  58.837

  67.4228

  +15

  Russia

  9.4714

  43.8569

  +363

  Turkey

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Thailand

  42.5399

  59.4362

  +40

  Greece

  445.914

  582.33

  +31

  1 There is no such thing as an 'official exchange rate'. Exchange rates vary during the day and depending on what time you measure them will influence any average rate calculated. The Bank of England measures representative exchange rates in the London interbank market every day at around 4pm. These rates are the spot middle market rates i.e. The difference between the bid rate (what a bank will sell currency to you at) and the offer rate (what bank will buy a currency from you at) for spot) i.e. Today-but may settle in two to seven days time).

  2 Based on the value of trade in goods and services (exports and imports) in 1998.

  Source:

  UK Balance of Payments 1999 edition

  Bank of England and ONS

  GDP
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total gross domestic product in 1999. [121411]

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

  Letter from John Kidgell to Mr. Christopher Gill, dated 11 May 2000:
  The Director of the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has been asked to reply to your recent question on Gross Domestic Product (GDP). I am replying in the Director's absence.
  The most recently published data for annual GDP was released on the 27th of March 2000. GDP at current market prices for 1999 was £889,874 million, an increase of 5.0% on the previous year. GDP at 1995 constant market prices for 1999 was £788,729 million, an increase of 2.1% on the previous year.

  Pension Contributions (Tax Relief)
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the effect is on the maximum pension contributions eligible for tax relief for(a) the employer and (b) the employee if a pay increase is (i) compulsorily staged by the employer and (ii) voluntarily foregone by the employee. [121369]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 9 May 2000]: In broad terms, tax relievable pension contributions that an employee may pay are based on a percentage of taxable earnings received for a year of assessment.

  The treatment of employer contributions depends on the type of pension scheme. With tax approved occupational pension schemes, the employer's contributions are set by the scheme actuary according to the level of benefits promised by the scheme. For a personal pension scheme, total contributions by the employee and employer combined must not exceed an age-related percentage of the employee's taxable earnings for the year.

  Public Service Agreements
  Mr. Portillo
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much(a) has been spent since May 1997 and (b) is projected to be spent in the next 12 months on measures to meet Public Service Agreement targets. [121012]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  [holding answer 5 May 2000]: The Public Service Agreements published following the 1998 Comprehensive Spending Review (CSR) set out the outputs and outcomes the Government are seeking to achieve with the resources allocated for the CSR period. Those spending plans can be found in the CSR White Paper published in July 1998 (Cm 4011).

  Mr. Portillo
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many public service agreement targets(a) have been met in full, (b) are on course to be met and (c) have been abandoned. [121013]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  [holding answer 5 May 2000]: A full report of progress against PSA targets has been included in each Department's Annual Report, recently published jointly with the Treasury.
  476W
  Mr. Portillo
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many public service agreement targets have been set to date. [121016]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  [holding answer 5 May 2000]: The Government's White Paper "Public Services for the Future: Modernisation, Reform, Accountability" (Cm 4181, December 1998), with the supplement published in March 1999 (Cm 4315), set out all of the Public Service Agreements agreed following the Comprehensive Spending Review of 1998.

  ISAs
  Mr. Portillo
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the number of people who(a) hold and (b) have held a mini ISA and a maxi ISA simultaneously. [121014]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 5 May 2000]: The Inland Revenue currently has no estimates of this kind. However, compliance checks are undertaken after the end of the tax year, based on ISA managers' annual information returns. Estimates based on these returns will be available later in the year.

  Private Finance Initiative
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what studies his Department has(a) undertaken,(b) commissioned and (c) reviewed on the efficiency of the Private Finance Initiative; and if he will make a statement. [120925]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  [holding answer 5 May 2000]: The Treasury has commissioned two reports on PFI, focusing on the efficiency of the PFI process. These were the first and second reviews of PFI Policy undertaken by Sir Malcolm Bates in the Spring/Summer of 1997 and in the Spring/Summer of 1999. These were published respectively on 23 June 1997 and on 22 July 1999.

  In June 1999, the Treasury Taskforce commissioned Arthur Andersen to undertake a study of value for money in a range of operational PFI projects. The results of the findings were published on 17 January 2000 in "Value for Money Drivers in the Private Finance Initiative".

  Copies of all these reports were placed in the Library of the House.

  The Treasury has also published Public Private Partnerships: The Government's Approach on 15 March 2000.

  London Stock Exchange Merger
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the proposed merger of the London Stock Exchange and the Deutsche BÖrse; and if he will make a statement. [121671]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  None. The terms of the proposed merger are a matter for the parties involved, subject to their securing the necessary approval of the relevant regulatory and competition authorities.

  Investment Services Directive
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consultation the Government have had on the proposed reform of the Investment Services Directive. [121669]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The European Commission's Communication "Implementing the Framework for Financial Markets: Action Plan" (COM (1999)232) includes a proposal for a Commission Green Paper on upgrading the Investment Services Directive.

  Performance indicator

  Target 2000–01

  KPI 1

  The quality of service provided to court users

  85 per cent

  KPI 2

  The percentage of administrative work in the civil courts processed within target time

  94 per cent

  KPI 3

  The percentage of Crown Court cases that commence within target

  78 per cent

  KPI 4

  Average waiting time for asylum appeals from receipt at the Immigration Appellate Authority to promulgation of the Adjudicator's decision

  16 weeks

  KPI 5

  The percentage of the cost of the civil courts recovered through fees

  94 per cent

  Community Legal Service
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department for what reason at the launch of the new Community Legal Service an actress was used to portray the legal needs of poor women on video. [121673]

  Mr. Lock
  Actors were used to preserve client confidentiality because the video illustrated real case histories provided by advice workers. It was made clear, at the time of the launch, that actors were used when the video was introduced in order to illustrate and explain these issues.

  Family Law
  Mr. Lepper
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the timetable for the Government's response to the recommendations of the Advisory Board on Family Law Children Act Sub-Committee on(a) good practice guidelines for courts in relation to parental contact in cases where there is domestic violence and (b) training for the Court Welfare Service and the judiciary in understanding the effects of domestic violence on children and parents. [121317]

  Jane Kennedy
  The Lord Chancellor welcomes the Report on Contact between Children and Violent Parents from the Children Act Sub-Committee of the Advisory Board on Family Law. He agreed to make the report available in draft to the Court of Appeal so that it could consider the proposed guidelines in four appeals on this subject which were heard in March and on which judgment has been reserved. Once judgment in those cases has been given, the Lord Chancellor will consider with the President of the Family Division what further action may be necessary. The Family Court Welfare Service is currently the responsibility of the Home Office but I understand that induction for family court welfare officers addresses the issue of domestic violence. As part of the development of the new Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (CAFCASS), which will fall within the responsibility of the Lord Chancellor's Department, current training arrangements are being

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Court Service
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what are the key performance targets for the Court Service Executive Agency for 2000–01. [122147]

  Jane Kennedy
  The table sets out the key performance targets that the Lord Chancellor has set for the Court Service for 2000–01.

  reviewed, with a view to identifying developments and improvements for the new service. Judicial training is the responsibility of the Judicial Studies Board which already provides core training on domestic violence.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Ministerial Speech (Association of British Insurers)
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will place in the Library a copy of his recent speech to the Association of British Insurers. [121526]

  Mr. Darling
  My remarks to the annual dinner of the Association of British Insurers were not delivered from a prepared text.

  Stakeholder Pensions
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if stakeholder pensions are intended for(a) moderate and high earners and (b) low earners. [121527]

  Mr. Darling
  The Pensions Green Paper "A new contract for welfare: partnership in pensions", published in December 1998, set out that stakeholder pension schemes will be open to everyone.

  Stakeholder pensions are primarily intended for moderate earners—those earning between about £10,000 and £20,000 a year—but many higher earners will also be able to take advantage of the lower charges, greater flexibility, and simpler tax regime which stakeholder pension schemes will introduce.

  The Green Paper also describes our proposals to introduce the State Second Pension. This will specifically benefit low earners on incomes of less than £10,000 a year.

  IT Procurement
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list each item of IT procurement with a value over £10,000 agreed with Electronic Data Systems
  479W
  by his Department since 1 May 1997; when each contact was agreed; when the delivery began; when the system became fully operational; and if the system is still in use. [121622]

  Angela Eagle
  I refer my right hon. Friend to the written answers provided by the Chief Executive of the Child Support Agency, Faith Boardman on 5 May 2000,Official Report, columns 253-54W, and the former Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, Peter Mathison on 18 April 2000, Official Report, columns 551-52W. These replies set out the current departmental position on IT procurements agreed with EDS since I May 1997.

  ONE Service
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what percentage of the women who have used the single work-focused gateway were(a) single mothers, (b) married, (c) widows and (d) carers; and what steps have been taken to ensure that staff who operate this service are trained to give the proper advice to each category of women; [121099]

  (2) what proportion of the clients who have used the single work-focused gateway have been women in the pilot projects in (a) Great Britain and (b) Clyde Coast and Renfrew. [121101]

  Angela Eagle
  Currently, the information we collect from the ONE pilot offices is not broken down by gender or marital status.

  April 1998

  April 1999

  April 2000

  April 2001

  Price uprating of RP (based on previous September RPI)

  3.6

  3.2

  1.1

  3.4

  Earnings uprating of RP (based on previous September AEI)

  4.1

  4.9

  4.4

  4.3

  Earnings uprating of the MIG (based on three months to previous July AEI)

  —

  —

  4.6

  4.9

  Notes

  1. The minimum income guarantee (MIG) is uprated by average earnings index (AEI), based on an average of three months to July of the previous year. Actual AEI used for April 2000 uprating and an assumption for 2001 uprating. It is assumed that the take-up rate of the MIG remains broadly constant. Therefore any effects of this year's take-up campaign are not included.

  2. The assumptions for Retirement Pension are actual price uprating to April 2000, based on previous September's Retail Prices Index (RPI), and an estimate of September 2000 RPI for 2001 uprating. Earnings uprating is based on previous September's average earnings figures up to April 2000, with an estimate of September 2000 earnings for April 2001 uprating.

  480W
  Currently, the information we collect is not broken down by gender. Neither is information on marital status collected.

  However, in the first seven months, the basic model ONE service was used over 72,000 times to make a claim to benefit. Over 60,000 of these were claims for Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA). Of the non-JSA claims, around 22 per cent. were claims for Income Support for lone parents, and around 8 per cent. were claims for other benefits including Widows' Benefit and Invalid Care Allowance.

  ONE Personal Advisers receive individual tailored training through the ONE Learning Assessment Framework which has been specifically designed to match training provision with the individual training needs of staff. The Framework will be used by staff to review their learning needs and assess their competence development, which will provide them with the knowledge and skills needed to deal professionally with all ONE clients, including lone parents, widows and carers.

  State Pension
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Poplar and Canning Town of 11 April 2000,Official Report, column 144W, on the state pension, what assumptions underlay his answer regarding future rates of increase in prices and earnings and increases in take-up of income support. [121194]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is in the table.

  Court Service: Performance Targets
  Court Service: Performance Targets
  Federal Republic of Yugoslavia: Sanctions
  Federal Republic of Yugoslavia: Sanctions
  FCO Communications System
  FCO Communications System
  NATO Parliamentary Assembly
  NATO Parliamentary Assembly
  E-envoy Website
  E-envoy Website
  Trident Programme: Cost
  Trident Programme: Cost
  Decommissioned Nuclear-Powered Submarines
  Decommissioned Nuclear-Powered Submarines
  Antibiotic Resistance and Communicable Disease Surveillance: PHLS Grant
  Antibiotic Resistance and Communicable Disease Surveillance: PHLS Grant
  Child Abuse: Appointments to Departmental Advisory Groups
  Child Abuse: Appointments to Departmental Advisory Groups
  Modernising Agenda for the Economy
  Modernising Agenda for the Economy
  Act of Union Bicentenary: Post Office Decision on Stamp Issue
  Act of Union Bicentenary: Post Office Decision on Stamp Issue
  Trade Balance: Import and Export of Defence Equipment
  Trade Balance: Import and Export of Defence Equipment
  Comprehensive and Secondary Modern Schools: GCSE/GNVQ Percentages
  Comprehensive and Secondary Modern Schools: GCSE/GNVQ Percentages
  House of Lords: Right to Regulate its own Affairs
  House of Lords: Right to Regulate its own Affairs
  House of Lords' Register of Interests
  House of Lords' Register of Interests
  Committee on Standards in Public Life
  Committee on Standards in Public Life
  Scottish Adjacent Waters Boundaries Order
  Scottish Adjacent Waters Boundaries Order