Written Answers of 15 May 2000

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  GM Crops
  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the published and pre-reviewed studies that the Government have assessed to date on the safety of GM crops. [117029]

  Mr. Meacher
  There are hundreds of published and peer-reviewed scientific papers and studies that inform the safety assessments of GM crops. It is not possible to list them all here but some examples considered recently by the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) are as follows. This body of knowledge on GM crops which is contained in the scientific literature is brought to bear on risk assessment not only through the individual experts on Government advisory committees, such as ACRE, but also via the Government's own scientists and Non-Governmental Organisations.
  Environmental Risks of Herbicide-Tolerant Oilseed Rape: A Review of the PGS Hybrid Oilseed Rape, DETR Research Report No. 15. March 1999.Birch, A.N.E., Geoghegan. I.E., Majerus, M.E.N., McNicol, J.W., Hackett, C.A., Gatehouse, A.M.R. and Gatehouse, J.A. (1999). Tri-trophic interactions involving pest aphids, predatory 2-spot ladybirds and transgenic potatoes expressing snowdrop lectin for aphid resistance. Molecular Breeding 5, 75–83 Huang, F., Buschman, L., Higgins, R.A. and W.H. McGaughey. (1999). Inheritance of Resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis Toxin (Dipel ES) in the European Corn Borer. Science 284 pp 965–967 Losey, J.E., Raynor, L.S., and Carter, M.E. (1999). Transgenic Pollen Harms Monarch Larvae. Nature 399 pp 2141Ho, M. W., Ryan, A., Cummins, J.,(1999). Cauliflower mosaic viral promoter—a recipe for disaster. Microbial Ecology in Health and Disease 11 (4)Note:
  1Discussed at ACRE meeting on 9 June 1999.
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures he took to notify district and parish councils about the GM crop trials in(a) St. Osyth and (b) Wivenhoe in Essex. [121276]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 8 May 2000]: Information about the Farm Scale Evaluations of GM crops is widely available. I announced the programme on 17 March and wrote to the hon. Member and other MPs with constituencies in England, outlining the aims and nature of the research.

  A full list of proposed site locations is available on my Department's website, along with more detailed information about the programme and GM crops in general. The Cabinet Office website also contains further information.
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  My Department has organised a series of regional meetings, to which district and local councillors in areas where GM crop trials are proposed have been invited. There is also a DETR leaflet, "GM Crops—Take a Closer Look", which is on the website and available at public meetings.

  The proposed trial of oil seed rape at St. Osyth (which is now not going ahead) was advertised locally by Aventis. Officials from my Department wrote to the local parish and district councillors to invite them to attend a public meeting in Ipswich on 13 April and I understand that several councillors were able to attend.

  The proposed trial of GM maize at Wivenhoe has not been advertised locally, because the crop involved has a European Part C marketing consent which means that it can be grown in the UK without my Department being notified. However, the biotechnology industry has agreed that this crop should be grown in the Farm Scale Evaluations and have agreed to provide my Department with the grid references of the fields involved. Details are on the DETR website.

  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received from Herefordshire about the siting of the GM trial sites in Kempley, Gloucestershire, and Preston Wynne, Herefordshire; and if he will make a statement. [122039]

  Mr. Meacher
  Following notification of the proposed Farm Scale Evaluation of oil seed rape at Kempley, Gloucestershire, my Department has received 18 letters from those objecting to, and seeking further information about, the Evaluations programme.

  My Department was told about the GM maize at Preston Wynne on 26 April, at which time details were placed on the Department's website. To date, no letters have specifically referred to this field site.

  Food Safety (Hospitals)
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions in each of the last five years, how many times the Health and Safety Executive has investigated hygiene and food safety standards in hospitals through(a) spot checks, (b) pre-arranged inspections and (c) legal action for the enforcement of standards. [120990]

  Mr. Meacher
  The Health and Safety Executive has not, in any of the last five years, investigated any hygiene and food safety standards in hospitals.

  These matters are properly the responsibility of Environmental Health Officers employed by local authorities for the districts in which the premises are located.

  Refrigerants
  Mr. Derek Twigg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of converting air conditioning and refrigeration equipment from using HFC refrigerants to using(a) hydrocarbons and (b) ammonia. [120427]
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  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 8 May 2000]: My Department's local property managers are asked to assess the practicality and cost-effectiveness of such measures in drawing up plans to reduce the environmental impact of our estate.

  Estimating the costs of converting from HFC refrigerants, consistent with the draft UK programme on climate change, requires studies by appropriate specialists to determine on a case by case basis the practical and economic options. These studies address the size and costs of replacement plant and associated works as well as the cost of replacement refrigerants.

  Disadvantaged Neighbourhoods
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has for improving the management of programmes for disadvantaged neighbourhoods. [121453]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The Government's plans for the future management of regeneration programmes, targeted at deprived neighbourhoods, will take account of the recommendations in the National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal (the framework document of which was published for consultation on 12 April) and the Urban and Rural White Papers (scheduled for publication later in the year). The National Strategy framework document proposes a significant number of recommendations for overcoming the problems of deprived areas, including ideas for improving the way regeneration, and other, programmes are managed and delivered centrally and regionally.

  Bus Safety
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to make the installation on buses of safety equipment designed to alert drivers to faults in bus wheels mandatory. [121491]

  Mr. Hill
  Faults in wheels of commercial vehicles and buses are identified during normal maintenance checks depending on a particular operator's maintenance schedule. My Department's Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness, which is issued to all vehicle operators, emphasises the need for a daily "walk round" check by the driver. My Department is aware of several proprietary devices intended to give a visual indication of loosening of wheel retaining nuts, which could assist the driver in this check, but there are not any plans to introduce these as a mandatory requirement. Certain wheel faults such as cracks or excessive wear are only apparent on close inspection which is not normally expected to be within the competence of the driver.

  Green Transport Plans
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the number and quality of green transport plans produced by private sector businesses. [121481]

  Mr. Hill
  A survey carried out in early 1998 showed that at least 200 organisations (excluding local authorities) were implementing plans. The provisional Local 4W
  Transport Plans submitted in 1999 suggest that numbers have increased significantly in some areas since then. We intend to commission a full survey shortly.

  Town Centres
  Mr. Pollard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent research he has undertaken on the impact of upward-only rent reviews on town centre property markets. [121483]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  My hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning published a research report on 19 April about the impact of the property industry's Code of Practice on Commercial Property Leases. This considered, among other things, the extent of upward-only review clauses in the property market generally. The research did not look specifically at town centre property markets.

  The study, by the University of Reading, found that upward-only rent review clauses still predominate in longer leases. We have asked the property market and professions to consider how the market could best promote alternatives to upward-only rent review clauses. We recognise that landlords may seek a higher initial rent to offset the greater risk of letting without such a clause. It will therefore be important for market promotion to draw the tenant's attention to the offsetting advantages of renting without an upward-only provision, as well as to any higher rent.

  Stoke Lane Allotments, Gedling
  Mr. Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what contact his Department has had with Gedling Borough Council regarding the proposed sale of part of the Stoke Lane Allotments. [121946]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The Department has had no contact with Gedling Borough Council regarding the proposed sale of part of the Stoke Lane Allotments.

  Whitley Way, Hampshire
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 2 May 2000,Official Report, column 4W, on Whitley Way, if he will list the representations he has received about this road. [122300]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  There have been six separate representations on this matter. In addition to the reply that the then Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Greenwich and Woolwich (Mr. Raynsford) sent the hon. Member on 19 August 1998 in response to representations on this issue, one further representation was received from Winchester City Council in September 1999. Representations were made by three local members of the public between April and June 1999. More recently, representations have been received from one further member of the public.

  Landfill Tax
  Mr. Hurst
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals
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  he has to return moneys collected from the landfill tax to local authorities; and if he will make a statement. [121023]

  Mr. Timms
  I have been asked to reply.

  There are no such proposals. Revenues raised from the landfill tax contribute to general Government revenue. The Government are considering the question of resources for local authorities as part of the overall 2000 spending review.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Human Rights Act 1998
  Sir George Young
  To ask the President of the Council what plans she has to introduce mechanisms to oversee the use of statutory instruments to amend primary legislation under the provisions of the Human Rights Act 1998. [121505]

  Mrs. Beckett
  The Government intend to invite the House to give the proposed Joint Committee on Human Rights the task of scrutinising remedial orders shortly.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Computers for Teachers Scheme
  Mr. Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what steps he will take to ensure that teachers can obtain a response from his Department about receiving their subsidy under the Computers for Teachers scheme; [121948]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the operation of the Computers for Teachers scheme; and if he will make a statement. [121947]

  Mr. Wills
  [holding answer 12 May 2000]: The Computers for Teachers Initiative was launched on 12 January 2000. Due to high teacher take-up, the first phase of the scheme was closed on 30 April, with a deadline for receipt of applications of 5 June. Some 17,000 applications have been received, with over 2,200 teachers already having received their subsidies. The Department has put in place a range of measures to answer teachers' inquiries, including the recruitment of extra staff, opening further telephone lines and arranging a dedicated Computers for Teachers e-mail address.

  Higher Education (Cheltenham)
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people resident in the Cheltenham constituency have(a) applied for, (b) been accepted into and (c) graduated from full-time courses in higher education in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available. [122004]

  Mr. Wicks
  The available data for 1998–99 and 1999–2000 are given in the following table; the data on student postcodes from which these figures are derived is not sufficiently complete to allow similar figures to be produced for earlier years.
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  Full-time undergraduates whose normal residence prior to entry was Cheltenham constituency

  Academic year

  Entrants

  Graduates

  1998–99

  920

  710

  1999–2000

  905

  1n/a

  1Data on 1999–2000 graduates will be available in February 2001

  Student Support Contributions
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment for what reason changes were made to the calculations for parental income in assessing liability for student support contributions whereby MIRAS relief was disapplied in 2000–01; and for what reason life assurance premiums were similarly disapplied. [121339]

  Mr. Wicks
  [holding answer 11 May 2000]: The removal of the disregard of parental income in student support for mortgage interest that attracts tax relief follows the wider Government decision to abolish tax relief for mortgage payments from April 2000. The abolition of MIRAS has been public for some time and the families of students entering higher education this year will be well aware of it. We will ensure that the families of students already in higher education are not asked to pay any more as a result of the abolition of MIRAS in the 2000–01 academic year. From the 2001–02 academic year, we are raising the contribution threshold from £17,805 to £20,000, as announced by the Secretary of State on 25 January. This increase is well above the rate of inflation and will benefit both mortgage payers and those who do not have mortgages.

  The Government keep the student support system under review to ensure that support is targeted at those students who need it most. The disregard for life assurance premiums which attract tax relief has been removed because it gave a limited group of parents with certain life assurance policies a double benefit of tax relief on payments and a disregard from their income in determining their contribution to their children's support.

  Supply Teachers
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what recent representations he has received from schools that are having to fund the use of supply teachers in place of teachers who are on jury service; and if he will make a statement. [121730]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  No such representations have been received.

  Fresh Start Schools
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on progress at each of the Fresh Start schools. [121970]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Fresh Start policy is in its infancy—only 15 schools have undergone a fresh start to date, 11 secondary and four primary. Three opened in September 1998, eight in September 1999, two in January 2000, one in April 2000 and one in May 2000.
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  Former school name

  New school name

  Phase

  LEA area

  September 1998

  Blakelaw School

  Firfield Community School

  Secondary

  Newcastle

  Earl Marshal School

  Fir Vale School

  Secondary

  Sheffield

  The King's CE School

  Regis County Secondry

  Secondary

  Wolverhampton

  September 1999

  The Marina High School

  East Brighton College of Media Arts

  Secondary

  Brighton

  George Orwell School

  Islington Arts and Media

  Secondary

  Islington

  Perronet Thomson School

  Kingswood High School

  Secondary

  Kingston Upon Hull

  Hatcham Wood School

  Telegraph Hill

  Secondary

  Lewisham

  Watermeads High School

  Bishopsford Community School

  Secondary

  Merton

  Alderman Derbyshire School

  River Leen School

  Secondary

  Nottingham City

  New College

  News Park Community College

  Secondary

  Leicester City

  Park View Academy

  Langham School

  Secondary

  Haringey

  January 2000

  Kevington Primary School

  Manor Oak Primary

  Primary

  Bromley

  Heathcote County Primary

  The Richard Heathcote Community Primary

  Primary

  Staffordshire

  April/May 2000

  Christ Church CEVC Primary

  New Christ Church CE VC Primary

  Primary

  Reading

  Grove Vale Primary

  Goose Green Primary

  Primary

  Southwark

  These schools all present major challenges, and we are working with them to support them and learn from the early experiences of the process. All currently have a substantive or acting headteacher in place and Ofsted is monitoring the schools progress on a termly basis. There are no performance data on the schools that fresh started since September 1999 but there are early signs of improvement in the first three schools. Exam results are up and truancy down—to a marked degree.

  5+A*-G GCSEs

  Unauthorised absence

  School/Year

  1997

  1999

  1997

  1999

  Firvale

  57

  80

  6.9

  3.2

  Firfield Community School

  43

  74

  12.6

  3.3

  The King's School

  81

  91

  13.2

  8.5

  GCSE Statistics
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of pupils achieved at least five GCSEs at grades A* to C at
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  (a) Blakelaw school, (b) Earl Marshall school and (c) Regis school in (i) 1996, (ii) 1997 and (iii) 1998. [121969]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The proportion of pupils who achieved at least five GCSEs at grades A* to C was as follows:

  Percentage

  (i) 1995–96

  (ii) 1996–97

  (iii) 1997–98

  (a) Blakelaw School

  10

  9

  7

  (b) Earl Marshall

  8

  11

  10

  (c) Regis school

  24

  25

  29

  New Deal (Sheffield)
  Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many New Deal places have been(a) offered, (b) taken up and (c) completed within Sheffield City Council since the start of the New Deal initiative. [121492]

  Ms Jowell
  From April 1998 to date (10 May 2000), Sheffield City Council have employed two new deal 25+ clients on the New Deal subsidised employment option. These were a result of the clients being encouraged by their New Deal personal advisers to market the option themselves to prospective employers.

  One client commenced subsidised employment on 7 September 1999 and has since been retained after the six-month subsidy period.

  The other client commenced subsidised employment on 26 April 2000, and is in the process of completing the subsidised period of six months.

  Departmental Publications
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list each publication issued by his Department since May 1997, the number of copies printed of each publication and the cost of publication, printing and distribution of each publication. [121328]

  Mr. Wicks
  [holding answer 9 May 2000]: It is not possible to provide all the information requested on individual publications without disproportionate expense.

  The Department faces enormous communication challenges in reaching its diverse audiences, including around 6.5 million parents, over 415,000 teachers, some 8.5 million students in further and higher education and up to 3.2 million small and medium-sized employers. Since May 1997, the Department has spent £5.85 million from its central Advertising and Publicity Budget on printing 559 new information leaflets and booklets. Print runs vary greatly—from 4.3 million copies of the leaflet "It all adds up", which shows parents easy ways to help with their children's mathematics, to 5,000 copies of an information pack on Millennium Volunteers.

  Distribution costs for publications cannot be separated from the Department's contract with its mailing house without disproportionate expense. Since May 1997 this contract has cost £5.22 million for distribution and fulfilment of requests for publications funded from the Advertising and Publicity Budget.

  Further Education
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the funding available for individual students at further education colleges on similar courses when sourced by(a) the Further Education Funding Council and (b) New Deal programmes. [121688]

  Mr. Wicks
  Currently the Further Education Funding Council and Employment Service funding systems are not directly comparable. We intend that all post-16 funding should be on a more comparable basis in future. We are currently consulting on a common funding system across the Learning and Skills Council and Employment Service.

  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many further education corporations have not yet cleared their 1998–99 accounts following external audit. [121687]

  Mr. Wicks
  Matters concerning external audits and college accounts are dealt with by the Further Education Funding Council (FEFC). I have asked the Chief Executive to reply to the hon. Member direct.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Trawlermen
  Shona McIsaac
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what date he expects to publish his joint report with the Department of Trade and Industry on compensation for distant-water trawlermen. [121955]

  Mr. Morley
  It is not customary for policy advice given by officials to Ministers to be made publicly available. I can assure the House that the trawlermen's case is well understood and that the Government are considering it as a matter of urgency.

  Environment Agency (Fisheries)
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what representations he has received on the environmental impact caused by the cut in grant in aid for the Environment Agency for fisheries work; [121734]

  (2) what representations he has received on the effects on the Environment Agency's fisheries work as a result of the cuts in their grant in aid. [121758]

  Mr. Morley
  I have received representations from a number of individuals and organisations, including some 150 letters from Members of Parliament and over 90 letters from the general public.

  Migratory Salmonid Fisheries
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what initiatives he is pursuing to aid migratory salmonid fisheries. [121733]
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  Mr. Morley
  The report of the independent Group established by Ministers to review all aspects of salmon and freshwater fisheries legislation and policy in England and Wales was issued for public consultation in March. This report includes many recommendations aimed at improving migratory salmonid fisheries. Interested parties have until 31 July to submit their views; we shall then prepare a Government response setting out how we intend to take matters forward.

  Pest Shooting
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his current policy to allow a general licence to shoot pests includes(a) sporting events and (b) mass shoots; and if he will make a statement. [121782]

  Mr. Morley
  The shooting of certain 'pest' bird species is permitted under the terms of general licences issued by MAFF and DETR under the provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. The general licences allow authorised persons, such as the landowner or occupier, or a person acting with the owner or occupier's permission, to kill or take certain bird species. This control is permitted for the purposes of preventing damage to agriculture (licensed by MAFF) and to preserve public health or public or air safety (licensed by DETR) and does not cover sporting events.

  The populations of the species concerned are monitored and there is no evidence that their conservation status is currently threatened by any of these control measures.

  Primates
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many primates are kept in research laboratories in the UK funded through the European Community; and if he will make a statement. [121306]

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

  Home Office records are not held in such a way as to identify the numbers of primates, or other animals, being held at designated establishments at a particular time, nor do they record centrally the sources of funding of establishments engaged in animal research. It is the nature of the work proposed in relation to the cost/benefit assessment, rather than the source of funding, which is the key consideration in deciding whether a project should be licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

PRIME MINISTER

  Broadcasting (Religious Freedom)
  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Prime Minister how many letters have been received by his office since 1 May 1997 supporting greater religious freedom in broadcasting. [121324]

  The Prime Minister
  Between 1 May 1997 and 20 April 2000 my Office received 9,898 letters regarding broadcasting. Information on whether letters supported greater religious freedom in broadcasting is not kept.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  New Millennium Experience Company
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what is his latest estimate of net receipts to the New Millennium Experience Company from ticket sales. [120229]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 2 May 2000]: Net receipts from ticket sales up to 31 December 1999 will be published in the company's 1 April 1999–31 December 1999 Annual Report and Financial Statements due to be published before the end of June. Forecast net receipts from ticket sales over the project life-time are an integral part of the business review. They will be informed by assumptions and judgments made about ticket yield and about percentages of sales through the different ticket distribution channels—the call centre, the National Lottery, the website (www.dome2000.co.uk). The potential range of net receipts under discussion are commercially confidential because they are directly relevant to the company's competitive position in the visitor attraction market-place.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what expressions of corporate interest in acquiring the New Millennium Experience Company as a going concern he has received. [121952]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 12 May 2000]: The Dome Legacy competition has received one serious expression of interest in acquiring the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) as a going concern since financial offers were invited.

  Millennium Dome
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on attendance figures for the Millennium Dome. [120806]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 5 May 2000]: Attendance at the Dome to date totals 2.1 million, making it the most popular pay-to-visit attraction in the UK. Visitor figures are posted on the Dome website (www.dome2000.co.uk) weekly.

  The latest independent survey shoes that visitors have overwhelmingly enjoyed their day at the Dome with satisfaction levels of over 80 per cent. This is borne out by the largest monthly attendance to date of 579,333 visitors in April and May day's record attendance of 32,192 visitors.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many responses were received to the dome legacy competition; if he will publish them; and if he will make a statement. [121953]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 12 May 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend, the Minister for Local Government and the Regions gave my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea (Mr. Linton) on 17 January 2000.

  Road Closures
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what recent representations he has 12W
  received regarding the cancellation of sporting and charitable events due to the imposition of charges for road closures; and if he will make a statement. [121358]

  Kate Hoey
  My Department has received three letters recently about the cancellation of athletics events on the public highway. The Association of Chief Police Officers is undertaking work on the staging of sporting events on the public highway and I am consulting it on the current position. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as I have had a response, placing copies of my reply in the Library.

  Broadcasting (Religious Freedom)
  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport for what reason religious groups are prohibited from applying for local digital radio licences. [121320]

  Janet Anderson
  Schedule 2 to the Broadcasting Act 1990 (as amended by the Broadcasting Act 1996) disqualifies a body whose objects are wholly or mainly of a religious nature from holding local digital multiplex or digital sound programme service licences.

  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many letters have been received by his Department since 1 May 1997 supporting greater religious freedom in broadcasting. [121323]

  Janet Anderson
  Since 1 January 1999, my Department has replied to around 16,500 letters on religious broadcasting. Figures relating to the period since 1 May 1997 are not available.

  Creative and Cultural Education
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made towards implementing the recommendations of the report of the National Advisory Committee on Creative and Cultural Education; and if he will make a statement. [121950]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  [holding answer 12 May 2000]: The Secretary of State for Education and Employment and I announced the Government' s response to the NACCCE report, "All our Futures: Creativity, Culture and Education", in January and have placed copies in both Libraries of the House. We have made significant progress in implementing the commitments, notably: guidance on creative development for pre-school children is available to accompany the new Early Learning Goals; schools will be working with a more flexible National Curriculum from September with greater emphasis on the need for creative and cultural education; guidance on building partnerships between schools and arts practitioners has been published; an arts award for schools is being developed and will be piloted shortly; the creation of the National Foundation for Youth Music and the injection of £180 million has made a huge impact on the teaching of music.

  We will also be making £150 million available to create multi-purpose sports and arts facilities for primary schools; and work by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority on the role of arts and creativity in the curriculum will further strengthen standards of teaching and learning.

  13W
  This is a substantial body of work and underlines the importance we place on creativity and culture in education. But this is just a small snapshot of where we have got to so far. The real value of the NACCCE report is the influence it is continuing to have as our thinking develops.

  Museums (North-west)
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funds museums in the North West of England will receive from the amounts which his Department has allocated to cut museum entry fees; and which museums will receive the money. [119101]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Due to an error my answer was incorrectly printed. The correct version is as follows:

  In 1990–2000 to enable free admission for children at the two museums funded by my Department in the North-West which are affected, the National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside (NMGM) received £719,000 and the Museum of Science and Industry in Manchester (MSIM) £188,000. In 2000–01, to enable free admission for children and people over 60, NMGM has been allocated £855,000, and for free children only MSIM has been allocated £188,000. The allocation of funds to cut museum entry fees at the museums and galleries funded by my Department in 2001–02 is still under consideration and no detailed figures are available yet. An announcement will be made in due course.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  European Humanitarian Office
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what is the remit of the European Community Humanitarian Aid Office; what public reports it has issued; and what are the(a) percentage and (b) total of United Kingdom Overseas Development funds that are channelled through the European Union. [121637]

  Clare Short
  The European Community Humanitarian Office (ECHO) is mandated to provide humanitarian assistance to people outside the European Union, particularly in developing countries, who are affected by natural disasters or man-made crises.

  Since 1993 ECHO has published an Annual Report, periodic information updates (ECHO News and ECHO Files) and special reports on particular aspects of its activities such as disaster preparedness. A full list of current publications is available on the ECHO website (http://europa.eu.int/comm/echo/index.html).

  Some 30 per cent. of UK development funds are currently channelled through the EC. In 1998–99 (the latest year for which confirmed figures are available), the total DFID contribution to EC external spending was approximately £706 million.

  Ethiopia
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much food aid was 14W
  promised by the European Union through ECHO to Ethiopia in 1999; and when and where it was delivered. [121094]

  Clare Short
  Food Aid is the responsibility of the EC's DG-Development rather than ECHO. The EC pledged some 150,000 metric tonnes (MT) of food aid in 1999 and delivered about 190,000MT. EU pledges against Government of Ethiopia Emergency appeals are effectively multi-annual. Food pledges one year may not be delivered in the same year. The process is in effect a rolling programme of support with food from the year before filling gaps in the food pipeline. We do not have details of where the food was distributed.

  European Community Humanitarian Office
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much food aid has been committed to Ethiopia by the European Union through ECHO in 2000; and when and where it will be delivered. [121095]

  Clare Short
  Food aid is the responsibility of the EC's DG-Development rather than ECHO. The EC has committed 432,526 metric tonnes (MT) of food aid this year. A further 110,000MT will be provided by July 2001. Britain contributes 17 per cent. of the cost. Two shipments carrying 46,500MT of cereals have arrived. We do not have details of where the food was distributed.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if ECHO is committed to finding the cheapest appropriate food aid on the open market in responding to humanitarian need in Ethiopia and other such crises. [121097]

  Clare Short
  Food aid is the responsibility of EC DG-Development. EC procurement rules for food aid include assurances on value for money and takes quality and quantity into account.

CABINET OFFICE

  Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission
  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when she expects to announce the new chair of the Agriculture and Environment Biotechnology Commission; and what role this body will fulfil with regard to the GM farm scale trials. [120717]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  Appointments to the AEBC will be made shortly.

  The Commission will have a wide-ranging remit to provide Government with independent strategic advice on developments in biotechnology and their implications for both agriculture and the environment.

DEFENCE

  Service Discipline Acts
  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the consolidation of the Service Discipline Acts. [122507]
  15W
  Mr. Spellar
  We recognise the importance of updating the legislation governing discipline in the armed forces. It has been the intention for some time to consolidate the Army and Air Force Acts 1955 and the Naval Discipline Act 1957. We have been taking stock of the consolidation in the light of the changes to the present legislation made by the Armed Forces Discipline Bill and the likelihood of further changes in the quinquennial Armed Forces Bill in the next Session.

  A further consideration is the Government's intention, indicated in the Strategic Defence Review, to replace the three present Acts with a single tri-Service Act. It is planned that the substantive development of this important project should get under way as soon as the quinquennial Bill is enacted and that, when the work is complete, the resulting legislation should be introduced when the parliamentary timetable allows. As a consequence, legislation consolidating the present Acts would be likely to have an effective life of only a few years.

  We have therefore concluded that the most sensible approach would be to subsume consolidation within the development of the tri-Service Act, the purpose of which will be to provide legislation that better meets the requirements of the three Services in an increasingly joint environment.

  Disciplinary Procedures
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to Civil Service Appeal Board Case No. AB/6751, held on 13 April, concerning Mr. A. J. Ely of Linlithgow and ABRO (MOD), what response he has made to the request by the Board to examine the implementation of the case, with particular reference to the rating of the offence in the charge letter, in their current review of disciplinary procedures. [120836]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Civil Service Appeal Board (CSAB) makes reference to a current review by the Ministry of Defence of its disciplinary procedures. The review was completed some time ago and, following lengthy consultation with the trade unions, revised guidance has been issued on the handling of the most serious disciplinary offences. This has also been made available to the CSAB.

  The rating of a disciplinary offence as gross misconduct in the particular case in question followed full and proper consideration of the facts of the offence committed.

  Cluster Bombs
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what failure rates for cluster bomb submunitions are assessed as acceptable. [121693]

  Mr. Spellar
  The small possibility of submunition failure is taken into account when reaching decisions on the use of UK cluster bombs in the light of national Rules of Engagement and targeting constraints.

  Ranger Anti-personnel Mines
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Ranger anti-personnel mines have been cleared from the Falkland Islands. [121977]
  16W
  Mr. Spellar
  No Ranger anti-personnel mines have been laid by UK forces in the Falklands, and therefore none have been cleared.

  Lynx Helicopters
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Lynx helicopters are in reserve. [121601]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 11 May 2000]: As of 10 May 2000, the Ministry of Defence has a total of 203 Lynx helicopters. All aircraft are rotated through a routine of operational use and regular maintenance, including update work such as the conversion from Mk 3 to Mk 8. There are no Lynx helicopters held as a "reserve", although some aircraft in maintenance are characterised, for fleet management purposes, as an In-Use Reserve.

  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons the number of Royal Navy Lynx helicopters has been decreased to 59. [121599]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 11 May 2000]: The Royal Navy has 59 Lynx helicopters available for front-line units, sufficient for our current operational requirements. Other Naval Lynx are undergoing routine deep maintenance or conversion work.

  Sea Harriers
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Sea Harriers are available to the Royal Navy; how many are in service; of these how many are in reserve and how many Sea Harriers(a) have been converted to FA2 standard, (b) are undergoing conversion and (c) will be converted in due course. [121596]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 11 May 2000]: The Royal Navy Sea Harrier FA2 programme consisted of 52 aircraft: 18 were purchased from new and a further 34 were converted from Sea Harrier FRS1. The conversion programme was completed in 1999. Allowing for attrition losses, the Royal Navy now has 47 Sea Harriers of which 29 are available to meet operational requirements. Of the remainder, a number are undergoing updates to the navigational system. The balance is held in reserve.

HEALTH

  Social Workers
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish his proposals for education and training for social workers; and if it is his policy that undergraduate and postgraduate social work qualifications should continue to be recognized when the General Social Care Council assumes its responsibilities. [119694]

  Mr. Hutton
  Independent contractors have completed reports on the content and delivery of the Diploma in Social Work. We shall make these reports available when we publish our Quality Strategy Green Paper for social care later in the spring.

  In carrying out its functions the General Social Care Council will recognise existing professional social work qualifications at both entry and post qualifying levels.

  Vaccinations (Deaths)
  Mr. Ian Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children have died following a routine vaccination in each year since 1990. [111958]

  Yvette Cooper
  Over 150 million doses of vaccine have been distributed in the United Kingdom for use in the childhood programme in the last 10 years.

  A report of a particular suspected reaction does not necessarily mean that it has been caused by the vaccine. There is no evidence to support the suggestion of a causal link between any of the childhood vaccines recommended in the UK and death.

  Yellow card reports to the Medicines Control Agency of suspected adverse reactions to a routine vaccine where a child, aged 16 years or less, died are presented in the table for the UK.

  Year

  Reports of a fatal reaction to a vaccine

  1990

  2

  1991

  9

  1992

  10

  1993

  7

  1994

  4

  1995

  4

  1996

  3

  1997

  5

  1998

  2

  1999

  align="right">4

  Vaccinations
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current percentage take-up for each childhood vaccination. [122157]

  Yvette Cooper
  The information available about the percentage of children receiving childhood vaccinations is contained in the Statistical Bulletin, "NHS Immunisation Statistics, England: 1998–99". A copy of the bulletin is available in the Library and can also be found on the Department's website: www.doh.gov.uk/public/sb9928.htm.

  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the potential side-effects for each of the current childhood vaccinations. [122155]

  Yvette Cooper
  The potential side effects for each of the current childhood vaccines are listed in the UK health departments' handbook, "Immunisation against infectious disease", a copy of which is in the Library. A revised chapter on meningococcal vaccine, including reference to the new meningococcal Group C conjugate vaccine, was issued on 18 October 1999 under cover of PL/CMO/99/4, PL/CNO/99/8, PL/CPHO/99/3; a copy of this is also available in the Library.

  Strategic Services Reviews (South Staffordshire)
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is(a) the total cost to date and (b) the total budgeted cost on completion of the Strategic Services Review being undertaken by South Staffordshire Health Authority. [121579]
  18W
  Mr. Denham
  The review of South Staffordshire health services commenced in July 1999 and has involved the health authority, National Health Service trusts, primary care groups and social services serving the health community. To date the review has spent £65,000 on specialist advice and consultants support and an additional £8,000 in respect of materials and publications to keep staff and the public informed (these costs exclude normal staff and professional time). It is anticipated that expenditure for the assessment and recommendation phases will not exceed £100,000.

  Public Bodies
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 8 May 2000,Official Report, columns 324–25W, on transfer of work, how many of the bodies listed in (a) (i) and (ii) have been transferred since 1992 or are planned to be transferred to and from the Northern Region. [121624]

  Ms Stuart
  Of the bodies listed at(a)(i) (executive agencies), National Health Service Estates relocated its headquarters from London to Leeds in April 1993; it also has staff at the regional office headquarters in Durham and has an office in Newcastle, opened in April 2000.

  Of the bodies listed at (a)(ii) (non-Departmental public bodies), the Family Health Services Appeal Authority has been located in Harrogate since it was established in 1995.

  Social Services
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his policy on taking power to issue statutory guidance to local authorities concerning their social services charging policies. [121612]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 11 May 2000]: Our White Paper, "Modernising Social Services", recognised that the scale of variation in discretionary charges for non-residential care is unacceptable. This has now been confirmed in the Audit Commission report, "Charging with Care". We are considering all the options for changing the current system, and will consult representatives of service users, carers, local authorities, and other interested parties.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assumptions are made by his Department in the social services Standard Spending Assessment for the recoupment of costs by means of charges. [121611]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 11 May 2000]: The Standard Spending Assessment (SSA) for personal social services comprises four elements: SSAs for children's services, residential care services for older people, non-residential care services for older people, and services for adults aged 18 to 64 years

  The SSA formula for residential services for older people includes an estimate of the actual amount of income collected. The SSA formula for non-residential services for older people reflects differences in the potential to raise charge income in different councils. However, SSAs are intended to reflect relative differences in councils' need to spend. The Department does not set targets for recoupment rates, nor make assumptions regarding the monetary value of cost recoupment.
  19W
  The SSA formulae for the other two elements make no assumption about income from charges.

  VAT (Continence Products)
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the reimposition of VAT on continence products is estimated to cost the NHS in 1999–2000 and 2000–01. [122106]

  Mr. Hutton
  Details of expenditure on continence products are not held centrally. The estimate of £9 million per annum given in the reply to the hon. Gentleman on 2 March 1998,Official Report, column 487W, was based on an earlier study. However, there is no reason to suppose that this estimate is not valid for 1999–2000 and 2000–01.

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the proportion of patients in the last five years who knew that the drugs dispensed to them had been tested on animals; and if he will make a statement. [122103]

  Ms Stuart
  No estimate has been made of the proportion of patients in the last five years who knew that the drugs dispensed to them had been tested on animals. Although there is no statutory requirement for pharmaceutical product labels to include a statement on animal testing, such information is often available in the Summary of Product Characteristic.

  Breastfeeding (Food Supplements)
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to provide mothers with vouchers for food supplements to help with the breastfeeding of their babies; and if he will make a statement. [122142]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Welfare Food Scheme is being reviewed and the Prevention Modernisation Action Team is examining a wide range of options but no conclusions have been reached. Any proposals for change will be subject to parliamentary approval.

  Phenobarbitone
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the increase in the cost of phenobarbitone over the last three years. [122143]

  Ms Stuart
  Table A shows the change in prescription items and the net ingredient cost of phenobarbitone dispensed in the community, 1996 to 1998, and January 1999 to September 1999.
  20W
  Phenobarbitone is included in our proposals to set maximum prices for certain generic medicines, announced on 20 April 2000.

  Table A: Number of prescription items and net ingredient cost of phenobarbitone dispensed in the community, 1996 to 1998, and January 1999 to September 1999

  Year

  Prescription items (thousand)

  Net ingredient (£000)

  1996

  403.6

  187.6

  1997

  381.8

  215.5

  1998

  363.8

  237.2

  19991

  260.1

  258.8

  1January to September

  Notes:

  1. The prescription information is from the Prescribed Cost Analysis (PCA) system and is based on a full analysis of all prescriptions appliance contractors, dispensing doctors, and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered in England. Also included are prescriptions written in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man but dispensed in England. The data do not cover drugs dispensed in hospital or private prescriptions.

  2. The net ingredient cost (NIC) is the basic cost of a drug and does not take account of discounts, dispensing costs, fees or prescription charges income.

  3. Phenobarbitone drugs are those defined within the British National Formulary section 4.8.1, "Control of epilepsy".

  Leukaemia
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what clusters of sufferers of leukaemia there are around(a) current and (b) past rubbish tips. [122154]

  Yvette Cooper
  Epidemiological studies have not demonstrated that there is a connection between landfill sites and leukaemias. We have commissioned the Small Area Health Statistics Unit at Imperial College, London, to carry out a study of health outcomes, including leukaemias, in populations living near landfills in England, Scotland and Wales during the period 1982 to 1996. The study is expected to be completed this year. Further information is available on the Department website, at http://www.doh.gov.uk/landh.htm

  Respite Care (Disabled Children)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make respite care available for parents of children with severe physical, mental or physiological difficulties. [120943]

  Mr. Hutton
  Respite care is already available for families with disabled children. Availability of respite care is being boosted by two important Government initiatives. First, the Carers National Strategy, which gives a strong commitment to improving services and support for all carers, including parent carers of disabled children. The Carers Grant in 2000–01 includes £10 million for services for families with disabled children.

  Secondly, Quality Protects, the Government's £375 million programme to improve children's services includes the specific sub-objective for all local authorities to:
  increase the number of disabled children receiving family support services (including short term breaks/respite care).

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Deprived Neighbourhoods
  Mr. Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support is available to businesses in deprived neighbourhoods outside the inner city. [120125]

  Ms Hewitt
  The full range of business support from the Small Business Service is available throughout the country. In the Assisted Areas, grants are available for eligible investment: in Tiers 1 and 2 Regional Selective Assistance, and in Tier 3 Enterprise Grants. There is a wider range of regeneration initiatives in the most deprived neighbourhoods, and the Government are currently consulting on a new National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal.

  Eco-schools Scheme
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what support his Department gives to the Eco-schools scheme. [121672]

  Mr. Mullin
  I have been asked to reply.

  Eco-schools is run by Going for Green and is funded through ENTRUST (the approved regulator of the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme) by Coca-Cola/Sita Environmental Trust. The Department also pays grant to Going for Green and its sister company, the Tidy Britain Group, to run a number of programmes, including Eco-schools, that will create an awareness of, and a demand for, litter free and sustainable environments. The Department paid a total grant of £3,763,000 in 199–2000, with the same amount available in 2000–01.

  World Trade Organisation
  Mr. Colman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken to establish UK representation in a WTO parliamentary body to meet alongside future WTO ministerial meetings. [121964]

  Mr. Caborn
  The UK Government support the current consultations by WTO Director General Mike Moore and General Council Chair Ambassador Bryn which include consideration of WTO consultative and decision-making procedures. We would not like to pre-judge the outcome of these consultations—including any ideas concerning a WTO parliamentary body—which will need to take into account a wide range of views among WTO members on the nature of the issues and the shape of solutions for reform, in order to reach consensus between WTO members on a way forward.

  Mr. Colman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions the Government have undertaken with the Inter-Parliamentary Union about organising the representation of parliamentarians at future WTO ministerial meetings. [121965]

  Mr. Caborn
  The UK Government support the current consultations by WTO Director General Mike Moore and General Council Chair Ambassador Bryn which include consideration of WTO consultative and decision-making procedures. We would not like to pre-judge the outcome of these consultations—including any ideas concerning the representation of parliamentarians at future WTO ministerial meetings—which will need to take into 22W
  account a wide range of views among WTO members on the nature of the issues and the shape of solutions for reform, in order to reach consensus between WTO members on a way forward.

  Nuclear Reprocessing
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the oral statement by the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Neath, (Mr. Hain) of 3 May 2000,Official Report, column 84WH, on what dates each of the UK's nuclear reprocessing plants, including those used to process military nuclear materials, were (a) put under Euratom safeguards and (b) made liable to inspection by the International Atomic Energy Agency. [121978]

  Dr. Howells
  Civil nuclear material at UK reprocessing facilities became subject to the safeguards provisions of the Euratom Treaty on 1 January 1973. Such material became subject to the terms of the United Kingdom's safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and Euratom (INFCIRC/263) when that agreement entered force on 14 August 1978. All reprocessing in the UK since March 1996 has been performed under Euratom safeguards and been liable to inspection by the IAEA under the terms of the INFCIRC/263 agreement.

  Banana Dispute
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his latest estimate of the number of British jobs lost as a result of the banana dispute between the EU and the US. [121711]

  Mr. Caborn
  The number of jobs lost within UK companies in the targeted sectors will depend on a number of factors, including the length of time that the retaliatory measures remain in place, and the ability of affected companies to find alternative customers for their goods. I have received many representations from UK companies affected by the US retaliation and recognise that there is a real risk of damage to UK companies in terms of both lost trade and jobs.

  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Council of Ministers will next meet to discuss the banana dispute between the EU and the US. [121709]

  Mr. Caborn
  I understand that Commissioner Lamy intends to report to the General Affairs Council on 22 May.

  Motor Industry
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what initiatives he is pursuing to safeguard jobs in the motor components industry which may be under threat from the sale of Rover; and if he will make a statement. [121728]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  The sale of Rover cars to the Phoenix consortium is the best outcome to safeguard jobs in the supply chain for the models produced at Longbridge and the R75.
  23W
  In the longer term, the Government will continue their efforts to help the industry to improve its competitiveness. The DTI is providing a total of over £18 million of support for initiatives such as the SMMT Industry Forum and the Foresight Vehicle programme, as well as undertaking activity to attract new investment and develop exports.

  Coal
  Mr. Heseltine
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many deep mine coal pits are operating in Great Britain; and what percentage of national electricity generation is fuelled by coal. [121448]

  Mr. Byers
  There are currently 17 major deep mine coal pits in operation in the UK.

  There are also a number of smaller deep mines, each producing less than 100,000 tonnes of coal per year.

  In 1999, coal accounted for 29 per cent. of national electricity generation.

  Sub-post Offices
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list those documents and publications produced by his Department and its Agencies, including the Royal Mail but excluding the Post Office, that are available at sub-post offices. [121628]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  I understand from the Post Office that the information requested is not readily available in the form sought. However, they have supplied their list of stores items available to be sent to sub-post offices. I have arranged for a copy of this information to be placed in the Libraries of the House. The Post Office has advised that changes to the list can occur on a weekly basis as items are withdrawn and new items added.

  New World Trade Round
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what will be the objectives of the European Union in respect of its initiating a further new world trade round; and what problems the Commission seeks to resolve in respect of specific market problems referred to in paragraph 1.2 of its work programme. [121636]

  Mr. Caborn
  The EU objectives for a future round of trade negotiations remain as set out in the October 1999 General Affairs Council Conclusions. This was confirmed at the Porto Informal Ministerial for EU Trade Ministers which I attended on 17–18 March. A copy of these Conclusions has been placed in the Library of the House and is also available on the European Commission's website at:www.europa.eu.int/comm/trade/pdf/agr15en.pdf.

  The Commission has an ongoing programme to secure the removal of a wide variety of obstacles to EU exports in a range of third country markets by various means, including resort to the WTO disputes settlement procedure.

  Miners' Compensation
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in the action for miners' compensation for chest disease, how many claims 24W
  questionnaires have been sent out by his Department's solicitors; and how many of them have been returned by miners' solicitors in each week from 1 January to the present. [121523]

  Mrs. Liddell
  In total, to date, the Department's claim handlers have issued 27,372 claims questionnaires to solicitors in England, Wales and Scotland, and of these 11,722 (42.8 per cent.) have been returned. Detailed weekly statistics separately for Claims Questionnaires back to January are not readily available. But the return of full claims packs (consisting of Claims Questionnaires, Financial and Other Loss Questionnaires and Mandates) is monitored. From levels of 200 a week in the early part of the year, these have now risen to around 700 a week currently. This needs to rise to about 1,000 a week as the Medical Assessment Process becomes fully operational.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish for each medical assessment centre set up by Healthcall Services Ltd. for handling miners' compensation claims for chest disease(a) its location and whether it is a hospital, (b) the number of chest consultants employed at the centre in full-time equivalents, (c) the capacity of the centre in terms of the number of medical assessment procedures per month and (d) the total number that have to date undergone medical assessment procedures at the centre. [121522]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The information is as follows:

  Centre

  Centre type

  Whole time equivalents

  Capacity of tests per month

  Enfield

  Healthcall

  0.2

  35

  Newcastle

  Healthcall

  1.0

  156

  Nottingham

  Healthcall

  0.6

  90

  Sheffield

  Healthcall

  0.7

  105

  Newport

  Healthcall

  1.1

  175

  Swansea

  Healthcall

  1.1

  175

  Mountain Ash1

  NHS

  0.0

  272

  Mansfield

  Union

  2.6

  400

  Glasgow

  Healthcall

  1.3

  210

  Lochore

  Union

  1.3

  210

  Coventry

  Healthcall

  0.4

  60

  Deal

  Union

  1.0

  160

  Chesterfield1

  Union

  0.0

  272

  Mexborough

  NHS

  0.4

  70

  Pontefract

  NHS

  0.4

  70

  Stoke

  Union

  0.7

  105

  Manchester

  Healthcall

  0.9

  140

  Huddersfield

  Healthcall

  0.3

  55

  Cannock

  Union

  0.3

  55

  Durham

  Union

  0.8

  130

  Bristol

  Healthcall

  1.0

  160

  Barnsley

  NHS

  0.3

  55

  Edinburgh

  Healthcall

  0.9

  140

  Wrexham

  Union

  0.6

  90

  Ayr

  Other

  1.1

  175

  Unallocated3

  —

  3.1

  413

  Floaters/Holidays only4

  —

  2.8

  363

  Total

  24.9

  3,941

  1Floating/unallocated consultants will be used here

  2Estimate

  3Consultants who have agreed to do sessions and will work in their holidays

  4Consultants trained or to be trained and will work in their holidays

  25W

  Total number of MAP assessments completed

  Number

  Newport

  97

  Swansea

  83

  Mounatain Ash

  2

  Domiciliary

  40

  Deceased

  26

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish for each company of solicitors involved in the claims for miners' compensation for chest disease in South Wales(a) the total number of claims questionnaires sent to date, (b) the total number of completed questionnaires returned to date and (c) the percentage of those sent that have been returned. [121524]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The information is as follows:

  Solicitors in South Wales

  Questionnaires issued

  Questionnaires returned (percentage)

  Incomplete questionnnaires referred back to the solicitor (percentage)

  Hugh James

  6,542

  1,544 (23.6)

  149 (9.7)

  Thompsons

  3,158

  2,275 (72)

  378 (16.6)

  Randall Saunders

  354

  77 (21.7)

  13 (16.9)

  Morgan Cole

  233

  139 (59.6)

  7(5)

  TS Edwards

  212

  149 (70.2)

  15(10.1)

  Thomas and Company

  155

  87 (56.1)

  6 (6.9)

  Gabb and Company

  23

  1(4.3)

  0(0)

  Osborne Jones

  2

  1(50)

  0(0)

  David W. Harris

  2

  2(100)

  0(0)

  Leo Abse and Cohen

  1

  0(0)

  0(0)

  Total

  10,682

  4,275(40)

  568(13.3)

  Energy Supplies
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of Beacon Gas's practices in respect of taking over consumers' gas supplies. [121444]

  Mrs. Liddell
  It is for the Director General of Gas and Electricity Supply to monitor the performance of individual suppliers.

  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what guidance he has given to Ofgem about its treatment of companies that take over consumers' energy supplies without their consent. [121446]

  Mrs. Liddell
  In 1998, the Government worked with Ofgem in introducing a licence condition governing the sales and marketing practices of gas and electricity suppliers. Under the condition, suppliers are, among other things, required to make all reasonable efforts to confirm that individual customers wish to proceed with a change of supplier. Ofgem recently renewed the condition for a further two years, and is currently consulting on enhancing it by requiring suppliers to have effective management of their sales agents; ensuring that gas, as 26W
  well as electricity, suppliers provide customers with copies of the terms and conditions of contracts entered into over the telephone; extending coverage of the condition to sales undertaken in public places and to certain sales over the internet; and requiring suppliers to take steps to ensure that the customer understands that he has entered into a contract.

  The Government support these proposals to give additional protection to consumers. The Utilities Bill currently before Parliament would allow Ofgem to impose financial penalties for breaching the licence condition, including infringements relating to involuntary transfer.

  Electricity Trading Arrangements
  Mrs. Gilroy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on progress in implementing the new electricity trading arrangements. [122510]

  Mr. Byers
  Implementation of the new electricity trading arrangements is planned to take place this autumn in the period following the change from British Summer Time to Greenwich Mean Time on 29 October. The project remains on target. A contract with Logica for the central computer systems has now been agreed which specifies 21 November 2000 for the new market to be implemented.

  Parental Leave
  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received on the introduction of paid parental leave. [120974]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  From the start of the consultation on the Maternity and Parental Leave Regulations on 4 August 1999, we have received over 300 representations in support of paid parental leave.

  As announced in the Budget speech, we will be undertaking a review of parental leave and maternity pay. The findings of the review will contribute to our future thinking on this issue.

  Minimum Wage
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the change in the total number of(a) full-time equivalent employees and (b) hours worked due to the introduction of the minimum wage; and if he will make a statement. [121745]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  The second report of the Low Pay Commission, published in February 2000, looked at these matters but found no indication so far of significant effects on the economy as a whole as a result of the introduction of the national minimum wage. Some sectors have been affected more than others and this is dealt with in detail in the report.

  The Low Pay Commission continues to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the national minimum wage and is due to report again by July 2001.
  27W
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the(a) absolute and (b) proportional gross impact of the minimum wage on hourly wage rates for employees who were previously paid below the minimum wage; and if he will make a statement. [121744]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  According to the second report of the Low Pay Commission, the average increase in hourly earnings in the year to April 1999 for those earning below minimum wage rates in April 1998 was between 18 and 31 per cent.

  Domestic Fuels
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what price elasticities of demand for domestic fuels were used in the document entitled "Energy Projections for the UK, Working Paper, March 2000"; and if he will make a statement. [121747]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The long run price elasticities of demand for domestic fuel implied in the working paper "Energy Projections for the UK, March 2000" are given in the table. This paper represents work in progress, on which comments have been invited.

  Fuel

  Price elasticity

  Electricity

  -0.29

  Gas

  -0.35

  Oil

  -0.22

  Solid fuel

  -1.46

  The table is interpreted in the following way:

  The electricity price elasticity implies that, in the long run, for a 10 per cent. increase in the price of electricity, demand for electricity would be expected to decrease by 2.9 per cent.

  Civil Servants (Relocation)
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which relocation companies his Department has used when relocating civil servants since May 1997. [122295]

  Dr. Howells
  Since May 1997, the Department has used only one company for relocating civil servants, Bradford and Bingley Relocation Services (before March 1999, known as Black Horse Relocation Services).

  Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme
  Mr. Pollard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to improve access to finance for small businesses through the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme. [122074]

  Ms Hewitt
  David Irwin, Chief Executive of the Small Business Service, will be taking a close look at the problems faced by small businesses in accessing finance and what improvements might be made to existing forms of financial support provided by the Small Business Service, including the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme. To assist this work the Small Business Service will shortly be setting up a dedicated finance division.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  UK Veto
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those areas of policy where the United Kingdom would lose its veto if the Commission proposals in Com(2000)34 were adopted. [120812]

  Mr. Vaz
  [holding answer 5 May 2000]: The Commission's opinion Com(2000)34 is not an agenda for the intergovernmental conference. Only member states can make changes to voting procedures in the Treaty. The Government will consider the possible extension of qualified majority voting on a case-by-case basis. When it is in Britain's interests to support QMV, we shall do so. However, where key national interests are at stake—such as on treaty changes, border controls, social security, taxation, own resources and defence—we shall insist on retaining unanimity.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the areas of policy where the United Kingdom has a veto over EU proposals. [120813]

  Mr. Vaz
  [holding answer 5 May 2000]: There are 73 articles and sub-articles subject to unanimity in the main EU Treaties. I have placed a complete list in the House of Commons Library.

  "Your Britain, Your Europe"
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what level of response was anticipated to the questionnaire on the "Your Britain, Your Europe" campaign; and what plans he has to issue further questionnaires. [121513]

  Mr. Vaz
  Although we distributed almost 7,000 copies of the "Your Britain, Your Europe" leaflet, we have no level of anticipation on the response numbers. We have no plans to issue any further questionnaires in the near future.

  EU Postcards
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many copies of the postcard, "50 years of solidarity, property and peace" have been printed by the European Union; for what purpose; at what cost; and if he will make a statement. [121495]

  Mr. Vaz
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the office of the European Commission in London.

  Belarus
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Government policy towards human rights in Belarus; and what representations he has made to the Government of Belarus on this issue. [121494]

  Mr. Vaz
  Her Majesty's Government regularly raise our concerns over the human rights situation in Belarus with the Belarusian authorities. Our Embassy in Minsk is in close contact with human rights groups, trades unions and members of the Belarusian opposition. Embassy officials have been attending trials of members of the Belarusian opposition including the ongoing trial against
  29W
  Mr. Chigir, former Prime Minister. During 2000, we have funded visits to the UK by two members of the Belarusian Independent Trade Unions. Mr. Vyachorka, Chairman of the BPF-Renewal party, will visit the UK next week for a series of meetings. Mr. Sharetsky, Speaker of the 13th Supreme Soviet (former Parliament disbanded by President Lukashenko in 1996), is planning to visit the UK in early June and will have meetings with senior officials.

  EU policy towards Belarus is based around the General Affairs Council Conclusions of September 1997 which substantially restrict relations pending demonstrable improvements on constitutional and human rights matters. The EU has made a number of representations to the Government of Belarus including, most recently, a Declaration deploring the use of force by the Belarusian authorities to suppress an opposition-organised march in March 2000 and a formal representation on human rights concerns in April 2000.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Government policy in relation to the demand made by Mr. Denktash for recognition of Northern Cyprus as a pre-condition to discussions on the future of Cyprus. [121474]

  Mr. Vaz
  The UN proximity talks being held under the auspices of the UN Secretary-General are taking place on the basis of no pre-conditions. The UK continues to urge both parties to adhere to this important principle. The Government look to the Cypriot parties and all those with an interest in Cyprus to co-operate with Kofi Annan constructively and flexibly.

  UN Millennium Summit
  Ms Kingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans his Department is making to contribute to the UN Millennium Summit in September. [121516]

  Mr. Hain
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has worked hard to build international support for the UN Secretary-General's proposals for the Millennium Summit. We intend to publicise his recently published Millennium Report on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office website and to invite feedback on it. We helped fund a forum organised by the United Nations Association which sought to frame UK national civil society input to the UN's Millennium events. With DfID, we are also helping finance the Millennium Forum—the civil society companion event to the Summit.

  EU Working Groups
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will deposit in the Library a list of all the(a) current and (b) temporarily suspended working groups of the European Union, listing in each case (i) the mandate of and (ii) the grade of participants in each group; what is on the agenda of each group; which groups have been attended by a United Kingdom Minister for at least one meeting since 1 May 1997; and if he will make a statement on his policy on openness in such groups. [121511]
  30W
  Mr. Vaz
  I refer the hon. Member to earlier questions on this subject from my hon. Friend the Member for Walsall, South (Mr. George), on 9 March 1999,Official Report, column 179W; from the right hon. Member for Penrith and The Boarder (Mr. Maclean), on 22 March 1999, Official Report, column 57W; and from Lord Pearson of Rannock, on 3 December 1998, Official Report, House of Lords, column WA56, and on 5 April 2000, Official Report, House of Lords, column WA137. None of the 28 Common Foreign and Security Policy Working Groups is suspended. The United Kingdom is represented by officials, with the necessary expertise, of varying grade, depending on the importance of the issues being discussed. No Working Group has been attended by a Minister. The Government favour the maximum possible transparency in all areas of EU business, including Common Foreign and Security Policy, and have consequently introduced procedures for the parliamentary scrutiny of all Common Foreign and Security Policy Common Positions and Joint Actions, and other politically important documents. The preparatory discussions within Working Groups are confidential, in order to preserve the negotiating position of the individual member state.

  Ranger Anti-personnel Mines (DRC)
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of the use of Ranger anti-personnel mines in the conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. [121979]

  Mr. Hain
  We have received no reports of the use of Ranger anti-personnel mines in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

  Penalty Clauses
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the contracts entered into with private sector companies for the provision of goods or services since May 1997 where penalty clauses were triggered for non-performance; and if he will make a statement. [122019]

  Mr. Hain
  Penalty clauses are not legally enforceable, but the FCO does include liquidated damages clauses in its contracts when this is appropriate. The FCO has a large number of contracts in operation at any one time, but details are not held centrally. A record of contracts where liquidated damages clauses had been enforced could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Diamonds (Sierra Leone)
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has to work with other countries to block the sale on the world market of diamonds illegally mined in Sierra Leone. [121833]

  Mr. Hain
  We have taken a leading role internationally in arguing for measures to improve the transparency of the international diamond trade and prevent the proceeds from illicit diamond trading fuelling conflict, including in Sierra Leone. In doing so, we have consulted a number of countries in Africa and elsewhere. At the forthcoming meeting of G8 Foreign Ministers we will be pressing for
  31W
  agreement on further steps, including consideration of an international system to keep such diamonds out of the market.

  Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he has taken to persuade(a) Israel, (b) India, (c) Pakistan and (d) Cuba to accede to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. [121945]

  Mr. Hain
  Ministers and officials regularly raise this issue with the countries concerned. At the ongoing Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference the need for universal ratification of the NPT has been stressed in a number of documents, including the statement by the five Nuclear Weapons States and the EU Common Position and Statement.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library each of the documents(a) produced by Her Majesty's Government or (b) referring to United Kingdom nuclear and non-proliferation policy, distributed by official delegations to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in New York on 24 April to 19 May. [121944]

  Mr. Hain
  We shall arrange for documents circulated by the UK delegation at the NPT Review Conference to be placed in the Library. We shall also place a copy of the final document of the Review Conference in the Library when it is available. This will contain all the documents issued at the Conference.

  Zimbabwe
  Mr. Blunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 8 May 2000,Official Report, column 257W, what evidence he has evaluated of the extent of the financial interests of President Mugabe in OSLEG Private Ltd.[121617]

  Mr. Hain
  We have no information on President Mugabe's interests, or otherwise, in OSLEG Private Ltd.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the amount of unallocated land which the Government of Zimbabwe currently holds. [121349]

  Clare Short
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Government of Zimbabwe have not published details of unallocated land. It has been unofficially estimated that the Government owed 300,000 hectares of former commercial land farm land that has not been resettled.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Disabled People
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the Government's policies towards the disabled. [120950]
  32W
  Mr. Bayley
  We are committed to providing support and opportunities for all disabled people. We are introducing comprehensive and enforceable civil rights for disabled people and we are modernising the welfare system to help disabled people work and to provide better support for those in greatest need.

  Local Exchange Trading Schemes
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to introduce a benefits disregard for local exchange trading schemes. [120951]

  Angela Eagle
  We welcome initiatives to improve social inclusion and want to remove unjustified obstacles to greater community participation where that will contribute to our overall welfare to work goals.

  LETS schemes can help promote community participation and we are, therefore, carefully considering whether changes are needed to the treatment of credits earned through participation in LETS.

  Housing Benefit Fraud
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress he has made in tackling Housing Benefit fraud. [120952]

  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on progress in tackling Housing Benefit fraud. [120954]

  Angela Eagle
  I refer the hon. Members to the oral answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Cities of London and Westminster (Mr. Brooke) earlier today,Official Report, columns 5–6.

  Invalid Care Allowance
  Mr. Goggins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to reform Invalid Care Allowance. [120956]

  Mr. Bayley
  We are aware of the need for adequate financial support for carers. Our National Strategy for Carers, published last year, committed us to keep under review the financial support available to carers, including Invalid Care Allowance, and we are continuing to do that.

  Basic State Pension
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the number of people entitled to, but awaiting, their first payment of basic state pension. [120957]

  Mr. Rooker
  No estimate has been made of the number of people entitled to but awaiting their first payment of basic state pension.

  Most new claims to Retirement Pension each year result from people being invited to claim by the Department some four months before they reach pension age. This enables the majority of claims to be paid by the time the first pension pay day is reached.

  The calculation of the various components that can make up a Retirement Pension award is made by the NIRS2 computer. Although there have been problems in NIRS2 calculating the additional pension for some claims, this has not applied to the basic pension calculation.

  Housing Benefit Reform
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the operation of the Housing Benefit system and his proposals for reform. [120958]

  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals he has to reform Housing Benefit. [120966]

  Angela Eagle
  We intend to reform Housing Benefit to improve customer service through a modernised streamlined system, to tackle fraud and error, and to reduce the barriers to work. We have already made significant progress; our Housing Green Paper, currently out for consultation, sets out how we can take this further.

  We are determined to deal with the weaknesses of the system we inherited from the previous Administration.

  Minimum Income Guarantee
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what impact the minimum income guarantee will have on incentives to save for low earners. [120961]

  Mr. Bayley
  One of the Government's main objectives is to encourage people to save more for their retirement where they can afford to do so, while at the same time providing extra State support for those who cannot save.

  We are introducing new stakeholder pensions and reforming SERPS through the State Second Pension. These reforms will mean that, in future, people with a lifetime of working behind them will get a large enough pension to take them above the MIG, even if they have been on low earnings throughout their life. However, it takes time to build up pension entitlements, so for many, particularly those who have already retired or who are close to retirement age, these reforms come too late. That is why we introduced the MIG to make sure that the poorest pensioners are guaranteed a basic decent income in retirement, even before stakeholder pensions and the Second State Pension mature.

  We recently announced an increase in the MIG capital limits to make sure that people with relatively modest savings do not lose out. We want to do more to encourage savers. In the last Budget, the Chancellor announced that we propose to consult on a new Pensioner Credit which will do just that.

  Our pensions reforms should be looked at as a package. We believe the package strikes the right balance between encouraging savers, while protecting those who cannot save.

  Dr. George Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners in North-West Norfolk he estimates will benefit from the minimum income guarantee for pensioners in(a) 1999–2000 and (b) 2000–01. [120968]

  Mr. Bayley
  Around 3,500 pensioners in North-West Norfolk benefited from the minimum income guarantee last year.
  34W
  For this year we estimate that around 1.5 million pensioners across Great Britain will benefit from the minimum income guarantee. This information is not available at local level.

  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the take-up of the minimum income guarantee for pensioners. [120969]

  Mr. Bayley
  We have recently announced our plans for an ambitious national take-up campaign for the minimum income guarantee. Starting from the end of this month there will be intense activity on a number of fronts; including television advertising, writing to around 2 million pensioners and a new tele-claim centre which allows pensioners to make a claim over the telephone.

  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of pensioners entitled to minimum income guarantee are receiving it. [120947]

  Mr. Darling
  Estimates on the numbers of pensioners in receipt of the minimum income guarantee (MIG) are to be found in the DSS report "Income Related Benefits: Estimates of Take-Up, 1996/97 and 1997/98". A copy has been placed in the Library.

  To encourage pensioners to take up their entitlement we have launched a national helpline which has already received nearly 31,000 calls in the last five weeks, and we are launching a national TV advertising campaign on 30 May. We are determined that as many pensioners as possible get the MIG to which they are entitled.

  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how changes in Government spending since 1997 have affected the incomes of(a) poorer pensioners and (b) pensioners with small savings. [120960]

  Mr. Rooker
  The minimum income guarantee benefits around 1.5 million of the least well off pensioners.

  From April the rates increased to £78.45 for a single pensioner this represents an extra £5 a week in real terms since 1998.

  By increasing the minimum income guarantee in line with earnings, more and more pensioners with modest pensions and savings are benefiting. With an extra 92,000 cases becoming newly entitled to the MIG since April 1999.

  From next April, the planned changes to capital limits will mean that pensioners with savings up to £12,000 will be entitled to the guarantee. Our estimate is that this will benefit a further 500,000 pensioners.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the loss of benefits suffered per week by a pensioner who is entitled to minimum income guarantee but is not receiving it. [120955]

  Mr. Bayley
  The latest estimates were published in the DSS report "Income Related Benefits: Estimates of Take-Up, 1996/97 and 1997/98". A copy has been placed in the Library.

  Paternity Tests
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what provision is available for a mother to demand a second DNA test to determine the father of her child. [120962]

  Angela Eagle
  If a man who is named by a parent with care denies that he is the father of a child, the Child Support Agency will normally offer DNA tests to the parties involved.

  The DNA testing company has rigorous and secure procedures for carrying out these tests. If a parent with care refuses to accept the outcome of the DNA tests, it is open to her to apply to court for a declaration of parentage which would be binding on the CSA.

  Benefit Fraud
  Mr. Ruffley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations he has received regarding fraud in the Social Security system. [120963]

  Mr. Rooker
  We are determined to combat fraud and error in the Social Security system. We have a comprehensive strategy, to safeguard the system from the first to the final payment. For example, we are insisting claimants produce more evidence before Income Support is paid, which will save £1 billion over the Parliament. This comprehensive strategy will help to strengthen public confidence, and thereby encourage their support.

  Pensioner Incomes
  Mr. Borrow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received on assistance for pensioners with small occupational pensions; and if he will make a statement. [120967]

  Mr. Rooker
  We have received a considerable number of representations from this group over the years. Following the current success of the Minimum Income Guarantee our concern is to develop initiatives that will reward work and savings. That is why we are starting development work on a new pensioner credit that will better help those pensioners with small second pensions and modest savings who have worked hard to provide for themselves in their retirement.

  SERPS
  Dr. Tony Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received about the proposed scheme for providing redress to those who were not informed about the benefit changes to SERPS. [120970]

  Mr. Rooker
  As the House was informed on the 15 March, we will introduce a scheme to give redress to those who received and relied on wrong or incomplete advice given by this Department in relation to the SERPS additional pension their spouses would inherit. The House was also informed that we would consult widely before bringing forward regulations setting out the detail of the Scheme.
  36W
  In addition to the reports from the NAO and the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration, the Department has received representations from Age Concern, NACAB, Help the Aged and the noble Lord Rix, and from a number of members of the public.

  Pensioners (Departmental Spending)
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of GDP his Department's spending on people of above pensionable age represented in(a) 1996–97 and (b) 1997–98. [120972]

  Mr. Rooker
  Social security expenditure on people aged over 60 was 5.33 per cent. of GDP in 1996–97, and 5.23 per cent. in 1997–98.

  Occupational Pensions (Taxable Allowances)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the annual cost of providing that the state pension should not count against taxable allowances in respect of occupational pensions. [120973]

  Mr. Rooker
  The cost of exempting the basic state pension from income tax is estimated to be £2.2 billion in 2000–01.

  Older Benefit Claimants
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals he has to encourage older benefit claimants back into employment. [120975]

  Mr. Rooker
  We have developed a range of measures to help older benefit recipients return to work.

  The New Deal 50plus was launched by the Prime Minister at the beginning of April. It is the first major national programme of back to work help for older people and has the potential to bring back into the labour market thousands of people with the skills and expertise employers need.

  New Deal 50plus is a voluntary programme available for people over age 50 who have been on Jobseeker's Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance or Income Support for at least six months. It provides support from a personal adviser, jobsearch help, in-work training support worth £750 and a tax free Employment Credit of £60 a week for up to a year for those taking up full-time work, or £40 a week for those taking part-time work.

  In addition the New Deal for Disabled People, which includes a large proportion of older benefit recipients, provides active help and encouragement for people with long-term illnesses or disabilities to move back into work.

  The Performance and Innovation Unit Report "Winning the Generation Game" includes a number of recommendations for improving people's opportunity to contribute to society and the economy in their later working years. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security, will be carrying forward these recommendations in his role as Cabinet Champion for Older People and Chair of the Ministerial Group on Older People.

  Appeal Tribunals (Medical Members)
  Mr. Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the appointment of part-time sessional doctors engaged by Medical Services (SEMA) and Nestor Disability Analysis Ltd. as medical members of appeal tribunals. [120938]

  Mr. Bayley
  My noble Friend the Lord Chancellor appoints appeal tribunal members. The qualification requirements for appointment are set out in regulations and do not exclude SEMA and NESTOR doctors.

  We laid an amendment regulation on 10 May to reinforce current Appeals Service instructions which preclude doctors from hearing an appeal in which they have previously given advice or prepared reports on a claimant's medical condition.

  Child Poverty
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 3 April 2000,Official Report, column 334W, concerning child poverty, what measures he will use to judge performance against his target of halving child poverty in 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [121846]

  Mr. Bayley
  I refer the hon. Member to the written answer which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister gave to the hon. Member for Northavon (Mr. Webb) on 19 October 1999,Official Report, column 486W.

  Further details on all the indicators in the "Opportunity for All" report have been placed in the Library.

  Bereavement Allowances
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's policy on the benefit position of widowers with dependent children prior to the introduction of the new system of bereavement allowances, following recent judgments in the European Court. [122107]

  Angela Eagle
  Our obligation, following the friendly settlement of two cases before the European Court of Human Rights, is to future widowers. Our reforms meet this obligation and go further. Widowed Parents Allowance will be available to men who were widowed before the introduction of the benefit. Existing widowed fathers who meet the entitlement conditions may receive Widowed Parent's Allowance from the date it is introduced.

  New Deal
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he has taken to ensure that women seeking to enter the labour market will benefit from the new deal. [120953]

  Angela Eagle
  The new deal programmes provide individually tailored advice and opportunities for each client. This ensures that everyone seeking to enter the labour market, men and women, will benefit from the new deal.

  Means-tested Benefits
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the 38W
  number of people who no longer receive (a) one and (b) more than one means-tested benefit due to the introduction of the minimum wage; and if he will make a statement. [121743]

  Angela Eagle
  It is estimated that there are 50,000 people who no longer receive one of Income Support, Housing Benefit or Council Tax Benefit as a result of the introduction of the minimum wage and there are 10,000 people who no longer receive more than one of these benefits.
  Notes:

  1. Estimates based on 1997–98 Family Resources Survey Data, uprated to 2000–01 prices and benefit rates. Minimum wage and benefit receipt have been modelled with the Policy Simulation Model.

  2. Estimates rounded to the nearest 10,000.

  3. Estimates are based on minimum wage rates when it was introduced (£3.60 for those aged over 21 and £3.00 for those aged 18–21).

  4. Estimates assume no secondary effects on employment or wages.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the proportion of recipients of(a) Council Tax Benefit, (b) Housing Benefit and (c) other means-tested benefits who are paid within (i) 5 per cent. and (ii) 10 per cent. of the minimum wage; and if he will make a statement. [121746]

  Angela Eagle
  Actual data on hourly earnings of those in receipt of means-tested benefits from administrative sources are not available. However, it is estimated that 6 per cent. of Housing Benefit recipients, 3 per cent. of Council Tax Benefit recipients and 3 per cent. of Income Support recipients are paid within 5 per cent. of the minimum wage. It is also estimated that 7 per cent. of Housing Benefit recipients, 3 per cent. of Council Tax recipients and 3 per cent. of Income Support recipients earn within 10 per cent. of the minimum wage.
  Notes:

  1. Estimates based on 1997–98 Family Resources Survey data, uprated to 2000–01 prices and benefit rates. Minimum wage and benefit receipt has been modelled within the Policy Simulation Model.

  2. Estimates give individuals earning between the minimum wage and 5 or 10 per cent. above the minimum wage who are in a benefit unit receiving the means-tested benefit as a proportion of all adults in benefit units in receipt of the benefit. No account has been taken of overlapping receipt of means tested benefits.

  3. Estimates are based on minimum wage rates when it was introduced (£3.60 for those aged over 21 and £3.00 for those aged 18–21).

  4. Estimates assume no secondary effects on employment or wages.

  Early Retirement
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations he has received on his policy in relation to pension provision for those over 50 years old who take early retirement; and if he will make a statement. [120948]

  Mr. Rooker
  None. Under the present policy employees may retire early and draw an immediate pension from age 50 if their employer agrees. We will be consulting very widely before any decisions are made to change this policy.

  Vaccinations (Compensation)
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what compensation has been paid to children who have suffered severe damage by vaccinations since 1970; [122160]

  (2) what outstanding cases for compensation for severe damage resulting from childhood vaccinations there are; and what measures he is taking to draw these claims to a close. [122156]

  Mr. Bayley
  The Vaccine Damage payment scheme, which has been in place since 1979, provides a one-off payment to people severely disabled by vaccination against certain diseases. The scheme is not intended as compensation but is designed to ease the burdens of those suffering from vaccine damage, and their families. During the first six years of the scheme claims were accepted from people who had received vaccinations at any stage since 1948 (the creation of the NHS). The amounts payable since the inception of the scheme are as follows:

  £10,000 for claims made from 9 May 1978 until 15 August 1985

  £20,000 for claims made on or after 16 August 1985

  £30,000 for claims made on or after 15 April 1991

  £40,000 for claims made on or after 1 July 1998.

  There are 29 claims for Vaccine Damage Payments outstanding and one awaiting a reconsideration. There are 46 appeals awaiting hearing with the Appeals Service. All cases are being actively considered by the Department's Vaccine Damage Payments Unit or the Appeals Service as appropriate.

  Post Offices
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter from the Minister of State, the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker) to the Post Office, instructing sub-postmasters not to issue forms encouraging customers to opt for benefit payment at post offices. [122236]

  Mr. Rooker
  I have written no such letter.

  I did recently write a private letter to Colin Baker (General Secretary of the National Federation of Sub-postmasters) about payment of benefits by automated credit transfer. However, it is not Government policy to make private letters such as this public.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the documents and publications produced by his Department and Agencies that are available at sub-post offices. [121625]

  Mr. Rooker
  The following leaflets have been distributed to all post offices in Great Britain:

  Leaflet

  Benefit Rates

  (Leaflet GL23)

  Financial Help If You Work Or Are Looking For Work

  (WK1)

  Sick Or Disabled

  (SD1)

  Babies and Children

  (BC1)

  Retirement

  (RM1)

  For Parents Who Live Apart

  (CSA 2001)

  New Deal For Parents

  (LP15)

  Help With Your Rent

  (GL16)

  You have A Choice

  (PAY10)

  40W
  "You Have A Choice" is a joint leaflet produced with the Post Office to advise customers on the payment of benefits.

  In addition posters have been distributed for display. Which posters are displayed depends on whether a Post Office Point Of Sale (POPOS) display board and viewing area are available in the post office. The distributed posters are:

  Poster

  Social Security Benefit Rates

  (GL23P)

  Lone Parents

  (LP20P)

  Fraud Hotline Poster

  (NBFH0300)

  Help With Your Rent and Council Tax

  (GL16/17P)

  Welsh bilingual versions of all leaflets and posters are available in Wales.

  Taxes and Benefits
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide illustrative examples of cases where taxes and benefits interact to produce a replacement ratio of(a) 70 per cent. and above, (b) 80 per cent. and above, (c) 90 per cent. and above, and (d) 100 per cent. and above on the same basis as figure 36 in the departmental report, Cm 4614, p.80. [120383]

  Mr. Rooker
  Replacement ratios in Figure 36 of the latest departmental report were calculated by micro-simulation modelling, using a sample of households from the 1996–97 Family Resources Survey. The examples are drawn from the sample underpinning the latest estimates, for 1999–2000. They are shown by 10 per cent. bands. As in Figure 36, the examples are for the head of household only where the head of the household works 30 hours or more a week, and are based on income levels after housing costs.

  70 per cent. to 79 per cent. ratio: a single person with no children and an in work income after income tax (£5), National Insurance contributions (£5) and housing costs (£41) of £71 per week, and an income out of work from contributory Jobseeker's Allowance of £51 (replacement ratio 73 per cent.).

  80 per cent. to 89 per cent. ratio: a single person with no children and an in work income after income tax (£4), National Insurance contributions (£5) and housing costs (£48) of £64 per week, and an income out of work from contributory Jobseeker's Allowance of £51 (replacement ratio 81 per cent.).

  90 per cent. to 99 per cent. ratio: the head of household in a benefit unit with two earners and two children and a combined in work income of £389 per week, after income tax (£33), National Insurance contributions (£23) and housing costs (£45), and including Child Benefit (£24) and Family Credit (£4), and an out of work income of £271 per week, including contributory Jobseeker's Allowance (£51), Child Benefit (£24), Family Credit (£78) and the partner's original earnings (£172). (replacement ratio 94 per cent.).

  100 per cent. + ratio: the head of household in a couple benefit unit with one earner and one child and a combined in work income of £4 per week, after income tax (£18),

  41W
  National Insurance contributions (£13) and housing costs (£217), and including Child Benefit (£14), and an out of work income of £7 per week, including contributory Jobseeker's Allowance (£51), income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (£159), Child Benefit (££14). (replacement ratio 186 per cent.).

  Pensions
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what co-operation the European Commission is seeking from the Government in respect of(a) its objective of modernising the system of pensions and social protection in member states, and if such modernisation is to extend to applicant member states and (b) its intention to establish a legal framework for supplementary pensions. [121635]

  Mr. Rooker
  Heads of State and Government agreed at the Lisbon Special Summit in March that social protection systems should be adapted as part of an active welfare state to ensure that work pays, and that they should be sustainable in the long-term in the face of an ageing population. It was agreed at the Summit that the High Level Working Party on social protection, of which the Commission is a member along with representatives from all member states, should arrange a study on the future long-term evolution of social protection, with particular attention on pensions. The Commission has indicated it will produce a new Communication on modernising social protection, concentrating on pensions, later this year. The High Level Working Party is due to produce a progress report on social protection by December at the Nice summit; and a more substantial report for the Spring Council 2001.

  In December 1999, in the context of modernising social protection, the Council of Ministers concluded that the Community should pay particular attention to a balanced economic and social development in the applicant countries in the process towards an enlargement of the European Union. The High Level Working Party is considering ways of involving applicant countries in their work.

  The Commission's Communication "Financial Services: Implementing the Framework for Financial Markets: Action Plan" (COM(1999)232) noted that the Commission would propose a Directive on the prudential supervision of pension funds. The Commission has held informal discussions with member states.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been (1) the highest compensation payment paid to date by the Child Support Agency; [121475]

  (2) the total amount of money paid by way of compensation payments by the Child Support Agency. [121476]

  Angela Eagle
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mrs. Faith Boardman. She will write to my hon. Friend.
  42W
  Letter from Faith Boardman to Mr. Tom Cox, dated May 2000:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security about compensation payments paid by the Child Support Agency.In common with other DSS Agencies, the CSA operates a discretionary "special payments" scheme to compensate customers for actual financial losses, or any suffering and distress caused in cases of maladministration. For CSA these arrangements cover maintenance lost to a parent with care (PWC), as well as expenses incurred by PWCs or non-resident parents (NRPs) in dealing with the Agency. It is also possible to make consolatory payments in recognition of the less tangible effects of maladministration, such as inconvenience, embarrassment and the worry and distress that can result from delay and errors.The largest individual amount of compensation paid was £27,393.60. This figure did not include any consolatory element but represented monies due to a parent with care, which would have been paid by the non-resident parent, had it not been for the Agency's maladministration. It also included a payment for loss of use of monies (interest). Each case is considered on its own merits and payments of this magnitude are particularly exceptional. The average payment during 1998/99 was £95.The largest individual consolatory payment is £1,150, however, on average this type of payment is around £133.Since its inception, the Agency has made compensation payments to a value of £8.6 million (figure to end February 2000). During 1998/99 the Agency paid out £ 4.3 million in compensation payments. Evidence this year shows that this amount is falling. From April 1999 to the end of February 2000 the Agency had paid out £2.4 million for the 1999/2000 financial year. The main reason why this figure was so high in recent years is that the Agency has been clearing the backlog of cases that had built up during the early years of its operations. As the Agency is now more up to date with its work, payments of this scale are unlikely to recur.I hope this is helpful.

  Disability Benefits
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many representations he has received from hon. Members with regard to constituents who had been awarded disability benefit for life but have subsequently had it withdrawn or downgraded; and if he will make a statement. [121927]

  Mr. Bayley
  Prior to 12 January 2000 the legislation that applied to Disability Living Allowance (DLA) allowed awards to be made for life or for a limited period. Although some awards were therefore given "for life", this terminology was misleading because the law has always allowed for awards of DLA to be altered where, for example:

  (a) a person's care or mobility needs had increased or reduced;

  (b) there had either been a mistake, or ignorance regarding the relevant facts; or

  (c) there had been an error of law.

  These rules are the same as those that apply to changes of almost all Social Security benefits. However the "life award" terminology in DLA was in this respect anomalous and created uncertainty. As a result, many representations were received from hon. Members on behalf of constituents who had been given life awards which were subsequently withdrawn or downgraded.

  To help clarify the nature of these awards, references to awards made for life were removed from the legislation by the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999, and replaced with the words "indefinite award".

  43W
  This made the language used consistent with that which applies to other benefits. This change was welcomed by the Social Security Select Committee in its third report of the 1998–99 session.

  Although the terminology has been changed to help clarify the situation, indefinite awards are made in the same circumstances in which a life award would previously be made. The rules that apply when an indefinite award is altered are the same that applied to life awards.

TREASURY

  Tax (People over 65)
  Mr. Portillo
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of tax revenues have been paid by people aged 65 years and above in each year since 1979. [121015]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 5 May 2000]: It is possible to provide reliable and appropriate estimates only for income tax and capital gains tax, and only for years after 1990–91 following the introduction of independent taxation. The estimates are given in the table.

  Liabilities for individual income tax and capital gains tax payers: proportion relating to those aged 65 years and above

  year

  Percentage

  1990–91

  9.2

  1991–92

  9.1

  1992–93

  8.3

  1993–94

  7.5

  1994–95

  8.1

  1995–96

  7.9

  1996–97

  7.7

  1997–981

  8.2

  1998–991

  8.4

  1999–20001

  7.6

  1Provisional

  The estimates are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes, the capital gains tax assessments and Self Assessment extracts. The provisional estimates are consistent with the March 2000 Budget.

  Mr. Portillo
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost of increasing the age-related personal allowance for people aged(a) 65 to 74 years and (b) 75 years and over by (i) £500, (ii) £1,000, (iii) £1,500 and (iv) £2,000; and how many people would cease to pay income tax in each case. [121017]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 5 May 2000]: The costs and effects of raising the age-related personal allowances in 2000–01 are shown in the tables:

  Revenue effect in 2000–01

  £ million

  Increasing personal allowance by

  £500

  £1,000

  £1,500

  £2,000

  for 65–74s

  -150

  -310

  -450

  -600

  for 75s and over

  -100

  -190

  -270

  -350

  44W

  Change in taxpayer numbers in 2000–01

  Thousand

  Increasing personal allowances by

  £500

  £1,000

  £1,500

  £2,000

  for 65–74s

  -170

  -310

  -450

  -600

  for 75s and over

  -130

  -240

  -330

  -400

  The estimates are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes and consistent with the March 2000 Budget.

  Carbon Dioxide
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the carbon dioxide which will be saved by his proposals for(a) general vehicle excise duty and (b) company car taxation. [120286]

  Mr. Timms
  [holding answer 2 May 2000]: As indicated in table 6.2 of the 2000 Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report, the reforms to company car taxation (and general vehicle excise duty) announced by the Chancellor in the recent Budget are expected to result in emission savings of up to 1.0 million tonnes of carbon (MtC) by 2010.

  ECOFIN
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the outcome of the ECOFIN Council held in Brussels on 8 May; and if he will make a statement. [121571]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I attended the meeting of the Economic and Finance Council of Ministers on 8 May.

  The Council agreed Exceptional Financial Assistance for Montenegro in the form of a 20 million euro grant. This must come from within the existing category IV ceiling.

  The Council broadly welcomed the Commission's report on the implementation of the 1999 Broad Economic Policy Guidelines (BEPGs) and the Commission recommendation for the 2000 BEPGs.

  The Commission presented its priorities for the 2001 EC Budget. Most Finance Ministers, myself included, rejected proposals to revise the financial perspectives.

  The Council reached a political agreement on the amended proposal for a directive on the reorganisation and winding-up of credit institutions. The directive will be adopted once it is clear of all scrutiny reserves, and the final formalities are completed.

  The Council agreed and published an opinion on the update to the Austrian stability programme for 2000–03.

  The Council took note of a Commission presentation of its strategy to improve the operation of the VAT system.

  Banana Dispute
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the effect on tax revenues to the Exchequer of the banana dispute between the EU and the US. [121710]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  No estimate has been made.

  Climate Change Levy
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the arrangements whereby rebate on the climate change levy will be made available to the horticulture industry. [121773]

  Mr. Timms
  The administrative arrangements for the repayment of climate change levy to horticultural users will be included in regulations to be published later this year.

  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Government will announce the kind of financial incentives they propose to make available to those companies that agree to take on binding emission targets. [R] [121772]

  Mr. Timms
  In the recent Budget, the Government announced that they see merit in the case put forward by the business led Emissions Trading Group (ETG) that some form of financial incentive will be required for companies to take on binding emission targets that generate additional emission reductions.

  Since the Budget, the Government have continued to work closely with the ETG on the many complex issues that remain to be resolved, including the form such a financial incentive might take. Further announcements on financial incentives will depend on the progress the ETG and the Government can make in dealing with these outstanding issues.

  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how individual companies in the horticulture sector may apply for rebates for the Climate Change Levy; and on what basis such rebate will be made. [121774]

  Mr. Timms
  The administrative arrangements for the repayment of climate change levy to horticultural users will be included in regulations to be published later this year.

  The basis for the rebate is set out in paragraph 41 of Schedule 6 to the Finance Bill.

  EU (UK Contribution)
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the authority is for payment of the UK's contribution to the EU; and how the amount is calculated. [121810]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Authority for payment of UK contributions to the EU is contained in the EC (Finance) Act 1995. Contributions are calculated in accordance with the Decision of the Council of the European Communities on the system of the Communities' Own Resources (31 October 1994). Further information on the Own Resources system can be found at Section E: Community Revenue of the White Paper European Community Finances (Cm 4382).

  EU Strategy
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what request for consultation he has received from the Commission of the European Union concerning(a) its intention to consider future strategy for changes to (i) pan-community taxation, (ii) the
  46W
  Customs Union and (iii) changes to the current system of value added tax and (b) the views of the Government on the need for such changes. [121634]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Commission, in considering what legislation to propose, consults member states continuously including through established working groups. The Government consider each proposal on its merits and details are lodged with the scrutiny committees.

  Eurocheque System
  Mr. Pollard
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of the withdrawal of British banks from the Eurocheque system on the cost and ease of transferring small payments within the European Union by(a) small businesses and (b) private individuals. [121484]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  None. There has been an 80 per cent. drop in the use and acceptance of eurocheques in the 1990s. This has been matched by significant growth in the use of alternative methods—automated teller machines, debit cards and credit cards—of making payments and obtaining cash abroad. The Association for Payment Clearing Services, the industry body for the UK's banks and building societies which oversees money transmission systems, have advised that the majority of UK banks are able to offer cost effective alternatives to eurocheques.

  Manufacturing Jobs
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many manufacturing jobs have ceased to exist in the United Kingdom since May 1997. [120869]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Estimates of manufacturing jobs are compiled by the Office for National Statistics. I refer my hon. Friend to tables B12 and B18 of Labour Market Trends.

  Working Families Tax Credit
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many families are receiving the Working Families Tax Credit; and of these, how many were previously receiving family credit; [121689]

  (2) how many Working Families Tax Credit recipients are men in couples where family credit was previously in payment to the female in the couple; and what is the average weekly value of the Working Families Tax Credit in payment in such cases. [121685]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 12 May 2000]: Up to the end of March 2000, there had been 1,030,200 awards made of the Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC). The families in receipt of 574,300 of these awards had previously been in receipt of Family Credit (FC) awards that ended immediately before the start of the WFTC awards.

  It is not possible, without incurring disproportionate cost, to estimate how many such WFTC awards are paid to men in couples where the previous FC award was paid to the female in the couple; or the average weekly value of such awards.
  47W
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the average amount by which the incomes of families with incomes of less than £12,000 per annum have increased as a result of the Working Families Tax Credit [120971]

  Dawn Primarolo
  For awards of Working Families Tax Credit made by the end of March, the average award made to families with gross weekly earnings up to £230 was £81.53 per week.

  Scanning Equipment
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what evaluation he has(a) made and (b) commissioned of the potential health risks from the use of (i) high-energy and (ii) low-energy scanning equipment for the detection of smuggled goods and substances at ports of entry. [121794]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Before any scanning equipment is used by Customs and Excise, a full health and safety evaluation is carried out by an independent consultant to ensure compliance with all UK health and safety legislation.

  Child Care Credit
  Mr. Flight
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the take-up of the child care credit in the Working Families Tax Credit. [120959]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The child care tax credit component of the Working Families Tax Credit has been particularly successful, with about 103,000 recipients in awards made to the end of March. At its peak, in August 1999, 47,000 families claimed the child care disregard in Family Credit.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mrs. Lawrence
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to raise the advisory cost limit of £500 for answering written parliamentary questions; and if he will make a statement. [122509]

  Mr. Timms
  The advisory cost limit was last increased in 1997–21 July 1997,Official Report, column 442W—and is to be further increased to £550 from today.

  The purpose and application of the advisory cost limit remains unchanged. It is intended to act as a threshold for disproportionate cost parliamentary questions. Any written question where the marginal cost of preparing the answer is considered likely to exceed the threshold may be refused in whole or in part on the grounds of disproportionate cost. Alternatively the Minister may decide that the question is to be answered irrespective of cost. There is no advisory limit for oral questions.

  The advisory limit continues to be based on eight times the average marginal cost for written questions, which is now £70, rounded down to the nearest £50 for convenience of application.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the average cost of answering(a) oral and (b) written parliamentary questions in the last three months. [122070]
  48W
  Mr. Timms
  As at April 1999, the latest date for which information is available, the average cost of answering an oral and written parliamentary question was £282 and £121 respectively.

  State Pension
  Mr. Stevenson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer further to his oral statement of 21 March 2000,Official Report, column 867, if the increases in the basic state pension forecast will be the minimum applied irrespective of the retail price index for September 2000. [120604]

  Mr. Rooker
  I have been asked to reply.

  As our right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer said in his budget statement on 21 March:
  Based on forecast rates of inflation, we can expect the pension rise in 2001 to be more than £2 for single pensioners and over £3 for couples—[Official Report, 21 March 2000; Vol. 346, c. 867.]

  Our right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is required to review rates of benefit annually, the outcome of that review will be announced in the Autumn as normal.

  European Institute of Public Administration
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the(a) level of public funding, (b) purpose and (c) United Kingdom-sponsored activities of the European Institute of Public Administration. [121503]

  Mr. Vaz
  I have been asked to reply.

  The UK subscription to EIPA for the financial year 1999–2000 was 97,000 euros, equivalent to £67,550.

  The EIPA is a non-profit making organisation, which serves public administration in member states of the European Union. It supports the practical management of European integration through the provision of training, applied research and consultancy at a European level as a complement to national and subnational programmes. It is also dedicated to supporting the process of the accession of future member states to the European Union. EIPA is currently undertaking a review of its structure and activities which is due to report in June.

  There are no specific UK sponsored activities of the EIPA but the UK plays a full part in its activities by sending delegates to courses and seminars and through the Director of Recruitment and People Development in the Cabinet Office sitting in both the EIPA Board of Governors and the Review Committee.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Metropolitan Police Area Crime Rate
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by how much crime rose in the Metropolitan police area during the year to 31 March; and if he will make a statement. [122093]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that the total number of notifiable offences in the Metropolitan police district for the year ending 31 March 2000 was some 12.6 per cent. higher than that in the previous financial year.

  Chinese President (State Visit)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will deposit in the Library a copy of the Metropolitan Police Service's report on Policing during the Chinese state visit; what input Government Departments had to the report; and if he will make a statement. [121497]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Metropolitan Police Service's review into the policing arrangements for the state visit by the President of China was put into the public domain on 17 March 2000, and copies were placed in the Library.

  The report was written without reference to any person or body outside the Metropolitan Police Service. Government Departments had sight of the report prior to publication.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on the admission by the Metropolitan police that some of its officers behaved unlawfully during the Chinese state visit of October 1999; [121801]

  (2) for what reasons the Metropolitan police's review of policing of the Chinese state visit during October 1999 did not identify behaviour that it later found to be unlawful. [121800]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I understand that the statement made by the Metropolitan police in the context of court proceedings was based on further legal advice concerning the powers available to them under the byelaws applying in the Royal Parks.

  This indicated that flags and banners could not be removed from protesters where such items were being used solely for peaceful protest purposes.

  The review by the Metropolitan police concerned the operational policing arrangements for the visit and did not benefit from the additional legal advice.

  Illegal Entrants
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 8 May 2000,Official Report, columns 310–11W, on persons served with notice as clandestine illegal entrants, if he will indicate in each case how many of such persons have claimed asylum. [121572]

  Mrs. Roche
  Precise information on the numbers of those persons issued with notice of illegal entry as clandestine entrants who had also claimed asylum is not contained in the central records and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  However, it is possible to deduce from the available data that at least 81 per cent. of those clandestine illegal entrants who were issued with a notice of illegal entry between 1 April 1999 and 31 March 2000 had also applied for asylum. It should be noted that this is a bare minimum and the actual percentage may well be higher than this.

  Rape and Sexual Assault
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 21 December 2000,Official Report, column 416W, on
  50W
  rape and sexual assault, when the Sexual Offences Review will report; and when the proposals will be published for consultation. [121694]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The sexual offences review has completed its work and reported to Ministers. I hope that its proposals will be published for consultation shortly.

  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 21 December 1999,Official Report, column 478W, on rape and sexual assault, what organisations have provided submissions to the Review of Sexual Offences relating to the law and rape including psychological and physical impact of rape on victims. [121695]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The following organisations provided submissions and evidence to the review in relation to the law on rape and sexual assault:

  Action Concern Empathy

  University of Cambridge—Institute of Criminology

  Campaign to End Rape

  English Collective of Prostitutes

  Europap

  Grimsby and Scunthorpe Rape Crisis

  Harrogate and District Women's Aid

  Hull Women's Centre

  Jewish Care

  ManKind

  National Association for the Treatment of Offenders

  University of North London—Child and Women Abuse Studies

  Nottingham Rape Crisis Centre

  Rape Crisis Federation of England and Wales

  Rape Crisis (North Staffordshire)

  St. Mary's Sexual Assault Referral Centre

  Sheffield Hallam University—School of Law

  Soroptimist International

  South Essex Rape and Incest Crisis Centre

  Committee of the Joint Council of Stipendiary Magistrates

  The Suzy Lamplugh Trust

  University of Teesside—School of Social Sciences

  The Tizard Centre

  United Kingdom Men's Movement

  Women Against Rape

  Women's Education Partnership

  Wyre Forest Women's Aid

  Young Women's Christian Association of Great Britain

  In addition the review received many submissions from individuals on the subject of rape and sexual assault.

  Domestic Violence
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 21 December 1999,Official Report, column 484W, on domestic violence, if the improvements in systems which will allow the information on domestic assaults to be collated have been made; and if the Office Court Proceedings Database is available on line or in a format available to the public. [121696]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The improvements referred to in the reply were with respect to police systems for recording domestic assaults. These have not yet been made and will be undertaken as part of the work associated with implementation of the National Strategy for Police Information Systems.
  51W
  Aggregated data from the Court Proceedings Database are published annually in the command paper "Criminal statistics, England and Wales" together with four supplementary volumes. Copies of these publications are available in the Library. Some aggregated data can be found on the Home Office website and more will appear in the future. Detailed information is available on floppy disk in Excel format, this being known as the Home Office Court Appearances System (HOCAS). Copies of the relevant disks are available in the Library.

  Corpus Juris
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is regarding Corpus Juris; and if he will make a statement. [121670]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The House of Lords European Union Committee's inquiry into Corpus Juris concluded in May last year that the Corpus Juris proposals do not offer an acceptable way forward. The Government share that view. Although we fully share the objective of the Corpus Juris paper to provide more effective remedies against fraud affecting the European Community budget, the Government do not agree that this should be done by "unifying" the laws and procedures of all member states. We believe that the aims of Corpus Juris can best be achieved by improvements in judicial co-operation between member states as agreed at the Tampere European Council, including mutual recognition of judicial decisions and the creation of Eurojust.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on mutual recognition in relation to Corpus Juris. [121666]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  On the basis of a United Kingdom initiative, European Union Heads of Government at the Tampere European Council endorsed the concept of mutual recognition of judicial decisions and stated that it should become the cornerstone of judicial co-operation in both civil and criminal matters within the Union.

  Unlike Corpus Juris, mutual recognition does not involve "unifying" the laws and procedures of the member states of the Union. Decisions taken in other European Union jurisdictions could be recognised and enforced despite the differences in the member states' legal systems.

  The Government have made it clear that some agreed safeguards would be necessary in order to protect civil rights; for example for any changes to extradition arrangements between member states. The need for common minimum standards, respecting the fundamental legal principles of member states, was also recognised at Tampere.

  Macpherson Report
  Ms Kingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action his Department has taken to ensure that policies regarding Roma, gipsies and travellers are included in action plans following the Macpherson report. [121518]

  Mr. Straw
  In March 1999, I published an Action Plan detailing the Government's response to all 70 recommendations of Sir William Macpherson's Report on 52W
  the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry. Details of progress on these recommendations can be found in my First Annual Report on Progress on this Action Plan, published in February this year, a copy of which is in the Library. None of the recommendations of the report were specific to particular ethnic or cultural groups, and the action taken has accordingly been targeted equally at all minority ethnic communities.

  Roma
  Ms Kingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what mechanism he has established to collect data concerning human rights abuses documented against Roma, by country; how many Roma(a) sought asylum in the United Kingdom, by country of origin and (b) had their asylum claims (i) upheld and (ii) denied in the United Kingdom in the last five years. [121519]

  Mrs. Roche
  The Country Information and Policy Unit in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate obtains from a wide variety of sources information on issues which are raised in the asylum process, including the question of human rights abuses against Roma. Country assessments based on this information are published on the top 35 asylum-producing countries. The assessments are revised and updated every six months.

  The majority of Roma asylum seekers in the United Kingdom come from the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia. During the period January 1995 to January 1999, there were 2,600 asylum applications from nationals of the Czech Republic. 6,110 asylum applications were received from nationals of Poland and 1,250 received from Slovakia. A visa regime was introduced on 8 October 1998 in respect of Slovakia. During the period January 1995 to May 1999, 490 Czech and 910 Slovak asylum applications were refused. There were no grants of asylum during this period. During the same period 3,355 Polish asylum applications were refused. One or two Polish applicants were granted asylum in each of the years 1996, 1997 and 1998 although our information does not show on what basis asylum was granted. It is not possible to give decisions with a nationality breakdown after May 1999.

  Schengen Information System
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for. the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 4 May 2000,Official Report, column 209W, on the Schengen Information System, what part that system can play in the fight against crime, fraud and drug trafficking in the European Union; and what constraints exist in the use of this system by member states not within the Schengen arrangements. [121639]

  Mrs. Roche
  The Schengen Information System exists to support the substantive provisions of the Schengen Implementing Convention, which include police and judicial co-operation between participating member states.

  Only those member states which have acceded to the Schengen acquis have access to the Schengen Information System. In accordance with separate arrangements with the European Union member states, Norway and Iceland are also associated with Schengen co-operation, including access to the Schengen Information System.
  53W
  In line with its application to participate in parts of the Schengen acquis relating to law enforcement and judicial co-operation, the United Kingdom would have access to the corresponding parts of the Schengen Information System database.

  Police (Crown Insignia)
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police forces in England and Wales have the Crown as part of the(a) crest and (b) cap badge. [121462]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I understand that 41 forces in England and Wales incorporate a crown in their crest, and that all 43 do so in their cap badge.

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 3 May 2000,Official Report, column 152W, on animal experiments, who funds the programmes looking into the development of treatments for chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. [121488]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Section 24 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 prevents disclosure of detailed information about individual research programmes licensed under the Act that has been given in confidence.

  Section 24 is being reviewed in the context of the freedom of information legislation.

  Animal Procedures
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on public accessibility of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate's databases on cost-benefit assessments. [121958]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  To meet section 5(4) of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, any application to use protected animals in research must be subjected to a detailed cost/benefit assessment by Home Office inspectors. The likely adverse effects on the animals concerned must be weighed against the benefit likely to accrue as a result of the proposed programme of work.

  Section 24 of the Act currently prohibits the release of an application and the cost/benefit assessment. The status of the inspectors' advice to Ministers, on the basis of the cost/benefit assessment, is being examined as part of our review of section 24 and freedom of information. An electronic database of precedents and key cases is maintained by the Inspectorate for internal reference. This comprises material that has been provided in confidence and its status will also be considered as part of our review.

  Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to propose further amendments to the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill. [122287]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  As I indicated in the debate on the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill on 8 May 2000,Official Report, columns 608–10, I do intend to add a new Schedule to the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill listing the public authorities which may use directed
  54W
  surveillance and covert sources. There will be other changes related to the use and oversight of these powers in Scotland and Northern Ireland. I also expect a very small number of minor and technical amendments. The Government continue to engage with interested parties, including industry, and look forward to consideration of the Bill by the other place. These discussions may lead to further amendments.

  Constabulary Inspectorate
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the manual explaining the new inspection model for HM Inspectorate of Constabulary has been published. [122285]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The manual explaining the new inspection model for Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary has not been published. However, the manual has been sent to all police forces and police authorities and copies have been placed in the Library.

  Public Relations and Marketing
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officials in his Department were engaged in public relations and marketing work in(a) March 1997 and (b) March 2000. [122286]

  Mr. Straw
  The nearest monthly figures I am able to provide are for April 1997 when there were a total of eight information and senior information officers employed in Home Office Publicity.

  There was a total of eight information and senior information officers employed in Home Office Publicity in March 2000.

  Police College, Hendon
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the residential and non-residential training courses provided by the Police College at Hendon since January and the number of officers attending each course. [122272]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information requested is given in the tables, provided by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.

  Course title

  Number of Courses

  Number of attending

  Non-residential training courses provided by the Police College at Hendon since January 2000

  1 Armoured Landrover

  4

  12

  2 CAD Module

  12

  119

  3 Check Tests

  7

  8

  4 CJU Financial Awareness

  2

  15

  5 Control Room Foundation

  3

  20

  6 Control Room Trainer

  3

  20

  7 Controller Module

  5

  35

  8 Covert Blues and Twos

  11

  51

  9 Crime Prevention Design Adviser

  2

  20

  10 CRIMINT

  3

  22

  11 Drivers Assessors Programme

  8

  34

  12 HOLMES (Non-Residential)

  26

  209

  13 Intranet Publisher

  6

  53

  14 Introduction to Management

  4

  51

  15 Introduction to Training Assessment

  4

  48

  16 INUIT

  11

  101

  55W

  Course title

  Number of courses

  Number attending

  17 Leadership

  1

  12

  18 Managing Change

  1

  7

  19 Managing Team

  1

  6

  20 MSS Trainer

  2

  15

  21 Officer Safety Instructor Training

  2

  37

  22 Officer Safety Instructor Stage 1 Development

  21

  265

  23 OTIS V4 Trainer

  22

  180

  24 Performance Management

  2

  12

  25 PIMS

  2

  13

  26 PNC Module

  12

  120

  27 PNC on OTIS Trainer

  3

  18

  28 PNC Operator

  4

  34

  29 Presentation Skills

  1

  6

  30 Probationary Standard Response

  11

  90

  31 Problem Solving and Decision Making

  1

  6

  32 PSIS

  4

  33

  33 Radio Telephony

  59

  279

  34 Recruit Foundation Course for Traffic Wardens

  2

  17

  35 Role Players Training for Traffic Wardens

  1

  7

  36 RSIS

  5

  38

  37 Standard Response (Assessed)

  19

  85

  38 Street Duty Tutor for Traffic Wardens

  1

  12

  39 Tough Interviewing

  1

  6

  40 Trainer Development Part 1

  5

  49

  41 Trainer Development Part 2

  1

  11

  42 Trainer Foundation Part 3

  3

  29

  43 Tutoring and Coaching

  1

  8

  Total

  299

  2,213

  Residential Training Courses provided by the Police College at Hendon since January 2000:

  1 Advanced Traffic Patrol

  2

  15

  2 Advanced Car

  7

  61

  3 Audocrime

  7

  60

  4 Community Safety Unit

  3

  83

  5 Company Fraud and Financial Investigation

  1

  10

  6 Custody Officer

  16

  192

  7 Detective Foundation

  2

  153

  8 Family Liaison

  1

  16

  9 Financial Intelligence

  1

  15

  10 HOLMES (residential)

  4

  50

  11 Inspectors Foundation

  4

  36

  12 National Autocrime

  4

  32

  13 National Negotiators

  1

  20

  14 National Protection

  2

  12

  15 National Undercover Course

  1

  20

  16 Pre-Surveillance (Fast Car)

  2

  12

  17 PSU Carrier

  10

  60

  18 Response Motorcyle

  6

  54

  19 Scence Management and Examination Course

  1

  14

  20 Senior Investigating Officer

  5

  65

  21 Senior Investigating Officers Development

  1

  15

  22 Sergeants Foundation

  11

  128

  23 Sexual Offences Investigative Techniques

  3

  45

  24 Standard Accident Investigation

  4

  31

  25 Standard Financial Investigation

  2

  30

  26 Standard Traffic Patrol

  4

  29

  27 Surveillance

  2

  24

  28 Test Purchases

  2

  53

  29 TRAFFAC

  3

  22

  Total

  112

  1,357

  56W

  Police recruit intakes (residential) training courses provided by the Police College at Hendon since January 2000

  Intake date

  Number attending

  4 January

  108

  7 February

  62

  13 March

  65

  17 April

  98

  28 May

  1125

  2 July

  1125

  6 August

  1125

  10 September

  1125

  15 October

  1125

  19 November

  1125

  24 December

  1125

  1These numbers are target numbers

  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the monthly recruitment intake target for the Police College at Hendon for 2000–01. [122277]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information requested is shown in the following table, provided by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.

  Month

  Target

  April

  100

  May

  125

  July

  125

  August

  125

  September

  125

  October

  125

  November

  125

  December

  125

  February-2001

  130

  March-2001

  130

  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officers applied to join training at the Police College at Hendon in the April and May intakes. [122274]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Commissioner of the Police of the Metropolis tells me that 98 applicants began training at Hendon on 17 April 2000. The exact figure for the next intake will not be known until the course begins on 28 May: the intake target is 125.

  Warrants
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) interception warrants and (b) modifications of warrants he authorised in 1999. [122280]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The annual reports of the Commissioner appointed under the Interception of Communications Act 1985 list the number of interception warrants issued by the Home Secretary in the course of each year. The report of the Interception of Communications Commissioner for 1999 has not yet been published. However, as in 1998, the Commissioner Lord Nolan has agreed to release the figures requested in advance of publication. The numbers to be published are:

  (a) 1,734

  (b) 565

  Special Constables
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables were recruited by each police force in England and Wales, and how many left, between 30 September 1999 and 31 December 1999. [122298]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  These figures are collected from police forces on a half-yearly basis as at 30 September and 31 March each financial year. The latest period for which figures are available is 1 April 1999 to 30 September 1999. The number of special constables in each police force area in England and Wales who were recruited and who left during that period were:

  Force

  Recruited

  Left

  Avon and Somerset

  14

  79

  Bedfordshire

  11

  17

  Cambridgeshire

  29

  31

  Cheshire

  8

  29

  City of London

  8

  6

  Cleveland

  9

  18

  Cumbria

  11

  22

  Derbyshire

  15

  29

  Devon and Cornwall

  75

  60

  Dorset

  15

  16

  Durham

  24

  15

  Dyfed-Powys

  6

  19

  Essex

  38

  43

  Gloucestershire

  6

  9

  Greater Manchester

  53

  78

  Gwent

  6

  9

  Hampshire

  73

  113

  Hertfordshire

  21

  21

  Humberside

  14

  15

  Kent

  54

  96

  Lancashire

  20

  38

  Leicestershire

  18

  31

  Lincolnshire

  14

  8

  Merseyside

  41

  3

  Metropolitan Police

  11

  39

  Norfolk

  23

  43

  Northamptonshire

  13

  28

  Northumbria

  27

  37

  North Wales

  10

  67

  North Yorkshire

  22

  33

  Nottinghamshire

  13

  21

  South Wales

  12

  21

  South Yorkshire

  20

  34

  Staffordshire

  20

  21

  Suffolk

  53

  53

  Surrey

  8

  26

  Sussex

  19

  51

  Thames Valley

  35

  63

  Warwickshire

  15

  38

  West Mercia

  46

  24

  West Midlands

  55

  53

  West Yorkshire

  93

  80

  Wiltshire

  11

  13

  Total

  1,059

  1,555

  1A number of successful applicants were awaiting a training course towards the end of 1999 and were not counted as recruited until the course commenced.

  2Due to boundary restructuring applications during the relevant period were not processed until the end of 1999.

  The figures have been supplied by the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate.

  We are addressing the decline in numbers. In March we funded a two-week national radio and press recruitment campaign at a cost of £700,000. We have commissioned
  58W
  some research into what attracts people to the Special Constabulary to help inform the next phase of recruitment activity. The findings are due shortly. In addition, in the next few months we will be providing better sick pay arrangements for injury on duty and improving expenses and allowances. We will also be introducing a scheme to give special constables access to free legal advice and representation if subject to criminal, civil or disciplinary proceedings.

  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables there were in each police force in England and Wales on 31 December 1999. [122301]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The latest date for which figures are available is 30 September 1999. The number of special constables in post in each police force area in England and Wales on that date was:

  Special constables in post on 30 September 1999

  Force

  Number

  Avon and Somerset

  482

  Bedfordshire

  148

  Cambridgeshire

  293

  Cheshire

  358

  City of London

  66

  Cleveland

  108

  Cumbria

  193

  Derbyshire

  303

  Devon and Cornwall

  908

  Dorset

  287

  Durham

  169

  Dyfed-Powys

  237

  Essex

  528

  Gloucestershire

  221

  Greater Manchester

  498

  Gwent

  110

  Hampshire

  720

  Hertfordshire

  232

  Humberside

  263

  Kent

  484

  Lancashire

  397

  Leicestershire

  303

  Lincolnshire

  218

  Merseyside

  467

  Metropolitan Police

  1,173

  Norfolk

  317

  Northamptonshire

  210

  Northumbria

  356

  North Wales

  262

  North Yorkshire

  245

  Nottinghamshire

  405

  South Wales

  331

  South Yorkshire

  236

  Staffordshire

  460

  Suffolk

  420

  Surrey

  205

  Sussex

  377

  Thames Valley

  514

  Warwickshire

  260

  West Mercia

  512

  West Midlands

  697

  West Yorkshire

  572

  Wiltshire

  182

  Total

  15,727

  The figures have been supplied by the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate.

  Metropolitan Police Officers
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many constables have had less than two years police service in the Metropolitan police in each month since January. [122271]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information requested is given in the table, provided by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis:

  Constables with less than two years police service since January 2000

  Month

  Total

  January

  2,221

  February

  2,205

  March

  2,242

  April

  2,326

  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers in the Metropolitan police have(a) resigned, (b) applied to retire on ill health grounds or have retired and (c) transferred to another force since 1 January. [122273]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that since 1 January 2000, 130 of his officers have resigned, 89 have retired on ill-health grounds and 107 have transferred to other forces.

  Metropolitan Police Stations
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the police stations in the Metropolitan police area which(a) closed and (b) reduced hours in 1999. [122288]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that six police stations closed during 1999: Biggin Hill, Chislehurst, Westcombe Park, Collier Row, Lee Road and Barnes. A further six reduced opening hours: Muswell Hill, Highgate, St. Ann's, Brockley, Banstead (now part of Surrey Constabulary) and Tooting.

  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the police stations in the Metropolitan police area which are planned(a) to close and (b) to reduce hours in 2000. [122289]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that Putney police station closed in January of this year. No further closures are planned for 2000. Opening hours will be reduced at Shepherd's Bush and Stratford.

  Police Numbers (Wastage)
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what wastage in police numbers has taken place since September 1999 in each police force; and if he will make a statement. [122279]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Information about wastage and other changes in police numbers, between 30 September 1999 and 31 March 2000, is not yet complete as a number of forces are still to submit returns. We plan to publish 60W
  data on police numbers as soon as they are complete and have been verified. Our current plans are to publish these data by 30 June.

  Metropolitan Police (Civilian Staff)
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civilian staff there have been in the Metropolitan Police Service in each month since January. [122276]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information requested is given in the table, provided by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.

  Month

  Civil staff (full-time equivalent)

  January

  10,791

  February

  10,782

  March

  10,759

  April

  10,666

  Press Officers
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many press officers were employed by his Department in(a) March 1997 and (b) March 2000. [122299]

  Mr. Straw
  The nearest monthly figures I am able to provide are for April 1997 when there were 14 press officers employed in the Home Office press office. This figure includes one trainee, a Higher Executive Officer and a Chief Immigration Officer on secondment.

  As at March 2000 there were 17. This figure includes three trainees, a Chief Immigration Officer and a Higher Executive Officer on secondment to the Home Office Press Office.

  Traffic Wardens
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many traffic wardens there have been in the Metropolitan Police Service area in each month since January. [122275]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information requested is given in the table, provided by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.

  Month

  Metropolitan Polic Service traffic wardens

  January

  845

  February

  837

  March

  826

  April

  809

  Bramshill National Police Training
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the equal opportunities audit of the Extended Interview Process to attend Bramshill National Police Training will be completed; and if he intends to publish the report. [122282]
  61W
  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The report should be circulated to interested stakeholders in July after validation of the research data.

  There are no plans for the report to be published more widely but I will arrange for the hon. Member to receive a copy when it is circulated.

  Police (DNA Samples)
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces in England and Wales(a) invites and (b) requires their officers to give DNA samples; and if he will make a statement. [122270]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  At the Police Advisory Board meeting on 2 February 2000, agreement was reached on the terms of a protocol governing the establishment of a voluntary Police Personnel DNA Elimination Database to aid the elimination of innocent contamination at crime scenes by front line police staff.

  The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has written to forces to request the sampling of nominated front line staff by 31 May. All sampling for the Elimination Database is voluntary.

  Crime Reduction Partnerships
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to improve the attendance of(a) social services departments and (b) health authorities at meetings of crime reduction partnerships; and if he will make a statement. [122283]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  We have put in place a support programme for local crime and disorder reduction partnerships, part of which is aimed at maximising the involvement of all the statutory partners. As an example, we have recently launched a series of conferences organised jointly by the Home Office and the National Health Service Executive, for health service managers to increase awareness of the mutual advantages of partnerships working under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.

  Crime Fighting Fund
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers are planned to be recruited in each police force area under the Crime Fighting Fund in the first two years of the scheme. [122281]

  Mr. Straw
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the right hon. Member for Maidstone and The Weald (Miss Widdecombe), on 6 April 2000,Official Report, columns 595–96W. I hope to make the promised announcement shortly.

  Police Helicopters
  Ms Julie Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 8 May 2000,Official Report, column 314W, on police use of helicopters, how many of the 200 arrests led to successful prosecutions. [122237]
  62W
  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Overseas Visitors (Financial Bonds)
  Mr. Mudie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will announce(a) the implementation date and (b) the level of financial bonds for overseas visitors. [121714]

  Mrs. Roche
  The proposed pilot study for financial bonds for visitors will begin in October. I hope to make an announcement on the design of the pilot study, including the level of the financial bond, very soon.

  Election Turnouts
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of experiments aimed at increasing voter turnout in elections. [122008]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Under the terms of the Representation of the People Act 2000, responsibility for evaluating the recent electoral pilot schemes rests with the local authorities concerned and we do not wish to prejudge that process.

  Early indications are that the all-postal ballot schemes had the most significant impact on voter turnout. However, this is not, of course, the only measure of success: the evaluation reports will also be concerned with such issues as ease of voting and increased administrative efficiency.

  London Mayoral Election
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what(a) written and (b) oral instructions were given to voters on how to vote using the supplementary vote system at the election for Mayor of London; whether voters were explicitly informed at any stage that they were not obliged to indicate more than one preference; and if he will make a statement; [121815]

  (2) if he, his Ministers or his officials (a) approved and (b) were informed of the wording of the instructions to voters on the supplementary vote system used in the election for Mayor of London that were (i) printed on ballot papers, (ii) displayed in polling stations and (iii) to be given orally to voters; [121959]

  (3) what discussions he, his Ministers or his officials have had with, and what representations he has received from (a) the Greater London Returning Officer, (b) Ministers and officials in the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and (c) other persons regarding the wording of the instructions used at the election for Mayor of London; and if he will make a statement; [121832]

  (4) what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the instruction to voters on the ballot paper and in polling booths to indicate two preferences in the election for Mayor of London with the provisions of the European Convention on Human Rights; for what reason voters were not informed (a) on the ballot paper, (b) in the

  63W
  polling booth and (c) by staff at polling stations that they were not obliged to indicate two preferences; and if he will make a statement. [121818]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The wording to be printed on the Mayoral ballot papers and to be displayed in polling stations was set out in the Greater London Authority Elections (No. 2) Rules 2000 (SI 2000/427) which were approved by both Houses of Parliament. We have no reason to believe they were not compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights.

  It has never been the practice to issue central instructions to polling station staff on what they should say to voters and none were issued on this occasion.

  Proportional Representation
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research his Department has conducted into the number of spoilt ballot papers under systems of proportional representation; and if he will make a statement. [122035]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  [holding answer 12 May 2000]: Approximately 0.3 per cent. of the ballot papers that were issued at the European Parliamentary elections and the Scottish Parliamentary elections last year were spoilt, broadly the same percentage as at the 1997 general election. I am advised that the figure for the elections to the Greater London Authority were significantly higher largely because a large number of ballot papers were left blank.

  St. George's Day
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what preparations, at what cost, Government Departments made for celebrating St. George's Day this year. [120867]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  [holding answer 8 May 2000]: Although Government Departments did not officially celebrate St. George's Day this year, I understand that some embassies and missions overseas and some English Heritage properties took the opportunity to give a St. George's Day theme to events taking place at that time. I further understand that the Coldstream Guards and possibly some other English regiments normally celebrate the Day, at the expense of regimental funds rather than the defence budget.

  Drug Treatment and Testing Orders
  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made on drug treatment and testing orders; and if he will make a statement. [122508]

  Mr. Straw
  The order was piloted in three areas: Croydon, Liverpool and Gloucestershire. The pilots ended on 31 March 2000. The final evaluation is being undertaken by the South Bank University and is expected to be available in early July. I intend to publish that evaluation.
  64W
  The Government have made available £20 million in 2000–01 and £40 million 2001–02 under the Comprehensive Spending Review to fund Drug Treatment and Testing Orders (DTTOs). Most of this money is being channelled through probation services, ring-fenced for the purpose, and each area has been advised of its allocation. Services have been instructed to prepare for roll out of the order subject to the final evaluation, and their preparations are well under way.

  We have indicated to probation services that, subject to satisfactory evaluation, the roll out should commence in October 2000. Although the final evaluation is not yet to hand, it is clear that the overall impact of DTTOs in the pilot areas has been very positive: both offending and expenditure on illegal drugs by those subject to the order has reduced markedly. In order to allow both probation services and their partner treatment agencies the maximum time to prepare with certainty, we have decided that, as we are confident as to the outcome of the final evaluation, we should make an early decision on national roll out. The Government have, therefore, decided that the order will be rolled out to all areas in England and Wales with effect from 1 October 2000.

  On Track Crime Reduction
  Mr. Burgon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will announce the areas that have been selected to participate in the On Track Crime Reduction Programme. [122441]

  Mr. Boateng
  I am pleased to announce today that 24 areas have been selected to participate in the On Track programme.

  The On Track programme is a long-term crime reduction programme aimed at children between four and 12 years who are at risk of offending. It is a central element of the Government's Crime Reduction Programme's agenda on tackling the causes of crime. Eighty local authorities were invited last December to participate in the programme. The 24 areas have been selected from 76.

  The objective will be to establish in each pilot area an enhanced range of evidenced-based preventive services. These will include family support training, home visiting, pre-school education, parent-school partnerships, family therapy and specialist interventions. There will be intensive inter-agency co-operation so that children at risk of offending are identified early and they and their families provided with consistent services through the child's development.

  The following areas have been selected to participate in the programme:

  Bradford

  Brent

  Bristol

  Brighton and Hove

  Bury St. Edmunds (Suffolk)

  Easington (Durham)

  Greenwich

  Haringey

  Kerrier (Cornwall)

  Luton

  Manchester

  65W

  Northampton (Northamptonshire)

  Oldham

  Portsmouth

  Rochdale

  Sandwell

  Scarborough (North Yorkshire)

  Sheffield

  Solihull

  Southwark

  Sunderland

  66W

  Wirral

  Wales:

  Bridgend

  Rhondda Cynon Taff

  I have written to the Members for these areas in whose constituencies the pilot areas fall.

  The On Track programme will establish an effective and cohesive programme of early prevention in these communities. It will have a real impact on youth crime in the areas concerned and provide valuable information on what works best in terms of early prevention.

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