Written Answers of 22 May 2000

CABINET OFFICE

  Information Technology
  Ms Coffey
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when the report on the handling of major Government IT projects will be published. [123285]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  We are publishing the report "Successful IT: Modernising Government In Action" today, and have placed copies in the Libraries of the House.

  This Government are committed to delivering improvements and avoiding the mistakes of the past. The report makes a series of recommendations to put in place the pillars that support successful IT projects. They include measures to:
  Make sure all projects have a single person who is responsible for delivery and for making sure new IT is seen as part of a wider process of business change.
  Improve skills particularly in project management.
  Reduce risks by using modular and incremental approaches to projects.
  Put in place systems for monitoring the progress of projects and learning lessons from experience.
  Establish peer reviews of high risk projects.

  The Government will implement all the recommendations and the report sets out a plan for achieving this. The E-Envoy will own the report and inform me of progress towards putting the recommendations into practice.

  Medals
  Mr. Healey
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) if she will(a) place in the Library and (b) publish the papers prepared for the Committee for Honours, Medals and Decorations in its consideration of the case for the award of the General Service Medal for service in Northern Ireland between 14 August 1969 and a date to be agreed; [122550]

  (2) if she will (a) place in the Library and (b) publish the papers prepared for the Committee for Honours, Medals and Decorations in its consideration of the case for the award of the General Service Medal for service in Kuwait between 8 March 1991 and 30 September 1991; [122538]

  (3) if she will (a) place in the Library and (b) publish the papers prepared for the Committee for Honours, Medals and Decorations in its consideration of the case for the award of the General Service Medal for military service in Air Operations Iraq between 16 July 1991 and a date to be agreed; [122542]
  314W
  (4) if she will publish the minutes of the meeting of the Committee for Honours, Medals and Decorations at which it agreed the case for the award of a clasp to the General Service Medal for military service in Lebanon between 7 February 1983 and 9 March 1984; [122543]

  (5) if she will (a) place in the Library and (b) publish the papers prepared for the Committee for Honours, Medals and Decorations in its consideration of the case for the award of the General Service Medal for service in Kuwait between 8 March 1991 and 30 September 1991; [122546]

  (6) if she will (a) place in the Library and (b) publish the papers prepared for the Committee for Honours, Medals and Decorations in its consideration of the case for the award of the General Service Medal for service in the Gulf between 17 November 1986 and 31 October 1998 and for continuing mine counter measures operations within the Gulf between 1 November 1998 and 28 February 1999; [122547]

  (7) if she will (a) place in the Library and (b) publish the papers prepared for the Committee for Honours, Medals and Decorations in its consideration of the case for the award of the Clasp Dhofar for service between 1 October 1969 and 30 September 1976; [122552]

  (8) if she will publish the minutes of the meeting of the Committee for Honours, Medals and Decorations at which it agreed the case for the award of a clasp to the General Service Medal for military service in the Gulf of Suez between 15 August 1984 and 15 October 1984; [122545]

  (9) if she will publish the minutes of the meeting of the Committee for Honours, Medals and Decorations at which it agreed the case for the award of a clasp to the General Service Medal for military service in Northern Ireland between 14 August 1969 and a date to be agreed; [122549]

  (10) if she will publish the minutes of the meeting of the Committee for Honours, Medals and Decorations at which it agreed the award of a clasp to the General Service Medal for military service in Kuwait between 8 March 1991 and 30 September 1991; [122537]

  (11) if she will publish the minutes of the meeting of the Committee for Honours, Medals and Decorations at which it agreed the case for the award of a clasp to the General Service Medal for military service in Air Operations Iraq between 16 July 1991 and a date to be agreed; [122541]

  (12) if she will publish the minutes of the meeting of the Committee for Honours, Medals and Decorations at which it agreed the case for the award of a clasp to the General Service Medal for military service in the Gulf between 17 November 1986 and 31 October 1988 and for continuing mine counter measures operations within the Gulf between 1 November 1998 and 28 February 1999; [122548]
  315W
  (13) if she will (a) place in the Library and (b) publish the papers prepared for the Committee for Honours, Medals and Decorations in its consideration of the case for the award of the General Service Medal for service in Northern Iraq and Southern Turkey between 6 April 1991 and 17 July 1991; [122540]

  (14) if she will (a) place in the Library and (b) publish the papers prepared for the Committee for Honours, Medals and Decorations in its consideration of the case for the award of the General Service Medal for service in Lebanon between 7 February 1983 and 9 March 1984; [122544]

  (15) if she will publish the minutes of the meeting of the Committee for Honours, Medals and Decorations at which it agreed the case for the award of a Clasp Dhofar for military service between 1 October 1969 and 30 September 1976; [122551]

  (16) if she will publish the minutes of the meeting of the Committee for Honours, Medals and Decorations at which it agreed the case for the award of a clasp to the General Service Medal for military service in Northern Iraq and Southern Turkey between 6 April 1991 and 17 July 1991. [122539]

  Dr. Moonie
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Committee on the Grant of Honours, Decorations and Medals is a committee established at the request of The Sovereign that reports directly to The Queen. I have therefore asked the Chairman of the Committee, Sir Richard Wilson, to write to my hon. Friend. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

PRIME MINISTER

  Ministerial Meetings
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Prime Minister what requests he has received from overseas Governments for meetings in Britain between himself and representatives of these Governments between 19 May and 12 June; and which such meetings will take place. [122792]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 19 May 2000]: It is established practice under exemption 1(c) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information not to disclose information received in confidence from foreign Governments. As with previous Administrations, it is not our practice to provide information on calls until they are announced officially, both here and in the visitor's home country.

  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the official visits to Britain by senior representatives of overseas Governments which are due to take place between 19 May and 12 June. [122793]
  316W
  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 19 May 2000]: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is organising the following official visits to Britain by senior representatives of overseas governments which are due to take place between 19 May and 12 June:

  President of Italy (31 May–1 June)

  President of the Philippines (1–5 June)

  State Secretary for Water, Hungary (29 May–2 June)

  Minister for Higher Education, Uzbekistan (5–8 June)

  Minister of Defence, Tanzania (1–3 June)

  Minister of the State Environmental Protection Administration, China (20–25 May)

  Vice Minister of Construction, China (22–28 May)

  Minister of the State Administration for Radio, Film and Television, China (28 May–1 June)

  Minister of Labour and Social Security, China (28 May–1 June)

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Zambia
  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of progress in the establishment of community schools in Zambia. [121778]

  Clare Short
  Community schools in Zambia provide an important service for disadvantaged children. They have grown rapidly, from 53 in 1996 to 373 last year. My officials are working with the Ministry of Education and other donor partners to ensure that their needs are reflected in a joint education sector support programme.

  EC Programmes
  Mr. Robathan
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the Annual report of the Department for International Development, Cm 4610, para 4.22, relating to the part of DFID's budget spent through EC programmes, what procedures were used in accounting for this money by her Department. [121837]

  Clare Short
  The UK contribution to the European Union Budget, including development spending, is paid from the Consolidated Fund to an EC account held in the UK. These payments are administered by the Treasury.

  For our European Development Fund (EDF) payments, which are made quarterly, my Department is notified by the EDF of the required amount shortly before payment is required. It is made to DFID's euro account at the Bank of England. When the EDF need to call down these funds, they notify my Department, which writes to the Bank of England authorising transfer to the EDF account.

  Audit of all EC expenditure, including development programmes, is carried out by the Court of Auditors. I have access to their report, which is also scrutinised by the National Audit Office.

  Rwanda
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her Department's priorities are in Rwanda for the financial year 2000–01. [122691]
  317W
  Clare Short
  Last week I made my third visit to Rwanda and saw for myself the progress being made by the Government and the people to overcome the legacy of genocide. I also saw evidence of the severe challenges which Rwanda must overcome if the Government's objectives for poverty elimination, peace and reconciliation are to be achieved. My Department's main priority in Rwanda for 2000–01 is to work with Government in a collaborative effort to meet these challenges.

  We will support Government's own efforts to develop the poverty reduction strategies needed to secure HIPC debt relief. We will provide flexible recurrent budget support to facilitate increased social sector spending, particularly on education and will expand our capacity building support to help Government strengthen its social sector planning and delivery mechanisms. We will be supporting Government's efforts to improve skills at all levels and will be helping Government take full advantage of new opportunities in the field of information and communications technology.

  We plan to hold development talks with Government later this year to discuss the detail of future UK support and to develop further the positive dialogue already established on a range of economic, social and political challenges facing Government.

  India (Dalit Community)
  Mr. McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance is provided by her Department for the Dalit community in India. [120299]

  Clare Short
  The Indian constitution provides dalits (scheduled castes) with a range of guarantees of equality and affirmative action. Yet, while policies and a wide range of government schemes exist to provide them with services, patchy implementation and discriminatory social attitudes continue to retard progress. DFID is working with government to improve services and to demonstrate and replicate systems to promote access for scheduled castes and other marginalised groups.

  For example, DFID supports the District Primary Education Programme (DPEP), which is designed to increase access to quality primary education for all, with special measures to reach scheduled castes and other marginalised groups such as scheduled tribes.

  We also support efforts to empower individuals and groups from scheduled castes and other marginalised communities. DFID's Poorest Areas Civil Society Programme aims to support civil society initiatives which empower poor people in the poorest districts to realise their rights. Scheduled castes will be a major target group for this programme which will support initiatives in five areas: self-governance; women's empowerment; policy advocacy; social cohesion; and self help to meet basic needs.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

  Opinion Research
  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Solicitor-General how much his Department spent on opinion research in the financial year 1999–2000. [123251]

  The Solicitor-General
  Nothing was spent on opinion research, by which is understood opinion research for marketing purposes, in the financial year 1999–2000.

  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Solicitor-General if he will list opinion research projects undertaken on behalf of his Department in the financial year 1999–2000 itemising(a) focus group research, (b) quantitative surveys and (c) other market research surveys and in each case stating when and where the results were published. [123252]

  The Solicitor-General
  No opinion research projects were undertaken by my Department during the financial year 1999–2000.

DEFENCE

  Naval Vessels
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the planned service life of(a) HMS London, (b) HMS Beaver, (c) HMS Boxer and (d) HMS Brave; and what was the forecast date for withdrawal from Royal Navy service, prior to the decision in the Strategic Defence Review to dispose of them. [121704]

  Mr. Spellar
  The planned service for each ship was 18 years. The additional information is given in the table.

  Ship

  Pre-SDR date for withdrawal

  HMS London

  28 February 2005

  HMS Beaver

  31 December 2002

  HMS Boxer

  31 January 2002

  HMS Brave

  29 February 2004

  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what have been the running costs of each of the Royal Navy's Type 42 destroyers for each of the past five years. [121706]

  Mr. Spellar
  The running costs of each of the Royal Naval's Type 42 destroyers for each of the past five years are contained in the following table. This includes repair and maintenance, manpower, fuel and other costs such as port and harbour dues. Year-on-year variations are largely attributable to refit periods.

  £ million

  Ship

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  HMS Birmingham

  32.28

  16.92

  17.38

  13.38

  10.39

  HMS Cardiff

  19.86

  41.2

  28.86

  13.20

  17.87

  HMS Newcastle

  32.60

  31.60

  18.57

  13.90

  13.73

  HMS Glasgow

  14.70

  29.47

  26.36

  13.61

  12.65

  HMS Exeter

  19.46

  15.72

  40.83

  12.76

  14.48

  HMS Southampton

  16.53

  20.37

  17.91

  39.09

  18.79

  HMS Nottingham

  18.70

  17.24

  19.08

  13.08

  32.74

  HMS Liverpool

  16.92

  20.75

  14.59

  14.79

  14.63

  319W

  £ million

  Ship

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  HMS Manchester

  17.99

  19.40

  14.58

  12.22

  12.69

  HMS Gloucester

  19.33

  19.40

  13.89

  21.49

  15.77

  HMS Edinburgh

  35.27

  19.29

  22.50

  13.00

  12.28

  HMS York

  20.48

  19.79

  17.50

  11.78

  21.88

  DERA
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under what terms and conditions staff from the DERA workforce will be transferred to a new organisation after the split of DERA; if the conditions of service for those who remain will stay the same; and if he will make a statement. [122380]

  Mr. Hoon
  Staff transferring to the NewDERA organisation would have their terms and conditions protected under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) (TUPE) regulations. This means that staff transferring to the private NewDERA organisation would transfer with their existing terms and conditions. The Cabinet Office "Statement of Practice on Staff Transfers in the Public Sector" covers the conditions of service for staff remaining in the Ministry of Defence. The principle is that these staff should be treated no less favourably than if TUPE regulations had been applied to them. These matters are part of the consultation process on DERA PPP which is currently underway and which is scheduled to be completed on 9 June 2000.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the name, size and location of DERA-owned sites within the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement; [122378]

  (2) what plans there are to sell part of the land held by the DERA estate before the part sell-off of DERA; and if he will make a statement. [122386]

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

  Letter from John Chisholm to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 22 May 2000:
  I am replying to your parliamentary questions about the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) estate as responsibility for operational matters such as these fall to me as the Chief Executive of the agency.
  I attach at annex a list showing the name, size and location of DERA owned sites within the United Kingdom. These sites where the freehold of either all or part of the land has been vested to DERA. You ask what plans there are to sell part of this land before the privatisation of the agency. As you know, the future of DERA is currently the subject of a consultation document. MOD's proposals envisage that around three quarters of DERA would be turned into a company (for planning purposes this is referred to as NewDERA) which would be floated on the stockmarket as soon as its potential is judged to be suitably developed. This could be during 2001, though the precise timing has yet to be determined and will be influenced by the results of the consultation process.
  In parallel to this process, as part of our normal strategic planning, the estate, as you would expect, is kept under continuous review. This process is expected to continue regardless of any privatisation considerations. As the precise transaction point for NewDERA has yet to be decided, I cannot say whether any currently planned land sales would take place before or after any flotation. We have, however, been planning to sell off the Chertsey and Bromley
  320W
  (Aquila) sites since 1997; these announcements were first made public in the 1998 Strategic Defence Review. The timing of these disposals will depend on progress with respect to the relocation of our staff and our negotiations with the local authorities. In addition, two smaller sites (West Drayton and Farnborough Queen's site) are to be closed in May and September, respectively, of this year. Whilst they are likely to be sold, no firm dates have been fixed for this disposal. Thus, the total number of sites that potentially could be sold prior to any proposed flotation of DERA is four.
  I hope the above explains the situation.

  List of DERA owned sites

  Name

  Size1

  Location

  Cody Site

  150

  Farnborough, Hants

  Queen's Gate Site

  2

  Farnborough, Hants

  Engine Test Facilities

  230

  Pyestock, Hants

  Communication Station

  75

  Cobbet Hill, Guildford, Surrey

  Boscombe Down Airfield

  585

  Boscombe Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire

  Chemical and Biological Defence (CBD)

  2,620

  Porton Down, Salisbury, Wiltshire

  DERA Fort Halstead

  135

  Sevenoaks, Kent

  DERA Chertsey

  120

  Chertsey, Surrey

  The Maultway

  100

  Bagshot, Surrey

  Aquila

  10

  Bromley, Kent

  DERA Bedford

  70

  Clapham, Bedford

  Christchurch2

  3

  Christchurch, Dorset

  DERA Portsdown

  13

  Portsdown, Hants

  DERA Bincleaves

  3

  Weymouth, Dorset

  DERA Fraser

  1

  Eastney, Portsmouth, Hants

  DERA Funtington

  16

  Chichester, West Sussex

  DERA Haslar2

  30

  Gosport, Hants

  DERA West Drayton

  2

  West Drayton, Middx

  DERA Malvern

  30

  Malvern, Worcs

  Angle

  20

  Pembrokeshire

  Hutton Moor

  6

  North Somerset

  DERA Aberporth

  170

  Aberport Ceredigion

  DERA Pershore

  130

  Pershore, Worcs

  Applecross

  2

  Highland

  Kyle of Lochalsh

  2

  Highland

  Loch Fyne

  1

  Argyll and Bute

  Loch Goil

  3

  Argyll

  Clyde Barons Point

  1

  Argyll and Bute

  Clyde Rosneath

  3

  Rosneath

  Drunmore Harbour pier

  0.3

  Dumfries and Galloway

  DERA Eskmeals2

  1,600

  Cumbria

  DERA Pendine

  2,240

  Carmarthenshire

  Portpatrick

  0.1

  Dumfries and Galloway

  Portland Bill

  10

  Weymouth

  Portland Grove Point

  0.1

  Weymouth

  Rona Ranges

  60

  Kyle of Lochalsh, Ross-shire

  DERA Shoeburyness

  17,270

  Southend-on-Sea, Essex

  Potton Island

  400

  Essex

  Foulness Island

  70

  Essex

  West Freugh

  1,850

  Dumfries and Galloway

  DERA Hurn

  260

  East Dorset

  Llanbedr

  465

  Llanbedr, Gwynedd

  1 Approximate hectares

  2 These sites are a mixture of freehold and leased land

  Note:

  Sizes are approximate and have been rounded

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what assessment he has made of the extent to which the part-privatisation of DERA will lead to(a) compulsory and (b) voluntary redundancies; and if he will make a statement; [122978]

  (2) what arrangements have been put in place to meet the costs of possible redundancies at DERA following the part-privatisation. [122979]
  321W
  Mr. Hoon
  It has never been an objective of the Public Private Partnership for DERA to reduce staff numbers and indeed the opportunities provided by this process to develop new markets for DERA's products should have a positive effect on job prospects.

  Staff numbers within DERA have varied in response to customer requirements and changes in the funding available for defence research. There has been such rebalancing in DERA over the last seven to eight years. This process is independent of PPP and would be expected to continue. As a general rule we would seek to avoid compulsory redundancies wherever possible. However, this would be subject to the need to ensure that the organisation can continue to meet the requirements placed by the Ministry of Defence and other customers.

  Aircraft Carriers
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the latest position in respect of the two new aircraft carriers planned for the Royal Navy; what is his assessment of the costs of the programme; if the programme is up to date; and if he will make a statement. [122975]

  Mr. Hoon
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friends the Members for Ilford, North (Ms Perham) and for Plymouth, Sutton (Mrs. Gilroy) on 17 April 2000,Official Report, columns 678–80.

  Gulf Veterans
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the Gulf Veterans Medical Assessment Programme; and if he will make a statement. [122928]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Gulf Veterans Medical Assessment Programme (GVMAP) was established in 1993 to provide as full a diagnosis as possible to UK veterans of the 1990–91 Gulf conflict who are concerned about their health. The GVMAP continues to see new patients and to date 2,991 veterans have been seen. GVMAP offer patients an appointment within four to six weeks of referral.

  A management audit of the GVMAP was undertaken by King's Fund Health Quality Service in late 1998. This was concerned with all aspects of patient care and the service provided. The auditors were impressed with the organisation of the GVMAP and the enthusiasm and commitment of the staff to the provision of a high quality service. However, the auditors made a number of specific recommendations for improving the service. In January the Gulf Veterans Illnesses Unit published a report detailing the progress made by GVMAP in implementing the auditors' recommendations. The Royal College of Pathologists are in the process of reporting on the clinical procedures used at the GVMAP.

  A paper describing the clinical findings from the first 1,000 patients examined at the GVMAP was published in the British Medical Journal in January 1999. A follow-up paper on the next 1,000 patients will be submitted for publication shortly.
  322W
  In its continuing support of research into Gulf veterans illnesses, the GVMAP is providing anonymised medical data relating to UK Gulf veterans, for a study by King's College, London on war syndromes in British and American veterans of wars from 1900.

  Joint NBC Regiment
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is(a) the cost of and (b) the handover date for the new buildings at HQ Joint NBC Regiment at Winterbourne Gunner. [123117]

  Mr. Spellar
  The new buildings at Winterbourne Gunner are to house the Defence NBC Centre. The approximate cost of these is £7 million and the handover date will be 12 June.

  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations he held with(a) the county councils and (b) the district councils concerned before deciding to locate the Joint NBC Regiment at RAF Honington. [123115]

  Mr. Spellar
  The appropriate local authorities for the areas concerned were informed at the end of March 1999 that a study was under way to determine the best long term location for the Joint NBC Regiment. We did not receive any representations from the local authorities following these letters. Had we done so, we would of course have given them due consideration. The appropriate local authorities are also being informed following my recent announcement.

  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what new buildings will be constructed at RAF Honington, at what cost and over what time scale, to accommodate the Joint NBC Regiment; and if will make a statement. [123118]

  Mr. Spellar
  It is likely that a new office block, training complex and hangar works will be required. Additional single living accommodation will also need to be built. The estimated maximum cost of these works is £9 million.

  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Joint NBC Regiment based at RAF Honington train at(a) DERA-CBD Porton Down, (b) Salisbury Plain Training Area and (c) elsewhere; and if he will make a statement. [123121]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Joint NBC Regiment trains at Porton Down, Salisbury Plain and elsewhere, for example, on Stanford Training Area, close to RAF Honington.

  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if(a) secure voice communications and (b) secure information technology networks are in place between RAF Honington and Defence NBC Centre at Winterbourne Gunner. [123120]

  Mr. Spellar
  Yes.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to release the Farringdon House Territorial Army Centre in North Cheam for use as accommodation for asylum seekers. [122840]
  323W
  Mr. Spellar
  There are no plans for Farringdon Territorial Army Centre (TAC) in North Cheam to be used as accommodation for asylum seekers.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Electricity Industry
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many job losses have been announced in the past 12 months in the electricity generating and distributing industry; and what is his estimate of the impact on jobs in(a) the industry and (b) the Electricity Association that will arise as adjustments are made following changes brought about by the Utilities Bill and the new electricity trading arrangements. [122488]

  Mrs. Liddell
  [holding answer 16 May 2000]: No central figures are available on the number of job losses announced in the electricity industry over the past 12 months, nor is it possible to attribute any changes in the levels of employment which may occur in the future to either the Utilities Bill or the new electricity trading arrangements.

  Oil and Gas
  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the oil fabrication yards in the UK which have access to(a) Objective 1 European funding, (b) Objective 2 European funding, (c) Objective 3 European Funding, (d) special programme funding and (e) assisted area status. [122834]

  Mrs. Liddell
  [holding answer 19 May 2000]: All of the main UK oil fabrication yards are in areas where European Structural Funds are available in the programming period beginning this year. The Objectives these areas qualify under are listed:
  Harland and Wolff, Belfast is in the Northern Ireland special PEACE programme area.
  Lewis Offshore, Stornoway and Barmac at Nigg and Ardersier are in the Highlands and Islands special transitional Objective 1 area.
  Consafe Burntisland, Fife is in a transitional Objective 2 area.
  UIE, Clydebank and Greenock, Kvaerner Methil, Fife, Aker McNulty, South Shields, AMEC, Wallsend, Heerema, Hartlepool, Kvaerner, Teesside, Odebrecht, Teesside and SLP, Lowestoft are all in Objective 2 areas.

  The new assisted areas are currently under discussion with the European Commission.

  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what were the employment levels in each of the UK's oil fabrication yards broken down by individual site in May(a) 1998, (b) 1999 and (c) 2000. [122833]
  324W
  Mrs. Liddell
  [holding answer 19 May 2000]: The employment level at each of the UK's fabrication yards is set out in the table.

  Fabrication yard

  May 1998

  May 1999

  May 2000

  Aker McNulty Ltd.—Tyne & Wear

  4,589

  503

  316

  Amec Process & Engineering Ltd.—Tyne & Wear

  818

  1,478

  87

  Barmac—Nigg & Ardersier

  3,379

  4,255

  2,954

  Consafe—Fife

  802

  236

  104

  Hereema—Hartlepool

  253

  364

  102

  Kvaerner Oil & Gas—Fife

  278

  485

  805

  Kvaerner Oil & Gas—Teeside1

  800

  1,700

  0

  Lewis Offshore—Stornoway2

  314

  136

  14

  Odebrecht-SLP Engineering—Teeside

  267

  168

  148

  SLP 2000—Lowestoft

  537

  244

  216

  UiE Clydebank—Glasgow

  3,150

  1,100

  50

  1 Now closed

  2 In receivership

  Entrepreneurs
  Mr. Woodward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research his Department has undertaken into discrepancies between the numbers of(a) white entrepreneurs and (b) ethnic minority entrepreneurs obtaining business loans and other forms of financial assistance. [123085]

  Ms Hewitt
  The experiences of ethnic minority businesses in the UK in raising finance are extremely varied and the nature of the problems they face are very complex. This is why the DTI, together with the Bank of England and the British Bankers Association is supporting an extensive new study into the finance needs of ethnic minority businesses.

  The study, which began in January, will survey 1,000 business owners from five ethnic groups in London, Birmingham, Leicester and Strathclyde over a two year period. It will address issues of perceived and actual discrimination.

  This high quality research over an extended time scale will provide the banks and the DTI with a solid foundation upon which to help all ethnic minority business to succeed.

  Sellafield
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received in the past year from(a) citizens and (b) representatives of other EU member states concerning operations of the Sellafield nuclear plant. [121819]

  Mrs. Liddell
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has received representations from(a) three citizens and (b) four representatives, ie those holding an elected or Ministerial post, of other EU member states concerning operations at Sellafield in the past year.

  Employment Tribunals
  Ms Julie Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answers of 13 April 2000,Official Report, columns 273–76W and 8 May 2000, Official Report, column 282W, concerning

  325W
  employment tribunal claims, if he will provide the requested data (a) for Scotland and (b) separately for each employment tribunal region in England and Wales. [123124]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  Some of the information is not available in the format requested. As the available information is contained in a number of detailed tables, I have asked the Chief Executive of the Employment Tribunals Service to write to my hon. Friend and place a copy in the Library of the House.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Road Accidents (A40)
  Mr. Woodward
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many accidents there have been on the A40 over the last three years(a) in total and (b) between Witney and Oxford. [121817]

  Mr. Hill
  The following numbers of inquiry road accidents occurred on the total length of the A40 in the last three years for which national records are available: 1,303 in 1996, 1,374 in 1997 and 1,290 in 1998. On the single carriageway section of the A40, between the Wolvercote roundabout in Oxford and the eastern end of the Witney bypass at Hill Farm, there were 27 in 1996, 45 in 1997 and 27 in 1998.

  Wolverhampton/Shrewsbury/Chester Railway
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make it his policy to support a bid to give the Wolverhampton/Shrewsbury/Chester railway line a priority Trans-European Network status. [122739]

  Mr. Hill
  The Commission, in discussion with member states, is currently reviewing the need for revisions to the TEN guidelines which were adopted in 1996. We agree with the emerging conclusions that no major alterations should be made to the guideline maps at this stage other than those necessary to ensure consistency with the transport network maps that have been developed for the countries seeking accession to the EU. There is also a consensus that no changes to the list of 14 Priority TEN projects adopted by the European Council at Essen in December 1994 should be made at this time. There will be another review of the guidelines in 2005 and that might be the appropriate moment to look afresh at the guideline maps and the list of priority projects.

  Subject to parliamentary approval of the Transport Bill, future proposals for TEN status of railway lines in Great Britain will become the responsibility of the Strategic Rail Authority.

  Euro
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which(a) local authorities and (b) other organisations for which his Department has budgetary responsibility (i) have set up and (ii) are setting up projects to prepare for the UK adopting the euro; what these projects are costing each
  326W
  organisation; what the total cost to the Department is; and from which budget sums already spent have come. [122811]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  An update on changeover planning in the public sector was given in the second Outline National Changeover Plan published on 9 March.

  Airports Policy
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he plans to publish the Government's policy on airports; and if he will make a statement. [123156]

  Mr. Mullin
  We intend to produce an Air Transport White Paper which will provide a framework for the future of aviation and airports in the UK.

  The White Paper will not be produced until after we have taken a decision on the planning application for Terminal 5 at Heathrow. The planning inquiry concluded in March 1999 and the Inspector indicated that he expects to submit his report to the Secretary of State within two years. The Secretary of State will then need to consider the report and the Inspector's recommendations carefully before making decisions.

  The White Paper will also be preceded by a wide-ranging consultation document on aviation and airports; and by public consultations on the findings of the studies the Department is undertaking on air services and airports in all parts of the UK.

  London Transport Policy
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with the Mayor of London about Government transport policy in London. [123155]

  Mr. Hill
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, my right hon. Friend the Minister for Transport and I met the Mayor on 16 May. We had a wide-ranging discussion of issues of mutual interest including transport. I look forward to following this up with a further meeting with the Mayor later this week.

  Local Authorities (Executive Structure)
  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the local authorities in England and Wales which have instituted changes to their executive structure since May 1997; and what new arrangements they have put in place. [123146]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  We do not hold centrally any comprehensive listing of those councils which are changing their constitutions within the restrictions of current legislative framework. Until the Local Government Bill [Lords], currently before the House, is enacted, councils cannot adopt executive arrangements within the terms of the Bill.

  Ministerial Visit (Washington D.C.)
  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what was the(a) itinerary for, (b) purpose of and (c) cost of his recent visit to Washington D.C. [123135]
  327W
  Mr. Prescott
  I visited Washington on 25–27 April in order to give a speech on climate change at the Pew Centre. I also met vice-president Al Gore, Environment Secretary Frank Loy, Transport Secretary Rodney Slater, several Senators, Dutch Environment Minister Jan Pronk and Australian Environment Minister Robert Hill. On 27 April I travelled from Washington to New York for a meeting of the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development where I also met Jan Szysko the Polish Chair of the Climate Change Convention and Dr. Hassan Adamu the Nigerian Environment Minister and current chair of the G77 group of developing countries. I returned to the UK overnight on 27–28 April. All travel was in accordance with the Ministerial Code and my costs for the trip were approximately £6,000.

  Groundwater Regulations
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the disparity between groundwater regulation charges in England and Scotland. [123018]

  Mr. Mullin
  In England and Wales, where the Environment Agency is responsible for authorisations under the Groundwater Regulation 1998 a single charge, equivalent to the initial £85 application charge payable at the inception of the scheme, will cover the first four-year period of groundwater authorisation. In Scotland, where the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency is the competent authority, charges under the Groundwater Regulations are a matter for the devolved Administration.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Millennium Dome
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many discounted tickets have been issued to visitors to the Millennium dome each week since 1 January. [121949]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 12 May 2000]: Of the total number of tickets issued to date (10 May 2000), Group discount tickets account for 36 per cent. of the total. Further discounted tickets, relating to children, senior citizens and students account for 9.3 per cent. of the total tickets sold to date. The Millennium dome, like any other major visitor attraction, has an extensive ticket pricing structure incorporating a variety of attractive discounts for groups and individuals.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the number of overseas visitors to the dome during the year from(a) EU countries, (b) the USA and (c) the rest of the world. [121951]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 12 May 2000]: On the basis of a recent exit poll conducted at the dome, approximately 10 per cent. of visitors were from overseas. On the basis of information collected from call centres and web sales, these visitors have come from the following countries: European Union—73 per cent., Europe (non EU)—3 per cent., North America—19 per cent. and rest of the world—5 per cent. Of the EU countries, NMEC estimates that the top sellers are Benelux, France, Scandinavia, Germany and Ireland.
  328W
  There are certain to be additional overseas visitors who buy tickets direct from the dome upon arrival. NMEC does not at present ask these visitors their country of origin.

  Green Transport
  Mr. Moore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the key buildings for which his Department(a) submitted and (b) did not submit green transport plans by March. [122606]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 18 May 2000]: The Department for Culture, Media and Sport submitted a green transport plan (or more properly transport plan) for all its key buildings in June 1999. The buildings, all in London, are: 2–4 Cockspur Street; Grove House; 7 St. James' Square; Oceanic House; 179a Tottenham Court Road: Also included were Haymarket House and Novello House, but these have since been vacated by DCMS. The Royal Parks Agency did not submit a formal transport plan, but have published measures for promoting green transport initiatives in their Green Housekeeping Policy.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Schuman Declaration
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the(a) publications and (b) events funded by the European Union to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Schuman declaration. [121512]

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

  "Your Britain, Your Europe"
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason the "Your Britain, Your Europe" campaign includes visits to schools; and what legal advice he took prior to such visits taking place. [121500]

  Mr. Vaz
  I have visited several schools during the cross-party "Your Britain, Your Europe" campaign to exchange views with students about Europe and to meet staff and pupils involved in European projects. We saw no need to take legal advice prior to such visits.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the parliamentary constituencies to be visited in the future by the "Your Britain, Your Europe" roadshow. [123092]

  Mr. Vaz
  We have not yet finalised the itinerary for all my various forthcoming city visits. But I will invite MPs and MEPs of all parties to participate in events which take place within their constituencies.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what definition of the term eurosceptic was used by the Minister for Europe in speeches made during the "Your Britain, Your Europe" roadshow. [123094]
  329W
  Mr. Vaz
  In various speeches, I have employed the term "eurosceptic" as the widely used description for certain sections of the media, NGOs and political parties which are opposed to the UK engaging constructively with EU partners or making a positive contribution to EU discussions.

  Overseas Defence Sales
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people his Department employs(a) in the United Kingdom and (b) abroad to facilitate overseas defence sales. [122247]

  Mr. Hain
  [holding answer 16 May 2000]: Government support for defence equipment exports is co-ordinated by the Defence Export Services Organisation of the Ministry of Defence. Overseas, this work is normally carried out by Defence Attaches and Defence Sales Sections. Although FCO staff contribute towards this work in a number of ways there are no staff directly employed to facilitate overseas Defence Sales.

  The role of FCO departments in London is to provide advice to the Department of Trade and Industry on applications for export licences for defence equipment sales overseas.

  Open Government
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for information he received under the Open Government: Code of Practice on Access to Government Information in the last parliamentary Session; and how many were granted. [121856]

  Mr. Battle
  [holding answer 18 May 2000]: I refer my right hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary on 18 May 2000, Official Report, columns 216–17W.

  Green Transport
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the key buildings for which his Department(a) submitted and (b) did not submit green transport plans by March. [122563]

  Mr. Hain
  [holding answer 18 May 2000]: The FCO submitted green transport plans for all key buildings in the UK including Old Admiralty Building, Old Public Offices and Hanslope Park.

  Europe Day
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the cost of hosting the Europe Day Open Day at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 9 May. [123088]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Open Day on 9 May, "Europe Day", was the first of a series of 12 open days the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is holding between May and July this year as part of the London String of Pearls Millennium Festival. The costs of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's participation 330W
  in the Festival will be spread over the 12 open days and it is therefore not possible to calculate the cost of individual open days.

  The Diplomatic Missions in London of almost all the EU member states and all the applicants participated in the event and met their own costs.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the non-parliamentarians invited to participate in Europe Day events; for what reason they were invited; and if he will make a statement. [123089]

  Mr. Vaz
  We invited several celebrities to join Europe Day events, including Tony Robinson and Frank Bruno. We also invited several MEPs drawn from each of the main parties to join our celebration of Europe's cultural diversity.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the(a) nature and (b) substance of the European Debate which took place during the Europe Day Open Day at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 9 May. [123091]

  Mr. Vaz
  The schools debate held at the FCO's "Europe Day" was a parliamentary-style debate. Six students, each from a different school, spoke for or against the motion: "This House believes there will never be a United States of Europe".

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria were used in the selection of schools invited to participate in the Europe Day Open Day at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on 9 May. [123090]

  Mr. Vaz
  In deciding which schools to invite to our Open Europe Day at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office we took a number of practical considerations into account, such as ease of travel and distance from the FCO. On that basis we contacted all secondary schools in Greater London and the Home Counties.

  Serbia and Iraq
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy on holding seminars for hon. Members; and if he will hold policy seminars on(a) Serbia and (b) Iraq. [123066]

  Mr. Vaz
  We are happy to hold policy seminars for hon. Members where there is clearly a strong wish on the part of sufficient Members that we should do so. If my right hon. Friend would care to write to me with details of what he proposes we will give it due consideration.

  I and my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and my hon. Friend the Minister of State frequently debate Iraq and Serbia in this House. My hon. Friend the Member for Neath (Mr. Hain) also has regular contacts with bodies with an interest in Iraq, including the UN, NGOs, members of the Iraqi opposition and religious bodies. As Minister for Europe, I am in regular contact with similar organisations with an interest in Serbia.

  Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a
  331W
  statement on the outcome of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference held at the United Nations in New York. [122839]

  Mr. Hain
  We are delighted with the very positive outcome. It reaffirms the importance of the NPT as the cornerstone of global non-proliferation and disarmament efforts.

  The key elements from the final document are:
  (a) The nuclear-weapon States have given "an unequivocal undertaking…to accomplish the total elimination of their nuclear arsenals leading to nuclear disarmament to which all States parties are committed under Article VI."
  (b) The nuclear-weapon States will take the following steps "leading to nuclear disarmament in a way that promotes international stability, and based on the principle of undiminished security for all:
  Further efforts by the nuclear-weapon States to reduce their nuclear arsenals unilaterally.
  Increased transparency by the nuclear-weapon States with regard to their nuclear weapons capabilities and the implementation of agreements pursuant to Article VI and as a voluntary confidence-building measure to support further progress on nuclear disarmament.
  The further reduction of non-strategic nuclear weapons, based on unilateral initiatives and as an integral part of the nuclear arms reduction and disarmament process.
  Concrete agreed measures to further reduce the operational status of nuclear weapon systems.
  A diminishing role for nuclear weapons in security policies to minimize the risk that these weapons ever be used and to facilitate the process of their total elimination.
  The engagement as soon as appropriate of all the nuclear-weapon States in the process leading to the total elimination of their nuclear weapons."

  The UK delegation played an active and pivotal role throughout the Conference. We worked hard to bridge the gaps between the Nuclear Weapon States and influential Non-Nuclear Weapon States, in particular those belonging to the New Agenda Coalition. Our constructive role has been widely recognised and welcomed. We have clearly demonstrated our commitment to further international progress on non-proliferation and disarmament.

  Many people feared that this Conference would not be able to reach agreement, but the constructive attitude all sides have shown has demonstrated the continuing importance the international community attaches to non-proliferation and disarmament.

  We now look forward to translating this agreement into concrete international progress.

  I will arrange for the final documents from the Review Conference to be put in the Library of the House when they are available.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Listening Device (Police Investigation)
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the result of the police investigation of a listening device found in the vicinity of St. Jarlath's Church, near Blackwater, County Armagh. [118979]

  Mr. Ingram
  It is not Government policy to comment on claims of this nature.

  RUC Crest
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Guidelines on Health and Safety regarding the dimensions of the Royal Ulster Constabulary crest displayed on police vehicles came into force; when they were to be implemented; and by which Government Department these guidelines were prepared. [121256]

  Mr. Ingram
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 23 March 2000,Official Report, column 628W.

  There are no specific Health and Safety guidelines on the dimensions of the Royal Ulster Constabulary crest on police vehicles.

  Powdered Milk Tokens
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many powdered milk tokens were provided by the Western Health and Social Services Board in the last 12 months for which figures are available and(a) what was their face value in (i) Limavady Council District, (ii) Londonderry Council District and (iii) Strabane Council District and (b) how many (i) chemists and (ii) other outlets provided this service in each of the council districts; and what checks he has carried out to determine whether only those chemists authorised to do so have returned such tokens for payment by the Board. [121254]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The Foyle HSS Trust and Sperrin Lakeland HSS Trust within the Western Health and Social Services Board area accepted 109,821 powdered milk tokens in the 12 month period 1 January 1999 to 31 December 1999, which are the latest figures available.
  (a) Powdered milk tokens are reimbursed at the same face value in the Limavady Council District, Londonderry Council District and Strabane Council Districts by Foyle HSS Trust and Sperrin Lakeland Trust. The face values reimbursed at December 1999 were as follows:

  £

  SMA White & Gold

  5.99

  Cow and Gate Plus and Premium

  5.69

  Farleys 1 & 2

  5.61

  Milupa Milumil

  5.87

  Milupa Aptamil & Aptamil Extra

  6.58

  (b) (i) The number of chemists authorised to accept milk tokens in each Council District are as follows:

  District

  Limavady Council District

  4

  Londonderry Council District

  26

  Strabane Council District

  14

  (ii) No other outlets within these Council Districts are authorised to accept powdered milk tokens.
  Foyle HSS Trust and Sperrin Lakeland HSS Trust accept powdered milk tokens only from those chemists authorised to participate in the NI Welfare Foods Scheme.

  Criminal Justice Review
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will implement the conclusions of the Criminal Justice Review; and if he will make a statement. [120701]

  Mr. Ingram
  On 30 March the Secretary of State announced that there would be a six-month consultation on the recommendations contained in the report of the Review of the Criminal Justice system in Northern Ireland. An announcement of the Government's decisions on implementation, and a detailed timetable, will be made as soon as possible after the consultation period has ended.

  Punishment Beatings
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many punishment beatings have been reported to the RUC in each month since April 1997. [121838]

  Mr. Ingram
  The following tables show the recorded number of paramilitary style assaults and shootings by calendar year from January 1997.

  Casualties as a result of paramilitary style assaults 1997–2000 Monthly Breakdown

  Month

  1997

  1998

  1999

  20001

  Loy

  Rep

  Loy

  Rep

  Loy

  Rep

  Loy

  Rep

  January

  7

  12

  5

  3

  1

  12

  9

  1

  February

  12

  14

  7

  8

  13

  5

  4

  3

  March

  7

  11

  6

  3

  11

  2

  8

  4

  April

  5

  6

  6

  1

  3

  4

  3

  7

  May

  7

  4

  8

  3

  7

  1

  2

  2

  June

  2

  1

  8

  11

  8

  6

  —

  —

  July

  8

  5

  7

  7

  2

  6

  —

  —

  August

  4

  4

  12

  2

  10

  1

  —

  —

  September

  5

  7

  9

  2

  4

  2

  —

  —

  October

  6

  4

  8

  4

  7

  4

  —

  —

  November

  8

  7

  6

  5

  2

  1

  —

  —

  December

  7

  3

  7

  6

  6

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  78

  78

  89

  55

  90

  44

  26

  17

  11 January–9 May

  Casualties as a result of paramilitary style shootings 1997–2000 Monthly Breakdown

  Month

  1997

  1998

  1999

  20001

  Loy

  Rep

  Loy

  Rep

  Loy

  Rep

  Loy

  Rep

  January

  8

  1

  5

  7

  6

  5

  3

  —

  February

  3

  —

  —

  4

  6

  1

  4

  —

  March

  8

  —

  1

  4

  —

  4

  11

  6

  April

  4

  1

  3

  4

  2

  2

  6

  9

  May

  2

  1

  4

  1

  4

  4

  6

  4

  June

  6

  2

  4

  9

  5

  5

  —

  —

  July

  2

  11

  4

  1

  5

  —

  —

  —

  August

  5

  1

  4

  1

  8

  3

  —

  —

  September

  3

  1

  2

  —

  4

  —

  —

  —

  October

  1

  1

  —

  1

  —

  2

  —

  —

  November

  2

  2

  4

  3

  5

  —

  —

  —

  December

  2

  5

  3

  3

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  46

  26

  34

  38

  47

  26

  30

  19

  11 January–9 May

  Biodiversity
  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what estimate he has made of the cost of 334W
  implementing the Draft Northern Ireland Biodiversity Strategy; how the Government intend to fund the delivery of the strategy; and if he will make a statement. [122098]

  Mr. George Howarth
  The Draft Northern Ireland Biodiversity Strategy was published for consultation in June 1999 by the Government's advisory body, the Northern Ireland Biodiversity Group.

  No final conclusions on the Strategy, including costs, can be reached until the Group has presented its recommendations to Government.

  I understand that the Group expects to be able to do so within the next few months.

  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of the 1994–1999 round of Structural Funds for Northern Ireland was spent on nature conservation projects; what type of projects were funded; and if he will make a statement. [122096]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Responsibility for the subject in question has been delegated to the Environment & Heritage Service under its acting chief executive, Mr. J. R. Lamont. I have asked him to arrange for a reply to be given.

  Letter from J. R. Lamont to Mr. Lembit Öpik, dated 17 May 2000:
  As Acting Chief Executive of the Environment & Heritage Service, I am responsible for operational aspects of protection of the natural heritage on behalf of the Department of Environment for Northern Ireland. I am responding to the Parliamentary Question you put down on 11 May 2000 about what percentage of the 1994–1999 round of Structural Funds for Northern Ireland was spent on nature conservation projects and what type of projects were funded.
  The amount spent on nature conservation projects from the Structural Funds for Northern Ireland for the 1994–1999 round was £171,000. This represented 0.018% of the total Funds. The schemes involved were environmental enhancement works at Whitespots, Newtownards, Tyrella Beach near Newcastle, the ECOS Centre, Ballymena and Waterfoot Beach on the east Antrim Coast.
  I trust you will find this helpful.

  RUC Barracks (West Belfast)
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what use is being made of the RUC barracks building in West Belfast; what options are being considered as future uses for the building; and what plans he has to consult local residents about its use. [121869]

  Mr. Ingram
  At present all police buildings in West Belfast are being used operationally and will continue to be used in this capacity for the foreseeable future. There are no plans at the moment to consult with local residents regarding the future use of these buildings.

  Public Representatives will be consulted over any future plans for policing in West Belfast.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Departmental Vehicles
  Mr. Pearson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many(a) cars and (b) commercial vehicles operated by his Department were manufactured (i) in the UK, (ii) in the EU and (iii) elsewhere. [122261]
  335W
  Mr. Wicks
  [holding answer 17 May 2000]: The DfEE, including the Employment Service, operates 543 cars and 22 commercial vehicles. All vehicles are manufactured in the EU. No record is kept of which EU country the vehicle is manufactured in. The Department occasionally uses cars provided by the Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA). These are not included in the above figures. For information on cars provided by the GCDA, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 17 May 2000, Official Report, column 141W, by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office.

  Higher Education (Ethnic Minorities)
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to ensure members of ethnic minority groups are not discriminated against in entry to universities. [122787]

  Mr. Wicks
  We are taking a range of measures to widen participation in Higher Education. The Higher Education Funding Council for England provides £18 million to Higher Education institutions through a 5 per cent. premium for students from disadvantaged areas. In his speech of 10 May 2000 to the AUT Conference, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced a further £4 million for this fund and set out a series of steps which we will be taking to put in place a coherent package of support in order to widen participation. We hope to make further announcements in the autumn. Many of the ethnic communities who need help most will benefit from these measures.

  We are also tackling the under-representation of ethnic minorities among teaching staff in Higher Education. In his letter of 23 November 1999 to the Funding Council, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State expressed his deep concern about the present position on equal opportunities for HE staff. He also stated that all institutions are expected to have acted upon the National Committee of Inquiry into Higher Education recommendations to have equal opportunities policies in place, that barriers to recruitment and progression should be removed and that institutions should be fully accountable for the implementation of these changes.

  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the study by the Higher Education Funding Council on the likelihood of graduates from ethnic minority groups finding employment. [122788]

  Mr. Wicks
  I am aware that the Higher Education Funding Council for England's preliminary work for the development of performance indicators confirms our own understanding that graduates from ethnic minorities are less likely to be in employment than white graduates with similar qualifications. This is not acceptable. The Government are actively committed to equal opportunity in employment and to tackling racial discrimination in the workplace.

  Graduates (Employment)
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what performance indicators he will use to measure the employment of graduates. [122789]
  336W
  Mr. Wicks
  I will consider a range of measures of employment outcomes for graduates. I will pay particular attention to the institutional-level performance measure being developed, on the advice of a working group chaired by the Higher Education Funding Council for England, which relates to full-time home students with a first degree who have newly entered the job market. The measure will be based on the percentage of these students who are unemployed at 3 January of the academic year following their graduation.

  Ms Pamela Relf
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the contribution which Ms Pamela Relf made to teaching in state schools. [122939]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  [holding answer 19 May 2000]: We learned with great regret of the death of Pamela Relf, who had been teaching for 36 years, and we extend our condolences to her family and colleagues.

  Foundation Stage (Curriculum Guidance)
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment for what reason the Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage launched by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State the hon. Member for Barking (Ms Hodge), on Thursday 11 May, accompanied by a Departmental Press Notice, was not available in the Library on Tuesday 15 May; when he expects a copy to be deposited; and to whom the guidance has so far been made available. [R] [122953]

  Ms Hodge
  [holding answer 19 May 2000]: I announced on 11 May the publication of the "Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage". This product, which addresses the early education of children, was produced jointly by my Department and the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. It is intended primarily for early years practitioners and has been distributed widely to around 35,000 early years settings in the private, voluntary and maintained sectors. It has also been distributed to all other key stakeholders, including: Early Years Development and Childcare Partnerships (EYDCPs) and local education authorities; teacher training and NVQ training organisations; other Government Departments including the Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland Offices; and a range of early years and teacher associations and early years professionals. The delay in making the guidance available to hon. Members in the House of Commons was a result of an administrative oversight, which was remedied as soon as it was brought to my attention. Copies of the guidance were placed in the Library two days later on 17 May.

  Sure Start
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if, for the second wave of the Sure Start programme, he will list(a) the areas selected, (b) the basis upon which each of the areas was selected and (c) when each of the new schemes is due to commence. [123063]

  Yvette Cooper
  A list of the local authority districts selected for the second wave of Sure Start is given. These were selected using DETR's Index of Local Deprivation augmented with two further measures: low birth weight
  337W
  babies and births to teenage mothers. The catchment area for the local Sure Start programme is chosen by partnerships formed by all those working with young children within the district. The criteria for selection are set out in the guidance for second wave programmes, a copy of which was placed in the Library, and include high levels of need for support services among local families. Second wave Sure Start partnerships have been asked to submit their final plans by 23 May. Most of these are expected to receive approval during the summer and be running in the early autumn.

  Areas (69) invited to submit applications for the second wave of Sure Start (England):

  Ashfield

  Barking and Dagenham

  Barnsley

  Birmingham

  Blyth Valley

  Bolsover

  Bolton

  Boston

  Bournemouth

  Bradford

  Bristol

  Burnley

  Calderdale

  Cannock Chase

  Coventry

  Croydon

  Derwentside

  Dover

  Dudley

  Ealing

  Easington

  Gateshead

  Gloucester

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  Harlow

  Hartlepool

  Hounslow

  Hyndburn

  Ipswich

  Isle of Wight

  Islington

  Kensington and Chelsea

  Kerrier

  Kingston-upon-Hull

  Leeds

  Leicester

  Lewisham

  Lincoln

  Liverpool

  Manchester

  Medway Towns

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  Nottingham

  Nuneaton and Bedworth

  Pendle

  Peterborough

  Portsmouth

  Preston

  Reading

  Redbridge

  Rochdale

  Sedgefield

  Sefton

  Sheffield

  338W

  Slough

  Solihull

  South Tyneside

  Stockton-on-Tees

  Sunderland

  Tameside

  Torbay

  Wakefield

  Walsall

  Wandsworth

  Wansbeck

  Wear Valley

  Westminster

  Wigan

  Wirral

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if, for the third wave of the Sure Start programme, he will list the areas which have so far been selected; when he expects the remainder of these areas to be selected; and when each of these new schemes is due to commence. [123064]

  Yvette Cooper
  The districts for the third phase of Sure Start local programmes will be announced later this year taken local In the first and second waves it has local programmes about six to eight months to develop their plans.

  Ofsted
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what complaints were made against an ofsted inspector following the ofsted inspection of Middlefield primary school; [123109]

  (2) if Mr. Piers Bilston is to be allowed to work as an ofsted inspector [123110]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  These are matters for Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools, Chris Woodhead. I have asked him to write to my hon. Friend and to place a copy of his letter in the Library.

  Teachers (Early Retirement)
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list for each local education authority(a) if it has an early retire teachers and (b) if such a scheme has been terminated, the last year of its operation. [123111]

  Mr. Wicks
  The framework within which local education authorities can offer early retirement to teachers is contained in the Teachers (Compensation for Redundancy and Premature Retirement) Regulations 1997(as amended). It is a matter for each local education authority to determine how best to make use of these arrangements in the light of local circumstances. No information is held centrally on the early retirement policies of individual local education authorities, but our records show that in 1998–99 all local education authorities, with the exception of the City of London and the Isles of Scilly, granted some early retirements.

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list for each local education authority the(a) minimum age at which a teacher can be offered an early retirement package and (b) maximum enhancement that can be offered to individual teachers. [123112]
  339W
  Mr. Wicks
  The provisions governing the early retirement arrangements for teachers are contained in the Teachers (Compensation for Redundancy and Premature Retirement) Regulations 1997 (as amended). The earliest age at which a teacher can be offered early retirement is 50; and the maximum enhancement payable is 10 years. These provisions apply to all local education authorities.

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many male teachers are still working at age 65 and female teachers at age 60 years in each local education authority as a percentage of the teachers employed by the local education authority. [123114]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The number and percentage of teachers in the maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special sector in England at March 1998 (provisional) are contained in the following table:

  Teachers aged 65 and over

  Men percentage aged 65 and over

  Teachers aged 60 and over

  Women Percentage aged 60 and over

  City of London

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Camden

  0

  0

  20

  2.2

  Greenwich

  0

  0

  16

  1.3

  Hackney1

  1

  0.3

  14

  1.8

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  2

  0.8

  8

  1.4

  Islington

  0

  0

  7

  0.8

  Kensington and Chelsea

  0

  0

  8

  2.5

  Lambeth

  0

  0

  24

  2.5

  Lewisham1

  0

  0

  7

  0.6

  Southwark

  1

  0.3

  14

  1.5

  Tower Hamlets

  0

  0

  14

  1.5

  Wandsworth

  1

  0.2

  20

  1.9

  Westminster

  1

  0.3

  11

  1.5

  Barking and Dagenham

  0

  0

  7

  0.8

  Barnet

  2

  0.3

  28

  1.7

  Bexley

  2

  0.4

  9

  0.8

  Brent

  0

  0

  23

  1.9

  Bromley

  0

  0

  21

  1.5

  Croydon

  2

  0.3

  32

  1.9

  Ealing

  1

  0.2

  13

  0.9

  Enfield

  0

  0

  14

  0.8

  Haringey

  2

  0.4

  18

  1.5

  Harrow

  0

  0

  14

  1.5

  Havering

  0

  0

  21

  1.8

  Hillingdon

  0

  0

  9

  0.7

  Hounslow

  0

  0

  16

  1.2

  Kingston upon Thames

  0

  0

  9

  1.4

  Thames

  0

  0

  9

  1.4

  Merton

  0

  0

  7

  0.9

  Newham

  0

  0

  9

  0.7

  Redbridge

  0

  0

  16

  1.2

  Richmond upon Thames

  0

  0

  1

  0.2

  Sutton

  0

  0

  7

  0.8

  Waltham Forest

  0

  0

  20

  1.6

  Birmingham

  1

  2—

  50

  0.8

  Coventry

  1

  0.1

  23

  1.3

  Dudley

  0

  0

  11

  0.6

  Sandwell

  0

  0

  9

  0.6

  Solihull

  1

  0.2

  2

  0.2

  Walsall

  0

  0

  10

  0.7

  Wolverhampton

  0

  0

  8

  0.6

  Knowsley

  0

  0

  6

  0.6

  Liverpool

  0

  0

  36

  1.3

  St. Helens

  1

  0.2

  9

  0.9

  Sefton

  1

  0.1

  15

  0.9

  340W

  Teachers aged 65 and over

  Men percentage aged 65 and over

  Teachers aged 60 and over

  Women Percentage aged 60 and over

  Wirral

  0

  0

  8

  0.4

  Bolton

  0

  0

  9

  0.6

  Bury

  2

  0.5

  6

  0.7

  Manchester

  2

  0.2

  37

  1.5

  Oldham

  1

  0.1

  10

  0.7

  Rochdale

  0

  0

  7

  0.6

  Salford

  0

  0

  7

  0.5

  Stockport

  0

  0

  10

  0.7

  Tameside

  0

  0

  12

  1.0

  Trafford

  0

  0

  19

  1.5

  Wigan

  1

  0.1

  7

  0.4

  Barnsley

  0

  0

  4

  0.4

  Doncaster

  0

  0

  8

  0.5

  Rotherham

  1

  0.1

  9

  0.6

  Sheffield

  0

  0

  14

  0.6

  Bradford

  0

  0

  19

  0.7

  Calderdale

  0

  0

  7

  0.7

  Kirklees

  0

  0

  12

  0.6

  Leeds

  0

  0

  25

  0.7

  Wakefield

  1

  0.1

  5

  0.3

  Gateshead

  0

  0

  4

  0.4

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  0

  0

  11

  0.8

  North Tyneside

  0

  0

  5

  0.5

  South Tyneside

  1

  0.2

  10

  1.2

  Sunderland

  0

  0

  15

  0.9

  Isles of Scilly

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Bath and North East Somerset

  0

  0

  5

  0.6

  City of Bristol

  0

  0

  8

  0.5

  North Somerset

  1

  0.2

  7

  0.8

  South Gloucestershire

  0

  0

  5

  0.4

  Hartlepool

  0

  0

  1

  0.2

  Middlesbrough

  0

  0

  10

  1.1

  Redcar and Cleveland

  1

  0.3

  2

  0.2

  Stockton on Tees

  0

  0

  7

  0.6

  City of Kingston-upon-Hull

  0

  0

  7

  0.6

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  1

  0.1

  7

  0.5

  North East Lincolnshire

  0

  0

  3

  0.4

  North Lincolnshire

  0

  0

  4

  0.5

  North Yorkshire

  0

  0

  19

  0.8

  York

  0

  0

  5

  0.7

  Bedfordshire

  1

  0.1

  24

  1.1

  Luton

  1

  0.2

  11

  1.1

  Buckinghamshire

  0

  0

  27

  1.1

  Milton Keynes

  0

  0

  7

  0.6

  Derbyshire

  0

  0

  15

  0.5

  City of Derby

  0

  0

  10

  0.8

  Dorset

  0

  0

  7

  0.4

  Poole

  0

  0

  2

  0.3

  Bournemouth

  0

  0

  8

  1.3

  Durham

  0

  0

  22

  0.8

  Darlington

  0

  0

  4

  0.8

  East Sussex

  0

  0

  18

  0.9

  Brighton and Hove

  0

  0

  11

  1.3

  Hampshire

  0

  0

  39

  0.7

  Portsmouth

  0

  0

  7

  0.8

  Southampton

  0

  0

  10

  1.0

  Leicestershire

  0

  0

  22

  0.8

  Leicester City

  0

  0

  8

  0.5

  Rutland

  0

  0

  1

  0.7

  Staffordshire

  0

  0

  31

  0.8

  341W

  Teachers aged 65 and over

  Men Percentage aged 65 and over

  Teachers aged 60 and over

  Women Percentage aged 60 and over

  Stoke-on-Trent

  0

  0

  7

  0.6

  Wiltshire

  0

  0

  17

  0.9

  Swindon

  0

  0

  6

  0.7

  Berkshire

  0

  0

  52

  1.3

  Cambridgeshire

  1

  0.1

  11

  0.3

  Cheshire

  0

  0

  32

  0.6

  Cornwall

  0

  0

  23

  1.1

  Cumbria

  1

  0.1

  7

  0.3

  Devon

  0

  0

  29

  0.6

  Essex

  2

  0.1

  82

  1.0

  Gloucestershire

  1

  0.1

  16

  0.6

  Hereford and Worcester

  0

  0

  13

  0.4

  Hertfordshire

  3

  0.1

  52

  0.9

  Isle of Wight

  0

  0

  7

  1.2

  Kent

  1

  2—

  94

  1.2

  Lancashire

  0

  0

  37

  0.5

  Lincolnshire

  1

  0.1

  22

  0.7

  Norfolk

  1

  0.1

  36

  1.0

  Northamptonshire

  0

  0

  10

  0.3

  Northumberland

  0

  0

  6

  0.4

  Nottinghamshire1

  1

  2—

  24

  0.5

  Oxfordshire

  0

  0

  21

  0.8

  Shropshire

  0

  0

  13

  0.6

  Somerset

  0

  0

  15

  0.7

  Suffolk

  0

  0

  22

  0.7

  Surrey

  2

  0.1

  57

  1.1

  Warwickshire

  1

  0.1

  9

  0.4

  West Sussex

  1

  0.1

  33

  1.0

  England

  50

  2—

  2,043

  0.8

  11997 figures are shown for Hackney, Lewisham and Nottinghamshire due to incomplete annual returns in 1998.

  2means percentage is less than 0.05 per cent.

  Further Education Funding Council
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the staffing complement of the Further Education Funding Council, broken down into(a) those operating at or from headquarters, (b) regional staff and (c) overall full-time equivalents. [122736]

  Mr. Wicks
  The staffing complement of the Further Education Funding Council is:

  (a) Coventry Head Office: 294.03 FTE;

  (b) Regions: 252.06 FTE (including 54 home based inspectors);

  (c) Overall full-time equivalents: 546.63 FTE.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the(a) total staff and (b) full-time equivalent staff of the Training and Enterprise councils. [122737]

  Mr. Wicks
  We do not collect information on TEC staff numbers centrally. However, their statutory accounts as of March 1999 showed that they employed 10,249 staff in total. Where TECs have subsidiaries, the figure is extracted from consolidated accounts and therefore will include staff engaged in Business Link and other activities.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will publish(a) guidance to local education authorities on the education of the children of asylum seekers and (b) details of the distribution of moneys to local education authorities earmarked by his Department for this purpose. [122738]

  Jacqui Smith
  Local education authorities have a legal duty to ensure that education is available for all children of compulsory school age in their area appropriate to age, abilities and aptitudes and any special education needs they may have. This duty applies irrespective of a child's immigration status or rights of residence in a particular area, and so it includes children of asylum seekers. This Department has provided funding to the Refugee Council to support a range of publications on the education of asylum seeker children. We are also in discussion with the Refugee Council and the Local Government Association about whether or not further guidance on the education of asylum seeker children would be helpful to local education authorities.

  Local education authorities receive funding for the children of asylum seekers in the same way as for other children on their school roll through the Standard Spending Assessment. The Ethnic Minority and Traveller Achievement Grant, which is worth £162.5 million in 2000–01, provides resources to help with the acquisition of language skills among asylum seeker children. In addition, we recently provided a grant of £175,000 to the Local Government Association which was used to provide additional help to some local education authorities towards the increased education costs of asylum seeker children.

  On 7 April, the Secretary of State announced that additional funding of £1.5 million will be available in this financial year to support the educational costs of asylum seekers dispersed to cluster areas under the Immigration and Asylum Act. We are currently considering how best to use this additional resource and plan to make an announcement shortly.

  The overall amount spent specifically on the education of asylum seeker children is not held centrally, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Connexions Service
  Ms Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the locations of the pilot projects for the Connexions Service; and if he will make a statement. [120848]

  Mr. Wicks
  [pursuant to his reply, 16 May 2000, c. 101W]: One of the pilot areas was inadvertently omitted. The correct response is as follows.

  I am pleased to announce the extension of the Connexions Service pilots. New pilots are to be established in Lincolnshire, Durham, Hertfordshire, Central London, Oldham, Merseyside, South Yorkshire, and at the Huntercombe Youth Offenders Institution in Oxfordshire. These are additional to the pilots announced by the Secretary of State on 3 February.

HEALTH

  Vaccine Use
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the current review into vaccine usage, including wastage, which his Department has commissioned will be completed; if he will publish its findings; what the precise terms of reference of the review are; and if the review will receive representations from manufacturers of equipment for storing vaccines. [117635]

  Yvette Cooper
  We are currently conducting a review into vaccine usage, including wastage.

  The terms of reference of the review are:
  to examine and report on the distribution, storage and handling of vaccines in samples of mixed rural/urban areas; to determine as far as possible the extent of vaccine wastage; to consider what changes in procedures might be desirable and recommend accordingly.

  We will then publish a code of good practice and guidance on the handling of vaccines at local level.

  We have a list of suppliers of equipment suitable for storage and transport of vaccines and if the review group is agreeable this list will be updated and added as an appendix to the code of good practice.

  Hospital Waiting Times (Essex)
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people had waited 26 weeks for an outpatient appointment at Essex Rivers Healthcare Trust on(a) 31 March 1997 and (b) 31 March 2000. [121459]

  Mr. Denham
  [holding answer 10 May 2000]: The number of patients waiting over 26 weeks for a first outpatient appointment at Essex Rivers Healthcare National Health Service Trust on 31 March 1997 was 404 and for 31 December 1999 (the latest date for which figures are available) it was 1,336.
  Source:
  Form QM08 quarterly waiting times return
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people had waited 13 weeks or more for an outpatient appointment at Essex Rivers Healthcare Trust on(a) 31 March 1997 and (b) 31 March 2000. [121458]

  Mr. Denham
  [holding answer 10 May 2000]: The number of patients waiting over 13 weeks for a first outpatient appointment at Essex Rivers Healthcare National Health Service Trust on 31 March 1997 was 1,821 and 31 December 1999 (the latest date for which figures are available) it was 3,916.
  Source:
  Form QM08 quarterly waiting times return
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people had been waiting(a) in total and (b) for 12 months or more for hospital treatment at Essex Rivers Healthcare Trust on (i) 31 March 1997 and (ii) 31 March 2000. [121460]
  344W
  Mr. Denham
  [holding answer 10 May 2000]: The information requested is shown in the table.

  Total number of patients waiting for hospital treatment and the number of patients waiting over 12 months at Essex Rivers Healthcare National Health Service Trust on 31 March 1997 and 29 February 20001

  31 March 1997

  29 February 2000

  Total number of patients waiting

  6,737

  6,212

  Number of patients waiting over 12 months

  6

  534

  1The latest date for which figures are available

  Source:

  Form KH07 quarterly waiting times return

  Monthly waiting times return

  Man-made Insulin
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the risks from man-made insulin; and if he will make a statement. [R] [121777]

  Ms Stuart
  Human (genetically engineered) insulin underwent a rigorous assessment of clinical efficacy and safety at the time of its first licensing in the United Kingdom in 1982.

  Following its introduction, there was much debate about a possible loss of the warning signs of a low blood glucose with human insulin. As a result, a considerable number of scientific studies have been performed comparing animal and human insulin.

  The Committee on Safety of Medicine, has reviewed the safety of human insulin on several occasions since its introduction. During the review process there has been consultation with experts in the field of diabetes as well as with the British Diabetic Association. The Committee has concluded that although some patients have experienced problems on transferring to human insulins and are better suited to animal insulins, there is no evidence of a safety problem specific to human insulin.

  The Medicines Control Agency is responsible for the continuous monitoring of the safety of all licensed medicines and the safety of human insulin is therefore kept under continuous review.

  Infliximab
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the current prescribing status is of Infliximab as a treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's Disease. [122081]

  Ms Stuart
  A European licence was granted on 13 August 1999 for Remicade, whose active constituent is infliximab. It is licensed for the treatment of severe, active Crohn's disease in patients who have not responded despite a full and adequate course of therapy with a corticosteroid and/or an immunosuppressant; and for the treatment of fistulising Crohn's disease, in patients who have not responded despite a full and adequate course of therapy with conventional treatment.

  Infliximab is not yet licensed in the United Kingdom for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
  345W
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated relating to the prescribing of Infliximab. [122083]

  Ms Stuart
  Neither the Department nor the Medical Research Council has directly commissioned any research into Infliximab.

  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice he(a) has received and (b) intends to seek from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence regarding the prescribing of Infliximab for rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's Disease. [122085]

  Ms Stuart
  We are considering a number of possible additional topics for appraisal by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence during the year 2000–01. An announcement will be made shortly.

  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what medical trials his Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated relating to the efficacy of Infliximab. [122084]

  Ms Stuart
  The Department has not commissioned or evaluated medical trials relating to the efficacy of infliximab. Infliximab was authorised for use through the European Medicines Evaluation Agency who reviewed the available data.

  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has issued to health authorities and prescribers relating to the prescribing of Infliximab. [122082]

  Ms Stuart
  The Department does not normally issue guidance relating to the prescribing of individual drugs. Clinicians learn about new drugs and therapies through publications such as those from the "National Prescribing Centre", the "British National Formulary" and other professional journals.

  Suicide (Asian Women)
  Mr. Woodward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has undertaken into

  Admissions by month and health authority of residence NHS hospitals, England 1994–95 to 1998–99

  April

  May

  June

  July

  August

  September

  October

  November

  December

  January

  February

  March

  1994–95

  Bromley HA

  4,199

  4,421

  4,536

  4,703

  4,483

  4,436

  4,539

  4,813

  4,086

  4,593

  4,387

  4,430

  North Cumbria

  5,004

  5,353

  5,446

  5,276

  5,029

  5,426

  5,352

  5,498

  5,003

  5,762

  5,275

  5,108

  1995–96

  Bromley HA

  4,457

  4,841

  4,894

  4,444

  4,564

  4,513

  4,821

  4,919

  3,979

  4,729

  4,541

  4,014

  North Cumbria

  4,937

  5,699

  5,552

  5,625

  5,418

  5,542

  5,798

  5,856

  5,198

  5,907

  5,145

  4,938

  1996–97

  Bromley HA

  4,573

  4,939

  4,476

  5,269

  4,671

  4,814

  5,232

  4,963

  4,444

  4,768

  4,393

  4,088

  North Cumbria

  5,691

  5,525

  5,507

  5,863

  5,220

  5,607

  5,994

  5,622

  5,266

  5,954

  5,401

  4,859

  346W
  the reasons for the rate of suicide among Asian women aged 15 to 24 years; and what action has been taken as a result. [122445]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Department has not directly commissioned any research into the reasons for the rate of suicide among Asian women aged 15 to 24. However, we have supported studies undertaken by the Institute of Psychiatry in 1996 into rates of attempted suicide in Asian women in West London and 1998 about the Asian Communities knowledge of depression, suicidal ideation and attempted suicide. Following these studies educational material has been prepared for the Asian Community in four languages. The Department also supported the publication "Ethnicity: An Agenda for Mental Health" by the Royal College of Psychiatrists which included details of research into suicide and attempted suicides across cultures.

  The Department has also provided the Asian Family Counselling Service with funding through the Section 64 scheme for their Nai Umeed (New Hope) project to reduce mental ill health and suicide among Asian women.

  The development of strategies to reduce suicide is a major part of our programme outlined in the White Paper "Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation". The National Service framework for Mental Health sets a specific evidence-based standard for mental health and social services to prevent suicide. In addition we are bringing together the necessary expertise to work across Government to drive forward a whole range of initiatives to make progress towards achieving the targets to reduce suicides including focusing on high-risk groups, such as Asian women.

  Hospital Admissions
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital admissions there were in the(a) Bromley and (b) North Cumbria Health Authority area in each month for the last five years that figures are available. [122365]

  Mr. Denham
  The figures shown in the table are a count of admissions per month to National Health Service Hospitals in England for the years 1994–95 to 1998–99 where the patient's health authority of residence was Bromley Health Authority or North Cumbria Health Authority.
  347W

  Admissions by month and health authority of residence NHS hospitals, England 1994–95 to 1998–99

  April

  May

  June

  July

  August

  September

  October

  November

  December

  January

  February

  March

  1997–98

  Bromley HA

  5,123

  4,798

  4,733

  5,178

  4,441

  4,683

  4,949

  4,631

  4,371

  5,830

  5,750

  4,579

  North Cumbria

  5,693

  5,469

  5,705

  5,874

  5,220

  5,713

  5,963

  5,784

  5,461

  5,870

  5,305

  5,479

  1998–99

  Bromley HA

  4,851

  4,758

  5,235

  5,371

  4,857

  5,365

  5,443

  5,386

  4,763

  5,115

  4,981

  5,100

  North Cumbria

  5,521

  5,570

  6,106

  5,979

  5,547

  5,996

  6,069

  6,093

  5,804

  6,022

  5,676

  5,838

  Note:

  Data in this table has not been adjusted for shortfalls in collection (ie it is ungrossed)

  Source:

  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health

  Graduates
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the role of the Royal Colleges in determining the number of students graduating as doctors. [122806]

  Mr. Denham
  The Royal Colleges do not have any formal role in determining the number of students entering undergraduates medical education, or graduating as doctors.

  Lymington Community Hospital
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will make an announcement on the New Lymington Community Hospital private finance initiative. [122831]

  Mr. Denham
  [holding answer 19 May 2000]: Negotiations between Southampton Community Health Services National Health Service Trust and its private sector partner on the proposed private finance initiative scheme for a new community hospital for Lymington are continuing. We expect these to be completed as soon as possible, allowing an announcement to be made soon after.

  Admissions by selected diagnoses and percentage increase of average admissions per month between April–November and December–March for Bromley and North Cumbria HA of residence, NHS hospitals, 1994–95 to 1998–99

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  Admission date—months

  Bromley HA

  North Cumbria HA

  Bromley HA

  North Cumbria HA

  Bromley HA

  North Cumbria HA

  Bromley HA

  North Cumbria HA

  Bromley HA

  North Cumbria HA

  April

  35

  26

  36

  30

  42

  33

  46

  36

  42

  50

  May

  35

  38

  44

  34

  40

  35

  34

  34

  40

  25

  June

  33

  19

  42

  42

  26

  25

  28

  24

  64

  39

  July

  29

  22

  33

  28

  38

  22

  31

  21

  45

  22

  August

  35

  23

  29

  25

  37

  18

  37

  16

  30

  20

  September

  34

  25

  25

  26

  31

  18

  31

  20

  32

  38

  October

  37

  26

  42

  36

  36

  25

  55

  37

  55

  27

  November

  54

  30

  53

  46

  39

  42

  46

  31

  50

  37

  April–November average admissions per month

  37

  26

  38

  33

  36

  27

  39

  27

  45

  32

  December

  77

  41

  71

  81

  67

  57

  61

  40

  100

  58

  January

  55

  54

  57

  53

  103

  56

  75

  41

  97

  74

  February

  32

  38

  43

  44

  32

  44

  74

  30

  60

  32

  March1

  24

  27

  19

  19

  36

  25

  55

  29

  46

  28

  December–March average admissions per month

  47

  40

  48

  49

  60

  46

  66

  35

  76

  48

  Euro
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which(a) health trusts, (b) health authorities and (c) other bodies within the NHS (i) have set up and (ii) are setting up projects to prepare for the UK adopting the euro; what these projects are costing each organisation; what the total cost to the Department is; and from which budget sums already spent have come. [122813]

  Ms Stuart
  An update on changeover planning in the public sector was given in the second Outline National Changeover Plan published on 9 March.

  Cold-related Illnesses
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the percentage increase in hospital admissions for cold-related illnesses from December to March above the average for the rest of the year in(a) Bromley and (b) North Cumbria health authority area in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [122368]

  Mr. Denham
  The figures in the table show a count of admissions to National Health Service hospitals in England by selected diagnoses, where the patient's health authority of residence was Bromley or North Cumbria, for the years 1994–95 to 1998–99.
  349W

  Admissions by selected diagnoses and percentage increase of average admissions per month between April–November and December–March for Bromley and North Cumbria HA of residence, NHS hospitals, 1994–95 to 1998–99

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  1998–99

  Admission date—months

  Bromley HA

  North Cumbria HA

  Bromley HA

  North Cumbria HA

  Bromley HA

  North Cumbria

  Bromley HA

  North Cumbria

  Bromley HA

  North Cumbria HA

  Percentage increase in average admissions per month between April–November and December–March

  29

  53

  25

  48

  65

  67

  72

  28

  69

  49

  1Admissions which had not finished by the end of the financial year (ie 31 March) are not included in the figures as they do not hold any diagnostic data

  Notes:

  1. The diagnosis codes used were as follows:

  ICD10 (1995–96 to 1998–99)

  JOO—Acute nasopharyngitis (common cold)

  J10-J18—Influenza and pneumonia

  T68—Hypothermia

  T69—Other effects of reduced temperature

  ICD9 (1994–95)

  460—Acute nasopharyngitis (common cold)

  480–487—Influenza and pneumonia

  991․Effects of reduced temperature (including hypothermia)

  2. The main diagnosis is the first of seven diagnosis fields in the HES data set, and provides the main reason why the patient was in hospital.

  3. Data in this table has not been adjusted for shortfalls in collection (ie it is ungrossed).

  Source:

  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health

  Physicians
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will discuss with the General Medical Council their plans for making it a requirement for any physician applying for a new appointment to divulge legal action which he or she may be facing in relation to their medical work. [122753]

  Ms Stuart
  It is not the responsibility of the General Medical Council to require physicians applying for new appointments to divulge legal action which they may be facing in relation to their medical work. The GMC is an independent statutory body, which licenses doctors to practise medicine in the United Kingdom, following an examination of their qualifications. It is their job to ensure that the doctors registered are capable of good medical practice within the scope of their registration, which includes being honest and trustworthy.

  It is the responsibility of all employers to take all possible action to ensure that doctors they appoint are fit to practise. The Department has issued guidance reinforcing the need for pre employment checks for doctors in the "Good Practice Guidance" issued with the "Appointment of Consultants Regulations 1996". Additionally the Department has also issued HSG(98)64, "The Management of Health, Safety and Welfare Issues of NHS Staff", and HSC 1998/212 "Children's Safeguard Review: Choosing with Care", which cover all NHS staff, and advises NHS employers to ensure proper pre-employment checks are made so that employees do not represent a risk to patients.

  The Department also plans to issue a Direction shortly which will require NHS employers to include a declaration in their application forms for hospital and community medical and dental posts, stating whether or not the applicant has been or is the subject of disciplinary action by the police, or a regulatory body in this country or overseas.

  Home Carers
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to(a) investigate the quality of care being provided to people in their homes, (b) introduce a regulatory system to supervise the provision of care by home carers and (c) apply such a system throughout the UK. [122692]

  Mr. Hutton
  In England we are committed to introducing a regulatory framework for home care services. Proposals for this are included in the Care Standards Bill, which was recently introduced in the House.

  All domiciliary care agencies will be required to register, if they provide personal care services. They will be inspected annually by a national care standards commission, established in this Bill.

  The responsibility for information relating to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a matter for the devolved administrations.

  Child Prostitution
  Mrs. Heal
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government are taking to ensure that children are protected from abuse through prostitution and that those who coerce children into prostitution are(a) investigated and (b) prosecuted. [123051]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Government have today published new Guidance, "Safeguarding Children Involved In Prostitution—Supplementary Guidance to Working Together to Safeguard Children". It establishes that the primary law enforcement effort must be against those who coerce children into and abuse them through prostitution. Children involved in prostitution should be treated primarily as victims of abuse.

  The Guidance sets out an inter-agency approach, based on local protocols, to address this type of abuse. The identification of a child involved in prostitution, or at risk

  351W
  of being drawn into prostitution, should always trigger the agreed local Area Child Protection Committee procedures to ensure the child's safety and welfare, and to enable the police to gather evidence about abusers and coercers. The Guidance forms an important part of the Government's strategy to combat the commercial sexual exploitation of children. Copies of the Guidance will be placed in the Library.

  Cancelled Operations
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations were cancelled, and in respect of such operations how many patients involved were not re-admitted within one month, in each quarter since 1995 in(a) England and (b) each health authority in London; and if he will list the percentage change for each year. [122712]

  Mr. Denham
  [holding answer 19 May 2000]: The information requested has been placed in the Library.

  The table shows the information for England. Information for the fourth quarter of 1999–2000 is not yet available.

  Information for London is not available in the format requested as the definition of 'London' health authorities before the London region was established in January 1999 is subject to interpretation. The information in the Library can be used to generate comparisons but these will vary according to the definition of 'London' health authorities used.

  Number of cancelled operations and breaches of Patient's Charter Standard

  Q1

  Q2

  Q3

  Q4

  Whole year

  1994–95

  Cancelled operations

  11,603

  10,186

  11,874

  14,466

  48,129

  Breaches

  1,587

  1,226

  1,343

  2,005

  6,161

  1995–96

  Cancelled operations

  11,860

  11,457

  14,514

  16,652

  54,483

  Breaches

  1,025

  1,129

  1,675

  2,130

  5,959

  Percentage change

  Cancellations

  +13

  Breaches

  -3

  1996–97

  Cancelled operations

  11,595

  11,055

  13,023

  16,374

  52,047

  Breaches

  1,162

  1,229

  1,614

  2,825

  6,830

  Percentage change

  Cancellations

  -5

  Breaches

  +15

  1997–98

  Cancelled operations

  12,019

  11,550

  12,476

  14,460

  50,505

  Breaches

  1,541

  1,492

  1,891

  2,326

  7,250

  Percentage change

  Cancellations

  -3

  Breaches

  +6

  1998–99

  Cancelled operations

  12,384

  11,470

  14,611

  17,685

  56,150

  Breaches

  2,174

  1,495

  2,472

  3,239

  9,380

  Percentage change

  Cancellations

  +11

  Breaches

  +29

  352W

  Number of cancelled operations and breaches of Patient's Charter Standard

  Q1

  Q2

  Q3

  Q4

  Whole year

  1999–2000

  Cancelled operations

  12,313

  12,017

  15,769

  n/a

  n/a

  Breaches

  2,384

  2,186

  3,042

  n/a

  n/a

  Percentage change

  Cancellations

  +13

  Breaches

  -3

  Accident and Emergency Departments
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many accident and emergency departments there were in each year since 1979 for which the figures are available(a) for England, (b) for each health authority in London and (c) for each NHS trust in London; and if he will list the percentage change for each year. [122713]

  Ms Stuart
  Department of Health statistics provide a count of the number of National Health Service trusts with accident and emergency services. They do not count how many individual Departments there are.

  Information on the type of accident and emergency service provided is published in "Bed availability and occupancy, England 1998–99" and information on numbers of accident and emergency attendances is published in "Outpatients and ward attenders, England 1998–99". Copies of both are available in the Library.

  Social Services
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 15 May 2000,Official Report, column 18W, on the Audit Commission report, Charging with Care, if the options he is considering include taking additional legislative powers. [122843]

  Mr. Hutton
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced during debate on the Second Reading of the Care Standards Bill on 18 May 2000 that we will propose an amendment to that Bill that will allow guidance to be issued to councils about charging for non-residential services under section 7 of the Local Authority Social Services Act 1970.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 15 May 2000,Official Report, column 18W, on standard spending assessments, if he will list the ways in which the formula has materially changed in each year since 1997. [122842]

  Mr. Hutton
  The major changes to the standard spending assessment formula for residential care services for older people and the SSA formula for non-residential services for older people since 1997 are as follows.

  For 1998–99 SSAs, the residential care services SSA was revised on the basis of research commissioned from the University of Kent. Previously, four factors influenced the allocation: the number of older people in the authority (including those in institutional settings), the proportion of older people who have a long-term illness, the proportion of older people living in rented accommodation, and the proportion of older people with preserved rights to higher rates of Income Support. In the new formula, the last factor was dropped as the number

  353W
  of preserved rights clients is far less of an influence several years into the community care reforms. The first three factors were retained but four further factors were added:

  the proportion of pensioners living alone;

  the proportion of older people receiving Income Support;

  the proportion of pensioners who are living with someone, but not as a couple;

  the proportion of older people in receipt of Attendance Allowance.

  For 1999–2000 SSAs, the residential services SSA was changed to take account additionally of the numbers of older people claiming Disability Living Allowance and to cease to take account of the number of older people living in institutions.

  Also for 1999–2000 the non-residential services SSA was changed to include an allowance for population sparsity and to reflect each authority's potential to raise income from charges.

  There were no changes to the SSA formulae in 2000–01.

  Construction Contracts
  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what construction contracts his Department has awarded to the Joannou and Paraskevaides Group in the last three years. [123142]

  Ms Stuart
  The Department has no record of any construction contract awarded to any firm of this name in the last three years.

  So far as the wider National Health Service is concerned, there are no centrally held records of construction contracts entered into by NHS trusts or health authorities and to survey all of them to answer this question would be at disproportionate cost.

  NHS Waiting Lists
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients have left NHS waiting lists in each month of the last year to be treated in the private healthcare sector. [123125]

  Mr. Denham
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Meat Hygiene
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the closure of the Mead Webber meat processing plant at Eardisley in Herefordshire. [122956]

  Ms Stuart
  An independent investigation on the closure of the Mead Webber plant has been agreed following discussions between the Meat Hygiene Service Chief Executive and a representative of Mead Webber Ltd.

  It would be inappropriate to comment further until this investigation has been completed.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Asylum Seekers
  Ms Perham
  l4. To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the most recent figures for the processing of asylum applications. [121544]

  Mrs. Roche
  The number of initial decisions made in March increased by 44 per cent. on the figure for February, rising to 11,340, the highest monthly total ever recorded and the first time ever the level has climbed above 10,000. As a result, the backlog of initial asylum decisions has begun to fall.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received concerning the administration of the voucher system for asylum seekers and their families. [121557]

  Mrs. Roche
  I and my officials have over the last few months received a number of representations concerning the administration of the voucher system. These include letters from the public and from hon. Members. Parliamentary questions have also been asked in both Houses about the system.

  Mr. Syms
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of failed asylum seekers since 1997 who have disappeared within the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [121559]

  Mrs. Roche
  No official estimate has been made of the numbers of failed asylum seekers since 1997 who have disappeared in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to use the Farringdon House Territorial Army Centre in North Cheam for use as accommodation for asylum seekers. [122841]

  Mrs. Roche
  The National Asylum Support Service has no plans to use the Farringdon House Territorial Army Centre in North Cheam to accommodate asylum seekers.

  Rural Policing
  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on rural policing. [121545]

  Mr. Straw
  We recognise the policing needs of rural areas. We will publish a rural White Paper later this year, including a section dealing specifically with rural crime. At present, the particular needs of rural areas are taken into account in the current police funding formula that distributes approximately £35 million of available funding to authorities with low population density, and so benefits rural areas.

  Rural areas also participate in the range of initiatives already available, the Crime Fighting Fund, Crime Reduction Programme and recently approved funds to build a modern crime fighting machine and to modernise the police service.
  355W
  Mr. David Heath
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police authorities will benefit from his proposed additional funding for policing in rural areas. [121565]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  We have retained the sparsity element introduced by the previous Government in the formula for calculating police funding of 0.5 per cent. (about £35 million) which benefits rural forces.

  An added 2 per cent. sparsity element was also used in allocating 4,000 of the 5,000 police officers being recruited through the crime fighting fund. The remaining 1,000 officers were divided between the 34 forces putting in the best bids. In deciding the allocation of resources between forces, we took particular account of the information forces supplied to explain the size of their bids, including the particular need of rural areas.

  Under the Crime Reduction Programme, some of the initiatives fund rural crime reduction projects. Under the Targeted Policing Initiative, Northumbria police, in partnership with Tynedale district council, local parish councils and the Northumberland Social Services and Probation Service, have been granted £40,000 for a project to develop an integrated strategy to tackle crime and disorder in rural towns and remote villages.

  A number of projects funded under the Closed Circuit Television Initiative requirement have been relaxed from twice to one-and-a-half times the national average burglary rate. This will allow more areas to bid funding, though the burglary rate in most rural areas is still well below this level.

  Police Manpower (Greater London)
  Sir Sydney Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if minimum manpower shift levels are being applied in the Metropolitan police area. [121546]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that the level of manpower for each core shift is an operational matter for borough commanders. Where borough commanders have agreed minimum manpower shift levels, they are set for each shift according to local demands.

  Illegal Immigrants
  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress is being made in checking heavy goods vehicles for illegal would-be immigrants seeking to enter this country. [121548]

  Mrs. Roche
  The Immigration Service has increased the number of checks on vehicles entering the United Kingdom. These checks support the civil penalty provisions of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, which were recently implemented.

  Domestic Violence
  Mr. Sarwar
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to protect women who have come to the United Kingdom through marriage and are subject to domestic violence. [121549]
  356W
  Mr. Boateng
  We have introduced a range of measures to protect women from overseas who have applied to settle in the United Kingdom—but are subject to violence by their spouse or partner—including a concession outside the immigration rules and the provision of culturally appropriate support by the police, National Health Service, housing and other agencies.

  Crime and Disorder Partnerships (Schools)
  Mr. Ian Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with his counterparts in the Department for Education and Employment to ensure that schools are fully involved in local partnerships to combat crime and disorder. [121550]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Following agreement with Ministers in the Department for Education and Employment, we have designated schools as bodies with which local authorities and police forces must co-operate in partnership to develop and implement their local crime and disorder reduction strategies.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by how much crime increased in the Metropolitan police area during the year to 31 March; and if he will make a statement. [121551]

  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.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the proportion of crime, based on(a) recorded crime statistics and (b) the British Crime Survey, which (i) does not result in a caution or conviction and (ii) is not cleared up; and if he will make a statement. [123227]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The latest assessment of the proportion of crimes not cleared up and those not resulting in a caution or a conviction is detailed on page 29 of "Digest 4—Information on the Criminal Justice System in England and Wales", published by the Home Office in October 1999. A copy of this publication is available in the Library.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what the recorded crime clear-up rate in each Metropolitan Police division was in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement; [123150]

  (2) how many recorded crimes there were in each Metropolitan Police division in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement; [123149]
  357W
  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The requested details are included in the table.

  Recorded crimes and clear-up rates in Metropolitan Police Divisions

  Offences

  1995–96 Percentage clear-ups

  Offences

  1996–97 Percentage clear-ups

  Offences

  1997–98 Percentage clear-ups

  Offences

  1998–99 Percentage clear-ups

  Offences

  1999–2000 Percentage clear-ups

  Barking and Dagenham

  14,156

  23

  14,436

  21

  13,733

  26

  17,470

  19

  19,567

  14

  Barnet

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  26,153

  23

  30,708

  16

  Barnet and Hertsmere

  11,735

  27

  11,049

  29

  10,214

  22

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Belgravia

  7,428

  18

  6,588

  17

  7,584

  22

  9,685

  27

  8,991

  20

  Bexley

  16,685

  17

  16,120

  25

  14,561

  22

  16,788

  17

  20,680

  14

  Brent

  24,633

  19

  24,186

  24

  22,621

  23

  28,479

  21

  33,253

  13

  Bromley

  24,445

  23

  22,176

  23

  20,356

  24

  24,172

  20

  26,474

  14

  Brompton

  15,300

  21

  15,332

  23

  14,816

  25

  15,630

  21

  17,410

  13

  Camden

  36,379

  19

  36,281

  27

  35,066

  28

  41,754

  25

  45,800

  16

  Charing Cross

  10,400

  19

  10,282

  15

  11,633

  16

  15,541

  22

  19,185

  16

  Colindale

  16,960

  23

  17,504

  27

  15,747

  29

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Croydon

  32,360

  24

  29,222

  29

  27,539

  27

  33,888

  22

  37,743

  16

  Ealing

  15,822

  22

  15,354

  23

  15,572

  26

  18,267

  26

  20,765

  20

  Enfield

  25,572

  21

  26,755

  23

  24,914

  20

  28,847

  21

  33,529

  13

  Fulham

  12,590

  24

  11,489

  25

  12,508

  27

  14,958

  24

  16,672

  17

  Greenwich

  30,141

  25

  26,799

  30

  23,320

  25

  28,404

  23

  29,991

  20

  Hammersmith

  9,620

  20

  9,522

  21

  8,862

  25

  10,383

  18

  11,928

  13

  Haringey

  25,251

  20

  26,390

  22

  25,002

  24

  30,862

  22

  34,075

  22

  Harrow

  13,659

  18

  14,737

  22

  14,138

  25

  14,984

  27

  16,777

  18

  Havering

  14,761

  24

  15,811

  19

  14,950

  27

  17,162

  24

  18,787

  18

  Heathrow

  5,057

  29

  5,701

  35

  5,404

  42

  5,291

  40

  6,717

  28

  Hertsmere

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5,807

  22

  7,333

  14

  Hillingdon

  22,590

  23

  22,463

  24

  20,798

  21

  23,427

  17

  26,281

  12

  Hounslow

  23,280

  25

  21,805

  28

  21,209

  28

  25,290

  19

  31,032

  13

  Islington

  27,134

  25

  27,615

  24

  24,994

  23

  32,251

  21

  38,427

  15

  Kingston Upon Thames

  16,376

  23

  15,812

  26

  14,176

  32

  16,566

  28

  18,401

  19

  Lambeth

  36,259

  23

  38,057

  25

  36,348

  23

  43,898

  19

  52,212

  13

  Lewisham

  28,008

  25

  26,408

  30

  23,524

  27

  28,088

  21

  29,628

  19

  Marylebone

  17,730

  28

  17,881

  29

  16,876

  27

  18,238

  25

  19,764

  18

  Merton

  15,919

  21

  14,691

  27

  13,883

  25

  16,587

  19

  16,812

  16

  Newham

  26,104

  22

  26,607

  22

  27,298

  23

  31,899

  19

  38,335

  14

  Notting Hill

  9,876

  20

  10,634

  19

  9,845

  23

  11,400

  23

  13,369

  13

  Paddington

  12,300

  18

  12,652

  20

  12,940

  24

  15,278

  20

  16,849

  15

  Redbridge

  20,062

  30

  21,357

  23

  21,767

  23

  28,273

  20

  30,106

  12

  Richmond upon Thames

  13,728

  23

  13,360

  22

  12,355

  24

  13,727

  18

  15,504

  14

  Shoreditch and Hackney

  14,110

  23

  14,136

  22

  13,795

  27

  17,394

  25

  19,897

  15

  Southall

  11,765

  22

  13,252

  26

  12,579

  26

  16,119

  21

  17,972

  15

  Southwark

  36,204

  26

  38,946

  32

  33,806

  28

  40,116

  26

  43,734

  19

  Spelthorne

  6,766

  32

  6,306

  27

  5,562

  24

  6,844

  25

  6,925

  19

  Stoke Newington

  14,409

  20

  14,671

  19

  14,093

  24

  17,394

  20

  19,110

  15

  Sutton

  19,246

  21

  18,262

  25

  17,163

  24

  19,181

  24

  21,319

  18

  Tower Hamlets

  23,375

  21

  23,002

  21

  23,569

  24

  29,789

  23

  34,071

  17

  Waltham Forest

  19,681

  24

  20,833

  24

  20,534

  27

  24,278

  24

  27,035

  19

  Wandsworth

  30,232

  23

  28,323

  24

  26,491

  23

  32,636

  16

  35,527

  13

  West End Central

  12,423

  29

  13,242

  23

  15,896

  20

  20,286

  23

  22,826

  16

  Other Units ('Squads')

  285

  30

  144

  28

  238

  11

  770

  41

  526

  37

  Total

  820,816

  23

  816,193

  25

  778,279

  25

  934,254

  22

  1,052,047

  16

  Notes:

  There was a change in counting rules for recorded crime on 1 April 1998, with the aim of wherever possible measuring one crime per victim. The coverage of offences was also expanded. It was estimated that these changes in themselves increased the overall number of crimes recorded by the Metropolitan Police by 21.7 per cent. Numbers of offences and clear-up rates before and after this date are not directly comparable.

  The basis for the collection of clear-ups changed on 1 April 1999. The major changes were a reduction in the number of offences taken into consideration being counted (only those that were previously recorded will now be counted), and with more stringent rules applying to `prison visit' clear-ups. Clear-up rates subsequent to this date are not directly comparable with previous years.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many recorded crimes there were in the Metropolitan police area, in each category of crime and in total, in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement; [123152]

  (2) what the recorded crime clear-up rate for the Metropolitan police was, for each category of crime and in total, in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [123151]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The requested details are included in the table.
  358W

  Metropolitan Police District—Category totals and clear-up rates

  Offences

  Percentage cleared up

  1995–96

  Violence against the person

  39,093

  64

  Sexual offences

  5,845

  54

  Robbery

  28,682

  22

  Burglary

  169,537

  23

  Theft and handling stolen goods

  386,425

  18

  Fraud and forgery

  33,679

  45

  Criminal damage1

  149,507

  15

  Drug offences2

  —

  —

  Other offences

  8,048

  83

  Total

  820,816

  23

  359W

  Metropolitan Police District—Category totals and clear-up rates

  Offences

  Percentage cleared up

  1996–97

  Violence against the person

  46,951

  68

  Sexual offences

  6,993

  59

  Robbery

  28,690

  22

  Burglary

  158,423

  22

  Theft and handling stolen goods

  375,916

  19

  Fraud and forgery

  39,442

  46

  Criminal damage1

  149,608

  17

  Drug offences2

  —

  —

  Other offences

  10,170

  88

  Total

  816,193

  25

  1997–98

  Violence against the person

  49,959

  67

  Sexual offences

  7,654

  59

  Robbery

  26,731

  23

  Burglary

  136,365

  22

  Theft and handling stolen goods

  365,202

  18

  Fraud and forgery

  43,437

  38

  Criminal damage1

  137,387

  19

  Drug offences2

  —

  —

  Other offences

  11,544

  85

  Total

  778,279

  25

  1998–99

  Violence against the person

  131,549

  44

  Sexual offences

  8,102

  42

  Robbery

  26,330

  16

  Burglary

  123,861

  13

  Theft and handling stolen goods

  383,665

  14

  Fraud and forgery

  80,541

  15

  Criminal damage1

  136,870

  13

  Drug offences2

  32,152

  97

  Other offences

  11,184

  58

  Total

  934,254

  22

  1999–2000

  Violence against the person

  156,880

  31

  Sexual offences

  9,189

  32

  number of offenders convicted at all courts within the Metropolitan police area for indictable offences by type of offence, 1994–98, 1999 (January to September)1

  Type of offence

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999 (January to September)1

  Violence against the person

  4,650

  3,744

  4,412

  5,209

  5,444

  3,629

  Sexual offences

  634

  596

  564

  595

  576

  400

  Burglary

  4,482

  4,176

  3,707

  3,525

  3,386

  2,389

  Robbery

  1,249

  1,407

  1,551

  1,406

  1,358

  997

  Theft and handling stolen goods

  19,805

  16,249

  16,790

  17,485

  18,788

  13,917

  Fraud and forgery

  3,107

  3,020

  2,987

  3,055

  3,434

  2,472

  Criminal damage

  1,727

  1,470

  1,359

  1,612

  1,626

  1,440

  Drug offences

  7,205

  6,662

  6,672

  7,716

  9,765

  7,387

  Other (excluding motoring)

  8,094

  7,796

  7,562

  7,988

  7,695

  5,303

  Motoring offences

  2,006

  1,365

  1,096

  1,036

  1,002

  600

  Total

  52,959

  46,485

  46,700

  49,627

  53,074

  38,534

  1Provisional

  Crime Prevention (Technology)
  Mr. Burgon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with representatives of the business community about the use of technology to prevent crime. [121554]
  360W

  Metropolitan Police District—Category totals and clear-up rates

  Offences

  Percentage cleared up

  Robbery

  36,317

  12

  Burglary

  129,145

  10

  Theft and handling stolen goods

  426,235

  10

  Fraud and forgery

  105,150

  9

  Criminal damage1

  151,590

  10

  Drug offences2

  26,233

  91

  Other offences

  11,308

  43

  Total

  1,052,047

  16

  1Including all criminal damage.

  2Prior to the change in counting rules for recorded crime on 1 April 1998, the only drug offence counted was drug trafficking, which was included in "other offences".

  Notes:

  1. There was a change in counting rules for recorded crime on 1 April 1998, with the aim of wherever possible measuring one crime per victim. The coverage of offences was also expanded. It was estimated that these changes in themselves increased the overall number of crimes recorded by the Metropolitan Police by 21.7 per cent. Numbers of offences and clear-up rates before and after this date are not directly comparable.

  2. The basis for the collection of clear-ups changed on 1 April 1999. The major changes were a reduction in the number of offences taken into consideration being counted (only those that were previously recorded will now be counted), and with more stringent rules applying to "prison visit" clear-ups. Clear-up rates subsequent to this date are not directly comparable with previous years.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions there were in the Metropolitan police area, in each category of crime and in total, in each of the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [123153]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The available information on offenders convicted within the Metropolitan police area comes from the Home Office Court Proceedings Database and is given in the table.

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  We have established a number of initiatives to discuss with the business community the use of technology to prevent crime. We are working with industry to encourage the comprehensive electronic tagging or "chipping" of goods. The ability to track and trace goods effectively will have far-reaching implications for commerce and crime reduction. We are funding the
  361W
  Foresight Crime Prevention Panel, which includes business and industry representatives and is specifically seeking to identify opportunities for using advances in technology to reduce crime. Action teams, with representatives and is specifically seeking to identify opportunities for using advances in technology to reduce crime. Action teams, with representatives from business community, have also been established to look at retail, vehicle and property crime, including the use of technology.

  Germar Rudolf
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement concerning the case of Germar Rudolf. [121552]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The Government are aware of the reports in some quarters that Mr. Rudolf may be in the United Kingdom. The police have also been informed of the allegations against Mr. Rudolf.

  Closed Circuit Television (Chelmsford)
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the impact of CCTV in Chelmsford on the level of crime; and if he will make a statement. [121553]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Essex Police crime statistics show a 7 per cent. reduction in recorded crime in Chelmsford Town Centre since the Closed Circuit Television system became operational in January 1996. The true reduction is greater, as the figures are affected by a statistical change in 1998 in the method of recording violent crime. There have been 1,012 arrests directly attributable to CCTV, mainly for theft and public order offences.

  E-commerce
  Mr. St. Aubyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had with the Department of Trade and Industry concerning e-commerce. [121555]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I have had a number of discussions with the Minister for Small Business and E-Commerce concerning e-commerce, particularly on the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Bill and the Electronic Communications Bill. Officials in the Home Office and the Department of Trade and Industry are working together closely to pursue the Government's policy of making the United Kingdom the best and the safest place in the world to conduct e-commerce.

  Home Detention Curfew Scheme
  Mr. Forth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many further offences have been committed by prisoners released under the Home Detention Curfew scheme while on the scheme; and if he will make a statement. [121558]

  Mr. Boateng
  Information based on notifications direct to the Prison Service and data from the Police National Computer show that fewer than 2 per cent. of prisoners placed on the Home Detention Curfew scheme since January 1999 have committed further offences while subject to the scheme. As at 15 May 2000, the Prison 362W
  Service knew of 395 cases where curfewees had been convicted or cautioned for offences committed while subject to the scheme, or were awaiting prosecution for such offences. The total number of offences known to the Prison Service was 701.

  Mr. Hope
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners placed on the Home Detention Curfew scheme have committed further offences while subject to the scheme; and if he will make a statement. [123374]

  Mr. Boateng
  The latest information shows that fewer than 2 per cent. of the 20,632 prisoners placed on Home Detention Curfew by 15 May 2000 had committed further offences while subject to the scheme.

  Interrogation of data on the Police National Computer (PNC) (covering 14,646 of the 14,837 prisoners placed on Home Detention Curfew up to 31 December 1999) indicates that, as at 13 April 2000, 351 of this group had been convicted of, or cautioned for, an offence committed while subject to the Home Detention Curfew scheme, or had a prosecution pending in respect of such an offence. In addition, there are 44 cases where the Prison Service has been notified of new charges involving prisoners placed on Home Detention Curfew in 2000 and prisoners placed on Home Detention Curfew in 1999 who could not be traced on the Police National Computer. (The figure of 44 excludes cases where the Prison Service is aware that charges were brought but not proceeded with, or resulted in acquittal). This means that at 15 May 2000 the total number of cases where the Prison Service knew of convictions, cautions or pending prosecutions in respect of curfewees was 395, or 1.9 per cent. of the total.

  Table 1 gives a breakdown of the offences which led to convictions or cautions or where prosecutions are pending. Table 2 shows the number of cases in which these offences are similar in type to the original offence leading to a custodial sentence, and provides a breakdown.

  Figures used in responding to previous Parliamentary Questions in relation to reoffending by those placed on the Home Detention Curfew (both in 1999 and 2000) were based on information about charges reported to the Prison Service by the police. The Prison Service had been previously notified of 171 cases where charges had been brought against offenders placed on Home Detention Curfew in 1999, and 37 cases involving offenders placed on Home Detention Curfew in 2000.

  The interrogation of data from the Police National Computer was undertaken as part of the continuing evaluation of the Home Detention Curfew scheme by the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate. The evaluation exercise has not to date covered those placed on Home Detention Curfew in the current year, but regular updates are planned.

  The figures obtained from the Police National Computer cannot be compared directly with those previously used in responding to Parliamentary Questions. The new figures are based on convictions, cautions and pending prosecutions, rather than charges reported to the Prison Service by the police. However, the figures show that there has been some under-reporting of charges by the police.
  363W
  This means that the procedures for notifying the Prison Service of curfewees charged with further offences have not fully been followed. These procedures are set down in Home Office Circular 1/99, issued to Chief Constables and police Home Detention Curfew Liaison Officers in January 1999. The circular requires the police to notify the Prison Service either at the time the charge is laid or at the first opportunity thereafter. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has today written to the President of the Association of Chief Police Officers, asking that the Association give this matter their attention and identify what steps can be taken to improve compliance with the circular. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary will also be monitoring actions taken by the police to improve compliance with the notification procedures.

  As a reinforcing measure, other agencies will also be asked to alert the Prison Service to any case that comes to their attention, where a curfewee has been charged with an offence committed while subject to curfew. As already indicated, the Police National Computer will also be interrogated on a regular basis in order to monitor the effectiveness of the notification procedures, and to ensure that information on the numbers of convictions, cautions and pending prosecutions is kept up to date.

  Although more curfewees have been charged with further offences than originally notified, overall compliance with the scheme remains high. Taking account of the new information, the successful completion rate is around 94 per cent. (93.6 per cent.).

  The scheme is designed to ensure a better transition for short-term offenders between custody and the community. Prisoners are only placed on Home Detention Curfew after a careful risk assessment. The safety of the public is paramount at all times and, with this in mind, Prisoner Governors will be reminded of the importance, when considering a prisoner's suitability for Home Detention Curfew, of assessing the likelihood of reoffending while subject to curfew.

  Table 1: Breakdown of cases involving offences which led to convictions or cautions or where prosecutions are pending

  Offence

  Number

  Total

  395

  Manslaughter

  0

  Other homicide and attempted homicide

  Attempted murder

  0

  Making threats to kill

  5

  Conspire, aid, incite murder

  0

  Death by reckless driving

  0

  Wounding

  Wounding (inflicting GBH)

  6

  Assault occasioning ABH

  11

  Assault with intent to cause GBH

  1

  Assaults

  Assault with intent to resist arrest

  0

  Other assault

  16

  Obstruct/resist constable

  0

  Assault on police officer

  9

  Cruelty to children

  0

  364W

  Table 1: Breakdown of cases involving offences which led to convictions or cautions or where prosecutions are pending

  Offence

  Number

  Other violence against the person

  Cause explosion, place explosive

  0

  Possess firearms with intent

  0

  Possess offensive weapon

  4

  Other violence against the person

  4

  Sexual Offences

  Rape

  13

  Buggery

  0

  Indecent assault

  0

  Unlawful sexual intercourse

  0

  Abduction

  0

  Bigamy

  0

  Burglary

  21

  Robbery

  4

  Taking and driving away

  2

  Other theft

  94

  Handling stolen goods

  14

  Fraud

  11

  Forgery

  2

  Drugs offences

  Production

  0

  Supply

  8

  Possession with intent

  4

  Possession

  30

  Unlawful import/export

  1

  Other drugs offences

  6

  Arson

  1

  Criminal damage

  19

  In charge or driving under the influence of drink or drugs

  18

  Reckless driving

  3

  Other motoring offences

  34

  Drunkenness

  0

  Blackmail

  0

  Kidnapping

  0

  Affray

  7

  Violent disorder

  7

  Perjury/libel/pervert the course of justice

  2

  Threat/disorderly behaviour

  4

  Breach of Court Order

  13

  Other offences

  22

  Offence not recorded

  9

  1 One of the three rape cases was listed on PNC as pending prosecution, and is therefore included in the table. However, the Prison Service has since been informed that the offender was acquitted. The two other rape cases were previously known to the Prison Service and have been referred to in replies to earlier Parliamentary Questions.

  Notes:

  1. The table includes all 351 cases drawn from the PNC analysis and the 44 cases where the data is based on police notifications (excluding those cases where, following initial notification of a charge, the Prison Service was informed that the charges had been withdrawn or resulted in acquittal).

  2. Where a curfewee was convicted of, or cautioned for more than one offence, or prosecution is pending in respect of more than one offence, the table shows the most serious offence.

  Table 2: Cases where new offences are similar in character to index offence

  Offence

  Number

  Total

  136

  Homicide and attempted homicide

  0

  including:

  Manslaughter

  365W

  Table 2: Cases where new offences are similar in character to index offence

  Offence

  Number

  Attempted murder

  Conspire, aid, incite murder

  Wounding and assault

  8

  including:

  Wounding (inflicting GBH)

  Assault occasioning ABH

  Assault with intent to cause GBH

  Assault with intent to resist arrest

  Other assault

  Obstruct/resist constable

  Assault on police officer

  Other violence against the person

  0

  including:

  Cause explosion, place explosive

  Possess firearms with intent

  Possess offensive weapon

  Other violence against the person

  Sexual offences

  0

  including:

  Rape

  Buggery

  Indecent assault

  Unlawful sexual intercourse

  Drugs offences

  17

  including:

  Production

  Supply

  Possession with intent

  Possession

  Unlawful import/export

  Other drugs offences

  Driving offences

  11

  including:

  Death by reckless driving

  In charge or driving under the influence of drink or drugs

  Reckless driving

  Other motoring offences

  Taking and driving away

  Theft and Burglary

  89

  including:

  Burglary

  Robbery

  Other theft

  Handling stolen goods

  Fraud

  Forgery

  Disorderly and Threatening Behaviour

  6

  including:

  Making threats to kill

  Criminal damage

  Affray

  Violent disorder

  Threat/disorderly behaviour

  Drunkenness

  Kidnap/Abduction

  1

  including:

  Kidnapping

  Abduction

  False imprisonment

  Other offences

  including:

  Arson

  1

  Bigamy

  0

  366W

  Table 2: Cases where new offences are similar in character to index offence

  Offence

  Number

  Blackmail

  0

  Perjury/libel/pervert the course of justice

  0

  Breach of Court Order

  3

  Cruelty to children

  0

  Notes:

  1. The table compares the most serious index offence with all the offences involved in the fresh convictions, cautions and pending prosecutions.

  2. Similar offences are defined for the purpose as offences within groups of offences shown above. All "stand alone" offences are not counted as similar in character to any other offence or group of offences.

  Anti-social Behaviour Orders
  Mr. McWalter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the causes of the low take-up of anti-social behaviour orders. [121560]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Records of the number of orders granted are not currently held centrally, although we believe that about 40–45 orders are currently in force. The number of orders in force has been increasing steadily and continues to do so. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary set up an action group last year to consider issues relating to the use of anti-social behaviour orders. The group recommended a series of 10 regional seminars to provide an opportunity to share good practice, and to consult on the terms of a model agreement or protocol which local partnerships can use as a basis for effective co-operation in tackling anti-social behaviour. The seminars have now been successfully completed and I look forward to a further increase in the number of orders granted.

  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many anti-social behaviour orders under the provisions of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 have been issued against persons under the age of 16 years. [121563]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  As I stated in my reply to the hon. Member for Surrey Heath (Mr. Hawkins) on 21 February Robbery 2000,Official Report, column 824W, records of the numbers of anti-social behaviour orders issued are not currently held centrally. We understand that since the relevant provision came into force on 1 April 1999, at least 13 anti-social behaviour orders have been in respect of persons aged under 16.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many anti-social behaviour orders have been implemented in the Greater London area in the last 12 months. [122369]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Figures for the number of orders granted are not yet held centrally. We are, however, aware of one order currently in force in the Greater London area.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the implementation of the Government's anti-social behaviour strategy in(a) England (b) the North West region and (c) the area covered by the Greater Manchester Police Authority; and if he will make a statement. [122574]
  367W
  Mr. Charles Clarke
  We will be reviewing the effectiveness of anti-social behaviour orders early next year.

  Police Racism
  Mr. Casale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about progress in tackling racism in the police force. [121561]

  Mr. Straw
  In February, I published my first annual report on progress of the implementation of my action plan to take forward the recommendations of the report of the Stephen Lawrence Inquiry, a copy of which is in the Library. I was able to report that over half of the report's 70 recommendations had already been implemented and work was under way on the others. The Bill to extend the Race Relations Act 1976 to the police and other public authorities was introduced in December 1999. I have set targets for forces on recruitment, retention and progression of ethnic minority officers. In addition, a research programme to broaden the understanding of stop and search and the way it can be improved is currently well advanced. I have made increasing trust and confidence in policing among minority ethnic communities one of just two ministerial priorities for the current year.

  Disorder (Parliament Square and Whitehall)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been charged with offences in connection with the disorder in Parliament Square and Whitehall on 1 May; how many have been charged with criminal damage to(a) the Cenotaph and (b) the statue of Sir Winston Churchill; and if he will make a statement. [121562]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Metropolitan police advise me that 51 persons have been charged so far in relation to the disorder in London on I May. In addition, seven people have been given a caution or formal warning.

  No person has yet been charged in connection with damage to the Cenotaph, but one person has been charged and convicted of criminal damage to the Sir Winston Churchill statue. He received a sentence of 30 days imprisonment and a compensation order of £250.

  Female Circumcision
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning training for police officers for the policing of the Prohibition of Female Circumcision Act 1985. [121564]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The only representations on this subject were parliamentary questions from my hon. Friend the Member for Calder Valley (Ms McCafferty), which I replied to on 18 April 2000,Official Report, column 421W and on 17 May 2000, Official Report, columns 171–72W.

  Hilda Murrell Case
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his answer of 14 April 2000,Official Report, column 292W, concerning the Hilda Murrell case, what options are being examined in
  368W
  the discussions with the forensic science service Major Crime Specialist Adviser on the strategic way ahead; and if he will make a statement on the use of second generation multiplan plus and low copy number systems. [121566]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I understand that advice has now been received from the Major Crime Specialist Adviser, but that to disclose its nature could reduce the chances of a successful outcome to the investigation. I shall write to my hon. Friend about the forensic techniques mentioned.

  Anti-drugs Strategy
  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of his measures against drug dealers; and if he will make a statement. [121567]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Activity aimed at stifling the availability of illegal drugs on our streets is set out in the Government's 10-year anti-drugs strategy for which demanding targets have been set in the United Kingdom Anti-drugs Co-ordinator's National Plan. The police, with other enforcement agencies, have been working towards achieving these and interim targets. The United Kingdom Anti-drugs Co-ordinator will report on progress in his second annual report, to be published in the summer.

  The "Drug Seizure and Offender Statistics Bulletin", published in February, reports that the overall number of seizures in the United Kingdom went up by 8 per cent. in 1998 to 149,900. The number of persons found guilty of, or cautioned for, offences of unlawful supply and of possession with intent to supply, totalled 16,246.

  Immigration and Nationality Directorate
  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what targets he has set for the Immigration and Nationality Directorate to respond to hon. Members' correspondence. [121568]

  Mrs. Roche
  The Home Office Public Service Agreement commits the Immigration and Nationality Directorate to reply to 95 per cent. of correspondence from hon. Members within 15 working days.

  Neighbourhood Watch
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what support his Department currently gives to neighbourhood watch schemes. [121569]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Home Office does not provide core funding for neighbourhood watch. Rather, we direct funding towards national initiatives designed to support and encourage the local activity. We also support the National Neighbourhood Watch Association in its efforts to promote increased involvement in neighbourhood watch.

  Drug-related Crime
  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the increase in the number of crimes in the last year which were related to illegal drugs. [121556]
  369W
  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The statistical data are collected on drug offences but not on other offences which may have been committed due to drug taking. In the 12 months ending September 1999, the police in England and Wales recorded 129,782 notifiable drug offences, a decrease of 9.2 per cent. on the corresponding period in the previous year.

  A programme of research carried out on behalf of the Home Office by the University of Cambridge, involving the drug testing of arrestees, indicates a strong connection between drug misuse, particularly heroin and crack/cocaine, and crime. The research suggests that about one third of all property crime is committed in order to buy these drugs. Further data are being analysed and it is hoped to publish the next set of full results in the summer.

  Humberside Police
  Shona McIsaac
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on Humberside police's bid for funding for extra officers from the Crime Fighting Fund. [121936]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I refer the hon. Member to the announcement I made on 17 May 2000,Official Report, columns 169–70W, which sets out details of the revised distribution of the 5,000 recruits under the Crime Fighting Fund for all forces in England and Wales.

  Humberside police bid for 251 officers and were allocated a total of 74 officers. Although the total number of officers has not changed, the accelerated scheme will enable Humberside to recruit 47 extra officers under the scheme this year and 27 next year.

  The Humberside police bid was considered most carefully, as were all the bids. 4,000 of the 5,000 officers were allocated between forces using the Police Grant and Standard Spending Assessment formula, which included an additional 2 per cent. sparsity factor to benefit forces such as Humberside that cover rural as well as urban areas. The remaining 1,000 officers were divided between the 34 forces putting in the best bids.

  Begging (Children)
  Ann Keen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with local authorities on their interpretation of the definition of child in need contained in section 17(1) of the Children Act 1989, in respect of babies and children involved in begging; and what plans he has to establish national guidelines on this issue. [122373]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has had no discussion with local authorities on their interpretation of the definition of "child in need" contained in section 17(1) of the Children Act 1989, in respect of babies and children involved in begging. The most objectionable aspects of begging are already covered by the criminal law. Where there are child protection concerns, local authorities have a statutory duty under Section 47 of the Children Act 1989 to make inquiries where they have reasonable cause for concern that a child may need protection.

  The law has always made clear how unacceptable it is to use children for the purposes of begging. It is there to be enforced as and when the situation requires it.

  Prison Officers (Retirement Age)
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will raise the maximum retirement age for prison officers from 60 to 65 years. [122523]

  Mr. Boateng
  In the light of the Home Office review of age retirement policy, the Prison Service is reviewing the age retirement of prison officers and other related grades. It is intended that this review will be completed within the next few months.

  Wheelclampers
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many wheelclampers working on private land have been prosecuted since 1990; [122519]

  (2) what powers of arrest will be given to the police in respect of wheelclampers who operate without licences granted under the proposed Private Security Regulations. [122520]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Wheelclamping on private land is not a criminal offence, although there have been civil actions. Information on such actions is not collected centrally. The number of criminal offences committed by wheelclampers during their work on private land is not available, as the Home Office Proceedings Database does not identify the employment status of a defendant.

  We will be introducing proposals to regulate wheelclampers as soon as parliamentary time allows.

  Nicholas Tucker
  Mr. Woolas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Criminal Cases Review Commission to report on the case of Nicholas Tucker. [122506]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I understand that an application for review of Nicholas Tucker's case was submitted to the Criminal Cases Review Commission in January 1999. The Commission has determined that the case will require an extensive review. Mr. Tucker has not presented any special factors that would justify giving his application priority, and it is therefore awaiting allocation to a caseworker, on the basis of date order of receipt. The Commission expects to begin the review within 12 months. The Commission will continue to communicate directly with Mr. Tucker or his representatives.

  Gammahydroxybutyrate
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Scientific Committee of the European Monitoring Centre on Drug and Drug Addiction to complete its formal risk assessment of the drug gammahydroxybutyrate. [122584]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Further to my replies to my hon. Friend on 10 May 2000,Official Report, column 405W, and to my hon. Friend the Member for South Swindon (Ms Drown) on 24 January 2000, Official Report, column 95W, I can report that the European Union Horizontal Drugs Working Group considered a report on gammahydroxybutyrate (GHB) from the European Monitoring Centre on Drugs and Drug Addition (EMCDDA) at its meeting on 12 April.
  371W
  The decision was taken at that meeting to refer GHB to the Scientific Committee of EMCDDA for a formal risk assessment under the Joint Action adopted by the Council of the European Union regarding the information exchange, risk assessment and control of new synthetic drugs. The risk assessment is expected to be completed by early to mid October.

  Rape
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Metropolitan police research initiative into drug-assisted rape to be concluded and a report published. [122585]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  This research into drug assisted sexual assault is sponsored by the Home Office through the Policing and Reducing Crime Unit under the Police Research Award Scheme.

  The research is complete and a launch by the Metropolitan Police Service is scheduled for 21 June 2000.

  Police Stations (Staffing)
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what(a) uniformed and (b) civilian staffing levels were in operation in each of the police stations within the Metropolitan Police Service Hillingdon Division for each shift on (i) 30 April, (ii) 1 May, (iii) 2 May and (iv) 3 May. [122823]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that uniform police officers on duty have responsibility for the whole borough and not specific stations. Furthermore, not all civil staff operate shifts. The information in the table, provided by the Commissioner, shows the number of uniform officers and civil staff deployed in Hillingdon Division for the period 30 April to 3 May:

  Inspector

  Sergeant

  Constable

  Civilian staff

  30 April

  Early turn

  1

  5

  18

  4

  Late turn

  1

  5

  22

  6

  Night duty

  1

  6

  26

  6

  1 May1

  Early turn

  1

  6

  30

  5

  Late turn

  1

  8

  38

  5

  Night duty

  1

  5

  30

  4

  2 May

  Early turn

  1

  6

  25

  5

  Late turn

  1

  7

  27

  4

  Night duty

  1

  6

  26

  3

  3 May

  Early turn

  1

  7

  25

  7

  Late turn

  1

  5

  24

  3

  Night duty

  1

  6

  26

  3

  1 The figures for 1 May include an additional shift brought on duty in response to central requriements to provide a reserve of aid, if needed, for the May Day demonstration. These were deployed for local policing in Hillingdon only.

  Prisoners (Medical Records)
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ensure that when prisoners are transferred from one prison to another, their medical records are transferred at the same time. [123099]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Prison Service standard on health services for prisoners, issued on 5 October 1999, required establishments to have written and observed guidelines which set out the procedures for reception, transfer and discharge and include means of ensuring information on continuing care is conveyed to other establishments on transfer. The documentation required to achieve continuity of care is expected to include prisoners' health and treatment records.

  Immigration Services Commissioner
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the appointment of the Immigration Services Commissioner. [123519]

  Mr. Straw
  I am pleased to announce that Mr. John Scampion has agreed to serve as the Immigration Services Commissioner and Mrs. Linda Allan has agreed to serve as the Deputy Immigration Services Commissioner. Mr. Scampion will be appointed from 22 May and Mrs. Allan from 5 June. Mr. Scampion is currently the Social Fund Commissioner for Great Britain and Northern Ireland and a member of the Data Protection Tribunal. Mrs. Allan is a member of the Police Complaints Authority.

  Metropolitan Police (Special Constables)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables there were in the Metropolitan police area on 1 May; and if he will make a statement. [121532]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me there were 758 special constables serving with the Metropolitan police on 1 May.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Cunninghame, South will receive a reply to his letter of 13 April to the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Hornsey and Wood Green (Mrs. Roche), concerning Mrs. Alexandra Wieringa. [123067]

  Mrs. Roche
  Unfortunately, my hon. Friend's correspondence was not received in my Department. His office has now kindly provided a copy and I replied on 18 May.

  Police Terms and Conditions
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the terms and conditions available to police officers of each rank from police constable to chief constable who have completed 30 years of service. [123107]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Police Regulations 1995 (as amended) set out terms and conditions of service for police officers of all ranks, regardless of length of service.
  373W
  The Police Pensions Regulations 1987 (as amended) set out the circumstances in which a regular policeman can retire with a policeman's ordinary pension.

  Officers below Association of Chief Police (ACPO) rank are entitled to retire on completion of 25 years' pensionable service if they give the police authority a month's written notice of the intention to retire—or such shorter notice as may be accepted by the authority.

  Officers of ACPO rank are entitled to retire on completion of 25 years' pensionable service if they have attained the age of 55 and give the police authority three months' written notice of the intention to retire; on completion of at least 25 years' pensionable service, regardless of age, if they are subject to a fixed term contract that is not, or cannot, be extended; or if the police authority otherwise decide to permit retirement before age 60. The full text of Regulation B1 of the Police Pensions Regulations 1987 (as amended) is as follows:
  An ordinary police pension is generally not payable until age 50 unless an officer has completed 30 years' pensionable service. Maximum pension benefits under the Police Pension Scheme are payable on completion of 30 years' pensionable service.

  Police (Early Retirements)
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many early retirements were granted by police authorities in each of the last four years. [123108]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Police officers are entitled to retire with an ordinary police pension on completion of 25 years' pensionable service, subject to certain conditions. However, most police officers choose to retire on completion of 30 years' pensionable service, as this is when maximum pension benefits are accrued.

  There are currently no provisions for early retirement from the police service with an actuarially reduced pension. However, officers may retire early on the ground that they are permanently disabled from performing the ordinary duties of a police officer and will receive an ill-health pension.

  Tables which contain information on ill-health retirements for civilian and non-civilian employees from each police authority for the last four years for which such information is available have been placed in the Library.

  Police Staff Numbers
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) police officers and (b) civilian staff there were in each Metropolitan Police division on the most recent date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.[123148]

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

  Police officers and civil staff numbers as of end of April 2000

  Area/Divisions

  Police officers

  Civil staff

  Central

  City of Westmister and Chelsea

  1,556.79

  338.32

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  512.89

  135.32

  374W

  Police officers and civil staff numbers as of end of April 2000

  Area/Divisions

  Police officers

  Civil staff

  North

  Barking and Dagenham

  272.72

  72.96

  Barnet

  510.92

  140.04

  Brent

  565.08

  123.75

  Camden

  654.06

  159.19

  Ealing

  572.62

  137.88

  Enfield

  487.84

  136.37

  Hackney

  630.45

  152.43

  Haringey

  490.05

  139.10

  Harrow

  279.60

  68.15

  Havering

  313.68

  83.36

  Hillingdon

  359.50

  96.27

  Islington

  509.72

  147.43

  Newham

  577.28

  118.16

  Redbridge

  434.25

  120.14

  Tower Hamlets

  529.74

  120.15

  Waltham Forest

  441.61

  120.42

  South

  Bexley

  273.60

  66.07

  Bromley

  431.07

  103.15

  Croydon

  547.46

  157.29

  Greenwich

  608.92

  144.60

  Hounslow

  421.00

  116.34

  Kingston upon Thames

  251.40

  74.72

  Lambeth

  826.95

  221.18

  Lewisham

  562.78

  147.50

  Merton

  289.10

  79.93

  Richmond upon Thames

  276.13

  76.74

  Southwark

  816.24

  207.05

  Sutton

  308.24

  79.35

  Wandsworth

  573.59

  152.00

  Heathrow Airport

  304.83

  64.36

  Criminal Record Checks
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police forces failed to meet targets for processing criminal record checks under child protection targets in each of the last three years; how long checks took on average in each force in each year; and if he will make a statement. [123228]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Under arrangements agreed with the Home Office, police forces in England and Wales aim to reply to employers and other agencies within 10 days, unless inquiries need to be made of other forces—in which case the aim is to reply within three weeks. These targets are subject to the allocation of resources within each police force, which is the responsibility of the Chief Constable.

  Available information in relation to the average time taken by forces in England and Wales to carry out checks under the terms of Home Office Circular 47/1993 in the three years to 31 March 1999 was shown in the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Torridge and West Devon (Mr. Burnett) on 17 March 2000, Official Report, columns 371–74W.

  Arrangements in Scotland and Northern Ireland are a matter for the respective Secretaries of State.

  Police Numbers
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers there were per head of population in each police force and in
  375W
  total in (a) 1992, (b) 1997 and (c) on the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.[123147]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information requested is set out in the table in the form of population per police officer. The additional funds we are making available over the next two years to recruit 5,000 more officers over and above those that forces would otherwise have recruited should improve on the 1999 ratios.

  Population per police officer for 1992, 1997 and 1999

  Force

  As at 31 March 1992

  As at 31 March 1997

  As at 30 Septmeber 1999

  Avon and Somerset

  464

  491

  498

  Bedfordshire

  489

  502

  531

  Cambridgeshire

  536

  540

  566

  Cheshire

  516

  479

  481

  City of London

  5

  6

  7

  Cleveland

  378

  382

  405

  Cumbria

  416

  429

  451

  Derbyshire

  551

  537

  550

  Devon and Cornwall

  523

  538

  545

  Dorset

  514

  531

  542

  Durham

  435

  416

  391

  Dyfed-Powys

  496

  474

  457

  Essex

  510

  511

  541

  Gloucestershire

  459

  491

  507

  Greater Manchester

  363

  372

  378

  Gwent

  443

  447

  442

  Hampshire

  531

  508

  519

  Hertfordshire

  497

  491

  499

  Humberside

  431

  434

  458

  Kent

  501

  478

  484

  Lancashire

  440

  439

  443

  Leicestershire

  483

  476

  465

  Lincolnshire

  496

  515

  561

  Merseyside

  312

  336

  346

  Metropolitan Police

  259

  284

  297

  Norfolk

  537

  543

  572

  Northamptonshire

  507

  513

  545

  Northumbria

  414

  390

  375

  North Wales

  486

  479

  470

  North Yorkshire

  516

  549

  573

  Nottinghamshire

  436

  444

  463

  South Wales

  415

  414

  415

  South Yorkshire

  430

  413

  412

  Staffordshire

  481

  477

  481

  Suffolk

  544

  561

  578

  Surrey

  450

  479

  457

  Sussex

  479

  477

  515

  Thames Valley

  523

  559

  560

  Warwickshire

  495

  541

  553

  West Mercia

  540

  547

  574

  West Midlands

  377

  371

  360

  West Yorkshire

  406

  405

  434

  Wiltshire

  471

  514

  527

  Total for England and Wales

  406

  414

  426

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) police officers and (b) officers per head of population there were (i) per police force and (ii) in England and Wales on 31 March; and if he will make a statement.[123226]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for North-East Hertfordshire (Mr. Heald) on 15 May 2000,Official Report, columns 59–60W.
  376W
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the change in the total number of police officers was in Hertfordshire between(a) 1992 and 1997 and (b) 1997 and the latest date for which figures are available, taking into account border changes with the Metropolitan police.[123154]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The change in the total number of police officers available for ordinary duty in Hertfordshire Constabulary between 31 March 1992 and 31 March 1997 was an increase of 64, from 1,695 to 1,759.

  The change from 31 March 1997 to 30 September 1999, the most recent date for which figures are available was an increase of one, from 1,759 to 1,760.

  The boundary changes for the Metropolitan Police District came into effect on 1 April 2000. The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that 182 police officers have been seconded from the Metropolitan Police Service to Hertfordshire Constabulary for periods of up to two years.

  The Commissioner also informs me that historical information on Metropolitan Police Divisional Staffing is unavailable.

  Right to Silence
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research he has undertaken into the impact of the change to the right to silence made by the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 on the number of convictions; and if he will make a statement.[123138]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Home Office Research Study 199, "The right of silence: the impact of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994", which was published in March 2000, examined the practical impact of the provisions on the interviewing of suspects at the police station and on proceedings in court. The report found a significant reduction in the extent to which suspects rely on silence when questioned by the police. The report concludes that conviction rates do not appear to have been affected, but the provisions may have introduced efficiencies in the investigation and prosecution process, with more productive interviews; greater scope for the investigation of accounts provided by suspects during interviews; and greater certainty of convictions where silence augments an already sound prosecution case. A copy has been placed in the Library.

  Young Offenders
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to ensure young offenders take greater responsibility for their behaviour. [121547]

  Mr. Boateng
  We have introduced the Crime and Disorder Act 1998, the Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999—which have led to the availability of reparation and action plan orders—and a range of new disposals aimed at early intervention in youth offending with a view to young people being challenged to face up to the consequences of their actions and make amends to their victims and the wider community.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  NIRS2
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners are still waiting to receive their correct pension as a result of the problems with the NIRS2 computer system; and how much compensation has been paid to(a) pensioners and (b) pension companies as a result of these computer problems.[121037]

  Mr. Rooker
  The number of pension cases waiting to be reviewed is 128,000.

  As at 31 March 2000, £2,125,147 compensation has been paid to retirement pensioners because of the delayed implementation of NIRS2.

  Compensation to pension companies amounts to £44.3 million for scheme members owing to the late payment of their age-related rebates for the 1997–98 tax year. In addition, £52,215 has been paid for work they undertook to modify their IT systems so as to minimise the impact that incorrect payments of rebates generated by NIRS2 would have on their customers' investments.

  The Benefits Agency will complete its review of the Retirement Pension claims affected by the delayed implementation of NIRS2 by the end of this year.

  Benefit Payment Methods
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will place in the Library copies of communications sent to(a) new and current pensioners and (b) new and current recipients of child benefit concerning methods of payment of their benefits.[120343]

  Mr. Rooker
  The latest copies of the main communications to new and current pensioners and new and current Child Benefit recipients, concerning methods of payment of their benefits, have been placed in the Library.

  Stakeholder Pension
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security up to what level of income people will be eligible to hold a stakeholder pension concurrently with an occupational pension.[122591]

  Calls received by each DSS helpline since January 1999

  January 1999

  February 1999

  March 1999

  April 1999

  May 1999

  June 1999

  July 1999

  August 1999

  National Benefit Fraud Hotline

  13,925

  13,978

  16,901

  11,996

  11,303

  13,415

  10,491

  10,336

  CSA National Enquiry Line

  31,318

  57,365

  61,031

  45,461

  42,806

  50,616

  48,760

  46,819

  CSA's Client Helpline

  310,585

  252,286

  297,910

  297,033

  220,520

  253,321

  296,252

  222,542

  Benefit Enquiry Line

  102,110

  100,828

  125,991

  91,589

  95,850

  105,179

  87,424

  87,570

  Minimum Income Guarantee

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  War Pensions Helpline

  22,434

  22,452

  25,098

  27,698

  23,243

  25,713

  25,642

  25,810

  Winter Fuel Leaflet Order Line2

  130

  2—

  2—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  Winter Fuel Helpline

  115,478

  32,455

  7,789

  1,612

  —

  —

  —

  —

  New Deal for Lone Parents1

  10,228

  6,933

  3,265

  3,040

  1,616

  1,513

  1,027

  790

  Pensions-Info Lind1

  4,316

  3,891

  6,437

  4,443

  2,189

  1,908

  2,316

  2,405

  Mortgage Protection Line1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Welfare Reform Order Line1

  1,261

  519

  396

  221

  177

  162

  397

  200

  ONE/Single Work Focused Gateway

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Inherited SERPS Scheme(ISS)1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Customer Care Helpline

  328,038

  306,460

  346,968

  304,867

  286,934

  338,611

  329,600

  305,738

  DSS Public Enquiry Office

  8,312

  7,843

  9,144

  7,456

  5,635

  7,663

  7,599

  7,401

  Child Benefit Centre

  181,919

  158,268

  199,687

  170,717

  142,010

  172,603

  159,930

  180,725

  378W
  Mr. Rooker
  People will be able to hold both an occupational pension and a stakeholder pension. They will be able to contribute to both only when the occupational scheme is approved under the new defined contribution tax regime. Total contributions to defined contribution schemes will be subject to existing income related ceilings. We are still considering how concurrent contributions might be extended to other occupational schemes without introducing unnecessary complexity or excessive cost.

  Guillain-Barré Syndrome
  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the training needs of examining medical practitioners and adjudicating officers in the Disability Benefits Unit of the Benefits Agency in relation to Guillain Barré syndrome.[122915]

  Mr. Bayley
  The training of examining medical practitioners and decision makers for Disability Living Allowance concentrates on explaining disability in functional terms and in particular on the assessment of individual care and mobility needs, rather than being focused on particular diagnoses. The whole of the examining medical practitioner training is currently being reviewed and any revised package will cover the disabling effects likely to arise from conditions such as Guillain-Barré Syndrome. In addition, both examining medical practitioners and decision makers have access to the Disability Handbook. This is written by the Department's Medical Policy Group and contains guidance on the care and mobility needs likely to arise from a range of medical conditions. It contains a specific section on Guillain-Barré syndrome which sets out the level and range of needs likely to arise in people with this disease.

  Helplines
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many calls have been received by each telephone helpline administered by his Department in each month since January 1999; and what the salary levels are for those who work on each helpline.[121059]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is in the table.
  379W

  Calls received by each DSS helpline since January 1999

  September 1999

  October 1999

  November 1999

  December 1999

  January 2000

  February 2000

  March 2000

  April 2000

  National Benefit Fraud Hotline

  12,971

  9,291

  14,683

  10,906

  14,272

  19,285

  23,118

  12,815

  CSA National Enquiry Line

  59,179

  60,495

  64,699

  44,551

  54,125

  47,438

  71,496

  58,683

  CSA's Client Helpline

  614,752

  297,051

  236,684

  219,426

  379,380

  227,792

  265,945

  161,329

  Benefit Enquiry Line

  103,598

  90,064

  89,344

  75,286

  91,586

  92,406

  118,167

  87,979

  Minimum Income Guarantee

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  11,632

  17,420

  War Pensions Helpline

  32,063

  26,152

  30,882

  20,154

  27,592

  28,227

  31,755

  25,510

  Winter Fuel Leaflet Order Line1

  2,897

  2,509

  933

  280

  54

  42

  28

  0

  Winter Fuel Helpline

  7,897

  15,217

  130,586

  103,390

  73,657

  39,272

  29,937

  —

  New Deal for Lone Parents1

  1,597

  8,131

  3,421

  1,434

  7,929

  7,467

  8,057

  3,842

  Pensions-Info Line1

  1,843

  2,393

  1,728

  1,338

  2,853

  5,721

  15,301

  10,759

  Mortgage Protection Line1

  91

  82

  1,339

  166

  106

  89

  49

  44

  Welfare Reform Order Line1

  350

  763

  1,117

  330

  258

  459

  360

  283

  ONE/Single Work Focused Gateway

  1,133

  1,294

  1,048

  562

  221

  770

  695

  n/a

  Inherited SERPS Scheme(ISS)1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10,005

  2,026

  Customer Care Helpline

  307,004

  314,214

  319,972

  283,507

  352,558

  371,762

  448,711

  314,462

  DSS Public Enquiry Office

  8,107

  6,887

  7,555

  4,996

  11,283

  11,597

  10,472

  8,584

  Child Benefit Centre

  163,366

  158,848

  185,895

  124,772

  174,309

  185,557

  197,469

  147,990

  1Means these helplines are run on our behalf by commercial response lines. Their salary levels are Commercial in Confidence.

  2Included in January figure.

  3Closed.

  Average salaries for those run by the department (between the minimum and maximum paybands)

  £

  Benefits Agency

  Child Support agency

  War Pensions Agency

  A1

  10,789

  9,925

  —

  A4

  15,053

  12,375

  12,701

  B3

  21,248

  16,500

  16,841

  C3

  26,414

  21,124

  —

  C4

  —

  25,850

  —

  Information is given on additional helplines to that given in my reply to the hon. Member on 4 April 2000, Official Report, column 626W. That reply was given on a narrower definition of the term "helpline". This one has been expanded to include information on, for example, leaflet ordering lines.
  Background Detail on Helplines and Teleservices
  National Benefit Fraud Hotline—0800 854440
  A confidential telephone service for people who wish to report suspected cases of benefit fraud.
  CSA National Enquiry Line (CSA NEL)x2014;0845 7133133
  The main function of the National Enquiry Line is to deal with general inquiries about child support matters.

  The CSA's Client Helplines

  Belfast: 0845 7 132000

  Birkenhead: 0845 7 138000

  Dudley: 0845 7 131000

  Falkirk: 0845 7 136000

  Hastings: 0845 7 134000

  Plymouth: 0845 7 137000

  Helplines are operated by each of the six Business Units in the Child Support Agency, in order to deal with a range of inquiries, particularly those from clients who wish to talk about their case.Minimum Income Guarantee Helpline—0800 0281111
  A Freephone line where pensioners can request a claim form and information about MIG, and from 30 May pensioners can have a claim form completed on their behalf.Benefit Enquiry Line (BEL)—0800 882200
  BEL is a national telephone helpline providing free and confidential advice on all Social Security Benefits to people with disabilities, their carers and representatives.380W War Pensions Helpline—01253 858858
  A helpline giving general help and advice to existing war pensioners and war widows; to anyone wishing to claim a war disablement or war widows' pension; and to ex-service organisations.Winter Fuel Payments Leaflet Order Linex2014;0845 91515151
  A response line for people wishing to order leaflets containing information on winter fuel payments.Winter Fuel Payments Helpline—0845 915 1515
  A helpline for people who want to ask questions about the Winter Fuel Payments scheme.
  1The number is the same New Deal for Lone Parents—0800 783 9873
  A helpline for people wishing to get information on the New Deal for Lone Parents and for lone parents who want to join the scheme.Pensions Info-Linex2014;0345 313 232
  This is a telephone orderline that people can call to order copies of DSS information leaflets on pensions and other relevant information.Mortgage Protection Line—0870 600 6990
  An order line for people who want copies of the leaflet 'Protecting Your Mortgage'.Welfare Reform Order Line—020 8867 3201
  This is a telephone order line that people can call to order copies of DSS information leaflets and reports on Welfare reform and other DSS issues.The Inherited SERPS Scheme Helpline—0845 600 6116
  The ISS was announced by Secretary of State on 15 March 2000. A telephone helpline was set up on the same day. The helpline provides answers to a range of questions on the announcement and gives the option of registering to receive a claim form when the scheme has started.Customer Care Helpline—0845 712 3456
  The Customer Care Helpline is a telephone service offered to Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance customers/ beneficiaries and their representatives. In addition to giving

  381W
  information about the progress of any claim, explaining decisions etc for those benefits, it accepts certain changes of circumstances over the telephone.Public Enquiry Office—0207 712 2171
  A national unit dealing with policy related inquiries for the Department, acting as a first stop service, passing callers on to relevant officials as appropriate. It also acts as a first point of contact for more general inquiries relating to more general matters.Child Benefit Centre—0541 555540 and 0541 555501
  The Child Benefit Centre has a centralised teleservice. This is a service provided to customers who wish to report any changes of circumstances without the need to make their report in writing. It is aimed at dealing with as many calls as possible, at the point of contact.

  Pension Schemes
  Mr. Portillo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many new personal pension schemes were set up in each year from 1979 to 1999.[122356]

  (2) how many new occupational pension schemes were set up in each year from 1979 to 1996.[122355]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is in the table.

  Year

  Occupational pension schemes

  Personal pension schemes

  1979

  4,764

  0

  1980

  4,671

  0

  1981

  4,618

  0

  1982

  5,705

  0

  1983

  6,743

  0

  1984

  8,606

  0

  1985

  10,945

  0

  1986

  11,009

  0

  1987

  12,394

  0

  1988

  22,162

  161

  1989

  11,469

  32

  1990

  7,779

  13

  1991

  11,112

  22

  1992

  8,104

  12

  1993

  6,583

  4

  1994

  7,501

  2

  1995

  6,578

  7

  1996

  8,311

  16

  1997

  6,133

  15

  1998

  4,939

  21

  1999

  3,170

  11

  Total

  173,296

  316

  Notes:

  1. Scheme numbers are only part of the picture. More importantly, around 60 per cent. of employees currently have some form of non-state pension, either an occupational pension or a personal pension. In due course, numbers of people with non-state pensions should increase once stakeholder pensions are launched.

  2. Personal pension schemes were introduced in 1988.

  Source:

  Pension Schemes Registry

  Minimum Income Guarantee
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the expenditure on administration costs for the minimum income guarantee for 2000–01(a) in total and (b) per recipient.[123258]

  Mr. Bayley
  The total estimated expenditure on administration costs for the minimum income guarantee for 2000–01 is £4 million.
  382W
  Details on administrative costings can be found in the Departmental Report. A copy has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, for the minimum income guarantee take-up campaign, he will estimate(a) the total administration cost to date (b) the number of pensioners that have so far responded and (c) the number of respondents that were found to be eligible.[123257]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information requested is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is as follows.

  The total administrative costs, to the end of April, for the project team and Teleclaims service is £1,120,369. To date the minimum income guarantee (MIG) claimline has received over 32,000 calls and from these calls over 19,000 claim packs have been issued. Current provisions allow for a claim to be submitted within one month from the initial date of contact so we are unable to specify, at this stage, how many eligible respondents have been found. The MIG campaign will be launched on 30 May. The above information does not include the costs of the proposed advertising campaign.

  Pension Rights
  Mr. Heppell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he plans to bring into effect those parts of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act that will protect tax-approved pension rights when a person is made bankrupt.[123520]

  Mr. Rooker
  The relevant sections will come into effect from 29 May 2000.

  From that date, most tax-approved occupational pension rights and personal pension rights will be protected on bankruptcy.

  Small Businesses (Benefit Payments)
  Mr. Pollard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the extent of increased administrative costs imposed on small businesses by the processing of state benefits through the payroll.[122358]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I have been asked to reply.

  Having confirmed that my hon. Friend is referring to tax credits rather than to state benefits, I refer him to the regulatory impact assessment which was published and placed in the House Library in December 1999.

WALES

  Opinion Research
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department spent on opinion research in the financial year 1999–2000.[123122]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The Wales Office has commissioned no opinion research since it was established on 1 July 1999. Welsh Office expenditure prior to that date cannot ben separately identified.
  383W
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the opinion research projects undertaken on behalf of his Department in the financial year 1999–2000, itemising(a) focus group research, (b) quantitative surveys and (c) other surveys, in each case indicating when and where the results were published.[123123]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The Wales Office has commissioned no opinion research since it was established on 1 July 1999. Prior to that date, the following projects were undertaken on behalf of the Welsh Office:

  (a) Focus Group Research—Nil

  (b) Quantitative Surveys—Nil

  (c) Other Surveys

  Subject

  Publication of results

  Date of publication

  Effectiveness of information campaign to raise public awareness of the National Assembly and its voting system

  Published on National Assembly for Wales website

  November 1999

  Evaluation of Strategic Prevention Action Plan for Drugs and Alcohol in Wales

  Not published, but details made available to respondents

  n/a

TREASURY

  National Insurance
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many people are in contracted out money purchase pension schemes that are owed backdated national insurance contribution rebates; [119941]

  (2) how much money is owed in backdated national insurance contribution rebates to contracted out money purchase pension schemes; and what arrangements have been made to make these backdated payments. [119942]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answers 20 May 2000]: There are approximately 280,000 people awaiting rebates for the 1997–98 and the 1998–99 tax years. About £140 million of rebates remain to be paid. Rebates are outstanding because of problems with the NIRS2 system and errors in end of year returns. Inland Revenue's National Insurance Contributions Office is working closely with its IT suppliers to resolve outstanding difficulties with the NIRS2 system. They are also liaising with Scheme Administrators and employers to correct errors in end of year returns.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people paid(a) only class II National Insurance Contributions and (b) class II in addition to other National Insurance Contributions in each of the last 10 years; what revenue the Government received from class II National Insurance Contributions in each of these years; and if he will make a statement. [122521]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The number of people who paid National Insurance Contributions (NICs) in tax years 1978–79 to 1995–96, by type of contribution are shown 384W
  in table 11 of the DSS publication "Contributions and Qualifying Years for Retirement Pension 1995–96 volume 2", a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. Consistent data for 1996–97 are shown in the table.

  Number of people—Great Britain

  Thousand

  Type of contribution: men and women

  1996–97

  Class 1 and class 2

  352

  Class 2 only

  2,049

  Combinations of class 1, 2 or 3

  10

  This information is based on the DSS Lifetime Labour Market Database (LLMDB) which uses a 1 per cent. sample of National Insurance records. I regret that the LLMDB does not collect information about class 4 and an analysis including class 4 would be available only at disproportionate cost.

  However, in general terms, around three-quarters of those with a class 2 liability have profits greater than the lower profits limit and therefore should pay some class 4 contributions. This estimate is based on the Inland Revenue's Survey of Personal Incomes.

  Class 2 contribution receipts for the years available are shown in the table:

  £ million, at 1999–2000 prices1

  Year

  Class 2 receipts for Great Britain

  1990–91

  660

  1991–92

  650

  1992–93

  680

  1993–94

  760

  1994–95

  760

  1995–96

  760

  1996–97

  770

  1Using GDP deflator at market prices

  Children's Tax Credit
  Ms Kelly
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the(a) forecast cost of introducing the children's tax credit and (b) projected number of claimants. [122612]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 18 May 2000]: I refer my hon. Friend to tables A.13 and A2.1 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 2000.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Donohoe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the hon. Member for Cunninghame, South will receive a reply to his letter of 14 April, concerning Mrs. Gillian McCubbin. [123068]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I wrote to my hon. Friend on 16 May.

  Working Families Tax Credit
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the average cost per week, per recipient, of the Working Family Tax Credit, to the Inland Revenue in administration. [122575]
  385W
  Dawn Primarolo
  During the six months to March 2000, the average Inland Revenue cost per recipient of administering the Working Families Tax Credit (and the remaining Family Credit awards) was £1.61 per week.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Calf Exports
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the export of calves. [119582]

  Ms Quin
  The UK is currently banned from exporting calves. Despite the progress that we have made with the lifting of the beef export ban, it is unlikely that the European Commission will propose the removal of the ban on live cattle exports in the near future. We are, however, working with the NFU to explore possibilities such as opportunities for high welfare standard veal exports as an alternative outlet for dairy calves.

  Badger Culling
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department applied for a Home Office licence under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 for its recent badger culling experiment; and if he will make a statement. [120777]

  Ms Quin
  The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, which regulates animal experiments, only applies where animals are killed in establishments specifically designated under the Act. It does not apply to the badger culling trial.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will answer the Question tabled by the hon. Member for Tewkesbury on 17 January (Ref. 105197). [120923]

  Ms Quin
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer given to him on 18 May 2000,Official Report, column 269W.

  GM Crops
  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list, in relation to those who have submitted to him a request to be heard orally in respect of the proposed decision to add the genetically modified maize variety Chardon LL to the UK National List, each of the locations in the UK where such hearings have been requested, and the numbers requesting hearings at each such location; [121447]

  (2) if he will break down by region the representations and requests for oral hearings he has received on the proposed decision to add the genetically modified maize variety Chardon LL to the UK National List, indicating how many have (a) objected to and (b) supported the proposed decision. [121449]

  Ms Quin
  The information requested is set out in the table. To date, 227 individuals/organisations have submitted written representations, of which 63 have also requested to be heard by a person appointed by Ministers.386W
  A further four request for a hearing have been received where no written representaion have been made Of the 227 written representations four supported the proposed decision and the remainder objected. Of the 67 requests for a hearing, one supported the proposed decision and the remainder objected.

  Summary of written representations and requests to he heard

  Written representations

  Requests to be heard

  England

  Avon

  4

  2

  Bedfordshire

  4

  1

  Berkshire

  3

  —

  Buckinghamshire

  6

  2

  Cambridgeshire

  12

  1

  Cheshire

  4

  1

  Cornwall

  4

  1

  Cumbria

  3

  —

  Derbyshire

  4

  1

  Devon

  12

  4

  Dorset

  2

  —

  Durham

  1

  1

  Essex

  8

  3

  Gloucestershire

  4

  1

  Hampshire

  8

  —

  Herefordshire

  3

  2

  Hertfordshire

  6

  3

  Isle of Wight

  9

  —

  Kent

  5

  3

  Lancashire

  16

  3

  Leicestershire

  4

  1

  London

  23

  8

  Middlesex

  3

  1

  Norfolk

  2

  1

  Northamptonshire

  2

  1

  Nottinghamshire

  2

  2

  Oxfordshire

  8

  4

  Shropshire

  2

  1

  Somerset

  6

  2

  Staffordshire

  1

  —

  Suffolk

  4

  1

  Surrey

  6

  2

  Sussex

  2

  2

  Wiltshire

  5

  3

  Worcestershire

  1

  —

  Yorkshire

  17

  1

  Total for England

  206

  59

  Northern Ireland

  Belfast

  1

  1

  County Antrim

  1

  1

  County Londonderry

  1

  —

  Total for Northern Ireland

  3

  2

  Scotland

  Borders

  2

  —

  Edinburgh and Lothians

  6

  2

  Glasgow

  2

  1

  Total for Scotland

  10

  3

  Wales

  Camarthenshire

  3

  1

  South Glamorgan

  3

  1

  North Wales

  1

  —

  Pembrokeshire

  1

  1

  Total for Wales

  8

  3

  Overall total

  227

  67

  Action Plan for Farming (Budget)
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list, for each UK-funded component of the Government's £203.5 million Action Plan for Farming, the departmental budget concerned. [121425]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 9 May 2000]: The departmental budgets concerned with each UK-funded component of the Government's Action Plan for Farming are listed:

  Action plan for farming (8 May 2000)

  Measure

  Value

  Departmental budget1

  Introduce a scheme to encourage the restructuring of the pig industry in order to improve its long-term viability

  £26 million (in 2000–01)

  MAFF

  Pay to dairy farmers all the agrimonetary aid that EU rules permit this year only

  £11 million (in 2000–01)

  IB

  Increase support for hill farmers beyond the level specified in the rural development plans submitted to the Commission

  £60 million (in 2000–01)

  MAFF—£15.3 million SE—£21.5 million NAW—£14.7 million DARD—£8.5 million

  Seek from the Commission an increase in the maximum weight per animal on which compensation is payable under the Over-Thirty-Months Scheme

  £20 million (estimate) (in 2000–01, based on euro rate of 0.64)

  MAFF—£13.3 million SE—£2.3 million NAW—£2.1 million DARD—£1.8 million (total estimate revised to £19.5 million based on euro rate of 0.6)

  Remove charges for dairy hygiene inspections in England as soon as thenecessary legislation can be put in place

  £1 million (in 2000–01)

  FSA

  Hold the increase in meat inspection charges for 2000–01 to the rate of inflation

  £4.5 million (in 2000–01)

  FSA

  Increase the rate of grant under MAFF's Farm Waste Grant Scheme from 25 per cent. of eligible expenditure (under which uptake has been low) to 40 per cent.

  £3.5 million (in 2001–02)

  MAFF

  The Government will double the Regional Development Agencies' Redundant Building Grant Programme, which operates in Rural Priority Areas, to £8 million in 2000–01

  £4 million (in 2000–01)

  DETR

  The Government will allocate £2.3 million to create in England a

  £2.3 million (over 2 years: £0.3 million in 2000–01 and £1.961

  MAFF

  388W

  Action plan for farming (8 May 2000)

  Measure

  Value

  Departmental budget1

  European Centre for organic fruit and nursery stock

  in 2001–02)

  A singe charge for authorisation to dispose of used sheep dip, equivalent to the current application charge of £85, should cover the full four-year period of the initial authorisation. This means that the current annual charge of £107 will not be payable during the firat four-year period

  £4.7 million over 4 years (from 2000–01)

  DETR/NAW

  Business Restructuring in England:

  The Government will pump-prime the drive to improve the competitiveness of farmers by providing funding for business improvement, on a challenge basis, following the model of the Agricultural Development Scheme 1999

  £1 million (in 2000–01)

  MAFF

  The Government will provide funding of £1.2 million to Lantra (National Training Organisation for the Landbased Sector) to promote the economic benefits of training and to analyse the training needs of 20,000 farm businesses

  £1.2 million (in 2000–01)

  MAFF

  The Government will help farmers develop better business practices through tailored business advice, As framers increasingly diversify their business, they will be able to draw and the wider expertise and services of the Small Business Sercice

  £6.5 million (in 2000–01)

  MAFF/DTI (to be determined)

  The Government will continue to support the Rural Stress Iinformation network by extending for at least a further year the secondment of a MAFF official to that organisation. MAFF will also increase the provision of free advice to those farmers referred to it by certain organisations. The Government will increase their support to voluntary bodies dealing with rural

  £0.5 million (in 2000–01)

  MAFF

  389W

  Action plan for farming (8 May 2000)

  Measure

  Value

  Departmental budget1

  stress on the basis of an action plan they will draw up with them by June

  Launch an electronic portal for farming

  £0.4 million (in 2000–01)

  MAFF

  Business restructuring aid for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland—this is the responsibility of the devolved administrations and Northern Ireland

  £2 million (in 2000–01)

  SE, NAW, DARD (allocated separately)

  1MAFF—Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food

  IB—Intervention Board

  SE—Scottish Executive

  NAW—National Assembly for Wales

  DARD—Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (Northern Ireland)

  FSA—Food Standards Agency

  DTI—Department of Trade and Industry

  DETR—Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions

  Pig Industry
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take measures to ensure that the £26 million package for United Kingdom pig farmers, aimed at restructuring the industry, will enable UK pig farmers to retain their export capacity. [121768]

  Ms Quin
  The ongoers element of the Pig Industry Restructuring Scheme is aimed at those pig farmers who wish to remain in pig production and want to restructure their business to make it viable in the longer term. Export demand for pigmeat is determined by a number of factors but the nature of the domestic market is such that we would expect the UK to continue as a significant exporter of fresh and frozen pork.

  Penalty Clauses
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 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. [122024]

  Mr. Morley
  Penalty clauses are unenforceable under the law of contract, and contracts let by core-MAFF and its Agencies do not contain them. Contracts let by the Ministry do, where appropriate, contain contractual provisions setting out remedies for non-performance of contractual obligations by contractors but these are enforced only when contract management and disputes resolution procedures have been exhausted.

  Fisheries
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 3 May 2000,Official Report, column 142W, on fisheries, what is the required procedure for maintaining (a) the
  390W
  national fisheries quota system based upon the existing relative stability and (b) restrictions upon access within national six and 12 mile limits beyond 2002. [122742]

  Mr. Morley
  Article 14(2) of Council Regulation 3760/92 requires the Council to decide by 31 December 2002, on the basis of a Commission report to the Council and the European Parliament and in accordance with the procedure laid down in Article 43 (now 37) of the Treaty (which requires a qualified majority in favour of a Commission proposal and consultation with the European Parliament):on the provisions to follow the access restrictions within national six and 12 mile limits which, in accordance with Article 6 of the Regulation, expire on 31 December 2002;
  on any necessary adjustments to be made to other provisions of the Regulation, including those concerning the national quota system based on relative stability: if no such adjustments are made, existing arrangements will continue unchanged beyond 2002.

  As indicated in my reply to the hon. Member of 3 May, the Government are confident that both these provisions will be retained beyond 2002.

  Arable Area Payments Scheme
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of croppable land in Britain is eligible for the arable area payments scheme; and what the figures are for other EU states. [123020]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  MAFF June census data show the total UK agricultural area in 1999 as 18.6 million hectares. Of this, roughly 35 per cent. meets the equivalent of the 1991 definition used to determine eligibility under the arable area payments scheme. About a further 30 per cent. is shown as grass five or more years old, which would represent the most obviously croppable part of the balance. Taking these two areas together would give a figure of around 55 per cent. as the amount of croppable land which would be eligible. But this can only be a rough approximation, because there is neither an agreed definition of croppable nor an absolute total for eligible land, as eligibility is only assessed when actual claims are made.

  We have no figures for land eligible for arable area payments in other member states.

  Uninhabitable Dwellings
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the economic impact on farmers of the decision to limit the exemption from council tax on uninhabitable dwellings; and what studies his Department has made of that impact. [122997]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State on 5 May 2000,Official Report, column 242W.

  Press Officers
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many press officers there were in his Department in(a) May 1997 and (b) May 2000. [122995]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  The number of press officers in my Department in May 1997 was 10; and in May 2000, there are 10.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Opinion Research
  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how much the Lord Chancellor's Department spent on opinion research in the financial year 1999–2000 [123253]

  Jane Kennedy
  The Lord Chancellor's Department spent a total of £224,794 on opinion survey research in the financial year 1999–2000. The figure comprises the costs of 12 items of research, all of which relate to the Department's role as a service provider, to new initiatives such as the Community Legal Service or to areas of policy interest.

  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list opinion research projects undertaken on behalf of the Lord Chancellor's Department in the financial year 1999–2000 itemising(a) focus group research, (b) quantitative surveys and (c) other market research surveys and in each case stating when and where the results were published. [123254]

  Jane Kennedy
  The list of opinion research items undertaken by the Lord Chancellor's Department during the financial year 1999–2000 is as follows. All the research listed relates to Departmental initiatives; areas of policy interest; or client satisfaction research required for Business Plans or Chartermark controls.
  LCD Opinion Research Items 1999–2000 Focus Group Research
  Two Market Research Projects—Community Legal service
  Commissioned through the Central Office of Information in connection with the development and introduction of the Community Legal Service. Both projects—Strategy Development Research; and CLS Quality Mark & Brand Identity evaluation—included focus group research. This research was part of the development of the Community Legal Service and was not published.
  Research Project: New Public Management & the Administration of Justice in Magistrates' Courts
  Research to describe, analyse and evaluate changes to the Magistrates' Courts Service brought about by the Police and the Magistrates' Courts Act 1994, and the Justices of the Peace Act 1997. It includes six focus group studies of members of Court Users Committees and core user groups. This project is still underway. Consideration about publication will be given on receipt of the final report, which is likely to be in the autumn.392W Quantitative Surveys
  Quality of Service (User Reaction) Survey
  Survey of customer perceptions using data gathered by way of a questionnaire distributed to Magistrates' Courts users. Processing of the data was completed in-house and the results released in Information Bulletins.
  Office for National Statistics Omnibus Module: Legal Problems
  The Department included three questions on the extent of civil legal problems, the seriousness of particular types of problems and people's experiences in seeking legal advice in the Office for National Statistics Omnibus Module. It is expected that the results will be published this year. They will be placed in the data archive at the University of Essex.
  Customer Service Surveys
  The Court Service has carried out local customer satisfaction surveys every two years in Crown Court centres, the Crown Office, the Criminal Appeal Office, county courts and tribunals by the Court Service since 1998. Each survey is undertaken in-house on a local basis with no external costs. The results are published in the public area of the local court.
  Juror Satisfaction Pilot Survey
  Recently serving jurors have been asked about their level of satisfaction with their treatment in the criminal justice system. The results were used to set a target for this area within the new Criminal Justice System Business Plan.Other Market Research Surveys
  Market Research: Provision of Information Meetings
  A study has been completed by KPMG in order to assess potential interest in the private sector in the provision of information meetings under Part II of the Family Law Act 1996. It is not intended that this report will be published.
  Research Project: Alternative Dispute Resolution in Commercial Cases
  A study has been commissioned to assess the impact of Commercial Court ADR orders on the outcome of cases in which they are made; and the influence of the emphasis of ADR in the Commercial Court on the conduct of commercial litigation. It includes interviews (personal or telephone) with private practice practitioners, in-house lawyers and parties. Publication of the report of the research is expected this year.
  Research Project: Factors Affecting the Decision to Apply for Silk and Judicial Office
  A study has been commissioned to identify the factors which encourage or deter applicants from under-represented groups to apply for appointment as Queen's Counsel and judicial office. It is based on questionnaires and interviews with applicants and potential applicants. Publication of the report of the research is expected this year.
  Research Project: Identifying Thresholds—Arrangements for Contact in the Context of Domestic Violence and Child Welfare Concerns
  This research is based on two sets of interviews. The first is with professionals to identify whether and how they draw distinctions between different forms of contact. The second set is with children and adults who have had a range of contact experiences in order to identify their expectations and satisfaction with arrangements. It will also investigate users' views on the way contact provisions could develop. This project is underway and consideration on publication will be given on receipt of final report in 2001.
  Research Project: Monitoring the Rise in the Small Claims Limit
  A study to provide follow-on information from the earlier research, published in 1997, on the small claims court. This research involves interviews with litigants. The project is underway and consideration on publication will be given on receipt of final report in 2002.

  Coroner Inquiries
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department for what reasons the coroner has not opened an inquest into the death of Sam Marshall in 1990. [121864]
  393W
  Mr. Lock
  The holding and listing of inquests is a matter for judicial discretion of the coroner for the district in which a person has died. I understand that the coroner was in correspondence with the deceased's relatives' solicitor, Mrs. Rosemary Nelson, in relation to an inquest into Mr. Marshall's death. Mrs. Nelson was tragically killed on 15 March 1999. The coroner has only recently been contacted by the solicitor now representing the deceased's family and would intend to liaise with her in relation to the holding of an inquest.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) how many politically motivated or violent deaths have been the subject of a coroner's inquiry in each of the past 15 years; what was the verdict in each such case; and how much time elapsed between death and completion of the coroner's inquiry in each case; [121865]

  (2) in how many cases of (a) politically motivated and (b) violent death a coroner's inquiry had not opened a year after that death in the last 10 years; [121866]

  (3) if he will set out, for the last 10 years, the number of (a) politically motivated and (b) violent deaths subject to a coroner's inquiry and the time taken to complete each stage of the inquiry process prior to a final verdict in respect of such deaths. [121867]

  Mr. Lock
  General statistics are available in relation to deaths in Northern Ireland. I am informed by the General Register Office for Northern Ireland that figures in relation to deaths registered in the last 15 years where the cause of death has been due to injury or poisoning (coded E800-E999) and homicide and injury inflicted by other persons (coded E960-E969) are available. These figures are detailed in the table. However, the specific information requested by my hon. Friend in relation to politically motivated deaths is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Year

  E800–E999

  E960–E969

  1998

  569

  36

  1997

  593

  24

  1996

  598

  40

  1995

  663

  113

  1994

  688

  100

  1993

  639

  90

  1992

  581

  75

  1991

  719

  76

  1990

  699

  69

  1989

  693

  104

  1988

  834

  108

  1987

  762

  90

  1986

  730

  54

  1985

  746

  58

  394W

  Year

  E800–E999

  E960–E969

  1984

  739

  82

  Tax Appeal Tribunals
  Mr. Cotter
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many ex parte hearings at tax appeal tribunal level there have been in each of the last five years. [122721]

  Jane Kennedy
  Ex parte hearings are applications from the Inland Revenue for Consent to issue a notice requiring the production of documents or information. The application is made to a single commissioner of income tax, and is not considered to be a part of the appeals meeting. The number of these applications is not reported separately from the meeting statistics.

  Mr. Cotter
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many tax appeal tribunals have been held in each year following the introduction of self-assessment [122722]

  Jane Kennedy
  Self-assessment was introduced with effect from 6 April 1996 and applied to returns for the 1996–97 tax year. The time limit for these returns to be set to the Inland Revenue was 1 January 1998. While information on the number of tax appeal tribunal hearings is not available, the number of appeals decided in 1998 by the General Commissioners of Income Tax are 95,073.

  The cases heard by the Special Commissioners of Income Tax are 92.

  Figures for 1999 will be available in July.

  Mr. Cotter
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many tax appeal tribunals were held in each of the three years before the introduction of self-assessment. [122723]

  Jane Kennedy
  Self-assessment returns were introduced with effect from 6 April 1996, with the first returns being issued after 5 April 1997. The time limit for these returns to be sent to the Inland Revenue was 31 January 1998. While information on the number of tax appeal tribunal hearings is not available, the figures for decisions to 31 December in each year are:

  General commissioners of income tax

  Special commissioners of income tax

  1995

  215,000

  50

  1996

  241,472

  84

  1997

  208,824

  83

  London Elections: Turnout
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  DVLA Advice
  DVLA Advice
  Special Vehicle Excise Duty: Mobile Cranes
  Special Vehicle Excise Duty: Mobile Cranes
  Access to Open Countryside: Impact
  Access to Open Countryside: Impact
  Telecommunications Masts
  Telecommunications Masts
  Water Directive: Effect on Whisky Industry
  Water Directive: Effect on Whisky Industry
  Incineration of Waste Directive: Animal Carcasses
  Incineration of Waste Directive: Animal Carcasses
  Constitution Hill: Memorial Gates
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  Northern Ireland: Intensive Care
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  National Institute for Clinical Excellence: Northern Ireland Remit
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  PDVN Access for Peers
  PDVN Access for Peers
  Immigration Services Commissioner
  Immigration Services Commissioner
  Police Negotiating Board and Police Advisory Board
  Police Negotiating Board and Police Advisory Board
  Home Detention Curfew Scheme: Reoffending
  Home Detention Curfew Scheme: Reoffending
  Kainos Trust
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  Community Sentences
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  Spoilt Ballot Papers: Greater London
  Spoilt Ballot Papers: Greater London
  Lieutenant Governors of the Channel Islands
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  Mr Mike Tyson: Entry Clearance
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  Immigration Rules: Paragraph 320(18)
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  Prison Service: Key Performance Indicators
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  HM Prison Blantyre House
  HM Prison Blantyre House
  Detention of Kashmiri Leaders
  Detention of Kashmiri Leaders
  UK Membership of EEA
  UK Membership of EEA
  Austria: Refusal of Bilateral Discussions
  Austria: Refusal of Bilateral Discussions
  EU Directives and Legislation
  EU Directives and Legislation
  Governors' Salaries
  Governors' Salaries
  Zimbabwe: Alleged Arms Imports from Russia
  Zimbabwe: Alleged Arms Imports from Russia
  Tourism Staff Accommodation: Tax Position
  Tourism Staff Accommodation: Tax Position
  Tourism (Sleeping Accommodation Price Display) Order 1997
  Tourism (Sleeping Accommodation Price Display) Order 1997
  Tourism and Hospitality Contact Group
  Tourism and Hospitality Contact Group
  Tourism and Ethnic Diversity
  Tourism and Ethnic Diversity
  May Day Demonstrations: Protection of Monuments
  May Day Demonstrations: Protection of Monuments
  Goods Vehicles: Excise Duty
  Goods Vehicles: Excise Duty
  Committee on Standards in Public Life: Defamatory Evidence
  Committee on Standards in Public Life: Defamatory Evidence
  Human Rights Convention and Sub Judice Rule
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  Reserve Forces' Gulf Service: Attributable Benefits
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  Pyridostigmine Bromide
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  Gulf War: Biological Warfare Detection Unit
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  Nitrochemie: Ordnance Products
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  Joint Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Regiment
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  Spanish Veterinary Surgeons and the Meat Hygiene Service
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  Variant CJD: Discarded Tonsil Samples
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