Written Answers of 1 November 2000

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Aston Clinton Bypass
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on(a) the date of commencement and (b) the date of intended completion of construction of the Aston Clinton Bypass. [134416]

  Mr. Hill
  I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Tim Matthews, to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Tim Matthews to Mr. John Bercow, dated 1 November 2000:
  The Transport Minister, Keith Hill, has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the A41 Aston Clinton Bypass.
  The procurement process for this scheme is due to end on 21 December and, subject to its satisfactory completion, we aim to award the contract before the end of March 2001.
  The contract will be let on the basis of Design and Build and, because the contractor will need time to complete the detailed design, the main construction work is not expected to start until June/July 2001, although some advance work may take place beforehand. We anticipate that the road will he open to traffic by March/April 2003.
  If you need any further information, please contact the project manager for this scheme, Andy Finch, in our Dorking office. His telephone number is 01306–878342.

  Dog Identification Working Group
  Mr. Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he plans to publish the minutes of evidence of the Dog Identification Working Group; and if he will list the groups and organisations which gave evidence to the group in respect of the use of implanted microchips. [134358]

  Mr. Hill
  The report of the Dog Identification Group contains copies of the minutes of the meetings and the evidence they considered. I will make an announcement soon with regard to the publication of the report. The following groups and organisations were represented on the Dog Identification Group and others are indicated where they provided separate evidence.
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  Members

  The Blue Cross

  Chartered Institute for Environmental Health (CIEH)

  The Dogs' Home Battersea

  The Kennel Club

  Local Government Association (LGA)

  National Canine Defence League (NCDL)

  National Dog Wardens Association (NDWA)

  Pet Care Trust (PCT)

  Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA)

  Wood Green Animal Shelters

  Observers

  Animal Health Trust (AHT)

  Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO)

  Other Government Departments (MAFF, Home Office, Scotland

  Office, National Assembly for Wales, Department of the Environment, Transport and the Region, Northern Ireland Office)

  Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS)

  Other evidence provided by:

  Bradford Metropolitan District Council

  Bristol City Council

  British Dalmatian Club

  British Small Animal Veterinary Association

  N Cardwell (Senior Dog Warden Belfast)

  The Association of British Dogs' Homes.

  Mr. Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to receive the report of the Dog Identification Working Group; when he plans to respond to that report; and if he plans to publish the report and his responses thereto. [134363]

  Mr. Hill
  I met the Dog Identification Group on 6 September where they formally presented me with their report. I agreed to consider the group's recommendations and at this stage I am minded to consult interested bodies on the content of the report and to place a copy on the Department's website. I will make a further announcement soon on the next course of action.

  Rail Safety
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what is his most recent estimate of the number of defective rails requiring urgent attention by Railtrack for safety reasons in each regional train operator's franchise and in total. [134895]

  Mr. Hill
  On Friday 27 October there were 276 sites where Railtrack engineers were checking for evidence of gauge corner cracking, the fault which is believed to have caused the accident at Hatfield.

  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what rules govern regular consultation and exchange of information and opinion between representatives of train crews and representatives of train operators, Railtrack and other agencies related to safe operation of railways; how often such meetings take place; what reports are made to him concerning such deliberations; and if he will review such rules. [135448]
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  Mr. Hill
  The current legal requirements relating to worker consultation in relation to train crews are set out in: the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974; the European "Framework" Directive 89/391/EEC; the Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977; the Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996; and the Railways (Safety Case) Regulations 1994. The new Railway (Safety Case) Regulations 2000, which will come into force on 31 December 2000, will strengthen the arrangements for consultation and communication. The recently mandated confidential incident reporting and analysis system (CIRAS) allows for regular quarterly meetings to discuss and probe particular adverse events. The unions are represented on the Railway Industry Advisory Committee (RIAC) and Railtrack's Safety Advisory Body (SAB). Details of the meetings taking place under these provisions are not normally communicated to the Secretary of State. The Rail Safety Monitoring Group also includes union representation and is responsible for monitoring implementation of the industry's safety commitments announced at the second Rail Safety Summit in November 1999. The Secretary of State is informed of the outcome of these meetings.

  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will add to the current remit of the Railways and Health and Safety Inspectorates, assessment of potential systems and structures of financing, assisting planning, maintaining, contracting for reward and operating railway services in the United Kingdom in respect of their optimum contributions to safety. [135449]

  Mr. Hill
  The role of HM Railway Inspectorate, a division of the Health and Safety Executive, is to secure the proper control of risks to the health and safety of employees, passengers and others who might be affected by the operation of Britain's railways. The Health and Safety Executive's remit already extends to considering the implications for health and safety of structural changes within the railway industry and taking action where appropriate to secure the maintenance of health and safety standards. It would not be appropriate to pre-empt the outcome of Lord Cullen's wide-ranging public inquiry into railway safety by proposing major changes to the Executive's functions at the present time.

  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many people on passenger trains were killed in railway accidents in each of the last three years. [135100]

  Mr. Hill
  The number of people on passenger trains killed in railway accidents is shown in the following table produced by the Health and Safety Executive's HM Railway Inspectorate.

  Category

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  Total

  Passenger

  14

  6

  33

  53

  Railway Staff

  0

  0

  2

  2

  Total

  14

  6

  35

  55

  Comprehensive data on railway safety can be found in HM Chief Inspector of Railways Annual Reports on Railway Safety in Great Britain, copies of which can be found in both House Libraries.

  Regional Development Agencies
  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the allocation of resources to regional development agencies will be determined by the recently published Index of Multiple Deprivation. [134567]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The RDAs' existing programmes will largely continue in 2001–02. The proposed new arrangements for allocating the physical regeneration budget include use of the Indices of Deprivation 2000 and the agreed transitional arrangements. No other RDA programme uses the indices.

  The method for allocating funds to RDAs under the new single programme from April 2002 has not been decided. A variety of indicators and indices are likely to play a part.

  Trunk Roads
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will publish the criteria used for recommending the detrunking of a road; [134413]

  (2) if he will publish the criteria for including a road in the trunk route network. [134412]

  Mr. Hill
  The trunk road network was created by and defined in the Trunk Roads Act 1936 as the national system of routes for through traffic. The Trunk Roads Act 1946 extended the network. Neither Act specified criteria for including a route in the trunk road network.

  The provisions of the 1946 Act, now incorporated as section 10 of the Highways Act 1980, require the Secretary of State to keep the trunk road network under review, and if he is satisfied, after taking into consideration the requirements of local and national planning, including the requirements of agriculture, that it is expedient for the purpose of extending, improving or reorganising the system he may create new trunk roads or remove existing ones by publication of an order under that section of the Act.

  During the Roads Review in 1997–98 we undertook a comprehensive review of the existing trunk road network and identified a core network of routes that were of truly national strategic importance today. This core network will remain as the national system of routes for through traffic while the non-core routes that serve only regional or local functions will be detrunked and become the responsibility of local highway authorities. The factors for deciding which routes should be retained in the core network included:

  linking the main centres of population and economic activity;

  accessing major ports, airports and rail intermodal terminals;

  joining peripheral regions to the centre;

  providing key cross-border links to Scotland and Wales;

  classification as part of the UK Trans-European Road Network.

  They were published in our integrated transport White Paper "A New Deal for Transport" (Cm 3950) published in July 1998.

  Fitness to Drive
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will
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  seek information from his EU transport counterparts on restrictions on driving vehicles by people with insulin-treated diabetes. [135398]

  Mr. Hill
  The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency has written to all EU counterparts. To date replies have been received from Belgium, Sweden, Denmark, Spain and Germany. Information has also been obtained from Norway.

  In the light of this information, the Secretary of State's honorary advisory medical panel on diabetes and driving has reconsidered its previous advice and recommended that applicants with good diabetic control and no significant complications may apply for C1 entitlement (vehicles of between 3.5 to 7.5 tonnes). The panel will meet again on 8 November to finalise the details, after which public consultation will begin with a view to having the legislative changes in place by spring 2001.

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to review the ban on driving of Group II vehicles by insulin-using diabetics. [135496]

  Mr. Hill
  [holding answer 31 October 2000]At their meeting on 4 October, the Secretary of State's honorary medical advisory panel on driving and diabetes reviewed the licensing arrangements for Group 2 vehicles (vehicles above 3.5 tonnes). They agreed that those with good diabetic control and no significant complications should be allowed to apply for a licence for category Cl vehicles (between 3.5 and 7.5 tonnes). They will meet again on 8 November to finalise the details, after which public consultation will begin with a view to having the legislative changes in place by spring 2001.

  Housing Green Paper (Wales)
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what arrangements he has made to take account of specific Welsh needs when drawing up his Bill on the proposals in the housing Green Paper. [135116]

  Mr. Mullin
  My Department maintains regular contact with the National Assembly for Wales, both at official and ministerial level, about taking forward the proposals in our housing Green Paper. My hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning also hopes to meet the new Assembly Minister for Finance, Local Government and Communities in the near future. Responses to the Green Paper, and consultation with the National Assembly, will inform the framing of any proposed legislation. We will be announcing the outcome of the Green Paper consultation before the end of the year.

  Single Regeneration Budget
  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list those single regeneration budget bids which(a) were not successful in SRB Round 6 and (b) did not receive their funding bid in full. [134847]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 26 October 2000]There were 258 final bids received under round 6 of the single regeneration budget and 189 of these were awarded SRB funding. The unsuccessful bids are given in list A. Successful bids that received reduced funding are 452W
  listed in table B. All SRB bidders were required to prioritise the different elements of their bid to show what would be suitable at reduced levels of funding.

  List A—Name of Unsuccessful SRB Round 6 Final Bid>East of England

  Tendring "ACCESS"

  Inclusion through Communication in Hertfordshire

  Norwich "Canon and Fiddlewood"

  King's Lynn and The Fens

  East Midlands

  Rural action zone—South Holland

  London

  Leyton Links East London

  Linking Economic Potential to Social Exclusion

  Building Capacity of DETR Regeneration Partnerships within London/Linkage to National Network of Regeneration Partnerships

  Pathways South Paddington Bridging the Digital Divide

  Regeneration East London through Youth

  Including Edmonton

  CELEC—Enhancing Work Opportunities in the Healthcare Industry

  Access to Sustainable Employment Barking—South Ilford Airport Supply Chain Programme (ASCP)

  Supporting Southwark Education

  A Leadership Centre for London—Raising Educational Standards in the Capital

  MERG—Unity in Diversity

  Building Better Business

  Mind the Gap—Steps Towards Social Exclusion

  Getting London Working Extension

  The London Ethnic Minority Voluntary Sector Capacity

  Building Programme

  New Jobs and Investment for West London

  Sustainable Communities in a Changing Landscape

  Black Gold Marketing

  Keeping and Creating Jobs and Investment for South London

  The London E-business Bid

  Steps to Employability Programme

  Economic Development, Raising Skills and Regeneration through Effective education Business Links

  Wandlevalley.com

  Learning through Enterprise

  Employability and Enterprise—Capital Communities

  North East

  Regional Community Fire Safety Project

  North East Corporate Community Investment Programme

  Upper Teesdale Doing Well For Itself

  Regional Media Development

  North West

  Partnership North West—All Communities Together Now

  Salford—A Future for Liverpool Road, Eccles

  Ellesmere Port—Link Up Move Up

  Business Link Merseyside—Enterprising Merseyside

  South East of England

  Life in Milton Keynes and North Bucks County Towns

  Agenda For Youth

  Kent and East Sussex Architecture Centre

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  south West

  Tomorrows Torbay

  Community Action For Rural Devon

  Getting Sutton Working (Plymouth)

  Weymouth and Portland—Unlocking the Potential

  Rural Youth Linx (Regionwide)

  Regeneration of Ethnic Minority Communities (Regionwide)

  Piecing IT Together; SWettlers Project (Regionwide)

  West Midlands

  Push for Regeneration

  Neighbourhood Matters in Coventry

  Kington—Redefining the Market Town

  Netherton and Woodside—All our Futures

  Investing to Regenerate for the Black Country

  Skills Expansion Programme—Sep

  Table B

  £000

  Name of SRB round 6 final bid with reduced funding

  SRB total sought

  SRB total announced

  East of England

  Oxmoor Opportunities

  1,647

  1,483

  East Midland

  Positioned for prosperity-moving forward—Coalfields

  17,000

  15,100

  Including local communities—Nottingham (GNP)

  9,000

  8,800

  Normanton regeneration—Derby

  7,000

  6,800

  Greater Humberstone—Leicester

  8,000

  7,800

  Promoting growth—Lincoln

  2,578

  2,348

  Regeneration in Buxton and the Peaks

  3,000

  2,700

  Making the Links—North West Leicestershire

  922

  800

  Connecting Northamptonshire Communities

  2,000

  1,800

  Bridging Communities—Leicestershire rural

  2,005

  1,500

  Bridging the gap—Boston

  1,316

  1,216

  New start Netherfield—Nottingham

  973

  50

  Loughborough outreach

  999

  50

  Erewash valley—Amber valley

  1000

  50

  London

  From Hardcore Homeless

  8,818

  6,000

  Changing Places, London Lives

  10,750

  8,063

  Urban Renaissance in Lewisham

  17,729

  15,900

  More London Bridge—More Opportunities for Residents and Employees/ers

  17,900

  15,210

  New Beginnings New Settlements

  5,989

  5,000

  Health Benefits Regeneration

  12,000

  9,000

  Delivering London's Manufacturing Offer in Thames Gateway South

  12,000

  10,800

  Enterprise for Communities

  3,414

  1,500

  Communities in Business: Poplar and Leaside

  23,000

  20,700

  Digital Learning Ring: The Next Generation

  5,873

  5,300

  All Change @ Camden Central

  13,860

  7,000

  The Art of Regeneration

  2,842

  2,500

  Renewal: Turning Adversity into Opportunity for Refugees and Recent Arrivals in West London

  6,500

  6,000

  The Jobs Opportunities Programme

  1,000

  900

  Putting New Heart into Grahame Park

  2,595

  2,500

  Raising Our Sights: New Ambitions for Young People in Lambeth

  10,763

  6,000

  The Circle Initiative

  5,145

  4,631

  Prosperity and Pride for Peckham

  3,000

  1,500

  Park Royal Connect

  14,955

  6,955

  Centre of Expertise for Manufacturing

  7,000

  6,300

  A Model for Best Practice: Joined Up Regeneration in the Thames Gateway

  480

  200

  The London Civic Forum—Reconnecting London

  306

  150

  Opportunity into Reality: A New Waterloo

  24,918

  19,005

  The Grid for Creative London

  9,395

  2,000

  Community Courthouse Initiative

  6,000

  200

  Community Involvement Across the London Region

  1,572

  190

  Access to Excellence for Newham's Communities

  25,000

  18,750

  Manufacturing Investment and Workforce Development in Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Thurrock

  12,500

  10,000

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  WM Green Business Parks

  Creating New Working Communities Through Innovation in

  Coventry and Warwickshire

  Coalfield Communities Partnership

  The Sentinel Project

  Employment Creation—Phase 2—Hereford and Worcestershire

  Yorkshire and the Humber

  Leeds Community Social Entrepreneurs

  Positive Action for Ethnic Businesses

  Communities Regeneration Through People

  Regeneration of Ethnic Minority Communities Programme

  Centre for Regeneration Excellence

  South Yorkshire Seedcorn Loan Fund

  South Yorkshire Community Investment Fund

  Leeds Micro Loan Finance

  Yorkshire Finance to Business

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  Table B

  £000

  Name of SRB round 6 final bid with reduced funding

  SRB total sought

  SRB total announced

  Keep London Working

  9,529

  4,500

  London South Central Connections

  25,000

  20,000

  The Thames Gateway London Remade Programme: Re-engineering Secondary Materials

  7,925

  5,400

  North East

  Promoting strong, Healthy and Safe communities in Co. Durham

  22,000

  20,000

  Gateshead—A New Future

  12,000

  10,800

  Middlesbrough—Accelerating the Renaissance

  20,000

  10,000

  Redcar and Cleveland—Pathways to Inclusion

  10,500

  7,875

  North Hartlepool—Headland Revival

  10,330

  7,725

  Newcastle—Going for Growth

  9,996

  7,497

  North West

  Hyndburn—People of Accrington and Church Together

  12,091

  8,000

  Pendle—The Time is Now for Nelson

  15,250

  12,000

  Wigan—Worsley Mesnes Community Gains

  15,250

  8,250

  Cumbria Rural Partnership—Distinctly Cumbrian

  4,000

  150

  South East of England

  North Kent Forward

  280

  240

  Swanley—People First

  728

  650

  Herne Bay and Whitstable Coastal Regeneration Programme

  1,134

  1,000

  Dover Urban Regeneration Programme

  2,261

  2,000

  Thanet Horizons

  13,000

  10,000

  East Kent Strategic Area Framework

  158

  50

  Pooling Our Resources: A Culture of Inclusion for Eastbourne

  7,443

  5,000

  Promoting Social Inclusion in Brighton and Hove

  6,956

  5,000

  Coastal Renaissance in East Sussex

  250

  200

  Hastings and St. Leonards—A Sea Change

  10,989

  10,000

  Ryde 2000

  6,514

  6,250

  Turning the Tide: A Bright Coastal Future

  6,995

  6,950

  Southampton Community Futures

  25,764

  15,000

  Thames Valley Social Enterprise

  1,771

  1,770

  PRREDASI—Promoting Regional Race Equality

  300

  100

  Able to do Business

  2,497

  100

  Medway Innovation Centre

  2,420

  300

  South West

  Wontford Regeneration Partnership (Exeter)

  992

  40

  Regeneration of South Western Bridport (Dorset)

  1,995

  50

  Bath Communities Improving Together

  2,000

  50

  Bid for Sutton Ward (Plymouth)

  11,200

  8,400

  Bringing Glastonbury Together

  951

  713

  Communities First in Rural Somerset (Phase II)

  1,607

  1,200

  Bringing Bristol Together

  9,900

  8,350

  Weston-super-Mare; Together

  2,950

  2,360

  West Midlands

  NW Birmingham Corridors of Regeneration

  44,363

  39,963

  Sandwell Learning Plus

  30,000

  22,500

  Regenerating the Social Economy in the West Midlands

  11,750

  3,525

  Burton—Investing in Inclusion

  8,700

  6,525

  SPARKS

  3,539

  3,185

  South Warwickshire PIE

  4,001

  3,000

  Hereford in Touch

  4,946

  3,709

  Making a Difference in North Staffordshire

  7,942

  5,004

  Improving Access to Effective Services in Telford

  2,590

  1,943

  Yorkshire and the Humber

  Netherthorpe and Upperthorpe—Sheffield

  6,500

  5,000

  South Yorkshire Black Forum

  1,200

  600

  South Yorkshire Coalfield

  90,000

  80,000

  Regen. Halifax 2000

  16,176

  12,100

  Hull City Vision

  33,300

  28,300

  Humber Works

  4,300

  3,500

  Spirit of Staithes Regeneration Initiative

  1,800

  1,083

  Train Drivers
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what previous rail service, or experience, is required by recruits as trainee drivers(a) in respect of any rail employment and (b) as drivers of yard, suburban and freight train movement in respect of the high speed train services operated by the Great Western and Great North Eastern Railway. [135404]

  Mr. Hill
  Previous rail service or experience is not a requirement for trainee drivers. First Great Western and Great North Eastern Railway are required to comply with Railtrack Group Standard GP/RT3251. This standard requires train operating companies to ensure that any person authorised to drive a train is assessed and certified as medically fit.

  High-speed Trains
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will state, in respect of the high-speed train sets currently operated by the Great North Eastern Railway, which organisations are responsible for their design, construction, commissioning and testing; who owns the sets; who leases them; who maintains them; who crews them; and who is responsible for other functions formerly carried out by the British Railways Board in relation to those sets. [135403]

  Mr. Hill
  Great Northern Eastern Railway's (GNER) fleet of vehicles are owned by, and leased from, two different rolling stock leasing companies (ROSCOs), Angel Train Contracts Ltd. and Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation. These vehicles were designed, manufactured, commissioned and tested by British Rail before privatisation. Heavy maintenance of the fleet is the responsibility of the ROSCO while light maintenance and crewing is the responsibility of GNER.

  Public Transport Subsidy
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much was spent per head of population by each local authority in England on public transport subsidy for each of the last five years for which figures are available. [135096]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The figures requested have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Advisory Committee on Consumer Products and the Environment
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what response he has made to the first report of his Advisory Committee on Consumer Products and the Environment. [135438]

  Mr. Meacher
  The Government welcome the first report of the Advisory Committee on Consumer Products and the Environment. It contains a number of positive recommendations on how we can reduce the impacts products make on the environment.

  I met the Committee Chair, Dr. Alan Knight, last month and indicated to him that we will be considering carefully all the Committee's recommendations for action. We are already looking at how those relating to graded labels for
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  cars and homes, standards for government procurement, and the development of a consumer website to help environmental choice, could be put into practice. I will be writing to Dr. Knight to keep him informed of progress on the recommendations.

  Local Government
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what provisions have been made and guidance issued allowing referendums on elected mayors to take place on the same day as local elections. [135075]

  Ms Armstrong
  [holding answer 30 October 2000]As I told the House on 26 October 2000,Official Report, column 173–74W, we have now published guidance on new council constitutions for English local authorities, in which is stated our intention to make regulations under the Local Government Act 2000 which would allow referendums on elected mayors to take place on the same day as any ordinary local election, and to require such polls to be combined.

  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidance he has given to local authorities on determining the validity of petitions requiring a referendum on introducing an elected mayor. [135076]

  Ms Armstrong
  [holding answer 30 October 2000]As I told the House on 26 October 2000,Official Report, columns 173–74W, we have now published guidance on new council constitutions for English local authorities, which includes guidance on determining the validity of petitions in accordance with the provisions of the Local Authorities (Referendums) (Petitions and Directions) (England) Regulations 2000 (SI 2000/2852). To make this determination a local authority must, in particular, satisfy itself that the petition includes the names, addresses and signatures of at least 5 per cent. of the local government electors for its area.

  Clothing and Textiles
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the effect on the clothing and textiles sector of the withdrawal of compulsory competitive tendering in the public sector. [135563]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  None. There is no obvious connection between the local authority activities that were subject to competitive tendering and the health of the clothing and textile sector. The new duty of best value, which applies from 1 April 2000, will encourage the development of new markets in the provision of local authority services.

  Improved Vehicles
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many vehicles were impounded because their owners failed to buy a road fund licence; and how many were crushed in each year since 1995. [135910]
  459W
  Mr. Hill
  The wheelclamping scheme for vehicle excise duty evasion was introduced in August 1997. The following information relates to that scheme:

  Year

  Impounded

  Crushed

  1997

  557

  163

  1998

  4,838

  3,663

  1999

  10,718

  8,369

  20001

  11,962

  10,205

  1To date

  Liquified Petroleum Gas
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to extend the arrangements for conversion of vehicles from petrol or diesel to liquified petroleum gas to older vehicles. [135739]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 31 October 2000]The Powershift programme sponsored by my Department provides grants only towards the cost of converting vehicles that are under one year old to run on liquefied petroleum gas. Through Powershift we are trying to encourage vehicle manufacturers to produce production-line gas vehicles rather than the after-market conversions that currently dominate the market. Not only will production-line vehicles be much cheaper than after-market conversions, their emissions performance should also be better. Therefore, Powershift grants are targeted at new vehicles to ensure manufacturers develop the high performance systems and technologies needed to manufacture gas vehicles on the production line.

  However my Department also sponsors a Cleaner Vehicles Programme that aims to reduce emissions from existing vehicles operating in urban areas. The programme includes targeted projects to fit emission reduction technologies and to convert older vehicles to run on alternative fuels, including LPG, where it proves cost effective and environmentally beneficial to do so.

  GM Crops
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what efforts he is making to prevent the criminal damage of genetically-manipulated crops. [133659]

  Mr. Meacher
  Acts of vandalism or violence against those involved in evaluations of legally grown GM plants are totally unacceptable. The police have powers under public order legislation to deal with those who commit such acts and this has not changed. In a democratic society there is no reason for people to resort to violence against others or their property and it is right that the police use their powers to prevent this happening.

  We are continuing to explore our options for protecting the property and families of farmers participating in the farm scale evaluations, with them, the industry and the police. We are looking at how we can best secure sites, which by their very nature are difficult to protect. We have, however, consistently promised to have a science-led, open and transparent regulatory environment and this means letting people know about the sites notified to us.

  Rural White Paper
  Mr. David Heath
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment. Transport and the Regions what measures his Department will take to co-ordinate Government policy for rural areas following publication of the Rural White Paper. [133658]

  Mr. Meacher
  The Cabinet Committee on Rural Affairs already has the remit of co-ordinating the Government's policies affecting rural areas. Its tasks include looking at the policies of all Departments so as to ensure that they take account of their impact on rural areas and that they work as effectively as they can together to support rural life. The Rural White Paper will include our assessment of what more needs to be done to ensure that the rural dimension of each Department's policies is clearly identified and integrated across all Departments.

  Concrete Flues
  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a further statement on the safety of concrete flues in dwellings. [136427]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  Last year the Government were made aware of concerns about the safety of certain flue liners which are intended for use in chimneys serving appliances burning solid fuel. The Minister for Housing and Planning made an announcement about this on 24 February 1999. To resolve these concerns my Department commissioned a risk analysis, and has considered with experts what may need to be done about existing houses and what amendments might be necessary to improve the Building Regulations approved guidance. This report was published today, and can be viewed on the DETR Website at www.construction.detr.gov.uk/bribr06.htm

  The Department's risk analyst contractor CRE Group Ltd. has been unable to show conclusively that the concerns over additional danger are well founded. As well as this, neither my Department nor the two principal housing warranty providers are aware of any fatal or other accidents that have arisen as a result of the failure of the sorts of concrete flue liners whose safety has been questioned. On the evidence that the experts have produced it therefore seems reasonable to believe that householders are unlikely to be exposed to additional dangers if they apply common sense in following combustion appliance manufacturers' advice on routine maintenance and chimney sweeping.

  There remain some doubts however about the durability of poorer quality, cheaper varieties of concrete flue liners, and owners of dwellings built since about 1990 with concrete flue liners may be faced with the need for repairs or replacements sooner than they might have expected. This should not be a risk to safety unless householders fail to carry out the proper maintenance and sweeping previously mentioned.

  Whilst not finding clear evidence of additional risks, CRE Group Ltd, has made a number of useful recommendations regarding the safety of flues in general. They include improvement of the performance standards given in the Building Regulations, improving the competence of those engaged in building, maintaining and sweeping chimneys, remaining alert to the possibility of clusters of flue failures, and reminding those householders

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  who burn solid fuel as their main heating source that proper appliance maintenance and chimney sweeping are essential. Most of the recommendations are accepted in principle, and my Department will be working with the Building Regulations Advisory Committee, the DTI, and with the fuel suppliers, chimney component manufacturers and chimney engineers and sweeps to implement them as soon as practical by:
  incorporating new guidance into the Building Regulations. A new edition of the relevant Building Regulations Approved Document should be published next year and I am pleased to see that some manufacturers of concrete flue blocks have already adopted the new overall performance standards that we intend to propose in the Approved Document.
  continuing to promote both the Quality Mark and the proposals to recognise Competent Persons in the Building Regulations as ways of encouraging builders, oil and solid fuel heating engineers, chimney engineers and sweeps to improve the competence of their people. Changes in the guidance mentioned above will also encourage greater competence in ensuring the safe accommodation of combustion installations.
  collaborating with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Home Office to ensure that local authorities and fire brigades are fully briefed on the hazards associated with combustion installations in buildings, the risks of householders' exposure to them, and what they can do to remind householders about how to protect themselves. A new tool kit for this purpose was launched on 12 October by my hon. Friend, the Minister for Competition and Consumer Affairs.
  working with appropriate trade associations to ensure appliance manufacturers and solid fuel suppliers and their retail outlets provide satisfactory safe operating and maintenance advice to their customers.
  working with appropriate trade associations to ensure that chimney engineers and sweeps are aware of the possible additional risks associated with concrete chimney liners, and to watch out for the possibility that individual failures may be an indication that other flues in the neighbourhood may be at risk. I have asked to be kept informed about such clusters.
  most importantly, working with the above organisations and others to make sure that our leaflet on the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning from solid fuel and oil heating appliances is made available to the sectors of the community that earlier research has shown to be most at risk. The leaflet advises on the dangers that can arise in normal use of solid fuel and oil heating appliances and prudent maintenance and sweeping measures that prevent them from occurring.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  E-commerce
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the cost to businesses of the EU agreement on e-commerce jurisdiction in favour of powers of courts of a consumer's country of residence; and if he will make a statement. [135565]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  My Department has made a provisional Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) on the consumer provisions of the European Commission's proposal for a Community Regulation on jurisdiction and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters (the "Brussels Regulation").

  Compared to Article 13 of the existing 1968 Brussels Convention, the Commission proposal broadened the scope for consumers to take legal action in their home country when in dispute with traders in other EU member
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  states. The RIA suggests that the risk of being sued by a consumer in another member state is small, but that the Commission proposal could lead to a slight increase in legal expenses insurance premiums for those traders who take out such insurance.

  The Government opposed the part of the Commission proposal (Recital 13) that would have meant that firms maintaining internet websites would automatically have been at risk of being sued in other EU jurisdictions. The Commission's amended proposal which has just been received omits that recital. Discussions between member states in the Council working group last week suggest that the amended Commission proposal is likely to form the basis of the final agreement on the consumer provisions of the draft Regulation. My Department will prepare a revised RIA. Our provisional assessment is that in comparison with the existing Article 13, the final text is unlikely to impose substantial additional costs on traders.

  Post Offices
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will ask the Post Office Users' National Council to reconsider the guidelines for consultation by the Post Office on the closure of main offices with a view to requiring such consultation before any commercial contracts are agreed. [134508]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  I understand that the Post Office Users' National Council and the Post Office are in the process of reviewing and revising the Code of Practice on post office closures, including the consultation procedures, to see how the code might be improved and strengthened.

  Airbus A3XX
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what is the expected percentage real return for the Department of Trade and Industry on the launch aid which has been provided for the Airbus A3XX; [135853]

  (2) what is the total value of repayments to the Department of Trade and Industry which fall due under contractual conditions on the Airbus A3XX grant aid package. [135856]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  Conditions in the A3XX launch investment contract, as with all other launch investments, remain commercially confidential.

  Launch investment is a risk and revenue sharing Government investment in the design and development of specific civil aerospace projects in the UK. The investment is not a grant and is repayable at a real rate of return, usually via levies on sales of the product developed.

  Multiple Deprivation Index
  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department uses the Index of Multiple Deprivation in the allocation of funds. [134574]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  No. In 1999, the Government, co-ordinated by the Department of Trade and Industry, used ward information from the previous 1998 Index of Local Deprivation in England and its Scottish and Welsh
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  equivalents to help identify areas covered by the urban strand of Objective 2 of the European Structural Funds for the period 2000–06. No similar decisions have occurred since publication of the new Indices of Deprivation 2000.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Tanzania
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many(a) external consultants and (b) departmental officials her Department employed in Tanzania between 1997 and 2000–01; and if she will list which projects they have worked on. [135217]

  Mr. Foulkes
  Between 1997 and 2000–01 this Department has directly employed more than 230 external consultants from many different countries, including as many as possible locally, on over 300 assignments to contribute to our programme in Tanzania and has increased the number of our staff in country from 14 to 26. We have also contributed resources to joint Government of Tanzania/multi-donor projects that employ local consultants. All projects in the Tanzania programme have benefited from consultancy inputs.

  Tourism Challenge Fund
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Tourism Challenge Fund; and if she will list the countries which are taking part. [135113]

  Mr. Foulkes
  The Tourism Challenge Fund was launched at the beginning of this year and the first projects were selected in July. At present, we are finalising contractual arrangements with the successful bidders. It is too early to determine the effectiveness of the Fund as the selected projects have not yet been established. Moreover, as we are still in the process of completing the Fund's first full bidding cycle, it is also too early to evaluate policy and procedures. We intend to review the Fund's performance in the fourth quarter of 2001.

  The projects selected in the first bidding round are located in Namibia, The Gambia and Indonesia.

  Press Releases
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many press releases were issued by her Department, its agencies and non-departmental bodies in(a) 1999 and (b) 2000 to date; and how many of them have been made available on the Department's website. [135157]

  Mr. Foulkes
  This Department issued 82 press releases in 1999, and has issued 37 press releases so far in 2000. They are available on the Department's website.

  Departmental Website
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff her Department employs to maintain her Department's website; how 464W
  frequently each topic area within the website is updated; what expenditure has been incurred by her Department in the operation of the website in 1999–2000; and what the average number of hits on the site was in each of the last six months. [135156]

  Mr. Foulkes
  The Department for International Development has one internet manager maintaining its website. The various topic areas within the website are updated regularly, where appropriate on a daily basis. The total expenditure incurred in the operation of the website for 1999–2000 was £13,257. The average number of hits on the website for the last six months are as follows: May—38,670, June—38,081, July—39,800, August—40,199, September 37,933, October—46,863.

DEFENCE

  Trigat Weapon Programme
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from the UK' s partners in(a) the Trigat Medium Range Anti-Tank guided weapon programme and (b) other joint programmes in which the UK is a partner about the UK's withdrawal from the Trigat programme; and if he will make a statement. [134345]

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

  Letter from Robert Walmsley to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 1 November 2000:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence concerning the Trigat Medium Range Anti-Tank guided weapon programme. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
  The Ministry of Defence has received no representations from our former partners in the medium range TRIGAT programme, or from any partners on other joint programmes, about the UK's withdrawal from the programme, since this was announced on 28 July this year. The Integrated Project Team in the Defence Procurement Agency is maintaining a working level dialogue with its colleagues in other countries.

  Hunter-killer Submarines
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many nuclear hunter-killer submarines will be berthed in Devonport at a single time(a) awaiting rectification work and (b) while rectification work is being carried out; [135757]

  (2) how many hunter-killer submarines he estimates will be berthed in Devonport in order to carry out rectification work to prevent leakages in their cooling systems; [135756]

  (3) what estimate he has made of the likely duration of rectification work being carried out on hunter-killer submarines in Devonport. [135752]

  Mr. Spellar
  The full inspection programme for nuclear-powered hunter-killer submarines will not be completed until mid-November. The results of the
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  inspections will then need to be analysed and a rectification programme developed for those submarines that require repair. For these reasons, it is impossible at this stage to estimate how long the repair programme at Devonport will take, or the number of submarines that will be under repair or awaiting repair there at any one time. I can confirm, however, that each repair is expected to take some months, but that it should be possible to work on more than one submarine at a time. In addition to Devonport, repairs could be undertaken at HM Naval Base Clyde.

  Roll On/Roll Off Vessels
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he plans to make an announcement about the contract for roll on/roll off vessels for his Department. [135662]

  Mr. Hoon
  I announced on 26 October 2000,Official Report, columns 413–14, that subject to final negotiations, we intend to sign a 25-year private finance initiative contract with AWSR Shipping Ltd., based in the UK, for the strategic sealift service. This will deliver the requirement of six roll on/roll off ferries identified in the Strategic Defence Review. Two of the ships for this service will be built by Harland and Wolff, securing 400–600 jobs in Northern Ireland, and four will be built in the Flensburger shipyard. As part of this contract, the ships will be fully crewed by British merchant mariners when they are in Ministry of Defence use. The contract is worth around £950 million (based on expected usage of the ships), of which we expect that about 85 per cent. will be spent in the United Kingdom.

  Naval Exercises
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the availability of live ammunition for use in naval exercises. [134930]

  Mr. Spellar
  Live ammunition is available for use by HM ships in naval exercises. Each individual ship has an annual practice allowance, some of which may be used during exercises. The quantity used in naval exercises is determined by a range of factors such as operational and training priorities and the most cost-effective balance between live and simulated firings.

  The specific allocation of ammunition is withheld in accordance with exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, which relates to defence, security and international relations.

  Nuclear Armaments
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the proportion of total defence spending which is to be spent on nuclear armaments. [135389]

  Mr. Spellar
  In the last financial year, 1999–2000, expenditure on the nuclear warhead programme totalled £391 million—that is, approximately 1.75 per cent. of net defence expenditure for the year.

  Luce Bay Range
  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress being made in regard to the sea bed containment of cluster bombs dropped by his Department in Luce bay. [135117]

  Mr. Spellar
  Work on the sea bed containment of the cluster bombs released in Luce bay began on 31 August 2000. The manufacture of the RENO mattresses at the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) range at West Freugh is now complete. The frames to which the mattresses will be attached have been delivered and tested. The associated equipment, including a barge and crane, required for the deployment of these mattresses is in place. Two of the 12 locations of the cluster bombs have been successfully covered and work on the containment of a third site has commenced. Progress, however, has been hampered in recent weeks by severe weather conditions. To complete the work a two-week period of good weather conditions is required.

  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what type of projectiles have been(a) fired and (b) dropped at the Luce Bay (Tons Warren) range in the last 12 months; and if the (i) firings and (ii) bombings were at hard targets. [135833]

  Mr. Spellar
  During the last five years, a variety of stores, both inert and live, have been released and/or fired on the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) range at West Freugh which comprises the sea danger area of Luce Bay and the land target area of Tons Warren. Bombs, rockets and missiles have been released over Luce Bay where most of the trials activities take place. Fixed and rotary wing machine guns of various calibres are also fired. Bombs are also released on the land target area and fixed and rotary wing machine guns of various calibres fired. Missiles are fired from the land out into the bay. Hard targets are normally perceived to be bunkers and vehicles such as tanks. There are no such targets at DERA West Freugh. There are, however, barges in the bay which are used for inert store releases and three large concrete areas on the land. Any live stores released on to either the concrete or the surrounding softer land are cleared by explosive ordnance demolition techniques as part of DERA's good housekeeping.

  Oil Deliveries
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contingency plans he has for using service drivers to deliver oil to other than essential service providers. [135943]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 31 October 2000]Contingency planning is in hand to provide military drivers if required to deliver fuel to essential service providers. Definitions of essential services, and decisions on who should receive fuel, are not a matter for the Ministry of Defence.

  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what powers he has to direct service drivers to drive oil tankers owned by private contractors or oil companies. [135942]
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  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 31 October 2000]The Emergency Powers Act 1964 empowers the Defence Council to authorise the employment of the armed forces on urgent work of national importance. The provision of tankers is a matter for the oil companies and other Government Departments.

  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service drivers are being trained to drive oil tankers. [135941]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 31 October 2000]Around 900 drivers are expected to have been trained by mid-November. These are in addition to the drivers, numbering nearly 200, who are already qualified and able to provide assistance if required.

  Sierra Leone
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK forces are(a) deployed in Sierra Leone and (b) about to be deployed; from which parts of the armed forces they have come; and what their mission and rules of engagement are. [135921]

  Mr. Hoon
  [holding answer 31 October 2000]The total number of troops deployed on the ground in Sierra Leone will vary, depending on the training under way, but it will be somewhat over 400, compared with the 300 prior to the announcement on 10 October 2000.

  The personnel are drawn from all three services and the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service.

  The UK forces in Sierra Leone are employed in a training and advisory capacity, not to participate directly in combat operations. They are, however, issued with robust rules of engagement to allow them to defend themselves if necessary.

HEALTH

  AIDS Awareness
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the work of his Department in promoting awareness of AIDS and how to avoid contracting it. [134744]

  Yvette Cooper
  In the absence of a cure for AIDS or a vaccine against HIV, prevention remains our best weapon in the fight against the spread of HIV. We therefore remain committed to funding health promotion work, including awareness campaigns for groups most at risk of HIV and the general population. £3 million has been allocated to sexual health promotion work for 2000–01 including HIV/AIDS health promotion. The Department also funds the National AIDS Helpline health promotion. The Department also funds the National AIDS Helpline which provides confidential advice and information on all aspects of HIV and AIDS.

  Resuscitation Policies
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department issues to(a) social services departments, (b) care home providers and (c) providers of
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  care in non-residential settings concerning the development and application of resuscitation policies; and how compliance with such guidance is monitored. [134842]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 26 October 2000]Resuscitation decisions are among the most sensitive decisions that clinicians, patients and parents may have to make. Decisions whether to resuscitate patients is primarily a clinical matter for the doctor responsible for the treatment of the patient concerned. Whenever possible, the doctor should involve the patient in the decision-making, and when appropriate, their relatives or carers.

  When making resuscitation decisions the doctor should have regard to guidance on resuscitation decision-making issued by a professional and recognised body of medical opinion.

  On 5 September, the Department issued a Health Service Circular Resuscitation Policy (HSC2000/28) to National Health Service trust chief executives—copied to chairs of public health groups—which makes clear that patients' rights are central to decision-making on resuscitation.

  It is not the responsibility of social services departments, care home providers, nor providers of care in non-residential settings, to make decisions concerning resuscitation.

  In circumstances where persons in their care may have collapsed and are in need of medical attention, local procedures should have been developed which set out arrangements to deal appropriately with such cases. This protocol should be available and understood by all staff involved.

  Children in Care
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average amount spent per child in care by each local authority in England on the placement of children in residential care for each of the last five years for which figures are available. [135097]

  Mr. Hutton
  Information on reported gross expenditure per child per week on the placement of children in residential care by local authorities is contained in the Department's key indicator graphical system. Indicator PAFB9 provides information for 1997–98, 1998–99 and 1999–2000 but is not available for earlier years. It refers to children placed in community homes. Indicator UC74 provides information for 1998–99 and earlier years on a slightly different basis as it also includes placements in secure units; it is not yet available for 1999–2000. Tables for both indicators have been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children were placed in residential care homes by each local authority in England in the last five years for which figures are available. [135105]
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  Mr. Hutton
  The information requested is given in the table.

  Number of children1 looked after by local
  authorities who were placed in residential children's homes at 31 March, 1995 to 2000,

  England

  Residential children's homes2

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  England

  6,600

  6,400

  6,200

  6,300

  6,500

  North East Shire counties

  Durham

  74

  74

  67

  55

  72

  Northumberland

  58

  47

  45

  39

  41

  Unitary authorities

  Darlington

  30

  33

  25

  17

  14

  Hartlepool

  9

  7

  2

  1

  3

  Middlesbrough

  34

  27

  18

  17

  19

  Redcar and Cleveland

  30

  22

  24

  15

  11

  Stockton on Tees

  21

  23

  16

  25

  3

  Metropolitan districts

  Gateshead

  73

  57

  64

  48

  48

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  56

  63

  59

  64

  61

  North Tyneside

  18

  22

  21

  18

  22

  South Tyneside

  53

  50

  58

  52

  44

  Sunderland

  73

  71

  61

  70

  70

  North West Shire counties

  Cheshire

  35

  38

  48

  47

  39

  Cumbria

  38

  34

  42

  29

  33

  Lancashire

  285

  296

  291

  301

  274

  Unitary authorities

  Blackburn and Darwen

  55

  49

  70

  50

  46

  Blackpool

  47

  41

  38

  31

  30

  Halton

  2

  4

  6

  5

  6

  Warrington

  9

  12

  13

  13

  12

  Metropolitan districts

  Bolton

  47

  38

  39

  27

  29

  Bury

  26

  25

  24

  28

  30

  Manchester

  92

  110

  82

  92

  95

  Oldham

  37

  33

  42

  42

  53

  Rochdale

  31

  34

  31

  41

  25

  Salford

  37

  46

  51

  60

  94

  Stockport

  71

  72

  56

  70

  51

  Tameside

  28

  30

  31

  21

  23

  Trafford

  40

  45

  32

  47

  35

  Wigan

  33

  34

  39

  41

  41

  Merseyside metropolitan districts

  Knowsley

  16

  23

  20

  16

  19

  Liverpool

  184

  187

  203

  191

  203

  Sefton

  59

  47

  41

  49

  44

  St. Helens

  41

  37

  45

  36

  42

  Wirral

  49

  39

  33

  30

  28

  Yorkshire and Humberside Shire counties

  North Yorkshire

  22

  16

  26

  29

  24

  Unitary authorities

  East Riding Yorkshire

  14

  23

  48

  36

  36

  Kingston upon Hull

  92

  103

  113

  103

  103

  North East Lincolnshire

  38

  33

  29

  29

  32

  North Lincolnshire

  44

  43

  27

  37

  28

  York

  23

  21

  14

  18

  17

  Metropolitan districts

  Barnsley

  59

  77

  58

  57

  57

  Bradford

  44

  54

  45

  90

  99

  Calderdale

  48

  53

  48

  40

  37

  Doncaster

  43

  48

  58

  53

  65

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  Number of children1 looked after by local authorities who were

  placed in residential children's homes at 31 March, 1995 to 2000,

  England

  Residential children's homes2

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  Kirklees

  86

  69

  41

  57

  48

  Leeds

  159

  166

  153

  165

  163

  Rotherham

  45

  42

  37

  33

  41

  Sheffield

  67

  75

  76

  75

  101

  Wakerfield

  41

  44

  30

  34

  37

  East Midlands Shire counties

  Derbyshire

  35

  38

  41

  40

  35

  Leicestershire

  18

  18

  16

  23

  28

  Lincolnshire

  65

  60

  53

  60

  55

  Northamptonshire

  96

  76

  69

  79

  80

  Nottinghamshire

  31

  34

  34

  38

  40

  Unitary authorities

  Derby

  37

  52

  39

  35

  48

  Leicester

  26

  23

  37

  37

  43

  Nottingham

  83

  66

  58

  75

  66

  Rutland

  1

  2

  1

  0

  0

  West Midlands Shire counties

  Shropshire

  14

  18

  20

  24

  19

  Staffordshire

  99

  88

  44

  49

  65

  Warwickshire

  14

  20

  22

  17

  16

  Worcestershire

  37

  30

  36

  40

  52

  Unitary authorities

  Herefordshire

  4

  10

  3

  10

  11

  Stoke-on-Trent

  53

  45

  55

  55

  28

  Telford and Wrekin

  32

  25

  20

  24

  31

  Metropolitan districts

  Birmingham

  272

  259

  305

  284

  280

  Coventry

  15

  23

  50

  33

  39

  Dudley

  40

  36

  40

  34

  33

  Sandwell

  30

  23

  39

  27

  28

  Solihull

  12

  14

  16

  19

  19

  Walsall

  18

  14

  17

  38

  49

  Wolverhampton

  33

  35

  25

  22

  26

  South West Shire counties

  Cornwall

  21

  25

  43

  29

  28

  Devon

  51

  40

  35

  40

  32

  Dorset

  20

  20

  15

  12

  17

  Gloucestershire

  41

  42

  45

  50

  38

  Isles of Scilly

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Somerset

  43

  49

  53

  48

  56

  Wiltshire

  5

  10

  18

  15

  17

  Unitary authorities

  Bath and North East Somerset

  7

  3

  4

  2

  4

  Bournemouth

  19

  18

  15

  14

  20

  Bristol

  87

  76

  61

  60

  50

  North Somerset

  12

  2

  3

  3

  1

  Plymouth

  33

  29

  18

  25

  31

  Poole

  11

  14

  3

  3

  8

  South Gloucestershire

  7

  7

  12

  2

  2

  Swindon

  7

  10

  8

  8

  12

  Torbay

  9

  11

  9

  7

  14

  London Inner London

  Camden

  39

  37

  35

  33

  49

  City of London

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Greenwich

  31

  41

  48

  50

  43

  Hackney

  51

  51

  48

  55

  52

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  100

  71

  54

  46

  47

  Islington

  86

  102

  86

  92

  133

  Kensington and Chelsea

  34

  29

  39

  33

  28

  Lambeth

  174

  126

  95

  124

  207

  471W

  Number of children1 looked after by local authorities who were

  placed in residential children's homes at 31 March, 1995 to 2000,

  England

  Residential children's homes2

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  Lewisham

  41

  35

  42

  56

  65

  Southwark

  48

  50

  63

  53

  54

  Tower Hamlets

  3—

  3—

  26

  35

  3—

  Wandsworth

  57

  51

  42

  39

  33

  Westminster

  69

  48

  33

  34

  27

  Outer London

  Barking and Dagenham

  22

  24

  13

  24

  38

  Barnet

  31

  27

  22

  22

  35

  Bexley

  16

  24

  15

  21

  18

  Brent

  41

  28

  21

  22

  21

  Bromley

  45

  39

  26

  24

  22

  Croydon

  53

  45

  50

  48

  53

  Ealing

  82

  63

  71

  79

  68

  Enfield

  35

  35

  40

  35

  27

  Haringey

  49

  31

  36

  44

  62

  Harrow

  22

  25

  21

  11

  21

  Havering

  36

  27

  19

  19

  25

  Hillingdon

  52

  34

  54

  68

  80

  Hounslow

  44

  40

  33

  35

  42

  Kingston upon Thames

  10

  10

  3

  16

  23

  Merton

  10

  9

  14

  14

  13

  Newham

  61

  46

  52

  43

  33

  Redbridge

  19

  14

  16

  11

  15

  Richmond upon Thames

  15

  10

  7

  8

  14

  Sutton

  7

  10

  12

  9

  8

  Waltham Forest

  33

  32

  23

  26

  29

  Eastern Shire counties

  Bedfordshire

  27

  29

  33

  33

  33

  Cambridgeshire

  31

  38

  35

  30

  23

  Essex

  93

  91

  130

  112

  123

  Hertfordshire

  69

  78

  75

  83

  72

  Norfolk

  29

  31

  67

  53

  68

  Suffolk

  43

  39

  34

  47

  50

  Unitary authorities

  Luton

  26

  20

  18

  18

  18

  Peterborough

  24

  27

  35

  19

  31

  Southend

  18

  13

  26

  13

  19

  Thurrock

  5

  11

  16

  13

  12

  South East Shire counties

  Buckinghamshire

  37

  37

  25

  27

  25

  East Sussex

  21

  23

  20

  28

  19

  Hampshire

  102

  102

  93

  103

  105

  Kent

  24

  29

  19

  119

  101

  Oxfordshire

  40

  41

  44

  36

  31

  Surrey

  89

  86

  67

  75

  80

  West Sussex

  85

  89

  80

  68

  74

  Unitary authorities

  Bracknell Forest

  13

  13

  12

  13

  15

  Brighton and Hove

  19

  25

  22

  10

  11

  Isle of Wight

  12

  8

  0

  7

  9

  Medway Towns

  15

  17

  29

  25

  25

  Milton Keynes

  28

  32

  40

  21

  3—

  Portsmouth

  26

  25

  31

  30

  30

  Reading

  41

  44

  38

  30

  22

  Slough

  38

  40

  46

  22

  21

  Southampton

  25

  29

  30

  14

  19

  West Berkshire

  19

  15

  13

  17

  15

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  26

  16

  18

  15

  12

  Wokingham

  28

  26

  26

  22

  13

  1Figures for children looked after in this table exclude agreed series of short term placements

  2Includes community homes, voluntary homes, hostels and private registered children's homes

  3Not available

  NHS Dentistry (Christchurch)
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dental practices in the Christchurch constituency accept new NHS patients; and what the number was in March 1997. [135728]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 30 October 2000]The situation regarding which dental practices accept new national health service patients can change almost daily. In addition, practices sometimes restrict the category of patients they will accept, such as adult patients exempt from NHS charges or children. March 1997 data are not available, May 1997 data are given instead. The table shows the number of practices accepting all categories or certain categories of new NHS patient in the Christchurch constituency in May 1997 and October 2000.

  Number of dental practices accepting new NHS patients in

  Christchurch constituency

  May 1997

  October 2000

  Practices accepting all categories of new NHS patients

  2

  4

  Practices accepting certain categories of new NHS patients

  4

  4

  Total number of practices accepting some new NHS patients

  6

  8

  Correspondence
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if an urgent reply will be given to the hon. Member for Walsall, North to his letter of 4 October regarding the need for a constituent to have an operation for a tumour. [135069]

  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 30 October 2000]A reply was sent to my hon. Friend on 30 October.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Fruit Juice Labelling
  Mr. Bill O'Brien
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the extra costs to the manufacturers of fruit juices in the UK, if the EU proposed directives are introduced; and if he will make a statement. [135045]

  Ms Stuart
  I have been asked to reply.

  United Kingdom industry has made estimates of one-off relabelling costs of up to £7 million. A more accurate assessment will be made during the period of consultation associated with the drafting of UK regulations to implement the Directive.

  Maize
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress is being made on the decision whether to add Chardon LL maize to the National List. [136382]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  We proposed the addition of Chardon LL to the UK National List in March. After objections to the proposal were raised, Mr. Alun Alesbury
  473W
  was appointed by Ministers to hear representations in relation to the proposed listing, and a hearing is currently underway.

  The Government have now learned from the French authorities that the data from French trials on varietal distinctness, uniformity and stability (DUS), which supported the Chardon application for National Listing in the UK, were based on one year's data from accredited breeders' trials and one year's data from Government-run trials. This is apparently one of the procedures allowed by the French authorities for DUS trials of new maize varieties. The relevant Directive (72/180/EEC) requires two years of official trials.

  Ministers are taking urgent legal advice on this issue and the implications of the information for the current hearing. MAFF is seeking further information from the French authorities and consulting the European Commission about the implications for National Listing decisions across the EU.

  Chardon LL will only be added to the UK National List if all the legal requirements have been fully met.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his recent meeting with EU agriculture Ministers to discuss further reform of the CAP. [136383]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  Together with ministerial colleagues from Denmark, Sweden and the Netherlands, I took part in discussions on the future direction of the common agricultural policy at a meeting on Capri hosted by the Italian Minister of Agricultural Policy, Mr. Alfonso Pecoraro Scanio. These discussions carried forward the fruitful co-operation between Italy, Denmark, Sweden and UK which was a feature of the 1999 Agenda 2000 negotiations on the CAP. The Dutch Minister participated in the meeting for the first time in an observer capacity. Given the challenges of EU enlargement and the WTO trade negotiations to the future of the CAP, the participating Ministers agreed a programme of collective work on reform of the CAP; and decided to meet in a similar format in the course of next year. A copy of the framework document agreed upon at the Capri meeting has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Organic Food Standards
  Ms Drown
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to review the operation of the United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards. [136381]

  Mr. Morley
  As part of the Modernising Government programme, my Department is now beginning a formal review of the United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards (UKROFS), which is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Ministry. UKROFS exercises regulatory and supervisory responsibilities in relation to organic farming across the United Kingdom.

  The first stage of the review is expected to cover the following issues:

  (a) The effectiveness of the present arrangements for discharging the national "competent authority" functions prescribed by Council Regulation (EEC) 2092/91 for regulating organic
  474W
  farming taking full account of Government objectives for modernising public services, particularly the need for continuous improvement and better value for money; Government policy on the regulation of farming, in particular the Strategy for Agriculture, and any parallel policy statements prepared by the devolved administrations; the likely growth in the size and number of businesses in the organic farming sector; the fact that responsibility for agriculture is now devolved to the administrations in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales; and the absence of a clear legal base for UKROFS.

  (b) The continuing need for the discretionary functions currently exercised by UKROFS, including setting standards for organic produce, either where there are no EU standards or by supplementing EU standards; directly certifying producers who do not wish to register with the private sector certification bodies; and advising Ministers on organic sector issues, including commissioning R&D.

  Because UKROFS is a UK body, the Scottish Executive, the National Assembly for Wales and the Northern Ireland Assembly will be closely involved in the review. We expect to take decisions on the outcome of the first stage of the review before Easter 2001.

  Full details of the review, including advice on how to contribute, are being placed in the Library and on my Department's website.

  Flax and Hemp
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much has been paid in subsidy to farmers for growing flax and hemp during each of the past five years. [135503]

  Ms Quin
  The total amount of subsidy paid in the last five UK Exchequer financial years was as follows:

  £000

  Flax

  Hemp

  1995–96

  10,951

  24

  1996–97

  11,614

  621

  1997–98

  11,796

  1,788

  1998–99

  10,681

  1,173

  1999–2000

  10,011

  233

  All of the hemp subsidy was paid direct to farmers. For flax there are three payment scenarios. The normal arrangement is for 25 per cent. of the aid to be paid to flax contractors who have concluded cultivation contracts with farmers whereby the farmers renounce ownership of their crop. The remaining 75 per cent. of the aid is paid to processors who have concluded contracts with the contractors.

  Under the second method 100 per cent. of the aid is paid to contractors who have the straw processed on their behalf. Under the third method 25 per cent. of the aid is paid direct to farmers who have contracts with processors and the remaining 75 per cent. of the aid is paid to the processor.

  Under all three methods, the amount of aid passed on to farmers for growing the flax is dependant on the contractual arrangements they have concluded with either the contractors or the processors.

  Bees
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will urgently assess the case for
  475W
  a trial destruction of bees affected by European foul brood; and if he will offer compensation for beekeepers affected. [135671]

  Ms Quin
  The Ministry takes very seriously the threat to beekeeping from European foul brood, and is spending around £1.3 million on measures to combat European foul brood and other notifiable diseases. These include the provision of training and education to help beekeepers become more self-reliant through improved bee husbandry, and investigating alternative disease control methods to deal with serious diseases. The National Bee Unit, part of the Central Science Laboratory, with the full co-operation of affected beekeepers is conducting well publicised trials aimed at eliminating persistent European foul brood from apiaries. Preliminary results from these trials are encouraging, especially since the method used avoids the unnecessary destruction of valuable colonies. We consider this to be the best use of the funds available that are being spent in the best interests of the beekeeping industry.

  Milk in Schools
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent discussions he has had with(a) his ministerial colleagues and (b) representatives of the dairy farming sector concerning the policy of promoting milk in schools. [134401]

  Ms Quin
  School milk is an issue which Ministers discuss from time to time. No representatives of the dairy farming sector have requested a meeting specifically on this subject although I have met and continue to meet other interests which are directly involved.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Millennium Dome
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what due diligence procedures were undertaken by the Millennium Commission prior to the award of each of the additional grants to the New Millennium Experience Company; [134494]

  (2) what the value is of lottery funds currently held by the Millennium Commission; and what the maximum value is of the Commission's outstanding financial commitments; [134609]

  (3) what the aggregate value is of lottery funds committed but not yet paid over to projects by the Millennium Commission. [134614]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  [holding answer 26 October 2000]This is a matter for the Millennium Commission. I will write to the hon. Member in my capacity as Chairman of the Commission, and place copies of my replies in the Libraries of the House.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the occasions on which he has issued a ministerial direction order relating to the Millennium Commission since 1 January; and if he will give details of each such order. [134619]
  476W
  Mr. Chris Smith
  [holding answer 26 October 2000]This is a matter for the Millennium Commission. I will write to the hon. Member in my capacity as Chairman of the Commission, and place copies of my reply in the Libraries of the House.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he last visited the Dome in his official capacity. [134603]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  [holding answer 26 October 2000]The last visit I made to the Dome in an official capacity was on 4 July 2000.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money he expects the Millennium Commission to receive from the sale of the Millennium Dome. [134485]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 26 October 2000]The Millennium Commission grants made to the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) are repayable from any operational surplus or asset disposal, including the sale of the Dome itself, achieved after the organisation has met it other contractual liabilities. Any decision on the division of proceeds from any future sale of the Dome will be made with regard to the way in which the bid is structured and the land which is required, and the need to ensure that the Lottery investment in Greenwich and English Partnerships' contribution is recognised.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what undertakings he has received from the Minister of State, the Cabinet Office regarding further requests for Millennium Commission funds for the Dome. [135414]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 30 October 2000]I have received no undertakings from my hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State, Cabinet Office, regarding further requests for Millennium Commission funds for the Dome.

  Culture Online Service
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the BBC and other broadcasting companies regarding the establishment of a culture online service. [134491]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  [holding answer 26 October 2000]My Department is consulting a wide range of organisations, including the BBC and other broadcasters, as part of the process of developing the proposal for a new service provisionally entitled Culture Online.

  Index of Multiple Deprivation
  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if his Department uses the Index of Multiple Deprivation in the allocation of funding. [134568]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  In general terms, the Department allocates funding according to the policy priorities encapsulated in its Public Service Agreement objectives, which include economic regeneration and social inclusion.
  477W
  Both the Department and its sponsored bodies are planning to use the Index of Multiple Deprivation in relation to certain specific funding programmes. For example, the index will be one of the sources of information used by the Department to determine the location of the Creative Partnerships that will bring new cultural and creative opportunities to schoolchildren in deprived areas. The New Opportunities Fund will also use the index to help determine which local projects should be supported with National Lottery money. Spaces for Sport and the Arts, a capital programme to improve provision in primary schools, financed jointly by the Department, its lottery distributors and the Department for Education and Employment, has used the index as one means of targeting funding on particular local authorities.

  Petrol Costs (Ministerial Cars)
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the cost was in each of the past three years of petrol for his Department's fleet of ministerial cars; and how many vehicles there are in that fleet. [135036]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  The Department for Culture, Media and Sport leases four ministerial cars from the Government Car and Despatch Agency. It is that Agency which maintains records of operating costs, including fuel costs, for the vehicles.

  BBC Director General
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many meetings with the Director General of the BBC(a) he had from the general election until the appointment of Mr. Greg Dyke as Director General and (b) he has had since Mr. Dyke's appointment; and on what dates. [134828]

  Janet Anderson
  This information is available only from 1 January 1998. Since then, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has had the following meetings with Lord Birt and Mr. Dyke:

  Lord Birt

  13 March 1998

  6 April 1998

  24 November 1998

  6 July 1999

  20 July 1999

  13 September 1999

  4 November 1999

  17 November 1999

  Mr. Dyke

  28 March 2000

  6 October 2000.

  Free Television Licence
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his answer of 25 July 2000,Official Report, column 598W, what evidence the BBC has provided to show how money is spent on administering the free television licence scheme. [134772]

  Janet Anderson
  The BBC has not yet recharged any costs incurred in administering the scheme for free licences for those aged 75 or over, as the Department of 478W
  Social Security does not have the legal authority to reimburse the BBC until 1 November. It is the intention of the BBC to issue the first invoice to DSS within the next calendar month. All costs recharged will be supported by copy invoices of the charges incurred by the BBC.

  KPMG, the BBC's external auditor, will be providing audit reports after the end of this financial year and will express an opinion on the robustness of the costs recharged, based on a sample review of the underlying documents.

  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many pensioners who are eligible for the concessionary television licence scheme have purchased a short-term television licence and are eligible for a refund on their existing television licence. [134659]

  Janet Anderson
  Of the 2.78 million applications received by 20 October for free licences in November, 1.06 million people are due a refund on the unexpired portion of their previous television licence. 1.72 million are due no refunds because they purchased a short-term licence, or their licence was due to expire at the end of October, or adjustments were made to their easy payment scheme instalments.

  Hotels and Restaurants
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he will publish the Government's formal response to the better regulation taskforce's report on "The Impact of Increasing Regulation—a Case Study of Hotels and Restaurants". [135829]

  Janet Anderson
  The Government's response to the report was published on 26 September. Copies of the response were deposited in the Libraries of both Houses.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Housing Benefit Fraud
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will publish the results from the October 1999-April 2000 Area Benefit Review that assessed Housing Benefit fraud. [135258]

  Angela Eagle
  The full year's results of non-standard Housing Benefit measurement for the period October 1999 to September 2000 are expected to be available in the summer 2001.

  SERPS
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many new claimants of SERPS have been awarded SERPS(a) as soon as they became eligible, (b) less than two weeks after they became eligible, (c) two to four weeks after they became eligible, (d) four to six weeks after they became eligible and (e) more than six weeks after they became eligible, in each quarter of each of the last two years; [135269]

  (2) how many new claimants of SERPS there were in each quarter of each of the last two years. [135268]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is not available.
  479W

  Winter Fuel Payments
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 20 July 2000,Official Report, columns 270–71W, how many people (a) were eligible for backdated winter fuel payments for (i) 1997, (ii) 1998 and (iii) 1999, (b) have contacted the winter fuel payments helpline in each month since it began, (c) have made a claim for backdated winter fuel payments, (d) received a backdated winter fuel payment before the end of September and (e) have still to receive a backdated winter fuel payment. [134783]

  Angela Eagle
  It is estimated that around a total of 1.9 million people could be eligible for payments in respect of previous winters. This includes men aged 60–64 and men and women over State Pension age who did not qualify for a Winter Fuel Payment before the extension of the scheme because they were not getting one of the qualifying benefits.

  The number of estimated to be eligible in each of the three winters of 1997–98, 1998–99 and 1999–2000 is 1.4 million. The difference in the total number eligible and the number eligible in each of the three winters is due to the fact that some people will not be eligible for payments in respect of all three winters, since they were either aged under 60 for some of the period, or turned 65 during the period and will have already received payments for the second or third winter.

  The number of calls the helpline has received during each month since it began, the winter of 1997–98, are in the table.

  Months

  Number of calls

  Winter of 1997–98 (helpline opened 5 January 1998)

  January

  30,347

  February

  13,046

  March

  142,536

  April

  52,094

  May

  10,447

  Winter of 1998–99 (helpline opened 5 October 1998)

  October

  6,561

  November

  13,206

  December

  10,233

  January

  49,338

  February

  32,455

  March

  8,237

  April

  592

  Winter of 1999–2000 (helpline opened 13 September 1999)

  September

  7,897

  October

  6,733

  November

  43,616

  December

  122,078

  January

  91,790

  February

  31,430

  Helpline from April 2000

  April

  31,502

  May

  84,336

  June

  122,265

  July

  112,263

  August

  82,905

  September

  136,812

  October

  1105,820

  1 Up to 20 October 2000

  To date the number of claims received in respect of Winter Fule Payments for past winters is 999,490.
  480W
  The number of payments issued, in respect of past winters, before the end of September is 855,354. To date that number has increased to 936,240.

  The number of claims outstanding to date are: 32,272 claims already been processed but awaiting issue; 20,707 claims returned to the customer seeking further information; 21,690 claims returned but not yet processed.

  Stakeholder Pensions
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which bodies he has consulted to ensure that the forthcoming stakeholder advertising campaign does not lead to mis-selling or mis-buying of pensions. [134644]

  Mr. Rooker
  The forthcoming advertising campaign aims to communicate basic impartial information about pensions, and to explain the range of pensions options available, including stakeholder pensions, so that people can make informed decisions about their pensions arrangements.

  Consultation on the stakeholder pension guides for individuals, and employers included the FSA Pensions Education Forum, which includes members from the pension industry, employer representatives and other Government Departments.

  Lone Parents
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will place in the Library a copy of the written information handed to lone parents who join the New Deal for Lone Parents. [134546]

  Angle Eagle
  The documents have been place in the Library.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  School Closures
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the number of school closures by constituency in each of the last five years. [135222]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The numbers notified to my Department are contained in tables, which have been placed in the Libraries.

  Teachers (Assaults)
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what guidance his Department gives on measures teachers can take to defend themselves if attacked by pupils. [135035]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  DFEE Circular 10/98 makes it clear that teachers may use reasonable force to control or restrain pupils to prevent them from causing injury to themselves or others, and contains guidance on appropriate physical intervention measures. The guidance emphasises that the degree of force used must be in proportion to the circumstances of the incident and be the minimum needed to achieve the desired result.
  481W
  We intend to issue additional guidance to help schools and local education authorities plan their strategies for managing the behaviour of pupils with severe behavioural difficulties. Placing the use of restraint in its proper context as one element only of a school's behaviour policy, the guidance will include advice on drawing up and agreeing policies on its use, selecting appropriate training and recording and monitoring incidents.

  Overseas Teachers
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the proportion of teaching posts occupied by teachers from overseas in(a) London and (b) England and Wales in the current academic year. [134346]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The information requested is not collected centrally.

  Index of Multiple Deprivation
  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if his Department uses the Index of Multiple Deprivation in the allocation of funds. [134575]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The Index of Multiple Deprivation is used by the Department to help to identify areas which are to be invited to develop a Sure Start Programme. The index will also be used in the allocation of Nursery Education Grant for three-year-olds in 2001–02.

  New Deal for Young People
  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many candidates have completed New Deal for Young People in the West Sussex employment area; and how many of these(a) have taken up unsubsidised employment and (b) are still in unsubsidised employment; [134625]

  (2) how many recruits to the New Deal for Young People have not completed that scheme in West Sussex in each of the last three years. [134627]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 26 October 2000]The New Deal aims to help unemployed people move as quickly as possible from welfare into unsubsidised work. The support that is given continues if the young person returns to JSA. The New Deal programme is not a fixed-length course which allows you to pinpoint when a client's participation in the programme is 'complete'.

  In West Sussex Coastal Plain unit of delivery, the latest figures to August 2000 show 957 young people have started New Deal, and we know that of the 802 who have left, 421 have gained unsubsidised jobs. Of these, 317 are sustained unsubsidised jobs. We use the term 'sustained job' for those young people not returning to Jobseekers Allowance within 13 weeks of gaining a job.

  Many other young people leave the New Deal programme for jobs without informing the Employment Service or maintaining any further contact. These additional jobs do not enter the official statistics.

  School Discipline Policies
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what discussions he has had with teachers who have been physically assaulted by pupils about school discipline policies. [134685]

  Jacqui Smith
  We discuss such issues regularly as we meet representatives of the teacher associations about discipline and other issues. As a result of representations from headteachers, we recently issued new guidance for exclusion appeal panels indicates that the headteacher's decision to exclude should not be overridden in a range of circumstances including where there is violence or the threat of violence.

  Student Debt and Loans
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the average level of student debt is after a three year course in higher education. [134686]

  Mr. Wicks
  The average debt of a borrower with a mortgage-style student loan entering repayment at the start of the financial year 1999–2000, the latest date for which data are available, was £3,210.

  Information on private sector debt such as overdrafts and other commercial loans is not available centrally.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what representations he has received about the student loan repayment administration regulations. [134723]

  Mr. Wicks
  The regulations governing the repayment of student loans through the tax system from April 2000 were subject to wide consultation. We received a number of helpful suggestions from employer representatives about new arrangements, which are aligned closely to the administration of tax and national insurance. We have announced that we will conduct a review of the impact of the regulations on small businesses in July 2001 and we plan to conduct a full evaluation of the scheme in 2003.

  School Leavers (Gap Year)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of school leavers take a gap year before entering higher education; and what the figure was in 1997–98. [134687]

  Mr. Wicks
  The latest available information is given in the following table. The figures cover those students with two or more A levels who gain a place on a full-time undergraduate course via the University and College Admissions Service (UCAS) and then defer entry for a year. Students who defer their application to UCAS because they are taking a gap year are therefore excluded.

  Accepted applicants with two or more A levels via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS)

  Year for which applicants were accepted for entry

  Autumn 1997

  Autumn 1999

  All accepted applicants with two or more A levels

  183,123

  183,852

  of which:

  proportion deferring entry for a year

  8.0

  8.8

  Commercial Sponsorship (Higher Education)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to increase commercial sponsorship in higher education. [134710]

  Mr. Wicks
  Higher education institutions generate funding from a variety of commercial sources including sponsorship, donations, fees for provision of education and training, contract research and other services. They do so without prejudice to their public funding, while the Higher Education Reach-Out to Business and the Community fund encourages more and closer relationships between industry and higher education. In addition some commercial organisations offer financial support to students in the form of sponsorship. From September 2001 the Government will raise to £4,000 the amount of bursary income that a student may receive from a sponsor before any deduction is made in the level of financial support for which they may be eligible.

  Teachers (Drug Use)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what disciplinary action his Department advises should be taken against teachers who are found to have used illegal drugs. [134716]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  We take a very serious view of all cases in which teachers are convicted of offences involving illegal drugs, but under the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, as with previous legislation under the previous administration, it is for governing bodies of schools to decide how to exercise their disciplinary powers in particular cases of misconduct. They must treat each case on its merits. In our experience employers also take these cases very seriously, however, and a teacher who is convicted of an offence involving illegal drugs will almost invariably be dismissed. Such cases are also reported to my Department so that the Secretary of State can consider exercising his powers under the Education (Restriction of Employment) Regulations 2000 to bar the person from further employment as a teacher, or other work involving regular contact with children or young people in the education service.

  Sexual Relationships
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what guidance is issued to schools about the approach towards sexual relationships between pupils aged(a) under 16 years and (b) 16 years or above. [134718]

  Jacqui Smith
  Sexual relationships involving children under 16 are a criminal offence. Our recently published Sex and Relationship Education guidance sets out the procedure teachers should follow if they become aware that a child under the age of 16 is having, or contemplating having, sex. Our guidance also explains the benefits of and the reasons for young people delaying sexual activity, and this is backed up by our campaign to reduce teenage pregnancies.

  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what his Department's policy is towards sexual relationships discovered between teaching staff and schoolchildren aged 16 years or above. [134938]
  484W
  Ms Estelle Morris
  A sexual relationship between a teacher and a pupil is a very grave breach of trust regardless of whether the pupil is aged 16 or above. It is regarded as misconduct, and is grounds for disciplinary action, including dismissal, by employers. Such cases are also reported to my Department so that the Secretary of State can consider exercising his powers under the Education (Restriction of Employment) Regulations 2000 to bar the person from further employment as a teacher, or other work involving regular contact with children or young people in the education service.

  Under the proposals in the Sexual Offences (Amendment) Bill, it would become a criminal offence for a person aged 18 or over who is looking after children under 18 receiving full-time education at an educational institution to engage in any sexual activity with a child receiving such education at that institution. The Bill is currently before the House of Lords.

  Performance Management Visits (North-west Schools)
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many schools in the north-west have successfully used the DfEE website to book a performance management visit; and what percentage of the total number of schools in the north-west this constitutes. [134769]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  As of 25 October 2000, 60 schools in the north-west region have accessed the Department's website to book a performance management visit. This constitutes almost 2 per cent. of all schools in the north-west. Nationally, however, usage currently averages 9 per cent., representing a range from almost 2 per cent. up to 20 per cent. of schools in other regions using the website to book performance management visits.

  Schools can book performance management visits online or using paper forms. Such bookings started property in September 2000. It is too early to draw conclusions about take-up of the online process.

  Foundation Degrees
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on his plans for foundation degrees. [134795]

  Mr. Wicks
  The core features of foundation degrees were set out in a prospectus issued by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) in July. These features will ensure that the foundation degree becomes a valued vocational HE qualification that meets employers' needs. The prospectus also invited bids from consortia of higher education institutions, further education colleges and employers, to design and develop the prototype foundation degree programmes.

  HEFCE received proposals from 56 consortia, many including more than one higher education institution, by the 11 October deadline. This represents almost two-thirds of institutions with degree awarding powers drawn from across the higher education sector. We welcome this enthusiastic response and clear commitment to foundation degrees. The successful consortia will be announced in late November.

  Teacher Numbers
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many full-time and part-time teachers are currently employed by each education authority. [134902]

  January 2000

  Local authority

  Full-time

  Part-time (headcount)

  Part-time (fte)

  Total (fte)

  City of London

  10

  10

  1—

  20

  Camden

  1,150

  330

  140

  1,290

  Greenwich

  1,800

  460

  220

  2,020

  Hackney

  1,370

  200

  100

  1,470

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  860

  200

  110

  970

  Islington

  1,210

  220

  130

  1,340

  Kensington and Chelsea

  560

  120

  60

  610

  Lambeth

  1,370

  390

  200

  1,570

  Lewisham

  1,630

  490

  240

  1,870

  Southwark

  1,600

  260

  110

  1,720

  Tower Hamlets

  1,880

  350

  220

  2,100

  Wandsworth

  1,470

  360

  170

  1,640

  City of Westminster

  1,040

  170

  90

  1,130

  Barking and Dagenham

  1,380

  110

  60

  1,430

  Barnet

  2,320

  650

  330

  2,660

  Bexley

  1,780

  240

  130

  1,910

  Brent

  1,930

  300

  140

  2,070

  Bromley

  2,140

  390

  180

  2,320

  Croydon

  2,440

  700

  400

  2,840

  Ealing

  2,040

  320

  150

  2,200

  Enfield

  2,390

  430

  300

  2,700

  Haringey

  1,690

  230

  130

  1,820

  Harrow

  1,170

  470

  190

  1,360

  Havering

  1,690

  270

  160

  1,850

  Hillingdon

  1,950

  310

  150

  2,100

  Hounslow

  1,770

  280

  150

  1,920

  Kingston upon Thames

  930

  240

  120

  1,050

  Merton

  1,010

  220

  110

  1,120

  Newham

  2,230

  140

  80

  2,310

  Redbridge

  1,990

  310

  160

  2,140

  Richmond upon Thames

  850

  380

  170

  1,020

  Sutton

  1,320

  290

  150

  1,470

  Waltham Forest

  1,870

  270

  270

  140

  Birmingham

  9,200

  1,220

  610

  9,820

  Coventry

  2,540

  430

  230

  2,770

  Dudley

  2,560

  270

  140

  2,710

  Sandwell

  2,490

  350

  180

  2,670

  Solihull

  1,760

  300

  160

  1,920

  Walsall

  2,130

  360

  210

  2,340

  Wolverhampton

  2,100

  270

  130

  2,230

  Knowsley

  1,580

  120

  60

  1,640

  Liverpool

  3,930

  300

  170

  4,100

  St. Helens

  1,510

  110

  50

  1,560

  Sefton

  2,380

  290

  140

  2,520

  Wirral

  2,790

  340

  180

  2,960

  Bolton

  2,380

  210

  100

  2,480

  Bury

  1,390

  160

  80

  1,470

  Manchester

  3,500

  350

  200

  3,690

  Oldham

  2,100

  230

  110

  2,210

  Rochdale

  1,770

  200

  100

  1,870

  Salford

  1,900

  60

  30

  1,930

  Stockport

  2,040

  340

  170

  2,210

  Tameside

  1,860

  170

  100

  1,950

  Trafford

  1,800

  230

  110

  1,900

  Wigan

  2,550

  250

  130

  2,680

  Barnsley

  1,590

  90

  50

  1,630

  Doncaster

  2,510

  300

  150

  2,660

  Rotherham

  2,240

  240

  130

  2,370

  Sheffield

  3,510

  880

  460

  3,970

  Bradford

  4,250

  750

  330

  4,580

  Calderdale

  1,680

  230

  120

  1,800

  Kirklees

  3,040

  500

  250

  3,290

  Leeds

  5,730

  670

  360

  6,090

  Wakefield

  2,510

  160

  70

  2,580

  486W
  Ms Estelle Morris
  The number of qualified regular teachers in the maintained sector of each local authority are shown in the following table.
  487W

  January 2000

  Local authority

  Full-time

  Part-time (headcount)

  Part-time (fte)

  Total (fte)

  Gateshead

  1,550

  160

  70

  1,620

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  2,010

  250

  110

  2,120

  North Tyneside

  1,490

  200

  100

  1,600

  South Tyneside

  1,260

  110

  40

  1,310

  Sunderland

  2,530

  150

  80

  2,610

  Isles of Scilly

  20

  10

  1—

  20

  Bath and North East Somerset

  1,210

  290

  140

  1,350

  City of Bristol

  2,410

  640

  270

  2,680

  North Somerset

  1,240

  230

  120

  1,360

  South Gloucestershire

  1,860

  430

  230

  2,090

  Hartlepool

  790

  50

  30

  820

  Middlesbrough

  1,230

  110

  60

  1,290

  Redcar and Cleveland

  1,230

  140

  60

  1,290

  Stockton on Tees

  1,610

  190

  90

  1,700

  City of Kingston upon Hull

  1,940

  210

  140

  2,080

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  2,260

  420

  220

  2,490

  North East Lincolnshire

  1,300

  150

  70

  1,370

  North Lincolnshire

  1,190

  200

  90

  1,280

  North Yorkshire

  4,310

  1,040

  490

  4,800

  York

  1,180

  320

  160

  1,340

  Bedfordshire

  3,010

  560

  290

  3,290

  Luton

  1,480

  240

  120

  1,600

  Buckinghamshire

  3,390

  860

  490

  3,880

  Milton Keynes

  1,600

  250

  120

  1,730

  Derbyshire

  5,090

  1,050

  540

  5,640

  Derby

  1,710

  340

  150

  1,860

  Dorset

  2,500

  550

  270

  2,770

  Poole

  930

  150

  70

  1,000

  Bournemouth

  980

  190

  110

  1,080

  Durham

  3,980

  320

  160

  4,140

  Darlington

  760

  70

  30

  790

  East Sussex

  3,150

  810

  390

  3,540

  Brighton and Hove

  1,440

  390

  200

  1,640

  Hampshire

  8,000

  1,690

  910

  8,910

  Portsmouth

  1,330

  170

  90

  1,410

  Southampton

  1,500

  330

  130

  1,630

  Leicestershire

  4,330

  1,330

  550

  4,880

  Leicester

  2,310

  560

  260

  2,570

  Rutland

  210

  10

  1—

  210

  Staffordshire

  6,260

  940

  450

  6,710

  Stoke-on-Trent

  1,810

  170

  90

  1,900

  Wiltshire

  2,740

  680

  350

  3,080

  Swindon

  1,370

  240

  120

  1,490

  Bracknell Forest

  670

  150

  80

  760

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  870

  200

  100

  970

  West Berkshire

  1,310

  280

  130

  1,440

  Reading

  880

  250

  90

  970

  Slough

  920

  170

  80

  1,000

  Wokingham

  1,120

  330

  120

  1,240

  Cambridgeshire

  3,500

  750

  380

  3,890

  Peterborough

  1,510

  190

  90

  1,600

  Cheshire

  5,160

  860

  420

  5,580

  Halton

  1,080

  100

  60

  1,140

  Warrington

  1,530

  230

  90

  1,620

  Devon

  4,350

  1,380

  590

  4,940

  Plymouth

  2,000

  320

  160

  2,160

  Torbay

  800

  220

  110

  910

  Essex

  9,490

  1,640

  740

  10,240

  Southend on Sea

  1,210

  220

  140

  1,350

  Thurrock

  1,030

  120

  50

  1,080

  Herefordshire

  1,150

  320

  140

  1,290

  Worcestershire

  3,830

  790

  370

  4,200

  Kent

  10,140

  2,340

  1,020

  11,150

  Medway

  1,940

  390

  180

  2,130

  Lancashire

  8,930

  1,470

  760

  9,700

  Blackburn with Darwen

  1,280

  180

  90

  1,380

  Blackpool

  960

  120

  60

  1,020

  Nottinghamshire

  5,440

  1,040

  510

  5,940

  Nottingham

  1,900

  330

  160

  2,060

  Shropshire

  1,860

  340

  170

  2,030

  Telford and Wrekin

  1,230

  220

  110

  1,340

  Cornwall

  3,380

  870

  320

  3,700

  488W 489W

  January 2000

  Local authority

  Full-time

  Part-time (headcount)

  Part-time (fte)

  Total (fte)

  Cumbria

  3,730

  910

  480

  4,210

  Gloucestershire

  4,010

  1,260

  600

  4,610

  Hertfordshire

  7,950

  1,910

  970

  8,920

  Isle of Wight

  970

  180

  90

  1,060

  Lincolnshire

  4,650

  1,270

  400

  5,050

  Norfolk

  5,360

  980

  480

  5,840

  Northamptonshire

  5,060

  840

  430

  5,490

  Northumberland

  2,320

  560

  260

  2,590

  Oxfordshire

  4,050

  1,060

  540

  4,590

  Somerset

  3,150

  750

  350

  3,500

  Suffolk

  4,880

  990

  510

  5,390

  Surrey

  6,440

  1,560

  820

  7,260

  Warwickshire

  3,620

  830

  420

  4,030

  West Sussex

  4,900

  1,480

  630

  5,520

  England

  367,150

  68,020

  33,350

  400,500

  1Indicates less than five.

  Note:

  All numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10. Rounded totals may not be the sum of the rounded component parts.

  The number of regular teachers in the maintained sector has increased by 6,900 since January 1998.

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many teaching vacancies there are by subject in each education authority in England. [134904]

  Mathematics

  Information Technology

  All Sciences

  French

  German

  Other Languages

  French or German

  All Languages

  English

  Drama

  City of London

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Camden

  5

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Greenwich

  2

  0

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Hackney

  2

  1

  5

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  3

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Islington

  1

  1

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Kensington and Chelsea

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Lambeth

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  5

  0

  Lewisham

  3

  3

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  5

  0

  Southwark

  4

  0

  2

  1

  0

  1

  0

  1

  4

  4

  Tower Hamlets

  6

  1

  2

  0

  0

  2

  1

  3

  4

  2

  Wandsworth

  5

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Westminster

  3

  1

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  3

  0

  Barking and Dagenham

  2

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  Barnet

  5

  0

  2

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  2

  1

  Bexley

  4

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  1

  0

  Brent

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Bromley

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Croydon

  5

  1

  4

  0

  0

  4

  0

  4

  4

  0

  Ealing

  0

  0

  2

  3

  0

  0

  0

  3

  1

  0

  Enfield

  0

  1

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  1

  Haringey

  2

  0

  5

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Harrow

  4

  0

  1

  0

  0

  2

  0

  2

  4

  0

  Havering

  2

  0

  6

  2

  0

  0

  1

  3

  2

  0

  Hillingdon

  4

  1

  2

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  Hounslow

  0

  1

  1

  1

  1

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  Kingston upon Thames

  4

  2

  2

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  1

  0

  Merton

  4

  2

  2

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  1

  0

  Newham

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  6

  0

  Redbridge

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Richmond upon Thames

  4

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  0

  Sutton

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Waltham Forest

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Birmingham

  4

  2

  2

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  2

  0

  Coventry

  2

  0

  3

  2

  1

  0

  0

  3

  1

  0

  Dudley

  3

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  Sandwell

  2

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  Solihull

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Walsall

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  1

  0

  Wolverhampton

  1

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  490W
  Ms Estelle Morris
  The number of vacancies for qualified classroom teachers in maintained secondary schools by subject and English local authority at January 2000 are contained in the table:
  491W

  Mathematics

  Infromation Technology

  All Sciences

  French

  German

  Other Languages

  French or German

  All Languages

  English

  Drama

  Knowsley

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Liverpool

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  1

  0

  St. Helens

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Sefton

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Wirral

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  3

  0

  Bolton

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Bury

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Manchester

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Oldham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Rochdale

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Salford

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Stockport

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  Tameside

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Trafford

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Wigan

  2

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  2

  Barnsley

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Doncaster

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Rotherham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Sheffield

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Bradford

  1

  0

  4

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Calderdale

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Kirklees

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  2

  0

  0

  Leeds

  4

  1

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Wakefield

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Gateshead

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  2

  0

  North Tyneside

  6

  1

  2

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  1

  0

  South Tyneside

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Sunderland

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Isles of Scilly

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Bath and North East Somerset

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  City of Bristol

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  North Somerset

  2

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  South Gloucestershire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Hartlepool

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Middlesbrough

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Redcar and Cleveland

  0

  1

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Stockton on Tees

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  City of Kingston upon Hull

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  North East Lincolnshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  North Lincolnshire

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  North Yorkshire

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  York

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Bedfordshire

  4

  0

  2

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  2

  0

  Luton

  3

  0

  2

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  Buckinghamshire

  4

  1

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Milton Keynes

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Derbyshire

  2

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  Derby

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  1

  Dorset

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  Poole

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Bournemouth

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Durham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Darlington

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  East Sussex

  3

  2

  4

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  Brighton and Hove

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Hampshire

  7

  3

  7

  1

  0

  0

  4

  5

  8

  0

  Portsmouth

  6

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Southampton

  1

  2

  5

  0

  1

  0

  1

  2

  2

  1

  Leicestershire

  2

  1

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Leicester

  1

  2

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  2

  1

  1

  Rutland

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Staffordshire

  4

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Stoke-on-Trent

  5

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  2

  0

  0

  Wiltshire

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  1

  0

  Swindon

  1

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Bracknell Forest

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  1

  0

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  West Berkshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Reading

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Slough

  4

  1

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  Wokingham

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  1

  0

  Cambridgeshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Peterborough

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cheshire

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  0

  492W 493W

  Mathematics

  Infromation Technology

  All Sciences

  French

  German

  Other Languages

  French or German

  All Languages

  English

  Drama

  Halton

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Warrington

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Devon

  1

  0

  2

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Plymouth

  3

  2

  3

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  2

  0

  Torbay

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Essex

  12

  3

  6

  2

  1

  0

  0

  3

  6

  2

  Southend on Sea

  3

  0

  3

  1

  1

  1

  0

  2

  0

  0

  Thurrock

  1

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  Herefordshire

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Worcestershire

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Kent

  13

  1

  4

  4

  0

  0

  0

  4

  5

  1

  Medway

  1

  1

  1

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  1

  0

  Lancashire

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  1

  0

  3

  0

  0

  Blackburn with Darwen

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  1

  0

  Blackpool

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  1

  0

  Nottinghamshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Nottingham

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  Shropshire

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Telford and Wrekin

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cornwall

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cumbria

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Gloucestershire

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Hertfordshire

  0

  0

  3

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Isle of Wight

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Lincolnshire

  1

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  Norfolk

  3

  0

  4

  0

  0

  2

  0

  2

  1

  0

  Northamptonshire

  3

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Northumberland

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Oxfordshire

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Somerset

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Suffolk

  2

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  2

  0

  Surrey

  7

  0

  4

  1

  1

  0

  2

  4

  1

  0

  Warwickshire

  1

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  West Sussex

  2

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  3

  3

  2

  0

  England

  233

  56

  156

  42

  11

  30

  26

  107

  129

  233

  History

  Social Sciences

  Geography

  Religious Education

  Design and Technology

  Commercial and Business Studies

  Art, Craft or Design

  Music

  Physical Education

  Other main and combined subjects

  Totals

  City of London

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Camden

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  5

  13

  Greenwich

  0

  0

  0

  2

  2

  0

  1

  1

  0

  1

  13

  Hackney

  0

  0

  1

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  2

  6

  22

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  8

  Islington

  0

  0

  0

  1

  3

  0

  1

  0

  0

  2

  11

  Kensington and Chelsea

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Lambeth

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  9

  Lewisham

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  5

  20

  Southwark

  0

  0

  1

  2

  2

  0

  1

  0

  1

  6

  28

  Tower Hamlets

  0

  0

  0

  2

  1

  0

  1

  1

  0

  2

  25

  Wandsworth

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  10

  Westminster

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  12

  Barking and Dagenham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  9

  Barnet

  0

  0

  0

  3

  2

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  19

  Bexley

  0

  2

  0

  1

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  2

  16

  Brent

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  2

  5

  Bromley

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  Croydon

  0

  0

  1

  0

  6

  0

  1

  0

  0

  2

  28

  Ealing

  0

  0

  1

  0

  5

  1

  1

  0

  0

  3

  17

  Enfield

  0

  0

  1

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  12

  Haringey

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  2

  12

  Harrow

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  14

  Havering

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  17

  Hillingdon

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  13

  Hounslow

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  5

  Kingston upon Thames

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  7

  Merton

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  0

  0

  13

  Newham

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  3

  14

  Redbridge

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Richmond upon Thames

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  11

  Sutton

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Waltham Forest

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  3

  Birmingham

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  4

  18

  494W 495W

  History

  Social Sciences

  Geography

  Religious Education

  Design and Technology

  Commercial and Business Studies

  Art, Craft or Design

  Music

  Physical Education

  Other main and combined subjects

  Totals

  Coventry

  0

  0

  2

  0

  2

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  14

  Dudley

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  1

  9

  Sandwell

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  2

  0

  8

  Solihull

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  6

  Walsall

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  6

  Wolverhampton

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  4

  Knowsley

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  4

  Liverpool

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  St. Helens

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Sefton

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  5

  Wirral

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  7

  Bolton

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Bury

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Manchester

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Oldham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  2

  Rochdale

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Salford

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  2

  Stockport

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  6

  Tameside

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Trafford

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Wigan

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  9

  Barnsley

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Doncaster

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Rotherham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Sheffield

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Bradford

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  17

  25

  Calderdale

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Kirklees

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Leeds

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  10

  Wakefield

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Gateshead

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  4

  North Tyneside

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  13

  South Tyneside

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Sunderland

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  Isles of Scilly

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Bath and North East Somerset

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  City of Bristol

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  4

  North Somerset

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  6

  South Gloucestershire

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Hartlepool

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Middlesbrough

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Redcar and Cleveland

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  5

  Stockton on Tees

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  4

  City of Kingston upon Hull

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  North East Lincolnshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  North Lincolnshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  North Yorkshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  5

  York

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  5

  Bedfordshire

  0

  0

  0

  1

  2

  0

  0

  2

  0

  5

  19

  Luton

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  9

  Buckinghamshire

  0

  0

  1

  0

  5

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  14

  Milton Keynes

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Derbyshire

  0

  0

  1

  2

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  10

  Derby

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  8

  Dorset

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  6

  Poole

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Bournemouth

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  2

  Durham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Darlington

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  East Sussex

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  14

  Brighton and Hove

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  4

  Hampshire

  1

  0

  0

  1

  8

  0

  1

  3

  2

  3

  49

  Portsmouth

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  3

  13

  Southampton

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  16

  Leicestershire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  6

  Leicester

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  9

  Rutland

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Staffordshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  3

  10

  Stoke-on-Trent

  0

  0

  1

  1

  2

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  13

  Wiltshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  4

  Swindon

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  4

  Bracknell Forest

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  5

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  5

  West Berkshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Reading

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Slough

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  10

  Wokingham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  Cambridgeshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  496W 497W

  History

  Social Sciences

  Geography

  Religious Education

  Design and Technology

  Commercial and Business Studies

  Art, Craft or Design

  Music

  Physical Education

  Other main and combined subjects

  Totals

  Peterborough

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cheshire

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  4

  10

  Halton

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  Warrington

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Devon

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  6

  Plymouth

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  13

  Torbay

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  3

  Essex

  1

  3

  0

  5

  10

  5

  0

  3

  4

  5

  68

  Southend on Sea

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  4

  0

  0

  2

  0

  15

  Thurrock

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  9

  Herefordshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  3

  Worcestershire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  3

  Kent

  0

  0

  0

  1

  4

  1

  0

  2

  0

  8

  44

  Medway

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  9

  Lancashire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  Blackburn with Darwen

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  5

  Blackpool

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  6

  Nottinghamshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Nottingham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  5

  Shropshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Telford and Wrekin

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  3

  Cornwall

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  2

  Cumbria

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Gloucestershire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  4

  Hertfordshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  7

  Isle of Wight

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Lincolnshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  8

  Norfolk

  1

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  15

  Northamptonshire

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  7

  Northumberland

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Oxfordshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Somerset

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  4

  Suffolk

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  11

  Surrey

  0

  0

  1

  2

  2

  0

  0

  1

  0

  2

  24

  Warwickshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  6

  West Sussex

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  10

  England

  12

  8

  25

  36

  110

  17

  24

  35

  30

  140

  1,141

  The number of regular teachers in maintained schools increased by 6,900 between January 1998 and January 2000.

  A survey by my department in the week of September 2000 of maintained secondary school in England indicated that there were about 1,000 vacancies at all levels of teachers.

  Teachers Training
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many teacher training course vacancies there are for(a) infant, (b) junior and (c) secondary school courses in each institution offering such courses. [134903]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Data on recruitment to initial teacher training courses starting in 2000–01 for each institution in England are not yet available.

  Graduates (Unemployment Benefit)
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of graduates were claiming unemployment benefit a year after completing their university courses in each of the past five years in England. [134906]

  Mr. Wicks
  The information is not held centrally. The latest available data on the unemployment rates of newly qualified graduates, which show the position six months after graduation, are given in the table.
  498W

  Destinations of full-time first degree graduates from higher

  education institutions in England six months after graduation

  of which, those who were unemployed1

  year of graduation

  Total graduates with known destination

  Number

  Percentage

  1994–95

  136,455

  12,514

  9.2

  1995–96

  145,930

  11,784

  8.1

  1996–97

  146,486

  10,137

  6.9

  1997–98

  147,888

  8.570

  5.8

  1998–99

  152,404

  8,426

  5.5

  1The data do not indicate whether these graduates were claiming unemployment benefit or not.

  Disabled Students (University Applications)
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what initiatives are being pursued by his Department to encourage disabled people to apply for university courses. [134908]

  Mr. Wicks
  The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) is committed to helping institutions to improve and integrate provision for students with disabilities in higher education. The council aims to increase the number of students participating in HE, to improve provision for them, to facilitate the dissemination of good practice and to increase institutional collaboration to ensure that resources are used effectively.

  Disabled Students Allowances (DSAs), which help remove barriers to participation, are non-repayable grants available to students in higher education to cover the

  499W
  additional course-related costs they incur because of their disability. Since 1998 the means test for DSAs has been abolished and the maximum amount available for non-medical helpers has more that doubled to £10,505. This year, we have extended eligibility for DSAs to part-time and postgraduate students.

  GCSEs
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of examinees failed the GCSE in each subject in the past three academic years. [134934]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The percentages of examinees that failed to achieve a GCSE pass grade (A*-G) in the past three academic years, analysed by subject are:

  Percentage

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  Biological sciences

  0.7

  0.6

  0.7

  Chemistry

  0.5

  0.4

  0.4

  Physics

  0.6

  0.5

  0.4

  Single science

  8.0

  7.7

  7.8

  Double science

  2.4

  1.8

  1.9

  Other science

  6.1

  5.0

  5.2

  Mathematics

  5.0

  3.8

  3.4

  Computer studies

  3.7

  4.1

  3.9

  Design and Technology

  4.1

  3.6

  3.6

  Information systems

  3.6

  2.7

  3.0

  Home economics

  5.6

  4.7

  5.4

  Business studies

  4.0

  4.2

  4.6

  Geography

  2.7

  2.9

  2.7

  History

  3.5

  3.1

  2.9

  Economics

  4.2

  3.8

  3.5

  Humanities

  4.6

  4.4

  4.2

  Social sciences

  5.4

  5.1

  5.0

  Physical education

  1.1

  1.1

  0.9

  Vocational studies

  5.8

  5.6

  5.7

  Art and Design

  2.2

  2.5

  2.2

  English

  1.0

  0.9

  1.1

  English literature

  1.6

  1.6

  1.7

  Drama

  1.3

  1.2

  1.5

  Communication studies

  2.2

  2.8

  2.7

  French

  1.5

  1.3

  1.7

  German

  1.3

  1.2

  1.5

  Spanish

  2.0

  2.2

  1.7

  Other modern languages

  2.2

  2.3

  2.5

  Classical studies

  1.8

  1.6

  2.0

  Music

  3.1

  3.1

  3.2

  Religious studies

  4.4

  4.2

  4.4

  All subjects

  2.7

  2.4

  2.4

  Whole-class Teaching
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what recent assessment he has made of the advantages of whole-class teaching. [135033]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Effective whole-class teaching is a key characteristic of high quality teaching in primary schools. Reviews of the research evidence on whole class teaching and other issues were published as part of the National Literacy and Numeracy Strategies. The literacy hour and daily mathematics lesson, which were introduced in September 1998 and 1999 respectively, include substantial elements of whole class teaching in order to maximise the amount of direct teaching that all pupils receive. The Office for Standards in Education has 500W
  confirmed that these lessons have resulted in "better teaching and better achievement in English and mathematics."

  School Inspectors
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many school inspectors there are in each local education authority; and how much is spent by each local education authority to fund school inspectors. [135223]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Local education authorities employ staff to work with schools to raise standards. Those staff are generally known as inspectors or advisers. The numbers of local authority employed staff in these categories are not centrally collected. A number of those staff are registered inspectors and team inspectors who also carry out school inspections under contract to Ofsted. Local authorities are required to recover the full costs of those inspections through the contract prices that they agree with Ofsted.

  Learning Support Units
  Mr. Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what specialist training is to be given to teachers working in learning support units. [135482]

  Jacqui Smith
  Most teachers working in learning support units are experienced in classroom teaching and behaviour management. The amount of extra training they need will be determined by the school, drawing on other staff in the school or the local education authority's behaviour support service.

  Mr. Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what involvement the young people attending learning support units will have in their operation. [135484]

  Jacqui Smith
  Young people attending a unit should be consulted and involved in self-monitoring and in setting individual targets for improving their learning and behaviour. Young people should also be consulted about the rewards and sanctions to be imposed while in the unit.

  Mr. Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what criteria he will use to judge the effectiveness of individual learning support units. [135486]

  Jacqui Smith
  We have required each school with a learning support unit in Excellence in Cities areas to have performance indicators and to set targets over a three-year period. Performance indicators include:reduction in the number and frequency of incidents of poor behaviour or discipline in school for which a punishment is imposed;
  improved rates of attendance;
  improved educational achievement of pupils in the target group.

  We also hope that the availability of the units will reduce the need for exclusions in less severe cases.

  Mr. Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment who will be responsible for the management of learning support units. [135485]
  501W
  Jacqui Smith
  The day-to-day running of the learning support unit will be the responsibility of the full-time head of unit, but a member of the school's senior management team should have overall responsibility for the management of the unit.

  Mr. Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the expected pupil:teacher ratio is in learning support units.[135488]

  Jacqui Smith
  Learning support units will be staffed with a full-time head of unit and appropriate support assistance, either full or part-time. There should be between six and not more than 10 pupils in the unit at any one time, either on a full or part-time basis.

  Connexions
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to ensure that the Connexions service will deliver(a) a universal and (b) a differentiated service.[135497]

  Mr. Wicks
  [holding answer 31 October 2000]The Connexions service will provide access for all teenagers to high quality information, advice and guidance about their options in learning and life, and personal support for those who need it. Every teenager is different, and the service can be tailored to individual need. The Secretary of State for Education and Employment announced, on 23 October, a substantial increase in the resources available to deliver the new service. By the end of 2002–03, the funding for the Connexions service will amount to £420 million, which will be £177 million more than the careers service currently receives.

  The Government have also issued business planning guidance to the new Connexions partnerships, inviting them to produce plans which identify the needs of all young people in their areas and how they propose to meet them. We will scrutinise these plans to ensure that they are offering a universal service as well as differentiating what is needed for those requiring additional and special help. The new resource and planning guidance will enable Connexions partnerships to deliver a service that meets the needs of all young people, including both those progressing well and those in need of extra help.

  Numbers of staff whose primary role is teaching in further education colleges, by mode England 1994–95 to 1997–98

  1994–95

  1995–96

  1996–97

  1997–98

  Number of full-time staff whose primary role is teaching

  53,800

  52,400

  48,800

  48,300

  Number of part-time staff whose primary role is teaching

  77,000

  82,200

  82,100

  79,200

  Total number of staff whose primary role is teaching

  130,900

  134,700

  130,900

  127,500

  Special Educational Needs
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he will publish the results of the consultation exercise on a new code of practice for special educational needs and announce his decision thereon. [135501]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 31 October 2000]Responses received to the recent consultation exercise on the draft revised special educational needs code of
  502W
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to ensure a common approach to the Connexions service(a) within his Department and (b) between his Department and other Departments. [135498]

  Mr. Wicks
  [holding answer 31 October 2000]The Connexions service will make a major contribution towards the DFEE' s objectives to increase participation and attainment in learning throughout the teenage years, thereby providing an effective foundation for lifelong learning. Co-ordinating mechanisms exist to ensure that all the Department's polices for teenagers are developed taking account of the role of the Connexions service. The Connexions service plays a major role in the Government's strategy for support for young people at risk. Coherence between initiatives and policies in this area is overseen by a cross-departmental ministerial group chaired by the Secretary of State for Education and Employment. Implementation of the Connexions service is steered by a group of senior officials from all key Departments who meet on a regular basis.

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what quality assurance processes his Department will use to maximise the effectiveness of the Connexions programme. [135499]

  Mr. Wicks
  [holding answer 31 October 2000]The Department will ensure that Connexions partnerships deliver high quality and effective services by developing, in consultation with key stakeholders: an agreed set of comprehensive national quality delivery standards, a quality management framework which builds on the most appropriate features of established quality systems and, together with Ofsted, an inspection process which will assure that the standards are met. We will also be promoting the sharing of good practice between Connexions partnerships.

  Further Education Contracts
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many lecturers have been employed on regular contracts(a) full-time and (b) part-time in further education in each of the last 10 years. [135500]

  Mr. Wicks
  [holding answer 31 October 2000]Data are available only from 1994–95 to 1997–98 and are contained in the table.

  practice are intended to inform my Department in finalising the new code, and there is no intention to publish formally the results of consultation prior to seeking Parliament's approval to the final version of the new code for publication next spring. In accordance with the terms of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, individual responses will however be available for inspection from my Department, other than those whose authors have specifically marked them as confidential, by anyone who requests to see them.
  503W
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what requirement exists for local education authorities to identify a named person on statements for pupils with special education needs. [135890]

  Jacqui Smith
  Paragraph 6(b) of Schedule 27 of the Education Act 1996 requires that where an LEA makes a statement of special educational needs they shall, when serving a copy of the statement on the parent of the child, give notice in writing to the parent of the name of the person to whom he may apply for information and advice about the child's special educational needs. Supplementary advice on the identification of the named person is given in the "Code of Practice on the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs", which applies to England and Wales.

  Grammar School Ballots
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list recorded incidents of fraud and misleading information in respect of the conduct of grammar school ballots before 1 September. [135540]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  During the school year September 1999 to August 2000, officials investigated 38 complaints about grammar school petitions and ballots as follows: one in Barnet. one in Buckinghamshire, one in Birmingham, 10 in Kent, 14 in Ripon, four in Sutton and seven in Trafford. These included alleged cases of schools and local education authorities spending public funds to

  Maintained Secondary Schools, Selective and Non-Selective: number and percentage of pupils with statement of special educational needs, eligibility for free school meals and ethnicity—January 2000, by parliamentary constituency

  Selective Schools

  Number of pupils

  Percentage of pupils with statements

  Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals

  Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals

  Number of pupils from ethnic minorities

  Percentage of pupils from ethnic minorities

  Kent

  43

  0.1

  674

  2.4

  1,293

  4.5

  Buckinghamshire

  14

  0.1

  203

  1.4

  1,829

  13.8

  Lincolnshire

  26

  0.2

  222

  1.9

  347

  3

  Birmingham

  10

  0.2

  332

  5.1

  2,405

  36.7

  Trafford

  1—

  0.0

  318

  4.9

  627

  9.6

  Wirral

  9

  0.1

  328

  5.4

  116

  2.1

  Medway

  12

  0.2

  218

  3.7

  484

  9.9

  Gloucestershire

  11

  0.2

  112

  2.1

  335

  6.3

  Sutton

  1—

  0.1

  53

  1.2

  1,041

  23.7

  Bexley

  1—

  0.1

  161

  3.8

  423

  10.0

  Lancashire

  8

  0.2

  115

  3

  171

  5.8

  Southend-on-Sea

  1—

  0.1

  104

  2.8

  266

  7.3

  Slough

  7

  0.2

  178

  5.1

  1,792

  51.8

  Warwickshire

  1—

  0.1

  38

  1.2

  149

  5

  Essex

  1—

  0.0

  22

  0.7

  271

  9.2

  Torbay

  1—

  0.1

  124

  4.7

  42

  1.6

  Plymouth

  1—

  0.2

  99

  3.8

  68

  2.8

  Barnet

  1—

  0.0

  34

  1.4

  765

  34.1

  Bournemouth

  0

  0.0

  47

  2.3

  66

  3.2

  North Yorkshire

  0

  0.0

  30

  1.5

  58

  2.9

  Calderdale

  5

  0.3

  36

  1.9

  107

  5.6

  Kingston upon Thames

  0

  0.0

  19

  1

  665

  35.7

  Poole

  1—

  0.1

  45

  2.4

  44

  2.4

  Bromley

  1—

  0.1

  20

  1.2

  280

  16.5

  Redbridge

  1—

  0.1

  49

  2.9

  806

  48

  Wiltshire

  1—

  0.1

  8

  0.5

  20

  1.2

  Reading

  1—

  0.1

  5

  0.4

  207

  13.7

  Walsall

  0

  0.0

  37

  2.7

  364

  27

  Enfield

  1—

  0.1

  33

  2.5

  306

  26.8

  Kirklees

  0

  0.0

  23

  2.3

  79

  8.1

  Telford and Wrekin

  0

  0.0

  8

  0.9

  54

  5.6

  Liverpool

  0

  0.0

  63

  7.5

  72

  8.5

  504W
  influence the outcome of a petition or ballot and alleged breaches of the Ballot Information Code. Only two of these were fully or partially upheld. Both related to Trafford, one from each side of the debate.

  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many staff are working in his Department on grammar school ballots; and what has been the cost of this team in respect of(a) salaries and (b) non-staffing costs. [135542]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Officials working on the grammar school ballots policy may also be deployed on other duties and it is not therefore possible to give the number or the cost as requested.

  Pupil Statistics
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many and what percentage of pupils are(a) eligible for free school meals, (b) statemented and (c) from ethnic minorities in (i) grammar schools and (ii) non-selective schools, in each local education authority with grammar schools. [135541]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The information requested is shown in the tables.

  General information on schools by local educational authority area has recently been published in a Statistical Volume "Statistics of Education—Schools in England 2000", a copy of which is available from the Library, or alternatively can be accessed on the Department's statistical website www.dfee.gov.uk/statistics.
  505W

  Maintained Secondary Schools, Selective and Non-Selective: number and percentage of pupils with statement of special educational needs, eligibility for free school meals ethnicity—January 2000, by parliamentary constituency

  Selective Schools

  Number of pupils

  Percentage of pupils with statements

  Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals

  Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals

  Number of pupils from ethnic minorities

  Percentage of pupils from ethnic minorities

  Cumbria

  1—

  0.1

  13

  1.7

  0

  0.0

  Devon

  1—

  0.3

  15

  2.1

  9

  1.2

  Wolverhampton

  0

  0.0

  18

  2.6

  136

  19.4

  Stoke-on-Trent

  0

  0.0

  6

  1.1

  27

  5.1

  England

  181

  0.1

  3,810

  2.7

  15,724

  11.4

  1Fewer than five pupils

  Non-Selective Schools

  Number of pupils

  Percentage of pupils with statements

  Number of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals

  Percentage of pupils known to be eligible for free school meals

  Number of pupils from ethnic minorities

  Percentage of pupils from ethnic minorities

  Kent

  2,256

  3.6

  8,915

  14.3

  1,924

  3.2

  Buckinghamshire

  544

  3.0

  2,190

  11.9

  4,469

  25.8

  Lincolnshire

  1,199

  3.9

  3,519

  11.3

  311

  1.0

  Birmingham

  1,111

  1.8

  22,261

  36.1

  25,774

  42.5

  Trafford

  212

  2.3

  2,627

  29.0

  1,039

  12.5

  Wirral

  534

  3.0

  6,101

  34.4

  203

  1.1

  Medway

  552

  4.1

  1,876

  13.8

  609

  4.7

  Gloucestershire

  817

  2.6

  2,808

  8.8

  894

  2.8

  Sutton

  248

  2.6

  1,125

  11.9

  730

  7.8

  Bexley

  310

  2.5

  2,000

  16.0

  1,220

  11.1

  Lancashire

  2,723

  3.9

  11,527

  16.4

  4,863

  7.0

  Southend-on-Sea

  110

  1.5

  1,455

  19.7

  269

  3.7

  Slough

  194

  4.6

  1,073

  25.5

  2,177

  53.1

  Warwickshire

  753

  2.6

  2,496

  8.6

  1,548

  5.4

  Essex

  1,311

  1.6

  8,803

  10.8

  1,687

  2.2

  Torbay

  166

  2.8

  1,161

  19.7

  58

  1.1

  Plymouth

  342

  2.1

  2,765

  17.2

  194

  1.4

  Barnet

  494

  2.7

  3,320

  18.0

  6,420

  37.8

  Bournemouth

  222

  2.9

  1,069

  14.0

  112

  2.1

  North Yorkshire

  880

  2.4

  2,671

  7.2

  360

  1.0

  Calderdale

  370

  2.9

  2,381

  18.7

  1,448

  11.8

  Kingston upon Thames

  151

  2.3

  795

  12.1

  1,142

  17.6

  Poole

  119

  1.9

  612

  9.9

  58

  1.0

  Bromley

  566

  3.0

  2,461

  13.1

  1,570

  10

  Redbridge

  232

  1.4

  3,000

  17.6

  8,166

  48.2

  Wiltshire

  547

  2.1

  1,804

  7.0

  358

  1.4

  Reading

  162

  3.3

  773

  15.9

  827

  17.0

  Walsall

  544

  2.8

  3,687

  18.7

  3,457

  17.5

  Enfield

  378

  2.0

  4,419

  23.6

  5,874

  32.5

  Kirklees

  1,073

  4.3

  4,821

  19.1

  4,877

  20.2

  Telford and Wrekin

  470

  5.2

  1,956

  21.5

  530

  6.2

  Liverpool

  581

  1.8

  12,288

  38.2

  1,714

  5.4

  Cumbria

  997

  3.1

  4,309

  13.3

  270

  0.9

  Devon

  1,262

  3.3

  3,694

  9.7

  294

  0.9

  Wolverhampton

  374

  2.4

  3,520

  22.5

  5,092

  32.6

  Stoke-on-Trent

  443

  3.2

  3,594

  25.7

  1,060

  7.6

  England

  79,607

  2.6

  519,820

  17.1

  347,943

  11.9

  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list for each local education authority in England the total number and percentage of out-borough children in secondary schools. [135751]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The information requested on out-borough children in secondary schools is not collected centrally.

  Information on pupils attending schools by local education authority area has recently been published in a statistical volume "Statistics of Education—Schools in England 2000" a copy of which is
  506W
  available from the Library, or alternatively can be accessed on the Department's statistical website www.dfee.gov.uk/statistics.

  Dudley Schools
  Mr. Pearson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many schools in(a) Dudley, South and (b) Dudley Metropolitan borough have extra teachers as a result of the Government's class size initiative. [135863]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The Government are well on track to deliver their infant class size pledge. £620 million is available to support the pledge, and allocations to Dudley
  507W
  LEA so far amount to some £1.75 million. This has enabled the authority to provide additional infant teachers in 24 schools in the borough, of which 10 are to schools in the Dudley, South constituency. It has also enabled the authority to reduce the number of pupils in infant classes of over 30 pupils in September 2000 to 96 (1.1 per cent.), from 739 (7.7 per cent.) in September 1999. The figure in January 1998 was 2,873 (27 per cent.).

  Mr. Pearson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many classroom assistants there are in(a) Dudley, South and (b) Dudley Metropolitan borough; and what the figure was in May 1997. [135864]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The available information is shown in the following table.

  The number of full-time educational support staff in maintained schools in Dudley, South parliamentary constituency has increased by 27 per cent. since January 1997. In Dudley local education authority area the equivalent percentage increase is 42 per cent. The Government will increase by 20,000 the number of full-time equivalent support staff working in primary and secondary schools in England by 2002.

  Information on educational support staff has recently been published in a statistical volume "Statistics of Education—Schools in England 2000" a copy of which is available from the Library, or alternatively can be accessed on the Department's statistical website www.dfee.gov.uk/statistics.

  Full-time equivalent numbers of educational support
  staff1 in maintained schools in the parliamentary constituency area of Dudley, South:
  1997–2000 Position as at January

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  Nursery

  5

  4

  4

  1

  Primary

  89

  97

  102

  124

  Secondary

  29

  31

  31

  31

  Special

  20

  24

  24

  27

  Pupil Referral units

  4

  4

  4

  5

  Total

  148

  160

  166

  188

  1Includes both full-time and the full-time equivalent of part-time non-teaching staff

  Full-time equivalent numbers of educational support staff1 in maintained school in the local education authority area of Dudley Metropolitan borough: 1997–2000 Position as at January

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  Nursery

  5

  4

  4

  1

  Primary

  303

  357

  382

  451

  Secondary

  113

  124

  127

  140

  Pupil Referral units

  4

  4

  4

  5

  Total

  479

  553

  589

  674

  1Includes both full-time and the full-time equivalent of part-time non-teaching staff

  Specialist Schools
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the moratorium on specialist schools in cases where local education authorities are projected to have reached 508W
  a level of 30 per cent. of pupils in such schools, with particular reference to its duration and conditions attached. [135924]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  We want as many pupils as possible to benefit from the network of technology, language, sports and arts colleges around the country and that is why we are expanding the programme to 1,000 schools by 2004. To ensure that all parts of the country, particularly where there are few specialist schools, get a fair distribution of specialist school resources, we do not at present want to receive further applications from schools in local education authorities where 30 per cent. or more of their pupils attend specialist schools. This is not a permanent measure. It will apply only until we achieve a fairer spread of specialist schools in other parts of the country and shall be reviewed after the spring 2001 specialist school competition. We have also said that we shall look sympathetically at exceptional circumstances where a school's application plans are already well advanced and where it has raised the required sponsorship. In two such cases, we have agreed to receive applications from Chenderit and Kingsbrook Schools in Northamptonshire. We will consider these applications in the same way as all other applications received against the published criteria, which include location factors such as distance to the nearest existing specialist school.

  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many specialist schools have been designated in each year since the inception of the scheme; and what has been the cost to public funds in each of those years. [135936]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The number of schools designated from each September since the specialist schools programme was introduced and the related cost in each of those years is given in the table:

  Year

  Number of designations

  Financial year

  Programme cost (£ million)

  1994

  49

  1994–95

  8

  1995

  58

  1995–96

  16

  1996

  74

  1996–97

  23

  1997

  78

  1997–98

  33

  1998

  85

  1998–99

  41

  1999

  77

  1999–2000

  47

  2000

  137

  2000–01

  176

  1Estimated outturn

  Whistleblowers
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what procedures exist in his Department for a civil servant to report actions which(a) are illegal, improper, or unethical, (b) are in breach of constitutional convention or a professional code, (c) may involve possible maladministration and (d) are otherwise inconsistent with the Civil Service Code. [136016]

  Mr. Wills
  DfEE whistleblowing procedures were launched in March 2000. Under these procedures staff are able to report suspected malpractice which breaches the Civil Service Code, legal or ethical standards, and threatens the interests or safety of others (such as staff and the public) and the DFEE itself. They provide a confidential internal channel for raising and dealing with malpractice and offer protection to staff who raise concerns in good faith.

PRIME MINISTER

  Single Currency
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Prime Minister what the wording of the question in any future referendum on the United Kingdom joining the single European currency will be. [133678]

  The Prime Minister
  The determining factor underpinning any Government decision on membership of the single currency is whether the economic case for the UK joining is clear and unambiguous. Because of the magnitude of the decision, the Government believe that, whenever a decision is taken by Government, it should be put to a referendum of the British people. The question asked in any referendum will need to be considered as part of the legislation providing for the referendum to be held.

  Mr. Bradshaw
  To ask the Prime Minister which part of Government is responsible for assessing whether membership of the single European currency would be in Britain's overall economic interest. [135858]

  The Prime Minister
  The Treasury will make another assessment of the five economic tests early in the next Parliament.

  Wimbledon
  Mr. Casale
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to visit Wimbledon. [133681]

  The Prime Minister
  I have no immediate plans to do so.

  Definition of Superpower and Superstate
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Prime Minister what his definition is of(a) a superpower and (b) a superstate, including the (i) differences between them and (ii) their common features. [135009]

  The Prime Minister
  I said in my speech in Warsaw on 6 October:The European Union is the world's biggest single economic and political partnership of democratic states. That represents a huge opportunity for Europe and the peoples of Europe. And as a Union of democracies, it has the capacity to sustain peace in our continent, to deliver unprecedented prosperity and to be a powerful force for democratic values in the rest of the world.

  I also said:
  We want a Europe where there are national differences, not national barriers, where we hold many of our policies in common, but keep our distinct, separate identities.

  That is what I mean by creating a superpower not a superstate.

  Kyoto Mechanisms Office
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the planned level of funding and personnel for the Kyoto Mechanisms Office. [135446]

  The Prime Minister
  The Government have not yet decided exactly what resources will be needed. This will depend, in part, on how quickly international projects get under way. This will be influenced by the meeting of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (in 510W
  The Hague in November), which will develop the rules for the Kyoto mechanisms. A final decision will be taken after this meeting.

  Waste Resource Action Programme
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on progress made by the new Waste Resource Action Programme. [135430]

  The Prime Minister
  Significant progress has been made in establishing Waste Resource Action Programme (WRAP) as an independent body with around £30 million of Government funding over the first three years, covering England, Scotland and Wales. Vic Cocker CBE, formerly chief executive of Severn Trent Group plc, is already in place as its chairman. The new chief executive will be Jennie Price, formerly chief executive at the Construction Confederation.

  WRAP will be launched formally on 15 November, when its initial priorities and overall objectives for tackling barriers to increased recycling will be published.

  Lord Levy
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the visits, and dates of those visits, undertaken by Lord Levy in his capacity as his private envoy since 1 January. [135417]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 30 October 2000]I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 6 April 2000,Official Report, column 574W. Since then, Lord Levy has made the following visits in his capacity as the Prime Minister's personal envoy:

  Israel: 7 August

  Palestinian Authority: 8–9 August, 8 October

  Syria: 2 May

  Jordan: 1 May, 8 August

  Egypt: 3 May, 5–6 June, 9–11 August

  Switzerland: 29 May (meeting with Amir of Bahrain).

  Intelligence and Security Committee (Annual Report)
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Prime Minister when he plans to lay the Intelligence and Security Committee's Annual report before Parliament. [136515]

  The Prime Minister
  I am grateful to the Intelligence and Security Committee for their valuable work and their latest annual report. Following consultation with them over matters which could not be published without prejudicing the discharge of the function and operation of the intelligence and security agencies, I intend to lay the report before Parliament on 2 November. Copies of the report will also be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  The Government will respond formally to the report in due course.

  Iraq
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what is Her Majesty's Government's latest assessment of the effectiveness of UN sanctions against Iraq; with particular reference to the impact of sanctions on the children of Iraq. [133748]
  511W
  The Prime Minister
  We believe that the sanctions regime has effectively contained Saddam Hussein in the last 10 years. During this time he has not attacked his neighbours, nor used chemical weapons against his own people.

  We share concerns that the children of Iraq have suffered greatly, as have all Iraqis, at the hands of a ruthless dictator who cares nothing for their welfare. Unlike Saddam Hussein we are concerned at their plight. SCR1284—a UK initiative—has expanded the oil for food programme. This year alone it will provide more than $16 billion for the Iraqi people. In the face of this oil wealth, there is no reason for the people of Iraq to go short of food and medicine other than Saddam's own decision to deny them humanitarian relief.

  Social Inclusion
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Prime Minister what analysis he has commissioned of the effect of the gap between rich and poor on social inclusion. [133662]

  The Prime Minister
  The Government have taken forward a substantial amount of analysis in this area. The Social Exclusion Unit has, in particular, examined a wide range of research evidence in its work on specific topics such as deprived neighbourhoods and teenage pregnancy. The unit is currently leading work to develop a national strategy for neighbourhood renewal. The strategy will aim to arrest the wholesale decline of our most deprived neighbourhoods, to reverse it, and to prevent it from recurring. We expect to publish an action plan later in the autumn, which will set out how we plan to implement the strategy and which includes analysis of the problems in this area.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Sickness Absence
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will make a statement on the progress made by the Lord Chancellor's Department since 1999 in reducing sickness absence; what targets he has agreed with the Cabinet Office; and if he will make a statement. [135466]

  Mr. Lock
  The Lord Chancellor's Department and its agencies, the Court Service and the public Trust Office, together with the Public Record Office, HM Land Registry and the Northern Ireland Court Service have each adopted the principles set out in the "Working Well Together" report, issued by the Cabinet Office in 1998, for managing attendance in the public sector.

  As a result, a range of new measures has been introduced with the aim of reducing sick absence levels in line with targets set for 2001 and 2003 and consolidating reductions already achieved. New arrangements include; enhanced local monitoring procedures to capture and interrogate sick absence figures, strategies for dealing with long-term sick absences, the appointment of new occupational health providers, health screening programmes, awareness-raising sessions, and detailed guidance.
  512W
  The Cabinet Office prepares, each year, an annual report of sickness absence in the civil service, which includes information for each Department. The report for 1999 is currently being finalised and will be published shortly.

  Details of the Department's targets for reduced sickness absence for the years 2001 and 2003 against a baseline year of 1998 will be included in its service delivery agreement. This is also to be published shortly.

  Whistleblowers
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what procedures exist in the Lord Chancellor's Department for a civil servant to report actions which(a) are illegal, improper, or unethical, (b) are in breach of constitutional convention or a professional code, (c) may involve possible maladministration and (d) are otherwise inconsistent with the Civil Service Code. [135453]

  Mr. Lock
  The Lord Chancellor's Department, its agencies, the Court Service and the Public Trust Office, and its sister Departments, the Northern Ireland Court Service, the Public Record Office and the Land Registry each have, or are currently developing, specific procedures for reporting all matters of the nature referred to, in accordance with the requirements of the Civil Service Code.

  The procedures within the Lord Chancellor's Department Headquarters, the Court Service Agency and Land Registry provide for staff to address their concerns to a more senior manager, or if this is inappropriate, to a specific named official who will investigate the matter. If staff remain dissatisfied they are advised to report the matter to the Civil Service Commissioners.

  The Public Trust Office and the Public Record Office both have existing internal grievance procedures which staff can use if necessary to report the kind of problems covered by the question.

  The Northern Ireland Court Service also has an existing internal grievance procedure. However, in response to the Public Interest Disclosure (NI) Order 1998, a suitable policy for dealing specifically with the type of concerns raised in the question is being drafted. It is intended that this policy will be operational by the end of this year.

  Visitor's Entry Certificate
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will make a statement on the introduction of charges to exercise the right of appeal against a refusal of a visitor's entry certificate; what representations he has received about the charges; and if he will list the charges made for other statutory rights of appeal. [135698]

  Jane Kennedy
  To be of use family visit appeals must be processed swiftly because such visits are often for an important event like a wedding. Providing a priority service is expensive and it is important that visit visa appeals pay for themselves to avoid adverse impact on other high priority areas.

  We have received 22 representations from Members of Parliament and one from a Member of the House of Lords expressing concern about the charges for these appeals. In

  513W
  addition there have been six representations from local Racial Equality Councils and four from other voluntary organisations.

  Charges are also payable where there is a statutory right of appeal to the Supreme court, county court and in family proceedings. Details of these fees are set out in the Supreme court, county courts, and Family Proceedings Fees Orders 1999, and subsequent amending orders, respectively. In addition there are charges for applications and hearings at the Lands Tribunal and the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal. These fees are set out in the Lands Tribunal (Fees) Rules 1996 and the Leasehold Valuation Tribunals (Fees) Order 1997 respectively.

  Small Claims (Court Fees)
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the increase in court fees for small claims cases since April 1999. [135670]

  Mr. Lock
  Issue fees were increased across the board for all litigants issuing money claims on 25 April 2000. The increases varied according to the value of the claim. Since 25 April 2000 a litigant claiming £1,000 or less has paid between £7 and £10 more to issue the claim through the county courts, depending on the size of the claim but, where that claim has been defended, has no longer had to pay the £80 fee payable on the filing of an Allocation Questionnaire. Litigants issuing claims between £1,000 and £5,000 in the county courts, the upper value limit for assigning defended claims to the small claims track, have paid £80 to issue the claim instead of £70, a £10 increase. The Government continue to believe that it is reasonable to expect parties to pay the full cost of the civil justice system they are using to resolve their dispute and to make economic decisions about whether or not to pursue a claim through the courts. Less well-off litigants are protected by exemption and remission provisions.

TREASURY

  Correspondence
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, will receive a reply to his letters to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury dated 18 May, 29 June and 2 August. [136090]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  I have already done so.

  Ministerial Directions
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 23 October 2000,Official Report, column 74W, if he will place supporting documentation and information on ministerial directions since 1990 in the Library; if he will publish the text of each justification given by the Minister for each of these directions; and if he will make a statement. [135451]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  This information is not held centrally.

  Compliance Costs
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in the last three months in researching the impact of compliance costs of major taxes and duties. [135874]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Following an advert in the Official Journal of the European Community on 26 May 2000, two contracts were awarded in September 2000 to undertake the first studies in this research programme.

  "Our Stake in Our Future"
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place the representations he has received on the consultation document "Our Stake in Our Future" in the Library; and if he will make a statement on progress in the consultation. [135892]

  Mr. Timms
  I am currently considering this matter in the light of the 30 written responses to the consultation document.

  European Investment Bank
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the name and qualifications of the representative of the United Kingdom on the Board of the European Investment Bank and the United Kingdom institutions or persons to which he is responsible; what part(a) that person and (b) Her Majesty's Government plays in the nomination and appointment of the (i) president and (ii) vice-president of that bank; what changes have (A) occurred and (B) are about to occur in that office; and what representations he has received concerning the filling of such vacancies. [134181]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The governing bodies of the European Investment Bank consist of the Board of Governors, Board of Directors and Management Committee, as set out in the Bank's Statute (a Protocol to the EC Treaty). The United Kingdom representative on the Board of Governors is the Chancellor of the Exchequer. The UK members of the Board of Directors are listed in the EIB's Annual Report, a copy of which is in the Library. The UK members are nominated by the Chancellor and appointed by the Board of Governors.

  The resident Management Committee of the Bank comprises the President and seven Vice-Presidents. Appointments are made by the Board of Governors on a proposal from the Board of Directors. In order to ensure a balance of Vice-Presidents from different member states the Board of Directors considers for appointment a candidate nominated by the Governor of a particular member state. The candidate nominated is a matter for the Governor concerned.

  There have recently been two appointments to Vice-Presidency posts.

  IR35
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of IR35 on the Government's efforts(a) to encourage more skilled IT workers into the country and (b) to tackle social exclusion. [135559]
  515W
  Dawn Primarolo
  The IR35 legislation was necessary to ensure fair taxation of everyone who meets the accepted definition of an employee, whether or not they choose to use a personal service company.

  ISAs
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will complete the operational review of ISAs. [135902]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Contributions to the review are being considered and an announcement of the outcome will be made shortly.

  Rollover Relief
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will publish draft clauses relating to rollover relief of substantial shareholdings. [135894]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  As was stated in the technical note "Corporation Tax: Chargeable Gains: Deferral Relief for Substantial Shareholdings" published by the Inland Revenue on 23 June 2000, our intention is to publish the draft clauses at the time of my right hon. Friend the Chancellor's pre-Budget Report. This will be on 8 November 2000.

  COM (2000)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy towards measures outlined in COM (2000) 507; and what changes to UK(a) practice and (b) law are supported by the Government. [135554]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Government will submit an Explanatory Memorandum on the proposal and a Regulatory Impact Assessment in the normal way.
  516W

  Income Tax
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 28 July 2000,Official Report, column 1011W, concerning taxation of incomes exceeding £100,000 a year (a) what assumptions underlay his estimate of an increase of £200 million per annum for subsequent years and (b) when he will next be able to update the information in his answer. [136019]

  Dawn Primarolo
  As stated in the previous reply, the estimates were based on the Survey of Personal Incomes and are consistent with the economic assumptions at the time of the March 2000 Budget, as published in the "Economic and Fiscal Strategy Report and Financial Statement and Budget Report".

  Working Families Tax Credit
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families are benefiting from the working families tax credit in the Bury, North constituency. [135914]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 31 October 2000]Estimates of the number of families in each parliamentary constituency in receipt of the Working Families-Tax Credit (WFTC) at the end of May, based on five per cent. sample awards, are shown at Table 9.4 in the WFTC Quarterly Enquiry for May 2000. A copy has been placed in the Library.

  Tax Relief (Sports Clubs)
  Mr. Reed
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about tax relief and tax exemptions for community and amateur sports clubs; and if he will make a statement. [135646]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Mr. Drew), on 31 October 2000,Official Report, columns 414–15W.

  Tour Operator's Margin Scheme
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to complete the review of the Tour Operator's Margin Scheme. [135875]

  Dawn Primarolo
  There are currently three cases concerning the application of the Tour Operators' Margin Scheme (TOMS) which are waiting to be considered by the VAT & Duties Tribunal or the Court of Appeal. It is therefore appropriate to await the outcome of these cases before deciding upon any substantive changes to the way in which the TOMS is applied.

  Online Transactions
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the application of VAT and other taxes to online transactions. [135558]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Government's views on taxation and electronic commerce were set out in "Electronic Commerce: The UK's Taxation Agenda" published by the Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise in November 1999. Copies were placed in the Library at the time of publication.

  Self-assessment
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will conclude his review of the self-assessment inquiry procedures; and if he will make a statement. [135900]

  Dawn Primarolo
  A research study into Income Tax Self-Assessment inquiries has been carried out jointly by the Inland Revenue and the Chartered Institute of Taxation. The results will be published in due course.

  Home Care
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will announce the result of the review of the consultation on the liability for supply of home care by commercial supplies. [135891]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Following Customs' discussions with the home care sector, details of the proposed Extra Statutory Concession on the VAT liability of home care will be available when the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry lays before Parliament revised regulations governing the conduct of the private recruitment industry.

  National Insurance Fund
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the balance is of the National Insurance Fund; and what it was 12 months ago. [135115]
  517W
  Dawn Primarolo
  I refer the hon. Member to the report by the Government Actuary on the drafts of the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 2000 and the Social Security (Contributions) (Re-rating and National Insurance Funds Payments) Order 2000 (Cm 4587).

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Animal Experiments
  Mrs. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the arrangements for requiring establishments designated under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 to have an ethical review process. [136224]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I have asked the Home Office Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate to carry out a review of the operation of the ethical review process, to see what improvements can be made in the way in which local reviews are carried out to enhance animal welfare. The terms of reference of the review are as follows:To review the efficiency and effectiveness of the operation of the Ethical Review Process, as set out in PCD Circular 3–4.98 issued on 1 April 1998, and in particular to consider:

  (a) whether the aims of the process, as specified in paragraph 3 of the Annex to the Circular, have been achieved;

  (b) what problems may have been encountered; and

  (c) what the resource implications have been

  and to recommend any changes in the arrangements and to identify best practice.

  The review will take account of the views of all the stakeholders in the process, including certificate holders and licensees under the 1986 and animal welfare organisations. The Inspectorate have been asked to report by the middle of 2001.

  Mrs. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to incorporating an independent element in future investigations by the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate of allegations against establishments and individuals licensed under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. [136225]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I have considered the introduction of an independent element into future investigations under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

  I have concluded that the appointment of a small independent scrutiny team, drawn from the Animal Procedures Committee, and reporting directly to the Secretary of State would be the best and most practicable means of providing assurance that any future Inspectorate investigations have been carried out with the necessary objectivity and thoroughness. I am grateful to the Committee for agreeing to undertake this role following an approach to them in June 2000.

  Regulation Tribunal
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements have been made for the appointment of members of the tribunal to be set up under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000; and if he will make a statement. [136380]
  518W
  Mr. Straw
  On 2 October, Her Majesty the Queen appointed eight members to the new Investigatory Powers Tribunal by Letters Patent for a period of five years. Lord Justice Mummery has been appointed as President of the Tribunal and Sir Michael Burton as Vice-President. The remaining six members of the Tribunal are Sheriff Principal John Colin McInnes QC, Sir David Calcutt QC, Sir Richard Gaskell, Mr. Robert Seabrook QC, Mr. Peter Scott QC and Mr. William Carmichael.

  Drugs (Confiscation of Profits)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the oral answer of 14 June 2000,Official Report, column 924, if he will make a statement on the measures taken to date to implement recommendations contained in the Performance and Innovation Unit report on recovering the proceeds of crime in respect of confiscation of the profits accruing from drug-related crime. [133749]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  When the Prime Minister announced the publication of the PIU' s Report "Recovering the Proceeds of Crime" on 14 June, he said that my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, in collaboration with my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, would take forward implementation of the conclusions of the Report and introduce legislation as soon as possible.

  My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced to the House on 19 July 2000, Official Report, column 379, that £54 million had been allocated over the three-year Spending Review period to fund the new National Confiscation Agency.
  Legislation to establish the agency and implement other measures proposed in the Report is being prepared and will be brought forward as soon as parliamentary time allows.

  In order to inform this work and ensure that no excessive burden will be placed on business we prepared a draft Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) and sent it to a range of organisations, with a request for comments by 31 October. We will make the completed RIA available to the House in due course.

  Senator Pinochet
  Mr. Hammond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 27 July 2000, if he will explain the reasons underlying his decision not to classify the period of residence of Senator Pinochet in Surrey as an unforeseen burden on Surrey Police, committing them to exceptional additional expenditure and as being an event of international dimension, arising as a consequence of a decision by the Government. [133958]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The total additional costs for protecting Senator Pinochet were estimated at £750,000, which was around 0.8 per cent. of the budget of the Surrey police in 1999–2000. Once account is taken of the special payment of –200,000 made in March 1999 the proportion of the additional costs that fell on the Surrey police was reduced to 0.6 per cent. of the force's 1999–2000 budget.
  519W
  When the special payment was made in March 1999, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary indicated to the Chief Constable that it was unlikely that he would be able to give Surrey police a further special payment for the additional costs incurred during 1999–2000.

  Consideration of the Police Authority's further request for a special grant in March suggested that Surrey police had been able to accommodate the extra costs without a reduction in the level of service provided by the force. During 1999–2000, police numbers in Surrey increased by 123 to 1,785, the highest they have ever been. In view of such favourable indicators it was decided that a further special payment was not justified.

  Com (2000) 495
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement on his policy towards the establishment of a European registry of sentences passed on criminals and procedures pending, as set out in Corn (2000) 495; [134679]

  (2) if he will make a statement on his policy towards including (a) Eurojust and (b) the ECJ in the process of determining claims of jurisdiction between member states in multiple cross-border crimes, as set out in para 13.1 of Com (2000) 495; [134799]

  (3) if he will list those proposals on page 22 of Corn (2000) 495 which it is his policy to (a) support and (b) oppose; and if he will make a statement. [134800]

  Mrs. Roche
  I refer the hon. Member to the Explanatory Memorandum on Corn (2000) 495, the Commission's Communication on the mutual recognition of final decisions in criminal matters, which was deposited in the House of Commons Library on 12 October 2000. The Government broadly support the proposals in the Communication.

  In the Explanatory Memorandum on Corn (2000) 495, the Government indicated that improvements in the arrangements for requesting information on existing criminal records should be given priority over creating a European Criminal Registry. The practical benefits of the proposed European Criminal Registry should be carefully assessed in view of the possibility of high costs and data protection considerations.

  As regards the determination of claims of jurisdiction, and the roles that Eurojust and the European Court of Justice might have, the Government consider that it would be appropriate to wait until Eurojust has developed relevant experience before developing criteria for ranking such claims.

  The Government consider that the discussions in Corn (2000) 495 on ne bis in idem are sensible; the suggestion that prosecutions are co-ordinated needs careful consideration, but no proposal has yet been tabled to address this issue.

  For further information on the subject of mutual recognition, I refer the hon. Member to the Explanatory Memorandum on the Programme of Measures to implement the principle of mutual recognition.

  Police (Administration)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he will take to reduce the burden of administration on the police. [134453]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  We are committed to looking at ways to reduce unnecessary administrative burdens on the police, consistent with the interests of justice. It is important to recognise that many procedures, which may be time-consuming, are nevertheless necessary to protect both the accused person and the officers who deal with him or her. Some paperwork is a necessary part of the job.

  The Home Office has a significant role in setting the administrative framework for policing and we will continue to collaborate with forces to reduce bureaucratic burdens whenever possible. A current review of the Codes of Practice which govern police procedures under the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 should provide an opportunity for us to make further progress.

  National guidance on the preparation of prosecution files by the police is set out in the "Manual of Guidance for the Preparation, Processing and Submission of Files". Case files completed in line with the guidance in that document will, in many cases, require only five or six forms. The Manual is issued to all forces and has just been updated for re-issue in November. The Cabinet Office Public Sector Team's Regulatory Impact Unit aims to identify ways of reducing bureaucracy, and police paperwork was the first area it studied. A member of the Unit sits on the Editorial Board of the Manual of Guidance.

  When the Narey measures for speeding up the progress of cases through the criminal justice system were piloted in 1998–99, 54 per cent. of cases resulted in a guilty plea at first hearing and only required an expedited file. These measures were introduced nationally on 1 November 1999 and have been shown to have reduced paperwork significantly.

  Forces themselves also have a role to play. A thematic report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) in 1997 found that in many forces additional forms were being added to those required by the existing Manual. HMIC recommended that all forces should review their use of non-Manual of Guidance forms to reduce the number that officers have to complete.

  Another area in which significant improvements are possible is in the development of new information systems. The National Strategy for Police Information Systems (NSPIS) provides for the development of a range of standard, linked applications covering the main policing functions. The progressive implementation of these applications in forces will eliminate many of the current inefficiencies, such as officers having to key in the same information several times.

  Further, under the initiative for integrating business and information systems in the criminal justice system ("IBIS"), detailed plans have been drawn up to ensure that the information systems which are being developed in all the criminal justice organisations have the necessary links installed for the efficient sharing and exchange of information throughout the criminal justice process.

  Police Response Vehicles
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many police response vehicles have been involved in accidents in each London borough while attending to immediate response calls in the past year; [134312]

  (2) what percentage of immediate response calls were met within the target time for the Metropolitan police in each borough in the most recent year for which figures are available. [134313]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Details are set out in the table. The information has been provided by the Metropolitan police service, and relates to the period between September 1999 and August 2000.

  London borough

  Police response vehicles involved in accidents while attending to immediate
  response calls (actual numbers)

  Immediate response calls within the target time(%)

  City of Westminster

  55

  86

  Kensington and Chelsea

  28

  85

  Camden

  42

  74

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  35

  89

  Hackney

  69

  82

  Tower Hamlets

  44

  78

  Heathrow

  0

  90

  Waltham Forest

  35

  76

  Redbridge

  44

  77

  Havering

  26

  75

  Newham

  58

  70

  Barking and Dagenham

  29

  83

  Lambeth

  49

  80

  Southwark

  54

  84

  Islington

  47

  75

  Lewisham

  40

  83

  Bromley

  29

  78

  Harrow

  22

  77

  Brent

  36

  74

  Greenwich

  30

  76

  Bexley

  18

  86

  Barnet

  36

  75

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  18

  86

  Hounslow

  48

  82

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  14

  85

  Merton

  19

  83

  Wandsworth

  46

  84

  Ealing

  33

  79

  Hillingdon

  32

  77

  Enfield

  57

  78

  Haringey

  27

  72

  Croydon

  32

  81

  Sutton

  19

  86

  Metropolitan police service

  1,411

  79

  Schengen Agreement
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in which diplomatic missions of Her Majesty's Government are responsible for the issue of visas to nationals of Schengen countries. [134808]

  Mr. Vaz
  I have been asked to reply.

  None. Nationals of Schengen countries, as EU citizens, do not require visas to visit the UK.

CABINET OFFICE

  Drug Abuse
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when she last met the drugs co-ordinator to discuss drug abuse. [133643]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  I met Keith Hellawell, the UK Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator, on 17 October to discuss a wide range of drug issues in pursuance of the Government's anti-drugs strategy.

  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans she has to tackle the use of illegal drugs in rural areas. [133644]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  Drug Action Teams are the main mechanism for delivery of the anti-drugs strategy on the ground, whether in rural areas or in inner cities. All Drug Action Teams are required to plan and deliver an effective programme of activities for drugs in line with the National Strategy. Drug Action Teams identify gaps in their provision and seek to address this. Hertfordshire DAT has been highlighted as high-performing: with programmes in all LEA schools; on drug awareness in the workplace; and to reduce the availability of drugs in prisons.

  Mr. Clifton-Brown
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will make a statement on the progress of the drug action teams. [133646]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  The effectiveness of drug action teams (DATs) is measured by an annual planning and reporting process based on plans and reports submitted by each DAT. The analysis of this year's plans and their reports for the financial year 1999–2000 has recently been completed. A summary is due for publication later this month in the co-ordinator's annual report.

  Mr. Blizzard
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what priority she will give to treatment as part of the anti-drugs strategy. [133656]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  It is a key aim of the Government's anti-drugs strategy to enable people with drug problems to overcome them and live healthy and crime-free lives. It is for this reason that the recent spending review will see an increase in the annual spend on treatment services, including within prisons, to over £400 million by 2003–04.

  GM Foods
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will make a statement on the current Government policy on genetically modified foods. [133645]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  Our policy is to ensure that the regulation of GM technology protects human health, the environment and consumer choice. We established the Food Standards Agency to provide independent assessment of the safety of all foods, including GM. We support safe assessment of the potential benefits of the technology.

  Public Bodies
  Tony Wright
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proposals she has to amend the system of appointment to public bodies. [133648]
  523W
  Mr. Stringer
  My right hon. Friend has no immediate plans to change the system of public appointments.

  EU (Departmental Policy)
  Mr. Wilkinson
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when she last met her Cabinet counterparts to agree the co-ordination of departmental policy towards the EU. [133649]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  Ministers regularly discuss the co-ordination of EU business.

  Electronic Government
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will make a statement on Britain's progress in developing electronic Government. [133650]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  The Government continue to make strong progress towards the Prime Minister's target that by 2005 all Government services should be available online.

  We have a good story to tell: for central Government we have identified 451 services to the citizen and to business, and already one third of them are available online.

  Things you can do online now include:

  ordering and paying for a company's financial returns;

  checking to see if you need hospital treatment;

  find out if it is safe to visit foreign countries;

  fill out a tax form;

  the public can also keep up to date with what is happening in Parliament and contact the Ombudsman online;

  employees and employers can interactively calculate pay rates and entitlements under the national minimum wage regulations with further interactive guides to employment law to follow.

  Compared to other countries the figure is high, as is the volume and quality of the material available on the web.

  Much more detail about Government service than I can give here may be found in the reports monitoring progress towards the targets for electronic service. These include details of the innovative approaches that Departments have planned for future services.

  The spring 2000 report has been placed in the Libraries of the House. My Department is preparing the autumn 2000 monitoring report which I will also be placing in the Libraries of the House.

  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what progress has been made in the development of the Government secure intranet. [133657]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  The Government Secure Intranet (GSI) continues to make steady progress.

  Seventy-one organisations are now connected and some 90,000 staff have e-mail access.

  The GSI has met its original objectives of providing a secure e-mail service for Government and of achieving a step change in the number of civil servants with internet access.

  For example, a secure e-mail gateway has been developed between the GSI and the new Police National Network Extranet and is already being used for
  524W
  collaborative policy drafting work between the DTI and DCMS sharing an intranet site for developing the Communications White Paper.

  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will make a statement on progress in introducing the electronic delivery of Government services. [133666]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  The Government continue to make strong progress towards the Prime Minister's target that by 2005 all government services should be available on-line.

  We have a good story to tell; for central Government we have identified 451 services to the citizen and to business and already one third of them are available on-line.

  Things that can be done on-line now include:

  ordering and paying for a company's financial returns;

  checking to see if you need hospital treatment;

  find out if it is safe to visit foreign countries;

  fill out a tax form;

  the public can also keep up to date with what is happening in Parliament and contact the Ombudsman on-line;

  employees and employers can interactively calculate pay rates and entitlements under the national minimum wage regulations with further interactive guides to employment law to follow.

  A comparison with other countries also shows that we are doing well, as the recent international benchmarking study showed. For example, although currently the number of two-way dealings that can be done on-line is low, at about 20 (but rising) compared to other countries the figure is high, as is the volume and quality of the material available on the web.

  Manufacturing (Regulations)
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will calculate the number of regulations imposed on manufacturing businesses since May 1997. [133651]

  Mr. Stringer
  This information is not kept in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate expense.

  Since August 1998, every regulation likely to have an impact on businesses, charities or voluntary organisations has been subject to a thorough assessment procedure. These regulatory impact assessments are placed in the Libraries of the House. The particular business sectors upon which each regulation impacts are not recorded separately.

  Drug Trafficking
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what action the UK Government are taking to tackle international trafficking in drugs. [133652]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  The Government are working in close partnership with the enforcement and intelligence agencies to tackle international trafficking of all drugs, particularly Class A drugs which pose the greatest threat. Overseas activity is concentrated on the key source and transit countries to disrupt the movement of drugs to
  525W
  Europe and the UK. In this country, every effort is being made to tackle the organised criminal enterprises involved in illicit drug trafficking.

  Rural Affairs Committee
  Charlotte Atkins
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will make a statement on the work of the Rural Affairs Committee. [133653]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  The Ministerial Group on Rural Affairs co-ordinates Government policy on rural issues. Recently, it has been working on the Rural White Paper.

  Focus 5000
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the Focus 5000 group in helping shape Government policy. [133654]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  I take it that my hon. Friend is referring to the People's Panel. An independent interim evaluation of the Panel was published and referred to on 23 May 2000,Official Report, column 451W. Copies were placed in the Library. The evaluation report concluded that the Panel was a "valuable asset" and had
  proved its worth as a vehicle to promote greater understanding, within local and national government, of public views, and of the need to obtain these views.

  A full evaluation of the effectiveness of the Panel in helping shape Government policy will be carried out early in 2001.

  Leak Inquiries
  Mr. Ruffley
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many leak inquiries have been commissioned by Departments in the last 12 months. [133655]

  Mr. Stringer
  Since 1 October 1999, the Cabinet Office has been notified of 19 leak investigations commissioned by Government Departments.

  Quangos
  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what steps she is taking to ensure diversity in appointments to quangos. [133660]

  Mr. Stringer
  The Government are keen to ensure that those serving on the boards of public bodies are as representative of society as possible. It is committed to the equal representation of women and men in public appointments and a pro-rata representation of members of the ethnic minorities. Is also wants to encourage more disabled people to participate in public life.

  The Public Appointments Unit in the Cabinet Office produces annually the Government's overall action plan in relation to equal opportunities in public appointments. The publication also includes departments individual action plans specific to their own bodies. "Quangos: Opening up Public Appointments 2000–2003" was published on 24 May 2000 and provides details of what steps are being taken to increase diversity in public appointments.

  Better Regulation Task Force
  Mr. Fallon
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many recommendations of the better regulation task force have so far been implemented; and how many remain outstanding. [133661]

  Mr. Stringer
  The independent better regulation task force has, since its inception in 1997, produced 14 substantive reviews which have made a total of 264 recommendations. Of the 250 the Government have so far responded to, 204 have been accepted in full, 11 accepted in principle and eight accepted in part. The Government are considering a further 21 recommendations. We have not accepted six of the Task Force's recommendations.

  The recommendations are a variety of types: some involving primary legislation; others about changing the practices of those in the regulatory and enforcement environments; and others applying to all areas of Government activity, for example on the quality of guidance. For this reason it is not possible to quantify how many have been implemented.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will make a statement on the work of the better regulation task force. [133665]

  Mr. Stringer
  The independent better regulation task force has recently published its third annual report (available in the Library of the House) which sets out its achievements over the last three years and indicates its likely work programme for the coming year.

  Press Officers
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will make a statement on the role of departmental press officers. [133663]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  The role of departmental press officers, as outlined in the guidance on the work of the GIS, is to ensure that Government policy and actions are explained and presented in a positive light and that the best possible opportunity is taken to convey its messages to the public through the media. The work of departmental press officers is explained in more detail in the guidance on the work of the GIS and the GICS handbook, copies of both are available in the Library.

  "All Our Futures"
  Ms Perham
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will make a statement on progress in implementing the recommendations of the report of the better government for older people programme entitled "All Our Futures". [133664]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  We are considering our response to the recommendations and how they can best be implemented. This involves discussions with other Government Departments, the Local Government Association and the Better Government for Older People Steering Group. Good progress is being made and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security will respond in due course.

  Better Government Programme
  Mr. Quinn
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will make a statement on the delivery of the better government programme in Yorkshire and Humberside. [133647]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  The Government Office for Yorkshire and the Humber is working with other stakeholders to modernise services across the region and I am pleased to say that excellent progress is being made.

  Two examples from the region are cited in "Citizens First", the Modernising Government Annual Report: the Inland Revenue's translation service, which is being piloted with 128 languages in South Yorkshire; and the introduction of videolink kiosks in East Yorkshire which makes it easier to access local services such as police, law centres, NHS Direct, council departments or the Benefits Agency.

  Much more detail about Government service than I can give here may be found in the reports monitoring progress towards the targets for electronic service. These include details of the innovative approaches that Departments have planned for future services.
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  The spring 2000 report has been placed in the Libraries of the House. My Department is preparing the autumn 2000 monitoring report which I will also be placing in the Libraries of the House.

  New Regulations
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office in what form monthly statistics on departmental returns concerning new regulations are available. [135992]

  Mr. Stringer
  The lists of monthly returns by Departments of regulatory proposals that have an impact on business, charities and voluntary bodies are published on the Cabinet Office website at www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/regulation/index/regrep.htm and subsequently in the six monthly Command Paper of Regulatory Impact Assessments. Both list proposals in date order, with a contact name and telephone number of an official in the appropriate Department who can provide details of the measures and any relevant consultation document or regulatory impact assessment.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  EU (Trades Unions)
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on proposals for(a) an EU-wide minimum wage and (b) EU-wide collective bargaining by trades unions. [1135377]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  I have been asked to reply.

  (a) Article 137(6) of the Treaty establishing the community specifically excludes action on pay. Therefore pay remains a matter for member states. The introduction of an EU minimum wage would run contrary to that position.

  (b) It is for employers, employees and their representative organisations to agree whether and at what level any bargaining might take place, subject to the requirements of national laws and practices.

  European Public Prosecutor
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have made on document COM (2000) 008, concerning a European public prosecutor; and if the Government intend to veto proposals to amend the treaties in respect of the Nice Council. [134378]

  Mrs. Roche
  I have been asked to reply.

  Document COM (2000) 608 is the Commission's contribution to the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) on the protection of the Community's financial interests, and is being considered by member states in that context. The Government's position is that the IGC should focus on the issues necessary for enlargement.

  The United Kingdom Government do not support the creation of a European public prosecutor (EPP) and will oppose any moves in this direction. We have made our position on this clear to the Commission, to the Council and to the European Parliament.

  British-Russia Centre
  Kali Mountford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the annual report of the British-Russia Centre and British East-West Centre will be available. [136226]

  Mr. Vaz
  Copies of the centres' annual report for financial year 1999–2000 were placed in the Libraries of the House last week. The centres received grant in aid from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of £230,850 to support their activities in 1999–2000. In addition, the centres secured funding of £257,130 for direct expenditure on projects. The centres manage projects to promote and support the development of democratic institutions and the rule of law and society in Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

  Activities last year included organisation of the UK team of OSCE observers to the Russian Duma elections,
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  hosting a human rights seminar in Minsk, co-hosting a conference on the Russian economy and organising visits and lectures.

  The FCO's quinquennial review of the centres in 1999 confirmed that the centres continued to make a valuable contribution to the strengthening of bilateral relations with Russia, Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The review's main recommendation was that the FCO's grant in aid should be spent on the project work of the centres and that membership activities should become self-financing. The centres have begun to implement this recommendation.

  Parliamentary Scrutiny of Treaties
  Mrs. Ellman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Government plan to respond to the second report of the Procedure Committee of Session 1999–2000, Parliamentary Scrutiny of Treaties (HC210). [136227]

  Mr. Battle
  The Government's response to the Procedure Committee's report was presented to Parliament yesterday in the form of an unnumbered Command Paper. Copies are available from the Vote Office.

  Kosovo
  Maria Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the supply of hydraulic lifting equipment for use by the Irish KFOR contingent in Kosovo. [136516]

  Mr. Vaz
  We are happy to approve an export licence for the supply of spare parts for the maintenance of hydraulic lifting systems for use by the Irish KFOR contingent. The goods will assist KFOR in the valuable work they are doing reconstructing a peaceful Kosovo.

  These goods appear on the UK's military list. UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1160 (1998) prohibits the supply of arms and related material to the FRY. However, UNSCR 1244 (1999) provides that the prohibitions imposed by SCR 1160 shall not apply to the sale or supply of arms and related material for use by the international civil and security presence in Kosovo.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Sherbimi Informativ I Kosaves is(a) officially and (b) informally active in Kosovo. [134197]

  Mr. Vaz
  The UN Mission in Kosovo has not given permission to any organisation called Sherbimi Informativ I Kosaves (or Kosovo Intelligence Service) to be active in Kosovo. The international presence in Kosovo continues to monitor and take action against any parallel structures or institutions in Kosovo where they pose a threat to KFOR' s or UNMIK' s objectives.

  European Federation of Retired and Elderly Persons
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer of the
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  Prime Minister of 19 May 2000, Official Report, column 286W, if he will deposit in the Library a copy of his letter to the European Federation of Retired and Elderly Persons. [134145]

  Mr. Vaz
  A copy has been deposited in the Library of the House.

  UN Drug Control Programme
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what assessment he has made of the necessity of genetically modifying the mycotoxins involved in the United Nations Drug Control Programme research into the use of mycotoxins in drug crop eradication programmes; and if he will make a statement; [134272]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the potential dangers arising from United Nations Drug Control Programme research into the use of mycotoxins in drug crop eradication programmes; and if he will make a statement; [134271]

  (3) what assessment he has made of the potential for mutation of the mycotoxins involved in the United Nations Drug Control Programme research into the use of mycotoxins in drug crop eradication programmes; and if he will make a statement; [134273]

  (4) what assessment he has made of the potential dangers arising from the use of (a) naturally occurring and (b) genetically-modified mycotoxins in drug crop eradication programmes; and if he will make a statement. [134274]

  Mr. Battle
  The only United Nations International Drugs Programme (UNDCP) research into mycotoxins in drug crop eradication programmes is into the opium poppy fungus, pleospora papaveracea. The UK has supported this programme which has focused on establishing whether this naturally occurring fungus is viable as an opium poppy control agent and whether the fungus is specific to opium poppy.

  Subject to the progress of research in this phase, a further phase of research would investigate wider safety issues, including the potential for mutation. The Government have made it clear that if research revealed harmful effects, the UK would withdraw support and press for closure of the programme.

  No consideration is being given to the use of genetically modified mycotoxins in drug crop eradication programmes.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has been contributed by his Department towards the funding of United Nations Drug Control Programme research during each of the last five years for which figures are available. [134276]

  Mr. Battle
  There was no FCO spending on research programmes of the United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP) in the financial years 1995–96 or 1996–97. Figures since then are as follows:

  1997–98—£100,000 for research into pleospora papaveracea

  1998–99—£58,281 for assessment of drug abuse in Iran

  1999–2000—£1,051,748 for surveys of coca and poppy cultivation in Columbia, Peru and Afghanistan and studies of the drugs trade in Afghanistan.

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  In addition, in 1999–2000 the FCO contributed £100,000 to the UNDCP Caribbean Coordination Mechanism, of which a proportion, not readily disaggregated, contributes to collection of information on the drug problem in the Caribbean region.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which states have contributed towards the funding of United Nations Drug Control Programme research into the use of(a) pleospora papaverecea; (b) fusarium oxysporum and (c) other mycotoxins in drug crop eradication programmes during each of the last five years for which figures are available. [134264]

  Mr. Battle
  The United Kingdom and the United States have contributed to the funding of the United Nations International Drugs Control Programme (UNDCP) research into the opium poppy fungus, pleospora papaveracea. The UK contributed £100,000 to the project in 1998. There is no current UNDCP research into either the coca fungus, fusarium oxysporum, or other mycotoxins for drug crop eradication programmes.

  Saudi Arabia
  Ms Southworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions the United Kingdom Government have had with the Saudi Arabian authorities on the establishment by Saudi Arabia of the governmental and non-governmental organisations recommended by the UN Commission on Human Rights. [133945]

  Mr. Hain
  From discussions between the British Embassy in Riyadh and the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, we understand that details of the governmental committee are being finalised. As far as we are aware, a date for the committee's first meeting has not been agreed. Progress to establish a non-governmental committee has been slower. We will continue to press the Saudis.

  Ms Southworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have made to the Saudi Arabian Government in support of increased access to Saudi Arabia for non-governmental human rights monitors, with particular reference to monitors from Amnesty International. [133947]

  Mr. Hain
  The Government have not been asked by Amnesty International or any other non-governmental organisation to approach the Saudi Government about access to the Kingdom. In the first instance, this is a matter for individual NGOs to discuss with the Saudi Government.

  Iran
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Iran about human rights in that country. [134763]

  Mr. Hain
  We and our EU partners regularly press the Iranian authorities over our concerns about human rights issues in Iran. The Foreign Secretary raised human rights matters with his counterpart Dr. Kamal Kharrazi when they met in New York on 15 September, and also
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  with the Iranian Ambassador to London on 4 October. I too discussed these issues with Ambassador Sarmadi on 19 October.

  In addition, we regularly raise our concerns through our Ambassador in Tehran

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the situation of Jews in Iran. 134776]

  Mr. Hain
  The Jewish community in Iran is represented, as are other minorities, by a member in the Majles, and Judaism is among the religions recognised by the Constitution. Jewish Iranians are free to run businesses and enjoy their own culture, although the right to take public office is circumscribed.

  However, we remain concerned at the sentencing of 10 Jews and two Muslims in the Shiraz trial. We have throughout the trial raised our concerns about the nature of the proceedings. We hope that the Iranian Judiciary will show clemency.

  Peace Process (Middle East)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution he is seeking to make to the resolution of conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people. [134692]

  Mr. Vaz
  My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary and I are committed to supporting all efforts to bring the parties back to the negotiating table. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's extended visit to the region was part of the intensive international efforts which led to the Sharm el-Sheikh summit on 16–17 October. The agenda agreed there, for disengagement by both sides, an end to violence and a return to peace talks remains the focus for all as we work with others to end this crisis. My right hon. Friends the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary and I are maintaining close contact with the parties.

  War Crimes Tribunal
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of the War Crimes Tribunal in The Hague. [134695]

  Mr. Hain
  To date, ICTY have concluded 11 cases. There are currently 39 individuals in proceedings before the Tribunal and 25 publicly indicated individuals remain at large.

  International Relations (Far East)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the current state of relations between(a) China and Taiwan and (b) North and South Korea. [134735]

  Mr. Battle
  (a) China and Taiwan: We monitor developments in relations across the Taiwan Straits closely. Since the election of Chen Shui bian both sides have shown evidence of restraint in their rhetoric and actions, although they have not yet been able to reach any consensus over the "One China" issue which might enable them to resume direct dialogue. We continue to encourage
  534W
  dialogue between the two sides and we are strongly opposed to the use of force in resolving the question of Taiwan's status.

  (b) We have expressed our strong support for the President of South Korea Kim Dae-Jung's policy of engagement aimed at peace and reconciliation between North and South Korea. We are pleased that both sides are committed to implementing the results of June's Summit and we welcome the people-to-people links that have taken place, including family reunions and co-operation between the North and South Korean teams at the opening of the Sydney Olympics. A series of political and military meetings between both sides is under way. Work has also begun on re-establishing a rail link between North and South Korea across the Demilitarised Zone.

  The engagement process has been given further impetus by the recent US/North Korea negotiations, notably Ms Albright's visit to Pyongyang. There remain many serious issues, including missile proliferation, nuclear matters and human rights, to be discussed and addressed. But progress since the June summit has been encouraging.

  Zimbabwe
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with representatives of political parties in Zimbabwe. [134696]

  Mr. Hain
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had a number of discussions with Zimbabwean politicians from both the main political parties, including several telephone conversations with the president of the Movement for Democratic Change. More recently, I met members of the MDC Executive on 26 October.

  Sierra Leone
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the situation in Sierra Leone. [134693]

  Mr. Hain
  The Government's strategy towards Sierra Leone was set out in the Foreign Secretary's statement on 6 June. That strategy remains unchanged. Our objective is to ensure that the people of Sierra Leone are offered a realistic prospect of peace and stability, and are freed from the violence of a brutal rebel minority.

  On 10 October Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean announced in another place a further package of UK support to the Sierra Leone Army, and to the UN peacekeeping operation in Sierra Leone. UK assistance will help the Government of Sierra Leone establish effective and accountable armed forces.

  Intergovernmental Conference
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the subject areas which are expected to be on the agenda for negotiations at the Nice Intergovernmental Conference. [134734]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Feira European Council on 19 and 20 June clarified the IGC agenda. It remains focused on the institutional changes necessary for enlargement. The main issues are the size and composition of the
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  Commission, the reweighting of votes in the Council of Ministers, the extension of qualified majority voting and closer co-operation between individual member states.

  Cuba
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to visit Cuba. [134694]

  Mr. Battle
  There are no plans at present for the Secretary of State to visit Cuba.

  Amsterdam Treaty
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the subsidiarity and proportionality protocol in the Treaty of Amsterdam. [134764]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Government regard subsidiarity as a key principle, and support the Amsterdam protocol, which sets out in detail how it is applied. It is too early to make a full assessment of the concrete results of the protocol, as it has only been in force for one year. But the Government are confident that it will be effective because it is legally enforceable, and should therefore help deter the bringing forward of proposals which breach the principle. The better the protocol works, the less we will see it.

  Muslim Fundamentalism
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the growth of international Muslim fundamentalist terrorism. [135020]

  Mr. Battle
  The Government condemn terrorism in all its forms, by whomever or wherever it is committed. In the light of a number of terrorist attacks in recent years attributable to Islamic extremists, the Government take this threat seriously.

  Sanctions against Austria
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy was in relation to(a) the imposition of, and (b) the lifting of sanctions against Austria. [135040]

  Mr. Vaz
  The measures were introduced in February by Austria's EU partners to send a clear signal of our concern at the inclusion of a far-right party in the Austrian Government. I shared the analysis in the 8 September report by the Wise Men that the measures had been successful in influencing the Austrian Government to uphold common democratic values and in energising Austrian civil society, but that the measures would become counterproductive if continued. The Government therefore decided, together with our other EU partners, to lift the measures on 12 September, while remaining vigilant in relation to the Freedom Party.

  HALO Trust
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Russian claims of involvement by the HALO Trust in training terrorists. [135038]
  536W
  Mr. Vaz
  We have repeatedly expressed our concern to the Russian authorities about these allegations. We have seen no credible evidence to support their claims. HALO's sole purpose in Chechnya was to train Chechen civilians in humanitarian mine clearance, as they have done elsewhere.

  National Missile Defence
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department's policy is in relation to National Missile Defence. [135044]

  Mr. Vaz
  I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary's evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee's Inquiry on Weapons of Mass Destruction; and to the Government's response to the Committee's recommendations, which was presented to Parliament on 24 October.

  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has held with the United States Secretary of State about National Missile Defense. [134945]

  Mr. Vaz
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has regularly discussed this issue with a range of US interlocutors, including the US Secretary of State.

  Kursk Submarine
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Russian claims of NATO involvement in the loss of the submarine Kursk. [135037]

  Mr. Vaz
  No NATO or UK assets were in the location at the time of the sinking of the Kursk submarine on 12 August.

  Single European Foreign Policy
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on the development of a single European foreign policy. [135021]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Government want Europe to have a strong voice in international affairs and are committed to pursuing this through the intergovernmental mechanisms of the European Union's Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). The Prime Minister launched the European Defence Initiative to strengthen the CFSP and the European contribution to NATO. The EU's CFSP is an increasingly important means of achieving the UK's national foreign policy objectives. The Government, and most member states, favour maintaining the intergovernmental approach to CFSP.

  AIDS (South Africa)
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for International Development on how to assist the South African Government to combat the spread of AIDS. [134923]
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  Mr. Hain
  The HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa is a major development policy priority for the UK Government and there is an on-going dialogue between FCO, DFID and other Government Departments on HIV/AIDS policy both at the international level and within the African region.

  At the international level, recent examples include coordination with DFID for the UN Security Council Resolution on HIV/AIDS and ongoing UN discussions on HIV/AIDS. Health, including HIV/AIDS, is an important part of DFID' s second White Paper due out this autumn, the FCO has worked closely with DFID on this.

  At a regional and country level FCO works closely with DFID in implementing country strategies, each of which have HIV/AIDS prevention and care as a major priority.

  In November 1999, while in South Africa, the Prime Minister announced a package of assistance, worth £22.7 million, to Southern Africa to support the battle against HIV/AIDS. The package includes a development cooperation agreement with the South African Ministry of Health focusing on reproductive health service programmes in selected provinces, as well as HIV/AIDS information awareness and education programmes for young people.

  The UK Government's development assistance also aims to build South African capacity to play a constructive role in regional development issues such as HIV/AIDS.

  Single Currency
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had, and on what dates, with(a) the Chancellor of the Exchequer and (b) the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland about the timing of a future referendum on British participation in the single European currency. [135007]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Secretary of State meets his Cabinet colleagues on a regular basis and discusses a wide range of issues.

  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the political factors affecting his assessment of the desirability of the United Kingdom replacing the pound with the euro. [135042]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer said in his statement on 27 October 1997, Official Report, columns 583–88, that the determining factor as to whether Britain joins a single currency is the national economic interest, and whether the economic case for doing so is clear and unambiguous.

  He also stated that
  there is no constitutional bar to British membership of EMU.

  Ex-President Milosevic
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he intends to take to ensure that ex-President Milosevic is brought to trial. [134947]
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  Mr. Vaz
  We have made it clear to the Government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia that we will expect it to meet its international obligations in a spirit of partnership with the international community. This includes cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for former Yugoslavia.

  Iraq
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his assessment is of Iraq's access to weapons of mass destruction.[134922]

  Mr. Hain
  Up until their withdrawal from Iraq in December 1998, UN weapons inspectors consistently reported to the United Nations Security Council that serious gaps remained in Iraq's declarations on chemical and biological weapons and ballistic missiles. We are deeply concerned that weapons inspectors have been unable to operate in Iraq for approaching two years. Hence the importance we attach to the United Nations Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) gaining access to Iraq at the earliest opportunity.

  Biological Weapons Convention
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of current Russian compliance with the provisions of the 1972 Biological Weapons Convention. [135041]

  Mr. Hain
  The United Kingdom makes global assessments on compliance with all arms control regimes, including the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BTWC), which draw upon intelligence sources. We do not comment on intelligence matters.

  Russia is a state party and depositary Government of the BTWC and is currently participating in the negotiations in Geneva on a compliance protocol to strengthen the convention. We very much hope that these negotiations will be successful, as such a protocol would improve transparency of the activities which could be abused for the development of biological weapons and provide internationally agreed mechanisms with which to pursue compliance concerns.

  Lord Levy
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the role of Lord Levy has been in the Middle East during the past three months. [134944]

  Mr. Hain
  During the past three months Lord Levy has been to Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Jordan and Egypt. In Israel he met Prime Minister Barak, President Katsav and other ministers. In the Palestinian Authority he met President Arafat and other senior Palestinian figures. In Jordan he met King Abdullah and various other ministers. In Egypt he met Foreign Minister Moussa and various other senior officials. He also accompanied the Foreign Secretary during his recent visit to the region.

  International Criminal Court
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in the establishment of an International Criminal Court. [134946]

  Mr. Hain
  To date the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court has been signed by 115 states and ratified by 22. The court will be established once 60 states ratify. A Preparatory Commission completed two important subsidiary documents to the statute at its last session in June.

  Moscow Visit
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to visit Moscow. [134920]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Foreign Secretary has no plans at present to visit Russia.

  EU (Co-sovereignty)
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is towards the proposal of the German Foreign Minister for co-sovereignty between states within the European Union. [135039]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Government welcome all contributions to the debate on Europe's future. Our own views were set out by the Prime Minister in his speech in Warsaw on 6 October.

  European Charter of Fundamental Rights
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the relationship between Articles 3 and 13 of the draft European Charter of Fundamental Rights. [134820]

  Mr. Vaz
  Article 13 (freedom of the arts and sciences) is a general statement of the principles in ECHR Article 10, as far as it applies to arts and sciences. The latter article allows limitations. The freedom of research in Article 13 must be interpreted consistently with Article 3 and subject to the limitations permitted under Article 10 ECHR.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much money he estimates will need to be set aside for implementation of the draft Charter of Fundamental Rights for(a) legal aid for cases brought under it and (b) legal costs for Her Majesty's Government to defend against claims. [135569]

  Mr. Vaz
  None. The charter is a political declaration and is not legally binding. It brings together in a single document fundamental rights, freedoms and principles that already exist within the EU.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those UK agencies covered by Article 36 of the draft Charter of Fundamental Rights. [135573]

  Mr. Vaz
  The charter will be a political declaration of rights, freedoms and principles and is not legally binding. Article 36 deals with the principle of the EU Institutions 540W
  respecting access to services of general economic interest. The article reflects Article 16 of the Treaty establishing the European Community and does not create any new right.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy towards inclusion of Article 12.2 in the Charter of Fundamental Rights. [135568]

  Mr. Vaz
  Article 12.2 of the charter is a restatement of the existing principle set out in Article 191 of the Treaty establishing the European Community.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, pursuant to Article 23 of the draft Charter of Fundamental Rights, he proposes to adopt measures for specific advantage in favour of the under-represented sex in the work force; and in which case men are the under-represented. [135567]

  Mr. Vaz
  No. The charter is a political declaration of rights, freedoms and principles recognised within the EU, and is not legally binding.

  East Timor
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance the UK is providing for East Timor's civil and foreign service. [135072]

  Mr. Battle
  [holding answer 30 October 2000]Ten members of East Timor's future diplomatic service will attend a four-week training course in the UK from 4 November to 5 December. We have also made a commitment to assist with civil service training for the newly established National Council in the New Year.

  Italy
  Mr. Casale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the state of relations between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Italy. [135851]

  Mr. Vaz
  Our bilateral relations with Italy are excellent, and continue to flourish. The closeness of the relationship was further demonstrated by the very successful state visit to Italy last month, when the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh enjoyed the exceptionally warm welcome and hospitality of the Italian people. The Queen and the Duke were accompanied on the visit by the Foreign Secretary, and the Minister for Europe. Both Ministers met leading figures from Italian politics.

  Mr. Casale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the impact of the recent state visit to Italy. [135850]

  Mr. Vaz
  The state visit to Italy has served to convey the strongest possible reaffirmation of the high regard that our countries have for one another; as friends, allies and economic partners. The Queen's meetings with leading figures from the political and business fields, as well as those of the Foreign Secretary and the Minister for Europe, demonstrated the keenness that our countries have to work closely together, for the mutual benefit of both countries, and for the EU as a whole.

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