Written Answers of 21 November 2000

DEFENCE

  RUC Officers (Ballynure)
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of(a) the armed forces and (b) Royal Ulster Constabulary officers and other ranks were on duty in Ballynure, Co. Antrim, on the evening of 11 July and early hours of 12 July; and if he will make a statement. [136972]

  Mr. Ingram
  I have been asked to reply.

  During the period in question the number of RUC personnel in attendance were two inspectors, four sergeants and 25 constables. In addition, a superintendent and an inspector made supervisory visits.

  48 soldiers from 9 Royal Irish were deployed in support of the police.

  Porton Down
  Liz Blackman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to address reports of ill-health among Porton Down volunteers. [139767]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Ministry of Defence is taking a number of steps designed to help those who participated as volunteers in trials at Porton Down. The Ministry of Defence is very grateful to all those whose participation in studies at Porton Down made possible the research to provide safe and effective protection for UK armed forces against chemical and biological weapons. Suggestions have been made that some Porton Down volunteers suffer unusual patterns of ill health because of their participation. The Ministry of Defence has seen no scientific evidence to support that belief, but takes such suggestions seriously. Therefore we are:offering volunteers the opportunity for a thorough medical assessment if they have concerns about their health. This will be along the lines of the Gulf Veterans Medical Assessment Programme and will use the same facilities at St. Thomas' Hospital, London. The data from these consultations will be analysed to explore whether patterns of ill health are associated with particular exposures;
  seeking advice from the Medical Research Council on an independent epidemiological study. Such a study may help establish whether or not former volunteers are suffering from excesses of ill health as compared to a matched group of service personnel who did not participate in trials at Porton Down;
  creating a multi-disciplinary policy focus within the Ministry of Defence which will be responsible for addressing volunteers' health concerns and liaising with other Government Departments;
  approaching this issue with openness and a commitment to dialogue with volunteers and their representatives;
  making public any information which may be of assistance to former volunteers. The current arrangements for the Porton
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  helpline will remain in being. All volunteers who approach it will be given full information by letter on their own trials, and offered the opportunity to examine the records for themselves at the site;
  continuing to co-operate fully and provide assistance to the ongoing Wiltshire police inquiry into trials at Porton Down.

  The policy focus for Porton Down volunteers issues will be provided by the Ministry of Defence's Gulf Veterans' Illnesses Unit (GVIU). The GVIU will be resourced to take on this important new responsibility and there will be no detriment to the ongoing Ministry of Defence commitment to assist Gulf veterans.

  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will arrange for an independent investigation into the use of national servicemen at the chemical warfare establishment at Porton Down; and if he will make a statement. [138453]

  Dr. Moonie
  Some 20,000 volunteers, national servicemen and non-conscripts have taken part in vital research at Porton Down. A thorough investigation by Wiltshire police of the Porton Down volunteer programme from 1939 to 1989 is under way. There are no plans for a further independent investigation.

  Gulf War Syndrome
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps are being taken to settle the applications for pensions for Gulf War Syndrome victims; what time scale was initially set for such applications; what time scale is now in effect for the remaining pension applications from Gulf War veterans; and if he will make a statement. [139000]

  Mr. Spellar
  I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the announcement I made on 18 May 2000 regarding an extension to attributable benefits available to members of the reserve forces. We are actively processing claims from known individuals who believe they have an entitlement and are taking measures to identify other individuals who may not be aware of my announcement. To allow the Ministry of Defence to make payments the new regulations must be in place; this has taken longer than anticipated but will be completed early in the new year. Payments will then be made shortly thereafter. In the meantime, the Ministry of Defence will write during the next month to individuals who have already made a claim, and advise them whether they qualify under the new regulations. Once the regulations are in place, new claims will in future be processed in the formal time frame of approximately 8–10 Weeks.

  Watchkeeper
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost is of the MOD accelerating the Army's Watchkeeper unmanned air vehicle reconnaissance project; when the research project will be completed; when the Army will have operational capability of Watchkeeper; and if he will make a statement. [138975]

  Dr. Moonie
  We do not expect the overall cost of the Watchkeeper Unmanned Aerial Vehicle capability to increase if it is advanced. We are currently considering, as part of our normal planning processes, whether there is scope to accommodate earlier expenditure within the Department's overall Equipment Programme.
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  Watchkeeper is in an assessment phase which is expected to last up to three years. Once this phase is complete a decision will be made on moving to production. On current plans this would lead to an In Service Date of 2008.

  Cetaceans
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what precautions the Royal Navy is taking to protect cetaceans. [139353]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Royal Navy is very aware of its responsibility for the application of good environmental practices on the high seas. The RN takes into consideration known cetacean migration routes, breeding grounds and similar information when planning exercise activity. Instructions are then issued to ships, submarines and aircraft on actions to take to minimise impact or when encountering marine activity.

  Nuclear-powered Submarines
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many visits have been made by nuclear-powered submarines to each Z berth in each of the last five years. [139053]

  Mr. Spellar
  Since 1995 UK submarines have made 29 visits to alongside Z berths outside of UK Naval Bases. In addition to the alongside Z berths, there are a number of mooring buoys that have Z berth status in Plymouth Sound, at Spithead, off the Isle of Skye, Loch Ewe, off Rothesay, and in Loth Goil and at Mare Harbour in the Falkland Islands. Submarines use these mooring buoys, sometimes for as little as an hour or two, to carry out crew transfers or to take on high priority spare parts, and detailed records are not kept of all such visits. To provide details of all movement between Z berths within UK Naval Bases could be provided only at disproportional cost.

  Details of visits to alongside Z berths are:

  Location

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999

  Southampton

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Cardiff1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Liverpool

  0

  2

  0

  1

  0

  Gibraltar

  4

  4

  3

  2

  6

  Bermuda

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  Hong Kong2

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1Cardiff no longer has Z berth status

  2 Hong Kong no longer has Z berth status

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list each of the ports authorised to accept the berthing of nuclear powered submarines in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) British overseas territories and protectorates; if he will indicate for which ports public safety plans, and emergency evaluation plans in respect of incidents involving nuclear submarines, exist; and if he will set out the scope of public accessibility of such plans. [139518]

  Mr. Spellar
  Ports authorised to accept the berthing of nuclear powered submarines, referred to as X and Z berths, in the United Kingdom, and British overseas territories and protectorates are detailed in the answer I gave on 14 November 2000,Official Report, columns 575–76W.
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  All ports which are authorised to accept the berthing of nuclear powered submarines have public safety and emergency evacuation plans. The plans are accessible to the public with copies held by the local authority libraries.

  Mine Detection
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contract the Defence Procurement Agency has awarded for the next phase of the vehicle-based Mine Detection, Neutralisation and Route Proving System; which companies bid for the contract; what time is set for completion of the programme; what is the total cost of the programme; and if he will make a statement. [138977]

  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 21 November 2000:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the vehicle based Mine-Detection, Neutralisation and Route Proving System. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
  On 30 and 31 October this year, the Defence Procurement Agency awarded contracts to Ultra Electronics Ltd. of High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire and to Hunting Engineering Ltd. of Ampthill, Bedfordshire respectively, for the Competitive Assessment Phase (CAP) of the Mine Detection, Neutralisation and Route Marking System Programme known as MINDER. Each contract is worth £6 million VAT inclusive. A bid was also received from BAE Systems (RO Defence, Leicester) which was not successful in the detailed tender assessment process.
  The initial capability for MINDER is planned to enter service in 2005, with incremental capability growth up to 2010. The purpose of the CAP is to determine the level of system performance that can be achieved in these timescales.
  The total cost of the MINDER programme is estimated to be £344 million.

  DARA
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilian employees working for DARA at RAF St. Athan live in the Rhondda. [139584]

  Mr. Spellar
  This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Road Fuel
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what stocks of road fuels are being held by Government and their agencies. [137530]

  Mrs. Liddell
  [holding answer 9 November 2000]: No stocks of road fuel are held directly by the Government, other than those required by Departments for operational reasons. The Department of Trade and Industry does not collect statistics on such operational stockholdings.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the value of ultra-low sulphur petrol sold as unleaded petrol in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [138776]
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  Mrs. Liddell
  Companies have been selling various different types of low sulphur fuel for some while; however, the agreement on a specific quality level for what is now regarded as ULSP was only set out on 24 March 2000. According to HM Customs and Excise data, around a third of petrol released for consumption in the UK is ULSP.

  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with petrol companies on the impact on prices at the pump of(a) the proposed reduction in fuel duty and (b) reductions in the price of oil on the world market. [139020]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The retail price of gasoline is set at the forecourts by competitive marketing between the petrol companies. The United Kingdom Petroleum Industry Association, which represents the major oil companies, has indicated that it expects that competitive pressure will result in the proposed reduction in fuel duty being passed on to consumers at the pump. The price of petrol at the pump is also influenced, in part, by the price of oil on the world market. World oil prices are now 8 per cent. below their October peak and, over the same period, wholesale gasoline prices have fallen by a similar amount.

  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the difference in price of fuel in rural and urban filling stations; and if he will make a statement.[139022]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The Department does not collect separate retail price data for rural and urban filling stations. Retail road fuel prices are a matter for individual companies to determine. Under UK competition law, it is the responsibility of the Director General of Fair Trading (DGFT) to investigate allegations of anti-competitive behaviour and possible abuses of market power. The DGFT can act if pricing levels are the result of anti-competitive behaviour but he has no powers to act in relation to prices as such.

  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with petrol companies on the timing of the introduction of ultra-low sulphur fuel in rural and urban petrol filling stations. [139021]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The rate at which ultra-low sulphur petrol (ULSP) can be made available is relative to the speed with which the whole supply chain from refinery to filling station can be switched over to the lower sulphur material. This will be achieved by dilution of the higher-sulphur product, and hence the sales of fuel relative to the size of storage at filling stations will determine the speed of changeover. In the slowest case this is unlikely to be greater than three months from the time of availability from the supply point. According to HM Customs and Excise data, ULSP currently constitutes around a third of petrol released for consumption in the UK. The proposed reduction in duty is conditional on there being nation-wide access to the fuel.

  Petrol Undertakings
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will make a decision on the 1996 petrol undertakings. [139356]
  106W
  Dr. Howells
  The Director General of Fair Trading has provided advice on whether the 1996 petrol undertakings should be removed, retained or amended. His advice is being given careful consideration and a decision will be announced in due course.

  Plutonium
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what United Kingdom-origin plutonium(a) has been and (b) is planned to be manufactured in Belgium into lead test assemblies for customers in the United States of America. [138983]

  Mrs. Liddell
  There is no indication from the information available to the Department that United Kingdom-origin plutonium has been used to manufacture lead test assemblies in Belgium for customers in the United States. There are also no plans to do this in the future.

  Odometers
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to make the clocking of motor vehicle odometers a criminal offence. [138808]

  Dr. Howells
  It is not a criminal offence to alter the mileage shown on an odometer where this is done for legitimate reasons—such as mileage correction where a new odometer has to be fitted to a vehicle. However it is an offence to sell or to offer for sale in the course of a business a vehicle with a false mileage reading. The key to stamping out illegal practice in this area is to provide prospective purchasers and enforcement authorities with more reliable information about the true mileage of second-hand vehicles. The Government intend to do this by making the recording of mileage on vehicle registration documents and on vehicle licence applications mandatory and by introducing a system for recording vehicle mileage during MoT tests. This will complement an industry initiative to record mileage at the time that vehicles are serviced.

  False Trade References
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to introduce legislation to make the giving of false trade references a criminal offence. [138809]

  Dr. Howells
  I have no plans for such legislation. It would already be a criminal offence under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 for a trader knowingly or recklessly to mislead by misdescribing goods or services.

  Consumer Protection
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to ensure that advertising standards to protect consumers are applied to internet retailing on the same basis as they are to other forms of retail business. [138842]

  Dr. Howells
  The 1988 Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations and the 1968 Trade Descriptions Act already apply to internet advertising in the same way that they apply to other forms of advertising. It is therefore illegal to apply a false or misleading description to goods or services advertised on
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  the internet and the Director General of Fair Trading can seek an injunction to prevent the continued publication of a misleading advertisement on the internet. The Advertising Standards Authority is also able to rule on complaints about internet advertisements, and the Committee of Advertising Practice—the industry body which writes the British Codes of Advertising Practice and Sales Promotion—recently launched its admark scheme which will enable browsers to identify advertisements placed by advertisers who have agreed to comply with the Codes of Practice and to be bound by the ASA' s rulings.

  Fireworks
  Dr. Whitehead
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions his Department has held with the firework industry concerning the opening of shops dedicated solely to the sale of fireworks. [139143]

  Dr. Howells
  My Department has not held such discussions. However, we held full discussions with the fireworks industry over the nature and content of this year's firework safety campaign. We will be meeting with the industry again in December as part of the evaluation of that campaign.

  MOX (Sellafield)
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of BNFL's business prospects for the Sellafield MOX plant since he was informed of the falsification of MOX data. [139287]

  Mrs. Liddell
  It is for BNFL to demonstrate that there remains a market for MOX manufactured by BNFL and that the economic case for operation of the Sellafield MOX Plant is sound. I am aware that BNFL is engaged in discussions with customers in both Europe and Japan on the supply of MOX to be manufactured at the plant.

  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the damaged MOX fuel assemblier manufactured by BNFL which is in the possession of the Swiss nuclear company NOK will be re-imported to the UK; and if NOK is seeking compensation from BNFL. [139400]

  Mrs. Liddell
  These are matters for the companies concerned. I understand that NOK and BNFL are currently carrying out an investigation to identify what caused the failure of certain fuel rods contained in MOX assembliers manufactured at BNFL's MOX demonstration facility.

  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the MOX fuel assemblier manufactured by BNFL which are in the possession of the German nuclear company Pruessen Electra will be re-imported to the UK; and if Pruessen Electra is seeking compensation from BNFL. [139399]

  Mrs. Liddell
  These are matters for the companies concerned. I understand that BNFL is engaged in discussions with E.On (which incorporates Preussen Electra) on a way forward on these matters.

  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken to ensure that the Sellafield MOX plant will be capable of producing 108W
  MOX to meet the specification of its prospective customers, should an authorisation for full operation be granted. [139293]

  Mrs. Liddell
  The quality control measures necessary to ensure that fuel manufactured at the Sellafield MOX Plant meets the required specification are matters for agreement between BNFL and its customers. As part of the process of restoring confidence, BNFL will want to demonstrate clearly to customers—and the wider public—that the manufacturing process and quality control arrangements at the plant are rigorous and satisfactory.

  Miners Pension Rights
  Mr. Eric Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on progress in reinstating pension rights for those miners sacked as a result of the 1984 industrial dispute. [139094]

  Mrs. Liddell
  In May I circulated a consultation document concerning the issue of dismissals by British Coal in the course of the 1984–85 miners dispute. In the absence of evidence that dismissed men had been deprived of any pension rights to which they had been entitled prior to their dismissal, the document made proposals aimed at addressing injustices which might have occurred at that time while endeavouring not to re-open old wounds or create new anomalies.

  The consultation exercise elicited some starkly conflicting views, and I am in the process of considering how these might be reconciled and the matter satisfactorily resolved.

  Digital Radio
  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the changeover period from analogue to digital radio will vary according to regions; and what special factors affect East Anglia. [139579]

  Ms Hewitt
  There are no plans as yet in place for the timing of changeover from analogue to digital radio. Among the factors that we will need to consider, before changeover, will be the take up and coverage of digital radio. Although circumstances in each region may influence the exact pattern of migration from analogue to digital radio, I am not aware of any special factors affecting East Anglia.

  Research Council
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the outcome of the Research Council held in Brussels on 16 November; and if he will make a statement. [139508]

  Ms Hewitt
  I am pleased to report that the Council of 16 November:Received presentations from the Commission on its recent Innovation and European Research Area Communications, and after an exchange of views adopted a Resolution which endorses the approach outlined in the latter.
  Adopted a Resolution on the Commission Communication "Europe and Space: turning to a new chapter".
  Approved a negotiating mandate for the Commission, on a legal entity for the construction of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), subject to any future decision to build one.

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  Discussed the links between Science and Society.
  Under Other Business, the Council received information from the Presidency on a mechanism for independent scientific advice to the European Institutions, policy for a European approach to therapeutic trials concerning AIDS, and Alpha Galileo, an internet-based press centre for European science, engineering and technology.

  World Commission on Dams
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the World Commission on Dams report published on 16 November. [139488]

  Mr. Caborn
  The Government welcome the aim of the report by the World Commission on Dams to provide guidance internationally on the role which dam construction and operation should play in sustainable development. We are carefully studying the report and will be discussing the conclusions with colleagues in other interested Departments (the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, and the Department for International Development).

  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment the Government have made of the World Commission on Dams report; and what account will be taken of the report's findings in deciding on granting export credit support for the Ilisu dam. [139519]

  Mr. Caborn
  The Government welcome the aim of Report by the World Commission on Dams to provide guidance internationally on the role which dam construction and operation should play in sustainable development. We are carefully studying the report and will be discussing the conclusions with colleagues in other interested Departments (the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, and the Department of International Development).

  No decision has been taken on Ilisu. ECGD support will not be given unless my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry is fully satisfied on the four conditions he has set on resettlement; water quality; preservation of the water supply to Syria and Iraq at all times; and preservation of the architectural heritage.

  All of these conditions reflect the Department's concerns about sustainable development which are addressed in the report of the World Commission on Dams.

  Overseas Trade Fairs
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the overseas trade fairs, seminars and outward missions to be supported by his Department in the year 1 April 2001 to 31 March 2002. [139830]

  Mr. Caborn
  Details of a £20 million Trade Partners UK programme of support for participating in overseas trade fairs, seminars and missions, in the form of lists of supported groups, will be placed in the Library of the House. Organisations that bid for support have already been informed.
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HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Expenditure (Parliamentary Estate)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Chairman of the Finance and Services Committee what the total expenditure was on(a) refurbishment and (b) new works and maintenance on the parliamentary estate, indicating the main items of expenditure, for each of the last two years. [139323]

  Mr. Stuart Bell
  Expenditure on Works services is categorised as Capital (new works and refurbishment) and Current (planned preventative maintenance and day to day expenditure). In the last two years approximate total expenditure has been as follows:

  £ million

  1998–99

  Capital

  14

  Current

  8

  1999–2000

  Capital

  19

  Current

  6

  In each of the last two years, the main items of expenditure were the Refreshment Department modernisation scheme, the installation of the PDVN and associated works on automatic fire detection, telephone cabling, electrical rewiring, asbestos removal, fire compartmentation, stone restoration, air conditioning and restoration of Committee Rooms, lift refurbishment and roof repairs. In 1999–2000 the Grand Committee Room was converted for sittings at Westminster Hall and planning began for the restoration of Norman Shaw South. The figures exclude the cost of Portcullis House.

  Library Staff
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, if the Commission will increase the complement of staff in the Library [139158]

  Mr. Kirkwood
  [holding answer 20 November 2000]: Numbers of staff in departments of the House are no longer controlled centrally by staff complements. Budgets for staff costs, based upon the business plans prepared by departments, are approved each year by the Commission as part of the Estimates cycle. Once the budgets have been set, authority is delegated to departments to vary the grade levels and the total number of posts, within the limit of the budget.

  As a result of this year's three-year planning exercise the Library will receive funding for modest increases in permanent staffing this year and next. The Library is, of course, free to make a new submission for consideration in next year's planning exercise.

  Temporary Secretarial Allowance
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the President of the Council, what progress she has made in reforming temporary secretarial allowance; and if she will make a statement. [139795]

  Mrs. Beckett
  The temporary secretarial allowance has been reformed to make it more flexible, after representations from a number of hon. Members. The
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  Speaker has approved the new arrangements. The Fees Office is writing to all hon. Members with details of the modifications.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Volunteers
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will mark next year's International Year of Volunteers by spending a day working as a volunteer. [137431]

  Clare Short
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department on 13 November 2000,Official Report, column 531W.

  Volunteers both in this country and overseas make tremendous contribution to international development. I admire the dedication of the many thousands of people who give their time and skills in this way. I will consider my hon. Friend's suggestion.

  Malawi
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of Malawi's requirement for teaching staff in the next four years; and how she expects that need to be met. [137943]

  Mr. Foulkes
  There are about 40,000 primary teachers in Malawi. 50,000 teachers are needed for an average ratio of one teacher per 60 pupils. We recently approved a seven-year programme which includes a teacher education component training 6,000 new teachers per year; though, because of high attrition rates (particularly through HIV/AIDS), it will take several years to reach the target. Malawi is also exploring the scope for increased efficiency through ideas such as multi-grade teaching.

  Palestinian Education
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on those schools within the Occupied Territories which have been closed or unable to operate(a) because of Israeli military order or curfew and (b) because they are located in areas which are not safe for children or employees. [138711]

  Mr. Foulkes
  We understand that the Palestine Authority closed its schools for security reasons, but that most of them re-opened on 7 October. Where circumstances have prevented them from re-opening, contingency arrangements have been put in place to enable teachers and pupils, wherever possible, to attend other schools in their locality.

  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development when the International Consultation Workshop on Palestinian Education originally planned for 30 and 31 October will take place. [138714]

  Mr. Foulkes
  The International Consultation Workshop on Palestinian Education has had to be postponed because of security concerns in the West Bank 112W
  and Gaza Strip. The Palestinian Ministry of Education plan to reschedule it as soon as circumstances allow and the safety of all participants can be guaranteed.

  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what proportion of the aid from Her Majesty's Government to Palestinian education and schools in each of the last six years has been spent on schools in Hebron and Hawara. [138712]

  Mr. Foulkes
  Britain has provided no direct assistance to schools in Hawara and Hebron in the last six years. We have provided technical assistance to the Palestinian Authority to build capacity in Ministry of Education, districts and schools to help them deliver high quality education to Palestinian children. Our assistance has taken the form of experts, training and some equipment.

  Military Equipment
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will list the occasions since 1996 in which the provision of aid has been associated with the sale of military equipment to the aided country. [138528]

  Clare Short
  The sale of British military equipment has not been associated with the provision of UK aid since 3 May 1997.

  Colombia (EU Aid)
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what projects the EU Aid package for Colombia will be spent on. [139660]

  Mr. Foulkes
  The European Union has not yet finalised its plans for the disbursement of its aid to Colombia. I understand an EU team is in Colombia at the moment considering this question and that the matter will be discussed by representatives of member states on 24 November.

  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development to whom the European Union aid to Colombia will be disbursed; and what mechanisms have been put in place to ensure the continued involvement of, and consultation with, Colombian civil society in building the conditions for peace. [138667]

  Mr. Foulkes
  The European Union has not yet finalised its plans for the disbursement of its aid to Colombia. I understand an EU team is in Colombia at the moment considering this question and that the matter will be discussed by representatives of member states on 24 November.

  The involvement of civil society was initially a concern to donors but the Colombian Government has now accepted the need for consultation and played a full part in the civil society conference in Costa Rica last month. Representatives of civil society were invited to the meeting in London in June that initiated a series of meetings between donors and the Colombian Government on Plan Colombia and other proposals for assisting the peace process. Civil society representatives were present at the meetings in Madrid and Bogota and will also attend the meeting in Brussels in March.
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PRIME MINISTER

  Special Advisers
  Mrs. Lawrence
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to increase the numbers of Special Advisers working for assembly secretaries in the National Assembly for Wales. [139833]

  The Prime Minister
  The number of Special Advisers that can be appointed to provide advice to assembly secretaries in the National Assembly for Wales has been increased from four to six. An amendment has been made to the Civil Service Order in Council.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Paramilitary Offences
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many paramilitary offences have been committed since the signing of the Belfast Agreement, broken down by offences, and which were attributable to Republican and Loyalist groups. [138866]

  Mr. Ingram
  The following table shows the number of security incidents recorded by the Royal Ulster Constabulary during the period 10 April 1998 to 31 October 2000.

  Number

  Deaths1

  By Loyalists

  22

  By Republicans

  38

  other

  1

  Bombings incidents2>

  278

  Shooting incidents3

  528

  Casualties as a result of paramilitary style attacks4 Shootings:

  By Loyalists

  149

  By Republications

  87

  Assaults:

  By Loyalists

  223

  By Republicans

  129

  1Includes all deaths due to the security situation

  2An individual bombing incident may involve one or more explosive devices. Incidents recorded include explosions and defusings. Incidents involving Hoax devices, petrol bombs or incendiaries are excluded. It is not possible to attribute all bombing and shooting incidents

  3 The following types of incidents are included: shots fired by terrorists shots fired by the security forces paramilitary-style attacks involving shootings shots heard (and later confirmed) other violent incidents where shots are fired (eg armed robbery)

  4Year 2000 statistics are provisional and may be subject to minor adjustment

  Prison Service
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Bedford (Mr. Hall) of 28 July 2000,Official Report, column 1005W, when he expects to receive the new Framework Document from the Northern Ireland Prison Service; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [139726]
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  Mr. Ingram
  It is planned to publish the Northern Ireland Prison Service Framework Document in December 2000. A copy will be placed in the Library.

  RUC (Overseas Service)
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many officers of the Royal Ulster Constabulary(a) have served in Kosovo and (b) are currently serving in Kosovo; and if he will make a statement. [139525]

  Mr. Ingram
  Sixty officers from the Royal Ulster Constabulary have recently completed a one-year term with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo where they have been undertaking an executive policing role pending a new Kosovan police service being trained and ready to take over law enforcement there. In addition, six officers served with the body recovery teams from April to November 2000. Sixty-two officers from the RUC are currently serving in Kosovo; 23 from the original group and 39 deployed during November 2000.

  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many officers of the Royal Ulster Constabulary(a) have served in Bosnia Herzegovina and (b) are serving in Bosnia Herzegovina; and if he will make a statement. [139526]

  Mr. Ingram
  A total of seven officers from the Royal Ulster Constabulary have served with the United Nations International Police Task Force in Bosnia monitoring the Number performance of the Bosnian police service; four during the period April 1999 to April 2000 and three from October 1999 to October 2000. There are currently five officers serving in Bosnia with a further four officers to be deployed in April 2001.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Lyneburn Travellers Site
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what consideration he gave to calling in the planning application made by Northumberland County Council to itself for the relocation of the Lyneburn travellers site, Lynemouth, Northumberland, to Lyneburn Cottage, Lynemouth; and what plans he has to seek the revocation of planning permission for this development. [138818]

  Mr. Raynsford
  The Northumberland County Council's Planning and Regulation Committee have determined an application by their Environment Directorate on 5 September 2000 for the development of an 11 pitch gypsy site at Lyneburn Cottage, Lynemouth. However, the application and local concerns about it did not come to the attention of the Government Office for the North East until shortly after that date. It was thus too late for the Secretary of State to consider whether or not to intervene by calling-in the application for his own determination.
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  The Government Office has since had correspondence with three local parish councils on the subject. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is in general reluctant to intervene in matters for which a local planning authority is properly responsible, unless they raise issues of more than local importance. His policy continues to be very selective about the applications he would call-in for his determination. My predecessor gave examples of such cases to the House in a written answer on 16 June 1999, Official Report, column 138W, which is now included as Annex 5 to the recent DETR Circular 5/2000.

  As the right hon. Member is aware from a previous case, with which I know he is very familiar, the Secretary of State would also not wish to intervene once a local decision has been taken unless the issues raised were of national importance. An example would be where the authority's decision appeared to be grossly wrong. Although I understand some local concerns about cases where a local planning authority is determining a planning application from another part of the council, this is common practice and is subject to strict regulations and rules of propriety. From the information currently available, this case does not appear to be one in which the Secretary of State should be seeking revocation of the planning permission that the county council has granted.

  Countryside Agency (Funding)
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how much money was allocated to the Countryside Agency last year; and how much of this money was spent on(a) transport, (b) community development, (c) planning, (d) social exclusion, (e) economic regeneration and enterprise, (f) access and (g) special areas; [139064]

  (2) and the Regions how much of the money allocated to the Countryside Agency for use on rural transport schemes has been spent; [139031]

  (3) what proportion of the total budget for the Countryside Agency went to each of its regional offices in the last financial year; [139033]

  (4) what the staff costs were of the Countryside Agency in the last financial year. [139032]

  Mr. Mullin
  The Countryside Agency was allocated £48.735 million last financial year(1999–2000). Programme expenditure was as follows:

  £million

  (a) Transport

  3.579

  (b) Community development

  5.051

  (c) Planning

  0.341

  (d) Social exclusion

  0.263

  (e) Economic regeneration and enterprise

  0.471

  (f) Access

  4.692

  (g) Special areas

  3.758

  A further £1.336 million has been spent on rural transport schemes this year, with £2.26 million spent in 1998–99 by the former Rural Development Commission.

  The staff costs for the Agency in the last financial year totalled £9.871 million.
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  Of the total budget allocated to regions in the last financial year, expenditure per region in percentage terms was as follows:

  Percentage

  North East

  12

  North West

  13

  Yorkshire and the Humber

  12

  East Midlands

  8

  West Midlands

  10

  East of England

  11

  South East and London

  18

  South West

  16

  Integrated Transport Policy
  Mr. McWalter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what account his integrated transport policy takes of the ease of transfer between use of cars and railways; and if he will make a statement. [138894]

  Mr. Hill
  Both our integrated transport White Paper published in 1998, and Transport 2010—The 10 Year Plan, published in July 2000, recognise the importance of improving interchange between different modes of transport. The 10 Year Plan includes among its target outcomes (paragraph 6.62)"better integration and co-ordination between transport modes through local transport plans and improved interchanges".

  One of the three statutory purposes of the Strategic Rail Authority will be to contribute to the development of an integrated transport system. Meanwhile, the Franchising Director has made it clear that proposals for franchise replacement should improve the "whole journey" experience from door to door, and reduce perceived barriers to switching from car to public transport.

  The 10 Year Plan also recognises the importance of well designed and located, safe and secure park and ride facilities which can be linked to both light and heavy rail services and sets out the need to develop longer distance schemes, such as "parkways" linked to rail services.

  Our guidance to authorities on local transport plans stressed the role of interchange as well as the development of local strategies for improving interchange between passenger rail and other modes.

  Non-powered Craft
  Mr. Gareth R. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what further action he is taking to improve access to water for non-powered craft.[1390031]

  Mr. Mullin
  Following discussion with interested organisations earlier this year, I announced last month that the Government would be undertaking research to establish the current state of access to water for sport and recreation in England and Wales.

  The research is being jointly funded by my Department, Sport England, the Environment Agency, British Waterways, the Countryside Agency and the Countryside Council for Wales. An Inter-Departmental Group including the sponsors, the National Assembly for Wales,

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  the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport will oversee the research. Interested organisations will also be involved.

  The Government will decide what further action, if any, is needed to improve access for non-powered watercraft in the light of the findings of the research, expected towards the end of next year.

  Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list the locations where methyl tertiary butyl ether has been detected in groundwater as a result of the study into oxygenate occurrence; [138848]

  (2) pursuant to his answer of 6 June 2000, Official Report, column 192W, on methyl tertiary butyl ether, what the outcome was of the draft risk assessment, and if he will make a statement; [138849]

  (3) when the study into the incidence of methyl tertiary butyl ether in groundwater will be complete; and if he will publish its findings. [138847]

  Mr. Mullin
  The Environment Agency expects to publish their report on oxygenate occurrence later this week. I have deposited an advance copy in the Library of the House. The report was carried out to review the presence and behaviour of MTBE in England and Wales. It does not contain a definitive list of all sites where MTBE has been detected in groundwater, but provides supporting statistics and tables, and concludes that current usage does not pose a major threat to public water supplies.

  Finland is to resubmit the draft risk assessment for further discussion by EU technical experts in December 2000 and for consideration by the EU Competent Authorities for existing substances in February 2000. Final agreement on the risk assessment, and, if necessary, any proposals for risk reduction are not expected to be published before the end of 2001. The draft conclusions do not indicate any significant risk of adverse effects for human health or the environment from current levels of exposure to MTBE; but there is concern about the implications of taste and odour of MTBE at low levels.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent discussions he has held with operators of the Channel Tunnel about the carriage of motor vehicles powered by LPG. [139335]

  Mr. Hill
  Eurotunnel' s original applications for operating certificates excluded the carriage of LPG and dual-fuelled vehicles. At one of its regular meetings with the Channel Tunnel Intergovernmental Commission in September, the company confirmed that it is keeping its policy on the carriage of these vehicles under review. Eurotunnel will need the agreement of the Intergovernmental Commission, acting on the advice of the independent Channel Tunnel Safety Authority, before it can extend the scope of its services to include these vehicles.
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  Rail Track
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much the Government will receive in divided payments arising from its 0.2 per cent. equity stake in Railtrack. [139141]

  Mr. Hill
  Dividend payments will amount to just under £300,000 in the current financial year.

  Ancient Woodlands
  Mr. Gareth R. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what further action he is taking to protect ancient woodlands. [139260]

  Mr. Mullin
  The planning system continues to take account of ancient woodlands and the habitats they provide for a wide range of flora and fauna. PPG9 on nature conservation is to be revised once the Countryside and Rights of Way Bill receives Royal Assent. Recommendations on how best to replace the existing advice on trees and woods contained in Circular 36–78 will be made as part of the work of the Forestry Forum chaired by my hon. Friend the Minister for Fisheries and the Countryside.

  Starter Homes Initiative (Key Workers)
  Dr. Stoate
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has for the introduction of the Starter Homes Initiative for key workers into north-west Kent. [139458]

  Mr. Mullin
  We announced in July that £250 million would be available over the next three years to fund the Starter Home Initiative. We will be announcing further details of the scheme and inviting bids for funding, in the near future.

  GoVia
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the South Central rail franchise will be handed over by Connex to GoVia. [139422]

  Mr. Hill
  A new franchise agreement will be signed with GoVia once detailed negotiations and funding plans have been developed and terms have been agreed between them and Connex Transport UK Ltd. for the early transfer of the existing South Central franchise.

  Legal Advisers
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many legal advisers are employed by his Department; and how many of those advise on matters relating to animals. [138921]

  Mr. Mullin
  The number of legal advisers employed by the Department is 84. None of the Department's lawyers advises exclusively on matters relating to animals, although the protection of endangered species and legislation relating to zoos are among the matters on which they do advise.
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  Rail Fares
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what powers the Rail Regulator has in relation to fare increases by train operating companies. [139522]

  Mr. Hill
  The Franchising Director regulates fare increases through the franchise agreements he has with train operating companies. Train operators are not allowed to increase key fares by more than RPI-1 per cent. annually. This includes all saver tickets (or unrestricted Standard Returns where no Saver exists) and standard Weekly Season tickets. Further controls apply to London commuter fares, where the cap can be adjusted by £2 per cent. depending upon performance. The Rail Regulator does have powers under the Competition Act 1998 to investigate train operators where he has reasonable grounds to believe that they are charging excessive prices.

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make representations to the Rail Regulator concerning the decision by First Great Western to prohibit saver fares from being used by commuters. [139521]

  Mr. Hill
  Franchise agreements stipulate that saver tickets need not be valid before 1030 on weekdays, nor for any journey beginning between 1500 and 1900 on certain flows from London, in line with the restrictions which existed under British Rail. It is a matter for train operating companies to decide whether or not to offer saver tickets in peak hours.

  Grants
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what his policy is on the level of renovation grant aid available to individual householders; [139688]

  (2) what support is available to residents of park homes with specific reference to (a) home repairs assistance and (b) disabled facilities grant. [139689]

  Mr. Mullin
  Renovation grants, which are given at the discretion of local authorities, are calculated on the basis of the cost of the relevant works and the amount the applicant can afford to contribute. They have no upper limit. There is a limit of £0,000 for disabled facilities grants, which are mandatory, but local authorities have discretion to pay more. Home repair assistance, which is available for smaller works, is limited to £2,000 per grant.

  Residents of park homes are eligible for renovation grants, home repair assistance and disabled facilities grants if they meet the other criteria for the grants. The grants are available to both owners and tenants but, for a renovation grant or disabled facilities grant, the owner of the dwelling must also own the land on which it is stationed. Where a grant is not available, the local authority has the option of assisting in other ways, for example by offering a tenancy in its own housing or nomination to a registered social landlord.

  The Housing Green Paper, which we published in April, contained proposals to reform the legislation governing renovation grants and home repair assistance. We will announce shortly how we propose to proceed with those reforms.
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  Local Government Officers
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with the Local Government Association on the subject of early retirement for local government officers. [139695]

  Ms Armstrong
  The Department's officials work closely with a wide range of interested parties on all aspects of the Local Government Pension Scheme. They are in regular touch with the Local Government Association on the subject of early retirement for local government officers, and on pension matters generally.

  European Structural Funds (North-west)
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the timing of decisions concerning ERDF Objective 2 funding for the North-west for 2000 to 2006. [138649]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The North-west region will receive Structural Fund moneys through a number of channels. The bulk of these will be delivered through the Objective 2 Single Programming Document. This document is still the subject of negotiation between the Government Office for the North-west and the European Commission.

  It is difficult to predict the precise time that the negotiations will be completed. The document is then the subject of consideration by the Commission's internal services committee, a process taking about four weeks. It is currently anticipated that the document will be presented to either the January or February committees for approval.

  Pedestrian Crossing Accidents
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many(a) fatal accidents and (b) serious injuries have occurred on pelican and zebra crossings in each of the last 20 years. [139605]

  Mr. Hill
  The numbers of pedestrians killed and seriously injured on pelican and zebra crossings in Great Britain is shown in the table:

  Casualties on a zebra or pelican crossing, refuge or central island

  Fatal

  Serious

  1980

  115

  1,064

  1981

  96

  996

  1982

  110

  1,156

  1983

  112

  1,087

  1984

  92

  1,114

  1985

  92

  1,146

  1986

  122

  1,192

  1987

  93

  1,011

  1988

  103

  1,114

  1989

  87

  1,039

  1990

  97

  1,079

  1991

  102

  902

  1992

  80

  895

  1993

  74

  763

  1994

  73

  766

  1995

  49

  721

  1996

  71

  707

  1997

  60

  742

  1998

  51

  664

  1999

  53

  572

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  In some cases a fatal accident may have resulted in more than one casualty and the table shows the total number of fatalities rather than accidents. Only pedestrian casualties have been included in these figures.

  Lead Piping
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many homes are connected to the domestic water supply system by lead piping in each region of the UK. [139608]

  Mr. Mullin
  Detailed estimates of the number of homes connected by lead piping were made in 1991–92 in England and Wales. The information is presented in the following table where:communication pipe is the pipe connecting the water main to the stopcock at the boundary of the property and is owned by the water company,
  supply pipe is the pipe from the stopcock to the property and is owned by the property owner,
  internal plumbing is the pipe within the property to the kitchen tap which is owned by the property owner.

  Number of homes with lead

  Millions

  Region

  Communication pipe

  Supply pipe

  Internal plumbing

  North West

  1.75

  1.67

  2.09

  North East

  1.43

  1.44

  1.40

  Midlands

  1.50

  1.60

  1.60

  East

  0.49

  0.48

  0.15

  Wales

  0.33

  0.45

  0.23

  South West

  0.40

  0.37

  0.35

  South East

  0.43

  0.42

  0.38

  South

  1.92

  2.49

  0.82

  Total

  8.25

  8.92

  7.02

  Since 1991–92, approximately 0.8 million lead communication pipes have been replaced by water companies in England and Wales. Information is not available on the number of supply pipes and internal pipes replaced by property owners.

  Drinking Water (Nitrate Contamination)
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many homes in the UK have been affected by nitrate contamination in drinking water by region of the UK in each of the last 10 years. [139607]

  Mr. Mullin
  The information is not available in the form requested. Since 1990 the Drinking Water Inspectorate has published annually information relating to compliance with drinking water quality standards in England and Wales, including the nitrate standard of 50 milligrams per litre. The available information is summarised in the following table:

  Year

  Number of tests for nitrate

  Number of tests failing nitrate standard

  1990

  40,509

  1,117

  1991

  41,430

  1,170

  1992

  45,031

  852

  1993

  41,031

  364

  1994

  38,433

  318

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  Year

  Number of tests for nitrate

  Number of tests failing nitrate standard

  1995

  33,607

  142

  1996

  33,570

  43

  1997

  30,403

  13

  1998

  30,620

  14

  1999

  30,722

  17

  Between 1990 and 1996, water companies completed major programmes of treatment to reduce nitrate concentrations in drinking water supplies in response to enforcement action taken by the Drinking Water Inspectorate. Failures to meet the nitrate standard are now very rare. The Inspectorate continues to take enforcement action when failures recur in a particular supply.

  Area Cost Adjustment (Kent)
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received from Kent County Council with respect to the area cost adjustment for 2001–02. [139439]

  Ms Armstrong
  We have received a representation from the political leaders of the three main parties on Kent County Council and two from officials of the council.

  Representations have also been received from Tonbridge and Mailing Shire District, Medway Town Unitary Authority as well as from seven Kent MPs.

  UK/US Air Services
  Barbara Follett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what conclusions he has reached on the application of the sum of sectors pricing policy on UK/US air services. [139832]

  Mr. Mullin
  The 'sum of sectors' policy, which was agreed by the UK and the US in 1978, covers transatlantic air fares for journeys which include one or more additional domestic sectors. It provides that the total fare must be no lower than the sum of the published fares for all the sectors flown on that journey. The policy was adopted to reduce the advantage that US airlines enjoy as a result of the exclusion of UK carriers from the US domestic market. Such an advantage, if it had been allowed to persist, could have resulted in even more passengers connecting at US gateways being channelled onto US carriers for the transatlantic sector.

  In October, British Midland sought to offer promotional fares from UK regional points to the US via Manchester which breached the sum of sectors policy. These fares were automatically disallowed by the CAA. However, following advice from the CAA, we decided that the operation of this 22-year-old policy needed to be reassessed. In particular, he wished to be satisfied that the right balance existed between the need to protect UK carriers from unfair competition and the need to promote healthy competition which would bring benefits to consumers and to the regions.

  We have concluded that the policy should no longer be applied to transatlantic journeys serving UK regional points. Such a change of policy would mean that journeys from a range of 'behind' points to points in the US via

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  regional UK gateways would no longer need to cost the sum of the fares of the two individual sectors. The effect will be to encourage keener competition on transatlantic routes to and from UK regional points, with the prospect of lower transatlantic fares and commensurate benefits for the regions.

  In arriving at this conclusion, we have had regard to the advice of the CAA, the industry and those hon. Members who have written to us on the subject. Whereas we recognise that there is no consensus, we are satisfied that the consumer benefits are sufficient to warrant this change in policy.

  My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Transport has therefore written today to Rodney Slater, the US Secretary for Transportation, commending this policy change to him.

  Given the potential consumer benefits and the even-handed application of the policy as between UK and US carriers, and while the US is considering our proposal, we have asked the CAA not to intervene on tariff filings by carriers of either side for services to UK regional points if they contravene the `sum of sectors' policy.

  Negative Subsidy Authorities
  Mr. Rammell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he plans to make an announcement on the arrangements for transitional measures for negative subsidy authorities; and if he will make a statement on the impact of these measures on Harlow. [139837]

  Mr. Mullin
  "Negative subsidy" authorities are those that have been transferring resources from their Housing Revenue Account (HRA) to their general fund under section 80(2) of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 ("LGHA 1989"). From April 2001, when the Major Repairs Allowance (MRA) is paid for the first time, these authorities will generally make a much smaller transfer, as they will be eligible for more HRA subsidy than without the MRA, and in many cases the transfer will end.

  Authorities have a number of options to compensate for the reduction in the transfer from their HRA: in principle they could reduce the cost of services charged to their general fund, or fund them in the short term from reserves, or increase their council tax. It is a matter for the authority concerned as to how it adapts to this change in the income of their general fund. However, as I announced earlier this year, we intended to provide transitional measures for these authorities to allow them time to adjust to their new financial position. We sought views on the form for these transitional measures in a consultation paper "A New Financial Framework for Local Authority Housing: Resource Accounting in the Housing Revenue Account, Transitional Measures for 'Negative Subsidy' Authorities" issued in August 2000. We have given careful consideration to the responses received.

  We do not intend that authorities should be forced to make transfers from their HRA to their general fund under the transitional measures. We take the view that it is a matter for local decision as to whether to leave resources in the HRA, where they can be used to support the housing service, or to transfer them under the transitional measures to the general fund to support other services. An
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  authority will be free to adopt a different policy on applying for transitional measures in each year for which measures are available, if it so chooses.

  We intend to provide transitional measures that will allow authorities that were in "negative subsidy" in the financial year 1999–2000, for a period of no more than 10 years, to transfer extra resources from their HRA to their general fund in addition to any transfer required by section 80(2). There will be an upper limit as to the amount that can be transferred in each year during that period, in addition to any transfer under section 80(2). Authorities wishing to take advantage of these transitional measures will need to apply each year to the Secretary of State for a special determination to allow a transfer under the terms of the transitional measures.

  We would expect to give that approval for transfers, other than any transfers under section 80(2), and make the special determinations at any time after the making of the HRA subsidy determination for the financial year in question but before the final decision under section 80A of the LGHA 1989 as to the amount of HRA subsidy payable for that financial year. We will, of course, consider representations from authorities as to the amount to be transferred in respect of any financial year. But, other than in very exceptional circumstances, we expect to adopt the following approach to calculate the maximum amount an authority may transfer each year.

  The maximum period for any authority for which transitional measures will be available will be 10 years. Transitional measures will be available to many authorities only for a shorter period. The first year in which authorities can benefit from these transitional measures will be 2001–02.

  The maximum amount that an authority will be allowed to transfer each year under the transitional measures will depend on a 'base amount' for each authority, and will be reduced year by year, by a fixed step reduction, from this `base amount'.

  The base amount' for each authority will be equal to the amount of the transfer under section 80(2) from their HRA to their general fund in respect of financial year 1999–2000. The step reduction in the amount of the maximum transfer under transitional measures for each authority will be the larger of:
  either an amount equal to the additional amount that would be raised from an increase of £10 in Band D council tax (and equivalent increases in the other Bands) based on the authority's council tax base for 1999–2000;
  or one tenth of the base amount so that after ten years the amount of the transfer under the transitional measures will be nil.

  The maximum amount any authority could apply to transfer under the transitional measures in 2001–02 will be the 'base amount' less one step reduction, less any transfer the authority will make under section 80(2). The maximum amount in year two will be the 'base amount' less two step reductions, less any transfer under section 80(2), and so on. In each year an authority must also make any transfer required under section 80(2).

  Where an authority which makes a transfer under the transitional measures in year one, makes no such transfer in year two, and in year three applies to make a further transfer, the maximum amount the authority will be

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  allowed to transfer in year three will be the 'base amount', less any transfer under section 80(2), less the three step reductions.

  Calculations are based on the position in 1999–2000 as that is the latest year for which audited data will be available in the immediate future.

  The amount of the maximum transfer the authority could apply to make under transitional measures, and period of the transitional measures may be reduced if there is a significant improvement in an authority's financial position, in respect of either their HRA or their general fund, as a result of some other factor, or if the size of the authority's stock changes by 10 per cent. or 3,000 properties from their 1999–2000 figure. In any event, we would not expect to agree to transitional measures, in addition to any section 80(2) transfer, if their effect would be to increase the total transfer from the HRA to the general fund above a limit calculated as the amount of the transfer in 1999–2000 less the annual step reductions for that authority.

  In due course, and subject to parliamentary approval, we intend to repeal section 80(2) and end the requirement in statute to make such transfers from the HRA to the general fund. Until then section 80(2) will continue to apply and will determine the minimum size of any transfer.

  We do not yet have audited accounts for Harlow so there will remain some uncertainty at the margin as to the effect of the transitional measures until the figures are confirmed. However we expect that:

  Harlow will be allocated an MRA of £6.6 million in 2001–02 and equivalent amounts will continue to be allocated in subsequent years, subject to retaining stock at the current level.

  In 1999–2000 Harlow transferred about £3.5 million from their HRA to their general fund. In the absence of transitional measures that transfer would cease from April 2001 and Harlow would (in the absence of other changes to the subsidy system) also have retained about £2.8 million of new resources in their HRA.

  Harlow will benefit from transitional measures for 10 years and so can continue to make a transfer for that period under the measures from their HRA to their general fund.

  Their annual step reduction in the transfer would be about £350,000. That is equal to the additional amount that would be raised from an increase of about £12–£14 in Band D council tax based on their council tax base for 1999–2000.

  Cleaner Vehicles Task Force
  Mr. Ivan Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will publish the Government's response to the final report of the Cleaner Vehicles Task Force. [139898]

  Mr. Hill
  My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister has announced the publication of the Government's response to the final report of the Cleaner Vehicles Task Force, which contains further measures to improve air quality and reduce carbon dioxide emissions,126W
  including £69 million funding to accelerate the take-up of cleaner fuels and cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicles. Copies have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Packaging Waste
  Laura Moffatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what changes he plans to make to the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations 1997 for 2001; and if he will make a statement. [139899]

  Mr. Meacher
  The Government are proposing to make two changes and have laid before Parliament the draft "Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) (Amendment) (England and Wales) Regulations 2000" which are subject to the affirmative resolution procedure.

  The first targets to be met under the EC Directive on Packaging and Packaging Waste fall due in 2001. The recovery and recycling obligations placed on producers under the Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging Waste) Regulations (`the Regulations') are to enable the UK to meet its obligations under the Packaging Waste Directive, in particular, to meet the recovery and recycling targets—that is at least 50 per cent. of packaging waste to be recovered, at least 25 per cent. recycled and 15 per cent. of each packaging material recycled.

  The recovery carried out in the first three quarters of this year suggests that we are on course to make further progress in 2000 towards the directive targets and I am placing a copy of a "Note on 2000 Packaging Data" in the Library of the House.

  The Government published a consultation paper in August 2000 on targets for 2001 and proposed, on the basis of the data available at the time, and taking account of estimates for the additional tonnages which were expected to be obligated in 2001, that there should be a recovery target of 58 per cent. and a material-specific recycling target of 18 per cent. for each material.

  However, because there are now more recent data available from industry, my Department has reviewed all the figures that were used to inform the development of the targets in the consultation paper. The revised figures suggest that a recovery target of 56 per cent., together with a material-specific recycling target of 18 per cent., would allow the UK to discharge its targets under the Packaging Waste Directive, and these are the targets which I am proposing, subject to parliamentary approval. These targets are expected to achieve recovery of 51 per cent. against the 50 per cent. target. We estimate that a cushion of 1 per cent. (which is around 96,000 tonnes) should be sufficient, provided that the underlying data and assumptions are broadly correct. I think it is only prudent to provide a small safety margin to allow for error in the Department's assessment of the additional tonnages which have to be brought within the scope of obligated packaging by 2001 and also to take account of the possibility that the tonnage reported by the smaller businesses (with turnover between £2 million and £5 million) who were obligated for the first time this year may decrease in their second year of obligation, as their figures improve, as was the case with the data provided by the larger (turnover over £5 million) businesses in their second year of obligation.
  127W
  The national targets for next year need to be seen as leading on to higher targets and they need to be high enough to sustain a tighter PRN market and avoid a repeat of the imbalance between supply and demand of reprocessing capacity that has recently prevailed.

  In the responses to the consultation paper on targets for 2001 a number of comments were made about the UK system. I will be discussing these with the Advisory Committee on Packaging and will be considering with them what issues need to be looked at once the targets for 2001 have been met and once we know the outcome of the review of the packaging directive next year.

  The Government is also proposing to change the mechanism according to which the registration fee paid each year by members of compliance schemes is determined. I am proposing to replace the previous sliding-scale system with a flat fee of £460 per scheme member per year, regardless of the size of the compliance scheme. The flat fee more accurately reflects the enforcing authorities' monitoring costs and takes account of concerns about a system that was perceived by most compliance schemes to be unfair and anti-competitive. I believe that a registration fee based on an equal-for-all principle will provide for competition between schemes on the grounds of their performance and operational efficiency, rather than on the grounds of a regulatory fee differential.

  Business Tenancies
  Ms Rosie Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what proposals he has to reform legislation on business tenancies. [139901]

  Mr. Raynsford
  We propose shortly to consult on use of the order-making procedure in the draft Regulatory Reform Bill to implement a number of detailed improvements to the workings of business tenancies legislation.

  Part II of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 gives business tenants, in most circumstances, a statutory right to renew their leases. We do not propose to change this, but we wish to improve the workings of the Act to ensure that it operates more efficiently in the interests of both landlords and tenants. Many of our proposals stem from the Law Commission's 1992 review of the workings of the Act.

  Among the proposals are changes in the arrangements under which parties may mutually agree to exclude security of tenure before the lease comes into effect. The Law Commission considered that the present procedure of applying to the court serves little purpose, and we are instead proposing that in most cases tenants should receive advance notice with a "health warning" drawing attention to the implications of excluding security of tenure. The tenant would have time to take professional advice and consider alternative arrangements.

  Our proposals would also streamline the renewal process, making it simpler and quicker for tenants to renew their leases. They would remove traps for tenants, generally making the system fairer between the parties. Tenants as well as landlords would be able to apply for
  128W
  interim rent, pending settlement on the rent for the new tenancy; while the method for determining interim rent would be fairer.

  We are also about to issue a consultation paper on section 57 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954. This enables certain landlords of business premises who are in the public sector or who are public sector providers to apply to central Government for certificates which they can then use to circumvent or curtail the renewal of a business tenancy. The consultation paper seeks views on a change of policy by my Department in considering applications for certificates, and on options for repeal bearing in mind the facility for parties to agree to exclude security of tenure from business leases.

  Both the Deregulation Committee here and the Delegated Powers and Deregulation Committee in the Lords have approved the principle of advance consultation on prospective use of the powers in the Regulatory Reform Bill.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Departmental Employees (New Deal)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff his Department employs under the New Deal for Young People. [137954]

  Mr. Hain
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office on 13 November 2000,Official Report, columns 551–52W.

  European Ombudsman
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the special report from the European Ombudsman to the European Parliament on the Code of Good Administrative Practice (OI/1/98/OV). [138167]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Government strongly support the work of the Ombudsman and good administrative practices throughout all EU institutions.

  Occupied Territories
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many schools in the Occupied Territories have been(a) closed and (b) unable to operate (i) because of Israeli military order or curfew and (ii) because they are located in areas which are not safe for children or employees. [138708]

  Mr. Hain
  I understand that a total of 41 schools (serving over 20,000 pupils) in the Occupied Territories were closed either because of Israeli military order or curfew or by the Palestinian Authority for safety reasons.

  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many schools in the West Bank and Gaza have been hit by Israeli army(a) shelling and (b) shooting. [138710]
  129W
  Mr. Hain
  I understand that 16 schools in the West Bank and Gaza have been hit by Israeli Defence Force fire.

  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received about when the Israeli Government proposes to lift the curfew on the Palestinians of Hebron and Hawara. [138706]

  Mr. Hain
  There is still a curfew in Hebron and Hawara. The curfew is lifted occasionally (approximately every 3–4 days) for 4–5 hours, usually in the morning.

  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many schools in Hebron and Hawara have been(a) closed and (b) unable to operate because of the curfew imposed by the Israeli Government. [138707]

  Mr. Hain
  I understand that four schools in Hawara and 28 schools in Hebron were closed for 45 days because of the Israeli-imposed curfew. The schools opened on 12 November but were closed again when the curfew was re-imposed on 14 November.

  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many schools in Hebron have been taken over by the Israeli Defence Force for use as military bases. [138709]

  Mr. Hain
  I understand that the Israeli Defence Force took over four schools in Hebron for use as army posts.

  Non-war Graves
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list by diplomatic mission the sums disbursed on non-war graves on behalf of the Government in 1999. [138802]

  Mr. Hain
  There was no expenditure on non-war graves on behalf of the Government in 1999.

  Yugoslavia
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to his answer of 8 November 2000,Official Report, column 279W, what assistance is to be given to help re-build the bombed Danube bridges in Yugoslavia. [138772]

  Mr. Vaz
  One permanent road bridge has been reconstructed by the Yugoslav authorities at Novi Sad together with a temporary road/rail crossing and a temporary pontoon bridge. The UK will be meeting the costs of laying a water pipeline across the new permanent road bridge. The current EC priority is to provide urgent humanitarian assistance to the FRY, focusing on energy needs, medicine and food. Large scale civil engineering projects such as the reconstruction of further bridges at Novi Sad will be considered within the context of the medium term investment required for infrastructure in Serbia. The International Financial Institutions and private sector investors are likely to play important roles in this regard.

  Khat
  Mr. Bill O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British 130W
  subjects are being held in custody abroad for handling Khat, broken down by age and countries holding them; and if he will make a statement. [138826]

  Mr. Hain
  We are aware of eight British nationals detained overseas (all in the USA) for possession of Khat:

  Four in Atlanta—(ages 18, 22, 37, 40)

  Three in Houston—(ages 19, 19, 46) One in

  Chicago—(age 52).

  FCO travel advice warns that Khat is illegal in the USA and that visitors attempting to take it into the country risk imprisonment.

  Iraq
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the UN Sanctions Committee is holding back 2.25 billion dollars of humanitarian goods destined for Iraq; and if some of these holds pertained to critical items. [138767]

  Mr. Hain
  While the number and value of oil for food contracts placed on hold by the UN Iraq Sanctions Committee changes daily, in early November the value of contracts placed on hold was about $2.2 billion, of which $0.3 billion of contracts were on hold at UK request. At the same time, Iraqi bureaucracy was reported to be holding back the delivery of $1.1 billion worth of goods already approved by the Sanctions Committee. Where we place holds on contracts we do so mostly temporarily, because of concerns about the goods possible use in Iraq's Weapons of Mass Destruction programmes or because of a lack of (often basic) information about goods which might be of concern.

  Since the oil for food programme began in December 1996, almost $16 billion worth of contracts have been approved, including $8.1 billion of food, $1.4 billion of health and $1.1 billion of oil spare parts. Through Security Council resolutions we have introduced a fast-track system for contracts in key humanitarian and infrastructure sectors. To date more than $2 billion worth of goods have been processed in this way.

  Croatia (EU Arms Embargo)
  Maria Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the lifting of the EU arms embargo against Croatia. [139836]

  Mr. Hain
  European Foreign Ministers agreed at the General Affairs Council on 20 November that the EU arms embargo against Croatia should be lifted with immediate effect.

  This is in recognition of Croatia's continuing progress towards implementing her Dayton responsibilities. These include the removal of discriminatory legislation against Croatian Serbs and assistance in war affected areas, the adoption of legislation encouraging refugee return, the establishment of a transparent relationship with the HVO (Bosnian Croat army) in Bosnia and civilian oversight of the Defence Ministry. Croatia joined Partnership for Peace in May 2000 and will soon begin negotiations with the EU on a Stabilization and Association Agreement.
  131W
  On 20 November, the Council of the EU adopted a new Common Position amending 96/184/CFSP so that Croatia is no longer subject to the EU arms embargo against States of the Former Yugoslavia. Applications for licences to export defence equipment to Croatia will be considered on a case by case basis against the consolidated EU Code of Conduct and national arms export licensing criteria.

  EU Intergovernmental Conference
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of the provisions and amendments, by reference to each clause and article, set out in Chapter 7 of the Progress report on the IGC (Confer 4790/00) with particular reference to(a) removal of the veto or emergency brake mechanism, (b) the general principles, (c) the specific rules for cooperation under Title V of the EU Treaty and (d) the application of qualified majority in respect of (i) Article 40(2) and (ii) Titles V and VI of the Treaty on European Unity. [138563]

  Mr. Vaz
  Discussion continues on the proposed new enhanced co-operation arrangements. As the Prime Minister said in Warsaw, efficient decision-making in an enlarged EU will mean more enhanced co-operation. The Government are therefore open to amending the Treaty provisions provided that enhanced co-operation is open to all and does not undermine the single market.

  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make a statement by reference to each article on his policy in respect of the provisions and proposed amendments set out in(a) Chapter 1, (b) Chapter 2, (c) Chapter 5, (d) Chapter 6, (e) Chapter 8 and (f) Chapter 9 of the Progress report (Confer 4790/00); [138565]

  (2) if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of (a) Chapter 3 and (b) Chapter 4 of the Progress report on the IGC (Confer 4790/00), indicating in each case the meaning of the phrase for the record; [138566]

  (3) if he will make a statement on his policy in respect of those issues which are under discussion in the IGC and are not included in the Progress report on the IGC (Confer 4790/00). [138564]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Government have made their policy clear on all the main IGC issues in the White Paper laid before the House on 15 February and on numerous occasions since then, most recently in their response to the Foreign Affairs Committee's Report on the IGC, which was published as a Command Paper on 27 October. I refer the hon. Member to these.

  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make a statement on proposals in the Progress report on the IGC on Institutional Reform relating to(a) prevention of fraud in the field of taxation, (b) excise duties, (c) financial assistance for natural disasters, (d) the co-ordination of social protection among member states, (e) intellectual property, (f) social exclusion and (g) EU cultural policies; [138652]

  (2) if he will make a statement on proposals in the Progress report on the IGC on Institutional Reform relating to (a) the appointment of a CFSP special representative, (b) students and (c) turnover tax. [138653]
  132W
  Mr. Vaz
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood), on 30 October 2000,Official Report, column 238W.

  EU Publicity Campaign
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the cost to date of the public campaign to explain the benefits of the European Union. [138650]

  Mr. Vaz
  Since the launch of the "Your Britain, Your Europe" information initiative in November last year, we have spent almost –171,000. This covers the cost of visits to 22 towns and cities across UK, an open day at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in May to mark Europe Day, and other events and publications.

  Strategic Export Controls
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to respond to the Quadripartite Committee's report on "Strategic Exports Controls: Further Report and Parliamentary Prior Scrutiny", HC 467 of session 1999–2000, published on 25 July. [139524]

  Mr. Hain
  We are in the final stages of inter-departmental consultations on the Government's Response to the Quadripartite Committee's report on "Strategic Export Controls: Further Report and Parliamentary Prior Scrutiny", and expect to publish it soon.

  Child Abduction
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the countries which have acceded to The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of Child Abduction but whose accession has not yet been declared as accepted by the Government under Article 38; what are the dates of the accession to the Convention of each of these countries; and for which of these countries it is his intention to make a declaration of acceptance in due course. [139012]

  Mr. Hain
  Currently, 31 countries have ratified The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. Another 33 countries have acceded to the Convention. The UK has not recognised the accessions of countries. These are:

  Belarus (acceded on 1 April 1998)

  Brazil (acceded on 1 January 2000)

  Costa Rica (acceded on 1 February 1999)

  Fiji (acceded on 1 June 1999)

  Moldova (acceded on 1 July 1998)

  Paraguay (acceded on 1 August 1998)

  Trinidad and Tobago (acceded on 1 September 2000)

  Uruguay (acceded on 1 February 2000)

  Uzbekistan (acceded on 1 August 1999).

  The UK's recognition of Fiji's accession will be placed on the next Statutory Instruments as we have completed a review and are satisfied that they can meet their obligations under the Convention.

  We take our own obligations under the Hague Convention very seriously and will only recognise the accession of states whom we are confident can implement

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  the Convention effectively and efficiently. We are not planning to recognise the accession of any new states (apart from Fiji) to the Convention until the 4th Special Commission to review the Convention, which will take place in The Hague from 22–28 March 2001.

  One of the issues which is to be discussed at the Commission is membership criteria for future member states. This will address the suitability of candidates and whether they have the appropriate structures in place to meet all of their obligations under the Convention. We plan to apply the criteria consistently to future members, and to those states whose accession we have not yet recognised.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  IT Training
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many students qualified for(a) computer literacy and information technology—CLAIT and (b) European computerised driving licence—ECDL—in each of the past three years; and what are the comparable qualification rates in other European Union countries. [138343]

  Mr. Wicks
  [holding answer 15 November 2000]: The information requested is not held centrally in the Department because these qualifications are not currently regulated by the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. In the future, once accreditation of vocationally related qualifications by the QCA is complete, it should become available. Comparison figures in other EU countries are not available.

  School Inspections
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what guidance is being provided for inspectors on indicators of race equality in schools; [138876]

  (2) what steps he is taking to ensure that school inspectors who are required to inspect provision for English as an additional language are given appropriate training; [138878]

  (3) if he will make it his policy to ensure that racial awareness training is mandatory for all school inspectors; and if he will make a statement. [138877]

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

  Learning Accounts
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many individual learning accounts have been taken out; and what percentage are being supplemented by an employer. [139051]

  Mr. Wicks
  Over 430,000 Individual Learning Accounts (ILAs) have been opened to date. Information on employer contributions is not collected routinely but 134W
  information will be available as part of the evaluation strategy. Initial results, through a survey of ILA holders, will be available in the spring.

  Sixth Forms
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list those local education authorities which have(a) funded, (b) partially funded and (c) not funded the cost to schools with sixth forms of implementing the new sixth form curriculum. [139070]

  Mr. Wicks
  [holding answer 17 November 2000]: £35 million was provided within the education SSA for 2000–01 for this purpose. Details of the way in which individual LEA funding formulae distributed this sum to schools are not collected centrally.

  Co-financing Organisations
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will publish the timetable for the creation of co-financing organisations; and if he will make a statement. [139124]

  Ms Jowell
  Our consultation document "The European Social Fund: proposals for co-financing in England" proposes that Government Offices should be able to start channelling ESF money through co-financing organisations (CFOs) from 1 September 2001 onwards, once the latter are ready to start operating as CFOs. We shall consider carefully partners' views on that proposal before publishing a firm timetable.

  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the effects of co-financing organisations on the distribution of ESGF Objective 3 grants to small specialist training providers. [139128]

  Ms Jowell
  The Objective 3 operational programme for 2000–06 sets out the planned spending by policy field and the indicative financial allocations for each measure. The introduction of co-financing will not affect those spending plans or indicative allocations. We expect that voluntary and community-sector providers will often be well placed to secure ESF money, because they are close to local communities and able to deliver innovative programmes. We expect co-financing to be of great benefit to all providers, and especially those in the voluntary and community sectors.

  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will publish the terms of reference and remits for the proposed co-financing organisations that will take over the administration of the UK ESF Objective 3 programme. [139129]

  Ms Jowell
  We do not envisage that co-financing organisations (CFOs) will take over all that administration. Rather, our consultation document "The European Social Fund: proposals for co-financing in England" proposes that prospective CFOs would apply to the Government Office and regional Programme Monitoring Committee for ESF funding. Such applications would be assessed in line with criteria that the Government Office would set out. CFOs would channel both ESF money and the required match funding to providers in a single funding stream. We are seeking the views of partner organisations on how CFOs might best carry out that role.
  135W
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what his policy is on recognising non statutory, not for profit organisations as co-financing organisations for the distribution of ESF Objective 3. [139130]

  Ms Jowell
  The consultation document "The European Social Fund: proposals for co-financing in England" proposes criteria that Government Offices and regional Programme Monitoring Committees would use to decide whether a body should become a co-financing organisation (CFO). The criteria will need to be fair and clear, to remain appropriate over time, and to promote consistency in decision-making within and between regions. We shall consider partners' views on the proposed criteria carefully.

  Special Educational Needs
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the arrangements for the inspection of special educational needs in mainstream schools and special schools, with particular reference to(a) the specific focus on these issues at an inspection, (b) the specific expertise of the inspectors and (c) their ability to evaluate diagnostic as well as remedial factors among the pupils. [139169]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  This is a matter for HM Chief Inspector of Schools, Chris Woodhead. I have asked him to write to the hon. Member and to place a copy of his letter in the Library.

  New Deal (Monmouth)
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many people in the Monmouth constituency are on the New Deal(a) for young people and (b) for 50 plus. [139275]

  Ms Jowell
  Latest figures show that in the Monmouth constituency 89 young people were on the New Deal at the end of August 2000. We cannot currently provide the figures requested for New Deal 50 plus, as these are available only nationally and at a regional level.

  British Educational Communications and Technology Agency
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to announce the quinquennial review of the British Educational Communications and Technology Agency. [139835]

  Mr. Wills
  In accordance with the Government's policy of conducting quinquennial reviews of all non-departmental public bodies, my Department, in conjunction with the Department of Education in Northern Ireland, the National Assembly for Wales and the Scottish Executive, is today beginning a review of the British 136W
  Educational Communications and Technology Agency (Becta). Following Cabinet Office guidelines, the terms of reference for the first stage of the review will be:
  to review the role and functions of Becta as outlined in its remit letter, the efficiency and effectiveness with which they have been carried out and how these functions contribute to the delivery of wider DfEE and Government objectives;
  to consider the likely need for these functions in the future and whether there is a need for any reduction or expansion in the functions undertaken by Becta;
  to consider what Becta's customers and other interested parties think about its role, performance and responsiveness to their needs;
  to consider whether continued NDPB status is the best way of delivering these functions or whether some, or all, of the functions could be delivered more efficiently and effectively within an alternative organisational framework, including by another private, public or voluntary body or otherwise within Government; and
  to consider the powers, remit, objectives and status of Becta and the membership and role of the Board.

  We should welcome comments on those matters to be covered by the review from all those with an interest in the work of Becta. Comments, which may be made public unless respondents specifically request otherwise, should be sent by 29 January 2001 to:

  Angela Archer

  Department for Education and Employment

  Level 3C

  Caxton House

  6–12 Tothill Street

  London SW IH 9NA

  Or by e-mail to:

  Becta.REVIEW@dfee.gov.uk

  We have asked that this first stage of the review should be completed by the end of March 2001.

  Class Sizes (Leicestershire)
  Mr. Reed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to ensure that Leicestershire LEA meets his target that no infant is taught in a class size of 30 or more by September 2001. [137058]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  [pursuant to her reply, 9 November 2000, c. 360W]: I gave a figure of "nearly £4 million", which should have read "£5 million". I am happy to make this clarification.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  BSE
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the Government will apply the recommendations of the BSE Inquiry to its regulation of cattle product imports. [139641]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  The Government are studying all of the BSE Inquiry team's findings with care and our substantive response to their report will be published in the coming months. I will provide the House with an update on progress before the end of the year.
  137W
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his response to the Phillips report as it relates to the procedures for specified bovine offal removal, for(a) knackers' yards and (b) hunt kennels. [137248]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 7 November 2000]: The Government are studying all of the BSE Inquiry team's findings with care and our substantive response to their report will be published in the coming months. I will provide the House with an update on progress before the end of the year.

  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made since 26 October of the potential health hazards associated with buried carcases of BSE-positive animals. [136093]

  Ms Quin
  We have considered the BSE Inquiry findings in this area, none of which indicate that there is any need to reconsider the safety of the BSE carcases which were buried between 1988 and 1991.

  No BSE suspects have been disposed of by landfilling since 1991 when sufficient carcase incineration capacity came on stream to process the number of cases arising at that time.

  The Environment Agency has regulatory responsibility for supervising the safe operation of landfill sites. The Agency monitors ground water quality in the vicinity of licensed landfill sites as a check for any leachate contamination. Following their assumption of responsibility in this area in 1996, the Agency carried out detailed assessments of all the sites concerned, and a quantitative assessment to be typical of those sites that appeared to be most vulnerable. The results showed potential risks from the landfilling that took place to be extremely low.

  SEAC had previously advised that in relation to landfill sites where BSE suspects were buried it was unlikely that leachate would pose a significant problem, but that such sites should be appropriately engineered and managed to minimise leachate migration.

  Shellfish
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent assessment he has made of future trends in employment in the shellfish industry in England and Wales. [138494]

  Mr. Morley
  We have not made any assessment of this kind. We do, however, work through the Fisheries Conservation Group to develop conservation measures to help ensure the long-term future of the shellfish sector.

  Floods
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the shortfall in the(a) numbers and (b) availability of sandbags during the November floods which could have been used to positive effect. [138546]

  Mr. Morley
  No such estimates have been made, although around 2 million sandbags have so far been deployed. While I am aware that supplies did come under pressure in some areas, the current indications are that their availability has generally been adequate. This is 138W
  encouraging given the large-scale flooding we have witnessed. The humble sandbag has played a vital role in reinforcing existing defences.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action was taken to retain water running off the mountains and hills near the source of the River Severn above the main settlements on that river. [138558]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 16 November 2000]: At present, the only way of retaining water running off the mountains near the source of the river Severn is by utilising the storage capacity in Clywedog Reservoir, situated near Llanidloes.

  The reservoir is managed by the Environment Agency and is principally for regulating flows in the River Severn. There are statutory controls which require the lowering of water levels to reduce the risk of flooding locally. However, the geographic location of the reservoir means that any flood protection benefit of retaining water is limited to settlements close to the reservoir. There are little or no similar benefits to other settlements further downstream.

  I understand that, prior to the flooding in October and in common with practice over recent years, the Agency managed water levels in the reservoir so that they were below that which is statutorily required, so helping to maximise its storage potential. Given the very large flows of water run off from recent exceptional weather, options to retain it are very limited.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the Environment Agency's estimate is of the cost of protecting all the homes flooded in the last month from future flooding. [138557]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 16 November 2000]: The Government's aim is to alleviate the risk of flooding. It is not possible always to guarantee full protection. Once the flood waters have subsided enough for them to assess the situation fully, the Environment Agency will be able to estimate the cost of necessary and justifiable flood alleviation schemes.

  Abattoirs
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many abattoirs have closed since 6 June. [137567]

  Ms Stuart
  I have been asked to reply.

  Abattoirs producing meat for sale for human consumption must be licensed in order to operate. Since 6 June 2000, 10 abattoirs producing red meat and three abattoirs producing white meat in England, and one abattoir producing red meat in Scotland, had their licences revoked because they had ceased to operate. No licences were revoked in Wales or Northern Ireland.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  New Millennium Experience Company
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list those contracts
  139W
  entered into by the New Millennium Experience Company which (a) did and (b) did not comply with public procurement procedures. [134493]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  [holding answer 26 October 2000]: No. That information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Since February 1997, the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) has entered into contracts with about 4,500 suppliers, contractors and service providers. Furthermore, NMEC is a public corporation for which compliance with formal public procurement procedures, that derive from EC law, is in principle voluntary. In practice, however, the company has chosen to comply with those EC rules, where they would otherwise apply, in seeking value for money in accordance with the Government's procurement guidelines.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Tyrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his answer of 5 June 2000,Official Report, column 97W, on special advisers, if he will list the destination and the total cost, including travel, accommodation and subsistence allowance, on each of the occasions when departmental or non-departmental special advisers travelled abroad in an official capacity. [135243]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  During the period 31 March 1999 to 31 March 2000, special advisers in this Department travelled on official business to Hong Kong and China, to the United States of America and Canada, to Rome and to Paris (twice) at an average cost of £2,460.

  Departmental Policies
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will set out, including statistical information relating as directly as possible to the constituency, the effect on the Manchester, Gorton constituency, of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [136149]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  The only available statistical information broken down by parliamentary constituency is that relating to the National Lottery, Millennium Award Winners, the New Opportunities Fund and English Heritage. Manchester, Gorton has received £4,142,999 from the National Lottery since 2 May 1997 (nearly five times as much as the period prior to May 1997). Twenty-one Millennium Award winners have been identified from Gorton and between them they have received grants totalling £76,817.

  Schools in the Gorton constituency have benefited from more than £295,000 from the New Opportunities Fund (NOF) ICT Training for Teachers and Librarians programme, which improves staff ICT skills within the classroom to attain higher pupil standards. English Heritage (EH) contributed £15,000 towards the development of a conservation and feasibility study for the future development of the Monastery of St. Francis, Gorton (Grade II* building at risk) in August 1997. The study formed a major part of the Monastery of St. Francis Gorton's Trust application to the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF). This year the HLF made an offer of £2.77 million to the Trust. They required funding to work up and submit their final proposals to HLF. EH contributed £20,000 towards funding of development of their proposals.
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  Greater Manchester

  Greater Manchester has received £286,552,685 from the National Lottery since 2 May 1997. Major projects include £21,869,600 for Manchester Commonwealth 50 Pool; Diving Pool; Main Pool and Training Pool and an additional £17,110,250 for the Royal Exchange (which received £2,747,000 in March 1997).

  There are of course other initiatives in the wider context of Manchester which will have an effect on the Gorton constituency. These are:
  The "Space for Sport and the Arts" scheme has targeted nearly £7 million at local education authorities in the Manchester area, which should lead to the creation of some 15 new facilities for sport and the arts for use by primary schools and the community. Half of the total (£3.5 million) is for the Manchester LEA which covers the Gorton constituency area.
  Just over a mile away the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games stadium is being built. Under DCMS' policy to encourage major and international events £112 million of Lottery funds have been made available to develop facilities. A volunteer programme will be launched, which will recruit 15,000 local people to help in all aspects of the Games, including a large number in the opening and closing ceremonies. There will be a positive effort to ensure that residents of disadvantaged areas, the unemployed, young people aged 16–24 and ethnic minority communities are made aware of the opportunities and actively encouraged to participate.
  Free entry for children from April 1999 and pensioners from April 2001 to the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry.
  National Foundation for Youth Music Awards—£58,000 for Band on the Wall which promotes live music, specialising in jazz and will run a two-year series of composition and performance programmes for 13 to 18-year-olds in a variety of venues in Manchester, Salford, Tameside and Trafford including at the Bridgewater Hall, Contact Theatre and Lowry. £59,800 to the Halle Concerts Society. The Education Programme of the Halle Orchestra wants to provide young people aged 8-18 with the opportunity to play music in a group on a regular basis using the Halle's Javanese Gamelan and traditional orchestral instruments.
  The North West Arts Board received an additional £9,766,313 from the Arts Council this year to support arts and cultural activity across the region.
  Gorton constituents may benefit from the New Opportunities Fund Living with Cancer programme which has awarded more than £10 million to hospitals in the Northwest for new and replacement cancer equipment. Christie Hospital and Manchester University Hospital (NHS Trusts) have benefited from state of the art equipment to improve access to new and existing provision for patients suspected of being diagnosed with cancer, in line with nationally defined standards.

  Climate Change
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what strategic measures he is taking to allow for environmental changes induced by climate change. [137182]

  Janet Anderson
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Environment on 13 November 2000,Official Report, columns 469–70W.

  Free Television Licences
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will estimate the cost of providing free television licences for retired people over the ages of(a) 70 years and (b) 65 years. [138523]
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  Janet Anderson
  The estimated cost of providing free television licences for everyone aged 70 years or over is £529 million a year, and providing free television licences for everyone aged 65 years or over would cost an estimated £714 million a year, excluding administrative costs in both cases. Estimating the cost of providing free licences only to people who are retired is subject to the difficulty of defining who is "retired". For example, someone may have retired from their main occupation but may still be in employment, such as part-time work. The costs have therefore been estimated for all people in the relevant age groups, irrespective of their employment status.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many pensioners will benefit from free television licences(a) nationally and (b) in Coventry South in 2000. [139080]

  Janet Anderson
  Television licences cover households rather than individuals. The estimated number of households in the United Kingdom currently entitled to the free television licence for the over-75s is 3.6 million. 2.8 million applications have been received to date. In addition, approximately 500,000 eligible households are beneficiaries of the £5 Accommodation for Residential Care scheme and will benefit from the free licence when their current licence is renewed. TV Licensing, which administers this concession for the BBC as Licensing Authority, is not able to provide geographical breakdowns of the number of free licences issued. However, estimates of the over-75 population based on the 1991 Census indicate that there were approximately 6,400 people aged 75 or over in the Coventry, South constituency.

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if residents of sheltered housing who are aged 75 years or above and who have hitherto paid £5 per year in television licence are entitled to free TV licences under his concessionary scheme for the over-75s; and if he will make a statement. [139062]

  Janet Anderson
  Yes. The directions issued by the Secretary of State to introduce this concession have the effect that on the issue or renewal of an Accommodation for Residential Care licence, no fee will be payable in respect of residents who are aged 75 or over.

  National Centre for Popular Music
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the future of the National Centre for Popular Music. [139029]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The National Centre for Popular Music is currently undertaking a major redevelopment plan, working with local, regional and national partners to secure and develop the long-term viability of the organisation. A meeting is to be held with key stakeholders to establish the future of the organisation.

  Sports Tourism
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what further recommendations he has made to incorporate sport into Britain's tourism industry more effectively. [139069]
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  Janet Anderson
  Earlier this year the Minister for Sport and I presided over the launch of the British Tourist Authority's sports tourism strategy. This strategy sets out how the BTA will work with key partners such as Sport England to attract overseas visitors to the UK to participate in and to watch sport. The BTA has since taken forward a number of initiatives, including the launch of a new sports tourism website as part of its participation in the important international World Travel Market Exhibition at Earl's Court earlier this month. In addition, the BTA is due to launch its new UK sports tourism map in Paris in January 2001.

  I am also delighted that £150,000 has been allocated from the Single Regeneration Budget for marketing the 2002 Commonwealth Games. This will give the whole North-West region a tremendous boost.

  Spoliation
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his answer of 13 November 2000,Official Report, column 448W, when he expects to receive responses from the individuals whom he is consulting; and what the timetable is for any subsequent actions. [138835]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  While some responses have already been received, I am awaiting a reply from others who have indicated that I can expect to hear from them relatively shortly. I wish to consider all responses before deciding upon a course of action and the subsequent timetable will ensure that the need to proceed swiftly is balanced by our responsibility to consult widely.

  Accommodation Grading Scheme
  Mrs. Betty Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made since December 1999 towards a unified accommodation grading scheme for the whole of the UK. [139268]

  Janet Anderson
  Responsibility for tourism policy, including accommodation grading, in the other countries of the United Kingdom now rests with the devolved Administrations. In England a number of new voluntary schemes have been successfully introduced over the last 15 months following extensive research into visitor expectations. Our key priority is to ensure that these schemes, which cover hotels and guest accommodation, holiday parks and self-catering accommodation, make a noticeable impact on increasing accommodation quality.

  Since December 1999, we have not made any significant progress towards a unified accommodation grading scheme for the whole of the UK. The hotels and guest accommodation scheme applies across the UK for establishments inspected by the AA and RAC, which inspect to exactly the same standards as the English Tourism Council in Englandthe other national tourist boards each operate different schemes and in Northern Ireland tourism accommodation is subject to statutory regulation (but voluntary classification). The holiday parks scheme was jointly developed by all four countries and has identical standards across the UK and so represents some progress towards a unified approach. The self-catering scheme in England is also broadly similar to those in Scotland and Wales.
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  Ministers have previously looked at the possibility of moving towards a UK-wide accommodation grading scheme but there was no straightforward solution. My own initial discussions confirmed that but I am more than willing to discuss the matter again with my counterparts in Scotland and Wales, should they so wish.

  Royal Opera House
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he expects a new executive director to be appointed to the Royal Opera House. [139308]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  [holding answer 20 November 2000]: When the current selection process has been completed, which I understand will be before the end of the year.

  Digital Radio
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he has taken to secure a switchover from analogue to digital radio. [139040]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 20 November 2000]: The Government have not yet set out a framework to secure the switchover to digital radio, which is still at a relatively early stage of development. We shall keep this issue under review as further digital radio services are rolled out across the UK.

  TV Regulation
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has for further regulation of sex and violence on television. [139471]

  Janet Anderson
  Under the United Kingdom's arrangements for broadcasting, it is the responsibility of the broadcasting regulators and broadcasters to set and enforce standards. In doing so, they maintain guidelines for programme makers on the standards to be observed. This guidance draws on research into public attitudes and includes advice on the portrayal of sex and violence in programmes. The future of the regulation of electronic communications, including broadcasting, is being considered in a White Paper to be published later this year.

TREASURY

  Euro
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the impact on the UK's economy of the trading performance of the euro. [138654]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The November pre-Budget Report (Cm 4917) contains the Chancellor's latest economic forecast of the UK economy, including discussion of the impact of recent currency developments on trade (pages 158–159).
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  EU Financial Regulator
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on proposals for an EU-wide financial regulator. [138651]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  There are no such proposals.

  Capital Gains Indexation
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 9 November 2000,Official Report, column 342W, on capital gains indexation, if he will estimate the yield from reintroducing indexation and abolishing the taper for the next five financial years, assuming that asset values are constant in real terms; and if he will make a statement. [139079]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The estimated yields, consistent with the November 2000 pre-Budget Report, are unchanged from those given in my answer on 9 November.

  Empty Properties
  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate he has made of the number of houses which have been empty for 10 years or more and which would qualify for his proposals on VAT; [138223]

  (2) pursuant to this pre-Budget report, what method he will use to determine the number of properties that have been empty for 10 years; [138614]

  (3) pursuant to this pre-Budget report, how many properties that have been empty for 10 years will be eligible for VAT reduction. [138613]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 13 November 2000]: The proposed adjustment to the scope of the VAT zero-rate for the sale of refurbished previously vacant dwellings would affect dwellings which, having been continuously vacant since a time between 1973 and 1990, are refurbished and sold after April 2001. Reliable estimates of the number of dwellings in the UK which have been continuously vacant over this period are not available.

  IBM UK
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many contracts the Government holds with IBM UK; and what is their cumulative value. [138496]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  Individual departments and agencies are responsible for letting contracts for the goods and services they require. The management of Government IT Projects, including the development of a cross-departmental analysis of contracts is being addressed by the Office of Government Commerce, which commenced operations on 1 April 2000.

  Computerised Printing Presses
  Mr. Pearson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on defining the expected working life of computerised printing presses for capital allowance purposes; and if he will make a statement. [138766]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Inland Revenue published guidance on the interpretation of the long-life asset rules in Tax Bulletin Issue 30 (August 1997).
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SOCIAL SECURITY

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average time delay for payment of Housing Benefit for each local authority in England and Wales. [139604]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information requested is not available.

  State Pension
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to Cm 4917, what estimate he has made of total spending on the basic state pension for each of the four financial years from 2000–01 onwards; and if he will make a statement. [138458]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is in the table.

  Estimated expenditure on the basic state pension each of the four financial years from 2000–01 onwards

  £ million

  2000–01

  33,866

  2001–02

  36,413

  2002–03

  38,208

  2003–04

  39,640

  Income Support
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are receiving Income Support amounting to (i) £1 to £50, (ii) £50 to £100, (iii) £100 to £150, (iv) £150 to £200, (v) £200 to £300, (vi) £300 to £400, (vii) £400 to £500 and (viii) £500 and over per week. [139116]

  Mr. Bayley
  Such information as is available is in the table.

  Income Support claimants by weekly amount of benefit, May 2000

  Thousand

  Amount

  Number of claimants

  All cases

  3,810.5

  Under £1

  3.9

  £1 to under £50

  1,432.7

  £50 to under £100

  1,737.8

  £100 to under £150

  474.5

  £150 to under £200

  103.6

  £200 to under £300

  53.9

  £300 to under £400

  4.0

  Notes:

  1. Figures have been rounded to the nearest hundred and quoted in thousands.

  2. Based on 5 per cent. sample therefore subject to sampling error.

  3. There are insufficient numbers of cases in the sample to make a reliable estimate of the number of people receiving Income Support of more than £400 per week although a small number of such cases do occur.

  Source:

  Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry, May 2000

  Pensioner Benefits
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to Cm 4917, what estimate 146W
  he has made of total spending benefits for pensioners for the financial years from 2002–03 and 2003–04; and if he will make a statement. [138459]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is in the table.

  Estimated total spending on benefits for pensioners in 2002–03 and 2003–04

  £ million

  2002–03

  56,789

  2003–04

  59,240

  Notes:

  1. Excludes special needs benefits paid to pensioners such as Attendance Allowance

  2. Figures have been rounded to the nearest million

  Far East Prisoners of War
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he is taking to ensure that those receiving the Far East war prisoners compensation do not lose entitlement to means-tested benefits. [139313]

  Mr. Bayley
  It is our intention that the Far Eastern prisoners of war receiving an ex-gratia payment should receive the full advantage of this payment. We have already announced that we propose to amend the income-related benefit regulations shortly to achieve this.

  Social Fund Commissioner
  Mr. Goggins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has appointed a new Social Fund Commissioner. [139943]

  Mr. Darling
  I am pleased to announce that I have approved Sir Richard Tilt to serve as Social Fund Commissioner for a period of three years from 1 December 2000. Sir Richard was until August of last year Head of the Prison Service where he had worked for 33 years.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Human Rights Act 1998
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much has been spent by his Department on the preparation of court officers in advance of the Human Rights Act 1998; how many court officers(a) had and (b) had not received training by 2 October; and what work the Department has been involved in preparing other Government Departments for the implementation of the Act. [139089]

  Mr. Straw
  The Home Office prompted and helped to co-ordinate public authority preparations for the Human Rights Act in a number of ways. A series of circulars from the Home Office Permanent Secretary helped to keep Departments up to date with Human Rights Act developments, made recommendations as to what Departments should do to prepare for implementation and passed on examples of best practice. Working with the Human Rights Task Force, we produced a range of guidance and information material on the Act for public authorities. And we have established a helpdesk to assist public authorities and the general public with queries about the Act. The Home Office is not responsible for the Court Service, but I understand that prior to 2 October
  147W
  there was a range of awareness raising activities from which all staff in the Court Service and magistrates courts benefited. These included face to face training, cascade training and awareness raising through the use of written material and team briefings. The training was carried out in-house and costs met from existing budgets. A total of £4.5 million has been spent on judicial training for the Human Rights Act.

  EU Harmonisation
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the(a) current and (b) planned contact committees for harmonisation of home affairs matters at EU level. [138090]

  Mrs. Roche
  The Treaty on European Union established the "Article 36 Committee", a co-ordinating committee of senior officials in the field of police co-operation and judicial co-operation in criminal matters. The Committee of Permanent Representatives has also approved, most recently in 1999, a list of working parties and committees in the Justice and Home Affairs sector. In addition, a number of the working parties established by the Permanent Representatives Committee in the General Affairs sector deal with issues with a justice and home affairs dimension. No changes to these committees are planned at present.

  Justice and Home Affairs

  Strategic Committee on Immigration, Frontiers and Asylum (SCIFA)

  Working Party on Migration and Expulsion

  Working Party on Visas

  Asylum Working Party

  (a) Dublin Convention

  (b) Eurodac

  Centre for Information, Discussion and Exchange on Asylum (CIREA) Working Party

  Centre for Information, Discussion and Exchange on the Crossing of Frontiers and Immigration (CIREFI) Working Party

  Working Party on Frontiers (including false documents)

  Committee on Civil Law Matters

  Working Party on Information Systems and Data Protection (excluding the Schengen Information System (SIS))

  SIS Working Party

  Schengen Information System Technical Working Party (SIS-TECH)

  (a) General

  (b) Schengen Information System Network (SISNET)

  Working Party on Police cooperation (including false documents)

  (a) Telecommunications

  (b) Investigative Techniques and Forensic Science

  (c) Exchange of Police Intelligence Europol Working Party

  Working Party on Terrorism

  Working Party on Drug Trafficking

  Customs Co-operation Working Party

  Working Party on Co-operation in Criminal Matters
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  Working Party on Substantive Criminal Law

  Working Party on Collective Evaluation

  Working Party on Schengen Evaluation

  Working Party on the Schengen Acquis

  Multidisciplinary Group on Organised Crime

  Working Party on the European Judicial Network

  Working Party on the Contact and Support Network

  Working Party on Civil Protection

  General Affairs (Horizontal Issues)

  High Level Working Group on Asylum and Migration

  Horizontal Working Party on Drugs

  General Affairs (External Relations)

  Committee for Civilian Aspects of Crisis Management.

  Entry Refusals
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 24 October 2000,Official Report, column 115W, what account he took of (a) the types of criminal offence mentioned by the right hon. Member for Maidstone and the Weald, of 24 May 2000, Official Report, columns 977–78, and (b) the criminal offence of possessing child pornography under section 160 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 in making his decision on amendments to the immigration rules concerned with refusing entry to those convicted of certain criminal offences; what plans he has to refuse entry to persons convicted of the offences mentioned in (a) and (b) above; and if he will make a statement. [136152]

  Mrs. Roche
  Passengers with convictions for paedophilia, dealing in child pornography and Class C drugs are naturally of concern. Under United Kingdom law, the maximum sentence for these offences is less than 10 years, which may lead to concern that such offences do not appear to be covered by the proposed amendments to Immigration Rule 320(18). But if there is reason to consider that any passenger who has such a conviction is a risk to public safety, they can be refused under Rule 320(19) on the grounds that, in the light of their character, conduct or associations, their exclusion from the United Kingdom is conducive to the public good. All cases are considered on individual merit, in the light of all relevant factors prevalent at the time.

  The purpose of the Government's proposed changes to Rule 320(18) is to strengthen the provision by ensuring that it is more consistently and effectively applied. At present, travellers to the United Kingdom are not routinely questioned about criminal convictions, so refusal under Rule 320(18) is currently unlikely, despite the apparently low threshold for offences to which it applies.

  Our proposals will require all travellers to declare any convictions for which they have been imprisoned. No threshold will be specified for offences which should be declared.

  In order to provide clear, workable guidelines for officers working in the pressurised environment of the immigration control, and to focus the power on those offences of most concern to the public, we will apply the mandatory requirement to refuse entry under Rule 320(18) to those offences of most concern to the public. That is why we propose a threshold of offences punishable by a maximum of 10 years imprisonment, or more, or any offences involving violence, violent sexual behaviour or

  149W
  firearms. The current threshold of 12 months covers a very wide range of offences for which a first-time offender may not even receive a custodial sentence. Mandatory refusal could not be justified in all such cases. We believe that it is essential to strike a careful balance between public safety and the need to avoid delays at ports and airports.

  Legal Advisers
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many legal advisers are employed by his Department; and of those how many advise on matters relating to animals. [138913]

  Mr. Straw
  The number of legal advisers currently employed in the Home Office Legal Adviser's Branch is 36 (three of whom work part-time). A team of two lawyers advises on matters relating to animals in addition to advising on other subjects.

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 17 April 2000,Official Report, column 380W, on animal experiments, if he will provide a breakdown of the total yearly Government expenditure on research into alternative methods that do not involve animals, stating (a) which departments (i) carry out and (ii) sponsor such research, (b) how much is spent by each and (c) the type of animal research for which alternatives are sought; and if he will make a statement. [138991]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Further to my previous answer of 17 April 2000,Official Report, column 379W, I repeat that most of the work done on alternatives is neither done by the Government nor with Government money. The budget the Home Office makes available to the Animal Procedures Committee for research into alternatives has, none the less, risen to £265,000 for 2000–01. By "alternatives", we are referring to the development and promotion of alternatives which (1) replace animal use, (2) reduce the number of animals used or (3) refine the procedures involved to minimise suffering (3Rs).

  This money is not the only money spent by Government Departments on alternatives. For example, the Health and Safety Executive, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council and the Medical Research Council have, in the past year, been very active in taking initiatives in this area.

  Last year, the Home Office asked the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions, the Department of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Defence, the Department of Health, the Scottish Office, the Welsh Office and the Northern Ireland Office for an indication of the level of each Department's funding of alternatives. It was very difficult for these Departments to specify exactly how much they spent on alternative research because:
  they could not identify all such work that is sponsored, which would involve extensive reviews of thousands of different projects; and
  many programmes of work which are not specifically intended for developing alternatives do, nevertheless, result in that development, by design or chance.
  150W
  The amount spent does not relate to annual set allocations of funds, as provided for the Animal Procedures Committee. The Home Office was, however, provided with an estimated figure, totalling over £2 million, for the yearly expenditure across Government for research into alternatives.

  I work closely with other Government Departments to ensure the rigorous application of the 3Rs. Additionally, the cross-Whitehall concordat on data sharing should enable Government Departments to reduce the duplication of tests on animals.

  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with EU ministers regarding the welfare of animals in the EU, with particular regard to tests carried out on animals; and if he will make a statement. [139407]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The Home Office plays an active part in meetings of the European Union National Competent Authorities responsible for the implementation of Directive 86/609/EEC, which relates to the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the member states regarding the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes. We take a lead in formulating European policies, standards and targets for animal care and use that platform to promote a wider influence outside Europe.

  The United Kingdom Government will continue to support the European Centre for the Validation of Alternative Methods (ECVAM) through contributions to the European Union. It is their task to commission, monitor and co-ordinate research into alternatives and to develop the processes of validationthat is, the assessment of alternative methods to see whether they are reliable and whether they produce a level of information similar to the animal based tests they are to replace.

  Cyber Crime
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the terms of reference of the proposed cyber crime unit; and if he will make a statement on the role of the unit in relation to the criminal use of chatrooms. [139314]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced in the reply he gave my hon. Friend the Member for Chatham and Aylesford (Mr. Shaw) on 13 November 2000, Official Report, column 531W, that a National Hi-Tech Crime Unit would begin work in April 2001.

  The National Hi-Tech Crime Unit will:

  i) investigate, or support the investigation of, serious and organised crime usually operating on a national or international scale, that wholly or partly involve computers or computer networks such as the Internet;

  ii) investigate attacks on the United Kingdom Critical National Infrastructure;

  iii) undertake forensic retrieval and examination of computer-based evidence gathered in its investigations;

  iv) provide the national point of contact for overseas investigators of international offences involving computer networks;

  v) provide technical support and advice to investigators in the police service and other law enforcement agencies across the United Kingdom;

  151W

  vi) work in partnership with local police and other agencies taking forward initiatives to promote information security and other hi-tech crime reduction strategies, and

  vii) liaise with industry on behalf of the police service, for example through the Internet Crime Forum, the Association of Chief Police Officers' Telecommunications Strategy Forum and the G8 Government-Industry Dialogue on Confidence and Security in Cyberspace, to support co-operation between law enforcement and industry in the detection, investigation and reduction of hi-tech crime.

  Potentially, use of internet chatrooms by criminals can feature in the conduct or commission of offences that have local, national or international impact.

  Local police computer crime units will investigate and gather evidence of crimes that have a local impact and wholly or partly involve computers or computer networks such as the internet. The scope of these crimes will be wide ranging, from very minor offences to the most serious such as murder or sexual assault.

  The National Hi-Tech Crime Unit will investigate the use of internet chatrooms by criminals where that features in its investigations or the investigations it supports. The National Unit will also work with the police service, with Home Office researchers and with industry to develop and identify best practices for proactively policing the internet to identify and prosecute paedophiles who use newsgroups and chatrooms to disseminate illegal material and facilitate other illegal activities.

  Usk/Prescoed Prison and YOI
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make a statement about the award of Investors in People to HM Prison Usk and Young Offender Institute Prescoed; [139266]

  (2) if he will make a statement on the report of HM Inspector of Prisons into HM Prison Usk and Young Offender Institute Prescoed; [139263]

  (3) if he will make a statement about the award of Charter Mark to HM Prison Usk and Youth Offender Institute Prescoed. [139265]

  Mr. Boateng
  I am delighted to congratulate the Governor and staff of Usk/Prescoed prison and young offender institution on their achievements.

  The establishment is a complex one, comprising a category C closed prison holding mainly adult male prisoners following the Sex Offender Treatment Programme; a category D open prison holding male adults and young offenders; and a farm providing employment for adult and young prisoners.

  Usk/Prescoed was one of the first prison establishments to obtain Investors in People accreditation, in October 1997, since when it has been re-accredited twice, most recently in January 2000. This accreditation testifies to consistently good management practice throughout the establishment.

  A Charter Mark for good public service was awarded to Usk/Prescoed in February 2000. While a number of Charter Marks have been awarded to prison establishments, the award covering the whole range of services in this diverse establishment is particularly creditable.
  152W
  Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons inspected Usk/Prescoed on 13-17 March 2000 and published his report on 15 August. The report commended the Governor and staff for their good work in the treatment of and conditions for prisoners. The report made 99 recommendations and identified 15 examples of good practice. An action plan addressing the recommendations has been drawn up and is being implemented. In line with the usual practice following an inspection report, it will be formally updated nine and 15 months after publication.

  Usk Prison
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the sex offender treatment programme at HM Prison Usk. [139264]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Prison Service seeks to ensure that its offending behaviour programmes are effective by designing them in line with extensive research on what works in preventing re-offending, and by inviting an independent panel, established for the purpose, to accredit them as conforming to the lessons drawn from that research. The Sex Offender Treatment Programmes run at Usk are so accredited.

  All prisons offering the Prison Service's Sex Offender Treatment Programme are audited annually on the effectiveness of their delivery, because research suggests that effective delivery is a crucial factor in reducing reconvictions. Usk prison and six other establishments were awarded a score of 95 out of 100 in the 1999-2000 audit, the highest achieved among the 23 establishments running the programme. This reflects the consistently high quality treatment delivered by a well motivated team at Usk.

  The Prison Service monitors against control groups the reconviction data on those who have undergone such programmes. More data, however, are needed before firm conclusions can be drawn about the overall effectiveness of Sex Offender Treatment Programmes, such as those run at Usk.

  Guns
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what state-sponsored training is available on the use of guns to the holders of guns in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [139406]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Apart from any military training offered by the Ministry of Defence, for example for the Territorial Army and other reserve forces and for Cadet forces, the Government do not generally sponsor training for gun owners. The safe and responsible use of firearms by private individuals is a matter for the individual concerned who must satisfy the local police that he or she is fit to be entrusted with a firearms and can be permitted to possess it without danger to the public safety or the peace.

  There are a number of means by which a private individual in the United Kingdom may obtain training in the handling and use of firearms which may involve some degree of Government endorsement or support. For example, 113 target shooting clubs based in schools in England and Wales are approved by the Home Office, some of which may be in publicly funded schools and

  153W
  offer shooting sports as part of the wider sporting curriculum. Similarly, there are 1,314 target shooting clubs in England and Wales which are approved but not funded by the Home Office, although some may receive Sports Council grants.

  Training for veterinary surgeons will usually involve training in the humane destruction of injured animals, and courses run by agricultural colleges in gamekeepering may also involve training in the safe handling and use of firearms.

  Although not state sponsored, shooting organisations such as the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC) and the National Rifle Association (NRA) have sought to provide training to those who may wish to use guns for game or target shooting. The Government welcome these measures to encourage those taking part in shooting sports to do so safely and responsibly.

  Correspondence
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letters from the hon. Member for Broxbourne dated 24 July, 24 August, 21 September, 19 October and 16 November in connection with Mrs. C. W. Myford. [139528]

  Mr. Straw
  I apologise for the delay in dealing with the letters from the hon. Member in connection with Mrs. C. W. Myford and I am very sorry that she has not had an earlier response. A reply has now been sent. The delay was caused by a recent and very regrettable failure of our normal procedures in dealing with correspondence, which has now been put right. I do not regard such delays as acceptable.

  Police (Complaints)
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints there were against the police for(a) racial harassment and (b) abuse by police authority in the last 20 years. [139601]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Information is not available in precisely the form requested. Data collected centrally on a financial year basis include complaints of racial discrimination and complaints of oppressive behaviour by the police. Data for completed complaints are available from 1992. Prior to 1992, available figures do not include the Metropolitan police service.

  The information from 1992 is shown in the table:

  Completed complaints of:

  Year

  Racially discriminatory behaviour

  Oppressive behaviour

  1992

  461

  16,559

  1993

  450

  16,474

  1994

  608

  16,666

  1995–96

  620

  16,850

  1996–97

  634

  17,320

  1997–98

  566

  16,599

  1998–99

  575

  14,457

  1999–2000

  895

  13,014

  154W
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many reported cases of drunkenness there were in each police authority in the past 10 years. [139600]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The number of cases of drunkenness reported to the police are not collected centrally.

  Available information held centrally showing the number of offenders cautioned or found guilty of offences of drunkenness is given in the table.

  Due to disproportionate costs, selected years only are given.

  Number of 'known offenders'1 for offences of drunkenness by police force area 1990, 1994, 1997, 1998 and 1999

  Police force area

  1990

  1994

  1997

  1998

  1999

  Avon and Somerset

  623

  204

  361

  481

  542

  Bedfordshire

  237

  347

  355

  489

  374

  Cambridgeshire

  301

  433

  222

  192

  196

  Cheshire

  647

  761

  919

  1,063

  929

  City of London

  260

  170

  123

  21

  30

  Cleveland

  709

  1,084

  2,075

  1,372

  1,167

  Cumbria

  760

  504

  1,007

  1,036

  1,010

  Derbyshire

  577

  165

  387

  372

  327

  Devon and Cornwall

  1,387

  1,268

  1,769

  1,557

  1,485

  Dorset

  700

  264

  274

  405

  348

  Durham

  445

  226

  418

  527

  557

  Essex

  465

  571

  1,028

  887

  800

  Gloucestershire

  148

  101

  175

  266

  185

  Greater Manchester

  3,099

  2,546

  2,278

  2,316

  1,903

  Hampshire

  2,008

  1,365

  1,836

  1,954

  1,849

  Hertfordshire

  249

  132

  493

  643

  646

  Humberside

  500

  234

  345

  298

  324

  Kent

  577

  741

  963

  1,167

  1,412

  Lancashire

  1,547

  1,523

  2,870

  2,806

  3,038

  Leicestershire

  128

  116

  115

  83

  82

  Lincolnshire

  342

  55

  692

  831

  770

  Merseyside

  5,864

  6,356

  8,064

  8,602

  6,567

  Metropolitan police

  40,823

  19,024

  2,412

  1,940

  1,946

  Norfolk

  312

  203

  266

  224

  191

  Northamptonshire

  426

  424

  279

  293

  260

  Northumbria

  4,256

  4,072

  7,113

  6,417

  6,392

  North Yorkshire

  386

  264

  410

  456

  492

  Nottinghamshire

  510

  351

  545

  529

  543

  South Yorkshire

  3,233

  1,648

  1,877

  1,704

  1,909

  Staffordshire

  905

  494

  599

  547

  388

  Suffolk

  336

  428

  719

  547

  505

  Surrey

  177

  191

  245

  401

  565

  Sussex

  715

  1,126

  1,069

  1,043

  834

  Thames Valley

  1,987

  1,443

  1,350

  1,435

  1,252

  Warwickshire

  60

  78

  259

  387

  260

  West Mercia

  835

  984

  1,334

  1,106

  967

  West Midlands

  1,802

  2,330

  1,570

  1,186

  670

  West Yorkshire

  2,673

  1,419

  1,946

  2,400

  2,406

  Wiltshire

  498

  673

  686

  770

  598

  Dyfed-Powys

  307

  249

  382

  420

  340

  Gwent

  1,347

  1,061

  1,234

  953

  878

  North Wales

  685

  788

  980

  1,277

  1,278

  South Wales

  2,549

  1,474

  2,431

  2,184

  1,805

  England and Wales

  86,395

  57,890

  54,475

  53,587

  49,020

  1Those cautioned or convicted at all courts.

  Note:

  Changes in the number of persons cautioned or found guilty for drunkenness offences including the variations between police force areas are likely to reflect changes or variations in police practice, as well as actual changes or variations in the level of drunkenness. To a large extent, they reflect changes in the Metropolitan police, which has fallen from 47 per cent. in 1990 to 4 per cent. in 1999 of the total England and Wales 'known offenders'. In 1995 the Metropolitan police introduced informal warnings for offences of drunkenness.
  155W

  Emergency Planning Grant
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much emergency planning grant was allocated to Gloucestershire in each of the past five years for which figures are available. [139286]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Gloucestershire County Council was allocated the following Civil Defence grant:

  Year

  £

  1995–96

  224,000

  1996—

  224,000

  1997–98

  212,800

  1998–99

  204,288

  1999–2000

  204,288

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much emergency planning grant was allocated to Shropshire in each of the past five years. [139050]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Shropshire County Council was allocated the following Civil Defence grant:

  Year

  £

  1995–96

  224,000

  1996–97

  224,000

  1997–98

  212,800

  1998–99

  171,288

  1999/2000

  170,688

  In addition, Telford and Wrekin Council is eligible for grant since becoming a unitary authority and was allocated the following:

  £

  1998–99

  37,000

  1999–2000

  35,000

  Automatic Extradition (EU)
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those crimes for which, under the draft Treaty of Nice, automatic extradition between member states of the EU is proposed. [139004]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  There are no plans to include measures concerning extradition in the forthcoming Treaty of Nice.

  Outline proposals for simplifying extradition are contained in the Programme of Measures to implement the principle of mutual recognition of decisions in criminal matters. The proposals would apply at least to the serious offences listed in Article 29 of the Treaty on European Union.
  156W
  For further information, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) on 31 October 2000, Official Report, column 424W.

  Volunteering
  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Government's support for volunteering. [138806]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Government value the contribution volunteers make to society, and is committed to making substantial progress towards 1 million more people actively involved in their communities by 2004. Current Government initiatives supporting volunteering include: the Active Community Unit's Black and Minority Ethnic Twinning Initiative; the Home Office Older Volunteers Initiative; the National Database of Volunteering Opportunities; the Active Community Demonstration Projects; Timebank; the Community Channel and Millennium Volunteers. The United Nations Year of the Volunteer in 2001 will also focus attention on the contribution made by volunteers to their communities.

  Khat
  Mr. Bill O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce legal restrictions on Khat; and if he will make a statement. [138807]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The khat plant is not controlled under the United Nations drug conventions and we have no current plans to bring it under the controls of our own misuse of drugs legislation.

  In 1988, the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD), the independent body which advises the Government on drug misuse matters, concluded that there was insufficient evidence of a social problem arising from the misuse of khat in the United Kingdom to justify bringing the plant under the controls of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. However, the Home Office is currently collating updated information on the extent of its misuse and if this indicates that the situation has changed significantly the ACMD will be asked for fresh advice.

  HEALTH

    St. George's Hospital, Tooting
    5. Mr. Cox
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many acute hospital beds there are at St. George's Hospital, Tooting. [137640]

    Mr. Denham
    Currently, St. George's NHS Trust has a total of 1,006 beds available across its three main hospital sites. 838 of these beds are classified as "acute" beds.

    St. George's NHS Trust will have an additional 52 beds to meet the winter demand this year compared with last winter.
    157W
    Bed numbers are only available for whole Trusts. There is no collection of beds at different sites within an NHS Trust.

    NHS Dentistry
    Mr. Peter Bradley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to increase spending on NHS dentistry over the next three years. [137648]

    Mr. Denham
    We are committed to making NHS dentistry available to everyone who needs it by September 2001. Our strategy describes proposals for investment in the General Dental Service and Dental Access Centres, supported by £100 million extra over two years. Treating more patients will put another —80 million a year into NHS dentistry.

    Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth Health Authority Budget
    Mr. Brake
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth health authority's budget for 2000–01. [137649]

    Mr. Denham
    Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth Health Authority's allocation for 2000–01 is £456 million. It has set a balanced budget for 2000–01. The latest forecast outturn position from the Health Authority indicates that it is on line to achieve this target.

    Angiograms
    Mr. Illsley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has to improve waiting times for angiograms in the NHS Trent region. [137650]

    Yvette Cooper
    The National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease, launched in March, is a ten-year programme which sets out national standards, service models and monitoring criteria for the whole spectrum of care from prevention to emergency services, diagnosis, treatment, surgery and rehabilitation. All districts in Trent are actively working towards the targets set under the NSF and reducing waiting times in line with the NHS Plan.

    National Alcohol Strategy
    Mr. Hopkins
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the Government's national alcohol strategy. [137651]

    Ms Stuart
    We remain committed to the publication of a cross Government strategy to tackle alcohol misuse, and we are working with key stakeholders across Government, the alcohol field and the alcohol industry to ensure that this commitment is delivered.

    We expect to publish a consultation paper on the strategy in the new year.

    Mr. Tony Lloyd
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to include alcohol abuse within the remit of the National Treatment Agency; and if he will make a statement. [138746]
    158W
    Ms Stuart
    A public consultation will begin shortly on the proposed new National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse. This will afford the opportunity for the agency's role in relation to alcohol to be discussed.

    Flu Injections
    Mr. Loughton
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people within the target groups have been vaccinated against influenza. [137652]

    Yvette Cooper
    The most recent monitoring figures from Influenza co-ordinators across England as at 31 October, show an average uptake of 47 per cent. among people aged 65 years and over. This shows good progress towards achieving the recommended 60 per cent. uptake figure set at the start of the campaign.

    Mr. Flight
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the availability of flu injections in West Sussex. [137674]

    Yvette Cooper
    General practitioners order their supply of flu vaccine direct from manufacturers. This year there are five suppliers of flu vaccine. Unfortunately one of the manufacturers, Solvay, has encountered problems in growing a strain of the vaccine which has led to delays in some deliveries. Solvay have been in touch with the affected GPs to tell them details of any delays, but have confirmed that all ordered vaccine will be delivered by the end of November, in time to protect people this winter.

    Latest figures as at 8 November, show that 9.8 million doses of vaccine have already been distributed. This along with the amount of vaccine still to be delivered, is a sufficient amount to exceed our immunisation target of 60 per cent. uptake in those aged 65 and over, and to achieve a substantial rise in uptake among those at risk under 65.

    Sexual Health and HIV Strategy
    Sandra Gidley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on progress on his sexual health and HIV strategy. [137653]

    Yvette Cooper
    Following the merger of the Sexual Health and HIV Strategies earlier this year, considerable progress has been made with producing an integrated strategy. The strategy will set a programme of action on sexual health and HIV for England.

    NHS Investment (North Staffordshire)
    Ms Walley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on new investment in the NHS in North Staffordshire. [137654]

    Mr. Denham
    North Staffordshire Health Authority received a £29 million cash increase in their allocation for 2000–01, and will again benefit from a further
    159W
    £29 million cash increase to their 2001–02 allocation. North Staffordshire has also benefited from extra investment including:

    £0.85 million from the A&E Modernisation Fund for a new Medical Assessment Unit;

    £80,000 from the Dental Care Development fund;

    £328,800 for seven Investing in Dentistry grants;

    £0.3 million for smoking cessation projects;

    £6 million for Health Action Zone initiatives;

    £28 million for a PFI Mental Health Facility currently under construction.

    A further range of business cases proposing improvements to existing hospital services are currently under consideration.

    Antibiotics (Prescribing)
    Mr. Ronnie Campbell
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines he issues to general practitioners on the prescribing of antibiotics. [137655]

    Mr. Hutton
    The Department of Health does not intervene in the individual prescribing decisions of general practitioners. However the Department issued Health Service Circulars 1999/049 and 2000/02 to the National Health Service, which gave advice on the monitoring and optimising of antimicrobial prescribing.

    Intensive Care Beds
    Mr. Brady
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the number of intensive care beds in national health service hospitals in England and Wales. [137656]

    Mr. Denham
    On 15 July 2000, in England, there were 2,343 open and staffed adult critical care beds of which 1,496 were used for intensive care. It is planned that at least 2,700 beds are available this winter—this will be about 340 more than was available last winter.

    The position in Wales will be a matter for the devolved Assembly.

    Gravesend Community Hospital
    Mr. Pond
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on progress in the development of the new Gravesend Community Hospital. [137659]

    Ms Stuart
    The South East Regional Office of the NHS Executive has approved a strategic outline business case submitted by the Dartford, Gravesham and Swanley Primary Care Trust, in partnership with social services, for the development of new community facilities on the site of the existing Gravesham and North Kent Hospital.

    PFI-funded Hospital Building Programmes
    Mr. Webb
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect of PFI-funded hospital building programmes on the number of NHS beds available in the areas affected. [137660]

    Mr. Denham
    Bed numbers at new hospitals are decided by local commissioners and clinicians well before the decision on whether to use PFI or the traditional public capital route to actually build them.
    160W
    However, in the light of the National Beds Inquiry, we have reviewed all schemes over –10 million nearing approval stage, under construction or completed—both PFI and publicly funded—to examine the balance between in-patient general and acute beds and the planned provision of intermediate care services.

    Emergency Hospital Admissions (Rural Areas)
    Mr. Andrew George
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the ability of the health service to meet national clinical standards for acute hospital emergency admissions in remote rural areas. [137661]

    Ms Stuart
    Advances in healthcare and changes to the practice of medicine, particularly the increasing sub specialisation of doctors, results in changes to the way healthcare is delivered to patients. The Government are keen to see that patients have access to services at as local a level as possible but against this desire must be balanced the need to ensure that patients receive the highest levels of clinical care, wherever that care is provided. It is up to local health communities to determine the best way to provide the highest standards of clinical care for their patients.

    Spongiform Encephalopathies
    Mr. Efford
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department is undertaking into transmissible spongiform encephalopathies. [137662]

    Yvette Cooper
    Since 1996 the Department has commissioned, or is the process of commissioning, over 50 research contracts in the fields of epidemiology, strain typing, diagnostics, blood and blood products, and the decontamination of surgical instruments.

    The Government, including their research councils, have spent some £70 million on transmissible spongiform encephalopathy research since April 1997. A further £29 million is planned for projects under way in the current financial year.

    Nurses
    Mr. Edwards
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to increase the number of nurses working in the NHS. [137663]

    Mr. Denham
    The Department is improving recruitment and retention by encouraging the NHS to become a better employer, increasing training commissions, attracting former staff back to the NHS, encouraging flexible retirement, and supporting more effective, collaborative international recruitment.

    GP Training
    Ms Rosie Winterton
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on GP training. [137664]

    Mr. Denham
    I am happy to do so. In April this year we introduced a modernised system for general practitioner training, which is already producing more and better trained GPs. Numbers in training have risen in each year since 1997, and the NHS Plan sets targets for continued growth. This year we are spending over
    161W
    £100 million on GP training, which also supports the continuing professional development of GPs after they have completed their formal training.

    GMC Disciplinary Procedures
    Ann Clwyd
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has held with the GMC on its disciplinary procedures against doctors in private practice since the coming into force of the Care Standards Act 2000. [137665]

    Mr. Denham
    The Department, at ministerial and official level, has regular contact with the General Medical Council (GMC). We have recently (3 August) amended the Medical Act 1983 to give the GMC powers to deal quickly and more effectively with doctors whose fitness to practice comes into question, and are working closely with them to introduce revalidation of doctors.

    These achievements are part of our overall package of reforms to protect patients from incompetent doctors, and the regulation, for the first time, of private doctors under the Care Standards Act is a further step in providing patients with proper safeguards. To ensure that we are putting in place a proper robust system of regulation for private doctors discussions have been held, and are continuing, with the GMC among others. We see the regulation of private doctors as ensuring that patients can have confidence that any information they get about the service being provided is accurate, that there are proper quality assurance systems in place and if the patient is unhappy about the treatment provided they will have access to a formal and effective complaints procedure. Where the National Care Standards Commission has concerns about the quality of care being delivered by a private doctor it will be able to withdraw registration to prevent the doctor from practising in those premises and inform the GMC.

    Of course, the GMC has an important role in the development of all the standards to which independent healthcare providers will be regulated, and are therefore part of the External Consultation Group which we have established to help the Department in developing these standards.

    Doctor Shortages
    Mr. Healey
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on measures he is taking to increase the number of GPs practising in the UK and to reduce the patient:GP ratio in areas where there are shortages of doctors. [137666]

    Mr. Denham
    In England, the NHS Plan commits us to deliver at least 2,000 extra general practitioners and 450 more GPs in 'training by 2004. New Personal Medical Services schemes, will be developed to attract doctors to disadvantaged communities. The NHS Plan also makes proposals to change the financing of health authorities to give them greater ability to attract new doctors in areas of shortage.

    Drugs Bills
    31. Mr. Boswell
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is towards patients for whom the anticipated drugs bill exceeds £10,000 per annum. [137667]
    162W
    Ms Stuart
    We have no policy of distinguishing between patients on the basis of whether their medicines cost more than £10,000 per annum.

    Harefield Hospital, Middlesex
    Mr. Wilkinson
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many communications he has received since 1 January about the proposed closure of Harefield Hospital, Middlesex. [137668]

    Mr. Denham
    Approximately 270 communications regarding the future of Harefield Hospital have been received since 1 January 2000.

    Community Pharmacies
    Mr. Bill O'Brien
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to provide assistance to community pharmacies; and if he will make a statement. [137669]

    Ms Stuart
    Community pharmacies providing services on behalf of the National Health Service receive fair and appropriate remuneration for those services. Pharmacies which dispense relatively few prescriptions, but which are more than one kilometre from the next pharmacy, may in addition qualify for subsidy payments under the Essential Small Pharmacies Scheme to bring their income from NHS services up to a target level.

    Our future programme for community pharmacy is set out in "Pharmacy in the Future—Implementing the NHS Plan", a copy of which is in the Library.

    Specialist Footwear
    Mr. Hurst
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the availability of specialist footwear for working disabled people. [137670]

    Mr. Hutton
    We are committed to ensuring that everyone who wants to work has the opportunity to do so, and to overcoming the barriers which disabled people may face in entering into, or retaining, work. The Directive covering safety boots is the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Directive 89/686/EEC. This currently requires a testing process in which a product model would probably be destroyed. This is not possible for one-off, specially made products such as the safety boots many disabled employees are required to wear.

    This problem has recently come to light and we are working urgently to resolve it within the European Community Personal Protective Equipment Directive Working Group. The group met in Brussels on 6 November and all member states agreed the principles for a short term solution. We are urgently considering the practical application of these principles. For the longer term, the United Kingdom has proposed changes to the Directive to take account of specially made products. This has been accepted by the group and further consideration and drafting is in hand.

    Head Injuries
    35. Mr. Burns
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the provision of healthcare for those suffering from head injuries. [137671]
    163W
    Mr. Denham
    Each year some 1,000,000 people with head injuries attend hospital. Treatment depends on the extent of the injury and can, where appropriate, include specialised rehabilitation. The aim of treatment is, wherever possible, to restore the person to the state of health they enjoyed before the injury happened.

    Speech Therapy
    Ms Oona King
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the extent of provision for speech therapy. [137672]

    Mr. Denham
    Information on patient contacts with speech and language staff in England is collected on the Department of Health return KT 29 and published annually. The returns for 1998–99 indicated that the number of face to face contacts between patients and speech and language therapy staff was 3.5 million and the number of new patients seen was 327,000. The information for 1999–2000 will be published at the end of November and a copy of the summary will be available in the Library.

    Quality Protects
    Siobhain McDonagh
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Quality Protects initiative. [137673]

    Mr. Hutton
    The Quality Protects initiative is a key part of our programme for tackling social exclusion. It focuses on improving the life chances of some of the most vulnerable children in our society: children in care; children in need of protection and disabled children. On 20 October, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced the extension of the programme from its original three years to five years. The programme is supported by a special grant of £885 million over the five years. The NHS plan and the Department's Public Service Agreement set challenging new targets to narrow the gap in life chances between children in care and their peers through better outcomes for care leavers; higher educational attainment; reduced offending; and maximising the role of adoption.

    Although there remains a long way to go, the initial evidence suggests that Quality Protects is beginning to deliver better opportunities for some of the most vulnerable children. 500 more children were adopted from care in 1999–2000 than the previous year—a 23 per cent. increase. More young people are remaining in care until they are 18. The number of re-registrations on child protection registers is down, as is the number of children de-registered who had been on the register for over two years. Children in care are experiencing fewer placement moves.

    Hospital-acquired complications
    Mr. Lilley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of beds in NHS hospitals is occupied by patients who are being treated for(a) infections and (b) other complications acquired in hospital. [137675]

    Mr. Denham
    National prevalence studies suggest that at any one time around 9 per cent. of in-patients have an infection acquired since their admission to hospital. The impact on bed occupancy will vary from patient to patient as it will for any other complication which may arise 164W
    during treatment of the condition for which the patient was admitted. Hence, centrally collected information does not provide the precise data requested.

    Hospital Waiting Lists
    Mr. Paterson
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his estimate of hospital waiting lists in the winter months. [137657]

    Mr. Denham
    Waiting lists over the winter months will reflect the planned priority the National Health Service gives to emergency admissions.

    Vaccines
    Mr. Baker
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reasons the promise by the Minister for Public Health to write to the hon. Member for Lewes following the debate on 28 March concerning bovine materials in vaccines had not been met by 14 November. [138924]

    Yvette Cooper
    I am sorry that I have not been able to reply to the hon. Member earlier. I wanted to make sure that the information I sent was accurate and helpful. That has taken longer than expected. My written reply of 23 October 2000,Official Report, column 78W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Bethnal Green and Bow (Ms King), said that the MCA had advised that information provided by the manufacturers of the oral polio had been inaccurate and in that reply, I corrected some of the information given during the debate in Westminster Hall on 28 March. In the light of the new information we are also reviewing the advice given to Ministers on this issue to ensure that all the information given to Parliament is correct. I also asked the Committee on Safety of Medicines earlier this year to produce a comprehensive assessment of BSE-related issues in vaccines. We are committed to publishing the assessment.

    "Voices" (Advertising Costs)
    Mrs. Spelman
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on advertising in the recent Government publication, "Voices". [135583]

    Ms Stuart
    [holding answer 30 October 20001]: The Department of Health spent £3,281 on advertising in the Government publication "Voices".

    Hearing Aid Service
    Mr. Levitt
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on progress made in reform of the NHS Hearing Aid Service. [138270]

    Mr. Hutton
    The Department is funding a project worth £4 million this year at 20 National Health Service hearing aid departments. The project will evaluate leading edge digital hearing aids for NHS patients and the associated service delivery changes arising from incorporating information technology based assessment and fitting procedures.

    Three NHS hearing aid departments have started to fit digital hearing aids to NHS patients and a further 12 departments will do so before April; the remaining five departments will join the project in 2001–02.
    165W

    General Dental Council
    Mr. Nicholls
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will use his powers under the Health Act 1998 to change the membership of the General Dental Council; what is the constitution of the present Council, as regards representation of dentists, professions complimentary to medicine and laymen; and if he will make a statement. [R] [138260]

    Mr. Hutton
    The General Dental Council currently comprises 50 members of whom 41 are dentists, six are lay people, three are doctors and one a professional complementary to dentistry. In consultation with the Department, the Council is working up proposals for a smaller Council with a much larger proportion of lay members. We will use powers under Section 60 of the Health Act 1999 to implement these changes. We plan to lay an Order before Parliament early in 2001.

    Elderly People (Ethnic Minorities)
    Mr. Singh
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he intends to adopt as part of the National Plan to lower death rates from coronary heart disease, diabetes and tuberculosis, strokes, liver cancer and diabetes among older persons in ethnic minorities. [138319]

    Yvette Cooper
    On 14 November my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced additional resources for the National Health Service totalling £450 million targeted at tackling cancer and heart disease including extra money for life saving drugs and to reduce waiting times, and extra support for smoking cessation services. We will also double the money targeted at dealing with the health effects of deprivation in England's poorest areas, many of which have significant ethnic minority communities.

    The NHS Plan sets out the actions to be taken to reduce inequalities through investment and reform in key services. These significant new resources will help the NHS to deliver these commitments.

    Tackling cancer and coronary heart disease, which are the two biggest killer diseases, will make a significant inroad into inequalities in health. We recently published the NHS Cancer Plan, a comprehensive programme of action linking prevention, diagnosis, treatment, care and research. The Plan pledges to cut the death rate from all cancers by one fifth by 2010; this includes the death rate from liver cell cancer secondary to hepatitis C.

    A National Service Framework (NSF) coronary heart disease and the NHS Cancer Plan have already been published. These set the standards for improving a range of services which older people use, including those from ethnic minorities. The Diabetes National Service Framework, to be published in 2001 for implementation in the NHS from 2002, will pay particular heed to the needs of those who are disproportionately affected by diabetes, such as people from minority ethnic groups. The National Service Framework for Older People, which is to be introduced from April 2001, will also help to ensure that the health and social care needs of older people from all backgrounds are properly addressed.
    166W
    Control of communicable disease, including tuberculosis, is identified in the National Priorities Guidance as a "must do" activity. Control of tuberculosis in older persons is based on a strategy of treatment of identified cases and screening of their close contacts, screening and treatment for immigrants from countries with a high prevalence of tuberculosis and active surveillance of tuberculosis. Surveillance of tuberculosis has been enhanced to allow more detailed identification of risk groups and to assess the success of treatment in individual cases. Detailed Guidance to the NHS is set out in the report of the Interdepartmental Working Group on Tuberculosis entitled "The Prevention and Control of Tuberculosis in the United Kingdom: Recommendations for the Prevention and Control of Tuberculosis at Local Level", copies of which are available in the Library.

    Medical Practitioners (Complaints)
    Mr. Wallace
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many complaints against medical practitioners practising in Scotland were handled by the General Medical Council in each of the last five years; how many were dismissed; and what penalties were applied where the complaint was found to be justified. [137538]

    Mr. Denham
    [holding answer 13 November 2000]: These matters are the responsibility of the General Medical Council. I understand that the GMC will shortly be in a position to provide this information when they have completed improvements to their information technology systems.

    Practice Nurses
    Mr. Ivan Henderson
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of practice nurses employed by(a) GPs and (b) NHS hospitals received the full pay increase awarded under the last agreement by the Pay Review Body. [138820]

    Mr. Denham
    We accepted in full the recommendations of the Review Body for Nursing staff, Midwives, Health Visitors and Professions Allied to Medicine (NPRB) for 2000–01 in respect of approximately 431,000 nurses, midwives and health visitors who are directly employed by National Health Service bodies.

    In a letter dated 21 February (AL(NM) 1/2000) all NHS employers were told that
    "Employers must ensure that the new pay scales are implemented quickly to allow staff to receive their increased salaries in April",
    and we have no evidence that any NHS employer failed to do so.

    Another 10,700 whole-time equivalent nurses are employed by about 8,700 individual general practitioner practices. These staff do not automatically benefit from national pay awards, although many GP employers do employ staff on terms and conditions of service that are analogous to those of NHS employees. We have already specified in the Core Contract for Personal Medical Services that adoption of NPRB recommendations, where these are both accepted and adopted by the Government across the rest of the NHS is mandatory and we are working with the representatives of the profession to encourage all practices to match NMRB awards in the light of the extra investment announced on 14 November 2000.
    167W

    General Medical Practitioners by sex and status, 1989–99

    England

    Numbers and percentages

    1989

    1990

    1991

    1992

    1993

    1994

    1995

    Practitioners1

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    Practitioners (excluding GP retainers)

    27,749

    27,523

    27,888

    28,185

    28,460

    28,735

    28,869

    Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents (UPEs)2

    25,608

    25,622

    25,686

    25,968

    26,289

    26,567

    26,702

    of Which: GMS UPs

    25,608

    25,622

    25,686

    25,968

    26,289

    26,567

    26,702

    Restricted Principals

    164

    149

    138

    138

    147

    142

    127

    Assistants

    242

    190

    425

    466

    495

    581

    636

    GP Registrars4

    1,735

    1,562

    1,639

    1,613

    1,529

    1,445

    1,404

    of which: GMS5

    1,725

    1,562

    1,639

    1,613

    1,529

    1,445

    1,404

    Salaried Doctors (para 52 SFA)

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    PMS other6

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    Estimated WTE UPEs7

    —

    25,158

    25,074

    25,228

    25,407

    25,534

    25,550

    Estimated WTE retainers7

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    Males

    Practitioners1

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    Practitioners (excluding GP retainers)

    20,863

    20,519

    20,364

    20,332

    20,243

    20,179

    20,007

    UPEs2

    19,778

    19,529

    19,256

    19,236

    19,252

    19,218

    19,092

    Restricted Principals

    103

    95

    82

    81

    87

    82

    73

    Assistants

    91

    77

    174

    186

    200

    227

    237

    GP Registrars4

    891

    818

    852

    829

    704

    652

    605

    Salaried Doctors (Para 52 SFA)

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    PMS other6

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    Females

    Practitioners1

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    Practitioners (excluding GP retainers

    6,886

    7,004

    7,524

    7,853

    8,217

    8,556

    8,862

    UPEs2

    5,830

    6,093

    6,430

    6,732

    7,037

    7,349

    7,610

    Restricted Principals

    61

    54

    56

    57

    60

    60

    54

    Assistants

    151

    113

    251

    280

    295

    354

    399

    GP Registrars4

    844

    744

    787

    784

    825

    793

    799

    Salaried Doctors (para 52 SFA)

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    PMS other

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    —

    UPEs2

    per 100,000 population

    53.6

    53.4

    53.3

    53.7

    54.2

    54.5

    54.6

    General Medical practitioners by sex and status, 1989–99

    England

    Numbers and percentages

    1996

    1997

    1998

    1999

    % change 1998–99

    Average annual % change 1989–99

    Practitioners1

    —

    —

    —

    30,959

    —

    —

    Practitioners (excluding GP retainers)

    29,116

    29,389

    29,697

    29,987

    1.0

    0.8

    Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents (UPEs)2

    26,855

    27,099

    27,392

    27,591

    0.7

    0.7

    of which: GMS UPs

    26,855

    27,099

    27,031

    26,710

    –1.2

    0.4

    Restricted Principals

    115

    101

    97

    90

    –7.2

    –5.8

    Assistants

    3841

    3846

    701

    650

    –7.3

    10.4

    GP Registrars4

    1,305

    1,343

    1,446

    1,520

    5.1

    –1.3

    of which GMS5

    1,305

    1,343

    1,415

    1,445

    2.1

    –1.8

    Salaried Doctors (para 52 SFA)

    —

    —

    52

    94

    81

    —

    PMS other6

    —

    —

    9

    42

    367

    —

    Estimated WTE UPEs7

    25,567

    25,678

    25,831

    25,902

    0.3

    —

    Estimated WTE retainers7 —

    —

    —

    —

    321

    —

    —

    Males

    Practitioners1

    —

    —

    —

    19,840

    —

    —

    Practitioners (excluding GP retainers)

    19,925

    19,909

    19.802

    19,815

    0.1

    –0.5

    UPE2

    18,941

    18,908

    18,863

    18,832

    –0.2

    –0.5

    Restricted Principals

    65

    60

    51

    49

    –3.9

    –7.2

    Assistants

    348

    354

    262

    252

    -3.8

    10.7

    GP Registrars4

    571

    587

    608

    630

    3.6

    –3.4

    Salaried Doctors (para 52 SFA)

    —

    —

    16

    38

    138

    —

    PMS other6

    —

    —

    2

    14

    600

    —

    Females

    Practitioners1

    —

    —

    —

    11,119

    —

    —

    Practitioners (excluding GP retainers)

    9,191

    9,480

    9,895

    10.172

    2.8

    4.0

    168W 169W

    General Medical Practitioners by sex and status, 1989–99

    England

    Numbers and percentages

    1996

    1997

    1998

    1999

    %change 1998

    Average annual % change 1989–99

    UPEs2

    7,914

    8,161

    8,529

    8,759

    2,7

    4.2

    Restricted Principals

    50

    41

    46

    41

    —10.9

    —3.9

    Assistants

    493

    492

    439

    398

    —9.3

    10.2

    GP Registrars4

    734

    756

    838

    890

    6.2

    0.5

    Salaried Doctors (Para 52 SFA)

    —

    —

    36

    56

    56

    —

    RMS other

    —

    —

    7

    28

    300

    —

    UPEs2

    per 100,000 population

    54.7

    54.9

    55.4

    55.5

    —

    —

    1Includes GP retainers.

    2Unrestricted Principals and Equivalents (UPEs) includes GMS Unrestricted Principals. PMS Contracted GPs and PMS Salaried GPs. See Definitions, section 14.

    3Includes 286 LIZ assistants in 1996 and 296 LIZ Assistants in 1997.

    4Previously referred to as Trainees.

    5GP Registrars in GMS Partnerships.

    6Contains two doctors who were employed under PMS contract by an NHS Trust, and about which details are unavailable.

    7WTE has been estimated using the results from the 1992–93 GMP Workload Survey. See Definitions, para 14 16.

    Intermediate Care
    Mr. Kidney
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what additional funding he intends to make available to health authorities to pay for placements at residential care homes by way of intermediate care. [138827]

    Mr. Hutton
    The National Health Service Plan makes available new resources rising to £900 million annually to the NHS and social services for intermediate care and related services by 2003–04, over and above additional recurrent funding of £150 million this year, and a one-off allocation of £63 million to help expand capacity this winter.

    The additional investment will be used to support a wide range of intermediate care and related services which aim to promote the independence and improved quality of care for older people, including residential intermediate care. The precise use of the funds will be for local health and social care communities to determine together, based on joint plans aimed at maximising the contribution of all partners in health and social care towards the development of effective intermediate care.

    Prisoners (Psychiatric Hospitals)
    Dr. Brand
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how convicted prisoners transferred to private psychiatric hospitals under section 41 of the Mental Health Act 1953 are funded; and if he will make a statement. [138774]

    Mr. Hutton
    Where a prisoner is transferred to either a National Health Service or private psychiatric hospital under section 47 of the Mental Health Act 1983, responsibility for funding the placement rests with the health authority for the area in which the individual was usually resident before the commencement of the detention. Where a previous address cannot be determined, the health authority for the area in which the offence was committed is responsible for funding the placement.

    Free Nursing Care
    Mr. Burstow
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for North 170W
    Devon (Mr. Harvey) of 14 November 2000, Official Report, columns 812–13, what provision has been made to meet the cost of free nursing care; how much will transfer to health authority budgets from social services budgets for this purpose cost; and how much is to replace payments previously made by people under means-testing. [138990]

    Mr. Hutton
    [holding answer 20 November 2000]: We have estimated that the additional cost to the Exchequer of providing free nursing care, as outlined in the NHS Plan, will be £420 million over the next three years. This additional cost arises principally from the replacement of the costs of nursing care incurred by individuals in nursing homes, who are not supported by local authorities or the NHS. Additional funding of this level was included in the Department of Health programme in the recent spending review settlement.

    Provision for the costs of free nursing care has been included in the Department's spending review settlement and will be made available to the NHS for that purpose subject to Parliament's approval of legislative proposals on free nursing care.

    Home Care (Charges)
    Ms Perham
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to issue guidance on charges for home care by local authorities. [139434]

    Mr. Hutton
    We plan to consult with representatives of service users, carers, local councils and other interested parties on draft guidance for home care charges by the end of the year, with a view to guidance being issued to local councils by April 2001.

    Social Services Expenditure (Stoke-on-Trent)
    Mr. Stevenson
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the standard spending assessment for social services in Stoke-on-Trent for each year from 1997–98. [139517]
    171W
    Mr. Hutton
    The personal social services standard spending assessment for Stoke on Trent for each year from 1997–98 are as set out in the table.

    £million

    Year

    Social services standard Year spending assessment

    1997–98

    38.102

    1998–99

    41.200

    1999–2000

    46.787

    2000–01

    49.080

    Notes

    Figures for 2001–02 will be announced shortly

    Pathology Services
    Mr. Brady
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the NHS pathology service sites which are not accredited by Clinical Pathology Accreditation (CPA) UK Ltd. [139520]

    Mr. Denham
    The Department does not hold a central register of pathology laboratories. A list of those which have received accreditation is available in the Library.

    NHS Recruitment
    Mr. Jim Cunningham
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) nurses and (b) doctors have been recruited into the NHS in each of the last three years. [139046]

    Mr. Denham
    In 1997 there were 318,860 qualified nurses in the National Health Service. This increased to 323,460 in 1998 and 329,640 in 1999.

    In 1997 there were 89,620 qualified doctors in the NHS. This increased to 91,840 in 1998 and 93,980 in 1999.

    NHS Funding (Coventry)
    Mr. Jim Cunningham
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the level of NHS funding in Coventry, South in each year since 1997. [139048]

    Mr. Denham
    The level of National Health Service funding for Coventry South is not available. The table lists Coventry Health Authority's annual allocations in each year since 1997.

    Coventry Health Authority

    Year

    £million

    1998–991

    144.5

    1999–2000

    199.5

    2000–01

    213.9

    2001–02

    241.3

    1Figures for 1998–99 are not directly comparable to following years' allocation. Unified budgets introduced from 1999–2000.

    The figures show that Coventry Health Authority has benefited from a year on year increase in its allocation, and in 2001–02 the allocation is a £19.3 million (8.7 per cent.) increase on the previous year, which is £13.4 million (6.04 per cent.) in real terms.
    172W
    Mr. Jim Cunningham
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the number of(a) doctors and (b) nurses in Coventry South in each year since 1997. [139047]

    Mr. Denham
    The information requested is not available for Coventry South. The number of doctors and nurses within Coventry health authority in each year since 1997 are listed in the table.

    As part of the National Health Service Plan the next few years will see a major expansion in staff numbers in the NHS. By 2004 there will be 7,500 more consultants, 2,000 more general practitioners and 20,000 more nurses. Coventry will of course benefit from the Government's commitment to this unparalleled increase in the number of key NHS staff.

    NHS Hospital and Community Health Services (HCHS):

    Nursing staff1 and Doctors2 within Coventry' health authority as at 30 September each year

    1997

    1998

    1999

    Coventry health authority3 total

    Of which:

    3,660

    4,330

    4,360

    All nursing staff

    3,070

    3,670

    3,660

    Of which:

    Nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff

    2,910

    3,510

    3,510

    Practice nurses4

    5160

    5160

    5150

    All doctors

    590

    660

    700

    Of which:

    HCHS medical and dental staff6,7

    420

    500

    530

    Practitioners (excluding GP retainers)4

    170

    170

    180

    1Nursing staff includes non-medical nursing, midwifery and health visiting staff and practice nurses.

    2Doctors includes general medical practitioners and hospital, public health medicine and community health service medical and dental staff.

    3Coventry health authority contains the following organisations: Walsgrave Hospitals NHS Trust and Coventry Healthcare NHS Trust.

    4Practice nurses and general medical practitioners data, as at 1 October each year.

    5 Headcount data were collected for the 1997 Census. Data for 1998 and 1999 were only collected as WTEs. Headcount data for these years have been estimated.

    6Figures exclude hospital practitioners and clinical assistants most of whom work as GPs and have already been counted.

    7Practitioners include unrestricted principals, restricted principals, assistants, registrars and salaried doctors.

    Notes

    1. Figures are rounded to the nearest ten.

    2. Due to rounding totals may not equal the sum of component parts.

    3. Figures exclude learners and agency staff.

    Source

    Department of Health non-medical workforce census.

    Department of Health general and personal medical services statistics.

    Department of Health medical and dental workforce census.

    Midwives
    Helen Jones
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make it his policy to ensure the separate registration of midwives under the new Nursing and Midwifery Council; and if he will make a statement; [138874]

    (2) what steps he is taking to ensure that the new Nursing and Midwifery Council will maintain midwifery as a distinct profession. [138873]
    173W
    Yvette Cooper
    We propose that midwives should be separately registered and represented, and that existing provisions concerning the practice of their profession should continue.

    Helen Jones
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that health authorities involve users in the planning, development and auditing of midwifery services. [138875]

    Yvette Cooper
    Every health authority has a maternity services liaison committee (MSLC) where commissioners, providers and users of maternity services develop services in partnership. MSLCs enable users to influence their own care as well as the development of local and national standards and policy, in line with the patient focus of the NHS Plan.

    Podiatry Council
    Mr. Pickthall
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the British Chiropody and Podiatry Association on proposals for a Podiatry Council; and if he will make a statement. [138932]

    Mr. Denham
    None, however the Association has had the opportunity to comment our proposals for a new Health Professions Council.

  LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

    Spath Holme Ltd.
    Mr. Dismore
    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department when he expects the House of Lords to deliver its judgment in the case of Spath Holme Ltd. [138768]

    Mr. Lock
    It is expected that the judgment will be delivered before the Christmas recess.

    Court Dress
    Mr. Dismore
    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what discussions he had with the senior judiciary on 14 November concerning the issue of court dress; and if he will make a statement. [138770]

    Mr. Lock
    Reform of court dress was raised by the Lord Chancellor at his meeting with the higher judiciary on 14 November. Given the many important reforms to the justice system which the Department is carrying forward, reform of court dress has no immediate priority.

    Mr. Dismore
    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will review his policy concerning court dress when presiding in parliamentary debates. [139615]

    Mr. Lock
    As my hon. Friend knows, the traditions, procedural rules and views of the House of Lords regarding the wearing of formal dress for its Speaker are different from those in the House of Commons. The Lord Chancellor took the initiative in making a number of changes to his formal dress in 1998, having consulted the relevant Committee of the House. The Lord Chancellor would consult in a similar manner if he has any proposals for change in the future, but has no present plans to put forward any such proposals.
    174W

    Meetings (Judiciary)
    Mr. Dismore
    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will publish the minutes of his meeting with the judiciary on 14 November; and if he will make a statement. [138769]

    Mr. Lock
    No. It is important for the Lord Chancellor and the senior judiciary to be able to discuss matters candidly and frankly and that such notes of any discussions should be protected. The minutes of that meeting will, therefore, be witheld under Exemption 2 of Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

    Probate Registries
    Mr. Gapes
    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what steps he will take to ensure that the telephone number and address of local probate registries are listed in telephone directories in England and Wales. [138896]

    Jane Kennedy
    A list of the phone numbers and addresses of all District and Sub-Probate Registries was sent to British Telecom on 21 May 1999 for inclusion in the next update of the directories. In July 1999, an additional request was sent to British Telecom to include the national number in all phone books in England and Wales.

    Judges' Lodgings
    Mr. Baker
    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the total cost was of the judges' lodgings at Telscombe, East Sussex for(a) each of the last three years, (b) in 1990 and (c) in 1980 at 2000 prices. [139034]

    Jane Kennedy
    [holding answer 20 November 2000]: The total cost of running the lodgings at Telscombe for the last three years is set out as follows on three bases:

    Total cost of ownership

    £per annum

    1997–98

    206,799.53

    1998–99

    169,467.27

    1999–2000

    14,912.21

    Total cost of ownership less the Treasury capital charge:

    The premises are leased and there is no capital charge. The annual cost is therefore as stated.

    Costs immediately attributable to judicial occupation (variable costs)

    Year

    £per annum

    1997–98

    80,527.30

    1998–99

    76,095.70

    1999–2000

    43,978.80

    The records from which to calculate comparable figures for 1980 and 1990 no longer exist.

    Wartime Internment
    Mr. Cohen
    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department which Government Departments are authorised to hold records relating to the wartime internment of the Duke of Buccleuch. [138890]
    175W
    Mr. Lock
    The Public Record Office has a duty under the Public Records Acts to provide custody for those Government records that have been selected for permanent preservation. Under section 3.4 of the Public Records Act 1958, Government Departments and agencies may apply for the Lord Chancellor's permission to retain records over-30-years old. Under section 5.6 of the Act, Departments and agencies can apply for extended closure of records.

    The Public Record Office is now aware of any records in its custody or held in other departments relating to the wartime internment of the Duke of Buccleuch. There are no files on this subject listed in its catalogue. There may be information in files on other subjects, but this could be discovered only at disproportionate cost.
    176W

    Ministerial Directions
    Mr. Matthew Taylor
    To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to the answer of 23 October 2000,Official Report, columns 73–76W, on ministerial directions, if he will place in the Library the text of, and supporting documentation relating to, the directions made by Ministers in his Department in 1998; and if he will make a statement. [138862]

    Mr. Lock
    [holding answer 20 November 2000]: Have considered this request under the terms of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information and concluded that providing this information would harm the frankness and candour of internal discussion within Government. The request, therefore, falls within the terms of exemption 2 of the Code of Practice.

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