Written Answers of 24 November 2000

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Meat Inspection Charges
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many names were appended to the petition presented to the Prime Minister last month regarding meat inspection charges; and what action he has taken in response. [137568]

  Ms Quin
  Although not counted individually, there were several thousands of signatures on the petition. We are aware of the considerable public support for the recommendations made by Colin Maclean in respect of meat hygiene charges for small and medium-sized abattoirs. The Government are considering whether those recommendations may be implemented.

  Abattoirs
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the geographical spread of abattoirs and their proximity to livestock production areas.[137556]

  Ms Quin
  There is over-capacity in the slaughtering sector and a reasonable spread of abattoirs across the country.

  Despite the closure of some abattoirs in recent months, we are not aware that animal welfare has been in any way compromised by longer journey times from farm to slaughter. The welfare of livestock in transit and at their arrival at abattoirs is closely monitored.

  Field Margins
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 28 July 2000,Official Report, column 1128W, what further discussions he has had with other EU ministers regarding rules on hedgerows and field margins; and if he will make a statement. [136930]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 8 November 2000]: The reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Denton and Reddish (Mr. Bennett) on 7 November 2000, Official Report, column 150W, explained that the European Commission had proposed a change to the rules of the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS) which would allow United Kingdom farmers to continue, on a permanent basis, to treat hedges and other field margins in the same way as they had done in the past so far as their inclusion in IACS claims was concerned. I am pleased to say that the adoption of this proposal has now been secured. It will enter into force on 1 January 2001.

  Swine Fever
  Mr. Ruffley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many samples of imported meat have been tested for classical swine fever virus by Government scientists since July. [138412]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 14 November 2000]: Meat which is legally imported must be accompanied by veterinary certificates giving assurances about the health status of the animals from which it came. It is not routinely tested for specific diseases such as classical swine fever virus. In connection with the recent outbreaks in East Anglia, epidemiological studies revealed that the strain was an Asian one. Work was then carried out to establish in which countries it had previously been reported. From 18 September, the Government have been conducting tests on any meat imported from those countries. Since none of the countries concerned is approved to export meat to the European Community the tests are carried out only when illegally imported meat is identified. To date two such tests have been conducted, each of which gave a negative result.

  Departmental Legal Advisers
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many legal advisers are employed by his Department; and how many of those advise on matters relating to animals. [138920]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 21 November 2000]: The Ministry currently has 45 lawyers in post, of whom six advise on matters relating to animal health and welfare. Other lawyers (eg prosecutors and litigators) also deal with these issues from time to time.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Children's Society
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, what recent discussions he has had with the Children's Society regarding(a) the adoption and (b) the fostering of children within their care; and if he will make a statement. [140027]

  Mr. Stuart Bell
  The Church Commissioners' responsibility is to manage their investments so as to provide support for the payment of clergy stipends, pensions and other legal commitments. As to the Children's Society, this is not a matter for the Church Commissioners.

PRIME MINISTER

  COP6
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will attend COP6 in The Hague. [139509]

  The Prime Minister
  A top-level delegation led by the Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister for the Environment is representing the UK at the climate change negotiations in The Hague.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Civil Servants (Relocation)
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which relocation companies hold contracts with his Department for the relocation of civil servants; when the contracts were last renewed; where the contracts were advertised; and what the length and value of each contract is. [137194]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  DETR(C) and its Agencies use the services of two relocation companies.

  Bradford and Bingley: This contract commenced in April 2000. It was advertised through OJEC. It is a three-year contract and the approximate annual value is £35,000 but this fluctuates from year to year.

  Phoenix ARC: This contract was extended for a year to 31 March 2001. It was advertised through OJEC. The initial contract term was three years. The approximate annual cost is £8,000 but fluctuates from year to year.

  Railway Safety
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for what reason the former Principal Rail Safety Inspector was relieved of responsibility for safety of the London Underground; and if he will make a statement. [138644]

  Mr. Hill
  [holding answer 16 November 2000]: This is internal management issue for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). I have asked the HSE Director General to write to the hon. Member and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.

  Capital Allocations
  Mr. Stevenson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for what reason the Local Transport Plan Settlement announced on 13 November allocated to Stoke-on-Trent a reduction in capital allocations between 2000–01 and 2002–03.[139502]

  Mr. Hill
  The capital allocations for highway maintenance were calculated using a formula applied on a consistent basis to all authorities. One criteria was that authorities should not receive a smaller allocation in 2001–02 or 2002–03 than they did in 2000–01. However, allocations were rounded to the nearest £1,000.

  Vehicle Licences
  Dr. Stoate
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency will assess the benefit of introducing a fixed sum per licence payment mechanism for post offices issuing vehicle licences. [139496]

  Mr. Hill
  The current agreement between the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and Post Office Network Banking (PONB) expires at the end of March 2002. A variety of payment methods will be considered when negotiations take place on the next agreement.
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  Dr. Stoate
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency will make it its policy to grant all post offices in England and Wales the authority to issue vehicle licences. [139495]

  Mr. Hill
  No. The current nation-wide network of 4,000 motor vehicle Licence-issuing post offices provides the best balance between the needs of customers and cost to the taxpayer.

  Abandoned Vehicles
  Dr. Stoate
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the Tidy Britain Group's proposals on the disposal of abandoned vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [139501]

  Mr. Hill
  My officials are currently discussing with interested parties including the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, the Local Government Association and the Association of Chief Police Officers how to improve the legislation and arrangements for abandoned vehicles. We have replied to the Tidy Britain Groups's letter which set out their proposals and I have placed a copy of the correspondence in the Library.

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link
  Dr. Stoate
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to(a) review the Union Railways Property's handling of land acquisition programme in relation to the new high speed rail link in Kent and (b) seek representations from the Channel Tunnel Rail Link Complaints Commissioner; and if he will make a statement. [139684]

  Mr. Hill
  The information is as follows:

  (a) The Secretary of State's powers under the Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL) Act 1996 only allow for the acquisition and retention of as much land as is needed for the operation of the CTRL. The application of these powers is closely regulated by my Department and its engineering advisers. For properties that are not actually required for the CTRL there is a Discretionary Purchase Scheme operated by Union Railways and policed for consistency and fairness by an independent Discretionary Purchase Auditor who makes regular reports to this Department.

  (b) The Complaints Commissioner has no locus in property matters. There is a recognised statutory mechanism for the remedy of disputes arising from compulsory purchase through the Lands Tribunal. In addition Union Railways are actively promoting the availability of a range of other new disputes resolution mechanisms which are simpler and quicker for owners and occupiers.

  Road Safety Schemes
  Dr. Stoate
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much money has been spent, in each of the past five years, on community road safety schemes in the UK; and what statistics his Department collects centrally on such schemes. [139472]
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  Mr. Hill
  My Department receives figures annually from local authorities (in England) on road safety expenditure. Over the last five years expenditure has been:

  Year

  £ million

  1995–96

  50

  1996–97

  55

  1997–98

  60

  1998–99

  40

  1999–2000

  60

  Statistics for road safety schemes are not held centrally but are a matter for each local authority.

  Rural Bus Challenge (Kent)
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what powers he has to fine Kent county council in respect of the implementation of the Swale Unified Network in the Rural Bus Challenge 1999 Fund; [139673]

  (2) when Kent county council will implement the Swale Unified Network; [139672]

  (3) if Kent county council accrues interest on unspent elements of the Rural Bus Challenge 1999 Fund; and if this is ringfenced. [139671]

  Mr. Hill
  Kent county council were successful in the Rural Bus Challenge 1999 with a bid for the Swale Unified Network project. None of the Department's grant awarded to this project has yet been paid to the council, though an initial payment will shortly be due on the basis of forecast expenditure in this financial year. The question of interest on unspent grant has not therefore arisen.

  Grant is available, up to the amount awarded, in respect of the costs actually incurred by the council in implementing the project as described in its successful bid. The conditions of the grant are set out in Special Grant Report No. 54, approved by Parliament in March this year. These conditions include the requirement on the authority to repay to the Department any grant received which is found after audit to have been used otherwise than provided for under the terms of the Report.

  The timing of the implementation of the project, subject to the conditions in the Special Grant Report, is a matter for the council. I understand there have been some difficulties implementing the project as quickly as planned, but that it is now being taken forward.

  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how much of the Rural Bus Challenge 1999 awarded to Kent county council has been spent to date; [139441]

  (2) when Kent county council (a) applied for funding for the Rural Bus Challenge 1999 and (b) was awarded funding; and how much was awarded. [139440]

  Mr. Hill
  [holding answer 21 November 2000]: Kent county council submitted its bid for the 1999 Rural Bus Challenge competition on 30 September 1999. The results of the competition were announced on 11 January 2000. Parliament approved the Special Grant Report authorising this and other Challenge awards in March. Kent was awarded £381,000 for the Swale Unified Network project.
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  I understand that the county council has had some difficulties implementing this project as quickly as planned, but that it is now being taken forward. None of the grant awarded has yet been paid to the council, though an initial payment will shortly be due on the basis of forecast expenditure for this financial year.

  Millennium Dome
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guarantees have been(a) sought by his Department and (b) given by Legacy plc in relation to the proposed acquisition of the Millennium Dome site. [140187]

  Ms Armstrong
  The details of discussions so far with Legacy plc and the issues to be pursued through negotiations are all commercially confidential while negotiations continue. In general terms, the Government have sought assurances about Legacy's scheme in relation to each of the published evaluation criteria for the competition.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what the value is of the bid by Legacy plc for the Millennium Dome site; [140188]

  (2) if the arrangements for Legacy plc to acquire the Millennium Dome site will include provision for a down payment; and if he will make a statement. [140189]

  Ms Armstrong
  Details of the proposed overall financial consideration for the sale of the Dome to Legacy plc must remain commercially confidential at this stage. The arrangements for Legacy plc to acquire the Millennium Dome will include a cash consideration on exchange of contracts and a further cash consideration on completion of the sale, as well as other components.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will publish the terms and conditions attached to the granting of preferred bidder status for the Millennium Dome site to Legacy plc. [140186]

  Ms Armstrong
  Such issues are commercially confidential while negotiations with Legacy plc continue.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 20 November 2000,Official Report, column 25W, on the Millennium Dome, from which parties he received expressions of interest in procuring the Dome after Nomura withdrew its bid. [140219]

  Ms Armstrong
  Both the Dome Europe and Legacy bids have been assessed within the framework of the competition to find a long-term sustainable use for the Millennium Dome. A number of unsolicited expressions of interest in the Dome have separately been received from third parties, mostly submitted in confidence or of a superficial nature. Since the Government have been pursuing a competition on a defined basis, these expressions of interest have not been evaluated.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 20 November 2000,Official Report,

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  column 25W, on the Millennium Dome, what the outstanding contractual issues are; and if he will publish the agreed timetable for resolving all such issues. [140217]

  Ms Armstrong
  The details of the issues to be pursued through negotiations with Legacy plc are commercially confidential while negotiations continue. If all goes well, we expect to exchange contracts during February. Progress will be reviewed regularly.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the impact on local roads of the development and operation of a business park inside the Millennium Dome. [140184]

  Ms Armstrong
  The evaluation criteria for the Dome legacy competition include that schemes should demonstrate minimum reliance on access by car and maximum use of public transport. The Legacy plc scheme conforms with this principle. The details will be addressed through the planning process, initially through consideration by the London Borough of Greenwich, who are familiar with the issues.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what contingency plan the Government have in the event of the failure of negotiations with Legacy plc to procure the Millennium Dome site. [140190]

  Ms Armstrong
  In the event of the failure of negotiations with Legacy plc, the Government would pursue other possible uses of the Dome.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of commercial demand for a business park inside the Millennium Dome. [140185]

  Ms Armstrong
  The evaluation criteria for the Dome legacy competition include the expectation that the winning scheme will be commercially and financially successful. Legacy plc has provided advice on likely commercial demand for a business park and a business plan related to this, which have been evaluated by the Government advisers. This evaluation is confidential. Further development of evidence of commercial demand will be important in conducting negotiations towards exchange of contracts.

  GoVia
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions for what reasons the Strategic Rail Authority awarded the South-Central rail franchise to GoVia in preference to Connex. [140312]

  Mr. Hill
  The proposals put forward by GoVia and Connex Transport UK Ltd. both offered substantial improvements over current standards of service. However, the Franchising Director considered that GoVia demonstrated that they have the vision to bring about a step change in quality, and the capacity to deliver, while offering better value for money.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if the franchise agreement reached with GoVia in respect of the South-Central franchise(a)precludes the closure of any
  332W
  station and (b) maintains at present levels as a minimum the present timetable operated by Connex on each of its South-Central routes; [140307]

  (2) on what date he expects responsibility for the South-Central franchise to transfer to GoVia. [140313]

  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. GoVia do not currently propose the closure of any station included in this franchise. Service provision will be based on existing Passenger Service Requirements (PSRs), which provide a specified minimum service level. Where the PSR is currently augmented by higher levels of service, the aggregate additional train mileage will be incorporated as a separate contractual obligation.

  House Building (Tewkesbury)
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will review Gloucestershire County Council's Structure Plan's allocation of house building numbers to Tewkesbury, following the floods in that area; and if he will make a statement.[140023]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  No. Both the Gloucestershire Structure Plan, adopted by Gloucestershire County Council in November 1999, and the draft Tewkesbury Local Plan, deposited by Tewkesbury Borough Council in November 1998, contain policies restricting development in areas at direct risk of flooding or where it would increase the risk of flooding.

  A417
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what account he took of the plans to build extra houses, industrial and retail units at Brockworth, Gloucestershire, when assessing improvements to the A417 at Nettleton Bottom and Crickley Hill; and if he will make a statement. [140283]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The Government Office for the South West is considering with the Highways Agency how the traffic problems associated with the A417 trunk road between Nettleton Bottom and the Brockworth Bypass might best be addressed.

  Ashchurch Station
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with train operating companies about services to and from Ashchurch Station; and if he will make a statement. [140177]

  Mr. Hill
  Neither Ministers nor the shadow Strategic Rail Authority have been party to any discussions with train operators about services to and from Ashchurch Station.

  Marine Accidents Investigation Branch
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much the
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  Marine Accidents Investigation Branch investigations into the sinking of the (a) Derbyshire, (b) Marchioness and (c) Gaul, cost. [139818]

  Mr. Hill
  The Derbyshire sank in 1980 well before the Marine Accidents Investigation Branch (MAIB) had been established and the Branch played a very limited role in the investigations into the ship's loss. The cost of the MAIB's involvement cannot be separately identified but was not significant. Overall, the cost to the Department of the Derbyshire investigations up to and including the re-opened Formal Investigation are estimated as totalling between £9 and £10 million, including legal fees.

  The MAIB undertook an investigation into the loss of the Marchioness and has, more recently, assisted the Attorney-General in the Formal Investigation which is currently being held. The costs of individual MAIB Investigations are not separately recorded. Overall, the cost to the Department of the Marchioness investigations, including the current Formal Investigation, is estimated at some £6 million, including legal fees.

  The Gaul sank in 1974 and a Formal Investigation was subsequently held. Following the location of the wreck of the vessel by a TV film crew the MAIB undertook an underwater survey of the vessel. The survey cost some £600,000 and the MAIB subsequently produced a report of their survey including model tests undertaken on their behalf. The Formal Investigation into the loss of the Gaul was re-opened and the MAIB are currently assisting the Attorney-General in his preparatory work which will include a re-survey of the wreck. It is too early to estimate the likely costs which will fall to the Department and will include the subsequent hearings before a Wreck Commissioner and legal fees.

  Heathrow
  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the viability of creating specific ring-fenced slots at Heathrow for essential regional air services. [140092]

  Mr. Mullin
  The Civil Aviation Authority has recently produced a paper for the Department on the economics of ring-fencing slots. No detailed study has been done of the practicalities involved. However, the Government are not generally attracted to ring-fencing slots for particular air services as this would introduce an element of undesirable rigidity into the slot allocation system. The current arrangement, where slots are not route-specific, allows changes in the routes operated by airlines in response to market developments. Without this flexibility there would be restrictions in the scope to develop new business and limitations on the development of competition on some routes.

  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the operation and management of slot allocation at Heathrow Airport. [140168]

  Mr. Mullin
  Slot allocation at airports like Heathrow, where demand for slots significantly exceeds supply, is governed by European Regulation EC95/93. An independent co-ordinator makes the allocations using a set of priority criteria that reflects the European Regulation, international guidelines and any local rules. The 334W
  co-ordinator is charged with making allocations in a neutral, transparent and non-discriminatory manner. I am satisfied that the Heathrow co-ordinator, Airport Co-ordination Ltd., operates in this way.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Portcullis House
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Chairman of the Accommodation and Works Committee if he will assess the benefits of providing a retail outlet selling basic provisions in the atrium of Portcullis House. [140270]

  Sir Sydney Chapman
  The original proposals for Portcullis House included a small shop off the courtyard selling a limited range of goods. Following soundings made by my Committee, it was subsequently decided that the needs of hon. Members and others working in the House could be served better by letting one of the shop units on Bridge Street for use as a small supermarket. Negotiations are now in their final stages and I am pleased to advise the hon. Member that it is expected that the minimart will open early in the new year. The terms of the lease require the tenant to keep the shop open late in the evening, broadly in line with the sittings of the House.

DEFENCE

  Tornado
  Mr. Anthony D. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress on the Tornado GR4 Mid Life Update. [140561]

  Dr. Moonie
  The integration of TIALD on to the Tornado GR4, as anticipated, achieved a Military Aircraft Release in July and is being used in training by our front-line crews.

  As experience has increased in using the new software, a number of reliability problems have been encountered with integration of the software supporting the TIALD pod with the Tornado GR4's computer. These problems are being urgently addressed by the contractor, who is working on a new release of software expected early next year. We are, therefore, delaying plans to deploy the GR4 operationally. The contractor, supported by MOD, has embarked upon an urgent investigation into the cause of the current problems and will report progress shortly. In the meantime, Tornado GR1, Jaguar and Harrier GR7 aircraft will continue to provide the operational capability.

  RAF Brize Norton
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future of RAF Brize Norton. [137725]

  Mr. Spellar
  RAF Brize Norton is home to the RAF's VC10 and TriStar Air-to-Air Refuelling/Air Transport aircraft, which are due to be replaced from 2007 under the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) programme. We are currently investigating the potential for achieving a solution under the Private Finance Initiative which
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  would involve a commercial consortium working in close partnership with the RAF to provide an Air-to-Air Refuelling service.

  Once an Invitation to Negotiate has been issued, we will evaluate the proposals for meeting the FSTA requirement. Final decisions on the programme are not anticipated before 2002.

  In seeking Private Finance Initiative bids for FSTA we do not plan to place commercial constraints on the competing consortia by specifying the UK location of the operating base. However, any proposal to move Air-to-Air Refuelling operations from RAF Brize Norton would need to provide us with best value for money and protect our operational capability. At the same time, and without prejudicing the FSTA programme, we are looking at some further commercialisation of RAF Brize Norton to utilise irreducible spare capacity.

  In addition, I announced on 7 June 2000, Official Report, column 389, that RAF Brize Norton would be the future home of the C17 fleet, which will provide a strategic air transport capability. RAF Brize Norton is also the location for a number of key operational units.

  Type 675 Jammer
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason the electronic countermeasures system Type 675 is being removed from Royal Navy service. [138425]

  Mr. Spellar
  There are a number of factors which have resulted in the decision to remove Type 675 from Royal Navy service. Essentially the maritime emphasis has shifted away from large-scale open ocean naval operations towards the littoral. In addition the air threat in the littoral is more varied and complex and, at a time when Anti Ship Missile technology continues to grow and proliferate, the provision of an effective maritime Anti Air Warfare capability is essential to provide air superiority. To meet challenges of the new operating environment the Royal Navy has had to review all its countermeasure systems. The decision to withdraw the Type 675 jammer from service was taken as part of this review.

  Defence Aviation Repair Agency
  Mr. John Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many headquarters staff are employed by DARA at RAF St. Athan. [138887]

  Mr. Spellar
  As at 1 October 2000, the Defence Aviation Repair Agency employed 79 staff in its head office at RAF St. Athan.

  Mr. John Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when it was decided to designate the location of the DARA headquarters at RAF St. Athan as an interim measure. [139325]

  Mr. Spellar
  The decision to locate the DARA Headquarters as an interim measure in vacant accommodation at RAF St. Athan was taken in July 1998, prior to the launch of the Agency.

  Mr. John Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans DARA has to re-locate its headquarters from RAF St. Athan to the Bath-Bristol Area. [139326]
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  Mr. Spellar
  DARA Headquarters were established at RAF St. Athan as an interim measure prior to the launch of the Agency on 1 April 1999. Their location will be subject to review once the Agency achieves Trading Fund Status.

  Lynx Helicopters
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the current inventory is for each armed service of Lynx helicopters; and how many of these are operationally available.[139236]

  Mr. Spellar
  As at 15 November, the total number of Lynx aircraft held by the army was 124, of which 84 were allocated to units. Of these, 32 were fully serviceable. The Royal Navy had a total of 74 Lynx aircraft, of which 48 constituted the Active Fleet. Of these, 34 were fully serviceable. The RAF does not have any Lynx helicopters.

  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the flying hours logged for Lynx helicopters, of all types, for each of the past three years. [139237]

  Mr. Spellar
  The flying hours logged for Lynx helicopters, of all types, for each of the past three financial years are shown in the table.

  Lynx type

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  Mark 3

  10,696

  9,990

  8,066

  Mark 7

  27,154

  25,148

  22,982

  Mark 8

  3,772

  4,220

  5,459

  Mark 9

  4,152

  4,013

  4,469

  Total

  45,774

  43,371

  40,976

  Penguins (Falklands)
  Mr. Baldry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the impact of aircraft activity in the Falklands on the breeding patterns of penguins. [139413]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Minister of Defence has not made any assessment and Falklands Conservation has not carried out specific research on the effects of aircraft overflying penguin colonies in the Falkland Islands. We are not aware that there has been any other related research with any scientific basis. Mount Pleasant Airfield Flying Orders specifically ban aircrews from overflying areas of the Falkland Islands which are known to be sensitive breeding sites of penguins. Those Orders are supported by a detailed map of the sites.

  Royal Navy (Diving)
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the absence in the Royal Navy of saturation-trained personnel and support with expertise in deep-water diving for long periods and the employment of foreign offshore civilian divers for missions involving national security and the recovery of sensitive materials. [139720]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Ministry of Defence has effectively used civilian saturation-trained divers since the early 1990s. It is not cost-effective for the Royal Navy to retain saturation-trained personnel for isolated incidents. UK
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  contractors involved in this area of work have the appropriate level of security clearance. In addition our Salvage and Mooring Organisation maintains the ability, with the use of commercial assets, to provide assistance to or recovery of a nuclear submarine or the recovery of objects from the seabed. This arrangement allows MOD to tailor the recovery to the specific tasks. Foreign offshore divers would however be used if they were best placed to prevent loss of life.

  NATO Staffing Costs
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has contributed to NATO staffing costs in each of the past 10 years. [140019]

  Mr. Spellar
  I will write to the hon. Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Cluster Munitions
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of NATO's estimate of the failure rate of cluster munitions deployed in Kosovo. [139765]

  Mr. Spellar
  The use of cluster munitions during the Kosovo campaign was a matter for individual nations. The cluster munitions used by the UK have a manufacturer's estimated failure rate of approximately 5 per cent. The failure rate of other nations' cluster munitions (which have different specifications) may vary, but any assessment is a matter for these nations. We are not aware of any agreed NATO estimate of the failure rate of cluster munitions used by Allies in Kosovo.

  Controlled Substances
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of(a) the Army, (b) the Navy and(c) the RAF tested positive for the use of controlled substances in the most recent testing programme, stating in each instance what percentage of trained strength tested positive for (a) cannabis, (b) cocaine, (c) heroin and
  (d) other controlled substances; and if he will make a statement. [137861]

  Mr. Spellar
  [pursuant to his answer, 14 November 2000, c. 576W]: An amendment should be made to certain figures provided in respect of Army personnel. In the period 1 January to mid October 2000, 522 Army personnel, not the 580 given in my previous reply, tested positive. Of the trained strength, 0.26 per cent. tested positive for cannabis, 0.04 per cent. for cocaine, 0.10 per cent. for other controlled substances (Ecstasy, LSD, Amphetamines, Benzodiazepines and Performance Enhancing Drugs), and 0.001 per cent. tested positive for heroin.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Millennium Dome
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will hold a public inquiry into financial and management issues at the Dome. [134610]
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  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 26 October 2000]: Full and rigorous scrutiny of the project is under way. The National Audit Office (NAO) report into the Millennium Dome was published on 9 November, an Opposition day motion on the Dome was debated on 13 November, and the Committee of Public Accounts took oral evidence from Accounting Officers on 15 November. The Government have no plans to carry out a public inquiry.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will take steps to ensure that the Dome will not be demolished. [138922]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 21 November 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and the Regions gave the hon. Member for East Surrey (Mr. Ainsworth) on 20 November 2000, Official Report, column 25W.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much lottery money so far received by the NMEC is(a) a loan and (b) a grant; and what terms and conditions apply to repayments. [139017]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 22 November 2000]: The Millennium Commission does not have the statutory powers to make loans and has never offered loans to the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC). Grant made to NMEC is repayable under the terms of the Grant Memorandum from any operational surplus or asset disposal achieved after the organisation has met its other contractual liabilities.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement about the proposed plans for the disposal of the Millennium Dome and the dispersal and division of the resultant proceeds. [139018]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 22 November 2000]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and the Regions gave the hon. Member for East Surrey (Mr. Ainsworth) on 20 November 2000, Official Report, column 25W. Ministers are currently considering how the proceeds will be dealt with and will reach a decision in due course.

  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of the date by which the Millennium Dome will be available for occupation by a purchaser. [140150]

  Janet Anderson
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and the Regions gave the hon. Member for East Surrey (Mr. Ainsworth) on 20 November 2000,Official Report, column 25W.

  Audio-visual Industry
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what progress has been made in the work of the audio-visual industry skills taskforce. [140182]

  Janet Anderson
  The Audio Visual Industries Training Group (AVITG) was established jointly by my Department and Skillset, the National Training Organisation for the sector, in 1999 as a new cross-industry group to investigate and report on the current and future skills required in
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  broadcasting and the electronic media and to recommend the training and education needed to develop these skills, so that the UK can compete effectively in the world media market place.

  The Group has been particularly active in scoping and defining the sector. As one of its main activities it has undertaken the first ever census of the UK media industries. The Census has been published today and I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. It will be followed by a survey of freelances working across the industry in order to identify their current and predicted future training and skills needs.

  The AVITG has received a large number of submissions to date and will continue to receive evidence and submissions until December. It is on target to produce its final report and recommendations next spring.

  British Museum (Stonework)
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with the trustees of the British Museum concerning legal action taken by the museum in relation to the provision of French stone for building work on the South Portico. [140179]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  Any decision on whether to take legal action in relation to the provision of French stone is a matter for the British Museum. I have not discussed this with the trustees but I have been advised by the British Museum that they have taken legal advice. I am informed that as a result they have held back payments to the contractor. They will consider the grounds for legal action in the light of the conclusions of the report by PricewaterhouseCoopers due in December.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what measures are being taken by the British Museum to recover moneys owed by Easton Masonry Company (Portland) Ltd. [140180]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  I am advised by the British Museum that they have withheld payments under the contract amounting to £300,000.

  Classification of Buildings
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to introduce a right of appeal to individuals whose houses are classed as Ancient Monuments by English Heritage; and if he will make a statement. [140026]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. Friend is responsible for compiling the schedule of ancient monuments under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. He is advised in this task by English Heritage. My right hon. Friend is precluded from scheduling any structure occupied as a dwelling house (unless it is occupied by the caretaker of the property or his family). The 1979 Act does not provide a statutory right of appeal against decisions to schedule monuments, but relevant representations from owners will always be considered.

TREASURY

  Euro
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the cost to private business of the UK entering the euro in the first year of its operation; what studies he has made of the cost to private businesses in those countries which have joined; and if he will make a statement. [140024]

  Mr. Timms
  The business cost of changeover would depend on the overall approach and individual decisions that businesses took.

  Road Fuel
  Mr. Letwin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what commitments he has received from major oil companies relating to the introduction of ultra low-sulphur petrol in UK garages. [138507]

  Mr. Timms
  [holding answer 16 November 2000]: The Government intend to cut the duty on ultra-low sulphur petrol and widen its differential with unleaded petrol by a further 2p per litre in Budget 2001, conditional on the oil companies guaranteeing nationwide access to its environmental benefits.

  Judges' Lodgings
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if judges benefit from an extra statutory concession for the benefit in kind of the use of judges' lodgings for(a) accommodation and associated expenditure, (b) private entertaining and (c) use of chauffeur and car for travel to and from work at court; and if he will make a statement. [139438]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 21 November 2000]: No. The same rules governing the tax treatment of benefits and expenses apply to judges as to employees and office-holders generally.

  Upper Earnings Limit
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list to two decimal places the percentage increase in the upper earnings limit on national insurance in each of the past 10 years. [139838]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 23 November 2000]: The levels of the upper earnings limit are given in the Tax Benefit Reference Manual available in the Library of the House.

  1R35
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what legal costs have been incurred by Her Majesty's Government in defending the action for judicial review of IR35 brought by the Professional Contractors Group. [139908]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The extent to which the costs of the legal action will fall to the Government will depend on the outcome of the case.

  Integrated Child Credit
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list each form of financial support available to families with dependent children through the tax and benefit system, indicating in each case whether it will be replaced by the proposed integrated child credit; and for those which are not to be included in the integrated child credit, if he will set out the reasons for their exclusion. [139060]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The 2000 pre-Budget report reaffirmed the Government's intention to introduce a better integrated system of support for children from 2003. The Government are carefully considering the detailed design parameters of this new integrated credit.

  Children's Tax Credit
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Children's Tax Credit forms have been sent out; how many completed forms have been returned; and how many forms have been returned by people who are ineligible for the credit. [134542]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Inland Revenue does not generally hold information to enable it to identify which taxpayers have children so to maximise the number of eligible people applying it made a point of sending the claim form out widely. Some 7.8 million forms have been sent out to PAYE taxpayers and, by 20 October 2000, 2.6 million forms have been returned. Self-employed taxpayers can claim in the normal way when they receive their tax return for the year beginning April 2001. There are no figures available on the number of people who have returned the form and are ineligible for the credit.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Criminal Defence Service
  Mr. Gamier
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what estimates he has made of the caseload that the proposed pilot of the criminal defence service in England and Wales will undertake in the four years of the proposed start-up phase. [140175]

  Mr. Lock
  No caseload estimate has yet been made. Individual estimates, for each salaried defence service office, will be settled once final decisions have been made on the location of the offices and the timing of their opening.

  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what business plan has been prepared for the proposed pilot of the criminal defence service in England and Wales. [140170]

  Mr. Lock
  Each salaried defence service office will operate to its own business plan, as the issues facing each office will be unique to it. These will be developed once the office locations have been settled.

  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what are the estimated start up costs of the proposed pilot of the criminal defence service in England and Wales; and how they are made up. [140172]
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  Mr. Lock
  We expect the Legal Services Commission will spend up to £3 million in the financial year 2001–02 on salaried defenders.

  Precise start-up costs will depend on the exact location and size of each office.

  Mr. Gamier
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the estimated annual costs are of the proposed pilot of the criminal defence service in England and Wales, including the cost of support services from the Legal Service Commission central services; and how they are made up. [140173]

  Mr. Lock
  No final decisions have been made about the total costs of the pilots. Initial estimates are that costs will be up to £3 million in the first year.

  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many offices it intends to open under the proposed pilot of the criminal defence service in England and Wales; and where those offices will be located. [140171]

  Mr. Lock
  It is planned initially to open six salaried defence service offices, at least three of which will open for business on 2 April 2001. A shortlist of nine locations is being considered, namely Carlisle, Dover, Birmingham, Liverpool, Sheffield, Swansea, Middlesbrough, Oxford and Gloucester. Final decisions will be made on the locations of all six offices by the end of this year.

  Mr. Garnier
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what are the estimated numbers of(a) legally qualified and (b) non-legally qualified staff who will be employed in the proposed pilot of the criminal defence service in England and Wales. [140174]

  Mr. Lock
  The number of legally qualified and non-legally qualified staff employed in the salaried defence offices will depend on the locations of the offices and the success of the offices in attracting and retaining clients through the quality of the services they provide. Sufficient staff will be employed at each location to provide the comprehensive, 24 hour a day, seven day a week service necessary. Initial numbers will be agreed in conjunction with each office head.

  Public Defence Solicitors Officer
  Mr. Gamier
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the Public Defence Solicitors Officer pilot scheme in Edinburgh. [140176]

  Mr. Lock
  An on-going assessment by a team of researchers is being made of the PDSO pilot scheme in Edinburgh for the Scottish Executive. Account will continue to be taken of the results of the research programme into this office as they emerge. Although, the detailed scope and nature of the Edinburgh pilot is different to the proposals made for England and Wales, both my officials and I have visited Edinburgh to ensure that we are able to learn from their experience.

  I have visited the Scottish pilot Public Defence Solicitors Office in Edinburgh and was impressed by their professionalism, commitment and effectiveness, views which were endorsed by my discussions with the local judiciary.
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  Judges
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will take account of(a) candidates' home addresses proximity to Crown courts on circuits and (b) the need for High Court judges on that circuit when making appointments to the position of High Court judge; and if he will make a statement. [139729]

  Mr. Lock
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor will recommend for appointment to each High Court vacancy the candidate who appears to him to be best qualified, with reference to the published criteria alone.

  The home address of the candidate is not a relevant factor. Likewise, the needs of a circuit are not a relevant factor in considering an individual's suitability for appointment. High Court judges are not appointed to individual circuits; they go on circuit to meet the business needs of the courts as they arise. However, the needs of the justice system as a whole are taken into account when assessing the number and type of vacancies on the High Court Bench.

  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what guidance is issued to High Court judges on(a) commuting from home and (b) staying in judges' lodgings when sitting on circuit. [139736]

  Mr. Lock
  No such guidance has been issued to High Court judges by the Department.

  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what guidance is issued to circuit judges on(a) commuting from home and (b) claiming overnight hotel accommodation expenses when sitting on circuit away from their home court. [139735]

  Mr. Lock
  No precise limit of distance or travelling time within which it would be considered reasonable for a judge to take hotel accommodation rather than return home has been fixed; cases are considered in the light of the individual circumstances, taking account of such matters as the method of travel, the time of year and road conditions.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  European Court of Human Rights
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has made to members of the Council of Europe to increase the budget of the European Court of Human Rights; how many cases are before the court; how many such cases were registered(a) before and (b) after the establishment of the full-time court; what his estimate is of the average time taken for the court to reach a decision; and what proposals he has to improve the procedures of the court. [139082]

  Mr. Vaz
  It is for the President of the European Court of Human Rights to propose any increases he considers necessary in the Court's budget, and for the Secretary General of the Council of Europe (CoE) to propose how these should be accommodated in the CoE Ordinary Budget. On 1 September 2000, there were 15,107 344W
  registered applications pending before the Court. About 3,400 of these were registered before the new Court came into operation in November 1998. At present, the Court's objective is that, from the time of application, cases should be decided within three years. The Court has a longer term objective of reducing this to two years. The Court President has made a number of proposals to improve the efficiency and output of the Court, for example with new IT equipment and additional staff. Member states will shortly be asked to consider these proposals and their budgetary implications.

  Adrian Thorpe
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those people who were issued a copy of the document produced by Adrian Thorpe on Derry in June 1972; what was his Department's response to Adrian Thorpe's document; if he will place a copy of the document in the Library; and what positions Adrian Thorpe has held in his Department. [140304]

  Mr. Vaz
  Mr. Thorpe was a desk officer in Republic of Ireland Department in 1972. His manuscript note summarised the contents of a large document which looked at several options for containing the violence in Londonderry. It went only to his Head of Department, whose response was that the issues it addressed had been overtaken by events. The document was submitted to the Saville Inquiry by the FCO, and has been passed to the interested parties by the Inquiry. It would be wrong for us to publish, piecemeal and out of context, individual documents submitted to the Inquiry while it is still sitting. Mr. Thorpe joined the FCO in 1965 and has had postings in Beirut, Tokyo, Bonn, Kuala Lumpur and Manila. He is currently Ambassador to Mexico.

  Treaty of Nice
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advantages Her Majesty's Government are seeking to gain through agreeing to qualified majority voting in certain areas of the Treaty of Nice. [140280]

  Mr. Vaz
  QMV has delivered a range of measures which the UK has backed but would not have secured if others had had a veto, for example in the single market.

  Where more QMV is in the UK's interests, we will back it. But where it is not, we will retain unanimity.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Government will set out its detailed response to the most recent draft of the proposed Treaty of Nice. [140278]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Presidency published a Progress Report on the Intergovernmental Conference on 3 November. It is a draft composite text setting out drafting changes for most IGC issues (though not the rewieighting of votes, size and structure of the Commission or the allocation of seats in the European Parliament). The Government's position on all IGC issues is set out in the White Paper laid before the House on 15 February, and updated on numerous occasions since then, most recently in its response to the Foreign Affairs Committee's Report on the IGC (which was published as a Command Paper on 27 October). I refer the right hon. Member to these.
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  European Security and Defence Policy
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the creation of the ESDP requires EU treaty revisions. [140088]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Government are satisfied that the existing provisions of the Treaty on European Union provide a sufficient legal basis for implementing the arrangements for strengthening the common European security and defence policy as set out in the Presidency reports endorsed by the Helsinki and Feira European Councils, including those currently being developed under the French Presidency.

  Euro Grid
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Minister has lead responsibility for the euro grid; and what is its annual budget. [140282]

  Mr. Vaz
  As Minister for Europe, I am responsible for the European News Grid. There are no specific costs associated with work on the European News Grid, which is compiled as part of normal working practices.

  Government Statements (Europe)
  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Minister has lead responsibility for co-ordinating the Government's statements and publicity on European matters. [140277]

  Mr. Vaz
  As the Minister for Europe, I have lead responsibility for co-ordinating the Government's statements and publicity on European matters.

  ASSIST Programme
  Helen Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Assistance to Support Stability with In-Service Training programme; and what changes to the programme are planned. [137177]

  Mr. Vaz
  [pursuant to his reply, 6 November 2000, c. 51 W]: An administrative error led to an omission in my answer of 6 November to my hon. Friend. The correct answer should read as follows:

  The ASSIST programme was established on 1 April 1998 to replace the UK Military Training Assistance Scheme (UKMTAS), with the main purpose of re-focusing support to the Government's priority of promoting respect for human rights and good governance.

  The ASSIST expenditure for 1999–2000 was £8.95 million which was spent in accordance with FCO priorities for engagement with the armed forces and law enforcement agencies in a broad range of countries. All expenditure was compatible with the ASSIST criteria.

  Examples of projects funded from ASSIST include:

  Regional Peace Support Operations training for senior and junior military officers from over 20 African countries;

  Courses for Indian police trainers to promote best practice in ethical dealing with women, victims of violence, and ethnic related incidents;

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  A joint exercise involving British, Jamaican and other Caribbean Defence personnel and elements of the Jamaican police force to enhance peacekeeping skills, promote democratic policing methods and respect for human rights;

  Assistance to reduce stockpiles of ex-Soviet military equipment in Moldova;

  The secondment of a UK police officer to the Royal Nepalese Police Academy to develop the Academy's human rights training programme.

  English Language Training in countries throughout Central and Eastern Europe as well as in Guatemala, Vietnam and Mozambique.

  Following an evaluation of the performance of the ASSIST programme, minor revisions to the criteria have been introduced. The changes continued the process of redirecting expenditure towards a wider range of training and assistance for military, law enforcement agencies and civilian bodies. The need for a strong emphasis on human rights in all ASSIST projects remains.

  These changes:

  allow the funding of some classroom based training equipment within projects;

  allow the specific inclusion of Customs, border guards, prison officers within the range of eligible recipients of ASSIST funded training;

  provide increased flexibility to support the fight against drugs and international crime.

  A copy of the revised ASSIST criteria has been placed in the Library.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  EC Energy and Environment Programmes
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what communications he has received from the European Commission concerning staffing levels on EC energy and environment programmes; what percentage of manpower reductions proposed by the EC in its communication entitled "Matching the European Commission activities with its human resources" will affect energy environment programmes; what assessment he has made of the impact of these reductions on the SAVE energy efficiency programme and the ALTENER renewable energy programmes with particular reference to energy advice agencies; and when he expects these manpower reductions to come into effect. [139709]

  Mrs. Liddell
  I have not been consulted on the question of Commission staffing for the SAVE and ALTENER programmes which do not expire until 2002. Questions concerning the redeployment of staff are a matter for the Commission. In due course I expect the Commission to come forward with new proposals for these programmes for the period post 2002 and would need to be assured that the Commission has the resources to manage any new programmes it proposes.

  Minimum Wage
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what impact a minimum wage of £5.10 would have on closing the gender pay gap. [140216]
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  Mr. Alan Johnson
  There are insufficient data and too many variables to enable such a calculation to be carried out. The independent Low Pay Commission is monitoring the impact of the national minimum wage on the labour market and the economy and is currently gathering evidence. They will be making recommendations in their next report on any increase to the minimum wage rate, and the gender gap is an issue that they will examine in coming to their conclusions.

  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the enforcement procedures for the(a) minimum wage and (b) Working Time Directive indicating the number of prosecutions secured to date. [140091]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  (a) The National Minimum Wage Act 1998 provides both civil and criminal powers of enforcement. Inland Revenue officers enforce the national minimum wage issuing notices against employers as appropriate and representing workers at employment tribunals where necessary. There have been no criminal prosecutions for underpayment of the national minimum wage. Officers have issued 308 enforcement notices, 41 penalty notices and taken 24 cases to tribunals since April 1999. They have also recovered almost £3 million in back pay for workers. In addition, under the provisions of the 1998 Act, workers are able to take their own cases of underpayment to an employment tribunal or to a civil court.

  (b) The health and safety enforcing authorities (the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and local authorities) enforce the provisions of the Working Time Regulations (WTR), related to working time limits, limits on night-working and health assessments for night-workers. The entitlements to rest and leave are enforced through employment tribunals; 3,408 applications to tribunals were made in the financial year 1999–2000 where the primary complaint related to breach of WTR entitlements.

  Enforcement of the limits is in line with the Health and Safety Commission's Enforcement Policy Statement: that is, proportionate to any risk to health and safety, targeted at those in control, transparent in what is required and consistent in approach. In practice this means that the WTR are enforced in response to complaints. The HSE have handled 416 such complaints and served 13 Improvement Notices. The HSE have not initiated any prosecutions to date. There are currently no central records of local authority enforcement, but at least one case brought by a local authority has led to a prosecution for breach of the provisions on health assessment for night-workers.

  Fireworks
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation restricting the sale of all fireworks(a) to persons over the age of 16 years and (b) during a limited period of time around 5 November; and if he will make a statement. [140084]

  Dr. Howells
  The Fireworks (Safety) Regulations 1997 prohibit the supply of most fireworks to persons under the age of 18 years. The exceptions to this prohibition are low hazard fireworks, ie caps, cracker snaps, novelty matches, party poppers, serpents and throwdowns, which, under the Explosives Act 1875, can be sold only to persons over the age of 16 years.
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  I have no plans to introduce further legislation to control the period of sale.

  Trawlermen's Compensation Scheme
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the compensation scheme for former Icelandic waters trawlermen will take into account periods of absence caused by(a) service in the Royal Naval Reserves and (b) studying for mates' and skippers' qualifications. [139817]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  Yes.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Bereavement Allowance
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what response he has made to claims for Bereavement Allowance by widowers whose wives died before 2 October; and if he will make a statement. [140022]

  Angela Eagle
  Men are not entitled to a benefit payable as a result of bereavement under current legislation. We are replacing the existing Widows Benefits scheme with Bereavement Benefits which will be available equally to men and women from 9 April 2001.

  Winter Fuel Payments
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what preparations had been made for the delivery of Winter Fuel Payments on the assumption that the rate of payment would be £150; and what administrative costs arose from the timing of the decision that the rate of payment would be £200. [140305]

  Mr. Rooker
  The system for delivering Winter Fuel Payments is sufficiently flexible to enable changes to the level of the benefit to be readily accommodated. The first of the increased payments went out during week commencing 13 November, the week after my right hon. Friend the Chancellor's announcement. Work is on-going to assess the administration costs of the change.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will review the maximum compensation limit which the Child Support Agency is allowed to pay to clients; and if he will make a statement. [140286]

  Angela Eagle
  In accordance with this Department's policy on compensation and in line with other Departments', the Child Support Agency makes payments to cover financial loss in cases where maladministration has occurred. Each case is considered on its individual merits. In addition to payments for financial loss, consolatory payments may be considered in exceptional circumstances where an official error has adversely affected the life of the client.

  The Child Support Agency has delegated powers to authorise compensation payments up to certain limits. But higher awards, which are not subject to any maximum, can be paid by the Agency with the authority of the Department.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Tyrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, 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. [135253]

  Mr. Rooker
  During the period 31 March 1999 to 31 March 2000, Special Advisers in this Department travelled on official business to the United States of America and Brussels at a total cost of £2,444.64. The cost of these visits was accounted for in expenditure on Ministers' travel overseas published by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 28 July 2000,Official Report, column 969W, which for 1999–2000 was £4.6 million compared to £7.9 million for the last year of the previous Administration.

  Far East Prisoners of War
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects the detailed arrangements for claiming the Far East prisoners of war compensation to be published. [139527]

  Mr. Bayley
  The administration of the ex-gratia payment scheme for British groups who were held prisoner by the Japanese during the Second World War is a matter for the Chief Executive of the War Pensions Agency, Gordon Hextall. He will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Gordon Hextall to Mr. Paul Burstow, dated 22 November 2000:
  I am responding to your question about when the detailed arrangements for claiming the Far East prisoners of war compensation will be published. I should explain that the payments which we are making on the government's behalf are known as ex-gratia payments rather than compensation.
  I am pleased to advise you that the War Pensions Agency has already published information on the arrangements for claiming the ex-gratia payment for people who were held prisoner by the Japanese during the Second World War.
  The Agency published a Press release prior to Remembrance weekend to be distributed to the media giving details of entitlement and how to claim. Many BBC local radio stations have, in the past week or so, publicised the scheme on air. In addition, the ex-Service organisations are using their widespread network of contacts to bring the scheme to the attention of those who may benefit. The Agency's War Pensioners' Welfare Service is also distributing information on the scheme to local media and other contacts. Overseas Departments of Veterans' Affairs (e.g. Australia and Canada) have also agreed to circulate information throughout their offices.
  We have also published a claim form and a leaflet giving guidance on the Scheme. Copies of the claim form can be obtained by any of the following methods:
  phoning the War Pensions Agency's Helpline on 0800 1692277
  faxing the War Pensions Agency on 01253 332014
  writing to the War Pensions Agency, Norcross, Blackpool FY5 3WP
  by accessing the website www.dss.gov.uk/wpa/index.htm sending an e-mail to warpensions@gtnet.gov.uk
  contacting the War Pensioners' Welfare Service—the local telephone directory gives the number to call
  Copies of the claim form can also be obtained from The Royal British Legion by writing to: RBL, 48 Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5JY or by phoning: Legionline 0845 7725 725
  350W
  There are five categories of person who are entitled to make a claim for this ex-gratia payment. These are:

  (a) surviving former members of HM Armed Forces who were held as Japanese prisoners of war in the Far East during the Second World War;

  (b) surviving former Service personnel who received payments after the Treaty of Peace with Japan in 1951. These were certain members of the then colonial forces, Indian Army and Burmese Armed Forces;

  (c) surviving members of the Merchant Navy who were imprisoned by the Japanese in the Far East during the Second World War. For the purposes of the scheme, a member of the Merchant Navy is a person who has been employed, or engaged as, or for service as, a mariner in a British ship;

  (d) surviving British civilians who were interned by the Japanese in the Far East during the Second World War; and

  (e) the surviving widow or widower of a person who would otherwise have been entitled under category a), b), c) or d) above, providing they were still married at the time of death.

  I hope this is helpful, if you need any further information, I will be happy to assist.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Extradition
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are applied to requests for extradition of British nationals to India in cases where the request concerns an Indian-born British national. [140309]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Extradition Act 1989 contains certain general restrictions on a person's return. But the United Kingdom does not operate a barrier to the extradition of its own nationals.

  Hinduja Family
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what(a) discussions (i) he and (ii) officials from his Department had with and (b) information was received from (A) the Indian police force and (B) other sources concerning investigations being undertaken by the Indian Police into allegations concerning Srichand Hinduja (1) before he decided to grant him citizenship and (2) subsequent to his decision. [140308]

  Mrs. Roche
  No discussions were held with the Indian authorities or other sources before Mr. Hinduja's application was determined. Inquiries were made as to whether any charges had been brought concerning the allegations which had been made against him nearly 10 years earlier. No charges had been brought against Mr. Hinduja at the time of the decision, nor are we aware of any being made subsequently.

  Once citizenship has been granted to an applicant we do not normally make inquiries regarding the individual unless he or she has been convicted of a criminal offence within five years of the grant of citizenship, or if it is alleged that false information was supplied, or relevant information withheld, concerning the application.

  Volunteers
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his plans
  351W
  (a) to create a register of volunteers and (b) to require charities to check the register of volunteers before accepting volunteers. [140178]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Government have provided funding for TimeBank, an initiative which, in partnership with the voluntary sector and the BBC, is designed to promote voluntary activity and inspire people to give time. Volunteers are able to give time by registering with TimeBank by internet, by telephone or by post. TimeBank then uses the database to match people's time to volunteering opportunities in local communities. The Government do not require charities or those seeking to use volunteers to check with the TimeBank database before accepting volunteers.

  Young Offenders Institutions
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what response he has made to recent criticism made by the Chief Inspector of Prisons of young offenders institutions; [140275]

  (2) when he was first informed of the conditions at the young offenders institutions criticised by the Chief Inspector of Prisons. [140272]

  Mr. Boateng
  As set out in a protocol between Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons and the Director General of the Prison Service, the Home Secretary receives draft inspection reports in advance of publication. At regular bilateral meetings with Sir David Ramsbotham, both the Home Secretary and myself are kept informed of emerging findings from inspections of individual establishments, including young offenders institutions.

  As far as under-18s in young offenders institutions are concerned, we have transformed the system as it applies to them. This Government recognised that reforms had to be made to the youth justice system, not least to the level and standard of care within the secure estate. The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 established the Youth Justice Board for England and Wales as a non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Home Office. The Board's purpose is to monitor the operation of the youth justice system and to ensure the delivery of the appropriate standard of care.

  The Prison Service's key response to past criticisms of how it has dealt with young people placed within its custody has been to create a new, distinct estate for 15 to 17-year-old boys, comprising juvenile units in young offenders institutions1. This change has enabled us to transform the facilities and regimes for this group of offenders. Overall, £51 million has been invested in this development. For the first time, the vast majority of under-18s will be held in either dedicated under-18 establishments, or in dedicated under-18 living units within other establishments. The new regimes will be based upon providing a "full, purposeful and active day"; rigorous assessment of each individual's health, social, educational and vocational needs; formal and specific planning and provision of education and training to meet these needs; regular reviews of each individual's plans and inter-agency co-operation and support.

  In relation to those aged 18–20 years, we are considering carefully how this group should be treated in custody as part of our proposals to reform sentencing for this age group. The Criminal Justice and Court Services
  352W
  Bill, which will abolish the sentence of detention in a young offenders institution (DYOI), provides an opportunity to look at the regime needs of a wider range of young offenders. We recognise that they do have different needs, and our work on regime provision for young adult offenders, not only the 18–20s, will concentrate on moving them more efficiently from custody to work. We have given a commitment that we will not implement the abolition of the sentence of DYOI until we have prepared a Prison Service Order to prison governors covering young adult offenders. We shall do that in consultation with interested bodies.
  1 Ashfield; Brinsford; Castington; Feltham; Hollesley Bay; Huntercombe; Lancaster Farms; Onley; Portland; Stoke Heath; Thorn Cross; Warrington; and Wetherby.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ask the Chief Inspector of Prisons to prepare a further report in six months' time on the young offenders institutions which have been criticised by him. [140276]

  Mr. Boateng
  Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons (HMCIP) is entitled to inspect any prison establishment in England and Wales at any time. He does this by means of announced and unannounced inspections. Although it is usually the case that he promptly revisits those establishments of which he has been very critical, I consider it appropriate to leave follow-up timescales to HMCIP. It is quite possible that HMCIP would consider a follow-up inspection to be appropriate to a longer or shorter timescale.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to end the bullying by some inmates against others at young offenders institutions recently named by the Chief Inspector of Prisons. [140274]

  Mr. Boateng
  A Prison Service Order to governors on anti-bullying was issued in 1999. The Order set out the Prison Service's commitment to ensure all establishments have an effective strategy to tackle the bullying of prisoners by other prisoners.

  Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons has recently inspected both Brinsford and Chelmsford and the reports will be published shortly. The recommendations within them will be addressed. Action plans in respect of Stoke Heath and Portland have ensured that any anti-bullying strategy is in place and these have been published within the establishment. Additionally at Portland, courses for bullies and victims have been set up.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy for Ministers in his Department to visit on a quarterly basis the young offenders institutions criticised by the Chief Inspector of Prisons. [140273]

  Mr. Boateng
  It is the role of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons regularly to inspect and to report to the Home Secretary on Prison Service establishments, and, in particular, on conditions in those establishments, the treatment and condition of prisoners and other inmates and the facilities available to them, and on any other matters as the Home Secretary may direct.

  It is the policy of Ministers to visit young offenders and other prison establishments whenever they can to see conditions for themselves, and to meet prisoners,

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  staff and voluntary and other agencies which work in prison establishments. Since 1 May 1997, my ministerial colleagues and I have visited 180 establishments, 68 of which were young offenders institutions or held young offenders.

HEALTH

  Tobacco Control
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mandate has been given to those negotiating on behalf of the European Union on the WHO Framework Convention for Tobacco Control; and if he will list the ways in which the objectives differ from those of Her Majesty's Government. [133883]

  Yvette Cooper
  The United Kingdom Government have agreed with their European Union partners and with the European Commission which are the areas of the Framework Convention for Tobacco Control where the Commission has competence to negotiate on behalf of the European Union and which are the responsibility of national Governments. The Commission's negotiating mandate is based on Articles 95 (internal market) and 152 (public health); however, this will be kept under review as the work develops. Where the Commission has competence, we will work with it and with our partners with a view to reaching consensus on a negotiating position.

  Smoking
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the adult population smoked tobacco in each of the last five years. [138824]

  Yvette Cooper
  The latest available data are shown in the table:

  Prevalence of cigarette smoking among adults aged 16 years and over, by gender—England 1994–98

  Percentage

  Persons

  Men

  Women

  1994

  26

  28

  25

  1996

  28

  28

  27

  1998

  27

  28

  26

  Notes:

  1. Data rounded to the nearest whole figure

  2. Directly comparable information is not available for 1995, 1997 or 1999

  Source:

  ONS Living in Britain: Results from the 1998 General Household Survey

  Health Services (Climate Change)
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what strategic measures he is taking to allow for changes in the demand for health services induced by climate change. [137178]

  Yvette Cooper
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment on 13 November 2000,Official Report, columns 469–70W. In addition, the Chief Medical Officer for England commissioned a programme of research into the Health Effects of Climate Change in the United
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  Kingdom, which will help to inform health policy development for the future. A draft report is expected to be published for consultation around the end of this year. I will place a copy in the Library at that time.

  Pregnancy
  Mr. Gummer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent advice he has taken and from whom on the point at which pregnancy can be said to begin. [138891]

  Yvette Cooper
  The accepted legal and medical view is that a pregnancy begins at implantation. This has been the policy of successive Governments and is based on advice given to the Department by the Attorney-General in 1983, about the legal position under the Abortion Act 1967.

  Emergency Contraception
  Mr. Gummer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence his Department has collated on the impact of the morning after pill on the abortion rate; and if he will make a statement. [138892]

  Yvette Cooper
  A study of self-administration of emergency contraception following advance prescribing has been performed by Glasier et al in Edinburgh1. This concluded
  making emergency contraception more easily available … may reduce the rate of unwanted pregnancies.

  However, the number of women studied was small and at the present time there are insufficient data to know how availability of emergency contraception might affect outcome measures such as therapeutic abortion rates.

  It should be noted that fluctuations in the abortion rate may be subject to a number of different factors and it is therefore difficult to attribute any changes to one intervention or event.
  1 Glasier A and Baird D: The Effects of Self-Administering Emergency Contraception. The New England Journal of Medicine 1998; 339: No. 11–4.

  Vaccines
  Miss Kirkbride
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost per child of the MMR vaccine is; and if he will estimate the cost per child if separate vaccinations were given to children for measles, mumps and rubella. [138898]

  Yvette Cooper
  The United Kingdom is supplied by two manufacturers of measles, mumps and rubella vaccine and by one supplier of rubella vaccine. The cost to the Department of purchasing MMR and rubella vaccines is commercially confidential. However, the price of a single dose of MMR vaccine as listed in the British National Formulary is £6.23 for that manufactured by SmithKline Beecham and £10.17 for that manufactured by Aventis Pasteur. The list price for rubella vaccine, manufactured by SmithKline Beecham, is £2.53 per vial.

  Children are recommended to receive two doses of MMR vaccine. Rubella vaccine is recommended for non-immune women. Single antigen measles and mumps vaccines are not licensed in the United Kingdom.
  355W
  Miss Kirkbride
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the meningitis C vaccine recently introduced in the NHS is the same as the vaccine is authorised for use in the USA. [138837]

  Yvette Cooper
  The United Kingdom was the first country in the world to introduce and use the new meningococcal Group C conjugate vaccine.

  Miss Kirkbride
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the present MMR vaccine used by the NHS is the same as authorised for use in the USA. [138836]

  Yvette Cooper
  The United Kingdom is supplied by two manufacturers of measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, SmithKline Beecham and Aventis Pasteur. We are advised by the manufacturers that the SmithKline Beecham product is not currently marketed in the United States of America but that the Aventis Pasteur MMR vaccine is. We are also advised that the Aventis Pasteur MMR vaccine marketed in the USA is manufactured and formulated to the same set of specifications as that vaccine used in the United Kingdom.

  Miss Kirkbride
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which attenuated viruses are used in the creation of the MMR vaccine; and for which diseases. [138895]

  Yvette Cooper
  There are two measles, mumps and rubella vaccines authorised in the United Kingdom. Both contain live attenuated measles, mumps and rubella viruses in the preparation. The combination vaccine is used for active immunisation against these viruses.

  Miss Kirkbride
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children, in each health authority region, have received the MMR vaccination(a) this year and (b) in the last five years. [138897]

  Yvette Cooper
  The information available about the percentage of children receiving measles, mumps and rubella vaccinations is contained in the Statistical Bulletin "NHS Immunisation Statistics, England: 1999-2000". A copy of the bulletin is in the Library and can also be found on the Department of Health website www.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0026.htm.

  Miss Kirkbride
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the research commissioned by him on the possible side effects of the meningitis C vaccine most recently introduced in the NHS. [138899]

  Yvette Cooper
  A number of the studies which led to the licensing of the new meningitis C vaccines in the United Kingdom were undertaken by the Public Health Laboratory Service and funded by the Department. Many of these have already been published in the medical literature and others have been submitted for publication. An up-to-date reference list has been placed in the Library.

  Following a recent review of the safety of the new meningitis C vaccines, a joint Statement from the Chairman of the Committee on Safety of Medicines and the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation was released. Copies of this have also been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children of school age have waited over one year beyond the recorded date for their BCG vaccination in each of the last three years. [138989]
  356W
  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 17 November 2000]: BCG vaccine has been in limited supply for some time due to severe manufacturing problems encountered by the sole United Kingdom licensed source, Celltech Medeva. As a result, we had no alternative but to request health authorities suspend their routine schools immunisation programme for 10 to 14-year-olds from September 1999. In the meantime, stocks are being used specifically for those at higher risk.

  On 19 July, the Department announced that there is now sufficient supply of vaccine to restart the routine schools programme initially in the London area, where the highest rate of tuberculosis in the country currently occurs. The Department hopes to announce shortly when there will be enough vaccine to restart routine immunisation in the rest of the country.

  Information on the number of children of school age who have waited over one year or beyond for their BCG vaccination is not routinely available.

  Brittle Bone Disease
  Mr. Woolas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what funds he plans to make available for research into the effects and causes of osteogenesis imperfecta; [138800]

  (2) what plans he has to promote awareness of osteogenesis imperfecta; [138798]

  (3) what plans he has to meet representatives of the Brittle Bone Society. [138799]

  Yvette Cooper
  Neither the Department nor the Medical Research Council (MRC), which is the main Government agency for research into the causes of and treatments for disease, are directly commissioning any research projects specifically on osteogenesis imperfecta, at present. However, the MRC is funding research related to osteoarthritis and always welcomes high-quality applications for support into any aspect of human health. These are judged in open competition with other demands on funding. Awards are made according to their scientific quality and importance to human health.

  Ministers have not been invited to meet representatives of the Brittle Bone Society but are aware of their work. We value highly the achievements of such societies and their dedication to promoting greater awareness of conditions which are not widely recognised. They provide advice, encouragement and practical help for those unfortunate to be afflicted, and their families, and they support research into the condition's cause and the alleviation of its effects.

  The Department provides grant aid to assist the promotion of a better awareness and appreciation of conditions like Brittle Bone Disease, the most common cause of this condition being osteogenesis imperfecta. This is undertaken through the voluntary group "Contact A Family" which maintains a hard copy and website directory of specific and rare conditions in childhood, including family support networks.

  Stem Cell Research
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the Government's policy concerning embryonic stem cell research and the development of adult stem cells. [139145]
  357W
  Yvette Cooper
  The issue of stem cell research was comprehensively discussed in the report of the Chief Medical Officer's Expert Group—"Stem Cell research: Medical progress with responsibility"—published in August of this year. copies of which are available in the Library.

  The report concluded that research on stem cells from all sources provides the possibility of exciting prospects for future therapies for a range of debilitating diseases including Parkinson's, diabetes, spinal injuries and liver disease. However, a great deal of research will be needed to realise such potential. It is hoped that research with embryonic stem cells will provide the information necessary for the future use of adult cells for treatment.

  We have accepted the recommendations of the report and will introduce Regulations to extend the permitted research purposes under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 to allow for research on embryonic stem cells.

  Embryonic Research
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the resolution of the European Parliament (Official Journal CO34, 2/2/1998. p0164) on embryonic research and therapeutic cloning. [139146]

  Yvette Cooper
  We agree with the aim of this Resolution to the extent that human reproductive cloning should be prohibited. This is entirely in accordance with the stated view of the United Kingdom Government. However, we announced in August our intention to bring forward Regulations to extend the purposes for which embryos may be used in research to include research into human diseases and their treatments. This would include embryos created by cell nuclear replacement (therapeutic cloning).

  Resolutions of the European Parliament have no legal status. We are aware that the European Union has no competence to legislate specifically on embryo research and that strong and deeply divided views are held on this issue in Europe.

  Mr. Reed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many applications for research licences the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has refused since 1990. [139486]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has licensed human embryo research since 1 August 1991. Up to March 2000 the HFEA has refused a total of 17 licences.

  Surveys (Social Service Departments)
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out the surveys, and information sought in each case, sent to social service departments in the last six months. [139043]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 20 November 2000]: In support of its business objectives to secure high-quality social care and child protection through local authorities and other agencies, the Department collects statistical information on an annual basis from councils with
  358W
  social services responsibilities. Details of the statistical collections are available on the Department of Health internet site at www.doh.gov.uk/public/pss2000ret.htm.

  The Department also collects information in support of performance monitoring of individual council's achievements against national targets. The autumn position statement, issued in September, sought performance and progress information in connection with selected aspects of the Department's national priorities guidance objectives and targets. It forms part of the Department's new performance assessment system for social services introduced this year. The winter census of social services was carried out by the Department's social care regional offices in October, covering all councils with social services responsibilities. It gathered information on changes to the number of residential and nursing home places in council areas over the period October 1999-October 2000: and on council expenditure to support admissions.

  Information that the social services inspectorate requests from individual local authorities to aid the inspection process has not been included.

  Long-term Care
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the change in regulations in paragraph 2.32 of the Government's response to the Royal Commission on long-term care to give councils powers to help people with preserved rights facing eviction will extend to those in nursing homes, as well as in residential care homes. [138648]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 20 November 2000]: The new regulations will apply to some people in nursing homes. Councils will be able to support in their existing residential care or nursing home those people with preserved rights whom they can at present only support in a different home when faced with eviction.

  We hope to introduce the new regulations before the end of the year.

  Infertility Treatment
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what progress his Department has made in ensuring equal access to infertility treatment in England; and if he will make a statement; [139931]

  (2) what improvements he plans to make to infertility service provision under the NHS National Plan; and if he will make a statement; [139930]

  (3) when his Department will publish the findings of its survey of health authority infertility provision in England. [139932]

  Yvette Cooper
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Gedling (Mr. Coaker) on 20 November 2000,Official Report, column 43W.

  Pre-eclampsia
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on pre-eclampsia and connected syndromes, with particular reference to the incidence of
  359W
  the condition, foetal and maternal mortality, current research programmes and the dissemination of good practice among clinicians. [139530]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 23 November 2000]: The Department recognises the serious nature of both pre-eclampsia (hypertension of pregnancy) and its rarer complication, eclampsia. Pre-eclampsia can occur in up to 10 per cent. of pregnancies, and its severer condition, eclampsia, complicates 5 per 10,000 pregnancies. Eclampsia currently causes up to six maternal deaths a year in the United Kingdom and up to 140 foetal deaths in England and Wales.

  The Department's Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Deaths investigates all maternal deaths and publishes regular, updated guidelines on the management of eclampsia. It has also funded the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) and Royal College of Midwives to produce guidelines for the management of antenatal care including the detection and treatment of pre-eclampsia. Apart from these guidelines the RCOG has also issued recent guidelines for the management of eclampsia. The Medical Research Council is funding several studies into the aetiology of this condition. The Department also supports the charity Action on Pre-Eclampsia through a core grant and funding for its project to supply information packs to health professionals and leaflets to pregnant women.

  Autism and Asperger's Syndrome
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to(a) raise public awareness of the existence and symptoms of (i) autism and (ii) Asperger's Syndrome and (b) to improve the United Kingdom's record in diagnosis and assessment. [139174]

  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 23 November 2000]: In 1999–2000 the Department gave project grants on autism, including Asperger's Syndrome, to the National Autistic Society and the Institute of Psychiatry. The needs of autistic people who also have a learning disability will be covered by the learning disability strategy which will be published as a White Paper in the early months of next year.

  Part of the explanation for the increasing number of children identified as having an autistic spectrum disorder is improvement in diagnosis by the medical profession. The National Health Service Executive has funded an evaluation of the Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communication Disorders (DISCO) against other new approaches to diagnosis. DISCO was developed at the Medical Research Council Unit at the Institute of Psychiatry and is making a major contribution to the more reliable diagnosis of autistic spectrum disorders. Its continuing development is being undertaken by the National Autistic Society.

  We recognise the importance of health, social services and education agencies collaborating to facilitate early identification and effective intervention. Quality Projects, the programme to transform children's services, will continue for a five year period until 2004 with additional resources. From April 2001, services for disabled children will be a priority area and over the following three years £60 million has been earmarked for spending on services for disabled children and their families.

  BSE
  Mr. Hopkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the adequacy and effectiveness of controls designed to minimise the risk of BSE infected meat originating in France from entering the British food chain. [140621]

  Ms Stuart
  The Government treat all matters of food and consumer safety with the utmost seriousness. That is why we established the Food Standards Agency (FSA). The preliminary advice received from the agency is that there is no need currently for a ban on French beef. But the agency plans to visit France urgently to ensure that the French Government have in place effective measures to implement their planned action on beef and to ensure that the beef banned in France will not be exported to the United Kingdom. The position will be reconsidered by Ministers following the report from the FSA of its findings in France.

  In addition, the agency is commissioning a risk assessment of French beef. The Government will be pressing for the European Commission to ensure the compulsory labelling of countries of origin of meat, including processed products. All allegations that imported over-30-months-beef is being or has been sold for human consumption are vigorously investigated. The agency will be asking local authorities to step up enforcement action on the 30-months rule in meat processing plants and retailers. The FSA has advised Ministers to consider tightening the 1996 regulations so that they cover certification and beef products and we will be doing that urgently.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Beechwood School/Corby Community College
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he expects(a) Beechwood School, Slough and (b) Corby Community College to be able to return to a five day teaching week. [134347]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  John Christie, Chief Education Officer for Slough Local Education Authority, confirmed to DfEE officials on 25 October that Beechwood School would return to a full five-day teaching week on Monday 30 October. This has now happened.

  Officials within my Department made it absolutely clear that Corby Community College should return to a full teaching week as soon as possible. DfEE officials from my Department and the Teacher Training Agency have been in close touch with both the school and Northamptonshire LEA to offer urgent practical support for recruiting the additional teaching staff they need. The target date for reverting to a normal week was November 13. The school is now operating normally.

  In each case, officials from my Department have worked with the school and LEA to find urgent solutions to return the school to normal working and to provide pupils with their full learning entitlement.
  361W

  Learning and Skills Councils
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what will be(a) the total cost of (i) setting up and (ii) running the learning and skills councils and (b) the annual cost of the salaries of the directors; and if he will make a statement. [137002]

  Mr. Wicks
  [holding answer 8 November 2000]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State wrote to the Learning and Skills Council on 9 November to set out the Government's remit for the Council for the next three years. He will shortly send a further letter to the Council that will set out details of its budgets for the year 2001–02. This letter will be placed in the Library of the House and I shall answer the hon. Member's question as soon as possible thereafter.

  Departmental Initiatives
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the total amount of revenue and capital resources spent by his Department on(a) education action zones, (b) Excellence in Cities, (c) Sure Start and (d) Fresh Start in each of the years (i) 1997–98, (ii) 1998–99 and (iii) 1999–2000. [138850]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  [holding answer 17 November 2000]: The total amount of revenue and capital resources spent by this Department on (a) Education Action Zones, (b) Excellence in Cities (c) Sure Start (d) and Fresh Start in each of the years (i) 1997–98, (ii) 1998–99 and (iii) 1999–2000, reflects the fact that these programmes were launched from January 1998 onwards. There was no expenditure on these programmes in 1997–98.

  The table sets out expenditure for 1998–99 and 1999–2000. The Fresh Start support programme was announced in March 2000 and there is no expenditure before the current financial year. The table also sets out estimated expenditure for this year.

  £ million

  Programme

  1998–99

  1999–00

  2000–01 estimated

  Education action zones:

  Revenue

  10

  25

  59

  Capital

  0

  0

  0

  Excellence in cities:

  Revenue

  0

  22

  123

  Capital

  0

  1

  44

  New school name

  Former school name

  Phase

  LEA Area

  Date of fresh start

  Firfield Community School

  Blakelaw school

  Secondary

  Newcastle

  September 1998

  Fir Vale School

  Earl Marshal school

  Secondary

  Sheffield

  September 1998

  East Brighton College of Media Arts

  The Marina High School

  Secondary

  Brighton

  September 1999

  Islington Arts and Media

  George Orwell School

  Secondary

  Islington

  September 1999

  Kingswood High School

  Perronet Thompson School

  Secondary

  Kingston Upon Hull

  September 1999

  Telegraph Hill

  Hatcham Wood School

  Secondary

  Lewisham

  September 1999

  Bishopsford Community School

  Watermeads High School

  Secondary

  Merton

  September 1999

  River Leen School

  Alderman Derbyshire School

  Secondary

  Nottingham City

  September 1999

  The King's CE School

  Regis Country

  Secondary

  Wolverhampton

  September 1998

  New College

  New parks Community College

  Secondary

  Leicester City

  September 1999

  Park View Academy

  The Langham

  Secondary

  Haringey

  September 1999

  The Richard Heathcote Community Primary

  Heathcote County School

  Primary

  Staffordshire

  January 2000

  Manor Oak Primary

  Kevington Primary School

  Primary

  Bromley

  January 2000

  Goose Green Primary

  Grove Vale primary

  Primary

  Southwark

  April 2000

  New Christ Church CE VC Primary

  Christ Church CE VC Primary

  Primary

  Reading

  May 2000

  Orion School

  Grahame Park J and I

  Primary

  Barnet

  January 2000

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  £ million

  Programme

  1998–99

  1999–00

  2000–01 estimated

  Sure start:

  Revenue

  0

  4

  108

  Capital

  0

  1

  76

  Fresh start:

  Revenue

  0

  0

  6

  Capital

  0

  0

  15

  Fresh Start
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on progress with the Fresh Start Initiative. [139777]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The Government are committed to preventing schools from failing, and turning round those that do as quickly as possible. There are now under 380 schools on special measures compared with 515 in 1998. Over 600 schools have been turned round since 1997. The average turn-round time currently averages 18 months, compared to 25 months in 1997.

  Over 100 schools in special measures have closed, and the pupils been educated elsewhere. Where it proves impossible to turn a school round in a reasonable time, closure should be the preferred option. In exceptional circumstances, where closure is not feasible, the local education authority may consider a Fresh Start, closing the existing school and opening a new school on the same site. This is a difficult course, and should be reserved for the hardest cases. Twenty five schools have been "Fresh Started". All were causing concern and the majority had been on special measures for over two years.

  We have built on the experience of the early Fresh Starts. We are now providing targeted capital and recurrent funding, and professional support. We will not provide funds or support unless the Fresh Start process planned and supported by the local education authority, and there is a strong likelihood of success.

  Fresh Start schools are new and fragile, and there are no quick fixes. They will be treated in the same way as other schools on special measures, including termly monitoring by Ofsted. They need to focus on raising the achievement of their pupils. We expect all Fresh Start secondary schools to achieve the minimum standard of 15 per cent. of pupils achieving five GCSEs at grades A1-C within three years of opening.
  363W

  New school name

  Former school name

  Phase

  LEA Area

  Date of fresh start

  Kings High School

  Kingsleigh

  Secondary

  Bournemouth

  September 2000

  Parkwood High School

  Herries

  Secondary

  Sheffield

  September 2000

  St John and St James

  Rams Episcopal

  Primary

  Hackney

  September 2000

  Westmorland

  Maycroft/Brindale

  Primary

  Stockport

  September 2000

  Paringdon Primary

  Peterswood Junior

  Primary

  Essex

  September 2000

  Water Lane

  Sumners

  Primary

  Essex

  September 2000

  Kings College

  Kings Manor

  Secondary

  Surrey

  September 2000

  Corby Community College

  Queen Elizabeth/Beanfield

  Secondary

  Northamptonshire

  September 2000

  Tividale Community School

  Tividale

  Primary

  Sandwell

  September 2000

  Special Schools (Closures)
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many special schools have closed since 1 May 1997. [139295]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 20 November 2000]: Some 130 special schools have closed since 1 May 1997. This includes at least 11 special schools whose closure was approved before that date. It also includes 15 schools whose closure has been approved but has not yet taken place. Twenty-two of these schools were failing schools.

  The closure of special schools is often part of a larger reorganisation of provision for children with special educational needs, which may consist of the opening of other special schools, or the establishment of special units within mainstream schools. The pupils from a closing special school will transfer to another school which can meet their needs—whether that be another special school, a special unit or appropriately supported in a mainstream school.

  In January there were 93,018 pupils in such schools; in January 2000 there were 91,708, a reduction of 1.4 per cent.

  Since 1 September 1999, proposals for opening, closing or making alterations to schools have been determined by local School Organisation Committees rather than by the Secretary of State. These committees are made up of representatives of the local education authority, local primary, secondary and special schools and others.

  Special Needs Teacher Training
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many hours of training PGCE students receive in the teaching of children with special needs. [139296]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 20 November 2000]: This information is not collected centrally. However, since 1998 in order to secure qualified teacher status (QTS), students must be able to demonstrate that they can identify pupils with special educational needs, know where to go to get help in order to give positive and targeted support and are familiar with the requirements of the Code of Practice on identification and assessment of SEN, including requirements with regard to the keeping of pupils' records.

  SEN Statements
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the average time over the last 364W
  12 months has been for a child with special educational needs to be statemented from the initiation of the process to the statement being issued. [139297]

  Jacqui Smith
  [holding answer 20 November 2000]: The Audit Commission collects information on the production of statements. It is encouraging to note that the Audit Commission's figures show an improvement, with English councils overall preparing 67 per cent. of draft statements within 18 weeks in 1998–99, compared to 54 per cent. in 1997–98 and 48 per cent. in 1996–97.

  A-levels (Teachers)
  Ms Kelly
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the average A-level points score was of graduates entering the teaching profession in each year since 1990. [139499]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Data for A-level point scores for graduates entering the teaching profession are not collected centrally.

  Figures based on available A-level point scores data for entrants to initial teacher training (ITT) leading to a BEd with qualified teacher status in England are shown in the table.

  Academic year of entry

  Average A-level point score

  1997–98

  14.4

  1998–99

  15.4

  Notes:

  1. Candidates with more than three A-levels are scored for the best three; all candidates with three or fewer A-levels are scored and counted. AS-levels are scored as half an A-level.

  2. Figures for earlier years are not available.

  Source:

  Teacher Training Agency—data collected for the Initial Teacher Training Performance Profiles.

  The following table presents figures based on A-level point scores data available for applicants accepted onto degrees leading mainly to a BEd with qualified teacher status. The figure for applicants in academic year 2000–01 is not yet available.

  Applicants accepted for entry in academic year

  Average A-level point score

  1994–95

  13.9

  1995–96

  14.1

  1996–97

  14.5

  1997–98

  14.8

  1998–99

  15.2

  1999–2000

  15.2

  365W
  Notes:

  1. For 1994–95, entry figures include physical education courses not leading to a BEd with qualified teacher status.

  2. For 1995–96, entry figures include Sports Science and Leisure and Recreation courses not leading to a BEd with qualified teacher status.

  3. For 1995–96 onwards, figures include combined courses of education with another subject not necessarily leading to a first degree with qualified teacher status.

  4. Candidates with more than three A-levels are scored for the best three; candidates with two or more A-levels are scored; candidates with fewer than two A-levels are excluded. AS-levels are scored as half an A-level.

  5. Figures for earlier years are not available.

  Source:

  Universities and Colleges Admissions Service, covering degrees offered through UCAS in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

  Reliable data for A-level point scores for postgraduate trainees are not collected centrally. Recruitment to postgraduate ITT courses in England has risen for 2000–01 as compared to 1999–2000, according to figures from the TTA survey of ITT providers. Total postgraduate recruitment for 1999–2000, according to figures from the TTA survey of ITT providers. Total postgraduate recruitment for 1999–2000 was 17,461; for 2000–01, the provisional figure is 19,544. The following table presents the proportion of successful PGCE ITT completers in England and Wales who were awarded a second class honours or more for their first degree for calendar years 1990 to 1999:

  Year

  Percentage awarded 2:2 or higher for 1st degree

  1990

  82.3

  1991

  83.0

  1992

  83.6

  1993

  85.2

  1994

  86.8

  1995

  87.5

  1996

  87.5

  1997

  90.1

  1998

  90.3

  1999

  91.1

  Notes:

  1. The figures exclude those for whom no class of degree is shown in the teachers' record system. These are mainly holders of acceptable graduate equivalent qualifications or non-UK degrees.

  2. The figures exclude Open University and School Centred Initial Teacher Training.

  Source:

  Analytical Services Database of Teacher Records, DfEE.

  Children's Services
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what services are available offering counselling, advice and protection to children in schools; and if he will make a statement on the adequacy of such services. [139658]

  Jacqui Smith
  The Government are substantially increasing the resources available to schools to offer personal support to children. Learning Mentors have already been introduced in nearly 500 city secondary schools through our Excellence in Cities initiative. As the initiative is extended in the next school year, we are enabling city secondary schools to employ 1,500 Learning Mentors in a total of 1,000 secondary schools. That will mean that one third of all secondary school pupils will be 366W
  covered by the programme. Learning Mentors help young people overcome barriers to learning, both inside and outside school.

  The new Connexions service will operate from April next year. It is a major new advice, guidance and support service for young people aged 13–19. Its aim is to connect and reconnect young people with learning, and help them to make a successful transition to adult life.

  The Children's Fund, announced last week and worth £450 million over three years, will lead the Government's policy on preventing poverty and disadvantage for children and young people. The majority of the Fund will be targeted on preventive work with children (primarily in the 5 to 13 age group) and their families, helping them before they hit crisis. £70 million of the Fund will be distributed directly to local communities through a network of local funds administered by the voluntary sector itself.

  The Government take child protection seriously and have made recommendations to local education authorities and schools about protecting children from abuse. These include that all schools should have a child protection policy; that schools should have a designated member of staff responsible for co-ordinating action within the school and liaising with other agencies; and procedures to be followed if a member of staff is accused of abuse.

  Schools are also encouraged to support the emotional health and well-being of children through the National Health School Standard.

  School Records
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what right of access parents have to school records concerning their child. [139761]

  Jacqui Smith
  Parents of children in maintained schools are entitled to see their child's educational record, free of charge, within 15 school days of making a written request. They are similarly entitled to receive a copy at no greater cost than that of supplying it. In both cases, the Data Protection Act 1998 prevents disclosure of some material—for example, that which would be likely to cause serious harm to the physical or mental health or emotional condition of the pupil or someone else.

  Ofsted Inspectors
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what percentage of Ofsted school inspections were carried out by inspectors from the local area in the last 12 months for which figures are available; [139769]

  (2) what percentage of Ofsted inspectors are (a) serving teachers and (b) teachers who retired within the last five years. [139772]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  These are matters for HM Chief Inspector of Schools in England, Chris Woodhead. I have asked him to write to the right hon. Member and to place a copy of his letter in the Library.
  367W

  Correspondence
  Mr. McLoughlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment when he will reply to letters to him dated 7 September and 26 June on behalf of Reverend Christopher Harrison, Chairman of the Governors of Fitzherbert Primary School in Fenny Bentley, Ashbourne, Derbyshire. [140169]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  I have now replied to the hon. Member on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. I regret the delay that has occurred in this case.

  Media and Broadcasting Technology
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what measures he is taking to support the development of skills in media and broadcasting technology among people of school age. [140181]

  Jacqui Smith
  The National Curriculum enables pupils from an early age to develop the skills needed to access and judge information from a variety of sources, including television and the media. There are many opportunities for pupils to develop technological skills, particularly within Information and Communications Technology and Design and Technology.

  With our encouragement, the British Film Institute has worked with a range of partners, including teachers, to produce an excellent guide 'Moving Images in the classroom' for secondary schools. It offers a range of practical activities to develop pupils' skills in many different subjects including, for example, using video and software editing in Music and using a video or ICT to produce a foreign language voice-over for a news item.
  368W
  GCSEs in Media Studies are now taken by some 25,000 pupils each year. Vocational GCSEs will extend these opportunities to greater numbers of young people.

  Teaching Vacancies
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps he is taking to fill teaching vacancies in England; and if he will make a statement. [140287]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  As a result of the Government's policies, more teachers are now working in English schools than for a decade. A sample survey undertaken by my Department in September suggested that the national teacher vacancy rate remained below 1 per cent. the same as in January. However, we recognise that there is difficulty in some subjects and in some parts of the country, and that more needs to be done if schools are to be able to recruit all of the staff that they need.

  That is why current plans provide for over £0.5 billion to be spent on teacher recruitment between this year and 2003–04. The £6,000 training salaries for postgraduates and enhanced Golden Hellos for shortage subject teachers announced on 30 March have led to the first rise in the number of people registering for teacher training since 1992–93. 2,000 more teachers have applied this last year. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has also announced funding to more than double the number of employment-based graduate trainees working in schools in 2000–01. In addition to a £4,000 grant to cover training costs, £13,000 in a full year is being paid to schools from 1 September in respect of each of these trainees in order to allow them to be employed as supernumeraries. A special assistance package for teacher recruitment in London was also announced in August.

  New Internet Top Level Domains
  New Internet Top Level Domains
  UK Internet Statistics
  UK Internet Statistics
  Trading Online
  Trading Online
  Sheep Scrapie, BSE and vCJD
  Sheep Scrapie, BSE and vCJD
  NMEC: Requests for Funds
  NMEC: Requests for Funds