Written Answers of 28 November 2000

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Short Money
  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the President of the Council what mechanism exists to verify the certificates by independent auditors that Short money has been properly spent. [139026]

  Mrs. Beckett
  The certificates presented by the auditors are subject to audit by the National Audit Office, as part of their examination of House of Commons expenditure.

  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the President of the Council how much Short money the main opposition party received in each year from 1995. [139023]

  Mrs. Beckett
  The figures are as follows:

  £

  Labour Party

  1995–96

  1,489,749.12

  1996–97

  1,530,190.51

  1997–981

  129,017.97

  Conservative Party

  1997–982

  986,762.82

  1998–99

  1,112,885.74

  1999–20003,4

  3,377,670.28

  2000–015

  3,465,131.69

  1Part year 1 April 1997–1 May 1997

  2Part year 2 May 1997–31 March 1998

  3Includes £500,000 for Leader of the Opposition's Office

  4In line with the recommendations of the Neill Committee

  5Includes £513,000 for Leader of the Opposition's Office

  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the President of the Council what recent amendments have been made to the arrangements for paying Short money; who requested these changes; what consultations took place regarding them; and under what authority they were made. [139337]

  Mrs. Beckett
  No changes have been made to the arrangements for paying Short money.

  However, I understand that there was concern about the meaning of parliamentary business and the National Audit Office had also proposed that a letter should accompany the pro-forma audit report, to assist auditors. The Fees Office accordingly issued Notes for Auditors for the first time.

  The definition of parliamentary business contained in those notes had been approved by the Clerk of the House, as Accounting Officer, and the National Audit Office. The Clerk was acting under the authority given him by the Resolution of the House of 26 May 1999 to determine the form in which auditors report.

  "Charging With Care"
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the President of the Council, pursuant to her oral answer of 11 May 2000,Official Report, column 1015, on the Audit Commission report "Charging with Care", what the basis was of her statement concerning the Commission's findings about Liberal Democrat councils. [138015]

  Mrs. Beckett
  [pursuant to the reply, 20 November 2000, c. 70W]: Responsibility for home care charges rests with the Department of Health.

  However, information provided for the Business Statement showed that the percentage of costs recovered through home care charges1 for three Liberal Democrat councils was higher than the England average of 12 per cent.

  1Source: Department of Health

  Percentage

  Council

  Recovery rate notified to DH

  Devon

  28

  Somerset

  39

  Oldham

  39

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Lone Parents
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost of reintroducing(a) lone parent family premium in Income Support, (b) lone parent rate of Child Benefit and (c) both of the above at their real level as at April 1997. [137055]

  Angela Eagle
  The information is in the table.

  £ million

  Estimated annual long run cost

  Reintroducing lone parent premium in income related benefits

  150

  Reintroducing lone parent rate of child benefit

  110

  Total

  260

  Notes:

  1. Long run costs are expressed at 2001–02 levels assuming no lone parents are currently in receipt of the lone parent family premium, or the lone parent rate of Child Benefit.

  2. Costs are rounded to the nearest £10 million.

  3. It is assumed that reintroducing the lone parent family premium in Income Support implies the reintroduction of the equivalent premia for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit and Jobseekers' Allowance (IB).

  4. Income Support, Jobseekers' Allowance, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit lone parent premia are uprated by ROSSI from April 1997 to April 2001 levels. The lone parent Child Benefit rate is uprated by RPI from April 1997 to April 2001 levels.

  5. The Child Benefit and family premium rates in the income related benefits have increased in real terms since April 1997. If these rates had not increased in real terms, then the cost of reintroducing the lone parent premium in income related benefits, and lone parent rate of Child Benefit would have increased to some £500 million in the long run, assuming the current caseloads remain constant.

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  Benefit Fraud
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the amount of Housing Benefit fraud in the United Kingdom for each year since 1992. [137128]

  Angela Eagle
  [holding answer 14 November 2000]: Housing Benefit fraud was not measured routinely between 1992 and 1997. It is estimated, following a review carried out between September 1997 and March 1998, that confirmed fraud is £180 million but a further £430 million is suspected. We are working on introducing a consistent measure for fraud and error in Housing Benefit in all local authorities for April 2001.

  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what working estimate was used by his Department for benefit fraud, and what the actual figure of detected benefit fraud was, in each year since 1990; and if he will make a statement. [139336]

  Mr. Rooker
  Previous estimates have shown that £2 billion a year has definitely been lost through fraud. A further £2 billion to £3 billion may have been lost in cases where fraud is strongly suspected.

  No checks were made for benefit fraud before 1995.

  Income Support Reviews
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will take measures to ensure that the Benefits Agency reviews entitlement to Income Support during the lifetime of a claim and that such reviews replace the responsibility of the claimant to notify relevant changes in circumstances. [139290]

  Angela Eagle
  The Benefits Agency regularly checks that claimants receiving Income Support remain entitled. We do not intend, however, that these review checks should replace the responsibility of claimants to notify relevant changes in their circumstances, as has been the case for many years.

  Pension Credits
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate how much the(a) median and (b) mean Pension Credit payments would be in the current year had the Pension Credit already been implemented based on the figures in the Pension Credit consultation paper (Cm 4900). [139117]

  Mr. Rooker
  The costs of the Pension Credit will depend on decisions about the detailed design following the consultation exercise—such as the nature of the interactions with other benefits such as Housing Benefit and the detail of the legislation, when it has completed its passage through Parliament. We will bring forward estimates of the Pension Credit once we have considered responses to the consultation exercise.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Northavon (Mr. Webb) of 13 November 2000,Official Report, column 526W, if he will (a) extend his projections up to 2003–04 to include the Pension Credit and (b) indicate the take-up assumptions on which his estimates are based; [139748]
  488W
  (2) how many and what proportion of pensioners will qualify for the Pension Credit in (a) 2008–09 and (b) 2013–14 assuming that average earnings increase at an annual rate of 4 per cent. and prices increase at an annual rate of (i) 2 per cent. and (ii) 2.5 per cent. [139816]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answers 22 and 23 November 2000]: The costs of the Pension Credit will depend on decisions about the detailed design following the consultation exercise—such as the nature of the interactions with other benefits such as Housing Benefit and the detail of the legislation, when it has completed its passage through Parliament. We will bring forward estimates of the Pension Credit once we have considered responses to the consultation exercise.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will place in the Library an analysis of the costs and benefits of the withdrawal taper for the savings element of the proposed pension credit being set at(a) the current standard rate tax, (b) 30 per cent., (c) 35 per cent. and (d) the current Housing Benefit withdrawal taper. [140668]

  Mr. Rooker
  The costs of the Pension Credit will depend on decisions about the detailed design following the consultation exercise—such as the nature of the interactions with other benefits such as Housing Benefit and the detail of the legislation, when it has completed its passage through Parliament. We will bring forward estimates of the Pension Credit once we have considered responses to the consultation exercise.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Austin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the impact of differences between levels of Housing Benefit and rent in London. [139925]

  Angela Eagle
  The information is not available in the format requested as no research has been commissioned to assess the impact of the differences between levels of Housing Benefit and rent in London.

  Benefit Payments
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of households receive(a) Income Support and (b) Family Credit in (i) England, (ii) Scotland and (iii) Wales at the latest date for which figures are available. [139456]

  Mr. Bayley
  The information is in the table.

  The percentage of households receiving Income Support at May 2000 and Family Credit at August 1999

  Great Britain

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Income Support

  14

  14

  17

  17

  Family Credit

  3

  3

  4

  4

  Notes:

  1. Figures are based on a sample and subject to sampling error.

  2. Figures exclude claimants in residential care and nursing homes.

  Source:

  Family Resources Survey 1998–99

  Family Credit Statistics Quarterly Enquiry (5 per cent. sample), August 1999.

  Income Support Statistics Quarterly Enquiry (5 per cent. sample), May 2000.

  Social Security Claimants (Reimbursement)
  Mr. Healey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) when he received the conclusions of the working party reviewing the rates of reimbursement for social security claimants who use their own vehicles to attend appointments on his Department's business; and when he will make a decision on the report's recommendations; [139995]

  (2) when the working party reviewing the rates of reimbursement for social security claimants who use their own vehicles to attend appointments on his Department's business (a) first met and (b) last met. [139996]

  Angela Eagle
  The review of the rates of mileage allowances payable to social security claimants using their own vehicles to attend departmental appointments is not yet complete.

  The first meeting of the review working party was on 15 July 1999, its most recent meeting was on 8 August 2000.

  Mr. Healey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for the six-month period before 1 July 1998 and each full six-month period after 1 July 1998, how many social security claimants received reimbursements for use of their own vehicles to attend appointments on social security business; and what was the amount paid out on these reimbursements. [140006]

  Angela Eagle
  The information is not available.

  Social Security Budget
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will list for each Social Security Department administrative area the amount spent on(a) Attendance Allowance and (b) Disability Living Allowance in each of the last five years; [140525]

  (2) if he will list by his Department's administrative areas the amount paid to (a) the elderly, (b) people with long-term illness or disability, (c) families, (d) unemployed people, (e) children and (f) others in each of the last 10 years, indicating in each case the percentage of the budget spent on each group. [140512]

  Mr. Bayley
  The information is not available.

  Disability Benefits
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much was spent for each nominal security administrative region on Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance over the last 10 years. [140681]

  Mr. Bayley
  The information is not available.

  Information Technology Services
  Maria Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has for ensuring an adequate infrastructure for the future delivery of information technology services within his Department; and if he will make a statement. [140955]
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  Mr. Darling
  The current IT network and office infrastructure will not support our modernisation plans and we need to ensure that it does not constrain either the long-term aspirations of the Department or joined up government in the future.

  Following the successful completion of negotiations, the responsibility for delivery of a new, more cost effective network service for the Department transferred on 23 November to Arcway, a BT plc-led consortium. This offers the best approach for supporting the integrated IT that will be essential in delivering Government welfare reform.

  Benefit Rule Changes
  Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received about the introduction from April 2001 of changes to the backdating rules and to decision making and appeals for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit; and if he will make a statement. [140956]

  Angela Eagle
  We are developing a programme of work to resolve difficulties in the administration of Housing Benefit, and our response to consultation on the Housing Green Paper will be published shortly.

  During separate consultation on draft regulations covering the backdating rules and benefit decision making and appeals, we received representations from the local authority associations and a report from the Social Security Advisory Committee.

  We have considered very carefully the views of the Social Security Advisory Committee, the local authority associations and others on the proposal to align the backdating rules for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit with the other income-related benefits, and we have concluded that we should not proceed with it. The rules for the backdating of Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit will therefore remain as now.

  We have also considered representations made by the local authority associations about the ability of local authorities to implement from April 2001 changes to decision making and appeals in Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit.

  This is an important new initiative and it is vital that the ability of local authorities to implement it should be reflected in the time available. We have therefore decided that the changes to decision making and appeals for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit should be deferred by three months, to July 2001. This includes discretionary housing payments, which will come in at the same time as the appeals changes.

  These measures are consistent with the programme of work being developed to resolve difficulties in the administration of Housing Benefit.

DEFENCE

  DARA
  Mr. John Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the consultants' report into the proposed relocation of DARA at RAF St. Athan to Cardiff International Airport. [138885]

  Mr. Spellar
  DARA are currently conducting an in-house Investment Appraisal to identify cost effective proposals for the delivery of its future Aircraft Support services. While this process has involved some consultancy support it would not be appropriate to publish details of this commercial sensitive advice. I am therefore withholding this information under exemption 2 (Internal Discussion and Advice) and 7 (Effective Management and Operations of the Public Service) of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  Lynx Helicopters
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what recent representations he has received from the manufacturer of Lynx helicopter rotorheads concerning the sufficiency of their staff involved in the programme of rectification work on the helicopters' rotorheads; [139238]

  (2) how many Lynx helicopters, grounded due to problems with rotorheads, have been returned to service; [139234]

  (3) what plans he has for the completion of the rectification work on Lynx rotorheads; when this work will be completed; and what representations he has received on this matter; [139242]

  (4) what payment has been made to the manufacturer of Lynx helicopter rotorheads for the programme of rectification work on the helicopters' rotorheads; [139241]

  (5) what his estimate is of the total cost of rectification work on Lynx helicopter rotorheads. [139235]

  Mr. Spellar
  Monobloc main rotorheads, withdrawn as a result of the reduced service life announced in April, are being replaced with new heads of an alternative bolted design. Replacement main rotorheads are being procured through GKN Westland Helicopters, with components sourced from a number of different manufacturers. Long lead times for certain materials means that the recovery programme will take some time.

  We are in close contact with GKN Westland to ensure that replacement heads are available as quickly as possible. First deliveries are expected in the next month and will continue over the following two years. All available main rotorheads are being managed as a single pool, being fitted to either Navy or Army helicopters as required. Main rotorheads are currently available for around two thirds of the Lynx operational fleet allowing us to meet all our priority commitments. Previous plans already assumed the procurement of new bolted heads as part of a normal replacement programme. These plans have how had to be brought forward. In total, we expect to spend some £40 million on new Lynx main rotorheads in the next two years. Contract negotiations for these heads are ongoing and payments will be linked to deliveries.

  Defence Systems
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been allocated for the acquisition programmes for FSCS and TRACER; when he expects them to be operational; and if he will make a statement. [139655]

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

  Letter from Robert Walmsley to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 28 November 2000:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence on the collaborative Future Scout and Cavalry System/Tactical Reconnaissance Armoured Combat Equipment Requirement (TRACER) programme seeking information on programme cost and operational dates. These matters fall within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
  The total cost to the UK of the Feasibility and Project Definition phases of TRACER is some £131M. The budget for the remaining acquisition phases of TRACER has not yet been finalised pending the outcome of Balance of Investment studies, which are under way. As indicated in my letter dated 22 November these studies are designed to determine the most cost-effective balance of numbers and capabilities between TRACER and Unmanned Air Vehicles, in meeting the battlefield commander's critical information requirements.
  The in-service date for TRACER, which is defined as one Formation Reconnaissance Squadron fully equipped and supportable on operations, is currently estimated to be October 2008.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what current ISTAR capability and UAVs are available; what Smart Procurement guidelines have been set for the UAV acquisition project; and if he will make a statement. [139654]

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

  Letter from Robert Walmsley to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 28 November 2000:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence on the current Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) capability and the Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) acquisition project. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
  The current ISTAR capability contributes in both the imaging and electronic analysis areas using a range of platforms across the three environments. These include the long range aircraft such as the SENTRY E-3D, tactical reconnaissance aircraft such as the Jaguar and the Royal Navy's Sea Harrier, and land-based systems such as the recently introduced ODETTE electronic support system. In the future, the Airborne Stand-Off Radar (ASTOR) platform with its synthetic aperture radar and moving target indicator capability as well as improved tactical reconnaissance systems and enhanced land and maritime electronic analysis systems, will be introduced into service. The PHOENIX system is currently the only UAV asset within the ISTAR inventory. Originally developed as a Target Acquisition and Surveillance system, PHOENIX has now completed two operational tours where it has been used as part of the overall requirements for ISTAR.
  Within the context of Smart Acquisition guidelines and to optimise the overall requirements for a future ISTAR capability, a series of studies is in place aimed at identifying the most effective mix of both manned and unmanned assets. With regard to UAVs, the WATCHKEEPER project, as a part of this overall investment analysis, is seeking to establish the most cost-effective whole-life

  493W
  solutions and the optimum balance of investment in new, existing assets or a combination of the two. The UAV programme is being managed by an Integrated Project Team (IPT) bringing together the main stakeholders who have an interest in the ISTAR assets and the products they deliver. Industry has been involved from an early stage in an open and constructive relationship and has assisted in the development of the emerging requirements.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what targets were set for MINDER Route Proving during the competitive assessment phase; what plans there are for the development of a mix of sensors for locating and neutralising anti-tank and anti-personnel mines; and if he will make a statement. [139656]

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

  Letter from Robert Walmsley to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 28 November 2000:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about targets set for the MINDER Route Proving System and the development of sensors for the neutralisation of mines. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
  MINDER will be developed incrementally and each variant will have progressively more demanding targets to meet. Initially MINDER (RP) should be able to detect all basic surface laid landmines together with most buried mines. The later variants of the equipment should detect all buried landmines, and have an ability to detect off route mines.
  The Competitive Assessment Phase (CAP) will identify the mix of detection sensors that MINDER will have. Research so far suggests that it is likely to be a combination of metal detectors, ground penetrating radars and infra red detectors. Explosive detection systems may also be used.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the production of the Technology Demonstrator prototype; when is the estimated in-service date; what apabilities the close-in sensors and UWB sensors have for mine detection; and if he will make a statement. [139657]

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

  Letter from Robert Walmsley to Mr. Mike Hancock dated 28 November 2000:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the Technology Demonstrator prototype and its sensors for mine detection. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
  There are no plans to produce production versions of the DERA Technology Demonstrator prototype. The Route Proving (RP) and Reconnaissance variants of MINDER are, however, likely to utilise concepts used in the DERA prototype which will be developed and evaluated in the course of the Competitive Assessment Phase of the MINDER project. The estimated in-service date for MINDER (RP) is 2005.
  There is a large range of sensors which are being considered for MINDER (RP). Close-in sensors under consideration include Ground Penetrating Radar and Metal Detectors, both of which allow the detection of buried and surface laid mines. Forward-looking senors like Ultra Wide Band radar will be able to detect surface laid mines some distance ahead and should also be able to detect buried mines.
  494W
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total value is of Swan Hunter's and BAE Systems Marine's contracts for the(a) ALSLs and (b) Type 45 Destroyer; what the current status is of the contracted programmes; when the programmes are expected to be completed; and if he will make a statement. [139652]

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

  Letter from Robert Walmsley to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 28 November 2000:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence concerning the value of contracts placed with Swan Hunter and BAE SYSTEMS Marine for the Alternative Landing Ships Logistic (ALSLs) and Type 45 Destroyer, the status of the contracted programmes and expected completion dates. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
  The value of the contracts to be placed with Swan Hunter and BAE SYSTEMS Marine for 4 ALSLs is expected to be approximately £300M. Negotiations with both contractors are currently taking place to agree contract terms, conditions and price. It is our aim to bring these ships into service between Autumn 2004 and Summer 2006.
  On the Type 45, the MoD has not placed any contracts with Swan Hunter or BAE SYSTEMS Marine. It remains our plan to place the contract for the first three Type 45s with BAE SYSTEMS Electronic, the nominated Prime Contractor for the Type 45 Programme, by the end of this year, with the first ship to enter service in 2007. As the Secretary of State said in the House on 11 July (Official Record, cols. 701/2), we intend that the first and third ships will be assembled by BAE SYSTEMS Marine and the second by Vosper Thomycroft. The Prime Contractor will sub-contract to these two shipbuilders at prices to be agreed between the Companies. Negotiations are still underway and we are not yet in a position to state the value of work that might be placed with a particular yard. The planned modular assembly approach also means that there will be the opportunity for other shipbuilders to bid for the competed element of Type 45 manufacture work.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what competition has been conducted to procure an enhanced strategic sealift capability under PH arrangements; what the cost of the contracted programme is; when the improved strategic sealift capability will be available to the Royal Navy; and if he will make a statement. [139651]

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

  Letter from Robert Walmsley to Mr. Mike Hancock, dated 28 November 2000:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the strategic sealift capability. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
  The competition for the strategic sealift service was subject to EC treaty and public procurement rules and was advertised in the official journal of the European Union. As announced by the Secretary of State for Defence on 26 October (Official Report columns 413–414), subject to final negotiations, we intend to sign a 25-year Public Finance Initiative (PFI) contract with AWSR Shipping Ltd. Based on expected usage of the ships, the contract will be worth around £950M and is expected that the full service will be available by 2003. An interim sealift service will be provided by charter in the short term. The service will be available to all Defence users requiring sealift.

  Vaccine-related Illnesses
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department and the War Pensions Agency intend to take to prevent soldiers from contracting vaccine-related illnesses in the future; and if he will make a statement. [139725]

  Dr. Moonie
  We endeavour to reduce the possibility of vaccine-related illnesses by offering vaccinations only when there is a justification for their use; by using only UK licensed vaccines, as far as possible; endeavouring as far as possible not to give multiple vaccines concurrently; and training MOD medical staff in the correct administration of vaccines.

  Royal Navy Fixed-wing Pilots
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the proposed relocation of Royal Navy fixed-wing pilots from Yeovilton to the Midlands and on feedback from service families in relation to this proposal. [140127]

  Mr. Spellar
  As a result of the Strategic Defence Review decision to create Joint Force Harrier, Sea Harrier squadrons (and support staff) from RNAS Yeovilton will transfer to RAF Stations Cottesmore and Wittering in 2003. Relocation briefings have been given to Service and civilian personnel and their families. Informal feedback to date from these briefings indicates interest in schooling opportunities, the availability of Family Married Quarters, house prices and opportunities for work in the local area. The intention is to continue this form of communication with those involved to ensure their family relocation is made as smooth as possible. In addition, a questionnaire has been sent to all personnel earmarked for transfer. The anonymous results of this will be analysed by early spring.

  RAF Henlow
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what effects the changes initiated by the Defence Logistics Organisation have had on employment at RAF Henlow. [140077]

  Mr. Spellar
  RAF Henlow is home to elements of two Defence Logistics Organisation (DLO) business units—the Defence Communication Services Agency (DCSA) and the Directorate General Defence Logistics Information Systems (DG Def Log IS).

  The former RAF Signals Engineering Establishment Agency, whose headquarters were at RAF Henlow, merged with the DCSA in April 2000 and became the DCSA's Directorate of Engineering and Interoperability, retaining its HQ at RAF Henlow. The future size and shape of this Directorate is under review as part of the DLO's goal of delivering effective front line logistic support at greatly reduced cost. While this review has been under way there have been restrictions on recruitment locally to ensure that staff are not appointed into posts which might be subject to change. There has also been a reduction in contracted-in support. Any changes proposed will be subject to full consultation.

  Elements of DG Def Log IS have also been established at RAF Henlow. These have incorporated the former Henlow based Logistic Support Services Agency and the
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  Stevenage based Logistics Information Systems (RAF) project. Some 40 posts have been transferred into RAF Henlow as a result.

  National Missile Defence
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions have taken place between representatives of Her Majesty's Government and(a) George W. Bush and (b) Al Gore in respect of National Missile Defence; and if he will make a statement. [140310]

  Mr. Hoon
  [holding answer 24 November 2000]: The Government have held regular discussions on the proposed US National Missile Defence system, and related issues, both with the current US Administration, including Vice President Gore, and with advisers to Governor Bush.

  NATO Ballistic Missile Defence Programme
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his Department's contribution is to the NATO ballistic missile defence programme. [140017]

  Mr. Hoon
  [holding answer 24 November 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Bercow) on 27 November 2000, Official Report, column 417W.

  Defence Attachés
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much it cost to maintain the system of defence attaches in the last 12 months. [140706]

  Mr. Spellar
  In the 12 months to the end of October 2000 the cost was £25.88 million.

  Diego Garcia
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British service personnel are deployed at the US base of Diego Garcia. [139980]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 27 November 2000]: There are 40 British service personnel based on Diego Garcia. They are responsible for providing various security and administrative functions.

  HMS Coventry
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what renovations are under way on HMS Coventry; what the cost of the renovations is; what plans the Royal Navy has for HMS Coventry over the next three years; and if he will make a statement. [140740]

  Mr. Spellar
  There are no renovations currently under way on HMS Coventry. Her last docking period was undertaken earlier this year, at a cost of about £5.5 million, to ensure she will be available for operational duties until she is due to be withdrawn from service in late 2001. Following her naval decommissioning, HMS Coventry will be available for disposal.

  DERA Bid
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the cost to date, including staff costs,
  497W
  consultancies and consultation of the DERA Boscombe Down bid for the future strategic tanker aircraft project. [140587]

  Dr. Moonie
  The costs to date of the DERA Boscombe Down element of the bid for the main operating base for the future strategic tanker aircraft project are in the region of £175,000. The cost have been incurred over a two year period.

  Territorial Army
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to make further changes to the location of the Territorial Army units. [140883]

  Mr. Spellar
  Three changes are to be made to the locations of units announced as part of the Territorial Army restructuring on 17 November 1998,Official Report, columns 749–71 by the then Secretary of State for Defence. These involve:
  Changing the final location of HQ 101 Bn REME (V) from Harry Weale Hall, Queensferry to Hightown Barracks, Wrexham.
  Changing the location for 59 Sig Sqn (V) from Deysbrook to Aintree and sell Deysbrook Barracks complete.

  Changing the location of A (The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment)) Company, 52nd Lowland Regiment from TAC Dalmeny Street to TAC East Claremont Street.

  These changes are being made because they represent more cost-effective solutions to locating the units in question.

  In addition, the intention is to retain the TA Centre in Chorley to house E Sqn 5 GS Med Regt. which will be moving from Hull.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Publications
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much her Department has spent on publications since 1 January. [136639]

  Clare Short
  £520,000.

  Kenya
  Mr. Streeter
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on aid to Kenya. [136620]

  Clare Short
  Following the appointment of a reform team in July 1999, a reform agenda was put in place in Kenya. This led to Kenya negotiating new support from the IMF and the World bank, conditional on improvements in economic management and action against corruption. Britain is providing budget support of £30 million on the same conditions. This brings our total planned assistance to poverty reduction in Kenya in 2000–01 to £64 million, including £15 million to help relieve Kenya's worst drought for several decades.

  Palestine
  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the individual schools in the Palestinian Authority area which have been 498W
  the beneficiaries of United Nations Works and Relief Agency development assistance for Palestinian education since 1995–96. [140446]

  Clare Short
  Funding for UNRWA has been for its core budget, and the development of a five-year education plan, rather than individual schools.

  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the individual schools in the Palestinian Authority area which have been the beneficiaries of United Kingdom development assistance for Palestinian education since 1995–96. [140447]

  Clare Short
  Nearly all of the schools in the Palestinian Authority have benefited in some way. All primary school head teachers, and most secondary school heads, have participated in a School Review and Development Planning programme, and over 12,000 teachers have received support for their personal development.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Millennium Dome
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what have been the overall sums of money(a) spent on and (b) taken in receipts at, the Millennium Dome. [134992]

  Janet Anderson
  The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) has advised that in cash terms total expenditure to 31 October 2000 was £728,113,000. Receipts to 31 October were £159,529,000 trading income (tickets, sponsorship (including value-in-kind), and other commercial income), and £571,980,000 National Lottery grant.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will provide details of the county court judgments that have been made against the New Millennium Experience Company. [139039]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 20 November 2000]: The details of the four county court judgments to which the hon. Member refers are as follows:

  £

  Company

  Claimed and paid

  Stocksigns

  235.06

  Power Plant Services

  939.83

  Display World Supplies

  301.91

  Service Point UK Ltd.

  131.49

  All the above have been removed from the Register.

  The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) has advised that it has been notified of three further county court judgments. All three payments have been made:

  £

  Company

  Claimed and paid

  Glen Howard Neil Salway

  150.00

  Telecline Ltd.

  2,054.94

  Tyne & Wear Passenger Transport

  5,812.00

  499W
  The first of these three cases has been removed from the Register. The necessary processes to remove the final two are under way.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps were taken by the management of the millennium dome to minimise the dangers to the public from the operation carried out by the police on 7 November. [138912]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 21 November 2000]: The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) worked closely with the police over many weeks to formulate and refine an Operational Plan which would ensure minimum risk and maximum safety for its staff and visitors. No action was taken to apprehend the suspects until they had reached a point where they could be easily contained by the police. The area where the vault is located was not open to the public and the immediate staff members were withdrawn to a place of safety before or at the start of the incident. The safety of staff and visitors was a top priority for NMEC and the Metropolitan police service.

  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many children have performed in "Our Town Story" at the Dome to date; and how many schools have participated. [139016]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 22 November 2000]: The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) has advised that, by the end of the year there will have been 220 performances of "Our Town Story" in which 210 local education authorities (LEAs) will have participated. As the LEAs have selected each cast of 100 it is not possible to give details of the number of schools which have taken part. Details of the current performance schedule, however, are included in the table. By the end of the year approximately 20,000 children will have performed in "Our Town Story".

  "Our Town Story" is one of a number of extremely successful National Programme initiatives that have been an integral part of the Millennium Experience at the Dome. The programme has enabled and encouraged thousands of communities to participate in events and activities.

  Education authority and local borough

  Date

  Stirling

  5 January

  London Borough of Camden

  6 January

  London Borough of Ealing

  7 January

  Oldham

  10 January

  Blackpool

  14 January

  Warwickshire

  17 January

  Dudley

  18 January

  Slough

  20 January

  Reading

  21 January

  Oxfordshire

  23 January

  City of Edinburgh

  25 January

  Bath and North East Somerset

  28 January

  Trafford

  31 January

  South Gloucestershire

  1 February

  Wakefield

  2 February

  London Borough of Lambeth

  3 February

  Torbay

  4 February

  Kingston upon Hull

  7 February

  Calderdale

  8 February

  Warrington

  10 February

  Argyll and Bute

  11 February

  Tameside

  14 February

  500W

  Education authority and local borough

  Date

  Salford

  15 February

  London Borough of Merton

  16 February

  Swansea

  17 February

  Gwynedd

  18 February

  Flintshire

  21 February

  Neath Port Talbot

  22 February

  Blaenau Gwent

  23 February

  Monmouthshire

  24 February

  Torfaen

  25 February

  Bridgend

  28 February

  Ceredigion

  29 February

  Wales Day

  1 March

  Caerphilly

  2 March

  Sir Benfro (Pembrokeshire)

  3 March

  East Ayrshire

  4 March

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  6 March

  London Borough of Wandsworth

  7 March

  London Borough of Haringey

  8 March

  Cumbria

  9 March

  Northern Ireland

  13 March

  Peterborough

  20 March

  Cambridgeshire

  21 March

  Luton

  22 March

  Suffolk

  23 March

  Hertfordshire

  24 March

  Bedfordshire

  27 March

  Norfolk

  28 March

  Essex

  29 March

  Southend

  30 March

  Thurrock

  31 March

  Cardiff

  3 April

  Swindon

  4 April

  Wiltshire

  5 April

  Plymouth

  6 April

  Northumberland

  7 April

  Nottingham City

  10 April

  Manchester

  11 April

  Scottish Borders

  12 April

  Renfrewshire

  13 April

  Glasgow City

  14 April

  Orkney Islands

  15 April

  England Day

  24 April

  Gateshead

  1 May

  Dumfries and Galloway

  2 May

  West Dunbartonshire

  3 May

  Poole

  4 May

  Bournemouth

  5 May

  Isle of Anglesey

  6 May

  Sandwell

  8 May

  Kensington and Chelsea

  10 May

  Bolton

  11 May

  London Borough of Croydon

  12 May

  North Yorkshire

  13 May

  Richmond upon Thames

  15 May

  Kingston upon Thames

  16 May

  London Borough of Southwark

  17 May

  London Borough of Bexley

  19 May

  Herefordshire

  22 May

  Worcestershire

  23 May

  Stoke on Trent

  24 May

  Walsall

  25 May

  Milton Keynes

  26 May

  London Borough of Islington

  30 May

  Wirral

  31 May

  Knowsley

  1 June

  Sheffield

  2 June

  Perth and Kinross

  3 June

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  5 June

  North Tyneside

  6 June

  Gloucestershire

  7 June

  London Borough of Enfield

  8 June

  South Lanarkshire

  9 June

  St. Helens

  12 June

  East Renfrewshire

  13 June

  501W

  Education authority and local borough

  Date

  Midlothian

  14 June

  Inverclyde

  15 June

  Falkirk

  16 June

  Hampshire

  19 June

  West Berkshire

  20 June

  East Sussex

  21 June

  Kent

  22 June

  Medway

  23 June

  London Borough of Greenwich

  24 June

  Buckinghamshire

  26 June

  Northamptonshire

  27 June

  Barnsley

  28 June

  Bristol

  29 June

  Leeds

  30 June

  Hartlepool

  3 July

  Cheshire

  4 July

  Solihull

  5 July

  Wolverhampton

  6 July

  South Tyneside

  7 July

  London Borough of Hackney

  10 July

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  11 July

  Lincolnshire

  12 July

  Derby City

  13 July

  Isle of Wight

  14 July

  Newport

  17 July

  Vale of Glamorgan

  18 July

  Southampton

  19 July

  Rhondda Cynon Taff

  20 July

  Stockton

  21 July

  Surrey

  24 July

  London Borough of Hillingdon

  25 July

  Nottinghamshire

  26 July

  Doncaster

  27 July

  Moray

  4 September

  West Lothian

  5 September

  Shetland Islands

  6 September

  Clackmannanshire

  7 September

  East Dunbartonshire

  8 September

  Dundee City

  11 September

  Fife

  12 September

  Aberdeen City

  13 September

  Halton

  14 September

  Birmingham

  15 September

  Devon

  18 September

  Isles of Scilly

  19 September

  Wrexham

  20 September

  Carmarthenshire

  21 September

  Merthyr Tydfil

  22 September

  Powys

  25 September

  Lancashire

  26 September

  Wigan

  27 September

  Rochdale

  28 September

  Bury

  29 September

  Rotherham

  30 September

  Blackburn with Darwen

  2 October

  Isle of Man

  3 October

  Derbyshire

  4 October

  North East Lincolnshire

  5 October

  Rutland

  6 October

  Corporation of London

  7 October

  Middlesbrough

  10 October

  Sunderland

  11 October

  Darlington

  12 October

  Redcar and Cleveland

  13 October

  London Borough of Bromley

  14 October

  London Borough of Westminster

  15 October

  Bradford

  16 October

  London Borough of Sutton

  17 October

  North Lincolnshire

  18 October

  Kirklees

  19 October

  York

  20 October

  London Borough of Tower Hamlets

  23 October

  Highland

  24 October

  East Lothian

  25 October

  502

  Edcation authority and local borough

  Date

  Western Isles

  26 October

  North Lanarkshire

  27 October

  Wokingham

  28 October

  North Ayrshire

  30 October

  South Ayrshire

  31 October

  Shropshire

  1 November

  Telford and Wrekin

  2 November

  Coventry

  3 November

  Bracknell Forest

  4 November

  Cornwall

  6 November

  Dorset

  7 November

  Somerset

  8 November

  North Somerset

  9 November

  London Borough of Newham

  10 November

  East Yorkshire

  11 November

  Denbighshire

  13 November

  Conwy

  14 November

  Durham

  15 November

  Sefton

  16 November

  Leicester City

  17 November

  Leicestershire

  18 November

  Stockport

  19 November

  London Borough of Lewisham

  20 November

  Angus

  21 November

  London Borough of Barnet

  22 November

  London Borough of Brent

  23 November

  Liverpool

  24 November

  Jersey

  25 November

  London Borough of Harrow

  27 November

  London Borough of Havering

  28 November

  London Borough of Redbridge

  29 November

  Scotland Day

  30 November

  London Borough of Barking and Dagenham

  1 December

  Aberdeenshire

  2 December

  Staffordshire

  3 December

  London Borough of Waltham Forest

  4 December

  London Borough of Hounslow

  5 December

  West Sussex

  6 December

  Brighton and Hove

  7 December

  Portsmouth

  8 December

  Mr. Woolas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what date he has set for Lazard to conclude negotiations with the Legacy consortium over the purchase of the Millennium Dome; and what plans he has to re-open the competition to new bidders in the event of those negotiations being unsuccessful. [139796]

  Janet Anderson
  The involvement of Lazard in the process for selling the Millennium Dome has concluded with the award of preferred bidder status to Legacy plc. The competition team will now take forward the negotiations with Legacy plc. Progress will be reviewed regularly, and if all goes well we expect to exchange contracts during February.

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

  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate he has made of likely revenue resulting from the sale of the contents of the Millennium Dome. [140151]

  Janet Anderson
  The information requested is commercially confidential. To release details of likely revenue from the sale of assets could impair the ability of the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) to negotiate with potential buyers and to obtain the best value from the sale of the assets.
  503W
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will publish an inventory of the contents of the Millennium Dome and list their legal owners. [140183]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 24 November 2000]: A full inventory of the contents of the Dome comprises many thousands of items from the building and the exhibit structures, to the knives and forks in the restaurant, to the desks and chairs in the New Millennium Experience Company's (NMEC) office space. This information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what work is being undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers regarding the invoicing of catering and hospitality services at the Millennium Dome. [140423]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 27 November 2000]: I understand that no such work is being undertaken by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

  Millennium Commission
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many of the major capital projects recently awarded grants of more than

  National lottery awards to capital projects over £15 million since 1 May 1997

  Region/country Project title/description

  Distributing body

  Recipient

  Award date

  Award amount (£)

  East Midlands

  The National Space Science Centre

  Millennium Commission

  National Space Science Centre

  11 June 1997

  26,000,000

  East Midlands total

  26,000,000

  Eastern

  Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Project

  Millennium Commission

  Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Company Ltd.

  11 June 1997

  30,069,000

  Eastern total

  30,069,000

  London

  English National Stadium, Wembley

  Sport England

  Wembley National Stadium Ltd.

  17 October 1997

  120,000,000

  British Museum—Education and Information Centre

  Heritage Lottery Fund

  British Museum

  20 October 1997

  15,055,000

  Victoria and Albert Museum British Galleries

  Heritage Lottery Fund

  Victoria and Albert Museum

  22 July 1998

  15,000,000

  The Millennium Dome1

  Millennium Commission

  New Millennium Experience Company

  4 February 2000 to 5 September 2000

  179,000,000

  London total

  329,055,000

  North East

  Conversion of the Baltic Flour Mill to a contemporary visual art centre

  Arts Council of England

  Gateshead Metropolitan borough council

  10 June 1997

  37,905,000

  Stage 3: Music Centre

  Arts Council of England

  Gateshead Metropolitan borough council

  19 October 1999

  43,810,000

  North East total

  81,715,000

  North West

  Upgrade, refurbishment and expansion of facilities and reinstatement works

  Arts Council of England

  The Royal Exchange

  13 May 1997

  17,110,250

  Manchester Commonwealth 50 Pool

  Sport England

  Manchester City council

  21 May 1997

  21,869,600

  Manchester Millennium Quarter

  Millennium Commission

  Manchester City council

  8 July 1998

  20,090,000

  NMGM 2001 Celebration of Links

  Heritage Lottery Fund

  National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside

  22 July 1998

  22,746,800

  Eastlands SportCity (incorporating Commonwealth Games Stadium and UKSI NW Network Centre)

  Sport England

  Manchester City council

  29 March 1999

  92,000,000

  North West total

  173,816,650

  South East

  Stage 3 refurbishment of the Brighton Dome

  Arts Council of England

  Brighton Festival Society Ltd.

  29 July 1998

  15,000,000

  South East total

  15,000,000

  South West

  The Eden Project

  Millennium Commission

  The Trustees of The Eden Trust

  20 May 1997

  42,150,000

  South West total

  42,150,000

  504W
  £15 million are located in each region of the UK; and how much money has been allocated to each scheme and to each region. [139081]

  Kate Hoey
  [holding answer 22 November 2000]: According to the latest information supplied by the distributing bodies, the number and total amount of National Lottery awards to major capital projects of £15 million or more since 1 May 1997, broken down by region and country, are as shown:

  Region/country

  Number of projects awarded grants of£15 million or more

  Total amount awarded to projects awarded grants of £15 million or more (£)

  East Midlands

  1

  26,000,000

  Eastern

  1

  30,069,000

  London

  4

  329,055,000

  North East

  2

  81,715,000

  North West

  5

  173,816,650

  South East

  1

  15,000,000

  South West

  1

  42,150,000

  West Midlands

  1

  20,000,000

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  4

  79,676,000

  Northern Ireland

  1

  45,000,000

  Scotland

  1

  35,000,000

  Wales

  27,000,000

  The schemes which received these Lottery grants are listed in the following table:
  505W

  National lottery awards to capital projects over £15 million since 1 May 1997

  Region/country Project title/description

  Distributing body

  Recipient

  Award date

  Award amount (£)

  West Midlands

  To upgrade buildings and facilities

  Arts Council of England

  Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre Trust Ltd.

  14 January 1998

  20,000,000

  West Midlands total

  20,000,000

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  Sheffield—Remaking the Heart of the City

  Millennium Commission

  Sheffield City council

  10 September 1997

  20,500,000

  Megna

  Millennium Commission

  The Megna Trust

  12 November 1997

  18,600,000

  The Deep

  Millennium Commission

  European Maritime Insitute of Hull Ltd.

  12 November 1997

  18,476,000

  Sheffield National Network Centre

  Sport England

  Phoenix Sports Ltd.

  20 January 2000

  22,100,000

  Yorkshire and Humberside total

  79,676,000

  Northern Ireland

  The Odyssey Project

  Millennium Commission

  The Odyssey Trust Company Ltd.

  11 June 1997

  45,000,000

  Northern Ireland total

  45,000,000

  Scotland

  The Glasgow Science Centre

  Millennium Commission

  Glasgow Science Centre

  12 November 1997

  35,000,000

  Scotland total

  35,000,000

  Wales

  Wales Millennium Centre

  Millennium Commission

  Wales Millennium Centre Ltd.

  12 November 1997

  27,000,000

  Wales total

  27,000,000

  1This is a mixed programme which includes both capital and non-capital elements, and is of national significance.

  BBC
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on his plans for the future regulation of the BBC. [140140]

  Janet Anderson
  We intend to publish the Communications White Paper next month, and it will propose new measures to replace current legislation on broadcasting and telecommunications. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State cannot say at this stage what the White Paper will say on future regulation of the BBC.

  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the criteria he will apply in making any recommendations about the appointment of the next Chairman of the BBC. [140139]

  Janet Anderson
  The criteria for the post of Chairman will be set out in the job specification at the relevant time.

  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans he has to hold discussions with the Prime Minister about the appointment of the next Chairman of the BBC. [140138]

  Janet Anderson
  The appointment of the Chairman of the BBC Board of Governors is made by Her Majesty The Queen on the advice of the Prime Minister. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will have the opportunity to offer his views to the Prime Minister as part of the normal appointments process, at the appropriate time.

  Appointments (Broadcasting Authorities)
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what his policy is on political impartiality to be observed in appointments to senior positions in the national broadcasting authorities. [140141]

  Janet Anderson
  All appointments to the Department's public bodies are made on merit. Candidates are asked to provide information on significant political activity in the past five years. This reflects the guidance set down by the 506W
  Commissioner for Public Appointments. Appointments to management positions are the responsibility of the broadcasting bodies.

  Free TV Licences
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his answer of 6 July 2000, to the hon. Member for Cleethorpes (Shona McIsaac),Official Report, column 287W, on free TV licences, if he will estimate the total cost of extending free TV licences to all those aged 60 or above. [140301]

  Janet Anderson
  The estimated cost of extending free television licences to everyone aged 60 years or above is £560 million a year at current licence fee levels, excluding administrative costs.

  Football (Supporters Direct Scheme)
  Mr. David Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the operation of the supporters direct scheme for football clubs indicating the(a) number of trusts agreed, (b) number of trusts established and (c) number of elected supporter directors. (140090]

  Kate Hoey
  [holding answer 24 November 2000]: Supporters Direct has been contacted by groups of supporters representing 91 clubs since its launch on 5 September, ranging from Premier League sides to non-league clubs playing in the Football Association's National Game pyramid.

  16 supporters' trusts have been formed so far, with a further seven agreed in principle. Nine clubs have some form of supporter representation at Board level.

  National Lottery
  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the applications
  507W
  for National Lottery grants and the amounts refused by each (a) parliamentary constituency in Staffordshire and (b) Lottery board for each of the last five years. [139856]

  Kate Hoey
  We have contacted the National Lottery distributing bodies to request the information required, and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as it is available, placing copies of my letter in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if he will rank by parliamentary constituency the total value of National Lottery grants awarded by the lottery boards since May 1997; [139857]

  (2) what the average value is of National Lottery grants given to each constituency by the lottery boards since May 1997. [139858]

  Kate Hoey
  I have placed copies of a table showing the total amount awarded to each parliamentary constituency, the average value of these awards, and the average amount awarded per constituency since 1 May 1997 in the Libraries of both Houses. The parliamentary constituencies are ranked in descending order according to the amount of Lottery grants they have received since 1 May 1997. The table was compiled using information on awards supplied to us by the distributing bodies.

  Elite Sports Funding
  Mr. Ian Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will publish details of the elite sports funding review announced by the Prime Minister on 19 October. [140774]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  UK athletes did exceptionally well in Sydney, our best performance for 80 years. We now want to build on that to produce an even more effective performance at the Commonwealth Games in 2002 and the 2004 Olympics in Athens. Following the decision of the Sports Cabinet on 6 October that there should be a review, the Prime Minister has asked my right hon. Friend the Member for Copeland (Dr. Cunningham) to lead a group examining the way our top athletes are supported through the Lottery, looking especially at two key components:the world class performance programme structure and funding and
  the underpinning support structures provided by the UK Sports Institute
  taking into account the work of the Sports Strategy Implementation Groups. The review is urgent given that the Commonwealth Games are only 20 months away and the UK Sports Institute is being developed.

  My right hon. Friend has been appointed by the Prime Minister in consultation with myself and will report directly to us. The group will be advised by Sue Campbell, sports adviser to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport and the Department for Education and Employment. The first meeting of the group is planned for Tuesday 28 November.
  508W
  Members of the group:

  The full list of members of the group are:

  The right hon. Dr. Jack Cunningham MP (Chair)

  John Anderson (Performance Director, Canoeing)

  Brendan Foster (Athletics and Broadcasting)

  Peter Keen (Performance Director, Cycling)

  Mark Lewis-Francis (Athletics)

  Steve Pullen (Judo Paralympics)

  Jane Sixsmith (Women's Hockey)

  One member has still to be appointed

  Terms of reference

  The group, led by my right hon. Friend, has the following terms of reference:

  Phase I

  To review the World Class Performance Programme, in particular:

  its contribution to success in the Sydney Olympics in different sports and any lessons to be learned

  the Lottery based funding

  the relationship between the funding provided by UK Sport and that provided by the English, Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish Sports Councils

  the links between the different elements of the programme as they relate to elite athletes and those with promise

  and to make recommendations to ensure that effective systems are in place for the Commonwealth Games in 2002 and in the lead up to the Athens Olympics in 2004.

  Phase II

  To review the current structure of the UK Sports Institute in particular

  the links between the UK Sports Institute and the Sports Institutes of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

  the support which the Institutes give to elite athletes and the relationship to the world class performance programme

  and to make recommendations to implement an effective UK wide strategy to give athletes access to the best facilities and services in the most effective and efficient way possible.

  Indemnity Undertakings
  Laura Moffatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many indemnity undertakings were given by Departments, under section 16 of the National Heritage Act 1980, for the six-month period ended 30 September; and what was the value of(a) contingent liabilities in respect of such undertakings given under that section which remained outstanding at 30 September, (b) non-statutory Government indemnities in respect of loans handled by the Government Art Collection which remained outstanding at 30 September and (c) non-statutory undertakings to Her Majesty in respect of loans from the Royal Collection which remained outstanding at 30 September. [140830]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  The provision for the Government Indemnity Scheme is made by the National Heritage Act 1980. The scheme facilitates public access to loans of works of art and other objects for public display made to museums, galleries and other such institutions by private owners and non-national institutions. It does this by indemnifying lenders against loss or damage to their loan. Loans covered by the scheme must be for public benefit. The scheme also covers loans of such objects for study purposes within borrowing institutions where this would contribute materially to the public's understanding or appreciation of the loan. Examples of this are enhancing interpretation or explanation to the public of objects or
  509W
  bringing into the public domain the conclusions of any study. In the six-month period ended 30 September 2000, the following undertakings to indemnify were given under section 16 by the relevant Departments for objects on loan to national and non-national institutions:

  Numbers

  Department for Culture, Media and Sport

  664

  Scottish Executive Education Department

  89

  The National Assembly for Wales

  56

  Department of Education for Northern Ireland

  33

  The value of contingent liabilities in respect of undertakings given at any time under section 16 and which remained outstanding as at 30 September 2000 is:

  £

  Department for Culture, Media and Sport

  1,343,458,706

  Scottish Executive Education Department

  905,848,807

  The National Assembly for Wales

  67,609,314

  Department of Education for Northern Ireland

  4,039,502

  The value of non-statutory Government indemnities to cover loans handled by the Government Art Collection and which remained outstanding as at 30 September 2000 is:
  Value: £5,400,000.

  The value of non-statutory undertakings given to Her Majesty in respect of loans from the Royal Collection and which remained outstanding as at 30 September 2000 is:
  Value: £225,819,015.

  New Millennium Experience Company
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the creditors' ledger of the New Millennium Experience Company was last reconciled. [140425]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 27 November 2000]: The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) has advised that creditor ledger reconciliations are performed on an ongoing, daily basis.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people are currently employed by the New Millennium Experience Company; and how many will be employed on(a) 1 January 2001, (b) 1 February 2001 and (c) 1 March 2001. [140422]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 27 November 2000]: The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) currently directly employs 1,398 people. Plans for the first quarter of 2001 are being finalised, but at this stage it is estimated that about 230 people will be required in January, about 140 in February and about 40 in March. NMEC has introduced a comprehensive re-deployment programme for those people who will cease to work for the Company on 31 December including job fairs at the Dome involving major employers, many of whom are sponsors of the Millennium Experience. The aim is to ensure that all employees have the opportunity of employment in the New Year.

WALES

  Census
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received with regard to the 2001 census in Wales; and if he will list the nature and date of each representation. [135220]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I have received a number of representations on this subject, mostly concerning the absence of a "Welsh" tick-box under the question about ethnic group.

  The Office for National Statistics has announced that there will be a new study into Welsh identity, using information gathered from the census and from an expanded and enhanced Labour Force Survey in Wales. There will also be a significant advertising campaign in Wales to alert people to the option of entering "Welsh" in the ethnic group section of the census. The National Statistician has confirmed that if people indicate that they are Welsh they will be counted as Welsh, and a report on the results will be produced.

  The census provides information crucial to all the people in Wales given its role in the allocation of resources from central to local government. High levels of participation in the census are vital to the people of Wales. Full advantage has to be taken of this once in a decade opportunity to obtain a rich seam of information on post-devolution Welsh identity.

  Regional Policy (Alyn and Deeside)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the First Secretary concerning regional policy initiatives as they affect Alyn and Deeside; and if he will make a statement. [137011]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I meet regularly with the First Secretary to discuss a range of issues, including the impact of regional policy initiatives on various parts of Wales.

  The National Assembly works in collaboration with other partners to encourage the development of indigenous businesses in all parts of Wales, as well as attracting overseas investors. Recently announced projects by BAE Systems; Paramount Foods; Mainetti; and Dailycer will create more than 2,000 new job opportunities in Alyn and Deeside.

  Apprenticeships (Alyn and Deeside)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the First Secretary concerning the level of applications for apprenticeships in small and medium sized enterprises in Alyn and Deeside;and if he will make a statement. [137013]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I have regular discussions with the First Minister on a range of topics, including the demand for apprenticeships in North Wales. However, I understand that information is not held centrally on the level of applications to small and medium sized enterprises in Alyn and Deeside.

  Flooding
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales concerning financial help for the County of Flintshire following the November flooding; and if he will make a statement on the national flood assistance money for(a) Flintshire and (b) Wales. [140554]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I meet regularly with the First Secretary to discuss a range of matters, including the effects on Wales of the recent bad weather.

  I have confirmed that the Welsh budget will be increased by £3 million over the four year period to 2003–04, as a consequence of additional funding made available for flood prevention work in England. It will be for the National Assembly to allocate this sum according to its own priorities.

  Edwina Hart, Assembly Secretary for Finance, Local Government and Communities, has already announced that, under the Bellwin arrangements, local authorities will receive 100 per cent. reimbursement of eligible expenditure above a threshold which is set at 0.2 per cent. of each authority's revenue budget.

  Children's Commissioner for Wales
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning the powers of the Children's Commissioner for Wales. [140450]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I have received a number of representations requesting further powers for the Children's Commissioner for Wales.

  Housing Needs
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he has taken to ensure that specific Welsh needs are taken into account when legislation is drawn up on the proposals in the Housing Green Paper. [140586]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Wales and I are in touch with Ministers at the Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions and at the National Assembly for Wales, and my officials are also in contact with their counterparts in those Departments. I have also encouraged direct contact between the Department for the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Assembly at both ministerial and official level.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prison Officers
  Dr. Stoate
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to introduce a support system within the Prison Service for staff who have been suspended; and if he will make a statement; [139467]
  512W
  (2) what plans he has to introduce an independent support service to support prison officers experiencing (a) stress and (b) other work-related problems; and if he will make a statement. [139469]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Prison Service Staff Care and Welfare Service already offers independent support to staff who are suspended within the Prison Service. The nature of this support will vary, dependent upon the wishes and needs of the client and the level of involvement they wish to have with the Welfare Service.

  Staff Care and Welfare Service also provides advice for all staff in the Prison Service experiencing stress and other work-related problems.

  In addition, the Prison Service is developing an integrated occupational health strategy which will identify the management actions and support services required to promote mental well being.

  Dr. Stoate
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures have been introduced within the Prison Service to tackle the harassment of prison officers by other officers; and if he will make a statement. [139468]

  Mr. Boateng
  Procedures were introduced in 1996 which allow members of staff throughout the Prison Service to lodge complaints if they perceive that they had been harassed, discriminated against or bullied by a colleague. Investigations are dealt with under standard Prison Service procedures and if the complaint is substantiated, appropriate disciplinary action follows.

  The guidance on combating harassment and discrimination is currently being revised. Mandatory training is being introduced for first line managers which will include advice on diversity and ensuring staff are treated fairly. A review is also under way of all diversity training which will include raising awareness and dealing with all forms of inappropriate behaviour.

  I have made it clear that racism must be eradicated from the Prison Service; so too must all forms of harassment, discrimination and bullying. The measures described are part of a lengthy programme of work to achieve this.

  Immigration
  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have lodged appeals against being refused visas as family visitors since 2 October. [139718]

  Mrs. Roche
  Since 2 October, there have been 33 recorded appeals lodged against a refusal of a visa as a family visitor.

  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have applied for consideration under the regularisation scheme for overstayers; and how many of these applications have been(a) decided, (b) granted and (c) refused. [139717]

  Mrs. Roche
  The number of applications received under the regularisation scheme, which closed on 1 October, is over 15,000. Some were received out of time. Approximately 250 applications have been granted. Around 9,250 are awaiting substantive consideration and the remaining 5,800 await an initial assessment of eligibility. I regret that further information could be
  513W
  obtained only by examination of individual case records and is, therefore, available only at disproportionate cost.

  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions for facilitation of illegal entry have been initiated in(a) 1999 and (b)

  Persons proceeded against at magistrates courts and convicted at all courts for facilitation of illegal entry offences under s25 Immigration Act 1971, 1999 and Quarter 1 (January to March 2000)1

  England and Wales

  Number of persons

  Proceeded against3

  Convicted4

  Offence2 description

  Act and section

  1999

  2000 Q11

  1999

  2000 Q11

  Knowingly facilitating the entry of an illegal entrant5

  25(1) (a)6

  233

  41

  153

  43

  Knowingly facilitating the entry of an asylum claimant5

  25(1) (b)6

  20

  3

  6

  —

  Total

  253

  44

  159

  43

  1Provisional

  2Principal immigration offence

  3Includes proceedings terminated early

  4Includes persons convicted at the Crown court who may have been proceeded against at magistrates courts in earlier years

  5Triable either way offences. Cases may be dealt with by either magistrates

  6 As added by section 5 of the Asylum and Immigration Act 1996 courts or committed for trial to the Crown court

  Prison Service Personnel
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is the policy of the Prison Service to treat as a disciplinary matter an approach by a member of the Prison Service to his Member of Parliament about employment matters; and if he will make a statement. [139808]

  Mr. Boateng
  [holding answer 23 November 2000]: The Prison Service's policy in this area reflects the policy for all civil servants in that they must not attempt to bring political or other influences to support any personal claims as a civil servant. However, this policy also makes it clear that this does not restrict a member of staff's right to approach their Member of Parliament.

  I am quite clear that the restrictions on civil servants do not include restricting their right to approach their MP and am not aware of any case where a member of the Prison Service has been disciplined for doing so. The Prison Service Code of Discipline is currently being revised and we will ensure that this policy is clear to all staff.

  Hinduja Family
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for New Forest, East (Dr. Lewis) of 9 November 2000,Official Report, column 402W, on the Hinduja family, for what reason the outcome of the investigations was not awaited before a decision on whether or not to grant citizenship was made. [140306]

  Mrs. Roche
  At the time the decision was made, no proceedings were being taken against Mr. Hinduja. The allegations had been made nearly 10 years previously and it was not apparent that any investigations by the Indian authorities were still under way.

  Police Station Closures
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for South Suffolk (Mr. Yeo) of 13 November 2000,
  514W
  to the latest date for which information is available; and how many resulted in convictions. [139715]

  Mrs. Roche
  Available information taken from the Home Office Court Proceedings database is given in the table:

  Official Report, column 539W, on police station closures, how many police stations have (a) opened and (b) closed in Sussex in each year since 1979. [140266]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I understand from the Chief Constable that he is unable to provide information on the number of police stations that have opened or closed between March 1979 and March 1990. Since March 1990, the number of police stations in Sussex has increased by two to 36, with one new police station opened in each of the financial years 1998–99 and 1999–2000. The information provided by the force indicates that no police stations were closed between 1990 and 2000.

  Metropolitan Police (Intelligence Briefings)
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which(a) hon. Members and (b) Members of the House of Lords (i) were offered and (ii) accepted intelligence briefings from the Metropolitan police on the manifestation of corruption and the Metropolitan Police Services response to it. [139998]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I have asked the Metropolitan police to provide the information requested and I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as I receive it.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Colman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Putney will receive a reply to his letters of 11 May and 17 October on behalf of his constituent Mr. Gul. [138075]

  Mrs. Roche
  I wrote to my hon. Friend on 27 November 2000.

  I apologise for the delay in replying.

  Police Recruitment
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has issued to police forces about the recruitment of individuals with criminal records. [139481]
  515W
  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Home Office has not issued guidance to police forces regarding the recruitment of persons who have convictions and who wish to become police officers. It is for individual chief officers to decide whether a particular conviction should be a bar to the recruitment of an applicant.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what correspondence he has received from the RUC concerning the recruiting of former RUC officers and reservists to police forces in England and Wales. [139929]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  None. However, the Royal Ulster Constabulary Voluntary Severance Support Unit has communicated with all police forces in England and Wales to indicate a potential recruitment base from former members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) and RUC Reserve.

  Metropolitan Police
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many senior investigating officers are working within the Metropolitan Police Service's area major investigating teams; and how many of them are women. [139779]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Metropolitan Police Service has 31 major investigating teams each led by a senior investigating officer, none of whom are women. The force is encouraging women officers to join its specialist branches, with the objective of reflecting the community it serves.

  Fuel Emergency Precautionary Measures
  Mr. Flight
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the sums spent, indicating the relevant votes by Her Majesty's Government, on fuel emergency precautionary measures since September; and if he will make a statement. [139850]

  Mr. Straw
  It is too soon to be able to provide a detailed reply. I will write to the hon. Member when the figures are available. The broad categories are likely to be: police costs; Army driver training and support; staff costs across Government Departments (e.g. overtime); any expenditure by local authorities or others that the Government agrees to meet; Government websites; and call centres.

  Anti-social Behaviour Orders
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many anti-social behaviour orders have been issued in respect of(a) juveniles, (b) adults and (c) in total of (a) and (b) in (i) Coventry South, (ii) the West Midlands and (iii) nationally. [139319]

  Mr. Boateng
  [holding answer 23 November 2000]: At least 140 anti-social behaviour orders have been issued since the measure was implemented on 1 April 1999. The figure is not broken down by local authority area,
  516W
  although we are aware of at least 12 in the West Midlands police force area. We cannot provide, from the figures available, a breakdown by age of the defendant.

  According to Coventry City Council, at least three orders are in force in Coventry South, all of which are against juveniles.

  Porton Down
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Salisbury will receive a reply to his letter of 3 September to the Minister of State, Home Office, the hon. Member for Norwich, South (Mr. Clarke), about Porton Down. [140245]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  A reply has now been sent to the hon. Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key). His letter was carefully considered, and information sought from other Government departments and the police, but the delay in replying was excessive. I am very sorry he had to wait so long.

  Sex Change Operations
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what Prison Service policy is on the transfer of prisoners to(a) men's and (b) women's prisons following sex change operations; and on how many occasions such transfers have occurred in each of the last 10 years; [140143]

  (2) what his policy is in respect of requests by serving prisoners for access to NHS sex change operations. [140148]

  Mr. Boateng
  Gender dysphoria is a recognised medical condition for which treatment, including gender re-assignment surgery, is available on the National Health Service (NHS). The Prison Service aims to provide prisoners with access to the same range and quality of health services as the general public receives from the NHS. A prisoner who had been receiving treatment for gender dysphoria under the supervision of an NHS specialist would normally be permitted to have gender re-assignment surgery on the recommendation of that specialist.

  A post-operative transsexual prisoner would normally be held in an establishment for prisoners of his/her gender of choice but the decision in an individual case would be reached only after careful consideration of all the relevant factors. In the last 10 years no prisoners have been transferred from establishments for prisoners of their gender at birth to establishments for prisoners of their gender of choice following gender re-assignment surgery while in prison custody.

  Redgrave and Charman
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his oral statement of 31 October 2000,Official Report, column 199WH, concerning disciplinary hearings in relation to John Redgrave and Michael Charman, (a) if procedures for setting the date for the hearing were compliant with regulations (b) what was the nature of the apology tendered by the CIB to counsel for Redgrave and Charman; and if he will make a statement. [140083]
  517W
  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Commissioner of the Police of the Metropolis informs me that the disciplinary hearing for John Redgrave and Michael Charman was set in accordance with the Police (Discipline) Regulations 1985.

  The Metropolitan police were notified that counsel for Mr. Redgrave was not available for the hearing. Out of courtesy, letters of apology were sent and the hearing was cancelled. I understand that Mr. Redgrave's and Mr. Charman' s solicitors, Russell Jones and Walker, are having difficulty in finding dates agreeable to both counsel.

  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Detective Inspector John Redgrave's suspension will be lifted; and if he will make a statement. [140089]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Detective Inspector Redgrave will remain suspended from duty as he is charged with Discreditable Conduct contrary to the Police Discipline Code. A discipline board will be convened next year on a date yet to be arranged.

  Operation Nectarine
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was of the combined Kent Police-CIB Operation Nectarine; and if he will make a statement. [140072]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I refer to the reply I gave my hon. Friend on 3 April 2000,Official Report, column 380W.

  Children's Manifesto
  Ms Shipley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received on "Our Children, Their Future—A Children's Manifesto" published by NSPCC, Barnardos and the Child Poverty Action Group. [140415]

  Mr. Boateng
  I have received a copy of the document, but no other representations have been received in this Department.

  A copy has also been sent to the Head of the Family Policy Unit at the Home Office with a request for a meeting. This will take place shortly.

  Mr. Gargan
  Mr. Sanders
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the briefings and complaints section to respond to Mr. Gargan of Westboume Road, Torquay, following his letter of 3 October. [140337]

  Mrs. Roche
  The Briefing and Complaints Section wrote to Mr. Gargan on 24 November asking for further information. Once he replies an offer will be made to reimburse his expenses. I am sorry for the delay in dealing with Mr. Gargan' s claim for compensation.

  Carers (Abuse)
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will strengthen the right of access 518W
  to police files of persons who have complained of abuse while (a) in care and (b) their carers were under investigation; and if he will make a statement. [140004]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  [holding answer 27 November 2000]: The Freedom of Information Bill, which finished its parliamentary stages yesterday, and I hope will be enacted very shortly, creates a right of access to personal information held by the police where the disclosure would be consistent with the data protection principles set out in the Data Protection Act 1998.

  Immigration (Northern Ireland)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to create a dedicated immigration centre in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [138881]

  Mrs. Roche
  The number of persons in Northern Ireland who are detained under the Immigration Act 1971 has always been small. Such detainees are detained in Magilligan or Maghaberry Prison. The Immigration Service and the Northern Ireland Prison Service recognise the difficulties of using prisons for people detained under the Immigration Act and are currently undertaking a joint review of future provision of detention facilities in Northern Ireland. The review's conclusions are expected by the end of the year and the Government will make its decisions public. However, given the small number of persons detained, it seems most unlikely that a dedicated detention facility in Northern Ireland will be viable on cost or efficiency grounds.

  Young Offenders
  Mr. Jim Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what health services and support are available to young people(a) sentenced and (b) remanded in custody; and what specialist mental health services are available to repeat young offenders. [139320]

  Mr. Boateng
  [holding answer 23 November 2000]: I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Middlesbrough, South and Cleveland, East (Dr. Kumar) on 6 July 2000, Official Report, column 297W.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list by police authority area how many(a) 15, (b) 16 and (c) l7-year-olds were given custodial sentences in each of the last 10 years; and if he will give the length of sentences given; [140617]

  (2) if he will list by police authority area how many (a) 15, (b) 16 and (c) 17-year-olds were on remand in each of the last 10 years; and how many went on to serve a prison sentence. [140618]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Information, taken from the Home Office Court Proceedings database, on the number of young offenders given custodial sentences by length of sentence is given in the tables. Due to disproportionate costs selected years only are given.

  Data on remands are of insufficient quality to meet the request.
  519W

  Table A: Number of young offenders aged 15, 16 and 17 given custodial sentence for indictable offences by length of sentence and police force area, 1990

  Age and police force area

  Total immediate custody1

  4 months and under

  Over 4 months and to 6 months

  Over 6 months and up to 1 year

  Over 1 year and up to 18 months

  Over 18 months and up to 2 years

  Over 2 years 3 years

  Age 15

  Avon and Somerset

  12

  11

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Bedfordshire

  6

  2

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Cambridgeshire

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Cheshire

  7

  5

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  City of London

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Cleveland

  17

  13

  3

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Cumbria

  8

  7

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Derbyshire

  7

  2

  —

  3

  —

  —

  2

  Devon and Cornwall

  6

  5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Dorset

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Durham

  14

  5

  7

  1

  —

  —

  1

  Essex

  9

  4

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Gloucestershire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Greater Manchester

  45

  30

  13

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Hampshire

  5

  5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Hertfordshire

  8

  6

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  Humberside

  12

  5

  3

  3

  —

  —

  —

  Kent

  3

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Lancashire

  17

  10

  3

  3

  —

  1

  —

  Leicestershire

  6

  3

  1

  1

  —

  —

  1

  Lincolnshire

  9

  4

  2

  3

  —

  —

  —

  Merseyside

  10

  7

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Metropolitan police

  46

  29

  4

  5

  1

  —

  3

  Norfolk

  4

  1

  2

  1

  —

  —

  —

  North Yorkshire

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Northamptonshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Northumbria

  21

  14

  5

  —

  —

  —

  2

  Nottinghamshire

  14

  9

  1

  2

  —

  1

  1

  South Yorkshire

  11

  9

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Staffordshire

  14

  9

  2

  1

  —

  —

  2

  Suffolk

  2

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Surrey

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Sussex

  7

  2

  4

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Thames Valley

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Warwickshire

  5

  3

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  West Mercia

  8

  4

  1

  1

  —

  —

  2

  West Midlands

  35

  18

  9

  2

  —

  1

  1

  West Yorkshire

  30

  20

  6

  1

  —

  1

  1

  Wiltshire

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Dyfed Powys

  5

  5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Gwent

  6

  4

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  North Wales

  3

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  South Wales

  21

  11

  8

  2

  —

  —

  —

  England and Wales

  441

  272

  87

  43

  1

  6

  18

  Age and police force area

  Over 3 years and up to 4 years

  Over 4 years and up to 5 years

  Over 5 years and up to 7 years

  Over 7 years and up to 10 years

  Over 10 years

  Life

  Sec 53(1)

  Average sentence length (months)

  Age 15

  Avon and Somerset

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2.4

  Bedfordshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.2

  Cambridgeshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  21.0

  Cheshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3.8

  City of London

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Cleveland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3.5

  Cumbria

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3.9

  Derbyshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  14.4

  Devon and Cornwall

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  22.1

  Dorset

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3.0

  Durham

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7.1

  Essex

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10.8

  Gloucestershire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Greater Manchester

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3.9

  Hampshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3.3

  Hertfordshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  8.1

  Humberside

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  9.7

  Kent

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4.6

  Lancashire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5.3

  Leicestershire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  9.2

  Lincolnshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5.8

  520W 521W

  Age and police force area

  Over 3 years and up to 4 years

  Over 4 years and up to 5 years

  Over 5 years and up to 7 years

  Over 7 years and up to 10 years

  Over 10 years

  Life

  Sec 53(1)

  Average sentence length (months)

  Merseyside

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  9.0

  Metropolitan police

  3

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  9.8

  Norfolk

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.8

  North Yorkshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3.5

  Northamptonshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Northumbria

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.6

  Nottinghamshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7.7

  South Yorkshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3.6

  Staffordshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  8.0

  Suffolk

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  19.5

  Surrey

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1.9

  Sussex

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5.7

  Thames Valley

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2.0

  Warwickshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.2

  West Mercia

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10.2

  West Midlands

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  11.6

  West Yorkshire

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7.8

  Wiltshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3.0

  Dyfed Powys

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3.2

  Gwent

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4.0

  North Wales

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  18.0

  South Wales

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4.5

  England and Wales

  7

  5

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  7.4

  Age and police force area

  Total immediate custody1

  4 months and under

  Over 4 months and to 6 months

  Over 6 months and up to 1 year

  Over 1 year and up to 18 months

  Over 18 months and up to 2 years

  Over 2 years 3 years

  Age 16

  Avon and Somerset

  15

  11

  4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Bedfordshire

  16

  9

  4

  3

  —

  —

  —

  Cambridgeshire

  9

  2

  4

  1

  —

  1

  1

  Cheshire

  19

  8

  7

  2

  —

  —

  —

  City of London

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Cleveland

  34

  17

  12

  3

  —

  1

  1

  Cumbria

  9

  3

  2

  2

  —

  1

  —

  Derbyshire

  18

  2

  3

  11

  —

  1

  —

  Devon and Cornwall

  20

  15

  3

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Dorset

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Durham

  23

  9

  7

  6

  —

  1

  —

  Essex

  12

  4

  3

  3

  —

  —

  2

  Gloucestershire

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Greater Manchester

  70

  31

  28

  6

  —

  1

  4

  Hampshire

  21

  11

  8

  1

  —

  —

  1

  Hertfordshire

  14

  5

  5

  3

  —

  1

  —

  Humberside

  27

  5

  11

  8

  —

  1

  2

  Kent

  3

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Lancashire

  20

  13

  5

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Leicestershire

  23

  14

  3

  6

  —

  —

  —

  Lincolnshire

  9

  3

  1

  1

  —

  —

  2

  Merseyside

  27

  12

  9

  6

  —

  —

  —

  Metropolitan police

  141

  69

  33

  22

  —

  4

  6

  Norfolk

  8

  7

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  North Yorkshire

  10

  9

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Northamptonshire

  4

  2

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Northumbria

  35

  15

  16

  —

  —

  1

  3

  Nottinghamshire

  35

  12

  9

  7

  —

  2

  1

  South Yorkshire

  40

  22

  7

  4

  —

  3

  1

  Staffordshire

  28

  13

  8

  6

  —

  —

  1

  Suffolk

  5

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Surrey

  4

  2

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Sussex

  11

  8

  2

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Thames Valley

  20

  12

  5

  2

  —

  —

  1

  Warwickshire

  7

  4

  1

  2

  —

  —

  —

  West Mercia

  13

  8

  1

  3

  —

  —

  1

  West Midlands

  101

  55

  23

  18

  —

  2

  1

  West Yorkshire

  64

  36

  15

  9

  —

  3

  —

  Wiltshire

  5

  4

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Dyfed Powys

  5

  2

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  Gwent

  12

  10

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  North Wales

  11

  4

  4

  1

  —

  2

  —

  South Wales

  29

  13

  11

  3

  —

  —

  2

  England and Wales

  980

  487

  261

  147

  —

  29

  30

  522W 523W

  Age and police force area

  Over 3 years and up to 4 years

  Over 4 years and up to 5 years

  Over 5 years and up to 7 years

  Over 7 years and up to 10 years

  Over 10 years

  Life

  Sec 53(1)

  Average sentence length (months)

  Age 16

  Avon and Somerset

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3.4

  Bedfordshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4.9

  Cambridgeshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  11.3

  Cheshire

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  6.8

  City of London

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Cleveland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5.9

  Cumbria

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  12.3

  Derbyshire

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  11.6

  Devon and Cornwall

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4.2

  Dorset

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2.0

  Durham

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.4

  Essex

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10.2

  Gloucestershire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3.0

  Greater Manchester

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.7

  Hampshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.0

  Hertfordshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.9

  Humberside

  —

  —

  —

  —`

  —

  —

  —

  9.3

  Kent

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  18.2

  Lancashire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  4.5

  Leicestershire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5.2

  Lincolnshire

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  22.0

  Merseyside

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5.9

  Metropolitan police

  2

  1

  1

  —

  —

  3

  3

  7.6

  Norfolk

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2.2

  North Yorkshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2.8

  Northamptonshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5.8

  Northumbria

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7.3

  Nottinghamshire

  2

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  13.7

  South Yorkshire

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  2

  2

  7.9

  Staffordshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.3

  Suffolk

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  15.1

  Surrey

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.8

  Sussex

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3.7

  Thames Valley

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5.9

  Warwickshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5.3

  West Mercia

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.5

  West Midlands

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  6.1

  West Yorkshire

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.1

  Wiltshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3.5

  Dyfed Powys

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10.0

  Gwent

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.3

  North Wales

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  8.5

  South Wales

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.7

  England and Wales

  11

  4

  3

  —

  —

  8

  8

  7.1

  Age and police force area

  Total immediate custody1

  4 months and under

  Over 4 months and to 6 months

  Over 6 months and up to 1 year

  Over 1 year and up to 18 months

  Over 18 months and up to 2 years

  Over 2 years 3 years

  Age 17

  Avon and Somerset

  32

  15

  5

  8

  1

  1

  2

  Bedfordshire

  30

  9

  5

  7

  6

  1

  —

  Cambridgeshire

  14

  7

  1

  —

  4

  —

  2

  Cheshire

  45

  11

  12

  17

  3

  2

  —

  City of London

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Cleveland

  67

  28

  8

  18

  5

  3

  2

  Cumbria

  39

  20

  8

  7

  1

  2

  1

  Derbyshire

  45

  13

  6

  15

  7

  4

  —

  Devon and Cornwall

  37

  19

  6

  6

  2

  —

  4

  Dorset

  14

  9

  2

  2

  1

  —

  —

  Durham

  43

  20

  5

  9

  3

  2

  3

  Essex

  36

  12

  8

  6

  6

  1

  1

  Gloucestershire

  10

  4

  2

  2

  —

  1

  1

  Greater Manchester

  183

  79

  43

  40

  7

  2

  9

  Hampshire

  31

  16

  7

  5

  1

  —

  2

  Hertfordshire

  29

  11

  4

  7

  3

  —

  4

  Humberside

  78

  26

  17

  11

  15

  5

  2

  Kent

  39

  12

  6

  11

  4

  3

  3

  Lancashire

  78

  26

  18

  21

  7

  4

  —

  Leicestershire

  53

  16

  16

  10

  5

  4

  2

  Lincolnshire

  25

  12

  4

  1

  5

  1

  1

  Merseyside

  69

  30

  14

  16

  4

  4

  —

  Metropolitan police

  266

  87

  42

  65

  24

  16

  15

  524W 525W

  Age and police force area

  Total immediate custody1

  4 months and under

  Over 4 months and to 6 months

  Over 6 months and up to 1 year

  Over 1 year and up to 18 months

  Over 18 months and up to 2 years

  Over 2 years 3 years

  Norfolk

  18

  9

  3

  4

  2

  —

  —

  North Yorkshire

  23

  12

  7

  —

  1

  2

  —

  Northamptonshire

  27

  5

  3

  14

  4

  1

  —

  Northumbria

  83

  32

  28

  11

  8

  2

  2

  Nottinghamshire

  102

  22

  18

  25

  17

  3

  13

  South Yorkshire

  83

  29

  22

  20

  5

  3

  2

  Staffordshire

  53

  18

  10

  14

  6

  1

  4

  Suffolk

  18

  5

  5

  3

  4

  —

  —

  Surrey

  7

  4

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Sussex

  27

  9

  3

  8

  1

  —

  2

  Thames Valley

  46

  13

  4

  15

  10

  3

  1

  Warwickshire

  20

  4

  3

  6

  5

  2

  —

  West Mercia

  43

  19

  6

  8

  5

  3

  2

  West Midlands

  224

  80

  41

  57

  27

  12

  5

  West Yorkshire

  113

  25

  22

  35

  16

  3

  7

  Wiltshire

  10

  5

  4

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Dyfed Powys

  8

  1

  5

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Gwent

  20

  6

  8

  3

  1

  1

  —

  North Wales

  24

  9

  8

  3

  2

  1

  1

  South Wales

  81

  29

  17

  10

  9

  4

  10

  England and Wales

  2,293

  818

  459

  522

  237

  97

  104

  Age and police force area

  Over 3 years and up to 4 years

  Over 4 years and up to 5 years

  Over 5 years and up to 7 years

  Over 7 years and up to 10 years

  Over 10 years

  Life

  Sec 53(1)

  Average sentence length (months)

  Age 17

  Avon and Somerset

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  8.0

  Bedfordshire

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  12.0

  Cambridgeshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  9.9

  Cheshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  8.1

  City of London

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Cleveland

  1

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  11.2

  Cumbria

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.8

  Derbyshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  9.6

  Devon and Cornwall

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  8.4

  Dorset

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5.6

  Durham

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10.4

  Essex

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  11.0

  Gloucestershire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10.7

  Greater Manchester

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  8.3

  Hampshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7.0

  Hertfordshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  11.0

  Humberside

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  9.7

  Kent

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  11.0

  Lancashire

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  9.2

  Leicestershire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  9.0

  Lincolnshire

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  9.7

  Merseyside

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7.8

  Metropolitan police

  10

  4

  —

  1

  —

  2

  1

  12.2

  Norfolk

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.1

  North Yorkshire

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  8.9

  Northamptonshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  9.3

  Northumbria

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7.3

  Nottinghamshire

  2

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  13.6

  South Yorkshire

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  8.6

  Staffordshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  9.6

  Suffolk

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10.9

  Surrey

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4.0

  Sussex

  1

  2

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  16.1

  Thames Valley

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10.5

  Warwickshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  11.2

  West Mercia

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  9.2

  West Midlands

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  9.2

  West Yorkshire

  4

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  12.5

  Wiltshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7.2

  Dyfed Powys

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6.8

  Gwent

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10.0

  North Wales

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7.6

  South Wales

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  12.0

  England and Wales

  32

  14

  4

  2

  —

  4

  2

  10.0

  1Immediate custody includes detention in a young offender institution and under s53 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933

  526W 527W
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each young offenders' institution, how many(a) suicides and (b) incidents of self-harm have been recorded since 1989. [140670]

  Mr. Boateng
  I will write to my hon. Friend.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of trends over the last 10 years of diagnosable mental health disorders among(a) young prisoners on remand and (b) sentenced young offenders. [140619]

  Mr. Boateng
  There have been three studies of the prevalence of mental disorder in the prison population of England and Wales published since 1990. Two were undertaken for the Home Office/Prison Service by the Institute of Psychiatry.

  The first, for which the fieldwork was done in 1988–89, surveyed mental ill-health among sentenced prisoners and the fieldwork for the second study, of the unsentenced population, was completed in 1993–94. A third study, of psychiatric morbidity among the whole prison population of England and Wales, was undertaken in 1997 for the Department of Health by the Office for National Statistics. The report of this third study was published in 1998, and a further more detailed analysis of the data relating to young offenders followed in October 2000.

  The very considerable differences in methodology between the first two studies and the third mean that it is not easy to make simple comparisons. I shall therefore write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of the correspondence in the Library.

  Driving Cautions
  Mr. Jenkin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cautions have been issued in the last three years by police officers patrolling the security cordon around the City of London against(a) drivers not wearing seat-belts and (b) drivers speaking on hand-held mobile telephones while driving. [140738]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Child Curfew Orders
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many child curfew orders have been(a) applied for and (b) issued in each police authority area of England and Wales since January 1999; and if he will make a statement. [140656]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  No applications have been received from local authorities to establish child curfew schemes under section 14 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998. Following consultation with local authorities and the police, we propose to extend the upper age limit to 15 and are considering what other improvements might be made.

  Electoral Commission
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff that(a) are and (b) will be employed in or by (i) the Party Funding Unit, (ii) the Electoral Commission project team and (iii) the
  528W
  Electoral Commission are members of political parties; how many members of each political party there are in each of categories (i) to (iii) above; what restriction is to be placed on party membership or political activity by members of the Electoral Commission staff once the Commission is established; what his policy is on members of staff of the Electoral Commission who are members of political parties dealing with confidential information relating to other political parties; and if he will make a statement. [140663]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Under the terms of the Civil Service Code, civil servants are required to conduct themselves with honesty, integrity, impartiality and objectivity. The restrictions on the involvement of civil servants in political activities are set out in the Civil Service Management Code. There is no requirement on civil servants to disclose membership of a political party.

  The Electoral Commission will appoint its own staff in due course. The Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill has now been amended so as to preclude the chief executive of the Electoral Commission from retaining or taking up membership of a political party. This restriction will not extend to other members of the Electoral Commission's staff. We would expect the Electoral Commission to require its staff to discharge their duties in a similar way to civil servants.

  Political Funding
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill allows for the foreign funding of(a) political parties participating in a referendum and (b) other referendum participants in (i) Northern Ireland and (ii) the rest of the United Kingdom; if it is the Government's policy to allow (A) organisations campaigning in a referendum in Northern Ireland on the constitutional status of Northern Ireland to receive funds from abroad and (B) Northern Ireland political parties subject to an exemption order from Part IV of the Bill to campaign in Great Britain in a UK-wide referendum; and if he will make a statement. [140664]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Part IV of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill will ban political parties from receiving foreign donations. This ban will also, under Part VII of the Bill, extend to other permitted participants in a referendum campaign in any part of the United Kingdom. However, clause 70 of the Bill makes special provision for Northern Ireland parties. It is the Government's intention to exercise the order-making power in clause 70 so as to disapply the provisions of Part IV of the Bill in respect of Northern Ireland parties for an initial period of four years. The restrictions on the acceptance of donations will be disapplied for all purposes; the Bill does not place restrictions on how or where political parties, including Northern Ireland parties, may spend funds received from a particular source.

  Political Funding (Electoral Register)
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 6 November 2000,Official Report, column 111W, on the electoral register, (a) what mechanisms will be put in place to enable political parties, the Electoral Commission and others to verify that political donations from individuals are

  529W
  permissible donations between the commencement of the provisions of Part IV of Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill and the establishment of the central record of electors in October 2001 and how it is intended that such donations are to be verified as permissible to the standard required by the Bill, (b) for what reasons it was decided not to proceed with the interim solution previously proposed by his Department, when the decision was made and what consultations there have been with political parties about that decision (i) before its being made and (ii) subsequently, (c) what discussions there have been with political parties about the costs incurred and new administrative arrangements to be put in place as a result of the decision not to proceed with the interim solution; what estimate has been made of the total costs arising for (i) political parties represented in the House and (ii) other political parties; and if such costs are expected to exceed the level of additional expenditure on start up costs announced on 21 November and (d) for what reasons it has not been possible to establish a central record since the publication of Cm 4413; when it was decided by his Department that such a central record would be required; and if he will make a statement. [140667]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The Government will be making regulations under the Representation of the People Act 2000 to allow registered political parties and others to obtain copies of the electoral registers free of charge.

  We have always recognised that complying with the provisions of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill will involve the commitment of resources by parties, but we have not received any detailed information from the majority of the political parties about the costs to them of checking donations against the registers.

  We have also recognised the need to make access to the electoral registers easier so as to facilitate compliance with the Bill. The Improvement and Development Agency was asked in April to look at ways of doing so. Pursuant to a reply given on 6 November, we placed a paper in the Library which proposed a solution. The solution proposed is, however, a significant IT project and it cannot be ready before October 2001.

  We therefore considered, in addition, whether an interim solution was possible. But we concluded on 17 November that there was none available which could be relied upon or which would give value for money. This conclusion was announced as quickly as possible in the debate in Another Place on the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Bill on 21 November 2000, Official Report, House of Lords, columns 696–97.

  We also announced that, to further assist parties with checking the registers at the outset, we intended to increase by £200,000 the sum available under the Bill to help with start-up costs. The Bill has now been amended accordingly.

  Lord Birt
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 22 November 2000,Official Report, column 211W, on Lord Birt, if he will list the dates on which he has met
  530W
  Lord Birt in his capacity as adviser to the Government on crime; what relevant information he has received from him; and if he will make a statement. [140751]

  Mr. Straw
  I met Lord Birt on 25 May. My officials have also had regular discussions with him in that period. These meetings have focused on analysing existing data on offenders, offences and victims.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Human Rights (Police Training)
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what response he has made to the assessment of the police training programme on the Human Rights Act 1998 prepared by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission; and if he will place a copy in the Library. [140005]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Chief Constable is preparing a response to the Human Rights Commission's report. I will consider this before commenting.

  A copy of the Commission's report has been placed in the Library.

  Change Management Team
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his answer of 17 November 2000,Official Report, column 799W, for what reason he does not consider it appropriate to comment on the perceived community background of members of the change management team. [140028]

  Mr. Ingram
  There are strict requirements governing the confidentiality and proper use of community background monitoring data. The provision of community background data at the level asked for would breach those requirements.

  RUC
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what meetings he has had with(a) present and (b) former members of the RUC since the publication of the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill. [140085]

  Mr. Ingram
  Since publication of the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill, Ministers have met with police associations which represent former and serving police officers. Also, officials and I have had numerous meetings, telephone conversations and exchanges of correspondence with members of the police family during this period.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Tyrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 5 June 2000,Official Report, column 125W, 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. [135254]
  531W
  Mr. Byers
  During the period 31 March 1999 to 31 March 2000, Special Advisers in this Department travelled overseas once on official business to Brussels at a cost of £403. The cost of this visit was accounted for in expenditure on Ministers' travel overseas published by 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.

  EU Grants
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has reached agreement with the European Commission over the payment of grants, discounts or subsidies for(a) the coal industry, (b) Rover, (c) Nissan, (d) the Universal Bank, (e) Regional Venture Capital funds and (f) the Climate Charge levy [135655]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 30 October 2000]: The position on each case is as follows:

  (a) yes;

  (b) no notification is before the Commission;

  (c) discussions are continuing;

  (d) no notification is before the Commission;

  (e) discussions are continuing;

  (f) this is a matter for Treasury Departments.

  Post Offices
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 1 November 2000,Official Report, column 462W, what action he is taking to prevent the closure of directly managed post offices and their transfer to agency status until new consultation procedures are in place. [138771]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  In the light of the White Paper "Post Office Reform: A World Class Service for the 21st Century" and a subsequent recommendation by the Performance and Innovation Unit, discussions are taking place between the Post Office and the Post Office Users' National Council on a revised code of practice and consultation procedures relating to the closure or relocation of post offices. The Government's moratorium on conversions of directly managed post offices to agency status was lifted in December 1998 following agreement of a Post Office strategy whereby at least 15 per cent. of the total business transacted by the counters' network is done at remaining Crown offices.

  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what progress has been made in the establishment of the fund to improve the quality of post offices in deprived urban areas by installing security measures and modernising premises; [139105]

  (2) what the mechanism is for allocating funds being made available to install security measures and to modernise post offices in deprived urban areas. [139106]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  [holding answer 21 November 2000]: Ring-fenced funding has been allocated from 2001–02 to help sustain and improve post offices in deprived urban areas. Discussions on the criteria and mechanisms for allocating funding are taking place between my Department, the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Post Office.
  532W
  Mr. Lilley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the Post Office proposal for a formula for calculating a social network payment for sub-post offices is commercially confidential. [140261]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 24 November 2000]: Proposals on the future of the Post Office Counters network have been submitted to me by the Post Office "In Strictest Confidence". The Post Office plan is commercially confidential.

  Military Exports (Israel)
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what spare parts and other components have been exported by British companies in the last three months, for use in helicopters by the Israeli military; and what export licences for such equipment are pending. [138987]

  Dr. Howells
  Licences to export arms and other goods whose export is controlled for strategic reasons are issued by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, and the Export Control Organisation (ECO) of the Department of Trade and Industry is the licensing authority. The ECO of the DTI does not compile records of licensed exports. Some licences are only used in part, while others may not be used at all. The extent to which the exports permitted by a licence are made is dependent on various factors; for example the customer's requirements may be less than originally expected or the expected contract may simply not materialise. Statistics on UK exports of military equipment are compiled by HM Customs and Excise. This information is set out in Part III of the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls.

  As of 16 November 2000, 44 applications for a Standard Individual Export Licence (SIEL) and 19 applications for an Open Individual Export Licence (OIEL) covering the export to Government or commercial consignees or end-users in Israel are awaiting a decision. It should also be noted that OIEL applications cover multiple shipments of specified goods to specified destinations or specified consignees, not specified end-users. These figures have been obtained by searching the ECO's computer databases using the entries relating to military aircraft spares.

  In addition, Israel is a permitted destination on certain Open General Export Licences covering the export of goods on the Military List; copies of all Open General Export Licences are placed in the Library of the House.

  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many applications for permanent licences to export CS gas to Israel have been made each year since 1997; [139232]

  (2) how many applications for permanent licences to export CS gas to Israel have been refused in each year since 1997. [139233]

  Dr. Howells
  The entry in the legislation under which the export of goods is controlled is known as their rating. The export of CS gas is controlled under the following entries in Part III of Schedule I of the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1994 as amended (commonly known as the Military List): CS and other irritants under entry ML7; cartridges (as ammunition) containing CS irritants under entries ML3 or PL5021 and canisters containing CS irritants under ML4 or PL5030. However, certain other
  533W
  devices may also contain tear gas, for example, portable anti-riot devices for administering an incapacitating substance under PL5001; grenades under ML4 or PL5030; ammunition (including artillery and mortar) under ML3 or PL5021; gas projectors or generators under ML2 or PL5018; gas projecting equipment for controlled ground vehicles, combatant vessels or aircraft, that are specially designed or modified for military use under entries ML6, ML9, or ML10 respectively; and portable devices designed for self-protection by the administration of an incapacitating substance under entry 1A905 of the

  Rating

  2 May to 31 December 1997

  1 January to 31 December 1998

  1 January to 31 December 1999

  1 January to 10 November 2000

  Number of SIEL applications received

  ML2

  1

  2

  0

  2

  ML3

  8

  12

  9

  12

  ML4

  7

  8

  14

  13

  ML6

  6

  15

  3

  7

  ML7

  1

  4

  1

  0

  ML9

  7

  2

  8

  11

  ML10

  16

  36

  21

  46

  Number of OIEL applications received

  ML2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  ML3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  ML4

  0

  2

  1

  3

  ML6

  0

  3

  1

  5

  ML7

  0

  0

  0

  0

  ML9

  0

  3

  2

  6

  ML10

  0

  7

  3

  15

  Note:

  There were no SIEL or OIEL applications received covering the export of goods with the ratings PL5001, PL5018, PL5021, PL5030 or 1A905

  It Would entail disproportionate cost to establish Whish, if any of export of CS gas. However, details of export licensing decisions between 2 May 1997 and 31 December 1999 have been set out in the Government's Annual Reports on Strategic Export Controls, published by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; copies are in the Library of the House. The reports list by country of destination the numbers of export licences issued and refused in each equipment for which licences have been granted.

  Between 2 May 1997 and 10 November 2000, one application for a SIEL was refused covering the export to consignees or end-users in Israel of goods with the relevant ratings. The paper records have been examined and this application covered the the export of CS gas. In the same period no application for an OIEL were refused covering goods with the relevant ratings.

  This information should be considered in light of the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Kingswood (Mr. Berry) on 27 July 1999,Official Report, columns 307–08w.

  Euro
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the cost to his Department of converting to the euro. [139510]

  Mr. Byers
  The costs to my Department would depend on the approach taken by the public sector as a whole.
  534W
  Dual-Use and Related Goods (Export Control) Regulation 1996, as amended. It should be noted that many other goods are also controlled under each of the entries referred to above.

  The Export Control Organisation's computer databases have been interrogated. Between 2 May 1997 and 10 November 2000, 272 applications for a Standard Individual Export Licence (SIEL) and 45 applications for an Open Individual Export Licence (OIEL) have been received covering the export to consignees or end-users in Israel of goods with the relevant ratings.

  Enterprise Funds
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money was(a) spent and (b) loaned by the Enterprise Funds (i) in 1999–2000 and (ii) so far in 2000–01. [139731]

  Mr. Byers
  During the financial years 1999–2000 £39.11 million (gross) was spent on the Enterprise Fund's programmes. For the financial year 2000–01 £25.05 million (gross) has been spent on the Fund's programmes to the end of October.

  In neither of the financial years has any money been loaned by the Enterprise Fund.

  Clean Coal Technology
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his Department' s expenditure on clean coal technology(a) was in 1999–2000 and (b) is planned for 2000–01. [139730]

  Mr. Byers
  My Department's expenditure on clean coal technology in 1999–00 was £2.5 million. Expenditure presently planned for.2000–01 is £4.3 million.

  Both figures are net of VAT.

  BNFL
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans BNFL have to order new nuclear reactors. [139732]
  535W
  Mr. Byers
  I understand that BNFL have no plans to order new nuclear reactors.

  Venture Capital
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who has been appointed as the Fund of Funds manager to lead his Department's venture capital activity; and what this manager's budget is for 2000–01. [139728]

  Mr. Byers
  No such post exists.

  Westport Private Equity was appointed Fund of Funds manager for the UK High Technology Fund.

  Legal Profession (OFT Inquiry)
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to receive the report of the OFT inquiry into the legal profession. [139737]

  Mr. Byers
  The Director General of Fair Trading expects to deliver his report on restrictions in the professions to me during December.

  European Union (Public Undertakings)
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which article of a European Union or Community treaty prohibits a member state from(a) initiating or providing a public monopoly service not subject to competition or long-term leasing or management contract by competition or a chosen non-public agency and (b) establishing or re-establishing publicly-owned public service monopolies. [139933]

  Dr. Howells
  The EC Treaty contains a number of provisions that may be relevant to the provision of public services. Of particular relevance may be Article 86 (formerly Article 90), which among other things provides that in the case of public undertakings and undertakings to which member states grant special or exclusive rights, member states shall neither enact nor maintain in force any measure contrary to the rules contained in this Treaty, in particular to those rules provided for in Article 12 (formerly Article 6) and Articles 81 to 89 (formerly Articles 85 to 94).

  Block Exemption (Car Manufacture)
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the operation of the block exemption by car manufacturers, in relation to EC Council Regulation 1475/95. [139903]

  Dr. Howells
  The European Commission published its evaluation of the operation of the EC cars block exemption (EC Council Regulation 1475/95) on 15 November. The Government are studying this carefully but note its conclusion that the block exemption has not achieved all of its aims. In particular, the report concludes that consumers do not derive a fair share of the benefits of the European Single market from the operation of the selective and exclusive distribution system permitted by the block exemption.

  Earlier this year, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry accepted the conclusion of the UK Competition Commission that the system of
  536W
  selective and exclusive distribution, which is used by nearly all car suppliers in the UK, operates against the public interest.

  False Trade References (Scotland)
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to introduce legislation to make the giving of false trade references a criminal offence in Scotland. [140075]

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

  Motor Vehicle Clocking
  Mr. Gorrie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to make the clocking of motor vehicle odometers a criminal offence. [140074]

  Dr. Howells
  I refer the hon. Member to reply I gave him on 21 November 2000,Official Report, column 106W.

  Nissan (Sunderland)
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what aid he plans to pay to Nissan in respect of its Sunderland plant; and how much has been paid to date. [140166]

  Mr. Byers
  A grant offer of £40 million of Regional Selective Assistance has been made to Nissan to secure production of the new Micra for the Sunderland plant. The offer is currently being appraised by the European Commission.

  Haulage Companies
  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many haulage companies were declared bankrupt in 1994. [140265]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 24 November 2000]: The number of company compulsory liquidations for the road transport industry in England and Wales in 1994 was 235. The corresponding number for individual bankruptcy orders was 1,149. The road transport industry includes road haulage, car hire, taxis, bus services, and other road passenger transport—detailed figures solely for road haulage are not available.

  Receivership (Astra Holdings)
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what papers have been removed from the Official Receiver by the administrative receivers relating to(a) John Drewe, (b) Allivane International and (c) companies associated with Astra Holdings; for what reason and under whose authority the papers were removed; and if he will make a statement. [138748]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 27 November 2000]: The Official Receiver is not aware that any of the accounting records of Astra Holdings plc, stored on his behalf with a commercial storage company, have been removed by the administrative receivers.

  Community Hospitals Group
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will announce his decision on the Competition Commission's report on the proposed takeover of Community Hospitals Group by BUPA. [140573]

  Dr. Howells
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry will publish the Competition Commission's report on BUPA's proposed acquisition of Community Hospitals Group as soon as is practicable.

  Industry (Funding)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total value was of(a) Government and (b) EU financial assistance to British industry, excluding agriculture and fishing, in the last financial year; and what his most recent estimate is for the current financial year. [140380]

  Mr. Caborn
  [holding answer 27 November 2000]: DTI's expenditure in support of its objective of promoting enterprises, innovation and increased productivity was £730 million in 1999–2000, and is expected to be £935 million in 2000–01. These figures include expenditure by British Trade International and exclude all science expenditure.

  It is not possible to supply figures for EU assistance given to British industry or to supply them in financial years. Allocations for Britain's Objective 1, 2 and 56 areas (i.e. excluding Northern Ireland) for the two calendar years 1999 and 2000 are £960 million and £980 million respectively. This is mainly European Regional Development Fund allocations but includes approximately £120 million in each year for agricultural purposes.

  Contracted and installed wind generation capacity and electricity generated

  Scotland

  England

  Wales

  Contracted MW DNC

  Installed MW DNC

  Generation GWh

  Contracted MW DNC

  Installed MW DNC

  Generation Gwh

  Contracted MW DNC

  Installed MW DNC

  Generation Gwh

  1995

  45.6

  6.18

  0

  117.164

  33.145

  170

  145.104

  32.977

  171

  1996

  89.23

  14.6

  46

  117.164

  37.452

  176

  145.104

  35.337

  180

  1997

  89.23

  21.76

  108

  349.176

  40.217

  194

  256.777

  58.28

  267

  1998

  89.23

  21.76

  161

  640.868

  41.24

  237

  330.918

  62.717

  371

  1999

  166.72

  25.13

  146

  640.868

  48.418

  56

  330.918

  62.717

  186

  2000

  166.72

  33.42

  89

  640.868

  50.465

  46

  330.918

  62.717

  90

  Notes

  1. Contracted and Installed data are cumulative

  2. Generation data are for the year only

  3. Contracts for NFFO 1 and 2 projects ended on 31 December 1998

  4. Contracted and Installed data for England and Wales include ex-NFFO 1 and 2 assuming that these projects have continued

  5. Generation data for England and Wales for 1999 and 2000 do not include ex-NFFO contracts as data are not readily available

  6. Data for 2000 are to 30 June only.

  538W

  Accident Prevention
  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the costs were of(a) the recent campaign targeting older people on the prevention of falls in the home and (b) other accident prevention initiatives in the last five years. [140669]

  Dr. Howells
  The "slips, trips and broken hips" campaign which DTI launched in May 1999 targeting older people on the prevention of falls in the home has cost £0.5 million to date.

  Money Management Education
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans his Department has to provide more support to money management education. [140095]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 27 November 2000]: I see all forms of consumer education as a priority, and acknowledge that money management is an essential part of everyday life. People need basic skills, knowledge and understanding to manage their personal finances and provide for their future. Consumer education should be a continuing process, starting in schools and continuing through adult life.

  Changes to the National Curriculum have brought consumer education and personal finance education to the fore.

  That is why the DTI, in partnership with the DfEE, Financial Services Authority, the Basic Skills Agency and the Consumers' Association, is managing an EU funded project to produce high quality teaching materials. The teaching materials will help young people and adults develop consumer skills and knowledge in various topics including budgeting and banking; money management and also personal finance for 14–16 year olds. In Spring 2001 the materials will be disseminated though teaching establishments and the local communities in England and Wales.

  Wind Generation Capacity
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list for each year since 1995 in respect of(a) Scotland, (b) England and (c) Wales (i) the (A) contracted and (B) installed wind generation capacity and (ii) the electricity generated by (A) and (B). [140657]

  Mr. Caborn
  Available information is set out in the table.

  In addition, over the past five years the DTI has spent £5.5 million on other home safety awareness initiatives such as carbon monoxide poisoning, garden safety, DIY safety, electric blankets, burns and scalds, clothing fires, fireworks, household chemicals and toys.

  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was spent by his Department on research into the prevention of accidental injuries(a) in total and (b) on those related to consumer products in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [140678]
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  Dr. Howells
  The Department of Trade and Industry has spent £2.8 million over the last 12 months on research into the prevention of accidental injuries in the home, all of which was related to consumer products. This amount includes money spent on the Home Accident Surveillance System collecting and collating accident statistics.

  FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

    EU Intergovernmental Conference
    Mr. Bercow
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if there is right of appeal over rejection of a request to participate under Clause L of the enhanced co-operation proposals at the IGC. [139906]

    Mr. Vaz
    The procedures for authorising the participation of a member state in an enhanced co-operation in the field of foreign policy implementation have yet to be agreed.

    We have made clear enhanced co-operation must be open to all member states wishing to participate; and that this must be reflected in the Treaty.

    General Affairs Council
    Mr. Hood
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the outcome was of the General Affairs Council held in Brussels on 20 and 21 November; and if he will make a statement. [140121]

    Mr. Vaz
    The General Affairs Council (GAC) on 20–21 November adopted the "A" points listed in document no. 13291/00 and noted the resolutions, decisions and opinions adopted by the European Parliament in its sessions of 2–6 and 23–27 October in Strasbourg listed in document nos. 11935/00 and 11941/00. Copies of these documents will be placed in the House Libraries as soon as they become available.

    Western Balkans

    The Council agreed on its final preparations for the Zagreb Summit on 24 November. It also agreed the text of the CARDS regulation and the European Agency for Reconstruction. The texts will be adopted formally by the GAC on 4 December. The Council adopted the Commission proposal to extend the Autonomous Trade Measures to the FRY and Macedonia. It also adopted the negotiating mandate for Croatia's Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) and instructed the Commission to start full negotiations for an agreement. Finally, the Council adopted the final text of the Macedonia SAA.

    Enlargement

    The UK led member states in welcoming the Commission's Enlargement Strategy paper, and its ambitious and realistic recommendations for injecting dynamism into the accession process. The key recommendations were for a "road map" or timetable, envisaging the conclusion of negotiations in the first half of 2002, and for procedures to facilitate future progress in the accession negotiations (including the handling of candidates' transition period requests and the "conditional closure" of chapters where a few difficult issues can be
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    set aside for later negotiation). These proposals were in line with the Prime Minister's call, in his speech in Warsaw in October, for a "specific framework leading to the conclusion of negotiations and accession" in time for new member states to participate in the elections for the European Parliament in 2004.

    EU/Turkey Pre-accession Strategy

    The Council deferred discussion until 4 December General Affairs Council.

    MEP's Statute

    The Presidency provided an update on the negotiations with the European Parliament to regulate the salaries, expenses and conditions of MEPs. The UK emphasised that the key to any agreement was an expense regime based on real costs actually incurred, transparent, accountable and with external, independent checks; and that the most logical position on salaries was an average of the 15 member states. The UK and other member states reiterated the need for at least the option of national taxation for MEPs.

    Overseas Countries and Territories (OCTs)

    The Commission presented their proposal for a new OCT Decision, which includes special trade provisions and developmental assistance for the OCTs. The UK, along with France, Denmark and the Netherlands, offered initial comments, and emphasised that some technical aspects of the proposal needed further consideration.

    North Korea

    The Council agreed Presidency proposals for co-ordinating member states' policies towards North Korea.

    IGC: Session with the EP

    The Conclave met on Sunday evening. Ministers discussed Commission Size, Vote Reweighting, QMV and the Charter of Rights. The next Conclave takes place on 3 December.

    Defence

    Foreign and Defence Ministers adopted a declaration on the outcome of the Capabilities Commitment Conference.

    Common EU Foreign and Security Policy
    Dr. Julian Lewis
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect on UK-US relations of the creation of(a) a common EU foreign and security policy and (b) an EU Rapid Reaction Force. [140145]

    Mr. Vaz
    I can do no better than to quote the US Secretary of State's statement of 20 November.

    Mrs. Albright described that day's Capabilities Commitment Conference in Brussels, where EU nations offered to make troops available for EU-led operations, as a
    strongly positive development we wholly support.

    She noted that the US,
    along with other Allies, are working closely with the European Union to make this initiative a success and to create a true strategic partnership between two key Western institutions—NATO and the European Union. Creation of this capability promises to improve Europe's ability to act in ways that will strengthen European and transatlantic security.
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    European Convention on Human Rights
    Ms Jenny Jones
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his policy is on protocol 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights. [140333]

    Mr. McNamara
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Government intends to sign Protocol XII of the European Convention on Human Rights; for what reason it did not sign it at the celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the Convention; and if he will make a statement. [140521]

    Mr. Hain
    The Government have no plans at present to sign Protocol 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Among other concerns, the Government believe that the scope of issues which could be brought to the European Court for binding decision under Protocol 12 is unacceptably open-ended and uncertain. Once the Protocol comes into force, the Government will follow carefully how it is interpreted by the European Court to see if our concerns are allayed.

    Ireland (British Passports)
    Mr. John D. Taylor
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British passports have been issued by the Embassy in Dublin in each of the past five years; how many British passport holders he estimates live in the Republic of Ireland; and if he will make a statement. [140730]

    Mr. Hain
    The British Embassy in Dublin has issued the following numbers of British passports in each of the past five years;

    1996: 4,701

    1997: 5,199

    1998: 5,649

    1999: 6,831

    2000: 6,588 to 31 October, 2000. We estimate that the end year total will be between 7,300 and 7,500.

    There are no reliable estimates of the total number of British passport holders resident in the Republic of Ireland.

    Trade (EU Market Access)
    Mrs. Gillan
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what impact offering duty free access to least developed countries will have on the EU rice and sugar markets' tariff structures. [136827]

    Mr. Caborn
    I have been asked to reply.

    The European Commission's proposal is to amend the EU's scheme of Generalised Tariff Preferences (GSP) so as to extend duty free access without any quantitative restrictions to products originating in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs). The proposal provides for this duty free treatment for rice and sugar to be achieved progressively, as follows: LDCs will be able to receive a 20 per cent. reduction of the Common Customs Tariff duties payable on their exports of these products from 1 January 2001; a 50 per cent. reduction from 1 January 2002; an 80 per cent. reduction from 1 January 2003; culminating in full elimination on 1 January 2004. This
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    proposal does not address the CAP regimes for Rice and Sugar. The European Commission has made two other, separate proposals for reform of these two CAP regimes.

  ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

    Light Rail
    Mr. McCabe
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will approve the new light rail lines contained in his Department's 10-year plan. [138946]

    Mr. Hill
    Outside London, five light rail lines to be funded in the period covered by the 10-Year Plan have already been approved. We are currently considering a number of proposals for future lines, including those in Leeds, the West Midlands, Bristol and South Gloucestershire, and Portsmouth and South Hampshire. I hope to make announcements about each of these four proposals as soon as possible.

    Mr. Corbett
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to increase investment in light rail systems. [138957]

    Mr. Hill
    Our 10-Year Plan provides for a substantial increase in funding for light rail schemes where these offer good value for money as part of integrated transport strategies.

    Valerie Davey
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will announce further proposals for light rail lines. [138967]

    Mr. Hill
    We are currently considering a number of proposals for new light rail lines, including those in Leeds, the West Midlands, Bristol and South Gloucestershire, and Portsmouth and South Hampshire. I hope to make announcements about each of these four proposals as soon as possible.

    Connex South Eastern
    Mr. Efford
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement regarding train cancellations due to rail track repairs on Connex South Eastern. [138951]

    Mr. Hill
    The rail network has been severely disrupted by the temporary emergency speed restrictions imposed by Railtrack for safety reasons in the aftermath of the tragic accident at Hatfield. Connex South Eastern have planned a series of cancellations to their normal timetable which passengers have been informed about in advance to enable them to plan their journeys.

    Neighbourhood Wardens
    Mr. Plaskitt
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what role neighbourhood wardens will play in improving the management of public areas. [138952]

    Ms Beverley Hughes
    Neighbourhood Warden Schemes are designed to meet local needs. Therefore the management of public areas is dependent on what is needed locally. Wardens should link with other services in neighbourhoods to improve the reporting of environmental
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    and community safety issues. The schemes are still developing their plans for implementation and a number of different models in different areas are under consideration.

    Ports
    Dr. Julian Lewis
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the criteria to be met before locating new container ports on non-brownfield sites. [138953]

    Mr. Quinn
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on his strategy for developing British ports. [138954]

    Mr. Hill
    The Government announced yesterday the publication of a ports policy paper, "Modern Ports". On the issue of port development, "Modern Ports" says that we will maintain a balanced policy on development which aims to makes the best use of existing and former operational land, secures high environmental standards, but supports sustainable projects for which there is a clear need.

    Ms Squire
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on developing British ports. [138973]

    Mr. Hill
    The Government announced yesterday the publication of a ports policy paper, "Modern Ports".

    Climate Change
    Mr. Alan W. Williams
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on emissions trading and global warming. [138955]

    Mr. Meacher
    The Government recognise that emissions trading is a key part of the long-term solution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, both domestically and internationally. Despite the breakdown of the recent international climate change talks in The Hague, we achieved some progress in developing the rules for international emissions trading. We hope to be able to build on that progress when talks are resumed next year. In addition, the Government have recently started public consultation on proposals for a domestic trading scheme, the framework for which is expected to be in place by April next year.

    Area Cost Adjustment
    Mr. Webb
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to amend the area cost adjustment. [138956]

    Ms Armstrong
    After consulting local authorities and other stakeholders, and in line with our White Paper commitment to use up-to-date data, I have decided to update the New Earning Survey element of the Area Cost Adjustment for use in the 2001–02 Local Government Finance Settlement.

    Highway Maintenance
    Mr. Neil Turner
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent representations he has received about highway maintenance funding. [138958]
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    Mr. Hill
    In preparing our plans to tackle the backlogs in local highway maintenance, as set out in "Transport 2010: The 10-Year Plan", we worked very closely with the Local Government Association. They provided valuable advice on the funding levels required.

    Mrs. Anne Campbell
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to give local authorities the powers to co-ordinate roadworks. [138969]

    Ms Beverley Hughes
    Under the New Roads and Street Works Act 1991 the street authority (which for maintainable streets means the highway authority) must do everything in their power to co-ordinate works of all kinds in their streets. This responsibility covers utility street works and the authority's own works for road purposes.

    Public Service Agreements
    Dr. Starkey
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the proposals put forward by local authorities to pilot public service agreements. [138959]

    Ms Beverley Hughes
    The PSA submissions received from the 20 pilot local authorities contain a wide range of proposals to improve services and are currently being considered by the DETR, in conjunction with other Government Departments. Constructive negotiations are taking place between central Government and the local authorities involved.

    Licensing
    Mr. Tony Lloyd
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent representations he has received concerning the licensing of landlords; and if he will make a statement. [138960]

    Mr. Raynsford
    Two hundred and twenty responses to the consultation on the Housing Green Paper commented on our proposals for the selective local licensing of private landlords in areas of low housing demand. A further fifteen separate representations have been made in the past six months. We will make a statement shortly on how we propose to take forward all the Green Paper proposals following consultation.

    Town and Country Planning
    Sir Sydney Chapman
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to change the law relating to town and country planning. [138961]

    Mr. Raynsford
    We are undertaking a comprehensive programme to modernise the town and country planning system and update planning policies. New regulations have been introduced, for example in relation to the development plans process and planning appeals procedures. However, we have no immediate plans to introduce new primary legislation, though we remain committed to removing Crown immunity from planning control and have confirmed in the Urban White Paper that we intend to bring forward new legislation to reform the system of compulsory purchase as soon as Parliamentary time allows.

    MV Derbyshire Inquiry
    Maria Eagle
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he will take to ensure that Mr. Justice Colman's recommendations regarding safety at sea in the report on the re-opened inquiry into the loss of the MV Derbyshire are implemented. [138963]

    Mr. Hill
    Mr. Justice Colman makes a total of 24 safety recommendations addressed to the Department, Lloyd's Register of Shipping, the International Association of Classification Societies or the International Maritime Organization. My officials have already started discussions with those to whom recommendations are addressed to agree the appropriate way forward on each individual recommendation. These discussions will necessarily take some time and, in some instances, must await completion of the analysis of ongoing research. We hope to be able to submit a comprehensive report to Parliament early in 2001.

    City Centres
    Jane Griffiths
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to improve road conditions in city centres. [138964]

    Mr. Hill
    By tackling the backlog of expenditure on carriageway, footway, bridge, and street lighting maintenance, estimated to be £7 billion, in the next 10 years, we will greatly improve road conditions in city centres as well as more rural areas.

    Floods (West Sussex)
    Mr. Flight
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on planning issues in relation to flood relief measures in West Sussex. [138965]

    Ms Beverley Hughes
    The Government are committed to reducing, as far as practicable, the risk to people and the developed and natural environment from flooding. They have provided guidance in Department of the Environment Circular 30/92, "Development and Flood Risk", which advises local planning authorities and others on the arrangements for ensuring that planning decisions take account of any risk of flooding, whether inland or on the coast. Revised guidance on this important policy area is due to be issued in PPG25 shortly.

    Manchester Airport
    Mr. Goggins
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on heavy rail investment as part of the ground transport interchange at Manchester airport. [138966]

    Mr. Hill
    Manchester Airport PLC, Rai1track and the shadow Strategic Rail Authority are working together to reach agreement on how this project is to be funded and to establish whether the franchise replacement process can serve this project.

    Planning Appeals (Flooding)
    Mr. Brazier
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidance he is giving inspectors on appeals relating to planning 546W
    applications in balancing housing need against regulations of the Environment Agency in cases involving potential flooding. [138968]

    Ms Beverley Hughes
    Planning guidance is a material planning consideration which inspectors, as well as local planning authorities, must take into account in reaching their decisions.

    In addition to the general guidance in Circular 30/92 on "Development and Flood Risk", which is being updated in PPG25, guidance on housing is given in PPG3 on "Housing". This requires the assessment of the suitability of sites for housing against flood risk, taking into account that such risk may increase as a result of climate change.

    Affordable Housing
    Mr. Andrew George
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to improve availability of affordable housing to people in rural areas on low incomes. [138970]

    Mr. Mullin
    The Government are publishing its Rural White Paper today. This sets out our strategy for increasing the provision of affordable housing in rural areas. This strategy includes a significant increase in resources for the provision of affordable housing and more effective use of authorities' powers to deliver affordable housing through the planning system.

    Midland Metro
    Mr. Pearson
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress he has made in evaluating the proposals for extension of the Midland Metro. [138971]

    Mr. Hill
    My Department is currently considering proposals for Midland Metro extensions to Birmingham city centre and to Brierley Hill, alongside other bids for major schemes as part of the local transport plan process. I hope to make an announcement shortly.

    Nuclear Waste Storage
    Mrs. Lawrence
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will publish the Government consultation document on the storage of nuclear waste. [138834]

    Mr. Mullin
    We will publish a radioactive waste management consultation paper very soon. This will begin the process which will lead to the implementation of a radioactive waste management policy capable of commanding widespread support across the UK.

    Floods
    Mr. Llew Smith
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment has been made of the impact on the safety of(a) the sewerage system, (b) dams and dykes and (c) public water supplies of the countrywide floods in November. [138984]

    Mr. Meacher
    Overall, the floods appear to have had little impact on the water supply and sewerage infrastructure. My Department is in discussion with representatives of the water companies to see what lessons can be drawn.
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    While the sewerage system in some areas was unable to cope with the volumes of water generated, the safety of the system itself appears to have been largely unaffected.

    There appear to have been no significant impacts on dam safety. Research sponsored by my Department is looking at the effect on reservoirs of more frequent and severe storm events. Many river dykes and flood storage areas were severely tested and the initial impression is that most performed to, or beyond, their design standard. A detailed assessment must await the Environment Agency's report on the event once the waters have subsided and immediate actions have been completed.

    On water supplies, water companies took all necessary action to safeguard public health in supplying drinking water. This included the issue by four companies of advice to boil water as a precautionary measure where pumping stations or treatment works were flooded and the temporary removal from supply of some groundwater sources due to flooding.

    Homeless Families
    Mr. Love
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what his latest estimate is of the number of homeless families in(a) temporary accommodation and (b) bed and breakfast accommodation in (i) Greater London, (ii) Birmingham and (iii) Manchester; and if he will make a statement. [139432]

    Mr. Mullin
    Information on households accommodated under statutory homelessness provisions of the 1985 and 1996 Housing Acts in England is published in a quarterly Information Bulletin (to be called Statistical Release in future), "Statuary Homelessness Statistics".

    Tables 5 and 6 of the Bulletin present a national and London summary of the number of households in accommodation arranged by local authorities as at the end of each quarter, while Table 8 sets out available information at London borough level. Supplementary tables present key information reported by each local authority, including the numbers in bed and breakfast and in other forms of temporary accommodation.

    Copies are held in the Library and the latest edition, published on 12 September, covers statistics up to and including the second quarter of 2000.

    Housing (Flood Plains)
    Mr. Love
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what role is played by the Environment Agency when local authorities are considering applications for planning permission to build housing on a flood plain; and if he will make a statement. [139414]

    Ms Beverley Hughes
    The role of the Environment Agency is clearly explained in Circular 30/92 on "Development and Flood Risk", which is currently being revised and strengthened as the new PPG25. It is to advise on flood risk to the development proposed, on the basis of its own surveys of flood risk and any information provided by the applicant, and to advise how proposed development would itself affect flood risk. It also has to consider how development would affect rivers and existing new flood defence operations in relation to its own interests.
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    The Agency is a statutory consultee for various types of development, including all development requiring environmental impact assessment and local planning authorities generally consult it on applications with flooding implications. As part of its flood defence supervisory duty, the Agency is committed to keeping its guidance to local planning authorities under review and updating it as needed. In partnership with local authorities, it reports to MAFF, DETR and the NAW on the success of its responses to planning applications, including where decisions have been against the Agency's advise.

    As a possible means of strengthening the Agency's role, we are looking carefully at the responses to applications and considering the option of a Direction to local planning authorities for them to refer to the Secretary of State major applications which they propose to approve contrary to sustained objections from the Environment Agency.

    Mr. Norman
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the planning applications for building on flood plains which have been opposed by the Environment Agency in the past 12 months. [140719]

    Mr. Raynsford
    This is information that is collated by the Environment Agency. They report annually in June to MAFF and DETR on MAFF's high-level target 12—Development in areas of flooding. The June 2000 report covered the period from October 1999 to March 2000, and included details of over 400 applications ranging from small extensions to major residential developments. The Agency has also recently cited over 900 applications to which they have objected in 1999–2000. I have asked the Agency for a copy and will look at it carefully when I receive it.

    Drug Driving
    Mr. Fearn
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the research undertaken by the Transport Research Laboratory on the effects of cannabis on driving will be published. [139738]

    Mr. Hill
    We expect to publish the first phase of the research on the effects of cannabis on driving before the end of the year. A further phase of the research programme, on the combined effects of alcohol and cannabis on driving, is in progress and will be completed next year.

    Mr. Fearn
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will initiate a television campaign to publicise the dangers of driving under the influence of(a) illicit drugs and (b) drugs sold over the counter at pharmacists. [139723]

    Mr. Hill
    As explained in the Government's Road Safety Strategy "Tomorrow's Roads—Safer for Everyone", the risks of driving while impaired by drugs need to be publicised.

    The Department will be considering how this might be done in the light of what we have learned from research. For both medicinal drugs and illegal drugs, we aim to find the most effective way of conveying warnings to those most at risk. This may not necessarily be a television

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    campaign but could be a targeted form of publicity which would allow advice to be tailored more precisely to specific types of drug or to the likely users of them.

    Rent Tribunals (Ethnic Minorities)
    Mr. Cox
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many people from ethnic minority communities sit on rent tribunals covering the Greater London area. [139762]

    Mr. Mullin
    There are 10 members from ethnic minorities appointed to sit on rent tribunals in the Greater London area. This represents 10 per cent. of the total membership of the London Rent Assessment Panel, from which rent tribunals are drawn.

    Empty Properties (Wandsworth)
    Mr. Cox
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent discussions he has had with Wandsworth Borough Council on the number of council properties that have been empty for periods longer than three months; and if he will make a statement. [139763]

    Mr. Mullin
    We have had no discussions with Wandsworth Borough Council on this issue.

    Environment Agency (Complaints)
    Mr. Levitt
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many complaints the Environment Agency has received in the last year in total; how many it has received in relation to(a) human sewage in water courses, (b) animal or chemical fertiliser pollution in water courses, (c) industrial pollution, (d) landfill sites and (e) quarries; and, of the complaints about quarries, how many related to (i) noise, (ii) dust and (iii) leachates. [139918]

    Mr. Mullin
    In the year to March 2000, the Environment Agency received 592 complaints. Figures for the most recent period available, April to October 2000, show it received 318 complaints.

    The Agency's recording system does not break down complaints into categories requested and to do so would involve disproportionate cost.

    Complaints relating to dust and noise are directed to the relevant local authority, as they are responsible for their regulation.

    We will be discussing with the Agency ways in which it might alter its recording system so as to produce functional breakdowns of complaints in future.

    Building Regulations
    Mr. Chaytor
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what surrogate price he used to reflect the value of carbon saved into the cost of fuel, within the costings included in his consultation document on proposed alterations to Part L of the Building Regulations. [133594]

    Mr. Meacher
    [holding answer 23 November 2000]: The proposed amendments to part L of the Building Regulations have been subject to a full economic analysis of the costs and benefits involved. However surrogate prices for the value of carbon saved have not been used
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    in the analysis, due to the absence of a consensus on appropriate values to employ. This accords with the approach taken in evaluating the costs and benefits of other measures included within the Government's draft Climate Change Programme.

    National and international studies on surrogate pricing have produced widely differing estimates of the benefits of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Expressed in terms of dollars, these estimates range from around $10 to $200 per tonne of carbon equivalent emissions in the period 2000–10.

    Our proposals cover both new construction and more types of work on existing buildings. Around half the estimated carbon reductions in 2010 of 1.33 Mtonnes would come from the existing stock. For new dwellings average energy consumption and hence carbon emissions and householders costs would be reduced by about a quarter.

    We have estimated that for new build the proposals would, if implemented, add up to £1,400 to the construction cost of new dwellings dependent upon size and up to £10 per m2 for other buildings. Some of those who have responded to our consultation believe these figures are too low and have suggested the figure for dwellings could be nearer £2,000. My department is now considering the proposals in the light of the consultation response in conjunction with the Building Regulations Advisory Conunittee, and we will take these views into account. However, we shall want to know what surrogate carbon price would balance the national cost and benefit equation before making any decisions on how much and when the Building Regulations requirements should change.

    Housing Regeneration Companies
    Ms Buck
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on his Department's plans for the role of housing regeneration companies in revitalising cities. [139792]

    Mr. Mullin
    The Housing Corporation is working with registered social landlords to pilot five housing regeneration companies in Coventry, Liverpool, London, Rochdale and Yorkshire. The aim is to test whether a single organisation can co-ordinate and deliver regeneration in a specific neighbourhood. The pilot housing regeneration companies will work across housing tenures, contributing to physical improvements in the housing stock and to wider initiatives such as training, employment and enabling communities to be more involved in the management of their neighbourhoods. In the light of these initiatives we will consider whether this approach could be adopted more widely to support the implementation of our regeneration policies set out in the Housing Green Paper and the Urban White Paper.

    Flyposting
    Mr. McDonnell
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list the individuals and companies prosecuted for the illegal erection of poster hoardings in the London area in 1999 and 2000; [140499]

    (2) how many prosecutions have been pursued for the illegal erection of poster hoardings in (a) 1995, (b) 1996, (c) 1997, (d) 1998, (e) 1999 and (f) 2000; [140502]
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    (3) what has been the average fine levied on persons or companies convicted of the illegal erection of poster hoardings in (a) 1995, (b) 1996, (c) 1997, (d) 1998, (e) 1999 and (f) 2000. [140501]

    Ms Beverley Hughes
    This information is not held centrally.

    Radioactive Discharges
    Mr. Llew Smith
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many responses were received to the consultation paper on a UK Strategy for Radioactive Discharges 2001–20; how many were received from outside the United Kingdom; if he will list the countries from which submissions were made; and when he estimates the strategy will be(a) completed and (b) published. [140513]

    Mr. Mullin
    In total 89 responses were received. Two responses were received from outside the United Kingdom, both from the Republic of Ireland. The Government plan to complete and publish the final version of the strategy by spring 2001.

    Railtrack
    Mr. Corbyn
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list, for each year since its formation, the grant paid to Railtrack, broken down by(a) capital developments, (b) safety measures, (c) conservation work, (d) revenue support and (e) training. [139975]

    Mr. Hill
    [holding answer 27 November 2000]: In 1994–95 and 1995–96, when Railtrack was still in the public sector, grants of £32 million and £34 million were paid towards the cost of maintaining level crossings. Since its privatisation in 1996 the company has recovered those costs, and other costs, through access charges paid by passenger train operating companies and freight operating companies. So, although no grant has been paid direct to the company since 1996, its profitability is contingent on public money. Some 90 per cent. of its income is paid to it in access charges, a substantial proportion of which are supported by public money.

    Mr. Corbyn
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what his estimate is of the proportion of Railtrack profits derived from(a) track access charges, (b) sale of assets, (c) franchising of stations and (d) other sources. [139977]

    Mr. Hill
    [holding answer 27 November 2000]: The derivation of Railtrack's profits is a commercial matter for the Railtrack Board. The company's Annual Report and Accounts 1999–2000 show that its 1999–2000 turnover of £2,547 million was made up of £2,175 million from passenger train operating companies, £158 million from freight operating companies, £135 million from property rental, £20 million from property sales and £59 million from other income (principally from Eurostar UK Limited, Heathrow Express and London Underground).

    Mr. Corbyn
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what his estimate is of the capital value of Railtrack(a) at the time of its establishment and (b) at the latest available valuation; and what sales of assets by the company have taken place. [140111]
    552W
    Mr. Hill
    [holding answer 27 November 2000]: Information on the value of Railtrack's assets is published in the company's annual reports and accounts which show that, on 31 March 1995, Railtrack had total assets of some £4.8 billion and net assets of some £1.5 billion. On 31 March 2000, those figures were some £8.4 billion and £3.5 billion respectively.

    Mr. Fabricant
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he has to discuss with Railtrack the representation at board level of professional engineers. [139828]

    Mr. Hill
    None. The composition of Railtrack's Board is a matter for the company and its shareholders.

    Planning Applications
    Mr. Norman
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the planning applications he has called in for each of the last three years, together with the eventual decision he has taken following review. [140714]

    Mr. Raynsford
    The information requested has been placed in the Libraries.

    Railway Deaths (Defective Doors)
    Mr. Ruane
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many passenger deaths on British railways due to defective doors there were in each of the last 20 years. [140480]

    Mr. Hill
    [holding answer 27 November 2000]: Records are not kept on the number of passenger deaths resulting from defective doors. Figures are, however, kept on the number of passenger deaths resulting from falling from train doors. The table shows this information in the last 20 years. The numbers have reduced over recent years from a high of 26 in 1987 to two recorded during 1999–2000. It is not possible to say how many of these would have been as a result of defective doors.

    Passenger fatalities falling from train doors 1980 to 1999–20001

    Year

    Number

    1980

    14

    1981

    16

    1982

    11

    1983

    13

    1984

    14

    1985

    16

    1986

    12

    1987

    26

    1988

    19

    1989

    19

    1990

    19

    1991–92

    19

    1992–93

    9

    1993–94

    8

    1994–95

    6

    1995–96

    3

    1996–97

    2

    1997–98

    2

    1998–99

    5

    1999–2000

    2

    1 28 November 2000

    Note:

    In 1993 the HSE Slam Door Report was published

    River Mersey
    Mr. Ruane
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the companies that have been prosecuted for illegally discharging sewage and industrial waste into the River Mersey in each of the last 20 years and the number of times each such company has been prosecuted. [140481]

    Mr. Mullin
    [holding answer 27 November 2000]: I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Libraries of the House.

    London Underground
    Mr. Wyatt
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what channels for appeal are open to the general public in respect of complaints against London Underground Ltd. [140359]

    Mr. Hill
    [holding answer 27 November 2000]: Members of the public who wish to complain or appeal against the services or facilities provided by London Underground Ltd. (LUL) can make representations to the London Transport Users Committee set up under statute to consider such representations, and make recommendations on matters relating to transport services in London.

    Appeals against penalty fares on the underground are considered by LUL. Members of the public have 21 days to appeal in writing. This is a non-statutory procedure.

    Accident Prevention
    Mrs. Spelman
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much was spent by his Department on(a) research into the prevention of (i) transport related accidents, (ii) accidents in the home and (iii) occupational injuries and (b) public awareness campaigns on the prevention of road accidents through road safety training in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [140660]

    Mr. Mullin
    For the financial year 1998–1999:

    My Department spent a total of £8.33 million (excluding VAT) on research into the prevention of transport accidents—this covers research on improved vehicle safety (£1.03 million), road safety (£3.86 million), road engineering measures (£1.62 million) and shipping (£0.81 million), as well as research funded by the Health and Safety Executive on railways safety (£1.01 million) for which they have the policy lead. (The total figure does not include research carried out by the CAA, which is responsible for air safety regulation.)

    The figure for spend on research into the prevention of occupational injuries will take more time to collate. When available, the information will be posted in the House of Commons Library.

    DETR(C) does not sponsor research aimed directly at the prevention of accidents in the home. Nevertheless, we are interested in research findings on the incidence of accidents from various sources as part of the evidential base for assessing housing health and safety, and draw on relevant research carried out by those departments who have the policy lead in this area. The Health and Safety
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    Executive spent £0.18 million (excluding VAT), mainly on carbon monoxide emission from gas fires in domestic premises.

    The figures for public awareness campaigns on the prevention of road accidents through road safety training are not available. The Department does spend approximately £12 million per annum on the THINK! Road Safety publicity campaign, but not necessarily through training.

    In addition the Marine and Coastguard Agency spend £0.43 million on publicity campaigns and events promoting maritime safety.

    Private Hire Vehicles
    Mr. Efford
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the system of licensing provided for in the Private Hire Vehicles (London) Act 1998 will be implemented. [140884]

    Mr. Hill
    I have today laid before the House the Private Hire Vehicles (London) (Operators' Licences) Regulations 2000 and associated commencement orders. These regulations will provide for the Public Carriage Office to start processing applications for minicab operator licences from 22 January next year and will oblige operators to comply with statutory requirements by 22 October next year.

    The licensing of minicab operators in London will bring important benefits to London's travelling public. The operators are the hub of the minicab trade; they fulfil a key role in influencing the overall standard of service, and I am sure that they will use their licensed status to ensure that passengers in London receive a safe and efficient service.

    The licensing of drivers and vehicles will follow as soon as practicable. Transport for London will be responsible for making the necessary regulations.

    Advertisement Control
    Mr. Chaytor
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he has reached a final decision on the future of areas of special control of advertisements; and if he will make a statement. [140885]

    Ms Beverley Hughes
    The Consultation Paper `Outdoor Advertisement Control' highlighted the problems associated with the current operation of the ASCA regime. In particular, because local planning authorities have not undertaken systematically the five yearly reviews of these areas, the status of some areas has changed over time to the extent that they may no longer meet the criteria for designation. This is clearly an unsatisfactory state of affairs which needs to be addressed.

    The announcement of 29 June 2000, Official Report, column 600W, proposed to address the problem by limiting the geographic scope of ASCAs, requiring all advertising hoardings in areas of the countryside not within an ASCA to obtain express consent, and giving local authorities responsibility for determining those applications.
    555W
    We have considered further the responses received since that announcement. As a result, we are proposing an alternative means of addressing the problem by seeking instead to clarify and update the current position regarding designated areas.

    The Department is therefore writing to all local planning authorities asking them to undertake a review of ASCAs in their areas in order to satisfy themselves that their extent remains appropriate and necessary. The current legislative scope of the ASCA regime will thus remain unchanged.

    Eurocontrol Treaty
    Mr. Jenkin
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects(a) the EU to become a signatory of the Eurocontrol Treaty and (b) the proposals for the EU single sky to come into force; and if he will make a statement. [140737]

    Mr. Mullin
    The Government fully support Community accession to Eurocontrol, but are unable at present to give a date when this will take place.

    There is no formal date when any proposals arising from the single sky initiative will come into force, but it is expected that the process should be completed by 2005.

  HEALTH

    Tobacco Control
    Mr. Cummings
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the impact on employment in the UK of adoption of the European Directive concerning the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products; [133825]

    (2) what assessment he has made of the impact on UK exports of the European Directive concerning the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products; [133830]

    (3) if he will conduct an economic impact assessment of the proposal for a European Directive on the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products; and if he will make a statement. [133834]

    Yvette Cooper
    We have consulted with potentially affected parties regarding the costs and benefits of implementing this proposal, including the impact on exports and employment, and are satisfied that the estimated costs are outweighed by the benefits of enhanced regulation of tobacco products and thereby increased protection for public health. We strongly support the proposed Directive.

    A further consultation will take place with interested parties once the Directive has been adopted and the United Kingdom Government come under an obligation to implement it.

    Benzodiazepines
    Dr. Naysmith
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on trends in the prescribing of benzodiazepines and the action his Department is 556W
    taking to implement the advice of the Committee on Safety of Medicines in January 1988 concerning the continued long-term use of these drugs. [136013]

    Ms Stuart
    There has been a gradual reduction in the number of benzodiazepines dispensed in the community in England from 16.6 million in 1991 to 13.4 million in 1999.

    Health professionals are reminded of the Committee on Safety of Medicines advice on benzodiazepines in a boxed warning in the British National Formulary. Product information for all benzodiazepines includes warnings and patient information leaflets have been updated to include advice about usage.

    It is for individual clinicians, in consultation with their patients, to make decisions about prescribing, bearing in mind the risks and benefits of particular treatments.

    Salmon Farming
    Mr. Baker
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact on public health of the methods used in the farming of salmon. [136562]

    Ms Stuart
    [holding answer 6 November 2000]: There is currently no evidence to suggest that salmon farming methods affect the health of farm workers or the wider community here, or in other countries where salmon are farmed. Furthermore, European Community legislation requires monitoring for a wide range of chemical residues in both wild and aquacultured fish. The situation is constantly monitored and salmon are tested for both unlicensed residues and residues of licensed medicines in line with European Union legislation. The Veterinary Medicines Directorate in Surrey collates this information.

    Abattoirs
    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) small, (b) medium and (c) large abattoirs have closed since May 1997. [136758]

    Ms Stuart
    [holding answer 6 November 2000]: Abattoirs producing meat for sale for human consumption must be licensed in order to operate. They are classified as either full or low throughput. A licence may be revoked for a number of different reasons. These include where premises fail to comply with the requirements of the regulations or cease operating for commercial reasons.

    The number of abattoir licences revoked in the United Kingdom since May 1997 is as follows:

    Fresh meat

    Poultry meat, farmed game meat and rabbit meat

    Full throughput

    Low throughput

    Full throughput

    Low throughput

    England

    21

    46

    13

    10

    Scotland

    5

    1

    0

    3

    Wales

    0

    1

    0

    5

    Northern Ireland

    1

    0

    0

    1

    Total in Period

    27

    48

    13

    19

    Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act
    Mr. Amess
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his policy on the use of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990 to permit the creation of embryos by cell nuclear transfer. [138669]

    Yvette Cooper
    [holding answer 16 November 2000]: Research involving the creation of an embryo by cell nuclear transfer is not prohibited by the 1990 Act provided it is for one of the current specified research purposes.

    Counsel's advice to the Government is that the 1990 Act includes the use of embryos created by cell nuclear replacement, which means that embryos created in this way are subject to regulation by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.

    We announced in our response (Command 4833) to the Donaldson Committee Report "Stem Cell Research: Medical Progress with Responsibility" (June 2000) our intention to bring forward legislation, when the parliamentary timetable allows, to set out unequivocally the ban on reproductive cloning by the cell nuclear replacement technique.

    Emergency Contraception
    Mr. Gummer
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to frame the proposed re-classification of levonorgestrel 0.7 mg as an over the counter product so that it does not contravene Section 58A of the Medicines Act 1968 in relation to its side-effects; and if he will make a statement. [138893]

    Ms Stuart
    The proposals to widen availability of emergency contraception follow an application to reclassify levonorgestrel 0.75 mg for emergency contraception from prescription only to pharmacy availability for women aged 16 years and over. The application was referred for independent expert advice to the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM). In formulating their advice, the CSM carefully considered each of the relevant criteria for prescription control laid down in Section 58A of the Medicines Act 1968. The Committee concluded that all the steps required to supply safely emergency contraception could be successfully completed in a pharmacy and advised that levonorgestrel 0.75 mg for emergency contraception may safely be supplied as a pharmacy medicine for women aged 16 and above. The Committee noted that information on correct use would be provided with the product including any possible side effects and advice on what action to take.

    The results of a public consultation on the proposal, and the advice of the Medicines Commission, were presented to Ministers for a decision. If we decide to proceed with the reclassification, an Order will be laid before the House shortly.

    Prescription Medicines
    Mr. Hurst
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to reduce the financial 558W
    losses to the NHS as a result of prescription medicines not being returned by patients; and if he will make a statement. [139114]

    Ms Stuart
    In September, we published our pharmacy programme "Pharmacy in the Future—Implementing the NHS Plan". This sets out a range of initiatives designed to help patients to get the most out of their medicines and to reduce waste. We will invest at least £30 million in the next three years to support that work.

    Stem Cell Research
    Mr. Reed
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research involving the(a) creation of embryos and (b) use of adult stem cells by cell nuclear transfer (i) is being funded by his Department and (ii) has been funded in each year since 1995; and at what cost per annum. [139487]

    Yvette Cooper
    The Department has not funded any research in this area.

    Richard Neale
    Miss McIntosh
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the holding of a public inquiry into the case of Richard Neale; and if he will make a statement. [140303]

    Mr. Hutton
    We have received several representations requesting a public inquiry into the case of Richard Neale. We are presently taking advice into the form of any inquiry which would best answer the questions that have been raised by this case. Any inquiry would be full, independent and expertly advised.

    Autism
    Mrs. Ewing
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what(a) evaluations and (b) comparative studies have been made in the last 10 years of interventions and therapies for children with autism. [140749]

    Mr. Hutton
    There is a large volume of research on all aspects of autism. Details of projects can be found on the National Research Register (NRR) which also contains details of projects and trials funded by the Medical Research Council and other research funders. The NRR shows that there are currently 51 ongoing and 82 completed projects on autism.

    Recent research on autism was drawn together in the 1998 report "Educational Interventions for Children with Autism: A Literature Review of Recent and Current Research" by Rita Jordan and Glenys Jones of the University of Birmingham which was commissioned by the Department for Education and Employment.

    Mrs. Ewing
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to hold centrally information on the number of children under the age of 10 years, by local authority, who have been diagnosed with autism in each year since 1990. [140743]

    Mr. Hutton
    The Department has undertaken an initial survey of children in need, including disabled children. In analysing the returns to this survey we are giving further consideration to how we can revise the categories of
    559W
    impairment used so that we have a better understanding of the services needed for disabled children, including those with autism.

    Mrs. Ewing
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to assist the study of autism announced by the MRC on 3 April; and if this study will provide information on the number of children under the age of 10 years who have been diagnosed with autism in each year since 1980. [140742]

    Mr. Hutton
    We are keeping in touch with the Medical Research Council (which is funded mainly by Government) on this research study. It is a case controlled study comparing matched samples of autistic and non-autistic children and looks at causal factors rather than incidence. The study will not, however, provide information on the number of children under the age of 10 who have been diagnosed with autism since 1980. We will be taking a close interest in the progress of the study and its outcome.

    Mrs. Ewing
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent reviews his Department has made of the use of the drug secretin for treating sufferers of autism; and if he will make a statement. [140747]

    Mr. Hutton
    The most recent published results of a scientifically controlled trial on secretin of which the Department are aware appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine, 9 December 1999, volume 341, number 24. This came to the conclusion that secretin achieved no significant improvement in various outcome measures as compared with a placebo.

    Accidental Injuries
    Mrs. Spelman
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much was spent annually by his Department on(a) research into the prevention of accidental injuries and (b) public awareness campaigns to prevent accidental injuries in each of the last five years; and what the costs to the NHS were of treating accidental injuries in the same period. [140666]

    Ms Stuart
    The main Government agency for health related research is the Medical Research Council (MRC) which receives its funding via the Department for Trade and Industry. The Department of Health funds research to support policy and the delivery of effective practice in the National Health Service. For the last five years the combined funding by these bodies into the prevention of accidental injuries was as follows.

    Date

    £

    1996–97

    117,305

    1997–98

    366,068

    1998–99

    702,412

    1999–2000

    682,954

    2000–01

    146,302

    1 Department of Health only

    Over the last five years the Department has run several campaigns to prevent accidental injuries. Spending in those years when campaigns were run was as follows:
    560W

    Date

    £

    1997–98

    108,000

    1998–99

    78,494

    1999–2000

    1212,530

    2000–01

    123,000

    1 budget

    The annual cost to the NHS of treating accidental injuries has been estimated at about £1.6 billion each year (Saving Lives: Our Healthier Nation 1999).

    Medical Research
    Mr. Burstow
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health by what means his Department(a) monitors and (b) evaluates medical research undertaken elsewhere in the world. [140543]

    Ms Stuart
    The Department has established mechanisms for monitoring and evaluating medical research undertaken elsewhere in the world. In general, this is an ongoing activity and is part of the day-to-day work of many officials particularly in-house scientists and doctors who are sometimes national and international experts themselves. It is also part of the remit of many of the Department's advisory committees to advise on new scientific discoveries and to present recommendations for further research. The Department is able to call on advice from the Medical Research Council which itself maintains close contact with the progress and implications of medical research around the world. In addition, there are four specific mechanisms.

    The National Horizon Scanning Centre (NHSC) at the University of Birmingham provides advance notice to the Department of new and emerging health technologies that might require urgent evaluation, consideration of clinical and cost impact or modification of clinical guidance. Health technologies include pharmaceuticals, medical devices, diagnostic tests and procedures, surgery, rehabilitation and health promotion activities. The NHSC hosts the Secretariat for EuroScan, the European Information Network on New and Changing Health Technologies. EuroScan was developed to explore the potential for and benefits of sharing information on selected emerging health technologies or new applications of existing ones.

    The United Kingdom Cochrane Centre has the overall purpose of facilitating and co-ordinating reviews primarily in the specialised area of randomised controlled trials of health care. Cochrane Reviews place an emphasis on completeness and continuous updating. They are extremely thorough and put a lot of work into identifying relevant research from around the world. The UK Cochrane Centre helped establish the Cochrane Collaboration, which is an independent, international organisation that aims to help people make well informed decisions about health care by preparing, maintaining and promoting the accessibility of systematic reviews of the effects of healthcare interventions. The Cochrane Reviews are undertaken by Collaborative Review Groups (CRGs) comprising experts in particular fields from all over the world.

    The Centre for Reviews and Dissemination (CRD) commissions and supports experts to undertake specific systematic reviews in areas of priority to the National Health Service. In conducting reviews, the UK Cochrane

    561W
    Centre and CRD work closely together and take account of all work relevant to their area, including work funded in this country by organisations other than the NHS, and work undertaken overseas. The CRD also maintains the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effectiveness (DARE) which contains approximately 500 abstracts of systematic reviews.

    The NHS Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Programme is a national programme of research funded by the Department's research and development programme. The purpose of the programme is to ensure that high quality research information on the cost, effectiveness and broader impact of health technologies available to those who use, manage and provide care in the NHS. The National Co-ordinating Centre for HTA (NCCHTA), which is part of the Wessex Institute for Health Research and Development at the University of Southampton, co-ordinates the HTA programme on behalf of the research and development programme. Much of the work of the programme comprises systematic reviews of the worldwide literature on particular topics. The HTA Programme maintains links with international HTA organisations such as the International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment and the International Society of Technology Assessment in Health Care. There is also close collaboration between the NCCHTA and other international agencies. In particular, NCCHTA works closely with the UK Cochrane Centre, the Cochrane Collaboration and the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination to ensure co-ordination between these related activities.

  AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

    Advanta Seeds
    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice Ministers or officials in his Department gave Advanta UK or companies associated with Advanta UK, about disclosure of information that rapeseed sold to British farmers was contaminated with genetically modified rapeseed. [126865]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 19 June 2000]: No advice was given other than to inform Advanta of the Government's intention to make a public announcement.

    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will publish the written records of meetings held by his officials with Advanta Seeds between 17 April and 17 May; [128365]

    (2) pursuant to his oral statement of 8 June 2000, Official Report, column 501, if he will list the (a) dates on which meetings took place between Advanta Seeds and officials from his Department between 17 April and 17 May, (b) names and functions of the officials attending those meetings, (c) subjects discussed, (d) conclusions reached and (e) advice given by his officials to Advanta Seeds. [128466]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    A note of the meeting on 17 April has been published. No other meetings with Advanta took place in the period specified.

    GM Crops
    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the location of each of the genetically modified maize trials taking place in the United Kingdom. [128363]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    All the genetically modified (GM) maize under trial in the UK has a Part C marketing consent under EU Directive 90/220. This means it has undergone a detailed safety assessment and been approved for commercial release across the EU. The Directive does not require the disclosure of GM plantings with Part C approval, but the locations of Farm Scale Evaluation (FSE) trials of GM maize are available on the DETR website www.environment.detr.gov.uk, and the locations of National List trials of GM maize have been made available at civil parish level as follows:

    Variety/county

    Parish

    Sheridan

    Oxfordshire

    Stoke Talmage

    Somerset

    Brockley

    Yorkshire

    Bramham cum Oglethorpe

    Cambridgeshire

    Histon

    Shropshire

    Ercall Magna

    The locations of other trails of GM maize do not need to be notified to the Government. However, we understand that only four such trails have been undertaken this year, and that these have been very small in scale, mainly co-located with other publicised trials, and subject to the same guidelines for GM cropping as in the FSE trials, including the application of separation distances between the GM plants and equivalent non-GM plants. The industry has agreed there will be no commercial growing of GM crops until the FSE trials has been completed and evaluated.

    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the total acreage of GM crops planted in the UK under(a) Part B consents and (b) Part C consents. [136491]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 6 November 2000]: Part B consents for GM plants under Directive 90/220 stipulate a maximum growing area. For plantings this year a total maximum area of about 650 hectares has been permitted, but it is expected that in practice the area actually sown will have been smaller. Plantings this year under a Part C consent are thought to total approximately 60 hectares. This includes Farm Scale Evaluation trials, National List trials and other small-scale trials.

    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on gene stacking in herbicide resistant GM crops; and what investigations the Government have made on the potential impact of this phenomenon on British agriculture. [136739]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 6 November 2000]: Gene stacking refers to plants with multiple GM traits, which may be developed intentionally or created unintentionally through cross-pollination. When considering proposed GM releases the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment (ACRE) evaluates the potential for, and implications of, stacked genes. If a proposed release poses an unacceptable risk to human health, animal health or the environment ACRE does not recommend approval. Other

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    authorities in Europe have also considered this issue and it was the subject of a workshop held by the European Commission in 1998. ACRE has been kept informed of developments in this area.

    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what crop trials have been carried out exclusively in other countries to provide an adequate research basis for Government decisions on GM crop commercialisation; and, in particular, the inclusion of GM seed varieties on the national seed list. [139640]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 21 November 2000]: The only GM crop trials, for the purposes of National List applications, that have been conducted in other countries are tests for varietal distinctness, uniformity and stability (DUS). Such DUS tests have been conducted only in France, by the French authorities, for the GM forage maize varieties Chardon LL and Sheridan. The tests and trials for all other GM varieties which are the subject of UK National List applications are conducted in the UK.

    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which Minister is responsible for the issuing of Part C consents for GM crop trials. [136685]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 6 November 2000]: In respect of England it is the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions and the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, acting jointly; for Scotland it is the Minister for Rural Development; for Wales it is the Secretary for Rural Affairs; and for Northern Ireland it is the Minister of the Environment.

    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish a full list of all GM crop trials currently licensed in this country, broken down by crop trial program [136723]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 6 November 2000]: Details of all GM trials under Part B of Directive 90/220 are already published in a public register held by DETR. The locations of these trials are also given on the DETR website www.environment.detr.gov.uk as are, separately, the locations of the farm scale evaluation trials. The locations of National List trials of GM varieties are available on the MAFF website www.maff.gov.uk. Other small-scale trials of GM plants with Part C consent do not need to be notified to the Government. For further background on this matter I would refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Minister of State gave to the hon. Member for Taunton (Jackie Ballard) on 25 October 2000, Official Report, column 141W.

    Ministerial Code
    Mr. Robathan
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many times Ministers in his Department have sought the advice of the Permanent Secretary under the circumstances envisaged in Paragraphs 118, 121 and 123 of the Ministerial Code; and on which occasions such advice was sought; [129170]
    564W
    (2) on how many occasions since May 1997 Ministers in his Department have made a declaration of interest to their colleagues under circumstances envisaged in Paragraph 110 of the Ministerial Code. [129156]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    Information relating to internal advice and consultation is not disclosed under Exemption II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

    Parliamentary Questions
    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of written parliamentary questions tabled by hon. Members to his Department for answer on a named day in this Session have received a holding answer. [132442]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 25 July 2000]: To date 90 per cent. of Named Day questions have received holding replies this Session. This Department regularly receives large numbers of Named Day questions, many for answer on the earliest permitted date; the latest example being the 52 questions which were tabled on Wednesday 1 November for answer the following Monday. Forty of these were tabled by one Member, the hon. Gentleman, on a wide range of topics, including three on an addendum slip to a report. In view of these numbers, and mindful of the need to use resources in the most effective way, I am content, when answering such questions, to apply the criterion set out on page 295 of "Erskine May"' s Parliamentary Practice which states that
    the priority markings for written questions should be used sparingly and, in particular, the earliest permitted date should be reserved for those questions to which an urgent answer is genuinely required.

    Meetings and Telephone Conversations
    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish (i) the date and (ii) the subject of (1) meetings and (2) phone conversations he has had with(a) the Belgian Minister for Agriculture and Small and Medium-sized Business, (b) the Danish Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries, (c) the German State Secretary, Federal Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Forestry, (d) the Greek Minister for Agriculture, (e) the Spanish Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, (f) the French Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries, (g) the Irish Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, (h) the Italian Minister for Agriculture and Forestry Policy, (i) the Luxembourg Minister for Agriculture, Viticulture and Rural Development, (j) the Dutch Minister for Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries, (k) the Austrian Federal Minister for Agriculture, Forestry, the Environment and Water Management, (I) the Portuguese Minister for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries, (m) the Finnish Minister for Agriculture and Forestry, (n) the Swedish Minister for Agriculture, (o) the European Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries, (p) the European Commissioner for Health and Consumer Protection and (q) the American Secretary of Agriculture, since the beginning of this year. [134028]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    In addition to the regular EU Agriculture Council meetings, I have met and spoken with colleagues as outlined in the table. The discussions have covered a range of agricultural issues.
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    Country

    Meeting

    Telephone call

    (b) Danish Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries

    29 September 2000

    —

    30 September 2000

    —

    1 October 2000

    —

    16–17 October 2000

    —

    (e) Spanish Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

    9–10 July 2000

    —

    (f) French Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries

    26 June 2000

    24 May 2000

    (g) Irish Minister for Agriculture, Food and Rural Development

    20 January 2000

    —

    21 March 2000

    —

    (h) Italian Minister for Agriculture and Forestry Policy

    29 September 2000

    5 April 2000

    30 September 2000

    —

    1 October 2000

    —

    (j) Dutch Minister for Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries

    12 April 2000

    —

    29 september2000

    —

    30 september2000

    —

    1 October 2000

    —

    (l) Portuguese Minister for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries

    16 May 2000

    —

    (n)Swedish Minister for Agriculture

    29 September 2000

    —

    30 September 2000

    —

    1 October 2000

    —

    (o) European Commissioner for Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries

    24 January 2000

    13January 2000

    1 February 2000

    10 March 2000

    9 March 2000

    25 July 2000

    (p) European Commission for Health and Consumer Protection

    6 March 2000

    19 April 2000

    1 June 2000

    (q) American Secretary of Agriculture

    14 February 2000

    —

    9 March 2000

    —

    Expenditure
    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the percentage change in real terms of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Intervention Board and Forestry Commission departmental expenditure limits in the period covered by the 2000 Spending Review; and what this increase would have been had the expenditure limits been calculated by the cash budgeting method. [134010]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 23 October 2000]: The percentage increases in departmental expenditure limits in real terms in the period covered by the 2000 Spending Review in cash and resource budgeting terms are as follows:

    Departmental expenditure limits—percentage changes in real terms 2001–02 to 2003–04

    2001–02

    2002–03

    2003–04

    Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

    Percentage increase

    Cash

    26.6

    34.8

    35.8

    Resource

    24.8

    32.6

    33.4

    Forestry commission

    Percentage increase:

    Cash

    16.3

    21.8

    18.8

    Resource

    16.8

    22.2

    19.2

    Intervention board

    Percentage increase:

    Cash

    3.2

    3.7

    3.7

    Resource

    5.3

    3.1

    -4.3

    Note:

    The increases are based on the 2000–01 spending plans

    Mail Couriers
    Mr. Bob Russell
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many items of mail from his Department to the House it is estimated were not delivered by the external courier firm contracted to deliver it since 1 January; what is the company's name; and if he will discuss the firm's performance with other Government Departments. [135102]

    Mr. Morley
    An employee of City Despatch Services Ltd., the external courier firm contracted by my Department to deliver mail to the House of Commons, was found to have failed to deliver a significant quantity of mail between May and August this year. This amounted to around 2,300 individual items, including just over 700 substantive letters to Members of the House. The undelivered mail, which was discovered at a private residence following a police investigation, also included acknowledgement letters and press notices, as well as a small number of Library deposits. The Department's contract with City Despatch Services Ltd. was terminated. The police have no reason to believe that there is any further undelivered mail which remains undiscovered, or that any other employee of City Despatch Services Ltd. is implicated. None of this mail had been opened or tampered with in any way.

    I deeply regret this incident and the consequent effect on the service Members of the House will have received from MAFF during the last few months. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture wrote to the Speaker of the House on 22 September and subsequently to the

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    hon. Member for South Suffolk (Mr. Yeo), the hon. Member for South-East Cornwall (Mr. Breed) and the right hon. Member for Skipton and Ripon (Mr. Curry) to explain the circumstances and offer his apologies.

    In addition, the Department has been discussing this unfortunate case with other Departments, and has reviewed the mail tracking system to ensure that this cannot occur again.

    Officials in MAFF opened all the undelivered mail and those not requiring amendment were re-sent immediately with an apology and an explanation. The remainder were re-drafted as speedily as possible and almost all have now been re-sent.

    ERDP
    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many successful claimants there were in 1999 for each of the(a) agri-environment and (b) other schemes that make up the ERDP. [136759]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 6 November 2000]: The information is as follows:

    Agri-environment Schemes

    Countryside Stewardship Scheme

    There were approximately 8,700 agreement holders accepted into the Scheme between 1991 and 1998 who were eligible to claim in 1999. The majority of these will have made at least one claim relevant to their agreement.

    Footnote: Annual management payments are made in arrears at the end of each agreement year. Claims for capital works can be made at any time after the work is completed. Interim claims for capital works may be made above a minimum of £250. Therefore, number of claims paid may include more than one eligible claim from the same individual.

    Arable Stewardship Scheme

    There were 75 agreement holders accepted into the Scheme in 1998 who were eligible to claim in 1999. The majority of these will have made at least one claim relevant to their agreement.

    Footnote: As for Countryside Stewardship.

    Environmentally Sensitive Areas

    There were 9,855 successful claims for annual payments paid in 1999.

    Footnote: A very small number of claimants may have been eligible to make more than one claim.

    Organic Farming Scheme/Organic Aid Scheme

    The number of agreement-holders eligible to claim in 1999 for OFS was 1,270. The number of agreement holders eligible to claim for the OAS was 388.

    Footnote: Information on the number of actual claims paid in the year is not available.

    Other Schemes under the ERDP

    Farm Woodland Scheme/Farm Woodland Premium Scheme

    There were some 6,050 successful claims paid under FWS/FWPS in 1999 as part of the ongoing annual payments to compensate for agricultural income forgone as a result of planting woodland on farmland.

    Footnote: These claims relate to applications approved under the FWS 1988, the FWPS 1992 and FWPS 1997. In general, under the FWPS, most of the first annual payments in respect of approvals
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    entered into in one year do not fall due until the following year. The number of claims paid may include more than one eligible claim from the same individual.

    Woodland Grant Scheme

    There were 10,210 successful claims paid in 1999, including first and second instalment payments.

    Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowance (now superseded by the Hill Farm Allowance Scheme)

    There were 12,345 successful claims paid in 1999.

    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will summarise changes since 1995 in the rate of individual payments made under each agri-environment scheme included in the ERDP. [136628]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 6 November 2000]: The agri-environment schemes have been subject to a rolling review programme. Part of this programme has been a commitment to review the individual payments made under the schemes on a two or three yearly basis. The setting of the payment rates is governed by an EU Regulation, which requires them to be based upon income foregone. Tables showing all the changes in individual payment rates made following reviews each year since 1995 are being placed in the Libraries of the House.

    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes the majority of farmers will experience in their incomes as a direct result of the mechanisms of the ERDP. [136732]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 6 November 2000]: Most farmers will see a reduction in their direct subsidy payments as a result of modulation. Some farmers will be able to enhance their revenues by participating in ERDP measures. Because the funds from modulation will be matched by new government funding the revenues received by the farming industry as a whole will be increased.

    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will provide estimates of the proportion of the total funding for the ERDP that will be(a) paid directly to farmers on an income forgone basis, (b) paid directly to farmers on the condition that it will be used to purchase specified goods and services and (c) paid directly to farmers without pre-requirement to forgo income or conditions on its use. [136728]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 6 November 2000]: The indicative financial tables in the ERDP (which will be published shortly and posted on the MAFF website) show that:
    around 62 per cent. of programme expenditure is assigned to agri-environment schemes and the Farm Woodland Premium Scheme (where payments are based on income forgone); and
    the remaining 38 per cent. is assigned to the Hill Farm Allowance Scheme, Woodland Grant Scheme, Rural Enterprise Scheme, Processing and Marketing Grant, Vocational Training Scheme and Energy Crops Scheme. The basis of grant aid is different for each of these schemes and is set out in the ERDP scheme literature on the MAFF website. It does not involve income forgone.

    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which agri-environment schemes will be included in the ERDP. [136493]
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    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 6 November 2000]: The agri-environment schemes included in the ERDP are the Countryside Stewardship Scheme, the Organic Farming Scheme and the Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme.

    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which farm subsidy schemes will be modulated as part of the ERDP. [136494]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 6 November 2000]: In order to fund additional measures in the ERDP, all farmers who receive direct payments under CAP support schemes will have those payments modulated from 2001.
    These schemes are:

    Sheep Annual Premium Scheme

    Beef Special Premium Scheme

    Suckler Cow Premium Scheme

    Slaughter Premium Scheme

    Extensification Premium Scheme

    Arable Area Payments Scheme (including flax and hemp)

    Hops

    Seeds

    Potato Starch.

    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many successful claims were made in 1999 for each of the farm subsidy schemes that will be modulated as part of the ERDP. [136760]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    The numbers of successful claims made in England in 1999 for each of the farm subsidy schemes that will be modulated to fund additional measures in the ERDP were as follows:

    Arable Area Payments Scheme: 74,189

    Flax and Hemp: 1,918

    Hops: 14

    Seeds: 1,154

    Potato starch: 101

    Sheep Annual Premium Scheme: 33,176

    Beef Special Premium Scheme: 112,393

    Suckler Cow Premium Scheme: 21,873.

    The new Slaughter Premium and Extensification Premium Schemes will also be modulated.

    Farm Incomes
    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the percentage change in average farm incomes since 1997 for(a) UK and English agriculture as a whole and (b) each agricultural sector in the UK and England. [136490]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 6 November 2000]: The information requested is published in Table 1.1 of "Farm Incomes in the United Kingdom 1998–99". This is available from the Library of the House or through the MAFF website.

    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures of farm income the Government recognises; and how these differ from one another. [136492]
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    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 6 November 2000]: The information is published in Appendix 3 of "Farm Incomes in the United Kingdom, 1998–99". This is available from the House of Commons Library or through the MAFF website.

    Farmers
    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farmers have left agriculture in the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years broken down by month and year. [136717]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 6 November 2000]: Information on the number of farmers leaving farming is not available. The overall number of farmers, spouses, partners and directors is given in the table. However, these are net figures, which include farmers coming into as well as leaving agriculture. These figures are obtained from the June Census and therefore cannot be broken down by month. Figures for 2000 will be available on 9 January.

    Farmers, spouses, partners and directors in the United Kingdom

    Thousand

    Year

    Number

    1989

    375

    1990

    374

    1991

    371

    1992

    372

    1993

    376

    1994

    375

    1995

    371

    1996

    371

    1997

    368

    1998

    368

    1999

    361

    Note:

    In 1998 the June Census was redesigned. Therefore, figures from 1998 onwards are not comparable with those for earlier years.

    Source:

    June Agricultural and Horticultural Census

    Annual Report (Error)
    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, (1) pursuant to his answer of 23 October 2000,Official Report, column 100W, on what date he was informed that the report contained the error; [136741]

    (2) on what date the addendum slips were printed; [136742]

    (3) on what date the website text was corrected; [136736]

    (4) if a copy of the report with the appropriate addendum slips has been placed in the Library; [136735]

    (5) on what date the publishers were asked to insert an addendum slip into the report. [136737]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    I was informed of the error, and of the steps taken to rectify it, in August.

    The publishers were asked to insert an addendum slip on 16 August, and the website text was corrected on

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    17 August. There was a delay, but the addendum slip has now been printed, and a copy of the report containing the slip has been placed in the House Library.

    Animal Welfare
    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the use of green box payments to farmers for the maintenance of animal welfare standards; and if he has plans to include such payments within the ERDP. [136722]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 6 November 2000]: In the Strategy for Agriculture announced earlier this year the Government pledged its support for farm animal welfare to be addressed in the World Trade Organisation negotiations on agriculture. Those negotiations have now begun and the European Commission has tabled a paper proposing discussion of various animal welfare options including the use of green box payments. At present it is too early to judge the likely outcome of such discussions.

    BSE
    Mr. Cox
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total cost of the BSE inquiry. [137365]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    The estimated cost of the BSE Inquiry to the public purse, including the cost of the Inquiry itself, and the liaison units, legal support for individuals and direct costs of witnesses who are serving civil servants in the main departments concerned, up to the date of reporting, is about £29 million.

    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the purchase of bovine material known to be infected with BSE for the purpose of research by non-Governmental bodies. [139631]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 21 November 2000]: My Department maintains an archive of BSE infected tissues which can be supplied to researchers on application provided they can fulfil some basic conditions relating to the use and the safe handling of the material. There is no charge for these tissues. If the consignment is unusually large the researchers may be asked to cover the transport costs.

    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent contacts there have been between his Department and Professor Stanley Prusiner regarding the prion theory of the origin of BSE. [139744]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 22 November 2000]: MAFF is currently funding Professor Prusiner to further his studies of TSEs. Professor Prusiner presented his recent findings and talked in detail about his theory for the origin of BSE to MAFF officials in September this year (2000).

    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list for the United Kingdom the 572W
    research groups engaged in researching the origin, development and impact of BSE, and their level of Government funding. [139742]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 22 November 2000]: Research groups that have been funded this financial year (2000–01) to study the origin, development of the epidemic or impact of bovine BSE are:

    £

    Veterinary Laboratories Agency

    1,963,929

    Institute of Animal Health

    333,582

    Oxford University

    20,616

    Dr. W. V. S. Wijeratne

    71,039

    University of Edinburgh

    28,018

    Central Science Laboratory

    135,149

    King's College, London

    108,108

    In my statement to the House following publication of the Phillips Inquiry I announced that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health and I would be commissioning an independent assessment of the origins of BSE which will be considered by SEAC. This will cover the scientific and epidemiological evidence presented to the Inquiry and other published and, where possible, emerging scientific work in the UK and elsewhere.

    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research the Government are funding concerning the prion theory of the origin of BSE. [139743]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 22 November 2000]: The research councils, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Medical Research Centre (MRC) support basic research in this area. The research projects that they, and other funders of TSE research in the UK, are currently funding are listed on the MRC website: www:\mrc\ac\uk.

    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what restrictions his Department applies to access to BSE-injected material by independent researchers. [140194]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 27 November 2000]: MAFF funds the maintenance of an archive of tissues and body fluids collected from cattle naturally and experimentally infected with BSE. Requests from independent researchers are met, taking account of the availability of the sample requested, whether arrangements can be made to collect the sample if it is not already held, and whether there are competing demands for the same sample, in which case a judgment has to be made on the relative priorities of the respective requests. Independent researchers are asked to confirm that the material provided will only be used for BSE research, that they have laboratories of the required disease containment level for handling the BSE agent and that the material will not be made available to other workers or organisations without prior permission from MAFF.

    Beef Exports
    Mr. Robertson
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the exports of British beef to other EU countries. [137028]
    573W
    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 8 November 2000]: The quantity and destination of exports from the UK are commercially confidential as only two slaughterhouses are currently approved to export beef under the Data-based Export Scheme (DBES). In line with the Strategy for Agriculture and the improving BSE situation in the UK, we are continuing to press the Commission to make proposals to relax export controls, especially in Northern Ireland.

    The European Commission's case against France in the European Court of Justice for failure to lift its ban on imports of British beef is nearing the end of the written part of the procedure.

    French Beef
    Mr. Breed
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with his European counterparts on a Europe-wide ban on exports of French beef; and if he will make a statement. [138275]

    Ms Quin
    My right hon. Friend the Minister attended a meeting on 13 November with Commissioners Byrne and Fischler at which the question of BSE and French beef was discussed. Advice from the Food Standards Agency is that such a ban would not be justified at the present time.

    Mr. Martyn Jones
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has made to the European Commission on(a) ending the French ban on British beef and (b) the banning of French beef in the UK. [139591]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    On 6 September, the UK Government submitted a Statement in Intervention in support of the European Commission's position in the Commission's European Court of Justice case against the French Government for their failure to lift their ban on British beef. I made plain to the Commission and to other member states at the Agriculture Council on 20–21 November that the ban should be lifted.

    Preliminary Food Standards Agency advice is that there is currently no need to ban imports of French beef. However, the Agency is commissioning a risk assessment.

    Swine Fever
    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to visit a pig farm placed under swine fever restrictions. [139643]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 21 November 2000]: I visited a farm affected by swine fever restrictions on 15 November.

    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what compensation for pig farms placed under swine fever restrictions is available; and when further compensation schemes will be available. [139644]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 21 November 2000]: To address welfare problems for those producers whose pigs do not have classical swine fever but are nonetheless caught by movement controls, the Government have introduced the Pig Welfare (Disposal) Scheme. A
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    payment to producers is linked to the scheme, but it is a welfare scheme and has no compensation element. £1.7 million has already been paid out under the scheme.

    The industry is about to begin consultations on a levy based Development Scheme that will be used to top-up Government payments under the Pig Welfare (Disposal) Scheme. On completion of that consultation exercise, including addressing any objections, Ministers will be asked to decide whether or not to put a scheme before Parliament for approval.

    Over-30-months Scheme
    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimates he has of the quantity of cattle carcases in storage awaiting disposal under the over-30-months scheme arrangements. [139632]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 21 November 2000]: There are no cattle carcases in storage waiting disposal under the OTMS arrangements.

    During 1996–97, approximately 76,000 tonnes of material, representing some 230,000 carcases, was consigned to cold storage pending rendering and incineration capacity being made available. The last consignment of carcase material was removed from cold storage for processing in October 1997.

    Chardon LL
    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will summarise the conclusions of the official testing of Chardon LL in France and explain how these provided the British Government with the reassurances required to proceed with the inclusion of the variety on the national seed list. [139629]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 21 November 2000]: Before a variety is placed on the National List it must be shown to be distinct, uniform and stable. The French authorities' testing of Chardon LL concluded that the variety was distinct from other varieties by virtue of its tolerance to glufosinate ammonium, uniform in terms of reproduction and stable in its essential characteristics.

    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will outline the approval process for the inclusion of a genetically modified seed variety on the national seed list; and at what stage in this process Chardon LL is. [139639]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 21 November 2000]: Applications for the addition of plant varieties to the National List are considered in accordance with the requirements of the Seeds (National Lists of Varieties) Regulations 1982. (as amended). For the main agricultural and vegetable species, a variety must be distinct, uniform and stable. Most agricultural varieties must also be of satisfactory value for cultivation and use in the UK. Where material derived from a plant variety is intended to be used as a food or food ingredient which falls within the scope of Regulation No. 258/97/EEC concerning novel foods and novel food ingredients, this must have been authorised under the novel food regulation. For a genetically modified plant variety Ministers also require that a marketing consent has been promulgated under

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    Directive 90/220/EC on the deliberate release of genetically modified organisms into the environment. A proposal to add or refuse a variety for the National List is published in the Plant Varieties and Seeds Gazette. Any person affected may make written representations and/or ask to make oral representations before a person appointed by Ministers. A decision by Ministers is not taken until they have considered these representations. An appeal against any decision of the Ministers would be heard by the Plant Varieties and Seeds Tribunal.

    Chardon LL was proposed for addition to the National List in March 2000. A number of affected persons made written representations and/or asked to make oral representations. A Hearing began on 2 October and was adjourned on 15 November until further notice pending resolution of concerns about the DUS system used in France. Meanwhile, MAFF has sought the views of the European Commission on the legal status of the French authorities DUS testing procedures. Chardon LL will only be added to the UK National List if all the legal requirements have been made in full.

    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the inclusion of Chardon LL on the national seed list. [139637]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 21 November 2000]: Chardon LL was proposed for addition to the National List in March 2000. A number of affected persons made written representations and/or asked to make oral representations. A Hearing began on 2 October and was adjourned on 15 November until further notice after information came to light that the DUS testing of the variety by the French authorities may not have complied with EC requirements. MAFF has sought the views of the European Commission on the legal status of the DUS testing procedures used by the French authorities for this variety. Chardon LL will only be added to the UK National List if all the legal requirements have been met in full.

    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to limit the right to trigger public hearings into the inclusion of seed varieties on the national seed list under the Seed Regulations 1982. [139628]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 21 November 2000]:
    I have no immediate plans to propose changes to the arrangement for requesting a hearing on proposed national list decisions. However I shall wish to consider, in the light of the hearing on the proposed addition of a genetically modified plant variety, Chardon LL, to the National List, whether the current arrangements are satisfactory for all parties. If changes are proposed, all interested parties in due course will be fully consulted.

    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the public cost to date has been of the public inquiry into the inclusion of Chardon LL on the national seed list; and what estimate he has made of the final cost. [139638]
    576W
    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 21 November 2000]: Up to 15 November 2000, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has expended the sum of £72,741 on the Hearing on the proposed addition of Chardon LL to the National List. Further costs have been incurred but the detailed information necessary to provide a more precise figure is not yet available.

    The final cost of the Hearing will depend on the duration of the Hearing which currently stands adjourned.

    Pigs
    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the instances since 1979 in which the pig sector has been subject to a levy for purposes related to disease outbreaks. [139741]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 22 November 2000]: In 1983, a levy was introduced with the industry's consent for the purpose of eradicating Aujeszky' s disease.

    Organic Crops
    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what factors underlay his policy concerning the level of Government funding for research into organic crops. [140197]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 27 November 2000]: The MAFF programme of research into organic farming supports the achievement of the environmental benefits which may be secured from this system of farming. Funding for this programme has more than doubled since 1997, and it is now one of the highest in Europe.

    Pig Meat
    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on trends in the level of pig meat imports into the UK since 1997. [140205]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 27 November 2000]: Official Overseas Trade Statistics show that the level of pig meat imports into the UK since 1997 has been as follows:

    Units

    Thousand tonnes1

    £ million

    Pork—fresh or frozen

    1997

    147

    215

    1998

    158

    178

    1999

    214

    215

    January-August 1999

    138

    137

    January-August 2000

    16

    17

    Bacon, ham, etc.

    1997

    240

    520

    1998

    232

    376

    1999

    231

    399

    January-August 1999

    143

    244

    January-August 2000

    17

    29

    Pig offal—fresh or frozen

    1997

    17

    9

    1998

    19

    9

    1999

    19

    6

    January-August 1999

    12

    4

    January-August 2000

    1

    —

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    Units

    Thousand tonnes1

    £million

    Pig meat and offal products

    1997

    46

    105

    1998

    54

    106

    1999

    42

    103

    January-August 1999

    27

    65

    January-August 2000

    2

    6

    1 Product weight

    Source:

    HM Customs and Excise

    Pig Farmers
    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the impact on(a) the economic position of British pig farmers and (b) animal welfare of his proposals for a reduction in domestic pig production. [140204]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 27 November 2000]: I have made no proposals for a reduction in current British pig production. On the contrary, I believe the market can absorb the present level of domestic pig production and this is reflected in the fact that our market price is some 15 to 20 per cent. higher than the EU average.

    Farm Diversification
    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to channel state support for farm diversification through bodies other than the Countryside Agency. [140196]

    Mr. Nick Brown
    [holding answer 27 November 2000]: The England Rural Development Programme provides grant aid for a range of farm diversification activities including agricultural and non-agricultural enterprises and grants for planting woodland and energy crops. The Programme has been drawn up in collaboration with other Government Departments, environmental and countryside agencies and rural interests but MAFF and the Forestry Commission are responsible for operating the Programme.

    Some other Government Departments and agencies also provide support for farm diversification.

    Flood Prevention
    Sir Michael Spicer
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on responsibility for flood preventative measures. [138947]

    Mr. Morley
    MAFF has policy responsibility for flood and coastal defence in England. Operational responsibility falls to the "operating authorities", the Environment Agency, internal drainage boards and local authorities.

    The Environment Agency has a statutory supervisory duty over all matters relating to flood defence and has permissive powers to undertake sea defence works and works on designated main rivers. Internal drainage boards have permissive powers and undertake works on ordinary watercourses within their districts while local authorities have similar powers on ordinary watercourses outside those districts. Where defences are privately owned, responsibility rests with the riparian owner. Finally, maritime local authorities have coast protection powers and may also undertake sea defence works.
    578W
    Mr. David Heath
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has to reform the system of financing flood prevention. [138972]

    Mr. Morley
    The Government are currently carrying out a review of the funding arrangements for flood and coastal defence, focusing in particular on the mechanisms and the balance of costs and benefits achieved. This review should be completed by September 2001.

  CABINET OFFICE

    Alcohol and Tobacco
    Dr. Tonge
    To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will list the estimated number of deaths resulting from(a) alcohol use and (b) tobacco use in each of the last 10 years. [140343]

    Ms Stuart
    [holding answer 27 November 2000]: I have been asked to reply.

    There is no currently accepted definition of the term "alcohol-related". Estimates provided by different methods of calculation since 1985 produce a range between 4,000 and 40,000 for the number of alcohol-related deaths to which the table refers.

    In the case of tobacco-related deaths, information is not available on a year by year basis. However, the available evidence suggests that smoking causes in the region of 120,000 deaths in the United Kingdom each year.

    Alcohol-related deaths in England and Wales

    Number

    Royal College of Psychiatrists (1986)

    4,000

    McDonnell and Maynard (1985)1

    5,099–8,073

    Godfrey and Maynard (1992)1

    6,467–9,633

    Royal College of Physicians (1987)

    17,000

    Godfrey and Maynard (1992)2

    22,508

    Anderson (1988)

    28,000

    Royal College of GPs (1986)

    40,000

    1Based on Adelstein and White

    1Based on Centre for Disease Control

    Source:

    Health Education Authority: Health Update: Alcohol (1997)—after Godfrey, C. and Hardmen, G. (1994)

  EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

    Special Advisers
    Mr. Tyrie
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to his answer of 8 June 2000,Official Report, column 348W, 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. [135250]

    Mr. Blunkett
    During the period 31 March 1999 to 31 March 2000, Special Advisers in this department travelled on official business to the US/Canada at a total cost of £3,482 and to Brussels at a total cost of £325. The costs of these visits were accounted for in expenditure on Ministers' travel overseas published by the Prime Minister
    579W
    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.

    Teachers
    Mr. Prior
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many qualified teachers have not gone on to be practising teachers in each of the last five years. [138901]

    Ms Estelle Morris
    The number of candidates who obtained Qualified Teacher Status in England each year, who had not entered teaching in the maintained schools sector in England or Wales by 31 March in the following year, is as follows:

    Calender year of completion

    Not entered the maintained schools sector1

    1994

    6,650

    1995

    8,550

    1996

    8,080

    1997

    7,690

    1998

    7,490

    1 Teachers who entered service in the independent, Further Education and Higher Education sectors are included in the table as 'not entered service"

    4,640 candidates who obtained Qualified Teacher Status in England during the calendar year 1994 had not entered teaching in the maintained schools sector in England or Wales by March 1999.

    There was a growth of 2,000 in the number of people training to be teachers between 1999–2000 and 2000–01.

    Mr. Prior
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many teachers are not teaching through reasons of ill health. [138903]

    Ms Estelle Morris
    In March 1999 there were approximately 30,000 teachers who had taken ill health retirement from the maintained schools sector in England, had not returned to teaching and were aged under 60. About 28,000 of these teachers had retired by March 1998.

    £

    1997–98

    1998–99

    1999–2000

    2000–01

    Schools Capital

    1,661,000

    5,090,000

    98,606,000

    9,122,000

    Standards Fund

    1,077,689

    1,373,399

    4,438,776

    9,050,649

    Schools Standards Grant

    —

    —

    —

    1.500,000

    School Budget Support Grant

    —

    —

    —

    282,000

    Former GM Schools Transitional Funding

    —

    —

    —

    71,418

    Former GM Schools Insurance Grant

    —

    —

    6,186

    —

    Four Year Old Nursery Education Grant

    3,229,878

    67,906

    172,897

    1—

    Three Year Old Nursery Education Grant

    209,282

    1—

    Leadership and Management Programme for New Headteachers (HEADLAMP)

    7,791

    7,194

    16,009

    23,857

    Playing for Success: Study Support Centres at Football Clubs

    0

    127,000

    67,500

    2—

    The Mitchell High School (100 per cent. project grant, out of school hours learning activities pilot)

    —

    15,000

    —

    —

    Federation of Worker Writers and Community Publishers (100 per cent. project grant, Partners for Study Support scheme)

    —

    —

    —

    4,805

    1Grants for three and four Years Nursery Education Grant are determined by the number of nursery places provided termly in the LEA. Final figures for 2000–01 are not therefore available.

    2Claims in respect of Playing for Success are mainly settled retrospectively and the outturn for the financial year 2000–01 will not be known until April 2001

    580W
    The annual number of teachers with ill health retirement has now stabilised, following the reform of the Teachers Pensions Scheme in 1997.

    Mr. Prior
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many teachers are aged(a) 20 to 24, (b) 25 to 29, (c) 30 to 34, (d) 35 to 39, (e) 40 to 44, (f) 45 to 49, (g) 50 to 54 and (h) 55 years and over. [138933]

    Ms Estelle Morris
    Full-time teachers, by age, in the maintained schools sector in England at March 1999 are as follows:

    Age Range

    Number of Teachers

    20–24

    16,500

    25–29

    52,900

    30–34

    41,300

    35–39

    36,200

    40–44

    56,200

    45–49

    81,600

    50–54

    58,500

    55 and over

    22,100

    Total

    365,300

    Note:

    All numbers have been rounded to the nearest 100.

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

    There was a growth of 2000 in the number of people training to be teachers between 1999–2000 and 2000–01.

    SSA (Stoke)
    Mr. Stevenson
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list(a) formats, (b) value and (c) specific purpose of grants additional to the education standard spending assessment in Stoke-on-Trent local education authority for each year since 1997. [139516]

    Ms Estelle Morris
    Listed are the Department's funding allocations for education in Stoke-on-Trent local education authority for each year since 1997. Details of the individual grants within the Standards Fund and Capital grants have been placed in the Library.
    581W
    In addition, one Specialist School (an Arts College) was designated in September 2000 and will receive a capital grant of £100,000 this year. The grant must be used to undertake building work and/or to purchase equipment to enhance the school's facilities for the teaching of the specialist arts. Also, while not paid to Stoke-on-Trent LEA, £241,607 was paid to "Stoke-on-Trent Rainbow Zone" Education Action Zone in 1999–2000 which was passed on to schools in Stoke. For 2000–01, £395,000 has been paid to date to "Stoke-on-Trent Rainbow Zone".

    Since 1997–98 spending per pupil in England has increased by £300 in real terms.

    Exclusions
    Mr. Cox
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many pupils were excluded from schools in each of the London boroughs during the last 12 months. [139773]

    Jacqui Smith
    The information requested is shown in the following table.

    Number of permanent exclusions by local education authority area—England 1998–99

    Number of permanent exclusions1

    England

    10,438

    London

    1,782

    Inner London

    639

    Camden

    32

    City of London

    0

    Hackney

    36

    Hammersmith and Fulham

    48

    Haringey

    43

    Islington

    36

    Kensington and Chelsea

    29

    Lambeth

    40

    Lewisham

    65

    Newham

    54

    Southwark

    108

    Tower Hamlets

    32

    Wandsworth

    76

    Westminster

    40

    Outer London

    1,143

    Barking and Dagenham

    39

    Barnet

    42

    Bexley

    61

    Brent

    77

    Bromley

    87

    Croydon

    131

    Ealing

    74

    Enfield

    76

    Greenwich

    79

    Harrow

    42

    Havering

    41

    Hillingdon

    66

    Hounslow

    67

    Kingston upon Thames

    25

    Merton

    24

    Redbridge

    42

    Richmond upon Thames

    45

    Sutton

    39

    Waltham Forest

    86

    1 Includes maintained primary, maintained secondary. maintained special and non-maintained special schools

    582W
    Further information on permanent exclusions will be published at the end of November 2000 in a Statistical Bulletin, a copy of which will be placed in the Library.

    We are providing £174 million next year to help schools and LEAs tackle exclusion—a third more than in 1999–2000 and 10 times more than in 1996–97. This is helping to pay for more than 1,000 on-site Learning Support Units which take disruptive pupils out of the classroom quickly, improve their behaviour and reduce the need for exclusion. Where an exclusion is necessary, provision for excluded pupils is being greatly increased. There are now 1,000 more places and 250 more teachers in Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) than in 1997. The quality of PRUs is improving and by 2002 all local education authorities will be required to provide a full timetable for excluded pupils.

    Special Needs Schools
    Ms Ward
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how much money special needs schools will receive from the Chancellor's pre-Budget statement. [140069]

    Jacqui Smith
    Special schools in England will receive over £6 million for repair and renewal of school buildings in the current financial year, their share of the £167 million extra funding announced in the pre-Budget statement. To reduce red tape and prevent delay the money will be devolved direct to schools and will be available to them in the next few weeks. Each special school will get an allocation in proportion to its existing allocation of formula capital for this year, equating to about £3,500, plus £26 per pupil. This means that, in total, a special school with 100 pupils will now get around £13,000 this year for repairs and improvement.

    Impartial Teaching
    Dr. Julian Lewis
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what steps his Department has taken to ensure that the material on European Union issues it supplies to schools does not breach the requirements for impartial teaching of politically controversial matters. [140149]

    Jacqui Smith
    The Department has a commitment to reducing the bureaucratic burden on schools and closely monitors all information which it sends out. We do not regularly supply material on the European Union, or any other political topic, to schools. Any information it was deemed necessary to distribute would be balanced and impartial.

    Arts Student Award Funding
    Mr. Boswell
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the current evaluation programme for arts student award funding. [139529]

    Mr. Wicks
    [holding answer 23 November 2000]: A three year evaluation programme of the dance and drama awards scheme for performing arts students, which was introduced in September 1999, will be completed by the end of 2002. We expect the report to be published early in 2003 and available through the internet and other sources. We have successfully replaced the lottery which

    583W
    existed in the past, putting talent before postcodes. Instead of paying fees of up to £8,000, award-winners only pay at most £1,050, in line with university students.

    Special Educational Needs
    Mr. Win Griffiths
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list by local education authority the number of cases taken to the Special Educational Needs Tribunal each year since its inception, indicating in how many cases the tribunal ruled that additional support should be provided for children with special needs.[140526]

    Jacqui Smith
    The information showing the number of appeals registered with the SEN Tribunal since 1994–95 when it was established is contained in a number of tables, copies of which have been placed in the Library. The figures show appeals by local education authority and the number upheld by the Tribunal. A case is listed as "upheld" when any of the points at issue are decided in the parent's favour. Appeal figures only are given for the academic year ending July 2000, as finalised decisions have not yet been made in all cases for that year.

    Data on the number of cases since 1994 that involve additional support being provided by local education authorities are not available. Appeals can cover a range of issues and not all are to do with additional provision by the LEA; they can also include appeals on the identification of a child's special educational needs, and this may not include how these will be met.

    Mr. Win Griffiths
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if all local education authorities recognise dyslexia as a special educational need; and how many local education authorities have been taken to Tribunal for Special Educational Needs appeals in disputes over children with dyslexia since its establishment. [140527]

    Jacqui Smith
    We would expect all local education authorities (LEAs) to recognise dyslexia as a special educational need.

    In 1998–99, 818 of the 2,412 cases (33.9 per cent.) referred to the SEN Tribunal in England and Wales concerned children with literacy difficulties, including specific learning difficulties (dyslexia). Of cases, which were actually heard, 439 of 1,220 (36 per cent.) concerned such children. However, the Tribunal records do not enable the LEAs concerned to be identified.

    We are committed as a Government to helping all children with special educational needs and are taking a number of steps to raise the awareness of dyslexia and help teachers to improve the identification and assessment of children who have or may have dyslexia, including through baseline assessment. The National Literacy Strategy has raised standards for all children, including those with dyslexia.

    We are also taking work forward in partnership with some of the voluntary organisations that support children with dyslexia, including the British Dyslexia Association and the Dyslexia Institute.

    External Advisers
    Mr. Nigel Jones
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of schools 584W
    in England and Wales have (a) used and (b) booked an appointment to use before the end of the autumn term, the services of an accredited external adviser in establishing the head teacher's objectives for the academic year 2000–01. [140517]

    Ms Estelle Morris
    67 per cent. of eligible schools in England have requested the services of an accredited external adviser. 17 per cent. of the total of eligible schools have to date used the services of an adviser and 33 per cent. of the total have confirmed visits with an adviser.

    The data relate to England because the statutory performance management arrangements for heads apply only to schools in England.

    New Technologies in Schools
    Mr. Allan
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will provide a breakdown of how the £1 billion for new technologies in schools will be spent. [140434]

    Mr. Wills
    The £1 billion programme will be used to support the enrichment of schools' ICT facilities. Most of this will be channelled through the Standards Fund, including £245 million in 2001–02 (already announced as the final year of our £657 million investment in ICT in schools between 1998 and 2002) plus £710 million of new funding between 2002 and 2004.

    A further £155 million will be made available for centrally funded projects between 2002 and 2004. Details of these will be announced in due course.

    Teenage Pregnancy
    Mr. Ruane
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) how many female pupils were excluded from school because of pregnancy in England between 1980 to 2000; and if he will make a statement; [140542]

    (2) if he will list the 10 education authorities with (a) the highest and (b) the lowest percentage rates of school exclusions because of pregnancy; and if he will make a statement. [140483]

    Jacqui Smith
    [holding answer 27 November 2000]: The detailed information requested by my hon. Friend is not held centrally by the Department. The latest information on permanent exclusions will be published later this week in a Statistical Bulletin, a copy of which will be placed in the Library.

    The DfEE issued guidance in 1999 to all local education authorities and schools, which made it clear that pregnancy on its own was not a reason for exclusion from school.

    In addition to our drive to cut truancy and school exclusions, we are also working to cut teenage pregnancy rates and to reduce the social exclusion often experienced by teenage parents and their children. We are issuing some guidance to help schools to support teenage parents in school. We are also funding reintegration work in selected LEAs to help girls back in to education after they have had their baby.

    Redeploying Redundancies
    Mr. Edwards
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will review the procedures for redundancy and redeployment of teachers in schools with falling school rolls. [140604]

    Ms Estelle Morris
    Adequate arrangements already exist to ensure that local education authorities can minimise the effect of redundancies by redeploying teaching staff subject to the consent of schools with vacancies.

    School Websites
    Mr. Drew
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) what help is available from his Department for those schools which wish to create their own website;[140300]

    (2) how many (a) primary and (b) secondary schools have a website. [140295]

    Mr. Wills
    [holding answer 27 November 2000]: We are supporting £657 million of expenditure on ICT by schools between 1998 and 2002, with a further £710 million to follow between 2002 and 2004. This funding is intended to help schools to achieve the objectives agreed with their local education authority and set out in their ICT development plan. We would expect these plans to address measures for using ICT to improve home-school links, including the development of school websites. The Department recently revised and reissued the Superhighway Safety Guide which has a section entitled, "Setting up your own website" which not only deals with practical internet safety measures, but advises on other issues such as choosing domain names, obtaining web space and what a school may wish to include. This information is available on-line and in printed form. Illustrations of good practice are also available on the BECTa website.

    The percentage of schools with websites was published in the Statistics of Education—Survey of Information and Communications Technology in Schools 2000, the figures are: 34 per cent. of primary, 62 per cent. of secondary and 31 per cent. of special schools.

    Higher Education Funding
    Mrs. May
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will break down the increase in publicly planned funding for higher education in each of the next three years by(a) fees from students, (b) fees from public funding, (c) earmarked capital funding, (d) funding for widening participation, (e) grants to the Teacher Training Agency and (f) grants to HEFCE. [140362]

    Mr. Wicks
    [holding answer 27 November 2000]: Analysis of the funding for the Higher Education Funding Council for England and the Teacher Training Agency will be given in the annual grant letters which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment expects to issue shortly.

    Out-of-School Activities
    Mr. Steen
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will exempt drama, dance and singing coaches employed by Stagecoach Theatre Arts 586W
    from the provisions of the Children Act 1989 requiring Nursery Care Certificate qualifications for those engaged with children aged between four and 16 in out-of-school activities. [140491]

    Ms Hodge
    The Government are presently reforming the system for regulating child care in England, bringing in new national standards to be regulated by a new Early Years Directorate in Ofsted. We recognise the potential impact of these changes on activity-based organisations such as Stagecoach whose primary purpose is not child care. The Government are therefore considering whether it is appropriate to bring such organisations under the new arrangements. We will take full account of all the concerns raised when we reach a decision.

    Teacher Assessment
    Mr. Win Griffiths
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement about the duties of external assessors in dealing with teachers' threshold applications, indicating the statutory basis of his powers to lay down these duties. [140615]

    Ms Estelle Morris
    On 22 November my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State laid an Order (SI 2000/3106) under the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Act 1991 to give statutory force to the new pay arrangements entailing assessment at a performance threshold. The Order sets out the duties of external assessors for which my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Corby (Mr. Hope) on 22 November 2000,Official Report, column 244W refers.

    Mr. Win Griffiths
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proposals he has to deal with appeals from teachers who have been unsuccessful in making a threshold application for performance-related pay. [140616]

    Ms Estelle Morris
    On 22 November my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State laid an Order (SI 2000/3106) under the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Act 1991 to give statutory force to the new pay arrangements entailing assessment at a performance threshold. The Order contains provisions for teachers who continue to believe that they have been wrongly assessed as not meeting the threshold standards to apply to have the decision reviewed by a review officer. My right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Corby (Mr. Hope) on 22 November 2000,Official Report, column 244W refers to this.

    Autism
    Mrs. Ewing
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment (1) when he plans to hold centrally information on the number of children under the age of 10 years, by local authority area, who have been diagnosed with autism in each year since 1990; [140744]

    (2) what estimate he has made of the number of sufferers of autism (a) below and (b) over the age of 18 years in the years (i) 1990 and (ii) 1995; [140745]

    (3) what research his Department has carried out in the last 10 years into the principles, methods and effectiveness of the Higashi school for autistic children in Boston, USA. [140748]
    587W
    Jacqui Smith
    The diagnosis of autism and estimates of the prevalence of the condition are medical matters and questions on these issues should be directed to the Secretary of State for Health. Figures on the numbers of children identified as having special educational needs arising from autism are not held centrally.

    My Department has not funded any research into the Higashi school in Boston, USA in the last 10 years, but did publish a research literature review which recorded two studies completed at the Higashi school, Boston. "Educational Interventions for Children with Autism: A Literature Review of Recent and Current Research; Jordan, Jones and Murray, 1998." A copy is in the Library.

  TREASURY

    VAT (Places of Worship)
    Mr. David Taylor
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what comments he has received from individual churches about the proposals of the Chancellor to reduce VAT on certain works on church buildings. [139896]

    Dawn Primarolo
    The Government have received comments indicating that a reduced rate for repairs to listed places of worship would be very welcome.

    Miss McIntosh
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in efforts to reduce VAT on church repairs; and if he will make a statement. [139895]

    Dawn Primarolo
    I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Stone (Mr. Cash) on 16 November 2000,Official Report, column 759W.

    Tax Revenues
    Mr. Boswell
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of tax revenues in the year 1999–2000 was tendered in(a) euros and (b) other foreign currencies. [134227]

    Miss Melanie Johnson
    [holding answer 26 October 2000]: The total tax receipt for Inland Revenue in the year 1999–2000 was £139 billion. Of this, £10.8 million was tendered in euro and £1.8 million in other foreign currencies. The total net tax receipt for HM Customs and Excise in the year 1999–2000 was £97 billion. Of this, £6.5 million was tendered in euro. A further £105,000 was tendered in the form of cheques denominated in other foreign currencies. HM Customs and Excise do not separately record electronic payments in other foreign currencies. By adding individual electronic payments made through CHAPS, HM Customs and Excise have estimated that £63 million was tendered in the form of electronic payments in other foreign currencies during March 2000.

    National Insurance Fund
    Mr. Field
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) of 2 November 2000,Official Report, column 575W, for how many years the National Insurance Fund will remain in surplus over and above the
    588W
    recommended surplus if contribution rates remain unchanged and contribution thresholds are uprated in line with average earnings. [137524]

    Dawn Primarolo
    [holding answer 9 November 2000]: The number of years for which the National Insurance Fund would remain in surplus over and above the recommended surplus would be reduced by one year if contribution thresholds were increased by average earnings.

    Ultra-low Sulphur Petrol
    Mr. Jenkin
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to press release HMT/DETR1 of 8 November, when he expects the oil companies will provide nationwide availability of ultra-low sulphur petrol. [138228]

    Mr. Timms
    [holding answer 13 November 2000]: As announced in the pre-Budget report, the Government will reduce duty on ultra-low sulphur petrol (ULSP) by 2 pence a litre subject to oil companies making this fuel available nationwide.

    ULSP is already on sale at some petrol stations and oil companies have indicated that they expect to make it available nationwide during next year.

    National Insurance
    Mr. Field
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the annual cost of lowering the national insurance lower earnings limit to £59.20 per week. [139304]

    Dawn Primarolo
    [holding answer 20 November 2000]: Lowering the lower earnings limit to £59.20 per week in 2001–02 would lead to a full year reduction of £420 million in National Insurance contributions.

    This estimate was produced by the Government Actuary's Department and is in line with the pre-Budget report assumptions.

    IR35
    Mr. Stunell
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the median income for each quartile of taxpayers whose tax liability will change as a consequence of the introduction of IR35; and if he will make a statement; [139420]

    (2) what estimate he has made of the number of persons whose tax liability will change as a consequence of the introduction of IR35; and if he will make a statement; [139419]

    (3) what projections he has made of the change in tax liabilities of a person on the median income of each quartile of taxpayers whose liability will change as a consequence of IR35; and if he will make a statement. [139421]

    Dawn Primarolo
    It is estimated that 90,000 companies will be affected by the introduction of the new legislation to tackle avoidance of tax and National Insurance Contributions through the use of personal service companies. Information on the number of persons or taxpayers affected is not available.

    Stamp Duty
    Mr. Loughton
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many residential property sales took place in each of the last three years which were not eligible for stamp duty. [139166]

    Miss Melanie Johnson
    [holding answer 20 November 2000]: Estimates of the number of residential property sales in the United Kingdom which were not liable to stamp duty since the sale price did not exceed £60,000, are as follows:

    Number

    1997–98

    750,000

    1998–99

    660,000

    1999–2000

    660,000

    In each of these years the number of non-liable residential transactions were estimated to be over two fifths of the total residential transactions.

    Residential Conversions
    Mr. Matthew Taylor
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the document Cm 4917 paragraph 6.80, concerning residential conversions, how many staff will be employed to ensure enhanced relief does not subsidise high value properties; and what the cost of each of the three measures outlined is estimated to be. [139760]

    Dawn Primarolo
    Customs and Inland Revenue will not need extra staff to assure the package of measures for property conversions.

    Scottish Euro Notes
    Mr. Bercow
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his policy towards the retention of distinctive Scottish euro notes in the eventuality of the United Kingdom joining the euro. [139791]

    Miss Melanie Johnson
    I refer the hon. Member to Article 106(1) (ex Article 105a) of the Treaty establishing the European Community.

    Minimum Wage
    Mr. Edwards
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will estimate the annual savings in Working Families Tax Credit expenditure(a) with the minimum wage at £3.70 per hour and (b) if the minimum wage were £5.10 per hour; [140260]

    (2) if he will estimate the increase in tax and national insurance revenue to the Exchequer in the financial year 2001–02 as a result of (a) raising the rate of the national minimum wage for adults to £5.10 and (b) reducing the age for adult rates of the national minimum wage from 22 to 18 years, if the national minimum wage were (i) £3.70 and (ii) £5.10. [140215]

    Dawn Primarolo
    An estimate of the saving in Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC) expenditure in the period October 1999 to March 2000 as a result of the National Minimum Wage (NMW), including the adult rate of £3.60 per hour, appears at Table 3.2 in the Second Report of the Low Pay Commission. A copy is in the Library.
    590W
    It is not possible to estimate accurately the potential impact on the labour market of raising the adult rate of the NMW to £5.10 per hour, or of reducing the minimum age for qualifying for the adult rate. No reliable estimates can therefore be provided of the effects of these changes on WFTC expenditure, or on tax and national insurance revenue.

    Mr. Edwards
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will provide a breakdown of those who have benefited from the national minimum wage by(a) region, (b) gender, (c) occupation and (d) employment status; [140257]

    (2) if he will provide a breakdown of those employed in jobs with pay less than the national minimum wage by (a) gender, (b) region, (c) employment status and (d) occupation. [140258]

    Miss Melanie Johnson
    The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

    Letter from John Pullinger to Mr. Huw Edwards, dated 28 November 2000 The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent questions on the national minimum wage (NMW) (140257/8). I am replying in his absence.
    ONS has estimates of employees with pay less than NMW rates for spring 1998, 1999 and 2000 (£3.00 per hour aged 18–21 and £3.60 per hour aged 22 or over) disaggregated by gender, full- and part-time, industry sector, occupation and Government Office Region. These estimates were released on 10th November 2000 and are posted on the National Statistics website, reference:

    http://www.statistics.gov.uldthemes/labour-market/nmw-lowpay-tables.asp
    They are based on an improved methodology which uses data from both the New Earnings Survey (NES) and the Labour Force Survey (LFS).
    The estimates cannot be used as a measure of non-compliance with NMW legislation because it is not possible from either the LFS or the NES to identify whether an individual is eligible for NMW rates. For example it is not possible to identify people such as apprentices and those undergoing accredited training who are exempt from the minimum wage or are entitled to lower rates.

    Private Finance Initiative
    Mr. Cousins
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the expenditure which took place under Private Finance Initiative schemes in 1996–97, 1997–98, 1998–99 and 1999–2000. [140241]

    Mr. Andrew Smith
    Since FSBR 1998, the Treasury has published tables showing estimates of expenditure on PFI.

    Details of estimated capital spending by the private sector in signed PFI deals for the years 1997–98 to 1999–2000 were set out in table B15 of FSBR 1998, table B16 of FSBR 1999 and tables C 14 and 16 of FSBR 2000 (HC 620, HC 298 and HC 346 respectively). Prior to FSBR 1998, this information was not published in this form. The Treasury's list of signed projects (produced on a comparable basis but by calendar year) shows a total of £1,766 million for 1996.

    Similarly, details of estimates of payments projected to be made by the public sector for services flowing from PFI deals (tables B16 (98), B17 (99) and C15). There is no information held centrally about these commitments for 1996.

    Income Tax
    Mr. Edwards
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer in the financial year 2001–02 of(a) introducing a 50 per cent. rate of income tax for taxable income over £100,000 per year, (b) extending the 10 per cent. income tax band to (i) £7,272 and (ii) £10,025 per year of gross income, (c) fully covering the cost of child care for those in receipt of working families tax credit and (d) paid parental leave for all in receipt of working families tax credit, assuming full income replacement. [140209]

    Dawn Primarolo
    The full-year effects in 2001–02 of making the changes are set out in the table.

    Costs(—): Yields (†)—£ billion

    2001–02

    (a)

    50 per cent. rate for income tax for income over £100,0001

    †3.2

    (bi)

    Increase starting rate limit to £2,7371.2

    —3.3

    Increase starting rate limit to £5,4901.3

    —10.3

    1Estimates are based on the Survey of Personal Incomes and are consistent with the November 2000 pre-Budget report

    2£2,737 is the difference between £7,272 and the non-aged personal allowance of £4,535

    3£5,490 is the difference between £10,025 and the non-aged personal allowance of £4,535

    Reliable estimates of the cost of fully covering the cost of child care for those in recept of the Working Families Tax Credit cannot be made because of the uncertain behavioural effects that would result from such a change.

    Without further details I am unable to provide an answer to the final part of my hon. Friend's question.

    Euro
    Dr. Julian Lewis
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is his policy that a decision to join the euro should be made on economic grounds alone. [140152]

    Miss Melanie Johnson
    I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 6 November 2000,Official Report, column 81W.

    Mr. Robertson
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the attitude of private business towards(a) entering and (b) staying out of the euro. [140218]

    Miss Melanie Johnson
    [holding answer 24 November 2000]: The determining factor underpinning any Government decision to join the single currency is whether the economic case for the UK joining is clear and unambiguous. Because of the magnitude of the decision, the Government believe that, whenever a decision to enter is taken by Government, it should be put to a referendum of the British people.

    European Movement
    Mr. Mitchell
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the sum allocated in the Draft EC Budget and Adopted EC Budget for 2000 to the European Movement will be spent in the UK in the current financial year. [140008]
    592W
    Miss Melanie Johnson
    I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for New Forest, East (Dr. Lewis) on 8 November 2000,Official Report, column 283W.

    Rail Disruptions
    Mr. Sheerman
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the cost to the United Kingdom economy of the recent rail disruptions. [140079]

    Miss Melanie Johnson
    Reliable estimates cannot be made as much of the data necessary to make such estimates are not readily available.

    Value Added Tax
    Mr. Win Griffiths
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the loss of VAT income due to the establishment by motor insurers of their own repair facilities which are not VAT-registered.[140458]

    Dawn Primarolo
    A review by Customs and Excise into the VAT treatment of vehicle repairs carried out by motor insurers was completed earlier this year. It estimated that the VAT yield from vehicle repairs carried out by insurer-owned repairers was around £3.5 million less than it would be if these repairs were carried out by repairers not owned by insurance companies.

    Landfill Tax
    Mr. Win Griffiths
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list by local authority area in Wales(a) the amount raised annually by the landfill tax since its introduction and (b) projects in Wales which have been funded under the landfill tax credit scheme, indicating how much each project has received. [140530]

    Mr. Timms
    It is not possible to provide the requested information for landfill tax revenue as figures are not collated or recorded on an individual site by site basis. Information about which environmental bodies have received contributions under the Landfill Tax Environmental Bodies Credit Scheme and how much they have received is a matter for the Regulator for the scheme, ENTRUST. I have therefore asked them to provide such data as they hold and will place a copy of their response in the Library of the House.

    Aggregates Tax
    Mr. Robertson
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the annual revenue from the aggregates tax. [140021]

    Mr. Timms
    [holding answer 24 November 2000]: Table A.13 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report 2000 provides an estimate of aggregates levy revenues in 2002–03, its first year of operation.

    2000 Convergence Programme
    Mr. Matthew Taylor
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will submit the 2000 Convergence programme under the Growth and Stability Pact to the European Commission; and if he will make a statement. [140702]
    593W
    Miss Melanie Johnson
    The Government intend to submit the 2000 Updated Convergence Programme by the end of the year in the usual way.

    Tax Legislation
    Mr. Steen
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many pages have been added to tax legislation as a result of the Finance Acts enacted since 1997; and what estimate he has made of the cost to business of implementing each amendment to tax law contained in those acts. [139821]

    Dawn Primarolo
    [holding answer 27 November 2000]: The respective lengths of Finance Acts enacted since 1997 are contained in the House of Commons Library.

    Some of the legislation has the effect of removing previous legislation, so the net length impact is significantly shorter than the combined face total of these Finance Acts.

    Regulatory Impact Assessments were introduced by this Government in August 1998 to replace Compliance Cost Assessments; these set out the costs and benefits of proposals that have a significant regulatory impact on business, are published for Finance Act measures and are published on departmental websites.

    Employment Rates
    Mr. Dobson
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are employed in the United Kingdom, excluding agriculture, fishing and the public sector. [140382]

    Miss Melanie Johnson
    [holding answer 27 November 2000]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

    Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Frank Dobson, dated 28 November 2000 As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question about the number of people employed in the UK, excluding agriculture, fishing and the public sector. (140382)
    In June 1999, the latest date for which figures are available, the number of employee jobs in the sector specified was 18,968,000.

    Limb Reduction Deformities
    Mr. Ruane
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many children were born with limb reduction deformities in each of the last 20 years. [140478]

    Miss Melanie Johnson
    [holding answer 27 November 2000]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

    Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Chris Ruane, dated 28 November 2000 As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question on the number of babies born with limb reductions. (140478)
    594W
    The attached table shows the number of babies in England and Wales notified to the National Congenital Anomaly System and rates per 10,000 live and stillbirths for the years 1980 to 1999.

    Babies notified to the National Congenital Anomaly System with limb reduction anomalies1.2—England and Wales, 1980 to 1999

    per 10,000 live and stillbirths

    Year

    Number

    Rate

    1980

    303

    4.6

    1981

    256

    4.0

    1982

    265

    4.2

    1983

    297

    4.7

    1984

    314

    4.9

    1985

    326

    4.9

    1986

    276

    4.2

    1987

    293

    4.3

    1988

    285

    4.1

    1989

    232

    3.4

    1990

    198

    2.8

    1991

    241

    3.4

    1992

    187

    2.7

    1993

    214

    3.2

    1994

    196

    2.9

    1995

    191

    2.9

    1996

    201

    3.1

    1997

    137

    2.1

    1998

    199

    3.1

    1999

    204

    3.3

    11980–94: International Classification of Diseases 9th revision code 755.2 to 755.4

    2 1995–99: International Classification of Diseases 10th revision code Q71.0 to Q73.8

    Source:

    National Congenital Anomaly System—data at 23 November 2000

    Cancer
    Mr. Cousins
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the five year survival rates are for each main group of cancer, distinguishing between men and women,(a) nationally, (b) in each NHS region and (c) for each health authority in the (i) Northern and (ii) Yorkshire region. [140534]

    Miss Melanie Johnson
    [holding answer 27 November 2000]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

    Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 28 November 2000 As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking what the five year survival rates are for each main group of cancer, distinguishing between men and women, nationally, in each NHS region and for each health authority in the Northern and Yorkshire region. (140534).
    The latest available data on the survival of patients diagnosed with cancer by sex nationally were published in 'Cancer survival in England and Wales, 1991–98' published by the Office for National Statistics in the summer 2000 edition of Health Statistics Quarterly (HSQ no. 6) and contain figures for 20 common cancers. The most recent survival figures for each health regional office area and for each health authority for cancers of the female breast, lung, cervix and colon were published in 'Quality and Performance in the NHS: NHS Performance Indicators' which can be found at www.doh.gov.uk/nhsperformanceindicators. Comparable figures for cancers of the stomach, prostate and bladder are available and are presented in the attached tables for the areas requested.
    595W

    Table 1: Cancer survival by health regional office areas, 1991–98: five-year relative survival (%) to 31 December 1998 for cancers registered in 1991–93

    Stomach

    Prostate

    Bladder

    Health regional office area

    Men

    Women

    Men

    Men

    Women

    Northern and Yorkshire

    7.6

    9.5

    47.8

    57.3

    48.2

    Trent

    9.0

    8.6

    43.2

    62.0

    57.6

    Eastern

    6.8

    10.2

    50.5

    63.4

    50.6

    London

    13.3

    12.0

    50.5

    68.5

    61.8

    South East

    10.0

    11.2

    52.3

    70.4

    60.0

    South West

    10.8

    10.6

    50.1

    71.1

    63.8

    West Midlands

    10.4

    8.6

    48.8

    67.5

    58.1

    North West

    8.0

    7.8

    46.9

    61.0

    56.3

    Table 2: Cancer survival in the health authorities of Northern and Yorkshire health regional office, 1991–98: five-year relative survival (%) to 31 December 1998 for cancers registered in 1991–93

    Stomach

    Prostate

    Bladder

    Health authority

    Men

    Women

    Men

    Men

    Women

    Bradford

    8.8

    6.8

    47.8

    58.0

    43.2

    Calderdale and Kirklees

    6.0

    6.0

    57.2

    58.0

    39.8

    County Durham

    6.7

    7.7

    46.9

    55.9

    42.9

    East Riding

    12.1

    15.1

    47.1

    58.5

    41.4

    Gateshead and S. Tyneside

    8.8

    7.6

    36.9

    59.0

    54.3

    Leeds

    11.3

    14.2

    51.2

    49.9

    49.8

    Newcastle and N. Tyneside

    3.4

    8.7

    48.0

    69.3

    48.7

    North Cumbria

    4.2

    8.4

    51.4

    52.8

    58.3

    North Yorkshire

    7.7

    6.2

    48.2

    53.0

    59.5

    Northumberland

    7.4

    12.6

    47.8

    66.5

    61.9

    Sunderland

    6.6

    8.6

    51.9

    74.7

    52.7

    Tees

    5.6

    6.0

    25.7

    44.4

    32.9

    Wakefield

    6.7

    15.6

    48.4

    44.2

    39.2

    Note:

    International classification of disease ninth revision codes used are: stomach 15, prostate 185, and bladder 188

    Oil
    Mr. Yeo
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assumption he used about assessments in the price of oil in preparing his pre-Budget report. [140608]

    Mr. Timms
    The National Audit Office audited oil price assumptions underlying the pre-Budget report forecasts were set out in Box B2 on page 179 of the pre-Budget report.

    Scottish Transport Group
    Mr. Maclennan
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions his Department has had with the First Minister of Scotland and the Finance Minister about the winding-up of the Scottish Transport Group's pension funds; and if he will make a statement. [140658]

    Mr. Andrew Smith
    Discussions with the Scottish Executive are ongoing and any subsequent decisions will be made in due course.

    Computerised Printing Presses
    Mr. Pearson
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will review the classification of computerised printing presses for capital allowance purposes. [140299]

    Dawn Primarolo
    The rate at which capital allowances are given on an item of machinery or plant depends on whether the equipment can reasonably be expected when new to have a working life of less than 25 years. This will turn on the facts and circumstances of the individual case.

  TA Units: Location
  TA Units: Location
  Street Numbering
  Street Numbering
  Lead Shot Regulations
  Lead Shot Regulations
  Invalid Care Allowance
  Invalid Care Allowance
  Stoppages in the Streets: Sessional Order
  Stoppages in the Streets: Sessional Order