Written Answers of 23 October 2000

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Merseyside TEC
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the value for money of Merseyside TEC's annual contribution to Mersey Partnerships. [133813]

  Mr. Wicks
  Merseyside TEC is just one of a number of contributors to the Mersey Partnership. A membership forum, which includes Merseyside TEC, regularly meets to review the progress made by the Mersey Partnership on developing investment strategies and the promotion of and response to investment opportunities. We expect the TEC to judge the value of its contribution in the light of this evaluation of progress.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what accountability arrangements are in place to ensure the effective spending of the annual contribution of Merseyside TEC to Mersey Partnerships. [133814]

  Mr. Wicks
  The Government Office regularly reviews the overall performance of the TEC across the range of standards required by the TEC licensing framework. At the level of individual projects, we expect each TEC to have appropriate evaluation arrangements in place. In addition, Mersey Partnership is accountable to its member organisations for the proper and efficient use of contributions in accordance with the terms of reference of the Partnership.

  School Trips (Transport)
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will issue guidance to school governors on how to take account of parental concerns over transport hired for school trips; and if he will make a statement in respect of the written risk assessment requirement of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. [134147]

  Jacqui Smith
  The written risk assessment in question is contained in the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Guidance to school governors and others on these matters is already available in "Health and Safety of Pupils on Educational Visits: A Good Practice Guide" (Department for Education and Employment, published in 1998). 58,000 copies have been despatched to schools and other bodies, including the Library.

  PGCE Training Courses
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many students have switched from BEd degree courses to PGCE training courses following the introduction of training salaries; and if he will make a statement. [134153]
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  Ms Estelle Morris
  BEd degrees are undergraduate courses and PGCE training courses are postgraduate. It is therefore unlikely that students will be in a position to switch from one to the other. If students are encouraged to switch to a PGCE route into teaching, in general they would choose not to apply for a BEd course, but take a three-year BA or BSc instead, followed by a PGCE. There will not be evidence of this for another three years.

  The number of acceptances for BEd courses at UK higher education institutions starting in September 2000, at 10,397 was virtually the same as in September 1999, at 10,433. The number of acceptances for PGCE courses in England and Wales in September 2000 was 20,993, an increase of around 6 per cent. over last year's figure (19,768).

  The Government announced on 30 March that £6,000 training salaries would be introduced for graduate trainees starting postgraduate initial teacher training courses from September 2000. New style "golden hello" incentives of £4,000 were announced for postgraduate trainees in mathematics, science, modern foreign languages, information technology and design and technology, who successfully complete their induction and go on to take up a relevant teaching post.

  At the start of April 2000, applications to postgraduate teacher training courses in England and Wales were down by around 11 per cent. compared to the previous year (24,187 compared to 21,537). As a result of the announcement, they are up by around 5 per cent. overall (34,860 compared to 33,056), with particular increases in modern foreign languages (up 20 per cent—2,307 to 2,763) and technology (up 23 per cent.—1,619 to 1,996). The latest acceptance figures show these increases translating into higher acceptances into these shortage subjects.

  Ofsted
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to raise the level of funding for Ofsted following its increased responsibilities in inspecting further education, introduced by the Learning and Skills Bill. [134102]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The overall settlement provided by the Spending Review 2000 for Ofsted is £163 million in 2001–02, an increase of £56 million. This takes account of Ofsted's additional responsibilities, namely inspecting further education, introduced by the Learning and Skills Act 2000 and the regulation of child care, introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 Ofsted will decide how to allocate its overall settlement across all the areas for which it is responsible.

  Sure Start Budget
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what proportion of the Sure Start budget will derive from his Department. [134101]

  Yvette Cooper
  Sure Start budget is an addition to the Department for Education and Employment's expenditure limit, and the Secretary of State speaks for Sure Start in Cabinet. The money for Sure Start is carried on a separate Vote, and the Head of the Sure Start Unit reports to a cross-departmental steering group in respect of this expenditure. I am chair of this group.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Bishops
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the hon. Member for Middlesbrough, representing the Church Commissioners, how many bishops there were in(a) 1970, (b) 1980, (c) 1990 and (d) 2000; what the average cost was of supporting a bishop in each of those years at 2000 prices; and what the ratio was of bishops to the average Sunday congregation in each year. [129656]

  Mr. Stuart Bell
  The numbers of full-time Diocesan, Suffragan and Assistant Bishops paid by the Church Commissioners in those and other recent years are as follows:

  1970: 107

  1980: 108

  1990: 110

  1998: 113

  1999: 113

  2000: 113.

  The 1980 and subsequent figures include the two bishops in the Diocese in Europe, following the foundation of that diocese in that year. The 2000 figures include the three Provincial Episcopal Visitors, whose sees were created in the 1990s under the Episcopal Ministry Act of Synod, following the decision to ordain women to the priesthood.

  The Commissioners do not compile averages of expenditure on bishops because of a number of distorting factors, such as expenditure incurred on discharging national episcopal responsibilities, which would prevent like being compared with like. The total costs of the Church Commissioners' expenditure on bishops in the years in question, adjusted to 2000 prices by reference to the national average earnings index (earnings being the inflation index most appropriate for comparison) are set out. This total cost includes:

  1. bishops' stipends (and pension contributions from 1998),

  2. costs of running and staffing bishops' offices,

  3. costs of maintaining See Houses which provide domestic accommodation for the bishop and his family as well as staff offices.

  £ million

  Year to 31 March 1970

  19.6

  Year to 31 December 1980

  11.9

  Year to 31 December 1990

  14.5

  Year to 31 December 1999

  15.3

  The substantially lower figure in 1980 largely reflects the significant relative deterioration in all clergy stipends in the 1970s.

  Usual Sunday attendance figures for the equivalent years are as follows, 1998 being the latest year for which statistics are currently available:

  1970: 1,542,000

  1980: 1,240,000

  1990: 1,143,000

  1998: 977,900.

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  These figures should however be treated with caution. The system for measuring attendance has been and continues to be under periodic review. Consequently the figures quoted are not on a like-for-like basis. Nor do they include attendance in the Diocese in Europe.

  The methodology now under discussion also recognises that a true picture of church attendance needs to take account of midweek and occasional services as well as those on Sunday. For these reasons, calculating a ratio in the manner suggested could be misleading.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Denis Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what his timetable is for the implementation of the proposed changes to the Child Support Agency; and what proposals he has to amend assessments made under the existing rules. [133988]

  Angela Eagle
  The child support reforms in the Child Support, Pensions and Social Security Act 2000 will be introduced for new cases by April 2002. Parents who have an existing maintenance assessment will be transferred to the new scheme at a later date when the new system is shown to be working well.

  Maintenance calculations made under the new scheme will be based on a simple percentage of the non-resident parent's net income. This means that many parents with an existing child support assessment will see a change to their liability when they are transferred to the new scheme. The change to the new rate will be phased in over a period of up to five years to give families time to adjust.

  The White Paper "A new contract for welfare: Children's Rights and Parents' Responsibilities" (CM 4349) sets out the scheme in more detail and contains tables showing what the basic liability will be at different levels of income.

  Budgeting Loans
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications were made for a budgeting loan in 1999–2000; and how many were refused on the grounds of inability to meet the repayments. [133849]

  Angela Eagle
  Of the 1,680,000 applications made for budgeting loans in 1999–2000 only 255 were refused because of inability to repay.

  Refusal on these grounds would arise where an applicant who would otherwise be eligible is already repaying a social fund loan at the maximum rate applicable in their circumstances.

  In 1999–2000 the overall number of budgeting loan awards rose by 82,000 and the gross expenditure was £52 million higher than in 1998–99.

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for what reason the annexe, "Budgeting Loans Reasons for Refusal by Client Group", was omitted from his 1999–2000 Annual Report on the Social Fund. [133850]
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  Angela Eagle
  A table showing budgeting loan reasons for refusal by client group was not included in the 1999–2000 Annual Report because under the new budgeting loan scheme most of the reasons for refusal have either been changed or abolished. There were previously seven main reasons for refusal and there are now three. Thus, individual reasons for refusal in 1999–2000 do not directly compare with those from previous years. For this reason it was decided that it was more appropriate to include details on the main reasons for refusals in the narrative of the report, paragraphs 7.5 to 7.7.

  A copy of the Annual Report on the Social Fund 1999–2000 is in the Library.

  Attendance Allowance
  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people receive Attendance Allowance(a) in the constituency of Glasgow, Pollok and (b) in Glasgow. [134165]

  Mr. Bayley
  The administration of Attendance Allowance is a matter for Alexis Cleveland, Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. She will write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from Alexis Cleveland to Mr. Ian Davidson, dated 23 October 2000:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many people receive attendance allowance (a) in the constituency of Glasgow, Pollock and (b) in Glasgow.
  The latest information available as at 31 May 1999 is that there are 2,049 recipients in the constituency of Glasgow, Pollock and 19,781 in Glasgow
  I hope this is helpful.

  Winter Heating Allowance
  Ms Southworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many households will benefit from the winter heating allowance in Warrington, South in 2000. [133752]

  Angela Eagle
  For winter 1999–2000, 17,061 customers in the Warrington, South constituency qualified for a Winter Fuel Payment of either £100 or £50, dependant on their circumstances. This figure includes those in receipt of one of the qualifying benefits as well as men from age 60 who qualified through receipt of either Income Support or income-based Jobseekers Allowance.

  The Winter Fuel Payment scheme has now been extended so that men as well as women will be eligible for a payment from age 60, providing they satisfy the qualifying criteria. The changes apply from the beginning of the scheme in 1997–98 and payments will be made for past winters to customers who are entitled. The majority of the customers who are newly eligible will need to make a claim.

  This means that the figure given above in respect of 1999–2000 could be higher for winter 2000. How much higher will depend on the number of people who decide to make a claim and how many are entitled.
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  Therefore, it is not possible to give a precise number of how many households may benefit from winter fuel allowance until all payments are made on the claims received and through the legacy systems, that is, those people receiving qualifying benefits.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Illegal Logging
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what action she has taken to combat illegal logging; and if she will make a statement in respect of implementation and related procurement practices. [134187]

  Mr. Foulkes
  Addressing the underlying causes of illegal logging in tropical rain forests is complicated and requires a range of actions, not only in the forest sector. For this reason, through the Department for International Development (DFID), we are working to encourage good government, reduce the burden of debt on developing countries and develop alternative livelihoods for the poor.

  Our main efforts are directed at combating illegal logging at source and addressing the other underlying causes of poor forest management, since most illegally harvested timber is consumed domestically. We help countries develop their capacity to assess the nature and extent of illegal logging and to take counter-measures. We help them develop national forest programmes. Early next year, together with the US and World bank, we will sponsor a high-level meeting in South-East Asia to examine what can be done to strengthen enforcement of forestry laws in the region.

  In Okinawa the G8 leaders made a commitment to
  examine how best we can combat illegal logging, including export and procurement practices.
  In response, the Government are committing departments to seek to buy timber and timber products from sustainable and legal sources, for example those identified under independent certification schemes such as that operated by the Forestry Stewardship Council. Government Departments will have to report annually on their progress, and this will be monitored by an inter-departmental group reporting to the committee of Green Ministers.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Tobacco
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for which products he supports the EU prohibition of the manufacture within the United Kingdom of certain legal products which conform with the regulations of third countries. [132338]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 24 July 2000]I understand that the hon. Member's question refers to the proposed EU Directive concerning the manufacture, presentation and sale of tobacco products (known as the 'EU Tobacco Labelling Directive').
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  The Government support the 'common position' on the Directive agreed by the EU Health Council on 29 June.

  The common position includes agreement to the provision in Article 3 of the draft Directive which will require that, from 1 January 2004, the yield of cigarettes released for free circulation, marketed or manufactured in the member states shall not exceed:

  10mg per cigarette for tar

  lmg per cigarette for nicotine;

  10mg per cigarette for carbon monoxide.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Spelthorne dated 10 February relating to his constituent, Mr. David Allan. [130657]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  [holding answer 17 July 2000]I replied to the hon. Member on behalf of the Secretary of State on Thursday 27 July 2000.

  Ilisu Dam
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the Government decided to underwrite plans by Balfour Beatty to undertake work on the Ilisu Dam in Turkey; and what the maximum potential liability is to the Treasury assessed from such underwriting. [134190]

  Mr. Caborn
  The Government have not yet taken a decision to underwrite Balfour Beatty's application for support from the Export Credits Guarantee Department in respect of the Ilisu Dam project. We do not expect to take such a decision until we have seen and assessed both and revised Environmental Impact Assessment Report and the Resettlement Action Plan which are currently being prepared.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will place in the Library the reports of Dr. Ayse Kudat concerning the social and environmental impacts of the Ilisu Dam in Turkey. [134169]

  Mr. Caborn
  Dr. Kudat's reports are not the property of the Government. Following my hon. Friend's question, the Export Credits Guarantee Department asked the owners of the reports, the Export Risk Guarantee Agency (the Swiss export credit agency), whether they were prepared to allow them to be placed in the Library of the House. The owners have replied that they are not prepared to allow the reports to be made available at this time. When the final reports are available, we will seek agreement to their being made publicly available.

  Fraudulent Sales Promotions
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals he has to introduce measures to control fraudulent sales promotions from operators outside the UK; and if he will make a statement. [R] [134148]
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  Dr. Howells
  I am concerned about these promotions and am setting out the action the Government are taking to tackle them. The legislation which is currently in place to protect consumers includes:the Unsolicited Goods and Services (Amendment) Act 1975, which prevents traders from demanding payment for goods or services which are unsolicited and sets rules on content of invoices and directory entries;
  the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988, which enable the Director General of Fair Trading (DGFT) to stop the publication of a misleading advertisement;
  the Consumer Protection (Distance Selling) Regulations 2000, which come into force on 31 October, protect consumers shopping on the Internet, by mail order, on the telephone or by fax. If suppliers do not fulfil contracts or fail to return consumers' money, the DOFF and local authority Trading Standards Departments can seek injunctions. If fraudulent use is made of a consumer's credit or debit card he or she can cancel the payment;
  the Lotteries and Amusement Act 1976, which sets the rules on competitions (which must entail a degree of skill) and lotteries (which generally cannot be run for private or commercial gain). It is unlawful to promote or advertise a foreign lottery in the UK.

  In addition, when the European Community Directive No. 98/27/EC on injunctions for the protection of consumers' interests is implemented in the UK next year, the DGFT and other qualifying bodies will be able to seek injunctions in the courts of other member states to stop operators there from directing false and misleading sales promotions at UK consumers.

  I recognise the problems of taking enforcement action against sales promotion scams originating outside the UK—land particularly from beyond Europe. Apart from jurisdictional constraints on the DGFT and other UK authorities, it is often hard to trace the sales promotion operator. They may hide behind PO box addresses, which are used as solely collection or distribution points for mail. Operators move from country to country to avoid detection and frequently change the postal services they use.

  The Government are working with industry and our regulatory authorities to address this situation. We are determined in particular to improve co-operation and information sharing between authorities in Europe and around the world. The following actions are being taken:
  the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) works closely with its overseas counterparts from the 30 or so OECD countries, through the International Marketing Supervision Network (IMSN). OFT's counterparts have had some success in stopping some of the worst cases targeting UK consumers;
  the Government are pursuing closer bi-lateral enforcement links with other major trading nations outside the EU. We are in discussion with the United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) about a possible memorandum of understanding on co-operation between the DGFT, UK trading standard departments and the FTC;
  the Royal Mail can refuse to deliver material from abroad which contravenes the law, once it has been notified about it (it cannot intercept or open mail addressed to a PO box). The Advertising Standards Authority (the independent self-regulatory body for the industry), the police, trading standards officers and magistrates can notify Royal Mail about material which contravenes the law. Any UK PO box being used fraudulently will be withdrawn. We are ensuring that ways of bringing scams to the attention of the Post Office are effective and that the avenues by which scam promoters reach consumers are closed off;
  the ASA, which supervises the British Codes of Advertising and Sales Promotion, investigates complaints about misleading promotions and is working with national and international

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  regulators. The ASA refers mailings to the appropriate regulatory body in the country in question; those from Europe are channelled via the European Advertising Standards Alliance (EASA).

  Private Sector Secondments
  Dr. Brand
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the private sector companies from which secondments have been made to his Department since June 1997. [133877]

  Dr. Howells
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Bath (Mr. Foster) on 3 July 2000,Official Report, columns 18–24W. Since then, the DTI has set up further inward secondments from the following companies:

  Association of British Healthcare Inds

  AEA Technology plc

  Traditional Weatherwear Ltd.

  Tate and Lyle plc

  United Utilities plc

  Science and Technology Agency

  Shell UK Oil Products Ltd.

  Cable and Wireless

  Printing Industries Federation

  Goldshield Pharmaceuticals

  SNS Bioengineering Development Ltd.

  Combined Heat and Power Association

  The MVA Consultancy Group

  Foster Wheeler Energy Ltd.

  Drinks Marketing

  Project North East

  Raylian London Ltd.

  AMEC Process and Energy

  Process and Energy

  David Rubens and Company

  Allen and Overy

  Lloyds TSB Group plc

  BT

  Burlington Consultants

  Confederation of British Industry

  Deloitte and Touche

  Gilbert Gilkes and Gordon Ltd.

  Astra Zeneca

  Ericsson Ltd.

  KPMG

  Durham University

  Grant Thornton.

  Asteroids
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to respond to the report of the departmental Task Force on Asteroids set up in January. [134166]

  Ms Hewitt
  I expect to respond to the Report of the Task Force on Potentially Hazardous Near Earth Objects at the turn of the year.

  Late Payment
  Mr. Efford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with 10W
  ministerial colleagues on compensation for payment by public bodies after 30 days of invoices from small businesses. [134113]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998 currently seeks to recompense the supplier for the time value of money. It does not currently provide for the cost of pursuing the debt.

  The Government are aware that legislation in other EU countries includes charges for the pursuit of the debt, and we have worked closely with our European partners on the forthcoming EC Directive on combating late payment in commercial transactions.

  We welcome the recent publication of the Council and Parliament approved text and we are keen to work with the business community and ministerial colleagues to ensure that the Directive is implemented as soon as possible.

  Mr. Efford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will ensure that small businesses automatically receive interest from public bodies on late payments made after 30 days of being invoiced. [134111]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Government currently have no plans to make changes to the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998.

  The Act came into force on 1 November 1998. From that date, small businesses have had an automatic right to claim interest from the public sector on debts incurred under contracts agreed after that date.

  Mr. Efford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken to ensure that public bodies settle invoices from small businesses within a 30 day period. [134112]

  Ms Hewitt
  All Government Departments and Agencies are required to pay all undisputed bills within 30 days of receipt of the goods or services or a valid invoice, whichever is later, or other agreed credit period. Since 1993 all Government Departments and Agencies have been required to monitor their payment performance. The figures are published annually in the form of a written PQ.

  Tough targets have been set to ensure that we continue to improve public sector payment performance. For 1997–98 all Departments were required to pay 95 per cent. of their invoices on time, 97.5 per cent. was introduced for 1998–99 and 100 per cent. for 1999–2000.

  For the financial year 1999–2000, the overall payment performance of Government was 97.89 per cent.

  Car Prices
  Mr. Hesford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government have taken to regulate the price of cars in response to the report of the Competition Commission. [133806]

  Dr. Howells
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry made an Order under the Fair Trading Act 1973 on 1 August to implement the recommendations in the Competition Commission report on the supply of new cars. The Order came into effect on 1 September. It contains a number of provisions, including a requirement that suppliers must offer dealers
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  who purchase volumes of cars outright equivalent discounts to those offered to fleet customers who purchase similar volumes.

  Supermarkets Inquiry
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the Competition Commission's Inquiry into supermarkets will look at the impact on small(a) newsagents and (b) publishers of the proposed distribution arrangements for magazines between Tesco and W H Smith News. [133817]

  Dr. Howells
  The Competition Commission did not investigate the supply of newspapers or magazines as part of its inquiry into the supply of groceries from supermarkets.

  EU Import Preferences
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the selective elimination and reduction of import duties on products imported into the UK under EU preferences enables eligible third country producers to benefit from a combination of stronger export pricing power, larger export sales and increased competitiveness in EU markets relative to third country producers that are not eligible to participate in EU preferences. [133709]

  Mr. Caborn
  Increased preferences will benefit those third country producers eligible to receive them. Those producers overall should experience larger export sales and/or higher returns on exports, as a result of their increased competitiveness in the EU market.

  A reduction in the normal level (i.e. MFN) of import duties lessens the value of preferential tariffs offered by the EC. In products where preferences are offered, their erosion tends to weaken and not strengthen the export pricing power of exporters receiving preferences compared with those who do not. Against this, however, the elimination or steady reduction of import duties in general improves the market access of those receiving preferences and offers scope for expansion of exports in other products.

  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if third country exporters and producers are expected to derive benefit from their participation in the import preferences granted their products under the EU's preferential trade-related agreements. [133708]

  Mr. Caborn
  Third country exporters and producers granted trade preferences are expected to benefit from them through increased exports to the EU.

  A general reduction in import duties would reduce the value of trade preference. However, developing countries could benefit from the general reduction of tariffs in sectors where they have particular comparative cost advantage.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Police Service
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his response to the Chief Constable's first evaluation of the comprehensive Tutor 12W
  Officer scheme: how many Tutor Officers have been selected; where they are based; what their geographical spread is from policing districts across Northern Ireland; what their composition is in terms of (a) gender and (b) perceived community background; what training they have had; how many hours training they have had on the operation of the Human Rights Act 1998; and how many officers have received training to date. [133528]

  Mr. Ingram
  Following in-house evaluation, work is underway to enhance the Tutor Officer scheme. A further evaluation will then be made. There are currently 157 Tutor Officers of whom 138 are male and 19 female. Of these, 128 are perceived to be from a Protestant background and 22 perceived to be from a Roman Catholic background while seven are not determined. The geographical spread reflects the demand based on the number of probationers in each RUC Division.

  Each tutor attends a five-day training course in addition to a one-day course on Human Rights. Both are provided as part of the force-wide training programme.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to recruit teachers for the police training programme on the Human Rights Act 1998; what arrangements has he made to facilitate officers' completion of the course; how many hours of tuition and study each officer will undertake; and by what criteria officers will be assessed on their comprehension of the issues and ability to put human rights policing into effect. [133530]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Royal Ulster Constabulary has worked in partnership with the University of Ulster to design and deliver the introductory Human Rights training programme. University staff trained officers of Chief Inspector rank and above and also trained the Royal Ulster Constabulary trainers who went on to provide the training for officers in the ranks of Constable, Sergeant and Inspector. A booklet developed in conjunction with the University of Ulster and agreed with the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission has been provided to each officer as part of the preparation for six hours of training. The ability of officers to put Human Rights Policing into effect will be addressed within the new competency framework for staff appraisal.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what preparations have been made for the Office of Police Ombudsman to become fully operational; what budget has been assigned for publicity aimed at(a) officers and staff of the Police Service, (b) members of the public, (c) members of disadvantaged groups, (d) people with disabilities, (e) people whose first language is not English, (f) children and (g) users of police stations. [133532]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Office of the Police Ombudsman will occupy premises, known as New Cathedral Buildings, which are in central Belfast. The premises were acquired in March of this year and after extensive design work were fully fitted out to a high standard by the beginning of August. The Police Ombudsman (Designate) moved into her new offices, one month ahead of schedule, on 14 August.

  Recruitment of the 90 new staff for the Ombudsman's office is nearing completion. This involved an extensive programme of advertising in the UK, North America,

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  Australia and South Africa and subsequently an exhaustive selection process. Because of the nature of the work that will be undertaken, an extensive programme of training has been developed with the assistance of the Northern Ireland Office, Metropolitan Police Service, RUC, University of Ulster and various other public bodies and voluntary organisations. Training is due to commence in early October at various venues in the UK. (Existing staff of the Independent Commission for Police Complaints will transfer to the new body).

  Protocols are currently in the final stages of agreement or are being developed between the Ombudsman, Northern Ireland Office, Independent Commission for Police Complaints, Chief Constable and the RUC to accommodate transitional and investigative arrangements.

  The Ombudsman will have an annual budget of £5.7 million; what proportion of that will be allocated to publicity aimed at specific groups of people will be a matter for the Ombudsman to decide.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in drawing up revised conduct regulations for police officers; what bodies have been consulted over draft versions; what advice he has sought from police services in other jurisdictions; and when he plans to introduce the new regulations. [133534]

  Mr. Ingram
  The revised conduct regulations and guidance have been completed and are currently undergoing final consultation in line with section 64(4) of the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 1998. This section requires the Secretary of State to consult the Ombudsman, the Police Authority and the Police Association before making regulations governing the conduct of the police. Others consulted include the Chief Constable, the Independent Commission for Police Complaints, Director of Public Prosecutions and the Human Rights Commission.

  In formulating the new regulations, which mirror that of England and Wales, advice was sought from the Home Office who co-ordinated the responses of police forces across England and Wales. The revised regulations are due to come into force on 6 November.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made so far in downsizing the Police Service; and what his estimate is of likely progress in the next six months. [133545]

  Mr. Ingram
  The closing date for applications in year one of the scheme is the 30 November 2000. To date there have been over 600 expressions of interest for early retirement, however, the actual number of applicants for year one will not be known until the expiry of the closing date. At this stage it is estimated that approximately 600 officers will leave by 31 March 2001.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what written documentation in furtherance of the Patten implementation plan has been supplied to the Oversight Commissioner in order to set out the objectives in the next 12 months of(a) the Government, (b) the Police Service and (c) the Police Authority; and if he will place such documentation in the Library. [133536]
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  Mr. Ingram
  The Government's Implementation Plan, published in June 2000, sets out how the recommendations in the Report of the Independent Commission on Policing in Northern Ireland are being implemented.

  The Government, RUC and Police Authority have made, and will continue to make, such information available to the Oversight Commissioner as is needed for the performance of his functions. No central record is kept of the information given.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he published each of the regulations on(a) part-time working, (b) job-sharing and (c) career breaks for police officers and Police Service civilians; how this information has been disseminated and at what cost; how many officers and civilians will have taken these options by the end of the first year of their introduction; and what his estimate is for each of the next five years. [133538]

  Mr. Ingram
  Part-time working and job-sharing arrangements for police officers were introduced by Force Order on 24 July 1997. There is currently no facility for career breaks although police officers can and do take periods of unpaid leave.

  Northern Ireland Civil Service Circulars introduced part-time working and job-sharing arrangements for civilian support staff on 14 August 1987. Career breaks followed on 28 March 1998.,

  Costs associated with issuing information on these schemes are not readily available.

  Eight police officers availed of part-time working in the first year of operation (September 1997 to August 1998). To date, no police officers have opted for job-sharing. Figures relating to the first year of the civilian schemes are not available.

  It is difficult to project the potential uptake of each scheme over the next five years, but given that 25 police officers have availed of part-time working since its introduction, it is reasonable to assume that up to 40 officers may avail of the scheme during the next five years. Similarly, up to 25 civilian support staff may be expected to take up part-time or job-sharing with the same number taking career breaks.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment the Human Rights Commission has made of the police training programme on the Human Rights Act 1998; how many officers have completed this course; what evaluation he has made of its effectiveness; and what progress has been made on drawing up guidelines and contents for a course on the impact on policing of the new constitutional arrangements for Northern Ireland, the new policing arrangements set out in the Patten report and the proposed reforms of the criminal justice system. [133529]

  Mr. Ingram
  I have asked the Chief Executive of the Human Rights Commission to write to my hon. Friend on the Commission's assessment of the police training programme on the Human Rights Act 1998. I have asked for a copy of the letter to be made available so that it can be placed in the Library.
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  At the 23 August 2000, 9,035 officers had attended training on the Human Rights Act with remaining officers to attend in the near future.

  The Secretary of State commends the efforts of the RUC to give priority to the training of its members in the implications of the Human Rights Act.

  The implementation of recommendation 141 of the Patten Report is addressed in the Government's Implementation Plan (published June 2000). Progress will be assessed by the independent Oversight Commissioner.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures have been taken to identify appropriate non-police environment institutions for management training in Ireland and overseas; and how many members of the Change Management Team have studied or have the qualifications to assess the effectiveness of management workshops. [133531]

  Mr. Ingram
  Substantive links have already been established with the University of Ulster at Jordanstown and a number of officers have either completed or are undertaking management related academic courses outside the police environment. The Training, Education and Development Strategy currently being developed by the RUC will further address this issue.

  A number of members of the RUC's Change Management Team have qualifications at degree level and above. For example, two have PhDs in 'Making Strategy Work in Police Organisations' and 'Auditing Internal Communication in a Major Police Organisation'. In addition, a number are members of professional bodies.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to draw up personal specification and job description for(a) a Commissioner for Covert Law Enforcement and (b) members of a Complaints Tribunal for Covert Law Enforcement operations; when and where he will advertise these positions; what the composition will be of the interview panel; how many of its members will be independent; and if he will place the relevant documents in the Library. [133533]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Regulation of Investigating Powers Act 2000 makes provision for the regulation of covert policing techniques and provides for commissioner oversight in Northern Ireland. In addition, the Act provides for a UK-wide complaints tribunal.

  Appointments will be made in accordance with the provisions of the legislation.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many and what percentage of police officers recruited in the last two years are studying for academic qualifications; what is the numerical and percentage breakdown by type of qualifications sought and subjects studied; what measures have been taken to encourage officers to undertake academic courses; and what assessment he has made of their effectiveness. [133535]

  Mr. Ingram
  From June 1999, a total of 188 (100 per cent.) new recruits have been required to study for a Certificate in Police Studies as part of their two year probation period. Of these, 69 (37 per cent.) have opted to pursue a Diploma in Police Studies. Following successful completion of their probation, officers are eligible to 16W
  apply for financial assistance and facilitation to pursue other courses of further education and are actively encouraged to do so. It is too early to assess effectiveness while the students pursue their chosen studies.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will publish the severance arrangements agreed with police representatives; what is the estimate of the total expenditure involved; and what is his forecast of the costs of severance and other payments associated with the downsizing programme calculated on a quarterly basis for each of the next 10 years. [133537]

  Mr. Ingram
  The severance arrangements were published on 24 July by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland in a booklet entitled "A Northern Ireland Office booklet on the Voluntary Early Retirement and Severance Scheme for the RUC". A copy of this has been placed in the Library.

  The estimated gross cost of severance is in the region of £1 billion over the next ten years. It is not possible to provide a quarterly breakdown at this stage given the voluntary nature of the scheme.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Police Service staff are assigned to develop a new appraisal system for human rights performance; what grades and ranks these staff are; how many hours per week they are working on this project; where they are based and what is their geographical spread from policing districts across Northern Ireland; what their composition is in respect of(a) gender and (b) perceived community background; when this project started and when it will be completed; and what is its (i) work programme and (ii) budget. [133539]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary has initiated a review of the RUC's appraisal system in light of the recommendations contained within the Report of the Independent Commission on Policing in Northern Ireland. The number of people involved in the work has varied to meet required needs and it is not possible to answer this question without incurring a disproportionate cost. The independent Oversight Commissioner will report to the Secretary of State on the implementation of the changes.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what personal specification and job description have been drawn up for the appointment of a lawyer with human rights expertise to advise the police service; what will be the composition of the interview panel; and how many of its members will be independent. [133512]

  Mr. Ingram
  A personal specification and job description are currently being drafted. Decisions on the selection process will be made when they are agreed.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many police cars are currently in service, what the figures were for(a) July 1994 and (b) July 1998; and how many armoured Land Rovers were in regular use for patrols in (i) July 1994, (ii) July 1998 and (iii) July 2000. [133513]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Royal Ulster Constabulary held 350 Land Rovers in July 1994 and 450 in July 1998 and July 2000. While the number of Land Rovers used for regular
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  patrol duties are not available for the years 1994 and 1998, approximately 110 were used for such purposes during July 2000.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in painting the word POLICE on the side of each Land Rover currently in service. [133514]

  Mr. Ingram
  Work is ongoing but 80 per cent. of the operational fleet has already been completed including 25 white liveried Land Rovers.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in drawing up the terms of reference for an independent, strategic review of the use of information technology in policing; how and whom he will consult on these terms of reference; and when he will advertise for tenders to be submitted. [133515]

  Mr. Ingram
  An independent strategic review by a consultant appointed through the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency (CCTA), was already under way at the time of the publication of the Report of the Independent Commission for Policing in Northern Ireland.

  In light of the recommendations of that report it was decided to develop the consultant's information systems proposals to take account of new business processes and priorities that emerged from the change management process. Subsequently, a Strategic Information System consultant was appointed by competitive tendering arrangements through the Government Purchasing Agency to validate the way forward under Recommendation 93 of the Report of the Independent Commission for Policing in Northern Ireland.

  The Government's implementation plan requires the strategic review of IT strategy to be completed by March 2001, validated by June 2001 and implemented over a three to five year period.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures have been taken to inform police recruitment agencies in Great Britain of the advantages of recruiting former RUC officers and reservists; and how many ex-RUC officers and reservists have been recruited in the last 12 months. [133516]

  Mr. Ingram
  The RUC Voluntary Severance Support Unit has been in communication with all GB police forces to indicate a potential recruitment base from former members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and RUC Reserve. There have been no former RUC officers recruited by GB forces within the last 12 months.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what personal specification and job description has been drawn up for(a) members of the group to review criminal convictions and other character tests to determine the suitability of candidates applying to join the police service and (b) the independent adviser to sit on this group; what the composition will be of the interview panels; and how many of their members will be independent; when he expects the report of the review group to be completed; and what arrangements he has made to publish the report. [133518]
  18W
  Mr. Ingram
  The implementations of recommendation 125 of the Report of the Independent Commission on Policing in Northern Ireland is covered in the Government's implementation plan. Members of the review group established by the Chief Constable, including its independent chairman, have civilian and police recruiting, human resources and research experience.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he plans to(a) cease using and shut down remaining holding centres at Gough Barracks and Strand Road; how many fully equipped custody suites are currently available and in which police stations; and what additional facilities will come on line in the next six months. [133519]

  Mr. Ingram
  Strand Road holding centre closed with effect from 1 October. Gough Barracks is the facility currently available to the Royal Ulster Constabulary which meets all the statutory requirements for the detention and interviewing of terrorist suspects. It is not anticipated that any additional facilities will come on line within the next six months. There are 22 fully equipped PACE custody suites across the province at the following police stations: Musgrave Street, Grosvenor Road, Lisburn, Antrim Road, Antrim, Strandtown, Newtownards, Downpatrick, Armagh, Lurgan, Banbridge, Cookstown, Dungannon, Enniskillen, Omagh, Strand Road, Waterside, Strabane, Coleraine, Limavady, Ballymena and Larne.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the terms of reference for the research currently being undertaken on the uniform to be worn by members of the new police service; how many institutions submitted tenders to undertake this research; what were the best-value criteria employed; if he will place the outline of the successful research proposal in the Library; and what is the estimated cost of this research. [133520]

  Mr. Ingram
  The time constraints imposed by the Government implementation plan mitigated against tendering for research in this matter. As a result, a Uniform Sub-Committee was created within the Royal Ulster Constabulary with the terms of reference "to advise the Chief Constable on the needs of the Force for a new more practical style of uniform". During the course of its work, the Sub-Committee has sought the views of officers through the participation of staff representatives on the committee; held roadshows throughout the Force; issued and analysed responses to a survey; examined problems with the existing uniform and sourced five years of research on this issue carried out by a committee within the Association of Chief Police Officers.

  The research has developed a range of suggestions and recommendations, which have been presented to senior command within the Royal Ulster Constabulary. I have no plans to place an outline of the research material in the Library at present.

  As the research has been carried out in-house, it has involved limited expenditure.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions his Department has initiated with(a) the Irish Government and (b) the Garda Siochana to consider facilitation of lateral recruitment of experienced officers into the new police service. [133521]
  19W
  Mr. Ingram
  Issues of North/South co-operation on policing covered by the Report of the Independent Commission on Policing in Northern Ireland have been discussed in a number of meetings with the Irish Government.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions have been held with(a) the Irish Government and (b) the Garda Siochana to identify possible venues for the first annual conference between police services north and south of the border. [133522]

  Mr. Ingram
  Issues of North/South co-operation on policing covered by the Report of the Independent Commission on Policing in Northern Ireland have been discussed in a number of meetings with the Irish Government.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the composition of the Change Management Team established by the Chief Constable; how many police service officers and staff are assigned to the team; what grades and ranks these staff are; how many hours per week they are working on this project; where they are based and what their geographical spread is from policing districts across Northern Ireland; and what their composition is in terms of(a) gender and (b) perceived community background. [133524]

  Mr. Ingram
  There are currently 18 officers:

  Assistant Chief Constable—1

  Chief Superintendent—1

  Superintendent—3

  Chief Inspectors—2

  Inspectors—6

  Sergeants—3

  Constables—2

  and six civilian staff:

  Principal Officer—1

  Executive Officer Grade 1—1

  Executive Officer Grade 2—2

  Administrative Officer—1

  Administrative Assistant—1

  working full time as the RUC's Change Management Team based at RUC Headquarters. Of the 23 team members, 17 are male and six are female. I do not consider it appropriate to comment on perceived community background.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many external change specialists have been(a) consulted by and (b) recruited to the Change Management Team established by the Chief Constable; what method of selection was employed to ensure best value in appointments of external consultancies; and what has been the cost to date of external consultancies. [133541]

  Mr. Ingram
  To date a total of eight consultants have been selected by competitive tender to assist with the change process in the RUC at a cost of around £70,000. In addition the RUC Change Manager has as a mentor Professor Andrew Kakabadse, Chairman of the Human Resources Network and Director of the Cranfield Centre for International Development, Cranfield University.
  20W
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he has taken to provide a non-discriminatory working environment for all Police Service employees; how many complaints have been made by employees in the past 12 months; how many disciplinary actions have been instigated; what evidence has been distributed to workplaces; what consultation has taken place with employees; what surveys have been undertaken to solicit views of employees; and what information exchanges have been initiated with non-UK police services. [133525]

  Mr. Ingram
  The following actions have been taken to date. The introduction of harassment policy and distribution of harassment posters and booklets throughout the organisation; literature on the Neutral Working Environment distributed to Sub-Divisional Commanders; the establishment of a confidential helpline; Harassment Support officers appointed throughout the force; corresponding poster campaign and circular to staff publicising same; inclusion of equality and harassment sessions on induction training and on training for new recruits; inclusion of module on Equal Opportunities in the Management Development Programme for civilian staff; introduction of anti-harassment training for all officers; introduction of harassment resolution training on the management course for sergeants and inspectors; introduction of Equal Opportunities Awareness for all civilian staff.

  Future action will include the inclusion of Harassment Resolution training on new management training being developed for Chief Inspector and Superintendent ranks; review of harassment policy and procedures; review of the Harassment Support Officer scheme; the development of computer based training in grievance resolution.

  There have been 89 complaints from employees alleging discrimination and 16 disciplinary investigations commenced in the last 12 months.

  Staff surveys have been conducted on Sexual harassment in the Royal Ulster Constabulary; Religious harassment in the Royal Ulster Constabulary; and an NI Civil Service survey on harassment and bullying in the workplace.

  Three is regular networking with other public service bodies throughout the UK.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in establishing a fund to help injured police officers, serving or retired and their families; how many Police Service staff are assigned to this project and at what grades and ranks; how many hours per week they are working on this project; where they are based; what their geographical spread is from policing districts across Northern Ireland; and what their composition is in terms of(a) gender and (b) perceived community background; and what budget has been allocated to this project. [133526]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Government announced on 27 July 2000 that former senior civil servant John Steele has been appointed to conduct a review of Patten's recommendation 87, that there should be a substantial fund to help injured police officers and their families, as well as police widows'.
  21W
  Mr. Steele is on target to report by the end of October. He is being supported by civil servant and his budget is £14,000.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what development work has so far been undertaken in order to prepare the Police Service for carrying out crime pattern and complaint analysis; how many Police Service staff are assigned to develop this programme and at what grades and ranks; how many hours per week they are working on this project; where they are based; what their geographical spread is from policing districts across Northern Ireland; what their composition is in terms of(a) gender and (b) perceived community background; and what budget has been allocated for this project. [133540]

  Mr. Ingram
  A Centre has been established to develop, deliver and support a service-wide analytical capability for Crime Pattern Analysis. The centre is staffed by a civilian Grade 7; two Deputy Principals, four Staff Officers; one programmer analyst; seven Executive Officers; six Administrative Officers and three Administrative Assistants. Of the 24 staff, seven are male and 17 female with 14 perceived to be from a Protestant background, four perceived to be from a Roman Catholic background and six staff whose religion is undetermined.

  The team is based at offices in Belfast and is working full-time on the project. A full process of consultation is taking place with policing areas across Northern Ireland and it is anticipated that the first dedicated police analysts will be available to local command units before the end of the year. The cost of this project is currently being met from the budget allocation to Operations Department although a bid for additional funding has been made.

  Computerised data on complaints are available to commanders in all areas of Northern Ireland for information and analysis. Senior officers in Complaints and Discipline Branch, as part of their day to day duties, monitor individual and broad issues arising from complaints. A Constable and an Assistant Statistician, based in an office in Belfast, are assigned full-time to complaint analysis duties. Given that only two officers staff the office and in the interests of safeguarding personal information, I do not consider it appropriate to comment on their gender or perceived community background.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in investigating options for premises to be used by the RUC Widows Association; where these premises are located; what funding he has agreed to contribute towards the financing of the Widows Association; how many(a) full-time and (b) part-time staff the Association will employ; and what regulations will govern the spending of the association. [133527]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Government were pleased, in meeting recommendation 88 of the Report of the Independent Commission on Policing in Northern Ireland, to agree funding for the RUC Widows Association to run their organisation. Payment of the grant in aid is subject to standard conditions. Office premises have been set up at 100 Belfast Road, Holywood. The Association plans to employ three part-time co-ordinators.
  22W
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects to receive the first report from the Oversight Commissioner; what arrangements he has put in place to publish the report; how many copies he intends to publish; and at what estimated cost. [133544]

  Mr. Ingram
  It is anticipated that the Commissioner will make his first report when the Police (Northern Ireland) Bill has completed its Parliamentary passage. The report will be laid before each of the Houses of Parliament. The number of copies to be published and the associated cost have yet to be determined.

  Private Sector Secondments
  Dr. Brand
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the private sector companies from which secondments have been made to his Department since June 1997. [133878]

  Mr. Mandelson
  There have been no secondments as yet to the Northern Ireland Office from private sector companies.

  Suicide (Prisons)
  Dr. Vis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many prisoners took their own lives in prison in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years broken down by age, religion, institution in which they were held and the method of death. [134159]

  Mr. Ingram
  There were no suicides in Northern Ireland prison establishments in 1992 and 1993. Details for the other years are as shown. The method used in all cases was hanging. Religious affiliation is private confidential information.

  1990–1 inmate, Magilligan, aged 31 years

  1991–1 inmate, Belfast, aged 31 years

  1994–2 inmates, Belfast, aged 24 and 27 years

  1994–1 inmate, Maghaberry, aged 31 years

  1995–1 inmate, Belfast, aged 19 years

  1995–1 inmate, Maghaberry, aged 30 years

  1996–1 inmate, Maghaberry, aged 25 years

  1997–1 inmate, Maghaberry, aged 29 years

  1998–1 inmate, Maghaberry, aged 22 years

  1999–1 inmate, Maghaberry, aged 35 years.

  Coroners' inquests have yet to determine the cause of three other deaths in prison. During the same period there has been one death due to hanging in the Young Offenders Centre and two other deaths there are under investigation by the Coroner.

  Dr. Vis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when action to prevent suicide in Northern Ireland prisons will be brought into line with practice in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement. [134156]

  Mr. Ingram
  Suicide awareness policy and practice in the Northern Ireland Prison Service is broadly in line with practice in prison establishments in England and Wales.

  Suicides (Hydebank Wood)
  Dr. Vis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many times heavy canvas suits have been used on suicidal boys in Hydebank Wood Young Offenders' Institution in each of the last 10 years. [134158]

  Mr. Ingram
  Heavy canvas suits have not been used on any inmate considered to be at risk of suicide or self-harm at HM Young Offenders Centre during the last 10 years.

  Dr. Vis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many times single separation has been used on suicidal boys in Hydebank Wood Young Offenders' Institution in each of the last 10 years. [134157]

  Mr. Ingram
  The information requested is available only from 1995.

  Records show that the observation room in the Young Offenders Centre hospital has been used for inmates who are deemed to be medically at risk. This will include, but not exclusively, inmates considered to be at risk of suicide or self-harm.

  The information is as follows:

  Year

  Times

  1995

  21

  1996

  27

  1997

  25

  1998

  38

  1999

  38

  2000

  130

  1Up to 13 October 2000

  None of the inmates that were placed in the observation room has taken his own life there.

  Dr. Vis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many boys who committed suicide in Hydebank Wood had been(a) subjected to single separation in an observation cell and (b) placed in a heavy canvas suit. [134155]

  Mr. Ingram
  Heavy canvas suits are not in use in the Young Offenders Centre. No inmate placed in the observation cell in the Centre hospital has taken his life there.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  RUC Officers
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has held with(a) the United Nations, (b) the OSCE and (c) other international organisations concerning the participation of serving and former RUC officers in peace-keeping duties overseas. [133523]

  Mr. Hain
  The RUC are one of the many police forces in the UK who contribute valuable officers as part of UK civilian police contingents to international peacekeeping operations.
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  My officials are in regular contact with those international and regional organisations deploying civilian police overseas to discuss issues relating to the deployment of UK civilian police, including the RUC.

  European Charter of Fundamental Rights
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy towards the development of a charter of fundamental rights. [134204]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Government strongly support the Charter. People need to know their rights, and the EU Institutions need to respect them. The Conclusions of the June 1999 Cologne European Council set out the rationale for the Charter. It has two main benefits: it sets out fundamental rights and principles that the EU Institutions should respect when going about their daily business, and promotes their visibility and accessibility.

  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place the provisional text of the European Charter of Fundamental Rights in the Library. [134172]

  Mr. Vaz
  The draft text submitted to the Biarritz European Council was placed in the Libraries of both Houses earlier this month.

DEFENCE

  Ships Names and Badges Committee
  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the members of the Ships' Names and Badges Committee, the dates and locations of meetings during the last 12 months and the costs of such meetings. [134164]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Ships Names and Badges Committee was formed in 1983 with the amalgamation of the Ships Names Committee (founded in 1913) and the Ships Badges Committee (founded in 1918). The Committee has four standing members:

  The Captain, Naval Ship Acceptance (Chairman)

  Head Naval Historical Branch, Naval Staff

  Naval Regional Officer, Scotland and Northern Ireland

  The Admiralty Librarian (Secretary).

  The Committee may call upon additional specialist attendees such as the Naval Adviser on Heraldry and representatives of naval commands pertinent to the type of vessel under consideration.

  Prior to July of this year, the standing committee was larger, and comprised:

  The Captain, Naval Ship Acceptance (Chairman)

  Head Naval Historical Branch, Naval Staff

  Naval Regional Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland

  The Admiralty Librarian (Secretary)

  Naval Adviser on Heraldry

  Representatives from the staffs of:

  Commander in Chief Fleet

  Commodore Royal Fleet Auxiliary

  Director of Naval Service Conditions

  Director of Corporate Communications (Navy)

  Director of Naval Resources and Programmes.

  25W
  The committee has met in the Ministry of Defence, Whitehall on three occasions over the last 12 months:

  8 December 1999

  8 June 2000

  5 October 2000.

  There were nine attendees at the first two meetings and three at the last. Each of these meetings has lasted one hour on average but will clearly vary subject to the number of vessels under consideration. The cost of such meetings is minimal.

  Radio Systems
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on the Bowman Radio Project with special reference to the(a) project overrun and (b) cost; [133586]

  (2) if he will make a statement on future use of the Clausman Radio System with relevance to its life expectancy. [133587]

  Dr. Moonie
  I have taken these as referring to Bowman and Clansman. Bowman will provide the armed forces with a tactical combat radio communications system to replace the Clansman system which has been in service since the mid 70s. Clansman will continue to be fully supported until the introduction of Bowman. MOD is seeking to maintain the current planned in service date of late 2003/early 2004 for Bowman, but until the outcome of the competition is known it is not possible to give a firm date.

  The original Bowman in service date of December 1995 has slipped for a number of reasons including technical difficulties, the collapse of the original competition and industrial and budgetary constraints. The announcement in July this year of our intention to remove preferred supplier status from Archer Communications Systems Ltd. and to run a new competition has placed the project on a firm Smart Procurement footing and we are confident that competition offers the best prospect of delivering the currently planned In Service Date.

  For the purposes of new competition, the available budget for the procurement of Bowman is £1.7 billion (VAT inc). This figure excludes sunk costs, long term support and Government Funded Material.

  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will make a decision on the new prime contractor for Bowman; and if he will state the(a) in-service date and (b) available budget. [133839]

  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 to Walmsley to Mr. Robert Key, dated 23 October 2000:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the BOWMAN communication system. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
  Depending on the outcome of the competition, we expect to award the BOWMAN production contract during late summer 2001.
  We are seeking to maintain the current planned in-service date of late 03/early 04, but until the outcome of the competition is know, it is not possible to give a firm date. We remain confident that
  26W
  competition offers the best route to meeting the requirement within an acceptable time-scale. To date, this has been validated by the vigorous competition currently being conducted between potential Prime Contractors.
  For the purposes of the new competition, and based on work to date, we have set industry a budget for the procurement of BOWMAN at £1.7 billion. (Vat inc) This figure excludes sunk costs, long term support and Government Funded Material.

  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the in-service date is for the Bowman combat radio system; and if he will make a statement. [131786]

  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. Robert Key, dated 23 October 2000:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the BOWMAN communication system. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
  I can confirm that MOD is seeking to maintain the current planned in-service date of late 03/early 04, but that until the outcome of the competition, it is not possible to give a firm date. We remain confident that competition offers the best route to meeting the requirement within an acceptable time-scale. To date, this has been validated by the vigorous competition currently being conducted between potential Prime Contractors.

  Chinook Crash
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 25 July 2000,Official Report, column 550W, (1) on the Chinook crash, whether the emergency power warning lights were switched on at the time of the impact at the Wilmington crash; [133755]

  (2) if (a) the Air Accident Investigation Board and (b) his Department have concluded that FADEC was not a factor in the Wilmington crash. [133773]

  Mr. Spellar
  The incident at Wilmington, USA in 1989 concerned a Chinook HC 1 that sustained severe damage. One engine and the transmission/rotor system were over-stressed, while undergoing tests on the ground as part of development testing of a pre-production FADEC system. While the incident was caused by deficient test procedures, development standard FADEC was a factor.

  The aircraft did not leave the ground, and there was no crash or impact of any sort, consequently the Air Accidents Investigation Branch placed no part in the subsequent investigations. Rather, a MOD(PE) Unit Inquiry into the incident was held at Wilmington in 1989. The records of that Inquiry do not report whether or not any emergency power warning lights had been illuminated.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 25 July 2000,Official Report, column 550W, on the Chinook crash, (a) who made the examination of the FADEC system as quoted in the Air Accident Investigation Board's report to the RAF Board of Inquiry and (b) if that examination found no possible link between the FADEC system and the accident. [133756]
  27W
  Mr. Spellar
  The examination of the FADEC system of Chinook ZD576 was carried out by a Senior Inspector of Air Accidents (Engineering) of the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) as part of their independent technical investigation as advisers to the RAF Board of Inquiry into the accident. In conducting the examination the AAIB followed its normal procedures. The FADEC manufacturers took part in the FADEC investigation at the behest of the AAIB to enable it to conduct its investigation more effectively. This type of assistance is routine in such technical investigations and any testing carried out by a manufacturer is directed and supervised by a member of the AAIB to ensure impartial and unbiased advice is received. The level of contractor involvement was consistent with normal practice in military and civil aircraft accident investigations.

  FADEC failure was one of the possibilities considered by the Board of Inquiry. The AAIB examined the engine change units and FADEC in some detail. The Board of Inquiry report contains nothing to link the accident to the FADEC system.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 25 July 2000,Official Report, column 550W, on the Chinook crash, if he will give details of the outcome of his Department's claim against Textron Lycoming. [133759]

  Mr. Spellar
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 18 November 1997,Official Report, column 152W, to the hon. Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key).

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the criteria on medical evidence used by the RAF Boards of Inquiry into the 1994 Chinook crash and the crash on 1 June 1995 of Harrier GR7 ZG475 were identical. [133590]

  Mr. Spellar
  All medical investigations following military accidents, including the 1994 Chinook crash and the crash on 1 June 1995 of Harrier GR7 ZG475, are carried out to standards agreed by NATO, and these are comparable to those of the Air Accidents Investigation Board for similar investigations following civil aircraft accidents. Medical investigations into fatal accidents for RAF Boards of Inquiry include an evaluation of the aircrew's medical history and an examination of the remains in an autopsy. However the latter may be limited by the degree of destruction to the body, often encountered in high speed accidents.

  Mr. Arbuthnot
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 11 July 2000,Official Report, column 456W, on the 1994 Chinook crash, if the fact that the mental and physical state of Flight Lieutenant Cook was most unlikely to have been a factor in the accident is sufficient to establish that there was absolutely no doubt whatsoever about the matter, under RAF Board of Inquiry rules. [133591]

  Mr. Spellar
  Post mortems were carried out on all the aircraft operating crew and the medical history of each of them was examined fully. The Board of Inquiry concluded that crew incapacitation was not a factor in the accident.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 25 July 2000,Official Report, column 550W, on the Chinook crash, if he will list the
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  faulty test procedures that his Department was seeking redress for in their litigation claim against Textron Lycoming. [133757]

  Mr. Spellar
  The information requested relates to the Arbitration proceedings concerning Ministry of Defence's claim for damages following the Wilmington incident and is covered by a confidentiality agreement about the proceedings between the parties. Accordingly, I am withholding the information requested under exemption 4c of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 25 July 2000,Official Report, column 550W, on the Chinook crash, whether Sir William Wratten and Sir John Day knew of his Department's legal claim against the FADEC manufacturer, Textron Lycoming at the time of their investigation into the fatal crash of Chinook ZD576. [133758]

  Mr. Spellar
  At the time of the RAF Board of Inquiry into the Mull of Kintyre accident, Sir William Wratten was not aware of this litigation and did not recall the Wilmington incident that led to this legal action being taken.

  Sir John Day was aware that there had been a problem with FADEC testing, but did not know of the extent of the Department's legal claim.

  Regardless of this, the investigation into the accident was very thorough. All possible causes, including FADEC, were examined, but no evidence was found of technical malfunction.

  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will place in the Library a copy of the report of the Air Accidents Investigation Branch investigation of the RAF Chinook ZD576; [133996]

  (2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the statement given by Mr. R. Parkinson, Senior Inspector of Air Accidents, to the Royal Air Force Board of Inquiry into the crash of RAF Chinook ZD576. [133997]

  Mr. Spellar
  Both the report of the Air Accidents Investigation Branch and the statement given by Mr. R. Parkinson form part of the RAF Board of Inquiry report concerning this accident which is not in the public domain. I regret that it is our policy to provide such Board of Inquiry reports only to those directly involved, such as the next of kin of the deceased, although of course there is nothing to stop them copying the report further if they wish to do so.

  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the function of the Institute of Flight Safety; and what role it performed in the Inquiry into the crash of RAF Chinook ZD576. [133994]

  Mr. Spellar
  The principal aim of the Royal Air Force Inspectorate of Flight Safety (IFS) is to increase the operational effectiveness of the RAF through the promotion and development of flight safety. This is done by providing specialist flight safety advice, guidance and data to assist in eliminating unnecessary flying related risks that contribute to aircraft accidents. One of the core functions of IFS is to advise Boards of Inquiry on the procedural aspects of running such an Inquiry. This is undertaken by two trained Service accident investigation
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  advisers, who also act as the first point of contact for all external agencies during the initial stages of an Inquiry. These tasks were carried out in the case of the Mull of Kintyre accident but IFS took no part in the actual Inquiry.

  Royal Navy Sales
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what former Royal Navy ships have been sold in the last four years; to whom; what was received for each sale; and if he will make a statement. [134138]

  Dr. Moonie
  For reasons of commercial sensitivity details of individual sales of former Royal Navy vessels cannot be given. However, during the last four financial years contracts signed from Government to Government and commercial sales of surplus vessels are as follows:

  £ million

  Financial year

  Amount

  1996–97

  12.9

  1997–98

  4.2

  1998–99

  0.9

  1999–2000

  0.2

  The vessels sold on a Government to Government basis were:

  Type

  Name

  Country

  River Class Minesweepers

  HMS Itchen

  Brazil

  HMS Spey

  Brazil

  HMS Arun

  Brazil

  HMS Blackwater

  Brazil

  Peacock Class

  Hong Kong Patrol Craft

  HMS Peacock

  Philippines

  HMS Plover

  Philippines

  HMS Starling

  Philippines

  Additionally, two Hunt Class Mine Counter Measures vessels (HMS Bicester and HMS Berkeley) have been sold to the Hellenic Navy, Greece, (via Vosper Thorneycroft) during this financial year (2000–01). HMS Bicester was transferred 31 July 2000, and HMS Berkeley will be transferred over on 28 February 20001. These vessels are not included in the figures given.

  Accidents involving RAF aircraft, excluding those list in conflict, where the AAIB assisted in the subsequent investigation

  Date

  Aircraft

  Location

  30 April 1990

  Phantom FGR2 XV402

  RAF Valley

  30 April 1990

  Shackleton AEW2 WR965

  Isle of Harris, Outer Hebrides

  30 April 1990

  Tornado GR1 ZA 454

  22nm NE Goose Bay, Canada

  9 May 1990

  Hawk T1 XX347

  RAF Valley

  27 June 1990

  Canberra E15 WH972

  RAF Kinloss

  14 August 1990

  2 x Tornado GR1 ZA545 and ZA564

  N Sea, l0nm NE Spurn Head

  16 August 1990

  Tornado GR1 ZA561

  N Sea, l0nm NE Spurn Head

  12 September 1990

  Jaguar GR1A XZ387

  Solway Firth

  17 October 1990

  Harrier GR5 ZD355

  32nm NW Karup, Denmark

  13 November 1990

  Jaguar GR1A XX754

  Saudi Arabia

  7 December 1990

  Wessex HC2 XR519

  RAF Shawbury

  13 January 1991

  Tornado GR1 ZD718

  Oman, Gulf of Arabia

  18 March 1991

  Canberra T4 WJ877

  RAF Wyton

  1 May 1991

  Gazelle HT2 XZ940

  RAF Tern Hill

  10 May 1991

  Tornado GR1 ZA367

  20nm N Bremen, Germany

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  To list the number of vessels sold on a commercial basis could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, some of the more significant sales were:

  Type

  Name

  Destination

  Royal Yacht

  HMY Britannia

  Britannia Trust

  Leander Class Frigate

  HMS Jupitor

  Samsung HK Ltd.

  Leander Class Frigate

  HMS Hermione

  Samsung HK Ltd.

  County Class Destroyer

  HMS Kent

  Samsung HK Ltd.

  Hecla Class Survey Ship

  HMS Hecla

  Simon Robinson

  Ton Class Mine Hunter

  HMS Wilton

  IMA Agents

  Type 42 Destroyer

  HMS Birmingham

  Resyna SA

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which former Royal Navy submarines have been sold to Canada in the last three years; what plans he has for submarine sales in the next three years and at what price; and if he will make a statement. [134137]

  Dr. Moonie
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer my right hon. Friend Lord Robertson, the then Secretary of State for Defence, gave on 6 April 1998,Official Report, column 52, to my hon. Friend the Member for Wentworth, (Mr. Healey). Canada has acquired the four ex-Royal Navy Upholder class submarines. The acquisition takes the form of an eight year lease with an option of outright purchase.

  The first of the submarines was handed over to Canada on 6 October 2000 and the three remaining submarines will follow over the next 18 months.

  The arrangement, which includes the submarines, training and initial spares, is worth some 610 million Canadian dollars.

  No other submarine sales or transfers to Canada have taken place over the last three years or are planned over the next three years.

  Air Accidents Investigation Branch
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list each occasion in the last 10 years in which the Air Accidents Investigation Branch has been involved in the investigation of military accidents. [133995]

  Mr. Spellar
  The list of all accidents, since 1990, involving RAF aircraft, but excluding those lost in conflict, where the Air Accidents Investigation Branch have assisted in the subsequent investigation is as follows.
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  Accidents involving RAF aircraft, excluding those list in conflict, where the AAIB assisted in the subsequent investigation

  Date

  Aircraft

  Location

  29 May 1991

  Harrier GR7 ZG473

  6nm SE RAF Gutersloh

  24 June 1991

  Puma HC1 XW 215

  N Sea 20nm SE RAF Manston

  11 September 1991

  Hurricane 2C LF363

  RAF Wittering

  30 September 1991

  Harrier GR5 ZD4I2

  RAF Gutersloh, Germany

  15 October 1991

  Chinook HC1 ZA675

  RAF Odiham

  30 October 1991

  Phantom FGR2 XV421

  South Atlantic, near Falklands

  12 May 1992

  Tucano T1 ZF316

  11nm SE Lossiemouth

  14 May 1992

  Harrier GR3 XZ990

  RAF Wittering

  9 July 1992

  Buccaneer S2B XN976

  N Sea, 38nm E RAF Leuchars

  7 August 1992

  Harrier GR5 ZD350

  RAF Wittering

  22 September 1992

  Sea King HAR3 XZ593

  65nm SW RAF Brawdy

  16 October 1992

  Bulldog T1 XX513

  15nm E Belfast

  26 November 1992

  Puma HC1 XW233

  Bessbrook Mill, NI

  27 May 1993

  Hercules C3 XC193

  Scottish Highlands

  28 June 1993

  Harrier GR7 ZD430

  5nm SW Heckington, Lines

  1 July 1993

  Hawk T1 XX163

  RAF Valley

  12 August 1993

  Wessex HC2 XR524

  Llyn Padern, Gwenydd

  26 August 1993

  Chipmunk T10 WP980

  RAF St. Athan

  21 October 1993

  Tornado F3 ZE858

  Stainmore, Cumbria

  23 November 1993

  Harrier GR7 ZD432

  Sirensk, Northern Iraq

  14 January 1994

  Harrier GR7 ZD349

  5nm SE of Evesham

  2 June 1994

  Chinook HC2 ZD576

  Mull of Kintyre

  7 June 1994

  Tornado F3 ZE809

  N Sea, 45nm NE Scarborough

  8 July 1994

  Tornado F3 ZH558

  Mediterranean Sea

  19 July 1994

  Tornado GR1 ZA368

  Moray Firth

  1 September 1994

  Tornado GR1 ZG708

  Glen Ogle, Scotland

  19 September 1994

  Tornado GR1 ZG725

  Capa Frasca, Sardinia

  10 March 1995

  Tornado F3 ZE789

  N Sea 20nm SE Spurn Head

  16 May 1995

  Nimrod R1 ZW666

  Moray Firth

  1 June 1995

  Harrier GR7 ZG475

  Irish Sea 3nm SE Burrow Head

  21 June 1995

  Jaguar GR1A XZ373

  Adriatic Sea, 21nm N Bari

  2 September 1995

  Nimrod MR2P XV239

  Toronto Waterfront, Canada

  30 October 1995

  2 x Tornado F3 ZE733 and ZE210

  N Sea, 50nm E RAF Leuchars

  10 January 1996

  2 x Tornado F3 ZE862 and ZE166

  8nm W RAF Coningsby

  11 January 1996

  Tornado GR1 ZE846

  5nm SW Munster, Germany

  23 January 1996

  Jaguar GR1 XX733

  RAF Coltishall

  13 February 1996

  Hawk T1 XX164

  RAF Valley

  19 February 1996

  Harrier GR7 ZG476

  4nm SE RAF Wittering

  26 February 1996

  Tornado GR1 ZD845

  9nm SE RAF Laarbruch, Germany

  13 May 1996

  Tucano T1 ZF270

  4nm W Great Driffield

  18 September 1996

  Jaguar T2A XX143

  RAF Lossiemouth

  9 January 1997

  Harrier GR7 ZD377

  RAF Laarbruch

  15 February 1997

  Puma HC1 XW225

  Steingarten, Germany

  19 May 1997

  Harrier GR7 ZD400

  RAF Wittering

  3 June 1997

  Harrier GR7 ZG861

  3nm SW Castle Douglas

  21 July 1997

  Bulldog T1 XX710

  RAF Woodvale

  31 October 1997

  Harrier GR7 ZD324

  ½NW RAF Wittering

  30 April 1998

  Hawk T1 XX186

  Irish Sea, 20nm W RAF Valley

  18 December 1998

  Harrier GR7 ZD434

  Barnard Castle

  29 January 1999

  Harrier GR7 ZG856

  Nellis Air Force base, Nevada

  4 February 1999

  Harrier GR7 ZD326

  7nm E RAF Laarbruch

  5 March 1999

  Bulldog T1 XX666

  RAF Leuchars

  11 June 1999

  Hercules C130 XV298

  Kukes Airfield, Albania

  9 July 1999

  Harrier GR7 ZD345

  5m SW Boston

  14 July 1999

  Harrier GR7 ZG532

  6nm E Coldstream

  14 October 1999

  Tornado GR1 ZD809

  1½nm SE Kirkheaton

  20 October 1999

  Jaguar GR1 XZ381

  Moray Firth

  22 October 1999

  Hawk T1 XX193

  Shap, l0nm S Penrith

  17 November 1999

  Tornado F3 ZE830

  1½nm SE Torness power station

  25 November 1999

  Chinook HC2 ZA704

  10 nm S Seeb, Oman

  19 April 2000

  Puma XW207

  RAF Catterick

  Formation Communications System
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made in the procurement of the Formation Communications System. [132176]

  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.
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  Letter from Robert Walmsley to Mr. Robert Key, dated 23 October 2000:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence as to what progress has been made in the procurement of the Formation Communication System. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.

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  The Formation Communication System is now known as project 'FALCON'. The Procurement Strategy was revised in 2000 to take account of Smart Procurement principles and is to purchase the FALCON equipment in successive increments, enabling the best value for money and the most up-to-date technology to be acquired for the armed forces. Invitations To Tender for a competitive Concept Phase to study the most appropriate technology and procurement options for the early FALCON trances were issued to six UK-based companies on 3 July 2000. Five responses were received. These have been assessed and it is intended to place four contracts later this year in order to study a range of different approaches to meeting the requirement.

  Modernising Defence Initiative
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the Modernising Defence initiative. [132177]

  Mr. Hoon
  Modernising Defence is not a single initiative; the term covers a number of areas of work where we are improving the management of defence.

  This work builds on the modernisation and reshaping of our armed forces set out in the Strategic Defence Review. We are introducing a new Performance Management system, implementing Resource Accounting and Budgeting and conducting a review of our defence training needs.

  Modernising Defence also includes the work of five project groups that were formed in the Ministry of Defence to seek ideas for ways to improve our policy formulation, to address the needs of our people, to explore ways for the Ministry of Defence to work more closely with other Government Departments, and other public sector bodies, to look at our information needs, and more generally to examine what people need to help them do their jobs. These groups have now made their recommendations, and these have been agreed by the Defence Management Board who have set in hand an action plan for implementation. The plan includes the formation of an External Relations Unit to act as a Gateway between Ministry of Defence and other Government Departments and regional bodies and the appointment of a new Director General for Information to draw together an Information Strategy for the Ministry of Defence.

  Software Programmable Radios
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has to procure software programmable radios. [132179]

  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. Robert Key, dated 23 October 2000:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the procurement of software programmable radios. This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
  There are currently no plans to procure software programmable radios. Such technology is promising, but is not considered ready for implementation in UK programmes. In view of its potential, however, the MOD is investing in the underlying technology, through its Applied Research Programme.

  MRAV Programme
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the MRAV programme; and if he will make a statement. [133836]

  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. Robert Key, dated 23 October 2000:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the Multi-Role Armoured Vehicle (MRAV). This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
  A bilateral UK/German firm price contract for the development of MRAV was placed with the industrial consortium ARTEC GmbH on 5 November 1999, since when satisfactory progress has been made. So far there have been four programme milestones, covering ballistic plate trials, delivery of initial build standard documentation, delivery of management plans and acceptance of ergonomic mock ups. All four milestones were achieved on time.
  MRAV will be procured through the quadrilateral Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR).

  Future Carrier-Borne Aircraft
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the result of the Future Carrier-Borne Aircraft down selection; and if he will make a statement. [133837]

  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. Robert Key, dated 23 October 2000:
  I am replying to your question to the Secretary of State for Defence about the down-selection of the Future Carrier Borne Aircraft (FCBA). This matter falls within my area of responsibility as Chief of Defence Procurement and Chief Executive of the Defence Procurement Agency.
  No decision has yet been made on how best to meet the FCBA requirement. A number of options remain under consideration of which the US-led Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a strong contender.
  Under US plans, the down selection decision on which of the two competing JSF designs will enter the next phase of the programme, Engineering and Manufacturing Development, will not be taken until the latter part of next year.
  I hope that this explains the position.

  OCCAR Convention
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress he and his European counterparts have made in implementing the OCCAR Convention; and if he will list the projects that organisation will be overseeing. [133840]

  Mr. Hoon
  The OCCAR Convention was signed by the Defence Ministers of France, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom in September 1998. Following the passage of the relevant legislation through Parliament earlier this year, the United Kingdom ratified the Convention on 3 May and deposited its instrument of ratification on 11 May. France and Germany have also completed the ratification process, and Italy has presented
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  the Convention to its Parliament. We expect Italy to complete the ratification process by the end of this year, after which OCCAR will have its own legal identity.

  OCCAR is already responsible for the management of seven European collaborative defence equipment programmes under existing administrative arrangements. Two of these involve the UK: the Counter Battery Radar (COBRA) programme; and the Multi Role Armoured Vehicle (MRAV) programme. Other programmes will be integrated into OCCAR in due course, as appropriate.

  Gurkhas
  Mr. Bill O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what plans he has to recruit another battalion of Gurkhas; and if he will make a statement; [133880]

  (2) how many Gurkha troops are serving in the Army; what percentage that is of British infantry; and if he will make a statement. [133875]

  Mr. Spellar
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Totnes (Mr. Steen) on 1 December 1999,Official Report, column 191W, which stated that we have extended the Gurkha Reinforcement Companies and introduced a second Gurkha Engineer Squadron and Gurkha Signal Squadron. We have no current plans to recruit another Battalion of Gurkhas.

  There are 3,357 Gurkhas currently serving with the British Army, of whom approximately 2,100 serve in an infantry role. This represents 7.7 per cent. of the whole Army infantry strength.

  Ulster Defence Regiment
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many former members of the Ulster Defence Regiment whose claims for the Accumulated Service Medal were reviewed because of insufficient evidence were(a) successful and (b) unsuccessful in claiming the medal. [134152]

  Dr. Moonie
  A total of 327 such cases have been considered by the Army Medal Board to date. Of these, 256 have been successful, 54 proved to have no entitlement and were rejected, and 17 have been returned to the Regimental Headquarters of The Royal Irish Regiment for further investigation. An additional 821 applications, for the Accumulated Campaign Service Medal, have still to be prepared for Army Medal Board Consideration.

  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedure was followed by the Honours and Distinction Committee to ascertain the eligibility of former members of the Ulster Defence Regiment claiming Accumulated Service Medals, but for whom the necessary records were not available. [134151]

  Dr. Moonie
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that my hon. Friend the Minister for the Armed Forces gave him on 18 April 2000,Official Report, column 425W.

  Ro-ro Vessels
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on(a) the management, technical and financial innovation, (b) the cost and quality,
  36W
  (c) the value for money and (d) the competitiveness of the Cammell Laird component of the Maersk bid for ro-ro vessels. [133973]

  Mr. Hoon
  No decision on the strategic sealift competition has as yet been made and it would be inappropriate for me to comment on the bids at this stage of the competition.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the relationship between the partnership agreement between BAe systems and his Department on maintenance and repair work and orders for ro-ro vessels. [133942]

  Dr. Moonie
  There is no relationship between the orders for ro-ro vessels and the partnership agreements between the Department and BAe Systems for maintenance and repair work.

  The vessels that provide the ro-ro service will be owned by a private company, who will also be responsible for the maintenance and repair of the vessels.

  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he intends to announce the winner of the roll-on roll-off vessel competition; and if he will give the in-service date of the vessels. [133838]

  Mr. Hoon
  No decision on the strategic sealift competition has as yet been made. I hope to make an announcement shortly. All six vessels are currently planned to be available by 2005.

  Intrusive Diving
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what legal advice he has had from counsel on the activities of sport divers, in relation to the Protection of Military Remains Act 1986; and if he will make a statement on his policy on intrusive diving. [134179]

  Dr. Moonie
  A review of policy on wrecked military vessels is being undertaken at present. As part of this review we have looked at legal issues but it has not been necessary to seek advice from counsel as I had previously indicated. I will write to my hon. Friend when the review is complete and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  MK8 Gun System
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost was of development of the Mk 8 MOD 14.5 inch gun system; if the programme is running to schedule; what the original estimated cost and in-service date was; and if he will make a statement. [134142]

  Dr. Moonie
  Following initial development work at a cost of some £800,000, further development of the 4.5 inch Mk 8 MOD1 gun system is being conducted as part of a firm priced contract covering full development, initial update of eight units and support. The cost of this contract is commercially confidential and I am therefore withholding it in accordance with Exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, which relates to Third Party's commercial confidences. The original estimated total development cost was in the order of £13 million. The development and initial
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  production programme is running to schedule and is on target to meet the first planned ship fitting of the modified gun system to HMS Norfolk in November 2000.

  Maverick Programme
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the cost was of developing the AGM-6562 Maverick Medium Range air to surface missile for RAF use; how long this process has taken; and if he will make a statement; [134140]

  (2) what the total cost is of the procurement of the AGM-6552 Maverick Programme; when deployment will take place; how long this programme is scheduled to last; how long the development programme was; and if he will make a statement. [134141]

  Dr. Moonie
  The AGM-65G2 Maverick Medium Range missile is a proven "off the shelf' missile. No development costs were incurred by the RAF. However, some £1.5 million was spent on aircraft integration and proof of concept work. The whole life cost of the Maverick programme is approximately £55 million, inclusive of VAT. This includes the cost of procurement, integration, training, and a Contractor Logistic Support package. The programme will last some five years, with the first missiles being deployed by the end of the year.

  NATO Peace Shield 2000
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what UK forces took part in the NATO Peace Shield 2000 exercise; how many personnel were involved; and if he will make a statement. [134139]

  Mr. Spellar
  The UK participated in NATO exercise Peace Shield 2000 by sending two Reservist officers: one a member of the Education and Training Support branch of the Adjutant General Corps, and a Captain in the Intelligence Corps. Both officers operated in the brigade headquarters, in the logistics and the intelligence and operations divisions respectively. Both are high-grade linguists and were widely used as interpreters. Approximately 2,000 personnel from 21 nations took part.

  Weapons Decommissioning
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the UK has paid in the last five years to(a) help destroy and (b) make safe (i) chemical weapons, and (ii) stocks of plutonium; how long current programmes are scheduled to run; what the total cost is and from which budget the money has come; and if he will make a statement. [134135]

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

  Future Army Concept Paper
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the Future Army Concept Paper. [132175]

  Mr. Spellar
  A declassified version of the Future Army Concept Paper 1999 has been placed in the Library of the House. This outlines the capabilities required by the Army in the 10–20 year time frame in the predicted future 38W
  defence environment. It is underpinned by the principles and assumptions of the Strategic Defence Review and forms an important part of the Army's strategic planning process.

  Link 16/JTIDS Terminals
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which UK military assets are equipped with Link 16/JTIDS terminals. [132180]

  Dr. Moonie
  Link 16/JTIDS terminals are currently fitted to the Tornado F3 and Sentry E3 aircraft and also to the UK Air Defence Ground Environment. Terminals were also fitted to a number of VC10 and Tristar Tanker aircraft in 1999 to meet an Urgent Operational Requirement in Kosovo.

  We are planning to fit Link 16 terminals to a number of other Air, Naval and Army platforms, the primary ones being Sea Harrier FA2 aircraft, Sea King AEW Mk7 helicopter, Aircraft Carriers, Type 42 Destroyers, Type 45 Destroyers and Air Defence equipment. This will make a significant contribution to situational awareness for platform commanders. Other potential applications are also being studied.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the companies and organisations which have expressed interest in future purchase No. N/SUB1/64247, interim land storage of radioactive waste from de-commissioned nuclear submarines. [132475]

  Dr. Moonie
  The following companies have provided written expressions of interest, in response to future purchase number N/SUB1/64247, for the interim land storage of radioactive waste from decommissioned nuclear submarines:

  AEA Technology plc

  WS Atkins Consultants Ltd.

  Babtie Group Ltd.

  BAE Systems Marine Ltd.

  Babcock Rosyth Defence Ltd.

  British Nuclear Fuels plc

  Devonport Royal Dockyard Ltd.

  European Nuclear Technologies Ltd.

  Gibb Ltd.

  Sir Robert McAlpine Ltd.

  NNC Ltd.

  Nuclear Technologies plc

  NUKEM Nuclear Ltd.

  Rolls Royce Power Engineering plc

  Taylor Woodrow Construction Ltd.

  Smart Procurement Initiative
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what savings his Department has achieved so far under the Smart Procurement Initiative; and what savings he expects to achieve up to July 2008. [133841]

  Dr. Moonie
  Over the three successive annual planning rounds since the inception of the Smart Procurement Initiative, we have identified costing reductions
  39W
  attributable to Smart Procurement which total £2 billion over the 10-year period 1998 to 2008. We expect to improve on this in current and future planning rounds.

  Armed Forces Voters
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to inform service personnel of the implications of section 7 of the Representation of the People Act 2000 for armed forces voters. [133730]

  Mr. Spellar
  A Joint Service Defence Council Instruction is being prepared to inform Service personnel and their dependants about the implications of the new electoral registration procedures. In addition, articles will be provided for Services' in-house news publications, appropriate families' and dependants' journals and single Service websites. A reference to section 7 of the RPA 2000 will be included, explaining to those with a Service qualification that they will have the option of either still registering annually to vote by means of a Service declaration, or registering in the same way as other voters if the appropriate residence criteria are met. The articles will complement the laying before Parliament of the regulations for electoral registration.

  Marchwood Military Port
  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the security implications for Marchwood Military Port of the siting of a container port and access roads thereto in its close vicinity. [133808]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Ministry of Defence would have no objection in principle to any such development and indeed could see some operational advantages to the construction of such a container port. However, any such development would have to take careful account of the special requirements that would be associated with the construction of a civilian facility adjacent to a strategic military asset. In particular, we would need to review carefully the impact of security at the port, together with associated access and safety issues. If any such development were to be taken forward, the MOD would need to be involved at the earliest opportunity to ensure that the capability of this important military facility was not compromised. Necessarily, this would demand that the MOD's requirements were addressed fully within the planning process.

  Submarine Reactor Fuel
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress made in extending the Wet Inlet Facility for storage of submarine reactor fuel at Sellafield. [134171]

  Mr. Hoon
  The new Wet Inlet Facility for the storage of spent submarine reactor fuel at Sellafield is on schedule to be fully operational by the original contract date of 1 December 2001.

  Depleted Uranium
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department was represented at the meeting held in Paris at the beginning of September on the health implications for servicemen and medical auxiliaries of 40W
  inhalation of depleted uranium during Operation Granby in Kuwait/Iraq in 1991; and if he will examine the evidence presented at the Conference of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine by Professor Durakovic, of Georgetown University, on depleted uranium. [134170]

  Mr. Spellar
  My Department was not represented at the Annual Congress of the European Association of Nuclear Medicine in Paris on 3 September 2000. However, officials from my Department have seen copies of the slides that they understand were used by Dr. Durakovic during his presentation. The slides need further explanation by Dr. Durakovic to permit proper evaluation of his work. Dr. Durakovic will be invited by my Department to provide additional information.

  Post Traumatic Stress
  Mr. Neil Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel have left the armed forces as a result of post traumatic stress disorder brought on during service in the forces in each of the last five years; and what counselling services are available to service personnel involved in a traumatic situation. [134161]

  Dr. Moonie
  The numbers of personnel medically discharged from the Armed Forces in each of the last five years due solely or mainly to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) are as follows:

  Year

  Number

  1995

  34

  1996

  27

  1997

  19

  1998

  18

  1999

  18

  My Department fully recognises PTSD as a potentially serious and disabling medical condition. Personnel needing counselling or psychiatric treatment have access to the Community Psychiatric Service at units, out-patient care at the Royal Hospital Haslar and in or out-patient care at the Duchess of Kent's Psychiatric Hospital, Catterick. Measures are in place aimed at preventing PTSD occurring among Service personnel including briefings for personnel deployed on military operations and the availability of counselling during deployments.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

  Crown Prosecution Service
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Solicitor-General how many members of the Crown Prosecution Service have taken voluntary redundancy since the review of the Crown Prosecution Service; and for what reasons. [134003]

  The Solicitor-General
  Since the review of the Crown Prosecution Service, 20 members of that Department have taken voluntary redundancy. All have done so as a result of the organisational restructuring within the Department. By way of comparison, the Department currently has 6,383 members of staff in post.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Solicitor-General how many members of the Crown Prosecution Service have taken early retirement since the review of the Crown Prosecution Service; and for what reasons. [133943]
  41W
  The Solicitor-General
  Since the review of the Crown Prosecution Service, five members of that Department have taken early retirement. Of those, two have done so as a result of the organisational restructuring within the Department, a further two retired for personal reasons and the fifth retired on grounds of ill health. By way of comparison, the Department currently has 6,383 members of staff in post.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Sexual Services (Advertising)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) what discussions he has had with the radio and television regulatory bodies regarding the use of radio and television to advertise sexual services; [133635]

  (2) what powers he has to prevent the advertising by prostitutes on radio and television. [133636]

  Janet Anderson
  I wrote to my hon. Friend on 9 August and placed a copy of my letter in the Libraries of the House.

  Table Tennis
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what powers he has to curtail Sport England's funding of table tennis. [134099]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  The way in which it allocates its grant-in-aid is primarily a matter for Sport England, subject to the terms and conditions of its Royal Charter and its Financial Memorandum, agreed with my Department. The Financial Memorandum provides that grant-in-aid is to be used by Sport England for the furtherance of its objects and the exercise of its powers within the terms of the Royal Charter, the Memorandum and of any other guidance or conditions, general statements on policy or directions issued by me.

  Subject to these general constraints, the Financial Memorandum states that Sport England may determine how it spends its grant-in-aid without my prior approval, except in certain defined exceptional circumstances. The allocation of Lottery funding by Sport England is subject to general directions issued by me and specified types of funding may be prohibited by order.

  UK Sports Institute
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the error on pages 46 and 47 of the Government's annual report regarding the UK Sports Institute was first brought to his attention. [134100]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  The passage referred to in the Government's annual report could have been misleading, and certainly did not give a full picture of progress in the development of the UK Sports Institute.

  To date, over £50 million of Lottery funding has been committed by Sport England to facilities for the English network of the UK Sports Institute. In May/June 2000, the water-based hockey pitches in Birmingham and Cannock were among the first completed new projects. Detailed designs and project development work have been
  42W
  undertaken for the network sites at Sheffield, Manchester, Bath and Loughborough. The Stage Two Lottery application for athletics, judo, netball, table tennis, and general facilities at Sheffield has already been approved. Many more projects are well advanced and it is expected that the majority of the remaining Lottery applications, representing over £60 million of further investment in network facilities in England, will be made in the next six months.

  In addition, the UKSI—Scottish Institute of Sport, funded by Sport Scotland, has been established and operating for 18 months and the Sports Council for Wales has been operating and developing UKSI Cymru for some time. Both have been providing a range of services direct to athletes including technical training and support, conditioning guidance and supervision, preventive and reactive sports medical support and sports science.

  Across the UK as a whole, the Athlete Career and Education programme (ACE UK) is up and running, providing personal development courses to athletes to meet their individual needs, as well as a high performance coaching programme introduced to provide a range of sport and coach specific personalised programmes in IT skills through to specific training sessions.

  I am arranging for copies of the UKSI Quarterly Update report for August 2000—produced by UK Sport—to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses to provide further information on progress of the UK Sports Institute.

  Football
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport who is responsible for appointing the chairman of the Independent Football Commission; and what discussions he had in this regard with(a) football governing bodies, (b) football supporters groups and (c) the right hon. Member for Copeland, (Dr. Cunningham). [134123]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  As I announced on Friday 20 October, I have agreed to appoint the Chairman of the Independent Football Commission for his or her first term and I am now seeking applications for this post. I will select the preferred candidate on the advice of an appointments panel chaired by one of my officials as would be the case with a public appointment.

  I have held a wide number of discussions about the recommendations of the Football Task Force with football governing bodies, football supporters groups and other interested parties including my right hon. Friend, the Member for Copeland, (Dr. Cunningham).

  Millennium Dome
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport on what date(a) the Millennium Commission and (b) the New Millennium Experience Company were advised that agreement had been reached with Dome Europe for the sale of the Millennium Dome. [134124]

  Janet Anderson
  The New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) was informed of the Government's decision to make Dome Europe preferred bidder on 26 July. The Millennium Commission was informed at its meeting on 27 July.

  Philharmonic Hall (Liverpool)
  Mrs. Ellman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what funding is being made available to Liverpool City Council in respect of the Philharmonic Hall in Liverpool. [133881]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  I am aware of negotiations currently between Liverpool City Council and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society over the future running of the Philharmonic Hall. I am not aware that final conclusions have been reached. The question of whether additional funding would be available to the City Council is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions.

  Free Television Licences
  Ms Southworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many pensioners will benefit from free television licences in Warrington, South this year. [133753]

  Janet Anderson
  Everyone aged 75 or over will be entitled to benefit from a free television licence from 1 November this year, but television licences cover households rather than individuals. Exact figures on the number of households which will benefit from the concession are not available. However, the 1991 Census New Parliamentary Constituency Monitor, published by the Office for National Statistics, shows the population of the Warrington, South constituency as 88,040, of which 2.2 per cent. were men aged 75 and over and 4.3 per cent. were women aged 75 and over.

  Playing Fields
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many acres of(a) public and (b) school playing fields have been sold off in each year since 1997. [133989]

  Kate Hoey
  Information on the acreage of public playing fields sold since 1997 is not available. Sport England does however, monitor the number of planning applications concerning playing fields in its role as statutory consultee.

  The Amendment to Section 77 of the School Standards and Framework Act in October 1998, which was brought in to halt the previous Administration's policy of forcing schools to sell off playing fields, has introduced powers that require all state schools to seek consent for the sale of playing fields from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment. In making his decision my right hon. Friend will take into account a number of criteria including consultation with the community and user groups, whether the proceeds will be used for education or used to enhance or improve sports provision, and whether the remaining playing fields fully meet the needs of local schools and the community.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Employment gave approval for the sale of 26.4 acres of school playing fields in England in 1998; 111.2 acres in 1999, and 60.9 acres in 2000.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provision he has made to meet the needs of asylum seekers who have been victims of torture before arriving in the UK. [133823]

  Mrs. Roche
  All asylum seekers and their dependants are entitled to register with a doctor to receive medical treatment. Doctors can refer asylum seekers who have, or who it is believed may have, been tortured to specialist medical practitioners to enable them to receive appropriate treatment. The National Asylum Support Service (NASS) may consider meeting the travel costs of asylum seekers supported by it who need to travel to the Medical Foundation for an initial assessment in connection with their application for asylum. NASS will also consider meeting the travel costs of an asylum seeker it is supporting in dispersed accommodation and who needs to travel to the Medical Foundation for specialist treatment following referral by their General Practitioner.

  Alcohol
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 21 July 2000,Official Report, columns 362–63W, (1) if he will assess the impact of the controls added to the drinks industry's code of practice on the merchandising and packaging of alcoholic drinks; [134074]

  (2) about merchandising and packaging of alcoholic drinks, if he will assess the impact of the measures the drinks industry is taking to ensure alcohol is made less accessible to children. [134072]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The Portman Group's Code of Practice, which is supported by the overwhelming majority of companies involved in the manufacture and sale of alcoholic drinks, has provided real and substantial benefits. The numbers of complaints and upheld complaints have both fallen; the findings of the independent panel, set up by the Group to consider complaints of breaches of the code, have enjoyed a high degree of compliance; and the Group's system of Retailer Alert Bulletins, advising retailers not to stock offending products in their original packaging, has reduced their availability to the public.

  Other industry initiatives, including the development and distribution of proof of age cards, should be commended.

  Nevertheless, it is a cause for great concern that, as separate research studies show, large numbers of children under 18 are able to buy alcohol, both in pubs and in retail outlets. It is for this reason that we have strongly supported the provisions strengthening the law on under-age sales included in the Private Member's Bill introduced by my hon. Friend the Member for Pudsey (Mr. Truswell); and that we have proposed to bring forward further measures to deal with the problem, including the test purchasing of alcohol, as set out in our White Paper "Time for Reform".
  45W
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with representatives of the drinks industry on the application of the code of practice on the naming of alcoholic products. [133972]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I meet representatives, which may include the Portman Group, from time to time, to discuss matters of current interest, which may include the operation of the Group's code of practice on the naming, packaging and merchandising of alcohol drinks.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 21 July 2000,Official Report, columns 362–63W, about merchandising and packaging of alcoholic drinks, (1) what assessment he has made of the extent to which the provision in the Code of Practice about avoiding artificially bright colours in the product and the packaging has been implemented; [134071]

  (2) if he will make a statement on how the taste and texture of beers, ciders and lagers are assessed when deciding if the product misleads about its true alcoholic nature. [134073]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Since September 1997, there have been five complaints that alcoholic products or their packaging have been more likely to appeal to under-18s than adults by reason of artificially bright colours. Of these complaints, two have been upheld by the independent complaints panel for the Portman Group's code of practice.

  The panel has also upheld two complaints (one relating to the same product as one of the complaints mentioned above) where a product's texture contributed to its excessive appeal to under-18s.

  It is a matter for the panel to decide how to take relevant factors such as texture into account when considering the question of a product's appeal to under-18s.

  I understand that the code is likely to be reviewed next year.

  New fixed penalty offences—Number of substantive tickets issued, England and Wales, August to December 1999

  Police force

  Carrying more than one person on pedal cycle

  Cycling on the footway (pavement)

  Registration mark defective

  Overtaking at pelican, zebra or puffin crossing

  Driving on footway (pavement)

  Total

  Avon and Somerset

  —

  19

  127

  7

  16

  169

  Bedfordshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Cambridgeshire

  4—

  Cheshire

  —

  6

  87

  60

  2

  155

  Cleveland

  1

  5

  4

  4

  —

  14

  Cumbria

  2

  12

  32

  —

  4

  50

  Derbyshire

  —

  3

  5

  —

  3

  11

  Devon and Cornwall

  1

  28

  20

  —

  4

  53

  Dorset

  1

  7

  92

  4

  7

  111

  Durham

  —

  7

  14

  —

  1

  22

  Essex

  2

  76

  236

  1

  5

  320

  Gloucestershire

  —

  25

  31

  —

  6

  62

  Greater Manchester

  2

  38

  126

  5

  1n/a

  171

  Hampshire

  1

  52

  92

  2

  —

  147

  Hertfordshire

  —

  11

  114

  2

  3

  130

  Pedal Cycles
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) of 26 June 2000,Official Report, columns 384–86W, if he will call for reports on the reasons for the absence of fixed penalties for carrying more than one person on a pedal cycle in (a) Avon and Somerset, (b) Bedfordshire, (c) Cambridgeshire, (d) Cheshire, (e) Derbyshire, (f) Durham, (g) Essex, (h) Gloucestershire, (i) Hertfordshire, (j) Humberside, (k) the City of ondon, (l) the Metropolitan Police area, (m) Norfolk, (n) Northamptonshire, (o) North Yorkshire,(p) Nottinghamshire, (q) South Yorkshire, (r) Staffordshire, (s) Surrey, (t) Sussex, (u) Warwickshire, (v) the West Midlands and (w) West Yorkshire, between 1 August and 31 December 1999. [134070]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The issuing of fixed penalties for cycling offences is an operational matter for individual chief officers of police. Data from Essex and Humberside have now been received and show that two and three fixed penalties were issued respectively for carrying more than one person on a pedal cycle for the period August to December 1999. Data have also now been received from West Yorkshire and show that one fixed penalty was issued for carrying more than one person on a pedal cycle for the period November to December 1999. Cambridgeshire cannot supply relevant data. The remaining forces have indicated that no fixed penalty notices were issued. I have no plans to call for reports in this instance from the forces referred to by my hon. Friend the Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell).

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell), of 26 June 2000,Official Report, columns 384–86W, if he will call for a report on the reason for the absence of fixed penalties for cycling on pedestrian footways in West Yorkshire between 1 August and 31 December 1999. [134069]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The issuing of fixed penalties for cycling offences is an operational matter for individual chief officers of police. Data from West Yorkshire have now been received and show that two fixed penalties were issued for the offence of cycling on the pavement in the period November to December 1999. No data are available for the period August to December 1999.
  47W

  New fixed penalty offences—Number of substantive tickets issued, England and Wales, August to December 1999

  Police force

  Carrying more than one person on pedal cycle

  Cycling on the footway (pavement)

  Registration mark defective

  Overtaking at pelican zebra or puffin crossing

  Driving on footway (pavement)

  Total

  Humberside

  3

  19

  35

  3

  1

  61

  Kent

  2

  48

  84

  2

  39

  175

  Lancashire

  2

  8

  65

  —

  41

  116

  Leicestershire

  1

  13

  30

  —

  2

  46

  Lincolnshire

  9

  15

  118

  1

  3

  146

  London, City of

  —

  10

  5

  —

  10

  25

  Merseyside

  1

  18

  3

  —

  5

  27

  Metropolitan Police

  —

  29

  109

  22

  8

  168

  Norfolk2

  —

  8

  1

  1

  1

  11

  Northamptonshire

  —

  2

  36

  —

  —

  38

  Northumbria

  1

  21

  32

  3

  9

  66

  North Yorkshire

  —

  18

  33

  2

  53

  106

  Nottinghamshire

  —

  5

  146

  —

  2

  153

  South Yorkshire

  —

  11

  219

  12

  61

  303

  Staffordshire2

  —

  3

  27

  4

  —

  34

  Suffolk

  2

  53

  30

  —

  —

  85

  Surrey

  —

  13

  78

  1

  4

  96

  Sussex

  —

  15

  5

  —

  —

  20

  Thames Valley

  1

  8

  —

  —

  2

  11

  Warwickshire

  —

  2

  16

  —

  2

  20

  West Mercia

  1

  36

  87

  4

  5

  133

  West Midlands

  —

  4

  12

  1

  1

  18

  West Yorkshire3

  1

  —

  —

  2

  2

  5

  Wiltshire

  —

  6

  17

  —

  1

  24

  Dyfed-Powys

  —

  7

  —

  —

  1

  8

  Gwent

  —

  —

  29

  1

  1

  31

  North Wales

  n/a

  n/a

  —

  —

  34

  34

  South Wales

  —

  4

  11

  —

  38

  53

  Total (42 forces)

  34

  665

  2,208

  144

  377

  3,428

  1Included in column 2

  2October to December only

  3November to December only

  4Figures not available

  Anti-Social Behaviour Orders
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to collect information, broken down by sub-division within each police authority, on the number of anti-social behaviour orders issued. [133595]

  Mr. Boateng
  As from 1 June this year, magistrates courts will be keeping records of the number of anti-social behaviour orders they issue in a form which can be collated centrally on a quarterly basis. The information centrally available under this system will be able to be broken down by petty sessions area, but not in the way suggested by my hon. Friend.

  Ministerial Meetings
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the notes of the meeting on 27 October 1997 between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for North Warwickshire, (Mr. O'Brien), my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Folkestone and Noth Hythe, (Mr. Howard) and the hon. Member for North Thanet. [133941]

  Mr. Straw
  I have placed a copy of the meeting notes in the Library today.

  Policing (Chorley)
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the funding for policing in Chorley was in each of the last three years. [133848]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I have been advised by the Chief Constable that Lancashire operates a system of devolved financial management whereby budgets are given both to Divisional Commanders (to run their policing division) and to Departmental Heads.

  Chorley is part of Southern Division, one of six policing divisions in Lancashire Constabulary.

  That part of the total Southern Division budget allocated to Chorley in the last three years was:

  £ million

  1998–99

  5.2

  1999–2000

  5.9

  2000–01

  6.1

  These costs include police and support staff salaries and a proportion of other Divisional support costs.

  The Chief Constable also tells me that a wide range of budgets/costs are incurred centrally such as those for Human Resources and Finance. In addition, there is a range of forcewide operational support functions such as an Intelligence Unit and an Operational Support Unit that

  49W
  support divisional activity. The Chief Constable estimates that when these matters are taken into account, total funding for Chorley over the last three years would be as follows:

  £ million

  1998–99

  8.8

  1999–2000

  10.0

  2000–01

  10.4

  Imaging Systems
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made since 24 July on his Department's acquisition of(a) through-the-wall imaging systems and (b) life signs monitoring systems; and if he will make a statement. [131787]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Trials of cell monitoring equipment were carried out by the Police Scientific Development Branch (PSDB) at Belmarsh Prison during 1999. The equipment failed after some time in situ and the trials were suspended. The Prison Service is reviewing this project and may ask PSDB to do further work.

  Police Service (Former RUC Officers)
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he has taken to encourage police services(a) in England and Wales and (b) in London to recruit from ranks of former RUC officer and reservists; what retraining facilities are available; and how many former RUC officers and reservists have been recruited in the last 12 months. [133543]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Officers of the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) may apply to transfer to forces in England and Wales. Officers recruited through inter-force transfers to police forces in England and Wales, and the London area are generally excluded from calculating recruitment for the purposes of determining Crime Fighting Fund (CFF) grant entitlement. It has been agreed to make an exception to this in the case of RUC officers.

  Members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve Force (RUCR) are not members of the RUC and are therefore not eligible to transfer to any police force in England and Wales. They may apply to join forces in England and Wales subject to meeting the normal entry requirements of the force to which they apply.

  Retraining is a matter for individual forces. They must assess what training is required for any transferees joining their force, paying particular attention to local (force) procedures.

  No information is collected centrally on the number of police officers from the RUC who have transferred to police forces in England and Wales or the number of former RUC reservists who have been recruited to forces in England and Wales.

  Criminal Cases (Police Conduct)
  Mr. Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action is taken against constabularies that are reported as failing to comply with the Criminal 50W
  Procedure and Investigations Act 1996 by withholding unused material from defence lawyers in criminal cases. [130537]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  [pursuant to his reply, 18 July 2000, Official Report, c. 164–65W]The first paragraph of my reply should have read as follows:The Government are aware of concerns about the operation of the disclosure provisions of the Criminal Procedure and Investigations Act 1996. Since the beginning of this year, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has received three letters from Members of Parliament and four from members of the public on this issue. Action is well under way to address these concerns.

SCOTLAND

  RUC Officers and Reservists
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he has taken to encourage police services to recruit from ranks of former RUC officer and reservists, what retraining facilities are available; and how many former RUC officers and reservists have been recruited in the last 12 months. [133517]

  Dr. Reid
  This is a matter for the Scottish Parliament.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Retirement Age
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on progress made with the French authorities on recognising a standard pilot retirement age of 65; and when he expects a solution will be reached. [134195]

  Mr. Mullin
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply on 9 November 1999,Official Report, column 487W.

  The French authorities have asked that the matter be raised with ICAO and we have been exploring with ICAO whether their age limit could be amended in line with that in JAR-OPS.

  European Flag
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what reasons underlie his policy of modifying regulations to allow the European flag to be flown without planning permission; what representations he has received on this issue; how many locations he expects will be affected; what manner of appeal locally will be possible; and if he will make a statement. [134184]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The UK is a member of the European Union. Our proposal would remove a layer of bureaucracy and make it easier for anyone who wants to fly the European Union flag to do so from any location where there is a flagstaff. Any national flags may already be flown without planning consent. The flying of the European Union flag would not be subject to planning restrictions therefore there would be no right of appeal. I have received four representations about this proposal, three from hon. Members and one from a member of the public.

  Environmental Health Officers
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps his Department is taking to ensure that there is an adequate supply of environmental health officers. [133866]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The Government give general grant funding to local authorities to enable them to meet their responsibilities, including environmental health. In the current Spending Review period from 2001–02 to 2003–04, standard spending assessments and Government grant to councils will increase in real terms by an average of over 3 per cent. a year. The Environment Protective and Cultural Services block settlement, which covers councils' responsibilities in this area, is the best for many years, with 1.8 per cent. real terms increases each year and 2.7 per cent. more in 2001–02 than previously planned.

  At a local level, the extent of the funding for environmental health officers is, however, a matter for individual councils bearing in mind their statutory responsibilities, their priorities and the wishes of their electorate.

  Waste Management
  Mr. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment

  Borough and latest UDP stage

  Sites identified for possible major waste schemes

  Royal Borough Kingston upon Thames (Adopted March 1998)

  Improvement of refuse transfer facilities at the Athelstan Road Depot.

  Merton UDP (Deposit draft September 1999)

  23P Garth Road Depot Waste Treatment Facility (including buffer zone and environmental improvements).

  Hammersmith and Fulham (Revised deposit June 2000)

  Site 47 Imperial Road. Depot for waste recycling.

  Croydon UDP (Adopted January 1997)

  EP4 The development of large scale waste management facilities will only be appropriate in Purley Way North and South Industrial Areas.

  Bexley UDP (Adopted July 1996)

  Policy WS1 identities four special industrial zones which could accommodate Waste facilities but not exclusively. One has subsequently been developed for the sludge incineration and the second one is subject to a current application with DTI.

  Mr. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the case for imposing maximum(a) size and (b) capacity limits on particular types of waste management facilities; and if he will make a statement. [134064]

  Mr. Meacher
  The size and capacity of waste management facilities must be considered on a site by site basis, taking account of the location, quantity and nature of material to be dealt with, transport issues and other considerations. Government do not therefore consider it appropriate to impose constraints on the size or capacity of facilities. However, "Waste Strategy 2000" states that energy from waste plant should be appropriately-sized so as not to crowd out recycling.

  Mr. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what powers planning authorities have to impose a moratorium on specific waste management options. [134058]

  Mr. Meacher
  Local planning authorities do not have powers to impose a moratorium on specific types of waste management facility. All planning applications for
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  he has made of the need for new or extended waste management facilities to enable waste disposal authorities in London to meet the target for diverting waste from landfill by 2005. [134061]

  Mr. Meacher
  The Government have made no assessment of the likely need for new or extended waste facilities in London. Any requirements for new or extended waste facilities in London are a matter for London boroughs as the relevant waste planning authorities. Any proposals for facilities to handle municipal waste must be consistent with the Mayor's municipal waste management strategy. Prior to publication of that strategy, proposals must be consistent with the national waste strategy, "Waste Strategy 2000".

  Mr. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list sites identified in the Unitary Development Plans of London boroughs for possible major waste management schemes. [134066]

  Mr. Meacher
  Three Unitary Development Plans, those for Hammersmith and Fulham, Kingston and Merton, have site specific proposals for waste schemes, although only one (Hammersmith and Fulham) is for a new facility. Two other UDP's, Bexley and Croydon, have policies indicating their preferred locations for such facilities. Details are as follows:

  development should be decided by the local planning authority in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. In preparing their development plans, local planning authorities must have regard to Government policy and planning guidance, including that contained in "Waste Strategy 2000" and PPG10 "Planning and Waste Management".

  Mr. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the waste disposal authorities in London that plan to let contracts for the transportation, treatment and disposal of their waste in the next two years. [134063]

  Mr. Meacher
  Waste disposal authorities are not required to notify my Department of the contracts they propose to let. However, the Greater London Authority Act 1999 requires waste authorities in London to provide the Mayor with certain information about existing and new waste contracts. I will ask the Mayor to write to the right hon. Member with the information they have to date.
  53W
  Mr. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how he will ensure that the Mayor of London's municipal waste strategy conforms with the principles and objectives of the "Waste Strategy 2000". [134057]

  Mr. Meacher
  The Greater London Authority Act 1999 requires that in preparing the municipal waste management strategy, the Mayor shall have regard to the national waste strategy, which is currently "Waste Strategy 2000", published in May 2000.

  Mr. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what guidance he will issue to waste disposal authorities in London that will tender for their waste contracts in the next 12 months in respect of(a) promoting the use of rail and water transport and (b) attainment of the landfill diversion targets of the EU Landfill Directive and the national waste strategy; and if he will publish such guidance. [134062]

  Mr. Meacher
  Published guidance on promoting the use of rail and water transport for waste is available in the Regional Planning Guidance for the South East (RPG9), the Strategic Guidance for London Planning Authorities (RPG3) and the Strategic Guidance for the River Thames (RPG3B/9B).

  The Government have published guidance for local authorities on delivering best value for waste ("Waste Strategy Guidance Best Value and Waste Management" June 2000). We will shortly be publishing guidance to local authorities on developing Municipal Waste Management Strategies. We have no plans to issue further guidance on meeting landfill diversion targets or the national waste strategy.

  Mr. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what co-operation he plans for work with the Mayor of London to safeguard and enhance use of the River Thames for the transportation of waste. [134065]

  Mr. Meacher
  Ministers and officials have frequent contact with the Mayor of London and his staff on a wide range of issues, including waste. However, the Greater London Authority Act 1999 requires the Mayor to produce a municipal waste management strategy for London. This shall have regard to the national waste strategy and be consistent with the Mayor's other strategies, which include spatial development and transport strategies. It should also have regard to the desirability of promoting and encouraging the use of the River Thames safely, in particular for the provision of passenger transport services and for the transportation of freight.

  In preparing the Spatial Development Strategy the Mayor has to have regard to regional planning guidance issued by the Secretary of State. The draft Regional Planning Guidance for the South East (RPG9) states a clear preference for the integration of sites of waste treatment and disposal with rail and water based transport systems wherever possible.

  The Strategic Guidance for London Planning Authorities (RPG3) makes provision for boroughs to identify and safeguard suitable water or riverside sites for waste recycling, treatment and transfer facilities. This guidance remains extant until the final version of the
  54W
  Spatial Development Strategy is published. The Mayor should have regard to RPG in exercising his planning functions until that strategy has been published.

  The Strategic Guidance for the River Thames (RPG3B/9B) requires local authorities to adopt policies in their development plans to encourage the use of the river for the transport of freight, including waste.

  Mr. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects waste planning authorities to consider the need to provide for all forms of waste management, in line with the integrated approach required by "Waste Strategy 2000". [134060]

  Mr. Meacher
  Waste planning authorities should consider the need to make provision for all forms of waste management facilities when preparing or revising their waste development plans. The plans should take account of "Waste Strategy 2000", other relevant Government advice including national planning guidance in PPG 10 "Planning and Waste Management" and the appropriate regional planning guidance.

  Mr. Brooke
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when "Waste Strategy 2000" became a material consideration for land-use planning purposes. [134059]

  Mr. Meacher
  "Waste Strategy 2000" became a material consideration for land-use planning purposes on its publication on 25 May 2000. Before that the draft waste strategy, "A Way with Waste" and the consultation paper "Less Waste More Value" published in July 1999 and June 1998, respectively were the relevant documents.

  Pedal Cycles
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will estimate how many people in the United Kingdom use pedal cycles more than once a week; [134005]

  (2) if he will estimate how many people in the United Kingdom own pedal cycles; [134007]

  (3) if he will estimate how many people used a pedal cycle at least once a week in each of the last five years. [134004]

  Mr. Hill
  In Great Britain during the period 1998–99, 14 per cent. of respondents reported using a pedal cycle at least once a week, compared to 12 per cent. in 1989–91. Data on the frequency of use of pedal cycles were not collected on the National Travel Survey between 1992 and 1997.

  Data for use of a pedal cycle more than once week are not collected on the National Travel Survey.

  Data on individual ownership of pedal cycles are not held centrally. However, in the three year period 1997–99, 40 per cent. of households in Great Britain owned one or more pedal cycles (National Travel Survey).

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what plans he has under Local Transport Note 1/97 to codify the ways in which cyclists may use bus lanes; [134054]
  55W
  (2) what plans he has to encourage local authorities to create more cycle ways in order to increase traffic flows in bus lanes. [134034]

  Mr. Hill
  The allocation of road space is a matter for the local Highway Authority. The Department issues advice to the Highway Authorities to encourage provision of cycle facilities and bus priority measures such as bus lanes.

  The Local Transport Note 1/97, "Keeping Buses Moving 1997", provides advice about the introduction of bus priority measures, including bus lanes. For safety reasons it recommends that pedal cyclists be allowed to use bus lanes (this is the norm provided for in the Traffic Signs Regulation and General Directions 1994), unless there is a valid reason for their exclusion. The Department has no plans to codify ways in which cyclists may use bus lanes or for the introduction of cycle ways specifically to increase flows in bus lanes.

  Mersey Partnerships
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what conclusions have been drawn from his Department's quarterly monitoring of the Mersey Partnerships' performance. [133944]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The Mersey Partnership is currently on course to meet all its targets by 31 December 2000. This includes the key outputs and impact indicators of improving Merseyside's image both nationally and regionally, and securing investment with partners from inward investors initially handled by the Mersey Partnership.

  Nuclear Regulation
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make it his policy to request the NRPB to publish detailed advice to nuclear regulators and operators on the provisions of the Radioactive Substances (Basic Safety Standards) Directive in respect of the calculation of population doses from practices giving rise to radiation exposure. [133592]

  Mr. Meacher
  As a consequence of the Radioactive Substances (Basic Safety Standards) (England and Wales) Direction 2000 and the equivalent Direction made in Scotland, the regulators—the Environment Agency, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the Environment and Heritage Service within the Northern Ireland Department of the Environment—in collaboration with the NRPB, are already developing guidance on the assessment of public doses for the purpose of authorising discharges of radioactive waste to the environment. This document will not only provide guidance to inspectors on the assessment of public doses and provide to operators guidance on the preparation of radiological assessments in support of authorisation applications, it will also provide information to the public on the regulators' methods of conducting public dose assessments. A public consultation exercise on the guidance commenced on 3 October. The guidance is expected to be published in Spring 2001.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps he is taking to encourage the commercial sector to improve its energy efficiency. [133593]

  Mr. Meacher
  We are reviewing the energy provisions of the Building Regulations. We are considering responses to a recently completed consultation exercise on proposals to raise building energy performance standards, including in the non-domestic sector.

  The Government's Energy Efficiency Best Practice programme offers a range of information and advice to encourage the commercial sector to improve its energy efficiency. This includes site specific and design advice services, publications, seminars, workshops, board-level briefings and a help-line for small and medium businesses.

  Under the programme, we are also seeking voluntary agreements with organisations that can enter into a commitment to energy savings for a specific sector or sub-sector. Agreements, such as that in place with the hospitality sector, will encourage greater energy awareness and accountability through targeted dissemination and better sharing of best practice.

  In addition to the Energy Efficiency Best Practice programme, as part of the climate change levy package, £27 million has been allocated to the promotion of energy efficiency, the provision of impartial advice, and support for research, development and demonstration. Improving energy efficiency in commercial buildings offers much scope for carbon savings and therefore will be an important component of the expanded energy efficiency and carbon abatement programmes.

  Marine Piracy
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects to establish if ship tracking systems are reliable; what assessment he has made of the effect of such systems on the incidence of piracy; and what action he is taking with the International Maritime Organisation against piracy and armed robbery in international waters. [134180]

  Mr. Hill
  It is a fact that ship-tracking systems do work and serve their primary purpose of establishing the location of ships at sea using satellite technology. I understand that their widespread use can be taken as a good indicator of their reliability. Although my Department is not directly involved in assessing the effectiveness of such systems we have consulted the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) who have actively promoted use of the tracking system called 'Shiploc' as an effective counter piracy measure, particularly in cases where the objective is to steal the ship. This allows shipping companies to monitor their vessels' progress, to know quickly if the ship has a particular difficulty and to track it after an incident. IMB have advised my Department that, in their opinion, the system has deterrent value, although it is difficult to separate the direct benefits of this from those of the other measures which are being implemented to counter the piracy problem. Other ship tracking systems are also available on the market (e.g. Fleet Remote Monitoring System (FROM)). It is not
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  for the Department to promote any individual system, but we ensure that ship owners and operators are made aware of the options in our various contacts with them.

  Over the past three years my Department has been active in supporting the International Maritime Organisation's (IMO) initiatives in countering the problem of piracy and armed robbery against ships at sea. These initiatives and actions include:
  In partnership with the FCO, supporting the IMO counter piracy missions across the world with UK experts and finance in acknowledged piracy hotspots.
  The UK is chairing an IMO Correspondence Group within the Maritime Safety Committee, which has produced an aide memoire on the procedures for the investigation and prosecution of piracy related incidents.
  The UK initiated work in IMO to ensure that their Ship Registries have proper procedures in place for registration of ships as a means of preventing hijacking of vessels for fraudulent purposes.

  Public Bodies (Access to Information)
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the working of the Audit Commission Act 1998 as regards(a) access by the public to accounts of public bodies, (b) the grounds on which access to information can be withheld during the prescribed period of access and (c) the circumstances in which agreements between a public body and a private contractor can be withheld from inspection on grounds of confidentiality. [133948]

  £ million

  Programme

  1997–981

  1998–991

  1999–20001

  2000–012

  Special grants (regeneration)

  0.9

  1.1

  1.4

  1.4

  Rough sleepers

  15.2

  17.5

  24.9

  30.6

  Land reclamation3

  49.5

  53.3

  33.1

  6.3

  Community Investment Fund3

  4.8

  6.3

  3.8

  1.4

  Estates Renewal Challenge Fund

  102.0

  146.0

  165.0

  81.0

  Single Regeneration Budget4

  458.8

  560.9

  181.4

  0.0

  New Deal for Communities

  0.0

  0.2

  48.5

  120.7

  Rural bus challenge5

  0.0

  1.6

  4.7

  20.0

  Transport supplementary grant

  194.9

  155.5

  158.0

  21.8

  Public transport facilities grant6

  14.6

  2.2

  0.5

  2.0

  Industrial Development Act grant6

  1.5

  1.5

  0.6

  2.0

  Transport credit approvals

  443.3

  367.9

  470.6

  777.9

  Mobility Choice

  0.1

  0.1

  0.1

  0.1

  Community transport

  0.1

  0.1

  0.1

  0.1

  Environmental Action Fund

  3.7

  4.2

  3.9

  4.2

  Capital Challenge Fund

  146.9

  246.5

  208.0

  0.0

  1Actual outturn

  2Provision

  3Partial funding obtained from Non Departmental Public Bodies

  4On 1 April 1999 the administration of the Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) outside London transferred to the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs). Figures for 1999–2000 relate only to the SRB in London, responsibility for which transferred to the London Development Agency in July 2000.

  5Allocations were £11.4 million in 1998–1999 and £16.8 million in 1999–2000

  6Figures may include non-voluntary private sector bodies

  Note:

  European Regional Development Fund funding made available through the department was as follows: £191.5 million—£229.4 million—£278.0 million—£332.5 million.

  The other information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Housing Policy
  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what plans he
  58W
  Ms Beverley Hughes
  My right hon. Friend has made no assessment of the workings of the Audit Commission Act 1998 as regards access to information. We consider that the right of the public to inspect the accounts and supporting papers of local authorities is an important part of the overall accountability framework. It is the responsibility of each local authority to decide whether information on personal or contractual matters in any particular case is owed a degree of confidentiality and to act accordingly.

  Departmental Initiatives
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions, pursuant to his answer of 21 July 2000,Official Report, column 350W, if he will list all departmental initiatives between May 1997 and 18 July 2000 requiring bids from voluntary organisations and local authorities for funding, together with the total resources allocated to these initiatives, the number of successful bids and the proportion this represents of total bids received; and what data he collects on the average cost of preparing the bids for funding through each initiative. [133983]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The table lists and shows the spending on those Department of Environment, Transport and the Regions' initiatives that have required bids from voluntary organisations and local authorities to the Department for funding in 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–2000 and 2000–01.

  has to require local authorities to publish written policies on housing people suffering (a) racial harassment and (b) domestic violence. [133820]

  Mr. Mullin
  My Department has made it clear in this year's Housing Investment Programme (HIP) guidance to local authorities that we will wish to see evidence that
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  authorities have robust measures in place to tackle racial harassment. My Department is also working closely with the Home Office, the lead Department on anti-social behaviour, to take forward the recommendations made by the Social Exclusion Unit's Policy Action Team (PAT) 8 on anti-social behaviour. One of those recommendations is that all social landlords should adopt a non-harassment clause in their tenancy agreements, and make clear the action that will be taken if the clause is breached.

  This year's HIP guidance also makes it clear that my Department expects local housing authorities to set out in their housing strategy statements a comprehensive approach to addressing the housing and support needs of all vulnerable groups in the community—and this includes victims of domestic violence. Several recent Government publications, among them "Multi-agency guidance for addressing domestic violence" (March 2000) set out key issues which all agencies need to bear in mind, when developing their strategies with regard to domestic violence.

  The Supporting people programme, which comes into effect in 2003, will require local authorities to audit the housing care and support needs of all vulnerable groups in their communities, and publish their strategies to meet these needs. The DETR/DoH/Women's unit has commissioned research on the availability of accommodation and support services for women accepted as homeless as a result of domestic violence. This research will collect information for the first time ever on the accommodation and support services provided by women's refuge groups and other providers, and measure households' satisfaction with the different accommodation and support needs available . The research project will produce guidance for local authorities on the option for meeting the needs of these households. This research and guidance will inform local authorities' strategies for Supporting People.

  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions by what means he intends to evaluate pilot schemes for introducing choice into the letting of social housing; and if the results of these evaluations will be made public. [133819]

  Mr. Mullin
  We propose to commission researchers to work alongside the pilot authorities to monitor and evaluate the schemes and produce good practice guidance for social landlords drawing from the lessons learnt from the pilot schemes. We will be publishing the research findings and good practice guidance after the pilots are complete. We also plan to keep people informed about the progress of the pilot schemes during the implementation and evaluation process and will be issuing regular newsletters.

  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the consistency with which local authorities assess the vulnerability of homeless applicants under Part VII of the Housing Act 1996. [133821]

  Mr. Mullin
  Local housing authorities provide quarterly statistical returns to the DETR about statutory homelessness which include details of all applicants accepted as having a priority need for accommodation because they are vulnerable. These returns are monitored on a continual basis. The Department has also commissioned research into local authority policy and 60W
  practice on housing allocation, transfers and homelessness. The research is due to be published later this year and includes some analysis of the consistency of local housing authorities assessment of the vulnerability of homeless applicants under Part VII of the Housing act 1996.

  Transport Safety
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement in respect of safety protection required in the event of a frontal impact to(a) children and adults travelling on coaches and (b) children and adults travelling on a double or single decker bus if (a) sitting and (b) standing. [134186]

  Mr. Hill
  Other than the provisions for seat belts there are no specific safety requirements directed at frontal impact accidents in buses or coaches.

  Seat belts must be available in coaches when groups of children are taken on organised trips. In coaches first used after 1 October 1988, whether adults or children are being carried, seat belts are required in the front passenger seats and in any rear seat which is not immediately behind a forward facing seat. Where a lap type seat belt is fitted to a seat the area in front must be soft or of other energy absorbing construction. Other than in these conditions the fitment and use of seat belts is optional. However, we recently consulted on the proposals to require seat belts to be provided in all new buses and coaches apart from those specifically designed to carry standing passengers. We plan that these requirements will take effect next year.

  SSSIs
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the sites of special scientific interest that he intends to introduce following their designation by the European Union for(a) England, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland. [134127]

  Mr. Mullin
  The selection of sites of special scientific interest is a devolved matter. In England statutory consultations on the notification or re-notification of 29 sites of special scientific interest (SSSI) are taking place in relation to possible special areas of conservation. These matters are being taken forward by English Nature to incorporate changes and additions in England to the UK list of candidate special areas of conservation transmitted, in accordance with the EC Habitats Directive, to the European Commission in July 1999. The sites are:

  SSSI

  Administrative Area

  Arnecliff and Park Hole Woods

  North Yorkshire

  Blackstone Point

  Devon

  Bolton Fell Moss

  Cumbria

  Braithwaite Moss

  Cumbria

  Carricknath Point to Porthbean Beach

  Cornwall

  Dew's Ponds

  Suffolk

  Ewefell Mire

  Cumbria

  Frome St Quintin

  Dorset

  Haggs Bank

  Cumbria

  Hestercombe House

  Somerset

  Humber Flats and Marshes:

  City of Kingston upon Hull

  Upper Humber

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  North Lincolnshire

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  SSSI

  Administrative Area

  Humber Flats and Marshes:

  North Lincolnshire

  Barton & Barrow Clay Pits

  Humber Flats and Marshes:

  North Lincolnshire

  The Grues

  Humber Flats and Marshes:

  North Lincolnshire

  Pyewipe and Cleethorpes Coast

  North East Lincolnshire

  Kirk Deighton

  North Yorkshire

  Little Wittenham

  Oxfordshire

  Lyppard Grange Ponds

  Worcestershire

  Mobberley and Oversley Ponds

  Cheshire

  Manchester

  Peter's Pit

  Kent

  River Itchen

  City of Southampton

  Hampshire

  River Kent and Tributaries

  Cumbria

  River Mease

  Derbyshire

  Leicestershire

  Staffordshire

  River Nent at Blagill

  Cumbria

  River Till

  Wiltshire

  Rochdale Canal

  Rochdale

  Tameside

  Sefton Coast

  Sefton

  St Austell Clay Pits

  Cornwall

  Whitesike Mine and Flinty Fell

  Cumbria

  Windsor Forest and Great Park

  Bracknell Forest

  Surrey

  Windsor & Maidenhead

  Air Accidents
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions in what circumstances the Air Accidents Investigation Board investigates military accidents. [134154]

  Mr. Mullin
  The AAIB provides assistance to military Boards of Inquiry convened to investigate the circumstances of aircraft accidents under the provisions of a Memorandum of Understanding that deals with mutual assistance between the AAIB and the Royal Air Force. The formal position of the AAIB Inspector is that of an adviser to the President of the Board of Inquiry. The role usually extends to providing assistance with the detailed examination of wreckage and the replay and analysis of any flight recorders fitted to the aircraft.

  The Royal Air Force provides guidance to Presidents of Board of Inquiry about the circumstances in which it would be appropriate to seek the AAIB' s assistance. These circumstances include accidents involving structural failure, fire in the air and any other circumstances where the immediate causes of the accident are unclear.

  A259 Bypass
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what estimate he has made of the volume of long-distance east-west traffic along the South Coast which uses the M25 in preference to roads along the South Coast as indicated in his 1997 Roads Review Consultation Document, entitled "What Role for Trunk Roads in England"; and, in respect of the traffic studies being undertaken as part of the Access to Hastings Study, what estimate he has made of the volume of long-distance traffic which would transfer from the M25 to 62W
  the A27 between Lewes-Polegate as a consequence of the construction in isolation of the A259 Hastings and Bexhill bypass. [133809]

  Mr. Hill
  No detailed work of this nature has yet been undertaken. Consideration of what further work is needed will be undertaken as part of the South Coast Corridor Multi-Modal Study process.

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Orders in Council
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the President of the Council, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Harwich (Mr. Henderson) of 12 July 2000,Official Report, column 582W, regarding Orders in Council, what plans she has to make Orders in Council available on the internet. [1320711

  Mrs. Beckett
  All Orders in Council will, once made, be listed on my Department's website: www.privy-council.org.uk.

  Those Orders that are also statutory instruments will continue to be available from the Stationery Office, which is itself on-line: www.ukstate.com, those Orders that are not can, as at present, be obtained on request from my Department.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Divisions
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Council if she will list, for each parliamentary session from 1997–98 to date, the dates and times of divisions called after 11 pm, and the numbers voting in each lobby in each case. [132628]

  Mrs. Beckett
  The figures are set out in the tables. The date given is that of the sitting day concerned.

  Divisions after 11 pm in Session 1997–98

  Date

  Time

  Ayes

  Noes

  Tuesday 5 June 1997

  12.10 am

  246

  32

  Tuesday 5 June 1997

  12.23 am

  29

  245

  Monday 7 July 1997

  11.11 pm

  367

  147

  Monday 14 July 1997

  11.39 pm

  26

  216

  Monday 14 July 1997

  12.17 am

  26

  174

  Tuesday 9 December 1997

  11.05 pm

  303

  31

  Tuesday 9 December 1997

  11.18 pm

  262

  57

  Wednesday 10 December 1997

  12.01 am

  295

  58

  Wednesday 10 December 1997

  12.20 am

  331

  18

  Wednesday 17 December 1997

  11.25 pm

  352

  144

  Wednesday 4 February 1998

  11.32 pm

  174

  26

  Wednesday 4 February 1998

  12.02 am

  153

  0

  Tuesday 10 February 1998

  11.30 pm

  193

  312

  Wednesday 11 February 1998

  12.56 am

  245

  181

  Wednesday 11 February 1998

  1.09 am

  245

  181

  Wednesday 11 February 1998

  1.23 am

  236

  25

  Monday 9 March 1998

  8.16 am

  214

  124

  Monday 9 March 1998

  9.13 am

  150

  11

  Tuesday 24 March 1998

  1.00 am

  128

  279

  Tuesday 24 March 1998

  3.34 am

  45

  220

  Tuesday 24 March 1998

  4.01 am

  48

  194

  Tuesday 24 March 1998

  5.38 am

  211

  15

  Tuesday 24 March 1998

  6.03 am

  208

  19

  Tuesday 31 March 1998

  11.08 pm

  120

  272

  Tuesday 31 March 1998

  11.24 pm

  271

  119

  63W

  Divisions after 11 pm in Session 1997–98

  Date

  Time

  Ayes

  Noes

  Wednesday 22 April 1998

  11.14 pm

  178

  10

  Tuesday 12 May 1998

  11.02 pm

  132

  296

  Wednesday 20 May 1998

  11.01 pm

  308

  128

  Wednesday 20 May 1998

  11.15 pm

  303

  128

  Monday 8 June 1998

  11.13 pm

  176

  313

  Monday 8 June 1998

  11.28 pm

  296

  56

  Monday 8 June 1998

  11.39 pm

  307

  10

  Tuesday 16 June 1998

  11.55 pm

  214

  152

  Tuesday 30 June 1998

  11.21 pm

  37

  272

  Wednesday 1 July 1998

  11.03 pm

  372

  183

  Wednesday 1 July 1998

  11.16 pm

  325

  185

  Wednesday 1 July 1998

  11.54 pm

  269

  11

  Monday 13 July 1998

  12.14 am

  300

  168

  Wednesday 15 July 1998

  11.36 pm

  275

  130

  Monday 27 July 1998

  11.41 pm

  135

  3

  Wednesday 29 July 1998

  11.44 pm

  219

  86

  Wednesday 2 September 1998

  12.22 am

  17

  391

  Wednesday 2 September 1998

  2.49 am

  43

  199

  Wednesday 2 September 1998

  4.56 am

  10

  214

  Wednesday 2 September 1998

  6.38 am

  220

  24

  Tuesday 10 November 1998

  11.30 pm

  116

  293

  Divisions after 11 pm in Session 1998–99

  Date

  Time

  Ayes

  Noes

  Wednesday 2 December 1998

  11.05 pm

  266

  117

  Wednesday 2 December 1998

  11.15 pm

  262

  116

  Wednesday 2 December 1998

  11.27 pm

  257

  121

  Wednesday 2 December 1998

  11.39 pm

  254

  122

  Wednesday 24 February 1999

  11.09 pm

  165

  140

  Monday 15 March 1999

  11.08 pm

  372

  137

  Monday 15 March 1999

  11.20pm

  365

  137

  Monday 15 March 1999

  11.33 pm

  350

  142

  Monday 15 March 1999

  11.44 pm

  350

  140

  Monday 15 March 1999

  11.56 pm

  351

  132

  Tuesday 16 March 1999

  11.48 pm

  281

  24

  Tuesday 16 March 1999

  12.01 am

  275

  24

  Tuesday 16 March 1999

  12.12 am

  248

  9

  Tuesday 16 March 1999

  12.22 am

  274

  12

  Tuesday 23 March 1999

  11.47 pm

  314

  140

  Tuesday 23 March 1999

  12.03 am

  314

  132

  Tuesday 30 March 1999

  11.02 pm

  123

  320

  Monday 17 May 1999

  11.00 pm

  375

  182

  Monday 17 May 1999

  3.27 am

  41

  361

  Monday 17 May 1999

  3.41 am

  41

  360

  Monday 17 May 1999

  4.33 am

  318

  34

  Monday 17 May 1999

  4.47 am

  314

  21

  Wednesday 16 June 1999

  11.44 pm

  143

  326

  Wednesday 16 June 1999

  12.02 am

  310

  41

  Tuesday 22 June 1999

  11.54 pm

  301

  151

  Monday 5 July 1999

  11.30 pm

  149

  316

  Tuesday 13 July 1999

  11.12 pm

  144

  340

  Tuesday 13 July 1999

  11.55 pm

  343

  24

  Wednesday 14 July 1999

  11.18 pm

  21

  293

  Wednesday 14 July 1999

  11.37 pm

  9

  265

  Monday 19 July 1999

  12.21 am

  220

  9

  Monday 19 July 1999

  12.34 am

  218

  9

  Monday 19 July 1999

  12.46 am

  195

  7

  Monday 19 July 1999

  12.58 am

  195

  5

  Monday 19 July 1999

  1.07 am

  194

  7

  Monday 19 July 1999

  1.17 am

  188

  7

  Monday 19 July 1999

  1.28 am

  184

  7

  Monday 19 July 1999

  1.39 am

  172

  7

  Monday 19 July 1999

  1.52 am

  162

  7

  Wednesday 3 November 1999

  12.00 am

  345

  203

  Wednesday 3 November 1999

  12.13 am

  344

  166

  Wednesday 3 November 1999

  12.26 am

  337

  124

  Wednesday 3 November 1999

  12.39 am

  311

  104

  Wednesday 3 November 1999

  12.53 am

  301

  91

  Wednesday 3 November 1999

  1.07 am

  297

  76

  Monday 8 November 1999

  11.03 pm

  311

  33

  Monday 8 November 1999

  11.17 pm

  306

  27

  64W

  Divisions after 11 pm in Session 1998–99

  Date

  Time

  Ayes

  Noes

  Monday 8 November 1999

  12.54 am

  135

  266

  Monday 8 November 1999

  1.08 am

  276

  9

  Tuesday 9 November 1999

  12.34 am

  39

  296

  Wednesday 10 November 1999

  11.04 pm

  355

  130

  Wednesday 10 November 1999

  1.32 am

  331

  28

  Divisions after 11 pm in Session 1999–2000(at 26 July)

  Date

  Time

  Ayes

  Noes

  Wednesday 8 December 1999

  11.30 pm

  126

  306

  Tuesday 18 January 2000

  11.30 pm

  78

  4

  Tuesday 25 January 2000

  11.03 pm

  133

  271

  Tuesday 25 January 2000

  11.20 pm

  19

  280

  Tuesday 25 January 2000

  11.30 pm

  118

  282

  Tuesday 25 January 2000

  3.20 am

  13

  243

  Tuesday 25 January 2000

  5.40 am

  25

  224

  Tuesday 25 January 2000

  5.50 am

  221

  24

  Tuesday 25 January 2000

  7.50 am

  33

  202

  Tuesday 25 January 2000

  9.30 am

  13

  234

  Tuesday 25 January 2000

  9.42 am

  228

  22

  Tuesday 25 January 2000

  2.00 pm

  318

  16

  Tuesday 25 January 2000

  4.55 pm

  173

  309

  Tuesday 25 January 2000

  5.15 pm

  139

  337

  Tuesday 25 January 2000

  7.20 pm

  326

  141

  Wednesday 2 February 2000

  11.45 pm

  87

  108

  Monday 14 February 2000

  11.05 pm

  126

  309

  Tuesday 15 February 2000

  11.30 pm

  102

  296

  Tuesday 15 February 2000

  1.00 am

  262

  168

  Wednesday 16 February 2000

  12.15 am

  266

  135

  Tuesday 29 February 2000

  11.00 pm

  152

  311

  Tuesday 29 February 2000

  2.05 any

  27

  253

  Wednesday 8 March 2000

  12.10 am

  260

  134

  Wednesday 15 March 2000

  11.08 pm

  15

  235

  Wednesday 15 March 2000

  11.20 pm

  41

  249

  Wednesday 15 March 2000

  12.50 am

  35

  239

  Wednesday 15 March 2000

  1.50 am

  210

  1

  Monday 27 March 2000

  11.07 pm

  311

  48

  Monday 27 March 2000

  11.18 pm

  307

  181

  Monday 27 March 2000

  11.30 pm

  303

  178

  Monday 27 March 2000

  11.41 pm

  334

  136

  Monday 27 March 2000

  11.57 pm

  275

  44

  Wednesday 29 March 2000

  11.30 pm

  34

  260

  Monday 3 April 2000

  12.30 am

  141

  265

  Wednesday 5 April 2000

  12.08 am

  302

  173

  Tuesday 11 April 2000

  1.02 am

  130

  190

  Tuesday 11 April 2000

  1.13 am

  187

  130

  Wednesday 3 April 2000

  11.12 pm

  242

  50

  Tuesday 16 May 2000

  11.55 pm

  240

  8

  Monday 22 May 2000

  11.54 pin

  256

  109

  Monday 22 May 2000

  12.54 am

  6

  227

  Monday 5 June 2000

  11.01 pm

  287

  114

  Tuesday 20 June 2000

  1.12 am

  194

  10

  Tuesday 4 July 2000

  11.00 pm

  39

  284

  Tuesday 11 July 2000

  11.40 pm

  307

  16

  Tuesday 11 July 2000

  11.52 pm

  290

  112

  Tuesday 11 July 2000

  12.05 am

  293

  109

  Tuesday 11 July 2000

  12.18 am

  279

  109

  Tuesday 11 July 2000

  12.31 am

  249

  128

  Tuesday 11 July 2000

  12.45 am

  237

  129

  Thursday 13 July 2000

  1.03 am

  206

  6

  Monday 17 July 2000

  11.36 pm

  112

  207

  Monday 17 July 2000

  11.50 pm

  152

  208

  Tuesday 25 July 2000

  1.38 am

  381

  36

  Temporary Standing Orders
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Council what temporary standing orders of the House have been agreed since May 1997 which are not published in the Standing Orders, HC518. [132631]
  65W
  Mrs. Beckett
  None, other than the Sessional Orders passed as a matter of course at the beginning of each Session.

  Select Committee Chairmanships
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the President of the Council what precedents there are since 1970 for a Minister of the Crown taking the Chair of a Select Committee, other than(a) those relating to Privileges of the House or conduct of individual hon. Members and (b) the Select Committee on Modernisation of the House of Commons. [132632]

  Mrs. Beckett
  As far as I am aware, there are no clear precedents, other than those mentioned, since 1970 (though there are earlier precedents). I am afraid the House's records are not held in a form which enables me to give a more definitive response.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Representation (Funding)
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department on how many occasions the Lord Chancellor has(a) authorised and (b) refused requests for funding in exceptional individual cases under section 6(8)(b) of the Access to Justice Act 1999 for representation before (i) a tribunal, (ii) an inquest and (iii) a public inquiry. [133574]

  Mr. Lock
  Pursuant to my written answer of 26 July 2000 to the hon. Member for Torridge and West Devon (Mr. Burnett),Official Report, column 716W, the Lord Chancellor's powers in respect of exceptional cases are as follows:

  Under s.6(8)(a) of the Access to Justice Act, he may direct the Legal Services Commission to fund cases in circumstances specified in the direction. Under s.6(8)(b), he may authorise the Commission to fund cases in circumstances specified in the authorisation, and he may authorise funding in individual cases where the Commission asks him to do so. I refer the hon. Member to that written answer.

  Telephone Steering Systems
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many letters of(a) complaint and (b) approbation have been received with regard to the touch tone steering system installed in the Public Trust Office on its Mental Health Service inquiry line. [134043]

  Jane Kennedy
  To date the Public Trust Office has received one letter of complaint with regard to the use of the touch tone steering system and no letters of approbation.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what value for money studies have been carried out regarding the touch tone steering system installed in the Public Trust Office on its Mental Health Service inquiry line. [134041]

  Jane Kennedy
  The Public Trust Office did not carry out a value for money study in relation to the touch tone steering system prior to its introduction. The use of the 66W
  touch tone steering system means that clients do not have to hold on the line when all they want to do is request forms, and offers immediate access to these services at all hours.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many touch tone steering systems employed in his Department involve premium rates. [134044]

  Jane Kennedy
  The Lord Chancellor's Department does not employ premium rate lines on any of its touch tone steering systems.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his answer of 11 July 2000,Official Report, column 511W, if he will estimate the cost of ascertaining how many telephones in The Court Service and Land Registry make use of touch tone steering systems.[134048]

  Jane Kennedy
  The cost of ascertaining how many telephones make use of touch tone steering systems has been estimated as £700 in respect of The Court Service and £985 in respect of the Land Registry.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what staff savings have been made as a result of the use of the touch tone steering system installed in the Public Record Office on its Family Records Centre inquiry line. [134047]

  Mr. Lock
  No staff savings have been made as a result of the use of the touch tone steering system installed in the Public Record Office on its Family Records Centre inquiry line. The steering system was installed to enable the Family Records Centre to cope with a significant increase in the number of telephone calls without increasing the size of its staff.

  Mr. Ben Chapmans
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what staff savings have been made as a result of the use of the touch tone steering system installed in the Public Trust Office on its Mental Health Service inquiry line. [134042]

  Jane Kennedy
  The work generated from calls to the touch tone steering system can be scheduled around less busy periods, and so the Public Trust Office estimates that there has been a notional saving in the hours worked equivalent to one member of staff.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what value for money studies have been carried out regarding the touch tone steering system installed in the Public Record Office on its Family Record Centre inquiry line. [134046]

  Mr. Lock
  No value for money studies have been carried out regarding the touch-tone steering system on its Family Records Centre enquiry line. The decision to introduce the system was taken by the management because of evident need for action to maintain the best possible service within the available resources.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many letters of(a) complaint and (b) approbation have been received with regard to the touch tone steering system installed in the Public Record Office on its Family Record Centre inquiry line.[134045]
  67W
  Mr. Lock
  The Public Record Office received two letters of complaint about the touch-tone steering system on its Family Records Centre enquiry line. No letters of approbation have been received.

  Public Trust Office
  Mr. Colman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what consultation his Department has had with the Trustees of(a) the Parliamentary Contributory Pension Fund and (b) the House of Commons Pension Fund about their losing the services of the Public Trust Office. [134032]

  Jane Kennedy
  The report of the Quinquennial Review of the Public Trust Office was circulated as a consultation document to a wide group of stakeholders and organisations with a potential interest. Copies of this report were placed in the Libraries of both Houses. On 14 November 1999 I sent copies to the hon. Member for Bournemouth West (Mr. Butterfill) and to the right hon. Member for South Norfolk (Mr. MacGregor), the Chairmen of these funds, offering to meet them to discuss the changes. I wrote again to both MPs on this subject on 7 May. Throughout, Public Trust Office officials have been in communication with officials of these pension funds.

  Mr. Colman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what continuing safeguards are to be in place to protect clients with less than £10,000 and their funds after those funds have been transferred elsewhere from the Public Trust Office. [134033]

  Jane Kennedy
  In cases where the Public Trustee is discharged as Receiver by the Court of Protection the Court must be satisfied that the client continues to be protected. In those cases where there is an external receiver (for example, a relative or solicitor), receivers are required to continue to keep a full record of transactions concluded on behalf of the client; the Court of Protection can call for an account at any time; and it is intended to call for an account in a percentage of these cases as a matter of administrative routine.

  Mr. Colman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department where the replacement body for the Public Trust Office will be located. [134036]

  Jane Kennedy
  The replacement body for the Public Trust Office will be located in Greater London.

  Mr. Colman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what measures he is taking to ensure that the cost to Public Trust Office clients does not increase if solicitors are appointed as last resort receivers and are permitted to charge on a timed basis. [134037]

  Jane Kennedy
  It is intended that the affairs of Public Trustee Receivership clients be transferred to a number of new service providers, not just solicitors. Where appropriate, the new receiver will be a family member (who will not charge a fee) or a local authority.
  68W
  There is, however, a strong argument that clients should pay the market rate for work undertaken on their behalf if they can afford to do so. Where solicitors take on receivership work, charges are either on a fixed costs or on a timed basis. If the charge is on a timed basis, bills will be verified by the Supreme Court Costs Office to ensure that the number of hours billed is reasonable, and that the hourly rate is within the guidelines set.

  Mr. Colman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) what guarantees will be given to clients that losses to clients arising from fraud or mismanagement will continue to be made good when clients' investments currently managed by the Public Fund Office Receivership Division, Trust Division and Court Funds Office are managed by an external custodian; [134038]

  (2) who will be responsible for the compensation given to Public Trust Office clients for losses on investments and fraud where such investments are made by an external custodian. [134039]

  Jane Kennedy
  Some of the Public Trust Office's existing clients already have assets held externally and, depending upon the arrangements, they may have recourse to statutory compensation schemes, and where appropriate, will be protected by the custodian's insurance policy. The regulatory authorities require companies undertaking custodian work to ensure that proper segregation of assets is maintained.

  The Public Trust Office will ensure, in setting up any contract with external custodians, and on an ongoing basis, that rigorous auditing arrangements are in place to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, and that companies have suitable insurance cover.

  Mr. Colman
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what level of staffing is proposed for the body replacing the Public Trust Office. [134035]

  Jane Kennedy
  Work is still proceeding to determine the exact size of the organisation that will replace the Public Trust Office so it is too early to give exact figures for the level of staffing that will be required. I shall, however, by the year end, be able to offer a specific estimate of the number of staff likely to be required for the new organisation as at April 2001. That number will be expected to reduce over time as the Public Trustee receivership work is transferred to other service providers and business efficiencies are implemented.

PRIME MINISTER

  Hon. Members' Pay
  Mr. Pound
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans there are to review the arrangements for the pay of hon. Members and Ministers; and if he will make a statement. [134321]

  The Prime Minister
  A review of parliamentary pay carried out by the Senior Salaries Review Body (SSRB) in 1996 included a recommendation, accepted by the Government, that parliamentary pay should be reviewed every three years, starting in 2000. The Chairman of the SSRB, Sir Michael Perry has informed the Government
  69W
  that the SSRB are ready to undertake such a review. I have written to Sir Michael confirming that the Government would like to see the following areas covered in the report:

  (i) the salary of Members of the House of Commons

  (ii) the salaries of Ministers and other office-holders

  (iii) the rate and structure of Peers' expenses allowances including the Secretarial allowance for Ministers and other paid office-holders in the House of Lords

  (iv) the Office Costs Allowance in the House of Commons.

  In addition, I have requested the SSRB to consider the present system of calculating the Resettlement Grant.

  I look forward to receiving recommendations from the SSRB early next year.

  Performance and Innovation Unit
  Mr. Pound
  To ask the Prime Minister what additional projects are planned for the Performance and Innovation Unit. [134322]

  The Prime Minister
  I have asked the Performance and Innovation Unit to undertake a further project looking at privacy and data-sharing issues in the delivery of Government services.

  Privacy and the protection of personal information has increased in importance with developments in IT. Data-sharing is a key to modernising government, to facilitating seamless electronic delivery of government services, to reducing fraud against government, and to encouraging e-commerce. This project will analyse a broad range of issues involved in privacy and data-sharing, including current government, private sector and international practices; structural and technological issues; public concerns; and the current legal parameters. The Performance and Innovation Unit aim to complete a report by early next year.

  My noble Friend Lord Falconer of Thoroton is the Sponsor Minister.

  European Council (Biarritz)
  Mr. Pound
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the outcome of the informal European Council in Biarritz. [134323]

  The Prime Minister
  Together with my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office I attended the Informal European Council in Biarritz on 13–14 October.

  This informal European Council was asked to take stock of progress of the Inter-Governmental Conference on Treaty change. It was inevitably overshadowed by the violence in the Middle East. The European Council issued an appeal to both sides to end the violence and return to the Conference table. The Foreign Secretary, who had been in the Middle East, reported to his colleagues on his discussions in the region. Collectively, and individually, I and the Foreign Secretary and other European leaders were actively engaged behind the scenes at the European Council in trying to create the conditions in which the Sharm-el-Sheikh Summit could take place. The European Council asked Mr. Solana to return to the region and he represented the European Union at Sharm-el-Sheikh.
  70W
  Members of the European Council also held a meeting with President Kostunica of Serbia. The European Union played a prominent role in pressurising the Milosevic regime. Its defeat represents a significant victory for democracy, not only in Serbia but throughout the Balkans and for Europe as a whole. The purpose of Saturday's meeting between EU Heads of Government and President Kostunica was to reaffirm our support for Serbian democracy. The European Council decided to make available 200 million euros of emergency aid for Serbia on top of the measures which were announced at the General Affairs Council on 9 October.

  As far as the Inter-Governmental Conference was concerned, this was not a Summit at which decisions were to be taken. Political progress was, however, made towards the agreement which we want to see reached at the Nice Summit in December. That Summit will pave the way to the enlargement which has long been the objective of successive British Governments.

  On the detail of these negotiations, I made clear our support for the extension of majority voting in the areas where this will benefit Britain, for example by enhancing the efficiency of the Single Market as well as the economic reform which we have, with others, consistently sought, while making clear that these areas did not include tax or social security.

  The European Council agreed that there was a role for enhanced co-operation in an enlarged European Union. In other words, there is scope for some member states moving ahead on certain policies faster than others but these so-called enhanced co-operations must be genuinely open to all and must not undermine the existing policies of the Union, especially the Single Market. If these conditions are satisfied, the Government believe that enhanced co-operation can be useful in advancing the British agenda, for example in co-operation in common foreign and security policy within the framework of agreed policies and in co-operation in the fight against international crime and terrorism.

  In this negotiation, Britain has a significant interest in seeing a reweighting of votes so that the position of the larger member states, which has deteriorated in relative terms with successive enlargements, is improved. That is also a necessary outcome of the negotiation if we are to agree to a reduction in the size of the Commission. This issue is sometimes seen as one in which the larger member states and the small member states have opposing interests. We believe it should be possible to reach an agreement which meets the interests of all.

  The Charter of Rights so ably negotiated by my noble and learned Friend, Lord Goldsmith, was discussed by the Heads of Government who agreed that it should be adopted at the Nice European Council as a purely political declaration. It creates no legal obligations. It also sets out in a clear way a range of rights, freedoms and principles recognised within the EU which the EU institutions—the primary addressees—should respect when going about their daily business. It only applies to member states to the limited extent that they are implementing Union-wide laws. It has no application where national governments are acting purely within their own areas of national competence.

  Zimbabwe
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Prime Minister if he tabled proposals at the G8 summit in Japan for concerted action to be taken to encourage the Zimbabwe Government to desist from its programme of illegal seizures of white-owned farms. [133851]

  The Prime Minister
  No proposals specific to Zimbabwe were tabled at the G8 Summit. However, we have been in regular contact with members of the international community who share our concerns about the illegal occupation of farms in Zimbabwe. We have repeatedly urged the Government of Zimbabwe to take action to end the occupations and to restore the rule of law.

  Private Sector Secondments
  Dr. Brand
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the private sector companies from which secondments have been made to his Office since June 1997. [133879]

  The Prime Minister
  There have been no private sector secondments to my Office since June 1997.

  Poverty
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on recent steps taken to alleviate poverty. [134128]

  The Prime Minister
  We recently published the second annual report on our strategy for tackling poverty and social exclusion. "Opportunity for all—One year on: making a difference" (Cm 4865, September 2000), copies of which are available in the Library. This provides a detailed account of the action we have taken since we announced our strategy in September and what more we need to do. It clearly shows that we are already making a difference to people's lives and that real progress is being made in a number of key areas.

  For example:
  the number of children living in workless households has fallen by 250,000 during the period spring 1997 to spring 2000;
  there are now over one million more people in work than in 1997 and unemployment levels are at their lowest levels for 20 years. Over one million people have participated in the New Deals and around a third of them have found work; and
  the combined effects of the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG), Winter Fuel Payments and Free TV Licences for those aged 75 and over mean that a single pensioner in receipt of MIG is over £8 a week better off in real terms since 1997. And pensioner couples on MIG gain at least £11 a week.

  This is only the beginning of a long-term strategy. We are laying the foundations for a society where no child lives in poverty and a society that offers opportunity for all.

  Prisoners of War
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement about the Government's review of ex gratia payments for former British prisoners of war of the Japanese. [133728]

  The Prime Minister
  The review is in progress. A decision is expected shortly.

TREASURY

  EU Trade-related Agreements
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in what ways eligible third country exporters and producers will benefit from their participation in the import preferences granted their products under the EU's preferential trade-related agreements. [133750]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The EC's preferential trade agreements offer nil or much reduced rates of duty to qualifying products.

  EC-Israel Trade Agreement
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of a failure to collect applicable duties on goods produced in Israeli settlements on their competitiveness in EU markets; and what impact the loss of customs revenues to the(a) Community and (b) UK Exchequer will have on (i) export sales and (ii) export pricing power for the settlement-based producers of those goods. [133710]

  Dawn Primarolo
  No such assessment has been made.

  UK Customs are unable to forecast the impact on any overseas exporter where a potential loss of Community or UK Exchequer customs revenue arises.

  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 17 July 2000,Official Report, column 95W, and 1 March 2000, Official Report, column 267W, on the EC-Israel Trade Agreement, if the importation under preferences of goods produced in Israeli settlements reduces their landed cost in the EU; and what financial resources that should accrue to the Community and the UK treasuries thereby accrue to the operators engaged in the production and trade in such goods. [133751]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The UK is not aware of any circumstances in which financial resources which should accrue to the Community and the UK Treasury would accrue to exporters from Israeli Settlements.

  Euro
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the Euro Made Easy programme of DGX of the European Commission; if a report has been submitted to the Council on the programme; and if he will make a statement. [134208]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Commission's 'Euro Made Easy' programme aims to produce information on the euro for those people who do not have easy access to traditional information flows.

  I understand from the Commission that to date they have not submitted a report to the Council on this programme.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for how long sterling has maintained stability within the exchange rate mechanism bandwidth vis-à-vis the euro. [134209]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The UK does not participate in the Exchange Rate Mechanism (ERM).

  Private Sector Secondments
  Dr. Brand
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the private sector companies from which secondments have been made to his Department since June 1997. [133873]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Harrogate and Knaresborough (Mr. Willis) on 27 March 2000,Official Report, column 47W. Since that reply, the Department has engaged staff on secondment from Freshfields and Financial Services Authority.

  Tax Arrears
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what powers of discretion the Paymaster General has over the payment of tax arrears.[133926]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Treasury Ministers do not intervene personally in the Revenue Departments' application of the tax law or their handling of particular cases. The Inland Revenue and HM Customs and Excise are independent from Treasury Ministers in administering the tax system and have specific statutory authority for care and management of the various taxes, under which they exercise discretion over the payment of tax arrears, subject to their fundamental responsibility for collecting the tax due.

  Business Failures
  Mr. Jenkins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of(a) the number of businesses which failed in 1999 due to a tax demand from the Inland Revenue and (b) the cost of these failures to the Exchequer. [133885]

  Dawn Primarolo
  In the financial year ended 31 March 2000 the Inland Revenue's Enforcement Office obtained Bankruptcy and Winding-up orders in 2,219

  Year

  Department

  Subject of Direction

  Category of Direction

  1990

  ECGD

  Sale of British Aerospace Hawk jets to Kenya

  Economy, efficiency and effectiveness

  1991

  MOD

  Chieftain Tank Replacement

  Economy, efficiency and effectiveness

  1991

  ODA

  Pergau Dam

  Economy, efficiency and effectiveness

  1992

  MOD

  HMS Endurance Replacement

  Economy, efficiency and effectiveness

  1992

  MOD

  Closure of depot at RNSD Copenacre

  Economy, efficiency and effectiveness

  1992

  MAFF

  Location of Divisional Offices

  Economy, efficiency and effectiveness

  1992

  MOD

  Image Intensifiers

  Economy, efficiency and effectiveness

  1993

  ECGD

  Guarantees for Export and Investments in Russia

  Economy, efficiency and effectiveness

  1995

  MOD

  Medium Support Helicopters

  Economy, efficiency and effectiveness

  1995

  ECGD

  ECGD Support to Jordan

  Economy, efficiency and effectiveness

  1995

  DETR

  Re-Examination of the Wreck of the Derbyshire

  Economy, efficiency and effectiveness

  1995

  DETR—OPRAF

  Decision on Profit Participation in the passenger rail franchising programme

  Economy, efficiency and effectiveness

  1995

  DETR—OPRAF

  Decision on Revenue Risk sharing in the passenger rail franchising programme

  Economy, efficiency and effectiveness

  1997

  DETR

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link and exceptional hardship Greenwich Peninsula and to provide a site for the Millennium Exhibition

  Economy, efficiency and effectiveness

  1998

  DSS

  Benefits Agency/Post Office Counters Ltd. (BA/POCL Automation Ltd.

  Economy, efficiency and effectiveness

  1998

  DSS

  Benefits Agency/Post Office Counters Ltd. BA/POCL Automation Ltd.

  Economy, efficiency and effectiveness

  1998

  Northern Ireland Court Service

  Concerns an individual's personnel records

  Propriety/regularity

  1998

  MOD

  Sale of Cadet Property in Moffat

  Propriety/regularity

  1998

  DSS

  Benefits Integrity Project

  Propriety/regularity

  74W
  cases. This represents around 5 per cent. of the total number of insolvencies in England and Wales in the same period.

  Insolvency proceedings are taken only as a last resort by the Inland Revenue, after all other attempts to secure settlement or negotiate acceptable proposals for payment have failed. In considering such action they try to ensure a balance between the need to collect tax that is due, maintaining a level playing field for other businesses who pay on time, and a proper concern for the taxpayer to stay in business or earn enough to keep going.

  Reports
  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the reports submitted to his Department, by bodies that were created after May 1997 and that include significant and plural membership from outside the Civil Service, stating in each case the body writing the report, the date the report was submitted, how many recommendations were made, the number of those recommendations that have been implemented to date and the number of recommendations that have been rejected; and if he will make a statement.[133557]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Detailed information on reports submitted by each body, including the number of recommendations made; implemented and rejected, is not held centrally and could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

  Ministerial Directions
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer concerning Ministerial Directions of 24 July 2000,Official Report, column 483W, if he will place full details of each Ministerial Direction of which the Treasury has been informed in the Library; and if he will make a statement. [133366]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  Further to my answer of 24 July 2000,OfficialReport, column 483W, information on the Ministerial Directions referred to in that answer is as set out below.
  75W

  Year

  Department

  Subject of Direction

  Category of Direction

  1999

  DSS

  Benefits Integrity Project

  Propriety/regularity

  1999

  DSS

  Benefits Integrity Project

  Propriety/regularity

  1999

  ECGD

  Cashmere Exporters

  Economy, efficiency and effectiveness

  1999

  ECGD

  ECGD Cover Indonesia

  Economy, efficiency and effectiveness

  2000

  ECGD

  ECGD Cover-Romania

  Economy, efficiency and effectiveness

  2000

  MOD

  Use of public funds to provide financial assistance to meet cost of air flight to Croatia for member of public to attend trial of those accused of murder of his son, a British Serviceman

  Propriety/regularity

  Note:

  The number of Directions in 1999 notified to the Treasury was four, and not five as indicated in my earlier answer. In addition, a Ministerial Direction was made and notified to the Treasury after the hon. Member asked his question and this has been added to that table.

CABINET OFFICE

  Late Payment
  Mr. Efford
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) what steps she has taken to ensure that Government organisations settle invoices within a 30 day period; [134105]

  (2) what steps she has taken to ensure that small businesses automatically receive interest from Government organisations on late payments made after 30 days of being invoiced; [134103]

  (3) what recent discussions she has had with ministerial colleagues on compensation for payment by public bodies after 30 days of invoices from small businesses. [134106]

  Mr. Stringer
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given earlier today by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Trade and Industry.

  Telephone Steering Systems
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many letters of(a) complaint and (b) approbation have been received with regard to the touch tone steering system installed on her office's public inquiry line. [134050]

  Mr. Stringer
  There are no records of any letters of complaint or approbation received.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if the touch tone steering system installed on her office's public inquiry line charges premium rates. [134049]

  Mr. Stringer
  The system does not charge premium rates.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what staff savings have been made as a result of the use of the touch tone steering system installed on her office's public inquiry line. [134051]

  Mr. Stringer
  The system was implemented as an additional service and has, therefore, not resulted in any staff savings.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what value for money studies have been carried out regarding the touch tone steering system installed on her Office's public inquiry line. [134053]

  Mr. Stringer
  To date, no value for money studies have been considered necessary for what is, essentially, a simple routing system to different operators.
  76W

  Private Sector Secondments
  Dr. Brand
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will list the private sector companies from which secondments have been made to her Department since June 1997. [133871]

  Mr. Stringer
  During the period June 1997 to August 2000 there have been 20 private sector companies from which secondments have been made into the Cabinet Office. They are as listed;

  Anderson Consulting

  Barclays Bank plc

  British Airways BT

  Carillion

  Energis

  Frontier Economics

  Hay Management Consultants

  KPMG

  Lloyds Bank plc

  Marks & Spencer

  McKinsey & Co.

  Microsoft Corporation

  Nat West Bank plc

  Oracle plc

  PriceWaterhouseCoopers

  Sun Microsystems

  Unilever

  Wragge & Co.

  Zurich Financial Services.

HEALTH

  Waiting Lists (Gloucestershire)
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients on NHS waiting lists in Gloucestershire who would normally have been treated within the South West Region have been treated elsewhere in each of the last five years for which figures are available. [125546]

  Mr. Denham
  The information requested is not collected centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Chris Creswick, Chairman of Gloucestershire Health Authority, for information on this matter.

  NHS Costs
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the total cost to the NHS was of treating sexually transmitted diseases including in-patient and outpatient treatment and prevention in(a) 1970, (b) 1980, (c) 1990 and (d) 1999; [126839]

  (2) what the total cost was of providing abortions on the NHS in (a) 1970, (b) 1980, (c) 1990 and (d) 1999; [126826]

  (3) what the cost was to the NHS of treating cancer of the cervix and other cervical abnormalities in (a) 1970, (b) 1980, (c) 1990 and (d) 1999; [126840]

  (4) what the cost to the NHS was of infertility treatment in (a) 1970, (b) 1980, (c) 1990 and (d) 1999; and of this, how much was as a consequence of previous sexually-transmitted disease, with particular reference to chlamydia. [126841]

  Yvette Cooper
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Sterilisation
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many(a) sterilisations and (b) reversals of sterilisation were carried out by the NHS in (i) 1970, (ii) 1980, (iii) 1990 and (iv) 1999; how many were requested as a result of people getting married or acquiring new partners; and what the total cost to the NHS was in each of those years. [126838]

  Yvette Cooper
  [pursuant to her reply, 3 July 2000, c. 39W]I regret that the information I gave in the table in my previous reply was incorrect. It should read:

  Procedure

  11980

  1990–91

  1998–99

  Female sterilisation

  16,954

  44,904

  48,194

  Female sterilisation reversal

  6,831

  1,556

  699

  Male sterilisation

  39,270

  36,670

  35,609

  Male sterilisation reversal

  890

  1,745

  896

  11980 data were collected via the Hospital In-Patient Inquiry which was based on a I in I0 sample of discharges and deaths from non-Psychiatric and non-Maternity NHS Hospitals in England.

  Cardiac Surgery
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients are awaiting cardiac surgery in(a) Teeside Region and (b) Middlesborough, South and Cleveland East; and if he will make a statement. [130502]

  Mr. Denham
  At the end of March 2000,291 patients in the Tees Health Authority area were waiting for elective admission to a consultant whose main speciality is cardiothoracic surgery. Cardiothoracic surgery includes heart and lung surgery. The information is not collected at constituency level.

  Traffic Wardens
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will have discussions with London borough councils with a view to stopping traffic wardens issuing parking tickets to the vehicles of nurses displaying a notice indicating that they are attending to patients in their homes; and if he will make a statement. [133421]

  Mr. Hill
  I have been asked to reply.
  78W
  We recognise the parking problems faced by doctors and other healthcare workers including nurses who are required to make home visits. A system to provide concessionary parking for these workers on emergency calls is currently in operation. It is called the Health Emergency Badge. The general attitude of the London Boroughs to routine visits is that these workers must plan time to park legally and pay the relevant fees (for which they may then receive reimbursement from their employer). Whether or not some routine work should be excused from normal parking rules is down to individual London Boroughs.

  National Poisons Information Service
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list the members of the National Poisons Information Service Board; and how details of their meeting schedule, agendas and minutes can be obtained; [127020]

  (2) what reason the National Poisons Information Service has not submitted its annual reports, due in July 1999 and March 2000, to his Department; and what steps he has taken to ensure that the contractual commitments of the NPIS have been delivered; [127022]

  (3) what were the terms of the contracts between his Department and the National Poisons Information Service between 1995 and the current year. [127023]

  Yvette Cooper
  [pursuant to her reply, 28 June 2000, c. 510–11]I regret that there was an error in my previous reply. The calendar year referred to in the last paragraph of the reply should read 1997.

  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 28 June 2000,Official Report, columns 511–12W, (1) if he will place in the Library a copy of the outstanding National Poisons Information Service Centre reports for the year 1999–2000 that were scheduled to be completed by the end of June; [133299]

  (2) if he will make it his policy to allow a lay representative on the National Poisons Information Service; [133288]

  (3) if he will place in the Library the reports made by the National Poisons Information Service Centre to comply with the provisions of European Commission Resolution 90/C 329/03. [133300]

  Yvette Cooper
  [pursuant to her reply, 28 July 2000, c. 1000]I regret that there was an error in my previous reply. The year of the last report referred to in the last paragraph of the reply should read (1997).

  Vaccines (Bovine Material)
  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department has obtained concerning the use of bovine material in the manufacture of vaccines. [134324]

  Yvette Cooper
  European guidelines issued in 1999 made clear that the manufacturing process for medicinal products should not use bovine materials from countries in which there are known cases of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy. The first guidance on this subject was issued by the Committee on Safety of Medicines in 1989. From 1989 onwards, the Medicines Control Agency
  79W
  sought and received assurances from drug companies that they were implementing this guidance and subsequent guidance produced at a European level on a phased basis.

  On the advice of the MCA, my noble Friend the Under-Secretary, Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, informed the House on 4 May 2000 that the 1989 guidelines obliged all pharmaceutical companies to source bovine material from outside the United Kingdom. My noble Friend is now advised by the MCA that these 1989 guidelines did not have the full force of law and that they applied to injectable medicines and medicines applied to the eyes or open wounds. However, the 1999 guidelines do apply to bovine materials and pharmaceuticals generally. From March 2001, these guidelines, which at present are not legally binding, will have the full force of the law.

  My noble Friend also informed the House on 4 May 2000 that vaccines that use bovine material in the manufacturing process manufactured since March 1989 had used bovine material from non-UK sources and that the MCA had established that the latest date that vaccines manufactured before the guidelines came into force could have been used was November 1993. On 28 March 2000, I informed Parliament on the advice of the MCA that from April 1989 no bovine materials sourced in the United Kingdom were introduced as an element of the manufacturing process for vaccines produced at that time. In particular I told the House on the advice of the MCA that all vaccines manufactured by Wellcome after 1989 used bovine material from New Zealand. I also informed the House on 19 October 1999 on the advice of the MCA that since 1993 all vaccines in use were manufactured without UK-sourced bovine material. I have now been advised that the advice from the MCA that formed the basis of these statements was incorrect. The MCA was provided with information by manufacturers.

  The MCA advised Ministers last week that in the case of the Wellcome oral polio vaccine, the assurances given by the company have proved inaccurate. This oral polio vaccine was originally produced by Wellcome. Part of Wellcome's vaccine business was transferred over to Medeva in 1991. Part of the oral polio vaccine was manufactured in 1985 using growth medium containing fetal calf serum of UK bovine origin, and this element continued to be used in the production process after 1989.

  This oral polio vaccine continued to be use up until 2000, in specific breach of the 1999 guidance. The Department of Health has therefore recalled this oral polio vaccine manufactured by Medeva (supplied by Medeva under the brand name Evans).

  The MCA have carried out a risk assessment and people who have received this oral polio vaccine in the past can be advised that the breach is of guidance which has been formulated on a precautionary basis; under the European guidelines, fetal calf serum is in category IV (no detectable infectivity); the processes used in manufacturing are designed to remove all but a remote trace of unwanted proteins such as fetal calf serum. The MCA, taking all these points together, have advised that any risk associated with this Medeva oral polio vaccine is incalculably small.

  I asked the CSM in March to produce a comprehensive assessment of BSE-related issues in vaccines. The Government are committed to publishing the assessment.
  80W
  In the light of the new information we are also reviewing the advice given to Ministers on this issue to ensure that all the information given to Parliament is correct.

  Scientists
  Mr. Austin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve recruitment and retention of biomedical scientists; and if he will make a statement. [134001]

  Ms Drown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken to improve the morale of(a) biomedical scientists and (b) other staff who work in the NHS pathology services. [134006]

  Mr. Denham
  The national recruitment, retention and vacancy survey published September 2000 gave us the latest authoritative data on staff vacancies from 100 per cent. of National Health Service trusts. It shows that 2.6 per cent. of other scientific, technical and therapeutic posts have been vacant for 3 months or more (in England). We are ensuring that effective recruitment and retention policies are in place to make the best use of trained staff, including biomedical scientists and other pathology staff, and that training levels are sufficient to get a better match between supply and demand.

  In October, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State published the performance management framework for human resources for the whole of the NHS. The way employers treat their staff will in future be part of the core performance measures and linked to the financial resources they receive. Included in the framework is the improving working lives standard which summarises the commitment expected from employers to create well-managed, flexible working environments that support staff, promote their welfare and development, tackle violence and racism, and respect their need to manage a health and productive work/life balance.

  In July 2000, a new careers recruitment leaflet was produced for scientists and technicians and the NHS careers information service was extended to include scientists and technicians (0845 6060655 or www.nhs.uk/careers)

  For 1999–2000, to help improve recruitment and retention, newly qualified biomedical scientists received pay increases of 7.1 per cent; trainee biomedical scientists up to 26 per cent; newly qualified cytology screeners up to 11.4 per cent; and trainee cytology screeners up to 6.6 per cent. For 2000–01, all NHS pathology staff received increases of 3.25 per cent. or £300, whichever is the higher, and a formula for 2001£02 is agreed.

  As for the future on pay, the NHS pay system is in need of modernisation. We are working in partnership with trades unions to negotiate a new pay system which will offer NHS staff a more attractive career structure and which will enhance recruitment and retention.

  Mr. Austin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when medical laboratory scientific officers will be brought within the scope of the Pay Review Body. [134000]

  Mr. Denham
  Our proposals for modernising National Health Service pay which were published in February 1999 in "Agenda for Change", include bringing some
  81W
  groups of highly qualified staff within the scope of the Nursing Pay Review Body, without changing its fundamentally professional character.

  Initial discussions with NHS trade unions on pay modernisation resulted in the "Joint Framework of Principles and Agreed Statement on the Way Forward", which was published on 8 October 1999. This sets out the following starting point for more detailed discussions with trade unions on the qualifying criteria for groups to come within the scope of the NPRB:
  Professions with a minimum entry requirement of three years educational study (or equivalent) to diploma level or higher, in a health specific area (other than medicine or dentistry) and which are state registered and have a substantial majority of members employed in health care.
  Exceptions might be agreed for staff groups which met the majority but not all of these conditions.
  Staff groups which support professions added to the NPRB remit, and who have a direct connection with the transferred groups similar to that between nursing auxiliaries and registered nurses would also need to be considered for transfer.

  The widening of the membership of the review body is conditional upon an agreement being reached in the current talks about pay modernisation.

  Consultants' Pay
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to increase basic pay for consultants in the first few years of practice to compensate for the prohibition on private work. [133812]

  Ms Stuart
  The proposals set out in the National Health Service Plan will be discussed as part of the negotiations on the new consultant contract.

  NHS Appointments
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out the composition and terms of reference of the new independent commission for NHS appointments, stating the means by which members of the commission will be chosen. [133868]

  Ms Stuart
  The National Health Service Appointments Commission will be a special health authority, with members appointed by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State following open competition in accordance with the guidelines issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. It is intended that the Commission will be operational by 1 April 2001. Its precise terms of reference are currently being determined.

  Private Healthcare
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the extent to which the UK private healthcare sector will expand as a result of the NHS national plan. [133811]

  Ms Stuart
  We are unable to say what expansion there may or may not be in private health care. That is a matter for the private healthcare industry itself.
  82W
  The National Health Service Plan indicates a closer working relationship between the two sectors. In some instances the private and voluntary healthcare sector can supplement NHS services and it makes sense to ensure this is undertaken effectively. That is why the NHS Plan outlines a change in the way the NHS and the private sector will work together.

  Hospital Waiting Times
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the Mid Essex Hospital Trust area were waiting(a) for in-patient treatment in the last three months (b) more than 12 months for in-patient treatment in the last three months and (c) 13 weeks or more for an out-patient appointment in the last two quarters. [134168]

  Mr. Denham
  Total number of patients waiting and the number of patients waiting over 12 months for hospital treatment at Mid Essex Hospital Services National Health Service Trust in the last three months

  Month

  Total Number of patients waiting

  Number of patients waiting over 12 months

  June 2000

  10,154

  924

  July 2000

  9,703

  876

  August 2000

  9,405

  795

  Source:

  Monthly returns

  Total number of patients waiting 13 weeks or more for an

  outpatient appointment at Mid Essex Hospital Services National

  Health Service Trust

  Month

  Number of patients waiting over 13 weeks

  Q4 1999–00

  2,924

  Q1 2000–01

  3,212

  Source:

  QM08 quarterly return

  Telephone Steering Systems
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many individual lines are operated as part of the touch tone steering system installed in his Department's public inquiry office. [134055]

  Ms Stuart
  Five individual agent's lines are operated as part of the Automated Call Distribution (ACD) system, plus one supervisor line.

  The ACD system has the ability to queue calls in excess of the six lines available, the maximum number of which is dependent upon the loading on the switch at the time the call is placed.

  Eight lines are operated to provide messaging services at pre-determined times (such as to provide the out of hours messages).

  Bury Health Care NHS Trust
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the figures for the increases in revenue income to Bury Health Care NHS Trust for(a) 1998–99 and (b) 1999–2000 will be made available. [133596]
  83W
  Mr. Denham
  The revenue income for Bury Health Care National Health Service Trust for the years 1998–99 and 1999–2000 is as follows:

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  Final accounts (£ million)

  63.4

  —

  £increase on 1997–98 (£ million)

  4.4

  —

  Percentage increase on 1997–98

  7.54

  —

  Final accounts (£ million)

  —

  76.9

  £ increase on 1998–99 (£ million)

  —

  13.5

  Percentage increase on 1998–99

  —

  21.29

  Note:

  1. The 1999–2000 figure includes impairment income of £7.4 million

  2. The source of this information is the published final accounts

  Breast Cancer Services (Nottingham)
  Mr. Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with Trent Regional Health Authority regarding plans for a new breast cancer unit at Nottingham City Hospital; and when he expects an announcement. [133827]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Trent Regional Office of the National Health Service Executive continues to work with the Nottingham City Hospital NHS Trust to take forward its proposal for a new breast care centre. The outline business case was approved by the regional office on 15 May 2000. It is expected that the full business case will be submitted in March 2001.

  The development of the breast cancer unit is considered to be a high priority by both the regional office and the Nottingham health community.

  Tobacco Control
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact on UK tobacco manufacturers of the WHO Framework Convention for Tobacco Control. [133831]

  Yvette Cooper
  It is too early to say what the likely impact of the Convention on employment and exports will be, as this depends on the content of the Convention, which is yet to be negotiated. Provisional texts of draft elements for the Convention have been drawn up and are being considered at the First Session of the Inter Governmental Negotiating Body in Geneva between 16–21 October. Negotiations are unlikely to be concluded before 2002.

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will conduct an economic impact assessment of the WHO Framework Convention for Tobacco Control; and if he will make a statement. [133835]

  Yvette Cooper
  It is too early to do this at present but we will do so when we have a clearer idea of what commitments the UK may wish to enter into.

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the World Health Organisation about the private sector funding of its Framework Convention on Tobacco Control; and if he will list those companies which have contributed. [133832]

  Yvette Cooper
  We have had no such discussions.
  84W
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what Her Majesty's Government's objectives are in discussions on the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control; and if he will make a statement. [133884]

  Yvette Cooper
  We support the World Health Organisation's (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control and believe that it can help to reduce the damage to health caused by tobacco products worldwide. The WHO estimates that tobacco kills four million people each year and that this figure is likely to increase substantially, particularly in the developing world.

  The United Kingdom intends to play an active part in negotiating a convention which in particular will:
  make a difference by imposing obligations on its signatories, but which is not so ambitious that few countries sign up;
  tackles areas where international action is necessary and which can impact on consumption in the UK—in particular advertising and smuggling;
  supports other countries in developing tobacco control strategies;
  does not impose over-prescriptive obligations in areas which we consider to be for national decisions.

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what meetings he has held in preparation for the negotiations on the WHO Framework Convention for Tobacco Control. [133882]

  Yvette Cooper
  Ministers have consulted colleagues from other countries. Officials have participated in all WHO and European Union preparatory meetings on the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the impact of the adoption of the WHO Framework Convention for Tobacco Control on jobs in each constituency. [133826]

  Yvette Cooper
  It is too early to say what the likely impact of the Convention on employment and exports will be, as this depends on the content of the Convention, which is yet to be negotiated.

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with UK tobacco companies about the economic impact on companies and the communities in which they are located of the possible adoption of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. [133833]

  Yvette Cooper
  We have had no such discussions.

  Larval Therapy
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) maggot-treated and (b) conventionally treated ulcers were evaluated by specialists at the West Cumberland Hospital in the study of use of maggots in larval therapy; and if he will make a statement. [134131]

  Mr. Denham
  The West Cumbria Health Care National Health Service Trust study into larval therapy evaluated six patients who received maggot treatment for their ulcers and six patients who received conventional ulcer treatment.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what recent guidelines have been set by health authorities in testing larval therapy; what
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  preventive measures are included in studies to ensure the safety of human volunteers; and if he will make a statement; [134129]

  (2) what is the cost of his study on larval therapy; and if he will make a statement on potential NHS budget gains associated with such therapy. [134130]

  Mr. Denham
  Protocols for clinical research on the effectiveness of larval therapy in the National Health Service have to have the approval of Research Ethics Committees and the relevant NHS authority before they can proceed.

  Larval therapy is part of the wound care appraisal currently being undertaken by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence. The appraisal will determine the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of debriding agents in treating difficult to heal surgical wounds. It will also evaluate the clinical and cost effectiveness of treating patients with difficult to heal surgical wounds by means of specialist wound care (eg at specialised wound care clinics) as compared to conventional care. NICE will review the available research evidence but will not itself commission further clinical research. NICE are expected to report on this appraisal in spring 2001.

  Zyban
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines have been given to health authorities for the prescribing of the drug Zyban; and which health authorities allow GPs to prescribe this drug. [134133]

  Mr. Denham
  The Department issued guidance to local smoking cessation co-ordinators on 28 June, which was copied to health authority prescribing advisers, copies of which have been placed in the Library. The NHS Plan announced that NICE will be asked to advise general practitioners on the most appropriate and cost-effective prescribing regimes for nicotine replacement therapy and Zyban, including duration and targeting. All general practitioners across England may prescribe bupropion (Zyban) to smokers motivated to quit for whom it is clinically appropriate.

  Electro-Convulsive Therapy
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to arrange for a further national survey of the use of electro-convulsive therapy before information from the Mental Health Minimum Data Set becomes fully available in 2003. [133946]

  Mr. Hutton
  There are no current plans to conduct a future national survey on the use of electro-convulsive therapy before information from the Mental Health Minimum Data Set becomes fully available in 2003. It is expected that more useful data and reliable information will be obtained from this source.

  Prosorba Column
  Ms Oona King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to seek advice from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence, regarding the prescribing of the Prosorba column. [133846]
  86W
  Mr. Denham
  There are no current plans to refer the Prosorba column to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence.

  NHS Service Agreements
  Mr. Lilley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if health authorities and primary care trusts are required to publish details of the service agreements they have commissioned with NHS trust hospitals. [133998]

  Mr. Denham
  Health authorities and primary care trusts are not required to publish details of the service agreements they have commissioned with NHS trust hospitals. Details of individual service agreements are not collected centrally, although the overall cost of such agreements will be contained within the health authorities' annual accounts.

  Dementia
  Mr. Denis Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's expenditure on medication treatment for dementia was in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what were(a) the expenditure, (b) the numbers treated and (c) the numbers awaiting treatment for each health authority area in the latest year for which figures are available. [133957]

  Mr. Denham
  Information on(a) expenditure and (b) number of prescriptions in England for the year 1999 is shown in the table. Information on the number of patients treated or waiting for treatment is not available.

  Number of prescription items and the net ingredient cost of drugs

  dispensed in the community for dementia, 1999

  England

  Health authority in which the item was dispensed

  Prescription items (Thousand)

  Net ingredient cost (£000)

  Hillingdon

  0.2

  18.3

  Kensington and Chelsea and Westminster

  0.1

  12.1

  Enfield and Haringey

  0.2

  19.6

  Redbridge and Waltham Forest

  0.1

  13.2

  Bedfordshire

  0.2

  15.7

  Berkshire

  0.2

  16.7

  Buckinghamshire

  0.1

  4.7

  Bexley and Greenwich

  0.2

  17.0

  Bromley

  0.1

  9.6

  Croydon

  0.2

  26.8

  East Kent

  0.3

  40.9

  West Kent

  0.2

  23.1

  Kingston and Richmond

  0.3

  25.1

  Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham

  0.1

  8.8

  Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth

  0.2

  14.6

  East Surrey

  0.3

  37.1

  West Surrey

  0.7

  82.1

  East Sussex, Brighton and Hove

  0.5

  44.8

  West Sussex

  0.8

  100.2

  Barking and Havering

  0.7

  80.8

  Barnet

  0.3

  38.2

  Brent and Harrow

  0.1

  18.7

  Camden and Islington

  0.3

  30.8

  Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow

  0.1

  8.4

  East London and The City

  0.1

  12.6

  North Essex

  1.0

  95.4

  South Essex

  0.4

  41.4

  South Lancashire

  0.0

  3.4

  Liverpool

  0.1

  10.8

  Manchester

  0.6

  41.9

  Morecambe Bay

  1.3

  109.8

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  0.2

  12.5

  Salford and Trafford

  0.2

  12.7

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  Number of prescription items and the net ingredient cost of drugs

  dispensed in the community for dementia, 1999

  England

  Health authority in which the item was dispensed

  Prescription items (Thousand)

  Net ingredient cost (£000)

  Sefton

  0.1

  5.6

  Stockport

  0.2

  15.9

  West Pennine

  0.4

  30.4

  Northamptonshire

  0.3

  24.3

  Oxfordshire

  0.1

  10.3

  Suffolk

  0.5

  43.7

  Barnsley

  0.0

  5.3

  North Derbyshire

  0.3

  22.1

  Southern Derbyshire

  0.3

  31.9

  Doncaster

  0.1

  2.2

  Leicestershire

  0.7

  73.2

  Lincolnshire

  1.4

  110.1

  North Nottinghamshire

  0.2

  16.0

  Nottingham

  1.7

  153.1

  Rotherham

  0.1

  5.3

  Sheffield

  0.4

  64.5

  Bury and Rochdale

  0.2

  12.5

  North Cheshire

  0.1

  5.5

  South Cheshire

  1.5

  109.4

  East Lancashire

  0.3

  21.7

  North West Lancashire

  1.0

  77.6

  North and Mid Hampshire

  0.5

  66.2

  Portsmouth and South East Hampshire

  0.2

  35.4

  Southampton and South West Hampshire

  1.5

  128.5

  Somerset

  0.5

  53.2

  South and West Devon

  0.3

  35.8

  Wiltshire

  1.0

  111.6

  Avon

  0.2

  18.0

  Birmingham

  0.2

  18.7

  Wigan and Bolton

  1.3

  105.7

  Wirral

  1.5

  100.3

  Bradford

  0.2

  14.6

  County Durham and Darlington

  0.1

  8.1

  East Riding and Hull

  0.2

  18.9

  Leeds

  1.7

  109.0

  Newcastle and North Tyneside

  0.2

  25.9

  North Cumbria

  1.1

  94.4

  South Humber

  0.1

  12.6

  Northumberland

  0.1

  11.1

  Sunderland

  0.2

  25.2

  Tees

  0.1

  8.8

  North Yorkshire

  0.3

  21.6

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  0.9

  81.1

  Dorset

  0.2

  18

  North and East Devon

  0.2

  16.8

  Gloucestershire

  0.1

  11.2

  Coventry

  0.1

  5.4

  Shropshire

  0.1

  14.1

  Solihull

  0.1

  8.3

  North Staffordshire

  0.1

  6.0

  South Staffordshire

  0.1

  10.1

  Warwickshire

  0.1

  5.7

  Worcestershire

  0.2

  24.5

  East and North Hertfordshire

  0.2

  25.0

  West Hertfordshire

  0.1

  5.5

  Cambridgeshire

  0.3

  25.7

  Norfolk

  0.1

  12.9

  England

  34.6

  3,214.4

  Notes:

  1. Prescription Cost Analysis data are based on a full analysis of all prescriptions dispensed in the community, i.e. by community pharmacists and appliance contractors, dispensing doctors, and prescriptions submitted by prescribing doctors for items personally administered in England. Total prescriptions include not only prescriptions originating from general practices in England but also from hospital doctors and dentists provided they were dispensed in the community. Also included are prescriptions written in Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man but dispensed in
  88W
  England. The data do not cover drugs dispensed in hospital or private prescriptions. Health authority data cover prescriptions dispensed in that health authority.

  2. The net ingredient cost is the basic cost of a drug and does not take account of discounts, dispensing costs, fees or prescription charges income.

  3. Drugs used in the treatment of dementia are those defined in the British National Formulary (BNF) section 4.11, "Drugs for dementia".

  4. North West Anglia Health Authority ceased to exist from I April 1999. The existing practices and contractors were reallocated to Cambridge and Norfolk Health Authorities.

  5. Health authorities where the number of prescription items dispensed was less than 50 have been removed due to confidentiality issues

  Kidney Dialysis
  Dr. Palmer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients, by age group, have received kidney dialysis in the last five available years; and what proportion of these are kidney patients in each age group. [133981]

  Mr. Denham
  The information available is derived from the United Kingdom Renal Registry and from provisional data collected in the renal survey commissioned by the Department of Health. It is estimated that 21,150 new adult patients were accepted for kidney dialysis between 1995 and 1999, although a small percentage of these patients will not have started dialysis. The age distribution of these patients at the time they were accepted for kidney dialysis is shown in the table:

  Age range

  Percentage of patients

  18–24

  3

  25–34

  6

  35–44

  10

  45–54

  14

  55–64

  21

  65–74

  29

  75–84

  16

  over 85

  1

  In addition, there were 420 new patients who were under 18 years old when they were accepted for kidney dialysis between 1995 and 1999.

  Organ Transplants
  Dr. Palmer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on how organ donation is co-ordinated nationally and locally in the UK. [133982]

  Mr. Denham
  Organ donation is co-ordinated locally by transplant co-ordinators who are employed by National Health Service trusts. The matching and allocation of organs on a United Kingdom-wide basis is co-ordinated by United Kingdom Transplant, a special health authority based in Bristol.

  Dr. Palmer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of how up-to-date the names and addresses on the NHS Organ Donor Register are; [133976]

  (2) how frequently the NHS Organ Donor Register was accessed in 1999 by hospitals seeking donors. [133977]
  89W
  Mr. Denham
  The Department has asked the United Kingdom Transplant to review the most effective ways to ensure all the data on the Organ Donor Register are up to date. This includes consideration of the information provided by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency and general practitioners.

  Access to the National Health Service Organ Donor Register is via a 24-hour service at United Kingdom Transplant. Transplant co-ordinators mainly employed by local transplant centres may access the Register and during 1999 did so on only a handful of occasions, although this is currently not formally recorded.

  Dr. Palmer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients died in each year from 1995 to 1999 whilst on the waiting list for a(a) heart, (b) heart and lung, (c) lung and (d) liver transplant. [133979]

  Mr. Denham
  The number of patients in England dying from any cause while registered on the active transplant waiting list, 1995–1999 is given in the table.

  England

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999

  waiting for:

  (a) heart

  64

  66

  63

  60

  56

  (b) heart and lung

  37

  48

  34

  26

  27

  (c) lung(s)

  60

  53

  59

  68

  72

  (d) liver

  57

  55

  64

  74

  71

  Dr. Palmer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are currently awaiting(a) a kidney transplant, (b) a heart transplant, (c) a heart and lung transplant, (d) a lung transplant, (e) a liver transplant and (f) other forms of transplant; and if he will make a statement on the shortfall between the numbers of organs available for transplant and of people needing such organs. [133980]

  Mr. Denham
  The current active waiting list is as follows:

  England

  As of 3 October 2000

  Number

  (a) kidney

  3,950

  (b) heart

  165

  (c) heart/lung

  100

  (d)lung

  203

  (e) liver

  127

  (f) other (solid organ)1

  85

  1Mainly kidney + pancreas and pancreas

  Dr. Palmer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many organ transplants were carried out in the last five years for which figures are available. [133978]

  Mr. Denham
  The number of solid organ transplants carried out from 1995 to 1999 is given in the table.

  England

  Number

  1995

  2,438

  1996

  2,253

  1997

  2,274

  1998

  1,993

  1999

  2.078

  Hospital Waiting Lists (Norfolk)
  Mr. Prior
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in Norfolk were waiting to see a consultant on(a) 31 March 1997, (b) 31 March 1998, (c) 31 March 1999 and (d) 31 March 2000. [133829]

  Mr. Denham
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Therapeutic Cloning
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the benefits of using(a) adult stem cells and (b) stem cells from embryos created by therapeutic cloning in treating damage to the brain, internal organs, bone and other tissues and organs. [134257]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Chief Medical Officer's Expert Group in its report "Stem Cell Research: Medical Progress with Responsibility" concluded that research involving the extraction and use of stem cells raised the prospect of a range of exciting new therapeutic possibilities for the repair of diseased or damaged tissues including repairing nerve cells lost in Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, replacing lost heart muscle cells in cases of congestive heart failure, bone cells in osteoporosis, liver cells in cases of hepatitis or cirrhosis and so on.

  The Expert Group concluded that embryonic stem cells have the potential to develop into a far greater range of tissues than adult derived stem cells. The Group went on to say that while the long term promise of stem cells derived from adult tissue may equal or even surpass that of embryonic stem cells it was probable that scientific advances from embryonic stem cell research would be necessary to understand how to make greater use of stem cells derived from adult tissue.

  Operations (Warrington Hospital)
  Ms Southworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) cataract, (b) knee joint replacement, (c) hip joint replacement and (d) hernia operations were performed at Warrington Hospital in each of the last three years. [133754]

  Mr. Denham
  The table shows a count of cataract, knee replacement, hip replacement and hernia operations performed in Warrington Hospital National Health Service Trust for the years 1996–97 to 1998–99.

  Finished consultant episodes by selected operations

  Warrington Hospital NHS Trust 1996–97 to 1998–99

  Cataract operations

  Knee replacement

  Hip replacement

  Hernia operations

  1996–97

  1,215

  108

  226

  271

  1997–98

  1.050

  120

  273

  301

  1998–99

  1,198

  134

  287

  338

  Generics
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to change the reimbursement arrangements for pharmacists and dispensing doctors relating to generics. [133852]
  91W
  Mr. Denham
  Linked to the recent introduction of a statutory maximum price scheme for generic medicines, the government abolished Category D of Part VIII of the Drug Tariff with effect from September prescriptions and replaced it with more tightly controlled arrangements for reimbursing pharmacists fairly when due to shortage they have no alternative but to purchase a more expensive product.

  Work on longer-term arrangements for the supply of generics to the community—including reimbursement arrangements for pharmacists—is still in progress. We intend to discuss our proposals with interested parties before reaching final decisions on the way forward.

  Fluoride
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out WHO requirements in respect of(a) monitoring of fluoride levels, and (b) children in receipt of fluoridated milk. [R] [134146]

  Yvette Cooper
  Reports from the World Health Organisation (WHO) contain valuable information, which can helpfully inform government policy but, unless they are incorporated into United Kingdom law, their status is advisory rather than mandatory. Technical guidance on methods of measurement of fluoride, and their interpretation, and on fluoridation of mild, is included in recent WHO publications such as Technical Report 846 "Fluorides and oral health" (1994) and "Monitoring of renal fluoride excretion in community preventive programmes on oral health" (1999).

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Food Distribution Industry
  Mr. Gareth Thomas
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the Competition Commission's report on the food distribution industry will be published. [130928]

  Dr. Howells
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Competition Commission report on the supply of groceries from supermarkets was published on 10 October.

  Dogs
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received about German plans to ban the breeding and importing of certain breeds of dogs. [133575]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I have been asked to reply.

  I have received many letters on this subject from dog breeders and owners in this country, and from their Members of Parliament and interested organisations. A particular concern has been a proposal by the German authorities for European Union (EU) legislation on dangerous dogs.

  The United Kingdom Government cannot interfere in the internal law-making processes of other countries, but we are opposed to the idea of EU legislation on dangerous dogs. We certainly could not agree to any EU measures which would require us to bring in laws on this matter
  92W
  more stringent than those we have at present, which we consider adequate for present and future control needs in this country.

  Oilseed Rape
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many fields of oilseed rape have been sown using seed contaminated by GM material in the Chesham and Amersham parliamentary constituency; and if he will make a statement. [125895]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 13 June 2000]: The information requested is not held by MAFF. Advanta Seeds UK Ltd. established a scheme to contact, register and compensate all the affected farmers for crop destruction. The Central Science Laboratory is auditing that scheme on behalf of the Government to check that the crops have not been marketed.

  Mink
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what investigations his Department has conducted into the release of mink from a fur farm at Bourne Hill in Lancashire in July 1999, with particular reference to(a) the number of mink released, (b) damage done to the perimeter fencing and (c) responsibility for the release; and if he will make a statement. [131731]

  Mr. Morley
  The Ministry was notified by the police on 7 August 1999 that mink had been released from the fur farm. The Farming and Rural Conservation Agency, an Executive agency of the Ministry, immediately visited the site to investigate the incident. They found that the perimeter fence had been breached in two places by being cut. It was estimated that between 50 and 100 mink escaped outside the farm and were unaccounted for.

  I am not aware of anyone claiming responsibility for the break-in. This is a matter for the police to pursue.

  Ducks
  Mrs. Gordon
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what the main diseases are which affect intensively reared ducks in the UK; and what percentage of ducks is affected by each disease; [132688]

  (2) what the pre-slaughter mortality rate is of ducks (a) reared for the meat and (b) kept for breeding purposes in the UK; [132689]

  (3) how many ducks on UK farms have access to water in which they can swim; [132690]

  (4) how many ducks on UK farms have access to facilities which enable them to immerse their heads in water; [132691]

  (5) what percentage of ducks swan-neck on entering the waterbath stunner in UK slaughterhouses; [132694]

  (6) when the UK will adopt the Council of Europe's June 1999 recommendation made by the Standing Committee of the European Convention for the Protection of Animals Kept for Farming Purposes. [132695]

  Mr. Morley
  I wrote to my hon. Friend on 24 August 2000. Copies of my letter were placed in the Library of the House.

  Farmers (Totnes)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make available to the hon. Member for Totnes the list held by his Department's Strategy and Policy section of farmers working in the Totnes constituency, used by his Department for mail-shots; and if he will answer the letter from the hon. Member for Totnes of 4 July on this subject. [132443]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 25 July 2000]: I replied to the hon. Member on 31 August explaining that the Agricultural Statistics Act 1972, under which the provisions of which the register of agricultural holdings is maintained, prevents disclosure of any information without the written permission of the supplier of the information, except in particular circumstances. The requirements of the Data Protection Act 1988 further precludes release of lists of names and addresses.

  Press Releases
  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many press releases have been issued so far this year; and what the total cost of the production and issuing of press releases was in(a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000 to date. [132779]

  Mr. Morley
  The total number of press releases issued by MAFF since 1 January this year is 350. They are made available to all press and media bodies through the Central Office of Information (COI) managed News Distribution Service and the Internet at an average cost of £92 per press release. Cost data are not available for 1997 and 1998, but this figure represents a significant saving against an average of £244 per press release in 1999 when printed copies were also distributed via the Royal Mail postal service.

  Gross margins per hectare in real terms1 for the Eastern counties of England (£ per hectare)

  Harvest year

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1992

  1993

  1994

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  Sugar Beet

  1,098

  1,282

  1,224

  1,547

  1,271

  1,188

  1,228

  1,115

  973

  951

  Winter Wheat

  707

  739

  737

  738

  779

  820

  969

  792

  629

  625

  Winter Barley

  667

  580

  595

  647

  672

  682

  866

  681

  583

  524

  Spring Barley

  525

  472

  609

  657

  613

  634

  820

  534

  548

  566

  Oilseed Rape

  736

  743

  572

  596

  681

  629

  781

  896

  766

  576

  Beans

  556

  434

  521

  778

  666

  645

  635

  596

  638

  481

  Peas

  603

  644

  656

  712

  688

  638

  745

  674

  613

  439

  Potatoes

  3,522

  2,214

  2,291

  1,183

  2,736

  5,876

  4,600

  1,091

  2,203

  5,352

  All enterprises2

  867

  604

  655

  740

  777

  880

  1015

  944

  815

  824

  1 Deflated by a 1998 input price index

  2Estimates for all enterprises should not be compared to those for the individual enterprises as they will also reflect profitability of other enterprises on other farms (e. g. livestock).

  Source:

  Report on Farming in the Eastern Counties of England (University of Cambridge)

  Northallerton Regional Centre
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department's regional centre at Northallerton will continue to take queries in person from local farmers. [133108]

  Ms Quin
  We will maintain arrangements for face-to-face local contacts with farmers in all regions in the lead up to the establishment of the CAP Payments Agency (CAPPA).

  Press Officers
  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many press officers were employed in his Department in(a) May 1997, (b) January 1998, (c) January 1999 and (d) January 2000; and what the total expenditure on press officers by his Department was in each of the years concerned. [132764]

  Mr. Morley
  The numbers are as follows:

  Number

  May 1997

  9

  January 1998

  8

  January 1999

  9

  January 2000

  9

  Pay and running costs for the equivalent financial years are as follows:

  £

  1997–98

  460,000

  1998–99

  556,000

  1999–2000

  605.000

  Farm Profitability
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list his Department's figures for the profitability of(a) sugar beet production, (b) other arable production and (c) total farm enterprises for each of the years from 1989 to 1999. [132523]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 25 September 2000]: Estimates for the profitability of sugar beet and other arable production derived from information collected for farms in the University of Cambridge's province of the Farm Business Survey are shown in the table. Comparable data for 1999 are not yet available.

  The substantial investment which we propose to make in modernising CAP administration over the next Spending Review period will transform the way in which we deal with CAP payments. Farmers who submit their claims electronically will benefit from faster payment and the 'intelligent' forms will be significantly easier to complete. We are consulting widely on the best ways of ensuring a smooth transition to the new arrangements and helping our customers to reap the benefits with electronic service delivery offers. We will review the arrangements

  95W
  for face-to-face contact with farmers on their CAP subsidy claims when the new IT systems for CAPPA are fully operational and everyone has easy local access to the internet.

  In parallel with the establishment of CAPPA, we are restructuring other aspects of our operational activity in the regions to strengthen MAFF's ability to deliver an effective and responsive local service to farmers on the implementation of the England Rural Development Plan.

  Fishing (Quota Hopping)
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many Spanish skippers of quota-hopper fishing vessels have been paid compensation for being unable to fish after the passage of the Merchant Shipping Act 1988; how long they were stopped from fishing; and what was the average compensation per skipper; [132819]

  (2) how many British ticket holders working on Spanish quota-hopper vessels under the terms of the Aliens (Amendment) Act 1919 received compensation for being prevented from fishing by the Merchant Shipping Act 1988. [132820]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 27 July 2000]: Payments have been made only to the owners of vessels de-registered under the provisions of the Merchant Shipping Act 1988.

  Merchant Navy Day
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will ensure that the Red Ensign is flown from departmental buildings on Merchant Navy Day, 3 September. [132954]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 27 July 2000]: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, my hon. Friend for North Warwickshire (Mr. O'Brien), on 27 July 2000, Official Report, column 895W.

  Electronic Communications Act 2000
  Mr. Cotter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what orders he(a) has made and (b) intends to make using section 8 of the Electronic Communications Act 2000; and if he will make a statement. [133374]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 28 July 2000]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Cabinet Office on 28 July 2000, Official Report, column 905W.

  Organic Farming
  Joan Ruddock
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the total spending by his Department in support of organic farming will be in 2000–01, 2001–02 and 2002–03. [133479]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 28 July 2000]: In respect of organic conversion aid to farmers, we have set aside £12 million for 2000–01, £18 million for 2001–02 and £20 million for 2002–03. The budget for research and development in the organic sector is £2.1 million for each of the three years.

  Animal Welfare
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many(a) prosecutions and (b) successful prosecutions there were under the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968 in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [131983]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 28 July 2000]: My officials are aware of one successful prosecution under this Act in 1992, three successful prosecutions in 1993, and one successful prosecution in 1998. Other authorities may also have been responsible for prosecutions.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many(a) prosecutions and (b) successful prosecutions there were under the Welfare of Livestock Regulations 1994 in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [131844]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 28 July 2000]: As far as my Department is concerned, there was one successful prosecution in 1995, five successful prosecutions in 1996 and three in 1997. Other authorities may also have conducted prosecutions in this area.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many(a) prosecutions and (b) successful prosecutions there were under the (i) Protection of Animals (Anaesthetics) Acts 1954 and 1964, (ii) Welfare of Livestock (Prohibited Operations) Regulations 1982, (iii) Docking and Nicking of Horses Act 1949 and (iv) Removal of Antlers in Velvet (Anaesthetics) Order 1988 in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [131985]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 28 July 2000]: My officials are aware of two successful prosecutions and one unsuccessful one under the Protection of Animals (Anaesthetics) Acts in 1995, and one successful prosecution in 1999. They are not aware of any prosecutions under the other listed legislation during the relevant period. Other authorities may also have been responsible for prosecutions.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many(a) prosecutions and (b) successful prosecutions there have been under the (i) Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 and (ii) Slaughterhouses Act 1974 in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [131846]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 28 July 2000]: My officials are aware of one successful prosecution under the Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations 1995 in 1996, three successful prosecutions in 1997, seven successful prosecutions in 1998 and four in 1999. They are not aware of any prosecutions under the Slaughterhouses Act 1974 during the relevant period. Other authorities may also have been responsible for prosecutions.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many(a) prosecutions and (b) successful prosecutions there were under the (i) Markets, Sales and Lairs Orders 1925, 1926, 1927 and 1970, (ii) Welfare of Animals at Markets Order 1990 and (iii) Welfare of Horses at Markets (and other places of sale) Order 1990 for each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [131785]
  97W
  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 28 July 2000]: My officials are aware of one successful prosecution under the Welfare of Animals at Markets Order 1990 in 1997, and no prosecutions under the other Orders. Other authorities may also have been responsible for prosecutions.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many(a) prosecutions and (b) successful prosecutions there were under the (i) Welfare of Animals (Transport) Order 1997 and (ii) Animal Health Act 1981 in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [131843]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 28 July 2000]: My officials are aware of one successful prosecution under the Welfare of Animals (Transport) 1997, in 1999. This Order is primarily for local authorities to enforce. The Ministry conducted two successful prosecutions in 1990, one successful prosecution in 1993 and four successful prosecutions in 1998 under the Animal Health Act 1981. Other authorities may also have been responsible for prosecutions under this Act.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many(a) prosecutions and (b) successful prosecutions there were under the (a) Destructive Imported Animals Act 1932 and (b) Mink (Keeping) Order 1997 in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [131981]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 28 July 2000]: My officials are not aware of any prosecutions under the listed legislation during this period.

  Farm Subsidies
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what subsidy payments have been made for growing flax and hemp in each of the past five years; and what percentage of the crops were not harvested or marketed. [133231]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 28 July 2000]: The following table provides details of area harvested and rate of aid per hectare for the five crop years 1995–96 to 1999–2000:

  Area Harvested (Hectares)

  Rate of Aid (£ per Hectare)

  Crop Year

  Flax

  Hemp

  Flax

  Hemp

  1995–96

  17,151

  1,128

  1646.87

  653.84

  1561.47

  1996–97

  20,650

  1,751

  591.16

  645.99

  513.13

  1997–98

  18,862

  2,333

  569.83

  575.97

  494.61

  1998–99

  16,770

  2.697

  535.46

  500.64

  464.78

  1999–2000

  15,052

  1,489

  567.67

  487.92

  497.74

  1 The higher and lower figures show the aid rates applicable to deseeded and non-deseeded flax crops

  Porpoises
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many porpoises have(a) been
  98W
  caught and (b) perished as a result of fishing activities in UK waters in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; [133706]

  (2) what policies his Department is pursuing to reduce the number of porpoises killed as a result of fishing. [133731]

  Mr. Morley
  Information on the full extent of porpoise casualties caused by fishing is not available.

  My Department is funding the Sea Mammal Research Unit to undertake a three year project following on from earlier EU-funded work, including research at sea on the use of pingers to deter porpoises from nets. The new project which began in July will consider in detail why harbour porpoises become entangled in gill nets and seek to identify modifications to fishing gear which will reduce bycatches. If this work is successful I will encourage the UK industry to make the necessary adaptations and will also seek action at the EU level. In this regard, I welcomed the statement by Franz Fischler, the European Fisheries Commissioner, at the June Fisheries Council on the need to address the problem of cetacean bycatch.

  With the support of this Department, my colleague and hon. Friend the Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin), launched the UK's Harbour Porpoise Conservation Strategy at the 3rd Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic and North Seas (ASCOBANS) Meeting of Parties held in Bristol between 26 and 28 July. This strategy sets out how the species is to be protected from pollution, seismic and other disturbances, as well as incidental mortality as a result of fishing activity.

  Cod
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what policies his Department is pursuing to ensure abundant supplies of cod in(a) the short term and (b) the long term; [133704]

  (2) if he will make a statement on the state of cod fish stocks; [133702]

  (3) what assessment he has made of the statement by the World Wildlife Fund on the state of cod stocks. [133703]

  Mr. Morley
  The Government are committed to managing cod stocks on the basis of the precautionary approach in order to keep them away from levels at which there is a serious risk of collapse and to help rebuild them for the future. Cod stocks generally are in poor shape, with unusually low recruitment of young fish, which may be due in part to climatic factors. This is reflected in the reduced TACs agreed for 2000 and lower landings by fishermen this year compared with 1999.

  We have already demonstrated our willingness to support strong short term measures when needed. The UK took the lead in securing the Irish Sea cod recovery programme developed in close consultation with the industry and adopted in the EU earlier this year. This should help rebuild the depleted cod stock in the Irish Sea. It includes closing spawning areas in the Irish Sea from mid-February to the end of April to protect spawning cod as well as new technical conservation measures to improve protection for young cod.
  99W
  Advice on cod stocks will be provided by the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas (ICES) in the autumn. We will then consider, in the light of ICES' assessment and recommendations, what management action is needed for 2001.

  Telephone Steering Systems
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many individual lines are operated as part of the touch tone steering system installed at his Department's sites. [134052]

  Mr. Morley
  The number of lines available to members of the public calling in to MAFF's touch tone steering systems is variable. MAFF adjusts according to business need the number of lines which will at a given time connect callers to MAFF staff, the number of callers who will be put into a queue and the number of callers who may listen to recorded information.

  These may be altered on a daily basis.

  Expenditure
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how the Forestry Commission departmental expenditure limit set out in the 2000 Spending Review will be divided between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. [134013]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  The figures given in the Spending Review 2000 for the Forestry Commission cover its net expenditure for GB core functions and activities in England. Although the Commission's activities in Wales were not covered by the Review, a £5.5 million baseline for Wales is also included for each year because responsibility for the Commission's expenditure in Wales has not yet transferred to the National Assembly. Responsibility for the Commission's expenditure in Scotland has already been transferred to the Scottish Parliament. The Commission has no remit in Northern Ireland; forestry matters there are administered by the Forest Service of the Northern Ireland Assembly's Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

  Annual Report (Error)
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he was informed of the drafting errors on page 15 of the Government's Annual Report; and what steps he is taking to publicise the error. [134030]
  100W
  Mr. Nick Brown
  The hon. Member is assured that the drafting errors on page 15 of the Government's Annual Report (1999–2000) had already been rectified. The final sentence on page 15 should read

  Thanks to the latest EU "Agenda 2000" budget reforms negotiated this year, the annual [shopping] bill for a family of four will fall on average by £65.

  Ragwort
  Sir Nicholas Lyell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his oral statement of 25 July 2000,Official Report, column 1090, on what basis he confines his Department's responsibility for the control of ragwort to seeding ragwort which is growing only on agricultural land as defined by the Agriculture Act 1947. [R] [133999]

  Mr. Morley
  MAFF deals with all complaints under the Weeds Act on their own merits, but gives priority to complaints where farmland or farmed animals are at risk. Such cases will normally be in respect of "agricultural land".

  Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the research projects being(a) carried out and (b) sponsored by his Department into rabbit haemorrhagic disease, and stating the nature of each project. [128309]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  [pursuant to his reply, 12 July 2000, c. 587W]: A further search has revealed that MAFF is currently a contributor to one project on viral haemorrhagic disease of rabbits:
  The impact of rabbit viral haemorrhagic disease on wild rabbit populations.

  The project is jointly sponsored with the University of Stirling, the Institute for Virology and Environmental Microbiology, The British Association for Shooting and Conservation Ltd., The Game Conservancy Trust, The National Trust, English Nature and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

  I regret that this information was inadvertently omitted from my earlier reply.

  Education Action Zones
  Education Action Zones
  Millennium Dome
  Millennium Dome
  Nandrolone
  Nandrolone
  British Museum South Portico
  British Museum South Portico
  Parliamentary Cost Comparisons
  Parliamentary Cost Comparisons
  Population Breakdown: Ethnic Minorities
  Population Breakdown: Ethnic Minorities
  Bovine Material in Vaccine Manufacture
  Bovine Material in Vaccine Manufacture
  Chief Dental Officers: Support Staff
  Chief Dental Officers: Support Staff
  Housing Benefit: Backdating
  Housing Benefit: Backdating
  Working Time Directive: Extension to Excluded Sectors
  Working Time Directive: Extension to Excluded Sectors
  House of Lords Office Accommodation
  House of Lords Office Accommodation
  Refreshment Department: EPOS System
  Refreshment Department: EPOS System
  Tuffin Ferraby and Taylor: Palace of Westminster Survey
  Tuffin Ferraby and Taylor: Palace of Westminster Survey
  Lorry Drivers' Hours
  Lorry Drivers' Hours
  Train Drivers' Hours
  Train Drivers' Hours
  Multi-ethnic Britain: Runnymede Trust Report
  Multi-ethnic Britain: Runnymede Trust Report
  Life Sentence Prisoner Releases on Licence
  Life Sentence Prisoner Releases on Licence
  Immigration Appeals Tribunal and Human Rights
  Immigration Appeals Tribunal and Human Rights
  Human Rights: Protocol No 12
  Human Rights: Protocol No 12
  Asylum Seekers' Appeal Rights
  Asylum Seekers' Appeal Rights
  UN Peacekeeping Operations: Deployment of UK Forces
  UN Peacekeeping Operations: Deployment of UK Forces