Written Answers of 4 April 2001

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Waste Disposal
  Mr. Temple-Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he has carried out an assessment to determine whether the PFI contract for the disposal of waste entered into between Herefordshire and Worcestershire councils and Fosca plc in 1998 complies with guidance issued by his Department on 22 December 2000. [147513]

  Mr. Meacher
  The Herefordshire and Worcestershire waste PFI scheme was endorsed by the Interdepartmental Project Review Group in February 1998, following an assessment in line with the criteria published on 9 December 1997. General criteria for all PFI projects were

  £ million

  Nature of funding

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  2001–02 (where known)

  Revenue Support Grant

  162.131

  167.079

  68.861

  69.537

  73.971

  Income from National Non-Domestic Rates

  136.222

  137.357

  40.226

  44.997

  43.876

  Housing Investment Programme

  22.370

  1.995

  2.186

  34.340

  46.425

  Capital Receipts Initiative

  0.324

  1.049

  1.016

  n/a

  n/a

  Cash Incentive Scheme

  0.064

  0.050

  0.000

  n/a

  n/a

  New Deal for Communities Funding

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Neighbourhood Renewal Funding

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Transport Supplementary Grant

  3.372

  4.079

  1.265

  0

  0.359

  Transport Annual Capital Guideline

  3.383

  4.080

  1.292

  0

  0

  Transport Block Supplementary Credit Approval

  0.284

  0.490

  0.773

  2.270

  3.065

  Rural Bus Challenge Grant

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Rural Bus Subsidy Grant

  0

  0.043

  0.032

  0.043

  0.054

  1The amounts of Revenue Support Grant and Income from National Non-Domestic Rates shown for 1997–98 and 1998–99 are the revised amounts allocated under "The Local Government Finance Report (England) 1997–98 Amending Report 1999" and "The Local Government Finance Report (England) 1998–99 Amending Report 2000" respectively.

  LGR SCA figures for NE Lincolnshire. As follows:

  1997–98—£1.900 million

  1998–99—£1.568 million

  21997–98 HIP allocation inherited from the previous Government's spending plans. Present Government introduced CR1 from 1997–98.

  3Single Housing Pot introduced from 2000–01 resulting in CR1 being merged with HIP.

  4Resource accounting has resulted in a change to the way capital resources are allocated for 2001–02, with the introduction of a new Major Repairs Allowance (MRA) to cover the cost of maintaining local authority housing in a sound condition. The North East Lincolnshire MRA allocation for 2001–02 is £4.786 million and, for comparison purposes, is included in the 2001–02 HIP allocation above.

  Note:

  North East Lincolnshire's overall capital a location of £6.425 million, represents an increase of 171.10 per cent. on the inherited 1997–98 allocation.

  North East Lincolnshire—SRB funding received under Rounds 1 to 6

  Round 6—Unlocking potential

  A seven-year scheme submitted by the Community Partnership for North East Lincolnshire, it aims to create sustainable local jobs and grow a creative and enterprising culture in deprived communities as a fundamental drive to overcome social exclusion. The scheme has three carefully balanced elements: Job creation and the promotion of entrepreneurship and enterprise, Achieving
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  revised on 21 December 1998 and 23 December 1999. Revised specific criteria for PFI waste schemes in England were published on 22 September 2000. Officials will be writing to authorities with endorsed proposals for waste schemes, including Herefordshire and Worcestershire, to explore with them whether their existing schemes might be brought more closely in to line with the subsequent changes to the PFI criteria.

  Departmental Policies (Great Grimsby)
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the constituency, the effect on the Great Grimsby constituency of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [156242]

  Ms Armstrong
  The principal kinds of funding that this Department has provided to North East Lincolnshire from 1997 to 2001–02 are shown in the table. These include grants and borrowing approvals for revenue and capital expenditure.

  It is not possible to determine how much of this money has been spent on Great Grimsby. It is for the local authority to decide where within its boundary these resources are applied.

  social inclusion; Sustainable regeneration through infrastructure improvements.

  SRB total £12.1 million. Scheme total £30.7 million.

  Round 5—Yorkshire and Humber Coastal Tourism Initiative

  A five-year scheme submitted by the Yorkshire Tourist Board to support and encourage the growth of small tourism based businesses in the East Coast target area from Staithes to Cleethorpes. Support is through a

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  range of programmes including grant assistance for product improvements, marketing and environmental improvements, subsidised consultancy, business mentoring, training and benchmarking.

  SRB total: £529,000. Scheme total £2 million.

  Round 4—Creating A Learning Community

  A six-year scheme to tackle a local culture which does not value education or lifelong learning, and addresses a high level of need, by implementing a strategy to raise expectations and foster lifelong learning. The scheme will promote positive attitudes to learning in communities, within families and within the workplace by improving access to support and guidance structures; increasing opportunities to improve basic skills; promoting investment in employee training and development; and nurturing effective partnerships to widen participation.

  SRB total: £1.76 million. Scheme total: £5.55 million.

  Round 3—Investing in Youth

  A seven-year targeting the under 26s, tackling unemployment, educational attainment, skills training and health. It takes advantages of multimedia TV and district cabling to reach otherwise inaccessible groups and builds upon the Safer Cities programme with measures to involve your people in reducing crime and vandalism and engage them in community safety and environmental works.

  SRB total: £7.19 million. Scheme total £19 million.

  Round 2—Port Districts

  A seven-year scheme seeking the economic and social regeneration of the most deprived communities in the ports districts of Immingham and Grimsby. The port areas are a close mix of industrial and residential use. The scheme identifies how local skill/educational levels and aspirations, poor housing and infrastructure and is a comprehensive scheme providing support for the key food and port related industries, housing and community capacity building measures.

  SRB total: £8.47 million. Scheme total: £32 million.

  Round 1—Nunsthorpe and Bradley Park Resource Centre

  The provision of a resource centre at Nunsthorpe and levered in a significant contribution from the private sector as well as the public sector. The Nunsthorpe estate suffers from high unemployment, crime and vandalism. The resource centre complemented initiatives already being delivered under the Estate Action programme by providing facilities for the voluntary sector, support for tenants groups, much-needed leisure facilities and workshop and training opportunities.

  SRB total: £187,000. Scheme total: £1.7 million.

  European Funding

  Under the 1997–99 Objective 2 programme there were a series of Action Plans in the North East Lincolnshire area covering business support and community economic development (worth about £8.2 million in ERDF and £2.4 million in ESF grant) together with capital projects (Europarc development site and Cleethorpes tourism projects worth over £6 million in ERDF/ESF).

  For Objective 3 (ESF), NEL had £19,000 in 1997 and £126,000 in 1999–2000.
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  For Objective 4 (ESF), NEL support was subsumed into Humberside-wide activity. This is great for fostering partnership working but means that it is almost impossible to disaggregate the figures for an exercise like this.

  Water Abstraction Licences
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what representations he has received concerning the impact on a company's ability to plan and invest for the long term of his proposal relating to a time limit on water abstraction licences; [156344]

  (2) what representations he has received concerning the environmental effects of his proposed time limit on water abstraction licences. [156345]

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  My Department received a number of representations in response to the 1998 consultation document "The Review of the Water Abstraction Licensing System in England and Wales". These were summarised in "Taking Water Responsibly", published in 1999. There was widespread support among respondents for time limited licences on environmental grounds. About a sixth of the respondents were opposed to time limiting. This was mainly because of concerns about the possible impact on business planning and investment. A number of respondents to the draft Water Bill published last year have commented on time limiting licences. Similar comments have been made as were made previously. Many of those expressing concern accept the need for time limits in principle, but want licences to have a duration longer than the standard period in order to allow companies to plan and invest for the long term.

  There will be a presumption of renewal with all time limited licences. Also, it will be open to abstractors to apply for licences with time limits of more than 12 years. Each application will be considered by the Environment Agency on a case-by-case basis and will need to demonstrate need and that an assessment has been made of the environmental impact.

  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions on what grounds he based his proposal for a time limit on water abstraction licences. [156346]

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  The Government's policy on time limiting abstraction licences was set out in "Taking Water Responsibly", published in 1999. There are long-term uncertainties which could lead to some currently acceptable abstractions becoming unsustainable. The principal concern is uncertainty about climate change impact upon water resources replenishment and hence the availability of water for abstraction in future decades.

  Another significant concern is the extent to which changing technological or economic patterns will continue to affect the use or non-use of licensed abstractions in the future. Just as there have been changes in past decades in those patterns, so there have been changes in awareness and expectations of the social dimension to the water environment and the activities and values which it supports through "in situ" or abstractive use.

  Recycling
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how much of Great Britain's waste has been recycled in each of the last five years. [156348]

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  Total annual data for GB are not available for each of the five years requested. The latest available data are for 1998 and show an estimate of between 170–210 m. tonnes of waste produced by households, commerce and industry, including construction and demolition in the UK, of which 26 per cent. were recycled. Information on the amount of municipal waste collected and recycled in England and Wales is obtained on an annual basis through the Department's annual Municipal Waste Management Survey. Municipal waste makes up about a sixth of total waste produced. The municipal waste recycling rates for 1995–96, 1996–97, 1997–98 and 1993–99 were 7.1, 7.2, 8.0 and 9.7 per cent. respectively. 1999–2000 data are expected to be available in the summer. Waste recycling in Scotland is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  Pathfinder
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place in the Library his Department's response to the Environment Agency's consultation document, 'Pathfinder'. [156646]

  Mr. Meacher
  My Department has not yet responded to the Environment Agency's consultation document "The Business of Learning—Investing in a Sustainable Future", which was developed from the Agency's Pathfinder project. When we do send a response I will place a copy in the Libraries of the House.

  Statutory Instruments
  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many statutory instruments were laid before Parliament by his Department and its predecessors in each year from 1993 to 1998, inclusive. [156521]

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  The number of statutory instruments laid before Parliament by my Department and its predecessors in each year from 1993 to 1998 was as follows:

  Year

  1993

  276

  1994

  266

  1995

  260

  1996

  322

  1997

  280

  1998

  270

  Bus Services (Shrewsbury)
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many bus services were operated from Shrewsbury(a) in May 1997 and (b) on the most recent date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [156508]
  182W
  Mr. Hill
  The information is as follows:1997 bus services from Shrewsbury (excluding park and rides) per week: 881
  Latest recorded figures: 928.
  The increase in journeys from Shrewsbury to other destinations amounts to 47 per week and are in the main rural services. Some of this increase may be as a result of the Rural Bus Subsidy Grant which was introduced in 1998–99 and has provided over 1,800 new and enhanced services in rural England and 58 in Shropshire in 1999–2000. The allocation for 2001–02 has already been announced and will allow the support of services in towns up to a population of 25,000. A percentage of the grant will also be available for the support of recently withdrawn services or existing services under threat of withdrawal. The allocation for Shropshire for 2001–02 is £804,914 with similar allocations up to 2003–04.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many sites of special scientific interest there were in Shrewsbury and Atcham in each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement. [156510]

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  The table shows the total number of sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) in the Shrewsbury and Atcham borough for each year since 1992.

  Year

  Number of SSSIs

  1992

  22

  1993

  23

  1994

  24

  1995

  24

  1996

  24

  1997

  24

  1998

  25

  1999

  25

  2000

  27

  2001

  27

  Fishing Industry
  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps the Government are taking to regenerate areas in England which are affected by the decline of the fishing industry; and if he will make a statement. [156804]

  Ms Armstrong
  Fishing communities in England, in common with other areas of the country, are eligible to apply for funding under a wide range of current Government and European Union initiatives. These can be split broadly into three categories:initiatives specific to coastal and rural communities—examples include grant schemes administered by MAFF, and the European Union LEADER programme;
  assistance for those leaving the industry with re-skilling and re-employment. DfEE administers a number of services and programmes through the Employment Service, including Work-Based Learning for Adults; the RDAs administer the Skills Development Fund, which is focused on local projects developed

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  in response to specific need; and the new Learning and Skills Councils are working on Workforce Development Plans, again geared to local labour market requirements.
  regeneration initiatives—such as Regional Selective Assistance, Enterprise Grants, European Structural Funds and the RDAs' Single Regeneration Budget.
  These schemes are already providing considerable assistance. Nevertheless, I also appreciate that fishing communities have suffered particularly badly in recent times, due to declining fish stocks and other pressures, and that they have a strong case for further assistance.

  I have therefore asked the Regional Development Agencies to set aside £5.5 million from their budget to go towards a new programme of assistance for fishing communities. The programme will aim to help local partnerships to devise strategies for regenerating affected areas. It will be designed specifically to help fishing communities develop plans for their areas and make their case to Regional Development Agencies and other sources of funding, and more effectively access assistance from existing programmes.

  It will be possible for some of this money to be used to help tourism, including re-opening coastal paths.

  This new initiative forms part of a wider Government package of assistance to fishing communities. Earlier this week, MAFF announced that they are making available £6 million for additional assistance in England to assist restructuring in the fishing industry. They will be consulting with the industry about the precise form the assistance should take. MAFF also announced that they are launching a fisheries structural fund grants scheme (FIFG) for England; they have already committed £6 million to this EU scheme over the coming three years. This is in addition to a separate £5 million fund for fisheries in Cornwall.

  The total value of the MAFF and DETR packages is £22.5 million.

  I am also pleased to say that colleagues in the DfEE are today announcing a package of support for fishing communities. The Employment Service will use every opportunity to assist those made unemployed to return to work as quickly as possible. This will be a flexible service, tailored to the needs of the particular community. The type of service will depend on what is appropriate in each instance. All aspects of jobsearch, training, access to vacancies, help with job applications and a fast track benefit service, maybe through On-site Jobshops, can be used. Open days and Job Fairs may also be an option.

  ES staff will be available to offer intelligence on the local labour market and to match people to current vacancies. There is also access to over 350,000 vacancies on the website www.employmentservice.gov.uk and to a national telephone job hunting service Employment Service Direct (0845 60 60 234).

  Additional help through the Job Transition Service will be offered in areas where large scale redundancies occur and where unemployment is already high. It will not only help those people directly affected but also people from communities which are dependent upon the fishing industry.
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  The Job Transition Service is a new programme and key to the way in which this Government are tackling large scale redundancies. The Job Transition Service builds on existing ES support to provide the extra help needed to move people rapidly back into work. In particular, it works with employers to identify skills shortages and match people without jobs to jobs without people.

  The DfEE and the Employment Service will work closely with other departments and agencies to tackle the issue of job losses in the fisheries industry and the community as a whole. The approach will be practical and efficient, responding to local needs.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Opinion Polling
  Mr. St. Aubyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what(a) quantitative and (b) qualitative analytical work his Department has commissioned from GGC/NOP since 1 May 1997; and what was (i) the cost of the contract and (ii) the specific nature of the work commissioned. [155666]

  Mr. Wills
  [holding answer 28 March 2001]The Department has not commissioned quantitative or qualitative analytical work through GGC/NOP.

  Astra Pension Scheme
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what provision will be made to cover the shortfall in pension that the Astra Pension Scheme members are expecting; and if he will make a statement. [156119]

  Mr. Wicks
  The process for winding up the Astra Group Pension Scheme is ongoing. The extent of any shortfall in benefits secured for members will not be known until the process is completed.

  Student Travel Grants
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to help young people over the age of 16 who are studying in school or college towards the cost of travelling expenses to their place of education. [156195]

  Mr. Wicks
  My Department makes available funding to LEAs for schools and to colleges for students of 16 and over to help with transport and other course related costs. These funds are part of a £115 million package of discretionary support available from September 2001–02 onwards, which is an increase of £16 million over the 2000–01 allocation. We also provide up to £150 million for Education Maintenance Allowances to provide students of 16 and over in 56 LEAs with funding to support their costs and provide incentives.

  We have given guidance to LEAs, who have a duty to assess and respond to local transport needs, on how best to work in partnership with colleges in providing local transport and local policies. In the longer term we have commissioned an exercise using external consultants to produce good practice guidance and options for developing policy.

  Statutory Instruments
  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many statutory instruments were laid before Parliament by his Department and its predecessors in each year from 1993 to 1998 inclusive. [156520]

  Mr. Wills
  The following numbers of statutory instruments were laid:

  Year

  Number

  1993

  74

  1994

  103

  1995

  84

  1996

  88

  1997

  70

  1998

  144

  Grammar Schools
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if the ability tests set by grammar schools will be set on the same basis as those in the National Curriculum. [156887]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Admission authorities for grammar schools are responsible for setting their own arrangements for selecting pupils by academic ability. It is up to them to decide what method of testing to adopt.

  Taskforces
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list the taskforces which report to his Department. [157151]

  Mr. Blunkett
  Using the standard definition of a taskforce as a body with membership drawn not solely from the public sector, a lifetime of less than two years and a remit focused on a single issue taskforces reporting to DfEE are:Advisory Group for Disabled People in Employment and Training
  Advisory Group on Access and Hardship Funds
  Advisory Group on Citizenship in Post Compulsory Education and Training
  Citizenship Education Working Party
  Connexions Service: Youth Service Transition Working Group
  Council for Excellence in Management and Leadership
  Expert Group on Neighbourhood Nurseries
  Friends of Sure Start
  Graduate Apprenticeship National Steering Group
  Investors in People in Schools Advisory Group
  Learning Partnerships Group
  Literacy and Numeracy Strategy Group
  Modern Apprenticeships Advisory Committee
  National Advisory Group on Special Educational Needs
  National Training Organisation Advisory Group
  New Deal Taskforce
  Personal, Social and Health Education Advisory Group
  Post 16 Funding External Partners Group
  School Standards Taskforce.

  School Achievement Awards
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list by constituency the number of achievement awards made to schools. [154747]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  [pursuant to her reply, 20 March 2001, c. 160W]: The table contained inaccuracies. A corrected table has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list by local education authority the total value of achievement awards made and the percentage of the national total budget which schools in each local education authority received. [154749]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  [pursuant to her reply, 20 March 2000, c. 165–68W]: The table contained inaccuracies. The following table shows the correct information.

  Total value of school achievement awards by LEA

  LEA

  Value of awards (£)

  Percentage of total value

  City of London

  8,400

  0.0

  Camden

  279,470

  0.5

  Greenwich

  277,480

  0.4

  Hackney

  269,250

  0.4

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  283,850

  0.5

  Islington

  218,990

  0.4

  Kensington

  214,550

  0.3

  Lambeth

  276,110

  0.4

  Lewisham

  435,590

  0.7

  Southwark

  398,880

  0.6

  Tower Hamlets

  609,190

  1.0

  Wandsworth

  323,670

  0.5

  Westminster

  269,080

  0.4

  Barking and Dagenham

  371,230

  0.6

  Barnet

  509,890

  0.8

  Bexley

  363,290

  0.6

  Brent

  356,150

  0.6

  Bromley

  353,450

  0.6

  Croydon

  330,120

  0.5

  Ealing

  619,830

  1.0

  Enfield

  419,430

  0.7

  Haringey

  313,870

  0.5

  Harrow

  263,330

  0.4

  Havering

  394,230

  0.6

  Hillingdon

  402,730

  0.7

  Hounslow

  285,390

  0.5

  Kingston upon Thames

  173,160

  0.3

  Merton

  220,720

  0.4

  Newham

  611,620

  1.0

  Redbridge

  449,570

  0.7

  Richmond upon Thames

  190,930

  0.3

  Sutton

  309,620

  0.5

  Waltham Forest

  305,160

  0.5

  Birmingham

  2,040,550

  3.3

  Coventry

  335,780

  0.5

  Dudley

  407,370

  0.7

  Sandwell

  418,260

  0.7

  Solihull

  323,180

  0.5

  Walsall

  342,890

  0.6

  Wolverhampton

  409,340

  0.7

  Knowsley

  171,210

  0.3

  Liverpool

  797,600

  1.3

  St. Helens

  276,590

  0.4

  Sefton

  553,900

  0.9

  Wirral

  373,450

  0.6

  Bolton

  397,090

  0.6

  Bury

  174,770

  0.3

  Manchester

  616,310

  1.0

  Oldham

  328,150

  0.5

  Rochdale

  253,520

  0.4

  Salford

  274,140

  0.4

  187W

  Total value of school achievement awards by LEA

  LEA

  Value of awards (£)

  Percentage of total value

  Stockport

  240,690

  0.4

  Tameside

  298,180

  0.5

  Trafford

  416,780

  0.7

  Wigan

  335,670

  0.5

  Barnsley

  276,640

  0.4

  Doncaster

  430,970

  0.7

  Rotherham

  372,870

  0.6

  Sheffield

  495,130

  0.8

  Bradford

  416,180

  0.7

  Calderdale

  266,520

  0.4

  Kirklees

  602,380

  1.0

  Leeds

  889,260

  1.4

  Wakefield

  407,570

  0.7

  Gateshead

  314,720

  0.5

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  256,380

  0.4

  North Tyneside

  345,300

  0.6

  South Tyneside

  246,140

  0.4

  Sunderland

  464,730

  0.8

  Bath and North East Somerset

  275,370

  0.4

  Bristol, City of

  349,350

  0.6

  North Somerset

  179,480

  0.3

  South Gloucestershire

  218,730

  0.4

  Hartlepool

  195,920

  0.3

  Middlesbrough

  226,140

  0.4

  Redcar and Cleveland

  289,050

  0.5

  Stockton-on-Tees

  333,710

  0.5

  Kingston Upon Hull, City of

  370,540

  0.6

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  309,290

  0.5

  North East Lincolnshire

  255,850

  0.4

  North Lincolnshire

  166,650

  0.3

  North Yorkshire

  573,920

  0.9

  York

  129,420

  0.2

  Bedfordshire

  371,680

  0.6

  Luton

  214,470

  0.3

  Buckinghamshire

  400,420

  0.6

  Milton Keynes

  293,380

  0.5

  Derbyshire

  917,460

  1.5

  Derby

  266,080

  0.4

  Dorset

  360,140

  0.6

  Poole

  137,320

  0.2

  Bournemouth

  127,940

  0.2

  Durham

  671,210

  1.1

  Darlington

  148,540

  0.2

  East Sussex

  376,080

  0.6

  Brighton and Hove

  355,530

  0.6

  Hampshire

  1,218,320

  2.0

  Portsmouth

  177,610

  0.3

  Southampton

  316,480

  0.5

  Leicestershire

  664,890

  1.1

  Leicester

  263,010

  0.4

  Rutland

  54,190

  0.1

  Staffordshire

  866,030

  1.4

  Stoke

  323,410

  0.5

  Wiltshire

  429,320

  0.7

  School achievement awards by local education authority and type of school

  LEA

  Nursery

  PRU

  Primary

  Secondary

  Special

  Barking and Dagenham

  —

  —

  18

  4

  1

  Barnet

  2

  1

  38

  7

  —

  Barnsley

  —

  —

  30

  5

  —

  Bath and North East Somerset

  —

  —

  26

  5

  3

  Bedfordshire

  —

  —

  39

  12

  1

  Bexley

  —

  —

  23

  6

  —

  Birmingham

  1

  —

  136

  27

  6

  Blackburn with Darwen

  —

  —

  20

  4

  —

  Blackpool

  —

  —

  6

  2

  —

  Bolton

  —

  —

  37

  4

  1

  Bournemouth

  —

  —

  7

  2

  1

  Bracknell Forest

  —

  —

  11

  1

  —

  188W

  Total value of school achievement awards by LEA

  LEA

  Value of awards (£)

  Percentage of total value

  Swindon

  81,560

  0.1

  Bracknell Forest

  84,810

  0.1

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  141,050

  0.2

  West Berkshire

  180,300

  0.3

  Reading

  191,260

  0.3

  Slough

  264,200

  0.4

  Wokingham

  166,430

  0.3

  Cambridgeshire

  439,760

  0.7

  Peterborough

  332,310

  0.5

  Cheshire

  727,450

  1.2

  Halton

  235,160

  0.4

  Warrington

  180,770

  0.3

  Devon

  725,750

  1.2

  Plymouth

  275,730

  0.4

  Torbay

  213,230

  0.3

  Essex

  1,484,890

  2.4

  Southend-on-Sea

  310,290

  0.5

  Thurrock

  268,890

  0.4

  Herefordshire

  126,630

  0.2

  Worcestershire

  591,660

  1.0

  Kent

  1,462,280

  2.4

  Medway

  284,880

  0.5

  Lancashire

  1,426,470

  2.3

  Blackburn

  240,610

  0.4

  Blackpool

  88,650

  0.1

  Nottinghamshire

  787,890

  1.3

  Nottingham

  440,570

  0.7

  Shropshire

  235,660

  0.4

  Telford and Wrekin

  242,300

  0.4

  Cornwall

  368,980

  0.6

  Cumbria

  765,530

  1.2

  Gloucestershire

  500,540

  0.8

  Hertfordshire

  1,423,680

  2.3

  Isle of Wight

  80,190

  0.1

  Lincolnshire

  818,420

  1.3

  Norfolk

  951,710

  1.5

  Northamptonshire

  489,980

  0.8

  Northumberland

  437,610

  0.7

  Oxfordshire

  563,070

  0.9

  Somerset

  505,340

  0.8

  Suffolk

  703,770

  1.1

  Surrey

  1,063,410

  1.7

  Warwickshire

  742,960

  1.2

  West Sussex

  626,520

  1.0

  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will list by local education authority the member of(a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools which have received achievement awards. [154742]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  [pursuant to her reply, 20 March 2001, c. 159–64W]: The following table shows the correct information
  189W

  School achievement awards by local education authority and type of school

  LEA

  Nursery

  PRU

  Primary

  Secondary

  Special

  Bradford

  1

  —

  37

  6

  2

  Brent

  —

  1

  18

  5

  —

  Brighton and Hove

  —

  —

  22

  4

  4

  Bristol, City of

  4

  —

  41

  3

  —

  Bromley

  —

  —

  24

  5

  1

  Buckinghamshire

  —

  3

  47

  7

  —

  Bury

  1

  —

  22

  1

  2

  Calderdale

  —

  —

  28

  3

  1

  Cambridgeshire

  —

  —

  50

  5

  1

  Camden

  —

  1

  15

  5

  —

  Cheshire

  —

  —

  81

  11

  —

  City of London

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Cornwall

  —

  —

  43

  7

  —

  Coventry

  —

  —

  24

  5

  1

  Croydon

  3

  1

  23

  5

  2

  Cumbria

  —

  1

  85

  17

  —

  Darlington

  —

  —

  10

  4

  1

  Derby

  3

  —

  23

  3

  3

  Derbyshire

  2

  —

  93

  19

  —

  Devon

  —

  —

  97

  10

  —

  Doncaster

  —

  —

  32

  7

  —

  Dorset

  —

  —

  32

  11

  1

  Dudley

  —

  —

  26

  9

  —

  Durham

  3

  —

  96

  8

  4

  Ealing

  —

  —

  32

  9

  1

  East Riding of Yorkshire

  —

  —

  33

  4

  1

  East Sussex

  —

  —

  47

  4

  —

  Enfield

  —

  —

  17

  7

  —

  Essex

  —

  2

  138

  21

  3

  Gateshead

  1

  —

  35

  4

  —

  Gloucestershire

  —

  —

  57

  9

  2

  Greenwich

  —

  —

  24

  5

  —

  Hackney

  —

  —

  25

  3

  —

  Halton

  2

  —

  23

  3

  1

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  2

  —

  19

  5

  3

  Hampshire

  —

  2

  133

  16

  5

  Haringey

  —

  —

  22

  4

  —

  Harrow

  —

  —

  18

  4

  1

  Hartlepool

  —

  —

  8

  4

  1

  Havering

  —

  1

  22

  10

  —

  Herefordshire

  —

  —

  16

  4

  —

  Hertfordshire

  —

  1

  124

  28

  3

  Hillingdon

  —

  —

  21

  7

  —

  Hounslow

  —

  —

  21

  4

  —

  Isle of Wight

  —

  —

  15

  1

  —

  Islington

  1

  —

  16

  3

  —

  Kensington and Chelsea

  1

  —

  20

  2

  —

  Kent

  —

  2

  131

  28

  2

  Kingston Upon Hull, City of

  —

  —

  32

  5

  1

  Kingston upon Thames

  —

  1

  11

  3

  2

  Kirklees

  —

  —

  61

  8

  —

  Knowsley

  —

  —

  26

  —

  —

  Lambeth

  1

  —

  22

  3

  2

  Lancashire

  7

  4

  118

  32

  9

  Leeds

  —

  —

  91

  7

  1

  Leicester

  —

  —

  30

  1

  —

  Leicestershire

  —

  —

  66

  16

  —

  Lewisham

  1

  1

  27

  6

  3

  Lincolnshire

  —

  —

  59

  27

  3

  Liverpool

  —

  —

  57

  14

  3

  Luton

  —

  1

  18

  3

  —

  Manchester

  —

  —

  43

  6

  6

  Medway

  —

  —

  26

  5

  —

  Merton

  —

  —

  21

  2

  1

  Middlesbrough

  —

  —

  20

  2

  2

  Milton Keynes

  —

  —

  23

  3

  —

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  —

  1

  36

  3

  1

  Newham

  —

  —

  27

  7

  1

  Norfolk

  —

  —

  105

  16

  —

  North East Lincolnshire

  —

  —

  20

  4

  1

  North Lincolnshire

  —

  —

  18

  4

  —

  North Somerset

  —

  —

  13

  3

  1

  North Tyneside

  —

  —

  30

  6

  —

  190W 191W

  School achievement awards by local education authority and type of school

  LEA

  Nursery

  PRU

  Primary

  Secondary

  Special

  North Yorkshire

  —

  —

  71

  13

  —

  Northamptonshire

  3

  —

  63

  6

  1

  Northumberland

  —

  —

  42

  17

  4

  Nottingham

  2

  —

  37

  7

  2

  Nottinghamshire

  —

  —

  86

  14

  2

  Oldham

  —

  —

  33

  4

  1

  Oxfordshire

  3

  1

  50

  12

  4

  Peterborough

  —

  —

  26

  4

  1

  Plymouth

  —

  —

  25

  5

  —

  Poole

  —

  —

  9

  3

  —

  Portsmouth

  1

  1

  17

  —

  5

  Reading

  1

  1

  12

  5

  —

  Redbridge

  —

  1

  18

  9

  —

  Redcar and Cleveland

  —

  1

  22

  6

  2

  Richmond upon Thames

  1

  —

  16

  3

  —

  Rochdale

  —

  —

  18

  4

  3

  Rotherham

  —

  —

  37

  5

  —

  Rutland

  —

  —

  2

  2

  —

  Salford

  —

  —

  28

  4

  3

  Sandwell

  —

  —

  35

  6

  —

  Sefton

  —

  —

  29

  13

  2

  Sheffield

  2

  —

  35

  6

  3

  Shropshire

  —

  —

  37

  4

  —

  Slough

  —

  1

  14

  6

  —

  Solihull

  —

  —

  28

  4

  —

  Somerset

  —

  —

  57

  9

  3

  South Gloucestershire

  —

  1

  20

  3

  —

  South Tyneside

  4

  2

  23

  3

  1

  Southampton

  —

  —

  31

  3

  2

  Southend-on-Sea

  —

  —

  19

  5

  1

  Southwark

  2

  —

  27

  7

  1

  St. Helens

  1

  —

  25

  2

  3

  Staffordshire

  —

  1

  84

  17

  6

  Stockport

  —

  —

  29

  3

  1

  Stockton-on-Tees

  —

  —

  23

  6

  —

  Stoke-on-Trent

  5

  1

  30

  4

  2

  Suffolk

  —

  —

  71

  19

  1

  Sunderland

  —

  —

  33

  5

  4

  Surrey

  1

  —

  101

  17

  —

  Sutton

  1

  —

  12

  8

  —

  Swindon

  —

  —

  14

  —

  —

  Tameside

  —

  —

  30

  4

  2

  Telford and Wrekin

  —

  —

  23

  5

  —

  Thurrock

  —

  —

  17

  5

  2

  Torbay

  —

  —

  12

  4

  —

  Tower Hamlets

  2

  1

  37

  8

  3

  Trafford

  —

  —

  32

  9

  —

  Wakefield

  —

  —

  42

  6

  —

  Walsall

  —

  —

  22

  7

  1

  Waltham Forest

  1

  —

  13

  6

  1

  Wandsworth

  —

  —

  22

  4

  1

  Warrington

  1

  —

  26

  1

  —

  Warwickshire

  3

  —

  57

  14

  4

  West Berkshire

  —

  —

  21

  2

  1

  West Sussex

  —

  2

  72

  7

  3

  Westminster

  —

  —

  23

  4

  —

  Wigan

  —

  —

  38

  2

  2

  Wiltshire

  —

  —

  43

  11

  1

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  —

  —

  17

  3

  —

  Wirral

  —

  —

  42

  2

  4

  Wokingham

  —

  —

  17

  2

  —

  Wolverhampton

  3

  —

  29

  7

  2

  Worcestershire

  1

  1

  61

  13

  1

  York

  —

  1

  13

  2

  2

  Labour Market Statistics
  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what revisions to the Labour Market Statistics are scheduled for April; and what the impact of such revisions will be on(a) national and local
  192W
  statistics and (b) relevant Department for Education and Employment policies. [155761]

  Mr. Blunkett
  ONS announced on 19 July 2000 that they would be introducing a new annual survey of employee jobs—the Annual Business Inquiry (ABI)—to
  193W
  replace the Annual Employment Survey. The new statistics will be published in the Labour Market First Release on 11 April. These data are used in national regional and local estimates of employee jobs and the national and regional Workforce Jobs series. In addition the estimates are used in the calculation of claimant count rates nationally, regionally and locally and in national and regional productivity estimates.

  Work carried out by ONS established that the ABI was the better estimate of employee jobs in the economy and that the errors in the previous estimate had occurred back over time. ONS have indicated the following on the likely effects.
  Early indications, from mid-2000, were that the revisions will show 500,000 to 750,000 more jobs for 1998 than previously estimated. If these indications of the scale are applied to the claimant unemployment rate, then the 1998 UK rate would be revised down by 0.2 percentage points.
  The UK claimant count level is unaffected.
  Productivity levels will be revised down, but growth rates will only be slightly affected by the introduction of the ABI. An improved methodology is being introduced from 1997 onwards.
  Revisions will take place over the history of the series.
  Locally, employee job estimates and claimant unemployment rates for regions, local authorities and parliamentary constituencies will also be revised. DfEE like all users have no indication of the scale of these revisions for each local area. The claimant count rates will be revised downwards nationally. Past experience suggests that although the local rates will in general be revised down some local claimant rates may be revised up.

  As the revisions will be over the history of the series, changes over time in these series will be relatively unaffected.

  There will also be annual seasonal adjustment reviews to the Labour Force Survey, claimant count and vacancies series. These do not usually lead to significant revisions.

  The information available from ONS only gives some indication of the likely scale of the revisions. DfEE will fully assess any impact on our policies once we have the exact information available to us. However, the indication that changes over time will be relatively unaffected suggests that the impact on our policies will not be major.

  Full details on the new statistics will be available on 11 April from the House of Commons Library.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Kenya
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding her Department provides for each project it supports in Kenya. [156703]

  Clare Short
  The table lists, by sector, all current approved projects in Kenya and their funding allocations totalling £164.46 million. Disbursement of funds takes place over a number of years reflecting the varying project lifespans.
  194W

  Sector/Project

  Allocation (£)

  Agriculture and Livestock

  Kenya Trypanosomiasis Research Institute (KETR) Project Phase III

  2,381,600

  ABLH Smallholder Mkt. and Cert. Project

  2,819,000

  SmallHolder Dairy Project

  2,007,000

  Farm Africa Goat Project

  1,133,000

  EPAG: Com. Animal Health

  462,220

  Farming Systems Kenya

  303,000

  Agriculture Sector Reform

  48,000

  Rural Livelihoods Policy Influencing

  120,000

  ITDG Decent'd Animal Health

  350,861

  Land Tenure Project

  300,000

  Sabatia Food Security/Resource Project

  317,289

  Agric Tech Dissemm Project

  50,000

  RNR Regional Co-ordinator

  45,000

  Subtotal

  10,336,970

  Forestry

  Forestry Consultation

  75,000

  Subtotal

  75,000

  Rural Development

  Aga Khan Foundation—Kwale

  1,100,000

  Wajir Pastoralist Dev II

  1,002,044

  ActionAid Capacity Bid Ph 2

  2,000,000

  Subtotal

  4,102,044

  Public Administration

  Strengthening Gov. Fin & Acct'g

  1,100,000

  Support to Attorney General

  438,600

  Beijing Platform for Action II

  513,000

  Population Census 1999

  1,235,000

  Gender Strategy

  30,000

  Poverty Eradication Plan

  25,000

  Support to Civil Service Reform

  220,230

  Support to Kenya Anti Corruption Auth

  225,000

  Poverty Information in Kenya

  50,000

  Political Empowerment Project

  2,200,000

  PRSP Consultation

  750,000

  Legal Sector Reform

  50,000

  Subtotal

  38,336,830

  Water and Sanitation

  CARE NDHEWAS Project

  908,785

  Water Aid Development of ASAL Water

  608,791

  ASAL water II

  950,000

  CARE Garissa

  405,693

  SASOL

  353,059

  Subtotal

  3,226,328

  Business and Finance

  Barclays Loan Guarantee

  969,092

  Enterprise Initiative Prj II

  600,000

  CARE Women's Econ Develop.

  2,758,188

  Support to KWFT

  1,741,623

  MFI Analysis and Support

  50,000

  K-Rep Phase II

  953,904

  Deregulation Phase II

  1,377,779

  Mwezi Kali 2 BGTP

  925,669

  ApproTec Ram Oil Press

  83,000

  Co-op Bank Micro Finance

  1,125,000

  Support to Faulu Phase II

  2,520,000

  Support to KICK Phase II

  399,872

  Financial Services to the Poor

  70,000

  KICK/Green Disabled Group

  65,339

  Small Enterprise Awards Scheme

  634,000

  ApproTec Long Term Irrigation

  1,700,000

  Business Partnership Project

  1,150,000

  Enabling Environment for Business

  100,000

  Subtotal

  17,223,466

  195W

  Sector/Project

  Allocation (£)

  Urban Development

  Nairobi Urban Poverty Project

  2,913,800

  Mombasa Urban Project

  2,844,000

  Kibera Urban Env. Sanitation Project

  60,000

  Subtotal

  5,817,800

  Education

  Strengthening Primary Education

  13,360,000

  Primary School Management

  4,760,000

  Mumias Educ. For Empowerment

  400,000

  AA Community Education Initiative

  400,000

  Subtotal

  18,920,000

  Health and Welfare

  Interim Vaccine Procurement

  1,793,750

  Kenya Family Health Project

  11,470,000

  HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care

  26,000,000

  Safe Motherhood Partnership Fund

  1,720,000

  Health Planning and Reform Support

  484,000

  AMREF Employer Based Malaria

  849,755

  East African Malaria Monitoring and Research

  263,709

  Eradication of Polio in East Africa

  7,907,688

  Malaria Control in Kenya

  1,163,820

  AMREF Turkana CBHC Phase II

  500,000

  Subtotal

  52,152,722

  Conflict

  Pastoral Conflict in Kenya

  25,000

  Arid District Conflict Reduction Proj.

  595,000

  Subtotal

  620,000

  Emergencies/Drought

  MSF Spain Emergency Project

  530,000

  EPAG Mandera

  184,000

  OXFAM Borehole Protection

  1,110,944

  OXFAM Turkana Food Distribution

  313,248

  WFP Emergency Operation 6203

  10,030,000

  Livestock Off-take

  150,000

  Support to Office of the President

  180,000

  UNICEF Emergency Nutrition

  158,043

  FAO Emergency Seed Distribution

  20,000

  UNICEF Health and Nutrition

  600,000

  FAO CBPP Campaign

  144,650

  Subtotal

  13,420,885

  Roads

  Study of Roads Agency

  230,000

  Subtotal

  230,000

  Romania and Albania
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the assistance programmes her Department is funding in(a) Romania and (b) Albania. [156704]

  Clare Short
  Our main financial contribution to development programmes is through the EC and other multilateral agencies. Our share of EC programme commitments to Romania and Albania in 2000 was £79 million.

  Activities under our bilateral programmes are as follows:

  In Romania we are funding programmes for accountancy and audit reform; the Court of Audit; civil service reform; health care and child care reform; the development of a probation service; development of insurance services; energy sector regulation; social
  196W
  protection; education finance; mining communities; rural development; citizens advice and information services; environmental project design; environmental partnerships at municipal level; and water and wastewater services.

  In Albania we are supporting the Government's Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy and Medium Term Expenditure Framework; health financing and planning; taxation reform; media development; public administration reform; social policy and social service reform; rural livelihoods; environment; and emergency planning and disposal or ordnance.

  We published a country strategy paper for Romania in October 1999, and for Albania in January 2001. Copies are in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what financial assistance her Department has provided to UNICEF for its work in the protection of young refugees from(a) Romania and (b) Albania. [156705]

  Clare Short
  We have provided a total of £7.75 million to UNICEF for programmes in the Balkans. Of this sum, £1 million was allocated to Albania and £3.5 million for regional programmes. There was no specific allocation for Romania.

  Government Expenditure Target
  Mr. Patrick Hall
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress has been made towards meeting the Government's target for expenditure on overseas development as a proportion of gross national product. [157222]

  Clare Short
  My Department announced on 2 April that the UK oda/GNP ratio for calendar year 2000 is provisionally estimated at 0.31 per cent. This puts the Government on track to achieve the target of 0.33 per cent. by the financial year 2003–04.

DEFENCE

  Manual Military Law Part III
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what plans there are for the Manual of Military Law Part III to be(a) be revised, (b) reprinted and (c) reissued; and if he will make a statement; [155920]

  (2) when the most recent edition of the Manual of Military Law Part III was printed; if this edition is currently in use; and if he will make a statement; [155918]

  (3) if the Manual of Military Law Part III, is held by all military units; and what the policy is on Part III being held by units; [155916]

  (4) if all members of the armed forces (a) have issued to them and (b) have access to the Manual of Military Law Part III; and if he will make a statement; [155919]

  (5) what the legal status is of the Manual of Military Law; and if he will make a statement. [155915]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Manual of Military Law Part III (MML Pt III) was first published in 1958. MML Pt III is an academic legal text, a reference document for lawyers, and a detailed, if dated, commentary on the rules of war. In practice, the incorporation of legal requirement in
  197W
  Rules of Engagement, courses on international law at all levels at appropriate times, and cards setting out main war crimes issued to servicemen going into combat are all more relevant to servicemen than MML Pt III. As such, MML Pt III is only one way in which the Law of Armed Conflict is disseminated in the Army.

  There are no plans to reprint MML Pt III in its current form but it has not been withdrawn from circulation. Copies are still held at unit and formation level and further copies may be requested from the Central Services Establishment, Llangennech.

  MML Pt III is being completely rewritten as a Joint Service Publication (JSP 383) and will therefore cover the law of armed conflict applicable to land, sea and air operations. A timetable for publication and distribution has not yet been fixed as draft texts are still being considered.

  Army Recruits (Commonwealth)
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on his plans to make greater use of the Commonwealth as a source of potential army recruits; which(a) countries and (b) specialities will be targeted; and what the budget of the recruitment exercise will be; [156793]

  (2) if the plans to make greater use of the Commonwealth as a source of potential army recruits will include the recruitment of Commonwealth nationals into (a) existing regiments and units or (b) new Commonwealth regiments and units; what pay and conditions will apply; and if he will make a statement; [156794]

  (3) if the plans to make greater use of the Commonwealth as a source of potential army recruits include recruitment from Commonwealth countries whose head of state is not Her Majesty the Queen; and if he will make a statement; [156795]

  (4) what oath of allegiance will be taken by non-British recruits from Commonwealth countries when they are enlisted into the British Army under the plans in the Strategy for the Army. [156797]

  Mr. Spellar
  The Army has no plans to recruit actively from the Commonwealth and there is, therefore, no specific budget allocated to this area of recruitment. Applications are welcomed from Commonwealth citizens, subject to their meeting the normal entry criteria, irrespective of whether the Queen is head of state or not. Successful applicants are placed wherever vacancies exist according to their qualifications, performance at selection and preferences, where possible; there are no plans to institute "Commonwealth" regiments. Individuals enlist under the same terms and conditions of service as UK applicants and are required to swear an oath of allegiance to Her Majesty the Queen as head of the Commonwealth. The visits made to Fiji and St. Vincent and the Grenadines by army selection teams in 1999 and 2000 took place in order to process the large backlog of applications from these countries; no new recruitment was undertaken during these visits. The British Army has traditionally welcomed members of the Commonwealth as soldiers and officers. It is perhaps the spread of information via the world wide web and similar mediums that has increased the level of interest from overseas areas in recent months.
  198W
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many non-British citizens from Commonwealth countries are serving in the armed forces other than in training or observation roles, in each case(a) the regiment or unit in which they serve, (b) the country of which they are a citizen and (c) the terms of service; and if he will make a statement. [156796]

  Mr. Spellar
  The table details the numbers of non-British citizens from Commonwealth countries serving in the Army by Arm/Corps as at 1 March 2001.

  Army Corps

  Total

  Household Cavalry

  7

  Royal Armoured Corps

  27

  Royal Artillery

  57

  Royal Engineers

  19

  Royal Signals

  23

  Footguards

  29

  Scots Division

  109

  Queens Division

  70

  Kings Division

  33

  Prince of Wales' Division

  76

  Light Division

  50

  Royal Irish (General Service)

  25

  Paratroopers

  60

  Army Air Corps

  9

  Royal Army Chaplains Division

  5

  Royal Logistical Corps

  84

  Royal Army Medical Corps

  37

  Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

  14

  Adjutant General's Corps (Provost Branch)

  5

  Adjutant General's Corps (Staff and Personnel Support Branch)

  25

  Royal Army Dental Corps

  11

  Long Service List

  5

  Other

  21

  Grand total

  801

  The table details the country of which they are a citizen (as at 1 March 2001).

  Nationality

  Total

  Australia

  61

  Fiji

  373

  India

  12

  Jamaica

  34

  Kenya

  7

  Malta Gc

  6

  Canada

  62

  New Zealand

  51

  Trinidad and Tobago

  9

  Pakistan

  6

  Zimbabwe

  45

  South Africa

  70

  Other

  65

  Total

  801

  To ensure confidentiality under the Data Protection Act (1998) several Corps and nationalities were combined in the category 'Other' as categories with less than five entries cannot be published. The Corps combined include: Corps of Army Music, Army Physical Training Corps, Intelligence Corps, Adjutant General's Corps (Army Legal Service), Adjutant General's Corps Education and Training Service, Gurkhas, Staff, Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps and Royal Veterinary Corps.

  Non-British citizens from Commonwealth countries serve on the same terms of service as British citizens.
  199W
  It is not possible to publish data for the Royal Navy or RAF as details on nationality are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Lairg Primary School
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he received the report of the Laboratory of the Government Chemist on its analysis of clothing taken from children at Lairg Primary School, Sutherland, following an incident on 15 February; and if he will make a statement. [156891]

  Dr. Moonie
  As I said in my letter of 8 March to the right hon. Member, the incident on 15 February at Lairg Primary School was being investigated. The report of the Laboratory of the Government Chemist was received by the RAF Police Defence Flying Complaints Investigation Team (DFCIT) on 27 March. The results show no trace of any aviation product or noxious substance. The full DFCIT investigation into the incident is nearing completion and I will write once the RAF Police report is to hand.

  Type 22 Frigates
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress he has made on the disposal of the remaining Type 22 frigates. [156675]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 3 April 2001]: Final disposal options on the remaining Type 22 frigates—HMS Boxer, HMS London and HMS Brave—are currently being considered. HMS Beaver, the first of the Type 22s declared surplus under the 1998 Strategic Defence Review, has been sold in a non-operational condition to the commercial market.

PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Death Penalty
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the President of the Council how many cases are under consideration by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council concerning the possible use of the death penalty; and if she will list the countries to which they relate. [156190]

  Mrs. Beckett
  There is a total of 16 cases, involving 19 persons under sentence of death, currently pending in the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. These figures are made up as follows:Appeals heard and awaiting judgment: five (involving six persons)
  Appeals waiting to be heard: five (involving six persons)
  Petitions for special leave to appeal waiting to be heard: five (involving six persons)
  Petition granted, but appeal not yet registered: one.
  The cases come from Antigua and Barbuda (two cases), The Bahamas (two), Belize (three), Grenada (three), Jamaica (one), St. Lucia (one), St. Vincent and the Grenadines (one) and Trinidad and Tobago (three).

PRIME MINISTER

  Foot and Mouth
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Prime Minister what emergency powers he has to take action to halt the spread of foot and mouth disease, and which such powers he has exercised. [156121]

  The Prime Minister
  The Animal Health Act 1981 and the Foot and Mouth Disease Order 1983 provide the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food with a wide range of powers to control the disease. These include powers:to detain the movement of animals and other things while conducting a veterinary inquiry into suspected disease
  to slaughter animals affected or suspected of being affected by disease or which have been in contact with infected animals or which have in any way been exposed to the infection of the disease
  to impose disease control rules to be observed within an infected place
  to impose infected area restrictions around an infected premises in accordance with EU rules
  to apply restrictions to animals exposed to disease
  to order the cleansing and disinfection of premises and vehicles
  to control the disposal of manure, slurry and litter in an infected area
  to require stray animals to be controlled in an infected area
  to control milk produced in an infected area
  to close footpaths ant prevent entry onto land (including roads) or premises in an infected area
  to prohibit certain sporting and recreational activities (such as hunting and point to point meetings) in an infected area
  to apply movement controls to or from slaughterhouses
  to apply movement restrictions on animals and other controls within a controlled area (which at present covers the whole of Great Britain)
  to prohibit hunting and stalking in a controlled area
  to prohibit the holding of fairs, markets, shows or other gatherings of animals.
  All these powers have been exercised at various junctures since the date of the first confirmation of the disease. They have been supplemented by the following measures:
  within a controlled area, the power to allow the Minister (or a local authority with the prior agreement of the Minister) to close roads
  granting a temporary casing of the drivers hours rules for various types of operation affected by foot and mouth (including the transport of animal feed, livestock, agricultural products, disinfectant and milk)
  restriction of exports to member states of certain products
  amended rules as regards the closure of footpaths and prohibited areas
  disinfection of tyres of road vehicles transported out of the UK
  establishment of a flat rate valuation for slaughtered animals.
  The scope of powers available is kept under constant review in the light of developments.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Departmental Press Office
  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many non-career civil servants there are in his Department's Press Office; in what position; and how much(a) they and (b) career civil servants of equivalent rank are paid. [156823]

  Mr. Wilson
  [holding answer 3 April 2001]: Two: Head of News and one Press Officer. Both officers' salaries fall within the pay scales appropriate to their grade. We do not disclose individual officers' salaries.

  Mr. Spring
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the procedure is for appointing non-career civil servants in his Department's Press Office. [156822]

  Mr. Wilson
  [holding answer 3 April 2001]: All recruitment to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is conducted under the Civil Service Commissioner's Recruitment Rules. We either recruit using fair and open recruitment competitions, or make use of the flexibility allowed in the Commissioners' Recruitment Code for short term appointments of up to 12 months.

  Iraq
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his(a) United Nations and (b) United States counterparts regarding non-military sanctions against Iraq. [156540]

  Mr. Wilson
  [holding answer 3 April 2001]: The Secretary of State holds regular discussions with US and other key allies on all aspects of Iraq policy, including that of non-military sanctions. UK representatives have regular contact with UN officials.

  Air Passenger Duty
  Mr. Austin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those EU member states which make a distinction between EU member states and candidate countries in the application of air passenger duty; and if he will make a statement. [156831]

  Mr. Timms
  I have been asked to reply.

  It is not possible to provide the information requested. Air passenger duty is specific to the UK. Other EU member states' air travel taxation systems do not operate on the same basis.

  Mr. Austin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the compatibility of proposed changes to air passenger duty with the Czech-UK Agreement on Air Services signed in Prague on 20 March 1998 [156829]

  Mr. Timms
  I have been asked to reply.

  It is the assessment of the UK Government that the changes to air passenger duty that were introduced on 1 April 2001 are compatible with the Czech Republic-UK Agreement on Air Services signed in Prague on 20 March 1998.
  202W
  Mr. Austin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if candidate countries to the European Union will be treated as EU member states for the purposes of air passenger duty from the time that the European Common Aviation Area multilateral agreement becomes applicable. [156830]

  Mr. Timms
  I have been asked to reply.

  Candidate countries to the European Union will be treated as EU member states for air passenger duty purposes only when they have completed the accessionary process.

  Mr. Austin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact on competitiveness of changes in air passenger duty on flights within the European Economic Area; and if he will make a statement. [156827]

  Mr. Timms
  I have been asked to reply.

  The changes to air passenger duty implemented on 1 April 2001 should have a positive impact on the UK's competitiveness within the European Economic Area. For those passengers travelling economy class the duty is reduced to £5.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Film
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many people are employed in(a) the British Film Commission, (b) the Arts Council of England's Lottery Film Department, (c) the British Film Institute's Production Department, (d) British Screen Finance and (d) the British Film Institute; and how many were employed in April (i) 1999 and (ii) 2000. [156149]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  The British Film Commission, Arts Council of England's Lottery Film Department and the British Film Institute's Production Department were absorbed into the Film Council on 1 April 2000. British Screen Finance transferred to the Film Council on 1 October 2000. The Film Council currently employs 73 staff.1

  Figures for preceding years are as follows:

  April 1999

  April 20002

  British Film Commission

  11

  11

  Arts Council of England's Lottery Film Department

  11

  13

  British Film Institute's Production Department

  9

  11

  British Screen Finance

  17

  15

  British Film Institute3

  445

  403

  Total

  541

  524

  1 The Film Council staff total takes into account staff for finance, business affairs, policy and industry training functions which previously either did or did not exist as activities or were functions undertaken by external lawyers and accountants or by other departments within the Arts Council or the British Film Institute.

  2 In respect of all but British Film Institute figures, these relate to the numbers of staff transferring into the Film Council on 1 April 2000.

  3 Figures are based on averages for the year. These figures exclude British Film Institute Production but include externally funded staff of 48 in 1999, 71 in 2000 and 83 at present: these staff are on fixed-term contracts and are funded by a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund for restoration work at the BFI Archive in Berkhamsted.

  Arts Funding (Liverpool)
  Mrs. Ellman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding was available for the arts in Liverpool(a) since 1997 and (b) between 1993 and 1997. [156458]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  For the financial years 1993–2000 the figures for grant in aid allocated to the arts in Liverpool are as follows:

  Year

  £

  1993

  1,153,751

  1994

  1,678,132

  1995

  1,284,251

  1996

  1,648,064

  1997

  1,766,049

  1998

  1,712,828

  1999

  2,090,915

  2000

  14,112,172

  2001

  1—

  1Includes delegation of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra from the Arts Council of England

  2Figures for 2000–01 will not be available until the audited accounts are released later in the year

  The total Lottery allocation to Liverpool from 1995 to date has been £21,434,276. I have asked the Arts Council for a breakdown of this figure and will write to my hon. Friend when the information is available.

  Listed Sporting Events
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on paragraph 9 of the revised ITC code on sports and other listed events, regarding the Government's policy on listed sporting events. [156566]

  Janet Anderson
  The Government's policy is to ensure that free to air broadcasters, with a reach of at least 95 per cent. of the population, are given a fair and reasonable opportunity to acquire the rights to broadcast live coverage of "crown jewel" events. As paragraph 9 of the ITC code—last revised in January 2000—explains, it does not guarantee that the event will be broadcast live. Rights holders are not obliged to sell live rights and broadcasters are not obliged to purchase them or to show the events. However, any UK broadcaster that obtains the rights to live coverage of the whole or part of a listed event cannot broadcast exclusively live in the UK without first seeking the consent of the ITC.

  Foot and Mouth
  Mr. Woodward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the impact of the foot and mouth outbreak on safari and wildlife parks. [156681]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 3 April 2001]: My Department has made no special assessment of the impact of the foot and mouth outbreak on safari and wildlife parks.

  However, my Department is in touch with the Federation of Zoological Gardens of Great Britain and Ireland, which includes wildlife and safari parks in its membership, about the implications of the foot and mouth outbreak. They have been involved in developing
  204W
  Government guidance on the circumstances in which visitor attractions should open. The Federation estimates that in the first four weeks of the outbreak, the zoo, wildlife and safar park sector lost approximately £3.5 million in revenue.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Fraud
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the(a) policy and (b) legal reasons that prohibit his Department and its agencies from joining (i) the Credit Industry Fraud Avoidance System and (ii) the National Hunter System. [156473]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 2 April 2001]: We cannot join the Credit Industry Fraud Avoidance System (CIFAS) because it would entail DSS making data about claimants available to the private sector. Members of CIFAS seek their customers' consent to this. In the case of social security benefits, I am advised that making entitlement to benefits conditional upon claimants' giving consent to release of their personal data to organisations such as CIFAS would not constitute real consent, as the claimants often have no choice but to claim benefits from DSS. The alternative of releasing information only for those claimants that gave their consent would be valueless, as fraudsters would hardly be likely to give such consent.

  However, we have set up a working party with the private sector to examine what information held by the DSS could be made available within existing legal constraints.

  The National Hunter system is a computer software programme which checks for inconsistencies with respect to applications for mortgages. As we procure new IT we will build in the capability we require. The Department is specifying requirements and it is the suppliers' job to decide what form the solutions should take. The Department is deliberately not seeking to lead the suppliers in the direction of specific solutions.

  Home Visits
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of(a) the number of his Department's staff making home visits in the last year, (b) the total number of home visits made, (c) the total number of homes visited and (d) the number of such homes that were also visited by local authority staff in the same period. [156531]

  Angela Eagle
  [holding answer 2 April 2001]: The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is that for the period April 2000 to February 2001 when 1,251,280 home visits were made by 6,332 staff.

  Child Support
  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action he proposes to take in respect of the recent decisions of a social security commissioner in relation to the operation of the Social Security Act 1998
  205W
  and the Social Security and Child Support (Decisions and Appeals) Regulations 1999; and it he will make a statement. [153384]

  Angela Eagle
  We do not propose to take any action in relation to these decisions.

  The Commissioner confirms the approach taken by decision makers in relation to the operation of the Social Security Act 1998 and the Social Security and Child Support (Decisions and Appeals) Regulations 1999. That is, decision makers can make the decision to 'supersede at the same rate' where there is a change of circumstances but it does not change the existing award, and can refuse to supersede a decision where the application cannot possibly affect the existing award.

  The Commissioner also held that it is necessary for a new claim for benefit to be made, in all cases, before there can be a supersession for change of circumstances. It is our view that this was a ruling on a point of law which was incidental to the decisions reached, rather than a necessary part of the legal reasoning. Accordingly, the Commissioner's decisions on this point do not constitute binding rulings. For that reason we have decided not to appeal these decisions and we have not asked for existing guidance to decision makers to be altered.

  Foot and Mouth
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what his estimate is of the percentage of farmers who have had their farm livestock slaughtered as a consequence of foot and mouth disease who will be entitled to claim unemployment benefit. [156556]

  Angela Eagle
  No such estimate has been made.

  Pensions
  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what discussions he has had with pensioner organisations in Scotland about initiatives to inform older people of their rights. [156571]

  Mr. Rooker
  Ministers regularly meet representatives of pensioner organisations, including those based in Scotland. On 2 March 2001 we published a Scottish edition of our pensioners guide which provides information of a range of help and advice available to older people through central and local Government.

  Mr. Davidson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what changes have been made since 1997 to pension and social security provision for pensioners living in poverty. [156575]

  Mr. Rooker
  The poorest pensioners will have gained from some or all of the extra increases in basic State Pension, tax allowances and Minimum Income Guarantee, together with Winter Fuel Payments and free TV licences.

  As a result of tax and benefit measures introduced by this Government, the poorest pensioner households on the MIG will, on average, be at least £15 a week, or £800 a year, better off in real terms.

  Winter Fuel Allowance (Pa sley, South)
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many over 60s in Paisley South qualify for the winter fuel allowance. [156862]
  206W
  Mr. Rooker
  Latest information shows that nearly 14,000 Winter Fuel Payments have been made in Paisley, South.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Rover Taskforce
  Miss Kirkbride
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will provide a breakdown of the costs of each of the projects involving the Rover taskforce and indicate how much of the funding allocated to it remains to be distributed. [156776]

  Mr. Byers
  The following is a list of projects which I have approved and which count against the £129 million (originally offered to BMW for investment at Longbridge) which I made available to support good quality projects in the West Midlands.

  £1

  Initial actions and administrative uplift for Advantage West Midlands (AWM)

  300,536

  Modernisation of the automotive base

  27,720,000

  Diversifying the regional economy

  20,152,000

  Support to the workforce2

  35,000

  Support to families and the community

  70,000

  Regenerating the area3

  22,250,000

  Grants offered to firms under the Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) scheme

  37,250,000

  Support towards Staffordshire taskforce proposals

  1,973,000

  Acquisition of Industrial Land for the Automotive Sector

  10,000,000

  Proposals which are presently commercially sensitive

  9,000,000

  Total allocated against the £129 million

  128,750,536

  Total unallocated against the £129 million

  249,464

  1 Estimated cost

  2 This does not include expenditure by the Employment Service

  3 The regeneration projects arising from the Rover taskforce final report have not yet been approved as I am awaiting details of these proposals. However, an amount of £22,000,000 has been allocated to these proposals and will count against the £129 million

  Ministerial Meetings
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many ministerial meetings with hon. Members have been cancelled by Ministers since 1 January. [155235]

  Mr. Byers
  Two meetings between DTI Ministers and hon. Members have been cancelled since 1 January 2001.

  Gas-fired Power Stations
  Maria Eagle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will announce his decision on BP Energy Ltd.'s proposal to build a combined heat and power gas-fired power station at the Jaguar works at Halewood. [157220]
  207W
  Mr. Byers
  I have today given consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 to BP Energy Ltd. and clearance under section 14(1) of the Energy Act 1976, to build a 70 megawatt gas-fired combined heat and power station at the Jaguar works at Halewood near Liverpool. Planning permission for the station was granted subject to 51 conditions agreed with Knowsley Metropolitan borough council.

  Combined heat and power plants are designed to produce both electricity and usable heat. They have environmental benefits due to their high levels of energy efficiency.

  The decision demonstrates the Government's continuing commitment to promote CHP, wherever practicable, and our commitment to reducing emissions of greenhouse gases to fulfil the promises we gave at Kyoto.

  The decision also shows the commitment of Ford to Merseyside as the power station will supply the current and future needs of the Jaguar works which will shortly be producing a new range.

  Copies of the press notice and decision letter are being placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Anthony D. Wright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will announce his decision on Great Yarmouth Power Ltd.'s application to increase the size of the South Denes gas-fired power station. [157221]

  Mr. Byers
  I have today granted consent to increase the size of the South Denes 350 MW combined cycle gas turbine power station to 400 MW. The extension is a result of new technology which is more efficient than that originally proposed and will result in a reduction of emissions while delivering the same power.

  Copies of the press notice and decision letter are being placed in the Library of the House.

  Employment Tribunals (Scotland)
  Mr. Grieve
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what restrictions there are on his powers to appoint in Scotland chairmen and part-time chairmen of employment tribunals to Scottish advocates or solicitors only. [156792]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  [holding answer 3 April 2001]: Under regulations made by my Department, the appointment of chairmen and part-time chairmen of employment tribunals in Scotland is the responsibility of the Lord President of the Court of Session. The regulations stipulate that appointees must be advocates or solicitors of not less than seven years standing.

  Mr. Grieve
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what period of office part-time chairmen of employment tribunals in Scotland are appointed; on what grounds such part-time chairmen may be removed from office; and what the procedures are for effecting such removal from office. [156791]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  [holding answer 3 April 2001]: Part-time chairmen of employment tribunals in Scotland are appointed for a term of five years, which is renewable. It would be for the Lord President of the Court of Session to consider whether any part-time chairman should be removed from office. In considering the case for a
  208W
  removal, he would be guided by the model rules of procedure on these matters as published by the Lord Chancellor last year. The procedure to be followed would be a matter for the Lord President in the light of his consideration of the circumstances of each case.

  Departmental Policies (High Peak)
  Mr. Levitt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the constituency, the effects on the High Peak constituency of his Department's policies and actions since May 1997. [156780]

  Mr. Caborn
  The constituency of High Peak has benefited from a range of initiatives since May 1997 including:Regional Selective Assistance—a discretionary grant which provides assistance towards capital projects which would not otherwise go ahead and will create or safeguard employment in an Assisted Area. Until 31 December 1999 the High Peak area was in an Assisted Area and up to this date grants totalling £455,000 were offered to three companies supporting total capital expenditure of £3,523,000 with the aim of safeguarding 30 existing full-time jobs and creating in excess of 80 new full-time jobs.
  Enterprise Grant—a new discretionary grant introduced in 2000. Provides support to SMEs investing in capital projects which would not otherwise go ahead. Although SMEs investing in capital projects in the Peveril ward of High Peak district council, no grants have yet been awarded in this area.
  Smart—discretionary grant available to SMEs to help them develop technologically innovative products and processes. Grant totalling £346,857 has been offered to six projects supporting total projects costs in excess of £837,000.
  Business Link—the Business Link network provides a wide range of business advice and support to SMEs. It is not possible to accurately isolate Business Link data for the High Peak constituency area. However, from 1997 to date, Business Link North Derbyshire, which now includes the High Peak constituency, has helped a total of 4.987 businesses and assisted 1,422 business start ups.
  European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)—in addition to its domestic initiatives, the Department of Trade and Industry is also the lead Department for European Structural Funds in the UK. Under ERDF Objective 5b (1994–1999) and the LEADER II Community Initiative, High Peak has benefited from £1.23 million. The projects supported have delivered a range of industrial premises, business support and small community projects.
  I understand that my hon. Friend has also asked a similar question in respect of DETR policies and programmes.

  Miners (Compensation)
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims have been registered by ex-miners suffering from respiratory disease who are resident in the constituencies of(a) Caerphilly, (b) Llanelli, (c) Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney, (d) Neath, (e) Clwyd South, (f) Wrexham and (g) Pontypridd. [155645]

  Mr. Hain
  [holding answer 28 March 2001]: IRISC, the Department's claims handlers, do not collect data by constituency. The following information is collated by reference to the postcodes most closely mapping onto the constituencies in question. The number of claims in respect of respiratory disease in the areas defined by these postcodes are listed in the table:

  209W

  Constituency within defined area

  Postcode defined area

  Number of claims for respiratory disease

  Caerphilly

  CF 46, 81–83 NP 1

  3,231

  Llanelli

  SA 14–17

  1,308

  Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney Neath

  NP 2–3; CF 41, 46–48

  3,635

  Neath

  SA 8–11, 18

  3,636

  Clwyd South

  LL 13–14, 20–21; SY 10

  516

  Wrexham

  LL 11–13

  502

  Pontypridd

  CF 37–39

  2,122

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many claims for compensation for respiratory disease have been made by ex-miners living in the constituencies of(a) Aberavon, (b) Newport, East, (c) Ogmore, (d) Blaenau Gwent, (e) Bridgend, (f) Rhondda, (g) Islwyn and (h) East Carmarthen and Dinefwr. [155642]

  Mr. Hain
  [holding answer 27 March 2001]: IRISC, the Department's claims handlers, do not collect data by constituency. The information is collated by reference to the postcodes most closely mapping onto the constituencies in question. The number of claims in respect of respiratory disease in the areas defined by these postcodes are listed in the table:

  1997

  1998

  1999

  Total

  Agriculture, forestry

  10

  10

  10

  30

  Mining, quarrying; electricity, gas and water supply

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Manufacturing

  15

  10

  5

  30

  Construction

  20

  40

  30

  90

  Wholesale, retail & repairs

  65

  65

  55

  185

  Hotels, restaurants

  40

  35

  45

  120

  Transport, storage & communications

  10

  15

  5

  30

  Financial intermediation

  0

  5

  0

  5

  Real estate, renting & business activities

  80

  85

  90

  255

  Public administration; other community, social & personal services

  20

  20

  10

  50

  Education; health & social work

  5

  5

  0

  10

  All Sectors

  265

  290

  250

  805

  Source:

  Business start-ups and closures: VAT registrations and de-registrations, National Statistics.

  During the period 1 January 1997 to 31 December 1999 some 755 businesses in Shrewsbury and Atcham left the VAT register.

  During the same period therefore, the stock of VAT registered businesses in Shrewsbury and Atcham increased by 50 (1.7 per cent). The equivalent percentage increase for the West Midlands region was 1.2 per cent. and for the UK 3.4 per cent.

  NETA
  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what the terms of reference are of the review of the initial impact of NETA on smaller generators; and when he will publish its conclusions; [156237]

  (2) what steps he has taken to ensure that NETA does not prejudice combined heat and power schemes. [156234]

  Mr. Hain
  In consultation with the industry, ways have been developed to ensure that smaller generators are 210W

  Constituency within defined area

  Postcode defined area

  Number of claims for respiratory disease

  Aberavon

  SA 11–13, CF 34, 42

  2,983

  Newport, East

  NP 26, 9

  22

  Ogmore

  CF 32, 34, 35, 72

  2,915

  Blaenau Gwent

  NP 3, 23

  642

  Bridgend

  CF 33, 31, 35, 32

  1,983

  Rhondda

  CF 40, 42–44

  2,563

  Islwyn

  NP 1, 3

  177

  East Carmarthen and Dinefwr

  SA 17–20, 31–33, 38–39, 44

  1,530

  New Businesses (Shrewsbury and Atcham)
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the number of new businesses in each industrial category started in Shrewsbury and Atcham since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [156512]

  Mr. Caborn
  The number of businesses, by broad industrial sector, joining the VAT register in the Shrewsbury and Atcham local authority district in each of the last three years for which data are available, is set out in the table.

  be able to trade effectively under NETA, which was implemented on 27 March. These include the ability for a licence-exempt generator to consolidate the output of its plant with that of the plant of other licence-exempt generators in order to reduce any potential exposure to imbalance.

  However, in the light of the continuing concern among some smaller generators about the potential impact of NETA on their businesses, I announced in February that I had asked Ofgem to undertake a review of the initial impact of NETA on smaller generators, based on its first two months of live operation.

  Ofgem are planning to submit draft terms of reference for this review to me shortly, and they will be published once I have approved them. The issue of timing will be addressed in the terms of reference. The continuing success of combined heat and power and renewables is very important to the Government and Ofgem are well aware of their own regulatory responsibility in this respect.

  Company Rescue
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the responses to the report of the joint DTI/Treasury working group on company rescue and business reconstruction mechanisms. [157150]

  Mr. Byers
  The report of the working group, which was published in November 2000, was followed by a further consultation period, which has now concluded. It will take some time to digest the responses from consultees and firm up our ideas on these proposals. In the interim, I have decided to publish the responses and copies have now been placed in the Library of each House and will appear shortly on the website of my Department's Insolvency Service.

  Post Office
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry pursant to his answer of 17 January 2001,Official Report, columns 234–35W, if he will place in the Library a copy of the Post Office Chief Executive's answer to his letter of 17 November 2000. [149219]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  [holding answer 8 February 2001]: The Post Office Chief Executive has been consulted and has said that his letter was not intended for publication and he does not consider it appropriate to place a copy in the Library of the House.

  Statutory Right to Contract
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what work his Department has carried out on examining the effectiveness of the operation of the statutory right to contract legislation. [R] [155790]

  Ms Hewitt
  [holding answer 27 March 2001]: I understand the hon. Member is referring to the statutory right of interest legislation.

  We have continued to monitor payment times in the UK since the introduction of the Late Payment of Commercial Debts (Interest) Act 1998. Recent surveys have provided encouraging signs of improvement.

  Research published by Dun and Bradstreet last month shows that UK companies are now the second fastest in Europe for paying their bills on time. Although all national performances have improved since the previous surveys, UK companies produced the greatest improvement, identifying a continuing downward trend in UK payment times in recent years.

  In addition, a quarterly survey published by the Credit Management Research Centre in March 2001 indicated a continued improvement in payment culture with larger firms exhibiting the most improved payment behaviour.

  Radioactively Contaminated Land
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the nuclear sites operated by(a) BNFL, (b) the UKAEA and (c) British Energy which contain areas of radioactively contaminated land; and what steps have been taken to remediate contaminated areas on each respective site. [156400]
  212W
  Mr. Hain
  BNFL operates nuclear licensed sites at Sellafield, Springfields, Capenhurst, Drigg, and Chapelcross and Hunterston A nuclear power stations. Magnox Electric plc (a subsidiary of BNFL) operates Sizewell A, Bradwell, Dungeness A, Oldbury, Berkeley, Hinkley Point A, Wylfa and Trawsfynydd nuclear power stations.

  British Energy operates Torness, Hunterston B, Hartlepool, Sizewell B, Dungeness B, Hinkley Point B, Heysham 1 and Heysham 2 nuclear power stations.

  UKAEA operates sites at Dounreay, Harwell, Windscale and Winfrith.

  I understand from HSE that all these sites may have areas of radioactively contaminated land. Nuclear site licensees are responsible for the safe management of all radioactive material on their sites. They are also required to manage areas of contaminated land in accordance with the conditions of the nuclear site licence so that such areas do not present a hazard to the work force or to the public. I understand that BNFL, BE and UKAEA will write to my hon. Friend shortly with information on their contamination remediation procedures.

  Business Regulations
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate how many regulations affecting business have been repealed since 1997; and if he will make a statement. [156503]

  Mr. Stringer
  I have been asked to reply.

  An estimate of the total number of regulations affecting business that have been repealed since 1997 could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, since 1997, 23 deregulation orders have been made under the Deregulation and Contracting Out Act 1994 (DCOA).

  The Government are determined to minimise the burden of regulation on business. That is why we are taking through Parliament a Regulatory Reform Bill, which builds on the powers of the DCOA and will make it easier to reform outdated, over-complex or overlapping legislation. We have already identified over 50 reforms that could be achieved by this means.

  Each Department already has a continuing programme of regulatory reform. The DTI, for example, is reviewing several significant areas of regulation, including communications and company law, and is actively seeking to add to the five potential regulatory reform orders it has already proposed.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Police Retirements
  Ms Kelly
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of police officers have retired as a result of ill health in each year since 1990. [154512]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  [holding answer 21 March 2001]: Figures for medical retirements between 1990–91 and 1999–2000 are set out in the table.
  213W

  Year

  Medical retirements as a percentage of all retirements

  1990–91

  62

  1991–92

  62

  1992–93

  60

  1993–94

  53

  1994–95

  53

  1995–96

  46

  1996–97

  45

  1997–98

  47

  1998–99

  39

  1999–2000

  31

  Essex Constabulary
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) funded and (b) actual police officers there were in the Essex Constabulary in each year from March 1997 to the latest date for which figures are available. [154484]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  [holding answer 19 March 2001]: The information requested is set out in the table. The funded police numbers have been provided by the Chief Constable of the Essex Police.

  The Home Office Statistical Bullet in on police service strength provides numbers of police officers available for ordinary duty, as opposed to all officers in each force. Officers on secondment, for example, on maternity leave or undertaking full-time further education, are excluded from the figures. This is the basis used in the table for the number of actual police officers.

  Essex police—funded police posts and actual police numbers

  Year

  Number of funded policed posts (fte)

  Actual number of police officers (fte)

  31 March 1997

  2,944

  2,961

  31 March 1998

  2,947

  2,928

  31 March 1999

  2,92

  2,891

  31 March 2000

  2,859

  2,806

  31 March 2001

  2,955

  12,859

  1 Numbers as at 31 January 2001. The force returns for strength as at 31 March 2001 for the purposes of the Home Office Statistical Bulletin are not yet available.

  Fte=Full-time equivalent.

  The force strength (actual numbers) figures for 31 March 1997 and as at 7 February 2001, set out in my answer to the hon. Member on 15 February 2001, Official Report, column 240W, were obtained from the Chief Constable of the force. Upon inquiry, it appears that the force classified some officers differently from the method used under Home Office counting rules for the half yearly Statistical Bulletin. This is the reason for the differences between the numbers in that answer and the numbers given here.

  Fire Service
  Mr. David Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reviews on the future of the Fire Service are in progress; when he will make announcements on them; and if he will make a statement. [156773]
  214W
  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The Government have a continuing programme of work in partnership with fire service and other interests to modernise the fire service, to reduce the incidence of fire and related death, injury and damage and to ensure the safety of the public. Details are set out in the Home Office Annual Report for 2000–01 (Cm 5106). We are also listening to the views of the Fire Community on the wider future of fire services.

  National Asylum Support Service
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is his policy to refuse relocation under the National Asylum Support Service allocation rules on grounds of severe clinical depression. [156471]

  Mrs. Roche
  [holding answer 2 April 2001]: Dispersal is only considered where the asylum seeker has requested that accommodation be provided as part of an application for support. A decision on whether dispersal is appropriate is taken by the National Asylum Support Service after full and careful consideration of all the known facts. Any medical advice that dispersal is inappropriate would also be taken into account.

  Grants (London Boroughs)
  Ms Buck
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list(a) each category of grant and (b) the amount of each grant paid by his Department to each London borough in (i) 1997–98, (ii) 1998–1999, (iii) 1999–2000 and (iv) 2000–01; and what the projected figure is for 2001–02. [155430]

  Mr. Straw
  I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

  Anti-semitism
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on anti-Semitic incidents in the last six months; and what representations he has received on the causes of such incidents. [156562]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Anti-Semitic incidents are not recorded separately by the Home Office. The police in the year 1999–2000 recorded 47,814 racist incidents. The Board of Deputies of British Jews recorded some 221 anti-Semitic incidents in the six months from September 2000 to February 2001.

  I have not received any specific representations on the causes of such incidents. I have, with my ministerial colleagues, met with representatives of the Jewish and Muslim communities in the last six months to discuss concerns that the situation in the Middle East should not lead to a breakdown in the good relations between the communities in the United Kingdom.

  West Mercia Constabulary (Shrewsbury Division)
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the effectiveness of the use of anti-social behaviour orders in the Shrewsbury Division of West Mercia constabulary. [156505]
  215W
  Mr. Charles Clarke
  We do not monitor the effectiveness of individual orders centrally. However, I understand from West Mercia police that six anti-social behaviour orders have been issued in the Shrewsbury Division. The orders have all been very effective. Four of them have been targeted on the ringleaders of a gang threatening residents in a village within the Division. Since the orders have been in force, the anti-social behaviour has stopped, and the remaining members of the gang have dispersed.

  This is a fine example of what we set out to achieve with anti-social behaviour orders, and I congratulate West Mercia police on obtaining them.

  Foot and Mouth
  Mr. Sawford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers are available to(a) the Police, (b) local authorities and (c) landowners in order to control dogs in the countryside; and if he will undertake a review of these powers. [156712]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Under section 2 of the Animals Act 1971, where a dog causes damage by killing or injuring livestock, any person who is a keeper of the dog is liable for the damage. If a dog trespasses onto another's land then if the owner allowed the dog to trespass wilfully or to search for game, the owner is liable for any damage to the owner's livestock.

  Under section 9 of the 1971 Act a landowner or the owner of the livestock or an employee of the landowner or the owner of the livestock has a defence to killing or injuring a dog worrying livestock if either:
  the dog is worrying or is about to worry the livestock and there are no other reasonable means of ending of preventing the worrying; or
  the dog has been worrying livestock, has not left the vicinity and is not under the control of any person and there are no practicable means of ascertaining to whom it belongs.

  The collection and detention of stray dogs is provided for under sections 149–150 of the Environment Protection Act 1990. Animal wardens are authorised officers under the Act and undertake work on behalf of the local authority which is their employer. The police also accept stray dogs when they are brought into police stations. Section 27 of the Road Traffic Act 1988 requires that d9gs be kept on a leash on public roads, and local authorities can make byelaws to require that dogs be kept on a leash in certain parks. public gardens and amenity areas.

  Any dogs in an area infected with foot and mouth disease must be kept under control by their owners. This means that they must either:
  be kept in a kennel or enclosure from which they cannot escape; or
  be effectively secured to a fixed object by a collar and chain; or
  be accompanied by and under the effectual control of the owner or a responsible person authorised by the owner.

  In an area declared to be infected with foot and mouth disease a dog must not run free; if it does, it can be seized by the local authority or the police and treated as a stray.

  In addition, a Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Inspector may serve a notice on anyone in the infected area to keep a dog under specific controls.
  216W
  Dogs which are kept under proper control are not prevented from being moved. Certain sporting activities involving dogs are not allowed in areas infected with foot and mouth disease.

  The need for additional powers to deal with foot and mouth is being kept under constant review. This includes the control of dogs in infected areas.

  There are no plans to review the wider law relating to the control of dogs in the countryside, although the measures in place to combat the spread of foot and mouth disease are being kept under constant review.

  Mr. Sawford
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to give additional powers to(a) tilt Police, (b) local authorities and (c) landowners in order to control dogs in the countryside during the outbreak of foot and mouth disease. [156711]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Any dogs in an area infected with Foot and Mouth Disease must be kept under control by their owners. This means that they must either:be kept in a kennel or enclosure from which they cannot escape; or
  be effectively secured to a fixed object by a collar and chain; or
  be accompanied by, and under the effectual control of, the owner or a responsible person authorised by the owner.

  In an area declared to be infected with Foot and Mouth Disease a dog must not run free; if it does, it can be seized by the local authority or the police and treated as a stray.

  In addition, a Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Inspector may serve a notice on anyone in the infected area to keep a dog under specific controls.

  Dogs which are kept under proper control are not prevented from being moved. Certain sporting activities involving dogs are not allowed in areas infected with Foot and Mouth Disease.

  The need for additional powers to deal with Foot and Mouth is being kept under constant review. This includes the control of dogs in infected areas.

  Visitor Numbers
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what would be the cost of counting visitors into and out of the UK; and if he will make a statement. [155587]

  Mrs. Roche
  A precise figure is not available, but the cost of recording electronically the admissions and departures of all non-European Economic Area nationals is provisionally estimated to be around £20 million a year. This estimate includes the costs of reintroducing embarkation controls, which were discontinued in 1998.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Foot and Mouth
  Mr. Gray
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the Government will pay the additional cost to abattoirs of higher veterinary costs and those arising from the removal of(a) manure, (b) lorry solids and (c) guts and blood following the outbreak of foot and mouth disease. [153891]
  217W
  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 19 March 2001]: The Government have agreed that they Ix ill pay for the more intensive ante mortem inspections and supervision of cleansing and disinfection of wagons that is currently being carried out by the Meat Hygiene Service as a result of the foot and mouth outbreak.

  Slaughterhouses, as with any other premises where livestock are kept, may need to comply with statutory requirements for the removal of manure, lorry solids and guts and blood, as part of the controls in place to deal with the foot and mouth outbreak. There are no plans for Government to reimburse costs associated with these functions.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to ban the import of meat and meat products from countries outside the EU(a) where foot and mouth disease is (i) prevalent and (ii) suspected and (b) where antibodies may be present in animals as a result of vaccination. [154824]

  Ms Quin
  The importation of mea is permitted from a limited number of third countries where foot and mouth disease is present and where the veterinary authorities have contained the disease in specified regions. EC rules permit imports from those regions of the relevant countries that are not considered to pose a risk to human or animal health. Fully matured boneless beef, which does not pose an FMD risk, may in some cases be imported from other regions subject to veterinary certification. Countries to which these controls currently apply are Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Uruguay. Because of their FMD situation, prohibitions are currently in place on imports from South Africa, Swaziland and Argentina; countries from which imports were previously permitted. All meat imported from third countries is subject to veterinary checks at Border Inspection Posts to ensure that import requirements are met.

  There are no controls relating specifically to the presence of antibodies as a result of vaccination. However import of meat from countries which vaccinate is subject to controls and certification to ensure that the beef is matured and boneless and that meat from pigs and ruminants other than bovines comes from unvaccinated animals from an FMD free region.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many reports his Department received in December 2000 of an outbreak of foot and mouth disease; and what actions he took. [154928]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 22 March 2001]: No outbreaks or suspected cases of fool and mouth disease were reported in December 2000.

  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures were taken by his Department to deal with any outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in the United Kingdom prior to the public announcements made on 19 February in response to the infection reported at a Brentwood abattoir. [154851]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 22 March 2001]: Prior to the current outbreak, the most recent case of foot and mouth disease in the UK was in 1981 when there was one isolated case on the Isle of Wight.
  218W
  The Ministry has contingency plans for dealing with foot and mouth disease and these have been subject to regular review.

  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if his Department received unconfirmed reports of possible foot and mouth disease in the United Kingdom during 2000; [154957]

  (2) what procedures his Department had in place to deal with unconfirmed reports of cases of foot and mouth disease in the United Kingdom over the 12 months up to 19 February; [154961]

  (3) what investigations were carried out in respect of each unconfirmed report received by his Department of a case of foot and mouth disease in the United Kingdom over the 12 months up to 19 February. [154955]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 22 March 2001]: Any person who suspects that an animal may be affected by foot and mouth disease is required by the Foot and Mouth Order 1983 to notify the Ministry. Similar arrangements apply in Northern Ireland. Any such notification would immediately result in veterinary investigations being undertaken. No cases of suspected foot and mouth disease were reported to the Agriculture Departments over the 12 months up to 19 February 2001.

  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information was passed to EU officials by his Department regarding outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in the United Kingdom in 2000. [154850]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 22 March 2001]: There were no outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in the United Kingdom during 2000. In consequence no information regarding outbreaks was passed to EU officials.

  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if(a) he, (b) ministerial colleagues or (c) officials were informed of (i) suspected cases of and (ii) increased risk of foot and mouth in the period three months prior to its first identification in Brentwood on 19 February. [155269]

  Ms Quin
  No suspected cases were reported to the Ministry in the period three months prior to 19 February. The Ministry first became aware of a suspected case of foot and mouth in pigs at an abattoir in Essex on 19 February and subsequently confirmed disease on the evening of 20 February. My right hon. Friend the Minister was informed of these developments on the days they occurred.

  Sandra Gidley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of studies published on the effectiveness of disinfectants in destroying the foot and mouth virus. [155159]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 23 March 2001]: Only disinfectants approved by MAFF for use against foot and mouth disease can be used for statutory purposes laid down in Foot and Mouth Disease Orders made under the Animal Health Act 1981. These disinfectants have all been tested for efficacy against live foot and mouth disease virus at the Institute for Animal Health, in accordance with a standard test protocol, and have been found to be efficacious at the dilution rates at which they are approved for use.
  219W
  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the possible linkage between cull sows imported from abroad and the current outbreak of foot and mouth; and if he will make a statement. [155303]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 23 March 2001]: There is no evidence of such a link at this stage but investigations into the source of the current outbreak are continuing.

  Mr. Öpik
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what date his Department was first informed of the presence of the foot and mouth virus in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [155302]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 23 March 2001]: The Ministry first became aware of a suspected case of foot and mouth in pigs at an abattoir in Essex on 19 February and subsequently confirmed the disease on the evening of 20 February.

  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the time taken between diagnosing animals as being infected with foot and mouth disease and the taking of effective action. [155076]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 26 March 2001]: Our objective is to slaughter infected animals within 24 hours of the disease having been reported. In the majority of areas we are now meeting this target but due to the sheer numbers involved it has not been possible to meet it in all cases.

  Dr. Julian Lewis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of road mats treated with disinfectant as a means of preventing the spread of the virus causing foot and mouth disease; [155074]

  (2) what guidance he has issued on the effectiveness of disinfectant mats as a means of preventing the spread of the foot and mouth virus. [1550751

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 26 March 2001]: Road mats treated with disinfectant provide a limited measure of protection against the spread of the FMD virus as they only apply disinfectant to the tyre treads of vehicles passing over them. The best method of disinfection is the combination of thorough cleansing, preferably with a pressure hose, followed by the use of an approved disinfectant applied to all exposed surfaces using a hose or spray.

  The advice to people working or travelling in the countryside contained in Public Information Factsheets and on the MAFF website http://www.maff.gov.uk/ makes it clear that vehicles should be thoroughly cleansed and thoroughly disinfected, and explains that this is best achieved by using a hose or spray to apply disinfectant.

  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures he has authorised for the control of vermin during the foot and mouth outbreak. [155939]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 27 March 2001]: MAFF have a contract with the Farming and Rural Conservation Agency to carry out measures to control vermin on infected premises.
  220W
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what Government contingency plan there was for an outbreak of foot and mouth in the United Kingdom; and when it was last revised. [155793]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 27 March 2001]: MAFF has contingency plans for dealing with outbreaks of serious animal disease. These include detailed operational instructions for use by the State Veterinary Service. The plan for foot and mouth was updated and submitted to the European Commission in July 2000.

  Sir Brian Mawhinney
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what date(a) an official and (b) a Minister was first alerted to the (i) possibility of the first suspected case and (ii) confirmation of the first case of foot and mouth disease. [155937]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 27 March 2001]: MAFF first became aware of a suspect case of foot and mouth disease on 19 February and of its confirmation on the evening of 20 February. The Minister was so informed on those dates.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from the retail and wholesale meat trades about the effect on their financial situation of foot and mouth disease; and if he will make a statement on possible temporary relief. [156143]

  Ms Quin
  We have received a number of representations from various sectors of the meat supply chain. Organisations representing meat wholesalers are currently quantifying the extent of losses resulting from FMD and Government will consider any submission they may subsequently make.

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to assist farmers who are running out of fodder who would normally turn out their cattle in April and may be prevented from doing so by movement restrictions. [156218]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 30 March 2001]: A range of options is available to farmers whose stock are short of food, or facing other welfare threats, as a result of FMD movement restrictions. We have produced advisory material on how to safeguard animal welfare in such circumstances; and we have introduced a scheme to license movements both locally, and over longer distances, for welfare reasons. Finally, the livestock welfare (disposal) scheme provides an outlet for those animals that are prevented from moving as normal and are consequently at risk of suffering. Farmers will receive payment for most classes of stock entered to the scheme. Proper care and feeding of livestock remains the responsibility of farmers.

  Mr. Fabricant
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the potential impact of the loss of foot and mouth disease-free status on trade in cattle and beef products. [156013]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 2 April 2001]: As a result of the present outbreak of foot and mouth disease, UK exports of a range of agricultural products including cattle, beef and beef products have been prohibited. However, the amount it of UK beef exported in recent years

  221W
  has been very low as a consequence of BSE. In 2000 some 8,600 tonnes were exported at a value of £24 million. There were no exports of live animals.

  Arable Farms Subsidy Scheme
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes he forecasts in the subsidy regime affecting arable farmers from 2001 to 2005. [155780]

  Ms Quin
  Under the Agenda 2000 agreement the cereals regime is due to be reviewed in 2002. In those discussions, which will also cover a number of other sectors, the Government will continue to press their CAP reform agenda, with a view to improving the balance of supply and demand and bringing EU prices closer to world levels.

  Herbivore Farm Animals
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will ensure that herbivore farm animals are not fed animal by-products; and if he will make a statement. [155965]

  Ms Quin
  It is already an offence under the Animal By-Products Order 1999, to feed to ruminants either catering waste containing meat or meat products or unprocessed animal by-products.

  Mammalian meat and bone meal may not be fed to any farmed animals. Draft legislation prohibiting the feeding of poultry and fish meal to ruminants had been prepared.

  Subsidy Fraud
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how widespread is the practice of moving sheep from farm to farm in order to collect subsidy fraudulently; and if he will make a statement. [156072]

  Ms Quin
  We are aware of the possibility of such practices occurring and my staff are it strutted to look for evidence of this when carrying out on farm inspections to check sheep subsidy claims.

  We have no evidence that such practices are widespread. In England in 2000 we initiated prosecution procedures in two such cases.

  Abattoirs
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will investigate the prices being paid to farmers by abattoirs; and if he will make it his policy to ensure that abattoirs do not exploit their monopoly position. [156135]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 29 March 2001]: The added costs involved in the livestock slaughter scheme currently being absorbed by the abattoir sector are substantial and these have to be taken into account. These costs include the reduction in throughput due to cleaning and disinfection procedures in the lairage, more thorough ante and post mortem inspections for foot and mouth disease and reduced supplies of available livestock. MAFF is now aware that abattoirs are operating as a monopoly but any evidence of this should be reported to the Office of Fair Trading.

  Pigfeed
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure that meat and bonemeal is not fed to pigs; what enforcement measures exist; and if he will make a statement. [156157]

  Ms Quin
  In March 1996 the use of mammalian meat and bonemeal (MMBM) was banned in all feed for farmed animals.

  Responsibility for enforcement rests with local authorities. In addition, the State Veterinary Service carries out a feed sampling programme, which involves the collection and testing, for the presence of mammalian protein, of 20,000 feed samples a year to ensure compliance.

  Beef Imports
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the countries from which the import and sale of beef is considered unsafe on animal health grounds; and if he will make a statement. [156382]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 30 March 2001]: Specific restrictions on imports of beef from Portugal, France, Netherlands, Republic of Ireland, South Africa, Swaziland and Argentina are currently in place because of the disease situations in those countries. Beef may be imported from other EM member states in accordance with community rules. Beef may only be imported into any EU member state from third countries that have been approved by the European Commission and it must come from approved premises in those countries. Those approved third countries which currently have approved establishments are set out in the table shown. Beef cannot be imported into the UK from any third country which is not on this list.

  Australia

  Brazil

  Botswana

  Canada

  Croatia

  Czech Republic

  Hungary

  Malta

  Namibia

  New Zealand

  Paraguay

  Poland

  Romania

  Slovakia

  United States of America

  Uruguay

  Switzerland

  Yugoslavia

  Zimbabwe.

  Agriculture
  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what level of(a) Government and (b) EU subsidy the agricultural sector received in (a) 1996, (b) 1997, (c) 1998, (d) 1999 and (e) 2000. [156266]
  223W
  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 30 March 2001]: The following table sets out (a) total CAP expenditure in the UK, (b) the UK Exchequer funded element of CAP expenditure, and (c) national expenditure on other agricultural grants and subsidies, for the financial years 1996–97 to 2000–01.

  £ million

  Total CAP expenditure in the UK

  -of which: UK Exchequer funded

  Other national expenditure on agricultural grants and subsidies

  1996–97

  4,203

  75

  40

  1997–98

  3,455

  91

  37

  1998–99

  3,350

  105

  26

  1999–2000

  2,992

  139

  30

  2000–01

  3,005

  144

  34

  Note:

  The second column of data does not include the UK Exchequer contribution to expenditure on HLCA's (Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowances), although total expenditure on HLCA's is included in the first column.

  Flooding
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps are being taken to(a) compensate and (b) assist riparian owners for repair and maintenance of river banks and islands for damage caused by flood water. [156437]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 2 April 2001]: The repair and maintenance of watercourses and surrounding land is the responsibility of the riparian owner, though on some rivers such work is undertaken by the relevant flood defence operating authority, that is the Environment Agency, local authority or internal drainage board.

  Veterinary Service
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many(a) vets and (b) support staff there were in the veterinary service in (i) 1971, (ii) 1979, (iii) 1997 and (iv) 2001. [156467]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 2 April 2001]: The number of veterinary surgeons employed by the State Veterinary Service in 1971 could be identified only at disproportionate cost. The other information sought (full-time equivalents) is as follows:

  1979–597

  1997–289

  2001–2861.

  1The State Veterinary Service currently employs as permanent staff 286 veterinary surgeons of whom 220 are field veterinary officers.

  The numbers of MAFF officials involved in support also could be identified only at disproportionate cost.

  Integrated Administration and Control System
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if it is his intention that farmers filing their IACS returns by electronic mail may prevent their names and addresses from being published in commercial directories. [156679]
  224W
  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 3 April 2001]: IACS applicants are now able to submit their 2001 IACS forms electronically. This new electronic service from MAFF will deliver much more than a simple e-mail. The forms have built in intelligence, which checks the validity and consistency of the data entered, and calculates totals automatically. There is also an on-line help facility which will guide applicants through completion of the forms. We hope this will make it easier and quicker to complete the forms, and at the same time reduce the scope for making errors.

  The electronic IACS service is secure. Applicants will only be able to view their own data, and will submit their forms using their own unique digital signature, which also encrypts the data sent. An acknowledgement that their forms have been submitted successfully will be received electronically within minutes.

  Data captured for IACS through this new electronic service are subject to the same requirements for confidentiality as the paper IACS forms and we do not publish or otherwise make these details available to commercial interests.

  Hill Farm Allowance
  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what factors he took into account in changing the minimum land holding for grant qualification by introducing the hill farm allowance. [156865]

  Ms Quin
  In deciding to increase the minimum area requirement from 3 ha to 10 ha we took account of comments received during public consultation and of an independent evaluation of the previous hill livestock compensatory allowance scheme. This suggested that very small farms are less in need of aid than farms in higher size categories. They are less likely to be full-time farm businesses and have a significantly higher proportion of occupiers with off-farm income.

WALES

  National Health Service
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met the First Secretary to discuss the NHS in Wales. [155497]

  Mr. Hanson
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I meet regularly with the National Assembly First Minister and the Assembly Health and Social Services Secretary to discuss the NHS in Wales.

  Census
  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Home Secretary and the First Secretary on the census in Wales. [155499]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I have regular meetings with the First Secretary to discuss a range of subjects, including this one. The census in England and Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer and I have therefore had no discussions with the Home Secretary of this issue.

  Tourism
  Mr. Peter Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary with regard to tourism in Wales. [155500]

  Mr. Hanson
  My right hon. Friend has regular discussions with the First Minister. In light of the current situation with foot and mouth disease, tourism has of course figured prominently in their discussions.

  I represent the Wales Office on the Government's rural taskforce, a body on which the Assembly is also represented. As a result of the work of this taskforce, several initiatives have been announced to assist tourism and rural industries more generally where they have been affected by foot and mouth disease.

  Foot and Mouth
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet the First Secretary to discuss the outbreak of foot and mouth in Monmouthshire. [155501]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I have regular meetings with my right hon. Friend the First Secretary to discuss a wide range of issues and accompanied him, my hon. Friend for Monmouth (Mr. Edwards) and the Prime Minister to Usk yesterday, where we met representatives of the farming and tourism industries.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary on the impact of foot and mouth disease on the rural economy in Wales. [155511]

  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary about the agriculture and tourism industries in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [155517]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I maintain close contact with my right hon. Friend the First Secretary on a variety of issues including foot and mouth disease and last Sunday we jointly visited areas of Wales affected

  My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Wales is a member of the UK Government rural taskforce set up to examine the effect of the outbreak of foot and mouth disease across the rural economy as a whole. Following the initial meetings of this taskforce, my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment announced on 20 March a package of UK wide measures to help businesses cope with the campaign to get the public back to areas of the countryside which they can safely visit and an immediate package of short-term practical help for rural businesses, involving the Small Business Service and the banks. These initiatives are in addition to the £156 million agrimonetary compensation announced by the Government for the sheep, beef and dairy sectors (over the £15 million compulsory agrimonetary aid) and two future years of funding for outgoers under the pig industry restructuring scheme, worth £40 million, which has been made available this year.

  In addition, the National Assembly for Wales has already issued a Tourism Charter and announced a £1.5 million marketing package through the Wales Tourist Board aimed at reassuring visitors to Wales. The Assembly has also made available £12 million to local authorities to enable them to grant rate relief to businesses affected by foot and mouth disease, £1 million additional
  226W
  funding to help the agri-food sector in Wales recover from the effects of foot and mouth disease, and £0.5 million to match pound for pound voluntary donations from the public to help relieve rural distress.

  Mr. Grieve
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Welsh Agriculture Secretary with regard to foot and mouth disease in Wales. [155515]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I have had regular discussions recently with the Welsh Agriculture Secretary with regard to the impact of foot and mouth disease in Wales and last Sunday he and I visited affected areas in Wales with the National Assembly First Secretary.

  All efforts are focused on taking action to ensure the disease is contained and eradicated as quickly as possible. The action that is being taken is severe but the best way to beat the outbreak.

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions with regard to foot and mouth disease in Wales. [155516]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I maintain close contact with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions on a variety of issues.

  My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Wales is a member of the UK Government rural taskforce, chaired by the Minister for the Environment, set up to examine the effect of the outbreak of foot and mouth disease across the rural economy as a whole.

  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the Minister for Agriculture about outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in Wales. [155518]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I maintain close contact with my right hon. Friend the Minister for Agriculture in regard to outbreaks of foot and mouth disease in Wales.

  Our strategy is still to ensure that all animals on infected farms are culled within 24 hours of report and animals on neighbouring farms culled within 48 hours. All efforts are focused on taking action to ensure the disease is contained and eradicated as quickly as possible. The action that is being taken is severe but the best way to beat the outbreak.

  Corus (Redundancies)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary concerning estimates of the number of redundancies proposed by Corus in Wales; and if he will make a statement. [155502]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I have met the First Secretary regularly over the past few weeks to discuss issues facing the steel industry in Wales, including the threat of closures and redundancies at Corns plants in Wales.

  I welcome the outcome of last week's discussions between Corus and the trade unions. The Government have indicated their willingness to support a scheme of retraining by approaching the European Commission and other member states for their approval.

  Trunk Roads
  Mr. Paterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met the First Secretary to discuss trunk roads in Wales. [155503]

  Mr. Hanson
  Welsh trunk roads are a matter for the National Assembly for Wales, in discussion with the lead Whitehall Department in cases where decisions affect communities on the English/Welsh border.

  Although my right hon. Friend has regular discussions with the First Minister on transport issues and I have regular meetings with the National Assembly Minister for the Environment and Transport, we would only become directly involved in trunk road matters if we were asked to intervene to help resolve a difficulty.

  Waste Incinerator (Wrexham)
  Mr. Stephen O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the effect on people living in Cheshire of the proposals for a waste incinerator at Wrexham. [155504]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  Any planning proposal is rightly a matter for the relevant local authority. In certain circumstances, such planning applications may be called in by the National Assembly for Wales.

  I understand that the public inquiry on this application took evidence from a significant number of individuals and groups on all aspects of the case and that views of Cheshire residents were well represented.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary with regard to the progress of the Government's policy on reducing hospital waiting lists. [155505]

  Mr. Hanson
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I meet regularly with the National Assembly First Secretary and the Assembly Health Minister to discuss the NHS in Wales.

  Like the Government, the National Assembly is making the reduction of waiting lists a priority but it is for them to decide how they go about it. Significant funding has been allocated for this purpose and last year the Assembly Health Secretary set targets for health authorities to meet.

  Welsh Language (Departmental Policy)
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what his policy and practice is on the use of the Welsh language for official purposes within his Department. [155506]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The Wales Office is committed to treating the Welsh and English languages on a basis of equality. Office publications, such as the Departmental Report and Service Delivery Agreement, are already made available in both languages. The office will always reply in Welsh to anyone who writes in Welsh and telephone calls in Welsh are always transferred to a Welsh speaker where available. If no Welsh speaker is available at the time of the call, the call can be returned later by a Welsh speaker.
  228W
  The Wales Office is committed to doing more to provide a fully bilingual service to the people of Wales, and to that end, the office plans to publish a draft Welsh Language Scheme for consultation during 2001.

  New Deal
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Education and Employment about extending the new deal in Wales. [155507]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I meet regularly with my Cabinet colleagues to discuss a wide range of issues, including the New Deal.

  In his Budget statement on 7 March, the Chancellor announced a strengthening of the Government's Welfare to Work Programme through the extension of the already successful New Deal scheme.

  The schemes to benefit from this extension will be: New Deal 25+—this will make all over-25s who have been on Jobseekers Allowance for at least 18 months eligible for the New Deal; New Deal for Lone Parents—the extension will potentially help around 50,000 lone parents in Wales; New Deal for Disabled People—which will be extended to all those claiming invalidity benefit.

  Pensioners
  Mr. Donald Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with pensioners' organisations in Wales about pensions and benefits for the elderly in Wales. [155508]

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with pensioners' organisations in Wales about pension levels and take-up of the Minimum Income Guarantee. [155514]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I met the National Association of Pensioners in Wales on 7 June last year to discuss pensions, and my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State met members of the Age Concern focus groups recently to discuss a range of issues affecting older people in Wales.

  This Government are committed to delivering real improvements to ensure that pensioners have a decent and secure income in retirement.

  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor announced measures in the Budget that will improve benefits to pensioners and help tackle pensioner poverty.

  The basic State pension is rising by £5 per week to £72.50 for a single person and £8 per week to £115.90 for a couple helping all 630,000 pensioners in the region.

  The Minimum Income Guarantee, putting a floor under pensioners incomes, is rising to £92 for a single pensioner and £140.55 for couples. This will increase again in April 2003, and will help tackle pensioner poverty in 105,000 pensioner households in Wales. 10,000 more pensioners in Wales will be eligible, and benefits for the 95,000 pensioners currently eligible will be increased.

  An increase in age related income tax allowances for pensioners by £240 over and above inflation from April 2003 will benefit half of all pensioner households in Wales: 165,000 households.
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  Other measures for all pensioners, and particularly help for the poorest, includes the free eye tests, Winter Fuel Payments and the reduction in VAT on fuel to 5 per cent.

  SMEs
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary about small and medium-sized businesses in Wales. [155509]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I regularly meet the First Secretary and discuss a range of issues.

  The Chancellor's Budget announced on 7 March 2001 a package of measures such as help to manage SMEs entry into the VAT system, reduce burdens and improve their cash flow, which will benefit many of the 140,000 SMEs in Wales.

  Additionally, the Small Business Council is currently holding events in town halls across the UK with the aim of listening to business and its concerns.

  European Funding
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to meet the chief executive of the Wales European Funding Office to discuss the implementation of Objective 1 programmes. [155510]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I last met with John Clark, the Chief Executive of the Wales European Funding Office, on 29 January 2001. I was pleased to learn that WEFO are making good progress in implementing Objective 1 in Wales and that utilisation of the programme has been achieved faster in Wales than anywhere else in the UK. Importantly, this has been achieved in Wales through a partnership between private, public and voluntary sectors.

  A total of 190 projects have been approved so far under the Objective 1 programme, with Structural Funds support of £146.1 million.

  Schools Funding
  Ann Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly about direct payments to head teachers in Wales, as announced in the Budget. [155512]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I meet the First Secretary on a regular basis and we discuss a range of issues.

  My hon. Friend and I are very pleased that Wales will receive an additional £100 million over the next three years as a result of the Budget's additional spending on key public services. It will of course be for the Assembly to allocate the funds according to its own priorities.

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the First Secretary on proposals to assist redundant manufacturing workers. [155513]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I meet the First Secretary regularly and discuss a wide range of issues including manufacturing.
  230W
  The Prime Minister confirmed on 14 March that areas that have been affected by large scale redundancies will be helped by a job transition service (JTS). This JTS will focus on matching skills of those made jobless to the jobs offered in the changing economy.

  In addition, areas affected by steel and other significant job losses currently have access to an on-site jobshop to offer help with all aspects of job search, training and benefits advice, staffed by the Employment Service Rapid Response Unit.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what advice and assistance his Department gives to EU applicant countries within whose boundaries there are linguistic minorities, about his programmes to protect and promote Welsh; and if he will make a statement. [155519]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  The UK Government are always ready to consider sympathetically requests for assistance from applicant countries. So far, my Department has not received any requests for advice in respect of the position of minority languages. Should we do so, I would be very happy to share our experience of Welsh language policy.

TREASURY

  Ministerial Visits (Peterborough)
  Sir Brian Mawhinney
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the Ministers in his Department who visited any of the constituencies which are in the Peterborough unitary authority area between 1 January 2000 and 14 February 2001, indicating in each case(a) the date of the visit, (b) the constituencies included in the visit and (c) if the local hon. Member met the Minister. [151035]

  Mr. Timms
  [holding answer 26 February 2001]: I visited Peterborough on 22 January 2001. During the course of my visit I met the hon. Member for Peterborough, (Mrs. Brinton). There were no other visits to the area during this period by Treasury Ministers on Government business.

CABINET OFFICE

  Civil Service Salaries
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the average percentage increase in the salaries of members of the Senior Civil Service is in the current financial year. [156726]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  The average individual award from 1 April 2000 was 4.8 per cent. Figures for April 2001 are not yet available.

  People's Panel Support Group
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when the People's Panel Support Group last met. [156728]
  231W
  Mr. Ian McCartney
  The People's Panel Support Group last met on 16 June 2000. A meeting scheduled for 17 October 2000 had to be cancelled when key members of the group were unable to attend.

  A full evaluation of the people's panel is under way. Further meetings of the support group are planned for when its results are available.

  Important reports from the panel over the last 12 months include research into putting consumers at the heart of public services, attitudes to public services in deprived areas, public services and ethnic minorities and extended opening hours.

  Departmental Policies (Blackpool, South)
  Mr. Gordon Marsden
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if she will set out, including statistical information relating as directly as possible to the constituency, the effect on the Blackpool, South constituency of her Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [142232]

  Mr. Stringer
  The Cabinet Office is responsible for a range of functions which cover England as a whole, or in relation to non-devolved matters, Great Britain or the United Kingdom. It is therefore not possible to say what their specific impact is on a particular constituency. Additionally, any policy changes arising from reports from Cabinet Office units, such as the Social Exclusion Unit and the United Kingdom Anti-Drugs Co-ordination Unit, are implemented by the appropriate Government Department rather than by the unit itself.

HEALTH

  BSE (France)
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on research conducted by Dr. Christl Donnelly on the incidence of BSE in France. [144334]

  Ms Stuart
  We welcome the research by Dr. Donnelly, of Imperial College, London, which was published in Nature on 14 December. It is important that decisions on food safety are based on sound science.

  Dr. Donnelly's research showed that, if the United Kingdom's ban on the sale for human consumption of beef from animals aged over 30 months at time of slaughter is enforced, and if the French Government's controls on cattle feed have eliminated the feed-borne transmission of BSE to French cattle born after mid-1996, there is virtually no risk from French beef consumed in the UK.

  The research found that even if enforcement was only 75 per cent., the risk from French beef would be comparable to that from UK beef.

  OTM Beef
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the statement by the Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Food, the right hon. Member for Gateshead, East and Washington, West (Ms Quin) of 21 December 2000,Official Report, column 558, if he will
  232W
  publish the evidence on which the Minister based her claim that over-30-month beef is not used in processed products sold in Britain. [146430]

  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 22 January 2001]: My right hon. Friend did not claim that, but referred to signs from manufacturers and retailers that they were using beef from cattle that were not over 30-months-old at slaughter. This information had been obtained by the Food Standards Agency and by local authorities in connection with increased enforcement checks on compliance with the generally applicable ban on the sale for human consumption of beef from cattle aged over-30-months at slaughter (the OTM rule). The Meat Hygiene Service and local authorities were required to carry out those checks by the FSA from last November. High levels of compliance were found and some companies changed their procurement arrangements to ensure that appropriate supplier documentation confirmed compliance with the OTM rule.

  Broiler Chickens
  Mr. Etherington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many broiler chickens slaughtered in the United Kingdom were rejected as unfit for human consumption in 1999. [150184]

  Ms Stuart
  I am informed by the Food Standards Agency that responsibility for the enforcement of meat hygiene legislation in licensed poultry slaughterhouses in Great Britain rests with the Meat Hygiene Service (MHS), and in Northern Ireland with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

  Information relating to Great Britain is not available in the form requested as MHS data are based on cause of condemnation rather than whether the carcase was partially or fully condemned. However, it is estimated that in 1999, approximately 6.6 million whole carcases from poultry weighing under 2kg (a category that includes broiler chickens, cast hen and other poultry) were condemned as unfit for hum in consumption post-slaughter. This represents approximately 1 per cent. of the total throughput of poultry weighing under 2kg slaughtered in Great Britain during that period.

  In Northern Ireland, 62.3 million broiler chickens were slaughtered during, 1999, of which 0.6 million were subsequently rejected as unfit for human consumption.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department first contacted the hon. Member for Manchester, Central concerning his letter of 3 August 2000 regarding catering services for Manchester Central Healthcare Trust; and if he will make a statement. [150134]

  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 13 February 2001]: A reply to my hon. Friend's letter of the 3 August was sent on 29 March 2001. A letter from the Department's Permanent Secretary/Chief Executive was also enclosed apologising for the unacceptable delay.

  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to respond to the letters from Mr. D. Wardell of Woodmancote, Gloucester, dated 30 November 2000 and 31 December 2000, on the subject of the use of mobile phones. [151362]
  233W
  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 26 February 2001]: A reply was sent direct to Mr. Wardell on the 6 March 2001. As both letters were relating to the same issue, one reply was sent to cover the two letters.

  Cancer Treatment (Battersea)
  Mr. Linton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action the Governments have taken to improve accessibility to cancer treatments for patients in Battersea. [151153]

  Yvette Cooper
  The local primary care group is working actively to improve diagnosis of cancer and improve screening rates. Battersea residents will benefit from our plan to reduce cancer waiting times through the creation of clinical networks and through investment in better equipment.

  New Cancer Equipment
  St. George's—one breast screening trailer (£69,000), six pieces of mammography equipment (£250,000).
  St. Thomas—one magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner (£851.000), two linear accelerators (£1.3 million).
  Royal Marsden—one MRI scanner (£815,000), two linear accelerators (£1.3 million).

  Ambulance Staff
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to provide driver 2 training under blue lights for ambulance operational staff. [155787]

  Ms Stuart
  It is the responsibility of each ambulance trust to ensure that all staff who drive emergency vehicles are competent to do so. These staff must successfully

  Nature of work

  Commissioned by

  Type

  Cost (£)

  1997–98

  National Health Service White Paper research—advice on public attitudes towards the NHS to allow the identification areas of greatest importance for public opinion

  Press and Publicity Division

  Qualitative

  33,840

  1999–2000

  Research to develop National Drugs Helpline (NDH) campaign

  Communications (COMMS)

  Qualitative

  19,390

  Survey of pharmacists and GPs re: 'Get The Right Treatment' campaign

  COMMS

  Quantitative

  16,130

  Further research to develop NDH campaign

  COMMS

  Qualitative

  22,850

  1999–2000/2000–01

  Evaluation of pilot chlamydia screening programme included surveys by NOP on: Public awareness of chlamydia. Experien of professionals participating in the pilot. Experience of screening participant;

  Public Health Group

  Quantitative

  112,000

  2000–01

  Benchmark survey of young people re: NDH campaign

  COMMS

  Quantitative

  30,000

  Further research with health professionals re: 'Get The Right Treatment' campaign

  COMMS

  Quantitative

  50,470

  Ambulance Service
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to reduce the retirement age of operational staff in the Ambulance Service. [156168]

  Ms Stuart
  There are no plans at this time to reduce the retirement age of operational ambulance staff.
  234W
  complete a nationally recognised training course and should gain supervised driving experience under blue light conditions, before commencing full front-line duties.

  The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) is currently looking at the core competencies required for driving various kinds of emergency vehicles under blue light conditions. Any changes recommended by the DSA will be incorporated into the ambulance driver-training programme.

  Opinion Polling
  Mr. St. Aubyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what(a) quantitative and (b) qualitative analytical work his Department has commissioned from GGC/NOP since 1 May 1997; and what was (i) the cost of the contract and (ii) the specific nature of the work commissioned. [155664]

  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 28 March 2001]: The table shows quantitative and qualitative analytical work commissioned direct by my Department and via the Central Office of Information from GGC/NOP since 1 May 1997.

  We are committed to consulting and involving the public to help inform both policy formulation and the delivery of a better quality public service. Responsive public services are an important part of the modernising government initiative.

  We conduct or commission market or opinion research only when it is justified by the needs of the policy or programme and is the most economical, efficient and effective way to achieve the purpose.

  Statutory Instruments
  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many statutory instruments were laid before Parliament by his Department each year from 1993 to 1998, inclusive. [156522]

  Ms Stuart
  The number of Statutory Instruments (SIs) laid before Parliament by the Department each parliamentary session from 1992–93 to 1997–98 inclusive is set out in the table.
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  Parliamentary session

  Number of SIs laid before Parliament

  1992–93

  165

  1993–94

  228

  1994–95

  165

  1995–96

  127

  1996–97

  45

  1997–98

  148

  Nursing Care (Shropshire)
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people will benefit from the planned free nursing care in nursing homes in Shrewsbury and Atcham; and if he will make a statement. [156496]

  Mr. Hutton
  An estimated 220 people will benefit from the planned free nursing care in nursing homes in Shrewsbury and Atcham1. The Health and Social Care Bill, which has now cleared the House of Lord's Committee stage, will ensure that in future everyone who needs care from a registered nurse will have it paid for by the national health service.
  1 Source—Shropshire County Council Social Services Department—data relate to self-funding residents in nursing homes in the Shrewsbury and Atcham locality

  Food Supplements
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps his Department has taken to ensure continued free access to food supplements; and if he will make a statement; [156693]

  (2) what his policy is on the proposed EU food supplement directive; and if he will make a statement; [156690]

  (3) what assessment he has made of differing regulatory structures present in the European food supplements market; and what assessment he has made of the level of restriction imposed in EU member states; [156692]

  (4) what action his Department has taken to re-evaluate the current regulatory structure relating to food supplements; and what steps his Department has taken to ensure the proper communication to the consumer of the health benefits of food products; [156695]

  (5) what recent representations he has received relating to the proposed EU food supplement directive and its impact on the free access to food supplements; [156688]

  (6) what steps he has taken to maintain safety as the basis for free access to food supplements, regulated under food law; [156694]

  (7) if he will make a statement on his Department's approach to the harmonisation of the food supplement market; and on what basis of definition harmonisation is to be achieved. [156691]

  Ms Stuart
  We accept there is a need for European Union rules on food supplements to tackle trade problems. This is because member states have a range of regulatory systems, with differing requirements. Generally these are more restrictive than the United Kingdom's safety based approach. We are pressing for a safety based approach to regulation of these products at EU level, in the interests of maintaining consumer choice.
  236W
  The Food Standards Agency (FSA), which is representing the Government in negotiations for harmonised EU legislation on food supplements, has consulted interested parties on the effects of the Commission's proposal. Representations have been received from consumer organisations, individuals, nutrition therapists and professional public health groups, food supplement manufacturers and their trade associations, retailers and enforcement bodies. All these groups support our view that the market should be open to products which are safe and properly labelled. A number of consultees have pointed out that the proposed legislation could significantly restrict the range of vitamin and mineral substances which could be used in food supplements, and the availability of high dose supplements. We are pressing for amendments to the draft directive to take into account the wide range of safe products available in the UK.

  Clear, accurate labelling is essential to help consumers make informed choices. The FSA is pressing for a number of improvements to EU food labelling rules. These include mandatory easy to use nutrition labelling and an effective and practical system for the verification and approval of health claims at EU level. The agency is also calling for the arrangements for health claims to allow the use of disease risk reduction claims where they are valid and presented in an appropriate context.

  Medicinal Products
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the proposed EU Directive for traditionally used medicinal products; and what representations he has received on the matter. [156689]

  Ms Stuart
  A letter dated 18 December 2000 from the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) to the European Commission (EC) set out the United Kingdom's comments on the preliminary draft of the directive on traditional medicinal products. The MCA has recently received from the EC a second draft of the directive, due to be discussed at the meeting of the European Pharmaceutical Committee on 5 April. Copies of both documents have been placed in the Library. Representations on the directive have been received mainly during the regular dialogue the MCA holds with representatives of herbal interest groups. These constructive discussions have covered most aspects of the directive, including the possible criteria for assessing traditional use, the position of non European herbal traditions, and aspects of safety, quality and information to the consumer.

  Oxted and Limpsfield War Memorial Hospital
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to defer possible sale of land at Oxted and Limpsfield war memorial hospital until the outcome of the present inquiry by the ombudsman is known. [156665]

  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 2 April 2001]: Surrey and Sussex Healthcare National Health Service trust will not consider the sale until after the outcome of the ombudsman's inquiry is known and the full business case has been considered by the south-east regional office of the NHS Executive.
  237W
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking to ensure the physical security of Oxted and Limpsfield war memorial hospital. [156663]

  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 2 April 2001]: The physical security of the Oxted and Limpsfield war memorial hospital is the responsibility of the Surrey and Sussex Healthcare National Health Service trust. The trust is in the process of implementing a number of measures which are aimed at ensuring the external and internal security of the hospital and these should be completed by 6 April 2001.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to reply to the letters of 7 February and 21 March regarding Oxted and Limpsfield war memorial hospital from the hon. Member for East Surrey. [156664]

  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 2 April 2001]: A reply to the hon. Member's letter of 7 February was sent on 27 March 2001. The letter dated 21 March 2001 was received by the Department on 27 March 2001. The issues raised are currently being considered with a view to a reply being dispatched within the Department's service first target of reply to all correspondence within 20 days.

  National Alcohol Strategy
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the national alcohol strategy. [156875]

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

  The NHS Plan, published in July 2000, said that the Department would be implementing the strategy by 2004. The Department expects to publish a consultation paper in due course.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps the Government are taking with regard to the advertising of alcoholic drinks targeted at those under 18; and if he will make a statement on the arrangements for self-regulation in the alcoholic drinks industry. [156874]

  Ms Stuart
  The Government and the drinks industry are concerned about advertisements for alcohol drinks which are targeted specifically at people under the age of 18. There are voluntary codes of practice drawn up by the drinks industry, the Advertising Standards Association and other media organisations which ban advertising aimed at children and younger people.

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