Written Answers of 8 February 2001

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Factortame Ruling
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in meeting the claims arising from the ruling over the Factortame case brought by owners of flag of convenience vessels. [150068]

  Mr. Morley
  Settlement has now been reached with all the applicants involved in the Factortame litigation. Under the terms of the settlement the total sum of damages paid is £55 million, including interest of some £26 million. This includes the earlier settlement of £10 million reached in 2000 but excludes the legal costs of the applicants, liability for which was accepted as part of the settlement agreements, but which have yet to be assessed. The claims submitted by the applicants totalled £285 million before interest.

  Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Review Group
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the Government will publish its formal response to the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Review Group report. [149833]

  Mr. Morley
  I am pleased to announce that copies of the formal Government response have today been placed in the House of Commons Library. A copy of the Government response is being sent to all those who responded to the report.

  Official Publications
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list (1) his Department's spending on official publications for(a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99, (d) 1999–2000 and (e) 2000–01 and the planned expenditure for 2001–02; [141447]

  (2) if he will list each new publication issued by his Department since 1997 and the total cost to the Department of each publication. [141464]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 11 December 2000]: A list of publications and printing costs, produced by my Department for the financial years since 1996–97, is available in the Libraries of the House.

  Correspondence
  Sir Brian Mawhinney
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire of 24 May on behalf of his constituent, Mrs. Brown. [143934]
  624W
  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 8 January 2001]: A reply was originally sent to the right hon. Member on 16 June 2000, but, I understand, was not received. A re-drafted response was sent on 7 February 2001.

  Sir Brian Mawhinney
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his holding answer (UIN 135790), when he will reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for North-West Cambridgeshire of 13 July 2000 on behalf of his constituent Mr. Russell. [149210]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 6 February 2001]: A reply was originally sent to the right hon. Member on 22 August 2000, but, I understand, was not received. A re-drafted response was sent on 7 February 2001.

  Sugar
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what area of land is used to grow sugar beet in each EU member state, together with the percentage of that area that would be eligible for IACS payments if alternative crops were grown. [146411]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 22 January 2001]: Sugar beet is grown on about 1.5 per cent. of the EU agricultural area, and the breakdown by member state is as follows. So long as this land met the requirements of Council Regulation (EC) No. 1251/1999 (effectively meaning that it had been used for sugar beet or other arable production at some time during the five years to 31 December 1991), it would generally all be eligible for payments under the Arable Area Payments Scheme if eligible crops such as cereals and oilseeds were grown on it

  Thousand ha

  Member state

  Beet area 2000–01

  Austria

  43

  Belgium/Luxembourg

  95

  Denmark

  58

  Finland

  33

  France

  361

  Germany

  452

  Greece

  50

  Ireland

  33

  Italy

  240

  Netherlands

  112

  Portugal

  8

  Spain

  130

  Sweden

  56

  UK

  150

  Total EU 15

  1,821

  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how much sugar by weight and value was exported from each Association of Caribbean Producers nation covered by the Sugar Protocol to(a) the United Kingdom and (b) the European Union; [146413]

  (2) if he will state the latest intervention price for (a) beet sugar under the EU sugar regime, (b) cane sugar imported from the Association of Caribbean Producers countries under the EU sugar regime, (c) world prices for beet sugar and (d) world prices for cane sugar. [146412]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 22 January 2001]: The relevant information is set out in the tables.
  625W

  Table 1: Exports to UK and EU (October 1999 to September 2000)

  UK imports(thousand tonnes white sugar equivalent)

  Value(£ million)

  Other EU Imports(thousand tones white sugar equivalent)

  Value(£ million)

  Barbados

  48

  16

  0

  0

  Belize

  50

  15

  12

  4

  Guyana

  174

  59

  36

  12

  Jamaica

  133

  44

  33

  11

  St. Kitts

  16

  5

  0

  0

  Trinidad and Tobago

  43

  12

  9

  3

  Total

  464

  151

  90

  30

  Note:

  UK imports based on EU and C&E data (provisional). Other EU imports data from European Commission, with value derived using statutory minimum prices.

  Table 2: Prices

  euro/tonne

  £/tonne

  White sugar intervention price (UK)

  646.5

  414.21

  Raw sugar intervention price

  523.7

  335.53

  Sugar Protocol guaranteed price (white)

  646.5

  414.21

  Sugar Protocol guaranteed price (raw)

  523.7

  335.53

  Special Preferential Sugar price (raw)

  496.8

  318.30

  World price1 (white)

  263.7

  168.95

  World price1 (raw)

  264.2

  169.27

  1 World prices based on London spot prices for 18 January 2001

  Note:

  Exchange rate: euro/£=0.6407

  Mr. Hugh Leman
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 16 January 2001,Official Report, column 141W, what representations (a) his Department and (b) other statutory bodies have received from Mr. Hugh Leman. [147974]

  Mr. Nick Brown
  [holding answer 30 January 2001]: Pursuant to my answer of 16 January 2001, Official Report, column 141W, I am not aware of any representations from Mr. Hugh Leman.

  Pollution
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received on the implementation of the Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations. [148867]

  Mr. Morley
  MAFF has received representations from the NFU and other trade organisations, as well as ministerial correspondence, on the implementation of the Pollution Prevention and Control Regulations in the pig and poultry sectors. These have covered a range of issues specific to the pig and poultry sectors and also the Environment Agency's interim charging scheme. As part of the Action Plan for Farming, the Government dealt with two issues of particular importance to the industry: we deferred implementation of IPPC for existing pig and poultry installations until 2007 and have agreed an Environment Agency charge for permits based on General Binding Rules of £2,950, rather than the £12,000£18,000 it originally proposed. The Environment Agency, along with officials from MAFF, is continuing to work with the industry to ensure the rules implementing the IPPC 626W
  Regulations are as unbureaucratic and non-burdensome as possible while meeting the environmental requirements of the Regulations.

  Countryside Stewardship Scheme
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the relationship between the countryside stewardship scheme and rural development funds from(a) a national and (b) a European source; and if he will make a statement. [148949]

  Mr. Morley
  Funding for the Countryside Stewardship Scheme is allocated through the seven-year England Rural Development Programme. Some £480 million of the total programme budget of £1.6 billion is assigned to Countryside Stewardship. Of this, £295 million is nationally funded. £185 million derives from European funds, of which 27 per cent. is sourced from the Community's allocation for rural development and 73 per cent. from modulating farmers direct aids.

  Veterinary Medicines
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to receive the report from the Independent Review of Dispensing of Prescription Only Medicines for veterinary use; and if he will make a statement. [148155]

  Ms Quin
  The Independent Review of Dispensing, which is being led by Professor Sir John Marsh CBE, is due to report to my right hon. Friend the Minister by 31 March 2001.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Comitology
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many comitology committees of the EU were in existence on the most recent date for which figures are available. [147319]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Commission's latest list was printed in the Official Journal of the European Communities last year (C225 Volume 43, 8 August 2000). This is available in the Library of the House.

  IRA (Sweden)
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Swedish Government to ensure that IRA fund-raising activities do not take place in Sweden through IRA-linked business operations; and if he will make a statement. [149118]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Government are aware of recent Swedish newspaper allegations concerning IRA fund-raising in Sweden, but has no evidence to support them. Any allegations of fund-raising for the purposes of terrorism are examined carefully, and if necessary the UK authorities take action in co-operation with their counterparts in other countries.

  Departmental Policies (Morecambe and Lunesdale)
  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out, including statistical information, the effect on the Moreeambe and Lunesdale constituency of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [149126]

  Mr. Vaz
  We hold no information of the kind sought by my hon. Friend. The mission of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is to promote the national interests of the United Kingdom and to contribute to a strong world community. For details of the Government's achievements in meeting their foreign policy targets, the following page of the FCO website may be helpful:http//www/fco.gov.uk/directory/dynpage.asp?page=108

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Retail Petrol Industry
  Jackie Ballard
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his policy towards the independent retail petrol industry. [147047]

  Mr. Hain
  The Government are committed to ensuring that a free and open market operates within the UK petrol retail sector to the benefit of consumers, not least those who use small independent retailers.

  Alternative Energy Sources
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for what reasons he intends to exclude energy from waste from renewables obligations; what measures he intends to introduce to promote energy from waste; and what assessment he has made of the environmental benefits of energy from waste. [149325]

  Mr. Hain
  No final decisions have been made as to which renewables will be included within the renewables obligation.

  The Government's consultation document on the obligation proposed that large-scale hydro and energy from waste should be excluded on the grounds that they are already commercially viable, well established in the market, and able to compete with electricity from fossil fuels. This view took into account the indirect support provided to energy from waste by the landfill tax. The many responses received to this and other proposals in the consultation document are under consideration.

  DTI does not have a promotional campaign on energy from waste. We do, however, support research and development on energy from waste and other forms of renewable energy under the Department's new and renewable energy programme.

  The Government's policy is first to minimise waste, then to maximise re-use, recycling and composting where this is the most appropriate action. However, where the creation of waste is unavoidable, burning it to generate energy saves fossil fuels, reduces emissions, contributes towards our Kyoto targets and avoids having to landfill such waste.
  628W
  The Government set out their aims and objectives for waste management in "Waste Strategy 2000". The choice of waste facilities is a matter for local councils to take in consultation with local communities, and councils should consider the best practical environmental option for each waste stream. The Government recognise that the recovery of energy from waste, through using it as fuel, may have a role to play, alongside recycling and composting, in a system of sustainable waste management.

  An assessment of the environmental and other advantages and disadvantages of various household waste management options including energy from waste is included in the publication "An Introduction to Household Waste Management" published in March 1998 which was sponsored by my Department. Copies are being placed in the Library of the House.

  Sir Sydney Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the environmental impact of the process of removing redundant offshore wind platforms. [149483]

  Mr. Hain
  A report was produced last year under DTI's new and renewable energy programme by Metoc plc, "An assessment of the environmental effects of offshore wind farms", which included wind farm decommissioning. Copies of the report are being placed in the Library of the House.

  Sir Sydney Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what his most recent estimate is of the cost per kilowatt hour of electricity generated from(a) offshore wind and (b) onshore wind, using a standard 6 per cent. discount rate. [149482]

  Mr. Hain
  The cost of generation from offshore and onshore wind will vary considerably depending on the location of the project. Costs can also be expected to fall over time as experience with the technology grows, and as economies of scale in plant manufacture and project development are exploited.

  Cost estimates were published by DTI in the March 1999 document "New and Renewable Energy: Prospects in the UK for the 21st Century—Supporting Analysis". These showed that by year 2010, and with an 8 per cent. discount rate, the bulk of the UK's onshore wind potential could be developed at costs ranging from 2½–3½p per kilowatt hour. With a 15 per cent. discount rate, the cost range rises to 3½–5p per kilowatt hour. The cost ranges for offshore wind were very similar, although the potential resource is much greater.

  Commercial developers of wind projects can be expected to seek returns in excess of 6 per cent., with the scale of required returns depending on the technical and commercial risks associated with the projects. At present, these risks are greater for offshore wind whose development is at a very early stage and the prices required by generators for the first generation of offshore wind projects in the UK could well be in excess of the cost ranges quoted.

  Ultra-low Sulphur Fuel
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many and what percentage of garages sell low sulphur fuel(a) nationally, (b) in the North West and (c) in Wales. [149565]
  629W
  Mr. Hain
  Ultra-low sulphur diesel is available at virtually every petrol retail outlet in the UK.

  Regarding ultra-low sulphur petrol (ULSP), according to HM Customs and Excise's "Hydrocarbons Oils Bulletin", in mid-January 2001 (latest available data), ULSP constituted around half of petrol released for consumption in the UK. The equivalent figure for November 2000 was around one third. HM Customs and Excise collects data on a company by company, rather than a regional, basis. There are no separate figures for the North West of England or Wales.

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many outlets sell ultra-low sulphur petrol in(a) the UK, (b) Scotland and (c) the Highlands; and how many outlets have begun to sell ultra-low sulphur petrol since 8 November 2000. [149336]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 7 February 2001]: According to HM Customs and Excise's "Hydrocarbons Oils Bulletin", in mid-January 2001 (latest available data), ULSP constituted around half of petrol released for consumption in the UK. The equivalent figure for November 2000 was around one third. HM Customs and Excise collects data on a company by company, rather than a regional, basis. There are no separate figures for Scotland or the Highlands.

  Energy Research and Development
  Mrs. Gilroy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment his Department has made of the report 'The Future of Research and Development in the Gas Industry' by Professor Gordon Mackennon and Steve Thomas; and if he will make a statement. [149303]

  Mr. Hain
  My officials are studying the report and are meeting the Institution of Gas Engineers next week (12 February) to discuss its content.

  Mrs. Gilroy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what evaluation his Department has made of the appropriateness to the UK of the US levy model for funding future research and development in the gas industry. [149304]

  Mr. Hain
  None, but I thank my hon. Friend for bringing it to my attention. The gas industry is firmly in the private sector and investment in R&D is a matter for industry participants. However, safety is a key concern of Government. The Health and Safety Executive, who are responsible for the regulatory regime for the safe conveyance and use of gas are, with DETR, considering the introduction of levy raising powers to ensure that appropriate funding is secured for safety related research. This follows the completion of HSE's Fundamental Review of Gas Safety.

  Mrs. Gilroy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what timetable has been agreed for progressing the review of research and development in the energy industry announced in the latest UK Energy report. [149302]

  Mr. Hain
  As indicated in the Energy Report, the DTI has recently undertaken a review of both business and public energy-related R&D funding. The outcome of this review will be a revised strategy for the funding of future energy-related R&D activities. It is expected that a draft will be circulated for consultation during February,630W
  leading to an updated strategy being included in the overall DTI Science and Innovation Strategy, to be published spring 2001.

  Small Business Service
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will place a copy of the Small Business Service targets in the Library. [146505]

  Mr. Byers
  I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Ellesmere Port and Neston (Mr. Miller) on 11 July 2000,Official Report, columns 475–76W.

  Post Offices
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many(a) post offices and (b) sub-post offices there were in the Vale of York on (i) 1 February 1997, (ii) 1 February 1998, (iii) 1 February 1999, (iv) 1 February 2000 and (v) 1 February 2001. [149187]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  I understand from the Post Office that the historic data requested are not available, and that the most recent data available for Vale of York constituency are as set out in the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Erdington (Mr. Corbett) on 29 November 1999,Official Report, column 22W.

  Ministerial Visits
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many ministerial visits to non-European countries involved in the Barcelona Process have been made by Ministers from his Department since 1997; in which years; and to which countries. [147693]

  Mr. Byers
  Since 2 May 1997, DTI Ministers have undertaken ministerial visits to non-European countries involved in the Barcelona Process as follows:

  Country

  Visits

  Morocco

  1

  Algeria

  —

  Tunisia

  1

  Egypt

  2

  Israel

  2

  Palestinian Authority

  1

  Jordan

  —

  Lebanon

  —

  Syria

  —

  Turkey

  1

  Cyprus

  —

  Malta

  —

  Coal Industry Pension Schemes
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to alter the rules on the treatment of surpluses in the Mineworkers' Pension Scheme and the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme. [148492]

  Mr. Hain
  I will carefully consider the present arrangements in the light of the results of detailed actuarial studies which are to be undertaken this year into the coal schemes' assets and liabilities.

DEFENCE

  Defence Diversification Agency
  Ms Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the period of formal consultation with Stakeholders will begin for the Defence Diversification Agency. [149834]

  Dr. Moonie
  A Consultative Document outlining the options considered for the future of the Defence Diversification Agency and the proposed way forward is now available. Copies have been placed in the Library of both Houses and are being sent to key stakeholders. Additional copies are available on request from:

  Deputy Director Equipment Secretariat

  Room 2332

  MOD Main Building

  London SW1A 2HB.

  An electronic version of the Consultative Document will also be made available through the MOD website. The period of consultation will end on 23 March 2001.

  Tank Fleets
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what the fleet size is of(a) Warrior variants, (b) Challenger 1, (c) Challenger 2, (d) Saxon variants, (f) AVF 430 variants, (g) Sabre, (h) Striker, (i) Scimitar, (j) Spartan, (k) Sultan, (l) Samaritan and (m) Samson; how many were (i) allocated to front-line units, (ii) fully operational, (iii) unserviceable-fully operational in 24 hours, (iv) unserviceable-fully operational in seven days and (v) unserviceable-fully operational in more than seven days on 12 December; what percentage of the fleet size this represents for each category; and if he will make a statement; [143192]

  (2) what the percentage serviceability target is in 2000–01 for equipment being required to be available within 24 hours for (a) RAF aircraft, (b) army tanks and (c) other battle vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [143194]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 10 January 2001]: I will write to the right hon. and learned Member and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Joint Service Defence Council
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason JS DCI 88/00 was cancelled; who authorised its cancellation; what replaced it; and if he will make a statement. [147245]

  Mr. Spellar
  In October 2000 I authorised the temporary withdrawal of Joint Service Defence Council Instruction 88/00, dealing with the Ministry of Defence's policy towards membership of societies such as Freemasons, while we conducted a review which is currently under way.

  Self-mutilation
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many deaths caused by self-inflicted wounds there were among serving armed forces personnel, broken down by(a) theatre of operations in which each occurred, (b) gender, (c) age and (d) ethnic group in each year from 1996. [149355]

  Dr. Moonie
  Between 1 January 1996 and 31 December 2000 there have been 138 self-inflicted deaths among serving members in the armed forces. The tables provide details of these deaths by theatre of operation and age. To ensure that individual service personnel confidentiality is not compromised it has been necessary to group together certain categories in these tables. Of the 138 self-inflicted deaths only three were female. In respect of the breakdown by ethnic groups there have been: 118 deaths in the "white" category; nine deaths recorded in an "unspecified" category, and one Gurkha death. There were an additional 10 deaths for which ethnic origin is not available.

  Location

  1996

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  (a) Self inflicted deaths by theatre of operations:

  UK Great Britain

  20

  25

  13

  24

  26

  Northern Ireland

  12

  4

  5

  2

  7

  Germany (BAOR)

  Other Europe

  Cyprus

  Other Far East

  Army and RAF

  Other Overseas

  Total

  32

  29

  18

  26

  33

  (b) Self inflicted deaths by age:

  Under 25

  13

  11

  4

  10

  12

  25 to 34

  13

  10

  9

  10

  14

  35 and over

  6

  8

  5

  6

  7

  Total

  32

  29

  18

  26

  33

  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 29 January 2001,Official Report, column 66W, if he will break down by age those who died of self-inflicted injuries, indicating in each case their length of service. [149211]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 7 February 2001]: I will write to my hon. Friend and a copy of my letter will be placed in the Library of the House.

  BAE Bids
  Dr. Whitehead
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will complete his evaluation of the bids by BAE for the construction of Type45 destroyers. [148672]

  Mr. Hoon
  The prime contract with BAE Systems Electronics for the Demonstration and First of Class (DFM) phase of the Type 45 programme (covering the design and build of the first three ships) was placed on 20 December 2000. The procurement strategy remains as I announced it on 11 July 2000,Official Report, column 701.
  633W
  Our evaluation of the unsolicited proposal from BAE Systems Marine for an alternative procurement strategy for this Programme is progressing separately and will include consultation with other interested Government Departments. We will reach a decision on this as soon as possible.

  Malaria
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the companies and regiments of the Army and Royal Marines which have been deployed to Sierra Leone since 1 May 2000, indicating in each case(a) the number of personnel in each company and regiment, (b) the date and duration of deployment, (c) where the company and regiment were deployed in Sierra Leone, (d) how many members of each company and regiment were administered with anti-malarial treatment before deployment, (e) how long before deployment treatment was administered and (f) how many members of each company and regiment were routinely screened for malaria on return; and if he will make a statement. [149177]

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

  Planning
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the projects promoted by his Department subject to the 18/84 planning procedure. [149352]

  Dr. Moonie
  My Department has put forward a large number of planning proposals under the 18/84 procedure in the years since it came into force, ranging from major developments to relatively minor works. This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Globemaster Aircraft
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost to his Department is of leasing the four C-17 Globemaster aircraft from the US; and what estimate he has made of the cost of purchasing the aircraft. [149595]

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

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Short Money
  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the President of the Council what evidence has been(a) sought from and (b) produced by the Conservative party and its auditors to show that the Short money which they have received has been used exclusively for its prescribed purpose. [147801]

  Mrs. Beckett
  Parties in receipt of Short money have to provide an independent auditor's certificate to show that it has been incurred exclusively in relation to the Party's parliamentary business. I understand the Conservative party has submitted such a certificate.

  Explanatory Notes (Legislation)
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the President of the Council when the explanatory notes for the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000, the Disqualifications Act 2000, and the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000 will be available in the Vote Office; and if she will ensure that the explanatory notes will be available with future Acts at the same time that those Acts are published. [144132]

  Mrs. Beckett
  [holding answer 8 January 2001]: All Departments have been reminded of the importance of ensuring that the Explanatory Notes to Acts are produced at the appropriate time. Because of the need to ensure that these accurately reflect the Act as passed it may, however, not always be possible to ensure that this is simultaneous with the Act. In the case of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000, many amendments were made during its final stages and as a consequence it has taken time to ensure that the Explanatory Notes accurately reflect the changes which were made. These will be published shortly. The Explanatory Notes for the Disqualification Act 2000 were published on 29 January 2001, while those for the Police (Northern Ireland) Act 2000 were published on 5 February.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Property Services (Ministers and Civil Servants)
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list those Ministers in his Department who(a) have interests in the letting of property and (b) use the letting and relocation company Cendant to let their properties or purchase other properties; and how many civil servants in his Ministry have used the services of Cendant (i) to relocate and (ii) to be housed. [146280]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 22 January 2001]: Under the terms of the Ministerial Code, Ministers are required to order their affairs so that no conflict arises or is thought to arise between their private interests and their public duties. Information about the personal interests of a Minister is a matter between him or her and the Department in which he or she works, as is the use of any letting company in relation to any such interests.

  The Department has a contract with Cendant as one of its two relocation companies. Sixteen civil servants have used its services to relocate. None have used them to be housed.

  Accidents (M5)
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the accident rate is on(a) all motorways and (b) between Strensham and Michael Wood service stations on the M5, broken down per mile of motorway, for the last five years for which figures are available. [147590]
  635W
  Mr. Hill
  [holding answer 29 January 2001]: Based on the most recent information available, the injury-accident rate per 100 million vehicle kilometres on all motorways in England for the period 1995 to 1999 is as follows:

  1995—10.6

  1996—10.8

  1997—11.4

  1998—11.2

  1999—10.8

  On the M5 motorway, between the Strensham and Michael Wood service areas, the injury-accident rate per 100 million vehicle kilometres for the period 1995 to 1999 is as follows:

  1995—9.1

  1996—9.1

  1997—9.2

  1998—8.8

  1999—8.8

  Year

  2 Way AADT

  Section

  1999

  1998

  1997

  1996

  1995

  Total

  Junction

  From

  To

  1999

  1998

  1997

  1996

  1995

  A

  3

  1

  —

  1

  2

  7

  —

  start

  1

  59,724

  58,081

  59,536

  55,251

  54,322

  B

  3

  1

  7

  4

  5

  20

  —

  1

  2

  59,724

  58,081

  59,536

  55,251

  54,322

  C

  1

  2

  —

  1

  —

  4

  —

  2

  3

  59,724

  58,081

  59,536

  55,251

  54,322

  D

  1

  —

  3

  1

  4

  9

  —

  3

  4

  59,724

  58,081

  59,536

  55,251

  54,322

  E

  4

  2

  3

  2

  —

  11

  —

  4

  5

  59,724

  58,081

  59,536

  55,251

  54,322

  F

  3

  1

  1

  4

  2

  11

  —

  5

  6

  59,724

  58,081

  59,536

  55,251

  54,322

  G

  1

  1

  —

  1

  1

  4

  —

  6

  7

  59,724

  58,081

  59,536

  55,251

  54,322

  H

  3

  4

  1

  4

  2

  14

  —

  7

  8

  59,724

  58,081

  59,536

  55,251

  54,322

  I

  4

  8

  6

  4

  2

  24

  13

  8

  9

  65,290

  63,494

  44,197

  41,741

  40,940

  J

  2

  1

  2

  1

  6

  9

  10

  70,855

  68,906

  28,857

  28,230

  27,557

  K

  1

  1

  1

  2

  2

  7

  —

  10

  11

  70,855

  68,906

  28,857

  28,230

  27,557

  L

  2

  2

  3

  4

  —

  11

  12

  11

  12

  64,082

  62,319

  41,006

  40,227

  35,477

  M

  —

  —

  1

  1

  2

  4

  —

  12

  13

  57,309

  55,732

  53,154

  52,223

  43,397

  N

  1

  2

  —

  1

  —

  4

  —

  12

  13

  57,309

  55,732

  53,154

  52,223

  43,397

  O

  1

  1

  3

  1

  2

  8

  —

  14

  15

  57,309

  55,732

  53,154

  52,223

  43,397

  P

  —

  —

  2

  —

  1

  3

  —

  15

  16

  57,309

  55,732

  53,154

  52,223

  43,397

  Q

  2

  4

  —

  1

  1

  8

  —

  16

  17

  57,309

  55,732

  53,154

  52,223

  43,397

  R

  4

  —

  1

  —

  1

  6

  —

  17

  18

  57,309

  55,732

  53,154

  52,223

  43,397

  S

  1

  7

  4

  3

  3

  18

  11a

  18

  19

  59,405

  57,771

  54,437

  53,484

  48,248

  T

  2

  2

  1

  3

  3

  11

  —

  19

  20

  61,501

  59,809

  55,720

  54,704

  53,099

  U

  4

  6

  5

  3

  6

  26

  11

  20

  21

  65,255

  63,460

  59,946

  58,900

  53,110

  V

  2

  2

  4

  2

  1

  11

  —

  21

  22

  69,010

  67,111

  64,172

  63,095

  53,120

  W

  2

  —

  —

  1

  2

  5

  —

  22

  23

  69,010

  67,111

  64,172

  63,095

  53,120

  X

  1

  3

  3

  1

  4

  12

  10

  23

  24

  72,355

  71,458

  68,401

  65,905

  59,612

  Y

  1

  —

  1

  1

  2

  5

  —

  24

  25

  75,700

  75,800

  72,630

  68,714

  66,104

  Z

  —

  1

  1

  3

  1

  6

  —

  25

  26

  75,700

  75,800

  72,630

  68,714

  66,104

  AA

  1

  1

  4

  5

  —

  11

  —

  26

  27

  75,700

  75,800

  72,630

  68,714

  66,104

  AB

  3

  3

  3

  —

  2

  11

  —

  27

  28

  75,700

  75,800

  72,630

  68,714

  66,104

  AC

  4

  3

  4

  3

  3

  17

  9

  25

  29

  70,600

  72,050

  68,915

  65,199

  62,722

  AD

  6

  1

  1

  —

  1

  9

  —

  29

  30

  65,500

  68,300

  65,200

  61,685

  59,341

  AE

  1

  3

  —

  —

  1

  5

  —

  30

  31

  65,500

  68,300

  65,200

  61,685

  59,341

  AF

  3

  4

  1

  3

  3

  14

  —

  31

  32

  65,500

  68,300

  65,200

  61,685

  59,341

  AG

  5

  3

  2

  3

  4

  17

  8

  32

  End

  73,350

  73,800

  71,000

  67,172

  64,620

  Grand Total

  72

  72

  68

  64

  63

  339

  Note:

  Rows highlighted in the original table are italicistd.
  636W
  I have asked the chief executive of the Highways Agency to write to you separately providing the more detailed information you require.

  Letter from Tim Matthews to Mr. Laurence Robertson, dated 8 February 2001:
  Following on from an answer to your recent question in the House of Commons (PQ147590) about accident data on all motorways and also concerning the section of the M5 between the Strensham and Michael Wood Service Areas I have been asked to forward more detailed information.
  I enclose a copy of a Spreadsheet that shows the detailed information you require for M5. The columns B to G record the number of accidents for each one mile section for the years 1995 to 1999. The columns Q, R, S, T and U also relate to the years 1999 to 1995 and show the accident rate per 100 million vehicle kilometres (shown on the spreadsheet as 'acc rates per 10^8 veh km'). Rows 1 to 32 represent the individual mile sections of the M5 between the two motorway service areas. The highlighted rows show where junctions occur and where you could reasonably expect more accidents.
  If you wish to discuss any aspect of the Spreadsheet and the information it contains I suggest that you contact John Smart in this office (telephone 0207 921 4818) who will be happy to assist with any queries you may have.
  637W

  2 Way AADT

  ACC rates per 10^8 veh km

  Acc rates per 10^8 veh km

  Average AADT 95–99

  1999

  1998

  1997

  1996

  1995

  Average 99–95

  57,383

  8.6

  2.9

  0.0

  3.1

  6.3

  4.2

  57,383

  8.6

  2.9

  20.0

  12.3

  15.7

  11.9

  57,383

  2.9

  5.9

  0.0

  3.1

  0.0

  2.4

  57,383

  2.9

  0.0

  8.6

  3.1

  12.5

  5.4

  57,383

  11.4

  5.9

  8.6

  6.2

  0.0

  6.4

  57,383

  8.6

  2.9

  2.9

  12.3

  6.3

  6.6

  57,383

  2.9

  2.9

  0.0

  3.1

  3.1

  2.4

  57,383

  8.6

  11.7

  2.9

  12.3

  6.3

  8.3

  51,132

  10.4

  21.4

  23.1

  16.3

  8.3

  15.9

  44,881

  4.8

  2.5

  11.8

  6.0

  0.0

  5.0

  44,881

  2.4

  2.5

  5.9

  12.1

  12.4

  7.0

  48,622

  5.3

  5.5

  12.5

  16.9

  0.0

  8.0

  52,363

  0.0

  0.0

  3.2

  3.3

  7.8

  2.9

  52,363

  3.0

  6.1

  0.0

  3.3

  0.0

  2.5

  52,363

  3.0

  3.1

  9.6

  3.3

  7.8

  5.3

  52,363

  0.0

  0.0

  6.4

  0.0

  3.9

  2.1

  52,363

  5.9

  12.2

  0.0

  3.3

  3.9

  5.1

  52,363

  11.9

  0.0

  3.2

  0.0

  3.9

  3.8

  54,665

  2.9

  20.6

  12.5

  9.6

  10.6

  11.2

  56,967

  5.5

  5.7

  3.1

  9.3

  9.6

  6.6

  60,134

  10.4

  21.5

  14.2

  8.7

  19.2

  14.8

  63,302

  4.9

  5.1

  10.6

  5.4

  3.2

  5.8

  63,302

  4.9

  0.0

  0.0

  2.7

  6.4

  2.8

  67,546

  2.4

  7.1

  7.5

  2.6

  11.4

  6.2

  71,790

  2.2

  0.0

  2.3

  2.5

  5.2

  2.4

  71,790

  0.0

  2.2

  2.3

  7.4

  2.6

  2.9

  71,790

  2.2

  2.2

  9.4

  12.4

  0.0

  5.3

  71,790

  6.7

  6.7

  7.0

  0.0

  5.2

  5.1

  67,897

  9.6

  7.1

  9.9

  7.8

  8.1

  8.5

  64,005

  15.6

  2.5

  2.6

  0.0

  2.9

  4.7

  64,005

  2.6

  7.5

  0.0

  0.0

  2.9

  2.6

  64,005

  7.8

  10.0

  2.6

  8.3

  8.6

  7.5

  69,988

  11.6

  6.9

  4.8

  7.6

  10.5

  8.3

  8.8

  8.8

  9.2

  9.1

  9.1

  Note:

  Rows highlighted in the original table are italicised.

  Minister for the Environment (Financial Interests)
  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the Minister for the Environment (1) has taken action in accordance with the terms of paragraphs 119 and 120 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct(a) to remove a risk of conflict between his financial interests and his ministerial position and (b) to avoid involvement in relevant decisions; [148046]

  (2) has submitted a minute to the permanent secretary at DETR concerning his financial interests, under the terms of paragraph 123 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct; [148045]

  (3) has consulted the Prime Minister concerning his financial interests under the terms of paragraphs 121 and 123 of the Ministerial Code of Conduct. [148047]
  638W
  Mr. Meacher
  I have ensured that there is no risk of a conflict between my ministerial position and conduct and my personal interests. Handling of these issues within Government falls within exemption 2 of part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  National Air Transport Services
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will place in the Library a copy of the contracts of senior management of National Air Transport Services which contain clauses relating to performance-related bonuses. [148136]

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  It has always been Government policy not to interfere in the day to day running of the Civil Aviation Authority and its subsidiary, National Air Traffic Services Ltd.
  639W
  There are over 100 senior managers in NATS whose contracts entitle them to participate in the company's performance-related bonus scheme. The company has the right to vary the terms of the scheme at its sole discretion and without notice. In common with many organisations in the public and private sectors, a significant part of the overall remuneration package of members of the Senior Management Group is provided in the form of a performance bonus scheme. The current scheme operates on the same basis as the Civil Aviation Authority scheme, with performance being assessed against a range of company-wide targets and individual targets. The targets are reviewed annually. For the current financial year there are four company-wide targets against which members of the Senior Management Group are assessed. These are as follows:

  1. a safety target, based on the number of risk-bearing Airproxes where NATS contributed to the cause;

  2. a delay target, based on the overall level of air traffic delays attributable to NATS;

  3. an efficiency target, based on the cost per flight of NATS operations; and

  4. a project performance target based on the progress of the Swanwick project.

  In addition, individual targets are set for senior managers which vary depending on the role of the individual within the company. There is also a small discretionary element available to reward outstanding performance unrelated to specific targets.

  Below the level of the Senior Management Group, there are a number of staff employed on personal contracts with the company. These staff are also entitled to participate in a performance bonus scheme. However, in line with practice in the Civil Aviation Authority, the NATS scheme for this group of staff is based on performance against individual targets agreed between the individual and his line managers. There is also a general, company-wide performance bonus scheme in which all NATS staff participate, except those in the Senior Management Group. This scheme was negotiated and accepted by the trade unions (principally the IPMS and PCS) as part of the annual pay negotiations.

  Water and Sewerage
  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the average cost was of(a) water supply charges and (b) sewerage charges for English households in each decile income group; and what percentage of total household income within each decile these charges represent in each of the last five years. [148289]

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  The average charge for(a) water supply and (b) sewerage charges for all households in England and Wales since 1996–97 was as follows.

  £

  Year

  Water

  Sewerage

  2000–01

  102.73

  115.79

  1999–2000

  112.64

  134.45

  1998–99

  108.67

  128.59

  1997–98

  105.34

  122.40

  1996–97

  102.15

  118.37

  640W
  Information bearing on the subject of water and sewerage charges and their relation to household income is to be found in three published sources which are in the Library.

  First, the Office of Water Services publish the charges of each water and each sewerage undertaker and national averages in an annual series of reports, "Tariff Structure and Charges".

  Secondly, my Department commissioned and published a report by Maxwell Stamp, "Incidence Effects of Charging for Domestic Water and Sewerage Services", in July 1998. This includes tables modelling the gains and losses for households in each income decile of alternative water charging arrangements. Third, "Quality of Life Counts" included an indicator showing the percentage of households spending more than 3 per cent. of their net income on water for each of the past four years from 1994–95 to 1997–98.

  Both the Maxwell Stamp report and the "Quality of Life Counts" indicator used data from the DSS Family Resources Survey. The production of the information in the form requested will require fresh calculations, and I shall write to my hon. Friend when these are complete.

  Unlicensed Vehicles
  Mr. Ennis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many owners of vehicles found in(a) Barnsley and (b) Doncaster were prosecuted by the DVLA for (i) not registering their vehicle and (ii) not taxing their vehicle in 2000. [148618]

  Mr. Hill
  Vehicle excise duty and vehicle registration offences detected in the Barnsley and Doncaster areas are all prosecuted by the DVLA local office in Sheffield. It is not possible to split the number of cases into specific areas but during the period January to December 2000, 519 people were prosecuted by the Sheffield office for not registering their vehicle and 4,680 people were prosecuted for not taxing their vehicle. In addition, 492 people settled out of court for failing to register a vehicle and 10,452 for failing to relicense or make a statutory off-road notification.

  Registered Social Landlords
  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what his estimate is of the total number of properties owned by(a) registered social landlords and (b) each of the 20 largest registered social landlords. [148640]

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  Registered social landlords in England own an estimated 1,380,000 properties, comprising approximately 1,280,000 units of self-contained stock and approximately 100,000 bedspaces.

  The properties owned by the 20 largest registered social landlords are as follows:

  Name of RSL

  Total self-contained units owned

  Total bedspaces owned

  Total self-contained + bedspaces owned

  North British

  36,813

  1,986

  38,799

  Home

  26,411

  661

  27,072

  Anchor Trust

  23,496

  3,322

  26,818

  Sanctuary

  23,600

  1,528

  25,128

  641W

  Name of RSL

  Total self-contained units owned

  Total bedspaces owned

  Total self-contained + bedspaces owned

  Riverside

  20,478

  894

  21,372

  London and Quadrant HT

  19,036

  1,968

  21,004

  Guinness Trust

  18,051

  340

  18,391

  Peabody Trust

  16,358

  150

  16,508

  Northern Counties

  15,378

  845

  16,223

  William Sutton Trust

  15,651

  26

  15,677

  Orbit

  13,217

  592

  13,809

  Hyde

  11,398

  2,251

  13,649

  Housing 21

  12,519

  0

  12,519

  Wrekin Housing

  12,513

  0

  12,513

  Broomleigh

  11,891

  249

  12,140

  Metropolitan HT

  11,153

  931

  12,084

  Focus

  11,009

  966

  11,975

  Bradford and Northern

  11,465

  358

  11,823

  Samuel Lewis HT Ltd.

  11,080

  50

  11,130

  Notting Hill

  10,041

  641

  10,682

  Note:

  The figures are as at 31 March 2000 and derive from The Housing Corporation's Regulatory and Statistical return.

  Dr. Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the effectiveness with which registered(a) social landlords and (b) housing authorities manage resources. [148639]

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  We want to see a step-change in social landlords' performance. Tenants deserve an effective and high quality service. The best value regime will drive continuous improvement in housing management. Its framework of performance indicators and targets will enable a direct comparison of performance between the registered social landlord and local housing authority sectors. The work of the Housing Inspectorate and the Housing Corporation's inspection regime will underpin the effective delivery of best value.

  Floods
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received on reimbursing local authorities for the costs incurred as a result of the floods in November 2000; and if he will make a statement. [148646]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  Between 13 October 2000 and 5 February 2001, a total of 106 local authorities had notified my Department that they had incurred expenditure for which they would consider making a claim under the Bellwin scheme in connection with the adverse weather events between October and December. Application forms have been sent to all these authorities but to date no formal claims have been received. Only 25 authorities have provided an estimate of incurred costs.

  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when the Environment Agency will publish its report on the flooding on 15 September in Portsmouth; and if he will make a statement. [148973]

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  I understand that the Environment Agency will shortly have a draft report on the incident. The timing of its publication will depend on whether it considers any offence was committed under the Water Resources Act 1991. If the agency considers that no offence has been committed, it expects to be able to 642W
  publish shortly. If it considers an offence has been committed, publication will await the outcome of any subsequent action.

  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the operation of the Bellwin scheme, with specific reference to arrangements for budgeting for(a) floods in November 2000 and (b) future floods. [148951]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  On 4 November the Deputy Prime Minister announced several changes to the Bellwin scheme for this year in response to the very severe and widespread occurrence of bad weather in October and November. Among these changes, support above the threshold will be increased from 85 per cent. to 100 per cent, and valid claims will be settled within 15 working days of receipt. Arrangements for the future operation of the scheme will be considered in the forthcoming review of the Bellwin scheme by the Department and the Local Government Association.

  Duty of Care
  Ms Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many commercial premises in(a) Lewisham and (b) London have been prosecuted in the last 12 months for not complying with the duty of care, as defined in section 34 of the Environment Protection Act 1990. [148722]

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  The number of commercial premises prosecuted by the Environment Agency under section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 in the last 12 months is(a) nil in Lewisham and (b) four in London.

  Waste Regulation
  Ms Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what plans he has to improve the law in respect of the regulation of waste; [148720]

  (2) which bodies are responsible for ensuring compliance with sections 33 and 34 of the Environment Protection Act 1990; [148873]

  (3) what plans he has to take steps to ensure better compliance with sections 33 and 34 of the Environment Protection Act 1990; and if he will make a statement; [148724]

  (4) what arrangements are made by the Environment Agency for checking that commercial premises comply with section 34 of the Environment Protection Act 1990. [148727]

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  The Waste Framework Directive (75/442/EEC as amended) requires member states to ensure that waste is recovered or disposed of without endangering human health or harming the environment; and to take the necessary measures to prohibit the abandonment, dumping or uncontrolled disposal of waste. The Government have put strict controls in place to comply with these requirements and are satisfied that they fulfil the UK's obligations under the directive.
  643W
  The Environment Agency is a "competent authority" for the purposes of the directive and is responsible for the enforcement of most waste management controls—including section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Action to ensure compliance is taken by the agency in line with its national enforcement policy—as published on its website http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/ epns/epp.htm.

  The duty of care imposed by section 34 of the 1990 Act is an essentially self-regulating system and no authority has a duty to enforce it—in relation to waste from commercial or other types of premises. However, the Environment Agency has a right of access to duty of care records under regulation 4 of the Environmental Protection (Duty of Care) Regulations 1991. The following advice on enforcement action is provided in DOE Circular 19/91:
  "35. It is envisaged that [the Environment Agency] will pursue breaches of section 34 and seek access to holders' records when they suspect either that waste has not been transferred to an authorised person (or a person for authorised transport purposes) or an actual or potential breach of section 33."

  We have no plans to transfer waste regulation functions from the Environment Agency to local authorities or to prescribe local authorities as "competent authorities" under the framework directive. We will consider on its merits any case made to us, on a national basis, for an amendment to the 1991 regulations to allow local authorities a right of access to duty of care records as waste collection authorities or principal litter authorities.

  Ms Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the estimated percentage is of waste carriers who do not have bona fide waste transfer notes. [148725]

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  The Environment Agency has no estimate of the percentage of waste carriers who may be failing to comply with the requirements of the Environmental Protection (Duty of Care) Regulations 1991.

  Ms Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) how many waste carriers in London have been prosecuted for failure to provide waste transfer notes in the last six years; [148726]

  (2) how many prosecutions brought by the Environment Agency in the past six years have involved authorised waste carriers (a) in Lewisham and (b) in London. [148729]

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  The records held by the Environment Agency do not separately identify waste carriers involved in prosecutions brought for contravention of waste management controls other than section 1 of the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 (offence of transporting controlled waste without registering).

  Ms Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the percentage is of commercial premises in London which the Environment Agency estimates(a) do not have trade waste agreements under section 34 of the Environment Protection Act 1990 and (b) do not have adequate trade waste agreements. [148719]
  644W
  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  Section 34 of the 1990 Act makes no provision for trade waste agreements. However, section 45 of the 1990 Act imposes a duty on waste collection authorities to arrange for the collection of commercial waste if requested to do so by the occupier of premises in its area. No information on these matters is held by the Environment Agency because the arrangements made under section 45 are a matter for each waste collection authority.

  Ms Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many prosecutions brought by the Environment Agency for fly tipping in(a) Lewisham and (b) London resulted in waste licences being revoked. [148731]

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  The term "fly-tipping" is not legally defined but is generally used to refer to the illegal disposal of waste on a site without either a waste management licence or a registered licensing exemption. In such circumstances the Environment Agency may prosecute under section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, but there is no licence in force for the land subject to fly-tipping, which the agency can revoke. The circumstances in which the agency may revoke a licence are set out in section 38 of the 1990 Act and section 41(6) of the Environment Act 1995.

  Ms Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what arrangements the Environment Agency has in place for checking that waste carriers are authorised in accordance with section 52 of the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989. [148734]

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  The arrangements made for checking that waste carriers are properly authorised are set out in section 5 of the 1989 Act (duty to produce authority to transport controlled waste) and guidance on the use of these provisions by the Environment Agency is provided in DOE Circular 11–91 (paragraphs 1.82–1.89).

  Ms Bridget Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many vehicles have been seized and crushed as a result of being involved with fly tipping in the last six years in(a) Lewisham and (b) London. [148732]

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  The Environment Agency may seize and dispose of vehicles under the terms of section 6 of the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 and the Controlled Waste (Registration of Carriers and Seizure of Vehicles) Regulations 1991. Since its establishment in April 1996, the agency has used these powers as follows:(a) One vehicle has been seized in Lewisham and was sold under regulation 23 of the 1991 Regulations; and
  (b) Six vehicles have been seized in London. Four of these vehicles were returned under regulation 22 of the 1991 Regulations; and one vehicle was crushed and one was sold under regulation 23 of the Regulations.

  Figures for the period before April 1996 are not held centrally by the Environment Agency.

  East Coast Mainline
  Caroline Flint
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what rail
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  inspection and repairs have been undertaken on the east coast mainline at the speed restricted stretch of line passing Bawtry, South Yorkshire. [149053]

  Mr. Hill
  2,112 yards were re-railed on the up-fast line at Bawtry on 15 December. Similarly 2,112 yards were re-railed on the down-fast line at Bawtry on 17 December. 'De-stressing' works, to enable the continuous rail to expand in summer and contract in winter, were completed on 28 January. The temporary speed restriction has now been lifted.

  City Challenge
  Caroline Flint
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what steps the Government are taking to improve the outcomes of and to learn from SRB and City Challenge-funded projects which have concluded or are near their conclusion. [149050]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The national evaluation of the Single Regeneration Budget rounds 1 and 2, based on 20 case studies, is due to complete in 2003–04. The evaluation has strong reporting and dissemination requirements to ensure that lessons are fed into policy and practice in a quick and open manner.

  We fund the dissemination of good practice and the exchange of information to support SRB and other regeneration partnerships. In 2000–01, these included conferences, exhibition displays and seminars, and the production of complementary topic papers. We produce a quarterly colour newsletter, "Update", and make both local and electronic networking possible, the latter via Regen.net. At the regional level, the Regional Development Agencies undertake a range of activities for disseminating good practice to SRB partnerships. These include relaying key messages from scheme evaluations to partnerships at quarterly network meetings, employing dedicated best practice co-ordinators to develop networks and links between partnerships, and encouraging SRB schemes to transfer to community ownership during their lifetime.

  The City Challenge programme ended in 1998 and the final evaluation was published in 2000. It identified the achievements and good practice lessons that are transferable to other urban regeneration initiatives, including the need to involve the community, to spend time getting the right projects and project mix and the importance of the calibre and experience of key individuals on the executive team and board.

  Local Government Finance (Doncaster)
  Caroline Flint
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the value was of the Government's local government financial settlement for Doncaster borough for each year from 1978–79 to 2000–01; and what the percentage increase was on the previous year. [149068]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  There have been three systems in operation during the period 1978–79 to 2001–02. These are not comparable, and the data prior to 1990–91 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The latest system, using Standard Spending Assessments to assess the Revenue Support Grant entitlements, was introduced in 1990–91. The data for 1990–91 to 2001–02 for Doncaster are given in the table. These data include only 646W
  the figures for Revenue Support Grant and not any additional ring-fenced grant also allocated at the time of the settlement.

  Year

  Revenue Support Grant (£ million)

  IncomefromNationalNondomesticRates (£ million)

  Total (£ million)

  Percentage increase on the previous year

  1990–91

  49.342

  63.957

  113.298

  —

  1991–92

  49.422

  76.396

  125.819

  11.1

  1992–93

  93.534

  75.321

  168.856

  34.2

  1993–941

  103.146

  62.466

  165.612

  -1.9

  1994–95

  118.287

  57.358

  175.645

  6.1

  1995–96

  116.225

  60.796

  177.021

  0.8

  1996–97

  119.459

  68.060

  187.519

  5.9

  1997–982

  117.121

  63.941

  181.062

  -3.4

  1998–992

  124.986

  66.425

  191.411

  5.7

  1999–2000

  131.060

  71.946

  203.006

  6.1

  2000–01

  129.066

  80.861

  209.927

  3.4

  2001–02

  137.215

  78.797

  216.012

  2.9

  1 Prior to 1993–94 the Revenue Support Grant and income from National Non-Domestic Rates were all paid to the billing authority; from 1993–94 onwards these grants are paid to both billing and precepting authorities. For Doncaster this means that the figures between 1992–93 and 1993–94 are not comparable.

  2 These years were subject to Amending Reports. The figures supplied are those relating to the Amending Report.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Michael J. Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many responses to the local government finance Green Paper raised the issue of perverse incentives surrounding the fire service standard spending assessment. [148909]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  A full analysis of the responses to the local government finance Green Paper is currently being finalised. It will be published on the DETR website by the beginning of March.

  Mr. Michael J. Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when his Department will respond to the recent Green Paper on local government finance. [148890]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  We will announce our decisions on the reform of the local government finance system in a White Paper later this year.

  Mr. Michael J. Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what financial recognition is given to deprivation in the current Standard Spending Assessment formula, as applied to all local authorities in the west midlands region; [148888]

  (2) how deprivation is calculated in the methodolgy used in the Standard Spending Assessment formula. [148913]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The Standard Spending Assessment (SSA) methodology is sub-divided into seven blocks. These are Education, Personal Social Services, Fire, Police, Highway Maintenance, Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services (EPCS), and Capital Finance. The first six of these allocate the majority of the SSA on the basis of a 'client group'. For Education the client group is the number of pupils in a given age group; for EPCS it is the relevant population in each authority.
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  In addition to the client group allocation, each of the six blocks includes a factor that reflects the higher cost of service provision in London and the South East. This is known as the Area Cost Adjustment.

  Lastly, each of the blocks includes factors that provide additional funding to those authorities that are assessed as having a higher need to spend. These additional factors can be loosely termed as 'deprivation' indicators. For example, the Education block includes indicators that show for each authority the proportion of children of lone parents, the proportion of children of Income Support/ income based Jobseeker's Allowance claimants, and an ethnicity indicator. The Education SSA methodology also makes an allowance for population sparsity to reflect higher costs in rural areas.

  Full details of all the indicators used in SSAs can be found in "The Local Government Finance Report (England) 2001–021, a copy of which can be found in the Libraries of the House.

  Water (Investment)
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what powers he has to control the way in which the investment in plant and machinery is carried out by the various water companies and water authorities; and if he will make a statement. [149084]

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  It is for the water and sewerage companies to invest as and when necessary to meet their obligations. Water and sewerage undertakers must carry out their statutory duties in accordance with the terms of their licences and must comply with quality standards set and enforced by the Environment Agency and the Drinking Water Inspectorate. The economic regulator, Ofwat, has the function of ensuring that undertakers are able to finance their duties.

  Severn Trent Water
  Mr. Simon Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what percentage of water was lost by leakage by Severn Trent Water in each of the last five years. [148974]

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  Leakage is divided between water lost from the company's distribution system and water lost from customers' own supply pipes. Total leakage within the Severn Trent area and for these two components is as follows:

  Percentage

  Leakage from:

  Year

  Total leakage

  Company's distribution system

  Customers' supply pipes

  1995–96

  33.7

  25.0

  8.7

  1996–97

  25.5

  17.3

  8.2

  1997–98

  21.2

  14.9

  6.3

  1998–99

  18.3

  12.2

  6.1

  1999–2000

  18.1

  12.0

  6.1

  The percentage figures are calculated using 1999–2000 figure for water put into supply as a constant, to ensure
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  that the figures are not distorted by other factors which would influence the percentage figure, such as increased demand from new customers.

  Sub-regions (South-West Region)
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the sub-regions of the south-west region and the criteria used to determine them; and what consultations were carried out before they were established. [149224]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 6 February 2001]: The Secretary of State's proposed changes to draft Regional Planning Guidance for the South West propose a spatial planning strategy based upon four broadly defined sub-regions, Northern, South Eastern, Central and Western. The proposed sub-regions reflect the different underlying economic realities, not political boundaries. The South West Regional Development Agency supports the sub-regional analysis in the Regional Planning Guidance as reflecting the RDA's own analysis on sub-regional economic zones. The concept of sub-regions was first identified in the draft prepared by the South West Regional Planning Conference in 1999, on which consultation was carried out in the autumn of 1999. The concept was discussed at the public examination held in March 2000 and developed in more detail in the panel's report. The Secretary of State's proposed changes to draft Regional Planning Guidance were published for public consultation on 20 December 2000. The consultation period ends on 14 March and all responses will be considered before the final guidance is published.

  Mineral Planning Guidance Note 11
  Mr. Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will re-open the consultative period on the proposed extended Mineral Planning Guidance Note 11, to allow environmental groups and other relevant interests who were not contacted as potential consultees to have their submissions considered; and if he will make a statement on the progress of his review. [149117]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The consultation document was published on 8 May 2000, with comments requested by 31 July 2000. It was circulated to a wide range of interests and notified to the relevant planning and minerals press and the consultation document was accessible on the internet. There were also a number of articles in the national press that referred to the consultation on MPG 11. However, although the consultation period has formally ended, the Government will consider any submissions made to it in respect of this consultation document until such time as it goes to press for publication of the revised MPG 11. The consultation draft of MPG 11 received markedly different reactions from a number of parties. In the light of these my officials will be arranging to discuss the way forward with the major interests from the minerals industry, minerals planning authorities and the environmental sector in the next few weeks. We will then proceed towards finalising the MPG for publication.

  Meanwhile, we remain open to representations from any interested parties in respect of MPG 11. It can be found on the internet at www.planning.detr.gov.uk/consult.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Collins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale of 6 October 2000 to the Minister for Local Government and the Regions, regarding a constituent, J. Hooson. [148626]

  Mr. Raynsford
  I replied on 19 January 2001.

  Press Releases
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many press releases were issued by his Department in the financial years(a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99 and (d) 1999–2000; how many have been issued in the current financial year; and what his estimate is of the total number for the current financial year. [149250]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The total number of press releases issued by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions (central) and the former Departments of the Environment and Transport (excluding agencies) in the financial years(a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99, and (d) 1999–2000, together with the total issued in 2000–01, is as follows:

  Financial year

  Number of press releases

  DoT/DoE

  1996–97

  994

  DoT/DoE/DETR(c)

  1997–98

  855

  DETR(c)

  1998–99

  1,217

  DETR(c)

  1999–2000

  1,153

  DETR(c)

  12000–01

  569

  1 Ten months to 31 January

  The estimate for the total number of press releases for the current financial year, based on an extrapolation of releases already issued, is 680.

  Planning
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will issue guidance on the rights of objectors to attend planning committee site visits in residential planning applications; [149055]

  (2) if he will issue guidance to make it easier for objectors to speak at local authority planning committee meetings. [149054]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  We have no current plans to do so. The Government endorse the Local Government Association's good practice guide "Public Involvement in Development Control Process". This includes advice to local authorities on setting clear guidelines for public speaking and attendance at committee meetings.

  GLA Grant
  Mr. Pound
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what level of general GLA grant he intends to set for 2001–02. [149747]
  650W
  Mr. Hill
  General GLA grant is determined annually after consultation with the Mayor of London under section 100 of the Greater London Authority Act 1999. The Secretary of State has today determined the level of grant for 2001–02 at £23.4 million.

HEALTH

  Best Value
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish his proposals for implementing a system of best value in the NHS. [145730]

  Mr. Denham
  [holding answer 17 January 2001]: The NHS Plan commits us to introducing a best value regime which will require each NHS organisation to review at least one major service, including clinical services, each year. Further announcements will be made in due course.

  Adoption
  Mr. Llwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the formal procedures are for adopting children from abroad; and if he will publish them; [147386]

  (2) if he will make a statement on the international laws governing the adoption of children; and if he will list them. [147415]

  Mr. Hutton
  Inter-country adoption is underpinned by a number of international agreements to which the United Kingdom is party. In particular, the 1993 Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-Operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption aims to: Establish safeguards to ensure that inter-country adoptions take place in the best interests of the child and with respect for his or her fundamental rights as recognised in international law.
  Establish a system of co-operation among those who have ratified the Hague convention to ensure that those safeguards are respected and thereby prevent the abduction, the sale of, or traffic in children.
  Secure recognition in countries who have ratified the convention of adoptions made in accordance with the convention.

  The Adoption (Intercountry Aspects) Act 1999 will be implemented in full later this year and, together with relevant Northern Ireland legislation, will enable the United Kingdom to ratify the 1993 Hague Convention on Protection of Children and Co-Operation in Respect of Intercountry Adoption.

  Other relevant agreements are:
  1986 United Nations Declaration on Social Legal Principles relating to the Protection and Welfare of Children;1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child;1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.
  Where people habitually resident in England and Wales wish to adopt a child from overseas they should go through the same assessment and approval process as a prospective adopter of a child in the UK. Once completed, their papers are usually submitted to the Department, and if in order, the Department will issue a certificate of eligibility. The procedures that follow vary from country to country. They are contained within information sheets on various

  651W
  countries issued free of charge by the Department. The most popular ones can be found on the Department of Health website at www.doh.gov.uk/ adoption.

  Mr. Hepburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children are in national care waiting to be adopted; and how many are awaiting adoption in(a) Tyne and Wear and (b) South Tyneside. [148416]

  Mr. Hutton
  Information on the number of children in national care for whom adoption is the plan is not held centrally. However, the Department does hold figures on the number of children who have been placed with families who intend to adopt them.

  The estimated number of children who were being looked after by local authorities in England and who were reported as being placed for adoption at 31 March 2000 are as follows:

  Number

  England

  3,140

  Tyne and Wear Metropolitan County

  130

  South Tyneside Metropolitan District

  20

  Note:

  Figures have been rounded to the nearest 10.

  The table excludes children looked after under a series of short term placements.

  Mr. Hepburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many couples are on the(a) national, (b) Tyne and Wear and (c) South Tyneside child adoption register. [148417]

  Mr. Hutton
  There is no central register of people approved to adopt but yet to be matched with a child. However, a 1999 survey by the Department's social services inspectorate revealed that at that time nationally 1,297 adopters had been recruited but had no children placed with them. We are currently collecting information on the approved adopters yet to be matched with a child in each local authority. In the future we expect this information to be held on the adoption register for England and Wales.

  Mr. Hepburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are being taken to improve the efficiency of the child adoption service. [148414]

  Mr. Hutton
  On 21 December 2000 we published the White Paper "Adoption: a new approach", together with draft national standards on adoption. Together they set out plans for a faster, fairer adoption service and the most radical overhaul of adoption legislation for 25 years. To make sure that these changes happen we have set a new target to increase the number of adoptions by 2004–05 by 40 per cent. (and if possible 50 per cent.), provided investment of £66.5 million over three years, set up the adoption and permanence task force, and are setting up an adoption register to match children with adoptive parents across the country.

  Orthodontists
  Mr. Hepburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many orthodontists are employed by the(a) Gateshead and South Tyneside Health Authority and (b) NHS; and what the equivalent figure was (i) five, (ii) 10 and (iii) 15 years ago. [148397]
  652W
  Mr. Hutton
  The number of General Dental Service dentists with more than 100 orthodontic claims in a year is shown in the table for the years 1999–2000, 1995–96 and 1992–93 for Gateshead and South Tyneside Health Authority and for England.

  General Dental Service: Number of orthodontists1

  Gateshead and South Tyneside Health Authority

  England

  1992–93

  0

  466

  1995–96

  2

  647

  1999–2000

  1

  825

  Notes:

  1. An orthodontist is defined here as a principal dentist who submitted a hundred or more orthodontic claims in a year.

  2. Some dentists may be included in both the General Dental Service and the Hospital and community health service figures.

  Mr. Hepburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking to improve the National Orthodontal Service(a) within the NHS and (b) in the Gateshead and South Tyneside Health Authority. [148415]

  Mr. Hutton
  We are taking steps to ensure that dentists throughout the country can identify the appropriate cases for treatment, use the most clinically effective and cost-effective approach and maintain high standards of probity in providing orthodontic services. This will concentrate National Health Service resources more on the cases of true clinical need and less on minor cosmetic work.

  Mr. Hepburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the waiting times are for orthodontal treatment in the Gateshead and South Tyneside health authority. [148418]

  Mr. Hutton
  Orthodontic services in the Gateshead and South Tyneside health authority area are provided by the Community Dental Service of the South Tyneside health care national health service trust. The waiting time for a first appointment is currently 11 weeks.

  Heart By-pass Surgery
  Mr. Hepburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time is for NHS heart by-pass surgery in Tyneside. [148747]

  Mr. Denham
  Based on performance over the last six months, the average waiting time for an NHS coronary artery by-pass graft in Tyneside is 188 days. A new initiative to provide coronary artery by-pass grafts at the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle, as well as the Freeman Hospital, commencing on 6 February 2001, will provide a further 25 coronary artery by-pass graft operations in this financial year. This will rise to over 200 additional operations in 2001–02 and then 400 additional operations from 2002–03 onwards.

  Elderly People (Free Personal Care)
  Mr. Hepburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to introduce free personal care for the elderly in the rest of the United Kingdom in line with the proposal being put to the Scottish Parliament. [148609]
  653W
  Mr. Hutton
  I refer my hon. Friend to what I said in the House on 5 February 2001,Official Report, columns 725–35.

  Beta Interferon
  Mr. Laxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when funding for beta interferon for newly diagnosed patients with multiple sclerosis ceased in all areas. [148664]

  Mr. Denham
  The Department issued guidance (in Executive Letter (95)97) to the National Health Service in 1995 about the prescribing of beta interferon. It recommends that health authorities should have in place arrangements for hospital specialists to initiate treatment in the light of medical evidence and local priorities. This guidance continues to apply until the National Institute for Clinical Excellence publishes its guidance on beta interferon later this year.

  Funding for the treatment of newly diagnosed patients has not ceased. General allocations to health authorities will rise on average by 8.9 per cent. for 2001–02.

  Elderly Patients (Medication)
  Siobhain McDonagh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he gives regarding the prevention of abuse of older people in hospitals and care homes through the over-use of sedative and anti-psychotic medication. [148853]

  Mr. Hutton
  All prescribing for older people in hospital, residential and nursing home care should be undertaken and monitored carefully by the doctor who has clinical responsibility for that particular aspect of a patient's care.

  In 1998 the Department published a joint report with the National Prescribing Centre on general practitioner prescribing support. This document provides many examples of good practice, including advice and support on prescribing in residential and nursing homes. Age Concern also published a report in 1998 'Drugs and Dementia' which provides a guide to good practice in this area. In particular, it recommends regular reviews of prescriptions and that attempts should be made to reduce dosages of neuroleptics at least every six months.

  It is intended that national minimum standards will require care homes to have a policy, and staff to adhere to procedures, for the receipt, recording, storage, handling, administration and disposal of medicines.

  The Controls Assurance Initiative, launched in November 1999, sets out the organisational controls expected to be in place in hospitals across a range of areas. In March 2000, a revised controls assurance standard was issued on Safe and Secure Handling of Medicines (Medicines Management). This standard requires an auditable trail to be established for the supply, administration and disposal of medicines.

  The National Service Framework (NSF) for Older People will set national standards and define service models for older people's health and social care. The NSF will also emphasise the importance of this area of clinical practice.

  Waterhouse Report
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made to implement the recommendations of the Waterhouse report; and if he will make a statement. [148601]

  Mr. Hutton
  Sir Ronald Waterhouse's report "Lost in Care" was published on 15 February 2000 and made a total of 72 recommendations. Nine of these recommendations were primarily matters for the National Assembly for Wales to consider. Our response to "Lost in Care", published on 29 June 2000, set out the range of action being taken in respect of the remaining 63 recommendations applying directly to England. We accepted the spirit of all 63 recommendations that applied directly to England.

  The vast majority of the recommendations in "Lost in Care" were consistent with our objectives for children's social services. Many of the recommendations are being implemented through legislation including the Care Standards Act 2000, the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000 and the Protection of Children Act 1999. The remainder are being addressed through major policy initiatives such as the Quality Protects programme, the review of social services complaints procedures and the development of new inter-agency guidance on the handling of complex abuse investigations.

  Sexual Abuse
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures are in place to reduce the number of adult victims of sexual abuse being admitted to mental hospitals; and if he will make a statement. [148594]

  Mr. Hutton
  Sexual abuse does not have a diagnostic classification of its own, but may be part of other diagnoses under the International Classification of Diseases and related health problems (ICD). Therefore, adults who have been victims of sexual abuse may be admitted to hospital with another condition, but we are not able to separate such cases from the data. We are well aware of the impact which sexual abuse during childhood may have on mental health in later life, a point which is elaborated in the National Service Framework for mental health. The NSF sets out how people should be able to get quicker access to more effective treatments in and through primary care, with support from specialised services where necessary.

  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will establish a national network of organisations to support adult victims of sexual abuse; and if he will make a statement. [148602]

  Mr. Hutton
  We have no plans to establish a national network of organisations to support adult victims of sexual abuse. A variety of systems exist to ensure that there is scope for provision of a range of health and social care provision, including specialised services in the charitable and voluntary sector.

  We have set out clear national standards in the National Service Framework for mental health. It describes how people should be able to get quicker access to more effective treatments in and through primary care, with support from specialised services where necessary.
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  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost of treating adult victims of sexual abuse in mental health hospitals is for each health authority in the last year for which figures are available. [148593]

  Mr. Hutton
  Sexual abuse does not have a diagnostic classification of its own, but may be part of other diagnoses under the International Classification of Diseases and related health problems (ICD). Therefore, adults who have been victims of sexual abuse may be admitted to hospital with another condition, but we are not able to separate such cases from the data. However, we are well aware of the impact which sexual abuse during childhood may have on mental health in later life, a point which is elaborated in the National Service Framework for mental health.

  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many adults have(a) disclosed that they have suffered sexual abuse and (b) are known to be suffering the effects of sexual abuse in each of the last 10 years. [148599]

  Mr. Hutton
  Central records are not kept of the number who disclose that they have been abused. However, we are aware that people who have suffered child sexual abuse are among those who are especially vulnerable. The National Service Framework for mental health reflects this.

  Medical Negligence
  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what guidance he issues to GPs on the use of deputising services in respect of liability insurance for medical negligence; [149094]

  (2) in the last 10 years how many GPs found guilty of medical negligence have not held medical insurance; [149098]

  (3) what statutory provisions govern the employment by GPs of deputising services; [149095]

  (4) since which date GP deputising services have been required to ensure that the GPs they employ hold medical insurance; [149097]

  Ms Stuart
  The statutory provisions governing the employment by general practitioners of deputising services can be found in Schedule 2 of the General Medical Services (NHS) regulations 1992 (as amended). These require that a doctor shall take all reasonable steps to satisfy themselves that the service provided by the deputising organisation is adequate and appropriate and that the doctors it supplies are suitably experienced and are not subject to disciplinary action.

  However, no specific guidance has been issued to GPs on the use of deputising services in respect of liability insurance for medical negligence or medical insurance. It would be considered good practice for all providers of services to the National Health Service to ensure that all doctors they employ have adequate indemnity.

  Information on the numbers of GPs found guilty of medical negligence who did not hold medical insurance is not held centrally.

  Following the independent review of GP out-of-hours services published in October 2000, all out-of-hours providers are to be required to meet new quality standards.
  656W
  Only organisations (such as co-ops and those providing deputising services) that demonstrate they can meet and maintain the quality standards will be accredited to provide out-of-hours services. One of the quality standards is for accredited organisations to hold indemnity cover.

  The legislation necessary to give health authorities the power to accredit out-of-hours organisations is currently being considered by parliament as part of the Health and Social Care Bill.

  Hospital Mortuary Facilities
  Sir Nicholas Lyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list in respect of each hospital in the NHS(a) the number of beds in the hospital, (b) the number of permanent mortuary spaces available, (c) the number of temporary mortuary spaces available, (d) the proportion of temporary and permanent mortuary spaces which comply with (i) health and safety requirements, (ii) health service standards and (iii) designated staffing levels, (e) if its mortuary facilities are CPA accredited and (f) if it used non-refrigerated and non-compliant temporary facilities in the past two years. [149279]

  Mr. Denham
  I have placed information on the number of beds in each National Health Service hospital in England in the Library. Hospital mortuaries are accredited as part of National Health Service pathology services; it is not, therefore, possible to identify separately those hospital mortuaries which do not meet accreditation standards. Information is not held centrally on the number of permanent or temporary mortuary facilities, the standards they comply with, or the use of non-refrigerated or non-compliant temporary facilities.

  Deceased Patients
  Sir Nicholas Lyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish(a) the verbatim guidelines about how dignity and respect for deceased patients should be ensured, as issued by his Department in May 2000, and (b) the letter written by the NHS Chief Executive to all trusts on this subject on Monday 15 January. [149278]

  Mr. Denham
  The joint Health Service/Local Authority Circular "Winter 2000–01: Capacity Planning for Health and Social Care" (HSC 2000/016: LAC 2000–14) issued on 23 May 2000 stated:NHS organisations should work with local councils to ensure that all services involved in the disposal of bodies: medical certification, registration, coroners, funeral directors and burial or cremation services are in place and that adequate out-of-hours services are available.
  NHS trusts should ensure that mortuary capacity is adequate to meet peaks in winter deaths and take steps to provide additional facilities where this is likely to be required. Temporary mortuary facilities must meet minimum standards to respect patients' dignity. Refrigerated vehicles and trailers must not be used.

  Copies of HSC 2000/016: LAC 2000–14 are available in the Library.

  The letter written by the National Health Service chief executive to all trusts on this subject on Monday 15 January has been placed in the Library.

  Bedford Hospital
  Sir Nicholas Lyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his oral statement of 16 January 2001,Official Report, column 201, on Bedford Hospital, if he will place in the Library the parts of the final report as delivered to his Department which were left out of the version which is in the Library. [149277]

  Mr. Denham
  The investigation was carried out by civil servants from the Eastern Regional Office of the National Health Service Executive, which is part of the Department. The report was therefore written within the Department and copies of the final report have been placed in the Library.

  Non-residential Services
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the statutory guidance to be issued on charges for non-residential services. [149365]

  Mr. Hutton
  We plan to issue the statutory guidance on charges for home care and other non-residential social services in the spring.

  Health Expenditure
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for(a) Great Britain and (b) each health authority area, the expenditure on health by weighted head of population, expressed in real terms, for each year since 1997 for which figures are available. [149436]

  Mr. Denham
  Expenditure on health per weighted head of population for England, and for each health authority area in England, from 1997–98 to 1999–2000, expressed in real terms, is shown in the tables. Information relating to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for the devolved Administrations.

  Table 1: Health authority areas in England—Expenditure on health by weighted head of population expressed in real terms

  £

  Health authority

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  Avon

  628.25

  672.11

  734.18

  Barking and Havering

  615.71

  629.88

  688.34

  Barnet

  662.90

  662.54

  754.50

  Barnsley

  554.70

  563.09

  667.48

  Bedfordshire

  588.29

  627.71

  684.27

  Berkshire

  602.56

  644.72

  705.53

  Bexley and Greenwich

  637.24

  671.78

  779.62

  Birmingham

  659.76

  680.35

  735.67

  Bradford

  617.48

  610.13

  711.26

  Brent and Harrow

  666.18

  706.54

  808.67

  Bromley

  585.54

  612.85

  779.25

  Buckinghamshire

  613.23

  641.72

  673.09

  Bury and Rochdale

  615.68

  606.15

  694.75

  Calderdale and Kirklees

  576.59

  587.33

  679.51

  Cambridge and Huntingdon

  618.53

  671.24

  n/a

  Cambridgeshire

  n/a

  n/a

  690.15

  Camden and Islington

  660.51

  732.56

  820.03

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  612.24

  627.43

  737.93

  County Durham

  579.40

  598.55

  663.12

  Coventry

  585.12

  589.73

  664.57

  Croydon

  593.42

  642.30

  699.57

  Doncaster

  606.93

  609.76

  698.34

  Dorset

  599.24

  638.20

  730.63

  Dudley

  584.12

  614.52

  672.50

  Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow

  650.43

  665.43

  734.29

  East and North Hertfordshire

  650.03

  693.09

  695.36

  East Kent

  584.52

  626.59

  691.32

  East Lancashire

  615.45

  620.45

  707.35

  East London and The City

  632.23

  627.09

  775.69

  658W

  Table 1: Health authority areas in England—Expenditure on health by weighted head of population expressed in real terms

  £

  Health authority

  1997–98

  1998–99

  1999–2000

  East Norfolk

  629.44

  654.71

  n/a

  East Riding

  610.66

  626.47

  703.75

  East Surrey

  705.09

  757.55

  822.98

  East Sussex, Brighton and Hove

  595.70

  612.28

  766.71

  Enfield and Haringey

  587.37

  616.10

  704.50

  Gateshead and South Tyneside

  605.30

  602.89

  665.14

  Gloucestershire

  636.99

  648.55

  731.94

  Herefordshire

  676.36

  664.20

  810.80

  Hillingdon

  603.01

  638.21

  706.58

  Isle of Wight

  670.04

  696.84

  759.94

  Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster

  680.79

  694.96

  781.73

  Kingston and Richmond

  689.77

  726.65

  755.41

  Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham

  630.30

  657.10

  790.36

  Leeds

  640.82

  635.87

  742.03

  Leicestershire

  632.75

  636.14

  726.44

  Lincolnshire

  672.44

  646.32

  712.79

  Liverpool

  618.84

  629.55

  736.12

  Manchester

  649.62

  681.38

  773.81

  Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth

  649.78

  687.66

  824.05

  Morecambe Bay

  670.22

  689.93

  772.59

  Newcastle and North Tyneside

  624.79

  653.43

  773.22

  Norfolk

  n/a

  n/a

  727.33

  North and East Devon

  640.54

  653.01

  711.52

  North and Mid Hampshire

  642.94

  674.81

  722.86

  North Cheshire

  615.75

  630.42

  708.50

  North Cumbria

  615.80

  643.41

  691.46

  North Derbyshire

  628.98

  654.02

  671.99

  North Essex

  614.13

  637.00

  727.57

  North Nottinghamshire

  595.14

  602.52

  702.30

  North Staffordshire

  596.62

  600.04

  675.34

  North West Anglia

  597.96

  619.18

  n/a

  North West Lancashire

  589.71

  591.78

  708.74

  North Yorkshire

  646.95

  691.99

  709.98

  Northamptonshire

  593.74

  624.51

  701.12

  Northumberland

  653.70

  666.35

  739.16

  Nottingham

  588.99

  681.71

  711.04

  Oxfordshire

  604.71

  629.19

  720.49

  Portsmouth and South East Hampshire

  558.80

  621.27

  669.89

  Redbridge and Waltham Forest

  641.11

  687.54

  734.70

  Rotherham

  564.93

  578.53

  689.59

  Salford and Trafford

  598.73

  619.99

  727.00

  Sandwell

  615.45

  640.76

  697.32

  Sefton

  610.43

  628.57

  706.28

  Sheffield

  629.42

  634.38

  758.19

  Shropshire

  607.13

  625.92

  716.70

  Solihull

  669.36

  692.42

  687.80

  Somerset

  623.37

  651.44

  696.84

  South and West Devon

  609.64

  624.33

  713.39

  South Cheshire

  623.12

  662.60

  696.43

  South Derbyshire

  633.25

  637.44

  676.50

  South Essex

  582.43

  604.13

  661.43

  South Humber

  664.56

  701.25

  770.67

  South Lancashire

  634.53

  672.47

  735.17

  South Staffordshire

  612.95

  622.09

  687.05

  Southampton and South West Hampshire

  622.67

  663.45

  725.27

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  596.20

  610.09

  658.59

  Stockport

  595.80

  616.09

  715.47

  Suffolk

  618.63

  656.58

  704.43

  Sunderland

  588.13

  581.22

  675.94

  Tees

  570.50

  597.88

  722.07

  Wakefield

  699.99

  703.51

  701.04

  Walsall

  587.47

  623.29

  713.64

  Warwickshire

  678.35

  679.59

  728.05

  West Hertfordshire

  649.63

  675.16

  712.99

  West Kent

  614.46

  645.07

  757.65

  West Pennine

  559.03

  568.58

  662.19

  West Surrey

  652.88

  686.74

  767.80

  West Sussex

  596.55

  642.22

  682.60

  Wigan and Bolton

  563.05

  577.53

  649.06

  Wiltshire

  642.19

  679.56

  762.38

  Wirral

  573.43

  628.90

  704.52

  Wolverhampton

  586.47

  606.79

  685.66

  Worcestershire

  677.17

  695.99

  718.87

  659W
  Notes:

  1. Figures for 1997–98 and 1998–99 have been shown in real terms, with 1999–2000 as the baseline, using the GDP deflator.

  2. Expenditure is taken from Health Authority Annual Accounts or Summarisation Forms which are prepared on a resource basis and therefore differ from cash allocations in each year. The expenditure is the total spent on the purchase of healthcare by the Health Authority. The majority of General Dental Services for all three years and an element of drugs expenditure for 1997–98 and 1998–99 is not included in the health authority accounts and is separately accounted for. All drugs expenditure is included in the 1999–2000 figures.

  3. Figures differ from those provided at Official Report, vol.352, columns 358–60W, as pharmaceutical services expenditure was excluded in the former answer to assist comparability. Comparability is not possible in this answer owing to the difference in reporting resulting from the formation of primary care groups. The GDP deflator and base years are also different between the answers.

  4. Where N/A appears in the table, this refers to the result of the mergers of Cambridge and Huntingdon, East Norfolk and North West Anglia Health Authorities to give Cambridgeshire and Norfolk Health Authorities on 1 April 1999.

  Sources:

  Health Authority audited accounts for 1997–98 and 1998–99. Health Authority audited summarisation forms for 1999–2000. Weighted population estimates for 1997–98, 1998–99 and 1999–2000. General Domestic Product (GDP) Deflator for 1997 to June 2000 calculated from Office for National Statistics data for GDP.

  Table 2: England—Expenditure on health by weighted head of population expressed in real terms

  £

  1997–98

  691.22

  1998–99

  707.89

  1999–2000

  757.22

  Notes:

  1. Figures for 1997–98 and 1998–99 have been shown in real terms, with 1999–2000 as the baseline, using the GDP deflator.

  2. Expenditure is taken from the health authority summarised accounts which are prepared on a resource basis and therefore differ from cash allocations in each year, and from the accounts of the Dental Practice Board for General Dental Services and the Prescription Pricing Authority for Pharmaceutical Services.

  3. Figures differ from those provided at Official Report, vol.352, columns 358–60W, owing to the use of the GDP deflator and different base years.

  Sources:

  Summarised account of the health authorities 1997–98, 1998–99 and 1999–2000.

  Weighted population estimates for 1997–98, 1998–99 and 1999–2000.

  General Domestic Product (GDP) Deflator for 1997 to June 2000 calculated from Office for National Statistics data for GDP.

  Northampton Community Healthcare and Rockingham Forest NHS Trust
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to lay an establishment order for the proposed merger of Northampton Community Healthcare and Rockingham Forest NHS Trust. [149475]

  Mr. Denham
  The establishment order for the new National Health Service Trust was made on 5 February and will come into force on 16 February.

  Marshall Case
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has held discussions with Nottinghamshire Social Services concerning their handling of the case of the Marshall daughters in Kirkby-in-Ashfield. [149225]
  660W
  Mr. Denham
  Officials from the Department have been in contact with senior officers from Nottinghamshire Social Services Department in relation to concerns that have been expressed about the welfare of the children involved.

  Nunnery Fields Hospital
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if contracts have been exchanged for the sale of the Nunnery Fields Hospital site. [149521]

  Ms Stuart
  Contracts for the sale of the Nunnery Fields Hospital site have not been exchanged.

  MMR Vaccine
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when and for how long his Department reviewed the research carried out by Professor John O'Leary at Coombe Women's Hospital in Dublin on autism and the MMR vaccine; and what the conclusions of the review were. [149344]

  Yvette Cooper
  The United Kingdom health departments are advised on all matters concerning immunisation by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI). The JCVI reviewed a paper entitled 'Enterocolitis in children with developmental disorders', of which Professor O'Leary was a co-author, at its meeting of October 2000. The JCVI concluded that the paper did not provide any new evidence to alter its views on the safety of MMR vaccine.

  We are aware that Professor O'Leary also gave a presentation to the United States of America Congressional Oversight Committee on Autism and Immunisation in April 2000. The material presented to the Oversight Committee has, as far as we are aware, not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) MMR, (b) MR, (c) single antigen measles, (d) single antigen rubella and (e) single antigen mumps vaccines were administered in the United Kingdom in each year since 1979. [149364]

  Yvette Cooper
  The information available about measles, mumps and rubella, single antigen measles and single antigen rubella vaccinations given in England from 1979 to 1998–99 is contained in the table. Measles vaccine was given to children aged 12–15 months. Rubella vaccine was given to girls at about 10–14 years. Mumps vaccine has never been a part of the United Kingdom's routine immunisation programme and data on this were not collected.

  MMR vaccine was introduced into the routine UK childhood immunisation programme at age 12–15 months in 1988. MR (measles/rubella) vaccine was used only during the schools immunisation campaign of November 1994. In England, 6.6 million doses of MR vaccine were administered to children aged 5–16 years during that campaign.

  A second dose of MMR vaccine was introduced into the routine programme in 1996. Data for this vaccine, collected by the Public Health Laboratory Service, Communicable Disease Surveillance Centre, show uptake of 477,000 (in

  661W
  1996–97), 933,000 (in 1997–98) and 455,000 (in 1998–99). These figures include doses administered both routinely and during a catch-up programme.

  Matters concerning Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are for the devolved Assemblies.

  Number of persons immunised in England

  Thousand

  Year

  MMR: first dose

  Single antigen measles

  Single antigen rubella: Schoolgirls immunized1

  1979

  2—

  332

  341

  1980

  2—

  352

  320

  1981

  2—

  369

  313

  1982

  2—

  391

  324

  1983

  2—

  393

  315

  1984

  2—

  436

  312

  1985

  2—

  474

  269

  1986

  2—

  503

  270

  1987–883

  2—

  647

  307

  1988–89

  670

  336

  229

  1989–90

  1,371

  25

  219

  1990–91

  1,060

  9

  199

  1991–92

  811

  2—

  221

  1992–93

  628

  2—

  204

  1993–94

  640

  2—

  181

  1994–95

  671

  2—

  2

  1995–96

  572

  2—

  2

  1996–97

  561

  2—

  2—

  1997–98

  553

  2—

  2—

  1998–99

  531

  2—

  2—

  1 The schoolgirl rubella immunisation programme was ended in October 1995.

  2 Not available

  3 Numbers immunised cover 15 month period from 1 January 1987–31 March 1988.

  Sources:

  Forms SBL 607, KC50, KC50A Department of Health, Statistics division SD2B

  Autism
  Mrs. Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the improvements and changes in the diagnosis of autism that occurred in each year since 1979; and by what means and when GPs and other health professionals were made aware of these changes. [149346]

  Mr. Hutton
  There have been considerable advances in the diagnosis of autism since 1979. This has been aided by the development of new diagnostic tools. These include the Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communication Disorders whose further development is being led by the National Autistic Society and the Autism Diagnostic Interview developed by Professor Ann Le Couteur. Dissemination is largely through professional publications, conferences and training days.

  Press Releases
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many press releases were issued by his Department in the financial years(a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99 and (d) 1999–2000; how many have been issued in the current financial year; and what his estimate is of the total number for the current financial year. [149243]

  Ms Stuart
  The number of press releases issued in each of the financial years requested is in the table.
  662W

  Financial year

  Total

  1996–97

  296

  1997–98

  330

  1998–99

  559

  1999–2000

  743

  In the current financial year 565 press releases have been issued to date. It is estimated the total for 2000–01 will be 715.

  Health Professionals (Training)
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) doctors and (b) nurses have been in training in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [149350]

  Mr. Denham
  The information requested is in the tables.

  Numbers of hospital medical doctors in training in England as at 30 September

  All doctors in training1

  Registrar group

  Senior house officer

  House officer

  1990

  23,630

  9,710

  10,900

  3,020

  1991

  24,250

  9,900

  11,290

  3,060

  1992

  24,690

  10,080

  11,570

  3,040

  1993

  25,420

  10,370

  11,960

  3,090

  1994

  25,780

  10,750

  12,190

  3,020

  1995

  26,980

  10,820

  12,930

  3,220

  1996

  27,820

  10,840

  13,770

  3,220

  1997

  29,280

  11,360

  14.560

  3,360

  1998

  29,790

  11,590

  14,750

  3,450

  1999

  30,420

  12,100

  14,780

  3,540

  1 Doctors in training previously referred to as Junior doctors

  Note:

  Figures are rounded to the nearest 10

  Sources:

  Department of Health medical and dental workforce census>

  GP Registrars1, England as at 1 October for each year

  Headcount

  1989

  1,735

  1990

  1,562

  1991

  1,639

  1992

  1,613

  1993

  1,529

  1994

  1,445

  1995

  1,404

  1996

  1,305

  1997

  1,343

  1998

  1,446

  1999

  1,520

  1 Previously referred to as Trainees

  Sources:

  Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics

  Nursing and midwifery student population

  Numbers

  Pre registration total1

  Degree total2

  Midwifery3,4

  Total

  1994–955

  38,840

  916

  —

  39,756

  1995–96

  35,609

  1,047

  —

  36,656

  1996–97

  35,238

  1,139

  —

  36,377

  1997–986

  34,087

  1,062

  3,263

  38,412

  663W

  Nursing and midwifery student population

  Numbers

  Pre registration total1

  Degree total2

  Midwifery3.4

  Total

  1998–997

  36,030

  1,314

  3,272

  40,616

  1999–20008

  38,990

  2,772

  3,464

  45,226

  1 All pre-registration non-degree training

  2 Pre 1998 data exclude degree training funded by DFEE

  3 Pre 1997–98 data do not separate nursing and midwifery figures

  4 Includes some post registration training

  Sources:

  51994–95 to 1996–97 source Minimum Data Set February 1995

  6March 1997 FWIR

  7April 2000 FWIR

  8November 2000 FWIR

  Mental Health Services
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the expenditure on mental health services as a proportion of total NHS spending in each year since 1988–89; and if he will make a statement. [149347]

  Mr. Hutton
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave on 1 February 2001,Official Report, column 266W.

  District Nurses
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patient contacts there were with district nurses in each year since 1989–90; and if he will make a statement. [149349]

  Mr. Denham
  Information about patient contacts with district nurses is contained in the statistical report "Patient care in the community, District Nursing summary information for 1999–2000, England". Copies of the summary are available in the Library.

  Stewart Committee
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he next plans to meet the Stewart Committee on mobile phone safety; and what new studies he has asked the Committee to undertake. [149519]

  Police force

  Chief constable

  Assistant chief constable

  Superintendent

  Chief inspector

  Inspector

  Sergeant

  Constable

  Total police ranks

  Total strength for ordinary duty as at 31 March 19971

  Avon and Somerset

  1

  3

  29

  43

  144

  454

  2,315

  2,989

  Bedfordshire

  1

  2

  16

  12

  61

  156

  846

  1,094

  Cambridgeshire

  1

  2

  15

  14

  62

  207

  1,001

  1,302

  Cheshire

  1

  3

  20

  30

  94

  308

  1,590

  2,046

  Cleveland

  1

  1

  13

  21

  78

  224

  1,121

  1,458

  Cumbria

  1

  2

  13

  16

  54

  176

  882

  1,144

  Derbyshire

  1

  3

  21

  24

  92

  274

  1,376

  1,791

  Devon and Cornwall

  1

  3

  30

  45

  139

  413

  2,234

  2,865

  Dorset

  1

  2

  18

  24

  69

  201

  969

  1,284

  Durham

  1

  2

  20

  22

  75

  211

  1,130

  1,461

  Essex2

  1

  3

  31

  44

  143

  469

  2,269

  2,961

  Gloucestershire

  1

  2

  14

  19

  55

  170

  872

  1,133

  Greater Manchester

  1

  6

  79

  95

  378

  1,021

  5,342

  6,922

  Hampshire

  1

  3

  38

  45

  157

  509

  2,698

  3,452

  Hertfordshire2

  3

  19

  29

  94

  249

  1,365

  1,758

  Humberside

  1

  3

  19

  30

  111

  299

  1,582

  2,045

  Kent

  1

  4

  30

  43

  165

  463

  2,554

  3,260

  Lancashire

  1

  4

  27

  42

  178

  503

  2,492

  3,247

  Leicestershire

  1

  2

  18

  20

  95

  275

  1,556

  1,949

  Lincolnshire

  1

  2

  13

  21

  56

  183

  921

  1,196

  London, City of

  1

  2

  12

  15

  51

  122

  656

  859

  Merseyside

  1

  4

  51

  59

  187

  656

  3,272

  4,230

  Metropolitan Police2

  7

  28

  211

  344

  1,197

  4,218

  20,671

  26,677

  664W
  Yvette Cooper
  The Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones (the Stewart group) was set up to investigate the public health implications of mobile phone technologies. Their report was published on 11 May 2000 and the group stood down shortly thereafter. Copies of the report are available in the Library. The report included a recommendation for a substantial research programme to be set up. This programme, jointly funded by Government and industry, was announced in December 2000 and will be launched at a scientific workshop in central London on Friday 9 February. The research will be undertaken under the direction of an independent programme management committee under the chairmanship of Sir William Stewart. The selection and management of studies will be in the hands of the programme management committee. Details of this new committee are available on the website "www.doh.gov.uk/mobilephones"

  Enrolled Nurses
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those hospitals which do not offer permanent posts to enrolled nurses. [148437]

  Mr. Denham
  This information is not collected centrally but may be held locally by individual National Health Service employers. We have made it clear that the systematic use of short-term contracts for nurses and other staff should end.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Police Numbers
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, on a comparable basis, the number of police officers, broken down by rank, in each force in England and Wales, and for England and Wales as a whole, at(a) 31 March 1997 and (b) 30 September 2000, indicating the change in the number of officers at each rank in each force and in England and Wales as a whole over that period. [149209]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  [holding answer 6 February 2001]: The information requested is in the table.
  665W

  Police force

  Chief constable

  Assistant chief constable

  Superintendent

  Chief inspector

  Inspector

  Sergeant

  Constable

  Total police ranks

  Norfolk

  1

  2

  17

  19

  64

  195

  1,133

  1,432

  Northamptonshire

  1

  2

  12

  9

  54

  168

  931

  1,177

  Northumbria

  0

  4

  39

  51

  181

  517

  2,885

  3,677

  North Yorkshire

  1

  2

  14

  22

  65

  216

  1,018

  1,338

  Nottinghamshire

  1

  3

  23

  20

  124

  331

  1,822

  2,323

  South Yorkshire

  1

  4

  40

  46

  159

  473

  2,436

  3,159

  Staffordshire

  1

  3

  26

  33

  120

  344

  1,684

  2,211

  Suffolk

  1

  2

  15

  12

  59

  169

  922

  1,180

  Surrey2

  1

  3

  21

  19

  91

  245

  1,240

  1,620

  Sussex

  1

  4

  28

  39

  162

  477

  2,374

  3,085

  Thames Valley

  1

  3

  54

  39

  198

  542

  2,858

  3,695

  Warwickshire

  1

  2

  11

  11

  52

  141

  708

  926

  West Mercia

  1

  3

  19

  31

  118

  305

  1,563

  2,040

  West Midlands

  1

  4

  76

  79

  342

  974

  5,636

  7,113

  West Yorkshire

  1

  4

  49

  68

  255

  726

  4,106

  5,209

  Wiltshire

  1

  2

  13

  15

  63

  179

  881

  1,154

  Dyfed-Powys

  1

  2

  14

  17

  42

  173

  756

  1,005

  Gwent

  1

  2

  11

  15

  52

  198

  964

  1,243

  North Wales

  1

  2

  18

  26

  74

  224

  1,024

  1,369

  South Wales

  1

  3

  33

  51

  155

  473

  2,260

  2,976

  Total all forces3

  48

  145

  1,290

  1,679

  6,164

  18,811

  96,914

  125,051

  Total strength for ordinary duty as at 30 September 20001

  Avon and Somerset

  1

  3

  22

  36

  147

  438

  2,294

  2,941

  Bedfordshire

  1

  2

  13

  12

  54

  141

  783

  1,006

  Cambridgeshire

  1

  2

  14

  11

  59

  191

  989

  1,266

  Cheshire

  1

  3

  17

  26

  100

  332

  1,521

  2,000

  Cleveland

  1

  2

  24

  2

  67

  196

  1,129

  1,421

  Cumbria

  1

  2

  8

  14

  50

  156

  817

  1,048

  Derbyshire

  1

  3

  24

  26

  83

  281

  1,363

  1,780

  Devon and Cornwall

  1

  4

  34

  35

  137

  400

  2,261

  2,873

  Dorset

  1

  2

  14

  22

  63

  198

  999

  1,299

  Durham

  1

  2

  19

  23

  81

  212

  1,244

  1,581

  Essex2

  1

  3

  22

  40

  130

  436

  2,147

  2,780

  Gloucestershire

  1

  2

  11

  16

  54

  171

  887

  1,142

  Greater Manchester

  1

  6

  77

  88

  319

  992

  5,285

  6,767

  Hampshire

  1

  3

  33

  39

  165

  530

  2,663

  3,435

  Hertfordshire2

  1

  3

  21

  30

  104

  272

  1,530

  1,961

  Humberside

  1

  2

  22

  24

  102

  268

  1,486

  1,905

  Kent

  1

  5

  25

  39

  146

  479

  2,544

  3,239

  Lancashire

  1

  3

  30

  35

  166

  516

  2,463

  3,215

  Leicestershire

  1

  3

  15

  21

  96

  260

  1,614

  2,010

  Lincolnshire

  1

  2

  10

  16

  59

  185

  888

  1,162

  London, City of

  1

  1

  8

  12

  48

  93

  557

  720

  Mersey side

  1

  4

  46

  53

  170

  604

  3,203

  4,081

  Metropolitan Police2

  5

  26

  192

  380

  1,166

  3,944

  18,981

  24,695

  Norfolk

  1

  2

  15

  23

  68

  216

  1,062

  1,387

  Northamptonshire

  1

  2

  11

  11

  51

  165

  925

  1,166

  Northumbria

  1

  5

  41

  58

  193

  550

  3,037

  3,885

  North Yorkshire

  1

  2

  11

  12

  66

  210

  991

  1,293

  Nottinghamshire

  1

  3

  20

  24

  115

  306

  1,762

  2,232

  South Yorkshire

  1

  4

  38

  51

  176

  494

  2,420

  3,184

  Staffordshire

  1

  2

  16

  24

  107

  335

  1,672

  2,157

  Suffolk

  1

  2

  13

  15

  54

  171

  860

  1,115

  Surrey2

  1

  3

  17

  21

  88

  310

  1,673

  2,113

  Sussex

  1

  5

  29

  35

  160

  464

  2,119

  2,812

  Thames Valley

  1

  2

  43

  34

  196

  567

  2,905

  3,748

  Warwickshire

  1

  2

  12

  9

  40

  120

  728

  912

  West Mercia

  1

  2

  16

  26

  92

  298

  1,471

  1,906

  West Midlands

  1

  4

  59

  34

  301

  1,019

  5,931

  7,350

  West Yorkshire

  1

  5

  46

  72

  232

  657

  3,793

  4,806

  Wiltshire

  1

  2

  14

  16

  56

  182

  829

  1,099

  Dyfed-Powys

  1

  2

  15

  18

  46

  184

  779

  1,045

  Gwent

  1

  2

  11

  16

  57

  203

  981

  1,271

  North Wales

  1

  2

  13

  21

  60

  230

  1,066

  1,393

  South Wales

  1

  4

  31

  38

  169

  443

  2,343

  3,029

  Total all forces3

  47

  145

  1,172

  1,557

  5,892

  18,419

  94,997

  122,230

  Difference in number of officers between September 2000 and March 1997

  Avon and Somerset

  0

  0

  -7

  -7

  3

  -16

  -21

  -48

  Bedfordshire

  0

  0

  -3

  0

  -7

  -14

  -63

  -87

  Cambridgeshire

  0

  0

  -1

  -3

  -4

  -16

  -12

  -36

  Cheshire

  0

  0

  -3

  -4

  6

  24

  -68

  -46

  Cleveland

  0

  1

  11

  -19

  -11

  -28

  8

  -38

  Cumbria

  0

  0

  -5

  -2

  -4

  -20

  -65

  -96

  Derbyshire

  0

  0

  3

  2

  -9

  7

  -13

  -10

  Devon and Cornwall

  0

  1

  4

  -10

  -2

  -13

  28

  8

  Dorset

  0

  0

  0

  -4

  -2

  -6

  -3

  30

  15

  666W 667W

  Police force

  Chief constable

  Assistant chief constable

  Superintendent

  Chief inspector

  Inspector

  Sergeant

  Constable

  Total police ranks

  Durham

  0

  0

  -1

  1

  6

  1

  114

  121

  Essex2

  0

  0

  -9

  -4

  -13

  -33

  -122

  -181

  Gloucestershire

  0

  0

  -3

  -3

  -1

  1

  15

  10

  Greater Manchester

  0

  0

  -2

  -7

  -60

  -29

  -57

  -154

  Hampshire

  0

  0

  -5

  -6

  8

  21

  -35

  -17

  Hertfordshire2

  0

  0

  2

  1

  10

  24

  166

  202

  Humberside

  0

  -1

  3

  -6

  -9

  -30

  -96

  -140

  Kent

  0

  1

  -5

  -4

  -19

  16

  -10

  -21

  Lancashire

  0

  -1

  3

  -7

  -12

  13

  -29

  -33

  Leicestershire

  0

  1

  -3

  1

  1

  3

  58

  61

  Lincolnshire

  0

  0

  -3

  -5

  3

  3

  -32

  -35

  London, City of

  0

  -1

  -4

  -3

  -3

  -29

  -99

  -138

  Merseyside

  0

  0

  -5

  -6

  -17

  -52

  -69

  -149

  Metropolitan Police2

  -2

  -2

  -19

  36

  -31

  -274

  -1,690

  -1,982

  Norfolk

  0

  0

  -2

  4

  4

  21

  -71

  -45

  Northamptonshire

  0

  0

  -1

  2

  -3

  -3

  -6

  -11

  Northumbria

  1

  1

  2

  7

  12

  33

  152

  208

  North Yorkshire

  0

  0

  -3

  -10

  1

  -6

  -27

  -45

  -Nottinghamshire

  0

  0

  -3

  5

  -9

  -25

  -59

  -92

  South Yorkshire

  0

  0

  -2

  5

  17

  21

  -15

  26

  Staffordshire

  0

  -1

  -10

  -9

  -13

  -9

  -12

  -54

  Suffolk

  0

  0

  -2

  3

  -5

  2

  -62

  -65

  Surrey2

  0

  0

  -4

  2

  -2

  65

  433

  493

  Sussex

  0

  1

  1

  -4

  -2

  -13

  -256

  -273

  Thames Valley

  0

  -1

  -11

  -5

  -2

  24

  47

  53

  Warwickshire

  0

  0

  1

  -2

  -12

  -22

  20

  -14

  West Mercia

  0

  -1

  -3

  -5

  -26

  -7

  -92

  -134

  West Midlands

  0

  0

  -17

  -45

  41

  45

  295

  237

  West Yorkshire

  0

  1

  -3

  4

  -23

  -69

  -313

  -403

  Wiltshire

  0

  0

  1

  1

  -7

  3

  -53

  -55

  Dyfed-Powys

  0

  0

  1

  1

  4

  11

  24

  41

  Gwent

  0

  0

  0

  1

  5

  5

  17

  28

  North Wales

  0

  0

  -5

  -5

  -14

  6

  42

  24

  South Wales

  0

  1

  -2

  -13

  14

  -30

  83

  53

  Total all forces3

  -1

  0

  -118

  -121

  -272

  -392

  -1,917

  -2,821

  1 Full-time equivalents

  2 Prior to 1 April 2000 the Metropolitan police district included areas of Essex, Hertfordshire and Surrey. After that date the responsibility for policing these areas transferred to the county forces. To compensate for the additional area police officer resources were transferred from the Metropolitan police to the surrounding forces, more information is available in Home Office Statistical Bulletin 2/01.

  3 Totals do not include secondments

  Criminal Injuries Compensation
  Mr. Bailey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will announce the improvements he plans to make to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme. [149217]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave him on 23 January 2001,Official Report, column 539W.

  Mr. Bailey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the average length of time taken by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority to process compensation awards. [149218]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bury, North (Mr. Chaytor) on 13 November 2000,Official Report, columns 544–45W.

  Citizenship Applications
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date he first made public the Government's proposals for the change of policy on citizenship outlined in paragraph 10.7 of the White Paper "Fairer, Faster and Firmer—A Modern Approach to Immigration and Asylum"; and if he will make a statement. [147633]
  668W
  Mrs. Roche
  [holding answer 29 January 2001]: The Government's formal proposals, as set out in paragraph 10.7 of the White Paper "Fairer, Faster and Firmer—A Modern Approach to Immigration and Asylum" were first published in the White Paper on 27 July 1998.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to issue guidance notes in languages other than English to assist applicants to complete a statement of evidence form to support a claim for asylum. [149569]

  Mrs. Roche
  The explanatory notes which accompany the statement of evidence form are being revised and translated into over 60 languages. Non-governmental organisations have been consulted about the content of the revised document. The purpose of the explanatory notes is to help applicants complete the statement of evidence form and understand how their application will be processed. The explanatory notes also provide information on how to seek legal advice, access translation services and obtain medical assistance as required. The intention is to issue the first translated documents later this month.
  669W
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce the outcome of his review of the voucher scheme for asylum seekers. [149570]

  Mrs. Roche
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Walthamstow (Mr. Gerrard) on 8 January 2001,Official Report, column 413W.

  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement setting out the reasons for the difference between the number of asylum appeals(a) received by his Department and (b) referred by his Department to the Immigration Appellate Authority during 2000. [149571]

  Mrs. Roche
  The data recently published are provisional. The main reasons for the difference between the number of asylum appeals received in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate and the number referred to the Immigration Appellate Authority are:(a) increased work in progress on the appeals received within the Immigration and Nationality Directorate as decision output has risen;
  (b) a number of cases in which a non-compliance decision was originally made but it has subsequently emerged that a statement of evidence form had been received in time. We have undertaken to reconsider these cases; and
  (c) because the current data on appeals lodged are taken from manual records and we believe that they overstate the actual number of appeals lodged. The Immigration and Nationality Directorate is in the process of transition from manual to electronic records for appeals. The total number of appeals lodged is likely to be revised downwards once the reliability of new electronic data have been established.

  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will end the use of Winchester prison to house asylum seekers. [149520]

  Mrs. Roche
  It is the Government's intention that the current use of remand accommodation at Winchester prison should cease by the end of October 2001 when new dedicated immigration detention and holding centres become available.

  Alcohol-related Crime
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the measures on alcohol-related crime contained in the Criminal Justice and Policing Bill will apply to licensed bars in private sports clubs; and if he will make a statement on police powers of enforcement in such cases. [149586]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Non-profit-making private sports clubs are allowed to supply alcohol, to members and guests, if they have a magistrates court registration certificate. If a club chooses to obtain a full justices' on-licence, so that it can also sell alcohol to the general public, then Clause 19 of the Criminal Justice and Police Bill, which gives the police powers to close down disorderly or excessively noisy licensed premises, will apply, but not otherwise.

  Departmental Policies (Staffordshire, Moorlands)
  Charlotte Atkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, with statistical 670W
  information relating as directly as possible to Staffordshire, Moorlands constituency, the effects on Staffordshire, Moorlands of his Department's policies and actions (a) since 2 May 1997 and (b) in the 12 months ending on 1 May 1997. [149194]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Home Office is working to build a safe, just and tolerant society in which the rights and responsibilities of individuals, families and communities are properly balanced, and the protection and security of the public are maintained. Detailed information on the impact of Home Office policies across the full range of responsibilities is set out in Home Office Annual Reports. A copy of the most recent report, Home Office Annual Report 1999–2000, is available in the Library.

  The impact of Home Office policies and actions is not normally examined by constituency and the statistics which the Department collects cannot be matched in the way requested, although set out are examples relating to the Staffordshire, Moorlands constituency or the immediate locality.

  Staffordshire police have provided the following information on the overall number of recorded crimes in the Staffordshire Moorlands East and West areas:

  Year ended 31 March 1997—6,460

  Year ended 30 September 2000—6,525.

  These figures are not, however, directly comparable as there was a change in counting rules for recorded crime on 1 April 1998, which laid more emphasis on measurement of one crime per victim, and also expanded the coverage of offences. It has been estimated that the change in counting rules increased the number of recorded crimes counted nationally, over England and Wales as a whole, by 14 per cent.

  Under the Crime Reduction Programme there is a Staffordshire-wide project running under the Targeted Policing Initiative (TPI) dealing with prolific offenders. The amount awarded for this project is £529,000.

  More generally, all of the policies of the Home Office will impact on the residents of Staffordshire, Moorlands to a greater or lesser extent. For example:
  376 Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships have been established;
  racial harassment and racially motivated crimes have been made criminal offences by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998;
  the asylum backlog has been cut from 103,495 at the end of January 2000 to 66,195 by the end of December 2000; and
  good progress is being made in reducing the incidence of fire deaths in England and Wales. They have dropped from 605 in 1997 to 534 in 1999.

  Pub Exclusion Orders
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many pub exclusion orders were(a) applied for and (b) granted in (i) 1998, (ii) 1999 and (iii) 2000. [148957]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The power to make a pub exclusion order is contained in section 1 of the Licensed Premises (Exclusion of Certain Persons) Act 1980. Where a person is convicted of an offence committed on licensed premises and the court is satisfied that in committing that offence the offender resorted to violence, or offered or
  671W
  threatened to resort to violence, the court may make an exclusion order, which prohibits the offender from entering those premises, or any other specified premises. Currently maintained statistics do not allow the identification of occasions where pub exclusion orders are made by the court.

  Police Recruitment (Asian Women)
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to encourage more women of Asian heritage to join the police. [148941]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  It is the responsibility of individual chief officers of police to recruit the right people to serve in their forces. It is important for the police service to reflect the communities which it serves, and to help them achieve this my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has set all forces recruitment targets for minority ethnic officers. Useful advice to forces in relation to black and Asian women is contained in research recently published by the Home Office into attitudes of people from minority ethnic communities towards a career in the police service.

  Fires
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fires in(a) houses, (b) sheltered accommodation and (c) residential care homes took hold in upholstery which had not been treated with fire retardants in the last 12 months for which figures are available. [148944]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The information requested is contained in the table. The information provided by fire brigades distinguishes between upholstery containing combustion modified foam, which would comply with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988, as amended, and upholstery containing other foams and fillings which do not. It is not possible to give a figure for the number of fires which may have started in upholstery treated with any form of proprietary flame retardant treatment. The information in the table relates to fires attended by local authority fire brigades in 1999 where upholstery furniture was the material first ignited.

  Fires1 in dwellings and residential care homes where material first ignited was upholstery furniture, United Kingdom, 1999

  Location

  Total upholstery fires

  Fires involving non-fire retardant upholstery2

  Dwellings3

  2,480

  2,472

  Of which:

  Sheltered accommodation

  65

  63

  Residential care homes4

  820

  818

  1 All figures are based on sample data, weighted to brigade totals. figures include late call, heat and smoke incidents.

  2 Refers to any upholstery which contains foams or other fillings which do not comply with Regulations.

  3 Dwellings include caravans, boats and other non building structures used solely as a permanent residence.

  4 Includes elderly persons homes, children's homes, homes for the disabled, charitable hostels, and other types of welfare and charitable establishments.

  Proxy and Postal Votes
  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the new form for proxy and postal votes will be published. [148945]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The Representation of the People (England and Wales) Regulations 2001 do not prescribe a form to be used to apply for an absent vote, but regulation 51 sets out the information required in an application. We shall be circulating to Electoral Registration Officers in mid-February a suggested formulation of an application form for postal votes. The requirements for a proxy vote have not changed and so no new form is necessary.

  Animal Welfare
  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures his Department has taken to improve animal welfare since May 1997. [148958]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  There have been a number of measures to improve animal welfare since May 1997.

  The use of animals in scientific procedures is strictly regulated by what is widely acknowledged to be the toughest legislation of its kind in the world. We are working to ensure that the highest possible standards of animal welfare are applied and that animals are used only where it is fully justified—where the benefits outweigh the costs and where there are no suitable alternatives. To this end we are promoting the fullest application of the 3Rs—the replacement of procedures with others which do not use animals, the reduction of the number of animals used, and the refinement of procedures to minimise pain and suffering.

  In addition to our commitment to the 3Rs, the other main individual measures this Government has introduced since the election to ensure that animals are used only where fully justified are as follows. We have:
  secured a voluntary ban on testing cosmetic finished products on animals;
  increased the budget made available to the Animal Procedures Committee to sponsor research on alternatives by 45 per cent. to £265,000 for 2000–01;
  banned the use of animals to test alcohol and tobacco products;
  increased the size of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate from 18 to 21, and recruited seven new inspectors to fill these and other vacancies;
  introduced a requirement that all establishments licensed under the 1986 Act have local ethical review processes as a complement to the existing controls under the Act;
  announced our intention never to allow the use of great apes (gorillas, chimpanzees, pygmy chimpanzees and orang-utans);
  announced the phasing out of the use of ascitic animals in certain forms of monoclonal antibody production; and
  ended the licensing of the LD50 test and of tests for skin corrosivity and phototoxic potential where valid alternatives exist.
  Other support given to animal welfare includes:

  673W
  backing a Private Member's Bill which became the Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999, a measure aimed at tightening regulation of commercial dog breeding establishments, and issue to local authorities of related detailed guidance;
  preparation, with the Association of Circus Proprietors, of a code of practice on the care and welfare of animals in travelling circuses;
  making an order that allows for an indefinite prohibition of the culling of seals on the east coast of England; and
  participating in the Inter-Departmental Ministerial Group which was established last year to ensure that the UK's overall animal welfare strategy is effectively co-ordinated.

  Crime Statistics
  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes were recorded on 2 January. [149119]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Recorded crime details are not collected centrally on a daily basis. The latest available data on recorded crime are for the year ending September 2000. These showed that there were 5,221,416 recorded crimes in England and Wales in that year.

  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) vehicle crimes and (b) domestic burglaries there were in (a) April 1997 and (b) January 2001. [148977]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Details of recorded crime are no longer collected monthly. Comparisons of recorded crime figures between different dates are normally made using annual totals. The figures for the requested categories of crime, for the years ending March 1997 and September 2000, which is the most recent published data, are as follows:

  England and Wales—numbers of recorded crimes

  Burglaries

  Vehicle crimes1

  Domestic

  Year ending:

  March 1997

  1,245,052

  581,985

  September 20002

  1,000,317

  417,380

  1 Theft of and from vehicles

  2 Owing to the change in counting rules for recorded crime on 1 April 1998, direct comparisons cannot be made between data before and after this date. However, it has been estimated that the change in counting rules increased the number of thefts of and from vehicles counted by 1 per cent. and all burglaries by 0.1 per cent.

  The number of Parenting, Child Safety and Sex Offender Orders (as introduced under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998) made, discharged or breached within pilot areas and nationally up to 30 September 20001

  Made

  Number up to 31 May 2000

  Nationally from 1 June to 30 September 20001

  Discharged

  Breached (up to 30 June 2000)1

  Sex Offender Order2

  332

  11

  4,5—

  5—

  Greater Manchester

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Metropolitan police

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Lancashire

  —

  2

  —

  —

  Northamptonshire

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Nottinghamshire

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Suffolk

  —

  1

  —

  —

  West Yorkshire

  —

  2

  —

  —

  Dyfed-Powys

  —

  1

  —

  —

  North Wales

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Parenting Order6

  5—

  740

  5—

  81

  Of which given at:

  Crime and Disorder Act
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many designations have been made to date under section 16(1) of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998; and how many directions have been given under section 16(2) of that Act. [149165]

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

  Section 16 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 provides the statutory basis for truancy operations which are conducted in partnership by the police and local education authorities. Designations in accordance with section 16(1) and directions in accordance with section 16(2) are made for the period of the truancy operation only. There is no requirement on either the police or the local education authority to conduct these operations at specified intervals, or to report to Government Departments when they do so. We have, however, recommended that they jointly review the truancy problem in each local education authority area and conduct truancy operations each term as appropriate.

  Section 16 operations are an important tool in helping both to reduce truancy and the potential that young people will be drawn into crime or other anti-social behaviour when they should be at school.

  Orders
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many Sex Offender Orders have been made to date in each police force area in England and Wales; how many have been(a) discharged and (b) breached; and if he will make a statement; [149162]

  (2) how many Child Safety Orders have been made to date in each police force area in England and Wales; how many have been (a) discharged and (b) breached; and if he will make a statement; [149164]

  (3) how many Parenting Orders have been made to date in each police force area in England and Wales; how many have been (a) discharged and (b) breached; and if he will make a statement. [149163]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Available information, up to 30 September 2000, is given in the table.
  675W

  The number of Parenting, Child Safety and Sex Offender Orders (as introduced under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998) made, discharged or breached within pilot areas and nationally up to 30 September 20001

  Made

  Number up to 31 May 2000

  Nationally from 1 June to 30 September 20001

  Discharged

  Breached (up to 30 June 2000)1

  Civil and family proceedings courts

  —

  18

  5—

  —

  Cleveland

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Greater Manchester

  —

  6

  —

  —

  Metropolitan police

  —

  5

  —

  —

  Northumbria

  —

  4

  —

  —

  Suffolk

  —

  1

  —

  —

  West Sussex

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Criminal courts

  —

  722

  8—

  —

  Durham

  —

  2

  —

  —

  Greater Manchester

  —

  4

  —

  —

  Lancashire

  —

  6

  —

  —

  Leicestershire

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Metropolitan police

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Nottinghamshire

  —

  2

  —

  —

  South Yorkshire

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Warwickshire

  —

  2

  —

  —

  West Midlands

  —

  3

  —

  —

  Child Safety Order6

  5—

  10—

  5,9—

  10—

  Care Order for Non-compliance with

  Child Safety Orders

  5—

  10—

  5—

  10

  1Provisional

  2Implemented on 1 December 1998

  3Data by area for Sex Offender Orders only available from 1 June 2000

  4Subsection 2(7) of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 provides that 'except with the consent of both parties, no sex offender order shall be discharged before the end of the period of five years beginning with the date of service of the order'

  5Not available

  6Piloted from 30 September 1998 and implemented nationally from 1 June 2000

  7Data for parenting orders given at criminal courts up to 30 June 2000 only

  8Breach recorded in Dyfed-Powys police force area in 1999

  9If the child fails to comply with any requirement, the court may, on application of the responsible officer, discharge the order and make in respect of him a care order under s31 (10(a)) of the Children Act 1989

  10Not applicable

  Committals
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will propose legislation to adopt into English law the Scots law rule of bringing an offender to trial within 110 days of committal to trial(a) for young offenders and (b) for all offenders; and if he will make a statement. [148943]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Government are committed to reducing the time taken to bring defendants to trial, especially those under the age of 18. To this end we have introduced a number of reforms designed to reduce delay, the latest (which was implemented nationally on 15 January) being the new procedure for sending indictable-only cases to the Crown Court. These measures are reinforced both by custody time limits which restrict the time for which defendants may be held in custody pending trial, and by statutory time limits within which the prosecution must bring cases to trial, which are currently being piloted in selected youth courts. The Crime and Disorder Act 1998 introduced tighter criteria for granting extensions to these time limits, as well as making provision for limits in cases involving juveniles to cover the period from arrest to first listing.

PRIME MINISTER

  Speaker's Committee
  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if he has appointed a Minister with responsibilities in relation to local government to the Speaker's Committee established under section 2 of the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000. [149835]

  The Prime Minister
  In accordance with section 2(3) of the Act, I have appointed my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and the Regions as a member of the Speaker's Committee.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Children and Family Court
  Mrs. Butler
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what action she is taking locally to provide advice, training and guidance regarding the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service prior to its commencement. [149167]
  677W
  Jane Kennedy
  Last year we ran a series of regional conferences for staff and one specifically targeted at administrators, including a conference for east and east midland staff held in Peterborough in June 2000. We are currently running a similar programme of regional conferences for managers, and the conference for east and east midland managers was held in Peterborough in January of this year. At national level, we are developing new induction training for officers of the service and will provide further training for staff as CAFCASS comes into being.

WALES

  Planning Legislation (Tuckey Ruling)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with National Assembly Secretaries on the ruling of Lord Justice Tuckey on legislative provision on planning matters in Wales in relation to the requirements of European legislation and of the Human Rights Act 1998. [148320]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  I have regular discussions with Assembly Secretaries about a range of issues, including both planning law and the impact of the Human Rights Act 1998 in Wales.

  The judgment of the Divisional Court is now the subject of an appeal. The appeal will be heard in the House of Lords on 26 February. The National Assembly is being kept abreast of developments.

  Mr. Adrian McMenamin
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales from what date Mr. Adrian McMenamin has been employed in the Wales Office; what the terms of reference of his post are; and what his civil service grade is. [148869]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  Mr. McMenamin has been employed by the Wales Office since December 1999. He is employed under the terms of the model contract for special advisers, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. Special advisers are not appointed to mainstream civil service grades.

  Press Releases
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many press releases were issued by his Department in the financial years(a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99 and (d) 1999–2000; how many have been issued in the current financial year; and what his estimate is of the total number for the current financial year. [149241]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  In 1996–97, our predecessor Department, the Welsh Office, issued 650 press notices, 774 in 1997–98, and 776 in 1998–99. The Wales Office issued 54 in 1999–2000 and has issued 88 this financial year. It is estimated that the total number for the current financial year will fall between 90 and 100 press notices.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the total expenditure and the breakdown of expenditure was in his Department for the financial years(a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99 and (d) 1999–2000, and what the planned expenditure and breakdown of expenditure for 2000–01 is on (i) public opinion research, (ii) television, radio and newspaper advertising and (iii) direct mail. [149263]

  Mr. Paul Murphy
  My Department runs no publicity campaigns and hence has spent nothing on advertising since its creation in July 1999. Its predecessor Department, the Welsh Office, spent £1,795,000 in 1996–97, £2,661,000 in 1997–98, and £2,685,000 in 1998–99. All the individual campaigns are evaluated separately, taking into account effectiveness and value for money.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Kosovo
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many(a) countries, (b) international organisations and (c) non-governmental organisations are involved in providing aid to Kosovo. [148927]

  Clare Short
  According to information provided by the OSCE office in Kosovo and the Kosovo Department of Reconstruction, there are 25 countries, 12 international organisations and 402 international non-governmental organisations involved in providing aid to Kosovo.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the impact of the United Kingdom aid programme in Kosovo. [148928]

  Clare Short
  We have recently reviewed progress against the strategy for our development programme in Kosovo prepared in January 2000. We have made the transition from humanitarian assistance to targeted technical assistance for longer-term capacity building focused on areas such as social welfare, public administration reform and health. We are also working closely with the European Agency for Reconstruction and the World Bank. We are revising our strategic objectives for the next phase of support to Kosovo.

  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to review the(a) focus and (b) co-ordination of the international aid effort in Kosovo. [148929]

  Clare Short
  Co-ordination of international assistance to Kosovo is the responsibility of the UN Interim Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK). We have discussed priorities with the newly appointed head of UNMIK, Mr. Hans Haekkerup and his staff. The focus of the international effort should be on developing the capacity of Kosovars to take increasing levels of responsibility for public administration and service delivery.

  A donor meeting will be held in Pristina on 25–26 February to review the position and agree priorities for future aid.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Prison Service Framework Document
  Mr. McWalter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he plans to make available the Northern Ireland Prison Service Framework Document 2000–05. [149900]

  Mr. Ingram
  Copies of the Northern Ireland Prison Service Framework Document have now been placed in the Library.

  Plastic Baton Rounds
  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what have been the results of recent studies into the feasibility of providing an effective alternative to plastic baton rounds for use in crowd control situations in Northern Ireland; and what have been the costs of these studies in the last 10 years. [144690]

  Mr. Ingram
  The Independent Commission on Policing, recognising the need for an alternative to the baton round, recommended a research programme to find an acceptable, effective and less potentially lethal alternative. The research programme was launched in July 2000, phase I of which, a literature review, is almost complete. This stage of the project has incurred only limited costs, beyond those of the staff involved. Phase II of the project, which will commence later this month, will involve a more detailed cost analysis.

  Life Sentences
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) men and (b) women were serving a life prison sentence for murder in Northern Ireland on 1 January. [149625]

  Mr. Ingram
  At 1 January 2001, there were 78 men and one woman serving sentences of life imprisonment for murder in prisons in Northern Ireland. The figure of 78 men includes eight prisoners on restricted transfer to NI from the Home Office. In addition there were three males detained at the Secretary of State's pleasure (convicted of murder committed while under 18 years of age).

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

  Crown Prosecution Service
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Solicitor-General what was the average cost of a decision by the Crown Prosecution Service not to proceed with a prosecution which was at an advanced stage in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [148955]

  The Solicitor-General
  No information is held which enables the Crown Prosecution Service to provide the cost of those cases where, at an advanced stage, a decision was taken not to proceed. During 2000, the average cost of all cases which have been dropped at any stage of the proceedings in the magistrates courts was estimated to be £56.44 per case.
  680W
  The CPS conducts an independent review of every case received from the police in accordance with the criteria set out in the Code for Crown Prosecutors. There are two stages in the decision to prosecute. Firstly, there must be sufficient evidence to offer a realistic prospect of conviction, and secondly the prosecution must be in the public interest. If a case fails either of these tests, then the CPS must discontinue the proceedings.

  A survey conducted during the period October to December 1998 showed that the main reasons for not proceeding were:
  in 24 per cent. of cases an essential legal element was missing from the prosecution case;
  in 14 per cent. of cases a conviction was likely to result only in a very small or nominal penalty; and
  in 13 per cent. of cases the victim of an offence refused to give evidence or retracted the evidence.

  The review of a case is a continuing process, and a case may fail either of the criteria for a prosecution at any stage. For example, the CPS may not be aware until the case is listed for trial that a key prosecution witness is unwilling or no longer willing to give evidence. Where this happens, the decision not to proceed can be taken only at this stage even though the costs of reviewing the case and preparing it for the trial have already been incurred.

TREASURY

  Press Releases
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many press releases were issued by his Department in the financial years(a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99 and (d) 1999–2000; how many have been issued in the current financial year; and what his estimate is of the total number for the current financial year. [149242]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The number of press releases issued by the Treasury for the services of the Central Office of Information (COI), who distribute press releases, can be provided readily in calendar year form as follows:

  Year

  Number of press notices

  1997

  184

  1998

  239

  1999

  283

  2000

  151

  2001 to date

  10

  Future numbers cannot be predicted.

  Hinduja Brothers
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which Ministers and officials in his Department have(a) been contacted by and (b) contacted (i) Mr. G. P. Hinduja and (ii) Mr. S. P. Hinduja since 2 May 1997; if he will list the occasions on which there was such contact; and if he will make a statement. [148141]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  [holding answer 1 February 2001]: It is not the normal practice of the Government to release details of meetings or discussions with private individuals or companies.
  681W
  All relevant papers will be made available to the Inquiry being conducted by Sir Anthony Hammond QC.

  Public Expenditure (Definition)
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what definition he uses to determine whether an item of public expenditure is defined as(a) Government spending and (b) Government investment. [148832]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  [holding answer 6 February 2001]: The Treasury uses a definition of aggregate public expenditure and investment derived from the national accounts produced by the Office for National Statistics. An explanation of the definitions and concepts can be found in the introduction to chapter 1 of Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses 2000–01 (Cm 4601).

  Working Families Tax Credit
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many claimants are in receipt of working families tax credit while being paid less than the hourly minimum wage. [148749]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 5 February 2001]: This information is not available. It is not possible to establish from the data reported on the Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC) application form alone whether the applicant was entitled under the relevant legislation to the National Minimum Wage (NMW), and at which rate.

  Extra data are obtained for those WFTC applications which indicate that the hourly rate of pay is less than the NMW and are subject to further investigation by NMW officers. However, this process does not yield a reliable estimate of the total number of applicants paid below NMW rates.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many(a) families and (b) children living in the London Borough of Wandsworth on 1 January have benefited from the working families tax credit. [149366]

  Dawn Primarolo
  For the number of families benefiting in Wandsworth, I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Lancaster and Wyre (Mr. Dawson) on 22 January 2001,Official Report, column 425W.

  The publication referred to in that answer also gives the national average number of children per family receiving Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC). The 5 per cent. sample used for these analyses is too small to yield a reliable separate estimate of the average number of children for families receiving WFTC in Wandsworth.

  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the estimated number of families in Morecambe and Lunesdale failing to claim Working Families Tax Credit; [148971]

  (2) how many families in Morecambe and Lunesdale have benefited from the Working Families Tax Credit. [148970]

  Dawn Primarolo
  For the number of families in Morecambe and Lunesdale benefiting from the Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC), I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Lancaster 682W
  and Wyre (Mr. Dawson) on 22 January 2001, Official Report, column 425W. No estimate of the number eligible for WFTC is available.

  Children's Tax Credit
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 23 January 2001,Official Report, column 568W, regarding Children's Tax Credit, for what reason he did not (a) use child benefit records to identify the address of eligible households and (b) ask non-taxpayer recipients of the claim form to pass it to taxpayers in the household. [148430]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 2 February 2001]: I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Gentleman on 23 January 2001, Official Report, column 568W.

  Tax Credits
  Mr. Grogan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many people in Yorkshire and Humberside receive the disabled person's tax credit; [149447]

  (2) how many (a) full-time and (b) part-time workers in Yorkshire have benefited from the working families tax credit. [149451]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Copies of the latest Quarterly Enquiries giving statistics for the Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC) and the Disabled Person's Tax Credit are in the Library. They contain estimates of the number of recipients in each region.

  There is no single definition of what comprises full-time work. The table shows an analysis by hours worked of families in Yorkshire and The Humber receiving WFTC at August 2000.

  Thousand

  Hours normally worked, per week, by main earner

  Recipients

  16<20

  26.3

  20<24

  15.7

  24<30

  10.1

  30<36

  17.7

  36<40

  26.7

  40 and over

  30.1

  All cases

  126.6

  Note:

  Estimates based on a 5 per cent. sample of awards, and therefore subject to sampling error

  Ofgem
  Mr. Gibb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide a detailed breakdown of the expenditure by Ofgem in 2000–01 on the merger of Offer and Ofgas; and how much of this relates to(a) redundancy, (b) refurbishment costs and (c) dilapidation. [149135]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  Ofgem's 2000–01 final costs relating to the merger of Offer and Ofgas will not be available until after the end of the financial year. However, merger costs in 2000–01 are now expected to be around £14 million rather than the initial estimate of £20.2 million.

  Corus
  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations Corus made to him on the strength of sterling against European currencies in(a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999 and (d) 2000. [149359]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Treasury meets a wide range of companies every year to discuss matters of mutual interest. Many of these discussions are conducted in confidence. It would not be practical to identify all representations without incurring disproportionate cost, breaching confidence or both.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Millennium Dome
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many written parliamentary questions about the Millennium Dome have been refused answer on the ground of commercial confidentiality since 1 May 1997. [147437]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 26 January 2001]: Of the 1,206 questions that have been answered on the Millennium Experience since May 1997, 77 questions have been answered by this Department on which information requested has been declined on the grounds of commercial confidentiality. This represents 6.38 per cent. of all questions answered.

  In addition, my right hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and the Regions has answered 19 questions on the ground of commercial confidentiality in relation to the competition for the future use of the Millennium Dome.

  Mr. Redwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will place in the Library copies of the Sponsorship Agreement for each sponsor of the Millennium Dome. [147784]

  Janet Anderson
  [holding answer 30 January 2001]: The details of individual contracts between the New Millennium Experience Company (NMEC) and sponsors are commercially confidential. An outline of NMEC's approach to contractual arrangements with sponsors was placed in the Libraries of the House on 17 December 1998.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will publish the proportion of total Exchequer spending represented by his Department in(a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99, (d) 1999–2000, (e) 2000–01 and (f) in each of the years covered by the Comprehensive Spending Review. [148183]

  1997–98

  1998–99

  County

  Population mid-1997

  Library x £1,000

  £ per head

  Leisure x £1,000

  £ per head

  Population mid-1998

  Library x £1,000

  £ per head

  Leisure x £1,000

  £ per head

  Avon

  991,639

  9,728

  9.81

  9,271

  9.35

  999,295

  9,795

  9.80

  13,420

  13.43

  Bedfordshire

  552,295

  6,334

  11.47

  10,156

  18.39

  556.628

  6,522

  11.72

  10,767

  19.34

  Berkshire

  797,488

  10,004

  12.54

  11,031

  13.83

  800,180

  9,576

  11.97

  16,216

  20.27

  Buckinghamshire

  677,527

  7,347

  10.84

  5,526

  8.16

  681,873

  7,983

  11.71

  8,538

  12.52

  Cambridgeshire

  712,240

  7,036

  9.88

  7,795

  10.94

  719,767

  7,709

  10.71

  10,159

  14.11

  Cheshire

  982,102

  10,124

  10.31

  13,834

  14.09

  984,280

  10,988

  11.16

  18,560

  18.86

  684W
  Mr. Chris Smith
  [holding answer 1 February 2001]: My Department's spending as a proportion of Government's Total Managed Expenditure, for the years 1996–97 to 2000–04 is set out in the table.

  DCMS spending as a proportion of total managed government spending1

  Year

  DCMS (£ million)

  Total TME (£ million)

  Percentage

  1996–97

  1,483

  316,000

  0.47

  1997–98

  1,996

  322,800

  0.62

  1998–99

  2,708

  331,000

  0.82

  1999–2000

  2,902

  340,700

  0.85

  2000–012

  3,321

  371,600

  0.89

  2001–023

  3,120

  392,900

  0.79

  2002–033

  3,269

  415,400

  0.79

  2003–044

  3,339

  439,600

  0.76

  1 Excludes BBC revenue grants; includes Lottery expenditure

  2 Estimate

  3 Plans

  Over the period until 2003–04, DCMS funding will have increased by 125 per cent. in cash terms and 89 per cent. in real terms.

  Library and Leisure Services
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the levels of spending were on(a) library services and (b) leisure services per head of population in (i) Staffordshire and (ii) each other county of England (1) in the current year and (2) in each of the last three years, distinguishing in each case the element represented by Standard Spending Assessment. [148295]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  It is not possible to list spending on leisure services in the private and voluntary sectors. However, local authorities do report their own expenditure on leisure services and these data are shown for Staffordshire and every other county1 in England on a per head basis in the table. Local authorities report their own expenditure on library services and this is also shown for Staffordshire and other counties1 in England on a per head basis. A definition for this expenditure data follows.

  The SSA system does not make a separate provision for library or leisure services; rather these are two of the many services funded through the Environmental, Protective and Cultural Services SSA Block. Consequently, I am unable to provide the information requested.

  Definition of Expenditure Data

  Expenditure on services is defined as net current expenditure on employees and running expenses less sales, fees, charges, internal recharges, other non-grant income (such as receipts from other authorities). It is gross of expenditure funded by specific and special grants.
  1The figure for each county includes all local authorities within that area.
  685W

  1997–98

  1998–99

  County

  Population mid-1997

  Library x £1,000

  £ per head

  Leisure x £1,000

  £ per head

  Population mid-1998

  Library x £1,000

  £ per head

  Leisure x £1,000

  £ per head

  Cleveland

  555,842

  7,772

  13.98

  12,285

  22.10

  556,344

  7,811

  14.04

  13,687

  24.60

  Cornwall

  485,621

  4,774

  9.83

  4,232

  8.71

  488,373

  5,418

  11.09

  7,650

  15.66

  Cumbria

  492,113

  5,129

  10.42

  7,447

  15.13

  492,884

  5,278

  10.71

  11,195

  22.71

  Derbyshire

  965,460

  9,778

  10.13

  10,886

  11.28

  970,087

  10,631

  10.96

  14,451

  14.90

  Devon

  1,063,900

  9,526

  8.95

  11,882

  11.17

  1,068,388

  9,737

  9.11

  20,046

  18.76

  Dorset

  687,520

  8,374

  12.18

  5,295

  7.70

  691,215

  8,584

  12.42

  11,577

  16.75

  Durham

  608,349

  6,043

  9.93

  12,166

  20.00

  607,770

  6,670

  10.97

  14,349

  23.61

  East Sussex

  740,733

  8,141

  10.99

  9,068

  12.24

  747,183

  8,045

  10.77

  16,998

  22.75

  Essex

  1,595,278

  19,062

  11.95

  18,700

  11.72

  1,605,622

  20,337

  12.67

  25,702

  16.01

  Gloucestershire

  559,287

  5,689

  10.17

  5,537

  9.90

  557,257

  6,114

  10.97

  10,854

  19.48

  Hampshire

  1,636,640

  19,042

  11.63

  22,424

  13.70

  1,643,958

  19,171

  11.66

  33,157

  20.17

  Hereford and Worcester

  701,726

  5,861

  8.35

  8,084

  11.52

  706,120

  5,835

  8.26

  11,377

  16.11

  Hertfordshire

  1,024,764

  13,404

  13.08

  11,913

  11.63

  1,033,616

  12,775

  12.36

  16,686

  16.14

  Humberside

  884,714

  10,702

  12.10

  18,517

  20.93

  883,117

  11,142

  12.62

  24,108

  27.30

  Isle of Wight

  125,896

  1,341

  10.65

  1,649

  13.10

  126,989

  1,359

  10.70

  3,926

  30.92

  Kent

  1,565,960

  15,717

  10.04

  16,430

  10.49

  1,574,561

  15,516

  9.85

  29,314

  18.62

  Lancashire

  1,425,127

  15,986

  11.22

  20,314

  14.25

  1,426,839

  17,249

  12.09

  29,000

  20.32

  Leicestershire

  929,027

  7,655

  8.24

  14,974

  16.12

  928,716

  9,798

  10.55

  16,216

  17.46

  Lincolnshire

  619,388

  6,065

  9.79

  6.856

  11.07

  623,130

  6,222

  9.99

  13,069

  20.97

  Norfolk

  783,042

  7,636

  9.75

  8,607

  10.99

  790,275

  7,822

  9.90

  13,191

  16.69

  Northamptonshire

  610,302

  6,230

  10.21

  6,392

  10.47

  615,796

  6,133

  9.96

  9,109

  14.79

  Northumberland

  308,767

  2,766

  8.96

  4,551

  14.74

  309,642

  2,694

  8.70

  6,846

  22.11

  North Yorkshire

  737,632

  6,715

  9.10

  9,846

  13.35

  742,404

  7,022

  9.46

  12,178

  16.40

  Nottinghamshire

  1,032,169

  11,285

  10.93

  16,787

  16.26

  1,031,587

  11,330

  10.98

  22,149

  21.47

  Oxfordshire

  610,805

  5,298

  8.67

  6,197

  10.15

  616,707

  5,835

  9.46

  9,252

  15.00

  Shropshire

  424,565

  3,790

  8.93

  5,056

  11.91

  430,212

  3,840

  8.93

  6,607

  15.36

  Somerset

  486,682

  4,208

  8.65

  3,874

  7.96

  489,280

  4,588

  9.38

  6,349

  12.98

  Staffordshire

  1,060,262

  10,581

  9.98

  13,525

  12.76

  1,061,280

  10,961

  10.33

  19,514

  18.39

  Suffolk

  666,585

  6,234

  9.35

  7,236

  10.86

  671,095

  6,127

  9.13

  11,704

  17.44

  Surrey

  1,057,137

  10,463

  9.90

  6,422

  6.07

  1,060,541

  10,431

  9.84

  9,292

  8.76

  Warwickshire

  503,589

  5,187

  10.30

  5,999

  11.91

  506,713

  5,833

  11.51

  8,075

  15.94

  West Sussex

  746,602

  7,529

  10.08

  10,747

  14.39

  751,845

  7,607

  10.12

  14,800

  19.68

  Wiltshire

  599,365

  5,761

  9.61

  11,058

  18.45

  605,511

  6,180

  10.21

  15,293

  25.26

  Greater London Council

  7,116,936

  138,853

  19.51

  96,405

  13.55

  7,182,062

  139,285

  19.39

  104,290

  14.52

  Greater Manchester

  2,571,849

  33.237

  12.92

  36,555

  14.21

  2,577,434

  35,171

  13.65

  42,599

  16.53

  Mersey side

  1,413,441

  21,232

  15.02

  21,642

  15.31

  1,409,371

  21,705

  15.40

  28,121

  19.95

  South Yorkshire

  1,304,539

  15,055

  11.54

  38,622

  29.61

  1,304,136

  15,326

  11.75

  43,697

  33.51

  Tyne and Wear

  1,121,406

  16,650

  14.85

  26,321

  23.47

  1,115,844

  16,986

  15.22

  30,356

  27.20

  West Midlands

  2,630,642

  35,272

  13.41

  33,476

  12.73

  2,628,196

  36,873

  14.03

  39,783

  15.14

  West Yorkshire

  2,110,095

  22,412

  10.62

  28,609

  13.56

  2,113,252

  22,351

  10.58

  37,184

  17.60

  No County Area

  5,235

  0

  0.00

  0

  0.00

  5,210

  0

  0.00

  1,042

  200.00

  Scilly Isles

  1,959

  17

  8.68

  0

  0.00

  1,997

  23

  11.52

  0

  0.00

  1999–2000

  2000–011

  County

  Population mid-1999

  Library x £1,000

  £ per head

  Leisure x £1,000

  £ per head

  Population mid-2000

  Library x £1,000

  £ per head

  Leisure x £1,000

  £ per head

  Avon

  1,008,114

  10,619

  10.53

  10,671

  10.59

  1,008,114

  11,089

  11.00

  14,073

  13.96

  Bedfordshire

  562,214

  7,138

  12.70

  11,110

  19.76

  562,214

  7,434

  13.22

  12,096

  21.51

  Berkshire

  800,567

  11,056

  13.81

  13,935

  17.41

  800,567

  11,374

  14.21

  14,499

  18.11

  Buckinghamshire

  689,433

  8,214

  11.91

  10,021

  14.54

  689,433

  8,789

  12.75

  10,314

  14.96

  Cambridgeshire

  724,897

  8,186

  11.29

  13,236

  18.26

  724,897

  7,797

  10.76

  11,882

  16.39

  Cheshire

  982,527

  9,961

  10.14

  14,195

  14.45

  982,527

  12,392

  12.61

  16,835

  17.13

  Cleveland

  555,944

  7,979

  14.35

  12,784

  23.00

  555,944

  8,756

  15.75

  14,543

  26.16

  Cornwall

  492,569

  5.554

  11.28

  8,598

  17.46

  492,569

  5,532

  11.23

  7,917

  16.07

  Cumbria

  491,814

  5,220

  10.61

  12,626

  25.67

  491,814

  5,111

  10.39

  14,737

  29.96

  Derbyshire

  974,084

  10,949

  11.24

  13,576

  13.94

  974,084

  11,836

  12.15

  16,207

  16.64

  Devon

  1,075,011

  10,263

  9.55

  23,325

  21.70

  1,075,011

  10,357

  9.63

  22,962

  21.36

  Dorset

  692,543

  8,915

  12.87

  11,752

  16.97

  692,543

  9,489

  13.70

  10,077

  14.55

  Durham

  606,744

  6,696

  11.04

  14,858

  24.49

  606,744

  7,125

  11.74

  14,538

  23.96

  East Sussex

  754,339

  8,394

  11.13

  18,072

  23.96

  754,339

  8,732

  11.58

  16,575

  21.97

  Essex

  1,617,660

  21,135

  13.07

  27,507

  17.00

  1,617,660

  21,584

  13.34

  28,004

  17.31

  Gloucestershire

  561,941

  6,181

  11.00

  9,923

  17.66

  561,941

  6,397

  11.38

  10,437

  18.57

  Hampshire

  1,652.818

  19,569

  11.84

  38,929

  23.55

  1,652,818

  20,295

  12.28

  39,775

  24.06

  Hereford and Worcester

  708,194

  6,176

  8.72

  13,217

  18.66

  708,194

  6,400

  9.04

  12,762

  18.02

  Hertfordshire

  1,043,028

  13,368

  12.82

  14,003

  13.43

  1,043,028

  13,876

  13.30

  17,547

  16.82

  Humberside

  881,586

  11,211

  12.72

  26,208

  29.73

  881,586

  12,169

  13.80

  28,048

  31.82

  Isle of Wight

  128,231

  1,482

  11.56

  4,387

  34.21

  128,231

  1,462

  11.40

  3,695

  28.82

  Kent

  1.587,243

  19,515

  12.29

  32,986

  20.78

  1,587,243

  18,805

  11.85

  30,125

  18.98

  Lancashire

  1.425,533

  17,851

  12.52

  31,407

  22.03

  1,425,533

  18,918

  13.27

  28,203

  19.78

  Leicestershire

  934,687

  9,904

  10.60

  17,885

  19.13

  934,687

  11,287

  12.08

  19,599

  20.97

  Lincolnshire

  628,612

  6,630

  10.55

  14,020

  22.30

  628,612

  6,273

  9.98

  13,394

  21.31

  Norfolk

  796,460

  8,293

  10.41

  12,496

  15.69

  796,460

  9,346

  11.73

  13,556

  17.02

  686W 687W

  1999–2000

  2000–011

  County

  Population mid-1999

  Library x £1,000

  £ per head

  Leisure x £1,000

  £ per head

  Population mid-1998

  Library x £1,000

  £ per head

  Leisure x £1,000

  £ per head

  Northamptonshire

  621,162

  6,369

  10.25

  11,752

  18.92

  621,162

  6,235

  10.04

  9,387

  15.11

  Northumberland

  310,168

  2,879

  9.28

  7,189

  23.18

  310,168

  3,016

  9.72

  7,089

  22.86

  North Yorkshire

  747,613

  7,159

  9.58

  13,386

  17.90

  747,613

  7,319

  9.79

  13,821

  18.49

  Nottinghamshire

  1,032,685

  11,561

  11.20

  23,500

  22.76

  1,032,685

  13,653

  13.22

  24,272

  23.50

  Oxfordshire

  626,233

  5,756

  9.19

  9,606

  15.34

  626,233

  6,114

  9.76

  11,533

  18.42

  Shropshire

  432,383

  3,975

  9.19

  7,060

  16.33

  432,383

  4,117

  9.52

  8,083

  18.69

  Somerset

  493,079

  4,379

  8.88

  8,668

  17.58

  493,079

  4,863

  9.86

  7,645

  15.50

  Staffordshire

  1,060,606

  10,510

  9.91

  19,849

  18.71

  1,060,606

  11,388

  10.74

  19,917

  18.78

  Suffolk

  674,639

  6,391

  9.47

  12,520

  18.56

  674,639

  6,721

  9.96

  11,520

  17.08

  Surrey

  1,078,067

  11,250

  10.44

  12,964

  12.03

  1,078,067

  11,475

  10.64

  13,030

  12.09

  Warwickshire

  507,909

  6,441

  12.68

  8,323

  16.39

  507,909

  7,334

  14.44

  9,465

  18.64

  West Sussex

  760,652

  7,663

  10.07

  16,520

  21.72

  760,652

  7,762

  10.20

  16,204

  21.30

  Wiltshire

  610,326

  6,655

  10.90

  18,854

  30.89

  610,326

  7,068

  11.58

  15,593

  25.55

  Greater London Council

  7,279,038

  141,872

  19.49

  128,803

  17.70

  7,279,038

  145,854

  20.04

  120,814

  16.60

  Greater Manchester

  2,577,040

  35,960

  13.95

  45,416

  17.62

  2,577,040

  38,395

  14.90

  46,809

  18.16

  Merseyside

  1,403,625

  21,669

  15.44

  30,386

  21.65

  1,403,625

  22,779

  16.23

  30,826

  21.96

  South Yorkshire

  1,302,410

  15,714

  12.07

  41,266

  31,68

  1,302,410

  16,122

  12.38

  39,093

  30.02

  Tyne and Wear

  1,108,458

  17,212

  15.53

  31,000

  27.97

  1,108,458

  18,205

  16.42

  35,253

  31.80

  West Midlands

  2,626,505

  36,948

  14.07

  43,144

  16.43

  2,626,505

  38,425

  14.63

  47,930

  18.25

  West Yorkshire

  2,115,380

  22,219

  10.50

  42,860

  20.26

  2,115,380

  22,854

  10.80

  43,124

  20.39

  No County Area

  6,007

  0

  0.00

  1,378

  229.40

  6,007

  0

  0.00

  3,486

  580.32

  Scilly Isles

  2,086

  31

  14.86

  66

  31.64

  2,086

  33

  15.82

  77

  36.91

  1 Population figures as at mid-1999

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Education Funding
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on education funding for Sefton metropolitan council since 1997. [147919]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  For Sefton, SSA has increased from over £106 million in 1997–98 to £132 million in 2001–02. During this period, over £27 million has been allocated to schools capital. In 2001–02 over £12 million has been allocated for other grants, including the Standards Fund and School Standards Grant. Under this Government, funding nationally per pupil has already increased by over £300 in real terms, and it will increase by a further £150 per pupil for 2001–02.

  Miss Kirkbride
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what recent meetings he has had with local education authorities to discuss the level of school funding. [147929]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  My ministerial colleagues and I regularly talk to representatives of LEAs about the level of school funding. In 2001–02, real terms funding per pupil will rise in England by £150, following an increase of £300 since 1997. This contrasts with a cut of £60 per pupil between 1994–97 in real terms.

  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what recent representations he has received(a) from and (b) on behalf of Worcestershire head teachers about the funding of education in the county; and if he will make a statement. [147933]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations about the funding of education in Worcestershire from and on behalf of head teachers in the county. On top of the significant increases that have already been announced for 2001–02, we have made an extra £52 million available to provide 688W
  support to help some local education authorities manage funding changes in 2001–02. Worcestershire will receive £1.35 million as its share of this additional funding, which will help the authority deal with known pressures in advance of the longer term revision of local authority finance.

  Early Years Education
  Valerie Davey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what progress has been made in achieving greater integration between child care and early years education. [147920]

  Ms Hodge
  Bringing together child care and early years education is a vital principle underpinning our approach to this area. It makes sense both for children and for the modern family. We are developing a range of initiatives to support this principle—Sure Start, Early Excellence Centres and the Neighbourhood Reserves Initiatives which all aim to join-up early years education and child care. We will be extending these programmes and setting clear targets for EYDCPs to create new additional integrated placed for young children.

  Mr. Casale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on progress made towards providing nursery education for all three and four-year-olds. [147921]

  Ms Drown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what progress has been made towards providing universal free nursery education for all three and four-year-olds. [147934]

  Ms Hodge
  All four-year-olds have been able to access a free early education place since 1998. By 2004 we will provide a free place for every three-year-old. Recently, we announced the funding for 2001–02, which will enable us to provide 80,000 more free nursery places for three-year-olds as part of the programme of expansion. We are doubling the amount spent on nursery education from £1 billion to £2 billion by 2004.
  689W
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of children in England receive education at(a) three and (b) four years old. [147930]

  Ms Hodge
  Almost 100 per cent. of four-year-olds and 85 per cent. of three-year-olds receive some amount of nursery education each week. All four-year-olds have been able to access a free early education place since 1998. By 2004 we will provide a free place for every three-year-old.

  State Schools (Repairs)
  Dr. George Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to address the backlog of building improvements and replacement required by state schools. [147922]

  Jacqui Smith
  Investment in school buildings over the next three years will total £7.8 billion. This is in addition to over £2 billion being invested in school buildings this year. By 2003–04, this will rise to £3.2 billion a year. This contrasts with the £683 million spent in 1996–97. It means that 650 schools will be completely rebuilt or refurbished; over 7,000 schools will have major repairs; every school will have a share of £1 billion for capital improvements.

  Bett Report
  Mr. Berry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what discussions he has had with the Higher Education Funding Council for England about the implementation of the Bett report on pay in the higher education sector. [147923]

  Mr. Wicks
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave today to my hon. Friend the Member for South Derbyshire (Mr. Todd),Official Report columns 1065–66.

  Act of Worship
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the extent to which collective acts of worship are taking place in school. [147924]

  Jacqui Smith
  Ofsted inspections underpin our commitment that all schools are expected to make provision for a daily act of collective worship. Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools' annual report for 1998–99, published in February 2000, revealed that 94 per cent. of primary schools provide a daily act of collective worship. The report says that in most schools teachers work hard to make collective worship a meaningful experience which provides pupils with a chance to reflect on important issues and builds a sense of community.

  Learning Support/Pupil Referral Units
  Mr. Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what discussions he has had with teacher representatives about the establishment of learning support units and pupil referral units. [147925]

  Jacqui Smith
  We discuss such issues regularly as we meet representatives of the teacher associations about discipline and other issues. We are providing £174 million 690W
  from April to tackle truancy, improve discipline and educate excluded pupils. Schools have welcomed the increased provision and the fact that there are 1,000 more places in PRUs for excluded pupils than in 1997, as well as plans for over 1,000 in-school units by 2002.

  However, it is for local education authorities and the senior management teams of schools between them to decide where best to establish Learning Support Units to meet identified needs. Before opening or closing a Pupil Referral Unit, local education authorities should consult locally, including other Pupil Referral Units and their management committees, which may include headteachers.

  School Places (Southwark)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what estimate he has made of the number of(a) nursery school places for four year-olds, (b) primary school places for five year-olds and (c) secondary school places for 11 year-olds available in the London borough of Southwark in the year 2001–02, and the number of children of each age group during the same year. [147928]

  Mrs. Hodge
  My Department does not collect detailed information on the provision of nursery or school places by local education authorities in England. It is for each local education authority to plan and keep under review the supply of school places so as to ensure there is sufficient provision to meet demand. The School Standards and Framework Act 1998 requires every local education authority to prepare a School Organisation Plan (SOP). The SOP sets out how the authority proposes to deal with surplus or deficits of school provision over a five-year period and sets out the context for proposals for changes in school organisation. Where LEAs can demonstrate insufficient school places to meet future demand they may apply to the Department for capital funding to provide additional places for statutory aged children. The spring 2000 nursery education grant headcount showed in Southwark there were 2,866 four-year-old pupils. The annual school census for January 2000 showed that there were 3,181 pupils aged five in maintained primary schools and 2,040 11 year olds in maintained secondary schools.

  New Deal (Liverpool)
  Mrs. Ellman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of the impact of the New Deal in Liverpool. [147931]

  Ms Jowell
  At the end of November 2000, 12,680 young people in Liverpool had started the New Deal programme. In Liverpool, the programme has helped 5,350 young people move from benefit into work, through the commitment of over 1,400 employers. We know that many more young people will have left the New Deal for jobs without telling the Employment Service: they are not included in these figures.

  In Liverpool the falls in unemployment among the New Deal for Young People client group have also been substantially faster than for other groups. In Liverpool, since April 1998, claimant unemployment among those aged 18–24, unemployed for six months or more, has fallen by 70 per cent. from 3,232 to 952. This compares

  691W
  with a fall of 25 per cent. in total unemployment, 33 per cent. in total youth (18–24) unemployment, and 38 per cent. in the total number unemployed for six months or more.

  Other New Deals are also showing encouraging results. For example, 6,944 people had entered New Deal 25+ at November 2000, with 1,243 having found employment. To the end of October, 2,718 people had participated in New Deal for Lone Parents with 853 moving into employment.

  Teacher Vacancies and Recruitment
  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment he has made of teacher shortages in Buckinghamshire schools. [147932]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The latest figures available show that there were 55 vacancies in maintained nursery, primary, secondary and special schools in Buckinghamshire in January 2000. My Department has received no reports from Buckinghamshire local education authority that would call into question the ability of any school in the county to offer a full timetable to date.

  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what recent meetings he has had with parents of schoolchildren to discuss the number of vacancies in the teaching profession. [147938]

  Mr. Syms
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what recent meetings he has had with teachers to discuss teacher recruitment. [147926]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Epping Forest (Mrs. Laing),Official Report columns 1054–55.

  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the number of vacancies in the teaching profession at the latest date for which figures are available. [147927]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The latest comprehensive figures published by my Department, based on a census of English local authorities taken in January 2000, showed 1,420 vacancies for full-time posts in maintained nursery and primary schools, 1,250 vacancies for full-time posts in secondary schools and 240 vacancies for full-time posts in special schools. The results from two sample surveys of schools in England, undertaken by my Department in the first week of this term, published on 2 February, estimate that there were between 600 and 1,100 vacancies for full-time posts in nursery and primary schools and between 1,300 and 1,600 vacancies for full-time posts in secondary schools.

  New Deal for Disabled People
  Laura Moffatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what progress has been made in developing a national New Deal for Disabled People. [147935]

  Ms Ryan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what progress has been made in developing a national New Deal for Disabled People. [147939]
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  Ms Hodge
  The New Deal for Disabled People is being extended nationally. Building on the lessons of the pilot phase, the extension will see the creation of a network of job brokers who will work closely with both employers and clients to match vacancies against the skills and potential of individuals. An invitation to tender was issued on 27 November and the evaluation of bids from organisations wishing to become job brokers is due to commence shortly. Announcement of successful bidders is planned for early April with the service due to get under way from July 2001.

  Class Sizes (Secondary Schools)
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the average class size is for secondary schools in England. [147936]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The size of the average secondary class in January 1997 was 21.7. The most recent available figure, for January 2000, was 22—around five fewer pupils on average than for primaries. The slight rise is nothing new. The figure was below 20 in 1989, and rose consistently throughout the 90s. The rate of growth has in fact slowed since 1997 as a result of additional Government investment.

  We are delivering our infant class size pledge, including in Lancashire. In the authority in September 2000, just 16 per cent. of pupils were in infant classes of 31 or over. The figure in January 1997 was over 42 per cent.

  Coalfield Communities (Economic Activity)
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on initiatives he has taken to improve economic activity rates in former coalfield communities. [147937]

  Ms Jowell
  We now have action teams for jobs in many of our coalfield areas suffering with the lowest employment rates; Easington Wansbeck, Sunderland, Tyneside, Rotherham and Bamsley and Doncaster are all covered by action teams and there are some early success stories—for example, of the 138 contacts made in Easington, 60 of these have resulted in jobs. In Doncaster, the employment zone offers tailored support to help former mine workers back into work. The New Deal covers all areas of the country including former coalfield areas. By the end of November, it had helped over 269,000 young people off benefit and into work. The new Learning and Skills Council will target support for those people who have been victims of industrial and economic change, and provide the skills and training that people need to find sustainable employment. Matters relating to Wales should be addressed to the Welsh Assembly.

  GCSE Courses
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has to increase the modularisation of GCSE courses. [147940]

  Mr. Wicks
  We have no plans to increase the modularisation of GCSE courses.

  Child Care (Labour Market)
  Caroline Flint
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what impact the expansion in child care and early years services has had on the labour market. [147941]

  Ms Hodge
  Since 1997 there has been an unprecedented expansion of child care places. By September 2000 more than 546,000 children had been helped through the creation of new child care places. Even after regard has been given to places closing when childminders or playgroup workers move on, this still represents new places for 343,000 children.

  It has also led to a large expansion in the number of people working in child care and related occupations in the UK—122,000 since autumn 1997. This is the second fastest growing occupational groups in the UK Labour market, showing how the national child care strategy is producing opportunities for work as well as opportunities for children.

  Employment Zones
  Ms Rosie Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the establishment of employment zones. [147942]

  Ms Jowell
  The 15 employment zones have got off to a very encouraging start and the numbers of people getting and keeping work are exceeding expectations. Individual needs are being met through personal job accounts and strong local leadership. We will in due course evaluate and spread the good practice which emerges.

  Disability Rights Commission
  Mr. Hopkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what assessment has been made of the performance of the Disability Rights Commission. [147915]

  Ms Hodge
  I have regular meetings with the chairman and chief executive of the Disability Rights Commission to review performance. The commission has got off to an excellent start. It is receiving over 1,000 calls a week on its helpline. The Government have asked it to tackle a range of policy issues and it is making good progress in raising public awareness of both the DRC itself and disability issues.

  British Academy
  Mr. Burden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans he has for the provision of grant-in-aid to the British Academy. [149832]

  Mr. Wicks
  Subject to Parliament's approval of the Main Supply Estimates, we intend to allocate to the British Academy a maximum of £36,441,000 for the financial year 2001–02. The level of grant for 2001–02 reflects the outcome of the Government's Spending Review. It takes into account the arrangements for the payment of grant through the academy of the arts and Humanities Research Board for postgraduate awards and 694W
  for those in certain professional and vocational subjects. The grant for 2001–02 fully takes into account the uprating needed to increase maintenance grants for doctoral students. The Arts and Humanities Research Board should increase these grants to a minimum of £7,500 in 2001–02, in line with the Secretary of State's commitment last summer that arts and humanities stipends would be raised in line with those for science, with a minimum level of £9,000 by 2003–04. The grant also includes the additional £750,000 for the British School at Rome.

  Rural Schools
  Mr. Hesford
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the Government's support for rural schools. [148391]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  The Government support rural schools. The White Paper "Our Countryside: The Future—A Fair Deal for Rural England", published in November last year, reinforced our commitment to continue a presumption against the closure of rural schools, invest to improve facilities, and connect all rural schools to the internet by 2002. As a result of our policies, only two rural schools have been approved for closure since August 1999, against a historical average of 30 such closures a year. Many rural schools are also small schools and benefit from the administrative support fund for small schools and the small schools support fund. From April 2001, these standards fund grants will be merged into a single small schools fund worth £80 million.

  Excellence in Cities
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will make a statement on the Excellence in Cities programme. [148534]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Excellence in Cities (EiC) addresses the educational problems of our major cities. It provides new opportunities for gifted and talented children; learning mentors to tackle barriers to learning; learning support units to take disruptive pupils out of the classroom; city learning centres; small education action zones; and more beacon and specialist schools.

  The programme has been running just over a year in the first 25 local education authorities. By September this year, there will be 58 authorities in the programme covering close to a third of all secondary pupils aged 11 to 16. We will also be introducing excellence clusters in seven areas from September which will pilot the EiC approach in areas of deprivation beyond the big cities—such as rural areas and coastal towns.

  Excellence in Cities is already making a real difference. Last year, in the first EiC areas, the percentage of pupils getting five good GSCEs or their equivalent increased by nearly twice as much as it did in other areas. The biggest increases were in the most deprived schools where over half the pupils are entitled to free school meals. In those same areas the numbers of pupils leaving schools with no qualifications fell twice as fast as elsewhere.

  Finally, Excellence in Cities has provided dramatic examples of reductions in exclusions. The whole programme has been widely welcomed by schools and teachers.
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  All this underpins our commitment to a programme which, when fully implemented, will account for over £300 million a year, and will change both the perception and reality of our city schools. A detailed account of the first year of the EiC programme is contained in our publication "Excellence in Cities Report: March 1999 to September 2000" (a copy of which is in the House of Commons Library).

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Burial Charges
  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications for assistance with burial charges have been made to the Social Fund in each of the last five years, and how many have been granted(a) in full and (b) in part; and if he will make a statement. [148321]

  Angela Eagle
  The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.

  1999–2000

  1998–99

  1997–98

  1996–97

  Applications1

  69,730

  72,967

  74,275

  88,169

  Full awards2

  2,665

  3,027

  3,386

  2,805

  Partial awards3

  39,207

  40,838

  41,387

  51,688

  1 The applications column shows all new applications received in the year 1 April to 31 March, including applications subsequently withdrawn.

  2 Awards are those processed in the year 1 April to 31 March. These will include applications received at the end of the previous year but not processed until the year indicated, and will exclude applications received at the end of that year but not processed until the following year. This column includes payments subsequently returned and excludes awards made or altered following a successful appeal.

  3 1995–96 data are not sufficiently reliable to provide a breakdown between full and partial awards.

  Source:

  Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System

  Winter Fuel Payment
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the effect on pensioners' incomes of reducing the winter fuel allowance by £50. [148483]

  Mr. Rooker
  Our reform of the pensions system demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that all pensioners share in the rising prosperity of the country, and to combating pensioner poverty. This year the Winter Fuel Payment is £200. This is double the amount paid last winter, 1999–2000, to qualifying households. The Winter Fuel Payment will continue to play an important role in the fight against fuel poverty and will mean that older people should not have to worry about keeping their homes warm over the winter months. The Winter Fuel Payment, which the hon. Member opposes, has proved to be extremely popular. We shall announce our proposals for this winter in due course in the usual way.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many claims had been made by people living in the Southport constituency for the winter fuel allowance by 26 January; [148591]
  696W
  (2) how many (a) men and (b) women living in the Southport constituency are entitled to receive winter fuel allowance. [148592]

  Mr. Rooker
  Information regarding how many claims were made by 26 January is not available in constituency format and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  The latest information we have is that around 22,500 people in the Southport constituency have already received a Winter Fuel Payment for this winter. Claims are still being received and processed therefore payments continue to be made. This information is not available for men and women separately.

  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if all payments for the winter fuel allowance have been paid; and if he will make a statement. [149479]

  Mr. Rooker
  Around 11 million Winter Fuel Payments have been made in respect of this winter. As promised, all automatic payments, where clear entitlement was established, were made before Christmas. The same applies to payments in respect of successful claims determined by 9 November 2000. Claims continue to be received and processed, therefore payments continue to be made. In the minority of cases where a person's circumstances changed between the qualifying week and the payment week, cases are dealt with clerically.

  Pensions (Expatriates)
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security under what circumstances he will review the regulations surrounding frozen pensions for British citizens who have moved outside the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [149629]

  Mr. Rooker
  UK pensions are paid to anyone who satisfies the qualifying conditions, not just UK nationals. Annual upratings have never been generally paid abroad. The exception is those countries with which we have reciprocal arrangements. We have no plans to change this.

  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the(a) advantages and (b) disadvantages of abolishing the regulations associated with freezing pensions for British citizens who have moved outside the United Kingdom. [149628]

  Mr. Rooker
  To unfreeze fully pensions paid abroad would cost an estimated £300 million a year. This would mean that we would have less to spend on pensioners living in the United Kingdom. Our priority is to focus the resources available on pensioners in the UK, especially those who are in greatest need. There are no plans to unfreeze pensions in countries where upratings are not payable.

  Retirement Benefits
  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many pensioners in Morecambe benefit from(a) the winter fuel allowance, (b) free television licences and (c) the Minimum Income Guarantee. [148969]
  697W
  Mr. Rooker
  For information on Winter Fuel Payments and free television licences, I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Northavon (Mr. Webb) on 31 January 2001,Official Report, column 238W.

  For information on recipients of the Minimum Income Guarantee, I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer I gave on 5 February 2001, Official Report, column 364W.

  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what public expenditure on pensions including Winter Fuel Payments and Free Television Licences was at the end of the{a) 1996–97, (b) 2000–01 and (c) 1999–2000 financial years; [148975]

  (2) how much has been spent on the provision of State Pensions, including Winter Fuel Payments and Free Television Licences from 1997 to date. [149083]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is in the table.

  £ million cash terms

  1996–97

  1999–2000

  2000–01

  Retirement Pension

  31,995

  37,726

  38,745

  Non-contributory Retirement Pension

  30

  28

  27

  Winter Fuel Payments

  0

  902

  1,701

  Income Support/Minimum Income Guarantee

  3,815

  3,812

  4,082

  Social Fund

  41

  26

  29

  Christmas Bonus

  111

  106

  107

  Non-contributory Christmas Bonus

  15

  16

  17

  Concessionary TV licences

  0

  0

  346

  Total

  40,808

  47,774

  50,248

  Notes:

  1. Consistent with Social Security benefit expenditure totals published in the pre-Budget report, November 2000, and in Departmental Reports for earlier years.

  2. Winter Fuel Payments were introduced in the winter of 1997–98.

  3. The Free Television Licence scheme began in November 2000, and is administered by TV Licensing for the BBC.

  4. Any household where a person is aged 75 or over is entitled to a free TV Licence.

  5. State Pension Age is currently age 60 for women and age 65 for men.

  6. Men and women aged 60 and over are entitled to Winter Fuel Payments. The amount is £200 per household.

  7. The figures provided relate to Income Support/MIG/Social Fund for men and women aged 60 or over.

  8. The figures quoted for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit are assuming a qualifying condition based on age, ie 60 for women and age 65 for men.

  9. Christmas Bonus is paid mainly to pensioners but includes other categories of claimants. It is paid with pensions and Income Support to people over pension age.

  Fraud (Morecambe and Lunesdale)
  Miss Geraldine Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he has taken to reduce(a) benefit fraud and (b) housing benefit fraud in Morecambe and Lunesdale. [148965]

  Mr. Rooker
  After years of neglect, we are getting to grips with Social Security fraud. We are implementing a strategy to tighten up the system and make sure that from the very first claim, the right benefits are going to the right people at the right time. We have set ourselves firm targets to reduce the losses from fraud and error in Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance by 25 per cent. by March 2004, and 50 per cent. by March 2006.
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  We have saved more than £150 million over two years by cross-checking departmental records with information from other Government Departments. More than 22,000 people were sanctioned or prosecuted in 1999–2000, an increase of nearly 60 per cent. on the previous year. We published figures last November which showed that losses from fraud and error in Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance had fallen for the first time, a saving of around £60 million.

  We continue to invest to help local authorities root out Housing Benefit fraud. We have provided over £100 million since 1998 so that local authorities can implement the verification framework which protects the gateway to benefit by setting out minimum standards for collecting evidence before claims are paid. Over 350 councils are now using the Royal Mail scheme to stop benefit cheques being redirected from the address they have been claimed for.

  Our £2 million programme to make better use of IT has given 404 local authorities on-line access to essential benefit information held on departmental systems, reducing the scope for fraud and error. We are now building on this through the integrated inquiry service, which will give authorities access to further information to help combat fraud, including the Department's database of National Insurance numbers. Our new anti-fraud incentive scheme is being phased in from April and will make the gateway to Housing Benefit more secure, putting the focus on prevention as well as detection. The new scheme sets out the anti-fraud activities we expect local authorities to undertake, and it introduces new financial rewards for authorities that act to prevent fraud from happening in the first place.

  These are just some of the measures that have already started to make a significant reduction in fraud and error in areas such as Morecambe and Lunesdale. These will be further strengthened by the new measures proposed in the Social Security Fraud Bill currently before Parliament.

  Minimum Income Guarantee
  Mr. Swinney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people(a) are eligible to claim and (b) claim the Minimum Income Guarantee in each parliamentary constituency in Scotland. [149591]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available is in the table.

  Income Support (MIG) pensioner cases1 by Scottish parliamentary constituency, as at August 2000

  Thousand

  Parliamentary constituency

  Number of cases

  Aberdeen Central

  2.2

  Aberdeen North

  1.7

  Aberdeen South

  1.8

  Airdrie and Shotts

  2.4

  Angus

  2.5

  Argyll and Bute

  2.4

  Ayr

  2.4

  Banff and Buchan

  2.3

  Caithness Sunderland and Easter Ross

  1.6

  Carrick Cumnock and Doon Valley

  2.8

  Central Fife

  2.1

  Clydebank and Milngavie

  2.4

  Clydesbank

  2.9

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  Income Support (MIG) pensioner cases1 by Scottish parliamentary constituency, as at August 2000

  Thousand

  Parliamentary constituency

  Number of cases

  Coatbridge and Chryston

  3.0

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  1.9

  Cunninghame North

  2.5

  Cunninghame South

  2.0

  Dumbarton

  2.6

  Dumfries

  2.3

  Dundee East

  3.4

  Dundee West

  2.9

  Dunfermline East

  1.9

  Dunfermline West

  1.3

  East Kilbride

  1.8

  East Lothian

  2.0

  Eastwood

  1.5

  Edinburgh Central

  2.0

  Edinburgh East and Musselburgh

  2.7

  Edinburgh North and Leigh

  2.1

  Edinburgh Pentlands

  1.5

  Edinburgh South

  2.3

  Edinburgh West

  1.4

  Falkirk East

  2.3

  Falkirk West

  2.6

  Galloway and Upper Nithsdale

  2.4

  Glasgow Anniesland

  3.7

  Glasgow Baillieston

  3.2

  Glasgow Cathcart

  2.5

  Glasgow Govan

  3.0

  Glasgow Kelvin

  2.9

  Glasgow Maryhill

  4.4

  Glasgow Pollok

  3.4

  Glasgow Rutherglen

  3.0

  Glasgow Shettleston

  4.7

  Glasgow Springburn

  4.4

  Gordon

  1.2

  Greenock and Inverclyde

  2.6

  Hamilton North and Bellshill

  2.3

  Hamilton South

  2.4

  Inverness East Nairn and Lochaber

  2.1

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  3.2

  Kirkcaldy

  2.0

  Linlithgow

  2.0

  Livingston

  2.2

  Midlothian

  1.5

  Moray

  2.0

  Motherwell and Wishaw

  3.0

  North East Fife

  1.5

  North Tayside

  2.0

  Ochil

  1.6

  Orkney and Shetland

  1.0

  Paisley North

  2.7

  Paisley South

  2.7

  Perth

  2.1

  Ross Skye and Inverness West

  2.4

  Roxburgh and Berwickshire

  1.8

  Stirling

  1.8

  Strathkelvin and Bearsden

  2.0

  Tweeddale Ettrick and Lauderdale

  1.5

  West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine

  1.3

  West Renfrewshire

  1.9

  Western Isles

  1.7

  1 MIG Pensioners are defined where the claimant and/or partner are aged 60 or over.

  Notes:

  1. Figures are based on a 5 per cent. sample and are therefore subject to a degree of sampling error.

  2. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundered are expressed in thousand.
  700W
  3. Cases are allocated to each parliamentary constituency by matching the postcode against the 2000 version 1 ONS Postcode Directory.

  4. Constituency information represents constituency boundaries as at May 1997. Numbers of people eligible to claim Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) are not available. It is not possible to produce reliable estimates for different parts of Great Britain.

  Source:

  Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, August 2000

  State Pension
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of increasing the basic state pension to £92 for a single person and £138 for a couple, taking into account(a) savings in regard to (i) the minimum income guarantee and (ii) other benefits payable to pensioners and (b) the consequent increases in receipts of tax revenue. [147606]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 6 February 2001]: The information is in the table.

  Cost of increasing the basic state pension to £92 for a single person and £138 for a couple

  Year 2001–02

  £ billion

  Gross total

  8.4

  Minimum Income Guarantee savings

  1.8

  Other income related benefit savings

  1

  Total income related benefit savings

  0.8

  Tax yield

  0.8

  Total net cost

  5.8

  Notes:

  1. All costs are given in £ billion to the nearest £100 million.

  2. Gross costs are estimated by the Government Actuary's Department.

  3. Income related benefits savings are estimated using the Policy Simulation Model.

  4. The tax effects are estimated by the Inland Revenue.

  5. Costs are given excluding widows and bereavement benefits whose rates are linked by law to the rate of basic Retirement Pension. Including them adds £200 million to the net costs.

  Press Releases
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many press releases were issued by his Department in the financial years(a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99 and (d) 1999–2000; how many have been issued in the current financial year; and what his estimate is of the total number for the current financial year. [149246]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is in the table.

  1997

  1998

  1999

  2000

  DSS

  291

  311

  270

  411

  Benefits Agency (BA)

  60

  42

  48

  —

  Contributions Agency (CA)

  50

  10

  3

  —

  Child Support Agency (CSA)

  10

  4

  —

  —

  Notes:

  1. The information given for the year 2000 includes all Press Releases issued on behalf of the Department and its agencies.

  2. The production of Press Releases runs from January to December. To date we have issued 55 in the year 2001. It is not possible to estimate the number we will issue for the whole year.

  3. In April 2000 the BA and CSA Press Offices merged with the DSS team and consequently all Press Releases are now categorised as DSS.

  Self-assessment Tax Returns: Electronic Filing
  Self-assessment Tax Returns: Electronic Filing
  Written Answers: Reference to Published Documents
  Written Answers: Reference to Published Documents
  Speaker's Committee: Minister for Local Government and the Regions
  Speaker's Committee: Minister for Local Government and the Regions
  State Pension Cost Forecasts
  State Pension Cost Forecasts
  State Pension: Current Liability
  State Pension: Current Liability
  Postal Services Commission: Social and Environmental Guidance
  Postal Services Commission: Social and Environmental Guidance
  Northern Ireland: RUC and Prison Service Officers' Pensions
  Northern Ireland: RUC and Prison Service Officers' Pensions
  Northern Ireland: Illegal Arms Prosecutions
  Northern Ireland: Illegal Arms Prosecutions
  Northern Ireland: Arms Decommissioning by IRA
  Northern Ireland: Arms Decommissioning by IRA
  Northern Ireland: Terrorist Incidents
  Northern Ireland: Terrorist Incidents
  Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission: Recommendations
  Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission: Recommendations
  Ms Inez McCormack
  Ms Inez McCormack
  Factortame Litigation: Settlement
  Factortame Litigation: Settlement
  Zimbabwe: UK Funding
  Zimbabwe: UK Funding
  Turkey: Alleged Mistreatment of Prisoners
  Turkey: Alleged Mistreatment of Prisoners