Written Answers of 25 January 2001

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Diamond Synchrotron Project
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many representations he has received on the removal of the diamond synchrotron project from Daresbury to Oxford since 1 April 2000. [145205]

  Ms Hewitt
  Since 1 April 2000, my Department has received 52 letters relating to the location of the diamond project.

  Sub-post Offices
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what analysis he has undertaken of the reasons given by those in charge of sub-post offices for resigning from their posts in the last five years; and to what extent(a) the level of remuneration and (b) the perceived complexity of modern post office technology are factors in such decisions. [146945]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  The Post Office conducts research on the reasons for resignation of sub-postmasters. That research is not undertaken to a regular timetable and therefore does not provide comparable data. Historical research on sub-postmaster resignations is not available.

  However, internal Post Office research from exit interviews with sub-postmasters has been conducted in the last six months. Of the sample of sub-postmasters interviewed, 9 per cent. cited financial viability of the outlet and 6 per cent. cited computerisation of the post office network as the reasons for resignation.

  Export Licences
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many visits the Export Control Organisation's Compliance Unit made to exporters to examine records held with regard to open individuals export licences in(a) 1997, (b) 1998 and (c) 1999, indicating the number of visits to each exporter. [146654]

  Dr. Howells
  The number of visits made by the Export Control Organisation's Compliance Unit are set out in the table:

  Year

  Number of compliance visits

  1997

  371

  1998

  388

  1999

  477

  The totals include visits to a small proportion of exporters who do not hold Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs), but are required to keep records as part of their usage of Open General Export Licences (OGELs).
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  Information regarding the number of visits made to each exporter is not easily accessible and it would, therefore, entail disproportionate cost to establish the number of visits made to each company.

  The Export Control Organisation's Compliance Unit visits exporters who hold Open Individual Export Licences (OIELs) on a regular basis. Where the exporter holds a licence for military list and certain dual-use goods it is normal practice to undertake such a visit yearly. For holders of licences for other dual-use goods, visits would normally take place every second year.

  Science Funding (North-west)
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will make an announcement concerning the submission made by John Moores University and TTL concerning its telescope project. [146855]

  Ms Hewitt
  The report of the North-West Science and Daresbury Development Group is being given careful consideration. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry will be meeting the group shortly to discuss its recommendations. The contents of the report will be made public in due course.

  Huntingdon Life Sciences
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent contacts his Department has had with the Royal Bank of Scotland over Huntingdon Life Sciences. [146418]

  Mr. Byers
  [holding answer 22 January 2001]We have kept in close contact with all the relevant parties and welcome the agreement arrived at on 20 January.

  Royal Mail Redirection Service
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with Royal Mail regarding the redirection service to overseas addresses; and if he will make a statement. [146613]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  [holding answer 23 January 2001]I have had no discussions with Royal Mail concerning the redirection service to overseas addresses. This is an operational matter for the Post Office.

  Car Technologies
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultations he has held with his ministerial colleagues on promoting initiatives to make use of the United Kingdom's expertise in motor sport and related technologies to develop improvements to reduce the environmental impact of future production cars. [146909]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  HMG maintain a close working relationship with the Motorsport Industry Association (MIA) on a range of issues to enhance the competitiveness of the UK motorsport industry, including the exploitation of related technologies. DTI Ministers and officials continue regular contacts with the major vehicle manufacturers, SMMT and DETR to look at ways of reducing the environmental impact of motor vehicles without reducing the UK's industrial competitiveness. In addition, the DTI-led Foresight Vehicle programme is the
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  UK's national automotive R&D programme which is supporting collaborative R&D in a range of areas including environmental performance (emissions, fuel efficiency, lightweighting and telematics), enhanced safety and lean manufacturing.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Sudan
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions he has had with the Government in Khartoum concerning Sudan's acceptance of an IMF audit for oil resources. [146828]

  Clare Short
  We have had no discussions with the Government in Khartoum about the IMF asking for an audit of oil resources. However, we continue to press for transparency in Government revenues and expenditures in Sudan, as does the IMF.

  NDPBs
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what directions overriding a note of dissent by an accounting officer have been given by the boards of non-departmental public bodies within her Department since May 1997. [147067]

  Clare Short
  There have been no such directions.

DEFENCE

  Depleted Uranium
  Mr. Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he intends to publish the commentary clarifying his Department's position on the risks of depleted uranium and certain of his Department's documents recently quoted by the media. [147737]

  Mr. Hoon
  The Ministry of Defence is today publishing a paper entitled "Depleted Uranium—Documents explaining the Ministry of Defence position on the risks and health hazards". This demonstrates the Ministry of Defence's determination to be open and transparent on the matter. Copies of the paper are being placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply of 15 January 2000,Official Report, column 144W, on depleted uranium, what units cleared Devil Dog dragoon range after the discharge of depleted uranium rounds in 1991; and if the personnel involved were warned of hazards deriving from the passage of depleted uranium rounds into compacted sand berms. [147016]

  Mr. Spellar
  The contemporary (March 1991) official UK file on training areas and ranges contains a detailed note on the condition of Devil Dog dragoon ranges at that time, including that the clearance of the ranges was to be undertaken by the United States Marine Corps.

  Although personnel of 49 Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Squadron Royal Engineers and 221 EOD Company Royal Army Ordnance Corps (RAOC) were deployed to Devil Dog dragoon ranges in January 1991,
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  this was for the provision of routine EOD cover during 1(UK) Division training, and not for any subsequent clearance of the ranges (although 221 Company destroyed a number of undetonated munitions on the Ranges in January 1991).

  Although the deployment of EOD personnel to these ranges was not solely or specifically connected to the use of DU munitions, 221 Company would have been issued with the 14 January 1991 RAOC Technical Ammunition Bulletin, a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House in February 1998. This provided safety procedures for those involved in clearance of DU from any range areas.

  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the methods used to contain, clean up and immobilise depleted uranium particles fragmented by the test firing of depleted uranium shells at Eskmeals. [145286]

  Mr. Spellar
  Depleted Uranium (DU) Charm projectiles were fired into a semi-enclosed butt at VJ Battery on the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) range Eskmeals (formerly part of the Ministry of Defence's Directorate of Proof and Experimental Establishments) during the period between March 1981 and September 1995 when firing ceased. The methods used to contain, clean up and immobilise depleted uranium particles fragmented by the test firing of such shells were in accordance with statutory regulations and were by the best practical means possible following consultation with the Health and Safety Executive. The Environment Agency was also kept informed of these measures throughout the period of the butt's use.

  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many depleted uranium rounds have been discharged at the range in West Freugh, Wigtownshire; in which years since 1971; and at what targets. [145929]

  Mr. Spellar
  During 1998 and 1990, 100 and 215 rounds of depleted uranium ammunition respectively were fired into Luce Bay at the, now, Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) range, West Freugh. These were part of experimental firings to examine the ricochet effects of ammunitions from Goalkeeper and Phalanx following first water impact. The ammunition was not fired at targets.

  Meteor Missile
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Joint Strike Fighter will be able to carry the meteor missile internally. [143329]

  Dr. Moonie
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence to my hon. Friend the Member for Wellingborough (Mr. Stinchcombe) on 17 January 2001,Official Report, columns 226–28W.

  The future weapons strategy for a UK JSF is still being developed. JSF would allow for the internal and external carriage of a range of air-to-air and air-to-surface weapons, including those meeting UK-specific requirements. In the case of Meteor, modifications would be needed for the missile to be carried internally.

  Porton Down
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research(a) his Department and (b) the chemical defence establishment, Porton Down, has carried out to compare the number of individuals exposed to nerve agent in experiments with the numbers exposed to these same chemicals in the military experimental programmes of other countries. [146691]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Chemical and Biological Defence Sector of DERA at Porton Down has not undertaken any detailed comparison of the numbers of individuals exposed to nerve agents in the course of the Service Volunteer Programme and of those exposed to nerve agents in the military trials programmes of other countries. The number possibly exposed in the UK programme was 3,400.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 14 December 2000,Official Report, column 223W, on Porton Down volunteers, if his Department will compile reports on the nerve agent studies involving volunteers as part of the research to establish the definitive numbers. [146688]

  Dr. Moonie
  Yes, we intend to identify the numbers of volunteers involved in each of the studies conducted at Porton Down. It is our intention to publish the findings.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) for what reasons the chemical defence establishment, Porton Down, initiated the survey of the health of service volunteers exposed to nerve agents reported in the document "A long-term follow-up of volunteers exposed to GB sarin (CDE Technical Note 175)" in July 1973; [146689]

  (2) if he will place in the Public Record Office a copy of the document "A long-term follow-up of volunteers exposed to GB sarin (CDE Technical Note 175)". [146690]

  Dr. Moonie
  CDE Technical Note 175 (TN 175) was published in July 1973 and was the second of three similar studies. (The other two were TN 120 published in February 1972 and TN 1010 published in August 1989). The work which led to CDE Technical Note 175 was a small scale study initiated by staff at Porton Down. This was intended to identify any long term health effect of single exposure to nerve agents during the volunteer programme. An examination of the medical records of individuals exposed to nerve agents during the remainder of their time in service indicated no increased incidence of ill health in comparison to a control group.

  I have arranged for a copy of the document to which the hon. Member refers together with TN 120 to be placed in the Library of the House (TN 1010 was placed in the Library in December 2000). Consideration as to whether or not the document should be placed in the Public Records Office will be given under the terms of the Public Records Acts 1958 and 1967.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service volunteers were tested with the oripavine derivative TL 2636 by staff of the chemical defence establishment, Porton Down, and in what years; for what reasons the tests were(a) started and (b) ended; what the results of these tests were how many technical papers recording the results of these tests have been produced by Porton Down staff; and what research has
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  been carried out by his Department to establish the long-term effects of this chemical on the health of individuals. [146687]

  Dr. Moonie
  The Service Volunteer Programme at the Chemical and Biological Defence Sector of DERA at Porton Down has undertaken research with the oripavine derivative TL 2636 as an incapacitating agent, part of which has involved service volunteers. The results of this aspect of research are collated in two formal technical papers, one of which covers the period between August 1961 and November 1963 and the second which details a particular trial in January 1968. However, there are several other technical papers which discuss different aspects of the research programme pertaining to this compound.

  The volunteer studies were undertaken because there was concern that this or similar compounds may be deployed against the UK armed forces to cause temporary incapacitation. A total of 141 service volunteers were involved in these studies which concluded that oripavine had the potential to cause both physical and mental incapacitation.

  To date no long-term follow-up studies have been undertaken, however TL 2636 is a member of the same group of drugs as morphine which has been used clinically for many years. The current evidence suggests that following single, acute doses of such compounds there are no significant long-term effects on health.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many scientific procedures on animals were carried out at Porton Down in each of the last five years. [146461]

  Dr. Moonie
  The table shows the number of procedures for the last five years which have been reported to the Home Office by the Chemical and Biological Defence Sector of the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) at Porton Down.

  Total

  1995

  8,747

  1996

  11,097

  1997

  10,956

  1998

  11,091

  1999

  11,501

  DERA
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what decisions his Department has made regarding intellectual property rights which will(a) be transferred

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  to the privatised DERA and (b) stay with the retained DERA; if he will list them; how many intellectual property rights are still to be decided upon; and if he will make a statement. [146454]

  Dr. Moonie
  I refer my hon. Friend to the announcement my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence made in the House on 24 July 2000,Official Report, columns 778–79, about our intention to proceed with the implementation of the Core Competence model for the DERA public-private partnership. Under Core Competence, around three-quarters of the current DERA organisations will be turned into a company, referred to as NewDERA. For strategic reasons, the remainder will be retained within the Ministry of Defence to carry out functions that could not appropriately be transferred to the private sector. This part will be known as the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory.

  As part of the PPP implementation process, we are currently carrying out a major programme to identify intellectual property rights within those elements of DERA that will form the new company. This programme is not yet complete, so no list is available. It is our intention that IPR owned by MOD that was developed within those areas of DERA that will form NewDERA should be transferred to the new company. This in essence would mean that NewDERA would be in the same position as it would have been had it been an industry contractor for research and technology work. The balance of MOD-owned IPR currently held by DERA will remain with DSTL.

  We are committed to ensuring that NewDERA will have access only to that IPR which it has a right to and is necessary for its continuing business with MOD. Use of third party intellectual property by NewDERA will be subject to contractual constraints involving the owner where required.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the staff budget for DERA is; and what proportion of that budget is allocated for expenditure in Scotland. [147012]

  Dr. Moonie
  The DERA staff budget for the financial year 1999–2000 was £355.3 million of which some 2.7 per cent. was in respect of expenditure in Scotland.

  Training (Altcar)
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) regular forces, (b) reserves and (c) cadets have used the reserve forces training camp at Altcar, Hightown, Merseyside in each of the last 10 years; and what training is provided there. [146946]

  Mr. Spellar
  The facilities at Altcar offer a variety of training, including skill at arms training, specialised individual and collective training (including nuclear, biological and chemical and fighting in built up areas) and fitness training.

  In terms of usage, the Ministry of Defence collects data on the numbers of personnel occupying bed spaces and the numbers who actually fire on the ranges. This information is shown in the tables.
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  Numbers occupying overnight accommodation at Altcar training camp

  Year

  Regular army

  Other services

  TA

  Cadets

  Total

  1991

  13,146

  1,842

  32,196

  21,146

  68,330

  1992

  12,347

  947

  32,419

  24,141

  69,854

  1993

  10,172

  470

  35,177

  25,968

  71,787

  1994

  5,416

  8,211

  31,565

  19,422

  64,614

  1995

  5,626

  3,647

  27,510

  27,783

  64,566

  1996

  3,967

  812

  31,076

  22,837

  58,692

  1997

  1,737

  468

  27,789

  23,153

  53,147

  1998

  12,062

  1,479

  29,762

  19,122

  62,425

  1999

  13,293

  650

  26,893

  34,084

  74,920

  2000

  14,619

  100

  32,211

  31,441

  78,371

  Numbers involved in firing on the ranges

  Year

  Outdoor range number of firers

  Indoor range number of firers

  1991

  28,341

  2,299

  1992

  33,989

  2,412

  1993

  39,865

  2,675

  1994

  24,032

  3,113

  1995

  27,378

  2,025

  1996

  24,623

  1,903

  1997

  20,437

  1,084

  1998

  22,486

  1,598

  1999

  18,581

  3,091

  2000

  11,712

  1,825

  My hon. Friend should note that those occupying overnight accommodation do not necessarily participate in firing on the ranges. Similarly, those participating in firing do not all stay at the camp overnight.

  Haslar Hospital
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what factors underlay his Department's decision to relocate the facilities at Haslar to Queen Alexandra, Southampton and Selly Oak hospitals; what the overall cost is of these changes; and if he will make a statement. [146604]

  Dr. Moonie
  The judgment was made in 1998 that the Royal Hospital Haslar would not remain viable as a stand-alone military hospital as it did not have the case mix and volume of patients to support the training accreditation required for Service medical personnel. Following an internal review the decision was taken to close Haslar and to open a MOD Hospital Unit at the Queen Alexandra hospital in order to retain a military medical presence in the Portsmouth area. In parallel, it was decided to establish a Centre for Defence Medicine (CDM) to provide a strong professional focus for Defence medicine. After competition, the University Hospital Birmingham NHS Trust, which embraces the Queen Elizabeth hospital and the Selly Oak hospital, was selected as our principal partner in the CDM, and as such, it will play an important part in the running of this important academic, teaching, and clinical centre. There are no plans to relocate any facilities from Haslar to Southampton.

  It has been the practice of successive Governments to withhold detailed financial planning assumptions (under exemption 2 of the Code of Practice of Access to Government Information). In broad order terms, however, we estimate that over the next four years (our formal

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  planning period) establishing and developing the Centre for Defence Medicine—including the move of Royal Defence Medical College functions—and preparing for the move from Haslar to Cosham will cost about £30 million in additional running costs and capital expenditure. It is not yet certain, however, whether all the capital expenditure will need to be incurred. The annual running costs of the Centre for Defence Medicine will be more than offset by the savings at Haslar and Royal Defence Medical College once the transition is complete.

  Thermobaric Weapons
  Mr. Horam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research is being undertaken into thermobaric weapons at Fort Halstead; and if he will make a statement on the development of these weapons in the UK. [146626]

  Dr. Moonie
  I have nothing to add to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Sevenoaks (Mr. Fallon) on 15 January 2001,Official Report, column 44W.

  Maritime Graves
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what external legal advice he is taking on measures available in international law to protect the sites of maritime graves; and if he will make a statement. [146442]

  Dr. Moonie
  From time to time my officials meet academics and other experts in international Maritime Law.

  Most recently they have had discussions with Mr. Mike Williams, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Wolverhampton, Nick Gaskell, Professor of Maritime and Commercial Law, University of Southampton and Dr. Sarah Dromgoole, Senior Lecturer in Law, University of Leicester. The international and domestic aspects of the protection of military remains and the law of salvage were discussed on both occasions.

  These discussions form part of the wider consultation process that I referred to during the Adjournment Debate, on 1 November 2000, Official Report, columns 243–50WH.

  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Mr. Mackinlay) on 23 January 2001, Official Report, columns 535–36W.

  Employment (Scotland)
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of each of Her Majesty's Forces are stationed in Scotland; how many civilians are employed by his Department in Scotland; and what the projected figures are in each case for(a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03. [146173]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 22 January 2001]I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Perth (Ms Cunningham) on 15 January 2000,Official Report, column 46W.

  The latest data available for civilian personnel levels indicate that as of 1 December 2000, the Ministry of Defence employed 9,464 personnel in Scotland.

  Projected figures for service personnel are not available at this time. I shall write to the hon. Member with details of these projections as soon as they are available.
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  The Ministry of Defence does not produce projected employment statistics for civilian personnel.

  Iraq
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the circumstances surrounding an attack on Samawa, Iraq, on Saturday 20 January; how many people were killed; and what damage there was to buildings. [147182]

  Mr. Hoon
  On Saturday 20 January coalition aircraft conducting humanitarian patrols of the Iraqi no fly zones, were subjected to repeated attacks from Saddam Hussein's forces, including multiple attacks by surface-to-air missiles as well as anti-aircraft artillery. Faced with these immediate threats to their safety, coalition forces responded in self-defence against Iraq's Integrated Air Defence System.

  We are aware of Iraqi claims that civilian facilities were hit and casualties caused by this action. While it is impossible categorically to disprove Iraqi allegations, painstaking battle damage assessment indicates that all weapons released hit their intended military targets, and that there was no damage to any Iraqi civilian facilities. Baghdad's claims, as ever, should be treated with the utmost caution. We know that Iraq systematically claims that military personnel injured or killed in such incidents are civilian. Iraq claims also that targets have been bombed when no weapons have been released.

  Commercial Exploitation Levy
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the countries which are exempted from the commercial exploitation levy, indicating the reason in each case. [146069]

  Dr. Moonie
  There are no countries exempted from the payment of the Commercial Exploitation Levy, although there is a reciprocal arrangement in place with the US which allows, under certain circumstances, waiver of levy.

  Sierra Leone
  Mr. Duncan Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role the UK military personnel will play in the deployment of UNAMSIL peacekeepers to the RUF-controlled areas of Sierra Leone. [146481]

  Mr. Hoon
  There are currently 15 UK military personnel serving as observers with UNAMSIL, and seven serving as Staff Officers within the Headquarters of UNAMSIL including the Chief of Staff. It is a matter for the UN Force Commander to decide on their involvement in any UNAMSIL deployments, although ultimately, the Commander of the UK contingent may overrule a decision concerning the deployment of UK personnel, as may those of other countries over their nationals.

  Medical Staff
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the non-availability of his Department's medical staff is reflected in the funds provided for medical support; on what basis staff in a medically downgraded category can participate in military operations; and if he will make a statement. [146601]
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  Dr. Moonie
  As a result of the Strategic Defence Review additional funds were allocated for medical equipment and medical personnel. Further funding has recently been made available over the current and next financial years specifically to provide expedited medical treatment to personnel in shortage categories so that they can be returned to deployability more quickly.

  The deployment of personnel with medically downgraded categories on military operations is considered on a case-by-case basis. Personnel, with for example, conditions that can be controlled by medication or other intervention may be unable to undertake unrestricted operational military service, but may be suitable for duties in supporting roles.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Tony Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if Her Majesty's Government will forthwith cease to deploy the Trident weapons system on the basis that it is illegal. [147189]

  Mr. Hoon
  No. The Government remain confident that our entirely defensive minimum nuclear deterrent is consistent with international law.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Ethnic Minorities
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates he has held minority ethnic press receptions; and which publications and programmes were represented. [146677]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  [holding answer 23 January 2001]I have not hosted a reception exclusively for the minority ethnic press. Representatives of the minority ethnic press are regularly invited to social events hosted by me and my Ministerial team.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the UK ethnic minority publications to which his Department subscribes, indicating the editors and producers he has consulted more than once in the last year. [146676]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  [holding answer 23 January 2001]This information will take some time to collate. I will write to my hon. Friend shortly and place copies of the letter in the Libraries of the House.

  Belize
  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is at issue between the British High Commission in Belize and Belize Telecom; and if he will make a statement. [146919]

  Mr. Battle
  Belize Telecommunications Ltd. has advised the British High Commission in Belmopan that it considers the latter's actions in using and circulating information about call-back services to be illegal and has pointed out that in their view they are not therefore obliged to maintain telephone services to the High Commission. On the basis of legal advice taken, we disagree.
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  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contact there has been between Interoute (UK) Ltd. and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; and if he will make a statement. [146820]

  Mr. Battle
  None directly. Interoute forwarded its promotional leaflets to the High Commission in Belmopan. The High Commission circulated them as part of its normal activities in support of UK business, and informed Interoute of this action.

  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what savings to public funds have been made through the use by the British High Commission in Belize of a telephone call-back system; and if he will make a statement. [146817]

  Mr. Battle
  We do not hold figures for the total saving to date. But the use of call-back services reduces the cost to the High Commission of a one minute telephone call to the UK from approximately £2.04 to £0.61, representing a saving of 70 per cent.

  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent correspondence he has received from the Chairman of Belize Telecoms; and if he will make a statement. [146818]

  Mr. Battle
  The Secretary of State has received no correspondence from the Chairman of Belize Telecommunications Ltd. The British High Commission in Belmopan received three letters from Belize Telecommunications. All three were signed by the Chairman of the company.

  Ministerial Visits (Korea)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which Ministers from his Department have visited(a) North Korea and (b) South Korea since May 1997, indicating the dates of the visits. [146638]

  Mr. Battle
  No Foreign Office Ministers have visited North Korea. There have been five ministerial visits to South Korea since 1997. Derek Fatchett visited in November 1997, July 1998 and April 1999. I visited in April 2000, and the Foreign Secretary in October 2000.

  Foreign Language Learning
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what support his Department gives to hon. Members to learn foreign languages; and if he will make a statement. [146730]

  Mr. Hain
  We welcome any initiatives hon. Members may decide to take to improve their foreign language skills. The FCO maintains a dedicated foreign language training Centre to support the operational requirements of the FCO. The expertise of the centre is available to all Government Departments on a full economic cost recovery basis through FCO Services. Hon. Members will be welcome to use the services of the Diplomatic Service Language Centre in the context of initiatives the Centre is taking to operate in wider markets. The charging basis will be the same. The House of Commons Library has been sent copies of the Centre's Guide to Services.

  Recruitment Policy
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he takes to ensure his policy regarding the placing of recruitment advertisements for posts in his Department is applied to the Irish ethnic press on the same basis as other ethnic minorities; and on what date his recruitment policy was last subjected to a PAFT analysis. [146979]

  Mr. Hain
  I refer my hon. Friend to the replies given to him on 14 December 2000,Official Report, columns 228–30W.

  On advice from the former Fair Employment Commission in Northern Ireland we advertise all but the most junior posts in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office through the Belfast Telegraph. FCO Recruitment policy is subject to the Civil Service Commissioner's Recruitment Code and will not be designated for the purposes of Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998, which has replaced the Policy Appraisal and Fair Treatment (PAFT).

  The Recruitment Code sets out the requirement that recruitment to the Civil Service must follow the principle of selection on merit on the basis of fair and open competition. Government Departments are audited by the Commissioners to ensure they comply with the Code. The Commissioner's audited the FCO Recruitment Section in February 2000 and noted that recruitment was carried out in a professional and efficient manner.

  Democratic Republic of Congo
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his UN counterparts about the imposition of a UN arms embargo in the Democratic Republic of Congo. [146832]

  Mr. Hain
  While the possibility of a UN arms embargo on the DRC has not been discussed in the UN Security Council in recent months, the conflict in the DRC is a major focus of concern for the Council as this matter remains under review.

  The UK fully implements and enforces the EU arms embargo on the DRC, which has been in place since January 1993. We are currently discussing with EU colleagues the case for widening the scope of this embargo.

  Child Labour
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 10 December 1997,Official Report, column 577W, on child labour, what progress has been made with the monitoring of child jockeys being sold into employment in the United Arab Emirates. [146753]

  Mr. Hain
  I share the hon. Member's concern about this issue. I have personally raised these concerns with the United Arab Emirates Authorities, most recently during my visit to Abu Dhabi and Dubai last year. We continue to monitor the situation.

  UN Compensation Fund
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list payments authorised by the UN Compensation Fund since 1 January 1998 indicating the payees, the amounts concerned, the reasons for the payment, the total amounts authorised for payment by the Fund since its inception and the total amount of remaining outstanding claims. [147217]

  Mr. Hain
  The total payments authorised since the inception of the UN Compensation Fund to those who suffered losses as a result of Iraq's illegal invasion of Kuwait in 1990 are $32.2 billion (December 2000). For the more detailed breakdown which the hon. Gentleman has requested I refer him to the website of the UN Compensation Commission at www.unoq.ch/uncc.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Tony Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the United Kingdom Government have taken to implement the judgment of the International Court of Justice in 1995 in regard to the legality of the threat or use of nuclear weapons. [147188]

  Mr. Vaz
  None. We do not believe that the 1996 Advisory Opinion of the International Court of Justice imposed any new disarmament obligations on the United Kingdom or that it required either a change in our entirely defensive nuclear deterrence policy or in the NATO doctrine of collective self defence.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Class Sizes
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what the average size of class taught by one teacher was in(a) primary and (b) secondary schools in East Sussex for each year from 1990 to the latest year for which figures are available. [146695]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  [holding answer 23 January 2001]The information requested is shown in the table.

  Class size data were recently published in a Statistical Bulletin, "Class Sizes and Pupil Teacher Ratios in England 2000" on 20 December 2000, copies of which are available from the Library, or alternatively can be accessed from the Department for Education and Employment statistical website www.dfee.gov.uk/statistics. Figures from this release show that in September 2000, there were just 30,000 infants in classes of over 30 compared with 485,000 in January 1998. Just 2 per cent. of infants are now in such classes compared with 29 per cent. in January 1998.

  January 2000 saw a fall in the size of the average junior class in England; and a continuing fall in the size of the average primary class, after rising for a decade. The size of the average secondary class nationally, at 22, is still five below the average primary class. Secondary headteachers are receiving an average of £50,000 this year in direct grant to spend as they choose. If this were spent on recruiting teachers, the average secondary class size could be reduced by up to 0.8.
  667W

  Average class size in maintained primary and secondary schools in East Sussex—January 1990–2000

  East Sussex1

  Brighton2

  East Sussex3

  Maintained primary

  Maintained primary

  Maintained primary

  Year

  Key stage 1

  All classes

  Maintained secondary

  Key stage 1

  All classes

  Maintained secondary

  Key stage 1

  All classes

  Maintained secondary

  2000

  3—

  3—

  3—

  27.3

  28.2

  22.3

  26.1

  28.2

  22.1

  1999

  3—

  3—

  3—

  28.0

  28.5

  22.0

  27.5

  28.7

  22.1

  1998

  3—

  3—

  3—

  28.5

  28.6

  22.3

  27.3

  28.3

  21.4

  1997

  27.9

  28.2

  20.1

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  1996

  27.4

  27.7

  21.0

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  1995

  4—

  27.5

  21.3

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  1994

  4—

  27.4

  21.1

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  1993

  4—

  27.1

  21.4

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  1992

  4—

  26.9

  21.4

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  1991

  4—

  26.6

  22.1

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  1990

  4—

  26.0

  22.1

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  3—

  1 Before local government re-organisation

  2 After local government re-organisation

  3 Not applicable

  4 Not available

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Statutes
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many statutes enacted prior to(a) 1997, (b) 1995 and (c) 1990 have sections which have not yet come into force. [146237]

  Mr. Lock
  The information requested is not immediately available and cannot at present be provided other than at disproportionate cost.

  Departmental Policies (Slough)
  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Slough constituency, the effects on Slough of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [146934]

  Jane Kennedy
  The Department has approved eight schemes to improve security, facilities for the disabled and general accommodation at Slough magistrates court. The cost of these schemes was approximately £180,000.

  The Slough Community Legal Service Partnership (CLSP) is one of 160 CLSPs throughout England and Wales. Throughout the constituency 12 solicitors firms and two Not For Profit organisations have been awarded contracts. The following organisations have received funding amounting to the contract value of £633,950.58:

  lough CAB/LAW Unit (NFP), SL1 1PL—deals with housing and welfare benefits.

  Slough Shelter (NFP), SL1 2DJ—deals with housing.

  Asghar & Co. (Solicitor), SL1 1EE—deals with family and immigration.

  Barrett & Thomson (Solicitor), SL1 1TQ—deals with family and personal injury.

  Chambers Solicitors (Solicitors), SL1 1JE—deals with family, welfare benefits, debt, consumer and general contract, immigration and housing.

  Fort & Co. (Solicitors), SL2 1JF—deals with family.

  Ghai & Co. (Solicitors), SL1 2EJ—deals with family.

  Harris & Cartwright (Solicitors), SL1 2DX—deals with family, personal injury, clinical negligence.

  668W

  Hetherington & Co. (Solicitors), SL1 1TX—deals with family and immigration.

  Iliffes Booth Bennett (Solicitors), SL1 1DN—deals with family welfare benefits, housing.

  J. R. Hobbs & Co. (Solicitors), SL1 1DH—deals with family.

  John Francis & Co. (Solicitors), SL1 1JQ—deals with family.

  Kidd Rapinet (Solicitors), SL1 1EL—deals with family and personal injury.

  Martin Murray & Associates (Solicitors), SL1 1EL—deals with family and personal injury.

  All the organisations listed here are holders of the CLS Quality Mark at Specialist Level.

  Shelter also offers General Help for Welfare Benefits. A further seven organisations in Slough have applied for (or committed to apply for) the CLS Quality Mark at General Help with casework level. These areas are
  Actions Against the Police, Asylum Seekers/Refugees casework, Community Care, Consumer & General Contract, Debt, Disability—casework, Employment, Family, Housing, Immigration & Nationality, Mental Health, Personal Injury, Older People—casework, Race Equlity—casework, Welfare Benefits, Young People—casework.

  A further four organisations in Slough have applied for (or are committed to apply for) the CLS Quality Mark at General Help level in areas including:
  Community Care, Consumer & General Contract, Debt, Employment, Education, Family, Housing, Immigration & Nationality, Mental Health, Public Law, Welfare Benefits.

  One Organisation that offers Mediation services in Slough is listed in the CLS Directory.

  Four organisations in Slough have applied for (or are committed to apply for) the CLS Quality Mark at Assisted Information level.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Regional Development Agencies
  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will provide a list of offices maintained by the regional development
  669W
  agencies outside England; when they were opened; how many staff are employed in each; and what the cost is to each. [145727]

  Ms Armstrong
  [holding answer 16 January 2001]The table sets out the offices currently maintained by the Regional Development Agencies outside England, with details of when they were opened, how many staff are employed in each and what the annual cost is to each.

  RDA/ Office location

  Opened

  Number of employees

  Annual cost to RDAs

  Other comments

  Yorkshire Forward:

  Asia Pacific

  1983

  2 full time

  £130,000

  Japan

  North West Development Agency:

  Asia Pacific

  Late 1980s

  2 part time

  £50,000

  Also have Marketing Agents since 1993 operating in Taiwan

  Japan

  (£20,000)

  Advantage West Midlands:

  Europe

  November 2000

  6 full time

  £170,000

  Brussels office is a joint office with West Midlands Local

  Brussels

  Government Association, Higher Education and others. The total cost is £500,000. Also have one rep in Germany since September 2000, that incurs salary costs only of £80,000.

  Asia Pacific

  One part time rep in Taiwan since April 1998, incurring salary costs only of £40,000; two part time agents in Korea since April 1996, incurring salary costs only of £20,000. From January 2001 six month contract for one rep in Australia incurring salary costs of £65,000.

  East of England Development Agency:

  Europe

  Contribute 4 per cent, of total cost of office to East of England European Partnership Office in Brussels. The office is sponsored by local authorities and the seven TECS in the region. EEDA's contribution is £12,000.

  North America

  East of England Investment Agency, who carry out inward investment on behalf of EEDA, have a number of strategic alliances overseas, but at negligible cost. There is one part time marketing agent in the USA at an annual cost of £5,000.

  East Midlands Development Agency:

  North America

  January 1998-September 2000

  1 full time

  £90,000 to September 2000

  From October 2000, became a collaborative office with West Midlands.

  Europe

  Also have two part time agents operating in Germany, incurring salary costs of £28,000

  Asia Pacific

  One part time agent in Taiwan, incurring salary costs of £35,000. Two part time agents in Korea, incurring salary costs of £15,000.

  South East of England Development Agency:

  Europe

  September 2000

  1 full time

  £50,000

  Collaborative office with South east local authorities.

  Brussels

  South West of England Regional Development Agency:

  Asia Pacific

  1990

  3 full time

  Japan

  North America

  1£174,000

  Also have five staff working from their homes in Sonoma California, Chicago, and Boston. The total cost of American and Japanese operations is £565,000 (£391,000 from public and private sector partners)

  670W
  Some of the offices predate the RDAs and have been inherited by the inward investment arm of the RDAs.

  The table also shows details of other overseas inward investment activity undertaken by RDAs that is being delivered via appointed representatives or marketing agents, which do not incur office costs. Partnership and collaborative working means that the funding from RDAs is greatly enhanced and achieves improved value for money.
  671W

  RDA/ Office location

  Opened

  Number of employees

  Annual cost to RDAs

  Other comments

  One North East:

  Asia Pacific

  Japan

  1974

  2 full time

  £200,000

  Korea

  1990

  1 × 0.5

  £30,000

  Taiwan

  1989

  1 full time

  £45,000

  Total

  £275,000

  North of England Collaborative Office:

  North America (Chicago, Boston3, Atlanta, West Coast3)

  October 2000

  15 full time (projected)

  £500,000

  Joint operation between; One North East, North West Development Agency and Yorkshire Forward Official Launch February 2001. Total cost of the Collaborative Office is £1 million. 50 per cent, of costs come from other public and private sector funding. Balance met equally between the three RDAs. Operations in Boston and Altanta predate the establishment of the Collaborative Office

  Midlands Collaborative US Office:

  North America

  4 full time

  £330,000

  Chicago

  October 2000

  Joint operation between East and West Midlands.

  San Diego

  October 2000

  Cost is shared 50:50 to each RDA—includes UK seconded staff

  Pittsburgh

  May 1992

  costs

  Midlands Collaborative Japanese Office:

  Asia Pacific

  1997

  2 full time

  £200,000

  As above

  Japan

  1 part time

  London First Centre:

  Please note that London First Centre are a private company limited by guarantee and they carry out inward investment promotion on behalf of London Development Agency.

  Asia Pacific

  No overseas offices, however do use consultants/agents in selected locations.

  0.5 of two people in Taiwan since 1998, cost £22,500.

  0.5 of one person in Korea since 1998, cost £7,500.

  North America

  Two agents in USA since 1996, cost £165,000.

  1 Combined cost of American and Japanese operations

  Planning Applications
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will list the planning applications for housing development in England on greenfield sites(a) which he has called in and (b) for which he has issued a holding direction since 7 March 2000, indicating the location, number of houses and area of land involved; [146075]

  (2) if he will list the planning applications notified to him under the Town and Country Planning (Residential Development on Greenfield Land) (England) Directive 2000, indicating the location and number of houses and area of land involved in each case; [146074]

  Planning applications for housing development on greenfield sites in England

  Site, location and Government Office Region

  Size of site (hectares)

  Number of dwellings

  Departure

  Greenfield Land Direction

  Holding Direction

  Called-in

  Government Office North West

  Higher Lane, Liverpool

  4.2

  168

  Yes

  Yes

  Greensbridge Lane, Knowsley

  8.6

  1250

  Yes

  Tollemache Road, Wirral

  2.6

  1100

  Yes

  Cambridge Road, Sefton

  0.1

  2

  Yes

  Lawton Hall, Congleton

  5.5

  32

  Yes

  Yes

  Larch Road, Hyndburn

  1

  Yes

  Manor School, St. Helens

  0.7

  25

  Yes

  672W
  (3) if he will list the planning applications for housing development in England, involving green field sites, which have been referred to him as departure applications since 7 March 2000 and provide details of the number of homes and area of land involved in each case. [146073]

  Mr. Raynsford
  [holding answer 18 January 2001]: The information is set out in the table. The list of planning applications is based on information supplied to the Department by local authorities. Assumptions have had to be made about particular applications in order to present the information in the form sought. The information provided should not be taken as the definitive view of the Secretary of State for the purposes of decision-making.
  673W

  Planning applications for housing development on greenfield sites in England

  Site, location and Government Office Region

  Size of site (hectares)

  Number of dwellings

  Departure

  Greenfield Land Direction

  Holding Direction

  Called-in

  Woodlands Farm, Ellesmere Port

  1

  Yes

  Danebank, Vale Royal

  0.9

  16

  Yes

  Woodfold Farm, Ribble Valley

  1

  34

  Yes

  Yes

  Yes

  Radcliffe Paper Mill, Bury

  9

  288

  Yes

  Whinney Carr Farm, Lancaster

  17.8

  535

  Yes

  Yes

  2—

  Whittingham Hospital, Preston

  28

  950

  Yes

  Paddock Lane, Trafford

  0.2

  5

  Yes

  Government Office West Midlands

  Lambert Cottage, Ash Magna, Shropshire

  1

  Yes

  Yes

  Heathcote Home Farm, Warwick (Mid and Gen)

  3.7

  103

  Yes

  Heathcote Home, Farm, Warwick (McLean H)

  3.4

  127

  Yes

  Blackhorse Road, Bedworth

  5.9

  1116

  Yes

  Bridgetown, Stratford on Avon

  20

  1500

  Yes

  Old Farm House, Craven Arms, Shropshire

  1

  Yes

  Silver Street, Walsall

  9

  1270

  Yes

  Newford Valley/Norton Colliery, Stoke on Trent

  42.7

  1500

  Yes

  Bishopton Lane, Stratford and land to SW of Birmingham Road, Stratford

  11.8

  1175

  Yes

  Park Farm Developments, Cannock

  9.8

  1425

  Yes

  2—

  Bilton Road, Rugby

  8.1

  1215

  Yes

  2—

  New Century Park, Coventry

  6.2

  1194

  Yes

  2—

  Government Office Yorkshire and the Humber

  Weatherhill Road, Lindley, Kirklees

  10.5

  315

  Yes

  Yes

  Willowgarth Farm, Whinmoor, Leeds

  17

  1350

  Yes

  Weeland Road, Eggborough, Selby

  3

  74

  Yes

  Yes

  Common Lane, East Ardsley, Leeds

  0.1

  3

  Yes

  Osmondthorpe Lane, Leeds

  1.5

  70

  Yes

  Mansfield Road, Aston, Rotherham

  7

  199

  Yes

  Yes

  Thorpe Hesley, Rotherham

  67

  11,000

  Yes

  Yes

  Yes

  Government Office for the East of England

  Winston Churchill Drive, Kings Lynn

  21.9

  548

  Yes

  Station Road, Watlington, Norfolk

  5

  1150

  Yes

  Aldham Mill Hill, Hadleigh, Suffolk

  8.9

  1220

  Yes

  Land North West of Soham, Cambridgeshire

  12.5

  225

  Yes

  Land off Sackvylle Street, Debenham, Suffolk

  4.3

  100

  Yes

  Off Bell Road, Bottisham, Cambridgeshire

  0.8

  14

  Yes

  East of England Showground, Peterborough

  11

  1300

  Yes

  Yes

  Yes

  Land off Fifth Avenue, Harlow

  6.9

  1200

  Yes

  Great Totham Road and Junction of Witham Road/Church Road, Wickham Bishops, Essex

  2.2

  26

  Yes

  Municipal College Playing Fields, Lifstan Way, Southend-on-Sea

  3.7

  180

  Yes

  Land off Brompton Close, Luton

  0.4

  112

  Yes

  Black Fan Road, Welwyn Garden City

  2.5

  77

  Yes

  Former allotment land, rear of Mill Road, St. Ippolyts, Hitchin

  0.5

  9

  Yes

  Government Office North East

  East of Lesbury House, Lesbury

  1.5

  14

  Yes

  Redcar and Cleveland College, Redcar

  2.5

  60

  Yes

  Springwell Road, Sunderland

  7.4

  222

  Yes

  St. George's Hospital, Morpeth

  13.2

  1150

  Yes

  Yes

  2—

  Roseberry Square, Redcar

  14

  560

  Yes

  Government Office South East

  Slade Farm, Bicester, Cherwell

  0.6

  31

  Yes

  North Binfields, Old Basing, Basingstoke

  26.7

  326

  Yes

  Pye Land, Selsey, Chichester

  6

  1200

  Yes

  Singleton Hill, Ashford

  13.5

  1450

  Yes

  Singleton Hill, Ashford

  5.6

  1250

  Yes

  Appletree Farm, Ifield, Crawley

  5.6

  175

  Yes

  Tally Ho Farm, Winkfield

  1

  Yes

  Lynch Gate House, Sandhurst

  0.4

  5

  Yes

  Salisbury Road, Hungerford

  2.3

  50

  Yes

  Abbey Park, Faversham

  10.5

  180

  Yes

  Yes

  Yes

  Cow Lane, Cosham, Portsmouth

  0.3

  8

  Yes

  Holt Lane, Hook, Hampshire

  28

  285

  Yes

  North Whiteley, Fareham

  10.3

  180

  Yes

  East of Botley Road, Fareham

  2.6

  22

  Yes

  Land at Hoadswood, Hastings

  5.16

  81

  Yes

  674W 675W

  Planning applications for housing development on greenfield sites in England

  Site, location and Government Office Region

  Size of site (hectares)

  Number of dwellings

  Departure

  Greenfield Land Direction

  Holding Direction

  Called-in

  Government Office East Midlands

  Moss Drive, Bramcote, Nottingham

  1.2

  5

  Yes

  Yes

  Yes

  Dale Close, Chesterfield Road, Mansfield

  1.3

  139

  Yes

  Talbot Road, Manton, Worksop

  0.8

  60

  Yes

  Birchwood Lane, South Normanton

  6.1

  140

  Yes

  Yes

  2—

  Ashtree Farm/Morledge Farm, Matlock

  9

  280

  Yes

  Yes

  Pewit Golf Course, West End Drive, Ilkeston

  6

  150

  Yes

  Yes

  2—

  Markham Works, Chesterfield

  6

  250

  Yes

  Avonmouth Drive, Derby

  6.5

  234

  Yes

  Ashover House, Malthouse Lane, Chesterfield

  0.1

  17

  Yes

  Woolstitch Farm, Netherseal, Derbyshire

  1.9

  11

  Yes

  Yes

  Yes

  Eureka Road, Swadlincote, Derbyshire

  2.6

  53

  Yes

  Bretby Country Club, Bretby, Derbyshire

  0.8

  5

  Yes

  Yes

  Yes

  Fleckney Road, Kibworth, Leicestershire

  18

  300

  Yes

  Yes

  2—

  Newark Road, South Hykeham, Lincolnshire

  4.1

  73

  Yes

  Yes

  2—

  Weston, Lincolnshire

  14.4

  276

  Yes

  Yes

  Yes

  Bedford Road, Northampton

  7.1

  24

  Yes

  Bourne, Lincolnshire

  115

  2,000

  Yes

  Yes

  Desborough, Northamptonshire

  26

  450

  Yes

  Yes

  Yes

  Torksey, Lincolnshire

  3.7

  27

  Yes

  Bedford Road., Northampton

  6.8

  1204

  Yes

  Yes

  Pineham North, Northampton

  20

  350

  Yes

  Yes

  Ripingale, Lincolnshire

  1.4

  29

  Yes

  Yes

  Naseby, Northamptonshire

  0.2

  5

  Yes

  Yes

  Government Office South West

  Crossways, Dorchester

  4.8

  150

  Yes

  Yes

  Betton Way, Moretonhampstead

  4.7

  1150

  Yes

  Yes

  Shaftesbury Lane, Blandford

  4.9

  1140

  Yes

  Oakfield, Tiverton

  9.2

  160

  Yes

  Old Hill, Helston, Cornwall

  0.9

  2

  Yes

  Ocotal Way, Swindon

  3.6

  145

  Yes

  Yes

  Haydon Road, Swindon

  260

  15,500

  Yes

  St. George's, Weston-super-Mare

  13.5

  501

  Yes

  Mintons & Bruton Way, Chard

  3.7

  1130

  Yes

  Middle Hill, Crewkerne

  5.7

  76

  Yes

  Holton Heath, Wareham

  93

  1,350

  Yes

  1 Estimated number of dwellings

  2 Decision from Secretary of State pending

  Notes:

  Column 1: Sites are those which are predominantly greenfield (i.e. not previously-developed as defined in Annex C of Planning Policy Guidance note 3 Housing) wherever located.

  Column 2: Site size includes only those areas proposed for housing and directly associated uses

  Column 4: Notified to the Secretary of State since 7 March 2000 in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Development Plans and Consultation) (Departures) Directions 1999.

  Column 5: Notified to the Secretary of State in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Residential Development on Greenfield Land) (England) Direction 2000.

  Column 6: Direction made since 7 March 2000 restricting the grant of permission in exercise of the Secretary of State's powers under Article 14 of the Town and Country Planning (General Development Procedure) Order 1995.

  Column 7: Planning application called in since 7 March 2000 for the Secretary of State's own decision under section 77 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions which organisations, political parties and individuals have, since 23 October 2000, made representations to(a) the planning inspectorate, (b) the Government office for the north west and (c) his Department on PNW/5290/219/32, about the proposed demolition of Blackburn House, Clifton Drive, North St. Annes and the erection of 26 dwellings with associated car parking and landscaping. [147219]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Other than correspondence from the right hon. Member for Fylde and a telephone call from the applicants to the Government office for the north west we are not aware of any further representations since the 23 October 2000.
  676W
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the reasons for the release of planning decision PNW/5290/219/32 to the public before copies of the decision were received by the participants. [147220]

  Mr. Raynsford
  Normal practice is to post the decision letter to the applicant and all other parties who appeared at the public inquiry into the proposals, or asked to be notified of the decision, on the same day. It is also normal practice to notify the media at the same time as the other parties. However, I understand in this case due to an administrative error, the local media were notified of the decision electronically on the day the decision letter was posted. We are taking steps to prevent such an error being repeated.

  Executive Agency Visits (Costs)
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what hourly rate is charged to business for visits by the(a) HSE and (b) Environment Agency. [146380]

  Mr. Meacher
  The hourly rates charged to business to ensure adequate management of the risks created by their operations are for inspection and safety case assessment by:

  (a) the HSE: for inspections of sites covered by the Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations (COMAH)—£104; for Railways Infrastructure—£115; and for Offshore Installations—£116.

  (b) the Environment Agency: for environmental inspection and safety case assessment under COMAH—£104; for processing staged applications under the Integrated Pollution Control and for regulating radioactive waste disposal—£107.

  The rates recover the full economic costs of these functions.

  Departmental Surveys
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list for(a) 1992–93, (b) 1993–94, (c) 1994–95, (d) 1995–96, (e) 1996–97, (f) 1997–98, (g) 1998–99, (h) 1999–2000 and (i) 2000–01, (I) his Department's total spending on quantitative and qualitative surveys of policy issues by focus groups, opinion polling, task forces or other means and (II) the cost of each individual project. [146596]

  Mr. Hill
  In line with modernising government principles, my Department actively canvasses outside views on its main policies. Where public opinion research is used it is subject to the usual strict rules that spending must represent good value for money and must not be used for party political purposes. The results of research are made widely available. However, information on each project is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Stunell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he plans to publish the consultation paper on the management and disposal of nuclear waste; and if he will make a statement. [146733]

  Mr. Meacher
  Radioactive wastes should be managed in ways that protect the safety of the public, the work force and the environment, now and in the future. This is a complex issue and the UK Government and the Devolved Administrations will publish a consultation paper setting out detailed proposals as soon as they are ready. This will begin the process leading to the implementation of a radioactive waste management policy that can attract widespread support across the UK.

  Carbon Trust
  Sir Sydney Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will publish the names of the selection panel who will finalise the long list for the appointment of the Chief Executive of the Carbon Trust; [146907]
  678W
  (2) when he expects to announce the names of the chairman and members of the board of the Carbon Trust. [146908]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 24 January 2001]A sift panel met on 15 January to prepare a long list of candidates for the post of Chief Executive Officer of the Carbon Trust. The panel included two representatives of the Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment, who have been working with Government on the design and constitution of the Carbon Trust.

  The members of the panel were:

  Ian Stephenson of Johnson Matthey, Chairman of the ACBE Climate Change Working Group;

  Iain Alexander, an ACBE secondee to the DETR from KPMG;

  Phillip Ward, Director of Energy, Environment and Waste Directorate, DETR; and

  John Smith of Succession Planning Associates, the Department's executive recruitment consultants.

  The Government intend to announce the chairman of the Carbon Trust shortly, and we expect the chairman to make proposals on the Trust's membership and the board as soon as possible thereafter.

  Ilminster By-pass
  Paddy Ashdown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what his estimate is of the number of(a) accidents, (b) injury accidents and (c) fatalities on the A303 Ilminster by-pass in each year from 1990, including 2001 to date; and if he will make a statement. [145956]

  Mr. Hill
  The following table shows the number of injury accidents and fatalities between 1990 and 2000. Figures for 2001 are unavailable and total accident numbers are not available, since damage-only accidents are not reported to the police.

  Accidents on the A303 Ilminster by-pass1: 1999–2000

  Accidents/casualties

  Year

  Injury2 accidents

  Fatal casualties

  1990

  8

  1

  1991

  4

  1

  1992

  4

  0

  1993

  4

  0

  1994

  2

  0

  1995

  1

  0

  1996

  6

  0

  1997

  12

  0

  1998

  5

  1

  1999

  7

  1

  20003

  9

  0

  1 Stretch of the A303 between the junctions with the A358 (Chard) and South Petherton

  2 All accidents in which one or more person was killed or injured

  3 Provisional data—subject to change

  Millennium Dome
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what independent valuations of the Millennium Dome have been undertaken on his behalf; and what constraints have been identified in the report which would affect the sale value of the land. [147177]
  679W
  Ms Armstrong
  A pre-sale valuation of the dome site has been undertaken in the context of the competition to identify a sustainable long-term use for the dome. The Government estimate of the financial value of the site, and the issues affecting that value, are commercially confidential while the process to secure a buyer continues.

  Urban Regeneration
  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will provide details of the budgets of each of the RDAs for funding urban regeneration projects in(a) the current and (b) the next financial year. [147236]

  Ms Armstrong
  Urban regeneration projects are included in both the Land and Property Programme and Single Regeneration Budget run by the RDAs. In 2000–01 this element of their approved budgets is as follows:

  £ million

  One NorthEast

  129.2

  Northwest Development Agency

  165.3

  Yorkshire Forward

  156.3

  East Midlands Development Agency

  53.7

  Advantage West Midlands

  104.1

  East of England Development Agency

  22.4

  South East Development Agency

  64.6

  South West Development Agency

  72.9

  London Development Agency

  275.7

  Total

  1,044.2

  We have not yet approved budgets for the RDAs for 2001–02.

  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) if he will make a statement about the participation of SEEDA in the next round of SRB bids; [147238]

  (2) which RDAs will not be participating in the next round of SRB bids. [147239]

  Ms Armstrong
  As already announced by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister the Single Regeneration Budget will be brought into the Regional Development Agencies' (RDAs) Single Budget from April 2002. Detailed arrangements for the transitional year 2001–02 are being considered and an announcement will be made very shortly. All RDAs, including SEEDA, will be invited to administer these arrangements.

  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what his policy is on meeting the shortfall caused by RDAs overspending on urban regeneration projects. [147237]

  Ms Armstrong
  There is no reason to believe that any RDA's approved overall budget for 2000–01 is being overspent. I have allocated an extra £60 million of current resources to the RDAs for funding existing Single Regeneration Budget partnerships, but this is met by an equal reduction in SRB capital expenditure.

  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what budget was 680W
  allocated for the current financial year by SEEDA for regeneration projects, how much has been spent to date; and how much remains unspent. [147235]

  Ms Armstrong
  Within South East Development Agency's (SEEDA) approved budget for 2000–01, £67.3 million has been allocated to three main regeneration programmes: Rural Development, Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) and Land and Property. SEEDA reports that £24.0 million has been spent to date leaving up to £43.3 million to be spent, a very large proportion of which is committed.

  Railways (Speed Restrictions)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many speed restrictions were in place on the railways during the weeks commencing(a) 8 January and (b) 15 January; and if he will make a statement. [147010]

  Mr. Hill
  On 8 January there were 446 speed restrictions on the rail network which were due to gauge corner cracking. On 15 January there were 421.

  Train Certification
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many trains are awaiting certification; how long he estimates it will take to certify these trains; what the procedure is; and what factors have delayed the process of certification. [147011]

  Mr. Hill
  The entry of 750 new vehicles (circa 200 trains) into passenger service has been delayed. These are gradually being introduced on to the network and about half should be in service during the first six months of the year.

  The introduction of new trains has in part been delayed by the rigorous safety approvals process which is required before any passenger train enters service. There have also been a number of technical difficulties which have needed to be remedied. These have only come to light when the new trains have been operating.

  The safety certification process (owned by Railtrack) requires operators, in conjunction with manufacturers, to submit requests for safety approval at various stages of the design, manufacture and testing of a new train with a view to allowing the trains to enter full passenger service.

  NATS
  Mr. Syms
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he expects negotiations on a suitable strategic partner for the National Air Traffic Service to be concluded. [147144]

  Mr. Mullin
  I refer the hon. Member for Poole to my reply given to the hon. Member for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (Mr. Moore) on 9 November 2000,Official Report, column 346W. I stated that subject to passage of the Transport Bill, the Government's firm intention was to have the PPP in place in the spring of 2001. The Transport Bill received Royal Assent in November 2000 and the Government's firm intention remains to have the PPP in place in the spring of 2001.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Local Council Elections
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he plans to announce the date of the local council elections in Northern Ireland. [147138]

  Mr. George Howarth
  Section 11 of the Electoral Law Act (Northern Ireland) 1962 as amended by the Electoral Law (Northern Ireland) Order 1972 states that there shall be Local Government Elections every 4 years. The Local Elections (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 states that the election day referred to in that section of the 1962 Act will be "the third Wednesday in May".

  RUC (Retirements)
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many police officers in Northern Ireland of the rank of superintendent and above have indicated that they will retire in(a) December 2000, (b) January 2001, (c) February 2001 and (d) March 2001, broken down by rank. [141939]

  Mr. Ingram
  The figures shown in the following table illustrate the number of officers at the rank of superintendent and above who have left or are expected to leave the Royal Ulster Constabulary under the terms of the voluntary early retirement/severance scheme in the period between December 2000 and March 2001.

  Rank

  Assistant Chief Constable

  Chief Superintendent

  Superintendent

  December 2000

  0

  0

  0

  January 2001

  0

  8

  18

  February 2001

  0

  6

  7

  March 2001

  1

  7

  5

  Total

  1

  21

  30

  To date, no officers of the rank of Superintendent or above have either left the RUC under ordinary or medical retirements during this period or indicated an intention to do so.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

  Departmental Policies (Slough)
  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Solicitor-General if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Slough constituency, the effects on Slough of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [146937]

  The Solicitor-General
  My hon. Friend's constituency falls within the geographical area covered by the Thames Valley Area of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). In November 1999, in line with national policy, this area of the CPS, in liaison with the police and East Berkshire magistrates court, introduced the Narey proposals. All defendants charged with a criminal offence in the East Berkshire areas should make their first appearance before Slough magistrates court within 72 hours. This is in line with the Government's policy of speeding up and 682W
  modernising the criminal justice system. The CPS holds no statistical information in relation to the Slough area alone.

  On 1 April 2001, the Berkshire Branch of Thames Valley CPS will finalise its structure in line with proposals in the Glidewell Review. This represents a policy of more effective working between the police and prosecutors. A trial unit based in Reading will deal with serious crime at Reading Crown court. The CPS has set a goal the better handling of serious cases, in the interests of justice and the victims.

  The CPS, together with other agencies, has been working to speed up youth justice, particularly persistent young offenders. All cases involving youth offenders in East Berkshire are now dealt with at one court centre in Maidenhead. The time taken for persistent youth cases has fallen from 145 days in 1997 to 97 days in the third quarter of 2000.

  As a member of the Thames Valley Area Criminal Justice Strategy Committee, the CPS has been working to improve its response to the prosecution of racially aggravated offences. In May 2000 the Chief Crown Prosecutor addressed a conference held in Slough to launch the Report of the Committee's Race Sub-Group entitled, 'Race and Criminal Justice', to explain how the CPS approached prosecuting such cases. The CPS holds no statistical information which relates to the Slough area alone.

  Neither the Treasury Solicitor's Department nor the Serious Fraud Office has policies which directly affect my hon. Friend's constituency.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Pensioner Incomes
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much it would cost a pensioner to purchase an annuity that provides an income covering the gap between the basic pension and the minimum income guarantee at current annuity rates for(a) a single man and (b) a single woman. [146351]

  Mr. Rooker
  The answer would depend upon the relative movement in future years between the value of the basic State Pension and of the minimum income guarantee, as well as upon detailed decisions on the form of the pension credit which will replace the minimum income guarantee, about which we are currently consulting.

  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate (1) the number of additional retirement pensioners who will become eligible to receive Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit in consequence of the measures announced in 2000; [145113]

  (2) the average additional income which retirement pensioners will be eligible to receive in April in consequence of the most recent changes (a) to the Minimum Income Guarantee, (b) Housing Benefit and (c) Council Tax Benefit, distinguishing between (i) single pensioners and pensioner couples and (ii) pensioners already in receipt of benefits and pensioners newly entitled to benefits; [145114]
  683W
  (3) the number of additional retirement pensioners who will become eligible to receive the Minimum Income Guarantee in April in consequence of the measures announced in 2000, distinguishing between the effects of the increases in income and capital limits. [145112]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 15 January 2001]As a result of all the measures announced in 2000 (increase in capital limits, equalisation of the three rates of the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) and protection of the retirement pension increase), the additional number of pensioners and pensioner couples estimated to receive the MIG is 100,000. The total number to benefit from the capital limits change across the three income-related benefits is estimated to be 500,000. The additional number who will receive MIG in 2001 as a result of the capital limits change is estimated to be 50,000.

  The number of additional pensioners and pensioner couples who will receive Council Tax Benefit as a result of all the measures announced in 2000 is estimated to be 50,000. The additional number estimated to receive Housing Benefit is negligible from the survey data.

  Average additional income which retirement pensioners are modelled to receive, for newly entitled and existing cases as a result of the measures announced in 2000

  £ per week

  Benefit

  Newly entitled

  Existing

  Minimum Income Guarantee

  14.00

  3.50

  Housing Benefit

  6.00

  1.50

  Council Tax Benefit

  1.50

  0.50

  Notes:

  1. The figures provided have been calculated using the Policy Simulation Model (PSM). This models the benefit system in 2001–02 and is based on data from the Family Resource Survey (FRS) for 1997–98, uprated to 2001 prices.

  2. The effect of earnings uprating the MIG has not been included. The latest changes to the MIG assume equalisation and protection of the rise in the retirement pension only.

  3. Figures for floaters are due to capital changes have come from the PSM and are therefore based on data from the FRS. The FRS questions relating to assets and savings are a sensitive section of the questionnaire and have the lowest response rate; Capital holdings are often under reported. Therefore figures should be treated with some caution.

  4. Figures for floaters and gainers have been calibrated to administrative records and historical take up assumptions. Floaters have been rounded to the nearest 50,000 cases. For average gains the figures have been rounded to the nearest £0.50.

  Winter Fuel Payments
  Mr. Sarwar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will extend payment of the winter fuel allowance to adults below the age of 60 years who are housebound through disability. [146267]

  Mr. Rooker
  There are no plans to extend the Winter Fuel Payment scheme.

  Free Television Licence
  Dr. Whitehead
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of pensioners entitled to receive a free television licence from November 2000 have not yet received one because of difficulties in reconciling data on entitlement between his Department and the Television Licensing Authority. [146467]

  Mr. Rooker
  The information is not available.

  Departmental Policies (Slough)
  Fiona Mactaggart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Slough constituency, the effects on Slough of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [146936]

  Mr. Rooker
  The Department's policies and initiatives have made a significant contribution to our overall objectives of:

  Eradicating child poverty in 20 years, and halving it within 10;

  Promoting work as the best form of welfare for people of working age while protecting the position of those in greatest need; and,

  Combating poverty and promoting security and independence in retirement for today's and tomorrow's pensioners.

  These goals are being pursued nationwide and our achievements are set out in our annual "Opportunity for all reports". Our second report, "Opportunity for all—One year on: making a difference" (Cm4865, September 2000) sets out what progress has been made in the past year, as well as highlighting what more needs to be done. Nationwide statistical information is necessarily more complete than constituency level data, but the following information provides a comparative guide to the effect of the Department's policies and actions in Slough since May 1997.

  We are spending an additional £7 billion a year on support for families and children. This includes significant increases in Child Benefit, which is now worth £15 a week for the eldest child and £10 a week for other children: nationally, about 7 million families receive Child Benefit, and in Slough 13,865 families benefit.

  We have launched the New Deals to help lone parents, the young unemployed, the long-term unemployed, the over-50s and partners of the unemployed to move from benefit into work. In the period since August 1998 the number of people claiming Jobseeker's Allowance nationally has reduced from 1,323,600 to 1,044,900; in Slough the number has reduced from 2,100 to 1,200. The number of lone parents who claim Income Support has decreased over the same period from 955,000 to 909,200 nationally and in Slough from 1,900 to 1,800.

  Next year we will be spending £4.5 billion a year extra in real terms on pensioners as a result of our policies. The Winter Fuel Payment has continued to tackle fuel poverty. Last winter, around 10 million pensioners, of whom 13,300 were in Slough, benefited from the payment. We have now extended the scheme to include eligible people from age 60 so that even more older people will benefit. This winter, households that qualify will receive an increased payment of £200. The Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) targets the poorest 1.6 million pensioner families, 2,600 of whom live in Slough. These pensioners will benefit from our alignment of all MIG rates from April 2001, giving single pensioners at least £92.15 each week—a real increase of £12.45 for the poorest pensioners.

  Essential Care Allowance (Disabled People)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received from the National Centre for Independent Living concerning the proportion of a disabled person's income which may be
  685W
  taken to pay for essential care without which that person cannot live an independent life; and if he will make a statement. [147058]

  Mr. Bayley
  None.

  Far East Prisoners of War
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the compensation for former prisoners of war of the Japanese will be paid. [147218]

  Mr. Bayley
  We expect to begin sending out ex-gratia payments at the beginning of February.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if the Child Support Agency's performance against compliance targets is independently verified. [146245]

  Angela Eagle
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from Mike Isaac to Mr. Mark Todd, dated 24 January 2001:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the Child Support Agency in which you asked if the Child Support Agency's performance against compliance targets is independently verified.
  Mr. Smith is unavailable and therefore I am writing to you on his behalf.
  All of the Secretary of State targets are subject to validation at 3 levels; internally within CSA by DSS. Internal Audit Services who validate the internal exercise and provide assurance levels on the individual targets within it, and by the National Audit Office who also have the ability to look at this work and confirm their satisfaction with the Agency's arrangements.
  An observer from the NAO also sits on the Standards Committee, which is chaired by an Agency Non-Executive Director, and regulates the monitoring arrangements. The committee also examines the findings and recommendations of the CSA internal Monitoring and Guidance Unit that was created with the help of the NAO.
  I hope this is helpful.

  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much money per year the Child Support Agency collects on behalf of children; and what the equivalent amount recovered for this purpose by other means was in the three years prior to its inception. [146265]

  Angela Eagle
  The administration of the Child Support Agency is a matter for the Chief Executive, Mr. Doug Smith. He will write to my hon. Friend.

  Letter from Mike Isaac to Mr. Mark Todd, dated 24 January 2001:
  I am replying to your Parliamentary Questions to the Secretary of State for Social Security about the Child Support Agency.
  Mr Smith is unavailable and therefore I am writing to you on his behalf.
  You have asked how much money per year the Child Support Agency collects on behalf of children; and what the equivalent amount recovered for this purpose by other means was in the three years prior to its inception.
  In the last full year (1999/2000) the Agency collected £730.9m. This is an increase of over £69m (over 10%) on the previous year and an increase of over £183m (33.6%) on two years ago. Full details are given in the attached table.
  686W
  We know that the Court process was extremely costly and much longer than was desirable. The amount of maintenance awarded by the Courts varied widely for fathers in very similar circumstances and neither parent could be sure about how much the award would be until the award was made.
  However, figures are not available for the amount of money that was collected for the three years prior to the inception of the Child Support Agency.
  I hope you find this useful.

  Since the creation of the Agency it has collected or arranged maintenance payments as follows:

  £

  Collected

  Arranged

  Total

  1993–941

  11,782,812

  —

  11,782,812

  1994–95

  54,951,023

  133,233,340

  188,184,363

  1995–96

  164,586,102

  136,913,676

  301.499,778

  1996–97

  246,594,249

  153,291,008

  399,885,257

  1997–98

  344,156,121

  202,987,350

  547,143,471

  1998–99

  435,362,826

  225,854,644

  661,217,470

  1999–2000

  492,291,556

  238,633,996

  730,924,937

  1 September to March

  Notes:

  Amounts shown as collected are amounts which are paid to the Agency, while amounts shown as arranged are paid directly between the Non-Resident Parent and the Parent or Person With Care following CSA assessment.

HEALTH

  Barnet Health Authority
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much funding in addition to original expenditure plans has been given to(a) Barnet health authority and (b) Barnet council to improve continuing and community care since May 1997; and for what purposes the money has been allocated; [144699]

  (2) how much has been allocated to Barnet health authority from the Modernisation Fund; and on what the money has been spent; [144698]

  (3) how much money has been allocated to Barnet health authority since May 1997 to tackle (a) waiting lists and (b) winter pressures; [144694]

  (4) how much funding in addition to original expenditure plans has been allocated since May 1997 to Barnet health authority for additional cancer treatments; and what the money has been (a) spent on and (b) allocated to; [144695]

  (5) how much funding in addition to original expenditure plans has been allocated to mental health services in Barnet health authority area since May 1997; and on what the money has been (a) spent and (b) allocated; [144697]

  (6) how much funding in addition to original expenditure plans has been allocated to (a) Barnet health authority and (b) Barnet council since May 1997 for their care work. [144696]

  Mr. Denham
  The additional allocations made to Barnet health authority since May 1997 total £77 million and are set out in the table. We do not collect information centrally on how each allocation has been spent.
  687W
  Between 1997–98 and 2000–01 the level of funding provided by central Government to the London borough of Barnet for social services increased by £10 million or 10.2 per cent. in real terms. Most of these additional resources have been provided through the revenue support grant and the council decides how to allocate and spend these additional resources.

  £000

  Recurrent

  Non-recurrent

  Recurrent allocation increase

  1998–99

  6,178

  —

  1999–20001

  12,899

  —

  2000–012

  18,218

  —

  2001–023

  17,919

  2,399

  Special allocations

  1998–99 (drugs misuse HIV/AIDS, GMS cash limited)

  940

  —

  1999–2000 (drugs misuse, HIV/AIDS)

  138

  —

  2000–01 (drugs misuse, HIV/AIDS)4

  281

  —

  Cancer services5

  1997–98 breast cancer services

  66

  —

  1998–99 colorectal cancer

  —

  63

  1999–2000 lung cancer

  68

  —

  Waiting lists5

  1998–99 (including funding for whole systems approach)

  1,955

  658

  1999–2000 waiting list performance fund/cancer out-patients

  198

  34

  2000–01 cancer outpatients waiting times

  —

  64

  2000–01 booked admissions pilots

  —

  256

  2000–01 0/P long waiters (revenue rewards)

  —

  161

  Winter pressures

  1997–98

  —

  1,057

  1998–99

  —

  1,190

  1999–2000

  —

  —

  2000–01

  —

  1,230

  Mental Health5

  1999–2000

  67

  —

  2000–016

  153

  —

  Other allocations increases

  1997–98

  —

  4,200

  1998–99

  —

  1,500

  1999–2000

  871

  3,228

  2000–01

  363

  1,096

  Total additional allocations

  60,314

  17,136

  Total recurrent and non recurrent

  77,450

  1 Includes modernisation funding £3,170,000 of which £1,706,000 was allocated for waiting lists and times

  2 Includes modernisation funding distributed as part of allocations. £446 million nationally of which £22 million was allocated for mental health, £276 million for waiting times and £9 million for cancer (gynaecological). These totals were not analysed across individual health authorities.

  3 Includes cost of living allowance and health inequalities adjustment as well as hypothecated funds for cancer and coronary heart disease (£450 million nationally), waiting times and access (£423 million nationally). These sums are not attributed to individual HAs.

  4 HA allocations for drugs misuse and HIV/AIDS treatment and care and preon are not yet known for 2001–02.

  5 Largely funded from modernisation fund moneys.

  6 Includes £32,000 allocated with initial allocations.

  Community Health Councils
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultations his Department has had with, and 688W
  what representations he has received from, the Health Ombudsman concerning the proposed abolition of Community Health Councils. [145729]

  Ms Stuart
  [holding answer 17 January 2001]The Health Service Commissioner's office has met officials to discuss the proposals in the NHS Plan and the Health and Social Care Bill including proposed abolition of community health councils. As a result, no representations have been received by this Department.

  Silicone Cosmesis
  Mr. Berry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made by the working party on silicone cosmesis; and when its findings will be reported. [146275]

  Mr. Denham
  A small working party met three times between November 1999 and March 2000 to inform Department of Health policy discussions in relation to the provision of silicone cosmesis through the National Health Service. There was no formal report. However, in the light of the working party's deliberations, we have announced funding for 2001–02 and recurrently for the NHS to increase provision of high to low definition silicone cosmesis.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to answer Mr. H. Waterston's letter dated 28 November 2000. [146118]

  Ms Stuart
  A reply to the hon. Member's constituent's letter was sent on 22 January.

  Special Care Baby Units
  Ms Kingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many pregnant women, in the Gloucestershire health authority area, were transferred to give birth in other counties because no special care baby cots were available in Gloucestershire, in(a) 1998–99 and (b) 1999–2000; [144979]

  (2) how many babies were transferred from the Gloucestershire health authority area to hospitals in other counties, because no special care baby unit cots were available in Gloucestershire, in the years (a) 1998–99 and (b) 1999–2000. [144980]

  Ms Stuart
  The requested information is not collected by the Department. Information received from Gloucestershire Royal National Health Service Trust on the numbers of pregnant women that have had to be transferred is that: in 1998, 12 women were transferred; in 1999, 23; and in 2000, 40. There were no transfers of babies.

  East Gloucestershire NHS Trust is unable to provide details of the number of pregnant women that have had to be transferred, however, no babies were transferred.

  My hon. Friend may wish to contact the chairs of the trusts for more information.

  NHS Dentistry
  Paddy Ashdown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his estimate is of the average quarterly loyalty bonus which will be paid to dentists undertaking NHS work in 2001; and if he will make a statement. [145955]

  Mr. Hutton
  The value of a commitment payment paid to a dentist in the General Dental Service (GDS) depends on their level of commitment. Those who qualify may get a payment ranging from £25 for those doing some work within the GDS to £834 for those aged 45 or over who are fully committed.

  In England the average amounts in the first two quarters of the scheme were £380 for Apri1 to June 2000 and£383 for July to September 2000.

  In addition to the quarterly payments there will also be a year-end payment made to all dentists who received one or more quarterly commitment payments above the minimum level.

  Long-term Care
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in England assessed as needing residential or nursing home care are on a waiting list for funding; and how many of those waiting whose capital has dropped below£16,000 by reason of delay in securing funding from their local authority are(a) waiting at home, (b) waiting in hospital and (c) already in a residential care or nursing home. [147148]

  Mr. Denham
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Victoria Climbie
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what powers the inquiry into the events surrounding the death of Victoria Climbie will have regarding the submission of evidence and the disclosure of information; [147187]

  (2) if the inquiry into the events surrounding the death of Victoria Climbie will be held in public; and what the remit of the inquiry will be; [147170]

  (3) if Lord Laming will be assisted by a panel of experts in his inquiry into the events surrounding the death of Victoria Climbie; [147190]

  (4) when the inquiry into the events surrounding the death of Victoria Climbie is expected to conclude taking evidence. [147191]

  Mr. Hutton
  We are setting up a statutory inquiry to look into the circumstances surrounding Victoria (Anna) Climbie's death. Lord Laming of Tewin, a former chief inspector of social services, will chair this inquiry. Further announcements about the inquiry will be made at the earliest opportunity.

  Home Care (VAT Concession)
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on the implementation of the proposed extra-statutory concession on VAT and home care; and if he will make a statement. [147135]
  690W
  Mr. Hutton
  The Department has been liaising closely with my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Department of Trade and Industry on their proposals since 1997. The proposed Value Added Tax concession will mean that people receiving care in their own homes will not pay VAT on the wages element of that care. We will continue to make every effort to promote home care as a choice for individuals in need of support.

  Euro
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to require the NHS to make provision for a possible changeover to the euro as part of its budget preparation for the financial year 2001–02. [147149]

  Ms Stuart
  We have made no such plans.

  NHS Plan News
  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the cost to-date of the publication NHS Plan News; where it is printed; and how many copies have been distributed. [146306]

  Ms Stuart
  The cost to date of the publication NHS Plan News is£80,043.19 which is equivalent to less than 7 pence a copy. It is printed by a Department of Health approved supplier in the north of England. A total of 1,200,000 copies have been distributed.

  Redfern Report
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects the Redfern report to be published. [146856]

  Mr. Denham
  We have indicated to representatives of the families concerned that the report of the Royal Liverpool Children's Inquiry will be published before the end of this month.

  Sudden Adult Death Syndrome
  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the guidance he issues to the deceased family after diagnosis of Sudden Adult Death Syndrome [146917]

  Mr. Denham
  Sudden Adult Death Syndrome is not one single condition but a group of conditions that can result in the sudden and unexpected death of apparently healthy adults. Some deaths, particularly those in young adults, are believed to be due to possible cardiac abnormalities such as cardiomyopathy, a disorder of the heart muscle. There is evidence of a familial link in some of these deaths, and we fully recognise the importance of those thought to be at risk being referred for specialist assessment.

  Our current policy is that the relatives of people with cardiomyopathy should receive regular cardiovascular examinations. We are also seeking the co-operation of coroners to enable all such sudden deaths to be investigated properly.

  Retinitis Pigmentosa
  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much Government funding has been made available
  691W
  for research into retinitis pigmentosa in each of the last three years; how many specialists there are who are able to treat this condition; and what collaborative projects with other European Governments there are on this condition. [146925]

  Mr. Denham
  Information on Government funding for retinitis pigmentosa is not available in the form requested. However, the Medical Research Council (MRC) has recently funded two grants dealing with retinitis pigmentosa at a cost of approximately £0.5 million.

  The total MRC spend on vision related projects for the last three years is as follows:

  £ million

  1999–2000

  14.10

  1998–99

  13.99

  1997–98

  16.66

  1 Estimated

  In addition, the MRC Human Genetics Unit is undertaking work on genetic disorders of the retina and the PAX6 and related genes (PAX6 is involved in the development of the eye) in the development of disease and evolution that will be relevant to retinitis pigmentosa. Estimated spend in 1999–2000 is £1.3 million.

  The latest available figures on the number of ophthalmic consultants show that there are around 670 in England and Wales who are available to treat retinitis pigmentosa. There are currently no European collaborative projects in this area.

  Nurses (HIV)
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if the NHS employs nurses who are HIV positive; [146842]

  (2) what health checks are carried out on prospective recruits into the NHS before they are employed as nurses. [146843]

  Mr. Denham
  HIV infection alone is not considered a bar to employment in the National Health Service as procedures in nurse training and general nursing do not pose a risk of infection to patients, provided routine infection control precautions are followed.

  All students on pre-registration nursing and midwifery programmes are required to have undergone occupational health screening as outlined in standards set by the English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.

  Guidance on pre-employment health checks for National Health Service staff was sent to all NHS trusts and health authorities in 1998 (Health Service Circular 1998/064—"Management of Health, Safety and Welfare Issues for NHS Staff'), copies of which are available in the Library. The guidance makes clear that all NHS staff should have a pre-employment health assessment on taking up their first post in the NHS, on subsequent appointment with new NHS employers and on job change,
  692W
  where this involves a significant change of duties. The purpose of the pre-employment health assessment is to ensure that:

  prospective staff are physically and psychologically capable of carrying out the proposed work, taking into account any current or previous illnesses; and

  any work related diseases from "hazardous agents" likely to develop can be identified.

  Male Breast Cancer
  Mr. Pickles
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the mortality rate for male breast cancer in each of the last 10 years. [146912]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I have been asked to reply.

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

  Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Eric Pickles, dated 25 January 2001:
  As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question on the mortality rate for male breast cancer in each of the last ten years (146812).
  The information requested is provided in the attached table.

  Age-standardised male breast cancer1 mortality rate2 for England and Wales 1990–99

  Number of deaths

  Age-standardised mortality rate2 (per 100,000 population)

  1990

  107

  0.4

  1991

  82

  0.3

  1992

  92

  0.4

  1993

  87

  0.3

  1994

  87

  0.3

  1995

  80

  0.3

  1996

  67

  0.2

  1997

  67

  0.2

  1998

  75

  0.3

  1999

  65

  0.2

  1 Breast cancer deaths are classified according to the International Classification of disease ninth edition, and are selected using ICD9 code 175

  2 The rate is calculated using the European standard population

PRIME MINISTER

  Counter Terrorism
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) what recent representations have been made by other states concerning provision of counter terrorism check clearance; what states have agreed to co-operate or have entered reciprocal arrangements; and what states have refused to co-operate or expressed reservations; [147006]

  (2) if he will list those Departments and list X companies experiencing difficulties with counter terrorism check processing arising at governmental level in the Republic of Ireland and what the nature of these difficulties are; [147002]

  (3) how many posts are subject to counter terrorism check clearances; how many candidates in each Department have been rejected as a result of a failure to obtain CTC clearance in the last five years; what time

  693W
  delay is built into the recruitment process to allow for CTC clearance; and what the ethnic and national breakdown is of those rejected candidates. [147003]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 23 January 2001]Security vetting is carried out in accordance with the policy set out by the then Prime Minister in reply to a question from Sir Anthony Durant (then the hon. Member for Reading, West) on 15 December 1994,Official Report, columns 764–66W. Where an individual being vetted has overseas connections, for example if he or she has lived abroad, it is possible in certain circumstances for inquiries to be made with overseas agencies. In such cases there can be delays in obtaining information, and thus in Departments being able to make decisions on clearance. It is not Government policy to provide details of security matters, including relationships with other countries; but there are currently no particular difficulties in respect of vetting checks.

  The length of the vetting process can vary according to individual circumstances, and it is for Departments and agencies to take this into account in their recruitment and personnel procedures. It is not Government policy to comment on the total numbers subject to security vetting, but in the year 1999–2000, 926 people were refused a CTC, or had such a clearance withdrawn. Information concerning the ethnic and national background of these individuals is not held centrally.

  NHS
  Mr. Hammond
  To ask the Prime Minister if it is his policy that, provided the economy continues to perform well, UK health spending expressed as a percentage of GDP will reach the level of the European Union average by the end of 2004–05. [146959]

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Erdington (Mr. Corbett) on 28 March 2000,Official Report, column 104W.

  The public spending plans for 2004–05 have not yet been announced. It is not therefore possible to provide a figure for total health care in 2004–05.

  Meetings
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the meetings he has held in the past three years with pharmaceutical and biotechnology(a) interests and (b) companies. [146863]

  The Prime Minister
  I have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals. As with previous Administrations it is not my practice to provide details of all such meetings.

  Irish Prime Minister (Meetings)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister how many times he has met the Irish Prime Minister since 1 July 2000; and what the(a) date and (b) location of each meeting was. [146647]
  694W
  The Prime Minister
  I have met the Taoiseach on the following occasions since July 2000:

  Date

  Location/Event

  31 July

  Working lunch at No. 10

  6 September

  UN Summit, New York

  10 October

  Talks at No. 10

  12 October

  Bilateral talks during Information European Council, Biarritz

  20 October

  Asia/Europe Business Forum in Seoul

  23 November

  Bilateral talks on flight to EU/Balkans Summit in Zagreb

  7 December

  Nice European Council

  Depleted Uranium
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will discuss with President Putin statements by senior Russian generals about the environmental consequences of the use by NATO of depleted uranium warheads. [146603]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 22 January 2001]I have no plans to raise this issue with President Putin.

  Holocaust Memorial Day
  Mr. Stephen Twigg
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his plans for a national ceremony commemorating Holocaust Memorial Day in 2002. [147040]

  The Prime Minister
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Altrincham and Sale, West (Mr. Brady) on 15 January 2001,Official Report, columns 1–2W.

  Special Advisers
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Prime Minister what the nature is of the work undertaken by the research and information Special Advisers employed in his Office. [147056]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 24 January 2001]Special Advisers in the Research and Information Office work in accordance with the terms and conditions set out in the Model Contract for Special Advisers.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Prime Minister what salaries are paid to each of the research and information Special Advisers employed in the Prime Minister's Office. [147055]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 24 January 2001]In line with established practice, details of individual Special Adviser salaries within individual Departments are not given in order to protect the privacy of the individual concerned.

  Iraq
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will discuss with the Secretary General of the United Nations the policy of(a) creating no-fly zones and (b) continuing sanctions against Iraq; and if he will make a statement. [145545]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 24 January 2001]We regularly discuss all aspects of our Iraq policy with the United Nations Secretariat, including the Secretary General.

  Intelligence Services Act
  Mr. Mackinlay
  To ask the Prime Minister when he plans to lay before Parliament a copy of the Commissioner's report made under section 8(5) of the Intelligence Services Act 1994. [146129]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 22 January 2001]: Section 8 of the Intelligence Services Act 1994 was repealed by section 82 of schedule 5 to the Regulatory of Investigatory Powers Act 2000. I expect to receive a report from the Intelligence Services Commissioner (appointed under section 59 of that Act) in due course. The report will be laid before Parliament, in accordance with section 60(4) of the Act, as soon as practicable.

  Alastair Campbell
  Mr. Tyrie
  To ask the Prime Minister when Alastair Campbell will leave his post at No. 10 Downing street. [146376]

  The Prime Minister
  Alastair Campbell has already made it clear that he will resign when the next General Election is called.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  GTech
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many members of staff of(a) GTech and (b) its contractors, have been convicted of corruption charges in the United States of America. [145195]

  Kate Hoey
  My Department does not hold this information. However, the National Lottery regulator, the National Lottery Commission, has a statutory duty to ensure that the National Lottery is operated with all due propriety and to ensure that the operator is a fit and proper body to run the National Lottery. In pursuance of these duties, the Commission conducts regular vetting checks on directors and senior executives of GTech Holdings (the parent company of GTech UK), whether or not they are directly involved with the operation of the National Lottery. The Commission also conducts checks on all GTech UK staff involved with the operation of the UK National Lottery. The Commission does not conduct vetting checks on GTech employees falling outside these categories. The Commission has received information in confidence from law enforcement agencies and others both here and overseas; no information has come to the attention of the Commission that would cause it to find "not fit and proper" any individuals currently in the key positions mentioned. GTech does not employ contractors in key areas in connection with the UK National Lottery.

  Departmental Surveys
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list for(a) 1992–93, (b) 1993–94, (c) 1994–95, (d) 1995–96, (e) 1996–97, (f) 1997–98, (g) 1998–99, (h) 1999–2000 and (i) 2000–01, (I) his Department's total spending on quantitative and qualitative surveys of policy issues by focus groups, opinion polling, task forces or other means and (II) the cost of each individual project. [146584]
  696W
  Mr. Chris Smith
  The table sets out my Department's total expenditure on research and other services since 1992–93. Information on individual projects is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Research and other services

  £000

  1992–93

  1,000

  1993–94

  2,000

  1994–95

  1,044

  1995–96

  1,000

  1996–97

  475

  1997–98

  315

  1998–99

  423

  1999–2000

  1,103

  2000–011

  556

  1 To date

  Youth Music Action Zones
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his answer of 17 January 2000,Official Report, column 226W, if he will list the areas of social and economic need which will benefit from the Action Zones Initiative. [146653]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The National Foundation for Youth Music launched six of the proposed 20 Youth Music Action Zones on 14 December 2000. The Zones are in areas of social and economic need and have been allocated using the DETR social inclusion list of the 72 most deprived boroughs, the Rural Development Agency register and through local consultation about ward level areas of need. The six Zones are: London (principally Brent and Newham); Greater Manchester; North Lancashire; North of England (includes Barrow-in-Furness, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Carlisle, Darlington, North Shields, Durham, Wolsingham, Stockton and Wooler); East of England (including projects in Norfolk); and Thanet/Kent.

  Further Youth Music Action Zones will soon be operating in Liverpool, Cornwall, and in the South East (across Kent, East Sussex, Surrey and the Unitary Authorities of Medway and Brighton and Hove).

  National Lottery
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much lottery income in(a) cash terms and (b) as a percentage of the United Kingdom total lottery income has been raised in (i) London and (ii) Liverpool, Wirral, Sefton, Knowsley and St. Helens. [145193]

  Kate Hoey
  Information on National Lottery ticket sales by local authority area is not available.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what proportion of bids for National Lottery money from the North East of England were unsuccessful; and what the total value of these failed bids was. [146821]

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

  Barbican Arts Centre
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when the renovation and improvements to the Barbican Arts Centre will commence; and how much partnership funding has been raised towards them. [146826]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Barbican Hall is scheduled to close in June 2001 for four months while a range of improvements to the auditorium is carried out. The £6 million cost of the work is being met in whole by the Corporation of London.

  Religious Broadcasting
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what his policy is on applications by religious broadcasters for national analogue radio licences. [147045]

  Janet Anderson
  Religious organisations are disqualified by provision of Paragraph 2 (1) of Part II of Schedule 2 to the Broadcasting Act 1990 from holding national radio licences. The White Paper, "A New Future for Communications", which was published on 12 December, invites comments on whether the current restrictions on ownership of broadcasting licences by religious organisations should be relaxed in new legislation. The consultation period ends on 12 February.

  OFCOM
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps he intends to take to ensure that there is adequate non-executive representation on the main OFCOM board. [147172]

  Janet Anderson
  The Communications White Paper, on which we are currently consulting, proposes that OFCOM will be governed by executive and non-executive members. We have yet to decide on the more detailed make-up of the Board.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what sources of money will be used to fund OFCOM. [147179]

  Janet Anderson
  We have yet to decide the most appropriate way to fund OFCOM.

  BBC
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the significant differences between the consultation paper relating to approvals of new BBC public services and the final guidelines issued. [147175]

  Janet Anderson
  The significant difference between the draft guidelines and the final, published version is that we clarified the first section on the BBC's obligations under the Royal Charter and Agreement, including when consultation and fresh approval is required. We also extended from 15 to 20 working days the normal period for consultation on BBC proposals.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he intends to carry out his priority review of BBC News 24. [147174]
  698W
  Janet Anderson
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will make an announcement about the timing of the review of BBC News 24 and of the other reviews in due course, but will expect to begin the programme later this year.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will list the criteria he intends to use to determine whether new BBC public service channels will be approved. [147173]

  Janet Anderson
  The criteria are set out in the guidelines for assessing BBC public service proposals which were published on 10 January. Copies were placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Mr. Woolas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when he will appoint the independent person to carry out the review of the BBC's fair trading policies; and if he will make a statement. [147738]

  Mr. Chris Smith
  In its response to the Davies panel's report on the future funding of the BBC, the Government announced that they would, jointly with the BBC, invite an independent, eminent figure to examine the BBC documentation "Commercial Policy Guidelines and the Fair Trading Commitment". Richard Whish, Professor of Law at King's College, London, has today been appointed to carry out the review. Professor Whish will report to my Department and to the BBC Board of Governors having:

  (i) reviewed the adequacy of the BBC's "Fair Trading Commitment";

  (ii) considered and commented on the adequacy of each of the specific requirements contained in the BBC's "Commercial Policy Guidelines" and whether any further specific requirement should be included;

  (iii) considered to what extent the BBC's fair trading policies are consistent with upholding EU Competition Law.

  (iv) commented on how the BBC's policies compare with those of any other relevant organisations;

  (v) commented on the processes through which the BBC Board of Governors are made aware of fair trading issues and the nature of the information provided to them to enable the Governors to be satisfied that all significant issues facing the BBC are appropriately set out in the "Annual Report and Accounts"; and

  (vi) reviewed existing correspondence from stakeholders to the BBC and DCMS about the adequacy of the BBC's "Fair Trading Commitment", and to comment on the validity of the points made and highlight any other perceived shortcomings.

  Professor Whish is also requested to make any general recommendations for improving the BBC's commitment to fair trading.

  The review will commence shortly and will be concluded during February. The Department and the BBC will publish Professor Whish's findings. Copies of the terms of reference for the review have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Fishing Fleet
  Mr. Alan Campbell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made towards meeting EU targets for reducing fishing fleet over-capacity. [145578]
  699W
  Mr. Morley
  A report by the European Commission dated 21 November 2000, COM (2000) 738, which is available in the Libraries of the House, gives the latest results of the multi-annual guidance programmes for the fishing fleets of member states. The UK is on course to meet its targets at the end of 2001.

  Fish Stock Conservation
  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the likely cost of implementing a stock recovery and vessel lay-up programme as proposed by the World Wildlife Fund for Nature report 'Choose or Lose'. [146269]

  Mr. Morley
  We have not attempted to estimate the cost of implementing the proposals for stock recovery and vessel lay-up programmes in this report. In close consultation with the industry, we are making important progress in the EU in the development of stock recovery plans for cod and Northern hake.

  Flag of Convenience Vessels
  Mr. Andrew George
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent estimate he has made of the anticipated costs of meeting the claims arising from the ruling over the Factortame case brought by owners of flag of convenience vessels. [146272]

  Mr. Morley
  Thirteen claims brought by the owners of fishing vessels unlawfully removed from the UK Register in 1989 were settled for £10 million during the first half of 2000. Claims from the remaining vessel owners and their managing agents are in the process of settlement and an announcement about the overall cost will be made once all the claims have been dealt with.

  Cod and Haddock
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what the permitted tonnage of cod and haddock catches was in(a) 1971 and (b) 2000. [146639]

  Mr. Morley
  (a) In 1971 there were no restrictions on quantity of cod and haddock which could be caught. However, the total catch for cod in 1971 was 296,000 tonnes and for haddock 176,000 tonnes.

  (b) The information on the permitted tonnage of cod and haddock catches in 2000 was 49,956 tonnes for cod and 70,791 tonnes for haddock.

  Farrowing Systems
  Mr. Ian Stewart
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the progress of the Government-funded research into the development and testing of commercially viable farrowing systems which do not closely confine the SOW. [146865]

  Mr. Morley
  We have, for a number of years, funded research directly or indirectly related to the welfare of the sow and her piglets, from farrowing to weaning. A key issue emerging is that changes in farrowing systems to improve sow welfare can frequently have an adverse 700W
  effect on the welfare of the piglets. As a result, we are not yet able unreservedly to recommend free-farrowing systems for widespread commercial adoption.

  Our research, and chat of others, continues. Our aim is to reach a position where it is possible to avoid the close confinement of all sows.

  Inshore Fisheries
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will make a statement on the condition of inshore fisheries; [146607]

  (2) what plans he has to protect the condition of the coastal waters surrounding the UK; and if he will make a statement. [146614]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 23 January 2001]The Government remain firmly committed to achieving more sustainable fisheries management and continue to encourage the European Commission to take greater account of environmental considerations in the management of the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP). Improved integration of environmental objectives and the development of the precautionary approach within fisheries management is a UK priority for the 2002 review of the CFP. This should help to further the sustainable management of fish stocks at Community level.

  We are also continuing to pursue a range of measures designed to improve the state of fish stocks around our coasts. These include limitations on the quantities of fish that may be taken and the use of closed areas in which fishing is prohibited or severely restricted, in order to protect juvenile or spawning stocks. Since 1 January 2000, improved conservation measures have applied throughout the EU. These set more relevant minimum landing sizes for the key commercial fish species, enhance gear selectivity and simplify the catch composition rules. Together this should help to reduce discarding.

  Under the CFP there is no access for foreign vessels within six miles of EU member states coastlines. Within the 6–12 mile zone, access for foreign vessels is restricted on the basis of historical access rights. The 6 and 12 mile access restrictions operate by derogation from the principle of free access to a Community resource. I am confident that this derogation which is due to expire on 31 December 2002 will be maintained in the forthcoming Review of the CFF. For my part, I shall want to argue then for these access restrictions to be made permanent.

  Fisheries Council
  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Fisheries Council held in Brussels on 14 December. [143617]

  Mr. Morley
  [pursuant to his reply, 19 December 2000, c. 134–35W]My answer in paragraph 5 gave a figure of 4,000 tonnes as the levels of agreed total UK quotas in comparison with the Commission's proposals. This figure was incorrect, and should have read 40,000 tonnes. The rest of the answer remains correct.

CABINET OFFICE

  Office Costs Allowance
  Mr. Wyatt
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when she plans to publish the report into the office costs allowance being undertaken by the Senior Salaries Review Body. [146894]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer given by the Prime Minister on 23 October 2000,Official Report, columns 68–69W. I understand that the SSRB is in the process of taking evidence for the review and will submit its report to the Government in due course.

  Ministerial Cars
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office (1) if she will list the occasions since 1 May 1997 on which ministerial cars have been stopped by police for(a) speeding and (b) other motoring offences, listing in each case whether further action was taken; [147234]

  (2) on how many occasions since 1 May 1997 ministerial cars have incurred fixed penalties as a result of evidence from speed enforcement cameras. [147231]

  Mr. Ian McCartney
  Responsibility for these matters has been delegated under the terms of the Framework Document to the Government Car and Despatch Agency. I have asked its Chief Executive, Mr. Nick Matheson, to write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from N. C. N. Matheson to Mr. Graham Brady, dated 25 January 2001:
  I have been asked by the Minister for the Cabinet Office to reply to your Parliamentary Questions about Ministerial cars. As Chief Executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency I am responsible for providing cars and drivers to Ministers.
  1.To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will list the occasions since 1 May 1997 on which ministerial cars have been stopped by the police for (a) speeding and (b) other motoring offences, listing in each case whether further action was taken.

  Answer

  (a)None

  (b) Date: August and October 1998—Offence: driving without due care and attention—Action taken: driver fined

  2.To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office on how many occasions since 1 May 1997 ministerial cars have incurred fixed penalties as a result of evidence from speed enforcement cameras.

  Answer
  The Agency records driving offences for all drivers whether or not they were driving private or ministerial cars at the time of the offence. Since 1 May 1997, five drivers have received fixed penalty fines following the evidence of speed enforcement cameras of which I estimate that three were incurred driving ministerial cars. In each case, the individual driver met the costs of the fixed penalty fines.
  I would ask you to note that the Government Car and Despatch Agency does not provide a car and driver for the Home Secretary nor for Ministers below Cabinet rank in the Ministry of Defence.

TREASURY

  Devolved Administrations (Spending Allocations)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the increase will be in the English base allocation that forms the comparator for spending allocations to the devolved Administrations in 2001–02. [145805]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The increase between 2000–01 and 2001–02 in the departmental expenditure limits announced in the 2000 spending review of Government Departments which have comparable spending in one or more of the devolved Administrations was some £14.3 billion.

  Pensioners (Amber Valley)
  Judy Mallaber
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many pensioners in Amber Valley have benefited from the combined impact of Winter Fuel Payments, the Christmas Bonus, free television licences for the over-75s and the age addition for the over-80s. [145806]

  Mr. Timms
  All 18,000 pensioners in Amber Valley should have benefited from the £200 Winter Fuel Payment this year and from the Christmas Bonus. At least 7,000 of them are also receiving free TV-licences, introduced by this Government, and some 5,000 the age addition for the over-80s.

  Children's Tax Credit
  Mr. Gardiner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact the Children's Tax Credit will have on families in Brent, North. [145807]

  Dawn Primarolo
  An estimate of the number of families in Brent, North who could benefit from the Children's Tax Credit is not available, but an estimated 475,000 families in the London area could do so.

  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his latest estimate is of the number of families who will benefit from the introduction in April of the Children's Tax Credit; and if he will make a statement. [146320]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 22 January 2001]I refer the hon. Member to page 94 of the pre-Budget report 2000. A copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  Working Families Tax Credit
  Laura Moffatt
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families were in receipt of the Working Families Tax Credit on(a) 1 January 1998 and (b) at the latest date for which figures are available. [145808]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Working Families Tax Credit was introduced in October 1999. The number of families in the United Kingdom who were in receipt of Family Credit (the precursor to Working Families Tax Credit) at the end of January 1998 was 778,000. At the end of August
  703W
  2000—the latest date for which figures are available—there were 1,129,000 families in the United Kingdom receiving Working Families Tax Credit.

  Equitable Life
  Sir Nicholas Lyell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received from interested organisations on Equitable Life. [145809]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I have received representations from a number of groups, including those representing the interests of policyholders as well as those representing the interests of members of occupational pensions.

  Employment Forecasts
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on his forecasts for employment as a result of the pre-Budget report. [145810]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  In line with the convention adopted by previous Administrations, the Government do not publish forecasts for employment and unemployment. However, the 2000 pre-Budget report restated the Government's aim of employment opportunity for all—the modern definition of full employment—and its ambition is that by the end of the decade there will be higher proportion of people in employment than ever before.

  Winter Fuel Payment
  Charlotte Atkins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the effect on pensioner incomes of abolishing the winter fuel allowance. [145811]

  Mr. Timms
  Abolishing the Winter Fuel Payment would have meant that over 8 million households—with around 11½ million people in them—would have lost out on the £200 we paid this winter: the equivalent of a £4 cut in their weekly income.

  Mr. Gordon Marsden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many pensioner households are entitled to the Winter Fuel Payment. [145798]

  Mr. Timms
  Every pensioner household in the country—with around 11½ million people—is entitled to the Winter Fuel Payment which this Government introduced, and which we raised from £100 to £200 for this winter.

  Euro
  Mr. Syms
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total level of expenditure incurred to date by Government bodies in connection with the national changeover plan. [145812]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  An update on public sector spending on changeover planning was given in the Treasury's Fourth Report on Euro Preparations, published on 6 November 2000. Copies of the Report are available in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Swayne
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the recent appreciation in value of the euro. [145829]
  704W
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  It is not appropriate for the Government to comment on day-to-day developments in the foreign exchange markets.

  Mr. Wells
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on British participation in the European single currency. [145793]

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  The determining factor underpinning any Government decision on joining the single currency is whether the economic case for the UK joining is clear and unambiguous. Because of the magnitude of the decision, the Government believe that, whenever a decision to enter is taken by Government, it should be put to a referendum of the British people.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is his policy to target socially disadvantaged groups in information campaigns on the euro. [147527]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I refer the hon. Member to the second Outline National Changeover Plan, which was published on 9 Mach 2000. A copy of the plan is available in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Bercow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on information campaigns planned for UK visitors to the Euro Zone. [147461]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I refer the hon. Member to the "Fourth Report on Euro Preparations", copies of which have been deposited in the Library of the House.

  Tobin Tax
  Mr. Alan Simpson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the World Bank about the introduction of a Tobin tax on speculative capital movements. [145813]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Huddersfield (Mr. Sheerman) on 2 June 2000,Official Report, column 273W.

  Charitable Giving
  Ms Dari Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he proposes to promote charitable giving. [145814]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  In March 2000, the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced the Getting Britain Giving package of tax measures to encourage greater charitable giving in the UK. This includes improvements to the Gift Aid and Payroll Giving schemes and a new income tax relief for gifts of shares.

  The Government are involved in two significant campaigns to promote the new reliefs. In October 2000 the Government launched a £2 million campaign to promote Payroll Giving and encourage more employers to offer Payroll Giving schemes. The three year campaign is backed by a special 10 per cent. supplement on all Payroll Giving donations.

  The Government are also supporting the Charities Aid Foundation and the National Council for Voluntary Organisations in a joint campaign starting in 2001 to promote the charitable giving of both money and time. The Government have pledged £1 million plus a series of Civil Service secondments to the campaign.

  Tax Changes
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families he estimates will benefit in(a) the north-west and (b) the United Kingdom from tax changes in the next financial year. [145815]

  Dawn Primarolo
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will give his tax proposals for 2001–02 in the next Budget but all taxpaying families for that year should benefit from the increase in the personal allowance announced in the pre-Budget report. Additionally, the new children's tax credit to be introduced in April 2001 should benefit around 5 million families in the UK, 625,000 of whom live in the north-west. And over 1.1 million families should benefit from the increase in the rates and thresholds for the Working Families Tax Credit announced on 9 November 2000,Official Report, column 340W, over 160,000 of whom live in the north-west.

  EU Convergence Criteria
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he forecasts that the UK economy will meet his criteria for convergence with the economies of other European Union member states. [145816]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Chancellor of the Exchequer has said we will make another assessment of the five economic tests early in the next Parliament.

  E-commerce
  Mr. White
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of prospects for e-commerce as a result of his pre-Budget statement. [145817]

  Mr. Timms
  The Government have set a target of the UK being the best environment in the world to trade electronically by 2002 and regularly report on progress. The UK Online annual report, published shortly before the pre-Budget report, outlines the Government's strategy for reaching this goal, and the current state of play in the UK. The Minister for Small Business and E-commerce provides monthly reports on progress against this strategy, which can be found at:http://www.e-envoy.gov.uk/2000/ progress/montprog.htm. The December report included a summary of relevant measures announced in the pre-Budget report.

  Tax Incentives (Social Exclusion)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce tax incentives to promote further corporate involvement in tackling social exclusion. [145818]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Government believe that the best approach to tackling social exclusion brings the private, voluntary and community sectors and Government together. And business has a key role to play within this partnership—a role which we have encouraged through, for example, the introduction of new tax reliefs on corporate charitable giving, which formed part of the wider "Getting Britain Giving" package introduced in Budget 2000.
  706W
  Furthermore, as the Chancellor set out in his pre-Budget report in November, the Government welcome and endorse the recommendations of the Social Investment Taskforce Report regarding supporting the growth of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and introducing a Community Investment Tax Credit to encourage private investment in under-invested communities.

  Public Services (Investment)
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on proposals for future investment in the health service and education. [145819]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  In Budget 2000 the Government announced an unprecedented increase in NHS UK funding of 6.1 per cent. average annual real terms growth over the four years to 2003–04—the longest period of sustained growth in the history of the NHS. The Government announced in the 2000 Spending Review an increase in education spend of 5.4 per cent. average annual real terms growth over the four years to 2003–04.

  Tax Burden
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the change in the amount of tax paid by the average family since 1997. [145820]

  Dawn Primarolo
  By April 2001 a single earner family on average earnings with two children will pay £200 a year less income tax and National Insurance Contributions than they would have under the 1997 system of tax and benefits. This family will also receive £170 a year more Child Benefit. The direct tax burden on this family will be the lowest since 1972.

  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the organisations with which Treasury officials have had discussions in the last three months on the use of the term tax burden; and what advice and instructions were given on the use of that term. [145618]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  [holding answer 15 January 2001]: The description of the amount of money taken by the Treasury in taxation is as set out in the Financial Statement and Budget Report and pre-Budget Report; no other advice has been issued.

  Business Taxes and Regulations
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the annual cost to businesses of new taxes and regulations introduced since May 1997. [145821]

  Dawn Primarolo
  All changes to the tax system are included in the relevant Budget Reports. These are available in the Library of the House.

  Departmental Running Costs
  Mr. Green
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the annual cost was of running Government Departments in(a) 1997 and (b) 2000. [145822]

  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the annual running costs of Government Departments. [145827]
  707W
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  Annual costs of running Government Departments are published in HM Treasury's "Public Expenditure Statistical Analyses" (PESA). The latest edition is available in the Library of the House.

  New Deal (Young People)
  Mr. Patrick Hall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people have joined the New Deal for Young People since January 1998. [145823]

  Mr. Timms
  Since the Pathfinders were launched in January 1998, 568,400 people have joined the New Deal for Young People, of whom 269,210 have found employment meeting the Government's key target of placing 250,000 young people into jobs.

  The New Deal for Young People has proved extremely effective at getting young unemployed people off welfare and back into work.

  Department of Health (Misappropriations)
  Sir George Young
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what misappropriations he has identified in the departmental expenditure limit for the Department of Health. [145824]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  A copy of the latest published Appropriation Accounts for the Department of Health, including the audit certificate, is for 1998–99 (HC 11-XI) and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House. In addition, the Department of Health Appropriate Accounts for 1999–2000 were certified by the Comptroller and Auditor General and laid before the House earlier today and are due to be published shortly.

  Minimum Wage
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the trend in unemployment since the introduction of the national minimum wage. [145825]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Since April 1999, when the national minimum wage was introduced, unemployment has continued to fall reflecting the prudent and sensible level at which the national minimum wage was set. ILO unemployment has fallen by well over 200,000, from 6.2 per cent. to 5.3 per cent.

  Gross Domestic Product
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of GDP in the financial years 2001–02 and 2002–03. [145826]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The Treasury's latest GDP projections can be found in Annexe A of November's pre-Budget report; and the corresponding financial year assumptions used for projecting the public finances are set out in Annexe B (table B3).

  Debt Relief
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from(a) charities and (b) Churches on Government plans to write off debt owed by the poorest countries. [145828]
  708W
  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Campaigns by nongovernmental organisations, faith groups and members of the public have helped to maintain the issue of debt relief at the top of the international agenda. Last year, around a third of all letters received by the Treasury related to debt relief.

  Faith groups and charities participated in three special seminars in Downing street last year, where they were able to put their concerns about debt relief directly to the Chancellor, the Secretary of State for International Development, and international figures such as the head of the IMF, Horst Kohler. They will also play a key part in the upcoming Children's conference, which the UK Government will host in London in the near future.

  Inland Revenue (Malpractice)
  Mr. Allan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what procedures are used by his Department to follow up decisions by the Parliamentary Ombudsman on malpractice by the Inland Revenue. [145797]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The Inland Revenue always tries to make positive use of the Parliamentary Ombudsman's findings. Where a taxpayer has suffered injustice, the Inland Revenue will put matters right and, where appropriate, pay compensation.

  Where the Ombudsman's findings point to a more general problem, or a defect in the Department's systems and processes, his comments and recommendations are made available to officials responsible for that particular area of work, so that any lessons learnt from the case can be used when planning and reviewing the Department's business.

  Capital Gains Tax
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he collates regarding the age of people who pay capital gains tax; and if he will make a statement. [146261]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Information on the age of taxpayers is held where it is needed to administer the tax system or where it has been provided by the taxpayer.

  Church Buildings (VAT)
  Mr. Jon Owen Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what basis he has estimated the cost of reduction of VAT on listed church buildings; how many Church of England churches may qualify for the VAT reduction; and if he will make a statement. [146324]

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate(a) the loss of VAT revenue for the proposed reduced rate of VAT on the repair of listed buildings used for worship, (b) the loss of VAT revenue from the conversion of residential properties into a different number of dwellings and (c) loss of revenue arising from the reduced rate of VAT on alterations to protected buildings. [146392]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 22 January 2001]A recent report by the Churches Main Committee suggests that the VAT paid by all churches, including listed churches, for repairs and maintenance is £38 million per year.
  709W
  According to the last English Church Census, there were 16,000 Church of England churches but separate figures were not collected for listed buildings.

  Contributions Agency (Tyne and Wear)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many whole-time equivalent jobs there were in the Contributions Agency in each district of Tyne and Wear in each of the last five years. [147007]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 24 January 2001]The number of whole-time equivalent jobs in Contributions Agency, in the unit comprising its Newcastle upon Tyne location (including its outstations), for each of the five years, from 1 April 1994 to 31 March 1999, were as follows:

  1 April 1994 to 31 March 1995–5,650

  1 April 1995 to 31 March 1996–5,362

  1 April 1996 to 31 March 1997–4,465

  1 April 1997 to 31 March 1998–4,995

  1 April 1998 to 31 March 1999–4,795.

  Information on the number of whole-time jobs in the Contributions Agency's Northern Region Field Offices in the Tyne and Wear area is not readily available.

  Business Taxation
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from interested organisations on his policies on business taxation. [145792]

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  The Government have received a number of representations from interested organisations on business taxation.

  Customs and Excise
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer to my hon. Friend the Member for North Tayside (Mr. Swinney) of 15 January 2001,Official Report, column 126W on Customs and Excise, if Her Majesty's Customs and Excise has in the past entered into a confidentiality agreement with a third party for the purpose of evaluating evidence from that third party which may have been offered in respect of litigation. [147017]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Inquiries of current staff of the Solicitor's Office have not revealed any example of such a confidentiality agreement within the last five years.

  Smuggling
  Mr. Flight
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will estimate on average the number of(a) cigarettes, (b) cigars and (c) packets of hand-rolling tobacco smuggled each day into the United Kingdom in the last 12 months; [145874]

  (2) if he will estimate on average the number of (a) pints of beers and cider, (b) bottles of Scotch whisky, (c) bottles of London gin and (d) other spirits smuggled each day into the United Kingdom in the last 12 months;[145876]

  (3) if he will estimate the revenue lost to the Exchequer through (a) smuggling of (i) alcohol and (ii) tobacco in 2000 and (b) cross-border shopping for (1) alcohol and (2) tobacco in 1999. [145877]
  710W
  Dawn Primarolo
  Estimates of the scale of alcohol and tobacco smuggling in 2000 are being worked on and will be published in due course.

  Mr. Flight
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reasons the results of the Alcohol and Tobacco Smuggling Survey of June 2000 have not been published; and if he will place a copy of the results in the Library. [145875]

  Dawn Primarolo
  The cross-Channel survey is used to assess the volume of smuggling undertaken annually by travellers using light vehicles or on foot. For 1999 overall figures were produced for the total revenue loss from all forms of tobacco smuggling. Comparable figures for 2000 are being prepared and will be published in due course. These will include the results of the June 2000 survey.

  Lamfalussy Report
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the final report of the Lamfalussy Committee on the regulation of European securities markets to be presented. [147278]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  The report is expected in February.

  Alternative Fuels
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on specific investment incentive measures for new pump infrastructure in alternative fuels in rural areas. [146754]

  Mr. Timms
  I have received no such recent representations. However, the Government are encouraging the general growth of the market for alternative fuels and receive representations on alternative fuels from a wide range of interested groups. We recognise that an effective refuelling infrastructure is an essential part of developing a sustainable market for alternative fuels.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Ministers of Religion (House of Commons)
  Mr. Ivan Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to allow ministers of religion to become Members of the House of Commons. [147688]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I will today introduce a Bill which will reform the existing unfair and outdated legislation. It will remove any disqualification from membership of the House of Commons that arises by reason of a person having been ordained or being a minister of a religious denomination.

  Hinduja Brothers
  Mr. John Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the right hon. Member for Old Bexley and Sidcup (Sir E. Heath) and Dame Angela Rumbold concerning the naturalisation applications of S. P. and G. P. Hinduja. [146094]
  711W
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 18 January 2001,Official Report, columns 351–52W, on British citizenship, (a) if he will list the other hon. Members who contacted him concerning this application, (b) on what date communications were received from each hon. Member who contacted him in this case, (c) if he will place in the Library copies of the letters received from (i) the hon. Members for (a) Hartlepool (Mr. Mandelson) and (b) Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz) and (ii) the other hon. Members referred to in his answer, (d) if he will list the nationality applications since May 1997 concerning which communications have been received from the right hon. Member for Hartlepool other than those relating to his constituents and (e) if a reply was sent to the right hon. Member for Hartlepool; and if he will make a statement. [147183]

  Mr. Straw
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, announced on 24 January that he had asked former Treasury Solicitor, Sir Anthony Hammond QC, to review the full circumstances surrounding approaches to the Home Office in connection with the possibility of an application for naturalisation by Mr. S. P. Hinduja in 1998. This review is starting immediately and will be completed as quickly as possible. The findings will be published and copies of these will be placed in the Vote Office and the Library. It would be inappropriate for me to pre-empt the outcome of this review.

  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the dates on which applications for nationality have been received by(a) Mr. G. P. Hinduja and (b) Mr. S. P. Hinduja since 1990. [147178]

  Mr. Straw
  Mr. G. P. Hinduja applied for British citizenship on 21 February 1990 and 5 March 1997.

  Mr. S. P. Hinduja applied on 21 February 1990 and 20 October 1998.

  Police Management
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent steps he has taken to assess the efficiency of police management. [147068]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  In November 1998 the Home Office launched a police efficiency process which required police authorities and forces to plan and deliver efficiency gains equivalent to 2 per cent. of Net Revenue Expenditure (NRE) each year between 1999 and 2002. This process is monitored by audit and inspection and in 1999–2000 delivered efficiency gains totalling £183 million, or 2.46 per cent. of NRE.

  A Public Sector Productivity Panel report in April 2000 recommended a more sophisticated approach to measuring the relative efficiency of forces. The proposals are currently being trialled.

  In April 2000 the police became subject to Best Value legislation which requires each police authority to ensure that its services are delivered by the most effective, economic and efficient means available and, over a five year period, to review all of its functions.

  Illegal Immigrants
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received 712W
  on the impact of the proposed levy charge imposed at freight terminals on rail freight operators who inadvertently bring illegal immigrants into the UK; and if he will make a statement. [147080]

  Mrs. Roche
  The power to levy a civil penalty on rail operators who bring clandestine entrants to the United Kingdom concealed in rail freight wagons is contained within section 39(3) of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999. This stipulates that powers to impose the charge are to be introduced by regulation and that the Secretary of State must consult those appearing to him to be likely to be affected by the imposition of penalties prior to their introduction.

  The formal consultation process began on 13 November 2000,with the issue of draft regulations, code of practice and regulatory impact assessment, and ended on 25 December2000. This was preceded by informal consultation during which representatives of the industry were invited to comment on an initial draft of the code of practice.

  We are now considering the draft regulations and code of practice in the light of the issues raised during the consultation process. Copies of a report detailing these contributions and the response of the Home Office to them will be placed in the Library in due course.

  Police Resources
  Mr. Grieve
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what representations he has received from the Chief Constable of the Thames Valley Police concerning the resources available to him; [146996]

  (2) what plans he has to increase police resources for the Thames Valley Police Force. [146997]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  [holding answer 23 January 2001]The Chief Constable of Thames Valley wrote to me on 8 December 2000 about Crime Fighting Fund resources.

  Under the provisional police funding settlement for 2001–02, Thames Valley Police Authority will receive central Government funding support of £245.2 million, an increase of 5.8 per cent. over 2000–01. Thames Valley also will receive additional funding of £4,301,000 on present estimates, for the Crime Fighting Fund, £8,652,000 for the Airwave Communications System, and £1,262,860 for rural policing.

  Mr. Grieve
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the level of spending on police resources on an average per capita basis is(a) nationally and (b) in the South Buckinghamshire district council area. [146999]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  [holding answer 23 January 2001]Spending on police resources on an average per capita basis in England and Wales was £123.19 in 1999–2000. Spend in the South Buckinghamshire district council area is not available, however spend per capita in the Thames Valley police force area was £108.88 in 1999–2000.

  Source:

  Audit Commission, January 2001
  713W
  Mr. Grieve
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue guidance to chief constables about the diversion of police resources to town and city centres from the surrounding rural districts; and if he will make a statement. [147000]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  [holding answer 23 January 2001]I have no plans to issue guidance to chief constables about the diversion of police resources to town and city centre from rural districts. The deployment of officers is an operational matter for the chief constable who will determine operational priorities, taking into account local needs.

  Mr. Grieve
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what financial resources he plans to make available to improve recruitment and retention of police officers in the South Buckingamshire district council area. [146998]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  [holding answer 23 January 2001]No financial resources are being made available specifically to improve recruitment and retention in the South Buckinghamshire district council area.

  Thames Valley police is, however, benefiting from measures introduced nationally to improve police recruitment. The force was allocated 325 recruits from the Crime Fighting Fund (CFF) recruitment initiative: 111 for

  £

  Westminster

  Kensington and Chelsea

  1997–98

  Grant under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966

  1,363,059

  739,615

  "Make a difference"

  —

  55,000

  1998–99

  Grant under section 11 of the Local Government Act 19661

  1,398,498

  758,845

  "Make a difference"

  —

  30,000

  Youth Justice pilots

  17,000

  11,250

  1999–2000

  "Make a difference"

  —

  20,000

  Youth Justice pilots

  53,500

  38,930

  Drug Action Team development funding

  —

  35,782

  Adult and family asylum seekers

  10,192,480

  7,790,560

  2000–01

  Young offender referral order pilot

  72,000

  72,000

  Drug Action Team development funding

  —

  35,782

  Adult and family asylum seekers2

  6,375,743

  5,621,054

  Crime Reduction programme3

  0

  56,000

  2001–024

  Young offender referral order pilot

  72,000

  72,000

  Drug Action Team development funding

  —

  35,782

  Crime reduction programme

  1,925,000

  —

  1 The Ethnic Minorities and Travellers Achievement Grant, which replaced section 11 grant at the end of 1998–99, is administered by the Department for Education and Employment

  2 Actual grant payments for first six months only. No estimate is available for final six months; or for the unaccompanied asylum seeking children's grant, of which neither authority has received any payment to date.

  3 Actual grant payments to date. Total projected payments for 2000–01 are: Westminster £280,000; Kensington and Chelsea £177,000.

  4 Projected grant payments. No projections are available for the adult and family asylum seekers grants; or for the unaccompanied asylum seeking children's grant.

  Police Time (Funding Applications)
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the
  714W
  2000–01, 108 for 2001–02 and 106 for 2002–03. It has been agreed that the force can defer 69 of its CFF allocation for 2000–01 into 2001–02. Funding for all the CFF recruits, including those deferred to 2001–02, will be provided from the date of appointment.

  We also launched the first ever national recruitment advertising campaign for the police service on 30 August 2000. The campaign is expected to cost £8.2 million (including VAT) in 2000–01. It is not possible to say what proportion of the cost of the campaign has benefited particular forces but, by 14 January 2001, 287 expressions of interest arising from the campaign had been forwarded to Thames Valley police.

  Government Grants (Central London)
  Ms Buck
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list each category of grant, and the amount of each grant, paid by his Department to(a) Westminster and (b) Kensington and Chelsea in (i) 1997–98, (ii) 1998–99, (iii) 1999–2000 and (iv) 2000–01; and what the projected figure is for 2001–02. [146312]

  Mr. Straw
  The following table shows grants paid by the Home Office to the London boroughs of Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea in 1997–98, 1998–99, 1999–2000 and 2000–01; and projected payments for 2000–02:

  number of senior police staff hours per annum which are devoted to initiating, writing and checking bids for central funds. [146264]
  715W
  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information requested is not centrally available. It could be obtained only by asking the forces that had submitted requests for special grants to estimate the time involved in the preparation of their bids.

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Baker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the total amount of funding made available to the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate for each of the last five years. [147171]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The total funding available to the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate for each of the last five financial years has been as follows:

  £

  1996–97

  1,147,000

  1997–98

  1,160,000

  1998–99

  1,340,000

  1999–2000

  1,384,000

  2000–01

  1,495,000

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many laboratories were licensed for using animals for the testing of drugs in(a) 1996 and (b) 2000. [146825]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  At the end of 1996, 300 certificates were in force designating establishments under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. Relevant statistics for 2000 are not yet available, but the corresponding figure for 1999 is 296.

  It is known that many of the designated establishments have been and are engaged upon licensed programmes of work which include aspects of drugs development. It is not, however, possible to isolate that activity from the broader categories of statistical data held centrally.

  Maximum sentences for offences listed in clause 1(1) of the Criminal Justice and Police Bill

  Offence

  Description of Offence

  Maximum sentence

  Section 12 of the Licensing Act 1872

  Being drunk in a highway, other public place or licensed premises

  Level 1 fine

  Section 80 of the Explosives Act 1875

  Throwing fireworks in a thoroughfare

  Level 5 fine

  Section 31 of the Fire Services Act 1947

  Knowingly giving a false alarm to a fire brigade

  Three months imprisonment, Level 4 fine, or both

  Section 55 of the British Transport Commission Act 1949

  Trespassing on a railway

  Level 3 fine

  Section 56 of the British Transport Commission Act 1949

  Throwing stones etc at trains or other things on railways

  Level 3 fine, plus damages

  Section 169 C(3) of the Licensing Act 19641

  Buying or attempting to buy alcohol for consumption in a bar in licensed premises by a person under 18

  Level 3 fine

  Section 91 of the Criminal Justice Act 1967

  Disorderly behaviour while drunk in a public place

  Level 3 fine

  Section 5(2) of the Criminal Law Act 1967

  Wasting police time or giving false report

  Six months, Level 4 fine, or both

  Section 1(1) of the Criminal Damage Act 1971

  Destruction of, or damage to, property without lawful excuse

  Six months, Level 5 fine, or both

  Police Budget
  Mr. Alasdair Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the police budget in England and Wales is for the financial years 2000–01 to 2003–04. [146278]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Net budgets for Police Authorities in England and Wales in 2000–01 totalled £7,713.4 million. Each police authority sets its annual budget before 1 March each year, so information for the years from 2001–02 is not available.

  Criminal Justice and Police Bill
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons he estimates will be convicted of an offence under Clause 14(4) of the Criminal Justice and Police Bill annually. [147225]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  It is not possible to estimate how many convictions there will be each year following arrest for the offence set out in Clause 14 of the Criminal Justice and Police Bill. We expect this provision to have a deterrent effect, restricting the consumption of alcohol in those public places designated in accordance with Clause 15. Arrest will be appropriate only in the circumstances set out in Clause 14, where an individual fails without reasonable excuse to comply with a police officer's requirement that he or she should not consume alcohol in that place or should surrender alcohol and any opened alcohol containers.

  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the maximum punishment for each penalty offence in Clause 1 of the Criminal Justice and Police Bill and the maximum fine that a police officer could impose for each offence under Clause 2 of the Bill. [147223]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The maximum sentences available on summary conviction for the offences listed in Clause 1 are given in the table. Clause 3 provides the Secretary of State with a power to determine by order the penalties payable in respect of each offence under the penalty notice scheme, with the restriction that they may not exceed half the amount of the maximum fine for which a person is liable upon conviction. Police officers will have no discretion to vary the amounts of these penalties. No figures for the penalties have yet been set.
  717W

  Maximum sentences for offences listed in clause 1(1) of the Criminal Justice and Police Bill

  Offence

  Description of Offence

  Maximum sentence

  Section 43(1)b of the Telecommunications Act 1984

  Using public telecommunications system for sending a message known to be false in order to cause annoyance

  Six months, or Level 5 fine, or both

  Section 5 of the Public Order Act 1986

  Threatening, abusive or insulting words or disorderly behaviour etc within hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress

  Level 3 fine

  Section 14 of (this bill)

  Consumption of alcohol in a designated public place

  Level 2 fine

  1S 169 C(3) of the Licensing Act 1964 replaces S 169(3) of that Act by virtue of the Licensing (Young Persons) Act 2000.

  Level 1 fine: £200

  Level 2 fine: £500

  Level 3 fine: £1,000

  Level 4 fine: 2,500

  Level 5 fine: £5,000

  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many penalty notices he estimates will be issued for each penalty offence under Clause 2 of the Criminal Justice and Police Bill annually to persons(a) who would otherwise be cautioned, (b) who would otherwise be tried and (c) who would otherwise not be proceeded against in any way; [147224]

  (2) how many penalty notices he estimates will be issued for each penalty offence under Clause 2 of the Criminal Justice and Police Bill annually; and what sum he estimates will be received in fines. [147222]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  It is not possible at this stage to give accurate estimates of the information requested. Numbers of penalty notices issued, and to whom, will depend upon a number of factors, including the levels at which penalties are set and the way in which the police use the new scheme. For the purposes of planning a range of possible outcomes has been considered, varying between 20 per cent. and 95 per cent. of those currently pleading guilty and between 80 per cent. and 50 per cent. of those currently being cautioned being issued instead with a fixed penalty notice.

  As for those against whom no action is currently taken, the assumption is that at least 10 per cent. of all notices issued might be in respect of such people.

  The Bill includes a power to specify different penalties for different offences. No decision has yet been taken as to what these penalties will be.

  A more accurate assessment of numbers will be possible only once decisions have been taken about the level of fixed penalties and in the light of early experience of the scheme.

  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many travel restriction orders he estimates will be made under Clause 35 of the Criminal Justice and Police Bill annually. [147227]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  This is to be a discretionary power, subject to a sentencing threshold, for the courts to apply when they deem it appropriate. But the number of offenders liable to such a ban, based on 1998 sentencing data, would be in the region of 300 to 400.

  Anti-social Behaviour Orders
  Mr. Heald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his original estimate was of the number of anti-social behaviour orders that would be issued annually; how that estimate has been revised; and if he will make a statement. [147226]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The figures in the Financial and Explanatory Memorandum to the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 were based on the possibility that up to 5,000 orders might be made in any one year. We have not revised that estimate and have no plans to do so, since we are not seeking to set a national target for such orders.

  It is more important that, where an order is made, it should be made on the basis that it will be the most effective method for dealing with a specific case. Our priority in this area is that local crime and disorder partnerships should be making effective use of all their powers to protect the rights of all citizens to lead their lives free from harassment and disorder.

  Fire-related Deaths
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the total number of fire-related deaths in the home was in each of the last five years; what the total number of reported fires was in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement. [145715]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The information contained in the table, relates to fires attended by local authority fire brigades in the United Kingdom.

  Number of fires1 and fire-related deaths—1995 to 1999

  United Kingdom

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  19991

  Total fire deaths

  736

  709

  723

  668

  663

  of which:

  dwellings

  559

  564

  562

  519

  466

  Total fires2

  604,200

  532,300

  469,000

  409,700

  467,900

  of which:

  dwellings

  68,700

  71,700

  72,500

  71,100

  72,100

  1 1999 data for fires attended are provisional. Figures for fire-related deaths have been estimated to account for revisions expected due to further information becoming available from inquests and death certificates etc.

  2 Consists of primary (property and/or involving casualties), secondary (mainly outdoors not involving property) and chimney fires.

  Immigration and Nationality Directorate
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost to public funds of designing and preparing the new website for the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. [147147]

  Mrs. Roche
  The redesigned website was launched in December 2000 as part of the Home Office's ongoing commitment to drive forward e-government. The total cost of the redesign was approximately £150,000 representing Immigration and Nationality Directorate staff costs and external technical and design provision.

  Drug Misuse (Prisons)
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 17 January 2001,Official Report, column 272W, which prisons do not have a significant known level of dealing in unlawful drugs. [146713]

  Mr. Boateng
  Covert activity such as drug dealing is by nature very difficult to quantify. Figures from the random mandatory drug testing (RMDT) programme provide the best available measure of the levels of drug misuse. The table lists the establishments reporting rates of positive RMDT of less than five per cent. during each of the last two financial years.

  Establishments producing rates of positive random mandatory drug testing of less than 5 per cent. during the last two financial years

  Establishment

  April 1999 to March 2000

  April 2000 to November 2000

  Albany

  0.0

  1.1

  Blantyre House

  0.7

  2.2

  Cookham Wood

  0.6

  2.5

  Dartmoor

  3.0

  2.3

  Downview

  2.5

  3.5

  East Sutton Park

  0.9

  2.9

  Grendon

  3.9

  4.4

  Haslar

  1.0

  3.5

  Lancaster Farms

  3.2

  4.6

  Moorland

  3.3

  3.1

  Parkhurst

  1.6

  4.5

  Rochester

  3.2

  2.9

  Swinfen Hall

  2.8

  3.2

  Usk/Prescoed

  4.0

  2.0

  Verne

  3.5

  3.4

  Wakefield

  1.8

  3.3

  Werrington

  4.0

  4.7

  Whatton

  0.9

  3.1

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 17 January 2001,Official Report, column 272W, in which prisons (a) a governor grade manager and (b) another member of staff have been charged under (i) section 8 of the Misuse Drugs Act 1971 and (ii) other provisions with supplying prisoners with illegal drugs. [146714]

  Mr. Boateng
  The Prison Service records available for the last two years show that no staff directly employed by the Service have been charged under section 8 of the 720W
  Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. The Prison Service records for this period also show that six members of staff have been charged with other drug related offences.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 17 January 2001,Official Report, column 272W, if (a) he and (b) his officials have consulted the Crown Prosecution Service about the potential liability of management grade officers to prosecution under section 8 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. [146719]

  Mr. Boateng
  Prison Service Staff would be liable to prosecution under section 8 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 only if they took no action to stop illegal activities involving controlled drugs. I am satisfied that prisons operate effective strategies for preventing, as far as possible, the smuggling and using of drugs. Consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service is therefore unnecessary.

  Departmental Surveys
  Mr. Clappison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for(a) 1992–93, (b) 1993–94, (c) 1994–95, (d) 1995–96, (e) 1996–97, (f) 1997–98, (g) 1998–99, (h) 1999–2000 and (i) 2000–01, (I) his Department's total spending on quantitative and qualitative surveys of policy issues by focus groups, opinion polling, task forces or other means and (II) the cost of each individual project. [146591]

  Mr. Straw
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Bath (Mr. Foster) on 8 June 2000,Official Report, column 373W. Further work would incur disproportionate cost.

  Alcohol
  Mr. Coaker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it an offence for an adult to purchase alcohol for children aged under 18 years; and if he will make it a statement. [146575]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The Licensing Act 1964 made it an offence for anyone to buy or attempt to buy alcohol for consumption in a bar in licensed premises by a minor. The Licensing (Young Persons) Act 2000, which came into force on 23 January, created a new offence of buying or attempting to buy alcohol in licensed premises on behalf of a person under 18. There will continue to be an exemption from these offences in respect of any adult who buys beer, porter or cider for a person aged 16 or 17 years of age for consumption at a meal in a part of licensed premises which is not the bar and is usually set aside for the service of meals.

  Fireworks
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many successful prosecutions have taken place with regard to(a) fireworks causing distress to animals under the Protection of Animals Act 1911 in each year from 1990 to date and (b) throwing or setting off fireworks in the street under section 80 of the Explosives Act 1875. [146683]
  721W
  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Information collected centrally on the Home Office Court Proceedings Database does not identify the act of cruelty involved where offenders have been convicted under the Protection of Animals Act 1911.

  Available information showing the number of persons prosecuted at magistrates courts and convicted at all courts for the throwing or setting off of fireworks in the street are given in the table.

  Number of defendants prosecuted at magistrates courts and convicted at all courts under S80 of the Explosives Act 1875, England and Wales, 1990–99

  Prosecutions

  Convictions

  Conviction rate1

  1990

  65

  52

  80

  1991

  34

  27

  79

  1992

  19

  14

  74

  1993

  10

  5

  50

  1994

  22

  16

  73

  1995

  24

  18

  75

  1996

  43

  34

  79

  1997

  74

  49

  66

  1998

  52

  36

  69

  1999

  42

  27

  64

  1 Offenders convicted as a proportion of the number prosecuted

  Throwing, casting or firing any fireworks in or into any highway, street, etc. public place—S.80 the Explosive Act 1875

  Source:

  Home Office Court Proceedings Database

  Graffiti
  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with(a) senior police officers and (b) local authorities concerning graffiti-related criminal damage; and if he will make a statement. [146492]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Home Secretary and I have regular discussions with senior police officers and others on issues of crime and disorder. However, no recent discussions have been held concerning graffiti.

  Number of defendants prosecuted at magistrates courts and convicted at all courts for offences of "conspiracy to defraud"1 by result (including length of sentence), England and Wales 1995–99

  Length of custodial sentence

  Year

  Total proceeded against

  Total Convicted

  Conviction rate2

  Total sentenced3

  Immediate custody

  Under 10 years

  10 years4

  1995

  1,003

  383

  38

  384

  262

  262

  —

  1996

  1,069

  477

  45

  477

  350

  350

  —

  1997

  1,119

  500

  45

  500

  325

  325

  —

  1998

  1,175

  466

  40

  466

  313

  313

  —

  1999

  1,174

  420

  36

  419

  275

  275

  —

  1 Offences under Common Law and s12 of the Criminal Justice Act 1987

  2 Total convicted as a proportion of total proceeded against

  3 Sentencing may take place after conviction. In a small number of cases sentencing will occur in a later year than the relevant conviction

  4 The maximum sentence for both offences is 10 years imprisonment.

  Source:

  Home Office Court Proceedings Database

  Sexual Offences
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of(a) buggery,
  722W
  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review his decision not to issue guidance to paint spray manufacturers and retailers concerning age limits on the sale of their products. [146491]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  No. The Government believe that tackling graffiti is best achieved by dealing with offenders rather than penalising retailers for selling a product that they may, in all honesty, believe is being purchased for legitimate reasons. There are no statutory age limits for the purchase of these products and it is not therefore appropriate to issue guidance to retailers.

  Ping Hughston
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason the IND has failed to determine the application by a constituent, Ping Hughston, within the time period specified; and if he will make a statement. [146634]

  Mrs. Roche
  Mrs. Hughston's application for indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom was lodged on 1 December 2000 and completed on 10 January 2001. The application form that she submitted states that straightforward applications should be completed within three weeks of receipt, while cases which require further consideration are on average being completed within 12 weeks. Her case was not straightforward as it was considered outside the Immigration Rules yet was completed within six weeks.

  Fraud
  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many successful prosecutions have been brought in each year since 1995 for conspiracy to defraud; and how many and what percentage, of offenders were sentenced to prison terms of over(a) 20, (b) 15 and (c) 10 years. [146838]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Available court data, taken from the Home Office Court Proceedings Database, covering "conspiracy to defraud" offences under Common Law and s12 of the Criminal. Justice Act 1987 are given in the table. Both offences carry maximum custodial sentences of 10 years.

  (b) indecent assault and (c) gross indecency, relating to males under the age of 16 years, have (i) been recorded (ii) led to charges being preferred and (iii) led to convictions in each police force area since 1997. [146441]
  723W
  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Centrally collected recorded crime statistics do not include details of either the age of victim or perpetrator for these offences in the detail required. Information on the number of persons charged is not available centrally.

  However, available information taken from the Home Office Court Proceedings Database on the number of persons prosecuted or convicted are given in the tables which have been placed in the Library. Detail is given on (1) the number of defendants prosecuted and convicted for offences where the male victim's age is known, and (2) the number of male defendants aged 10 to under 16 prosecuted and convicted by offence type.

  Data Protection Act
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what categories of data not-for-profit organisations are exempt from having to notify under the Data Protection Act 1998; [146757]

  (2) if voluntary sports clubs are classified as not-for-profit organisations under the Data Protection Act 1998; [146756]

  (3) if voluntary sports clubs are exempt from having to notify personal data relating to membership lists under the Data Protection Act 1998. [146758]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Paragraph 5 of the Schedule to the Data Protection (Notification and Notification Fees) Regulations 2000 (SI 2000 No.188) provides an exemption from notification under the Data Protection Act 1998 for the processing of personal data by non profit-making organisations. The conditions governing the exemption, including restrictions on the purposes of the processing and the categories of data that may be processed, are set out in paragraph 5. Whether or not a particular body is a non profit-making organisation for the purposes of paragraph 5 will depend upon its specific circumstances.

  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department is(a) national governing bodies of sport and (b) voluntary sports clubs will be able to store criminal records information on volunteers and coaches under the Data Protection Act 1998. [146760]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Information about individuals' criminal records is likely to comprise sensitive personal data for the purposes of the Data Protection Act 1998. Such data may be stored or otherwise processed if at least one of the grounds set out in Schedule 3 to the 1998 Act or in the Data Protection (Processing of Sensitive Personal Data) Order 2000 (SI 2000 No. 417) is met, and the other requirements of the 1998 Act are satisfied.

  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to introduce regulations regarding the notification of accounts and records data under the Data Protection Act 1998. [146759]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Paragraph 4 of the Schedule to the Data Protection (Notification and Notification Fees) Regulations 2000 (SI 2000 No. 188) provides an exemption from notification under the Data Protection Act 1998 for the processing of personal data for the purposes of keeping accounts and certain other records.
  724W
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce regulations to define a relevant filing system for manual records under the Data Protection Act 1998. [146762]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  "Relevant filing system" is defined in section 1(1) of the Data Protection Act 1998. The Data Protection Commissioner has given guidance on this definition in her publication: "The Data Protection Act 1998: An Introduction". It is available on her website: www.dataprotection.gov.uk.

  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce regulations to enable national governing bodies of sport to store data relating to athletes, disciplinary procedures under the Data Protection Act 1998. [146761]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  National governing bodies of sport may store and otherwise process personal data comprising information about athletes' involvement in disciplinary proceedings provided that they comply with the data protection principles and the other requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998.

  Forecourt Drive-offs
  Mrs. Spelman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is concerning drivers who leave retail petrol sites without paying for fuel; how many reported incidents of drive-offs there were in 2000, broken down by constabulary in England and Wales; and how many successful prosecutions in respect of these there have been. [146970]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The offence of 'making off without payment' from petrol stations (commonly known as bilking) is one that industry/retailers and the police have already joined forces to tackle.

  The Home Office supports the British Oil Security Syndicate (BOSS), formed in 1991 by the oil industry, together with the Petrol Retailers Association (PRA), the Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). Its aims are to reduce the amount of crime taking place on Britain's petrol forecourts.

  Their scheme 'Forecourt Watch' provides an early warning system to keep retailers informed about crimes being committed on forecourts and provides details of suspects and their vehicles. When a crime is committed local petrol retailers immediately report the incident to the local police who transmit warnings about any suspects and their vehicles to all retailers via a communications system such as 'Ringmaster'. Messages can be transmitted to all scheme members extremely quickly.

  Retailers are also encouraged to inform their neighbouring petrol forecourts of the offence so that action can be taken before the crime is committed elsewhere.

  A pilot scheme in Lewisham, South London reduced forecourt crimes including drive-offs by 42 per cent. between December 1999 and December 2000.

  It is not possible in the statistics collected centrally on recorded crime to identify offences of making off without payment from other similar offences of fraud. Information held on the Home Office Court Proceedings database shows that there were 2,000 persons proceeded against in

  725W
  England and Wales in 1999 for offences of making off without payment (section 3 of the Theft Act 1978) but this will also include other similar offences such as making off without payment from restaurants, hotels etc. 1,400 of these persons were convicted.

  Recidivism
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of offenders have committed further offences in the two years following the completion of their community service orders in each of the last five years. [146824]

  Mr. Boateng
  Information on reoffending rates is not available. In addition, standard methodology for measuring reconviction rates for all types of community penalty measures the rates from date of commencement of the penalty as opposed to the date of completion.
  726W
  Two year reconviction rates following commencement of community service orders in the last five years for which data are available are shown in the table. Data for 1997 commencements are provisional.

  Since 1995, community penalty reconviction rates have been based on a sample of commencements during the first quarter of the year.

  Offenders reconvicted for standard list offences by year of commencement of a community service order

  Year of commencement

  Percentage reconvicted

  1993

  52

  1994

  48

  19951

  52

  19961

  50

  19971

  48

  1 First quarter

  Chinook Helicopter Mk II: Conversion Training
  Chinook Helicopter Mk II: Conversion Training
  European Security and Defence Policy: Intelligence Management
  European Security and Defence Policy: Intelligence Management
  Rendlesham Forest Incident
  Rendlesham Forest Incident
  Unidentified Flying Objects
  Unidentified Flying Objects
  Arms Brokering and Trafficking: Licensing
  Arms Brokering and Trafficking: Licensing
  Mobile Operators: 3G Services Revenues
  Mobile Operators: 3G Services Revenues
  Aeroplane Seating
  Aeroplane Seating
  Ministers of Religion: Membership of House of Commons
  Ministers of Religion: Membership of House of Commons