Written Answers of 13 July 2001

INTERNATIONAL DEVE LOPMENT

  Southern Sudan
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to visit southern Sudan; and if she will make a statement. [2284]

  Clare Short
  I continue to keep under review the possibility of a visit to north and south Sudan. Our priority for Sudan is to encourage a just peace. We continue to provide relief to alleviate the suffering caused by the war.

  Digital Divide
  Mr. Nigel Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what polices she is pursuing to tackle the problem of the digital divide in developing countries; and if she will make a statement. [1808]

  Clare Short
  Our recent White Paper outlines the threat the digital divide provides to the prospects of poor countries. Our policy is to maximise the benefits to the poor by integrating the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) into our existing development activities aimed at achieving the international development targets. For example effective use of ICT can help improve governance and accountability, improve access to services such as education and health, and boost economic growth.

  Belize
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her answer of 2 July 2001,Official Report, column 41W, on Belize, if KPMG passed to her Department copies of the three letters from Carlisle Holdings during its study to review the regulation of offshore financial services in Belize and the effect of tax exemptions on pro-poor programmes. [3372]

  Clare Short
  Yes.

  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her answer of 2 July 2001,Official Report, column 42W, on Belize, on what date her Department was informed that KPMG were the external auditors of the Belize b ink. [3373]

  Clare Short
  On 25 August 2000.

  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on what dates KPMG received letters from the Public Investment Company, Sonisa, during its study to review the regulation of offshore financial services in Belize and the effect of tax exemptions on pro-poor programmes; if she will place copies of these letters in the Library and if she will make a statement. [3374]

  Clare Short
  My Department is not aware of any such correspondence.
  654W
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment has been made of the amount of tax not paid since 1990 by the two public investment companies with regard to the study commissioned by her Department to review the regulation of offshore financial services in Belize and the effect of tax exemptions on pro-poor programmes; if she will place a copy of these calculations in the Library; and if she will make a statement. [3375]

  Clare Short
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 11 July 2001,Official Report, column 531W, concerning the confidentiality of the KPMG report.

  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if her Department asked(a) KPMG and (b) the Belize Government to calculate the amount of tax not paid since 1990 by the two public investment companies during its study commissioned by her Department to review the regulation of offshore financial services in Belize and the effect of tax exemptions on pro-poor programmes; and if she will make a statement. [3378]

  Clare Short
  KPMG was asked to estimate the scale of the possible loss of tax revenue as a result of PICs (Public Investment Companies). I refer the hon. Member to my answer to question uin3375.

  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much debt owed by Belize has been written off by the British Government under the Commonwealth Debt Initiative in each year since 1997; how much debt owed by Belize is planned to be written off by the Government over the next decade; and if she will make a statement. [3377]

  Clare Short
  £1.146 million in debt relief was granted to Belize in 1998 covering repayments due on past UK aid loans from April to October 1998. Bilateral aid amounting to £1.771 million for poverty-focused projects was agreed in 1999—equivalent to the repayments due between December 1998 and March 2000. This was provided so that the newly elected Government did not lose out on the value of the debt relief but was given time to decide whether it wished to qualify for the benefits of the Commonwealth Debt Initiative. The remaining outstanding debt on past UK aid loans to Belize amounts to £10.470 million, covering a repayment period which lasts until 2008.

  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on what dates KPMG visited Belize while conducting the study commissioned by her Department to review the regulation of offshore financial services in Belize and the effect of tax exemptions on pro-poor programmes. [3379]

  Clare Short
  18 July to 1 August 2000.

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

  Millennium Dome
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the basis was for commencing a hard strip of the Dome. [3101]
  655W
  Ms Keeble
  [holding answer 9 July 2001]: The hard strip was suspended while market testing of future Dome use options was begun. Independent professional advice has since been received that completing the hard strip offers maximum flexibility for any future use and does not prejudice the chances of the Dome being used for any particular use. Carrying out the hard strip enhances the prospects of finding a long term sustainable use, and therefore the work is proceeding.

  Mr. Wilkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how much public money has been spent from 1 January to 30 June on the care and maintenance of the Millennium Dome; and what his estimate is of the total figure for 2001. [2347]

  Ms Keeble
  Between 1 January and 30 June 2001 expenditure by the New Millennium Experience Company in relation to care and maintenance of the Millennium Dome was:

  January—£600,000

  February—£646,000

  March—627,000

  April—£609,000

  May—£632,000

  June—£224,000.

  The company received a rates rebate in June of £838,000 for the same six-month period, thereby reducing the care and maintenance cost by that amount. The figures listed do not include expenditure incurred on decommissioning, or any costs relevant to the company's on-going wind-down and liquidation activities.

  London Transport
  Harry Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will publish the actual figures for the amounts the private sector is investing in London Transport under existing contracts. [2729]

  Mr. Jamieson
  The following table shows estimates of the value of investment in London Transport through the existing London Underground Private Finance Initiative contracts.

  £

  Contract name/Investment coverage

  Investment Value1

  British Transport Police

  New HQ and BTP police station at Tottenham Court Road and a new BTP station at West Ham

  10

  Connect

  New stations and trains radio systems and communications infrastructure

  350

  Northern Line Trains

  Provision of new Northern Line train fleet

  400

  Power

  Network of substations and power distribution cables

  100

  Prestige

  Ticketing service infrastructure

  150

  Total investment value (£ billion)

  1.01

  1 The investment value is not the actual amount the private sector is investing in London Transport. Instead it is London Transport's estimate of what investment in PEI projects would have cost had they done the investment themselves.

  Cycling
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) if he will set out the key components of cycling strategies; and what plans he has to monitor their implementation; [3199]

  (2) if he will make a statement regarding local authorities which have failed to produce a cycling strategy. [3198]

  Mr. Spellar
  Our guidance to local authorities on full local transport plans (LTPs), published in March 2000, set out both the minimum requirements of a cycling strategy and the characteristics expected in a good LTP as follows:

  Minimum requirements
  A discrete strategy for encouraging cycling, which establishes a clear target that contributes to the national targets for increasing cycle use
  Evidence that cyclists have been given a high priority
  Evidence that encouraging cycling is part of all transport policies, including road safety strategies
  Evidence of interaction with local planning authority to ensure that land use and development planning allows and encourages people to cycle
  Evidence that there has been a review of the road network, to establish where improvements to assist cyclists are needed
  Assessment of the quality of existing cycle networks, to identify where improvements ire necessary
  Programme of measures to improve safety of cyclists and reduce conflicts with other traffic, including pedestrians

  Characteristic of a Good LTP
  Adopts a formal order in which planners consider the needs of different user types, placing cyclists near the top
  Partnerships for action with health, education, commercial and voluntary bodies
  Plans for improvement of physical provision to be based on methodical application of cycle review guidelines (published by IHT)
  Cycle audit all road and traffic schemes
  Aims to improve interchanges, and increase opportunities for combined cycle and public transport journeys
  Encourages cycling through Travelwise, Green Commuter Plans, Local Agenda 21 and School Transport Plans
  Minimises conflict between pedestrians and cyclists.
  Progress on the outcomes and targets established in LTPs, including those in the cycling strategies, will be monitored through a system of annual progress reports (APRs). Guidance to authorities on the production of APRs was published in March 2001. Copies were placed in the Library of the House. Authorities are required to submit their first APR by 31 August 2001.

  In notifying authorities of their capital allocations for 2001–02 in December 2000, our decision letters provided detailed feedback on the degree to which the LTPs had fulfilled the criteria for each element of the plan, including those set out for cycling strategies. We also identified, where appropriate, any specific areas in which authorities needed to improve their LTP. Our guidance on APRs makes clear that the annual reports should summarise actions taken to address these identified areas and to provide evidence of Improvement.
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  Housing
  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what percentage of(a) local authority and (b) registered social landlord rents in Hammersmith and Fulham he estimates will be in excess of £100 per week in (i) 2002, (ii) 2005 and (iii) 2010. [2987]

  Ms Keeble
  Estimates will be available only when the landlords have completed their rent plans, which are due by April 2002. However, later this summer the results will be available from the case study research into the practical issues arising from the rent reforms in west London. These will include initial estimates of the effects of the reforms on the rents of properties owned by London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and Notting Hill Housing Trust.

  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions (1) what consultation his Department has carried out to date over his policy on rent restructuring with(a) local authority tenants, (b) registered social landlord tenants, (c) local authorities and (d) registered social landlords; [3002]

  (2) what plans his Department has to consult the representatives of local authority and registered social landlord tenants over his plans for rent restructuring; and if he will make a statement. [3000]

  Ms Keeble
  My Department's approach to bring a fairer and more coherent structure to social rents is set out in the December 2000 policy statement "Quality and Choice: A decent home for all—the way forward for housing". This drew on response to the April 2000 Green Paper "Quality and Choice: a decent home for all" which almost universally agreed on the need to bring more coherence into the structure of social rents. The Green Paper was sent to all local authorities, registered social landlords and national tenant groups.

  We are now in the implementation stage. The Housing Corporation is considering the results to its March 2000 consultation paper on its proposals for implementing the rent restructuring framework among registered social landlords and will shortly be publishing interim guidance. It plans to issue final guidance in the autumn.

  In the local authority sector, a consultation paper is being published on changes to the housing revenue account subsidy system to support rent restructuring.

  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his Department's most recent estimate is of the average increase of housing association tenants' rents in the next 10 years in real terms(a) in total and (b) in Hammersmith and Fulham. [3003]

  Ms Keeble
  The December 2000 policy statement "Quality and Choice: A decent home for all—the way forward for housing" stated that from 2002–03 the rents of registered social landlords (RSLs) should, on average, rise by 0.5 per cent. above inflation (RPI + 0.5 per cent.) per annum. Over a 10-year period this will result in average RSL rents rising by around 6 per cent. in real terms. Estimates for housing association tenants' rents in the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham will only be available once their landlords have completed their rent plans. However, later this summer the results 658W
  will be available from the case study research into the practical issues arising from the rent reforms in west London.

  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what discretion in percentage terms his Department intends to give to local authorities in respect of the overall level of rents. [2986]

  Ms Keeble
  Local authorities will continue to be free to set rents at whatever level they consider appropriate. However the approach to social rent reforms set out in the December 2000 policy statement "Quality and Choice: A decent home for all—the way forward for housing" encourages social landlords to set rents on individual properties which are normally within a band of up to 5 per cent. higher or lower those indicated by the new rents formula.

  Mr. Coleman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when his Department expects to publish the consultation document on restructuring the housing revenue account subsidy system; and if he will make a statement. [3067]

  Ms Keeble
  We published this consultation paper on 13 July. I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Library of the House. The closing date for comments on our proposals is 8 October.

  We have announced a policy for achieving fair and affordable rents in the social rented sector. As part of this we have set out a common basis on which all rents in the social sector should be set and announced a 10-year transitional period in which the changes should as far as possible be made.

  The housing revenue account (HRA) subsidy system needs to be changed so that it supports rent restructuring. At the same time the opportunity can be taken to relieve stresses in the system that have become apparent as a result of the way in which rent rebate subsidy limitation was introduced in 1996–97.

  Trans-Pennine Rail Franchise
  Helen Jackson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he expects to make a decision on the Trans-Pennine rail franchise; and if the franchise will be determined on the basis of the guidelines to be issued on 16 July. [3014]

  Mr. Jamieson
  [holding answer 10 July 2001]: A decision on whether to make a direction under section 26 of the Railways Act 1993—that would allow the Strategic Rail Authority to proceed to the next stage of the franchising process for its proposed Trans-Pennine franchise—will be made in due course.

  We will make clear the scope and application of the franchising policy statement when it is published, shortly. It will not apply to replacement franchises for which the SRA has already invited best and final offers. This consultative statement will complement our draft directions and guidance to the authority and will also set out the Secretary of State's policy with regard to his powers under section 26.
  659W

  Air Traffic Control
  John McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his latest estimate is of the income to be generated by the sale of a 46 per cent. stake in NATS to the Airline Consortium. [3693]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Completion of this Public Private Partnership is subject to the satisfaction of a number of conditions. In finalising these, the Government will ensure that the deal continues to deliver real value to the Government and to taxpayers.

  John McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on his progress in appointing Government nominees as directors of the company formed to provide air traffic control services following the sale of NATS to the Airline Consortium. [3694]

  Mr. Jamieson
  I hope to be able to make an announcement about the Government directors shortly.

  John McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when the sale of National Air Traffic Services to the Airline Consortium will be completed. [3695]

  Mr. Jamieson
  Completion of the Public Private Partnership for National Air Traffic Services is subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions. We are working with the Airline Group to ensure that these conditions are satisfied at the earliest opportunity.

  John McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what his estimate is of the opening date for the air traffic control centre at Swanwick, Hampshire. [3692]

  Mr. Jamieson
  NATS have advised the Government that the new En Route Air Traffic Control Centre (NERC) at Swanwick is still on course to come into operation on 27 January 2002.

  John McDonnell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what guarantees have been sought by the Airline Consortium purchasing National Air Traffic Services with regard to the opening of the new air traffic control centre at Swanwick, Hampshire. [3697]

  Mr. Jamieson
  No guarantees have been given to the Airline Group in connection with the Swanwick centre. However, the Airline Group will be under a contractual obligation to complete and operate the new centre.

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link
  Mr. Syms
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the timetable for the introduction of the Channel Tunnel Rail Link. [3554]

  Mr. Jamieson
  I am pleased to report that CTRL Section 1 (Channel Tunnel to Fawkham Junction in north Kent) is on schedule and on budget for completion 660W
  in October 2003. Construction of CTRL Section 2 (Southfleet to St. Pancras) started on 2 July 2001, and is expected to be completed by the end of 2006.

DEFENCE

  Live Ammunition
  Mr. Caton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library information about the percentage of all ammunition fired by the British Army in training that does not detonate. [2782]

  Mr. Ingram
  The document that contains statistical data on performance failures is classified and therefore withheld in accordance with Exemption 1 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  Altcar Training Camp
  Mrs. Curtis-Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his future plans for the Altcar training camp. [3249]

  Mr. Ingram
  The facilities at the Altcar training camp play an important role in meeting the training needs of the Regular forces, reserves, and cadets from all three services. The Ministry of Defence is considering proposals for the modernisation of the facilities at the camp, specifically the upgrading of targetry and associated range control features.

  Multi-engine Aircraft Pilots
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what multi-engine pilot shortfalls were predicted at the 22 November 2000 meeting of the multi-engine aircrew Training Steering Committee. [2696]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 10 July 2001]: An unspecified pilot shortfall was predicted to cover within the next two to three years.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what target the Training Group Defence Agency set for into productive service multi-engine pilots for 2001; and how many went into service in 2000–01. [2698]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 10 July 2001]: Against an Into Productive Service target of 55 for multi-engine pilots in the RAF, a total of 57 entered service in 2000–01.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what effect the lack of RAF flying personnel staying on past the 38/16 point will have on the supply of pilots for multi-engine aircraft in each year up to 2012. [2700]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 10 July 2001]: The number of pilots trained to fly multi-engine aircraft who leave the RAF at the age 38/16 years of service point is small. Last year 16 pilots (1.9 per cent. of trained strength on 1 April 2000) left the service at that point and although a small increase is forecast over the next five to six years, the rate is expected to return to current levels by 2007–08.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he last made of the likelihood of a shortage of junior (officer multi-engine aircraft pilots in the RAF from the end of 2001. [2699]
  661W
  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 10 July 2001]: The current assessment is as follows:

  RAF multi-engine aircraft—junior officer pilot forecast shortfall

  Requirement

  Forecast strength

  Forecast surplus/shortfall

  2001–02

  568

  586

  +18

  2002–03

  571

  580

  +9

  2003–04

  580

  575

  -5

  2004–05

  593

  563

  -30

  2005–06

  603

  552

  -51

  2006–07

  600

  543

  -57

  2007–08

  608

  538

  -70

  2008–09

  586

  539

  -47

  2009–10

  585

  542

  -43

  2010–11

  574

  549

  -25

  2011–12

  571

  555

  -16

  Addressing pilot shortfalls is a key priority for the Government and RAF and a number of initiatives are being undertaken to address this problem. These include the introduction of an in-service degree scheme to attract aircrew at a younger age, fully manning the RAF training systems, and the introduction of targeted financial incentives and the Linkup scheme to help improve retention. A comprehensive review of aircrew retention measures across the armed forces is also being undertaken and will report later this year, hopefully in time to influence the Armed Forces Pay Review Body's deliberations for their 2002 report.

  STANOC Centre
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to which military unit the STANOC Centre is attached; for what reason it was transferred from HQ Director Royal Artillery; what the annual cost or saving resulting from the move is; and how many personnel were employed in the centre in(a) 2000 and (b) 2001. [3016]

  Mr. Ingram
  [holding answer 10 July 2001]: The Surveillance, Target Acquisition. Night Observation and Counter-surveillance (STANOC) centre is currently part of the Royal Artillery Trials and Development Unit, which is an element of Headquarters Director Royal Artillery based at Larkhill in Wiltshire. As a result of the General Staff Review and a further study into Army Trials and Development Units, it has been decided that the STANOC centre's outputs would most effectively be provided in the future by disaggregating its prime responsibilities to the Land Warfare Training Centre (LWTC) and Infantry Trials and Development Unit (ITDU), both of which are based at Warminster. The current annual cost of the STANOC centre is £242,878. The provision of new infrastructure at Warminster is currently estimated at £65,000. Six military personnel were employed at the STANOC centre in 2000, and from 1 September 2001 three of these posts will be transferred to the LWTC and ITDU at Warminster and the remaining three posts will be redeployed elsewhere in the Field Army. Therefore, there will be no overall saving to the defence budget.

  Tritium
  Paul Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the availability of tritium for Britain's military defence programme following the accident at the Chapelcross reactor Number 3 this month. [3721]

  Mr. Hoon
  The incident at Chapelcross had no impact upon the availability of tritium for Britain's military defence programme.

  National Missile Defence
  Lynne Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contribution he is making to President Bush's deliberations over the sort of missile defence system the United States will deploy. [3706]

  Mr. Hoon
  We continue to discuss missile defence and related issues regularly with the United States. We have consistently made it clear that we share US concerns about the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, and that we will continue to work together to tackle the potential threat with a comprehensive strategy. And we welcome the fact that they are consulting with Allies, Russia and others on this important issue. But it is ultimately a matter for the US Administration to decide what sort of missile defences they will seek to deploy. They have not yet done so, and nor have they made any request for the use of facilities in the UK for missile defence purposes.

  Porton Down
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library copies of communications from the Medical Research Council to his Department outlining the reasons why they believed an epidemiological study of the Porton Down volunteers is feasible. [3408]

  Dr. Moonie
  There are no such communications. The feasibility of an epidemiological study was discussed formally at a meeting on 5 April 2001. Notes of that meeting are contained in the briefing pack for research teams wishing to undertake the study. A copy of the pack has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library (1) a copy of the information pack which is being sent to academic researchers who submit an expression of interest in carrying out an epidemiological study of service volunteers who took part in experiments at the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down; [3410]

  (2) a copy of the protocol drawn up by the Chemical Defence Establishment, Porton Down, to carry out the experiment in 1983 in which service personnel were exposed to sarin nerve gas and involved the technique of single fibre electromyography. [3399]

  Dr. Moonie
  Yes.

  Liquidated Damages
  Dr. Vis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if his Department invites bidders to offer liquidated damages as a standard percentage of their tendered price with a standard time limit on their application; and how he
  663W
  ensures that contractors do not include the value of potential liquidated damages payments in their tendered prices; [3881]

  (2) what role liquidated damages indemnities play in securing the FASTER element of his Department's smart procurement initiative; [3716]

  (3) what procedures his Department follows to establish the level of likely damage on which to base liquidated damages indemnities; and to establish an upper limit of liquidated damages in each case. [3880]

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

  Japanese Internees
  Mrs. Lait
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what definition of British nationality is used to establish the entitlement of Japanese internees to compensation. [4276]

  Dr. Moonie
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton) on 11 January 2001,Official Report, column 517W.

TREASURY

  EU Funding
  Mr. Dodds
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the United Kingdom's contribution to the EU was calculated to come from Northern Ireland in each of the last three years. [3397]

  Ruth Kelly
  Contributions are made for the United Kingdom as a whole and no such estimates are therefore available.

  Hidden Economy
  Dr. Kumar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the loss in tax revenue to his Department in the last year from people operating in the hidden economy for each of the regions in the United Kingdom. [3715]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  No such estimates have been made.

  Equitable Life
  Mr. Russell Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the review of the events leading up to Equitable Life's decision to close to new business and the role of the Financial Services Authority will be published; and if he will make a statement. [4584]

  Ruth Kelly
  I understand from the Financial Services Authority that the review team is not yet in a position to complete its report. I can confirm that it remains our intention to publish the report as soon as it is practicable.

HEALTH

  NHS (West Sussex)
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on NHS structures in west Sussex. [2095]
  664W
  Ms Blears
  West Sussex health authority is committed to working in an integrated way with the whole of the national health service, stakeholders and local social services. The introduction of primary care trusts will further enable the health authority to work towards improved quality of services along with better value for money. Any substantive changes to NHS structures in west Sussex will be subject to full statutory consultation.

  "Information for Health"
  Mr. Todd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the cost of implementing "Information for Health"; from which budgets that cost will be funded; and if he will make a statement. [1968]

  Mr. Hutton
  "Information for Health" is an ambitious and far-reaching strategy for information technology investment in the national health service and investment in IT for the national health service is expected to grow by around £1.6 billion over the lifetime of the strategy up to 31 March 2004.

  This figure reflects national estimates of the sum of investment needed to deliver "Information for Health" and the IT components of the NHS plan. The majority of this investment will be made available to local health communities through health authority allocations. The allocations are intended as a guide for local health communities in ensuring that their own plans will meet the targets and milestones for implementing the NHS plan.

  Hospices
  Tony Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many beds in hospices are available to the national health service; and what the figures were for each of the last 10 years; [1057]

  (2) what level of financial support is given per bed to hospices; and what estimate he has made of the cost to the national health service per bed of providing the same level of service itself; [1058]

  (3) what proportion of the costs of running hospices is met by (a) grants from the national health service and (b) charitable giving; and what the figures were in each of the past 10 years;[1059]

  (4) what guidelines he gives to NHS funding bodies about the level of support that should be given to hospices; [1060]

  (5) what plans he has to review policy on the relationship between the NHS and the hospice movement. [1061]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 2 July 2001]: The total number of beds separated into national health service specialist palliative care units and voluntary hospices for each of the past 10 years for the United Kingdom is shown in the table. All hospice beds are available to NHS patients.
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  Date

  NHS units

  Beds

  Voluntary hospices

  Beds

  Total units

  Beds

  January 1991

  41

  525

  110

  2,037

  151

  2,562

  January 1992

  43

  522

  127

  2,236

  170

  2,758

  January 1993

  50

  573

  134

  2,286

  184

  2,859

  January 1994

  50

  573

  143

  2,399

  193

  2,972

  January 1995

  46

  533

  149

  2,485

  195

  3,018

  January 1996

  50

  557

  150

  2,468

  200

  3,025

  January 1997

  56

  595

  147

  2,458

  203

  3,053

  January 1998

  59

  605

  146

  2,474

  205

  3,079

  January 1999

  61

  622

  145

  2,445

  206

  3,067

  January 2000

  56

  600

  146

  2,469

  202

  3,069

  January 20W

  57

  607

  152

  2,480

  209

  3,087

  Source:

  Hospice Information Service

  In addition, the NHS collects information on the number of beds also provided by NHS trusts in wards classified as being for patients who are terminally ill or in need of palliative care in the annual publication 'Bed availability and occupancy—England', copies of which are available in the Library.

  It is for the NHS locally to make arrangements for financial support for hospices, given the extent of local diversity both of the services provided and of alternative sources of local support. Accordingly we have issued no guidance specifying a set percentage of revenue costs that individual health authorities and primary care organisations should meet. Successive guidance to health authorities has made clear their responsibilities for developing palliative care strategies based on the assessed health needs of the resident population.

  The National Council for Hospices and Specialist Palliative Care Services has estimated that total expenditure on hospice and specialist palliative care for adults is £300 million. Of this, £170 million is provided by the voluntary sector and £130 million through the NHS. Information on the NHS contribution to hospices over the past 10 years is not available.

  The NHS cancer plan set out our commitment to increase NHS investment in specialist palliative care by £50 million by 2004. This will mean that for the first time ever NHS investment in specialist palliative care services will match that of the voluntary sector. Health authority allocations in 2001–02 included a total of £255 million to support the first year of local implementation of the NHS cancer plan. Priorities for this year include the development of costed strategic plans for palliative care.

  Cancer networks are currently developing detailed service delivery plans, which will identify current position and set out action plans for further development across all services including palliative care. These will be completed by the autumn.

  Electricity Pylons and Telecommunications Masts
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent research his Department has(a) commissioned and (b) evaluated into the possible health effects on people who live near (i) electricity pylons and (ii) telecommunications masts; and if he will make a statement. [1858]
  666W
  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 3 July 2001]: The Department obtains advice on potential health effects risks associated with electromagnetic fields (EMF), such as those from power lines or mobile phone masts, from the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB).

  Power line EMF has been reviewed in a report published on 6 March by the NRPB' s Advisory Group on non-ionising radiation and provides an assessment of the potential risks of cancer. (Documents of the NRPB Vol. 12, No 1, 2001). Copies have been placed in the Library. The board of the NRPB also published a response statement which can be found on the NRPB website www.nrpb.org.uk. The report states that any possible risk of childhood leukaemia relates to those exposed at relatively high levels of domestic magnetic field exposure but that these are not necessarily associated with proximity to pylons or overhead power transmission lines. The conclusions indicate that the question of whether exposure to electromagnetic fields can influence the development of cancer cannot at present be completely resolved.

  Mobile phone base stations (transmission masts) emit radio waves at very different frequencies to those fields generated by power lines. They are therefore being dealt with as a separate issue. The possible public health implications of mobile phone technology has been investigated by the Independent Expert Group on Mobile Phones (the Stewart group). Its report, published in May 2000 concluded that:
  "the balance of evidence indicates that there is no general risk to the health of people living near to base stations on the basis that exposures are expected to be small fractions of guidelines."
  It also included a recommendation for a substantial research programme to be set up to investigate the possible effects of mobile phone technology more generally. A three year programme, jointly funded by Government and industry, has now been launched and has invited proposals relating to all aspects of mobile phone technology including telecommunications masts and handsets. The research is being undertaken under the direction of an independent programme management committee. Details can be found on the Department website www.doh.gov.uk/mobilephones.

  The Department is also continuing to provide financial support for the World Health Organisation International Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) Project which is comprehensively reviewing EMF effects, including those of power frequency fields and radio waves.
  667W

  Preston, Chorley and South Ribble Hospital Trust
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what salary the new chief executive of Preston, Chorley and South Ribble Hospital Trust will receive; [2476]

  (2) who has been appointed chief executive of Preston, Chorley and South Ribble Hospital Trust; and if the post of Chief Executive was advertised; [2774]

  (3) how many meetings of the appointment panel took place before the decision was made to appoint a new chief executive of Preston, Chorley and South Ribble Hospital Trust. [2475]

  Mr. Hutton
  At their next public meetings in late July, the boards of Chorley, South Ribble and Preston Acute Hospitals National Health Service Trusts are expected to consider seeking ministerial approval to consult on a possible merger. There has been no formal approach to Ministers, or the Department. A paper, to be taken in public session, will also include a proposed job description for the proposed new joint chief executive.

  NHS Dentistry
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the level of access to NHS dentistry by September. [2539]

  May 2001

  June 1997

  Health authority

  Number of over 12 month waiters

  Percentage of over 12 month waiters

  Number of over 12 month waiters

  Percentage of over 12 month waiters

  Hillingdon

  250

  6.0

  313

  5.9

  Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster

  99

  2.2

  134

  2.6

  Redbridge and Waltham Forest

  811

  8.0

  1,288

  9.1

  Bedfordshire

  725

  7.0

  293

  2.6

  Berkshire

  516

  3.6

  542

  3.7

  Buckinghamshire

  777

  5.7

  701

  4.9

  Croydon

  606

  8.8

  292

  3.4

  East Kent

  1,122

  6.8

  41

  0.3

  West Kent

  1,551

  6.6

  799

  3.1

  Kingston and Richmond

  448

  6.2

  442

  5.4

  Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham

  1,603

  9.9

  2,301

  11.4

  Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth

  594

  5.9

  503

  4.1

  East Surrey

  754

  8.6

  417

  4.1

  West Surrey

  1,522

  10.5

  1,452

  8.9

  East Sussex, Brighton and Hove

  1,160

  6.1

  650

  3.2

  West Sussex

  1,816

  9.7

  1,672

  7.8

  Barking and Havering

  521

  5.1

  460

  4.0

  Brent and Harrow

  439

  5.3

  717

  6.3

  Camden and Islington

  263

  4.4

  221

  2.5

  Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow

  726

  5.3

  1,549

  9.9

  East London and the City

  536

  4.5

  691

  4.9

  North Essex

  1,331

  6.4

  1,010

  4.1

  South Essex

  493

  2.9

  202

  1.1

  South Lancashire

  258

  3.2

  432

  4.4

  Liverpool

  504

  4.7

  683

  5.3

  Manchester

  697

  6.1

  891

  7.2

  Morecambe Bay

  183

  2.7

  101

  1.4

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  319

  3.4

  345

  3.5

  Salford and Trafford

  849

  6.7

  763

  5.6

  Sefton

  287

  3.9

  521

  5.7

  Stockport

  248

  3.5

  264

  3.6

  West Pennine

  285

  2.3

  235

  1.7

  Northamptonshire

  623

  4.5

  460

  3.1

  Oxfordshire

  487

  4.5

  842

  7.3

  Suffolk

  617

  4.0

  618

  3.7

  Barnsley

  18

  0.4

  104

  2.1

  668W
  Ms Blears
  In September 1999 my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister promised that within two years everyone will be able to access national health service dentistry if and when they want it via NHS Direct. All health authorities now have in place dentistry action plans to ensure that everyone in the local area can access NHS dentistry if they want it within a reasonable time and distance.

  Waiting Lists
  Virginia Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of patients waiting for in-patient treatment have been waiting for more than one year(a) at the latest date available and (b) in May 1997 in each health authority. [2834]

  Mr. Hutton
  The information requested is shown in the table. Waiting time information was not collected on a monthly basis in 1997 and so we have provided figures for the nearest date for which we have data.

  In 1997 we promised to reduce waiting lists by 100,000. We have done this and today there are 125,000 fewer patients waiting for in-patient treatment than when we came into power. We are going to build on this. As part of our NHS Plan the National Health Service is working to reduce the maximum waiting time for admission to hospital from 18 months today to six months by the end of 2005. By the same date the maximum waiting time for an out-patient appointment will be reduced from over six months today to three months.
  669W

  May 2001

  June 1997

  Health authority

  Number of over 12 month waiters

  Percentage of over 12 month waiters

  Number of over 12 month waiters

  Percentage of over 12 month waiters

  North Derbyshire

  55

  0.7

  1,204

  11.0

  Southern Derbyshire

  212

  1.7

  663

  5.3

  Doncaster

  9

  0.2

  47

  0.8

  Leicestershire

  364

  2.3

  371

  2.2

  Lincolnshire

  561

  3.6

  1,767

  8.7

  North Nottinghamshire

  60

  0.8

  269

  2.9

  Nottingham

  195

  1.8

  1,122

  8.1

  Rotherham

  8

  0.2

  119

  2.4

  Sheffield

  60

  0.6

  724

  6.1

  Bury and Rochdale

  258

  2.8

  162

  1.6

  North Cheshire

  717

  8.2

  269

  2.9

  South Cheshire

  622

  4.4

  978

  5.6

  East Lancashire

  154

  1.2

  109

  0.8

  North West Lancashire

  171

  1.5

  262

  2.0

  North and Mid Hampshire

  530

  5.0

  402

  3.7

  Southampton and South West Hampshire

  1,011

  7.3

  1,252

  7.7

  Somerset

  357

  3.1

  91

  0.8

  South and West Devon

  783

  5.8

  101

  0.7

  Wiltshire

  745

  6.0

  779

  5.5

  Avon

  1,436

  6.8

  1,689

  7.1

  Birmingham

  238

  1.6

  55

  0.3

  Wigan and Bolton

  484

  3.6

  378

  2.3

  Wirral

  128

  2.5

  89

  1.5

  Bradford

  88

  0.8

  564

  5.0

  County Durham and Darlington

  94

  0.8

  66

  0.5

  East Riding and Hull

  321

  2.8

  475

  3.7

  Gateshead and South Tyneside

  43

  0.6

  138

  1.5

  Leeds

  367

  2.6

  249

  1.7

  Newcastle and North Tyneside

  112

  1.5

  207

  2.2

  North Cumbria

  188

  2.6

  312

  3.5

  South Humber

  37

  0.5

  893

  9.1

  Northumberland

  56

  1.1

  65

  1.1

  Sunderland

  38

  0.6

  29

  0.4

  Tees

  104

  1.0

  17

  0.1

  Wakefield

  173

  2.5

  220

  2.7

  North Yorkshire

  168

  1.3

  170

  1.1

  Calderdale and Kirklees

  148

  1.3

  142

  1.2

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  685

  5.4

  200

  1.6

  Dorset

  12

  0.1

  4

  0.0

  North and East Devon

  689

  6.2

  425

  3.5

  Gloucestershire

  131

  1.6

  45

  0.5

  Coventry

  77

  1.6

  10

  0.2

  Dudley

  80

  1.6

  16

  0.3

  Herefordshire

  107

  3.8

  85

  2.7

  Sandwell

  28

  0.6

  3

  0.1

  Shropshire

  280

  3.8

  19

  0.3

  Solihull

  21

  0.6

  8

  0.3

  North Staffordshire

  225

  4.0

  200

  2.9

  South Staffordshire

  721

  5.8

  64

  0.5

  Walsall

  27

  1.0

  7

  0.2

  Warwickshire

  73

  0.7

  21

  0.2

  Wolverhampton

  43

  1.2

  92

  1.8

  Worcestershire

  414

  4.3

  111

  1.2

  Cambridgeshire

  603

  4.2

  1—

  1—

  Norfolk

  994

  5.3

  1—

  1—

  Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and South East Hampshire

  1,040

  7.0

  1—

  1—

  Barnet, Enfield and Haringey

  1.040

  6.7

  1—

  1—

  Hertfordshire

  1,353

  6.5

  1—

  1—

  Bexley, Bromley and Greenwich

  839

  6.2

  1—

  1—

  1 These health authorities did not exist in 1997

  Source:

  QF01 quarterly returns

  Hip and Knee Replacements
  Paul Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) hip replacement and (b) knee replacement operations required revision operations in each of the past 10 years. [2375]
  670W
  Mr. Hutton
  [holding answer 9 July 2001]: The table shows the data for in-patient episodes for hip and knee revisions in national health service hospitals in England, from 1989–90 to 1999–2000, the latest year for which figures are available.
  671W

  Year

  All hip

  Hip revision

  Percentage revision

  All knee

  Knee revision

  Percentage revision

  1990–91

  49,659

  5,336

  10.7

  14,150

  701

  5.0

  1991–92

  55,396

  5,602

  10.1

  17,348

  780

  4.5

  1992–93

  57,377

  5,628

  9.8

  19,999

  971

  4.9

  1993–94

  58,643

  5,256

  9.0

  22,669

  988

  4.4

  1994–95

  62,511

  5,662

  9.1

  25,342

  1,202

  4.7

  1995–96

  65,636

  6,436

  9.8

  29,550

  1,298

  4.4

  1996–97

  63,527

  6,416

  10.1

  26,877

  1,390

  5.2

  1997–98

  62,394

  6,273

  10.1

  27,410

  1,439

  5.2

  1998–99

  68,025

  6,853

  10.1

  31,919

  1,573

  4.9

  1999–2000

  68,920

  6,350

  9.2

  33,007

  1.557

  4.7

  Tinnitus
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what resources have been allocated to research into the(a) causes, (b) symptoms, (c) detection and (d) treatments of tinnitus in each of the last five years. [2864]

  Mr. Hutton
  The Department funds research to support policy and the delivery of effective practice in the national health service. The Department also provides NHS support funding for research commissioned by the Medical Research Council and charities that takes place in the NHS. The Department has provided or is providing such funding for five ongoing projects relating to tinnitus and 21 completed projects. Details of these projects can be found on the National Research Register which is available in the Library on CD Rom, or via the internet at www.doh.gov.uk/research/nrr/htm.

  The main Government agency for research into the causes of and treatments for diseases is the MRC which receives its funding via the Department of Trade and Industry. The MRC spent £755,000 specifically on tinnitus research in 1996–97 and £875,000 in 1997–98. In 1998–99 the MRC spent £3.49 million on hearing research in general and £3.34 million in 1999–2000, some of which would be relevant to tinnitus.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, consequent on his letter dated 6 June to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton (1) with regard to Mr. Stephen Holden, if he will now obtain for the right hon. Member the promised reply from the chairman of the Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust; [3152]

  (2) with regard to Mr. Robert McDonald, if he will obtain for the right hon. Member the promised response from the chairman of the Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals NHS Trust. [3153]

  Ms Blears
  I understand that Mr. Peter Mount, chairman of the Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospitals National Health Service Trust wrote to my right hon. Friend on 21 June and 6 July in respect of his constituents Mr. Stephen Holden and Mr. Robert McDonald.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the hon. Member for West Chelmsford can expect a reply to his letter of 9 April relating to his constituent Mr. P. Arnill of Lavender House, Dragon road, Great Leighs; and if he will make a statement on the factors underlying the delay in replying. [3571]
  672W
  Ms Blears
  The Department has not received a copy of the hon. Member's letter of the 9 April relating to his constituent Mr. P. Arnill.

  Core Targets
  Mr. Lidington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to notify NHS trusts of the traffic light indicators for core targets against which their performance will be judged in the financial year 2001–02. [3221]

  Mr. Hutton
  National health service trusts will be advised of the specific targets that will be used to traffic light 2001–02 performance later this year.

  Ritalin
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies his Department has(a) undertaken and (b) commissioned on the impact of Ritalin on the long-term health of children. [3018]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 10 July 2001]: The Department funded a research project entitled "Working memory in children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): the impact of methylphenidate (Ritalin)", by Dr. Kim Cornish of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Nottingham, at a cost of £26,585. The final report was received by the Department in April 2001 and has been submitted by Dr. Cornish to journals for publication.

  The Department funds research to support policy development in health and social care, and to support effective practice in the national health service. The Department also provides NHS support funding for research commissioned by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and by charities where this takes place in the NHS. The Department has provided or is providing such funding for six other recently completed projects and five other ongoing projects relating to Ritalin. Details of these projects can be found on the National Research Register which is available in the Library on CD Rom, and on the internet via http:\\www/doh.gov.uk/research.

  As with all medicines, the safety of Ritalin is continually monitored by the Medicines Control Agency and by the Committee on Safety of Medicines, an independent expert advisory body.

  The MRC is the main agency through which we fund research on the causes and treatment of disease. The MRC receives most of its income via grant-in-aid from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, via the Office of Science and Technology. The MRC funds projects on ADHD but is not funding currently any

  673W
  research specifically into Ritalin. The MRC always welcomes high quality applications for research into any aspect of human health and these are judged in competition with other demands for funding. Awards are made according to the scientific quality and importance to health of the applications.

  Cancer Drugs
  Sandra Gidley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the clinical implication of a delay in Herceptin treatment of women with breast cancer who over express the HER 2 marker. [3266]

  Dr. Evan Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of the clinical implication of a delay in the use of Irinotecan, Oxaliplatin and Raltitrexed in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer, at(a) first-line and (b) second-line; [3286]

  (2) what assessment he has made of the clinical implication of a delay in the use of Rituximab for the treatment of follicular lymphoma. [3276]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 11 July 2001]: The National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) has been asked to evaluate each of these drugs, and to assess their clinical and cost-effectiveness in the treatment of advanced breast cancer, advanced colorectal cancer and follicular lymphoma.

  NICE will base its recommendations on the evidence of clinical benefits—including the impact on the quality of life as well as the likely effects on mortality, and estimates of the associated costs.

  It will consider which, if any, of those patients diagnosed with these particular cancers will benefit from these new drugs. The publication dates for guidance on all of these drugs are to be confirmed. If NICE makes a positive recommendation all health authorities will be expected to fund these treatments from the additional £255 million available to them for cancer services in 2001–02.

  Dr. Evan Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people with follicular lymphoma that are being denied Rituximab for the treatment of their disease. [3278]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 11 July 2001]: Follicular lymphoma is one of a diverse group of cancers known as non-Hodgkins lymphomas (NHLs). NHLs account for about 2 per cent. of all cancers. There are about 9,000 people diagnosed with NHLs in the United Kingdom each year.

  The National Institute for Clinical Excellence is evaluating and assessing the clinical and cost-effectiveness of Rituximab in the treatment of follicular lymphoma. If they recommend its use the guidance will make clear which of those patients diagnosed with follicular lymphoma should benefit from it.

  Nurses
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses employed in the NHS for the first time in each of the past 12 months have(a) had a contract with an employment agency and (b) been other nurses. [3849]
  674W
  Mr. Hutton
  Figures from the Department for the expenditure on agency nurses in 1999–2000 are available in the Library. Information on the number of nurses employed in the national health service for the first time are not held centrally but may be available from individual NHS employers.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Gas
  Mr. Chaytor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the potential increase in the market for gas arising from the expansion of the gas network. [2299]

  Mr. Wilson
  Approximately 20 per cent. of households do not have access to gas. The Government, Ofgem and the industry are currently working to facilitate the extension of the network. It is not yet clear how many households will be able to benefit from this work. However the Government hope that as many as possible will have access to the gas network.

  Energy Policy Review
  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will publish the detailed terms of reference of the Government's review of energy policy. [2352]

  Mr. Wilson
  The Performance and Innovation Unit has posted a note of the scope of the project on its website, which can be found at www.cabinet-office.gov.uk/ innovation.

  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how she proposes to evaluate and measure the benefits of security of supply in the Government's energy review. [2354]

  Mr. Wilson
  Security of supply is a key element of the energy review currently being undertaken by the Performance and Innovation Unit (PIU). The PIU has published a note of the scope of the review on its website and will be publishing further papers as its work develops.

  Dr. Cable
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the assessment of nuclear power in the Government's energy review will incorporate the full life cycle costs of decommissioning and waste disposal. [2353]

  Mr. Wilson
  The review of energy policy will be considering what role, if any, the nuclear industry should play in meeting longer term environmental and security of supply objectives. As with other energy sources, the review will take into account all costs which are relevant to these longer-term questions.

  Industrial Diseases
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many interim payments were offered in respect of claims for chronic bronchitis and emphysema by area and by month since 1999. [2778]

  Mr. Wilson
  The number of interim payments made to chronic bronchitis and emphysema claimants since 1 January 1999, broken down by area, are as follows.
  675W

  Date

  England

  Wales

  Scotland

  Total

  Pre-December 1998

  6,739

  2,809

  972

  10,520

  1999

  January

  483

  87

  65

  635

  February

  170

  53

  31

  254

  March

  556

  102

  31

  689

  April

  360

  95

  15

  470

  May

  396

  76

  33

  505

  June

  320

  76

  13

  409

  July

  312

  94

  44

  450

  August

  254

  68

  7

  329

  September

  257

  143

  0

  400

  October

  293

  146

  6

  445

  November

  260

  139

  11

  410

  December

  379

  119

  2

  500

  2000

  January

  404

  166

  8

  578

  February

  411

  216

  40

  667

  March

  526

  172

  20

  718

  April

  418

  103

  44

  565

  May

  425

  71

  61

  557

  June

  361

  158

  60

  579

  July

  541

  150

  49

  740

  August

  461

  137

  42

  640

  September

  486

  111

  44

  641

  October

  434

  156

  90

  680

  November

  406

  177

  64

  647

  December

  762

  337

  77

  1,176

  2001

  January

  568

  263

  92

  923

  February

  593

  236

  155

  984

  March

  762

  290

  124

  1,176

  April

  718

  247

  149

  1,114

  May

  1,600

  562

  174

  2,336

  June

  2,271

  800

  145

  3,216

  Total

  22,926

  8,359

  2,668

  33,953

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many widows' claims are outstanding in respect of their late husbands' claims for chronic bronchitis and emphysema, broken down by area and month since 1999. [2773]

  Mr. Wilson
  I regret that IRISC, the Department's handler, is unable to provide figures as to the number of widow's claims outstanding by region and by month since 1999 in the time given.

  However, I can confirm the IRISC has registered 54,938 claims in respect of miners' widows and families, to date. Of these, so far the Department has paid almost 6,000 bereavement and loss of society awards.

  In May 2001, an initiative was agreed to make an interim payment of £2,000 to widows who have received a bereavement award, subject to certain conditions. The Department has, to date, made 1,932 of these awards.

  In total, 13,600 interims and final settlements have been paid to miners' families, amounting to £65.8 million.

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his estimate of the time which will be taken to settle all claims for(a) chronic bronchitis and emphysema and (b) vibration white finger. [2776]
  676W
  Mr. Wilson
  It is difficult to say when all compensation claims for both respiratory disease and vibration white finger, VWF will be settled, not least because new claims are still being received.

  With regard to respiratory disease, there are currently 153,200 claims registered and 900 new claims continue to be initiated each week. To date, almost 124,000 claims for VWF have been registered, with an approximate weekly increase of 330 claims per week. While the number of claims continue to increase, the Department is unable to provide, with accuracy, an estimate of the time taken to settle claims.

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the average length of time taken from an interim payment in respect of a claim for chronic bronchitis and emphysema being offered to payment being received, broken down by area in each of the last three years. [2779]

  Mr. Wilson
  Under the respiratory disease handling agreement signed between the Department and the claimants' solicitors, the Department makes the following interim payment:

  1. an interim payment of £2,000 is made upon provision by a claimant to IRISC of verification of receipt of the Industrial Injuries Benefit, PD D12, subject to confirmation of the number of years of underground work as set out in the handling agreement;

  2. a bereavement award is payable to the widow upon production of a death certificate for their husband citing one of eight descriptors;

  3. when a claimant has attended an appointment to undergo the medical assessment process, MAP, and the report has shown that the claimant is exhibiting symptoms of injuries British Coal is liable for the IRISC, the Department's claims handler, is unable to make an offer in full and final settlement, an interim will be made;

  4. interim payments arc made upon completion of screening spirometry with a tariff agreed with the claimants' solicitors in accordance with the criteria set out in the handling agreement.

  The majority of these are made directly by issuing a cheque rather than making an offer and waiting for acceptance. The only interim where there is a prior offer stage is the one in respect of an initiative agreed in May 2001 to make a £2,000 interim to widows in receipt of a bereavement award. The payment of this award is dependent on a response from the claimant and subject to certain criteria. The payment of this interim is also dependent on IRISC, the Department's claims handler, being in receipt from the claimants' solicitors of the requisite documents to ensure that payment is made to the right individual, as determined by the grant of probate. I regret that the Department is unable to provide figures for the turnaround time of these interims broken down by area. This depends, among other things, on the time of responses from the claimant. However, I can confirm that once IRISC is in receipt of the necessary documents, the average length of time taken to making a payment is 1.5 weeks.

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to improve the
  677W
  process for claimants suffering from chronic bronchitis and emphysema and who have made a claim for compensation in the north-east area. [2777]

  Mr. Wilson
  The key to speeding up the compensation process in the north-east lies in the recruitment of more respiratory specialists.

  Healthcall, the company contracted to deliver the medical assessment, will move resources to areas where the rate of MAP assessments is unsatisfactory, such as the north-east. Recently, a specialist has been employed in a full time capacity in the north-east and a further specialist has been identified who is prepared to travel from Scotland to work in the Newcastle and Durham area.

  Healthcall are also installing extra long function testing equipment at the centre in Durham to increase the rate of assessments still further. The use of one or both of the mobile testing centres in the area is also being investigated.

  Nuclear Power Stations
  Mr. Paul Marsden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on phasing out nuclear power stations. [2788]

  Mr. Wilson
  As with other electricity generation options, decisions on station lifetimes are a commercial matter for the generating companies subject to the necessary authorisation by NII. It is expected that existing nuclear stations will continue to contribute to the country's energy requirements and to the reduction of CO2 emissions for as long as the companies consider it economic for them to do so and provided they meet the high safety and environmental standards required.

  Solar Power
  Mr. Kidney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment she has made of the contribution that solar power can make to meeting the United Kingdom's energy needs. [2538]

  Mr. Wilson
  Solar power is a technology with significant longer-term potential in helping to meet the UK's energy needs.

  With a view to bringing forward this technology's potential, we are supporting a range of initiatives such as domestic and large-scale commercial field trials plus the first phase of a major PV roofs programme aimed, in time, at matching those in Germany and Japan.

  Weights and Measures Act
  Ian Lucas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she proposes to introduce the changes outlined in the public consultation paper on proposed legislative changes under the Weights and Measures Act 1985 issued in December 2000. [2822]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 11 July 2001]: The responses to the consultation document are under consideration.
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FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Lord Ashcroft
  Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date his Department received a request for documents under the Data Protection Act 1998 from Lord Ashcroft; and on what date his Department replied to the request. [1000]

  Mr. MacShane
  Under the non-disclosure provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 it is not appropriate to disclose personal data except to the data subject concerned.

  Zimbabwe
  Mrs. Gillan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made regarding the decision by the Zimbabwean authorities not to extend the work permit of the reporter David Blair. [2716]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  In his statement of 27 June, the Foreign Secretary expressed concern at the Zimbabwe Government's decision not to renew David Blair's work permit and expressed his hope that the Government of Zimbabwe would reconsider their decision.

  Turkey
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect of Turkey's ban of the Virtue Party on Turkey's prospects of joining the EU; and if he will make a statement. [2982]

  Peter Hain
  We are concerned at the Turkish Constitutional Court's decision to order the closure of Fazilet. The decision has worrying implications for democratic pluralism and freedom of expression in Turkey. The EU statement of 25 June (available on the internet at http://ue.eu.int/newsroorn/main.cfm?LANG=1) expressed this concern. Turkey (like all other candidates) must meet the Copenhagen political criteria before beginning negotiations to join the European Union.

  Diplomatic Missions
  Mrs. Humble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the names of diplomatic missions in the United Kingdom that owed more than £10,000 at 4 April in respect of national non-domestic rates for office premises. [4525]

  Mr. Straw
  Most diplomatic missions in the United Kingdom meet their obligations and pay the national non-domestic rates requested from them. However, as at 4 April 2001 the following missions owed over £10,000 in respect of national non-domestic rates (NNDR):

  Country

  £

  Nigeria

  339,925.44

  Iran

  105,827.16

  Sierra Leone

  66,246.88

  Yugoslavia

  46,638.87

  Algeria

  39,844.82

  Ivory Coast

  33,303.54

  Mozambique

  30,564.99

  Jordan

  29,048.13

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  Country

  £

  Cameroon

  24,583.30

  Egypt

  23,925.02

  Uganda

  21,985.39

  Libya

  21,358.92

  Bangladesh

  16,131.99

  Democratic Republic of Congo

  15,765.48

  Senegal

  12,253.02

  Total

  827,402.95

  Eight additional diplomatic missions who owe £10,000 more in respect of national non-domestic rates have made arrangements with the Valuation Office Agency to clear their outstanding debts and have not been included in this list. The total amount outstanding from all missions, including these additional diplomatic missions, is approximately £1,480,218.62.

  Mrs. Humble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many outstanding parking and other minor traffic violation fines were incurred by diplomatic missions and international organisations in the United Kingdom during the year ending 31 December 2000. [4526]

  Mr. Straw
  At the end of 2000, unpaid fines in respect of parking and other minor traffic violations incurred by diplomatic missions and international organisations in the United Kingdom totalled 5,889. In May this year the Foreign and Commonwealth Office wrote to all diplomatic missions and international organisations in the United Kingdom giving them the opportunity to either pay their outstanding fines or appeal against them if they considered that they had been issued incorrectly. As a result payments totalling £81,120.00 were received, leaving a total of 3,936 unpaid fines for 2000. The table details those diplomatic missions and international organisations that have more than 10 fines outstanding.

  Unpaid parking and minor traffic violation fines—2000—diplomatic vehicles

  Position/diplomatic mission/international organization

  Number of fines outstanding

  1. Nigeria

  1,084

  2. United Arab Emirates

  272

  3. Egypt

  148

  4. Qatar

  145

  5. Iran

  114

  6. Ghana

  104

  7. Turkey

  96

  8. Saudi Arabia

  82

  9. Ethiopia

  74

  10. France

  69

  10. Oman

  69

  10. Ukraine

  69

  11. Greece

  68

  12. Algeria

  59

  13. China

  57

  14. Cyprus

  55

  14. Jordan

  55

  14. Mongolia

  55

  14. Morocco

  55

  15. Hungary

  48

  15. Malaysia

  48

  16. Mozambique

  47

  17. Georgia

  45

  18. Russia

  44

  18. United States of America

  44

  19. Poland

  41

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  Unpaid parking and minor traffic violation fines—2000–diplomatic vehicles

  Position/diplomatic mission/international organisation

  Number of fines outstanding

  20. Kenya

  40

  21. Cuba

  38

  22. Kazakhstan

  34

  23. Tunisia

  33

  24. Brunei

  32

  25. Uganda

  29

  26. Indonesia

  26

  26. Zambia

  26

  26. Zimbabwe

  26

  27. Romania

  25

  28. Albania

  24

  28. Yemen

  24

  29. Pakistan

  23

  29. Commonwealth Secretariat

  23

  30. Bangladesh

  22

  30. Philippines

  22

  31. Afghanistan

  21

  31. Namibia

  21

  32. Lithuania

  18

  33. Cote D'Ivoire

  16

  34. Peru

  15

  34. Sudan

  15

  35. Cameroon

  14

  35. Italy

  14

  36. Portugal

  13

  36. Uzbekistan

  13

  37. Bahrain

  12

  37. Germany

  12

  3,678

  Libya (Export Licence)
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the issuing of an export licence in September 2000 for a military-listed chemical to Libya. [4585]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  In September 2000 the Government inadvertently issued a licence for a small quantity of military listed chemical to Libya. This was technically in breach of the UK interpretation of the EU arms embargo on Libya. The chemical was for use in the laboratory analysis of water and sewage samples. The goods have now been exported and the licence has been returned as exhausted. As a result of the error we have revised assessment procedures of export licence applications to embargoed destinations. The Government continue to support the EU arms embargo on Libya.

  Malaysia
  Richard Ottaway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the arrest under the Internal Security Act of the President of the Student Council, University of Malaysia, Mohamad Fuad Mohd Ikhwan. [3746]

  Mr. Bradshaw
  Mohamad Fuad Mohd Ikhwan was detained under the Internal Security Act (ISA) on 6 July. We are concerned at the recent use of this Act, which provides for detention without trial. We hope that all those detained under the ISA will be either charged or released. We and our EU partners continue to monitor the developments closely and take up the issue with the Malaysian authorities on suitable occasions.
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PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Members' Salaries
  Mr. Andrew Turner
  To ask the President of the Council which grades of staff receive a salary broadly equivalent to that of an hon. Member in(a) the medical profession in hospitals, (b) general practice, (c) teaching, (d) local government, (e) civil service and (f) the armed forces. [3743]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  Details of salary comparisons with other public sector groups are illustrated in Volume 2 of the Senior Salaries Review Body's report on parliamentary pay and allowances (Cm 4997). Copies of the Report are available in both the House of Commons Library and Vote Office.

  The salary recommendation of the review body sought to ensure a broad equivalence to salaries for a major director in a district general hospital, a head of a large secondary school, a director in a district council or assistant director in a large unitary or county council, lower graded members of the Senior Civil Service and battalion commanders.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

  Connexions
  Mrs. May
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills (1) if the Connexions Service will offer a personal adviser to young people with learning disabilities, and what arrangements will be in place to ensure that the Connexions Service provides support to young people with mental and physical disabilities; [3126]

  (2) what the upper age limit is at which a young person can be in receipt of the services of a personal adviser under the Connexions Service; and if this limit will also apply to young people with learning disabilities. [3127]

  Mr. Ivan Lewis
  [holding answer 9 July 2001]: The Connexions Service will provide access to a personal adviser to all young people aged 13–19, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The personal adviser will provide advice, guidance, support and personal development opportunities based on each individual young person's needs, drawing on specialist services as necessary.

  The Connexions Service will be required to arrange assessments for those with statements of special educational needs in the last year of compulsory schooling who intend to leave school, but continue in learning. The service will also have the power to arrange for assessments in other circumstances where they feel it would be beneficial, eg for young people with SEN, but without statements. These responsibilities are designed to ensure more effective transitions for young people with SEN on leaving school and moving through post-16 learning.
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  To build on this, the Connexions Service will, in partnership with local agencies, continue to support young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities up to their 25th birthday if they are not ready to access the adult services provided locally.

  Asset Management Plans
  Mr. Willis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when the results of the asset management plans will be published. [3361]

  Mr. Timms
  The Department has been validating local education authorities' asset management plan information and intends to publish analyses of the data in the autumn. This will include information on authorities' repair and maintenance needs.

  Further Education
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when he last met representatives of further education colleges to discuss their funding and staffing situation; and if he will make a statement. [3190]

  John Healey
  [holding answer 11 July 2001]: The Secretary of State has not met representatives of further education colleges as yet but my hon. Friend the Minister for Lifelong Learning met with Mr. David Gibson from the Association of Colleges on 25 June, and I met Mr. Gibson on 12 July.

  Swimming
  Mr. Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make it her policy to ensure that all school children have access to a swimming pool on a weekly basis. [3485]

  Mr. Timms
  [holding answer 12 July 2001]: Swimming is a compulsory part of the National Curriculum for Physical Education at Key Stage 2, unless pupils have met the full Key Stage 2 requirements during Key Stage 1. After Key Stage 2 it remains one of six areas of physical activity. The Ofsted report on swimming at Key Stage 2, published in November 2000, showed that well over four out of five schools inspected provided adequate time for swimming and four out of five children are able to swim 25m at the end of Key Stage 2. We acknowledge, however, that we need to work more with schools to make even more opportunities available for more children to be able to swim 25m by the time they reach secondary school.

  Swimming and water safety are important life skills. We are investing heavily in school sport and swimming will benefit. The Government's commitment includes £581 million in England (out of a total of £750 million in the UK) from the New Opportunities Fund for school sport facilities.

  We have established a Swimming Advisory Group, involving, as well as my Department, representatives of the swimming associations, Ofsted, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, to discuss what more can be done to create even more opportunities for children to swim and announce proposals by the end of the year.

ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

  Foot and Mouth
  David Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the foot and mouth contingency plan which was deposited with the EU and OIE. [789]

  Mr. Morley
  The contingency plan for Great Britain was submitted to the EU for approval in 1991 and approved in 1993. An updated version was sent to the EU in July 2000. This plan is very much an outline strategy which in turn is supported by detailed veterinary instructions and regional contingency plans.

  A copy of the July 2000 version of the GB contingency plan was placed in the Libraries of the House on 14 May 2001 and it will also shortly be available on the DEFRA foot and mouth disease website http://www.defra.gov.uk/,omitting names and personal telephone numbers on the grounds of confidentiality.

  David Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many farms in Cumbria have had sheep slaughtered in the voluntary cull; and how many sheep were slaughtered. [795]

  Mr. Morley
  Livestock in Cumbria were culled only where, in the opinion of the Chief Veterinary Officer, the animals had been exposed to the foot and mouth virus. Computer records show that in the cull of animals within 3 km of infected premises in Cumbria, 503,545 sheep were slaughtered on 1,732 farms.

  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many animals on infected and contiguous premises have been culled in the Ribble Valley as a result of the foot and mouth outbreak. [1078]

  Mr. Morley
  The information is not available in the format requested. The Settle associated cluster includes the Ribble Valley and an additional area to the east currently extending as far as Ilkley. To subdivide the area as requested would incur disproportionate cost.

  £million

  Cost to date

  Estimated total cost

  Temporary Veterinary Inspectors and Local Veterinary Inspectors (ie not full time employees of the Department)

  4.8

  22.0

  Disposal/haulage (incl. rendering and pyres)

  104.6

  172.6

  Carcase disposal sites

  4.2

  8.5

  Travel and subsistence (incl. accommodation and mileage)

  8.4

  9.0

  Slaughtermen

  9.7

  10.7

  Reinstatement and cleansing and disinfection (incl. contractors)

  57.9

  863.0

  Protective clothing and other consumables

  7.5

  8.0

  197.1

  1,093.8

  Note:

  Taken from FMD estimated costs, 9 July 2001

  David Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what biosecurity measures were implemented during farm to farm milk tanker collections affected by foot and mouth restrictions. [2173]
  684W
  The table shows the number of animals slaughtered on infected and contiguous premises in the Settle associated cluster.

  Numbers of animals slaughtered in the Settle associated cluster (as at 9 July)

  Infected premises

  Contiguous premises

  Total

  Cattle

  12,664

  24,727

  37,391

  Pigs

  56

  89

  145

  Sheep

  54,020

  154,213

  208,233

  Goats

  8

  61

  69

  Total

  66,748

  179.090

  245,838

  Mr. Gordon Prentice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what criterion she uses to determine the areas of infection covered by the declaratory order; for foot and mouth. [1488]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 2 July 2001]: When a case of foot and mouth disease is confirmed, an infected area with boundaries which are at least 10 km from the infected place has to be designated by a declaratory order. The boundaries may extend beyond the statutory minimum for disease control purposes and because, in order to simplify identification, they are determined by clear geographical features, such as roads or railway lines. Declaratory orders for England and Wales are made by my Department and a map depicting the infected area may be inspected in the DEFRA office at 1A Page street, London between 9 am and 5 pm, Monday to Friday. The maps are also reproduced on the DEFRA website.

  David Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much it cost to dispose of slaughtered animals in the eradication of foot and mouth disease, broken down by(a) veterinary bills, (b) transport, (c) accommodation, (d) fuel and materials for pyres, (e) land access for burial, (f) contractors and slaughtermen, (g) machinery hire, (h) wagon transport, (i) consumables and (j) rendering. [2193]

  Mr. Morley
  The information is not available in the form requested. The table shows costs to date and estimated costs (as at 9 July) for the categories that most closely correspond to those about which the right hon. Member has asked.

  Mr. Morley
  The Code of Practice for Hauliers and Buyers of Milk (drawn up under the Foot and Mouth Disease Order 1983 and revised in March 2001) lays down the measures that must be followed by milk hauliers and dairy personnel who are involved in the collection and
  685W
  transport of untreated milk originating from dairy farms in a foot and mouth disease infected area or from other farms known to be at risk of foot and mouth disease infection.

  The Code can be found on the DEFRA website at: http://defraweb/footandmouth/disease/restrictions/nonanimal/milks.asp.

  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what precautions have been in place during the foot and mouth crisis to help prevent the disease being carried across the English channel by ferry and channel tunnel passengers; and if she will make a statement. [1857]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 3 July 2001]: Details of precautionary measures are available from the DEFRA website at http://defraweb/footandntouth/about/index.htm. This includes guidance on taking vehicles abroad, imports and exports and trade issues.

  Anyone who intends to import or export products of animal origin should check that they comply fully with the appropriate legal requirements which are in place to prevent the spread of diseases such as foot and mouth.

  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement on slurry lagoons on farms affected by the foot and mouth outbreak. [1669]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 3 July 2001]: Slurry and liquid manure are normally treated by adding chemicals to raise or lower the pH so as to inactivate any foot and mouth disease virus that may be present. However, on many large farms the volume of slurry involved may make pH adjustment practically difficult and inordinately expensive. Moreover, the ground state may now allow the application of treated slurry. In such circumstances slurry and liquid manure may well be kept in lagoons or holding tanks until it can be applied to the land.

  Environment Agency authorisation is always sought about the construction and location of lagoons. Local animal health offices have cleansing and disinfecting teams who can give advice on handling large amounts of slurry and liquid manure. This advice will include the ease with which particular amounts might be treated and the preferred disposal methods taking into account the local ground conditions and the relevant environmental considerations.

  Mr. Laws
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her estimate is of the total cost of the recent foot and mouth crisis to date to the Exchequer; and if she will make a statement. [1500]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 4 July 2001]: Our current estimate (as at 9 July) of the direct cost of the outbreak to the Exchequer is around £2.2 billion. Among other things, this includes the cost of disinfection and cleansing as well as compensation for compulsory slaughter of affected livestock.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which of those recommendations contained in the 1969 Committee of Inquiry report into the 1967 foot and mouth outbreak were acted upon during the Government's handling of the 2001 epidemic; and if she will make a statement. [1792]
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  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 4 July 2001]: The recommendations in "The Report of the Committee of Inquiry on Foot-and-Mouth Disease", parts 1 and 2, published 7 March 1969 and 3 November 1969 (the Northumberland report), form the basis of the Government's policy for keeping the disease out of the country, and of our contingency plans for fighting an outbreak of foot and mouth. Other reports also contributed to the lessons learned from the 1967–68 epidemic, such as the "Origins of the 1967–68 Foot-and-Mouth Disease Epidemic", by John Reid (Chief Veterinary Officer), 7 February 1968; and the internal Ministry of Defence report on the foot and mouth outbreak 1967–68 in Western Command.

  David Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will publish the details of every foot and mouth disease pyre and burial site in Cumbria. [2752]

  Mr. Morley
  Information on pyre and burial sites in Cumbria is being collected as part of a wider exercise relating to the whole of Great Britain. The location of all of these sites will be published once the information has been collated, cross-checked and validated.

  David Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what representations the Government have received regarding the efficacy of vaccination in efforts to eradicate foot and mouth disease. [2580]

  Mr. Morley
  The Government and the Department have received representations from a broad cross-section of interested parties, both for and against vaccination, all of which have been carefully considered. The Government have made clear that they consider vaccination to be an option to keep under review as the outbreak develops.

  David Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many foot and mouth blood samples are awaiting processing at Pirbright; and what is the time from submission from the farm to confirmed result. [2738]

  Mr. Morley
  As of Friday 6 July 2001 there were approximately 30,000 sera awaiting test. The time between the receipt of samples at the Pirbright laboratory and the submission of confirmed results to DEFRA depends upon the initial result and whether secondary testing is required. Over 40 per cent. of samples were being reported within seven days of receipt.

  Testing is also taking place at the Centre for Applied Microbiological Research at Porton Down and the VLA laboratory at Penrith.

  David Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment the Government have made of ring vaccination as an eradication policy for foot and mouth disease. [2575]

  Mr. Morley
  Vaccination against foot and mouth disease remains an option that is kept under continuous review. Ring vaccination is one possible approach, which aims to control the spread of infection within and outside an infected area. It reduces the amount of virus circulating in the area, as the vaccinated animals will be less infectious.

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  We did not ring vaccinate at the start of the outbreak because it was apparent that the virus had potentially been spread across a wide area, due to the large number of movements that had taken place before the first case of foot and mouth disease was identified. This made ring vaccination an impractical option.

  David Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many premises that were confirmed as being infected with foot and mouth have subsequently received negative results from blood tests. [2568]

  Mr. Morley
  As at 8 July, 382 infected premises in Great Britain gave a negative result when tested for foot and mouth disease in the laboratory. A negative test result does not necessarily mean that the premises was free from the disease. For instance, if the disease is old the virus may not be present in the sample collected, and blood tests from newly infected animals may not give a positive reaction to the laboratory test as antibodies may not yet be present.

  David Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on how many farms in(a) England and (b) Cumbria livestock have been slaughtered as a result of classification as (i) infected premises (ii) dangerous contacts, (iii) slaughter on suspicion and (iv) contiguous. [2565]

  Mr. Morley
  As at 5 July the numbers of premises where livestock had been slaughtered are detailed in the table.

  Premises status

  England (inc. Cumbria)

  Cumbria

  Infected Premises

  1,527

  772

  Dangerous Contact—Contiguous Premises

  2,209

  415

  Dangerous Contact—Non Contiguous Premises

  1,898

  11,005

  Slaughter on Suspicion

  169

  30

  Total

  5,803

  2,222

  1 Includes premises slaughtered out as part of the 3 km cull

  David Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many infected premises in each county of(a) England and (b) Scotland tested negative in the laboratory. [2803]

  Mr. Morley
  The table shows the number of infected premises (IPs) in each county of England and Scotland which gave negative laboratory test results.

  County

  Total

  Avon

  4

  Cheshire

  9

  Cleveland

  1

  Cornwall

  1

  Cumbria

  76

  Derbyshire

  1

  Devonshire

  44

  Dumfriesshire

  39

  Durham

  20

  Essex

  1

  Gloucestershire

  33

  Hereford and Worcester

  34

  Kent

  3

  Kircudbright

  7

  Lancashire

  7

  688W

  County

  Total

  Leicestershire

  2

  North Yorkshire

  7

  Northumberland

  14

  Roxburgh

  2

  Shropshire

  3

  Somerset

  2

  Staffordshire

  19

  Tyne and Wear

  1

  Wigtown

  11

  Wiltshire

  1

  Grand Total

  342

  A negative test result does not necessarily mean that the premises was free from disease. For instance, if the disease is old the virus may not be present in the sample collected, and blood tests from newly infected animals may not give a positive reaction to the laboratory test as antibodies may not yet be present.

  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make it her policy to allow vaccination, rather than slaughter, where farmers and stockholders request it for those animals suspected of suffering from foot and mouth disease. [3082]

  Mr. Morley
  Our priority is to eradicate the disease and so policy decisions will be based on the expert veterinary and scientific advice on the best way to achieve this. Vaccination protects animals from infection, and so would not be used for animals that are already infected with foot and mouth disease. The policy remains to slaughter animals which are infected, suspected of being infected or which have been exposed to infection.

  Any steps to vaccinate need to be undertaken with full consideration of all the implications for the disease, the handling and control of vaccinated animals and products, and wide implications for the EU's 'foot and mouth disease-free, without vaccination' status. A decision to vaccinate against foot and mouth disease must, therefore, be taken at national level and take into account the views and wishes of all interested parties that would be affected by a vaccination programme.

  Brian Cotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the advantages and disadvantages of the use of ring vaccination for animals suspected of suffering from foot and mouth disease. [3075]

  Mr. Morley
  We would not vaccinate an animal against foot and mouth disease if it were suspected to be already carrying the virus.

  Ring vaccination is best deployed where one is confident that the size of an infected area is relatively small and the virus has not already spread beyond it, since the aim of ring vaccination is to control the spread of infection within and outside the infected area. We did not ring vaccinate at the start of the outbreak because it was apparent that the virus had potentially been spread across a wide area, due to the large number of movements that had taken place before the first case of foot and mouth disease was identified. This made ring vaccination an impractical option.

  689W
  Vaccination remains an option, and is being continuously reassessed against changing circumstances and knowledge about the current outbreak.

  Throckmorton Airfield
  Mr. Luff
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will publish the risk assessment made prior to the establishment of a mass burial site at Throckmorton airfield in Worcestershire; and what amendments have since been made to that assessment. [2002]

  Mr. Morley
  [holding answer 4 July 2001]: The Environment Agency conducted a preliminary desktop study of Throckmorton airfield in order to assess its suitability as a burial site for animal carcases. The study included a risk assessment of the geological, hydrogeological and hydrological conditions at the airfield. This assessment was followed up by a full quantitative risk assessment by the agency using site specific data gained from the site construction phase. The site was shown to be acceptable using the approved methodology.

  The contractors, Halcrows, are currently doing additional site investigation and monitoring, and they will further update the risk assessment following this work. Both the qualitative desktop study and quantitative risk assessment are held on the public register at the district Environment Agency office in Riversmeet, Tewkesbury, together with a note referring to the additional work.

  Hall Burn
  David Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what is the purpose of the building being erected at the Hall Burn site at Longtown, Cumbria. [2754]

  Mr. Morley
  No permanent buildings are being erected at the Hall Burn site although a number of temporary modular buildings (i.e. portacabins) were erected on the site before May. These are used for office accommodation, crew rooms, toilets, and showers.

  Green Ministers
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to monitor(a) the role of Green Ministers and (b) integration of the environment and sustainable development; and if she will make a statement. [4003]

  Mr. Meacher
  As chair of the Cabinet Sub-Committee of Green Ministers, I will monitor the role of Green Ministers and integration of the environment and sustainable development. The Committee will report to ENV as necessary. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is a member of ENV.

  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs where responsibility lies for co-ordination of the role of Green Ministers; and if she will make a statement. [4002]

  Mr. Meacher
  As a Cabinet Sub-Committee the terms of reference for ENV(G) are set by the Prime Minister and it is for me to co-ordinate the role including a work programme.
  690W
  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on what date a Green Minister was first appointed in her Department; when subsequent appointments were made; and if she will make a statement. [3974]

  Mr. Meacher
  I have been asked to answer this question on behalf of the Government. The Green Ministers Committee has undergone three phases since its inception. A Green Minister in every Government Department was first appointed following the 'This Common Inheritance' White Paper in 1990.

  Following the recent establishment of the Green Ministers Committee as a Cabinet Sub-Committee, ENV(G), its membership is as follows:

  Minister of State (Environment) Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Chair)

  Solicitor-General

  Financial Secretary, Treasury

  Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  Minister of State (Rural Affairs), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

  Minister of State, Scotland Office

  Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry

  Minister of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport

  Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office

  Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Home Office

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for International Development

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Work and Pensions

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Health

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Wales Office

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Defence

  Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Education and Skills.

  Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will set out the terms of reference for the role of the Green Minister in(a) her own Department and (b) in other Departments; and if she will make a statement. [3985]

  Mr. Meacher
  In this Parliament the Green Ministers Committee has been reconstituted as the Cabinet Sub-Committee of Green Ministers, ENV(G). It is for the Prime Minister to set the terms of reference for Cabinet Committees. ENV(G)'s terms of reference are:
  "to consider the impact on sustainable development of government policies; to improve the performance of Departments in contributing to sustainable development; and to report as necessary to ENV Committee".

WORK AND PENSIONS

  Invalid Care Allowance
  Mr. Webb
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer, net
  691W
  of savings on means-tested benefits, of increasing the rate of Invalid Care Allowance to the level of the basic State Pension. [1460]

  Maria Eagle
  The estimated additional cost of this change would be £650 million in 2001–02 (cost net of savings on Income Support, Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit would be £340 million). However, this change would only benefit carers not in receipt of Income Support (IS) or where the increase is greater than the current value of their IS. 230,000 people would see an increase in their net income.

  In April 2001 the Carer Premium paid through Income Related Benefits was increased by an extra £10 per week and the Invalid Care Allowance (ICA) Earnings Limit was increased by £22 per week. We intend to legislate to extend ICA to people aged 65 or over and to enable ICA to continue for up to eight weeks after the death of the person being cared for. These changes will help an estimated 300,000 carers at a cost of more than £500 million over three years.

  Notes:

  1. Estimate is rounded to the nearest £10 million

  2. The gross ICA cost is based on the forecast ICA caseload for 2001–02.

  3. The income-related benefit offsets have been calculated from data taken from the November 2000 5 per cent. scan of the Income Support computer system, and the May 1999 1 per cent. sample of HB/CTB claims. These offsets have been applied to the 2001–02 ICA forecast to obtain the savings in the income-related benefits.

  4. The estimate assumes that the basic rate of ICA will be increased to the level of the category A Retirement Pension, and that there would be no changes made to the dependency increases in ICA.

  5. The costing allows for the £5 increase in Retirement Pension in 2001–02.

  BASIS staff employed in each area for the past 12 months

  2001

  2001

  Teams

  May

  June

  July

  August

  September

  October

  November

  December

  January

  February

  March

  April

  May

  Hinchley Wood

  60

  60

  58

  58

  58

  55

  55

  53

  52

  53

  53

  53

  56

  Canons Park

  44

  45

  46

  47

  47

  49

  48

  48

  50

  50

  50

  46

  45

  Birmingham

  19

  21

  20

  19

  20

  20

  19

  19

  22

  19

  20

  20

  20

  Nottingham

  17

  17

  17

  17

  17

  17

  17

  17

  18

  18

  18

  18

  18

  Leeds

  19

  19

  19

  18

  18

  20

  20

  21

  21

  21

  21

  21

  22

  Manchester

  18

  18

  18

  17

  21

  19

  19

  20

  20

  20

  20

  21

  21

  Cardiff

  15

  15

  16

  15

  15

  15

  16

  17

  17

  18

  17

  15

  15

  Liverpool

  17

  17

  18

  18

  18

  18

  19

  19

  20

  20

  20

  20

  20

  Newcastle

  17

  17

  17

  19

  19

  19

  19

  19

  19

  21

  21

  22

  21

  Glasgow

  21

  21

  18

  18

  18

  21

  19

  19

  19

  19

  19

  18

  18

  Total

  247

  250

  247

  246

  251

  253

  251

  252

  258

  259

  259

  254

  256

  Complement of BASIS staff at each office and vacant posts

  BASIS teams

  Complement of Staff

  Vacancies declared

  Hinchley Wood

  69

  13

  Canons Park

  69

  24

  Birmingham

  21

  1

  Nottingham

  21

  3

  Leeds

  21

  0

  Manchester

  21

  0

  Cardiff

  21

  6

  Liverpool

  21

  1

  Newcastle

  21

  0

  Glasgow

  21

  3

  Winter Fuel Payment
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when the last Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2000 was paid. [2265]

  Mr. McCartney
  This is a matter for Alexis Cleveland, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. She will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Alexis Cleveland to Mr. David Willetts, dated 11 July 2001:
  The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking when the last winter fuel payment for Winter 2000 was paid.
  Our records show that the vast majority of Winter 2000 payments were paid automatically before Christmas 2000. However, to allow for payments to be made to customers claiming up to 31 March 2001, the last main tranche of payments for Winter 2000 was processed between 15 and 23 June. These customers should have received their payment within two weeks of processing.
  Winter fuel payments for Winter 2000 continue to be processed for late claims, appeals and cases with other outstanding issues. Payments will be ongoing until these claims are cleared.

  BASIS
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff the Benefits Agency Security Investigations Service has employed in each area for each of the past 12 months; what is the full complement of staff at each BASIS office; how many of these posts are vacant; and how many staff at each area office have been with BASIS for 12 months or more. [2260]

  Malcolm Wicks
  The information is in the tables.

  The Counter Fraud Investigation Branch is committed to bringing staffing up to full strength in the next quarter and is currently recruiting.

  Number of staff employed within BASIS for 12 months or more

  BASIS teams

  Number of staff

  Hinchley Wood

  42

  Canons Park

  34

  Birmingham

  14

  Nottingham

  18

  Leeds

  18

  Manchester

  14

  Cardiff

  12

  Liverpool

  14

  Newcastle

  12

  Glasgow

  14

  Notes:

  1. These figures include both administrative and investigative staff employed by BASIS.

  2. Figures above as of May 2001.

  New Deal
  Ross Cranston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Dudley, North are in the New Deal programme; and how many had been placed in employment under the new deal up to the end of June. [2564]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  The information is in the table.

  Numbers currently on new deals as at April 2001

  Jobs gained to April 2001

  New Deal for Young People

  197

  547

  New Deal for Long Term Unemployed aged 25+

  275

  148

  New Deal for Lone Parents

  119

  153

  New Deal 50+: Employment Credit

  31

  85

  Notes

  1. Figures related to Dudley, North parliamentary constituency.

  2. Latest figures relate to the period ending April 2001 which were reported in the June Statistical Release for New Deal for Young People/25+ and July Statistical Release for New Deal for Lone Parents.

  3. New Deal 50+ figures related to clients claiming for employment credit only. Figures relating to the numbers on the New Deal 50+ case load are not available.

  4. Jobs gained includes those who gain a job while accessing new deal or as an immediate destination on leaving the programme.

  5. Detailed constituency figures for the New Deal for Young People are available monthly from the Library.

  Source

  New Deal Evaluation Database

  Mr. Randall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in the Uxbridge constituency are in the New Deal programme; and how many had been placed in employment by the end of March. [2825]

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  The information is in the table.

  Numbers currrently on new deals as at end April 2001

  Jobs gained to April 2001

  New Deal for Young People

  35

  170

  New Deal for Long Term Unemployed aged 25+

  36

  46

  New Deal for Lone Parents

  95

  104

  New Deal 50+: Employment Credit

  10

  12

  Notes

  1. Figures relate to Uxbridge parliamentary constituency.

  2. Latest figures relate to the period ending April 2001 which were reported in the June Statistical Release for New Deal for Young People/25+ and July Statistical Release for New Deal for Lone Parents.

  3. New Deal 50+ figures relate to clients claiming for employment credit only. Figures relating to the numbers on the New Deal 50+ case load are not available.

  4. Jobs gained includes those who gain a job while accessing new deal or as an immediate destination on leaving the programme.

  5. Detailed constituency figures for the New Deal for Young People are available monthly from the Library.

  Source

  New Deal Evaluation Database
  694W

  Pension Credit
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) if he will estimate, on the basis of the proposals and assumptions in the pension credit consultation paper, how many claimants of pension credit there will be in each region and nation; what proportion of the total number of pensioners the beneficiaries are likely to be; and how many are likely to be claimants of housing benefit and/or council tax benefit; [3625]

  (2) to which other benefits the proposed pension credit will be a passport [3626]

  Mr. McCartney
  The pension credit forms a key part of the Government's overall strategy for tackling pensioner poverty.

  We are completing the design of the pension credit and will publish details of our proposals when the Bill is introduced.

  Household Incomes
  Mr. Kevin Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he expects the latest figures on Households Below Average Incomes to be published; and if he will make a statement. [4583]

  Mr. Darling
  Today I have published Households Below Average Income for 1994–95 to 1999–2000. Copies have been placed in the Library.

  The report shows the position during the financial year 1999–2000. Consequently, it does not reflect the full impact of all policies or the changes introduced since—for instance the significant increases made to Working Families Tax Credit and Income Support child rates in Budget 2000, the Children's Tax Credit or enhancements to the Minimum Income Guarantee.

  However the report shows encouraging signs that Government anti-poverty measures are beginning to work. There is a real downward trend in child poverty with 300,000 fewer children living in income poverty in 1999–2000 compared with 1996–97 and there are encouraging signs of improvement in pensioner incomes with the figures suggesting 100,000 fewer in poverty.

  It shows that all groups have shared a significant growth in income, there has been a large fall in the numbers below absolute low-income thresholds and the tide has been turned in the long-term trend of rising relative income poverty for children.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Tourism (Foot and Mouth)
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations she has received and what measures she has taken to ensure that the tourist coach industry is compensated following the effects of foot and mouth disease on the tourist industry; and if she will make a statement. [29]

  Dr. Howells
  My right hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment has received representations from the chairman of the Coach Tourism Council and a managing director of a north-east of England coach company. It is
  695W
  the long-standing policy of successive Governments not to offer compensation for consequential losses associated with animal disease outbreaks. However, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is closely monitoring the effectiveness of the financial assistance measures made available by Government to rural businesses, which is worth over £250 million. This package includes £50 million allocated to the Rural Business Recovery Fund, substantial hardship rate relief and £120 million available in loans under the Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme. Customs and Excise and the Inland Revenue will also agree to the deferral of tax or national insurance contributions where a business is in serious financial difficulty. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has provided an additional £3.8 million to the English Tourism Council to get the message across that there is plenty for the public to do in the countryside, and £14.2 million to the British Tourist Authority to rebuild confidence in Britain as a tourism destination in our key overseas markets.

  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the economic impact of foot and mouth disease on the tourist industry in each of the Regional Tourist Board areas. [2096]

  Tessa Jowell
  Our best estimate to date is that the loss of revenue in 2001–02 by the English tourist industry is likely to be around £120 million per week averaged over the eight-month tourism season. We are currently updating the assessment on which this is based in the light of the latest available data, including regional estimates made by individual regional tourist boards (these are not prepared on a consistent basis and so cannot simply be aggregated). We have not attempted to apportion the overall estimates to the individual regional tourist board areas, since the available data do not enable this to be done with a sufficient degree of reliability.

  The National Lottery
  Mr. Peter Ainsworth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list the administrative costs as a percentage of National Lottery income for each of the National Lottery distributing bodies in the most recent year for which figures are available. [88]

  Tessa Jowell
  [holding answer 25 June 2001]: The following table shows administration costs as a percentage of income for the lottery distributing bodies in 1999–2000, the most recent year for which published accounts are available.

  Distributing body

  Administration costs as a percentage of income

  Arts Council of England

  11.43

  Scottish Arts Council

  8.07

  Arts Council of Wales

  10.17

  Arts Council of Northern Ireland

  7.43

  Sport England

  7.40

  Sportscotland

  8.09

  Sports Council for Wales

  5.56

  Sports Council for Northern Ireland

  8.98

  UK Sport

  4.39

  Heritage Lottery Fund

  4.84

  Community Fund

  9.46

  Millennium Commission

  3.92

  New Opportunities Fund

  4.53

  696W

  British Archaeology
  Tim Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make a statement on the implications of article 3 of the Treaty of Valetta for British archaeology, following the UK becoming a signatory to the treaty. [2221]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 3 July 2001]: It is for each Government to apply the European Convention on the Protection of the Archaeological Heritage (known as the Valetta Convention) in ways that fit in with national practice and legislation. In broad terms, current measures in place in the UK already meet the convention's requirements. The Government do not believe that additional legislation, requiring a licensing system, is necessary to fulfil article 3. Much archaeological work is already controlled through existing mechanisms. There may be scope for developing a voluntary code of conduct for those who wish to undertake archaeological work outside the existing systems of control.

  Football World Cup
  Mr. Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what action she is taking to ensure that every match in the football World Cup finals in 2002 is available for live free to-air transmission. [3633]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 12 July 2001]: The whole of the World Cup finals tournament is a listed event under part IV of the Broadcasting Act 1996. Under that legislation, the Independent Television Commission will ensure that a non-free-to-air broadcaster—or a free-to-air broadcaster which covers less than 95 per cent. of the population—can show any part of the tournament live only if a free-to-air broadcaster with at least 95 per cent. coverage has either acquired similar rights, or been given the opportunity to dc so on fair and reasonable terms.

  Mr. Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and sport what discussions she plans to hold with her counterparts in the Council of Ministers about the Kirsch 2002 football World Cup contract. [3634]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 12 July 2001]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no current plans to discuss this matter with her counterparts in the Council of Ministers.

  Digital Radio (BBC)
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will make it her policy to refuse applications for new BBC digital radio channels unless they are based on formats clearly distinct from existing digital radio channels. [3568]

  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 12 July 2001]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will assess all the proposed new BBC digital radio services against the criteria set out in the public service approvals guidelines. These include the distinctiveness (in programming and content) of the proposed BBC service from those provided by other broadcasters.

  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she has made of the extent to which the BBC's application for a digital radio channel Network Z is based on a format clearly distinct from the existing channel, Oneword. [3570]
  697W
  Dr. Howells
  [holding answer 12 July 2001]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is currently assessing the BBC's application against the published public service approval guidelines. In reaching a decision she will take into account all the comments she has received during the consultation period, including those from Oneword.

  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what assessment she will make of(a) the intended target audience of and (b) the distinctiveness of programmes proposed by Network Z in reaching a decision on it. [3762]

  Dr. Howells
  The criteria against which the Secretary of State will make her decision on the BBC proposals for new digital services, including Network Z, are set out in the published public service approvals guidelines. In reaching a decision, she will consider all the comments made to her during the consultation period.

  Indemnities (Art Collections)
  Judy Mallaber
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many indemnity undertakings were given under section 16 of the National Heritage Act 1980 for the six-month period ended 31 March; and what the value was of(a) any contingent liabilities in respect of such undertakings given at any time under that section which remain outstanding as at 31 March, (b) non-statutory Government indemnities in respect of loans handled by the Government Art Collection which remain outstanding as at 31 March and (c) non-statutory undertakings to Her Majesty in respect of loans from the Royal Collection which remain outstanding at 31 March. [4527]

  Tessa Jowell
  The provision for the Government Indemnity Scheme is made by the National Heritage Act 1980. The scheme facilitates public access to loans of works of art and other objects for public display made to museums, galleries and other such institutions by private owners and non-national institutions. It does this by indemnifying lenders against loss or damage to their loan. Loans covered by the scheme must be for public benefit. The scheme also covers loans of such objects for study purposes within borrowing institutions where this would contribute materially to the public's understanding or appreciation of the loan. Examples of this are enhancing interpretation or explanation to the public of objects or bringing into the public domain, the conclusions of any study.

  In the six-month period ended 31 March 2001, the following undertakings to indemnify were given under section 16 by the relevant Departments for objects on loan to national and non-national institutions:

  Number

  Department for Culture, Media and Sport

  647

  Scottish Executive Education Department

  178

  The National Assembly for Wales

  72

  The value of contingent liabilities in respect of undertakings given at any time under section 16 and which remained outstanding as at 31 March is:

  £

  Department for Culture, Media and Sport

  2,041,341,918

  Scottish Executive Education Department

  444,818,689

  The National Assembly for Wales

  74,198,187

  698W
  The value of non-statutory Government indemnities to cover loans handled by the Government Art Collection and which remained outstanding as at 31 March is:
  Value: £6,475,000.
  The value of non-statutory undertakings given to Her Majesty in respect of loans from the Royal Collection and which remained outstanding as at 31 March is:
  Value: £180,225,170.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Police Performance Indicators
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for reviewing key performance indicators for policing following Merseyside police's reorganisation of neighbourhood policing; and if he will make a statement. [2116]

  Mr. Denham
  We are currently considering the views of the Association of Chief Police Officers of England, Wales and Northern Ireland and the Association of Police Authorities on possible changes to police best value performance indicators. The Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions will then publish a consultation document on all best value performance indicators and the performance indicators for 2002–03 will be set on the basis of that exercise. The suite of performance indicators for policing will be kept under review to ensure that it is consistent with the outcome of the police reform programme.

  Prison Overcrowding
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of prisoners were held in overcrowded accommodation in(a) 1996–97, (b) 1999–2000 and (c) 2000–01; and if he will make a statement. [2467]

  Beverley Hughes
  The number of prisoners held in overcrowded accommodation expressed as a percentage of the average population during 1999–2000 and 2000–01 is given in the table. There is no comparable overcrowding data for 1996–97.

  Year

  Percentage of overcrowding

  1999–2000

  20.0

  2000–01

  17.5

  Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to reduce overcrowding in prisons; by what date he expects overcrowding to end; and if he will make a statement. [1512]

  Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 9 July 2001]: The prison population on 29 June 2001 was 66,736. This was 4,305 below the total certified operational capacity of 71,041 for the same day. The Government set no target for the prison population as it is for the courts to determine who is sent to prison. The Government will provide the places necessary to accommodate safely and securely those sentenced by the courts. New prison capacity is opening this year. Rye Hill, a 600 place prison near Rugby, opened in January 2001 and Dovegate, an

  699W
  800 place prison in Staffordshire, will open on 9 July 2001. The 2000 spending review also provides funding to increase capacity by a further 2,660 by 2004.

  London Underground
  Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last travelled on the London Underground in the course of his official duties. [3676]

  Mr. Blunkett
  I have not yet travelled on the London Underground for official duties in the five weeks that I have held the post of Home Secretary.

  Drug Use
  Paul Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his most recent estimate is of the progress made in achieving the illegal drugs use reduction targets in the Government's 10-year strategy. [2385]

  Mr. Denham
  [holding answer 9 July 2001]: The Anti-Drugs Co-ordinator's annual report for 1999–2000 shows that we are making progress towards achieving the challenging targets we have set as part of our 10-year anti-drugs strategy. Most of our annual targets were met in full. We are on track to deliver published targets for 2002. We recognise the particular importance of tackling the problem at the local level and that there is more to do.

  Imutran Limited
  Jim Dobbin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made with the review by the Chief Inspector of the Animals (Scientific 700W
  Procedures) Inspectorate of Compliance by Imutran Limited with the authorities granted under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 for its xenotransplantation research; and if he will make a statement. [4420]

  Angela Eagle
  I have today published a report on the routine review of compliance with the authorities issued to Imutran Ltd. prepared by the Chief Inspector of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Inspectorate and placed copies in the Library.

  The Chief Inspector's findings confirm that the level of compliance was generally good. He has, however, also identified five instances of non-compliance. Three of these were already known to the Home Office and were dealt with in 1997.

  One of the newly identified infringements was essentially technical and no unnecessary animal suffering resulted. In the other case there is evidence that animals experienced unnecessary suffering because of delay in implementing the agreed humane end-point for the procedure applied to them. In mitigation, the clinicians' decisions were based upon clinical judgment rather than undisputed or unambiguous facts and the Chief Inspector's view is that the decisions taken by those concerned do not indicate any fundamental disregard for the welfare of the animals. Both infringements will be dealt by means of letters of admonishment to those responsible, none of whom is currently resident or working in the Unites Kingdom.

  The Imutran licences were revoked in July 2000 following a decision by its parent company to close Imutran Ltd. and transfer its technology to a new company in North America.