Written Answers of 1 March 2001

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Adult Literacy and Numeracy
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what plans the Government have to improve adult literacy and numeracy skills in England. [152260]

  Mr. Blunkett
  The standard of literacy and numeracy skills in England has been too poor for too long. Claus Moser's report found that up to 7 million adults in England have weak literacy and numeracy skills. This is disastrous for the individuals concerned, weakens business competitiveness and places a huge burden on society.

  The Government will shortly launch their strategy to tackle this problem. Our priority is to improve the skills of those groups where literacy and numeracy needs are greatest and where we can make most impact. We will spend £1.5 billion over the next three years and focus the work of all relevant organisations on ensuring that 750,000 adults improve their literacy and numeracy by 2004, and that we reach the literacy and numeracy levels of our international competitors.

  Our strategy will deliver radical quality improvements. New national standards, a common core curriculum and National Tests will make sure that best teaching and learning practice is adopted across the country. And we are training teachers, establishing a research centre and introducing more rigorous national inspections so that standards remain high

  The Government themselves will be setting an example with my Department working with other Government Departments and agencies such is the MOD and the Prison Service to bring about radical improvements in standards of adult skills.

  Our literacy and numeracy strategy will mark a decisive step in addressing this country's poor literacy and numeracy skill levels and will give adults the opportunity to acquire the skills they need to participate in modern society.

  New Deal
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many young people have found employment through the New Dell in(a) the north-west region and (b) Lancashire. [150650]

  Ms Jowell
  Figures to the end of November 2000 show that the following numbers of young people have found employment through New Deal in the north-west region and Lancashire:718W

  North-west region

  Lancashire

  Total jobs

  39,666

  5,171

  of which are sustained

  30,132

  3,894

  Other

  9,534

  1,277

  Dr. Jack Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what his most recent estimate is of the take up of the New Deal for(a) young people, (b) lone parents, (c) people with disabilities and (d) older people in Copeland; and if he will make a statement on its operation. [150684]

  Ms Jowell
  [holding answer 26 February 2001]: Latest figures, to the end of November 2000, for Copeland parliamentary constituency show the following take-up of the New Deal:

  Numbers starting New Deal

  New Deal for young people

  1,375

  New deal for lone parents

  234

  New deal for 25+

  1,103

  Statistics on New Deal for People with Disabilities are not available at constituency level. To date the New Deal for Disabled People has operated only in a limited number of locations, not including Copeland. 24 innovative schemes have been testing new ways of helping disabled people into work and 12 Personal Adviser pilots have helped disabled people to overcome their particular barriers to work.

  The New Deal for Disabled People will be extended on a national basis, with services for disabled clients beginning from July 2001.

  The approach which underpins the New Deal programmes is one which links equality of opportunity and investment in skills to economic prosperity and labour market expansion.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Departmental IT Projects
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the IT projects currently undertaken in his Department; and if he will state the(a) expected completion date and (b) cost of each project. [151501]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  [holding answer 26 February 2001]: The tables list IT projects currently undertaken within DETR(C) and its agencies where costs are estimated to be equal to or exceed £50,000.

  Small projects where the total cost falls below £50,000 have not been listed as the collection of information and collation of these projects could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
  719W

  DETR IT projects where costs are equal to or greater than £50,000

  Projects

  Total forecast costs to completion (£)

  Projected completion date

  DETR(C)

  Data Communications Systems

  2,230,000

  March 2001

  Replacement PCs

  204,000

  March 2001

  High Speed LANS

  762,000

  March 2001

  Second GSI Gateway

  33,000

  March 2001

  Bristol HQ Infrastructure

  293,000

  March 2001

  Netware 5

  365,000

  March 2001

  Replacement ETHOS Servers

  225,000

  March 2001

  TAN21—a programme of business change involving the redesign of the business processes and the modernisation of IT/IS systems

  7,977,000

  September 2001

  Computerised Local Authority Statistics System

  245,000

  March 2001

  DETR Payroll Procurement Project

  480,000

  September 2001

  The Optimum Pensions System

  943,000

  March 2002

  Maps on Tap

  174,000

  June 2001

  Electronic Procurement Stages 2 and 3

  4,331,000

  March 2003

  Marine Incident Database—Phase 2

  241,000

  April 2001

  DETR Electronic Briefing System

  1,340,000

  February 2002

  DOC Project Management System

  133,000

  October 2001

  Videoconferencing System

  64,000

  April 2001

  Climate Change Levy

  113,000

  March 2001

  Research Management Database—Phase 1

  40,000

  June 2001

  Electronic Document and Record Management—Scoping Study

  40,000

  May 2001

  RIMNET Scoping Study

  200,000

  May 2001

  Next Generation Accounting System (procurement under way)

  1—

  —

  1Information commercially sensitive.

  Note:

  The information above relates to projects that have been approved and are still running. It should be noted that for some projects the costs only represent those related to scoping studies. The final cost of these projects is subject to the outcome of the scoping study and ITSD and BISD approval. It is therefore not possible to include total project costs for these projects.

  DETR IT projects where costs are equal to or greater than £50,000

  Projects

  Estimated total external project costs to completion (£)

  Projected completion date

  Highways Agency

  Computer Aided Facilities Management (CAFM)

  212,000

  July 2001

  Migration to MS Outlook and Office 2000

  1,639,000

  May 2002

  Electronic Document Management (EDMS)

  350,000

  March 2004

  Environmental Database

  375,000

  February 2002

  Extranet Project (Agent Access)

  621,000

  February 2001

  Geotechnical Data Management System (GDMS)

  355,000

  December 2002

  HA Corporate Intranet/Extranet Development

  1,199,000

  February 2002

  Highways Agency Management Information System (HAMIS)

  3,100,00

  March 2001

  Highways Agency Pavement Management System (HAPMS)

  11,238,000

  December 2003

  HA Supplier Database and Tender Support

  175,000

  August 2001

  Knowledge Management Pilot

  104,000

  July 2001

  Part 1 Claims Database

  80,000

  April 2001

  Remote Access—Service Improvements

  301,000

  July 2001

  Strategy for Financial Management (SFM)1

  25,000,000 to 30,000,000

  2004

  Structures Management Information System (SMIS)

  1,736,400

  March 2002

  Total (SFM minimum)

  46,485,400

  —

  Total (SFM maximum)

  51,485,400

  —

  1 The Agency also classifies the implementation of resource accounting and budgeting as an IT project. It is currently estimated to cost £25–30 million over a 10 year period ending in 2004.

  Note:

  The information above relates to projects that have been approved and are still running. It should be noted that for some projects the costs only represent those related to scoping studies. The final cost of these projects is subject to the outcome of the scoping study and ITSD and BISD approval. It is therefore not possible to include total project costs for these projects.

  DETR IT projects where costs are equal to or greater than £50.000

  Projects

  Total forecast costs to completion (£)

  Projected completion date

  Rent Service Agency

  VICTER

  3.000,000

  Pilot test May 2001

  Planning Inspectorate Agency

  Inspector Scheduling

  844,400

  September 2001

  Human Resource Information

  409,811

  March 2001

  Planning Portal Programme

  3,000,000

  April 2002

  Annual Refreshment of IT Hardware

  336,500

  April 2001

  720W 721W

  DETR IT projects where costs are equal to or greater than £50,000

  Projects

  Total forecast costs to completion (£)

  Projected completion date

  Marine and Coastguard Agency

  Incident Management System

  2,000,000

  End 2002

  Search and Rescue Information System

  80,000

  Mid 2001

  Driving Standards Agency

  Road Safety Information System

  650,000

  January 2002

  Internet Booking of Practical Tests

  500,000

  Early 2002

  Driver Vehicle Licensing Agency

  Automated Number Plate Reader

  1,174,000

  June 2001

  Casework Project

  8,734,000

  November 2001

  Replacement/Modernisation OCR data capture equipment

  2,882,000

  June 2002

  Financial System (procurement under way)

  —

  April 2002

  IT Infrastructure Modernisation

  2,697,000

  March 2002

  New Vehicle Registration Mark Format

  1,802,000

  September 2001

  Replacement IT Services Contract (procurement under way)

  —

  September 2002

  Personnel Systems Enhancements

  372,000

  November 2001

  Smart Tachograph Cards

  8,155,000

  February 2003

  Web Vault

  550,000

  June 2001

  Changes to Vehicle Taxation System (Graduated VED—phase 2)

  25,303,000

  September 2001

  1 Information commercially sensitive.

  Note:

  The information above relates to projects that have been approved and are still running. It should be noted that for some projects the costs only represent those related to scoping studies. The final cost of these projects is subject to the outcome of the scoping study and ITSD and BISD approval. It is therefore not possible to include total project costs for these projects.

  DETR IT projects where costs are equal to or greater than £50,000

  projects

  Estimated operating cost per ennum(£)

  Contract due to commence

  Vehicle Inspectorate Agency

  MOT Computerisation

  22,000,000

  May 2002

  Replacement IT Services Contract (procurement under way)

  1—

  —

  1 Information commercially sensitive

  Note:

  The information above relates to projects that have been approved and are still running. It should be noted hat for some projects the costs only represent those related to scoping studies. The final cost of these projects is subject to the outcome of the scoping study and ITSD and BISD approval. It is therefore not possible to include total project costs for these projects.

  Local Transport Plans
  Mr. Moore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if local authorities can bid for additional funding to that in their full local transport plan in their first annual progress reports for(a) major road schemes, (b) major public transport schemes and (c) integrated transport packages. [151556]

  Mr. Hill
  Authorities may bid for additional major road, public transport or integrated transport schemes as part of the process of submitting their first annual progress reports (APRs) on their local transport plans. In certain circumstances, authorities will also be able to bid for additional funding for smaller-scale integrated transport schemes. Details will be provided in the guidance on APRs that we will issue to authorities shortly.

  Planning Appeals
  Mr. Edward Davey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what representations he has received on reform of the planning 722W
  appeals process contained in DETR circular 05/200 relating to rights of third parties to see and comment on the submissions of others made to the Planning Inspectorate. [151607]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  Five representations have been received.

  Following public consultation streamlined statutory procedures for handling planning appeals—on which guidance is given in DETR Circular 5/2000—were introduced last year. These require third parties to submit their comments or statements of case to the Secretary of State on the same timescale as that for local planning authorities and appellants. Thus third parties have the opportunity at both planning application stage and at planning appeal stage to comment on the proposed development.

  The operation of the new procedures is being monitored and we shall review them in the light of experience, taking account of representations received.

  Waste Recycling
  Mr. Don Foster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what percentage of waste was recycled in(a) Great Britain and (b) each local authority in 2000. [151299]

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  [holding answer 27 February 2001]: Recycling levels in Scotland are a matter for the Secretary of State for Scotland. The Department collects information on waste management and recycling from local authorities in England and Wales on an annual basis through the Municipal Waste Management Survey. National and regional level information for the financial year 1998–99 was published in the Municipal Waste Management 1998– 99 Bulletin in September 2000. We expect to publish provisional results for 1999– 2000 in early April 2001 and a more detailed analysis later in the year. We intend to publish figures showing the

  723W
  percentage of household waste recycled by individual local authorities in England during the financial year 1998– 99 shortly in the "Guidance on Municipal Waste Management Strategies".

  Telecommunications Masts
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what progress has been made following the closure of consultation on the regulation of mobile telecommunications masts; and if he will make a statement. [151612]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The consultation exercise seeking views on possible changes to the planning laws relating to mobile phone masts and associated guidance ended on 31 October 2000. The Department is currently analysing the responses. We shall announce our conclusions as soon as possible.

  Home Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many grants have been awarded under the home energy efficiency scheme in the City of Newcastle upon Tyne since 2000– 01; and what was(a) the total and (b) the average value of such grants. [151835]

  Mr. Meacher
  The number of grants and their total value and average value for the City of Newcastle upon Tyne for 2000–01 is as shown.

  Period

  Number of grant

  Average value of grant (£)

  Total value of grants (£)

  April-May 20001

  597

  175

  104,523

  June 2000-February 2001

  1,455

  2439

  638.102

  March 20013

  168

  2297

  44,189

  Total for 2000–01

  2,220

  354

  786,814

  1 The previous HEES scheme (which started in 1991) continued to run for the first two months of 2000–01. Only one 'main' measure was offered up to a grant limit of £315.

  2 The average value of grant has increased substantially in the current year following the launch of the new Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES) for England on 1 June 2000. It replaced the more basic scheme that operated since 1991. HEES provides packages of insulation and heating measures, linked to the condition of the property and the type of householder. The grant maximum increased from £315 up to £2,000.

  3 Projection based on orders placed with installers.

  Halewick Lane Waste Transfer Station
  Mr. Loughton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will publish the inspector's report on the public inquiry into the Halewick Lane waste transfer station at Sompting, West Sussex. [151677]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions will publish the inspector's report when he determines the planning application for a waste management centre at Halewick Lane, Sompting, West Sussex. This decision will be issued as soon as possible.

  Bog Sites
  Mr. Pickthall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he intends to agree the request for the raised bog sites at(a) Hatfield Moor, (b) Thorne Moor, (c) Bolton Fell Moor, (d) Solway Moor and (e) Wedholme Flow to be designated special areas of conservation under the habitats and species directive. 1151382]

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  In August 2000, English Nature began public consultations on proposals for new and amended Special Areas of Conservation (SACs). Those proposals included new SACs at Bolton Fell Moss, Solway Moss and Hatfield Moor, boundary amendments to the existing candidate SACs at Thorne Moor and South Solway Mosses, plus the addition of a new qualifying interest on the site encompassing Wedholme Flow. English Nature is currently considering the scientific justification for each new or amended site. The Government will consider their recommendations as soon as they are made.

  GM Sugarbeet
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if the 24 GM sugarbeet trials scheduled for this year involve expenditure by the Government. [151543]

  Mr. Meacher
  There will be up to 26 fields of beet taking part in the Farm Scale Evaluations of herbicide tolerant GM crops this spring. As was the case last year, the Government will pay only for the ecological studies associated with the evaluations. It is expected that, for the beet sites, this will cost approximately £445,000 this year.

  Local Government Finance
  Charlotte Atkins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will publish the analysis of responses to the local government finance Green Paper. [152126]

  Ms Armstrong
  An analysis of the 16,321 responses we received will be posted on the DETR website at www.local.detr.gov.uk/greenpap/analysis/index.htm on Monday 5 March. Copies of the analysis will also be placed in the Library.

  We were very pleased with the excellent response to consultation. We are carefully considering the responses and will publish our decisions in a White Paper later this year.

  SSSIs
  Angela Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what measures he is taking to ensure payments for management agreements on sites of special scientific interest are directed towards conservation and enhancement of the special features of these sites. [152127]

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  Tomorrow, together with my right hon. Friend the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, we shall be issuing new guidance on management agreement payments in England to replace
  725W
  that in DOE/MAFF Circular 4/83. English Nature will use the guidance to determine the amount of payment under a management agreement.

  The guidance reflects the substantially strengthened powers to protect and manage SSSIs introduced by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000. It will emphasise the future priority for agreements to be directed at positive management designed to bring the special features of sites into favourable condition. It will also ensure that agreements are in line with the European Rural Development Regulation.

  Copies of the Guidelines will be freely available and will be placed in the House Libraries.

DEFENCE

  Defence Secondary Care Agency Unit (Organ Parts)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary A State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 7 February 2001,Official Report, column 523W, on organ parts, if he will list the specimens held; and for what purposes they are kept. [150814]

  Dr. Moonie
  Pursuant to my answer of 7 February 2001,Official Report, column 523W, further investigation has revealed that the Defence Secondary Care Agency holds approximately 60 pathological specimens relating to 26 patients, rather than "26 specimens '. These specimens are all held at the Royal Hospital Haslar and for each, patient consent has been given for organ retention for both diagnostic and medical research purposes. In total there are 14 organs and approximately 46 tissue samples:

  Number

  Brain

  4

  Heart

  0

  Lungs

  4

  Deaths of armed forces personnel in on duty due to injury: 1991 to 2000

  Navy death

  Navy married

  Army total

  Army married

  RAF total

  RAF married

  Tri-service total

  Tri-service married

  1991

  5

  3

  64

  23

  14

  1

  83

  27

  1992

  3

  2

  35

  9

  9

  2

  47

  13

  1993

  13

  6

  22

  5

  11

  3

  46

  14

  1994

  5

  2

  39

  19

  9

  2

  53

  23

  1995

  7

  1

  20

  8

  12

  5

  39

  14

  1996

  3

  2

  12

  5

  4

  1

  19

  8

  1997

  5

  2

  8

  2

  3

  0

  16

  4

  1998

  4

  1

  30

  7

  6

  2

  40

  10

  1999

  2

  1

  23

  8

  6

  0

  31

  9

  2000

  4

  1

  15

  8

  1

  1

  20

  10

  Note:

  Deaths on duty are defined as those personnel who have died as a result of injuries categorised as: Battle wounds or injuries; injuries inflicted internationally during peacekeeping and similar operations (e.g. Kosovo and Northern Ireland): injuries sustained from terrorist activity, and accidental injuries sustained while on duly.

  Royal Ordnance
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the terrorist threat to the Royal Ordnance sites at(a) Bridgwater, (b) Chorley, (c) Glascoed, (d) Nottingham and (e) Radway Green; and if he will make a statement. [151589]
  726W

  Number

  Other organs'

  5

  Body Parts

  0

  Stillbirths or pre-viable foetuses

  1

  Tissues2

  46

  Total

  60

  1 Not include above

  2 Approximate

  Notes:

  The data are recorded in the format provided to the Chief Medical Officer for his report in 2000 entitled "Retention of Organs at Post-Mortem: Census of Hospitals in England".

  Definition of terms:

  Tissues: samples of organs or body parts

  Organs: whole organs

  Body parts: limbs, heads or the entire contents of either the thorax or abdomen.

  Armed Forces (Death in Service)
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) men and (b) women serving in (i) the Army, (ii) the Royal Navy and (iii) the Royal Air Force have died in active service in each month over the past 10 years; and how many of those listed were married at the time of death. [151011]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 26 February 2001]: The term "active service" is used wildly in connection with the Services, with various meanings in different contexts. However the Service Discipline Act contains specific definitions for the purposes of that legislation. In order to avoid a more restrictive interpretation than may be intended by the question, we set out figures based on a wide range of deaths on duty. The circumstances covered by the figures are explained more fully immediately after the table.

  Between 1 January 1991 and 31 December 2000 there have been 394 service personnel who have died of injuries sustained on duty. Out of this total, 132 were married at the time of death. The table provides details of thasa deaths for each service;

  Dr. Moonie
  A comprehensive assessment of the threat to security at the Royal Ordnance sites was undertaken. It is not the practice to discuss threat assessments publicly for reasons of national security, but the threat assessment was taken fully into account in reaching the decision to withdraw Ministry of Defence police officers from Royal Ordnance sites.
  727W
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost per annum to Royal Ordnance is of employing Ministry of Defence Police at(a) Bridgwater, (b) Chorley, (c) Glascoed, (d) Nottingham and (e) Radway Green; and if he will make a statement. [151590]

  Dr. Moonie
  I am withholding details of the sums paid by Royal Ordnance to the Ministry of Defence for the services of the MOD police under Exemption 13 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information as they are a matter of commercial confidentiality.

  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Ministry of Defence Police are deployed at the Royal Ordnance sites in(a) Bridgwater, (b) Chorley, (c) Glascoed, (d) Nottingham and (e) Radway Green; what plans there are to withdraw cover and on what dates; and if he will make a statement. [151591]

  Dr. Moonie
  There are 15 Ministry of Defence police (MDP) posts complemented at each of the five RO sites. MDP officers will be withdrawn from RO Bridgwater, Chorley, Glascoed and Radway Green on 31 May 2001. MDP officers will be withdrawn from RO Nottingham when the MOD weapons have been removed from the Pattern Room, which is currently expected to take place in February 2002.

  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the proposed withdrawal of Ministry of Defence police at Royal Ordnance sites will result in(a) compulsory and (b) voluntary redundancies within the Ministry of Defence police; and if he will make a statement. [151592]

  Dr. Moonie
  It is very unlikely that the withdrawal of the Ministry of Defence police (MDP) from the five RO sites will lead to any compulsory redundancies, unless officers substantiate a case for a Limited Mobility Waiver, and there are no other employment opportunities with the MDP in the local area. We anticipate that all will be offered alternative postings.

  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what powers private security companies will have to(a) patrol beyond perimeters and (b) carry weaponry at Royal Ordnance sites once Ministry of Defence police protection is withdrawn; and if he will make a statement. [151593]

  Dr. Moonie
  Once Ministry of Defence police protection is withdrawn, the deployment of company guards will be the responsibility of the Royal Ordnance. The guards will not have constabulary powers.

  Private security company guards will not be armed. Section 54 of the Firearms Act 1968 limits the authority to carry firearms on duty to Crown Servants (which includes Service personnel and the Ministry of Defence police). The Firearms Act Amendment 1997 lists pistols as prohibited items, the carriage of which requires a personal licence issued by the local Chief Constable; no such licences are issued to private security companies. Home Department police will provide an armed response force, as required, at the RO sites.

  Child Support Agency
  Mr. Tyler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what obligations service units have to implement Child 728W
  Support Agency instructions for attachment of earnings in relation to Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force personnel. [149480]

  Mr. Spellar
  [holding answer 8 February 2001]: Under the terms of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two organisations, the Ministry of Defence will, at the request of the Child Support Agency, make appropriate deductions from pay to meet the maintenance obligations of Service personnel. Deductions are made in full, except in less than 1 per cent. of cases where this would breach minimum rates of pay set in Ministry of Defence legislation.

  Operation Palliser
  Mr. Keetch
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many members of the armed forces deployed on Operation Palliser are in a medically downgraded category; what percentage of forces deployed on Operation Palliser this represents; and if he will make a statement; [147562]

  (2) how many members of the armed forces who serviced on Operation Palliser are categorised as medically downgraded; and if he will make a statement. [148377]

  Dr. Moonie
  [holding answer 2 February 2001]: Some 4,500 armed forces personnel deployed to Sierra Leone on Operation Palliser. It is not possible to identify, from the information currently available, the number of Royal Navy personnel who deployed on any operation to Sierra Leone who are currently medically downgraded. However, of the approximate 2,100 Army and RAF personnel who deployed to Sierra Leone at the time of Operation Palliser, 54 are currently medically downgraded. This represents 2.5 per cent. of the Army/RAF personnel who deployed.

  Far East Prisoners of War
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many widows of former Japanese prisoners of war have claimed their compensation entitlement. [150627]

  Mr. Bayley
  I have been asked to reply.

  The information is not available in the format requested. Such information as is available as at 19 February shows that 8,272 claims under the ex-gratia payments scheme had been received from widows and widowers of deceased ex-far east prisoners of war.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Tanzania
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans she has to reassess her aid programme to Tanzania following recent unrest in Zanzibar. [151588]

  Clare Short
  The Government of Tanzania, as part of their qualification for HIPC debt relief, are pursuing a broad-based national poverty reduction strategy and are in receipt of UK development assistance. We do not believe that the poor of Tanzania should suffer because of the abuse of human rights in Zambia. However, Her Majesty's Government have made clear to the Government of Tanzania UK concerns following the recent unrest in
  729W
  Zanzibar. Sir John Vereker recently visited Dar es Salaam and discussed these concerns directly with President Mkapa.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions she has had with her EU counterparts regarding EU funding for aid programmes in Tanzania since the Zanzibar elections in 2000. [151587]

  Clare Short
  There have been no high-level discussions related to EU development assistance to Tanzania since the national elections last November although I have discussed the situation with my Utstein group colleagues.

  EU development assistance to Tanzania is under review following the conclusion of the Cotonou agreement last year.

  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list the projects her Department supports in Tanzania. [151586]

  Clare Short
  Our development assistance to Tanzania last year was £65 million. This included £40 million to support pro-poor sectors of the national budget and reward the maintenance of continued macro economic stability. We are also funding projects in health, education, improved public sector management and public sector reform. In addition, we are undertaking initiatives to strengthen civil society and encourage pro-poor growth and private sector development.

  Afghanistan
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan. [151585]

  Clare Short
  Afghanistan is suffering its worst drought in 30 years, which has combined with continuing conflict to lead to a dramatic deterioration in the humanitarian situation. At least 12 million people are affected, 3–4 million of them seriously, and the number of displaced Afghans seeking relief from drought and conflict is now over 500,000. Winter weather conditions are reported to be severe, and a shortage of food, shelter and clothing has led to an increase in mortality rates.

  We remain extremely concerned about the situation in Afghanistan. This financial year, DFID has provided over £7.5 million of humanitarian assistance to Afghans through UN agencies, the Red Cross and NGOs. As well as drought relief assistance, this includes a regular programme of longer-term humanitarian assistance to the Afghan population—both in Afghanistan and to Afghan refugees in neighbouring countries.

  In addition, due to the severity of conditions in Afghanistan, DFID has recently agreed a further £3 million for the provision of drought relief and emergency relief goods to displaced people. This will be channelled through UN agencies and the Red Cross.

  Sub-Saharan Africa (School Fees)
  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the extent of fees being charged to pupils attending schools in countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. [151665]
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  Clare Short
  We believe that primary education should be free and that no child should be denied access to a basic education because the costs, direct or indirect, cannot be met by the household. School fees are an example of a direct cost, but there may be indirect charges for books, uniforms and exams which can make education unaffordable to many.

  The equitable financing of education is a key issue for achieving universal primary education by 2015. Accordingly, assessments are made by DFID at country level of the extent to which fees or indirect costs are charged to primary school pupils. Support for the planned transition to free primary education is a priority for us. We have seen some progress. In Zambia, the Government have recently announced the abolition of fees for primary school children, including those for examination entry. Tanzania has committed to abolishing primary school fees by 2001, but there are still significant challenges. In Malawi, for example, primary schooling is nominally free but there are still hidden costs which need to be addressed. In Kenya parents do not pay primary school fees, but instead must pay for books, school levy, uniforms and examination fees.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Departmental Policies (Tooting)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will set out with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Tooting parliamentary constituency, the effect of his Department's policies and actions since 1 May 1997. [149867]

  Mr. Caborn
  The parliamentary constituency of Tooting, Wandsworth has benefited from a range of initiatives since 1 May 1997. Direct business advice and support to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) has been provided by the DTI through core programmes and the Business Links. While my Department does not collect detailed statistical information on a constituency basis, over 5,800 requests for advice, information and support from SMEs in Tooting, Wandsworth have been handled by the Business Links since May 1997. During the same period, grants totalling over £300,000 have been awarded to SMEs for innovation and technology development under the Smart scheme.

  United Kingdom Accreditation Service
  Mr. Alan Keen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent consideration he has given to the accreditation and the status of the United Kingdom Accreditation Service; and if he will make a statement. [151629]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  [holding answer 28 February 2001]: During the course of 2000, my noble Friend the Minister for Science reviewed the Department's existing policy on accreditation. He decided to re-confirm the existing policy of recognition for the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) as the sole national body for the accreditation, against the recognised international standards, of testing and calibration laboratories and certification and inspection bodies. He confirmed the terms of the memorandum of understanding which my Department, on behalf of the Government as a whole, has

  731W
  with UKAS and which sets out the activities for which UKAS is recognised along with a number of rights and obligations on both parties.

  While my noble Friend concluded that no major structural changes to the UK accreditation system were desirable, he did agree that there would be benefit in a well-targeted, UKAS-driven publicity campaign to raise the profile of UKAS accredited conformity assessment to ensure that the benefits of using UKAS accredited conformity assessment services are properly understood.

  Accreditation by UKAS ensures that conformity assessment bodies have been independently assessed to agreed international standards of competence and impartiality by a body which is itself subject to regular assessment and to oversight by Government. For these reasons, while there is no legal requirement for the providers of conformity assessment services to be accredited, the Government recommend the use of UKAS accredited conformity assessment wherever this is an option. The Government also advise purchasers to look for the National Accreditation Marks, which UKAS and UKAS accredited organisations are able to use under a licensing agreement with my Department, as a sign of Government recognition.

  My Department and a number of other Government Departments are therefore supporting the UKAS Accreditation Awareness Campaign which was launched by my noble Friend on 27 November 2000. The campaign is expected to run for the next 18 months and is aimed at increasing the understanding of accreditation within Government itself and, through a series of briefings aimed at business support agencies, within the business community in general and SMEs in particular.

  Steel Industry
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received concerning the decision by Corus to cut jobs and close plants in the UK; what estimate his Department has made of the effect on local employment that the closures will have; and what measures he is taking to support the steel industry in the UK. [151673]

  Summary of notifications of withdrawals from safeguards (January 2000 to February 2001)

  Number of withdrawal notifications (by type of nuclear material involved1)

  Reason for withdrawal

  Two notifications involving plutonium (Pu), mg quantities

  Material to be used for analytical purposes (eg samples, standards/tracers and/or in instrument calibration)2 (from NPL Teddington)

  One notification involving depleted natural and low enriched uranium (DNLEU), mg quantities

  Three notifications involving thorium (Th), mg quantities

  1 The tabulated information covers advance notifications of withdrawal approved by DTI and which resulted in the eventual withdrawal of nuclear material from safeguards.

  2 There are no facilities outside safeguards which manufacture material in such quantities and forms, and defence establishment requirements for these specialist materials have therefore been met by supply from civil organisations.

  British Association for Shooting and Conservation
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he(a) has taken and (b) plans to take to determine the accuracy of the annual returns made in
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  Mr. Alan Johnson
  I have received representations from a variety of sources, including from many Members of Parliament, trade unions and members of the public about the implications of Corus's announcement on 1 February.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has urged Corus to reconsider its decision and pressed the company to engage in a constructive dialogue to identify a better way forward. I am pleased to say that Corus is now talking to the trade unions about their plans.

  If Corus proceed with the job cuts announced on 1 February then the Government and the National Assembly for Wales will not walk away from the innocent victims. We are assessing the possible consequences on a contingency basis and will provide help to any individual affected and to the communities in which they live. This will include new job opportunities, retraining and economic regeneration.

  The steel industry is a vital part of UK manufacturing and the Government will continue to work closely with all parts of the industry to help ensure its future competitiveness. We and the National Assembly for Wales stand ready to work alongside Corus, other steel companies and the trade unions to identify a way forward that builds on the strengths of the industry and secures its long-term future in the UK.

  Nuclear Industry
  Mr. Llew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many withdrawals of nuclear materials from safeguards applied under the tripartite UK-Euratom-IAEA Voluntary Safeguards Agreement there have been since 1 February 2000; and if he will indicate the number which were permanent. [151600]

  Ms Hewitt
  Information on advance notifications of withdrawals from safeguards made since the start of 2000 is contained in the following table. Data are shown in the same format as in the paper provided on 28 July 2000,Official Report, column 1094W. The withdrawals involved only very small quantities of material to be used for analytical purposes and are all regarded as permanent. Annual updates of information on withdrawals in future years will be made available on the non-proliferation section of the DTI website www.dti.gov.uk/non-proliferation.

  each of the last six years by the British Association for Shooting and Conservation Ltd., Industrial and Provident Societies Act 1965 Registration No. 28488 R. [151267]

  Ms Hewitt
  This is a matter for the Chief Executive of Companies House. I have asked him to reply direct to the hon. Gentleman.
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  Letter from J. S. Holden to Mr. Roy Beggs, dated 1 March 2001 I have been asked to reply to your recently tabled Parliamentary Question to the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in respect of Companies House Executive Agency.
  The British Association for Shooting and Conservation Ltd is an industrial and provident society, and therefore is not required by law to file annual return and accounts with Companies House but instead with The Registry of Friendly Societies. The only entry with Companies House is on the index of names as required by the legislation.
  The Registry of Friendly Societies, 25 The North Colonnade, Canary Wharf, London E14 5HS, is the government department which has responsibility under the Industrial and Provident Societies Acts for the registration of industrial and provident societies.

  Credit Company Blacklists
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with the Lord Chancellor about re-examining the role of the courts in relation to the black-listing of in individuals by credit companies. [150853]

  Ms Hewitt
  I have not had any discussion with my right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor.

  Serco Contracts
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the contracts that exist between Serco and the Department, its executive agencies and associated public bodies; and if he will list those which have existed in the last three years. [151346]

  Ms Hewitt
  The Department has a contract with NPL Management Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Serco, to operate the National Physical Laboratory. Serco is also a partner in Laser (Teddington II) Ltd., the consortium who will be providing serviced accommodation for the National Physical Laboratory, under a PFI arrangement.

  Information on contracts with suppliers is not held centrally, and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  I have asked the Chief Executives of our Executive Agencies and associated public bodies to reply separately to this question.

  Ceramic Products Imports
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will undertake an inquiry into the practice of companies importing manufactured ceramic products from outside the EU, decorating such products and adding to them a made in England back stamp; and if he will make a statement. [151544]

  Ms Hewitt
  It is already a criminal offence under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 for a person in the course of a trade or business to apply false or misleading statements to goods, including statements about the origin of those goods. For the purposes of the Act goods are deemed to have been manufactured or produced in the country in which they last underwent a treatment or process resulting in a substantial change. The Act is enforced by the local authorities' trading standards service and any instances of false or misleading back-stamping should be brought to their attention.

  Combined Heat and Power Stations
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will announce his decisions on the proposals by Dalkia Services plc to build combined heat and power stations at the Zeneca Agrochemicals works at Huddersfield and the AstraZeneca works at Macclesfield. [152259]

  Mr. Hain
  I have today given clearance under section 14(1) of the Energy Act 1976 to Dalkia Utilities Services plc to build a 20 megawatt gas-fired combined heat and power station at the Zeneca Agrochemicals works at Huddersfield and a 13 megawatt gas-fired combined heat and power station at the AstraZeneca works at Macclesfield.

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

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

  Copies of the Press Notice and decision letter are being placed in the Library of the House.

  Trans-Balkan Oil Pipeline
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department has provided export credits for the Trans-Balkan oil pipeline. [151583]

  Mr. Caborn
  ECGD has not been approached for support and no export credits have been provided for this project.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Southern Africa (Peacekeeping)
  Mr. Roy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on United Kingdom support for regional peacekeeping training in Southern Africa. [152324]

  Mr. Robin Cook
  In view of the deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe, the British Military Advisory and Training Team (BMATT) for Southern Africa will relocate from Harare to the UK at the end of March 2001. The team has played an important role in enhancing the capacity of the countries of the Southern Africa Development Community to contribute to international peace support operations. We will continue to look for alternative locations from which the team can carry on this work with the countries of the region.

  Trans-Balkan Oil Pipeline
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts concerning the Trans-Balkan oil pipeline; and if he will make a statement. [151584]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Foreign Secretary has had no discussions on this matter with EU or other colleagues.

  Arms Exports (Western Sahara)
  Ms Kingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what discussions took place between his Department and the United Nations in New York concerning the granting of UK arms export licences for the refurbishment of guns situated in Western Sahara; on what date; and who took part in the discussions; [148691]

  (2) if the mandate of MINURSO includes a duty to oversee the refurbishment of Moroccan guns in Western Sahara; and what discussions his Department has had on this subject with (a) the United Nations and (b) other interested parties; [148690]

  (3) what reports he has received concerning direct approaches from UK arms manufacturers to the United Nations concerning (a) Her Majesty's Government's refusal to permit the sale of spare parts for the refurbishment of Moroccan guns on Western Sahara and (b) the subsequent appeal against this refusal; [148687]

  (4) what correspondence has passed between his Department and the United Nations staff in (a) New York,
  (b) Morocco and (c) Tindouf concerning UK arms export licences for the provision of spare parts to refurbish Moroccan guns for use in Western Sahara; [148693]

  (5) what discussions have taken place between his Department and the United Nations, including MINURSO, in (a) Morocco, (b) Western Sahara and (c) Tindouf concerning the granting of UK arms export licences for the refurbishment of guns situated in Western Sahara; on what dates; and who was involved in the discussions; [148692]

  (6) what (a) discussions have taken place and (b) correspondence been exchanged between his Department and the United Nations concerning the capability of MINURSO to oversee the refurbishment of Moroccan guns situated in Western Sahara; [148688]

  (7) what objections have been made by the United Nations to the Government concerning the Government's refusal of arms export licences for spare parts to refurbish Moroccan guns situated in Western Sahara; on what date; what the nature of the representations was; and what his Department's response was. [148689]

  Mr. Wilson
  [holding answer 5 February 2001]: Foreign and Commonwealth Office and United Nations officials routinely discuss a wide range of issues relating to Western Sahara in New York and the region.

  As set out in the Secretary of State's evidence to the Quadripartite Committee on 30 January, in 1998 a British company applied for an export licence in order, inter alia, to refurbish Moroccan guns in Western Sahara.

  In late 1998, as a result of contacts between Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials and MINURSO in the region, Ministers came to the preliminary view that, if Moroccan guns were refurbished, this would not violate the terms of the UN-sponsored cease-fire between Morocco and the Polisario Front which has been in place since 1991. The UN told FCO officials in April 1999 that refurbishment could be considered as neutral. Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials also understand that, under the terms of the Military Agreement signed between
  736W
  MINURSO and Morocco and MINURSO and Polisario, MINURSO would play a role in monitoring the process of refurbishing the guns.

  In discussions between Foreign and Commonwealth Office and United Nations officials in New York this subject was referred to on 1 February 1999, 16 February 1999, 23 February 1999, 3 March 1999, 21 and 28 May 1999 and 21 June 1999.

  On 21 June 1999, the United Nations Department for Peace Keeping Operations in New York confirmed that refurbishment of the guns would not be in breach of the existing military arrangements between MINURSO and the two parties; and that, in accordance with these arrangements, MINURSO would be in a position to monitor the procedure of the refurbishment of the Moroccan guns on the ground. This is set out in Military Agreement between the two parties and MINURSO of 1997.

  It is not for the United Nations to object or not to any refusal by HMG of an arms export licence. The United Nations role is to monitor the cease-fire between the two parties.

  We are not aware of any direct approaches from the UK arms manufacturers to the United Nations concerning refurbishment of Moroccan guns in Western Sahara. However, in their letter of appeal of 1 October 1998, the applicant asserted that refurbishment did not contravene the cease-fire and that MINURSO could monitor any refurbishment.

  "Bridges into the Future"
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what events were organised as part of the "Bridges into the Future" strategy in 2000; and what events are planned for 2001. [148885]

  Mr. Wilson
  The FCO organised over 20 promotional events around the country in 2000 targeted on visible minority ethnic communities as part of its Minority Ethnic Strategy, "Bridges into the Future". We also hosted events in the Foreign Office main building, took part in careers fairs and organised a work shadowing scheme targeted on young members of minority ethnic communities. A similar programme of events is being organised this year.

  Sathya Sai Movement
  Mr. Colman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to publicise the UNESCO Clarification of 15 September 2000 relating to allegations of sexual abuse involving youths and children at the ashram of the Sathya Sai movement in Puttaparthi, India. [51562]

  Mr. Wilson
  The text of the UNESCO Clarification can be found on the UNESCO website at: http://unesco.org/education/highlights/media—advisory.htm, and can be made available to Members through the Library of the House.

  Israel
  Dr. Starkey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what dates representations were made by the European Union to the Government of
  737W
  Israel in the context of the EU-Israel Association Agreement, on human rights related issues since the start of the Al Aqsa intifada; and what responses have been received. [151136]

  Mr. Wilson
  The European Union delivered demarches to the Government of Israel on Israeli obstacles to humanitarian assistance (5 February) and on the Israeli policy of targeted physical eliminations (21 January). The EU made a further statement on 13 February which deplored the practice of eliminations or extra judicial killings of Palestinians by the Israeli security forces. The General Affairs Council has repeatedly called for closures to be lifted, most recently on 26 February. Within the framework of the EU-Israel dialogue on the Palestinian economy, the EU has also urged Israel to lift the closures and resume the payment of revenues withheld from the Palestinian Authority.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Home Detention Curfew Scheme
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for the period between the commencement of the Home Detention Curfew scheme and 31 January 2001 inclusive(a) the total number of prisoners released on the scheme, (b) the number of prisoners convicted of each specific offence who were released on the scheme, with a breakdown of the offences committed, including specific offences committed by prisoners normally classified under the categories (i) other homicide and attempted homicide, (ii) other violence against the person, (iii) drug offence, (iv) assaults and (v) other offences, including a breakdown of the prisoners normally classified in the sub-category of other offences called other offences, (c) the average sentence (i) received and (ii) served, and the average period spent on the scheme, in respect of each specific offence, (d) the number of prisoners released on the scheme, with a breakdown of the offences committed, who (i) breached the conditions of the curfew, (ii) disappeared and were recaptured, (iii) disappeared and remain unlawfully at large and (iv) had their licences revoked, and for what reasons, (e) a breakdown of the specific offences committed by prisoners released on the scheme while on the scheme, including all offences committed by prisoners who committed more than one offence and (f) a breakdown of the specific offences committed by prisoners released on the scheme who committed a further offence while on the scheme that was similar in character to that for which they were originally convicted, including all offences committed by prisoners who committed more than one offence; and if he will make a statement. [148089]

  Mr. Boateng
  [holding answer 1 February 2001]: I have written to the right hon. Member, and placed a copy of the letter in the Library.

  South Yorkshire Police Authority
  Caroline Flint
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the value was of(a) the Government's financial settlement for the South Yorkshire
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  Police Authority and (b) additional Government support for crime reduction in the Doncaster borough in each year since 1995–96. [149065]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Central Government supported funding for South Yorkshire Police Authority in each year since 1995–96 is shown in the table.

  £ million (cash terms)

  1995–96

  147.2

  1996–97

  154.7

  1997–98

  158.8

  1998–99

  165.4

  1999–2000

  171.3

  2000–01

  177.2

  2001–02

  184.8

  In addition in 2000–01 South Yorkshire will receive a total of £984,978 from the Crime Fighting Fund. For 2001–02, the Authority will receive a total of £2,538,000. (All Crime Fighting Fund allocations are provisional and dependent on forces meeting recruitment targets).

  Projects to the value of £2,050,997 are currently being funded under the Government's Crime Reduction Programme. Three types of project are being funded, Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) and Reducing Burglary schemes (over the period 1999–2000 to 2001–02) and a Neighbourhood Wardens Scheme (for the period 2001–02 to 2002–03). £1.395 million is being invested in CCTV, £0.607 million in Reducing Burglary and £0.049 million in the Neighbourhood Warden Scheme.

  Several smaller sums have been provided for the Doncaster Community Safety Partnership and the New Deal for Communities Partnership. Doncaster Regeneration Partnership has also invested in crime reduction projects via its Single Regeneration Budget Schemes.

  Records are not maintained of funding which has contributed specifically to crime reduction in Doncaster prior to the launch of the Crime Reduction Programme in 1999.

  Police Grant
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 29 January 2001,Official Report, column 72W, to the hon. Member for Stourbridge (Ms Shipley) if he will express the percentage change in funding allocation to each police authority per head of resident population in each police authority. [149180]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The percentage change in funding allocation for 2001–02 compared with 2000–01 to each police authority per head of resident population is given in the table.

  Funding per head

  2000–01 (£)

  2001–02 (£)

  Percentage change

  Avon and Somerset Police

  116.69

  120,84

  3.56

  Bedfordshire Police

  114.98

  120.95

  5.19

  Cambridgeshire Police

  107.26

  112.15

  4.57

  Cheshire Police

  113.69

  120.71

  6.18

  City of London

  10,825.34

  9,555.52

  -11.73

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  Funding per head

  2000–01 (£)

  2001–02 (£)

  Percentage change

  Cleveland Police

  152.24

  159.73

  4.92

  Cumbria Police

  126.20

  131.76

  4.41

  Derbyshire Police

  108.65

  114.06

  4.98

  Devon and Cornwall Police

  114.77

  119.71

  4.30

  Dorset Police

  104.74

  108.30

  3.39

  Durham Police

  138.05

  144.21

  4.47

  Dyfed-Powys Police

  110.98

  117.13

  5.54

  Essex Police

  108.87

  114.55

  5.22

  Gloucestershire Police

  113.95

  119.23

  4.63

  Greater Manchester Police

  149.80

  156.96

  4.78

  Gwent Police

  129.03

  134.92

  4.56

  Hampshire Police

  114.46

  120.10

  4.93

  Hertfordshire Police

  113.39

  117.83

  3.92

  Humberside Police

  132.37

  137.37

  3.77

  Kent Police

  121.43

  128.71

  6.00

  Lancashire Police

  129.87

  135.39

  4.25

  Leicestershire Police

  113.71

  118.44

  4.16

  Lincolnshire Police

  104.95

  109.13

  3.98

  Merseyside Police

  171.92

  179.96

  4.68

  Metropolitan Police

  241.04

  250.42

  3.89

  Norfolk Police

  109.46

  114.88

  4.96

  North Wales Police

  117.88

  125.13

  6.15

  North Yorkshire Police

  107.35

  112.36

  4.66

  Northamptonshire Police

  109.94

  114.14

  3.82

  Northumbria Police

  153.21

  160.44

  4.72

  Nottinghamshire Police

  126.02

  131.79

  4.58

  South Wales Police

  135.24

  141.79

  4.84

  South Yorkshire Police

  135.88

  141.89

  4.43

  Staffordshire Police

  110.06

  114.65

  4.18

  Suffolk Police

  105.65

  111.17

  5.23

  Street crime in Wandsworth

  Number of offences

  Period

  Street crime1 in Wandsworth involving the theft of telephone equipment (including mobile phones)

  Other street crime in Wandsworth

  Total street crime1 in Wandsworth

  January to March 1999

  57

  182

  239

  April to June 1999

  70

  224

  294

  July to September 1999

  79

  255

  334

  October to December 1999

  90

  288

  378

  January to March 2000

  151

  231

  382

  April to June 2000

  149

  236

  385

  July to September 2000

  162

  214

  376

  October to December 2000

  165

  200

  365

  1 The Metropolitan police define street crime as robberies and thefts from the person.

  Armenian Massacre
  Mr. Letwin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to provide for a memorial day in recognition of the Armenian massacre in the early 20th century. [151438]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  The British Government have always condemned the appalling massacre of Armenians in 1915–16. Armenians already commemorate that tragic episode in their history on 24 April each year. This is not a national memorial day throughout Britain and we have no plans to make it one but this should not be seen as failing to acknowledge and sympathise with the victims and descendants of that atrocity.

  Prison Visiting Regulations
  Mr. Letwin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will re-classify grandchildren as family members for the purposes of the regulations governing visits to prisoners. [151442]740W

  Funding per head

  2000–01 (£)

  2001–02 (£)

  Percentage change

  Surrey Police

  106.36

  102.96

  -3.20

  Sussex Police

  115.01

  120.00

  4.34

  Thames Valley Police

  110.40

  115.82

  4.91

  Warwickshire Police

  107.16

  112.22

  4.73

  West Mercia Police

  103.14

  108.98

  5.66

  West Midlands Police

  149.42

  155.99

  4.40

  West Yorkshire Policy

  140.59

  146.83

  4.44

  Wiltshire Police

  110.15

  113.71

  3.23

  Resident population is one of a number of indicators used in the calculation of the police funding formula. Details of the indicators and their value in determining the allocation for individual forces are set out in The Police Grant Report (England and Wales) 2001–02, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

  Street Robberies
  Mr. Linton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of street robberies which(a) involved and (b) did not involve the theft of a mobile phone for every quarter since 1999 in Battersea; and if he will make a statement. [151150]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information in the table has been provided by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, and represents the details for Wandsworth borough of which area Battersea forms a part.

  Mr. Boateng
  Prison Service guidance on visits does not define the term "family member", although it lists family members who should be regarded as "close relatives", whose visits to a prisoner should be refused only in exceptional circumstances. The position of grandchildren and grandparents, who do not currently fall within this definition, is being considered as part of the Prison Service's current review of visits policy.

  Police Authorities
  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the amounts of annual payments for 2000–01 made to police authorities will be published. [150686]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  [holding answer 26 February 2001]: I understand that the hon. Member's question relates to the payments made to police authorities for the additional policing costs incurred by forces as a result of the fuel distribution emergency last year.
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  Where details of actual expenditure incurred by forces were submitted by 31 January, grant covering 90 per cent. of the approved cost will be paid by the end of this financial year. The balance will be paid on receipt of a statement certified by the police authority's external auditor. Grant payments in 2000–01 are likely to be of the order of £5.3 million. I will place details of the payments made to individual police authorities in the Library once they have been finalised following audit.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, dated 27 December 2000, with regard to Mrs. Vida Obiri (Vida Obiri Yeboah-Burgess). [151278]

  Mr. Straw
  I wrote to my right hon. Friend on 16 February.

  Passport Fraud
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 7 February 2001,Official Report, column 606W, on passport fraud, in how many cases of fraudulent issuing of British passports his Department's staff were involved. [151357]

  Mrs. Roche
  The statistics provided in my answer of 7 February 2001,Official Report, column 606W, on passport fraud related to customer frauds only and did not include cases in which members of staff were complicit.

  From 1991 to 2000, eight members of Passport Agency staff were convicted for fraudulently issuing passports. A further five members of staff were subject to internal disciplinary procedures as a result of their involvement in passport fraud. The Passport Agency's records indicate that these cases involved the fraudulent issue of 117 passports in total.

  Community Relations Councils
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for the future funding of the community relations councils in Scotland. [151555]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  Race Equality Councils (REC's) are co-funded by the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), local authorities and other bodies. I understand that the CRE is consulting with REC's in Scotland as elsewhere about how to improve delivery of race equality.

  Departmental Policies (Norwich, North)
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out, including statistical information relating as directly as possible to the constituency, the effect on the Norwich, North constituency of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997. [151142]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The Home Office is working to build a safe, just and tolerant society in which the rights and responsibilities of individuals, families and communities are properly balanced, and the protection and security of the public are maintained. Detailed 742W
  information on the impact of Home Office policies across the full range of responsibilities is set out in Home Office annual reports. A copy of the most recent report, Home Office Annual Report 1999–2000, is available in the Library. Information on recorded crime and policing is also published. 'Recorded Crime England and Wales, 12 months to September 2000' and 'Police Service Strength England and Wales, 30 September 2000' can be found in the Library. The recorded crime statistics include information on recorded crime by Basic Command Unit and Crime and Disorder partnerships.

  The impact of Home Office policies and actions is not normally examined by constituency and the statistics which the Department collects, such as recorded crime, cannot be matched in the way requested although set out are examples relating to the Norwich, North constituency or the immediate locality:

  Targeted Policing

  One scheme for £600,000 joining the Norfolk, Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire police forces will cover the Fenlands area. The scheme will address rural crime and burglary.

  Close Circuit Television (CCTV)

  One scheme, an extension to the existing Norwich city centre system, has been submitted under round two of the CCTV initiative. The bid for £200,000 covering Norwich, North and Norwich, South is currently under consideration.

  Reducing Burglary Initiative

  One scheme for £38,000 covering Coslany ward, Norwich, has been received under round three of the Reducing Burglary Initiative.

  Youth Offending Teams (YOTs)

  The Norfolk YOT covers the constituency of Norwich, North. The YOT is making a full contribution to reducing delays within the court process for young offenders by producing 80 per cent. of all courts reports within agreed timescales. The YOT is also working in partnership with Youth Court Panels in order to establish a joint approach to tackling youth crime.

  To ensure that the needs of victims of youth crime are met through restorative justice measures, the YOT is working in partnership with the Norfolk Victim Support Charitable Trust. A joint working protocol has been agreed and implemented benefiting victims and 70 per cent. of all intervention work with young offenders includes a focus on victim issues. The YOT is also working in partnership with the National Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Children in the delivery of programmes for parents of young offenders to assist them to manage difficult behaviour with confidence, consistency and reliability. Links have also been established by the YOT with the local Drug Action Team in order to commission services for young substance misusers. The YOT is already having a significant impact on youth crime in Norfolk as a whole: 60 per cent. of all young people referred to the YOT have completed court orders without reoffending, while 80 per cent. of all young offenders released from prison have not reoffended.

  Norfolk (including the Norwich area) is benefiting from the Youth Justice Board's development fund which has awarded grants of approximately £1.1 million over three years for one bail support scheme and four intervention programmes across the county.
  743W
  More generally, all of the policies of the Home Office will impact on the residents of Norwich, North to a greater or lesser extent. For example:
  376 Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships have been established;
  racial harassment and racially motivated crimes have been made criminal offences by the Crime and Disorder Act 1998;
  the asylum backlog has been cut from 103,495 at the end of January 2000 to 66,195 by the end of December 2000;
  good progress is being made in reducing the incidence of fire deaths in England and Wales. They have dropped from 605 in 1997 to 534 in 1999.

  Information on the Home Office and its policies is also published on its website (www.homeoffice.gov.uk).

  Number of persons prosecuted at magistrates courts and convicted at all courts for offences relating to animal cruelty, England and Wales 1997–99

  1997

  1998

  1999

  Offence

  Prosecutions

  Convictions

  Prosecutions

  Convictions

  Prosecutions

  Convictions

  Protection of Animals Act, 1911 (as amended)

  1,051

  867

  1,104

  887

  1,046

  825

  Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 Sec 8

  8

  8

  2

  2

  1

  1

  Protection of Animals Act, 1934

  6

  4

  4

  4

  —

  —

  Docking and Necking of Horses Act, 1949

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  Pet Animals Act, 1951

  4

  4

  7

  6

  10

  9

  Protection of Animals (Amendment) Act, 1954

  34

  30

  22

  19

  25

  21

  Animal Health Act, 1981, Sees 40–42, 46 and 49 and

  62

  Orders made under Sees 8, 9, 37, 38, 39 and 43

  65

  57

  76

  39

  34

  Slaughterhouses Act, 1874

  —

  —

  2

  2

  4

  4

  Abandonment of Animals Act, 1960, Sec 1

  26

  21

  36

  26

  17

  12

  Animals (Cruel Poisons) Act, 1962

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Animal Boarding Establishments Act, 1963

  2

  2

  5

  5

  8

  6

  Riding Establishments Acts, 1964 and 1970

  1

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Slaughter of Poultry Act, 1967

  6

  3

  18

  15

  8

  7

  Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act, 1968,

  5

  Secs 1, 2 and 6

  9

  8

  5

  15

  11

  Protection of Badgers Act, 1992 (except Sec 13)

  44

  25

  18

  4

  30

  10

  Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 Sec 9

  5

  3

  —

  —

  3

  —

  Wildlife and Countryside Act, 1981 Sec 11

  2

  —

  3

  3

  4

  3

  Wild Mammals (Protection) Act 1995

  7

  3

  8

  7

  —

  —

  Breeding of Dogs Acts 1973 and 1991

  5

  4

  5

  4

  5

  4

  Diseases of Animals Act

  89

  74

  85

  65

  58

  39

  Wild Birds Protection Acts

  84

  63

  68

  42

  157

  118

  Total

  1,449

  1,177

  1,470

  1,159

  1,432

  1,104

  Smoking (Prisons)
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will publish the rules which operate within prisons with regard to smoking by(a) prisoners and (b) prison officers on duty; [151163]

  (2) what arrangements are made to prevent prisoners from being exposed to tobacco smoke against their will. [151162]

  Mr. Boateng
  The policy on smoking in Prison Service premises is set out in "Instruction to Governors 16/1996", issued on 21 March 1996 (a copy of which can be found in the Library). It seeks to ensure that prisoners are not exposed to tobacco smoke against their will.

  In particular, smoking is banned in all visits areas and governors are asked to consider bans in other communal areas and make arrangements to prevent smoking in consulting rooms in health care centres. There should also be provision for prisoners who smoke to smoke away from non-smoking prisoners within patient areas. So far as is reasonably practicable, non-smoking prisoners are not expected to share a cell with smokers.

  Animal Cruelty
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were charged with cruelty to animals in England and Wales in each of the last three years. [151015]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Information on the number of persons charged with an offence is not collected centrally.

  However, information taken from the Home Office's Court Proceedings Database showing the number of persons prosecuted and convicted of offences relating to animal cruelty during the period 1997–99 is given in the table.

  The policy is under review and it is expected to follow that of health authorities which are required to operate a smoking cessation service to support those who want to give up.

  New Prison (Peterborough)
  Mrs. Brinton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the economic benefits to Peterborough from the siting of a new prison in the city in terms of(a) direct and (b) indirect employment. [151567]

  Mr. Boateng
  The assessment made in 1997 and reiterated at the public inquiry into the new prison in 1998 was that it would create an estimated 400 direct and 440 indirect jobs during construction and 350 direct and 190 indirect jobs once the prison opens. However, these can only be indicative estimates and precise staffing figures will be dependent on the design and operational policies of the contractor selected to design, build and run the prison.

  Police Constables (Benefits)
  Mr. Brady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he has made of the number of serving police constables who are in receipt of Working Families Tax Credit. [151238]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  [holding answer 26 February 2001]: I have made no such estimate.

  Prison Service
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made on agreeing Service Level Agreement standards for Prison Service establishments; and if he will make a statement. [151623]

  Mr. Boateng
  Service Level Agreements (SDAs) have been developed and piloted during this financial year. The purpose of the SDA is to provide three year business plan agreements between the Area Manager and Governor of a prison, and to integrate Prison Service Performance Standards into the business planning process.

  SDAs covering all prison establishments are scheduled to be agreed by the end March for 2001–02.

  Reconvictions
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the reconviction rates were for(a) all prisoners, (b) male prisoners and (c) young offenders for each year from 1992 to 2000; and if he will make a statement. [151762]

  Mr. Boateng
  Two year reconviction rates for standard list offences following release from prison between 1992 and 1997 are shown in the tables. Figures for subsequent years are not yet available. Changes in the standard list of offences recorded are estimated to have increased the 1994 figure by about 1 per cent., the 1995 figure by about 1.4 per cent. and the 1996 and 1997 figures by about 1.9 per cent.

  Table 1—two year reconviction rates for all prisoners

  Year of discharge from prison

  Percentage reconvicted

  1992

  51

  1993

  53

  1994

  56

  1995

  58

  1996

  57

  19971

  57

  1 First quarter

  Table 2—two year reconviction rates for male prisoners

  Year of discharge from prison

  Percentage reconvicted

  1992

  52

  1993

  54

  1994

  56

  1995

  58

  1996

  58

  19971

  57

  1 First quarter

  746W

  Table 3—two year reconviction rates for young offenders (aged 20 or under at time of sentence)

  Year of discharge from prison

  Percentage reconvicted

  1992

  71

  1993

  74

  1994

  75

  1995

  76

  1996

  75

  19971

  74

  1 First quarter

  Immigration Officers
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigration officers there were for each function in each year since 1992; and if he will make a statement. [151763]

  Mrs. Roche
  The numbers of immigration officers for each function (Ports and Enforcement) are set out in the table.

  Immigration officers involved in enforcement activities

  Immigration officers involved in activities at ports locations

  Total immigration officers

  April

  1992

  116

  1,670

  1,786

  1993

  177

  1,625.5

  1,802.5

  1994

  248.5

  1,869

  2,117.5

  1995

  272

  1,831

  2,103

  1996

  257.5

  1,834.5

  2,092

  1997

  240

  1,836.4

  2,076.4

  1998

  233

  1,758.8

  1,991.2

  1999

  219.7

  1,640.5

  1,860.2

  2000

  248.2

  1,657.5

  1,905.7

  2001

  425.7

  1,971.6

  2,397.3

  Safe Cells
  Mr. Bob Russell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many safe cells have been installed since 7 July 2000; [151825]

  (2) how many people have committed suicide since 7 July 2000; how many of them were (a) female, (b) male, (c) remand prisoners and (d) aged under 21 years; and how many suicides took place in safe cells. [151824]

  Mr. Boateng
  No safer cells have been installed since 7 July 2000, but 1,000 are planned in the three years from April 2001. Rye Hill prison which opened in January this year and Dovegate prison (which will open later this year) will have over 1,000 cells in which elements of the safer cell are incorporated.

  My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced on 5 February a new three-year strategy to reduce prisoner suicide and self-harm in prisons. One strand of the strategy will be physical improvements to reception and induction areas, including the creation of more safer cells, crisis suites and gated cells that enable staff to watch closely at-risk prisoners.

  There have been the following numbers of self-inflicted deaths since 7 July 2000: (a) female—3; (b) male—46; (c) remand prisoners—28; and (d) aged under 21 years—11. There have been no self-inflicted deaths in safer cells.

  DNA Testing
  Dr. Gibson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what requirements he sets for the accurate monitoring of DNA testing. [151681]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The DNA database is a national database which currently holds details of individuals suspected, cautioned and convicted of a recordable offence, together with their DNA profiles.

  The Home Office Circular 16/95: National DNA Database sets out the general conditions relating to the establishment and use of the National DNA database.

  DNA profiling technologies have developed rapidly over the last 10 years. Significant advances have been made resulting in improved sensitivity and these enable DNA to be extracted from increasingly smaller crime scene stains. The current technique, FSS SGMplusTM, analyses 11 areas on the DNA molecule. FSS SGMplusTM has been in use since September 1999 and has a discriminatory power of 1 in a billion. This has a considerable advantage over the SGM technique previously used, which had a discriminatory power of 1 in 50 million.

  The reliability of DNA evidence is assured through the internal quality assurance measures adopted by the Forensic Science Service and through their external accreditation by the British Standards Institute and the United Kingdom Accreditation Service to the BS EN ISO 9000 and M10 National Standards. This independent accreditation of the DNA process involves regular audit to ensure the standards are maintained.

  Hinduja Brothers
  Mr. Peter Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what communications related to the immigration and nationality status of the Hinduja family the Home Office has received from(a) Conservative and (b) Liberal Democrat Members of either House as well as other (i) elected representatives and (ii) office holders of each party; and if he will make a statement. [149114]

  Mr. Straw
  [holding answer 7 February 2001]: My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced on 24 January that he had asked former Treasury Solicitor, Sir Anthony Hammond QC, to review the full circumstance surrounding approaches to the Home Office in connection with the possibility of an application for naturalisation by Mr. S. P. Hinduja in 1998. Sir Anthony started his review on Thursday 25 January. After an initial reading of the papers, Sir Anthony decided that, in order to fulfil the terms of reference of his review of the application for naturalisation of S. P. Hinduja, it is appropriate for him to look at the circumstances of the granting of naturalisation in respect of G. P. Hinduja because the circumstances of both applications are closely related. For the same reason, he also decided that it is appropriate for him to look at the circumstances surrounding the inquiries about naturalisation in respect of Prakesh Hinduja. I understand that Sir Anthony hopes to complete his review shortly. The report will be published and copies will be placed in the Vote Office and the Library. It would be inappropriate for me to pre-empt the outcome of this review.

  Asylum Seekers
  Dr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his policy is on the granting of exceptional leave to remain for asylum seekers from the Democratic Republic of Congo. [151268]

  Mrs. Roche
  Each asylum application is considered individually on its merits. In cases where asylum has been refused, exceptional leave to remain may be granted on a discretionary basis in individual cases. Exceptional leave may be granted to a person for a wide number of reasons, but it is most usually granted for compassionate or humanitarian reasons, or to protect from ill treatment a person who does not otherwise qualify for asylum under the terms of the 1951 United Nations Refugee Convention.

  Postal Votes
  Mr. Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to ensure that electoral registration officers will use only new postal and proxy voting forms which accord with the provisions of the Representation of the People Act 2000. [150726]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  [holding answer 26 February 2001]: There is no prescribed form for making absent vote applications. My Department has provided a specimen postal vote application form to electoral registration officers but it is for them to determine whether absent vote applications meet the requirements as set out in the Representation of the People Regulations 2001.

  The Home Office will, however, be writing to these officers encouraging them to consider making their forms available to all political parties and to be proactive in bringing absent voting arrangements to the attention of voters locally.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  War Veterans
  Dr. Tonge
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out the procedures for granting tribunals to disabled war veterans claiming a war pension. [151595]

  Mr. Bayley
  Most decisions concerning entitlement to or the assessment of a war pension can be appealed to an independent Pensions Appeal Tribunal. The notification of a decision tells war pensioners if there is a right of appeal and the procedure for doing so.

  Regulations laid on 26 February will, additionally, ensure that war pensioners have appeal rights which are similar to those provided for in the Social Security scheme. They provide for war pensioners to be able to appeal, from 9 April 2001, against the majority of decisions that affect their war pension, including for the first time, most decisions in respect of supplementary allowances.

  Far East Prisoners of War
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many widows and widowers
  749W
  will lose benefits due to the receipt of compensation payable to former Japanese prisoners of war and their families. [151294]

  Mr. Bayley
  No widow or widower of a former Japanese prisoner of war should lose benefit as a result of their or their late partner's receipt of this special payment. The Income Support, Jobseeker's Allowance, Housing Benefit, and Council Tax Benefit Regulations were amended from 1 February 2001 to ensure the payments are disregarded in the calculation of benefit entitlement.

  Severe Disablement Allowance
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many new Severe Disablement Allowance awards were made each month since March 2000. [151166]

  Mr. Bayley
  The information is in the table.

  Severe Disablement Allowance awards

  Number

  2000

  April

  1,100

  May

  800

  June

  1,300

  July

  1,200

  August

  900

  Note:

  Figures are taken from a 5 per cent. sample of the benefit computer system and exclude a small number of cases held clerically. Figures are rounded to the nearest hundred.

  Pensioners' Incomes
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the average nominal increase in pensioners' incomes since 1990(a) in total and (b) by source of income. [151640]

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

  Medical Malpractice
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what investigations have been conducted over the past two years into allegations of malpractice by doctors involved with certifying benefit claims. [150530]

  Mr. Bayley
  Medical Services have identified six cases of alleged malpractice by doctors involved in providing medical reports for benefit claims in the past two years. The Medical Services' Serious Complaints Investigations Team is currently investigating all six cases.

  National Insurance Rebates
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the primary and secondary contracted-out National Insurance rebates will be in the financial year starting in April 2002. [151765]

  Mr. Rooker
  Reports by the Government Actuary and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on the proposed level of contracted-out National Insurance rebates for the five years from 6 April 2002 have been laid before both Houses today, together with draft Rebate Orders.

  New Deal (Jarrow)
  Mr. Hepburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the operation of the New Deal for(a) older people, (b) lone parents and (c) disabled people in the Jarrow constituency. [150465]

  Ms Jowell
  I have been asked to reply.

  The New Deals benefit the labour market because participants leave the programme better equipped, motivated and skilled for the rest of their working lives. For the period ending November 2000, 824 people have joined the New Deal 25+ programme, resulting in 122 jobs. Also, 47 people have started work with the New Deal 50+ employment credit. 540 people have started New Deal for Lone Parents in Jarrow, resulting in 275 jobs. We know that many other people will have left the New Deal for employment without telling the Employment Service—these people are not included in the figures. Figures for New Deal for Disabled People are not yet available at constituency level. The South Tyneside pilot area of the New Deal for Disabled People (NDDP) includes the constituency of Jarrow. All the NDDP pilots are making a valuable contribution to our learning and experience of which forms of extra help and support work best.

PRIME MINISTER

  Prime Ministerial Apartments
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the public expenditure incurred on refurbishment of the Prime Minister's private apartments at Nos. 10 and 11 Downing street in each of the last 10 years. [151430]

  The Prime Minister
  Figures are only available since 1993.

  For the years 1993–98, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the right hon. Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Mr. Forth) on 26 January 1998, Official Report, column 66W. For 1998–99 I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Lewes (Mr. Baker) on 28 July 2000, Official Report, columns 969–70W. For 1999–2000 I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Lewes on 5 June 2000, Official Report, columns 49–50W.

  The cost of works in the No. 11 flat (expenditure paid or committed) to date this financial year is £44,063 including recoverable VAT. No further work is planned for this financial year.

  Mr. Lansley
  To ask the Prime Minister how much was spent on(a) renovation, (b) repair, (c) improvements and (d) additions to the residential flats for his occupation at Nos. 10 or 11 Downing street in (i) 1997–98, (ii) 1998–99 and (iii) 1999–2000; and what his estimate is for 2000–01. [151373]

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 27 February 2001]: It is not possible to disaggregate expenditure in the manner requested as no distinction is made between maintaining, decorating and otherwise improving residential accommodation at Nos. 10 or 11 Downing street as projects frequently cover two or more of these categories of work. For details of expenditure on

  751W
  refurbishment of the flat at No. 11 Downing street, I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Christchurch (Mr. Chope) today.

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what assessment he has made of the potential savings arising from the Community Legal Service receiving a portion of the damages awarded in civil cases funded by legal aid. [151548]

  Mr. Lock
  A contingency fund was considered during the passage of the Access to Justice Act 1999, and the Act contains a power to create one. However, the Government have no plans to do so.

  It would be virtually impossible to operate a contingency fund in relation to family litigation or cases where victims are seeking injunctions to prevent domestic violence. Costs are often not awarded at the end of these cases, or they are unlikely to be enforced, or there may be no damages out of which costs could be recovered from the funded client. Such a fund cannot operate where funding is provided for some Children Act cases, since funding is granted without a merits test. It would also be impossible to operate Legal Help (formerly Green Form advice) on a contingency fund basis, since cases rarely become formal proceedings where costs or damages would become recoverable.

  The Government believe that, as far as possible, litigants should receive the full amount of compensation to which they are entitled. That would not be the case with a contingency fund.

  The Government also doubt the practicality of operating a contingency fund where the private funding of litigation through conditional fee agreements and after-the-event insurance is possible. Adverse selection would result in cases with higher prospects of success funded privately on a conditional fee basis, leaving cases with weaker prospects of success to be supported by the contingency fund. That would leave the fund vulnerable to significant financial problems.

  Accordingly, and while not ruling out the possibility of operating a contingency fund in any circumstances, the Government have no plans to introduce such a fund in England and Wales.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what his estimate is of the total financial awards from successful civil cases funded by legal aid in the latest financial year for which figures are available. [151549]

  Mr. Lock
  Due to changes to the Legal Services Commission's computer systems the latest available figures are for 1997–98. The total amount of moneys awarded or agreed in publicly funded civil cases was £1.37 billion. This information relates principally to one-off payments, and excludes most payments by instalment, whether in matrimonial or non-matrimonial cases.

  Jury Service
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many(a) men and (b) women were selected for jury service at courts covering the Greater London area during the last 12 months. [150442]

  Jane Kennedy
  Jurors are selected on a random basis from among those people who are registered on the electoral rolls for England and Wales. The total number of people summoned for jury service at courts covering the Greater London area in the last 12 months was 135,858. The breakdown of how many men and how many women were summoned is not recorded, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Deputy Stipendiary Magistrates (General Election)
  Mr. John M. Taylor
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what instructions(a) she and (b) her Department have given to deputy stipendiary magistrates concerning the avoidance of party political activity during the next General Election; and if she will make a statement. [151771]

  Jane Kennedy
  Neither I nor my officials have given any instructions to Deputy District Judges (Magistrates Courts), as they are now called, specifically in relation to political activity during the next General Election. However, the memorandum on conditions of appointment and terms of service issued to every Deputy District Judge (Magistrates Courts) states plainly that they are expected to refrain from any activity, political or otherwise, which would conflict with their judicial office or be seen to compromise their impartiality. They are advised that in the event of any doubt they should contact my officials in the Judicial Group for advice.

CABINET OFFICE

  GM Crops
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the assessment was by MISC6 of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food report on separation for GM field trials; which Ministers were given it; and if she will make MISC6's assessment of the report publicly available. [151538]

  Marjorie Mowlam
  It is established practice under exemption two of Part II of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information not to disclose information relating to the proceedings of Cabinet Committees.

HEALTH

  Flu Vaccine
  Mr. Burstow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the take-up rates for flu vaccine as at(a) 1 November and (b) 1 December for each health authority. [141403]

  Yvette Cooper
  The information requested is in the table.
  753W
  These figures are based on returns sent by health authorities to the Department and represent data collected to 30 November 2000. Uptake on 1 November in several health authorities was affected by delays in supplies from one manufacturer. Nevertheless the data before 30 November do not reflect the work done by HAs and in primary care to promote uptake.

  Percentage

  Region/HA

  65 and over uptake

  Eastern

  Bedfordshire

  58

  Cambridgeshire

  64

  East and North Hertfordshire

  60

  Norfolk

  64

  North Essex

  62

  South Essex

  62

  Suffolk

  58

  West Hertfordshire

  56

  Total

  61

  Northern and Yorkshire

  Bradford

  60

  Calderdale and Kirklees

  64

  County Durham

  61

  East Riding

  64

  Gateshead and South Tyneside

  63

  Leeds

  67

  Newcastle and North Tyneside

  58

  North Cumbria

  54

  North Yorkshire

  68

  Northumberland

  66

  Sunderland

  64

  Tees

  62

  Wakefield

  65

  Total

  63

  South East

  Berkshire

  61

  Buckinghamshire

  59

  East Kent

  59

  East Surrey

  55

  East Sussex, Brighton/Hove

  62

  Isle of Wight

  64

  North and Mid Hants

  62

  Northamptonshire

  68

  Oxfordshire

  65

  Portsmouth and South East Hants

  66

  Southampton and South West Hants

  67

  West Kent

  67

  West Surrey

  54

  West Sussex

  49

  Total

  61

  North West

  Bury and Rochdale

  58

  East Lancashire

  60

  Liverpool

  60

  Manchester

  49

  Morecambe Bay

  62

  North Cheshire

  62

  North West Lancashire

  60

  Salford and Trafford

  53

  Sefton

  66

  South Cheshire

  66

  South Lancashire

  61

  St. Helen's and Knowsley

  59

  Stockport

  60

  West Pennine

  56

  Wigan and Bolton

  49

  Wirral

  60

  Total

  59

  754W

  Percentage

  Region/HA

  65 and over uptake

  London

  Barking and Havering

  63

  Barnet

  67

  Bexley and Greenwich

  60

  Brent and Harrow

  48

  Bromley

  62

  Camden and Islington

  34

  Croydon

  53

  Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow

  52

  East London and City

  54

  Enfield and Haringey

  51

  Hillingdon

  55

  Kensington, Chelsea, Westminster

  46

  Kingston and Richmond

  61

  Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham

  50

  Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth

  59

  Redbridge and Waltham Forest

  60

  Total

  55

  South and West

  Avon

  67

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  62

  Dorset

  62

  Gloucestershire

  63

  North and East Devon

  64

  Somerset

  64

  South and West Devon

  63

  Wiltshire

  59

  Total

  63

  Trent

  Barnsley

  62

  Doncaster

  65

  Leicestershire

  54

  Lincolnshire

  69

  North Derbyshire

  67

  North Nottinghamshire

  61

  Nottingham

  55

  Rotherham

  68

  Sheffield

  76

  South Derbyshire

  67

  South Humber

  71

  Total

  64

  West Midlands

  Birmingham

  61

  Coventry

  64

  Dudley

  59

  Herefordshire

  65

  North Staffordshire

  66

  Sandwell

  51

  62

  Solihull

  64

  South Staffordshire

  66

  Walsall

  54

  Warwickshire

  66

  Wolverhampton

  61

  Worcester

  67

  Total

  63

  England average

  61

  Flu Vaccine

    NHS Trusts (Borrowing Costs)
    Mr. Harvey
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much each NHS trust has paid for the cost of borrowing in each year since its inception; and if he will make a statement. [149348]
    755W
    Mr. Denham
    The information has been placed in the Library.

    The vast majority of National Health Services trust borrowing is internal to the public sector.

    Ambulance Services
    Dr. Harris
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what funding is being made available to Oxfordshire Ambulance NHS Trust and surrounding trusts to facilitate mergers with neighbouring trusts; [151569]

    (2) when he received the South East Region ambulance review; and when he made a decision on it. [151571]

    Ms Stuart
    No decision has yet been taken about merging ambulance trusts in the south-east.

    The ambulance trusts have been reviewing the way in which ambulance services in the south-east are provided to ensure that they are delivered in a way which is consistent with the modernisation of the National Health Service and which ensures they can play a full role in the delivery of emergency and pre-hospital care. Proposals for the future of the service have been produced which will require public consultation. I will be meeting the chairs and chief executives of the ambulance trusts shortly to discuss these proposals.

    Dr. Harris
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding will be provided to Oxfordshire Ambulance NHS Trust for paramedic training and the enhancement of skill levels of paramedics. [151570]

    Ms Stuart
    Funding for paramedic training, both new recruits and refresher training for qualified paramedics, is incorporated in the total budget for providing emergency ambulance services. For 2000–01 the total budget for Oxfordshire Ambulance National Health Service Trust was £10 million.

    General Surgery Waiting Lists
    Mr. Amess
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been waiting for general surgery in(a) England, (b) the Southend, West parliamentary constituency and (c) South Essex health authority area for eight weeks or more in (i) 1999–2000 and (ii) 2000–01. [151254]

    Mr. Denham
    The information requested is in the tables.

    Number of patients on in-patient waiting list for general surgery in England

    Quarter

    Total

    Less than 3 months

    More than 3 months

    1999–2000

    1

    201,533

    107,259

    94,274

    1999–2000

    2

    202,349

    109,929

    92,420

    1999–2000

    3

    208,965

    112,089

    96,876

    1999–2000

    4

    194,010

    101,192

    92,818

    2000–01

    1

    191,216

    98,605

    92,611

    2000–01

    2

    187,977

    100,376

    87,601

    2000–01

    3

    189,203

    101,525

    87,678

    Source:

    KHO7 quarterly return
    756W

    Number of patients on in-patient waiting list for general surgery in South Essex health authority

    Quarter

    Total

    Less than 3 months

    More than 3 months

    1999–2000

    1

    2,039

    1,115

    924

    1999–2000

    2

    2,075

    1,102

    973

    1999–2000

    3

    2,252

    1,270

    982

    1999–2000

    4

    2,214

    990

    1,224

    2000–01

    1

    2,129

    1,029

    1,100

    2000–01

    2

    2,160

    1,153

    1,007

    2000–01

    3

    2,391

    1,340

    1,051

    Source:

    QF01 quarterly return

    Data are not available on the number of people waiting longer than eight weeks. Data are collected in time-bands of three months. The Department does not collect data by parliamentary constituencies, so data has been given on England and South Essex health authority.

    Expenditure
    Mr. Burstow
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the percentage of gross domestic product that Britain spent on health expenditure was in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement. [151525]

    Mr. Denham
    [holding answer 27 February 2001]: Table one shows gross National Health Service expenditure for the United Kingdom as a percentage of gross domestic product from 1979–80 to 2003–04. This shows that, based on latest forecasts, public expenditure on health as a percentage of GDP is set to rise to 6.6 per cent. by 2003–04.

    The Department does not produce figures for expenditure on private healthcare. According to Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) data, private healthcare represents about 1 per cent. of GDP. Table two shows total healthcare expenditure as a percentage of GDP from 1979–99, using information from OECD. The OECD does not produce forecast data, but assuming that private healthcare spend as a proportion of GDP remains stable at around 1 per cent., then this percentage will rise to 7.6 per cent. by 2003–04.

    Table one

    Year

    Gross public expenditure as percentage of GDP

    1979–80

    4.6

    1980–81

    5.3

    1981–82

    5.4

    1982–83

    5.4

    1983–84

    5.3

    1984–85

    5.3

    1985–86

    5.1

    1986–87

    5.1

    1987–88

    5.1

    1988–89

    5.1

    1989–90

    5.0

    1990–91

    5.2

    1991–92

    5.6

    1992–93

    5.9

    1993–94

    5.9

    1994–95

    5.9

    1995–96

    5.8

    1996–97

    5.7

    1997–98

    5.7

    1998–99

    5.7

    1999–2000

    5.9

    757W

    Table one

    Year

    Gross public expenditure as percentage of GDP

    2000–01

    6.1

    2001–02

    6.2

    2002–03

    6.4

    2003–04

    6.6

    Notes:

    1. Figures are based on UK gross NHS expenditure date and GDP data produced by HMT.

    2. Figures for years 1999–2000 to 2003–04 are subject to change.

    Table one

    Year

    Total healthcare expenditure as percentage of GDP

    1979

    5.3

    1980

    5.7

    1981

    6.0

    1982

    5.8

    1983

    6.0

    1984

    6.0

    1985

    5.9

    1986

    5.9

    1987

    6.0

    1988

    5.9

    1989

    5.9

    1990

    6.0

    1991

    6.4

    1992

    6.9

    1993

    6.9

    1994

    7.0

    1995

    7.0

    1996

    7.0

    1997

    6.7

    1998

    6.7

    1999

    7.0

    Notes:

    1. Information is produced by calendar year.

    2. OECD does not produce forecast information.

    Source:

    OECD health databank 2000

    Patient Referrals
    Mr. Hepburn
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health since the publication of the NHS Plan in July 2000, how many health trusts have refused to accept referrals from adjacent primary care groups. [151008]

    National health service hospital and community health services: Nursing, midwifery, health visiting staff and practice nurses in England as at 30 September each year

    Headcount

    Year

    Total nursing qualified staff

    Total HCHS

    Qualified nurses

    Practice (qualified)

    Unqualified

    Learners

    Unknown

    1979

    1—

    1—

    1,810

    1—

    1—

    1—

    0

    1980

    1—

    1—

    1—

    1,960

    1—

    1—

    0

    1981

    1—

    1—

    1—

    2,270

    1—

    1—

    0

    1982

    450,180

    253,880

    251,240

    2,640

    117,390

    78,910

    0

    1983

    455,400

    259,360

    256,340

    3,020

    117,060

    78,980

    0

    1984

    455,960

    266,420

    262,910

    3,510

    113,580

    75,960

    0

    1985

    462,450

    275,420

    271,380

    4,030

    115,680

    71,350

    0

    1986

    463,640

    279,230

    274,670

    4,560

    116,110

    68,300

    0

    1987

    468,360

    284,780

    279,730

    5,050

    118,930

    64,650

    0

    1988

    470,950

    290,270

    283,920

    6,350

    117,600

    63,080

    0

    1989

    476,340

    296,940

    288,140

    8,800

    117,110

    62,290

    0

    1990

    477,400

    298,970

    285,360

    13,610

    115,260

    59,080

    4,090

    1991

    489,220

    309,780

    293,770

    16,010

    119,740

    47,720

    11,980

    1992

    476,820

    313,990

    297,350

    16,640

    120,310

    35,020

    7,500

    1993

    462,690

    310,900

    293,380

    17,520

    122,590

    21,360

    7,840

    1994

    447,790

    305,780

    289,280

    16,500

    123,070

    11,330

    7,610

    758W
    Mr. Denham
    Details on referrals that are not accepted by National Health Service Trusts are not collected centrally and are a matter for local commissioners and the National Health Service Trust concerned.

    Medical Mistakes
    Mr. David Davis
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list the adverse events in NHS hospitals involving the use of(a) an anaesthetic and (b) nitrous oxide in (i) 1998, (ii) 1999 and (iii) 2000; [151604]

    (2) if he will list adverse events in NHS hospitals involving (a) erroneous intrathecal injections that should have been given intravenously, (b) erroneous intravenous injections that should have been given intrathecally and (c) other injection errors in (i) 1998, (ii) 1999 and (iii) 2000. [151605]

    Ms Stuart
    [holding answer 27 February 2001]: The information requested is not currently collected centrally.

    An expert group, which Ministers asked the Chief Medical Officer to chair, has examined how the National Health Service could more effectively learn from and prevent adverse events in health care. The group's report, "An Organisation with a Memory" was published last year and is available at: www.doh.gov.uk/orgmemreport.

    Ministers agreed all 10 recommendations, including the four key categories of serious recurring adverse events initially identified for action. The NHS Plan includes the establishment of a national reporting system for adverse events as a key initiative intended to help protect patients and improve health care.

    Detailed proposals are now being developed to establish a national reporting system, which we aim to establish by the end of 2001.

    Staff Numbers
    Mr. Harvey
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) nurses and (b) ancillary workers there were in each year from 1979 to 1997; and if he will make a statement. [151526]

    Mr. Denham
    [holding answer 27 February 2001]: The data requested are in the tables.
    759W

    National health service hospital and community health services: Nursing, midwifery, health visiting staff and practice nurses in England as at 30 September each year

    Headcount

    Year

    Total nursing qualified staff

    Total HCHS

    Qualified nurses

    Practice (qualified)

    Unqualified

    Learners

    Unknown

    1995

    434,860

    316,890

    298,650

    18,240

    112,350

    4,780

    840

    1996

    436,560

    319,150

    301,250

    17,900

    113,330

    2,910

    1,170

    1997

    438,300

    318,860

    300,470

    18,390

    116,430

    2,340

    670

    1998

    442,780

    323,450

    304,560

    18,890

    116,580

    2,140

    610

    1999

    452,540

    329,640

    310,140

    19,500

    119,680

    1,940

    1,280

    2000

    462,050

    335,950

    316,750

    19,200

    123,850

    2,040

    210

    1 Headcount data not available for these years.

    Notes:

    Figures are rounded to the nearest ten. Due to rounding totals may not equal the sum of component parts. Figures exclude agency staff. A new classification of the non-medical workforce was introduced in 1995. Information based on this classification is not directly comparable with earlier years. Decrease in learners due to transition from traditional learners to Project 2000 students from 1990.

    Source:

    Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census

    Department of Health General and Personal Medical Services Statistics

    NHS hospital and community health services: Staff within the ancillary area of work in England as to 30 September each year

    Year

    Headcount

    1979

    219,430

    1980

    220,600

    1981

    221,450

    1982

    219,160

    1983

    215,330

    1984

    198,970

    1985

    184,150

    1986

    167,580

    1987

    157,320

    1988

    148,440

    1989

    141,540

    1990

    132,650

    1991

    121,180

    1992

    110,500

    1993

    108,440

    1994

    102,790

    Notes:

    Figures are rounded to the nearest ten

    Source:

    Department of Health Non-Medical Workforce Census

    NHScat
    Mr. Matthew Taylor
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will announce a decision on the creation of NHScat. [151577]

    Mr. Denham
    The project to create NHScat has been under way since June last year.

    NHScat will be available to use by the National Health Service from 1 October 2001.

    Norfolk Area Health Authority
    Dr. Gibson
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to ensure that targeted moneys from Government to the Norfolk area health authority are not diverted from such targets. [151680]

    Mr. Denham
    Norfolk health authority's allocation for 2001–02 is £550 million of which £15 million has been designated for policy programmes to support the implementation of the NHS Plan.
    760W
    This will all be used to support NHS Plan initiatives. Negotiations about exactly how this money will be allocated will form part of the discussions surrounding the Norfolk health economy service and financial framework for 2001–02.

    Dr. Gibson
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the Norfolk area health authority on(a) the running costs of and (b) the purchase of equipment for the neav PFI hospital in Norwich. [151682]

    Mr. Denham
    The Eastern Regional Office of the National Health Service Executive is in discussion with the Norfolk health system regarding the funding of the increased running costs of the new Norfolk and Norwich hospital as part of the 2001–02 service and financial framework negotiations.

    In addition a package of funding has already been agreed with the Norfolk health system for new and replacement equipment. This will be funded from a combination of trust block allocation, regional strategic capital, equipment leasing and a proportion of the sales proceeds from the old hospital site.

    Primary Care Groups (Norfolk)
    Dr. Gibson
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that primary care groups in Norfolk are not disadvantaged by the development of the new PFI hospital in Norwich. [151764]

    Mr. Denham
    The decision to proceed with the private initiative scheme was a health economy decision that all relevant health organisations were involved in.

    Although primary care groups had not been established when the first business case for the new Norfolk and Norwich hospital was agreed, they subsequently ratified their support for the new hospital by approving the supplementary business case for 144 extra beds, and its financial consequences.

    The National Health Service Executive is providing smoothing and transitional support for the higher initial costs of the new hospital. This is in accordance with the undertakings given at the time of approval to ensure other local services would not suffer.

    Barnet General Hospital
    Sir Sydney Chapman
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what annual interest is paid by the Barnet and Chase Farm Hospitals NHS trust to the consortium developing Barnet general hospital's phase lb project. [151772]

    Mr. Denham
    The Barnet hospital phase lb private finance initiative project will not be completed and brought into use until April 2002. There is no payment made to the consortium in respect of phase 1b until the facilities are available for use, and therefore no annual interest is being paid.

    NHS Recruitment
    Mr. Burstow
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the annual(a) salary and (b) support costs are of his Department's Director of International Recruitment for Health Services. [151791]

    Mr. Denham
    The Director of International Recruitment is on detachment from her post as executive nurse director at Hammersmith Hospitals National Health Service Trust. The trust publishes salary details of its senior staff in its annual report. A budget of £37,000 has been secured this year to fund salary, travel and subsistence, support and conference costs.

    Mr. Burstow
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what targets have been set for the Director of International Recruitment for Health Services for the number of foreign recruited nurses working in the NHS [151790]

    Mr. Denham
    The level of international nurse recruitment required will be assessed in the light of the impact on staffing levels of the increased training places since 1997, and the success of the retention and returner initiatives already in place.

    Mr. Burstow
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to ensure that nurses are not recruited by the NHS from developing countries where there are shortages of trained nursing staff. [151789]

    Mr. Denham
    The Department issued guidance on the recruitment of nurses from developing countries in the international nurse recruitment guidance published in November 1999. A copy was placed in the Library. The guidance will be reinforced for all healthcare professions in the Code of Practice for International Recruitment which is due to be published shortly.

    Mr. Hammond
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the representations he has received from foreign Governments about recruitment for the NHS of(a) nurses and (b) doctors in their countries. [148276]

    Mr. Denham
    Over the last year we have received representations from the Spanish Government with regards to the possibility of recruiting both doctors and nurses from Spain to work in the National Health Service.

    A Government to Government agreement was signed with Spain in November 2000 to promote closer working between the two countries. As part of this agreement, the first 63 nurses arrived in the north-west from Spain on 19 January 2000 to work in four NHS trusts. Following
    762W
    this successful recruitment, the initiative is being extended to medical staff through a pilot project also being led by North West Region.

    I am also aware that the Department has received representations over the last year from:

    Latvia

    Philippines

    Russia

    China

    Tunisia

    Caribbean

    South Africa

    Zimbabwe.

    Representations made by South Africa and Zimbabwe stipulated that both health sectors need the services of nurses and stressed that their recruitment outside of the country could not be supported.

    Guidance was issued by the Department on international recruitment stressing how essential it is that all NHS employers ensure that they do not actively recruit from developing countries who are experiencing nursing shortages of their own.

  AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

    Common Agricultural Policy
    Dr. Naysmith
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has received on his plans to create a new CAP paying agency; and if he will make a statement. [150866]

    Ms Quin
    We have received no recent representations on the Ministry's plans to create a new CAP paying agency. A summary of the responses to the consultation exercise which we carried out last summer is available on the MAFF website.

    Plans for creating the new CAP paying agency are progressing well. We are providing monthly updates to staff affected by the creation of the new agency, and will shortly be inviting key external stakeholders to the first meeting of a CAPPA users' group. This group will provide a forum to help us to ensure that the new agency takes full account of the needs of its customers.

    We will be writing to all our customers next months with details of how the restructuring of MAFF's presence in the regions will affect them.

  NORTHERN IRELAND

    Public Relations (Expenditure)
    Mr. Don Foster
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the total expenditure and the breakdown of expenditure was in his Department for the financial years(a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99 and (d) 1999–2000, and what the planned expenditure and breakdown of expenditure for 2000–01 is on (i) public opinion research, (ii) television, radio and newspaper advertising and (iii) direct mail. [149267]
    763W
    Dr. Reid
    The total expenditure and the breakdown of expenditure for the Department for the financial years(a) 1996–97, (b) 1997–98, (c) 1998–99 and (d) 1999–2000 can be obtained from the Northern Ireland Office 2000 Departmental Report (CM 4621).

    The planned expenditure for 2000–01 is as follows:

    (i) £340,000

    (ii) £1,378,000

    (iii) £169,0001

    1 Figure relates to the total budget for postage. A provision for direct mail is covered within this figure.

    Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission
    Mr. McGrady
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what discussions have taken place with the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission about current powers; what problems they have encountered; and what action is being taken to address such problems; [150652]

    (2) if the review to be undertaken into the powers of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission will (a) be independent, (b) assess the work of the Commission against the United Nations agreed principles and (c) seek views from the public and interested parties; [150654]

    (3) what plans have been made to review the powers of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. [150653]

    Mr. George Howarth
    The Northern Ireland Office is in regular contact with the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission on a range of issues, including the extent of its powers under the Northern Ireland Act 1998. Section 69(2) of the Act requires the Commission to submit to the Secretary of State at the end of its first two years of operation recommendations for improving the adequacy and effectiveness of its functions. We have not yet received these recommendations, but expect to do so shortly. We have made clear that we will give full consideration to the Commission's recommendations at that stage. Any subsequent proposals for change will be subject to consultation in the normal way.

    Mr. McGrady
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what resources have been provided to the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission for the public consultation about the scope of the Bill of Rights. [150645]

    Mr. George Howarth
    The annual budget of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission was initially set at £750,000, three times that of the Commission's predecessor, to reflect its increased powers and functions. The consultation on the scope for a Bill of Rights was envisaged as an integral part of the Commission's functions and resources for the consultation have therefore been provided within the Commission's core budget. However, we made clear from the outset that we would be prepared to consider bids for increased funding, provided they were accompanied by a properly costed business case. The Commission's first bid for additional funds—including for the consultation on the scope for a Bill of Rights—was received during the Christmas break. It is currently under consideration, and we hope to meet the Commission shortly to discuss their bid more fully.

  TREASURY

    New Deal (Young People)
    Mr. Joyce
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the New Deal on the employment prospects of young people. [150148]

    Mr. Timms
    By last November, nearly 270,000 young people had moved from welfare to work through New Deal, already well ahead of the manifesto target of 250,000 in the lifetime of this Parliament. Recent independent evaluation has found that long term youth unemployment is about 40 per cent. lower than it would have been without New Deal.

    Working Families Tax Credit
    Mr. Hilary Benn
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the impact of the Working Families Tax Credit on reducing child poverty. [150149]

    Dawn Primarolo
    The introduction of the Working Families Tax Credit, along with other changes to the tax and benefit system made during this Parliament, will lift more than a million children out of poverty.

    Mr. Miller
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what average weekly payment is received by those in receipt of Working Families Tax Credit. [150173]

    Dawn Primarolo
    Estimates are contained in the Working Families Tax Credit Quarterly Enquiries, copies of which are in the Library.

    Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions
    Mr. Gray
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the monitoring of the performance of the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions by the Treasury. [150150]

    Mr. Andrew Smith
    The performance of the DETR is of course the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister. It is regularly monitored against PSA targets and an assessment is published in the Departmental Annual Report.

    Children's Tax Credit
    Ms Drown
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in South Swindon will benefit from the children's tax credit. [150151]

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

    Ms Keeble
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to encourage take-up of the Children's Tax Credit. [150156]

    Dawn Primarolo
    I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow, Pollok (Mr. Davidson) on 5 February 2001,Official Report, column 412W.
    765W
    Ms Bridget Prentice
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his estimate is of the impact of the Children's Tax Credit on family incomes. [150167]

    Dawn Primarolo
    I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for The Wrekin (Mr. Bradley) on 14 December 2000,Official Report, column 247W.

    Mr. Hoyle
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families will benefit from the Children's Tax Credit in Chorley. [150122]

    Dawn Primarolo
    An estimate of the number of families in Chorley who will be eligible to claim the Children's Tax Credit (CTC) is unavailable, but an estimate of the number of families in the north-west who will be eligible to claim CTC is 625,000.

    Single Parents (Employment Prospects)
    Mrs. Ann Cryer
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the Government's policies on the employment prospects of single parents. [150152]

    Dawn Primarolo
    Improving the employment prospects of lone parents is a key priority for the Government. The lone parent employment rate has risen from 44 per cent. in 1997 to over 50 per cent. now—the highest rate for 20 years. Many more lone parents say that they would like to work and so the Government has set a new objective: that 70 per cent. of lone parents are in employment by the end of the decade. Policies such as the New Deal for lone parents, the Working Families Tax Credit and the National Childcare Strategy are already helping the Government to achieve this aim.

    Public Service Investment
    Mr. Anthony D. Wright
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what real terms increases he plans in investment in public services relating to health and education in each of the next three years. [150153]

    Mr. Andrew Smith
    The Chancellor announced in last year's Budget real terms growth in UK NHS expenditure of 5.6 per cent, 5.5 per cent. and 5.6 per cent. respectively over the three years to 2003–04.

    For UK education expenditure the Chancellor has provided for real terms growth of 4.8 per cent, 5.3 per cent. and 5.4 per cent. for the three years to 2003–04.

    Occupational Pension Schemes
    Mr. Baldry
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the purchase of annuities for occupational pension schemes. [150155]

    Miss Melanie Johnson
    The Government keep all areas of the tax system under review.

    Euro
    Mr. Gordon Prentice
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the number of retailers planning to accept the euro in advance of any decision to make it legal tender in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement. [150158]
    766W
    Miss Melanie Johnson
    It is entirely a commercial decision for UK businesses to determine whether or not they wish to accept euro, or any foreign currency. The fourth Report on Euro Preparations provides updated information on help available to UK businesses preparing for the introduction of euro cash in the euro area on 1 January 2002.

    Mr. Syms
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the timing of British participation in the European single currency. [150165]

    Miss Melanie Johnson
    I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr. Wells) on 25 January 2001,Official Report, column 702W.

    Mr. Corbyn
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact on economic policy formulation of membership of the European single currency. [150169]

    Miss Melanie Johnson
    The Government have said they will only recommend joining a successful single currency if it is in our national economic interest to do so, and if the economic case for the UK joining is clear and unambiguous.

    Working Families Tax Credit (Wales)
    Mr. Win Griffiths
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many families in(a) Wales and (b) Bridgend receive Working Families Tax Credit; and how much has been paid to date from public funds. [150159]

    Dawn Primarolo
    For the number of families in Wales and Bridgend receiving the Working Families Tax Credit, I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Lancaster and Wyre (Mr. Dawson) on 22 January 2001,Official Report, column 425W.

    Estimates of national expenditure on the WFTC and the Disabled Person's Tax Credit (DPTC) are contained in Table B20 on page 190 of the pre-Budget report, published in November 2000. It is estimated that almost 6 per cent. of total WFTC and DPTC expenditure is paid to recipients in Wales. There are too few cases in the 5 per cent. sample used for analyses of the WFTC to yield a reliable separate estimate for Bridgend.

    Disadvantaged Areas
    Dr. Iddon
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to encourage investment in enterprises in disadvantaged areas. [150160]

    Mr. Colman
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to encourage investment in enterprises in disadvantaged areas. [150166]

    Mr. Timms
    The Government have set up the Phoenix Fund, under the Small Business Service, to encourage and stimulate enterprise and business creation in disadvantaged areas. The Government are also taking forward the recommendations of the Social Investment Task Force, for example the proposal for a community investment tax credit. The Government are also supporting the Inner City 100, which celebrates the fastest-growing companies in the most disadvantaged areas of 15 inner cities.

    Child Poverty
    Mrs. Lawrence
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made towards achieving the target of halving child poverty in 10 years. [150161]

    Dawn Primarolo
    As a result of tax and benefit measures introduced in this Parliament it is estimated that more than a million children will be lifted out of poverty.

    Over 1.1 million families are now receiving the Working Families Tax Credit, nearly 300,000 more than its predecessor, Family Credit, at its peak. Families receiving the WFTC are receiving on average £30 a week more than under Family Credit. A lone parent on Income Support with two children under 11 will be over £25 a week better-off in real terms than in 1997, and a couple nearly £30 a week better-off. In addition, there are now over 300,000 fewer children living in workless households compared to 1997.

    Child poverty is a complex problem that requires a multi-dimensional approach. The Government's second annual report on poverty and social exclusions, "Opportunity for All" published in September last year, sets out a further range of child poverty indicators and progress to date. These indicators include the number of children living in low-income households, living in workless households and living in housing below the set standard of adequacy, as well as indicators on education and on health inequalities.

    Savings Ratio
    Miss McIntosh
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received on the ratio of savings to income over the last four years; and if he will make a statement. [150162]

    Miss Melanie Johnson
    The November 2000 pre-Budget report gave an assessment of developments in household saving and borrowing in Box A4, page 155.

    Taxation
    Mr. Clifton-Brown
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received on the level of taxation. [150163]

    Mr. Andrew Smith
    The Chancellor receives a large number of representations on tax policy.

    VAT (Church Repairs)
    Mr. Beith
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has completed his consultation about the relief from VAT for repairs to places of worship. [150164]

    Dawn Primarolo
    I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave on 7 February 2001,Official Report, column 662W.

    Departmental Performance Targets
    Mr. Fallon
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the role of the Treasury in setting performance targets for other Departments. [150168]
    768W
    Mr. Andrew Smith
    Performance management is integral to the management of every Government Department and public sector body. Most Departments will set performance targets at a range of levels within the organisation.

    As part of the spending review process the discussion of allocation of resources (inputs) is now accompanied by discussion of the level of service that can be achieved (outcomes). Departments set strategic objectives and targets in the form of public service agreements (PSAs). These are discussed at the Cabinet Committee on Public Services and Public Expenditure (PSX) and with the Treasury.

    Interest Rates and Mortgages
    Mr. Alan W. Williams
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the effect of the Government's economic policies has been on the level of interest rates and the average cost of mortgages; and if he will make a statement. [150170]

    Miss Melanie Johnson
    Government policies have delivered economic stability and historically low interest rates. Payments on the average mortgage are over £1,000 a year lower than on average between 1979 and 1997.

    World Recession
    Sir Peter Tapsell
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what measures he is preparing to guard the UK from the effects on the economy of a possible world recession. [150171]

    Miss Melanie Johnson
    Under the Government's macroeconomic framework, policy-makers are able to react proactively to global developments in a manner that will promote economic stability. The forthcoming Budget, on March 7, will provide an updated assessment of domestic and international developments.

    Self-Assessment
    Tony Wright
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what savings have been made as a result of the introduction of self-assessment by the Inland Revenue. [150172]

    Dawn Primarolo
    The introduction of self-assessment was a long-term investment involving significant costs for the Inland Revenue and savings will emerge by 2005. By the year 2000–01, however, cash savings of £145 million have already been deducted from the Revenue baseline.

    Renewal Technologies
    Mr. Chaytor
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on fiscal incentives for renewal technologies. [150174]

    Mr. Andrew Smith
    The Government have a range of policies to support renewable energy, including exemption for most renewables from the Climate Change Levy, the proposed Renewables Obligation and £100 million of grants over the next three years to support offshore wind and energy crops.

    Climate Change Levy
    Mr. Nicholas Winterton
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the additional cost to manufacturing industry of the introduction of the climate change levy, broken down sector by sector. [150121]

    Mr. Timms
    I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hertsmere (Mr. Clappison) on 18 December 2000.Official Report, columns 81–82W.

    Unemployment
    Mrs. Anne Campbell
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the impact of his measures designed to reduce youth and long term unemployment. [150154]

    Mr. Timms
    Through the New Deal for Young People we have helped nearly 270,000 young unemployed people into jobs, further building upon the Government's manifesto commitment to help 250,000 into jobs this Parliament. In addition, over 60,000 long-term unemployed people have been helped to move from welfare and into work through the New Deal for the Long-Term Unemployed.

    Recent independent evaluation of the New Deal for Young People has shown that over 200,000 young people left unemployment earlier than they would have done without the programme, with 60,000 entering into employment.

    The. New Deal helps the young and long-term unemployed to secure jobs as the most effective way of enhancing their earnings, increasing their skills and securing their future economic independence. Furthermore, New Deal is just part of the Government's package of measures aimed at providing employment opportunity for all, by helping people to compete effectively for jobs, increasing work incentives and addressing the specific labour market problems of particular groups of people or local areas.

    Minimum Wage
    Mr. Ruane
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many workers were being paid less than £3.70 per hour in real terms in each of the last 20 years. [141681]
    770W
    Miss Melanie Johnson
    [holding answer 11 February 2001]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

    Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Chris Ruane, dated 28 February 2001:
    As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your question about the number of workers being paid less than £3.70 per hour in real terms in the past 20 years (141681).
    The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has published estimates of the number of jobs paid at less than specific hourly low pay thresholds, in 10p bands, for all workers in the United Kingdom for 1998, 1999 and 2000. These estimates are based on an improved methodology using data from the New Earnings Survey (NES) and Labour Force Survey (LFS). This methodology provides the best estimates for the number of jobs in the UK paid below low hourly rate thresholds.
    The equivalent value of £3.70 in real terms has been calculated, using the all items Retail Price Index, as £3.50 for April 1998 and £3.60 for April 1999 to the nearest 10p pay band. The table below gives the number of jobs for workers aged 22 and over paid at less than £3.50, £3.60 and £3.70 for 1998, 1999 and 2000.

    Table 1: Number of jobs in the United Kingdom for workers aged 22 and over paid at less than £3.50, £3.60 and £3.70 per hour

    Number of jobs (thousands)

    Hourly paid less than

    Spring 1998

    Spring 1999

    Spring 2000

    £3.50

    1,150

    430

    180

    £3.60

    1,400

    540

    250

    £3.70

    1.640

    1,290

    850

    This improved methodology cannot be used to produce estimates before spring 1998 because it makes use of an LFS variable that is not available for earlier years. The introduction of the National Minimum Wage (NMW) has changed the distribution of pay rates across the lower pay bands. The NMW was introduced in April 1999 with an adult rate for workers aged 22 and over of £3.60 per hour. The rate was increased to £3.70 per hour in October 2000. The impact of this increase is not reflected in figures for spring 2000 as they relate to an earlier period.
    The estimates cannot be used as a measure of non-compliance with the NMW legislation because it is not possible from either the LFS or the NES to identify whether an individual is eligible for NMW rates. For example, it is not possible to identify people such as apprentices, those undergoing accredited training or those with accommodation supplied who are exempt from the NMW or are entitled to lower rates.

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