Written Answers of 9 March 2001

PRIME MINISTER

  Hammond Inquiry
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Prime Minister when he intends to publish Sir Antony Hammond's review into the circumstances surrounding the application for naturalisation by Mr. S. P. Hinduja. [152448]

  The Prime Minister
  I am publishing Sir Anthony Hammond's report today. I am most grateful to Sir Anthony Hammond for all his work.

  Sir Anthony Hammond is satisfied that nothing improper has occurred in relation to the application for naturalisation by Mr. S. P. Hinduja. Sir Anthony Hammond has found that the Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, my hon. Friend the Member for North Warwickshire (Mr. O'Brien), the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Vaz), and my right hon. Friend the Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Mandelson) behaved entirely properly throughout.

  Sir Anthony Hammond also recommends improvements to administrative practice which the Government will implement in full.

  I have placed a copy of the report in the Libraries of both Houses. Copies are available from the Vote Office.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Sexual Harassment
  Ms Osborne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints there have been of sexual harassment and abuse in Royal Mail sorting offices in each of the last five years. [152089]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  I am advised by the Post Office that it does not hold this information for the last five years. However, the Post Office has provided figures for the number of Employment Tribunal cases involving sexual discrimination and harassment for the last three years as set out in the table.

  Financial year

  Number of Employment Tribunal cases

  1998–99

  13

  1999–2000

  23

  2001–01 1

  25

  1 To December

  Medicines Act (South Africa)
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what outcome of the legal action being pursued by GlaxoSmithKline over the South African Government's amended Medicines Act would accord with Government policy. [152268]

  Mr. Caborn
  The Government do not speculate on the outcome of legal cases whether in the UK or overseas.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 13 December 2000,Official Report, column 141W, on HIV/AIDS, if he has supported the use of compulsory licensing and parallel importing of medicines by poor countries. [152267]

  Mr. Caborn
  The Government support the existing flexibilities within the WTO TRIPS Agreement. This allows WTO members to implement domestic IPR regimes which take adequate account of their national circumstances. There is nothing in the TRIPS Agreement to prevent Governments from allowing the importation of goods from the cheapest legitimate international sources (parallel importing). This is a matter for the judgment of individual Governments. The TRIPS Agreement (Article 31) also allows Governments to authorise production without the consent of patent holders, subject to adequate compensation (compulsory licensing) in a range of circumstances.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what contact his Department has had with the South African Government regarding its Medicines Act. [152270]

  Mr. Caborn
  The Department of Trade and Industry has had contacts with the South African Government concerning part of one article of its revised Medicines Act. We have made clear our support for South Africa's access to affordable medicines, consistent with national obligations under the TRIPs Agreement.

  Compulsory Licences
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the compulsory licences applied for to his Department in the last 10 years and the outcomes. [152136]

  Mr. Caborn
  Seven applications have been made for compulsory patent licences under Section 48 of the Patents Act 1977 in the last 10 years. Details are in the table.
  349W

  Date of application under Section 48

  Patent number

  Patentee

  Applicant for licence

  Outcome

  10 March 1995

  GB 2133069

  Therma-Tru Corp

  Cohmor Holdings Plc

  Application refused by decision dated 5 June 1996 1

  9 June 1995

  EP 0083360

  Baxter International Ltd.

  M. L. Laboratories

  Application withdrawn 26 June 1996

  9 November 1995

  GB 2065080

  Arnold Kastner

  Rizla Ltd.

  Application withdrawn 26 April 1996

  12 January 1996

  EP 0182442

  Biogen Inc

  Medeva Plc; Evans Medical Ltd.

  Application withdrawn 8 July 1997

  23 May 1996

  GB 2150431

  Janet Parker

  Merville Modular Ltd.

  Application withdrawn 10 April 1997

  25 July 1996

  EP 0163933

  R. L. Reynolds

  Emward Fastenings Ltd.

  Application refused by decision dated 29 December 1997

  27 January 1997

  GB 2133069

  Therma-Tru Corp

  Evergreen Door Ltd.

  Application withdrawn 4 March 1998

  1 Confirmed on appeal

  Source:

  Patent Office Annual Reports. 1990–91 to 1999–2000

  Litigation (GlaxoSmithKline)
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has been in contact with GlaxoSmithKline concerning its legal action against the South African Government; and if he will make a statement. [152269]

  Mr. Caborn
  I have been in contact with GlaxoSmithKline on a range of matters, including the conditions for business in South Africa. The pursuit of legal action is a matter for GSK and the other companies concerned.

  Medicines (Costs)
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which countries have issued compulsory licences to reduce the cost of medicines in the last 10 years. [152271]

  Mr. Caborn
  Compulsory licences are subject to national laws. The UK has not issued any compulsory licences in the last 10 years. The Government do not have information on compulsory licences issued by other countries.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which countries have used parallel importing to reduce the cost of medicines in the last 10 years. [152272]

  Mr. Caborn
  Parallel importing can and does occur between EU member states, but information as to its occurrence elsewhere is not available. We have no information on other countries introducing legislation on the international exhaustion of patents with the explicit aim of reducing the cost of medicines.

  Fixed Term Work Directive
  Ms Kelly
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his plans to implement the European Directive on fixed term work. [153492]

  Mr. Alan Johnson
  I am today publishing a consultation paper setting out options for implementing this directive. Copies are being placed in the Library of the House. The consultation period will last for 12 weeks, until 31 May, and I look forward to receiving views from as many interested parties as possible by this date.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

  Timber
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much certified timber has been purchased by her Department over the past six months; and what proportion of total timber purchases this represents. [152117]

  Clare Short
  DFID will report data on all timber purchases to DETR for incorporation in the Green Ministers' annual report. Guidance on data collection is being prepared by DETR. In advance of agreed systems DFID could not currently collate this information without disproportionate cost. We encourage all our suppliers to procure goods from sustainable sources and to comply with international trade agreements.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if her Department's annual report on timber procurement to the Committee of Green Ministers will be published. [152110]

  Clare Short
  DFID will report timber usage annually to DETR for publication in the Green Ministers' annual report.

  GATS
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment she has made of the impact on the world's poorest countries of the possible extension of GATS; and if she will make a statement. [153043]

  Clare Short
  It is up to developing countries to decide to what extent they want to open their markets further under the General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS). The Government believe that services are potentially a significant source of economic growth for developing countries. The development of services domestically, particularly in the finance and telecommunications sectors, is necessary to facilitate the growth in other parts of the economy to reduce poverty. Services liberalisation can act as a spur to domestic reform. It can provide access to new markets overseas and can encourage foreign investment.

  Medicines Act (South Africa)
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her policy is on the use
  351W
  by South Africa of compulsory licensing and parallel importing of medicines as TRIPS compliant measures. [152139]

  Mr. Caborn
  I have been asked to reply.

  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him today, column 348W, on the use of compulsory licensing and parallel importing by poor countries.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the secretary of State for International Development what the European Commission's policy is on the relationship between South Africa's amended Medicines Act and its obligations under TRIPS. [152140]

  Mr. Caborn
  I have been asked to reply.

  I refer my hon. Friend to the press release issued by the Delegation of the European Commission in South Africa on 6 March about this issue. I have arranged for copies of this press release to be placed in the Libraries of the House.

EDUCATION AND EMPLOYMENT

  Surplus Places
  Mr. Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what his policy is on surplus places in schools; and if he will publish the numbers and percentages of surplus places in each local education authority in England. [153208]

  Ms Estelle Morris
  Raising education standards informs all our policies. Resources which are locked into maintaining surplus places in schools should wherever possible be freed up and directed towards improving standards. In planning school provision, local education authorities should look for opportunities for removing surplus capacity, with a view to bringing supply and demand for school places into better balance. Their initial

  Surplus places by local authority at January 2000

  Primary 1

  Secondary

  Actual Surplus 2

  Schools with surplus of 25 per cent. or more 3

  Actual surplus 2

  Schools with surplus of 25 per cent. or more 3

  LEA

  Number

  Percentage

  Number

  Percentage

  Number

  Percentage

  Number

  Percentage

  301 Barking and Dagenham

  1318

  8

  3

  6

  683

  6

  0

  0

  302 Barnet

  953

  4

  0

  0

  737

  4

  0

  0

  370 Barnsley

  1,863

  9

  5

  6

  982

  7

  1

  7

  800 Bath and North East Somerset

  1,051

  8

  5

  7

  837

  7

  1

  8

  820 Bedfordshire

  3,832

  14

  23

  16

  4,157

  10

  10

  18

  303 Bexley

  831

  4

  2

  3

  1,032

  6

  0

  0

  330 Birmingham

  7,533

  7

  33

  10

  5,017

  7

  8

  10

  889 Blackburn with Darwen

  869

  6

  2

  3

  586

  6

  0

  0

  890 Blackpool

  499

  4

  1

  3

  434

  6

  1

  13

  850 Bolton

  1,971

  8

  9

  9

  1,053

  6

  1

  6

  837 Bournemouth

  280

  3

  1

  4

  837

  8

  1

  10

  867 Bracknell Forest

  1,092

  11

  5

  15

  744

  11

  1

  17

  380 Bradford

  3,484

  8

  14

  9

  10,045

  21

  42

  51

  304 Brent

  1,649

  8

  5

  8

  1,212

  8

  1

  8

  846 Brighton and Hove

  2,191

  12

  7

  12

  1,227

  10

  2

  20

  801 Bristol, City of

  2,821

  9

  14

  12

  3,211

  16

  2

  9

  305 Bromley

  409

  2

  0

  0

  339

  2

  0

  0

  825 Buckinghamshire

  6,343

  14

  42

  22

  1,404

  4

  2

  6

  351 Bury

  887

  6

  3

  4

  219

  2

  1

  7

  381 Calderdale

  1,828

  9

  12

  13

  737

  5

  0

  0

  873 Cambridgeshire

  4,152

  9

  20

  10

  1,161

  4

  1

  3

  202 Camden

  845

  8

  4

  10

  868

  8

  1

  10

  875 Cheshire

  6,961

  11

  41

  14

  3,518

  7

  5

  11

  201 City of London

  6

  3

  0

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  352W
  focus should be on those schools with 25 per cent. or more of their places unfilled, having particular regard to standards at those schools. The overall aim should be to maximise parental preference and to provide good quality education in the most cost-effective way. The Department's annual survey of surplus places allows us to monitor how local education authorities are meeting this challenge.

  The table is based on the returns made by local education authorities in respect of all maintained primary and secondary schools in their area. They set out the numbers of surplus places as at January 2000 for each local authority area, listing primary and secondary separately, together with the proportion that these represent of total capacity. They also highlight the numbers of schools which at that date had surplus of 25 per cent. or more, and at least 30 surplus places, together with the proportion that these represent of the total number of schools. The returns from local education authorities indicate that there were 709,989 surplus school places in January 2000, representing 9 per cent. of the total capacity of 7.8 million places. This is an overall reduction of 22,377 places on 1999 figures.

  The proportion of all schools with a quarter or more of their places unfilled remains the same at 11 per cent., although actual numbers have increased from 2,391 in 1999 to 2,406 in 2000. This is attributable to falling primary rolls, which also affect the figure for overall surplus capacity in that sector. The number of secondary schools with 25 per cent. or more surplus capacity continues to fall from 461 in 1999 (13 per cent.) to 393 in 2000 (11 per cent.).

  The returns also provide the Department with details of the action authorities propose to take on schools with 25 per cent. or more surplus. The returns indicate that in many cases action is being taken, or is planned. Where planning strategies are unclear in areas with particularly high levels of surplus, the Department will be following up with the authorities concerned.
  353W

  Surplus places by local authority area at January 2000

  Primary 1

  Secondary

  Actual Surplus 2

  Schools with surplus of 25 per cent. or more 3

  Actual surplus 2

  Schools with surplus of 25 per cent, or more 3

  LEA

  Number

  Percentage

  Number

  Percentage

  Number

  Percentage

  Number

  Percentage

  908 Cornwall

  3,221

  8

  20

  8

  238

  1

  0

  0

  331 Coventry

  2,415

  8

  11

  12

  1,979

  9

  2

  11

  306 Croydon

  1,542

  5

  4

  4

  1,621

  9

  1

  5

  909 Cumbria

  5,700

  12

  38

  13

  4,233

  12

  9

  21

  841 Darlington

  739

  8

  6

  16

  376

  6

  0

  0

  831 Derby

  1,541

  7

  3

  4

  2,362

  14

  4

  29

  830 Derbyshire

  5,859

  9

  43

  12

  4,545

  9

  8

  17

  878 Devon

  5,284

  9

  23

  7

  1,328

  3

  0

  0

  371 Doncaster

  5,015

  16

  23

  20

  1,175

  5

  0

  0

  835 Dorset

  2,325

  9

  14

  10

  2,162

  7

  2

  5

  332 Dudley

  3,072

  10

  12

  15

  970

  5

  1

  5

  840 Durham

  6,354

  13

  53

  21

  2,702

  8

  4

  11

  307 Ealing

  2,600

  10

  7

  11

  218

  2

  0

  0

  811 East Riding of Yorkshire

  3,011

  11

  14

  10

  935

  4

  1

  6

  845 East Sussex

  2,540

  7

  10

  6

  1,113

  4

  1

  4

  308 Enfield

  865

  4

  3

  5

  1,378

  7

  0

  0

  881 Essex

  10,236

  9

  41

  8

  7,719

  9

  9

  11

  390 Gateshead

  1,771

  10

  8

  11

  557

  5

  0

  0

  916 Gloucestershire

  4,911

  10

  21

  8

  2,138

  6

  2

  5

  203 Greenwich

  2,498

  12

  8

  12

  1,477

  10

  2

  14

  204 Hackney

  2,035

  12

  6

  10

  928

  11

  1

  11

  876 Halton

  3,422

  23

  20

  36

  1,034

  11

  2

  22

  205 Hammersmith and Fulham

  906

  10

  5

  14

  557

  8

  0

  0

  850 Hampshire

  10,135

  9

  36

  8

  5,393

  7

  6

  8

  309 Haringey

  1,131

  6

  2

  3

  780

  7

  0

  0

  310 Harrow

  1,314

  7

  1

  2

  819

  9

  0

  0

  805 Hartlepool

  701

  7

  2

  7

  573

  8

  0

  0

  311 Havering

  2,152

  10

  6

  9

  1,317

  8

  2

  11

  884 Herefordshire

  1,926

  12

  10

  12

  1,201

  12

  3

  21

  919 Hertfordshire

  8,549

  9

  42

  10

  9,448

  11

  12

  14

  312 Hillingdon

  1,340

  6

  1

  1

  1,131

  7

  2

  12

  313 Hounslow

  1,701

  9

  4

  6

  410

  3

  0

  0

  921 Isle of Wight

  419

  6

  1

  2

  584

  5

  0

  0

  420 Isles of Scilly

  92

  38

  1

  25

  52

  33

  1

  100

  206 Islington

  1,747

  11

  6

  12

  902

  11

  1

  11

  207 Kensington and Chelsea

  1,020

  14

  6

  23

  662

  16

  1

  25

  886 Kent

  6,063

  5

  23

  5

  8,383

  9

  10

  9

  810 Kingston upon Hull, City of

  4,965

  17

  16

  20

  2,087

  12

  3

  19

  314 Kingston upon Thames

  382

  4

  1

  3

  832

  9

  1

  10

  382 Kirklees

  3,101

  8

  14

  9

  2,220

  8

  3

  9

  340 Knowsley

  2,919

  16

  14

  23

  1,617

  14

  1

  9

  208 Lambeth

  2,463

  13

  8

  12

  1,728

  20

  2

  20

  888 Lancashire

  11,318

  10

  72

  14

  4,870

  6

  7

  8

  383 Leeds

  10,737

  15

  50

  20

  4,205

  8

  7

  16

  856 Leicester

  4,019

  14

  16

  18

  959

  5

  0

  0

  855 Leicestershire

  2,671

  5

  13

  6

  3,694

  8

  5

  9

  209 Lewisham

  1,116

  5

  2

  3

  1,934

  15

  2

  15

  925 Lincolnshire

  5,306

  9

  37

  13

  4,030

  9

  9

  14

  341 Liverpool

  7,155

  15

  31

  20

  3,550

  10

  2

  6

  821 Luton

  2,340

  11

  7

  11

  526

  4

  0

  0

  352 Manchester

  6,143

  14

  27

  18

  3,985

  15

  6

  24

  887 Medway

  1,748

  7

  8

  9

  2,143

  10

  2

  10

  315 Merton

  796

  6

  5

  10

  1,291

  15

  2

  18

  806 Middlesbrough

  1,594

  11

  5

  11

  673

  7

  1

  9

  826 Milton Keynes

  3,569

  14

  14

  16

  1,571

  12

  3

  27

  391 Newcastle upon Tyne

  3,698

  17

  23

  30

  2,128

  11

  4

  19

  316 Newham

  1,700

  6

  3

  5

  1,521

  8

  1

  7

  926 Norfolk

  5,056

  7

  21

  5

  3,533

  8

  5

  10

  812 North East Lincolnshire

  2,804

  16

  11

  18

  814

  7

  0

  0

  813 North Lincolnshire

  1,586

  10

  8

  12

  1,174

  10

  3

  21

  802 North Somerset

  771

  5

  1

  2

  781

  6

  0

  0

  392 North Tyneside

  2,508

  15

  13

  23

  2,486

  15

  6

  26

  815 North Yorkshire

  5,540

  11

  37

  11

  2,126

  5

  2

  4

  928 Northamptonshire

  5,266

  9

  27

  10

  4,569

  9

  9

  15

  929 Northumberland

  3,388

  15

  24

  17

  4,146

  12

  14

  23

  892 Nottingham

  2,961

  11

  16

  16

  4,977

  27

  8

  38

  891 Nottinghamshire

  6,256

  9

  29

  9

  8,489

  14

  12

  21

  353 Oldham

  1,838

  8

  4

  4

  1,241

  7

  2

  13

  931 Oxfordshire

  4,776

  10

  25

  11

  5,124

  12

  5

  11

  874 Peterborough

  1,843

  11

  9

  16

  1,172

  8

  3

  23

  879 Plymouth

  4,387

  18

  21

  26

  1,858

  9

  3

  17

  836 Poole

  674

  6

  2

  7

  482

  6

  0

  0

  851 Portsmouth

  1,268

  8

  3

  6

  133

  1

  0

  0

  870 Reading

  476

  5

  1

  3

  1,001

  14

  2

  25

  354W 355W

  Surplus places by local authority area at January 2000

  Primary 1

  Secondary

  Actual Surplus 2

  Schools with surplus of 25 per cent. or more 3

  Actual surplus 2

  Schools with surplus of 25 per cent. or more 3

  LEA

  Number

  Percentage

  Number

  Percentage

  Number

  Percentage

  Number

  Percentage

  317 Redbridge

  831

  4

  2

  4

  853

  5

  0

  0

  807 Redcar and Cleveland

  1,438

  10

  6

  11

  1,427

  12

  2

  15

  318 Richmond upon Thames

  309

  3

  0

  0

  626

  8

  1

  13

  354 Rochdale

  1,671

  8

  7

  9

  1,528

  10

  2

  14

  372 Rotherham

  2,318

  9

  7

  6

  1,494

  7

  1

  6

  857 Rutland

  710

  22

  5

  28

  237

  10

  1

  33

  355 Salford

  4,661

  19

  29

  34

  2,614

  18

  5

  29

  333 Sandwell

  2,037

  7

  8

  8

  2,488

  12

  3

  15

  343 Sefton

  3,069

  11

  14

  15

  1,492

  7

  2

  9

  373 Sheffield

  4,255

  9

  17

  11

  1,718

  6

  0

  0

  893 Shropshire

  2,694

  11

  19

  13

  1,056

  6

  1

  5

  871 Slough

  800

  7

  2

  6

  368

  5

  1

  9

  334 Solihull

  1,477

  7

  5

  7

  540

  3

  0

  0

  933 Somerset

  2,802

  7

  11

  5

  3,428

  10

  6

  15

  803 South Gloucestershire

  1,757

  7

  7

  7

  1,173

  7

  1

  7

  393 South Tyneside

  1,642

  11

  8

  14

  1,112

  10

  1

  9

  852 Southampton

  2,354

  12

  11

  16

  893

  7

  0

  0

  882 Southend-on-Sea

  913

  6

  1

  2

  829

  7

  1

  8

  210 Southwark

  1,927

  8

  6

  8

  589

  6

  0

  0

  342 St. Helens

  1,986

  11

  9

  15

  1,008

  8

  0

  0

  860 Staffordshire

  6,868

  9

  35

  11

  999

  2

  1

  1

  356 Stockport

  2,885

  11

  11

  11

  1,392

  8

  0

  0

  808 Stockton-on-Tees

  1,239

  7

  2

  3

  1,249

  9

  2

  15

  861 Stoke-on-Trent

  4,308

  17

  22

  25

  1,406

  9

  2

  12

  935 Suffolk

  5,684

  11

  28

  11

  4,962

  9

  4

  5

  394 Sunderland

  4,328

  14

  24

  25

  1,304

  6

  2

  12

  936 Surrey

  10,306

  12

  54

  17

  4,222

  7

  4

  8

  319 Sutton

  561

  4

  1

  2

  396

  3

  0

  0

  866 Swindon

  2,330

  12

  11

  16

  1,139

  9

  1

  9

  357 Tameside

  1,121

  5

  4

  5

  1,044

  7

  2

  11

  894 Telford and the Wrekin

  1,327

  8

  3

  5

  937

  9

  3

  23

  883 Thurrock

  1,466

  10

  3

  6

  1,040

  12

  1

  10

  880 Torbay

  478

  5

  3

  9

  163

  2

  0

  0

  211 Tower Hamlets

  2,715

  12

  10

  14

  1,167

  8

  1

  7

  358 Trafford

  1,44

  8

  7

  9

  1,018

  6

  1

  6

  384 Wakefield

  2,974

  9

  14

  11

  1,126

  5

  2

  11

  335 Walsall

  2,395

  9

  5

  5

  1,285

  6

  1

  5

  320 Waltham Forest

  1,565

  7

  5

  8

  979

  7

  1

  6

  212 Wandsworth

  1,627

  10

  7

  12

  526

  5

  1

  11

  877 Warrington

  2,673

  13

  16

  21

  609

  4

  0

  0

  937 Warwickshire

  4,845

  11

  22

  11

  2,843

  8

  5

  14

  869 West Berkshire

  1,564

  12

  7

  10

  405

  4

  0

  0

  938 West Sussex

  6,93

  10

  27

  11

  4,788

  10

  5

  13

  213 Westminster

  397

  4

  1

  3

  758

  9

  0

  0

  359 Wigan

  2,217

  8

  10

  9

  942

  5

  2

  10

  865 Wiltshire

  4,312

  11

  33

  15

  2,167

  7

  4

  12

  868 Windsor and Maidenhead

  451

  5

  3

  7

  891

  8

  2

  14

  344 Wirral

  4,373

  14

  20

  20

  2,144

  8

  2

  9

  872 Wokingham

  494

  4

  2

  4

  103

  1

  0

  0

  336 Wolverhampton

  3,176

  13

  18

  20

  1,428

  8

  2

  11

  885 Worcestershire

  4,470

  10

  18

  9

  4,227

  10

  10

  16

  816 York

  1,855

  12

  10

  17

  1,097

  10

  1

  8

  Total

  431,650

  10

  2,013

  11

  278,339

  8

  393

  11

  1 Primary figures show surplus after taking account of any summer entry

  2 Actual surplus is defined as the difference between capacity and number on roll for all schools where capacity exceeds number on roll

  3 Schools with less than 30 surplus places are not included

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Hill Farm Allowance
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if farmers who previously received hill livestock compensatory allowance but now do not qualify for hill farm allowance will receive transitional support this year. [151743]

  Ms Quin
  No. However, such farmers are eligible to apply for schemes under the England Rural Development Programme.
  356W
  Mr. Breed
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farmers previously eligible for hill livestock compensatory allowance he estimates will not qualify for hill farm allowance. [151741]

  Ms Quin
  Preliminary estimates indicate that across the country 1,200 to 1,300 farmers who received HLCA in 2000 will not receive HFA because they have less than 10 hectares of eligible forage area in the less favoured areas. Officials recently wrote to 3,400 producers, asking for additional information in order to ensure that all those who qualify receive payment.
  357W
  Those who are ineligible for HFA will be eligible to apply for schemes under the England Rural Development Programme.

  Livestock Diseases
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the outbreaks of(a) foot and mouth, (b) swine fever and (c) anthrax disease which have occurred in the United Kingdom since 1966, specifying in each case the species and number of animals slaughtered, the premises affected, the length of the outbreak and the number of abattoirs in operation at the time. [151644]

  Ms Quin
  [holding answer 1 March 2001]: The information requested is available in the Libraries of the House.

  Industrial Fishing
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) on what species the Anglo-Danish scientific study of the impact of industrial fishing is to be based; [152837]

  (2) what are (a) the objectives of the Anglo-Danish study on the impact of industrial fishing and (b) the criteria to be used. [152838]

  Mr. Morley
  I reached agreement in the margins of the Fisheries Council on 14–15 December on initiating bilateral discussions with Denmark on the sandeels fishery with a view to reducing the Total Allowable Catch for sandeels, re-examining bycatch arrangements and considering related issues. A first meeting was held in Edinburgh on 26 February, focusing principally on sandeels. This reviewed existing scientific effort in the UK and Denmark on estimating local sandeel abundance, examining predator-prey relationships and evaluating the impact of the closure of the sandeel fishery off the north-east coast. The meeting also examined bycatch arrangements in relation to ICES forecasts of haddock and whiting catches in the industrial fishery; EU technical conservation rules on permissible bycatches in the sandeel and other small mesh fisheries; and in Danish sampling and control arrangements for estimating bycatches in industrial fisheries.

DEFENCE

  Depleted Uranium
  Dr. Jack Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence at which of his Department's test locations in the United Kingdom the firing of depleted uranium projectiles has taken place; how many test firings have been made at each location; what arrangements are in place for the protection and monitoring of people and the environment; and if he will make a statement. [144771]

  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if depleted uranium has been a component of munitions used on(a) Salisbury Plain training area, (b) Porton Down, (c) Lulworth ranges and (b) Shoeburyness. [145945]
  358W
  Mr. Hoon
  [pursuant to his reply, 15 February 2001, c. 42W]: While the previous answer was believed to be correct at the time on the basis of the information available, additional information has now come to light which suggests that AWE firings may have continued until 1986. This information is contained in 1980's notebooks held at DERA Fort Halstead which logged the movement of experimental DU munitions from that site to the then AWE site at Foulness. There were no matching records at DERA shoeburyness since in the 1980s the AWE site at Foulness was a separate establishment.

  Balkan Casualties
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many UK troops have been injured in(a) Bosnia and (b) Kosovo in the last two years; how many have been removed from the country where they were serving owing to the serious nature of their wounds; how many have been killed; and if he will make a statement. [152598]

  Mr. Spellar
  During the period of 1 January 1999 to 31 December 2000 eight service personnel have died in Bosnia as the result of injuries sustained, and four in Kosovo. During the same period, 203 casualty evacuations of service personnel took place from Bosnia, and 308 from Kosovo.

  A complete record of service personnel who have sustained injuries in the respective theatres is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Road Accidents (Balkans)
  Mr. Hancock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many road accidents there have been in moving UK troops in(a) Bosnia and (b) Kosovo in the last two years which resulted in major injury to UK military personnel; how many military personnel were killed in them; how many resulted in severe damage to vehicles; and if he will make a statement. [152597]

  Mr. Spellar
  In the two years up to the end of 2000, four UK service personnel serving with SFOR have been killed as the result of road traffic accidents, and one serving with KFOR. Road traffic accidents also resulted in reports of serious injury to 10 personnel serving with SFOR and 32 with KFOR, and to 10 and 11 vehicles respectively being damaged beyond economic repair.

  Royal Irish Regiment
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the strength of the part-time section of the Royal Irish Regiment is; how many new recruits there were and how many part-time members resigned from the regiment in 2000; and if he will make a statement about recruitment into the part-time section of the Royal Irish Regiment. 1152152]

  Mr. Spellar
  The strength of the part-time element of the Royal Irish Regiment at 31 January 2001 was 1,693. During the period 1 January to 31 December 2000, 124 members enlisted into the part-time element of the Regiment and 141 resigned.
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  Part-time members of the Royal Irish Regiment provide essential support to the police in a variety of roles. We have recently launched an advertising campaign to encourage individuals to apply to join the Regiment and take advantage of the career and employment opportunities which exist there.

  2 Parachute Regiment
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the damages awarded against his Department to Mr. Ian Bannister, a former member of the 2 Parachute Regiment. [153060]

  Mr. Spellar
  Claims for compensation are considered by my Department on the basis of whether or not the Ministry of Defence has a legal liability to pay damages. Where there is a legal liability to pay compensation we do so. In Mr. Bannister's case, a claim was brought for injuries he received as a result of a training accident. Liability was admitted following a the through investigation of the case and the claim settled on 18 February 1999. In view of the confidential nature of the level of damages paid to Mr. Bannister, it would be inappropriate to disclose the amount. I am therefore withholding the information under exemption 4 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

  Strategic Sealift
  Mr. Dismore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on progress on the provision of strategic sealift. [153493]

  Mr. Hoon
  On 26 October last year, I announced that AWSR Shipping Ltd. had been selected as the preferred bidder for the strategic sealift (RoRo) service. Since then negotiations have been under way to place the PFI contract with AWSR.

  The negotiations have reached an advanced stage. AWSR has placed sub-contracts with Flensburger of Germany for four ships and Harland and Wolff for two. However, progress has been slowed by difficulties over the detailed commercial arrangements. In view of these complexities, which could threaten the timely completion of the PFI negotiations and early delivery of the service to MOD, I have decided that the Ministry of Defence should take over the commercial shipbuilding contract with Harland and Wolff, as part of the overall PFI arrangements. The contract will be managed by AWSR. On delivery of the ships to them, AWSR will provide the full six ship strategic sealift service on PFI terms.

  As I announced on 26 October last year, I expect the full strategic sealift capability to be available by 2003.

  Bosnia
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the levels of pay for personnel on active service in the armed forces in Bosnia; and if he will make a statement. [153071]

  Mr. Spellar
  I refer the hon. Member to the Thirtieth Report 2001 of the independent Armed Forces Pay Review Body (AFPRB) (Cm4993), published on 9 February 2001, the recommendations of which have 360W
  been accepted by the Government and become effective from 1 April 2001. Copies of the Report have been placed in the Library of the House.

  UK service personnel receive the same level of basic pay regardless of where they are serving. Levels of service pay are based on the recommendations of the AFPRB who work on the principle of broad comparability with the pay of civilian jobs of similar weight and responsibility (derived by job evaluation) against a number of factors. An additional element called "the X-factor" (currently 13 per cent. of basic pay) is then added to basic pay in order to reflect the differences between conditions of service experienced by members of the armed forces and conditions in civilian life which cannot be taken into account when assessing pay comparability. X-factor is paid to all ranks, except the most senior officers, regardless of unit or location and is also pensionable.

  It is recognised, however, that service personnel can only be compensated for a certain amount of separation from their base through the X-Factor. Therefore, service personnel who have served for more than three years and who are deployed, for example, to Bosnia, for over 10 consecutive days will also qualify for the Longer Separated Service Allowance (LSSA). LSSA is a taxable allowance, the level of which varies depending on the number of days spent away from home. Rates of LSSA effective from 1 April 2001 are also outlined in the AFPRB's 2001 Report.

  In addition to pay, there is also a package of measures to cover the welfare of troops deployed to Bosnia. These include the provision of publicly funded books, newspapers, telephone calls home, concessionary parcel rates, family travel and leave.

ENVIRONMENT, TRANSPORT AND THE REGIONS

  Clifton Marsh Tip
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what reports he has received from the Environment Agency on breaches of licence conditions at Clifton Marsh tip, Lancashire, by BNFL in connection with their disposal of any forms of radioactive waste. [146710]

  Mr. Meacher
  [holding answer 22 January 2001]: Following concerns raised in an article published in The Guardian newspaper on 16 January 2001, the Environment Agency has carried out an initial investigation into claims that depleted uranium from BNFL's Springfields site is being deposited at Clifton Marsh landfill in a dangerous manner. As a result of preliminary investigations at both the Clifton Marsh site and the Springfields site, the agency has found nothing to suggest that radioactive materials have been deposited at the site above the limits permitted in the site's authorisation under the Radioactive Substances Act 1993.

  The authorisation makes provision for the disposal of very low levels of solid radioactive waste at the landfill. This type of waste is subject to regular random checks by the site operators, Lancashire Waste Services, and the results of these checks are available to the agency for examination at any time. The agency is continuing to

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  investigate the claims made in the recent news articles, and any further information will be made available at the earliest opportunity.

  British Railways Board Records Centre
  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of arrangements for the closure of the British Railways Board Records Centre as regards access to documents required for the running of the railways; and if he will make a statement. [151666]

  Mr. Hill
  The great majority of the British Railways Board's (BRB's) responsibilities have been assumed by the Strategic Rail Authority (SRA) as a consequence of the Transport Act 2000. The management of the BRB records is, therefore, a matter for the SRA. With the ending of the BRB's operational responsibilities, a decision was made in 1997 to rationalise the archive and to retain only those documents necessary to meet the on-going requirements of the board to deal with its continuing legal liabilities. Under an appraisal process agreed by the Public Record Office (PRO) and the Railway Heritage Committee, records of historical importance are being deposited with the PRO or County Record Offices. Railtrack (and where appropriate any other successor body) are being advised of those records in which they may have an interest for the on-going running of the railway and can make appropriate arrangements for access.

  Cycling
  Mr. Brake
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what assessment he has made of the compliance of London boroughs with measures proposed by his Department in design manuals to assist in achieving high standards of cycling safety in London. [152350]

  Mr. Hill
  None. The Secretary of State issues guidance on the design of facilities for cyclists mainly through Traffic Advisory Leaflets and Local Transport Notes. In London, the London Cycle Network (LCN) has its own design manual. The LCN also has its own audit arrangements governing the safety of schemes. Responsibility for the LCN has now transferred to the Mayor.

  Planning
  Ms Buck
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the Government programmes which allow for the use of section 106 contributions as matching finance; and if he will make a statement. [152492]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  Section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, as substituted by section 12 of the Planning and Compensation Act 1991, enables local authorities and developers to enter into a planning obligation. This can comprise both negotiated planning agreements and unilateral undertakings by a developer. Current Government policy on the use of planning obligations is set out in Circular 1/97. This sets out a tightly defined set of tests which apply to the use of planning obligations. Planning obligations should be necessary; relevant to planning: directly related to the 362W
  proposed development; fairly and reasonably related in scale and kind to the proposed development; and reasonable in all other respects.

  Planning obligations are not designed to be used as a means of securing matching finance for Government programmes. They are designed to remedy genuine planning problems and to enhance the quality of development. They should only be sought where they are necessary to make a planning proposal acceptable in land-use planning terms.

  We intend to issue shortly a consultation paper with proposals for improving the current arrangements for planning obligations.

  Housing
  Ms Buck
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will publish the criteria he will use to determine which housing authorities are banded as 'excellent' for the purpose of qualifying for arm's length housing companies. [152494]

  Mr. Robert Ainsworth
  The proposed required for an excellent rating is one of a number of criteria which authorities working to qualify for additional resources must achieve in addition to setting up arm's length management arrangements. The assessment of the quality of the services will be undertaken by the Audit Commission's Housing Inspectorate as part of their best value duties. I understand that the Commission will shortly consider issuing a consultation paper on a framework for excellence in housing management to assist authorities interested in this new approach.

  Neighbourhood Renewal
  Ms Buck
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what the criteria to be used in assessing bids under the Neighbourhood Renewal Programmes Community Development Fund are. [152493]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  I believe my hon. Friend is referring to the Community Empowerment Fund (CEF) which is being set up as part of the Government's New Commitment to Neighbourhood Renewal as announced on 15 January 2001.

  Detailed proposals for the administration of the Community Empowerment Fund are currently being developed by officials. Once they have been agreed, the details will be included in the Local Strategic Partnerships Guidance which is expected to be published shortly.

  Planning Officers
  Mr. Ben Chapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) what measures he(a) proposes and (b) has in place to prevent planning officers from misleading elected representatives;. [152469]

  (2) what regulations are in place to require planning officers to present planning committees with objectors' and developers' views in the same manner. [152470]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  Section 54A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 requires that all planning applications must be determined in accordance with the
  363W
  development plan for the area unless material considerations indicate otherwise. Reports to planning committees should provide all relevant information to enable the committee to reach a decision. Failure on the part of a planning committee to take account of all relevant considerations may constitute maladministration and the decision of the committee may be subject to challenge by judicial review.

  The Local Government Association's 'Probity in Planning' contains good practice guidelines for officer reports to planning committees. It advises that reports should be accurate and cover, among other things, the substance of objections and the views of those consulted. Relevant points will include: a clear exposition of the development plan, site or related history, and any other material considerations; a written recommendation of action; and a technical appraisal which clearly justifies the recommendation. If the report's recommendation is contrary to policies in the development plan, the material considerations which justify this must be clearly stated.

  Construction Skills Certification Scheme
  Mr. Levitt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions in what ways the construction skills certification scheme is enforced; what impact it has had; and what penalties have been used for non-compliance. [152483]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  In the first instance, it is up to contractors to decide whether or not to require their managers, supervisors and operatives to be registered under the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) or similar scheme. However the Confederation of Construction Clients announced at the construction "safety summit" on 27 February that their members, and clients who are signatories to the Clients Charter, would require 100 per cent. of the work force on sites for which they are clients to be registered by end 2002. The Office of Government Commerce are discussing with central Government Departments and agencies procurement guidance which will suggest that they should make similar commitments to require the work force on construction contracts for which they are the client to be registered.

  Fishing Vessels (Safety)
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will publish the Code of Practice for the Safety of Small Fishing Vessels; if he will deposit in the Library the draft Code; if he will list the consultees to the Code; what representations he has received on the draft Code; and if he will make a statement. [152093]

  Mr. Hill
  The Code of Practice for the Safety of Small Fishing Vessels will be formally published later this month as an integral part of a Merchant Shipping Notice reference MSN 1756 (F). The Merchant Shipping Notice will be deposited in the Libraries of both Houses and will also be available on the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) website.

  The MCA is sending a copy of the Merchant Shipping Notice including the Code to every owner of under 12 metre fishing vessels to advise them of the effect of the code.
  364W
  The list of consultees has been placed in the Libraries of the House. As part of the consultation process the MCA received various representations on the Code.

  Construction Industry (Health and Safety)
  Mr. Gareth R. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what discussions he has had with representatives of the construction industry concerning health and safety issues in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement. [152604]

  Mr. Meacher
  I met with major industry employers and trade union representatives at the construction summit on 27 February, jointly organised by the Health and Safety Commission and my Department. DETR Ministers also met with employers and unions in the run up to the summit. The summit set targets and a number of action plans to improve health and safety standards in the industry which we intend to ensure are carried forward as soon as practicable.

  Transport Schemes
  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what public consultation will be required on the appraisal summary tables for major road schemes included in full local transport plans where(a) they were given provisional approval and (b) more work was considered necessary before the Government make a decision on whether to fund them. [152642]

  Mr. Hill
  There is no requirement for the public to be consulted on appraisal summary tables. However, local transport plans are themselves subject to public consultation and there is also an opportunity for the public to comment on major road schemes as they go through the statutory approval process.

  Ms Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions how many of the appraisal summary tables for major schemes in full local transport plans included an assessment for traffic generation. [152643]

  Mr. Hill
  Advice on assessment for traffic generation was issued by the former Department of Transport in 1994 following publication of the report "Trunk Roads and the Generation of Traffic" by the Standing Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment and is contained in Volume 12 of the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges. Assessment for traffic generation should be an integral part of the traffic modelling for major schemes. The expected level of generated traffic should be assessed and taken into account in the traffic forecasts that underlie the impacts set out in the appraisal summary tables. There is no requirement for the assessment of traffic generation to be recorded on the appraisal summary tables for major schemes.

  Mobile Telephone Masts
  Mr. Oaten
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions when he will issue new guidelines to planning authorities on the health risks associated with mobile phone masts. [152831]
  365W
  Ms Beverley Hughes
  My right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning wrote to Council Leaders in June 2000 to explain the action the Government had in hand to take forward the planning recommendations of the Stewart report ("Mobile Phones and Health") published in May 2000. The letter said that health considerations and public concern can in principle be material considerations in determining applications for planning permission and prior approval. Whether such matters are material in a particular case is ultimately a matter for the courts. It is for the decision-maker (usually the local planning authority) to determine what weight to attach to such considerations in any particular case. It is the Government's view that if a proposed development meets the guidelines of the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) on limiting public exposure to electromagnetic fields, it should not be necessary for an authority, in processing an application, to consider health effects further.

  This was repeated in the draft of Planning Policy Guidance note 8 (PPG8) issued for consultation on 31 July 2000. The consultation exercise, which also sought views on possible changes to the planning laws relating to mobile phone masts, ended on 31 October 2000. The Department is currently considering the responses. We shall announce our conclusions as soon as practically possible.

  Refrigerants
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions (1) to what extent his Department's headquarters building in London uses hydrofluorocarbons for(a) refrigeration and (b) air conditioning; what amounts of hydrofluorocarbons have been purchased by his Department in each year since 1995; and what plans he has to phase out his Department's (i) purchase and (ii) use of hydrofluorocarbons; [153048]

  (2) what his Department's policy is regarding the purchase of (a) hydrocarbons and (b) other environmentally benign refrigerants to meet the refrigeration and other energy needs of buildings and premises (i) owned and (ii) leased by his Department; and if he will made a statement. [153047]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  (a) Two of DETR's London headquarters buildings use hydrofluorocarbons as refrigerants in their air-conditioning systems.

  (b) The amount of hydrofluorocarbons purchased in each year since 1995 is:

  Year

  Kg

  1995–961

  —

  1997

  0

  1998

  0

  1999

  0

  2000

  1,095

  2001

  1,054

  1 Buildings not occupied

  Our policy is to switch, where possible, from hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorobutane and sulphur hexafluoride to environmentally preferable substitutes and to ensure that we do not buy any products which contain
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  chlorofluorocarbons, halons, carbon tetrachloride, 111 trichloroethane, or hydrochlorofluorocarbons where suitable alternatives exist.

  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will list the buildings and premises(a) owned and (b) leased by his Department which use (i) chlorofluorocarbons and (ii) hydrochlorofluorocarbons for refrigeration and other energy needs; and if he will give details of such use and the reasons for it. [153046]

  Ms Beverley Hughes
  Property management is delegated to the Department's local property centres and such details are not recorded centrally. Of the three London headquarters buildings only Great Minster House has an HCFC refrigerant (R22). We are evaluating the options for replacing this. My Department's policy is to ensure that we do not purchase any products which use chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons where there are suitable alternatives.

  IMO Building, Albert Embankment
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what recent representations he has received relating to the International Maritime Organisation building at 4 Albert Embankment; and if he will make a statement. [153022]

  Mr. Hill
  No recent representations relating to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) building have been made to Ministers. However, officials in the Department maintain a regular dialogue with the IMO. Discussions cover a range of issues including those connected with the building itself. The Department owns the building, and leases it to the IMO, and has responsibilities under the terms of the lease for its maintenance and upkeep.

  Regional Development Agencies
  Mr. Healey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions if he will make a statement on the total budget for regional development agencies in 2001–02 and how it is to be allocated between the nine agencies. [153474]

  Ms Armstrong
  The table sets out the total budget for 2001–02 showing the distribution between Regional Development Agencies. The total figure represents in effect an increase of 15 per cent. on the 2000–01 budget.

  Except for ring fenced administration and rural funding, RDAs will also have the flexibility to transfer up to 20 per cent. of budgets to other programmes, which together with the facility to create a strategic programme to progress initiatives which do not fall conveniently within existing programme rules, offers significant improvements for RDA financial management.

  The considerable extra funding, and these additional flexibilities for 2001–02 (the transitional year before the single budget) will help RDAs to deliver their regional priorities and targets for the year.
  367W

  £000

  Programme

  One North East

  North West DA

  Yorkshire Forward

  East Midlands DA

  Advantage West Midlands

  East of England DA

  South East of England DA

  South West RDA

  London DA

  Total

  Administration

  10,103

  14,44

  9,989

  7,488

  8,793

  5,836

  6,643

  9,099

  9,470

  81,465

  Land and Property

  45,700

  85,000

  43,700

  30,900

  41,100

  18,200

  23,600

  34,900

  48,100

  371,200

  Single Regeneration Budget

  100,169

  159,915

  147,425

  38,398

  92,446

  22,127

  58,237

  28,156

  225,955

  872,828

  Rural Development

  3,578

  1,991

  4,237

  4,588

  2,625

  4,018

  2,477

  9,388

  0

  32,902

  Skills Development Fund

  2,746

  6,448

  4,792

  4,195

  5,664

  5,053

  6,531

  4,275

  7,246

  46,950

  Skills Administration

  207

  326

  268

  238

  285

  259

  323

  259

  335

  2,500

  Inward Investment

  1,765

  1,493

  1,515

  1,124

  1,454

  1,165

  1,165

  1,604

  1,145

  12,430

  Regional Innovation Fund

  8,900

  7,400

  10,000

  4,300

  6,300

  3,500

  3,200

  4,700

  5,800

  54,100

  Grand Total 1

  173,168

  276,617

  221,926

  91,231

  158,667

  60,158

  102,176

  92,381

  298,051

  1,474,375

  Land and Property Capital

  -11,610

  -10,230

  -4,660

  -7,360

  -8,730

  -2,280

  -6,100

  -20,520

  -20,270

  -91,760

  Rural Development

  -236

  -270

  -453

  -590

  -183

  -145

  -142

  -575

  0

  -2,594

  Land and Property

  -11,667

  -9,400

  -4,650

  -1,900

  -880

  -486

  -98

  -3,175

  -639

  -32,895

  Current Total Receipts

  -23,513

  -19,900

  -9,763

  -9,850

  -9,793

  -2,911

  -6,340

  -24,270

  -20,909

  -127,249

  Net Total 1

  149,655

  256,17

  212,163

  81,381

  148,874

  57,247

  95,836

  68,111

  277,142

  1,347,126

  1 This does not include the budget for notional resource items

  Valerie Davey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what action he proposes to take to ensure that the regional chambers have sufficient resources to meet their duty to monitor the work of the Regional Development Agencies. [153491]

  Ms Armstrong
  I am today announcing proposals to establish a new fund for supporting the regional chambers, worth £5 million a year in total. This will enable the chambers to enhance their capacity to scrutinise the work of the Regional Development Agencies, as they progress towards their targets and delivery of their regional strategies, and to develop their role as a strategic focal point for their regions. Details of my proposals are contained in a consultation paper inviting views from the chambers and other interested parties, copies of which have been place in the House Library.

  Mr. MacShane
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what targets he has set the Regional Development Agencies for the single budget from 2002–03. [153512]

  Ms Armstrong
  Challenging high level objectives and outcome targets will be set for each Regional Development Agency (RDA), as part of the framework of targets for the single budget from 1 April 2002. These are set out in the table. We expect these targets to be delivered by the RDAs in exchange for the greater flexibility they will have under the single budget. Additional flexibilities for the RDAs for the 2001–02 transitional year are being set out in the 2001–02 allocations announcement today.

  The objectives will provide the overall context for all activity undertaken by the RDAs. The high level outcome targets add measurability to these objectives, and will be used to measure the direct impact of RDA activity on the regions. Each RDA will be expected to contribute to the high level targets. In due course, detailed output targets will also be negotiated separately with each RDA.

  Objectives—applying throughout urban and rural areas

  Outcome targets (by 2004–05 unless otherwise stated)

  To promote economic development and regionally balanced growth.

  1. Provide the strategic framework to improve the sustainable economic performance in each region measured by the trend in growth of GDP per capita, while also

  368W

  Objectives—applying throughout urban and rural areas

  Outcome targets (by 2004–05 unless otherwise stated)

  contributing to the broader quality of life in the region.

  To promote social cohesion and sustainable development through integrated local regeneration programmes.

  2. Regeneration: Work with local strategic partnerships (LSPs) to tackle poverty and social exclusion through promoting economic development in the most deprived areas by reducing deprivation by 10 per cent. in those wards that are currently in the bottom 20 per cent. of the region as identified by the Indices of Multiple Deprivation.

  3. Urban: Working with the LSPs, contribute to the renaissance of towns and cities so that negative current population trends in key urban areas are reversed and the numbers living and/or working there are increasing.

  4. Rural: In line with Rural White Paper objectives, regenerate Market Towns in or close to Rural Priority Areas, and achieve increases in employment, skills and new business formation levels in priority rural areas comparable with those being achieved elsewhere in the Region.

  5. Physical development: Work with partners to ensure that 60 per cent. of new housing is provided on previously developed land and through conversion of existing buildings by 2008. Ensure that brownfield land will be reclaimed at a rate of over 1,100 hectares per annum by 2004 (reclaiming 5 per cent. of current brownfield land by 2004 and 17 per cent, by 2010).

  To help those without a job into work by promoting employment and enhancing the development of skills relevant to employment.

  6. Employment: Work with Employment Service and Learning Skills Councils (LSCs) to increase employment over the economic cycle—by increasing the ILO employment rate by 2004.

  7. Skills: Work with LSCs to increase by 3 percentage points by 2004 the number of 19-year-olds achieving a qualification equivalent to NVQ level 2 compared to 2002. Improve the levels of qualifications

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  Objectives—applying throughout urban and rural areas

  Outcome targets (by 2004–05 unless otherwise stated)

  of the work force in order to meet future learning targets.

  Promote enterprise, innovation, increased productivity and competitiveness

  8. Productivity: Work with regional partners to enable an increase in productivity measured by Gross Value Added (GVA) per hour worked in the region and in particular increase productivity.

  9. Enterprise: Work with Small Business Service to help build an enterprise society in which small firms of all kinds thrive and achieve their potential, with an increase in the number of people considering going into business, an improvement in the overall productivity of small firms, and more enterprise in disadvantaged communities.

  10. Investment: Make the region an attractive place for investment to maintain the UK as the prime location in the EU for foreign direct investment, particularly by providing effective co-ordination of inward investment activities of local partners and sub regional agencies.

  11. Innovation: Make the most of the UK's science, engineering and technology by increasing the level of exploitation of technological knowledge derived from the science and engineering base, as demonstrated by a significant rise in the proportion of innovating business citing such sources.

  Single Regeneration Budget
  Mr. Healey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what arrangements he proposes for funding the successor to the Single Regeneration Budget in 2001–02. [153475]

  Ms Armstrong
  The Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) will continue to be able to allocate funds from the Single Regeneration Budget (SRB) expenditure line in 2001–02. Schemes approved up to the end of that year will continue to receive funding for the agreed period of the scheme, which may be up to seven years.

  In SR 2000, RDAs were given considerable additional funding and flexibilities to deliver their regional strategies, whose primary purpose is to enhance the region's competitiveness through sustainable economic development, regeneration and business growth. A key flexibility is the introduction of a single budget from April 2002, which will subsume all current RDA funding streams. There will not, therefore, be a national SRB bidding round for new schemes in 2001–02. We have invited those RDAs with sufficient resources, after commitments from earlier SRB rounds are taken into account, to put forward proposals for using funds from the SRB line in their corporate plans for 2001–02. Each RDA will be able to decide on its own approach, which will contribute to the development of the RDAs' regional strategies. The RDAs will be expected to meet their commitments to schemes from SRB Rounds 1 to 6 from their single budget.

HEALTH

  Imported Meat
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if the Government will make the import of over-30-months beef illegal; [144247]

  (2) if he will list categories of food product covered by the ban on the sale of imported over-30-months meat; [144330]

  (3) what investigation the Government have undertaken into the extent of the illegal sale of imported over-30-months meat in the United Kingdom; what conclusions have been reached; what measures the Government have taken to prevent such sales into the British food chain; and what representations he has received regarding such sales; [144249]

  (4) which categories of imported animal-derived products are covered by the ban on sales of over-30-months meat; [144311]

  (5) what advice the Government have given to retailers, caterers and consumers on the risks, identification and avoidance of imported over-30-months meat; [144248]

  (6) if he will make a statement on the illegal sale of imported over-30-months beef into the British food chain. [144255]

  Ms Stuart
  The Fresh Meat (Beef Controls) (No. 2) Regulations 1996 prohibit the sale of any meat from cattle over 30 months of age for human consumption (the over-30-months, or OTM, rule). The only exceptions are meat from cattle registered in the beef assurance scheme (which can be sold up to 42 months of age so long as they have tested negative for BSE) and meat from a list of 14 countries, of which none are European Union member states. The OTM rule does not apply to processed or treated meat or products that contain meat.

  There is, however, no ban on the import of OTM beef—it would be against European Union rules on free movement of goods to introduce unilateral measures under article 30 of the European Commission treaty restricting intracommunity trade where, as in this case, the legislative field has been occupied by the Community.

  The Food Standards Agency is investigating allegations that companies are importing cow beef (which would be likely to be from OTM animals) for sale for human consumption. Allegations are always followed up, including with the authorities of EU member states, but no evidence of illegal activity has been found to date.

  The Meat Hygiene Service (MHS), which is an Executive agency of the Food Standards Agency, enforces the OTM rule in licensed plants. If an Official Veterinary Surgeon (OVS) suspects that meat is from an over-age animal he may ask to see evidence to satisfy him that the meat is from an animal which was not over 30 months of age at slaughter. Local authorities are generally responsible for enforcement in other premises, and the checks which they carry out are determined by the authorities involved. Last November, the Food Standards Agency instructed them and the MHS to step up checks of imported beef. High levels of compliance with the OTM rule have been found and a renewed awareness of

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  its importance has been generated in the trade which resulted in some companies tightening their procurement practices.

  It should be born in mind that the over-30-months rule is only the first defence against BSE and that the most risky parts of the animal, the specified risk material (SRM), such as the brain and spinal cord, are removed at slaughter. This greatly reduces the amount of infective material from older cattle, including any that could be included in imported beef products.

  The EU requirement, from 1 January, that over-30-months-old cattle must test negative for BSE before being allowed into the food chain will provide some additional protection, though the tests are only likely to pick up infection close to the time when clinical signs of the disease appear.

  The agency's advice to those who may continue to feel concerned is that consumers should buy their beef and beef products from reputable sources and that they should ask their supplier for details of the origin and the source of the meat.

  Variant CJD
  Mr. Harvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vCJD sufferers received a red cell blood transfusion before they were diagnosed with the condition; and if he will make a statement. [150431]

  Mr. Denham
  Eight people with vCJD have been reported to the CJD Surveillance Unit as receiving blood components. After checking medical records, three of these have been confirmed as receiving a red cell blood transfusion. Of the remaining five, two reported transfusions occurred too long ago to allow checking against medical records, two have no history of transfusion and one report is still being investigated.

  There is no indication at present that the donors of the blood used in these cases have themselves developed vCJD.

  Mr. James Aldridge
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what threat to public health was posed by the Duckett's cheese in the possession of Mr. James Aldridge; [151312]

  (2) if he will publish the external legal opinions on which he bases Her Majesty's Government's appeal against the High Court decision that his Department has acted illegally against Mr. James Aldridge's cheese making business; and if he will make a statement on the public health reasons for that appeal; [151302]

  (3) what compensation was paid to Mr. James Aldridge for the destruction of Duckett's Caerphilly cheese under the 1990 Emergency Control Order placing a ban on cheese produced by Ducketts; and what steps he took to ascertain whether Aldridge's cheese came from the same batch of the banned cheese. [151307]

  Ms Stuart
  The threat to public health posed by Duckett's cheese in the possession of Mr. Aldridge was from the bacterium E coli E coli 0157 is known to cause severe illness and death in previously healthy people. Infection can occur from ingesting a very small
  372W
  number of bacteria. E coli 0157 was found in samples of Duckett's cheese produced using the same methods, under the same conditions and in the same place as Duckett's cheese in the possession of Mr. Aldridge.

  It is not usual to publish the advice available to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State during the course of litigation. The Court of Appeal accepted the legal arguments put forward on the Secretary of State's behalf and they are set out in the published report, (1999) 3 C.M.L.R. 123. After the litigation the Specialist Cheese Makers Association questioned the Court of Appeal decision and so further legal advice was sought last year and given to them. If there had not been an appeal, the decision of the High Court would have left in doubt the circumstances in which future emergency control orders could have been made to protect the public from the risk of food related illnesses.

  No compensation was payable to Mr. Aldridge for the effects of the Emergency Control Order made in May 1998 in respect of Duckett's cheese. Investigations revealed several possible sources of contamination in the production plant. It was not therefore possible to determine when contamination started and if it had stopped. The safety of any batch could not have been demonstrated except by testing to destruction.

  Post Mortems
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many items retained after post mortem have been found at(a) Ashford Hospital, Middlesex and (b) St. Peter's Hospital, Chertsey. [151565]

  Mr. Denham
  Information is not available in the form requested. Reliable data at hospital level about the amount of organs and tissue retained following post mortem will not become available until all National Health Service trusts and medical schools' information systems have been validated under the supervision of the new Retained Organs Commission.

  Autistic Children
  Mr. Arbuthnot
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will commission a study to replicate the clinical studies carried out by Dr. Wakefield into autistic children with inflamed bowel disease and the possible link with the MMR vaccination. [152015]

  Yvette Cooper
  We have ensured that Dr. Wakefield's hypothesis suggesting an association between measles, measles vaccine, measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, inflammatory bowel disease and autism has been thoroughly looked at. Rigorous scrutiny by the Department and a number of independent expert advisory groups has concluded that the evidence does not support any such association.

  The Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM), an independent expert committee, set up a Working Party on MMR vaccine in 1998 to review the suggested link between MMR and MR (Measles/Rubella) vaccines and autism and inflammatory bowel disease. This Working Party conducted a detailed review of reports from parents of suspected side effects in children vaccinated with MMR or MR vaccine, received by the Medicines Control Agency via a firm of solicitors. The Working Party

  373W
  reported in June 1999 and concluded that, despite the difficulty of coming to absolute conclusions on the basis of the information they had,
  "The available information did riot support the suggested causal associations or give cause for concern about the safety of MMR or MR vaccines".

  Independent researchers have already tried to replicate or confirm Dr. Wakefield's findings regarding epidemiology, virology or links between MMR, autism and bowel disease, but they have been unable to do so.

  The Government's independent expert advisory committees—the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation and the CSM—have reviewed the evidence as it has emerged. Their view remains that, on the scientific evidence available, there is no causal link between MMR vaccine and long-term health problems such as bowel disease or autism. This view is supported by the World Health Organisation which recognises MMR as being a
  "highly effective vaccine which has such an outstanding safety record".

  The Government will continue to ensure this subject is carefully reviewed by independent experts and any new evidence looked at. The evidence shows that MMR remains the safest way for parents to protect their children against these potentially very serious diseases.

  Medical Research
  Mr. Hilary Benn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to assist medical research charities in getting access to patients to ask them if they would like to participate in research studies; and if he will make a statement. [151915]

  Mr. Denham
  Medical research charities fund many research studies in the National Health Service, and it is for the clinical research investigators undertaking such studies to obtain informed consent from patients as potential research participants. On 1 March 2001 the Department published a "Research Governance Framework for Health and Social Care". This sets out the standards expected in the relationship between participants, researchers, funders and sponsors of research including the medical research charities. Through the NHS research and development funding system, the Department provides an estimated £90 million a year, which underpins research funded by medical research charities in the NHS, and which—among other things—facilitates access to patients as potential research participants.

  Cystic Fibrosis
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what the average cost of screening new-born babies for cystic fibrosis is; and what estimate he has made of the medical costs incurred by late diagnosis of cystic fibrosis;
  [152022]

  (2) what his policy is on the screening of new-born babies for cystic fibrosis. [152021]

  Mr. Denham
  At present, it is not national policy to screen new-born babies for cystic fibrosis. This decision was based on a review of the available evidence of benefit by the United Kingdom national screening committee and 374W
  supported by the findings of national experts. This decision is being actively reviewed in the light of new evidence of effectiveness, published in 2001.

  The authors of the Health Technology Assessment Report on Screening for Cystic Fibrosis estimated the cost to range from £4,400 per case detected to £6,400 per case (excluding those who would have been detected early without screening). There has been no recent assessment of the additional medical costs of late diagnosis.

  Consultants' Contract
  Miss McIntosh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met the representatives of the respective royal colleges to discuss the new consultants' contract; and if he will make a statement. [152589]

  Mr. Denham
  The Government's proposals for a new consultant contract were published on 21 February and made widely available. The proposals will be the subject of negotiation with the British Medical Association. Ministers meet regularly with representatives of the medical royal colleges and we anticipate that this will allow opportunities to discuss the proposals.

  Radiographers
  Ms Shipley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many vacancies there are nationally for radiographers. [152498]

  Mr. Denham
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 8 March 2001,Official Report, columns 324–27W.

  Age-related Macular Degeneration
  Mr. Waterson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people are registered as suffering from age-related macular degeneration; [152167]

  (2) what plans he has for promoting the treatment of, and research into, age-related macular degeneration. [152166]

  Mr. Denham
  The Department does not routinely collect statistics on individual conditions. However, hospital episode statistics show that there were 2,466 finished consultant episodes for macular degeneration and posterior pole at National Health Service hospitals in England in 1999–2000.

  We fund research into vision related conditions through the Medical Research Council. This includes a clinical trial at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast: Radiotherapy in the treatment of subfoveal neovascular membranes in age-related macular degeneration of the eye for which they provided a grant of £61,571. They have also provided a £ l .5 million grant to look at Genetic Susceptibility to Age Related Macular Degeneration, which is due to commence shortly.

  Physical Activity (Heart Disease)
  Mr. Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance has been issued to health authorities to help them develop policies for promoting physical activity as required by the National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease. [152529]
  375W
  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 6 March 2001]: The National Service Framework for Coronary Heart Disease and the NHS Plan require local action to tackle obesity and physical activity. The Department of Health commissioned the Health Development Agency to produce "Coronary Heart Disease: Guidance for implementing the preventive aspects of the National Health Service Framework" to help develop action plans. This document, published on 13 November 2000, provides evidence-based examples of effective interventions for dealing with all the primary risk factors for heart disease—smoking, poor nutrition, physical inactivity, overweight and obesity. Copies are available in the Library. It is also available at: http://www.hda-online.org.uk/publications.htm.

  Angiographers
  Mr. Ruane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many angiographies were performed by each health authority in descending order of(a) total number and (b) the number of angiographers per 10,000 population in the latest year for which figures are available. [152619]

  Mr. Denham
  The number of angiography procedures carried out by health authority in 1999–2000 is shown in the table.

  Angiographies are carried out under the direction of consultant cardiologists, assisted by cardiac technicians and nurses. The number of cardiologists is shown in the table.

  Date

  Number of cardiologists

  Percentage increase

  Total percentage increase over five years

  September 1996

  388

  —

  —

  September 1997

  405

  4.4

  —

  September 1998

  458

  13.1

  —

  September 1999

  467

  2.0

  —

  September 2000

  546

  16.9

  40.7

  Note:

  The figures for 2000 equivalent to 0.1 cardiologists 10,000 population in England.

  Finished consultant episodes (FCEs) where contrast radiology of heart is performed (operation code K63), by HA of residence, listed in descending order of FCEs and by number of FCE per 10,000 population

  NHS Hospital, England 1999–2000

  Health authority of residence

  FCEs

  Per 10,000 population

  QAM East Sussex, Brighton and Hove

  2,527

  33.50

  QD9 Birmingham

  2,081

  20.54

  QAV Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow

  2,021

  29.53

  QDH Leeds

  1,848

  25.43

  QAH Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham

  1,837

  24.36

  QAF West Kent

  1,782

  18.22

  QCL Leicestershire

  1,777

  19.01

  QDP Tees

  1,696

  30.51

  QAX North Essex

  1,663

  18.37

  QAR Brent and Harrow

  1,635

  35.16

  QDW Dorset

  1,586

  22.90

  QAJ Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth

  1,580

  24.94

  QAN West Sussex

  1,578

  20.75

  376W

  Finished consultant episodes (FCEs) where contrast radiology of heart is performed (operation code K63), by HA of residence, listed in descending order of FCEs and by number of FCE per 10,000 population

  NHS Hospital, England 1999–2000

  Health authority of residence

  FCEs

  Per 10,000 population

  QET Norfolk

  1,509

  18.95

  QD6 South and West Devon

  1,496

  25.27

  QAY South Essex

  1,464

  20.55

  QER Cambridge

  1,378

  19.01

  QAE East Kent

  1,333

  21.89

  QCY North West Lancashire

  1,332

  28.58

  QAW East London and The City

  1,320

  21.10

  QDR North Yorkshire

  1,263

  16.89

  QAL West Surrey

  1,257

  19.33

  QDV Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  1,212

  24.50

  QCE Oxfordshire

  1,185

  18.92

  QA7 Berkshire

  1,182

  14.76

  QEP East and North Hertfordshire

  1,182

  23.48

  QDE County Durham

  1,181

  19.46

  QD3 Southampton and South West Hampshire

  1,168

  21.37

  West Hertfordshire

  1,164

  21.57

  Avon

  1,158

  11.49

  Warwickshire

  1,150

  22.64

  Portsmouth and South East Hampshire

  1,123

  20.63

  East Riding

  1,094

  19.07

  North Staffordshire

  1,090

  23.23

  Liverpool

  1,072

  23.41

  Calderdale and Kirklees

  1,058

  18.08

  Redbridge and Waltham Forest

  1,049

  23.19

  Bexley and Greenwich

  1,047

  24.10

  Buckinghamshire

  1,044

  15.14

  Suffolk

  1,042

  15.45

  Coventry

  1,037

  34.12

  North and Mid Hampshire

  1,005

  17.89

  Wigan and Bolton

  940

  16.24

  Northamptonshire

  912

  14.68

  Manchester

  910

  21.11

  Newcastle and North Tyneside

  908

  19.47

  Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster

  906

  22.06

  South Derbyshire

  880

  15.43

  QCM Lincolnshire

  868

  13.81

  Bedfordshire

  857

  15.24

  Enfield and Haringey

  848

  17.25

  North and East Devon

  844

  17.48

  South Cheshire

  822

  12.26

  Croydon

  808

  23.94

  Barnet

  795

  23.39

  Camden and Islington

  786

  21.12

  QC9 West Pennine

  786

  16.70

  East Surrey

  769

  17.98

  Bradford

  761

  15.73

  Gateshead and South Tyneside

  749

  21.31

  Somerset

  739

  14.99

  Bury and Rochdale

  734

  18.72

  Wakefield

  733

  22.93

  Sheffield

  725

  13.66

  Salford and Trafford

  722

  16.22

  Worcestershire

  711

  13.17

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  702

  21.14

  South Staffordshire

  698

  11.80

  Bromley

  697

  23.14

  Wirral

  676

  20.70

  East Lancashire

  673

  13.23

  Barking and Havering

  667

  17.25

  North Cumbria

  659

  20.73

  Gloucestershire

  644

  11.46

  South Lancashire

  638

  20.43

  Sandwell

  628

  21.70

  Nottingham

  604

  9.43

  Kingston and Richmond

  587

  17.15

  Northumberland

  571

  18.41

  Hillingdon

  567

  22.35

  Shropshire

  564

  13.04

  Wiltshire

  543

  8.90

  South Humber

  534

  17.34

  377W

  Finished consultant episodes (FCEs) where contrast radiology of heart is performed (operation code K63), by HA of residence, listed in descending order of FCEs and by number of FCE per 10,000 population

  NHS Hospital, England 1999–2000

  Health authority of residence

  FCEs

  Per 10,000 population

  Doncaster

  531

  18.32

  Sunderland

  521

  17.92

  Morecambe Bay

  516

  16.53

  North Cheshire

  510

  16.35

  North Nottinghamshire

  496

  12.65

  Walsall

  488

  18.65

  Stockport

  481

  16.48

  Solihull

  478

  23.25

  Dudley

  465

  14.91

  Sefton

  437

  15.23

  Wolverhampton

  421

  17.48

  North Derbyshire

  414

  11.15

  Rotherham

  393

  15.49

  Barnsley

  355

  15.56

  Herefordshire

  217

  12.89

  Isle of Wight

  35

  2.73

  England residents total

  95,129

  19.12

  Scotland

  53

  —

  Wales

  1,348

  —

  Not known

  807

  —

  Northern Ireland

  19

  —

  Total treated in UK

  97,356

  —

  Notes:

  1. An FCE is defined as a period of patient care under one consultant in one health care provider. The figures do not represent the number of patients, as one person may have several episodes within the year.

  2. Figures in this table are provisional (version 2) and have not yet been adjusted for shortfalls in data.

  Source:

  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Department of Health

  Asthma
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice his Department is giving to health authorities and primary care groups on their strategies and expenditure with regard to asthma alleviation. [152542]

  Yvette Cooper
  [holding answer 8 March 2001]: Management of asthma takes place mainly in primary care. In addition to the general health promotion, general practitioners offer their patients more targeted care which is also provided for specific conditions through chronic disease management programmes (CDMP's). The asthma CDMP, introduced in 1993, is designed to support GPs in setting up and overseeing organised programmes of care for patients with asthma.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Hope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what financial arrangements are being made in respect of(a) NHS trusts dissolved and (b) new NHS trusts and primary care trusts established in 2000–01. [153615]
  378W
  Mr. Milburn
  Pursuant to the dissolution of 26 National Health Service trusts on 1 April 2000 and 1 October 2000, and their reconfiguration through the establishment of 10 new NHS trusts, I propose to create originating capital for the new NHS trusts equal to the net assets transferred to them and therefore to remit the outstanding debt of the dissolved trusts.

  A number of primary care trusts were also established during the year. Public Dividend Capital is not required for the establishment of new primary care trusts as they are subject to a different financial regime. Net assets transferred from dissolving NHS trusts to primary care trusts are reflected in the general fund of the primary care trust.

  These operations will involve no overall loss to the Exchequer. Her Majesty's Treasury has today presented a minute to the House giving particulars and circumstances of the proposed remission which it has approved in principle.

  Capital Health Projects (Islington)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list capital health projects in Islington financed by his Department since 1 May 1997 . [153114]

  Mr. Denham
  The information is as follows:

  Whittington Hospital—Replace Waterlow Unit (Acute Mental Health Unit)

  City Road Health Centre relocation

  Goodinge Road Health Centre major upgrade

  Newington Green general practitioner surgery relocation

  Royal Northern Primary Care Centre development

  Margery Street GP surgery relocation

  Improvement grants provided to GP's for: Bains and Greenough Practice, Rahaman Practice, St. Johns Way Practice, Tibble Practice, Jacobs Practice and Flinders Practice.

  NHS Reporting System
  Mr. David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the reasons are for the delay in implementing the recommendation that the NHS should set up a mandatory reporting system for logging all failures, mistakes, errors and near misses in healthcare contained in the report "An Organisation with a Memory". [152896]

  Mr. Denham
  Work on setting up a mandatory reporting system is being very actively progressed. The original recommended timetable was reviewed as part of setting targets within the NHS Plan and a more realistic target of December 2001 was agreed and published as part of the plan in July 2000. The new system will be established by the end of 2001 and details of the implementation plan will be published in due course.

  Prescription Season Tickets
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to allow prepayment season tickets for prescriptions to be spread over the year. [152835]

  Ms Stuart
  In England, we have no plans to do so. However, we recognise that some people may have difficulty in finding the fee for an annual prepayment
  379W
  certificate (PPC) in one payment, which is why we have also made PPCs available for four-monthly periods. For Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland these matters are for the devolved Administrations to consider.

  Low Frequency Radio Transmissions
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what investigations he has made into the effects on health of extremely low frequency radio transmissions; and if he will made a statement. [153044]

  Yvette Cooper
  The Department obtains advice on potential health effects risks associated with extremely low frequency electromagnetic fields (EMF) from the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB). A report published on 6 March by the NRPB's Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation was a review of all available published work to date and provides an assessment of the potential risks of cancer from electromagnetic fields (Documents of the NRPB Volume 12, Number 1,2001). Copies are available in the Library. The board of the NRPB also published a response statement which can be found on the NRPB website: www.nrpb.org.uk.

  The report states that any possible risk of childhood leukaemia relates to those exposed at relatively high levels of domestic exposure but that these are not necessarily associated with proximity to pylons or overhead power transmission lines. The conclusions indicate that the question whether exposure to electromagnetic fields can influence the development of cancer cannot at present be completely resolved. The report made a number of specific research recommendations. The NRPB consider that the report provides no additional scientific evidence to require a change in the guidelines to limit exposure to extremely low frequency EMF.

  The Department will consider carefully the recommendations of the NRPB and commission appropriate research in the light of that which is already under way. Current research includes a number of Government-funded studies in this country and support for the multinational electromagnetic fields project set up and co-ordinated by the World Health Organisation.

  National Bidding Process
  Mr. Reed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much additional capital has be en allocated to the

  Table B: 2000–01 earmarked capital funding

  £000

  Revascularisation

  Coronary heart disease Rapid access chest pain clinics

  Equipment

  Total

  Ambulance response times

  Waiting lists/times

  Renal

  Accident and emergency

  Action on cateracts

  Barnsley Community and Priority Services

  —

  —

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Barnsley District General Hospital

  —

  22

  —

  22

  —

  576

  —

  —

  —

  Bassetlaw Hospital and Community Health Services

  —

  175

  —

  175

  —

  176

  —

  —

  75

  Central Nottinghamshire Healthcare

  —

  —

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Central Sheffield University Hospitals

  —

  —

  50

  50

  —

  541

  —

  —

  —

  Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Royal Hospitals

  —

  —

  220

  220

  —

  354

  —

  —

  —

  380W
  Trent region as part of the national bidding process; and how much each NHS trust has obtained through that process for each national priority scheme in the current financial year. [149993]

  Mr. Denham
  Trent region has been allocated £23,446 million in 2000–01 from earmarked funds to support investment in Government priorities. The amount allocated to each National Health Service trust in the Trent region through the process is shown in Table A. Allocations were also made to health authorities and some primary care groups and primary care trusts.

  Details of the allocations for the individual priority areas are in table B.

  Table A

  NHS trust

  Total earmarked capital £000

  Barnsley Community and Priority Services

  0

  Barnsley District General Hospital

  755

  Bassetlaw Hospital and Community Health Services

  547

  Central Nottinghamshire Healthcare

  47

  Central Sheffield University Hospitals

  1,692

  Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Royal Hospital

  879

  Community Healthcare Services, North Derbyshire

  10

  Community Health Services, Southern Derbyshire

  397

  Community Health Sheffield

  0

  Doncaster and South Humber Healthcare

  0

  Doncaster Royal Infirmary and Montagu Hospital

  1,104

  East Midlands Ambulance Service

  266

  King's Mill Centre for Health Care Services

  675

  Leicestershire and Rutland Healthcare

  62

  Lincoln District Healthcare

  50

  Lincolnshire Ambulance and Health Transport Service

  41

  North East Lincolnshire

  534

  Northern General Hospital

  1,952

  Nottingham City Hospital

  1,487

  Nottingham Community Health

  0

  Nottingham Healthcare

  8

  Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham University Hospital

  3,718

  Rotherham General Hospitals

  929

  Rotherham Priority Health Services

  0

  Scunthorpe and Goole Hospitals

  448

  Sheffield Children's Hospital

  854

  South Lincolnshire Healthcare

  0

  South Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service

  82

  Southern Derbyshire Acute Hospitals

  1,509

  Southern Derbyshire Mental Health

  0

  University Hospitals of Leicester

  2,836

  United Lincolnshire Hospitals

  2,016

  381W

  Table B: 2000–01 earmarked capital funding

  £000

  Revascularisation

  Coronary heart disease Rapid access chest pain clinics

  Equipment

  Total

  Ambulance response times

  Waiting lists/times

  Renal

  Accident and emergency

  Action on cateracts

  Community Health Care Services, North Derbyshire

  —

  —

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Community Health Services, Southern Derbyshire

  —

  —

  —

  0

  —

  350

  —

  —

  —

  Community Health Sheffield

  —

  —

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Doncaster and South Humber Healthcare

  —

  —

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Doncaster Royal Infirmary and Montagu

  —

  —

  215

  215

  —

  414

  —

  150

  156

  East Midlands Ambulance Service

  —

  —

  88

  88

  178

  —

  —

  —

  —

  King's Mill Centre for Health Care Services

  —

  224

  —

  224

  —

  177

  —

  —

  110

  Leicestershire and Rutland Healthcare

  —

  —

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Lincoln District Healthcare

  —

  —

  —

  0

  —

  50

  —

  —

  —

  Lincolnshire Ambulance and Health Transport Service

  —

  —

  —

  0

  41

  —

  —

  —

  —

  North East Lincolnshire

  —

  —

  15

  15

  —

  405

  —

  —

  —

  Northern General Hospital

  —

  50

  604

  654

  —

  898

  335

  —

  —

  Nottingham City Hospital

  774

  74

  118

  966

  —

  252

  233

  —

  —

  Nottingham Community Health

  —

  —

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Nottingham Healthcare

  —

  —

  —

  0

  —

  8

  —

  —

  —

  Queen's Medical Centre Nottingham University Hospital

  —

  74

  61

  135

  —

  969

  —

  —

  —

  Rotherham General Hospitals

  —

  40

  50

  90

  —

  450

  —

  104

  —

  Rotherham Priority Health Services

  —

  —

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Scunthorpe and Goole Hospitals

  —

  —

  14

  14

  —

  179

  —

  —

  90

  Sheffield Childrens Hospital

  —

  —

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  South Lincolnshire Healthcare

  —

  —

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  South Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance and Paramedic Service

  —

  —

  —

  0

  82

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Southern Derbyshire Acute Hospitals

  —

  155

  —

  155

  —

  729

  183

  —

  220

  Southern Derbyshire Mental Health

  —

  —

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  The University Hospitals of Leicester

  500

  80

  77

  657

  —

  1,440

  251

  —

  150

  United Lincolnshire Hospitals

  —

  77

  65

  142

  —

  974

  —

  —

  184

  Bassetlaw PCG

  —

  —

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10

  Mansfield and District PCT

  —

  —

  —

  0

  —

  5

  —

  —

  10

  North East Linconlshire PCT

  —

  —

  —

  0

  —

  75

  —

  —

  —

  Barnsley HA

  —

  —

  50

  50

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Doncaster HA

  —

  —

  38

  38

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Leicestershire HA

  —

  —

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Lincolnshire HA

  —

  —

  55

  55

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  North Derbyshire HA

  —

  —

  70

  70

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  North Nottinghamshire HA

  —

  —

  75

  75

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Nottingham HA

  —

  —

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Rotherham HA

  —

  —

  —

  0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Sheffield HA

  —

  —

  19

  19

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  South Derbyshire HA

  —

  —

  110

  110

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  South Humber HA

  —

  —

  31

  31

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Trent RO total

  1,274

  971

  2,025

  4,270

  301

  9,022

  1,002

  254

  1,005

  National total

  —

  —

  —

  20,000

  3,000

  90,000

  10,000

  19,859

  12,000

  382W 383W

  Action on:

  Pathology modernization

  Outpatient long waits

  National intensive care

  Cancer CT scanners

  Dermatology

  ENT

  T&O

  Cateracts

  Total earmarked capital

  Barnsley Community and Priority Services

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Barnsley District General Hospital

  —

  12

  41

  —

  29

  25

  50

  —

  755

  Bassetlaw Hospital and Community Health Services

  —

  30

  16

  —

  15

  10

  50

  —

  547

  Central Nottinghamshire Healthcare

  —

  —

  —

  15

  10

  22

  —

  47

  Central Sheffield University Hospitals

  —

  —

  91

  —

  40

  25

  —

  945

  1,692

  Chesterfield and North Derbyshire Royal Hospitals

  —

  —

  58

  —

  29

  25

  50

  143

  879

  Community Health Care Services, North Derbyshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10

  —

  —

  10

  Community Health Services, Southern Derbyshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  15

  10

  22

  —

  397

  Community Health Sheffield

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Doncaster and South Humber Healthcare

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Doncaster Royal Infirmary and Montagu

  —

  —

  50

  —

  29

  25

  65

  —

  1,104

  East Midlands Ambulance Service

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  266

  King's Mill Centre for Health Care Services

  —

  —

  45

  —

  29

  25

  65

  —

  675

  Leicestershire and Rutland Healthcare

  —

  —

  —

  —

  15

  25

  22

  —

  62

  Lincoln District Healthcare

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  50

  Lincolnshire Ambulance and Health Transport Service

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  41

  North East Lincolnshire

  —

  —

  24

  —

  15

  25

  50

  —

  534

  Northern General Hospital

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  65

  —

  1,952

  Nottingham City Hospital

  —

  —

  14

  —

  —

  —

  22

  —

  1,487

  Nottingham Community Health

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Nottingham Healthcare

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  8

  Queen's Medical Centre Nottingham University Hospital

  2,016

  366

  87

  —

  40

  40

  65

  —

  3,718

  Rotherham General Hospitals

  —

  —

  40

  —

  29

  25

  50

  141

  929

  Rotherham Priority Health Services

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Scunthorpe and Goole Hospitals

  —

  36

  25

  —

  29

  25

  50

  —

  448

  Sheffield Childrens Hospital

  313

  —

  —

  494

  15

  10

  22

  —

  854

  South Lincolnshire Healthcare

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  South Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance and Paramedic Service

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  82

  Southern Derbyshire Acute Hospitals

  —

  —

  88

  —

  29

  40

  65

  —

  1,509

  Southern Derbyshire Mental Health

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  The University Hospitals of Leicester

  —

  58

  135

  —

  40

  40

  65

  —

  2,836

  United Lincolnshire Hospitals

  —

  —

  78

  493

  40

  40

  65

  —

  2,016

  Bassetlaw PCG

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10

  Mansfield and District PCT

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  15

  North East Linconlshire PCT

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  75

  Barnsley HA

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  50

  Doncaster HA

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  38

  Leicestershire HA

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Lincolnshire HA

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  55

  North Derbyshire HA

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  70

  North Nottinghamshire HA

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  75

  384W 385W

  Action on:

  Pathology modernization

  Outpatient long waits

  National intensive care

  Cancer CT scanners

  Dermatology

  ENT

  T&O

  Cateracts

  Total earmarked capital

  Nottingham HA

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Rotherham HA

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  Sheffield HA

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  19

  South Derbyshire HA

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  110

  South Humber HA

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  31

  Trent RO total

  2,329

  502

  792

  987

  453

  435

  865

  1,229

  23,446

  National total

  15,000

  11,031

  6,500

  30,000

  4,762

  4,755

  9,511

  10,253

  246,671

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Asylum (Iraqi Nationals)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people from Iraq(a) applied for asylum in the UK, (b) had applications refused, (c) had applications allowed on appeal, (d) were given exceptional leave to remain, (e) were deported to Iraq and (f) were removed to a third country in each year since 1995; and what are the latest available figures for the current year. [153116]

  Mrs. Roche
  The latest available information on principal applicants (that is, excluding dependants) for nationals of Iraq is given in the table.

  1995

  1996

  1997

  1998

  19991

  20001. 2

  Applications received

  930

  965

  1,075

  1,295

  1,800

  7,080

  Initial decisions3

  795

  665

  665

  1,100

  745

  4,865

  Of which:

  Grants of exceptional leave4

  175

  135

  295

  500

  325

  1,975

  Refused4

  50

  60

  110

  90

  105

  2,120

  Appeals determined by Immigration Appellate Authority adjudicators5

  20

  20

  15

  45

  7—

  7—

  Of which:

  Appeals allowed5

  0

  *

  10

  15

  7—

  7—

  Removals6

  15

  30

  40

  40

  840

  850

  1 Provisional figures

  2 Decision figures, by nationality, are not readily available for the period January to March 2000.

  3 Decision figures do not necessarily relate to applications received in the same period.

  4 Includes cases decided under measures aimed at reducing the pre-1996 asylum application backlog.

  5 Figures are based on the cases for which information is recorded on the Refugee Index.

  6 Includes persons removed under on-entry and in-country procedures who had, at some stage, claimed asylum.

  7 Not available

  8 Estimated

  Note:

  Figures rounded to the nearest 5 with * = 1 or 2.

  Information is not held centrally on the specific countries to which persons are removed. This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost through the examination of individual case files.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the policy of his Department is regarding the safety of nationals deported to Iraq having failed asylum applications in the United Kingdom. [153117]

  Mrs. Roche
  Applications for asylum are considered on their individual merits, in accordance with our obligations under the 1951 United Nations Refugee 386W
  Convention. We would not normally contemplate returning failed asylum seekers to Government controlled Iraq. We also accept that there may be certain people from the Kurdish autonomous area in northern Iraq who are in need of international protection and cannot be returned there. But there are also those who, after detailed examination by trained asylum caseworkers, cannot establish a need for international protection and who can be safely returned to northern Iraq. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees have also said that there are those who can safely remain in, or return to, northern Iraq. Other European countries take a similar approach regarding the safety of returning certain failed asylum applicants to northern Iraq.

  Hilda Murrell
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to ensure the investigation into the forensic evidence in the case of Hilda Murrell is being carried out with the devotion of reasonable resources. [152632]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  I am satisfied that the Forensic Science Service (FSS) is dedicating the appropriate resources to investigating the forensic evidence in the case of Hilda Murrell. The results obtained so far have provided no information about DNA from anyone other than the victim. The FSS is undertaking staged examinations of samples using the latest DNA techniques. As each of these examinations is completed, the next step in the priority order of tests is triggered. The analysis is being applied in order of priority so as to conserve as far as possible samples for future analysis if existing DNA tests are unsuccessful. Once the results of the tests have been assessed, the FSS will consider what further analysis could usefully be undertaken.

  Greater Manchester Police
  Ms Kelly
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers were serving in Greater Manchester in each year since 1990. [152808]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information requested is set out in the table.

  Greater Manchester police—police numbers 1990 to 2000

  Year (as at 31 March)

  Number of police officers

  1990

  6,992

  1991

  7,014

  1992

  7,061

  1993

  7,060

  1994

  6,967

  1995

  7,037

  1996

  6,938

  387W

  Greater Manchester police—police numbers 1990 to 2000

  Year (as at 31 March)

  Number of police officers

  1997

  6,922

  1998

  6,949

  1999

  6,810

  2000

  6,795

  2000 (30 September)

  6,767

  Ms Kelly
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers serving in Greater Manchester have taken(a) early retirement and (b) retirement due to ill health in each year since 1990. [152810]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Police officers are entitled to retire with an ordinary police pension on completion of 25 years' pensionable service, subject to certain conditions. However, most police officers choose to retire on completion of 30 years' pensionable service, as this is when maximum pension benefits are accrued.

  There are currently no provisions for early retirement from the police service with an actuarially reduced pension. However, officers may retire early on the ground that they are permanently disabled from performing the ordinary duties of a police officer and will receive an ill-health pension.

  The numbers of ill-health retirements from Greater Manchester police are set out in the table.

  Number of officers retiring on ill-health grounds from Greater Manchester police

  Number

  1990

  188

  1991

  165

  1992

  149

  1993

  162

  1994–95

  198

  1995–96

  168

  1996–97

  207

  1997–98

  199

  1998–99

  179

  1999–2000

  132

  Ill-health retirements in Greater Manchester police as a percentage of all retirements

  Percentage

  1990

  73

  1991

  68

  1992

  67

  1993

  60

  1994–95

  69

  1995–96

  49

  1996–97

  65

  1997–98

  61

  1998–99

  64

  1999–2000

  56

  Ms Kelly
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimates he has made of the number of police officers serving in Greater Manchester in(a) 2000, (b) 2001 and (c) 2002. [152813]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Home Office Statistical bulletin 2/01 published on 16 January 2001 gave details of Greater Manchester police (GMP) strength on 30 September 2000.388W
  I understand from GMP that the force expects to have reached the strengths shown in the table by March 2001 and March 2002.

  Number

  (a) 30 September 20001

  6,767

  (b) 31 March 20012

  6,988

  (c) 31 March 20022

  7,242

  1 Full-time Equivalent numbers, Home Office Statistical Bulletin 2/01.

  2 Number of individuals

  It is important to note that the projections for 2001 and 2002 are expressed as headcount whereas strength at September 2000 is expressed as Full-Time Equivalents (FTE). Headcount figures will be larger than FTE figures because officers working part-time count as one in headcount terms, but as a fraction of an officer in FTE terms.

  Greater Manchester police plan to reach the strength figures shown, but precise strength may be affected by the budget set for the force, by changes to projected wastage and by the success of the force's recruitment plans.

  Police (North-West)
  Ms Kelly
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers undertook training in the North West Region but served as a police officer in another region in each year since 1990. [152811]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  In addition to police officers undertaking training at the National Police Training schools, they also have training at their force's, and other forces' training establishments.

  Special Constables (West Sussex)
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special constables there were in West Sussex in(a) 1992, (b) 1997 and (c) the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement. [152895]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  Statistics of the strength of the Special Constabulary have been collected since 1995 by the Home Office Research Development and Statistics Directorate. These figures are compiled at the end of March and September each year. Before 1995, figures were collected by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary. The figures for 1992 were compiled at the end of the calendar year.

  Both sets of figures are collected for Sussex police as a whole and not defined further. The Special Constabulary strength figures for Sussex police force for 1992, September 1997 and September 2000 (the latest figures available) are therefore as follows:

  Total

  December 1992

  549

  September 1997

  465

  September 2000

  317

  389W
  Home Office funded research was completed last year into the premature wastage of special constables. We are currently exploring the implications of this research with the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Association of Police Authorities with a view to identifying the best way of addressing the decline in the number of special constables in England and Wales.

  Websites (Prisoners)
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the establishment of the website www.jeremybamber.com with Prison Rules; and if he will make a statement; [152972]

  (2) what rules govern the setting up of websites by prisoners; and if he will make a statement. [152970]

  Mr. Boateng
  Prisoners are not normally permitted to have computers in their possession, and are not permitted internet connections. Prison Rules do not regulate a person outside a prison setting up a website on a prisoner's behalf.

  Paragraph 34 of Standing Order 5B, made under the Prison Rules, regulates the sending by prisoners of written material for intended or likely publication, and this would include material for posting on a website.

  The Standing Order prohibits receipt of payment for publication; the sending of material about a prisoner's own crime, except where it consists of serious representations about a conviction or sentence; and references to other prisoners or staff in such a way that they may be identified. I am satisfied that the material on this website does not fall within the prohibitions of Standing Order 5B.

  Mr. Jeremy Bamber
  Mr. Whittingdale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Criminal Cases Review Commission to complete its consideration of the case of Mr. Jeremy Bamber; and if he will make a statement. [152971]

  Mr. Charles Clarke
  An application on behalf of Mr. Bamber, for review of his conviction, was made to the Home Office, but no decision had been made on it when the Home Secretary's powers to consider cases of alleged miscarriage of justice came to an end on 31 March 1997. Mr. Bamber's application was transferred to the Criminal Cases Review Commission in April 1997. The Commission commenced its review of Mr. Bamber's case in November 1997 and has been in regular contact with Mr. Bamber or his representatives. I understand that the Commission expects to make a decision on whether or not to refer Mr. Bamber's case to the Court of Appeal very shortly.

  Court Visits
  Mr. Marshall-Andrews
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the occasions since 1 May 1997 on which he has observed proceedings in courts of criminal jurisdiction. [152135]
  390W
  Mr. Straw
  I have visited courts on the following occasions:

  3 September 1997, Aldershot

  16 September 1997, Swindon

  1 May 1998, Oxford

  16 September 1998, Bristol

  14 July 1999, Manchester.

  I have also observed a number of proceedings at courts in my constituency.

  I regularly receive reports of relevant court proceedings and read the judgments of the higher court relating to criminal law and procedures.

  General Abacha
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he has responded to the formal request from the Nigerian authorities in relation to General Abacha and his associates; and if he will make a statement. [152496]

  Mr. Straw
  A request has been received from the authorities in Nigeria with regard to the affairs of the late General Abacha and his family and associates. We are of course very keen to assist the Nigerians in this case, but we have to work within the framework of our own legislation. The request raised a number of issues which required clarification and amplification, and accordingly we wrote to those acting for the Nigerian Government in September last year asking for some additional information. Despite a number of reminders and follow up requests, we have not yet received a reply which is sufficient to enable us to proceed.

  Gaming and Lotteries Fees
  Mr. Fabian Hamilton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to amend the fees for gaming and lotteries. [153513]

  Mr. Mike O'Brien
  I have today laid before Parliament two Orders under the Gaming Act 1968 and one under each o f the Lotteries and Amusements Act 1976, and the Gaming (Bingo) Act 1985.

  The Gaming Board and the Home Office review gaming fees and the fees for society and local authority lotteries every year. The National Audit Office and the Public Accounts Committee have made recommendations about how these fees are set. They have called for the creation of a more reliable basis for determining the costs of the relevant licensing and police authorities and achieving their full recovery, and for the elimination of cross subsidies among and between the various gaming industry and lottery sectors.

  The Government have accepted these recommendations and acted upon them. The amended fees in the four Orders are based upon estimates by the Gaming Board for Great Britain of the cost of each service and demand for it during the financial year 2001–02.

  The four Orders will bring revised fees into effect from 1 April 2001. The table sets out the current and the new level of all the fees.
  391W

  £

  Fee

  Old fee

  New fee

  S 19 Employees Certificates

  100

  145

  S27 gaming machine licences

  New

  4,140

  5,623

  Renewal

  1,650

  3,753

  Casino licenses

  Grant

  35,670

  26,349

  Renewal

  7,325

  7,325

  Transfer

  7,900

  5,898

  Consent Application

  6,810

  6,810

  Consent transfer

  3,405

  3,405

  Bingo licences

  Grant

  2,940

  2,940

  Renewal

  920

  1,357

  Transfer

  1,030

  1,030

  Consent Application

  2,045

  3,260

  Consent transfer

  680

  2,630

  National Bingo Game

  New

  165,020

  150,168

  Renewal

  158,875

  144,576

  Lotteries

  Gaming Board fee per lottery raising:

  £200K or more

  635

  404

  £50K, less than £200K

  355

  263

  £20K, less than £50K

  180

  86

  £10K, less than £50K

  145

  86

  Less than £10K

  82

  82

  Registration fee

  710

  3,840

  Registration renewal fee

  75

  142

  Lottery manager

  2,735

  5,470

  Inspection Lottery Return

  5

  5

  Pt II Club Registration

  New

  210

  235

  Renew

  105

  118

  Pt III Club Registration

  New

  115

  115

  Renew

  69

  69

LORD CHANCELLOR'S DEPARTMENT

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department, pursuant to his answer of 1 March 2001,Official Reyort, column 751W, on legal aid, what estimate he has made of Government spending on (a) legal aid, (b) Legal Help and (c) Children Act 1989 cases in the most recent year for which figures are available. [152764]

  Mr. Lock
  Net expenditure in 1999–2000 on Civil Legal Aid was approximately £766 million. This includes approximately £201 million on what is now known as Legal Help. Expenditure on Child] en Act 1989 cases (included in the £766 million reterred to) is estimated at £218 million.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's answer Department, pursuant to his answer of 1 March 2001,Official Report, column 751W, concerning financial awards from successful civil cases
  392W
  funded by legal aid, what damages were awarded or agreed in publicly funded cases by category for 1997–98; and if he will provide figures relating to payments by instalment. [152763]

  Mr. Lock
  During 1997–98 damages were awarded or agreed in publicly funded civil cases as follows:

  In Matrimonial and Family proceedings categorised as:

  (i) ancillary relief—£466,784,701;

  (ii) other divorce/judicial separation proceedings—£36,359,303;

  (iii) other proceedings involving children £9,922,001.

  In Non-Matrimonial civil proceedings categorised as:

  (i) personal injury—£644,142,212;

  (ii) other proceedings for negligence or tort—£86,699,293;

  (iii) business-related proceedings—£57,294,136;

  (iv) proceedings involving land or property—£45,340,029;

  (v) housing proceedings—£21,048,104;

  (vi) appeals and other miscellaneous proceedings—£2,859,565.

  The total awarded or agreed was therefore £1.37 billion.

  The Legal Aid Board did not collect information on the value of awards for periodic payments because under Regulation 94(c) of the Civil Legal Aid (General) Regulations 1989 such payments were exempt from the Board's Statutory Charge.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Nice Summit
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his estimate is of the total cost to the EU budget of the Nice summit. [151898]

  Mr. Vaz
  The costs of holding European Councils are met by the host Government and the EU budget. I suggest that my right hon. Friend contact the Secretariat of the Council of the European Union for information on the costs of the Nice Council specifically.

  Nice Treaty
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will include the texts of the treaties proposed to be amended by the treaty of Nice as they would be if that treaty came into force in the Command Paper in which the treaty of Nice is published. [152041]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Command Paper will contain the treaty of Nice which amends the treaty on European Union, the treaties establishing the European Communities and certain related Acts.

  The intergovernmental conference did not prepare a consolidated version, and therefore it will not be included in the Command Paper. But we expect the Office for Official Publications of the European Union to publish a version in due course. We will place this in the Libraries of both Houses as soon as it becomes available.

  Bonded Labourers (Indian Sub-continent)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what report he has received from the Indian organisation, Volunteers for Social Justice, regarding bonded labourers in Punjab State who have registered their cases in 1999 or before, but have not been released. [153121]

  Mr. Wilson
  We understand that, as of 19 August 2000, 698 bonded labourers had registered cases at the Punjab Human Rights Commission or the Punjab and Haryana Court. Of these cases almost all had been filed in 1999 or before. We share the concern of Volunteers for Social Justice over the situation of bonded labourers in India. We continue to monitor the issue closely.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received regarding threats and attacks against human rights activists working to protect and release bonded labourers in India and Pakistan. [153120]

  Mr. Wilson
  We are aware of reports of harassment of the bonded labour activist and General Secretary of Volunteers for Social Justice, Jai Singh, in Punjab, India. Officials in our High Commission in New Delhi are looking into this incident. We are not aware of similar incidents in Pakistan. The Indian authorities are well aware of our commitment to human rights and the importance of investigating abuses. We will continue to monitor the situation closely.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many people have been charged and prosecuted, and what sentences have been given, in India and Pakistan under their Bonded Labour Scheme (Abolition) Acts. [153119]

  Mr. Wilson
  It will take some time to collate the information requested by my hon. Friend I will write to him once it is available and place a copy of my letter in the Libraries of the House.

  Gibraltar
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when voters resident in Gibraltar will be eligible to vote in European Parliament elections. [152836]

  Mr. Vaz
  The UK unequivocally accepts its obligation to give effect to the Matthews judgment. We are fully committed to seeking enfranchisement for Gibraltar before the 2004 European Parliamentary elections.

  Zimbabwe
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussion he has had with(a) President Chirac and (b) the European Development Commissioner regarding the situation in Zimbabwe. [152890]

  Mr. Wilson
  The Government's deep concern at recent events in Zimbabwe was conveyed to Commissioner Neilson and President Chirac before their meetings with President Mugabe.
  394W
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent developments regarding the Chief Justice of the Zimbabwe High Court; and what plans he has to seek representations from other Commonwealth member states on the rule of law in Zimbabwe. [152893]

  Mr. Wilson
  The Foreign Secretary issued a statement on 21 Fubruary expressing his concern at the pressure being applied to the judiciary by the Government of Zimbabwe. The Foreign Secretary has spoken to the Commonwealth Secretary-General to reiterate his concern, and will discuss Zimbabwe with colleagues at the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group on 19–20 March.

  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the specific objectives are of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group meeting schedule for 19 March to discuss Zimbabwe. [152891]

  Mr. Wilson
  The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group meeting on 19–20 March will consider a full agenda of Commonwealth business. Zimbabwe will be discussed after Any Other Business.

  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met representatives from the Movement for Democratic change in Zimbabwe; and when he next plans to do so. [152894]

  Mr. Wilson
  The Foreign Secretary last met Morgan Tsvangirai on 6 November 2000. FCO Ministers and officials have regular meetings with representatives of the MDC, most recenty being on 5 March.

  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with which Commonwealth member states he has discussed the expulsion of Zimbabwe from the Commonwealth; and what was the conclusion of these discussions. [152887]

  Mr. Wilson
  FCO Ministers regularly raise Zimbabwe with their Commonwealth counterparts. Zimbabwe will be discussed at the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group meeting on 19–20 March.

  Kosovo-Macedonia Border
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia's call for the creation of a buffer zone on its border with Kosovo; and if he will make a statement. [153112]

  Mr. Vaz
  We and our Allies and partners have been in close contact with the Government of Macedonia about the recent violent acts by ethnic Albanian extremists which led to the deaths of three Macedonian soldiers last weekend. Following discussions, KFOR has intensified its efforts to control the border between Kosovo and Macedonia with some success. KFOR continues to monitor the situation very closely. There are reports that the extremists may be withdrawing.

  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to his Macedonian counterpart regarding the situation relating to the border between Kosovo and The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. [153111]
  395W
  Mr. Vaz
  On 2 March, 1 telephoned the Macedonian Foreign Minister, Mr. Srgjan Kerim. I reassured Mr. Kerim that we share Macedonian concerns about the situation in the border area and that NATO and KFOR were doing everything within their power to control the border with Kosovo. I also welcomed the continuing restraint shown by the Macedonian Government.

  Dayton Peace Accords
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to his(a) EU counterparts and (b) Yugoslav counterpart regarding the implementation of the Dayton Peace accords. [153102]

  Mr. Vaz
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has made no recent representations to either his EU counterparts or his Yugoslav counterpart specifically on the implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement—but Her Majesty's Government are fully engaged with EU partners in supporting the High Representative in his efforts to achieve the full implementation of the agreement. The FRY authorities have made clear their support for the Dayton Agreement.

  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his US counterpart regarding progress made in implementation of the Dayton Peace accords; and if he will make a statement. [153106]

  Mr. Vaz
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed Balkan issues with his US counterpart in Washington on 6 February.

  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress achieved in implementing the Dayton peace accords. [153100]

  Mr. Vaz
  The Peace Implementation Council ministerial meeting in Brussels in May last year concluded that much has been accomplished since the Dayton/Paris accords, that the security situation had stabilised, major reconstruction achieved, and the building of the State of Bosnia and Herzegovina has begun.

  However, much remains to be done to consolidate and build on this progress. The actions outlined at the Peace Implementation Council, as well as the EU's road map leading to the negotiation of a Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA), give a framework for reform. We are continuing our active support for the new moderate Governments at state and entity levels in their. reform efforts.

  Southern Serbia
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his EU counterparts regarding an international military presence in Presevo Valley. [153113]

  Mr. Vaz
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary discussed the situation in southern Serbia with his EU and NATO counterparts at ministerial meetings on 26 and 27 February. He remains in close touch with them.

  Middle East Peace Process
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will meet the new Israeli administration to discuss the Middle East peace process. [153025]

  Mr. Wilson
  The Prime Minister spoke to the new Israeli Prime Minister on 7 February. The Foreign Secretary sent a message of congratulation to the new Israeli Foreign Minister on 7 March. We are in frequent contact with both Israeli and Palestinian representatives, and with other regional Governments.

  Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the proposals by Bosnian Croat nationalists to announce the creation of a separate Croat entity within Bosnia and Herzegovina; and if he will make a statement. [153103]

  Mr. Vaz
  The declaration on 3 March by the self-styled Croat National Congress of Bosnia and Herzegovina made clear their intention to place themselves outside the provisions of the Dayton/Paris accords. This is utterly unacceptable. The Bosnia Croat people's future lies in the State of Bosnia and Herzegovina; their legitimate interests can be pursued only through full participation in the State and Federation structures.

  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many refugees, including internally displaced persons in Bosnia and Herzegovina, are still without permanent secure access to their pre-war homes. [153108]

  Mr. Vaz
  According to the UNHCR, a total of 781,900 people are currently without access to their pre-war homes in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This includes 263,500 refugees and 518,400 internally displaced persons.

  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress made in reconstructing Bosnia and Herzegovina's infrastructure and the institution building process. [153099]

  Mr. Vaz
  It will take some time to collate the information requested by the right hon. Member. I will write to him when it is available and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the security situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina. [153105]

  Mr. Vaz
  I refer to my answer to the right hon. Gentleman's question today,Official Report, column 395W.

  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funds have been allocated by the European Union for refugee returns in Bosnia and Herzegovina for each year since the Dayton Peace accords was signed; and how much has been delivered. [153107]
  397W
  Mr. Vaz
  It will take some time to collate all the information requested by the right hon. Member. I will write to him once it is available and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to his EU counterparts regarding the Bosnian Croat plans to create a separate Croat entity within Bosnia and Herzegovina. [153104]

  Mr. Vaz
  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no discussions with his EU colleagues about Bosnia Croat plans to create a separate Croat entity within Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, EU Foreign Ministers will be meeting on 19–20 March for the next General Affairs Council in Brussels, and High Representative Wolfgang Petrisch will be present. It is expected that this issue will be addressed.

  The Swedish Presidency issued a statement on behalf of the EU on 7 March, which condemned moves to create a separate Croat entity and reaffirmed the EU's support for the High Representative's actions, including the removal of President Ante Jelavic and three Bosnian Croat officials.

  Balkans
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the security situation in(a) Bosnia and Herzegovina, (b) Montenegro, (c) southern Serbia and (d) Kosovo. [153110]

  Mr. Vaz
  In Bosnia and Herzegovina the security situation remains calm. We have no specific concerns about the security situation in Montenegro.

  The violent activities of Albanian extremists in southern Serbia are of serious concern to the Yugoslav and Serbian Governments, and to the international community. We welcome the restraint shown by the Yugoslav/Serbian authorities and the proposals they have presented to find a peaceful resolution to the crisis. We are working with our partners and Allies to support this process.

  The security situation in Kosovo is much improved since 1999 when UNMIK and KFOR were established. Nevertheless, criminally, ethnically and politically motivated violence remains a serious problem. Efforts to counter this is a key priority for UNMIK and KFOR.

  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of continued support by the newly elected Belgrade administration to nationalist elements in Bosnia's entity Republika Srpska. [153101]

  Mr. Vaz
  The FRY and Serbian Government in Belgrade have publicly expressed their support for the Dayton/Paris accords, and their intention to work within the framework established at Dayton.

  On 5 March, an agreement was signed establishing a special parallel relationship between FRY and Republika Srpska. Such agreements are allowed under the Dayton/Paris accords, and the agreement was approved in advance by the High Representative. We hope that this will formalise relations between the democratically
  398W
  elected Governments in both the FRY and Republika Srpska, increase transparency, and enhance regional stability.

  Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
  Mr. Maude
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what conditions are attached to(a) Government's, (b) the EU's and (c) the Stability Pact's aid for the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. [153109]

  Mr. Vaz
  HMG provides technical assistance to support the commitment by the FRY authorities to pluralist democracy and a market economy. We also assist civil society on the understanding that it contributes to service delivery and democracy.

  Following the fall of Milosevic, the EU provided 200m euro in emergency humanitarian aid to the FRY for fuel, emergency food supplies and medicine and a further 240m euro distributed via the European Reconstruction Agency. No specific conditionality was attached to this aid. The swift EU response was in support of the new democratic Government of President Kostunica. FRY will also be eligible for EU aid under the new regional programme CARDS, subject to it meeting the following conditions: respect for democracy, the rule of law, human and minority rights, fundamental freedoms and principles of international law.

  The Stability Pact co-ordinates aid with a regional dimension in south-east Europe. Broadly, such aid should contribute to the stability of the region, but it is for the donor states and funding institutions to decide whether to attach any conditions to disbursement, including to the FRY. Stability Pact funding via CARDS will therefore be subject to the same EU criteria as outlined.

TREASURY

  Contributions Agency Staff
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Contributions Agency staff have been(a) disciplined, (b) prosecuted and (c) dismissed for misusing National Insurance numbers in each year since 1992. [152409]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Since 1992, there have been no incidents of Contributions Agency, or latterly Inland Revenue, National Insurance Contribution Office, staff being either disciplined, prosecuted or dismissed for misusing National Insurance numbers.

  Pensions
  Mr. Swinney
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the change to income tax receipts resulting from the basic state pension being uprated in line with earnings after 2002–03. [151795]

  Dawn Primarolo
  [holding answer 5 March 2001]: The full year income tax effect of uprating basic state retirement pensions by average earnings instead of retail prices in 2003–04 is estimated to be £65 million.
  399W
  The estimate is based on the Survey of Personal Incomes and is consistent with the November 2000 pre-Budget report.

  Mothers (London)
  Ms Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of mothers in London returned to employment when their youngest child was aged(a) under six months, (b) six to 12 months, (c) one to three years and (d) over three years in each of the last five years. [152205]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  [holding answer 8 March 2001]: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.

  Letter from Karen Dunnell to Ms Harriet Harman, dated 9 March 2001:
  The National Statistician, has been asked to reply to your parliamentary question about the percentage of mothers in London who returned to employment when their youngest child was in various age groups (152205). I am replying in his absence.
  The Labour Force Survey (LFS) is the main source of labour market data on individuals used by National Statistics. The attached table shows information for mothers in employment with a child aged under one year. The other information requested is not available.

  Mothers in Greater London with youngest dependent child aged under one year, 1996–2000 (autumn) not seasonally adjusted (per cent.1)

  Per cent.

  In employment

  1996

  38

  1997

  40

  1998

  44

  1999

  42

  2000

  48

  1 Percentages are based on those in employment as a percentage of all mothers with youngest child under one year.

  Source:

  ONS Labour Force Survey

  Pay (Hemswortb)
  Mr. Trickett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what his estimate is of the number of people in(a) Hemsworth constituency and (b) Wakefield district earning less than £4.10 per hour; [153007]

  (2) what his estimate is of the number of people in (a) Hemsworth constituency and (b) Wakefield district who have benefited from the introduction of the minimum wage. [153006]

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

  Letter from Karen Dunnell to Mr Jon Trickett, dated 9 March 2001:
  The National Statistician has been asked to reply to your recent questions about the number of people in Hemsworth and Wakefield who have benefited from the National Minimum Wage (NMW) so far, and the number of people in these areas who earn less than £4.10 an hour (153006, 153007). I am replving in his absence.
  400W
  The Office for National Statistics has published estimates of the number of jobs paid at less than specific hourly pay thresholds for all workers in the United Kingdom for Spring 2000, and the number of jobs paid at less than NMW rates for Spring 2000, disaggregated by gender and full and part-time. 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. These estimates are posted on the National Statistics website at: hup://www. statistics.gov.uk/nsbase/themes/labour_market/nmw_ lowpay_tables.asp
  The new methodology has been developed to overcome the deficiencies inherent in the two surveys, the NES and LFS, in measuring low pay. Estimates based on this methodology are not available for the areas requested.

  Departmental Policies (Hemsworth)
  Mr. Trickett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly to the locations as possible, the effects of his Department's policies and actions since 2 May 1997 on(a) Hemsworth constituency and (b) Wakefield district. [153008]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Hemsworth, along with the rest of the United Kingdom, is benefiting from the long-term action we have taken to build economic stability and secure high and stable levels of growth and employment. Since the general election, claimant unemployment in the constituency has fallen by 969, or 36 per cent., youth unemployment is down by 68 per cent., and long-term unemployment has fallen by 68 per cent.

  Macroeconomic stability is being complemented at the microeconomic level by the Government's policies to ease the transition from welfare into work and to make work pay. To the end of December 2000, the New Deal for 18 to 24-year-olds had helped 1,127 young people in Hemsworth constituency gain valuable skills and experience—569 (50 per cent.) of whom had moved into employment. The Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC), introduced in October 1999, is helping to make work pay for low and middle income families. In August 2000, 2,500 families in Hemsworth constituency and 8,300 in Wakefield local authority district were benefiting from WFTC.

  The Government are also committed to policies which enable pensioners to share in the country's rising prosperity. All pensioners, including 15,600 in Hemsworth, will receive an above-inflation increase in the basic state pension from April 2001. Single pensioners will receive an extra £5 a week, and couples will receive an extra £8 a week. All pensioners aged 75 or over have also been entitled to a free TV licence since November 2000—including around 9,600 in Hemsworth.

  Hoteliers (Disability Discrimination Act)
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will use the tax system to help small hoteliers meet the financial costs of complying with the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. [152886]
  401W
  Dawn Primarolo
  Spending by business to meet the terms of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 may qualify for tax relief under the general rules for writing off machinery and plant expenses against taxable income, the 40 per cent. first year allowance and the 4 per cent. tax relief for hotel building costs.

  Departmental Policies (Houghton and Washington, East)
  Mr. Kemp
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the constituency, the effects on Houghton and Washington, East of his Department's actions since 2 May 1997. [152996]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Houghton and Washington, East, along with the rest of the United Kingdom, is benefiting from the long-term action we have taken to build economic stability and secure high and stable levels of growth and employment. Since the general election, claimant unemployment in the constituency has fallen by 530. or 18 per cent., youth unemployment is down by 73 per cent., and long-term unemployment has fallen by 52 per cent.

  Macroeconomic stability is being complemented at the microeconomic level by the Government's policies to ease the transition from welfare into work and to make work pay. To the end of December 2000, the New Deal for 18 to 24-year-olds had helped 1,473 young people in Houghton and Washington, East constituency gain valuable skills and experience—744 (51 per cent.) of whom had moved into employment. The Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC), introduced in October 1999, is helping to make work pay for low and middle income families. In August 2000, 2,500 families in the constituency were benefiting from WFTC.

  The Government are also committed to policies which enable pensioners to share in the country's rising prosperity. All pensioners, including 14,800 in Houghton and Washington, East, will receive an above-inflation increase in the basic state pension from April 2001. Single pensioners will receive an extra £5 a week, and couples will receive an extra £8 a week. All pensioners aged 75 or over have also been entitled to a free TV licence since November 2000—including around 9,500 in Houghton and Washington, East.

  Low Income Tax Reform
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the Low Income Tax Reform Group about individuals who have share capital but pay no income tax. [152828]

  Dawn Primarolo
  I am not aware of any such discussions on this particular subject, but the Inland Revenue regularly meet the Low Incomes Tax Reform Group to discuss matters of interest.

  Tax Credits
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the impact of tax credits on people who pay no income tax. [152827]
  402W
  Dawn Primarolo
  The Government are committed to making work pay and eliminating child poverty. Those who pay no income tax are those on the lowest incomes and the Working Families Tax Credit ensures that families with children get a decent minimum working income. A single earner family on the National Minimum Wage working 35 hours a week and eligible for WFTC pays no income tax. We have already ensured that families of this sort have a guaranteed weekly income of £214 from April, rising to £225 in October.

  Comprehensive Spending Review
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assumptions about population are used, for each of the four countries of the United Kingdom, in the formula referred to in paragraph 21.2 of the 2000 Comprehensive Spending Review. [153011]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The population estimates for the four countries of the United Kingdom used in the 2000 Spending Review were set out in the Statement of Funding Policy published in July 2000.

  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will calculate spending in Scotland in 2001–02 to 2003–04, if the Barnett formula had been applied without the qualifications mentioned in paragraph 21.2 of the 2000 Comprehensive Spending Review. [153009]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The Scotland spending allocations set out in the 2000 Spending Review were determined by the Barnett formula in the normal way. Details of the Barnett formula were set out in the Statement of Funding Policy published in July 2000.

  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the relevant English spending referred to in paragraph 21.2 of the 2000 Comprehensive Spending Review is planned to be in 2001–02 to 2003–04. [153021]

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  The comparability percentages used in the Barnett formula in the 2000 Spending Review were calculated on the basis of 2000–01 provision of Government Departments. The details of the calculation of the comparability percentages are set out in Annexe C of the Statement of Funding Policy.

  European Union Budget
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which member states were(a) net beneficiaries from and (b) net contributors to the EU budget for the calendar year 1999; and what were the corresponding amounts paid and received including, where applicable, the effect of the Fountainebleau rebate, expressed per capita for the population of each country. [152897]

  Miss Melanie Johnson
  Details of the net position of each member state for 1999, including on a per capita basis, will be published in the Chancellor's departmental report. Details of the gross contribution of each member state, including their contribution to the United Kingdom's Fountainebleau rebate, and each member state's receipts, can be found at Table 1.2 and Diagram VI respectively of the European Court of Auditors Annual Report concerning the financial year 1999.

  Mrs. B. E. Jones
  Mr. Chope
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when his Department will give a substantive reply to Mrs. B. E. Jones of Verwood about her retirement pension. [153041]

  Dawn Primarolo
  This letter has not been received. If the hon. Member wishes to forward a copy it will be dealt with although the issues raised may be for the Department of Social Security to reply to.

  Customs and Excise
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what guidance he gives to customs officers regarding the questioning of people bringing into the UK tobacco products and alcohol in quantities below the guidelines stated on HM Customs and Excise Notice 1; and if he will make a statement. [153045]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Customs officers are guided by Statutory Instrument 1992/3155 The Excise Duties (Personal Relief) Order 1992, implementing EU Directive 92/12/EC, which makes any excise goods personally imported from another member state liable to forfeiture if they are intended to be used for a commercial purpose. The Order lists a variety of factors to be used by customs to determine whether goods are imported for a commercial purpose.

  Second-hand Goods
  Mr. Drew
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the Government's policy on the payment of(a) customs duty and (b) VAT on second-hand goods imported in the UK. [152829]

  Dawn Primarolo
  Importations of second-hand goods from outside the EU are subject to the normal import procedures, and conditions, as detailed in the HM Customs and Excise Integrated Tariff of the United Kingdom. Where applicable customs duty and/or import VAT are due at the appropriate rates.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Automated Credit Transfer
  Mr. Willetts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what arrangements he will implement when full-scale Automated Credit Transfer is introduced to protect benefit claimants from(a) delays that are the responsibility of Government and (b) delays that are the responsibility of banks. [152431]

  Mr. Rooker
  Automated Credit Transfer was first introduced as a method of paying benefits in 1982 and is now available for all benefits except Social Fund. Currently, over a third of customers already choose to be paid by this method.

  Current procedures and contractual arrangements supporting the process are all aimed at ensuring the customer receives payment on the appropriate day.

  Hospital Downrating Rule
  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the approximate annual income derived from the operation of the hospital downrating rule, as it applies to reductions in the state pension after six weeks as a hospital in-patient, and the approximate annual cost of administering the hospital downrating rule on state pensions. [152143]

  Mr. Rooker
  There is no income derived from the operation of the hospital downrating rule. Under rules that have been in existence since 1948, Social Security benefits are downrated after stays of six weeks in NHS hospitals and further reduced after 52 weeks, This is to prevent duplicate provision from public funds. The costs of abolishing the hospital downrating rules in respect of State Retirement Pension are estimated to be about £60 million a year. The information requested on administration costs is not available.

  Notes:

  1. Based on a 5 per cent. sample of data from the Pensions Strategy Computer System March 2000.

  2. It is assumed that the information drawn at the date of the sample is representative of the year as a whole.

  Departmental IT Projects
  Mr. Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will list the IT projects his Department plans to undertake in the next year; and if he will state in each case the(a) expected date of commencement and completion and (b) cost; [151481]

  (2) 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. [151510]

  Angela Eagle
  [holding answers 26 February 2001]: The Department is undertaking a major programme of change to modernise the way it delivers its services and to support the implementation of important new policy initiatives such as the reform of Child Support and the introduction of New Tax Credits. This programme will require extensive IT change affecting all areas of the Department.

  A number of the projects to deliver this change programme are already under way and will continue into the next year. Plans for others, including the implementation of Pension credit from 2003 and the replacement of the Department's outdated computer systems, are currently being developed. Finalised completion dates and costs for these are therefore not yet available. The overall costs of the projects to support Working Age, Pensions, Child Support and other key welfare reforms are shown in the table but it is not yet possible to show the IT cost component because contracts have not yet been let for many of the IT projects.

  Project

  Planned completion date

  Anticipated cost (£ million)

  Working Age Project

  March 2003

  145

  Pensions

  June 2003

  57

  Child Support

  April 2003

  914

  Corporate

  March 2005

  852

  Pension Supplements
  Mr. Swinney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost of providing(a) a £3 supplement for single pensioners aged over 75 years and (b) a £5 supplement for pensioner couples aged over 75 years in (i) Scotland and (ii) the UK. [153070]

  Mr. Rooker
  We will increase basic state pension from April 2001 by £5 for a single person and £8 per couple. This is at an overall cost of £1.3 billion and will benefit over 10 million British pensioners of which 900,000 reside in Scotland. The information is in the table.

  £ million

  Gross and net cost

  Great Britain

  2001–02 Scotland

  Gross

  660

  50

  Net of income-related benefit savings

  450

  30

  Notes:

  1. The figures in the table are for basic state pension obtained as of right through the recipients own national insurance contributions (Category A pension). Because the Category A pension is paid to both single and married pensioners it is not possible to estimate the costs. Therefore, it is assumed that the Category A rate of state pension is increased by £3 per week for those aged 75 and over and the Category BL married woman's rate is increased by £2 per week for those aged 75 and over.

  2. Estimates of gross costs provided by the Government Actuary's Department. Income-related benefit offsets are estimated using the Policy Simulation Model.

  3. United Kingdom figures are not available. Costs associated with overseas pensioners are included and are apportioned on a pro-rata basis between Scotland and the rest of Great Britain.

  4. Costs are rounded to the nearest £10 million.

  Winter Fuel Payments
  Mr. Laurence Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims for Winter Fuel Payments remain unpaid(a) nationally and (b) in Gloucestershire; what factors underly non-payment; what steps are being taken to ensure that these payments are quickly made; and if he will make a statement. [152294]

  Mr. Rooker
  [holding answer 5 March 2001]: The administration of benefits is a matter for Alexis Cleveland, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. She will write to the hon. Member.

  Letter from Alexis Cleveland to Mr. Laurence Robertson, dated 8 March 2001:
  The Secretary of State for Social Security has asked me to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many claims for winter fuel payments remain unpaid (a) nationally and (b) in Gloucestershire; what factors underly non-payment; what steps are being taken to ensure that these payments are quickly made; and if he will make a statement.
  As you may be aware, around 11 million people have benefited from Winter Fuel Payments this winter. All automatic payments, where entitlement was established, were made before Christmas 2000. All payments in respect of successful claims determined by 9 November 2000 were also made before Christmas 2000.
  It was made clear in our information campaign that, to guarantee payment before Christmas, claims had to be made before 22 September 2000.
  To enable as many people as possible to get their payment before Christmas another payment schedule was added to the operational plan so that claims determined by 9 November would also be paid before Christmas.
  406W
  Approximately 70,000 claims that were determined after 9 November and before 15 January are due to be paid during the first two weeks in March.
  A further 33,000 payments will be made in April 2001 and any remaining will be made in June 2001. Claims for this winter must be made by 31 March, therefore the June payment schedule is necessary.
  It is not possible to make all payments on successful claims immediately. We must ensure that the right amount of money is paid to the right person. To enable the correct amount of Winter Fuel Payment to be determined various payment processes which can take a little time, are necessary. I am sure you will agree that it is prudent to make sure that people receive the right amount.
  However, we are doing everything possible to ensure that claims for Winter 2000 are processed and paid within the shortest timescale available.
  Unfortunately, information you ask for is not available at constituency level.
  I hope this is helpful.

CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT

  Arts Administration
  Mr. Maclean
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to the oral statement by the Minister for the Arts of 26 February 2001,Official Report, column 572, on spending on arts administration, how operating costs are defined. [152769]

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Operating costs are defined as all staff costs, publicity, administration, overheads and associated costs. It excludes all direct expenditure on art forms.

  Athletics Championships (Funding)
  Mr. Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport (1) if he will publish the minutes of meetings between his Department and the Mayor of London about(a) the staging of the World Athletics Championships in 2005 and (b) the investment of transport infrastructure associated with the proposed development of a new athletics stadium at Pickett's Lock; [152520]

  (2) if he will publish correspondence between his Department and the Mayor of London about (a) the staging of the World Athletics Championships in 2005 and (b) the investment in transport infrastructure associated with the proposed development of a new athletics stadium at Pickett's Lock. [152521]

  Kate Hoey
  [holding answer 6 March 2001]: Further to my answer of 9 February 2001, Official Report, columns 703–04W, to the hon. Member for Bromsgrove (Miss Kirkbride), a copy of the minutes of the Lee Valley Forum meetings which took place on 26 June 2000, 2 October 2000, 13 November 2000 and 16 January 2001 were placed in the Libraries of both Houses on 5 March. There has been no correspondence with the Mayor on this issue.

  Sport Strategy Implementation Group
  Jane Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if he will make a statement on the Action Plan submitted to his Department by the Sport Strategy Implementation Group. [153670]
  407W
  Kate Hoey
  On Saturday 10 March, we will publish "A Sporting Future for All—The Government's Plan for Sport". This is a practical and detailed programme which will make a real and lasting improvement to the sporting 408W
  life of this country and is largely based on the work done by the Sports Strategy Implementation Group set up last year. I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

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